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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 September 2020

Even before the arrival of COVID-19, the relationship between production companies, streaming platforms, and movie theatres was starting to change.  We saw it last year with two Oscar nominated films – The Irishman and Marriage Story.  They were financed by Netflix, produced by separate companies, screened for a few weeks in cinemas (to qualify for awards season), and then immediately made available to stream.

That same model has been picked up by Apple TV who, over the past two years, have secured details with smaller distribution companies (A24, Bleecker Street, Greenwick Entertainment) to create original content.  Their first major title is On the Rocks and it’s likely to attract attention given it stars Bill Murray and is written and directed by Sofia Coppola.  It’s their first big screen collaboration since 2003’s award winning Lost in Translation (as likeable today as it was back then).

Unfortunately, those expecting something the equal of Lost in Translation will be disappointed by this latest creation.  It’s a slight, less profound movie that lacks the humour and life-affirming messages that made their earlier film so memorable.  The crux of this tale revolves around trust and fidelity.  Laura (Jones), a mother with two daughters, suspects her husband (Wayans) is having an affair with a co-worker based on the limited amount of time he is spending at home.

Voicing these concerns to her alcohol-loving father, Felix (Murray), the pair team up and become quasi private detectives.  They look through his mobile phone, monitor his calendar, and drive around town following his late-night movements.  This could have been given the full dramatic treatment (ala Marriage Story) but Coppola has gone with a lighter touch.

For example, there’s a scene where Laura and Felix recklessly weave through the streets of Manhattan in a red Alfa Romeo (not exactly discreet) before sweet-talking a naïve police officer out of a dangerous driving fine.  It’s one of numerous sequences that feels clumsy, contrived and unoriginal.  It certainly doesn’t generate the laughs that Coppola would have been seeking.

Rashida Jones (The Office) and Bill Murray (Caddyshack) are both accomplished actors and whilst they are trying to illustrate the rocky relationship between father and daughter, it’s a challenge given the imperfect screenplay.  The most interesting cast member is Marlon Wayans (Requiem for a Dream) who, in a rare yet refreshing dramatic role, keeps you guessing as to his thoughts and intentions.

Culminating with a rushed, goofy moment in Mexico, On the Rocks is a weaker inclusion on Sofia Coppola’s otherwise strong resume.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 08 September 2020

We’ve seen a bunch of old movie franchises reinvigorated in recent years (e.g. Rocky, Terminator, Jumanji) but if you’d asked a few years ago, I would never have predicted another Bill & Ted film.  The last was released way back in 1991 (Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey) and in the three decades since, star Keanu Reeves has grown up and built a reputation as a bankable action hero with series including The Matrix and John Wick.

That said, in a year that would be described by most as “depressing”, it feels like just the right time to be reintroduced to Ted Logan (Reeves) and Bill Preston (Winter).  There’s something here for people of all ages.  Older audiences will get the chance to reminisce and see what became of these beloved characters (even the Grim Reaper is seen again).  Younger audiences will meet them for the first time and, hopefully, they’ll be inspired to find the original movies on a streaming service.

Set in the current day, we learn from the opening scenes that nothing has really changed in the life of Bill and Ted.  They’re now married with kids but their goal is still the same – to keep writing and playing music until they become famous.  You’d have hoped they’d found success by now but sadly, they’ve been “banging their heads against the wall for 25 years” and they remain penniless and unknown.

That may be about to change.  Some funky stuff is going on in the space-time continuum and the world is unravelling.  A woman from the future (Schaal) has travelled back to the year 2020 and entrusted Bill and Ted with an important assignment.  They have 77 minutes to create “the greatest song ever written that will unite the world” and if they should fail, the world will disintegrate.  Suffice to say it’s a heavy burden to carry.

Given they lack creative prowess, their first thought is to cheat.  They use a time machine to travel into the future, meet their older selves, and “steal” their own iconic song.  It won’t be that easy though.  Helping them along the way are their two wives, their two daughters and a handful of musical legends with something valuable to offer.  Hindering them is a killer robot with a quirky personality.

These characters are moronic but also hilarious.  The storyline is so silly that you can’t help but laugh.  There’s a lot to like about the cast but the two standouts are Bridget Lundy-Paine (Atypical) and Australian Samara Weaving (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) as our heroes’ two daughters.  They mimic the vocabulary and mannerisms of Bill and Ted with precision while also having a sense of originality. 

A few scenes don’t reach their full potential (such as a moment involving Jillian Bell as a marriage counsellor) but on the whole, Bill & Ted Face the Music is good old-fashioned fun.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 September 2020

In late 2019, Mariah Carey’s reboot of the festive song “All I Want for Christmas is You” went to #1 on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart.  It was just the 7^th time (the list began in 1958) that a solo female artist over the age of 40 had claimed the top spot – the others being Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Cher, Madonna and Sia.  It’s worth noting that just one of them was over 50 – Cher in 1999 with her chart-topping “Believe”.

Highlighting the ageism that exists within the music industry, particularly when it comes to women, was a major attraction for Canadian director Nisha Ganatra (Late Night) on reading the script from first-time screenwriter Flora Greeson.  Greeson drew on her own experiences working as an assistant at Universal Music in New York City and as an assistant for a talent agency in Los Angeles.  That’s part of the reason why, similar to The Devil Wears Prada, the story is told from the perspective of the “hired help” and not the high-profile celebrity.

To delve into the film’s narrative, Maggie Sherwoode (Johnson) has spent the last three years working as the personal assistant to 11-time Grammy Award winning R&B singer Grace Davis (Ross).  It’s tough, demanding work but Maggie relishes the opportunity to get “up close and personal” with an artist she has long-admired.  Her best friend (Chao) sees things a little differently and, sensing Maggie’s career progression has stalled, justifiably asks “can you please want more from yourself?”

There are several subplots but two feature most prominently.  The first is the exploration of the relationship between Maggie and Grace.  It’s an interesting dynamic when someone is hired in a professional capacity but, slowly over time, becomes of more value in a personal capacity.  Still, there are always going to be points of tension when expectations and responsibilities become blurred.  The interaction between Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) in these two lead roles is the film’s strongest attribute.

The second key narrative involves Maggie partnering with a young singer-songwriter named David (Harrison Jr) who she first meets in a music store.  Misrepresenting herself as an influential producer, she takes David under her wing, organises studio recording time, and tries to set him up for stardom.  This is a clumsier, less credible storyline that includes a splash of unnecessary romance.

For those looking for insight into the music industry, The High Note has something to offer.  One of the most powerful scenes features Grace sitting at the head of a boardroom table while a group of music executives, who are all male, try to coax her into making an uncomfortable decision.  A subsequent argument between Maggie and Grace in the female bathroom further emphasises their conflicted psyches.

The High Note doesn’t tick every box but it’s easy to watch and easy to enjoy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 08 September 2020

COVID-19 has battered the broader film industry but Slim & I is a rare example of a movie that is likely to benefit from the pandemic.  With the lack of big blockbusters coming out of Hollywood, this small Australian documentary is being released in roughly 150 cinemas across the country.  That’s a staggering number for a doco and, given the doom and gloom that has enveloped 2020, it’s the perfect film to put a smile on people’s faces and remind them just how great the world can be.

Most Aussies will be familiar with music legend Slim Dusty.  He recorded over 100 albums, he won 37 Golden Guitars, and he was the inaugural inductee into the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown.  His first big hit, “A Pub With No Beer”, became an international hit in 1958 and that made him the first Australian to receive a Gold Record.  If you needed further proof of his iconic status, Slim was selected to sing “Waltzing Matilda” in front of over 114,000 people at the Closing Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney.

Slim & I recognises and celebrates Slim’s achievements but, just as importantly, it shines the spotlight on his partner (both personally and professionally) of more than 50 years, Joy McKean.  I like the line used by producer Chris Brown (The Railway Man) at the film’s Queensland premiere – “she wasn’t the woman behind the man… she was the woman beside the man.”  Slim may have been the “face” of the duo but behind the scenes, it was Joy who wrote the lyrics to some of his best works.

There’s a lot of material to cover inside of two hours and credit goes to director Kriv Stenders (Red Dog) and editor Karryn De Cinque (Girl Asleep) in weaving the interviews and footage together.  With this blessing of Joy McKean and the help of her grandson filmmaker, James Arneman, Stenders had access to a wealth of archival footage that had never been seen before.  A few parts had to be re-enacted (the weaker material in the movie) but for the most part, we’re seeing the real Slim and Joy travel across the country, create great music, and interact with an assortment of people.

The current day interviews with Joy (now 90 years of age) are both heartfelt and hilarious.  She’s still as sharp as a tack and she doesn’t mince her words.  We also hear from the likes of Keith Urban, Paul Kelly, Don Walker, Kasey Chambers, Missy Higgins.  If you need proof about the power of Slim Dusty and the song writing prowess of Joy McKean, you’ll love the story told by Troy Cassar-Daley about his favourite tune – “The Biggest Disappointment.”

Culminating on an uplifting, emotional note, Slim & I is a wonderful tribute to two people who made Australia a better place. 

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 September 2020

The Translators is brought to us by French director Régis Roinsard.  There are many characters but it’s centred on the world of publisher Éric Angstrom (Wilson) who is about to release the final instalment in a best-selling trilogy.  Given the enormous hype (think Harry Potter level of excitement), it’s a book that will make Wilson and his company a VERY large sum of money.

The plan is to release the book simultaneously across the globe in a variety of languages but to do so will require significant work.  Angstrom has assembled a team of nine translators who will take the manuscript and perform the necessary translations over a period of several weeks.  They’re an eclectic group who include young, old, male, female, French and international.

Given the secrecy which surrounds the book, Angstrom has gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid leaks.  All of the translators are required to perform their work in an underground bunker where they have no access to phones, the internet or the outside world.  The working conditions sound horrible but they are provided ample living quarters (including a gym and swimming pool) and decent food.  The money isn’t too bad either.

As we learn from the opening scene, Angstrom’s controls have not been effective.  He receives anonymous threats via email that demand a huge ransom or else the book will be released online.  Given that only he and the author have been in possession of the original manuscript, Angstrom is pointing the finger at the nine translators and trying to establish who is responsible and how they did it.

Borrowing from the formulas made famous by Agatha Christie, The Translators is designed as a classic “whodunit”.  Roinsard teases the audience by essentially giving everyone a motive and then it falls upon the audience to pick the mystery before all is revealed.  Unfortunately, despite the early intrigue, I wasn’t convinced by the film’s second half when the curtain is pulled back.  The screenplay is a little too tricky for its own good and hence, it loses credibility.

There’s still fun to be had from watching this.  I liked the setting (much of it taking place in the underground bunker) and the broad cast that includes Italy’s Riccardo Scamarcio (John Wick: Chapter 2), France’s Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace), and England’s Alex Lawther (The Imitation Game).  They’re a great group who work well alongside one another.

Every few weeks, we have a film that sounds great on paper but can’t quite deliver on its lofty ambitions.  The Translators is the latest example – a watchable movie that comes with a few flaws.