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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 August 2011

I’ve been disappointed with this year’s crop of animated features (Yogi Bear, Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Gnomeo & Juliet) and so it’s a refreshing surprise that I many positive things to say about The Illusionist.  It’s a shame it’s taken so long to reach Brisbane cinemas given it premiered at the Berlin Film Festival more than 18 months ago and it earned an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature earlier this year.

The film is French but it doesn’t contain a single sub-title.  Don’t be perturbed.  There’s a simple reason – there is no dialogue whatsoever.  It’s reminiscent of the silent films from the 1920s where actions, hand gestures, facial expressions and music do all the talking.  It’s such a beautiful way to present an animated film.  So very different from what is churned out from the major studios in the United States.

The story is set in 1959 and revolves around a struggling magician trying to find work.  Audiences are no longer interested in his array of tricks.  They’ve seen them all before.  They know most of his secrets.  He now realises that people would pay to see a new, hip rock band than watch an elderly illusionist pull a rabbit from a hat.

He leaves his home in Paris and goes in search of fresh audiences overseas.  He travels to London and then further north to Edinburgh.  He doesn’t have much luck finding a steady job but he meets an innocent young girl who is unexpectedly enchanted by his simple magic act.  The two become friends with each drawing on the other for support.

Written and directed by Sylvain Chomet (The Triplets Of Belleville), The Illusionist is a charming piece of cinema.  Whilst they hardly say a word, I felt much sorrow for these two lonely characters and the changing world in which they find themselves.  The exquisite film score, also composed by Chomet, further adds to the film’s emotion.

It’s worth noting that The Illusionist features no 3D animation and has been put together using traditional hand drawn animation.  It hasn’t stopped Chomet from coming up with some truly memorable images.  They include everything from panoramic shots of Edinburgh at night to the simple reflection of a flashing “HOTEL” sign through an open window.

The film is only receiving a limited release in Australia and I urge you to check out The Illusionist while the opportunity presents itself.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 August 2011

Often seen with multiple chins, a receding hairline and a stressed disposition, I have to ask the question - is there anyone who can play an “ordinary guy” better than Paul Giamatti?  I’m scratching my head and struggling to think of an answer.  Giamatti’s performances in films such as Barney’s Version, Sideways and American Splendor showcase his often underrated talent.  He’s so “real” that it often looks like those around him are acting.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise but Win Win again proves just how amazing Paul Giamatti can be.  He plays Mike Flaherty, a father of two with a struggling legal practice in New Jersey.  He can’t afford to fix the broken boiler at work and he can’t afford to pay his family’s health insurance premiums at home.  Times are tough and he’s running out of options.

In an act of desperation, Mike decides to take an advantage of a wealthy client.  Leo Poplar (Young) is an elderly man suffering from the early stages of dementia.  With no immediate family to take care of him, the courts wish to remove Leo from his home and place him in an aged care facility.

Mike pleads with the judge that he be appointed Leo’s guardian so that he can personally take care of him.  It may look like a heartfelt gesture but it’s anything but.  Mike’s only interested in the stipend of $1,500 per month that he’ll receive in his capacity as guardian.  After the judge grants his request, Mike absolves himself of any responsibility.  He places Leo in the Oak Knoll senior home and waits for the cheques to roll in.      

When a teenager arrives in town proclaiming to be Leo’s grandson, Mike’s problems are further complicated.  His name is Kyle (Shaffer) and he’s hoping to live with his grandfather having fled from his drug-addicted mother in Ohio.  Not wanting Kyle to ask many questions about Leo’s living situation, Mike invites him to stay with his family.  He can sleep in a makeshift bedroom set up in the basement and visit Leo at the home whenever he likes.

It doesn’t take long for Kyle to start bonding with Mike and his family.  He enrols at the local high school and he joins a wrestling team coached by Mike and two of his best friends.  The team is hopeless but it turns out that Kyle is a superstar!  He was once a top ranked wrestler but gave it away after being suspended at his previous school.

Mike’s financial burdens have eased and his wrestling team is improving.  Mike’s wife (Ryan) enjoys having a teenage boy around the house.  Leo appears to be content at the aged care home.  Kyle is making new friends and is on track to nab a college scholarship.  Is it possible that Mike’s horribly selfish act started a series of events that will be a “win win” for everyone?

I loved this complex story and the way it revolves around the wonderful performance of Paul Giamatti.  He portrays Mike Flaherty as a flawed human being but perhaps that’s why he’s so easy to relate to.  Sometimes we do dumb things to protect ourselves and those we love.  Does that necessarily make us bad people?  It’s a thought worth pondering for those who have seen the film.

Also making an impact on screen is Alex Shaffer as Kyle.  Often when it comes to casting, the producers will find a great actor and then adapt them to the specifics of the role (e.g. Natalie Portman learning how to dance in Black Swan).  It was the reverse in this instance.  Shaffer was already a high school wrestling champion but had no previous acting experience.  You wouldn’t realise it though from his humorous performance as the troubled teenager.

There are a few too many characters (such as Jeffrey Tambour and Bobby Cannavale as the assistant wrestling coaches) and the rushed ending felt a little out of place but aside from those minor qualms, this is an excellent movie.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 August 2011

Brendan Gleeson’s performance in The Guard will be remembered as one of the best of 2011.  There’s no doubt about it.  It’ll be hard work mounting an award campaign given (1) the film’s limited release in the United States and (2) the fact that it’s a comedy, but I still hope that he will receive his due.

Gleeson plays Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a disenchanted police officer from a small Irish town.  If you think he’s going to spring into action following the discovery of a murder… then think again.  Boyle doesn’t really care.  He takes drugs from the victim for his own use and he seemingly has no interest in protecting evidence at the crime scene.

It turns out the murder is linked to a massive drug ring that has attracted the attention of the FBI.  They’ve flown Agent Wendell Everett (Cheadle) over to Ireland to help intercept the cocaine shipment and apprehend those responsible.  He plans on using the knowledge and expertise of the local authorities to help get the job done.

Boyle and Everett end up working together on the case and as you’d expect, they’re as different as chalk and cheese.  Agent Everett is the consummate professional who likes doing things by the book in a diligent fashion.  Sergeant Boyle is a politically incorrect bigot with no concern for anyone else but himself.  At a police briefing, Boyle publically expresses his shock when he sees photos of the suspects.  The reason?  He “thought only black lads were drug dealers.”

What’s so great about the screenplay is that you’ve never quite sure what to make of Sergeant Boyle.  He is a complete moron who has no idea what he’s saying?  Or is he somewhat more astute?  Does he like flying under the radar and pushing people’s buttons.  My opinion changed numerous times throughout the film.

Gleeson deserves rapturous acclaim for his performance but just as worthy is the film’s writer-director John Michael McDonagh.  He’s the guy who put pen to paper and came up with this iconic character.  You could make a strong argument that talent his hereditary given that his younger brother, Martin, crafted the equally witty black comedy In Bruges (released in late 2008).   

The film’s only weakness (and I come at this from an Australian perspective) are the very thick Irish accents.  It’s hard to understand what the characters are saying at times and I definitely missed some of the jokes.  I’ll have to make sure I pick this up on DVD in a few months.  The rewind button will come in handy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 August 2011

You’d think that a movie that covers both the science fiction and western genres would be a lot funnier than this.  That was my first thought as the closing credits started to roll on Cowboys & Aliens.  It’s an interesting idea for a movie and the producers deserve credit for trying to come up with something a little different.  Unfortunately, the screenwriters (6 of them in all) haven’t done enough to create a plot that is both humorous and engaging.

The story is set in a small gold mining town in the year 1873 but it doesn’t begin like a traditional western.  A man (Craig) wakes up in the middle of the desert with a deep wound in his chest and a strange metal device strapped to his wrist.  He doesn’t know how it got there and he can’t even remember his own name.  After fending off a group of attackers, he slips quietly into the town in search of medical attention.

His arrival hasn’t gone unnoticed however.  The sheriff immediately recognises him as Jake Lonergan, an outlaw who recently stole a large sum of gold from the wealthy Woodrow Dolarhyde (Ford).  Lonergan is confronted in the town’s saloon and puts up a brave fight but he is knocked unconscious by a mysterious woman (Wilde) and wakes up in jail.

With the stage set, it’s time for the aliens to arrive.  A series of spaceships start firing an array of advanced weaponry on the townsfolk just as Lonergan is about to be sent off to the courthouse.  Much of the town is destroyed and many of its residents vanish after being sucked up into the spaceships.  Those remaining must work together to go in search of these aliens and locate their missing loved ones.

It has a few nice moments but for the most part, this is a forgettable adventure.  As I alluded to earlier, this isn’t a story to be taken seriously (nor should it be) but I’m surprised as to why the writers didn’t slip in more jokes to spoof these two well trodden genres.  The plot is weak and too many loose ends were left hanging.

None of the cast make an impact and I was particularly disappointed by Harrison Ford (who I liked recently in Morning Glory) and Daniel Craig.  They are restricted by their clichéd characters and they don’t get the chance to have fun with their roles.  At times, they looked as unenthusiastic as me.

Having struggled at the box-office in the United States, I suspect a similar fate is in store for Cowboys & Aliens here in Australia.  Maybe it’s because the concept is too strange but then again, maybe it’s because the film isn’t good enough.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 August 2011

When I first heard the title Horrible Bosses, I was hoping it would be a shrewd exposé of the way our bosses drive us crazy.  We’ve all been there.  Who hasn’t had a therapeutic vent about their supervisor while having a few drinks after work?  I’ll save my horror stories for a less public forum (damn that confidentiality agreement) but thanks to the popularity of television shows such as The Office (both the UK and US versions), we can all enjoy a good laugh at the expense of our superiors.

Horrible Bosses struggles early because of its insistence to portray these three bosses as ridiculous caricatures.  It wins no points for subtlety.  Dave (Spacey) heads a financial services firm and frustrates his staff by making them work long hours and denying them promotions.  Julia (Aniston) is a dentist who has drugged a male co-worker and taken photos of them together in compromising positions.  Um, isn’t that borderline rape?  Bobby (Farrell) manages a small business and decides that he wants to fire all the fat people in the office.  It’s his interpretation of “trimming the fat”.

Whilst the bosses are unnecessarily over-the-top, the film still manages to work as a light-hearted buddy comedy.  Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day play three ordinary guys who are out to get revenge against their imposing superiors.  I’m not talking about something simple like letting down their bosses’ car tyres on a Friday afternoon.  They want to kill them!

Knowing that they’d be one of the first suspects in any murder, the guys come up with a plan to cover their tracks.  Firstly, they’re going to make each death look like an accident.  They’ll need to follow their targets and see if they can spot any opportunities or weaknesses.  Secondly, they’re going to kill each other’s bosses.  That should also help avoid suspicion as the murderer won’t have any direct connection with the victim.

It’s an insane storyline that wanders all over the place but I had to laugh at the banter between Bateman, Sudeikis and Day.  They make a great team and they’re the main reason why you should see the film.  Bateman plays the level-headed one and it gives Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) and Day (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) full reign to showcase their comedic talents.  The film’s most unexpected performance however is turned in by Jennifer Aniston.  It is both stimulating and provocative.

Likely to lure many in based on the title alone, Horrible Bosses should leave you with a smile on your face as you exit the theatre (particularly if you stay for the outtakes).