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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 14 November 2004

Bridget Jones (played by Renee Zellweger) continues to overcomplicate even the simplest situations in Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason.  After winning the affections of Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) at the conclusion of the first film, this sequel sees Bridget doing her very best to unwittingly ruin this dream relationship.

I haven’t read the novel but surely there’s more substance than what’s on show here.  This is a paper thin plot and simply revolves around Bridget in pursuit of a husband.  They may only have been going out for two months but all she can think of is accepting a proposal of marriage from Mark Darcy. 

There are three parts though to most romantic movies – boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl.  The film meanders innocently through the first two acts before taking an absolutely farcical turn in the finale.  The convoluted situation by which the two are reunited is ludicrous.  I’ll bite my tongue and not reveal this element of the story but for those that have seen the film, it all begins when Bridget puts something in her suitcase.  You can make humour out of any situation but given the sweetness of Bridget and her story, I’m really surprised they took this path.  It borders on being insulting.

I raved about the first film when released in 2001.  It was a box-office hit and earned Renee Zellweger an Academy Award nomination.  Like any sequel though, the motivation behind this production appears to be money.  All was nicely tied up at the end of Bridget Jones’ Diary and there was no need to revisit this tale.

If you ask me, Mark and Bridget make a pretty uninteresting couple.  She’s a neurotic who will never be happy and he’s a bore who works too much.  The only life in the film comes from the reappearance of Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver, one of Bridget’s work colleagues.  Grant and Zellweger share some mildly funny scenes but that’s as far as my endorsements go.

This time around, the diary of Bridget Jones is a very tedious read.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 November 2004

I’d review this film but thanks to some mysterious space aliens, I’ve forgotten it already.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 November 2004

Cole Porter was a brilliant songwriter and composer.  He first rose to prominence in the 1930s and his Broadway hits included The Gay Divorce, Anything Goes and Leave It To Me.  One of his last shows is one many will remember - Kiss Me, Kate in 1948.

De-Lovely is the story of Porter’s life but it is told in a rather unique way.  We are introduced to an aged Cole Porter (played by Kevin Kline) sitting with a friend (Pryce) in an empty theatre.  From there, they both look back at his life with Porter offering commentary.  Porter’s famous songs help tell the story and so you could call this part-drama, part-musical.  A few artists of note appear in the film and lend their voices in the performance of Porter’s songs.  Robbie Williams, Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Caroline O’Connor, Cheryl Crow and Natalie Cole are amongst them.

The story focuses on Porter’s relationship with wife Linda (Judd).  The two married in 1919 and Cole loved Linda but his success and his wealth gave him the ability to explore another love in his life – men.  He developed relationships with male performers and frequently attended gay clubs.  His wife knew of this and was happy for him to explore these “interests” but they soon dominated their relationship and Cole seldom spent time at home.

The songs and music of De-Lovely are great but the story is lacking.  I confess to being touched by the teary-eyed conclusion but the screenplay lacks depth.  Too much time is spent exploring Cole’s relationship with men and I would have rather seen a greater focus on his actual talent.  Each to their own though as many others may prefer the approach taken by writer Jay Cocks.

I enjoyed the performances of Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd.  It’s great to see Judd showcasing her talent rather than having it go to waste in some cheap crime thriller.  I don’t know if either will find themselves in contention for any year-end awards but the make-up artists sure will.  With the film spread over several decades, they age Kline and Judd beautifully.  Kline is almost unrecognisable by the end but yep, that is him under all that make-up.

Premiering at the lucrative Cannes Film Festival and debuting here in Brisbane as part of the Brisbane International Film Festival, De-Lovely is a classy film for lovers of great music.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 02 November 2004

I am struggling to find the right words in which to phrase this review.  In My Father’s Den steps into that realm of filmmaking where even the best adjectives don’t do it justice.  The intricate characters are movingly real and the plot unfolds like a classic novel.  Like any good book, you’ll find yourself transfixed.

Paul Prior (MacFadyen) is an award winning photographer who has travelled the world and gained notoriety.  Hearing news that his father has passed away, Paul has returned to his childhood home in a small New Zealand town for the funeral.  Intending only to stay a few days, he soon finds himself accepting the position as a fill-in teacher at the high school where he once studied.  The longer he stays, the more he remembers of an upbringing long forgotten.

Befriending Paul is a girl her final year of school.  Celia (Barclay) dreams of becoming a writer and is drawn to Paul’s travel stories and adventures.  Paul is reluctant to reciprocate attention of a naive teenage girl but after reading some of her works, he realises she is immensely talented.  The two spend more time together with Paul fostering Celia and helping to develop her ability as a writer.  Her thoughts have Paul realising that he was once very similar to young Celia.

The film enters a much more intriguing, darker chapter in its second act.  The easy-going friendship between these two people will be upset by townspeople of both the present and the past.  By the end of it all, Paul Prior will be a changed man.

In My Father’s Den is drama at its very best.  At a time in which Australian cinema is floundering, New Zealand filmmakers are providing a showcase for the world to enjoy.  At this year’s lucrative Toronto Film Festival, In My Father’s Den was awarded the top prize by the international critics who praised it for its “emotional maturity, striking performances and visual grace.”

Giving an incredibly profound performance is Emily Barclay, a student from Auckland University.  Her sudden notoriety will surely draw parallels with fellow New Zealander Keisha Castle-Hughes (who earned an Oscar nomination for last year’s Whale Rider).  Barclay was in Brisbane last Wednesday for the film’s Queensland premiere and I’m disappointed I didn’t get a chance to meet an actress who I believe has a strong future.

Overshadowing all of the great performances though is the precision of the story.  In adapting the novel by author Maurice Gee, writer-director Brad McGann inter-laces the current day narrative with flashbacks of Paul’s past.  The emotional climax is expertly written and the film finishes on a beautifully poignant note.  Too often I am critical of film’s which drag once the finale has been reached.  Here we have an example of a perfect ending.

There’s a common perception that over the past few years, films have gotten worse and worse.  I believe in this but only so far as it applies to the rubbish emanating from Hollywood.  The lack of blockbuster quality has driven the public away from the usual hype and instead towards smaller films in more boutique theatres.  In My Father’s Den fits this bill and adjectives aside, this is one of the year’s must see films.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 November 2004

As the most expensive Chinese film ever made, Hero was released in Asia back in December 2002.  Inspired by its success, Miramax Films acquired the rights to distribute it in America but held off releasing it until August 2004.  After topping the U.S. box-office in its first week, international markets are now capitalising on Hero’s success and after two years of waiting, it now is being shown in Australia cinemas.

China has an amazing history which we aren’t often exposed to on a big screen.  We continually see tales set in medieval times, American civil war times and World War II times but we don’t often look much further.  Set over 2,000 years ago, Hero is the story of a man who wants to unite the Six Kingdoms of China who are currently at war.  This nameless warrior (Li) has arrived at the doorstep of the King of Qin (Chen) and begins to tell the story of how he has slain the King’s three main enemies, Broken Sword (Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Cheung) and Sky (Yen).

I can’t say I fully understood all of this intricate story but the film deserves full marks for its visuals.  Director Yimou Zhang uses a beautiful range of colours and crafts some incredible martial arts sequences.  I don’t know if it’s any better than the already successful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but suffice to say that if you enjoyed Tiger, you’re likely to enjoy this too.

I’m not often one to comment on sound effects but they are amazing.  One particular scene comes to mind where the Nameless warrior fights Broken Sword on the top of the lake.  We not only hear the “ching” of the sword, but also the gentle “splash” of the water below.  Throw in a haunting melody from Academy Award winning composer Dun Tan and you have one incredible action sequence.

Hero is a film of elegance and a great tribute to China’s history.