Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 January 2002

Stuck in a lift with mind guru Tony Robbins (as himself), Hal unknowingly is “dehypnotised” into seeing people’s inner rather than outer beauty. Soon after, Hal meets Rosemary Shanahan (Paltrow), a gorgeous blonde with a slim figure and great personality. Expecting a brush off, Rosemary is equally smitten but for some reason is uncomfortable with her appearance.

For Hal, things couldn’t be more perfect and this blissful romance has made him oblivious to events around him. Rosemary is actually a very large woman and despite the saying that “beauty is the eye of the beholder”, no one can understand why the usually shallow Hal is interested in a “whale” like Rosemary. A motive is soon provided when it’s revealed that Rosemary is the boss’s daughter and everyone presumes that Hal is using her to ascend the corporate ladder (especially since he just missed his recent promotion). Hal’s problems are only beginning…

Ordinarily, I would expect light-hearted toilet humour from the Farrelly brothers (Dumb And Dumber, There’s Something About Mary) but Shallow Hal has surprising depth with much to say about current relationship culture. When meeting someone, looks are everything. In today’s world, appearance has taken on a greater importance as one compares themselves with supermodels and Hollywood stars. This week’s Who Weekly flashes the headline “Half Their Size!” and lists those with “incredible shrinking bodies”.  With two out of every three marriages ending in divorce, imagine the benefits that could be reaped by seeing the ever-elusive inner beauty.

Aside from the messages, Shallow Hal makes a very good comedy - there’s plenty of fresh material to keep you laughing. A lot of good jokes were made regarding the perception of beauty and only the Farrelly brothers could have pulled this off. Both Black and Paltrow are ideally suited to their characters although Gwyneth does look a little weird in her “fat” body suit. Of the remaining cast, I was left disappointed by Joe Viterelli, who as Rosemary’s father had an annoying accent, and Rene Kirby who as Walt, is the film’s token freak character.

The concept, whilst interestingly explored in Shallow Hal, does have limits. For example, Hal still sees many people the same as they were before he was hypnotised. This doesn’t seem to make sense. Does this mean their inner beauty is the same as their outer beauty? Further, there is debate over the techniques used to show inner beauty. By using thin people to show inner beauty and fat people to show outer beauty, aren’t we just saying that fat equals ugly?

A nice way to start the year, Shallow Hal shows that comedy can sometimes be the most effective method in getting a method across.  My shallow criticisms are insignificant when looking at the bigger, deeper picture.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 December 2001

There exists a fictitious world where monsters live happily together.  Fearful of humans, they don’t dare enter their world but do rely upon them to survive.  To generate electricity, leading power company Monsters Incorporated needs to harness children’s screams.  So, special doorways have been created that take the scariest monsters into children’s bedrooms to give them quite a fright.

Sulley (Goodman) is the firm’s number one scary monster and with partner Mike (Crystal), they make a formidable team.  There’s newfound competition though with monster Randall Boggs (Buscemi) trying his best to steal Sulley’s top spot title.  Of late though, the energy supply has been drying up because children aren’t as scared as they used to be. 

One evening, a door is left open on the factory floor and Sulley inadvertently lets a small child into the monster world.  Both he and Mike try to sneak her back through the door but it’s too late as the Child Detection Authority has been alerted.  Keeping the child at his house while waiting for the dust to settle, Sully develops an attachment and calls her Boo.  He’s left thinking why monsters are forced to fear humans seeing this little girl couldn’t be any cuter or more innocent.

Trouble is afoot when Sully realises Boo’s arrival at Monsters Incorporated was no accident.  Randall plans on using her as a guinea pig in his new scream extracting machine to revolutionise the industry and seize control of the company.

The quality of animation matches the high benchmark set by this year’s other animated hit, Shrek.  Both films share a great sense of humour which will be adored by both children and adults (kind of like The Simpsons).  But I do wonder if we’re becoming too easy to please in the animated market.  The plot shares many similarities with both Toy Story films - it’s about what goes on in your bedroom when you’re not looking.  Shrek took a bigger gamble with a more creative script and deserves more acclaim.

I still had fun in Monsters Inc. and kids are going to flock in masses to see it.  My “adult” criticisms will mean nothing to children who will adore the cute monsters and be entertained by the silly story.  It’s good value for money (especially if you’re paying kids prices).

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 December 2001

9:45am.  Boxing Day.  Standing in queue.  Regent Cinemas.  Queen Street Mall.  A Channel Ten reporter and cameraman approach the lady behind me for an interview.  “So have you come to the movies to get out of the heat?”.  “No!  I’ve been waiting for this movie for a very long time.”

The Fellowship Of The Ring is the first novel of J.R.R. Tolkien’s revered trilogy and after much searching, New Zealand director Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures) was selected to bring Tolkien’s words to life.  The enormity of the project forced New Line Cinema to shoot all three films over a nine month period to reduce costs and meet the $270m budget.  The Two Towers and The Return Of The King are slated for release on Boxing Day of the next two years.

At the Cracks of Doom, a ring was once crafted that gave the Dark Lord Sauron the power to cover the lands in darkness.  In a moment of weakness, he was defeated and the ring lost forever.  Thousands of years later, the ring has found its way into the hands of young 3’6” Hobbit, Frodo Baggins (Wood).  The powerful wizard Gandalf (McKellan) hears word that Sauron has risen and his henchman are seeking the ring to return him to power.  Told to flee, Frodo travels with friends Sam (Astin), Merry and Pippin with instructions not to let the ring go nor let its unbelievable power control him.

Reaching the elf village at Rivendell, Frodo understands the importance of his quest and the gravity of the situation.  A fellowship is formed to guide and protect him en route to the only place where the ring can be destroyed, Mount Doom.  Joined by Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn (Mortensen) and Boromir (Bean), the unassuming Frodo will battle “the evil that does not sleep” to save the world from obliteration.

This film is something special.  Like a mystical fairytale, the intricate detail of the world and its characters resonates fiercely on screen.  It’s a beautiful setting and the seamless visual effects turn fantasy into reality.  Jackson and Australian cinematographer Andrew Lesnie (Babe) use a varied blend of colourings and camera angles to perfectly capture the action and suspense.  Exercising a variety of instruments, composer Howard Shore has choreographed a wonderfully complex soundtrack and is supported by Enya’s closing lullaby.

20-year-old Elijah Wood (The Ice Storm) was born to play Frodo Baggins and is absolutely incredible as our soft-spoken hero.  He is the best actor of our generation.  In painting his canvas, Jackson has not overused his cast and leaves much to be developed and explored in the next two films.  Drawing on his vast experience, Ian McKellan (Gods And Monsters) flawlessly balances the mix of light-hearted comedy and spine-chilling drama as the aging Gandalf.

Sealing a place in cinematic folklore, fans of the novel are united in praise for The Fellowship Of The Ring.  A sincere story with genuine spirit.  One ring to rule them all.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 December 2001

From Academy Award winning writer/director Cameron Crowe comes Vanilla Sky.  The film has an interesting story.  It’s a remake of a 1997 Spanish film called Open Your Eyes which was directed by Alejandro Amenabar (and also screened at the Brisbane International Film Festival a few years ago).  Penelope Cruz plays the same roll in both films.  Amenabar made his Hollywood debut this year when he directed The Others starring Nicole Kidman.  Kidman split with Cruise after he developed a relationship with Cruz during the filming of Vanilla Sky.

The above coincidences make a better story than the film itself.  It begins with wealthy company owner David Aames (Cruise) being awoken after his alarm clock whispers “open your eyes”.  He wakes up, gets dressed and heads to work but it’s all wrong - the streets of New York are deserted and there’s not a soul in sight.  But suddenly he’s awoken after his alarm clock whispers “open your eyes”.  That’s what the film is all about - the difference between dreams and reality.

David meets “moth” Sofia (Cruz) at a party and the two feel love at first sight.  The catch is that David is currently screwing Julie (Diaz) who is jealous that he’s found another.  And so she does what anyone else would - she picks David up and then drives off a bridge at 80m/hr.  Julie is killed but David survives and awakes from a long coma with a heavily disfigured arm and face.  His perfect world has been shattered and he’s gone from the person everyone wants to be around to the person no one wants to see.

After a romantic-free first hour, the complicated plot takes shape.  The film doesn’t make a lot of sense but we follow it anyway because we hope for a key scene where it will all fit together.  That scene does come but the explanation was unsatisfying.  Over the past year, Memento and The Pledge have been prime examples in showing how to leave the audience hanging (and thinking) with a crafty finale.  I would love to begin a heated discussion as to why the ending of Vanilla Sky is poor but won’t ruin it for those who wish to see it.

Tom Cruise continues to frustrate.  He is too over-passionate and I’m tiring of his sensitive shtick - he’s just milking our emotions.  Penelope Cruz offers little to the film and I continue to endorse my position that she’s typecast as Spanish eye candy in romantic dramas.  This is her fourth film in 2001 (following Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Blow and All The Pretty Horses) and if you just “open your eyes”, you’ll find she’s the same person in all four films.  As the exception, Cameron Diaz did impress with a juicier role that does deserve acclaim.

Cameron Crowe is a great director but the deep material contrasts his style and he hasn’t adapted to suit it.  To confound us, the story is interwoven with fragments from the past and the future but it doesn’t add to the intrigue, it just adds to the confusion.  Vanilla Sky is a film that needs to be seen multiple times to understand.  I’m sure I’d appreciate the film more on a second viewing but after what I saw the first time, I’ve no desire to go back.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 December 2001

Not revealed to Maggie is that her closest friend, Charlotte Stant (Thurman) has a romantic past with Amerigo.  Once married, Maggie suggests her father marry Charlotte and after doing so, we have a complicated foursome.

Charlotte is married to Adam but longs for Amerigo.  Amerigo is married to Maggie but is torn between his affections for both Maggie and Charlotte.  The large amount of time Maggie spends with her father makes her oblivious to Charlotte’s and Amerigo’s deception.  Fully aware of everyone’s feelings is Fanny but she’s keeping tight-lipped since it was her who introduced Maggie to Amerigo without telling her of Charlotte’s past.

A great intricate romance could only come from an equally great novel.  Henry James’s works have a magical ability to translate well on screen.  The stories are dated but when it comes to the complications of love, nothing has changed in the past 100 years.  Recent adaptations of his other works include The Portrait Of A Lady, The Wings Of The Dove and Washington Square - all films worth seeing if you haven’t already.

The Golden Bowl is a Merchant-Ivory Production which again will prick the ears of those knowledgeable of their works.  James Ivory and Ismail Merchant are renowned for quality period dramas.  Just think of Remains Of The Day, A Room With A View, A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries and Howard’s End and you’ll know what I speak of.

The cast are well chosen and vital to developing the film’s romance.  Their performances provide an awareness of what each character is feeling and thinking without giving all the cards away.  As time passes, the suspense builds as all come closer to finding the “flaw” in their relationships.

The Golden Bowl should provide perfect entertainment for filmgoers this Christmas who are tired of the commercialism of Vanilla Sky, The Fellowship Of The Ring and Monsters Inc.  A delectable tale to enjoy with a few friends and a hot cup of coffee.