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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 06 December 2001

A year has passed and our cast have just finished their first year at college.  It’s the summer holidays and time to reunite and relive memories from yesteryear.  Kev (Nicholas) is given the idea to rent a beach house over the break as a way of getting everyone together.  Jim (Biggs), Oz (Klein), Finch (Thomas) and Stifler (Scott) help put in the cash and the fun is about to begin.

Jim’s still thinking of the one that got away but when Nadia (Elizabeth) calls and says she’ll be in town soon, things start looking up.  Oz and Heather (Suvari) are still a sizzling couple but with Heather in France for the holidays, the two spend the time apart longing for each other.  Kev and Vicky (Reid) now have an uncomfortable friendship having parted company after school broke up – are they just friends or is there something more between them?  Finally, Finch still dreams of “Stiffler’s mum” and the indication that she’ll be paying a visit is all he needs to make this summer a great one.

There are loads of great gags.  They can be seen coming from a mile away but it suits the film’s style.  Like There’s Something About Mary, each joke is drawn out to its full potential.  Just when you think a scene couldn’t be any crazier, it’s taken to an even higher level.

A visible aspect of the second film is the increase in the rudeness and crudeness of the subject material.  Some borderlines an R-rating but as the movie is seen as a light-hearted teen comedy, the censors have gone a little easier.

In contrast to the original, there’s a clear discrepancy in the screen time each character is awarded.  Oz, Heather, Kev and Vicky are largely in the background.  Sean William Scott as Stifler is the clear winner with his hormonally charged persona attracted the most laughs and attention.  It’s nice to see Eugene Levy as Jim’s dad get more lines also - he’s a very funny guy.  Jason Biggs as Jim obviously has the “big balls” he suggests in taking on this sequel.  In this film alone - he kisses another guy, has a trumpet stuck up his ass, feels another girl’s breasts, wears a revealing diaper, and let’s not forget the aforementioned scene.

Aside from the jokes, it’s the heart and spirit of the story that makes it a winner in my book.  It talks about friendship and how people change over time.  We always wish we could go back to the way it was but often we are blind sighted by just how good we have it now.  Most teen films don’t purport to teach us such lessons and it’s why American Pie is already a classic and American Pie 2 is destined to be.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 November 2001

When on a beach collecting rubbish as community service, Nicole meets latino Carlos Nunez (Hernandez), a fellow classmate, and they develop a natural attraction.  Closely guarded by his mother, Carlos is a straight shooting character who is studying hard at school to make it into the Naval Academy upon graduation.

The two make an unlikely couple but somehow seem perfect for each other.  However, this is not the perception of those around them.  Carlos’s mother is appalled that he’s seeing someone outside his race, particularly with her reputation.  Nicole’s father is concerned for her daughter’s mental well-being and doesn’t want any man causing further grief to her already fragile state.

But when things are meant to be, they’re meant to be.  Nicole and Carlos are determined to be together and nothing will keep them apart.  Even if it’s worth risking the rest of their lives to do so...

I’m relieved to see a film with a teen cast that isn’t necessarily aimed at a teen audience.  Crazy/Beautiful is a serious, heartfelt love story.  The casting of Dunst and Hernandez will draw a youthful demographic but don’t think this is anything like the schmaltzy teenage garbage that’s been littering our screens.

The odd unnecessary scene detracts at times but generally, it’s a very interesting film to watch.  The cast are well-rounded.  Aside from the two leads, Bruce Davison offers a fresh take as Nicole’s father.  The soundtrack is also worth a look with a vibrant mix of songs provided by lesser names in the music biz.  It’s not ground breaking material but it is a good story and quite often, that’s all that matters.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 November 2001

Played by 11-year-old newcomer Daniel Radcliffe, Harry’s story begins in great contrast from how it ends.  Believing his parents died in a car accident when he was a baby, Harry has lived with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and their son Dudley ever since.  All three are inordinately cruel towards him - he’s given shabby clothes, little food and often locked in a small cupboard beneath the stairs.

Resolved to an upbringing of misery, a mysterious letter arrives.  Despite Uncle Vernon’s fierce intention on keeping it from him, the time has come and Harry’s life is about to change.  With the guidance of a giant named Hagrid (Coltrane) who suddenly arrives on their doorstep, he discovers a most important secret - that he, Harry Potter, is a wizard.  And not just any old wizard.  Eleven years ago, his parents were killed by an evil wizard name Voldemort but his powers backfired when attempting to kill Harry and he was never heard from again.  Harry became known as “the boy who lived.”

Escorted by Hagrid, Harry is taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he is to be taught the arts of magic.  En route he meets and forms friendships with fellow classmates Ron (Grint) and Hermoine (Watson).  At school, Harry’s past unwillingly brings him much attention but not everyone is a fan and not everyone can be trusted.  There are those who wish to bring power back to Voldemort and the Dark Arts...

The accepted truth of any book adaptation is that the film will always seem inferior.  Harry Potter is no exception.  In staying loyal to Rowling’s writings, screenwriter Steve Kloves (Wonder Boys) has shown little creativity.  Watching the film is like checking off in your mind each event as it happens.

Additionally, the humour of the book doesn’t come through on screen.  Kloves and director Chris Columbus (Home Alone) have treated the material too seriously.  It’s the light-heartedness of the novels that I believe make them so enjoyable.  In the film, no time was given to the magic lessons which in the book were always the subject of mayhem, mischief and important discoveries.

Aside from Harry, Ron and Hermoine, characters were not developed.  Professor Snape (played brilliantly by Alan Rickman) is hardly seen and yet he is so important to the story.  It’s as if we are expected to have read the book and know the characters to understand their history.  Snape hates Harry but we’re not shown the degree of hatred or the reason behind it.  Student Draco Malfoy is also an enemy of Harry but says hardly a peep.  Columbus seems more obsessed with close-ups of his smirking face to get the impression across.

Radcliffe, Grint and Watson deliver performances expected of their age.  Their personalities purely match their respective characters but all three struggle with dialogue and lack spontaneity.  Some of their later scenes are near laughable (particularly those from the chess board scene).

Whilst I initially sound negative towards the film, this is not the case.  Every aspect of the production itself deserves high praise.  The dazzling sets, the beautiful costumes, and the imposing film score are all the work of innovative professionals.  The best scene of the film, that of the Quidditch match, showcases this talent. 

Despite the film’s 152 minute duration, Harry Potter will keep your attention thanks to a quick pace.  I’m sure kids will instantly love it but the aspects of the novel that gave it equal appeal to adults are absent.  All the correct ingredients went into the pot but somehow the magic went missing...

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 November 2001

Out of concern for her son, Margaret confronts Darby and tells her never to see Beau again.  Darby doesn’t care and the very same night travels from Reno to see his lover.  Beau sneaks out to meet Darby in the boat shed but the two heatedly argue over his mother’s wishes and Beau heads back into the house.

Throughout this, Margaret has been working on her laptop upstairs and heard noises emanating from the shed.  The next morning she investigates and finds the dead body of Darby Reese impaled on an anchor by the shoreline.  The guard rail of the jetty ramp was broken in the spot from where Darby fell.

Believing that Beau has pushed Darby to his death, Margaret acts to protect her son.  Taking the body out on her dingy, she disposes of it in the lake.  Her problems though are only beginning.  Within days, the body is found.  Just as quickly, a man by the name of Alek Spera (Visnjic) arrives on her doorstep with a videotape of her son and Darby Reese engaging in sexual activity.  If she does not pay $50,000 within 24 hours, he will hand the tape over to police, implicating Beau in the murder.

The Deep End is an extremely well-woven drama.  What begins as a murder cover-up becomes a much deeper, darker tale.  Writer/directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel make it impossible to foretell the film’s direction.  This isn’t a good versus evil story where the lines are clearly defined.  This is a movie about secrets and the actions that result when we keep secrets from those we love.

Tilda Swinton (The Beach) is brilliant and flawlessly captures her character’s emotional state.  Within 24 hours, she’s gone from being the mother of a perfect son with unlimited academic potential, to the mother of a son who’s just murdered his gay lover.  The shock and adrenaline of the situation causes her to act without thinking of the ramifications.  All she wants is the problem to go away but as more people become involved, the hole only gets deeper.

The cinematography from Giles Nuttgens is a worthy talking point.  The wide expansive shots of the breathtaking vistas around the lake contrast heavy close-ups of the actors themselves (particularly in the car) to intensify their emotions.  Nuttgens was rewarded with the top cinematography prize at the recent Sundance Film Festival.

Without spoiling or revealing any of the film’s messages, The Deep End throws convention out the window to tell a story the way it should be.  Just don't keep this film a “secret”!

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 November 2001

Jack’s intimate knowledge of the House’s structure is a valuable asset but he needs Nick’s experience to crack the safe and steal the sceptre undetected.  Nick’s hesitant at the difficulty of the job and the inexperience of Jack but the thought of one final payoff to let him settle down with girlfriend Diane (Bassett) provides enough lure.

Without divulging more of the intricate screenplay, The Score is absorbing from the very opening scenes.  There are no unwanted subplots – it’s just three characters organising and implementing this cunning idea.  The screenwriters have gone to great depths to develop the concept.  Whilst the robbery itself is what filmgoers will pay to see, I loved watching Nick, Max and Jack plan every minor detail.  By the time theory is put into practice, you’ll be on the edge of your seat.

It’s no surprise Robert DeNiro put his signature to this project.  It’s a great script and a great character for DeNiro to portray.  Edward Norton hasn’t put a foot wrong in Hollywood yet and along side DeNiro they make a dynamite pair.  Marlon Brando has little screen time but in what I’m sure will be one of his final appearances, he makes his presence felt in an ideal role.

Criminal thrillers are a personal favourite of mine but an inability to follow reason and a desire to satisfy the audience with cheap twists is often the pitfall in creating them.  Not so with The Score.  It’s a realistic gritty look at just how easy it sometimes can be when you have the experience.