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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 08 April 2019

History books show that World War II came to an end between April and May 1945.  The Nazi concentration camps were liberated, Adolf Hitler committed suicide, German soldiers surrendered, and celebrations began across Europe.  A seemingly endless list of films have chronicled the events of World War II from numerous locations and perspectives.

The Aftermath takes us to a post-war time period that has been covered in great films (e.g. The Third Man, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Land of Mine) but to a lesser extent.  Set in Hamburg in late 1945, we see that the “official” war has ended but the ramifications are still being felt.  The city was obliterated during the final Allied attacks and the German families that survived now spend their time sifting through rubble, looking for missing loved ones, and scrounging for food.

Lewis Morgan (Clarke) is a loyal British soldier who has been posted to Hamburg to help keep the peace and arrest any remaining Nazi loyalists.  He’s accompanied by his reluctant wife, Rachael (Knightley), who would much rather be back in London.  They play the part of a nice, happy couple in public but when we see them at home, it’s clear their relationship is not healthy.  It’s as if they’re complete strangers given the way they supress their emotions and refuse to open up about their troubles.

The impasse between the pair needs to be broken and the catalyst is a widowed German soldier, Stefan Lubert (Skarsgård).  Lewis and Rachael have forcibly taken up residence in an expansive rural mansion which is home to Lubert and his teenage daughter.  Rachael is sceptical about Lubert and his loyalty to the Allies… but that is quickly dispelled when she falls madly in love with him!

The Aftermath sounds like an intriguing love triangle but the execution is suboptimal.  The story is told in such a slow, sleepy manner and it’s hard to buy into any of the relationships.  Rachael and Lubert share hot, passionate sex but there’s no sense of a strong emotional connection (the stilted dialogue didn’t help).  That said, it’s hard to argue she should stay with her husband given the dreadfully dull conversations they share around the dining table.

The end result is a film where you’re never invested in the characters and the decisions they make.  I didn’t care who Rachael picked in the end.  A few sub-plots have been added to create drama – one involving an over-zealous British soldier (Compston) and another involving Lubert’s daughter who befriends a Nazi sympathiser.  These too are clumsily handled and fail to elevate the material.

Based on the 2013 novel written by Rhidian Brook and brought to the screen by director James Kent (Testament of Youth), The Aftermath is forgettable.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 March 2019

Few filmmakers in the past decade have made as big an introduction as 40-year-old Jordan Peele.  Get Out was a low budget horror film (shot for just $4.5 million USD) that wasn’t even advertised when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2017 (as it was part of a secret midnight screening).  Released in cinemas a month later, the film made an astounding $255 million USD at the global box-office and Peele became the first African American to be nominated at the Academy Awards for directing, writing and producing in the same year.  He took home an Oscar for best original screenplay.

Expectations have been high for Peele’s follow-up and that in itself comes with challenges.  Having already made one of the great horror flicks of all time, what could he possibly craft that will be just as satisfying to audiences?  He’s decided to stick with the same genre.  Inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone that he’d seen as a kid, he’s come up with another fear-inducing journey that, based on the early box-office from the United States, will make a lot of money.

It’s easy to scare people with blood, gore and violence and while there’s an element of that in Us, it’s clear that Peele wants to use other techniques to generate an emotional response.  The opening few scenes include information about tunnels, a Hands Across America commercial from 1986, a biblical reference, a young girl lost in a theme park, and a lengthy opening title sequence involving a caged rabbit.  These strange events, coupled with an unsettling music score from Michael Abels, will leave you feeling quizzical and uncomfortable.

Us is a film littered with twists and turns and so in providing a plot overview, I’ll stick to what’s already been revealed in the film’s trailers and other promotional material.  It’s the story of a 4-person family on a summer vacation in California who find themselves terrified by… themselves.  A clone family arrive on their doorstep who are dressed in red and are carrying large, gold scissors.  Where did they come from?  Who created them?  What do they want?

Peele’s latest will hold your attention throughout and I loved the way in which he’s infused comedy within the thrills.  He’s also provided a platform that allows Lupita Nyong’o to showcase her incredible talent.  This is Nyong’o’s first leading role (hard to believe given she won an Oscar five years ago for 12 Years a Slave) and she dominates the film through her performance as the fierce, passionate Adelaide and as her creepy, emotionally stilted clone.

There’s a powerful climax which, without giving anything away, will take some time to process and digest.  Just as he did with Get Out, Jordan Peele has something important to say here.  That said, there are a large number of deliberately unanswered questions that frustrate as much as they create intrigue.  It feels like the narrative is over-manufactured in places so as to fit with a particular metaphor.

Us is a hot mess – a lot of great ideas but it doesn’t flow as smoothly as it should.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 April 2019

I was reading earlier in the week that the current Japanese era, known as Heisei, will come to a close after 30 years when Emperor Akihito abdicates and hands the reigns over to his eldest son.  If we adopted a similar naming system within the movie industry, the last decade would have named in honour of superheros and, based on the number of films being churned out, it’s likely to last for at least another decade.

With Captain Marvel still in theatres and Avengers: Endgame set to be released in three weeks, DC Films are taking advantage of a narrow window and releasing Shazam!  It’s the 7^th film in their extended universe which began with Man of Steel in 2013 and has included films such as Wonder Woman and Justice League.  In terms of box-office and brand awareness, they’re still trailing Marvel Studios by a significant margin but they have made up ground in recent years (2018’s Aquaman grossed more than $1 billion worldwide).

There’s a lot going on in Shazam! and that’s part of the reason it’s stretched out to a lengthy 132 minutes.  Billy (Angel) is a teenager who has had endured a tough upbringing.  He never knew his father, his mother left when he was a toddler, and he’s bounced around from foster home to foster home.  His latest placement is in group foster home where child services officers hope he’ll make friends and leave behind his troubled ways.

It’s at this point where Billy’s life goes from sad to strange.  He is visited by an old, tired wizard (Hounsou) who has spent his life guarding the “Rock of Eternity” and keeping a series of seven monsters, who each represent a deadly sin, from wreaking havoc on Earth.  The wizard is looking for a new subject to help protect the rock and for whatever reason, Billy becomes the chosen candidate.  He touches the wizard’s staff (yep, that’s a joke they use) and inherits an array of superpowers.

Billy’s exploration of his powers is the best part of the movie.  He takes on the form of an adult (Levi) but he still acts like a goofy, immature teenager.  Billy is guided by his foster brother, Freddy (Grazer), who has spent years reading about superheros and is quick to offer advice.  It’s hard not to laugh as they test Billy’s superhuman abilities while also visiting a local real estate agent to rent a lair.  The comedic chemistry between stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer is hard to fault.

The film struggles to create an interesting, meaningful villain.  Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong) has spent his entire life in search of Rock of Eternity and now that he has control of it… well, I don’t know what he wants.  Anyway, it falls upon Billy to save the city but there will be a few self-inflicted bruises along the way as he reconciles his newfound celebrity status with his responsibility to the world-at-large.

A few subplots don’t come together as deeply as they could (such as Billy’s search for his mother) and the finale drags out longer than it needs to (some of the fighting stuff with the kids and the monsters is alarmingly unconvincing) but I still had fun with Shazam! and there’s a strong chance that others will too.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 25 March 2019

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects one in every 2,500 babies born here in Australia.  Instead of having thin, slippery secretions (such as mucus, sweat and tears), cystic fibrosis causes them to become thick and sticky.  This creates issues with blocked passageways in the human body and with no known cure, the average life expectancy is less than 50 years.

It’s a condition seldom depicted on screen and so Five Feet Apart provides insight through its leading character – a clean-freak teenager named Stella (Richardson).  She comes across as a normal, smarty, chatty person but there’s one huge barrier.  While her friends go outside, party hard and travel the world, Stella is confined to a sterile hospital ward where she must follow a strict regime of medication and treatment.  If she we were to be afflicted by something as simple as the flu, the effects could be life-threatening.

It’s why the “six feet apart” rule has become a critical piece of advice for those with cystic fibrosis.  When people talk, laugh, sneeze, or cough, tiny droplets are made which can travel up to 6 feet through the air before falling to the ground.  You therefore need to remain a safe distance apart to help avoid the spread of germs in these droplets.  Oh, and if you’re wondering why the film is called Five Feet Apart instead of Six Feet Apart, it’s not because it wants to give out dodgy medical advice.  Rather, it’s referencing the fact that Stella is prepared to push a few boundaries.

If there’s one key takeaway from this story, it’s the way in which the internet and social media can be used as a positive tool for those with cystic fibrosis or similarly troubling conditions.  Stella has created a popular YouTube channel where she posts regular video blogs and interacts with people across the world.  It gives her a sense of value and purpose.  She also uses her phone to FaceTime friends and family and while it’s not the same as being with them in person, it’s a worthy substitute to help shake off the effects of boredom and loneliness.

While keeping tabs on events outside, the reality is that Stella’s world revolves around those inside the hospital.  She enjoys the banter with a spirited, take-no-nonsense nurse (Gregory) who watches over her like a loving mother.  She’s quick to open up and dispense advice when chatting to a gay teenager (Arias) who is battling the same disorder and resides in a neighbouring room.  There’s also an intriguing piece involving Stella, her mother and her older sister.

All of these subplots are interesting but the problem with Five Feet Apart is that it chooses to focus on the weakest narrative – a dull, sappy romance that is heavy on melodrama and light on realism.  Stella falls in love with Will (Sprouse), a fellow cystic fibrosis sufferer who loves to draw and do things his own way.

First-time writers Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis continually drum home the same point – these two really love each other but they’re sad/frustrated by the fact they can’t hold hands, hug or kiss like a regular couple.  It reaches the point where they get closer and closer (from a physical point of view) and they’re prepared to risk their lives in pursuit of love.  I just didn’t buy into their actions and the clumsy, corny finale added to my confusion.

The casting of two relatively semi-well-known actors in their mid-20s, Haley Lu Richardson (The Edge of Seventeen, Split) and Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Riverdale), helps pitch the film to the younger demographic.  I took a fellow teenager to the preview screening and his eyes were both red and moist as the credits started to roll.  Perhaps I wasn’t part of the target audience.  Perhaps I’m just too cynical and cold-hearted.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 April 2019

It’s one of the tiniest countries in the world with a population of less than 400,000 people but it hasn’t stopped Iceland from establishing a cinematic footprint.  A plethora of Hollywood blockbusters have shot key scenes against the backdrop of its pristine landscape including Die Another Day, Batman Begins, Prometheus, Thor: The Dark World, Interstellar and Fast & Furious 8.  Iceland also has a small but passionate domestic film industry which produces roughly four movies each year.

Woman at War is the first Icelandic film in three years to achieve a cinema release in Australia (following Rams in 2016) and it’s easy to see why it was chosen given its quality and quirkiness.  It was one of just 7 features selected as part of International Critics’ Week at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and its star performer, Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, was nominated for best actress at the European Film Awards (losing to Cold War’s Joanna Kulig).

Geirharðsdóttir plays Halla – a strong-willed environmental activist who, rightly or wrongly, has taken it upon herself to create change within her community.  Rio Tinto run an aluminium plant in the Icelandic highlands and Halla sabotages a potential deal with China by continually disrupting the plant’s power supply.  Her creativity is illustrated in the opening sequence where she hikes into the middle of nowhere and short circuits the electricity grid using a bow and arrow.

Halla’s actions have not gone unnoticed and the government is increasingly worried about the economic fallout should the China deal not go ahead.  The authorities are using drones, helicopters, sniffer dogs and police officers in an effort to locate those responsible to bring them to justice.  Yes, her actions are illegal but it’s hard not to be entertained as she uses an array of tricks to avoid detection.  She’d give Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne a run for their money.

There’s a deeper, more emotive layer to the story when the unmarried, independent Halla receives a startling phone call about an adoption application she’d made several years ago.  A 4-year-old Ukranian girl lost both of her parents in the country’s war with Russia and Halla has been asked to adopt the scarred child and provide her with a fresh start.  She desperately wants to accept the offer but realises that it will conflict with her activism.  What would happen to the child if she is caught by the authorities and imprisoned?

Woman at War beautifully illustrates the complexity of the world and the people who live in it.  Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is terrific in the lead role and as an added bonus, she also gets to play her twin sister – a character who serves as a valuable sounding board (kudos to the special effects team).  There’s a great group of supporting players headlined by an elderly sheep farmer and a confused Spanish backpacker.

The most fascinating element to the film is the way director Benedikt Erlingsson has infused the music score within the narrative.  The soundtrack wasn’t put together in the editing room after the shoot was complete.  Erlingsson’s film breaks through the “fourth wall” and has a band and/or singers in the background during key scenes (whether it be set in a small living room or an expansive field).  I had to smile during one poignant moment where Halla looks over her shoulder after the band stops playing.

If you like a rich, offbeat, intricate drama with splashes of comedy, Woman at War is not to be missed.