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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 October 2023

A few weeks ago, The Creator was released in Australian cinemas – an ambitious science-fiction movie set in the year 2070.  In a world ravaged by wars, inequality, and climate change, artificial intelligence was being used to alleviate problems.  While I had issues with the film’s characters (they weren’t particularly interesting), director Gareth Edwards did a solid job in visualising the scenario.  It relied heavily on visual effects and production design to show big details (the destruction of Los Angeles) and little details (the moving hollow cylinders which are part of a robot’s head).

Foe is also a sci-fi flick set around that period (the year in 2065) and while it too is centred on a dystopian version of Earth riddled by a failing climate, the approach of Brisbane-born writer-director Garth Davis (Lion) is noticeably different.  Davis has drawn from the 2018 novel authored by Canadian Iain Reid and taken the “less is more” approach.  Almost all of the film takes place inside a rundown house in a rural, remote part of the United States simply referred to as “The Midwest.”

We’re told the world is on the verge of destruction, and that fresh water and habitable land have become the most precious commodities, but we only see things through the sheltered eyes of the film’s two leading characters.  There are no drone-like views of destroyed cities, or montages of humans ransacking grocery stores.  Instead, we follow the day-to-day lives of a married, childless couple known as Henrietta and Junior.  They are embodied by two of the finest actors working today – Oscar nominees Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) and Paul Mescal (Aftersun).

Some early banter between the pair helps illustrate their relationship (it’s not perfect but it’s workable) and then, part way through the opening act, Davis throws in a first twist.  An odd stranger (Pierre) rocks up to their house in the middle of the night and tells Junior that he’s won a national lottery and been selected to live on a luxurious space station for several years.  It’s part of a government program to preserve humanity should the Earth become fully uninhabitable.  It is an offer Junior should consider and if so, is he prepared to leave his wife?

There’s more to this tale but, like many decent dramas, it’s best you know as little as possible going in.  While I admired the two lead performances, I was underwhelmed by the film’s depth and thought it would ask more questions of the audience.  Again, without giving anything away, it’s too “one note” and needed to offer up more interesting subplots and character power-shifts than relying on quirky twists.  I’ve not read the novel but perhaps it offers more?

Garth Davis has proven his talent as a filmmaker, as evidenced by the success of Lion in 2016, but Foe is unlikely to generate as much in the way of public engagement.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 October 2023

The flight time from Havana, Cuba to Key West, United States is roughly 40 minutes but, if you decided to swim instead, it’s a hell of a lot longer.  That was the self-imposed challenge of 64-year-old Diana Nyad who in 2013 became the first person (apparently) to swim across the Straits of Florida.  It was a 177km journey that look 53 hours and was completed with no sleep and without the aid of shark protective cage.  The achievement resulted in her becoming a quasi-celebrity which public speaking engagements, and a stint on the American TV series Dancing with the Stars.

It’s Diana’s 2015 memoir that serves as the source material for this biopic from Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the married duo who won an Oscar five years ago for their edge-of-your-seat documentary Free Solo.  Nyad has the appearance of an uplifting, stereotypical “winning against all odds” tale and to an extent, that’s true.  You’ve got characters pointedly telling us about how you should never give up on your dreams despite how old you are.

To avoid this becoming too formulaic and predictable, screenwriter Julia Cox wisely adds other layers to the film.  Some of these are excellent.  The best is the interplay between Diana (Bening) and her loyal coach, Bonnie (Foster).  There’s a line from Bonnie which sums it up best – “do you have any idea how exhausting you are as a friend?”  It taps into the theme that in doing everything possible to achieve our own ambitions, we often forget the needs of those around us.

Both Annette Bening (American Beauty) and Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs) are terrific in illustrating the relationship between the two characters.  They’re not connected romantically… but it’s an incredibly close friendship where they often behave like a long-married couple.  When Diana stands up at a backyard BBQ and starts talking about herself too much, Bonnie quickly changes the topic in a way that minimises any hurt feelings.  She’s a skilled operator.

Other subplots aren’t handled as smoothly.  There’s a backstory involving child abuse which is fleetingly touched upon in quick flashbacks.  We don’t fully understand what happened to Diana nor how it has shaped the person she is today.  Qualms regarding her not-so-great father are also hinted at but never fleshed out.  One of the film’s least convincing elements is the way it shows Diana’s hallucinations (bright lights, Taj Mahals) while swimming.  I know it’s not easy trying to visualise what’s going through someone’s head but yeah, I wasn’t a fan of this approach.

With a supporting cast headlined by a scene-stealing Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill), Nyad is far from perfect (just like its protagonist) but worth a look-see.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 October 2023

Another Halloween is upon us and, instead of a billionth Saw or Halloween movie, we’re being offered something original.  Yeah, I realize it’s based on a 2014 video game but this is the first time it’s been adapted for the big screen.  The game’s creator, Scott Cawthon, has teamed up with several others in developing a screenplay.  The director’s chair belongs to New Yorker Emma Tammi, an up-and-comer who has interned under the likes of Robert Altman and Mel Brooks.

Not that I expected otherwise… but there’s very little nuance with the cut-and-dry set up.  We’re rooting for twenty-something-year-old Mike (Hutcherson) because he’s had a tough run.  His brother was abducted when he was a kid, his mum has since passed away, he can’t hold down a job, he’s about to default on his mortgage, and he risks losing custody of his pre-teen sister, Abby (Rubio), who he lovingly cares for.  It’s a decent performance from Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) who sells the character with a monotone disposition and kind-hearted nature.

The villain, at least in the early scenes, is Aunt Jane (Masterson).  As if trying to outdo the wicked stepmother in Cinderella, she doesn’t appear to have nice bone in her body.  She’s engaged a deadbeat lawyer and has served Mike with court papers in trying to take custody of young Abby.  It’s not because she cares but rather, she wants the weekly government welfare cheques.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense but that’s what we’re asked to go along with.

Anyway, desperate for any kind of job to help with the custody hearing, Mike accepts a low-paying gig as a nighttime security guard at a dilapidated pizzeria in the middle of nowhere.  It was renowned in the 1980s for its family entertainment and animatronic toys but after several kids went missing, and were never found, the place closed its doors.  The owner has kept the property for “sentimental reasons” and so requires security to make sure it isn’t broken into by vagrants and other ill-intentioned folks.

I wanted to like this more, but the direction is uninspired, the horror is limited, and the plot loses its way.  If you’ve seen the trailers and advertising, you’ll know what happens next.  The old robots in the pizzeria come to life and baffle Mike with their motivations – are they friendly or not?  Tammi tries to spook audiences with sudden close ups and other jarring imagery but it doesn’t work.  I couldn’t understand how the bots were so agile and threatening.

There’s one interesting subplot in the film but it’s undercooked.  Mike goes through a series of nightly routines, just before he dozes off, to help conjure up memories of his brother’s disappearance.  He hopes it’ll trigger a small detail he may have forgotten.  When he realises his sister has similar dreams, it prompts an intriguing conversation between the pair about what steps should be taken next.  It’s the best scene in the film as it puts Mike in a vulnerable position where choices need to be made.

It’s mostly downhill from there.  Plot twists feel contrived and the ending is unfulfilling.  Five Nights at Freddy’s gets a few things right… but it’s a long way from five stars.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 October 2023

The actors’ strike continues in Hollywood and this has allowed a few smaller films, which would not otherwise be released here, to sneak into Australian cinemas.  That’s a good thing in the case of Oink.  It’s a stop motion animated feature to come from Viking Film, a production company established in 2011 and based in The Netherlands.  The version we’re seeing uses English voices (it’s all very seamless) to ensure it’s more accessible for younger audiences.

The storyline is incredibly cute.  A 9-year-old vegan girl named Gretchen is gifted a pet pig as a birthday present from her estranged grandfather.  Suffice to say her parents aren’t pleased.  They don’t want a filthy, noisy, untrained animal messing up the house and destroying the backyard vegetable garden.  Further, they can’t understand Grandad’s motivations.  Given he’s a former butcher who has made a life out of breeding pigs and turning them into award-winning pork sausages, they’re confused as to why he suddenly sees the creatures as adorable pets.

I love the way director Mascha Halberstad blends high-tone with low-tone.  There are scenes where the pig, given the name Oink, is pooping all over the house (there’s lots of it!) and causing a ruckus when sent off to “puppy” school.  I’m a mature adult (well, at least I think so) but even I get a childish laugh at what can be achieved on screen with claymation poo!  Kids should find it hilarious.

These goofy laughs are offset by darker humour and more serious narratives.  In interviews for the film’s promotion, Halberstad has spoken about her love of Roald Dahl books and the way they feature characters who are both charming and villainous.  It’s a big reason she was drawn to the source material of Oink, a book authored by Tosca Menten.  I don’t want to give too much away but the film gets a little scary in places and offers up lessons for younger crowds.

Much effort goes into stop motion and it’s no surprise to see the film clock in at just 72 minutes.  It’s more than enough though.  There’s no unnecessary padding, no unnecessary subplots.  It couldn’t crack a nomination at the Academy Awards (I’d have voted for it) but it did earn a nod at the 2022 European Film Awards (where is lost to No Dogs or Italians Allowed).  It also picked up the award for best feature at the 2022 Netherlands Film Festival and, confirming my own view, this again illustrates its appeal with people of all ages.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 October 2023

On 27 January 2021, a friend sent the following message to a small group chat I’m a part of – “Are you guys following the gamestop stock price atm and the back story?” to which I responded “Nah, got a story link?”  I then fell down the rabbit hole and read countless articles, tweets, and threads about an event which was both riveting and alarming.  Even as it was happening, you knew it would be covered in finance textbooks for decades to come.

If you’re new to the tale, it revolved around a GameStop, a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange which operated video game stores around the world.  Its 2019 financial statements painted a bleak picture.  Revenue hadn’t grown in a decade, the company had recorded a record loss of $673 million USD, and the share price was falling.  An article published on the Nasdaq website on 9 March 2020 described it as “the most shorted stock in the market.”  In other words, investors had taken positions which would allow them to profit if the share price fell further.

What followed in the months ahead was unprecedented.  A YouTuber named “Roaring Kitty” started hyping the stock and his views were heavily promoted on the social new platform Reddit.  He’d also put “his money where his mouth is” and wasn’t afraid to show the public how much of his own portfolio (most of his life savings) he’d invested into GameStop.

It took a little while for momentum to build but by January 2021, a national “movement” had been created where a hoard of investors, many with no experience whatsoever, were buying the stock and pushing up its value.  In the 9 months between April 2020 and January 2021, the share price went from $2.57 to $483.00 – an increase of 18,694%!  Shareholders were loving it but on the flip side, the major hedge funds who had shorted the company were now racking up billions in losses.

I’m impressed by how quickly this story has been adapted into multiple art forms.  A three-part documentary, Eat the Rich: The GameStop Saga, debuted on Netflix in September 2022.  Acclaimed author Ben Mezrich, who wrote the novel upon which The Social Network was based, had a book in stores by September 2021.  It’s Mezrich’s work which serves as the source material for Dumb Money, helmed by Australian director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya).

I’ll admit to already knowing much of what we see on screen, but Gillespie and his crew deserve credit for taking a wide breadth of material and condensing it into a tight 104 minutes.  The cast are terrific with each actor given just enough time to help us understand their perspective – from Paul Dano (Love & Mercy) as the socially awkward YouTuber to Seth Rogen (The Fablemans) as an overconfident hedge fund manager.

In addition to being eye-opening and educational, the film also provides many amusing sequences.  Some of these are short and sweet (Pete Davidson as a DoorDash delivery driver) while others take time to build (arguments around the family dinner table when Dano’s character talks about how much money he’s made).  Gillespie also finds humour in the unusual time period, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, by having certain characters wear face masks (the stuff between Dane DeHaan and Anthony Ramos is great).

Helping win audiences over with its Little Guy beating the Big Guy narrative, Dumb Money is entertaining and engaging.