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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 April 2019

The pros and cons of marijuana have been debated in the United States for more than a century.  In the late 1930s, Congress passed legislation that banned the sale, cultivation and use of cannabis across the country.  There were many reasons behind the decision including concerns about its effects on society and the abundance of Mexican immigrants bringing the drug across the southern border.

That position has softened significantly over the years.  There are now 33 states in the U.S. that have legalised the use of marijuana for medical purposes.  It can help relieve chronic pain, lessen nerve tremors, and help with conditions such as insomnia and anxiety.  Further, recreational marijuana is legal in 10 states but it’s still heavily regulated in the sense that you need a permit to run a marijuana business and there are restrictions on the number of plants you can grow at home.

Breaking Habits is a curious documentary centred on a middle-aged woman named Kate who has spent the last few years running an illegal cannabis business in California.  Even she would admit to being surprised by this career path.  She once had a successful consultancy business but was left penniless after her dodgy husband embezzled everything from the company.  With few other options, she turned to marijuana as a means to provide for herself and two children.

If you’ve seen the film’s poster and other publicity material, you’ll know there’s an additional hook to this tale in that Kate is a nun.  She got together with a handful of like-minded women to form ‘Sisters of the Valley’ and whilst they walk around wearing white veils, they’re not associated with any mainstream religion.  As per their website they simply “sustain their farm operations and their compassionate activism by making products for the people in a spiritual environment.”  In other words, they’re producing marijuana in a large kitchen, selling it to interested parties, and making about $3,000 a day.

The film clocks in at just 87 minutes but it still feels stretched.  It’s the kind of tale that could easily be told in a 2-minute news story and be just as effective with its impact and messaging.  Writer-director Robert Ryan serves up an array of interviews with people offering their thoughts on Sister Kate’s operations.  The list includes the county sheriff, local police officers, a high-profile preacher, ambitious co-workers, and even her own children.

These interviews are spread sporadically throughout the documentary and start to feel repetitive at around the half-way mark.  It’s almost as if the subjects are being told what to say (reality TV style) to help create drama and tension.  If there’s one positive takeaway, it’s the educational perspective that Ryan offers by delving into cannabis production and the techniques Sister Kate uses to ensure her product provides the best outcomes for her customers.

With a narrow scope (it doesn’t look at broader issues such as the wave of legalisations across America), Breaking Habits is an interesting documentary told in a not-so-interesting manner.

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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: 08 April 2019

The Easter school holidays are upon us (later than usual this year) and if you’re taking the kids to the cinemas over the break, the best choice is Missing Link.  It’s the latest stop-motion animated film from Laika, a studio with an impeccable track record.  They’ve made four films to date (Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings) and all four have been nominated at the Academy Awards for best animated feature.  Missing Link is a strong chance of continuing that streak.

Hugh Jackman voices Sir Lionel Frost, a posh British explorer who has the reputation of being a “monster hunter”.  In the opening scene, he snaps a photo of the rare Loch Ness Monster but in doing so, he risks the life of his loyal assistant who nearly ends up as food.  This is Lionel is a nut shell – he’s an interesting guy with lofty, world changing ambitions… but he’s also self-centred and fails to see the negative impact his actions have on others.

As part of a competition to prove himself to other doubting explorers, Lionel heads off to the United States to find evidence of Bigfoot.  He’s successful (it doesn’t take long at all) but the creature he finds is not the creature he envisioned.  Yes, Bigfoot is 8 feet tall with thick fur and large feet… but this Bigfoot (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) can also speak English and write letters.

The pair become friends but that’s largely the result of a business proposition.  The insecure, self-conscious Bigfoot, who is given the name of Mr. Link, admits to being lonely (there’s just one of him) and he’d love to travel to the Himalayas to meet a series of Yetis and forge a new life for himself.  Lionel agrees to take him there and in return, Mr. Link will provide him with evidence of his existence (photos, teeth, hair samples) which Lionel can take back to London to win the contest.  They are joined by Adelina Fortnight (Saldana), a widower looking for a fresh adventure.

This is a fun, nuanced story filled with great characters.  Mr. Link is on the autism spectrum in the sense that he struggles to understand humour and metaphors.  As an example, there’s a moment where Lionel suggests a locked window be “cracked open” to let in a breeze and so Mr. Link does just that – throwing an object and smashing the glass.  It’s a joke used repeatedly but writer-director Chris Butler finds a way to make it just as funny each time.

You’d expect nothing less from Laika but the animation is superb.  When you think about the fur on Mr. Link’s body and the way it moves from shot-to-shot, it’s no wonder that the film took 5 years to complete from development through to the editing room.  There’s also a seamless blend of stop-motion (used to create the long-faced characters) and visual effects (used to create the backgrounds).  Some cool transitions between key scenes add a dash of polish.

Described by Chris Butler as “Indiana Jones meets Sherlock Holmes meets Planes, Trains and Automobiles”, Missing Link has everything you need in an animated feature.  Hugh Jackman sounds like he had as much fun making the film as I did watching it.

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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.

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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.