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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 31 March 2017

Dance Academy was a fictional television drama that debuted on the ABC back in May 2010.  It was targeted at teenagers and followed the ups and downs of high school students who were part of the National Academy of Dance in Sydney.  A total of 65 episodes were produced and the show wrapped up in mid-2013.  It twice won the Logie Award for the best children’s program.

On hearing that this new movie was being made, the first question I asked was “why?”  It’s not often that an Australian television series makes the move to the big screen.  The answer to that question comes from beyond our shores.  The Dance Academy audience has grown over the past few years with the show sold to several international markets including the United States.  Creators Samantha Strauss and Joanna Werner felt there would be enough people interested in catching up with these characters once again.

As someone completely new to the show, I will look at this film differently to most paying customers.  I don’t know the backstory to these characters and their intricate connections.  A “newbie” can enjoy this as a standalone feature but it’s clear that fans of Dance Academy will pick up on a lot more.  Almost all of the featured actors from the later episodes of the television series have returned.

The opening to the film paints a gloomy picture.  The main protagonist, Tara Webster (Goodwin), has given up on a career in dance following a major injury.  She’s been speaking with a lawyer and is considering legal action against the National Academy of Dance for their poor training and unsafe workplace.  To help make ends meet, she now works as a barista in a small café located in the foyer of the Sydney Opera House.  Seeing the successful ballet dancers walk past each day only adds to her sullen disposition.

There is light at the end of the tunnel and with her injury showing signs of improvement, Tara will get another chance to follow her dreams.  She is approached by the head of the Academy, Madeline Moncur (Otto), and asked to re-audition.  That doesn’t work out but it sets in motion a series of events that will take her first to New York and then later to Texas (an obvious attempt to appeal to the American audience).  She catches up with old friends and is presented with new opportunities.

There’s a realness to these characters and their journey that makes this worth a look.  It’s not all “rainbows and sunshine” and the film highlights the difficulties one faces in trying to pursue a career in the arts.  You give up any chance of a social life and you have to practice all day, every day with the hope you will land one of the few great jobs on offer.  For every person that succeeds, there’s at least one hundred who fail.

The film also delves into other areas including the idea of “celebrity”.  One of Tara’s good friends, Kat (Banit), has become a quasi-icon in the U.S. but things become unstuck as a result of a social media scandal.  The narrative also touches on the way in which friendships become harder to maintain as careers move in different directions.

The screenplay does succumb to predictability in the final act.  Writer Samantha Strauss has made some safe, audience-friendly choices that aren’t as adventurous as the lead up.  Fans won’t be too perturbed.  With a wide mix of songs and an eclectic group of characters, Dance Academy: The Movie will appease the target crowd.

You can read my interview with director Jeffrey Walker by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 21 March 2017

The Boss Baby comes together surprisingly well but it does take a little time to wrap your head around the complex scenario.  It’s the latest animated feature from Dreamworks and is split between two worlds.  On the ground, Tim Templeton (Bakshi) is a 7-year-old who lives with his mother (Kudrow) and father (Kimmel).  They’re a happy, loving, tight-knit family.

Up in the sky, exists Baby Corp – a company that has a monopoly on the baby market.  They produce the newborns and deliver them to the doorsteps of waiting families via taxi.  Storks are no longer required apparently.  Not all babies follow that path though.  Those that aren’t quite as fun or ticklish are deemed to be “corporate” material.  They remain in the sky and keep the company running.  While they have adult-level intelligence, they retain their baby form because of special anti-ageing milk.  Confused yet?

This is where The Boss Baby (Baldwin) fits in.  He’s been sent by Baby Corp to the Templeton family on a secret mission.  There has been a worldwide drop in the demand for babies as families are leaning more towards puppies instead.  On top of that, the aggressive CEO of Puppy Co. (Buscemi) has revealed that he’ll soon be making an announcement that will send shockwaves through the industry.  It’s clear that puppies now have the upper hand in the battle for market share.

The Boss Baby and his team of spies must infiltrate Puppy Co. and put a stop to their plans before it’s too late.  Once Tim gets over the shock of having a baby brother who talks, drinks coffee, and holds business meetings, he agrees to help out too.  It’s a strange adventure that provides plenty of laughs for both and adults and kids.

The theme that comes through strongest is that of sibling rivalry.  The arrival of a new, attention-soaking baby into the families makes Tim feel like an outsider – something he doesn’t react well too.  Adding to this fun subplot is the fact he is also trapped.  He knows his brother isn’t a “real baby” but he’s unable to convince his parents who believe his silly claims are fuelled by jealousy.  There’s an overlaying theme of reality versus fantasy but you’re best to discover that for yourself.

Alec Baldwin has one of the most distinctive voices in Hollywood and he’s great as the loud, angry, aggressive Boss Baby.  He’s the star of the show and soaks up most of the screen time.  Steve Buscemi makes the most of his quick cameo as the head of Puppy Co.  The other two voices you may recognise are Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow as Tim’s parents.

Reviews from the United States on The Boss Baby have been mixed but as an animated feature that does things a little different from others, I’m siding with those who have their thumbs up.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 March 2017

For those needing the background check, Ghost in the Shell was a Japanese comic that became an animated feature film that became a successful computer game that became a television series.  The next stage in its evolution is that of a live action Hollywood film with a sizeable budget.  The idea was tossed around for a while but it finally ended up in the “to do” basket of director Rupert Sanders (Snow White and Huntsman).

What I find most attractive is the world in which this film is set.  Society has reached a point where robotics is now a part of life.  As an example, those that have lost an arm in an accident can now have a new one built which can be attached with relative simplicity.  It’ll function better than the old one!

The latest creation of Hanka Robotics is to take a human brain and insert it into a full robotic body.  The first person to undergo such surgery is The Major (Johansson) but it wasn’t by choice.  Her last memory was of being on a refugee boat which had been sunk by terrorists.  Her parents were killed and she was badly injured.  She would have perished if not for the work of Dr. Ouélet (Binoche) who was able to save her brain and place it in a new, powerful robotic body.

The Major now works for a secretive organisation known as Section 9.  Their mantra isn’t well explained but they appear to be come kind of government approved authority who rid the streets of bad guys.  Their latest mission is track down Kuze (Pitt), a mysterious assailant who has been hacking into the “minds” of robots and using them for his own purposes.

I might have laughed at such a premise 50 years ago but as technology moves forward at a rapid rate this world may become a lot less fanciful.  There’s already talk of robot droids and soldiers.  What would happen if someone was able to hack into these and alter their programming?  When they’re controlled by changeable code as opposed to a rational, feeling mind, are the risks not higher?

Sanders has tried to give this film the look of a Japanese manga comment with its setting, costumes and colours.  The problem is that the script doesn’t amount to all that much.  The Major talks about the “thick fog” that blankets her old memories and we follow her search for answers.  The tone is heavy throughout and while Scarlett Johansson commands a strong presence in the leading role, the same can’t be said of the supporting characters.  They’re a little bit dull.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 March 2017

Since the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves back in 1938, Walt Disney Animated Studios has been a powerhouse when it comes to animated features.  Their films continue to enthral young children and create life-long memories.  I have a colleague at work who has seen Frozen a few more times than he’d like… but that’s because his own kids love the characters and the songs so much.

We’ve seen an interesting shift over the past decade with Disney translating some of its iconic films in a live action form.  Alice in Wonderland (2010), Maleficent (2014), Cinderella (2015) and The Jungle Book (2016) were all based on animated features previously produced by the studio.  Beauty and the Beast continues the run and will be followed by more in the coming years including Mulan, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.

For those a little too young to remember, the original Beauty and the Beast was released back in 1991.  It reeled in $145 million at box-office and became the first animated film to ever be nominated at the Academy Awards for best picture.  It was surprisingly short by today’s standards.  The film had a running time of just 84 minutes.  It’s worth noting because this remake clocks in at 129 minutes – highlighting that a few parts of have been changed to add more detail to the narrative.

The broad story is relatively the same however.  There’s an unkind prince who levies high taxes on his kingdom’s poorest citizens.  Instead of giving back to the community, he wastes the money on lavish parties in his expansive castle.  He’s about to learn that what goes around, comes around.  An enchantress places a spell on the prince and turns him into a ugly beast.  He will only return to human form if he can find true love and have the feelings reciprocated.  That won’t be an easy task given his hideous appearance.

Through the use of an elaborate opening musical number, it’s now time for Belle (Watson) to enter the picture.  She’s a farm girl who loves her father (Kline) but has grown tired of the provincial life.  She wants to leave behind the small minded people from the village and explore what the rest of the world has to offer.  She’s also keen to get away from Gaston (Stevens) a high-ranking soldier who is trying to win her affections but won’t take no for an answer.

Through a series of well-timed events, Belle ends up at the beast’s castle and an unorthodox love story begins.  Helping push them together are a group of talking objects including a candelabra (McGregor), a clock (McKellen) and a teapot (Thompson).  They all have a vested interest in breaking the spell since they too were once humans who served loyally under the prince.

In terms of spectacle, director Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Dreamgirls) has spared no expense.  The sets, the costumes and the visual effects make this a true epic.  As the Beast, Dan Stevens looks as real as anyone could imagine.  He’s not wearing a mask or a costume.  His character was created using head-shaking digital imagery.  The talking objects, all with recognisable voices, are adorably cute (especially Chip the teacup).

The cast didn’t need to spend too much time learning the song lyrics.  That’s because they’ve been singing them since 1991.  This updated version uses many songs from the original with a few new ones thrown in.  Several cast members have a background in musical theatre and that’s evident when you see the choreography throughout.  Singing on screen is something new for Emma Watson (Harry Potter) but she has a voice and charm that fits the material.

Given the love for the original and the fact this is a faithful adaptation, there’s a familiarity about the material that’s a little difficult to shake.  Trying to stretch it out beyond two hours with its simple message (beauty lies within) also creates a few lulls in the second act.  The supporting characters do a great job picking up the slack during this phase.

With La La Land winning the Oscar for best picture (well, at least for a few minutes) and Beauty and the Beast getting released, it seems that musicals are back in fashion.

You can read by interview with star Josh Gad by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 March 2017

When it comes to filmmaking, something is thriving in the state of Denmark.  Over the past decade, we’ve seen a flurry of great films from Danish directors including Melancholia (Lars von Trier), An Education (Lone Scherfig), Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn), The Hunt (Thomas Vinterberg) and In a Better World (Susanne Bier).  At the Academy Awards, Danish movies have been nominated in the best foreign language film category for 5 of the last 7 years – more than any other country over the same period.

Land of Mine was nominated at this year’s Oscars and it’s a relief to see it receiving a release, albeit a limited one, in Australian cinemas.  The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival more than 18 months ago and it’s been making its way around the world ever since.  As part of that journey, it was runner-up for the Audience Award at the 2016 Sydney Film Festival.  It clearly has appeal with both the critics and the broader public.

Directed by Martin Zandvliet, Land of Mine recounts a fascinating piece of post-World War II history that few people will be familiar with.  Denmark was an occupied territory under Germany during World War II.  Suspecting that the country would be attacked by sea, German soldiers laid roughly two million land mines beneath the sand on Denmark’s western coast.  As WWII came to a close, the issue of the land mines was a concern for the Danish soldiers who had helped reclaim the country.

In the opening scene of Zandvliet’s film, we are introduced to a Danish sergeant, Carl Rasmussen (Møller), who has been given custody of 10 young German prisoners of war.  He promises them freedom if they clear a section of beach which contains roughly 150,000 land mines.  It may sound like a barbaric, impossible act but Rasmussen has zero empathy.  Such is his rage towards the Nazis and their occupation of his country, he doesn’t even feed them for the first few days.  The Geneva Conventions carry no weight and he couldn’t care if they live or die.

I’ve seen plenty of great WWII films that make an impact through bloody, gory, violent action sequences.  Land of Mine does the opposite.  The tension comes from moments that are eerily quiet.  You’re watching a young kid with shaky hands try to remove the detonation device from a buried land mine.  No dialogue is necessary and all you can hear is the sound of wind and crashing waves.  There were parts where I couldn’t look at the screen.  I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and hoped that an explosion would not follow.

While these characters are fictional, such events did take place across Denmark between 1945 and 1947.  Close to 1,000 German soldiers, many of them teenagers, lost their lives in trying to defuse the land mines.  Once a section had been cleared, they were forced to walk across the area, arm-in-arm, to make sure none had been missed.  It’s not shown in the film but these “death marches” were often attended by Danish villagers who watched them like a sporting event.

It’s no surprise that Land of Mine has sparked controversy and debate.  The Nazis were responsible for the death of millions of people between 1939 and 1945 but the film will leave many feeling sympathetic towards these German prisoners of war.  We learn more about their past and we see the effects of the painstaking exercise on their fragile psyche.  Rasmussen also softens as he gets to know the boys.  He starts asking the same question that is asked of the audience – do two wrongs make a right?

Shot on location at the same Danish beaches were the mines were buried 70 years ago, Land of Mine is a compelling, fascinating history lesson with a moral that is just as relevant today.