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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 September 2024

I recently revisited Beetlejuice and I don’t think it’s aged particularly well.  It was a nice-sized hit when released in 1988 (it snuck into the top 10 of the annual box-office in the United States) but looking back from today, I see it as a slight, cartoonish horror-comedy about ghosts and the afterlife.  There’s a handful of laughs and great make-up work (which won it an Academy Award) but I’d argue other supernatural comedies of that era, such as the original Ghostbusters, offer a more complete narrative (gotta save the world!) with better characters.

Director Tim Burton and the three-person writing team had an opportunity to rethink the material for the 21^st Century and create something fresh.  Instead, the film comes across a poorly conceived homage to the original with little else to offer.  There are several subplots but at its core, it’s about the now middle-aged Lydia Deetz (Ryder) who has problems to overcome after the ghost Beetlejuice (Keaton) re-surfaces for the first time in decades.

Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are the three actors who reprise their roles from the original.  Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis don’t appear, and their absence is explained with a throw-away line.  Jeffrey Jones isn’t in the movie either but, for reasons I can’t understand, the writers decide to make him the focal “missing” character who is spoken about throughout the film.

Ryder goes too far with the “kookiness” but the interplay with Jenna Ortega (Scream), who plays her ashamed teenage daughter, is the film’s strongest attribute.  I’d argue it’s the only plot point worth following.  Justin Theroux (Mulholland Drive) plays a scummy TV producer and Monica Bellucci (The Passion of the Christ) plays a jilted lover, but their underdeveloped characters are so one-note that it’s impossible to take them seriously.  Why not given them more backstory and nuance?

Beetlejuice was just a supporting player in the 1988 movie and while he gets a more screen time here, it’s not to the film’s benefit.  We’ve just got Michael Keaton, his face smeared with make-up, acting quirky and making inappropriate comments.  Could he not have more to do?  In failing to advance his character in any meaningful way, it reinforces the view this a generic “cash grab” sequel where profit takes precedence over story.

Keep the expectations low for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 August 2024

The Alien franchise has been a consistent staple of the American film industry since the release of Ridley Scott’s original in 1979.  Three sequels were created in the 1980s and 1990s, two Predator crossovers were developed in the 2000s, and two prequels were released in 2010s.  A television series is currently in the works but before it arrives on Hulu, another flick gets its chance its cinemas.  Directed by Uruguayan Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe), it’s described as “standalone” feature which takes place between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986).

Alien: Romulus opens on a depressing, sunlight-free mining colony located 67-light years from Earth.  The villainous Weyland-Yutani Corporation use it to exploit a few thousand human workers (they’re quasi-slaves) in pursuit of minerals and profit.  The film’s orphaned central character, Rain (Spaeny), has reached the end of her fuse after completing her 12,000-hour work contract… only for a company buerocrat to extended it by a further 5 years (the good old “we’re short on staff” excuse).

In search of hope and a better life, Rain teams up with a group of young rebels who intend to steal a craft and travel to a decommissioned space station hovering above the planet.  Once there, they can refuel, go into a cryogenic sleep, and set a course for a planet offering freedom and sunshine.  Rain doesn’t see eye-to-eye with everyone on the mission, but she has one person she can confidently confide in – Andy (Jonsson) is a pun-telling, artificial human who has her best interests at heart.

They’re not the most interesting bunch of people which is a weakness of the film.  Did I care whether they lived or died?  Not really.  Anyway, this is an Alien movie above all else so let’s cut to the chase.  When they arrive on the space station, they quickly discover why it is uninhabited.  It was once home to an alien-research facility which killed a bunch of people.  Now that these nasty, face-sucking creatures have fresh meat aboard the ship, they’re keen to repeat the process.

Álvarez is a talented filmmaker but Alien: Romulus gives of a “seen-it-all-before vibe”.  You’ve got annoying humans making dumb decisions, you’ve got lights continually flicking on and off to create tension, and you’ve got ugly, shrieking aliens dripping in acidic goo.  I don’t see what this film offers which hasn’t already been provided in previous movies.  Even the action scenes feel sub-par.  The dingy lighting and chaotic cinematography make it hard to work out what’s going on.

The likeable Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) gives it her best shot in the lead role (she’s the film’s biggest positive) but the screenplay lacks the charisma and originality to make this movie stand out from the pack.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 September 2024

Director Janine Hosking has always had a love for horses and in 2021, she reached out to those involved with Winx and asked if they’d contribute towards a feature-film length documentary.  They were more than agreeable.  In looking for a screenwriter, Hosking then teamed up with journalist Andrew Rule who has published an authorised biography of Winx in 2018.  He serves as the film’s narrator – providing facts with a splash of colour.

If new to the story, Winx was an Australian racehorse with a career spanning five years between 2014 and 2019.  Within this country, she set records for consecutive races won, the most Group One titles, and the most prizemoney earned.  The narrative could be approached from multiple angles but Hoskings and Rule focus on two key individuals – trainer Chris Waller and regular jockey Hugh Bowman.  The film is as much about them and their own backstories as it is about the famed horse.

Winx’s achievements were incredible but again, in condensing the material for cinemas, the filmmakers zero-in on two key achievements – the record four consecutive Cox Plates (the most prestigious race in Australia), and the 33-consecutive race triumphs which began in May 2015 with a smaller Group Three win on the Sunshine Coast.  A theme which comes through is the enormous pressure they all felt behind the scenes in keeping the streak going and satisfying the demands of her growing fan base.

There’s something for everyone here.  For horse racing fans already knowledgeable of Winx’s records, they’ll glean interest from the range of interviews including owners, trainers, strappers, commentators, farriers, and jockeys.  They explain everything from the horse’s name through to the precise training/spelling regimes which led to Winx’s success.  There were a few superstitions too!  Trainer Chris Waller is particularly emotional when reflecting on events and that passion is translated onto audiences.  Even if you’re not a racing enthusiast, there’s a fair chance you’ll still be engaged by this once-in-a-lifetime tale and the way a simple mare became the most talked about animal in Australia.

The film noticeably shies away from some elements of the sport.  For example, there’s never any talk about gambling and race-odds.  Further, in keeping a positive tone, there’s a lack of tension and conflict.  Everyone is largely agreeable and so much of the footage, particularly the archival stuff, consists of great race wins and expressive celebrations.  I’m fine with the approach but it does feel like it’s lacking eye-opening, thought-provoking revelations which are often found in award-winning documentaries.

Enhanced by a strong film score which ratchets up during the big races, A Horse Named Winx provides a nice summary of a great chapter in Australian horse racing.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 August 2024

Iris (Calamy) is a long-married woman with a successful dental practice.  Is she happy?  Apparently not.  She and her workaholic husband haven’t made love in 4 years and rather than talk it through or see a councillor, Iris joins a Tinder-like app in search of quick hook-ups.  She has a series of ground rules (e.g. they can only be one-off encounters) and as the title explains, she meets men of differing ages, experiences, and personalities.

This latest from French writer-director Caroline Vignal is intended to be a comedy and so it’s about creating as many humorous scenes as possible.  In terms of the guys, some have quirky tastes while others lack understanding.  Outside of her sexual misadventures, Iris has other issues such as explaining continual absences to her husband (Elbaz) and stressed work assistant (de Baecque).  The way she interacts with her teenage children also takes an unexpected shift.

Perhaps I’m not the target audience but I struggled to find laughs given the contrived, over-the-top screenplay.  How many times do we need a joke about Iris’ mobile phone buzzing non-stop with dating app messages at an inconvenient time (like in bed with her husband or cleaning teeth at work)?  As alluded to above, it’s also a wonder Iris doesn’t have a heart-to-heart with her husband about their lack of intimacy despite her being an extrovert who’s willing to talk about anything.  She’s a topsy-turvy character who often lacks believability.

Iris and the Men marks the second time Vignal has worked with leading lady Laure Calamy in the past four years.  They teamed up for the likeable romantic comedy Antoinette in the Cévennes which was about a schoolteacher who went on a week-long hiking trip in search of love.  Sadly, the material isn’t as strong this time around and it feels like a simple idea stretched out for an unnecessary 90 minutes.  I realise the tone is different but the Emma Thompson-led Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a much better example of how to extract humour, both light and dark, from the concept of an unfulfilled woman.

Unable to be saved by the finale (which doesn’t make sense either), Iris and the Men is an underwhelming French comedy which doesn’t live up to its promise.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 August 2024

“If there is something unsaid or undone in your life, it is never too late to rectify it.”  That quote from Icelandic writer-director Baltasar Kormákur (101 Reykjavík) gets to the heart of Touch.  His daughter gave him Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson’s novel as a Christmas present in 2021 and, enthralled by the material, he bought the film rights within a week.  His goal was to lure audiences with a complex romantic story but tell it in a quiet, understated way.  He’s achieved just that.

Two timelines have been carefully woven together with the help of editor Sigurður Eyþórsson.  The first takes place in the late 1960s when Kristófer (Palmi Kormakur) is a young Icelander studying economics at a university in London.  Disenfranchised by the university’s right-leaning administration, he drops out and accepts a job at a local Japanese restaurant.  He starts out washing dishes but it’s not long before Kristófer’s passion is noticed by the restaurant’s owner, and he becomes an apprentice chef.

The second takes place in early 2020 as COVID spreads and airlines/hotels are on the cusp of shutting down.  Plagued by health issues, a now 70-something-year-old Kristófer (Ólafsson) gets one of the last flights from Iceland to England to track down a woman, Miko, he met a half-century earlier while working at the restaurant.  The two had a brief, intimate relationship as youngsters but lost touch for reasons explained late in the film (I won’t spoil).  Kristófer has never forgotten their blissful time together and goes in search of his long-lost love before his own clock runs out.

Touch is a beautiful film bolstered by its unorthodox cast.  Icelandic actor/pop star Egill Ólafsson was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and only had enough energy to work for a few hours each day.  In playing the older Kristófer, you get a sense his personal battles helped shape the character.  He’s created a likeable, kind-hearted man with a splash of humour and stubbornness.  While he’s not big on dialogue, you’ll be cheering for him to succeed.

In looking for someone with a “John Lennon gentleness”, Baltasar Kormákur struggled to find the ideal actor to play the younger version of Kristófer.  In the end, he cast his own son!  It sounds nepotistic, but Kormákur had sign off from the film’s producers who were wowed by his audition tapes.  I agree with their decision as Palmi Kormákur brilliantly captures the softly spoken nature of the role, and the character’s overall authenticity.

Shot across Iceland, England, and Japan, Touch is a credible romantic tale that touches the heart and offers a few laughs along the way.  If all cinema was this good, this world would be a better place.