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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 June 2015

With an increasing number of animated features being released each year, it’s becoming tougher for writers to craft fresh, ground-breaking screenplays.  One guy who keeps delivering is 46-year-old Pete Docter.  He has 5 feature films to his credit and each is highly regarded by both critics and the broader public – Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., WALL-E and Up.  Not a bad list, huh?

I’m not sure he’ll quite reach Black Caviar status but Docter is now 6 wins from 6 starts.  Inside Out is stunning achievement that blends creativity, humour and emotion.  I’ll be saving it a spot in my top-10 list at year’s end.

The story centres on a vibrant, impressionable 11-year-old named Riley (Dias).  Her life has been pretty great up until this point… but her world is uplifted when her parents relocate from Minnesota to California due to work.  It’s left Riley feeling alone.  She’s had to leave behind her loyal friends and ice-hockey teammates and start again in a new city.  There are other problems too.  She overhears her parents arguing one night about their financial concerns.

To illustrate the turmoil that Riley is going through, most of the film takes place inside her head!  We see a small control room that is home to five talkative characters – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger.  Each day, they guide her actions, shape her personality, and store her most precious memories.

It’s a fascinating concept that is rich in detail.  There’s a hugely entertaining sequence where we go to Dream Productions – an elaborate movie studio where Riley’s dreams are created.  There are other cool locations that explore her imagination, subconscious and abstract thought.

Perhaps the most intriguing element is a place called Long Term Memory.  It’s a labyrinth of high shelves that store Riley’s memory balls.  The shelves are cleaned regularly by a maintenance team (aptly known as the Forgetters) that dispose of memories no longer required.  Oh, and you know how annoying it can be when you get a song stuck in your head?  That’s the memory workers causing their own brand of mischief.

The film’s most impressive attribute is the way it explores human emotions and the way they are so often intertwined.  We can’t always be happy.  To experience the joy of success, you need to experience and overcome the fear of failure.  On the flip side, a relationship can provide much joy but there will be an inevitable sadness if it doesn’t pan out as expected.  These are powerful messages that both kids and adults will relate to.

Many animated features utilise the voices of Hollywood stars.  That’s not the case here with Docter relying on those best known for their television work such as Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation), Phyllis Smith (The Office) and Richard Kind (Mad About You).  They all do an amazing job bringing these characters to life.  Who knew talking emotions could be so funny?  I love the moment where Fear (voiced by Bill Hader) articulates his thoughts – “We did not die today.  I call that an unqualified success!”

Very young children may have trouble keeping up with some of the concepts but for everyone else, Inside Out is a terrific animated feature that will leave you smiling throughout (with the odd chance of tears).

You can read by interview with writer-director Pete Docter by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 June 2015

I have friends who are brilliant joke tellers.  Their confidence, their timing and their wording are spot on.  When I try to relay the same joke to a different group, I almost always fail.  The punchline doesn’t have the same humorous effect if you don’t get everything right beforehand.

That’s my reaction to Aloha – a romantic drama from writer-director Cameron Crowe, the man responsible for the much loved Jerry Maguire and the critically acclaimed Almost Famous (which won him an Academy Award).  In a recent blog post, Crowe stated that he wanted to make a small film “about Hawaii, and the lives of these characters who live and work in and around the island of Oahu.”

It sounds like a nice, well-meaning idea but, just like my joke-telling, it’s been poorly executed.  These characters are boring and the storyline is confusing.  I’m not alone in thinking this.  During the Sony email leaks in late 2014, studio co-chairman Amy Pascal said that several parts made “no sense” and that “I’m never starting a movie again when the script is ridiculous.”

There are elements I still don’t understand but let me do my best to summarise the plot.  Bradley Cooper plays Brian – a dull American soldier who was injured in Afghanistan and now works for a billionaire weapons contractor (Murray) looking to launch a satellite into space.  He’s not much for small talk and seems to have closed himself off from the world following a recent divorce.  The guy has issues.

A trip to Hawaii has put him on a collision course with two lovely ladies.  The first is Allison (Stone) – a chatty Air Force Captain who realises Brian is a “train wreck” but can see something beautiful beyond his prickly exterior.  She wants to win his affections.  The second is Tracy (McAdams) – an ex-girlfriend from 13 years ago who has married another man (Krasinski) but still has a small place in her heart for Brian (for reasons that are revealed).

It’s a bizarre romantic triangle.  Tracy is the most puzzling character but this is largely a fault of the screenplay.  Her husband is a decent, hard-working guy but since he’s so uncommunicative (laughably so), she has thoughts about leaving him and jumping back into Brian’s arms.  It all happens too quickly and it’s hard to understand her actions.  Brian doesn’t seem to know what he wants either as he oscillates back and forth between the two women.  One minute he’s the friend.  The next minute he’s the seducer.

Heavily contributing to the film’s problems is the farcical storyline involving the billionaire sending nuclear weapons into space.  I was starting to wonder if I was watching a sci-fi flick as opposed to a romantic drama.  Was it supposed to be a political statement?  The subplot involving the native Hawaiians and the blessing of a “gate” didn’t do much for me either.

I’m sure Cameron Crowe will bounce back and make some more great films… but most will acknowledge that Aloha is a failure.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 10 June 2015

If at first you don’t succeed then try again.  We all know the original dinosaur theme park (known as Jurassic Park) didn’t end so well.  Things got out of hand and a bunch of people got killed.  Oops.  Thankfully, most have forgiven and forgotten.  The island in Costa Rica has been rebuilt and rebranded as Jurassic World.  It attracts more than 20,000 visitors a day and when you throw in $7 soft drink prices, it’s easy to see why company shareholders are happy.

Sadly, those mums and dad who have invested their hard earned savings in Jurassic World are about to see the share price plummet.  The company CEO and operations manager have come to the realisation that “no one is impressed by dinosaurs anymore.”  With attendance levels stagnating, they’ve given orders to the genetics team to come up with something bigger, louder and with more teeth.

That’s where Indominus Rex enters the picture.  This corporately sponsored dinosaur has the strength of a Tyrannosaurus but with increased intelligence and self-awareness.  It’s been locked up in isolation and fed huge slabs of meat each day.  Oh, and it was actually living with another dinosaur which, instead of becoming friends with, ended up being a large meal.

So what could possibly go wrong with this situation?  The answer is obvious.  The Indominus Rex escapes and we follow a bunch of characters who are trying to make it to the end of the movie outside of its stomach.  Chris Pratt plays a resourceful ex-Navy officer who is now a dinosaur expert.  Bryce Dallas Howard plays the aforementioned operations manager who can see her career going down the drain.  Vincent D’Onofrio plays a military contractor with questionable motivations.  Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins play two sibling teenagers who have become lost in the theme park.

It’s a mildly interesting story.  If you’re anti-capitalism and anti-genetic modification, you’re likely to go along with what the four-person writing team are trying to say.  There’s a strong scene where the CEO (Khan) berates the scientists for creating a “monster” but he is quickly reminded that everything in the profitable theme park was created in a test tube.  Should we be “playing God” and creating any kind of dinosaurs purely for our own entertainment?

These thought-provoking moments are nice but relatively short lived.  The majority of the film is spent watching the cast as they run from the dinosaurs and concoct a plan to kill them.  They’re not the brightest of characters though.  They seem to spend more time running into danger as opposed to away from it.  They also have an odd sense of humour given the gravity of the situation and the increasing body count.  Those traits I’m willing to forgive as this is a movie and it’s intended to be entertaining… although I’m puzzled by how Bryce Dallas Howard is able to run in high heels!

Credibility issues aside, Jurassic World is worth seeing for the pure spectacle.  Academy Award winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up) borrows John Williams’ iconic score from the earlier movies and it’s great to hear it again.  The sound and visual effects artists (who must have taken a big slice of the budget) have done a superb job creating these fearsome creatures.  It’s hard not to feel a shiver down your spine when the Indominus quietly sneaks up on unsuspecting characters.

The original Jurassic Park dominated the box-office in 1993 and is regarded as an iconic piece of cinema.  Jurassic World won’t quite have the same impact but it’s still an engaging blockbuster that many will enjoy.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 June 2015

There have been some terrific television series over the past decade such as Lost, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and Mad Men. I feel somewhat ashamed to admit that I haven’t seen any of them.  I spend so much time pursuing other interests (work, golf, movies) that I rarely have the time to sit on the couch at home and immerse myself in a successful, long-running TV show.

I use the term “rarely” because I have made exceptions.  One of those is Entourage.  It premiered on HBO in July 2004 and I was quickly lured in by the subject matter.  Loosely based on the life of Mark Wahlberg, the series followed the adventures of a young actor named Vincent Chase (Grenier) trying to find fame and fortune in Hollywood.

The show’s title signified that it was about more than just Vincent.  He was continually surrounded by a group of loyal, long-time friends who were riding his coattails in search of their own success.  E (Connolly) was an inexperienced manager battling to keep his client in check.  Drama (Dillon) was a struggling actor looking for a break out role.  Turtle (Ferrara) was a simple driver in search of better business opportunities.  Ari (Piven) was a ruthless, foul-mouthed agent trying to juggle work with family.

The show was framed as a comedy but the characters went through a number of ups and downs across its 8 seasons (the final episode aired in September 2011).  For this cinematic follow up, which picks up where the series left off, writer Doug Ellin doesn’t have time for complex storylines or character reintroductions.  He’s kept things light and succinct.

Vincent, now one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, is looking to take his career in a different direction.  After a failed marriage (it lasted only 9 days), he’s convinced a major studio to give him $100 million to make his directorial debut with a modern-day adaptation of Jekyll & Hyde.  Unfortunately, the project is now over budget and the Texas-based financier (Thornton) is worried.  He’s sent his goofy son (Osment) to Los Angeles to take charge of the film and as you can imagine, Vincent and his entourage aren’t too pleased.

I’ve got friends who can’t stand these characters.  They see them as sexist, talentless, self-centred losers that highlight everything that’s wrong about the film industry.  They party, they drive fast cars, and they spend money as if it’s their last day on earth.  Yeah, I can see that point of view… but I still like them.  They’re simply a bunch of ordinary guys trying to forge a career and have fun in the process.  I know many folk who are similar.

Filled with cameos (some of them quite bizarre), this film is more of a celebration of the Entourage series rather than a continuation of it.  We get to catch up with these characters for the first time in 4 years, have a few laughs, and realise that not much has changed.  It also provides a fast-paced, slightly over-exaggerated look at the inner-workings of the studio system in Hollywood (although not as juicy as the recent Sony email leak).

Those unfamiliar with the TV series may struggle without the background knowledge (although a Piers Morgan interview to open the film may help).  Fans of the show, and that’s clearly the target audience, will lap it up.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 June 2015

Matthew Parker (Fiennes) is a pharmacist who has accepted a job offer in a small, remote outback town.  He describes it as a “step backwards” in terms of career but it’s a choice he’s made for the sake of his family.  His wife, Catherine (Kidman), looks after the home and their two children, Lily (Brown) and Tommy (Hamilton), are attending the local school.

Late one night, Matthew sees his kids sneak out of the house.  He suspects they’re up to mischief but he makes the decision not to go after them.  The next morning, he gets up early for work while Catherine sleeps in.  It’s not until late that afternoon that they both realise something is amiss.  Lily and Tommy didn’t sleep in their beds and didn’t show up at school.  A few phone calls confirm a horrifying reality – no one knows where they are.

Catherine notifies the authorities and Detective David Rae (Weaving) is asked to investigate.  A number of scenarios are going through is mind.  Did Lily and Tommy go roaming into the desert and simply become lost?  Did they run away from home and are hiding somewhere?  Did they run into the wrong person and encounter foul play?  The clock is ticking and the answers are not clear.

Strangerland is a grim Australian drama that asks tough questions of its characters.  There’s a moment where Matthew, despite knowing his children are missing, goes to work to open the pharmacy.  It’s so that he can help a mother whose child is having an asthma attack.  Catherine is quick to voice her disapproval.  She can’t understand why her husband is more concerned for the welfare of someone else.  How would you react in the same situation?

We also learn there’s a reason why the Parker family are living in such an isolated community.  They’re looking to escape their troubled past and make a fresh start.  Matthew would rather keep these details from Detective Rae so that they aren’t the subject of gossip and innuendo.  Is he right to do so?  Catherine has the same concerns when she comes across Lily’s diary.  It shows a side to her daughter that she’d rather not share.

Strangerland is a strong debut feature from director Kim Farrant who has assembled a high-profile cast headlined by Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman.  The style and premise reminded me a little of Ivan Sen’s terrific Mystery Road (released back in 2013).  Composer Keefus Ciancia helps build tension with his unsettling score and cinematographer P.J. Dillon highlights the rich colours in the remote Australian landscape.  There’s a particularly impressive scene where a dust storm sweeps through town.

The screenplay starts to run out of puff in the later stages but this is still to be admired for its unflinching look at a tragic situation.