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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 04 May 2015

The opening scene in Ex Machina is reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.  A young computer programmer named Caleb (Gleeson) works for a huge technology company similar to Google.  He is the sole winner of a lucrative office lottery that will give him the chance to meet the company’s CEO, Nathan Bateman (Isaac).

It’s actually a bigger deal than you may think.  Nathan may be ridiculously wealthy and incredibly powerful… but he is also a recluse.  He is seldom seen in public and his home, which also serves as his research facility, is hidden at the bottom of an expansive mountain range (which he just so happens to own).

As most would be in the same situation, Caleb is both nervous and intrigued when they first meet.  What questions do you ask someone who is a proven genius?  At the same time, he’s curious as to why Nathan lives such a secretive life and what projects he’s been working on.  Caleb’s inquisitive nature is further heightened when Nathan asks him to sign a complex non-disclosure agreement.

 It’s not long before Nathan spills the beans and reveals that he’s created a robot with artificial intelligence.  Over the course of the next week, he asks that Caleb interact with the robot, known as Ava (Vikander), and see if it passes the “Turing test”.  Named after the acclaimed computer scientist Alan Turing (see The Imitation Game), the test is passed if the robot’s actions cannot be distinguished from those of a human.

With the stage set, Ex Machina takes on the elements of an uncomfortable thriller.  Caleb develops an attachment to the robot but the whole situation leaves him hesitant.  Why is Ava trying so hard to win his affections?  Is it because she can think for herself and likes him as a person?  Or has she simply been programmed to match his preferred personality traits?  Who is the one being tested here – Ava or Nathan?

The film marks the directorial debut of Englishman Alex Garland.  He’s no stranger to the industry though having forged a successful career as a writer.  His credits include The Beach (he also wrote the novel), 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Never Let Me Go.  Ex Machina is a challenging project that most budding filmmakers would love to sink their teeth into.  It’s like many low-budget horror films in the sense that you have to hook the audience using a small cast and a single location.

I like the approach, I like the style, and I like the message the film is trying to impart.  It’s more than just a mystery.  Garland does have a something to say.  Unfortunately, the screenplay feels too manufactured in its efforts to reach the aforementioned conclusion.  Things fit together too neatly and characters act in a way that belies their intelligence.  The more you think about it, the less sense it makes.

Swedish born Alicia Vikander delivers the film’s standout performance as the robot Ava.  It’s as if she’s running her own “Turing test” on the audience and trying to make you sympathise with her character.  Having made a name for herself in historical dramas such as A Royal Affair, Anna Karenina and Testament Of Youth, it’s great to see Vikander expanding her resume and dipping her toes into the science fiction genre.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 April 2015

How old are you friends?  I’m not talking about your family but rather the people you hang out with socially on a regular basis.  Are they younger, older or the same age?  Is there any particular reason why?  These questions are contemplate by writer-director Noah Baumbach (The Squid And The Whale, Frances Ha) is his latest effort, While We’re Young.

Josh (Stiller) and Cornelia (Watts) are a married couple with similar interests.  He’s a documentary filmmaker trying to finish his latest pet project.  She’s a film producer who works for her successful father.  Their lives haven’t changed much over the past decade.  They never had kids (Cornelia had several miscarriages) and they’re still career-focused people trying to find success in a tough industry.

What has changed are the lives of their close friends.  They’ve become more family based and so they talk about their own children constantly.  There’s a humorous scene where one of them drags Cornelia along to a Wiggles-like concert in an effort to catch up.  She couldn’t be more uncomfortable and so she flees the venue before it’s all over.

Josh and Cornelia find their friendship group shift when they latch onto a couple in the mid-20s.  The Oxford Dictionary defines “hipsters” as those who “follow the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream.”  That pretty much sums them up.  Jamie (Driver) is a film student trying to put together a documentary that highlights our over reliance on Facebook.  Darby (Seyfried) attends hip-hop classes and is being guided by a shaman in search of spiritual awakening.

A few of the jokes in While We’re Young aren’t particularly adventurous.  There’s a part where Josh goes bike riding with Jamie only to injure his knee.  It’s a simple reminder of his “old age” which is further confirmed by his doctor who tells him that he’s suffering from arthritis.  I also wasn’t convinced by Jamie and his Facebook doco.  He’s just a little too goofy.

That’s not to say the film doesn’t have something to say.  There are some great conversations between Josh and Cornelia as they start analysing their lives.  Is their friendship with Jamie and Darby just a quick, passing fad?  Or is helping them realise who they are and what they’re looking for in life?  It reminds me a little of Woody Allen in that it’s using comedy to make insightful comments about relationships and society.

Considering this week’s other major comedy release is Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (not previewed for critics), I should be grateful for While We’re Young.  It’s far from perfect but it will leave you with a lot more to reflect upon.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 22 April 2015

It’s becoming a struggle to keep up with all the characters in the Marvel universe.  Over the past decade, we’ve had 23 Marvel related films centred on the likes of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and the Guardians of the Galaxy.  When you throw the likes of Superman and Batman from the DC Comics franchise, it’s never been clearer that we’re living in the age of the superhero movie.

Given that our beloved heroes have been so busy and so successful, it seems that there aren’t any more bad guys left to kill.  There’s no time to rest up however.  In this latest Avengers flick, they’ve actually created their own villain to defeat!

We can largely blame Iron Man (Downey Jr).  I wouldn’t describe him as a communist… but he’s certainly not a fan of democracies.  Without consideration or consultation, Iron Man has taken it upon himself to create a single robot that will have the power to protect the entire planet.  It will make all other superheroes obsolete.  He can then retire and enjoy his superannuation.

Lo and behold, it all goes pear shaped.  The robot, known as Ultron (voiced by James Spader), has some not-so-friendly qualities.  He’s particularly keen on obliterating the human race and has enlisted two siblings from Eastern Europe to help him out – Pietro (Johnson) who can move with ridiculous speed and Wanda (Olsen) who can tap into people’s minds and predict their future.

The good news for Iron Man is that won’t have to face the International Criminal Court despite his insanely negligent actions.  His colleagues spend a few minutes venting their frustrations but they’re generally happy to forgive and forget (yeah, I surprised too).  Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye realise they’re going to have to work as a team if they’re any chance of defeating Ultron.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron takes a long time to establish the above premise and to reintroduce its heroes.  I’m still not 100% sure about the technology used to create Ultron and why he has such a disturbed personality.  Writer-director Joss Whedon has compared Ultron to Frankenstein in the sense that he’s a man-made creation who then turns against his master.  It’s a curious analogy that doesn’t come through as clearly as you might expect in the film.  I can think of other Marvel villains that are more interesting (e.g. Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian).

With such an enormous cast, character development is also limited.  There are glimpses of intrigue such as The Hulk’s struggles to control his ability.  You could strongly argue that he’s suffering from depression.  There’s also chatter amongst our heroes about succession planning.  Is it time for them to pass the torch onto the next generation?

These character-driven elements are largely overshadowed by the film’s elaborate, special-effects laden action scenes.  The body count is kept to a minimum and we are treated to an array of brave rescues and narrow escapes.  We’ve seen this stuff before but Whedon does bring a creative touch.  The final sequence is “ground breaking” and I’m speaking both physically and metaphorically.

The first Avengers flick reaped in more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide box-office.  It’s hard to imagine that number being eclipsed but given the passion of Marvel’s loyal fans, nothing would surprise me.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 13 April 2015

He’s a two time Academy Award winning actor but we haven’t seen much of Sean Penn on screen of late.  He starred in Gangster Squad (released in January 2013) and then had a small role in The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (released in December 2013).  They’re his only on-screen credits in the past three years.  Penn hasn’t been lying on the couch at home though.  He’s been directing a film in South Africa (called The Last Face) with his current girlfriend, Charlize Theron.

In The Gunman, Penn plays Jim Terrier – a former soldier who is working for a private security company in Congo.  It may sound like a straight forward job but the reality is anything but.  Jim was ordered by his foreign employer to assassinate a high-profile minister within the Congo government.  This was in retaliation to a recent announcement that mining contracts with overseas entities would be reviewed due to suspected corruption.

Jim’s not the bad guy though.  Well, not any more.  These events took place 8 years ago and Jim has gone through a small transformation.  He never fessed up to the crime… but he’s now trying to make amends by performing humanitarian work in Congo.  He’s not going to be able to escape his past that easily though.  A group of unknown assailants are now trying to kill Jim to ensure he never reveals the truth.

Penn was attracted to the film for two reasons.  Firstly, it gave him the chance to take on a very different role for him – that of an action hero.  You can see he’s bulked up for the role and spent quite a few hours in the gym.  Secondly, it allowed him to promote a message that he believes in.  He wants audiences to think about Western companies that are exploiting natural resources in third world countries in pursuit of profit.

The Gunman was panned by most critics when released in the United States last month but it’s actually not too bad.  There are plenty of shootouts and punch-ups but the film’s most entertaining sequences revolve around Jim using his head as opposed to his fists.  A major highlight is a scene where he finds an explosive device in his apartment and then uses it to his own advantage.

The screenplay isn’t as strong as it could be.  There’s an odd subplot where he learn that Jim is periodically suffering from blurred vision and memory loss.  We even see him getting a cat scan and speaking with a doctor.  It’s clear the writers are trying to make the situation even more perilous but it feels unnecessary and detracts from the film’s credibility.

The supporting cast includes the likes of Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men), Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) and Idris Elba (Pacific Rim).  Tony Award winning actor Mark Rylance also makes a rare appearance on the big screen (we’re used to seeing him on stage in New York).  The film tries to add a romantic angle by using Italian actress Jasmine Trinca (The Son’s Room) but her character’s actions don’t always make sense.

The film’s anti-capitalism messages get lost in the gunfire but this is still a satisfying action piece about one man trying to outsmart his many adversaries.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 April 2015

A lot of great movies have covered the late 20^th Century conflict in Northern Ireland that is widely regarded as “The Troubles”.  The list includes The Crying Game, In The Name Of The Father, Bloody Sunday and Hunger.  The latest entry is the oddly titled ’71. 

Directed by first-timer Yann Demange, the film focuses its attention on a young, inexperienced British solider named Gary Hook – played by rising star Jack O’Connell who also had the lead role in Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken.  Hook recently joined the British Army and has been sent to Belfast to help deal with the growing unrest between the Catholic Nationalists and Protestant Loyalists.

It’s a volatile situation that is escalating further out of control.  Hook and his fellow soldiers have been ordered to search all homes in a Catholic neighbourhood and look for illegal weapons.  They may think they’re helping… but their rough approach is only further upsetting the radical sections of the population who see the military as doing the government’s dirty work.

When a protest involving the Catholic Nationalists turns violent, those commanding the British Army make the decision to retreat.  Unfortunately, an injured Hook is left behind in the mayhem and he takes refuge in a small outhouse to avoid being captured.  He’s about to become the key piece in a critical game.  Some want him dead.  Some want him alive.  Trapped in a city he doesn’t know, Hook must somehow find a way home.

Part historical drama and part action thriller, ’71 makes for gripping viewing.  The story of Gary Hook is fictional but the time and setting is realistic.  Writer Gregory Burke highlights the complexity of the situation by showing the many parties that were involved in the conflict.  It’s hard for Hook to work out who to trust.  We’re also treated to some suspenseful chase sequences where Hook must outrun his enemies down narrow laneways and through multi-storey apartment buildings.

Yann Demange had doubts when he first head of the project.  Given the power of both Bloody Sunday and Hunger, he wasn’t sure if he could make something of equal brilliance.  That changed when he read the script and realised it contained a few intriguing twists and turns.  Demange also had to change the timing of the shoot so as to secure the service of Jack O’Connell (who had just finished another film).  I can’t fault his decision because O’Connell’s passionate performance is to be admired.

’71 is receiving a very small release here in Australia but it’s not to be ignored.  It was nominated for best British film at this year’s BAFTAs alongside the likes of The Imitation Game, The Theory Of Everything and Pride.  That’s a strong and worthy endorsement.