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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 05 November 2013

In the iconic Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations, a young orphan named Pip dreams of a better life. He doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of his sister’s husband and become a poor blacksmith. He wants money. He wants privilege. He wants to mingle with the top end of society. Thanks to the help of a wealthy benefactor, Pip is granted his wish and his life changes forever.

New Zealand author Lloyd Jones has taken Dickens’ classic tale and woven into a more modern story. Mr Pip is set on Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville Island in the early 1990s. Those old enough will remember it being a time of political turmoil. Unhappy with their mineral resources being pillaged by foreign companies, the island sought independence from Papua New Guinea. What followed was a civil war that would take roughly 20,000 lives over a 10 year period.

Having completed his 8 series run on the popular television series House, actor Hugh Laurie stars as the mysterious Mr Watts – the sole Englishman in a small Bougainville community. All of his fellow countrymen fled once the war began but Mr Watts, having recently married a native Bougainville woman, took a risk and chose to stay.

In search of something to do, Mr Watts takes on the role of school teacher for the local kids. He has no experience… but as a lover of great literature, he tries to pass on the joy that he gets from reading a wonderful novel. His first choice is Great Expectations and within a matter of weeks, his classroom is filled not just with children but also with adults wanting to hear Mr Watts read the latest chapter.

A young girl named Matilda (played by newcomer Xzannjah) takes a particular interest in Mr Watts and the novel. She starts creating her own fantasies that mirror those of the leading characters in Great Expectations. They provide hope that perhaps she can one day escape war torn Bougainville and forge her own “better life” with her father in Australia.

Writer-director Andrew Adamson has already put together a diverse resume that includes animated features (the first two Shrek movies) and action blockbusters (the first two Narnia movies). This is a very different film for Adamson in that he’s working on a tiny budget and with a bunch of non-actors. Aside from Hugh Laurie, the cast is made up of Bougainville locals – many of whom lived through the civil war and wanted to help bring this story to the screen.

I found this film hard to embrace. Mr Watts is a strange character who seems to create problems for himself when he doesn’t need to. It’s also difficult to appreciate the plight of the Bougainville residents as the movie only provides a patchy overview of the civil war and its history. When the town is invaded by a gun-wielding militia, I struggled to grasp who they were and what they were fighting for. The film also points a critical finger at Australia for its involvement in the war (perhaps rightly so) but it’s another subplot that isn’t explored in enough detail.

I enjoyed the overlap of the Great Expectations story and how it starts to shape Matilda’s dreams. There are also some unexpected moments late in the film that will stir emotions. Unfortunately, these likeable qualities aren’t quite enough to overcome the script’s limitations.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 29 October 2013

The Butler is the story of Cecil Gaines (Whitaker) – an African-American who worked as a butler at the White House for 34 years. He would polish the expensive cutlery, he would make tea in the Oval Office and he would serve foreign dignitaries at state dinners. Working for 8 different presidents, from Eisenhower in 1957 through to Reagan in 1984, Gaines had a front-row seat to an important time in America’s history.

It’s important to note that this is a fictional drama and not a biopic. There is no real Cecil Gaines. Don’t go home after you’ve left the cinema to find out more about him. Gaines is the creation of screenwriter Danny Strong (Recount, Game Change) who drew his inspiration from the true story of Eugene Allen – a man who was a butler at the White House for 34 years. A few anecdotes from Allen’s life have been used in the film but for the most part, this is a work of fiction.

My concern with this film is that it’s trying to squeeze too much into its 132 minute running time. With so many actors and so many subplots, it felt like I was watching a rushed chronology of civil rights events than an engaging, character-driven story (like we saw in 2011’s The Help). A friend of mine summed it up best when he thought this would work better as a mini-series. I could even picture it as a West Wing style drama.

There’s a catchy line in the movie – “everything you are and everything you have is because of that butler” – but I struggled to come up with that same conclusion from the film’s content. Not enough time is spent examining the interaction between Gaines and each president. We get quick, fragmented scenes that feel scripted and a little cheesy. For example, there’s a moment where a drunk Richard Nixon (Cusack) tells Gaines that he won’t be resigning in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal.

The Butler seems to spend more time away from the White House and exploring Gaines’ relationships with his wife, Gloria (Winfrey), and his son, Louis (Oyelowo). I say that as a positive because this is where the film works. Gaines enjoys his job and realises its importance… but is it worth the sacrifice of spending no time at home and losing touch with his family? The fact that Louis has been jailed several times for participating in civil rights protests only adds to his troubles.

The performances from the three leading actors are all strong – Forest Whitaker, David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey (in her first screen role in 15 years). Director Lee Daniels (Precious) has also been able to find a heavyweight supporting cast with the likes of Robin Williams, James Marsden and Alan Rickman all playing presidents (some are more convincing than others). Deserving the most credit are the make up artists. They’ve done a great job recreating these historical figures and also aging the main cast across five decades.

It’s got the thumbs up from Barack Obama who admitted to “tearing up” and it’s pulled in more than $100m at the box-office in the United States but for me, The Butler covers too much, too quickly.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 03 November 2013

Fruitvale Station begins on the last day of 2008 and finishes on the first day of 2009. It chronicles 24 hours in the life of Oscar Grant (Jordan) – a 22-year-old ex-con living in Oakland, California.

So what’s Oscar like? Why should we care about him? There’s an early scene where he befriends a young woman named Katie (O’Reilly) in the seafood section of a large supermarket. Katie has been asked to cook a fish fry but she has no idea how to go about it. Oscar promptly calls his grandmother, an expert on such matters, puts her on the phone with Katie and saves the day.

It’s clear that writer-director Ryan Coogler wants us to think positively of Oscar. In fact, it’s a little too clear. Coogler has chosen not to delve into the darker elements of Oscar’s past. All we get is a short flashback sequence that shows him in jail – the result of his drug dealing ways. Don’t stress though. Oscar is a nice guy now. We see a shot of him tipping his last batch of weed into the ocean so as to reaffirm to the audience that he’s turned the corner and is now a new and improved man. There’s another moment where he tries to help save a dog who has been hit by a fast moving car.

I’m not trying to flippant. I realise this is based on actual events but these early scenes are too manipulative, too formulaic. Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle) gives a worthy leading performance but given the structured situations in which his character finds himself, it doesn’t feel like a complete, honest depiction of Oscar Grant.

Despite its credibility issues, the film is still able to deliver an emotional finale. Oscar, his girlfriend (Diaz) and a group of close friends head into central Oakland so as to watch the New Year’s celebrations. They catch the train and the film’s title is a reference to one of the stops while en route home. Some will already know how this tragic true story ends but to preserve the film-going experience for those unfamiliar, I won’t reveal any further details. It’s a gripping sequence that is further enhanced by Coogler’s use of handheld cameras.

Fruitvale Station took home both the Grand Jury Prize (as judged by a select few from the film community) at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. That places it in strong company given that 3 out of the last 4 winners have gone on to earn Academy Award nominations for best picture – Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Winter’s Bone and Precious: Based On The Novel Pushed By Sapphire. It also took home the Audience Award at Sundance – highlighting the impact left on those in the paying crowd.

While I don’t think it worthy of such high praise, Fruitvale Station is a film that will give you something to think about upon leaving the theatre.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 October 2013

In April 2009, a small group of Somali pirates attacked a large cargo ship travelling from Oman to Kenya. Piracy was prevalent in the area at the time but this particular incident made headline news in the United States. Why? The Captain of the ship was Richard Phillips, an American citizen, who was kidnapped as part of the attack and held for ransom by the pirates.

Amongst the masses, director Paul Greengrass is more widely known for The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. They collectively pulled in more than $700 million at the international box-office and transformed Matt Damon into a believable action hero.

I’m a fan of Greengrass not so much for the Bourne movies (although they’re still very good) but rather, the way in which he can take a true story and turn into a captivating thriller. His movies never feel like a re-enactment. They feel more like an actual documentary thanks to credible dialogue and the use of hand-held cameras.

Bloody Sunday (2002) recounted the 1972 death of 13 protestors while marching against internment laws in Northern Ireland. United 93 (2006) provided a perspective on the hijacking of a United Airlines flight on 11 September 2001. Green Zone (2010) was based on an autobiographical novel and followed a U.S. Army soldier looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq following the war. They’re all great films. Do check them out if you haven’t already.

Captain Phillips can be added to that list and it’s another sharp, well-polished film from Paul Greengrass. There has been a little controversy surrounding the film with several crew members from the cargo ship claiming that it doesn’t provide a realistic depiction of events. They believe that Richard Phillips was a reckless Captain and they’re actually suing the cargo company for putting their lives in jeopardy.

Greengrass has responded by stating that this project was thoroughly researched. He spoke with 19 of the 20 crew members aboard the ship. He spoke with all of the U.S. military who played a key role in the rescue. He learned more about the pirates and their lives in Somali. While he acknowledges that not every single event can be covered in a two hour movie, he strongly believes what‘s included in the film is factually correct. I believe him.

The movie takes a little while to warm up as there are the obligatory scenes that provide some background information on Captain Phillips and the Somali pirates. An equal amount of time is spent following them both – this isn’t Phillips centric. The remainder of the film, from the start of the hijacking to its dramatic finale, is riveting. The tension keeps building and for those unfamiliar with the story (myself included), you’ll be burning with curiosity to see how it all unfolds.

Tom Hanks gives a worthy performance as Richard Phillips. He portrays the Captain as a smart guy who uses his extensive training to try to outsmart the pirates and give his crew the upper hand. He’s still human though and as the length of the hijacking drags out, you see the stress start to take its toll. Also picking up praise, deservedly so, is newcomer Barkhad Abdi – a Somali-American actor who plays the lead pirate.

We often joke about pirates (my birthday always falls on International Talk Like A Pirate Day) but Captain Phillips is not only a gripping thriller but also an eye-opener into piracy that still exists today. We understand the pirates’ motivation and learn about their tricky techniques. We also see what can be done by a ship’s crew to combat their attacks. I can’t see too many people being disappointed with the complete package that is Captain Phillips.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 October 2013

Thor may be great and powerful… but he’s no match for the unstoppable force that is the Marvel franchise. Since X-Men debuted back in 2000, there have been 29 Marvel movies that have grossed more than $12 billion at the international box-office. Four more flicks are scheduled for 2014 and another three in 2015 – including a sequel to ridiculously popular The Avengers.

Star Tom Hiddleston was recently promoting Thor: The Dark World in Australia and I put the question to him – are we reaching a saturating point when it comes to comic book movies? He astutely made the comparison to past eras. In the 1960s we were infatuated with Roman epics and in the 1970s we seemed to make a lot of gangster movies and police thrillers. The reality is that we will eventually lose interest comic book flicks… but as long as they remain fresh and not-so-formulaic, they’ll be around for a few more years yet.

Thor: The Dark World sees our fierce hero (Hemsworth) attempt to save the world from a new adversary. The Dark Elves, led by the particularly villainous Malekith (Eccleston), are trying to get their hands on extremely powerful force that will give him control of the universe. Suffice to say it won’t be the nicest of places if it succeeds. They’re not called the Dark Elves for nothing.

Assisting Thor is a group of characters you should already know. On his home planet of Asgard, we’ll find his domineering father (Hopkins) and a band of loyal soldiers trying to unite the Nine Realms. On Earth, there’s his love interest, Jane Foster (Portman), and her eccentric group of scientific friends including Dr Selvig (Skarsgard) and my favourite character from the original film, Darcy (Dennings).

It’s not the most exhilarating of stories and we’ve seen this stuff again and again. I’m starting to wonder if these films are maintaining the “freshness” that Tom Hiddleston was referring to. The first hour is particularly sluggish as we learn the backstory of the Dark Elves and try to get a grip on the strange force they are trying to possess.

I wouldn’t set your expectations too high but the film is still worth a look for its comedic moments (which dominate the highlight reel). Tom Hiddleston gets the best of the one-liners as Thor’s villainous brother, Loki. Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard make the most of their limited screen time. There’s even an amusing cameo from Chris O’Dowd (The Sapphires). It’s a shame that the two leads, Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, can’t quite generate the same laughs despite obvious attempts.

Cinema managers love Marvel movies and the huge dollars they pull in. There is one downside though. People aren’t going to leave when the closing credits start to roll. They’re going to have to wait a little longer before the cleaning staff can get in and sweep the popcorn off the floor. Fans know that the credits will contain short clips that provide a glimpse of future instalments. That’s again the case here. Make sure you stay until the screen is blank and the cinema lights turned on.

Director Alan Taylor (The Emperor’s New Clothes) isn’t advancing the comic book genre with Thor: The Dark World but he’s done enough to put bums on seats and to keep the franchise going.

You can read my interview with star Tom Hiddleston by clicking here.