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Interview - Director Josh Cooley and Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura on 'Transformers One'
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
Transformers One is the latest instalment in the successful Transformers universe and while they were recently in Australia, I had a chance to speak with director Josh Cooley and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura about the project…
Matt: Lorenzo, there are so many stories which could be told in the Transformers universe so what was behind the decision to tell this one – particularly since it wouldn’t involve any human characters?
Lorenzo: That’s part of the reason. From about the second movie on, we began to discuss the story because it’s so biblical and relatable. We all have people who… maybe we’re not fighting to the death… but they fall out of our lives in different ways and forms. The pull of it was always there. We wanted the audience to have a new experience, and the timing felt right to approach this. It’s a powerful story and thankfully we have a very talented director to deliver it.
Matt: Josh, a lot of big names in the cast. How do you approach casting for an animated film? What are you looking for?
Josh: This is one of the fun and hard parts of an animated film. You want actors who can bring the characters to life but, for me personally, I almost don’t want to know who the actor is when I’m first listening to the voice. I want audiences to buy into Orion Pax or D-16 and that’s who I want them to connect with. At the same time, you want the actor to bring a piece of themselves so it’s actually a really difficult thing to find. I’m still blown away by the calibre of the cast but also their acting.
Lorenzo: I think the other part that’s really interesting is that you don’t realise how much the visual part of what that actor’s face looks like plays into how you think about that voice. As soon as you take away the face, the voice is very different. That was surprising each time we were debating this. Some actor’s voices translate but with others, it doesn’t feel right without their face.
Matt: He’s an Aussie so I have to ask about Chris Hemsworth. Given he has such a deep, recognisable voice which we know so well from the Thor franchise. What was it about him that you particularly wanted for the role?
Josh: The thing for me that totally worked is that he has such weight to his voice. I could believe that he would eventually become Optimus Prime and the voice of Peter Cullen as a character. The other thing is that Chris has a great charm to his voice. We wanted to do Orion Pax different from Optimus Prime in that he’s not all-knowing and he’s a bit younger with more swagger. He’s not as refined. Chris loved playing that and really brought it to the role.
Matt: Lorenzo, you’re a producer who’s been in the business for a couple of decades now. There’s so much competition from streaming platforms these days. When you have a big theatrical release like Transformers One, is there anything different in the studio’s approach in trying to get people off the couch and into cinemas to enjoy it?
Lorenzo: Every story now goes through a greater scrutiny about is this “theatre worthy” in a way but it’s been a little destructive that people think that way because you don’t know if something is theatre-worthy until you put it in a theatre. The biggest thing is that we’re competing for people’s attention against video games, the internet, and all the different kinds of distractions. That’s put an additional burden on what you select and why you select.
I’d like to think the quality of the movie can make it cinematic and theatre-worthy. I advocate with studios not to make a decision right away about certain kinds of projects. A Transformers movie is different because it’s theatrical by definition given its scale… it’s an event experience. A lot of other movies don’t have that quality.
Matt: Josh, we as the audience are there to enjoy the movie and we have little-to-comprehension of the hundreds of people craftsmen working behind the scenes to bring the movie to life. With Transformers One, what was the biggest challenge in realising your vision?
Josh: Every day, I have to answer a trillion questions. If you think about it, everything in the movie is fake… it doesn’t exist. If we were shooting this interview, we’ve got us as people and what we’re wearing – we’ve got things for free as a live action film. In animation, you have to build all of it – from the colour of the sky down to what the colours on their skin look like up close. There’s a million questions a day but at the same time, that’s the fun of the job. Working with the cast and the crew and the amazing artists at Industrial Light & Magic here in Sydney. I’ve been to Sydney five times in the past 2 years to spend time with the team and record Chris Hemsworth. It’s a great job.
Matt: What’s the plan for the franchise going forward?
Lorenzo: We have some story ideas if we’re successful with this movie. We’ve just begun the process. Josh and I are in sync and at least for myself, it’s brought out the best part of my creativity working with Josh. It’s really exciting to contemplate another movie. These two characters have a lot more to go. I’ll say that.
Interview - Writer-Director Chris Sanders on 'The Wild Robot'
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
The Wild Robot has arrived in Australian cinemas for the September school holidays and I recently had the chance to speak with writer-director Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) about the film…
Matt: Robot movies have been around for a century, and they show both ends of the spectrum – robots intent on destroying the world (The Terminator) and then the friendlier kind like what we see here in The Wild Robot. What drew you in to this story and perspective?
Chris: I feel the same way and I like robot movies. The idea that a robot was front and centre as the main character of the movie was very attractive to me. Even more so when I read the book and realised this robot was going to be an accidental mother which goes way against its programming. That really drew me in. It’s a conflict that created energy and there’s also a lot of heart and emotion that’s generated by that relationship – both with Roz and the gosling which she realises is now hers, but also with the other animals on the island. There’s so much emotional resonance within the story and it became a labour of love for me and the crew to bring that to the big screen.
Matt: Peter Brown’s books have some simple black and white drawings, but you have the challenge of translating that into an animated feature for the big screen. How did you approach the look of the film?
Chris: I would start with Roz actually. We wanted to stay true to Peter Brown’s very clear proportions which are described in the books. His style is both specific and graphic and so there’s a lot of details we knew we had to fill in. We had a big task ahead of us to design a robot which would be iconic and memorable. We wanted people who see it in the future to instantly know that’s Roz and no other robot. I think the artists on this film achieved it and full credit to all of them. We were all trying to design Roz in parallel but when Hyun Huh brought in his design one day, it was “pencils down”. That was the one and we began working and refining that design. It’s pretty much the one you see on screen.
Matt: Great family flicks often find a way to appeal to both kids and adults. How much thought went into that here and trying to find the right balance?
Chris: The humour and tone balance comes out of a lot of work. I do my best when writing the initial script but then we go through a lot of iterations and balancing. It’s like putting a car on a track and driving it around. We test it over and over, and we watch it over and over. Just like when a Formula 1 racer comes into the pit, we make adjustments and send it out again until it feels just right.
As far as adult and kids, we play to ourselves in a way and work not to exclude anybody. I see myself the same as the audience. They’re smart but not pretentious. They come to movies with open hearts and they’re ready to hear a story. Anything that delights all of us and pulls us in, is going to be the same for the audience.
Interview - Austin Butler on 'The Bikeriders'
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
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The Bikeriders is about to be released in Australian cinemas and while he was here for the Sydney Film Festival, I spoke to star Austin Butler about the project…
Matt: It wasn’t that long ago you were here in Queensland as a lesser-known actor shooting Elvis. Now, you’re an Oscar nominated star who also had a key role in the biggest box-office hit so far this year – Dune: Part Two. What changed most in terms of your life over the past few years?
Austin: I’ve had these opportunities to work with people I’ve always dreamed of and I feel very grateful right now.
Matt: Here in The Bikeriders you play Benny – folks gravitate towards him but at the same time, his wife describes him as “having no feelings”. What was your approach to playing such an insular character who doesn’t voice every thought going through his head?
Austin: Jeff Nichols talked about the character as being “an empty glass that everyone wants to fill with their own expectations and responsibilities.” The reality is that he can’t be filled. He’s a lone wolf. For me, it was figuring out what he’s thinking in those silent moments, and also getting on a motorcycle for many months before the shoot and experiencing that feeling of freedom.
Matt: I’m not sure of your background when it comes to motorcycling but was there any training required in riding these vintage bikes that existed in the 1960s and 70s?
Austin: I knew a bit but nothing like this. When I was 15, my dad took me to a parking lot and taught me how to ride a motorcycle. So, I’d ridden a bit but never on an old bike like this. I was on a 1965 Harley, and I found each bike had its own personality. It was about learning the idiosyncrasies of each bike and understanding the broader spirituality of motorcycle culture.
Matt: A lot of films are based on intricate novels, but The Bikeriders was inspired by a photobook assembled by Danny Lyon and first published in 1968. When you became involved with the project, what struck you about those photos and that world in term of building your own performance?
Austin: Yeah, absolutely. The amazing thing about that book is that the images give you so much. There’s a romanticism with the beautiful black and white imagery and you feel immersed in the aesthetic of that world. In addition, the back of the book has interviews Danny conducted with most of the motorcycle club members and you get to hear how they felt about things in a raw sense. The character I play was one of the few who wasn’t interviewed and he’s more of an enigma. The book helped me understand the world and then I had my own creative latitude given I was playing a more mysterious character.
Matt: Was there other research you needed to do to get a clearer understanding of motorcycle clubs and the types of people who became members?
Austin: Yeah. I did everything from reading Hunter S. Thompson’s Hells Angels to watching documentaries from around that time period. I also hung around a lot of people who live and breathe motorcycles and philosophically understanding what draws them to that lifestyle.
Matt: You worked here under the guidance of director Jeff Nichols who I’ve been a fan of going back to Take Shelter and Mud. How would you describe his directorial approach?
Austin: Jeff is an amazing human being and an amazing director. Just like you, I’ve been a fan of him since his first film Shotgun Stories. He’s a brilliant writer-director, a wonderful collaborator, and we had a great time together.
Matt: And you also had the chance to work alongside one of my favourite actors, Tom Hardy. What’s Tom like behind the camera?
Austin: Where do I begin with that man? He’s so dynamic. I’ve idolised him for many years. I remember when I first got the DVD for Bronson and I watched it over and over. I’ve been enamoured by all the work he’s done since then. He’s powerful. I was fortunate to have this character who is like a brother to him, and it bonded us really quickly. He’s a tough guy with a lot of intensity but I was struck by his sense of humour and his big heart. We had a good time together.
Matt: Every role throws up its own challenges. Was there a particularly hard part to this one?
Austin: This was a fun character to play but the biggest challenge was getting accustomed to the technical elements of these old motorcycles. There were safety concerns as we were riding around with no helmets and we had to be incredibly careful but at the same time, you wanted to ride fast. Altogether, it was such a great group of actors and I’ll give a shout-out to Jodie Comer and her performance because she carries the film and is brilliant.
Matt: What are you working on at the moment? What will we see from you next?
Austin: I just finished a movie directed by Ari Aster with Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, and then my next thing is with Darren Aronofsky.
Brisbane Film Critics Select 'Oppenheimer' As Best Of 2023
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
Since 2011, I have been pulling together a list of the best movies of the year according to the Brisbane-based critics who I run into regularly at preview screenings. Films to have topped prior year lists have been Drive in 2011, Argo in 2012, Gravity in 2013, Boyhood in 2014, Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, La La Land in 2016, Get Out in 2017, The Favourite in 2018, Parasite in 2019, Nomadland in 2020, Nine Days in 2021, and The Banshees of Inisherin in 2022.
To come up with an overall top 10, I’ve used a simple points system and applied it to the list of each critic. It is as follows:
- 3 points for the top film on each list.
- 2 points for the films ranked between 2nd and 5th on each list.
- 1 point for the films ranked between 6th and 10th on each list.
If two films finished on the same score, the film that appeared on the greater number of top 10 lists is ranked higher (as an indication of wider approval). If that's the same, it goes to an average of the individual rankings of each film.
The 10 list includes movies released in Australian cinemas and also those made available on streaming platforms.
It was no surprise to see Oppenheimer top this year’s combined list. Four critics named it as their favourite movie of 2023 with another four including inside their top 5. Christopher Nolan’s epic has been dominating the awards season thus far and is a strong Oscars frontrunner.
Emerald Fennell’s much-talked-about Saltburn finished well ahead of the chasing pack in second place. Of the 11 critics surveyed, 9 had it in their top ten list which highlighted its broad appeal. Rounding out the placings was Todd Field’s Tár which was bolstered by the incredible performance of Australian Cate Blanchett.
It was a solid year for non-superhero action flicks with two sequels making it inside the top 10 – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and John Wick: Chapter 4. Australian cinema was also represented with the box-office hit Talk to Me earning a spot.
Two renowned male directors made the cut – Yorgos Lanthimos with Poor Things and Martin Scorsese with Killers of the Flower Moon. On the flip side, two spots went to female filmmakers for their feature directorial debuts – Celine Song for Past Lives and Charlotte Wells for Aftersun.
As always, it’s a great list of movies. Hunt them down on streaming services if you missed them in cinemas.
On that note, here are the top 10 movies of 2023 according to Brisbane critics…
Brisbane Film Critics - Top 10 of 2023
1. Oppenheimer
2. Saltburn
3. Tár
4. Poor Things
5. Killers of the Flower Moon
6. Past Lives
7. Aftersun
8. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
9. Talk to Me
10. John Wick: Chapter 4
You can view a table of all the votes and final scores by clicking here.
A big thanks to all who submitted their lists. If you're a Brisbane critic would like to contribute in future years, please reach out to me on social media.
You can check out information on all the Brisbane critics (along with their choices for the best and worst of 2023) below.
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Matthew Toomey | Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Close |
| 2. | Aftersun |
| 3. | Oppenheimer |
| 4. | Saltburn |
| 5. | Tár |
| 6. | Past Lives |
| 7. | All the Beauty and the Bloodshed |
| 8. | Godland |
| 9. | Living |
| 10. | Of an Age |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Of an Age | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Oink | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| All the Beauty and the Bloodshed | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Eden Dambrine (Close) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Book Club: The Next Chapter | |
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Sarah Ward | Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Poor Things |
| 2. | Killers of the Flower Moon |
| 3. | Past Lives |
| 4. | Aftersun |
| 5. | Oppenheimer |
| 6. | EO |
| 7. | Close |
| 8. | All the Beauty and the Bloodshed |
| 9. | The Boy and the Heron |
| 10. | Saltburn |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Limbo | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| The Boy and the Heron | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| All the Beauty and the Bloodshed | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Emma Stone (Poor Things) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves | |
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Garry Williams| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Oppenheimer |
| 2. | Maestro |
| 3. | Poor Things |
| 4. | Tár |
| 5. | Killers of the Flower Moon |
| 6. | Dumb Money |
| 7. | Saltburn |
| 8. | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 |
| 9. | Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One |
| 10. | John Wick: Chapter 4 |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Talk to Me | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Suzume | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Cate Blanchett (Tár) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Knock at the Cabin | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour | |
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Peter Gray| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Poor Things |
| 2. | Babylon |
| 3. | Past Lives |
| 4. | Talk to Me |
| 5. | Barbie |
| 6. | Aftersun |
| 7. | Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One |
| 8. | Air |
| 9. | John Wick: Chapter 4 |
| 10. | Saltburn |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Talk to Me | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| Milli Vanilli | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Emma Stone (Poor Things) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Mafia Mamma | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Champions | |
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Ella Donald| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Killers of the Flower Moon |
| 2. | Babylon |
| 3. | Tár |
| 4. | Volcano |
| 5. | All the Beauty and the Bloodshed |
| 6. | Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One |
| 7. | Women Talking |
| 8. | Renaissance |
| 9. | Wham! |
| 10. | Theatre Camp |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Of an Age | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| The Boy and the Heron | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| All the Beauty and the Bloodshed | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Park Ji-min (Return to Seoul) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Book Club: The Next Chapter | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Reality | |
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David Edwards| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Oppenheimer |
| 2. | Broker |
| 3. | Tár |
| 4. | Theatre Camp |
| 5. | Saltburn |
| 6. | November |
| 7. | Past Lives |
| 8. | Godland |
| 9. | Dumb Money |
| 10. | Biosphere |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Shayda | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| Vjeran Tomic: The Spider-Man of Paris | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Greta Lee (Past Lives) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Mafia Mamma | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves | |
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Rob Hudson| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Oppenheimer |
| 2. | Saltburn |
| 3. | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse |
| 4. | The New Boy |
| 5. | Asteroid City |
| 6. | Sisu |
| 7. | The Eight Mountains |
| 8. | Till |
| 9. | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem |
| 10. | Killers of the Flower Moon |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| The New Boy | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| The Haunted Mansion | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | |
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Baz McAlister| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Sisu |
| 2. | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 |
| 3. | Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One |
| 4. | Infinity Pool |
| 5. | BlackBerry |
| 6. | How to Blow Up a Pipeline |
| 7. | No One Will Save You |
| 8. | Talk to Me |
| 9. | John Wick: Chapter 4 |
| 10. | Saltburn |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Talk to Me | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| A Disturbance in the Force | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Ghosted | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Totally Killer | |
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Nick L'Barrow| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Talk to Me |
| 2. | John Wick: Chapter 4 |
| 3. | Oppenheimer |
| 4. | Air |
| 5. | Poor Things |
| 6. | Past Lives |
| 7. | Saltburn |
| 8. | Evil Dead Rise |
| 9. | Infinity Pool |
| 10. | Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Talk to Me | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Big Shark dir. Tommy Wiseau | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| No Hard Feelings | |
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Jacob Richardson| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | The Blue Caftan |
| 2. | Aftersun |
| 3. | Oppenheimer |
| 4. | Polite Society |
| 5. | Saltburn |
| 6. | Spoiler Alert |
| 7. | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse |
| 8. | Living |
| 9. | Killers of the Flower Moon |
| 10. | Past Lives |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Sweet As | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| The Last Daughter | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Allelujah | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves & Wonka | |
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Peter Linning| Top 10 Films: | |
| 1. | Oppenheimer |
| 2. | Tár |
| 3. | The Blue Caftan |
| 4. | The Killer |
| 5. | Infinity Pool |
| 6. | Godland |
| 7. | Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves |
| 8. | Aftersun |
| 9. | Sisu |
| 10. | Barbie |
| Best Australian Film: | |
| Talk to Me | |
| Best Animated Film: | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | |
| Best Documentary: | |
| All the Beauty and the Bloodshed | |
| Best Performance: | |
| Cate Blanchett (Tár) | |
| Worst Film: | |
| Napoleon | |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: | |
| Anyone But You | |
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