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Details: Written by Matthew Toomey; Created: 03 July 2012

We’ve reached the end of another financial year and that means… it’s time for the nominations for the annual Toomey Awards (or as they are otherwise known by some of my friends – The Golden Owls).

I started doing this back in 2000 as a way of honouring my favourite films and performances. I work on a financial year basis as it better aligns with a film’s year of production. Many Oscar contenders are released in Australia between December and February each year. Instead of having them split into two years for the purposes of my own awards, this brings them together.

Of course, you won’t find a set of awards more biased than this one. I’m the only person that gets to vote and it’s the truest form a monopoly.

Above all else, I hope it inspires you to see some of these films. If you don’t agree, I’m more than happy to engage in a debate!

You can check out the nominations for by clicking here.

Details: Written by Matthew Toomey; Created: 22 June 2012

It’s a film that’s dividing audiences but I’m a big fan of Snow White & The Huntsman. Director Rupert Sanders was in Sydney for the Australian premiere and I was lucky enough to get 10 minutes with him to talk about the movie and his background...

You can listen to a quick extract from the interview by clicking here.

Matt: I know you’ve won a string of award directing commercials. I’m guessing you always saw it as a lead in to one day making feature films?

Rupert: Yeah, it’s kind of the next progression really. It’s a similar art form but you’re just dealing with a different dynamic of time.

Matt: From my outsider’s viewpoint, you’d usually start off a lot smaller than a $170m blockbuster. How did you get approached about this movie?

Rupert: I’ve never done things according to the book. I’ve been a bit of an outsider in that respect. I was lucky enough to be offered this script and my instincts were the same of the producers in terms of where the material should go. We worked on the script and put together a visual package which we took to the studios and ultimately sold to Universal. I made a three minute film based on what I wanted to do with the feature film and that was what I took back to the studio to show them what the film could be. They were blown away and it ultimately became the blueprint for the first trailers that came out.

Matt: With so much money at stake, I’m guessing the studio was a little nervous. We always hear stories about the influence of studios and overbearing producers. Did they lay down many ground rules or did you have a lot of creative freedom?

Rupert: I had a lot of creative freedom. They really trusted me and I think that three minute piece helped. We had a budget that we categorically agreed that we wouldn’t exceed and once they’d signed off, they let us go do it.

Matt: Now I’m not sure how it eventuated but there was another modern adaptation of the Snow White tale that was released earlier in the year – Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts and Lily Collins. Did you always know that film was in production?

Rupert: Yeah, we did. We were kind of jostling for space between the two studios but Joe Roth, the producer, told me to make my own film and not worry about that.

Matt: The stand out performance for me comes from Charlize Theron. She’s just so good at playing the villain. Was she an easy casting choice?

Rupert: She was the first person that we talked about and the first person we ultimately went to with the project. She gives an amazing, powerhouse performance that is very grounded, very real and kind of psychotic. We also wanted to find some kind of empathy within her character and some kind of understanding of where she’s come from to become this person.

Matt: What about Kristen Stewart? I know a lot of people will forever know her from the Twilight franchise. How did you picture her in a role here that is quite different from Snow White?

Rupert: Through meeting her, you get to see that she’s not Bella Swan. She’s got the world on her shoulders at a young age and she’s very instinctive and exciting as an actor. I’d seen her in Into The Wild, Welcome To The Rileys and The Runaways that showed her incredible talent. She really changes her expectations in this film and I think people will see her in a different light.

Matt: There’s been a bit of controversy over the last few weeks with the casting of the dwarves. Instead of using short-statured actors, you’ve used some bigger names and make them look shorter with the help of CGI and camera trickery. One actor even said it was ““akin to black face”. What are your own thoughts on the subject?

Rupert: I think the controversy has been slightly overblown. I chose the best people for the roles and I was creating mythical dwarves where you can use whoever you want to be honest.

Matt: The look of the film is amazing with so many huge sets and some great locations. The Dark Forest really got me though – was that a location or some kind of set?

Rupert: We built a set in a location. A lot of the forest work we did, we kept it outside so it had a realism in terms of light. We built trees inside of forests.

Matt: It was shot in the United Kingdom, is that right?

Rupert: Yeah. Everything was shot near Pinewood Studios.

Matt: We see fierce battle sequences, particularly near the end, with people on horses and fighting each other with swords. Try to give us some perspective – how hard are those scenes to pull off and how much work is involved?

Rupert: You’re lucky that you’re working with people who do this for a living. Their forte is horse riding and stunts falls and arrow hits. It’s about designing the most impactful sequences and figuring out how to put it on film in a way that makes it more intense and immersive. That was the real challenge for me.

Matt: With all the fighting that goes on, were there many injuries on set?

Rupert: You try not to. When people are falling off horses, they’re prepared for it and the ground has been laid properly for them. Whenever you’re on a film set though, there are a lot of moving pieces and it can be a dangerous place. You have to be very careful about people’s safety.

Matt: So many big blockbusters these days are being shot in 3D. Was that a consideration with Snow White & The Huntsman? Why did you choose 2D?

Rupert: I think we wanted to do something more “paintfully”. We shot on 35mm anamorphic and we wanted to do something that harkens back to paintings of that era rather than really bright and sharp images.

Matt: I’m already hearing word of a sequel given the strong opening of this film in the United States. Where is all of that at?

Rupert: I’ve started sketching out ideas with David Koepp who is the screenwriter.

Matt: And so what is planned next? Will the focus be on a Snow White sequel or are you pursuing other projects?

Rupert: I’ve got a few projects that are all circling. I actually need to take a little holiday before getting back into battle.

You can read my review of Snow White & The Huntsman by clicking here.

Details: Written by Matthew Toomey; Created: 18 June 2012

Billy Connolly recently attended the Sydney Film Festival for the Australian premiere of Brave, the new animated film from Pixar.

I was lucky enough to talk with Billy about the film and what goes on behind the scenes of an animated film…

You can download a 3 minute audio extract of the interview by clicking here.

Matt: I know you’ve done voice work before on films like Open Season, Paws and Pocahontas. What’s the secret? How do you keep landing all of these roles?

Billy: I don’t know. I think they like the originality of the noise that I make. I don’t audition or anything like that. They just phone up and ask would you like to do it.

Matt: I was going to ask about how they audition process works for an animated film. Just knowing your voice… is that all they go off?

Billy: That’s all, especially in an animated film. The voice is all you’ve got.

Matt: So when did they approach you about Brave? Did they send you out a script so you can see what the film is going to be about?

Billy: No. You just get your own bit. They just tell you roughly the story and when you get to the studio, you record only your own lines. So it was really exciting going to the premiere as I hadn’t seen the movie.

Matt: So which other actors had you interacted with? Do you do the voices opposite them in the studio?

Billy: No, you do it on your own. You don’t interact with anybody.

Matt: Wow! All the conversations that we see in the movie, you were basically talking to yourself and it’s all mixed together later?

Billy: Absolutely.

Matt: In terms of your character in the film, the laid-back Scott, King Fergus, do you get any say yourself in terms of the look of the character? Can you throw in a few one liners yourself?

Billy: You can throw in bits and pieces. Sometimes you might not like the sound of a word. You don’t like the way it fits in your mouth or you don’t think it’d be something the King would say. I’d then give them a Scottish word and they’d all panic because they thought I was trying to sneak something dirty on them.

Matt: The mental image I have of directors is sitting in a chair, looking through the camera lens and yelling action. So what’s the relationship between an actor and a director on an animated film?

Billy: It’s lovely! He just sits at a desk to your left and you stand at a music stand with the script nailed to some cardboard. You get one page at a time and you do your bit. He laughs or otherwise and then you move along. It’s a lovely process.

Matt: Does it take a lot of takes to get it just right?

Billy: Yes. There are usually about 5 to 6 takes with different voices. He’d get me to say things in different ways – high, low, loud, angry, funny, sombre, and then go from there.

Matt: You mentioned that you only got to see the film for the first time recently. What were your thoughts on it?

Billy: I thought it was a really smashing film. It’s a great movie to take your daughter along to. I have 4 daughters and I like the way the world is becoming for women. They are encouraged to do their own thing and stick to their guns and go for their own destiny.

Matt: The story is set in the highlands of Scotland and pulls a little from ancient folklore. I was actually curious about the “wisps” that pop up during the movie. Is that part of Scottish legend?

Billy: The will-o’-the-wisps are spoken of but they don’t glow in the dark like they do in the movie (laughs). They’re just a little bit of steam that comes up in boggy ground.

Matt: Now you’re in Sydney for the Sydney Film Festival. What was it like at the big Australian premiere?

Billy: It was lovely. There were a lot of people with curly red haired wigs which was funny. The whole “red hair” thing took me by surprise. I didn’t realise people were going to latch onto it in such a big way.

Matt: Well that’s one of the things that struck me about the film. How red her hair is in the movie. It’s so bright!

Billy: Yes! It’s if her hair is alive, isn’t it?

Matt: I should finish in a quick mention for The Hobbit which I know we’re going to see later in the year. Has shooting wrapped up for that?

Billy: No. It wraps up July 7. I’m not in the first film. I’m in the second film.

Matt: What can we expect? Can you reveal anything about it at all?

Billy: It’s extraordinary. I’ve seen bits of it and it’s beyond belief. The way they’ve filmed it – it’s 3D but they’ve filmed it faster than a film is normally filmed and has more frames per second. It’s given it an amazing clarity so it kind of looks like a cartoon. It’s unbelievably beautiful.

Matt: I can’t wait to see it but in the meantime everyone can check out Brave which I think is terrific, another wonderful animated flick from Pixar. Billy Connolly, thanks for talking with us this morning.

Billy: Thank you for talking to me!

You can read my review of Brave by clicking here.

Details: Written by Matthew Toomey; Created: 11 June 2012

I’m back in Brisbane after my whirlwind 3-day adventure at the Sydney Film Festival. It was my first trip to the Festival and it appeared to be very well supported with big crowds and long queues.

Without wasting any more time, here’s my wrap…

Friday, 8 June 2012

I snuck away from work at lunchtime, caught a flight to Sydney and was at my hotel just after 4:30pm. I chose to stay at the Hilton (because of its proximity to the cinemas) and I was not disappointed. Ok, it was a little pricey but it was worth it. I enjoyed the spa bath too.

Enough about that. Onto the movies. My first evening of films was at the Event Cinemas on George Street. It’s a huge complex and the main cinema holds over 800 people. It reminded me of the old cinema 3 at Brisbane’s Regent Theatre. The two films I saw…

Where Do We Go Now? is a nice, albeit simplistic tale, of a group of women in Lebanon who come up with a cunning plan to stop the men in their community from fighting. It’s a crowd-pleaser (no question about that) and whilst I don’t agree with the decision, I can why it won the Audience Award at Toronto last year. Grade: B+.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home is a dumb comedy an unemployed bum (Jason Segel) who leaves his house to buy some glue but ends up being a part of his brother’s crazy adventure. I hated these characters, disliked the “zoom in, zoom out” camerawork, and didn’t find much at all to laugh about. Grade: C+.

The Festival started rather strangely for me as the Where Do We Go Now? screening didn’t have subtitles for the first 10 minutes. People were scratching their heads and wondering whether this was part of the director’s intent. Nope, it was not. In the end, the screening was stopped and the movie restarted.

After the two films, I was lucky to catch up with a bunch of fellow critics who I know through Twitter – Simon Miraudo, Julian Buckeridge, Greg Bennett, Sarah Ward, Sam McCosh, Andrew Buckle and Ian Barr. We started out at the Festival Lounge at the Grasshopper before moving to the Criterion Hotel, where we stayed until 2am talking movies. Was tired the next morning but was well worth it.

Saturday, 9 June 2012

Saturday was always going to be my big day with 4 movies planned. It was back to the Event Cinemas on George Street in the morning for…

First Position was an amazing ballet documentary that reduced me to tears. It follows a series of kids as they navigate their way to the final of the Youth America Grand Prix in New York. Director Bess Kargman picked a great group of people to follow and you’ll feel the tension as the camera zooms in on the faces of the dancers, coaches & parents. Grade: A.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild came with big wraps having won key prizes at Sundance at Cannes. It took a while to warm up (such a strange setting) but it develops in a moving story that explores the relationship between father and daughter in a remote community near New Orleans. In her first acting role, 8-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis is simply extraordinary. Grade: A-.

For lunch, Julian took me to a terrific place just around the corner from the cinemas – the Encasa Deli. They serve these awesome Spanish sandwiches (bocadillos) which well and truly gave me the energy to get through the rest of the afternoon. After a quick/expensive shopping trip in the Pitt Street Mall, it was back to the movies for my evening sessions…

Not Suitable For Children is an Australian film about a guy (Ryan Kwanten) who desperately wants to father a child when he learns he has testicular cancer and will have his ball removed in a few weeks. I’m sure people will see this because of Kwanten but it is Sarah Snook who steals the film as his flatmate. It has its moments but it’s a shame that so much of this film is hard to believe. Grade: B-.

Moonrise Kingdom is the latest from Wes Anderson (Rushmore, The Life Aquatic) and whilst it’s not his best work, it has all his familiar trademarks and will leave you smiling many times. It’s set on a small island and revolves around a young boy and girl who run away from home and have seemingly everyone pursuing them. I’d have liked more from the great adult cast but the kids are fun and I’m always a fan of Anderson’s off-beat style. Grade: A-.

I was pretty wrecked after another long day but I had time for a quick drink at the Criterion and caught up with Sydney film fans Mat Whitehead, Sam Downing and Sam Rodgers at some Cuban bar. I was back at the hotel by midnight where my head hit the pillow very quickly.

Sunday, 10 June 2012

After an early morning check out, I dashed off for an early 9:30am start at the State Theatre for a screening of Bully. It was my first glimpse inside the Theatre which I believe seats close to 2,000 people. It’s such a shame we don’t have a similar venue in Brisbane!

Bully rubbed me up the wrong way. I realise it’s an important issue but I found director Lee Hirsch’s approach too one-sided for my liking. I wanted to see the perspective from the bullies themselves and also from a school (or two) that has done something to address the problem. Grade: C+.

I had a few hours spare and so was able to squeeze in lunch at the luxurious food court at Westfield Centre Point. I also managed to find a pair of black casual shoes! This was a highlight of my week since I’d been looking for a pair that fit (I have big feet) since I wore my old shoes out at Toronto last September.

It was then time for my final two films as the rain descended over Sydney…

On The Road was a complete snoozefest. It’s a decent looking cast on paper but this new film from Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) never got going. Set in the late 1940s, we follow a budding writer’s travels back and forth across the U.S. but for what purpose? Stuff happens. More stuff happens. The end. I couldn’t have cared less what happened to these characters. Grade: C.

Undefeated won the Academy Award for best documentary and whilst it doesn’t provide any new revelations into the world of high school football, it’s still an amazing story about a coach’s efforts to take his team and make them better people – both on and off the field. One scene in particular left my eyes very moist. Grade: A-.

The rain was pouring down as I left for the airport and having caught the last plane of Sydney (queue the Cold Chisel song), I was back in Brisbane by 11pm.

The standout films for me were First Position, Undefeated, Moonrise Kingdom and Beasts Of The Southern Wild. If I had to pick one out, First Position was my personal favourite and I hope it gets a national cinematic release.

And that my friends, was that. I’ll be closely following those that are still in Sydney for the Festival which still has another 6 days to go. Hopefully I’ll be able to do it again next year!