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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 27 October 2003

This time around, an American gun company is being put on trial.  A stockbroker and ten co-workers were shot dead in an office by a disgruntled day-trader.  The gun was obtained off the black market but evidence suggested the gun company was fully aware of these illegal sales but looked the other way.  The widow of the broker is now suing the company to set a precedent that will change gun laws forever.

Gun lobbyists know what’s at stake and have hired master jury selector Rankin Fitch (Hackman) to select and buy the jury.  In his own words “some trials are too important to be left to juries.”  Fitch and his team have analysed every potential jury member and uncovered deep secrets from their past.  This will enable him to apply the pressure to ensure the verdict swings his way.  Fitch will be rewarded to the sum of 20 million dollars.

Unfortunately, he has underestimated jury member number 9.  Nicholas Easter (Cusack) also plans on taking control of the jury for financial gain.  As he sits quietly in the jurors’ box, his girlfriend Marlee (Weisz) is beginning her negotiations with Fitch (Hackman) and chief prosecutor Wendell Rohr (Hoffman).  The man who offers the highest price, will get the verdict.  Rohr is refusing on ethical principal and Fitch is refusing on confident arrogance but as the case comes to a close, both realise what’s at stake.  Perhaps this decision really is too important to be left to a simple jury?

The Runaway Jury is an engrossing story played out by quality actors.  As Rankin Fitch, Hackman is the obvious “bad guy” and you literally sit their willing for him to get what’s coming to him.  It’s a precision performance which is typical Hackman and curiously, very reminiscent of his role as Avery Tolar is the very first Grisham film, The Firm.  I’m a big John Cusack fan so will naturally utter my support for another great character choice on his behalf.  Let’s not forget Dustin Hoffman either, who after a lean spell, churns out his finest since 1997’s Wag The Dog.  Admittedly, all the cast have been typecast based on their previous screen personas but I’m not complaining.

Not often will I sit through a two hour movie without a glance at my watch or a look of boredom.  I guess that comes from seeing three to four movies each week.  When you have high benchmarks set, it’s very hard to give your unrelenting concentration to a film which comes in below par.  I’m not a lawyer but I love good legal tale and my attention did not waver throughout The Runaway Jury.  Welcome back Mr. Grisham.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 October 2003

History tells us that the exact opposite happened.  Due to conflicting schedules, most of his cast couldn’t find the time to arrive early for valuable rehearsals.  This included Johnny Depp, fresh off the success of Chocolat, and French actor Jean Rochefort (The Man On The Train) who had spent his last seven months learning English so he could tackle the leading role.

Gilliam continued on but once principal shooting began, things only got worse.  A savage storm on day two left the set in disarray.  On day five, Rochefort developed a prostate infection and had to return to France for treatment.  He would never return and the film was never completed.  It was officially “abandoned”.

Lost In La Mancha is a very insightful look at just how difficult it is to make a motion picture.  Throughout the production, Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe shot a lot of “behind the scenes” footage which they initially thought would make a great adage to the dvd.  Instead, their footage has wound up on the big screen in this compelling documentary.

Terry Gilliam remains an optimist throughout it all but from the very start of the shoot, you can see the rumblings from his crew who sense trouble is brewing.  I give credit to all those involved with the initial movie in allowing their thoughts and ideas to be publicly expressed here.  It would be so easy to hide all this material and seeing it, in all its realism, makes it one of the year’s most refreshingly honest releases.

Jeff Bridges, who worked with Gilliam in The Fisher King, narrates the film.  The pictures though do all the talking and despite the unfortunate mess and loss of money that resulted from it all, you can’t help but chuckle at the bad luck that befalls them.  Big names directors Woody Allen and Robert Altman express their support for the film on the poster which serves as a huge endorsement.  They’re not wrong.  It’s destined to be a cult classic and one enjoyed by filmmakers for years to come.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 October 2003

Angelo Barberini (Kirby) lives in an oppressive household with his father Gino (Sorvino), his mother Maria (Reno) and younger sister Anna (Ferri).  He always wanted to be a television writer but so as not to bring shame to the family, he now works reluctantly has a travel agent.  Now at the age of 27, the time has come for Angelo for move out of home.  His parents are horrified by this thought but that’s soon to become the least of the family’s worried.

Angelo’s about to come out of the closet and reveal that he’s moved in with his gay lover, Nino (Miller).  This means that for Gino and Maria, there’ll be no wedding, no grandkids, and just the scorned looks from the others living in this American-Italian community.

This ain’t meant to be too serious so writer/director Emile Gaudreault has tells this story with light comedy.  With plenty of jokes about the Italians and a few more about homosexuals there should be enough to please any minority group.  As to whether it makes the distance as a full length motion picture, I do not know.  You can see clearly that the screenplay has come from a play and I could a live performance of this script being more entertaining than watching the on-screen version.

The cast and crew have made it as fun as possible with legendary actor Paul Sorvino (Romeo & Juliet) lending his expert services to this low-budget production.  It cost just $4,000,000 and has already recovered its small costs since being released in the States last month.  Not too shabby.  I didn’t recognise any other of the cast members but was impressed with Luke Kirby and Claudia Ferri as the brother and sister.  Together, they share some nice scenes.

So yes, if you enjoyed My Big Fat Greek Wedding, chances are you’ll fall for this cute comedy too.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 October 2003

Unlike his previous works, there isn’t an intricately complicated story unfolding.  A five member posse known as the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad viciously kill an entire wedding party during a small ceremony at an isolated church.  Or so they thought.  The bride (Thurman) survived and spent four years in a coma as a result of shocking gunshot wounds.  We know this woman only as her code name, Black Mamba.  Her real name is spoken on two occasions but it is bleeped out to prevent us hearing it.

Awaking from the coma, Black Mamba only wants one thing – revenge.  On a piece of paper, she writes the five names of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad members and begins her quest.  In Volume One, she will kill Vernita Green (Fox) and O-Ren Ishii (Liu).  In Volume Two, to be released early next year, I assume she will go after Budd (Madsen), Elle Driver (Hannah) and Bill (Carradine).  I feel somewhat cheated in that I will have to pay twice to see all of it.  The film should have been released as one three-hour movie but the powers that be thought better of it.

I’m not a big martial arts fan and perhaps this contributed to my reluctance to accepting this film.  There are some well choreographed battles and swordfights but nothing truly original or outstanding.  I’ve seen this many times before and there is a strong similarity with The Matrix: Reloaded.  Evidently different though is the amount of violence.  This is the most sadistic release of the 2003 year and the film has been censored accordingly in Australia.  Whilst nothing was cut, some scenes are shown in black and white as the sight of red blood was “deemed” too confronting.  Sigh.

Why you do need to see this movie is because it’s a Quentin Tarantino picture.  It oozes with class and style.  He has a warped sense of humour and I had to chuckle at the couple of Star Trek jokes he somehow wove into the screenplay.  He has also mastered the art of finding the perfect movie soundtrack.  Like he did in Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, there are extended sequences where a pumping music track is played against no dialogue.

Disappointment is my reaction to Kill Bill: Volume One in that I have the highest expectations from Tarantino and in this case, he didn’t fully deliver.  Then again, I’ve only seen half of the movie so perhaps I’ll change my appraisal once I return from the four month intermission.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 20 October 2003

Joel and Ethan Coen are such gifted filmmakers that you need to see their films several times to appreciate.  In 1996, their story of a kidnapping gone wrong in a sleepy American town earned seven Academy Award nominations.  Since Fargo, the Coen brothers have created three more wonderful films – The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Man Who Wasn’t There.  I was critical of all three on first viewing but time has proven me wrong.  Just last Thursday I turned to my dvd collection and selected Lebowski to watch for the umpteenth time.

I will not make the same mistake in underestimating Intolerable Cruelty.  It’s the story of two people looking for victory in all the wrong places.  George Clooney is Miles Massey, the nation’s finest divorce attorney.  He’s most famous for the “Massey pre-nup” – a flawless document that never once been penetrated.  Catherine Zeta-Jones is Marylin Rexroth, a woman who thinks she’s found freedom and independence after catching her wealthy husband (Herrmann) in bed with another.

Unfortunately for Marylin, her husband employs the services of Miles Massey and she is left without a cent.  She is exposed by (the hilariously named) Heinz, the Baron Krauss von Espy.  Marylin confided in him that she married only for money and always knew he would cheat on her.

Unfortunately for Miles, he’s fallen head over heels for Marylin and can’t win her heart.  Matters are further complicated when Marylin is set to marry again – to a loaded oil tycoon (Thornton).  She approaches Miles for a “Massey pre-nup” which leaves him horribly confused.  She’s clearly taking this new guy for a ride but why would she want a water-tight prenuptial from which she will receive no benefit?

As it should be with a great black comedy, the hidden undercurrent beautifully laces so many of the jokes.  We see a battle of man versus woman and the differences which separate them.  We see the act of marriage exploited for pure financial reward.  We see the importance of trust in any relationship and the simplicity with which it can be exploited.  These themes aren’t new but the way Joel and Ethan Coen tell us certainly is.

Clooney and Zeta-Jones are at their finest and surrounded by a hysterically insane supporting cast.  The funniest scene belongs to an asthmatic hitman who meets a fate that will leave your sides splitting with laughter.  Just as hilarious is the subsequent explanation offered by Marylin’s own attorney, Freddy Bender (Jenkins).  That’s not all.  There’s an introduction with a long-haired Geoffrey Rush, a courtroom scene with a casual judge and a speech (with a dash of sarcasm) at a lawyer’s convention.

You may not appreciate it but this is some of the best comedy you will find.  Compare it to this year’s other releases.  There’s nothing better.