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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 07 February 2003

As the Autumn leaves fall in this beautiful Connecticut community, Cathy Whitaker (Moore) continues to live her dream life.  She’s married to Frank Whitaker (Quaid), a highly respected and very successful salesman.  They have two studious children - David, who loves playing junior football, and Janice, who loves learning ballet.  Together, they live in a spacious, well-furbished home with a devoted maid and a regular gardener to tend to the beautiful gardens.  A reporter has just written a glowing article on Mrs. Whitaker in the local social magazine to make public to all, the great qualities she exudes as a person.

With everything in place, writer/director Todd Haynes then proceeds to show the simplicity in which society can destroy a perfect family.  Cathy, being the devoted wife, drives into town to deliver her hardworking husband a warm dinner.  Instead, she finds him passionately kissing another man.  In an era where homosexuality was deeply repressed, Cathy and Frank go to a doctor where he can begin treatment to cure this disease.  All was kept secret to protect Frank’s reputation but for Cathy, the revelation was setting in and there was no where for her to turn.  The marriage she had poured her soul into, was a facade.

At the same time, a new African-American gardener had began servicing the home.  The previous gardener had passed away and his son, Raymond Deagon (Haysbert), had taken responsibility for the family business.  Against the community’s general consensus, Cathy was a softly-spoken advocate of the rights of “coloured people” and had no qualms taking the time to talk with Raymond.  She learns he has an 11-year-old daughter and a college education.  He’s a decent, intelligent man and the two find comfort in each other’s conversations.

By chance, they run into each other at an art exhibition.  As they jointly look over the artworks, those around them focus their attention on the obscene sight of a black and white person fraternising together.  Soon, the whole community is spreading rumours of their friendship and speculating how deeply it runs.  The gossip builds and Cathy finds herself ostracised by all.  Frank too is furious.  Cathy’s life has disintegrated through no fault of her own.

Ultimately, it’s a very sad story told with brutal realism.  There are no shock twists, no quirky side characters, no anything else coming from commercialised Hollywood.  We watch the pressure mount on Cathy as she battles, with no one else to turn to, to keep her dream afloat.  Writer/director Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine) uses the repression of two minority groups (homosexuals and African-Americans) to contrast the differing levels of discrimination.  Cathy is unafraid to hide her equal feeling for coloured people and is persecuted for it, even by her own husband.  However, Frank keeps hidden his feelings on homosexuality and in doing so, keeps the respect of others.

Director Todd Haynes has created a film that not only is set in 1957 but also looks as if it was filmed in 1957.  The setting, the costumes, the acting are all spot-on in their depiction of the era.  Julianne Moore is wonderful as her character struggles to hold her composure.  Cinematographer Edward Lachman (The Virgin Suicides, Erin Brokovich) captures the colours and elements of the time with amazing beauty.  Haynes doesn’t rush the story nor does he let his characters overact.  It’s his own personal tribute to his favourite films of the era.  Such is rarely seen these days.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 January 2003

I saw scheduled to see the 12:20pm session of I Spy last Sunday.  To my “surprise”, the cinema and shopping complex had been closed due to a bomb scare.  The police have been unable to identify the perpetrator of this hoax but I fear I may be brought in for questioning in the near future.  You see, I am one of the few people with a motive strong enough to resort to such a gutless tactic.  I was off to see I Spy.

For this screenplay, which I believe was written on three pieces of one-ply toilet paper, Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson are the outspoken boxer, Kelly Robinson, and classy secret agent, Alexander Scott.  Scott has been assigned the mission of tracking down and returning to the United States, a top secret invisible plane which has fallen into the wrong hands.  Gundars (McDowell) is a wealthy Belgian, who also happens to be a huge boxing fan, who is rumoured to be holding a large party as a cover to invite bids on the plane.  Scott needs to get into that party and the agency has arranged for Robinson to team up with Scott to save the day.  Yadda, yadda, yadda.

It’s pitiful at the very best.  The whole story is structured around a predefined conclusion and lame jokes.  Logic takes a back-seat to mayhem.  There are too many examples and I’m too tired to go through them all.  Take my word for it - it’s garbage.  Eddie Murphy’s only made two good movies in the last ten years - Bowfinger and Shrek.  If I was a casting agent, I’d be making sure I watched Showtime, Pluto Nash, Dr. Dolittle, The Nutty Professor, Life, Holy Man, Metro, Vampire In Brooklyn... before making any decision to offer him employment.

I spy with my little eye, an absolute piece of crap.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 06 February 2003

There’s a kind of urban legend that every even numbered movie in the saga has been great and every odd numbered movie has been disappointing.  Up until now, I had no reason to doubt this theory as I immensely enjoyed the 8th film, Star Trek: First Contact but was bored to tears by the 9th film, Star Trek: Insurrection.  Curiously, Star Trek: Nemesis was the original title of the 9th film before it was changed to Insurrection.  I guess they thought it was a pretty cool title.

In Nemesis, the crew of the Enterprise head to a planet of Romulus to deal with the hostile Romulans.  Apparently, they are pretty evil dudes but have suddenly become all nice and stuff.  The Earth isn’t too believing of this reversal in hospitality and the Enterprise is asked to investigate.  There they meet their new leader, Shinzon (Hardy), who reveals some shocking news.  Shinzon is a younger clone of Captain Picard (Stewart) and was created for evil doings.  He also has some nasty weaponry which can destroy people instantaneously so he must be stopped at all cost.

And on we go.  There’s all the fancy techno dialogue which is uttered solely for those Star Trek fans in the audience.  I had no idea.  We all know the bad guys will be destroyed but unfortunately, the cast and crew haven’t created much excitement in the lead up.  There’s the same familiar faces and a small cameo from Whoopi Goldberg, which served no purpose.  Perhaps she just wandered onto the set by accident and director Stuart Baird failed to say cut.  Who knows?

The film’s poster and trailer say “a generation’s final journey... begins”.  Does this mean this is the last in the long running series?  I’m not 100% sure but I doubt it.  There were plenty of people in my theatre so I can see the journey going on and on and on...

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 09 January 2003

The enjoyment factor comes from the largely young cast. No adults wasting precious screen time. In addition to our two small heroes, Carmen (Vega) and Juni (Sabara), we have two new kids who serve as their arch rivals, Gary (O’Leary) and Gerti (Osment). It all leads to a more expanded plot with better adventure.

This time around, a powerful weapon known as the transmooker device has been stolen from the president’s grasp. The device can disenable any technological instrument and is a vital tool for anyone wishing to take over the world. Because their father is the head of the OSS, Gary and Gerti are given level 1 priority and the mission to rescue the transmooker. Carmen and Juni aren’t impressed and crack the OSS computer system, swap missions, and head off themselves on this daring assignment.

They travel to a mysterious island inhabited by dangerously mutated animals. There they meet Dr. Romero (Buscemi), the mad scientist responsible for the island’s creatures, but he’s not the man they’re after. Learning they have been deceived, Gary and Gerti soon reach the island themselves and it becomes a battle of two spy teams seeing who can crack the case first. The answer is a lot closer to home than they imagined…

The special effects are second-rate, and the storyline lacks the depth of a Harry Potter, but it’s definitely an action-packed adventure ride that kids will eat up. There’s plenty going on and things are kept funny and simple. It’s like a miniature version of James Bond (without the scantily clad women).

For adults being dragged along by their kids to this movie, Steve Buscemi adds comic relief. He’s funny everytime I see him on screen and whilst this isn’t a film you’ll see in a “best of” collection, it’s vintage Buscemi. There are quite a few second-tier stars that you’ll also recognise but this film is about the kids and they deserve the attention with their youthful fun-loving attitude. Note also that the actress playing Gerti, Emily Osment, is the younger sister of Haley Joel Osment who wowed us in The Sixth Sense and Artificial Intelligence.

With a few weeks of the school holidays remaining, there’s no need to groan too loudly when the kids ask to see Spy Kids 2. You may not be as running up and down the aisle, but at least your kids will.

Details

Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 30 January 2003

Fenton Meiks (McConaughey) is sitting and waiting for Agent Wesley Doyle (Boothe).  The two have never met but Adam has some important information to share - he knows who’s responsible for a recent spate of local killings.  It’s Fenton’s own brother, Adam.  Exactly why is Fenton dobbing in his own brother?  Well it’s a long story and he’s about to explain it all to Agent Doyle.

Not yet a teenager, Fenton (O’Leary), his younger brother Adam (Sumpter), and their father (Paxton) lived a standard existence.  Until one morning, the dad awoke with a compelling story to tell.  He had been visited by an angel sent by God.  The angel told him that he had been chosen to destroy “demons” and would soon be given a list of names of people, posing as demons, who needed to be killed.

The influential Adam had no qualms believing his father’s tale but the wiser Fenton did not believe a word.  He feared his father was losing his mind and hoped this fantasy would quickly dissipate.  Not so.  Dad suddenly had a list of seven names and Fenton was soon witness to bloody slayings in their back shed and being forced to dig graves to hide the bodies.

The horror didn’t end.  Fenton was told not to tell anyone or something terrible would happen to the family.  He considered running away but couldn’t leave his brother behind.  He was trapped and his dad was tiring of his reluctance to believe in God’s wishes.  Something had to happen... and it did.  If you put the pieces together, you’ll think you know how this reflection relates to the current situation with Agent Doyle.  But you’d be wrong...

I hadn’t heard of the film prior to last week but Bill Paxton, in his directorial debut, has a dynamite screenplay to work from.  It’s very disturbing and the religious undertone increases the unsettling tension.  Paxton doesn’t shy away from the film’s troubling moments - the killing scenes are particularly gruesome and there’s some upsetting moments that the young Fenton is forced to endure.  His style certainly kept my attention and credit to Paxton, although I’ll admit the direction was a bit rough around the edges.

Paxton also delivers a strong performance.  Matthew McConaughey shares top billing but has a minor role compared with the other cast members.  This was 15-year-old Matthew O’Leary’s first film (as noted in the credits) despite it being the third film I’ve seen him in.  How so?  Well the film is two years old and in the time since, O’Leary’s exposure has seen him feature in Domestic Disturbance and Spy Kids 2.

But the real star is the script and another newcomer, Brent Hanley receives credit for it.  I’m not convinced the rationale is there but it’s still absorbing.  Hanley already has a few other screenplays in the works and I’ll keep one eye open in anticipation of their release.  While we’re all waiting, the opportunity has arrived to see Frailty and with it, an agitatingly creepy thriller.  Believe at your own peril.