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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 March 2014

Having spent more than a decade trying to break into the film industry, writer-director J.C. Chandor, hit the mother-load in 2011 with his debut feature, Margin Call. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his script which chronicled 24 hours in the life of a major investment bank on the brink of collapse. The movie made my annual top 10 list and featured some sharp, insightful, compelling dialogue.

For his follow up, Chandor could not have come up with something any more different. Some films have lengthy sequences with just one actor (127 Hours, Cast Away) but All Is Lost goes a step further. This movie stars Robert Redford and that’s it. You won’t see another person on screen throughout the entire movie. From memory, the only other single-actor movie released in recent years was the tense thriller Buried with Ryan Reynolds.

Redford’s character, who is never identified by name, is an experienced sailor who has taken his small yacht out into the middle of the Indian Ocean. He wakes one morning and finds it flooding with water. The boat had struck a rogue shipping container (which had most likely fallen from a cargo ship) and left a decent sized hole in the ship’s hull.

What follows is a battle for survival. Spread over an 8 day period, we watch and observe this man as he uses all his nautical knowledge to repair the ship and overcome the treacherous seas. There are no flashbacks to provide background information. There’s no narration to help us get inside his head. There’s no talking volleyball to create dialogue. It’s just an old guy on a boat.

It’s no surprise that the film’s nature has divided audiences. It was the closing night feature at the Melbourne International Film Festival last August and was received with a mix of applause and laughter. Some saw it as a gripping, realistic tale that doesn’t bow to Hollywood conventions. Others saw it as a joke. They couldn’t believe they’d paid money to see a slow, drawn-out drama with zero dialogue (thankfully they had the after party to drown their sorrows).

I guess it’s time to use the famous Latin phrase – “caveat emptor” or “let the buyer beware”. I realise this movie isn’t going to be for everyone. If it sounds boring on paper, you’re likely to be bored in the cinema. Don’t see it. Don’t follow my recommendation. You’ll just be wasting two hours of your life.

That said, if you’re slightly intrigued by the premise, find the time to see All Is Lost. It’s taking a chance and trying to give us something different. You’ll also be treated to a superb performance from one of Hollywood’s finest actors, Robert Redford (The Sting). It’s an increasing struggle that he must endure, both physically and mentally, as each day passes.

The movie was shot in a variety of locations (some parts in a tank, other parts on the open seas) but you wouldn’t know when looking at the finished product. It comes together well. The beautiful cinematography captures not just the expansive landscape but also the claustrophobic nature of the situation. The sound team seemed to have captured every creak and groan emanating from the boat (it’s as if it has its own voice). The soft music score, which builds in the later stages, adds to the film’s emotional pull.

It’s been a competitive awards season and All Is Lost has turned out to be one of this year’s victims. Despite huge praise from some, the film earned just a single Oscar nomination for best sound editing. The most notable snub was for 77-year-old Robert Redford who missed out on a best actor nomination. It’s a big shame.

You can read my chat with director J.C. Chandor by clicking here.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 19 February 2014

Lone Survivor is based on a 2005 true story and follows four U.S. Navy SEALs who were part of a team trying to gather surveillance on an important Taliban leader. They were to hide in the mountains near Asadabad, observe the goings-on in a nearby village, and then report key details back to their base (who could plan an attack).

It’s not as easy as it might sound. This mission, described in the film as one with “a lot of moving parts”, went pear shaped after the four men lost their communications and were then seen by a goat herder and his two young sons. They were soon set upon by a sizeable Taliban army who knew the mountains very, very well.

You might ask yourself the question – why the hell is the film called Lone Survivor? Isn’t that giving away the ending? The answer to question is “yes” but it’s not as big a spoiler as you might think. Firstly, the movie is based on the novel “Lone Survivor” written by Marcus Luttrell – the man who did live to tell to the tale. Secondly, the story is told by way of flashback. We see a badly injured Luttrell at the start… and we then slip back a few days to see how he got there.

This is an intense film. You get a clear sense of the panic these guys felt and the hopelessness of their situation. You’ll also feel their pain as they desperately throw themselves off mountain cliffs and onto to further rocks below. It’s been well shot by actor-turned-director Peter Berg (Battleship) who has also assembled a strong cast headlined by Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster. Australian Eric Bana makes an appearance as the team’s base commander.

Berg, who adapted the screenplay, also takes the time to explore a moral angle. When the four SEALs are discovered by the goat herder and his sons, there’s a heated debate amongst the soldiers as to what to do. Do they follow the Rules of Engagement and let them go on the basis that they are innocent civilians? Or should they be killed to eliminate the risk that they’ll return home and alert the Taliban leaders?

There have been a few question marks about the film’s authenticity since its release in the United States last month. It would appear that some scenes have been embellished for dramatic effect. Those critics have a point (the over-dramatisation is too obvious in places) but on the whole, I don’t believe the film’s themes or messages have been lost. I’ve watched a few interviews with the real Marcus Luttrell and he too appears to be satisfied with what ended up on screen. Hopefully you’ll feel the same way.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 February 2014

Twenty years ago, Liam Neeson was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, Schindler’s List. He followed that with leading roles in films such as Nell, Rob Roy, Michael Collins and Les Misérables.

Few would have predicted his career path thereafter. The Liam Neeson that today’s audiences are familiar with is an action hero. After being “rediscovered” in 2008’s Taken, we’ve seen him in such films as Clash Of The Titans, The A-Team, Unknown, The Grey, Wrath Of The Titans and Battleship. It’s only a matter of time before someone pairs him up with Jason Statham for some super-dooper action thing.

In Non-Stop, Neeson plays Bill Marks – an alcoholic air marshal who has boarded what he believes will be routine flight from New York to London. That is until he gets a text message on his mobile phone. It’s from someone threatening to kill a passenger every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred into a nominated bank account. That’s a lot of money. I know I could live comfortably with 10% of that but hey, I’m not a crazy terrorist so who am I to second guess them.

Anyway, I like the set up. The entire film is set on the plane and it makes for a surprisingly suspenseful action thriller. It’s the pilot who says what we’re all thinking – “how do you kill someone on a crowded plane and get away with it?” It’s a good question and it’s one that will soon be answered. Several passengers end up dead and Bill can’t seem to put the pieces together. Things get even messier when the remaining passengers start airing their suspicions. They think it’s Bill who’s behind the murders…

Non-Stop held my attention for longer than I expected. It’s trash… but it’s still intriguing. We’re introduced to a lot of characters inside the first half hour and you’ll be speculating as to who is the culprit and what is their motivation (my early guesses were way off the mark). While it’s now a trademark role for Liam Neeson, he again deserves praise for creating another compelling, likeable protagonist.

There are problems with the finale. As tends to be the case with films of this nature, everything falls conveniently into place for the villain... until the very end when it call comes unstuck because of something quite trivial. That’s certainly the case here. It’s the kind of movie where the more you think about it, the less sense it makes.

While I’ve always believed that the best action-thrillers are those based on a realistic scenario, Non-Stop provides just enough entertainment to sneak through with a passing grade.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 February 2014

The opening shot in Nebraska is that of an old man slowly walking down the side of a busy road. His name is Woody Grant (Dern) and he has set out on a 1,300km trek from his home in Billings, Montana. It’s not a “bucket list” thing. It’s not a “raise money for charity” thing. Woody believes he’s won a $1 million sweepstakes prize and so he’s trying to walk to the company’s offices in Lincoln, Nebraska to claim it.

So why isn’t he being driven by his family? Well, they know that Woody hasn’t won the $1 million prize. The letter that arrived in the mail is just a standard gimmick used by publishing companies to make people buy magazine subscriptions. They try to explain this to the eighty-something year old Woody, who is showing early signs of dementia, but he just doesn’t comprehend. He’s convinced he’s won the money. It prompts his wife (Squibb) to say “I didn’t know the son of a bitch even wanted to be a millionaire!”

Left with no other option, his son David (Forte) takes a few days off work and agrees to drive him. It’ll be a chance for them to spend some quality time together (something they haven’t done in a while). Further, once they reach the sweepstakes offices, Woody will finally understand that he’s not a prize winner. They can then drive back home and life can return to normal.

If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll know that things don’t quite go as expected. A quick detour through Woody’s old home town of Hawthorne goes pear shaped when he starts telling all his old friends that he’s now a millionaire. Some folk are happy for Woody. The local newspaper wants to do an article on his “rags to riches” story for example. On the flipside, some folk are not so happy. Old business partners and seldom-seen family members are now buttering him up and seeking a slice of the cash. It’s starting to get out of control…

Accompanied by a sleepy music score from composer Mark Orton, Nebraska is another wonderful feature film from director Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways, The Descendants). Curiously, this is his first film where he isn’t also credited as a screenwriter. Payne was shown Bob Nelson’s script by two colleagues and asked who he thought would be a good fit as a director. His response – “how about me?”

As a huge fan of the early years of cinema, Nebraska has allowed Payne to do something he’s always wanted to do – make a black and white movie. It’s not a silent film but you can see that dialogue has been used sparingly. There’s a great scene where Woody and his brothers are sitting in a living room in front of the television. They’re not a talkative bunch. Words aren’t required though. Just watching them put a smile on a face.

Using a mix of both professional and non-professional actors, Payne has brought together a superb cast. In the leading role, 77-year-old Bruce Dern (Coming Home, Monster) has created a character that is tragic yet funny, repulsive yet endearing. When asked why he’d never left his wife, despite years of bickering, his response sums up his harsh, forthright persona – “I’d just end up with someone else who’d give me shit all the time.”

Of the 9 best picture nominees at the upcoming Academy Awards, Nebraska is the last to receive a release here in Australia. It’s therefore with a tinge of sadness that another “awards season” comes to a close. It’s now time to prepare for a myriad of reboots, remakes and sequels. Oh, and a bunch of stuff involving over-the-top action and comic book heroes. Brace yourself.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 25 February 2014

Gloria doesn’t contain a lot of story but it makes up for it with an abundance of character. I’m sure Chilean director Sebastián Lelio deserves his fair share of credit but the reason you’ll remember this film is because of the performance of star Paulina García. She won the best actress prize at the 2013 Berlin Festival and it’s easy to see why.

So let me do my best to describe Gloria. She’s fifty-something years of age and she’s been divorced for a decade. Her two children have moved out of home and she tries to catch up with them semi-regularly. She lives alone but she still likes to be social. In the film’s opening scene, we see her on the dance floor of a nightclub and trying to catch the attention of a particular guy.

The style of the film is somewhat fragmented. We zip between locations and get a glimpse of Gloria is each of those settings. It is then up to you to take in all of these observations and form your own conclusions about her. Is she happy? Is she lonely? Is she vulnerable? Is she just like you and me?

There’s one part of her life that is given more attention – her relationship with an ex-naval officer named Rodolfo (Hernández) who she also meets in a nightclub. The two are keen to spend time together… but there’s a catch. Rodolfo can’t seem to distance himself from his clingy ex-wife and his two unemployed daughters. It leaves Gloria unsure about their future and whether it’s a relationship she wants to fully invest in.

Having done the rounds at the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals last year, it’s nice to see Gloria getting a wider release here in Australia. I sense that some might be frustrated with the film’s lack of narrative momentum but it’s still an engaging character study that taps into feelings that are very difficult to put into words.