Reel Review Roundup

Reel Review Roundup had the privilege of spending a few minutes chatting with Red Dog producer Nelson Woss over the phone during an intense day of media interviews. It was the day after the Perth premiere and although exhausted, Woss still oozed enthusiasm about his latest project.

The tale of an adorable kelpie continued to bring Australian communities together during the making of a film based on the canine’s life 40 years after his legendary trek through WA , according to Red Dog producer Nelson Woss.

Woss, who has a fondness for Australian legends (he brought the story of our most famous outlaw to the big screen in 2003’s Ned Kelly) came across the story of Red Dog when he discovered Louis De Bernieres’ book about the inspirational canine.

Red Dog united a small mining community in the early 1970s then hitch-hiked around WA (and as legend has it a quick detour to Japan) looking for his master.

Woss said the community came together once again after all these years to help get the film made.

“We were tough, hardened film makers working with a budget that was one-third of the budget we had for Ned Kelly,” he said.

“We didn’t have (trailers) and our crew members were on double and triple duty.

“We got the support of so many organisations that helped us get the story on the screen and even the locals got behind us

“This is a period film which can be hard to make especially on a low-budget.

“We couldn’t afford extras so we ran an advert in the local paper and the locals turned up to the set and some of them even loaned us their 1970s cars.”

Leading man Josh Lucas, who plays Red Dog’s master John, was inspired enough by the story that he gave up the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to get down and dirty in the Pilbara to shoot the film.

“We chased a few actors but Josh made sense,” Woss said.

“He is a dog lover and so when we showed him pictures of Koko (who plays Red Dog) he jumped on a plane and came over to WA.”

A long time fan of any movie with animals, Woss was not deterred by the old Hollywood saying ‘never work with kids or animals’.

When asked if he would ever work with animals again he insisted he “would definitely work with Josh Lucas again” followed by a hearty laugh.

Red Dog (PG)

Directed by: Kriv Stenders

Starring: Josh Lucas, Koko, Rachael Taylor, Noah Taylor, Luke Ford

Four stars

Review by: Julian Wright

If recent critically acclaimed Aussie films such as Snowtown and Animal Kingdom left you clutching a bottle of anti-depressants, the uplifting tale of Red Dog may inspire you to put it back in the medicine cabinet. However, be warned, you may need to clutch a box of tissues instead.

While powerful pieces of film-making that have restored critics’ faith in Australian cinema, those hard-hitting dramas can be a bit much to take after a while. They dwell on  murder, torture, crime and general unpleasantness. Need a break from all that? Feel like a bit of a chuckle?

Red Dog comes at the perfect time. It is a breath of fresh air with its whimsical attitude and heart warming story and takes us out of the monotonous suburbs and off  to the Australian outback.

Red Dog opens with the heart melting canine dying in the bar of a remote town in WA’s north-west. The towns people gather around to comfort the pooch in his final moments. When truck driver Thomas (Luke Ford) stops by, Red Dog’s human friends fill him in on the canine’s eventful last 10 years.

After he hitchhikes a ride into Dampier, a mining town, Red Dog is adopted by the residents and rough and tumble workers. At first bus driver John (Josh Lucas) does not fall for his charms like everyone else, but the two eventually develop a bond and John becomes Red Dog’s master.

The film follows Red Dog’s journey and many adventures as he saves one man from a shark attack and has multiple run ins with a bad-tempered cat. One devastating development prompts the nomadic dog to take a car, train and plane trip around WA . He even makes a pit stop in Japan.

Along the way there are tears, laughter, highs and lows and it is a ride Aussies should take. Kriv Stenders has done a 180 degree turn with his directing style. This is the polar opposite of his bleak slow burn drama Lucky Country. Red Dog moves along at an enjoyably brisk pace that takes in the beautiful scenery of the Pilbara region. This is a gentle and infectious family film that will tug on the heart-strings, but not too hard. Still, keep the tissues handy.

No Country for Old Men (MA)

Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring: Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Kelly Macdonald

Four and a half stars

Review by: Julian Wright

Film directing duo Joel and Ethan Coen established themselves as innovative film makers more than 20 years ago with their ultra stylish and ultra low-budget film Blood Simple. They took the film noir genre and gave it a modern spin with some eye-catching camera work.

But their collective talent doesn’t simply lie in where to place the camera. The films they make are about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations. Who could forget the heavily pregnant cop in a sleepy town trying to track down the perpetrators in an elaborate kidnapping plan that ends in a high body count in Fargo? A handful of droll, simple citizens of a Texas town get a look-in in their latest film.

While hunting alone in what seems to be the middle of nowhere, trailer park dweller Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles across a drug exchange gone wrong. He finds the drugs stacked on the back of a ute, the $2 million in a bag and several dead bodies riddled with bullets. When he takes the money he knows what trouble he is getting himself into.

Without telling his wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald) too much, he makes her stay with her mother in another town while he tries his best to live off the radar. What he doesn’t know is that ruthless criminal Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) has just escaped the local police and is hot on his trail.

Having been called to the scene of the failed drug exchange, sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), disillusioned with what he has experienced over the years, tracks down Carla Jean in an attempt to find Llewelyn. Thrown into the mix is bounty hunter Carson Wells (Woody Harrelson), who is sent by a businessman to control the situation. But he has had past dealings with Chigurh and is aware of just how dangerous and deadly serious he is.

Do not be put off by the familiar synopsis of this film. The ordinary people who stumble across riches idea was done by Sam Raimi in 1998’s A Simple Plan. But the Coen brothers have added so much to the story that one is left mesmerised. Much like Fargo, this film is violent, shocking and at the same time hilarious.

Some of the most astonishing moments are entire scenes that are carried out without a single line of dialogue. It is these scenes of silence that create some of the most intensely suspenseful moments in film history. It is a skill to admire because therein lies the brothers’ film-making genius.

This film won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but Javier Bardem chills the blood with his cold performance and is deserving of his recent Golden Globe nomination. He rivals Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the villain department.

As appeared in Examiner Newspapers 2007

Tucker and Dale Vs Evil (MA)

Directed by: Eli Craig

Starring: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss

Four stars

Review by: Julian Wright

Striking that balance of comedy and horror can be tough. Too many laughs and the element of shock and white-knuckle suspense is eroded. Crank up the gore and non horror fans wont even bother. And do you try to be funny while someone is having their head chopped off, or wait a minute for the punchline?

I do not envy those that are faced with the task, but we know it can be done. Scream, anyone? That one even chucked in some social commentary for good measure. Shaun of the Dead is also a good example of a successful comedy/horror. Tucker and Dale Vs Evil will sit comfortably in that limited list of films that do it right.

Dumb but lovable hillbillies Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are on their way to their holiday home in the woods for a vacation. Their modest accommodation is a run down cabin that is moments from collapsing. The past tenants left some curious knick-knacks behind like wind chimes made of bones and newspaper clippings of local mass murders. This doesn’t phase the dopey duo, they just assume they were news buff archeologists.

Their fishing trip is interrupted by some boozed up, sexed up college kids out for their own version of fun. Freaked out by their own campfire tales of chainsaw wielding killers, the idiotic college kids assume Tucker and Dale are crazy, in-bred Deliverance-types by their appearances. When the creepy looking but kind-hearted friends rescue blonde beauty Allison (Katrina Bowden) from drowning in a skinny dipping related accident, her friends think she has been kidnapped.

The college kids’ vigilante inspired attempts to get their friend back are a hilarious juxtaposition to the sweet bond that forms between “kidnapper and kidnappee” Dale and Allison. But when each kid that wields a weapon of some sort ends up accidentally killing themselves, their remaining friends become convinced the hillbillies did it. In turn, Tucker and Dale think they are being attacked out of the blue by crazy kids who have made a suicide pact.

The crazy misunderstandings are the guts of this clever spoof of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wrong Turn and Friday the 13th.It even manages to offer some food for thought on judging and stereotyping others. The genius of the script is that there isn’t even a serial killer. The energetic cast of mostly unknowns put a lot of effort into this little gem and there is just the right amount of carnage to go with the big belly laughs. It wont deter you from going back into the woods but it might make you think before you judge a book by its blood soaked cover.

Larry Crowne (M)

Directed by: Tom Hanks

Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Wilmer Valderrama

Two stars

Review by: Julian Wright

Tom Hanks and Nia Vardalos’ first collaboration, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, may have struck a chord with world-wide audiences but a second visit to the feel good comedy well has not paid off. Greek Wedding was as light as air and imperfect but it captured the quirks of Greek culture and struck box office gold – not bad for a low-budget indie flick based on Vardalos’ anecdotes. Attempts at something more substantial with Larry Crowne has proven almost disastrous.

Even the sweetest of cinematic confectionery has to have a touch of believability to draw an audience in. Whether or not they hold our attention when reality is stretched is up to the skills of the team behind the scenes. But when you have a film like Larry Crowne, that forgoes logic from the beginning, the film makers have little hope of pleasing an audience.

Laid off from his retail job for not having a college degree, middle-aged divorcee Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) finds himself at a point of having to start all over again just when he should be settled. With a crushing mortgage to pay off and no interest in falling back on his other skills –  he was a chef in the navy for 20 years – he decides to get that coveted degree at a community college. Skipping over such points as how Larry affords college when he is clearly strapped for cash, can’t make mortgage payments and is forced to swap his gas guzzling SUV for a more economical scooter, is just the beginning of this film problems.

Encouraged by college staff to take up the barely attended public speaking class, Larry signs ups. But how it will actually help him is not explained. The class is taught by Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts), who has as little enthusiasm for her job as the students have for the subject. She hangs on the possibility there will be less than 10 students in the early morning class so she can cancel it and complains a lot about her students. So why doesn’t she find a new job too? Another unanswered question.

An unlikely (to say the least) friendship forms between Larry and a fellow student and scooter enthusiast Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) when she takes him under her wing. What does she find appealing about this middle-aged dork? Why does she re-arrange his furniture? More details swept under the rug. But it does spark some amusingly jealous behaviour from her boyfriend and scooter gang leader Dell Gordo (Wilmer Valderrama). Side note: Larry’s finger snapping initiation into their scooter gang is just plain silly.

This film is about Larry’s journey,which aims to be inspiring. And it could have been, if it weren’t for so many distracting hiccups in the script. Larry and Mercedes’ courtship is cute enough but drawn out and the inevitable conclusion agonisingly protracted. Hanks still oozes charisma. He is very likeable as always, but Roberts plays Mercedes far too bitterly in the first half that is it hard to empathise. After this misfire, Hanks, who directed, Vardalos and Roberts might want to reconsider their career paths.

30 Days of Night (MA)

Directed by: David Slade

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Ben Foster

Two and a half stars

Review by Julian Wright

Audiences have witnessed countless goblins and ghouls come to life before their eyes in film. Vampires have terrified audiences since Nosferatu took his first victim in the classic 1920s film. Since then there have been various versions of vampire lore.

Fright Night had some fun and took some satirical jabs at vampires in the 1980s and Francis Ford Coppola made the sumptuous period horror Dracula with an A-list cast in the 1990s. After 85 years, director David Slade has proven it is quite a difficult task to bring something new to the genre.

In a contrived set-up, the sleepy town of Barrow, Alaska is about to be plunged into darkness for an entire month. Everyone is packing up and preparing, some even moving on to the next town to escape it.

On the last day of light for a month, sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) discovers some strange goings on in the isolated town. He finds a stack of burnt mobile phones and dogs have been slaughtered. Enter the Stranger (Ben Foster), a mysterious man who is clearly not a local, who causes a disturbance in a café. He warns the sheriff that something bad is going to happen, but nothing could prepare Eben for what will follow.

The town is invaded by a pack of vampires and the town’s people must survive an entire month before the sun rises again. Thrown into the mix is the presence of Eben’s estranged wife Stella (Melissa George), who had run out on him and skipped town. She had been called back for work but missed her flight out of there. The two must work together to help people survive.

It is good to see so much Perth talent up on the big screen in a Hollywood movie. The film is based on a graphic novel co-written by Perth resident Ben Templesmith and stars WA actress Melissa George. Unfortunately, there is very little in the way of new ideas, twists or even novelty value.

After giving us the controversial, intense and stylish thriller Hard Candy last year, the viewer may have expected much more from director David Slade. He was able to tighten the screws of suspense so skilfully in his first film, and made audiences squirm with one particular scene that will go down in film history.

Slade demonstrated an interesting style with the use of vivid colours and claustrophobic close-ups. He fails to capture the same white-knuckle experience in 30 Days.

The main problem is the tempo. It begins well enough, but stops dead in its tracks far too soon, when the survivors decide to sit around hiding from the vampires and wait for the sun to rise. And with little human drama and few interesting characters, it becomes hard to get involved in the action.

Slade does manage a few effective jump scares and the soundtrack is creepy. Ben Foster as the Stranger – and the voice of doom – is a standout. The character could easily have been cheesy, but Foster takes it deadly seriously and sends a chill up your spine. There are also too many lapses in logic and continuity and so many questions remain unanswered.

As appeared in Examiner Newspaper 2007.

Halloween (R)

Directed by: Rob Zombie

Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Scout Taylor-Compton, Danielle Harris

Three and a half stars

Review by: Julian Wright

When director Gus Van Sant dare to remake Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film Psycho, critics and audiences ripped him to shreds. Not only was the move unheard of, but the end result was a pointless shot-for-shot rehash that just highlighted how much of a master Hitchcock really was.

When it was announced Rob Zombie was going to remake Halloween, the classic slasher film of the 1970s that was inspired by Psycho, horror fans had their doubts. What could possibly be achieved by remaking a film that many would say had nothing wrong with it in the first place? But instead of setting up his shots to copy those in the original, Rob Zombie took an entirely different approach and came up with a decent re-imagining of a classic.

In a small, quiet town called Haddonfield, Michael Myers (Daeg Faerch) lives with his dysfunctional, white trash family. His mother (Sheri Moon Zombie)  is a stripper, her boyfriend verbally abuses him and makes sleazy advances toward his teenage sister and he is often bullied at school. When the school principal calls a meeting with Michael’s parents over some disturbing behaviour, he invites child psychologist Doctor Samuel Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) to sit in.

Dr Loomis warns Michael’s mother that his behaviour is dangerously close to psycopathic tendancies. She doesn’t believe him, but on Halloween night, Michael finally snaps, killing his entire family except his baby sister while his mother is at work. He is locked up in a psychiatric ward for 15 years but Dr Loomis is unable to get into his mind – and eventually Michael stops talking alotgether.

When Michael (Tyler Mane) escapes as an adult, Loomis is convinced he will head back to his home town to finish what he started when he was just a child. When Michael arrives in Haddonfield, he dons the iconic white mask and begins stalking three high school friends Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton), Linda (Kristina Klebe) and Annie (Danielle Harris).

The first two thirds of Rob Zombie’s version of the life of Michael Myers is surprisingly effective. He cleverly delves into what makes a psychopath and answers many questions Halloween fans have had for decades about why he kills. And the answers are satisfying.

The use of hand held camerwork is put to good usein these early scenes, creating a home life that would make anyone want to pick up a knife. It is rob Zombie’s most mature work, after making the abysmal 1970s horror homage House of 1000 Corpses and the nasty The Devil’s Rejects. It also shows his respect for the original Halloween.

The later scenes that have Michael stalking the three girls and Dr Loomis trying to convince the town sheriff (Brad Dourif) that he is dandangerous  are closer to the original but they are clunky. They move along at a pace that is far too quick, making them seem incidental to the story. It also eliminates any potential suspense becasue we don’t spend the time getting to know the victims like we did in the first one.

Zombie also goes a bit too far at the end with a prolonged climactic sequence. But despite some negative points, this is possibly the best remake in quite a while. It has its own style and expands on the original concept instead of simply rehashing it. Halloween fans need not fret, this remake is far superior to even some of the sequels.

As appeared in Examiner Newspapers 2007

American Gangster (MA)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin

Three and a half stars

Review by Julian Wright

When you get two academy award winning actors in the same film for the first time, the anticipation can be almost unbearable. When Hollywood heavyweights Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared few precious minutes together in Michael Mann’s Heat audiences were on the edge of their seats.

Powerhouse performers Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe made the mistake of appearing together for the first time in the dreadful sci-fi flick Virtuosity in 1995. Since then the two have accrued several awards and endless praise for their subsequent work. This time they get it right when they go head to head in Ridley Scott’s American Gangster as men from the opposite sides of the law.

American Gangster tracks the rise and fall of the most powerful African American criminal, a man who was able to surpass the Italian Mafia when it came to organised crime. When Frank Lucas’ (Denzel Washington) boss and mentor dies in 1968, he is left an impressive legacy. He was one of the leading black crime bosses in Harlem.

But Frank strives to achieve more than his predecessor. He believes the only way to do this is to take advantage of the war in Vietnam and use the US planes to transport pure cocaine from the jungles in Bangkok. By cutting out the middle man he is able to sell it as is and at a cheap price.

As the streets become flooded with pure cocaine, Frank’s empire grows and more people become affected by the drug. Cop Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) tries to track down where it is coming from and who is to blame. While sorting through low-life criminals to get to the kingpin, Richie must also deal with a heartbreaking tug of war with his wife over their son.

Given the talents in front of and behind the camera, one would expect a crackling cat and mouse crime thriller. Unfortunately, despite the top performances the film has little subtext and therefore fails to have much weight. What we see is fairly standard and routine. It is a long and slow build up to the inevitable but when the two stars share the screen, it proves to be worth the wait.

What is interesting is how Denzel Washington is so fascinating to watch and effortlessly commands the screen. His portrayal of this criminal is chilling. For the most part, he is nice and respectable but often relentless and unleashes horrific violence. Crowe’s character isn’t given enough light until too far into the film. Up until then it is difficult to become involved in his plight.

Ridley Scott often works with characters that don’t have lengthy back-stories or deep psychological profiles, but this time maybe he should have pushed for a bit more. More character depth and development may have improved an otherwise familiar story. He does, however, create some shocking and suspenseful moments.

 As appeared in Examiner Newspapers 2008

Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem (MA)

Directed by: Colin and Greg Strause

Starring: Johnny Lewis, Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale

One star

Review by: Julian Wright

One has to wonder what has become of cinema when we have to endure a sequel to a horrible film that pitted two creatures from separate franchises against each other. When Freddy Vs. Jason became a runaway hit, 20^th Century Fox put Alien and Predator together, an idea that had been kicking around Hollywood for years.

They were lucky to find success and thanks to the countless teenage boys that saw Alien Vs. Predator four years ago, we now have another one. Virtually ignoring the plot from Alien Vs. Predator in which we discovered both species are at war with each other, this sequel begins with a predator ship crash landing on earth.

One of them was impregnated with an alien that burst through its chest and ran amuck causing the ship’s descent into bushland near a small Colorado town. Now the aliens are loose on earth for the first time and multiplying. Added danger comes from the new breed Predalien, a hybrid of both species.

The unsuspecting town’s folk include Ricky (Johnny Lewis), a troubled teenager who has a crush on the town hottie. Unfortunately, she is going out with a jerk who likes to beat Ricky up and torment him for fun. Kelly (Reiko Aylesworth) has just returned home in full army uniform to her husband and daughter. Her daughter does not feel close because of her mum’s constant absence.

There is a handful more that eventually band together when the action hits home. They must try to survive the war between the two gooey creatures and get out of town alive. But to call these cardboard cutouts characters would be a gross exaggeration.

The first Alien Vs. Predator trashed both franchises by putting them in a film with lousy dialogue and weak characters. The only thing it had going for it were the impressive battle scenes between the creatures and the special effects that brought them alive. Technology has come a long way since a skinny African squeezed into a rubber suit for the first Alien 30 years ago.

This lame sequel does little to out-do its predecessor, resulting in a dull rehash. Despite more gore, violence and a higher body count, the action sequences are boring and unimaginative. They are filmed entirely in semi-darkness and pouring rain making it difficult to see what is going on.

The only thing this film strives for is the world record for most kills with people getting bumped off every two minutes. But with no character development, there isn’t a shred of suspense.

As appeared in Examiner Newspapers, January 2008.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (M)

Directed by: Michael Bay

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Frances McDormand, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, John Malkovich

Three stars

Review by Julian Wright

After the disastrously hollow and overblown Transformers 2, expectations were that the franchise could only improve from that point. The first one peaked at an unforeseeable high; a film based on merchandise that actually had heart, character, a sense of fun and humour. A real crowd-pleaser. No one expected that.

The sequel took an unfortunate direction, stripping back all of what made the first one appealing to cram in more, longer action sequences, explosions and sleazy lingering shots of Megan Fox’s impossibly bronzed body. It was a senseless mash-up of dueling machines and a lot of running and shouting and at an epic two and a half hours was unbearably painful to endure.

Taking on a third installment, director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg had the chance to go back to the drawing board and right all the wrongs. While some aspects have been improved upon, others have been neglected and reflect what was wrong with the second film in the series.

Two time world saver Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) has a hero medal from President Obama but is having trouble putting his college degree to good use. He feels the constant pressure from his parents to get a good job, but no job can compare to what he has achieved with his robot allies. Added to his stressful life is his insecurities about his hot British girlfriend Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) who is suspiciously comfortable with her boss Dylan (Patrick Dempsey).

Sam is dragged back into the middle of the battle between intergalactic machine races Decepticons and Autobots when it is re-ignited over advanced technology that could save their planet Cybertron. When the ark, as it is called, was shot out into space during the war it crash landed on the Moon. When the USA and Russia learned of its existence it was a race to be the first to claim it in the 1960s. Now the Autobots want it to allow them to save their planet and dominate Earth.

There are betrayals, double crosses and plenty of drama, unfortunately it is all between the machines. If the human characters had as much to emote, this would be a halfway decent entry in the franchise. Not only are the new characters (some played by veterans Malkovich and McDormand) underdeveloped, they are over the top and quirky to no effect and La Beouf plays Sam as bitter and unlikable. Who are we supposed to root for here?

Juxtaposed with the desperate slapstick and goofball humour are the darker moments that dot the film and leave a bad taste. Bay and writer Ehren Kruger’s apocalyptic battles leave a nasty undertone and drains some of the fun when people are obliterated but they make the horrible mistake of making jokes when people plummet to their deaths. Not cool, guys.

It is a damn shame because when it comes to the action and special effects, they are the most superior of the series. Bay has eased up on the editing so this time the action sequences are more coherent and machines can finally be differentiated. There are some breathtaking stunts and the thrillingly awesome demolition of landmarks is a treat. Bay has redeemed and outdone himself in this department.