Australian Penthouse

Snitch
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Barry Pepper, Michael K. Williams, Benjamin Bratt, Susan Sarandon
STUDIOCANAL

WHEN his son makes a momentary error in judgment and finds himself looking at ten years behind bars John Matthews (Johnson) takes desperate measures to ensure his son’s safety and early release. He strikes a deal with a U.S. Attorney and agrees to go undercover to infiltrate a drug smuggling ring. Enlisting unlikely ally Daniel James (Bernthal), an ex-con trying to go straight, he convinces Daniel to make the introduction on his behalf to his former partners in crime and starts running drugs across the US/Mexico border.

When an exchange goes bad Matthews’ cool head prevails and puts him on the radar of Juan Carlos ‘El Topo’ Pintera (Bratt), a criminal far higher up the Cartel’s ranks than he or the DEA expected. Chasing the collar of a lifetime, the kind that political careers are made of, U.S. Attorney Keegan (Sarandon) alters the deal offering Matthews his son’s freedom in exchange for El Topo. As events start to spiral out of control both Matthews and James show the extreme risks each man is willing to take to protect his family.

Director Ric Roman Waugh’s steady pacing and slow tension building work to great effect in Snitch. By taking the time to establish the main characters, their motivations and the nature of their family relationships it gives the audience time to connect with each father, identify with their situation and feel great empathy to their plight.

The action sequences are used sparingly and feel completely within the realms of possibility. This isn’t Dwayne Johnston playing the ultimate bad-arse or super-soldier. This is a regular guy, a loving father taking desperate measures to protect his son. There’s a sense of frailty to Johnson’s portrayal of John Matthews, so much so that you forget about his towering size and impressive physique.

Jon Bernthal brings an equally layered performance as the ex-con trying to do right Daniel James. Struggling to support his family, avoiding lapsing back into a life of crime and desperate to keep his son from heading down the same path, Bernthal’s conflict is apparent. His previous violent tendencies are bubbling just beneath the surface, but he holds them in check to make a better life for his family. The difficulty he has wrestling with what his conscience tells him is the right thing to do and genuine fear for his family’s safety comes across brilliantly and he provides a rock solid counterpart to Dwayne Johnson.

The supporting cast ably backs up the leads with another short but sweet turn by Barry Pepper as a veteran DEA agent Billy Cooper, the typecast but who cares Michael K. Williams as ruthless drug dealer Malik and the power hungry ‘soon to be running for office’ U.S. Attorney Keegan played by Susan Sarandon. Even Benjamin Bratt’s brutal and uncompromising Cartel kingpin Juan Carlos ‘El Topo’ Pintera isn’t a mere caricature reinforcing the realistic characterisation and grounding both the plot and tone.

Far more of a thriller than a balls-to-the-wall action extravaganza, Snitch offers significantly more depth than you’d expect with Dwayne Johnson proving there’s a lot more to him than just muscle. The measured pacing and character development is a welcome change from the more explosions, less exposition formulaic Michael Bay styled fare all too familiar these days.

Snitch is in cinemas May 16.

Review: Dave Kozicki

Director: Allen Hughes
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Kyle Chandler
HOYTS DISTRIBUTION

WITH a title that spells out the state of the city, you can be assured going that this particular place is more corrupt than utopian. Mark Wahlberg stars as Billy Taggart, an ex-detective who was asked to retire because evidence came to light that a supposed by-the-numbers shooting he was involved in wasn’t exactly above board. This information is given to him by Mayor Hostetler (Crowe), a powerful man who you really don’t want to owe a favour.

Years later, Taggart runs his own small-time private-eye business, shaking down whatever work he can find in the hopes of staying above water, all the while supporting his actress girlfriend Natalie Barrow (Natalie Martinez). Mayor Hostetler, remembering the favour owed to him, enlists Taggart’s services to tail his wife Cathleen (Zeta-Jones) and lead advisor for the opposition Paul Andrews (Chandler) who are suspected of having an affair.

The more Taggart investigates into the alleged infidelity, the more lies he uncovers from both his employer and the people he’s tailing: lies that have deadly consequences the more Taggart digs. Loyalties change, tensions abound and people start dying under mysterious circumstances.

Broken City is part drama, part thriller and gets a lot right between opening and closing credits. Crowe is deliciously slippery as Mayor Hostetler, while Wahlberg does a decent job of pushing the plot forward with a furrowed brow and a believable threat of violence. Smaller roles from Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright and Barry Pepper are all solid and engaging, and make you wish they had more screen time.

The real problems, though, are with the sub-plots and sometimes bizarre character motivations. Natalie, in particular, serves no real purpose to the storyline, acting as a love interest that inexplicably turns to an antagonising role, who then ultimately vanishes from the film. One of the biggest reveals towards the end is also the most obvious, given how deliberately it was set up in the opening scenes, which reflects poorly on the supposed intelligence of Taggart’s detective instincts.

By the time the credits roll on Broken City it’s certainly not a bad film, it just doesn’t really do a whole lot different from political thrillers that have walked similar ground before.

Broken City is in cinemas on the now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Len Wiseman
Cast: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine
Sony Pictures

IT’S all too easy to dismiss Total Recall as yet another example of an unoriginal Hollywood remake whose only reason for existing is a an attempt at cashing in on a popular film from the ‘90s. But while the Schwarzenegger-led version of Total Recall and the 2012 take are both inspired by the Philip K. Dick We Can Remember it for You Wholesale novel, the Farrell-led sci-fi outing is more of a reimagining of the same material that quickly proves that it has a lot more to offer than treading familiar cinema territory.

Douglas Quaid (Farrell) is a factory worker married to a hot wife, Lori (Beckinsale) and living in a world where alleged terrorist attacks are a constant threat. His existence is mundane and he openly questions whether he should be doing more to his friend and co-worker Harry (Woodbine), all the while battling with the same sleep-destroying dream that features Melina (Biel) night in, night out. After a few too many beers, Quaid gives into the temptation to visit Rekall—a facility that offers implanted fake memories to escape the everyday—and the shit hits the fan.

The implant operator notices hidden memories of Quaid’s former life as a spy, and a group of armed-to-the-teeth police officers burst in and attempt to arrest Quaid. Terrified and compliant, Quaid’s muscle memory kicks in when an officer attempts to cuff him, and he wastes the police group in a breath. After narrowly escaping fuzz reinforcements, Quaid relays the story to his Lori who turns on him. All is not as it seems, and Quaid must outrun Lori and the law while attempting to unlock his past self, buried deep within his mind.

Len Wiseman’s world is a breathtaking affair, beautifully shot and as visually memorable as the likes of the future Earth in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. The distinction between the dystopian split of the upper-hemisphere privileged citizens, versus the slum-like state of those that live in “the colony” (yes, that refers to a sci-fi Australia) is a joy to behold in every long shot of this believable future world.

But the real shining star of Total Recall is how much action it manages to cram into its 118-minute runtime. There are no shaky-cam techniques at play here, so you can actually make out what’s happening in the various car chases, firefights and good ol’ fashion fisticuffs that raise the bar with each instance.

If you go into Total Recall expecting to be blown away with an Inception-like level of depth, compelling dialogue or expert characterisation, you’re seeing the wrong film. In most instances, the dialogue and characters are about as deep as the Arnie film, but the actors are also having a lot of fun in the process. Farrell has the onscreen chops to carry the film, while Beckinsale continues to show that she can believably kick arse (especially against the guys), and offers more than a match for the Farrell/Biel combo. Even Bryan “I’m in every film lately” Cranston sinks his teeth into his portrayal of the main bad guy, making the most of what little screen time he has.

It’s necessary to leave your expectations of a straight remake of the 1990 Total Recall at the door in order to get into the spirit of the film; but then, this Total Recall really isn’t trying to mirror what went before. There are more than a few nods to the Arnie film, but Wiseman’s Total Recall has the cast, the budget and enough action to deserve respect on its own merit, while simultaneously justifying the cost of a ticket. Perhaps most refreshingly, everything that Total Recall promises in the trailer is delivered in the film; how often can you say that these days?

TOTAL RECALL is in cinemas now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

The Artist
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Cast: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell
Roadshow Films

American physicist and sometime philosopher Austin O’Malley famously declared: “The worst misfortune that can happen to an ordinary man is to have an extraordinary father.”  Michel Hazanavicius’ film The Artist asks if it is not equally unfortunate for a man to lose an extraordinary career and, without a map, struggle to redefine himself.

The Artist is a love story, an introduction to the often harsh reality of life’s second act, and a look at the destructive perception of self value — what happens to a man when the things he uses to define himself disappear. It is also, for the most part, a silent movie.

It’s 1927, two years before the Great Depression, and the film industry is beginning to move from silent movies to “talkies”.  Screen idol George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is the toast of Hollywood, the man with the Midas touch, his movies fill the cinemas and his debonair charm makes the ladies swoon.

While walking the red carpet for his latest film, George literally bumps into ingenue Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo). On impulse, she kisses George on the cheek, he flashes his million-dollar smile and the photographers go wild —“Who’s That Girl?” demand the next day’s press headlines.

The pair meet again months later when they appear together in a scene of George’s next movie. George moves across the room, dancing, momentarily, with Peppy. The four takes the director calls to film the scene are incredibly revealing — the chemistry between George and Peppy is undeniable, their faces and bodies revealing more about the developing awareness and attraction between them than words ever could.

The movie wraps and the studio declares an end to silent movies, beginning auditions for the talkies. George scoffs at what he considers to be nothing more than a trend, refusing to join the studio’s move into modern film. His stoicism inadvertently declares his intent to stick with the past rather than move with the future.

Meanwhile Peppy’s star is on the rise, she becomes the new “It” girl; Clara Bow to George’s Rudolph Valentino. When the Depression hits in 1929, George’s wife, Doris (Penelope Ann Miller), leaves him after declaring: “I’m unhappy”, to which the tired George replies: “So are millions of us.” Without any acting roles to pay the bills and with his personal possessions auctioned off, George is lost. “Congratulations, ” the auctioneer declares, “It’s all sold. You’ve got nothing left.”

While dining out with his loyal chauffer Clifton (James Cromwell in a moving and wonderful turn), he overhears a radio interview with Peppy where she declares her popularity to be tied to her new and modern appeal: “It’s out with old and in with the new,” she beams. George rises from his chair, becoming visible to a now distraught Peppy: “I’ve left room for you.” he says, sadly, before walking out. The apology Peppy offers to George, the next night, while at his doorstep, is filled with a delicate promise that is destroyed quickly by the appearance of Peppy’s young date, who declares himself pleased to meet Mr Valentin, as his “father is a big fan”.

George’s riches to rags tale mirrors Peppy’s rise to fame; they are two sides of the same industry. They share a genuine attraction that is all the more real due to it’s flaws and self destruction. Jean Dujardin is incandescent, entirely believable as a 1920s era movie idol, with all the charm and self effacement of Gable and Valentino; deserving of his Palme D’Or award. His effortless ability to move from charming rogue and likeable everyman to charismatic gentleman and slapstick comedian is a pleasure to watch. Berenice Bejo is instantly appealing as the sassy and beautiful new girl.

However, director Michel Hazanavicius is the real star; creating a memorable, heartfelt, funny and original movie that carries both the heart and the head on a rapturous ride that will leave you fulfilled and grateful that movies such as this can still be made.

The Artist is in cinemas now

Director: Brad Bird
Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Tom Wilkinson, Michael Nyqvist
Paramount

After John Woo nearly destroyed the Mission: Impossible franchise, it was in desperate need of a blood transfusion to take it off life support. In swooped J.J. Abrams bringing with him a grittier edge, wonderfully over-the-top villains and lens flares by the truckload. With Abrams taking a step back to the role of producer, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol has a new director at the helm, Brad Bird, and fans can rest assured that he carries on in Abrams’ footsteps while leaving his own indelible mark on the series.

Known for animated features such as Ratatouille, The Incredibles and the superb The Iron Giant, Brad Bird might seem like an odd choice to take the reins of a Hollywood blockbuster, but his attention to detail, mature plot lines, keen eye for action and spot-on tension relieving humour are a perfect fit for the franchise.

After a mysterious explosion decimates The Kremlin, Ethan Hunt and the IMF find themselves scapegoats for the international incident with the entire agency disavowed. Out in the cold with no support on the trail of a madman with designs of a worldwide nuclear holocaust, Ethan and his crack crew are all that stands in the way of this imminent threat.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt delivers yet another fine action-packed performance, though the focus this time around is more on the team as a whole, with each character struggling with their own issues and story arc. Jeremy Renner’s Agent Brandt provides a perfect counterpoint to Hunt, with an intertwined secretive history to boot. Paula Patton smoulders as the bloodthirsty Jane Carter, hunting down an assassin and seeking revenge for the death of her partner, while Simon Pegg provides the comic relief as Dunn as well his over-enthusiastic perspective as the green rookie now that his field status has been approved.

In another brilliant piece of casting, an unexpected nemesis enters the fold with Michael Nyqvist playing the maniacal Kurt Hendricks who is hell-bent on bringing about Armageddon to give humanity a fresh start. It’s great to see Nyqvist ham it up as the bad guy, with moviegoers more familiar with his stalwart role as all around hero Mikael Blomkvist in the Millennium film trilogy.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a wild ride and the perfect popcorn action flick. The pacing is spot on with a stronger focus on hand-to-hand combat in this instalment bringing with it a distinct Bourne Identity feel. Brad Bird has done one hell of a job for his first Hollywood jaunt. Sydneysiders are in for a bonus if they head down to the IMAX at Darling Harbour. Before the screening you’ll be treated to a six-minute sneak peek of The Dark Knight Rises with an excerpt introducing the Caped Crusader’s latest nemesis, Bane.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL is in cinemas 14 December, 2011.

Review: Dave Kozicki

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds
Universal

THE makers of the film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had their work cut out for them from the outset. First off, the film is based on a renowned John le Carré novel from 1974 that was then faithfully adapted into a seven-part five-hour long BBC miniseries in 1979. Intimidating street cred aside, the concept of condensing the layered novel and five-hour faithful miniseries adaptation to two-hour flick would have been a challenge and a half.

And yet, for the most part, director Tomas Alfredson and writers Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan do an admirable job of capturing the essence of the core plot. Although, certain subplots and extended characterisation have had to be condensed, in some instances, to the point where particular important characters suffer from limited screen time.

Speaking of plot, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy tells the cerebral and juicy tale of a Cold War era MI6 (or “the Circus” as they call it due to its proximity to major London landmark, Piccadilly Circus) that has to deal with the harsh realities of uncovering a Soviet mole that is ranked high in the British spy agency. Unlike the original material, the Brits are actively seeking to open communication channels with American spy agencies, but are struggling to regain face after a series of unfortunate events.

Control (John Hurt) has dispatched undercover agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) to gather information on the identity of the MI6 mole. But after this plan backfires, Control is forced out as head of the Circus along with his top lieutenant George Smiley (Gary Oldman). When information about the mole resurfaces, Smiley is brought out of retirement to conduct a secret investigation to plug the Soviet leak.

The cast is impressive. Oldman owns his portrayal of Smiley in an eerie channelling of Sir Alec Guinness that is so spot on that it is disconcerting. Strong continues to showcase his diversity, providing heart to the drama. Hurt dominates with his more aggressive take on Control, while the supporting cast of Firth, Hardy and Cumberbatch all hit the right notes.

Impressively, the filmmakers retained many of the subtleties and pacing that made the BBC original so strong, with only minor gripes about plot conveniences  that jar next to otherwise clever composition. Our biggest complaint is the fact that some of the compelling characterisation featured in the BBC series takes a back seat for the sake of  plot advancement.

The always-strong Ciarán Hinds (as Roy Bland) is criminally underused, and the key roles of Toby Esterhase (David Dencik) and Percy Alleline (Toby Jones) are reduced to infrequent appearances. Inexplicable homosexual overtones regarding some of the characters feel tacked-on and superfluous to characterisation rather than an organic aspect of the story.

Ultimately, however, these concerns are minor by comparison to the overall achievement of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. In a world where savvy thrillers are often watered down with mindless action, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dares to defy convention and stay true to its roots where brains and smart storytelling triumph.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY is in cinemas January 19, 2012.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Midnight in Paris

Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen
Hopscotch

NOSTALGIA and the persistent feeling that things used to be better in the “good old days” is something most people can relate to.

Whether you hanker for a time when lopping limbs off recalcitrant peasants from atop a mighty steed was considered socially acceptable, or pine for a few weeks ago—before an unfortunate conquest in a nightclub toilet left you with a dose of something itchy and sticky—it’s a universal theme.

Everything looks better in retrospect and Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen’s latest film, takes this idea and runs with it.

The plot revolves around Gil (Owen Wilson) the typical neurotic, navel-gazing, Woody Allen analogue. Gil is a successful, albeit creatively discontented, screenwriter who is engaged to Inez (Rachel McAdams). Inez and her parents take Gil with them on a business trip to Paris.

The city of lights reinvigorates something within Gil, a spark of artistic inspiration and he starts pontificating about his novel and unfulfilled ambition to create something with meaning. Gil’s specific obsession with Paris in the 1920′s soon alienates Inez and her achingly bourgeois parents, leading the frustrated word nerd to drink too much wine and go for a boozy wander.

Before you can say “magical realism” a vintage car pulls up in front of the bewildered Gil, the occupants encouraging him to join them for more revelling. Gil goes along for the ride and before too long realises he has ended up in some kind of space/time delay—a portal to the very era he so earnestly yearns for: Paris in the 1920s.

This is where Midnight in Paris really comes to life. The 20 or so minutes it takes to get there are, frankly, a little painful. Certainly they’re meant to give Gil the requisite motivation to want to escape but it’s hard to imagine what he ever saw in Inez—other than the fact she’s kind of hot.

Your enjoyment of the rest of the film really depends on how charming you find the idea of going back in time to meet one’s literary and artistic idols. Gil is soon chatting with the likes of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Salvador Dali and T.S. Eliot, not to mention making time with Adriana (played by the toe-curlingly lovely Marion Cotillard).

What follows is an amiable enough little story that, while very predictable, is undeniably sweet and romantic. It’s certainly Woody Allen’s most accessible film in years, recalling The Purple Rose of Cairo in its sense of wit and whimsy.

Owen Wilson is never quite as convincing as he needs to be, coming off a bit too California surfer boy and not enough angsty artist but the rest of the cast are uniformly stellar. Corey Stoll, Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill (as Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald respectively) are particularly solid and give the film a sense of authenticity even when things take a turn for the silly.

Midnight in Paris is a slight but enjoyable movie and though one could be nostalgic for a time when Woody Allen used to make great films (Annie Hall, Manhattan) as opposed to pretty good ones—it does seem a rather petulant position to take. Taken as a sweet little adventure with solid acting, memorable moments and bulk travelogue footage—Midnight in Paris is a success.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is in cinemas now.

Review: Anthony O’Connor

Take Shelter

Director: Jeff Nichols

Cast: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Tova Stewart, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon

Sony Pictures

Take Shelter has been a long time coming to the big screen, given that it premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was summarily acquired by Sony Pictures in January.

Michael Shannon stars as family man Curtis who is plagued by dreams about the end of the world. Such is the impact of Curtis’ dreams that he starts to plan for their occurrence.

An unfortunate dream early on in the piece about his dog attacking him leads to Curtis forcing the inside dog outside and behind a fence. And when Curtis’ dreams begin to consistently reflect a storm of biblical proportions, he starts to work on fortifying the family’s dusty storm shelter.

Fearing what his wife Samantha (Jessica Chastain) will think, Curtis tries to keep his storm shelter renovations a secret. But there’s only so much discrete potentiality when trying to drop a shipping container in the backyard to expand the storage potential of your existing storm shelter.

The problem is that their hearing-impaired daughter Hannah (Tova Stewart) requires life-changing surgery that’s dependent on Curtis’ job-supplied life insurance. And considering he’s been borrowing company equipment to work on the storm shelter, Samantha is less than impressed.

Even though Curtis believes enough in his apocalyptic visions to start taking measures to protect his family from their potentiality, he’s not completely without reason. He secretly seeks professional help, protecting his family on two fronts: from his probable failing sanity and from the humanity-destroying storm that he believes is coming.

To reap the real rewards of Take Shelter, you’ll have to be prepared for a slow burn. Although Curtis’ dreams/visions are quite frequent and intense, the pacing of the film is very slow.

In fact, it’s a difficult watch in parts because of the constant dichotomy of the small family drama versus the constant musing over whether Curtis’ dreams will prove him sane or insane.

Even though Take Shelter does a good job of balancing out the potential insanity versus potential apocalypse push and pull, the further you get into the film, the more apparent it is that it can only end in one of those ways. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. At the point where I started losing interest, Michael Shannon showed his acting diversity in a Curtis-versus-town confrontation scene that’s well worth the lead up. Thankfully, the ending also comes together in a wholly satisfying way that rewards the patient viewer.

Take Shelter may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for patient viewers looking for a different type of film with a strong character focus, this both impresses and, thankfully, makes a whole lot of sense by the time the credits roll.

TAKE SHELTER opens nationally on October 13, 2011

Review: Nathan Lawrence