The 2011 Top Ten

2011 was the year of the true story adaptation. It was also the year of dogs, cats, horses, dolphins and exotic birds of paradise. Here are the Top Ten films reviewed this year, linked to my review of them at the time.


Red Dog
Brimming with a memorable and distinctive charm, this great Aussie yarn made for an unforgettable film that almost (unbelievably) drowned in the film distribution cycle of slap-down, international blockbusters. But once word was out, audiences flocked to it in their droves and were superbly rewarded for their devotion to the tale of loyal red kelpie and the extent to which he brought the disparate, hard-working folk of a mining community together. The mighty Pilbara locations co-starred with an excellent ensemble who took on the challenges of Daniel Talitz’s flashback-based screenplay with dedication, skill, passion and great humour.

War Horse
Steven Spielberg delivered this vast, emotional drama to the screen in unforgettable style and it contains some of the grandest and most haunting sequences of the year. The story of young Albert Narracott’s lifelong bond with his horse Joey plunged us into the horrors of World War I – when tanks and howitzers replaced bayonets, rifles and the cavalry. The desperate escalation of the battle was surpassed only by Joey’s flight for his life into No Man’s Land in an almost unwatchable sequence, delivered to the screen in a way only possible when a crew is working with a director at the peak of their creative prowess.

Snowtown
This gruelling, unapologetic Australian psychodrama about the extent to which vulnerable communities can be decimated by ambitious, blood-lusty individuals was one of the most talked-about films of the year. The brilliant cast nailed every moment of escalating cruelty – lead by Louise Harris in one of the performances of year as the tortured matriarch who could only, almost wordlessly, watch as her beloved family was destroyed from the inside out.

Puss in Boots
This dazzling triumph of character animation tangoed effortlessly with Tom Wheeler’s delightfully entertaining screenplay about well-loved and well-known fairytale and nursery rhyme characters. Antonio Banderas purred his way perfectly through the story of the heroic, swashbuckling cat we first met in Shrek 2 – and the eye-popping beanstalk sequences remain amongst the most spectacular and inventive examples of 3D animation we witnessed this year.

The Fighter
Nominated for seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture), this was another true story adaptation that boasted an outstanding performances from an ensemble that included Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. Mr Wahlberg played Mickey Ward, a young boxer determined to step out of the long shadow cast by his crack cocaine-addicted older brother (Mr Bale) and match up with the world’s best fighters on his own terms. The lashings of unexpected humour balanced the intense family intrigue perfectly, with Ms Leo (Frozen River, 21 Grams) storming off with the acting honours as the brothers’ ambitious and controlling mother.

Dolphin Tale
Continuing the trend this year of true stories being adapted for the screen, this beautifully-made film about a boy’s love for an injured dolphin can honestly be described as perfect family entertainment. While it occasionally threatened to drown in twee sentimentality, actor-turned-director Charles Martin elicited fine performance from his uniformly excellent cast. But it was the performances from young star Nathan Gamble and a determined little dolphin called ‘Winter’ that took us somewhere very special.

Rio
From the moment Rio de Janeiro’s native birdlife burst into song, it was perfectly clear we were going on a very special ride. Bold, colourful and unsentimental, Rio’s dazzling aerial escape and pursuit sequences nudged the 3D animation bar set by How to Train Your Dragon. John Powell’s samba-infused original score and the charming voice-work of Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada), ensured this impossibly lively take on the age-old rites of passage formula raced not only to the top of the worldwide box office, but into our hearts.

Thor
Australian-born Chris Hemsworth’s star shot well and truly in the Hollywood stratosphere with his tilt at the title role of Marvel Comics’ Thor. Boasting magnificent visual effects (including an unforgettable Bifrost Bridge) and an ensemble of spirited performances, director Kenneth Branagh (Henry V) escorted his cast and crew to the very heights of the Marvel Comics universe.

Moneyball
What might have been an idle ‘based on a true story’ curiosity about the behind-the-scenes machinations of a struggling baseball team actually turned out to be one of the best films of the year. Brad Pitt delivered a great performance as the team’s General Manager, while Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and Steven Zaillian’s (Schindler’s List) compelling screenplay explored the theme of the extent to which greatness can be found in the most unlikely people (and circumstances) to perfection.

Unstoppable
The simple premise – two engineers (Chris Pine and Denzel Washington) must chase down a rogue locomotive and its rolling stock laden with toxic chemicals before it derails in the middle of a heavily-populated American town – was masterfully executed. Every detail of this dare-devil action adventure was captured from every possible nail-biting angle by director Tony Scott and cinematographer Ben Seresin, while yet another based on a true story hook added an extra dimension of gritty authenticity.

This list was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.

Film Review: War Horse

War Horse. Rated M (war violence and themes). 146 minutes. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Screenplay by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis. Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo and the stage adaptation by Nick Stafford.

Steven Spielberg’s grand, career-long study of the qualities of redemption – mostly, as in Schlinder’s List, based on the sins of others – reaches a particular kind of zenith with this magnificent film about a young man’s life-long bond with his horse, Joey. Having witnessed its birth, Albert Narracott (a singularly impressive debut from Jeremy Irvine, pictured) soon finds himself breaking-in the yearling – and the long first act of War Horse is a fastidious telling of the formation of this extraordinary relationship, which culminates in a miraculous feat of farming. On the eve of World War I, Joey is sold to the British cavalry and a distraught Albert promises him that once the war is over, he will come and find him and bring him home.

Based on Mr Morpurgo’s novel and Mr Stafford’s stage adaptation for the National Theatre of Great Britain (now its fourth year of performances), Mr Hall (Billy Elliot) and Mr Curtis’s (Love Actually, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill) screenplay neatly accounts for the involving episodes from Joey’s life and manages to contain what might have been an unwieldy, rambling odyssey into a mostly captivating and emotional drama.

The work of the team of horse trainers – including Bobby Lovgren and Gold Coast-based Zelie Bullen – ensures that the four-legged stars (a total of fourteen horses were used to play Joey) are the absolute standouts. The astonishing sequence when Joey faces off with a tank before running for his life through the trenches and ending up in No Man’s Land rates as the cinematic sequence of the year – and could probably only ever have been brought to the screen by a master filmmaker and storyteller like Mr Spielberg and his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List).

While it certainly over-cooks its ending, War Horse remains an incredible cinematic achievement – and a richly rewarding film experience you will remember forever.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.

The 2011 YAWNIES

Welcome to the 2011 YAWNIES – my list of the most inexplicable, dire and least value-for-money cinematic offerings of the year. Each film is linked to my review of them at the time.

Black Swan
If there is one piece of good news to come out of this rambling, shambolic delinquency, it’s that generously-proportioned musical theatre star Trevor Ashley (Hairspray) has adapted it for the cabaret stage – and called it “Fat Swan”. For his part, director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) did for Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Swan Lake (and ballet in general) what Snowtown did for the South Australian Tourism Commission. What to watch instead: Swan Lake.

Contagion
Filmmakers have been re-imagining the ‘killer virus eradicates the entire human population’ sub-genre since time immemorial – and Steven Soderbergh’s (Erin Brockovich) take on it was one of the most eagerly-anticipated films of the year. Regrettably, an A-list cast of Hollywood’s finest ended up in one of the longest and most tedious Dettol commercials in history. What to watch instead: I Am Legend.

Cowboys and Aliens
If the grand cinematic theme for 2011 was a “what on earth were they thinking?!”, then this genre mash-up misfire would certainly get to blow out all the candles on the cake. While it might have seemed curious, original and inventive on paper, it ended up taking itself far too seriously and outstaying its welcome by a good 20 minutes. What to watch instead: Anything with John Wayne in it.

I Am Number Four
The performances from Australian-born actors Callan McAuliffe and Teresa Palmer were the most promising aspects of this clumsy, Terminator-lite attempt at creating a sci-fi franchise. Similarly to last year’s 2012, the expert pedigree behind the scenes in this case should have absolutely guaranteed a vastly superior result to the one we all ended up having to sit through. What to watch instead: Terminator.

In Time
The other recurring cinematic theme of 2011 was films failing to realise their potential – for which In Time was a prime candidate. Instead of unleashing its sleigh-load of exciting, sci-fi laced dramatic possibilities, a bunch of Hollywood’s hottest young things (lead by Justin Timberlake) ended up running about all over the place looking gorgeous, while desperately trying to dodge the clunky and over-used ‘time as currency’ metaphors. What to watch instead: Logan’s Run.

Limitless
Take one Mr Bradley Cooper (The Hangover movies). Add the very occasionally techno-dazzling transformations of time and place based on a morally and ethically suspect plot about the side-effects of taking some kind of wonder-drug. Then add the very excellent Australian-born Abbie Cornish (Somersault, Bright Star). Finally, add the star-power of Robert De Niro (for whom it hasn’t been the best of years). The result? Surprisingly, nothing of any real interest. What to watch instead: Inception.

New Year’s Eve
This formulaic, trite, waste of talent and time has been roundly celebrated as one of the worst movies of 2011. Guilty of not only treating its audience as complete morons, New Year’s Eve managed to take one of the most dramatically, comically and romantically-infused nights of the year and turn it into the cinematic equivalent of watching paint dry. What to watch instead: The Poseidon Adventure.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Hollywood’s originality (and identity) crisis hit a new low with this long and predictable reboot of the unforgettable Planet of the Apes films – which began with Planet of the Apes (1968). Andy Serkis (The Adventures of Tintin, Kong in King Kong, Gollum in The Lord of the Rings) proved, yet again, that he is the go-to guy for performance capture – to the extent to which there is intense industry lobbying to have a new Oscar category created especially for him. What to watch instead: Charlton Heston in the original Planet of the Apes.

Super 8
The party this year was seriously crashed by this great, big, muddled, over-produced clunker – most memorable for the extent to which it self-consciously referenced (and revered) every Steven Spielberg movie made before it. When army tanks weren’t crashing through and crushing the swings in the playground, ET’s cranky relative turned up to fling white goods around. What to watch instead: Stand By Me.

The 2011 YAWNIES were commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.

Film Review: Dolphin Tale and Festive Season Previews

The 2011 cinematic year winds up with the excellent Dolphin Tale and a collection of eagerly-anticipated festive season releases.



Dolphin Tale (PG)
Only the hardest of hearts will not melt at some stage during this beautifully-made film about a boy’s love for an injured dolphin. Nathan Gamble (The Dark Knight, Marley & Me) is exceptional as Sawyer Nelson – a shy boy whose life is literally turned upside down when he helps rescue a dolphin that has been washed ashore, tangled up in a crab trap.

Based on a true story – and starring ‘Winter’ the actual dolphin hero of the story (pictured above with Mr Gamble) – Dolphin Tale packs a big, emotional punch. Gamble receives excellent support from Harry Connick Jr, Ashley Judd, Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Morgan Freeman, while Austin Stowell (as Sawyer’s cousin Kyle) carries off the weighty subplot about an injured soldier returning from the war with a fine performance of understated sincerity.

It is impossible to deny the impact that Winter had, and continues to have, on people who have their own particular physical challenges to conquer – and actor-turned-director Charles Martin Smith, quite understandably, focuses entirely on the strength of the performances and is handsomely rewarded for his faith. It’s equally impossible to recall a film that could honestly be described as perfect family entertainment – and while Karen Janszen and Noam Dromi’s screenplay occasionally comes perilously close to drowning in earnest sentimentality, it is young Mr Gamble’s outstanding performance and an absolutely determined little dolphin that, combined, take us somewhere very special indeed.

Puss in Boots (PG)
Second only to The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Puss in Boots has proven itself to be an undisputed winner at the box office, and is entirely worthy of its success. A solid screenplay and exceptional 3D animation, combined with the voices of Antonio Banderas (Puss), Salma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws) and Zach Galifianakis (Humpty Dumpty), has ensured that this Shrek spinoff is enjoying a life of its own. Like Dolphin Tale, Puss in Boots delivers a richly layered story in the grand tradition of storytelling for children, with more than enough subtle innuendo to keep the adults equally as entertained.

Happy Feet Two (PG)
More 3D mayhem – this time with an endearing cast of penguins – is promised when George Miller’s sequel to his Academy Award-winning Happy Feet (2006) is released on Boxing Day. Elijah Wood (best-known as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of The Rings trilogy) returns as the voice of Mumble, and is joined by Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon – to name just a few of the Hollywood A-listers whose voices will no doubt help bring Mr Miller’s gloriously imagined penguin colony to life again.

War Horse (M)
If there is a director who can be relied on to bring a big picture epic to the screen in all its magnificence these days, then that director would be Steven Spielberg. Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse is the story of young Albert Narracott’s (Jeremy Irvine) horse Joey who serves in the army during World War I. The novel was also adapted for the stage (enjoying hugely successful runs in London and New York), with a production due to open in Melbourne in 2012. While it’s impossible to judge a film on the strength of its promotional trailer, there can be no denying that War Horse looks as though it will be every bit as involving as the pre-release anticipation would suggest.

We Bought a Zoo (PG)
In case you hadn’t noticed, the big theme of the festive season release schedule is animals – and We Bought a Zoo is about as animal-centric as you could possibly get. Based on a true story, the film stars Matt Damon as the recently-widowed Benjamin Mee who buys a derelict zoo (and all its animals) and moves in with his two young children Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) and Dylan (Colin Ford) to resurrect it. Directed by Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous), the film also stars Scarlett Johansson as zookeeper (and love interest) Kelly Foster.

The Adventures of Tintin (PG)
When Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson (The Lord of The Rings, King Kong) are at the top of their game, you can be guaranteed of something special – and this 3D adventure has all the hallmarks of being a hugely popular choice for the holidays. Based on the comic books created by Belgian artist Hergé, The Adventures of Tintin uses state-of-the-art performance capture technology to record the actors’ movements before they are rendered into digitally animated characters. The technology has come a long way since The Polar Express (2004), and Jamie Bell (best known as Billy Elliot) plays the young journalist Tintin. And yes, there’s an animal involved – Tintin’s trusty dog Snowy.

This review and festive season previews were commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.

Film Review: New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve. Rated M (infrequent coarse language). 118 minutes. Directed by Garry Marshall. Screenplay by Katherine Fugate.

There are some fantastic movies about New Year’s Eve and all its attendant, high-stakes emotional drama. The first one that springs to mind is The Poseidon Adventure (1972, pictured), in which a glittering cast of Hollywood A-listers find themselves fighting for survival when the majestic SS Poseidon is capsized by a freak wave right on the stroke of midnight.

And then there’s New Year’s Eve.

Just as he did with Valentine’s Day, Mr Marshall (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries, Beaches) lines up the ducks and shoots them in this trite, formulaic and laugh-less affair. At its worst – which is most of the time – it’s the cinematic equivalent of watching paint dry. At its best – largely due to engaging turns from Zac Efron (as a delivery boy) and an unrecognisable Michelle Pfeiffer (as an eccentric woman with a bucket list) – New Year’s Eve only ever threatens to sparkle and sing.

Ms Fugate’s (Valentine’s Day) bloated screenplay contains fleeting whispers of originality, while mostly being bogged-down in one tedious ‘festive season’ cliché after another as a bunch of Hollywood’s finest email in performances of incomprehensibly one-dimensional dullness.

There’s the terminally-ill Stan (Robert De Niro), who may not live to see in the new year. There’s the cynical Randy (Ashton Kutcher) who gets stuck in a lift with songbird Elise (Lea Michele). Then there’s Claire (Hilary Swank) whose job is to make sure that New York City’s famous Times Square ball drops. Then there’s neurotic mom Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Ms Parker’s real-life husband Matthew Broderick (who gives the appearance of having dropped in to film his cameo while on the way to the 7/11). And on and on it goes.

Not only is New Year’s Eve a monumental waste of talent and time, its opportunistic, manipulative and cynical exploitation of some grand themes (the Iraq war, terminal illness, loneliness and despair at this time of year, and so on) borders on offensive. Just as well there’s some unintentionally bizarre curiosities to distract us all from the terminal boredom – of which watching Jon Bon Jovi trying to act is the absolute winner.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.

Film Review: Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots. Rated PG (mild violence). 90 minutes. Directed by Chris Miller. Screenplay by Tom Wheeler.

Created by Frenchman Charles Perrault and first appearing in a collection of eight fairytales published in 1697, Puss in Boots – a heroic, swashbuckling cat – has long been a source of childhood fascination. It might also be argued that the enigmatic Puss has rarely been so perfectly realised than in his scene-stealing supporting role in DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek films (he debuted in 2004’s Shrek 2). Superbly animated and brilliantly voiced by Antonio Banderas, Puss was the perfect foil for the grumpy, green ogre and his loyal donkey – and his instant rapport with his co-stars and audiences of adults and children alike, immediately sparked rumours of a spin-off. Has the seven-year wait been worth it? Uncategorically, yes.

Puss in Boots is never anything less than a dazzling triumph of character animation and storytelling for all ages as Puss (a perfect Mr Banderas again), his childhood friend Humpty Alexander Dumpty (The Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis), and Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) join forces to steal the, now, middle-aged hillbillies Jack and Jill’s (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris) magic beans. The beans, as we all know, will grow into a giant beanstalk that our heroes will climb to reach the goose that lays the golden eggs – untold wealth that can be distributed amongst the good people of their hometown, San Ricardo. But Mother Goose has other ideas.

Mr Wheeler’s screenplay is a delightfully engaging and equally involving mash-up of popular nursery rhyme and fairytale characters, and Mr Miller (Shrek the Third) capitalises on every single opportunity to bring the collision of instantly recognisable characters to life. Editor Eric Dapkewicz (Flushed Away, Monsters vs Aliens) expertly nails the pace, while the choreography by Laura Gorenstein Miller is so good that, at times, it is almost impossible to believe you’re actually watching animated characters.

Henry Jackman’s (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) flawless original score perfectly captures every mood and location, while the skills of production designer Guillaume Aretos and art director Christian Schellewald ensure that the entire film is a stunning visual treat. Amongst the unforgettable luxury of riches are the eye-popping beanstalk sequences that easily qualify as the most spectacular animation we’ve seen this year.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspaper Group.