Malcolm

Director: Nadia Tass

Year: 1986

Running Time: 85 Minutes

Rated: PG

Genre: Comedy

Plot

Colin Friels is Malcolm, a slow witted, painfully shy young man who has a talent for creating mechanical devices. He also has a great obsession with trams. Malcolm lives on his own in a quiet street in an outer suburb of Melbourne, Collingwood to be exact. When he becomes in need of financial assistance Malcolm decides to rent out a spare room in his house as to the advice of the local shop keeper. In no time at all Frank, (John Hargreaves) an ex convict and serial burglar moves in, followed soon after by his girlfriend Judy who works as a waitress. This is when Malcolm begins to come out of his shell and slowly begins to form a bond with Frank and Judy that then develops into a friendship. During this time Judy loses her job and decides to team up with Frank and Malcolm to embark on a career as bank robbers. With Frank’s naturally aggressive persona, Malcolm’s genius for mechanics and a ladies touch from Judy it proofs to be a perfect and unique match.

My Thoughts

When I was in year 8 we had to study this film as part of our English assessment. Our teacher could not have picked a better film, we watched it twice and then we had to write an essay on it. I was a shocking writer back then with little to no confidence but I still enjoyed analysing the film and listening to the teacher talk about it. It’s an absolute gem of an Australian film and one if my all time favourites.

The plot is intriguing from the very moment the film starts. Straight I wanted to know more and more about this peculiar man. It’s well paced with carefully balance moments of humour and drama and does not give anything away to quickly. The characters are well developed and how Malcolm is shown coming out of his shell and becoming more and more comfortable with his new tenants is well executed and quite humours at time.

Performances are wonderful all round. Colin Friels is just incredible as Malcolm; I cannot tell you how much I love this guy as an actor. The other night I was watching Tomorrow When the War Began. I hadn’t seen it before and to my complete and utter surprise, when I saw the man himself appear on screen I literally wanted to shout out, holy shit that’s Colin Friels! He’s crazy awesome!

The main musical theme to this film is simple, up beat and nice to sit back and to listen. In a way it kind of reflects the quirkiness tone this film has. There is one musical number that will be stuck in your head for days; you’ll when you hear it. I still find myself whistling it on occasion.

The outer Melbourne suburb provides a perfect setting for this type of film. It’s a working class area which works well in displaying the diverse rang of cultures and personalities. The famous Melbourne W Class Trams almost serve as another character.  

Malcolm is a charming comedy with a genuine expression of off beat Australia humour. I find myself watching it time and time against, for me it’s a timeless classic. 

Tomorrow When the War Began

Director: Stuart Bettie

Year: 2010

Running Time: 103 Minutes

Rated: M

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama

Plot

Based on the novel by John Marsden of the same name, Tomorrow When the War began tells the story of eight unlikely high school teenagers who return to from a camping trip find that their country has been invaded; they then band together to fight invading army with a dangerous gorilla style tactics.

My Thoughts

I avoided this film for quite a while because the subject matter makes me quite angry. The thought of Australia being invaded really offends me. I love Australia, it’s one of the greatest countries in the world and there is no legitimate reason for any country to invade. But it’s just a movie, a work of fiction so maybe I just need to relax a little.

I read the first novel in high school but I found to be very boring and just couldn’t get into it. The movie however moves along much faster, I suppose it has to if you are trying to fit a whole novel into just over 90 minutes. The plot I find to be not very believable, if it were based on a real life situation the movie would be over in half an hour.

The characters are very stereotypical; you have the rich girl, an Asian guy, a jock, a stoner, a Christian, a bad boy and a tough chick. Performances are good but not great, there are some moments that will make you cringe, which is also largely due to poor dialogue. Caitlin Stasey as Ellie gives the strongest performance, not a bad young actress for someone who was once on Neighbours.

Action sequences are very impressive, and are almost Hollywood standard, which of course means it does get far fetched; such a petrol tanker being used to bring down a bridge.

I think fans of the novel will enjoy this highly anticipated adaptation. I for the most part did despite it's flaws.  

Crimson Tide

Director: Tony Scott

Year: 1995

Running Time: 116 Minutes

Rated: M

Genre: Action, Drama

Plot

When a Russian Rebel Army lead by an unstable dictator take control of a nuclear facility, the United States deploy a nuclear class submarine, to retaliate if any missiles are launched from the facility.

One board is Capt. Frank Ramsey, one of the few sub commanders left with combat experience.

And Lt. Commander Ron Hunter who is a last minute replacement due to the previous Lt. Commander succumbing to illness. Both men have different methods of management and clash when orders are given to launch their missile against the Russian target.

My Thoughts

The plot is simple and easy to follow. It does a great job of building up the tension and making you feel as if you an inside the sub deep beneath the ocean amerced in all the drama.

What I really love about films like this one is the attention to detail. You can tell a great deal of effort has been put in to make it authentic as possible. Even the vocabulary is sounds very authentic. It’s not just straight military talk; they give nick names to certain things, such referring to ICBMs (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile) as ‘Birds’.

Gene Hackmen’s performance is magnificent and at times terrifying as the no-nonsense old school Capt. Frank Ramsey. Denzel Washington gives an excellent and very intense performance as

Lt. Commander Ron Hunter. Performances from the supporting cast are solid particularly from Viggo Mortensen and James Gandolfini, know to most these days as Tony from the hit HBO series

The Sopranos.

The music is that same music you’re heard in almost every Jerry Bruckheimer film from the mid to late 90’s. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

Overall this is an edge of thrill ride with great action and plenty of suspenseful moments that are well executed. 

Mac and Me

Director: Stewart Raffill

Year: 1988

Running Time: 95 Minutes

Rated: G

Genre: Family

Plot

An alien family are accidently sucked into an NASA space probe which then returns along with its new cargo back to earth for examination. The aliens manage to escape capture but are separated from one of the younger members of their family, who is later befriended by a young boy in a wheel chair.

My Thoughts

When I was a kid I use to love this movie, but as a kid I would watch anything. I watched it unintentionally, I asked my mum if we could rent E.T., but the local video store’s copy was out. So the clerk there suggested Mac and Me. I remember she said something along the lines of “Rent Mac and Me, it’s just like E.T. and just as good. Nope, this is barley even a movie, it’s more like a 90 minute advertisement for Coca-Cola and McDonalds. The little alien’s name is Mac, a reference to the Big Mac.

A friend and I watched this together recently after for the first time in since our childhood. We had a good laugh at it; we spent most of the movie pointing out when we ever saw a can of coke and how bizarre it was that these aliens can’t seem to get enough of it. Towards the end of the movie they wander into a supermarket and where did they go? straight over to the coke that’s where.

So the plot is very similar to that of E.T., but it’s missing everything that made E.T the wonderful movie that it still is today. The acting is noting short of awful and as for the characters, I just didn’t care.

After watching this movie I felt, like a can of coke. So at least the movie did do it’s job as an advertisement.

 

Review: The Dream Team (1989)

We begin with four patients of a sanitarium in New Jersey.

There’s Billy (Michael Keaton) who is a pathological liar and prone to violent behaviour. Henry (Christopher Lloyd) who is an obsessive compulsive and thinks he is one of the doctors on staff at the hospital. Jack (Peter Boyle) a former advertising executive who believes he is Jesus Christ. And finally Albert, (Stephen Furst) a man-child with an unusual obsession with baseball, constantly repeating phrases he has heard during games.

Their psychiatrist Dr. Jeff Weitzman (Dennis Boutsikaris) persuades the hospital’s administration to allow him to take them into the city to attend a baseball game at Yankee Stadium, convince that some fresh air and time away from the hospital will do his patients a world of good.

While in city during bathroom stop for Albert, Dr Weitzman witnesses a murder then he is attacked and hospitalized. When our four patients learn that their doctor is going to be murdered, they must each overcome their delusions and work together as a team to save him in time. 

The movie starts off well, we’re introduced to the characters through a session of group therapy which gives us a good insight into each of their personalities. How the four patients interact with each other and their doctor as well as the dialogue is hilarious. The second half is when the plot begins to suffer. I think the idea these four delusional characters out roaming the streets of New York city provides an endless list of possibilities, but the plot of saving their doctor from corrupt police officers is not very creative I think. There are still quite plenty of laughs to be had, how ever it begins to drag and actually gets a little boring up until the end.

Performances all round are decent, Michael Keaton and Christopher Lloyd’s in particular.

A young Lorraine Bracco has a supporting role as Billy’s former love interest. A year later she earned an Oscar nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas.

On a musical note the movie does features some hit songs such as Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles and 80’s hit Walk the Dinosaur by Was Not Was.

Overall I found this to be an entertaining comedy but it does have its draw backs.

The characters are the main reason to keep watching in spite of the unimaginative direction the plot takes later in the film.

★★★

The Wrong Man (1956)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Year: 1956

Running Time: 101 Minutes

Rated: PG

Genre: Drama/Film Noir

Plot

This is the true story of Manny Balestrero, an honest hardworking musician at New York’s famous Stork Club. When Manny is mistaken for a man who has committed a string of armed robberies his world is thrown into turmoil. He protests his innocents and tries desperately to clear his name with authorities, but wile doing so his beloved wife begins to fall apart under the train of the whole ordeal.

My Thoughts

Alfred Hitchcock delivers a compelling story full of tension that made me as the view feeling genuinely frightened for Manny’s dilemma. The plot is simple but it never gets boring. It does a great job of really drawing you in, making you feel that you’re right in there with the characters in some scenes.

The imagery is spellbinding, very stylish with great use of shadows that really enhance the film’s rather sinister tone.

Henry Fonda is excellent as Manny Balestrero who is a devoted husband and loving father to his children, proving that he is well suited for this type of Character. Vera Miles who later goes on to appear in Hitchcock’s Psycho as Janet Leigh’s sister, plays Manny’s wife, who is very convincing as a woman that is raiding descending into the very depths of despair over her husband’s terrible ordeal. There is also a small appearance by a pre Hogan’s Heroes and talented character actor Werner Klemperer as psychiatrist who is treating Manny’s distraught wife.

The film ends very quickly once Manny’s ordeal is behind him, it does feel a little rushed but it is on a positive note which is welcomed and it answered he questioned that I was begging to worry that might not be answered.

Overall another fine piece of work from mater filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock that any fan of his and the genre will most certainly enjoy.

The Birdcage

Director: Mike Nichols

Year: 1996

Running Time: 119 Minutes

Rated: M

Genre: Comedy

Plot

The Birdcage is a remake of the 1978 French film/play "La Cage Aux Folles". Gay cabaret owner Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) and his drag queen companion Albert (Nathan Lane) who is also the star of the cabaret, reluctantly agree to play it straight so their son can introduce them to his fiancé's ultraconservative republican parents, play by Gene Hackman and Diane Wiest.

My Thoughts

The plot is relatively simple and easy to follow and is well balance with the subplot, going back and forth until tying in together nicely for the second half of the film.

The tropical style music suits the night club atmosphere of South Beach, Florida and fits in well with the film’s theme as a well as the recurring song We Are Family by Sister Sledge.

The cinematography does a great job of capturing Florida’s tropical climate with bright colours and an orange overtone to create the feeling of summer heat. It’s also works as a refection of the character’s life style within that homosexual community.  

The casting in this movie is spot on. Nathan Lane and Robin Williams are terrific and have great chemistry as the happily “married” gay couple, even though it is a bit stereotypical. Gene Hackman is well suited in his role as republican senator Kevin Keeley along with his supporting and devoted wife Diane Wiest. Who both have their fair share of hilarious moments, particularly Hackman; and of course not to mention Hank Azaria as the Goldman’s gay and outrageously flamboyant Guatemalan house-keeper Agador.

I was very satisfied in how the movie ended. It wasn’t rushed and it didn’t leave me with any questions as to what happens now, just a whole lot of laughter.

The Birdcage is a comedy that’s full of energy, with superb camp value and knee slapping hilarious one-liners that are delivered perfectly. And in a time where gay marriage is treated as such a serious and political issue this is a great film that enables you to just sit back relax and have a good laugh.

 

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Director: George Seaton

Year: 1947

Running Time: 96 Minutes

Rated: G

Genre: Family

Plot

Edmund Gwenn is Kris Kringle; a nice old man who has been hired as the Macy’s Department Store Santa. When he claims to be the real Santa the store have him institutionalized as insane. However a young up and coming lawyer decides to defend him and prove in a court that he is indeed just who he says he is.

My Thoughts

This movie has appeared on many lists of the greatest all time Christmas movies so I was eager to find out if it was as good as people had said. Indeed it was. To put it quite simply this is a nice little movie. Edmund Gwenn’s is marvellous as the charming and kind hearted Kris Kringle; whose presence lights up the screen. Natalie Wood is absolutely adorable as little Susan Walker.

Such a talented actress at only ten years of age is truly remarkable. The movie does a great job of really capturing the essence of the era in which it was filmed; a time when thing were simple and much more care free. Overall this is a wonderful movie to watch with family and friends over the holiday season.