Ethan.H.Field Reviews

Lantana (2001)

Another polished Australian Cop-Drama

[6 September 2002]

I am starting to think that the Australian film industry is obsessed with the under-belly of its police force! Some latent penal colony social disorder, I wonder? Following in the footsteps of such previous TV cop dramas as E-Street, Blue Murder, Wildside, Murder-call and the currently running Young Lions, this complex character piece is a worthy culmination of Australian TV's work on the subject matter. The opening scene's depiction of a dead body encased in the twisted, interconnected vines of a Lantana bush provides the visual symbolism for what is to follow. It is the connections between people that is the focus of this piece. What pulls us together and what rips us apart. Stress and violence, judgment and resentment, trust and loyalty.

Well acted, deftly directed and a worthy story make this a treat. Some scenes shot around the Balmain area made me home-sick!

Baise-moi (2000)

Rough as guts but I liked it

[7/10 · 29 August 2002]

The graphic violence reminded me of the cartoon violence of Pulp Fiction. The taboo-breaking graphic sex was of a cartoon nature too. Deliberately mechanical it had very little to do with sex as most would understand it. This sets it apart from pornography which by definition intends to titilate. In this regard Baise Moi does not fit into the porn category. It certainly has faults. Stylistically it does resemble a bad porn movie, but I tend to think that was the intention. Unlike many of the reviewers, I liked the acting and found the central characters essentially likeable in a strangely uneasy way which was essential for the movie to work.

Like a rough cut Clockwork Orange this one may take on a cult status as an allegory for the clash between straight & bent, under-society & over society and particularly male & female.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

Poor casting

[20 May 2002]

Yes its a great franchise and remains cutting edge on the technical side..... But what is the essential ingredient in a good movie based on a story? Personally I favor the interaction and development of the central characters. I think a more simple explanation is at the root of the emptiness of the last two episodes.... Poor casting. What was a regal bearing in Alec Guiness manifests itself as sensitive, fussy and even camp in Ewan McGregor. He doesn't cut it. Temuera Morrison gets past the special effects to deliver a good performance as does Christopher Lee and for that matter Samuel L. But Christensen has no charisma and he is the central character in this instalment. He lacks complexity in what could have been an excellent role for an edgey young upstart. Picture someone of the caliber of a starting out Sean Penn playing the role. Cool, likeable but with a distinct dark side, being mentored by ..... problem to find an English star who is not foppish and or a whimp... and who is not rough like bleedin Vinnie Jones. If Rene the Texan can do a convincing English accent then..... get an Australian to do it. Back when Menace was being cast they could have afforded Russell, Guy and Hugh..

Actually this is not the first bad cast... Its not surprising that Mark Hamill made no further splash after the first three episodes. Can you imagine the first series working without Harrison Ford or for that matter Carrie Fisher? They carried it and without similar quality we are left with a beautiful but ultimately fickle piece. Natalie Portman has been accused of being used as a clothes horse and the movies itself could easily be characterized in the same way.

Vertical Limit (2000)

Strap on the Nitro!

[7/10 · 28 February 2002]

Completely absurd, enjoyable action flick, with the suspension of disbelief breaking as regularly as the actor's climbing anchors. Temura Morrison as a Pakistani helicopter pilot speaking Urdu in a Maori accent was priceless. Poor old Aussies too... every Australian in the show was depicted or described as being incredibly sexist. The American view of Australians as being likeable, uncouth, skilled outdoorsmen was nicely reinforced. Every Australian is Paul Hogan with a different outfit. BUT... I liked it in the same way I liked "Point Break"... mindless likeable fluff. I suspect that one of the reasons this film has irritated so many is that it alludes regularly to the essense of climbing, its codes and spiritual leanings, while at the same time paying no respect at all to the technical limits of the sport. I have some sympathy for this position but enjoyed the trip anyway. Oh, and it gave us an addition to the English language "strap on the nitro!" meaning "get yourself ready as we are about to do something extremely stupid and probably insanely dangerous". Must be said in a strong Australian accent for full effect.

Sorted (2000)

Messy

[6/10 · 17 October 2000]

The club scenes, probably filmed in the Ministry were excellent, although the context, being a poor northern boy from Scunthorpe wandering into an alien world, was a bit over-played. Some of the best clubs in England are in Yorkshire these days! The clubbers we are introduced to are caricatures. Tim Curry as the villain was dreadful and the plot meandered and lacked credibility. All up the film tried to do too much. "Human Traffic" may have been a bit silly but was much more true to club culture. The thriller component in "Sorted" echoed a little of "Usual Suspects", but certainly was not in the same league. The acting from Matthew Rys and Sienna Gullory, as the leads, was excellent and hopefully a leg-up for them to get better roles. Special mention for an almost unrecognizable Jason Donovan, who played an excellent drag queen, very convincingly!

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

Gas Heads unite, you have nothing to fear but your car being stolen!

[6/10 · 17 October 2000]

A-List actors working on a B-grade movie. The acting wasn't bad there was just nothing to do with the script. Quotable lines were bounced in, but were a bit contrived rather than having a natural place. Great cars, nice action sequences. Very predictable. Would have benefited from a bit more edge. They should have killed off Angeline or something sad like that. Or killed off Cage and his little brother like in "Thelma and Louise". They should have all died in a big car smash. Lovely. Instead we got a slurpy, dribbly, back-slapping ending. The actors should all donate their salaries to the "Victims of Car Chases" and be damned for all time to drive MPVs.

The Beach (I) (2000)

Missed the Boat

[6/10 · 3 September 2000]

DiCaprio is over exposed in this difficult movie dedicated to the psychology of the advanced backpacker. Some Backpackers do their time and go back to start their careers while some want to drag out the process. The constant search for better drugs, a better beach, a better party... The locale is well researched. Dope growing in that area is a viable alternative to fishing. The "Beach" does exist but you don't need a secret map to find it. The problem with the film is that we get too much Leonardo. The film would have benefited from a more egalitarian distribution of screen time. Less star power and more characterization. Other characters are barely traced. To create the "alternative universe" we needed to get to know its members. The shark attack and aftermath would have had greater impact had we cared more for the unfortunates attacked. With DiCaprio recruited for the project it must have been too much to ask of the makers not to milk him for what it was worth despite the effect this had on the finished flick. Not having read the book I cannot comment on the adaptation, however I suspect that it is an individual's odyssey, which may be a problem for any film adaptation.

Saving Grace (2000)

All a bit silly really

[6/10 · 30 August 2000]

A very lighthearted comedy based on the simple joke of getting the old person next door stoned. It starts off pulling a strained laugh but wears a bit thin as the movie progresses while the joke doesn't. Brenda Blethyn is, as usual, a class act and I was left wondering why she took the part. A decent premise, a nice location, a couple of first class actors in Blethyn and eventually Karyo... all of which couldn't save Grace from a bad script and sloppy directing. To see Blethyn at her best try Little Voice or Secrets and Lies.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Flawed but fantastic, nicely paced.

[9/10 · 28 August 2000]

A great script with particularly well written characters. Excellent acting, with a special tick for Toni Collette as the confused, frustrated but tenaciously loving mother. There is clever use of psycholological suspense, coupled with some genuinely disturbing images. The story unfolds at an unhurried pace which works well to build the necessary atmosphere for what is about to happen.

The dead enter quickly, catching the audience with a sharp change of pace. Of particular note was the way that the audience is asked to identify with them. We are asked not to turn our heads away in fear but to follow them... a great technique which tends to take us deeper into our own fear! The story may be flawed, the suspension of disbelief stretched, but this is nonetheless a gem in its genre.

Much has been made of the twist, but this remains a bonus not the intrinsic value of the movie.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Slick, Funny and very unique

[25 August 2000]

Jarmusch continues to push the boundaries in his latest offering. I have found his previous films innovative and clever but a little shallow. High on technique and hip posturing and low on emotional content. With Ghost Dog the filmmaker appears to be reaching some degree of artistic maturity by combining technique with a deeper emotional resonance. Whittaker's central character is deeply moving and few actors could have hit the high notes required to make this role work. His exchanges with his "best friend" the icecream man are both touching and very funny. I'm not sure that the ending worked particularly well however all in all one of my favorites for the year. New York setting.... I think Jarmusch was deliberately avoiding a specific locale setting, however the tunnel did look decidedly like the Brooklyn-Battery, so my stab is Brooklyn, not that it matters.

Man on the Moon (1999)

Tribute Schmibute

[3/10 · 25 January 2000]

I was disappointed by this movie. In essence this is a cause movie... Andy Kauffman; misunderstood comic genius. Being understood was not his aim, so let's explain the humor anyway so now everyone can get the joke. Jim Carrey, over-understood comedic gurner, gets paid a salary in the tens of millions to fight the Kauffman cause.... Perhaps putting the movie in a context was not the best way to proceed.....

Carrey is in every scene. Perhaps they could have paid him a bit more for a little less.. The film was stocked with an interesting group of supporting characters, many playing themselves (which is always a good start) none of which managed to get a significant word in.

Great subject matter, poorly handled by both the director and writers and with a central character played by an actor without the required range.