• Written and directed by Stuart Beattie
• Starring Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Christopher Pang, Andrew Ryan, Deniz Akdeniz, Ashleigh Cummings, Phoebe Tonkin & Lincoln Lewis
• Runtime: 104 mins
• Classification: M

WHEN one of the teenage girl characters in the film Tomorrow, When the War Began says the book was better than the film, she was talking about another book, written by another author. However, the message came through loud and clear. Based on John Marsden’s book of the same name, the book was probably (I haven’t read it) better than the film.

While the story of eight teenagers who find themselves fighting a guerrilla war against an un-named, but apparently Asian, invading army in an Australian country town, is exciting for its target audience. It never seemed real enough for us adults. The need to adapt this book to the screen was a commercial decision, but why? Because teenagers are reading less and watching more screens, big and small, good question? There doesn’t seem to be much documentation on this? Or was it just to squeeze more money out John Marsden’s work by his publisher? Another good question, but we don’t know the answer!

Regardless, Tomorrow, When the War Began does meet the expectations of its target audience. There’s a high speed car chase (actually a rubbish collection truck) being chased by what look like high speed Jeep like speedway cars. There’s a spectacular and massive explosion which destroys a road bridge across a river. There’s a secret place in the Blue Mountains, where the teenagers find peace and safety. There’s serious discussion amongst the teenagers about war, the ethics of killing people, attitudes to their parent, the care of animals, duty and loyalty to their nation. There’s a serious look at the loss of innocence, friendship and leadership Also pre-marital sex, religion, racial discrimination and attitudes to different races. That’s enough for anyone to absorb, let alone teenagers.

On the other side of the coin, there’s a rather flippant look at drug taking. But generally, it’s all a bit outside the school classroom like, more like an open air teenage high school holiday seminar about ideas and ideals. While the story is a bit far fetched and the acting by some, but not all, is a bit stilted, the messages are strong, bold and clear.

This is Stuart Beattie’s directional debut. Well known and acclaimed as a screenplay writer (Pirates of the Caribbean and Collateral). His direction of his actors shows up better with some of them, but not all of them. Suggesting he’s got a way to go yet in his quest to do both, write and direct.

As a break from helping her parents on the farm, 17-year-old Ellie Linton (Caitlin Stasey) plans one last adventure before the end of the school holidays. A camping trip to a remote sinkhole in the bush, the locals have named it, Hell. Allowed to borrow the family Land Rover, Ellie invites her school friends to join her on the trip. Best friend Corrie McKenzie (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and her love sick sporty boyfriend Kevin Holmes (Lincoln Lewis), the school beauty Fiona Maxwell (Phoebe Tonkin), loveable larrikin rouge Homer Yannos (Deniz Akdeniz), pious Catholic Robyn Mathers (Ashleigh Cummings) and Lee Takkam (Chris Pang), whose parents run the local Thai restaurant.

On arrival at Hell, they find it’s a hidden bush paradise with a rain water stream fed by a waterfall. One night their sleep is interrupted by the noise of a wave of military jet aircraft overhead, dismissing it at a RAAF military exercise they go back to sleep. After their week away they return to their small hometown of Wirrawee. On arrival they find their homes deserted, parents and siblings missing, no power, no dial tone, no TV, and pets and livestock dead or dying.

On investigation they discover the town has been invaded and occupied by a hostile Asian military force, and the townspeople have been imprisoned in a camp at the local showgrounds. After escaping the invaders in which Lee is injured they return to Corrie’s parent’s farm. Only managing to flee just before it’s bombed. Next they discover Chris Lang (Andrew Ryan) who has been high on dope, since his parents left a week ago on an overseas holiday. Unaware of what’s happened Chris joins the seven to make the eight. Who decide they must take up arms, become a guerrilla fighting force and take back their town and country.

• Directed by Nanette Burstein
• Starring Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis & Christina Applegate
• Runtime: 102 mins
• Classification: MA15+

WHILE Hollywood pumps out films like Going the Distance, the decent to the lowest common denominator is getting nearer everyday. This will be very popular and earn big bucks at the box office, but why? This is a romantic comedy, and while there’s a fair bit of romance, the comedy is debateable. Hollywood’s definition of comedy has changed in recent years. It used to be humour, subtle and by and large. A clever take on words, a pun, something that makes people laugh. Bad language was always seen as an expression of frustration, hatred and/or ignorance, or the lingua franca of a particular community.

Now it’s become an expression of humour. People now laugh when the word f***k is mentioned, why? Is it because our comic writers and comedians have lost the ability to find humour in everyday life. Philosophers suggest most people today live in fear. The fear of failure, fear of rising cost of living, the fear of difference, and a whole lot of fears. Bad and lavatory language is that expression of frustration. A form of escape from fear.

Looking at the recent federal election, both the campaign and the result, we have to say the philosophers could well be right. In all honesty, you can’t blame Hollywood, they are only responding to demand, and driven by profit, they give us what the majority of cinema goers want. But is it what we all want? Thank goodness there is an alternative, but it’s dying for lack of demand. Looking at the most recent box office figure for movies now on our screens, says it all.

The Sylvestor Stallone’s no-brainer action/adventure/thriller The Expendables has taken very nearly $7million in two weeks, whilst Roman Polanski’s clever thriller/drama The Ghost Writer has only taken a little over $330,000 in the same time. The fact that The Expendables was able to be seen on over 200 screens and The Ghost Writer got seen on 76. Tells you the cinema owners know their audiences. Escapism is one of the reasons we go to the cinema, but does this suggest what we are trying to escape from, and into? They say, ignorance is bliss, if it was, people would surely be happier and less fearful?

So why is Going the Distance going to be a box office success. Well, Drew Barrymore and Justin Long are popular stars, and they’re still in an on-again/off-again real life romance, which does something for the on screen chemistry in this movie. Christina Applegate who plays Drew Barrymore’s sister gets to play an amusing character, and very well too. One who doesn’t use bad language, making her look prissy and proper, and out of fashion, also a little bit old fashioned. Especially very different from every other character in the movie. The other two characters played by Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis are funny in their way, Jason Sudeikis’ character more so. Funnier in an original way, his humour is more subtle and he has to say less clichéd dialogue than the others.

So what’s it all about. What seems to be the disease of the era, the inability to commit, people who can’t make up their minds. All as a result of a drunken one night stand between Erin (Drew Barrymore) and Garrett (Justin Long). After six weeks of conventional romance in New York, Erin has to return home to San Francisco and university after an internship at a New York newspaper. Garrett has already spend a weekend at Erin’s home and made an enemy in Corrine (Christina Applegate) Erin’s sister, who doesn’t like and approve of Garrett, or his language and behaviour.

Garrett is dissatisfied with his job at a music record company. His best friend Dan (Charlie Day) and flatmate Box (Jason Sudeikis) are no help. They are completely uncommitted about anything other than drinking, clubbing and having a good time. With Erin back in San Francisco, Garrett and Erin are missing each other, and even more so when Erin has to make a decision about a job offer in San Francisco. So what can rescue these two love birds, something both of them never thought about at the time!

• Written and directed by Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer
• Starring Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Chris Riggi & Deidrich Bader
• Runtime: 82 mins
• Classification: M

NEVER was the movie Vampire Sucks so appropriately titled, because it really does suck. When Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer wrote their first Scary Movie in 2000, it was a new idea, and quite funny. Now after Scary Movie 4 (2006) and Meet the Spartans (2008) their brand of spoof movie has become old and past it’s use by date. Vampire Sucks is not only past its use by date, but now it’s smelling to high heaven and walking out of the cinema, only ready to be put in the waste bin on the way out.

Nothing lasts for ever, and hopefully Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, if they want to go on making movies, can come up with a new idea. But something says they haven’t got it in them. So goodbye and good riddance, not another one please guys!

Spoofing The Twilight Saga movies, and has the Friedberg and Seltzer stamp all over it, which adds up to another wasted 85 minutes of life. While creating alternatively similar names, Becca Crane (Jenn Proske) for Bella Swan, Edward Sullen (Matt Lanter) for Edward Cullen and Jacob White (Chris Riggi) for Jacob Black is standard spoof practice, and it’s not that original or that brilliant. That’s very much what a 5-year-old child could have come up with. Hah, hah! Pretty weak really. But of course this doesn’t need to be too intellectual, considering the target audience, and what exactly was the target audience?

With The Twilight Saga not the only target Friedberg and Seltzer take aim at, they also dish it out for Tiger Woods, Lady Gaga and Chris Brown, among others. Spending so much time mocking celebrity culture why on earth weren’t Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton and André Rieu included? We do have to give it to Jenn Proske for her perfect take of Kristen Stewart’s Bella mannerisms, to the point of scary perfection.

What Friedberg and Seltzer need to learn is that spoofing is not satire, and without satire, the slapstick humour, fart jokes and lame references to vampire pop culture, isn’t that funny.

• Directed by Adam McKay
• Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes & Steve Coogan
• Runtime: 107 mins
• Classification: M

THIS crazy buddy cop action comedy comes with some smart and funny dialogue, and very much a man flick, which goes in all sorts of unexpected directions. While detectives Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) and Danson (Dwayne Johnson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. The Other Guys are a mismatched cop partnership of Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). They’ve been seen in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus, looking confused and out of place. But their time is soon to come.

One day Highsmith and Danson are on the job trying to catch drug dealers, and manage to cause $12 million worth of damage, wrecked cars and damaged buildings. Seeing the criminals below in the street, they jump off a 20 storey building hoping to pounce on them. Not a the smartest thing to do, while they leave a big hole in the street they also leave a big hole in the NYPD, but are still treated as heroes, especially at their funeral.

With Highsmith and Danson cold in the ground, back at headquarters Detective Gamble. A forensic accountant who loves police paperwork, and who has been given a wooden gun by his boss Captain Mauch (Michael Keaton), after a misadventure with his service firearm. And Detective Hoitz, who has a past mishap to live down. Might be able to solve a crime which could turn out to be New York City’s biggest to date?

The misfit partners now find themselves investigating a complex scam run by financier David Ershon (Steve Coogan). Before the movie is over we will meet an Australian commando, see homeless bums having orgies in stolen cars, and Gamble’s drop dead gorgeous wife (Eva Mendes), whom he refers to as his ball and chain.

The key to the humour of this movie is the outrageous things that happen while other characters react as if nothing unusual has happened. Holtz simply can’t believe that a man like Gamble is married to a bombshell who is also a doctor. He keeps asking, who is she really? Captain Mauch has a second job and keeps quoting lyrics from the group TLC, but refuses to admit he’s even heard of them. This brand of humour whilst verging on being subtle, it’s not everyone’s taste. You either find it funny or you don’t.

Ferrell and Wahlberg have an odd chemistry together but it works. The usual comic combination of clown and straight man, is played in visa versa style, they are both a bit of both, alternatively clown and straight man. Initially Ferrell is more fun than Wahlberg, but as the movie progresses we’re never quite sure what to expect from either of them.

Well paced The Other Guys is nothing more than an escapist action comedy, but with its solid humour and supporting cast of character actors, it’s non challenging, fun and entertaining. A boys night out sort of movie.

And for film lovers, there’s a couple of events coming up to look out for:

The St Kilda Film Festival – National Tour

NOW in its 27th year, the St Kilda Film Festival is Australia’s premiere short film festival, screening 100 Australian short films in competition alongside music videos and targeted youth programs. The tour of Australia’s top 100 short films will see their screening in 37 different locations around Australia. Included are festival award winners and stand out favourites.

These exciting films, which cover a wide range of subjects, from laugh out loud comedies to quality drama, share the infectious passion for the medium limited only by the size of their relatively modest budgets, as our short filmmakers push the creative envelope producing work which both delights and provokes.

When: Since July, until September
Where: All over Australia!
How: As films featured in the St Kilda Film Festival are unclassified, persons under the age of 15 years will not be admitted unless in the company of a parent or adult guardian.

For more information see: www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au

REEL ANIME 2010 Film Festival

WITH a great line up REEL ANIME 2010 will showcase five films that are as diverse as they are accomplished. This festival is a must for anime fans. The films to be screened are, Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance; Summer Wars; Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone; King of Thorn, a mysterious race against time for a group of infected survivors in a world ravaged by disease. And Redline, an adrenaline-charged action ride set in the world of underground car racing.

The Movie Hound will be reviewing the film Summer Wars, next week. All films will be screened digitally in their original Japanese with English subtitles.

When: September 16 to 29
Where: Luna Cinema, Leederville, WA

Win: Five FREE double passes to REEL ANIME 2010 (one per couple), email themoviehound@gmail.com with Subject: Reel Anime 2010, Name and Address, and the passes will be posted out to you. First in best in best dressed.

OR

Buy a multi pass with a chance of winning a limited cool collectable number of Japanese SUMMER WARS posters (with classification, logo and url).

Win: By attending the Reel Anime Festival 2010 you have a chance to win The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Appleseed (Original), Evangelion 1.11, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and Ninja Scroll.

For information see: www.madman.com.au/reelanime

• Written and directed by Michael Winterbottom
• Starring Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson & Ned Beatty
• Runtime: 108 mins
• Classification: MA15+

WHEN a new Michael Winterbottom film hits the screen, it’s always a surprise, something different. As a challenging filmmaker, his adventures into filmmaking are never the same. His latest challenge is The Killer Inside Me, not a pretty story but one which psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health specialists and experts will rush to see and write about. Set in West Texas in the 1950s, it’s a story which takes a deep look into the psyche of a killer who is calm and cool on the outside and brutal on the inside. Winterbottom’s attention to detail perfectly captures the times, the people, the furniture and the prevailing attitudes.

Be warned there are some very disturbing and violent scenes in this film. But that doesn’t detract from the brilliance of the film. So well crafted, its pace, the authenticity of it and the attention to detail. And for Winterbottom’s ability to tell a first person story in all its reality, without shying away from the truth.

Based on Jim Thompson’s short pop novel of the same name. Winterbottom and he and his co-writer John Curran (director and producer of The Painted Veil (2006)), probably had little to do, other than fill out the story for the book’s adaptation to the screen. Legionary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick said of Thompson’s book: “Probably the most chilling and believable first-person story of a criminally warped mind I have ever encountered.” He probably had ideas of making the film himself.

Lou Ford (Casey Affleck) is a handsome, charming and unassuming small town deputy sheriff deputy who has a memory and a few problems. As a child he was abused, and his attitude to women is contradictory and confused. He’s fallen in love with Joyce Lakeland (Jessica Alba), a prostitute who lives on the outside of town. Small towns generally have a prominent rich citizen who basically runs the town. In this small oil field town the man who matters is Chester Conway (Ned Beatty). He runs a construction company, which keeps the citizens employed. Joyce is servicing Chester and just discovered by him, also his son Elmer. Chester wants Joyce out of town before Elmer discovers his father is also be serviced by Joyce. Chester offers Lou a $10,000 bribe to get Joyce out of town, he’s already tried to bribe the sheriff Bob Maples, Lou’s boss, but he wouldn’t respond.

Lou wants the $10,000 (unknown to him, in market notes) and works a dastardly plan to get it. After making love to Joyce one night he beats her up and sets a trap for Elmer to arrive and see her all beaten up and covered in blood. When Elmer arrives and sees Joyce, Lou shoots him dead and places the gun in Joyce’s hand, making it look like Elmer beat up Joyce and she shot him in self defence.

Joyce is taken to hospital not expected to live, and Bob Maples brings in Howard Hendricks (Simon Baker) to solve the crime. Questioning Lou, Howard is suspicious, but when Johnnie the son of the local bar owner, who works part time at the local petrol station, is discovered with one of the marked banknotes. He’s arrested he arrested and put into a cell.

Johnnie sees Lou as a friend and trusts him to own up about giving him the banknote, but Lou has other plans. He visits Johnnie in his cell and after assuring him he’ll tell all and get Johnnie off the hook. He ensures Johnnie will not leave the cell alive. As Lou leaves the cell the guard asks if Lou had any trouble with Johnnie, “no trouble at all,” he says. Next morning Johnnie is found hanged in his cell.

Lou’s next door neighbour Amy Stanton (Kate Hudson) is passionately in love with Lou but is frightened to marry him, she’s suspicious and doesn’t trust him. Although she loves him and they often have sex together. When a casual worker whom Lou insulted and burnt his hand with a cigar, one night after he killed Elmer, turns up at Lou’s house and demands payment for his injuries which have prevented him from working. Lou sets up a trap to get rid of him and Amy, the same way he did with Joyce and Elmer.

Now Lou needs to get the local construction union man, who knows too much out of his hair. Bob Maples having committed suicide (we’re never told why), Howard is now even more convinced Lou is a killer in more ways than one, but Lou plays his cards straight, and with no actual proof Howard can do nothing.

Finally Howard comes up with a witness Lou never expected to see again, but Lou has a master plan that will finalise all of his problems for ever.

• Directed by Alexandre Aja
• Starring Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Jerry O’Connell, Kelly Brook, Ving Rhames, Jessica Szohr, Steven R. McQueen, Christopher Lloyd & Richard Dreyfuss
• Runtime: 89 mins
• Classification: MA15+

CAN you imagine a movie in which people get eaten alive by Piranha fish being funny? Yes, in Piranha 3D there are a lot of laughs, all very tongue in cheek of course. No, this isn’t schadenfreude in the true sense, it’s so ridiculous, it’s funny. Targeted at the under 25-years-old’s this is all about babes with big boobs, a wet T-Shirt contest, a high school break up holiday party and Piranha fish. So which of those will put the bums on seats, depending on your age and taste, it could be all of the above, just one or more of the above, or none of the above.

Directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension) and written by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. They didn’t have to do much, because the dialogue doesn’t really matter. A lot of ooh’s and ah’s at the babes with big boobs, a mass of shrieking terror, and apart from “get out of the water and do it now” there isn’t a lot more. Remember Jaws (1975), “quick get out of the water”, or a giant Shark will get you. This time it’s Piranha fish will get you, and they do like eating human flesh.

So what is a shoal of Piranha fish doing in a lake in Arizona? Well, as Matt Hopper (Richard Dreyfuss) discovers one day while fishing in the lake. A seismic eruption at the bottom of the lake opens up an ancient lake below the lake where a crop of Piranha fish eggs have remained unhatched for 2,000 years. The carbon dioxide from a bottle of beer that fell off Matt’s boat has hatched the eggs and brought the fish to life. Can you believe this? Later a bottle of champagne does the same. Well, anything’s possible in America, and that’s not the worst of it, there’s more bad news yet to come.

When Matt’s empty boat and the remains of his dead body are discovered in the lake, Sheriff Julie Forester (Elisabeth Shue) calls in seismic experts to investigate. In command is Novak (Adam Scott) who remains on the dive boat as divers investigate the depths. When the divers get eaten sheriff, Julie is mystified. Luckily when she tries to rescue a diver a Piranha fish jumps into their boat. Back at his fishing shop Mr Goodman (Christopher Lloyd) having seen the sample knows all about this 2,000 years-old fish.

Meanwhile, back at the other end of the lake near the town, the high school break up party is in full swing, the babes with big boobs are mustering for the wet T-Shirt contest. Soft porn filmmaker Derrick Jones (Jerry O’Connell) has hired Jake Forester (Steven McQueen), Julie’s son, to be his location director. But Jake has told his mother he will stay home and baby sit his young brother and sister. Bribing them to stay home, Jake gets aboard Derrick’s boat, and guess what, the two kids decide to leave home and go fishing on the lake. Of course they forget to tie up the canoe they went fishing in, it drifts out into the middle of the lake, leaving them stranded on the shore miles from anywhere.

Back at the high school break-up party, Julie and Deputy Sheriff Fallon (Ving Rhames) try to get everybody out of the water, but until a girl on blow up chair is bitten on the bum, and then eaten up by Piranha’s everyone is reluctant to leave the water. As more swimmers are attacked panic breaks out and chaos reins. Back in the middle of the lake Julie is trying to rescue her son Jake and his two siblings from Derrick’s sinking boat. Derrick has been half eaten by Piranhas, a Piranha has eaten his penis and then spat it out. Then Julie gets a phone call from Mr Goodman with some very bad news, suggesting there will be a sequel to Piranha 3D.