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Top Gun: Maverick

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: June 4, 2022
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2022

Review

It’s been 36 years since the original Top Gun and after a few delays its long awaited sequel is now in cinemas. I’m going to make a bold statement and say that this is one of the rare occasions where the sequel might actually be better than the original. Gasp!

Before going to see Top Gun: Maverick I did a little refresher and watched the original (you can read that review here), so as I write this review it is fresh in the mind.

One of the dangers of doing a sequel so long after the original is repeating the same formula and storyline where there is really no point in having the sequel in the first place. I had this feeling with Mary Poppins Returns but not with this film. While there are a number of similarities with the original, I found the story worth telling and that it was enjoyable.

The opening sequence is pretty much a copy of the original film down to the font used in the opening credits, the score, the opening text explaining what Top Gun is, and the jets taking off and landing on an airship carrier. I think this serves as some nostalgia for old school fans while giving new fans an invitation in. There are some differences with angles used which I am guessing comes down to what cameras were available in the 80s compared to now.

The last time we saw Maverick he had his pick of any posting following the success of the final dogfight he was in and he decided that he was going back to Top Gun to be an instructor. When this film starts we don’t get a “x many years later” or explanation of what has happened in that time but clearly things didn’t go to plan and it’s not long before we see that Maverick hasn’t changed his ways that much. He loves being a pilot but the risks he takes are more related to his team than personal issues.

In this film Maverick is ordered back to Top Gun to train the best of the best pilots who have recently graduated from Top Gun for a high risk mission. Something no pilot has ever done before. In the class is Goose’s son, call sign Rooster (Miles Teller) who is the spitting image of his father. Given the history between the two you expect there to be tension however there is more to it than what happened in the original film, which was a good addition. It’s up to Maverick to get these pilots ready not only for a successful mission but to get them home safely.

The flight scenes looked fantastic and I would highly recommend going to see this one at the cinemas with Dolby Atmos for the experience. Again what makes this film a success is the limited use of CGI, it looks real because it is (mostly) real. No the actors aren’t actually flying those planes but gosh do you buy into it. It adds an authenticity which steps it up above your average action flick.

The soundtrack was also much better in the sequel with a bit more variety used and a beautiful original song written and performed by Lady Gaga. And despite me being a little over hearing Danger Zone so many times just a few hours before, I was excited by its return in the film. Used just the right amount of times I must say!

So while there are a lot of similar scenes between the two Top Gun films there is enough difference in the story to make them separate and worthy. Both are excellent action films that you’ll have a lot of fun watching.

Don’t think. Just do.

Rating:  Good

Animation, Comedy

The Bob’s Burgers Movie

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: May 29, 2022
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2022

Review

It seems fitting that on the weekend of International Burger day that I went along to see the new Bob’s Burgers movie after having a burger for dinner!

There is a challenge with turning any tv series into a film, particularly animation, with how the narrative is formed in its longer than usual format while keeping the essence of the series intact. There is a risk of making it feel like three episodes one after another or it being disjointed from the series.

The Bob’s Burgers Movie has delivered in providing a highly entertaining film that serves the fanbase well! I’m a big fan of the series and it doesn’t feel out of place while at the same time it can stand out on its own. What I liked most was the look of the film and the use of musical numbers.

The animation that has been used looked beautiful up on the big screen. It’s a very similar look to the series but you can tell there is some additional polish, notably with lighting and shading. For me this really popped in the characters hair. The songs were fun, upbeat, and helped progress the film along with a lot of funny lyrics. The series often uses songs in episodes, so having a movie without any would not have been the same.

I felt that each character in the Belcher family had a decent amount of screen time to progress their own narratives that ultimately tie together nicely at the end. Of the family, it is Louise (voiced by Kristen Schaal) who is the star of the show (which often occurs in the series as well) while Gene’s storyline was probably the weakest. Just for the record Tina is my favourite character and she had some great moments. Her storyline involved making Jimmy Jr her summer boyfriend, which is very on brand for Tina.

As for supporting characters, the show is currently in its twelfth season meaning there have been a lot of reoccurring characters over the years and I’m sure each fan would have their favourites. It would have been impossible and impractical for the movie to reference everyone but they did a pretty darn good job getting a lot in. Of course Teddy and the Fischoeders have starring parts however we also get a little bit of Rudy, Sergeant Bosco, and even a cameo from our favourite bikies!

The movie also used some existing references from the show’s run to build the story around, which ties in well for fans as not everything is new. It’s a really good balance to introduce new people to the series where you don’t need a lot of backstory yet those references will be appreciated by the fanbase. I’m getting flashbacks to when this is done poorly, the one that springs to mind is the X-Files movie (for many reasons that we shall not get into today!)

If you are a fan of the series, you’re going to enjoy this one. If you’re a fan of animation, I think you’re also going to like this one. Do you need to see it at the cinema? Probably not but that said, it did look really nice up on the big screen. You’ll have plenty of laughs all the way to the post-credits scene.

Rating:  Great

Drama, War

Operation Mincemeat

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: May 22, 2022
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2022

Review

I happened to stumble upon this film by chance. It was when I went to see The Drover’s Wife that on my out I noticed a poster for this film at the cinema. Having just watched The Man Who Never Was only a couple of days beforehand, what were the odds! A quick google confirmed that this was the same story. I immediately let the family know and we went along to the cinema yesterday to go check it out.

Unfortunately this telling of the story has missed the mark. I was hoping that as more time has passed since the events in 1943, there might be more about the story that could not have been included in 1956. While the two films have the same deception operation at heart, they are very different films. Both based on different books with quite a lot of details different, including fictional elements.

The thing that I liked about the 1956 film was the smaller cast, this newer film added some additional characters into the mix and what it has achieved is a confused mess where the true incredible story of Operation Mincemeat falls into the background. It felt as if the film was trying to tell too many stories, which may have suited better to a limited series than a film. They may have been aiming to flesh out the characters, giving them a more rounded tale of who they are but it didn’t pay off.

For example, Ewen Montagu’s brother was a communist activist for a brief time. It feels like someone thought that was an interesting fact and they have tried to jam it into this film. However in order to make it work they have fabricated a story to cause some tension between the two lead characters. The two men in real life had different backgrounds and I am sure may not have gotten along at times, as is human nature, I just can’t see why that storyline was added in.

One of things that was included in this film was the name of the man who become Major William Martin, as in 1997 his real name was finally released; Glyndwr Michael. While this film uses his real name in the search for a body, I felt the use of the actor in some scenes was disrespectful. There is a scene where they are attempting to take a photo for the false identification papers by propping up the dead body on a chair and in all photographs he looks dead. I’m not sure if this actually happened or was made up for the film but to use that for some comic element doesn’t feel right.

What I did like was the use of Ian Fleming as a character. It also feels like when the tele-movie of Fleming was put together this story was resurfaced and perhaps a catalyst for a new film. I do find it really interesting that a lot of intelligence officers at the time wrote espionage novels which is referenced in this film. There is a hilarious line where Cholmondeley states “they’re everywhere” and when questioned if Germans, he states “No, writers”. There are also a few James Bond references including a visit to Q-Branch.

We’ll probably never know exactly everything that happened given it was an intelligence operation and most of the key parties involved have since passed away. I enjoyed this version for the inclusion of Ian Fleming’s involvement and I liked the casting (who doesn’t like having two Mr Darcy’s in one film!). The use of narration in this film was also a highlight. I enjoyed the 1956 version for the use of tension on whether the operation would work and the respect to Glyndwr Michael.

Review:  Alright

Australian, Western

The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Date watched: May 1, 2022
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2022

Review

A couple of weeks ago I went to a Meet the Filmmaker night to see Leah Purcell’s highly anticipated film ‘The Drover’s Wife’. It’s been a long time in the making with the trailer initially dropping last year. The session was followed by a Q&A with Purcell herself and I find her to be such an impressive woman.

The Drover’s Wife is a re-telling of Henry Lawson’s short story of the same name, taking it from a romanticised view of 1890s Australia into a more truthful representation of the times. Purcell has quite a history with this story which she first evolved into a play and then a novel. During the Q&A session Purcell also spoke about her close personal connection to the text by bringing along her copy of the short story that her mother used to read to her when she was a child.

This film is the next chapter in the telling of this story which brings opportunities to explore some of the other characters in further depth. It’s also the first Australian film to be written, directed, and stared by an Indigenous woman.

What stands out for me is the beautiful use of country, filmed in and around the Snowy Mountains area of New South Wales, the viewer is easily settled into the 1890s where the vast distance of the land adds to the feeling of isolation. I had that feeling when I went to visit the Port Arthur historic site many years ago, both during the day and night. The sense of isolation in this film is a different one as it isn’t a story of a convict site but the film has this ability to draw on you in emotionally and that feeling I had come rushing back to me.

There is also a lot of use of time-lapse footage across the film which adds a visually striking element. The opening scene begins with this beautiful mist covering the land and to hear the back story post film really added to the magic. Purcell explained that they had time-lapse cameras set up and not only got this shot by pure luck, that this was the mist that the Indigenous people of the time would have used as a sign that winter was approaching and it was time to head north. To her it made it feel like she had permission to tell this story and even created a script change to add a reference to this fact.

Leah Purcell’s performance in the film is both emotionally evoking and strong, in her words it has also been a rather physical role to play. There are many layers to the character Molly Johnson which are built over the course of the story and the performance how she holds herself with all that she has to contend with will have you connected to the character in a way you don’t realise as the final scenes play out.

It was also a terrific supporting cast and I liked the introduction of the character Yadaka played by Rob Collins. The scenes between Purcell and Collins are wonderful to watch, they match up really well together. Each command presence without stealing the scene from each other.

The Drover’s Wife is a beautiful piece of story telling, great acting, and visually stunning. There are some confronting scenes and some emotional ones. The film does leave room for unanswered/unexplored areas and this has been done on purpose. It gives the viewer the opportunity to flesh out some of this world for themselves as well as a creative opportunity given a limited series is also in the works!

Whether this makes it into the classics of Australian cinema, time will tell but I think it would sit nicely as part of school curriculum, perhaps alongside the original short story. I didn’t have the opportunity to study the short story at school myself, there were a few at the Q&A who had. Purcell mentioned that some schools in NSW have started to introduce it again and I think this film would bring a nice balance in that regard.

For this reason I’m calling this a must see. I believe that consuming art by women and women of colour provides a perspective that has not often been reflected on screen and I for one think there should be more of it!

I’ll leave you with a final thought from the Q&A where Leah Purcell talked so passionately about this character and the legend she wants to bring to life: “Let’s knock Ned Kelly off his pedestal and put Molly Johnson there”.

Rating:  A Must See

Action, Comedy

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: May 7, 2022
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2022

Review

Saturday night I went to see the new Nicolas Cage film ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ and it’s a real treat for the Nic Cage fans, of which I am one. This film pays homage to Cage’s career which is so vast across many different genres. If you had a number of Nicolas Cage fans in one room, they’d probably all have a different favourite film of his!

Going in I’m not too sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this – it far exceeded my expectations.

It’s a fun film to watch and you’ll have plenty of laughs along the way. There are lots of references to an array of Cage’s films which fans and non-fans alike will enjoy. For myself a hallmark of a Nicolas Cage film is a “screaming scene”. One that immediately springs to mind is the bathroom scene from Mandy (YouTube that if you haven’t seen it). There are a good selection of these type of moments in this film which I was very happy with!

Something that I also found interesting was the personification of the Nick’s ego, represented as a younger version of himself called “Nicky” with use of VFX technology. This technology is all the rage a the moment, giving actors and fans alike a glimpse back to a past character and exploring their story. Here it’s used more as an additional character rather than a call back to one specific film role but it works. Having Nicolas Cage play off against a more manic version of himself not only provides a comedic element but also some motivation to drive plot forward.

I found the film to be of great entertainment value and well paced. There is no time to be bored, everything feels like it needs to be there. It’s also a good balance between comedy and action with a great story progression. You have your typical hollywood blockbuster action sequences with some car chase scenes, that easily bring in some references to Gone in 60 Seconds. It was funny, clever, and takes you down a path that you wouldn’t quite expect.

Cage is paired with Pedro Pascal, who plays the “wealthy man” paying Nick $1M to be at his birthday party, who also turns out to be a super-fan. The two play really well off each other and you easily buy into the friendship that the two forge. Without the chemistry between Cage and Pascal this would have been a lesser film that just would not have worked. The relationship between the two as both cast members and characters is pivotal and has paid off. There is plenty to like here.

It’s probably one that can wait until it’s available on a streaming service to watch rather than at the cinema, you’ll have an enjoyable night in. If you’re a Nicolas Cage fan, it’s a must see. If not but you like action flicks, you’re still going to love it.

Rating:  Good

Comedy, Foreign Language

The Good Boss (El buen patrón)

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Date watched: April 25, 2022
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2022

Review

After a short, forced hiatus from the cinema – I’m back baby!

This afternoon I went to see “The Good Boss” which is a Spanish comedy starring Javier Bardem. It’s a comedy of errors but without the slapstick while still maintaining its comedic edge.

Bardem’s performance in the lead role is exceptional, and if you have followed his body of work, you wouldn’t expect any thing less from him. He brings the character to life in such in such a way that seeing him deal with the situations as they unfold, you aren’t sure how this “smooth operator” is going to react to the decisions he makes and the consequences that emerge. There was a moment in the film where I thought things were going to take a drastic turn due to the weight of pressure building and Bardem’s performance really pulls you in emotionally.

I’m not familiar with the other cast members however I felt that everyone played their parts well. There isn’t a weak link in this regard.

The film follows the story of Blanco (Bardem), the owner of the Blancos Básculas factory who manufacture scales. He has inherited the company from his father and is a proud and competitive man. The company has already won a number of awards and is contention for another award, this time a regional company award competing against two other businesses.

Following the opening scene, we see Blanco addressing his workers of an expected visit from a committee of delegates who will be inspecting each of the nominated businesses. While he addresses the workers about how he considers them to be his family and to tell the visiting delegates how much they enjoy working at the factory, we see a disgruntled employee who has recently been fired making a scene by bringing his children into the office.

Over the course of the week we see a series of incidents that Blanco must manage which is broken down day by day. We see him try to handle the disgruntled employee mentioned above, a new group of young women starting as interns with some sexual tension brewing, a long-time friend and employee having marriage troubles, all while his wife has something important to tell him but cannot remember.

By the time the delegation arrives, your focus is directed to a poster in the factory which states the company’s values “Work Hard. Balance. Loyalty”. As an audience member you can’t help but to have flashbacks to the decisions made by the employees and Blanco himself during the course of the film along these themes. I’m sure a lot of people will have their own personal work experiences that might trigger some memories – just hopefully not to the scale that unfolds here!

So is Blanco a “good boss” – it all depends on the perspective that you are looking from. Sometimes you need to tip the scales in your favour.

I feel that this film has slightly flown under the radar a little bit and it deserves more attention. Thought provoking, funny, and a great performance from Javier Bardem, I highly recommend going to see this film – it doesn’t need to be at the cinema but if you can, you should and show your support at the box office!

Rating:  Great