"I don't know WHO the joke is on"

Exit Through The Gift Shop
2010
Director: Banksy

This review was written for Watch Out For

Thierry Guetta was obsessed with filming everything. A Frenchman based in Los Angeles he would take his camera everywhere; when he went to the toilet he recorded it, as his children were growing up he captured every moment, and when his cousin ‘Space Invader’ visited LA he tagged along to capture his street art on film.

From this Thierry’s passion for street art grew and soon he was granted access to some of LA’s well known street artists at work. A vintage clothing store owner by day, Thierry soon took to calling himself a film-maker and after months of following one artist in particular, Shepard Fairey, he was asked the question – what was he filming for?

So with hundreds of hours of footage and seemingly unlimited access to the movement’s biggest names Thierry let the idea of making a documentary both sink in with himself and spread amongst the community.

Banksy : Exit Through The Gift Shop

Essentially Thierry was creating the world’s first all access street art documentary and fuelled by this he sought out the one name missing from his star studded call sheet; Banksy.

Banksy is one of the best known street artists around today, a camera shy (for a very good, and legal, reason) Brit whose art has been seen in many streets and on famous landmarks around the world, but who took the movement to a whole new level when his art appeared on the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank.

Through a miracle too fortunate to perhaps even be believable, the notorious Banksy contacted Thierry and from there the relationship developed.

It was after Banksy requested to see some of the footage that he realised Thierry was in fact not a filmmaker and compared his film Life Remote Control – The Movie to someone flicking through channels on a television. Banksy then decided that Thierry was the more interesting subject; his obsession with filming stemming from losing his mother at a very young age, and took the directorial reins while suggesting Thierry get more involved in the art on the street level.

What Banksy didn’t expect is how deep Thierry was willing to go as he adopted the name ‘Mr Brainwash’ and set about holding his own exhibition… with the help of a paid team of artists.

Exit Through The Gift Shop is a thoroughly entertaining and amusing documentary that thoughtfully explores the idea of firstly, what is art and who decides what is and isn’t? Secondly, can manufactured art be “good” art? The final third of this film follows Thierry “Mr Brainwash” as he employs staff to create his works of art, all of which resemble or draw heavily on other street or pop art, including Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup tins.

Thierry’s art exhibition went on to earn him approximately one million dollars, and instantly saw his name added to the list of street artist greats, despite having the ideas but essentially not creating the art himself. Thierry is the perfect documentary subject, he is funny – though not always intentionally, and doesn’t do things by halves; his commitment to his exhibition is extraordinary and makes for compelling viewing.

This is a great introduction to street art for the uninitiated and is a great insight for those who are already fans.

The big question is; is this a real documentary or simply a hoax? There is debate as to the legitimacy of the film, and if that is the case then the legitimacy of Mr Brainwash’s art. Is this all a PR stunt controlled by Banksy?

Keep this in mind when watching and form your opinion at the end, it’s not likely we’ll find out for some time if this is indeed just an elaborate prank.

4 / 5

Trailer Trash Tuesday

Welcome to the first of three new regular posts on this here blog. The other two newbies will be introduced in due course, but for now I welcome you to Trailer Trash Tuesday where perhaps weekly, if I am inspired, I will highlight a movie trailer that has left me asking WTF? Or has inspired fits of laughter, perhaps a few tears (highly unlikely) or just generally stood out from the rest of the herd.

Logan
2010
Cast: Leo Howard, Booboo Stewart and Patrick Probst
Director: Kyle Lawrence

This week I'd like to introduce you to Logan, a 13-year-old boy with a dream to make his own film. Logan faces several challenges in making his dream a reality; unsupportive parents who tell him to do something a bit more "obtainable", a brother who supports him then tells his him he lied and his script sucks (way harsh), and possibly even death - as the end of this trailer and fans on the facebook page are perhaps suggesting. It seems everywhere poor Logan turns he has wads of paper thrown in his face or in the air, teachers backing down on promises to show his script to relatives in Hollywood, and only 3 votes when he runs for Seventh grade Class President. But there's always a silver lining, or in Logan's case, a BooBoo Stewart to save the day with a 'There's always someone going through what you're going through - don't give up' kind of speech.

What made me watch this trailer over and over and eventually decide to open Trailer Trash Tuesday with it? It's brilliant and is also the worst looking movie all at once. I love the bad acting, the fat guy in the school hall just after the 1 minute mark is amazing, the fake tears almost all the boys shed at some point in the trailer, Logan's brother's "fit of rage" as he pushes a lamp aside and flicks his bedcover up - whoa, don't mess with him! I also appreciate the short performance by unidentified female at around the 1.30 minute mark, "I am your friend Tyler I just can't go" - truly moving work right there! I also like the random shots of a conductor and orchestra, what's going on there? How can a 13-year-old afford to hire their services for his film which apparently "sucks". Am I going to have to watch the film to find this out or do I really not care? I can assure you it's the latter unless I was to watch the film as part of some "bad acting" drinking game in which case I might need to be rushed to the hospital before the film has even finished.

So of course my first reaction after seeing this trailer was, is this a joke? A quick google search later and I discovered this is not a joke and it has 2,281 people on facebook to prove it, along with 22,266 views of the trailer on YouTube - of which I swear I only account for about 10! What makes this trailer, and in turn the movie, look so poor is the team behind the film - the director alone is only 23 and his credentials include another film called The Scarf about two girls and a UFO... after reading the synopsis I have no idea why a film about UFOs would be called The Scarf. Taking into account age and experience I suppose I'd be a pretty mean human being for making fun of this trailer more than I already have... so instead I will offer my congratualtions to Kyle Lawrence for getting his trailer on the apple home page next to the big boys.

Should we be HYSTERICAL?

Toy Story 3 - in 3D
June 2010

Dir: Lee Unkrich - also known as Genius

It's no surprise people are already raving about the last film in the Toy Story trilogy. Toy Story 3 has barely begun its theatrical run (in fact it doesn't open for a few more days here in Australia) yet the critics are shouting from the rooftops, they've done it again! Perhaps in the next edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (or whatever dictionary you happen to prefer to use) under the word perfection the first meaning should read: Pixar animation. I would be happy with this description of the studio's undeniable streak of successful and touching films, and would even forget about that silly hiccup called Cars. Toy Story 3 is everything we have been waiting, hoping, and perhaps some, praying, for.

It was 15 years ago that we were introduced to a young boy named Andy, a Sheriff called Woody and a space ranger called Buzz Lightyear; 15 years since we heard the catch phrases To infinity and beyond! and my personal and entirely random favourite, There's a snake in my boot! Of course being the biggest Tom Hanks fan ever (or possibly just in my family) Woody is my favourite character. I was 12 years old when I saw the first Toy Story and like so many others have grown up with Pixar; that's why this film is even more special to me. As Andy goes off to College and has to decide what to do with his toys it marks the end of a chapter in his life, and in a way, the end of a chapter in all of ours lives. Without getting corny, though that last sentence probably tipped me over the edge, I am a massive sentimentalist and seeing the end of something you grew up with can be hard, just as it is for Andy. But enough of that schmoopy cheese; on to the movie.

A lot has changed in 15 years, most noticeably the animation and the re-introduction of 3D to cinemas and movies. I'm always wondering if I don't experiecne the full 3D because I'm one those people who wear glasses and subsequently get the giggle from their movie going companion and the question - Do you have to wear the 3D glasses over the top of your normal glasses? Yes, yes I do. The 3D in Toy Story 3 is great, right up there with what we saw last year in Up. I'm still not sure which side of the 3D debate I'm on, but thanks to wonderful storytelling I wouldn't mind re-watching Toy Story 1, 2, or 3 in 2 or 3D.

So now onto the actual film. We all knew there was no way in Hades this film was going to stink, no way! I was, however, a little underwhelmed with the plot and some similarities to Toy Story 2. No major spoilers I assure you but my main problem was one of the new characters; Lots-O-Huggin Bear and his uncanny resemblance to the villain in Toy Story 2 - Stinky Pete the Prospector. Am I taking crazy pills, was I alone in thinking this? Lotso was forgotten by his owner and hence becomes the dictator of the Sunnyside daycare centre, but not before fooling the toys into thinking he's much nicer than he actually is. *Snore* Really, at this stage in the game I expected a little bit more from Pixar. But that is the main, if only, problem that I had. On the flip side, my favourite new character was without a doubt Ken, voiced by Michael Keaton. Sure they may be cheap gags based on Ken's sexuality but they work so well, and Keaton's voice work really excels.

On the whole this film delivers everything you expect from a Pixar film, but still has a few tricks hidden up its sleeve! What surprised and excited me the most is how dark this latest installment is. Think Return to Oz in comparison to The Wizard of Oz; Toy Story 3 takes viewers to a whole new level this time and really explores what a toy faces when it is forgotten, on both an emotional and physical level. It sounds silly to write that, or say it, but it's true. You can draw conclusions on what this means in terms of actual people or what have you, I guess it depends on how deep you really want to go into the films, but for me the bottom line is; we were all kids once, and we've all experienced growing up, so on some level you should be able to understand the importance of a seemingly inanimate object feeling hurt and rejected.

What I also adore about Pixar films is the near on endless number of Easter Eggs to spot. A quick google search will equip you with a starting point for spotting clever inclusions from the Pixar team, both big and small - like so small you'd have to watch the film hundreds of times to pick them up on your own! Needless to say I was so swept away by Toy Story 3 that I didn't spot any Easter Eggs on my first viewing.

It's also worth mentioning the animated short before the actual film, something that is equally worth anticipating with each annual Pixar release. This year gave us Day & Night, a sweet tale of learning to appreciate and even love the differences between us. Day gives us sunbathing on sunny beaches, Night gives us fireworks and so on. The animation style is also unique, reminding me of old Looney Tunes cartoons and it was a great way to ease the audience into the feature.

Toy Story 3 doesn't need a PR campaign, it doesn't need positive reviews from critics, papers, blogs or TV shows, this film will succeed because people know what to expect from a Pixar film and Pixar always delivers; quality storytelling and exceptional visuals, a film that's fun for both young and old, and a film with heart and humour.

Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

4.5 / 5

TV rots your brain!

Another day, another Hollywood remake. It's pointless to argue against remakes of old television shows, old movies, games, and what have you - clearly there's enough people in the world who'll pay to see this recycled tripe that the studios will keep on churning them out. The latest to be added to the ever growing list is the 90s teen flick Don't tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.

I was only 7 years old when this film was released - although most likely around 10 by the time it was released on VHS and my mum hired it from the video store. I still remember thinking it an odd choice for mum to pick out, it was no doubt watched in a double feature along with Ghost Dad a film we thought was hilarious when we were younger. Yes I own both of these films now on DVD and have watched them both several times since - I probably wouldn't have much trouble defending Don't tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead but know I am opening myself up to ridicule for admitting I still laugh in Ghost Dad - please don't hate me!

I think the reason my skin crawls when I see or hear the word remake is that seeing a film jazzed and spiffed up for today's kids makes me feel old, and using the words 'today's kids' makes me feel even older. The word remake may also strike fear into my heart as the name 'Miley Cyrus' gets thrown around far too often. When I heard rumblings that Beyonce was slated to play the Vicki/Esther character in the remake of A Star is Born I almost cried, literally, I know - how sad am I! In many cases, it's not just a remake's ability to make me feel old but the fact that I truly believe if a film is good in its time it doesn't need to be remade. Sure today's kids (there I go again) like different things, have shorter attention spans, want their vampires sparkly and whatever other stereotypes I can label them with - but surely not everything must be revamped to suit the decade we're in. There are plenty of older movies I enjoy and plenty I don't enjoy;

if it isn't broken don't fix it, and if it is broken - well, come up with your own ideas!

On the flip side, for a movie like this I suppose it lends itself to a modern retelling more so than a classic but so much of what made this film great lies in the period it was made it. It's the perfect scenario for a kid, the parents (or in this case parent) go away, the old lady babysitter dies (this part of the story never appealed to me) and the kids are left to fend for themselves. At first it's just one big party but soon the oldest (Christina Applegate) has to work to provide for her siblings until their mum gets back. She miraculously lands a job in the fashion industry after writing a fake resume and the rest writes itself! Throw in a love interest, a couple of slimy characters up to no good, some big shoulder pads and power suits and voila a great early 90s family film.

Plus there were some great one liners to boot! The one quoted most often is probably "The dishes are DONE man" after Kenny uses the plates as clay pigeons. Applegate's Sue Ellen's one liner was "I'm right on top of that Rose" as she juggles the fashion industry at only 17 years of age! What's funny is how over the course of the summer without realising it the kids start acting as adults in their own special ways. This results in a favourite scene between Applegate and Keith Coogan where the comedic timing is perfect:

Sue Ellen: Did you burn something?
Kenny: Yeah, well, maybe if you'd called and told me you were gonna be, like... three-and-a-half hours late, I could've planned my dinner better.
Sue Ellen: I had to work late, OK?
Kenny: You still should've called. I sat and I waited. I went ahead and I fed the kids. I worked all day on that casserole.
Sue Ellen: Sorry.
Kenny: You haven't even said how nice the house looks. You're off at the office all day doing interesting office things. I'm stuck here cooking and cleaning and mowing the lawn, helping Melissa with her fastball, being a role model for Zach, spending quality time with Walter, doing your party shit! You've got the car and you don't even take me anywhere anymore. And when was the last time we went out to dinner together, huh? You know what, I'm sick and tired of not being appreciated!
Sue Ellen: I appreciate you.
Kenny: Eat shit!
Sue Ellen: I don't believe this! I have to get up at 5:30 every morning so I can beat rush hour traffic into the city and go sit behind a desk for eight hours a day and miss Oprah Winfrey everyday on my summer vacation. And then, I get to drive home in gridlock IN A VOLVO with no air conditioning just so I can take care of you guys and put food on the damn table! It's a rat race and it sucks, Kenny. So what do you want, a medal? Oh come on, you don't have to do all this. I mean, I never asked you to whisk the couch.
Kenny: Well, it needed it.


Okay so it's not a classic film, most would argue it's a pretty darn average one, but for me it reminds me of being a kid and the news of the remake does little to thrill me. Still, with the right script and the right young actors, anything is possible.

I am woman hear me whore

Sex and the City 2
2010

Dir: Michael Patrick King (Writer & Producer)


Let me start by saying I am not calling any of the characters in this film whores, even Samantha who many feel deserves the title in my opinon does not. I am woman hear me whore refers to the prostitution of this once beloved series and its characters for the sake of studio profits and stretching a franchise to within an inch of its life. Note the previews we had before the film commenced, a fairly safe looking rom com starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, but more importantly the next installment in the Twilight series - Total Eclipse of the heart, a very subtle reminder that we're playing into the studio's hands and in doing so are encouraging the continuation of shit movies.

Many people thought the first Sex and the City movie was bad, I actually enjoyed it. Sure it was far too long and felt like a few episodes stapled back to back but at its core the characters were true to the ones we came to love in the TV series, there was genuine DRAMA (I will never forget a sold out-all female-cinema audience gasping in unision as Steve dropped the affair bombshell - this is the cinema going experience women hope for with these movies) and Carrie and Big were finally together! This sequel feels so alien to what I had come to love in the HBO series that I wondered whether it was solely the writing, or whether our female leads had just plum forgot how to emobdy these women!

It has to be said, the writing is down right awful, which doesn't make sense to me. How could Michael Patrick King go so wrong only two years after the last movie? The dialogue felt clunky coming from these women's mouths, it lacked a general spark or zing that was present in the series and an overall lack of wit and heart contribute to this mediocre film. I won't go into the anti Muslim issues people have with this film, but needless to say whilst the intention is obvious, the execution is, well, entirely that - an execution. I think at the core the message that was trying to be conveyed about Muslim women was innocent enough, but has been delivered like a bitchy girl in the schoolyard, How DOES she eat chips with a veil? Those POOR women not being able to walk around with their breasts hanging out! It's all very superficial and disheartening. Our Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda have always been superficial when it comes to the clothes they wear and the apartments they live in, but never has it reached such a bitchy, high school level where an audience can feel the negativity.

And what makes it worse is that there really was no need for it. Why take the girls out of the city to begin with? What is the point of making them travel to the (New) Middle East? So that Samantha can attempt to have sex on a beach and get kicked out of the country? So Carrie can be tempted by an old flame - Aidan? It just doesn't make sense and that's the biggest problem,

the film is inconsistent both within itself and in relationship to the series.

How can the girls get up to sing 'I am Woman' and then the next scene sit around bitching and generally doing everything opposite to the song's lyrics? It's insulting to think these once strong female characters have been whittled down to shells of their former selves in this drama free film. Where's the drama of Carrie kissing Aidan (not a spoiler because, come on what did you think was going to happen?!) when she admits this to Big and his punishment is buying her a diamond ring that she HAS to wear so she remembers she's a married woman? The closest the film comes to coveying an honest and sincere moment is between Charlotte and Miranda, discussing the trials of motherhood. But even this is spoiled by the fact that both have live in nannies who share the work load, so what's your beef ladies?

I think another problem exists in the structure of the film, we're expected to care about these character's situations; Miranda bullied at work, Charlotte not coping with the children, Carrie scared Big and her are turning into a boring old couple, and Samantha battling with menopause, but the majority of the film is spent showing off some exotic location and hotel and not dealing with the issues - as what would have been done in the series. Sure it's nice to ooh and ahh over the life of the extremely rich but it will never be satisfying and any attempt at emotion will be wasted.

It's not all doom and gloom however. Sure the movie stinks but the movie going experience is just as fun as ever. It may sound a tad trite to call a film like this the ultimate girls' night out, but it really is. A glass or two of wine beforehand, sitting next to your girlfriends laughing at bits in the movie that I'm sure weren't intended to be funny; these are the reasons why this film didn't completely bite the big one. I saw this film with the same friends who I would watch episodes with, we all gathered together to watch the last episode ever, back when we would wait to see a show actually air on Australian TV, and two years ago we saw the first movie together in the very cinema we saw the sequel in last night. There's something to be said for these experiences, so that it doesn't matter that I never want to watch this film again (seriously I never want to watch this film again in my entire life) the night was fun and we had some laughs.

There are rumblings of a third film in the series but I am pretty sure the gals are ready to hang their heels up after this one. Had they left the series and our favourite foursome alone after the first movie I'd be content, but this second film feels like a dirty stain on a prized piece of clothing (which would be enough to make Charlotte cry).

I feel like Sex and the City is a friend who I am trying to defend for something they did wrong

but I can't defend them for this film. In the film Carrie is told by both Big and Aidan that she's different to other girls, she's not like the others. In this film Carrie is exactly like the others. More heart and this could have been a fitting farewell to an otherwise brilliant series.

2.5 / 5

You've done some bad things sweetie

Animal Kingdom
2010

Dir: David Michôd

Australians seem to have gone crime mad in the last few years, in large due to the Underbelly TV series. But the truth is, as a convict nation we've always been a bit crime obsessed.

In David Michôd's feature debut, inspired by the 1988 Walsh St murder of two policemen, young Joshua 'J' Cody (newcomer James Frecheville) discovers a side to his family he never knew existed after his mother overdoses and he goes to live with his grandmother Janine (Jacki Weaver). Janine's three sons (Andrew "Pope" Cody - Ben Mendelsohn, Darren Cody - Luke Ford, and Craig Cody - Sullivan Stapleton) and close family friend Barry Brown (Joel Edgerton) induct young J into their schemes and soon J must decide on which side of the law his loyalties lie.

It seems 'Australian film' are dirty words amongst the more serious critics, in that to call this a great Australian film does it some sort of disservice. The fact is, this IS an Australian film, but it is also a great film in general. I think people have come to expect a certain something when they go to see an Aussie film. Lately tagging a film as Australian has conjured up negative expectations and in my opinion, negative results and reviews. Australians seem to excel at hard hitting dramas, and occasionally strike comedy gold. What Animal Kingdom does well is provide a gripping crime drama with unintentional humour that reminds you there's hope for the Australian film industry after all.

That's not to say I thought this film was perfect, or the best Australian crime film ever made - to make or even agree with this statement I'd have to see a hell of a lot more Australian films. Firstly, what the film did right. The performances are without a doubt all solid, with Jacki Weaver and of course Ben Mendelsohn being the stand outs for me. Secondly, Michôd's film, whilst incredibly violent, avoids disgusting the audience or pushing the boundaries. It is what it is, and until the final act manages to avoid glorifying the acts of these criminals or swaying into safe territory.

For the majority of the film Michôd creates tension and unease, especially when Mendelsohn's Pope is around. There were some scenes, however, where the tension ceased and the drama felt flat. Many have commented on the "excellent" scene where J's girlfriend's father, played by Clatyon Jacobson, is backing out of the driveway. We know Pope is on his way over, the scene is shot in such a way that you know he is going to catch J, and in the end, the scene plays out exactly as I thought it would, so where is the tension in that? Combined with a few similar scenes this contributed to my opinion that this is a great, though not mind blowing, film.

What reinforced this opinion even more, was the Q&A after the screening with writer/Director David Michôd and some of the cast - Mendelsohn and Weaver included. Michôd made a special point of mentioning the casting of J and how he had originally written him as a Larry Clark or Gus Van Sant type of character; long hair, skateboard under one arm, slouching - in David's own words - a stereotype. So when he saw Frecheville audition for the role he ended up changing the character - he said he didn't want to do stereotype at all. This surprised me as in general the film is written and directed well; is tight, has a powerful and haunting score, has outstanding performances, but verges on that stereotypical that Michôd admits wanting to avoid.

I can't discuss the final scene without spoiling the film, so all I will say is that in my opinion it was a disappointing and somewhat predictable ending that did little to expand the crime genre but merely repeat the standing structure. This could be said of much of the film, whilst solid it did little to push the boundaries of crime films; it didn't create anything new.

Despite some flaws Animal Kingdom is a solid and rewarding drama and well worth the price of admission. David Michôd has proven he is a writer/director to watch and I look forward to seeing what he has to offer next.

3.5 / 5

(Truth be told, I keep going between 3.5 and 4 out of 5 - can't seem to make up my mind!)