FAT SUIT FAILS TO HARPOON FRASER

 

MOVIE
The Whale
Director Darren Aronofsky
Review Ray Chan

The Whale adapts a play by Samuel D. Hunter, about an excessively obese man coming to grips with his life after leaving his wife and daughter for a homosexual relationship, with the story taking place exclusively inside his home.
    In essence, the camera is stuck in front of actor Brendan Fraser, who is encased in bogus blubber that makes him appear to weigh near 300 kilograms, and we're even treated to scenes of him in various stages of undress. But while such a scenario works well on the stage, it feels almost claustrophobic in a movie setting. 
    Audiences will feel themselves sympathising with the character Charlie’s physical and psychological plight, while maintaining a morbid fascination for the mountain of a man who struggles to carry out simple activities such as getting up from the couch while still feasting on candy bars and chicken, well aware of the dangers posed to his health.
    A college writing professor, Charlie teaches his students online from behind the safety of a black square, too ashamed to reveal his true voluminous visage. His favourite novel is Moby Dick, the Herman Melville book also referred to as The Whale, an obvious metaphor for his external appearance.
    He describes the elusive mammal as he stands up, shirtless, and lumbers across the living room and toward the bedroom with a walker. "He thinks his life will be better if he can just kill this whale, but in reality, it won't help him at all. This book made me think about my own life," he says, slapping viewers head-on with symbolism as subtle as a piledriver.
    The movie unfolds over the course of a week, during which Charlie receives a series of visits  – from his friend and informal caretaker Liz, who also happens to be the sister of his former male lover Alan, who committed suicide from shame of the gay tryst; from Thomas, a young missionary who wants to rescue his soul; from his estranged teenage daughter Ellie, who is angry at her father’s desertion; and embittered ex-wife Mary.
    The most interesting exchange of dialogue takes place with Thomas, who insists that Charlie’s sins can be forgiven. Telling him that "I'm not interested in being saved", Charlie berates him for his unwanted proselytising, pointing out that there was nothing wrong with the true love that he and Alan shared.
    Ultimately, the film challenges us in important ways: when we see Charlie, do we look at the man or the body?
    There’s little doubt the movie ultimately works because of Fraser.
    While critics may argue that any character actor worth his salt could just as easily pull off the role, Fraser’s facial expressions, puppy eyes and welcoming and resonant voice give Charlie gravitas and strength as well as a certain effervescence, unencumbered by the weighty prosthetics and make-up.

#thewhale

DOLLED UP FOR DEATH

 

MOVIE
M3GAN
Director Gerard Johnstone
Review Ray Chan

After a car accident claims the lives of her parents, a young girl named Cady is looked after by her aunt Gemma, an accomplished robotics builder. 
    She takes on the guardianship role reluctantly, as it comes at a time when she is under duress with work at toy company Funki.
    Gemma needs to convince her boss that her follow-up to the first interactive toy she invented, Purrpetual Petz, is going to be one of the most advanced ever put on the market. But it’s not perfected yet and some glitches need to be addressed. 
    Cady’s arrival disrupts Gemma’s focus, speeding up the prototype process and avoiding thorough testing. The final product, resembling a life-like girl, is named M3GAN (short for Model 3 Generative Android), and is duly activated and ready to be Cady’s best friend. 
    Swiftly, it becomes clear that M3GAN is ready to go to any lengths to protect Cady from emotional or physical harm, even murder and violence. And there are plenty of offenders who pose potential threats. What transpires is a delightfully unhinged cautionary tale about technology taking the lead in parenting.
    From the onset, it’s clear that Cady’s well-being is in jeopardy because the people who are supposed to care for her – Gemma, her laboratory peers and her employer – are frankly more interested in profiteering from the mechanical mannequin rather than the orphan’s welfare. 
    Taking the time to actually listen and help Cady is initially seen as a burden, so Gemma uses M3GAN as a defacto babysitter and companion, a task it carries out with aplomb, even singing a Sia song as a lullaby.
    The campiness that shores up the movie is intentional and genuinely funny. Sad to say, audiences these days find more mirth in grisly scenes than revulsion.
    Aside from the script, there are several other factors that make the story work. 
    There are committed performances from everyone in the cast, especially Amie Donald, the young dancer behind M3GAN’s physical performance, which includes a maniacal trot on all fours and a pirouette routine that has become a viral sensation. The title character herself is a combination of Donald’s performance, animatronics, and puppeteering, as well as a vocal performance from Jenna Davis.
    M3GAN could have been a tad scarier, but it’s a fun ride nonetheless. Come for the promise of a killer android with Lady Penelope eyes, and stay for a fun time at the movies, complete with a musical number of two.
    Forget Chucky or Annabelle. There's a new horror doll in town and she's so much more fun to watch. By the end, you might wish M3GAN was your new bestie too.

#M3gan @UniversalpicsAU