HIM TARZAN, YOU LEFT COLD

This review was published in The West Australian dated Jul 14, 2016.

MOVIE

The Legend of Tarzan
Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson
Director David Yates

Review Ray Chan

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan was a product of its time – back when it was perfectly legitimate, and even exciting, to imagine the story of how an English nobleman, bred by apes, ended up talking to animals, leading the African people, and being doted on by a subservient wife.

    But the character’s capacity to excite contemporary audiences was probably doomed to extinction the day political correctness dawned.

    Tarzan was created by a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) writer, educated largely in the 19th century, whose vision of Africa was strictly that of a colonial imperialist, and whose impressions of women were equally as outdated.

    I wonder whether anyone born after 1970 has the slightest clue what to make of this guy in the loincloth, and, since 1980, Hollywood has had a string of flops with the character to prove it. Do kids still read Burroughs’ books today?

    And so it is with this in mind that one should view the latest Tarzan offering, if one is to gain maximum enjoyment. The lord of the jungle is a century-old superhero, and his adventures take place during a time of insensitive racial and gender representations, not to mention the occasional case of animal cruelty.

    As the movie starts, Tarzan (or Lord Greystoke, as he is rightly known, played by Alexander Skarsgard, son of Stellan) is already ensconced in his role as a member of the English Parliament. He is asked to resume his Tarzan role and help the debt-ridden Belgian government steal sacred diamonds from the Congo, but in reality it is a way for Belgian schemer Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) to deliver Tarzan to Congolese tribe leader King Mbonga, who wants to exact revenge on him for the death of his son.

    Along the way, Samuel L Jackson fills his annual quota of fantasy movie roles by portraying US emissary George Washington Williams, tagging along to ensure Congolese civilians aren’t being enslaved.

    The older generation will be familiar with Tarzan’s origins, but for the younger audiences, flashback scenes to how his parents died and his subsequent adoption by apes may prove confusing, for they do not reveal how he rose to become champion of the African lands. They will be equally bemused as to how Tarzan can communicate so easily with apes, ostriches, elephants, lions, water buffalo, crocodiles and a whole menagerie of other forest fauna.

    The Congo, as it turns out, is home to several different tribes of varying hues, yet it sticks out like a sore thumb that none of them question the appearance of George, an educated black man clothed in Western gear and speaking a different dialect. While he eventually helps save Tarzan in a moment of peril, it does seem his inclusion as an improbable sidekick was simply to serve as a counterpoint to any suggestion of racial discrimination.

    Then there's Jane (Australian Margot Robbie), who, while not exactly a damsel in distress, isn't much else. As Tarzan’s wife, she insists upon joining his journey home, eventually falling into Rom's clutches, and conveniently being used as bait to lure our hero into a trap.

    There are some nice scenes throughout which reflect Burrough’s visions. Tarzan swings through the jungle with grace and power, and his connections with the animals are conveyed well. If anything, Skarsgard is too stoic, although perhaps the script called for a humourless hero.

    If this were a movie about another Burroughs’ creation, John Carter of Mars, battling aliens on some exotic world, audiences would certainly find it enthralling. But trying to envisage an Earthman taking on and talking to animal herds and creating stampedes by himself will require a greater suspension of belief.

    Him Tarzan, me half-satisfied.

MELISSA SHOWS WHO'S BOSS

This review was published in The West Australian dated April 26, 2016

MOVIE

The Boss
Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell
Review Ray Chan

What defines a good movie? For this reviewer, it’s simply based on the enjoyment factor.

     I’ve gone on record as rating Grimbsy on a higher plane than The Lady In The Van; while the former had many viewers rollicking in the aisles, the latter was a more sedate affair, despite the pull of its star actress and a well-written screenplay.

    Indeed, some critics can be a pretentious lot; they’ll thumb their nose at an Adam Sandler movie sight unseen, but mention Ridley Scott or Quentin Tarantino, and they’ll immediately kneel in reverence.

    Melissa McCarthy’s latest offering has been slated ruthlessly on many forums, with some leading movie sites dishing out less-than-favourable treatment. But don’t let that sway your judgment of this film, because if you want to treat yourself to an hour and a half of laughs, then you’ll most likely find a lot of them here.

    In The Boss, McCarthy plays wealthy CEO Michelle Darnell, who is now the 47th wealthiest woman in the world, despite growing up without a family.

    But after she gets arrested for insider trading and sent to federal prison, she finds herself broke, homeless and hated. Luckily, she tracks down former assistant Claire (Kristen Bell), the only person who's willing to help. While staying with Claire, she devises a new business model for her young daughter Rachel’s girl guide troop.

    The empire to sell brownies starts to grow, but unfortunately, some old enemies stand in the way of her return to the top, including former lover Renault, played by Peter Dinklage, who seems to always be the first actor cast each time a role calls for a man of his shorter stature.

    Aided by Claire and her co-worker Mike (played by the delightful Tyler Labine), Darnell jokes, jousts, and jams her way through as she attempts to win back what is rightfully hers, and although the ending sequences fall a bit flat, she ends up realising that success is all the more to be savoured with a the support of familial friends by her side.

    McCarthy is a rising star, and often delights with her charismatic nature. Sure, her sometimes guttural humour is not everyone’s cup of tea … and sometimes the characters she plays do not appeal to the viewer. But in The Boss, Darnell, initially obnoxious, exposes a lovable side to her personality that the audience is sure to warm up to.

    The Boss is no award winner, but it’s no downright lemon either. Leave the analytical mind at the door and you will likely find yourself enjoying this movie more than you thought you would.

FAR FROM GRIM

This review was published in The West Australian on Mar 11, 2016

MOVIE

Grimsby
Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong

Review Ray Chan

By now, most people assume they know what to expect from a Sacha Baron Cohen movie. The truly funny scenes in many of his films are often tempered with offensive reality skits that can leave viewers cringing in their seats.

   But in Grimsby – called The Brothers Grimsby, a far cleverer name, in the US – Cohen proves he can also deliver when it comes to a more straightforward comedy narrative, even if it’s laced with plenty of his trademark gross-out gags.

    Cohen plays Nobby, a dim-witted English football hooligan with a heart of gold (an oxymoron in itself), in the economically-challenged seaside town of Grimsby, where he has raised 11 children, all of whom live together in the same house he shares with generously-proportioned partner Lindsey (Rebel Wilson), the most gorgeous gal in the north-east of England. One bedroom in the dwelling is permanently left vacant, kept for Nobby’s brother Sebastian (Mark Strong), who has been missing for 28 years.

    It turns out that, during that time, Sebastian has become the best MI6 secret agent in history. When the brothers are reunited at a charity event for the World Health Organization, Nobby inadvertently screws up Sebastian’s mission to assassinate a hit man, forcing him to accidentally kill the chief of WHO while also wounding the poster child for AIDS in Somalia, with the latter’s blood spilling into the mouth of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, causing him to contract the disease.

    The sheer absurdity of this scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie, with each subsequent gag exceeding its predecessor in terms of vulgarity, outlandishness and pure silliness, as the brothers go on the run to Africa in an attempt to clear Sebastian’s name.

    The action sequences are spectacular and punchily staged by director Louis Letterier (The Transporter), whether it’s the brothers against their pursuers, Nobby’s kids defending their dad, or his band of football followers (Johnny Vegas and Ricky Tomlinson shine all too briefly) in a pitch invasion.

    Cohen has always been the master of discomfort, with most of his movies containing at least one crowning moment of crowd-pleasing hilarity, such as the mankini and butt-kissing scenes from Borat, or the full frontals in Bruno. In Grimsby, the magnum opus lies in the game reserves of South Africa, involving a herd of elephants and an attempt at concealment by the brothers as they flee from their would-be captors.

    It’s the sort of humour that Cohen’s American peers such as Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, and Seths McFarlane and Rogen love indulging in, except Cohen seems to do it better here. For all his intellectual shortcomings, Nobby is a family man whose love for his partner, children and sibling is clear for all to see, and this feature alone makes him a more appealing character than a self-centred Derek Zoolander or Ron Burgundy.

    Far from the unrestrained political incorrectness and lewdness that characterised his previous offerings, Grimsby actually comes close to being a warm-hearted comedy, certainly something of a surprise.

    Make no mistake, the laughs keep coming in this movie, irrespective of the juvenility or inappropriateness of some of the jokes. Cohen is a skilled comedian who understands what his brand is, and how to make raunchy shenanigans work in the extreme nature for which they are intended.

    Grimsby leaves this reviewer in a quandary, for I found ity enormously entertaining, lack of solid story notwithstanding. It’s a far different movie from the likes of a gentle offering such as The Lady In The Van, for which I awarded 3 stars. Given the fact that I enjoyed this far more than the Maggie Smith production, I have no option but to rate Grimsby 4 out of 5.

A LADY IN WAITING

The review was published in The West Australian dated Mar 2, 2016

FILM
The Lady In The Van
Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings
REVIEW RAY CHAN

Alan Bennett’s acclaimed The Lady in the Van, already released for stage, radio and in book form, has now made the transition to cinema, ensuring a wider audience for the author’s beloved play.
    In it, veteran actress Maggie Smith reprises her radio role as Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman whom Bennett befriended in the 1970s before letting her park her dilapidated van in the driveway of his Camden home. Initially promising to stay for three months, she ended up entrenched there for the next 15 years.
    As the story develops, Bennett, played by Alex Jennings, learns that Miss Shepherd is really a former gifted musician with a convoluted history. After being ill-treated at the abbey where she hoped to become a nun, she was committed to an institution by her brother, escaped, had an accident when her van was hit by a motorcyclist for which she believed herself to blame, and thereafter lived in fear of arrest.
    In reprising his experiences with Miss Shepherd, we see two Bennetts, both played by Jennings, in the household … a storytelling device that allows us to easily view the writer’s conflicting selves as they try to adapt to the unexpected intrusion into their lives. In a clever breaking down of the fourth wall, the two halves are in constant, contradictory dialogue about whether it would be proper to use Bennett’s experiences with Shepherd as inspiration for a play. It’s the kind of narrative stunt that could easily go astray, but is pulled off with surety.
    Smith’s character is cantankerous, odious and ungrateful, with her utter obliviousness to her lack of personal hygiene, her initially peculiar hatred of music, and her ragtag wardrobe that's been assembled from various dumpsters.
    Yet is a testament to Smith’s pedigree and fame in other roles that the audience warms up to her and manages to look beyond the faults that could easily have made her totally unlikeable had the character been played by someone else.
    Many of the laughs in this film are a result of the reaction by the introverted, kind-hearted Bennett as he tries to help the addled visitor and her eccentricities.
    But there is also a tinge of sadness as he grapples with having to move his own ageing, mother into a nursing home, while on the other hand offering his driveway as sanctuary for someone of similar age and mental deterioration to whom he is not related.
    It must have plagued Bennett that he was perhaps subconsciously helping her out of guilt over how he treated his ailing mother. Or was he just keeping her as source material?
    The movie is all the more poignant for being shot in the same house and street where the incident occurred in real life .. and the real Bennett himself makes a cameo at the film’s end. Indeed, the movie engages a stellar cast of supporting players, including a number of revered British stalwarts such as Frances de la Tour, Roger Allam, Jim Broadbent, Dominic Cooper, as well as James Corden in a cameo.
    In an era of American sledgehammer comedies with lead protagonists so dim as to defy belief, it is refreshing to watch a gentle comedy such as this, the sort which the British seem to excel in producing.
    There are some false notes along the way, and a rather fanciful ending, but it remains a showpiece for the talents of the remarkable Dame Maggie, and that, in itself, is reason enough to pop along and enjoy this memorable ride through Bennet’s backyard.

PURPLE REIGN

CONCERT
Prince: Piano and A Microphone
Review Ray Chan

PRINCE with just a piano? You've seen him play searing guitars like Jimi Hendrix and dance frenetically like James Brown, so how would it be like when he’s by himself without his stage entourage?
    As it turns out, pretty amazing. The last musical genius of his enigmatic, obscenely talented kind mesmerised everyone for a couple of hours, brilliantly reinventing selections popular and otherwise from his vast catalogue, and showing why tickets sold out in a flash when his Australian tour was first announced barely two weeks ago.
    It was an eclectic mix of old and new, familiar and obscure, as he flitted beloved tunes into and out of each other, threw up random odds and sods, and covered some of his favourite songs, ranging from Sly and the Family Stone’s Stand! to Ray Charles’ Unchain My Heart.
    But even the teasing was appreciated: a few bars of Condition of the Heart here, fleeting glimpses of Thieves in the Temple there, an improvised Purple Rain – yet just hearing the maestro perform them brought universal joy.
    If the first 20 minutes felt mainly for him, the next hour and a half was emphatically for the audience.
    Displaying his skills on the keyboard, the virtuoso was as adept at getting fans on their feet to the irresistible funk of Kiss, as at playfully seducing in How Come U Don't Call Me Any More, or even just playing beautifully (Nothing Compares 2U).
    I Would Die 4 U, Little Red Corvette and Take Me With U had come early, as did I Feel for You, a hit for Chaka Khan.
    A couple of new tracks impressed: Rocknroll Loveaffair and Black Muse, both from his latest album, HITnRUN Phase Two, which was a parting gift to fans after the performance.
    Throughout, His Purpleness also shared anecdotes and episodes, and paid tribute to his father, a fine piano player and a “much finer dresser”.
    Interestingly, no two setlists throughout the tour have been the same, as Prince favours ad-libbing the selections according to his whims and feelings during any particular show, an advantage of not being encumbered by a backing band that have practised only for particular numbers. It was certainly a testament to his prowess that he could delve into his vast repertoire at a moment’s notice, remembering lyrics and melodies and producing them effortlessly.
    There were no signs of the artist’s reported hip problems, although when he departed the stage for each of his three encores, he amusingly did so on a pushbike.
    Perth audiences were also privy to an exclusive treat: the Messiah’s purple piano.
    Having jetted in from Auckland for the concert, the custom piano he was using had to be left behind as it could not fit on the plane.
    To replace it, the piano from his studio at Paisley Park in Minnesota was sent over to Perth for just this show. And how the musician enjoyed it, spreading his lithe form on top of the Yamaha and caressing it like a lover.
    Piano and a Microphone is a remarkable tour when you consider the fact that before this year, Prince had never played a solo circuit.
    And to do so so masterfully on an instrument that is not his strongest is some achievement indeed.
    All in all, it was a purple reign of hypnotic transcendence that ensured everyone would have gone home a monarchist, even if for just one night.

SETLIST

I Would Die 4 U
Big City
Little Red Corvette
Take Me With U
Stand!
Dirty Mind
Controversy
I Feel for You
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
Rocknroll Loveaffair
The Breakdown
Pop Life
Black Muse
Cream
Thieves in the Temple/It
Purple Rain
Condition of the Heart / Under the Cherry Moon
The Ballad of Dorothy Parker/4
Unchain My Heart
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
Starfish and Coffee/Raspberry Beret
Diamonds and Pearls
The Beautiful Ones
Kiss/Black Sweat
Nothing Compares 2 U
Purple Music
Free Urself

A TOWN CALLED MALICE

This review was published in The West Australian dated Nov 5, 2015

FILM
The Dressmaker
Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth
Director Jocelyn Moorhouse
REVIEW RAY CHAN

Jocelyn Moorhouse's The Dressmaker brings together a stellar cast of Australian screen veterans in this adaptation of the Rosalie Ham novel, but whose main character is played by an Oscar-winning English actress.
    Displaying an admirable Aussie accent, Kate Winslet is Tilly Dunnage, the prodigal daughter who returns to the remote wheatbelt town of Dungatar, her Singer sewing machine by her side.
    Tilly has become a skilled dressmaker in the years since she was sent away from the community when a little girl, and is now determined to discover more about the reasons for her banishment, unsure if she was to blame for the death of a childhood friend.
    Her cranky mother, Mad Molly (Judy Davis), initially reluctant to acknowledge her daughter, eventually accepts her back as Tilly settles into town and wins muted approval from the overbearing local matrons for her haute couture.
    Along the way, Tilly befriends several characters who, in one fashion or another (pun intended), are outcasts as much as she is in an insular place where hatred, haughtiness and hostility are commonplace: Sergeant Horatio Farrat (Hugo Weaving) is a friendly policeman and closet transvestite who rues his part in Tilly's initial expulsion, and Teddy McSwiney (Liam Hemsworth), a handsome lad from a family of rubbish collectors who serves as Tilly's love interest.
    Ever level-headed, Tilly keeps her cool despite lingering viciousness from Dungatar's more odious citizens, such as schoolteacher Beulah Harridiene (Kerry Fox) and slippery civic leader Evan Pettyman (Shane Bourne).
    But it is Davis who steals the show, with her effulgent comedic timing and smart dialogue delivery, effectively transforming Molly from a querulous old coot into a likable, charming and noble woman by film's end, one who clearly loved her daughter but was shamed into her behaviour by a secret liaison.
    If you haven't read the book, be prepared for twists and turns along the way, as the story often meanders away from the oft-trodden track into unexpected territory.
    This is no sentimental yarn where a good-hearted individual brings inspiration and joy to a repressed, unforgiving lot. You might even say the townfolk sew what they reap, after Tilly exacts her revenge on her town of malice.
    The journey there makes for some brilliant viewing, interspersed with moments of black comedy, sadness and a fair share of unpredictability. Yet one can't help wondering how more effective it could have been had the main protagonist displayed more certainty instead of languishing between remorse and vengeance at the same time.
    Tilly's reaction at her ultimate discovery of betrayal is somewhat subdued, lessening the impact of her final act of retribution.
    Even so, it's a beautiful-looking film, and reminds us of how good Australian productions can be, with this one standing head and shoulders above the lot of science fiction, action and rom com offerings that compete for current attention.

STELLAR SUCCESS

MOVIE
The Martian
Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain
Director Ridley Scott
Review Ray Chan

The audience has barely time to get comfortable in their seats before being thrust into the meat of the movie, as US astronaut/researcher Mark Watney (Damon) gets left stranded on Mars after a mission goes awry.

    But that’s just fine, as the set-up saves on a lot of potentially pointless exposition, allowing the tale to pan out briskly, achieving a balance between humour and seriousness, as the unflappable Watney dreams up ways of returning to Earth.

    Damon is shouldered with holding most of the action on his own, and he does a first-rate job of it, his performance hitting all of the emotional beats with just the right amount of gravity (pun intended).

    He delivers a truly moving performance, and viewers can’t help but root for him as he calmly devises various solutions to escape his predicament.

    Drew Goddard’s screenplay does an admirable job of making the science jargon undemanding and digestible, while the light-hearted moments make for a welcome departure from the norm for Ridley Scott, whose dour over-seriousness has made many of his pictures a bore.

    Easily Scott’s best for years, The Martian is gloriously shot with grand landscape shots of the red planet, and the fusion between practical and CG effects is photorealistically impressive.

    Although the adventure takes place in an unspecified future, Goddard makes sure Watney’s plan for surviving in an environment with no breathable atmosphere nor potable water is not addled by pseudo-scientific commentary.

    In voice-over and video diaries, Watney articulates the process of cataloguing his remaining food, creating water from rocket fuel, and using the crew’s faecal waste to fertilise rows of potatoes in the Mars space station.

    He also dismantles various pieces of equipment to attempt contact with Earth and learns that Vicodin makes a decent substitute for ketchup, while getting irritated at the amount of disco music someone programmed into the computers.

    The Martian is a film about powering on in burdensome situations, and delivers a compelling message about perseverance and fortitude in the face of depressing odds.

    It’s an inspiringly unapologetic tribute to resourcefulness and ingenuity, and helping it go down easier is undeniably Damon’s everyman personality.
    This is hardly Jason Bourne on Mars; it’s Damon as the very embodiment of American can-do spirit at its best.

#themartian

THE ENJOYABLE REMAKE AFFAIR

This review was published in The West Australian dated Aug 17, 2015.

FILM

Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer
Director Guy Ritchie

REVIEW RAY CHAN

Whether by accident or intent, the trailer screened before this movie preview was of the forthcoming Batman Vs Superman, in which Henry Cavill reprises his role as the Man of Steel. While Cavill portrays a hero with a more human streak in U.N.C.L.E., the square-jawed star certainly proves he is equally at home with a cape or a cannon.

    His team-up with the similarly angular Armie Hammer, who is also best known for playing another hero, The Lone Ranger, works a treat, and does more than a fair job of emulating the friendly fire that sparked the energy of classic pairings such as Roger Moore and Tony Curtis in TV's Persuaders, or Robert Conrad and Ross Martin of Wild, Wild West.

    A similar bond existed between Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, the stars who first played Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin - American and Russian spies paired up to prevent global threats - on the original U.N.C.L.E. TV series. This new movie match-up shows off a sound grasp of light comedy and displays a chemistry that is enjoyable to watch - Cavill with his suaveness, and Hammer with his frequent lapses of temper - so much so that we know they are destined to become best of colleagues by film's end, despite a stunt-packed opening scene which has both trying to kill each other.

    The movie is set in 1963: an era of spy gadgets, sleek cars, mod clothes and martinis. Solo (Cavill) is on a CIA mission to smuggle charismatic auto mechanic Gaby Teller (Alicia Vilkander) out of Berlin, wanted because she can help locate her missing father, an ex-Nazi scientist who'd been working for the US. KGB man Kuryakin (Hammer) pursues the duo and shows his resilience and aptitude by refusing to be shaken off the trail, no matter what manner of maneuver Solo can throw at him. Although Solo succeeds in the end, his superior (Brit Jared Harris) assigns him to work with Kuryakin to prevent a mysterious cabal, headed by Victoria Vinciguerra (Aussie actress Elizabeth Debicki), from acquiring a nuclear warhead.

    It makes for an interesting cosmopolitan cast: two Englishmen playing Americans, an American hamming it up as a Russian, and an Australian taking on an Italian role. Hugh Grant plays Alexander Waverly, the British intelligence man whose name telegraphs to long-time U.N.C.L.E. fans his ultimate role, although in the original series he was undoubtedly an American.

    Director Guy Ritchie fills his action sequences with comic interludes that raise the film's appreciation factor. Finding temporary refuge while he and Kuryakin are being fired at by pursuing henchmen, Solo helps himself to an unattended basket lunch while leaving his partner to fend for himself. Ritchie continues the chase in one tiny upper corner of the frame while in the foreground, Cavill enjoys a sandwich and some wine. In another scene, a stereotypical Nazi scientist tortures Solo in a fearsome electrical device, only for the tables to be turned when Kuryakin arrives to save the day. The villain is then tethered to his own device and kills himself after accidentally triggering it while the two agents turn their backs.

    As the end of it all, we see the formation of U.N.C.L.E. It would have been a nice touch to have Teller to be revealed as April Dancer (for you newbies, Google the name), but presumably that would have quickly given the ending away. An even better touch would have been to include either Vaughn or MacCallum in cameo roles, which would surely have sent many an old fan home satisfied, this reviewer included.

    U.N.C.L.E does not have the serious thrills of a James Bond or Mission Impossible, nor does it sway to the manic outrageousness of Kingsman or Spy, but falls into a happy medium which caters for a maximum dose of enjoyment.
     The combination of Cavill's James Coburn-esque coolness and Hammer's lovable doofusness works so well it virtually ensures a sequel is on the cards … and perhaps this time they'll bring their inverted triangle badges with them.

FROM SMALL THINGS BIG THINGS COME

This review was published in The West Australian dated Jul 16, 2015.

MOVIE

Ant-Man
Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas

Review Ray Chan

Early pre-release reviews of Ant-Man were discouraging, with some proclaiming the latest Marvel Studios movie as possibly the worst in the franchise.

    Certainly, the signs weren't good from the start. The project had initially been given to Edgar Wright, the director behind Shaun of the Dead, whose passion for all things geeky and clever comedy-action approach won over many fans. But he left the movie after "creative differences", studiospeak that Marvel became wary of Wright's influence possibly veering off the formatted template used for the other Marvel offerings.

    Enter the lesser-known Peyton Reed, who was then forced to put together something from Wright's concepts, and a screenplay attributed to four writers: Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and star Paul Rudd.

    Yet, surprisingly, the result is far from unrefined cinematic chowder, as one might expect from such an unfortunate collaboration.

    The story revolves round a kind-hearted thief named Scott Lang (Rudd), who is hand-picked by scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to replace him as Ant-Man, a guise he no longer wears after his wife Janet, a heroine named the Wasp, died while the two of them were in the midst of one of their battles against forces of evil.

    Scott is asked to don Hank's miniaturising suit and thwart the ambitions of Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), Hank's former protégé who now runs his company, and who's developing his own shrink-ray technology that he plans to sell to the villainous conglomerate Hydra. Scott has to break into Cross' headquarters and steal his shrinking suit known as Yellowjacket - a plan that involves some humorous training montages and banter between Scott and Hank's daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly), who wants to wear the Ant-Man tech herself.

    Despite his early wayward venture into crime, Scott has a heart of gold and responds to every situation with a good-natured retort before getting on with the important job of saving the day. With this mix of goofiness and noble intent, he comes across as a far more likeable character than, say, someone as arrogant as Iron Man's Tony Stark, or as wisecracking as the Guardians' Peter Quill.

    Sure, the plot's familiar and recycled. Weird science; imminent danger; father/daughter conflicts; hero saves the day. The tone of the movie, however, is relatively light and predominantly faithful to the comic book feel from which it was spawned.

    There are some lovely little touches, like henchman Luis (Michael Pena) whistling 'It's a Small World' when he is waiting for Scott to infiltrate Cross' building, and when the main antagonist gets trapped in a bug zapper. Scenes like these make the movie especially enjoyable for those numbed by the endless backdrop of destruction shown in films such as Avengers, Transformers and Man of Steel, or the grittiness and seriousness of offerings like Captain America, Thor and the Dark Knight.

    The simple and fetching shrink gimmick of Ant-Man steals much of the show. The vacillations between shrinking and enlarging - the technology allows for both - leads to some spectacular effects, whether it's Scott leading an army of ants, or a toy tank being blown up to real-life, working proportions. The climactic smackdown between Scott and Cross takes place largely on a toy train set, and is particularly memorable for a Thomas the Tank Engine accidentally being expanded into gigantic size.

    The movie also reveals connections with the Avengers that will please Marvel fans, and includes a cameo by an unexpected character. For comic book readers, the movie is replete with references that will be familiar, such as the mention of Tales to Astonish, and the use of the name Milgrom. As well, the post-credits scene offers prospects of a revival of the Ant-Man/Wasp team.

    Ant-Man is sure to entertain audiences of all ages, particularly the younger ones tired with the grim and dark exposition of many other super-hero releases. Ultimately, though, it feels more like an appetising piece of finger food - appropriately enough - than a full meal. It's a tasty morsel that Marvel is serving up while we wait for the main course of the next super-sized action-hero movie.

MORE CHEEK TO BEAR

This review was published in The West Australian dated Jul 1, 2015.

MOVIE

Ted 2
Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried

Review Ray Chan

I loved Seth Macfarlane's A Million Ways to Die in the West, even though many critics and viewers didn't. But judging by the guffaws at the preview of Ted 2, it seems the creator's gutter, sophomoric humour conveys itself better through animated characters such as his Family Guy line-up, or via the lips of a cuddly teddy bear come to life.

    Certainly, there's an abundance of the trademark gross-out sight gags and scatological jokes in this sequel to the surprise 2012 hit about the profane, pot-smoking sentient doll. But perhaps its's the odd mix of innocence and vulgarity that makes the growing Ted franchise weirdly enjoyable, even by those who don't wish to admit it. But hey, in the dark, no-one can see you laugh.

    The movie kicks off with the marriage of Ted to childhood sweetheart Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), before evolving into a splendid Busby Berkeley routine that captivates the audience's attention from the start. But there's trouble a-brewing (or even a-bruin) in paradise, with the couple embroiled in so many quarrels that they figure only having children will help restore domestic bliss.

    Towards this end, Ted's deficiency is obvious, so they choose to adopt a child, which immediately raises a red flag with the Government about the bear's rights as a person. Together with thunder buddy John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and Sam L Jackson (Amanda Seyfried), Ted takes the case to court, where he rules proceedings with his mix of well-meaning but crass commentaries.

    There are many choice moments along the way, such as a Disney-esque song scene in the middle of a deserted farm, Morgan Freeman playing the sort of suave, sensitive soul he has often been stereotyped as, and a visit to a comedy improvisation club where Ted and company shout inappropriate suggestions, both cringeworthy and hilarious at the same time.

    Perhaps the only unnecessary element was the return of Giovanni Ribisi's unlikeable character from the first movie, with the villain intent on capturing Ted and making copies of him, including one of his very own to keep. But it does allow Macfarlane the opportunity to unleash his inner geek and shoot scenes at the New York Comic Con, where ultimately various cosplay characters end up fighting each other as the film moves to its climax.

    With the movie premiering in the same week as Perth's SuperNova comic convention, the timing could not have been better for it to gain some valuable word-of-mouth promotion. Certainly, more than a few convention enthusiasts would have left the theatres with broad grins on their faces.

    The film is precisely what viewers familiar with the original would expect, no less and certainly no more. Yet while it is among the funniest movies to be released this year, its place in the galaxy of cinematic comedies will barely register a cosmic ripple. Macfarlane may have tapped his formulaic seam of pop culture-influenced, off-colour buffoonery to its fullest, and it will be interesting to see if he brings anything new to his next project.

A WIN FOR THE ONLY GAYS IN THE VILLAGE

This review was published in The West Australian on  July 1, 2015

FILM
Pride
Ben Schnetzer, Imelda Staunton
Director Matthew Warchus
REVIEW RAY CHAN

This Cannes-winning film mines a formulaic shaft used frequently in recent times, one based in British industrial strife and seemingly always set in quaint little villages.
    Some of the experiments have worked wonders, others not quite so. But while it sounds an exaggeration, Pride is an uplifting, sure-fire crowd-pleaser that may well be the best of them all.
    The feel-good offering from director Matthew Warchus, suffused in 80s music and nostalgia, is taken from the real-life 1984 dispute between prime minister Margaret Thatcher and the National Union of Mineworkers over coalmine closures.
    With the miners standing firm and embarking on a protracted and debilitating strike, a band of gay activists - seeing similarities in the way both groups are pilloried by PM, press and police - opt to show their support by raising money for the strikers and their families.
    Despite encountering initial resistance, the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners - led by activist Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer) - find support from a small town in Wales' Dulais Valley, after a misunderstanding with a confused local woman seals the unexpected alliance.
    But once arriving in the village of Onllywyn, the group - despite presenting the funds they have thus far collected - are treated with disdain by most of the miners, whose self-respect has already been whittled away by their increasing reliance on their wives.
    In an era when homosexuals were reviled and communities were grappling with the onset of AIDS, the prospect of accepting welfare from "poofs", as one of the gay characters states, proves too hard to stomach for most of the community, except for a small group headed by benevolent striker Dai (Paddy Considine) and old- school village elder Cliff (Bill Nighy), plus a bevy of good-hearted working-class matriarchs, including the outspoken Hefina (Imelda Staunton).
    It is the ensuing culture clash that provides much of the film's entertainment, as both sides come to grips with the nuances of one another, the frippery and flamboyance of the gays clearly contrasting with the dourness of the miners.
    In a show-stealing scene, the theatrical Jonathon (Dominic West) demonstrates some spectacular dancing moves to the womenfolk, who in turn are inspired to move out of the shadows of their husbands.
    Encouraged by a fiery Hefina at the helm, a group of drunken village women later wander though the gay bars of London with a game sangfroid belying their obvious naivete, culminating in a sleep-in at Jonathon's pad where they encounter a sprinkling of male centrefolds and sex toys.
    There are a lot of names and faces to handle but Warchus ensures the audience is able to differentiate between all the personalities, a task made easier by fine performances from the stellar cast. The story, as intricate as it is, is filled with moments of great emotional power, triumphs and tragedy.
    Amid the jokes about miner machismo and lesbian cuisine, writer Stephen Beresford doesn't shy from addressing the devastation that will face the miners if the pits close. Nor does he ignore the fear the gay community feels at the threat of HIV, a point made all the more poignant when it is revealed at the end of the film that, in real life, Ashton died from the disease when only 26.
    While the movie sometimes meanders close to cliches and sledgehammer humour, Warchus directs strongly, ensuring it never falls into schmaltz, managing to circumvent them with wholesome open-heartedness and the core message of solidarity: that standing together makes for the strongest union of all.