The Circle (Der Kreis) was a gay magazine produced in Switzerland and distributed internationally between 1932 and 1967. It is also the name of a docudrama film by director, Stefan Haupt. The film tells the story of a couple who were members of this underground movement that went on to become Switzerland’s first legally-married couple…
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They say the eyes are like a window to the soul. And the story of Big Eyes and specifically artist, Margaret Keane would show one sad and sinister tale. The latest film by director, Tim Burton (a Keane fan) throws his familiar clutch and styles away to instead present a biopic that is rich, honest…
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The two main characters in The Foxy Merkins are not foxy ladies in the Jimi Hendrix sense. Smart? Yes. Sassy? Sure. But smouldering, not so much. The film is in fact, a fictional comedy based on the misadventures of two homeless, lesbian hookers. The film was directed by Madeleine Olnek who doubles as a writer…
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How do you look at someone that’s committed a reprehensible act? Can they be forgiven, are they the devil and what do you do if they’ve achieved great success prior to this event? These are the sorts of questions that are raised in the documentary short, unmappable, which is about Denis Wood. The film is…
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Ned Rifle is the final instalment in an American, satirical trilogy by writer and director, Hal Hartley. It fails to stand up as its own separate film and it is difficult for newcomers to follow (as Hartley gives little away and it has been so long between the release of this and the earlier instalments,…
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For the love of food. For Grace is a documentary that follows world-acclaimed chef, Curtis Duffy as he embarks on a journey to open his dream restaurant called Grace. The film is an insightful look at the highs, lows and the meticulous and determined attention-to-detail that is required in opening a fine dining establishment. It…
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Two young women from two continents live apart for a quarter of a century. Twinsters is the story of these two identical twin sisters who were separated at birth, adopted by different families and their subsequent reunion. This documentary is heart-warming, emotional and unique. In February 2013 LA-based actress, Sam Futerman received an odd Facebook…
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In January 2013 musician, Wilko Johnson was told he had ten months to live. In The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson, English filmmaker Julien Temple (The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, The Filth & The Fury) chronicles Johnson’s humble farewell tour and album as well as how the patient refuses chemotherapy treatment in order to live…
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It’s lonely at the top and much-loved Australian comedian, Carl Barron is all too aware of this. In his feature film debut he takes a leaf out of his book of life spent on the road for the past two decades. The film is brave and has an interesting enough premise, but it is let…
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The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel once again takes the audience on a journey through India with our favourite set of English retirees. The sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit brings together the same ensemble cast as previously, as well as some new additions. The film is helmed by the same team which included writer,…
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Scott Dooley’s Debut is a “Stand-up comedy film”. It’s not strictly a recorded version of his live show nor is it an in-depth documentary of his travels. In Debut Dools offers us an account of his life spent on the road, performing stand-up and doing promo spots and above all, making people laugh. Dools’ debut…
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If I Stay shares a few things in common with a Nicholas Sparks’ story. The film is based on a best-selling young adult novel by Gayle Forman and is about the adolescent love between two likeable characters. It’s also a slow-burning yet emotional film about choices and existential quandaries. This is the feature debut for…
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The Culture High takes one side of a polarising, public debate. It argues that marijuana should be legalised. This crowd-funded documentary is from the makers of The Union: The Business Behind Getting High and takes up where the latter one left off by giving a detailed but rather weighted perspective. Director Brett Harvey shocks us…
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The Wedding Ringer is a kind of terrible fun. The film has a direct-to-DVD feel that isn’t as enjoyable as The Wedding Singer but it’s also not as torturous as seeing your enemy get married. Ultimately, it’s a high-octane series of silly shenanigans that help redeem some of the film’s flatter moments. The movie is…
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Girls isn’t a glamorous show and in many ways that’s what makes it feel so brutally honest and real. In the third season the characters are the most fully developed and realised versions of themselves to date. It’s also one that is full of the kinds of stories and things that will challenge, enthral, frustrate…
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The Piano was one big success story in 1993. It was the winner of three Academy Awards (Best Screenplay, Actress and Supporting Actress) and the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes, as well as being the darling of critics and fans alike. This beautiful and haunting film has recently been digitally remastered and released on Blu-ray…
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Family Guy is one of those shows where you either love it or loathe it. And for some people Season 14 may also cause the same kind of reactions. It’s because this season sees characters like Stewie (Seth MacFarlane) becoming less like the evil and murderous child genius he was at the beginning of the…
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The Simpsons is one great but frustrating TV show. The animated series about our favourite dysfunctional family and the other characters that inhabit Springfield is now in its 26th series. The DVD releases are a little delayed with season 17 (which aired in 2005) only just being released. In the style of the more recent…
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If you remember the sixties, you weren’t there. But this is no longer a problem thanks to the 10-part documentary series, The Sixties. The program is an informative and in-depth account of a formative and tumultuous decade, especially for America (and it is from this slant and perspective that this TV series is told). The…
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The Making of Boyhood is a ten-minute feature about the film of the same name that was written, produced and directed by Richard Linklater (Dazed & Confused, School of Rock). Boyhood is a film that was 12 years in the making and is partly fictional and partly autobiographical. It’s also one that could be renamed…
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“Please look after this bear”. This is what the tag that is initially around Paddington’s neck says but it is also applicable to this movie adaptation. The film is a re-telling of Michael Bond’s stories that has been carefully updated to a modern setting. This means it’s a charming tale that doesn’t compromise on quality…
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Serena is an adaptation of a Ron Rash novel that at times is considered even too strange to be fiction. This period drama starts off as a sumptuous, romantic tale set in North Carolina during the Depression. It is a slow burn to begin with but in the final act it turns into a bizarre…
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If he’s not the King then Ian “Molly” Meldrum is undoubtedly the Queen of Australian music. The broadcaster, raconteur, producer, TV presenter, journalist, band manager and passionate music fan has seen and done it all. To celebrate some 50 years in the music industry as well as his upcoming induction into the ARIA Hall of…
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The film Imaginaerum is like opening the doors of perception and entering a music video by Finnish metal band, Nightwish. The movie is based on their seventh studio album and concept record. Imaginaerum seems to have the same trappings as most rock operas once they are adapted for the screen. That is that while the visuals…
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The Way Of The Wicked is the film version of a dead-end. At first glance it offers some promise as it’s a story about a satanic, teenage boy who has telekinetic powers. But it’s not long before the proceedings go from haunting to staid and the drama becomes predictable and forgettable. The story begins with…
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My Old Lady is a family melodrama that proves there’s no such thing as a free lunch. When a down-and-out American inherits a large apartment in Paris from his late father he thinks all of his pay days have come at once. But the residence comes with some strings attached, namely an old lady, her…
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Imagine The Inbetweeners if they were an aspiring jangly rock quintet living in Manchester in 1990. The result would be Spike Island.The film tells the story of a gang of lads who just want to get off with girls, be in a band and meet their idols, The Stone Roses at the latter band’s Spike…
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The James Brown biopic, Get On Up captures the very essence of the legendary, Godfather of Soul. It is a frenzied account that goes through story arcs like some people change clean clothes. But first and foremost is the amazing music by a true vanguard and the electric and infectious performance by Chadwick Boseman (42)….
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Nicholas Sparks’ books – just like the film adaptions of his novels – are really only for hopeless romantics. They often require a suspension of disbelief and cynicism. But if the viewer can set these things aside then they’ll often find a pleasant yet predictable romantic drama and tearjerker. The Best Of Me is the…
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Hector & The Search For Happiness is about a psychiatrist who sets out on an overseas journey in order to find joy. The idea is hardly a new one, especially as the self-help genre has already seen the likes of Eat Pray Love and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, among others. Unfortunately, Hector’s story…
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