The term “elevated horror” gets thrown around a lot nowadays. And as much as supposed film purists like to rib on such a phrase, it’s undeniably becoming a subgenre of the horror space, allowing dark, heavy topics and deep exploration of characters to exist within the structure of a scary story. Such is the mentality…
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Whilst there are those that will sternly attest that 2009’s Avatar was an impactful piece of cinema with a lasting relevance, there’s the equally valid counterpoint that beyond the special effects and its introductory lesson to the 3D technique it’s a movie that doesn’t have the emotional weight it so wants to believe it has. …
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Whilst the general consensus is that the James Bond franchise has its large share of devoted fans – all eagerly awaiting the resilient secret agent’s next global mission – there are those that take a differing view. It’s not that they don’t like the films per se, it’s that each film release comes with the…
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A sweeping melodrama that harkens back to a time when such tales filled local cinemas, The Road Dance would almost be a lush theatrical experience, with its traditional, old-fashioned storytelling, if it wasn’t for one crucial element of its narrative that grounds it in an unpleasant reality. Based on a novel by John McKay, itself…
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Few actors possess and exude as much movie star wattage as George Clooney and Julia Roberts. And it’s his attractive gruffness and her screen-lighting smile that keep Ticket To Paradise from being a destination you’d request a refund for. Local audiences – predominantly those based in Queensland – are sure to get a thrill from…
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When Lee Child‘s novel creation Jack Reacher was first introduced to audiences in a motion-captured capacity it was in the form of Tom Cruise’s filmic duo of Jack Reacher (2012) and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016). Whilst Cruise’s action capabilities have never been questioned, the fact that he was chosen to portray such a…
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You’d think people would learn by now that no good comes from hoping to find a new species. Or, in the case of the trio at the centre of Australian creature feature Carnifex, an endangered species they’re hoping may still be alive in the aftermath of a bushfire-ravaged Australian forest. There’s been some controversy surrounding…
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‘Tis the month before Christmas and in Tommy Wirkola‘s sight, is a deliriously entertaining seasonal film called Violent Night. Taking a few cues from Die Hard and embracing the brutal mentality of Home Alone – here you’ll see what would actually happen to someone if they were pummelled by bowling balls – director Wirkola (Dead…
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Given that we’ve had a share of snakes and sharks and bears (Oh My!) over the years as the creatures that have opted to stalk various familiar-faced talent, it’s only fair that the majestic king of the jungle get their due too. If the circle of life taught us anything, it’s that what goes around…
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Live. Date. Repeat. The ideal first date and that titular mentality that so many romantic comedies bank on is a concept that, in real life, we wish could be so cinematically charming. And the idea that a film would take such a concept and build a time travel-influenced narrative around it sounds incredibly promising. What…
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Though Seriously Red is a film that has its heart in the right place and explores the rather fascinating world of celebrity impersonators and, by extension, what that does to one’s own identity, Gracie Otto‘s musically-inclined comedy never quite digs deep enough regarding its thematics. Otto’s film centres itself around Raylene “Red” Delaney (Krew Boylan,…
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It goes without saying that there’s a certain irony in Luca Guadagnino helming a cannibalistic tale in the wake of one of his his Call Me By Your Name stars being ousted for their abusive, sexual fantasies involving such anthropophagous tendencies; Armie Hammer, for those who perhaps haven’t heard, having been banished from the industry…
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Rian Johnson had far too much fun paying homage to the works of Agatha Christie in 2019’s star-studded crime comedy Knives Out. To say he executed it perfectly would be putting it mildly, but whilst a sequel to such a set-up seemed like a given, how anything secondary would be navigated was another mystery in…
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Period films, especially biopics featuring a famous historical figure, can start to blur together. They’re never revolutionary, always follow the same formula, and the only thing viewers discuss at the end is how great the costumes were. But Corsage is different. This internationally co-produced historical drama by writer/director Marie Kreutzer was practically designed to reverse…
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Releasing a horror movie only days out from Christmas doesn’t seem like the smartest marketing ploy. Add to that a slasher example of the genre at a time when “horror” was a bad word – and so often relegated to the straight-to-video treatment – and you had, essentially, a film slashed dead on arrival. Such…
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With Hocus Pocus 2 proving a sizeable success, The Princess Diaries 3 now officially in the works, and both Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan discussing their interest in a Freaky Friday sequel, the House of Mouse is more than proving itself in the business of revisiting original titles for the sake of nostalgia, fan…
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Well, we can’t say we weren’t warned that with such a title as The People We Hate at the Wedding we’re unprepared to be subjected to people at a wedding that we do indeed hate. A “comedy” that commits the cardinal sin of trying to make its hateful characters relatable and forgivable of their actions,…
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A satire surrounding the wealthy, faux celebrities, foodies and their misplaced importance, or chefs with a God complex seems far too easy to execute for a mock artist. For director Mark Mylod (What’s Your Number, TV’s Succession) and screenwriters Seth Reiss (TV’s Late Night with Seth Meyers) and Will Tracy (TV’s Succession) it’s low-hanging fruit…
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Given the weight and influence that came with the #MeToo movement – founded in 2006 by American activist Tarana Burke – and, by extension (and association), the overwhelming allegations of sexual assault against once-famed producer Harvey Weinstein, it makes sense that a film detailing as such has come to fruition. Based off the 2017 New…
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It’s all too easy to wax lyrical these days about trailers spoiling and “giving too much away” for the keyboard warriors who oft decide they hate a film before they even see it. Whilst the jury is still out on how many will dislike The Invitation, I can attest that, as far as spoilers go, Jessica M….
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The Hitman Vs. Assassin subsect of the action genre is one that rarely deviates from its rather tried and true formula; aside from a hefty injection of cash and a star-studded cast, something as recent as Netflix’s throwaway actioner The Gray Man is proof that the genre, even in 2022, seems comfortable resting on its…
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Initially, it can’t be denied, Dylan & Zoey does adhere to certain rules that the “Indie film playbook” so often lays out for new filmmakers to navigate. This is by no means a criticism of Matt Sauter‘s film, merely an observation that the simplistic settings, dialogue-heavy characters and their societal views, and “me against the…
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It’s understandable to be going into a film like Nope and be expecting horror greatness, given that it’s stemming from the mind of Jordan Peele, who, with both Get Out and Us, redefined the genre with his “woke” sensibilities and penchant for symbolism and commentary. Ominous alien invasion is seemingly what’s promised here. The trailers (at least initially, before the studio…
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Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has undoubtedly divided fans like no other that has preceded it. Whilst there was a certain uniqueness in how characters and narratives were handled – say what you will about Eternals or Thor: Love and Thunder, but they at least attempted to separate themselves from the norm –…
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There was a point in Romuald Boulanger‘s On The Line where a character utters the line “Elvis has left the building”, here referring to Mel Gibson‘s character Elvis Cooney, a late-night shock jock who has seemingly made a name for himself due to his on-air pranks and general volatile personality. The line clearly wants to…
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A low-key slice of independent cinema that you imagine wouldn’t be given as big of a spotlight had it not been for lead Jennifer Lawrence, Causeway nonetheless deserves its attention as it’s a determined and moving picture about one’s healing, both emotionally and physically. Adhering to the stripped-away mentality that drove her to her first…
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Given how wild everyone – or teenage girls, to be a little more accurate – are for pop’s main man-candy Harry Styles, it will no doubt throw much of his female following off as to how graphic the sexual scenes are in My Policeman, a queer love story that perseveres with grand intentions but, sadly,…
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The plot for Aftersun is one that we have seen countless times before in one form or another: Adult reflects on a childhood trip with a parent that was often laced with memorable experiences. It’s how writer/director Charlotte Wells chooses to frame such a story though – almost like a faded memory – that transforms…
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The idea of a Fletch remake/reboot/sequel has long been discussed for almost three decades now. The obvious suggestions of Jason Lee and Jason Sudeikis were thrown around for contention to follow in Chevy Chase’s comedic footsteps during its production, but after consistent stop/starts it has fallen to Jon Hamm to pick up the mantle and…
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When The Wonder first begins there’s a rather pretentious and, ultimately, unrewarding additive that runs the risk of undoing all that will follow. Niamh Algar‘s soothing vocal tone greets us as our eyes glaze over a constructed film set. Algar informs us that we are indeed watching a film, but the players involve believe in…
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