The Babadook

The Moogai‘s emotional and psychological terror elements find unrest: Sydney Film Festival Review

The controversial historical treatment of Australia’s native people by white settlers and the continuing generational trauma within the Indigenous communities weigh heavy on the narrative themes of Jon Bell‘s The Moogai.  There’s a ripe premise to lean into horror genre sensibilities – “moogai” is the Bundjalung language for a malevolent child-stealing entity that is the…

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The Moogai‘s important message clashes with shaky horror execution: Sundance Film Festival Review

The controversial historical treatment of Australia’s native people by white settlers and the continuing generational trauma within the Indigenous communities weigh heavy on the narrative themes of Jon Bell‘s The Moogai.  There’s a ripe premise to lean into horror genre sensibilities – “moogai” is the Bundjalung language for a malevolent child-stealing entity that is the…

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Interview: Talk To Me directors Danny and Michael Philippou on executing their horror success

After previewing at the 2022 Adelaide Film Festival, before taking the world by storm at its global Sundance Film Festival premiere earlier this year (read our review here), Talk To Me has become the little horror that could. A supernatural horror experience unlike any other, Talk To Me is the twisted brainchild of Australian filmmaking…

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Interview: Anna Diop and Nikyatu Jusu on navigating the horror elements of Nanny with lived-in emotion

In the psychological horror fable of displacement Nanny, Aisha (Anna Diop), is a woman recently emigrated from Senegal and hired to care for the daughter of an affluent couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector) living in New York City.  Haunted by the absence of the young son she left behind, Aisha hopes her new job…

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Umbrella Entertainment and Yarra City Arts announce free open air cinema program at Linear Park

Fitzroy North residents can enjoy Aussie classics under the stars, with a free open air cinema program launching at Linear Park next month. Running on Fridays throughout March, the project – dubbed Neighbourhood Watch – is a collab between film distributor Umbrella Entertainment and Yarra City Arts. Locals will be able head to Linear Park…

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The Iris Interview: Jennifer Kent on writing and directing Australian horror film The Babadook

As of writing this article, Australian horror film The Babadook sits at a comfortable 100% on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes; and our very own Penny Spirou gave the film 4.5/5 in her review. Praise is pouring in from all over for this story about a widowed mother raising a young boy with behavioural issues…

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