Note: This review does not contain spoilers, nor significant plot elements beyond that which was included in the trailers. The Force Awakens’ strongest asset and weakest attribute are the same thing; it is recognisably, and […]
Category: Reviews
THE BIG SHORT
The brilliance of The Big Short is that it doesn’t even pretend to be a story about good guys. Four market experts – brought to life by Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell and Brad […]
CREED
The best Rocky film since the 1970’s, Creed has brought the series back to form. Star Sylvester Stallone wisely takes a back-seat, filling in the mentor role occupied by Mickey (Burgess Meredith) and Apollo Creed […]
IN THE HEART OF THE SEA
Films are supposed to transport us to another place, another time. Few recent efforts have done it better than this one. In the Heart of the Sea is based on the non-fiction book of the […]
SUCKER
High school student Lawrence (John Luc) goes from class cheat to professional swindler in this Australian take on the classic con movie. Having been thrown out of school, he meets ‘The Professor’ (Timothy Spall) when […]
CURTAIN
Nurse and new home owner Danni (Danni Smith) discovers a mysterious portal in, of all things, her shower. In spite of many attempts to hang up a shower curtain, it keeps getting sucked into oblivion […]
CRUSHED
Thriller, family drama and murder mystery, Ellia (Sarah Bishop) returns to her family’s vineyard in rural Australia after her father is crushed by a barrel, only to learn that members of her family are prime […]
Stretch And Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives
Biography, radio show and hip-hop anthology, documentary Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives chronicles the impact of duo Bobbito Garcia and DJ Stretch Armstrong on the music industry. Heralding their long-running show and the […]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Don’t you hate it when the ending lets you down? The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 didn’t have to try too hard to be a popular, or even a good film. Coming off the […]
In Defence of Spectre
‘Spectre’ is aptly named – not for the criminal empire that plagued Bond’s early adventures, but for its two-syllable summary of why the super-spy’s 24th outing is one of his best. Haunted by the dead […]
BURNT
Bradley Cooper is front and centre in Burnt as troubled chef Adam Jones. Originally titled Chef, the film is based on Michelin-starred celebrity cook Gordon Ramsay who, amongst others, collaborated closely with Cooper to develop […]
CRIMSON PEAK
(Spoilers) Crimson Peak is that rare film to provide limited appeal for audiences but perpetual fodder for academics, critics and budding filmmakers, not because of any ingenuity but for what, and what not to do […]
BLACK MASS
Johnny Depp is James “Whitey” Bulger: notorious Boston gangster, FBI informant and confidant of childhood friend/Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton). Benedict Cumberbatch plays Whitey’s politician brother with Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson and Breaking Bad’s Jesse Plemons […]
THE INTERN
In The Intern, Robert De Niro plays Ben, a retired looking-for-fulfilment type, who is recruited as a senior intern to the younger, highly motivated dotcom wiz, Jules (Anne Hathaway). You know Ben’s older, because he doesn’t […]
THE VISIT
I went in with no expectations, leaving more than pleasantly surprised at seeing one of the best horror films in years. M Night Shyamalan of The Sixth Sense fame has gone back to basics, making […]
APPROACHING THE ELEPHANT
Approaching the Elephant chronicles the efforts of avant-garde teacher Alexander to set up a contentious and highly unorthodox ‘free school’ system. Dedicated to alternative education structures and rejecting the so-called rigid restrictions which accompany more […]
THE SANDWICH NAZI
Male escort, musician, art collector and deli owner Salam Kahil has led an interesting life. Dispensing sandwiches and free advice to anyone who walks into his store in Vancouver, Kahil’s flamboyant no-holds-barred attitude to discussing […]
THE GROUND WE WON
“We go out there, we do our jobs, we play footy, we have a laugh, we have a beer.” A player aptly sums up the ethos of his team and much of The Ground We […]
FINDERS KEEPERS
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever found in a household appliance? Self-made entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant thought he was buying a meat smoker at an auction, only to open it up and find a dismembered leg. […]
SICARIO
“In Mexico, Sicario means hitman.” The phenomenally talented Benicio Del Toro deserves the opportunity to headline a competent thriller, something he’s been denied for some time. Del Toro gets his chance with the mesmerisingly brutal Sicario, […]
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