While audiences might be approaching the release of Transformers One with trepidation, after being burnt out by the repetitive trend of more explosions than plot in recent films from the franchise, however like the Transformers slogan, there is definitely more than meets the eye with this film. Welcome to the origin story of our favourite arch nemeses, Optimus Prime and Megatron. From the outset ...
Runt is the wholesome and heartwarming family flick that we need right now. Adapted from Craig Silvey’s beloved children’s story of the same name, Runt is directed by John Sheedy and he brings the same classic family-friendly atmosphere and sense of hope as in the original novel. Set in Upson Downs, the fictional country town suffering mid-drought inhabited by a bevy of kooky characters, and in p...
Tent boxing seems like a myth only shared by crusty older publicans hanging onto their third frosted pint in the back bar – romantic tales of Australiana machismo that evoke the smell of sweat and red dirt. Director Paul Goldman breathes fresh life into these outback ballads with Kid Snow. Telling the story of a tragic Irish boxing family who switch from legitimate ring boxing to running a...
L’été dernier (Last Summer) plays on some trite French cinema cliches to produce a delicate but ultimately boring look into a twisted French family. Based on the 2019 Danish film Queen of Hearts, Catherine Breillat created a more erotically charged version that followed the same storyline – a middle-aged woman has a taboo affair with her husband’s teenage son from his first marriage. T...
It is rare that a film is as simultaneously familiar yet frighteningly disturbing as Birdeater, and the unique combination makes for a disconcerting ride that is not quickly forgotten. Directors Jack Clark and Jim Weir have created a narrative that echoes an experience that many Australians have experienced – a classic bush trip with mates to celebrate the end of school, a significant birth...
Well, talk about facing your demons – in The Exorcism Russell Crowe takes this to a whole new level. Directed by Joshua John Miller, The Exorcism is yet another take on a classic of the horror genre, but this time with a little bit of a twist. While it’s not the most original of exorcism themed films, it does become uniquely meta. The story centers on Tony (played by Russell Crowe) a recove...
If anyone could resurrect Garfield from it’s previously dismal incarnations it would be Mark Dindal, director of cult classic The Emperor’s New Groove. Harking back to slapstick humour with strangely sophisticated punchlines, reminiscent of your favourite Looney Tune classics – The Garfield Movie is looking better than it’s 2004 iteration – but is it really one to watch? Starring as t...
Have you or someone you love had an imaginary friend? Did you ever wish they were still around? IF (Imaginary Friends for those not in the know) explores how life is from the other side, how our imaginary pals feel when we grow up and move on. The first family film from director and actor John Krasinski, is a sharp departure from his previous works (A Quiet Place Part I and II) and is beautifully...
Love Lies Bleeding is a movie that we’ve all seen before – a drama that’s sexy, gorey, dark and so incredibly visceral that you feel like you need a shower afterwards – but far bigger, better and gayer. Dramatic and psychotic at times, director Rose Glass hasn’t journeyed far from her breakout horror Saint Maud, giving 80s gym culture a dark twist. The story is centered around the see...
What started with a unique premise and intricate storyline, Madame Web quickly became more tangled up than, well, a fly in a spider’s web. In an effort to tap into the Spider-Man hype, (delicately without ever mentioning everyone’s favourite web-slinger overtly), director S.J. Clarkson took a former side character from the comic pages and gave her the full-fledged superhero movie treatment, which ...
How to Have Sex is definitely not the how-to guide that its title suggests – instead it’s a haunting coming of age story that is all too familiar for many women. Directed by Molly Manning Walker, How to Have Sex premiered at Cannes and won Un Certain Regard, and went on to tour more festivals across New Zealand, Australia and Canada, all to high acclaim. The story traces the dream party hol...
It’s not just déjà vu with fabulous musical flair – Mean Girls is back, but maybe not with as much of a vengeance as its predecessor. Directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr have brought the broadway show based on the cult classic back to the silver screen once again. While it does retain much of the campy and fun hallmarks of the original, perhaps with the latest iteration we have foun...
