Luke Harris
Luke is writing short stories, screenplays and film reviews when he's not at the day job or looking after the needs of his family. So one Powerball...
The Pope’s Exorcist Review
Julius Avery and Russell Crowe invite us to the mouth of hell to witness a bipolar cinematic spectacle. With 2018’s Overlord, Avery proved his talent for directing pulpy action horror films. The Pope’s Exorcist is more of the same, without the full metal jacket and with a few doses of comedy. The film as a whole can’t decide exactly what it is supposed to be, but as a piece of entertaining popcorn...
Creed III Review
Michael B Jordan, everybody’s favourite Killmonger (Black Panther), stars in and directs what seems likely to be the final chapter in a Creed trilogy (at least, the final of the franchise to centre on Adonis, more on that later). For a directorial debut, it’s a good one! From a narrative and character development perspective, much like Creed II, part III in the Adonis Creed story doesn’t necessari...
Knock at the Cabin Review
On the big screen since February 2nd, Universal Pictures and M. Night Shyamalan (Signs, The Village) invites you to witness the apocalypse. Knock at the Cabin demands an hour and forty minutes of your time, perhaps as the credits roll you may wish it really was the end of the world. Based on Paul Tremblay’s 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World, the film takes a few liberties, becoming some...
M3GAN Review
Risking comparison to murderous doll flicks of yesteryear, M3gan swings gracefully on screen in January 2023 with mechanical grace and manic sass. Based on the promo material alone, one can be forgiven for passing the film off as a gender bent Chucky riff. This is a disservice. On viewing it is clear, director Gerard Johnstone, screenwriter Akela Cooper, producers James Wan and Jason Blum have cra...
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Review
It has been eleven years and Antonio Banderas (Desperado, Shrek 2) returns as the titular outlaw along with Selma Hayek (Hitman’s Bodyguard, House of Gucci) as Kitty Paws and Harvey Guillen (Archer, Harley Quinn) as newcomer Perrito, a want to be therapy dog masquerading as a cat. If that last bit sounds amusing, then director Joel Crawford (The Croods: New Age) has a treat in store! Before we rea...
Violent Night Review
Absolute Merry F***ing Mayhem! It is fun to imagine that the studio pitch for Violent Night went something like this; “It’s Die Hard, with Santa Claus, stupid gory, wrapped in thinly veiled social commentary!”. Without missing a beat, an exec rises from their seat with a fistful of cash and smugly quips, “Fill my stocking buddy, we need a Christmas hero!”. Violent Night is a love letter to Christ...
She Said Review
A confronting, all too authentic account of the early days lock picking the Pandora’s box surrounding Miramax’s open secret. Enlightening, infuriating, and victorious. She Said, written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz and directed by Maria Schrader, took a risk going in. It could have been a disservice to the now historical events surrounding the #metoo movement that swept the world on the back ...
The Woman King Review
In cinemas from this week, The Woman King stars Viola Davis (The Suicide Squad) as General Nanisca, John Boyega (Star Wars The Force Awakens) as King Ghezo, Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad) as Nawi and Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) as Izogie. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard) and written by Dana Stevens, The Woman King takes the historically murky backdrop of 1823 Dahomey, W...
Halloween Ends Review
Is Halloween Ends a return to form or does the film continue the downward spiral that began with Kills? It is both. There, I said it. Once again, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride subvert the tropes this iconic series founded, attempting to pull the franchise in a different direction. But much like Halloween Kills, Ends feels like a (not a Halloween) movie, within a Halloween movie. In the eyes...
Beast Review
If you have ever wanted to see Idris Elba punch a wild lion on the snout, Universal Pictures has got your back. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, Beast stars Elba as Dr Nate Samuels, Sharlto Copley as Martin Battles, Leah Sava Jeffries as Norah Samuels and Iyana Halley as Meredith Samuels. The titular beast, an impressively angered and rogue patriarch, roams a South African game reserve seeking to ma...
Girl at the Window Review
Mark Hartley, director of the Patrick remake and Not Quite Hollywood (highly recommended) returns to present audiences with The Girl at the Window, a rural Australian thriller that is equal parts serial slasher flick and Nancy Drew. A mix that leaps high, miscalculates and lands painfully on its coccyx. Small town high school student Amy (Ella Newton) struggles with PTSD after being involved in th...
The Black Phone Review
Based on a short story by Joe Hill, Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone is a well paced thriller that successfully crosses genre boundaries. Subverting expectations along the way is nice, but unfortunately the story telegraphs its main punches a mile off. This review contains spoilers, so if you wish to view The Black Phone impartially scroll straight to the last two paragraphs. Denver, 1978; A mas...