Bridget Moore
Bank of Dave Review
BANK OF DAVE is probably best described as a double rom com: two love stories, unfolding at the same time. The first love story is pretty familiar: sad-lawyer-boy Hugh (Joe Fry) meets idealistic-doctor-girl Dr Alexandra (Phoebe Dynevor). Sparks fly: first the angry sort, then the love sort. It’s a sweet little rom com. Decidedly heart-warming, whilst managing to dodge some of the more cliché plot ...
Under Cover Review
Women over 50 are the fastest growing cohort of homeless people in Australia. UNDER COVER is a confronting, yet kind documentary, about the real people behind the statistics. It shares the stories of ten very different women. They come from all types of lives. Yet they all experience homelessness, or the very real threat of it. After a lifetime of looking after others – often labour that wa...
The Retaliators Review
THE RETALIATORS is a completely gratuitous blood-fest of gore and violence. And I absolutely adored it. THE RETALIATORS tells the story of a handsome young Preacher and 100% Good Dad, whose eldest daughter is horribly murdered. The Preacher falls apart, and seems destined to destroy himself. Until the cop investigating the murder offers him the chance to take revenge on his daughter’s killer. Hone...
True Things Review
TRUE THINGS is a viscerally uncomfortable film to watch. This isn’t me denigrating the film. TRUE THINGS is very good. My deep, skin-crawling discomfort whilst watching it is testament to the skill of the lead actors. Ruth Wilson is distressingly earnest as the love hungry Kate. And Tom Burke as Blond is a fascinating character study on the quintessential… Well, it rhymes with ‘tuckboy’. Kate wor...
Little Tornadoes Review
It’s Australia, 1971, and a revolution is happening in the cities. But in the country, things stay exactly the same. The first thing I noticed about LITTLE TORNADOES was the overwhelming soundscape. The insects were singing. They chirped, or shrieked, in a way that was almost claustrophobic. It made it seem like a horror film, but the jump scare never came. Instead, I had to sit with the op...
To Olivia Review
It’s easy to be a bit snobby about a film like TO OLIVIA. It’s so very earnest. Made for British tv, but released in cinemas in Australia, it tells the story of author Roald Dahl and his Hollywood star wife, Patricia Neal. Considering Dahl’s famous writing, you might expect a childish, macabre, and wickedly funny take on the lead up to his success with ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. Alternat...
How to Please a Woman Review
HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN is a fun little comedy about great sex, housework, and the mature woman. Being a mature woman at this point (in longevity if not life accomplishments), I had a really great time watching it. Sally Phillips plays Gina, a busy woman who is feeling unfulfilled, but hasn’t quite noticed yet. She’s taken for granted, both at work and by her husband. The highlight of her day is her...
La Casa del Caracol (The House of Snails) Review
There’s two things you need to know going into the Spanish horror film LA CASA DEL CARACOL (THE HOUSE OF SNAILS). There is a severe lack of snails The dog doesn’t die The dog shows up early on, standing on the side of the road like a pointy eared hitchhiker. Author and main character Antonio (Javier Rey) picks him up on his way to the isolated town in the mountains. Suffering writer’s block, Anton...
Goliath Review
GOLIATH opens with a disclaimer. ‘Although based on real events, the characters and situations portrayed in this film are fictional. Nevertheless, resemblance to actual persons or events is no coincidence’. The following film definitely portrays some polarising characters, and situations. I can see why they needed to make that legal disclaimer. It protects them from prosecution, but it also makes...
A Stitch in Time Review
A STITCH IN TIME really is a lovely little movie. Set in Sydney, it tells the story of Liebe (Maggie Blinco). Liebe is a gentle woman to whom life has never been kind. Orphaned at a young age, she fell in love with an awful man. She’s lived with him for fifty years at this point, and he’s still referring to her as a stray, annoying dog. However, Liebe is far more than she appears. Whilst she see...
Infrared Review
Abandoned camera film, recently discovered. No sign of the people it belongs to. I love a found-footage horror film, and INFRARED definitely commits to the bit. It’s decidedly dedicated to it. There’s no opening credits, no music. The title card tells us we’re about to watch footage from a tv pilot. It’s a ghost hunting show called INFRARED. The host is Wes, played by Jesse Janzen. He’s hal...
The Hating Game Review
THE HATING GAME is a really fun film. I enjoyed it a great deal. If you don’t like rom-coms, you’re not going to like THE HATING GAME. But if you do like – or even love – rom-coms, it’s a really fresh take, with an engaging story. Great comic timing, glorious romance, and some very pretty lead actors. Lucy works for a prestigious book publishing company that has recently merged with a ...