Phil Jeng Kane
Phil has written for magazines, corporate videos, online ads, and even an app. He writes with one eye on the future, one eye on the past and a third eye on the Lotto numbers. His social bits are here.
Captain Marvel Review
Captain Marvel is the twenty-first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise. It comes right after the entertaining ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (2018), but in story terms, MCU fans are primed for this tale because of the final moments of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018). The— then unseen —Captain Marvel was the superhero that Nick Fury contacted as things got down and dusty, post The Snap a.k.a...
Storm Boy Review
South Australian author Colin Thiele published his popular children’s novel Storm Boy in 1964. Since then, it has been made into an audio dramatisation, a stage play and a 1976 award-winning feature film. Now it has been adapted to film for a second time. There is definitely something about this fifty-year-old tale that attracts reimagining and retelling. The story at the centre is set somewhere i...
Instant Family Review
Married couple, Pete and Ellie Wagner (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne), are doing well, making money renovating and “flipping” houses. One day, they begin to wonder if something is missing in their life, because unlike their respective siblings, they don’t have children. Natural child-birth is problematical for the Wagners, so they look into adoption. They meet Karen (Octavia Spencer) and Sharon (Ti...
Aquaman Review
Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) sometimes known as Aquaman, is a half-Atlantean and half-human who lives in a coastal town in Maine. He has certain powers which he uses when he performs heroic acts. Although he occasionally saves people at sea and battles teched-up underwater supervillains, he does so only on his terms. He does not seek the mantle of super-hero. The fact he is heir to the underwater ki...
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE is the latest incarnation of Marvel’s Spider-man on the big screen. Only this time, Spidey is Miles Morales…sort of. Movie fans currently see Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-man as part of Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony have put their talents into an animation that combines the latest in CG graphics and 2D animation with the popular Marvel Comics’ Spider-verse...
Fahrenheit 11/9 Review
Even if you don’t follow politics, we are obviously living in politically tumultuous times in democratic countries. UK’s Brexit and the Trump presidency in the United States show there are major shifts in who, and what, people will vote for. Notably, voters seem sick of the status quo and distrustful of the major parties. They are sick of the same old lies from politicians who then grab power and ...
Boy Erased Review
BOY ERASED is the story of Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges), a nineteen-year-old college student from Arkansas who is gay, but hides it from his parents. His mother Nancy (Nicole Kidman) is a hairdresser. His father Marshall is a car dealer and Baptist preacher. Jared spent his high school years as a successful student and athlete with a cheerleader girlfriend. Leaving home for college has allowed him...
Bohemian Rhapsody Review
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is the movie biography of British rock band Queen. The story begins in London in 1970, when guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor are in a struggling band called Smile. They meet Freddie Bulsara who auditions to be the lead singer. His day job is a baggage handler at Heathrow, but he is driven by artistic and musical ideas that he wants to realise. Soon, bassist John Deaco...
Backtrack Boys Review
“A group of troubled boys are on a perilous course towards jail until they meet up with the rough talking, free-wheeling jackaroo, Bernie Shakeshaft, and hit the road with his legendary dog jumping team.” BACKTRACK BOYS is a new feature Australian documentary by Catherine Scott. The audience is thrown right into the action from the first frame. The setting is country New South Wales, there are num...
1% Review
Knuck (Matt Nable) is the president of an outlaw motorcycle gang called the Copperheads. While he has been in prison, Paddo (Ryan Corr), the vice-president, has been running things in preparation for Knuck’s return. What Paddo has also been doing is modernising the Copperheads’ activities and alliances in order to turn the gang into a legitimate business. He is supported by his girlfriend K...
First Man Review
Neil Armstrong was a Navy pilot who flew combat missions during the Korean War. Later, he was a test pilot for the forerunner organization to NASA and eventually became NASA’s first civilian astronaut in space. In 1969, he was the commander of the Apollo 11 Mission which was the moon landing watched by 600 million people worldwide. FIRST MAN takes us through the years leading up to Apollo 11 by s...
Ladies in Black Review
Sydney 1959. Christmas is approaching and at Goodes Department store that means putting on temporary staff to deal with the rush. Lisa Miles (Angourie Rice) is a sweet and naïve 17-year-old from the suburbs, who joins the ladies’ fashion department and quickly discovers the habits and rituals of this upscale workplace. Lisa is assistant to the full-time counter staff of Fay (Rachael Taylor) and P...