Adventure
Gladiator II Review
Ridley Scott marks his return to Ancient Rome with Gladiator II – twenty four years after the release of his Oscar-winning Gladiator (2000). With a plot following directly on from the 2000 epic, Scott provides a sequel aiming to captivate a new generation of moviegoers – while hoping to live up to the high standards set by its predecessor. Having rewatched Gladiator in preparation for ...
Venom: The Last Dance Review
This is not your average superhero movie, this is not trying to be. This is violent, this is cringe, this is silly, this is fun. This is Venom. Hinted to be this iteration of Venom’s last hurrah, Venom: The Last Dance is co-written by director Kelly Marcel and lead actor Tom Hardy. Marcel has been the lead writer for the past two Venom movies and she maintains the same incredibly unique tone whil...
Hellboy: The Crooked Man Review
As a keen fan of the Hellboy films, I was thrilled when I heard that the franchise was getting another instalment with Hellboy: The Crooked Man. My excitement compounded with the news that the plot of the film was lifted directly from the Dark Horse Comic books by Mike Mignola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Christopher Golden and director Brian Taylor. Surely this delightfully detailed folk-hor...
Transformers One Review
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 Review
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...
Ka Whawhai Tonu Review
Struggle without End. Director Mike Jonathan (Cinematographer, The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari) recreates the historic battle of Ōrākau Pā, Aotearoa,1864. Where local Maori tribes unite in a last stand against Colonial forces’ ongoing confiscation of land, desecration and general campaign of violent disrespect. Ka Whawhai Tonu is predictably grim in its presentation of Maori strength and s...
Twisters Review
Twisters lands in Australian cinemas this week, nearly 30 years after the previous instalment in the Universal Studios franchise. Here’s hoping that this new film isn’t just a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but instead a worthy successor to its blockbuster predecessor. My experience with the original Twisters is pretty minimal. I saw the film years ago when I was young, but I didn...
The Fall Guy Review
Hoping to capitalise off the global phenomenon that was Barbenheimer, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are back on our screens to kick off the summer movie season with Universal Pictures’ The Fall Guy. Loosely inspired by the 1980’s stuntman-themed TV show of the same name, The Fall Guy promises an action-packed, romance-filled insight into the underappreciated industry of stunt work. From the outset...
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Review
This week sees the release of the fifth instalment in the epic Monsterverse franchise – Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. This time around, we see Godzilla and Kong forced to unite against a formidable adversary emerging from Hollow Earth. This new threat not only questions the dominance of these titanic beings, but also jeopardises the fate of humanity. Promising higher stakes than ever befo...
Dune: Part Two Review
Dune: Part Two is the much anticipated sequel to 2021’s sci-fi epic – Dune. With Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) returning to the director’s chair to complete the story of the first book in the series, fans of Frank Herbert’s novels and film fanatics alike are anticipating this film to be even grander than the original. In this second instalment, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chal...
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Review
Dive in and get wet with Aquaman one last time (well, maybe) as he deals with child-rearing and sibling rivalry while taking on a vengeful enemy. Driven by revenge over the death of his father, David Kane aka Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) has his sights on taking down the King of Atlantis, Arthur Curry aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa), who is now enjoying a life of domesticity on land. Arthur and h...
Wonka Review
While only read about in the books and seen in the movies, the wonderfully weird Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory rivalled Disneyland as the most magical place for kids, full of imagination, and most importantly, confectionary. Everlasting gobstoppers, lickable wallpaper, three course dinner gum, a chocolate river and more; it’s easy to understand why the franchise in both mediums became wildly pop...