Crime
Ballerina Review
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is the latest chapter in the ever-expanding John Wick universe. The action/thriller stars Ana De Armas as freshly trained assassin Eve Macarro, who sets out on an epic revenge mission after the murder of her father. Fans of the action franchise, like myself, are hoping that this new assassin, Eve, can proudly stand tall next to the legendary Baba Yaga himself...
The Phoenician Scheme Review
I confess: Wes Anderson films have never really done it for me. His cinema feels more architectural than visceral—films that seem made by and for the art-world elite, keeping the viewer at arm’s length. There’s a “you can look, but you can’t touch” energy to them. Don’t get me wrong: I went to film school. I fell in love with cinematography. I understand and respect the cra...
The Accountant 2 Review
After nearly a decade of waiting, the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s The Accountant has finally arrived. Director Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant) brings back all the familiar faces in this action-packed follow-up to the original, hoping to up the stakes whilst keeping true to what made the 2016 action thriller so popular. I’m a massive fan of The Accountant (2016). Its slick, gritty and bruta...
Spit Review
David Wenham (Fake, Seachange) and Jonathon Teplitzky (Churchill, The Railway Man) reunite to deliver a Spitieri-centric Aussie crime comedy. Following on from 2003’s Gettin’ Square, Spit delivers a sometimes lighthearted but often heavy spirited Queensland underbelly romp. In short, catch it now. It’s a great time. Everyone knows a Johnny Spitieri. Mullet sporting, skinny jeans, street wise dropo...
Joker: Folie à Deux Review
Joker: Folie à Deux is one of the most anticipated films this year, given how excellent the first film was. Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019) was a gritty character study that changed how people thought about what a comic book movie could be. With this film introducing Joker’s partner in crime – Harley Quinn, DC fans have very high expectations for this sequel. One of the most talked-a...
The Critic Review
Star-studded and stuffed with promise, The Critic should be a recipe for an engaging and delicious murder mystery but unfortunately its debut has been met with some pertinent critique of its own. Loosely based Curtain Call, a novel by Anthony Quinn, and directed by Anand Tucker, The Critic stars Sir Ian McKellen as Jimmy Erskine, a cruel queer critique of theatre, based at the Daily Chronicle, and...
Sleeping Dogs Review
In Adam Cooper’s directorial debut Sleeping Dogs, Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Virtuosity) plays Roy. A retired Washington county homicide detective. Based on the novel The Book of Mirrors with screenplay co-written by Cooper. Roy is vulnerable and grizzled, battling Alzheimer’s disease and recovering from an experimental procedure to stimulate regrowth of neural pathways. This part of the narr...
Longlegs Review
Nic Cage (Mandy, Renfield) is back! Portraying the sinister powder wearing titular character Longlegs. More on him later. Longlegs is more than just another wild Nicholas Cage flick. There’s a lot of detail under the hood. Spoiler warning. Skip to the last paragraph if you wish to remain fresh. Just know that on viewing Longlegs, it’s important to remember that nothing is initially as it seems whi...
Bad Boys: Ride or Die Review
Between thirty to forty years ago, Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer dominated the summer blockbuster landscape with a long list of knockout action thrillers. Highlights featuring the likes of Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Crimson Tide, Dangerous Minds, The Rock and Bad Boys. The two later films directed by then breakout auteur, Michael Bay (how the mighty have fallen). Flash forward to today and Ba...
Love Lies Bleeding Review
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...
Silent Night Review
Lionsgate is hoping to capture some thrilling holiday magic with its latest Christmas action flick – Silent Night. Directed by the iconic John Woo (Face/Off, Mission: Impossible 2) and starring Joel Kinnaman (Suicide Squad), will this be the best Christmas present ever? Or a lump of coal in our stockings? Amidst a Christmas Eve gang shootout, Brian (Joel Kinnaman) witnesses his son’s t...
Retribution Review
Retribution is an ordinary action movie that takes no risk, offering little reward. The film is produced by Studio Canal, directed by Nimród Antal, starring Liam Neeson. This review will be short, thankfully, much like the one hour and thirty-minute runtime of this flick. Retribution isn’t the worst action movie, but it’s safe to say it’s the second-worst action movie of 2023. I&...