Aftersun ★★★★ CHARLOTTE Wells’ relationship drama Aftersun isn’t an easy watch, but it’s a very rewarding one. The story of a young father’s relationship with his daughter is told at a very measured pace and, on occasions, in almost experimental fashion. Cinemagoers who prefer linear story-telling within a fairly traditional […]

Aftersun a profound watch

Cocaine Bear ★★★½  LET’S not be too sniffy about Cocaine Bear. I’ve heard some podcast film critics doing the usual and falling into the lazy trap of reviewing the film they wanted to see rather than the one that was made. ‘It’s not silly enough’, ‘It’s not edgy enough’, ‘It’s […]

Horror-comedy for the masses

Tar ★★★★ CATE Blanchett is a lock-in for this year’s Best Actress Oscar. Her performance in Todd Field’s Tar is a note-perfect portrayal of a flawed genius that grabs your attention from the first frame and holds it until the last. Like her character’s hold over the people around her, […]

Blanchett in full control

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey ★★  IN CASE you’re not aware, Winnie the Pooh is now fair game. On 1 January 2022, the beloved children’s book series entered the public domain in the United States, meaning anybody could have a crack at telling a story using the same characters. […]

Let’s ruin childhood

Shotgun Wedding ★★★ I’M NOT sure how many wedding-related films Jennifer Lopez has made; maybe a half dozen? As its title suggests, the 2023 release Shotgun Wedding is another one. That title by the way doesn’t mean what you think. It’s more to do with the weaponry that a bunch of […]

Lopez says “I do” again

Pearl  ★★★½  THE process of film distribution is now strange indeed. Years ago you saw a movie at the cinema and then it came out for rent six to 12 months later. Now there is no little to no gap most of the time, which is great. Occasionally, in Australia […]

Pearler of a gothic horror

Three Days of the Condor ★★★½  OVER a 17-year period the late Sydney Pollack gave us 10 very good films. Starting with The Swimmer in 1968 and ending with Out of Africa in 1895 that’s a hell of a run. You can look up the full list but let’s concentrate […]

Stars unite for CIA thriller

Knock at the Cabin ★★½  AFTER a promising first half, M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film Knock at the Cabin falls on the wrong side of the ledger for this eclectic writer/director. The man who made his name with plot twists hasn’t landed a good ending since 2016’s Split. It’s not […]

Knock more of a tap

Alice, Darling  ★★★½  IT’S a big year for the Nighy family. Bill is up for Best Actor at the Oscars for his performance in Living, while daughter Mary has made a strong directorial debut with the drama Alice, Darling. The often under-rated Anna Kendrick is excellent as Alice who is […]

Control at heart of drama

Mission: Impossible III ★★★½ Most action movie franchises end up on a downward trajectory but the Mission Impossible films just keep getting better. Brian De Palma’s original 1996 film was excellent, John Woo’s 2000 follow-up filmed in Australia was an interesting mis-step and parts 4, 5 and 6 have elevated […]

MI-3 a pivotal re-set in franchise

Sissy ★★★½ OVER the past decade or so the best Australian horror films have tended to feature either thrill-killing or creature attack. There are exceptions of course, e.g. The Babadook and The Nightingale, but you know what I mean. New independent effort Sissy is just a fun experience in a […]

BFFs in name only

Infiesto ★★★ INFIESTO is a 2023 Spanish mystery thriller that is most noteworthy for being set in the early Covid outbreak period. It’s March 2020 and a State of Alarm including a general lockdown has been declared. In Pilona a missing woman has been found, possibly escaping death at the […]

Catching a Covid killer