Author: Peter Gray

In a year that was ruled by Barbenheimer and mortally wounded the once-unstoppable superhero genre, 2023 definitely saw audiences shift their minds (and money) towards more original content.  Perhaps an indication as to where the industry should place its focus, The AU’s best of list similarly echoes the sentiment that bigger doesn’t always mean better,…

Like his previous works that celebrate their fantastical, absurdist nature with a certain gravitas, Yorgos Lanthimos grounds Poor Things, an undeniably wild, oft-offensive, sexually liberated black comedy, with a stirring sense of emotion and topical commentary. In 19th century London – or what such a time period looks like within Lanthimos’ vivid imagination – the eccentric…

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell may be generating plenty of heat throughout their new romantic comedy Anyone But You, but there’s some distinct Australian flavour ready to challenge the duo in the form of one Joe Davidson. The Queensland-born actor, who looks as if he’s a long-lost brother to the famed Hemsworth clan, has snared…

Even if Anyone But You isn’t the type of film that would ordinarily interest you, it’s difficult to not know about Will Gluck‘s frisky romcom due to the “Are they/aren’t they” chemistry of stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, two impossibly gorgeous actors who leaned into their own sex appeal during the filming in Sydney…

Given how implicitly we (mostly) trust those in the medical profession it makes sense that such praise could give way to their intentional negligence.  And such is the case with the stories behind Dr. Death, a (now) anthology series that takes its inspiration from the Wonderey podcast that detailed egregious cases of medial malpractice. The…

Given that Migration, the latest animated offering from the Illumination collective (the production company behind such successes as Despicable Me and the inexplicable Minions), is penned by White Lotus creator Mike White, it makes sense that the film manages to make us care about its characters, rather than just be mildly amused at their comedic…

Whilst Dermot Mulroney won’t exactly see a career shift in the same manner as Liam Neeson did as an action-heavy persona in the wake of Taken, his rough and ready stature as a vigilante wrestling coach in Ruthless certainly works in his favour, and proves the film’s only true saving grace. Directed by Art Camacho…

This holiday season, Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration. The Mallard family is in a bit of rut….

Whilst it made sense for a character such as Jack Reacher to be opted for big screen treatment, it wasn’t quite as clear as to why he was realised through Tom Cruise.  From an action capability view it worked, and no one could ever question Cruise’s ability to get butts on seats, but the character…

This autumn, for the first time in almost a decade, comedy icon Jack Black returns to his role as Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master, with a hilarious, butt-kicking new chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4. After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and…

Given how important a person’s online presence (or persona, even) is in this age of social media, and that “influencer” is now apparently so prime that it can be considered a career, it’s not surprising that such a topic is readily explored in other forms of media.  In the case of Alex Haughey‘s Under the…

From Atlantis to Waterman’s Cove, Warner Bros. Pictures’ Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will preview footage from the film on 9m high wall of water, as the character’s own 7m gold trident sets for display in Sydney’s Barangaroo from the 14th to 17th of December, 2023, ahead of the film’s release on Boxing Day. The…

Have you got what it takes to be Australia’s Reacher? To get Australians PUMPED for the release the second season of the Amazon Original series Reacher – set to stream on Prime Video from December 15th, 2023 – Prime Video are inviting locals to test themselves against the ultimate Reacher Fitness Challenge at North Bondi…

Hot? Yes. Bothered? Also yes. Thanks to Sony Pictures Australia we have 5 double in-season passes (Admit 2) to see the sexy new romantic comedy Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, set to steam up cinemas exclusively from Boxing Day, December 26th, 2023. Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like…

There’s something rather ironic in Paul King‘s Wonka being deliciously, inoffensively sweet, given that the character at its core has done plenty to unnerve (however slightly) young audiences across the near six decades of his existence. As written by Roald Dahl in 1964’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and then brought to life by the…

In the wake of her husband’s devastating accident, a devoted wife becomes consumed by a mysterious portrait that resembles him in his happier days. However, as her obsession intensifies, the painting starts to unleash terror upon her life, leading her to question whether it is possessed by a malevolent force or if she is losing…

Making his feature-length debut, director Simon Ross proves a capable genre helmer with The Portrait, which, initially, expresses its terror through the artwork that sits in the attic (where else?) of the expansive mansion that serves as the film’s lead location. Why it proves unsettling to the film’s tortured heroine, Sofia (Natalia Córdova-Buckley, committed to…

Whilst the breakdown of a marriage and the impending custody battle that will take place as to whose time favours the child in question has been a reliable staple for cinematic drama over the years – most recently displayed in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story and perhaps most famously in 1979’s Kramer vs. Kramer – queer cinema has taken a…

Today the non-profit Sundance Institute announced the 82 films, eight episodic titles, and a New Frontier interactive experience selected for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The Festival will take place January 18–28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles available online nationwide from January 25–28, 2024. This…

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) proudly announces the debut of the AACTA Festival, a four-day celebration of Australia’s vibrant screen industry that promises an immersive experience for all, from industry professionals to film enthusiasts, school-leavers, families, and aspiring creatives.  The festival, including the AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group, will be hosted at the Home of…

Though prolific action director John Woo has maintained a steady hand behind the camera for decades now, it’s been 20 years since he helmed an American production; the last standing as the largely-forgotten Ben Affleck sci-fi leaning Paycheck. Returning stateside with a mentality that feels far removed from the oft-outlandish, budget-aplenty genre films he was…

From acclaimed Hong Kong-based action director, John Woo (Face/Off, Broken Arrow, Mission: Impossible II) comes Silent Night – his first American film in 20 years. Starring Joel Kinnaman (The Suicide Squad, Robocop, Hanna), Silent Night tells the story of a man who witnesses the death of his young son on Christmas Eve, when the boy gets caught in…

Returning to the American filmic scene for the first time in 20 years, John Woo’s Silent Night is a bold, visceral tale of revenge told in the most unique of ways. Foregoing traditional dialogue, Woo’s violent, emotional action film emphasises the beating heart and the bloody pulp behind the slick choreography, with Joel Kinnaman leading…

Whilst films set around Christmas more often than not romanticise the holiday, there are still the occasional offerings that bathe in a downtrodden light that, for many, hits a far more realistic note.  In the case of Christmess, writer/director Heath Davis perhaps leans a little too heavily into the downward spiral of his main character,…

There was something darkly, deliciously special about the way writer/director Emma Seligman and actress Rachel Sennott announced themselves with 2020’s Shiva Baby.  A claustrophobic black comedy that indulged in a spiralling, horrific temperament, their collaboration set a certain precedent for the boundary-pushing, topical humour that’s furthered in Bottoms, a wild, oft-violent, sexually liberated high-school comedy that honours John Hughes as much…

Jennifer Lopez’s long awaited musical experience THIS IS ME…NOW begins with the release of a new full length album and film inspired by the music, set for release on February 16th, 2024. The release of “This Is Me…Now”, Lopez’s first studio album in nearly a decade, celebrates the anniversary of its sister album, “This is Me…Then”,…

After breaking out as a talent to watch from his performance in Taika Waititi’s acclaimed comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, New Zealand-born actor Julian Dennison quickly took the international film scene by storm with roles in such hits as Deadpool 2, The Christmas Chronicles 2 and Godzilla vs. Kong. Returning to his homeland, Dennison’s latest…

Outside of New Zealand it’s highly likely that the political clash at the centre of Hamish Bennett and Paul Middleditch‘s Uproar is one that’s never been heard of. Set in 1981, the ultimately uplifting, oft-powerful coming-of-age dramedy centres around the controversy that arose from the South African rugby team touring New Zealand at the time.  A cultural reckoning was born…

Thanks to Kismet Movies, we have 10 digital double in-season passes (Admit 2) to see Julian Dennison in the heartwarming Kiwi box office hit Uproar, in Australian cinemas from November 30th, 2023. UPROAR is a moving and heartwarming story about connection and finding your place in the world. It is the story of 17-year-old Josh…

Aiming to exist on the same surface as Death Wish, with a little Robert Rodriguez-like gore on hand to really enhance its nasty spirit, The Retaliators is a bloody revenge flick that doesn’t quite land on even footing, but proves for fine genre escapism for those that have the stomach and appreciation. After a violent,…