The Martian is the much anticipated adaptation of Andy Weir’s acclaimed debut novel of the same name – a book which is as fascinating in its rise to notoriety as the content itself. Released in 2011 as a self-published, free-to-download ebook by the author (he released it chapter by chapter on his website before sticking it…
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Another month, another found footage horror film. Well, ostensibly. You see, Jeruzalem approaches the sub-genre with (credit where it’s due) an interesting new take, but still manages to completely cock it up by the end. Which isn’t anything new for these films but seeing the opportunity unfurl and then burn right in front of your…
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Joel Edgerton has already proved himself indispensable to Australian cinema, particularly with Animal Kingdom and The Rover, both films with an atmosphere and scope much larger than The Gift. For his directorial debut, Edgerton, who plays Gordon “Gordo” Moseley, brings a much more insular focus in both character and environment and it helps him deliver…
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It happens far too often. Someone decides that a franchise that was mediocre in the first place, needs to continue despite losing its lead and competent director. I’m not saying that Transporter: Refueled is a work of incompetence, it is certainly polished enough to stand among it’s predecessors, but it lacks virtually any of the redeeming…
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Hollywood hasn’t had the greatest track record when it comes to translating video games into films. There’s been but a handful that have been worth watching, the Resident Evil series, Lara Croft Tomb Raider and cult classic Mortal Kombat all rank amongst the good ones. With Hitman: Agent 47 this is actually a reboot and…
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“Oh look it’s a boxing movie, cinema hasn’t seen that before,” is a cynical thought that would have gone through most minds whenSouthpaw was first announced. Having it directed by Antoine Fuqua, who brought us Training Day and The Equalizer, and written by Kurt Sutter, a man who worked extensively on Sons of Anarchy inspired…
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Shocking, humorous, provocative and purely interesting, Ondi Timoner’s latest documentary Brand: A Second Coming looks at the life and rise of one of Britain’s most unique comedians, Russell Brand. The film takes us, in particular, through his journey to produce a changed spiritual mind-self and his motivation for a socialist way of life. Brand, a self-defined narcissist,…
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In this origin story but not quite an adaptation of the beloved J.M Barrie book Peter Pan this film takes us on a journey that seems to have no real rhyme or reason other than Peter trying to find his mother, accidentally stumbling into an adventure and ultimately discovering his destiny. Peter (Levi Miller), a…
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Given that at some point everything that is old becomes new again, it makes sense that the National Lampoon Vacation series would be on the reboot agenda. A surprisingly durable series that has spanned over three decades, the latest in line acts as a semi-reboot-come-sequel with enough sly nods to pay tribute to the original without…
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To celebrate the shiny, sparkly, glittery special DVD release of Broad City Season 1 we decided to revisit the dynamic duo known as Abbi and Ilana. From their interesting methods of transporting drugs to trying to deal your taxes, this show deals with what every 20-something is truly thinking. The DVD gives you all kinds…
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It’s a real shame that Keanu Reeves opted to follow-up his acclaimed actioner John Wick with Knock Knock, a deliriously campy, sexed-up thriller that could quite possibly be the most embarrassing feature Reeves has had the displeasure of involving himself with. Toeing the camp line is always a risk with any given actor but, let’s face…
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You’d not be wrong in thinking that 2015 could be the year of the spy movie, with Kingsman: The Secret Service, Spy, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation having all been released already and Spectre due later in the year. We also have another contender in the genre, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. With a ridiculously attractive…
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Another entrant in the found-footage genre of horror that might have reached its expiry date. The Gallows would have had to do something exceptional (and exceptionally different) to tear it apart from the usual suspects. This all started with Blair Witch Project, reprised by the Paranormal Activity franchise, and many many others that never saw…
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It’s not often that a show so incredibly surprising, ridiculous, and fantastic finds its way onto our screens, but that’s exactly what happened when Jane the Virgin aired in America in late 2014. Equal parts comedy, drama, murder mystery, soap opera, romance, family drama, and coming-of-age, Jane the Virgin has something for everyone, and even…
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Mankind’s eternal search for the fountain of youth has seen Hollywood explore more than one scenario where immortality is a reality, always at some morally reprehensible dystopic expense. Films such as Elysium,The Island, Transcendence or more recentlyChappie have approached the idea from different angles with great success. Whether director Tarsem Singh’s (The Fall, Immortals, The…
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Black comedy is a tricky thing to execute correctly, and sadly The Voices, despite an intriguing premise and a considerably talented ensemble, fails to balance its ingredients successfully. It’s a bit too brutal to be truly funny yet similarly it’s a little too off-kilter to be deemed a straight-up horror film – but who’s to…
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Life Story is nothing short of amazing. The incredible nature film starring Sir David Attenborough and produced by the Emmy award-wining team that made Life is an intense ride that is supported by a sensitive soundtrack performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. It conveys a thrilling roller-coaster of emotions, as it chronicles the…
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I must confess, I geek out a little when there’s Doctor Who DVD’s about; I’ve got every boxset from New-Who (though I’m still working on collecting all the classics). Every Christmas I would receive the latest season, using my holidays to productively nestle in and watch the entire season…twice. Doctor Who Series 9: Part 1 comes a little…
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David Fincher’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel Gone Girl was a sensational suspense-driven thriller and one of last year’s cinematic standouts. The film adaptation of Flynn’s other book, Dark Places, doesn’t land with quite the same punch. The film’s source material carries it far but not far enough to compete with Fincher’s lavish production….
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Based on Irène Némirovsky’s bestselling novel, Suite Française challenges the true nature of people through forbidden love, generosity and understanding during a time of vast demise and depression resulting from the horrors of war. Directed by Saul Dibb, it is a romantic drama set in the small French village Bussy. The film follows the tribulations of…
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I know what you’re thinking. “Ryan, didn’t you just write a review for 3 Headed Shark Attack? There’s even a link right here) Yes, I did. Call me a glutton for punishment. Someone has to do it!! So this one isn’t so easy to explain if you can believe that. Bare with with me. So…
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“MORE HEADS! MORE DEADS!” That’s actually the tag line on the poster of 3 Headed Shark Attack. Granted, I added the exclamation marks which may serve to prove that maybe, once and for all, even production company Asylum are getting tired of the drivel they’re producing. That, or it’s just another blunder in a series…
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A lot of people want to live in Utopia but not many would want to work there. Or at least the “Utopia” that’s depicted in the eponymous TV show by the Working Dog production team. The series is a comedy one that feels so real it could have been a documentary if it wasn’t so…
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On October 28th, the highest grossing British documentary of all time, Amy, will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in Australia. The film chronicles the life – and tragic loss – of UK singer Amy Winehouse. Earlier this year, writer Carina Nilma headed along to the Sydney Film Festival to witness the first Australian screening…
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It was a treat to re-live the glorious and sophisticated historical drama Vikings Season 3 in HD, while the thoughtful extras helped bring a better understanding to what creator and writer Michael Hirst was trying to achieve, leading to a greater appreciation of the show’s production and newest characters. Vikings, as many Australians will know,…
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In The Road Within, writer and director Gren Wells makes her Directorial debut; an adaptation of the Italian film Vincent Wants to Sea. She brings us the story of three patients at a mental wellness centre in Nevada, who escape to travel to the beaches of California to scatter the ashes of Vincent’s (Robert Sheehan, best known for this role…
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In 1978, Meir Zarchi’s film I Spit On Your Grave shocked the world. It was condemned by some as ‘depraved’ and praised by others as the ‘ultimate feminist movie’. In 2010, a remake of the cult classic took revenge to a new level, before a sequel delivered twice the terror. Now, the controversial movie series…
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I have a strange passion for trash cinema and ‘so bad-it’s good’ movies. Toss me a copy of Sharknado or a Troma film any day of the week and I’ll gladly watch it purely for the shits/giggles. But Pernicious is neither of those things. It takes itself far too seriously and is too polished to…
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Just like starting over. Danny Collins is a film about an aging rocker who is strongly influenced by John Lennon. This dramedy is a predictable and formulaic film but it is redeemed by some great performances and its pleasant foray into the world of music. The film marks the directorial debut of Crazy, Stupid, Love…
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The Rewrite is a film that should heed its own advice. It’s a derivative and forgettable rom-com that is in desperate need of a re-working or two. The film is redeemed in part by a strong and likeable cast of actors that will be familiar to audiences, but this is not enough to get it…
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