Film

Inspired by Hotel Coolgardie, Pete Gleeson’s shock 2016 documentary about two female Finnish backpackers and their work experience at a predominantly male-frequented pub, The Royal Hotel similarly shines a light on the the disturbing, toxic nature that can spawn from a small, isolated town that exploits Australia’s “drinking culture” mentality. An ironic title that will…

As someone who lost their father at a young age, and therefore never had the conversation regarding my sexuality (and all that could possibly entail), the thought process throughout and inability to hold back my emotions during All of Us Strangers was palpable. Adapted by writer/director Andrew Haigh (Looking: The Movie) from Japanese author Taichi…

Though she’s known for her dramatic work primarily on television’s Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve, Sandra Oh enthusiasts are all too aware that the actress has a serious talent for the comedic flare; The Princess Diaries, anyone? But even still, the absolute let-loose mentality the actress adheres to for Quiz Lady is another level entirely,…

Gorgeous but unsatisfying, Pedro Almodóvar‘s campy telenovela Strange Way of Life is a sexy short feature that proves the ultimate tease as it doesn’t entirely deliver on the sex appeal of its leads and then climaxes before we’ve even moved on from foreplay. Said leads are Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, playing two perfectly-tailored cowboys…

With the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements featured prominently, as well as the overall intertwined arc of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black White and the Greys is a film that eerily encapsulates the emotional push-and-pull we universally experienced. A relatable, at-times uncomfortable drama, Black White and the Greys is a collaboration between Marchelle Thurman and…

*Trigger warning: This review discusses eating disorders* The satirical possibilities present within Jessica Hausner‘s dramatic Club Zero are ripe.  The execution, however, is undercooked; ironic, considering the topic at the core of this truly odd and oft dangerous film. At an elite private school, the enigmatic Miss Novak (Mia Wasikowska) has arrived to teach a…

Given that Jim Weir and Jack Clark‘s frighteningly uncomfortable Birdeater is an Australian chiller set in the outback (at least for the majority of its running time), audiences are justified in thinking it could fall in line with other brutality-in-the-bush titles like Picnic at Hanging Rock or even Wolf Creek.  The more accurate comparison though…

Throughout Victim‘s 14 minute running time, the tension laid forth by writer/director Robin Summons is near-unbearable as it traces a radicalised teenager and his increasingly concerned mother. Offspring favourite Kat Stewart brings a sweet yet stern nature to the role of Chrissy, a single mother whose seeming one wish is to have a collected dinner…

From the glamour of Crazy Rich Asians to the Christmas cheer of The Princess Switch 3, by way of being Tom Holland’s romantic rival in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Malaysian-Australian actor Remy Hii certainly forged a formidable path in his career thus far. But I don’t think any of that prepared him for the “Giant,…

In another case of someone making the most of their lockdown potential during COVID, Australian actress Jillian Nguyen auditioned for a voice role as she was confined to hotel quarantine.  That role ended up being for the lead in a bold, ambitious new locally made animated feature – Scarygirl. As the family film continues to…

“Before we continue I’d like to apologize to anyone who might be upset or offended by what you saw before the break. It’s not every day you see a demonic possession on live television.” Not the most typical sentence you’d expect to hear from a late night host, but such is the statement made by…

The BIFF is back! As the Brisbane International Film Festival continues to go from strength to strength as an industry must-do, newly appointed CEO Luke Wheatley and Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney made sure the festival’s 29th year was worthy of an Uproar-ious reception. A celebration of films for audiences seeking new perspectives and memorable…

Having dealt with a duo of alien invasions for his Occupation films, it makes sense that Australian filmmaker Luke Sparke would want to look at something a little more grounded for his next cinematic feat.  Whilst still working with an exaggerated mentality, Bring Him To Me is a crime thriller that bathes in a smaller,…

With its tried and true premise, and graphic novel origins, one may expect The Killer to fall into the expected traps and tropes of the hitman subsect of the action genre.  And though that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, with David Fincher at the helm, as well as reuniting with his Se7en screenwriter Andrew…

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. …

There’s already been an abundance of films, television series and books that have detailed the greedy, unethical foundations of the pharmaceutical industry in America.  And whilst Netflix’s Pain Hustlers may not be the most investigative and favours entertainment over education, it’s a further insight into the peddling of the opioid crisis and acts as something…

The stars come out at night, and now so can Brisbane with the announcement today that Dendy Cinema, the home of quality cinema, are bringing an unforgettable new outdoor cinema experience to the iconic Brisbane Powerhouse, the city’s hub of contemporary art and culture. Nothing says you’re in Queensland more than gathering with your friends…

Watching Scarygirl it becomes even more increasingly annoying that Australian cinema hasn’t embraced animation as thoroughly as we should.  Sure, we have the likes of Blinky Bill and Ferngully to claim as our own (and, yes, I’m aware of Happy Feet, but it feels like an entity separate from the more independently funded productions), but,…

Watching Dumb Money it’s not hard to be reminded of The Social Network.  Aside from the fact that Craig Gillespie‘s comedic drama is produced by The Winklevoss Twins – the brothers who had a major role in the creation of Facebook, at least according to them – Dumb Money is similarly recounting one of the…

As someone who hasn’t played the Five Nights at Freddy’s video game series and, by extension, has no idea of the attached lore, I can’t comment on how faithful Emma Tammi‘s supernatural horror(ish) film truly is.  I have to hope that the purists will enjoy themselves with what is put forward, but as a casual…

As we have been told across filmic media for years, “The truth is out there”, and referencing the tagline for The X-Files feels more than appropriate when discussing Matt Vesely‘s science-fiction leaning chiller Monolith, an intimate, isolated feature that flirts with the notion of an alien invasion without complete penetration. Such a tease. An incredibly…

It’s been a horrific year for Australian actress Lily Sullivan – and she wouldn’t want it any other way! After surviving the bloody carnage of Evil Dead Rise earlier in 2023, the Queensland-born starlet is capping off the year with another horror entrant, Monolith, but to say it’s far removed from the “groovy” gore of…

Can you survive five nights? The terrifying horror game phenomenon becomes a blood-chilling cinematic event, as Blumhouse, the producer of M3GAN, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man, brings Five Nights at Freddy’s to the big screen. The film follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his…

After announcing themselves as a queer filmmaking collective that weren’t afraid to take risks with both the horror genre they clearly adore and certain dynamics within their own community with their campy, giallo-inspired slasher Death Drop Gorgeous (now streaming on Shudder), Monster Makeup, LLC have more proven they aren’t a flash in the pan –…

True-crime docu-drama SPEEDWAY is based on the unsolved murders that claimed the lives of four teens working in a burger restaurant in 1978. The town of Speedway is the location of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This feature debut from Adelaide’s Luke Rynderman and co-director Adam Kamien tries to piece together the 40-year-old cold case…

Housekeeping for Beginners is set in a chaotic family home in Macedonia. However, this is no ordinary household. Dita lives with her girlfriend and her two daughters, tiny troublemaker Mia and rebellious teen Vanesa. The house is a sort of drop-in centre for the queer and homeless, with Toni, who tends to pick up younger guys…

Hen (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) are farming a remote piece of land that has been in his family for generations. The land is under drought, and globally the environment is struggling. In the middle of the night, an uninvited government agent (Aaron Pierre) shows up at their door with a surprise. Junior has…

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…

From the humblest of beginnings, where Australia’s ABC network weren’t sure on investing in their talent, to multi-million selling music artists that sold out Madison Square Garden and can count the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, John Travolta, and Sarah Jessica Parker as fans, The Wiggles defied the expectations of many to form a global brand…

You have to take your hat off for director Tommy Stovall and writer John Spare for navigating Condition of Return in a manner that I don’t think even the savviest of viewers would predict.  As a whole it may not always adhere to a certain cohesion as it flits between a dramatic thriller detailing the…