Film

VIP guests and celebrities were greeted with an amazing spectacle whilst walking the red carpet for the Sydney premiere of the new live action Disney film The Lion King

As the brand new Mortal Kombat film readies filming in South Australia this year, a juicy piece of news has been confirmed by writer Greg Russo via Twitter. This upcoming Mortal Kombat film, which is schedule for a released of 5th March 2021, will be the first in the franchise to be rated R in…

The fact that the existence of another raunchy teen comedy — jam-packed with sex, drugs and alcohol — may not mean much but it has been a very long time since I have heard this much hype for a comedy such as Booksmart. Ever since its premiere at this year’s South by Southwest, it has…

Buddy comedies are a dime-a-dozen these days. And much like romantic films, they rely on the chemistry of the leads to succeed. An original plot? Unimportant. Solid acting? No need. If the chemistry works between the leads, then it should offset a lot of the film’s flaws. Case in point, Michael Dowse‘s action-comedy Stuber, a…

Now in its 68th year, the Melbourne International Film Festival has announced an astonishing line-up for its 2019 season, boasting 259 feature films, 123 shorts and 16 virtual reality experiences, MIFF 2019 will include 31 world premieres and 160 Australian premieres all taking place over just 18 days. It’s artistic director’s Al Cossar‘s first year…

Woodstock was one of the most important concerts in history. This year marks 50 years since those infamous three days of peace, love and music. The film, Woodstock at Fifty is a documentary that gives a rather backstage view to the show thanks to some interviews with various key players. While some parts of this…

If you don’t know artist, Teddy Pendergrass by now, you certainly will. In the documentary, If You Don’t Know Me we learn all about this R & B singer who was often referred to as “The Black Elvis.” This film is an illuminating look at the life and legacy of this legendary soul man. Pendergrass’…

Darren Hanlon once sang that love is “Just a lazy generalisation that we use for one hundred different feelings and as many situations”. The film, An Unexpected Love (El amor menos pensado) certainly examines one of these kinds of love. It’s that of a mature couple who have been married for 25 years. They grapple…

He’s Australia’s very own finger-picking, boogie-woogie man. Tommy Emmanuel is a guitar icon and one of only a handful of people who can say they’re a certified guitar player. Tommy Emmanuel: The Endless Road is an entertaining look at many facets of this charismatic musician and artist. This film is written and directed by Jeremy…

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (the MCU) doesn’t just regularly bring together a connected group of actors on screen – but also the creatives behind the scenes, regularly working on Marvel projects that help connect the universe in more ways than just the themes that tie it all together. One of these hard working artists is VFX…

At select cinemas this weekend, Marvel‘s powerhouse finale Avengers: Engame will be re-released for limited screenings. Opening with an introduction from director Anthony Russo and with an exclusive look at an unfinished deleted scene, this really is proof that the Marvel team love us 3000! And in case that wasn’t enough to convince you to…

Director Bong Joon-ho is one of cinema’s most eclectic filmmakers working today. What makes his work stand out so much is his assured directorial hand in mixing genres that usually do not associate with each other and yet somehow, he executes them brilliantly. But no matter what genre he works in, he always manages to…

In an effort to offer a more immersive and quirkier experience for Sydney’s cinema enthusiasts, the team behind Event Cinemas George Street in the CBD have launched two brand new concepts collectively dubbed Australia’s “first Instagrammable cinema” as Event Boutique. Marrying Event Cinemas with the rich heritage of the EVENT-owned State Theatre and the signature…

Boom! A Film about the Sonics is a documentary that is cut from the same cloth as Searching for Sugar Man and Waiting: The Van Duren Story. You may not have heard about American group, The Sonics but chances are you’ve heard their influence through other people’s music. This film is an overwhelmingly positive one…

Singled [Out] is a new documentary by directors Mariona Guiu and Ariadna Relea; and the premise is what really struck out to me, as we follow the lives of five women (under 30) of different backgrounds (Australia, Turkey, Spain and two women from China), and how they live their lives with their choices, whether they…

Canadian actress, Tricia Helfer is best known for her roles as Number Six in Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series and Charlotte Richards/Mom in the newly-renewed series, Lucifer. She can also currently be seen playing Dracula in Syfy’s Van Helsing. I spoke to the former model-turned-actress while she was in Melbourne for Australia’s Ultimate Pop…

If you’ve asked yourself why Disney and Pixar bothered making Toy Story 4, you are not alone. With 2010’s Toy Story 3 serving as the perfect ending to the series, this fourth go-around felt more like a cash-grab than an organic continuation, and though the series as a whole has been that rare breed of…

Martin Phillipps is a brave, post-punk poet. The leader of the New Zealand band, The Chills has had a long and varied career writing heavenly pop tunes that are filled with dark undercurrents. The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps is a revealing look at an eccentric protagonist in his own tragicomic story….

You get the sense that the stage was set for a great documentary about Chelsea Manning. It was May 2017 when the former US army soldier and intelligence analyst had her sentence commuted by President Barack Obama. She also granted a documentary film crew unfettered access to her life. And yet what follows is a…

David Crosby was a Byrd who became a “difficult cat”. In Remember My Name he is an old dog armed with a guitar in one hand and a spliff in the other. This musician and artist is very candid about his full and colourful life in this feature-length documentary. This film is ultimately an entertaining…

The cast of Sequin in a Blue Room walk the red carpet at Event Cinemas for the world premiere as part of the Sydney Film Festival

Viva Almodovar! If that opening didn’t clue you in, I am a huge fan of the work of acclaimed Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar. His filmmaking is an extravagant blend that is both wondrously idiosyncratic and entertainingly melodramatic; capped off with a colourfully vibrant eye. Even his supposedly disappointing films have won me over time,…

Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. But what do you do if you’re a single woman who is over a certain age living in China? The documentary, Leftover Women, is an illuminating look at three individuals who grapple with various stigmas and expectations, in a society where women are encouraged to…

Tentpole sequels, reboots, and remakes have been dropping like flies in 2019. Godzilla: King of the Monsters has underperformed. The Secret Life of Pets 2 fell flat. The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part earned less than half what its predecessor did. Hellboy was an unmitigated disaster. And X-Men: Dark Phoenix is already dead on arrival. Next up on…

There is no question that author, J.R.R Tolkien is worthy of a bio-pic. The writer is responsible for some of the most beloved fantasy epics including: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This bio-pic is a rather pedestrian telling of some of his life events and as such, is unworthy of such a…

They say if you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. American photographer, Martha Cooper fits this to a tee. She has had a long and storied career capturing some fine images of urban landscapes, and changing towns and communities. Martha: A Picture Story is like a love letter to…

RJ Mitte walks the red carpet at the world premiere of Standing Up For Sunny as part of the Sydney Film Festival alongside actress Philippa Northeast and Matthew Nable.

Over the recent years, it has come to my attention that some of the most problematic films that have attained a lot of critical derision have come from films that explore the trope of magical realism. Recent efforts such as Collateral Beauty, Life Itself and The Book of Henry have tried to be life-affirming by…

Self styled country outlaw Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley) is out of jail and ready to chase her dreams. A talented country singer, her goal is Nashville (where else?), but Rose-Lynn is torn between starting fresh or finally taking responsibility for the life she’s made in Glasgow, involving two young children who barely know their mother….

Before I start off this review, it must be said that I have not seen any of the works by director Joanna Hogg. It wasn’t due to any prior indiscretions, rather my personal ignorance. But upon hearing the massive amounts of praise from festivals and critics all over the world for her latest film, The…