Film & TV

Built in 1886 and sitting on the corner of Brazos and 6th Street, The Driskill Hotel is Austin’s oldest operating hotel. Positioned right around the Austin’s Capitol, it has a illustrious history when it comes to American Presidential History. This week at SXSW, it’s home to the ever-unfolding modern history of current US President Donald…

At SXSW 2017, American biochemist, Jennifer Doudna was telling everybody about CRISPR. Allow me one last Human Nature reference… Doudna was telling the last ones to know about a new technology that has the potential to alter genes. Human Nature is a documentary that takes a deep dive into this fascinating scientific world, and chronicles…

As new dog grooming business owner (and one of Well Groomed‘s fascinating human subjects) Nicole Beckman states during her introduction that competitive dog grooming was always something she thought as being “just silly” before entering the competitive stakes herself, her initial thoughts are likely to be mirrored by many unversed in the ways of competitive…

At the age of 37, Australian writer and director Abe Forsythe has already had a truly impressive output of films. At the age of 21, he put out the memorable (if maligned) Ned, in the same year as the Heath Ledger film, and has since delivered us great comedies in both short and long form, including…

Sometimes Always Never proves its only words. This UK dramedy is about a father and son’s complex relationship. It has an English sensibility and a profound love for the Scrabble board game. The result is a quirky and whimsical character study that feels like it pans out in real-time. This film at first was a…

Tonight at the Paramount Theatre at SXSW, Long Shot, the new romantic comedy starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, had its first ever public screening. Not due for release until the start of May, the film sees the pair playing something akin to star-crossed lovers, with a political bend; Theron starring as America’s Secretary of…

Models are cool people. Beautiful glamazons. You don’t think of them as freaks unless you’re Jean Paul Gaultier. The French designer dedicated an entire show to just this. Freak & Chic is a feature documentary that shows us this crazy world, as well as the hard work and creativity that went into shaping this wild…

It’s taken 20-something movies but MCU has finally released their first female led superhero movie and despite some controversy leading up to its release we can rest assured that Marvel’s seemingly endless good streak continues.

The year in cinema has already yielded one female-led heist film. However, the stylish ladies of Ocean’s 8 are about to be blown out of the water by the sensational ensemble cast (headed by three terrific actresses) of Widows. The latest film from Steve McQueen, slyly presents itself as your everyday popcorn thriller, but ultimately flips the well-worn crime…

From Captain Marvel to Rocketman, the next three months are filled with a mountain of cinematic releases we should all be excited about. Here are just seven… Captain Marvel Marvel fans, grab some popcorn and drinks because you’re in for a treat. Captain Marvel is set to hit cinemas this week, March 7. In this exciting…

Just days after the internet started buzzing with talks that the forthcoming final season of Game of Thrones will feature “the longest consecutive battle sequence ever committed to film”, the official trailer has arrived. As you can expect, details are fairly scarce on exactly how the season will play out, but we have been given…

If there’s a bias I have as a film critic, it is that I have an affinity for seeing established actors give unhinged performances in film that accommodate said performance. Most of these performances are usually in thriller genres, like the psycho-logical subgenre. Yes, the use of the hyphen is intentional, as those films delve…

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has made some of most critically acclaimed dramas in the 21st Century. Garnering awards from many festivals, including winning two Oscars for Best Foreign Film, it is a testament to Farhadi’s impeccable storytelling about the social, gender and class differences in modern Iran as well as his assured hand in telling…

It isn’t hard to figure out that the reason why a lot of people watch movies is because of wish fulfillment. Who wouldn’t want to be in a fairy tale romance? Who wouldn’t want to be a kick-ass hero? But another level of wish fulfillment is to see people get revenge on those who have…

With a title like The Sisters Brothers, one would be forgiven for assuming that Jacques Audiard‘s off-centred western would be something of a comedy.  Whilst there’s moments of black humour peppered throughout Audiard’s English-language debut – which makes its inclusion in this year’s Alliance Francaise French Film Festival all the more curious – this is…

It is not uncommon to see reviewers describe a film as “Like a love letter” to something. In the case of French documentary, Wine Calling this is also true, but given the subject matter a toast seems more appropriate. This film is a deep dive into the worlds inhabited by a group of passionate and…

Celebrities and guests walked the red carpet for the 2019 Australian LGBTI Awards held at The Star in Sydney. Photographer Nathan Atkins was there to bring us these shots.

Most people have seen Yves Saint Laurent’s creations but how many have wondered what is going on beneath the covers? The documentary, Celebration: Yves Saint Laurent, should answer some of these questions. This French film is shot in cinéma vérité style and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion legend and his army of helpers….

What is it about stories about the rise to stardom that makes it so fascinating to audiences? Is it because it resembles a wish fulfillment fantasy? Or is it because it resembles a cautionary tale? Either way, it is a well-worn formula, that has been the backbone of well-regarded films, including 2018 films A Star…

Some acts come as a package deal. Bert and Ernie. Batman and Robin. Tom and Jerry. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy AKA comedy duo, Laurel & Hardy, can be added to this list. The two comedians made over a hundred silent and talking films. They entertained audiences with their funny antics and slapstick for decades….

Lady Gaga is not the first singer to embark on the transition from music to film (J. Lo, I’m looking at you), and I doubt she will be the last. However, never before have I seen a musician take this leap with such skill, such talent and such raw emotion reminiscent of a seasoned actor….

At the end of last year, the second season of Westworld (“The Door”) received the home Blu-Ray release treatment, with a three disc set showcasing all ten episodes of the big budget HBO series. The season introduced us to the other “worlds” that run alongside Westworld – while a number of storylines and timelines helped…

English-language live-action film adaptations of manga/anime source material have been quite problematic, to say the least. While most of the films just fail to capture the spirit of the source material due to bad filmmaking (eg. Fist of the North Star, Death Note [2017]), other examples fail just due to the fact that they did…

Just as much of a surprise as the delightfully twisted original – 2017’s Happy Death Day – Happy Death Day 2U is revelatory not because it improves on its predecessor’s horror temperament, but because it completely bypasses the slasher genre trope and cements itself firmly within the grounds of science-fiction. Given how much fun writer and director…

What do you get when you take a reluctant easily distracted God, a bunch of overworked angels and a bet that has the continued existence of Earth on the line? The new 7 episode mini-series on STAN called Miracle Workers, based on the novel “What In God’s Name” by series creator Simon Rich gives us…

Films that are for adults that revolve around children are becoming more uncommon these days. So much so that people have to differentiate films that are for children with films that are about children. Case in point, the 2004 fantasy drama Bridge to Terabithia. While the film does show a fantasy world and the story…

Every March, the SXSW Film Festival takes place in Austin, Texas – and it’s home to some of the biggest and most exciting world premieres alongside the freshest up-and-coming features and shirts. From March 8–17, the 2019 event will be celebrating a lineup of 131 Feature Films, 101 Short Films (including Music Videos), 5 Episodic…

Disaster artist Tommy Wiseau, best known as the accidental genius behind cult hit The Room, revealed earlier this year plans to direct and star in his own bona fied shark movie. As you can expect, nervous laughter and that “pfft” sound dude bros like making were the most common reactions to the surprising announcement, which…

Tropfest Australia’s largest short film festival is back once again and the rain held off as the stars walked the black carpet before an amazing night of fun, film and food held in Parramatta Park.

Bad Times at El Royale hit cinemas last year to mixed reviews, though I found it an engaging film, with a clever plot stemmed in the traditions of film noir and crime fiction. The set design was phenomenal and the characters were just the right amount of over-the-top to make them feel right at home…