Reviews

Series Review: The Continental: From the World of John Wick relates to the acclaimed action films only by name and not nature

September 21, 2023

After 4 films that amassed acclaim, both critically and commercially, it only makes sense that the world created within the John Wick films be continued in some form separate from the series itself; even though many are hoping the titular character’s rather definitive send-off in Chapter 4 is somehow retconned. Next year will see the […]

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Series Review: Based On A True Story is a darkly comic satire on society’s obsession with true crime podcasts

June 8, 2023

To say society has a fascination with true crime would be putting it mildly.  No longer just contained to a select audience who got their grisly fix on news-skewered programs, true crime – or, more specifically, murder – is now a multi-million dollar business in itself, cornering the market on books, podcasts, docuseries’ and the […]

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Series Review: Appetite delivers insight into the dark side of the gig economy

June 7, 2023

Short-form series Appetite, the only Australian production to be selected for in-competition screening at Canneseries, starts an important conversation on the effects of the gig economy through its bite-sized episodes. The mystery-comedy follows a group of housemates turned food-delivery riders who find themselves at the centre of a conspiracy as they unravel the truth behind […]

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Series Review: Bupkis is a semi-autobiographical comedy series that defines the charm of creator Pete Davidson

May 5, 2023

Whilst some could accuse Pete Davidson of repeating (or, re-Pete-ing, sorry) himself in Bupkis, given that he already gave us an “inspired by” piece in 2020’s The King of Staten Island, his 8-episode dramedy series at least gives the actor/writer more breathing room to delve into what makes him tick and heighten the situation accordingly. […]

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Series Review: Dead Ringers is a deliciously depraved thriller led by a stunning, dual Rachel Weisz

April 21, 2023

You have to hand it to the creative team behind the new series Dead Ringers for having the gumption to remake a piece that was birthed from the mind of one David Cronenberg.  The darkly-driven filmmaker’s 1988 psychological thriller – which followed his 1986 horror success The Fly – starred Jeromy Irons in a dual […]

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TV Review: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5 remains richly addictive but feels lost in elaborate subplots

April 14, 2023

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has returned for its fifth and final season, after an uneven yet still charming fourth iteration, which left us with a slightly hopeful ending—Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) staring up at a snowy billboard featuring ‘The Gordon Ford Show’. For my first impression of this season, I watched the first four […]

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First Impressions: Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies doesn’t quite ascend in the manner akin to the original musical

April 7, 2023

There’s something kind of ironic in Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies aiming to ramp up the female empowerment.  As seems to be the norm now for familiar property, the creators of this prequel series have essentially refashioned it for modern audiences and, in the process, made it feel like a separate entity entirely to […]

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First Impressions: Rabbit Hole; Kiefer Sutherland’s ever-twisted action series provides effortless binge service

March 27, 2023

Flirting with the type of action-heavy chaos that served his character for 9 seasons on the surprisingly resilient 24, Kiefer Sutherland embraces coincidental lunacy and a healthy supply of narrative twists for Rabbit Hole to deliver on its promise on the type of genre fun born from political thrills and double-crossing intent. Given just how […]

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TV Series Review: Class of ‘07 is a refreshing and riotously funny celebration of female friendship

March 23, 2023

Class of ‘07 is an apocalyptic comedy set during a ten-year reunion at an all-girls high school, which soon becomes the only surviving part of a sunken Sydney. It could have easily been terrible. The eight-episode Prime Video series had big ambitions, with an ensemble cast, multiple complex storylines, flashbacks, and an end of the […]

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Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special: Harley pushes love to the limit in this rip-roaring DC Valentine’s special

February 9, 2023

Harley Quinn : A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special follows from the third season of Harley Quinn, airing on Binge in Australia and HBO Max in the USA. It’s a show that has prided itself on being outrageously vulgar, taking beloved DC characters and pushing them to the limit of adult animation humour. But they’re […]

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Teen Wolf

Film Review : Teen Wolf: The Movie is back for one more bite!

January 31, 2023

It’s been five years since we said goodbye to the residents of Beacon Hills and the majority of its cast moved onto bigger projects allowing them to become household names. Bringing all these characters together again and having them moved from teens to adulthood was a big gamble to see if fans would return and […]

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TV Review: The Last of Us is the perfect video game adaptation

January 11, 2023

Translating a video game to screen is no easy feat. There have been so many examples of terrible franchises that companies try to cross over and while some work (Sonic, Detective Pikachu) more often than not they fail spectacularly (Resident Evil on Netflix, Monster Hunter, Silent Hill). What these adaptations fail to understand is an […]

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First Impressions: National Treasure: Edge of History needs to uncover more excitement in order to match the spirit of its filmic predecessors

December 14, 2022

Though it’s created by Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, the screenwriters of the two National Treasure movies, and has links through the casting of guest-spotted performers Harvey Keitel and Justin Bartha, National Treasure: Edge of History has very little of the ultimate charm and adventurous spirit of its predecessors. The films – 2004’s original and its […]

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Tim Minchin

Digital Review: Tim Minchin: Back delivers on the old songs, new songs and f**k you songs

December 11, 2022

Chameleon comedian and musician, Tim Minchin has had some busy years working in theatre and on films. After an eight-year break away from live touring, he returned to the live stage with his show, Back, only for Covid-19 to hit. Filmed live at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in the UK, Back is a clever blend […]

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Six episodes in, is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power worth watching?

October 7, 2022

If you have been glued to Amazon’s new show The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power each week, you wouldn’t be alone. The first five episodes have firmly established the Second Age setting, filled with a lot of back story and establishment of Numenor, Southlands, Khazan-dum and Lindon. It feels all of this […]

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First Impressions: Amazon’s The Rings of Power is a sensual feast of Tolkien goodness

September 5, 2022

Set in the middle age of Middle Earth, thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and the One Ring, Amazon Prime Video’s new series The Rings of Power. After watching the first two episodes, it is clear the studio squeezed every cent out of the reported $465 million dollars for its first season […]

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TV Review: This is Going to Hurt is hilarious, dramatic & pain-free

July 1, 2022

There aren’t many shows that can successfully straddle the lines between comedy and drama. But This is Going to Hurt is not most programs. The British dramedy based on Adam Kay’s memoir will dazzle audiences with its sharp writing, humour and pathos. Ben Whishaw stars as a young doctor working for the National Health Service. […]

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Season Review: Chloe is an intriguing, thrilling series about the web of lies built around social media

June 26, 2022

Watching the anti-heroine of Alice Seabright‘s thrilling series Chloe, Becky Green (Erin Doherty, an absolute star-making turn), as she scrolls through the social media lifestyle of the titular Chloe (Poppy Gilbert), a flame-haired femme with a seemingly enviable and lavish existence, the loneliness and self-loathing is palpable. It’s a feeling we’ve probably all experienced, noting […]

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Season Review: The Boys season 3 spits in the face of superhero fatigue with a violent glee

June 3, 2022

Within the first few minutes of the third season of The Boys, the profane-laced dialogue (no one drops a “C-bomb” like Karl Urban), bold nudity (if you think there’s a lack of male frontal shots in mainstream media, feast your eyes here), and bloodied-red body horror (there’s that R18+ rating certified) more than announces that […]

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First Impressions: A messy script doesn’t serve The First Lady, but Michelle Pfeiffer sure does!

April 20, 2022

As Gillian Anderson states – under a set of prominent teeth that appear almost caricaturish in their imagery as Eleanor Roosevelt – being a first lady isn’t a job, it’s a “circumstance”.  Such a circumstance, it would seem, that Showtime thought it only fair to showcase the women behind some of the most powerful Presidential […]

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First Impressions: Moon Knight is a stranger effort from the Marvel brand bolstered by Oscar Isaac’s dual performance

March 31, 2022

So often favouring spectacle over character development, the comic book action movie has gradually skewered its initial action-centric mentality towards a dramatic outreach (however melodramatic) that speaks to the quality talent the films so often manage to lure.  And for Marvel, not only are their films consistently cast, but their Disney+ series’ have more than […]

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Harry Wild

TV Review: Harry Wild is a cosy murder mystery elevated by a relatable and amusing main character

March 25, 2022

The British have always excelled at the cosy murder mystery – the sort you watch routinely on a weeknight with a cup of tea – but this time its Ireland that’s produced a stellar addition to the genre. Giving off strong Rosemary & Thyme vibes, the Acorn TV original Harry Wild stars Jane Seymour as […]

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TV Review : Upload S2 sticks to its weird and wacky formula, diving deeper into the digital afterlife

March 15, 2022

It’s been two years since the first season of Upload, an off-beat comedy set in the future where the wealthy can upload their consciousness to a digital afterlife and continue living in a perfect world of their creation. The first season was the perfect blend of comedy mixed with drama exploring themes of loss, love […]

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First Impressions: Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4 is vibrant and witty but suffers from series-long character issues

February 17, 2022

Amy Sherman-Palladino’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has returned for a fourth season of lighthearted 1960’s shenanigans and based on the first two episodes it looks set to be just as quick-witted as ever. The spirited comedian Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) is back in New York City after she was abruptly removed from Shy Baldwin’s […]

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Series Review: Pam & Tommy is an engaging, humorous, though surprisingly emotional insight into the infamous sex tape

January 31, 2022

Over the last year there’s been a heavy re-examination regarding the critical response the media placed upon women in the public eye.  Recent documentaries about Britney Spears and Janet Jackson have truly bought the discussion into a manner that extends beyond their fandom, and something like Pam & Tommy, as exaggerated at times it is, […]

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HBO Max’s Peacemaker Premiere Review: “a sure-fire hit with razor-sharp dialogue”

January 10, 2022

This is a spoiler-free review of the first three episodes of Peacemaker. The show premieres on Binge January 13. The Suicide Squad went down as one of 2021’s best comic book movies. The soft reboot helmed by James Gunn won over critics and audiences with its hyperviolent scenes and adult tone. Gunn further expands the […]

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Full Series Review: The Wheel of Time crafts its own successful version of Robert Jordan’s enthralling fantasy world

December 29, 2021

The last episode of The Wheel of Time season one was released on the 24th of December, capping off the agonisingly slow weekly wait (who decided to re-introduce that?) for new episodes of the epic fantasy series. For the uninitiated, the show is based on the well-known novels by Robert Jordan – although fans of […]

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First Impressions: Marvel’s Hawkeye sets itself up as a passing of the torch to Hailee Steinfeld’s enthusiastic hero-in-the-making

November 24, 2021

As easy as it is to wax lyrical on the fact that we have yet another Marvel property release in 2021, not to mention the fact that it’s basing itself around a character that never appeared like enough of a stable figure to centre around, the resulting Hawkeye is all the more alarming and engaging […]

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First Impressions: Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time is an intricately-plotted fantasy series that should satisfy genre fans

November 19, 2021

Although the fantasy genre had always had a dedicated fanbase, one could argue that it wasn’t until the filmic adaptations of the Lord of the Rings in the early 2000’s that it truly became a classification known and embraced by a mainstream audience.  Second to that, in a more culturally relevant manner, Game of Thrones […]

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First Impressions: Marvel’s What If…? is a multiversal dream for the super-fans

August 11, 2021

Marvel have really leaned into their Disney+ products, haven’t they? Following on from the fan-embraced success of WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, the fresh-but-familiar mentality continues with the animated ambition that is What If…? The notion of a multiverse is something that the MCU have teased and ultimately confirmed throughout their […]

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