family

Film Review: Scarygirl invites its viewers to embrace the power of positivity in even the darkest of days

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,…

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Film Review: The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a safe, shiny, optimistic vehicle that will “level up” for families these school holidays

We’ll address the elephant in the room first.  Yes, Chris Pratt does indeed adopt a stereotypical Italian accent for his voice work as Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.  No, it’s actually not as offensive or as wince-inducing as you may be anticipating because, quite ingeniously, the film makes a joke out of the…

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It’s ride or die for Vin Diesel and his family in furious Fast X trailer

It’s time to fasTEN your seatbelts (see what we did there?) as the end of the road begins. Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and…

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Film Review: The Boss Baby: Family Business commits to its ludicrous premise and enjoys playing with its narrative insanity

I think it’s a fair assumption to state that not many people expected Tom McGrath‘s 2017 effort The Boss Baby to clear the half a billion dollars it did at the global box office.  It was a bizarre comedy that entirely banked on its central premise – a baby that spoke like an entitled adult…

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Win a family pass to the animated fantasy Moonbound

Thanks to Rialto Distribution we have five family passes (Admit 4) to give away to the upcoming release of the animated fantasy film Moonbound, based on one of Germany’s most popular children’s books, in Australian cinemas from June 24th, 2021, just in time for school holidays. When Peter sets out on a magical journey to rescue…

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Win a family pass to new animated adventure film Cranston Academy: Monster Zone

Thanks to Rialto Distribution we have five family passes (Admit 4) to give away to the upcoming release of the animated adventure Cranston Academy: Monster Zone, featuring the voices of Jamie Bell and our own Ruby Rose, in Australian cinemas from June 24th, 2021, just in time for school holidays. Bullied for his intelligence and struggling…

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Film Review: Spirit Untamed rides with a harmlessness that’s sweet and safe

Despite one of the more impressive voice casts assembled in recent years – Julianne Moore, Jake Gyllenhaal, Walton Goggins, and Isabela Merced, to name a few – Spirit Untamed is suitably middle-of-the-road fare.  It’s sweet and harmless, but it’s aimed so specifically at the young female demographic that its universal appeal feels ultimately limited. Playing…

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Film Review: Peter Rabbit 2 should delight its target audience

One of the first 2020 titles to delay its release substantially from its original bowing date (in this case, March 2020) due to the Coronavirus, Peter Rabbit 2 has finally hopped to a release window that makes sense.  In a country where cinemas have been open and thriving (and how!) for the better part of…

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Interview: The Croods: A New Age director Joel Crawford on finally getting a sequel off the ground and the coup of the original cast returning

To coincide with the US release of the hotly anticipated sequel The Croods: A New Age (set for a North American date of November 25th), our own Peter Gray caught up with the film’s director, Joel Crawford, to discuss the coup of reuniting the original cast and furthering the emotional aspect of the original story….

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Interview: Craig Robinson on the ease of voicing his character in Dolittle and if he’s actually met any of his co-stars

On the eve of the release of Robert Downey, Jr.’s passion project Dolittle (originally titled The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle) arriving in Australian cinemas, The AU Review’s Peter Gray chatted with one of the film’s multitude of voice talents, Craig Robinson, to discuss the isolating process of vocal recording and whether or not he’s actually…

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Film Review: Dolittle; at least it’s better than Cats!

After the colossal misfire that was Cats, audiences may not be ready for another round of CGI-rendered animals.  But, despite none of us really asking for it, Dolittle is here, and we can at least be thankful that it’s not the cinematic car-crash it very easily could have been – at least in comparison to…

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