When I signed on to write a film column featuring the Studio Ghibli films, I was thrilled. While I may not be an expert – yet – on the expansive collection of animated films, I have certainly seen enough to be hooked. Over the past couple of weeks as my deadline for this review (and…
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When I was a kid, my little sister and I would kill time by making videos. Amongst re-makes of Titanic and Twilight, one of our favourite videos to make was a mock, weight-loss reality T.V. show. This entailed me shoving pillows up my sweater and stomping around in front of a camera. I’d rub chocolate…
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My footsteps echo and I am overwhelmed by the colour white. Black and white faces of children, mothers and soldiers stare out at me from white walls, illuminated by spotlights. Yarra Gallery provides a sombre and reverent temporary home for visitors to remember those caught in the Cambodian Khmer Rouge’s ascent to power in 1975….
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A lesbian coming-of-age tale has been awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. La Vie d’Adèle (Blue is the Warmest Colour in English speaking countries) from French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche took the top prize in an awards ceremony on Sunday after creating widespread buzz for its graphic sex scenes. La Vie d’Adèle tells…
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To say that the Amish community is isolated from civilisation is like saying that the Hulk has anger management issues. The Amish don’t have the modern communications and resources that somehow seem necessary to us Westerners (but remain superfluous in our daily functioning) and that’s a realisation that seems to drive us crazy. Sadly it…
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The first movie in the Alien franchise; of the same name, was released in 1979, and set the bar for sci-fi and horror in the years to come with its original plot, strong characters and atmospheric filming. I can only assume you have a broad understanding of the plot of the film; seven employees of a big…
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Back To Stay (Abrir puertas y ventanas) is the debut film from Milagros Mumenthaler. The winner of numerous international awards (including best film at the 2011 Locarno Film Festival); it is ultimately a low-key family drama. It’s also a semi-autobiographical tale from this first-time director. The movie is actually a concentrated character study that…
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There is something to be said about monkeys in films. Part cute and cuddly, part vicious and protective they have been continually reduced to predictable human stereotypes. King Kong, Mighty Joe Young or even the charming monkey Jack from Pirates of the Caribbean are all victims of this monkey stereotype curse which plagues the film…
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She struts onto the screen. Leather clutches her hourglass figure, squeezing her tight; her breasts billow out of her shirt. She seductively glances at the man before her. He is incapacitated by her fishnet stockings and whip, reduced to a drooling, drivelling, mess. She slinks towards him, strokes his cheek and melts him with the…
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‘Hold onto your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.’ Sometimes you get the feeling, when watching a film, that you’ve just witnessed a moment that will go down in Hollywood history. The immortal words above are voiced by Bette Davis to kick off the house party to end all house parties in All…
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Historical movies can be some of the best storytelling on offer. Recent films such as The King’s Speech and Lincoln have shown the amazing results that can come from the dramatisation of real events. However, sometimes a movie which promises fresh insight into important historical figures can simply provide an uninteresting journey down memory lane. Unfortunately,…
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[**Spoiler Alert**] Lore is not your typical film about World War II. The story is based on a novel by Rachel Seiffert and is about a young family of middle class German children who are forced to flee their home as the allies overtake Germany at the end of the war. It is an eye-opening…
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Disney shaped billions of childhoods around the world. Remember when you were little, and all you wanted to do was dress up in a big pink puff pastry dress and pretend a fairy godmother was coming by to whisk you away in a pumpkin? This, along with sitting around waiting for Prince Charming and “true…
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Housos vs. Authority isn’t a film that takes itself too seriously. Instead, this is a high-octane, provocative comedy that has sacred cows on its radar. It’s also about as subtle as a slap in the face with a cold, dead fish. So, welcome to Sunnyvale- a town where being dumb, drunk and racist is worn…
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