LATEST REVIEWS BY THE POPCORN PANEL
No-holds-barred reviews of movies, TV shows, and streaming services by film and TV connoisseur Alex Cearns. 

ALICE AND STEVE

Alice (Nicola Walker) and Steve (Jemaine Clement) are best mates in their mid 50’s who’ve been inseparable for decades. Their lifelong friendship unravels when Steve, a celebrity hairstylist, begins seeing Alice’s twenty six year old daughter Izzy (Yali Topol Margalith) who hems known ain engage was born. Alice has a huge meltdown and refuses to accept their relationship. She gets to work sabotaging Steve’s life, career, and reputation in a bid to force him to dump Izzy. Meanwhile Alice’s husband Daniel (Joel Fry) is dealing with his own marital crisis, while her teenage son Dom (Tyrese Eaton-Dyce) gets serious with his school crush Rome (Eilidh Fisher). The portrayal of Alice and Steve’s bond in the first episode is fun and lovely, but my interest soon fell away as the episodes continued – nothing much happened. Most of the main characters lack chemistry, including Steve and Izzy, who don’t have any romantic spark between them. While it’s a treat seeing Walker excel in a comedic role, some of her colleagues feel miscast. The cliffhanger ending leaves you to write your own conclusion and makes it feel like there may be a second season, but there’s not enough substance in this show to warrant one. A fizzer.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 5.9/10

Amanda’s Score 6/10

THE WITNESS

When twenty three year old Rachel Nickell was murdered on Wimbledon Common in broad daylight and stabbed 49 times in 1992, her two year old son Alex (Jahsaiah Williams and Max Fincham), was the only witness. This three episode limited series mostly follows the psychological impact that the crime had on Alex and his father Andre (Jordan Bolger) in the years that followed. Filled with well known British actors, including Kerry Godliman, Neil Maskell, Kevin Eldon, Mark Stanley, and Claire Rushbrook, the story is based on real life events. Minimal areas of the police investigation are covered, which felt a bit lacking and left me wanting more procedural content. Bolger also overacts on occasion, and his character of Andre irritatingly puts his son’s name at the front of nearly every sentence when he speaks to him. Netflix has simultaneously released a documentary on the case called ‘The Murder of Rachel Nickell’ which is on my watch list – it’ll be interesting to see what Alex and Andre’s dynamic is like in that compared to this dramatisation. An absorbing plot about a terrible deed.

SCORE:

Alex and Amanda’s Score 7.5/10

TUNER

Niki White (Leo Woodall) works alongside Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman) in Harry’s piano tuning business. When Harry gets sick and ends up burdened with medical debt, Niki falls in with a group of criminals and starts working for them as a safecracker in order to help pay the hospital bills. Niki has a condition called hyperacusis that makes him highly sensitive to loud noises and to manage it he has to constantly wear earbuds and headphones. He also possesses perfect pitch which allows him to crack safes by only using his supersonic hearing. The leading characters are fabulous together on screen and their natural banter brings the laughs. Harry is likeable and has the gift of the gab, while Niki is fundamentally a good guy who’s doing the best he can for the people he loves. There are no unnecessary scenes in the entire movie and the script is fresh and well written, giving the actors great material to work with. Interesting and quirky filming techniques are combined with immersive, multi directional sound to emphasise how Niki experiences the world around him. Only took one point off for an overly convenient plot coincidence that develops near the end. Even so, it’s still superb. Engaging and fun, this packs genuine heart.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 9/10

Kelly’s Score 9.5/10

MICHAEL JACKSON – THE VERDICT

Clearly leveraging its release off the back of the recent ‘Michael’ movie, this documentary covers Michael Jackson’s 2003 investigation, police raids, and arrest for child s*x offences and conspiracy to commit crimes. His trial resulted in not guilty verdicts on all counts in 2005. Compiled across three episodes, there’s so much packed in that the watch time flies by. An array of people relating to the trial are interviewed, including friends and family members, journalists who covered the case, and members of the prosecution and defence teams. This series claims to provide a balanced viewpoint of the facts and does a genuinely good job of maintaining its impartial status. It presents evidence for his innocence and guilt, leaving it up to the viewer to determine who is telling the truth. It’s debatable whether watching this will change anyone’s mind if they already feel strongly one way or the other, but it definitely raises questions about whether our adulated obsession with those perceived as icons clouds our better judgement, or if being mega famous just makes a person an easy target. Having spent fourteen years working in the police force and two of those years as a crime analyst in the child ab*se unit, I know firsthand that predators can be the people you expect and the people you least expect – they can be anyone, anywhere. In this case, only a few know the absolute truth.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 8.5/10

SCARY MOVIE

The Wayans brothers are back with the sixth instalment of their iconic franchise and, as to be expected from their past catalogue, you should not watch this if you have sensibilities about, well, anything. The creators promise “Every line will be crossed” and that’s absolutely true – nothing is off limits. Various demographics and minority group are targeted and the political incorrectness is 10/10. A lot has changed in the world since the last ‘Scary Movie’ was released in 2013, but the brothers don’t hold back on using the same mould that led to over $1.2 billion dollars in earnings from their past five films. The plot parodies the IP of over a dozen horror and pop culture movies, opening with a very funny sequence that takes place outside a ‘Final Destination’ theme park, before moving into a fast paced mash up of everything from ‘The Substance’ to ‘M3GAN’. There are cool cameos from the likes of Teyana Taylor, Carmen Electra, and Shaquille O’Neal, plus legacy cast members Anna Faris and Regina Hall return. With a joke dropping every minute at breakneck speed, you need to pay attention to catch them all. I’m not a fan of crude, low brow humour that sounds like it was written by a teenage boy, so some parts are cringe, but I also laughed out loud several times at genuinely funny lines and set ups. There’s a Demi Moore gag and a mention of ‘Ballerina’ which are brilliant. The whole production is slick, thanks to its $30 million dollar budget. Fiercely unapologetic satire.

SCORE:

Alex and Alex’s Score 7.5/10

Jason’s Score 7/10

Rebecca’s Score 5/10

FINDING EMILY

Owen (Spike Fearn) meets the girl of his dreams while working at a club as a sound engineer. When he tries to contact her the next day, his text message bounces back due to a missing digit in her phone number. Armed with only her first name, Emily, Owen goes on an obsessive campaign to track her down and accidentally sends a mass email blast to every “Emily” registered at the local university campus, reaching over 300 (mostly angry!) people. An American student, also called Emily (Angourie Rice), decides to help him with his search, but she has a hidden agenda – she wants to use Owen as a case study for her psychology thesis on people who self sabotage in the pursuit of love. Filmed in Manchester and featuring many actual local businesses, anyone familiar with the city will feel a sense of nostalgia. The soundtrack is a beat-heavy mix of indie anthems that bolster the scenes and quicken the pacing. On the down side, there’s a lack of chemistry between the two leads and their romantic spark feels flat. The plot is also predictable, while being easy to follow and delivering the sort of comfortable happy ending you want from a standard rom com. Breezy and sweet.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6.9/10

Saraj’s Score 8/10

Kelly’s Score 7.5/10

HOKUM

Sullen author Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) visits an old Irish hotel where his late parents spent their honeymoon decades before. After scattering their ashes in a forest near the hotel grounds, he learns that the honeymoon suite has been locked up for years. Hotel manager Mal (Peter Coonan) tells him it’s off limits to guests because an ancient witch is trapped inside, but offers no information on her identity or origins. A genuine whodunit commences when a bartender named Fiona (Florence Ordesh) goes missing. Driven to investigate, Ohm finds himself trapped inside the spooky honeymoon suite, fighting for his life against a supernatural entity. Set against a suspenseful, dread filled atmosphere, Scott excels as a broken man burdened by secrets from his past. Parts of the plot are lacking, particularly when it comes to explaining the haunting, but Fiona’s disappearance gets a satisfactory resolution. Scenes of the bulgy-eyed fictional children’s TV character “Jack the Donkey” are genuinely creepy. A fairy tale for adults fed by trauma and guilt.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.5/10

LEGENDS

This six part crime drama follows customs boss Don Clarke (Steve Coogan) who is tasked by the British Home Office with creating a covert narcotics unit in the early 1990’s. He recruits four customs officers to infiltrate two rival drug syndicates in an effort to eliminate the flow of heroin pouring into England. The script is closely based on an intriguing true story, adapted from the 2022 memoir by former agent Guy Stanton (played superbly by Tom Burke), when the British government relied on ordinary customs employees to go undercover and bypassed the use of police services due to limited funding. The British do crime thrillers really well and this series is no exception. Taking place on the streets of Liverpool and London before moving into Pakistan, the psychological weight of the team’s split second, often life and death decisions gives a tense glimpse into a highly classified anti-drug operation. Intelligent storytelling.

SCORE:

Alex and Amanda’s Score 8/10

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

This live action film is an absolute surprise package that completely blew me away. It skilfully brings the classic 1980’s reference material into the modern age while adding doses of nostalgic camp and adult humour throughout. The casting across the board is brilliant, especially Nicholas Galitzine who bestows a down to earth charm on Prince Adam and his alter ego He-Man. Even Jared Leto, a divisive actor if ever there was one, is brilliant as the villain Skeletor, with his voice digitally enhanced to add a menacing acoustic resonance and his appearance emphasised thanks to a detailed prosthetic muscle suit. The costuming and set design are phenomenal, filled with colour and whimsical details. Fans of the original cartoon series will love it and those who aren’t familiar with the animated original will find plenty to enjoy. There’s even a homage to the star of the original 1987 film Dolph Lundgren that will delight those in the know. Stick around for the final credits right before the cinema lights come up as there are three bonus scenes strongly suggesting a sequel. That said, the story itself is closed off really nicely, ensuring you don’t feel ripped off by an incomplete plot. Quality filmmaking that ticks all the right boxes for blockbuster potential.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 9.5/10

Rebecca and Alex’s Score 9/10

Saraj’s Score 7/10

BIRTHRIGHT

Cory (Travis Jeffery) and his heavily pregnant wife Jasmine (Maria Angelico) find themselves in a quandary after being evicted from their rental accommodation. With their next housing option falling through and unable to afford their own place in an expensive property market, they arrive unannounced at the large country home of Cory’s parents, Lyn (Linda Cropper) and Richard (Michael Hurst). When they ask to stay for three weeks, Richard and Lyn are aghast at the suggestion. They are not particularly warm people, holding onto the belief that they have assisted Cory enough throughout his life and that he should’ve made better use of the opportunities presented to him along the way. With a small cast of only five characters appearing on screen (including a visiting midwife played by Catherine Moore), the entire story takes place in the confines of Lyn and Richard’s house and garden. The script is tight and says as much about the troubling state of real estate in Australia as it does about toxic family relationships. Director Zoe Pepper cleverly structures the tension so that some viewers will side with Cory and Jasmine, believing children have a right to receive mandatory help from their parents in a crisis, while others will support Richard and Lyn, arguing that they worked hard all their lives for what they have and no one else is entitled to their spoils. The four leads are phenomenal as they spiral their characters into full blown madness. This film was shot in five weeks in the hills of Perth, Western Australia, and has a dark, shadowy tone which feels like it’s foreboding the things to come. A bitingly dark thriller about home ownership and family dynamics. Loved it!

SCORE:

Alex's Score 9/10

Jason and Saraj’s Score 8/10

LADIES FIRST

Sacha Baron Cohen is Damien Sachs, a chauvinistic advertising executive who treats women like conquests. He works at the Atlas Agency and lives in a world where everything is designed to suit, promote, and benefit men. Rosamund Pike plays Alex Fox, his intelligent and highly qualified colleague who is constantly subjected to sexism from her male counterparts. When Damien slips and bangs his head, he wakes up in a parallel universe where gender roles are reversed. To his horror, Alex is now his boss and men are objectified, underpaid servants. While body swap stories are nothing new, this fresh take changes the environments instead of the physical forms. It aims to highlight the disparity between men and women in the workplace, and life in general, but the surface level writing assumes that a matriarchal society would mirror toxic masculinity. A few scenes are genuinely funny, though I wonder who the target audience is supposed to be. There’s nothing new in this for women and it’s doubtful that a misogynistic man would suddenly watch this and have a lightbulb shift in his thinking. A superficial, satirical, and sometimes silly, social commentary. Loved the soundtrack!

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6.9/10

THE BOROUGHS

This eight episode series is set in an exclusive, gated retirement village in the New Mexico desert called ‘The Boroughs’. The story follows grieving widower Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina), who moves into The Boroughs when a previous tenant is killed. He realises that something otherworldly is going on and begins an investigation with the help of his curious new neighbours – a star studded lineup aged 60+ which includes Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, Bill Pullman and Geena Davis. 
I loved the meticulous, minimalist set design which contributed to the isolated feel of the community, and enjoyed seeing a senior cast acting like the Famous Five. Including a fun homage to ‘Thelma and Louise’ was genius.
The plot went a little too wonky for my liking towards the end and spun off into fanciful territory. Some of the special effects (hello Mother!) were underwhelming, and one or two less episodes would’ve eliminated the slower moments. The sweet message about the importance of time was a nice reminder not to take anything for granted.

SCORE:

Alex and Amanda’s Score 7/10

HALF MAN

Ruben Pallister (Richard Gadd) and Niall Kennedy (Jamie Bell) are stepbrothers who have an insidious, co-dependent relationship. Ruben’s extremely dark and violent, devoid of empathy and unable to emotionally regulate his aggressive tendencies. His first resort is to always attack and he does several stints in prison for horrific crimes, never taking responsibility for his actions. He has a menacing hold over Niall, who fears him and lives under his shadow, but also always wants him to be around. They are a damaged combination and the time they spend together frequently crosses ethical and moral boundaries in shocking ways. Across the decades, Niall tries to hide his homosexuality from everyone, especially the homophobic Ruben, despite their mothers Lori (Neve McIntosh) and Maura (Marianne McIvor) falling in love and move in together. Their savage, unhinged connection could only end one way. Written, produced, and starring Gadd, he has claimed this series is a work of fiction based on generalised examples of toxic masculinity, but if this is reflective of how any men behave, it is stomach churningly concerning. The female roles in this series are relegated to being bit players and the two lead characters lack any redeeming features. They are vastly different in personality but sickening in the ways they behave, and you’ll feel endlessly frustrated at Ruben’s overbearing nature alongside Niall’s insipid weakness. Gadd and Bell (and Stuart Campbell and Mitchell Robertson as their younger selves) bring these damaged humans to life with absolute realism. Graphic and messed up, this is a tough and heavy watch. Afterwards you’ll have an ick that’s hard to shake.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 5.9/10

Amanda’s Score 5/10

THE NORTH

Two former best friends Chris (Bart Harder) and Lluis (Carles Pulido) reunite after a decade to walk a 600km Scottish trail they completed in their youth. The strain of their 30 day adventure soon forces them to confront their issues, but the emotional message of this film gets buried under the tediousness of everything else around it. Covering two hours and ten minutes, this monotonous endurance test fits the definition of slow cinema, and the absence of a musical score (except for the final scene) makes it drag on even more. Frequent static shots of oceans, foliage, and landscapes that linger for too long had me bored. There’s a great deal of value in a sharp edit and creating a succinct end product. The cinematography is the stand out feature, with the unforgiving mountains and wild, windy moors constantly throwing out physical challenges. By the time the credits finally rolled, I felt like I’d mentally, and arduously, walked all 600 kilometres with Chris and Lluis – a journey I didn’t want to go on. Exhaustingly dull minimalist storytelling.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 4/10

Duncan’s Score 3/10

THE TESTAMENTS

Picking up the story five years after the events of ‘The Handmaids Tale’ this series revolves around Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a teenager from Canada who infiltrates the oppressive regime of Gilead in the USA. Once there, she attends the same girls school as June Osborne’s daughter, who is now known as Agnes Mackenzie (Chase Infiniti). The curriculum is designed by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) to prepare the students for their roles as young brides, where they are married off to old male commanders. Nothing has fundamentally changed within Gilead’s power structure over the years and it’s still as restrictive as ever, making for tense viewing. The costume and set design are visually stunning, relying on strong, deliberate colour palettes. Every character is dressed in an identifiable uniform of sorts, which serves as a constant reminder of their status and removes any individuality. Most of the cast are teenagers, as opposed to the adult character focus of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. With ten engrossing episodes, the finale will leave viewers eagerly anticipating a second season. Famed source material author Margaret Atwood even makes an appearance. A worthy predecessor.

SCORE:

Alex and Amanda’s Score 9/10

BACKROOMS

This film has a decent cast, an occasional first person point of view filming style reminiscent of the ‘The Blair Witch Project’, and quirky, claustrophobic set design. Sadly those are the only positives to be found in this mess of a production. Based on the viral YouTube Creepypasta sensation, Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) discovers a series of strange rooms in his furniture store basement. When he vanishes, his therapist Dr Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve), heads into the rooms to find him. I expect a film to at least make sense and this one completely fails to deliver on that front. It feels as though someone on a massive bender wrote the script, leaving frustrating blanks for the audience to fill in. The actors do the best they can with the material but it’s too confusing to enjoy and I had a headache by the end. The fact that Kane Parsons is entertainment company A24’s youngest ever director at just twenty years old may explain the unrefined ideas and the lack of a mature, cohesive structure. How this project got green lit for a cinema release is a mystery – it’s the biggest disappointment of the year to date.

SCORE:

Alex and Amanda’s Score 3/10

Kelly’s Score 8/10

Dave’s Score 6/10

Duncan and Tony’s Score 5/10

TIME AND WATER

This documentary is crafted around the non-fiction book by Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason, who also narrates. Relying heavily on his home movie archive and incorporating 70 years of family history, he uses the story of his grandparents, who were avid explorers, to frame the disaster of glaciers disappearing in Iceland. While his environmental premise has value, the rest of the content feels self indulgent and unnecessary. His grandparents were undoubtedly interesting people, but their story could’ve been told succinctly, rather than consuming the bulk of the runtime and diluting the overall message. Magnason’s response to the Okjökull glacier disappearing was to install a plaque on its former site in 2019 with a letter to the future inscribed on it stating, “Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years, all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it.” And did they? Was there any concrete activity over the past seven years to make things different? I didn’t leave this screening feeling fired up or inspired to join the cause and had to rely on Google to learn that Magnason campaigns against damaging industrial dams and smelters. The 93 minute duration also required a stronger content edit. There are scenes filmed by Magnason’s children that are filled with irritating camera shake, old footage is low resolution, parts are out of focus, and many clips seem irrelevant to the climate change crisis. It needed less of all that and more on what Magnason is doing and how viewers can support his efforts. National Geographic backed this production and the only elements befitting of their brand are the education on glaciers dying and some of the beautiful cinematography of the Icelandic landscapes. Well intended but without a call to action this passive piece is a missed opportunity to be an effective voice for change.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6/10

Saraj’s Score 5/10

IM NOT STILLER

Adapted from Max Frisch’s 1954 Swiss novel, this story follows American James Larkin White (Albrecht Schuch) who is arrested on a train in Switzerland. Authorities are convinced that he is Anatol Stiller, a Swiss sculptor who mysteriously disappeared seven years earlier after he was rumoured to be involved with the communist party. Despite Stiller’s estranged ballerina wife, Julika (Paula Beer), his old friends, and his former lover Sibylle (Marie Leuenberger) insisting it’s him, White vehemently denies that he’s the wanted man. The plot will keep you guessing about who is telling the truth, but one major twist is a little too convenient and the ending is bland – the is he / isn’t he reveal caught me out but also left me feeling flat. An interesting premise about simply being yourself.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6.5/10

Deborah and Serena’s Score 7/10

MORTAL KOMBAT II

Despite being based on a video game, this franchise is definitely not for a younger audience. It’s far more gory, gruesome, graphic, and sweary than I expected. The narrative follows the games themselves, with multiple timelines coming together across different realms. It’s busy and hectic. The Outworld, led by tyrannical Emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), and Earthrealm, aided by Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) and Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), must each pick five champions to battle in a fight to the death – a mortal combat tournament. To complete the Earthrealm roster alongside Sonya, Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks), and Cole Young (Lewis Tan), washed up martial arts actor Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) is recruited. His character was the weakest, and most annoying, link in the film for me. Plot aside (let’s be real, the story is just a loose framework for the fatalities), this movie is essentially a showcase for multiple well choreographed fight scenes. The stunt team really took it to the next level in the way they creatively designed and executed the incredible action sequences. It’s non stop hyper violence from start to finish with some wince inducing kills. The only let down is the cheesy dialogue of Johnny Cage, whose mouth is greater than his talent. The stand out character is Kano (played by Aussie Josh Lawson), with his quick one liners and humorous delivery. His scenes with Quan Chi the Necromancer (fellow Aussie Damon Herriman) are comedy gold, and it’s easy to see why he’s picked up a cult following for the role. This adrenaline fuelled slugfest will mostly appeal to fans of the game, and those unfamiliar with it may be left behind in the what, where, and why. A grand spectacle filmed entirely on the Gold Coast.

SCORE:

Alex, Fiona, and Duncan’s Score 8/10

Jason’s Score 6/10

Steve’s Score 4/10

OBSESSION

Bear Bailey (Michael Johnston) has a huge unrequited crush on his work colleague Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette). After missing an opportunity to tell her how he feels, he buys a cheap novelty toy called a “One Wish Willow” and wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the world. The wish works instantly and Nikki becomes completely obsessed, transforming into a suffocating, terrifying, menacing girlfriend. Their relationship spirals into a toxic, dysfunctional mess of erratic behaviour and extreme jealousy, causing Bear to regret his actions. Navarrette is fantastic as Nikki and delivers a standout performance that carries the film. She switches seamlessly from calm and vulnerable to dangerous and unpredictable, using glitchy body language, sudden shrieking, and unsettling voices to maintain the intense discomfort. You won’t feel relaxed watching this, knowing Nikki could spiral at any minute, and that’s what the horror here relies on – dread and psychological unease which builds a layer of anxiety that does not dissipate until the credits kick in. With a budget of $1 million AUD, there’s a reason this film has already grossed over $100 million at the box office. It’s brilliant! With a young crew and a 26 year old director (genius Curry Barker who is also the writer), this is the sort of result that paves the way to a sky’s the limit future, and deservedly so. An original, bloody masterpiece – just be careful what you wish for.


SCORE:

Alex and Alex’s 9/10

Kelly’s Score 8/10

PASSENGER

Keen to find freedom on the open roads, young couple Maddie (Lou Llobell) and Tyler (Jacob Scipio) pack up their apartment and move into a Mercedes van. Six weeks into their travels, they pull over to help a dying driver at a crash scene, unknowingly breaking a folklore rule to “never stop no matter what.” Their consequence is to be hunted by a creepy supernatural entity called the Passenger, who keeps showing up in their van with murderous intent. Going into this film, I didn’t have particularly high expectations, but it totally surprised me. With the first scene making up most of the chilling trailer, the suspense is consistently maintained for the duration. There are several solid jump scares and, although the plot rollout is slightly formulaic, the overall premise feels fresh and feeds into people’s worst case scenario fears of driving on isolated roads at night. Most of the action takes place at night, in deserted car parks and campgrounds, adding an extra layer of doom to the intensity and tension, not to mention the constant claustrophobia of Maddie and Tyler being trapped in the small van with a demon. The actual manifestation of the Passenger (Joseph Mawle) himself needed work – just doesn’t look vile enough and required more detailed, unsettling special effects makeup to match the tone of his actions. There was also no explanation as to why he was dressed as a priest, but overall this had me invested. A spooky highwayman fable that does not sell the dream of van life.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.5/10

Alex's Score 7/10

THE CAPTIVE

Wounded Spanish soldier Miguel de Cervantes (Julio Peña Fernández) was captured by Algerian corsairs in 1575, aged 28, and held for ransom with other Christians. He was incarcerated for five years and during that time, he did what he had to in order to stay alive. Using his knack for storytelling to pass the days, he caught the eye of his captor, the feared and brutal Bey of Algiers, Hasán Bajá (Alessandro Borghi). The two men formed an intense, imbalanced relationship based on seduction and survival, and Cervantes received special privileges, like day release and delicious food – but behind the scenes, he was quietly plotting his escape while navigating jealous acts and betrayal from his fellow prisoners. Religiously, the script provides an interesting look at the two different faiths. Adjuration was believed to be the most mortal sin of all and strict moral codes were quickly bent depending on who was watching or what social status you held. Despite the heavy themes, this film feels like a grand adventure and the fact that it’s loosely based on a true story makes it even more intriguing. Cervantes’s time in captivity is believed to have shaped the writing style he later used in his famous novel ‘Don Quixote’, one of the best selling and most translated books of all time. The set and costume design accurately reflect the rich culture of Algiers in the 1500’s, an era when life was brutally hard but also unexpectedly liberal. I found the long runtime a bit tedious by the end – trimming some of the prison scenes would’ve benefited. A compelling blend of fact, fiction, history, and myth.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7/10

Saraj’s Score 8/10

THE TALENTED MR. F

In 2023, two Berlin film students, Julius Drost and Moritz Hennenberg, made an animated short about a clumsy household robot called ‘Butty’. After attempting to get the film accepted into several festivals, they discovered that an American student from West Virginia named Samuel Felinton had slightly edited ‘Butty’ by cutting two scenes out of it and adding music, before renaming it ‘T-130’ and putting his name in the credits. He then appeared on news stations and talk shows promoting the film and won a handful of awards for it. Drost and Hennenberg realised that legal action would be too costly, so they decided to fly to the States to confront Samuel catfish-style – and this documentary is the result of their trip. Felinton fits the profile of a talentless grifter who’s desperate to be liked and doesn’t think twice about stealing the content of others if it means being praised for a job well done. He initially responds to the situation with narcissistic bravado, which puts Drost and Hennenberg on the back foot. Being empathetic individuals they give Felinton more than enough space to explain himself. As a creative who has been on the receiving end of copyright theft in the past, I found their overly sympathetic approach and lack of consequences to be frustrating. It was also interesting to see Felinton agree to appear on camera, as the allure of spinning his side of the story proved too tempting to resist. A psychologist’s field day.

SCORE:

Alex and Serena’s Score 8/10

KARLA

In 1962, twelve year old Karla (Elise Krieps) bravely ran away from home to report her father for serious sexual abuse allegations. At a time when children weren’t taken seriously as complainants and none of the legal procedures were written in support of female victims, Karla was pushing the proverbial uphill to be heard and believed. Despite this, she persisted, eventually bringing her father Karl (Torben Liebrecht) to justice in a landmark court case where she was supported by a local judge Dr Frederick Lamy (Rainer Bock) and his secretary Erika (Imogen Kogge). Based on the true story of the first known legal case in West Germany where a child successfully prosecuted an abusive parent, real life Karla (who went on to become a doctor) collaborated with the production team to ensure she had full control over her own narrative. The sensitive script tactfully leaves the unspeakable unsaid and steers clear of sensationalism. If anything, it needed a slight edit in the runtime to improve the flow of the story. A moving film that highlights how a single voice can create change.

SCORE:

Alex and Deborah’s Score 7.5/10

A FADING MAN

Primary school art teacher Hanne (Dagmar Manzel) and her husband Bernd (August Zirner), retired pastor, have their lives upended when Hanne’s former husband of more than thirty years, Kurt (Harald Krassnitzer), turns up unannounced at their home. They realise that Kurt has advanced stage Alzheimer’s and is completely unaware that he and Hanne have been divorced for decades. With Kurt’s daughter Samira away overseas and the local care facilities unable to accommodate him, Hanne and Bernd reluctantly decide to let Kurt stay with them. This arrangement turns into a much longer time period than planned, quickly impacting all areas of their lives and developing into an odd triangle. All three leads are brilliant in the way they sensitively handle the realities of ageing but the story ends quite suddenly, which may frustrate those who prefer neatly tied up stories. This film raises profound questions about what to do when vulnerable people need care but become difficult for those who love them to manage, and where responsibility begins and ends. Thought provoking.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.5/10

THE CRASH

This true crime documentary offers insight into the cause of a horrific car accident in Ohio in 2022 that claimed the life of two young men. Seventeen year old spoilt schoolgirl Mackenzie Shirilla was at the wheel when the Toyota Camry she was driving smashed into a brick building at more than 160 km/h. Shirilla was seriously injured and her two passengers, boyfriend Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan, were killed on impact.
Following the crash, evidence found at the scene, combined with CCTV footage and information that came to light through social media, led to a shocking twist – Shirilla was charged with two counts of murder and a number of other felonies. Interviews with her family and friends, and those of the two victims, aim to shed light on what happened in this high profile case. Shirilla’s lack of remorse and empathy are sickening and the culpability of her parents is up for viewer judgement – they never held her accountable for any incidents of bad behaviour when she was growing up and helped her concoct a story that she blacked out and doesn’t remember any of the crash. Thankfully the court didn’t buy it and justice was served, with Shirilla was sentenced to 15 years to life. Stomach churning, narcissistic evil.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7/10

Amanda’s Score 8/10

GIRL TAKEN

Creepy, paed*philic schoolteacher, Rick Hansen (Alfie Allen) abducts 17 year old student Lily Riser (Tallulah Evans) and holds her hostage in the basement of a secluded forest hideaway near her home town. After five years in captivity she manages to escape and Hansen is captured. When Riser returns home she finds that everyone has moved on without her, including her mother Eve (Jill Halfpenny) and twin sister, Abby (Delphi Evans). The first two episodes of this series are quite engaging, but with the subsequent time jumps, it goes from being plausible to ridiculous. If Riser had been missing a shorter time frame the believability would be more palatable, especially since Hansen is still actively teaching and Riser is being held in the immediate vicinity. In the latter episodes the story becomes even more far feather and I got bored. Everything about this series is average. Overall it tries to be too sensationalist and clever, which doesn’t work. It would’ve fared better to sit in a more realistic space.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 5/10

Amanda’s Score 6/10

THE CHRISTOPHERS

Ian McKellen stars as Julian Sklar, a legendary artist who is worth a fortune but hasn’t had an exhibition in years. His greedy, estranged children, Barnaby (James Corden) and Sallie (Jessica Gunning), hatch a plan to guarantee their inheritance. They hire art restorer Lori Butler (Michaela Coel) to locate eight canvases from “The Christophers”, a famous series based on the love of Sklar’s life, and forge their completion so they can be sold for millions when he dies. The plan quickly derails when Sklar wises up to the scheme, setting off a psychological battle of wills between all players. Will he finish the artworks himself? Will Butler complete the forgeries? Will the canvases be destroyed altogether? McKellen is fabulous as the curmudgeonly, caustic, and ego-driven Sklar, and the sharp, intellectual dialogue (mostly from his character) gives this film a theatrical setup, as if it was written for the stage. This is enhanced by the majority of scenes taking place in just a few rooms of Sklar’s dilapidated home. I found McKellen’s grandmaster resonance and Coel’s deadpan demeanour to be a riveting juxtaposition, and Coel was skilled at physically expressing more than she spoke. While the intensity of the script and unredeeming characters won’t be to everyone’s taste, this is a superbly acted tale of artistic legacy.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 8.5/10

Janette’s Score 4/10

POWER BALLAD

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is the front man for an Irish wedding band called ‘The Bride & Groove’. He meets washed up boy band singer Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) at a wedding and the two end up jamming together all night, bonding over their love of music while getting boozed up. Fast forward to six months later when Danny releases a new single using Rick’s original lyrics and melody. The song becomes a global smash hit, selling millions of copies, and Rick becomes obsessed with receiving recognition for his contribution, despite having zero proof that the source material was actually his. This USA x Irish production hits the comedy nail on the head. The strong script is peppered with humour and Rick’s bandmates played by Peter McDonald, Rory Keenan, Keith McErlean, and Paul Reid provide hearty banter. it’s a riotous, well acted romp from beginning to end. This film totally deserves the thirty second round of applause it received at the end of our cinema screening.

SCORE:

Alex, Kyleigh and Helen’s Score 9.5/10

Saraj, Maree, Amber, Jim, Cheryl, Steve and Virginie’s Score 9/10

Andii’s Score 8.5/10

Chloe, Jo and Megan’s Score 8/10

Fiona’s Score 7.5/10

Kelly, Sheelagh, Katherine and Tony’s Score 7/10

Duncan’s Score 6.5/10

THE SHEEP DETECTIVES

George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) is a kind hearted shepherd who lives in a caravan on a plot of land with his beloved flock of sheep. Every night he reads them a bedtime story, often part of a detective novel. When he turns up dead one morning and foul play is alleged, the sheep make it their mission to find his killer. This turns into a grand adventure involving a number of suspects. All of the sheep have unique personalities and are portrayed as individual, sentient beings. They are fabulously voiced by a range of big name celebs including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall, Brett Goldstein and Bryan Cranston. The easy to follow plot moves with momentum but be ready for two heavy themed scenes that involve dogfighting and a dog attack – they are handled sensitively though and are the only parts of the story that may need further explanation for junior viewers. The animation is gorgeous and the Winter Lamb (aka George voiced by Tommy Birchall) will steal your heart. I was surprised that overall this film caters to a slightly younger audience than I expected and I found one of the lambs, Zora (voiced by Bella Ramsey), who incessantly asks questions, to be slightly infuriating. The initial incompetence of bumbling policeman Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun) also got on my nerves, but it’s clear that the point of his character is to bring the silly slapstick. I hoped this film would reach the heights of ‘Babe’ and while it doesn’t come close, it’s still highly enjoyable and you just can’t hate on it.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.9/10

Natalie’s Score 9/10

Katherine’s Score 8.5/10

Jason, Janette, Venessa and Sally’s Score 8/10

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU

This long-awaited “final 4th season” to the popular series ‘The Mandalorian’ is a cracker. The plot is filled with manic missions, risky rescues, epic escapes, and blasting battles. There are also spectacular stunts, seamless special effects, wonderful puppetry, quirky creatures, mythical worlds, and non-stop, systems overloading acting (in a good way!) for the entire 132 minutes. Not forgetting the genuine messages about family, friendship, and loyalty delivered through a range of characters. Most of all, there’s the best duo ever to grace our screens, The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal and stunt doubles Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder) and Grogu – no disrespect to Starsky and Hutch, Xena and Gabrielle, Abbott and Costello, Thelma and Louise, Bill and Ted, Cagney and Lacey, Tom and Jerry, Bert and Ernie, R2-D2 and C-3PO…
Let’s be real, I mainly watched this for Grogu and the Grogu content absolutely delivered. He has ample screen time, culminating in a 15 minute sequence all to himself and he’s as adorable as ever. He brings the comic relief and the cute. I so hoped this would be a ten before I even walked into the cinema and, thankfully, it didn’t disappoint. I really don’t know how anyone could hate on this film. It’s superb! Pure entertainment of the highest order. This is the way!

SCORE:

Alex and Janette’s Score 10/10

Amanda’s Score 9/10

Jason’s Score 8.5/10

Saraj’s Score 8/10

Zenda and Duncan’s Score 7.5/10

Francis and Sonja’s Score 7/10

Ang’s Score 6.8/10

Fiona and Dave’s Score 6.5/10

MOTHER MARY

What in the realm of the absolutely cooked did I just watch? This is up there as one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. It’s about a pop singer with the stage name of Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) who reconnects with her former best friend, fashion designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel). They haven’t had any contact for over a decade and Mary rocks up unannounced and asks Sam to make her a dress for her upcoming show where she’s debuting a new song. The reunion immediately goes sideways, with Sam’s reaction to MM being toxic and condescending. Most of their conversations take place in Sam’s barn style studio and the two women speak to each other in a constant, intense barrage of metaphors and riddles, dancing around all the questions you want answered as a viewer. I can’t really tell you much more about the plot because I had no idea what was going on. Sam and MM’s relationship feels like that of scorned lovers rather than friends. When things ridiculously dip into the supernatural I had to fight my desire to up and walk out. Two points for Hathaway singing and co-writing the MM songs herself – the concert scenes were also quite spectacular, only few and far between. Maybe if her acting gigs dry up after this stinker she can consider a career as a pop star. Self indulgent, dreadful nonsense.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 2/10

IN THE GREY

This latest offering from director Guy Ritchie stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Bronco and Henry Cavill as Sid, two elite extraction specialists working alongside a high stakes lawyer Rachel Wild (Eiza González). Rachel is hired by banking executive Bobby Sheen (Rosamund Pike) to recover a billion dollar debt from crime boss Manny Salazar (Carlos Bardem) using whatever means necessary. Running for around 90 minutes, this film is filled with punchy sound and a fast paced plot. There are a few holes in the story and several small parts don’t make sense, but it’s clear that more thought has been given to the tactical logistics and constant, sometimes campy, banter than to the narrative. In other words, just enjoy it for what it is and don’t dig too deep. While the shoot outs are abundant, this didn’t feel violent enough for a typical Ritchie film – he was definitely playing it safe on that front. A sleek thriller.

SCORE:

Alex’s Score 7.5

Bob and Fiona’s Score 8.5/10

Saraj and Megan’s Scores 8/10

Steve’s Score 6.5/10

Duncans Score 6/10

H IS FOR HAWK

Based on a true story, Helen Macdonald (Claire Foy) has a fellowship at Cambridge University. When her beloved father Alistair (Brendan Gleeson) dies suddenly, she impulsively purchases a hunting goshawk named Mabel, leaning into a hobby she got a taste of as a child. After training Mabel to return to her glove, Helen takes her out on hunting adventures, which don’t always go smoothly. Soon Mabel becomes Helen’s whole focus, consuming her time and greatly impacting her job and relationships. There’s pushback from family members and her college fraternity as they grow concerned about her new obsession. While I don’t understand the need to dominate a wild animal in such a way, I can see how Mabel’s demeanour as a non-affectionate species mirrors Helen’s detachment as she moves through her grief. Mabel’s flight scenes are beautifully filmed and she’s a magnificent creature. Gleeson and Foy have a natural ease as father and daughter and give strong performances and I loved the addition of Imogen Dufty as Mabel’s cheery Australian best friend who is measured in her support for Helen. What I expected this film to be from the trailer and what it actually was were two different things and it didn’t quite deliver for me. It feels like it should be a story of connection and finding yourself again but there isn’t an awakening or growth arc of any significance for Helen … and I just couldn’t get past the keeping a goshawk despite researching all of the arguments to do so.

SCORE:

Alex, Mon, Zenda, Fleur, Richelle, Sonia, Deanne and Eve’s Score 7/10

Renate’s Score 10/10

Alison and Michelle’s Score 9.5/10

Nola, Serena and Leanne’s Score 9/10

Simone, Madalene, Bronny’s Score 8.5/10

Janette, Lisa, Katherine, Debbie and Jason’s Score 8/10

Amanda, Rhonda and Cath’s Score 6.5/10

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES

From the beautiful opening undersea scene you know you’re in for a treat. It features a giant Pacific octopus called Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina) explaining how he came to be in captivity at a local aquarium. Seventy year old widow and aquarium cleaner Tova Sullivan (Sally Field) shares her daily musings with Marcellus while she goes about her duties and often saves his life after he escapes from his tank. When muso Cameron Cassmore (Lewis Pullman) rolls into town in a beat up old van looking for his biological father, he ends up working at the aquarium alongside Tova. Before long they become firm friends and Cameron also finds solace in caring for Marcellus. Field and Pullman complement each other perfectly as two lost souls adrift in their grief until a series of sweet coincidences bring them together. The quirky performances of the supporting cast – Colm Meaney as store owner Ethan Mack and the “Knitwits”, Tova’s knitting friends played by Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Mary Ann Minetti, and Beth Grant – add to the charm. Crafted from stand in models and CGI, Marcellus and other sea creatures are detailed in design and realistic in the way they move. This is a wholesome and tender film about family, loss, and the power of connection – to humans and to other beings. I love that it highlights the sentience and intelligence of octopuses. It’s rare to find a movie devoid of swearing, sex scenes, or violence, three components often used to command a viewer’s attention. Here the sweet plot and superb acting carry the responsibility of engaging and impacting viewers. One for all ages.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 9.5/10

NOAH KAHAN: OUT OF BODY

This doco follows the meteoric rise to fame of Vermont singer Noah Kahan and his preparation for a concert at Fenway Park. In it he shares stories of his upbringing and family history, along with his goals and hopes for the future. A down to earth guy who loves his fiancé Breanna and their German Shepherd dogs, Noah’s voice has a unique huskiness to it and his poignant lyrics resonate with millions of his fans. His breakout hit “Stick Season” became a viral sensation on TikTok before topping global charts. The unprecedented access to Noah in this intimate and well produced documentary will leave you with a greater understanding of this humble man. He candidly admits to struggling with body dysmorphia and comes up against a mental block trying to write his second album. The generosity he shows young fan Zuza will have you asking who is cutting onions (yeah I cried) and tells you everything you need to know about who he truly is. It’s refreshing to see such a good guy make it big. Humanising and inspiring.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 8/10

THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE

Seamstress Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) begins an affair with her boss one year after her husband Peter (Besir Zeciri) goes missing without a trace. She falls pregnant to him, but his wealthy mother forbids them to marry. When the war ends, Peter returns with a serious and debilitating facial deformity. Karoline decides to adopt her baby out and moves in with Dagmar Overbye (Trine Dyrholm), a woman who claims to run an adoption service. In a macabre twist, Karoline discovers the horrifying truth about Overbye and the 35 babies she took in on the pretext of finding them loving homes. Set in Copenhagen in 1919, the black and white treatment of this film adds a gritty, bleak sense of time and place. The subject matter is depraved and harrowing, and the phenomenal cast brings this story, inspired by real events, vividly to life. You won’t forget these atrocities in a hurry.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 8.9/10

SMALL PROPHETS

Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley) is a man merely going through the motions ever since his partner, Clea, mysteriously left seven years ago on Christmas Eve. He’s lost interest in his hardware sales job and makes frequent obligatory visits to his father Brian (Michael Palin) who’s in a residential care facility. When Brian shares a secret formula to create tiny spirits called homunculi who can predict the future, Michael hopes they may be able to tell him what happened to Clea. Half-pixie looking and half-alien, he brings them to life in large jars in his garden shed and names them the King, the Queen, and the Seraph. I had to search high and low to find this series and I’m so glad I did – there’s so much to love about it. The incredible cast gives these characters an eccentric realness, including Michael’s colleague and sidekick Lauren Patel as Kacey, and Jon Pointing and Sophie Willan as his annoying, nosey neighbours Clive and Bev. Pearce is brilliant and brings so much heart to Michael. His friendship with Kacey is divine. The use of stop motion animation for the homunculi gives them a quirky and beautiful charm. They are presented sensitive creatures who are vicious and vulnerable at the same time. Writer Mackenzie Crook, who also serves as director and stars as Michael’s pedantic boss Gordon, has crafted a nostalgic and wondrous show. All the warm and fuzzies with this gem!

SCORE:

Alex's Score 9/10

DEAD MANS WIRE

Bill Skarsgard is Tony Kiritsis, a man who takes things too far when he become aggrieved with a company called Meridian Mortgage. A a four year deal in the making to develop 17 hectares of land into a shopping centre goes sour, putting him in debt and sending him over the edge. Angry at the owner M.L. Hall (Al Pacino), he takes M.L.’s executive son Richard (Dacre Montgomery) hostage and straps a shotgun to the back of his neck, using a homemade device known as a dead man’s wire which will trigger the firearm if Richard runs, faints, or moves too quickly. Tony marches Richard out of his office and steals a police car, while the police powerless to stop him. With a local news crew and a detective on his tail, Tony heads to his apartment and locks himself inside with Richard, before making a list of demands including a public apology from the detached M.L. When Tony phones his favourite radio DJ Fred Temple (Colman Domingo aka “the voice of Indianapolis”, public sympathy starts to sway his way but he starts running out of options. Skarsgard has to be one of the most versatile actors of our generation. It’s a novelty to see him in a lead role, but at times his voice dipped into his Pennywise character from “It” and “Welcome to Derry” which came off as slightly unconvincing. The tension was steadily maintained but didn’t blow the roof off. A fascinating true story from 1977 that reads like fiction.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6.5/10

UNCHOSEN

This six part series opens with a written statement that declares “Over 2,000 cults exist in the United Kingdom. Some are closed communities. But many, like this fictional one, live in plain sight.” This sets the expectation that the content will have some relevance to the real world and the part of the plot that revolves around the ‘Fellowship of the Divine’ certainly feels plausible. The Fellowship is an ultra conservative, patriarchal Christian cult that forbids modern technology and enforces physical punishment as penance. Its highly controlled female members are expected to be obedient, subservient trad wives, always walking a step behind their men. The story follows Rosie (Molly Windsor) slowly pulling away from her husband Adam (Asa Butterfield) as he rises through the Fellowship ranks. When convicted criminal Sam (Fra Fee) saves their daughter Grace from drowning, it opens Rosie’s eyes to new temptations and the possibility of living a different life. While the Handmaid’s Tale-esque machinations of the cult are concerning, this doesn’t have the tension I was hoping for, and the whole thread involving Sam feels ridiculous … as does how little it took for the house of cards to eventually fall. There are too many ideas running at once and implausible cliches everywhere. The standout actor is Butterfield, but even his character’s final actions are questionable. Don’t get me started on the gaping holes left unfilled at the end. Wanted more and didn’t get it.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6/10

PRETTY LETHAL

Five young adult ballerinas (led by actress Maddie Ziegler, who gained global fame after five seasons on ‘Dance Moms’ and appearing alongside Sia in her 2014 ‘Chandelier’ video clip) and their teacher head to Hungary for a ballet competition. After their flight gets diverted and their bus breaks down, they seek refuge in a remote gothic bar owned by Devora (Uma Thurman) who, coincidences of coincidences, happens to be a one legged ballerina. Unbeknown to the girls, the venue is a haven for underworld criminals with nefarious motives, and they soon find themselves in grave danger. Thurman’s accent lacks believability and her cheesy role is a big step down from the glory days of the Hattori Hanzo sword wielding bride she played in ‘Kill Bill’. She doesn’t even get a big battle moment. Luckily the other cast members make up for it, as they pirouette, grand jeté, and arabesque their way through multiple bloody battles. The stunts go full send, with innovative and acrobatic manoeuvres used to take out their opponents. Incorporating graceful, choreographed dance moves into violent fight scenes with improvised weapons is a fresh take for an action movie. All the busyness nearly makes up for the plot, which sits close to the mediocre threshold and offers zero character backstories. The ninety minute run time is perfect and the block pink title font is a nice nod to ‘Pretty Woman’. Fun girl power that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.5/10

BALLS UP

Geez, where to start with this ridiculous film?! I watched it because I saw the trailer and it looked funny – talk about false advertising. It stars Mark Wahlberg and Paul Walter Hauser as Brad and Elijah, two guys who work at a marketing firm and design a novelty condom. That’s probably your first clue as to the low brow tone of what’s to come. They fly to Brazil for the football World Cup final and scandalously interrupt the match with disastrous consequences. Chased out of the arena by angry fans, they are kidnapped by murderous cartel boss Pavio Curto (Sacha Baron Cohen) and end up being hunted across the country by locals, criminals, and authorities. At a rumoured cost of $80 million to make, the entire plot feels like the silliest scenarios conceivable were drunkenly brainstormed in a teen boys’ locker room. Directed by Peter Farrelly, one half of the Farrelly brothers, it scrapes the bottom of the slapstick, dirty-joke barrel. There’s silly and then there’s plain awful. The only positive facet was filming in Queensland, Australia, which injected $60 million into the state’s economy and employed 250 locals as crew members. It would be nice to have something decent to show for all that. Put it in the “no” bin.

SCORE:

Alex’s Score 3/10 (for the karaoke scene)

KEVIN

This wacky animated series revolves around a highly-strung tuxedo cat called Kevin (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) who moves out of home and into ‘Furrever Friends’ pet shelter after his owners Dana (voiced by Aubrey Plaza, who is also a co-creator) and Dan separate. He embraces his newfound independence and becomes friends with a group of misfit animals, while deciding if he ever wants to live with humans again. With raunchy humour, this is adults-only content and definitely not for kids – it has a similar vibe to shows like ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Rick and Morty’. Cupcake, the street-smart hairless cat (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg), is disappointingly the most vulgar and least funny. Some of the jokes fall flat and are extremely cringey, pushing the boundaries of decency, but the more you watch, the more the characters’ connections grow and the story becomes quite endearing. My favourite feline is the chronically ill Scottish Fold, Judy (voiced by Aparna Nancherla), who’s an eternal optimist, despite her health afflictions, and longs to be adopted. Based on Plaza’s real experience of owning a cat and experiencing a breakup, pet people will relate. Satirical and deranged.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 6/10

THRASH

A category five hurricane causes a storm surge to beak through a concrete levee and flood the town of Annieville. The rapid influx of water causes a meat packing trick laden with blood and animal remains to puncture, and is contents to spill out, creating a thick chum which attracts a hoard of bull sharks. They take to the underwater streets, mauling anyone in their path. The story follows several locals who fail to evacuate in time, and find themselves trying to survive against the rampaging, hungry predators. Picture of a worse-case-scenario situation that takes safe and familiar spaces and turns them into watery gauntlets. Add in a woman about to go into labour, three kids in foster care stuck on a table in a water filled farmhouse, and a marine biologist desperate to rescue his niece. Then Nelly, a pregnant great white, swims in to join the fray – she wins the prize for the best scene in the film. I replayed it eight times. Recorded in a panoramic letterbox format, the special effects are excellent, particularly the 15 foot surge that smashes the town to pieces and fills it with debris. This movie might sound like it has a B-grade plot but it’s well executed with horrifying realism. There’s a couple of corny lines which get a pass given these poor people are fighting for their lives. The tension increases with the body count and the gore delivers. Having spent time working on a great white shark research boat in South Africa in 2002, I can confirm that the sharks move with a believable cadence and are anatomically accurate. Best line “Hey Will, bet you never saw this on shark week!”. This was so much better than I expected it to be. Loved it and was thoroughly engrossed.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 8.5/10

PIKE RIVER

This emotional drama is based on the true events of the 2010 Pike River coal mine explosion in New Zealand, where 29 men lost their lives. Sonya Rockhouse (Robyn Malcolm) and Anna Osborne (Melanie Lynskey) are connected by their grief after Sonya’s son Ben (Richard Crouchley) and Anna’s husband Milton (John Leigh) are both killed in the disaster. When the mining company announces that the men’s bodies will not be recovered and the mine entrance will be sealed shut, Sonya and Anna team up to fight the system. Their combined efforts see them become formidable and outspoken activists. Malcolm (who is phenomenal in everything she touches) and Lynskey both excel in character driven roles and masterfully capture Sonya and Anna’s tense and exhausting legal battle of nearly a decade. They have incredible chemistry together on screen and give stellar, grounded performances. The supporting cast are also wonderful and Jacinta Arden’s cameo as herself is a touching nod to her role in helping the real life Sonya and Anna. Everything about this retelling is superb, including the cinematography which captures the rugged natural beauty of the local area and the strong commitment to accurately presenting the facts. An unforgettable and tragic story told with integrity.

SCORE:

Alex, Amanda, Mel and Chani’s Score 10/10

HULK HOGAN: REAL AMERICAN

For close to fifty years, Hulk Hogan was a wrestling icon. A master showman and cultural phenomenon, he put wrestling and the WWE on a global stage. This engaging four part documentary tells the story of his humble beginnings and how he came to be one of the most recognised athletes in the world. With unfettered access to Hogan himself (real name Terry Bollea), he candidly shares recollections of his highest highs and lowest lows, alongside interviews with friends, family members, and wrestling colleagues. When the larger than life character he created began to impact his personal relationships, he struggled to define where the persona of Hogan ended and Terry began. I grew up watching WWE and remember the height of the Hulkamania craze – then in 2009 I saw Hogan at Perth Airport and even as he went through security screening, he was a jovial and had a commanding presence. Nothing is off limits in this series and it’s one of the best deep dives into the makings of a celebrity I’ve seen, largely thanks to Hogan’s generous, forthright participation. Nothing is speculated, as it all comes straight from the horse’s mouth. Love him or hate him, and regardless of whether you agree or disagree with his politics, the genuine way he interacted with his young fans (many of whom he visited through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other organisations) showed his true spirit. By the end of the final episode, I knew so much more about this “Real American” than I did at the start, despite his second wife of eleven years being omitted from the story. An intriguing, and sometimes depressing, look at the cost of fame.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.9/10

THIS IS A GARDENING SHOW

A passion project of Zach Galifianakis, this series offers an unconventional take on the traditional gardening show format. Each episode focuses on a different plant, fruit, or vegetable and commences with Zach doing a quirky introduction directly to camera. He then has unscripted conversations with local children who mostly have zero interest in the gardening theme of the day. Initially I found these random interjections irritating, but as Galifianakis eased into them and stopped trying to force the jokes, they grew on me, especially when the kids gave vague answers that were genuinely funny. The series regularly visits grassroots community gardens run by extremely knowledgeable people who are passionate about developing the best produce they can and through these segments Zach learns new things … and so did I. With the fourth wall constantly broken and the crew frequently included in the banter, some of the humour felt a bit contrived, but overall this show has good intentions and a genuine dose of heart. The eccentric cast combined with Zach’s earnest curiosity make it a refreshing and worthwhile time investment.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.9/10

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2

Following up a smash hit like ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ was always going to be a big ask and while sequels rarely supersede their originals in terms of production quality, script, and performances, there were more things I liked about this film than didn’t like. Let’s start with the “didn’t like”: Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) has zero chemistry with her love interest Peter, played by Aussie actor Patrick Brammall, and their relationship is an unnecessary inclusion. The plot is also all over the place, attempting to focus on too many modern themes like cancel culture, trying to remain relevant, and the phasing out of print media. The things I did like: the glam costumes, particularly those worn by Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), are absolutely stunning and every single one is a showstopper. This movie also feels like the Meryl Streep show. She steals every scene and although you know exactly what to expect from her sharp-tongued, ruthless character of Miranda, she’s still fabulous on screen. The rest of the cast, including Emily Blunt (Emily Charlton), Stanley Tucci (Nigel Kipling), and Miranda’s robotic assistant Amari (Simone Ashley), are solid across the board. Location wise, New York City has never looked better, and opting to shoot at iconic places in Milan during fashion week adds authenticity. A number of celebrities have fun cameos, including Amelia Dimoldenberg from Chicken Shop Date, Law Roach, Domenico Dolce, Heidi Klum, Donatella Versace, and Lady Gaga in a speaking role as herself. Soundtrack highlights are the inclusion of Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ along with Gaga’s gothic performance of ‘Runway’. The sheer spectacle of the fashion and the brilliance of Streep adequately returns us to this high-stakes world. Fun style over substance.

SCORE:

Alex's Score 7.5/10

Lee’s Score 8/10

Kyleigh’s Score 7/10

Suzanne and Janette’s Score 6.5/10

Leeanne’s Score 6/10

Deborah’s Score 5/10

IMPERFECT WOMEN

Eleanor (Kerry Washington), Mary (Elisabeth Moss), and Nancy (Kate Mara) are close friends who’ve been in each other’s lives for decades. When Nancy is murdered, Eleanor and Mary are devastated and can’t think of anyone who’d want to harm her … after all she had a seemingly perfect life. As the investigation unfolds, everyone falls under suspicion and long held secrets are exposed, causing the plot to spiral off into a few unexpected areas. Mary is the standout character, with Moss playing against the type of role she’s usually known for – instead of being a woman who fights back, she’s a devoted middle class mother. She also gets the most mundane wardrobe, while Washington and Mara have ultra stylish aesthetics. Some of the houses and apartments featured are so luxurious they’d be considered real estate p*rn. With a loaded cast, the acting is notable. The eight episodes revolve around fractured friendships, hidden resentments and how you don’t always know someone as well as you think. This series started off strongly, but it slumped for a few episodes, before picking up again. The ending is predictable and, if you’re even remotely paying attention, the big reveal isn’t that big.

SCORE:

Alex and Amanda’s Score 7/10

THE STRANGER

Set in Algiers in 1942 this psychological drama is based on the famous novel of the same name by Albert Camus. The film follows the story of Meursault (Benjamin Voisin), a young man whose detached observations of how French settlers are treated in Algiers lead him to commit a violent and senseless act on a beach. He’s a cold, complex person who refuses to lie, is emotionally absent and lacks empathy. He only smiles twice in the entire movie and his one enraged outburst occurs in prison when a priest (Swann Arlaud) tries to push him into finding God – it’s also a scene that feels out of place and goes on for too long. Beautifully captured in black and white, which emphasises the 1940’s timeframe, I wonder if this deliberate avoidance of colour is to show that Meursault himself is very black and white and refuses to entertain the grey of human behaviour. Compared to the book, this production has been toned down regarding the overt racism of colonial Algeria which is central to Meursault’s detachment. It also scraps the first person narrative that lets us hear his inner thoughts and instead relies on Garrel’s superb performance to convey his character’s emptiness. It’s fascinating to see the randomness of the French justice system during the court sequences where Meursaults demeanour is under question more than his crime. Depressing but intriguing.

SCORE:

Alex, Janette and Jason’s Score 7/10

Led and Leigh’s Score 8.5/10

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