Most film franchises seem to run out of inspiration before too long, but the Mission Impossible series seems to have gone from strength to strength. The Brad Bird-helmed Ghost Protocol was arguably the strongest film to date. Rogue Nation took the series in a slightly different direction under the direction of Christopher McQuarrie (Oscar winning…
Many comics seem to be insecure, unhappy, lonely. They turn to comedy as a way of dealing with their emotional pain, and they often use humour as a defence mechanism. And this the plight of the heroine in Funny Cow. This unapologetically bleak tale follows a damaged woman trying to make it in the male-dominated…
RBG is easily the best documentary to hit our screens so far this year. This insightful, inspiring and surprisingly entertaining documentary takes a look at the life and work of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a long serving and influential justice of the US Supreme Court. At the age of 84 she’s still full of energy, conviction…
Whitney is a well-researched and revealing film from Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin McDonald (Touching the Void). It’s the second documentary in as many years charting the rise and tragic death of pop diva Whitney Houston. Nick Broomfield’s Whitney: Can I Be Me centred more on her later years. it charted her decline through drug abuse and…
Political correctness is turned on its head in the lighthearted New Zealand comedy, The Breaker Upperers. But the movie is set to polarise audiences. Fifteen years ago, Mel (Madeleine Sami) and Jen (Jackie Van Beek) discovered they were being two-timed by the same man. Bitter and cynical, they became fast friends. The pair then formed The…
Denzel Washington has certainly starred in his fair share of remakes; with Man on Fire, The Manchurian Candidate, The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 and The Magnificent Seven to name a few. But in his storied career he’s never appeared in a sequel – until now. The Equalizer 2 is, of course, a follow-up to his…
If you’ve ever wondered about the value of a feature film editor, then you need to discover the work of Jill Bilcock. Alex Grigor’s documentary, Jill Bilcock: Dancing the Invisible, is a good place to start. Bilcock is one of the world’s most sought-after film editors. While millions of people have been moved by her…
Both a prequel and a sequel to Mamma Mia! from 2008 , Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a lightweight, fun-filled romp. In 1979, high-spirited Donna, Tanya and Rosie – aka Donna and the Dynamos – graduate from Oxford University. Donna joyfully embarks on her adventures through Europe to fulfil her destiny on the…
Fifteen years ago Tommy Wiseau showed the world he couldn’t write, act or direct by dishing up the simply horrible The Room. Mind you, he had the last laugh. His putrid offering has became a cult hit around the world, including Australia, where it continues to screen from time to time. The Room even spawned…
Traditional cultural beliefs clash with modernity in the searing Norwegian drama What Will People Say (Hva Vil Folk Si). Writer and director Iram Haq’s evocative semi-autobiographical work clasps you tight as you desperately hope for a way out for a trapped teenager. As the film opens in Norway, Nisha (Maria Mozhdah) is balancing two separate…
