Jonathan Larson wrote the smash hit Broadway musical Rent. How he got there involved pain and persistence. That’s the subject of tick, tick … Boom! Living in New York, Jon (Hugh Sheridan) dreams of being a Broadway musical writer. His creativity is recognised by his close and loyal friends, but he is on the cusp of 30…
Confusing, convoluted and spectacular are three words I would use to describe Batman vs Superman, the showdown between two comic powerhouses. Fearing the actions of a God-like superhero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante Batman takes on Metropolis’ most revered modern day saviour, Superman. But with the pair at war, a new threat…
As a life lesson, Toni Erdmann is a unique and quirky offering that continually surprises. It contains the mundane and the outrageous. The constant is humour – at times great dollops of it, interspersed with a gentler comic scene or two. German dad Winfried (Peter Simonischek) doesn’t see much of his hard-working corporate consultant daughter…
A Dog’s Journey is true to its title, following on in the trajectory of its forerunner, A Dog’s Purpose (2017). The result is a contrived tear-jerker with plenty of heart; despite some serious overacting, The dog of the title, Bailey (the voice of Josh Gad), is living the good life on the Michigan farm owned…
On John Marsden, by Alice Pung is the second book in Black Inc.’s Writers on Writers series, published in association with La Trobe University Press. In the series, prominent writers share their intimate reflections on the work of Australian authors who have inspired them. In doing so, they begin new conversations about writing and culture,…
We’ve all heard the adage “family first”, but this is ridiculous! Every time a person marries into this wealthy and secretive family … at midnight they have to play a game. That is a time-honoured tradition that can’t be broken. You see, this clan made its money off the back of board games. The new…
Is it real or a fake? That was the $64,000 question … or, in the case of The Lost Leonardo, a lot more. The film examines the tale of Salvator Mundi, a painting that could be (but probably isn’t) the work of Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci. Depending on the source, as few as 15…
Ever feel like your office is one conga line short of a circus? One man wonder Scott Hollingsworth is a manager of a call centre, where his responsibilities are every bit as tedious as you could imagine. He organises training for new employees, nitpicks about KPI’s, adapts rosters to individual needs, and writes group activities…
It was fun, fun, fun, all class and a spirit reviving couple of hours in the Lyric at the Anything Goes opening night – and we got a lot more than a glimpse of stocking, we got a sparkling, energy packed marvel of a show, with leggy showgirls, great comedy, super singing and character creation…
Based on a true story this drama about industrial pollution and environmental damage caused by giant chemical companies. Minamata explores their greed, corruption and refusal to accept responsibility or take action. This puts the film in the same wheelhouse as films like Erin Brokovich and Dark Waters, although it is nowhere near as provocative or…
