Once is a sparkling, witty, lyrical tale about a couple who fall quickly and deeply in love, but whose individual circumstances (read complications) see them hold back. Their connection is music and the title refers to a once in a lifetime encounter, complete with magnetism, vulnerability and healing. Based on the 2006 movie by John…
A pleasantly distracting comedy, Rosa’s Wedding centres around a hard-working woman who’s selfless to the point of exhaustion. She looks after everyone – family and friends all – other than herself. About to turn 45, Rosa (Candela Peña) works long hours as a seamstress in the wardrobe department of a film production company in Valencia….
– Blood Father – Only in cinemas from 1 September 2016 We have 20 double in-season passes thanks to Icon Film Distribution. *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE Mel Gibson returns to the big screen in the edge-of-your-seat action thriller, BLOOD FATHER, based on the novel by Peter Craig (scriptwriter of The…
The unerring passage of time as death nears is the subject of Wakey, Wakey. In it, an everyday man contemplates what has gone before. He is Guy, a role filled by Justin Hosking who has a delightful demeanour. The first lines say it all: “Is it now? I thought I had more time. Wow. That…
I’m not sure what’s going on with James Wan’s blockbuster Aquaman. This is a bloated Franken-movie that cobbles together parts of many – mostly better (*cough* Black Panther *cough*) films. Yet by the time the climactic final battle takes place, I found myself cheering for our hero. How does that happen? As a director, Wan’s…
The Women, by Clare Boothe Luce is a tart comic satire written in 1936. Its famous gimmick is that only women feature in the casting – in the original play some 130 roles – and is a play concerned with the indulged class of the Manhattan rich and their servants, in their homes/apartments/beauty parlours, and…
I didn’t know much about the “sport” of calisthenics before entering the cinema to see this documentary. Calisthenics is a discipline unique to Australia, and it combines elements of ballet and gymnastics with colourful costumes and superb choreography. Calisthenics can be performed by individuals or by groups with perfectly choreographed routines. And every year an…
Inspirational. Damon Gameau makes compelling and engaging documentaries (That Sugar Film really struck a chord). Importantly, he delivers his messages in a decidedly different manner. He puts himself at the centre of the docos and makes them relatable. Apart from consulting experts, they feature his family. In the case of 2040, particularly his four-year-old daughter,…
– Dirty Grandpa – Only in cinemas from 28 January 2016 We have 10 double in-season passes thanks to eOne Films. *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE Jason Kelly (Zac Efron) is one week away from marrying his boss’s uber-controlling daughter, putting him on the fast track for a partnership at…
The first book of Spanish author Juan Gómez-Jurado’s crime thriller trilogy, Red Queen (translated by Nick Caistor) demonstrates (if it needed demonstrating again) that English-speaking authors do not have a lock on any genre. That said, while absolutely referencing American serial killer and terrorist thrillers, the book series it seems to draw on most also…
