I have been in The Gaslight Anthem’s corner since the beginning, so the last few records from the band have been somewhat tough to absorb as the group battles the desire to be popular with still trying to remain hip. From the group that gave us all the angst on their SideOneDummy albums they have…
I wonder if the central figure in Ghosthunter manipulated the director to give the best possible account of himself? The man is Jason King, a security guard. He’s also a part-time ghost hunter, a service for which he only receives petrol money. King had an onerous upbringing, in which abuse was commonplace. He comes across…
Kathryn Marquet’s The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek begins in darkness. When the stage is lit, it reveals a ramshackle ranger’s station shack somewhere in the wilds of south-western Tasmania. Centre-stage is Dr George Templeton (Emily Weir), cradling an infant devil in her arms. The environmental scientist is determined, passionate and intelligent enough to know…
In Swimming with Men, Rob Brydon stars as Eric Scott. Eric’s a middle-aged accountant suffering a mid-life crisis, who finds new meaning by joining an amateur men’s synchronised swimming team. His wife, Heather (Jane Horrocks), has just been elected as a local councillor and can’t understand why her husband is becoming increasing distant. The film…
– Free State of Jones – Only in cinemas from 18 August 2016 We have 5 double in-season passes thanks to StudioCanal. *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE From THE HUNGER GAMES writer and director Gary Ross, and starring Academy Award® winner Matthew McConaughey, comes an epic wartime action romance about one…
Thirty years ago, Tom Cruise played a cock-sure, gung-ho naval pilot in the classic Top Gun. Now he plays another hot shot pilot in American Made. This bizarre story about drug smuggling, gun running and money laundering again proves that quite often truth is far stranger than fiction. Cruise plays Barry Seal, a disenchanted pilot…
Another week, another reboot of a defunct film franchise. This time it is The Transporter series, which was first created by Luc Besson in 2002. Besson is the French filmmaker who makes kinetically exciting, fast paced but formulaic Euro thrillers and vapid Hollywood-style action movies like Lucy, Kiss Of The Dragon, etc. But it’s been…
Iris and The Men is a comedy with distinctively French proclivities. Written and directed by Caroline Vignal, there is a sadness, yearning and yet joie de vivre about it. The film’s origins were in what Vignal heard from a 51-year-old friend who had embraced life after her husband suddenly left her. Another friend had encouraged…
Violet is a Musical based on a short story, “The Ugliest Pilgrim”, by Doris Betts. It first appeared Off-Broadway in 1997, but was produced on Broadway in 2014. The book and lyrics are by Brian Crawley. The music is by Jeanine Tesori. Some of Ms Tesori’s other work includes: Thoroughly Modern Millie (2000), Caroline, or…
If you want proof that Scientology is a cult and not a religion then you should see the fascinating first-hand documentary, Louis Theroux: My Scientology Movie. I say first hand because Louis Theroux is front and centre throughout. He wanted to get inside the so-called Church of Scientology and interview people associated with it. When…
