Who would’ve thought that Wes Anderson would write and direct a dystopian adventure film? I certainly wouldn’t have believed it. Isle of Dogs, aside from a clever oronym, is another excellent entry into Anderson’s filmography. It shows versatility to his style that may be much to the surprise of people familiar with his work. Twenty…
Emily Brugman’s debut novel is based on the true story of her family – Finnish migrants who worked in the crayfishing industry off the coast of Western Australia from the late 1950s. It is, for the most part set on the wild Abrolhos Islands, famous for being the site of the wreck of the Batavia…
Well, that was a year! With everything that went on in 2020, movies proved both a comfort and a hope for better times. The big story of the year was the rise of streaming as a genuine alternative to (and in some cases, a replacement for) traditional cinemas. Those changes played out elsewhere, and we…
– Ali & Ava – Only in cinemas from 30 June 2022 We have 10 double in-season passes thanks to Transmission Films. *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE Sparks fly after ALI and AVA meet through their shared affection for Sofia, the child of Ali’s tenants whom Ava teaches. Ali finds comfort…
A sensitive and endearing tale that links three unlikely people – a student, a baker and an elderly woman – this Japanese movie was a selection for Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival. The title, An, refers to a sweet red bean paste, which is a favourite in Japan. Taciturn Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase)…
A poignant and amusing slice of life musical, it is not hard to see why Fun Home received five Tony Awards for the original Broadway production. That included Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Now, fortunately, Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company have picked it up and done a wonderful job…
Lyrical prose and rich description sets apart Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva as an historical novel of note. Eliza Redgold’s distinctive writing style paints a stunning portrait of Lady Godiva, a woman who rose above the challenges and restrictions of her time to defend her people and land. As the blurb says, “We know her…
School holidays have arrived around Australia – and that means lots of kids saying “I’m bored!”. Kid-friendly movies make a great outing though, and with that in mind, here are our quick reviews of three. They all opened on 19 September 2019. Dora and the Lost City of Gold (PG) The cartoon TV series Dora…
Cain and Abel – biblical brothers at loggerheads. In American playwright Sam Shepard’s searing, black comedic drama it is well educated Hollywood screenwriter Austin (Justin Hosking) and his older brother Lee (Mark Diaco) – a drifter, thief and drinker – in conflict. The pair hasn’t seen each other in five years and find themselves together in their…
The powerful Australian produced and shot drama Shayda is set in suburban Australia in 1995 but has contemporary resonance as it deals with some important themes. It centres around Shayda (Iranian actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi) who is married to Hossein (Osama Sami) who has moved to Australia to study medicine and become a doctor. He…
