The popular cartoon characters Tom and Jerry were created by Hanna-Barbera in 1940 and featured in some 161 short animation films between 1940 and 1958. The pair and their hijinks also became a staple of Merrie Melodies and Saturday afternoon matinees. A previous attempt to bring the characters to life on the big screen in…
As a fan of both art and history, I’ve heard the story of Han Van Meegeren several times. And I have to say director Dan Friedkin crafts a mostly (one glaring exception aside) accurate and compelling version of the story in The Last Vermeer. You may know of Van Meergeren as the so-called “most successful…
Two apex predators go head-to-head with an extra surprise thrown in for good measure in Godzilla vs Kong. It’s a battle that goes back generations and most interest lies in who will emerge victorious. Several story lines come together in the film. First up, Kong is being monitored around the clock on Skull Island, but…
Peter Rabbit was a delightful revelation when it was released in 2018, readily blending live action and animation. It brought us the tale of a recalcitrant bunny (the voice of James Corden) and his prickly relationship with Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson). You may recall Thomas inherited the farm next door to nature lover, Bea (Rose Byrne)….
Director Azazel Jacobs (The Lovers) marks his territory in French Exit. That territory is squarely in the realm of Wes Anderson and his ilk, albeit with some of the quirkier edges buffed off. Coincidentally – and perhaps confusingly – Anderson’s new film is called The French Dispatch. Jacobs weaves a compelling story of love and…
Rubika Shah’s documentary feature White Riot re-tells the inspired story of Rock Against Racism. RAR was a grassroots movement that stymied the rise of racism in 1970s Britain by galvanising youth through politically charged music. The film contextualises a growing white supremacist sentiment born from the Nazi Party, but manifesting in numerous cultural and political…
The documentary Girls Can’t Surf is a look at those pioneering female surfers who fought against the entrenched sexism of this male dominated sport. In the 60s, the male surfers were the heroes, while female surfers were largely relegated to the sidelines, forced to wear skimpy swimsuits and were treated almost as a sideshow or…
The scourge of opioid addiction is at the core of the dramatic thriller Crisis. A tension-filled opening sees a teenager, Cedric Beauville (Charles Champagne), in deep snow near the US-Canadian border being chased by unseen pursuers. The lad’s capture sets off a chain of events. Jake Kelly (Armie Hammer) is deep undercover. The Drug Enforcement…
Anthony Scott Burns’ Come True is a singular vision that pays strong homage to 1980s fantasy horror films. Gorgeous neon-tinted lighting is complimented by a haunting synthesized score that imbues a floating-like atmosphere for its characters, and seduces predominately with a chilling atmosphere. The film follows teenage runaway Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone), who sleeps…
Director Shaka King breaks out of TV and onto the big screen with Judas and the Black Messiah. This (literally) incendiary film tells the somewhat overlooked story of Fred Hampton, the charismatic leader of a Chicago chapter of the Black Panthers. Unlike others involve in the civil rights movement – like Dr Martin Luther King…
