I had never heard of Australian artist David Bromley but apparently he’s hugely successful and according to the documentary, Bromley: Light After Dark, his work is ubiquitous in upper middle-class homes. This mostly uplifting documentary examines his work and the aspects of his life, like family, that he cherishes and that have sustained him in his battles with mental illness.
Read moreAustralian cinema isn’t renowned for its science fiction films although Mad Max and Upgrade fans might disagree. Seemingly influenced by the likes of TV show Black Mirror, the latest Aussie sci fi film, Monolith makes for a topical and inventive, if limited, addition to the genre. Monolith is as much a psychological mystery thriller as a sci fi film as
Read moreBased on Ian Reid’s 2018 novel, the dystopian sci fi drama, Foe offers an intriguing premise but too often delivers it in a dull fashion. Set in the year 2065, the film depicts a world in which our worst fears about the impacts of climate change have been realised. Global drought has almost annihilated agriculture so governments have begun a
Read moreMusic doco, Mutiny in Heaven, which is directed by Ian White (Before the Fall) traces the tumultuous life of groundbreaking Melbourne band The Birthday Party, the film’s title coming from one of their songs. The iconic band featured Nick Cave at his most musically and visually punk and experimental and his most self-destructive; multi-instrumentalist and song writer Mick Harvey; bassist
Read moreShayda, which was the opening night feature at this year’s MIFF, is a semi-autobiographical film based on the childhood experiences of its writer/ director Noora Niasari. Set in 1995 in the Dandenong area, the film depicts an Iranian-Australian woman, Shayda’s (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) escape from abuse at the hands of her husband, Hossein (Osamah Sami). Having taken her daughter Mona
Read moreAustralian supernatural horror film, Talk To Me is a surprisingly effective variation on the old teens messing with the Ouija board concept. Here, Instead of a Ouija board, it’s a mysterious ceramic hand that, when held, causes people to have strange and disturbing visions, including seeing partly-decomposed dead people. Unwisely fiddling with this apparent magic is the troubled teen Mia
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