French legal drama, The Thread, which is directed by and stars the revered Daniel Auteuil, is in many ways a familiar courtroom drama but Auteuil invests the story with a potent sense of intrigue and an affecting personal quality. Based on actual events, the film sees Auteuil play Jean Monier, a lawyer in the throes of self-doubt and disillusionment with
Read moreWhile it had some gnawing inconsistencies and questionable logic, Zach Cregger’s 2022 home share horror film Barbarian, was so artfully creepy it signalled the writer/director as an exciting new force in the horror genre. His latest film, Weapons is even better. There are a few stumbles but this bizarre, disturbing mystery thriller is so cleverly constructed and so well performed
Read moreWith a touch of the destructive disillusion of Falling Down and the unsettling oddness of Yorgos Lanthimos’ films, the very strange, dark and often very funny bromance cringe comedy Friendship is a bizarre take on the weird neighbour film. Comedian Tim Robinson (Saturday Night Live, Detroiters, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) plays the socially awkward, misfit office
Read moreSince the charming original 1984 movie first gave us young Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) crane kicking exploits, The Karate Kid franchise has become a pop cultural phenomenon. Mixing Rocky-style underdog triumph, a relatable battle against bullying, teen romance and the unforgettable character of Pat Morita’s wise, venerable, testicle kicking Mr Miyagi, it has become one of Hollywood’s most beloved Gen
Read moreKorean/ Canadian writer/director Celine Song seduced audiences with her subtle but heartbreaking story of inescapable childhood attachments and unrequited romance in her 2023 debut film Past Lives. Her first Hollywood film, Materialists, doesn’t quite deliver on the expectations Past Lives raised but still gives what could have been a standard romantic comedy/ drama a little more depth and class than
Read moreAustralian filmmakers Danny and Michael Phillipou conjured dark magic with their sensationally unsettling and intense debut horror feature Talk To Me. That film’s success led to them being hailed as the new horror wunderkinds and understandably created feverish anticipation for their follow-up feature, Bring Her Back. While it’s likely that the confrontingly violent and gory Bring Her Back will please
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