Tag Archives: Reviews

In Cinemas – 23 July, 2026

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Today is New Movie Day, and there are a few more options this week…if you can find a cinema screening them

Anh Hung – You may find this one alternately titled Mr. Hero, if you can find it at all, as this Vietnamese film is set for a fairly limited release this week. The premise has much to recommend: A struggling taxi-driver supporting a chronically ill daughter stumbles into the public eye in the hopes of raising money for a critical surgery by pretending to be part of a charity. While the set-up for a throwback 90’s comedy, the film is being pitched largely as a family drama, albeit with a sense of humour. This is director Vo Thach Thao’s first film, graduating from television.

Penny Lane is Dead – Every child of the 80’s and 90’s has a local legend about a party getting out of control. Ripe for building tension and brewing conflict this is the setting of this slightly delayed Ozploitation dark-comedy/horror flick which was premiered at last years Adelaide Film Festival. The debut of writer/director Mia’kate Russell, the marketing for the film has been boasting that audiences at the Fantasia International Film Festival fainted during the screening. So fair warning, this film is closer to Wolf Creek than The Deb, and you’re going to want to skip the snacks on this one.

Motor City – The action genre still lives, direct to streaming, in this tight crime-thriller from director Potsy Ponciroli, who helmed the quite-good western Old Henry (2021). Current hulking beefcake Alan Ritchson (Reacher…he’s actually pretty good) plays a prison escapee who was framed, and seeks revenge on those who wronged him. Standard stuff, but in the hands of more than competent craftsmen who know their trade.

The Wizard of the Kremlin – A 2025 English-language French release, this is the adaptation of a novel by Giuliano da Empoli. A satirical look at the transition from the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation in the 90’s, the film views the rise of Putin (played by Jude Law) from the persepctive of a young government official (Paul Dano). Though an interesting cast has been pulled together, reviews of the film have been pretty mixed.

Colours of Time – Another French period drama, the plot sees four cousins gather at a family estate and begin to explore their shared ancestral stories. A pretty looking film that takes advantage of beautiful French country-side and heritage locations, this will show up on SBS fairly shortly.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – Review

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Directed by Aaron Hovath & Michael Jelenic, Written by Matthew Fogel, Starring the voice talent of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anna Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Benny Safdie, Keegan Michael Key, Glen Powell, Brie Larson and Donal Glover.

If the 1993 Super Mario Bros. demonstrates an old mentality whereby filmmakers were embarrassed by source material such as comics or video games, The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) proved that the successful approach was actually slavish devotion to the source material. That film prioritised putting on screen the most iconic elements of the game, whether they made much story-sense or not. The film subsequently made all the money. The sequel has the exact same philosophy at heart: “Give the kids what they want.” And the kids clearly love it.

It’s a theme park ride, just like Martin Scorcese has said. Whether it is one that audiences beyond young Nintendo gamers will find appealing will, as ever, be a matter of taste. Universal’s Illumination Studio have so polished their style of computer animation and arguably perfected the craft of character design so that everything moves beautifully and smoothly, and is bright and colourful and every frame is generally packed with details that make it hard to be bored. Scenes are dependent on the constant barrage gags – not necessarily jokes spoken by characters, but brief sequences of action that involve overcoming an obstacle. It is not unfair to describe this sequel (along with the Minions franchise, and honestly everything all the way back to Ice Age) as a collection of micro-length, Looney Tunes style episodes, strung together by the pursuit of a goal that allows the characters to wander through as many fantastical set-pieces as can fit into 90 minutes.

There’s simply nothing notable to highlight about the film. Every performer is enthusiastic and appropriately emotive for their part, though it seems reasonable to question the need to ask Donald Glover to make a few cute noises as the non-speaking Yoshi. The inclusion of adjacent Nintendo character Fox McCloud (voiced by Glen Powell) brings a potential heroic rival to Mario, but the film very quickly shuts down any hint of that. The fact that shortly after the release of the film Nintendo announced a new Star Fox game makes it very hard not to view the writing of the whole film with a level of cynicism – very much like the whole show is a very expensive ad for the Switch…which, of course, is exactly what it is.

Kids do not have a problem with that; the film is loud and has characters and power-ups and vehicles and worlds that they recognise, and the fact that it’s barely memorable does nothing to diminish the fact that it was enjoyable to watch. It’s inoffensive, so parents can easily tolerate it playing in the background while they finish taxes. It demands very little of viewers…save that they commit to seeing the inevitable sequel, and in the meantime make sure you keep playing the game.

Alan Moore once spoke in an interview of the notion “give the audience what they want”, saying quite emphatically that whether they realise or not, “It’s not the job of the artist to give the audience what the audience wants. If the audience knew what they needed, then they wouldn’t be the audience…they’d be the artists.” Films can be an experience that enriches the soul. The Super Mario Bros.Movie is like the fondant of an expertly designed novelty cake: colourful and shaped in an appealing way, but even though its made of sugar it is somehow bland and even kids get tired of chewing it very quickly.

Now Showing – 9 July, 2026

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Is today your ‘movie day’? Here’s what you can check out at the cinemas this week!

Moana – The Disney Live Action Adaptation Engine™ is still rolling, ‘updating’ the last officially crowned “Disney Princess” for her tenth anniversary. Directed by Thomas Kail (who oversaw the pretty spectacular Hamilton stage-film) the film is promising a Gus Van Sant’s Psycho level retread. Not only that but Dwayne Johnson himself live-prises his role as demi-god Maui, while Jemaine Clement once again voices Tamatoa. Relative newcomer Catherine Laga’aia takes the mantle of Moana, with welcome support from the legendary Rena Owen (Once Were Warriros) as Gramma Tala. Both the pig and the chicken are featured!

First Light – First-time Aussie Writer/Director James J. Robinson sees his debut come to screens this week. A co-production between Australia and The Philippines, the film features a Filipino cast portraying the members of a remote Luzon convent. Robinson has said that the project was both a way of connecting with his own Filipino heritage, as well as exploring issues surrounding his Catholic upbringing. The story of middle aged Sister Yolanda, who begins to struggle with her faith following a tragic occurrence, will likely resonate with those who have wrestled with their own doubt, faced the disappointing reality of institutions and lived in the shadow of colonialism.

Evil Dead Burn – This franchise is the gift that keeps on giving! While others wrangle with the disappointment of blockbuster debuts that can never be matched in sequels, the Evil Dead series have largely maintained a consistent level of quality because every one of them knows what to prioritise: Buckets and buckets of blood. The reigns have been handed to Sébastien Vaniček along with co-writer Florent Bernard and minimal supervision from OG Producer Rob Tapert and director Sam Raimi. Pitched as a “family reunion from hell”, this looks to be in keeping with the black humour and visceral thrills of previous installments. Groovy!

The Invite – Olivia Wilde helms this remake of the Spanish film The People Upstairs (2020), from a screenplay by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones. Something of a French Bedroom Farce, Wilde stars alongside Seth Rogen as a strained married couple who host their upstairs neighbours (Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton) for dinner. Not being adequately prepared to host, and unable to stop bickering is embarrassing enough, but as the evening progresses and everyone becomes far more candid, the cringe-humour escalates.

Now Showing – 2 July, 2026

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You’ve woken to find a rare day to yourself and though ‘I’m going to go to the movies. I wonder what’s on?’ Wonder no more, for here is what you’ll find on Aussie screens this week!

Animal Farm – Many will have fond (?) memories of watching the 1954 animated adaptation of the George Orwell novella in English class – which was pretty faithful so it was not necessary to read the book. This animated feature, directed by Andy Serkis (yes, that’s Gollum), should probably come with the credit “Inspired by” moreso than “based on” with some significant liberties taken and original characters inserted into the Russian-Cummunist allegory. The cast includes Seth Rogen, Glenn Close, Woody Harrelson, Kieran Culkin, Steve Buscemi and Kathleen Turner. Expect the humor to be more pronounced, far less dog mauling and an attempt at a happy ending.

100 Nights of Hero – This fairy tales for grown-ups was actually released overseas last year, but you can find it playing some of the arthouse/independent cinemas. Adapted from Isabel Greenbergs book (which is her retelling of One Thousand and One Nights) by director Julia Jackman, the plot follows Cherry (Maika Monroe of Longlegs), a young wife who has been abandoned for 100 nights by her odious husband (Nicolas Galtzine) as a test of her faithfulness. Her maid, Hero (Emma Corrin) offer comfort though the stories she tells, and the women form a transformative bond. A rumination on gender politics, this won’t appeal to everyone, but it looks gorgeous.

Heel – Another delayed release, this UK film from Polish director Jan Komasa (Warsaw 44) is a black-as-they-come comedy, about a couple who abduct and imprison a teenage delinquent in the hopes of rehabilitating him. Stephen Graham (Adolescence) and Andrea Riseborough (Mandy) bring real life and vibrancy to the screen as the unhinged couple, while Anson Boon (1917) is a hoot as the antisocial Tommy. If the film’s working, you’ll be chuckling while you’re feeling offended.

The Birthday Trip – In a similar vein, three young couples book a weekend farm stay only to wind up at each others throats in this offering from Australian filmmaker James Robert Woods. His first feature, this satire on social class is all about simmering tensions bursting out in uncomfortable hilarity as the planned birthday celebration falls apart. A lot rides on the chemistry and performances of the cast, some of whom may be familiar faces from Australian TV. Keep your eyes open as this film does the rounds in the coming year.