My 11 Most Anticipated Films of 2016

January is upon us once again, and with the start of another calendar year comes the promise of another 12 months of exciting cinematic journeys to embark upon.

My Top 10 Films of 2015

December is coming to a close, and as is the well-established tradition by now, that means it's time to put together a conclusive list of my Top 10 Films from the year.

2015 has been an absolutely stellar year for movies, with piles upon piles of thrilling, immersive and exciting films landing on our cinema screens across the year. Picking a personal Top 10 might seem a little redundant underneath the hundreds of other end of year lists, but I think it's fun and feels like a nice way to round out the year.

So, which ten flicks made the cut this year?

Quotes Corner - 2015 Edition

Quotes Corner is a regular feature that I run where I compile the wittiest, snappiest and most memorable lines (for better or worse) from a particular TV show, film or celebrity - in the past I've covered Modern Family, Community and Jennifer Lawrence to name just a few.

But, in the spirit of December and looking back at the year that was, I've decided to collect together a bumper edition of my favourite movie quotes from the year - whether they were great (The Martian) or awful (Fifty Shades of Grey), these one-liners helped shape cinema in 2015. Which are your favourite?

The 2015 Fuzzies Film Awards

You've followed the SAGs and you've pretended to care about the Golden Globes - now, discover the film awards that really matter with the 2015 Fuzzies Film Awards. 

Now into their third year, the Fuzzies have slowly grown from inauspicious beginnings to a worldwide audience of dozens! Who will take home prestigious awards such as Best Actor, Best Director and Best Onscreen Butt? Find out all the winners right here...

My 2015 Movie Soundtrack Playlist

"I want to write and feel the drama. Music is essentially an emotional language, so you want to feel something from the relationships and build music based on those feelings" - Howard Shore

Every December I take a look back at the year that was and cherry pick some musical highlights, whether they be soaring orchestral scores or licensed tracks that have been inserted into films to great effect.

This year we've enjoyed a lot of really great film scores, with both new and returning favourites - from Junkie XL's primal drums in the soundtrack to Mad Max: Fury Road to John Williams reviving the iconic cues we've come to know and love in his wonderful arrangements in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And although the movie itself was a bit of damp squib, Thomas Newman's exotic soundtrack on Spectre proved to be a highlight of my year. Some indie favourites also include the soundtracks behind Ex Machina and It Follows. I've also cheated a little by including some Ramin Djawadi once again proved excellent scoring the latest season of Game of Thrones soundtrack and is well worth being included in the discussion.

Film Review: Star Wars - The Force Awakens

Director: JJ Abrams
Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita N'yongo
Runtime: 135 minutes

It's been ten long years since the last Star Wars film, and a whopping 35 since the last great Star Wars film - until now. Star Wars: The Force Awakens revives the slumbering franchise and injects new characters, adventures and tragedies into the iconic galaxy far, far away.

The Force Awakens in All of Us (VOR)

With The Force Awakens just around the corner, I’ve been pondering what it means to be a Star Wars fan…

Film Review: Return of the Jedi

Director: Richard Marquand
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams
Runtime: 134 minutes

Last, but certainly not least, in my series of Star Wars film reviews is Episode VI, Return of the Jedi. Released in 1983 to much fanfare, Return of the Jedi rounded off the Original Trilogy in similar a fashion to its forebears - full of fun, flash and fantastic characters.

Classic Film: The Empire Strikes Back

Director: Irvin Kershner

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams

Runtime: 124 minutes

With just a couple of months until The Force Awakens arrives in cinemas, I've decided to revisit all six Star Wars films to date. On the slate this month is Irvin Kershner's exemplary The Empire Strikes Back...

Classic Film: Star Wars

Director: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Peter Mayhew, Alec Guinness
Runtime: 121 minutes

Not very long ago, in a galaxy very much like our own, a little film called Star Wars opened to theatres across the world. A simple heroes tale of a young man named Luke Skywalker, this wholly original adventure captivated the imagination of millions, sparking one of the most infamous sagas in cinema history.

Nearly 40 years on from its debut, and only a few months away from the latest instalment in the series it spawned, I revisited George Lucas' original Star Wars to see how it stood up today. This is my review...

Film Review: Star Wars Ep III - Revenge of the Sith

Director: George Lucas
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Christopher Lee
Runtime: 140 minutes

10 years old this month, Revenge of the Sith was (at the time) the definitive conclusion to George Lucas' Star Wars saga. In conjoining the Original Trilogy and the newer, less revered Prequels, Revenge of the Sith is the strongest entry since 1983's Return of the Jedi.

And yet, it's still not great. The Star Wars magic is still missing in places. Here are my thoughts on how Episode III stands up today...

Film Review: Star Wars Ep II - Attack of the Clones

Director: George Lucas

Starring: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels

Runtime: 142 minutes

Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones arrived in theatres in 2002, three years after the crushing disappointment of The Phantom Menace. Advancing the plot a full decade, Clones sees a 19-year-old Anakin Skywalker begin his path towards the dark side of the Force as political rumblings escalate into all-out war. 

So, 13 years on, how does Attack of the Clones stack up today?

Film Review: Star Wars Ep I - The Phantom Menace

Director: George Lucas
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L Jackson, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Frank Oz
Runtime: 136 minutes

Question - if The Phantom Menace were the first film in the Star Wars saga, would its reputation be as toxic as it is today? It's status as the weakest, and most underwhelming, entry into the series is well-known in 2015, but judged on its own merits, is The Phantom Menace really that bad?

In this first of my extended Star Wars reviews, I revisit the first prequel in George Lucas' space opera series - The Phantom Menace. So, how does it stand up today?

Trailer Talk: The Force Awakens #2

Trailer Talk is a regular feature where I delve into some of the hottest previews to have the hit the Interwebs and see what all the fuss is about. This week, we're talking just one trailer in particular - the second teaser for JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

11 Perfect Cinematic Moments

It's been a while since I've participated in any blogathons, but when Fisti put forward this one - well, it was a no-brainer. 

Titled 'A Fistful of Moments', the premise is simple - to compile together and showcase a collection of our personal favourite cinematic moments in film and cinema. You know, the kind of scenes that capture our collective imagination and are showered in love and adulation for encapsulating the very essence of cinema. Not an easy ask, but here's what I put together...

My 11 Most Anticipated Films of 2015

With 2014 already rapidly disappearing into the past, I'm kicking off the New Year by looking at what 2015 has in-store for us cinephiles. 

From killer cyborgs to British secret agents and the long awaited return to a galaxy far, far away, 2015 has a whole host of exciting new and returning prospects lined-up - and I'm going to go through which 11 films I'm most excited for over the next 12 months.

What are you most looking forward to in 2015? Let me know in the comments below!

Trailer Talk: The Force Awakens + more

Two trailers have awakened something within me this week - Star Wars, and Jurassic World. Here are my thoughts on the two mega teasers we were treated to this week. 

My First Movie Blogathon

The lovely ladies over at Flick Chicks are running their second blogathon, and this one is all about your 'first movie experience'. At the movies, on VHS - whatever takes your fancy. For mine, I decided to write about the first movie I remember seeing at the cinema - The Phantom Menace.

First Impressions: Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars Rebels is a new animated show set in a galaxy far, far away. It's the first Star Wars property to début since Disney famously bought Star Wars a few years back, and (hopefully) sets the precedent for what kind of things we're going to see later down the track.

The pilot episode, 'Spark of Rebellion', aired here in Australia over the weekend. So, what did I think? Is Rebels just a cash-grab from the Mouse House, or an impressive (re)starting point for the most famous of film franchises? These are my first impressions...

2016's Blockbuster Bonanza (VOR#26)

It might feel like an absolute aeon away, but 2016 will be the year to beat all years at the movies. Like the stars aligning in the night sky, it seems as though every film franchise has pitched their tent in 2016, from Captain America, to Batman, Superman, Star Wars, Avatar, X-Men, Assassin's Creed, Transformers and Ninja Turtles. To name a few that is.

However, is this really a good thing? Is 2016 set to become the holy grail of blockbuster movies, or doomed to disappoint?