Film Review: Blackhat

From the God of Thunder to keyboard warrior; Chris Hemsworth stars as an on-the-run computer hacker in Michael Mann's globe-trotting cyber thriller Blackhat. 

Film Review: Clouds of Sils Maria

Self-reference and introspection – Hollywood loves that kind of stuff, but rarely is it executed with such aplomb as in Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria. Starring Julitte Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Moretz, this slow-burn has a fair amount to say about showbiz - but little else. 

You can read my full review of Clouds of Sils Maria over at Hooked on Film.

Film Review: Spy

"The name's Cooper, Susan Cooper - Licence to knit, bake cakes and live alone"

Spy is a Paul Feig comedy starring Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Rose Byrne and Jason Statham. It sees Susan Cooper, an inept and timid CIA analyst (McCarthy), thrust into the field when her partner Bradley Fine (Law) goes missing.

It may start strong, but Spy fails to leave an impression of anything other than your usual scattershot and sporadically funny comedy.

Film Review: Ex Machina

"What happens to me if I fail your test?"

Exploring concepts of artificial intelligence and morality, Ex Machina is a British science-fiction thriller from writer/director Alex Garland. It stars Domnhall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander. 

Film Review: Pitch Perfect 2

The Barden Bellas are back in Pitch Perfect 2, the a cappella teen franchise that stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow and Skylar Astin.

This time around the gang are facing challenges such as life after college, dating and heading to the a cappella World Championships.

Film Review: Trash

How far would you go to do the right thing? Could you leave behind everything that you know to see justice served? These questions are the driving force behind Stephen Daldry’s latest movie Trash.

It's a sweet and uplifting drama that veers slightly too far into sentimentality and implausibility - click here so you can read my full review of Trash over at Hooked on Film.

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?

Spanish Film Festival 2015

Hola amigos! The 2015 Spanish Film Festival is in full swing at Luna Palace Cinemas across Australia right now. This means dozens of eclectic Iberian filmic delights are currently playing in independent cinemas across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

The festival headliner is Spanish Affair, a sweet romantic-comedy about a mismatched couple caught in a series of escalating lies. Wildly popular in Spain (it's the highest-grossing Spanish movie of all time), it's a very light and fluffy film that lacks an original thought at its centre.

Meanwhile, Shrew's Nest is a bloody thriller that hails from Spain's rich heritage of horror cinema. It's tense, atmospheric and heart-pounding stuff.

You can read my full reviews of Spanish Affair and Shrew's Nest over at Hooked on Film right here.