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Film Review: Sweet Country

Film Review: Sweet Country

Published March 8, 2018 By Lee Hill

Reviewed by Lee Hill

Sweet Country is a sympathetic, but unsentimental look at one of many turning points in the tortured relations between aboriginal peoples and white Australians. Set in 1929, Mick, an embittered and alcoholic war veteran (Thomas M. Wright) buys a station in a remote part of New South Wales. With little farming know-how, he enlists the aid of Fred Smith, his closest neighbour (Sam Neill), a born-again Christian who has renounced violence and treats an aboriginal family led by Sam Kelly (Hamilton Morris) living on his land as equals rather than near slaves which is the social norm. When Fred reluctantly asks Sam Kelly (Hamilton Morris) to do a day’s work for Mick, this gesture of good will sets off a tragic chain of events. The day has barely passed when Kelly is forced to shoot and kill Mick and escape into the outback with his wife.

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Film Review: Mary Magdalene

Film Review: Mary Magdalene

Published March 8, 2018 By Rachael Kaines

Reviewed by Rachael Kaines

Mary Magdalene is a disarming portrait of someone who — the film argues — is an often misrepresented figure. This retelling is unashamedly feminist and augmented by astounding performances from both Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix. Mary Magdalene is not self-indulgent, self-righteous, or gratuitous, and all the better for it, resulting in a deeply profound and humanist revision to a well-worn history.

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Film Review: Finding Your Feet

Film Review: Finding Your Feet

Published February 21, 2018 By Rachael Kaines

Reviewed by Rachael Kaines

Finding Your Feet, the new film directed by Richard Loncraine (Wimbledon), features an all-star cast in a predictable, but fun flick. Great performances and funny moments make up for a story that loses momentum partway through. Finding Your Feet is an enjoyable, but flawed comedy/drama.

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Film Review: The Shape of Water

Film Review: The Shape of Water

Published February 16, 2018 By Rachael Kaines

Reviewed by Rachael Kaines

With The Shape of Water Guillermo del Toro has finally returned to form. A charming and beautiful romance as well as a tale (tail) of underdogs (fish) of all shapes and sizes. del Toro manages to represent many marginalised aspects of society in the setting of America during the cold war (even a group we never knew were marginalised — fish men).

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Film Review: The Mercy

Film Review: The Mercy

Published February 7, 2018 By Lee Hill

Reviewed by Lee Hill

In 1968, Donald Crowhurst, family man, struggling inventor and amateur sailor, was determined to boost the profile of a navigation device too ahead of its time. He decided to enter the Golden Globe, an around the world race sponsored by The Sunday Times. Despite not having sailed beyond the coast of Devon and struggling to keep his tiny company going, Crowhurst felt the risk was worth it. He convinced local businessmen to underwrite the construction of a state-of-the-art Trimaran, but building delays forced Crowhurst to start his voyage in late autumn as weather conditions in the Atlantic and Pacific became more challenging.

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Interview: Megan Maczko On Her Role In Ninth Cloud

Interview: Megan Maczko On Her Role In Ninth Cloud

Published February 5, 2018 By Linda Marric

As The Ninth Cloud is released in the UK, lead actress Megan Maczko discusses her passion for voicing video games, working with Tom Hanks, the hazards of auditioning and the challenges of being an American living in England.

Megan, you play Zena, the protagonist, In THE NINTH CLOUD. How would you describe her?

Zena is a young woman living with an incredible amount of chaos in her heart, desperately seeking the answers to life’s great questions in order to circumvent the pain that she feels from the loss of her parents, from being all alone in the world. She’s delicate but tries desperately to keep that hidden from the world and the people she’s chosen to let in her to life. She’s eccentric, vulnerable, bold, compassionate, guarded and naive.

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Film Review: Brad’s Status

Film Review: Brad’s Status

Published January 2, 2018 By Lee Hill

Reviewed by Lee Hill

Ben Stiller is Brad Sloan, a Generation Xer suffering from a serious case of mid-life crisis blues. On the surface, Brad seems to have a pretty good life in suburban Sacramento. He is married to an attractive loving wife, Melanie (Jenna Fischer) works in the California state legislature, while Brad runs a small NGO that links worthy charities to philanthropists. Their only child, Troy (Austin Abrams), is a promising musician with high school grades that make him Ivy League material. Yet Brad feels increasingly like a failure; eclipsed by his college pals from Tufts, who have achieved fame, wealth, power and fantastic sex lives.

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The Best Christmas Films You Will Re-Watch Yet Again This Christmas

The Best Christmas Films You Will Re-Watch Yet Again This Christmas

Published December 19, 2017 By Rachael Kaines

Complied by Rachael Kaines

Christmas is a time of joy, and in honour of that so is this list. Filled with the films that you will quite happily watch for the ninth time (even though you insist it’s crap) after a cheese course large enough to down an elephant, whilst sipping slow gin and fluctuating between contentedness and intense nausea. These movies as much a part of Christmas as turkey and fights with the in-laws.

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