The Nettle Dress film review: An intriguing new way to see nature September 14, 2023 If you want to see an extreme example of sustainable fashion, this short and sweet British documentary may be the answer. The Nettle Dress follows textile maker Allan Brown as he talks about his seven-year project making a viking-style dress from locally foraged nettles. It’s an odd starting point for a film, but naturally there [...]
The First Slam Dunk is a flawed but affectionate basketball movie August 31, 2023 Coming from Japan, where it became one of the most successful anime films of all time, The First Slam Dunk tells the story of a high school basketball team who must overcome painful memories ahead of a pivotal match. The film tries to mirror the all-or-nothing mentality of sport and the personal struggle faced by [...]
Maigret film review: Gerard Depardieu has still got it August 31, 2023 Movie legend Gerard Depardieu steps into the trench coat of Jules Maigret, the famous French literary detective who has been adapted many times across the world, most recently as a UK TV movie starring Rowan Atkinson. This French language adaptation of the novel Maigret and The Dead Girl sees him on the trail of a [...]
Scrapper film review: Touching London film with great cast August 24, 2023 High rise council estates have provided the setting for many independent British gems, like Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank or Joe Cornish’s Sci-fi Attack The Block. Scrapper does not scale those heights, but it brings fresh ideas to the formula. It’s the story of Georgie (Lola Campbell), a 12 year old recently orphaned and managing to [...]
Mob Land film review: John Travolta crime thriller lacks originality August 24, 2023 John Travolta’s streak of ropey cinematic output continues with Mob Land, a crime thriller set in America’s South. Down on his luck in a crumbling small town, family man Shelby (Shiloh Fernandez) is talked into robbing a pharmacy by his brother (Kevin Dillon). The seemingly straight forward job goes awry, and soon Shelby finds himself [...]
Theatre Camp film review: Theatre fans will adore this big-hearted comedy August 24, 2023 The Show Must Go On is the mantra of this Disney-made comedy, which has The Bear actor Molly Gordon as its writer, co-director, and star. She plays Rebecca-Dianne, an acting coach and former student of a surreal New York theatre camp. When their founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, it’s up to her [...]
Paris Memories is a stark meditation on tragedy August 3, 2023 Moving on from unimaginable terror is the subject of French drama Paris Memories, a fictional mystery grounded in real events. Virginie Efira plays Mia, a woman who takes shelter from the rain in a Paris restaurant. By tragic coincidence, it becomes one of the targets of the 2015 Paris shootings. The event leaves Mia traumatised [...]
Ukrainian film Mavka: The Forest Song is a surprisingly poignant movie about overcoming oppression – review July 27, 2023 Drawing on mythology, this Ukrainian animated fairytale is a surprising and poignant story for today’s audiences. Mavka: The Forest Song centres on the character of Mavka, (voiced by Laurie Hymes), a kind forest spirit who signals the coming of spring. She is told to stay away from humans due to a generational feud between man [...]
The Beanie Bubble is a seriously flawed biopic about Beanie Babies July 27, 2023 Movies about products are hot right now. Air, Tetris, and Barbie all found success analysing the myth of a popular icon; Apple TV+ now brings us the story of the Beanie Baby. The Beanie Bubble is the story of Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis), the smiling, eccentric face that struck gold in the 1990s with the [...]
Talk to Me is the creepy horror film you need to see now July 27, 2023 Australia has produced some impressive horror movies in recent years, most notably the iconic Babadook, which tapped into our deepest fears through deceptively simple techniques. Hoping to repeat that success is Talk To Me, the first feature from short film makers and popular Youtubers Danny and Michael Philippou (collectively known as RackaRacka). Like so many [...]