Review
★★★★
Movies
It was the king of smartphones, but things quickly turned sour for the BlackBerry
Taking a leaf from The Big Short, this biopic is a tale of hubris and betrayals, large and small, but it also depicts a world strangely devoid of female characters.
- by Sandra Hall
Latest
Movie tries very hard to be thrilling and erotic, but it’s just exhausting
A dominatrix and her client struggle for power in Sanctuary, starring Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott.
- by Sandra Hall
★★★★½
What’s on
Inspired by something that never existed, Godland is one of year’s best films
Godland is a bone-chilling, eye-dazzling, heart-wrenching film – both an epic saga of landscape cinema and a terrifying philosophical voyage.
- by Paul Byrnes
Why the bloody hell are Australians so good at making scary movies?
From stories of religious fervour gone horribly wrong to a quiet tale of an alien invasion, horror is having a well-deserved moment.
- by Stephen A Russell
★★
Cinema
Car racing adaptation shows Hollywood is game for anything
Gran Turismo is the latest in an avalanche of toy or game-based movies hitting screens this year.
- by Jake Wilson
★★★½
What to watch
It has an all-star cast, but Asteroid City is more style than substance
Despite Wes Anderson’s rich imagination, I couldn’t help looking back on simpler times when he was more interested in telling a story.
- by Sandra Hall
★★★★
Movies
Forget the glamour, Rachel Ward gets her hands dirty in documentary
Rachel’s Farm is a hugely valuable adventure infused with the actor’s insatiable curiosity and staunch refusal to give up, no matter what.
- by Sandra Hall
★★★★
Movies
The story of Mozart’s rival is worth rediscovering
This unfairly neglected episode in Black history has been criticised by musical purists - but you can also just sit back and enjoy it.
- by Sandra Hall
★★★½
Movies
A shrewdly crafted, powerful feature debut from Aussie YouTubers
Teenagers are possessed by ghosts, with help from a ceramic, embalmed hand, in the debut feature from twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, aka RackaRacka.
- by Jake Wilson
★★★½
Movies
It has blood, gore and a touch of Tarantino – I couldn’t look away
The Nazi-fighting, gold-digging hero at the heart of the Finnish film Sisu is so compelling, I couldn’t do anything but cheer him on.
- by Sandra Hall
★★★★½
Movies
This impressive family drama reminds us of what we’re missing on film
Set in rural Spain, Alcarras is a beautiful, sad and authentic depiction of one extended family facing a kind of oblivion.
- by Paul Byrnes