PerthZine

Tag: movie review

  • Movie Review – Project Hail Mary (2026)

    Movie Review – Project Hail Mary (2026)

    Space Rocks are Friendly

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    What a ride Project Hail Mary is to kick off the blockbusters of 2026. Expecting something serious, the tone leans more into humour than most modern sci-fi epics. Think Interstellar with a cute cuddly rock creature.

    Written by Andy Weir of The Martian fame, we begin when Ryland Grace (Gosling in full goofy charm mode) awakens from an induced coma and discovers he is the only survivor on an interstellar spacecraft. With his memory gone, he must piece together what he is doing there and figure out how to rescue humanity.

    As the memories come back, Grace’s backstory appears in the form of lengthy flashbacks, as he went from gifted physics teacher to reluctantly leading the research into what is causing the sun to die. The culprit turns out to be a laser beam, and to stop it they need to travel light-years away for answers. So we arrive with Grace, alone on the ship and about to arrive at its destination. When he discovers an alien craft, the movie truly develops its heart. It becomes a playful buddy flick about Grace and a spider-like rock creature named Rocky.

    The film works on so many levels. Gosling holds the mostly solo role as well as anyone can, bringing plenty of emotion and humour. The flashbacks work for the audience to share with Grace, if overdone slightly in the 156-minute runtime. Sandra Hüller is a welcome presence as Eva Stratt, the agent tasked with the last-ditch hail Mary mission. Her character development is a standout – starting as a cold leader, ruthlessly dedicated to finding a way to save the planet no matter what. By the end some warmth appears, but don’t be fooled.

    With big moments throughout, it’s almost comparable with the Michael Bay over the top sci-fi end of the world thriller Armageddon – just when you think it’s ending, there’s more! Luckily there is a lot more depth here. The relationship arc between Grace and the loveable alien character for the ages keeps you engaged and caring more and more for them. Try not getting emotional.

    Project Hail Mary is the kind of sci-fi epic that demands the big screen, so see it at the cinema to get the full effect. Full of set pieces involving spaceships roaming the stars and dancing with each other, paired with lots of heart and enough interesting details to get online forums talking, it’s what a good space opera should be. Go see it.

  • Movie Review – Misgivings (2024)

    Movie Review – Misgivings (2024)

    Quirky Indie With a Twist

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    Misgivings lulls you into thinking it’s a quiet coastal character study before gradually slipping into something far more offbeat. The indie feature-length film doesn’t give much away, but the deliberately quirky flick has plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested.

    Joanne Connor stars as Suze, a depressed housewife who isn’t sure what to do with herself while her husband Michael (played by Jeffery Richards) is away for work. She is encouraged to take off somewhere and heads to the small coastal town of Blueys Beach for some relaxation (the film was shot in NSW). It doesn’t take long for her to meet a series of recurring locals as she divides her time between wine (lots of wine) and idling around town. She becomes particularly intrigued by Gabriel (Mace Murray), a confident young man who drifts around her on a skateboard, snapping Polaroids.

    It would be a sin to give away more, but there are plenty of encounters with wacky locals (the husband-and-wife hotel owners are a laugh) as Suze wanders the beach, does her regular wine run and watches the local talent show. Let’s just say while her holiday unfolds, she learns some truths about herself and her marriage.

    The film has a voyeuristic vibe to it, with slow shots of skating around town and frolicking on the beach. This reflects Suze’s gaze – lost in her own world while quietly observing everything around her (like the camera). This hypnotic feel is accentuated by the soundtrack, which is the film’s strongest feature. The cinematography matches the tone, with classic overhead follow shots accompanied by laid-back folk pop that emphasises the haze surrounding Suze. The close-ups draw out emotional detail while also leaning into the film’s underlying quirkiness.

    It is amazing what you can do on a budget these days, but the cast are generally strong enough to match. Connor in particular plays the melancholic Suze very well. Murray also shows plenty of potential to take things further. The rest of the supporting cast do the job, with Julie-Anne Breen and Craig Walker especially memorable as the hotel owner and massage therapist.

    What stands out the most is how Duncan James has managed to achieve this with limited resources. Self-funded and clearly a labour-intensive project, Misgivings shows a filmmaker who knows what he wants to create and is willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen (he auditioned over two thousand actors). It would be fascinating to see what he could do with a bigger budget. His technique could translate well to something like a White Lotus-style anthology series.

  • Movie Review – Hamnet (2025)

    Movie Review – Hamnet (2025)

    To be, or not to be

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Hamnet is an intriguing take on the Shakespeare legacy, inspired by Maggie O’Farrell’s novel that imagines the death of Shakespeare’s only son and its possible influence on his work. Mixing fact and fiction, it focuses on the death of Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, and in doing so doesn’t pretend to be a true biopic about the bard but instead focuses on grief and coping. Whatever the inspiration, it is compelling cinema.

    It’s the late 16th century and William (Paul Mescal, and like the book, his name is not stated outright) is courting woman-of-the-woods herbalist Agnes (Jessie Buckley) in Stratford, England. He’s working as a tutor and falls for her after she appears out of the forest with her pet hawk. The two have an instant connection and end up sneaking off and getting pregnant, forcing the class-divided families to agree to wedding terms.

    William tries to provide for the family by working in his abusive father’s glove-making business, but he is overwhelmed by a desire for something greater. This leads to drinking and depression, and his volatility causes Agnes to plot his exile to London under the guise of selling more gloves, so he divides his time between Stratford and the city.

    Fast forward a few years and Agnes has birthed twins, Hamnet and Judith (alongside first-born Susanna), while William is getting successful in the theatre world. From here things get darker, and we won’t be spoiling anything by giving away that Hamnet dies, and the rest of the movie deals with the grief the parents face.

    Despite the tragedy at its centre, the film is less about the shock of Hamnet’s death and more about the different ways Will and Agnes process grief. Will goes away and continues his theatre work, leaving Agnes to stew over the loss. She can’t understand how Will is now more absent and seemingly not grieving, which is where the focus on the famous play comes into the fore (we are told that Hamlet and Hamnet are the same interchangeable names in this period).

    It’s an out-there concept, but it works, mainly because of the strength of the performances, particularly Jessie Buckley who seems destined for major awards recognition, and is outstanding as the woman-of-the-woods who becomes a grieving mother. Mescal plays the bard well in what would be a difficult role to fill. He’s picking the right roles for an actor approaching, or perhaps already in the peak of his career.

    What makes the movie work so well though, is the technical elements. The cinematography is incredible, with a number of breathtaking shots, from forest to city settings which, combined with Max Richter’s excellent score, give the film the edge. Even an extended shot of Will drunk and struggling at his desk in the middle of the night just looks incredible. There are many moments like this where you can’t help being absorbed in the moment.

    Which leads to the other element of the movie that is perhaps not quite as obvious a focus – it delves into the struggles Will faces trying to live a normal life as a glove maker but yearning for more and turning to depression and alcoholism. This is a highly relatable element that many artists would sympathise with and eventually intertwines with not just Will achieving success through following his dreams but also becomes his outlet for grieving.

    A last comment on the movie versus the novel. Director Chloé Zhao (who has already won the best director gong for Nomadland in 2020) co-wrote the screenplay with O’Farrell and the pair keep quite true to the novel for most parts. Smaller characters like Agnes’ stepmother and brother have larger roles in the novel, as well as William’s parents. Will himself seems to be a much more caring and respectful husband and father in the film, and we get some direct Shakespeare quotes that are not present in the book. The quotes are the clunkiest change to the adaptation, seemingly included to remind the wider movie-going audience that they are watching the bard himself.

    The film is already winning awards and will go in as one of the favourites for best film at the academy. It’s definitely a step up from the last Shakespeare movie that bizarrely swept the Oscars in the nineties, Shakespeare in Love. It’s worth a watch for Buckley’s performance alone.

  • Movie Review – Primate (2025)

    Movie Review – Primate (2025)

    Crazy Apes Are Scary

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    Now this is a genre of movie that isn’t utilised enough – the crazy chimp horror. I have a childhood memory of what I think was a TV show where a chimpanzee attacks people. If anyone knows of a show or movie from the late 80s or early 90s, please let me know. It may have been in a laboratory.

    Primate has a simple setup – A group of college students head to the remote Hawaiian home of Lucy (played by Johnny Sequoyah). Lucy has a pet chimp, Ben (Miguel Torres Umba doing the suit work), who we found out in the opening scene is not the friendly beloved pet the family are used to. Lucy’s dad Adam (Troy Kotsur) is a famous novelist who is also deaf, so the family and chimp know sign language. Adam heads off on a book tour leaving the college kids home alone, but not before discovering a mongoose got into Ben’s cage and bit him.

    We are then setup for the rabid primate to go ape on the group and ruin their plans for partying. Ben’s madness progresses and as you’d expect from this movie, the kids, friends and visitors are attacked while trying to escape or hide from the chimp.

    The film does what this genre should do – keep it tight, no padding out with unnecessary scenes. The actors all do a good job, with the star of the show being Miguel Torres Umba as Ben. The movement specialist plays the chimp well, giving him the menace and unpredictable that makes the concept so frightening.

    This isn’t high art; we watch movies like this because they are fun rides for an hour and a half of pure escapism. In this sense Primate ticks all the boxes, and there is something extra unnerving about a chimpanzee turning on humans. It’s likely the high intelligence, and the idea that if they wanted to these primates could cause a lot of damage, and also open doors, amongst other human-like behaviours. Makes for a great horror romp.

    “If you look into their eyes, you know you’re looking into a thinking mind” -Jane Goodall

  • Classic Movie Review – Europa Report (2013)

    Classic Movie Review – Europa Report (2013)

    Solid Found Footage Flick

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    Europa Report is an interesting found footage film about the first manned mission to Europa, the icy Galilean moon of Jupiter. It takes a realistic approach to the perils of travelling far away from our planet and does a good job of using claustrophobia associated with deep space travel to build tension.

    The plot is simple and fed to us via cameras around the spacecraft, opening with mission control losing contact with the ship, before revealing the footage has been recovered. It uses press conferences, news footage and talking heads to go back to the pre-take off build up. This works as a good introduction to the crew members and the weight that rests on their shoulders.

    Jump to nearing the destination and we see the crew tested when a solar storm hits and knocks out the communication system, and things get worse when they attempt to repair it. Despite the problems, they land on the Europa, though slightly off target. They manage to get the research moving but one thing leads to another, and risks need to be taken. The crew discussing their own lives versus the value of the research is an interesting moral dilemma.

    The movie builds tension from both the realistic issues faced in space and the crews hope of finding extraterrestrial life; this being the primary goal of the mission. Are there single celled organisms in the ocean lying beneath the ice, or more complex life on the cold moon? The mystery and anticipation keep it entertaining throughout.

    Despite having a semi-low budget feel, Europa Report holds its own as a found footage movie. The special effects are above average, especially the inside of the ship with its changing gravity zones. The actors are good, with some familiar faces such as Christian Camargo, Michael Nyqvist and Sharlto Copley. Not quite the top echelon but a solid cast who handle the subject matter well.

    It builds nicely and pays off well in the final scenes. Recommended for anyone into the found footage genre or sci fi / space movies, or both.

  • Classic Movie Review – Fever Pitch (2005)

    Classic Movie Review – Fever Pitch (2005)

    Farrelly Brothers Do Baseball

    Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

    Pitching closer to the traditional romantic comedy, Fever Pitch is a fairly harmless movie held up by good casting. A surprising turn given we are talking about the best gross out director duo of the last 40 years or so.

    Jimmy Fallon plays Ben, a real nice-guy schoolteacher with one catch – he’s a mega Boston Red Sox fan. Ben meets Lindsey (Drew Barrymore in her super sweet era) who also has a catch, she’s a high-flying businesswoman dedicated to her career.

    That’s about the gist of it. Ben has a group of also-fanatical baseball fan friends. Lindsey has her high rollers. Worlds collide, Lindsey gets into the baseball but at the expense of her work, and Ben gets upset when he goes to a party with Lindsey and misses the greatest comeback win in Red Sox history. The Red Sox head towards what could be a miracle year, and we have the classic romantic comedy setup.

    Being a Farrelly Brothers movie, one might expect a more outrageous comedy (There’s Something About Mary, need I say more), this is not that kind of movie. It still has some funny moments, and a few reminiscent of the gross-out slapstick the brothers have become renowned for, but it leans on the heartwarming story angle. The funniest moments come from the back and forth between the two leads.

    Pleasant enough, and despite not quite being the movie star type, Jimmy Fallon is ultra likeable with his puppy dog qualities. Between him and Barrymore they make it an easy movie to like, even if it does fall short of the mark of being a classic.

  • Movie Review – Cleaner (2025)

    Movie Review – Cleaner (2025)

    Die Hard, Daisy

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

    Daisy Ridley proves her action chops in this fun little Die Hard-esque romp. Don’t go in expecting anything beyond a fun popcorn movie and you will have a good time. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest director Martin Campbell (basically Bond royalty, having done Goldeneye and Casino Royale) has managed to take what could be B-grade source material and made it into something a bit better than average.

    Cleaner stars Ridley as Joey, a woman too tough for the military commandos who is now abseiling down the sides of high rises cleaning windows. Her autistic brother Michael (Matthew Tuck) has been kicked out of his care home and she is already late for work, leading to them both still being around when terrorists take over the building seeking to expose the corrupt mining giant’s dirty secrets. Someone has to save the day…

    Enter tough as nails Joey to take on Lucas/Noah (Taz Skyler) and Marcus (Clive Owen, haven’t seen you for a while), and the terrorists who you kinda feel like siding with until they start killing people. Who wouldn’t want to see these selfish jerk mining big wigs exposed? She’ll get help from both her brother and police superintendent Claire Hume (Ruth Gemmell), and the rest is fairly standard action fare.

    Again, let’s not go in expecting the movie to be some sort of high art masterpiece. There are plenty of cheesy and cliched things happening, but what do you expect from a Die Hard one-woman saviour movie. Ridley is fantastic and physical as the down on her luck hero. The rest of the cast hold things together and director Campbell clearly has enough in his repertoire to keep things interesting.

    It’s short, fun and entertaining. Watch it for what it is and you can’t go wrong. Looking forward to Daisy coming back in the sequel – Cleaner 2, Clean Harder. She’s a bona fide action superstar.

  • Classic Movie Review – River’s Edge (1986)

    Classic Movie Review – River’s Edge (1986)

    Generation Apathy

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    A strange movie based on a grim true story, starring some of the up-and-coming movie stars of the era, including Keanu Reeves in one of his first film roles.

    River’s Edge is about high school stoner Samson (played convincingly by Daniel Roebuck), who murders a female friend and shows his slacker friends what he has done like it was nothing. It deals with the aftermath and the apathetic reaction the teenagers have to the murder.

    Interestingly, riding high on the back of his role as Marty’s father in Back to the Future, Crispin Glover is top billed and has the most screen time playing Layne, the best friend of Samson who is obsessed with figuring out how to get the killer out of trouble. He really plays up the speed tweaking stoner, almost to parody, while Keanu just does it naturally.

    It is also the first film role for Ione Skye (billed with her last name Leitch for this movie only. The name coming from her one-name father Donovan), at 16 playing alongside Keanu at 23 – times sure have changed. She has charisma and has gone on to have a varied film career, impressive considering she had no formal training before being plucked for the role.

    Dennis Hopper rounds out the strong cast playing his usual maniacal personality. He adds some additional strangeness to the whole thing as the local drug dealer Feck. He’s an actor who often comes across as out of his mind and this is no exception. Having said that, he also shares some of the best scenes in the movie with Roebuck, delving into the apathetic attitude of the cynical, disaffected Generation X.

    This is basically what the movie is about, and director Tim Hunter deals with the subject matter well (he didn’t do much else on the big screen). From the teenagers aware of the murder and doing nothing, to the younger pre-teens running amuck with stolen cars, drugs and guns. Are they saying this is only going to get worse?

    It is shot well, the soundtrack suits nicely with plenty of Slayer tracks – at the time part of the music being blamed for everything wrong with youth behaviour – and it is a generally good film, despite the bleak picture it paints of the generation; the fact it is based around real events making it all the more poignant. Worth a watch.

  • Classic Movie Review – Thief (1981)

    Classic Movie Review – Thief (1981)

    Michael Man’s Debut is Hot

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    Made in the year of my birth, this interesting caper movie is Michael Mann’s directorial feature film debut. The Mann (sorry) who would go on to make Heat paves the way for the serious, violent crime movies that will dominate his filmography (he’s even working on Heat 2).

    James Caan plays Frank. A lone wolf, safe cracking thief who works alone aside from a little help from some trusted partners, including Jim Belushi playing it straight as his tech guy. Frank is about to open his world up in more ways than one, with both a kingpin crime boss hoping he’ll work for him, and love interest Jessie, played by Tuesday Weld. In doing this he exposes himself to the heat (sorry again).

    The main plot revolves around a job for the new crime boss father figure Leo (Frank was raised by the state), played by Robert Prosky. They have to crack a serious safe with five alarms and a titanium door. At this point it’s a pretty solid heist movie. Things naturally take a turn for the worst, with cops and crooks involved, and things get pretty ugly.

    The film is a bit of a mixed bag, ultimately a really solid premise perhaps just lacking the polish Mann would develop as his filmography progressed. Everything from the cinematography to the music has glimpses of brilliance, and if it weren’t for a few moments of madness, it would be up there as one of the best of its genre.

    Even Caan, a great actor when playing the right roles, has some clunky moments. The best bits are fantastic, especially when he’s wooing Jessie at a diner and opening himself up to her with full insight into his decade in prison. Some other bits are a little less on the money. The rest of the cast are also generally great, including a small role for Willie Nelson as the guy that taught Frank everything he knows.

    Overall, it’s a solid start from Mann and there is enough there to make it an enjoyable movie. The pulsating soundtrack by Tangerine Dream works great, and apart from a few teething issues the sign of good things to come from the director is evident.

  • Movie Review – Caught Stealing (2025)

    Movie Review – Caught Stealing (2025)

    Aronofsky Tries Lighter Action/Comedy but Can’t Help Himself

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

    Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Caught Stealing is about the right balance of fun and chaos that you want in a popcorn movie. Interesting considering previous movies from the director have been quite dark and serious (list any – Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan, Mother!). Despite leaning towards comedy, it is just as violent.

    Austin Butler is Hank, a mum-loving former baseball prodigy with an injury backstory, now tending bars and numbing the pain with booze. He has a steamy relationship with Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz) which is threatening to escalate to serious status. Oh yes, it’s set in 1998, so no smartphones; flip only.

    His punk neighbour Russ (Matt Smith) splits for homeland England, leaving Hank with his cat. Soon after some Russians arrive looking for Russ and bash Hank instead. He ends up in hospital, but the Russian gangsters aren’t done, continuing to harass him thinking he knows something. Anyway, Russ returns and as we expect he’s dealing with the Russians, you can guess where it’s heading.

    It’s an odd choice for Aronofsky, being closer to a Guy Ritchie film than his usual fare. It moves fast with plenty of action and goes for the violent, dark humour angle. The Russians are ruthless and the cops aren’t much better. People are getting viscously beaten and murdered at will. All up it’s a fun ride of a movie, held up by a great cast.

    Butler is likeable as the unlucky Hank. Kravitz is always great, but I wish she was in more of the film; she is as charismatic as they come. Vincent D’Onofrio and Liev Schreiber are great as the psychopathic Hebrews. In fact, all of the characters are really well played, with Regina King as the cop, not to mention bar friends and crazy Russians (Nikita Kukushkin is basically playing a bulldog). Everyone seems to be having a good time despite some dark content.

    Overall, it’s a movie I would recommend if you don’t mind mindless violence and mayhem. Anyone who likes the Tarantino through Ritchie era of gangster movies will likely love it. Some moments were shocking, others idiotic, but ultimately entertaining.