Comedy

BOY KILLS WORLD

Directed by Moritz Mohr
Starring Bill Skarsgård, Famke Janssen, Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery, Yayan Ruhian, Isaiah Mustafa, Andrew Koji, Quinn Copeland, Sharlto Copley, and H. Jon Benjamin

Credit to Boy Kills World for bringing a number of eccentric elements to its hackneyed premise. If nothing else, this rather forgettable experience can be remembered for at least being imaginative, even if what it attempts to do is more miss than it is hit.

Perhaps Boy Kills World is best described as a simplistic rendition of The Hunger Games, with irreverent humour in place of The Hunger Games’ notably serious tone and visual flamboyance. In the world in which Boy (performed by Bill Skarsgård) once resided and intends to kill, a dictatorship family dynasty who took everything from Boy when he was just a boy still rule their world. Unbeknown to them, Boy is not only still alive all these years later but is a highly trained and skilled fighter after years of tuition provided by Shaman (Yayan Ruhian) on the outskirts of the city in the forest. Now, shortly before “the culling”, an annual tradition warmly hosted by this aforementioned friendly family where 12 of its citizens are proudly executed, Boy returns seeking vengeance against all of those who wronged him.

One of the many ways Boy Kills World seeks to be an individual from its shared characteristics is the fact that Boy is deaf-mute. I have absolutely no issue with this decision. In fact, I think it’s a great one. I also am not interested in participating in any discourse surrounding the casting of a non-deaf-mute actor in the role of a deaf-mute character. One of the aspects I most admire about an actor acting is to witness their ability to portray a character with characteristics that are different to their own, but that is an entirely separate dialogue deserving of its own piece. The issues I had, and other audience members are bound to have, are self-inflicted by Boy Kills World. Why on Earth make your titular character deaf-mute to then fill the air with incessant dialogue representing Boy’s inner-thoughts speaking aloud to the visible ghost of his dead little sister (Quinn Copeland)!? If that weren’t difficult enough on its own to adjust to, then the grating voice work derived from a childhood video game performed by H. Jon Benjamin puts the nail on the coffin Boy emerged from. Yes, that’s right, Bill Skarsgård doesn’t even voice his own character’s inner thoughts. At the very least, a less is more approach here could’ve found a better balance. It also has its flaws or very questionable developments that reduce the credibility of what it intends to pull off. I’m not spoiling anything here by saying it was way too easy for Boy to firstly enter a city controlled by a dictatorship and then also to do so completely undetected, even just as a stranger. There are some pretty wacky visual effects that fare a bit better than other decisions that are made but come off as arbitrary in nature above all else. Boy Kills World comes closest to achieving the irreverent brand of humour it’s so desperately trying to nail when it simply expresses this via its actions. Its bloody and violent actions, more specifically, such as the accidental death caused by a member of a small resistance group that Boy joins. While it does have some cool ideas and action sequences, Boy Kills World never comes together as a cohesive film and brandishes a bunch of silly twists during its finale that leave everything feeling quite ludicrous.

Oh, and you do not need to hang around for the post-credit’s scene either!

Boy Kills World is showing in cinemas across Australia from May 2nd.

Moviedoc thanks VVS Films and Nixco for the invitation to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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WICKED LITTLE LETTERS

Directed by Thea Sharrock
Starring Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Timothy Spall, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Alisha Weir, Anjana Vasan, Hugh Skinner, and Paul Chahidi

Edward and Victoria.

In a film titled Wicked Little Letters where two of its central characters possess these names, you would be forgiven for believing this to be a period film revealing the heavily classified content of letters penned by Prince Edward and/or Queen Victoria themselves!

Well, spoiler alert, if these or any Royals for that matter, are revealed as the anonymous authors behind the crude vocabulary and insulting profanities shared throughout Wicked Little Letters by its end, that will spell the end of the monarchy as we know it!

Rather, Edward and Victoria here (played by Timothy Spall and Gemma Jones) are the arch conservative parents of the repressed scripture-quoting Edith (Olivia Colman). In this stranger-than-fiction true story set during the 1920s in a post-war English seaside town, Edith is the recipient of numerous blasphemous letters whose content would be enough to make most regular citizens blush. Instead of launching her own investigation into who is writing and sending these to her, Edith and her parents, whom she lives with, decide to go straight to the police. All of them set their sights on the one convenient culprit it just has to be – the potty-mouthed and widowed Irish migrant living right next door, Rose (Jessie Buckley). In Rose’s corner, however, is Police Officer Moss (played by Anjana Vasan), the town’s lone female cop who observes some facts in need of straightening and begins her own investigation into the case.

In addition to the reasonable doubt in evidence mounted against Rose, Officer Moss is also further motivated to help her because of the equally poor treatment of women by men they are subject to. Irrespective of where that discriminatory treatment is occurring – being ostracised at the workplace, scorned at by society in general or forced to be a proper ‘lady’ and ‘Christian’ inside the home, and which female character is subject to it, this is a theme that is seamlessly integrated into the story and ultimately plays a pivotal role in proceedings. It is really well executed in that it adds all the depth and heart it needs to without ever diminishing or over-powering this film’s effortless ability to entertain and evoke great cheer. That is despite its chosen style in acting to be uniformly hammy. While I accept its constant presence may be too much for some, it was something I could embrace and felt it had its place. Especially towards the end in an absolute hoot of a scene Olivia Colman nails (I am still laughing days later when reminiscing this particular scene).

Wicked Little Letters is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from March 21st.

Moviedoc thanks Studiocanal and Annette Smith: Ned & Co for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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Leigh’s Best & Worst Movies, Moments and Performances of 2023

An annual accomplishment I enjoy sharing is the volume of motion pictures released in Australia I have seen. As of now, that number for 2023 stands at 168 films with around 30 movies still to be seen on my watch list! But that will begin to change in 2024!

Perhaps this can be considered a New Year’s resolution of sorts, but I am opting for quality over quantity in 2024 and also more carefully selecting the movies I watch according to both personal taste and reliable word of mouth rather than seeing endless spin-offs and sequels out of self-directed obligation. The motivation for this change is to enable myself to see a number of older and classic films I ashamedly have never viewed and to experience films at film festivals, which never manage to be a priority due to my current new release watch list at the time.

Nevertheless, I guarantee you spoiler-free reviews of various movies throughout 2024 and promise there will always be something for all tastes at Moviedoc HQ 🙂

Now, to what you’re all really here for. Here are the best & worst in movies from 2023. For the best, I’ve decided to include all films I awarded four stars or more to this year. Also, a gentle reminder that I do things a little differently to most other critics and collate my movies according to their official release date in Australia.

The 15th time director Ken Loach and writer Paul Laverty team up may very well be their last in the wonderfully empathetic drama, The Old Oak.

Joyland is an incredibly brave film from Pakistan about a married man who becomes infatuated with a transgender woman, who I mention further below as a stand-out performer.

A tie between two extraordinarily different Amazon release documentary features, the comprehensive and utterly informative 3-hour Getting Away With Murder(s) and the very touching and compact 82-minute The Defenders.

A gut-wrenching depiction of depression in The Son, starring Hugh Jackman, Zen McGrath, Laura Dern, and Vanessa Kirby.

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The moment Willy introduces the hair repair eclair in Wonka, I just knew this creatively concocted sweet treat for the family needed to be in my top films of 2023 list!

The touching true story of “The British Schindler” as depicted in One Life.

Since its July release in Australia, Aussie horror gem Talk to Me has gone on to become a huge box office success abroad, becoming American distributor A24’s highest-grossing horror film and second-highest grossing film overall. It is my runner-up for both best Australian film of 2023 and best horror film of 2023. It’s a beauty mate, check it out if you haven’t already!

As its title suggests, Sharper is a sharp, thoughtfully conceived, and well-structured crime drama/thriller. One of my few underrated movies of the year. Stars Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan.

An inspirational and touching true story is elevated by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s (Directors of the duo of excellent documentaries Free Solo and The Rescue) smart direction to tell Nyad’s story and by the acting performances of Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, which is truly something special to behold.

At first, Maestro can appear to solely be Bradley Cooper’s entry strategy to the Academy Awards ®, if you get my drift. But in no time at all, this superbly constructed and written true story unveils its depth, becomes immersive and is impeccably acted by both Bradley Cooper and the always magnificent Carey Mulligan. After Maestro and A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper is absolutely one of Hollywood’s leading directors right now.

Undoubtedly in many critics’ top movies list for the year and probably a favourite for many of you, Oppenheimer’s outstanding production, competent storytelling and fine acting performances will earn it several Oscar ® nominations (and wins, surely) and make it mandatory to be in my top films list.

News of the ‘Brennaisance’ has sunk, but The Whale remains afloat as one of this year’s greatest releases.

Saltburn is Emerald Fennell’s follow-up to her Oscar-winning writing and directing debut feature, Promising Young Woman, is another gutsy and tremendous film experience that takes viewers on an all-new mesmerising and unforgettable journey.

Thanks largely to its characters, characterisation and writing, American remake A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks surprisingly surpasses the very good Swedish original.

The Origin of Evil (L’origine du Mal) is one of my personal favourites of the year. A well-crafted French dramatic thriller starring a superb Laure Calamy (who is everywhere in French cinema right now!) that features a number of devilish twists I certainly didn’t see coming!

An underrated and genuine surprise of the year was Joy Ride, a raunchy comedy with real heart that brought me to tears in more ways than one.

Ari Aster is a genius who plunges his protagonist, Beau, barely living an idyllic life to begin with, into a surreal nightmare that gets more outrageous and disconcerting with every minute of its 2 hours and 59 minutes run time. Beau is Afraid is disturbingly brilliant.

These 4-star movies thoroughly deserve their places in my top movies list and are must-watch releases.

Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated ® The Fabelmans from early in the year provided wonderful escapism and captivating storytelling that still resonates today.

Like its predecessor, Missing is entirely fun and thrilling to watch. It is a cleverly and thoroughly conceived and entirely plausible screenlife thriller filled with tantalising and intriguing twists and turns that constantly kept me guessing from beginning to end.

Air shares a wonderful story with unrivalled universal appeal, boasts a terrifically engaging script, a top-notch cast, and excellent all-round performances that culminate in the ultimate feel-good biopic.

I cried absolute buckets in Spoiler Alert, which brings to life so eloquently, realistically and beautifully the ups and downs of a long-term relationship, specifically a gay one, and how a significant health threat puts everything into perspective and can absolutely change your entire world.

They just don’t make movies like A Good Person these days. But they ought to because this involving human drama is as excellent as the pairing of Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman.

It rarely occurs that I really yearn to see a movie twice, yet Babylon’s dare, flare and energy has rendered me powerless to soon succumb a second time to its grandiosity.

An Oscar-worthy writing and directing feature film debut in what’s a highly personal story from Iranian-Australian Noora Niasari. Shayda was Australia’s entry in the Best International Feature Film category for the 96th Academy Awards ® but was disappointingly not shortlisted 😦

The following movies earned 4 ½ stars from me and are clearly among the absolute best of 2023.

I am yet to meet anyone who loved this live-action remake as much as I do. Following in the footsteps of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid seamlessly and magically adapts everything I loved about the 1989 animation to live-action realness and had me both reminiscing and falling in love all over again with its beautiful story, iconic characters, and unforgettable songs. I absolutely loved it. Also, Melissa McCarthy was born to play Ursula!

Of An Age is an Aussie gem for the ages. No film has grounded me in its present with its central characters more than this romantic drama set and shot in Melbourne.

Keeping it short and sweet, yet keeping it real, Past Lives is a present masterpiece and a future romance classic that should not be missed.

It’s rare that a film can articulate its meaning with such clarity and precision in the manner Close does. The end result is beautiful, powerful, and utterly heartbreaking.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 is a near-perfect spy action film and a masterclass in the genre whose action & set-piece sequences completely blew me away. I saw this several months ago and still get goosebumps when thinking back to some of its spectacular sequences. Easily the most exciting movie I’ve watched in 2023!

The Best Motion Picture Released in 2023

In March, I wrote this in my review of Till:

“This near faultless and absolute powerhouse of a movie could very well end up being the best film of 2023”

This statement proves to be true by year’s end.

None of the 166 other movies I watched in 2023 managed to topple Till from top spot. This insightful, harrowing and impossibly involving true story is a must-see no matter what your tastes are, but if the likes of Changeling, Just Mercy and The Hate U Give are films that impacted you, then you know precisely what to expect in Till.

But wait… where is Barbie!?

The moment I firmly decided that three and a half stars was just right for Barbie, I knew it wouldn’t be making any top 20 (or so) for the year. It is undoubtedly a creatively concocted story, offers loads of fun and has genuine depth in its themes. There was just a little too much about Barbie that didn’t quite work for me and prevents it from making my best-of list.

A few other notable and potentially surprise omissions from my best-of list that also scored three and a half out of five stars include Tár, Theatre Camp, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Netflix’s The Killer. More than 60 movies I saw this year received three and a half stars, so there were many very good ones edging close to the best-of list. Reach out if one of your favourites isn’t mentioned in this post 🙂

As mentioned earlier in this post, there are around 30 movies on my watch list I am yet to see. These are the ones I believe could shake-up law and order in my current best-of list.

Napoleon
Beyond Utopia
Coup de Chance

Next are some, actually a lot, of commentary on various acting performances, filmmaking, and memorable moments in motion pictures over the year. Grab a cold drink, tea or coffee and enjoy the read 🙂

Michelle Williams is uniformly excellent in The Fabelmans, though I was deeply impressed by the lesser-known Gabriel LaBelle’s work. On that note, some of Steven Spielberg’s directing work (especially the sequence before, during and following the revelation of a big family secret) is among his very best.

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Cate Blanchett rising to the absolute peak of her powers (that we know of) in what must surely have been her most challenging role yet as Lydia Tár in the transfixing and ultra-intelligent yet ultra-pretentious and very complex feature, Tár.

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The remarkable debut performance from Aftersun’s younger star, Frankie Corio.

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It ain’t called the Brenaissance for nothing! Brendan Fraser’s towering, triumphant and Oscar-nominated performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale. Also, Hong Chau is splendid as his co-star.

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The trio of performances I rated most strongly in the epic Babylon belongs to Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, and Jean Smart. It is a painful oversight Jean Smart in particular was overlooked for a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 2023 Academy Awards ®. The Oscar nominations Babylon did receive though – Production Design, Music, and Costume Design, are seriously impressive.

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The collective performances of the big and not as big names among the ensemble acting up a storm in Women Talking.

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The quite extraordinary performance of Andrea Riseborough in the rags to riches to rags true story, To Leslie.

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The first-ever Oscar nomination for 73-year-old Bill Nighy for his well-measured, restrained and possibly career-best performance as Mr Williams in Living, the English-language adaptation of the 1952 Japanese Film, Ikiru directed by Akira Kurosawa.

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The truly special and inexplicably Oscars-shunned performance from Danielle Deadwyler in powerhouse true story, Till.

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The astounding acting performances from Thom Green and Elias Anton in an Aussie gem for the ages, Of An Age.

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The astonishingly adult-like debut performances from duo child actors Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele in Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont’s second feature film, Close.

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The outstanding performance from the outstanding Florence Pugh in A Good Person. Also, the coming together of two of the greatest actors of our generation, Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman, born generations apart themselves, doesn’t let down for even a second and is among some of the best casting in film for the year.

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It must have been a stressful job being the lead actor Ari Aster’s Beau is Afraid. It was certainly stressful watching everything Joaquin Phoenix’s character endured, yet this unbelievably gifted actor fully immersed himself into Beau and was mind-blowing as a result. Not to mention, the animation sequence featuring a live-action Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most awe-inspiring and extraordinary sequences I can recall seeing in any film, ever. Period.

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The entire sequence that takes place at the Arc de Triomphe intersection perfectly demonstrating why it’s an insurance company’s worst nightmare in John Wick: Chapter 4.

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Priya Kansara’s comically excellent breakout performance in the charming crowd-pleaser and laugh-out-loud action-comedy Polite Society.

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Emma Mackey’s strong performance as Emily Bronte in Frances O’Connor’s very impressive feature film directing debut, Emily.

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Madison Tevlin bringing much-needed spark to the admirable and sweet sport comedy-drama Champions.

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The 21 minutes long one-take action sequence during the first act of Netflix’s Extraction 2.

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Transgender actress Alina Khan’s incredibly brave and assertive performance in the equally brave Pakistani drama, Joyland.

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Michael’s apartment and bedroom surprise (more G-rated than I make it sound) in Spoiler Alert, plus the very real and very sexy surprising chemistry between The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge.

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Mia Goth’s mighty monologue in prequel horror film Pearl.

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Wi Ha-joon’s menacing and deranged performance in the impressive debut feature from promising newcomer Oh-Seung Kwon, Midnight.

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The mounting tension on the face of Sydney Sweeney in Reality, in what is a riveting re-enactment of the real-life figure.

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The Italy car chase sequence and the Austrian Alps train scene finale in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1. The latter is arguably the best set-piece sequence staged and shot in any film released this year.

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The hilariously scene-stealing performance from Kate McKinnon in hot-pink form as weird Barbie in Barbie.

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Many components that comprise the ultra-impressive Oppenheimer could be called out, but the stand-out for me is Robert Downey Jr.’s excellent performance, which I say might earn him an Oscar ® nomination.

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The perfect precision of Past Lives‘ writing. An outstanding film debut from writer and director Celine Song.

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The pairing of James Morosini and Patton Oswalt in the surprising and admirable comedy, I Love My Dad.

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The writing and directing feature film debut of Noora Niasari and the Oscar-worthy ® outstanding lead performance from Zar Amir Ebrahimi in Australian drama Sundance winner Shayda.

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Lola Campbell’s impressive first film appearance in delightful dramedy Scrapper.

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The Burial’s fabulously flamboyant Foxx performance.

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The razor-sharp, raunchy yet mature performance of Jennifer Lawrence in the razor-sharp, raunchy yet mature comedy No Hard Feelings.

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Laure Calamy’s layered and superb work in the twisty-turny and underrated French dramatic thriller, The Origin of Evil and her equally superb performance in Annie’s Fire. Actress of the year for me goes to none other than Laure Calamy.

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The brave and brilliant Barry Keoghan and the equally hideous and hilarious characterisation & dialogue of Rosamund Pike’s Elspeth in Saltburn.

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Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’s star performer, Ella Graham in the supporting role of Nancy. The young lady playing Margaret, Abby Ryder Forston is also very competent. In fact, due to this movie’s straight to home viewing release in Australia, I envisage it flying under the radar. Make no mistake, this follow-up to writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig’s excellent writing & directing debut, The Edge of Seventeen, is very, very good.

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The very impressive Netflix animation Nimona barely made a dent in the top 10 most watched films during its release. Such a disappointment and deserved so much more. I hope I’m wrong, I can’t help but feel a gay lead character in a family animation is the reason why families avoided this.

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Don’t be dismissive due to the lack of big names in the equally entertaining and humorous true story, BlackBerry.

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Annette Bening and Jodie Foster’s performances in Nyad are truly something special to behold.

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On paper, it might be a hard sell, but the unapologetically bloody and B-grade comedy-horror Renfield more than works! Deliciously wicked performances and genuinely comical writing that lends itself to this genre very well deserve for it to be seen.

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The impeccable acting of Maestro director Bradley Cooper and the always magnificent Carey Mulligan in Cooper’s equally excellent follow-up to A Star is Born.

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The “That’s Life” TV program studio sequences in the touching true story One Life.

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If you’re still reading this post, well done and thank you! It’s mammoth, even by my lengthy standards. To finish, here are the film titles along with an accompanying sentence of films I didn’t like this year.

I’ll start with the underwhelming and disappointing Maggie Moore(s). The appealing synopsis, genre and lead cast were enough to convince me to give this a shot, despite its poorer ratings. Trust those poor ratings in this instance.

EO is an Oscar-nominated ® arthouse film that was clearly well beyond my realm of appreciation. I was utterly tedious watching what was ultimately a pointless, albeit short film.

Why? Just why did they need to create a follow-up to what is and remains one of the greatest and most frightening horror films ever made? The Exorcist: Believer (review by Zak) is a completely unnecessary sequel that would have William Friedkin rolling in his grave.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 hands us a Greek platter consisting of exaggerated acting and mundane developments that result in the film being as stagnant as it is stale. Most of this comedy works as well as dancing the Zorba to a death metal tune.

After reading the IMDB premise and seeing the film poster, I had hoped and expected Runner to be a Lithuanian version of German classic Run Lola Run, albeit with an extra twist or two. In the end, Runner slows to an unmemorable crawl I wish I’d never taken a chance on.

How the heck can you possibly screw-up a movie where your leads are none other than Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal? Foe is how.

I’ll be having none more of The Nun II, thank you very much.

Mafia Mamma fell well short of my already lower expectations. Terrible dialogue, cringeworthy over-acting and absent directing plague this way off comedy from start to end and don’t make a single element of its improbable plot likeable or work.

Don’t be sucked in like I was by the mostly false claim God is a Bullet is a true story. Films that depict cults ordinarily strongly arouse my interest. This near 3-hour timewaster never did. Just awful.

If it weren’t for the casting of Channing Tatum reprising his role of Mike in Magic Mike’s Last Dance, this absolute borefest third instalment would feel like a completely separate movie.

It’s not uncommon for me to be less amused by an American comedy. What came as a surprise in Strays though was just how sad it both is and made me feel!

Compiled by Leigh for Moviedoc

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THE CRIME IS MINE (MON CRIME)

Written for the Screen and Directed by François Ozon
Starring Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Rebecca Marder, Fabrice Luchini, Édouard Sulpice, Dany Boon, André Dussollier, and Isabelle Huppert

Little did I know until after completing my post movie watching reading that The Crime is Mine forms the final part of a trilogy after 8 Femmes (2002) and Potiche (2010). Inspired by American screwball comedies from the 1930s, The Crime is Mine is a loose adaptation of the 1934 play ‘Mon Crime’ that Hollywood have already adapted twice in 1937 and 1946, with True Confession and Hollywood: Cross My Heart, respectively.

Set in Paris during 1935, the film opens with young actress, Madeleine (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) fleeing from the home of a well-to-do producer. Claiming sexual misconduct, Madeleine’s housemate and best friend, Pauline (Rebecca Marder), an unemployed lawyer, agrees to help her. But things become complicated quickly for the young women when they are informed the famous producer has been killed.

Watching The Crime is Mine had greatly contrasting effects. Visually, there is a lot to savour and it’s effortlessly enjoyable. But narratively, this comedic crime caper is incredibly divisive.

Acclaimed French writer and director François Ozon has secured an appealing ensemble cast who strut their stuff to perfection in a film that very handsomely reproduces the 1930s era it is set. Costume design, hair and make-up are all stand-out features in this movie whose very light-hearted tone is very easy to take to. Though its premise gets off to a promising start, it isn’t before long that watching The Crime is Mine felt akin to being on a first date with someone who possesses all the looks but loses any initial charm the moment they start (and won’t stop) talking! While the incessantly chatty script can be enough on its own to overwhelm due to the rapid pacing of dialogue exchanges, it is the extremely theatrical nature of these exchanges that proved to be completely off-putting for me. Surprisingly, not even the magnifique Isabelle Huppert (playing a silent film star whose character is based on famous theatre actress Sarah Bernhardt) could offer some distraction or save this film. Furthermore, these grating facets of The Crime is Mine overshadow any mystique the committed crime can bring the film.

The Crime is Mine is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from October 12th.

Moviedoc thanks Tracey Mair Publicity for providing a screener link to watch and review this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3

Written and Directed by Nia Vardalos
Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Louis Mandylor, Elena Kampouris, Elias Kacavas, Lainie Kazan, Andrea Martin, Maria Vacratsis, Melina Kotselou, Anthi Andreopoulou, and Stephanie Nur

They say laughter is the best form of medicine. I don’t disagree one bit. Especially when that laughter can be derived from something saddening, such as the passing of Toula’s father. As it turns out though in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, this comedy needs a heavy dose of the medicine prescribed by Moviedoc in this review in order to have produced more laughter and joy than it ultimately does.

This third (and hopefully final) instalment in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise does mark a couple of firsts. First, lead actress and writer Nia Vardalos takes a seat in the director’s chair. The other is the fact that My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is the first of the three movies to go back to its roots and be set and shot in Greece. What is the catalyst for this Portokalos overseas family vacation you might wonder? It is none other than a journal left by the late Gus prompting an extended family reunion in a tiny Corfu village with a population of 6. Yes, 6! No time is wasted getting to Greece, but as soon as the Portokalos’ arrive, buried family secrets and surprise developments await!

Let me start on a positive note. The initial ideas ostensibly driving this film; utilising the passing of real-life actor Michael Constantine to bring the characters of the franchise together again, setting the scene for a reunion and transporting them and us to Greece, are all great ones for multiple reasons. The forthcoming wedding, when it arrives, feels incidental in nature but is nonetheless special and gorgeously presented. I wish I could be more complimentary than that and genuinely wanted this third Greek Fat Wedding to be better than its awkward predecessor and a really good rom-com, just like the original. Unfortunately, this is where anything complimentary comes to an end and where the rest of the film works as well as dancing the Zorba to a death metal tune.

There is a distinct lack of creativity and imagination beyond the opening act that severely restricts this film in so many ways. It opts to confine itself to the same few locations and several main characters rather than utilising these facets to inject a fun sense of adventure into the comedy. This decision is especially inexplicable given the opportunity to showcase the stunning settings the filmmakers are surrounded by, yet we seldom and fleetingly see. Or how about digging a little deeper into the passing of Gus to generate genuine emotion and humour from this source as opposed to being mawkish and avoiding of his death? I concur turning My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 into a dramedy may not have been everyone’s preference if taken, but it would surely make for a more satisfying experience otherwise. Perhaps even exploring and showing us in a clever and endearing manner how being Greek in Greece differs from being Greek in America. No’p, none of these initiatives are thought of let alone seized upon.

Instead, we’re gifted a Greek platter consisting of exaggerated acting and mundane developments that result in the film being as stagnant as it is stale.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is showing in cinemas across Australia from September 7th.

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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I LOVE MY DAD

Written and Directed by James Morosini
Starring James Morosini, Patton Oswalt, Claudia Sulewski, Lil Rel Howery, Amy Landecker, and Rachel Dratch

I am so delighted and impressed by what I saw in this comedy from writer, director, and star James Morosini, I am compelled to compose a mini review of it!

Disconcertingly based on something that really happened to James Morosini, I Love My Dad chronicles Chuck’s (Patton Oswalt) attempts to rekindle a relationship with his son, Franklin (James Morosini) after being cut off… by catfishing him! The profile Chuck chooses to hide behind is that of a kind-hearted and attractive waitress he meets at a diner, Becca (Claudia Sulewski). As Franklin begins to develop serious feelings for his online companion, just how far is Chuck willing to go to maintain some form of contact with his son, regardless of how awkward it gets!?

This surprising and admirable comedy encourages its viewers to be as forgiving to Chuck as his real-life son clearly has been. It thoroughly deserves that forgiveness too. Though things didn’t go quite as far in real life as they do in this movie, Morosini has publicly stated that emotionally this story is entirely true. I think the premise I’ve shared alone warrants those sentiments from the creator, maker, and star. He’s adopted a rather unique and interesting method to telling the story by visually portraying many of the online interactions. For instance, Franklin and Becca appear in the same scenes together, simultaneously re-enacting the exchanging of messages from his perspective, with cuts showing Chuck’s perspective too. This format is sometimes a bit clunky, but it also produces many laugh-out-loud scenes that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. I guarantee there’ll be places you don’t think this film is going that it absolutely does go to! The dread I Love My Dad builds for Franklin’s inevitable forthcoming moment of realisation is palpable, especially considering his current mental health state. Nevertheless, Morosini’s film never becomes serious or dark, truly committing to maintaining his story’s humorous elements just as much as he opts to view and portray his father’s actions from an admirably empathetic lens. The pairing of James Morosini (who can look quite a lot like a younger Jake Gyllenhaal) and Patton Oswalt is one of the standouts of 2023 too.

I Love My Dad is streaming on Paramount + and is available for rent in Australia.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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STRAYS

Directed by Josh Greenbaum
Starring the voices of Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Randall Park, and Isla Fisher

Let me begin by introducing you to Hugo (pictured below). Hugo is a two and a half year old Dachshund who lives very happily with me and my husband. Like the central canine character in new comedy Strays, Hugo also has a tennis ball he’s very fond of playing fetch with (also shown in the picture below). He also loves to eat (what dog doesn’t, right?), is a serial face-licker (dogs and humans who let him!) and much to our amusement, Hugo also watches TV and barks his head off at any dog that appears on screen!

Admittedly, this genre of film specifically from the United States is among my least favourites and so my expectations are almost always low. That’s not such a bad thing when genuinely hilarious surprises such as Blockers and Ted come along. Nevertheless, as I do in all films, I arrived at my Strays screening with an open mind and high hopes that it would be passable enough to someday sit through a second viewing in Hugo’s barking mad company. After all, director Josh Greenbaum’s previous film, Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar, is one of the most memorable, laugh-out-loud, and oddest comedy gems I’ve seen of late. Well folks, the only surprise this comedy had in store is just how sad it both is and made me feel!

This unwelcome sentiment will almost certainly be shared by any dog lover and/or owner during the ominous opening sequence that serves as a damning sign of what’s to come. A young border terrier by the name of Reggie (his abusive owner has a myriad of other M rated names for him) gets dumped by his stoner daddy for the umpteenth time while believing they were playing fetch. Struggling to accept the labelling of stray, Reggie meets other stray dogs; a street savvy Boston terrier named Bug, the beautiful Australian Shepherd, Maggie, and therapy dog Great Dane, Hunter. Together, they make a pact to exact vengeance on Reggie’s owner.

I accept that not everyone is a dog person, but for those that are, there is so much to love about them. Their unconditional and unwavering love for their human companions. Their loyalty. Their ability to adapt, be trained and their obedience. Their comforting companionship, just to name a few. Then there is the unique personality each person’s dog forms and certain quirks they pick-up, just like my Hugo’s vocal TV viewing. While Strays acknowledges those aforementioned inherent attributes, its attempts to playfully toy around with dogs just simply being dogs is kept on a strictly low-brow and highly repetitive leash. An inexplicably thin narrative framework sees it rehashing what is ostensibly a shortlist of the top gags to make some unremarkable final cut. I am not exaggerating when I say at least 75% of Stray’s humour is centred on dog penis, humping, and dog piss & poop. It’s difficult to perceive the writing any way other than simply lazy and infantile. The shenanigans these strays get up to between discovering each other and arriving at Reggie’s home barely generate laughter or register any interest. I mean, heck, could they not even at least hired Morgan Freeman to voice the narrating Labrador!? With four individual breeds of dog at the centre of this film for most its duration, there was more than enough opportunity to derive uniqueness from their initial characterisation and form a more engaging story.

The absolute best I can say of this mostly terrible film is it might be mildly passable for its target audience. Oh, and an extra half star has been taken off for being a dog movie without a sausage dog!

Strays is showing in cinemas across Australia from August 17th.

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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BARBIE

Directed by Greta Gerwig
Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Greenblatt, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Issa Rae, and the Voice of Helen Mirren

“Imagination, life is your creation”.

Husband and wife writing team Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach certainly honour that lyric from Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua’s worldwide chart-topping 1997 hit Barbie Girl, creatively concocting this story in the first ever live action feature film for Barbie.

That’s about the only lyric from Barbie Girl honoured here, thankfully, for several other lines such as “I can beg on my knees” and “kiss me here, touch me there” now make me wonder if a predator such as Harvey Weinstein co-wrote the song and certainly wouldn’t earn this film its PG classification!

Two worlds will collide in Barbie. Just as there is on the shelves of our department stores and as I’m sure you’ve all seen in the ads, there is not one Barbie and one Ken, but several variations of each that all gleefully reside in the perfectly plastic planet of Barbieland. I’m pleased to acknowledge Barbieland is a place of inclusivity, even if certain inhabitants of its population might be labelled “weird Barbie” (played by a hilariously scene-stealing Kate McKinnon) and reside on the outskirts. The Barbie about to have her plastic bubble burst though is the original Stereotypical Barbie (who else but our very own Margot Robbie), along with her insecure sidekick, Ken (a wonderfully embracing Ryan Gosling). She must venture to ‘The Real World’ to find and help a particular individual in order to have certain human imperfections suddenly appearing, like cellulite, reversed. But Barbie is in for rude awakening (in more ways than one) and her quick trip is quickly extended when she experiences the disadvantages of being a woman in ‘The Real World’.

Let’s not beat around the bush. The chances of Barbie attracting a heterosexual male demographic not begrudgingly attending with their female partners are about as high as the film winning Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards ®. Those that do tag along or willingly go, do know that Barbie intends to make any big man-babies watching spit their dummies. For those of you, gentlemen, the conveniency of Oppenheimer’s simultaneous release here in Australia awaits you!

Aside from uniting and celebrating feminism in its various and victorious ways and having fun taking the mickey out of the Ken’s of the World, Barbie has some genuine depth to its themes of coping with change and gaining independence. While these may hardly be original, the messenger is surely one of great influence over its targeted audience and its delivery is reassuring.

After Ken makes some discoveries of his own in ‘The Real World’ and a new powerful character becomes aware of Barbie’s visit, the plot heads into a direction that I’m still unsure was the best it could have opted for and seemed to slow the laughter it was provoking from the audience I attended with. Perhaps it gets a little too weird in ways itself? Or too deep? Perhaps it hits a flat patch? Whatever the distraction from utmost attraction might be, Barbie’s finale rekindles its winning formula and has a ripper ending that poses an irresistible sequel offering.

Barbie is showing in cinemas across Australia from July 20th.

Moviedoc thanks Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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THE FLASH

Directed by Andy Muschietti
Starring Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Keaton, Michael Shannon, and Ben Affleck

In one of the most intriguing build-ups to a movie in recent memory, The Flash is finally here. Since being introduced in 2017’s The Justice League, Ezra Miller’s version of Barry Allen (The Flash) has survived long enough to see the entire Snyder-verse implode in on itself at the same time Miller themselves faced stupefying personal controversies. Marvel dominated DC in the superhero wars, and DC poached Disney’s arguable MVP in James Gunn – the latter being the one who both drove a steak into the heart of Zack Snyder’s cinematic universe and oversaw the completion of The Flash, which he’s called ‘probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made’.

That’s a lot of backstory, but it’s important to acknowledge how it added an unholy amount of pressure for this swan song of Snyder’s time dictating DCs narrative. Despite countless flops along the way, and numerous actors threatening to leave the franchise, somehow hype never faded for this entry, and fortunately director Andy Muschietti didn’t fumble the ball – and that might be because he destroys what came before with glee.

In The Flash, superhero-ing has become hum drum for Barry and the process is now so tedious that when Ben Affleck’s Batman calls him to help with a disaster downtown, he has time to bicker with children before dashing to a hospital where babies are falling from the sky. Naturally, the duo saves the day in record time and Barry is left to ponder life’s impossibilities, which for him is getting his dead mother back. Luckily, if you run fast enough you can apparently break the space-time continuum and traverse timelines. Unfortunately for Barry he splits off into another reality where there aren’t as many heroes, and some old villains have yet to be conquered.

After teaming up with a younger version of himself, the two set out to find that Superman is Supergirl and Batman is Michael Keaton, reprising his role from the character’s original ’89 big screen adaption. This is where The Flash is at its best and worst.

For veteran fans of DC, it’s a trove of treasure with references around every corner and some sneaky ones relying on the viewer possessing an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of trivia. Other times, primary pillars of the plot rely on the audience at least being familiar with the previous five or so movies in the franchise – mainly 2013’s Man of Steel. That is ions ago in cinema and for the reboot this film is supposed to be, it might be expecting a bit much from its audience.

To its credit, the plot is simple to understand and mixes in so many ties to old movies that it acts almost as a trailer for people who might not have watched some of the older titles. And with so much under the hood, The Flash needs to tell a lot, both in recap and explanation, for its standalone story to make sense. This is generally handled well but some moments certainly feel rushed, which can be debatably on par for a movie about speed. Particularly the beginning when ties to the most recent movies are established in the first 30 minutes or so.

But when the timelines are crossed and the past becomes a little blurry, I found that this is one of the true exceptions in superhero movies where predictability evades the experience. Since the plot takes place in an alternate universe where canonical consequences aren’t as explicit, characters in The Flash have the liberty to do unexpected things that make the film’s final act one of the most memorable in recent memory.

A problem for this leg of DC’s films has always been its CGI, and The Flash doesn’t escape this. While giant environments are created beautifully in some areas, other finer details are unflinchingly off. Those babies that were raining from the sky in the beginning of the film? Muschietti obviously didn’t hurl real babies from rooftops, and those close-ups between Barry and the infants were alarmingly distracting. The scene was funny enough in its premise, but their faces looking like graphics from a PlayStation 2 game garnered laughs from the audience that I don’t think were intended.

But for a film logged in controversy, entrenched in a dying universe, and emerging from development hell, The Flash exceeded expectations set by Man of Steel and Batman Vs Superman, and ended up landing amongst, if not atop, surprise hits like Wonder Woman and Shazam. It’s absolutely not one of the greatest to every grace the screen, but it makes its mark as one of the most memorable.

The Flash is showing in cinemas across Australia from June 15th.

Moviedoc thanks Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures for the invite to the screening of this film.

Reviewed by Zak Wheeler for Moviedoc

YOU HURT MY FEELINGS

Written and Directed by Nicole Holofcener
Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, and Owen Teague

When you’ve been working on a book for two years and it’s finally ready for publication, it’d be nice if your life partner thought the final product was good, or passable at least. But when Beth overhears her husband, Don, ragging on her work while deriding himself for not having the courage to speak truthfully after reading hundreds of drafts, only to muster up ‘it’s your best work yet’, it can really hurt a person’s feelings.

The concept of which types of lies are acceptable and how they may lead people to catastrophise is explored in this light comedy by writer and director Nicole Holofcener. While the humour is solid throughout, the conclusion does leave something to be desired. Though self-worth and confidence are tested by those putting themselves on the line for the sake of their career as they confront their lovers who struggle with honesty, there doesn’t appear to be an obvious message behind the question of – to what lengths should you go to protect loved one’s feelings?

Don is a therapist, and it’s his job to politely guide patients towards rationality and Beth is a writing teacher who needs to gently accommodate the learning curve of her fledging students. Beth’s sister is in a relationship with an actor who comes to terms with constant setbacks in their career. It’s a good setup for a comedy, and great starting point for such a nuanced question, but besides everyone having their feelings hurt eventually, nothing much really changes.

Holofcener opens a pandora’s box and seemingly didn’t know what to do with it. After anyone begins to express themselves and the unpleasant realities, there is just an air of deal with it, mixed in amongst the plethora of humour in the well-balanced cast. But is this a story of stubbornness or honesty?

Don and Beth’s son, Eliot, is at a rocky point in his relationship and just wishes his girlfriend would be honest about the way she feels towards him. You Hurt My Feelings gets a lot of mileage out of his frustrated lashings towards his parent’s bickering. The plot moves steadily when he provides some of the only blunt honesty we’re given before the status quo returns and everyone learns to love the lie again.

So, in the end, it feels as though the simplest answer is the right one: protect egos and fear honesty. Luckily enough, the cast truly excels at mining this setup for its comedic value. As Beth and everyone around her sulk in their perceived mediocrity, audiences are given laugh-a-minute punchlines. Including, of course, a Seinfeld reference or two.

You Hurt My Feelings is nothing to write home about, but Holofcener seems to know the strengths of her cast and doesn’t falter in raising some genuinely thought-provoking questions – even if she protects our feelings by leaving the answers out.

You Hurt My Feelings is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from June 15th.

Moviedoc thanks Roadshow Films for the invite to the screening of this film.

Reviewed by Zak Wheeler for Moviedoc