In Review
Welcome to In Review! Check out the latest reviews across film, TV, theatre and so much more…
Film Review - Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh continues his prolific ‘post-retirement’ run with Black Bag, a tightly-wound spy thriller that is as cleverly composed as it is devilishly paranoid.
Film Review - My Melbourne
My Melbourne is the people we all know: our friends, our family, our neighbours, our coworkers, our bosses, our classmates, the people on our tram rides in the morning, and the people we talk to on a night out.
Film Review - The Elephant Man
From a young age, the film stuck in my mind as undyingly sympathetic, and upon my revisiting it recently, I love it more than ever as not only the purest demonstration of Lynch’s ability to thrive within the studio system, but also the directorial attention to his own idiosyncratic way of loving the people of the world around him.
Film Review - Hard Truths
Hard Truths is a masterclass in great writing and acting, and despite a shaky ending, still packs a huge punch.
Film Review - The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Rasoulof brings the audience directly into Tehran - this film will most likely be the closest thing we’ll ever have to see into the lives of those who have been oppressed in Iran.
Film Review - I’m Still Here
While I’m Still Here is quite simple in terms of filmmaking, it is elevated by its incredible performances, storytelling and authentic portrayal of the time period.
Film Review - Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is a tale bound to resonate with every woman’s experiences.
Film Review - The Last Showgirl
The Last Showgirl is a reflection on how the end is just the beginning, and the whimsy of girlhood can persevere into womanhood.
Europa Europa Film Fest 2025 - Bagger Drama
Having already won the New Directors Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Baumgartner has proved himself a deeply talented auteur to watch, reminding audiences of the fierce talent that Switzerland has to behold.
Europa Europa Film Fest 2025 - Shoot the Piano Player
Visually, this film feels like a masterclass of instinctive storytelling.
Europa Europa Film Fest 2025 - Places in the Sun
What is art without family? Although providing no concrete answer, Arens does tell us that life is worth creating, and creativity comes from those around us.
Film Review - Bird
Bird is a visceral coming-of-age tale that soars thanks to its naturalistic approach to both performances and on-screen craft.
Europa Europa Film Fest 2025 Review - They Will Be Dust
if you’re into making a mockery of death, ethereal dancing, classical art allegories, and ‘tacky’ playlists then They Will be Dust is the film for you.
Europa Europa Film Fest 2025 Review - Julie Keeps Quiet
What stands out the most is the ironically loud message of Julie Keeps Quiet.
Film Review - Presence
Stephen Soderbergh […], makes a return to experimental filmmaking with Presence: a modernised ghost story serving as a deliberate subversion of the genre itself.
Film Review - Queer
Though Queer has all the ingredients of a great drama, its delivery misses the mark.
Film Review - Grand Tour
If you enjoy thoughtful films and would like to explore a movie that doesn’t follow the “rules”, or give everything to you on a silver platter, this may be the perfect film for you as you escape the hot summer weather with a drink and an ice cream in an air-conditioned theatre.
Film Review - Babygirl
Reijn suggests that pleasure has an interstitial quality, making it neither good nor evil, only a key part of life.
Film Review - The Brutalist
Nothing in the film really ‘fails’, per se, and if there were a universal, objective checklist of things that make a Good Movie–there isn’t, by the way–The Brutalist meets them all.
Film Review - We Live in Time
We Live In Time is a contemplative and slow-burning exploration of love, time, grief, and the human condition.