TheAussieCritic

Monkey Man is a strong debut film from Dev Patel which showcases his martial arts ability whilst telling a compelling story of Indian corruption. Mixing a revenge picture with commentary on trans rights or governmental oppression may seem like a hard sell but somehow, especially in 2024 when this so unlikely, Patel and his co-writers deliver the goods. Fortunately, Jordan Peele rescued Monkey Man from a streaming release and so I do recommend you go and experience it on a big screen ideally with a good crowd that can gasp, cheer and maybe even tear up a little. If you enjoy action films, seeing a foreign culture on screen and a combination of mature ideas and atavistic violence then you're in for a treat. #monkeymanmovie #devpatel #jordanpeele

Dune Part Two is blowing up with a massive weekend box office and extremely positive reviews. But is it really as good as the paid hype machine wants you to believe? In the opinion of this independent reviewer, nope! It's a good film, yes, but not one of the greatest films of all time. Chalamet and Zendaya have zero chemistry, many dialogue scenes are repetitive exposition and the big 3rd act battle is undercut by being far too short to have the kind of impact you'd be hoping for. And that's all before we get to the changes from the book which hurt the overall story. Nevertheless, Dune Part Two is a good film and like Part One should stand around the 7.5-8 out of 10 range. So I do recommend you go and check it out if you've got the spare time and money. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #duneparttwo #dunereview #timotheechalamet

Critics agree: Madame Web is a must watch for masochists. No other film this year (I do pray) will torture you with tedium quite like this disaster-piece from SJ Clarkson and far too many writers to write about. A truly abysmal film which is 108 minutes and still too long! Dakota Johnson (the hottest of the spider women - more on that in the video) plays Cassie Webb, the eponymous Madame Web, in this origin story that tries to jumpstart four superheroes at once to great failure. Johnson is solid enough but there are times when you just know she's barely getting through the process. Everyone else is generic and boring and it's astounding to me that this film didn't receive The Batgirl treatment! Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Paprika, it's the greatest showtime! Is an excellent film from the late Satoshi Kon which continues to enthrall me everytime I watch it. A very precise, ninety minute film that is jam-packed full of ideas, action and comedic set pieces and genuinely frightening horror (most especially in the third act). It's a testimony to the great talent we lost far too soon in Kon and also to the incredible genius which is available in the Japanese art scene, be it animation or live action. They're truly a step ahead of Western artists with the exception of a few key players. Please like and subscribe for more like this. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #paprika #satoshikon #anime

Argylle is the latest Matthew Vaughn film to be a solid 6/10 with very engaging action set pieces but mediocre writing holding it back from greatness. Which is totally fine by me because I didn't come here for genius, just fun - which it is. Yes, you might need to imbibe of certain substances to be in the right mindset and yes you might need to be willing to accept an atrocious 3rd act which is convoluted and moronic. But! But... you can also just vibe and have fun with the energy Vaughn and Fuchs are playing with. Up to you. Either way, everyone does a good job in the acting department though Bryce Dallas Howard was poorly cast in this role for reasons which are obvious if you've seen the movie (or just want to be spoiled with this video). Take it, leave it, probably best to wait till it's on streaming. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

The Master is my favourite Paul Thomas Anderson film. It has stuck in my mind since I first saw it in 2012 and demanded multiple viewings. I run the gamut of emotions every time I put it on and am always amazed at just how talented PTA is. Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams are all exceptional, it really does go without saying. Alongside them are some truly great performances from Jesse Plemons and Rami Malek who hold their own even with very little dialogue. The Master portrays a ghost story of men in search of their other half. Men in search of meaning and purpose in a cold and amoral universe. I think it's an extremely heartfelt and emotionally sensitive story about some truly painful, intrusive thoughts we all partake in. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #themaster #paulthomasanderson #joaquinphoenix

Every day that passes leaves me frustrated and burdened by overwhelming despair. I'll never get that day back. It's gone forever. How can I drain life's marrow when it always seems like the hours run faster than me? Napoleon (2023) is a bad film from Ridley Scott. It has very few redeeming qualities and is for the most part unworthy of your time. It's an especially difficult film to watch if you've read Stanley Kubrick's script on this incredible man. Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby are good actors who don't ever seem to get a handle on their role, largely I think due to the bad script, and this is exacerbated by Ridley Scott's diminished abilities. He is an old man and just like everything else in existence, there is a point at which your age renders you functionally inadequate compared to younger men. Can you think of such a scenario? And so, I'm left with a bitter taste in my soul as I have sat through a mediocre film which could have been great had death not stolen a master like Kubrick from us. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie Masculinity Montage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6SCiYcPvzE Tarantino Montage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnZPtwME_mc Nolan Montage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfPIUvCg3ps Kubrick's Napoleon https://alexcassun.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/napoleon.pdf #napoleon #ridleyscott #joaquinphoenix

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is a fantastic film and, in my opinion, it’s Peter Greenaway’s magnum opus. I’ve put together a short video praising this film. I call it short as I could have spoken for hours but would rather encourage you to go see the film instead of listening to me waffle on. Helen Mirren and Michael Gambon are extremely dominant here, with Alan Howard and Richard Bohringer playing the subtler but still nonetheless exquisite roles in this production. The film combines so many different artistic mediums together to produce something which can only be described as “cinema”. I discuss a few examples of this and along the way I fall down a rabbit hole involving hidden symbolism, God-tier Hollywood dating stories, the good ol' days, and a harebrained scheme for how to become a filmmaker myself. I hope you all enjoy! Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #PeterGreenaway #TheCookTheThiefHisWife&HerLover #filmreview

Eli Roth is a very underrated horror filmmaker and Thanksgiving is a testimony to his mastery. There's no doubt in its direction or the writing from Jeff Rendell on display here. They understand the genre and are able to play with the tropes or subvert your expectations, all in pursuit of a superior experience. I do think it's a shame this isn't actually a "Grindhouse" film, though. It's a well made, highly entertaining, American slasher. But the clash of tones and rough edges have been rubbed away to ensure this film can be accessible. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #thanksgivingmovie #eliroth

It’s A Wonderful Knife is a bad film directed by Tyler MacIntyre and written by Michael Kennedy. It stars Jane Widdop, Justin Long, Joel McHale and Jess McLeod, and they all deliver a solid enough performance with McLeod as my MVP. The film is obnoxious in its messaging and devoid of any real creativity which inevitably raises the question of how did these people get money to make this film? Nevertheless, there is also some fun to be had and so I’d say it’s the kind of film you watch midweek with a beer in hand. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #ItsAWonderfulKnife #Shudder #FilmReview

Dream Scenario is a fantastic new film from Kristoffer Borgli and starring Nicolas Cage in a role he dominates. It’s now in my top 10 best films of the year and so I do highly recommend you all go out and see it. Borgli skewers fame, rationality and cancel culture all while telling a heartfelt story about a married couple who find their well ordered life upturned, and must figure out how to be together moving forward. A24, and Ari Aster, have produced another gem and rightly deserve to be praised for having good taste. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #a24 #nicolascage #DreamScenario

Nia DaCosta’s third film, and likely the last comic book film she ever makes, The Marvels is Dead on Arrival. It is so lifeless that I don’t even know if you could call it a film. There seems to be multiple pictures chopped up and stitched together to create this final product. It’s not worth your time or your money to go see. Brie Larson is mediocre. Teyonah Parris is marginally better. Samuel L Jackson doesn’t try at all. Imam Vellani is the MVP and was the only bright spot in this absolute disaster of a CBM film. The Marvels was so bad that it left me feeling sad because I actually want to see good films which I can praise. But I can’t praise this. So, do yourself a favour and skip this one. Rewatch phase 1-3 Marvel instead. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie Filmmakers of Colour: https://youtu.be/f6sF9x6-8sk #themarvels #mcu #brielarson

Craig Gillespie, of I, Tonya and Cruella fame, is a reliable filmmaker who never really achieves anything noteworthy. He continues this trend with his latest film, Dumb Money. I was a little late to the party in watching it and walked away thinking this was completely disposable. Paul Dano is great as Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, a down on his luck analyst who sees great value in GameStop stock and through his eccentric personality, builds a movement online resulting in the 2021 short squeeze we all remember. There’s nothing here that demands your attention, though, so if you’re looking for something light to watch on a weekday then Dumb Money could be the right film for you. Then again, you could also rewatch a classic film which would probably be far more enjoyable. Whatever mate. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

The Marvels is out November 10th and I thought it was now an appropriate time to talk about one of my favourite comic book films, Constantine. The former looks like a soulless, generic picture without any real creativity on display. Meanwhile, Francis Lawrence put everything he had into his debut film in 2005 and it holds up to scrutiny nearly two decades later. Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Djimon Hounsou and Tilda Swinton are all great and it's wonderful to see so many character actors taking a schlocky picture like this seriously. No one is there just for a pay cheque, and everyone commits to making this a good film, which in turn elevates it beyond being just another horror-thriller flick. A sequel was recently announced, and the film won't come out until around the 20th anniversary of the original and this speaks volumes to the quality of Constantine. How many films which have come out in the last few years do you think will inspire enough love to justify a sequel in the 2040s? Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie #constantine #keanureeves #themarvels

I like ice cream, but not as much as David Fincher likes Häagen-Dazs. Perhaps that's the difference between an elite filmmaker and a youtuber... The Killer is the latest Fincher flick which is immaculate, entertaining but ultimately just a really good movie with nothing more to it. Andrew Kevin Walker has penned a winning script and Michael Fassbender is pitch perfect as the titular Killer. Everything works exactly as it ought to and I can safely say you'll enjoy yourself. But this is also a film which you could watch a decade from now. There's nothing which demands to be seen right now. So, take it, leave it, either way you'll be just fine. #thekiller #davidfincher #michaelfassbender

There's a lot on paper which appears to be decent about the Five Nights at Freddy's adaptation, and yet the finished film simply doesn't sparkle. It isn't scary, it isn't funny, it isn't entertaining. It is a tedious hour and fifty minutes of poor choices and I walked away feeling nothing. Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail do a solid job. Mary Stuart Masterson and Matthew Lillard do an above average, even kind of great job, but they can't make the script sing. Emma Tammi, the director, has failed to come up with even one interesting kill or genuinely scary moment. I'm sure the film will make a lot of money and get a sequel but I think it should have delivered more given it has a twenty million dollar budget. You could have made five low budget horror pics with that money and one of them probably would've spawned a billion dollar franchise like previous Blumhouse pics. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Bill Burr's debut film as writer and director, Old Dads, is a lot of fun and perfect for Netflix. It's his comedy routine on film and if you like his acerbic wit and big heart then you'll find it to be a real winner. Bokeem Woodbine and Bobby Cannavale round out the trio of Old Dads and deliver some big laughs alongside Burr. This is a standard comedy and so if you have some spare time and want a laugh then you can do a lot worse. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Killers of the Flower Moon is a brutal film from Martin Scorsese which seems to me to combine elements from Kundun and Casino to tell the story of the Osage Indian Murders. Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, and Lily Gladstone play three unique forces that clash together between the strong and weak, moral and amoral, and the callous and those who may yet be redeemed. These heady ideas are all set against a backdrop of constant genocide. Martin Scorsese has opted for a slower, less rigorously edited picture, that glides from moment to moment in a somewhat anti-dramatic form of storytelling. It's a tough picture to watch at times as he never shies away from some truly horrific acts of barbarism committed against the Osage people. I think it's going to be regarded as an acquired taste film of his, though, since we don't necessarily receive pleasure from the criminal behaviour nor do we get a hopeful ending. But it is honest, and you can't disparage any filmmaker for being that. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Mike Flanagan is the king of the well-adjusted and mediocre. All who work a steady job till retirement age, enjoy going out for drinks with coworkers and can really feel the pull of weekend, will find themselves thinking this guy is a legend! Anyone else who has a destiny greater than being a wage slave would disagree. The Fall of the House of Usher is a midwit's delight. It has a veneer of sophistication but no real depth upon closer scrutiny. Money has been spent lavishly to create a prestige show, but no amount of money can save you from bad writing. The acting is good, in particular from Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood, but unfortunately the words coming out of their mouths are so often terrible. Flanagan can direct a horror sequence and if you enjoy a 3rd act bloodbath then you'll find yourself pleased with each episode. The overall experience is mid at best, though, and deplorable at its worse. So, I can't say I'd recommend spending eight hours of your life watching this thing. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Hollywood is dead. Creativity has withered on the vine. Nonsense reigns supreme. The Exorcist: Believer is trash and you're nuts to waste two hours of your life watching it. Seriously, do something more productive. Learn a language, go on a date, have a refreshing nap. Ellen Burstyn returns for 15 useless minutes as a glorified cameo. David Gordon Green gives us member berries and cheap jump scares. He also made a film twenty minutes longer than the original film from the great William Friedkin. Life is cruel and we can't even escape it with a good film on the weekend. Why do I live? Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Totally Killer is a horror comedy that mines the same vein as Happy Death Day and Freaky. It's a solid experience, though it does fall short of being truly memorable due to cliches and an extended runtime. You'll guess who the killer is, but you'll also laugh. Kiernan Shipka is not a movie star. I consider her to be a discount Jessica Rothe and it shows here as you can cheer her on, but never find yourself really invested in her character, or her challenges. Totally Killer is mid but you'll have more fun with this than The Exorcist Believer. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Garth Edwards is the perfect employee. He can keep the wheels turning without dropping the ball, but he isn't destined for senior leadership. In the creative sense, he'll never produce a truly exceptional work of art, but he can deliver fun mid-range entertainment for the masses. Which he achieves with The Creator. John David Washington is a man who I think could genuinely be a movie star. He's the only one of the new generation that interests me and he delivers a very good performance as the hero of this story, Joshua Taylor. The Creator is full of cliches and wokery but it ultimately rides these waves with enough grace that you can go along for the ride and enjoy yourself. I think it's worth checking out in the theatre especially because original IP should be supported, even when they're average. Oppenheimer review: https://youtu.be/YCWHO-vnlBI No One Will Save You review: https://youtu.be/lwY00TMGWKw Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Yeah, I love Wes Anderson films. He's my favourite filmmaker (though not the best) but that doesn't mean I'm biased. It means I have great taste. Once again, Anderson delivers the goods with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar for Netflix. It's 37 minutes of joy and pure artistry as a Roald Dahl short story is distilled through the idiosyncratic vision of the Texan mad lad big daddy Wes. Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel and Richard Ayoade all do a phenomenal job playing multiple characters moving seamlessly in and out of character. It's a short investment of your time but it will deliver a massive payout. So go watch The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar or else! Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

John Carney knows his niche and is happy to ply his trade within it. He makes family dramas, rom-coms and always emphasises music as a powerful force for redemption and reconnection. Flora and Son continues this streak and is a very solid outing with good performances from Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A surprising element to Flora and Son was Carney's willingness to craft such an unlikeable character in Flora. She's truly awful at the start of the film and the redemptive journey he takes us on required real courage as most light family dramas would never have taken the risks that he does. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie

Hollywood writers deserve less. They are creatively bankrupt morons whose very existence proves that dysgenics is a real thing. Gen V is a perfect example to hold up if you ever want to illustrate why we need alternative forms of media. A soulles, idiotic, piece of "entertainment". And that's a shame. The direction, acting, editing and CGI are all good. Real money was spent here to make this into a compelling TV show, but the writing is garbage. Almost every word out of every characters mouth is atrocious. Cliches abound and hamfisted social and political commentary will make you want to claw your eyes out. If you love this show then I can say with absolute certainty that you're re-dacted. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriticalAussie