Welcome to the Film Pie! Brisbane based film critic Matt Toomey has reviewed thousands of movies since 1996. See what's out now, or browse the review archive.

Beast (out Aug 25) has an unnecessarily contrived backstory but it's a very good action-thriller a family stuck in a South African safari park who must find their way back to civilisation while avoiding a hungry, vicious lion. Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur (Everest) extracts maximum tension by using long, continuous shots and convincing visual effects. Grade: B+.