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.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (out Nov 16) is an entertaining prequel which doesn’t come across as a mere cash-grab. It has an interesting story to tell. I love the core concept - an origin story about a villain. The execution doesn't always match the ambition (ending is rushed) but from the detailed sets and costumes to the strong lead performances, this is generally good. Grade: B+.