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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 01 December 2025

The Nuremberg trials, which took place just after World War II, are a fascinating piece of 20^th Century history.  There was a no existing legal standing for surviving war criminals to be put on trial and so four major countries created the International Military Tribunal to ensure those responsible for the Holocaust would face judgement.  Further, it would allow evidence to be made public which highlighted how much was known of the war’s atrocities, including concentration camps, by those atop the Nazi regime.

It’s a worthy subject but sadly, this new film from writer-director James Vanderbilt does little to shed light on events.  He’s drawn from a 2013 novel authored by Jack El-Hai which delves into the trials from the perspective of Douglas Kelley (Malek), a psychiatrist in the U.S. Army who was tasked with assessing the mental state of the incarcerated Nazis to ensure they were fit to stand trial.  The bulk of the interactions we see in the movie are between Kelley and an overweight Hermann Göring (Crowe), the man considered to be second in charge behind Adolf Hitler.

Nuremberg is an unnecessarily long 148 minutes.  As the closing credits started to roll, I’m not sure I’d gleaned much from the two leading characters.  Göring was a heinous person but hey, I knew that anyway.  As for Kelley, the film delves into his professional analysis and asks – were the Nazi leaders pathologically different from the rest of us, or were they just “regular folk” following orders in pursuit of wealth and power?  It’s a meritorious question but the screenplay is scant when it comes to answers.  Does Kelley delivering mail to Göring’s family tell us anything?

Vanderbilt’s approach never gels.  The dialogue is stiff and silly.  Russell Crowe (Gladiator) uses a cliched-German accent, and his over-the-top bravado (“I’m going to escape the hangman’s noose”) makes Göring look like a cheesy action movie villain as opposed to a real-life monster.  Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) is similarly unimpressive.  There are times when his Kelley is a mystic (“you’re walking into a trap”) and other moments when he’s massively out of his depth.  Odd subplots, such as an interlude involving the Pope, serve as a further distraction.

The only salvageable material are the scenes involving Robert H. Jackson (Shannon), a savvy American lawyer who helped create and lead the trials.  He’s not oozing with personality but he’s still the film’s most interesting, nuanced character.  He speaks highly of the “rule of law”, and yet his tactics (getting Kelley to betray his oaths) and ambition (he wants a U.S. Supreme Court seat) show a more calculating nature.  I wish the film had been told from his perspective.

When it comes to the Nuremberg trials, I’d suggest you tweak your curiosity by Googling or reading books.  You’ll garner more knowledge that what this movie has to offer.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 November 2025

It’s been a sluggish few months for cinema owners.  The last film to open with more than $100 million at the U.S. box-office was The Fantastic Four: First Steps back in July 2025.  That depressing streak will end with the arrival of Wicked: For Good.  The original, released on the same weekend a year ago, become the highest grossing Broadway-to-film adaptation in history and earned 10 Academy Award nominations including best picture.  The hype is even bigger this time around!

The original is worth a rewatch because the sequel, directed again by Jon M. Chu (In the Heights), gets straight into the drama.  There’s no “previously on Wicked…” introduction to set the scene.  The crux of the narrative is centred on Elphaba (Erivo), who has been ostracised by the Wizard and his cronies from the Emerald City, and Galinda (Grande), the “good” witch who hates conflict and is doing all in her power to defuse the growing tension.

Wicked: For Good is another winner thanks to the impeccable casting of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the two lead roles.  They were nominated at the Oscars a year ago and there’s a strong chance they’ll be nominated again this year.  Judging from those at the Brisbane premiere who were pulling out tissues and crying openly during the final act, Erivo and Grande have created two likeable, heartfelt heroes.  Audiences are passionately invested in their fate.  The darker tone to this instalment also requires the two actors to widen their range – less laughs, more emotion.

My thumbs are up but the screenplay is messy.  There are too many subplots to wrap up in a clear, satisfying manner.  Outside of Elphaba and Galinda, every other character feels less relevant this time around.  The fate of Elphaba’s sister (Bode) and her Munchkin servant (Slater) is covered in two rushed scenes.  The themes surrounding the banished animals gets next-to-no airtime.  As the keynote villains, Madame Morrible (Yeoh) and the Wizard (Goldblum) aren’t threatening.  Oh, and the introduction of Dororthy, who we never get a clear look at, is a weird distraction.

I’m not here to diss too strongly though.  It isn’t perfect but Wicked has become a cultural phenomenon since its Broadway debut in 2003.  The music, the costumes, the production design… it adds up a wonderful big-screen experience.  The “enchanting” essence of the theatrical show has been captured across two movies which will be enjoyed by fans, both young and old, for decades to come.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 26 November 2025

It’s taken longer than I expected for Walt Disney Animation Studios to green-light and produce this much anticipated sequel.  The original was released in 2016, grossed over $1 billion USD at the international box-office, and won the Academy Award for best animated feature (edging out Moana).  I was a fan too and described it as “cute, entertaining and important.”  If new to the material, it was set in a talking animal-filled world and followed a small rabbit trying to break down barriers by becoming a police officer and solving tricky cases.

Zootopia 2 reunites us with the rabbit, Judy Hopps (Goodwin), and her red fox partner, Nick Wilde (Bateman), who now work in the Zootopia Police Department.  We need an excuse to get them in trouble again and so the opening action sequence does just that.  They’re too overeager in taking down bad guys and after a raid almost results in the death of civilian bystanders, the boss (Elba) hauls them in.  They’re instructed to undergo therapy and stay away from field cases.

Judy and Nick are understandably peeved and so to prove themselves, the covertly start an off-the-record investigation after finding a piece of snakeskin.  That may not sound like much of a mystery but since reptiles haven’t been seen in Zootopia for close to a century, it’s tweaked their curiosity.  Their inquiries lead them to Gary De’Snake (Quan), a friendly viper wanting to expose a township secret that will upend societal order.

It takes a few scenes to warm up but, once it does, Zootopia 2 becomes an animated feature which is both fun and meaningful.  Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) is a scene-stealer as the one-fanged Gary.  He’s got a great voice and has created a memorable character.  Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love) and Jason Bateman (Ozark) reprise their leading roles and continue their great comedic chemistry.

Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard weave it all together in a manner that generates energy and heart.  The fast-paced reptile mystery is genuinely interesting and, whether you’re a child or an adult, you’ll be keen to see how it pans out.  Like the first movie, the screenplay has well-intentioned messages in respect of inclusivity and diversity.  There’s a sufficient dose of emotion too as our heroes find themselves in life-threatening situations in trying to help others.

As the big release over the Thanksgiving long weekend in the United States, Zootopia 2 will ensure this franchise is not a “one hit wonder”.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 17 November 2025

Given the abundance of sequels, reboots and remakes, someone recently asked me if we’ve run out of interesting stories to tell on screen.  My answer was a simple no.  There are millions of worthy events that happen every day in the world, both good and bad.  The hard part is finding filmmakers, investors and publicists who have the passion… and the money.  To quote the late film critic Roger Ebert, getting any movie made is a “small miracle”.

Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is a documentary from Sepideh Farsi, an Iranian-born woman who now resides in France.  To describe her as “courageous” would be an understatement.  In 2009, she was unable to get permission from the Iranian government to shoot a doco about life in Tehran and so she covertly made one using an old Nokia camera phone.  In 2023, she won the Asia Pacific Screen Award for best animated feature in telling the story of a boy and his grandfather caught up in the Iran-Iraq War.

This new movie has become her most talked-about project.  She was looking to shoot a documentary about the Israel-Palestine war in Gaza but, prohibited from travelling there, she instead developed a friendship with 25-year-old Palestinean photographer, Fatima Hassouna.  The film is largely a series of Facetime chats between the pair as Hassouna talks about her existence.  They’re spread across several months and they include uplifting conversations about her background and family, and depressing conversations about a lack of food, internet and shelter. 

There’s added context which, I believe, is important for audiences to know going in.  On 15 April 2025, Farsi learned that her completed movie had been selected for the Association of the Distribution of Independent Cinema section at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.  She spoke to Hassouna that same day and, having never met in person, they discussed the idea of attending the festival together to help promote to the world.  Hours later, Hassouna was killed when an Israeli missile struck her home in Northern Gaza.  It led to hundreds of actors, directors and producers signing an open letter stating, “we cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza.”

Despite the important context, I realise not everyone is going to interested in a two-hour documentary consisting largely of iPhone calls that keep cutting out due to a poor internet connection.  I’ve listened to podcasts featuring folks caught up in the war which are equally effective in telling the tales of ordinary people caught up in an unspeakable tragedy.  Still, it’s a powerful film where the emotion builds with each scene.  The more we get to know Hassouna, the sadder it feels knowing her fate.

Receiving a limited release in Australian cinemas, the suitably titled Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is a reminder that we all have a story worth telling.  

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 24 November 2025

A movie which made my top 10 list in 2000 was the Talented Mr. Ripley.  It was a brilliant, uncomfortable thriller about a young man played by Matt Damon who, through a series of lies, weaves his way into the life of someone he wants to be.  I use it as a rare example where a film adaptation is even better than the source material (Patricia Highsmith’s novel in this case).  I’ve been thinking about it lately since it’s now become a stage play which has been performed in Sydney and Melbourne over the last three months.

Lurker won’t achieve the same level of acclaim, but it taps into similar themes and fulfills its goals in being an effective thriller.  It’s centred on Matthew Morning (Pellerin), a 20-something-year-old guy who works at a boutique clothing store in Los Angeles.  He’s a massive fan of the celebrity pop star Oliver (Madekwe) who visits the store one day with his small entourage.  Matthew strikes up a carefully orchestrated conversation with Oliver and is invited backstage to an upcoming concert.  It’s not long before he’s part of Oliver’s inner circle – employed as a “documentarian” to capture what happens behind the scenes and transform it into something for adoring fans.

As you’d appreciate with my references to Ripley, Lurker becomes darker with each sequence.  Matthew isn’t the simple, naïve, socially awkward they first encounter.  His employment and growing friendship with Oliver raise eyebrows within the crew.  Is this because they’re jealously protecting their own place in Oliver’s orbit… or are their suspicions of Matthew valid?  The arrival of another newcomer (Suljic) adds a further dimension to the increasingly fraught power games.

Lurker markers the feature film directing debut of Alex Russell, who has made a name for himself in recent years as a producer of two successful television shows, The Bear and Beef (the later winning him an Emmy).  The movie has been praised since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and you can add my name to the list of endorsers.  If this film is any indication, Russell is a sharp filmmaker with a knack for establishing tone and finding a great cast.

Canadian Théodore Pellerin (Never Rarely Sometimes Always) is terrific as Matthew.  Russell’s script allows him to create a character who can be respected for his cunningness but also loathed for his creepiness.  England-born Archie Madekwe (Saltburn) also impresses as Oliver.  He’s got one of the best voices in Hollywood (I say that in every review) and he deftly illustrates the control one has in being a celebrity.  He has the sovereignty to make people feel incredibly special one day, and then entirely dispensable the next.

The climax doesn’t quite hit the mark (it’s a touch contrived) but Lurker is still an engaging thriller about authority, friendship and fandom.