Mini Review - Regretting You
Regretting You (out Oct 23) is a contrived romantic drama centred on a group of people who have their lives upended by a tragic car accident. The subplot involving the two young actors, played by Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames, has some credibility but the rest is maddening. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (out Oct 23) is a very good Japanese animated feature, primarily for adults, involving angels and devils. I haven't watched the TV series on which it's based and while a few elements went over my head, I enjoyed the narrative, the animation, and the randomness of the characters. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (out Oct 23) is a disappointment. It provides only a “surface level” look of the acclaimed artist, and there’s a surprisingly lack of drama and tension. Lovers of "The Boss" may enjoy the music and lead performance of Jeremy Allen White but that's not enough to justify this biopic. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - Twinless
Twinless (out Oct 23) is exceptional. A brilliant dark comedy about two young men who become friends... but their connection is based on a mountain of lies. There are moments of hilarious, insightful wit and there are moments where characters extricate themselves from tricky situations. A wild, riotous journey which won the Audience Award for dramatic features at the Sundance Film Festival. Grade: A.
Mini Review - Familiar Touch
Familiar Touch (out Oct 23) is a nicely told story about a woman who, suffering from early-stage dementia, moves into an assisted living centre. I don't think we're learning anything new (we've seen this type of story told before) but thanks to the lead performance of Kathleen Chalfant, you'll still be moved. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - The Mastermind
The Mastermind (out Oct 23) is the 1970s tale of an inept thief (Josh O'Connor) who attempts to steal works of art from a local gallery. Enjoyed the opening half but it peters out with a lacklustre finale (the character arc stalls). Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Ballad of a Small Player
Ballad of a Small Player (out Oct 16) is a disappointing drama about a thieving, compulsive gambler (Colin Farrell) who looks to turn is poor luck in the casinos of Macau. Perhaps it made more sense in the Lawrence Osborne's novel, but director Edward Berger (Conclave) has struggled to create a forward-moving narrative. Grade: C.
Mini Review - The Black Phone 2
The Black Phone 2 (out Oct 16) takes the franchise in a slightly different direction from the 2022 original. A few elements detract (predictable story, stiff dialogue) but when this film is good, it's VERY good. Admired the cinematography and use of graphic horror. Grade: B.