Ava (2020) - Movie Review

I’ve been trying to make at least a modicum of effort to avoid actively handing over my money to individuals whose continued presence in the industry is problematic. Mel Gibson starred in three movies that made it to cinemas this year, and I only saw one of them because I was sent out on official detail for FilmInk. I avoided the other two because, even though I’ve been receptive in the past… I just don’t want to see my dosh used to fund whatever stupid shit he’s got lined up next. And under those circumstances, I shouldn’t even admit to having seen this feature, given its writing accredited to one Matthew Newton, a disgraced member of TV royalty over here with a history of domestic violence. And if he was attached to this in any other respect, like as an on-set producer or as director (which he was originally, but Tate Taylor was brought in to replace him early on) or any other position that would’ve put the women on-set in the firing line, I likely wouldn’t have bothered.

But I don’t see enough reason to disregard the hard work everyone else put into this off the back of his shitty history. Far as I know (and more than ever, I welcome being wrong about this), he won’t see as much return on this as he would otherwise, and considering it recently made its way to Ava, the filmmakers are likely trying to recoup their losses as best they can in light of what are likely justified boycotts based on Newton’s involvement. I’m bringing all this up now because it seems impossible to get into this without addressing the controversy in some fashion. But also to highlight how Newton’s contribution to this production (the script), in spite of how much he dominates the conversation around it, is easily the least interesting part of said production. And it’s not as if this film is particularly captivating to begin with.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile (2019) - Movie Review

In light of certain… takes that have cropped up in regards to Todd Phillip’s Joker, a film we’ll be getting to once it makes it to Aussie cinemas, I want to reiterate something: Films should be allowed to have lead characters that aren’t good people. Narratives about seedier characters, whether they’re born primarily from a writer’s imagination or varyingly based on real-life deplorables, can make for great works of art, let alone film.

Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) - Movie Review

After two very solid and quite grounded character pieces, the latest from writer/director Dan Gilroy is a beast of a different palette. Oh, it shows him still in his highly cynical wheelhouse, once again taking inspiration from the Los Angeles cultural landscape to show another story of people who are mainly in it for themselves, but his methodology this time around shows him in new territory.

Bird Box (2018) - Movie Review

  

It’s a little too easy to just cut to the chase and see this as an attempt to cash in on A Quiet Place. Atmospheric horror tied directly to one of the human senses, with heavy emphasis on parenthood through the characters; the ties exist, is all I’m saying. But more so than that, this concept feels like someone looked at The Happening and went “Okay, there has to be a way to do this story without it being completely stupid.” A mysterious force is making the human population commit suicide, and the few that remain have to try and survive without getting exposed to that force. It’s an idea that honestly is worth trying to make palatable, and the attempt made here ain’t half bad.

Deepwater Horizon (2016) - Movie Review

I have no real opinion when it comes to the use of fossil fuels. I understand that its current use is having certain hazardous effects on the environment, but I also understand that alternative energy isn’t yet at the point of replacing its ubiquity. I see it as a necessary evil for the time being more than anything else, something aided by the fact that we as a species have a history of decisions that have adversely affected the world around us, and the living things that live on it; trust me, burning oil and coal is a serious step-up compared to the other things we’ve historically burnt. Yeah, I’m just as surprised as you are that my usual soap-boxing stances on social issues didn’t quite translate on this one. So, as we get into today’s film, understand that I’m going in without any real bias at all; a rarity in these parts, I know.

Top 20 JonTron Videos

Outside of the Angry Video Game Nerd, I’d have to say that JonTron and his Normal Boots cohorts are among the most influential Youtube game reviewers. I’d mark JonTron up as being a tad more destructive though, since so many creators have just taken to copying his jiggly video editing style and loud, incoherent ramblings. Seriously, the guy sounds like Christopher Walken on all the whiskey. And yet, both with his main series and his older work on Game Grumps, he seems to have mastered the art of saying and doing things that probably shouldn’t be funny, and yet for some reason are hilarious. He is one of the few that can nail “Random = comedy”. As such, here I am with my list of the Top 20 JonTron videos.

Penguins Of Madagascar (2014) - Movie Review

When it comes to animated movies, there are a lot of companies jockeying for top position nowadays: Disney/Pixar, Dreamworks Animation, Blue Sky, Aardman and most recently Laika has become a major contender. However, for the longest time, the closest competition has always been between Disney and Dreamworks. I’ve seen these two titans butt heads numerous times and the outcome has been surprisingly even: While Disney has produced quite a few gems like Frankenweenie, Wreck-It Ralph and the still-popular Frozen, the cinematic open wound that is the Cars franchise drastically weakens their track record. On the other hand, Dreamworks has mostly stuck to just decent movies like Rise Of The Guardians and this year’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman, while being capable of the outright impressive at times like How To Train Your Dragon. How does today’s film add to the equation?