Director Renny Harlin has been a favourite of mine for years, and my love for him has endured through all his tumultuous career choices. From Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger through to The Long Kiss Goodnight, Deep Blue Sea, and cult fair like Mindhunters, The Covenant and more, he’s an eclectic filmmaker who makes his…

I’d like to start by saying I’m a lover of animated movies. They’re huge escapist entertainment and can change my mood in an instant. The first Peter Rabbit film was innocuous, funny fare that brought a smile to my face. Nothing more and nothing less, but it served its purpose. But with Peter Rabbit 2:…

The fact that Black Widow is getting her solo movie a full 11 years after the character originally appeared in Iron Man 2 is a travesty. Perhaps the best female character – and one of the best characters, full stop – in the MCU, this long-awaited movie will delight fans of both this cinematic universe…

Let me start by saying movies that use false advertising should be pulled from theatres upon discovery of their misdeeds. Let Us In uses Saw villain Tobin Bell to pull audiences in. He’s first-billed, and the best publicity stills for the movie are of him. And yet, he literally speaks for one scene. He’s got…

In the eight intervening years since the original Purge film arrived and caused global conversations, this iteration just sputters across the finish line. After two sequels, a prequel and a TV series, the novelty of the whole concept has worn out. These movies centre on an annual 12-hour reprieve where people can settle scores and…

There’s something to be said for a film that bravely, honestly portrays life for an ex-con trying to make good. The world isn’t always kind to those trying to rehabilitate, and that’s the situation former hitman Mark is in post-release. But with Silent Night, what could have been a great drama-thriller devolves into genre tropes…

Even Liam Neeson is getting tired of his own action movies. He stated in January 2021 he was finishing the bone-crunching flicks he was contracted, but not signing on for any more ass-kickery. It appears the Taken star is limping across the finish line with the hamfisted, ridiculous The Ice Road. To say Neeson –…

While I’d never say The Unholy is without its merits, this horror film just never seems to decide what kind of story it wants to tell. Part miracle examination, part a story of being redeemed for past sins, it also tries to become a gimmicky horror film and never quite sticks the landing. When a…

It doesn’t get much darker or seedier than this incredible foreign-language tale following the seedy underbelly of crime, hitmen and trafficking in Thailand. This South Korean film has some of the best writing for films of its ilk in a long time. Won-Chan Hong – also the director – creates an intense experience here. When…

Perhaps it’s the sad feeling of not getting to see Disney favourites on the big-screen, where they should be discovered, but Luca’s beauty and flawless animation just can’t be fully appreciated at home. I don’t know whether it was the environment – the lack of laughing children and a full theatre – but Luca just…