Cinema Effect

This week, we overcome immense geographical distance and endless webcam issues to bring you our much-anticipated review of Eclipse, the third instalment in the epic Twilight saga. The franchise continues to build on the very nuanced love triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob. So much so that we’re now questioning our past allegiances, constantly flip-flopping between Team Edward and Team Jacob...

Another year, another Melbourne International Film Festival (or MIFF, as I begrudgingly call it) is in the books. This time, we caught a screening of Hoard, a British indie film directed by first-time filmmaker Luna Carmoon. The story centers on a young woman grappling with the haunting memories of her troubled childhood, spent with her mother, an obsessive hoarder. Starring Saura Lightfoot-Leon a...

Alien: Romulus marks the return of the iconic franchise to the big screen for the first time in seven years. And that of course means we have a duty to see it because two years ago we reviewed every single Alien movie (AvP doesn't count). Directed by horror filmmaker Fede Alvarez, Romulus is set in a distant colony where a group of young settlers finds themselves wanting for a better life. Unf...

Justice was done in our latest Instagram poll. Because we now get to dive deep into the riveting 2013 mystery thriller Prisoners, directed by ultra friend of the show Denis Villeneuve. The movie stars Hugh Jackman as desperate father Keller Dover, who takes the law into his own hands when his daughter goes missing, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal as determined detective Loki. With its gripping performan...

Smoking is Cool! Or at least Liam thinks so. It's easy to understand his position though as this week we are reviewing Good Night and Good Luck (2005). A brief historical drama directed by George Clooney that has so much smoke on screen it could kill a koala. The film explores the waning years of McCarthyism in America via the CBS news room as they investigate and attack the dangers of this id...

We are making steady progress in reviewing all of David Fincher's films, as our review of Panic Room this week now marks the point of 75% completion. Off the back of Fight Club, a film with over a hundred locations, Fincher wanted to scale back production and make a smaller tension piece immersing the audience in a single home invasion. Production wasn't without its challenges however, as...

It's time to dive (off a cliff) into the second chapter of the ground breaking Twilight Saga with New Moon. Bella Swan's world crumbles after her vampire boyfriend, Edward, ditches her for her own safety, leaving her to befriend the perpetually shirtless Jacob and uncover his very obvious werewolf secret. Join us as we poke fun at Bella's melodramatic spiral into depression, featuring...

Sofia Coppola's Lost In Translation is a heartfelt and beautifully understated film that captures a connection formed between two lonely souls in Tokyo. Join us as we explore the nuanced performances of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, whose characters form an unlikely bond amidst the bustling yet isolating backdrop of the city. But if the dynamic of their relationship doesn't keep you...

It took trips by car, bus, and train. We were even four minutes late. But we finally made it to our 35mm screening of Yorgos Lanthimos' latest picture, Kinds of Kindness. The film features three unique stories played back to back, with all the key cast members, including Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Willem Dafoe, portraying completely different characters in each chapter. This unique approac...

You might want to skip the popcorn for this one because it’s time to stay quiet in a packed theatre for A Quiet Place: Day One. This prequel delves into the harrowing first day of the alien invasion in New York City, capturing the initial chaos and terror brought by the sound-sensitive creatures. Amid the turmoil, Lupita Nyong'o's character, Sam, embarks on a respectable quest for some dec...

It's time to start a new monthly franchise! So why not put to the test if there really is a better love story than Twilight. In this film adaptation of the global phenomenon, Kristen Stewart embarks on an intense, angsty relationship with the enigmatic vampire Robert Pattinson. We’ll explore the chemistry between the leads that has captivated and divided audiences, as well the film's impac...

All because Liam's poll streak cannot be stopped, this week we explore Eden (2014). In this French drama we follow the journey of Paul, a DJ (loosely based on the director's brother) who is deeply immersed in the vibrant world of the electronic dance music scene, and witness the highs and lows of his career and personal life. Over the almost 20 years the story spans, he will make music, pe...

Richard Linklater returns to Cinema Effect with a bit of a departure from the Before Trilogy with his new Netflix movie, Hit Man. Starring Glen Powell as a philosophy teacher who also goes undercover for the cops as a side gig, the film sees him take on a multitude of personas in order to convince as a contract killer. But problems start to arise when he breaks protocol to let a desperate woman of...

If you thought you didn't care about baseball, think again because 2011's Moneyball is a must-watch. This compelling sports drama is all about the true story of how the sport was revolutionised and forever changed in the early 2000's. In order to finally win the World Series on a limited budget, Mr Beane, portrayed by Brad Pitt, takes an unconventional approach to assembling a competit...

Rev up your engines for the second week in a row, as we journey back to completely deranged post-apocalyptic Straya for George Miller's long-awaited Fury Road prequel all about Furiosa. The film has been in development since before Fury Road was even filmed over a decade ago, and tells the saga of the titular character's backstory prior to her time with Tom Hardy's Mad Max. Anya Taylor...

For the first time on the show we'll delve into George Miller's insane post-apocalyptic world (aka Australia) with Mad Max: Fury Road. This 2015 reboot is a highly acclaimed addition to the action genre for its featured impressive stunts and unbelievably well choregraphed sequences. Upon re-watching we did differ with each other on how enjoyable the experience was overall. But don't be...

Let's return not just to the cinemaaaaa, but to a franchise we first reviewed on the show a few years back. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the latest instalment in the iconic series, and follows on from the end of Caesar's journey hundreds of years in the future. This time Wes Ball takes over the big shoes left by Matt Reeves as he tells the story of new ape characters, and explores...

Welcome to a new grand era of Cinema Effect. What we lack this week in drastic changes to the show we'll make up for in quality discussion as we tackle the incredibly eccentric and multi-layered world of Todd Haynes' I'm Not There. This is a bold and unconventional biographical film about the legendary musician Bob Dylan, where multiple a-list actors portray different facets of Dylan&#...

Yes, we have now officially recorded 200 episodes of Cinema Effect. And for such a landmark occasion, why not get together to dive deep into David Fincher's chilling 1995 classic, Seven (or Se7en if you prefer). We all know the film that launched Fincher's career to new heights is gruesome and suspense-filled. We all know about its plot twists and unforgettable climax. We'll breakdown...

This year's most anticipated sequel, Rebel Moon Part Two, has finally been uploaded to Netflix! The film continues Zack Snyder's epic sci-fi saga and picks up right where the first half left off. Kora and her ragtag warrior buddies must train a bunch of scrubs to defend their home against the Imperium. Part Veldt farming simulator, and part Seven Samurai in space, the movie's effective...

Walkabout released in 1971, and is regarded as an incredibly influential film in the history of Australian cinema. So in watching it for the first time, we had to bring on board our trusted guest star Andy Lau, who was already a big fan of the picture. The story follows two English children, a teenage girl and her younger brother, who are stranded in the Outback after their father’s traumatising d...

Our first time watching the "Before" trilogy comes to an end with a harsh reality check in Richard Linklater's final entry, Before Midnight. We catch up with Jesse and Celine another decade after Before Sunrise, now surprisingly with kids of their own. But their lovely family holiday in Greece takes a tumultuous turn as they confront the realities of long-term relationships and commi...

If you haven't seen Atonement before, you can add it to the long list of must-watch films released in the year 2007. Starring Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, and a young Saoirse Ronan, the story demonstrates the dramatic repercussions of a young girl's false accusation against her sister's lover. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this film beautifully balances being both a roman...

This week we're checking out an American indie horror/thriller by the name of Brightwood. When a troubled couple embark on a run to their local pond, they could never imagine themselves winding up trapped in an insidious time loop. But that's exactly what happens. It's fair to say we haven't reviewed many truly independent productions on the show in the past, so we're excited t...

It's a very special week because for the first (and last) time ever, Scooby Doo comes to Cinema Effect. In Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, the Mystery Inc. gang shockingly breaks up, and then reunites on a quest to find a real supernatural threat for once. This of course takes them to a remote island with dark secrets and zombies! We'll debate the animation and story, but more importantly sho...