Cinema Effect

Netflix has recently released The Mitchells vs The Machines, a new Sony Pictures Animation film. The plot follows a family of four as they mend their relationship, while simultaneously saving planet Earth from killer robots. In the same vein as Into The Spider-Verse, the art style has plenty of personality. But its other story and humour elements were slightly contentious amongst us. Plus, we deci...

It's time to get your weeb on, because this week we're reviewing Shinkai directed anime film, Weathering WITH You. Embark on a wild adventure with Hodaka, a runaway Japanese teen, as he continuously evades the police, causes a catastrophic explosion in the heart of Tokyo, and befriends a girl with weather powers. With this movie I think we can all agree on two things: it's very pretty, and the dir...

Marvel Studios just completed their second Disney+ original series, all about MCU characters Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The world has been in a bit of a mess since half of everyone got "Thanosed", and old mate Steve Rogers teleported to the moon. In the aftermath, the two titular characters work to stop a terrorist group called The Flag Smashers alongside some unexpected allies, and simultaneo...

We have officially moved past the original Bourne trilogy in our franchise reviews, which means it's time to talk about The Bourne Legacy. This spin-off stars Jeremy Renner as another government agent being hunted because of Jason's actions in The Bourne Ultimatum threatening to expose the Treadstone program. If you think that sounds cool, just wait until you watch the movie. Edward Norton is also...

Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann brings us his 2008 movie, creatively titled Australia. Nicole Kidman plays a British aristocrat who travels to Darwin and falls in love with Hugh Jackman. They find themselves having to transport 1500 cattle across the Northern Territory to save their land, all while a young boy who hangs around with them evades capture and discovers his identity. But don't forget...

Argo won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2013. Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, the film is based on a real CIA operation aimed at rescuing six US citizens from Iran in 1980, under the guise of a movie production crew. It's a fun thriller with memorable moments and performances from the likes of John Goodman, Alan Arkin, and Bryan Cranston. It does however take some liberties in its his...

The latest blockbuster to release worldwide is Godzilla vs. Kong, which we were fortunate enough to experience in a theatre! The fourth movie in the MonsterVerse sees these two titans of cinema history go head to head in a city destroying fight because... the title of the movie says so. There's plenty of action, characters, and cheesiness to break down in this one. Plus, we (sort of) definitively...

This week, Paul Greengrass once again directs the conclusion to the original Bourne trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum. Still suffering from the traumas of his past life as an elite assassin, Jason embarks on a globe-trotting mission to uncover the truth behind his origins and who he was before Treadstone. There's a lot of great stuff to breakdown in this fast-paced thriller, so strap in! Plus, we give...

Black Swan is a critically acclaimed and audience beloved drama/thriller, centring on the Swan Lake ballet. Natalie Portman delivers an Academy Award winning lead performance as an immature dancer who must embrace her dark side to fulfil her potential on-stage. Director Darren Aronofsky doesn't disappoint at bringing his abstract and psychological storytelling to this film. Plus, we break down the...

For a third time we dive into the world of Paul Thomas Anderson, with his 2002 romantic comedy/drama, Punch-Drunk Love. Adam Sandler plays Barry, an anxious and lonely business owner who meets and falls in love with Lena (Emily Watson). But he must simultaneously deal with being harassed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and his sex call scam. Let's break down the unique visuals, great direction, and liv...

As we continue following the journey of Jason Bourne, The Bourne Supremacy shows us how personal tragedy can cause an elite secret operative to come out of hiding. While it sucks for old mate Jason, it's great for us because the story that follows is packed with just pure awesomeness. Unique direction, killer pacing, super fun action set pieces, and an even stronger performance from Friend Of The...

We welcome Steve McQueen back to the show (not literally unfortunately), as we review his 2013 Best Picture winning film, 12 Years A Slave. In the 19th century US, wealthy black man Solomon Northup is abducted and sold into slavery. The movie is based on his remarkable true story, as it depicts the stories and struggles of those "living" as slaves pre-civil war. Plus, it packs some terrific perfor...

Brand new 2021 Netflix release Malcolm & Marie comes to us from the mind of Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. The film was entirely conceived during COVID, and can easily be described as Zendaya and John David Washington engaged in an at times heated argument for over 90 minutes. Does that sound interesting to you? Hopefully our differing perspectives will help you determine if you would enjoy it at...

Our newest friend of the show is none other than Mr. Steven Spielberg, thanks to us this week reviewing a second film of his, being 2005's remake of the classic War Of The Worlds. Shockingly this particular motion picture is about an army of Martians who pilot giant killer robots, and the terror they inflict on the human race for a couple of days. We witness this through the lens of dickhead fathe...

It's the end of the month, which means it's time for us to find a new franchise to review. We settled on Matt Damon's collection of spy thrillers (except for that one with Jeremy Renner), the Bourne films. The first instalment is The Bourne Identity, which has super secret assassin Jason Bourne completely forget who he is due to an untimely case of amnesia. Jason must embark on a quest to discover...

This week we're taking a look at Infernal Affairs, a 2002 Hong Kong crime film which inspired Scorsese's The Departed. What happens when a police officer goes undercover working for the mob, but that same mob has an inside man working for the police? Someone's going to get found out. Filled with surprising moments and engaging action set pieces, we really enjoyed this film!

The first Steven Spielberg movie we're reviewing on the show is Munich. After the Black September attack at the 1972 Olympics killed many Israeli athletes, Avner (Eric Bana) and his team embark on a secret government assignment to eliminate those responsible. There's a lot to like about this historical drama. Plus, Deadpool is coming to the MCU! And we chat about our most anticipated films of 2021...

Welcome to a whole new year of Cinema Effect! Getting 2021 off to a pretty poor start for the podcast, Zac accidentally watched the wrong movie called "Undertow". Thus, today we are reviewing two movies with the same title. The 2004 film is a family drama set in the Southern US. And the 2018 film depicts a woman's experiences after losing her baby in Geelong, Australia. We hope you enjoy.

2020 draws to a close (hurray!), meaning we have completed our first year of our beloved Cinema Effect podcast. Somehow we haven't missed a single week since the show began, so there is plenty of movies and shows to reflect on. That's why today we are holding the first annual (?) Official Cinema Effect Awards. Listen to us breakdown our top five movies released this year culminating in a definitiv...

David Fincher is one of our favourite working directors, so his latest film, Mank, is a must-watch for us. The Netflix release gives us a glimpse at the life of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, during his time navigating Hollywood studios in the 1930's and completing the screenplay for Citizen Kane. We'll chat about Gary Oldman's performance, the film's technical attempts to remain authentic to...

Knowing is a 2009 sci-fi drama starring Nicolas Cage. The movie deals with science and religious themes, as a mysterious numbers found in a time capsule accurately predict tragedies on Earth. A ton of the movie was shot near where we live, so let's talk about that... as well as give our review of the film itself. In this week's episode, we also chat about all 2021 WB movies releasing on HBO Max, a...

The incredibly divisive finale to the legendary Godfather Trilogy is shockingly titled The Godfather: Part III. The film picks up with Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) much later in life, and showcases his final years and attempts to finally make his family empire legitimate. Despite Francis Ford Coppola's reluctance to make the film coupled with larger production issues, the conclusion to Michael's s...

Netflix's recent release, The Trial Of The Chicago 7, is an Aaron Sorkin written & directed film in which a group of individuals are charged with various crimes related to inciting a protest in opposition to the Vietnam war. Based on real events in 1968 Chicago, the movie showcases some appalling moments and behaviours from people of importance in the US justice system (that damn judge!), with som...

Gretta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of the oft-remade Little Women is a fabulous slice of domestic life in post civil war USA. This coming of age story of four sisters is packed with acting talent, and so much personality in its dialogue and direction. It's easy to see why the story has endured in the hearts of many for over a century. We'll chat about its many strengths and Emma Watson's American acc...

Nocturne is a brand new Blumhouse pseudo-horror film, in which a rivalry between twin sister piano proteges turns somewhat satanic. The movie's horror elements are questionably implemented and the ending left us bewildered, but there are a lot of things to appreciate as well. Let's jump right into it... just not off a balcony.