Cinema Effect

Who could have possibly predicted that certified Gladiator haters like us would take a trip to the cinema and have a blast with Gladiator II. Because in our view, the long-awaited sequel surpasses its predecessor in almost every way, especially when it comes to the action set pieces. Directed by the legendary Ridley Scott, now an astonishing 87 years old, the film is a masterclass in epic storytel...

In anticipation of checking out the much anticipated sequel next week, we’re entering the colosseum to take on Gladiator, one of the most beloved and iconic movies of all time. Ridley Scott’s epic follows Maximus (Russell Crowe), a betrayed Roman general-turned-gladiator, on a quest for vengeance against the corrupt Emperor Commodus ("Wacky" Joaquin Phoenix). The film certainly boasts a grand scal...

In our effort to watch more 2024 releases, we're diving into Love Lies Bleeding, a dark romance that elicited a different response from all three of us. The film follows a bodybuilder (Katy O'Brian) and her partner (Kristen Stewart) as they get caught up in some brutal family drama which pushes their relationship to the edge. Featuring the likes of Jena Malone, Ed Harris, and Dave Franco, Love Lie...

We’re returning to the works of Steve McQueen after a long hiatus, this time diving into Widows. This heist drama follows four women who, after their criminal husbands are killed in a heist gone wrong, are forced to finish the job in order to save their lives and secure their futures. With a cast that is stupidly stacked like no other, the film stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debi...

Millions of teenage girls waited over five years for this movie. And now it is finally time for Cinema Effect to review The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2. The final chapter in the Twilight series brings Bella, Edward, and Jacob to the ultimate showdown with the Volturi, complete with shocking twists in the epic finale that had fans (and Zac) gasping. We dive into the intense vampire drama, d...

Welcome to Boston. The city of thick accents and the world of The Departed, Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning crime thriller that pits undercover cop Leonardo DiCaprio against police mole Matt Damon, with both men racing to uncover each other's identity. With an absolutely stacked cast featuring Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Marky Mark and others delivering fantastic performances, we break down the...

It's time to have our way with Joker: Folie à Deux, the controversial follow-up to Todd Phillips’ Joker, which brings a musical twist to the unsettling journey of Arthur Fleck. Wacky Phoenix returns to the role that won him an Oscar, and this time he gets to bond with Lady Gaga's iteration of Harley "Lee" Quinn. We will debate whether the film’s questionable narrative direction and musical numbers...

What’s going on inside our heads, and why is one of those voices Nostalgia in our early twenties!? This week, we dive into Inside Out 2, Pixar’s 2024 sequel that’s officially the highest-grossing animated movie of all time! Set during Riley’s teenage years, the film introduces new villainous emotions like Anxiety and Envy (immaculately voiced by Ayo Edebiri) to her already complicated inner world....

Before we get too fed up with the Twilight Saga, allow us to sink our teeth into Breaking Dawn Part 1, the penultimate chapter of the epic vampire series. The film follows Bella and Edward’s long-awaited wedding and honeymoon, which quickly take a dark turn when Bella discovers she’s pregnant with a half vampire, half human baby (cue the hilariously creepy CGI infant). We dive into the film’s most...

Let's take another look back at the peak year for movies that was 2007. This time for Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, a crime drama inspired by the true story of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas. Starring Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as detective Richie Roberts, the film follows Lucas’s rise in the heroin trade, and Roberts’ determined efforts to bring him down. The film offers a...

This week on Effect, Cinema Effect. We dive into one of cinemas longest running franchises with the first entry in Ian Flemings' historic character James Bond. 007's first feature film sees him in what is probably his most stripped back expedition, as Sean Connery's Bond investigates the disappearance of a colleague in Jamaica. Whilst the film doesn't feature the globe trotting mod...

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...