Cinema Effect

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...

Join us this week as we check out one of 2023's biggest comedies, Bottoms. What's it about? Well in essence, two unpopular and ugly teenagers go on a quest to get laid which involves deception, a school sanctioned fight club, and cartoonishly villainous football players. While some of us couldn't help but crack a smile, some other hosts (and viewers) found themselves firmly lacking a s...

Over two years since our first trip to IMAX for the first half of this epic cinematic experience, it is finally time to return to Arrakis and the big screen with Dune: Part Two. Directed by one of our absolute favourite filmmakers, Denis Villeneuve, this sequel takes us even deeper into Frank Herbert's sci-fi world. Perhaps to no one's surprise, there's much to say about the breathtaki...

This week we dive headfirst into the filmography of Jayden's favourite Paul Anderson, with his 2014 film, Pompeii. In this ancient disaster flick, we witness the epic romance between a gladiator (played by an absolutely shredded Kit Harrington) and a noblewoman amidst the impending eruption of Mount Vesuvius. With fiery action, comets falling from the sky, and some acting as questionable as th...

Gross Pointe Blank may be one of the more obscurer films we've reviewed on the channel however that doesn't hold it back from being an incredibly digestible movie. John Cusack plays a hitman returning to his home town for the first time in 10 years for a high school reunion hoping to have a weekend free of killing. His job, unfortunately follows him there. We discuss the comedic hijinks th...

We're very excited to continue our sometimes leisurely, sometimes emotional stroll through the Before trilogy with Richard Linklater's 2004 sequel, Before Sunset. Jesse and Celine's second encounter takes them through the streets of Paris and the complexities of love, time, and missed connections. The film maintains the top notch chemistry between its leads and witty banter bordering o...

Get ready to have your mind blown as we delve into 'The Creator' (2023) on our latest episode. In this mind-bending sci-fi flick, we're pondering whether our kitchen appliances might soon develop a conscience. As we journey through the mesmerizing visuals and jaw-dropping special effects of this AI-infused adventure, we'll explore the ethical dilemmas of robot overlords and contemp...

Society of the Snow is a new Spanish film based on the true story of the 1972 crash of a Uruguayan airplane in the uninhabitable Andes mountains. The event has had multiple adaptations over the years, but perhaps none quite as realistic as this. The film makes a strong effort to pay respect to the real-life victims, and features an incredibly horrifying depiction of the crash itself, which makes f...

Our first franchise of 2024 is a beloved trilogy which we all get to experience for the very first time over the next couple of months. And that begins this week with Richard Linklater's 1995 romantic drama, Before Sunrise. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy exhibit fantastic on-screen chemistry as Jesse and Celine, young travellers who meet on a train in Europe and form an instant connection. The tw...

Praise the lord! Cinema Effect has finally returned! And we're kicking off 2024 in a big way with one of 2023's most hated movies. The first half of Zack Snyder's original sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon. Now there's no denying there are a lot of elements to this story that feel very familiar (you can clearly tell it had been pitched as a Seven Samurai / Star Wars movie). And we know Zaddy...

With Liam away this week, there's no better time for Jayden and Zac to crash the show with way too much Star Wars talk. Ahsoka finished up its season run a couple of weeks back, and as fans of the character for over 15 years, we had to debrief and record a spiritual follow up to our Clone Wars episode released three years ago now. And now that it's over, was Ahsoka the Star Wars Rebels seq...

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the most prestigious evening in podcasts. The fourth annual edition of the Cinema Effect Awards! We present a true evening ceremony with the top 2023 film and TV picks most likely to influence the Academy and Hollywood heading into awards season. But that's only the beginning, as the celebration really kicks off when we look back to the best and worst of every s...

There's no better final movie to review this year than a brand new 2023 (please ignore the 2022 Adelaide Film Festival) Australian horror film which has taken the world by storm this year. Talk To Me is the first feature film directed by twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, aka Aussie YouTubers RackaRacka. Set in South Australia, a group of teenagers begin to communicate with, and be pos...

Netflix recently dropped a new animated movie called Leo. In it Adam Sandler (with a stupidly gravelly voice) plays a talking Lizard psychiatrist, and Bill Burr is his Turtle mate. It features musical songs and important life hacks for kids. And while your mileage may vary on its effectiveness, we can all agree this movie does indeed feature attempts at comedy. Never before did we think that a har...

The first Hunger Games film in eight years has arrived at your local cinema, and it has the very long title of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This standalone prequel set 64 years prior to the original saga follows the rise of our favourite evil tyrant Coriolanus (not Cornelius) Snow as he pursues power, and exhibits crucial influence over the tenth annual Hunger Games. For w...