Cinema Effect

We're not only back on The Hunger Games train, but can happily confirm on this rewatch that the sequel, Catching Fire, is a step up from the original film in almost every way. In a plot twist genuinely shocking to some, and painfully obvious to most sane people, our protagonist Katniss (alongside her completely useless husband Peeta) must once again compete to survive in the arena. It's ju...

David Fincher once again makes his triumphant return to Cinema Effect (at this point we may as well endeavour to review his entire filmography), as we discuss his acclaimed 2007 movie, Zodiac. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. as real-life characters involved with the decades long investigation into the Zodiac murders in Northern California. Each of whom have their live...

We were lucky enough to attend an early screening of Past Lives at the Melbourne International Film Festival (or MIFF if you're so inclined), and of course we had to invite Andy Lau himself back on the show to breakdown the film. The movie spans decades, focusing on two childhood friends reunited after 20 years. And this being Celine Song's directorial debut, we were very impressed with ma...

This week we kick off a new franchise with the world's introduction to the Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen, a teenager who (as you already know) in place of her sister volunteers to participate in a large-scale fight to the death masquerading as a reality TV show. It's pretty messed up. So can Katniss, and her annoyingly named boyfriend Peeta, survive?! In revisit...

Our most anticipated film of the year has arrived. No, not Barbie! But REAL cinema in the form of Christopher Nolan's latest. Oppenheimer simply being Nolan's next project may be enough for a lot of moviegoers to take a trip to the theatre ASAP. But if you're unaware, prepare to witness a fast-paced and dialogue heavy biopic spanning decades of J. Robert Oppenheimer's life over thr...

Friend of the Show Tom Cruise is back on the big screen. And this time he rode a damn motorcycle off a cliff in Norway. As you do. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One is a huge movie, with major set pieces in some of the world's most recognisable locations. We'll debate some of the narrative choices, including certain characters and the ending. But continuing the strong trend for t...

The rest of July is going to be packed with reviews for the latest big 2023 films on the show. And this week we're kicking that off with Netflix's latest animated release called Nimona. Set in a medieval/sci-fi hybrid world, young knight Ballister (played by Riz Ahmed) is framed for a crime he didn't commit. So in order to survive and save The City, he must team with his ancient enemy,...

Harrison Ford returns again to arguably his most iconic role, Indiana Jones. And does so over 40 years after his first rodeo as the character! In the newly released Dial Of Destiny, a crew of wannabe Nazis pursue a dial that can alter the course of history. So it is of course Indiana Jones (along with his new sidekicks Fleabag and Short Round Knockoff) who must stop them, while acquiring the artef...

In the world of Succession, winning is becoming the CEO of Waystar Royco. And losing means getting a $2 billion payout. High stakes! As huge fans of the show, we can't say enough nice things about the writing and performances throughout its run. And somehow the cast and crew have once again delivered ten episodes of peak cinema for the final season, filled with the usual power plays, dysfuncti...

Jim Carrey being discussed on Cinema Effect for the first time? Allll... righty then! He may be one of the most iconic comedic actors of his time but today we venture through one of his few dramatic works. Follow the introverted Joel as he seeks to erase the bittersweet memories of his girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet) from his mind. As his memories of Clementine begin to deteriorate, the audi...

The highest rated film of all time???? This week we review Spider-Man into the Multiverse of Everything Everywhere No Way Endgame. The umpteenth multiverse film recently released but quiet possibly the strongest. The follow up to the acclaimed 2018 film 'Into The Spider-Verse' again follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as the one and only Spider-Man as he tries to navigate being a teen an...

Experience the best marketed horror indie film of all time! Or at least the discussion of it. The Blair Witch Project is a famous (or infamous) found footage horror film about three student filmmakers who get lost in the forest in search for the Blair Witch of local legend. Will they find her and make the ultimate student doco? Will she find them first? Will the characters ever stop yelling at eac...

Commies, I hate Commies! Indiana Jones returns. With a child? Nuclear tensions and the red scare run hot in Spielberg's return to the iconic franchise 20 years post the end of the original trilogy. When a strange kid (Shia LaBeouf) contacts Indy desperate for help finding a mutual acquaintance, the pair get roped into a South American caper the likes of which haven't been seen since the co...

The original Indiana Jones trilogy comes to an epic conclusion (until it was revived almost 20 years later, but we'll get to that) with The Last Crusade. Indy's father Henry Jones (Sean Connery) has vanished in the most Indiana Jones way possible: in pursuit of the actual Holy Grail. Thus a rescue mission begins in Venice which spans many countries, with lots of Nazis to be fought along th...

Let us journey 200 hundred years into the future in 1997 sci-fi adventure film, The Fifth Element. When the "perfect being" (aka Milla Jovovich) arrives on Earth, only she can stop a talking evil planet from colliding with our planet!! Starring many famous faces such as Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Chris Rock, the film portrays its quite cheerful and colourful perception of the future...

Apocalypse Now is commonly regarded as one of the great films ever made. It is our feeling that such a bold claim cannot be confirmed until the almighty Cinema Effect podcast has watched it for review. Well we're happy to provide our stamp of approval, because Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 war picture is spectacular. A portrayal of the Vietnam war which is equally cruel, chaotic and absurd....

This is The Outfit, a 2022 film in which Mark Rylance plays a quiet and professional British bloke trying to run his suit business in 1950's Chicago. But he must do so while navigating a complicated situation with the mobsters who use his store as a hideout. With quite a few twists and turns, the story held our attention for its entire runtime. But the question of whether or not Rylance's...

The Indiana Jones adventure rolls on, and this month we're reviewing perhaps the most unique and tonally dark film in the franchise, The Temple of Doom. Released in 1984, on paper this may seem like an expected sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Well first of all it's actually a prequel (who knew!). And the story happens to contain some pretty frightening stuff like torture, mind control,...

This week we're checking out an earlier film from an unknown filmmaker by the name of Quentin Tarantino. Jackie Brown stars Pam Grier as the titular character, a flight attendant caught in the middle of the criminal dealings of a weapon's dealer, and the ATF investigation aimed at taking him down. But when she spies an opportunity to take all of his money for herself, it's too perfect...

Another milestone has been reached! Welcome to the 150th edition of the Cinema Effect podcast. To mark the occasion we decided to once again meet up to record in-person, actually give YouTube viewers something to look at with some "high production" video content, and of course review a beloved film of the last decade. This is the first time we've covered a film by Damien Chazelle on...

Who would want to watch a movie about the genesis of Facebook, some may ask? Well everyone should, because David Fincher's The Social Network is pretty damn good. A fast-paced and exciting retelling of events with compelling conflicts and often frantic dialogue makes a film you can't look away from for its entire two hour runtime. Let's review all the players involved in the story, and...

Set 100 years in the future, Ad Astra stars Brad Pitt as Roy McBride. An accomplished astronaut who must travel to Neptune to find his missing father (played by Tommy Lee Jones), conquer his daddy issues, and save humanity all at once. No small task. Considering the title translates to 'To The Stars', it's interesting how the film's story is in many ways critical of an obsession wi...

A new franchise adventure begins! Each month we'll be reviewing every film in the Indiana Jones saga leading up to the release of the fifth (and hopefully final) entry later this year. So naturally, we kick things off where it all began with the world's introduction to the iconic character created by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, in 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. As I'm sure...

We are excited to present our unabridged review for HBO's adaptation of The Last Of Us. The story of Joel and Ellie traversing a post apocalyptic U.S. is one that resonates with many millions of players after first experiencing Naughty Dog's original PlayStation game. It's pretty cool to see this narrative, with such strong characters and writing, reach a huge audience ten years later....

Behold what is surely the longest and most thought provoking analysis of Cocaine Bear on the World Wide Web. In an effort to replicate the stupid chaotic nature of the film, we invited a couple of lucky Cinema Effect super fans on to the show for an episode I feel the need to apologise for in advance. And if you care to stick around past the review, you may enjoy our mostly underwhelming life stor...