Welcome to the Film Pie! Brisbane based film critic Matt Toomey has reviewed thousands of movies since 1996. See what's out now, or browse the review archive.

Mini Reviews

Good Fortune (out Oct 30) may not work as a profound, message-driven piece but if looking for easy laughs, you’ll have a good time. It stars Keanu Reeves (the pick of the cast) as an angel who lets a struggling homeless man (Aziz Ansari) switch places with a successful millionaire (Seth Rogen) to show life isn't always greener on the other side. Grade: B.

Journey Home, David Gulpilil (out Oct 30) is a short, nicely-told documentary which pays homage to the late Australian actor by following the detailed, complicated plans for his burial in 2022. A fitting tribute that offers insight into Indigenous culture. Grade: B+.

Bugonia (out Oct 30) is about two conspiracy theorists who kidnap a pharmaceutical company CEO on the belief she is an alien. I liked the back-and-forth between the characters, but it's a contrived screenplay. The more you think about it, the less sense if makes. Grade: B.

Shell (out Oct 30) suffers from bad timing. The premise is so similar to The Substance that it's hard to watch it without making comparisons. Grade: C+.

Deeper (out Oct 30) is a documentary about a group of divers who push boundaries in exploring an underwater cave in New Zealand. It's not changing the world, but it highlights the desire explorers have to set lofty, often-dangerous goals and stop at nothing to achieve them. Grade: B.

Shelby Oaks (out Oct 23) starts with a promising idea (ghost chasers who go missing) but limps home with a weak finale. Not bad for low-budget horror but hard to stand out in a year where there's been so many great films within the genre. Grade: B-.

Regretting You (out Oct 23) is a contrived romantic drama centred on a group of people who have their lives upended by a tragic car accident. The subplot involving the two young actors, played by Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames, has some credibility but the rest is maddening. Grade: C.

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (out Oct 23) is a very good Japanese animated feature, primarily for adults, involving angels and devils. I haven't watched the TV series on which it's based and while a few elements went over my head, I enjoyed the narrative, the animation, and the randomness of the characters. Grade: A-.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (out Oct 23) is a disappointment. It provides only a “surface level” look of the acclaimed artist, and there’s a surprisingly lack of drama and tension. Lovers of "The Boss" may enjoy the music and lead performance of Jeremy Allen White but that's not enough to justify this biopic. Grade: C+.

Twinless (out Oct 23) is exceptional. A brilliant dark comedy about two young men who become friends... but their connection is based on a mountain of lies. There are moments of hilarious, insightful wit and there are moments where characters extricate themselves from tricky situations. A wild, riotous journey which won the Audience Award for dramatic features at the Sundance Film Festival. Grade: A.

Familiar Touch (out Oct 23) is a nicely told story about a woman who, suffering from early-stage dementia, moves into an assisted living centre. I don't think we're learning anything new (we've seen this type of story told before) but thanks to the lead performance of Kathleen Chalfant, you'll still be moved. Grade: B+.