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

Sorry for the lack of reviews and mini reviews over the past week! I'm in the United States on holidays until July 16 and have a few movies to catch up with on my return,

Booksmart (out Jul 11) is a very funny comedy about two studious teenage girls who, on their final day of high school, decide to attend an alcohol-fuelled graduation party and get out of their comfort zone. I laughed a lot! Great performances and the humour is both edgy and surprising. Grade: A-.

After (out Jul 4) could be the worst movie of 2019. It's a corny, poorly acted romantic drama about a young, innocent college girl who falls in love with a guy from "the wrong side of the tracks". The film was inspired by One Direction fan fiction and that pretty much says it all. Grade: C-.

An Unexpected Love (out Jul 4) is an Argentinean romantic drama about a long-married couple who choose to separate (their reasons are strange) and see what single life is like. Nice performances but it's slow and a little repetitive. Grade: B-.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence (out Jul 4) is a documentary that looks at success and troubles of iconic Australian singer-songwriter Michael Hutchence. We've seen this sort of music doco many times before but the interviews and behind-the-scenes footage provide great insight. Grade: B+.

Annabelle Comes Home (out Jun 27) is the 7th film in the Conjuring Universe and it's one of the better ones. There's not a lot of character depth here but I still like the overall premise and use of music (or lack thereof). It's the tale of two teenagers and a young girl who come in contact with a series of supernatural beings. Grade: B.

Parasite (out Jun 27) is weird, funny and unforgettable. Winner of the Palm D'or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, it's the story of two very different families from South Korea (one dirt-poor, one extremely wealthy) whose lives become intertwined. If you’re like me, you’ll need a few days to reflect on the fate of the characters and the film’s numerous themes. Grade: A-.

Yesterday (out Jun 27) is based on a cool idea - a rift in the space-time continuum creates a world where The Beatles never existed. However, there's one musician who can remember the "old world" and so he capitalises on his knowledge and passes Beatles' songs off as his own. There are positives here (good performances, surprises) but it quickly becomes a formulaic romantic comedy. I hated the ending! Grade: C+.

Child's Play (out Jun 20) is a remake of the 1988 original and not many details have been changed. It's the story of a boy who gets a hi-tech talking doll as a birthday present. Unfortunately, it is not the nice, sweet-talking doll as promised on the box. I like the idea of the film but the actions of some characters are head-scratching. Grade: B-.

Toy Story 4 (out Jun 20) is another funny, intelligent, sentimental movie within this successful franchise that will appeal to audiences of all ages. The terrific script is filled with great dialogue, cool new characters and exquisite metaphors. If you’re looking for a reason to smile, Toy Story 4 will provide. Grade: A.

Claire Darling (out Jun 20) is a French drama that has something to say about the memories that connect people with household items. There's not much more to it however. It's centered on a wealthy, elderly woman battling dementia who holds a garage sale to dispose of all possessions. Grade: B-.