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

Borg McEnroe (out Nov 16) follows two of the world's greatest tennis players, Björn Borg and John McEnroe, in the lead up to their epic match in the 1980 Wimbledon final. The CGI-generated tennis scenes aren't convincing but the film still works by delving into the background and mindset of these two very different individuals. Success has many forms. Grade: B.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (out Nov 16) is a thriller about a successful surgeon (Colin Farrell) who finds his family stalked by a creepy teenager. I was a huge fan of director Yorgos Lanthimos's last effort, The Lobster, but this one didn't work for me. I admired the film's jarring visuals (the camera is often so far away) but struggled with the narrow premise. Grade: B-.

Brad's Status (out Nov 9) is a heavily narrated drama about a 47-year-old guy (Ben Stiller) who goes through a mini midlife crisis while on a college scouting trip with his son. There were some good exchanges between the two leading characters but when the focus is solely on Stiller (most of the film), it's much less interesting. Grade: C+.

Murder on the Orient Express (out Nov 9) is a good old fashioned "who done it?" A famed, semi-arrogant detective interrogates those aboard a train after a fellow passenger is murdered. The film looks great but there something disappointing about the simplistic ease in which Detective Poirot puts the pieces of the puzzle together. Grade: B-.

Jungle (out Nov 9) is based on a true story and follows a group of young explorers who get lost while trekking through jungles in South America. This film is a mixed bag. It makes great use of its claustrophobic setting and makes you wonder how you'd handle the same situation. On the other hand, there are unnecessary flashbacks and a few over-dramatised scenes (such as the finale itself). Grade: B.

Detroit (out Nov 9) takes us inside a key part of the Detroit riots in 1967 as police officers play a game of psychological warfare with the residents at a hotel while fishing for information about a suspected shooter. There's lots to think about here and audiences won't get off lightly. Grade: A-.

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (out Nov 9) is a biopic about the American psychologist who created the famed comic book in the 1940s. It goes down some unexpected paths and becomes an unorthodox romantic drama. Grade: B+.

Loving Vincent (out Nov 2) follows the son of a postman who finds himself drawn into a mystery regarding the death of Vincent van Gogh. Marketed as the first animated feature to be painted (instead of drawn), this is an interesting tale made more special by the beautiful, creative animation. Grade: A-.

Bad Moms 2 (out Nov 2) introduces grandmothers into the equation but it’s not as funny or crude as its predecessor. It’s not all bad news through. There are a handful of great scenes that provide laughs. Most of them revolve around Kathryn Hahn, her work at a beauty salon, and her interaction with a male stripper from out of town. Grade: B-.

Jigsaw (out Nov 2) wants to reinvigorate the Saw franchise (the last film was in 2010) but it's a silly, illogical effort that lacks creativity. Let's kill this series once and for all. Grade: C.

Three Summers (out Nov 2) has too many characters but it's still a likeable feel-good flick set around a fictitious folk music festival in Western Australia. The terrific cast make up for the shortcomings in the screenplay with the best of the bunch being Robert Sheehan, Magda Szubanski and Kate Box. Grade: B.