Mini Review - Ice Cream Man
Ice Cream Man (out Aug 6) gets close to a passing grade but ultimately, it falls short. The editing is haphazard, the performances of the child actors are awful, and there are not enough interesting characters or subplots to keep viewers engaged. Didn't mind the ending. It's the gory tale of an Ice Cream Man who turns the kids of Bayleen Bay into zombie-like killers. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - Young Washington
Young Washington (out Aug 6) looks at the military rise of George Washington in the 18th Century and what would lay the platform of him becoming the first President of the United States. It's moderately interesting but very much an action-fest in the later stages. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Holy Days
Holy Days (out Aug 6) is an overly simple story elevated by its cast. Jacki Weaver, Judy Davis and Miriam Margolyes star as three nuns, based in New Zealand, who go on a road trip to save their convent from villainous property developers. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (out Aug 6) is from director Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow) and is the story of a young filmmaker trying to reinvigorate a tired horror franchise. It's an interesting concept but as the weirdness grew from scene-to-scene, my interest levels waned. Grade B.
Mini Review - Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (out Jul 30) continues the successful franchise which Tom Holland remains a perfect fit for the title role. This doesn't want to be a simple, action-heavy film with Spider-Man defeating more bad guys. The opening half is a cool mystery (who's the villain, what's happening to Spidey's DNA) and the second half is an emotive drama as our vulnerable hero grapples with tricky scenarios where it's hard to discern right from wrong. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - The Blue Trail
The Blue Trail (out Jul 30) is a Brazilian film set in a semi-dystopian world and follows a 77-year-old woman who flees town and goes on a series of misadventures after the government attempts to place her in a "colony" for old folk. I liked the lead performance and the film's general weirdness, but the story was a little too slight for me. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Tenor: My Name is Pati
Tenor: My Name is Pati (out Jul 23) is a well-intentioned documentary for those who like seeing good things happen to good people. It's heavily centred on a man born in Samoa who overcomes many obstacles to become a world-renowned opera singer. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - The Wizard of the Kremlin
The Wizard of the Kremlin (out Jul 23) is a dramady which fictionalises the rise to power of Vladimir Putin in Russia and the PR spin doctor who helped get him there. I don't think it's overly insightful (a lot of repetitive material) and it's far too long. Grade: C+.