Movies & Streaming Reviews

The latest movies & streaming reviews from Jim Schembri, professional film reviewer since 1980.

Brace yourselves for a shock: Liam Neeson’s latest action movie ‘Retribution’ is actually quite good; Holiday fun for kids and adults in ‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’

Busy signal: Liam Neeson in the action-thriller ‘Retribution’. RETRIBUTION *** (90 minutes) M How joyful it is to be sitting ...
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REVIEWS: Compelling drama in ‘Painkiller’; ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’ a passably pleasant rom com; Wonderfully weird sci-fi comedy with ‘Biosphere’; Plenty of fun in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’; Dud horror with ‘The Nun II’

He’s here to help: Matthew Broderick as drug company boss Richard Sackler in ‘Painkiller’. PAINKILLER ***1/2 (six episodes; 289 minutes) ...
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‘Equalizer 3’ hits its mark; ‘Ego’ serves up an excellent bio-doc of music giant Michael Gudinski; ‘Haunted Mansion’ is another Disney misfire

Don’t mess: Denzel Washington returns in ‘The Equalizer 3’. THE EQUALIZER 3 *** (109 minutes) MA Gosh, the mob is ...
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Never mind the baseless controversy, ‘Sound of Freedom’ is simply a good thriller with a straight message about the evils of child sex trafficking

Justice warrior: Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) fights the child sex slave trade in ‘Sound of Freedom’. SOUND OF FREEDOM *** ...
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MIFF PICK: ‘The Disappearance of Shere Hite’ offers a compelling profile of the remarkable life and career of an all-but-forgotten feminist pioneer

Life reflections: The feminist game-changer is profiled in ‘The Disappearance of Shere Hite’. MIFF PICK The Disappearance of Shere Hite ...
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MIFF PICK – Ambitious low-budget Australian race-against-time thriller ‘Mercy Road’ is a mildly interesting failure

Driver’s seat: Luke Bracy in ‘Mercy Road’. Mercy Road * (85 minutes) Well, as far as recommendations go this one ...
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‘Godland’, a harsh, haunting art movie epic; MIFF PICK ‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’, an OK eco-themed thriller that’s nowhere near as explosive as it sounds

Don’t smile: Elliott Crosset Hove as a priest in the Danish film ‘Godland’. GODLAND **** (143 minutes; subtitled) M There ...
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‘Strays’, a novelty adults-only dog movie has enough laughs but leaves a nasty aftertaste

Puppy love: Abandoned terrier Reggie gets it on in ‘Strays’. STRAYS **1/2 (93 minutes) MA The unconditional love we typically ...
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MIFF PICK – ‘How to Have Sex’: a confronting look at raunch culture as three teenage girls hit a hot holiday spot

Not-so-happy holiday: Mia McKenna-Bruce as Tara in ‘How to Have Sex’. HOW TO HAVE SEX ***1/2 (98 minutes) Unclassified 18+ ...
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MIFF PICKS – ‘The Rooster’, a meandering directorial debut; ‘The Adults’, a finely etched family dramedy

Odd couple: Hugo Weaving and Phoenix Raei in ‘The Rooster’. MIFF HIGHLIGHTS THE ROOSTER – The directorial debut from actor ...
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