Movies & Streaming Reviews

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

Playful arthouse epic ‘Beau is Afraid’ offers a challenge; ‘The Giants’ a fine bio-doc on Bob Brown; ‘Evil Dead Rise’ a resounding horror dud

Man on the edge: Joaquin Phoenix is all messed up in ‘Beau is Afraid’. BEAU IS AFRAID *** (179 minutes) ...
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‘EO’, a splendid Polish gem about the inner life of a donkey; ‘Mavka’, a fine fantasy animation from Ukraine; Painfully unfunny ‘comedy’ in ‘Mafia Mamma’; ’65’ delivers high-grade action in a sci-fi survival adventure

Donkey in danger: The titular star of ‘EO’. EO **** (89 minutes) M Brimming with style, subtlety and emotional gut ...
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Russell Crowe gives The Devil what for in the fun and games of ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’, easily the most Catholic movie you’ll see this year

Satan, be gone: Russell Crowe casts out evil in ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’. THE POPE’S EXORCIST *** (104 minutes) MA The ...
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Sleekly designed ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ delivers a computer-game based fantasy lark for the family, courtesy of the corporation; More a business story than a sports movie, ‘Air’ is a fun, fact-based period fable, with Matt Damon in one of his finest roles

Ready to work: Mario strives to rescue his brother in ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’. THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE ...
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After a slow start ‘Argonuts’ shapes up as a fine film for kids; Drab Oz drama ‘Of An Age’ takes an uninteresting look at first love; Oddball arthouse film ‘Linoleum’ fails to fly

Off we go: Ancient Greek mouse Pattie leads a team on a high seas adventure in ‘Argonuts’. ARGONUTS **1/2 (95 ...
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‘Dungeons and Dragon’s delivers a funny, goofy fantasy adventure ride

Play time: Chris Pine leads his team in the fantasy adventure ‘Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves’. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: ...
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Bloated to the point of self-parody, ‘John Wick 4’ drenches fans with cascades of signature shoot-em-up action, some of which is quite good

Down to the Wick: Keanu Reeves as the titular anti-hero in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 *** ...
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Knockout, new-wave horror with ‘Pearl’; Bill Nighy superb in ‘Living’

Such sweetness: Mia Goth is all smiles as the titular character in the horror film ‘ Pearl’. PEARL **** (103 ...
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Bland and starved of ideas, ‘Shazam 2’ delivers more of the same-same

Seen this before? Shazam (Zachary Levi) with friend in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’. SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS *1/2 ...
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Chris Rock rocks Will Smith in ‘Selective Outrage’; Andrea Riseborough shines as an alcoholic mother in ‘To Leslie’; “Champions’ is a contrived, cliché-driven attempt at an uplifting sports comedy; ‘Scream VI’ delivers the bloody goods

Note to Will: Comedian Chris Rock lets loose in his special ‘Selective Outrage’. CHRIS ROCK: SELECTIVE OUTRAGE **** (69 minutes) ...
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