Jim Schembri @jimschembri

REVIEWS A Big Bold Beautiful Journey - Margot Robbie & Colin Farrell twinkle in a feather-light romantic fantasy. Nice but no classic; The Bad Guys 2 - More of the same, but up a notch with the return of the animated critter gang from the hit 2022 film. tinyurl.com/2wwermzx

ROBERT REDFORD, 89: Downhill Racer; The Candidate; Brubaker; The Hot Rock; Waldo Pepper; Little Fauss; Sneakers; Truth; Up Close & Personal; Quiz Show; The Old Man and the Gun; All is Lost - and the rest. Helped shape seminal ‘70s cinema; created Sundance. Eternal thanks, Condor.

FRENCH IMPRESSIONISM - Here’s a lively interview with NGV curator Meg Slater about the blockbuster French Impressionism exhibition. (Forgive the background noise) The show closes Sunday 5 October, so if you haven’t checked it out you best get a wriggle on. tinyurl.com/yc2emy5d

REVIEWS Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale - A fine closing chapter to the DA franchise. Or is it?; Lesbian Space Princess - Fresh from MIFF, a gorgeous, funny adult cartoon; Sketch - Lovely fantasy family film in which a kid’s monster drawings come to life. tinyurl.com/4bn7uv8v

For the bum link on the initial review post…

REVIEWS The Conjuring: Last Rites - Good farewell to the horror series; The Roses - Fun, if tepid remake of the 1989 comedy classic; Sorry, Baby - Subtle sexual assault drama; Fight or Flight - Tedious action comedy; But Also John Clarke - Loving tribute tinyurl.com/2hynp99d

REVIEWS The Conjuring: Last Rites - Good farewell to the horror series; The Roses - Fun, if tepid remake of the 1989 comedy classic; Sorry, Baby - Subtle sexual assault drama; Fight or Flight - Tedious action comedy; But Also John Clarke - Loving tribute. shorturl.at/hpID

DREAMBOAT ANNIE This month marks the 50th anniversary of Heart’s landmark debut album, with sisters Ann & Nancy Wilson joining the phalanx of women who reshaped the 1970s rock scene. Two years later came Little Queen and the epochal hit Barracuda. Nothing was the same after that.

MIFF 2025 - Two business trips to Sydney undid an otherwise brilliant plan for extended coverage this year. Still, here are a few final notes and capsules. Thanks again to the mighty MIFF volunteers, who again proved courteous and helpful. Love Youse All. tinyurl.com/mpm3hd4f

REVIEWS Honey Don’t! - Margaret Qualley delivers as a small-town PI. Aubrey Plaza plays her love interest. Thank you, Movie God; Caught Stealing - Nifty, left-field crime comedy with a gritty turn from Austin Butler; The Toxic Avenger - A passable remake. tinyurl.com/4spb9a53

MIFF PICKS #3 Spreadsheet Champions - Glossy doco goes beyond geek caricatures as it tracks six participants in an Excel comp; Westgate - Good, if flawed, Melbourne drama following a single mum having a bad day; Once Upon a Time in Gaza - Misfired crimedy. tinyurl.com/bdxnjudr

REVIEWS Eddington - Sterling dramedy offering a microcosm of derailed America; Kangaroo Island - Beautifully done Oz family drama; Primitive War - Great action as Platoon meets Jurassic Park; Relay - Taut cat-and-mouse thriller; The Naked Gun - OK reboot. tinyurl.com/2uwujtdr

REVIEWS Eddington - Sterling dramedy offering a microcosm of derailed America; Kangaroo Island - Beautifully done Oz family drama; Primitive War - Great action as Platoon meets Jurassic Park; Relay - Taut cat-and-mouse thriller; The Naked Gun - OK reboot. tinyurl.com/2uwujtdrjust

MIFF PICK: DREAMS - A gleaming Jessica Chastain is in top form as a wealthy SanFran career woman who struggles keeping a lid on her unhealthy, hidden passion for illegal Mexican dancer Fernando (Isaac Hernández). Very strong direction from Michel Franco. Tonight 9.30 @ The Forum.

MIFF PICKS #2: Fwends - Highly engaging, splendidly made indie two-hander, set in Melbourne; Yurlu|Country - Top, touching doco detailing the mistreatment of indigenous folk by mining giants; ALSO: Remaining Native; Ghost Boy; The Golden Spurtle. All good. tinyurl.com/mtb2z9rt

TERENCE STAMP, 87: Sterling stage-born English actor. Billy Budd; Poor Cow; Superman 1&2; The Hit; Wall St. His Priscilla scenes with Bill Hunter - cast on Stamp’s word - are gold. So good as the art critic in Big Eyes and in the underrated crime-drama The Limey. RIP General Zog.

REVIEW The Life of Chuck - Very satisfying, entertaining and unusual tale adapted from the Stephen King canon about a dance-loving accountant (Tom Hiddleston). Told in three chapters on a reverse timeline it’s catnip for those wanting something different. tinyurl.com/wymn3yk

MIFF PICKS #1 Lesbian Space Princess - Splendid, Oz adults-only animated sci-fi lark; Never Get Busted! - Killer doco as narc goes rogue; Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore - Fawning profile; The Librarians - Lazy one-sided look at the US library battle. tinyurl.com/5h9w95c8

REVIEWS Weapons - From the director of Barbarian and the school of Stephen King comes a top-tier horror movie mystery that will grab your attention from the get-go. A brilliant, suspenseful, scary genre piece; Freakier Friday - More Disney stone squeezing. tinyurl.com/5n8whyuf

REVIEWS Together - Top-tier body horror tale; Bride Hard - Trying Rebel Wilson action comedy; CatVideoFest - More cat fun; The Friend - Boring dog film; The Stolen Painting - Dull French art orld dramedy; Happy Gilmore 2 - Adam Sandler sequel hits home. tinyurl.com/3an3nczx