July 2022 Movies – East Brisbane
Thor: Love & Thunder
Action/Adventure
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale
Director: Taika Waititi
Rating: M
Cinema Score: B+
Synopsis: Thor embarks on a journey to find inner peace but his hiatus has been interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher, the galactic killer seeking the gods’ extinction. Thor calls on some old friends for help — Valkyrie, Korg and Jane Foster, who has inexplicably acquired the ability to wield Thor’s magical hammer.
Reviews
“There’s plenty to enjoy, but this never quite shakes off that ‘we’re doing it again’ vibe. Luckily stepping down from a great film still leaves you with a pretty good one.” – Screen Hub
“The film features fabulous special effects and interesting characters. While the film definitely has a humorous side, there are some pretty intense scenes that will be too dark and scary for younger children. The film is best suited to older teens and mature or adult audiences.” – Children and Media Org
“Try not to compare Love and Thunder to Thor: Ragnarok. Judge it on its own terms and there’s a whole lot to love.” – Yahoo! Life
Elvis
Drama/Biopic
Cast: Tom Hanks, Austin Butler, Richard Roxburgh, Kodi Smit-McPhee, David Wenham.
Director: Baz Luhrmann.
Rating: M
Cinema Score: A-
Synopsis: The life of rock ‘n’ roll icon, Elvis Presley, is marred by his complicated relationships with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. His greatest source of happiness comes from the most influential person in his life, a woman named Priscilla.
Reviews
“In Austin Butler, Elvis comes alive in sound and appearance, capturing the Burning Love singer’s physiognomy and Southern drawl with poise. You can see how a subject like Elvis, an artist who throughout his career struggled to represent himself, would attract a filmmaker like Luhrmann; a director whose most successful films tackle stories of love-struck debonairs challenging convention.” – The Curb Australia
“Luhrmann’s movie achieves its goals of highlighting Elvis’ music while providing a capable, if imperfect, abstract of his life. For fans of the icon and his music, it hits enough sweet spots to be worthy of a theatrical viewing.” – Reel Views
“The main messages from this movie are that popular figures have great influence on many people and this can be used for good or bad; and the importance of Elvis’s family to him.” – Children and Media Org
Jurassic World Dominion
Action/Adventure
Cast: Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt.
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Rating: M
Cinema Score: A-
Synopsis: After the destruction of Isla Nublar, de-extinct dinosaurs now roam and hunt humans all over the world. Claire, former Jurassic World operations manager, has been protecting these dinosaurs from illegal breeders and living in seclusion with Owen Grady to protect Maisie Lockwood from Biosyn Corporation.
Reviews
“A beautiful score, familiar, iconic faces, moments of stillness and swelling emotion and some top-notch special effects make ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ an enjoyable watch. Plot pacing feels jarring at times, and the length may be an issue for some viewers. Overall, it’s a solid enough conclusion, but by no means the best effort in the franchise.” – Scenestr
“Dominion proves a diverting if uneven adventure, with plot holes big enough for a Brontosaurus to burst through. But if cinema is all about escaping reality, then director Colin Trevorrow’s sequel delivers on the promise of uniting old and new cast members in a seat-shaking family adventure that’s big, dumb and, above all, fun.”- Flicks
Where the Crawdads Sing
Drama
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Taylor John Smith, Michael Hyatt
Director: Olivia Newman
Rating: M
Cinema Score: A-
Synopsis: The adaptation of the best-selling novel by Delia Owens follows an abandoned girl who raised herself in the marshes of the deep south. Kya lived through rumors that she was the girl hunting Barkley Cove. After an encounter with two men, where one ended up dead, Kya becomes the principal suspect in an ex-lover’s murder.
Reviews
“There’s a certain Nicholas Sparksness to proceedings that are likely to sit well with audiences after a glossy break from the higher octane features currently earning cinema attention. Where the Crawdads Sing may not be the most exciting film per se, but it knows who it needs to cater to and, in that regard, it’s a moderate success.” – The Au Review
“Where the Crawdads Sing keeps you enthralled and will keep you guessing right until the film’s shock twist despite sometimes suffering from pacing issues. Daisy is although so mesmerising as Kya that the clunky pacing can be forgiven.”- Pop Fix
Top Gun: Maverick
Action/Adventure
Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, John Hamm, Glen Powell
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: M
Cinema Score: A+
Synopsis: Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a courageous test pilot for more than thirty years, trains a detachment of graduates from Top Gun for a specialized mission and reunites with the son of his late friend. Facing an uncertain future, Maverick has to confront the ghosts of his past and deal with his deepest fears, whilst ensuring the success of the mission.
Reviews
“Top Gun: Maverick is a spectacular edge-of-your-seat blockbuster which is thrilling one minute, yet tender the next. It is a nostalgic nod to the original film.” – Play and Go
“This is blockbuster movie making, a joyful blend of the old-fashioned and the new-wave advancements, packaged neatly in a winning underdog spirited tale that’s worthy of both admiration and ovation.”– The Au Review
“Top Gun: Maverick has everything one could ever dream of in an action film — a great script, stunning aerial scenes and white-knuckle tension through the entire third act where you really care for the characters. Do not hesitate to go along for this ride!” – Independent Australia
The Black Phone
Horror/Thriller
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, Madeleine McGraw, Mason Thames
Director: Scott Derrickson
Rating: MA 15
Cinema Score: B+
Synopsis: Shy but clever 13-year-old, Finney Shaw, is abducted and held in a soundproof basement by a masked and sadistic killer. A disconnected phone on the wall starts to ring and Finney answers to discover that he can hear the voices of the killer’s other victims, who are dead set on making sure that Finney does not die.
Reviews
“A tightrope act of a film that utilises silence masterfully and knows never to overstay its welcome, The Black Phone, as unnerving as it proves to be throughout, manages to speak to the persistence and ultimate strength there is in children helping their own.” – The Au Review
“The Black Phone’ is serviceable horror that tries to bite off more than it can chew, but will be remembered due to its cast elevating the material.” – Make the Switch
