The Secret Agent works effectively as a Brazilian period piece and acting showcase, but the script lacks the bite to make it truly gripping.

Marty Supreme is a bombastic and intense ride from start to finish.

Song Sung Blue is sure to be the crowd-pleasing film of the New Year. It really is “so good, so good, SO GOOD!”. 

Most apparently, Hamnet is a showcase for some incredibly committed performances.

Nouvelle Vague is Linklater’s answer to the credence that all directors must one day make a film about filmmaking. This is an absurd thing to believe.

Sweet but not saccharin, Rental Family (2025) is a solid feel good film despite its slightly confused final message.

Urchin isn’t concerned with a film-like “happy” conclusion to its character’s problems; it lets you marinate in the idea that things might not actually get better - and that was refreshing.

Ultimately, Sentimental Value tells a familiar story, but the humanity of its characters and use of form in telling its story means it transcends the tropes and cliches of both films about filmmaking and family melodramas.

The History of Sound ultimately succeeds as an elegy for bonds never granted room to flourish, and its quiet power lingers long after the frame cuts to black.

Don’t forget to do the #EllaMcCayChallenge if you see a poster or standee for this at whichever cinema you see it at!

A good historical film doesn’t need to be perfectly accurate, but it does need to portray its era with enough authenticity to spark fascination and encourage viewers to learn more.

It is clear that Cloud is a well-made film with effective cinematography and performances. It’s just a shame that the narrative isn’t stronger and more confident in what it is trying to do or say.

Lurker is an impressive independent film that presents itself as a cautionary tale for the modern and inter-connected world we live in today. 

Christmas Karma certainly isn’t boring, but not in the way you would want it to be.

A slow burn, but a gripping one, Two Prosecutors is among the most fascinating films you’ll see this year.

Melbourne loves cinema, and yet it struggles to make films of the high standard it adores. This film is an exemption; a total leap out of the water that shows filmmakers in this city that they, too, can make a movie of the same calibre.

If you’re into lighthearted WWI films, chorals, the beauty of Yorkshire, and Ralph Fiennes’s captivating performance then The Choral is the film for you. 

Die My Love excels as a showcase for Lawrence and Pattinson, two actors at the top of their A-game.

Happyend takes you through the lives of five teenagers who are navigating the turbulent waters of a near-future Japan.

Fans of Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall and Julia May Jonas’ Vladimir will enjoy After the Hunt’s refusal to do the thinking for you.