Looking at the latest films through an impact lens
A story about an orphaned girl navigating her Mum’s death alone may sound heavy - but British indie ‘Scrapper’ harnesses an imagination and wit that will charm your socks off, innit.
You might think that two guys stuck inside a dome for a whole movie would get pretty old, pretty quick. But you’d be wrong.
Forget your typical Hollywood romance. With her debut feature, Korean-Canadian auteur Celine Song crafts an unrequited love story with a texture and tenderness all of its own.
It was the device every high-flyer HAD to have. Meet the outrageous man who drove the BlackBerry to insane heights - until the iPhone killed it virtually overnight.
He’s the Black gamer who swapped his controller for a 300km/h sportscar… without ever having raced on a real track. Sound far fetched? It’s a real story.
Chilling on the surface, deeply emotional underneath - is Talk To Me the freakiest horror fantasy since Get Out?
It’s the three hour IMAX drama about a physicist that’s somehow making bank.
It’s the satire of the millennium that’s broken the internet. Why is everyone so excited about Barbie?
Sequels usually start running out of ideas… especially by the seventh instalment. But Cruise and his crew don’t like to obey the law of diminishing returns.
Thought ‘Girls Trip’ pushed the envelope? Strap in for a taboo-shattering fempower joyride with something real to say about cultural identity.
This isn’t the espionage movie your Dad goes to see. Based on true events, “Reality” is a lean tension-ticker… where every word of dialogue is taken directly from an FBI interrogation transcript.
Too old for TikTok, too young to buy property: Millennial angst is real, and they’ve found their Queen. Jennifer Lawrence hits the bullseye, and learns some hard truths about Gen Z, letting go, and how far she’d go for a free Buick Regal.
The pain experienced by families impacted by the Stolen Generation is tough to imagine. Wiradjuri woman Brenda Matthews allows us into her healing journey, telling us in her own words how she was torn away from two families - one Black, one White.
After being personally impacted by natural disasters, filmmaker Celeste Geer hit an astonishing moment of truth: something, perhaps everything, must change. Meet the scientists, activists and artists tackling new approaches to climate change - and crafting a future to embrace, rather than brace for.
There’s nothing like a road trip to discover your country… and yourself. Indigenous writer-director Jub Clerc mines her own filmmaking origin story for Sweet As: a photo safari through the stunning Pilbara, with four teens in need of a lifeline.
Woke virtue-signalling, or cultural gamechanger? If you haven’t caught the tsunami of online “controversy” over Disney’s new Black mermaid, you must’ve been living under the sea. Let’s dive beneath the surface of The Little Mermaid reboot to see if it's all just a storm in a clam-shell bikini.
In a unique town where half the population live and work underground, secrets are buried among the gems. Captured in stunning monochromatic widescreen, welcome to Limbo: a stark yet intimate journey into a cold case buried by an unjust system.
We’ve experienced cinematic boot camp before, but rarely have we felt it like this. In his first feature, American photographer Elegance Bratton tells his own redemption story: going from a homeless gay teen to a decorated Black marine.
Writer-Director Ari Aster’s hotly anticipated 3rd feature might be his weirdest yet. Part absurdist nightmare, part black comedy, and all cinema, we dive into the three-hour odyssey of anxiety - and giant private parts - that is Beau is Afraid.
Doctor. Leader. Proud gay man. And an environmental icon. With a calmness that rivals Lake Saint Clair and more grit than a Tassie hiking trail, former Greens leader Bob Brown changed our awareness of nature forever. And he’s not done yet.
It’s the “movie about a shoe” that’s about so much more at its sole (soz not soz). AIR loads up the 80s VHS tape and rewinds us to the dawn of a sporting legend, to share a message about bulletproof belief, bet-it-all risk, and knowing your worth.
The complexity of adoption is poignantly examined in the Korean-language Broker, where a road trip to sell a baby to the highest bidder transforms into a story of an unlikely family.
In Of An Age, writer-director Goran Stolevski uses a road trip, and a key moment in history, to tell a story of identity & awakening that will sear itself into your memory.
Tick, tock… what do you do if your time’s running out? In his Oscar-nominated role, Bill Nighy shows us in the subtlest of ways that there’s a lot more to life than paperwork and proper suits in Oliver Hermanus’ touching drama 'Living'.
Laura Poitras’ Golden Lion winning documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed sinks us into the tumultuous opioid addiction of internationally renowned photographer Nan Goldin - and how she used her profile to fight one of the pharmaceutical industry’s wealthiest villains.
British Oscar-winner Sam Mendes winds back the clock, transporting us to a sleepy seaside cinema at the turn of the 1980s to delicately examine mental health and racism in the achingly beautiful Empire of Light.
Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells captures a tender and poignant father-daughter relationship that feels like a warm, hazy memory in Aftersun.
Writer-Director Sarah Polley brings a complex powderkeg of emotions to the screen in Women Talking - a film that any great debater is bound to admire.
The best social impact movies and TV shows every month
They say oil and water don’t mix. We say - try them on the big screen. Here’s the drum on all of October’s best releases, including a masterful tale of injustice in the oilfields, and a stunning story of courage in the open ocean.
From an AI future war to biospheres and blue zones, there’s a distinct survival theme to September’s best impact cinema and streaming. Come with us if you want to live, as we explore all that’s coming up in our September preview.
The king of quirk is back! Wes Anderson takes us to the desert (and outer space) in his new opus, Asteroid City. Pastels and centre-framing aren’t your speed? Dip into Past Lives, the latest masterwork from Oscar winners A24. Explore all that’s coming up in our August preview.
It's blockbuster season, and we're at the head of the queue. July is set to explode across cinema and streaming... unless Ethan Hunt and Oppenheimer can learn to stop worrying and love the bomb? Explore what's coming up (and how Barbie keeps her feet so curvy) in our July preview.
Movies can take us anywhere. A beautiful, photo-finding journey through the Pilbara… or maybe a nostalgic trip with a famous archaeologist in 1969, the same year as the Moon landing? Grab your camera (or your whip and fedora) - here’s our preview of the best on-screen goodies in June, and more.
Have we jumped in a DeLorean?! Because it’s feeling very 80’s in May across trailers, cinemas & streaming! From Indiana Jones’ long awaited return, to a revamped Little Mermaid with ‘controversy’ attached, and a new insight into Parkinson’s with the beloved Michael J. Fox - May is all here for you.
Change of season? Nahhh. That freshness you’re feeling is the chill vibes heading to cinemas this month, thanks to two very different icons. First up, Ben Affleck’s AIR: the Michael Jordan movie that DOESN’T show Michael Jordan. Huh?
Flip your calendars to March and - surprise, surprise! - you’ll find us marching off to the cineplex to catch the latest and greatest in impact entertainment for another stellar month.
Welcome to February! While we at good.film reckon there’s no bad time of year to go to the movies, this time of year has got to be one of the most enthralling.
Happy 2023, movie lovers and streaming die-hards… and welcome to a brand spankin’ new year! Numbers may not be our strong suit, but by our count that’s another 52 weeks of glowing entertainment heading to our screens.
At any given time, one in four Aussies are experiencing loneliness… and during the holiday season, this number increases to one in three. Yes, one in three! That’s something good.film wants to help change this Christmas season.
There might be sleigh bells in the distance, but we’re too focused on the sweet sounds of cinema and the newest TV releases reaching our ear-holes this month!
Oh hai October! Just like that: spring sprung, the Emmys happened, and Halloween costumes are being prepped as we type this (ooh, idea for a new List: Best Ever Halloween Flicks!). There’s a bevy of glossy content dropping to cinemas and streaming this month, and at Good.film we’re all about it.
It’s been a busy month in movieland - just the way we like it! Top Gun: Maverick’s now collected a billion dollars and counting, our very own Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis became the second-highest grossing musical biopic of all time.
How movies, TV and other forms of entertainment make real impact on our world
It was the 80s romance that became a guilty pleasure for millions – searing that iconic dance move into our minds forever. But it was also groundbreaking in the way it portrayed abortion in a radical, compassionate light.
Now in its 17th year, the Sydney Underground Film Festival is an integral part of Sydney’s film industry, nurturing an alternative film culture with independent and experimental films. Rock on! Here’s our picks for the best of what’s screening at this year’s SUFF from a social impact perspective.
Now in its 70th year, the Sydney Film Festival is surely a cinephile’s heaven. With over 200 films to choose from, here’s our picks for the best of what’s screening from a social impact perspective.
Your Good Tix purchase supports these charities and their efforts to create real and lasting change. Your ticket goes beyond the movie screen - reaching communities and individuals who need support, contributing to vital research and advocacy, and helping to shape a better future.
For a dam wall to burst, it takes someone to create the first cracks. Meet Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor: the two journalists whose dogged reporting led to an outpouring of #MeToo stories - and a global reckoning.
There's stories that take place in houses, and then there are stories about HOME. Far more than bricks & mortar, they’re the beating heart of a family, and they build that invisible bond: a community. Here’s 5 films that explore “being home” in myriad ways, and the connection that feeling can bring.
From a nervous first date to whiling away a rainy afternoon, the human race fell in love with cinema over a century ago. We examine the films that have reached past pure entertainment - challenging and awakening us in ways that led to irrevocable change.
If you’re giving by nature - and a movie maestro or TV tragic - girl, have you come to the right place. Introducing Goods: the platform that connects the stories you love with causes you care about.
You may have never heard of the term ‘Social Impact Entertainment’ - but we guarantee you’ve seen some. We break down what it means, and examine the power that social impact entertainment can wield.
The experts’ guide to why, and what you can do about it
It might be the month of love… but we’re freshening things up for 2023. Out with daggy old Valentine’s Day, and in with a day that heroes being in love with that special someone: you.
Naturally, at good.film our idea of the perfect #SelfLoveDayte (see what we did there?) is to curl up with some memorable flicks that harness the core concept of Self Love Day: self-worth. So we’ve curated a list of Great Movies that Celebrate Self Worth to share with you.
Love comes in many forms, but all Valentine’s seems to do is celebrate the love of a couple. Thankfully, there’s a much more suitable day that’s inclusive of everyone. We haven’t made this up: it’s International Self-Love Day.
For many, a break at the end of a challenging year doesn’t guarantee those festive feels. We take a look at yuletide loneliness - who’s likely to feel it and why, and the ways you can foster a Christmas connection. #NoSilentNight
We’ve curated this list of films that explore how loneliness can impact us in four unique ways and settings and a bonus one you can watch with your kids, nieces or nephews.
The simple fact is that during the Aussie holiday season, a resounding one-in-three of us will experience some form of loneliness. So how do we address it?
In the fourth & final article in our series, we ask experts for their best resources to help in times of loneliness, and chat to filmmakers who tap into their very personal relationship with loneliness as they create their art.
A fresh look at movies that inspire us to care for the earth
Tasmania's Hydro Commission wanted to dam the Franklin in the 1980s - and thousands of protestors mobilised to stop it. Oliver Cassidy’s Dad, Mike, was arrested on the river a week before Oliver was born. Now, he recreates his late father’s rafting journey in a search for deeper understanding.
We all know the “go-to” environment movies by now: Don’t Look Up. An Inconvenient Truth. Wall-E. But what about those undiscovered climate flicks? We’ve rustled up five enviro gems with five very different heroes.
It’s the infamous “flop” that was the butt of every late-night host’s soggy jokes in 1995. But a generation later, is Waterworld having the last laugh? We take a fresh look at the enviro-blockbuster that tried to enlighten us about our climate crisis.
Nobody saw this coming: a new chapter in the macho, muscle-bound 80’s monster franchise with a First Nations female as the hero. We take a deeper look at Prey, the movie that proves an ancient cultural connection to the environment is more powerful than any pair of biceps.
The natural world is often in the headlines for all the wrong reasons - so switch off the news and dive into these stunning films instead. Not your typical “environmental” flicks, these stories all take the viewer deep into nature, capturing that megastar Mother Nature at her glamorous best.
From Ponyo to Princess Mononoke, Ghibli’s picturesque landscapes and love of our natural world urge us to nurture - and defend - the world around us.
A guide to movies that explore mental health in unique ways
He’s been hailed as the most internationally acclaimed Spanish filmmaker since Luis Buñuel - but there’s one area where he truly excels. Over a five-decade career, writer-director Pedro Almodóvar has probed the inner workings of our minds… and splashed them in vivid colour across the silver screen.
With a sensitive topic like mental health, it’s easier to miss the mark than hit the bullseye. Mental health on screen has gotten way stronger recently, and respectful depictions of mental health are a top priority for today’s studios. But what about the movies that got it right, way back when?
Films with a mental health focus might not be the first ones you reach for on a lazy night in - but as these three modern classics prove, stories with impactful themes like grief, isolation and trauma can make for spectacular surprise viewing.
With mental health finally taking a front seat in modern-day discourse, we’re seeing impact unfolding on the silver screen in real time. And 2022 has blessed us with fresh female-led tales with mental health at the fore.
Our picks of the best charities in Australia for every cause you care about
‘There’s no place like home’ - a simple phrase with much deeper significance for adopted or fostered children. We’ve taken a closer look at Aussie adoption and foster care - and three of Australia’s top charities doing the very best work for this wonderfully worthy cause.
Water is life, but close to a billion people around the world struggle to access clean water on a daily basis. We’ve taken a closer look - and filtered out the best charities in Australia working to solve the problem.
The Best Aussie Charities Helping Out in Times of Crisis
A study by PLOS ONE found that up to 99% of Australia’s shellfish reefs have disappeared, making them our most threatened ocean ecosystem.
The Top Environmental Charities Healing Australia and the World.
The quality of education in Australia is at a 20-year low, according to the most recent report from OECD Program for International Student Assessment.
As the public’s trust in news media continues to decline worldwide, there are a lot of Australian charities working to restore faith in the institution.
Wildlife populations have dropped more than 68% since 1970, with over a million species of animal and plant life facing extinction as they die off 1,000 times more frequently today than before we humans existed.
Australia is the most fire-prone country on Earth, making bushfires a tragic reality of our beautiful country. We explore the three best Aussie charities helping our people, our flora and our fauna with bushfire preparedness and recovery.
Australia’s ageing demographic is placing increased pressure on areas like housing, aged care and social services. We look at the best-placed charities in the space - poised to make a real difference to our elderly.
Gracefully proclaiming our place as the Great Sporting Nation, we should consider not only what we’ve done for sport, but what sport has done - and continues to do - for us.
Can you guess the most widespread chronic condition in Australia? Mental and behaviour conditions (let’s make things easier and call it mental health) affect 1 in 2 Australian adults at some point in their lives.
For many, leaving their home country isn’t really a choice. The war in Ukraine is a sobering example of this; according to the UN, more than 13 million people have fled the country since Russia invaded - that’s a lot of people having to essentially start over.
We’re in a new age of awareness, with plenty of goodwill - but with such urgent needs, how can we get help to those who do the most good?
It can feel impossible to discuss, but the devastation of suicide is something we can all help prevent. Yes, really. We explore the charities doing the most for the cause - and the one simple way you can help them all.
Struggling to choose an Australian charity that will actually do good stuff with your coin? We’ve got you. Introducing the Goods Charity Stress Test: where only the best can win.
We care about your data, and we’d love to use cookies to make your experience better.