State of the Union: Would You Fight a Two Trillion Dollar Company?
Anything good on? YEP! In this month’s movie news, we go on a whirlwind Q&A tour, unlock an amazing case of life imitating art, and crown the winner of the best David vs Goliath story you’ll see all year.
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4 months ago
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Your Streaming Picks of the Month
It’s no fun watching alone. If you’re stuck for what to chuck on next, here’s a few winners that other good.film members have been feasting their eyes on lately.
@justasksiri: “Profound themes like religion, cultural identity, and societal pressures crop up throughout. But with two glossy and charismatic lead actors at the helm, it always feels light, fun, and easy to digest.”
@anthemfox: “An unexpected thrill. If you're a patient viewer and love passionate, animalistic drama without clear-cut morals, "Challengers" should be right up your alley. The cinematography - My god! Breathtaking shots.”
@alisonmclennan: “This is one of the BEST shows I've watched in such a long time. I'm truly devastated there are only two seasons. It's funny, heartbreaking, comedy, drama, romance, sexy, witty, everything. I absolutely loved it and implore you to watch it.”
Our Streaming Picks of the Month
Still pondering your next binge? Here’s the latest cream of the crop, if you ask us! What are you in the mood for?
Something healing…
Hollywood’s fave curmudgeon is back. Harrison Ford mightn’t be the first name you think of for snappy comedy (same for a therapy series touching on grief and trauma). But the messy, charming banter he shares with co-star Jason Segel’s Jimmy Laird – a grieving therapist who tells his clients exactly what he thinks for a change – made the first series an instant hit for AppleTV+ viewers. No doubt they’ll be booking a sesh straight back on the therapist’s couch for more.
Something adrenalising…
Zoe Saldaña’s on fire at the moment, and her returning Paramount+ series (created by ‘Yellowstone’ helmer Taylor Sheridan) is perfectly timed to catch that heat… and catch a few bad guys. Described as a ‘special ops thriller’ in the vein of Homeland, sure, there’s patriotism galore – but don’t be fooled by the flag. There’s a strong female empowerment heartbeat here (hey, it’s called ‘Lioness’ for a reason) and these new eps have been hailed as some of the year’s best slow-burn TV.
Something full of heart…
An absolute gem that’s criminally underseen, we had to shine a light on this Peabody-award winning series that’s now streaming its final season on Binge. Comic Bridget Everett stars as a Kansas woman who loses her sister, moves back to her hometown, and doesn’t fit in – like, at all. Cue a bunch of like-minded outsiders who …sorry, we just can’t give it away! Touching on themes of loss and change, the series has a perfect 100% from critics, praising it as visionary, cathartic, beautifully bittersweet and “one of the greats of the decade so far”. Give it a go and we doubt you’ll be disappointed.
It’s a Cinematic Standing Ovation!
The Conversation called it “evocative and hard-hitting.” The Sydney Arts Guide said it was “sumptuous… and long overdue.” But we’re just calling it a success!
Highly buzzed gender equity documentary Mozart’s Sister hit Australian cinemas last week, and celebrated a run of incredible screenings nationwide – which saw the film land in the Top 20 releases (a huge result for a documentary) and now, cinemas have extended the film’s theatrical run! That success is all down to amazing audiences like you, so a big thanks from us, the film’s writer-director, Madeleine Hetherton-Miau, and producer Rebecca Barry for your support.
Why is Mozart’s Sister resonating? The easy answer is that, like any mystery buried by time, we’re fascinated by “what could’ve been” for a gifted artist who was silenced by the conventions of her era. But we threw our support behind this film for a different reason: the effect that Maria-Anna Mozart’s story is having on aspiring female composers today.
In the film, prodigious British composer and conductor Alma Deutscher told us that the very idea of Maria-Anna composing her own music, inspired Deutscher to compose herself – and she’s not alone. Music conservatoriums have recently reported that after they perform work from female composers, their interest in courses from female applicants skyrockets.
There’s no reason for classical music to be a men’s-only club. Now, Mozart’s Sister audiences – with countless girls and young women among them – are seeing first hand that the stage isn’t closed off to them. Let’s keep the inspo going! Share this with a friend or family member to catch Mozart’s Sister this weekend, only in cinemas.
BUY TICKETS TO MOZART’S SISTER – ONLY IN CINEMAS
Here’s Some News to Sing About
He may not be a household name, but his story deserves its own movie. Last month, Sing Sing actor JJ Velazquez was legally exonerated by a Manhattan judge, erasing the murder charge he wrongfully spent nearly 24 years in prison for (despite not matching the suspect description AND having a clear-cut alibi).
The ruling marks the end of a traumatic legal battle for Velazquez, whose release from the Sing Sing prison in 2021 saw him become an advocate for criminal justice reform. He began filming Sing Sing less than a year later, calling the A24 drama “one of the most important things I’ve done in my life.”
Sing Sing looks at the transformative power of art, with its story of a group of incarcerated men who find purpose by acting in a theatre group. It’s already grabbing big Oscar buzz for the performance of its lead actor, Colman Domingo – whose character in the film is also wrongly imprisoned.
Sing Sing will hit selected Aussie cinemas in early 2025 – but in the meantime, you can check out the powerful trailer at the link below.
And the Change Award Winner is…
If you follow our socials, you’ll know we’re super proud to have sponsored the CHANGE AWARD at this year’s Adelaide Film Festival - and the winner has just been crowned!
Established in 2020, the Change Award is given to a film for “positive or environmental impact” and cinema expressing new directions for humanity. And this year’s winner massively fits the bill - our congratulations go to UNION, directed by Stephen Maing and Brett Story!
Union is an electrifying documentary that follows a fired worker’s grassroots fight against the corporate mega-giant Amazon. The film explores the power of collective action – and yes, it has all the hooks of the best real-life screen stories (like hidden camera footage and blistering interviews).
But Union’s superpower has to be Chris, the charismatic ex-Amazon worker whose burning sense of injustice is fuelled by the determination to fight back. And really, who doesn’t love a David vs. Goliath story? We’re guessing this is one doco that won’t be coming to Amazon Prime anytime soon though…
