good.film
9 months ago
Streamed something seriously superb lately? Don’t keep it a secret. Throw a user review on good.film and let your binge flag fly!
Here’s three recent reviews that caught our eye. If you’re keen to watch, just click any title to add them to your Watchlist. The next review we feature might be yours : )
“A whirlwind journey through feudal Japan, Shogun isn't just your run-of-the-mill historical drama; it's a sneakily deep dive into the whole mess of balancing cultural respect with not stepping on human rights.”
@tehtharrik
“Brilliant… what I loved most about Scoop is the light shone on journalism, and its power to hold people accountable and bring a certain amount of justice to victims. Give a fool enough rope and he'll always hang himself.”
@alisonmclennan
“Fun, absurd, and easy to watch, The Other Two offers social commentary around the relentless - and hollow - pursuit of fame, as well as our toxic relationship with celebrity culture and social media.”
@justasksiri
The title alone is an attention grabber. The New York Times called it “mesmerising.” It’s a show nearly ten years in the making. And it’s all based on a disturbingly true story. So what’s the deal with Baby Reindeer?
It’s based on comedian Richard Gadd’s stage-play, which itself was based on his real-life encounter with a woman - named Martha in the show - who began obsessively stalking him both IRL and digitally (she sent Gadd over 41,000 emails; hundreds of the real emails appear verbatim in the show).
Through the series’ eye-opening seven episodes, the story goes to deep lengths to explain the traumatic backstory and (sometimes confusing) actions of Gadd’s character, Donny. This can sometimes make for itchy, complicated viewing; as the ABC describes it, Baby Reindeer “prods uncomfortably at the audience's need for an evil villain and a perfect victim.”
The dark series has become a massive Netflix hit, racking up over 50 million hours watched, with seemingly the same question coming at once from everyone who saw it - “is this really real?!” The answer is definitely yes - with Gadd telling GQ, “Any time it veered too much into embellishment I would always want to pull it back. It’s extremely emotionally truthful.”
“Shocking, hilarious, painful and devastating, Baby Reindeer is a rare gem on television, reminding us of what is possible in the medium.”
~ Aramide Tinubu, Variety
In a dark irony, the success of the show has led to internet sleuths trying to track down the real-life figures that assaulted and traumatised Gadd - in other words, doing much the same thing that spurred the series in the first place. It led to Gadd making a public statement urging people to back off “doxxing” anyone they suspected as being the real Martha, saying: “Please don’t speculate on who any of the real life people could be. That’s not the point of our show.”
The real point, in our eyes, is a deeply honest and harrowing account of a downward spiral of shame, and the serious mental health concerns that can be triggered by events like assault, gaslighting and stalking. It’s brilliantly written and performed, and its depiction of navigating nuanced sexual themes - like bisexuality and trans-dating - is sensitive and kind.
Oh, and if you just have to know what’s behind that cute-sounding title? The heartbreaking truth comes out in the Episode 7 finale.
Baby Reindeer is streaming now on Netflix
For a kid, the bright orange (and slimy green) world of Nickelodeon sounds like the stuff dreams are made of. A behemoth of kids’ TV, plenty of us still have vivid memories of “Nick” shows like Zoey 101, iCarly, Clarissa Explains it All and The Secret World of Alex Mack… and probably would’ve given an arm to be part of making such fun and spontaneous television.
Turns out the glow wasn’t quite so rosy behind the scenes.
This five-part documentary series focuses on the shows produced in the 90s under the studio’s head showrunner Dan Schneider, a powerbroker who’s been historically accused of fostering a work environment that ranged from “hostile and toxic” to categorically abusive. The series then broadens out to cover wider issues like gender pay inequality and sexual harassment of the female writing staff, and the sexual assault of a key child cast member.
“Despite its tough subject matter, the series is crucial for shedding light on systemic problems within the entertainment industry, emphasising the urgent need for protective measures for child actors.”
~ Stephanie Morgan, Common Sense Media
Featuring dozens of cast & crew interviews and currently scoring a flawless 100% critics’ rating, Quiet on Set carefully probes the pressurised workplace environment of TV making, and the pitfalls of unchecked power. It’s also a powerful reminder of the dangers that can arise when safety isn’t made paramount for working children and teens who need it the most.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is streaming now on Binge
What’s the first thing you feel like doing if you’ve just watched something amazing - tell your friends and family, right? (We would’ve also accepted ‘rewatch it again from the start’).
Whether it’s bonding over our favourites, enlightening a friend with an insight they’d missed, or laugh-arguing over what the movie was really trying to say, great stories help us connect. That’s a big part of why we started good.film - the joy we get from helping great films and shows get seen and talked about.
We’ve been working hard on a new way to share stuff you love with people you love, using the apps you always use. Starting from May across the good.film platform, you’ll be able to share recommendations that your mates can add straight to their watchlists with just one tap.
It’s just another step on the good.film journey, making for a more streamlined “have you seen this yet?!” experience. May the movie laugh-arguments continue!
All of Us Strangers is streaming now on Disney+. Read our social impact guide to the film.
Maverick indie entertainment company A24 built a steady rep over the last decade-plus as the go-to brand for acclaimed, risk-taking cinema: think Ex Machina, Midsommar, and Uncut Gems. They’re about quality, not quantity; A24 weren’t ever exactly in the ‘blockbusters’ game. Until now.
After the stunning success of Everything Everywhere All at Once ($111 mil worldwide, 7 Oscar wins), A24’s appetite for risk has clearly levelled up. Saying "hold my artisanal craft beer" to the major studios, they plunked down their biggest spend yet - USD$50 million - to fund Alex Garland’s alternate reality take Civil War. It’s a gamble that’s paid off in a big way.
The film made back half that budget on its opening weekend alone (doubling A24’s previous highest opening). After 19 days, it’s threatening to become their biggest release ever. It even spent two weeks at #1 in the States, dethroning Godzilla x Kong. When you bring those guys down, you know you’re doing some business.
A24 has always had a knack for sniffing out compelling, provocative stories that get people talking. Civil War seems to have taken that formula and turbocharged it - leaning in to the overheated atmosphere of a US election year with a film that humanises the idea of a blunt, binary conflict while refusing to ‘take sides’ (read our social impact guide to the film to see what we mean).
Couple that with confronting marketing push (“What kind of American are you?”) and A24 hit the sweet spot to hook audiences: a fantasy dystopia that SEEMS all too real. Controversial? Divisive? Ballsy? Call it what you like, we’re just amped that A24 took a big swing that hit the jackpot. Not only because they’ve had a nice ROI - but because it’s upped the chances for more storytelling gambles to keep coming our way.
GET CHEAPER TICKETS TO CIVIL WAR IN CINEMAS
Can you keep a secret? We’re thrilled to let you know that good.film will be supporting not one, not two but three vital new Aussie social impact films at the upcoming Sydney Film Festival!
Details are still under wraps right now, but we’ll be sure to whip the covers off as soon as the final SFF program is confirmed for 2024 … aka the 71st edition of this fantastic festival.
Here’s what we CAN confirm: 12 days of extraordinary cinema, red carpets, talks and parties with filmmakers all across Sydney (including the iconic State Theatre) this 5–16 June 2024.
To grab your early tickets or read more about what to expect at the fest, visit the SFF website.