Film

Alien invasion sci-fi has a strong Australian connection. So it’s a shame that Occupation: Rainfall – a local indie blockbuster that does a lot on a tight budget – is let down by poor screenwriting.

Emerald Fennell’s film Promising Young Woman begins well, but is ultimately betrayed by a lack of courage.

Director Stephen Maxwell Johnson and musician Witiyana Marika drew on three decades of friendship to create the Northern Territory action thriller High Ground.

In 2020 we mostly had to watch films at home, and the most exciting possibilities still emerged from independent cinema.

Since his first short film won the Palme d’Or in 2003, Glendyn Ivin has established himself as one of Australia’s most exciting film and television directors. The forthcoming Penguin Bloom, starring Naomi Watts, brings some light to his dark meditations.

For all its controversial subject matter, Sandra Wollner’s film is a smart, ethical investigation that doesn’t deserve to be banned.

The documentary Brazen Hussies vividly excavates the crucial, complex history of the Australian women’s liberation movement.

Ben Wheatley’s new adaptation of Rebecca opts for safe nostalgia over du Maurier’s conflicted subtext.

A cynical nod to Agatha Christie’s locked-room mysteries, Régis Roinsard’s The Translators fails to recognise the complexities and canniness of that storytelling tradition.

In the midst of political controversy, Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan emerges as a watered-down version of the original animation.