Jim Schembri

Melbourne

Film critic since 1980 (3AW; Age; SMH; Cinema Papers) Strictly Old School. Reviews, video interviews, commentary & more fun online. Includes comedy & art.

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Articles

The Screen Critic: Marvel’s return to form, a terrific Aussie drama and two ladies return for a fun murder mystery

1 week ago | startsat60.com | Jim Schembri

With Thunderbolts Marvel returns to those strengths missing from a lot of its recent efforts, namely hooking a strong character story with loads of quality action and good ol’ fashioned fun. Florence Pugh heads the gang of second-tier superheroes we saw in 2021’s Black Widow, only here they’ve been upgraded in the absence of the Avengers. Their nemesis is a corrupt US politician (Julia Louis- Dreyfus aka Elaine from Seinfeld) who has a secret project to create her own super-powered minions.
'Ocean', a stirring plea from David Attenborough; 1990s-style horror fun with 'Clown in a Cornfield'; 'Another Simple Favour' is a fun follow-up to the 2019 hit - but will Trump's tariffs soon make such location-based American movies too costly to make? -

1 week ago | jimschembri.com | Jim Schembri

On the prowl: Anna Kendrick returns with Blake Lively in murder-mystery comedy ‘Another Simple Favour’. ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOUR *** (123 minutes) MA It’s so lovely to see the unmistakeable Hitchcock reference pop up in the midst of all the fun and games in Another Simple Favour, the sequel to the surprise 2018 hit murder-mystery comedy. It shows that even self-consciously trashy pulp can have touches of class, even if it has to steal them.
Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' marks a welcome return to fun

2 weeks ago | jimschembri.com | Jim Schembri

Look! Up in the sky!: The happy gang from ‘Thunderbolts’. THUNDERBOLTS ***1/2 (126 minutes) PGPainful experience has taught us all to regard the release of each new Marvel epic with deep suspicion.
The Screen Critic: A compelling real-life drama, a hit retelling of the Jesus story, fun action wth Ben & Jon and a top Australian war story

3 weeks ago | startsat60.com | Jim Schembri

The ordeal of Australian journalist Peter Greste is vividly and powerfully portrayed in The Correspondent, an excellent local drama about the heavy price some pay for merely reporting the truth. In a career-topping performance Richard Roxburgh plays Greste, a TV journalist who in 2013 was arrested in Cairo on false charges laid by a corrupt government hostile to free speech and dissent.
With humour on par with the action, 'The Accountant 2' is on target; the NT Live presentation of 'Dr Strangelove' is a major misfire

3 weeks ago | jimschembri.com | Jim Schembri

Brothers with arms: Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck in ‘The Accountant 2’. THE ACCOUNTANT 2 ***1/2 (132 minutes) MAThose who enjoyed the playful action of the 2016 film are set to have an even better time with this well-cobbled follow on, a terrific blam-blam fiesta in which Ben Affleck’s autistic accountant to the crims is joined by his brother, a professional killer with a yappy nature played with scene-stealing zeal by Jon Bernthal.
Stirring real-life drama in 'The Correspondent'; Realism rules in battle film 'Warfare'; Vampire movie 'Sinners' truly sucks

1 month ago | jimschembri.com | Jim Schembri

Locked in: Richard Roxburgh as jailed journo Peter Greste in ‘The Correspondent’. THE CORRESPONDENT ***1/2 (119 minutes) MUrgent, topical, compelling, The Correspondent presents the ordeal of Australian journalist Peter Greste as a gruelling, ultimately uplifting tale of personal endurance and moral triumph in the face of political corruption and bureaucratic indolence.
Tight action-thriller with ‘The Amateur’; The much-touted drama 'Adolescence' is good if overrated; Dull critter feature in 'Death of a Unicorn'

1 month ago | jimschembri.com | Jim Schembri

Struggling to cope: Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in ‘Adolescence’. ADOLESCENCE *** (228 minutes; four episodes) MThe much-talked about four-part British crime drama Adolescence is certainly a worthwhile sit yet, to be frank, has been subject to a tad more praise than it deserves. The life of a suburban family is thrown into turmoil when 13-year old high schooler Jamie (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the stabbing murder of a girl who attends the same school.
The Screen Critic: Two top family treats for the school holidays, a ripper action thriller and a crime drama that looks at the perils of youth culture

1 month ago | startsat60.com | Jim Schembri

Two major treats await those droves packing into the multiplexes as the school holiday season kicks in. The first is Dog Man, a delightfully nutty animated action comedy about a policeman who, after a serious accident, has his head replaced with that of his loyal pooch.
‘Dog Man’, an animated delight; ‘A Minecraft Movie’ is sufficiently diverting; ‘Head South’, a Kiwi gem about 1970s culture; Lame attempt at action-comedy with ‘Novocaine’ - Jim Schembri

1 month ago | jimschembri.com | Jim Schembri

Animated mutt: The high-kicking Dog Man in ‘Dog Man’. DOG MAN ***1/2 (95 minutes) GPlenty of enjoyment to be had with this furiously fast and funny, wonderfully loopy animated lark, a good-vs-evil battle between a dog whose head has been transplanted onto the body of a brain-dead cop and an evil cat.
The Screen Critic: An updated Snow White, Jason Statham’s moral crusade, terrific animation and a tight sci-fi thriller

1 month ago | startsat60.com | Jim Schembri

It’s hard to recall any film in living memory that has arrived with as much negative pre-release publicity as Disney’s Snow White. For two solid years the film was slammed as being a disrespectful reimagining of the 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, mainly due to some light-hearted comments from its star Rachel Zegler who said how dated the original was and that the remake cast Snow White as a leader rather than as a passive romantic figure.

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Jim Schembri @jimschembri

24 Apr 25

REVIEWS The Accountant 2 - More fun this time around, Ben Affleck teams up with scene-stealing Jon Bernthal for a lovely actionburger; NT Live: Dr Strangelove - Bleah. An ill-conceived adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s classic is flatulent and slow-moving. https://t.co/XnxAMmpbtf

Jim Schembri @jimschembri

18 Apr 25

Kudos to @salltweets for detonating heads on @theprojecttv saying trans women are men and daring to raise autogynephilia as a real issue. A champion of women’s rights, straight talk & a true 21st-century feminist teaching how respect must work both ways. She is our @Riley_Gaines_

Jim Schembri @jimschembri

17 Apr 25

REVIEWS The Correspondent - Excellent real-life Australian drama about the jailing of journalist Peter Greste, w Richard Roxburgh in a career-topping turn; Warfare - Gruelling, realistic combat film; Sinners - Utterly boring, overlong vampire movie. Urgh. https://t.co/Lny6mQm6II

Jim Schembri

Articles

The Screen Critic: Marvel’s return to form, a terrific Aussie drama and two ladies return for a fun murder mystery

'Ocean', a stirring plea from David Attenborough; 1990s-style horror fun with 'Clown in a Cornfield'; 'Another Simple Favour' is a fun follow-up to the 2019 hit - but will Trump's tariffs soon make such location-based American movies too costly to make? -

Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' marks a welcome return to fun

The Screen Critic: A compelling real-life drama, a hit retelling of the Jesus story, fun action wth Ben & Jon and a top Australian war story

With humour on par with the action, 'The Accountant 2' is on target; the NT Live presentation of 'Dr Strangelove' is a major misfire

Stirring real-life drama in 'The Correspondent'; Realism rules in battle film 'Warfare'; Vampire movie 'Sinners' truly sucks

Tight action-thriller with ‘The Amateur’; The much-touted drama 'Adolescence' is good if overrated; Dull critter feature in 'Death of a Unicorn'

The Screen Critic: Two top family treats for the school holidays, a ripper action thriller and a crime drama that looks at the perils of youth culture

‘Dog Man’, an animated delight; ‘A Minecraft Movie’ is sufficiently diverting; ‘Head South’, a Kiwi gem about 1970s culture; Lame attempt at action-comedy with ‘Novocaine’ - Jim Schembri

The Screen Critic: An updated Snow White, Jason Statham’s moral crusade, terrific animation and a tight sci-fi thriller

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