Contributions from Charles Bramesco | Little White Lies

Contributor Charles Bramesco

Two women in period costumes standing on a hill with crosses in the background, against a cloudy sky.
Review

Nosferatu review – an earthy, erotic masterwork

by Charles Bramesco

Robert Eggers realis­es a life­long dream in reimag­in­ing the tale of Count Orlok, with spell­bind­ing results.

3
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Creepy clown figure with white face paint, red nose, and fearful expression gesturing dramatically in shadowy setting.
Review

Terrifier 3 review – deck the halls with small intestines

by Charles Bramesco

Damien Leone’s cult favourite killer clown returns for some fes­tive fun in the third instal­ment in the gore­tas­tic franchise.

5
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Monochrome image of two young people, a woman and a child, in winter clothing, with the woman cradling the child in her arms.
Review

Green Border review – brilliant and tense

by Charles Bramesco

A stir­ring depic­tion of the refugee sit­u­a­tion in Europe, as Syr­i­ans flee­ing war face har­row­ing inter­ro­ga­tion at the Pol­ish-Belaru­sian border.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Brick building with large wall text, people standing in front.
Festivals

Universal Language – first-look review

by Charles Bramesco

The clash­ing cul­tures of Cana­da and Iran are fused in Matthew Rankin’s dry­ly com­ic fol­low-up to The Twen­ti­eth Century.
Two figures, one hooded in a dark cloak, embracing a woman wearing a light-coloured dress. Dark background.
Review

The New Boy review – an ambitious undertaking by one of Australia’s best

by Charles Bramesco

A young arrival at an Aus­tralian nun­nery begins to exhib­it unusu­al pow­ers in War­wick Thorn­ton’s fan­tas­ti­cal drama.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two children running through a lush, green forest.
Review

Monster review – heartfelt and likably earnest

by Charles Bramesco

The rela­tion­ship between two young school­boys has ram­i­fi­ca­tions for their local com­mu­ni­ty in the new dra­ma from Hirokazu Koreeda.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two smiling people, a man and a woman, standing close together outdoors.
Not Movies

The Curse is Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie’s unsettling suburban house of mirrors

by Charles Bramesco

Nathan Field­er and Emma Stone star as an unscrupu­lous prop­er­ty devel­op­ing cou­ple who find them­selves cursed by a small child in this A24 and Show­time collaboration.
Older woman with dark hair and younger woman with red hair and glasses, both looking directly at the camera.
Festivals

Janet Planet – first-look review

by Charles Bramesco

Annie Bak­er’s debut fea­ture about a moth­er and daugh­ter is mag­i­cal and assured dra­ma that announces the Pulitzer Prize win­ner as a film­mak­ing tal­ent as well as a lit­er­ary one.
Black and white image showing a man lying down, with a woman leaning over him. They appear to be outdoors in a wooded setting.
Festivals

Green Border – first-look review

by Charles Bramesco

Vet­er­an film­mak­er Agniesz­ka Hol­land offers a stir­ring, stark depic­tion of the refugee sit­u­a­tion in Europe, as Syr­i­ans flee­ing war face har­row­ing inter­ro­ga­tion at the Pol­ish-Belaru­sian border.
A man sitting on the ground, hugging his knees in a forest setting. He appears pensive, with a serious expression on his face.
Festivals

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt – first-look review

by Charles Bramesco

Raven Jack­son’s fea­ture debut announces a strik­ing visu­al tal­ent, fol­low­ing the sto­ry of a young wom­an’s life in rur­al Mississippi.
A man in a black suit stands on a ladder in a dimly lit room with red walls.
Review

Reptile review – less “whodunit”, more “who cares?”

by Charles Bramesco

Music video main­stay Grant Singer makes the leap to fea­tures with this real estate-based detec­tive thriller, but the results are dis­ap­point­ing­ly underwhelming.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A shirtless man striking a fighting pose in a wooded outdoor setting, wearing camouflage trousers.
Festivals

Boy Kills World – first-look review

by Charles Bramesco

A deaf-mute young man swears revenge on the group that mur­dered his fam­i­ly in Moritz Mohr’s blood­thirsty but tedious direc­to­r­i­al debut.