Contributor Laura Venning

Group of young people dancing in a nightclub, under colourful purple lighting.
Review

The Wedding Banquet review – an unexpected delight

by Laura Venning

Anchored by a talented cast clearly having the time of their lives, Andrew Ahn’s new banquet is a bit of a treat.

2
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two people sitting in a forest, one reading a book, the other playing a game on the ground, surrounded by lush green foliage.
Review

Here – A gorgeous study of fragile human bonds

by Laura Venning

A delicate study of human interaction in a space where the urban and the natural collide from director Bas Devos.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two people, a man and a woman, embrace by a lake with mountains in the background.
Review

More Than Ever

by Laura Venning

Vicky Krieps and Gaspard Ulliel play a couple grappling with a life-altering illness in Emily Atef's sensitive but slight drama.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Three individuals seated on a sofa, two children and one adult, in a darkened domestic setting with foliage visible through a window.
Review

She Said

by Laura Venning

Maria Schrader tackles the New York Times investigation that brought down Harvey Weinstein in this well-pitched drama.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Man in cold weather gear, holding a mannequin, surrounded by rocky terrain and hills.
Review

Brian and Charles

by Laura Venning

Jim Archer expands on his 2017 short film about an eccentric Welsh inventor and his robot companion with a feature-length adaptation.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A young woman with dark braids wearing a white tank top stands in a snowy environment, looking thoughtful.
Review

Murina

by Laura Venning

The return of an old friend causes tension between members of a fishing family in Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s assured debut.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Close-up of a man's face with text tattoos on his forehead and cheek.
Review

The Story of Looking

by Laura Venning

Documentary maker Mark Cousins gets personal with this eye-opening essay film about the history of human vision.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Three young women at an outdoor event, smiling and embracing one another.
Review

Ahead of the Curve

by Laura Venning

This engaging documentary celebrates the work of an iconic lesbian publication and its fearsome creator.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two women seated on a white bench, one wearing a floral dress and the other a blue jacket and purple dress.
Review

Frankie

by Laura Venning

Writer/director Ira Sachs misses a trick with this ambling family drama set in a picturesque Portuguese town.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Two people in close embrace wearing formal wedding attire in a natural setting with foliage.
In Praise Of

How Gillian Armstrong feminised Australian Cinema

by Laura Venning

In 1979, the first Australian film directed by a woman since the silent era signalled a new dawn for female authorship.

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