Stephen Romei

Stephen RomeiFilm Critic

Stephen Romei writes on books and films. He was formerly literary editor at The Australian and The Weekend Australian.

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Stephen Romei

Latest

★★★★Review

This film is a brutally beautiful Oscar contender

In 2003, aged 29, Adrien Brody became the youngest recipient of the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Pianist. I’ll be surprised if he is not nominated again for this film.

Stephen Romei

★★★½Review

This film has been compared with Pretty Woman — but it’s no fairytale

The two films share a similar starting point – a rich man hires a beautiful prostitute – but Anora does what Pretty Woman thought about, but pulled back from.

Stephen Romei

★★★Review

Oscar buzz for this trans gangster musical is a little over the top

Geographically speaking, Emilia Perez is one out of the box. It’s cheesy and loopy and fun to watch – but I’ll be surprised if it wins an acting or directing award at the Oscars.

Stephen Romei

★★★★Review

You’ll never see the huge twist coming in this Vatican drama

Conclave piles on the Vatican intrigue as cardinals manoeuvre the politics of electing a new pontiff. It’s as tantalising as a murder mystery.

Stephen Romei

★★★½Review

NOSFERATU_FP_00606 Willem Dafoe stars as Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz and Lily-Rose Depp stars as Ellen Hutter in director Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

A bloody, funny take on the Dracula story

Nosferatu, written and directed by American filmmaker Robert Eggers, is a remake of the 1922 German film of the same name. I left the cinema thinking, ‘Hold on, is this a love story?’

Stephen Romei

Review

Set of a new movie by Paolo Sorrentino. In the picture Celeste Dalla Porta. Photo by Gianni Fiorito This photograph is for editorial use only, the copyright is of the film company and the photographer assigned by the film production company and can only be reproduced by publications in conjunction with the promotion of the film. The mention of the author-photographer is mandatory: Gianni Fiorito. Set del nuovo film di Paolo Sorrentino. Nella foto Celeste Dalla Porta. Foto di Gianni Fiorito Questa fotografia è solo per uso editoriale, il diritto d'autore è della società cinematografica e del fotografo assegnato dalla società di produzione del film e può essere riprodotto solo da pubblicazioni in concomitanza con la promozione del film. E’ obbligatoria la menzione dell’autore- fotografo: Gianni Fiorito.

Exotic coming-of-age story explores link between beauty and unhappiness

Parthenope is a university student living a complicated life but although she is a ‘goddess’, the film built around her lacks depth.

Stephen Romei

★★½Review

A school holidays movie that will keep young viewers in their seats

Two young lions are at loggerheads, with a young lionness between them, and the baddies are on the trail and out for blood. If this sounds like a similar story, it’s because it is.

Stephen Romei

REVIEWReview