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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

★★★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

Lady Gaga in Folie a Deux. Picture: Niko Tavernise-

The top 10 movies of the year — and some bonus choices

This year my film favourites are an eclectic bunch … but all of them are well worth your time. How many have you seen?

Stephen Romei

★★★½Review

A scene from All We Can Imagine is Light

New Indian drama finds the depth in ordinary lives

Payal Kapadia’s quietly beautiful Indian drama All We Imagine As Light explores class, gender, financial and religious divides.

Stephen Romei

★★★Review

Robbie Williams the chimp doesn’t work, but there are upsides

The primate metaphor for Robbie Williams’ arrested development at age 15 is gimmicky, but the biopic is still entertaining.

Stephen Romei

★★★½Review

‘Can’t get me if I get it first’: Prepared to die to cheat cancer

As someone who has been with a brother who died from cancer, and a best friend who died from cancer, I was worried this exploration of to be or not to be would be too raw for me. It wasn’t, which is a tribute to the director and the cast.

Stephen Romei

★★★Review