Austin Butler is ‘guy-candy’ in new bikie flick
Not since Brad Pitt slunk into view in Thelma & Louise has the camera loved anyone as much as Austin Butler, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Leigh Paatsch
Power and passion: Fitting tribute to Aussie cultural warriors
Documentary reveals why the world bought into power, passion and political values of Midnight Oil, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Gru’s crew is still genuinely amusing
Despicable Me 4 proves the adventures of Gru and his ever-expanding entourage won’t be getting old any time soon, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Wildly inventive’: Could this be 2024’s best movie?
Hit Man, starring Top Gun and Anyone But You’s Glen Powell, is on target to be one of the best movies of 2024, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Bad Boys’ return is ‘truly inspired’
Bickering-buddies bond saves fourth Bad Boys movie from wearing out its welcome, while a light comedy gets female friendship right, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Losing the plot: Why Garfield needs rescue mission
The Garfield Movie attempts something new before losing its way, while JLo struggles with AI in sci-fi with more action than science, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Mad Max 5 review: Miscast Hemsworth misses the mark
With a lot of crazy stunts and a miscast Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa is better than most action films but it can’t match the dizzy heights of its predecessor, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘A bit iffy’: John Krasinski’s new movie IF falls short
An all-ages audience with an original story is rare in this day and age, but the star-studded cast can’t save this well-intentioned flick, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Seinfeld’s Unfrosted proves he’s untouchable
It’s packed full of cameos from his celebrity pals. But Jerry Seinfeld’s ode to cereal still fails to snap, crackle and pop, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Genuine sizzle’: Hathaway shines in new rom-com
Anne Hathaway fits flawlessly with Nicholas Galitzine in a movie version which adds emotional depth to a winning story, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Gosling-Blunt action rom-com falls flat
Despite spectacular stunts and romantic fireworks, the Aussie-filmed The Fall Guy is flawed, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Spectacular’: Zendaya scores film grand slam
Both a great sports movie and unconventionally riveting romantic drama, Challengers volleys the audience back and forth to reveal what is riding on a tennis match, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Soulful’ new Winehouse biopic impresses
Marisa Abela’s portrayal of Amy Winehouse elevates new biopic Back to Black to the next level, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Patel surprises in new ‘ultra-violent’ action film
Lion and Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel’s performance in action flick Monkey Man will propel him towards bigger and better things, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Big hitters’: Movies to watch this Easter
From a family favourite to a MonsterVerse smash-’em-up spectacle, take a look at these top movies to keep you entertained this Easter long weekend.
New Ghostbusters more than an 80s nostalgia trip
The fifth Ghostbusters movie arrives just in time to commemorate the franchise’s 40th anniversary but its feel-good forward-momentum will keep this series going, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Stars stun in amusing comedy of bad manners
Some lively language and shrewdly relevant commentary makes Wicked Little Letters quite a spicily satisfactory affair, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Perfect’: Fitting finale for oh so able Caine
A performer of Sir Michael Caine’s elevated standing could not have landed upon a more apt – nor affecting – role with which to bid audiences farewell, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Dune sequel is ‘next-level spectacular’
Movies executed on the sprawling, daunting scale of Dune: Part Two don’t come along every day, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why ‘powerful’ Holocaust movie scored 5 stars
The Zone of Interest is destined to be regarded as one of the most powerful, provocative and lastingly eloquent statements on the Holocaust to ever grace a cinema, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why new Marvel flick is ‘truly terrible’
The first superhero movie of 2024 suffers from a lack of original ideas and an unrelenting lack of energy from the cast, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Insufferable’: Why Eric Bana’s sequel flops
Eric Bana returns as federal cop Aaron Falk in the long-awaited sequel The Dry, Force of Nature, but the film is a far cry from the original hit, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Henry Cavill finds his inner James Bond
Audiences may never get to see Henry Cavill play 007, but his take on a James Bond-ish spy in Argylle is a rollicking ride, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why French legal thriller is a masterpiece
Enigmatic, confronting, touching, testing and sometimes even amusing, Anatomy of a Fall is the first great movie of 2024, writes Leigh Paatsch.
How Zac Efron punches above weight in Iron Claw
Professional wrestling may be the fakest thing in the world of sports but The Iron Claw never feels less than real, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Award-winner Giamatti elevates The Holdovers
With Paul Giamatti at the peak of his oratory powers, The Holdovers is full of deep feeling, great humour and refreshing authenticity, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why high-octane Ferrari biopic not just for petrolheads
Thanks to brilliant performances from Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz, Michael Mann’s biopic of racing great Enzo Ferrari is a triumph both on and off the track.
Why new Aquaman is a sorry, soggy, superhero sequel
After the DC stinker The Flash and other recent Marvel misfires, superhero movie fatigue is finally here, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Poor Things is brilliantly bonkers
The brilliant and bizarre comedy-drama Poor Things is like nothing you have ever seen before and might well win Emma Stone another Best Actress Oscar
The 13 biggest movies hitting theatres this summer
December is traditionally blissful for movie fans. Leigh Paatsch has cast his eye over all the top releases coming this summer.
Why Wonka could be the next Frozen
With an all-singing, all-dancing Timothee Chalamet – and a hilarious Hugh Grant – Wonka is not just a great movie, it could become a pop-culture phenomenon, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Must-see triumph’: Why Maestro is one of year’s best
Director Bradley Cooper follows up A Star Is Born with another music-focused masterpiece but Carey Mulligan steals the show with the best acting of the year.
Why Napoleon biopic is a ‘disappointing mess’
Apart from the brilliant battle scenes and a brave Vanessa Kirby, Ridley Scott’s long-awaited Napoleon biopic ends up as an overstuffed and disappointing mess, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Julia Roberts stars in ‘well crafted’ doomsday thriller
Anyone who felt unexpectedly off the grid during the recent Optus outage will get some spooky flashbacks courtesy of Julia Roberts’ new thriller Leave the World Behind, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why new Marvel blockbuster is a fizzer
While The Marvels is not the “worst Marvel-made movie of all-time”, it does rank among the most disposable effort to carry the brand, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Very unlikeable’: Blunt, Evans star in Netflix flop
Pain Hustlers – starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans – gets very unlikeable, very quickly, writes Leigh Paatsch. See why.
‘Gently gripping’: Why no-frills, low-thrills affair pays off
While the stakes are undoubtedly high in The Dive, the intensity levels delivered by this underwater thriller are lower than many will expect – and all the better for it, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Michael Fassbender’s assassin is ‘brilliant’
The immaculately designed The Killer is a compelling journey deep inside the head of its subject, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Distinctly mis-focused’: Why Scorsese misses marks
A compromised Killers Of the Flower Moon is saved by the terrifying true story it is privileged to tell, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Expend4bles nails gory glory days of action
Expend4bles ain’t about to go messing with the winning, wincing formula of he-men, optional dialogue and high body count, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Worthy addition’: Why devil franchise is back in business
The Exorcist was one of the scariest mainstream motion pictures of all time. With this new sequel, you will have no choice but to listen, and no choice but to be scared, writes Leigh Paatsch.
‘Breathtaking’: Why attack on AI weapon is powerfully memorable
The Creator will come to be regarded by most sci-fi enthusiasts as an honourably flawed, yet a totally admirable movie experience, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Nerve-shredding: How Liam Neeson redeemed himself
Liam Neeson redeems himself admirably with his latest 70-year-old-bloke-about-to-snap opus, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice may be the best Poirot yet
Kenneth Branagh is back as famous detective Hercule Poirot and the mysteries are twistier than ever, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why Denzel’s new Equalizer film is best in franchise
Denzel Washington knocks it out of the park with a riveting performance in The Equalizer 3, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Passion project: Why TMNT reboot kicks butt
The world didn’t need another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie, but Leigh Paatsch explains why long-time fan Seth Rogen’s reboot is the best yet.
Why low budget love story rivals Oppenheimer as year’s best
It was made with a fraction of the budget, but a Korean romance could spoil the party for the mighty Oppenheimer during the coming awards season, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Dog movie that will have you laughing out loud
A new movie featuring antics of badly-behaved dogs starts stronger than any screen comedy I can recall in the past five years, writes Leigh Paatsch.
Why absurd movie drew A-list cast
A-listers such as Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks fall over themselves to work with director Wes Anderson – and his latest comedy Asteroid City shows why.
Low-budget Aussie horror film killing it at US box office
Simple but very effective, a low-budget Australian horror film by two Adelaide brothers has already made a big impact at the US box office. See review.
Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/entertainment/movies/leigh-paatsch