In Promising Young Woman, Writer/Director Fennell uses the familiar character type of Ryan (sweet, funny, unthreatening boyfriend), to argue that ‘nice guys’ who are complicit in the sexual harassment perpetrated by their friends, are not nice guys at all. A nice guy, like Ryan, would never take advantage of a woman. But if his friends are doing it? He might just look away. What’s the consequence of complicity here? In Promising Young Woman, the consequence for Nina, and by extension, Cassie, is devastating.
Tag: Film
Love, Looks & Loneliness In FLEABAG Season Two
Unless you live under a pop-culture rock, it is unlikely that you haven’t heard of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the writer, actress and brainchild behind Fleabag. Fleabag, is an Edinburgh Fringe Festival one-woman-show turned award winning television show, about the life of a messy, tragic and darkly hilarious antiheroine named Fleabag (played by Waller-Bridge).
Birds of Prey: A Fierce Assertion of the Female Gaze in a Male-Dominated Genre
Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020), doubles as both a fun action movie, and a fierce assertion of the female gaze in the male-dominated superhero genre. This article was originally posted on Blitz UNSW Viewers will know Harley Quinn from David Ayer’s appallingly bad Suicide Squad (2016), in…
Korean Film Festival Ends On A High Note
Last Saturday night marked the close of the Sydney run of the Korean Film Festival in Australia with Another Child, the directorial debut of veteran Korean actor Kim Yoon-Seok, who also stars in the film. The moving drama chronicles the families of two teenage girls, whose lives become irrevocably intertwined when the father of one…
Melodrama & The Remake: The Cinematic Influence Of Sirk On Fassbinder
All art inspires other art. By telling stories, filmmakers impact people all across the world, and encourage them to tell their own stories. Such is the case with Douglas Sirk, whose 1950s melodramas have inspired many contemporary filmmakers to experiment with the melodramatic form in their own filmmaking practice. Sirk’s 1955 All That Heaven Allows inspired and informed the…
BOOKSMART: The Best Film of the Year
I’ve never laughed so much as I did when I saw Booksmart for the first time. I’ve since seen it four times since, and each re-watch confirms its spot as my favourite film of 2019. On the night before high school graduation, Class President Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and her best friend Amy (Kaitlyn Denver) are faced with…
Glasgow Film Festival 2019 Documentaries: LAST BREATH & ARE YOU PROUD?
My first day at Glasgow Film Festival was a thrill. I attended two world premieres, both with post-show Q&A’s with the cast and directors in what looks to be a great start to what looks to be an exciting weekend. I started the festival with Are You Proud?, a documentary chronicling the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the…
Terror Nullius: A bold, clever and unashamedly political retelling of Australian culture.
On a rural highway in Australia we see Mad Max (Mel Gibson), sitting in his car. This image is instantly recognisable for Gibson in his trademark leather jacket and police car. George Miller’s iconic road-warrior did, after all, attain cult status and three sequels after this 1979 original. In a disorientating and meta edit, we…
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD: Visually Dazzling End To Heartfelt Trilogy
We all know the story: an animal and a kid enter into a forbidden friendship, and are forced to keep it secret from everyone they know. Dogs, Horses, Whales, Loch Ness Monsters, the movies are all more less the same. But never have we seen this story told with such visual flair and emotional heft as…
Isle of Dogs: Too Much Quirk, Not Enough Substance
Wes Anderson, king of quirk, has long been gathering a liege of dedicated cinephiles who drool over his every film. And, I confess, I am one of his long-time fans. Especially considering the incredibly high expectations set by his previous film, 2014’s multi-Oscar winning The Grand Budapest Hotel. However, if you go into the cinema…
OCEAN’S 8: All-Star Cast Compensates For Poor Writing In Crowd-Pleasing Heist Comedy
When you walk into the cinema to see Ocean’s 8 this month (and walk in you should), here’s what you should expect. Expect a heist film that’s stylish, captivating and a whole lot of fun. Expect an all-star cast of Hollywood’s best actresses playing one of the coolest, funniest girl gangs ever assembled on screen. Expect a…
REPOST: Film Inquiry’s Top Films Of The Academy
For a year now I have been a proud contributing writer to Film Inquiry, an online film magazine with writers all over the world. This article was compiled by Stephanie Archer, and written by many writers including myself. It was first published in February 2017. Everyone has their favorite film, a cherished classic that reigns superior…
