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Author: Grant Watson

Grant Watson is an Australian film critic and writer. He lives in Melbourne.
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REVIEW: Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (2019)

January 13, 2021 Grant Watson

Spanish filmmaker Miguel Llansó made his feature debut in 2015 with his Ethiopian science fiction film Crumbs. A surreal blend of post-apocalyptic road trip, romance, and pop culture references, it was one of the most original and memorable films of its … Continue reading REVIEW: Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (2019)

drama, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Music (2021)

January 12, 2021 Grant Watson

Shot in 2017 but not released until now, pop musician Sia’s debut feature Music arrives on Australian screens a full month before the rest of the world. It offers audiences here an opportunity to find out precisely what all of the fuss … Continue reading REVIEW: Music (2021)

comedy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Murder Mystery (2019)

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021 Grant Watson

Let’s talk about Adam Sandler. Since his historic production deal with Netflix, which saw him star in a series of exclusive pictures for the global streamer, his profile seems somewhat dimished. We never see his face on movie posters at … Continue reading REVIEW: Murder Mystery (2019)

fantasy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: The Mad Fox (1962)

January 10, 2021 Grant Watson

One of the absolute pleasures of this glorious age of streaming media, collector’s edition blu-rays, and international distribution is that it has never been easier than ever to track down and watch films. Old and new, any genre, any country … Continue reading REVIEW: The Mad Fox (1962)

fantasy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Double World (2020)

January 9, 2021 Grant Watson

Last year the Chinese videogame Zhengtu (aka Double World) received a film adaptation courtesy of Hong Kong-based director Teddy Chen – his first feature since 2014’s Kung Fu Jungle. Due to the closures of cinemas last year it was released online … Continue reading REVIEW: Double World (2020)

drama, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: A Private War (2018)

January 7, 2021 Grant Watson

Documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman made his narrative feature debut in 2018 with A Private War. It is a biographical film about American journalist Marie Colvin whose war reporting for London’s Sunday Times earned her enormous international acclaim. It is a sensational … Continue reading REVIEW: A Private War (2018)

opinion, year's bestLeave a comment

10 great movie posters from 2020

January 6, 2021January 6, 2021 Grant Watson

Poster art is one of the most important elements in marketing a movie, as it is often the first thing an audience will ever see about the film. It needs to be eye-catching, attractive, stimulating, and most importantly it must … Continue reading 10 great movie posters from 2020

drama, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Sid & Nancy (1986)

January 5, 2021 Grant Watson

In the hands of director Alex Cox, a potentially tacky melodrama is transformed into a tragic nightmare of muck, pain, and addiction. Sid & Nancy is often a miserable and even difficult watch, but its treatment of its subject matter feels unique … Continue reading REVIEW: Sid & Nancy (1986)

fantasy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: The Peacock King (1988)

January 4, 2021 Grant Watson

The 1980s saw a new wave of fantasy pictures in Hong Kong, ones that combined pre-existing elements of Chinese wuxia with a Hollywood-inspired use of visual effects. The poster child for this wave is almost certainly Zu: Warriors from the … Continue reading REVIEW: The Peacock King (1988)

list, year's bestLeave a comment

10 great films from 2020

January 3, 2021January 3, 2021 Grant Watson

2020 has been a weird year for cinema, thanks to the global coronavirus pandemic that shut down most cinemas through the year, saw film festivals either shut down entirely or shift online, and more than a few films intended for … Continue reading 10 great films from 2020

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