The dumb stoner Dean (Angus Cloud) gets it first and then the bodies start to fall. The elastic rules that govern how a vampire can be permanently dispatched allow the filmmakers to share some very humorous moments as gore and viscera wash over the screen.

The story involves a group of professional misfits who kidnap a young ballet phenom, Abigail (Alisha Weir) to hold for ransom from her extremely rich father. Unfortunately for them, the girl has a secret, one that will change things dramatically. The hunters become the hunted and it’s fun to watch them as they drop one by one.

The blood flows freely as do the laughs as this irreverent approach makes for a comically sinful experience. Cumulatively there are so many films that feature versions of the undead (of various forms) that it takes some unique thinking to come up with something new. Abigail succeeds at that task, serious it is not but it is serious fun.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/UniversalPicturesAU/

Those early films were so endearing. Now fast forward to today and we have the trifecta duke out of monsters called Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The third member is the uncredited Mothra, guess the film title was long enough already? Into this mix comes the advanced state of computer-generated imagery, so unfortunately the balsa wood and paper have been set aside in light of more believable visuals and bigger targets to destroy. Did anyone say the Great Pyramids of Giza? They get reduced to rubble.

Making up for this lack of handmade mayhem, the filmmakers have used the art of CGI to create believable facial expressions on the faces of the Titans. No more unmovable rubber masks but visual emotions. This approach adds to the appeal. One emotion not shown however is regret. It doesn’t matter to them that there is the almost complete destruction of every manmade object they come in contact with during their worldwide battles. No monument no matter how famous or ancient is safe. This theme pays direct respect to those groundbreaking original auteurs.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire may not be the Titan’s finest hour but it is a lot of fun and the homage paid to the character’s creators are heartfelt and tangible. In our daily lives, we come across the signs of the true monsters that exist in our world, so what’s not to like about spending a few escapist hours with these made-up ones? The ones that get to indulge in harmless wanton destruction while still being able to entertain us and giving us a short break from the actual horrors that plague this world of ours.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/WarnerBrosAU/

Once again at the helm is director Adam Wingard. The film stars Rebecca Hall (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, The Night House”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Bullet Train”), Dan Stevens (“Gaslit”, “Legion”, “Beauty and the Beast”), Kaylee Hottle (“Godzilla vs. Kong”), Alex Ferns (“The Batman”, “Wrath of Man”, “Chernobyl”) and Fala Chen (“Irma Vep”, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”).

The screenplay is by Terry Rossio (“Godzilla vs. Kong” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series) and Simon Barrett (“You’re Next”) and Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight”), from a story by Rossio & Wingard & Barrett, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO Co., Ltd. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Brian Rogers. The executive producers are Wingard, Jen Conroy, Jay Ashenfelter, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira.

Once again, Wingard is collaborating with director of photography Ben Seresin (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “World War Z”), production designer Tom Hammock (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “X”, “The Guest”), editor Josh Schaeffer (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Molly’s Game”), costume designer Emily Seresin (“The Invisible Man”, “Top of the Lake”). The composers are Tom Holkenborg (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Mad Max: Fury Road”) and Antonio Di Iorio (additional music on “Godzilla vs. Kong”, the “Sonic the Hedgehog” films).

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, A Film By Adam Wingard, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”. Shot in Queensland, the film is slated for release in Australian cinemas on 28 March 2024.
www.facebook.com/WarnerBrosAU/

After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.

From Radio Silence—the directing team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett behind the terrifying modern horror hits Ready or Not, 2022’s Scream and last year’s Scream VI—comes a brash, blood-thirsty new vision of the vampire flick, written by Stephen Shields (The Hole in the Ground, Zombie Bashers) and Guy Busick (Scream franchise, Ready or Not).

Abigail stars Melissa Barrera (Scream franchise, In the Heights), Dan Stevens (Gaslit, Legion), Kathryn Newton (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Freaky), William Catlett (Black Lightning, True Story), Kevin Durand (Resident Evil: Retribution, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Angus Cloud (Euphoria, North Hollywood) as the kidnappers and Alisha Weir (Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, Darklands) as Abigail.

The film is produced by William Sherak (Scream franchise, Ready or Not), Paul Neinstein (Scream franchise; executive producer, The Night Agent) and James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, Scream franchise) for Project X Entertainment, by Tripp Vinson (Ready or Not, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) and by Radio Silence’s Chad Vilella (executive producer Ready or Not and Scream franchise). The executive producers are Ron Lynch and Macdara Kelleher.
www.facebook.com/UniversalPicturesAU/

Once again at the helm is director Adam Wingard. The film stars Rebecca Hall (“Godzilla vs. Kong“, The Night House”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Godzilla vs. Kong“, “Bullet Train“), Dan Stevens (“Gaslit”, “Legion”, “Beauty and the Beast”), Kaylee Hottle (“Godzilla vs. Kong“), Alex Ferns (“The Batman“, “Wrath of Man”, “Chernobyl”) and Fala Chen (“Irma Vep”, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings“).

The screenplay is by Terry Rossio (“Godzilla vs. Kong” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series) and Simon Barrett (“You’re Next”) and Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight”), from a story by Rossio & Wingard & Barrett, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO Co., Ltd. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Brian Rogers. The executive producers are Wingard, Jen Conroy, Jay Ashenfelter, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira.

Once again, Wingard is collaborating with director of photography Ben Seresin (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “World War Z”), production designer Tom Hammock (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “X”, “The Guest”), editor Josh Schaeffer (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Molly’s Game”), costume designer Emily Seresin (“The Invisible Man”, “Top of the Lake”). The composers are Tom Holkenborg (“Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Mad Max: Fury Road”) and Antonio Di Iorio (additional music on “Godzilla vs. Kong”, the “Sonic the Hedgehog” films).

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, A Film By Adam Wingard, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”. It is slated for release in Australian cinemas on 11 April 2024.
www.facebook.com/WarnerBrosAU/

His picture-perfect new wife Ruth is doing her best to keep him focussed so they can fulfil her dream of leaving London for Hollywood. Charles’ quest for inspiration leads him to invite the eccentric mystic Madame Acarti (Judi Dench) to perform a séance in his home.

He gets more than he bargained for when Madame Acarti inadvertently summons the spirit of his first wife: the brilliant and fiery Elvira. Ready to pick up her life right where she left off, Elvira is shocked to discover the prim and proper Ruth is now married to her husband and running her household.

Charles finds himself stuck between his two wives and their increasingly over-the-top attempts to outdo one another in this lethally hilarious comedy.

Blithe Spirit will be released later this year.
www.facebook.com/transmissionfilms

Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is an out-of-work party girl who, after getting kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend, is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown. When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, South Korea, Gloria gradually comes to the realisation that she is somehow connected to this far-off phenomenon. As events begin to spin out of control, Gloria must determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world.

Deconstructing the monster movie genre in wildly imaginative ways, writer-director Nacho Vigalondo (TIMECRIMES, EXTRATERRESTRIAL, OPEN WINDOWS) unleashes a fantastical tale that also triumphs as a wholly original and subversive romantic comedy. Featuring an empowering central performance by Anne Hathaway — playing a train-wreck fumbling toward redemption as she did in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED — COLOSSAL is that rare beast, the story of a woman battling for her survival and taking control of her own life in the shadow of two very different monsters on either side of the world. Releasing at Palace Centro from April 13.
www.sheiscolossal.com

Competition will be drawn 12 April 2017, winners will be notified by mail.