Being that there is never too much of a bad thing to restore the balance, Violent Night blasts into this holiday season with a twisted take on old Saint-Nic. This Kris Kringle, played by Stranger Things’ David Harbour packs a punch courtesy of a Nord background and a big sledgehammer.

Centred around a rich family led by the caustic Gertrude Lightstone played by Beverly D’Angelo in uber bitch mode. This group is as dysfunctional as any in recent memory, so when evil-doers drop in to rob the place, you are conflicted as to who to cheer for. Into this mix drops the man in the red suit and all hell breaks loose.

For holiday revellers who are time constrained and have a penchant for Anti-Christmas films, Violent Night is the perfect movie. It’s a one-stop shop for many of your faves. Part Die Hard, part Home Alone and part Bad Santa. It’s a gloriously gruesome good time and should not be missed this holiday season or any other.
Rob Hudson
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The restaurant in the film, Hawthorne is based loosely on an actual restaurant called KOKS that was featured in the Danish documentary Nordic by Nature – Michelin Stars. It shares that establishment’s isolated island location but flips the script and introduces a real sense of peril to its diners.

The film’s structure as it resolves works on so many levels. As social commentary, it is wickedly assertive and the comments on the anonymity that many expect from the staff that serve and look after their every need is razor sharp.

With the popularity of cooking shows on the rise, there is the chance that people will see The Menu expecting gorgeous food prepared by gorgeous people but what they get will be so much better. This is the kind of work that grows in stature the more you think about it.
Rob Hudson
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From 87North, the bare-knuckle producers of Nobody, John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Bullet Train and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw comes a coal-dark holiday action-comedy that says you should always bet on red.

When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour, Black Widow, Stranger Things series) is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.

The film also stars Emmy winner John Leguizamo (John Wick), Cam Gigandet (Without Remorse), Alex Hassell (Cowboy Bebop), Alexis Louder (The Tomorrow War), Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones) and Beverly D’Angelo (National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise).

Directed by razor-edged Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Dead Snow franchise), Violent Night is produced by 87North’s Kelly McCormick David Leitch and Guy Danella. The original screenplay is by Pat Casey & Josh Miller, the writers of Sonic the Hedgehog. The film’s executive producer is Marc S. Fischer.
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But his approach to cuisine has some shocking surprises for the wealthy guests.

The Menu will be released in Australian this November!
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The cast is filled with an interesting mix of voice actors from both North and South America. Northerners include Stephanie Beatriz Bischoff Alvizuri (Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine), John Leguizamo (John Wick), Diane Guerrero (Maritza Ramos in Orange Is the New Black) and Wilmer Eduardo Valderrama (Fez in That ’70s Show). While Columbian actors María Cecilia Botero (La Bruja), Angie Cepeda (Pobre Diabla) and Carolina Gaitán (Narcos) also star. The cast’s comfort with both English and Spanish enhances the proceedings.

The story follows the Madrigal family and the magic that surrounds them. They are pillars of the community and each member of the family, when they come of age inherit magical powers except Mirabel (Beatriz) who becomes the try-hard outsider. It’s her journey that underpins the adventure. Her trials are universal and defy cultures and countries and her ultimate destination is inclusive and heart-warming.

Like almost all current Disney product that speaks well of a unified world, these works should succeed in erasing the back-steps moments from the past. With efforts as ebullient and energetic as Encanto, those uncomfortable memories will fade and be replaced by a corporate ethnic much more in tune with reality.

Rob Hudson
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Also revealed — actor John Leguizamo (“Critical Thinking,” “Ice Age”) joins the voice cast. “I was so pumped to be asked to the party,” said Leguizamo. “Lin-Manuel [Miranda] wrote me a rap, and I flipped out! Plus, this is such a beautiful story set in Colombia. It’s a first in so many ways. The magic is enchanting, the comedy is so sharp, and the world created is irresistible.”

Leguizamo lends his voice to Bruno, Mirabel’s uncle who’s gifted with the ability to see the future. Bruno’s honest, often doomsaying predictions aren’t always well received by the rest of the family, so he disappeared long ago, becoming the uncle no one talks about. “Bruno is so compelling because he is that guy that never quite fits in,” said Leguizamo. “He’s an outsider, but he also understands the world better because he’s always wanted to belong to it.”

The voice cast also includes Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel; María Cecilia Botero as Mirabel’s grandmother Alma aka Abuela; Angie Cepeda and Wilmer Valderrama as Mirabel’s parents, Julieta and Agustín; and Diane Guererro and Jessica Darrow as Mirabel’s sisters, Isabela and Luisa. Also lending their voices are Carolina Gaitán and Mauro Castillo as Mirabel’s aunt and uncle, Pepa and Félix; and Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz and Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Mirabel’s cousins Dolores, Camilo and Antonio, respectively.

The film features all-new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “Moana”) and is directed by Byron Howard (“Zootopia,” “Tangled”) and Jared Bush (co-director “Zootopia”), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (writer “The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez”) and produced by Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino. Bush and Castro Smith are screenwriters on the film. The filmmakers were deeply inspired by their research trip to Colombia during early development of “Encanto,” as well as their continuous work with a group of expert consultants assembled through the course of the film’s production. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” opens in Australian cinemas December 2, 2021.
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The premise of an uptight workaholic, in this case, fire station leader Jake Carson (John Cena) being stuck with a trio of misfit children has worked in the past. The missing element here is a solid script with strong characters. The jokes, when they do arrive are just not funny enough to carry the film.

There are some gross out moments that elicit a rumbling of laughs from the audience, but those moments are few and far between. Few comedies in recent memory have been so bereft of frequent laughter. It does however feature a few charming moments between the adult and child actors.

Maybe it was a rushed production schedule or a clash of egos, someone along the line should have put forth a dissenting voice and worked harder on the end results. As it is, if Cena is counting on Playing with Fire being a break out role, he shouldn’t quit his day job anytime soon.
Rob Hudson
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Unable to locate the children’s parents, the firefighters have their lives, jobs and even their fire depot turned upside down and quickly learn that kids – much like fires –are wild and unpredictable.

Playing With Fire is in Australian Cinemas January 9, 2020!
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Keanu Reeves still nails the role and having someone with limited acting chops playing the role of the proverbially ‘talk softly and carry a big stick’ kind of guy works towards the film’s success. He also has another dog this time and it’s to the film’s credit that the pouch makes it to the end credits alive.

The film picks up shortly after the moment where part one left off (four days to be exact) and the two would make a great side by side movie marathon, if you can handle that much blood shed. All of the important living characters have returned and Ian McShane and John Leguizamo reprise their roles from the originall and are a more than welcome addition.

It must be said however that enjoying the film was hampered by the theatre’s sound system that delivered one of the most over the top loud and horrendously shrill sonic experiences ever endured in the cinema. It really was too much.

Rob Hudson
www.johnwick.movie