The tale begins with Poirot in self-exile in Venice. He is retired and turning down all requests for his sleuthing services. Even though he is highly sceptical he attends a séance at the behest of his friend the famous writer Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey). When a murder happens during the event he is pulled back into service.

There is much to like about this film, it looks fantastic with an old-school approach to showing the actors in full-frame close-ups. Branagh’s double moustache is a wonder to behold and the lighting and set design fully sells the creepy aspects of the story. It’s classic who done it stuff.

With source material as rich as Christie’s books it would seem a certainty to provide the basis for a quality product. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and there are quite a few film versions of her books that just don’t excite. An accomplished talent like Branagh side-step this dilemma and was a perfect choice to bring this seductive story to life.
Rob Hudson
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Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Reuniting many of the filmmakers behind 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and 2022’s “Death on the Nile,” the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green based upon Agatha Christie’s novel “Hallowe’en Party.” The producers are Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers.

The film also features a brilliant acting ensemble portraying a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh, will open exclusively in Australian cinemas September 14, 2023.
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In addition, Branagh announced that Hildur Guđnadóttir, the acclaimed composer from Iceland who won an Oscar, Golden Globe®, GRAMMY®, and BAFTA for “Joker” and an Emmy® and GRAMMY for “Chernobyl,” and who most recently scored “TÁR” and “Women Talking,” will compose the score.

“A Haunting in Venice” is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Reuniting many of the filmmakers behind 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and 2022’s “Death on the Nile,” the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green (“Logan”) based upon Agatha Christie’s novel Hallowe’en Party. The producers are Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers.

A brilliant acting ensemble portrays a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen (“Rosaline”), Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent”), Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Jude Hill (“Belfast”), Ali Khan (“6 Underground”), Emma Laird (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Kelly Reilly (“Yellowstone”), Riccardo Scamarcio (“Caravaggio’s Shadow”), and recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”).
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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.facebook.com/STUDIOCANAL.AUS

The Academy Award-winning director of The Great Beauty and The Young Pope returns to the screen in spectacular fashion with this dazzling, topical and no-holds-barred depiction of life in Italy under the glistening eye of modern Europe’s most infamous politician.

LORO, will open in cinemas nationally on January 17, 2019.

www.palacefilms.com.au/loro

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