We Bury The Dead: Movie Review

Cast: Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Matt Whelan
Director: Zak Hilditch

Zombies are having a revival currently, thanks to the success of 28 Years Later.

But rather than the brain-chomping creatures that usually pervades the lore, there's a more sensitive and tragic approach to their undead condition.

Following that trend somewhat is We Bury The Dead, a film about what comes next for those affected by an outbreak. However, in Zak Hilditch's film, half a million people are seemingly wiped out instantaneously when an electro-magnetic weapon's accidentally detonated off the south of Australia by the US.

It's here that we find our heroine Ava (Ridley, in a controlled and measured performance) who's gone to try and find her missing husband Mitch, who was in the blast area. Desperate to join the Body Retrieval Unit for her own means, she forms a working relationship with the laissez-faire Clay (Thwaites) and the pair end up heading down south to find Mitch.

Less about the ferocity, Hilditch crafts a journey for Ava that's fuelled seemingly both by guilt and grief as she reminisces on the ups and downs of their relationship. Subtle moments are interspersed throughout - from a wedding to start with to a final devastating reveal, Hilditch's more about ensuring Ava has a story arc to follow than a series of encounters with others behaving terribly or hordes of attackers.

There's a melancholy, eerie edge to the story as it plays out, helped by plenty of shots of abandoned towns and roads, scenes of people collapsed doing what they were doing - a stag party being the most unusual of them all - and of grief at either being left behind or having loved ones come round from the pulse's attack but with no idea of what's happened.

It all builds into an unusually elegaic and slow-paced tale that's hauntingly affecting and smartly done - anchored by Ridley's no-thrills performance, We Bury The Dead is a welcome revival for the genre and a wonderfully different post-apocalyptic take that's as evocative as it is memorable.

Good Fortune: Blu Ray Review

Cast: Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh
Director: Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari's debut film meshes a look at the gig economy, unions and It's A Wonderful Life with relative simplicity and not too much depth. But that's not to say it's without its vicariouis pleasures and laugh-out-loud moments.

Though perhaps in parts, it could have used a touch more of the absurd.

Ansari plays Arj, a would-be documentarian, who goes from job to job, barely getting by - certainly never getting ahead - and living in his car in various diners. Taking part-time jobs or random assignments, he spends his days living hand-to-mouth and looking for a big break.

But in the background of his life is Gabriel, a low-ranking angel, whose role is to stop people while texting and driving and save their lives. After Gabriel does this for Arj when he loses another job, he decides to follow Arj, believing him to be a lost soul in need of saving.

It's part altruism and also part Gabriel wanting to climb the ladder within his own angel hierarchy.

So when Arj takes an assignment to clear out opulent tech-bro Jeff's garage, he seizes on an opportunity and asks Jeff (Rogen, in relatively-dialled down mode) for a gig as his assistant. 

But given a peek into how the other half live, Gabriel decides to swap Arj and Jeff's circumstances in the hope that Arj will find something to cling to, without the need for excess. However, it doesn't quite go to plan....

Good Fortune has its moments - and while the sweetly rendered story is a little too saccharine and soft to truly dig into the economy's failings and the societal issues, it proves to be an amiable ride. It's a satire without real bite, a film of recognition, but one that wraps up everything so neatly at the end, it's almost twee.

Ansari plays an occasionally downbeat version of his Parks and Recreation character, all manic one moment and then loud the next. But he's an engaging character to latch on to and a symbol of what's wrong with the economy's hierarchy for those forced into various degrees of servitude.

Yet, Ansari does nothing major with this set-up, preferring instead to have peals of admonition and frustration from those watching growing in the background. It's a shame because while the film offers some truly hilarious off-kilter moments (including Reeves' angel bemoaning the fact he's gone from a celestial being to a chainsmoker), it never quite has the oomph to savage what it's seeing.

Rogen's understated performance speaks to the maturity he's finding as an actor, and Reeves proves to be excellent comedic fare as the Clarence the angel looking for his wings as the movie riffs on its It's A Wonderful Life-lite premise.

Keke Palmer makes the most of the scenes she appears in, but despite an empathetic performance, she's given too little to work with.

Good Fortune isn't quite as angelic as it wants, and closer inspection may leave you feeling it's not tapped into its full potential. But it has to be said, despite its triteness in places, if you happen to catch this film, you'll consider yourself more blessed by the Good Fortune of the cinema, rather than cursed by its demons.

Mistress Dispeller: DocPlay Movie Review

Director: Elizabeth Lo

An intriguing documentary that sensitively handles the issue of infidelity in a surprisingly frank and different way, Elizabeth Lo's Mistress Dispeller begins and closes with a view of one woman getting her hair done.

With extreme close-ups, Lo follows Mistress Dispeller Wang Zhenxi, a person for hire who enters into relationships that are going wrong to help mend what's broken and break the cycle.

But what actually happens is that Wang joins a Mrs Li to hear of her suspicions and of her heartbreak when she received a random text on her husband's phone that shattered her world. Opining that his heart is elsewhere, she opens up to Wang who then ingratiates herself into both the life of the couple and the mistress Fei Fei who's travelling to see her man.

While Mistress Dispeller could have been a salacious look at the implosion of a marriage, Lo's careful and mindful grasp of the situation shows that everyone involved has emotions - and with a great deal of empathy, Lo's surprisingly subtle film uncovers the gravity of the situation and even the hardship of the mistress who Wang always believes are the ones who suffer the most.

There is a complexity knit through this film that keeps its subjects both close and the morals of the situation under control. Winsomely shot rather than excessively over-played, the honesty of the trio is what helps as well - especially given there's no feeling of an overarching control and narrative during this - it merely organically plays out.

Mistress Dispeller is a subtle explanation of the idea that there's always more than one side to every story - and while the tale of infidelity is universal, the intimacy of this documentary is more than engaging.

Mistress Dispeller is playing as part of the NZIFF - for more details, visit nziff.co.nz

What's on DocPlay in March

Here's everything that's streaming on DocPlay in March.

Enjoy a blockbuster month of the best local and international documentaries: in March, Oscar®-nominated and shortlisted docs premiere exclusively on the platform, alongside two crowd-pleasing local films- Signorinella: Little Miss and Pelligrinis: A Melbourne Legacy - that pay tribute to the significant impact of Italian migrants on Australian society.

Oscar®-nominee Mr Nobody Against Putin streams excusively on the platform from March 2, alongside the exceptional shortlisted titles 2000 Meters to Andriivka and Folktales. Orwell: 2+2=5, from celebrated documentarian Raoul Peck, also releases exclusively on DocPlay on March 2.

The uncompromising and extraordinary life of legendary athlete Carl Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medallist and 'Sportsman of the Century', is brought to life in a definitive portrait: I’m Carl Lewis streams on DocPlay from March 16.

 

2 March

Orwell: 2+2=5 (Exclusive)

Acclaimed director Raoul Peck seamlessly interweaves historical clips, readings from Orwell's diary, cinematic references, and dynamic modern day footage to craft not only a definitive portrait of the writer himself, but an entirely fresh take on how remarkably relevant and prophetic his work has become.

2 March

2000 Meters to Adriivka (Exclusive) | Oscar®-shortlisted

From the Oscar®-winning team behind 20 Days in Mariupol, 2000 Meters to Andriivka documents the toll of the Russia-Ukraine war from a personal and devastating vantage point. 

2 March

Mr Nobody Against Putin (Exclusive) | Oscar®-nominated

A Russian teacher secretly documents his small town school’s transformation into a war recruitment center during the Ukraine invasion, revealing the ethical dilemmas educators face amid propaganda and militarisation.

2 March

Folktales (Exclusive) | Oscar®-shortlisted

A heartwarming documentary following three teens on a journey of self-discovery at a remote folk school in Norway's far north. 

9 March

Secret Mall Apartment (Exclusive)

This stranger-than-fiction doc recounts how a 2000s artist collective spent four years living inside a shopping mall. 

16 March

I’m Carl Lewis! (Exclusive)

In track and field he’s remembered as The Greatest. Athletics' first commercially global star. Away from the spotlight, his is a life often misunderstood. Carl Lewis did it his own way - unwilling to conform to what the US expected from its athletes. 

19 March

Signorinella: Little Miss (Exclusive)

Narrated by Italian-Australian actress Greta Scacchi, this fascinating documentary, written, directed and produced by the creators of Lygon St - Si Parla Italiano, celebrates the tenacity and spirit of Italian women who helped shape the Italian-Australian community.

19 March

Pellegrinis - A Melbourne Legacy (Exclusive)

From its humble beginnings in 1954 to its revered status as one of Melbourne’s most beloved institutions, Pellegrinis - A Melbourne Legacy chronicles the Espresso Bar’s journey as a cornerstone of the city’s post-war Italian identity. 

23 March

I Could Never Go Vegan (Exclusive)

A filmmaker sets out on a journey to find out the leading arguments facing the vegan movement, and if they're justified.

30 March

I Shot the President

In March 1981, John Hinckley shot U.S. President Ronald Reagan in a failed assassination attempt. This provocative documentary examines the dark side of the American Dream, as Hinckley now seeks redemption through his art and music and grapples with his past in a nation deeply divided by politics and gripped by gun violence. 

What's on Shudder in February

Here's everything that's streaming on Shudder in February.

Honey Bunch – Shudder Original Film

New Film Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 13 February

When Diana wakes from a coma with fragmented memories, she and her husband seek experimental treatments at a remote facility. As the procedures intensify, their marriage is put to the test and Diana begins to question her husband’s true motives.

Crazy Old Lady – Shudder Original Film

New Film Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 27 February

On a stormy evening, Pedro receives a desperate call from his ex-girlfriend asking him to look after her senile mother, Alicia. What begins as a simple favor soon turns into a terrifying ordeal when Alicia refuses to let him leave. Trapped in the house, he’s forced to play along with her sadistic games to survive the night. Winner of Best Director in the Horror Competition at Fantastic Fest and an official selection at the Sitges Film Festival.

Terrifier 3

Film Premieres on Shudder and AMC+ Sunday 1 February

Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Mile County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

The Draft!

Film Premieres on Shudder and AMC+ Monday 16 February

Five typical college students spend their weekend in a typical old villa only to find that they have to survive in a battle of wits against an absolute all-mighty, all-powerful terror that is seemingly undefeated. Fight for your fate!

NEW ADDITIONS TO SHUDDER’S FILM LIBRARY

1 February

A Chinese Ghost Story

A debt collector has no other choice than to spend the night in a haunted temple, where he encounters a female ghost, whom he falls in love with. To save her soul he must work with a monk to defeat the tree demon who owns her spirit.

A Chinese Ghost Story II

Following his encounter with the ghosts, tax collector Lin Choi-San gets caught up with a group of rebels and faces a new batch of supernatural terrors.

 

A Chinese Ghost Story III

100 years after the events of A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), a Buddhist monk and his clumsy disciple journey through a small town to transport a golden Buddha idol and end up taking shelter at the haunted Orchid Temple ruins.

Evil Cat

Master Cheung is the last of a large family whose members for centuries have protected the Earth from a demonic cat with nine lives.

Scurry

Two strangers who find themselves trapped underground when the city is attacked by a monstrous threat. Badly injured with limited resources they must navigate a treacherous, narrowing tunnel in hopes of finding an exit.

Terrifier 3

Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

The Collector

Desperate to repay his dept to his ex-wife, an ex-con plots a heist at his new employer’s country home, unaware that a second criminal has also targeted the property and rigged it with a series of deadly traps.

The Collection

A man who escapes from the vicious grips of the serial killer known as “The Collector” is then forced to help rescue an innocent girl from the killer’s booby-trapped lair.

The Doom Generation

Jordan White and Amy Blue, two troubled teens, pick up an adolescent drifter, Xavier Red. Together, the threesome embark on a sex-and-violence-filled journey through an America of psychos and quickie marts.

9 February

 Kill Your Lover

Dakota and Axel’s once passionate relationship has become poisoned by resentment. As emotions boil over, Axel starts sprouting black veins and excreting an acidic liquid. His touch burns flesh and a life-and-death battle ensues.

16 February

 I Will Never Leave You Alone

After being released from prison, a brooding man with a dark past is forced to stay in a haunted house to clear it of spirits. If he leaves, he goes back to prison, but the witch-ghost may be more punishment than he can withstand. 

Black Phone 2: Blu ray Review

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, Demian Bechir
Director: Scott Derrickson

If you're looking for a film that mixes Nightmare on Elm Street with a Friday the 13th style bad guy and setting in a camp near a lake, then Black Phone 2 should be checking all of your boxes with ease.

In this sequel to the 2021 horror film, the big question is what to do with Ethan Hawke's serial killer The Grabber who was offed in the first flick's finale.

The answer? Make him appear as a nightmarish vision made real and amp up the psychological impact being kidnapped would have on your victim and his family. It's no mean feat, but the bleak and at times, downright nasty Black Phone 2 (who would ever be a Christian facing off against a devilish figure here is a valid question) certainly has a way of inveigling its way under your skin.

Four years after escaping the Grabber's greasy clutches, Finney (Mason Thames) is struggling to cope. Reduced to smoking pot and waling on those who mock him for killing a serial killer, he's a mess. Things are further complicated when his sister Gwen starts having visions of being contacted by their dead mother from a camp high in the Rocky mountains and also seeing dead children.

Determined to slay their demons once and for all, the pair head to the camp for one more showdown.

Black Phone 2 works despite its derivative origins and the feeling there was nowhere else to go after the first.

Fashioning a backstory is always dangerous for a seemingly one-shot serial killer, but there's genuine nightmare fuel here, thanks to distorted imagery, discordant soundtracks and some very unsettling imagery and philosophies.

When the Grabber details to Gwen what hell is like and how it strips away all of the humanity, leaving only the sin to fester, it's upsetting stuff delivered with both pain and torture by Ethan Hawke, who once again excels in the less is more approach.

Equally, with a bleak outlook and set mostly at night (or in the twilight hours), the nightmares which play out in that dreamland that any insomniac will be familiar with leads to some haunting imagery. Turning sleepwalking into a kind of 1980s videotape fuzzy vibe also helps with a film that really does have a way of dialling up the creepy edges.

There's an argument that this is anti-Christian in some ways (a child killer at a Christian camp, the way it treats two evangelists) but that aside, this is a largely excellent film that makes great fist of its small clutch of cast.

Packed with tension and unease, upset and disturbing imagery, Black Phone 2 builds on the legacy of the first and unfurls a truly upsetting story that works from its directing restraint and because it taps into many ideas many of us secretly can't shake in the small hours of the morning.

Psychological, cinematic horror Project Songbird launches for consoles and PC in March

Solo developer FYRE Games is today thrilled to announce that its cinematic, narratively-driven horror title Project Songbird will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam on March 26. FYRE Games is self-publishing on PC, while the console ports will be published by Dojo System.

Set deep beneath the isolating canopy of the Appalachian forest, Project Songbird is a grippingly, surreal and psychological tale which explores the dark side of the creative process. Players will take on the role of Dakota, a struggling career musician who, while suffering from writer's block, heads to a remote log cabin to record their new album. As they search amongst the pines for a spark of creativity, they soon discover something more lurks in the darkness - and that not all inspirations are positive.

With a strong-focus on narrative, cinematic presentation and player immersion, Project Songbird effortlessly juxtaposes picturesque, naturalistic environments with surrealist nightmarescapes. Stunning voice performances from a highly-talented cast will pull players headfirst into this dark tale, while tactile and heart-pounding combat encounters will keep them on their toes.

Project Songbird - Key Features

• A dark, enthralling 4-5 hour narrative to keep you hooked and guessing until the end.

• Gorgeous visuals as you traverse numerous and diverse environments, presented with a cinematic, film-like aesthetic.

• Ranged and melee combat with upgradeable weapons to help you survive your nightmarish journey.

• A stellar voice cast, starring Valerie Rose Lohman (What Remains of Edith Finch, Wolfenstein: Youngblood), Jonah Scott (Dying Light 2: Stay Human, Date Everything), and Aleks Le (Persona 3: Reloaded, Marvel Rivals, Ghost of Yotei).

• A beautifully dynamic and haunting soundtrack composed and performed by Jacob Noska, and Jonah Henthorne: members of the band Auric Echoes.

Project Songbird will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam on March 26, 2026.

For more information on FYRE Games and Project Songbird, please visit the official website, or follow on Bluesky, X, Instagram and TikTok.