Movie reviews of Richard Alaba

All acting principals put in towering performances and present a forensic deconstruction of the roles they play. Review

This evocative and original film can move you unexpectedly while its shockingly ironic finale can leave you stunned. Review

It is one thing to create an emotionally gripping film. It is entirely another to bring a global mental health issue out from the shadows and into the midst of conversations about dementia and aged care. Review

Some viewers will see this film as a judgemental lesson on the evils of alcohol; others will find humour in the adolescent mindset of four limp middle-aged males struggling with mid-life blues. There is also a compelling study of the pathway from depression to alcoholism. If a film can carry so many themes and still be entertaining then it is worth watching. Review

In the absence of engaging characters, the hero of the story is the extraordinary white chalk cliff that features in several scenes, like a sentinel watching for the mythical Summerland. Apart from that, the film is just another moderately entertaining pretty picture with a plot rich in sentimentality but with little purpose. Review

This film is a fine-grain exposition of grief. Review

Excellent cinematography captures iconic western landscapes, rustic townships and long dusty roads. Review

Labels matter and calling My Salinger Year a drama misses the mark completely. At most, this film is lightweight entertainment, the enjoyment of which is fortunately enhanced by its portrait of Joanna’s youthful aspiration, endearing persona and big innocent eyes. Review

Neither a biopic nor truthful history, Ammonite is still pretty to watch in parts. The story had much potential with many quality ingredients that simply have not gelled and a climax that lies somewhere between opaque and meaningless. Review

The haunting images linger. If you walk away bothered by it, the film will have hit its mark. Review

This powerful portrait of a deadly serious subject pulls no punches. Mulligan is outstanding in capturing the emotional rage of a woman hell-bent on revenge and she single-handedly propels the film. Review

Perhaps no message is intended and it’s just entertainment. If so, On the Rocks can at best be described as a moderately amusing but pointless tale of a rocky marriage and a father-daughter relationship that never grew up. Review

It works as a thriller, keeping viewers wondering if Daniel will be uncovered. It has dramatic strands of deceit, violence, sadness, love and faith, and can also be viewed through a coming-of age-lens. But if the film has a higher purpose, it is the way it poses existential questions about an ancient church in modern times. Review

While the pace may be uneven, the filming offers ample visual pleasure adorned with typically rich Italian colours and textures. Review

The intensity of the film rests entirely on Milla. While it has a strong supporting cast in the roles of Moses, Henry, and Anna, none of them are particularly likeable, which leaves every inch of emotional space for Milla. Her cheery wide-eyed optimism, defiance, and yearning to feel everything she possibly can before her clock stops makes this story both gut-wrenching and a tear-jerker. Review

The King of Staten Island misses the opportunity to be a probing portrait of a young man’s delayed journey to adulthood and is compromised by grasping at low-hanging comic fruit. Review

While Stanley and Fred adequately anchor an ‘old dog-young dog’ fable, it is the dynamic between Shirley and Rose that generates the tension which holds the film together. Review

It is not a joyful viewing experience, but it does offer an insightful glimpse into a future that should sound alarm everywhere. Review

The only saving grace of Downhill is the visual beauty of the alps and the film’s relatively short run time of one hour and twenty-six minutes. Review

The best that might be said of this film is that Elizabeth Moss performs terrified expressions very well. Other than that, low production values and a more is never enough directing style means that despite a few good ingredients, this film achieves little of lasting value. Review

This may appear to be a lightweight women’s film but that would sell it short. It’s a film about the power of music, the importance of friendship in times of need, the emotional cost for those who send loved ones to war, and the trauma of separations and reunions. Review

The rest of the cast and the pace of direction make this a well-filmed, gripping, David and Goliath narrative. Review

Thanks to its talented female ensemble, Bombshell is effective in showing the painful moral dilemma faced by career women who must deal with toxic males... Review

While entertaining in its own right, it is hard to watch A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood without reflecting on the erosion of human values in today’s world. That’s the whole point of the film. Review