The Flash Review

The Flash

Release Date: 13th June 2023 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

DC Studios

Double Dream

The Disco Factory

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 145 minutes

Budget: $220,000,000

Box Office Gross: $268,533,313 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Worlds clash when the Flash uses his super speed to travel back in time and change

the past. But he finds himself

stuck in a reality where General Zod has returned, intent on wreaking havoc when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the present. Without another hero to turn to, the Flash tries to lure a different Batman out of retirement and rescue a captured Kryptonian - but not the Kryptonian he seeks.

Cast

Ezra Miller - Barry Allen/

The Flash

Ben Affleck - Bruce Wayne/

Batman

Michael Shannon - General Zod

Michael Keaton - Bruce Wayne/Batman

Jeremy Irons - Alfred Pennyworth

Sasha Calle - Supergirl

Kiersey Clemons - Iris West

Maribel Verdú - Nora Allen

Saoirse-Monica Jackson - Patty Spivot

Ian Loh - Little Barry

Antje Traue - Faora-Ul

Ruby Mancuso - Albert Desmond

Isabelle Bernardo - Iris

Ian Loh - Little Barry

Ron Livingston - Henry Allen

Antje Traue - Faora-UI

Gal Gadot - Diana Prince/Wonder Woman

Sean Rogers - Gary

Luke Brandon Field - Al

Falcone

Temuera Morrison - Thomas

Curry (Cameo)

Andy Muschetti - Hot Dog

Reporter (Cameo)

Nicolas Cage - Superman (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Jason Momoa - Arthur Curry

(Cameo) (Uncredited)

George Clooney - Bruce

Wayne (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Pizza Man (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Director - Andy Muschietti

The Flash Creators - Harry

Lambert and Gardner Fox

Barry Allen Version Creators - Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino

Superman Creators - Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Batman Creators - Bob Kane

and Bill Finger

Wonder Woman Creator - William Moulton Marston

Screen Story - John Francis Daley,

Jonathan Goldstein and Joby Harold

Screenplay - Christina Hodson

Executive Producers - Toby Emmerich,

Walter Hamada and Galen Vaisman

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Marianne Jenkins

Producer - Barbara Muschietti

and Michael Disco

Co-Producers - Michael Lerman

and Richard Mirisch

Co-Producer/First Assistant Director -

Michael Lerman

Production Designer - Paul D. Austerberry

Supervising Art Director - Jason Knox-Johnston

Art Directors - Julia Dehoff,

Steven Lawrence, Laura Mickiewicz,

Marco Anton Restivo and Adam Squires

Concept Artists - Dan Walker,

Julian Caldow and Magda Kusowska

Construction Manager - Ray Barrett

Set Decorator - Dominic Capon

Property Master - Terry Wood

Costume Designer - Alexandra Byrne

Costume Supervisor - Dan Grace

Costume Consultant - Bob Ringwood (Uncredited)

HOD Costume Modelling/Prop

Manufacturing - Pierre Bohanna

Makeup Designer - Victoria Down

Director of Photography - Henry Braham

Supervising Location Manager - Amanda Stevens

First Assistant Director - Michael Lerman

Second Unit Director - Robert Alonzo

Stunt Coordinator - Eunice Hurhart

Fight Coordinator - Mike Lambert

Special Effects Supervisor - Dominic Tuohy

Visual Effects Supervisor - John 'D.J.' Des Jardin

Visual Effects Supervisor: DNEG - Andrew Lockley

Visual Effects Supervisor: Weta FX - Kevin Andrew Smith

Visual Effects Producer - Tamara Watts Kent

Visual Effects Consultant - Emma Norton

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors - Bryan Hirota

and Jeremy Burns

On-Set Supervisor: DNEG - Thomas Proctor

Animation Supervisors: Weta FX - Simeon Duncombe

and David Clayton

CG/FX Supervisors: Weta FX - Alexia Cui,

Dana Peters and Imre Tuske

Visualization Supervisor: Day for Nite - Kyle Robinson

Editors - Jason Ballantine and Paul Machliss

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer/

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - John Marquis

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer -

Nancy Nugent

Sound Designer - Brandon Jones

Additional Sound Designers - Tobias Poppe

and Tim Walston

Re-Recording Mixers - Michael Keller

and Tim LeBlanc

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - John Marquis

Foley Artists - Alyson Dee Moore

and Chris Moriana

Music/Score Producer & Mixer - Benjamin Wallfisch

Music Supervisor - Kim Baum

Review

After countless production delays and controversies (due to director changes, COVID-19, and Ezra Miller's legal problems), THE FLASH zooms into the big screen. However, it is the end of the era for the Snyderverse as a new age for the DC Movie Universe begins now, with James Gunn spearheading the development. Looking back, I've read a few comics of the Scarlet Speedster and watched the Justice League cartoons and the TV series. However, it's about time the Flash got his movie, which is what fans would want. Unfortunately, it's anything but a standalone big-screen adaptation.

The film suffered from several issues, such as the abysmal quality of the CGI, a convoluted and messy plot, excessive fan service, and poor time logic. Even the third act is a non-stop action scene with less opportunity for the audience to relax. The problem with the movie was that it was only interested in mining nostalgia for other DC films besides trying to adapt the titular character to the big screen, which slows it down. While he has little experience with the superhero genre, as he only did horror with the two chapters of It, director Andy Muschietti recaptures the sense of fun and energy that Zack Snyder's films of DCEU (especially Man of Steel and Batman v Superman) have been missing in the past several years.

Despite the ongoing turmoil and controversy that ended their acting career, I don't mind seeing Ezra Miller again as the Scarlet Speedster, even though the actor needs all the help they can get and does deserve a second chance. After 31 years, Michael Keaton returns as the legendary Caped Crusader, only as a much older alternate version. His performance adds a new layer of depth and nostalgia to the film, but sadly, his rendition has gone to waste. Sasha Calle didn't get a chance to shine as Supergirl, and her role didn't do anything to save this movie. The rest of the cast, such as Michael Shannon, returns as General Zod, who was underutilised.

While far from a satisfying send-off to the DC Extended Universe, THE FLASH remains an average film. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best of the DC movies, nor the best comic book film of all time. However, some DC fans can enjoy the movie on their nearest streaming platform and DVD/Blu-ray, while everyone else will see it only once.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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In Memory of Val Kilmer (1959-2025)

Val Kilmer (1959-2025)

Val Kilmer, the legendary actor known for his roles in "Top Gun," "The Doors," "Tombstone," and "Batman Forever," has died at the age of 65. His daughter, Mercedes, told the US media that the actor had passed away from pneumonia.

Kilmer was born on 31st December 1959 in Los Angeles to a middle-class family. He was the youngest student admitted to the Juilliard School acting program. His first roles were "Top Secret!" and "Real Genius." However, his breakthrough performance came in "Top Gun," where he played the arrogant naval pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise.

In 1991, he established his leading man position by playing the legendary rock star Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's biopic "The Doors." He followed it up with a star-studded run of '90s films, such as "Tombstone," "True Romance," and "Heat" opposite Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. In 1995, Kilmer received the biggest challenge of his acting career when he replaced Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader in "Batman Forever." The film grossed at the box office but received mixed reviews, and Kilmer declined to appear in the next Batman movie. Instead, he starred as the master criminal and master of disguise in 1997's "The Saint," based on the books by Leslie Charteris, which also inspired the 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore. In 1998, he also voiced Moses and God in the DreamWorks animated movie "The Prince of Egypt." With several films like "The Island of Dr. Moreau" and "Red Planet" underperforming and his reputation for being difficult on set, Kilmer's stardom began to falter.

Throughout the 2000s, he mostly worked in smaller indie films, including "The Salton Sea" and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" opposite Robert Downey Jr., or supporting roles in much bigger films like Oliver Stone's "Alexander" and "Deja Vu." He starred as John Holmes, a porn star, in "Wonderland" and appeared with Nicolas Cage in "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans."

In later years, he faced health issues and was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. Though he recovered after several surgeries, his voice was never the same. Kilmer starred in several direct-to-video films where another actor dubbed his character's voice. In 2021, he did a retrospective on his career in the documentary "Val." But his last appearance on the big screen is back where it all started, a cameo role alongside Tom Cruise in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick."

Kilmer was married to British actress Joanna Whalley, with whom they had co-starred in movies like "Willow" and "Kill Me Again." The couple had two children, Mercedes and Jack. But after eight years of marriage, they divorced.

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Winners of the 97th Academy Awards

Now, here are the winners of the 97th Academy Awards.

This year's Oscars had 23 categories, and the biggest winner was Anora. It won Best Picture (which the award should have been for Wicked), Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. As I predicted, Wicked won Best Costume Design, and Dune: Part Two won Best Visual Effects. However, I didn't expect The Wild Robot to lose the Best Animated Feature award to the now-obvious contender, Flow. I enjoyed watching the ceremony.

Best Visual Effects

Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer

Best Film Editing

Anora - Sean Baker

Best Costume Design

Wicked - Paul Tazewell

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

The Substance - Pierre-Oliver Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarseli

Best Cinematography

The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

Best Production Design

Wicked - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Best Sound

Dune: Part Two - Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, and Doug Hemphill

Best Original Song

"El Mal" from Emilia Pérez - Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard

Best Original Score

The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg

Best Animated Short Film

In the Shadow of the Cypress - Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi

Best Live-Action Short Film

I'm Not a Robot - Victoria Warmerdam and Trent

Best Documentary Short Film

The Only Girl in the Orchestra - Molly O'Brien and Lisa Remington

Best Documentary Feature Film

No Other Land - Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham

Best International Feature Film

I'm Still Here (Brazil) in Portuguese - Directed by Walter Salles

Best Animated Feature Film

Flow - Gints Zilbalodis, Ron Dyens, Matiss Kaza, and Gregory Zalcman

Best Adapted Screenplay

Conclave - Peter Straughan; based on the novel by Robert Harris

Best Original Screenplay

Anora - Sean Baker

Best Supporting Actress

Zoe Saldana - Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro

Best Supporting Actor

Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan

Best Actress

Mikey Madison - Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva

Best Actor

Adrien Brody - The Brutalist as László Tóth

Best Director

Sean Baker - Anora

Best Picture

Anora - Alex Cocos, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, producers

Honorary Awards

Quincy Jones

Juliet Taylor

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Richard Curtis

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In Memory of Gene Hackman (1930-2025)

Gene Hackman (1930-2025)

The actor Gene Hackman died in 2025. He was 95. The two-time Oscar-winning veteran actor was reportedly found dead in his home in New Mexico with his wife and dog. The cause of their deaths was unknown. An intense character actor with a storied career spanning five decades, he was best known for his subtle performances in movies like "The French Connection" and "Unforgiven."

As a teenager, Hackman lied about his age to join the Marines, where he served for nearly five years. After the military, he lived and worked in New York and studied journalism and television production at the University of Illinois before deciding to relocate to California to fulfil his dream of acting. Hackman attended the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where he became friends with a young Dustin Hoffman. In 1963, he moved back to New York, where he appeared in off-Broadway productions and minor roles on television. His movie acting career began in the 1960s, starting with "Lilith" opposite Warren Beatty. Fascinated by his performance, Beatty cast him as his brother, Buck Barrow, in "Bonnie & Clyde." It earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He even received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "I Never Sang for My Father" in 1971. It is the same year that Hackman played the gruff New York detective, Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, in director William Friedkin's "The French Connection" that cemented his status as a leading man. It won him an Oscar for Best Actor. He reprised the role in "The French Connection II" in 1975. Hackman continued as a staple at the box office, appearing in films like "The Poseidon Adventure," "The Conversation," and "Night Moves."

Aside from playing tough guys, Gene also had a knack for comedy in "Young Frankenstein" and villainy as Superman's archnemesis Lex Luthor in 1978's "Superman: The Movie" and its 1980 and 1987 sequels. He also enjoyed another successful decade in the 80s, especially for his role in "Mississippi Burning," for which he earned another Best Actor Oscar nomination. In 1992, Hackman portrayed a violent sheriff, Bill Daggett, in Clint Eastwood's western "Unforgiven," which earned him another Oscar, this time as Best Supporting Actor. Hackman also appeared in movies like "Hoosiers," "The Firm" opposite Tom Cruise, "The Quick and the Dead," "Crimson Tide" with Denzel Washington, "Get Shorty" with John Travolta, "The Birdcage" with Nathan Lane and Robin Williams, and "Enemy of the State" with Will Smith.

He continued to work in the early 2000s and attracted audiences with "The Royal Tenenbaums." For the first and only time, he and former flatmate Dustin Hoffman appeared on screen together in "Runaway Jury." His last film role was as Monroe Cole in "Welcome to Mooseport" in 2004, after which he retired from acting and settled into a quieter life in New Mexico. In 2002, Hackman accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award for his accomplishments in Hollywood.

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97th Academy Awards

Broadcast Date: 3rd March 2025 - Australia

Hello everyone. After being postponed twice by the LA fires, the 2025 nominations for the 97th Academy Awards are finally here. Conan O'Brien will host this year's ceremony. Leading up the categories this year is the international film from France, Emilia Pérez.

Best Visual Effects

Alien: Romulus - Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin, and Shane Mahan

Better Man - Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, and Peter Stubbs

Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, and Rodney Burke

Wicked - Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk, and Paul Corbould

Best Film Editing

Anora - Sean Baker

The Brutalist - Dávid Jancsó

Conclave - Nick Emerson

Emilia Pérez - Juliette Welfling

Wicked - Myron Kerstein

Best Costume Design

A Complete Unknown - Arienne Phillips

Conclave - Lisy Christl

Gladiator II - Janty Yates and Dave Crossman

Nosferatu - Linda Muir

Wicked - Paul Tazewell

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

A Different Man - Mike Marino, David Presto, and Crystal Jurado

Emilia Pérez - Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier, and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini

Nosferatu - David White, Traci Loader, and Suzanne Stokes-Munton

The Substance - Pierre-Oliver Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarseli

Wicked - Frances Hannon, Laura Blount, and Sarah Nuth

Best Cinematography

The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

Dune: Part Two - Greig Fraser

Emilia Pérez - Paul Guilhaune

Maria - Ed Lachman

Nosferatu - Jarin Blaschke

Best Production Design

The Brutalist - Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia

Conclave - Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter

Dune: Part Two - Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau

Nosferatu - Production Design: Craig Lathrop; Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová

Wicked - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Best Sound

A Complete Unknown - Tod A. Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey, and David Giammarco

Dune: Part Two - Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, and Doug Hemphill

Emilia Pérez - Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz, and Niels Barletta

Wicked - Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson, and John Marquis

The Wild Robot - Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo, and Leff Lefferts

Best Original Song

"El Mal" from Emilia Pérez - Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard

"The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight - Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren

"Like a Bird" from Sing Sing - Music and Lyrics by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada

"Mi Camino" from Emilia Pérez - Music and Lyrics by Clément Ducol and Camille

"Never Too Late" from Elton John: Never Too Late - Music and Lyrics by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, and Bernie Taupin

Best Original Score

The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg

Conclave - Volker Bertelmann

Emilia Pérez - Clément Ducol and Camille;

Wicked - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz

The Wild Robot - Kris Bowers

Best Animated Short Film

Beautiful Men - Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Eslande

In the Shadow of the Cypress - Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi

Magic Candies - Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio

Wander to Wonder - Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper

Yuck! - Loic Espuche and Juliette Marquet

Best Live-Action Short Film

A Lien - Sam & David Cutler-Kreutz

Anuja - Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai

I'm Not a Robot - Victoria Warmerdam and Trent

The Last Ranger - Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent - Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek

Best Documentary Short Film

Death by Numbers - Kim A. Snyder and Janique L. Robillard

I Am Ready, Warden - Smriti Mundhra and Maya Gnyp

Incident - Bill Morrison and Jamie Kalven

Instruments of a Beating Heart - Ema Ryan Yamazaki and Eric Nyari

The Only Girl in the Orchestra - Molly O'Brien and Lisa Remington

Best Documentary Feature Film

Black Box Diaries - Shiori Itō, Eric Nayari, and Hanna Aqvilin

No Other Land - Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham

Porcelain War - Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska, and Paula DuPré Pesmen

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat - Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius, and Rémi Grelley

Sugarcane - Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, and Kellen Quinn

Best International Feature Film

Emilia Pérez (France) - Directed by Jacques Audiard

Flow (Latvia) - Directed by Gints Zilbalodis

The Girl with the Needle (Denmark) in Danish - Directed by Magnus von Horn

I'm Still Here (Brazil) in Portuguese - Directed by Walter Salles

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) in Persian - Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof

Best Animated Feature Film

Flow - Gints Zilbalodis, Ron Dyens, Matiss Kaza, and Gregory Zalcman

Inside Out 2 - Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen

Memoir of a Snail - Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, and Richard Beek

The Wild Robot - Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann

Best Adapted Screenplay

A Complete Unknown - James Mangold and Jay Cocks; based on the book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald

Conclave - Peter Straughan; based on the novel by Robert Harris

Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard; in collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius, and Nicolas Livecchi; based on the opera libretto by Jacques Audiard

Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes; based on the novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Sing Sing - Screenplay by Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley; story by Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley, Clarence Maclin, and John "Divine G" Whitfield; based on the book The Sing Sing Follies by John H. Richardson

Best Original Screenplay

Anora - Sean Baker

The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg

September 5 - Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum; co-written by Alex David

The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Best Supporting Actress

Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown as Joan Baez

Ariana Grande - Wicked as Galinda "Glinda" Upland

Felicity Jones - The Brutalist as Erzsébet Tóth

Isabella Rossellini - Conclave as Sister Agnes

Zoe Saldana - Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro

Best Supporting Actor

Yuri Borisov - Anora as Igor

Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan

Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown as Pete Seeger

Guy Pearce - The Brutalist as Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr.

Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice as Roy Cohn

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo - Wicked as Elphaba Thropp

Karla Sofia Gascón - Emilia Pérez as Emilia Pérez/Juan "Manitas" Del Monte

Mikey Madison - Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva

Demi Moore - The Substance as Elisabeth Sparkle

Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here as Eunice Paiva

Best Actor

Adrien Brody - The Brutalist as László Tóth

Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan

Colman Domingo - Sing Sing as John "Divine G" Whitfield

Ralph Fiennes - Conclave as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence

Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice as Donald Trump

Best Director

Sean Baker - Anora

Brady Corbet - The Brutalist

James Mangold - A Complete Unknown

Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez

Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

Best Picture

Anora - Alex Cocos, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, producers

The Brutalist - Nick Gordon, D.J. Gugenheim, Andrew Lauren, Trevor Matthews and Brian Young, producers

A Complete Unknown - Fred Berger, James Mangold, and Alex Heineman, producers

Conclave - Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, and Michael A. Jackman, producers

Dune: Part Two - Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe, and Denis Villeneuve, producers

Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux, Valérie Schermann, and Anthony Vaccarello, producers

I'm Still Here - Maria Carlota Bruno, Martine De Clermont-Tonnerre, and Rodrigo Teixeira, producers

Nickel Boys - Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and David Levine, producers

The Substance - Tim Bevan, Coralie Fargeat, and Eric Fellner, producers

Wicked - Marc Platt, producer

Honorary Awards

Quincy Jones

Juliet Taylor

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Richard Curtis

Make sure you let me know who the winners are. My predictions for the winners of the following categories are

Best Visual Effects - Dune: Part Two

Best Production Design - Dune: Part Two

Best Costume Design - Wicked

Best Cinematography - Dune: Part Two

Best Animated Feature for The Wild Robot

Best Actor - Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown

Best Director - James Mangold for A Complete Unknown

Best Picture - Wicked

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In Memory of David Lynch (1946-2025)

David Lynch (1946-2025)

The acclaimed film director David Lynch has died. He was 78 years old. His family announced his death on his Facebook account. He suffered from emphysema from years of smoking when he announced his diagnosis in 2024. Known for his dark, unsettling, and surrealistic vision, Lynch was responsible for movies such as "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive" and is the co-creator of the landmark television series "Twin Peaks." Lynch's opulent, unsettling, and unfathomable works, packed with dream sequences and quirky visuals, have positioned him as a master of surrealism and one of the most original filmmakers of his time.

A native of Missoula, Montana, Lynch began his career in painting before turning to short film in the 1960s. In 1977, Lynch made his name with "Eraserhead," his first full-length movie, a chilling, darkly humorous work that became an unsettling staple of the midnight cinema circuit. His unconventional and uncompromising style quickly attracted the attention of Hollywood and the international film industry.

It was then that Mel Brooks appointed Lynch to write and direct "The Elephant Man," a strange and poignant biopic about a hideously deformed sideshow freak who is thrust into the limelight and becomes a national celebrity in Victorian England. The movie received eight Oscar nominations, including Lynch's first for Best Director. Unfortunately, he failed to achieve the same success with his 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert's expansive sci-fi novel "Dune." It was a massive box-office bomb, produced on a $40 million budget over an excruciating three-year shoot. In later years, the film would receive a cult following. After that debacle, Lynch bounced back with two movies that defined his signature style, including the provocative neo-noir mystery thriller "Blue Velvet" and the sexy, violent road movie "Wild at Heart."

In 1990, Lynch and Mark Frost launched the supernatural murder-mystery series "Twin Peaks," breaking new ground for things not shown on television. The show lasted two seasons, spawning the film prequel "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me." Twenty-five years later, the show returned for a limited third season, thanks to the enduring affection of a dedicated fanbase. Later in his career, he helmed more films such as "Lost Highway," "The Straight Story," "Mulholland Drive," and "Inland Empire." In 2022, Lynch made a cameo appearance as another legendary director, John Ford, in Steven Spielberg's autobiographical movie "The Fabelmans." In 2019, after being nominated four times, Lynch received an Honorary Oscar Award for lifetime achievement.

The whole world is going to miss his style.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Review

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Release Date: 26th December 2024 - Australia

Production Companies

Paramount Pictures (presents)

Sega Sammy Group (in association with)

Original Film

Blur Studio

Marza Animation Planet

Sega (based on the video game from)

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Family/Action/

Adventure/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 110 minutes

Budget: $122,000,000

Box Office Gross: $492,162,604 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles

are up against a mysterious

new enemy with powers

beyond anything they

have ever faced, known as

Shadow the Hedgehog.

Outmatched in every way,

the trio must seek an

unlikely alliance with

Dr. Robotnik to stop

Shadow and protect the

planet, but the risks

increase when Robotnik

reunites with his long-

lost grandfather, Gerald

Robotnik, who appears

to have his sights on

Shadow.

Cast

Ben Schwartz - Sonic the Hedgehog (Voice)

Jim Carrey - Ivo Robotnik/Gerald Robotnik

Keanu Reeves - Shadow the Hedgehog (Voice)

Idris Elba - Knuckles the

Echidna (Voice)

Colleen O'Shaughnessey -

Miles "Tails" Prower (Voice)

James Marsden - Tom

Wachowski

Tika Sumpter - Maddie Wachowski

Natasha Rothwell - Rachel

Adam Pally - Wade

Shemar Moore - Randall

Lee Majoub - Agent Stone

Krysten Ritter - Director Rockwell

Alyla Browne - Maria

Tom Butler - Commander Walters

Jorma Taccone - Kyle

Lancebottom

Sofia Pernas - Gabriella

Cristo Fernández - Pablo/Juan

James Wolk - Young Walters

Brett Tutor - Prison Guard

Richard Sutton - G.U.N. HQ Security Guard

Will Austin - G.U.N. Heli Pilot

Bola Okun - Military Man

Reggie Banigo - Rockwell's Assistant

Barry Calvert - 70s G.U.N. Soldier

Brendan Murphy - Robotnik

Proxy

Toru Nakahara - Japanese

News Reporter

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Jeff Fowler

Story/Screenplay - Pat Casey

and Josh Miller

Screenplay - John Whittington

Executive Producers - Tommy Gormley, Tim Miller, Haruki Satomi and Shuji Utsumi

Producers - Neal H. Moritz,

Toby Ascher, Toru Nakahara

and Hitoshi Okuno

Co-Producers - Tyson

Hesse, Dmitri M. Johnson,

Andrew Riach, Nicole Monter,

Dan Jevons and Matt Gustafson

Co-Producer/Second Unit Director/Visual Effects Supervisor - Ged Wright

Casting Directors - Sophie Holland, Janelle Scuderi and Tricia Wood

Production Designer - Luke Freeborn

Artistic Consultant - Jim Carrey

Sonic Character Supervisor:

Sega - Takashi Iizuka

Supervising Art Director - Tom Still

Senior Art Directors - Su Whitaker

and Joe Howard

Art Directors - Claire Fleming,

Sarah Ginn and Laura Miller

Construction Manager - Ray Barrett

Set Decorator - Anna-Lynch Robinson

Costume Designer - Eleanor Baker

Costume FX Designer - Pierre Bohanna

Prosthetics Makeup Designer - Mark Coulier

Digital Makeup Designer - Bill Corso

Director of Photography - Brandon Trost

Supervising Location Manager -

Christian McWilliams

Second Unit Director - Peter Lyons Collister

Stunt Coordinator - Eunice Huthart

Fight Choreographer - Mike Lambert

Special Effects Coordinator - Sarah Pearce

Special Effects Supervisor - Hayley J. Williams

Visual Effects Supervisor: Lola VFX -

Edson Williams

Visual Effects Producer - Paul V. Molles

Senior Animation Supervisor - Clement Yip

Editor - Al LeVine

Supervising Sound Editors/Sound Designers -

Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn

Sound Designer - Darren Maynard

Production Sound Mixer - Paul Munro

Re-Recording Mixers - Ron Bartlett and

Anna Behlmer

Music - Tom Holkenborg

Review

It is the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. What better way to cap off this year than watching the fireworks and SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3? Let me tell you, each movie of the franchise improves as the speedy blue hedgehog always wins the race. SONIC 3 builds on the success of its predecessors, reducing the excess baggage and concentrating more on the well-known Sega characters. For example, the human characters (minus two Robotniks) have less screen time, the pacing is much tighter, and the pop-cultural references are minimal. Not to mention, there are no useless subplots like the wedding in Sonic 2.

Added to the inclusion in the film series is Sonic's rival, Shadow, whose dark past propels the plot forward and has already appeared in the mid-credits scene of the second instalment. The introduction of this character deepens the film as an emotional rollercoaster as it examines themes of grief, vengeance, and redemption. Interestingly, the movie's director, Jeff Fowler, had previously worked on the animations for the 2005 platformer Shadow the Hedgehog, so he returns to his connections with Sega's gun-toting villainous hedgehog.

Unlike the earlier Sonic movies, which were family-friendly romps, SONIC 3 takes a darker tone, upping the stakes for Sonic and his friends. Whereas the first two instalments borrowed the elements from the classic Mega Drive games, SONIC 3 owes much to the Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure 2. What makes SONIC 3 a more deliberate video game adaptation than its predecessors is the distinct duality it establishes between Sonic and Shadow. The film never ceases to amaze me with its awe-inspiring visuals and dynamic action scenes, culminating in a climax reminiscent of the battle scenes in Dragon Ball Z. The humour is well-balanced, with sufficient laughs for children and moments for adults. There are even Easter eggs and references to the games in the film that fans can recognise.

As always, Ben Schwartz shines as Sonic's voice, lending his boundless enthusiasm and charm to the blue hedgehog. Idris Elba and Colleen O'Shaughnessey deliver great performances as Knuckles and Tails. Individually, they contribute to the trio's chemistry. Keanu Reeves was an inspired choice to play Shadow. No one expected the legendary action star to play someone as dark and brooding with a tragic backstory and a thirst for revenge (similar to the titular character he portrayed in the John Wick series). That said, Reeves did an incredible job by bringing edginess to the character that perfectly captures his dark nature.

Remember what I said in my Sonic 2 review that Jim Carrey is considering retirement after he finishes playing Dr. Robotnik in the second instalment. He's back for the third time as Carrey pulls double duty in a dual role. Not only does the legendary comedian portray the wacky mad scientist, but Carrey also gets to play his even more sinister grandfather. While he outdoes himself as two generations of Eggman, he hasn't lost the quirkiness we've come to anticipate from Jim Carrey.

While a significant step up from the first two instalments, SONIC 3 is the best entry in the movie franchise and one of the better video game film adaptations. It has a compelling story, striking performances, and stunning visuals that audiences of all ages will enjoy. For those who have watched its predecessors, now is your chance to go and see the third outing.

Also, there are two post-credit scenes at the end of the film that fans should keep an eye out for, which could hint at the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in 2027. I can't wait to see the impending sequel when it'll be as good as the third instalment.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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