ALL THE OLD KNIVES (M)The one with a familiar edge★★★★AMAZON PRIME VIDEOThis delicately poised and decidedly enigmatic thriller might not match the lofty likes of a Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – the collected works of author John le Carre are a major influence here – but remains a classy and intelligent addition to the espionage genre. Chris Pine stars as Henry, a decorated CIA agent tasked with investigating the horrifying aftermath of a terrorist hijacking a decade prior. Henry’s higher-ups (led by an excellent Laurence Fishburne) have worked out there was a mole in the operation that needs to be found and dealt with. Henry’s new assignment is to pay a few former colleagues a visit and see if he can smell a rat. Should he indeed do so, Henry is free to terminate ‘em right there on the spot. Unmasking and then icing the perp is going to be made even more difficult for Henry when we learn one of the prime suspects could be his ex-lover Celia (Thandiwe Newton). It is the couple’s reunion over a three-course meal in a fancy restaurant that forms the narrative spine of the movie, and as the viewer gets to know each of them, the high-stakes game of conversational cat-and-mouse becomes all the more gripping. Well worth the track-down, this one. Co-stars Johnathan Pryce.SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (M)The one logging on to a whirled, wild web★★★★½RENT ONLYIt cannot be emphasised enough: No Way Home is a great Spider-Man movie, and indeed, one of the finer Marvel-made movies of the past decade. The ultra-arresting initial premise of the No Way Home plot was forged back at the dramatic conclusion of 2019’s Far from Home. The whole world is now completely and utterly aware of Spider-Man’s true identity. Which means what little was normal about Peter Parker’s life has been shredded by the instant notoriety and public furore. While the good Doctor does have a mystic trick up his sleeves that stands a chance of wiping the world’s memory of an unmasked Spider-Man, it also unlocks a few doorways to alternate dimensions through which will step some familiar, yet highly unwelcome figures. You think you already have a PhD in all things Peter Parker and Spider-Man? A few shock twists and some sobering turns in No Way Home will have you questioning your credentials in the best possible way.BARRY (MA15+)The one show about to go to the next level★★★★★STREAM VIA FOXTEL, BINGESeason 3 of Bill Hader’s unyieldingly superb comedy-drama-crime mash-up started dropping on Monday, and the new episodes are of such high quality that they elevate the series to staggering heights. So much so that some may now argue Barry is one of the best shows of the past five years. I certainly won’t be arguing with them. If you’re coming late to the party, why not play catch-up with Seasons 1 and 2 this weekend? Hader’s title character is a hired assassin who finds redemption when he joins the ranks of aspiring actors in Los Angeles. Or does he? The Chechen Mafia, Bolivian drug smugglers, Hollywood agents, an eccentric mentor (Henry Winkler) and a manipulative handler (Steven Root) are all going to have a say in Barry’s ultimate destiny. The brilliant writing is what truly seals the deal here: no series is more adept at painting itself into a corner, and then blasting itself out with a jaw-dropping moment no-one could possibly see coming.PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE (G)The one barking up the right tree★★★STREAM via PARAMOUNT+ or RENTIf you have a committed Paw-Patroller in your household, this fetching feature-length adventure is sure to keep ‘em riveted via repeat viewings. Unusually, the extended running time beyond that of the P-Patrol’s usual screen ventures turns out to be a good thing. The manner in which the pups are shown solving problems and working together is consistently to the fore, and the movie as a whole keeps holding steady and sweet throughout.BEST SELLERS (M)The one with the write stuff★★★FOXTEL, BINGE or RENTA perfectly pleasant light comedy, notable for a feisty and endearingly grouchy Michael Caine in the lead role. He plays the legendarily reclusive and verbally abusive author Harris Shaw, forced against his will by an inexperienced young publisher, Lucy (Aubrey Plaza), to undertake a national book tour to promote his latest novel. While Lucy does the driving, Harris does the driving-her-up-the-wall thing with his constant complaints and acidic asides. Though the pairing of Caine and Plaza is a highly unlikely one, there is a definite chemistry there that has you wishing they were in a slightly better movie than this. Caine has a field day in the promotional scenes, where curmudgeonly old Harris enters bookstores as if he has been scheduled to meet with everyone in the world he has never liked.DANGER CLOSE: THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN (MA15+) The one remembering those who should never be forgotten★★★NETFLIX or RENTThe terrifying true story of The Battle of Long Tan during the Vietnam War, where 108 Australian soldiers were forced to hold their ground against a Viet Cong onslaught almost twenty times in number. When conveying the frightening logistics of the bloody skirmish, the movie stands tall as a worthy tribute to those who found themselves in this living hell. Stars Travis Fimmel, Richard Roxburgh.
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