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Richard Gray

@thereelbits.bsky.social
186 followers 126 following 141 posts

Films and random thoughts | He/him | Gadigal Country | Editor of TheReelBits.com + TravelWhileNerdy.com | OFCS member | Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/TheReelBits | Opinions are my own and often odd. 🔊 IN STEREO WHERE AVAILABLE. 🔊

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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
2026 gets off to a great start at the movies. 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE is a confident, blood-soaked (but strangely contemplative) continuation. Nia DaCosta put a distinctive, reflective stamp on the franchise. thereelbits.com/2026/01/15/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: 28 Years Later – The Bone Temple
“I’m NHS. No charge.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
This film is a lesser-seen Disney television adventure shot on location in Bahrain with a largely local cast. This week I dove into some of the production behind 'Hamad and the Pirates (1971) #Disney #TVMovies #WonderfulWorldofDisney #RetroTV thereelbits.com/2026/01/10/d...
thereelbits.com
Disney Minus: Hamad and the Pirates
“An open sesame to enchantment.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
It's been a minute since I've posted! But I haven't disappeared. I've been busily working away on my Best films of 2025 list (or should I say favourites) and I think it's come together alright. thereelbits.com/2025/12/22/b... @ofcs.bsky.social #bestof2025 #bestfilms #film
thereelbits.com
Best films of 2025
Well, that was a year. Skydance merged with Paramount. Paramount and Netflix battled it out to buy Warner. AI and streaming dominance continue to be live topics. The Oscars announced they’ll …
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
#BusanFilmFestival is this week. Busan isn’t just home to one of Asia’s biggest film festivals — the whole city is steeped in #cinema. From BIFF Square to movie museums and Marvel locations, it’s a film lover’s playground. #KoreanFilm #KMovies #SouthKorea www.travelwhilenerdy.com/blog/busan-f...
travelwhilenerdy.com
Busan for Film Fans - Movie Landmarks and Filming Locations Guide — Travel While Nerdy
From BIFF Square to Train to Busan and Black Panther locations, explore South Korea’s cinematic city with this film lover’s guide to Busan’s movie sites, museums, and more.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
A grimly compelling dystopian tale that blends relentless tension with Stephen King’s mastery of raw human endurance. #THELONGWALK is in cinemas this week. thereelbits.com/2025/09/09/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: The Long Walk
Dystopian fiction has a very different flavour in 2025. In THE LONG WALK, adapted from Stephen King’s 1979 novel (written as Richard Bachman), some nameless war has left the US under a totalitarian…
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
media.tenor.com
a man says just when i thought i was out in a scene from the godfather
ALT: a man says just when i thought i was out in a scene from the godfather
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 30/08/2025
Forty years ago today, Paul Verhoeven unleashed FLESH + BLOOD, a bawdy, brutal medieval epic that left audiences both horrified and fascinated—and hinted at the Hollywood blockbusters to come. thereelbits.com/2025/08/30/f...
thereelbits.com
Flesh + Blood at 40: Paul Verhoeven’s bloody medieval epic
Celebrate 40 years of Paul Verhoeven’s Flesh + Blood, the violent and bawdy medieval epic that bridged his European films and Hollywood blockbusters.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
After a nice little break from writing, I poured a cup of tea and settled into the cosy crime rhythms of 'The Thursday Murder Club' adaptation, now on Netflix. thereelbits.com/2025/08/29/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: The Thursday Murder Club
“Everybody’s got llamas these days.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
What movie do you consider "perfect"? 🎬
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Now that it's on Netflix, here's a flashback to my #DEVO review from @melbfilmfest.bsky.social last year. This is just the film, just the film, the film U want. thereelbits.com/2024/08/13/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: DEVO
“You’re from the Midwest. You don’t talk about feelings.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
I think I speak for all Australian film fans in saying how important David Stratton was in building the foundations of film culture here. Fighting film censorship, the @sydfilmfest.bsky.social, championing Australian cinema and taking film criticism seriously. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
abc.net.au
Film critic David Stratton dies aged 85
His family announced his death on Thursday afternoon, saying he died peacefully in hospital near his home in the Blue Mountains.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
James J. Robinson's FIRST LIGHT (2025) is a visually exquisite and quietly probing debut that explores faith, power, and the loss of innocence. Now playing at @melbfilmfest.bsky.social #MIFF2025 thereelbits.com/2025/08/12/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: First Light
“This place will be the death of us.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
Now watching 'The Gnome-Mobile' (1967), one of the live action films released in the year following Walt Disney's death. These opening matte shots, from the master Peter Ellenshaw, are striking.
A matte painting shot from 'The Gnome Mobile' (1967), depicting several people in suits in a mid-century office building standing in front of a large glass window overlooking a foggy Golden Gate Bridge.A matte painting shot from 'The Gnome Mobile' (1967), depicting several people in suits in a mid-century office building standing in front of a large glass window overlooking a foggy Golden Gate Bridge.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
Eric San/Kid Koala's SPACE CADET is now playing at @melbfilmfest.bsky.social. His wordless animated debut is a tender, visually striking tale of connection across distance. thereelbits.com/2025/08/10/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: Space Cadet
“Are you sure?”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
To mark the 10th anniversary of #Hamilton opening at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway on 6 August 2015, I reflect on the time I saw it in Hamburg. In German. www.travelwhilenerdy.com/blog/hamilto...
travelwhilenerdy.com
Hamilton turns 10: Seeing the musical in Hamburg (in German!) — Travel While Nerdy
How does a scrappy musical tracing a nation's dawn, take flight and land on streets of the Reeperbahn? This week marks 10 years since Hamilton first opened to the general public at the Richard Roger...
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
Now watching.
An establishing shot of Provence, France with the stylised yellow text reading 'MONKEYS, GO HOME!'Poster for the 1967 Disney film 'Monkeys, Go Home!'
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
It's always fun to share the news that the Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) returns in August. Opening night film is 'Hear Me: Our Summer' and there's a 4K restoration of Shiri with Choi Min-sik. thereelbits.com/2025/07/21/k... #KMovies #FilmSky #KFilm #Korea #KPop #EXO
thereelbits.com
KOFFIA 2025: Korean Film Festival returns in August
KOFFIA 2025 brings 10 Korean premieres, Q&As with directors, and free screenings in 6 regional cities. Hear Me: Our Summer opens the festival.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
One of the things I've been doing more in the last few years is travelling, and writing about travelling, with my partner. Here's a few highlights from our year so far. www.travelwhilenerdy.com/blog/2025-so...
travelwhilenerdy.com
Mid-year highlights: What you loved on Travel While Nerdy in 2025 (So far!) — Travel While Nerdy
We here at TWN love a bit of reflection. Taking a moment to look back on what’s happened is such a rich and valuable practice. These days, we’re all encouraged to go, go, go—but sometimes it’s worth p...
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
🚢 Disney Minus sails on! I’m still working my way through Disney’s entire filmography. This week’s stop is the baffling 'Lt. Robin Crusoe, USN' (1966). Dick Van Dyke stranded with a chimp, Nancy Kwan, casual stereotypes, and somehow an endorsement by the US Navy. thereelbits.com/2025/07/18/d...
thereelbits.com
Disney Minus: Lt. Robin Crusoe, USN – a rubber dinghy of missteps
Dick Van Dyke’s stranded Navy pilot can’t save Disney’s clumsy mix of slapstick, sexism and cultural insensitivity.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Solid line-up at the African Film Festival in Sydney this September, especially if (like me) you missed The Heart is a Muscle at @sydfilmfest.bsky.social this year. Between that, Nteregu and the animation showcase, this is definitely one for Sydney film lovers. thereelbits.com/2025/07/16/a...
thereelbits.com
Africa Film Fest Australia 2025 brings bold African cinema to Sydney
AFFA 2025 returns to Sydney 4–7 September with The Heart is a Muscle, premieres, documentaries, animation, shorts & vibrant events.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Just because the Superman Movie is trending here, I'm dropping my review back into the feed. Even a week later I find myself reflecting on the missed opportunities in a film I really wanted to love. thereelbits.com/2025/07/09/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: Superman (2025)
“I party like a rock star, choir boy.”
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Reposted by Richard Gray
Colin Smith @colinsmith.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
I can’t speak for anyone else, but this 1945 press ad for Green Giant Peas & Niblets just freaks the heck out of me.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
It’s been 25 years since X-Men (2000). This was the gateway mutant movie: a bold leap into the not-to-distant future. I revisit these days of future past, looking at how it helped change superhero cinema (possibly forever). #XMen #XMen25 #Marvel #ComicBookMovies thereelbits.com/2025/07/13/x...
thereelbits.com
Before the MCU: X-Men (2000) and the dawn of the modern superhero film
“Mutation: it is the key to our evolution.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Long before the Rescuers went down under, Disney put out this book: Strange Animals of Australia (1963) by Milton Lesser. Likely based on the Nature's Strangest Creatures film that came out in 1959, it catalogues how the world saw us in the 50s and 60s. The one on the right is the local edition.
The US and Australian editions of Walt Disney's Strange Animals of Australia (1963).
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
#MIFF2025 Program reveals 275+ films, world premieres and live score events at Melbourne International Film Festival @melbfilmfest.bsky.social thereelbits.com/2025/07/10/m...
thereelbits.com
MIFF 2025: Program reveals 275+ films, world premieres and live score events at Melbourne International Film Festival
MIFF 2025 unveils over 275 films, world premieres, and festival headliners from August 7–24 in Melbourne and online.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
SUPERMAN (2025) is an ambitious Superman saga that struggles to find its footing amid an overcrowded plot, delivering flashes of humanity but too often lost in its own sprawling setup. thereelbits.com/2025/07/09/r... #Superman #DCU
thereelbits.com
Review: Superman (2025)
“I party like a rock star, choir boy.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Has it really been 20 years since Fantastic Four (2005)? Before the MCU was a glimmer in Tony Stark’s eye, this joyfully silly take on Marvel’s First Family. I still have a soft spot for it. 🔗 thereelbits.com/2025/07/08/b... #FantasticFour #FF2005 #ChrisEvans #FlameOn #ItsClobberinTime
thereelbits.com
Before the MCU: 20 Years since Fantastic Four (2005)
“It’s catchy, right?”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
🚀 Up, up, and away! Ahead of @jamesgunn.bsky.social’s #Superman (2025), I’ve rounded up some of the best Superman comics to get you in the mood — from All-Star Superman to some of my favourite ’90s gems. thereelbits.com/2025/07/07/e... #SupermanMovie #JamesGunn #DCU #Comics #LookUp #ReadingList
thereelbits.com
Essential Superman comics to read before James Gunn’s Superman
Get ready for James Gunn’s Superman (2025) with these must-read comics that capture the hero’s spirit, from All-Star Superman to Kingdom Come.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 05/07/2025
That Darn Cat (1965).
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Happy today's date.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Today marks 15 years since I launched The Reel Bits and I'm still standing somehow! So, I wanted to take a little look back at some of my favourite moments and what's changed. thereelbits.com/2025/07/04/1...
thereelbits.com
15 Years of film reviews: a look back at The Reel Bits
Fifteen years of reviews, lists, festivals, interviews — and a few site meltdowns. The Reel Bits looks back, and ahead.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Has it really been 40 years? ⏰ I first saw Back to the Future at age six, and I still get chills every time the DeLorean hits 88mph. Here’s a personal look at one of my all-time favourites. 🔗 thereelbits.com/2025/07/03/b... #BackToTheFuture #BTTF40 #Film #GreatScott
thereelbits.com
Great Scott! Back to the Future at 40
88 miles per hour, forty years later: Back to the Future remains a pop culture time machine, still as thrilling and clever as ever.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
HEADS OF STATE (2025): I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Absurd, over-the-top, and mostly proud of it, this may not reinvent the presidential action caper, but with Cena and Elba having a blast, it delivers plenty of goofy, high-octane fun. My review: thereelbits.com/2025/07/02/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: Heads of State
“Who let her watch Water Cobra?”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
This!
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
media.tenor.com
a woman with curly hair is talking to another woman and says i 'll think about it .
ALT: a woman with curly hair is talking to another woman and says i 'll think about it .
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Big on spectacle but low on fresh ideas, Jurassic World Rebirth marks a technically solid but creatively tired return to the franchise. thereelbits.com/2025/07/02/r... #JurassicWorld #FilmReviews #FilmSky @ofcs.bsky.social
thereelbits.com
Review: Jurassic World Rebirth
“No French before breakfast.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Inconstant Reader: Wizard and Glass explores Roland’s tragic past, the ka-tet’s trials, and a corrupted wizard in emerald robes. King’s second longest, and arguably most divisive, Dark Tower tale. 🌹Read more: thereelbits.com/2025/07/01/i... #DarkTower #StephenKing #WizardAndGlass #ConstantReaders
thereelbits.com
Inconstant Reader: Wizard and Glass
“Abracadabra! Boo! The end!”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
You may have seen that I'm trying to watch every Disney film I can get my hands on. Over 800 entries in, there's this almost forgotten Disney drama, a daring horse evacuation, and a slice of World War II history you won’t (currently) find on Disney+. #DisneyMinus thereelbits.com/2025/06/30/d...
thereelbits.com
Disney Minus: Miracle of the White Stallions and the studio’s forgotten wartime horse rescue
“It’s the best stale fudge I ever tasted.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
We went to South Korea earlier this year, and one of the must-see things for me was the DMZ. Here's my look at taking a half-day trip from from Seoul that was filled with tunnels, K-pop, vegan ice cream and one border beer. www.travelwhilenerdy.com/blog/visit-d... #Travel #SouthKorea #DMZ #Seoul
travelwhilenerdy.com
How to Visit the DMZ from Seoul: What to Expect on a Half-Day Tour to the Korean Border — Travel While Nerdy
Visiting the DMZ from Seoul? Here's what to expect on a half-day tour—from standing 170m from the North Korean border to sipping DMZ-branded beer in Unification Village.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
We're just about to hit the middle of the year, so here's some of my favourite film, most read posts and stuff I'm looking forward to in 2025 so far. thereelbits.com/2025/06/27/b...
thereelbits.com
Best Films of 2025: So Far
Discover the best films of 2025 so far — from blockbusters to indie gems. Plus, see what’s coming next and your most popular reads of the year.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Despite its tonal shifts and behind-the-scenes changes, ELIO delivers a visually dazzling, if somewhat compromised, original Pixar adventure that still reaches for the stars. thereelbits.com/2025/06/23/r... #Disney #Pixar #Animation #ElioMovie @ofcs.bsky.social
thereelbits.com
Review: Elio
“Nice peaceful spoons.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
🎂70 years ago today, two dogs bonded over spaghetti. I dive into Disney’s Lady & the Tramp (1955): widescreen innovation, Ozu for dogs, and why this canine classic still charms — flaws, paws and all. 🐾 thereelbits.com/2025/06/22/l... #Disney #LadyAndTheTramp #70thAnniversary #Animation #FilmSky
thereelbits.com
70 Years of Lady and the Tramp: Why Disney’s 1955 classic still captivates
70 years on, Lady and the Tramp remains one of Disney’s most charming and complex classics. Explore its history, artistry, and enduring legacy.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland reunite for a bold, sensory assault that elevates its genre roots into something far more visceral and unexpectedly reflective. It's 28 YEARS LATER. thereelbits.com/2025/06/20/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: 28 Years Later
“They’re a strange people on the mainland.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Now watching.
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray cover of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and liner notes.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Ok, site is back - stripped back to its foundations and using a basic template but functional. thereelbits.com/2025/06/18/w...
thereelbits.com
Whoopsie, made a oopsie
We’re working on it.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
Had to take the site offline and take away all the themes and plugins. It doesn't look pretty at the moment, but it's working again.
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
A delicately observed, emotionally layered drama that showcases Joachim Trier’s gift for capturing life’s quiet, complicated truths, anchored by Renate Reinsve and an outstanding cast. thereelbits.com/2025/06/17/r... @sydfilmfest.bsky.social @madmanfilms.bsky.social #SydFilmFest #FilmSky
thereelbits.com
Review: Sentimental Value
“There’s nothing worse than children with jazz hands in a film.”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
“Is this what the end of the world feels like?” A thunderous, hallucinatory odyssey that channels grief, rage and ecstasy into something raw and unforgettable. Cannes Jury Prize winner SIRÂT played at @sydfilmfest.bsky.social this year. thereelbits.com/2025/06/16/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: Sirât
“Is this what the end of the world feels like?”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
Celine Song follows her intimate debut Past Lives with a more downbeat spin on the modern romantic drama. Here's my review of MATERIALISTS: thereelbits.com/2025/06/16/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: Materialists
“Do I look like I need a dowry?”
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Richard Gray @thereelbits.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
Catching up on #SydFilmFest reviews. Here's my one for Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or winner IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, a taut thriller that makes a turn into a sharp, sometimes darkly funny reckoning with trauma and justice. @sydfilmfest.bsky.social @ofcs.bsky.social thereelbits.com/2025/06/15/r...
thereelbits.com
Review: It Was Just an Accident
“They call me Jughead.”
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