Short watches: Movies before bedtimeLike this list

17 items

• The Castle

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  Comedy (82mins): Everything about this movie is note perfect and as relatable to NZ as it is to Aus. How many times have I said "this is going straight to the pool room"? Absolute genius that cannot be matched.

• Red, White and Brass

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  Comedy-drama (85mins): One of the most heartwarming movies I've ever seen. Based on the true story of a group of Tongans who turn themselves into a marching band so they can get tickets to see Tonga play at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. No sex,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Destination Wedding

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  Rom-com (86mins): Ryder and Reeves are as charismatic as ever even as they play somewhat irritating, unsympathetic characters who somehow manage to make a connection at a wedding neither of them really want to be at. He's unrelentingly grumpy and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Joy Ride

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  Comedy (89mins): Like Bridesmaids (if it was a road trip movie and everyone had Chinese ancestry, mostly).

• Hypnotic

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  Thriller (89mins): A twisty action-thriller that will certainly keep you guessing. It maybe gets a bit too twisty in the end (I gave up trying to figure out if any of it actually made sense), but enjoyable enough.

• Anyone but You

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  Rom-com (90mins): An adult romantic comedy loosely based on Much Ado about Nothing. Great physical comedy and was this co-funded by the Australian Tourism Board because Sydney (the city) looks absolutely stunning?

• Tully

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  Drama (92mins): Charlize Theron is an actor who isn't afraid of looking unglamorous and this film captures really well how gruelling and thankless it can be taking care of a newborn, and the effect that isolation and the grind of motherhood can have…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Silent Night

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  Dark comedy (92mins): The marketing for this movie (including the title) make this seem like it's a horror, and while there are some truly disturbing moments, it's more of a dark (or even bleak) comedy. Tonally, it veers wildly from gut-wrenching…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Late Night With the Devil

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  Horror (92mins): In this found footage horror a late night talkshow host looking to boost ratings invites on a girl and her carer on as guests for a special Halloween episode. But the horror gets a little too real. Genuinely creepy.

• Beetlejuice

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  Comedy (92mins): Wholesome Americana meets dark camp in one of Tim Burton's earlier films. All the performances are great and nobody has ever made the afterlife look quite so pedestrian and unappealing as Burton (though some of the special effects…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Companion

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  Science fiction thriller (93 mins) This film is probably better if you know nothing about it as there's a reveal that you might not have seen coming but... trailers, you know? Themes of power and control, and self-actualisation and empowerment and a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Night Swim

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  Horror (94mins): Solid horror offering that definitely makes me not want to go for a late night dip in the pool. Also, Kerry Condon's American accent is impeccable - had no idea until I was watching the DVD extras that she was Irish.

• Mr. Right

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  Rom-com (95mins): Sam Rockwell is at his charismatic best in this under-rated rom-com with a couple of quirky and offbeat leads. Anna Kendrick has terrible taste in men but then clicks with Rockwell... too bad he's incredibly good at killing people…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wicked Little Letters

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  Comedy-drama (96mins): Two women in neighbouring houses fall out and somebody's going to jail when poison pen letters start arriving through the mail slot of the morally upright, Edith (Olivia Colman). It's obvious her foul-mouthed neighbour Rose…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Blink Twice

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  Psychological thriller (98mins): Feels similar to 'Get Out" initially but transforms into something else entirely. Creepy, trippy and brutal in equal measure it explores themes of manipulation, power, control and gaslighting as well as the power in…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wolf Man

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  Horror (98 mins); Leigh Whannell ratchets up the tension detailing the Cronenberg-esque transformation of a family man just trying to clear out his dad's house - his dad who disappeared into the woods years ago and has since been declared dead. If…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Dumb Money

  Mezrich, Ben, 1969-

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  Drama (99mins): It's hard not to compare this to similar film The Big Short as it has a similar topic, though this film is grounded more in the stories of everyday people than it is Wall Street finance. Portrays the real life story of how shares in…Read moreRead more of this annotation