Underbelly: Vanishing Act is the return to TV for the hit franchise. Remember back in 2008 when the real crime franchise first begun.
Vanishing Act focuses on the story of Melissa Caddick's disappearance. Seriously I had read the headlines (you can watch the 60 Minutes special below) but honestly I wasn't that interested. Well there was a little thing called Covid blowing up when this Eastern Suburbs high flyer went missing. So forgive me.
It first aired on the Nine Network in April 2022, so I have been a little behind to catch up on the two-part miniseries. The episode count has really being going down, down, down ever since the 2008 launch. From 13 episodes now down till 2. Squizzy back in 2013 was only 8, will the next installment just be a TV movie? Which is what this did feel like watching the two one hour (ish) episodes on Stan. Of course owned by Channel Nine.
Based on the story of high-roller Melissa Caddick who was alleged to have embezzled $40 million before vanishing from in November 2020 the day after the Australian Securities & Investments Commission executed a search warrant on her Dover Heights, Sydney home.
We need to talk about, Kate Atkinson as Melissa Caddick. What a role to land after playing Vera for years in Wentworth! Her portrayal was excellent. The series also stars some familiar faces like hunky Tai Hara from Home & Away.Colin Friels stars as George K a bizarre character in an even more bizarre true story.
I really enjoyed the two-parter watching it over two days. I stalled all my other viewing to smash this Aussie drama. Australian drama has had some excellent moments this year. The Twelve on Foxtel/Binge is coming to an interesting end, Mystery Road's latest origin story was excellent whilst Neighbours went out with a massive bang!
If true crime, getting rich fast is your thing, log into Stan, skip the ad's on the free to air catch up services and give Underbelly: Vanishing Act a try!
Until tomorrow. BIG feature album tomorrow. It's local and it's DEADLY AF!
Like the show title, swift is exactly what Tom Swift was.
Starring Tian Richards, spin-off of Nancy Drew (which I have just started season two on Paramount+), premiered on May 31, with it's ten episode season concluding on August 2nd.
So I think the "Drew-niverse" is now completely DOA. With season four of the upcoming origin series Nancy Drew looking to be the last. With low ratings, hidden on Friday nights, the show will most likely see out a shorter fourth and final season. Maybe 13 episodes like the third season I am yet to watch.
Lead actor Richards said of the adaptation, "The original Tom Swift was great for his time and what he represented. At the time, that was the face of young boys, All-American kids full of possibilities. But in 2021, that can look so different. It can look like someone like me—a Black guy who is chocolate, who is queer, who is all those things that we're told aren't the normal or the status quo."
He added, "We're going to dive into so many sectors of identity. We're going to talk about Blackness—and a different kind of Blackness than we're used to seeing, which is the Black elite, the 1 percent, the billionaires. We're also going to talk about a queer boy's journey into becoming a queer man. Not only self-acceptance, but acceptance as a whole, having the community and people around you."
The series was filmed in Atlanta, however on June 30, 2022, the series was canceled after one season due to low viewership.
It was a little lame but it filled the train ride out to Parramatta on my Parra workdays.
In Australia (like Nancy Drew) it also streams on Paramount+. Is it the best series of the winter? Hell no, did it deserve a second season? Nope. However it's series like this which really on paper should maybe just have been a shorter season, limited series.
OK, this could be short and short. This is hands down one of the best films I have seen since COVID. Such great dialogue, so much packed into the one amazing 97 minute film.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a 5 star film.
Yep straight up, no need for explainers, this was gosh damn AMAZING! Even better, the session I went to, director Sophie Hyde (Australia) introduced stars Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack to an unsuspecting audience! Wild!
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival back in January. Here is Australia it's due for release 18 August.
I was super lucky to see this outstanding comedy about two people, in very difference times of their lives.
It's raw, open, honest and sexy. Everything you need in a five star film. Did I say I gave this film five stars already? Easily the best film of 2022, maybe better than best film of 2021. What was that again? Oh thats right last year was another weird spilt year so it was a tie between Nitram / Licorice Pizza / Promising Young Woman & The Dry.
So when this lands cinemas, make a date to see this outstanding film. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a MUST SEE!
Peacemaker, created by James Gunn is another hot title from HBO Max. Based on the DC Comics character Peacemaker.
I missed Peacemaker when it premiered on HBO Max/Binge (in Australia) back in January.
The series concluded with its action packed season one finale on February 17. Peacemaker has received positive reviews, with praise going to John Cena's performance along with Gunn's directing and writing.
A second season was ordered in February 2022, with Gunn set to write and direct all episodes. Additionally, several other The Suicide Squad spin-off series featuring characters from the film and Peacemaker are in development.
This is the first DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, the series further explores jingoistic killer Christopher Smith / Peacemaker (John Cena).
Alongside Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick also star.
Everything from the Do Ya Wanna Taste It by Wig Wam for the opening titles; the title sequence features the series' cast performing a choreographed dance number to the snappy pop culture comedy, this was leaps and bounds ahead of the recent Marvel TV series.
I am very excited to see season two of this John Cena crude action series. Not as crude as The Boys, however way more enjoyable than the recent Ms Marvel.
Winter is almost done however I have got a few more series I am working my way through quick sticks! Another film review on the way too. Spoiler alert it's going to get a great star rating!
What can be said about the second last EVER season of Riverdale? Well maybe we should start with the bat shit crazy plot of the 22nd episode of the sixth season.
Due to Percival's curse, Bailey's Comet is headed for Riverdale and a barrier is placed around the town.
While no one can leave, people can still enter. Heather and Cheryl summon Abigail on how to destroy the comet. Cheryl plans to use her Phoenix powers to destroy the comet, but it will result in one or more of the those who have been resurrected to die. Archie decides to propose to Betty, but she decides to hold off until the comet passes.
Jughead and Tabitha go on a date with Tabitha using her chronokinetic abilities to see her and Jughead having a family and growing old together. Heather casts a spell to allow Abigail and Toni's ancestor Thomasina to spend one last time together using the bodies of Cheryl and Toni.
Veronica plans to siphon the powers of the gang and give to Cheryl so she has enough power to destroy comet and keep everyone alive and is successful. The next day, the residents of Riverdale are sent back in time to the year 1955 with only Jughead remembering the events that happened before.
Crazy right?
Last February, the series was renewed for a sixth season which was split into two parts. First Rivervale, which ended up sneaking into the second part, which was really this weird Riverdale, Netflix Sabrina crossover weird thing.
This March 22, The CW renewed the series for a seventh season, that really no one wanted.
Two months later in May, it was announced that the series will be concluding with its upcoming seventh season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2023.
So we have a while till we hate watch what is likely to be a shorter season seven. Only this week the other CW series which needs to ended, has also been confirmed to ending, The Flash. 2023 will see a number of shows way past their prime calling it a day. In Australia Riverdale streams weekly on Netflix, where you can now find seasons one to six streaming in full.
Season one was good, then it just completely died in the ass.
Lets see how many shirtless scenes the writers can come up with for Archie in 2023?
Where the Crawdads Sing is the latest work produced by superstar Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter.
Based on he 2018 murder-mystery novel by Delia Owens (which by the way my father loves sick) starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer, Jr. & David Strathairn.
Where the Crawdads Sing has grossed $62 million worldwide while receiving mixed reviews from critics. There has been praise for Edgar-Jones's performance however film critics (are they even still a thing with social media/Rotten Tomatoes anymore?) found the film's tone incoherent. It is an epic sweeping tale, however the genre bending is weird. Is it a courtroom crime drama or a romance?
I'm changing gears completely by seeing Bullet Train this weekend, so this was a much different pace to all the superhero/Top Gun/big budget action films of the recent winter.
In relation to the title, Crawdads cannot "sing", but when Kya's mother often encouraged her to explore the marsh, she would say: "Go as far as you can–way out yonder where the crawdads sing." When Tate also used the phrase, she asked him the meaning and he replied: "Just means far in the bush where critters are wild, still behaving like critters." Delia Owens was inspired to use the phrase because her own mother had used it when she was a child.
Now to my score. It was one of those films which wasn't bad nor amazing or memorable. I feel the 2022 cinema-scape is a weird one right now. Netflix is releasing big title films weekly, cinemas are getting people back, while some sessions are busier than ever, dine and discover vouchers now finished, the film studios have a lot of competition. Big titles like Elvis are gone before you know it while Top Gun hangs around for months.
So to my long awaited score. It's gotta be a simple 3 star film. Nice scenery, some sweet romance, with a touch of courtroom drama. Until next time - Riverdale finale/season six post along with more crime in the latest Underbelly!
