November 13th 2025
Frankenstein (streaming on Netflix; in selected cinemas)
The Running Man
Snatchers
Edge of Life
MUBI - November highlights streaming
Some dead body madness this week in the magnificent Frankenstein and the Aussie black comedy Snatchers. Action and diversion in The Running Man, magic mushrooms, palliative care and Amazonian wisdom in Edge of Life, and streaming channel MUBI dishes up a fine selection of films.
Frankenstein
Dir: Guillermo del Toro
Length: 149 mins
Streaming on Netflix - many big screen sessions still at Cinema Nova
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© Netflix - the Frankenstein story as
you don't know it |
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you already know this story. A nominee for the Golden Lion at this year's Venice FF, del Toro's reimagining of Mary Shelley's classic novel is an absolute show-stopper. Yes, it follows the basics of the original plot but this version of the film captures something new, beautiful and indeed existential. Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein, a surgeon with a towering ego and ambition, who believes he can create life from the cadavers of dead men. With the financial backing of Baron Harlander (Christoph Waltz), he does just that, and The Creature, played by Aussie Jacob Elordi, is born. Elordi's performance is a revelation, capturing the tortured essence of someone asking the question we all ask: where do I come from, what am I? He is shunned, lonely, full of rage, but also capable of compassion and forgiveness. These existential matters are at the heart of what is in ways a horror story, but also a human story, with surprising tenderness. Isaac masterfully captures the arc of Victor's success and subsequent decline, with all its pride, guilt and madness. His inability to be a real father to his creation is beautifully countered by the loving and compassionate presence of Elizabeth (Mia Goth), fiance to Viktor's brother William (Felix Kammerer). Visually the film is a feast with a spectacular Gothic setting, impressive special effects, and the del Toro trademark look that astounds and delights the eye. I'd say, catch it on the big screen while you still can.4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended
The Running Man
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| © Paramount - run for your life! |
In a futuristic, dystopian and authoritarian world, a television show, The Running Man, dominates the screens. Contestants, mostly poor folk, are lured by the promise of big money. The catch is, you have to stay on the run for 30 days, outwitting military style "hunters" who are out to kill you. In this remake of the 1987 film, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is desperate for money for his beloved wife and sick daughter, so he signs up to compete, strongly encouraged by Network boss Dan Killian (Josh Brolin). The progress of Ben and other contestants is broadcast nonstop to heckling crowds, baying for blood, and spurred on by game show host Bobby Thomson (Colman Domingo). It's an intriguing premise, based upon a Stephen King novel, and somewhat resonant of The Hunger Games. While the film is a fast-paced, action-packed entertainment, it also has something to say about the manipulative role of the media in society, class structures, and how one person can ignite a spark that leads to change. Powell brings emotion and moments of humour to his role, Brolin is suitably smarmy as Dan, and the presence of William H Macy and Michael Cera as anti-establishment allies add some depth. Unfortunately the film is a bit too long, and towards the end becomes overblown and unnecessarily convoluted in its plotting. But, if you're in the mood for some full-on diversion, this could be the ticket.3 - recommended
Snatchers
Dir: Craig Alexander & Shelly Higgs
Length: 80 mins
From Nov 16th at Cinema Lido Hawthorn
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| © How to play a man - even when you are dead |
Two lowly-paid hospital orderlies Jason (Justin Hosking) and Mac (Craig Alexander) hatch a plan to snatch a dead body , and harvest the organs for a goodly sum. When they abduct Jane Doe (Hannah McKenzie), it turns out she is not quite the dead body they thought. Things get seriously messed up as Hannah plays the pair off each other. This black comedy won't be to everyone's taste, but it sure has a certain archetypically Aussie flavor to the grim, sometimes sick, sometimes crass humour. Elements of supernatural meet satire in a tale that lampoons men, hints at bromance, and portrays a totally broken hospital system. The scurrilous and often violent goings-on and grimy settings are absurdly counterpointed with a clever contradictory soundtrack. The real highlight is McKenzie, whose Jane neatly combines intelligence, seductiveness, playfulness and condescension in a darkly comic performance.3 - recommended
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© Kismet - modern medicine meets
ancient wisdom and mushrooms |
Magic mushrooms! The time was we thought only trip-happy hippies indulged, but now they have hit the mainstream of science. For some years now palliative care doctor Justin Dwyer and his colleague, psychologist Dr Marg Ross, have been running clinical trials at St Vincent's hospital, researching the effects of psylocybin on patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and are dreading death. Psylocybin is the psychoactive compound found in more than 200 species of mushrooms, and it is proving to be a potential miracle, producing life-changing results, mind-altering states, and near-spiritual experiences. The complexities are too much to go into here - suffice to say this in-depth documentary will really open your eyes to an incredible intersection between modern medicine and ancient wisdom. The doctors travel to the Amazon where they learn more from Muka Yawanawa, shaman of a tribe who have known of the powerful properties of mushrooms for centuries. Back in Melbourne, two patients, Flavia and Ros, talk of their experiences with psylocybin and how it has transformed their approach to their death, enabling them to see a greater connectivity between all things, and to experience a level of peace. The film's visual style is beautifully in tune with its content, with many spectacular psychedelic graphics that visually tap into universal connectivity and are interspersed with informative interviews. Even if you are sceptical of spiritual matters, the scientific outcomes of the trial are compelling. (Google it!) 3.5 - well recommended
Publicity for streaming platform MUBI is now being handled by one of my contacts, so I'm able to tell you a little about highlighted films showing, especially those I may have seen. For November's collections, MUBI features films from Yiorgos Lanthimos, including his very first Greek film. (For those who've seen Poor Things, or Bugonia you'll know what a special director he is.) In the Let's Eat: Film and Food collection you'll find the sublime The Taste of Things, Soul Kitchen, Delicatessen, Lunchbox and more. Several summer films from French auteur Francois Ozon are featured, along with Nicholas Winding Refn's Danish Pusher trilogy, three films looking at Copenhagen's crime world throuh a social realist lens, and featuring Mads Mikkelsen's first big screen performance. And talking of Mads, let's revisit one of his films which won an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2021 (not to mention its 60 other awards!) You can catch it at MUBI from November 21st.
Another Round
Dir: Thomas Vinterberg
Length: 117 mins
Streaming at MUBI from November 21st
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40X5EX6Us7c
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© Umbrella - gotta love a good
bottle ofchampers! |
Four friends, all teachers, decide to test a hypothesis by a Norwegian psychotherapist and professor that humans function best with a constant blood alcohol level of .05%. Initially the enhanced relaxation and greater enjoyment of life and work seems good, but as they up the ante on the drinking, so a tipping point is reached. Martin (Mads Mikkelsen) and his friends Tommy, Nikolaj and Peter are characters we can easily relate to but all the men seem to be going through some sort of mid-life crisis, especially Martin with his marriage. Acclaimed director Vinterberg adapted the film from his own play. While on the one hand it has funny moments, looking at the effects of alcohol in a light-hearted way, there is also a depth of emotion and an underlying questioning of the Danish culture of binge-drinking, especially among the youngsters. Although lengthy, this film flows along effortlessly, none of the dialogue feels forced, and the four lead actors are all terrific, with Mads a stand-out (as usual). The mens' friendships and the depiction of the way they relate emotionally is a refreshing change from the often macho style of many mainstream films. The movie may encourage audiences to question their own values around alcohol, but settle in with a glass of red and enjoy!4 - highly recommended
Finally - an alphabetical index for 10 years of hurstosfiveminutefilms
My labour of love – making an index with links to each of my reviews since August 2015 –
is now done. The link is below and you can download it from Dropbox. The index so far goes up to late
October 2025 and I will try to update it every couple of months. The idea is, with so many
films turning up on streaming platforms, if you want to read my past review
of any given film, assuming I have a review of it, you can now easily find that
review using my index. Many lesser-known films have
come from festivals, which I indicate in brackets. (MIFF is of course Melbourne
International Film Festival and JIFF is Jewish International Film Festival). Occasionally two reviews of
the same film are listed – one has been a short review for a festival, the
later one a longer mainstream release review. If you find mistakes, links
that don’t work, or other anomalies, I'd really appreciate having them emailed
to me.
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