Richard Gray

Review: 28 Years Later – The Bone Temple “I’m NHS. No charge.”

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...

Disney Minus: Hamad and the Pirates “An open sesame to enchantment.”

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...

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 …

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

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.

#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...

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…

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...

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.

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...

Review: The Thursday Murder Club “Everybody’s got llamas these days.”

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...

I insist!

I once did a "well of course we talk, don't everybody" on live radio.

What movie do you consider "perfect"? 🎬

Review: DEVO “You’re from the Midwest. You don’t talk about feelings.”

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...

I would like to opt out please.

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.

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...

I can recommend both, but I understand how expensive travelling is - not to mention the cost of festival tickets! Did you know MIFF has an online selection again this year? cinema3.acmi.net.au/page/miff-on... And SFF has their travelling film festival as well www.sff.org.au/tff/ Hope that helps!

Purely doing it remotely this year via screeners! But it's been enjoyable so far.

Review: First Light “This place will be the death of us.”

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...

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.

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.

Review: Space Cadet “Are you sure?”

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...

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...

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...

An establishing shot of Provence, France with the stylised yellow text reading 'MONKEYS, GO HOME!'

Poster for the 1967 Disney film 'Monkeys, Go Home!'

Now watching.

"Only a master of evil, Darth!"

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.

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

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...

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...

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.

🚢 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...

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.

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...

Some international kitty vibes coming your way.

Review: Superman (2025) “I party like a rock star, choir boy.”

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...

So. Much. Product. Placement. I love that they kept finding shops and kiosks on a remote island so they could throw in a bit of branding.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but this 1945 press ad for Green Giant Peas & Niblets just freaks the heck out of me.

Thanks, mate. Yes, they never really managed to get the balance right with any of the other properties, did they? Daredevil, Elektra, Fantastic Four.