50 Best Gripping Movies On Netflix Australia (Page 4)

The beginning text is enough to make you wonder what kind of demonic BS you’re about to get yourself into. Thank God for the juicy family drama then for grounding the story well, and distracting our emotions in between the paranormal craziness. At the same time that we’re connecting with the family on a real life level, the film does a good job making the house feel alive and malicious, like an animal slowly losing its patience before it all escalates into an agonizing epidemic. Still, one could come out of this horror movie and feel that some loose religious aspects, as well as its climax-resolution altogether, really drag down the initial mystique it did so well creating. Either way, it's not the worst thing in the world.

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Actor: Andra Day, Anthony B. Jenkins, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Colleen Camp, Cynthia Dallas, Demi Singleton, Glenn Close, Jeff Hochendoner, Juanita Jennings, Kimberly Russell, Malieek Straughter, Miss Lawrence, Mo'Nique, Omar Epps, Tasha Smith, Todd Anthony

Director: Lee Daniels

Rating: R

You don't need to have watched the first Code 8 (released in 2019) to enjoy Part II, which speaks to how this sequel has improved as a piece of sci-fi entertainment—but also hasn't done anything particularly interesting with its characters or themes. At the end of the day this really isn't all that different from so many other attempts at making a "gritty" superhero property, ending up as yet another crime drama that lacks personality for its characters or imagination in the way that its thrills are executed. It certainly has its heart in the right place, gesturing towards corruption in the police force, but even these insights feel half-developed and way too easy by the end.

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: Aaron Abrams, Akiel Julien, Albert Lapi, Alex Mallari Jr., Altair Vincent, Darrin Maharaj, Hazel Gorin, J.D. Nicholsen, Jane Moffat, Jean Yoon, Jessica Allen, Kari Matchett, Mikayla SwamiNathan, Moe Jeudy-Lamour, Natalie Liconti, Nneka Elliott, Noorin Gulamgaus, Robbie Amell, Sammy Azero, Sarena Parmar, Sirena Gulamgaus, Starr Domingue, Stephen Amell, Yatharth Bhatt

Director: Jeff Chan

Rating: R

All the little twists in the case of Mirna Salihin's murder are intriguing enough to speculate over, so Ice Cold is definitely a true-crime case worth revisiting. The problem is in how the documentary indulges sensationalist arguments and pure speculation with the same level of urgency as it does with expert counsel. A large part of the film has to do with how this trial started to become such a fixture in Indonesian public life, but it feels as if the movie would rather provoke even more baseless conspiracies through its gossipy tone than provide smarter analysis. There's an appeal to how simple this case is relative to other true-crime stories, but this shouldn't be an excuse to haphazardly throw opposing perspectives at each other for the sake of drama.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Actor: Edi Darmawan Salihin, Jessica Wongso, Marcella Zalianty, Mirna Salihin, Otto Hasibuan

Director: Rob Sixsmith

Rating: PG-13

The idea of a true-crime documentary being narrated mostly by the very person who did it should be appealing to fans of the genre, especially those who would rather stay away from non-violent crimes. And Vjeran Tomic is a compelling thief, with his own perspective on the people he tends to steal from and the kind of life he thinks he's owed. But by fixating so intensely on the method to the crime, it eventually loses its appeal—eventually becoming clear that there are so many potentially interesting (and more emotional) perspectives to the story that are being left out. Tomic may be a somewhat morally ambiguous criminal, but his testimonials alone, which are accompanied by mostly corny reenactments, can't carry an entire movie that teases but never fully delves into shady dealings in the world of the fine arts.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Actor: Vjeran Tomic

Director: Jamie Roberts

Rating: NR