Johnny Filmo
In which I use my newfound political neutrality to let loose and say what I really think about film, history and the inner life of rodents.
This is Johnny’s Substack.
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The 25 films I loved the most in 2025
For me, those unmoored days between Christmas and New Year are for catching up on as many as possible of the year's films. As someone at the mercy of New Zealand release dates, it is often an exercise in arbitrariness to decide on a year to which a
They made the biggest film of all time around the corner from my place
It brings me no pleasure to announce that Unesco City of Film Wellington has once again become the centre of the world with Avatar: Fire and Ash premiering in the Greater Mount Victoria area (i.e. my turf) last week. This is the third entry in new New Zealand citizen
Seriously though, won't someone PLEASE think of the children
Content warning: this article discusses child abuse, in real life and as a theme in art. It also contains spoilers for a number of recent films: Eddington, Bugonia, Nickel Boys, Weapons, Bring Her Back and 28 Years Later. I used to think there was something gauche and unserious about accusing
What does this week's MFAT proactive release tell us?
On 27 September, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced at the United Nations General Assembly that his government would not recognise a Palestinian State. The announcement received universal condemnation from anyone with a conscience, even if recognition is a mostly symbolic gesture, completely deficient by itself to respond to the greatest