Dysfunctional Families
Perhaps because it's something nearly all of us can relate to (apart from The Bradys), messed-up families have always been a popular subject for filmmakers in all genres. Whether you're playing it for laughs ('Arrested Development', 'Go For Zucker'), drama ('Kramer vs Kramer', 'Nil By Mouth'), or thrills ('The Quiet Family', 'Olivier, Olivier') the family dynamic is a deep well of ready-made love/hate relationships, seething resentments and hidden secrets. What more could a filmmaker, or a film-watcher, ask for!
Jinx Sister (2008)
6.4/10
Director: Athina Tsoulis
Starring: Sara Wiseman, Rachel Nash, Jarod Rawiri, William Wallace, Jenni Heka, Rawiri Par...
Laura (Sara Wiseman) arrives in New Zealand after ten years in L.A., sporting an American accent and dressed for Rodeo Drive. Laura's sister Maree (Ra... Read more
King Lear (McKellen) (2007)
8.3/10
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Frances Barber, Ian McKellen, Jonathan Hyde
The Royal Shakespeare Company's adaptation of the famous tale of jealously and betrayal, filmed in high definition as it was performed live in 2007. K... Read more
King of California (2007)
6.7/10
Director: Mike Cahill
Starring: Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood, Willis Burks II, Laura Kachergus, Paul Lieber
Recently released from a mental institution, Charlie (Michael Douglas) is reunited with his estranged teenage daughter, Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood) who... Read more
Knives Out (2019)
8/10
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don...
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debon... Read more
Knives Out (Blu-ray) (2019)
8/10
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don...
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debon... Read more
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
7.8/10
Director: Robert Benton
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jane Alexander, Meryl Streep
Dustin Hoffman must become a single parent when Meryl Streep walks out on their marriage and their young son. A terrific male weepie where Hoffman lea... Read more
Lady Bird (2017)
7.5/10
Director: Greta Gerwig
Starring: Laurie Metcalf, Lois Smith, Saoirse Ronan, Odeya Rush, Tracy Letts, Timothee Cha...
Christine "Lady Bird" MacPherson is a high school senior from the "wrong side of the tracks." She longs for adventure, sophistication, and opportunity... Read more
Lady Bird (Blu-ray) (2017)
7.5/10
Director: Greta Gerwig
Starring: Laurie Metcalf, Lois Smith, Saoirse Ronan, Odeya Rush, Tracy Letts, Timothee Cha...
Christine "Lady Bird" MacPherson is a high school senior from the "wrong side of the tracks." She longs for adventure, sophistication, and opportunity... Read more
Lantana (2001)
7.3/10
Director: Ray Lawrence
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey, Kerry Armstrong, Rachael Blake
This extraodinary psychological offering intricately meshes the elements of a murder mystery and a searing domestic drama. At the centre of this multi... Read more
Leaves of Grass (2009)
6.5/10
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Starring: Edward Norton, Melanie Lynskey, Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Tim Blake Nels...
A comic thriller seen through the dual perspectives of identical twins Bill and Brady Kincaid (both played by Edward Norton). Bill, a classics profess... Read more