Adelaide Movie Crush

Zane/Eva/Fiona/Lesley

Hi, we four are based in Adelaide. Although Adelaide may seem remote, the cinemas here still allow us to connect with the world and with one another. Film screenings create moments for people to come together. Guided by curiosity about the world and about each other, we gather to focus on works that have been thoughtfully designed, to think deeply, to bridge cultural and generational divides, and to form meaningful connections. Inspired by what we watch, we are encouraged to share, to listen, and to care. In this sense, cinema becomes a remedy against isolation and division.

Episodes

  1. Why Did None of Us Like Marty Supreme? Director-Centered Films or Actor-Centered Films?

    FEB 6

    Why Did None of Us Like Marty Supreme? Director-Centered Films or Actor-Centered Films?

    In January 2026, we watched three award-season buzz films released in Australia: Marty Supreme, Hamnet, and No Other Choice. In this episode, the hosts share their thoughts and reviews of these three highly discussed films. *Correction: The new film by Lee Chang-dong mentioned in the podcast is titled Possible Love and will be screened at the Venice International Film Festival. Timestamps: 0:43 Does Marty Supreme really need Timothée? Would Paul Mescal be a better fit for Marty? 5:10 Structural issues in Marty Supreme? The side effects of celebrity 6:41 Marty Supreme vs Uncut Gems 10:55 Marty Supreme vs Hamnet 11:40 Awards buzz around Marty Supreme and a discussion of Timothée’s performance 12:56 Review of Call Me by Your Name 14:11 Audience ratings and soundtrack discussion for Marty Supreme 16:14 Thoughts on the soundtrack of Hamnet 17:23 Hamnet vs Ang Lee’s films 18:22 No Other Choice: Does recasting affect a director’s style? 19:23 No Other Choice vs Decision to Leave 22:19 Nominations and awards for No Other Choice 22:57 Cinematography style of No Other Choice 23:29 The film’s thematic and value statements 27:41 How Japanese and Korean cultures influence film interpretation 29:45 Why we like Hamnet 36:43 Different perspectives on Hamnet 40:32 Sincerity in artistic and creative work 41:36 Disappointment with A24 43:45 Movie screenings in February Hosts: Zane, Eva, & Lesley Editing & music & design: Eva Copywriting: Lesley & Eva

    52 min
  2. Guest Panel Discussion: Films of 2025 | Despite Mixed Reviews, Resurrection — Is Jackson Yee One of the Standout Highlights?

    JAN 10

    Guest Panel Discussion: Films of 2025 | Despite Mixed Reviews, Resurrection — Is Jackson Yee One of the Standout Highlights?

    In this episode, we invited Adelaide-based film enthusiast Chao to join Adelaide Movie Crush, where he shares his personal Top 10 films of 2025. The two hosts, Zane and Eva, also share their own favourites of the year and reflect on their overall viewing experiences in 2025. 00:01:00 Viewing impressions of Resurrection 00:07:24 Guest’s Top 10 films of 2025 00:07:45 One Battle After Another and a review of notable films by Paul Thomas Anderson 00:17:13 Thoughts on The Lychee Road and director Da Peng 00:21:30 Is it appropriate to judge past movies by today’s values? 00:23:19 Host Zane’s film of the year: All That's Left of You 00:34:47 Host Eva’s film of the year: Mountains May Depart 00:39:25 Why both the guest and the hosts disliked F1: The Movie 00:42:38 Which films of 2025 were especially polarising? 00:45:45 Guest’s second-ranked film of the year: 28 Years Later 00:48:53 Are differing reactions to Follemente influenced by a gender perspective? 00:53:00 Host Zane’s least favourite film genre of 2025 00:55:00 Is it necessary to debate whether a film deserves the Palme d’Or? 00:56:12 Guest’s least favourite film genre of 2025 00:58:21 Reflections on film-watching in 2025 01:00:40 Is the cinema experience far superior to streaming? 01:07:52 Anticipated films of 2026 and awards-season contenders Guest’s Top 10 Films of 2025 Resurrection 28 Years Later A House of Dynamite  Train Dreams Black Bag Sinners One Battle After Another Sirât  The Mastermind Blue Moon Films Mentioned in This Episode: Films That Resurrection Pays Tribute To: L'Arroseur Arrosé, Le voyage dans la lune, Kaili Blues A Little Redflower Paul Thomas Anderson's movies: There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Licorice Pizza Zootopia 2 Life in Flying The Lychee Road Dapeng's movies: City of Rock, Jianbing Man, Post Truth, The Reunions All That's Left of You The Godfather Les Aigles de la République Mountains May Depart F1: the Movie Ford v Ferrari 28 Years Later 28 Weeks Later 28 Days Later Follemente Perfetti sconosciuti Zwei Staatsanwälte Un Simple Accident 2025 Cannes Main Competition: Hot Milk, The Others Mulholland Dr. The Substance Ainda estou aqui The Odyssey Interstellar Inception Oppenheimer Hedda January 2026 Film Recommendations: Orwell: 2+2=5 No Other Choice Marty Supreme  28 Years Later O Agente Secreto Blue Moon Un Simple Accident Nouvelle Vague À bout de souffle The Lord of the Rings 1, 2, 3 Guest: Chao Host & Music: Eva Host & Editing: Zane Copywriting: Lesley

    1h 22m
  3. 12/23/2025

    Is Zootopia 2 a Metaphor for the Israel-Palestine Conflict? From Talking Animals to Real-World Bloodshed

    This episode is the very first official release of this podcast. Four hosts engage in free-flowing conversation, sharing their thoughts after watching Zootopia 2 at Palace Nova Cinemas in Adelaide. We spent a great deal of time discussing the film itself, and from there, the conversation naturally expanded into many other topics inspired by the movie. Through these discussions about cinema and real life, we arrived at our most genuine and personal inner reflections. Topics covered in this episode: 0:12 Evaluation of Zootopia 2 1:43 Art-house films vs. commercial films 3:44 Zootopia 2 vs. Zootopia 10:40 How Adelaide cinemas screen Hollywood blockbusters with Chinese subtitles 17:02 Trends in Chinese and international animated films 19:47 Overseas marketing and promotion of Chinese films 23:40 B for Busy vs. Return to the Dust 27:08 How Zootopia 1 & 2, released a decade apart, reflect different social realities 30:08 Whether Zootopia 2 alludes to the Israel-Palestine conflict Films mentioned in the episode: Ratatouille The Shining Ne Zha 2 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle Nobody (2025) Monkey King: Hero is Back The Boy and the Beast Jujutsu Kaisen Pokémon Detective Pikachu Jiang Ziya Her Story B for Busy Return to the Dust No Other Land All That’s Left Of You Audio Editing: Fiano @tacitrayr & Zane @z.z_986 Music: Eva @evangeline_huang_e Copywriting: Lesley @les1eyx_x

    41 min
  4. 12/18/2025

    Editorial | Where We Meet at 35° South, We Talk About Film

    Films, filmmakers, and Adelaide cinemas mentioned in this episode are listed below: 1. Avatar Avatar is a 2009 American epic science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron. Renowned for its groundbreaking innovations in 3D imagery and stereoscopic filmmaking, the film is widely regarded as a major technological breakthrough in cinema history. A Chinese-subtitled version of Avatar 3 will be screened in Adelaide. 2. To the Wonder To the Wonder is a 2024 television series from mainland China, adapted from the essay collection of the same name by contemporary writer Li Juan. The series tells the story of Wenxiu, a Han Chinese girl growing up in Altay, and her friendship with Batai, a Kazakh boy, depicting their encounters and emotional connections. 3. Mulholland Drive Directed by David Lynch, Mulholland Drive (2001) is a psychological mystery film centred on an amnesiac woman and an aspiring young actress. Though its structure appears fragmented, each segment subtly gestures towards a deeper truth. Through non-linear storytelling, symbolic characters and spaces, and an emotion-driven visual logic, the film presents dreams through a cinematic language that exists between reality and the subconscious. 4. Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF), formerly known as ADLFF, is one of South Australia’s largest and most influential film festivals. It is typically held over two weeks in mid-October across multiple cinemas in Adelaide. Founded in 2003, the festival is known for its strong focus on South Australian and Australian filmmaking and for supporting local production through the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF). 5. Palace Nova Eastend Cinema Palace Nova Eastend is neither a chain nor a publicly listed company. It is dedicated to presenting high-quality arthouse cinema, as well as a wide range of film-related events and festivals in Adelaide. The cinema aims to offer audiences a diverse viewing experience, encompassing mainstream blockbusters, exclusive and limited-release art films, and well-crafted popular culture titles. 6. Piccadilly Cinema Located at the intersection of O’Connell Street and Childers Street in North Adelaide, Piccadilly Cinema was built in 1940 and has undergone multiple renovations and name changes. Now operating as a three-screen cinema, it retains its Art Deco style and selected historical features. Following its reopening in 2022, the cinema reinstated 35mm film projection and added an elevator and dining areas. 7. Akira Kurosawa Retrospective In October 2024, Palace Nova Cinemas hosted an Akira Kurosawa retrospective. 8. David Lynch Retrospective From 2 October to 13 November this year, Palace Nova Cinemas presented a David Lynch retrospective. These films shocked critics, inspired countless filmmakers, and left an indelible mark on cultural history. 9. Adelaide-based filmmaker Sophie Hyde Born in Adelaide in 1977, Sophie Hyde is an Australian director, screenwriter, and producer. Her early works include the documentary Life in Movement and the award-winning feature 52 Tuesdays. On 15 October 2025, her intergenerational queer family drama Jimpa will have its Australian premiere as the opening-night film of the Adelaide Film Festival. *Host Zane’s rednote account is @SA_不知道起什么昵称, where we regularly share information on Adelaide and Australian cinemas, as well as Chinese-language film screenings. Feel free to follow.

    8 min

About

Hi, we four are based in Adelaide. Although Adelaide may seem remote, the cinemas here still allow us to connect with the world and with one another. Film screenings create moments for people to come together. Guided by curiosity about the world and about each other, we gather to focus on works that have been thoughtfully designed, to think deeply, to bridge cultural and generational divides, and to form meaningful connections. Inspired by what we watch, we are encouraged to share, to listen, and to care. In this sense, cinema becomes a remedy against isolation and division.