About | Meet the team | Jake Watt | SWITCH.
SWITCH.
 JOIN  SIGN IN 
Keep up-to-date on your favourite artists and movies, track gig and release dates, and join in the conversation.
SEARCH RESULTS FOR
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
JAKE WATT
SWITCH Contributor

Jake has a background in journalism but, after some time working at a newspaper on NSW's Central Coast, he relocated from Newcastle to Sydney and segued into marketing and content roles. A lifelong pop culture fan, rumor has it that he sleeps on a giant treasure trove of books, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and comics.

TOP 3 ARTISTS: PJ Harvey, Beastie Boys, Madlib
TOP 3 MOVIES: Strangers On A Train, Hangin' With The Homeboys, Aliens
BEST CONCERT: The National at the Sydney Opera House in 2014
FIRST MEMORY OF A FILM: Being terrified by the prologue of Ralph Bakshi's animated film, The Lord of the Rings (1978). The music, the voiceover and the live-action silhouettes against a blood-red backdrop were four minutes of pure nightmare fuel for an overly imaginative child.

jake@maketheswitch.com.au
www.twitter.com/JakeChatty

Anatomy of a Fall - A legal thriller that leans in some fascinating directions
ANATOMY OF A FALLA legal thriller that leans in some fascinating directions
A thoughtful, knotty character study that cascades out from inside a polished and well-crafted courtroom thriller, 'Anatomy of Fall' will leave you with a lot to think about.
Bring on Brollie - The latest streaming service hits Australia - and it's free
BRING ON BROLLIEThe latest streaming service hits Australia - and it's free
Independent Australian and NZ distributor Umbrella Entertainment has launched a new streaming service, dubbed Brollie, specialising in Australian film and TV content. Check out the SWITCH reviews available now available for free.
Cobweb - Laughs and breezy satire from a South Korean great
COBWEBLaughs and breezy satire from a South Korean great
It may not be as harrowing, explosive, challenging or feature Arnold Schwarzenegger, like some of Kim Ji-woon's previous movies, but it is a very amusing and watchable mediation on the craft of filmmaking.
Shin Ultraman - Charmingly retro superheroic fun from Japan
SHIN ULTRAMANCharmingly retro superheroic fun from Japan
It looks great, it's funny, the performances are fantastic, and the frantic pacing of the story makes the film feel tighter and shorter than it is. Bring on 'Shin Kamen Rider'!
The DC Extended Universe films, ranked - Every DCEU movie from worst to best
THE DC EXTENDED UNIVERSE FILMS, RANKEDEvery DCEU movie from worst to best
Tear your shirt off in a phone booth and jump in your invisible jet, because it's time for Jake's list of films from the DC Extended Universe movies ranked, from worst to best.
To Leslie - Emotionally bruising and uncompromising
TO LESLIEEmotionally bruising and uncompromising
The nuanced characters and situations are full of drama, yet never descend into melodrama. It is a film that may leave you exhausted, but also filled with optimism.
The Beasts - Cultures clash in an unbearably tense Spanish thriller
THE BEASTSCultures clash in an unbearably tense Spanish thriller
Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen lets the land and the characters, the wide-open spaces and the performances - especially Ménochet and Foïs - speak for themselves in this thriller where the violence feels imminent from the first frame.
The Lair - What the hell happened to Neil Marshall?
THE LAIRWhat the hell happened to Neil Marshall?
Neil Marshall desperately needs a kick up the pants from a mate or someone who cares, because he has proven many times over that he is capable of so much more than low effort trash like 'The Lair'.
You Won't Be Alone - A gender-fluid fable
YOU WON'T BE ALONEA gender-fluid fable
A sprawling fantasy-horror film that encapsulates loss, love, morality, mortality, regret and contentment, this is a unique and impressively intricate directorial debut from Goran Stolevski.
The Retaliators - A gory, heavy metal Christmas revenge flick
THE RETALIATORSA gory, heavy metal Christmas revenge flick
Creative and perverse, with gore galore and plenty of quotable dialogue. Crucially, it's never boring, which is the key criterion for watching these kinds of movies with friends and a couple of beers.
The Roundup - A bone-crunchingly satisfying South Korean crime flick
THE ROUNDUPA bone-crunchingly satisfying South Korean crime flick
If you ever wanted to watch a film where the Incredible Hulk was a detective who solved crimes, make sure you seek out 'The Roundup'.
Special Delivery - Efficient action thrills from South Korea
SPECIAL DELIVERYEfficient action thrills from South Korea
This movie has obligatory high-speed chases, furniture-breaking brawls against multiple thugs, and a protracted gun battle in a warehouse. For a slice of action that hits all of its marks, it's ultimately satisfying.
Orphan: First Kill - A hell of a lot of fun
ORPHAN: FIRST KILLA hell of a lot of fun
As is standard procedure with horror sequels, there are more kills, fewer scares, and an overall emphasis on spectacle over story. Isabelle Fuhrman and Julia Stiles deliver these lines with relish, clearly having a lot of fun with the sheer ridiculousness of it all.
Flux Gourmet - A delicious mix of the strange and hilarious
FLUX GOURMETA delicious mix of the strange and hilarious
Like his other films, the visuals, the costumes, the set decoration, the swirling colours, lush cinematography and the soundtrack are stunning. If you have a taste for something a little different, 'Flux Gourmet' is the perfect gateway into the oeuvre of a very unique filmmaker.
Goddamned Asura - Searching for connection in Taiwan
GODDAMNED ASURASearching for connection in Taiwan
Both an expertly crafted multi-strand, big-swing character drama and a portrait of non-glamorous Taiwan, this is an impressive piece of work from Lou Yi-an.
Press Play - A tuneful romance
PRESS PLAYA tuneful romance
Music is a lot more powerful than we think. We just hear an old song and it just takes us somewhere else, bringing back some of those special moments from our lives that we have forgotten. 'Press Play' is a slight but sweet offering that (at a brisk 85 minutes) doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Green Jail - An insightful portrait of displacement
GREEN JAILAn insightful portrait of displacement
Yin-Yu Huang's documentary captures the essence, the soul, of Iriomote Island, which, however many parallels it might have with prisons anywhere, was unique in the depths of its experience.
The Sadness - An exxxtremely bloodthirsty pandemic horror story
THE SADNESSAn exxxtremely bloodthirsty pandemic horror story
Even the most helpless victims aren’t safe from the Saddies - the film is incredibly merciless and mean-spirited. But it’s equally as hard not to appreciate how well-oiled the cinematic machinery is that keeps this story racing along at such a frenetic pace.
Conan the Barbarian - 40 years of solving the Riddle of Steel and punching camels.
CONAN THE BARBARIAN40 years of solving the Riddle of Steel and punching camels.
The 1982 action-adventure film had everything - warriors, women in medieval bikinis, shrieking ghosts, giant serpents, magic, and lots of gore. It also has Arnold Schwarzenegger for a lead.
The Innocents - Childhood games and supernatural horror in Norway
THE INNOCENTSChildhood games and supernatural horror in Norway
While it's touching at times in its depiction of familial bonds and the death of innocence, it's the creepy atmosphere and brilliant performances that make it truly memorable.
Celebrating 20 Years of Blade II - 20 reasons why it's still the coolest superhero film ever
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF BLADE II20 reasons why it's still the coolest superhero film ever
Jake argues why it's the coolest superhero movie ever with 20 good reasons.
Quo Vadis, Aida? - A nightmarish vision of human tragedy & bureaucratic incompetence
QUO VADIS, AIDA?A nightmarish vision of human tragedy & bureaucratic incompetence
The reality of what happened in Srebrenica is far more terrifying than any film could represent, but this captures the nightmarish inevitability of a horrific loss of life caused by human weakness.
Benedetta - An un-convent-tional erotic drama
BENEDETTAAn un-convent-tional erotic drama
From Paul Verhoeven, this isn't subtle - the movie is alternately deadly serious and amazingly goofy, raising intriguing questions about belief and sexuality, then answering them in very silly ways.
Parallel Mothers - Peak Almodóvar
PARALLEL MOTHERSPeak Almodóvar
Exploring female identity and revisiting the past with conflicted feelings, this film is a near-perfect mix of the personal and political, ranking among the best of Pedro Almodóvar's films.
Flee - A must-see animated refugee tale
FLEEA must-see animated refugee tale
We get to know Amin and, despite the heartbreaking details of his life, his confessional is ultimately as uplifting as it is impossible to turn away from.
The Scary of Sixty-First - A so-so psychosexual shocker
THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRSTA so-so psychosexual shocker
Despite its final sequence, 'The Scary of Sixty-First' isn't scary, and only takes a glancing look at how infectious these paranoid conspiracy worldviews can be.
Undine - A gently magical romance in the German capital
UNDINEA gently magical romance in the German capital
While it might the slightest of Christian Petzold's films thus far in his career, 'Undine' is a tranquil and supremely touching relationship drama.
Mad God - A nightmarishly beautiful animated masterwork
MAD GODA nightmarishly beautiful animated masterwork
It's a truly indescribable film, but if you want a gorgeously chaotic and visually rich experience that will wash over you, 'Mad God' is worth seeking out.
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn - A penetrating satire
BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORNA penetrating satire
A funny, thoughtful, incisive, overwhelming and frequently pornographic portrait of a fractured country. Difficult to describe, but not difficult to recommend.
The Spine of Night - A surreal, violent animated fantasy epic
THE SPINE OF NIGHTA surreal, violent animated fantasy epic
A welcome addition to the fantasy genre, and a nifty showcase for an underused but beautiful animation style.
The Many Saints of Newark - Fuggedaboutit!
THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARKFuggedaboutit!
It could have been an epic, serpentine film about a whole network of twisted figures who haunt the shadows of a country's history. Instead, it's a crushing disappointment.
Tales of Tomorrow - So-so sci-fi from Brazil
TALES OF TOMORROWSo-so sci-fi from Brazil
Despite some decent low-budget effects and an unexpected turn of events leading into the final stretch, the screenplay holds it back from being a story that you'll be thinking about the next day.
Gaia - Ho-hum horticultural horror
GAIAHo-hum horticultural horror
Visually arresting but narratively vegetative, 'Gaia' is an eco-horror flick that never takes root.
Top 25 Free Horror Movies on Tubi TV Australia - A Halloween guide to the hidden gems on the streaming service
TOP 25 FREE HORROR MOVIES ON TUBI TV AUSTRALIAA Halloween guide to the hidden gems on the streaming service
There are some great films on Tubi - particularly if you're a horror fan. After patiently scrolling through the catalogue, Jake's found a collection of free flicks to freak you out this Halloween!
The killer twists of M. Night Shyamalan - Ranking the meditative and menacing films of a blockbuster auteur
THE KILLER TWISTS OF M. NIGHT SHYAMALANRanking the meditative and menacing films of a blockbuster auteur
M. Night knows that what makes for a lousy study of the intangible can make for powerful allegory, and he can create a strikingly emotional film out of a little bit of light and shade.
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 - A choppy trilogy reaches its conclusion
FEAR STREET PART THREE: 1666A choppy trilogy reaches its conclusion
The 17th-century setting highlights the budgetary limitations that Janiak had to work with, but the big plot twist is genuinely effective and recontextualises the entire series.
Fear Street Part Two: 1978 - A splat-tastically satisfactory second entry in the trilogy
FEAR STREET PART TWO: 1978A splat-tastically satisfactory second entry in the trilogy
As the killer bumps off the kids, one by one, you're on edge, waiting for the next grisly blow of his axe.
White Noise - Behind the scenes with the alt-right
WHITE NOISEBehind the scenes with the alt-right
Though it might be accused of giving another platform to this movement of hate, and isn't the fiery indictment of white supremacy you might expect, it shows how deeply racism is embedded into society.
Fear Street Part One: 1994 - Noisily nostalgic teen schlock horror
FEAR STREET PART ONE: 1994Noisily nostalgic teen schlock horror
The big challenge in adapting 'Fear Street' for the screen was finding that fine balance between R-rated content and a PG aesthetic. It's hard to know what the target demographic for this movie is.
The Tomorrow War - A futuristic action flick buried under old tropes
THE TOMORROW WARA futuristic action flick buried under old tropes
Some may be able to push past the overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Others will find it loud and difficult to endure, capturing the ground-level alien warfare with painful plausibility.
 
NEXT ▶
© 2011 - 2024 SWITCH.
All rights reserved

Support SWITCH | Disclaimer | Contact Us!