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JESS FENTON
SWITCH Contributor

Working in the television industry for 10 years and growing up in it for 20 years before that, this path was inevitable. An AFTRS alum with two Graduate Certificates under her belt, Jess is the definition of a movie buff and after torturing her friends with her opinions for years, they're now out there for public consumption. By day, Jess is an employee at Channel 9 travelling the country and the globe working on the Today Show, News, NRL, The Footy Show and the 2012 London Olympics, among others, but by night she's either hauled up inside a cinema (her home away from home) or rubbing shoulders with movie stars and movie makers on red carpets.

TOP 3 ARTISTS: Damien Rice, Ed Sheeran, Sam Cooke
TOP 3 MOVIES: Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Stranger Than Fiction, Juno
BEST CONCERT: Peter Gabriel in Verona, Italy - 2010
FIRST MEMORY OF A FILM: When I was 5 I was with my family sitting front row at a screening of Dirty Dancing facing the audience. I turned around once the movie started and suddenly felt overwhelmed with the desire to be up there on that screen.

jessica@maketheswitch.com.au
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The Holdovers - Payne + Giamatti = comedy and emotional gold in an unlikely fashion
THE HOLDOVERSPayne + Giamatti = comedy and emotional gold in an unlikely fashion
With a truly remarkable central trio and a transformative historical experience, 'The Holdovers' is a win for director Alexander Payne.
Dazed and Confused - When words maketh the movie
DAZED AND CONFUSEDWhen words maketh the movie
From just a few choice words out of the mouth of a talented actor, and an icon is born. Jess takes a look at the most recent recognisable references to hit our cinema screens.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - 20 years and 5 movies later, where does the legacy stand?
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL20 years and 5 movies later, where does the legacy stand?
What state have the 'Pirates' films been left in? And is there still treasure left to find in the depths of these oceans?
The Room - 20 years on, how does everyone know about The Room?
THE ROOM20 years on, how does everyone know about The Room?
Is the movie and Tommy Wiseau the joke, or are they in on it? Is it now bigger than itself? Does anyone truly like or enjoy 'The Room'? Did Tommy Wiseau win? These questions are tearing me apart (Lisa)!
Little Richard: I Am Everything - Ladies and gentlemen, the father of rock 'n' roll!
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHINGLadies and gentlemen, the father of rock 'n' roll!
There are skeletons and darkness to Little Richard's life that she doesn't shy away from in search of truth, honesty and understanding. It's what he deserves when the world didn't deserve him.
Scrapper - A father-daughter story like no other
SCRAPPERA father-daughter story like no other
Charlotte Regan has created a beautiful and soulful story. She's exhibited her skills, however green yet earnest, and has entered the game as a director to watch.
Past Lives - There's more than one path to love
PAST LIVESThere's more than one path to love
This film speaks volumes with so little, and it's a marvel. Celine Song showcases Seoul and New York in beautiful new ways.
A Man Called Otto - Pass the damn tissues!
A MAN CALLED OTTOPass the damn tissues!
A wonderful ensemble under the impeccable steward of Hanks and nurtured by Forster has created a truly special film that delivers the tears (oh my god, the tears!) and the laughs in spades. They just don't make films like this any more. They've been missed.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Far from the greatest love of all
I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODYFar from the greatest love of all
Fans will be happy - they get their songs and a shiny new starlet worthy of the role. However, film lovers need to try the next cinema over for something worthy of their time and money.
Sissy - We’re all just one
SISSYWe’re all just one "trigger" away from becoming a killer - namaste
Delivering a good night out loaded with blood, trauma, diversity and satisfying "whoa" endings.
Encino Man - Pauly Shore - A love affair of 30 years
ENCINO MANPauly Shore - A love affair of 30 years
Love him, hate him or curse his ineffability, Pauly Shore undeniably has “it”. 30 years after ‘Encino Man’, we’re still talking about it - and him - with love and revelry.
The Worst Person In The World - A Norwegian '500 Days of Summer'
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLDA Norwegian '500 Days of Summer'
The film expertly balances the ecstasy and the agony of young love and young life with the pursuit of passion and purpose.
The Lost Leonardo - <i>Never</i> let the truth get in the way of a good story
THE LOST LEONARDONever let the truth get in the way of a good story
Capturing the first discovery of a Da Vinci work in over a century, this documentary has it all, and the stakes couldn't be higher. To say this film is engrossing is an understatement.
Boy Meets Boy - 'Weekend' it is not
BOY MEETS BOY'Weekend' it is not
This film never reaches its goal. The two leads are cute and capable on their own, but the screenplay and direction sadly never get the project over the line.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage - Back for more action - with all of the fun and none of the fluff
VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGEBack for more action - with all of the fun and none of the fluff
Andy Serkis' extensive knowledge and experience in the world of CGI really works wonders here. But Tom Hardy is the real reason we're here - giving us the universe's most unlikely bromance.
Dramarama - The perils of growing up when all of your friends are drama nerds
DRAMARAMAThe perils of growing up when all of your friends are drama nerds
There is something so sweetly special about this film. Its simplicity and accuracy are helped along by its 90s setting and the familiar cast of characters.
The Rescue - 13 lives saved through the most extraordinary of circumstances
THE RESCUE13 lives saved through the most extraordinary of circumstances
This story is beyond extraordinary. We see these hobbyist cave divers command the military and powerful leaders as they put their experience and expertise to the test.
Julia - She taught us to be fearless and to cook - just like her
JULIAShe taught us to be fearless and to cook - just like her
A beautiful tale about a remarkable woman who fought for women's reproductive rights and AIDS research who taught us to be fearless, that no mistake is unfixable, and of course taught America to cook.
The Donut King - This inspiring doco has it all... and lots and lots of donuts
THE DONUT KINGThis inspiring doco has it all... and lots and lots of donuts
This documentary has everything - immigration, rags to riches, riches to rags, heart, soul, family, love, friendship. It does it all with incredible characters, amazing stories and the humble donut.
Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Would Not Be Televised) - History reveals itself
SUMMER OF SOUL (...OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION WOULD NOT BE TELEVISED)History reveals itself
A window into an extraordinary moment in time, the effects of which are still being felt. What was once lost to the public can now, half a century later, be seen for the first time.
Ride The Eagle - A meditative look at connection
RIDE THE EAGLEA meditative look at connection
It's cute, peaceful and occasionally funny thanks in large part to its cast. And there's an adorable dog, always a bonus.
Point Break - Still 100% pure adrenaline 20 years on
POINT BREAKStill 100% pure adrenaline 20 years on
It's is one of the greatest action films of all time. It's fun, sexy, takes itself seriously when it needs to and not too seriously when it needs to.
The State of Texas vs Melissa - Yet another American miscarriage of justice
THE STATE OF TEXAS vs MELISSAYet another American miscarriage of justice
As a piece of filmmaking, this isn't going to change anyone's life or get people fired up. It's just another on a long list of racially and politically motivated injustices within the American system.
The Last Horns of Africa - The danger, the heartache and the importance of saving the Rhinos
THE LAST HORNS OF AFRICAThe danger, the heartache and the importance of saving the Rhinos
While the rhino horn trade is vitally important and is a story worth telling, there are ways to do it. This is sadly not that film.
Green Lantern: 10th Anniversary - Failed Superheroes who got a second shot
GREEN LANTERN: 10TH ANNIVERSARYFailed Superheroes who got a second shot
Ryan Reynolds isn't the only lucky SOB who got two bites of the apple in search of a lycra suit that fits. So let's see who else has had a shot at superhero redemption.
The Perfect Secret - Seven friends with alcohol and secrets - let the games begin!
THE PERFECT SECRETSeven friends with alcohol and secrets - let the games begin!
The cast is terrific, it's chic, and the human dynamic is great - but you'll likely feel like you've seen it all before.
A Quiet Place Part II - More thrills, more spills, more pooped pants.
A QUIET PLACE PART IIMore thrills, more spills, more pooped pants.
This film is tailor-made for the cinema experience. Leaving behind the careful, artistic approach of the first film, John Krasinski is keen to get out and play.
Twister - Paving the way for disaster films for 25 years
TWISTERPaving the way for disaster films for 25 years
The next time you see a hurricane, tsunami, earthquake or superstorm hitting a city on the big screen and some hunky so-and-so has to save us all, just remember that Helen and Bill were there first.
Nobody - 'John Wick's' cousin is just as badass - but with more laughs
NOBODY'John Wick's' cousin is just as badass - but with more laughs
While it doesn't quite nail the genre, it's still a wild and crazy escapist romp that'll leave any action fan happy. We're here to eat popcorn and watch someone else kick arse! And 'Nobody' delivers.
Happy 90th Birthday, James Dean - When an icon meets a virgin...
HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, JAMES DEANWhen an icon meets a virgin...
James Dean would have been turning 90, had his star not burned out too soon. Jess looks back at the legacy of the classic actor, and asks what the future relevance for the pop culture icon is.
Wild Mountain Thyme - Not the quirky, charming film you'd hope it to be
WILD MOUNTAIN THYMENot the quirky, charming film you'd hope it to be
I cannot recommend anyone sit through these tedious 102 minutes that feel so much longer, but if you're in the mood for a quiet film that requires virtually no brainpower, then give this one a go.
Music - Sia's feature debut falls flat
MUSICSia's feature debut falls flat
Sia clearly has an artist's eye but not a storyteller's pen. Full of uninspired tropes and grossly predictable, it offers nothing new to cinema-goers, and even less for Sia and Maddie Ziegler fans.
Buddy Games - Yikes! Toxic masculinity at its most mediocre
BUDDY GAMESYikes! Toxic masculinity at its most mediocre
Despite efforts to wrap this film in a friendship bow to balance out the toxic BS, it doesn't succeed. It tries too hard to be funny, whimsical and cool, and it fails at every turn.
30 Years Since Kindergarten Cop - Arnie and the genre-bending actors who shocked us all
30 YEARS SINCE KINDERGARTEN COPArnie and the genre-bending actors who shocked us all
In honour of one of the greatest wing-spreaders on and off the screen, Jess has compiled a list of some of the best career shakers going around.
Superintelligence - McCarthy plays a painfully average human - the irony is truly lost
SUPERINTELLIGENCEMcCarthy plays a painfully average human - the irony is truly lost
Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy are two people whose partnership should be hitting home runs. They know each other's strengths and weaknesses to such an intimate level. So why doesn't it work?
Baby Done - Pregnancy has a hilarious new poster child - thank you, New Zealand
BABY DONEPregnancy has a hilarious new poster child - thank you, New Zealand
A comedy gem done in a way that only the New Zealanders seem to be able to do, and do so well. It will strike quite the nerve with both men and women, doing so with a wink and a smile and many laughs.
On The Rocks - Another Sophia Coppola & Bill Murray collab with a splash of water
ON THE ROCKSAnother Sophia Coppola & Bill Murray collab with a splash of water
Bill Murray comes alive in his childlike playfulness, charm and charisma. Unfortunately, that relegates Rashida Jones' character to the background, even though this is her story.
Buffaloed - Financial horrors solved by sass, gamesmanship and Zoey Deutch
BUFFALOEDFinancial horrors solved by sass, gamesmanship and Zoey Deutch
It reaches for lofty heights but never quite gets there. It's fun, slick and fast-paced, but most of its success is thanks to Deutch and the supporting cast.
Irresistible - A behind-the-scenes look into the broken U.S. electoral system
IRRESISTIBLEA behind-the-scenes look into the broken U.S. electoral system
Despite the incredible and comedically gifted cast and filmmaker, 'Irresistible' is... well, boring. It's interesting as a political commentary but as far as laughs, it's pretty much a snooze.
Bring It On - 20th anniversary of the cheerleading classic - and in need of more!
BRING IT ON20th anniversary of the cheerleading classic - and in need of more!
Roger Ebert himself called 'Bring It On' "the Citizen Kane of cheerleader movies". 20 years since it bounced onto the big screen, we look at some other ways to get your cheer fix.
 
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