Flicks from Down-Under

[Phillip]

happy birthday jane campion! (april 30)

[Bill]

Having seen Sam Worthington in Terminator Sal. and last week in Avatar, I decided to see what he'd done in Australia before becoming famous, available on DVD. Besides I love seeing Aussie culture. So far we've watched

Bootman - a fun musical about hyper-masculine tap dancing (Is this an Aussie fad?)
Rogue - the best alligator monster movie I have seen
MacBeth - Interesting. Shakespeare freaks will hate it.
Thunderstruck - have not watched yet

There were a couple of others that were OOP or only on VHS.

[Sam]

hey kernos ... ah sam worthington before he was mega super famous ...

i think bootmen was his big break through (after a bunch of telly work) - and for the record i've not seen many aussie blokes dance at all - let alone in tap shoes ...

i've been meaning to see rogue for some time ... really - the best alligator monster movie you've seen? (fyi they're called crocodiles / crocs down here)

his acting in macbeth was really good ... but i had an issue with the aussie accent and shakespeare prose - just didn't gel well with me ... sounded like a lot of mumbling

itco thunderstruck is a bit of fun ... nothing like a big of AC-DC (aka acca dacca )

if you want a couple more - i think somersault is a good flick (teenage coming of age kinda thing) ... and dirty deeds (organised crime aussie style) made me laugh

[Sam]

and happy birthday jane! ... i'm going to watch the piano to celebrate ...

[Phillip]

good idea, i watched sweetie. i haven't seen the piano in years, definitely time to go back and revisit.

[Sam]

i saw sweetie again just little while back now - so i think it's time for the piano ...

[Kim Marie]

Hi, I've just found this thread and hope you don't mind if I add a couple more movies to your list:

Breaker Morant (based on true post Boer War court drama)
Cosi (great cast of well known Aussie actors)
Proof (Hugo Weaving before Matrix)
Oyster Farmer (quirky movie set on the Hawkesbury River)

Good to hear that I'm not the only one who remembers "The Year My Voice Broke".

[Sam]

great to have you kick in Surreality ...

noice list btw ...

i haven't seen oyster farmer - but it rings a bell for some reaons ...

and proof! ... gosh way way way way before matrix

[Kim Marie]

Thanks Sam,

Proof was waaay back, which reminded me about

Two Hands (Heath Ledger and Bryan Brown)and then there's Looking For Alibrandi.

Oyster Farmer doesn't have so many well known actors but you would recognise Kerry Armstrong and Jack Thompson.

[Sam]

sure do! ... oyster farmer is worth a look then?

two hands is a neat flick ...

and i wrote a little bit on looking for alibrandi a few posts back - was going through a bit of a reflection phase (looking back on my mispent youth) watched alibrandi & puberty blues kinda back to back ...

[Kim Marie]

I guess it would depend on what you look for in a movie......this one's more character driven and might not have enough action for some people. Angel Baby with Jacqueline McKenzie is another movie I like a lot, but no one seems to talk about it so perhaps it's my taste alone.

[Phillip]

i liked proof and breaker morant a lot. haven't heard of those other films...more movies for the list.

[Sam]

now - angel baby rings a little echo-y bell in my head ... I think I've seen it - but killed a few of the brain cells that house the memory ... I'll hafta check it out again

phillip - you never mentioned having seen breaker morrant ... gosh ...

[Phillip]

i didn't? wasn't it on my original list of aussie films i love?

[Sam]

I don't think so, no Phillip ;o)

[Phillip]

i'm so forgetful!

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

I watched Rogue, it is nice, but I preferred Dino Croc or even Lake Placid. Michael vartan as such a sad face, even when he smiles. The location was amazing and I liked Radha Mitchell's Aussie accent, I have followed her since Pitch Black. Didn't she do this other movie where she sails down some ocean solo in a small onesail or something?

Sam, what's that horror movie with this group of tourists who end up near the crater in the outback and this guy in a lonely shed likes to skin such tourists, I think it starts with ..."one aussie disappears every five minutes and is never found or something along those lines..."...?

Phillip how are yu doing with your semi-nouveau knowledge on Australia, is it weighing you down??? :)

[Sam]

still haven't caught rogue

loved loved loved pitch black - but i don't think that was an aussie flick ... lots aussie actors though

radha is a lil cutie - but i haven't really followed her stuff very closely ... i wonder why

nausheen - you're talkin' about wolf creek ... brilliant horror flick itco ...

i'm not sure what stats they were quoting at the beginning ... but i do know we got a BIG country and not that many people - i'm not surprised that a few go walkabout and never come back ... but if one aussie disappeared every five minutes - there wouldn't be any of us left by the end of next week ... ;o)

[Ariadna]

Ha! rogue... I always enjoy movies of animals eating people. And Radha is great in those characters, last time I saw her was in The Crazies (a toxin contaminates water and turns people into assassins)

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

Sam you're CUTE in those shades!!!

Pitch Black was fantastic for my teen years :)

Well Radha happened to be in a few movies I found intellectual, like The Booth (she wasn't doing much in it) and Henry Poole was here, and this other sort of love quadrangle about a coffe shop I can't remember the name of...so...she was really good in Pitch Black I think.

Wolf Creek was creepy, I think it had some one from Rogue.

And I'm sorry if I hurt your Aussie sentiments about walkabouts (hehe i love the way you put it)

Is Australia an authentic aussie movie? And the other day I watched people devouring kangaroo and crocs and whatnots in Aussie cuisine....reminds me of the time when Phillip was gonna move down-under to visit and eat porcupine was it or the dingo...(sorry)...ohhh flashback!

[Sam]

Ariadna wrote: "Ha! rogue... I always enjoy movies of animals eating people. And Radha is great in those characters, last time I saw her was in The Crazies (a toxin contaminates water and turns people into assassins)"

clearly I'm going to hafta lift my game and watch rogue ...

[Sam]

St[♥:]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥:]usheen, pictures, pictures wrote: "Sam you're CUTE in those shades!!!

Pitch Black was fantastic for my teen years :)

Well Radha happened to be in a few movies I found intellectual, like The Booth (she wasn't doing much in it) ..."

ha! ... thank you ... but you are silly

let me know what you think about rahda's other flicks

you didn't hurt my aussie sentiments nausheen - all good here

and parts of Australia (the movie) were authentic ... some of the scenery is pretty accurate ... but it is a fairy tale - albeit with an aussie flavour ... I remember being quite surprised about the film - I went under duress and enjoyed it ... I could have left Kidman out (i think there are one or two English actors that could have done a better job at being english) ... and I was amazed at hugh - but he is one that always
amazes me whether he performs well or not ...if only more Aussie men were like him! ;o)

phillip was coming here??

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

Sam wrote: I went under duress :)

hmm...interesting! *grasps at words* umm...ok, hope not very painful!

Sam you're a sweetheart, actually I found a few words you could have taken offence at, but I guess you are cool like me and tend to overlook minor stuff...or something.

Phillip, aahhhhhhh...he may have changed his mind. He does sometimes, don't you Philip?

I will look out for Australia, for Hugh Jackman (?) I was at the part with Eric Bana or maybe that's another movie.

[Phillip]

i was going to move to australia? - i didn't change my mind, because i wasn't considering it. i live in oakland. oak. land. me. i live here.

of course sam is a sweetheart - you're just figuring that out????

[Sam]

St[♥:]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥:]usheen, pictures, pictures wrote: "I will look out for Australia, for Hugh Jackman (?) I was at the part with Eric Bana or maybe that's another movie..."

I think it may be another movie ... don't remember Eric in Australia ... but as I said Hugh was amazing - and on a horse!

[Sam]

Phillip wrote: "i was going to move to australia? - i didn't change my mind, because i wasn't considering it..."

I think nausheen meant visit not move Phillip ...

[Phillip]

nausheen has a good memory!

i DO want to visit australia!

[Matt]

Guy Ritchie's SHERLOCK HOLMES- rather pedestrian popcorn fare. Jude Law and Downey Jr. looked like they were having fun. Ends with a shameless set up for a sequel.

Started PARNASSUS- so far so good am interested to see where it goes.

[Sam]

hey Matt ... agree completely about Sherlock ... and haven't caught Dr Parnassus as yet - will be good to read what you thought ...

small thing - you're posting on an Aussie film thread and I'm pretty sure that neither are from down here ... ;o) ... granted Heath Ledger is in Parnassus - and he's Aussie ... I suppose that's no more off topic than some of the other ramblings in this thread ...

[Phillip]

i'm a fan of the wanderings on this thread

[Sooz]

Sam - i am hearing some good buzz about one called Samson and Delilah. have you seen it? it's about a couple of Aboriginal teenagers.

[Phillip]

i watched an aussie indie-comedy last night called the rage in placid lake (or was it lake placid)...i wanted to like it more than i did. it wasn't bad, i really liked what they were trying to do, but it was laden with cliches and the directing was off quite a lot. the lead boy (it's kind of a coming of age comedy) was cute, but in the end i felt they were trying to remake flirting ... replete with witty voice-over and awkward boy brutalized by soon to be yuppie scum. i guess the biggest problem was that it didn't have the heart that flirting has - kind of left me cold. i'm glad i saw it, but...can you tell i'm really on the fence about it?

[Sam]

Sooz wrote: "Sam - i am hearing some good buzz about one called Samson and Delilah. have you seen it? it's about a couple of Aboriginal teenagers."

i heard good buzz about it too - but was out of the country while i was playing here so i missed it ... good friends of mine saw it and liked it ... one of the characters is particularly cheeky - which appeals to me ... it's on my list! ... would love to know what you think if you see it ...

[Sam]

Phillip wrote: "i watched an aussie indie-comedy last night called the rage in placid lake (or was it lake placid)...i wanted to like it more than i did. it wasn't bad, i really liked what they were trying to do, ..."

gosh - yes ... i think you've got a dent in your bum ;o)

i vaguely remember this being released - but haven't seen it ... ben lee played the lead no? ... i'm kinda partial to his music / songs ... but i haven't seen him act before ... or maybe i have - do his film clips count? ... the guys at blue tongue regularly do his music vids ... this is one of my favourites http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvIP16...

but - i've stretched the boundaries of thread topics again ...

tell me - just how do you know that the direction is off vs the actor just fluffin' it up?

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

Sam: but as I said Hugh was amazing - and on a horse!


sight for sore eyes! I have seen Hugh on a horse before, in Kate and Leopold, but a second time won't hurt.

Phillip: i'm a fan of the wanderings on this thread

i love wandering!!

I couldn't believe Heath Ledger is dead already, I had just started on his movies with The Brothers Grimm, he is/was Cuuute. (Sadly Matt's hair colour didn't really go that well, ..actually I was watching the movie for Matt Damon)

Sooz: Samson and Delilah I have seen that somewhere, but didn't watch it..

Matt: Jude Law and Downey Jr. looked like they were having fun.

yeah...in a butcher factory!!!! haha, just caught a peek at the trailer, haven't seen the movie yet. Going by the latest BBC/Fox take, Sherlock wasn't even that tall and didn't even have a Nose and Watson wasn't even the slightest bit pudgy and didn't have a single egg tart or is that another book..

[Phillip]

sam,

to answer your question on bad direction/bad acting:

it's kind of subtle, but bad acting is when the actor is unable to sell the scene - they way they are trying to portray something isn't working. you can see what needs to happen, but they are not doing it.

bad direction is when the actor is able to portray something successfully, but the scene still isn't working - the director is asking the actor to do something that in incongruous with the story. there is a dissonance between what you see and what you need to see (for the story to work).

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

Phillip has a new post, nananananaNa!

[Sam]

thanks for the na na na na nudge nausheen

phillip - thank you for explaining ... i get it ... i think i got it before but need to keeper a closer eye out for spotting it ... practice kinda thing

now - i'm v v v V excited about animal kingdom opening next week (my mum would frown and waspishly ask if i need to go to the toilet if she saw me jiggin' around like this!) ... stay tuned

[Phillip]

animal kingdom????

[Ariadna]

Guy Pearce!!

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

Sam wrote: (my mum would frown and waspishly ask if i need to go to the toilet if she saw me jiggin' around like this!)

What? (doing my best hermione accent here) what do you mean by that? Sam?

Guy Pearce! Animal Kingdom! You have all stopped making sense...~!

[Sam]

just now home from
seeing Animal Kingdom ... i'm still processing it - but
gosh ...No scratch that - GOSH! ... the story is about a hard
hitting, aussie crIme family coming unstuck - it's a popular subject down here lately and so there really isn't anything new there ... but it's the performances that are front and centre in this flick ... truly an outstanding
aussie cast - ben Mendolsohn brilliantly lead
the way ... mr peArce was excellent as always ... new comer -
james frechevilLe - kicked
arse ... and jacKie weaver was not far off bloody magnificent ... it was
hard for this chIck to see much more around these big, big performances ... but i do remember
how the souNd (and sometimes sounds AND music together) subtly added great support to what
was beinG played out .... and some of the scenes were really well put together to create tangible suspense anD tension (but not beat you over the head with it) ... yes - i may be biased,
but this is a bloOdy good
film ... michael Michod wrote and directed this and i can't wait to see more of his stuff ... i think i'm gonna hafta watch this again before it leaves the cinema ...
http://www.animalkingdomthefilm.com.au/

[Phillip]

oh my god - look at you spittin' anagrams and film reviews all at the same time! GO SAM, GO!

i haven't heard of this film, because i'm from another part of the salad bowl. but it sounds good - i hope it plays here one of these days.

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

ditto about anagrams and reviews and spitting and GoSam

Crocodile Dundee!!! (..........)

Is that guy for real?

[Sam]

ah - that would be a no nausheen ... only the women in australia carry knives like that


;o)

[Sooz]

cute.

just checked out the link you so kindly provided. it won at Sundance. 'it' meaning Animal Kingdom. impressive. i'll watch for it.

[St[♥]r Pr!nc:$$ N[♥]wsheen pictures, pictures, pictures]

lol...i know the older Mc leod daughter does most of thhe time, gosh she's so tough she could give a complex to most girls !!

I love the anagram.

[Mariel]

I might accidentally slip in a Kiwi film or two.

My Brilliant Career with Judy Davis
Proof
The Interview
True Love and Chaos
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Love Serenade (this is a weird little film and I LOVED it)
In My Father's Den
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Hanging Garden
Corelli (tv series)
Love and Other Catasphrophes
Oscar and Lucinda
The Prisoner (tv)
Strictly Ballroom
Muriel's Wedding
Japanese Story
Holy Smoke

[Sooz]

mmmm ... i think you slipped in a Canadian movie as well Mariel.

The Hanging Garden - at least the movie i know with that title is set in Canada, and directed by Tom Fitzgerald who was born in America, but with the good sense to 'head north young man head north' to the land of ice and snow. ;)

is there another movie with that title?

[Mariel]

Oops, I think I was mixing up titles. Too late for me last night. If there isn't a Canadian thread there should be (Canadianophile to the bone).