Nick_Milligan Reviews

The Dark Emu Story (2023)

An important film and an even more important discussion

[8/10 · 18 June 2023]

Sydney Film Festival 2023

An often moving and profound documentary about Australia's ancient and under-acknowledged history.

The film covers a lot of ground - there's many aspects to the Dark Emu story. So much so, that the project would have benefited from being a multi-episode series. The post screening talk revealed that this was considered during the project's genesis. But, the counter argument is that a tight 90-minute runtime might make the film more accessible and digestible.

What Uncle Bruce Pascoe's book and, now, this aesthetically beautiful doco has drawn our attention to, is the nuances and complexities of First Nations peoples, structures economical, agricultural and spiritual, were crushed by colonisers.

Clarke respectfully gives airtime to the counter arguments to Pascoe's controversial research which, from what the doco presents, largely boil down to semantics and straw man arguments.

This doco is hopefully a conversation starter. It will hopefully receive distribution that allows many Australians and overseas audiences to see it, as the screening was very much "preaching to the converted".

It seems tragic that we have so many ancient and constructed landmarks - that out-date that of Stone Henge, the Aztecs etcetera - that are not celebrated by us as a nation. You'd think this would appeal to our parochialism, but instead we ignore their age and significance in the name of politics, historical denial and colonial public relations.

Well done to everyone that worked on this project.

Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)

Cultures clash in this bonkers, symbolic live-action anime

[8/10 · 16 September 2021]

There's a lot to unpack in this sashimi western. Sion Sono's feverish, live-action anime is loaded with symbolism and iconography, a wonderfully strange and humorous lament on Japanese culture. As it was explored in Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, the Japanese obsession with American culture runs deep, and Sono fuses the two sensibilities here - a frontier western mashed with a feudal samurai drama.

On another level, Prisoners of the Ghostland is exploring the nuclear and cultural fallout of the atomic bombs that fell during World War II, as the movie searingly depicts in its final act. The ghosts of this movie are a slaves to that act, as they are slaves to time as commanded by Bill Moseley's deified Governor.

Then there are the visual motifs and homages. It's no coincidence Nic Cage's Hero is dressed much like Max Rockatansky, and Mad Max II is clearly a reference point, another film haunted by the remnants of society in a dystopian wasteland. There's even echoes of The Wizard of Oz.

Prisoners of the Ghostland will puzzle many and delight some, but ultimately it's a far more layered and intelligent piece of filmmaking than most will give it credit for. It's cinema as art, impressionistic, multi-faceted and worthy of dissection.

I had a ball.

The Witches (2020)

Watch the original

[3/10 · 1 November 2020]

This new iteration of The Witches is an incredibly expensive exercise when you consider that its only reason for existence is to serve as a reminder to watch Nicolas Roeg's masterpiece original. There is not one aspect of this movie that improves on his movie.

Take note: by all accounts this new version is also scaring the kids. So be careful with your own.

Tenet (2020)

7 stars for the staging, but Nolan has jumped the shark...

[7/10 · 1 November 2020]

Christopher Nolan has flirted with calamity, most apparently in the flawed Interstellar. His desire to over-complicate narratives, deep dive into lofty concepts and surprise his audience with "how clever am I?" twists has, at times, been at the expense of characterisation and sustained dramatic tension. It smacks of Shyamalan. Nolan's mostly gotten away with it until now, because he's superbly talented, but in Tenet he serves up a convoluted entanglement that likely makes sense upon fine dissection, but doesn't work dramatically. Tenet feels like a two-hour physics lecture, albeit one delivered with Nolan's undeniable visual flair and robust penchant for mind-bending in-camera effects. But this is ultimately a writer-director in an act of self-aggrandisement in which he treats his loyal viewership, perhaps subconsciously, with a level of disdain. #Tenet might have worked better as a limited TV series, which would have given Nolan more time to deepen the characterisation and make us feel as if there's something at stake. But Nolan still takes 150 minutes to convey Tenet and its palindromic idea. He reduces his characters to bloodless pawns, filling their mouths with expository dialogue that is often delivered so quickly by the cast that it's actually unintelligible. By forcing his audience to run maths equations in their mind as the action unfolds, essentially confused by what is happening, the kinetic, breathless set pieces don't have the same dramatic impact of those in his far more successful films like The Dark Knight, Insomnia or Inception. Tenet is a cool idea, and the spy thriller meets heist flick is a great framework, but the writing is messy. Nolan's core audience may soon become quantum physicists. Despite these criticisms, John David Washington and Robert Pattinson are required to do a lot of heavy lifting to bring gravitas to the story and they're both excellent.

Wolfen (1981)

Beautifully staged and eerie New York City gothic horror - should have a much higher rating

[9/10 · 1 November 2020]

Director and cinematographer Michael Wadleigh is best known for his three-hour counterculture epic Woodstock, the iconic document of the 1969 music festival. The Ohio native only made one non-fiction feature and that was 1981's phantasmagorical noir thriller Wolfen. Steeped in Native American folklore, the film sees a desert dry Albert Finney investigate a series of gruesome and strange murders in downtown Manhattan and the Bronx. With a serious head of hair, Finney's character Dewey Wilson is given some razor sharp one-liners. You'd have loved to see this protagonist in another movie. Wadleigh uses many thermographic steady cam shots to convey the otherworldly subjective point of view of the killer, a technique that would inspire future movies like Predator. And New York City itself has never looked so ominous, where every shadow might grow a pair of fangs and demonic red eyes. There's many other impressive elements, from Edward James Olmos' small but key performance as Eddie Holt, Gregory Hines as the coroner-cum-comic-relief, Gerry Fisher's dreamlike cinematography and James Horner's fine score. In one particularly gasp-inducing scene, Wilson climbs to the top of the Manhattan bridge to interview Holt, who's a construction worker. I've never seen that landmark used on-screen in such a startling, nail-biting fashion. Wolfen is a forgotten gem. Give it a look.

The Devil All the Time (2020)

Fine performances in a film that falls short of greatness

[8/10 · 1 November 2020]

The Devil All the Time won't be the most uplifting film you'll watch on Netflix this year, but it may be one of the more interesting. Featuring a massive cast of Hollywood's darlings, this grim ensemble affair takes place in a microcosm of God-fearing Ohio towns from the mid '50s to the mid '60s, a world bearing the lacerations of World War II and drawing ever closer to the horrors of Vietnam. Directed by Antonio Campos, the film features narration by Donald Ray Pollock, the author of the book upon which the movie is adapted. His Sam Elliottesque drawl gives the movie a literary, fable-like tone that contrasts with the grimness of the material. It has a Coen Brothers meets Cormac McCarthy atmosphere. In a range of obvious ways, The Devil All the Time is about the stunning hypocrisies of the devout, and God's word is used as a justification for a range of atrocities throughout, that punctuate the running time like stabs to the gut. The Devil is everywhere, all the time, and one might wonder how the behaviour of these characters would differ if they were Satan worshippers. While being finely acted, the movie falls short of greatness. The film is crowded with characters across different time periods and Campos' screenplay seems more concerned with the interlocking of the narrative than the inner lives or motivations of its subjects. There are memorable scenes - many, in fact - and then others that, in hindsight, feel entirely unnecessary. Wasted screen time. The film could have, in fact, been much longer, to put more flesh on the bones of its characters (flesh likely contained in the more expansive novel). But the main drive of the story, that of the connection between father and son played, in different time periods, by Bill Skarsgård and Tom Holland respectively, fairs better than other threads. It's the spine of the movie, the depiction of the cyclical nature of parental trauma. That said, the film stubbornly avoids the ending that would have best served the material. While Campos shot the film on 35mm, and the graininess is welcome, The Devil All the Time still has the brightly lit small-screen scope of, well, most Netflix movies. A little more darkness might have matched that within the screenplay.

Moon (2009)

Tense, atmospheric film-making.

[9/10 · 14 February 2010]

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) works for a company called Lunar Industries, which is harvesting an energy source, called Helium-3, from the surface of the moon. He operates the mining station on his own, with only an intelligent robot named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey) to keep him company and tend to his daily needs. Sam's contract is for three years and he's only two weeks away from returning home to his wife and young daughter. When Sam accidentally crashes one of the station's all-terrain vehicles, he wakes up in the station's infirmary. Gerty's evasive answers to his questions about the accident lead him to investigate further - and he makes a disturbing discovery. Directed by the son of David Bowie, Duncan Jones, this claustrophobic, slow-burning thriller builds in tension as secrets are revealed. At its core is a rather simple idea, and it's executed with finesse. The mining station's isolation becomes increasingly heavy and is the perfect backdrop for the intriguing drama that ensues. Sam Rockwell, as always, is brilliant to watch and Kevin Spacey's polite, genial Gerty is unsettling. Jones' minimalistic approach is crucial and perfectly delivered, allowing the gripping mystery to unravel. The sets feel intensely real and special effects are used seamlessly and sparingly. Moon has the palpable qualities of a film from the 70s and is filled the visceral nuances. Moon is ultimately a chilling film that maintains its vision until the final credits. It asks some important questions about our future and an impending desperation for natural resources. It's a very impressive feature debut from Jones. The DVD release has a comprehensive set of special features. There are three audio commentaries, a short film by Jones called Whistle, making-of and special effects featurettes, and footage of live Q&A sessions. All in all, a release worth owning.

In the Cut (2003)

An unsettling, mesmerising, brilliant film...

[10/10 · 12 November 2003]

There's not much I need to say. Quite a few astute people have already commented on Jane Campion's 'In The Cut'. 'Noralee from Queens, NY' has pretty much summed it up.

This is the most dark and sexually disturbing film to be made since Eyes Wide Shut. The subject matter is handled with a lot more delicacy then it might seem.

The performances are brilliant, including the unexpected appearance of Kevin Bacon in an important and unnerving role.

Campion is an expert at exploring the sexuality of women, as well as empowering them. It was so refreshing to see a female protagonist shed herself of what could have been another stereotypical male, detective hero.

Some people have called this film 'crap' and 'garbage'. It is extremely clear that they have missed the point and ultimately reduce themselves to being shallow neanderthals.

This is an amazing film by a fearless film maker. Meg Ryan should win an Oscar for this role. Not only because she bared her soul, but because she looks a hell of a lot like Nicole Kidman.

It's a five star movie. Don't miss it.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

A classic film?

[9/10 · 31 January 2002]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a shocking film and although the special effects may be considered primitive, the subject matter will always remain disturbing and perverse. This film has a reputation, even amongst those who've never seen it. The title itself is emotive and instills an uneasy feeling in those who hear it. Perhaps because it's set in Texas? : ) After watching it, I realised that it's not a particuarly enjoyable film. It's macarbe nature seems completely gratuitous and uncomfortable. The screenplay is painfully simple and the characters are arguably the stupidest in cinema history. (For example, there is a big old house with skeletons hanging off the walls and each kid feels the necessity to step inside and have a look around, one after the other. Franklin, the fat kid in the wheelchair, is so annoying, you literally count down the minutes until he's drawn and quartered.) The last twenty minutes of the movie consists of a girl running from a man with a chainsaw. I seriously question the mental health of anyone who would set out to write and create something so sadistic.

Tobe Hooper is a talented director and it is the direction in this film, which is its saving grace. There are some electrifying shots of the victims eyes in an extreme close up, which captures terror and at the same time brings a frightening reality to movie. Hooper's greatest achievement is arguably 1982's 'Poltergeist', which is one of the few enjoyable films which Steven Speilberg has had his grubby paws on. After this film, Hooper mainly went on to direct TV series, Tele-movies and B-grade horror movies, the best of which, being 'Dark Skies' in 1996, starring the gorgeous Megan Ward.

In conclusion, this is not a film that is over-rated nor is it under-rated. It probably won't be as graphic as you're expecting but, after 'The Exorcist' it's one of the most shocking films of all time. It serves a purpose in cinema history as being one of the earliest slasher films, involving a group of teenagers running from a psychopath in a remote area. The characters are all unbearingly dim-witted and when they each meet their grisly end, you find it hard to feel sympathy. It's well directed and if you're a budding director perhaps it's worth seeing. It's also worth seeing if you want something scary and trashy to watch at a slumber party, or if you simply want to be able to boast about seeing it. It's not a film that every movie buff will stomach, however it sits rightfully on its shelf in cinema history.

Full Tilt Boogie (1997)

An interesting documentary on a brilliant film

[8/10 · 2 June 2000]

Full Tilt Boogie has its good points. It shows some incredibly brilliant behind the scenes looks at the making of the From Dusk Till Dawn. However, this is a documentary which only fans of Dusk Till Dawn will enjoy. There are some fantastic things caught on camera and there are some good edited scenes, with fairly detailed looks at how they did a lot of the special effects. It also has a very slick opening. The really die hard fans of Dusk Till Dawn, may be a little bit disappointed with the documentary, because there are long gaps where there is very little said about the actual making of the movie, but interviews with the actors agents and footage of some union dispute. There are fairly short pieces of footage of on set dramas and special effects, which leave you wanting more. At the end, you feel a little unsatisfied. They could have added a lot more good stuff then they did. If you loved Dusk Till Dawn, watch this documentary, because you should enjoy it. If you didn't enjoy the film or haven't seen it, don't watch this. You won't like it. Strictly fans only!!!

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Shallow Red Sea

[7/10 · 23 May 2000]

This movie has some things going for it. Like amazing shark effects. But when it comes down to it, this film is literally Jurassic Park under water. Nothing in this movie is subtle. They have tried in no way to slightly change the basic plot and it sticks out like a sore thumb. I think this movie should have simply been called 'Gratuitous Footage of Shark Attack victims'. The majority of the characters are unlikable and forgettable. It is far-fetched movie, with ridiculous occurences which leave you crying, "That would never happen!!" The impression I get from this movie, is that they wanted to cram as many shark killings as they could into a movie. They have manipulated the movie so they can have as many people die as possible, in bloody ways. Plus, this movie takes itself way too seriously. The ending is ridiculous and the characters are unbelievable. As I said before, the only thing going for this movie is brilliant shark effects. Its worth watching to see them. 5 out of 10

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

A chilling, original, clever piece of film-making

[10/10 · 3 May 2000]

The Blair Witch Project is a film that was slaughtered by hype and propaganda. When the previews came out it, the film was described as being the scariest movie ever made and it was compared to films such as The Exorcist. As a result, people went to see the movie expecting to be frightened out of their mind. In a lot of cases, the film had trouble living up to these expectations. I feel this film has been treated incredibly unfairly by the public because it is a very scary movie. You find a lot of people didn't like it because you never actually see the witch. Other people say there wasn't enough violence. I think this movie is very tastefully made and uses the art of subtlety to scare its audience. The scariest thing about the film is its intense realism and credibility. It seems so realistic. You can imagine it happening to you. If you haven't seen this movie, then go and see it for yourself. The acting is brilliant and the atmosphere is chilling. Don't compare it to any other movie until you see it. It brilliant. 5 stars

Wild Things (1998)

The steamiest film ever made

[10/10 · 3 May 2000]

This is an incredibly steamy film. Everything about it is steamy. The location is the steamy swamps around the beach community of Blue Bay. The plot has more twists in it than an anaconda. As you watch this movie don't believe anyone is innocent, because this is one movie that leaves you guessing right to the very end. Even into the ending credits. It is a brilliantly shot movie, with some great sequences out on the stunning sunset lit swamps where crocodiles are a common danger. It has a great cast, including Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon and Neve Campell. Also an absolutely brilliant performance by Bill Murray. This movie combines suspense, and sex with a very black sense of humour. This is a thoroughly enjoyable film (with an incredibly mind-blowing sex scene that will surely go down in cinematic history), that you should not miss. In the end, a very cleverly written plot and screenplay. 4 stars

Desperado (1995)

Another original masterpiece from the King Of Style

[10/10 · 3 May 2000]

Robert Rodriguez knows how to make movies. He hasn't made a lot of films, but he doesn't seem to know how to make a bad movie. All of his films are stylish, slick and have likeable characters in them. They contain mind-blowing action sequences and shoot-outs that will leave you begging for more. Desperado is no exception. From the very opening scene, its becomes an incredibly surreal roller coaster ride, as a man goes on a quest for revenge for the death of his wife. Its a plot which incorporates everything. Romance, humour and action. Banderas is awesome as El Mariachi and Salma Hayek is stunning as the woman he finds himself falling in love with.

If your a fan of the action/western genre, or even if your not, don't miss this movie (especially the brilliantly shot sex scene), because its just to good to walk past in the video store. 5 stars

Galaxy Quest (1999)

A clever, satirical look at Sci-Fi cults

[9/10 · 29 April 2000]

This a is a very good film. It is enjoyable from the beginning to the very end. The thing which stands out over the plot and special effects, is the performances. Rickman is (as usual) is brilliant and just strolls through the role. Allen and Shaloub also bring a great amount of humour the plot. AND WHAT ABOUT SIGOURNEY WEAVER!!!!!!! She looks absolutely gorgeous!!!! It is so refreshing to see her not looking like a very butch Ellen Ripley (Although Ellen is a legend). Weaver really seems to enjoy the role, as do all the other characters. The creature effects are also brilliant and add a certain 'realism' to the movie. All in all, this is a very funny spoof of all those cult Sci-Fi classics, like Star Trek and Star Wars, and of the people that worship them. This is a clever movie that the whole family can enjoy.

End of Days (1999)

Violent, trashy, gratuitous, brilliant

[10/10 · 29 April 2000]

End Of Days is a very enjoyable film. It is packed full of over the top gore, sex and violence. The plot is very trashy and thin, but you find yourself enjoying this movie, although you realise that you probably shouldn't be. The performances are very good, with Schwarzenegger looking right at home amongst the mayhem and one-liners. Byrne plays the smooth, seductive vessel of Satan with great ease and makes good of a very simple script. Also, the movie contains work by the great Stan Winston, who has done creature effects for all the great Sci-films. If you are a fan of Schwarzenegger or just love an action-packed film, do not miss Arnie as he battles his greatest opponent ever. The Devil.

Urban Legend (1998)

A trashy, poorly written attempt at teen horror

[3/10 · 29 April 2000]

Urban Legend is a very disappointing film. It breaks absolutely no new ground in the teen horror genre and is incredibly predictable right to the very end. At no point, does Urban Legend even show the slightest signs of realism and in parts, becomes so unrealistic it becomes hard to watch. The performances are not bad, with the likeable prankster Joshua Jackson and a rare performance by horror king, Robert Englund. The cast seems to do well with a very flat, cliched script. It is not made clear whether the killer is human, because from what is presented, it appears that he\she is super human, as he\she survives being shot, falling out of a two story window and flying through a windscreen of a truck over the edge of a bridge into an icy river. All in all, a very unlikeable, annoying little film.

Titanic (1997)

A long, monotonous, piece of epic trash

[7/10 · 29 April 2000]

Titanic is an over-hyped, over-rated piece of garbage. It goes an hour too long and winds on for what seems like decades. The plot is a poorly written, romantic piece of rubbish and the performances by DeCaprio and Winslet are mediocre. However, Billy Zane and Kathy Bates bring some some hope to the non-existent story line. Putting the plot and acting aside, Titanic is a technical milestone. The sequences where the Titanic sinks are nothing short of mind-blowing and you would think you are on the ship. It is lucky that the sinking of the ship is so brilliant, because after the length of time the viewer has to wait, it is much deserved. All in all, this is a movie that should have sunk in an hour and a half.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

A very slick, stylish, funny film.

[10/10 · 29 April 2000]

Dusk Till Dawn is a cinematic masterpiece. It combines horror and black comedy with supreme experience. Rodriguez's direction is perfect and all the performances are terrific. All the roles are perfectly casted and add to the incredible atmosphere of the film. The film is clever because its two different types of films combined. A chase\cops & robbers film and a horror film. In the first half, you begin to like the characters and then, when the plot twist hits you like a sledgehammer, you are worried about the characters and you go through the same horror they are going through. All in all, From Dusk Till Dawn is a very classy film, with great makeup and a blistering soundtrack. Don't miss this movie if you are a fan of action\horror\comedy films. 5 stars

Pulp Fiction (1994)

A flawless film

[10/10 · 29 April 2000]

This is a cinematic masterpiece. It is nothing short of brilliant and an incredible contribution to international cinema. It contains, arguably the funniest and wittiest dialogue ever in a film. Everybody in the world should see this movie. No matter what age. 5 stars