-628 Reviews

The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race (2023 TV Movie)

Not as good as the stage play

[4/10 · 14 August 2023]

Melanie Tait's stage play of the same name was witty, engaging and entertaining. The 5 female characters told the meaningful story with humour and the right amount of pathos.

By contrast, the movie features too many outdoor settings, a cast of about 100 characters, and more storyline. This extra dialogue proves to be less interesting and also overwhelms the humour of the stage play. Sometimes simpler is better.

The movie has an acceptable IMDB rating, so others who have not seen the stage play may have found the storyline interesting enough. However, for me, while the stage play was witty, engaging and entertaining, the movie is preachy, with too much dialogue and therefore less engaging.

See the stage play instead, especially if it features the brilliant Sharon Millerchip in the lead role.

The Front Runner (2018)

Good Story - Ordinary Movie

[5/10 · 13 November 2020]

This movie should have been better. It told a good story. It had a strong cast of principals. Hugh Jackman was strong and believable in the lead role and J K Simmons was reliably good. However, the movie suffered badly by poor sound mixing. In his attempt to reflect realistically the chaotic nature of political campaigning, director Jason Reitman merely created distracting dialogue drowned out by background noise, particularly in the first 30 minutes of the film. This caused a disconnect and I was never able to become fully immersed in the action. I also struggled to understand the muffled dialogue of some of the supporting characters, all of which detracted from my enjoyment of the movie. An important issue was raised toward the end of the movie: why would any young candidate aspire to become President knowing that the media will examine every aspect of their life and distort, sensationalise and lie about it to create news? Is this why 78-year-old Joe Biden was the best candidate the Democrats could put forward for President in the 2020 election? Were younger candidates wary of the relentless media scrutiny? This important issue aside, The Front Runner should have been a better movie but instead wallowed in mediocrity, despite the strong performances of Jackman and Simmons.

Never Too Late (I) (2020)

Recommended for anyone who remembers the 1960s.

[8/10 · 6 November 2020]

Never Too Late - Reactions to this movie were mixed, so my expectations weren't high. However, I'm with those who really liked the movie. The first 15 minutes were outstanding. The pace did slow for a while but overall the movie was funny, moving and contained some great music from the 60s, which is ideal for the target audience. The acting is top notch and, while the storyline is a stretch, that's what makes for some great humour. Recommended for anyone who remembers the 1960s and the music of that era - and for anyone who enjoys great acting and humour.

The Final Quarter (2019)

A good TV movie worthwhile seeing

[7/10 · 23 August 2019]

The TV special shown in Australia, The Final Quarter, was a documentary developed by Australian filmmaker Ian Darling detailing the events surrounding the final playing years of champion AFL footballer Adam Goodes, during which opposing teams' supporters began booing him with increasing animosity. The movie attempts valiantly to avoid taking sides, instead showing various points of view presented by a range of commentators between 2013 - 2015, both supportive and critical. It is a good movie worthwhile seeing. A movie written by Stan Grant, The Australian Dream, which was released shortly afterwards, is also a good movie worthwhile seeing for a different perspective. However, as a review of both sides of a divisive issue, The Final Quarter is considerably shorter and manages to cover the main issue quite adequately and more succinctly.

The Australian Dream (2019)

A good movie worthwhile seeing - 7/10

[7/10 · 23 August 2019]

The Australian Dream is a good movie worthwhile seeing - 7/10. The segments of the movie relating the Adam Goodes story were excellent and gave both sides of a divisive issue. I felt that too much time was devoted to the diatribes of Andrew Bolt and the preachings of Stan Grant. The latter was inevitable given that Stan Grant wrote it and was determined to have his say. In fact, he said a whole lot too much in the final 10 minutes as the movie began to focus more on Stan Grant's beliefs than on the Adam Goodes issues. The TV special shown in Australia, The Final Quarter, covered pretty much all of the Adam Goodes story with pretty much the same footage without having to listen as much to Andrew Bolt and Stan Grant, whose rantings detracted from the impact of The Australian Dream. As I said, it's a good movie worthwhile seeing - but not unmissable.

Stan & Ollie (2018)

Very good movie enhanced by excellent performances

[7/10 · 26 February 2019]

I was a huge fan of Laurel and Hardy as a teenager, when their movies and shorts were shown regularly on TV in the 1960s. I have seen very little of them over the past few decades but the excellent memories have remained imbedded in my brain. So it was with a great deal of interest that I looked forward to seeing a movie about them - and I wasn't disappointed. Stan & Ollie starts with them at the height of their success but involved in contractual disputes with the powerful Hal Roach. The movie soon fast-forwards to the 1950s when their careers are in freefall and it chronicles their attempts to regain former glories with a stage tour of Britain and Ireland, which they hope will lead to a movie being developed by Laurel. As a movie, Stan & Ollie is solid enough but the real strength of the movie is in the performances of Steve Coogan as Laurel and John C Reilly as Hardy. I saw Coogan and Reilly on an episode of The Graham Norton Show, where Coogan demonstrated his excellent impressions of Laurel. Reilly confessed that he does impressions poorly but was lucky that he and Hardy had very similar vocal tones, which, with prosthetics, enable him to deliver an excellent, true-to-life performance of Hardy. John C Reilly has been rewarded with a Golden Globe nomination and several other nominations for his performance. He deserves them all. Steve Coogan was nominated for a BAFTA as Best Actor and similarly he thoroughly deserves that accolade. Their performances drive the movie as they are both thoroughly convincing as the great comic pair. Because they bring Laurel and Hardy believably to life, the movie is a fitting tribute to their memory.

The Seventh Cross (1944)

Superb

[10/10 · 4 February 2019]

I first saw The Seventh Cross in 1965 as a 16-year-old and I loved it. I retained it as an indelible memory for many years as one of my 5 favourite movies. I saw it for only the second time when I was given a DVD for my 70th birthday. At first I was apprehensive to watch it lest it didn't match my memory of it as a teenager. After all, quite a few movies that I really enjoyed as a teenager fell short of my expectations when I saw them later as an adult. I need not have been concerned. The Seventh Cross is timeless. I enjoyed it just as much 54 years after I last saw it. Spencer Tracy's performance was solid. The performances of Hume Cronyn (who was nominated for an Oscar) and his real-life wife Jessica Tandy as a married couple were superb. In fact, all the performances brought life and belief to their characters. The movie dates well and is highlighted by the emotion, the story and the suspense. It is a classic and my rating reflects my enjoyment of this fine movie.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Underwhelming

[5/10 · 4 February 2019]

When this movie was released in 2016, I avoided seeing it. Why? Because the 1960 movie The Magnificent Seven is one of my all-time 5 favourite westerns and I did not think that another version could be as good. By 2019, curiosity got the better of me and I watched the new version - and I was right: it is nowhere near as good. What I discovered is that the 2016 movie is not a remake but a re-imagining. The characters are different - different names, different backgrounds, different outcomes - and the differences are not to my liking. The emphasis is on over-the-top action at the expense of character development, which was one of the highlights of the 1960 movie. Then, at the height of the action, with bodies spilling all over the place, two characters will have a 3-minute conversation in complete calm while the carnage goes on around them. To be fair, I may have given this movie a higher rating had I not been such a fan of the 1960 movie. My rating reflects my inevitable comparison with the 1960 movie - and in this regard the 2016 movie is found sadly wanting. The most puzzling question is: With 2 highly successful predecessors - The Seven Samurai (1954) and The Magnificent Seven (1960) - why did they bother making such an inferior product?

Room 237 (I) (2012)

A Collection of Oddball Theories by a Collection of Academic Oddballs

[4/10 · 17 September 2018]

The biggest puzzle about Room 237 is why director Rodney Ascher would even bother. He has assembled a collection of academic oddballs and self-confessed fanatics to espouse their oddball theories about Stanley Kubrick's 1980 movie The Shining. Why would you want to do this 32 years after the movie was made?

Among the sometimes bizarre theories are:

(1) The movie is about the genocide of Native Americans, with a subtext that the movie is about American imperialism. The basis for this is that there is imagery throughout the film associated with the American West. (Probably a more sensible interpretation would have been the movie's premise that the Hotel Overlook was built on an ancient Native American burial site; hence, the imagery of the American West.)

(2) The movie is about the Holocaust, based on the premise that Kubrick would have been an impressionable child during WWII and perhaps subconsciously wanted to do a movie about the Holocaust.

(3) A cartoon of the Walt Disney dwarf character Dopey is featured among other cartoons on young Danny's bedroom (noticeable only when the movie is shown in extreme slow motion). However, when Danny sees ghosts and faints, a later scene shows his mother leaving his bedroom and (again in extreme slow motion) the image of Dopey is no longer there. The conclusion is that before he saw the ghosts, Danny was dopey about the world - but after seeing the ghosts, he is no longer dopey about the world. Pul-eaze!!!

(4) Perhaps the most bizarre claim comes when Room 237 deserts The Shining for a time and concentrates on Kubrick's masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The scenes shot on the moon feature imagery that closely resembles the moon photos available from all 6 Apollo moon landings. Instead of reasonably concluding that Kubrick's research on the surface of the moon was thorough enough that he got the imagery right, Jay Weidner concludes that all of the Apollo photos were fake, being photos taken by Kubrick in his movie studio and used by the American Government to deceive the people.

Apart from these unsubstantiated theories, one of the theorists gives an irritating giggle at the end of most sentences. Is this a sign of his lunacy (pun intended) or is he subconsciously embarrassed by the nonsense he is sprouting?

Certainly Kubrick's personal assistant on The Shining, Leon Vitali, is in no doubt about the ideas expressed in Room 237. He has stated, "There are ideas espoused in the movie that I know to be total balderdash. (Kubrick) didn't tell an audience what to think or how to think and if everyone came out thinking something differently that was fine with him. That said, I'm certain that he wouldn't have wanted to listen to about 70, or maybe 80%, of (Room 237) because it's pure gibberish."

The original author, Stephen King, felt the filmmakers and theorists were "reaching for things that weren't there".

Another oddity about the movie is the end credits. Instead of scrolling upwards, they scroll downwards - the only time I have ever seen this. My theory is that director Rodney Ascher is subtly saying, "the views expressed in this movie are so back to front that the end credits may as well be, too."

So why then do I rate it as highly as 4/10. Perhaps it's because I share the view of movie critic Jim Emerson when he stated, "... listening to fanatics go on and on about their fixations can be kind of fun. For a while, at least."

But why not judge for yourself? If you have 2 hours to waste, see Room 237 and form your own opinions. However, there are more productive pastimes: 1. Watch The Shining and enjoy it as a movie experience. 2. Better still, read Stephen King's novel. It will take much longer but will be an infinitely more rewarding experience. 3. Better still again, read King's much later novel "Doctor Sleep", which is about the adult Danny Torrence and how the "gift" of the shining affected his life. It is an excellent read.

Noah (2014)

The Bible re-written in a truly awful movie

[2/10 · 10 July 2016]

The Bible tells the story of the purging of the world to rid it of evil. The good man Noah is instructed by God to build an ark, which will allow Noah, his wife, their 3 sons and their wives to survive, taking with them 2 of each species of animal.

In their wisdom, screenwriters Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel set out not so much to distort this story but to re-write it. They dispense with the notion that sons Ham and Japeth had wives and replace them on the ark with an evil descendant-king of Cain, so that evil finds its way onto the ark. This allows for an epic battle to the death between Noah and the evil descendant-king towards the film's climax. Noah is portrayed not as a good man but as a warrior, a mass-murderer and as a cruel and ruthless man intent on committing murder in the name of "the Creator". The result is a poor man's "Gladiator on Water".

Given that "the Creator" wants to preserve "good" on the ark, it is a strange twist of fate that Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins), for all intents and purposes a better man than Noah, is not allowed onto the ark but rather perishes in a violent storm along with all the "evil" men. Obviously his goodness is not required for the final epic battle.

The interpretation of "good" is quite a muddle for most of the movie. Noah and his middle son Ham have many shortcomings when it comes to being "good" men. Noah is willing to kill innocent people - as well as a multitude of "bad" people - while Ham is beset by jealousy and revenge to the point of willing to become an accomplice to murder. I found it difficult to feel compassion for either.

The movie also included the introduction of rock monsters who come to Noah's aid, taking the movie squarely into the horror genre. Perhaps fantasy is a better word, because even though they start off as potentially threatening creatures, they eventually come to Noah's aid - and even end up killing most of the film's population before the flood can destroy them.

I watched the entire movie in the mistaken belief that things would improve as it went along. They didn't - and at the end I was left with the feeling that I was glad that I waited until the movie had come to TV because I would have felt cheated paying to see it at a cinema.

Four Desperate Men (1959)

An interesting movie with historical geographical significance

[6/10 · 6 July 2016]

The most interesting thing about the Siege of Pinchgut are the numbers of scenes of the City of Sydney and some of its suburbs in the 1950s, which is fascinating to review nearly 60 years later.

The story involves an escaped criminal (Aldo Ray), who protests his innocence, and the 3 men who have helped him escape from custody. They attempt a nighttime escape by boat through Sydney Harbour but are forced aground on Pinchgut Island - now much better known as Fort Denison - where they hold hostage the caretaker and his family.

The movie has quite an interesting plot and the acting is quite good. It does fall apart a little towards the end as the plot descends into melodrama and the key question of Ray's innocence or guilt is never resolved.

The interest for me as a child of the 50s in Sydney was seeing scenes of various Sydney locations as they were in my childhood.

Despite being made by the British studio Ealing and containing a number of British actors, the movie was evidently made with the American market in mind. Not only was the star, Aldo Ray, speaking with an American accent but American spelling was used. In one scene a newspaper headline read "Harbor", which is the American spelling. The British and Australian spelling is "Harbour".

Despite its shortcomings, most notably falling into absurdity towards the end, a weak climax and some unresolved issues, the movie held my interest throughout and I can recommend it especially to older Australians for the historical value of the geographical scenes.

Wee Geordie (1955)

Entertaining, heart-warming, delightful

[8/10 · 20 December 2013]

I watched Wee Geordie out of curiosity but found so much more than that. The story centres around a small rural Scottish boy who was teased and ridiculed at school because of his small stature and who took growth tablets to aid his physical development. He grows into a fine specimen of a man, tall and strong. His strength ultimately leads to him becoming a hammer thrower and representing Britain at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

The film is entertaining throughout. Bill Travers (of Born Free fame) is convincing and engaging as the grown Geordie Mac Taggart and Alastair Sims is a fine laird.

I thought that the movie might be based on fact (a la Chariots of Fire) but a review of the Hammer Throw results at the Melbourne Olympics reveals it as a work of fiction. No matter! It does not change the fact that the movie is a delight to watch.

The scenes of the final throw of the competition are captivating. Some competitors thrive on crowd support, others wilt under it. Geordie was a crowd favourite, thanks to his involvement in saving a man trapped under a car, but his nerves betray him under that pressure. When he shuts out the crowd and imagines his sweetheart back in the hills of Scotland - at the same time that she whispers into her wireless back home - a little piece of cinema magic is created.

There was some licence taken with the location. When Geordie is shown arriving in Melbourne by ship, there are 2 scenes of Sydney Harbour. But that is immaterial to the enjoyment of the film.

It is definitely worth the investment of your time and attention.

American Hustle (2013)

Disappointing

[4/10 · 12 December 2013]

Let me say at the outset that I am at odds with the majority of critics and IMDb reviewers to date in that I thought that American Hustle was an ordinary movie. It's not that I didn't want to enjoy it. I really like Christian Bale and Amy Adams, I think that Jennifer Lawrence is destined to become the best actress of her generation and I like Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Robert de Niro. From a cast level, I wanted it to succeed.

Perhaps my mistake was in viewing it as a drama. True, there were some humorous lines but I thought that essentially the movie aimed at the dramatic, with some violent scenes adding weight to that view. Now I find out from the Golden Globe nominations that it was a musical or comedy. (The soundtrack was good, so maybe the nominators have viewed it as a musical??)

Seriously, though, I was expecting more action. I thought that the movie was too long and some scenes were far too tedious, and as a result I became bored. In addition, I didn't much care what happened to any of the seedy characters, which added to my level of apathy.

I am out of step with the majority, as I have admitted, but I felt that the alternative view deserved to be aired.

If I Had a Million (1932)

A Collection of Stories with Little or No Redemption

[4/10 · 26 November 2013]

I approached this movie with optimism, having read several glowing reviews. However, I came away disappointed. The main plot involves an eccentric - and bad-tempered - millionaire who is so dissatisfied with his relatives and work associates that, rather than will his money to any of them, he decides to give it away in million-dollar amounts to strangers picked from the city directory.

The remainder of the movie is made up of 8 short stories involving each of the recipients. The problem that I have with the movie is that, with the exception of the final story, the recipients are a group of lowlife persons who simply waste the money. Charlie Ruggles plays a henpecked husband and a meek and clumsy china salesman who uses his fortune smashing up his employer's china shop out of spite, knowing that he can afford to pay for the damage. Wynne Gibson (strangely uncredited) plays a prostitute who uses the money to book into the best room in a swank hotel. George Raft plays a forger who is unable to cash the check because the law is after him and therefore it becomes worthless. Alison Skipworth and W C Fields play two ex-vaudevilleans who hate road hogs and spend their fortune on a fleet of cars for the sole purpose of causing road crashes. An uncredited actor plays a condemned man who cannot use his check to save himself. In a bizarre, wordless piece, Charles Laughton plays a clerk who travels through a series of doors for the sole purpose of blowing a raspberry to his employer. In a more entertaining piece Gary Cooper, Jack Oakie and Roscoe Karns play boisterous marines who spend more time in the guard house than on the parade ground and who dismiss the check as an April Fools prank and sign it away for $10 cash. None of these stories appears to have any redemptive value and I was left with the impression that the money would have been no worse spent on the millionaire's relatives and employees.

The final - and longest - story redeemed the movie to a small degree. May Robson plays a dissatisfied and oppressed inmate of an old ladies' home. She at least puts her money to a good cause to improve her lot and that of her fellow inmates.

Her good fortune and good heart has a flow-on effect on the millionaire, who at the beginning of the film could "go at any time." Throughout the movie, as he delivers the checks personally, he seems quite well and hearty enough and by the end of the movie he looks as though he could live forever, even though he still acts like a cranky old buffoon towards his employees.

The final story of the movie is heart-warming but whether it is enough to warrant sitting through the other stories is in the eye of the beholder. For me, it wasn't quite enough.

Salute (2008)

One of the Great Movies of the Year about One of the Greatest Races of All Time

[10/10 · 22 July 2008]

Matt Norman's moving documentary about his uncle's role in the infamous black power salute after the 200m final in the 1968 Mexico Olympics is compelling viewing. It is the best movie that I have seen in 2008 (and, yes, that includes The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia). Not only that, but I rate it as the best documentary that I have ever seen and possibly the best Australian movie I have seen.

The tragedy is that had it not been for the furore over the salute, this would have been remembered as one of the greatest races of all time. The Gold Medalist, Tommie Smith, smashed the world record. Peter Norman, the Silver Medalist, equalled the old world record in a time that 40 years later (2008) still stands as the Australian record - and amazingly would have won the GOLD MEDAL at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The Bronze Medallist, John Carlos, crossed the line only centimetres behind Norman after being caught only 5m from the line.

Smith and Carlos were sent home in disgrace by the USA Olympic Committee and their athletic careers were ruined. Norman was officially reprimanded by the Australian Olympic Committee - even though he didn't "salute" - and was overlooked for the 1972 Munich Olympics even though he had run the qualifying time many times and was ranked 5th in the world.

The movie shows the race quite a few times - a bonus for sports fans - but this movie is more about human rights than the race itself. It features extensive interviews with Smith, Norman and Carlos and shows a lot of footage from the 60s (warning: some of it is quite "grainy"). For sports fans and for those interested in the development of the human rights movement worldwide, but primarily in the USA, Australia and Mexico, Salute is compelling viewing.

A world class movie about a world class race and the unfortunate events that ensued.

Footy Legends (2006)

A genuine Australian, feel-good movie

[8/10 · 28 July 2006]

Footy Legends is a curious film in that it is the first movie about rugby league to make a genuine impact. It is funny, it is moving and it features plenty of rugby league action, plus a wealth of league legends, including Matty Johns, Mario Fenech, Brett Kenny, Cliff Lyons, Gary Larson, Rod Wishart, Brad Clyde and others.

The star of the movie is Anh Do, who is also involved in the writing and production. His performance is exceptional, demonstrating an impressive array of emotions through facial expressions and body language. Here is a young man who can make a big impact on the Australian movie scene, particularly if he can continue to contribute to quality scripts.

The other impressive qualities of the movie are tight editing and a wonderful music score. Many Aussie movies lose impact by overplaying scenes and thus losing momentum. Footy Legends avoids this trap by keeping each scene to a length that says what needs to be said, then moves on. This is good editing and a feature of Khoa Do's directorial debut in a fictional feature film.

The music score ideally supports the settings and suits the pace and intentions of the movie.

Quality Australian actors Claudia Karvan and Peter Phelps add depth to the movie, but it is Anh Do's performance which stands out. Hopefully this will be the start of a long career for this talented performer.

Whether the movie has enough diversity to appeal to overseas markets remains to be seen, but it has the right blend of comedy, pathos and "feel-good" to suggest that it will capture the attention and interest of Australian audiences. I hope so, because it deserves a wide audience.

Eight Below (2006)

Not just a good movie, a superb movie

[9/10 · 22 May 2006]

My wife doesn't often go to the cinema, so when she wanted to see Eight Below, I willingly took her along, expecting an enjoyable, feel-good movie. What we saw went well beyond our expectations. The movie was not just good, it was superb.

First of all, the cinematography was excellent, the best I've seen since The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. It is certainly worthy of Oscar consideration. The stark beauty of the ice and snow and the chilling hazards of Antarctic storms were portrayed most effectively.

The animals were marvellous. The movie demonstrated not only the beauty of these wonderful Anatarctic dogs, but also beautifully captured their individual personalities. The "villainous" leopard seal was also realistically portrayed.

Then there were the human actors. I have not seen Paul Walker before. That is my loss. He portrayed surprising depth of sincerity, commitment and emotion in the lead role. Moon Bloodgood was delightful and Jason Biggs, although occasionally slightly irritating (as his role required) was effective as the comedy relief.

In the first, "getting-to-know-the-characters" phase of the movie, I thought, "This is pretty good". The second phase of the movie - the trip to Melbourne Mountain and the return journey - provided some exciting scenes which elevated the movie into the "very good" category. But it was the third and main phase of the movie - the fight by the dogs for survival in the wild and the tortured mind of Paul Walker's character as he tried desperately to return for them - that elevated this movie into the "superb" category. Once you really "got" that he didn't regard the dogs as animals but as members of his crew that the depth of his commitment introduced real emotion.

This is a movie that I will see again and be just as moved. Well worth your time in every aspect. In fact, SUPERB.

Oyster Farmer (2004)

Quirky but Quite Good

[7/10 · 7 November 2005]

Oyster Farmer is a curious Australian movie in that its production values are more impressive than the story itself. First and foremost, the music throughout the movie is brilliant in that it suits the movie perfectly. The cinematography is likewise first class - the aerial scenes of the Hawkesbury River in particular are stunning. Also, the editing is tight and keeps the movie from bogging down - the editor and director deserve commendation for keeping the movie flowing.

The story itself is quirky and sometimes makes quantum leaps in credibility but, hey, what interesting movie doesn't? The acting is believable and allows you to understand the characters in most cases.

As a simple tale of life in a remote river community, the movie works quite well and deserves its reputation as a significant Australian film. Not great, but quite good.

Wolf Creek (2005)

Chilling

[6/10 · 6 November 2005]

This is a chilling movie which, after a frustratingly slow start, keeps you on the edge of your seat for the second half. The acting by the four main stars is superb. John Jarrett delivers the performance of his career so far and is chillingly believable both as a friendly helping hand and as a dangerous psychopath. How he missed a nomination as best actor in the 2005 AFI awards is beyond comprehension and the awards will be devalued as a result of this stunning omission. Cassandra Magrath is also superb in a heroic role and can likewise feel aggrieved at missing a nomination. Kestie Morassi was rewarded with a nomination for her highly emotive performance.

The movie is not without flaws. The action takes a while to build up and, despite some very good cinematography of the scenes in Broome, the first 20 minutes doesn't really hold a great deal of interest. When the 3 backpackers take to the road, the movie gathers momentum and develops more interest, although it doesn't really come alive unless John Jarrett's character enters the scene. His performance drives the best segments of the film.

It is not a film for the squeamish, although much of the violence is implied rather than graphic. The film delivers a great deal of suspense in its second half. It could have been so much better with a more interesting opening. Even so, it is a film worth seeing if you like your share of terror and suspense. One of the better Australian movies of recent years.

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005)

Good concept; poor 3D

[6/10 · 30 September 2005]

Robert Rodriguez has managed to duplicate his achievements in Spy Kids 3D: he has written and directed a creative story with excellent special effects but spoilt the process with very poor 3D. The 3D effects themselves are a high standard but the glasses are the old style one-red, one-green eye which don't give a clear image and which reduce almost all of the colour. Lava Girl's hair colour with the glasses off was ideal for the role. However, with the glasses on, which they had to be for the majority of the movie, her hair was almost devoid of colour - very poor effect. Despite the poor 3D colour effects, the movie worked quite well for excitement and action, and is worthwhile seeing.

Saw (2004)

Better than Se7en

[8/10 · 9 December 2004]

I had read that this movie was a poor man's Se7en, so it was a genuine surprise to find that Saw is actually a very good, well-made thriller which keeps the pace moving frighteningly brisk throughout.

The movie begins in darkness and creates a tense mood right from the start. It is a relief when the lights come on and you can gain a sense of the scenario - two men on opposite sides of a room chained by a leg, with a dead body lying in a pool of blood in the centre of the room. Through a series of flashbacks, a little at a time is revealed of the situation they are in and how it came about.

There are some similarities to Se7en in that the movie concerns a serial killer who selects his victims with a macabre purpose. In this context, Saw compares favourably with Se7en and sheds more blood more graphically. This in itself does not make it a better movie, but it sustains its dark mood throughout as it continues to build up tension with a series of twists. Perhaps the final twist is beyond the pale but then in any movie of this type you need to suspend reality for best effect. And the ending does tie up a loose end that was barely even considered throughout the rest of the movie, that is, whose is the dead body lying in the pool of blood?

If you like your movies fast-paced with plenty of thrills, chills and gore, then this is for you - if you are prepared to suspend logic and go with the flow (of blood). 8/10

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)

Rush is Brilliant

[8/10 · 7 September 2004]

Geoffrey Rush is simply brilliant as the tortured genius that was Peter Sellers. His makeup not only captures a physical similarity to Sellers, but his mannerisms are so close that sometimes you could believe that he is Sellers. But this is only the beginning of his brilliant performance. His take-off of Sellers' many characters is perfect, especially Inspector Clouseau and the Sellers characters from Dr Strangelove. Rush also appears in cameo roles as many other characters in the film, including Sellers' first wife, his mother, Blake Edwards and Stanley Kubrick.

While the movie is a tour-de-force for Rush, there are many other fine performances, particularly from Emily Watson, Charlize Theron, James Bentley, George Cicco, John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci. While the movie itself is brutal and stark in destroying the image of Peter Sellers as a funnyman, it is essentially an actors' movie, centered on characterisation rather than plot. And as an actors' movie, it is one of the best.

The Last King (2003)

Classy production which assumes previous knowledge

[5/10 · 30 May 2004]

You cannot help but be impressed by the production values of this potentially great BBC series. However, the scenes jump quickly, characters come and go quickly and overall the story is hard to follow unless you read up on the history of the reign of Charles II. Either the editing has been so severe that the continuity has been damaged or the producers have assumed that viewers are fully aware of the history. Either way, a narrative would have helped to fill in the considerable gaps.

That said, the sets are impressive and the acting is first-class. With better continuity, this could have been an impressive tele-movie. In the form that it was presented on TV, it just misses the mark unless you already know your history.

The Wedding Party (1997)

A curious movie, worth seeing

[6/10 · 20 May 2004]

Cherie Nowlan's directorial debut resulted in this curious movie, which is well worth seeing. It features two stories. The primary story involves Guy's (Richard Roxburgh) courtship and marriage to Lizzie (Cate Blanchett). The background story, told in flashback, features Guy's earlier passionate but tempestuous relationship with Jenny (Francis O'Connor).

The movie, released in USA as "The Wedding Party", centres not so much on the wedding itself but on Guy's memories of his relationship with Jenny as various people and situations at the wedding party remind him of his adventures and misadventures with Jenny. The curiosity is that, because of the passionate relationship, the background story is actually more interesting than the primary story.

The message, if indeed there was a message and I read it correctly, is that passionate but stormy relationships are exciting in the short term but can lose their impetus over time, whereas more stable relationships are likely to stand the test of time.

Cherie Nowlan has delivered a classy production in her directorial debut. Why hasn't she done more? Richard Roxburgh, who is virtually on screen the entire movie and who therefore carries the plot, is well cast as a quiet, unassuming fellow who can be obstenate and even nasty when aggravated. His essentially nice guy role is a contrast to his villainous roles in movies such as "Doing Time for Patsy Cline" and "Moulin Rouge". Cate Blanchett's character is slightly superficial but her acting ability, which would the next year catapult her to international stardom and an Oscar nomination for "Elizabeth", is readily apparent. Francis O'Connor has the far juicier role of Jenny and handles it well. Jane Turner performs a nice comic turn in a minor role as the wedding party co-ordinator.

There is a lot to like in this movie. Unfortunately its Australian title - "Thank God He Met Lizzie" - suggests a period piece and does not correctly portray the passion in Guy and Jenny's relationship. The USA title - "The Wedding Party" - similarly misses the mark because Guy and Jenny's relationship is the focal point of the movie - or, is, at least, the most interesting focus of the movie. Title aside, it's a movie worth seeing.

Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001)

This could be the saddest story ever filmed

[7/10 · 15 January 2004]

This well-made TV movie is a very moving experience. Seeing in graphic detail how a well-adjusted and endearing teenage girl deals with the horrors of persecution as her family is forced into hiding to avoid the Nazi terror cannot fail to engage the heart and mind. It shows Anne before the Nazi invasion of Holland as a bubbling girl eager for education and socialisation. Her indomitable spirit is well portrayed during her family's long months of hiding in the back of a factory in Amsterdam. Her physical deterioration after her capture is shown graphically, as is her will to survive to make her mark upon the world. Ironically, she did make her mark upon the world posthumously through her diary, the most-widely read work of non-fiction in the world after the Bible.

For me, the virtual incarceration of her family in the factory was very sad and thought-provoking. Taken from their normal lives and stripped of all those things they held dear, Anne's family strives to remain positive of better times ahead. How would we fare if required to give up all that we possessed and go into hiding for fear of our lives? A totally depressing thought, and yet that is what happened to Anne and her family.

The later scenes, after the family was captured, humiliated, separated and sent to concentration camps, is simply tragic.

The fine performances of Hannah Taylor-Gordon in the title role and Ben Kingsley as her father, Otto Frank, deserve special mention, although the entire cast was believable. Hannah Taylor-Gordon's performance was a revelation - she conveyed a range of emotions that superbly captured Anne's spirit and also her human weaknesses.

The movie is not without its weaknesses. It is slow at times and could perhaps been improved by tighter editing, although this may have detracted from the accurate portrayal of the tediousness of living concealed behind closed doors for so long a period.

The concentration camp scenes are disturbing and Anne's gradual physical deterioration is depressing. It is not a movie to entertain but one to stir the emotions and the resolve to ensure that this sort of persecution and genocide is never again allowed to happen.

It is also a depressing reminder that it still is happening in various parts of the world.