The breakdown of a family serves as a microcosm for a country in despair in the closing days of World War II in the mesmerising ‘Lore’.
Tag Archives: Australian films
Review – Make Hummus Not War
11 Sep
As the saying goes “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” but filmmaker Trevor Graham may have discovered that the path to world peace may also be via the stomach in the documentary ‘Make Hummus Not War’.
Review – Kath and Kimderella
7 Sep
Whenever a television series makes the jump to the big screen it’s worth pondering; why didn’t they make another series? A big budget film version of a television show should give the creators and cast an opportunity to pull off grand ideas that were never conceivable on television. ‘Kath and Kimderella’ completely fails to capitalise on a cinematic jaunt. Instead, it’s a tele-movie that accidentally got a cinema release.
‘The Sapphires’ trailer
21 May
The Australian film ‘The Sapphires’ has premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2012.
The film played out-of-competition and following the screening it’s reported to have received a 10 minute standing ovation.
The film stars Jessica Mauboy, Deborah Mailman and newcomers Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell who play four women that were plucked out of country Victoria to become an Australian version of The Supremes.
The film has been acquired by the powerful US distributor The Weinstein Company, that is known for championing films such as ‘The Artist’ and ‘The Kings Speech’ and, we’re predicting it could be the next ‘Red Dog’ at the Australian box office.
Hit the jump to check out the trailer.
First clip and poster for ‘The Sapphires’
15 May
We’re waiting on the first trailer for the Australian film ‘The Sapphires’ but for now we have a poster and a clip.
Set in 1968, and based on true events, the film tells the story of four young Aboriginal sisters from a remote mission who are discovered by a talent scout. The girls are put together as a musical act and billed as Australia’s answer to ‘The Supremes’.
The film is directed by Wayne Blair and stars Jessica Mauboy, Chris O’Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell.
Hit the jump to check out the poster and clip.
We’ll update with the trailer as soon as it goes live.
Review – Wish You Were Here
1 May
WARNING: POSSIBLE MINOR SPOILERS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE
Australians love to flock to Asia like the British to Bondi Beach on Christmas day. It’s an unofficial rite of passage for Australians to explore the region more than any other. Unfortunately, rather than respect the customs and beauty of places like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, most visitors decide to treat their trip like a sinful adventure. There is nothing wrong with letting loose while on a holiday but the members of the Bali Nine or Shapelle Corby might beg to differ when it comes to flaunting the law in Asian countries. ‘Wish You Were Here’ is a brilliant Australian film that examines Australians abroad, relationships and the consequences of having a bulletproof attitude when travelling.
Interview – ‘Wish You Were Here’ director Kieran Darcy-Smith
24 Apr
Thanks to Hopscotch Films we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to send film writer and critic, Chris Elena to catch up with Kieran Darcy-Smith; the writer and director of the new Australian film ‘Wish You Were Here’.
Darcy-Smith (pictured below) has been in the business for many years starting out as an actor in a handful of Australian television shows including ‘All Saints’ and ‘Blue Heelers’ but has now turned his attention to screenwriting and directing.
As a founding member of Blue Tongue Films (with Joel and Nash Edgerton) his feature film debut, ‘Wish You Were Here’ (in Cinemas 25 April) stars his wife Felicity Price and Joel Edgerton.
‘Wish You Were Here’ tells the story of two couples on a holiday in south-east Asia. The trip takes a dark turn with the mysterious disappearance of one of their friends. As they return home many questions are raised, secrets are revealed and relationships are left hanging in the balance.
In a Q&A roundtable Chris asked him about the writing and directing process as well as shooting on location in Cambodia.
Hit the jump for the interview.
Review – ‘Any Questions for Ben?’
10 Feb
Working Dog Productions is the closest thing Australia has comedy royalty. From their roots in sketch comedy on ‘The Late Show’, to the satire of ‘Frontline’ and the brilliant film ‘The Castle’. They’ve made a huge contribution to the entertainment industry in Australia and have kept us laughing since the mid-80s. For the uninitiated, Working Dog is comprised of writers/directors/performers Santo Cilauro, Rob Sitch, Jane Kennedy, Tom Gleisner and Michael Hirsh. These names may be foreign to anyone outside Australia but people have come to expect quality from Working Dog. Unfortunately, ‘Any Questions for Ben?’ is a huge misstep and is more like a cheap knockoff of a well-known brand.
Review – A Few Best Men
25 Jan
2011 was a fantastic year for Australian films that included ‘Red Dog’, ‘Burning Man’, ‘the Hunter’ and despite the fact it divided audiences, ‘Snowtown’ still made a significant impact. Four steps forward and now with the release of ‘A Few Best Men’, one large step back.
LAMB member #1105
Rotten Tomatoes critic
