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film.org.au is a website for Australian film lovers.
Since 2004 we have been celebrating the best of Australian movies and film culture with unique reviews and information about the people who make and star in them.
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Red Dog (2011)
Director: Kriv Stenders
Writer: Louis de Bernières, Daniel Taplitz
Josh Lucas as John Grant Rachael Taylor as Nancy Grey Also John Batchelor, Noah Taylor, Keisha Castle-Hughes
Red Dog is an unashamedly mainstream film based on the true story of Pilbara, aka Red Dog, a remarkable canine who had many adventures in Western Australia in the 1970s. This film is solid in every major department – acting, direction, editing, camera and script. Developed from Louis de Bernières novel of the story.
Snowtown (2011)
Director: Justin Kurzel
Writer: Shaun Grant
Lucas Pittaway as Jamie Vlassakis
Daniel Henshall as John Bunting
Louise Harris as Elizabeth Harvey
Based on true events, this film tells the story of the Snowtown murders, a particularly gruesome chapter in Australian crime history. Sixteen year-old Jamie forms a bond with his mother’s latest boyfriend, John, which eventually leads to a series of mass murders. An intense and unforgettable film experience, but not for the faint-hearted.
The King’s Speech (2010)
Director: Tom Hooper
Writer: David Seidler
Colin Firth as Bertie/King George VI
Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue
Helena Bonham-Carter as Queen Elizabeth
Also Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Timothy Spall
Is The King’s Speech an Australian film? It is certainly a quintessentially English/Australian story. With Australian actors playing Australian characters in leading roles, an Australian producer and a half-Australian director, does it matter if the funding came from overseas? Lionel Logue, an unqualified speech therapist, is hired by the future King George VI to help with his stutter. Despite massive cultural and class differences, the two become genuine friends. A tremendous production, featuring an array of acting talent, beautifully shot, directed and edited. Deservedly scooped the 2011 Academy Awards and also became as massive box-office success, reaping over $AUD300 million worldwide from a budget of merely $AUD15 million. A must-see ‘Australian’ movie.
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010)
Director: Zack Snyder
Writer: John Orloff, Emil Stern
Jim Sturgess as Soren
Emily Barclay as Gylfie
David Wenham as Digger
Anthony La Paglia as Twilight
Also Joel Edgerton, Hugo Weaving, Sascha Horler, Bill Hunter, Richard Roxburgh, Sam Neill, Barry Otto, Geoffrey Rush, Helen Mirren, Ryan Kwanten
A band of owls fight to save their kingdom from an invading army. Although they ‘only’ use their voices, this film features probably the greatest line-up of Australian acting talent ever assembled. The story (based on Kathyrn Lasky’s popular novels) doesn’t exactly stretch the bounds of narrative possibilities, but the outstanding animation and charming characters make it a great family film. Too scary for young children.
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)
Director: Stuart Beattie
Writer: John Marsden, Stuart Beattie
Caitlin Stasey as Ellie Linton
Rachel Hurd-Wood as Corrie Mackenzie
Lincoln Lewis as Kevin Holmes
Also Colin Friels
A group of teenagers on a hiking trip return home to discover Australia is at war, then decide to help the country by forming a guerilla group. The action-adventure genre is not popular with Australian film makers, and Tomorrow, When the War Began is therefore a welcome exception. This film could have been really, really bad – but thankfully, it’s not. Far-fetched plot aside, it’s an successfull attempt at a large scale film. Based on John Marsden’s novel.
Animal Kingdom (2010)
Ben Mendelsohn as Andrew ‘Pope’ Cody
Joel Edgerton as Barry ‘Baz’ Brown
Guy Pearce as Nathan Leckie
Jacki Weaver as Janine ‘Smurf’ Cody
Also Dan Wylie, Anthony Hayes, Clayton Jacobson
A powerhouse film about an Australian crime family and the struggles of one young member to lead a better life. With incredible performances from the entire ensemble cast, it’s no wonder that Animal Kingdom swept the 2010 AFI Awards.
Samson & Delilah (2009)
Director: Warwick Thornton
Writer: Warwick Thornton
Rowan McNamara as Samson
Marissa Gibson as Delilah
This is no Romeo and Juliet, but it is a romance of sorts. Petrol-sniffing Samson mutely courts Delilah in an opening act that somehow weaves the tragedy of their poverty-stricken Aboriginal community with musical and even comic moments. The couple are thrown together in the worst of circumstances, suffering biblical hardship before dawn finally breaks. Gripping from start to finish.
Mary & Max (2009)
Director: Adam Elliot
Writer: Adam Elliot
Toni Collette as Mary
Phillip Seymour-Hoffman as Max
Barry Humphries as the Narrator
Also Eric Bana, Renee Geyer, Ian “Molly” Meldrum
Following on from his delightful Oscar-winning short film Harvey Crumpet, Adam Elliot has created an absolutely wonderful animated feature film. Mary & Max is the unlikely story of pen pals; 8 year-old Mary from Melbourne, and forty-four year-old Max from New York. As with Harvey Crumpet, Elliot expertly blends pathos with humour to create a truly unique Australian movie.
The Black Baloon (2008)
Director: Elissa Down
Writer: Elissa Down, Jimmy Jack
Rhys Wakefield as Thomas Mollison
Luke Ford as Charlie Mollison
Toni Collette as Maggie Mollison
Gemma Ward as Jackie Masters
Also Erik Thomson, Lloyd Allison-Young, Nathin Butler, Lisa Kowalski
Single mother Maggie (Toni Collette) moves to a new town, where Thomas is desperate to fit in, a desire that is complicated by the fact he must also care for his autistic older brother Charlie. A powerfully emotional film.