While its plot and thickly layered Australiana are a little clichéd, Runt, from director John Sheedy, is still a very sweet, charming family film that represents another instalment in the ‘amazing animal’ film sub-genre. The title character (played by a dog named Squid) is a stray terrier who lives in the fictitious remote Australian town of Upson Downs. Having just
Read moreAny long-time ‘Built For Speed’ listeners will know I’m not a big fan of director George Miller’s Mad Max films. Of the entire franchise, I prefer Mad Max 2 as it had genuine otherworldliness and atmosphere. Many raved about 2015’s Fury Road but I was only mildly impressed by that return to Max’s post-apocalyptic world. The cinematography was undeniably terrific
Read moreLast year’s standout Aussie film, Talk To Me seems to have broken ground for Aussie horror films internationally. Appearing to benefit from this is supernatural horror/comedy Late Night With the Devil which has apparently been a sensation in the US after generating a serious buzz at the South-By-South West Film Festival. The film takes what had become a slightly tired
Read moreI had never heard of Australian artist David Bromley but apparently he’s hugely successful and according to the documentary, Bromley: Light After Dark, his work is ubiquitous in upper middle-class homes. This mostly uplifting documentary examines his work and the aspects of his life, like family, that he cherishes and that have sustained him in his battles with mental illness.
Read moreAustralian cinema isn’t renowned for its science fiction films although Mad Max and Upgrade fans might disagree. Seemingly influenced by the likes of TV show Black Mirror, the latest Aussie sci fi film, Monolith makes for a topical and inventive, if limited, addition to the genre. Monolith is as much a psychological mystery thriller as a sci fi film as
Read moreBased on Ian Reid’s 2018 novel, the dystopian sci fi drama, Foe offers an intriguing premise but too often delivers it in a dull fashion. Set in the year 2065, the film depicts a world in which our worst fears about the impacts of climate change have been realised. Global drought has almost annihilated agriculture so governments have begun a
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