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Reviews
Teesh and Trude (2002)
realistic portrayal of the sad lifestyle of a pair of aussie battlers
People who pan this film miss the unique Australian-ness of it. The sad and sorry demographic represented by the two women is so realistically portrayed, so that while we almost depise Teesh for her slack layabout lifestyle, as she reluctantly reveals more about herself we cannot but help feeling stirrings of empathy. Susie Porter's performance is fine, and for that matter so is Linda Cropper's as the sad mother desperate to see her kids again but so caught up in a loser's lifestyle that she can hardly surface for air.
This film is a little gem that grows on the viewer and shouldn't be dismissed.
Soft Fruit (1999)
tender, funny, zany and touching - more Aussie films like this needed!
This films captures the all-encompassing breadth of family life from love to brutality, and displays it in a no-punches way that touches the heart strings. As the four children return to share their dying mother's last weeks we see the old family conflicts, rivalries and tensions flare, as each struggles to gain a special relationship with their dying mother, played whimsically by Jeanie Drynan. The bad language may upset some prudes, but is all in the spirit of the movie. Russell Dykstra's winning perfomance as ex-con biker son Bo is one of the best I've seen for years. Sacher Horler is proving to be a major Australian talent. How nice to see a selection of females that aren't wafer thin!!
Eraserhead (1977)
how weird can you get?
I needed to read all the other reviews here before I was game to make a comment. I'm a great fan of Lynch's Wild at Heart having seen it four times, and recently loved Lost Highway. But this one left me baffled. I'd heard of it for years, but can make little sense of it. It certainly didn't bore me, in fact I was fascinated to see where the plot led. Tried to analyse it in terms of symbolism, but decided that if I have to do that the film isn't really speaking to me. The dark broodiness is impressive, the squishiness repulsive, and Henry's hairdo is unforgettable!
Dance Me to My Song (1998)
Brave and heartwarming film about cerebral palsy
Rolf de Heer is a brave director, as those who've seen Bad Boy Bubby and The Quiet Room will know. In this film he braves the sensitive subject of cerebral palsy. Julia, a severe sufferer, is bound to her wheeelchair and can only communicate via her voice machine. Her heartless carer Madeline, is downright cruel to her. When the kind and loving Eddie enters Julia's life a strange menage a trois begins, but not quite as you would imagine. The film avoids mawkish sentimentality, and is a tribute to the triumph of the human spirit. Julia's strengths and weaknesses are all on display, as well as her sharp wit. Heather Rose who plays Julia also wrote the screenplay and gives us a unique insight into her world. This new Australian film is a must for anyone who wants to be confronted and amazed by a subject not often tackled on screen.
Amy (1997)
Strong Aussie film that presses big emotional buttons
This film really triggered an emotional button in me. Although I picked certain flaws with parts of the scripting, the basic tale of the child who refused to speak after the death of her father, and would only communicate by singing really moved me to tears. Rachel Griffith's performance was exceptionally strong. My entire family aged from 9 to 50 cried buckets at this one, yet I can't accuse the film of being manipulative; just a good strong theme supported by great actors. The Aussie film industry is really coming of age, and as more big studio casting agents snap up our actors it lets the world see just what we have to offer.