Australia - the movie, the thread

[thatsnotmypuppy]

So I headed to the local cinema to see Baz Luhrmann's new epic - 'Australia' and I must say I was blown away.

The cinematography and scenery is simply amazing, Nicole Kidman is actually watchable and Hugh Jackman does very well as the Drover. It does go for a bit long - just under 3 hours - but it is never boring.

The bombing of Darwin by the Japanese (a little piece of history many dont know - yes Australia was attacked during WW2) is staged in a way that you can almost feel the heat of the bombs going off. I was glad that Baz ditched most of his over the top editing. Only at the very beginning it feels overdone. The young kid playing Nullah is amazing - and I personally was thrilled that the stolen generation (the Aussie government took half-caste children (and full blood for that matter) kids from their parents and sent them to missionary schools and boarding schools to be assimilated into 'white' society) was addressed in its proper context.

I cant see this film being a huge hit in the USA - but will be huge in Europe and Japan. I just dont feel the USA has a great track record with huge epics - with the LOTR trilogy being the exception. Nonetheless it is well worth your time and I'll be seeing it again on the big screen.

 

[mad1]

yeah, think we are gonna go see in in cinema as well, and I dont mind Kidman as an actress (just look at The Interpreter - she was GREAT in it!) - and also this movie looks as grand (scalewise) as likes of Gladiator, etc.

well as long as its constant for the 3 hours, thats how likes of Pearl Harbour failed, and I fell sleep halfway throu!

thanks Thats

 

[intedomine]

Looks ghastly from the previews I've seen. Appears to rehash all those tired cliches that we are all a bunch of cowboys who run around chasing Aborgines and kangaroos.

Never really been into epics though...

I might give it a look, more out of curiosity as to how Lurman is imagining Australia for overseas audiences....

 

[corianderstem]

I might go see it because I like what Lurman does, and I love Hugh Jackman. Nicole Kidman's presence may be distracting, though.

She's more NICOLE KIDMAN than an actress playing a part, you know? I have the same reaction to big actors like Tom Cruise. He's always TOM CRUISE.

 

[LMP]

This will probably be the quintessential "girlfriend dragging the boyfriend to see it" movie, and I will not let The Lady Friend do it.

Moulin Rouge was decent enough, but I would not be able to sit through 2 and a half hours of WWII melodrama, even if Hugh Jackman's in it.

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

This will probably be the quintessential "girlfriend dragging the boyfriend to see it" movie, and I will not let The Lady Friend do it.

Moulin Rouge was decent enough, but I would not be able to sit through 2 and a half hours of WWII melodrama, even if Hugh Jackman's in it.

To be fair the WW2 aspect is referred to once in the first hour and doesn't kick in until after the cattle drive - so really the war takes up the last hour/45 minutes and thats about it. The film is not directly about the bombing of Darwin - it is more to do with the treatment of the 'half caste' children and the survival of the Faraway Downs cattle station.

 

[cobl04]

I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in seeing this movie

I'd rather go see Sex Drive

 

[Saracene]

I feel like I've watched the damn movie already, not in the least because I work in travel industry and our company hopped on the bandwagon weeks in advance.

Still, I look forward to it. Will probably see it in Gold Class with girls from work.

 

[The Sad Punk]

I'm somewhat interested in seeing how the Stolen Generation aspect is used in the film, so I'll probably go see it sometime. However, I only considered watching it after someone suggested we see it together.

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

I will say this - it is a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG screen movie. I know that is bandied around a lot - but you need to see this film (if you are going to bother) on the biggest screen with the best sound you can find. Trust me - the stampede and bombing needs THX/Dolby DTS!

 

[LMP]

I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in seeing this movie

I'd rather go see Sex Drive

That's like trading bad caviar for a piece of shit.

 

[Pearl]

I want to see this movie, but from what I hear, its getting lousy reviews.

Maybe I'll wait for the DVD.

 

[Dalton]

I can't believe how bad the writing was for this film. Epically bad.

 

[cobl04]

That's like trading bad caviar for a piece of shit.

Nice!

 

[The Sad Punk]

Alright, so I saw it last night with a couple of mates.

I don't really know where to begin. I've never seen so many polished cliches in a single movie - few of the characters seemed remotely realistic, the majority just being stereotypes - you know, English aristocrats, Australian cowboys, magical Aboriginal men. No doubt, I wondered to what extent it was tongue-in-cheek. Almost none of it seemed plausible, and while it wasn't as bad as it could be, there was a share of fabrication, despite Baz's note at the start stating it to be factually accurate.

It was entertaining, but by no means good. One thing everyone can seem to agree on is that Brandon Walters, the kid who plays the half-blood Nullah, was the highlight of the film. He did a fantastic job and showed up Kidman's wooden acting for what it was.

Also, the CG effects were really bad and kind of put off the fact that all the sprawling Australian landscapes were so pretty.

I guess I'd give it a five or six out of ten, although I can't help but feel I'm being a tad generous.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I might go see it because I like what Lurman does, and I love Hugh Jackman. Nicole Kidman's presence may be distracting, though.

She's more NICOLE KIDMAN than an actress playing a part, you know? I have the same reaction to big actors like Tom Cruise. He's always TOM CRUISE.

just imagine if RUSSELL CROWE hadn't dropped out, then it would have been NICOLE KIDMAN and RUSSELL CROWE

 

[Cin]

just imagine if RUSSELL CROWE hadn't dropped out, then it would have been NICOLE KIDMAN and RUSSELL CROWE

Two more reasons not to see it.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Heath Ledger turned down the male love interest role to be in the Dark Knight instead.

He made a wise choice.