My Brilliant Career

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... My Brilliant Career!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th July 2026

Given the passing of Sam Neill earlier this week, this is an obvious watch: His breakthrough role that brought him to attention of the movie-going public. 

And honestly it couldn't have happened in a better film: It seems that this is indeed a classic of Australian cinema, boasting an impressive cast, wonderful cinematography, and showing this country, and indeed the world, how to make a movie about us. 
The thing that stood out of me is just how quiet this movie is: It's telling a story of defying the gender roles of the day but it's less interested in beating the audience over the head with it and more interested in letting everything on screen sink in (case in point: that striking wide shot that ends Sybylla and Harry's final scene). And that's the greatest strength of this movie. 

It's fair to say that Harry Beecham is the Australian answer to the likes of Mr. Darcy and Rhett Butler. And Neill delivers the quiet charisma the role demands - and some. But even then, this movie is still Judy Davis' show, giving her all.

Seems this is a classic of Australian cinema for a damn good reason. 

Mad Max: Fury Road

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Mad Max: Fury Road!

Original image located here. Accessed 26th June 2026

Well, I've put this one off for long enough.

I have something of a history with the Mad Max movies. I knew of them when I was a kid, knowing enough of them that they consisted of violence, car chases, deserts and people with strange names. Clearly this was something for adults.
Nevertheless I did get my first experience with the Mad Max movies when I saw the Road Warrior in my tween years (!!!). Granted it is questionable if I should've been watching it in the first place but it is difficult to deny that it was, and still is, one of the greatest action movies ever made. And it isn't hard to see the Road Warrior as being the face that launched a thousand ships and inspired a whole host of imitators - indeed, it's doubtful the Warhammer 40,000 universe would exist without it. 
Years later, I got to see the sequel, Beyond Thunderdome. And a funny thing happened: Whereas The Road Warrior was a film tween me shouldn't have been watching, Beyond Thunderdome came across as more kid-friendly - especially in the second half. But, irony of ironies, I hated it. Okay sure it was fun to see Angry Anderson and Tina Turner hamming it up, sure the ideas of rebuilding and a cargo cult were interesting but this was devoid of the bleakness that made the Mad Max films what they were. Would I dare suggest said identity was softened? 
And finally when I reached adulthood, I got to see the first Mad Max movie. In retrospect, it was certainly a world apart from its younger brethren but still very impressive as a low budget feature. 

So, preamble over: I knew very well what I was getting myself in for when I got off my lazy arse and watched this. So what is there to say? 
Violence, car chases, deserts and people with strange names. And it was utterly deranged.
So yeah, this is very much a Mad Max movie. 
And it was frickin' great. 
Pretty much all there needs to be said, really.

Hercules Returns

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Hercules Returns!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st November 2025

Here's another movie that has been on my radar for years but is only now being addressed. It's an Australian movie form the early nineties that has now been forgotten. But I have been meaning to watch this due to it having been written by one Des Mangan (the one-time host of the SBS Cult Movie and who made dry-wit into an art form). 

So what this movie tells is the story of a guy who takes over a run-down theatre with plans to open it back up. He obtains a movie to screen as a movie but finds it's all in Italian. So he, along with his staff, dub over it. So what this movie is is twenty minutes of original footage and one hour of footage from an Italian movie called Samson and His Mighty Challenge accompanied by funny voices. 

In short, this movie is it's own Abridged series. 

And who am I kidding? It's hilarious to watch with lots of gags and lunacy coming from the most mismatched visuals and dialogue. There's some great lines and some genuinely-laugh-out-loud moments. Furthermore, this is clearly the vision of someone who has a passion for cinema and a substantial knowledge of lesser known movies. 
All in all, a fun watch. 

Roadgames

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Roadgames!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th October 2022

From one Australian horror movie to another. This was made in 1981 and tells the story of a truck driver being put through the wringer by a potential serial killer. However it should be noted that this has been noted as a favorite by one Quentin Tarantino.

Thing is, I don't feel this is really that much of a horror movie. Sure it relies on the Australian landscape as hostile (much like Long Weekend) and barren, and sure there are some jump scare moments and sure there is a building of tension to rival that of a Hitchcock flick. But I feel this is more a character study: Our protagonist is constantly fighting not just against the driver menacing him but also his paranoia and somewhat fragile mental state. I suppose it is impressive that this film can stand up as something that took the lessons imparted by Hitchcock but somehow this seems more dull then frightening.
Maybe next week I'll try something with a bit more bite...

Long Weekend

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Long Weekend (1978)!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th October 2022

It's become something of a tradition with this series that whenever October rolls around, I watch horror movies. It may be cliche but normally I don't watch horror movies so there's something to be said about stepping out of the comfort zone for a month - and stepping out of one's comfort zone is something that horror movies thrive on, amirite?

So we have this: An Australian movie from the late seventies where a couple go on a camping trip and, through a number of irresponsible acts, end up earning the wrath of Mother Nature who mounts a revenge...
This movie is a classic case of the slow burner: The first two thirds is dedicated to get to know the couple. It may soon dull and slow paced but there is a slow sense of creeping dread. And this pays off in magnificent fashion in the final third. I've always praised horror movies that rely on dread and unease over jump scares and this one delivers. Of course, it may be easy to joke that this reaffirms the observation that the Australian flora and fauna is trying to kill you but here it works.
So we start this October's clutch of horror movies with a bang. What would be coming up next...?

Strictly Ballroom

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Strictly Ballroom!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd April 2022

Thirty years ago, i recall this movie being a big deal. It was everywhere in advertising, was a box office hit and scooping numerous AFI awards. And it introduced the world to a director by the name of Baz Luhrmann.
Oh Baz Luhrmann - not one of my favorite film directors. I found him - as indicated by his follow ups William Shakespeare's Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge - as the kind of guy who is obsessed with visuals, who is more concerned with style than substance, who directs like he's on a sugar high and knows his audience, a legion of squee-ing teenage girls, all too well.
I was going to be happy not seeing this movie but little did I know that Kiera had other plans...

But you know what? It's not that bad. No wait, scratch that: It's kinda good. It's funny, it's entertaining and - could it be? - Luhrmann's direction is reigned in enough to make the action on screen happen. In retrospect., this does seem a world away from what would happen with the afore-mentioned movies but the DNA is still there.
However lets be honest: the greatest selling point of this movie is the dancing and boy does this movie deliver. Say what you like about Paul Mercurio's limited acting ability but his dancing prowess is beyond compare. Also props to the Silverdome standing in for the climax.
Indeed, it makes me wonder what happened to this side of Baz Luhrmann. As the saying goes: constrictions inspire creativity so what happened to him in regards to his follow ups? Did success go to his head? Did he go crazy upon discovering larger budgets? Did he get replaced by a doppelganger? One can only wonder.

The Man From Hong Kong

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Man From Hong Kong!

Original image located here. Accessed 31st December 2021

Watching a 1970s Australian attempt at making a Kung-Fu movie? Well I have spent worse New Years Eves.

Obviously this is a product of it's time: The music, the clothes, haircuts, and film-making techniques all scream mid-1970s. Why, even that opening scene has no chance of being replicated now.
And it may be easy to mock the movie for it's corniness.
But in the end I still find a lot to admire: It is a decent stab at tackling a particular genre, the nods to the James Bond franchise are admirable (most notably having George Lazenby as the villain) and the fight scenes are really good - special mention to the car chase, the fight in the restaurant and the martial arts school.
All in all, an entertaining way to see out 2021.

Anywho, this concludes the Friday Night Movie for 2021. Thank you for reading these and to anyone that provided any likes and comments made throughout the year. Next year brings some more movies to watch and I'm looking forward to it already....

Razorback

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Razorback!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th October 2021

Yep, we conclude this October's clutch of horror movies with one about a killer pig. Yay.
For those who don't know, this was an Australian horror movie that came out in the mid-eighties. And it comes across as being a product of it's era as I can't help but see it taking more than a few cues from earlier Australian movies. We have stunning shots of scenery (Walkabout); we have a guy contending with the both the Australian outback and hostile locals (Wake in Fright); and we have uses of ramshackle technology (Mad Max). And if that isn't enough, this movie replicates the most crucial aspect of Jaws: the less you see of the monster, the less silly and more frightening it becomes.

First up, there's a lot working against this movie. It has a derivative nature (as indicated above). The pig effects look awful and the acting is all over the shop.
However! Perhaps the most strongest aspect of this movie would have to be the cinematography: It is beautifully shot with some stunning use of color. Compared to other Australian movies of this era, this movie certainly looks different and is all the better for it. And hey, it makes the movies flaws somewhat easier to forgive.
And somehow, the idea of Pumbaa on steroids can not be underestimated...

Next of Kin

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Next of Kin!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th October 2021

Anyone heard of this? It's an Australian horror movie from the early eighties. I guess if people know this movie it is through it being talked up by one Quintin Tarantino (in more than one source) as being the Australian "The Shining'. Well I saw The Shining last week so seeing this would seem like a natural progression.

It seems Tarantino's observation was quite accurate: Much like The Shining, this movie relies heavily on mood and a mounting sense of dread. Which is exactly what i want from a horror movie. The 'haunted house' theme is well done and whilst there a jump scares, they still take a back seat to the afore-mentioned mounting sense of dread (and quite rightly so).
Yes this a very low budget movie but, as is often the case, a low budget horror movie means it's makers were creative in what they did with what they had.
Plus it's fun to see a young John Jarrett.

Stone

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Stone!

Original image located here. Accessed 9th July 2021

For my non-Australian readers, that title may seem unfamiliar. However, it should be noted that this movie is a product of it's time: It came out in the 1970s when Australian cinema was experiencing a fertile period and was coming into it's own.
And from this period came Stone: one of the more famous/infamous movies which told the story of an undercover cop infiltrating a biker gang (and not to give too much away but it goes as well as one might expect)

It should come to no surprise that this is a brutal film. Granted I may have seen worse, but this is still a brutal film. It's clearly shot on a tiny budget, the violence is tough to stomach and the characters are definitely people you wouldn't want to look at. And yet there are moments of beauty (the beach swim scene and the oft-referred funeral procession).
It's not an attractive film but I can't say it was dull.

The Hunter

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Hunter!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th June 2020

I remember this movie being a big deal at the time (2011). This was due to it being shot entirely in Tasmania and featuring a major star in the form of Willem Defoe. So it is perhaps my patriotic duty to take a look at this.

It may be slow and, at times, aimless but there is still a lot going for this movie. Firstly, is the star where Defoe, giving a superb performance with the weight of the movie resting entirely on his shoulders. Secondly, is the Tasmanian wilderness, the true MVP, being recognizable, threatening, and being the greatest tourism ad for the Apple isle ever made, all at once. And thirdly is the musings on the human relationship with endangered species, in all it's forms, which all come to a head in the final, gut-punching, fifteen minutes.
It may be forgotten now but it's a great movie and worth a look.

Looking For Alibrandi

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Looking For Alibrandi!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th May 2020

Somehow this has slipped under my radar for quite some time. But when the gf found out about such an overlook, she made it her mission to rectify this.

At first I thought Looking For Alibrandi was some 'chick flick' fare, which may account for my initial avoidance of it, but it seems such an assumption is incorrect. It may tell of the trials and tribulations any teenage girl may face but in a way that is indeed universal.

There's a lot of things that work for this movie: The emphasis on Euro-Australians, recognizable Sydney locations, a snappy soundtrack and a compelling plot. Granted I am far from the teenage audience that this movie was intended for but the fact that I enjoyed it speaks volumes to it's universality.

Lion

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Lion!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st May 2020

Here's a local movie that, in the years since, has garnered attention to an overseas market. Granted it was a co-production with the US and the UK helping out an Australia movie but it's good to sea local talent being recognized in such a manner. That and the use of Tasmanian locations is enough to pique my interest.
That and the gf urged me to take a look.

I have to say I'm impressed with this movie. i was impressed with the story it wanted to tell. i was impressed with the use of recognizable Tasmanian locations. I'm impressed that they managed to get some name actors in (David Wenham, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara). I was impressed with the cinematography and the use of Indian locations. And I was impressed with the central performance of Dev Patel.
I've heard this movie being called Manipulative but I don't get that. What i saw was an uplifting story told both honestly and very well. And I can't ask more than that.

The Dressmaker

And this week's Friday night movie has been...The Dressmaker!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th November 2019

Well this was an odd movie. It's funny one moment but solemn the next, thus creating some serious mood whiplash. Still I did enjoy this, largely due to the cast: Kate Winslet is great in the central role, Hugo Weaving gets to relish in the opportunity to play a non-serious role, and it's interesting to see some familiar actors made into unrecognizable roles (seriously, I had to double-check the cast list at the end and was surprised to see some names I recognized but didn't pick up).
But in the end, Judy Davies ends up stealing every scene she's in and is a delight to watch.

Visually there are some great location shots and some nice use of colour. But at the end of the day, the real star is the costume design. Colorful, inventive, elaborate and enough to make any cosplay maker (or at least the ones I know) envious.
So yeah, good movie

They Found a Cave

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....They Found a Cave!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th September 2018

For the uninitiated, this is a movie based on a 1948 children's novel by Tasmanian author Nan Chauncy. The film was released in 1962 and is noteworthy for utilizing a Tasmanian cast and crew. This movie is of particular interest to me as I'm currently involved with a stage production of They Found a Cave.

Obviously this movie is a product of it's time and very much of a low budget quality but as a kid's movie it works well. The child actors are good and the cinematography is superb. Whilst the shots on a studio set are obvious the shots on location otherwise look great.

Ultimately this is throwing down of the gauntlet: it's something for myself and my theatrical cohorts to rise up to...

Wake in Fright

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Wake in Fright (Outback)!

Original image located here. Accessed 31st August 2018

Yes it's one of the classics of Australian cinema. For those not in the know, it was made in 1971 and was something of a touchstone of Australian horror - or something.

So yeah, this was not the easiest thing in the world to watch. It was horrific, unsettling and does indeed display the uglier side of Australia for overseas viewing. Unfortunately, for Aussie's like myself, some people here are indeed like this.

Still, it is interesting to note that Wake in Fright came out the same year as Walkabout and both films were about the Australian outback. But whereas the latter was haunting, the former was hellish. And this from a Canadian director.
Not exactly a positive image of this country for an overseas audience eh?

Walkabout

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Walkabout!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st September 2017

Behold! Scenery Porn: the Movie!
Okay seriously, much has been written about how this movie was a major milestone in Australian cinema, how it portrayed the Australian wilderness and the improvisational nature of the movie (ie the script was just 14 pages of hand-written notes). What can i add to it?

Well it was a passion project of Nicholas Roeg to make a movie that shows off the Australian landscape and to that end he succeeds. Sure there are some odd directorial choices and some puzzling diversions but I felt the movie was at it's strongest when it focused on the three primary characters and the journey they take, discussed the conflict between civilization and nature and, again, the photography.

Mind you, being an Australian, I have seen this type of imagery a gazillion times before as depictions of what Australia is. Therefore it is nice to know that this was where such advertising began.
So in the end, it was a peculiar movie but strangely hypnotic

Chopper

And this week's Friday night move has been.....Chopper!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th January 2017

So this was the movie that pretty much launched Eric Bana's star into the stratosphere. And I will agree he alone makes the movie. But get past that I'm not sure what to make of the movie itself. Is it cautionary tale? A character study? An attempt to beat Tarantino at his own game?

Still, I've seen plenty of Australian made films and this is, hands down, one of the most memorable. So something must've worked.