Rick and Ruby: two buddies confront pop culture stereotypes in gory fashion
Scott Woodburn, “Rick and Ruby” (2019) Playing like an episode in a never-ending road-movie series across America, “Rick and Ruby” is a buddy mini-movie packing comedy,…
nausika
Australian and New Zealand Films
Clean: finding peace and freedom from trauma by helping others deal with theirs
Lachlan McLeod, “Clean” (2022) As this documentary demonstrates, there’s much more to the word “clean” than first appears. Initially the topic of the film was trauma…
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris: a fantasy nostalgia world where good deeds and kindness are rewarded and bad gets its just punishment
Anthony Fabian, “Mrs Harris Goes to Paris” (2022) A light and lively film harking nostalgically back to an idealised vision of post-WWII Paris, “Mrs Harris Goes…
Essays, Multi-media Presentations
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech (2022): what is behind the West’s drive to dominate the world?
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech at the XIX Meeting (Final Plenary Session) of the Valdai International Discussion Club (Moscow, 27 October 2022) As is his usual custom,…
The Collector: a moving story of outsiders in a post-apocalyptic police state dystopia
Ihsanul Huq, “The Collector” (2021) A very moving story thanks to its lead actor Frank Collison, this short film revolves around a choice his character is…
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Land Reform in the Philippines: a detailed history lesson on the failure of land reform and its effect on a nation’s development
“Land Reform in the Philippines” (Asianometry, 17 October 2022) For most of its existence as an independent nation since 1946, the Philippines has suffered from unequal…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Mongrel: minimally styled film posing the question of what makes a human or a monster
Nik Kacevski, “Mongrel” (2021) A very minimalist little film, featuring just two actors, “Mongrel” poses the universal question of what makes someone human or less than…
Thelma & Louise: a tale of freedom and independence found and misused with devastating consequences
Ridley Scott, “Thelma & Louise” (1991) Two best friends – one a waitress whose musician boyfriend frequently leaves her on her own when he goes on…
In Captivity: freedom versus slave comfort and security in a future dystopian hell
Michael Koerbel, “In Captivity” (2011) Superficially in the style of a “Truman Show” situation comedy, this short film is an amusing riff on what a future…
Together Forever: maudlin romance tragedy becomes a tale of murderous greed and a revenge vendetta
Rebecca C Scott, “Together Forever” (2022) A well-made film, driven almost entirely by its characters’ dialogue, turns what could have been a maudlin romance tragedy into…