Australian and New Zealand Films
The Tracker: a desert Western study of European colonialism and exploitation and its effects
Rolf de Heer, “The Tracker” (2002) On the surface, a simple story of four men
Hedwig and the Angry Inch: an individual’s search for wholeness and authenticity delivered in a flat musical adaptation
John Cameron Mitchell, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001) A feisty little number showcasing John
The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover: a parable on the decline and fall of neoliberal British society and culture
Peter Greenaway, “The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover” (1989) Straight away viewers
Torn Curtain: an unremarkable spy thriller film let down by poor casting and a laboured script
Alfred Hitchcock, “Torn Curtain” (1966) To properly appreciate how good a director Alfred Hitchcock was
Australian and New Zealand Films
Women He’s Undressed: a whimsical and shallow treatment of an Australian country boy who hits the big time in Hollywood
Gillian Armstrong, “Women He’s Undressed” (2015) Hollywood could not have dreamt up a more classic
High and Low: a crime thriller of downfall and redemption, and a plea for compassion for material and spiritual suffering
Akira Kurosawa, “High and Low” (1963) Most movies based on pulp crime / police procedural
French and French-language Films
That Obscure Object of Desire: a tale of sexual obsession in a society falling apart through its hypocrisy and violence
Luis Buñuel, “That Obscure Object of Desire” (1977) Between two full buckets of cold water
Review of Films I’ve seen in 2016
Review of Films I’ve seen in 2016 Dear Under Southern Eyes Readers, Another year gone
Australian and New Zealand Films
The Lost Thing: a multi-layered children’s story that critiques industrial society
Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan, “The Lost Thing” Adapted from co-director Shaun Tan’s picture book
A pointless rehash of a low budget TV series in “Evangelion: 1.11 – You Are (Not) Alone”
Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, “Evangelion: 1.11 – You Are (Not) Alone” Since the original