Australian and New Zealand Films
Storm Boy: a film of unusual friendships and the cycle of life
Henri Safran, “Storm Boy” (1976) A moody and melancholy film, ostensibly about a lonely boy who raises three pelican chicks and remains close to one of…
Australian Films
Australian and New Zealand Films
Wandering Soul: claustrophobic horror film highlights the cynical use of folklore and superstitions as weapons of war
Josh Tanner, “Wandering Soul” (2016) An intensely claustrophobic film, seemingly a ghost story set during the Vietnam War, “Wandering Soul” follows two Viet Cong fighters, Dao…
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…
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…
Australian and New Zealand Films
The Quiet: outer space as metaphor for inner space in a film of duality and opposites
Radheya Jegavetha, “The Quiet” (2020) Created entirely by director Radheya Jegavetha and his father Jay Jay Jegathesan who co-wrote and co-produced the short and provided the…
Australian and New Zealand Films, North American Films
Clash of the Titans (2010): goofy remake adapted to modern audiences’ tastes
Louis Leterrier, “Clash of the Titans” (2010) A brisk and goofy remake of the original Ray Harryhausen film of the same name, and trashing much of…
Australian and New Zealand Films, Chinese and Chinese-language Films
What Happened to the Australian Car Industry? – a detailed mini-history on the rise and demise of Australian car-making
“Why Australia Doesn’t Make Their Own Cars” (Asianometry, 17 January 2022) Compared to other mini-documentaries presented by the Asianometry channel, this episode is quite lengthy –…
Australian and New Zealand Films
The Philosophy of Byung-Chul Han: Western society as a landscape of over-achievement, exhaustion, stress and burnout
Joshua Krook, “The Philosophy of Byung-Chul Han” (28 February 2021) In his theory on mass formation psychosis, Belgian clinical psychologist Dr Mattias Desmet identified four features…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Rabbit-Proof Fence: a superficial tale doing no justice to its sources
Philip Noyce, “Rabbit-Proof Fence” (2002) Visually this is a beautiful film with an emphasis on the harsh desert and semi-desert environments of Western Australia – but…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Post Mortem: Four Corners Australia Post / Christine Holgate autopsy turns up cool on privatisation issue
“Post Mortem” (Four Corners, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 28 June 2021) Posited as an investigation into the recent history and culture of Australia Post, and the actions…