I did not notice a thread about this beautiful movie and I wondered what you thought about it

When I read the reviews I thought this movie to be another movie of which already many had been made. Especially because I have seen another movie of Nicole Kidman in which she played a seemmingly similar role in as aristocratic lady who is going to claim her land in America.

But the movie turned out completely different. Although in the beginning the names and other details confused me somewhat, it later on was quite easily to follow. Australia is a great adventure movie which the combination of romance, humor, drama and history in which the storyline of the differences between the 'white man' and the aboriginals is entwined.

Nicole Kidman did a really good job, but I loved Hugh Jackman as the Droover. His role as rough cowboy made me think of Clint Eastwoods's cowboy movies but I was surprised at his achievement.
David Wenham made a good villain but I couldn't help of thinking of Faramir everytime I saw him The little Brandon Walters also caught my eye for his acting was very convincing.

Since I watched the film in the cinema I was overwhelmed by the huge screen, the beautiful sound and the plot, so I did not reall pay attention to the music score. But when I watch it another time I have to pay more to that

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I've seen it and thought it was brilliant. Whenever I thought it came close to finishing I was mentally pleading for another 10 minutes.

Nicole Kidman did an excellent job, I think, and carried off the aristocratic Englishwoman - Lady Sarah - perfectly. I did find it a bit ironic since she's Australian, but hey.

Hugh Jackman as Drover was also a welcome change. Having seen him in a few things I thought that Australia a great opportunity to see him in a different light. He also seemed rather more gorgeous than usual.

Like you said, Will, David was just too Faramir. xD His villain portrayal was good but I think he's better as Faramir. And gosh - Brandon Walters was just so cute! His eyes were unbelievably brown. *Pinches his cheeks*

The score was good, I think. Mum and I remarked at the end how good the music had been. So overall, the film was ace and I advice everyone to see it ASAP!

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"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



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Fwee!

Lol I went to see it again this evening. I dragged my boyfriend over to the cinema as I knew he would enjoy it as much as I did.

Seeing it a second time, I had the chance to absorb every scene better than before. And again I almost rolled over the ground laughing at the kangaroo incident Also that scene when Nullah is stopping the horde from going over the cliff is so powerful!

You're right Este, Nicole did such an amazing job. I loved her snobbyness at the start and that look on her face when the Droover was fighting while her underwear was floating through the air!

And Hugh.. *sighs* *drools* well I can't say much about him.. just look at him Too bad he shaved himself for the party though, he looked too much like James Bond at that moment. I liked his scruffy cowboyness

Now you refer to the music Este. It was quite funny because my dad put on a cd yesterday evening and asked me if I recognised the tune. It turned out to be the music played at the end scenes of the movie. If you would like, I could look up who was the composer so you can find it on Youtube

Aah, I'm so in love with this movie. I will immediately buy it when it's out on DVD

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

my nan went to see it and said it's fantastic!!
i must go and see it

i was actually in london the day of the premier! was in leicester square while they were setting up it all up! we had to leave before it started though i was so gutted i wanted to see nicole kidman!! hehe
heres some pictures i took



me outside the premier haha! you'll have to excuse me looking such a mess i had a cold and i'd been up since about 5 in the morning !

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I thought the film was FANTASTIC! I have a friend who does very much the same things as the Drover and she said they were very true to how a real muster works.

I loved how Jack Thompson's horse looked like an older version of the one out of The Man From Snowy River, which he was in, lol. I've met him, ha ha.

And omg, Nulla, what a gorgeous little boy! I'm proud to be an Aussie even more because of that film!

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You may call me Cazz.

sorry to dampen the party guys, but i hated it. it tried to be to be too many things (love story/family saga/action film/war epic/exposition piece/advert for australia) but failed to be any of them convincingly and ended up feeling disjointed and incoherent; the representation of aussies, aborigines and brits alike was stereotyped and ridiculous; baz obviously copped out with the ending and compromised with the producers, thus compromising his artistic integrity; there was no need to not give the drover a name - that was just pretentious; the little humour there was in the film felt painfully forced; using the oh-no-they're-dead-but-hang-on-a-minute-no-they're-not plot twist twice shows a distinct lack of imagination; and nicole kidman still can not act.

i do agree with you about brandon walters though - i thought he was a very natural and charming presence on screen.

however, i don't agree with you about david wenham. i didn't think he was "too faramir" at all. i thought he was excellent - him and brandon walters were the film's only redeeming features. i've seen wenham in about five films now, and found him to be utterly convincing in all of them. i think he's a very talented actor who is sadly underrated, and who deserves far better than playing second banana to hugh jackman.

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Oh, the cinematography was brilliant and Daisy Wenham was perfect, always is.

There were certain pacing things and plot problems with the flick, but I'm gonna look past all that, I couldn't be bothered summoning up the energy to deconstruct the flick ah-la Hollywood style.

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~Old lurker from '06 crawling back for another adventure.~

You may call me Cazz.

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You're completely right Johnny's Fan, its an old-time 50's Hollywood style movie, it should be treated as such, it brings back the memories of a time when movies were entertainment, not a status symbol.

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~Old lurker from '06 crawling back for another adventure.~

You may call me Cazz.

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^ By me and my SS *squiggle hugs*

in defence of the critics, some people (me included) can't "let go and enjoy a film for what it is". some of us are just naturally critical.

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i agree that some films are meant simply for enjoyment, but if you spend seven years making a three-hour epic which covers topics including war and the persecution of aborigines, you are not making a film that is meant simply to be enjoyed. strictly ballroom and moulin rouge are pure entertainment. australia is not.

the thing i hate most about films is when whey fail to do what they set out to do. i don't like comedies that don't make me laugh, i don't like tragedies that don't make me cry, i don't like horrors that don't scare me, and i don't like dramas that don't make me care about the characters. i felt that australia failed to make good on any of the promises it made, and that (plus the fact that nicole kidman is a truly appalling actress) is why i didn't like it.

i watch a lot of old films, and they give my inner critic a lost less cause for complaint. i love them mainly because they know what they are and what they want to do, and they actually go and do it. and do it well.

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I agree. You must see it. Ignore the bad stuff and just see it for yourself. Films don't have to be completely realistic to be brilliant. LotR shows that without a shadow of a doubt!

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"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

The snobbery and elitist nature critics (and wannabe critics) these days happily possess makes me barf. I agree with JF, people should just let it go and take the movies for what they are instead of what they think they ought to be. Movies, no matter the subject or years spent on it, are still only entertainment. So just let yourself be entertained.

I absolutely LOVED Australia. I didn't think I would. I thought it would be "yet another epic drama" but oh how it surprised me! Everything was just perfect.

The only wee complaint I have is when they made Hugh shave for the ball. They should have kept him looking all scruffy!


Maybe you should stop worrying so much about supposed genres and just focus on the actual movie? Just a thought.

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i get the distinct feeling i'm being personally attacked simply because i don't like a film everyone else likes, and take a different attitude to watching films.

there is nothing in the title of this thread to indicate that it is exclusively for fans of the film. it is simply called 'australia', which to my mind implies that it is open to any discussion or opinion on the film, and as such i feel i was quite within my rights to say that i didn't like it.

i may disagree with you, but not once have i suggested that anyone else is wrong for liking the film, yet it has repeatedly been implied by several people that my opinions and attitude are wrong. well, i'm not a snob or an elitist, and i fell no need to change the way i view films, thank you very much.

to make matters worse, most of you haven't even had the decency to direct your posts at me and allow us to discuss the matter - instead you've made sweeping statements criticising critics (see the irony?) that are clearly intended to include me, but leave little room for reply or discussion.

this has happened a number of times now and it has really bothered me, as i now feel that i can't air my opinions without coming under attack. i think i'll be staying away for a while.

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