If ever a sporting team deserved to have a film made about it, it’s the West Indies cricket team of the 1970’s and 80’s. They were exciting, charismatic world beaters who dramatically altered the face of cricket. With infectious passion, the documentary Fire in Babylon recounts the West Indies’ ascendancy from an unsuccessful team derided as happy go lucky calypso
Read moreThe illusionist is a bittersweet French animated film based on a script by famed comic movie maker Jacques Tati. It tells the story of a middle-aged French sideshow magician who embarks on a forelorn tour of Britain in the early 60’s. There he meets a poverty-stricken young woman whom he takes under his wing. As she begins to flourish and explore
Read moreMost films that try to encapsulate the Australian identity are about rugged blokes and doughty women battling the intractable landscape but some, such as the latest Aussie film release Red Dog, are more concerned with our four legged friends. When young truck driver (Luke Ford) arrives in the WA mining town of Dampier in the late 70’s to deliver a
Read moreIn a stunning afront to public taste it’s Dr Nick solo on Built for Speed this week. He’ll be reviewing the latest Aussie movie Red Dog and French Animated flick The Illusionist. For fans of American indie rock there’s a big centrepiece of classic American alternative music from the 80’s. We also explore some different shades of Aussie rock. As if
Read moreI’ve checked out three films at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) so far. Not all of them have further screenings but you can be sure they’ll pop up on SBS at some time in the future. Here are my thoughts on: Boxing Gym (Director: Frederick Wisemen, 91 mins) Veteran filmmaker Frederick Wiseman’s Boxing gym is an extremely minimalist documentary
Read moreThe latest Marvel Comics movie adaptation, Captain America: the first Avenger, takes the comic book mythology & turns it into an Indiana Jones style WW2 romp with Nazis, ray guns and bald-headed villains. Captain America aka Steve Rogers is at first the stereotypical 90 pound weakling who, in 1943 is desperate to join the army and fight Hitler. He becomes
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