well well well...

It mostly works. The first hour or so could have been trimmed or completely tossed. But once Nicole Kidman's character bonds with the young boy, that Baz cinematic magic starts and doesn't let go.

Sarah singing Over The Rainbow to Nullah
The cattle stampede
Nullah at the cinema
Wolverine crashing the ball
The Asian ranch hand playing Such Great Heights on his ukulele

The real winner here is Brandon Walters who plays Nullah. He owns every single frame. Reminded me quite a bit of Keisha Castle-Hughes in Whale Rider and Q'Orianka Kilcher in The New World.

I thought it was an absolute masterpiece.

Seriously, I don't get any of the criticism. I was completely enthralled from the beginning to the very end. The direction from Baz Luhrmann was superb as always - the film is a real feast for the eyes and each and every shot is absolutely gorgeous. I loved the first hour, which was heavy on lighthearted comedy, but I agree that it really hits its stride after that - and the rest of it is easily some of the strongest moviemaking I've seen in a really long time. Nicole Kidman is fantastic - I loved her comedic timing at the beginning and when she becomes a mother of sorts to Nulla she becomes incredibly soulful and effective. Hugh Jackman delivers his best performance to date, some of his final few scenes had me in tears. Both of the actors have fantastic, incredibly believable chemistry, easily the best romantic pairing of the year. But I agree that the standout performance comes from Brandon Walters, who steals every scene he is in. I loved the whole "Wizard Of Oz" theme and the recurring use of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" was so effective, especially near the end. There were just too many scenes to count where I was just blown away by what was unfolding onscreen. Obviously my thoughts are a bit scattershot since I just got back from seeing it, but the mixed reviews this is receiving really baffle me. Every complaint each critic has about it was something I loved. I can't wait to see this beautiful film again (it's my #2 of the year), and it cements Baz Luhrmann's status as one of today's true filmmaking visionaries. Do not miss it. A+

I really wished Baz had made a two-hour version of the film. I think that first hour is almost completely superfluous. Nullah introducing the story midstream and rewinding actually highlights that.

I think because of the critical reaction (which also kinda baffles me), this film is sunk in terms of getting a BP nomination. But maybe the GG's will heap some love.

Brandon Walters absolutely deserves an Oscar nomination. Kidman and Jackman, not so much. They're not horrible or anything. But I was far more entralled with Walters.

It really is an old school Hollywood epic, with all the highs and lows associated with such. I cried and laughed and also rolled my eyes at a few things.

I'm not surprised entirely the critics didn't love it. These days, for me at least, it seems it either has to perfect or don't even bother when trying to recapture the olden days of cinema. Maybe they expected more, or Nicole Kidman just really bothered them. I'll see it, maybe this week, it takes an investment a 3 hour epic but I'm there.

I think it is just that everyone hates fox nowadays. Studios, critics, fans, movie site bloggers etc. so they give a lot of hard time to their flicks. I am expecting some serious backlash against AVATAR. That movie is being hyped big time and I bet everyone will expect masterpiece and it will fail to deliver even if it tuns out to be a great movie. Not only that but James Cameron hasn't made a film in 11 years. I am sure his movie will still have that old school corny dialogues etc. which won't appeal to critics and fans since everyone has been sucking TDK's and Chris Nolan's shitpiece TDK dicks.

Aside from you, no one gives a damn what studio financed a certain movie.

fox sucks man.

Paramount and Universal all the way.

52% doesn't strike me as overwhelmingly negative to me. so i would consider Chip's post a pile of SPAM

so again its unfortunate that we have spammers in this thread. if u've seen the movie, then comment. if u wish to devote ur breathing time to criticise studio politics or how u think the movie looks like shit, then find somewhere else where ur opinion might be warranted in the same paragraph as ur existence.

I finally settled on a grade. Based on the scenes that were absolutely perfection which is a great portion of everything after the one hour mark, and the work of young Brandon Walters, I'm giving it an A-/B+

That's not settling on a grade.

A-

I thought the first ten minutes were absolute garbage. The comedic bits don't work at all and don't fit in with the rest of the movie.
However the minute Kidman slaps Wenham in the face the movie gets steam and doesn't let down after it. The stampede scene got me pressed into the seat, it was absolut marvellous. Overall I think Baz put a little bit too much into the movie: Western, Romance, War drama, reconciliation with the aboriginies. But there are so many stupendous scenes in this movie that you can only marvel at what you're seeing. Performance were really good. Loved Jackman, loved Kidman except for the first ten minutes, liked the kid but don't share the sentiment that he steals every scene.
B+

Don't like creamies I see.

Don't like overhyping kids performances...

--

By the way: Ebert is writing in his review that Nullahs grandfather was a spirit and criticizes the movie for suggesting such things exist.
Is he blind or am I, since I took King George as a real living person. I mean, everyone saw him, not only the boy and how cut he be able to kill people if he wasn't real?

If you take King George as a spirit that changes a great deal of things. The Cattle Stampede, the two walkabouts, the murder investigation, Fletcher's arc....

Nice concept to ponder but like you said, EVERYONE saw him, not just Nullah.

I was a bit confused reading Ebert's review. I never once thought George was a ghost/spirit. I believe Ebert is wrong.

hmm. At AD they hate it. Here you guys are almost loving it.

Just checked AD. It's getting decent to good word even there. I don't know where you're getting that it's hated there, that was just the first poster who had some strange arguments

If anything, the Kidman crowd seemed ready to throw themselves on top their swords before the film even hit cinemas. The opposite of hate is going on there. Blind devotion before Wednesday and a lot of admiration after.

Damn it!

Baz had me goin' for the first hour - - I was all too willing to ride with him on his patented hyperstylized romantic truthtelling filmic drove...

BUT

...unfortunately from that point on, the film dissolved into endless postscripts and hence, it is very sad for me to report to you, that Australia is an unmitigated disaster. Baz simply lost it this time out. This is easily his worst film, and I've seen each of them in their opening week of theatrical release.

I am devasated. (...and that's no typo!)

1 out of 5.

Coming from you, that is an appreciation like no other

I'm glad my review could be a point of reference for you.

Since I absolutely loved all three of Luhrmann's other films Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, and of course, Moulin Rouge!, which is my favorite movie of the decade and and easily on my lifetime top ten list - - I was personally shocked with the disarray that is Australia.

So it is certainly a most significant point of reference in my own film opinion spectrum too...