A-

One of the year's best so far. Mesmerizing images, rarely boring despite not much happening and Wasikowska is the best she has ever been and deserves some awards recognition.

Tracks

If Wolf Creek turned you off of the Australian outback, Tracks is sure to turn you back on. Beautiful cinematography, captivating score, and solid acting makes Tracks an awards contender for sure, and one of the best Australian films I've seen.

Wanting to get away from civilisation and looking for some adventure, Robyn Davidson takes three-and-a-half camels from East to West Australia, taking 193 days to complete her journey and becoming the "Camel Lady" in the process. She doesn't want media attention, but she has to put up with it for the sake of her expedition. In many ways, I feel like she really had no idea what she wanted, but just came up with an idea that would take her away from people and set herself up as a pioneer in something, any field at all. She's really not a nice person to be around unless you're helping her. Anyway, she sets off on her quest and she's under-qualified. This matters not as she has her photographer "friend" keeping track of her and leaving water for her along the way. The journey is lovely and the experiences she has along the way are exactly what she seems to have wanted (some adventure and peace), despite her dog dying, her skin burning, and her battle inside herself. I feel she was a very mixed up woman that didn't really know what she wanted apart from wanting something to define her life with.

There is one scene with a snake that shocked me, and I thought it was truly awesome. The film is a little slow in places, but that never detracts from the enjoyment. I suppose, in general, it's just not intense enough or mesmeric enough for me to grade it higher, but I did enjoy it very much.

B+

I am glad you both enjoyed it.

Did you see it yet? I thought you wouldn't check the thread if you hadn't seen it yet.

Not yet. It comes out here in mid-September.

I am not too concerned with spoilers. I read Robyn Davidson's memoir.

Ah, so it's that important for you. This is like your Harry Potter.

In the mid-1970s, youthful Australian Robyn Davidson came to the town of Alice Springs "with a dog, six dollars and a small suitcase full of inappropriate clothes." Her dream: to complete an arduous 1,700-mile solo journey from Alice to the Indian Ocean on foot. Why? Perhaps in the spirit of her unstable father, himself a type of adventurer. Perhaps to rebel against society and its constrictive vision of the potential of females her age. Or perhaps just because. Why not? After a period studying and training with camels, she left with four of them, starting a dangerous and profound trip many expected she would not survive. Now and then, an American photographer for National Geographic visited her in the desert, and his resulting shots brought her international fame even before the publication of her popular memoir, Tracks.

The film industry has flirted with filming Davidson's story for a rather long time (Julia Roberts previously considered the part), but I am glad the production never materialized until now because this adaptation, an international production by the director of We Don't Live Here Anymore and The Painted Veil, is as authentic, exciting, touching, and simply perfect a version as I can imagine. It is the film of the year.

Ultimately portraying Davidson is Mia Wasikowska, an enchanting, intuitive, and subtle performer among the finest of her generation. She previously shined in such pictures as Jane Eyre and Lawless. This film rests entirely on the quality of her lead performance, and the result is soulful and vivid on both physical and psychological levels. With every gesture, glance, sigh, and tear, she reveals to the audience the enormous impact of spending months upon months under the scorching sun of the Australian desert, much of the time in complete solitude. An idea of Davidson's motive is hinted at via brief flashes of her past, but the film never simplifies, moralizes, or lapses into didactic she-is-doing-C-in-response-to-A-and-B explanation. As a result, Wasikowska is invited to craft a nuanced and realistic interpretation of this iconic traveler and her mystique. She is even contradictory in enticing and intriguing ways: juvenile while wise, for instance, or bold while fearful. The film is richer and more inspirational because of her complexity. In the more modest, yet still integral role of the itinerant nature photographer, Adam Driver shines, too. His performance evolves alongside Davidson's estimation of his character: he is at first a tad overbearing in his loquacious, nerdy zeal and an obvious source of frustration for a woman interested in leaving the civilized world and its noise behind, but a deeper well of respect and worldly wit later comes to the fore.

A coming-of-age story delivered via an adventure of the highest order, this is not just a film of character beats and performances, but also a legitimate cinematic spectacle. The exotic desert locales are photographed extremely well, alternating between wide-angle shots revealing the frightening insignificance of a single person in so vast an environment and intense closeups depicting disorientation, pain, and transcendence in the moment. The four camels represent another type of spectacle. These large, even-toed, humped, always-chomping ships of the desert are at once slightly grotesque and unexpectedly adorable, providing the film yet another element of wonder and also potent doses of comic relief.

A

There was never any doubt. Glad you liked it.

Thank you, sir.

It is amazing how closely scenes from the film resemble the real photographs of Robyn Davidson's journey:





I am so glad this project found its way to Mia Wasikowska after years in development and turnaround. I know it is not earning tons and tons of money, but it is definitely a film to be proud of and will, I hope, enlarge its audience in the future.

When Julia Roberts was attached in the 1990s, it was reportedly envisioned as a romantic comedy-drama in which Roberts would fall for a fashion photographer during a shoot in the desert, downplaying the elements of adventure, nature, indigenous culture, etc.

A bit of artistic licence wouldn't have hurt it.

That kind of artistic license would have. But, damn, Wasikowska sure looked the part.

Not trying to take this off track, but the RD pic with the dog reminded be of Sarah Polley if you could ever get her to show her teeth while smiling, and the one with the camel of Isabelle Huppert circa 1980.

Really, really enjoyed this. I'd put this just above Jane Eyre as Wasikwoska's best work. Like some have said already, not a lot happens in the movie but Wasikwoska is able to keep the film moving at a refreshing pace. Also after seeing him in this and What If, I'm really getting around to Adam Driver as he is very strong here as well. The images here are just as beautiful as the acting.

Glad you dug it.

It was never boring and it was certainly well shot but I found it to be an incredibly minor and disappointing film. The reason the film works is because of Mia Wasikwoska's wonderful performance. She is obviously giving it her all. It's certainly not a bad movie by any means, like I said before I was never bored but I was never fully interested in the story or moved either.

B-

I wonder who gave it an F.

I watched my imported Blu-ray of this earlier, and I noticed a couple changes from the Weinstein Company's U.S. cut. A few new scenes and a bit less voice-over, including none at the end when Robyn Davidson goes for a swim. I never knew this film was given the Harvey Scissor-hands treatment, albeit in a fairly low-key way.

Hmmm, didn't know that either.

I can't find this movie anywhere.

It's most likely not in cinemas anymore.

I meant on video - havent seen any DVD release or on-demand dates yet.

The Weinstein Company has a new habit of not releasing a couple of their under-performing films on DVD and Blu-ray: The Immigrant, Yves Saint Laurent, this.

Though The Immigrant did pop up on Netflix streaming without fanfare.

Like...not at all?!