Geek of Oz

If you thought that The Great Gatsby was a great Australian release, you were dead wrong. While it was directed by an Aussie and shot locally, there wasn't much more to it than that. The Turning, however, looks as though it could be one of the greatest Aussie releases in recent memory. Based on Tim Winton's anthology of short stories, The Turning showcases 17 directors telling 17 stories, each of which is blessed to have some incredible Australian actors on board such as Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Mia Wasikowska and many more. Described as being blunt yet sophisticated, The Turning is an extremely exciting Australian production.

A frustrating thing about being a film fan is watching a promising film succumb to its various flaws, like watching a car crash in slow motion, leaving it battered and bruised and ultimately unsatisfying. Lawless , the latest offering from John Hillcoat, is based upon the historical novel The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant (grandson of the main protagonists), which tells the story of the Bondurant Brothers who ran a Virginia moonshine operation during the 1930s prohibition era. The Bondurant Brothers, thanks to a few lucky escapes due mostly to rum good luck, are believed by the local county to be unkillable and untouchable. They meet their match, however, when Special Agent Charlie Rakes (Guy Pierce) is sent from Chicago to stop the flow of moonshine. A great narrative premise, and whilst brimming with potential, Lawless could not overcome its awful screenplay and chaotic editing issues. John Hillcoat is a competent director who has the critically acclaimed The Pro...