The Notable Films of 2012: Volume Three

In this third volume I look at films that include a Tarantino slave-themed western, a more down and dirty Judge Dredd, two Aussie films, a stop-motion animated feature film version of a classic Tim Burton Disney short, a British caper remake from the Coens, another Dr. Seuss CG animated adaptation, the return of Nic Cage's fiery hairstyle, several Sundance dramas, Sacha Baron Cohen's latest character creation, the return of some familiar faces of 80's action films and more...

Drift
Opens: 2012
Cast: Xavier Samuel, Myles Pollard, Sam Worthington, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Robyn Malcolm
Director: Ben Nott, Morgan O'Neill

Analysis: Having made his name in Hollywood blockbusters, Sam Worthington returns home to Australia and the local industry for this $11 million surfing drama shot around the Margaret River region in Western Australia. Decked out with a shaggy hair & beard, Worthington isn't the lead character but rather a bohemian surf photographer and filmmaker who becomes friends with and inspires the main characters.

"Sea Patrol" actor Morgan O'Neill penned the script and co-directs the true story tale which follows Jimmy and Andy Kelly (Xavier Samuel, Myles Pollard), brothers who battled killer waves, conservative society and ruthless bikers to kickstart an entire global industry and help spread the laidback surf attitude lifestyle that many live today. Should play well Down Under, internationally it may have a tougher time.

A Few Best Men
Opens: 2012
Cast: Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall, Olivia Newton-John, Tim Draxl, Rebel Wilson
Director: Stephan Elliott

Analysis: For much of the past two decades Australian film has been trapped between two polar opposites - bleak and dark inner city crime or drug dramas targeted at art house audiences, and often wince-inducing larrakin comedies aimed at reaching the widest audience possible.

This is definitely the latter and a return of sorts for filmmaker Stephan Elliot who first hit it big almost twenty years ago now with the Guy Pearce/Hugo Weaving-led drag comedy "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert". Here he tackles more familiar (and somewhat dated) fare with a British groom and his three best men who travel to a large estate in rural New South Wales for a wedding.

"Death at a Funeral" scribe Dean Craig and Elliott have come up with material of the pure scatological kind - sheep shagging jokes, gay-panic humor, violent paranoid drug dealers, "Bridesmaids" actress Rebel Wilson as a pretend lesbian, sex gags, 70's pop song covers and the admittedly funny sight of Olivia Newton-John as a coke snorting trophy wife.

Reviews from the North American press at Toronto were not kind, calling it a film that made "The Hangover" look high brow. Yet the humour is very Australian (ie. very British) and trailers play well both in its home market and in the UK where it will do solid business. States-side though, best guess is this will probably go direct-to-disc.

darkhorizons for the rest
xoxo
Carrie