Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Catherine Scott. A favourite on the film festival circuit, this inspiring and humane and heart-warming documentary shows that there are very real and effective alternatives to juvenile detention in helping turn around the lives of troubled teenagers. In the northern NSW town of Armidale, jackaroo Bernie Shakeshaft has established a community-based organisation called Backtrack, which works with troubled boys who are on the path to crime and drugs and tries to turn their lives around. The boys are paired with dogs Continue reading
BOOK WEEK
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Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Heath Davis Stars: Alan Dukes, Susan Prior, Rose Riley, Tiriel Mora, Airlie Dodds, Toby Schmitz, Khan Chittenden, Steve Le Marquand, Thuso Lekwape, Maya Stange, Nicholas Hope, Jolene Anderson, Rhys Muldoon. This black comedy/drama follows a bad week in the life of Nick Cutler (Alan Dukes), a lecherous, misanthropic, boozy, rude, and obnoxious author turned cynical teacher. Several years ago, Nick wrote a novel that was well received, but he has been unable to follow up its success. He regards himself as an “undiscovered literary Continue reading
BACKTRACK BOYS – interview with Catherine Scott
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by GREG KING BackTrack Boys is an observational documentary that features the rough talking, free-wheeling jackaroo, Bernie Shakeshaft, and the youth program he runs from a shed on the outskirts of Armidale, NSW. The film follows Zac, Tyrson and Rusty, three troubled boys, as they hit the road with Bernie’s legendary dog jumping team and travel to rural shows across NSW. The dog shows started out as a way to teach kids self-discipline, calm their emotions, build trust, and boost their communication skills, but now they have become the world record holders. In the last Continue reading
BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE
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Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Drew Goddard Stars: Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Lewis Pullman, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, Shea Whigham, Xavier Dolan. The El Royale hotel straddles the border between California and Nevada, and guests can have a choice of staying in the California suites, which offer warmth or the Nevada rooms which seem to offer a bridge between the past and a brand-new future. It is 1969, the tail end of darker and turbulent period of American history with Richard Nixon in the White House. J Edgar Continue reading
JIRGA – interview with Benjamin Gilmour and Sam Smith
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by GREG KING Jirga is a new Australian drama that was filmed in Pakistan by filmmaker Benjamin Gilmour. It stars Sam Smith in his feature film debut as former Australian soldier, Mike Wheeler, who returns to Afghanistan after several years, seeking redemption from the family of a civilian man he killed during the war. Greg chatted with the writer/director Benjamin Gilmour and star Sam Smith about the origins of the film, shooting in Pakistan, the challenges they faced, especially when the original financing fell through following death Continue reading
