this list turned into Australian films

Australian. I rate this story and feel like it's a far more subtle and complex treatment of contemporary indigeneous youth than some others. But there aren't many such films.

The standard film concerning indigenous Australians which people tend to have seen is Phillip Noyce's Rabbitproof Fence, based on past, rather than present injustice. Ivan Sen's work is something else entirely different; realist, character-driven independent drama.
It's perhaps a poorly-judged comparison on my part, but worth pointing out, since this film seems to have passed under the radar, and that's a shame, because it's beautifully wrought.

Ivan Sen created compelling trajectories for both his characters, with an unusual young female lead in particular. The interplay between these characters leaves you longing for more and wondering what happens to them long after the film has ended. This was apparently based on an earlier short film created by Sen, with different actors.

I seem to recall that it had a moving, minimal soundtrack.

Australian. Written and scored by Nick Cave (but did he direct it or would it have been John Hillcoat?). It's like an Australian Western, and it's good storytelling and beautifully acted. The only part I can remember disliking was a somewhat cloying moment with Emily Watson in her nightgown, but I love her.

Australian. I think this is good minimalist crime drama with class performances. Ben Mendolssohn is frighteningly real. Joel Edgerton, Jacki Weaver and Guy Pearce are also believable, but the main kid is great. Nice storytelling - it's got that mundane, suburban context which makes it all the more disturbing. I'll put it another way - I believed this story.

Australian. Screenplay by Christos Tsolkias, directed by Ana Kokkinakis. Alex Demitriades just kills this performance (I mean, in the good sense) - in fact, I think of it as his best.

Australian. I think this is based on a book by Peter Carey. I like Bliss.

Australian. This got silly at a certain point, but I admit there were points where it scared the crap out of me, which a lot of films of this nature never will. I think this is actually quite well executed at certain points. It loses its momentum, but what it had there for a while was pretty frightening in my opinion.

Australian. Based on a good book, can't remember the name of the author off the top of my head, nor the names of the actors, but it's all good. A bit bleak, but truthful.

Australian. Rewatched Dogs in Space recently, it's a bit silly like all films that try to encapsulate subculture, but it has nostalgic value. Note that several of the Australian films listed so far seem to deal with drugdealing and/or ODs, particularly related to smack! But heroin is so passe...

Australian. Thought this was great.

Australian. There's something I don't care for when it comes to Lantana, but I find it hard to say what it is. It's a brooding study of relationships, a murder mystery. It's well done though. I can't deny it's a good film and it makes great use of place. Also, the actor who plays Jane is one of my favourites.

Australian, and although it tends to fall into a category of given films that everyone has seen and liked over here, and arguably there have been a lot of Australian "character" films of a comedic nature moreso than serious drama, Priscilla is an entertaining and uplifting movie.

Australian. It's easy to be indifferent to Muriel's Wedding these days as it falls into the same category of Priscilla and Kath and Kim - where they have deliberately played up the kitsch and/or banal, the film gets a cult following, but then spawns a lot of annoying kitsch banality. ("Oh Muriel!", "look at moiiie" etc). But, Rachel Griffiths in particular is great in this, and Toni Collette is also great. Lovely redemptive comedy.

Australian. This film seems to have been overlooked, and that's a shame. It's a good story.

Australian. The main character in this really annoyed me, and I thought it was overall a bit creepy, but I love a bit of Hugo Weaving, so.

Hang on. That doesn't look like the right image for Proof or the year. Damn it. Where is Hugo Weaving?

Got this mixed up with the other Head On, but I've watched this too - Fatih Akin was the writer/director of this one, it's Turkish/German. There were things I liked about this film, and things I didn't like. I particularly didn't like the end, but that's okay. Someone I was close with REALLY liked this, I just didn't so much.

Australian. Very idiosyncratic, lots of vernacular and very funny. Won't forget a particular scene (the koala suit).

Australian. Soundtrack by Decoder Ring. Look, I got wrapped up in the vulnerability of Abbie Cornish's flawed character while I was in the process of watching this; she's beautiful, but she's also intensely alone and kind of constantly shooting herself in the foot. However, later, I can recall feeling a bit irritated by the experience. But I think this film has lots of merits; not least that it's from the point of view of an alienated young woman, that the backdrop is fairly mundane and yet it's full of small details, complemented by the soundtrack.

Australian. Rolf de Heer. I like the start of Ten Canoes a lot, but I seem to recall it starting to fade on me at a certain point. Still, it's the only film of its kind I can think of (completely in an indigeneous language, for one thing) and definitely worth checking out.

I know someone who worked on this. However, I'm not sure I enjoyed it. I know it is supposed to be a journey into bleakness and then redemption, but I mainly felt the bleakness and not so much the redemption, and I thought it was problematic in certain ways.

Australian. My memory is of lots of atmospheric suspense without it really going anywhere, and then I seem to recall being somewhat annoyed by the interplay of personal relationships, even though the actors are good.

I can't remember much about this. But I do like Ben Mendolssohn a lot (if I have spelled his name right).

Australian film; good performances. I'm not sure I liked Little Fish that much but I'm not sure I can articulate why. I usually enjoy Cate Blanchett a lot more than this. It was well scripted and Noni Hazelhurst's performance was decent (a bit challenging for me as I associate her with Playschool and home improvement shows, but I admit it). But - perhaps it was a bit bleak without quite enough depth, beauty or redemption for me personally?

Australian. Not a favourite of mine, but I like the way it deals with the vulnerability of the human body, anxiety and falling in love.