‘McLeod’s Daughters.’
McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, was proclaimed Australia’s most favourite show in the Great Australian Binge.
Fremantle’s Wentworth came second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series and Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix).
Fewer than 10 votes separated Fremantle’s Neighbours and Seven Studios’ Home and Away in fifth and sixth place.
Matchbox Pictures/For Pete’s Sake Productions’ The Heights ranked seventh, followed by Southern Star’s Puberty Blues, Rob Sitch’s 1997 classic The Castle – the most popular Aussie movie – and Southern Star’s Offspring.
Ludo Studio’s Bluey was voted the No. 1 children’s show. Michala Banas announced the results on YouTube last night.
The Meaa ran the initiative asking people to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown as part of the...
McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, was proclaimed Australia’s most favourite show in the Great Australian Binge.
Fremantle’s Wentworth came second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series and Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix).
Fewer than 10 votes separated Fremantle’s Neighbours and Seven Studios’ Home and Away in fifth and sixth place.
Matchbox Pictures/For Pete’s Sake Productions’ The Heights ranked seventh, followed by Southern Star’s Puberty Blues, Rob Sitch’s 1997 classic The Castle – the most popular Aussie movie – and Southern Star’s Offspring.
Ludo Studio’s Bluey was voted the No. 1 children’s show. Michala Banas announced the results on YouTube last night.
The Meaa ran the initiative asking people to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown as part of the...
- 5/28/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Tom Long.
Boston-born, Australian-raised actor Tom Long, whose credits include the series East of Everything, SeaChange and Young Lions and the movies The Dish and Two Hands, died from encephalitis on Saturday, aged 51.
Long was forced to quit acting after he collapsed on stage during a performance of the play Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country at the Sydney Opera House in July 2012.
Diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, he underwent chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and natural therapies to treat the disease.
He was in remission after going to the Us last April for a medical trial in which his T cells were harvested and genetically modified to attack his cancer cells.
Screenwise CEO Denise Roberts said: “He fought the hard fight and was given the all clear. The happiness and relief pulled out from under him. So unfair.”
Actor Peter James Finlay, who worked with Long on Coranderrk,...
Boston-born, Australian-raised actor Tom Long, whose credits include the series East of Everything, SeaChange and Young Lions and the movies The Dish and Two Hands, died from encephalitis on Saturday, aged 51.
Long was forced to quit acting after he collapsed on stage during a performance of the play Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country at the Sydney Opera House in July 2012.
Diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, he underwent chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and natural therapies to treat the disease.
He was in remission after going to the Us last April for a medical trial in which his T cells were harvested and genetically modified to attack his cancer cells.
Screenwise CEO Denise Roberts said: “He fought the hard fight and was given the all clear. The happiness and relief pulled out from under him. So unfair.”
Actor Peter James Finlay, who worked with Long on Coranderrk,...
- 1/5/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Lambs of God’.
Lingo Pictures’ four-part TV drama Lambs of God has collected an unprecedented 18 Aacta Award nominations, while Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale leads in film with 15 nods.
The Australian Academy revealed the full list of nominees for the annual awards today, with almost 60 to be presented across two events in Sydney in six weeks time.
Some 15 films are up for awards, though four dominate almost every category: Kent’s revenge tale, Anthony Maras’ debut feature Hotel Mumbai and David Michôd’s Netflix-backed The King, which each received 13 nominations, and Mirrah Foulkes’ dark comedy Judy & Punch, which earned nine. Each is nominated for Best Film alongside Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like A Girl and Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding.
Up in the Best Indie Film category (budgeted under $2 million) are Thomas M. Wright’s Acute Misfortune, Heath Davis’ Book Week, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Imogen Thomas’ Emu...
Lingo Pictures’ four-part TV drama Lambs of God has collected an unprecedented 18 Aacta Award nominations, while Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale leads in film with 15 nods.
The Australian Academy revealed the full list of nominees for the annual awards today, with almost 60 to be presented across two events in Sydney in six weeks time.
Some 15 films are up for awards, though four dominate almost every category: Kent’s revenge tale, Anthony Maras’ debut feature Hotel Mumbai and David Michôd’s Netflix-backed The King, which each received 13 nominations, and Mirrah Foulkes’ dark comedy Judy & Punch, which earned nine. Each is nominated for Best Film alongside Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like A Girl and Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding.
Up in the Best Indie Film category (budgeted under $2 million) are Thomas M. Wright’s Acute Misfortune, Heath Davis’ Book Week, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Imogen Thomas’ Emu...
- 10/22/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Pacific Heat comes to Netflix today. It's a 13 episode series from Working Dog Productions, of which Rob Sitch is one of the founding members, along with Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner.
He also voices one of the leads of Pacific Heat, Agent Todd Sommerville, as well as many of the villains of the series. Pacific Heat is an Australian production, built upon characters that have been around for about 20 years. That's important to know because of the inevitable comparison to a Us animated series we know and love.
Sitch took the time to explain a bit about Working Dog, how the characters have come to light, a bit about the humor that inspired them and the animation, as well as what you can expect from the series during a recent telephone interview, in which he didn't mind me taking the silly route, greeting him as Agent Todd Somerville.
TV Fanatic: I'm sorry,...
He also voices one of the leads of Pacific Heat, Agent Todd Sommerville, as well as many of the villains of the series. Pacific Heat is an Australian production, built upon characters that have been around for about 20 years. That's important to know because of the inevitable comparison to a Us animated series we know and love.
Sitch took the time to explain a bit about Working Dog, how the characters have come to light, a bit about the humor that inspired them and the animation, as well as what you can expect from the series during a recent telephone interview, in which he didn't mind me taking the silly route, greeting him as Agent Todd Somerville.
TV Fanatic: I'm sorry,...
- 12/2/2016
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Two episodes were provided prior to broadcast.
There are smatterings of humor in Pacific Heat – an animated cop spoof created by Aussie outlet Working Dog for Netflix, and incorporating the voice talents of Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Rebecca Massey, Lucia Mastrantone, and Tom Gleisner – that hint at the devotedly wacky, willingly meta send-up of adult animation as a genre that a show like it could one day become.
In one scene, a coarsely caricatured Asian drug lord (dubbed Mr. Bang Choi, naturally) is menacing the four members of the titular Pacific Heat special unit through a borderline-indecipherable accent, when his dialogue starts to appear at the bottom of the screen. His eyes flickering down, he yells, “Are you putting subtitles on me?” The villain seethes beside an army of gun-toting henchmen as an officer blithely reassures, “Just the key verbs.”
The joke lands but, unfortunately, such fourth-wall-breaking wisecracks are a...
There are smatterings of humor in Pacific Heat – an animated cop spoof created by Aussie outlet Working Dog for Netflix, and incorporating the voice talents of Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Rebecca Massey, Lucia Mastrantone, and Tom Gleisner – that hint at the devotedly wacky, willingly meta send-up of adult animation as a genre that a show like it could one day become.
In one scene, a coarsely caricatured Asian drug lord (dubbed Mr. Bang Choi, naturally) is menacing the four members of the titular Pacific Heat special unit through a borderline-indecipherable accent, when his dialogue starts to appear at the bottom of the screen. His eyes flickering down, he yells, “Are you putting subtitles on me?” The villain seethes beside an army of gun-toting henchmen as an officer blithely reassures, “Just the key verbs.”
The joke lands but, unfortunately, such fourth-wall-breaking wisecracks are a...
- 12/2/2016
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Sam Neill, Sue Milliken, Anthony Buckley (Photo credit: Peter Jackson).
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
- 10/17/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Sam Neill, Sue Milliken, Anthony Buckley (Photo credit: Peter Jackson).
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
- 10/17/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Pacific Heat.
Pacific Heat, dubbed Australia.s first adult animation, will premiere on the Comedy Channel November 27.
Set on the Gold Coast, Pacific Heat is the brainchild of Working Dog Production.s Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch and Michael Hirsh.
The 13-part comedy series is based on the exploits of an undercover special unit known as 'Pacific Heat', established by police authorities to tackle everyone from petty crooks to international drug cartels. Unconventional, uncompromising and with an arrest rate second to none, the team are not afraid to operate outside the law — provided at least one of them is wearing a fluorescent safety vest.
Characters are voiced by Sitch, Cilauro and Gleisner along with Rebecca Massey and Lucia Mastrantone.
Commissioned for Foxtel, the show has also. been picked up by Netflix for the Us, Canada and Ireland, where it will go online in early December.
.Adult animation has always...
Pacific Heat, dubbed Australia.s first adult animation, will premiere on the Comedy Channel November 27.
Set on the Gold Coast, Pacific Heat is the brainchild of Working Dog Production.s Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch and Michael Hirsh.
The 13-part comedy series is based on the exploits of an undercover special unit known as 'Pacific Heat', established by police authorities to tackle everyone from petty crooks to international drug cartels. Unconventional, uncompromising and with an arrest rate second to none, the team are not afraid to operate outside the law — provided at least one of them is wearing a fluorescent safety vest.
Characters are voiced by Sitch, Cilauro and Gleisner along with Rebecca Massey and Lucia Mastrantone.
Commissioned for Foxtel, the show has also. been picked up by Netflix for the Us, Canada and Ireland, where it will go online in early December.
.Adult animation has always...
- 10/5/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
If satellite dish porn were a thing, this sentimental account of Australia’s role in broadcasting the Apollo 11 moon landing would be the genre’s pièce de résistance
Making the follow-up film to one of the most beloved Australian comedies of all time, 1997’s The Castle, was never going to be easy for director Rob Sitch and his team of writers: himself, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Jane Kennedy. They are the backbone of production company Working Dog, who have made several hit TV shows (including Frontline and Utopia) and a third, far less impressive feel-good film, the 2012 romcom Any Questions for Ben?
The Dish, an unashamedly sentimental account of Australia’s role in producing signals necessary to broadcast the Apollo 11 moon landing, is a very different kettle of fish to The Castle, being both a rose-tinted celebration of the past and a picture book-style history lesson.
Continue reading.
Making the follow-up film to one of the most beloved Australian comedies of all time, 1997’s The Castle, was never going to be easy for director Rob Sitch and his team of writers: himself, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Jane Kennedy. They are the backbone of production company Working Dog, who have made several hit TV shows (including Frontline and Utopia) and a third, far less impressive feel-good film, the 2012 romcom Any Questions for Ben?
The Dish, an unashamedly sentimental account of Australia’s role in producing signals necessary to broadcast the Apollo 11 moon landing, is a very different kettle of fish to The Castle, being both a rose-tinted celebration of the past and a picture book-style history lesson.
Continue reading.
- 11/21/2015
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Russell Crowe-Directed Movie Up for Australian Film Award; Crowe Shortlisted Only in Acting Category
Director Russell Crowe Movie up for Best Film: Australian Academy Awards 2015 nominations (photo: Actor-director Russell Crowe in 'The Water Diviner') Aacta Awards: Feature Film Categories Best Film The Babadook Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere Charlie's Country Nils Erik Nielsen, Peter Djigirr and Rolf de Heer Predestination Paddy McDonald, Tim McGahan, Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig The Railway Man Chris Brown, Andy Paterson and Bill Curbishley Tracks Emile Sherman and Iain Canning The Water Diviner Andrew Mason, Keith Rodger and Troy Lum Best Director The Babadook Jennifer Kent Charlie's Country Rolf de Heer Predestination Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig The Rover David Michôd Best Actress Kate Box The Little Death Essie Davis The Babadook Sarah Snook Predestination Mia Wasikowska Tracks Best Actor Russell Crowe The Water Diviner David Gulpilil Charlie's Country Damon Herriman The Little Death Guy Pearce The Rover Best Supporting Actor Patrick Brammall The Little Death Yilmaz Erdogan...
- 12/3/2014
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
First-time writer-director-producer Mack Lindon.s Rise will get a cinema release in November via Pinnacle Films.
The autobiographical drama is based on Lindon.s experiences as a young nurse when he was falsely accused of rape.
Lindon tells If the film will open on November 6 on about 50 screens. Gary Hamilton's Arclight has come aboard as international sales agent.
Nathan Wilson plays the protagonist Will, who is accused of drink spiking and rape after a one-night stand. Found guilty at trial, he.s sentenced to six years in prison.
He is incarcerated in a maximum security prison where he meets Jimmy (Martin Sacks), a hardened inmate who was responsible for a spate of armed robberies. Jimmy is inspired by Will.s courage and determination.
Erin Connor plays the QC who appeals his case in the Supreme Court, Gemma Laurelle is his chief accuser Constable Rossi and Linda Millar is the chief warden.
The autobiographical drama is based on Lindon.s experiences as a young nurse when he was falsely accused of rape.
Lindon tells If the film will open on November 6 on about 50 screens. Gary Hamilton's Arclight has come aboard as international sales agent.
Nathan Wilson plays the protagonist Will, who is accused of drink spiking and rape after a one-night stand. Found guilty at trial, he.s sentenced to six years in prison.
He is incarcerated in a maximum security prison where he meets Jimmy (Martin Sacks), a hardened inmate who was responsible for a spate of armed robberies. Jimmy is inspired by Will.s courage and determination.
Erin Connor plays the QC who appeals his case in the Supreme Court, Gemma Laurelle is his chief accuser Constable Rossi and Linda Millar is the chief warden.
- 8/31/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Dave Eastgate, Lawrence Leung and Stephanie Son in Maximum Choppage.
.
Head of ABC TV comedy Rick Kalowski has commissioned a stand-alone pilot, a prototype he intends to test for further pilots, and he.s developing a sitcom to be filmed in front of a studio audience.
In a further break from the traditional approach to comedy, Kalowski is developing several shows that are each built around an established performer-writer. All that is in addition to eight series which are either in production or post.
The stand-alone pilot deals with an unusual subject- mental illness. Details of that sitcom are under wraps but Kowalski tells If he.s looking for other projects that are suitable material for pilots.
The studio-based comedy could be the ABC.s first since Mother and Son, the Geoffrey Atherden-created classic which ran until 1994. The show is being developed with writer . producer Marieke Hardy and would...
.
Head of ABC TV comedy Rick Kalowski has commissioned a stand-alone pilot, a prototype he intends to test for further pilots, and he.s developing a sitcom to be filmed in front of a studio audience.
In a further break from the traditional approach to comedy, Kalowski is developing several shows that are each built around an established performer-writer. All that is in addition to eight series which are either in production or post.
The stand-alone pilot deals with an unusual subject- mental illness. Details of that sitcom are under wraps but Kowalski tells If he.s looking for other projects that are suitable material for pilots.
The studio-based comedy could be the ABC.s first since Mother and Son, the Geoffrey Atherden-created classic which ran until 1994. The show is being developed with writer . producer Marieke Hardy and would...
- 5/29/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Rob Sitch's tale of blue-collar heroes with hearts of gold become one of Australia’s most widely quoted comedies and catapulted Darryl Kerrigan straight into the pool room of cinematic legends
It's been more than a decade and a half since Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) first walked his greyhounds, gazed lovingly at huge electricity poles looming over his humble family abode and successfully fought The Man to save his "castle" from compulsory acquisition.
Kerrigan hired an attorney so incompetent he couldn't operate a photocopier told the big guys "ta get stuffed" and – to use Kerrigan-esque vernacular – rocketed himself and his family straight into the pool room of Australian cinematic legends. Blue-collar heroes with hearts of gold and zero-bullshit attitudes.
Continue reading...
It's been more than a decade and a half since Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) first walked his greyhounds, gazed lovingly at huge electricity poles looming over his humble family abode and successfully fought The Man to save his "castle" from compulsory acquisition.
Kerrigan hired an attorney so incompetent he couldn't operate a photocopier told the big guys "ta get stuffed" and – to use Kerrigan-esque vernacular – rocketed himself and his family straight into the pool room of Australian cinematic legends. Blue-collar heroes with hearts of gold and zero-bullshit attitudes.
Continue reading...
- 4/3/2014
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Comedies from Matchbox Pictures, Princess Pictures, Working Dog and The Bondi Hipsters are among the highlights of ABC-tv.s 2014 schedule.
The drama slate includes the previously announced Anzac Girls (Screentime), which stars Georgia Flood, Antonia Prebble, Laura Brent, Anna McGahan and Caroline Craig in the saga of five young military nurses from Australia and New Zealand during the Gallipoli and Western Front campaigns; The Code (Playmaker Media), a political thriller about two brothers who stumble across information that people in power will kill to keep secret, starring Ashley Zukerman and Dan Spielman; and Old School (Matchbox), which features Bryan Brown and Sam Neill as a retired crim and ex-cop who solve crimes and unravel scams while avoiding the wrath of the police and the underworld.
Among the other dramas are Janet King (Screentime), a legal drama starring Marta Dusseldorp; crime thriller The Broken Shore (Essential Media); second series of The...
The drama slate includes the previously announced Anzac Girls (Screentime), which stars Georgia Flood, Antonia Prebble, Laura Brent, Anna McGahan and Caroline Craig in the saga of five young military nurses from Australia and New Zealand during the Gallipoli and Western Front campaigns; The Code (Playmaker Media), a political thriller about two brothers who stumble across information that people in power will kill to keep secret, starring Ashley Zukerman and Dan Spielman; and Old School (Matchbox), which features Bryan Brown and Sam Neill as a retired crim and ex-cop who solve crimes and unravel scams while avoiding the wrath of the police and the underworld.
Among the other dramas are Janet King (Screentime), a legal drama starring Marta Dusseldorp; crime thriller The Broken Shore (Essential Media); second series of The...
- 11/26/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Even More Movies You Never Heard Of! continues at Trailers from Hell with screenwriter Josh Olson introducing "The Dish," starring Sam Neill, Australia's top-grossing film of 2000.This Rob Sitch-directed, Bill Forsyth-influenced semi-fictionalized dramedy based on Nasa's use of a radio telescope in New South Wales to beam images from the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing around the world. Much of the electronic prop equipment on hand was actually used during the landing but was too heavy to ship back to the Us and ended up in the movie.
- 7/24/2013
- by Trailers From Hell
- Thompson on Hollywood
In this roundup from the Encore and Mumbrella Annual, we look at the best radio stunts of the last 12 months.
1. Nova Sydney, Dangi
Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa brought the world’s smallest person, Nepal’s Chandra Bahadur Dangi, to Australia.
The house the Melbourne built
Partnering with property group Lend Lease and building development company Burbank, Mix101.1’s Jane and Chrissie gave away a house valued at $450,000.
3. Triple M Drive Time, Nullabor Nymph
The Nullarbor Nymph, directed by Matthew J Wilkinson, was destined for the Back-of-Bourke Film Festival (not a real festival) when Triple M’s Merrick and the Highway Patrol intervened to give the B-grade flick a sell-out red carpet premiere.
4. Nova Brisbane, Ash The Musical
Ash Bradnam: The Musical came about when the Nova presenter turned 40 and didn’t want anyone to ‘make a song and dance about it’. The show involved song parodies by the Nova team.
1. Nova Sydney, Dangi
Nova’s Fitzy and Wippa brought the world’s smallest person, Nepal’s Chandra Bahadur Dangi, to Australia.
The house the Melbourne built
Partnering with property group Lend Lease and building development company Burbank, Mix101.1’s Jane and Chrissie gave away a house valued at $450,000.
3. Triple M Drive Time, Nullabor Nymph
The Nullarbor Nymph, directed by Matthew J Wilkinson, was destined for the Back-of-Bourke Film Festival (not a real festival) when Triple M’s Merrick and the Highway Patrol intervened to give the B-grade flick a sell-out red carpet premiere.
4. Nova Brisbane, Ash The Musical
Ash Bradnam: The Musical came about when the Nova presenter turned 40 and didn’t want anyone to ‘make a song and dance about it’. The show involved song parodies by the Nova team.
- 1/3/2013
- by Luke
- Encore Magazine
The movie remake of an ’80s cop show has opened strongly at the box office over the weekend.
21 Jump Street, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, took the most revenue with $4,070,000 over the weekend, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.
The action comedy remake about a young police team that goes under cover at a high school to crack a drug syndicate opened on 300 screens taking an impressive $13,568 per screen.
The film was directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and written by Michael Bacall. It was produced by Stephen J Cannell and Neal H Moritz with Ezra Swerdlow as well as Hill and Tatum taking executive producer credits.
Also opening over the weekend was the second Ghostrider film, Ghostrider: Spirit of Vengeance. Starring Nicholas Cage, the film took $828,000 across 239 screens for an average of $3,464 per screen.
Melbourne’s FX house Iloura was the largest vendor on the film with 460 shots.
21 Jump Street, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, took the most revenue with $4,070,000 over the weekend, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.
The action comedy remake about a young police team that goes under cover at a high school to crack a drug syndicate opened on 300 screens taking an impressive $13,568 per screen.
The film was directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and written by Michael Bacall. It was produced by Stephen J Cannell and Neal H Moritz with Ezra Swerdlow as well as Hill and Tatum taking executive producer credits.
Also opening over the weekend was the second Ghostrider film, Ghostrider: Spirit of Vengeance. Starring Nicholas Cage, the film took $828,000 across 239 screens for an average of $3,464 per screen.
Melbourne’s FX house Iloura was the largest vendor on the film with 460 shots.
- 3/19/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Action film Killer Elite has struggled in its opening weekend at the Australian box office, taking just $284,226, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.
Starring a strong cast in Robert De Niro, Jason Stratham and Clive Owen, the film was directed by first-time feature filmmaker Gary McKendry, produced by Australian-based OmniLab Media and filmed in and around Melbourne, as well as Paris and London.
The film was released across 108 screens, averaging $2632 and ranked 13 in the weekend’s box office top 20.
Internationally the film has also struggled, taking around $US53m globally according to website Box Office Mojo, $17m short of its budget, $US70m.
Released in September 2011 in the Us, a local release was delayed until this weekend.
Elsewhere in box office news, the Stephan Elliott-directed film A Few Best Men took a further $58,444, taking the film’s cume to $5,124,090 in its fifth week out.
The Working...
Starring a strong cast in Robert De Niro, Jason Stratham and Clive Owen, the film was directed by first-time feature filmmaker Gary McKendry, produced by Australian-based OmniLab Media and filmed in and around Melbourne, as well as Paris and London.
The film was released across 108 screens, averaging $2632 and ranked 13 in the weekend’s box office top 20.
Internationally the film has also struggled, taking around $US53m globally according to website Box Office Mojo, $17m short of its budget, $US70m.
Released in September 2011 in the Us, a local release was delayed until this weekend.
Elsewhere in box office news, the Stephan Elliott-directed film A Few Best Men took a further $58,444, taking the film’s cume to $5,124,090 in its fifth week out.
The Working...
- 2/27/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Rob Sitch comedy Any Questions For Ben? has slipped 50 per cent in its second weekend at the box office.
Working Dog.s latest project . following the incredibly popular past hits The Castle and The Dish . grossed a disappointing $302,421 from 235 screens over the weekend, earning it a screen average of just $1287. Last weekend it opened with $608,731.
Distributor Roadshow kept Any Questions for Ben? on 235 screens . the same as opening weekend . however, the film failed to generate positive word-of-mouth while negative reviews also did not help its cause.
The film, also starring Rachael Taylor and Daniel Henshall, follows Ben (Lawson) who suffers a quarter-life crisis after being asked to speak at his school.s career night. Sitch directed the comedy and co-wrote along with Tom Gleisner (The Hollowmen, Russell Coight.s All Aussie Adventures) and Santo Cilauro (Frontline, Thank God You.re Here).
Stephan Elliott.s comedy A Few Best Men also...
Working Dog.s latest project . following the incredibly popular past hits The Castle and The Dish . grossed a disappointing $302,421 from 235 screens over the weekend, earning it a screen average of just $1287. Last weekend it opened with $608,731.
Distributor Roadshow kept Any Questions for Ben? on 235 screens . the same as opening weekend . however, the film failed to generate positive word-of-mouth while negative reviews also did not help its cause.
The film, also starring Rachael Taylor and Daniel Henshall, follows Ben (Lawson) who suffers a quarter-life crisis after being asked to speak at his school.s career night. Sitch directed the comedy and co-wrote along with Tom Gleisner (The Hollowmen, Russell Coight.s All Aussie Adventures) and Santo Cilauro (Frontline, Thank God You.re Here).
Stephan Elliott.s comedy A Few Best Men also...
- 2/20/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Rob Sitch comedy Any Questions For Ben? has slipped 50 per cent in its second weekend at the box office. Working Dog.s latest project . following the incredibly popular past hits The Castle and The Dish . grossed a disappointing $302,421 from 235 screens over the weekend, earning it a screen average of just $1287. Last weekend it opened with $608,731. Distributor Roadshow kept Any Questions for Ben? on 235 screens . the same as opening weekend . however, the film failed to generate positive word-of-mouth while negative reviews also did not help its cause. The film, also starring Rachael Taylor and Daniel Henshall, follows Ben (Lawson) who suffers a quarter-life crisis after being asked to speak at his school.s career night. Sitch directed the...
- 2/20/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
On this week's episode of popular game show Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, host Shaun Micallef asked actor Josh Lawson how his latest film Any Questions for Ben? was performing.
"Tremendously well," said Lawson, who was dressed as Romeo as part of the episode's Shakespearean theme. "Yeah, no, it's doing very well."
"I should explain," said Micallef quickly to the viewers at home. "We did pre-record this at a point before the film had opened. Can we do the alternative just in case?"
"Of course," Lawson agreed.
"Josh, how is the film doing?"
"People hate it," said Lawson promptly. "And they seem to specifically hate me in it."
The reality seems to lie somewhere in between these two extremes for the latest comedy from Working Dog. Audiences aren't united in their hatred of Any Questions for Ben?, but then again, not many of them have seen it.
The film grossed just...
"Tremendously well," said Lawson, who was dressed as Romeo as part of the episode's Shakespearean theme. "Yeah, no, it's doing very well."
"I should explain," said Micallef quickly to the viewers at home. "We did pre-record this at a point before the film had opened. Can we do the alternative just in case?"
"Of course," Lawson agreed.
"Josh, how is the film doing?"
"People hate it," said Lawson promptly. "And they seem to specifically hate me in it."
The reality seems to lie somewhere in between these two extremes for the latest comedy from Working Dog. Audiences aren't united in their hatred of Any Questions for Ben?, but then again, not many of them have seen it.
The film grossed just...
- 2/17/2012
- by Amanda Diaz
- IF.com.au
Australian film Any Questions for Ben has opened with mild box office results over its opening weekend.
The film, directed by Rob Sitch for Working Dog Productions, took $609,000 across 235 screens for a screen average of $2,500.
It’s a disappointing first week for the Working Dog team who also wrote, directed and produced box office hit The Castle and The Dish.
The fast-paced romantic comedy follows Ben (Josh Lawson) as he suffers from a quarter-life crisis and struggles to keep a girlfriend for longer than a month. It also stars Rachael Taylor and co-stars Daniel Henshall, Ed Kavalee, Felicity Ward and Lachy Hulme.
The cumulative total gross is $677,000. The film is distributed by Roadshow.
Meanwhile A Few Best Men, directed by Stephan Elliott, took $539,000 from 237 screens in its third week out, for a screen average of $2274, for a cumulative total of $4,669,000. A Few Best Men is distributed by Icon Films.
Elsewhere Shame,...
The film, directed by Rob Sitch for Working Dog Productions, took $609,000 across 235 screens for a screen average of $2,500.
It’s a disappointing first week for the Working Dog team who also wrote, directed and produced box office hit The Castle and The Dish.
The fast-paced romantic comedy follows Ben (Josh Lawson) as he suffers from a quarter-life crisis and struggles to keep a girlfriend for longer than a month. It also stars Rachael Taylor and co-stars Daniel Henshall, Ed Kavalee, Felicity Ward and Lachy Hulme.
The cumulative total gross is $677,000. The film is distributed by Roadshow.
Meanwhile A Few Best Men, directed by Stephan Elliott, took $539,000 from 237 screens in its third week out, for a screen average of $2274, for a cumulative total of $4,669,000. A Few Best Men is distributed by Icon Films.
Elsewhere Shame,...
- 2/13/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Rob Sitch.s latest feature film Any Questions For Ben? has posted a modest opening at the local box office. The romantic comedy, starring Josh Lawson and Rachael Taylor, grossed $608,731 for Roadshow on 235 screens, giving it a screen average of $2590.
To put it in perspective, Stephan Elliott.s A Few Best Men grossed almost the same . $539,230 . in its third weekend on 237 screens.
It.d be a disappointing result for the team at Working Dog Productions, best known for such feature films as The Castle and The Dish. Australian favourite The Castle took in $764,378 on just 83 screens when it opened in 1997, while The Dish raked in just under $3 million across 281 screens in 2000 in its opening weekend. (They both went on to make $10.3 million and almost $18 million respectively.)
Sitch, who sat in the director's chair, co-wrote the film with Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner. The comedy follows Ben (Lawson) who suffers a...
To put it in perspective, Stephan Elliott.s A Few Best Men grossed almost the same . $539,230 . in its third weekend on 237 screens.
It.d be a disappointing result for the team at Working Dog Productions, best known for such feature films as The Castle and The Dish. Australian favourite The Castle took in $764,378 on just 83 screens when it opened in 1997, while The Dish raked in just under $3 million across 281 screens in 2000 in its opening weekend. (They both went on to make $10.3 million and almost $18 million respectively.)
Sitch, who sat in the director's chair, co-wrote the film with Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner. The comedy follows Ben (Lawson) who suffers a...
- 2/13/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Rob Sitch.s latest feature film Any Questions For Ben? has posted a modest opening at the local box office. The romantic comedy, starring Josh Lawson and Rachael Taylor, grossed $608,731 for Roadshow on 235 screens, giving it a screen average of $2590. To put it in perspective, Stephan Elliott.s A Few Best Men grossed almost the same . $539,230 . in its third weekend on 237 screens. It.d be a disappointing result for the team at Working Dog Productions, best known for such feature films as The Castle and The Dish. Australian favourite The Castle took in $764,378 on just 83 screens when it opened in 1997, while The Dish raked in just under $3 million across 281 screens in 2000 in its opening weekend. (They both went on to make $10.3 million and almost...
- 2/13/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Controversial thriller Snowtown has had success at the Marrakech International Film Festival, taking away the Jury Prize and Best Actor award. Held over the weekend, the South Australian flick . about.Australia.s worst serial killer, John Bunting, who.befriends 16-year-old Jamie Vlassakis . won the prestigious Jury Prize which is.led by The Help actress Jessica Chastain. Daniel Henshall also won the Best Actor gong for his scary portrayal of Bunting at the 11th annual.Morocco festival. Before the Justin Kurzel-gripping thriller, Henshall was known for TV work such as playing Adam 'Addo' O'Donnell in Southern Star's.Out of the Blue. Next year he stars in Rob Sitch comedy Any Questions for Ben? and rom-com Not Suitable For...
- 12/12/2011
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
The Kath and Kim cast and crew have returned to Melbourne. Gina Riley and Jane Turner, the creators and leading ladies of the Australian comedy television show, had been shooting scenes for the upcoming film in Venice. However, production has now relocated to Victoria. According to the Herald Sun, Turner and Riley were spotted in Italy alongside cast members Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn during the three-week shoot. They are also believed to have filmed several scenes with Withnail and I star Richard E Grant before he travels to Melbourne to complete his character's storyline. He was first linked to the project in August. Rob Sitch - who is best known for his roles in The Dish, The Hollowmen and Frontline - is now believed to be making a special appearance in (more)...
- 10/12/2011
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Family film Red Dog has now crept past Rob Sitch comedy The Dish to become the eighth biggest Australian film of all time, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia. The story of the lovable canine, directed by Kriv Stenders, has now grossed more than $18.7 million at the local box office after two months. Over the long weekend, the Roadshow-distributed film took in a further $956,744 across 245 screens, giving it a screen average of $3905. Meanwhile,.Fred Schepisi's The.Eye of the Storm creeps closer to the $1 million mark. The adaptation of Patrick White's novel made.$283,625 over the long weekend on 38 screens, bringing its total takings to $947,965. Paramount/Transmission has more than doubled the number of screens to 38 since...
- 10/4/2011
- by Amanda Diaz and Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
Producer Penny Chapman likes to keep busy. The fruit of her diligence is a prolific, 25-year career in film and television that includes the likes of Brides of Christ, Blue Murder, Ran: Remote Area Nurse and the AFI Award-nominated children.s drama My Place. .A lot of them looked at our cultural history, and tell us something really intriguing about it,. Chapman observes of these highlights from her stellar career. .I am drawn to history, to anything that explores where we.ve come from and helps explain where we are.. In November, Chapman won the inaugural If Award for Contribution to Television, coming in ahead of the likes of Andrew Denton, Rob Sitch and Kim Williams. Not bad for a woman who, as a political science honours student half a lifetime...
- 4/29/2011
- by Tim Kroenert
- IF.com.au
Today is Australia Day here in, you guessed it, Australia. If you're American or British you're probably reading this and it's not technically Australia Day yet (26 of January), but that's my reward for Living In The Future! Time zones be damned! America celebrates the day that British people came to their land with Turkey and family get togethers and being thankful for good health. Australia celebrates by having a bbq and sitting in lawn chairs and wading pools. We're classy like that!
Over at my blog Stale Popcorn I have celebrating by doing another end-of-decade list, this time one that I'm sure not many others have done: Best Australian Films of the Decade. There are some titles on there that you non-Aussies will recognise like Samson & Delilah, Wolf Creek, Mary and Max and Australia, but there's also plenty you have probably never heard a single word about. No matter whether...
Over at my blog Stale Popcorn I have celebrating by doing another end-of-decade list, this time one that I'm sure not many others have done: Best Australian Films of the Decade. There are some titles on there that you non-Aussies will recognise like Samson & Delilah, Wolf Creek, Mary and Max and Australia, but there's also plenty you have probably never heard a single word about. No matter whether...
- 1/26/2010
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Tina Mabry's "Mississippi Damned," an independent American production, won the Gold Hugo as the best film in the 2009 Chicago International Film Festival, and added Gold Plaques for best supporting actress (Jossie Thacker) and best screenplay (Mabry). It tells the harrowing story of three black children growing up in rural Mississippi in circumstances of violence and addiction. The film's trailer and an interview with Mabry are linked at the bottom.
Kylee Russell in "Mississippi Damned"
The win came over a crowed field of competitors from all over the world, many of them with much larger budgets. The other big winner at the Pump Room of the Ambassador East awards ceremony Saturday evening was by veteran master Marco Bellocchio of Italy, who won the Silver Hugo as best director for "Vincere," the story of Mussolini's younger brother. Giovanna Mezzogiorno and Filippo Timi won Silver Hugos as best actress and actor,...
Kylee Russell in "Mississippi Damned"
The win came over a crowed field of competitors from all over the world, many of them with much larger budgets. The other big winner at the Pump Room of the Ambassador East awards ceremony Saturday evening was by veteran master Marco Bellocchio of Italy, who won the Silver Hugo as best director for "Vincere," the story of Mussolini's younger brother. Giovanna Mezzogiorno and Filippo Timi won Silver Hugos as best actress and actor,...
- 10/23/2009
- by Roger Ebert
- blogs.suntimes.com/ebert
This beguiling Australian movie is directed, co-written and co-produced by Rob Sitch, who was also responsible for 1997's underdog comedy The Castle. It's the true story of a team of boffins in Parkes, New South Wales in 1969 - led by Sam Neill as the reticent, pipe-smoking chief scientist - responsible for a gigantic radio telescope satellite dish. This is to be used as an "emergency back-up" for transmitting television pictures of the moon-landing if the main dish in California goes down, or if Apollo XI, for some reason, goes out of range.
But immediately after the landing, Neil Armstrong, mad with excitement for his great adventure, overrules Nasa's sleep-break instruction: he and Buzz are going out right away. This means that the Australian dish will have to be hoisted into action to broadcast the all-important pictures. But a freak windstorm at that moment means that the entire dish structure could...
But immediately after the landing, Neil Armstrong, mad with excitement for his great adventure, overrules Nasa's sleep-break instruction: he and Buzz are going out right away. This means that the Australian dish will have to be hoisted into action to broadcast the all-important pictures. But a freak windstorm at that moment means that the entire dish structure could...
- 5/11/2001
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
To Darryl Kerrigan, a man's home truly is his castle, even if said domicile happens to be a little close to the airport - OK, right beside the airport - was built on toxic landfill and has inspirational views of power lines.
A sweet Australian comedy cut from the same gently farcical cloth as "Crocodile Dundee" and "Muriel's Wedding", "The Castle" is a keeper.
While additional comparisons to "The Full Monty" are inevitable, the underdog story - which set boxoffice records Down Under - doesn't quite have that English sensation's crowd-rousing sweep but should nevertheless charm select-site North American audiences.
Created by the team responsible for "Frontline", a hit Aussie satirical political affairs show, "The Castle" concerns itself with the efforts of noble tow-truck driver Kerrigan (Michael Caton) to stand his ground when he receives notice that his beloved family dwelling in Cooloroo is being "compulsorily acquired" to make room for airport expansion.
With the loving support of his wife, Sal (Anne Tenney), and his grown-up children Dale (Stephen Curry), Steve (Anthony Simcoe), married Tracey (Sophie Lee) and incarcerated Wayne (Wayne Hope), Darryl fights the good fight all the way to the Supreme Court. He gets a little extra help from a retired Queen's Counsel and constitutional specialist (Charles Bud Tingwell) who is taken with his cause and offers his services free of charge.
Written in two weeks and shot in 11 days, "The Castle" certainly doesn't feel like a rush job. Making his feature debut, director Rob Sitch allows the quirky, character-specific humor to languidly cascade over the proceedings like one of Cooloroo's diesel-tinged breezes.
The screenplay, penned by Sitch along with Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Jane Kennedy, nimbly flirts with parody while never taking broad shots at the eminently lovable Kerrigan family.
Credit the adept cast with bringing the richly written characters to warmly vivid life. As the principled family patriarch, Caton combines a winning comic innocence and everyman determination that sets the tone for the other performances, which also include humorous contributions from Tiriel Mora as Kerrigan's sad-sack discount lawyer and Costas Kilias as his gung-ho Lebanese neighbor.
THE CASTLE
Miramax Films
A Miramax Films presentation
in association with Village Roadshow Pictures
and Working Dog
Director:Rob Sitch
Screenwriters:Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, Rob Sitch
Producer:Debra Choate
Executive producer:Michael Hirsh
Director of photography:Miriana Marusic
Production designer:Carrie Kennedy
Editor:Wayne Hyett
Costume designer:Kitty Stuckey
Music:Craig Harnath
Music supervisor:Jane Kennedy
Color/stereo
Cast:
Darryl Kerrigan:Michael Caton
Sal Kerrigan:Anne Tenney
Dale Kerrigan:Stephen Curry
Steve Kerrigan:Anthony Simcoe
Tracey Kerrigan:Sophie Lee
Wayne Kerrigan:Wayne Hope
Farouk:Costas Kilias
Dennis Denuto:Tiriel Mora
Lawrence Hammill:Charles Bud Tingwell
Running time - 89 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
A sweet Australian comedy cut from the same gently farcical cloth as "Crocodile Dundee" and "Muriel's Wedding", "The Castle" is a keeper.
While additional comparisons to "The Full Monty" are inevitable, the underdog story - which set boxoffice records Down Under - doesn't quite have that English sensation's crowd-rousing sweep but should nevertheless charm select-site North American audiences.
Created by the team responsible for "Frontline", a hit Aussie satirical political affairs show, "The Castle" concerns itself with the efforts of noble tow-truck driver Kerrigan (Michael Caton) to stand his ground when he receives notice that his beloved family dwelling in Cooloroo is being "compulsorily acquired" to make room for airport expansion.
With the loving support of his wife, Sal (Anne Tenney), and his grown-up children Dale (Stephen Curry), Steve (Anthony Simcoe), married Tracey (Sophie Lee) and incarcerated Wayne (Wayne Hope), Darryl fights the good fight all the way to the Supreme Court. He gets a little extra help from a retired Queen's Counsel and constitutional specialist (Charles Bud Tingwell) who is taken with his cause and offers his services free of charge.
Written in two weeks and shot in 11 days, "The Castle" certainly doesn't feel like a rush job. Making his feature debut, director Rob Sitch allows the quirky, character-specific humor to languidly cascade over the proceedings like one of Cooloroo's diesel-tinged breezes.
The screenplay, penned by Sitch along with Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Jane Kennedy, nimbly flirts with parody while never taking broad shots at the eminently lovable Kerrigan family.
Credit the adept cast with bringing the richly written characters to warmly vivid life. As the principled family patriarch, Caton combines a winning comic innocence and everyman determination that sets the tone for the other performances, which also include humorous contributions from Tiriel Mora as Kerrigan's sad-sack discount lawyer and Costas Kilias as his gung-ho Lebanese neighbor.
THE CASTLE
Miramax Films
A Miramax Films presentation
in association with Village Roadshow Pictures
and Working Dog
Director:Rob Sitch
Screenwriters:Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, Rob Sitch
Producer:Debra Choate
Executive producer:Michael Hirsh
Director of photography:Miriana Marusic
Production designer:Carrie Kennedy
Editor:Wayne Hyett
Costume designer:Kitty Stuckey
Music:Craig Harnath
Music supervisor:Jane Kennedy
Color/stereo
Cast:
Darryl Kerrigan:Michael Caton
Sal Kerrigan:Anne Tenney
Dale Kerrigan:Stephen Curry
Steve Kerrigan:Anthony Simcoe
Tracey Kerrigan:Sophie Lee
Wayne Kerrigan:Wayne Hope
Farouk:Costas Kilias
Dennis Denuto:Tiriel Mora
Lawrence Hammill:Charles Bud Tingwell
Running time - 89 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
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