‘The Combination Redemption’.
Sony’s psychological thriller Escape Room was the top title last weekend, yet with a mediocre result which would have normally seen the film opening at No. 5 or 6, as ticket sales continued to free fall.
Meanwhile the sequel to 2009 cult hit The Combination struggled to make an impact despite positive coverage by David Stratton and Fairfax Media’s Garry Maddox, underlining yet again the challenges facing most Aussie films which go out on limited screens with minimal P&A support.
Audiences are sick and tired of watching a vengeful Liam Neeson brandishing a gun, judging by the debuts of Cold Pursuit here and in the Us.
The Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex, eOne’s third last release before the distributor shuts at the end of March, fared Ok at upmarket locations but poorly at multiplexes.
A contender for the best foreign language Oscar,...
Sony’s psychological thriller Escape Room was the top title last weekend, yet with a mediocre result which would have normally seen the film opening at No. 5 or 6, as ticket sales continued to free fall.
Meanwhile the sequel to 2009 cult hit The Combination struggled to make an impact despite positive coverage by David Stratton and Fairfax Media’s Garry Maddox, underlining yet again the challenges facing most Aussie films which go out on limited screens with minimal P&A support.
Audiences are sick and tired of watching a vengeful Liam Neeson brandishing a gun, judging by the debuts of Cold Pursuit here and in the Us.
The Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex, eOne’s third last release before the distributor shuts at the end of March, fared Ok at upmarket locations but poorly at multiplexes.
A contender for the best foreign language Oscar,...
- 2/11/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Nobody expects a screenwriter to get to the root of racism but this film is far from deep thinking
Early in The Combination Redemption, the aggressive but fundamentally decent boxing trainer John (George Basha) barks and hollers at one of his pupils. “Toes toes toes, get on ya fuckin’ toes!” he yells, reminding me of Clint Eastwood’s grizzled trainer from Million Dollar Baby – except without Eastwood’s age and gravitas. When he is pulled aside by his boss (the late Tony Ryan) and asked “why you pushin’ the kid so hard for?”, John – the film’s protagonist – shoots back: “He needs to be pushed.”
But in the original The Combination, an interracial Australian drama from 2009 that became controversial when one of its actors was charged with sexual assault and (in separate incidents) violence broke out at screenings in Sydney, the point was made that pushing people hard doesn’t work.
Early in The Combination Redemption, the aggressive but fundamentally decent boxing trainer John (George Basha) barks and hollers at one of his pupils. “Toes toes toes, get on ya fuckin’ toes!” he yells, reminding me of Clint Eastwood’s grizzled trainer from Million Dollar Baby – except without Eastwood’s age and gravitas. When he is pulled aside by his boss (the late Tony Ryan) and asked “why you pushin’ the kid so hard for?”, John – the film’s protagonist – shoots back: “He needs to be pushed.”
But in the original The Combination, an interracial Australian drama from 2009 that became controversial when one of its actors was charged with sexual assault and (in separate incidents) violence broke out at screenings in Sydney, the point was made that pushing people hard doesn’t work.
- 2/6/2019
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
George Basha and David Field.
Nine years after their first collaboration on The Combination, co-directors David Field and George Basha are putting the finishing touches on the sequel.
Pinnacle Films will launch The Combination: Redemption on February 7 as well as handling international sales of the crime drama set in Sydney’s Western suburbs.
Field made his directing debut on the 2009 film which starred Basha as John Morkos, a Lebanese-Australian who is released after 18 months in jail and discovers his teenage brother Charlie (Firass Dirani) is involved with a Lebanese gang which is feuding with a bunch of Australian bigots.
Scripted by Basha and set six year later, the sequel follows Morkos as he is still haunted by the events that led to his death of his brother. As he begins to rebuild his life he finds solace in the boxing ring at his local gymnasium.
Meanwhile tensions are building as...
Nine years after their first collaboration on The Combination, co-directors David Field and George Basha are putting the finishing touches on the sequel.
Pinnacle Films will launch The Combination: Redemption on February 7 as well as handling international sales of the crime drama set in Sydney’s Western suburbs.
Field made his directing debut on the 2009 film which starred Basha as John Morkos, a Lebanese-Australian who is released after 18 months in jail and discovers his teenage brother Charlie (Firass Dirani) is involved with a Lebanese gang which is feuding with a bunch of Australian bigots.
Scripted by Basha and set six year later, the sequel follows Morkos as he is still haunted by the events that led to his death of his brother. As he begins to rebuild his life he finds solace in the boxing ring at his local gymnasium.
Meanwhile tensions are building as...
- 11/25/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Top: Fayssal Bazzi as D-mac, Rahel Romahn as Nick, Michael Denkha as Ibrahim and Lincoln Younes as Hassim
Bottom: Damon Herriman as Jason, Justin Rosniak as Ditch, Alexander England as Shit-stick and Chris Bunton as Evan
Photographer credit: David Dare Parker
.
Abe Forsythe's black comedy Down Under is set to hit Australian cinemas on August 4.
Distributed by StudioCanal, the film is a black comedy set during the aftermath of the Cronulla riots.
As Forsythe's second feature, it is the story of two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight destined to collide..
Sincere, though misguided, intent gives way to farcical ineptitude as this hilarious yet poignant story of ignorance, fear and kebab-cravings unfolds, and what was meant to be a retaliation mission turns into something neither side could have imagined.
During the shoot, Forsythe told If the narrative mined comedy through the heavy drama.
.The humour turns...
Bottom: Damon Herriman as Jason, Justin Rosniak as Ditch, Alexander England as Shit-stick and Chris Bunton as Evan
Photographer credit: David Dare Parker
.
Abe Forsythe's black comedy Down Under is set to hit Australian cinemas on August 4.
Distributed by StudioCanal, the film is a black comedy set during the aftermath of the Cronulla riots.
As Forsythe's second feature, it is the story of two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight destined to collide..
Sincere, though misguided, intent gives way to farcical ineptitude as this hilarious yet poignant story of ignorance, fear and kebab-cravings unfolds, and what was meant to be a retaliation mission turns into something neither side could have imagined.
During the shoot, Forsythe told If the narrative mined comedy through the heavy drama.
.The humour turns...
- 1/15/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Director Abe Forsythe and Studiocanal have given us the first look at the new Australian feature film set during the aftermath of the Cronulla riots.
Down Under is a black comedy about two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight who are destined to collide..
Sincere, though misguided, intent gives way to farcical ineptitude as this hilarious yet poignant story of ignorance, fear and kebab-cravings unfolds.
What was meant to be a retaliation mission turns into something neither side could have imagined.
Director Abe Forsythe, who is also responsible for writing the film.s screenplay, has .taken a balanced look at the ridiculous side of a serious subject..
.There is nothing more satisfying than getting people to laugh at something they feel like they shouldn.t be laughing at. Comedy is the best way to say something meaningful,. he said.
This first-look image introduces characters from both sides of the story.
Down Under is a black comedy about two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight who are destined to collide..
Sincere, though misguided, intent gives way to farcical ineptitude as this hilarious yet poignant story of ignorance, fear and kebab-cravings unfolds.
What was meant to be a retaliation mission turns into something neither side could have imagined.
Director Abe Forsythe, who is also responsible for writing the film.s screenplay, has .taken a balanced look at the ridiculous side of a serious subject..
.There is nothing more satisfying than getting people to laugh at something they feel like they shouldn.t be laughing at. Comedy is the best way to say something meaningful,. he said.
This first-look image introduces characters from both sides of the story.
- 12/3/2015
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
Rahel Romahn is 22 but he.s carving out quite a career playing high school students of various ethnic origins, mostly rebellious or with a dark side.
Since quitting his full-time bank job a year ago, the Kurdish-born, Australian-raised actor.s career has accelerated.
Currently on screen in Sbs.s The Principal and ABC3.s Ready for This, Romahn appears in Peter Andrikidis. comedy Alex + Eve, which opens in cinemas on October 22.
Next year he will be seen in writer-director Abe Forsythe.s black comedy Down Under and in the ABC series Cleverman.
This week he started filming a recurring role in the second series of Screentime.s ABC legal drama Janet King.
And he belongs to Blunt Gorilla, a filmmaker collective which makes TVCs and music videos and aims to produce its first feature next year.
That.s quite a resume for an actor who had been considering moving to...
Since quitting his full-time bank job a year ago, the Kurdish-born, Australian-raised actor.s career has accelerated.
Currently on screen in Sbs.s The Principal and ABC3.s Ready for This, Romahn appears in Peter Andrikidis. comedy Alex + Eve, which opens in cinemas on October 22.
Next year he will be seen in writer-director Abe Forsythe.s black comedy Down Under and in the ABC series Cleverman.
This week he started filming a recurring role in the second series of Screentime.s ABC legal drama Janet King.
And he belongs to Blunt Gorilla, a filmmaker collective which makes TVCs and music videos and aims to produce its first feature next year.
That.s quite a resume for an actor who had been considering moving to...
- 10/13/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Isabel Lucas and Luke Ford have joined the cast of Shane Abbess. new sci-fi feature SFv1.
They join Kellan Lutz (Expendables 3, Hercules 3-D, The Twilight Saga) and Daniel MacPherson (Infini, Shannara Chronicles, The Cup).
The ensemble cast includes Temuera Morrison (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III . Revenge of the Sith, Once Were Warriors), Bren Foster (Infini, The Last Ship, Terminus, Days Of Our Lives), with Rachel Griffiths (Saving Mr Banks, Beautiful Kate, Brothers & Sisters, Six Feet Under, Muriel.s Wedding), Firass Dirani (House Husbands, Underbelly: The Golden Mile, The Combination, The Black Balloon) Dwaine Stevenson (Infini, Gabriel), Grace Huang (The Man with the Iron Fists 1 and 2, Infini, Hiding) and introduces Teagan Croft.
Currently filming in Sydney and outback South Australia, the film is set in the future in a time of interplanetary colonization, when Sy (Kellan Lutz), a drifter,...
They join Kellan Lutz (Expendables 3, Hercules 3-D, The Twilight Saga) and Daniel MacPherson (Infini, Shannara Chronicles, The Cup).
The ensemble cast includes Temuera Morrison (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III . Revenge of the Sith, Once Were Warriors), Bren Foster (Infini, The Last Ship, Terminus, Days Of Our Lives), with Rachel Griffiths (Saving Mr Banks, Beautiful Kate, Brothers & Sisters, Six Feet Under, Muriel.s Wedding), Firass Dirani (House Husbands, Underbelly: The Golden Mile, The Combination, The Black Balloon) Dwaine Stevenson (Infini, Gabriel), Grace Huang (The Man with the Iron Fists 1 and 2, Infini, Hiding) and introduces Teagan Croft.
Currently filming in Sydney and outback South Australia, the film is set in the future in a time of interplanetary colonization, when Sy (Kellan Lutz), a drifter,...
- 9/2/2015
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
The ugly Cronulla race riots in southern Sydney in 2005 may seem an unlikely source of humour but that.s the backdrop of writer-director Abe Forsythe.s latest film.
Set during the aftermath of the riots, the black comedy looks at two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight who are destined to collide.
.The narrative mines comedy through the heavy drama,. Forsythe told If on Thursday on the last day of a six-week shoot. .The humour turns on how absurd the situations were and how they spiralled out of control. It doesn.t let the audience off lightly..
Forsythe began writing the screenplay five years ago and the project finally came together with producer Jodi Matterson and Greg Mclean as executive producer. Mclean had admired Ned, Abe.s directing debut in 2003, and the two had long wanted to work together.
The financiers are Screen Australia, Fulcrum Media, the...
Set during the aftermath of the riots, the black comedy looks at two carloads of hotheads from both sides of the fight who are destined to collide.
.The narrative mines comedy through the heavy drama,. Forsythe told If on Thursday on the last day of a six-week shoot. .The humour turns on how absurd the situations were and how they spiralled out of control. It doesn.t let the audience off lightly..
Forsythe began writing the screenplay five years ago and the project finally came together with producer Jodi Matterson and Greg Mclean as executive producer. Mclean had admired Ned, Abe.s directing debut in 2003, and the two had long wanted to work together.
The financiers are Screen Australia, Fulcrum Media, the...
- 2/26/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
George Basha in Convict..
David Field in Convict..
.
The producers of Australian prison drama Convict aim to cash in on the growing trend to stage special screenings with key cast conducting Q&A sessions.
They.re so confident the film will resonate with males aged 18-35, the nationwide release begins in the highly competitive January corridor.
.We.ll be the only Australian film showing on Australia Day,. says executive producer John Tedesco, forgetting Jonathan Teplitzky.s The Railway Man, which bows on Boxing Day and, based on the reviews at the Toronto festival, should have a long run.
Tedesco.s Gold Marquee Films is co-distributing the film with The Backlot Studios. The primary outlet is United Cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Wa.
Pinnacle will release the film on DVD and VOD on April 1, departing from the customary 120-day holdback between theatrical and home entertainment. Tedesco says United.s management...
David Field in Convict..
.
The producers of Australian prison drama Convict aim to cash in on the growing trend to stage special screenings with key cast conducting Q&A sessions.
They.re so confident the film will resonate with males aged 18-35, the nationwide release begins in the highly competitive January corridor.
.We.ll be the only Australian film showing on Australia Day,. says executive producer John Tedesco, forgetting Jonathan Teplitzky.s The Railway Man, which bows on Boxing Day and, based on the reviews at the Toronto festival, should have a long run.
Tedesco.s Gold Marquee Films is co-distributing the film with The Backlot Studios. The primary outlet is United Cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Wa.
Pinnacle will release the film on DVD and VOD on April 1, departing from the customary 120-day holdback between theatrical and home entertainment. Tedesco says United.s management...
- 12/6/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia has granted more than $276,000 in funding to support the development of 10 feature films, including projects by the co-writer of local smash The Sapphires and the team behind Wish You Were Here.
It is a small financial lifeline for the industry which is no longer receiving drama production investment from the national government agency after it spent its entire annual $42 million budget in just six months.
Among the new feature film projects to receive funding is comedy-drama The Grip, written by Tony Briggs (The Sapphires). It follows five young Australian businessmen who discover the secret to winning the pokies and develop Robin Hood-like reputations. David Field (The Combination) will direct.
Writer Felicity Price and director Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here) have also received funding to develop a new (as yet) untitled thriller. It follows social misfit Vincent, who holds a flame for 17-year-old Amber, but when his hopes are crushed he acts impulsively,...
It is a small financial lifeline for the industry which is no longer receiving drama production investment from the national government agency after it spent its entire annual $42 million budget in just six months.
Among the new feature film projects to receive funding is comedy-drama The Grip, written by Tony Briggs (The Sapphires). It follows five young Australian businessmen who discover the secret to winning the pokies and develop Robin Hood-like reputations. David Field (The Combination) will direct.
Writer Felicity Price and director Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here) have also received funding to develop a new (as yet) untitled thriller. It follows social misfit Vincent, who holds a flame for 17-year-old Amber, but when his hopes are crushed he acts impulsively,...
- 3/3/2013
- by Brendan Swift
- IF.com.au
Almost 25 years after making his screen debut as the lead in John Hillcoat's intense prison thriller Ghosts... Of The Civil Dead, Australian actor David Field has returned to prison for the setting of his second feature as director, Convict.Field co-directs this time with George Basha, who wrote the script for both this and Field's debut feature The Combination. Both Field and Basha also act in Convict. Here's the synopsis: Ray (George Basha) finds himself serving two years for manslaughter by the same government he served and fought for. He is sent to a prison built by the original convicts. From the day that he arrives he is given special attention. He is pushed mentally and physically. He has to learn how to navigate his way...
- 12/4/2012
- Screen Anarchy
An award winning Sydney based content and social media agency has gone into liquidation owing creditors an estimated $65,000.
Dlshs (pronounced Delicious) won best social media campaign at last year’s Aimia awards for its work on promoting independent film The Tunnel.
Dlshs Pty has called in liquidator Murray Godfrey from Rmg Partners. The company’s shareholders voted on September 27 to voluntarily wind up the company. It appear to have changed its name to Forward Digital Media Agency Pacific Pty in recent days.
Documents covering the liquidation
It is unclear whether somebody has bought the Dlshs name or other assets. (Update: A statement to Mumbrella states: “The acquisition of the Dlshs name is currently under negotiation.”)
The Dlshs website is still live, although the telephone today remained unanswered.
Agency boss Ahmed Salama did not return Mumbrella’s calls. At the time of posting, Rmg partners had not responded to Mumbrella’s questions.
Dlshs (pronounced Delicious) won best social media campaign at last year’s Aimia awards for its work on promoting independent film The Tunnel.
Dlshs Pty has called in liquidator Murray Godfrey from Rmg Partners. The company’s shareholders voted on September 27 to voluntarily wind up the company. It appear to have changed its name to Forward Digital Media Agency Pacific Pty in recent days.
Documents covering the liquidation
It is unclear whether somebody has bought the Dlshs name or other assets. (Update: A statement to Mumbrella states: “The acquisition of the Dlshs name is currently under negotiation.”)
The Dlshs website is still live, although the telephone today remained unanswered.
Agency boss Ahmed Salama did not return Mumbrella’s calls. At the time of posting, Rmg partners had not responded to Mumbrella’s questions.
- 11/5/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Australian cinema bosses will resume screenings of controversial movie The Combination - after drafting in extra security to prevent rioting outside theatres.
The Greater Union cinema chain stopped showing the movie - which was inspired by violence between gangs of white and Lebanese youths in 2005 - in all of its Sydney theatres after fighting broke out at its Parramatta chain on two nights last week (begs23Feb09).
A spokesman for the Australian Film Syndicate (Afs) condemned the decision, describing the move as "devastating for everyone involved, especially for the audiences".
And Greater Union chiefs have now found a solution to the problem - they have drafted in security guards to prevent a repeat of the violence that marred screenings last week.
Grand Union cinemas in Sydney will resume showing The Combination on Wednesday.
The Greater Union cinema chain stopped showing the movie - which was inspired by violence between gangs of white and Lebanese youths in 2005 - in all of its Sydney theatres after fighting broke out at its Parramatta chain on two nights last week (begs23Feb09).
A spokesman for the Australian Film Syndicate (Afs) condemned the decision, describing the move as "devastating for everyone involved, especially for the audiences".
And Greater Union chiefs have now found a solution to the problem - they have drafted in security guards to prevent a repeat of the violence that marred screenings last week.
Grand Union cinemas in Sydney will resume showing The Combination on Wednesday.
- 3/2/2009
- WENN
An Australian movie has been temporarily pulled from cinemas after violence broke out during two screenings. According to the BBC, a security guard at a Sydney theatre was hospitalised after being attacked by 30 young people during a Thursday night showing of The Combination. Greater Union Cinemas decided to axe future performances of the David Field movie, based on the 2005 race riots between Australian Lebanese and white youths, for the "safety and security" of staff members. The Australian Film Syndicate described the move as "unprecedented", adding that the film was a "powerful, (more)...
- 3/2/2009
- by By Lara Martin
- Digital Spy
Australian cinema bosses have cancelled screenings of a film set during the country's worst race riots after fights erupted outside theatres.
The Greater Union cinema chain has stopped playing The Combination, inspired by the violence between gangs of white and Lebanese youths in 2005, in all of its Sydney theatres after fights broke out at its Parramatta chain on two nights last week (begs23Feb09).
The film, which is spliced with actual news footage from the riots, can still be seen in other Australian cities .
A spokesperson for the theatre company says, "Maintaining the safety and security of our staff and patrons is our main concern and priority."
The film's distributor the Australian Film Syndicate (Afs) has condemned the decision, describing the move as "devastating for everyone involved, especially for the audiences".
Afs managing director Allanah Zitserman says, "Although we do not support the decision by Greater Union to pull the film from its Nsw sites we respect and understand their position."...
The Greater Union cinema chain has stopped playing The Combination, inspired by the violence between gangs of white and Lebanese youths in 2005, in all of its Sydney theatres after fights broke out at its Parramatta chain on two nights last week (begs23Feb09).
The film, which is spliced with actual news footage from the riots, can still be seen in other Australian cities .
A spokesperson for the theatre company says, "Maintaining the safety and security of our staff and patrons is our main concern and priority."
The film's distributor the Australian Film Syndicate (Afs) has condemned the decision, describing the move as "devastating for everyone involved, especially for the audiences".
Afs managing director Allanah Zitserman says, "Although we do not support the decision by Greater Union to pull the film from its Nsw sites we respect and understand their position."...
- 3/2/2009
- WENN
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