An Australian movie called. . .

This may be just me, but that new 'Australia' movie makes me grow a big rubbery one.

Seriously, I just could not care less. Part of it could possibly be the fact of working in a cinema and having seen the trailer and the advertising to the point where it's seared into my DNA. But the thing is, it just does not capture my attention. One bit.

OK, first up. Being a kid in the 80's, every time there was a rainy sport day at school, they would put on some Classic Aussie film. Thanks to the doco 'not quite Hollywood', I have since found out that there were a slate of great Aussie action, thriller and Horror movies made during the 70's and 80's in Australia. Unfortunately, these weren't the ones we were shown. Instead, we got to see things like 'Picnic at Hanging Rock" and "We of the Never Never". Dramas and love story's. Nothing says riveting entertainment to an 8 - 10 year old boy like a story about one woman's struggle for Independence in a foreign land. So, the imagery that they are trying to sell this film with - The dirt, the trees, the rocks, the aboriginals in traditional dress - sends me straight to sleep.

Secondly, the incredibly hard sell this film is getting. It is completely being shoved down our throats. As I sat he writing this, three ads have been on TV promoting it. And I'm a fast typer!! It's now part of the station call sign on channel 9. So every time they go to a new show, or promo a new show, or tell you what show you're now watching, what show you could be watching, what show you might have been watching and what show you probably shouldn't be watching, you get a quick Australia ad shoved down your throat. It's getting to the point where they almost seem like they are insisting you see this film.

Lastly, the pressure this film is putting on itself. It's the most expensive Australian film ever produced, at a time when hardly ANY Aussie film is being produced. Most of the film's financing is coming from the Aussie Film Finance Commission, of FFC. This film is meant to save the Australian Film Industry. That is, of course, if it's a hit. This thing doesn't turn a huge profit, and that's pretty much it for Aussie film. For a long time at least. No, for a guy who is trying to get into the film industry and is dating a girl who also works in the film Industry, that's not a pleasant thought. But that's not where it ends. The film is also supposed to reinvigorate the Aussie tourism industry, as well as re educating Australia and the world about large chunks of Aussie history that is seemingly forgotten. Personally, I knew about most of this stuff. But then again, I also seem to be in possession of some common sense, a trait so rare now days it's considered a Superpower.

All of this aside, even if the above wasn't present for the film, I still don't think I'd be too thrilled by it. The story just doesn't interest me. I mean, some rich, upper class English chick meets up with a lower class, roughneck whom she clashes with, develops a bond with and then falls in love with. Then something bad happens and the fight their way through it. Then Hugh dies. Or doesn't. I dunno, it depends on which ending they're using. You replace the dust with Ice, and it's just Titanic all over again. And didn't we have enough of that the first time around?

Yeah, I should probably wait and see it before I start passing judgement. Maybe I'm just pissed off that the biggest film this season is something I just don't care about. I'm used to a slew of big films coming out over Christmas, and this year there's sweet FA. Maybe that's getting my goat more than anything.

Oh yeah. That "Day the Earth stood still" remake is REALLY going to suck.