With Australia Day just around the corner, is there a better time to celebrate the world-class work of our homegrown filmmakers?
Sure the likes of The Castle, Mad Max and Muriel’s Wedding (quite rightly) get their due, particularly at this time of year, there’s no denying that the Aussie cinema landscape is as wide and eclectic as the country that it inhabits.
In that spirit here are five brilliant Australian flicks that are definitely worth a stream not only for Australia day but any day, really. Enjoy!
Sweet Country
Netflix
Inspired by the true story of Willaberta Jack, is a beautifully crafted masterpiece of Australian cinema that is also a searing indictment of the racism that tragically still permeates our society in 2021.
Sweet Country is set on the Northern Territory frontier in the 1920s and tells the tale of Sam Kelly – an Aboriginal farmhand who flees with his wife after he shoots white farmer Harry March in self defence.
Bryan Brown and Sam Neill are both brilliant as the grizzled Sergeant Fletcher who is charges with bringing Sam to justice and the God-fearing landowner who employs him repectively.
A must watch
These Final Hours
Stan
This surprising gem of a flick is equal parts beautiful, nihilistic, terrifying and sombre.
It follows the self-obsessed twentysomething James (Nathan Phillips) who, upon discovering that the world is going to end in 12 hours, decides to make his way to the party of all parties for his last day on earth.
However, on his way to self destruction before ultimate destruction he saves the life of a young girl who is searching for her father.
While the meta narrative here is about the destruction of civilisation, These Final Hours is a deeply personal film and also an apocalypse flick refreshingly devoid of big bangs and dumb set pieces you’re likely to find in Michael Bay-like dreck.
The Rover
Stan
If ever you needed convincing that Guy Pearce is one of the most underrated actors, this country has produced, then this mesmerising flick is the perfect proof.
Directed by David Michôd (Animal Kingdom, War Machine) The Rover tells the tale of Eric (Pearce) a loner adrift in a dystopian Australia 10 years after a global economic collapse who is in hot pursuit of the men who stole his only possession – his car.
Along the way, he picks up one of the thieve’s brother Rey (Robert Pattinson) and the pair form an uneasy bond as they traverse the unforgiving landscape.
The Rover is an expertly crafted film and also features Robert Pattinson’s best performance.
Charlie’s Country
Amazon Prime
With roles in such brilliant Australian fare as Rabbit Proof Fence, The Tracker, Crocodile Dundee and Storm Boy (the original and remake) there’s no denying that David Gulpilil is a national treasure.
Charlie is a Yolngu man who spends his days painting tree barks and fishing for Barramundi, all the while feeling displaced in a country that is no longer his.
After his spear is confiscated by police, Charlie decides to leave his urban community and go back to the bush to reclaim his culture.
An absolute acting masterclass from David Gulpilil and necessary viewing for all Aussies.
Measure For Measure
Netflix
Hugo Weaving starring in an updated Antipodean version of the Shakespeare classic Measure For Measure? Enough said, right?
Well, in case you need more convincing, what we have here is a complex multi-character study that is set in a housing commission apartment complex in Melbourne that is dealing with spiralling ethnic violence.
This gritty, violent and intense flick sees Hugo play Duke – a gangster and self-appointed ‘boss’ of the apartment complex but at the heart of it all though is a romance between musician Claudio and Muslim immigrant Jaiwara
