By Simon Miraudo June 10, 2014 The Rover is a hugely stressful tone poem in which on-screen characters are constantly being shot and killed by off-screen characters. That precise trick made for a startling capper to David Michôd‘s breakout hit Animal Kingdom, and he trots it out again several times in his theatrical follow-up. It’s […]
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Tag Archives: animal kingdom
“A boy’s best friend is his mother.” The most memorable movie mums.
May 7, 2014 
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By Simon Miraudo May 7, 2014 Cinema history is littered with memorable movie mums, from the nurturing to the smothering to… well, whatever you call the son-swapping ladies in Adoration. Here are five of my favourite, all with their own unique personalities and peculiarities. With the exception of maybe one, they’re certain to make you […]
Continue readingTrailer Debut: The Rover
January 30, 2014 0 Comments
Here is your first look at The Rover, David Michôd’s follow-up to his hugely successful Australian crime thriller Animal Kingdom. Michôd has reunited with his Kingdom star Guy Pearce for this one, which looks just as stressful and grim as their last collaboration. In the flick, Pearce plays a man searching for a prized possessions in a dystopian wasteland. Another of AK‘s alum, Joel […]
Continue readingFirst look at Sullivan Stapleton in 300: Rise of an Empire
April 11, 2013 0 Comments
The first images from the upcoming sequel to 300 have been unleashed and they look appropriately stylish. 300: Rise Of An Empire stars Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom), yet another Aussie face making it big in Hollywood action film world. Zack Snyder has handed over the computer generated reins to Noam Murro for this entry in […]
Continue readingInterview: Ben Mendelsohn (Killing Them Softly)
October 9, 2012 0 Comments
Interview: Ben Mendelsohn (Killing Them Softly). By Simon Miraudo. Ben Mendelsohn has long been one of Australia’s favourite actors, alternately playing adorable romantic leads, comic imbeciles, and chilling villains. Though he can’t boast an Oscar nomination like his Animal Kingdom co-star Jacki Weaver, the success of that 2010 crime drama has seen his shares skyrocket, […]
Continue readingPicture imperfect – Wish You Were Here review
April 18, 2012 0 Comments
Wish You Were Here – Starring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Price, and Teresa Palmer. Directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith. Rated M. By Simon Miraudo. Wish You Were Here is a slick, solid, and unsettling drama that plays right into Australians’ joint love and fear of travelling abroad. The opening moments of Aussie holidaymakers at a Cambodian rave […]
Continue readingAnimal Kingdom director takes on The Rover
April 12, 2012 0 Comments
David Michôd has selected The Rover as his follow-up to Animal Kingdom, Variety reports. The Aussie filmmaker plans to write and direct the drama based on an idea he conjured up with Animal Kingdom star Joel Edgerton. In The Rover, a man is on a mission to find his stolen car, in which he has […]
Continue readingSullivan Stapleton to lead 300 prequel
February 10, 2012 0 Comments
Animal Kingdom‘s Sullivan Stapleton is set to star in Warner Bros’ 300: The Battle of Artemisia. The news was broken by Variety, though it was Deadline who confirmed the actor would be taking on the role of Themistocles. Funnily enough, Stapleton will take the part that his AK co-star Joel Edgerton previously passed on. Eva Green will play Artemisia, […]
Continue readingAnimal Kingdom to be developed into American TV series
December 19, 2011 2 Comments
The hit Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom is to be turned into a TV show by producer John Wells (The West Wing, E.R.), Deadline reports. David Michôd‘s 2010 film concerned an Australian family of bank-robbers in Melbourne, presided over by one creepy matriarch (Jacki Weaver, in an Oscar-nominated performance). Though it isn’t stated explicitly in Deadline’s report, […]
Continue readingAustralia’s Wish You Were Here headed to Sundance
December 1, 2011 0 Comments
Following in the tradition of Animal Kingdom and Mad Bastards before it, Aussie film Wish You Were Here has been selected to screen at 2012’s Sundance Film Festival. The picture – starring Joel Edgerton, Teresa Palmer, Felicity Price and Anthony Starr – will open the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Here’s the picture’s official synopsis: “Four […]
Continue readingJoel Edgerton offered 300 spin-off and The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
November 3, 2011 0 Comments
Everything’s coming up Edgerton! Vulture reports Warner Bros has offered Aussie Joel Edgerton lead roles in two major properties. The first is a starring role in their upcoming 300 spin-off, Battle of Artemisia. Edgerton is in talks to play Themosticles, “the famed archon and general who led the greeks to victory against the invading Persians […]
Continue readingJacki Weaver joining Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook?
September 27, 2011 0 Comments
Oscar nominated Animal Kingdom star Jacki Weaver is in negotiations to join David O. Russell‘s follow-up to The Fighter, The Silver Linings Playbook. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Weaver would play the mother of star Bradley Cooper in the offbeat romantic comedy. Cooper’s character is a former high school teacher who has recently been released […]
Continue readingJacki Weaver joins Judd Apatow comedy
April 21, 2011 0 Comments
Well, this is exciting! Aussie thesp, Animal Kingdom star and recent Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver has signed on to the upcoming Judd Apatow-produced comedy Five Year Engagement. According to Deadline (who broke the good news), the film tracks – you guessed it – the five year engagement between characters played by Jason Segel and Emily […]
Continue readingSnowtown heading to Cannes
April 19, 2011 1 Comment
Justin Kurzel’s Snowtown has been selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, where it will compete for the Critics’ Week Grand Prize as well as the prestigious Camera d’Or. The Aussie film depicts the Snowtown murders orchestrated by John Bunting, and stars Daniel Henshall and Lucas Pittaway. Kurzel is eligible for the Camera d’Or, awarded only to […]
Continue readingTrailer Debut: Snowtown
April 6, 2011 1 Comment
The trailer for Justin Kurzel’s Snowtown, based on the notorious Snowtown murders, has debuted online. Sure, it may make the film look like Animal Kingdom 2.0., but that’s hardly stunting our anticipation for the flick. We named Snowtown the 7th most exciting release of 2011, and this trailer certainly builds upon our already high expectations. […]
Continue readingAnimal Kingdom named Best Aussie Film by FCCA
March 15, 2011 0 Comments
The corpse of the 2010/2011 awards season has gasped its final breath. The Film Critics Circle of Australia has revealed the winners of their annual awards, recognising Animal Kingdom as the Best Australian Film of the Year. The full list of winners (courtesy of Encore): Best Film: Animal Kingdom Best Director: David Michod, Animal Kingdom […]
Continue readingBen Mendelsohn joins Brad Pitt in Cogan’s Trade
February 22, 2011 1 Comment
Jacki Weaver isn’t the only Animal Kingdom star making waves in America. According to Variety, Ben Mendelsohn has joined the cast of Andrew Dominik‘s upcoming crime flick Cogan’s Trade. Mendelsohn and newly-announced Scoot McNairy (replacing Casey Affleck) will play “two young junkies who perpetrate a heist that takes place during a high-stakes poker game held […]
Continue readingAussies lose; Gervais kills; Social Network wins at Golden Globes
January 17, 2011 0 Comments
The Aussies went home empty handed, and host Ricky Gervais pretty much destroyed his future in Hollywood, but at least the team behind The Social Network enjoyed this year’s Golden Globes! Gervais kicked off the ceremony with a monologue that attacked – hilariously- The Tourist, Scientology, Cher, Sex and the City 2, Mel Gibson, and […]
Continue readingConfessions of a “seat filler”: A night at the AFIs without so much as a name.
December 14, 2010 2 Comments
Confessions of a “seat filler”: A night at the AFIs without so much as a name. By Tara Judah. As someone who’s spent their fair share of time being an extra for film and TV, doing my own hair and make-up and sitting around for several hours waiting for someone to tell me where my […]
Continue reading>Animal Kingdom sweeps 2010 AFI awards
December 11, 2010 0 Comments
>The winners of the 2010 Samsung Mobile AFI Awards were announced at two ceremonies over the weekend. Animal Kingdom swept the field, taking home 10 AFIs from its record-breaking 18 nominations. The winners are as follows… Best Feature Film Winner: Animal KingdomBeneath Hill 60Bran Nue DaeBright StarThe TreeTomorrow When The War Began Best Director Winner: […]
Continue reading>Trailer Debut: Mad Bastards
December 10, 2010 0 Comments
>The trailer for Mad Bastards – the next Aussie film set to make a splash at Sundance – has debuted online. Brendan Fletcher’s debut feature was selected for the World Cinema Dramatic competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival; the same category that Animal Kingdom won back in January of 2010. Here’s the official plot […]
Continue readingHigh infidelity: Have we cast Australian films into the arms of another?
December 8, 2010 9 Comments
High infidelity: Have we cast Australian films into the arms of another? By Simon Miraudo. “What came first, the movies or the misery?” Forgive my misquoting of the break-up flick High Fidelity, but as a fan of Australian cinema, I feel a bit like a spurned lover. Perhaps it’s our own fault (and yes, […]
Continue readingTomorrow When The War Began victorious at IF Awards
November 15, 2010 0 Comments
Tomorrow When The War Began has proven to be the most popular Australian movie of the year after taking home four major prizes at the 2010 Kodak Inside Film Awards. Stuart Beattie‘s adaptation of John Marsden’s young adult novel picked up Best Film, Best Actress, Best Script and Best Music. Animal Kingdom-helmer David Michôd was […]
Continue readingInterview: Sean Byrne; writer/director of The Loved Ones.
November 4, 2010 0 Comments
Interview: Sean Byrne; director of The Loved Ones. By Simon Miraudo. There is an odd trend emerging in Australian cinema. Americans, Canadians and Brits are now telling us which home-grown features to keep an eye out for. Earlier this year, Animal Kingdom took home a top prize at Sundance, building up buzz for its local […]
Continue readingEdgerton cast opposite Garner in Odd Life
November 2, 2010 0 Comments
Joel Edgerton‘s American-invasion is picking up speed. The AFI award-winning actor has been cast opposite Jennifer Garner in Disney’s upcoming fantasy The Odd Life of Timothy Green. According to THR, Edgerton and Garner will star in the $40 million production as a couple who have difficulty conceiving a child. “[They] bury all their wishes for […]
Continue readingAnimal Kingdom dominates AFI Award nominations
October 27, 2010 0 Comments
The nominees for the 2010 Samsung Mobile AFI Awards were announced this morning at the Sydney Theatre. Animal Kingdom led the pack with a record-breaking 18 nominations in the feature film categories, followed by Beneath Hill 60 (12 noms) and Bright Star (11 noms). The nominations are as follows… Best Feature Film Animal KingdomBeneath Hill […]
Continue readingInterview: James Frecheville; star of Animal Kingdom.
October 12, 2010 0 Comments
Interview: James Frecheville; star of Animal Kingdom. By Simon Miraudo. James Frecheville’s starring performance in Animal Kingdom is one of the most divisive of the year. Less flashy than Jacki Weaver’s and Ben Mendelsohn’s (who are each given juicy, menacing roles to chew on), Frecheville’s function in David Michôd’s Aussie crime drama is that of […]
Continue readingInterview: David Michôd; writer/director of Animal Kingdom.
October 12, 2010 0 Comments
Interview: David Michôd; writer/director of Animal Kingdom. By Simon Miraudo. David Michôd’s Animal Kingdom is a rare kind of Australian film – one that rode a wave of buzz from American critics to become a local success. The picture debuted at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, where it picked up the prestigious […]
Continue readingA crowning achievement – Animal Kingdom review
October 11, 2010 0 Comments
Animal Kingdom – Starring James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn and Jackie Weaver. Directed by David Michôd. Rated MA. Originally published May 25, 2010. By Simon Miraudo. For anyone who still thinks Australia only produces boring films about the outback, Animal Kingdom should come as a welcome gunshot to the head. Here is a crime drama that […]
Continue readingThe Animal Kingdom Oscar campaign begins
October 1, 2010 0 Comments
As anyone who follows the Oscar race already knows, there is no such thing as a “starting date” for proceedings. Films are in perpetual flux of Academy Award competition. That being said, the yearly flood of For Your Consideration ads started early this year, with DreamWorks bursting through the gates at the beginning of September; […]
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