Syd Brisbane Movies
- 2004
A man with no memory is unwittingly thrown into danger in this thriller with a comic edge from Australia. As Adrian (Clayton Watson), a young man who suffers from severe amnesia and can't retain a memory for longer than 30 minutes, is being held against his will by gangsters, he struggles to figure out what has happened to him, using his collection of scribbled notes and instant photos to recall recent events. Eventually, Adrian remembers Brandon (Nathan Phillips), who works at a home for the challenged where Adrian spends his days. Brandon is a champion surfer who is sentenced to work at the home as community service after becoming involved in a vicious fight. Brandon has convinced his supervisor Maxine (Marg Downey) to let him take Adrian and palsied Trevor (Steady Eddie) to the beach for a day in the sun; Brandon, however, has an ulterior motive, as a surf competition is being held at the seashore that day. After picking up hitchhiker Jo (Chloe Maxwell), Brandon and his charges arrive at the beach, where a run-in with Gene (Damien Garvey), the leader of a local gang, takes matters in an unfortunate direction. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nathan Phillips, Clayton Watson, (more)
- 2001
Two small-time gamblers fumble what they imagine would be a sure thing in a bittersweet comedy-drama from Australia. John (Syd Brisbane) and Bill (David Field) are a pair of down-and-outers with an unfortunate fondness for booze and a stunning inability to pick the winners at the dog track, no matter how often they try (and they try as often as they can). The two think they may have finally found the light at the end of the tunnel when a mysterious benefactor offers them the opportunity to race his purebred greyhound, Silent Partner, on the dog track circuit. John and Bill leap at the chance, but against all odds, Silent Partner goes on a losing streak as soon as they begin looking after his "career." Desperate to make good with the dog, John and Bill decide to give Silent Partner a chemical advantage over his competitors, which turns out to be a very bad idea. Silent Partner was written for the screen by Daniel Keene, who adapted the material from his own stage play. Noted Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly contributes several new tunes to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Field, Syd Brisbane, (more)
John Ruane directed this Australian romantic comedy in which lonely Alice (Miranda Otto), seeking her long-lost father, begins working in the same dead-letter office that keeps returning her letters to him. The office is run by a political refugee from Chile, Frank (George DelHoyo), and Alice and Frank eventually become a twosome amid the undelivered mail. Barry Otto, Miranda Otto's father, makes a brief appearance. Shown at 1998 film festivals in Brisbane and Melbourne. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Miranda Otto, George Del Hoyo, (more)
A beautiful alien is sent from the planet Epsilon to pass judgment on the shameful way in which humans have mishandled their planet. Set in a near future in which humanity has made great strides in cleaning up the Earth, it begins as a grandmother tells her granddaughters a story from the past. Her tale begins in the desert outback during the dark times when people were actively ruining their planet. The naked alien is placed upon the desert where she eventually meets a surveyor who quickly gives her some clothing. As the two travel across the land, the alien constantly admonishes him for his race's carelessness and greed. She informs him that other intelligent life forms consider humans hopeless failures. Using her ability to travel instantly to any of Earth's locales, she takes the bewildered surveyor on a whirlwind tour to prove her point. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
