Erik Thomson Movies

The autobiography of New Zealand fearless political activist Sonja Davies was the source for the two-part, four-hour miniseries Bread and Roses. Genevieve Picot stars as Davies, who entered the world as an illegitimate outcast, a fate exacerbated by her divorce at age 17. Though shunned by "polite" society, the pregnant Davies managed to become a trainee nurse at the outbreak of WWII. Appalled by the hypocrisies of the world and the exigencies of sexual stereotyping, Davies became a dedicated socialist, literally coming of age by spearheading the women's rights movement of the mid-'50s. Along the way, she endured innumerable tragedies and heartbreaks, but she never gave up fighting the good fight. Produced by Preston-Liang Productions, Bread and Roses was widely distributed in English-speaking countries after its original New ZealandTV run in 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) crosses over from This World to the Other Side, there to rescue Persephone (Andrea Croton), daughter of the goddess Demeter (Sarah Wilson), from her abductor Hades (Erik Thompson). Upon his arrival in the land of the dead (where he is briefly united with his long-gone wife and children), Hercules discovers that Persephone is in love with Hades and has no intention of leaving. This does not rest well with Demeter, who threatens to rend the upperworld asunder with foul weather unless her daughter is immediately returned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hades (Erik Thomson) summons Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) to the Other Side on a mission of mercy. It seems that the latest lost soul to arrive in Hades' domain is handsome young Timuron (Craig Hall), who, according to the rules, must be severely punished throughout eternity for crimes allegedly committed while alive. But Hades believes that Timuron is innocent and demands that Hercules collar the real criminal: King Sysiphus (Ray Henwood), who had framed Timuron in order to claim the dead man's widow Daphne (Angela Gribben) as his bride. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The ghost of her former lover Marcus (Bobby Hosea) tells Xena (Lucy Lawless) that all is not well in the Underworld. Sure enough, the hapless Hades (Erik Thomson) has been toppled from his throne and imprisoned. Meanwhile, a psycho wreaks even more havoc than usual in the Underworld with Hades' stolen Helmet of Invisibility. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Heidi (Abbie Cornish) is a pretty teenager who leaves home after getting caught making out with her mother's boyfriend. She impulsively travels to Jindabyne, a snowy ski resort town, because she once met a man from there who said she should call him if she was ever in town. When that connection doesn't materialize, Heidi is forced to fend for herself with little money. Her first night in town, she goes to a bar, drinks, meets a boy, and goes home with him. She doesn't even notice Joe (Sam Worthington) watching her. The next morning, Heidi is dismayed to find that the guy she slept with has a girlfriend, and is on his way back to Sydney. Desperate and broke, she goes looking for work. Despite her good looks and charm, she's a bit too aggressive in trying to win friends and influence people. That night, she hooks up with Joe, and senses a connection between them. Instead of taking her home, he takes her to a motel. He seems reluctant to get involved with her, but she is persistent. The next morning, he hurriedly leaves for work. Joe works for his father, a wealthy farmer. Heidi meets the motel owner, Irene (Lynette Curran), who kindly offers to let her stay a couple of days, until she finds a job. Heidi ends up working at the local gas station with Bianca (Hollie Andrew). She begins to settle in, but her relationship with Joe deteriorates, her emotional instability takes hold. Somersault marks the feature debut of writer/director Cate Shortland. The film won 13 of the Australian Film Institute's annual awards in 2004, and was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art for inclusion in the 2005 edition of New Directors/New Films. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

An adolescent boy from a most idiosyncratic family attempts to adjust to his new neighborhood as his 16th birthday looms on the horizon in this family drama from director Elissa Down. Thomas is about to turn 16, and as if adjusting to a new neighborhood, a new school, and new friends isn't enough for a teenage boy to contend with, his family is about as unpredictable as they come. His autistic older brother, Charlie, suffers from ADD, and attends a special school on the days that he actually chooses to go. His father, Simon, is an enormous cricket fan who is prone to holding intense discussions with his teddy bear, and his mother, Maggie, is a free spirit who sleeps with pretty much whomever she pleases. Recently, Thomas' mother revealed that she is pregnant. As a result, Thomas finds himself looking after Charlie much more frequently than usual. When Charlie strips half-naked and dashes into the neighbor's house in search of a bathroom, Thomas storms in after him and encounters pretty classmate Jackie -- who is currently attempting to take a shower. Mortified, Thomas begins to realize that he might not be capable of caring for Charlie. Later at school, Thomas realizes that he'll have to learn to swim before he earns his lifesaving badge. Of course, every student in class needs to have a partner, and it just so happens that Thomas' partner is a pretty fellow pupil named Jackie. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide