Drew Forsythe Movies

Since the breakup of his marriage, Billy Apples (Max Cullen), the stocky, middle-aged owner of a hardware store in Sydney, Australia, hasn't had much going on in his life. Billy has one hobby, singing with a jazz band in a club in his neighborhood; he knows that he's not much of a vocalist and that his teenage daughter Casey (Rachael Coopes) considers him an embarrassment, especially since she's convinced that he's to blame for her parents' divorce. But late one night, Billy sees several comets dotting the night sky, and something miraculous occurs -- suddenly, Billy is capable of singing like Billie Holiday! While many people are puzzled by this development (Billy himself is near the top of the list), his new sound packs them in at the club, and soon Billy's career as a singer takes off and he signs a recording contract. His ex-wife even suggests that she might give their marriage another try, but success goes to Billy's head and he becomes difficult to get along with; then Billy's voice starts to change back, prior to his appearance in a major music contest. This musical fantasy won the Australian Film Institute award for Best Adapted Score in 1995. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Underrated leading man Jeff Fahey carries most of the dramatic weight of the Australian Wrangler. Fahey plays a handsome, athletic businessman who vies for the hand of rancher's daughter Tushika Bergen. Our hero must not only contend with his romantic rival, a dashing but dangerous cattleman (Steven Vidler), but also with a villainous creditor who craves the land left to Bergen by her late father. By nature of its plotline and setting, Wrangler can't help but invite comparisons to the popular The Man From Snowy River. Still, the stars and director Ian Barry keep up the appearances of freshness and originality. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a true story, this film tells the tale of Robert O'Hara Burke (Jack Thompson) and William John Wills (Nigel Havers), who in 1860 set forth to create the first accurate maps of the interior region of the Australian continent. To this end, Irish explorer Burke and British scientist Wills journeyed from the Southern coast of Carpenteria to the North. While they succeeded with the first part of their voyage, on the return trip they and their compatriots fell victim to intense heat and diminishing supplies of food; of the 19 men who began the expedition, only one survived to tell the tale. However, while fate was cruel to Burke and Wills, history was kind, and their story is still taught in every Australian classroom. Graeme Clifford's biopic was praised for its striking visuals and realistic portrayal of Burke and Wills' difficult journey. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This emotional true story is about Annie O'Farrell (Tina Arhondis -- who suffered brain damage at birth and as a result was later institutionalized with other children like herself, physically unable to mature past the age of 8 or 9, even though in chronological years they are much older. When therapist Jessica Hathaway (Angela Punch McGregor meets Annie for the first time, her interactions with the girl tell her that she has been misdiagnosed. Convinced that Annie's mind is functioning perfectly well, Jessica runs up against solid opposition from Annie's parents and has to bide her time until the girl reaches the age of 18. At that point, Jessica obtains an injunction to get Annie released from the home -- and begins her own session of therapy. Due to the non-fictional content of the film, the disagreements between Jessica and Annie's parents are sidelined, and, as in many other films of this type, the unusual court battles and subsequent change in the disabled patient are dramatic but not in keeping with the day-to-day reality of patients and clinical staff working to make small steps towards progress -- with never a chance for any miraculous recovery in the vast majority of cases. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Ginger Meggs (Paul Daniel) is a young "Dennis the Menace" who first appeared in Australian comic strips in 1921. In this film meant for the pre-teen set, Ginger is constantly getting himself in trouble in spite of his good intentions -- at the same time, he prevaricates, he disobeys his teachers and parents, he skips school, or while in school, fights it out with the bullies -- all activities that are bound to capture the attention of children who can vicariously enjoy the forbidden behavior. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In this animated feature, young Dot meets up with Santa Claus while searching for her missing kangaroo and enlists the help of the jolly fellow to find him. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

Two veterans of Vietnam special-forces (John Hargreaves, Grant Page) have retired to the relatively painless field of stuntwork. They return to active duty, however, when the Australian government hires them to retrieve documents and destroy the fortress of a Filipino overlord. ~ John Bush, Rovi

An undercover cop named Stone (Ken Shorter) infiltrates an outlaw biker gang called the Grave Diggers, only to discover that he has more in common with the two-wheeled warriors than he previously though after a professional assassin attempts to set them up for a big fall. A prominent environmental activist has just been assassinated, and the police suspect that the Grave Diggers are withholding crucial information relating to the killing. Realizing that the Grave Diggers will never speak to regular policemen, the cops recruit Stone to ride with the gang and find out what they know. Accepted into the fold after saving the life of a grateful Grave Digger, Stone begins to respect the Undertaker (Sandy Harbutt) and his crew due to the fact that they operate by their own unique code of ethics. Later, as the Grave Diggers prepare to strike back against a rival motorcycle club, Stone suspects a set-up and attempts to convince them not to fall for it. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Stone was correct. When the violence finally erupts, no one is safe from the bloodshed that threatens to destroy the Grave Diggers, and consume Stone in the process. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi