Antony I. Ginnane Movies
A cold wind sweeps across the planet, leaving death in its wake and threatening to put the entire human race into deep freeze in this breathtaking ecological thriiller from Australian director Brian Trenchard-Smith. It all started when a U.S. research vessel ran aground in Australia. Inside, a grim discovery: the entire crew of 15 has died from no discernable cause. Upon learning of his colleagues' inexplicable deaths, world-renowned physicist Jack Tate (Michael Shanks) vows to uncover the cause as the divorce with his wife Emma (Alexandra Davies), the town medical examiner, is finalized. Meanwhile, the strain in Jack and Emma's dissolving marriage has caused their teenage daughter Naomi (Indiana Evans) to become bitter and withdrawn. When the pieces of the puzzle start falling together and Jack realizes mankind may be witnessing the dawn of a new ice age, he presents his findings to the scientific community, which openly derides his radical theory. But they have no choice but to accept it once the frigid wind blows onto land, claiming countless more lives. Now, as the authorities race to evacuate the town, Jack calculates that it won't be long before the lethal wind sweeps across America as well. When the government fails to stop the storm, Jack devises one last plan to save the human race by working with Mother Nature, rather than against her. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shanks
The terror continues in this sequel to the cult sci-fi hit about a race of robotic killing machines intent on destroying the human race. Thirteen years ago, the human population of planet Sirius 6B was completely wiped out by Screamers - blade-wielding, shape-shifting cyborgs that make a horrible high pitch sound while literally hacking their victims to pieces. When a distress signal from Sirius 6B reaches Earth, a team of rescuers is dispatched in order to find out whether a long-lost colony of human survivors have somehow managed to elude the murderous robots all these years. But the truth is far more sinister, because now the machines have managed to evolve into half-man/half-machine hybrids, and their determination to escape from Sirius 6B and find their way to Earth is stronger than ever before. Now, all that stands between the Screamers and the complete annihilation of the human race is a rescue team with dwindling supplies and limited ammunition. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2008
- R
- Add Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation to Queue Add Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation to top of Queue
Filmmaker Mark Hartley explores Australia's hidden genre in this documentary that casually casts aside "official" film history to celebrate the demented genius of director Brian Trenchard-Smith, and the exciting wave of little-known but supremely entertaining films that entertained adventurous Australian filmgoers throughout the 1970s and '80s. Every film student worth his or her weight in celluloid has seen Breaker Morant and Picnic at Hanging Rock, but what about the lesser-known gems that didn't make the film-school textbooks? In his forward to Tim Lucas' book Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, director Martin Scorsese states, "We have to keep resisting the idea of official film history, a stately procession of 'important works' that leaves some of the most exciting films and filmmakers tucked away in the shadows." In this documentary, director Hartley explores the films forgotten by "official film history" with the comprehensive eye of a true film buff. As a child watching such films as Snapshot and The Man from Hong Kong, Hartley immediately recognized how wildly disparate they were in tone and execution from the films that comprised Australia's traditional film library. Appearing like American genre films that just happened to be shot in Australia and cast with Australian actors, these so-called "Ozploitation" flicks flourished in the wake of relaxed censorship laws down under. Yet despite constant chatter about the "new wave" of Australian cinema, financially successful films like The Man from Hong Kong and Patrick that were popular both at home and abroad were never mentioned, sneeringly dismissed as "genre" films rather than Australian films. Perhaps in the wake of such successful Australian films as Wolf Creek and Undead -- and looking ahead to such films as the slasher shocker Storm Warning and the eagerly anticipated remake of Long Weekend -- curious filmgoers are finally prepared to discover what they've been missing all these years. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2007
- R
A man with a brutal past is called on to repay an old blood debt, in the process crossing the city's most powerful crime boss and realizing that his only hope for survival is to wipe out the entire syndicate before they realize what's hit them. There was a time when Ryan (Brendan Carr) truly believed that he'd finally outrun his dark past; that all changed the moment a familiar face showed up on his doorstep begging for help. But Ryan has been betrayed, and everything he cared about the one person he cared most about has been forced to endure inhuman suffering. Ten men were responsible for destroying Ryan's life, and now ten men will die by his hand. It may be a suicide mission, but that's a risk that Ryan is willing to take in order to give his tormentors a taste of their own vicious medicine. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brendan Carr, Terry Stone, (more)
Four Los Angeles friends discover that a triangle isn't necessarily limited to three sides as their lives, loves, and lofty aspirations slowly meld into one remarkable example of life in one of the most remarkable cities on planet Earth. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Spencer Garrett, Michael Marich, (more)
A young girl takes it upon herself to stop a vicious rumor about her new best friend in the comedy Sally Marshall Is Not An Alien. Pip (Helen Neville) is a 12-year-old girl living with her family in Adelaide who isn't like the other kids she knows -- she's smart, serious and likes to watch the skies with her prized telescope. She's also a bit shy and doesn't know what to do about Ben (Glenn McMillian), a neighborhood boy who seems to like her. Rhonnie (Thea Gumbert), a mean-spirited girl in the neighborhood, doesn't much like Pip and doesn't care who knows it. However, Rhonnie discovers someone who bothers her even more when Sally Marshall (Natalie Vansier) moves into town. Sally wears dark glasses, reads grown-up books, likes to hang upside down and doesn't have an Australian accent. Sally is obviously not from around these parts, and Rhonnie is convinced this means Sally is a visitor from outer space. Pip finds this ridiculous and accepts a challenge from Rhonnie -- either prove conclusively that Sally isn't a space alien, or lose her telescope. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helen Neville, Nathalie Vansier, (more)
- 1998
For her second feature, Canadian director Kari Skogland (The Size of Watermelons) treads Tarantino turf with the violent visuals of this crime drama. Small-time hoods Eddie (Donal Logue) and Lucas (Gregory Sporleder) go to a rural area to collect a debt but instead get a dose of sexual humiliation from thugs they encounter there. With stoned Mamet (Callum Keith Rennie) accompanying them, they return to the farm, battle it out, and leave with a big cocaine stash, property of druglord Horace Burke (Paul Sorvino). Soon the trio is pursued by both criminals and cops. Skogland made TV commercials and music videos before her first feature. Her Men With Guns is not to be confused with John Sayles' Men With Guns, released the same month. Shown at the 1998 Rotterdam Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Donal Logue, Gregory Sporleder, (more)
A murdered fashion mogul's widow (Erika Eleniak) finds that her grief compounded by terror after checking into a clinic and making a horrifying discovery. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Erika Eleniak, Catherine Colvey, (more)
- 1997
John Helliker directed this Canadian comedy. Toronto hustler Cheryl (Megan Follows), artist wannabe from a small town, is in a car with boyfriend Jason (James Gallanders) when they literally bump into drunken Donald (Jaimz Woolvett). Minus Jason, she takes Donald back to his seedy apartment to see if he's okay and stays over. When dawn arrives, a relationship begins -- as Donald proclaims her the angel who has rescued him. Shown at the 1997 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Megan Follows, Jaimz Woolvett, (more)
- 1996
Two young New Zealand cancer patients attempt to cope with their illness and the painful chemotherapy treatments in this upbeat drama. Kirk Mead is only 15 when doctors discover a cancerous tumor on his leg following a rollerblading accident. Both he and his family are understandably upset as he enters the hospital for his first treatments. While there, he meets the devilish Marty, a homeless teenage girl who was brought there by the police. Marty is as wild as Kirk is middle class and at first she drives him crazy with her tough attitude and constant mischief, but slowly the disparate duo become friends. One night, they escape the hospital and Marty shows Kirk Auckland's wildest and darkest sides. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1995
- NR
In this romantic comedy suitable for family viewing, a Francophone high school student from Montreal goes to Auckland, New Zealand as an exchange student and encounters a whole new world. The film begins as rambunctious Timothy Taylor again falls victim to the cruel high school bully. This time, Derek stuffs the hapless lad in a locker in the girl's locker room. After finding Timothy in the girls' locker room, his school principal punishes Timothy by forcing him to allow the new exchange student to stay at his house. They believe the visitor's name is Michel Dubois. Timothy is not too thrilled until he sees that there was a typo on the list and the exchange student is actually named "Michelle" Dubois. To make it even better, Michelle is gorgeous. Unfortunately, she doesn't want to be in New Zealand. She is only there because her parents thought she and her boyfriend were getting too close. It takes time, but eventually, Timothy and Michelle become good friends. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
This action-packed sci-fi thriller is set upon the planet Sirius 6B in the year 2078. The planet has been decimated by a vast nuclear war. Many have survived, but their continued survival is threatened by the dreaded screamers, strange shape-changing mechanical creatures who use razor sharp knives to hack up any life-form in their way. They earned their name because when they kill, they make a horrible high pitched sound. The first screamer makes its appearance as a lone soldier approaches a bunker. He has come to deliver an important message from the NEB to its enemy the Alliance. Unfortunately, the low flying screamer gets to the soldier first, and quicker than Popeil's Vegamatic, slices and dices the fellow into tiny pieces. Later a jet crashes near the bunker. Aboard it is a nuclear reactor. One man survives the crash. The man, Ace, knows how to make a bomb with the reactor. Alliance-leader Col. Joseph Hendricksson takes Ace and they travel across the great irradiated desert to met with the NEB leaders. Along the way they find a small boy and though they don't want to, bring him along. Unfortunately, by the time they get to the NEB headquarters, the screamers have killed all but Becker, a tough soldier, Ross, who is nearly mad, and sexy smuggler Jessica. When Becker and Ross see the boy, they think he is a screamer and kill him. They are right and soon the little group find themselves surrounded by the hellish killing machines, all of which have taken the shapes of small boys. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1990
- R
A journalist (Michael Nouri) investigating an explosion in the sky over Norway begins to suspect it is part of a secret government project when he begins to find evidence of cattle mutilations, strange diseases, and rumors about a top-secret military installation where humanoid-type aliens are being held. He enlists the aid of a freelance pilot (Darlanne Fluegel) to get to the bottom of things. ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Nouri, Darlanne Fluegel, (more)
- 1989
- R
In this politically-charged supernatural action-thriller from the Philippines, a beautiful television correspondent finds herself possessed by a vengeful demon, a former Chinese mystic who was slain by a Filipino warlord 500 years before. Before the mystic died he swore he would slowly destroy all of his descendants. The mystic makes good on his promise and the victims are killed ritually and branded with the mark of the dreaded demonstone to prove the revenge. The reincarnation of the warlord, now a corrupt Filipino politician, tries to find the killer, but has no luck until an American Marine, Tony McKee is found near one of the most recent victims. The politician immediately frames him for the death. But fortunately, former Marine Andrew Buck is there to prove his innocence. Unfortunately, Buck's girl friend is the demonically-charged reporter. ~ Sandra Brennan, 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
- Starring:
- Jeff Fahey, Tushka Bergen, (more)
After escaping from a Vietnamese POW camp where they had suffered for five years, five American soldiers attempt to get out of the country before being spotted by Russian and Vietnamese troops in this tale of survival from Filipino filmmaker Eddie Romero. As the five escapees descend upon a remote whorehouse in hopes of collecting the supplies needed to reach freedom, a group of desperate prostitutes plea with the men to transport them to freedom and a troupe of Russian soldiers complicate their fragile escape plan. When the desperate group stumbles across an abandoned airplane deep in the jungle, they must bring the battered aircraft back to life long enough to escape the jungle and fly to freedom. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Danny Molloy (Rodney Harvey) is a wisecracking kid from Brooklyn who travels to the Australian outback in this light teen comedy. He searches for his long-lost father Nat (Bruno Lawrence) after the death of his mother. Kulu (Bobby Smith) is an aborigine with psychic powers who warns Danny of impending danger. The prophecy comes true when Danny's drug-running father soon is injured crashing his plane in a remote region of the outback. Anna-Maria Winchester co-stars with Miranda Otto. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bruno Lawrence, Rodney Harvey, (more)
- 1987
- R
When a bank robbery leads to the death of a police officer, Wyn (Simon Burke) and Slate (Martin Sacks) Jackson take witness Blanche McBride (Sigrid Thornton) hostage and attempt to evade capture. However, when the brothers begin to become enamored of their victim, their getaway becomes much more complicated. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sigrid Thornton, Simon Burke, (more)
"Everlasting Secret Family" is the name of a sub-rosa homosexual brotherhood in this riveting Australian film. Two of the ESF members are a middle-aged politician (Arthur Dignam) and a boarding-school student (Mark Lee). The younger man begins chafing at the "plaything" status imposed upon him by the older members of ESF. His resentment culminates in a battle of wills between himself and the senator's politically expedient "straight" wife (Heather Mitchell). Dispensing with subtlety, Everlasting Secret Family suggests that, like the so-called mainstream political scene, the gay lifestyle can become a dangerously manipulative power trip in the wrong hands. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Arthur Dignam, Mark Lee, (more)
- 1987
- PG13
Gillian Armstrong directed this powerful and moving film containing a brilliant performance by Judy Davis. The story takes place in the small New South Wales seaside village of Eden. Davis is Lillie, who is renting a run-down trailer as she waits for her car to be repaired. One night, when Lillie is drunk and cannot walk from the toilet block back to her trailer, a teenage girl, Ally (Claudia Karvan) -- who lives with her free-spirited grandmother Bet (Jan Adele) in another trailer in the trailer park -- helps her back home. Lillie and Ally become good friends, and it is only when Lillie finally meets Bet that she realizes that Ally is, in fact, her own daughter, who she abandoned years earlier after the death of her husband. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Judy Davis, Jan Adele, (more)
This psychodrama is set in New Zealand during the 1880s and is based on the true story of an orphaned 18-year-old who marries a cruel, much-older man. He constantly abuses her and keeps her under his thumb until she snaps and using hypnotism, kills him. Later she is tried in court. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, John Lithgow, (more)
- 1984
- R
In this tongue-and-cheek comedy, the Devil and God get together and the horned one bets God that were Adam and Eve to get a second go of it, the same result would occur. To prove his point, the film swings back to Roman times, through WW I, the Roaring '20s and more, as temptation prevails throughout the annals of time. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Diane Franklin, Roger Wilson, (more)
This grim, violent Australian production is an artless mishmash incorporating elements of The Road Warrior, 1984 , and The Most Dangerous Game. The story is set in a dystopian future society where all "deviants" (i.e. anyone whose ideas don't jive with those of the government) are interred in nightmarish re-education camps where they are tortured, beaten, raped and put to death -- mostly on the whim of the psychotic commandant (Michael Craig). Periodically, a handful of particularly defiant inmates will be released unarmed to be hunted down (for the entertainment of the elite) in a free-for-all "Turkey Shoot" (the film's original Australian title). Among the latest batch of potential targets are strong-willed Steve Railsback and Olivia Hussey, who are confronted in the wilderness by the commandant and his goofy mutant cronies -- all of whom carry rocket-launchers, exploding arrows, and flamethrowers. This entire exercise is basically a prolonged excuse for a plethora of cheap, splattery makeup effects, made far more unpleasant by the blatant sadism of the proceedings. Unsuspecting viewers exposed to this film may wish to follow with My Brilliant Career to restore their faith in Australian cinema. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey, (more)
- 1981
- PG
Actor David Hemmings made one of his periodic forays into directing with the lightning-paced Race For the Yankee Zephyr. The film pits deer hunters against a group of unscrupulous businessmen. Their mutual goal is a reserve of gold, hidden somewhere in the Australian wilds. Ken Wahl and Leslie Ann Warren are the Hollywood-bred "box office insurance" in this Australian/New Zealand coproduction. Race for the Yankee Zephyr was first shown in America via pay-cable, where it carried no rating but was preceded with a warning vis-a-vis violence and strong language. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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