Randall Berger Movies

The true story of a gifted Australian piano prodigy, this biographical drama was nominated for seven Oscars, with actor Geoffrey Rush winning for Best Actor. Rush stars as David Helfgott, a pianist with a history of mental problems. As a fragile boy genius at math, chess, and piano, David is driven hard by his overbearing father (Armin Mueller-Stahl), a tyrant who forbids him to accept a scholarship offered by the great violinist Isaac Stern. Although he studies briefly in London under tutor Cecil Parks (John Gielgud), David has a nervous breakdown after performing Rachmaninoff's daunting "Piano Concerto No. 3" (known as the "Rach 3"). Years later, the adult David keeps up a steady patter of nervous stammering at all times and has been reduced to playing in a bar. Through a friend, he meets astrologer Gillian (Lynn Redgrave), and falls in love with her. With Gillian's help, David embarks down the road to regained fame and mastery of the "Rach 3." The international popularity of Shine caused a sensation leading to a musical tour for Helfgott, whose performances were less adroit than many audiences expected, sparking criticism that writer-director Scott Hicks had exaggerated his subject's talent for dramatic purposes. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

In this tragicomedy, Luke and Boady O'Hagan (Ben Mendelsohn and Mark Little) are brothers who live together in a seedy section of Melbourne. Luke is in all respects an upstanding citizen. The only thing the least bit unusual is his clandestine romance with a Greek-Australian teacher; it's clandestine because her conservative parents would be horrified to know that she was seriously considering marriage to a non-Greek. Boady, on the other hand, is a highly exciteable fellow, given to living on the edge. When one of the drug deals he is involved with goes wrong, all three of them, along with Boady's pregnant girlfriend, must go into hiding. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Arms dealer Brian McCarron (Peter Adams) has grown wealthy by supplying both sides of the never ending "troubles" in Ireland. He is aided and abetted by his faithful lieutenant O'Rourke (Rob Steele), who stages phony acts of terrorism to promote weapon sales. Hoping to put both men out of business, the IMF stages a frightening ghostly spectacle to gain influence over the highly superstitious O'Rourke. Originally telecast on November 30, 1989, "Banshee" was written by Ted Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a true story about the execution of a psychopathic American G.I. by the U.S. Army in 1942, this wartime drama opens in Melbourne, Australia. U.S. forces and the Australians are at loggerheads, and this antagonism reaches a flash point when Edward J. Leonski (Reb Brown) is spotted running away from the scene of a brutal murder. That action sparks a gun battle between American and Aussie soldiers at a train station that makes it seem as if the two nations are at war with each other. U.S. Major Patrick Dannenberg (James Coburn) covers up the shooting incident and puts top priority on hunting down the killer. It is suggested that orders from the highest echelons of the U.S. military demanded the execution of the killer in order to preserve a working relationship with the Australians. Meanwhile, Aussie Detective Sgts. Adams (Bill Hunter) and Martin (Maurie Fields) are also looking for the murderer, hoping to bring him to justice in an Australian court of law. When Leonski's roommate belatedly turns him in, his attorney gets seriously ill and Major Dannenberg has to take over his defense. There is no doubt the man is mentally unbalanced, as witnessed by his behavior in Melbourne's bars and brothels in the first half of the movie. At the trial, Dannenberg unsuccessfully argues for his client's internment in an asylum for the criminally insane. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide