Scott Hicks Movies
After working for two decades on documentaries, shorts, and low-budget films, Australian writer/director Scott Hicks achieved international acclaim for the feature biopic Shine (1996).Born in Uganda, Hicks spent his childhood in Kenya and Great Britain before his family settled in Australia during his teens. Though Hicks planned to major in English and drama in college, he was captivated by film studies instead. After graduating with honors, Hicks spent several years working on film crews for various Australian productions, including Bruce Beresford's early heist movie Money Movers (1978), as well as creating his own short films. During the 1980s, Hicks made several low-budget Australian-fiction feature films, directing the teen road movie Freedom (1982), and writing and directing Call Me Mr. Brown (1986), as well as the youth-oriented Sebastian and the Sparrow (1988). Hicks found more success, however, with his documentaries, earning a Peabody for his inside look at the Chinese Army, The Great Wall of Iron (1989), and an Emmy for Submarines: Sharks of Steel (1994).
Hicks finally reached the international movie audience when his long-gestating Shine debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 1996. Based on the eventful life of troubled concert pianist David Helfgott, and a labor of love for Hicks since he first saw Helfgott perform in 1986, Shine's exuberant visual style, uplifting story, and sterling performances by Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor as the tortured musician, and Armin Mueller-Stahl as his autocratic father, sparked a bidding war at Sundance. A box-office hit, Shine sealed Hicks' reputation when it earned seven Oscar nominations, including directing and writing nods for Hicks, and Rush won for Best Actor. Though he resisted relocating to Hollywood, Hicks subsequently nabbed the plum assignment of directing the screen version of the best-selling novel Snow Falling on Cedars (1999). Other than kudos for its lush cinematography, however, Snow Falling on Cedars failed to win over critics and audiences. Hicks' less than felicitous relationship with Hollywood movie-making continued with his adaptation of a Stephen King story, Hearts in Atlantis (2001). Despite the presence of such A-list talent as star Anthony Hopkins and screenwriter William Goldman, Hearts in Atlantis' story of friendship between a lonely boy and a supernaturally gifted man received mixed notices and floundered at the box office. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
- 2007
- NR
- Add Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts to Queue Add Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts to top of Queue
Shine director Scott Hicks documents a year in the life of prolific composer Philip Glass in order to explore the work that goes into creating a symphony and offer a detailed overview of his subject's remarkable career. Glass may be a composer whose name is virtually synonymous with the minimalist music movement, but one shouldn't be so quick to pigeonhole the composer. A musician who is outwardly confident and at times unpredictable, Glass works tirelessly to create a composition entitled Symphony No. 8 for orchestra, as well as an opera entitled Waiting for the Barbarians. Additional conversations with Glass's family and friends highlight how the composer is able to retain his creative spirit while simultaneously remaining a devoted family man. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philip Glass
Carol Fuchs adapts writer/director Sandra Nettelbeck's screenplay for the 2001 romantic drama Mostly Martha for this Scott Hicks directed remake starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, and Patricia Clarkson. Kate Armstrong (Jones) is the master chef who is equally intense both in and out of the kitchen. Though Kate's "Type A" personality serves her well when whipping up meals in the trendy Manhattan eatery where she has made a name for herself, it threatens to sink her when she is named as the guardian of her nine-year-old niece Zoe (Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin). To complicate matters, an impetuous new sous chef named Nick Palmer (Eckhart) has recently joined the kitchen staff and his freewheeling personality seems to stand in direct opposition to Kate's unwavering perfectionism. Yet, despite the fact that they couldn't be more different on the surface, there's no denying the strong attraction between Kate and Nick. As the rivalry between the competitive cooks gradually gives way to romance, the lessons learned by compromising in the kitchen reveal to Kate the importance of learning to openly express herself in order to truly connect with Zoe and find romance with the good-natured Nick. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, (more)
An Iraq War veteran searches for the woman from a mysterious photo that he credits with saving his life during three tours of duty in this romantic drama adapted from the book by Nicholas Sparks. U.S. Marine sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) was serving his country overseas when he happened across a discarded photo of a beautiful woman. An inscription on the back read "Keep Safe," yet the photo revealed no clues about either the subject or her whereabouts. Upon returning home to civilian life, Logan conducts his own research and discovers that the woman's name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and that she cares for dogs at a small-town kennel. Before long, Logan manages to get a job at the kennel, and sets his sights on winning Beth's heart. But it won't be easy because Beth's past experiences have made her wary of relationships. Meanwhile, as Logan works to earn Beth's trust, a dark secret from her past threatens to derail his hope for a happy future together. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, (more)
Prime Suspect writer Allan Cubitt adapts U.K. sportswriter Simon Carr's autobiographical novel about a successful sports journalist who is suddenly saddled with the responsibility of raising two sons from different marriages, and whose unusual parenting philosophy "just say yes" brings them closer together than ever before. A quick witted rogue with a talent for covering sports, Joe Warr (Clive Owen) never took life seriously -- until the day his beloved wife died in the blink of an eye. But while Joe is absolutely overwhelmed with grief after losing his spirited soul mate, his six-year-old son, Artie (Nicholas McAnulty), is taking it even harder. Artie can't accept his mother's passing, and his troubling means of expressing his grief are only serving to make a bad situation worse. Suddenly, into the chaos of Joe's and Artie's lives wanders rebellious teenager named Harry (George MacKay). Harry is Joe's son from a previous marriage, and he's come from England to live with his father and stepbrother. Upon realizing that he's neither emotionally prepared nor equipped to take on the responsibility of being a single parent, Joe decides to throw the rules out the window and "just say yes" to every question his sons pose. The result is a household that's full of jubilance and energy, but constantly on the verge of calamity. Somehow, in the midst of all the chaos, something incredible happens -- the bereaved father and his two sons find the courage to move past their grief, and rediscover the joy of living. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clive Owen
One of the short stories in a best-selling collection by author Stephen King becomes this mystery adapted for director Scott Hicks by screenwriter William Goldman, who previously transformed a King story into a box-office hit (Misery, 1990). In the summer of 1960, young Bobby Garfield (Anton Yelchin) is sharing adventures with his best friends Carol (Mika Boorem) and Sully (Will Rothhaar) when an enigmatic lodger named Ted Brautigan (Anthony Hopkins) rents a room in his family's boarding house. Bobby's self-absorbed, widowed mother Liz (Hope Davis) couldn't care less about her son, so Bobby, who is being tormented by local bullies, quickly befriends the otherworldly Ted, becoming his confidante, and reading the paper to him to save the aging man's failing eyesight. Soon, Bobby learns that Ted possesses supernatural gifts, has a haunted past, and is being pursued by sinister men whose intentions are unclear. Hearts in Atlantis co-stars David Morse, who appeared in the previous King adaptation The Green Mile (1999), as the adult Bobby. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, (more)
Nine years after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a small town in the Pacific Northwest still struggles with the troubling legacy of U.S. policies against Asian-Americans. In December 1950, just off the shores of San Piedro Island in Washington, a Japanese-American man named Kazuo Miyamoto (Rick Yune) stands accused of murder after his close friend Carl Heine (Eric Thal) is found drowned in icy waters. As the trial gets under way, with Alvin Hooks (James Rebhorn) prosecuting Kazuo and Nels Gudmundsson (Max Von Sydow) defending him, reporter Ishmael Chambers (Ethan Hawke) covers the proceedings for the local newspaper. It's difficult for Ishmael to view the trial objectively, as his first love was a Japanese-American girl named Hatsue (Youki Kudoh), who later married Kazuo. Now, Ishmael has discovered that, when the Japanese-American residents of San Piedro Island were sent to internment camps during World War II, Carl's mother used their incarceration to scuttle a land purchase by Kazuo's family. This could suggest a motive for murder, but Ishmael is reluctant to step forward with the story. Snow Falling on Cedars was based on the best-selling novel by David Guterson, adapted for the screen by Ron Bass and writer/director Scott Hicks. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ethan Hawke, James Cromwell, (more)
- 1996
- PG13
- Add Shine to Queue Add Shine to top of Queue
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, Rovi
- Starring:
- Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, (more)
- 1978
- R
In order to raise the money for his "breakthrough" film Breaker Morant, Australian director Bruce Beresford dashed off the guaranteed audience pleaser Money Movers. Terence Donovan masterminds a bank-vault heist that will potentially net his gang 20 million Australian dollars. The scheme predictably goes sour, but this conclusion is reached via a most unexpected fashion. Ed Devereaux, best known to American audiences for his leading-man gig on the TV series Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo, is second billed as "Dick Martin" (no, not the American TV-comic Dick Martin). Money Movers was based on a novel by Devon Minchin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Terence Donovan, Ed Devereaux, (more)
- 1988
Sebastian (Alexander Bainbridge) is a 15-year-old boy from a wealthy family. He befriends Sparrow (Jeremy Angerson), a street kid his own age who is the product of the union between a Vietnamese woman and an Australian soldier. Sparrow is busy trying to stay one step ahead of welfare officer Mick (Vincent Gil). He talks Sebastian into skipping his piano lesson to look for his estranged mother in this straightforward, simple story. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alexander Bainbridge, Jeremy Angerson, (more)
- 1982
Ron (Jon Blake), a young man in his late teens or early 20s, but emotionally younger, has no visible, employable assets, including the ability to articulate, yet he rails at his status in life -- blaming everyone for the fact that his dreams are not coming true. Actually, his main dream is driving down the highway in a Porsche with a sophisticated woman in the passenger seat -- and in this dream, an ominous-looking black limousine just ahead of him starts swerving back and forth and finally dives off the edge of a cliff. In order to fulfill his fantasy, he steals a Porsche and takes off down the road. While on his joy ride, he stops at a roadside eatery and meets the errant Sally, who is on her way to retrieve her baby from a pair of foster parents. The two set off together, and nothing at all goes their way -- Sally fails in her mission, Ron runs down a policeman then has to get rid of Sally and devise some way to escape the law -- now after him in force. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Blake, Candy Raymond, (more)
- 1979
Australia was a powerhouse in world swimming competitions long before the U.S.'s Mark Spitz was a gleam in his father's eye. Foremost among these sports heroes was high-spirited Dawn Fraser, who won four gold medals at three Olympics (1956, '60 and '64). This clear-sighted biographical drama explores Fraser's life before, during and just after her competitive years. Fraser was forever getting herself into trouble, and she consistently rebelled against authority. Among the many dramatic events which marked her career, she was banned from Australian swimming for 10 years after stealing a flag during the Tokyo ('64) Olympics. The movie underscores her strong family ties and her attachment to Balmain, the working-class suburb of Sydney she grew up in, which makes her later career as a Member of Parliament for the area easier to understand. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bronwyn MacKay-Payne, John Diedrich, (more)
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