Richard Lowenstein Movies
- 2001
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Danny (Noah Taylor) is a young man seemingly used to chaos, but he soon discovers that the fates are more than capable of dishing out more than he can handle in this offbeat Australian comedy. By his own count, thirtyish Danny has found himself sharing living quarters with one or more friends more than four dozen times in the past; one might imagine this would make him immune to roommate problems, but that soon proves not to be the case. While sharing a house in Brisbane with a handful of sloppy guys -- and one woman, Sam (Emily Hamilton), who ought to know better -- Danny finds himself obsessing over his most recent relationship, which crashed and burned six months before. The arrival of Anya (Romane Bohringer) picks up Danny's spirits, until he discovers she's dating Sam; this sets off his impulsive instincts, and too much spending (and too much damage to his rented house) forces Danny to high-tail it to Melbourne. Sam soon follows, smarting from a break-up with Anya, and she ends up sharing a flat with Danny. Danny's money management skills have not improved a bit, and he is soon on the run to Sydney, where he and Sam find themselves crashing with Nina (Sophie Lee), an actress with an eating disorder, and her gay friend Dirk (Francis McMahon). Just as Danny and Sam seem to be getting settled, Anya arrives, looking to reconcile with Sam; things get complicated for Danny, and he ends up moving in with Flip (Brett Stewart), an old friend with a severe drug problem. He Died With A Felafel In His Hand was adapted from the popular novel by Australian author John Birmingham. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Noah Taylor, Emily Hamilton, (more)
- 1993
Seymour (Sudi de Winter) is eleven years old, and unless a person's flaws affect him personally, he's inclined to view them with an uncritical eye. Because of trouble between his parents, he has been sent to stay with an unsympathetic relative. He becomes acquainted with a neighbor, Angie (Fiona Ruttelle), a hippy-ish girl in her twenties living a slovenly existence. He is overjoyed that she is so willing to invite him into her life, and enjoys her drug-inspired bouts of singing, and other eccentric behaviors which a more critical adult might find worrying. For him, this time with her is idyllic. Eventually she is sent away to a rehabilitation center by her worried relatives, and his experiences with her comes to an end. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
This music documentary covers the January 1987 Australian Made tour. Acts like Mental As Anything, INXS, and Jimmy Barnes reflect the worldwide popularity of Australian rock music that emerged during the 1980s. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
A dramatic story about a houseful of youth with no apparent purpose in life, this film features pounding rock music and attitude problems galore. The main setting is a rundown dwelling in an impoverished district near Melbourne, Australia, where conversations ebb, flow, and overlap much like the lives of the people who live there. Strangers also wander in and out of the premises as life continues, for some, more through an indestructible momentum than any internal driving force. Some of the young people go to school, others do nothing but party, and some take drugs. The police tolerate the residents of the house, even when they burn their television set. Sam (Michael Hutchence) and Anna (Saskia Post) are one of the couples that form among the residents, a mismatched pair whose actions lead to tragedy for Anna and an indictment against hard drugs. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Hutchence, Saskia Post, (more)
- 1985
Pete Townsend of The Who is star of this hybrid music video. Why call it a hybrid? Well, at times it seems to want to be a music video pure and simple, with several top Townsend tunes given emphasis. At other times, it veers towards straight drama, illustrating an incident that reportedly happened to its star in real life. Townsend is seen attempting to patch up the marriage of two old and close friends (Andrew Wilde, Frances Barber). At 60 minutes, White City is just long enough to do justice to both the musical and dramatic elements. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
The miners strike in the Australian coal fields during the 1930s provides a factual basis for this drama. The organized miners protest against the use of scab labor and the dreadful working conditions. But nothing is resolved and the tension climaxes with the miners, some of them members of the Communist Party, building a blockade and stranding themselves in a mine shaft. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Haywood, Carol Burns, (more)
