australia--
would you expect anything less than the most showy of spectacle from the man who conjured up moulin rouge! and romeo + juliet? fittingly and wisely, baz luhrmann's sprawling, reportedly $140M antipodean epic is narrated by an aboriginal boy (newcomer brandon walters), a dazzling youngster who declares the saga's storybook intentions from the start. then you're in for a 160-minute jaunt through WWII-era aussie cattle country, replete with pin-up cinema icons--preposterously hunky hugh jackman paired with porcelain nicole kidman, who appears to have done something tragic to her lips--extravagent, fantasy-colorful production design, and the requisite cast of thousands. with countless allusions to gone with the wind and the wizard of oz, pic is tribute to old hollywood glamour And celebration of historical oz. broad in every sense, sporadically fun, and (did i nearly neglect to mention?) Long.
storybook: 2 stars
wendy and lucy--
as close to antithesis of luhrmann production as i can presently imagine. read one review (i'm sure not the Only one such) labeling this film minimalist. if by that, critic meant ain't nothin' goin' on, then slap said label here. director/co-writer kelly reichardt proves relentlessly patient, makes most of simple emotional observations. michelle williams deserves praise for her work--it's so very minimalist--even more for Taking the job; without her, pic, as sweet as it is, would never have seen the light of day.
simple: 1 star
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