australia

epic like an out of africa in the outback, too self conscious about itself to actually believe in the soaring strings and aerial dramatic shots of landscapes; but still reasonable in the first half where an entire story is told. then in the second half the war sequences are messy clumsy and unnecessary, the aboriginal child and his grandfather make mystic lots and there is possible ending every ten minutes complete with mandatory heart string pulling shots from innumerable hollywood oscar hopefuls. besides everything i have had up to here with that maudlin sentimentality that is supposed to wash over me whenever i hear that annoying touchstone of american cinema ‘somewhere over the rainbow’. i have not seen the wizard of oz and never want to. and don’t care who did. if that is what the whiteys play to say that they love the brownies i dont want any part of that love.