Australia at the Movies

The ultimate guide to modern Australian cinema

By David Stratton

2024

First Published

3.90

Average Rating

576

Number of Pages

17H36M

Audio Length

Australia's leading film critic reviews (almost) every Australian feature film from 1990 to 2020. Australia's best-loved film critic David Stratton reviews (almost) every feature film from the past three decades in the ultimate guide to modern Australian cinema. From The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to The Dry, from The Big Steal to The Drover's Wife, he tells us why they're worth watching, and reveals fascinating behind-the-scenes details. There is something for road movies and coming-of-age movies; comedies and love stories; rural noir and gritty urban movies; flourishing First Nations cinema; horror, zombies and science fiction; movies for families and for children; international co-productions, and much more. He's seen them all, and he knows every director, producer and actor. Australia at the Movies is the indispensable companion for every cinema it's where you'll find your next favourite movie. 'I greatly enjoy his sheer delight in cinema, which communicates itself effortlessly in every review.' Bruce Beresford 'He has introduced us to films and filmmakers ... from the grandest to the tiniest low-budget debut with intelligence, humour and passion.' Gillian Armstrong 'Stratton's sense of cinema and storytelling is bar none, as far as I'm concerned.' Warwick Thornton 'Thank you for introducing us to great movies and great directors.' Bryan Brown

Avg Rating

3.90

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

24%

4 STARS

57%

3 STARS

10%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

David Stratton

Author · 4 books

David Stratton was born in 1939 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK. At the age of nineteen he founded the Melksham and District Film Society. He emigrated to Australia in 1963, where he quickly became involved in the local film scene He was the Director of the Sydney Film Festival for seventeen years.During his career at SBS David was the feature film consultant, presenter of movies, and of course co-host of the highly successful The Movie Show with Margaret Pomeranz for a record eighteen years. Since 1983, David has been a film critic for Variety (published in Los Angeles), a commissioner of the Australian Film Commission, a film critic for The Australian and a lecturer in film history at the University of Sydney. He is also the author of THE LAST NEW WAVE and THE AVOCADO PLANTATION.David has served on several internation film festival juries, including the Berlin International Jury (1982); the Montreal International Jury (1982); and the Venice International Jury (1994). He was also President of FIPRESCI (International Film Critics) Juries in Cannes (twice) and Venice. He is a past president of the Film Critics Circle of Australia.David's long list of awards and achievements include:- 60th Anniversary Medal by the Festival du Film de Cannes (2007)- The Chauvel Award by the Brisbane International Film Festival (2007)- Raymond Longford Award of Australian Film Institute (2001)- Commander of Order of Arts and Letters by French Government (2000)David is currently the co-host of At The Movies on ABC TV.