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Movie reviews:
AUSTRALIA
(Aust/US, 2008) Stars Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Brandon Walters, David Wenham, David Ngoombujarra, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, Jacek Koman, David Gulpilil, Ben Mendelsohn, Bruce Spence, John Jarratt, Bill Hunter, Essie Davis, Barry Otto, Arthur Dignam, Max Cullen, Sandy Gore, Crusoe Kurddal, Kerry Walker. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, screenplay by Baz Luhrmann, Stuart Beattie, Ronald Harwood, Richard Flanagan.
 REVIEWS
 LATELINE - ABC TV - Lateline Host Tony Jones talks to Andrew L. Urban and James Valentine about Australia and the Australian Film Industry. VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT
  
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Movie reviews:
QUANTUM OF SOLACE
(US, 2008) Stars Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Olga Kurylenko, Gemma Arterton. “ .. the film never feels like a complete work, and for that, there is a price to be paid. In short, we are not satisfied. For starters, it lacks the heart Eva Green’s Vesper gave the previous film. Like Bond, we miss her. And it rubs against the grain for Ian Fleming’s essential character of Bond to be redefined as the screenwriters have done,” says Louise. “ .. does not live up to expectations, losing the sense of all the unique Bond elements, including James himself, who no longer tosses off darkly comic lines and doesn’t even know what martini he’s drinking. Daniel Craig is still excellent but he’s no longer a Bond figure; he’s an action man who could come from any action franchise .. The primary appeal of the James Bond franchise is James Bond – the character,” says Andrew.
REVIEWS
DANIEL CRAIG: - He likes acting because it lets people figure out emotions outside of themselves, Daniel Craig tells Andrew L. Urban. INTERVIEW
  
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COMPETITIONS
Win DVDs: BLACK WATER DVD
Win one of 10 copies of Black Water on DVD, starring Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody, Andy Rodereda, Ben Oxenbould, directed by Andrew Traucki & David Nerlich, courtesy All Interactive Entertainment.
BLACK WATER DVD
Win tickets: QUARANTINE
Win one of 20 double passes to Quarantine (MA 15+), starring Jennifer Carpenter, Columbus Short, Marin Hinkle, Dennis O’Hare, Zulay Haneo, Greg Germann, Rade Serbedzija, Jay Hernandez, Johnathon Schaech, courtesy Sony. Only at the Movies November 27, 2009.
QUARANTINE
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Screen Producers conference 2008:
CALLS TO ACTION
The mood was upbeat and focused; a notable sense of purpose hung in the air at this year’s gathering of some 700 delegates from all over Australia and the world to cross pollinate, energize, network and pitch… Andrew L. Urban joined the fray.
In the Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture, Foxtel’s Brian Walsh tells the producers this is a time of opportunity: get on with it; FEATURE
Renowned media player Chris Adams (pictured), moving to Australia to make movies for the world, blasts (most) Australian feature screenplays as ‘shocking’; FEATURE
Incoming producers’ association President Antony I. Ginnane urges filmmakers to lift their game; FEATURE
Lifetime Membership Awards, delegation to India, other news from the conference; NEWS
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Latest:
NEWS:
It’s official: Happy Feet 2 (pic) will be made in Sydney, with happy tax incentives and a happy new digital facility to further boost NSW as a filmmaking centre. It’s made George Miller very happy; Goalpoast Pictures Australia is celebrating cinematography awards won by Mark Wareham and Kim Batterham; The 8th Annual Bondi Short Film Festival has received more than 190 film entries, a record;
BOX OFFICE:
Week, November 13-19: The first of the two most anticipated films of the year started well with a first day (Nov. 19) gross of $2 million, helping to lift the top 20 by 9% for the week, to $9.8 million. Next week, Australia will bring further cash into cinema tills. We predict a $14 million opening weekend. Also opened: The Wackness (MA, Madman) $68,701 on 16; Rock’n’Roll Nerd (MA, Madman) $6,235 on 3; Glass- A Portrait of Philip in 12 Parts (PG, Sharmill) $7,732 on 2.
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*Advertisement*
SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL
Come to the only Australian screening of Roger Spottiswoode's acclaimed drama SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL. Based on Lt-Gen Roméo Dallaire’s award-winning best-seller, this is the true story of the UN peacekeeping mission sent to Rwanda in 1993. A powerful tale of geopolitics, race, war and conflict resolution, this is a moving and thought-provoking dramatization of events whose lessons still resonate loudly today. The film will be followed by a Q&A with an expert from Amnesty International. Presented by Sydney's Canadian Film Festival and the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, the Australian premiere of SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL takes place at Dendy Opera Quays in Sydney, Sunday 30 November at 3:30pm. Book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
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AUSTRALIAN DVD OF THE WEEK
BLACK WATER – stars Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody, Andy Rodereda, Ben Oxenbould. “It’s tense and terrifying as a simple outing becomes a fatal nightmare,” says Louise.
  
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WORLD DVDS
WAR DANCE – Documentary. “This wonderful doco is heartbreaking and heartwarming by turns,” says Andrew.
MONGOL – stars Tabanobu Asano, Honglei Sun, Khulan Chuluun. “Vast landscapes, savage battles, sparring blood brothers and a poignant love story,” says Louise.
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HEAVY DUTY DVDS
THE FLOCK – stars Richard Gere, Claire Danes, KaDee Strickland. “Hong Kong crime specialist Andy Lau of Infernal Affairs fame, makes his English language directing debut with this solid thriller set in New Mexico,” says Andrew.
FELON – stars Stephen Dorff, Sam Shepard, Harold Perrineau. “The plot expands and gets more complex as the story progresses, and the dramatic tension ratchets up,” says Andrew.
REDACTED – stars Eric ‘Happy’ Anderson, Izzy Diaz, Patrick Carroll, Mike Figueroa. “we’re being manipulated, and the irony is that the filmmaker is trying to prove how manipulated we are by the various interests around the Iraq war,” says Andrew.
SWIMFAN SE – stars Jesse Bradford, Erika Christensen, Shiri Appleby. “A story about obsession, this sexy thriller is Australian actor turned director John Polson’s first US directing project,” says Louise.
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FUNNY HA HA DVDS (not)
GET SMART – stars Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp. “ .. it might have been taken to another level with a really sharp, witty script….” says Louise.
HANCOCK - stars Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman. “When Ray’s house is half demolished from ‘a sneeze’, things go seriously wrong with the script,” says Louise.
THE LOVE GURU – stars Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Ben Kingsley, Justin Timberlake. “Puerile and disappointing, what might have been a comical, irreverent look at Eastern guru wisdom a la Mike Myers is a load of balderdash,” says Louise.
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AUSTRALIAN FILMS
Every Australian film we have ever reviewed (film / video release), or have reported from the set, or featured in any way, is listed here, going back to films made even before the launch of Urban Cinefile, such as The Piano, Romper Stomper, Muriel’s Wedding, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and dozens more. Over 350 films. AUSTRALIAN FILMS
[Rolf De Heer's Dance Me To My Song, starring Heather Rose, Joey Kennedy, John Brumpton. Released October 22, 1998.
Feature
  
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HOW TO ADVERTISE ON URBAN CINEFILE
Reach over 50,000 dedicated movie & DVD consumers every month in the most targeted online environment. Distributors: ask about our low cost Distributors Direct offer. ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES, contact Andrew L. Urban or call: 02 9949 6700
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