Snowtown is another entry in the resurgence of Australian cinema that has been occuring over the past few years and marks the debut of a very promising director whose bleak, uncompromising style is a perfect fit for the telling of the notorious Snowtown murders that took place in the late 90's. What could easily be exploited for pure shock value, of which there is still plenty in the film, is instead a slow-burning account of acts of inhumane depravity set in a part of society equally as unforgiving and brutal. The depressing quality of the living conditions in Snowtown are constantly prevalent and make the film a life-sucking, harrowing experience. The camera is barely noticable, keeping things simple, to the…

30 Countries, 30 Days.
Day 8

Country: Austraila
Time Period: 1990's
Theme: revenge, the killer that lives within us
Style of Subtitle: Thin yellow font, running up the screen like typed Closed Captioning
Funniest / Oddest Subtitle: [tone merges with intense electronic music…], [exhales raggedly]
What did I learn about the country: They have cool old stand up arcade machines
Coincidental relation to last country I watched: Mention of bombs
I heard there's an American remake planned: Starring Heath Ledger as Jamie, Richard Karn as John Bunting, Iggy Pop as that old dude, Mena Suvari as Elizabeth. Directed by Harmony Korine.

I currently training for the NY Marathon, but the endurance needed to get through the last few films I've…

It's hard to call Snowtown a "good" movie. It is, but its not a movie you can go watch for casual fun. It's an important movie, and its very well made. But Roger Ebert finally put the right words into my mouth when he says that some movies work better in memory than they do on screen. It's easy for me to sit here and praise what I just saw, but at the same time I have this feeling deep down in my gut that I probably will never want to watch this film again.

But not because its bad, mind you! But because its such an emotionally draining experience. I use the word "unflinching" a lot on here, but…

Justin Kurzel's debut is a brutal and exhausting excursion based on the exploits of one of Australia's most infamous serial killers, John Bunting. Kurzel accepts the challenges the subject throws at him. Capturing the terror with an overwhelmingly and ever-intensifying tone that is as bleak as it is unsettling - powered by Jed Kurzel's forceful score. It goes without saying that it isn't for everyone, but it sure is a hell of a piece of filmmaking.

Unlike most films dealing with a serial killer, Snowtown is shown from the eyes of an outsider. 16-year-old Jamie lives with his family is a lower-class neighborhood. After an encounter with a pedophile, Jamie develops a friendship with John, charismatic man who quickly becomes…

The devil makes work for idle hands. It is an often said idiom and one most accurately represented in Snowtown, a film about one of Australia’s most notorious serial killers. The Adelaide suburb of Snowtown is grey, poverty stricken and unremittingly depressing. The disenfranchised are unable to escape their situation and end up idly wallowing in their misfortune. It is in this environment that a charismatic figure like John Bunting can worm his way into a family and community manipulating and infecting it with his twisted world view. The serial killer movie so often wants to paint the murderer as somebody so broadly psychotic and unable to function in society that it creates a safe distancing effect between them and…

Het is al even niet langer peis en vree in de ongerepte Australische outback. Enkele jaren geleden bracht een Australische windhoos nog de licht fantastische films ‘Animal Kingdom’ en ‘The Square’ in de rekken van uw lokale videotheek (wee de distributeurs die weigerden deze kleinoden uit te geven’) én dit jaar is het de beurt aan ‘Snowtown’, een beenharde en licht fantastische uppercut van een film die u niet onberoerd zal achterlaten.

Als uitgangspunt voor zijn verontrustende debuutfilm baseerde regisseur Justin Kurzel zich op de ‘snowtown murders’, een reeks notoire moorden die de stad Snowtown te midden van de jaren ’90 op zijn grondvesten deed daveren. Kurzel vertelt zijn verhaal vanuit het perspectief van de jonge Jaimie, een stugge tiener…

I watched Snowtown because I've seen so much buzz about filmmaker Justin Kurzel lately. His name is being touted with many upcoming big film projects. I wondered why because Snowtown is the only film he has under his belt. After seeing the film, I understand the buzz. Snowtown is an example of great filmmaking with style.

The film tells the true story of Australia's worst serial killer, John Bunting. As you might expect, the film depicts horrific events, but somehow Kurzel manages to avoid sensationalizing them. At times, the film feels like a documentary because of its realistic presentation of events.

The film is not for the weak of heart because it contains graphic scenes of torture, rape, and murder.…

30 Countries, 30 Days.
Day 8

Country: Austraila
Time Period: 1990's
Theme: revenge, the killer that lives within us
Style of Subtitle: Thin yellow font, running up the screen like typed Closed Captioning
Funniest / Oddest Subtitle: [tone merges with intense electronic music…], [exhales raggedly]
What did I learn about the country: They have cool old stand up arcade machines
Coincidental relation to last country I watched: Mention of bombs
I heard there's an American remake planned: Starring Heath Ledger as Jamie, Richard Karn as John Bunting, Iggy Pop as that old dude, Mena Suvari as Elizabeth. Directed by Harmony Korine.

I currently training for the NY Marathon, but the endurance needed to get through the last few films I've…

Riveting but not the best choice of movie to watch before bed. I can't say I enjoyed Snowtown. I loved it, was moved by it, but it is easily the most disturbing movie I have ever seen. Parts of it I never wish to experience again. Character's are evil incarnate, others cowardice worn like a badge. It's shot well with brave juxtaposition that maybe suggested too much at times, but was oddly intriguing. Such as a screech of a motorcycle being interrupted by music from an ice cream truck. And shots of bikes in the lawn with a bloody bath tub...yeah.

These characters live such unbearable lives. The family's house is so degraded (I think there's a pile of garbage…

It's hard to call Snowtown a "good" movie. It is, but its not a movie you can go watch for casual fun. It's an important movie, and its very well made. But Roger Ebert finally put the right words into my mouth when he says that some movies work better in memory than they do on screen. It's easy for me to sit here and praise what I just saw, but at the same time I have this feeling deep down in my gut that I probably will never want to watch this film again.

But not because its bad, mind you! But because its such an emotionally draining experience. I use the word "unflinching" a lot on here, but…