Jay_boy_ Reviews

Population: 11 (2024– )

Another deliciously quirky Aussie outback mystery

[9/10 · 16 March 2024]

Another deliciously quirky Aussie outback mystery from Stan, following on from the likes of "The tourist" again streamed on Stan.

I didn't realise Population 11 was "loosely based" on the unsolved murder of Paddy Moriarity in Larrimah, Northern Territory. So I urge viewers to take in "A dog act: The disappearance of Paddy Moriarity" on ABC iView (Australia) or even the Netflix series "Last stop Larrimah" for reference and several more quirky outback characters.

Anyway, there's laughs a plenty from the cast, and many Australians will recognise Stephen Curry and Nicole from Muriel's wedding. (Pippa Grandison)

A sharp soundtrack accompanies the series.

Guy Ritchie's the Covenant (I) (2023)

Breathtaking first half ... miraculous second ...

[7/10 · 13 May 2023]

I had a similar problem with this film as I did with operation fortune. That is, I love the director and lock, stock should be on any top 10. However, the x factor the director had with lock, stock has waned significantly.

Thankfully, it appears the director has gone down a different path here with The Covenant as opposed to the usual formula and boy does it work.

The first half is breathtakingly exciting. I'm talking edge of your seat stuff, it's that good. The main characters are all great, and the soundtrack delivers too.

It's the final shootout that leaves me a little empty. Stuck on a bridge with seemingly hundreds of Taliban shooters, the rescue party never gets shot or even wounded ?

Possibly the next Guy Ritchie film could finally rediscover his old x factor and deliver a 10.

God's Country (II) (2022)

Hoping for less gun violence.

[7/10 · 31 March 2023]

As a huge fan of the "dramatic landscape slow burn" genre, this delivers. I was, however, disappointed in the shotgun finale.

Thandie Newton is terrific, as usual, as an ex cop that had to flee the city.

Based on a short story, originally with bow hunting rednecks and an escalating battle of wits over property access for hunting purposes.

The films delivers emotionally, too. In a tiny regional church where Cassandra (Newton) attends a service after stalking one of the rednecks taking his mother there, they come very close to bonding, incredibly.

Perhaps the stark finale was only suited to a shotgun ending, given everything the viewer knows at this point. And it is, of course, definitive. But given the natural beauty we see throughout the film, I would hope there could of been another way.

Mystery Road (2013)

A rich Australian neo-western.

[9/10 · 16 September 2018]

This Australian neo-western is a rich film. Rich in cinematography, rich in characters and also richly confrontational delving into social and racial problems.

We follow Jay Swan (Aaron Pederson) that returns to his remote childhood town after moving to the city and rising to the rank of detective to investigate the murder of an indigenous teenage girl.

Jay specialises in verbal brevity but the tone of the film is perfectly supported by the outstanding cast that is well worth a mention.

Hugo weaving is Johno the detective and we're never exactly sure where his allegiances lie, Bruce Spence as the local mortician, Zoe Carides as the hotel manager of the exquisitely named Dusk til Dawn hotel, Jack Thompson as the old timer mourning the loss of his chihuahua, Tony Barry as the enigmatic police sergeant, David Field as the racist redneck farmer, Tasma Walton as Swan's ex wife and struggling single parent, Damian Walsh-Howling as the local hyundai driving bad bay and of course Jack Charles with that wonderful hair and warm, authoritative voice.

The film is a visual and audible delight, with squeaky gates and signs, animal noises, dramatic landscapes and some Tarantinoesque scenes the master director would be proud of.

Throughout the film we see a small outback town struggling with entrenched racism and poverty and new blight on the landscape, illegal meth labs supported by a local cop. With those brooding eyes it's easy to see the angst Jay feels as we travel to massacre creek, slaughter hill and the textbook final shootout at Mystery Road.