Search: Starring Jack Thompson

Australia undercuts its cinematic insecurities with heart, soul and imagination.

Being a loser is like dying by degrees. Mueller, with co-writer Kevin Kennedy, reflects this most accurately and Penn's performance runs contrary to anything he has done before.

When the moment of violence arrives, abruptly, at the half-way point, it does so in flurry of handheld camerawork, striking sound design and stark symbolism.

The film's biggest disappointment is that it just isn't very scary.

The buzz around December Boys has been considerable – but in truth it doesn’t bear the weight of expectation, being a slight and somewhat predictable coming of age drama with a heavy dose of religiosity.

While it's got some sections that are striking, it's a swing and a miss.

On the level of grand gestures and mythic narrative, the film is spectacular. In other ways, it struggles a little.

All this window dressing is just sleight of hand; pull it aside and there’s no movie there.

Taking natural sounds from the landscape, Chris Goodes has constructed a soundscape which shifts perfectly with the mood of the film, contributing to the sense of the balance of power and who is or is not an outsider.

Bowie and Sakamoto acquit themselves well, their otherworldly appearance and rougher edges in acting ability feel quite appropriate for the characters they are playing - outsiders.

There is no character developement, no tension.

Sen has crafted a tense thrill ride without ever forgetting his roots.

Where is the magic?