On "Australia"

From The Dispatch:

However, it's hard to deny "Australia's" visual splendor. The sweeping cinematography, the sumptuous production design and the rousing score are all glorious and keep the film engaging. And despite the film's inability to find a tone early on (Luhrmann's kitschy instincts are at times a hindrance here) and its inability to find a conclusion later, I was totally and completely caught up in it. Few other filmmakers can make my heart swell like Baz Luhrmann, and "Australia" is no exception. With a little more editorial restraint it could have been a great film; instead it is a beautifully rendered but flawed pastiche of the grand epics of old.

Click here to read my full review.