On the Telly

It has been 50 years since the cinema release of Peter Weir’s iconic, offbeat, cult classic The Cars That Ate Paris. The film seared the image of a silver Volkswagen Beetle weaponised with deadly spikes into the national imagination. It also helped shape the tropes of Ozploitation filmmaking within the history of Australian cinema.

Main character Arthur Waldo (Terry Camilleri) and his older brother drive through idyllic countryside, filmed like a tourism commercial. But when a sign diverts them off the highway towards the fictitious town of Paris, it soon becomes clear the place survives on a “crash economy”.

Older men in the community orchestrate car crashes on the road into Paris and survivors are taken to a hospital where a psychopathic doctor experiments on them. The townsfolk trade luggage from the cars for food and clothing and wrecks are salvaged by youths who terrorise the community.

The mayor of Paris (John Meillon) pities Arthur and adopts him into his family. Arthur is eventually forced to work as the town’s sole parking inspector, gripped by a phobia of driving, having caused more than one death from behind the wheel.

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Watch on Apple TV+ or YouTube.

In short:

New rules that would have required streaming platforms such as Netflix to produce Australian content have been delayed indefinitely.

The rules were at the centre of the federal government's plans to help rejuvenate the local arts sector.

What's next?

Some in the local screen industry are hopeful the government will return to the changes after the next election.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/tv/epg/#/channel/ABCN (for Wednesday 5th of November)

Watching this now live on SBS. It's very confusing.

I cannot tell when actual footage is being used (AI colourised + cleaned up) or when it is re-enactments that have been re-colourised similarly to match. The program actively seems to not want me to be able to tell the difference.

It can't possibly be all based on period footage. There is too much in too high of quality and resolution.

Most (but not all of it) has had its framerate increased to be smooth, so I can't use that as a hint.

Sometimes the soldiers wave at the camera and the footage is a bit lower in quality. Other times they ignore the camera and look more like actors, but I can't be certain.

Some of the equipment looks wrong period (gasmasks) but I can't be sure. I really want to know now (I guess that means its a successful program in some ways). EDIT: Looks like the gasmask is legit!

Never thought watching a program on the SBS would unsettle me as much as this. I've seen AI colourised and interpolated footage, but not mixed with (what I think is) re-enactments in a way designed to stop you telling the differences.

EDIT: It's hard to find info about this show, it has a generic name and looks like it was only released this year.

• Watchable online in Aus right now: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/watch/2374216259693
• Main site (language switch at top-right): https://www.cccprod.com/en/production/apocalypse-d-day

Alternative title 'Twister 2: Geoengineering can save lives and is good actually'.

That's all I have to report. I had no idea this 'sequel' to the 1996 film Twister was some light geoengineering propaganda. Weirdly, climate change isn't mentioned once (correct me if I'm wrong). Which begs the question, why even introduce the idea of geoengineering as a solution to your tornado problem? Oh right, to provide some meaning to your characters otherwise meaningless lives. 'We have to help the townspeople', 'I want to make a difference' blah blah blah. I'm sure I'm butchering the actual dialog.

The only returning 'character' is Dorothy the scientific tornado instrument (a term pinched from a google search which pinched it from some wiki).

The film could also work as a stand-in for a very boring country and western mix-tape (or spotify playlist). I don't remember the original films soundtrack being so dull.

This movie blows.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/22035662

On Four Corners tonight (check your local guides):

Channel Seven bills itself as a family network, but a Four Corners investigation finds it to be a "second chance club" for senior men, described as a "degrading, soul-crushing" workplace.

Expect the attacks on the ABC to intensify .....

Laid up in bed this weekend with COVID. First time I've had it as far I know. Over the years all the RATs I did were negative but I finally got a positive this weekend. Yesterday was all fever and headaches.

This episode feels like the production has worked out the kinks of the new series. It's really great.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/13871609

Second last episode of the first Australian series.

Beware spoilers in the comments.

There's a few versions of the poster for this film. I chose the one without a gun. Bang bang.

The films tagline is Revenge gets ripped. I don't think this is a revenge movie. Not in the vein of the current genre of revenge flicks anyway.

I'd say this a romantic drama about two young women, one a body builder the other a gym manager who meet, hook up and fall in love.

But then shit gets real and violent consequences happen. It's set in the 80s for some reason, in New Mexico I think. There's some cool audio production, a few laughs and even some fantastical elements.

Some stuff might have gone over the top of my head. News coverage of the fall of the Berlin Wall on the tele in one or two scenes didn't seem to connect with anything other than the time setting. A tape recording of the ills of smoking and nicotine hint at something more than the fact that the main character struggles with quitting. Who knows, not me right now.

Check it out if you can. Screening in cinemas across oz.

Hope it's OK to post about movies on the big screen here. I figure I might do this until a flicks comm is created. I wanted to avoid using other instances movie comms.

We saw this the other night. It's brilliant. The main character is an artist (photographer) who works as a public toilet cleaner. A lot of reviews seem to have missed the connection to art and artists but that's understandable, the storytelling is subtle.

The last few scenes of the film might make you ball your eyes out in hope and joy. Or not.

Screenshot of SBS On Demand's Most Watched Movies list.

Evil is a wickedly fun monster of the week show and our latest 'guilty pleasure'. We're half a dozen episodes into the first season and Michael Emerson is creeping me out again. Also the costumes are amazing. For locals the first three seasons are available on Stan and other streaming services if you're subbed. Synopsis below.

A skeptical clinical psychologist joins a priest-in-training and a blue-collar contractor as they investigate supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other extraordinary occurrences to see if something truly supernatural is at work.

We're a couple of episode in. Reminds me a bit of Chernobyl. I don't know how best to describe the storytelling or narrative. It follows the investigation into the sinking and we get to see glimpses into the tragedy as it unfolds from the perspectives of the survivors, emergency crews and rescuers, and other folks who played a role in supporting the families and friends of the passengers as the investigation unfolds.

Low-key SciFi comedy from China. Hadn't heard of it before tonight. About halfway through so far. Bit of a slog at first but it's getting more interesting as the story progresses.

Not a lot of confidence that 10 wont butcher it somehow, but keen as heck to give it a go!

Watching on tubi. It's pretty great so far.

Any shows or flicks we should check out? My partner wants a break from their first foray into Deep Space Nine.