Australian Director Baz Luhrmann has made three interesting motion pictures in his short film career. “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) was a brilliant twist on the movie musical, while “Strictly Ballroom” (1992) and “Romeo + Juliet” (1996) — with Leonardo DiCarprio — were both well made and unique.

Now he tries to go in an entirely different direction with “Australia” an epic Western set in the Northwest Territory of his homeland around the time of World War II.

The movie starts with the frenetic type of editing seen in “Moulin Rouge!” which is distracting during the setup of the story, but after the first half-hour, Luhrmann settles into the more leisurely pace that a long epic type of movie should take.

The leads in “Australia” are Nicole Kidman as Lady Sarah Ashley and Hugh Jackman as an unnamed drover. (A drover is an Australian cowboy, someone who drives cattle or horses long distances.) Jackman’s Drover is a man who is comfortable with both the native and white culture, and both the modern and primitive lifestyles of the times.

Lady Ashley is an English aristocrat who travels to the Territory to sell her family ranch. It is interesting that Kidman, an Australian, plays an Englishwoman and needed a dialect coach.

After coming through the desert and experiencing the land in several comical situations, Lady Ashley decides to make a go of the ranch, much to the chagrin of the big cattle baron of the territory, King Carney, played by Bryan Brown.

The movie is narrated by a young boy, Nullah, a product of a liaison between the evil Neil Fletcher (David Wenham) and an Aborigine woman.

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Brandon Walters plays Nullah and is the heart of the story. It takes a strong presence to carry off the role, and Walters was an excellent choice to play the role.

Walters is sweet and strong as the young boy caught in the middle of two entirely different cultures. He is drawn to Ashley and Drover, but feels a strong and spiritual pull from his Aboriginal grandfather King George, played by David Gulpifil.

Skillfully played by Wenham with the appropriate menace, Fletcher is the cruel station manager of Lady Ashley’s ranch, but is under the control of Carney. After being dismissed because of his brutal demeanor, Fletcher makes it his life’s work to take the ranch from its rightful owner.

As with most movies of epic proportions, there need to be exciting action sequences, someone triumphing over a devastating experience and of course, an element of romance.

While “Australia” features all those components, there is still something missing. Outside of the frenetic opening half hour, as the story unfolds, well, it just seems to lack heart.

In an epic tale — such as “Gone With The Wind” or “Forrest Gump” — one must feel deeply for a character and be drawn into his or her story. The characters in “Australia” seemed just too distant.

It is hard to spend almost two and a half hours and not feel invested in the story, but that was my experience with “Australia.”

“Australia” is rated PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality and brief strong language. The movie has a running time of 2 hours, 46 minutes. It is playing in wide release.

(3 stars out of 5.)

CAPSULE REVIEW: “Twilight”

Bella Swan, the misfit girl, and Edward Cullen, the sensitive vampire, are star-crossed lovers in this adaptation of a very popular novel by Stephenie Meyer.

The love story is OK and hits the mark with the target audience — women of all ages. The special effects are a bit amateurish and the pace is close to a standstill.

But Krist Stewart and Robert Pattinson in the lead roles are effective and believable. And of couse, the resolution sets up the sequel. Three stars out of five. Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality.

BRAD'S TOP 10 FAVORITE EPICS

By Brad Memberto / Staff Writer

With “Australia,” Baz Luhrmann tried to make an old fashioned epic movie. What is an epic? To me it is a human drama set against a large landscape and dramatic circumstances. Dramatic does not always mean there can’t be comedy involved.

The films that fall under my 10 Favorite Epics meet those criteria. Let us see if you agree or disagree with my list

10) “Saving Private Ryan” (1998)

The opening segment is the most dramatic, graphic and gut-wrenching battle scene ever put on film, in this Steven Speilberg classic. The story is a simple one: A squad of soldiers are sent on a quest to find the lone surviving son of a GI family. Tom Hanks once again is the heart and soul of the movie and is picture perfect.

9) “The Great Race” (1965)

Who said epics have to always be serious? Blake Edwards directs the ideal cast in this around-the-world farce. Jack Lemmon as Professor Fate is hysterical as the bad guy, along with his sidekick, Max, played by Peter Falk. Tony Curtis is the ideal hero as The Great Leslie, and Natalie Wood has never been more beautiful or funny. The greatest pie fight and sword fight ever in a movie.

8) “Titanic” (1997)

High adventure, star-crossed lovers and great special effects make this movie a must see. Yes, it’s hokey, but it is a great movie experience. Just make sure you leave before the closing credits and Celine Dion.

7) “The English Patient” (1996)

What greater human drama than a love that can never be? Brilliantly directed by Anthony Minghella, Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas are great as the doomed lovers. But Juliette Binoche steals the show as the loyal army nurse caring for the dying patient. Binoche won one of the nine Oscars the film was awarded.

6) “How The West Was Won” (1962)

It took three directors — Henry Hathaway, John Ford and George Marshall — to make this wide ranging epic about the westward movement across America. The movie features a Who’s Who of stars and was filmed in the Cinerama format. The best segments are the three directed by Hathaway (The Rivers, The Plains and The Outlaws). All three include spectacular action sequences.

5) “Forrest Gump” (1994)

To me, this is the most personal and intimate of all epic stories as we follow a simple-minded, but very successful Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks in an award winning performance. The Oscar-winning special effects are presented very convincingly by director Robert Zemeckis. Gary Sinise is brilliant as Lieutenant Dan, and Robin Wright is heartbreaking as Gump’s one and only love, Jenny.

4) “Ben Hur” (1959)

The Chariot Race. Need I say more? Charlton Heston is even more heroic then when he played Moses in “The Ten Commandments,” in this big-screen spectacular. As impressive as this movie is on television, imagine what it was like in a movie theater. The movie, directed by William Wyler, won a record 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

3) “Little Big Man” (1970)

Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as 112-year-old Jack Crabbe in this great revisionist Western directed by Arthur Penn. Hoffman ages from a teenager to the old man narrating his spectacular life and adventures in his days in the West, from Indian life to gunslinger to Little Big Horn. Chief Dan George is a hoot as Crabbe’s Indian mentor, Old Lodge Skins.

2) “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962)

This movie is the reason the word “spectacular” is in the English language. The Sahara Desert is the backdrop for this amazing story. Peter O’Toole has never been better, as T.E. Lawrence, an English aristocrat caught up in Arab fighting during World War I in Africa. David Lean directs this epic. The action scenes are wonderful, especially the raid on a moving train in the middle of the desert. Omar Sharif, Alec Guiness and Anthony Quinn all are outstanding.

1) “Gone With The Wind” (1939)

Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler — the greatest doomed love story of all time, set in the South during and after the Civil War. One of the best movies ever. Vivian Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard and Olivia De Havilland are all terrific in probably their best roles ever. Great story, great action and great acting, all under amazing circumstances. The burning of Atlanta is still one of the better action scenes ever.

I know I left out the “Lord Of The Rings” trilogy, which probably would have made the list if it had been one thrilling three-hour movie, instead of three boring ones. Did I miss any others? Let us know at bmemberto@santamariatimes.com.

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Here are the responses from last week’s list of favorite Christmas movies. Thanks for the responses and keep them coming.

Steve Farrell agreed with most of my list, but came up with a different selection.

“Good list, especially your top three. The one you missed for me is “The Bishop’s Wife” with Cary Grant. I’d put that as number four.”

Brandi simply says, “Scrooged, Bill Murray.”

And Michelle from Atascadero said, “Well, Brad I agree with you on some ... my all time favorite Christmas Vacation, and of course Home Alone.”

bmemberto@santamariatimes.com