Continental disaster

When I visited there in 2006-7, I loved Australia as a country. And devoted readers of this blog will know that I've loved Australia as a cricket team for many moons - supported them through thick and, occasionally, thin. But as a movie - oy, geshmerrnik! It's hard to describe how bad Australia is: hammy and ridiculous from the off, Nicole Kidman a joke, Hugh Jackman likewise, an intensely annoying child supposedly embodying cute charm and indigenous wisdom. I won't go on. I'll just tell you that until yesterday I'd only ever walked out of three movies in my life. (I'm talking, seen in the cinema; on video or DVD I've given up on plenty. But once you're there actually in the movie-house, in front of the big screen... well, it's an outing.) Australia was the fourth. It's an embarrassment.