The Turning

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Kari H This by far is the worst movie I have ever seen in my life and I’m 40. It seemed like it would if a bunch of kids went up and only told unfinished stories and none of them were clear waste of time Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/10/24 Full Review Audience Member This highly intellectual anthology film lacks substance and depth in too many of its short stories to remain consistently engaging for its entire 3 hour duration, but is often beautifully captured and scored. I would have appreciated more diversity and variety from the writing and characters too. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Based on a book by Tim Winton. An Australian art film, lasting two and half tedious hours. It's composed of nine smaller segment films none of which relate to one another. Each of which explores various 'turning points' in the depicted characters' lives. But as soon as you engage with the plot, off it goes to yet another unrelated storyline. Its like watching a series of movie trailers. Not enjoyable. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member An ambitious collaboration gives mixed results. Some stories are outstanding - Sand is beautiful, Reunion hilarious and On Her Knees insightful. Others such as Abbreviation, Immunity and Boner McPharlin's Moll fail to capture the depth of Winton's characters that made his stories so admirable. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Overlong, overwrought and overly depressing The Turning is another example of an Australian film or in this particular case 18 mini-films existing for seemingly the sole reason to showcase just how sad and miserably us Aussie's can be and how life here is obviously just far too tough. With much talent and much promise behind this project it is therefore sad to admit that this 3 hour wannabe opus developed by Balibo director Robert Connolly is just such a miserable and tough watch. Based upon a collection of author Tim Winton's short stories The Turning's ties that bind are all participants are alive and going through the motions, motions that rarely if ever detour from a soul hurting ambiance of depression that tinges the entire film with such a sour taste it's hard to see why it exists other than to try and be realistic and haunting but what we end up with is a film that could act as some form of torture for those asked to sit down with it for 3 hours. This raggedly assembled collages of pain go from trailer trash domestic abuse cases, man called "Bonar", cops caught up in corruption and creepy ginger kids who like to play with loaded rifles. These mini-episodes of grief and depravity are all so short and uninvolving that you forget that not only in front of the camera is talent but behind it also. Featuring a varied collection of some of Australia's favourite and best actors including Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Rose Byrne and Richard Roxburgh the film promises to be a fine showcase to strut the acting ability of our nation but in the end product it would be suffice to say that only Rose Byrne and Hugo Weaving make any sort of go at material that must of been hard to work with. behind the camera also we have many fine Australian based directors in Justin Kurzel, Warwick Thornton and Tony Ayres along with actors David Wenham and Mia Wasikowska trying their hands at developing some nice little tales of hard lives. Many of the pieces are fine looking and feature a well constructed score but its hard to recommend them on this alone. The Turning is a missed opportunity that offered to gather together some of the finest film centric people Australia has to offer but thanks to a disjointed feel to the material, a reliance of being emotional rather than entertaining and a bunch of truly unneeded episodes the film is just a complete train wreck that at 3 hours is a particular journey you don't need to or should want to take. All on screen and behind screen have done better and will do better in the future making The Turning a film you can avoid without a second doubt. 1 and a half depressing life snapshots out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check out - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Too long and too many stories to engage anyone. That said the scenery and acting was tip top. Not sure any really stood out. But it was good to spot the like of Weaving, Blanchett etc Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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