P.J. Hogan

Australian who also did My Best Friend's Wedding. We'll see if he amounts to anything.


Muriel's Wedding (1994) -- Apparently, 1994 was the year for Australians to fall in love with ABBA again (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert also came out this year), and indeed this did present the world for a good case for loving them. The movie itself is sort of schizophrenic, being a goofball comedy one second and a downright depressing drama the next... which isn't a criticism, but it is a little off-putting for those used to seeing one genre at a time. Overall, this is pretty good (if not great) stuff, and the two lead actors will probably win you over. B

Peter Pan (2003) -- Well, it tries. The worst thing about this movie actually (no joke) is the musical score--which apparently was borrowed from Problem Child or something. The story of Peter Pan works when it's less kiddy, and this movie is a little too kiddy to be good. Sometimes it gets its dark on and does a decent job of expressing the movie's specific thesis of Peter Pan paying the price of being young forever by never being able to love (even though they eventually explode that theory and then don't do anything with it). Rachel Hurd-Wood, who plays Wendy, is exceptional and is probably the prettiest young teen celebrity at the moment. C


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