Father Geek back with Latauro and another pulse pounding peek at our latest issue of THE AICN DOWNUNDER REPORT. Sooooo with nothing to add I'll just turn you over to our man in the outback... Latauro...

No reviews today, I'm afraid. Instead of heading out to the cinema, I've been catching up on films I really should have seen by now (SPIRITED AWAY, local film THE BANK with Anthony La Paglia and David Wenham, and Jaramusch's GHOST DOG). So, while I try to convert my eyes from square-shaped to widescreen-shaped, here is this week's...

AICN-DOWNUNDER

It was just after I'd submitted last week's report from that lovely internet cafe in what I'll kindly refer to as 'downtown Hobart' that I read about the classification-refusal for KEN PARK. The rest of the world seems to be heading into McCarthy-era censorship; I'm glad to see the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification has finally jumped on the bandwagon.

Several years ago I walked in on someone watching Larry Clark's KIDS. I stuck around and watched the last five minutes, and came very close to throwing up. I couldn't understand why someone would want to make a film like that, I couldn't understand why someone would want to *watch* a film like that. The last few scenes of that film disgusted me, and I did what I get angry at other people for doing. I judged the entire film, as well as Larry Clark, on that snippet.

I acknowledge I should go back and watch the film as a whole to see it in context, but I have absolutely no desire to. I don't want to depress myself with a kitchen sink rape scene so I can be even-handed. I never want to see that film, or BULLY, or GUMMO (by the writer of KIDS), as long as I live. Am I being close-minded? Possibly. But that snippet of KIDS was all I was able to stomach, and I'm only going on gut instinct here. After all, shouldn't the only real criterion for film critiquing be our base reaction?

That said, there is a base truth that should be universally understood: banning Art, Film and Books is wrong. That kind of Censorship is wrong. So long as no laws have been broken, there is no legitimate argument to be made for the banning of KEN PARK.

The reason given by the Classification Review Board is that the film refers to scenes of 'child sexual abuse'. Films with scenes that have *simulated* child sexual abuse have been released, albeit with public and political upset. Are the scenes in KEN PARK simulated? No. But these acts are performed by actors over the age of 18.

The reaction has been fierce. Sydney Film Festival Director Gayle Lake said the Festival was 'disappointed by the decision and extremely surprised that...child sexual abuse was not cited in the original decision of the Classification Board'. The SFF will be 'seeking clarification' to this terminology, given the murky nature of the given reason.

Prominent film critic and former SFF director has referred to the action as scandalous, and is urging audiences to demand the ban be lifted by the government. 'This is important for freedom of speech in this country.'

In a time when the Dixie Chicks are being banned from US radio for exercising that free speech Americans are so proud of, when film events such as the 10th anniversary screening of BULL DURHAM is cancelled *in case* the actors say anything anti-war, all corners of the world now find themselves subject to censorship for any and all reasons. World events are being used as an excuse to infringe upon basic human rights, when the opposite should be happening. It's a dangerous regression.

In the meantime, I loathe Larry Clark's work, I will endeavor to avoid KEN PARK, and I hope that the Office of Film and Literature Classification evolve beyond the 1950s and allow this film to be seen and judged on its own merits, or lack there of.

NEWS

* The previously-reported animation HAPPY FEET (headed by George Miller's production company Kennedy/Miller) will be released in 2006. The penguin-themed film stars Elijah Wood as 'Mumble'.

* Naomi Watts (she of the weekly article headings which use the 'star wattage' pun) will star alongside Ewan McGregor in STAY. McGregor plays a psychologist who attempts to prevent a patient from taking their own life. Watts with either play the patient, or Standard Girl Character.

'Countdown' was the greatest thing about the 1980s. Those of you in the US, try to imagine American Bandstand hosted by an Aussie in a cowboy hat (which he still has, btw). Now it seems a $7.5million feature is being adapted. Called, coincidentally, COUNTDOWN, the film will feature many pop stars from the era, all of which should now have plenty of time on their hands.

* Serenity Cove studios (south of Sydney), have changed their studio construction order from six to eight, after interest in the development skyrocketed. This falls into line with just about every studio in Australia, most of which are booked up for years in advance.

* $3.1million will be injected into the township of Hunter over the next three years as filmmakers flock to the region. To give you some idea of how much inexplicable interest has been generated in the area, the Newcastle and Hunter Film and Television Office has been renamed Film Hunter. Really.

* Local distributor Hopscotch has picked up the Australian and New Zealand rights for Michael Moore's upcoming FARENHEIT 911, ensuring that the left and right will have much to talk about in the coming years.

* Finally, we would like to send out our condolences to the friends and family of Australian actor Trevor Goddard. Goddard, who lived in North Hollywood, had appeared in DEEP RISING, GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS, and TV series 'JAG'. Reports claim he died of a suspected drug overdose at his home. Before he died, he completed filming as 'Grapple' in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL.

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS

ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL

23-minute claymation HARVIE KRUMPET has taken out three of the top awards at Annecy, France. Narrated by Geoffrey Rush and written and animated by South Australian Adam Elliot, the film is proving a huge hit with critics, audiences, and judges alike.

2003 BANFF ROCKIE AWARDS

Film Australia's TED'S EVOLUTION has taken out the award in the Popular Science and Natural History category in Canada. The much-publicised film was screened in Australia on the ABC last Thursday.

2003 DENDY AWARDS

The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films - announced at the opening of the Sydney Film Festival on June 6th - had local film THE MASCOT taking out top spot.

BOX OFFICE

Something had to knock Keanu Reeves off the top spot eventually, and how fitting that it should be his blonde clone. Farrell and Ferrell fill up the next two spots, and WHALE RIDER continues to hold onto fifth.

Here are the Top Five...

• 1. 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS
• 2. MATRIX RELOADED
• 3. PHONE BOOTH
• 4. OLD SCHOOL
• 5. WHALE RIDER

RELEASED THIS WEEK

Chow-Yun Fat continues his search for silly titles, Delroy Lindo plays mad scientist, Vin Diesel remembers he made a film a couple of years ago, the thrilling final chapter of a fan-favourite trilogy brings closure to the masses, sex and subtitles meet again, doco makers find showboat shaggers, while Michelle and Renee send Kleenex sales through the roof.

Annnnd here they are...

• BULLETPROOF MONK
• THE CORE
• A MAN APART
• NAQUOYQATSI
• OPEN HEARTS
• SEX WITH STRANGERS
• WHITE OLEANDER

NEXT WEEK...

- Warner Bros. announces landmark crossover adaptation PERRY WHITE VS J. JONAH JAMESON

- Avi Arad signs Yoko Ono to write and direct DAREDEVIL spin-off JACK KIRBY: LAB ASSISTANT

- MPAA orders cuts to the forthcoming FANTASTIC FOUR movie. The film will now be released as the "PC THREE"

Peace out,

Latauro

PS: 365 days and counting!