did Australia

• Over the weekend, in keeping with my fine run on the latest flicks, did "Australia", an english movie, that makes one feel that Joddha Akbar was a breeze in comparison. At a running time of 3 hrs plus, it felt uncannily akin to a typical Bollywood masala in several parts -including the climax, which believe me, each one of us wd have seen a zillion times over in Hindi movies.
  
  This love tale of Hugh Jackman (Drover) and Nicole Kidman (Lady Ashley) was set in 1939, against a backdrop of aboriginals and the stolen generation in Oz, culminating with the bombing of Darwin (post pearl harbour). Interesting and insightful stuff. But it seriously dragged in parts and atleast twice when one felt that the movie was over, it continued to meander on.
  Everytime i began snoozing (forgive me, we were in the 10pm show), was woken up by oohs, aahs and wows- from the adjoining seat (wife) and from the seat next to her (a friend). all these expressions of pure admiration were reserved for Hugh jackman. Good, tough looking guy. And if good horse riding is equivalent to good acting, he did a swell job. Were there any facial expressions that i missed ? (actually honestly, good body language, and screen presence). Nicole Kidman's role, in comparison, was rather bland and she managed to make it marginally better than insipid !
  
  If there is one part that makes the movie a must see - its the entire sequence of over 1500 cattle running amok over what seemed like a huge cliff...(was that the great barrier reef?). Outstanding stuff.
  one hoped that music cd have played a meatier role. there was surely space and need for it.