Guardian Australia’s film critic picks the crop from the movies that made it to market in a year that has been anything but ordinary
It’s been a tough year, hasn’t it folks – with horrific bushfires, a global pandemic and the continued existence of Pete Evans. To say the spread of coronavirus has affected the worldwide movie industry is of course something of an understatement. The pandemic is acting as a great accelerant, fastening pre-existing trends towards a streaming-centric industry.
The Australian film industry is more practised at being resilient than Hollywood, with homegrown productions battling for audiences at the best of times. This year they more than held their own, delivering plenty of fine works in a wide range of genres.
It’s been a tough year, hasn’t it folks – with horrific bushfires, a global pandemic and the continued existence of Pete Evans. To say the spread of coronavirus has affected the worldwide movie industry is of course something of an understatement. The pandemic is acting as a great accelerant, fastening pre-existing trends towards a streaming-centric industry.
The Australian film industry is more practised at being resilient than Hollywood, with homegrown productions battling for audiences at the best of times. This year they more than held their own, delivering plenty of fine works in a wide range of genres.
- 12/17/2020
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
A documentary series on the history of the Australian continent, makeover series Bringing Sexy Back and a crime show starring Rebecca Gibney are among the highlights of the Seven Network.s 2014 line-up.
The previously announced miniseries Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of Inxs and new seasons of The X Factor; My Kitchen Rules, House Rules, The Amazing Race Australia and Dancing with the Stars are among the other local shows which the network is counting on to continue its run of seven straight years as the primetime ratings leader.
Essential Media & Entertainment will produce Australia: The Story of Us, which will use CGI and dramatic re-enactments to chronicle the history of the Australian people, places and events from the first footprints to the present day.
Bringing Sexy Back is a makeover series which aims to transform ordinary Australians into something extraordinary. It.s an original Seven format being produced in-house.
The previously announced miniseries Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of Inxs and new seasons of The X Factor; My Kitchen Rules, House Rules, The Amazing Race Australia and Dancing with the Stars are among the other local shows which the network is counting on to continue its run of seven straight years as the primetime ratings leader.
Essential Media & Entertainment will produce Australia: The Story of Us, which will use CGI and dramatic re-enactments to chronicle the history of the Australian people, places and events from the first footprints to the present day.
Bringing Sexy Back is a makeover series which aims to transform ordinary Australians into something extraordinary. It.s an original Seven format being produced in-house.
- 10/22/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
My Kitchen Rules could soon air on Us television. The Australian reality TV show is fronted by Manu Feildel and Pete Evans, and follows couples transforming their homes into instant restaurants. The rights to the format have now been sold to Us production company Kinetic Content in a multi million-dollar deal. The sale took place at annual television trade show Miptv in Cannes, where this year's trends were reportedly dating and quiz shows. Kinetic producer Chris Coelen told Deadline: "Very rarely does a new format so quickly rocket to and sustain such massive success, and My Kitchen Rules has taken Australia by storm. "It is a universal format that we believe (more)...
- 4/6/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
My Kitchen Rules bosses have already started searching for contestants to take part in the next series. The reality show on the Seven Network, which is judged by celebrity chefs Manu Feildel and Pete Evans, follows couples as they try to transform their homes into an instant restaurant. Only a few days after season three's grand final, the official My Kitchen Rules website has posted a link to a casting call asking for people who "cook with love", "entertain with flair" and have "a passion for perfection". The advert reads: "We want you! Apply now! The search is on for new teams to take part in the next series of My Kitchen Rules. Teams (of two) will have to show off their cooking skills as they work together, against the (more)...
- 3/29/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Leigh Sexton and Jennifer Evans have won My Kitchen Rules 2012. The Adelaide duo were crowned the winners of the Australian cooking reality show after beating best friends Nic Mazzone and Rocco La Bella in a challenge to prepare a five-course meal for a full restaurant. Leigh and Jennifer scored 58 out of a possible 60 for their crab congee, scallops and Xo sauce, quail, wagyu beef ribs and chocolate and hazelnut cake. Judge Pete Evans described their entree as "elegant and delicate". Nic and Rocco were awarded 52 points for their Moroccan tuna with cured salmon, bug tails, spatchcock, pork belly and chocolate raspberry pop delight dessert and were praised (more)...
- 3/27/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
My Kitchen Rules stars Megan Woodman and Andy Appleby have got married in a secret ceremony. The Tasmanian couple, who were eliminated from the reality cooking show earlier this week, exchanged vows in front of friends, family and former co-stars in a service held in Perth. Woodman and Appleby got engaged over a year ago. Appleby told PopSugar: "We were going to get married in November but it got put off because of the show. So we just moved [the date]. Me and Megan had done most of the planning for that. "It was awesome! It was very hectic with a bit of media coverage there, but the actual wedding was brilliant, and all of Megan's family was there." Appleby said that they did invite My Kitchen Rules judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans, but they were busy with TV commitments. However, their fellow contestants Nic and Rocco and Emma (more)...
- 3/27/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
The finalists for My Kitchen Rules 2012 have been revealed. Nic Mazzone and Rocco La Bella impressed judges Pete Evans and Manu Feildel with their bird's nest pasta, King George whiting and dolci misti, scoring 44 out of 60. Sisters Carly and Emily Cheung were praised for their dukkah crusted scallops, duck confit and Persian love cakes, with guest judge Karen Martini calling their dessert the best she'd had for the whole My Kitchen Rules season, but were still eliminated from the cooking competition. After being told that they would be leaving the show, Carly told Nic and Rocco: "You've done us proud today and we think you're amazing cooks." She added: "We are really happy and are definitely leaving with our head (more)...
- 3/26/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Megan Woodman and Andy Appleby have been eliminated from My Kitchen Rules. In Sunday night's (March 25) semi-final, the Tasmanian duo were asked to leave the competition after being beaten in a cooking challenge by Leigh Sexton and Jennifer Evans. Megan and Andy were awarded 46 out of 60 for their meal of sesame pork rice paper rolls, seafood chowder and a chocolate marquise, but judges Pete Evans and Manu Feildel slightly preferred Leigh and Jennifer's Murray cod confit, twice-cooked pigeon and Earl Grey tea tart and gave them 52 points. Evans referred to both meals as "menus of the highest order", but Leigh and Jennifer's "luxurious" food just outshone their rivals. He told Megan and Andy: "You're the essence of this (more)...
- 3/25/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
The final match-ups for My Kitchen Rules have been revealed. The Australian cooking reality show, which is hosted and judged by celebrity chefs Manu Feildel and Pete Evans, has now progressed into the semi-final stages after siblings Steve Georgiou and Helen Demetriou were eliminated earlier this week. It was revealed in last night's episode that Megan Woodman and Andy Appleby will go head-to-head with best friends Leigh Sexton and Jennifer Evans in Sunday night's My Kitchen Rules semi-final episode, while Nic Mazzone and Rocco La Bella have been pitted against sisters Carly and Emily Cheung. Last night, (more)...
- 3/23/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Steve Georgiou and Helen Demetriou have left My Kitchen Rules. The siblings from New South Wales went head-to-head against Megan Woodman and Andy Appleby in a sudden death cook-off as part of the Australian reality TV show's special elimination week. Steve and Helen prepared a rolled chicken dish with Greek cheese sauce and spinach rice and scored 36 out of 60, but failed to beat Megan and Andy's 50-point jambalaya. Judge Pete Evans told the eliminated couple: "It is with great sadness we have to say goodbye to you. You were the first cab off the rank with your instant restaurant, and ever since then it's been so much fun getting to know you both.'' Helen described her My Kitchen Rules experience as "amazing", saying: "We've been (more)...
- 3/22/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
David and Scott have left My Kitchen Rules. The soldiers from Queensland were eliminated after going up against South Australians Leigh and Jennifer in a cooking challenge. The duo scored 49 out of 60 for their lobster and basil gnocchi, but judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans gave Leigh and Jennifer 52 for their mulloway with celeriac puree. After the elimination was announced, Leigh and Jennifer both burst into tears. Leigh said: "We are so sad to see them go. They are just great Aussie blokes. They're beautiful. The world isn't full of people like this, and if it was it'd be a better place." (more)...
- 3/20/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Thomas and Carla have left My Kitchen Rules. The friends from Victoria were eliminated from the Channel Seven cooking show last night after a sudden death cook-off against Megan and Andy from Tasmania. In a nod to their trip to tropical North Queensland, both teams were challenged to create a three course meal using Moreton Bay bugs, macadamia nuts and mangoes. Judge Pete Evans praised Thomas and Carla for the "beautiful presentation" of their bug cake starter, but Manu Feildel said that using that particular shellfish to make a fishcake was "a bit of a waste". Evans said that their main course of paneer with macadamias and coriander sauce was "good", but the ratios in their mango cream dessert were "out of place". The couple were awarded 32 points, but it was not enough to beat Megan and Andy's (more)...
- 3/14/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
My Kitchen Rules contestants Emma and Andrew have slammed the show for strategic voting. The West Australian scientists - who were eliminated from the Pete Evans and Manu Feildel-hosted reality cooking show earlier this week after scoring 42 out of 100 - said that they were disappointed to discover that competitor Thomas tactically voted to ensure that they scored less than 49 points during the instant restaurant round. > 'My Kitchen Rules' Thomas and Carla vow revenge after dismal scores Andrew told The Age: "It was definitely disappointing to know that sort of business was going on. It just sucks because so much effort goes into those evenings and you nearly kill yourself doing it and then you go, 'Oh, (more)...
- 3/2/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Emma and Andrew have been eliminated from My Kitchen Rules. The engaged scientists from Perth became the first couple to leave the cooking reality TV competition after failing to impress judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans and their fellow contestants with their food. Emma and Andrew scored only 42 points for their Asian-themed dishes, with Evans describing their duck with prawn and wanton soup as "inedible". After their elimination, Emma said: "It's been up, it's been down, it's been fun, but it was too short." Andrew added: "We ate and learnt so much. We did something only a handful of people (more)...
- 2/29/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Two contestants from My Kitchen Rules have vowed revenge after being scored poorly on the show. Thomas Carr and Carla Mangion - best friends from Melbourne - said that they were irritated when they only managed to score 19 out of 50 from their fellow contestants in last night's episode. The duo served up asparagus, leek and tarragon soup, followed by a main of fig and pistachio crusted lamb leg and a lemon and lime tartlet for dessert. Judge Pete Evans said that the tartlet flavours were too "sharp and acidic", scoring it a six. Carr later told the Herald Sun: "Tonight aggravated me beyond doubt. There was no way that was 19 out of 50. It is all going to come around and bite them on (more)...
- 2/21/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
My Kitchen Rules' Pete Evans has gone public with his relationship with Nicky Watson. The 39-year-old Australian celebrity chef, who is a judge on the reality television show alongside Manu Feildel, is believed to have slimmed down since he started dating New Zealand glamour model Watson. According to The Daily Telegraph, the new couple were spotted together with pro surfer Joel Parkinson on Manly Beach earlier this week, with Evans showing off a slimmer, more toned physique. Evans split from skier Astrid Edlinger last year. The pair were together for 11 years, during which time they had two children Chilli and Indi. After their separation, Edlinger claimed that Evans's rising profile altered him, (more)...
- 2/15/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
A couple from My Kitchen Rules have revealed that they are upset at how they have been portrayed on the show. Thomas Carr and Carla Mangion from Victoria, who failed to impress judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans with their blueberry and lavender dessert earlier this week, said that they blame TV bosses for editing their footage to make them look like villains. Carr told the Herald Sun: "It's really disappointing that Carla and I are being portrayed quite badly. "Monday night was a fine example. We said beautiful things about (the soldiers') desserts and their entrées, but the only time I was shown talking was my negative remark about the main course. "I hope people acknowledge it is a TV show and the characters they're building aren't really us." Mangion added that she was trying (more)...
- 2/8/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
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