Top 25 Australian movies revealed in new poll

THE best Australian movies released since 2000 has been revealed in a new poll. How many have you seen and will your favourites be on the list?

MAD Max: Fury Road has been named the best Australian movie of the 21st century in a poll by 51 film critics.

Compiled by film website flicks.com.au, George Miller’s post-apocalyptic action epic came out in front in the list of the top 25 Australian movies released since 2000.

Starring Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy, Mad Max: Fury Road is a thrilling piece of work full of eye-popping effects and extravagant set pieces that earnt the film six Oscars.

David Michod’s 2010 crime drama Animal Kingdom came in second on the list, followed by Warwick Thornton’s Samson & Delilah, Andrew Dominik’s Chopper and Ray Lawrence’s Lantana to round out the top five.

Mad Max: Fury Road is one of Australia’s biggest cinema success stories. Picture: Jasin Boland/Warner Bros Pictures via AP

The films were chosen by 51 film critics across Australia (full disclosure, I was one of them), working across radio, TV, digital and print, split almost evenly across gender lines. It included Margaret Pomeranz (Foxtel), David Stratton (The Australian), Luke Buckmaster (The Guardian), Jason Di Rosso (ABC), Sandra Hall (Fairfax) and Rochelle Siemienowicz (SBS).

Each critic was asked to rank their personal top 10, which was then weighted and scored to come up with the final list. Flicks.com.au has also published how each individual critic voted.

The list is similar to one compiled by the BBC two years ago which surveyed over 150 critics around the world to assemble the 100 best movies released since 2000. Mulholland Drive topped that one while Mad Max: Fury Road was the highest Australian entry at number 19.

The top 25 movies list sought to highlight the gems of Australian cinema, drawing attention to a creative industry too often overlooked by local audiences in favour of flashier and bigger-budgeted Hollywood blockbusters.

Animal Kingdom was director David Michod’s debut feature.

With the exception of Mad Max: Fury Road, all top 25 movies are also not part of franchises (unless it was the originating film), the genre which now dominates the yearly box office.

Check out how many of these acclaimed films you’ve seen and add those you haven’t to your watchlist.

1. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) — George Miller

2. Animal Kingdom (2010) — David Michod

3. Samson & Delilah (2009) — Warwick Thornton

4. Chopper (2000) — Andrew Dominik

5. Lantana (2001) — Ray Lawrence

6. The Babadook (2014) — Jennifer Kent

7. The Proposition (2005) — John Hillcoat

8. Sweet Country (2018) — Warwick Thornton

9. Snowtown (2011) — Justin Kurzel

10. Mystery Road (2011) — Ivan Sen

11. Moulin Rouge! (2001) — Baz Luhrmann

12. Ten Canoes (2006) — Rolf de Heer, Peter Djigirr

13. Look Both Ways (2005) — Sarah Watt

14. Hail (2011) — Amiel Courtin-Wilson

15. The Dressmaker (2015) — Jocelyn Moorhouse

16. The Dish (2000) — Rob Sitch

17. Lion (2016) — Garth Davis

18. The Tracker (2002) — Rolf de Heer

19. Noise (2007) — Matthew Saville

20. Kenny (2006) — Clayton Jacobson

21. Sherpa (2015) — Jennifer Peedom

22. Mary and Max (2009) — Adam Elliot

23. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) — Mel Gibson

24. Wolf Creek (2005) — Greg McLean

25. Predestination (2014) — Michael Spierig

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