Susan Lyons
Larceny, adultery, sabotage and treachery. Yes, just your typical Christmas with the Dredge family! Twelve-year-old Joey Dredge is in trouble again. Expelled for jumping off the school roof, he's haunted by his father's death and hates his mother's new boyfriend and his bullying son. Compounding his misery is the knowledge he has to spend Christmas with them at the family beach house. Things look grim until the unexpected arrival of great-grandfather Albert, fresh from a stint in prison. Forced to share the back shed with this swearing, farting and devious octogenarian, Joey's life changes. Between barbecuing the family dog, performing a self-burial and causing his intended step-father to consume a startling amount of hash, Joey learns a few life lessons from Albert, who despite his many vices may give Joey the strength to accept the past and embrace the future.
Private detective Dirk Trent, a collector of cigarette butts, a "smooth" ladies man, a wearer of bad suits, and he's convinced there's more to an incident he caught on tape, where a man seemed about to murder his mistress with an axe. Delving deeper, the film enters some seldom-trodden territory as it slips easily into horror and sci-fi, while still maintaining the hilarious dialogue
Lawyer Jeff Warren takes over a compensation case after the sudden death of one of his legal partners. His subsequent investigations, and growing obsession with the enigmatic Ellen Fielding, compromise his values and his view of himself as a winner. His attempts to solve the complex intrigues lead him to be accused of the murder of Ellen's husband, Harry, and even his longtime partner and friend, Alison, finds it difficult to believe that he is innocent. His moral dilemma leads him into a final graphic confrontation, with unexpected results.
In 1937, a routine passenger and mail flight crashes during bad weather on a flight between Brisbane and Sydney. A local bushman begins a search, and finds the wreckage and two survivors ten days after the crash.
In 1830's England, a young man from a good but troubled family is unjustly convicted of stealing a watch. He's transported to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) where he suffers under the enmity of Lt. Frere while falling in love with Sylvia, the Warden's daughter. Meanwhile, back in England, an imposter lays claim to the young man's inheritance.
Australia 1946. A young woman escapes from an unhappy affair to become tutor to three children who are being raised by their uncle.
