Whilst romanticised films about the Australian bush exist aplenty, there are few that portray the threat and direness associated with living a historically ‘bush’ way of life. There are also few films which question the fortune of those who decided to resettle in Australia. However this is what Lucky Country, the new Australian thriller by director Kriv Stenders (Boxing Day, Blacktown), encompasses. This film lives up to its thriller status with edgy characters and grisly moments. Set in 1902, it follows the lives of a small family who live in an isolated region in the Australian bush, their residence a small cabin enclosed in a dense landscape of flora and fauna. It is this landscape, conveyed as a malevolent omnipresent force that constantly watches those within, which is the backdrop to Stenders tense creation.

Memories of Nobody, from director Noriyuki Abe, is the first film adaptation of the long-running Bleach anime, based on the manga by Tite Kubo. Shiningami Rukia, and substitute-shinigami Ichigo, battle outlaws, samurai style, to save a vivacious spirit-entity. Although the film involves an offshoot storyline, it includes many of the characters from the original anime. A classically intricate plotline, and lots of magical samurai action infuse this anime with light and shade. However, the dubbing is a serious detraction.