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Reviews
Call of the Wild (1992)
at least Buck is a real dog
As a septuagenarian, I have many years of viewing made for TV movies with my children and my grandchildren. I have come to expect simple story lines with characters that are not too complex and strong doses of sentimentality ... and this movie does not disappoint. My family enjoyed it though young children might find some of the brutality disturbing.
Some will be critical that the movie does not reach the heights of the classic Jack London novel but that would be to judge it on criteria that the movie does not pretend to achieve. Having seen the Clark Gable, Charlton Heston and Harrison Ford versions, this is the one I would choose to show my family. The story of a young man discovering himself and finding his way in the world as he develops his own values, still has a lot to say to young people on the verge of adulthood.
The Great Mint Swindle (2012)
corrupt cops
This movie exposes the corruption rife in the Western Australian Police Force using coerced, fabricated and manipulated evidence. Not only the three Mickleberg brothers, but others have suffered at their hands such as Andrew Mallard, John Button, Darryl Beamish and Lloyd Rayney, all of whom have been exonerated or acquitted.
The complex plot, involving the audacious theft of a large quantity of gold from the State Mint, seems like Hollywood on steroids and yet the twists and turns are simply and accurately developed.
The strong family bond among the three Mickleberg brothers is beautifully portrayed by Grant Bowler, Todd Lasance & Josh Quong Tart. They contrast with the ruthless detective, Don Hancock, played perfectly by Shane Bourne, from smarmy to brutal, and whose end is well deserved.
I have reason to be grateful to the dedicated men and women of the WA Police Force but one can't help wondering whether the culture of corruption has been adequately addressed. In recent years, one of the lawyers who helped put the Micklebergs behind bars rose to become the State Attorney-General