November 2005 (Back to Index)

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		November 30, 2005
		More Than a Flash in the Pan
		November 26, 2005
		Oscar Tip on Bana
		November 25, 2005
		Bana Eyes Oscar
		November 23, 2005
		New Wallpaper from Lui
		November 22, 2005
		New Wallpaper from Diana
		November 21, 2005
		TV Show Photo Gallery Updated
		November 21, 2005
		A First Look at Oscar Contenders
		November 20, 2005
		New Wallpaper from Maria
		November 19, 2005
		New Photo from Road Safety Campaign
		November 15, 2005
		Happy Birthday to Mona
		November 12, 2005
		New Screensaver from Lui
		November 5, 2005
		New Screen Caps from 'Munich'
		November 4, 2005
		On Track for a Big Day Out'
		November 4, 2005
		Dresses Uplifting on Oaks Day
		November 4, 2005
		The Invisible Hulk
		November 2, 2005
		New Wallpaper from Diana
		November 1, 2005
		New Manipulation from Maria
		November 1, 2005
		New Wallpaper from Maria

More Than a Flash in the Pan

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November 30, 2005
Written By: Lawrie Zion
Source: The Australian.com

In the portable toilets at last weekend's Australian Film Institute awards, posters above the urinals warned of the imminent arrival of a new Australian film called 'Kenny'. As I stood there, my immediate reaction was that whoever is behind this movie must have an almighty flush fund at their disposal. But the placement couldn't have been more strategic: 'Kenny', it transpires, is the story of a toilet delivery man who takes care of society's dirty work.

It wasn't so long ago that Australian film seemed to be going down the toilet. But as we head into 2006, a more optimistic mood has taken hold. The question is, how sustainable is it? Is the success of 'Look Both Ways', 'The Proposition', 'Little Fish', 'Three Dollars and Wolf Creek' a mere flash in the pan or a sign of a genuine revival?

As always, looking at any year in isolation can distort assessment of broader trends. Despite a long-term decline in real levels of film funding, the upcoming slate of Australian movies offers an impressively diverse array of themes and genres. On paper at least, there is no sign of a repeat of the quirky-comedy binge that led to a spate of very unfunny and little-watched films.

Several high-profile Australian releases next year will provide the first real test of a new qualitative system of evaluating films that are seeking funds from the country's main funding agency, the Film Finance Corporation. Of all the films released during 2005, only Little Fish was given the green light through this procedure..

Although we won't see it on the screen until 2007, one of the most talked-about projects is an adaptation of Raimond Gaita's bestselling 1998 memoir, 'Romulus, My Father'. The film, the first to be directed by Richard Roxburgh, will star Eric Bana.

One of the producers of 'Romulus, My Father' is Robert Connolly, who directed this year's 'Three Dollars'. He says that although there are some exciting films in the works, "it is like any other time in the past in our industry. We have to capitalise on the audience that has returned to Australian films this year and continue to raise the bar in the quality of the films that we're making."

Bana isn't the only high-profile star planning to work at home in the coming year. At a press conference last week ahead of the AFI awards, Russell Crowe confirmed that he and Nicole Kidman have been cast in what is expected to be the next film project for director Baz Luhrmann.

Although Luhrmann has stopped short of confirming when the film might be made, he did say that he "would be delighted if Russell and Nicole were to be involved in the Australian epic", and he is hopeful that the right conditions will come together to allow production to begin early in the new year.

Oscar Tip on Bana

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November 26, 2005
Source: Herald Sun.com

ERIC Bana, guided by Steven Spielberg, has emerged as a favourite to claim the best actor Academy Award with an Oscar campaign so quiet it is deafening.

A cloak of secrecy hangs over the Australia-US collaboration, 'Munich'. Only a select few are being allowed to watch the drama before its US release on December 23.

Bookmakers have Munich favourite to win best picture at the awards on March 5.

From The Herald Sun Newspaper Provided By Star

Bana Eyes Oscar

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November 25, 2005
Source: The Daily Telegraph.com

ERIC Bana, under the guidance of Steven Spielberg, has emerged as a favorite to claim the best actor Academy Award, with an Oscar campaign so quiet it is deafening.

On Set...Eric and Steven Spielburg during the making of 'Munich'

A cloak of secrecy hangs over the Bana-Spielberg movie collaboration, Munich, with only a select few allowed to watch the drama before its US release on December 23.

The clandestine nature of the project, combined with an almost non-existent promotional campaign instead of the usual $US20 million blitz for a Oscar hopeful, have many in Hollywood desperate to see Munich – creating just the type of buzz Spielberg was probably after.

Already, bookmakers have Munich listed as the outright favorite to win best picture at the 78th Annual Academy Awards on March 5.

"Munich has Oscar written all over it," Hollywood-based box office expert and president of Exhibitor Relations, Paul Dergarabedian, said.

"They are releasing it in the US just before the end of the year so it will be fresh in the minds of Academy voters, it's Spielberg, it has Eric Bana in it and it has a story with important subject matter about a major event."

'Munich' – based on the murders of 11 Israeli athletes by a Palestinian terrorist group at the 1972 Munich Olympics – is set for release in Australia in February.

Bana plays an Israeli Mossad agent and family man who battles moral issues while tracking down and assassinating the terrorists.

He faces strong opposition for the best actor Oscar, including countrymen Heath Ledger for his role as a gay cowboy and Russell Crowe for Cinderella Man, and some of Hollywood's best known leading men, including George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortensen and Joaquin Phoenix.

The only hints offered so far about Munich is the film's trailer that can be found on the internet and promotional material such as movie posters tucked away in cinemas.

Both center largely on Bana.

In the posters he sits in near darkness, head bowed and his right hand holding a revolver.

An Oscar would cap a startling rise to the top of Hollywood for Bana, who made his name in Australia in the 1990s in comedy skit shows 'Full Frontal' and 'Eric'.

One performance that has an excellent shot at a nomination and even a win is given by Eric Bana in Munich," Oscar expert, Tom O'Neil, wrote on his website Goldderby.com.

"Steven Spielberg's drama about the 1972 Olympic Games is already considered a best picture frontrunner and, as all Oscar nuts know, voters like to pair up lead-acting awards along with the top trophy (think Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby, or Russell Crowe in 'Gladiator')."

'Munich' also could score Australia a second nominee, with Geoffrey Rush, a former Oscar winner, playing a key supporting role in the film.

Also exciting Hollywood is that the film is Spielberg's most serious since 1993's 'Schindler's List', which scored him his first best director and best picture Oscars.

A First Look at Oscar Contenders

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November 21, 2005
Written By: Tom O'Neil
Source: USA Weekend.com

An Academy Awards experts tells what you should see now.

Oscar also loves inspiring, real-life stories like 'Cinderella Man'. The Depression-era boxing saga performed poorly at the box office in June (when Russell Crowe threw a phone at a hotel clerk), but the film could emerge as a serious Best Picture and Actor contender when the DVD comes out Dec. 6.

Its chief rival will be 'Munich' (Dec. 23), starring Eric Bana as an agent hunting for the terrorists who killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. It's Steven Spielberg's most serious work since award-sweeper 'Schindler's List'.

James Dean 50th Anniversary Road Safety Campaign

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November 21, 2005
Source: Daltech.com.au

September marks the 50th anniversary of the death of American icon, James Dean, who died tragically at the age of 24 in his beloved 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder.

Not much has changed over the past 50 years with regard to road trauma – today in Australia it is the greatest killer of people under the age of 40.

For every one person killed, 11 end up in critical care units.

More..

 

Happy Birthday to Mona!

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November 15, 2005
Written By: Christy

Many thanks to Mona "the Bana Pic Master" for all of her hard work and dedication!

It is much appreciated here !!

Mona is truly an amazing person!

She provides a lot "Behind the Scenes" work for this site in order keep everyone up to date.

Without her this site would be pretty dull...

Mona constantly goes out of her way to research, answer questions, clean up photographs, and she makes terrific Eric Bana wallpaper!

From The Eric Bana Archives:
Happy Birthday to Mona!

'Munich' Trailer and Official Website Online

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November 5, 2005
Source: MunichMovie.com

Cast: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Geoffrey Rush, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, Ciarán Hinds
Directed By: Steven Spielburg
Written By: Tony Kushner
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel, Steven Spielburg, Colin Wilson
Genre: Historical Thriller
Summary:
Steven Spielburg directs an international cast in 'Munich'. A gripping suspense thriller set in the aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

This dramatic exploration inspired by the true events follows a secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and kill the 11 Palestinians suspected to have planned the Munich attack - and the personal toll this mission of revenge takes on the team and the man who led it.

The script is the first feature film written by Tony Kushner, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Tony Award and many other awards for his epochal Broadway drama, 'Angels in America' as its Emmy Award-winning adaptation for HBL.

The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel, and Spielberg and Colin Wilson.

The international cast includes, Eric Bana ('Black Hawk Down'), Daniel Craig ('Layer Cake'), Geoffrey Rush ('Shine'), Mathieu Kassovitz ('Birthday Girl'), Hanns Zischler ('Walk on Water') and Ciarán Hinds (Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera').

To View the Trailer See: MunichMovie.com

On Track for a Big Day Out

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November 4, 2005
Source: The Daily Telegraph.com

CROWN Oaks Day had a more relaxed vibe as everyone recovered from the thrill of the Melbourne Cup.

Melbourne went Maybe Diva crazy as everybody wanted a souvenir of the champion. The VRC merchandise stores had sold out of baseball caps in the famous mare's colors: red, white and blue. They had been selling for $25 originally, and apparently the last one went for $100.

As the hype eased, it was a perfect way to spend Ladies' Day at Flemington.

Forget about 'Desperate Housewives', it was the Collingwood wives' day to enjoy themselves in the Lexus marquee while their AFL partners were in Arizona doing high altitude training. And the wives had much better luck on the track than the Magpies did on the field this year.

Elsewhere, 'Troy' star Eric Bana enjoyed his first race day with glamorous wife Rebecca in the Emirates marquee, where they were surrounded by a Middle Eastern-inspired theme which included flavored tobacco, henna tattoos and pomegranate cocktails.

Basking in the atmosphere was comedian Dave Hughes and Dancing With The Stars faces Paul Mercurio and Sonia Kruger. Kruger kept busy by dashing to and from the Lavazza marquee to give celebrity tips for charity.

Lavazza offered a sit-down lunch, with two sittings for their guests where they were treated to authentic Italian rustic food and wine. 3 Degrees Marketing also showed off their originality by recreating their marquee to represent New York's famous 21 Club – but at a high price, spending $10,000 a day just on long-stemmed roses.

As I watched the Oaks with my brother Tom in the ACP marquee, we cheered our mother's horse Astronomia on but it could not beat Serenade Rose as Lee Freedman continued his ongoing spring carnival winning streak.

Although my mother had no luck on the day, my brother Tom did because of football legend Andrew Johns, who tipped him the winning horse in the Heaven Sprint.

Now, as the carnival comes to an end, we're all looking forward to see who wins the Emirates Stakes tomorrow.

Dresses Uplifting on Oaks Day

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November 4, 2005
Source: Herald Sun.com

OAKS Day at Flemington was a big day out for one local hero and a bad day out for another.

Hollywood star Eric Bana was having the good day. For he and wife Rebecca it was their first time at Flemington. The Eye caught up with Bana at the Emirates marquee.

"I can see why it's called Blokes Day," he said. "There is some interesting attire.

"The wind is catching a lot of long skirts and turning them into ultra-minis."

Channel 7's on-course host, Joanna Griggs, learned the wind lesson early in the week. Twice on Cup Day her billowing frock billowed around her ears. She said she made sure she wore the grandma undies for Oaks Day just in case.

But the really bad day belonged to Dave Hughes, the laconic brekkie man from Nova. He started with an ugly incident during the outside broadcast on the banks of the Maribyrnong at the Angler's Tavern. Hughes was showing off on the mechanical bull, when there was an ugly tearing sound and he had to put out a distress call for a new pair of strides before heading to the track.

"It was an expensive suit too," he said.

When we caught up with Hughes in the Birdcage, he had the new suit on and the only thing he was flashing was an empty wallet.

The Invisible Hulk

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November 4, 2005
Source: The Australian.com

AUSTRALIAN actor Eric Bana is well known for his starring role in the movie 'Hulk', as well as his appearance in 'Troy' with Brad Pitt.

Bana was invited to the Emirates tent at Oaks Day in Melbourne yesterday and looked resplendent in a peach-colored suit. But apparently security guards don't watch films; the gate minders had never heard of Bana and there was much scurrying around while his credentials were verified. AFL legend Stephen Silvagni was better recognized but he caused a bit of a kerfuffle, too, when he pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket, most probably to blow his nose. A white tablet fell to the floor and remained there; paracetamol for his cold, no doubt.