Looks like everyone’s kicked a goal.
From national mascots like Crocodile Dundee to terrifying villains like Mick Taylor, it would be easy to assume that the greatest Aussie films could very well be defined by the memorable characters who showcased our country to the world.
But when taking a closer look at the wonderful offerings that we’ve produced over the years, there’s been so much more from the land down under to appreciate than just big names on bright billboards.
So what’s the John Dory, you say?
Here’s our list of the Top 10 Best Aussie films of all time.
Wake In Fright (1971)
Not only is this a hidden treasure of homegrown cinema, but it’s also just a very simple story told extremely well; the kind that restores your faith in the art (and love) of cinema.
Ted Kotcheff’s direction is lean, mean and downright brilliant; using every opportunity to alienate his leading man with a series of ever-changing environments and unfortunate situations to throw him off-balance. Not to mention, Gary Bond was born for this role.
IMDb: 7.7/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Drama
- Cast: Gary Bond, Chips Rafferty, Donald Pleasence and more
Stream Now On Stan
The Castle (1997)
If there’s any film that will go down in history for cementing the Occa stereotype, it’s this.
For those of us who grew up in the 90’s, The Castle taught us a lesson of what the Australian way is really about. Not only did it teach us as Aussies to be proud of what we own and to look after our neighbours, but more importantly, how to appreciate a good rissole when we see one.
IMDb: 7.7/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Comedy
- Cast: Michael Caton, Eric Bana, Anne Tenney and more
Stream Now On Stan
Also related: Best Quotes From The Castle
Walkabout (1971)
Quite possibly the most artful and poetic of its era, Nicholas Roeg’s ‘Walkabout’ is the closest thing to a dream as filmmaking can get.
Less about an unchartered adventure into the outback than it is an ode to the natural rhythms of the land that guide us through it, it’s an evocative, enchanting and essential time capsule of Australia.
IMDb: 7.6/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Adventure
- Cast: Jenny Agutter, David Gulpilil, Luc Roeg and more
Stream Now On Netflix
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (1994)
It should come as no surprise that this selection confidently takes centre stage.
Stephan Elliot’s out loud and proud journey of self-discovery and acceptance not only put Australia on the map internationally, but still stands as a landmark in the LGBTQ+ cinema canon.
With enough of a cult status to inspire a stage musical that’s currently in production as we speak, this feel-good film of the highest pedigree suggests that while the road to success requires making a few sacrifices along the way, the rewards will always pay off in plenty of glittering glory when we reach our destination.
IMDb: 7.5/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Musical
- Cast: Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and more
Stream Now On Apple TV
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
In short, this one exists entirely in a world of its own and casts a sinister spell that tightens its grip as more questions go unanswered.
Peter Weir’s chilling classic has been praised for its use of ambiguity and rightfully so. It’s arguably one of the most effective examples of using subtext to build narrative tension in the realms of filmmaking to date, and till this day, still stands as the greatest unsolved mystery ever to have grown from Aussie soil. A hypnotic masterpiece, through and through.
IMDb: 7.5/10
- Classification: PG
- Genre: Drama
- Cast: Anne-Louise Lambert, Rachel Roberts, Helen Morse and more
Stream Now On Apple TV
The Nightingale (2018)
If Jennifer Kent’s ‘The Babadook’ set new standards for horror films by using the power of fantasy to manifest real-world terror, her follow-up feature did much the same, only through the shocking power of reality to expose the darker side of humanity in its most unrestrained form.
Kent uses the Tasmanian landscapes to her advantage for a rage-fuelled parable of revenge, which serves as a timely reminder of why the unyielding pain from Australia’s colonization history refuses to fade.
IMDb: 7.3/10
- Classification: MA15+
- Genre: Drama
- Cast: Sam Claflin, Damon Herriman, Baykali Ganambarr and more
Stream Now On Apple TV
Muriel’s Wedding (1994)
If there’s one movie that has the most quotable one-liners, this one takes the cake. Even the balmy little town of ‘Porpise Spit’ is impossible to forget.
This movie has all the right ingredients for the perfect rom-com classic and what makes it even more resonant is that it didn’t shy away from the more earnest moments that can bloom from family dysfunctions. Needless to say, it features Toni Collette in her sparkling screen debut.
IMDb: 7.2/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Romance
- Cast: Toni Colette, Rachel Griffiths, Bill Hunter and more
Stream Now On Apple TV
Ten Canoes (2006)
This is a rare kind of gem that not only comes along once in a lifetime but simply cannot be replicated. It captures such specific time, place and feel inside the realms of aboriginal culture, all the while embracing a charming sense of humour.
It was also the first major Australian film to feature its entire dialogue in an indigenous Aboriginal language and that’s most certainly something that we need, if not for artistic purposes, pure and simply for educational ones.
IMDb: 7/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Drama
- Cast: David Gulpilil, Jamie Gulpilil, Peter Djigirr and more
Stream Now On Apple TV
CrackerJack (2002)
We’ve all seen it before; a group of misfits rallying to save their sporting club from kicking-the-bucket. And while this formula has proved to be successful in the past, with a handful of oddball characters, hilarious dialogue and Paul Moloney’s thoughtful direction, this deadpan satire of Australian manners really stands out from the rest.
IMDb: 6.8/10
- Classification: M
- Genre: Comedy
- Cast: Mick Molloy, Bill Hunter, Judith Lucy and more
Stream Now On Stan
Snowtown (2011)
True crime is a tough one to tackle for entertainment’s sake, but when done with enough skill and craft, the results can often be as deeply engrossing as they are disturbing. That was the case with Justin Kurzel’s ‘Snowtown’; a bleak and unrelenting examination of one of Australia’s most notorious string of murders.
Kurzel’s film radiates more artistic vision than most films from the decade and that in itself should be enough to endure the more grim aspects that might not exactly be everyone’s cuppa tea.
IMDb: 6.6/10
- Classification: MA15+
- Genre: Thriller
- Cast: Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, Louis Harris and more
Stream Now On Stan
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