Subject: Peter Weir's The Way Back Sat Oct 30, 2010 8:22 am
Peter Weir is back with a new film!! Weir is one of Australia's best directors, and a man who helped put Australian cinema on the map with films like The Cars That Ate Paris (1974), Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and Gallipoli (1981), then Weir went to Hollywood, and made critically acclaimed films like Witness (1985), Dead Poet's Society (1989), The Truman Show (1998) and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). Now, 7 years later, he's back with a new film!! It's a tale of an unbelievable journey against all the odds. The Way Back could finally spell Oscar gold for Weir!!
Inspired by a memoir by Sławomir Rawicz, it starts in Soviet Russia in 1942, in a Siberian Gulag, a prison system ran by the Soviets, which is tough, cruel and torturous. However, a group of a few inmates plan an escape from the Gulag, including Janusz (Jim Sturgess), Valka (Colin Farrell) and the American Mr. Smith (Ed Harris). After they escape, they meet runaway Polish girl Irena (Saoirse Ronan). Together, they plan a journey which is near impossible, walking across Soviet Russia, over 4,000 miles to escape to India, where they will be safe.
It sounds like an incredibly epic film, and Weir has a perfect visual eye for a story of survival like this. Weir should be directing more films, but he's very selective with what he does, but he makes the best choices. It's already getting a good buzz from the film critics. Oh, and Mark Strong is in it, he's in everything these days!!
It'll be released in the UK on Boxing Day, and this could be the best film Weir has made to date, but he's made some brilliant ones. (Nothing can possibly beat The Truman Show), but here he's created a character piece with some great actors and filmed it on an epic canvas. From the trailer, you'll know this has the potential to be a true Oscar contender!!
Weir is one of Australia's best directors, and a man who helped put Australian cinema on the map with films like The Cars That Ate Paris (1974), Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and Gallipoli (1981), then Weir went to Hollywood, and made critically acclaimed films like Witness (1985), Dead Poet's Society (1989), The Truman Show (1998) and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). Now, 7 years later, he's back with a new film!! It's a tale of an unbelievable journey against all the odds. The Way Back could finally spell Oscar gold for Weir!!
