The Nostradamus Kid

This is an intriguing effort from 1992. How many movies have you seen in which a character goes into an imitation of Olivier as Richard the Third and then a recording of John Kennedy comes on and you realize that JFK actually sounded like Oliver's Richard? Not many! THE NOSTRADAMUS KID stars Noah Taylor, who you'll recognize from a few things (ALMOST FAMOUS, for example) as an Australian teen raised as a Seventh Day Adventist. The year is 1962 and, indeed, with the Cuban Missile Crisis raging, the main character thinks the world is about to end. Given that the director, Bob Ellis, wrote and sang at least one song we hear in the background, I think it's an autobiographical account. It's a bit like SUMMER OF '42. While the religious upbringing the boy faces is treated with a lot of irony, THE NOSTRADAMUS KID is, ultimately, an understanding account. Given that the lead character has, on one side, a strong desire to connect with the Presbyterians who scorn him, the atheist who ridicules him and the biblical literalist who despises him for being a Seventh Day Adventist, this is not merely a story of someone who grows out of his religion. The wider theme of THE NOSTRADAMUS KID is the building of walls between people. It is not an attack on religion. In fact, it is a very honest portrayal of someone tormented with doubt. A NUN'S STORY may be a more devastating indictment of religious hypocrisy than this, but the point of THE NOSTRADAMUS KID is a little different. This will give you good insight into the mindset of the Baby Boomer generation. The acting is universally good, the photography is attractive and, if the movie seems a bit forboding, it is not cynical. Good luck finding it in the video shop. I found it in my local video shop, but I'd never heard of it before. I don't think there are any other reviews in this space. There's not even a professional critic's description. I find that surprising.

Director Bob Ellis has created a gem in The Nostradamus Kid 1993.

Starring Noah Taylor who has also been in other classic flicks, The Proposition 2005, Edge of Tomorrow 2014 and Dogs in Space 1986.

Also starring Miranda Otto has also been in other classic flicks, The Thin Red Line 1998 and Sex Is a Four Letter Word 1995.

Also starring Arthur Dignam.

Also starring Colin Friels who has also been in other classic flicks, Dark City 1998 and Ground Zero 1987.

I enjoyed the religious themes and sex scenes.

If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic kids flicks, American Pie 1999, Blackrock 1997, The Boys Next Door 1985, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever 2009, Eden Lake 2008, Euro Trip 2004, Fistful of Flies 1996, I Saw What You Did 1988, Ken Park 2002, Kids 1995, Rumble Fish 1983, Superbad 2007, Thirteen 2003, Edge of Honor 1991, Romeo + Juliet 1996, Weapons 2007, Mean Creek 2004, Come out and Play 2012, The Babysitter 2017, Better Watch Out 2016, Thelma 2017, Super Dark Times 2017 and Where the Day Takes You 1992.

Bloated raconteur Bob Ellis, a shambolic Australian media writer of infamous proportions and talent somehow foolishly was allowed to create, write and direct this rambling autobiography of his tedious teenage years being pestered by Seventh day Adventists and as a sloppy Uni student trying to get laid. Watching two hours of this episodic cinematic hippopotamus was so repellent for Australian audiences that it met a groaning and hissing farewell within two weeks and disappeared off screens nationwide immediately, never to be seen or heard of again. Ineptly directed (people just walking into frame from off screen...even in the middle of a field) it annoyingly does feature a wasted but talented cast all coming off second best to the verbal diarrhea script and the Laugton like strangle of the auteur. The one major piece of valid interest is in excellent but sadly unknown actor Jack Campbell who could be best described as a cross between Russell Crowe and (TVs GUARDIAN star) Simon Baker..both seen in L A CONFIDENTIAL. Why Campbell is not a major personality like Simon Baker or even Australia's lookalike Nicholas Bishop is a mystery only he and his agent can solve. Apart from lovely art direction, Campbell is the only redeeming feature of this bad nostril drama. VANILLA SKY actor Noah Taylor was made to look ridiculous by the last reel. He since has since also been seen in ALMOST FAMOUS. Ellis in 1977 wrote the script for the superb Phil Noyce directed film NEWSFRONT about Australian cine newsreel cameramen of the pre TV years. In a recent restoration of the film he apologised for being such a pain during the production of that film. He had insisted his credit be removed at the time, in a tantrum of spittle and babble,now much regretted. In the 90s he made this tripe.

When I watched this movie, which was one of those movies that people always bring up when mentioning Noah Taylor, they bring it up, because he starred in it, but ask them about the movie themselves and they give you a blank stare. It was knowing that, which made my stay up 3am, watching this strange, incredibly indulgent, philosophical romp of life which belonged to Ken Elkin (Noah Taylor). Ken is an artist, and he has very little room to breathe in a society which deems that life and religion are not separate they are they same, you live your life to what you believe in. But Ken doesn't know what to believe in, he mixes himself in alcohol, in a derivative of the drug Speed, and his life is a circular motion of rebellion, self doubt and passion. If you want to sit through a beautifully acted play, because this movie has got dialouge which is acted like a play rather than a movie, to see his confusion of trying to love someone but not believing what they believe in....it's just fascinating. Excellent dialouge, elaborate acting and simply stunning sets (the 1950's and 60's in Australia simply come alive, the innocence of that era is amazingly captured) then go on, have a drink and watch Noah Taylor's honest portrayal of a boy who took everything for the moment. It just captured youth with all it's selfishness, I highly recommend it.