Australian movies

We recently saw the Sapphires. Good movie btw, but it got me thinking about Australian movies. Clearly we can't compete with Hollywood and Bollywood and over the years the Australian film industry has been criticized, but we have made some good ones, haven't we?

Ones that stand out for me (in no particular order or preference):
Picnic at hanging rock: I e actually been to hanging rock and it is a bit weird, but having seen this movie, I was more jumpy than I otherwise would have been.
Stir:loosely based on the Bathurst and goulburn jail riots. Bryan brown plays an excellent criminal.
Gallipoli: when Mel Gibson was still an Aussie and damn good looking, just a great movie.
Mad max: I still remember the ads" when the gangs take to the highways, be glad he's on your side". Again Mel Gibson was a damn good looking Aussie. Ditto all the other Mad Maxs.
Romper Stomper: certainly launched Rusty's career and he played Hando so well.
Muriel's wedding: ditto for Toni Collette.
The boys: Toni Collette was also in that one, but it was David Wenham's performance as the psycho brother (who scarily enough reminded me of my brother in law) that was so good. This was also loosely based on the Anita Cobbey story.
Idiot box: not popular, but any movie in which a character comes out with the line "I've had a longer piss than that" after finishing sex is good enough for me.
Australian rules: not well known, but excellent movie combining sports and racism.
The Proposition: violent, but great revenge/hunt movie, written by Nick Cave.
MoulinRouge: I love musicals, what can I say.
Australia: I know it got bagged by the critics, but I enjoy Baz Lurhman movies and this was very typical of his style.
The Castle: super corny, but "it's the vibe" and it's brought a number of oft repeated one liners.
Strictly Ballroom: great dancing movie.

I'm sure I've forgotten many greats and looking over this list there seems to be a yawning chasm in the 80s, but please let me know of movies you've loved which I've forgotten.

Eyes, again....

Welcome again to possibly the slackest blog in the known world.

I recently went to my optometrist for a checkup. I wear glasses for reading and computer work.  I have reached that irritating stage of my life where the glasses are constantly on and off. I can't read anything bar big signs without my damn glasses. I refuse (perhaps pointlessly) at this stage to wear one of those chains that go around your neck and attach to the ends of your glasses.

Well, this time the retinal exam found that my right optic nerve was slightly dilated, my intra ocular pressure was on the high side of normal and a field vision test showed some slightly patchy areas in my vision. All of this equals possible (very) early stage glaucoma.

Great. Is there no levels to attain misery that my body will not stoop? Clearly not. Anyway, not panicking as you can tell, but I just have to get it check in 12 months. In the meantime, I will consider seeing an ophthalmologist while I'm doing all those other fun preventative health checks. You know, pap smear, breast scan, skin check. I've had my yearly blood tests done and I have to have an MRI done soon. Yay for the day I reach my 50s and become eligible for a bowel screen.......