Mark Juddery

OK, it’s that time of year again. Just as people start buying newspapers again, thinking “You know, they’re actually rather useful,” they are suddenly filled with dopey speculation about who will win the Oscars. For years, comedians joked about how often the weatherman gets it wrong. Then it became clear that these guys were wizards [...]

I know it’s short notice (it was only confirmed yesterday… and I was out of town), but I’ll be on ABC News 24 at 8:45am this morning, on the Weekend Breakfast show, to talk about the Most Overrated Curses (as seen on The Huffington Post).

Some readers, aware that I spend a lot of time travelling, might wonder where I am. As I write this, I’m in the world’s cutest country. As I’ve mentioned before, “cute” is one of those words that is best defined through examples. Pandas, koalas, turtles. Smiley faces in people’s signatures. Renee Zellweger dressed as a [...]

The smoke is still clearing on the scandal that might yet bring down the Australian Government, as the nation reels from the revelations that senior minister Anthony Albanese, in one of his speeches, lifted lines almost directly from one of Michael Douglas’s speeches in the 1995 movie The American President. Truly, Albanese should be thoroughly [...]

If they could bring back Hawaii Five-O, Beverly Hills 90210, even The Bionic Woman, it’s high time they brought back another classic for the new decade. Yes, it’s time for 24: Version 2. I know, it was only cancelled a year ago, but I’m missing it already. Who wouldn’t miss a thriller in which an [...]

After avoiding it for years, I have finally joined Facebook. Yes, I’ve dragged myself, kicking and screaming, into 2008. Joining Facebook was one of my New Year’s Resolutions, which might seem strange to you. As far as resolutions are concerned, it’s up there with resolving to smoke more cigarettes. I had always assumed that Facebook [...]

If not the greatest-ever Christmas song, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was certainly one of the most worthy. It raised millions for starving children, of course, but what most amazes me about this song is that, even though it was back in 1984, and even though they were pop stars, every one of the 40-odd [...]

Back in 2000, as a film reviewer for The Canberra Times, I boldly predicted that Shakespeare in Love would win Oscars for both best film (over the short-priced favourite, Saving Private Ryan) and best actress (Gwyneth Paltrow, rather than Cate Blanchett as nearly everyone else was predicting). As it turned out, I was devastatingly correct. [...]

One of the most amazing moments in world history (and no, I’m not trying to be funny) was Pizarro’s invasion of Peru in 1532. With an army of fewer than 200 men, the Spanish explorer cum warlord conquered the Inca civilisation. This wasn’t just another case of a violent pack of invaders killing off a [...]

Recently, someone was chatting with me about the movies of the past year, saying that he wished that I could write a summary of the best films of the year, because he had fond memories of me doing that back when I was a film reviewer. It was very kind of him to say this, [...]