So through Netflix, I tend to get caught up with a lot of movies that- for one reason or another- I missed in theatres. One of those happened to be Baz Luhrmann's "Australia."

Admittedly, Luhrmann's been hit-and-miss with me. I liked his modern riff on "Romeo + Juliet," which was driven by strong performances that held true to the original Shakespearian tale of star-crossed lovers. That said, his 2001 musical "Moulin Rogue" just didn't do it for me. I didn't like the mix of modern music, hyper-kinetic editing, and style that overwhelmed what little substance the film had.

I was worried "Australia" would be along the same lines, but while the film reeks of spectacle, it's Down Under "Gone With the Wind" saga actually grabbed me more than I expected it to. The main performances by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman sweep you up in the story, as an English rose named Sarah (Kidman) comes down to find her husband murdered, and his cattle ranch on the verge of losing out to the Carney conglomerate that dominates the trade in Australia. But like Scarlett O'Hara, Sarah won't go down without a fight, teaming up with rugged Drover (Jackman) to keep the ranch a float. She also finds herself befriending some of the Aborigional people on the ranch and in the area, including the young boy Nullah (Brandon Walters, in a wonderful performance).

The story follows a lot of the same beats of that 1939 milestone by producer David O. Selznick, with Luhrmann giving the film a true cinematic sweep that overcomes the film's simplistic story and nearly 3-hour running time. I wish I had gotten to this film in theatres. But whether you see it on the big screen or on DVD, "Australia" has what it takes to grab you, even if it sometimes trips on its' ambitions along the way.

Grade for "Australia"- B+

-Brian Skutle

Read more reviews by Brian on http://www.sonic-cinema.com