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We’re ranking the movies of George Miller! The Australian director emerged as part of the so-called Ozplotation wave of the 1970s and 1980s, which combined minor budgets and genre filmmaking with rough-and-ready Australian locality. Miller’s 1979 Mad Max launched the career of Mel Gibson and primed the Aussie outback for any kind of post-apocalyptica for decades to come. 1981’s Mad Max 2 (aka The Road Warrior) remains a sci-fi action classic, while Beyond Thunderdome seemingly closed out the trilogy as its own cult film.
Miller answered Hollywood’s call with The Witches of Eastwick and Lorenzo’s Oil, before returning to Australia to produce the enormous hit Babe, and directing its dark sequel Pig in the City. An eclectic filmmaker capable of marrying multiple realms of technology, Miller moved into animation to direct the two Happy Feet sequels. (And see Miller’s Five Favorite Films ever.)
After an extended period, Miller returned to Mad Max with Fury Road, a Best Pictured-nominated film and among the most towering action films of the 21st century. Most recently, he’s directed Three Thousand Years of Longing, before returning to the wasteland for Fury Road prequel Furiosa, starring Anya Taylor-Joy. —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 114918%
Critics Consensus: With exhilarating action and a surprising amount of narrative heft, Mad Max: Fury Road brings George Miller’s post-apocalyptic franchise roaring vigorously back to life.
#2
Adjusted Score: 97659%
Critics Consensus: The Road Warrior is everything a bigger-budgeted Mad Max sequel with should be: bigger, faster, louder, but definitely not dumber.
#3
Adjusted Score: 95189%
Critics Consensus: Staging the improbable car stunts and crashes to perfection, director George Miller succeeds completely in bringing the violent, post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max to visceral life.
#4
Adjusted Score: 84893%
Critics Consensus: Beyond Thunderdome deepens the Mad Max character without sacrificing the amazing vehicle choreography and stunts that made the originals memorable.
#5
Adjusted Score: 82209%
Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling, with a thoughtful storyline and catchy musical numbers, Happy Feet marks a successful animated debut from the makers of Babe.
#6
Adjusted Score: 94647%
Critics Consensus: A harrowing tribute to the heroism of parental love, Lorenzo’s Oil is kept from abject misery by George Miller’s sensitive direction and outstanding performances from Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.
#7
Adjusted Score: 73018%
Critics Consensus: While devotees of John Updike’s novel may want to put a hex on George Miller’s cartoonish and effects-laden adaptation, Jack Nicholson lends enough decadent devilry to make this high-concept comedy sizzle.
#8
Adjusted Score: 73374%
Critics Consensus: Although its story isn’t as impressive as its visual marvels, it’s hard not to admire Three Thousand Years of Longing‘s sheer ambition.
#9
Adjusted Score: 66956%
Critics Consensus: Not quite as good as the original and has some dark subject material that might not be appropriate for children.
#10
Adjusted Score: 49485%
Critics Consensus: The animation is as eye-popping as ever, but Happy Feet Two‘s narrative is too noisily incoherent to recapture the Oscar-winning charm of its predecessor.
Featured image: Jasin Boland/©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection
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