Take This Waltz: Movie Review

Take This Waltz: Movie Review

Cast: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman
Director: Sarah Polley

The second film from Sarah Polley is an indie looking at the nature of young love.

Michelle Williams stars as Margot, a writer who lives with her husband of five years, Lou (Seth Rogen in a rare dramatic turn).

One day, when out on a writing job, she encounters Luke Kirby's Daniel, with whom she begins a playful flirtation which ends abruptly as it spirals dangerously close to coming to fruition.

However, Margot's shocked to discover that Daniel lives across from them - and yet, continues to find herself drawn to him....initially, in accidental meetings and then more deliberate meetings, the pair begin to fall for each other and the tensions begin to build.

There are parts of Take This Waltz which I really loved and other parts which made me want to shout at the screen in abject frustration.

Firstly, Sarah Polley's direction of this film is assuredly strong as she crafts together some very striking and sensual visuals throughout. One sequence at the end which is a continually rotating shot of two of the cast building a life together is breathtakingly original and cleverly executed. She's also got a deft touch of using the camera to linger on the characters and what's unfolding on the screen which helps you occasionally get some insight into the unfolding drama.

Secondly, Michelle Williams gives a great turn as Margot - even if I was extremely frustrated and unsure of her motivations and the reasons for her actions.

So much is unsaid in this film that, despite an impressive performance from Williams, it's incredibly hard to either empathise or engage with her and her apparent frustration with Lou, a nice guy who seems to care for his wife and is doing the best for them. But that's potentially what director Polley wanted to achieve and you'll get into this as much as you put in.

It's difficult to see why she would stray from a decent guy who's depicted as caring? I understand the filmmakers were trying to capture that glimmer of love, the hopes that it offers - but unless you can see why Margot's disenchanted with her life, it really does leave a sour taste in the mouth. (Perhaps you could argue that provoking such a strong reaction is part of the film-maker's MO...)

Rogen is impressive in a dramatic, down the middle turn, showing a bit more depth to the comedy acting he's done through the years; and Sarah Silverman is good as the sister struggling with sobriety.

All in all, Take This Waltz is a frustrating experience: sure, it's about real people and the real issues they face, but thanks to a lack of real depth of development, you don't quite care enough about what unfolds on the screen - no matter how well put together it is.

Rating:

New Zealand Film Festival - the final reviews

Here's a wrap up of the New Zealand Film Festival's closing weekend and therefore, the final reviews!

The Sapphires -
An unabashed utter crowd-pleaser, The Sapphires is one of heck of a roof-raising movie. It centres on four Aborigine women discovered by talent scout Dave Lovelace ( a dishevelled but scene stealing Chris O'Dowd) and who are moulded into the Aussie answer to the Supremes before scoring gigs entertaining the troops in Vietnam as the war rages there in 1969. Sure, there are the cliches aplenty - the sassy fiery one, the sexy one, the naive one and the talented one make up the band but thanks to a rousing soul soundtrack The Sapphires rises above as the band comes together in Aussie under the tutelage of Dave and his very funny put downs. Hints of tensions bubble under but unsurprisingly come to a head when the band hits Saigon and their naivety gives cause to many eye opening moments for the girls from the Aborigine mission. While that may be predictable and the Saigon scenes play out in a somewhat sanitised way, (this film's never really about the politics of what's going on and things only come to an explosive end - unsurprisingly -when Dave and the sassy Sapphire finally find a middle ground) The Sapphires is nothing short of a rollicking good time, with oneliners guaranteed to get the audience onside. But it's Chris O'Dowd who really impresses here, building on his charming performance in Bridesmaids, he shows he's one of the best comedy actors around delivering lines with charisma, comic deftness and to killer effect. Sure, the political is shoved to one side in favour of the superficial feel good, but when the feel good is so raucous and so rousing you can't help but get swept along in this tale of a family coming back together again and discovering their voices. They shimmy through the slightly dodgy bits of storytelling with such ease that it's pointless to quibble with the energy, warmth and overall positive vibe. The Sapphires is occasionally less than polished, but it's never anything less than a great time at the movies (even if it does devolve into cheesy in its final scenes)

Shadow Dancer -

A tautly acted piece starring cracking performances from Andrea Riseborough and Clive Owen, Shadow Dancer is set in the murky world of the IRA. Riseborough is IRA member Colette McVeigh, who finds herself picked up by MI5's Mac (a grim faced Owen) after a bombing incident on the London Underground in 1993. Forced to turn informant, Colette finds herself trapped between the machinations of MI5 and its shadowy cabal and murky agenda and the IRA who senses a betrayal within the ranks. As the net grows tighter, Colette finds herself running out of time and angles to play before the cat and mouse game of spy and spymaster grows fatal. A deadly tight suspense thriller, Shadow Dancer really benefits from terrific performances by Riseborough, whose relative silence throughout conveys more about her emotional state of mind than any pointless exposition ever would. Equally impressive is Owen (the Bond we never had) as an agent trapped and an unwitting pawn in the games being played above his head. With a sombre pace and intelligent plotting, Shadow Dancer is a slow burner of a compelling film which slowly creeps under your skin as it rolls out its low key tension. Events hit a powder keg moment in the cat and mouse game of back and forth, but director James Marsh (Man on Wire and Project Nim) never relies on anything other than the acting to convey the suspense and it's a welcome touch to push the highly intelligent narrative forward. There's a sickening sense of inevitability about this film but it's a smart, masterful piece of taut story telling and acting which commands patience and concentration as its gripping conclusion plays out.

Whores' Glory -

The third of director Michael Glawogger's films looking at the nature of work, Whores' Glory visits the oldest profession in the world - and sells a very depressing story of how the women have ended up there. But really, it's more about the clock punching of the workers - a visit to one shows the group of them following the mundanity of the daily (bump and) grind as they clock in, worry about whether there will be enough work for them all and whether they've eaten before they start work. Equally depressing is the sight of women all lined up in a fish tank wearing numbers and sat quietly on cushions waiting to be selected by potential clients who discuss with the MC whether they will do everything they want. There's an overbearing sense of gloom in this film as it casts a major pall over the reality of the work of the prostitutes in the various different countries and while Glawogger's never intended to set out to glamourise the work, what he ends up doing is creating a sense of a deeply depressing industry to work in as he follows each of the workers and their clients. Each moment seems to show the women as nothing more than to barter for - one client discusses cutting the rate so that he can eat that night - while the women worry about whether they'll have enough cash and have to consider getting a second job. Whores' Glory is a bleak film but one which firmly showcases what it set out to. Just don't expect it to be a titillating piece in any way shape or form.

How To Meet Girls From A Distance -

Scripted, edited and shot within a few months and made (on paper) for $100K, How To Meet Girls From a Distance is a minor NZ cinematic miracle. The peeping tom rom-com follows Richard Falkner's Toby, a stalker in Wellington whose luck with the ladies is less than impressive. So, while receiving coaching from dodgy date expert Carl (an utterly brilliant Joanthan Brugh), Toby ends up meeting Phoebe (Scarlet Hemingway) and falling for her. And of course, he does what any normal person would do - follows his heart, takes illicit pictures of her from a distance and stalks her to get to know her better. However, there's a stumbling block - Phoebe's with Owen Black's Brad - but for any decent stalker, that's not a problem. And soon, Toby is ingratiating himself into Phoebe's life and heart... How To Meet Girls From a Distance deserves to be admired for its turn around and chutzpah - but it also deserves to be admired for what's actually turned up on the screen. Funny, charming and kooky, this piece of celluloid is a commendably good effort from all those involved. Falkner makes Toby sweet rather than borderline psychotic and Jonathan Brugh's Carl deserves a place in the pantheon of Kiwi oddball characters. A funny script plies on the laughs while never losing sight of the overall plot. From cringe-worthy dancing to dodgy tracheotomies, How To Meet Girls From a Distance is highly amusing, utterly rewarding and a totally unmissable experience at the New Zealand Film Festival.

Compliance (Guest review Jacob Powell)

Being accustomed to 'difficult' cinema that ofttimes sends a portion of the audience scuttling for the exits I was surprised by how gruelling I found Craig Zobel's Compliance; forcing me to squirm in my seat and make a few deep exhalations once the credits rolled. Based on a true story of some recent extreme prank calling crimes involving fast food restaurant workers in the USA this disturbing psychological head trip is affectively constructed as a lock-in film with almost all the action occurring on location in the restaurant. This essentially puts the viewer in the same position as the characters - a very suffocating and claustrophobic environment - serving to ratchet up the tension to near breaking point. Framing, editing, and sound choices are smartly and artfully applied to lift a potentially sensationalist movie into a psychological horror which bears comparison to a Haneke work, if by a less formed director. Compliance was a fantastic, if discomforting, end to NZFF 2012.

Dreams of a Life (guest reviewer Leanne Meikle)

A bleak film about a young woman called Joyce Vincent whose skeletal body was found in her bedsit in London after 3 years, with no contact from friends or family.  As her heating and television continued on in the background and the bills mounted up by the front door.   The film interviews old friends of the deceased who painted a picture of a once happy and attractive young woman, who studied hard at school but left with no qualifications, had a family of sisters but no parents and a past that no one knew or could understand.  
Each character not believing this once vibrant and beautiful young woman was the actual person they had read in the newspaper, questioning “how could this have happened”? 
This film left me feeling hollow and numb, how a life could simply “slip away between the cracks” of society, how today's communities are so large a person could just fade away out of sight.  When close friends and families who don’t call, visit or file a missing persons record, while a young person dies alone in a bedsit at Christmas, the most family orientated holiday of the year.  What left me puzzled was that Joyce died among the Christmas presents that she had wrapped for her family and friends but then none of them came looking for at her flat which they could have easily did if they had cared.  
Unfortunately we hear in the news how this situation just happens but really how can it? 
Dreams of A Life provides few answers but offers plenty of questions and provides a discomforting night at the cinema. 

More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Review of West of Memphis
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Holy Motors, V/H/S, A Monster in Paris, Bully, Vulgaria, Reality and Just the Wind
More NZ Film Festival Reviews -Reviews of Sightseers, On The Road and Bear
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Crazy Horse, Farewell My Queen, The Angels' Share, Bernie
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Your Sister's Sister, The Hunt
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More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Last Dogs of Winter special
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Beasts of Southern Wild, Wish You Were Here, This Must Be The Place, Cabin in the Woods, Killer Joe, Moonrise Kingdom
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of The Shining, Amour, From up on Poppy Hill, Animation for Tots, Sound of My Voice, Into the Abyss

New Zealand Film Festival - latest reviews from the final Auckland weekend

New Zealand Film Festival - latest reviews from the final Auckland weekend 

Holy Motors

This year's WTF? goes squarely to closing night film Holy Motors - a title which will be potentially the equivalent of the Tree Of Life in terms of you're either all in or you're all out. From director Leos Carax, it follows the mysterious Monsieur Oscar  (an extremely versatile, albeit craggy looking Denis Lavant) as he drives around Paris from one 'appointment' to another. Chauffeured in a white limousine by Celine (Edith Scob) he takes on various persona which he pulls together from a theatrical style wardrobe in the back of the car. He's by turns, an elderly woman begging on the streets, a motion capture artist, an imp running off with a model from a shoot and various others (to reveal more is a little unfair as it robs you of the insanity of the piece). Kylie and Eva Mendes show up in this surreal road odyssey which wends its way around Paris' streets. Utterly crazy, wild, wacky and really WTF? Holy Motors is the perfect way to close the New Zealand International Film Festival. It's a visual treat even if you don't really have a clue what's going on - the whys and the wherefores are all very much up to interpretation and that's great to provoke debate as the film ends but it certainly gives way to a puzzling experience as it unfolds on the big screen. Lavant is great in the role - as each appointment plays out, he gives a performance which is certainly boots and all. From the impish gibberish talker who disrupts Eva Mendes photoshoot to the sad faced parent scolding a child for lying to him, it's a compelling turn even if you're not quite clear on what's unfurling. Kylie Minogue is in downbeat mode as someone who appears to share a connection with Oscar. All in all, Holy Motors is a visual feast; a film which has links with Dali and Lynch and which refuses to be confined by convention and provides the clearest indication that creativity is its own reward.

V/H/S

A horror anthology which promised to deliver the scares, V/H/S has certainly got the indie credentials. Its premise involves a group of utter losers breaking into a home to steal some videotapes from a house. As ever with the found film footage genre, they're taping their every action for us to enjoy. But while that's the wrap-around for the over-arching story, the hook comes in the videos that one of them watches while the others are searching the house. Comprising five tales, each from an expert in the genre, the quality is varying and the results sometimes scary and other times not so. In fact, to be honest, the first two found footage videos played didn't float my boat at all - and I wondered if the rest of the film would be frankly as uninspiring. How wrong, because the final three films are utterly brilliant and pack as many inventive scares and smart new ideas as any long form Hollywood horror movie can dream of. A trip to the woods, a Skype chat between two lovers which turns deadly and a ritual on Hallowe'en are the smartest pieces of genre film making I've seen in years. Grubby, lo-fi and packing nudity of male and female, V/H/S really does have something for everyone and while there are plenty of "WTF was that?" moments, there's certainly no real "Oops, I've soiled myself in fear" moments throughout. The filmmaking talent involved's smart enough to offer up enough chills to rejuvenate the format and using the Video footage means the audience is carefully scanning the screen trying to see what's coming. The beauty of this piece? You won't and what you do get will surprise and titillate even the most jaded of horror lovers with freshness and smarts.

A Monster in Paris

The award for the most generic looking animation this year at the festival, A Monster in Paris feels like it could have come straight out of the multiplexes - a feeling not much helped by the fact all of the voice over work is done by Americanised actors, a decision which to be honest, had me scratching my head and wishing really that it had been left in its native language. Set in 1910 Paris, the film follows a projectionist's friendship with rogueish delivery man Raoul after the pair inadvertently create a giant flea monster when a delivery goes a bit awry. Throw in a friendship between that giant flea and a French Parisienne singer Lucille and a potential showdown with a police commissioner hell-bent on capturing the Monster of Paris and securing his mayoral campaign and it's all on. Gorgeous French computer animation with vivid purples, blues and green hues add beautifully to this tale which is anything but generic and packs more charm than certain other major studio releases this year. Musical numbers add to the flavour of the film and retro throwbacks to horror films, the Phantom of the Opera and the cinema of yesteryear certainly give this piece a much enjoyable feel. Also, make sure you get there on time to view SNAP, the 6 minute short prior which is bright, beautiful and blimming funny - sometimes, the best things do come in small doses.

Bully
Anyone who's experienced any level of bullying or who's always claimed ignorance of the issue will find something in this doco from Lee Hirsch. Set in Middle America, it follows a clutch of kids whose lives are made hellish by the daily beatings, verbal smackdowns and general cruelty of kids in general and a system which seems determined to be nothing more than ineffectual. Beginning with home video footage of a young boy, playing happily and gradually as the years go by becoming more withdrawn, the tone is set early on - it's a hard watch but one which is nothing less than compelling throughout even if some of the wider issues and backgrounds are a little ignored. 12-year-old Alex is the poster boy for bullying; born prematurely and cruelly dubbed Fishface by some in school, he's a loner who's punched on the bus for no reason, strangled and ostracised but yet who goes back every day to endure it all again and suffers in silence. When one kid's asked about what goes on with the bullying, he simply states "It breaks my heart" and that's something any audience member sitting through this will identify with. Hirsch has pulled together a piece which is provocative as it deals with growing numbers of suicides caused by bullying but which tries to offer up some hope at the end. School systems and ineffective principals are damned by Lee's non-intrusive camera work, which captures the frustrations of the parents and the denial of those in power who could make a difference. Alex proves to be an engaging subject - despite enduring a daily hell of people telling him they "will end" him, his demeanour and attitude can be challenging and heartbreaking as he asks "Who else will be my friend" when his parents see the extent of what Lee's caught on camera and urge him to  speak up. Bully also deals with other kids whose lives are damned and the parents of a teen boy who felt he had no choice but to take his own life. By providing a document which has such disarming honesty, you can see what Lee Hirsch is trying to do - and is continuing to do after release - but you can't help but feel this is a film which needs to be seen more by the masses, freed from any distribution issues and given directly to schools to actually make a difference (no fault of the film-maker here, I hasten to add). Bully is an emotive yet matter of fact piece which is emotionally shattering and utterly horrifying as it follows its subjects. It offers some hope but shows we're still too far away from ever really doing anything to actively end this - which is a crime, no matter how you view it.

Vulgaria (Guest reviewer Jacob Powell)

A light comedic piece from Pang Ho-cheung, director of devilishly good previous NZFF titles like Dream Home, Vulgaria, in true exploitation cinema mode, over-promises in both its title and programme synopsis. Instead of the comedically grimy, and twisted John Watersesque film the title Vulgaria invokes, we are delivered a cheeky satirical strip down of the sometimes ideal compromising process of getting film projects funded. Chapman To puts in a good turn as Hong Kong film producer and ethical chameleon To Wai-cheung who guests in an interview for a film studies class and spins a tale of moral abandon in getting a film project financed by gang boss Brother Tyrannosaurus (Ronald Cheng) made. Pang's film certainly delivers its share of laughs but mostly just feels a bit silly and slight. It is (now) perhaps unsurprising to have read that the film was made in only 12 days.

Just The Wind (Guest reviewer Jacob Powell)

A grim tale out of the Hungarian Roma (Gypsy) community, Benedek Fliegauf's Just The Wind is an artfully constructed and naturalistically shot film visually reminiscent of Claire Denis' White Material (2009) though with a less crisp quality. The films begins with a written notice stating that although this is a work of fiction the story has grown from an actual series of attacks on Roma families in Hungary in 2008/2009. The narrative is pretty free flowing following an 'a day in the life' template applied to a particular Roma family as they go about their work, schooling, and skiving in the wake of the brutal real life events already described. A thread of tension and inevitability is slowly pulled tight over the course of the film until, with masterful use of music, mise-en-scene, and natural performances we are left awaiting the lone possible outcome. Well paced and suitably restrained Just The Wind showcases the deft touch of an able storyteller communicating volumes sans melodrama.

Reality (Guest reviewer Jacob Powell)

In stark contrast to 2008's Gomorrah, Matteo Garrone's Reality is a barrage of contradictions and opposing meanings. The director cleverly, if not subtly, plays with the titular theme, weaving intensely mixed auditory, visual, and narrative messages into his own darkly comic fabric of Reality. This is apparent from the opening scene where a helicopter shot traces the route of a garishly decorated horse-drawn carriage along mundane streets to a wedding venue. Garrone shoots fantastical imagery with harsh documentary-like colour/lighting making it look all the more crass and unappealing. The narrative becomes increasingly disconnected from reality as would-be Big Brother contestant Luciano slowly succumbs to fame-festishised madness. Alexandre Desplat gives his very best (and perfectly suited) Danny Elfman impression with the score, creating a dramatic ending juxtaposition when audio switches to ambient sound only in the most fabricated environment of all. Great, perhaps divisive, stuff.

More NZ Film Festival Reviews -Reviews of Sightseers, On The Road and Bear
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Crazy Horse, Farewell My Queen, The Angels' Share, Bernie
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Your Sister's Sister, The Hunt
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of the Wall, Room 237, Wuthering Heights
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of First Position and Marley
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Last Dogs of Winter special
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Beasts of Southern Wild, Wish You Were Here, This Must Be The Place, Cabin in the Woods, Killer Joe, Moonrise Kingdom
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of The Shining, Amour, From up on Poppy Hill, Animation for Tots, Sound of My Voice, Into the Abyss

Wellington Film wins NZ's Best Awards

Wellington Film wins NZ's Best Awards

Wellington filmmaker Sam Kelly has won the inaugural NZIFF New Zealand’s Best Short Film Competition. 

The Madman Entertainment Jury Prize, a cash prize of $5000 for the Best New Zealand Short Film at the 2012 New Zealand International Film Festival, is awarded to Lambs, written and directed by Sam Kelly, produced by Tom Hern.

 Announcing the prize at Auckland’s Civic Theatre tonight, juror and Madman Entertainment representative Michael Eldred read from the jury’s citation:

“Lambs had the biggest heartbeat, a rawness, honesty and a wonderful humanity.”

The Audience Award, 25% of the net box office takings from the screenings in the four main centres, is also awarded to Lambs. The votes were collated from four screenings held in Auckland and Wellington as part of the 2012 NZIFF. The cash value of this prize derived from ticket sales is likely to be around $5000.

The Friends of the Civic Short Film Award for distinctive creative achievement, a cash prize of $3000, was awarded to Home, directed by Dunedin filmmaker Thomas Gleeson, produced by Thomas Gleeson and Pip Walls. 

“Home is an original, surprising, even humorous, experimental documentary. The house was an engaging character in peril, and you really wanted to know how the journey would end." 

The following comments were provided by the judges for the NZ’s Best short film competition:

“All of the films were of very high quality & fully engaged the audience. I’m really looking forward to seeing more work from these talented filmmakers.” – Michael Eldred, Madman Entertainment

"I found this year’s entries incredibly difficult to make singular choices from. The confidence, skill and artistry in all 6 stories gives proof to an enormously exciting future for the next generation of feature film makers. Most importantly they felt uniquely Kiwi and beautifully original as a consequence." – Robyn Malcolm

Filmmaker Sima Urale was the third juror. Festival programmers Bill Gosden and Michael McDonnell viewed 109 short film submissions to prepare the competition shortlist. Guest selector and international filmmaker Roger Donaldson selected the six finalists from a shortlist of twelve. The finalists were:

43,000 Feet

NZ 2012. Director: Campbell Hooper Producers: Heather Lee, Amber Easby Screenplay: Matthew Harris. 9 mins

With several minutes before he hits the ground, a falling man reflects on his past and his immediate future.

“Great photography. Very original framing and concept.” – Roger Donaldson

Ellen Is Leaving

NZ 2012. Director: Michelle Savill Producers: Michelle Savill, Desray Armstrong Screenplay: Martha Hardy-Ward. 15 mins

Ellen is cool. She is recycling stuff before she heads overseas.

“I love how original it feels. The details of the travel pack put a real smile on my face. ” – Roger Donaldson

Home

NZ 2012. Director: Thomas Gleeson Producers: Thomas Gleeson, Pip Walls. 11 mins

We watch a house take a road trip.

“A beautifully photographed minimalist documentary.” – Roger Donaldson

Lambs

NZ 2012. Director/Screenplay: Sam Kelly Producer: Tom Hern. 15 mins

“Really captures a tough uncompromising world in a very compelling way. I loved the central character’s heroism. It reminded me of Once Were Warriors in the best possible way.” – Roger Donaldson

Milk & Honey

NZ 2012. Director/Screenplay: Marina Alofagia McCartney Producers: Angela Hicks, Marina Alofagia McCartney. 14 mins

This brief drama recalls the notorious dawn raids on Pasifika families.

“I lived in Ponsonby in the 70s and remember the events portrayed in this film. Very poignant.” – Roger Donaldson

Night Shift

NZ 2012. Director/Screenplay: Zia Mandviwalla Producers: Chelsea Winstanley, Matt Noonan. 14 mins

An airport cleaner has reason to keep to herself.

“I love this story – it feels so real and packs a real wallop.” – Roger Donaldson

Brand new Dredd image

Brand new Dredd image

The UK poster for Dredd's been revealed and it looks stonkingly good.

Karl Urban as Judge Dredd is really hitting all the spots for me.

Anyway, you can see a whole heap of Dredd images elsewhere on the blog.

But here's the funky new poster.

New Zealand Film Festival Review - West Of Memphis

New Zealand Film Festival Review - West Of Memphis

To say you could hear a pin drop during the Auckland screening of West of Memphis is a bit of an understatement.

I'm going to front now and admit, to my shame, that I've seen or heard nothing of this case prior to this year's festival, so perhaps I was in a better position than some to attend the screening, with its guests of Sir Peter Jackson and Damien Echols.

All I can say is that I was left floored by the power of the documentary and the story. And humbled by the guests who spent an hour or so after dealing with the issues and answering questions.

West of Memphis is the tale of 3 men, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse MisKelly Jnr who were convicted for the murder of 3 eight-year-old boys in Arkansas back in 1994. This piece then follows the fight to get their convictions overturned, them out of jail (and in Damien Echols' case off of death row) and the struggle to expose a system so corrupt and damaged.

When you explain it like that, it's easy to see how a film like this could pander to emotional manipulation, over-stating the facts and playing to people's worst fears as well as painting a whiter-than-white portrait of the victims.

But West of Memphis does nothing like that at all - it's a concise, compelling and horrifying tale of a miscarriage of justice which is so disgusting, you wonder how anyone could cope or live with its after effects.

Full credit needs to go to director Amy Berg, who's clearly devoted years to investigating this case thoroughly and crafting together a piece which is rational, calm, measured and extremely powerful to behold. A murder such as this one had locals screaming Satanism and Berg doesn't shy away from showing the victims, the crime scene and emotionally draining scenes of one mother collapsing after she finds out her child is dead.

Yet none of this is ever exploitative or sensationalised- throwing together an extremely wide group of interview subjects from all sides of the debate is a smart move by the film-makers and swerves this doco away from ever being about championing one cause. Granted, Echols gets the lion's share of the story because this is the case Sir Peter and Fran Walsh became involved with to try and get him off of death row.

But, by pulling together the pieces of the puzzle and presenting a clear picture of who they believe committed the murders (and backing it up with no less than 7 experts!) and leaving the three convicted men to the relative background of the film rather than having copious shots of them protesting their innocence, what emerges is an emotional (and yet extremely rational) response which you couldn't have prepared yourself for.

Evidence is damning - and the finger of blame is pointed at a massively corrupt justice system and state of Arkansas while simultaneously exonerating the three men jailed for such a heinous crime.

They say a good documentary has you interested in the story as it plays out. But a great documentary sends you scurrying to find out more about the story, while leaving you with an overwhelming feeling and reaction.

West of Memphis is a great documentary - it left me shocked, appalled, humbled, extremely outraged and at the same time inspired. There's an overarching sense of injustice throughout its 145 minute running time (which incidentally flew by) and I have nothing short of utter admiration for Damien Echols, who at one points espouse the phrase: "This case is nothing out of the ordinary. Stuff like this happens all the time."

I defy you not to have some kind of response to this film (as you can tell from the above review, Berg manages to create a piece which affected me as I watched it unfurl)- West of Memphis is a powerfully masterful piece of filmmaking and story telling which pulls no punches and is in equal measures heartbreaking and humbling. It's also saddening to think that three lives have been lost with no-one caught and countless others overshadowed by the actions of someone who continues to live without any consequences (even though the film gives solid evidence as to who is to blame, the frustration they're not in jail is overwhelming.)

West of Memphis is a simply unmissable NZ Film Festival experience which showcases a talent at their absolute peak.

And if like me, you want to know more about this case, you can find out more about the ongoing fight to clear the West Memphis 3 on their website.




More NZ Film Festival Reviews -Reviews of Sightseers, On The Road and Bear
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Crazy Horse, Farewell My Queen, The Angels' Share, Bernie
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Your Sister's Sister, The Hunt
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of the Wall, Room 237, Wuthering Heights
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of First Position and Marley
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Last Dogs of Winter special
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of Beasts of Southern Wild, Wish You Were Here, This Must Be The Place, Cabin in the Woods, Killer Joe, Moonrise Kingdom
More NZ Film Festival Reviews - Reviews of The Shining, Amour, From up on Poppy Hill, Animation for Tots, Sound of My Voice, Into the Abyss

Assassin's Creed III - AnvilNext Trailer

Assassin's Creed III - AnvilNext Trailer

Just in.... news of the Assassins's Creed technology...

"At the heart of Assassin’s Creed III, lies a radically redesigned game engine called AnvilNext

This proprietary technology renders seamless worlds of nearly infinite possibilities. Transporting you deep inside America before it was America.

From vivid natural landscapes, to accurate portrayal of life during the American Revolution, you’ll experience the tumultuous reality of the birth of a new nation.Innovative artificial intelligence will enable you to meet and interact with the diverse characters that made up the early colonies.
Due to advancements in the AnvilNext game engine, you’ll encounter up to 2000 non-playable characters in a single sequence."

Take a look below at Assassin's Creed III - AnvilNext Trailer....