The Red House: Movie Review

The Red House: Movie Review

Cast: Lee Stuart, Meng Jia
Director: Alyx Duncan

NZ director Alyx Duncan brings us this feature debut which scored highly at the New Zealand International Film Festival last year.

It's the story of Lee and Jia, a couple of mixed race, who've been together for years. When Jia is called back to China to carry out her family duty and look after her elders, Lee has no choice after 20 years together but to go along too.

So, while Jia heads home first, Lee begins to pack up his belongings and start a new life in their 60s in a new country.

The Red House is an uncannily assured debut from Alyx Duncan. It has a haunting and lyrical feel as the camera lingers on many images captured by the lens - and none of which feel manufactured for the use of the film (a rare feat these days).

The story, such as it is, is threadbare but there's a poignant intimacy between the pair and it's clear there's a bond off the screen as well as on. Reflective, thoughtful and beautifully shot, The Red House is perhaps one of the more memorably intimate and small scale New Zealand films to grace the screen in the past year or so. Stripped of budget and bathed in love and pathos, Duncan manages to get the best out of her minimalist leads.

Throw in the juxtaposition of New Zealand shores and the contrast of a dirty and downbeat China and you really have something a little different from this cinematic outing. It's spellbinding and evocative in equal measure - a sign that New Zealand can do slow cinema which tugs at the heartstrings and hints at some universal bonds and compassion between us. You'd have to have a hard heart to be unmoved by this tale.

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Jack The Giant Slayer: Movie Review

Jack The Giant Slayer: Movie Review

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewen Bremner
Director: Bryan Singer

Fe, fi, fo, fum. Another fairy-tale film this way does come.

In the latest to be released (after Oz: The Great and Powerful, Snow White), Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy, Warm Bodies) plays Jack, who, as a young boy, was enthralled by the stories of the giants in the heavens above.

He's not alone in that admiration of all things tall as Princess Isabelle (Tomlinson) is also fascinated by the fairy tale.

The pair meet in later life when Jack is a young farmhand and Princess Isabelle is, well, a princess. Jack's sent to the market to sell off the horse and cart to ensure there's money for the farm to survive. However, he comes back with only a couple of magic beans - as the story goes.

Those beans are also being sought as well by Stanley Tucci's toothy Roderick, who's determined to enslave the giants and use them to wreak havoc below.

But when Jack accidentally drops a bean in his cabin, while fending off a visit from the princess, it sprouts a beanstalk re-connecting the humans to the Giant kingdom - and unleashing all manner of complications as well as a potential for war.

Jack The Giant Slayer (aka Jack The Giant Killer) is a perfectly fine, adequately re-telling of a tale so familiar to many. Bryan Singer manages to slightly subvert your expectations of what you may believe the fairy tale is telling by bringing a final section battle sequence to life that challenges anything proffered up by the Lord of the Rings series (albeit on a slightly smaller scale). He's also fond of the work done by his FX team, throwing in numerous swirling shots of the Giants' world to show off the scale of what's ahead and what's been achieved.

But he doesn't lose sight of the human side of the story; Hoult is warm and affable (if a little wet) as Jack; Tomlinson is a little wishy washy as the princess / romantic lead; Tucci is (as previously mentioned) toothy and a bit hammy as the villain of the piece (as is an OTT foppish Ewen Bremner as his snickering buffoonish No2) and Ewan McGregor rocks out a terribly stilted Obi-Wanesque accent as the head of the guard. Some dignity is provided by Ian McShane's king, but to be honest, they're all second fiddle to the FX and the Giants themselves (which inexplicably all speak with Irish accents)

All in all, Jack The Giant Slayer delivers more on its Less Stalk, More Action (as one wag has coined it) and presents a perfectly enjoyable, if entirely forgettable and relatively unoriginal, family movie. If anything, you could say it's a case of Fe, Fi, Ho-Hum.

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Taken 2: Blu Ray Review

Taken 2: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Another outing for Liam Neeson's man with a special set of skills. 

Having killed off the very bad people who kidnapped his daughter in the first Taken movie, Liam Neeson returns as retired CIA agent Bryan Mills.

Estranged from his wife Lenore (Famke Janssen), Mills is taking security work abroad in Istanbul when he offers his ex and daughter Kim a chance to join him for the weekend. But the vacation's about to take a turn for the worst when the father of one of people Mills killed the first time around seeks revenge.

Soon, Mills and Lenore are kidnapped - and only his daughter Kim holds the key initially to saving them.....

Taken 2 is a bit of a major disappointment to be honest.

Lacking any of the originality and surprise of the first film, it's a formulaic and heartless mash up of action sequences and fight scenes which lack any real tension or suspense, while going through the action film hoops (a car chase here, a fistfight there). Whereas the first film had a fresh and novel premise, this one feels forced and to be honest, in places, a little ludicrous. (Bryan's daughter Kim heads off over rooves at one point, hurling grenades willy-nilly so that Neeson can track the explosions - she doesn't get shot for her troubles, leading me to wonder what kind of air policing is in place in Istanbul.) Perhaps, the most insane moment is the moment that Mills is taken at gunpoint, but yet has the time to make a long protracted phone call to his daughter, explaining what's going on.

While Neeson has a reasonable time being a badass, he does in a rather dour manner and at the expense of any humour whatsoever - spending most of the time scowling and shooting. With his usual gruff, gravelly voice, he's clearly in action man mode but on auto-pilot as well. Janssen and Grace have little else to do except whimper and offer sidekick support here and there, leading to plenty of feeling that it's simply going through the motions. Even the head bad guy, who grumbles about having revenge at the start of the film, poses less and less of a threat as Bryan Mills does little to boost  Eastern relations by taking out everyone who has a hint of an accent and stubble with a carefully placed shot here and there.

The problem with Taken 2 is that it's relatively bloodless for the amount of people being shot to pieces, it lacks any kind of real originality or tension and is sorely missing the inventiveness of the first Taken movie.

Extras: Extended cut, deleted scenes, alternate ending

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The Intouchables: Blu Ray Review

The Intouchables: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Entertainment

The Intouchables is the heartwarming and true, yet irreverent tale of quadriplegic millionaire, Philippe (Francois Cluzet) whose life took a turn for the worst after a paragliding accident. Confined to a chair, Philippe lives day to day, appreciating the finer things in life like art and classical music and yet not quite living properly.

One day, while interviewing for a new carer, he comes across Omar Sy's street smart ex-con Driss. Driss is there simply to tick a box and to apply for a benefit - however, when he ends up at the interview, his lack of interest in the role and stolid adherence to being there only because he has to (although he ends up flirting with flame haired interviewer Magalie, played by Audrey Fleurot), fires up something long dormant in Philippe.

Driss ends up being hired by Philippe and, unsurprisingly, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship as the carer from the projects brings his unorthodox view on life to the starchly stiff world of Philippe.

The Intouchables is very much the antithesis to the Diving Bell and The Butterfly - and is so diametrically opposed in approach that it's easy to see why this broadly uplifting and at times, irreverent comedy has been so cherished by many.

Uplifting, surprisingly never mawkish and always heartwarming, The Intouchables is a joy to behold. From the humour of the writing which punctuates any lingering sentimentality (which would normally threaten to derail a film such as this) to central performances which are never anything less than compelling despite being non-showy, it's a film which will linger on in you long after you've left.

Extras: Deleted scenes

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Broken City: Movie Review

Broken City: Movie Review

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta Jones, Jeffery Wright, Barry Pepper, Kyle Chandler
Director: Allen Hughes

In this thriller, the first solo directorial outing from one of the acclaimed Hughes Brothers, Wahlberg stars as New York Police City officer Billy Taggart.

Involved in a racial shooting which divides New York, Taggart is exonerated of the crime and kept out of jail by New York mayor Hostetler (Russell Crowe). But he's forced to walk from the police service and sets up as a private investigator, which is a business he thrives in but fails to bring in much money.

When the mayor approaches him several years later and with an election looming, offering him $50K to investigate his wife Cathleen (Zeta Jones) whom he suspects of having an affair, it appears to be an open and shut case.

However, things aren't as simple as Taggart initially believes and soon, he's involved in a case of corruption and potentially being framed for murder...

Broken City is a  predictable thriller, which lacks suspense and is a simply by the numbers story.

With its tale of underhand politics, apparent twists and turns and corruption, it offers nothing new to the genre but is a solid, if unspectacular, night out at the movies.

Wahlberg trades on his everyman schtick and is watchable enough (despite looking confused throughout) but he can't do much to lift a weak story and turn it into something remarkable. He even makes it difficult for you to root for the character to win over with flashes of alcoholism and lapsing back into drinking doing little to win you over.

Odd moments of humour puncture the proceedings but they don't, unfortunately add much to the moment. Storylines dangle - an argument with his girlfriend which leads to a split comes out of nowhere and doesn't even resolve itself as the tentacles of the conspiracy play out over Broken City's rather stuffy and dull running time.

Crowe has a reasonable stab at an accent as the Mayor and it pays off but even he can't do much to breathe any real life into the script. And Zeta-Jones adds little to the plodding proceedings as the murky storyline plays out.

All in all, Broken City isn't a massive failure when it comes to a night out. It's just a spectacularly unthrilling ride even though it is a solid film. It really could have done with a few more twists and turns to give the leaden script the intrigue and mystique it clearly needed to lift it from the mire of TV movie and to get those watching caring a little more.

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NZIFF announces new series of autumn events

NZIFF announces new series of autumn events

Good news for film lovers wanting an escape from the multiplex and pining for the return of the New Zealand International Film Festival.

News reaches us of a new series of events, designed to take the place of the World Cinema Showcase and which will give the mighty Civic Theatre in Auckland the chance to show off what it can do.

Here's the presser:

NZIFF will present a series of Autumn Events this April and May in Auckland and Wellington.

Our new programme gets underway in high style with beautiful new digital restorations of Lawrence of Arabia and Guys and Dolls.

NZ premiere screenings of Oscar-nominated Kon-Tiki and Ant Timpson's The ABC's of Death will round out our first event in Auckland: A Big Weekend at the Civic.

Further Autumn Events – filmmaker retrospectives, hot documentaries, feature premieres – will be announced to take place at the newly refurbished Academy Cinemas, and Rialto Cinemas in Auckland in late April and May.

In Wellington NZIFF is planning to host Guys and Dolls and Lawrence of Arabia at the Embassy Theatre from 20 April. The remaining Autumn screenings, including presentations of Kon-Tiki and ABCs, will take place at the Paramount.

 The Autumn Events will screen at a time of year that previously would have seen NZIFF’s World Cinema Showcase screenings taking place in the four main centres.

The schedule for the Civic screenings will be online and tickets on-sale from Tuesday 12 March directly from Edge ticketing outlets. Further information about other event screenings will follow later this week. A free printed calendar for the full panoply of NZIFF Autumn Events will be available around Auckland and Wellington from the end of March. 

Click through to read more about the Autumn Events on the NZFF website. 

Stunning digital 4K restoration of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

David Lean’s 1962 biopic remains the benchmark in epic action cinema: literate, dynamic and visually stupendous. Dashing performances by Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif defined the two young actors for life. Premiered at a Special 50th Anniversary screening at Cannes last year, the brand-new 4K digital restoration presents Lean’s 1988 Director’s Cut as never seen before. The new state-of-the-art 4K projection system at The Civic has found its perfect showpiece.

Read more about our presentation of Lawrence of Arabia online here. 

Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra croon it up in GUYS AND DOLLS

Frank Loesser’s boisterous, tune-filled adaptation of stories by Prohibition era newspaper man and humourist Damon Runyon is one of the wonders of the Broadway musical, gloriously free of sentimentality and cant. Big stakes gambler Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) pursues no-nonsense Salvation Army Sister Sarah Brown (lovely Jean Simmons) for a bet. Meanwhile nightclub chanteuse Miss Adelaide (Broadway star Vivian Blaine) presses another gambling man, longstanding fiancé Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra, naturally nonchalant) to name the day.  

Read more about our presentation of Guys and Dolls online here.

NZ PREMIERE: Oscar-nominated Best Foreign Language feature KON-TIKI

Kon-Tiki combines high adventure at sea with a fascinating psychological portrait of one of Norway’s national heroes, anthropologist/explorer/filmmaker Thor Heyerdahl. The country’s most expensive film ever, boasting breathtaking filming on the oceans, it has been a block-buster on Scandinavian screens and was one of the five finalists in the Foreign Language category at this year’s Oscars. NZIFF presents the New Zealand premiere screening on the giant Civic screen such a spectacle cries out for. 

Read more about the NZ premiere of Kon-Tiki on the website here.

NZ PREMIERE of Ant Timpson's anthology of horror: THE ABCs OF DEATH

You knew NZIFF’s Incredibly Strange programmer Ant Timpson was well-connected? Check out the register of international renegade talent signed up by Ant and his Austin partner-in-crime Tim League for this late-night extravaganza. Don’t miss your best ever chance to check out this who’s who of alt-exploitation with a crowd.   

Read more about our presentation of The ABCs of Death on the website here.

New Star Trek Into Darkness trailer

New Star Trek Into Darkness trailer

Now, this is a great way to start a Monday - a new Star Trek trailer.

Well, to be more accurate, a new Into Darkness trailer.

Just launched into space is the brand new Star Trek Into Darkness trailer - take a look below.



Here's a wrap up of all we know so far for Star Trek Into Darkness:

A new Star Trek Into Darkness trailer is here - and a brand new viral campaign for Star Trek Into Darkness has been unveiled too. AreYouthe1701.com has launched - see if you can spot it in the trailer...


See who the villain of Star Trek Into Darkness is here....

The announcement Star Trek Into Darkness trailer has landed....

Watch the Star Trek Into Darkness trailer.



And as if that wasn't exciting enough, the Japanese trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness has 15 seconds more footage - here it is...including a rather worrying homage to Star Trek The Wrath of Khan - is this where we see the demise of Zachary Quinto's Spock???

Star Trek Into Darkness synopsis

In 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Returning again will be NZ’s own Karl Urban, along with a cast that includes Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and Benedict Cumberbatch.  

Star Trek Into Darkness: releases in NZ on 16 May 2013.