54: Director's Cut: NZFF Review

54: Director's Cut: NZFF Review

70s Disco excess gets the big screen treatment once again with the new version of 54.

With 40 minutes of footage excised from the original 1998 release at the ordering of the Weinstein head honcho so that it wasn't quite the deviant flick that director Mark Christopher had envisioned.

Sure, the original vision may now be in tact and restored, but 54 has lost none of the thrill that it held the first time around.

For those not in the know, it's the story of Ryan Phillippe's wannabe Shane who lives in New Jersey but longs to outgrow his roots and be part of the New York scene. Stumbling one night into the path of Studio 54, Shane's plucked from the crowd by 54's svengali Steve Rubell (on the condition that he removes his shirt).

Inside the world of excess and disco music, Shane discovers his true raison d'etre as a busboy, but begins his social climb to bartender via ego and arrogance. Falling in with Breckin Meyer's Greg and Salma Hayek's Anita, he seems to have it all. But as the decadence of the club's excesses dig their claws deep into him, he starts to lose his humanity and decency, stopping at nothing to get to the top.

The director's cut of 54 may have lost none of the excess (in fact, it's probably even added some of it back in) but it certainly feels like more of a narrative flow than the previous outing. Even adding in one of the more notorious scenes where Shane tries it on with Greg, Christopher's vision for the film appears to have been restored to the glory that was originally envisaged.

Though, it's not all entirely successfully shoe-horned back in.

A few moments, coming as they do from source VHS, stand out on the big screen and the quality lapses are perhaps shockingly inevitable. And the sequences with Neve Campbell's soap star and potential love interest for Shane doesn't quite hang together or flow as the self-destructive Shane tries to summit the heights of his ambition.

But despite these minor niggles, 54: The Director's Cut brings a string of familiar faces in early roles (Heather Matarazzo, Mark Ruffalo) and reinforces that Mike Myers' take on Rubell was a tragic figure subtly personified and equally under-explored.

A paean to the excesses of the 70s it may be, but 54: The Director's Cut is still a trashy blast, a last hurrah for the disco era and a guilty pleasure nonetheless.

Newstalk ZB Film Review - Ant-Man, Paper Towns and Home

Newstalk ZB Film Review - Ant-Man, Paper Towns and Home

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/lifestyle/movies/darren-bevan-ant-man-paper-towns/

Irrational Man: Film Review

Irrational Man: Film Review

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey
Director: Woody Allen

It's fair to say that the recent output from director Woody Allen has not been his finest work.

Magic in the Moonlight was weaker than most of Allen's output, putting the brilliance of Blue Jasmine in the shade. So to say there are expectations of the new film is perhaps an understatement.

Irrational Man is the story of Joaquin Phoenix, an at-sea and tormented philosophy lecturer Abe Lewis whose predilection for single malt whisky and womanising wayshas led to him getting a reputation before he takes a role at a Rhode Island College. Upon arrival, Abe gains the admiration of Jill a bright student who takes a shine to the professor and his tormented ways.

But Abe's not interested, both in Jill but also in bored and horny professor Rita (Posey) who wants to see if his reputation is deserved.

However, Abe finds purpose in his drifting when he overhears a conversation at a diner and decides to make a moral act his reason for living...

Irrational Man is frankly, insufferable in parts.

A clutch of self-absorbed, thinly written narcissists blow in and out of the film as often as the over-used voiceover and end up grating from beginning to end.

Allen may be wanting to provoke debate over what you would do, and incite a discussion over right and wrong, but the plotting of the piece, coupled with the abysmal characters make this a difficult piece to embrace.

Phoenix seems wasted as the pot-bellied Lewis initially, but he finds his gusto when he sets aside the torment of Lewis to embrace his misplaced and misguided moral code. Maybe the rush-to-the-end film would have worked better as a two-hander and the ethics and philosophical quandaries of the proposal would have made for some fizzing and crackling dialogue if Allen were on his game.

But sadly, he's not.

And nowhere is this more evident than the continual repetition of jazz song The "In" Crowd by the Ramsey Lewis Trio, an upbeat tune that's consistently wheeled out by Allen to herald the transitions of scenes or the dramatic moment. It's intensely annoying, utterly grating and infuriating, something which comes to symbolise the film itself as it relies heavily on the preponderance of voiceover to furnish the plot.

Extraneous characters, which were badly written at the start, flit in and out, reminding you of their presence but never troubling your grey-matter and only serving to remind you how shallow the whole thing is. Stone is reasonably well-serviced in terms of becoming Allen's latest muse, but even she can't shake the annoyance that washes over all of the inhabitants of this kitchen sink drama.

If anything, Irrational Man feels like it could have benefited from a bit more beef and chutzpah into its script - it lacks the Allen touch and is as much at sea as its morally lost lead character.

Rating:

Enchanted Kingdom 3D: NZFF Review

Enchanted Kingdom 3D: NZFF Review

The initial signs for Enchanted Kingdom weren't great.

A portentously overblown voiceover from Idris Elba, telling us that "the sound of nature is all around us" at the start as people get rained on in the city culminates in the camera pulling back and spiralling to the continent of Africaaaaaaaaa (Extra "A"s added in voiceover for dramatic effect I suspect).

Thankfully after this OTT moment, the film from BBC Earth settles down a little to take in 7 portions of Africaaaaaaaa for our visual stimulation and enjoyment.

But in adopting a rather piecemeal and episodic touch to the subject matter, rather than trying to find a narrative thread and following it through, Enchanted Kingdom occasionally feels like a missed opportunity as it bounces from portion to portion.

Despite timelapse photography revealing some of the wonders of the realms, including wondrous ice landscapes that live by night and die by day, the team's frenetic flow feels forced and the end result isn't as successful as previous NZIFF nature documentaries have been.

That's not to say that Patrick Morris and Neil Nightingale don't realise that characters are what we invest in on these journeys - as well as never before seen sights.

They give time to a dancing lizard which continually lifts its feet to avoid burning in the desert, and to a baby elephant out with its family on a trek for water, as well as a group of gorillas frolicking under the lush verdant greenery.

There's even time to take in some of the lava flows and their destructive nature - and a far too brief chance to explore underwater before zipping on to the next moment.  There's menace from crocodiles like dragons (according to Idris) menacing Wildebeest, a moment that reminds all of us of the crueller side of nature and the inevitability of survival.

But the segues to each section feel contrived and false, and while it's all beautifully shot and the HD crackles with colour even though the 3D glasses naturally dim parts of it, Enchanted Kingdom feels a little tame overall. While the kids in the audience were wondrous at it, I suspect the adults may feel they've seen portions of it before, even if the look is not as polished and as dazzling as this is on the big screen (though I'll admit, I'd have sacrificed the 3D to see it on the Civic's mighty screen).

Summing it all up with the trite bon mot that "Nature is all around - and in every one of us" before launching into a Coldplay song nails the coffin shut - and despite the eye-popping visuals just about managing to save the day, it's not so much an Enchanted Kingdom as more a Meh-chanted Kingdom.

Song of the Sea: NZFF Review

Song of the Sea: NZFF Review

As enchanting and lovely as the Emerald Isle itself, Song of The Sea is an all ages affair, lovingly crafted from the mind of Tomm Moore.

Oscar nominated, this hand-drawn animated fare from the creator of the Book of Kells is the story of Ben (voiced by the ever brilliant David Rawle of Moone Boy fame), whose mother dies giving birth to his sister, Saoirse. Years later, with his alcoholic father (Brendan Gleeson) becoming more withdrawn and missing his mom's tales about the myths and legends that make up Ireland's rich tapestry, Ben, along with his Dulux dog Cu, has come to resent the mute Saoirse, and struggles to take on the bigger brother role he promised he'd do.

However, when Ben discovers his sister is a famed selkie, a creature of legend that becomes a seal in the water and a human on land and that she holds the key to bringing all the faeries home by singing, the pair is inextricably linked on an adventure that holds all of Ireland's culture - and yet their own future - in their hands.

Utterly charming, beautifully executed, and an emotional joy to behold, Song of The Sea is a richly resonant flick that has as much heart as it has love poured into the handheld animation.

Replete with greens, emeralds, opals and browns, the animation sings off the screen as it negotiates its story so steeped in legend that Song of the Sea is likely to become as mythical as Tir Na Nog. But it's the warmth, earnest and simple story coupled with nuanced characters that helps it to the echelons of animated classic, likely to rival anything from Ghibli - and likely to remind you of some of the recent machinations of Pixar's Inside Out.

Thanks to a beautiful mix of song and visuals, the family audience is well served at the NZIFF - certainly, the crowd I was with at the Civic was a mix of families on one last outing for the school holidays and with kids swept up and enthralled in the universality and simply told fable. At times, their eyes were as wide as those of Ben on screen, with a few scares from the animated owls in the film giving them a chance to bury themselves deep into parents for reassurance.

But it's Tomm Moore who deserves the most praise for Song Of The Sea.

Masterfully weaving a tale that's as steeped in legend and folktales as it is in the emotional bond of family, he's been extremely successful in creating something that's magical and delightful - it packs in the awe, but never loses sight of the emotion and intimacy - and that helps to rank it among the best.

Results: NZFF Review

Results: NZFF Review

Those expecting a mumblecore classic from the director of Computer Chess Andrew Bujalski will be completely upended by this rom-com with a prestige cast.

Centring on two personal trainers in a gym Kat and Trevor, played by Marvel stalwart Cobie Smulders and Guy Pearce, it's the story of Danny (a very laconic Kevin Corrigan) who ends up at the Power 4 Life gym when he ends up being dumped.

Divorced and minted, he's the very epitome of boredom - in fact, he hits up local chatrooms at night to offer $200 for someone to come round and hook up his big screen TV. But his desire to hook up is taken to the next level when he meets up with Kat, who offers him home improvement fitness training.

Uptight Kat is solely focussed on her work but Danny has other plans in the only way he knows how - in his shambling and amusing fashion, he starts to work away at her defences.

Meanwhile, Trevor is keen to expand his empire and the cash Danny is sitting on, proves to be just the opportunity he needs...

Results is not exactly anything approaching the film that Computer Chess was (which is perhaps a good thing as I was not one of those singing its praises) and is in fact as close to mainstream as you can possibly get with the romantic comedy genre.

While there are moments that feel looser and improvised in the script, giving you more the feel of the movement as a whole, it's fair to say that Results at times shambles and ambles toward its destination. That it gets there greatly on the charm of its leads (particularly the under-rated Corrigan) is not to damn it with faint praise, merely to highlight the fact that this is perhaps one of the lighter entrants into the festival.

But equally, it doesn't all quite gel together - Danny's story gets a little lost in the final mix and Trevor's meeting with a Russian bodybuilder (bizarrely played by Anthony Michael Hall) and his oppressed girl (Brooklyn Decker) are just two of the ingredients that feel slightly under-cooked.

Not only do physiques get worked out in Results, but so too do relationship issues (perhaps, unsurprisingly) ; it's all gently told and ironed out in a wry manner, and you won't be surprised to see everyone is messed up in their own ways. That it doesn't quite convince in parts and skirts the mainstream rather than the indie that Bujalski's been known for, gives it the cred that it needs to be part of the festival - and may provoke the debate and perhaps disappointment in equal measure in his followers that the festival thrives on long after the lights have gone up.

The Lobster - NZFF Review

The Lobster - NZFF Review

The opening night of the 2015 New Zealand International Film Festival got off to a stonking (and yet head-scratching) start with The Lobster, a darkly surreal and yet drily dystopian flick about coupledom, and how society views those who are alone.

From Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) in his first English language outing, The Lobster is set in an alternate world where single people are forced to find a partner within 45 days or face being turned into an animal of their choice and released into the wild.

A pudgy and moustachioed Colin Farrell is David, who's just divorced from his wife and is sent from the city to the hotel where he must try to find love. His solitary companion in this confine is his border-collie dog, formerly his brother - and the collection of others unable to grasp Cupid's arrow to their heart.

Inside this hotel, run with straight faced gusto by the manager (played by Broadchurch star Olivia Colman), are others looking included in their number are the likes of Ben Whishaw, Jessica Barden, John C Reilly and Ashley Jensen. The singles are also given a chance to hunt groups of Loners (run by Lea Seydoux's character and made up of the likes of Michael Smiley and Rachel Weisz) who've escaped the hotel and live in the woods; each capture subsequently earns the members an extra day before animalisation....

The English language film from the Greek director of Dogtooth is nothing short of incredible; incredibly surreal, incredibly dark, incredibly sad and incredibly funny. 

Delivered with such deadpan and emotionless dialogue, The Lobster could only work in English and with recognisable actors - it seems any other incarnation of the film would feel too black and too dark to cope with.

Lanthimos' creation of the world works best within the confines of the hotel (whose decor and activities are likely to provoke memories of horrific family holidays for some); it's perhaps less successful when it heads into the woods and starts to become a little aimless, lacking perhaps the vicious satire that's preceded. 

But skewing the conventions of romance (yet perversely embracing them), and slyly commenting on life in couples (any bickering people who are coupled up will be given children to try and quell any potential discord), Lanthimos has created something unique that occasionally defies description. And yet, in among the blackest of night humour, there's such a vein of sadness within that remains hard to shake long after the film has finished. Nowhere is this more evident than with Ashley Jensen's character, a biscuit obsessed pudge of a woman whose sexual proclivities are detailed to Farrell's David with such dead eyes as she tries in desperation to couple up with him, that it's nothing short of utterly heartbreaking.

There's no doubting that The Lobster's scathing and scabrous social critique and satirical edge hits the mark throughout and this cruel black comedy remains a troubling crowd-pleaser (what does it tell us about ourselves when we laugh out of nerves, awkwardness or perhaps recognition at what passes on the screen?). For those well versed in British satire, it almost feels like the kind of flick Chris Morris might spew forth from his demented imagination - and it's perhaps no coincidence that the film is blessed with such a British cast.

What The Lobster says about the human condition and the continuing insistence by society to view couples as the only valid humans and contributions is utterly depressing; what Lanthimos has managed to do is to turn that very dark outcome into something utterly unmissable and something savagely unsettling; The Lobster is a guaranteed talking point at the festival - and some of the truths you potentially uncover or associate with may say more about you than perhaps you feel comfortable to accept.