Autumn Events Q&A - with Bill Gosden

Autumn Events Q&A - with Bill Gosden

It's here - the Autumn Events spectacular from the New Zealand International Film Festival!
You can get all the dates of the events in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland here - www.nziff.co.nz

Festival director Bill Gosden was happy enough to brave a brief Q&A about the programming - so read on to see what he reckons will be worth slipping into the warmth of a cinema for as winter approaches.

Welcome back, we've missed you - what have you been doing since the end of the festival?
The lousy summer weather was perfect for getting a head start on film selection for Autumn Events and for NZIFF 2017.

Autumn events is now here, and there's a bit of difference with the regional arenas with Christchurch getting the local premiere of Pecking Order. How exciting! (And appreciate how I avoid the clucking puns)

You’ve spotted the major difference. We’d have loved to have toured the chickens, but if you’re not living in Christchurch your first chance to catch Pecking Order is on release on May 18. It’s a hoot.

The premiere of Terrence Malick's latest too - what can you tell us about this - is it Tree of Life-esque? And how stunning does it look on the big screen?

Stunning? Totally. It mixes the microcosmic and the macrocosmic to quite dizzying effect. The ‘history of life’ sections of Tree of Life only hint at the extravaganza on display here.

It seems appropriate that in these escalating times of potential nuclear war, we're heading back to the hedonism and freedom of Woodstock too...

Woodstock is so often cited as a pivotal cultural moment that it seemed worth revisiting in a present that is almost the polar opposite of the future it envisaged. The legendary performances have kept the film permanently in the Home Ent repertory, but the documentary content now feels more captivating than ever. It provides a vivid picture of a time when the American middle class was ascendant and the boomers began to feel their oats. There’s no shortage of conscious myth making going on in the film, but plenty of evidence too of some uncomfortable realities. The film’s release was a massive affair – the big sound and the multi-screens. Without those there’s no way to appreciate the original impact.

Le Roi et L'Oiseau has had quite a journey to the screen, and having seen, it's a gorgeous animation with all ages appeal - how would you best describe it?

Surreal is a word I seldom use, but it fits here. Children can explain the delightfully perplexing interplay of fiction and reality to their literal-minded adult companions.

Woody Allen's Manhattan too - perhaps the epitome of what he's achieved...?

It’s such a movie-movie, overflowing with references to the Hollywood past: the luminous B&W imagery, the shamelessly romantic settings – even a horse and carriage ride in Central Park - and the George Gershwin score. It’s easy to forget that it was made at a time when the world’s idea of New York City looked a lot more like Taxi Driver. But within this beautifully wrought setting and a roundelay of romantic dilemmas befitting a screwball comedy, the insecurities and missteps of the wise-cracker characters feel authentic, and ultimately quite isolating and painful. Is there another Woody Allen film where that is true?

And Werner Herzog, Judy Garland - really, we're being spoilt...

I’m looking forward very much to Fitzcarraldo. I remember we had to wait a whole year for it in New Zealand after Les Blank and Chris Simon had already been to the festival with Burden of Dreams. In the day the cool thing to say was that Burden of Dreams was better anyway, but who’d want to be without either of these ?

What's the plan for the main festival - give us a tease of what lies ahead....

Aha! It’s not too soon to say that the releases this month of Meat and Pecking Order mark the beginning of a great year for New Zealand documentaries on New Zealand cinema screens.

Get more about the Autumn Events and find the dates for the annual New Zealand International Film Festival at nziff.co.nz

Jackie: Blu Ray Review

Jackie: Blu Ray Review

Natalie Portman shines as Jackie Kennedy in this intriguing and at times, unconventional, biopic about the President's wife after the death of her husband JFK.

In an unusual move, it feels at times like a coming of age film as Jackie negotiates the treachery of life afterwards as people swarm around her suggesting what's best for both her and her husband's immediate legacy.

The film though, begins with Jackie welcoming a reporter (Billy Crudup, based on biographer Theodore H White) to her retreat and who's clearly there to get her side of the story (in perhaps a nod to the article which appeared a week after JFK's death in Life).

But flashbacks, and present day flashes mean that Jackie's also shown gaining her White House legs as well as her exposure to television by bringing cameras into the White House to demonstrate how their home is. In a move that simulates both the desire to be accepted by the public and into the history of the White House, Portman's Jackie tentatively begins a journey into our collective consciousness.

Mixing archival footage along with Portman's powerful vocal affectations (which, admittedly, take time to get accustomed to) as Kennedy proves to be a heady mix for Jackie. With its drained aesthetics and faded looks, Larrain's strength in the film comes from the subtleties of the scenes and the rhythmic feel of the prose played out on the screen.

From blood stains on Jackie's dress to the absolutely earth-shattering visceral sound of the bullet ringing out across the motorcade when the inevitable flashback occurs, everything about this film screams detail.

It's undoubtedly a classy affair, albeit one which takes a little time to adjust to as its groove begins to wash over you with its funereal feel.

As the ebbs and flows of post JFK life come into sharp focus, the initial portrait of a fragile and vulnerable First Lady drains away to present a figure borne of fire, and bereft initially of power but content once again to rise from the ashes.

Portman commits to this wholeheartedly as a mother struggling to tell her kids what's happened, as a stateswoman determined to not be undermined and as a newly crowned widow, fighting to ensure her husband is fairly farewelled (NB - a lot of time is spent on funeral arrangements).

But as she staggers out into the cinematic light and from the screen, Portman emerges as the character building her own myth; it's clear to see why she's been nominated for an award in this almost chameleonic turn.

While there are moments when it feels showy initially, once the bluster is stripped away, the ebbs and flows of the character portrayal are laid down and the bombastic OST silences itself, Jackie becomes a clear portrait of power, led by an utterly commanding turn.

Chilean director Pablo Larrain's film frees itself from the shackles of a conventional biopic and emerges as a hauntingly different and striking way to tell a story that's so familiar to so many. And with a central powerhouse of a performance, it lingers long in the mind after the lights have gone up.

Call of Duty WWII is revealed

Call of Duty WWII is revealed

CALL OF DUTY: WWII DELIVERS GRIPPING ACTION ON GLOBAL SCALE

Franchise Returns to its Roots in the

Definitive World War II Gaming Experience, Friday, November 3 

Multiplayer Features Boots-on-the-Ground Combat with All-New Ways to Play and Engage;

Pre-Order Now and Get Access to the Private Multiplayer Beta, First on PlayStation®4

Brand New, Unique Take on Nazi Zombies Cooperative Mode Brings an Original Storyline and

Heart-Pounding Experience to Call of Duty

April 27, 2017 – Call of Duty® is making a dramatic return to the greatest military conflict in history and where the franchise first began, World War II.  On Friday, November 3, Call of Duty®: WWIIplayers will enlist in an unforgettable journey of brotherhood across the European theatre in a mission vital to the success of the Allied powers.  The all-new Call of Duty delivers gritty realism, authenticity and cinematic intensity on an epic scale.  In addition to the game’s boots-on-the-ground combat, Multiplayer offers a host of new mode, system and gameplay innovations across iconic map locations; while an all-new Nazi Zombies Cooperative mode unleashes a startling, new storyline and adrenaline filled experience.  Published by Activision and developed by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: WWII defines the World War II game experience for a new generation of consoles.

“More than two and a-half years ago we made the decision to return this franchise to its roots, and Call of Duty: WWII does so in epic fashion,” said Eric Hirshberg, Activision CEO. “The team at Sledgehammer Games is delivering an authentic, gritty, cinematic experience that honours both the epic scale, and the human struggle of the greatest war the world has ever known.  This game will let longtime fans experience World War II like never before, and will introduce this historic conflict to a whole new generation of gamers in the process.”

“Call of Duty: WWII has been a journey of inspiration and passion for everyone at Sledgehammer Games. The team is dedicated to delivering on the intense nature of war that focuses on the heroism and sacrifice of soldiers in WWII. Our rich narrative driven, action-packed campaign, and engaging and innovative multiplayer experience immerse players into the boots of a soldier fighting for freedom in a world on the brink of tyranny.  And, our co-operative mode delivers a unique storyline that’s an all-new take on Nazi Zombies that we think fans are going to love,” said Michael Condrey, Studio Head and Co-Founder of Sledgehammer Games. 

Added Glen Schofield, Studio Head and Co-Founder of Sledgehammer Games, “the story we’re telling is unlike anything that we’ve tackled before.  It’s such an amazing journey of common everyday people who became heroes. We want to respect this great generation of soldiers, tell a realistic story set in a true inflection point in human history, and deliver the best experience of our careers.”

Call of Duty: WWII takes the franchise back to its roots in a bold cinematic experience that captures the unforgettable heroism of the soldiers who fought together in a war that changed the world forever.  Activision’s gripping new title is an honest portrayal of World War II from the perspective of the famed 1st Infantry Division, with an ensemble cast of global and diverse characters. Through stunning visuals and intense audio, players storm the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, march across France to liberate Paris and ultimately push forward into Germany in some of the most monumental battles of all-time.

Call of Duty: WWII Multiplayer combat immerses players in grounded, fast-paced action featuring an arsenal of authentic weapons and equipment, set in some of the most iconic locations in World War II’s European theatre.  Multiplayer also delivers a new approach to character and create-a-class through Divisions, War, an all-new narrative multiplayer mode of play, and Headquarters, a first of its kind for the Call of Duty social community, designed for players to interact and socialise with friends.  The definitive World War II next generation experience also introduces Nazi Zombies, an all-new cooperative mode featuring a unique standalone storyline set during World War II that’s full of unexpected, adrenaline-pumping action.  Look for more information about Multiplayer at E3 and the Nazi Zombies cooperative experience at a later date.

Call of Duty: WWII pre-orders at participating retailers includes access to the Private Beta, available first on PlayStation®4, scheduled for later this year.  Call of Duty: WWII is available for pre-order in the following editions:

• Base Edition and Digital Base Edition – Suggested Retail Price AUD$99.95 / NZD$109.99.
• Digital Deluxe Edition – Season Pass** and more, AUD$149.95 / NZD$169.99.
• Pro Edition – Season Pass**, collectible Steelbook^TM and more, AUD$139.95 / NZD$159.99

Check local retailers for availability of all Call of Duty: WWII Editions.

**Season Pass purchasers receive 2018 Call of Duty: WWII Season Pass content.  Season Pass content is not final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content available for the game.  Season Pass content may not be available in all countries, and pricing and release dates may vary by platform. Season Pass content should be downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will be charged again.  Season Pass content may be sold separately.

The title is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Sledgehammer Games. For the latest intel, check out:www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty and @SHGames on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Call of Duty: WWII is scheduled for release on PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One, and PC.  The title is not yet rated.

Colossal: Film Review

Colossal: Film Review

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Tim Blake Nelson, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell
Director: Nacho Vigalondo

"If the trick's good enough, f**k the story".

It's a line uttered by Jason Sudeikis' Oscar in this film from TimeCrimes director Nacho Vigalondo, but in every case of Colossal, it's the complete opposite.

While the trick - an alcoholic woman Gloria (Anne Hathaway, replete in Rachel Getting Married slight Goth mode) feels she has a connection to a giant monster terrorising parts of Seoul when she heads back to her home town - may be what drags people to the cinema, the story's plenty good enough to stay for.

Realising she's at crisis point, and kicked out by Tim (Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens), Gloria heads to her parents' place to try and sort herself out. She finds herself reconnecting with Oscar (Jason Sudeikis, a veritable nuanced acting revelation for those used to his corn-bread comedy routines) and working in his bar to make ends meet. But with the world news overtaken by a story of a monster destroying parts of Seoul, Gloria begins to explore what connects her to the monster - and what secrets at home could have led to its manifestation in the first place....

While parts of the audacious premise are left fully explored and a few of the side characters a little wanting after their initial use, large swathes of the quirky yet familiar Colossal hit the mark.

In a weird way, this monster mash is more The Kaiju Are Alright and rom-com-drama than a straight out slice of sci-fi. Hathaway's banged and muted Gloria is a dysfunctional mess, a vision of alcoholism writ large, and she's played with singular aplomb and vision by the actress who adopts a less-is-more approach to the character and her arc of strength within.

But it's Sudeikis who truly shines here, flexing large those acting muscles that were really last on display in 2015's Sleeping With Other People and which give him more berth than just a comedic actor. His Oscar is the epitome of small-town mentality, deep-seated resentments and jealousies writ large, while self-loathing takes over and replaces any promise that may have been harboured within.

A meshing of a beguiling story about control, the monsters within, small-town bitterness and jealousies, Colossal is more a character piece than anything, and a fascinating concept made real and fresh on the big screen. With plenty of suspense and mystery about the initial idea, the film opens like an onion to reveal layers within and layers which aren't directly connected to the thoroughly original premise.

Be warned though - this is no mesh of Pacific Rim or the Godzillas - these are merely incidental pieces of the puzzle.

At the end of the day, though, there's plenty of relatable humanity on show in this emotionally raw and truthful tale that just happens to have two monsters central to its core; fused with some extremely impressive acting, and teased out with flashbacks, the creeping sense of intrigue gives way to something more obvious but nonetheless powerful.

Colossal could well end up being one of the films of the year; it's got originality writ large on it, and thanks to Vigalondo's assured execution and armed with Sudeikis and Hathaway's strong acting, its character-driven edges help elevate it from the usual dross of romantic entanglements and add an element of pure cinematic ingenuity.

Rules Don't Apply: Film Review

Rules Don't Apply: Film Review

Cast: Warren Beatty, Matthew Broderick, Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenrich, Annette Bening, Haley Bennett, Candice Bergen
Director: Warren Beatty

Gleefully shambolic and almost perversely rambling, Warren Beatty's Rules Don't Apply is perhaps an oddly unconventional biopic of Howard Hughes, wrapped up in the romance of two dreamers.

Beatty portrays Hughes as a shadowy enigmatic figure, never fully lit in the first half of the film against a backdrop of young innocence coming to Hollywood.

In 1958 Hollywood, young actress Maria Mabrey (Lily Collins, all soft focus) arrives hoping to seal a deal for motion pictures with Hughes after he contracts her. Met on arrival by her driver Frank (the future Han Solo Ehreneich), the pair have an instant spark - but Hughes forbids any relationships between employees and the women he contracts.

However, with neither having met Hughes and both desperate to do so to secure something from the man, what transpires is entirely unexpected...

Rules Don't Apply may be a very appropriate title for the execution of this piece, which almost wilfully tries to stop you from fully loving it.

With its meandering narrative and its incredibly choppy editing, the film seems hell bent on ensuring that you can't relax into a scene early on without it dropping its guard and changing its direction. And with its lead actor being more like a Watergate villain slithering around in the shadows rather than facing the world, to say it's enigmatic is an understatement.

But thankfully, both Collins and Ehrenreich have a good chemistry and while occasionally their naivete teeters dangerously close to blandness, their spark and the forbidden love story propels enough of the "action" of the first half of the film.

And it is a film of two halves, with Beatty's back-lit Hughes and his eccentricities coming to the fore in the second half, as he becomes the guiding light for the escalating farce and lunacy. As the maelstrom of madness comes to a head, Beatty finally brings something a bit wistful and whimsical to his turn, and it's greatly welcome.

Ultimately, Rules Don't Apply is nowhere near as bad as the international reviews would have you believe. Sure, accusations of it being a vanity project are fairly close to the mark, and it could stand to lose some of the narrative fat, but all in all, this is an indie with a screwball heart at its core, and a touch of human tragedy in its DNA.

Moonlight: DVD Review

Moonlight: DVD Review

More is unsaid in Moonlight's triptych than is actually revealed and in parts, it's as intoxicating as it is tantalising.

Drawn unequivocally from its roots as a play and transposed on screen as such under a three act structure, Jenkins' film of the coming of age story of a black man growing up in Miami delivers subtly and with swathes of nuance as it plays out, relying heavily on the viewer to listen for minor details and to bring the tapestry threads together.

But not once does Moonlight ever shift the intimate scale or focus from its leads as we take in three stages of Chiron's life.

From badgered kid to bullied teen to ultimate manhood, Chiron's tale is finely balanced and precariously executed as the world swirls around.

A minimalist score and pared back soundtrack give Moonlight a resonance and a power that compel, but it's the personal moments which leap head and shoulders above anything else here.

This is never anything more than Chiron's journey pilgrimage through life from start to finish, and if that sounds like a trite dismissal of the film and its protagonist, it's not. Over 3 phases of Chiron's life, the struggle for his identity and his place in the world is carefully, quietly and powerfully positioned.

Whether it's bathed in the titular moonlight at the edge of the sea at the beach or swathed in the red glow of the room of his combusting addicted mother (Naomie Harris) as she rails against him, Jenkins' eye for visual detail predicates the story's journey.

But it's the raw and humane delivery of the story by the different age leads that build a dramatic powder-keg of a personal portrait in a (less successful and more obvious) wider tableaux of social commentary that's dripping with sub-text.

And while there's an argument that Jenkins' script shines a light on the continuing problems faced by black Americans, the truths espoused within are universal and yet intimately dispatched.

It's hard to resist Chiron's story or not empathise with his heartbreaking situations - from bullying at school, to violence from a mother, to seeking acceptance from and continually being rejected by his peers. There are universal truths within Moonlight that work as powerfully as they can because of the simplicity of the story's execution and the pared-back nature of the film's execution.
Ultimately, it's the stripped back almost play-like feel of Moonlight that helps it shine - even though there are abrupt cuts at times that are symptomatic of a dramatic curtain call, the emotion is never lost as the story unfurls. With a sparse OST and large periods of silence, Jenkins' builds a veritable atmosphere that ironically, helps it to speak volumes.

From Mahershala Ali's dealer surrogate father figure to the three iterations of Chiron, the vulnerable veracity and tale of acceptance seep through, be it in the dialogue or within the relatability of the story.

As a contemporary portrait of African-Americans, it's vital;  and it's also easy to see why awards are being showered on this occasionally Oscar-bait piece; but as a piece of film alone, it's a strong cinematic experience that never once loses its focus and nuances to help it connect to global audiences.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition: PS4 Review

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition: PS4 Review

Released by Gearbox Software
Platform: PS4

In many ways, with its spit and polish and release on the next gen consoles via the Unreal Engine, great swathes of Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition feels like some kind of successor to last year's Doom.

It's not, because the original was released way before then, but with the next gen version of the game now hitting consoles, the fight and fight mentality, coupled with the popcorn style violence and lunkhead action movie dialogue, is really something to behold.

Set in the 26th Century, you take the lead as one of the black ops teams and run the gauntlet of the game as Grayson Hunt, a lamb chopped nutter with a gun, whose squad is taken out. Stranded on a nearby planet Stygia, and with most of his colleagues killed, apart from one Ishi, who's been blended with an AI, it's a race against time and against hordes of marauding gun happy killers.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition ain't going to win any awards for subtlety. Nor will it garner any praise for its extreme violence, but goodness gracious, if it's not playable fun.

Using an electric leash to lassoo victims towards you, and then killing them by either kicking or shooting them as they slow-mo through the air, isn't half fun - even if it's not exactly cerebral stuff. It helps that the game looks slick (and in no real way looks like a remaster) and plays well.

Bodies explode, environmental kills can be unleashed and explosions can take out multiple targets. Leashing into electronic pods gives you a chance to upgrade and opportunities to cash in skillshots rewards for other weapons - it all feels like something that comes together more than it actually should. Kicking people into poles, firing them through the air into spikes all sound like a homicidal wet dream, and in fairness, they play out like that.

It won't win any originality stakes, and while it's quite cool to play the game as Duke Nukem, it has to be said that Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is simply leave your brain at the door shooter gun fun. It's a hell of a good time, and is more entertaining than it really has a right to be.