Maui's Hook: NZIFF Review

Maui's Hook: NZIFF Review

Director Paora Joseph's Maui's Hook clearly has an agenda - and in the current world we live in in New Zealand, that's no bad thing at all.

The psychologist's piece mixes both a drama and a documentary to get the discussion on suicide in our youth up and running. And while the drama is reasonably well acted and in parts, strong, it has nowhere near the power of the heart-wrenching true life stories.

Four Maori families and one Pakeha family join a hikoi around parts of the north of country, visiting marae to discuss the impact and the reality of suicide on families. To be frank, it doesn't really matter what race these families are, these are stories which have a human universality that's relatable throughout.

Peppering the piece with statistics like 150,000 young people will think about suicide and 20,000 of them will make a plan to carry out is powerful stuff, and Joseph handles it all with sensitivity throughout, rather than sensationalism.

It helps that Joseph uses young voices to tell the story as well - it's a vital key to opening this door of shame open and to kickstart the questions.

It's clear that for Maori, this is a real issue, an underlying cancer that's ripping through society and which goes unspoken even though its effects are utterly devastating and the ramifications live on for decades. Whether it's the simplicity of having 10 family members sat on mats discussing the effect the death of their mother had on them, or a final set of sequences atop a cliff at Cape Reinga, laying photos and reflecting, there's a power here unable to be denied.

There's certainly a humility to this, and while the drama's perhaps necessary to pull in the audience it's aiming for, Maui's Hook proves to be an essential aide for showcasing the human side of suicide - it would have been good to have potentially had some input from various services involved in the treatment, but perhaps that's not Joseph's intention.

It's clear he intended to put a human face on suicide in the Maori community - he does that and more; it's to be hoped that the discussion now happens and the changes necessary come.

NZIFF Q&A - Tony Hiles

NZIFF Q&A - Tony Hiles

My film is....
Number nine of 10 featuring the life and times of NZ Artist Michael Smither.

The moment I'm most proud of is...
Watching the years and numbers roll by, each one reinforcing the validity of the original idea.

The reason I carried on with this film when it got tough is.....
Every film is a commitment and if you quit you lose personally and professionally.

The one moment that will resonate with an audience is.......
Michael’s loss of a friend and colleague still aches years later

The thing I want people to take from this film is 
That versatility and commitment are at the core of this artist and his work

The reason I love the NZIFF is.......
It is managed by others who love film, especially Bill Gosden who gave me a break with this series of documentaries

What the 50th NZIFF means to me is...... It reminds me how lucky I am to still be making films.

Pls note - this film plays Wellington only - details here - https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/wellington/michael-smither-of-crimson-joy/

NZIFF Preview - 2018 - it all begins tonight!

NZIFF Preview - 2018 - it all begins tonight!

It's finally here - the 2018 New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off tonight.

Selections from around the world, as well as homegrown premieres, animation and film-maker Q&As all mingle into one for the next few weeks as the Auckland leg kicks off, before heading around the country.

There's much to sample - and below are just a few to factor into your choices.

Slick and surprising, Three Identical Strangers benefits from the less-you-know approach going in.

Opening with a talking head saying "When I tell people my story, they don't quite believe it", there's very much the feeling of a shaggy dog approach as it first begins. Essentially, it's the story of how Bobby a freshman at a US college in 1970 showed up on his first day and was told he was someone else - repeatedly by other people on campus.

Deciding to meet with this "other person", a world opens up to Bobby he could never have expected -and it gets stranger from there.

It has the feel of a viral tale writ large, a hoax gone mad, and a truth long buried with implications from the beginning - but in the latter stages of the piece, there's more to chew on than the headline-grabbing opening, a sense that something is dreadfully unfinished. The less you know is weirdly the better for enjoying this.

Some may not be familiar with Australian musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, but this doco Gurrumul may look to change some of that.

Paul Damien Williams' piece follows the history of the Australian artist, whose use of soulful Aborigine tunes and definitive voice captivated a generation back in 2008. Mixing Indigenous languages and simple music, Gurrumul's success was guaranteed, but what came with it was something more than perhaps blind musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu actually wanted.

Williams' piece is somewhat confined by the fact that the reclusive Gurrumul was no fan of talking to the media - not out of arrogance or indignance, but more out of discomfort. Gurrumul's background, his life on Elcho Island and why his sense of community and connection to the land was more important than the possibility of fame.

The end result is humbling and while it may be frustrating to some given how the usual biographical documentaries handle their subjects, this spiritual piece talks of tolerance, tradition and offers treats.

An icy debut from Danish director Isabella Eklöf, Holiday's message is kind of clear - power corrupts.

Victoria Carmen Sonne is Sascha, who finds herself in an Aegean holiday, complete with all the trappings. That is to say, if the trappings come from the dirty money world of gangsters. Bling, Bodrum and bodies may shimmer in Holiday, but there's an iciness to this film which is maintained throughout. The sun may shine, and everyone may appear to be having a good time, but nastiness is never far away, implied often more than an implicit.

Ruminating on the corrosion of criminals and the tentacles of ugly despair wrapping around them all, Holiday is trippy at times, sickening in others. The wallops don't come till near the end, with Eklöf maintaining the dread as much as is necessary, but never holding back.

Placing the psycho among the psychotropic, Panos Cosmatos' Mandy is a curious beast, likely to satiate an Incredibly Strange audience, but unlikely to burst out of its cult bubble.

Starting with Nic Cage in full lumberjack mode felling a tree (not a euphemism), Cosmatos's under siege piece takes its 80s vibe and fully runs with it.

Cosmatos makes his piece a masterclass in lighting, soaking many scenes in red and backlighting the fight scenes with spotlights - it's a visual lunacy that's worth embracing.

Mandy may drag a little in parts, a fever dream that's extended beyond need, but Cage's fans will be happy to see their hero, in his tighty-whiteys, doing what he does best - chewing up the scenery (and doing a large amount of cocaine at the end of one scene).

It's possibly fair to say that Bing Liu's debut documentary film Minding The Gap was never planned to be anything more than capturing stolen moments of boys-being-boys, skateboarding and shooting the breeze in small town America.

But what emerges from the film, once it settles from its initial shots of kerb-hopping and open-road boarding and divests into life, is a fascinating, maddening and saddening portrait of what it means to be a boy, and how it is to grow up a man these days.

It may sound gimmicky but what occurs organically in this film is a wealth of paradigm shifts, each more subtle than the last, but each with more resounding consequences than are to be expected

Minding the Gap is a human take on where boys struggle with being men, and where toxic masculinity resides ; poignant, powerful and prescient, it's a documentary that lingers long after.

Stay tuned to this website during the festival for reviews from the Auckland leg and also for director Q&As.

The Equalizer 2: Film Review

The Equalizer 2: Film Review

Cast: Denzel Washington, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Denzel's back with a sequel to the surprisingly effective at times, but under-the-radar The Equalizer about a vigilante roaming the streets, showering justice on those who need it.

This time, Denzel's Robert McCall is on the case after a crime becomes a little too personal - how far will he go to exact justice when his past comes calling?

The sequel to the 2014 film sees Washington carrying on his zen-like turn as McCall - but whereas the first granted him a victim who was a child, this second sees his familial edges pushed by the crime he's investigating and also a budding mentorship of Ashton Sanders' Miles, a resident teen in his building on the edge of making a wrong decision.

Like the first film, the sequel feels like a self-contained episode of the 1980s series it was spun off from, with brutal action sequences that are not elongated or extended, merely sharp and to the point.

Denzel channels again his measured approach to McCall as he puts out an intensely brooding version of his Man On Fire routine, with each take down he enacts being characterised by a gloomy stare as he visualises how it'll all go down and an over-reliance on choreographed slow-mo shots. Fuqua's really followed the template of the first in parts, and it shows, with the action impressive, but certainly not feeling fresh. Washington has the necessary charisma to carry it throughout, but occasionally his dead-eyed stare is perhaps reflected in the audience watching this play out.

Once again, there's little call for Washington to be anything other than emotionless and completely invincible throughout; and unfortunately, this time round the lack of subtlety is jarring, with inserted exposition or overly used hints of what's ahead repeatedly being jammed down the viewers' throats. It helps little that the plot feels rote in some ways, and McCall never feels anything like a from-the-projects superhero, and there's rarely any chance he's on the backfoot.

But that said, there are a couple of brutally impressive and tautly executed set pieces, unswervingly put in motion by Fuqua.

From a great inside-a-taxi fight as McCall's Lyft driver is menaced by a goon to a final set piece inside a hurricane (that again taps some of the trappings of the warehouse confined conclusion of the first), the action works well when it flies.

The problem with the at times grim and dour The Equalizer 2 is that its plot feels uninteresting and unengaging, a conspiracy that feels tenuous more than intriguing and which doesn't really push much on even when the connection is personal.

The Equalizer 2's commitment to brutality and the pushing of the older man as a superhero makes it feel different, but Fuqua's almost templated retreading of the first in this sequel-not-sequel makes the case for a return outing (3Qualizer anyone?) difficult to justify.

While the TV Series followed an inevitable pattern, it's to be hoped any further outings may see this vigilante pushed to the edge a bit more, and the stakes made to feel a little more uncertain.

Otherwise, bizarrely, The Equalizer risks becoming the geriatric version of a superhero franchise.

NZIFF Q&A - Amanda Millar, Director of Celia

NZIFF Q&A - Amanda Millar, Director of Celia

My film is....
To honour the life, death and work of  outspoken social justice campaigner and author, Celia Lashlie whose vision was for a better New Zealand. It was Celia’s dying wish that her messages in this film would get New Zealanders talking and  doing – rather than relying on government agencies or politicians to solve our biggest and ugliest social issues.


The moment I'm most proud of is....

Seeing and hearing Celia’s voice and image on the Big Screen. It gets me every time. God! We’ve missed the clarity, pragmatism and power of her messages – not to mention her humour.  There’s been a vacuum since she left us so suddenly in February 2015 and New Zealand still needs her to guide us. Now this film will provide a platform for others to connect and respond.

The reason I carried on with this film when it got tough is.....
Celia asked me to make this film when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. How could you ever say no to  a dear friend and colleague when they ask you to fulfil their dying wish? She wanted others to carry on her work after she’d left us and  this film was to provide the catalyst for that work.  Her dying wish propelled me in times when I wondered if I was going to be able to honour her request. She had told us she thought she had 12 – 18 months. However,  three days after we recorded her one significant interview, she passed away. I was left with the responsibility of making a cinematic documentary that revolved around one last conversation with her.

The one moment that will resonate with an audience is.......
Every time Celia says something! There are constant powerful ‘moments’ in this film that will resonate with people on so  many different levels. Her insights cover domestic violence, vulnerable women and children, poverty, relationships, child abuse, raising teenage boys, alcohol and her personal reflections about her life and how we can protect ourselves against the consuming demands of life in the 21st Century.

The hardest thing I had to cut from this film is........ Celia! Every thing she says is compelling and insightful – especially when  you know this was the last chance she had to give her messages.  Every one who watched the film as I was editing it said, “We can’t get enough of Celia”. True. She is like a powerful drug… highly addictive. She always leaves you craving more.

The thing I want people to take from this film is ......
That they can do something as individuals to make a difference. We know that our prisons are full;  families are living in poverty;  domestic violence is happening in every suburb and we top the world for the number of teenage boys who are killing themselves. Stop expecting others to fix these crises and  get involved. Celia believed individuals and communities – especially mothers have the power to change the outcomes for vulnerable families. For every one that could be simply being more understanding and supportive. When you see a young woman struggling to pay for her groceries at the supermarket, help her.  Stop judging. Start supporting.

The reason I love the NZIFF is.......That it has offered me the wonderful privilege and opportunity to bring Celia back into the lives of New Zealanders.  It’s a prestigious festival that has placed me on a platform with some of the world’s most creative film-makers.  Best of all, I’m amongst an impressive line up of the most celebrated story-tellers in Aotearoa and that’s such an honour and a buzz!


What the 50th NZIFF means to me is......
That Celia is part of an auspicious milestone in the cultural and social history of New Zealand. I’m very proud and humbled to be included in this year’s festival when there is such an abundance of the world’s best films on show for  New Zealanders.

NZIFF 2018 Preview - It all starts this week

NZIFF 2018 Preview - It all starts this week

With just days before the 2018 New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off in Auckland at the mighty Civic Theatre before heading around the country, it's time to take a look at some of the offerings.

The 50th anniversary of the festival has brought all manner of treats, and plenty of fresh offerings from around the world.

Taut, terrific and twisty, The Guilty's captive setting and lead man make director Gustav Möller's claustrophobic call centre flick one of the most compelling dramas of the festival. 

Jakob Cedergren's policeman Asger Holm is a call centre worker, at the emergency services. A series of calls come in - each more mundane than the next in his eyes, but each vital to those dialling for the help. Then a call comes in that sets his senses off - an apparent kidnapping.

Clever, compelling, and character-led, The Guilty is a festival must-see - a stripped back, pared down character piece that's almost Shakespearean in its tragedy. See it now, preferably Hollywood miscasts its lead in its remake.

Director Paora Joseph's Maui's Hook clearly has an agenda - and in the current world we live in in New Zealand, that's no bad thing at all.

The psychologist's piece mixes both a drama and a documentary to get the discussion on suicide in our youth up and running. And while the drama is reasonably well acted and in parts, strong, it has nowhere near the power of the heart-wrenching true life stories.


Four Maori families and one Pakeha family join a hikoi around parts of the north of country, visiting marae to discuss the impact and the reality of suicide on families. To be frank, it doesn't really matter what race these families are, these are stories which have a human universality that's relatable throughout.

It's clear that for Maori, this is a real issue, an underlying cancer that's ripping through society and which goes unspoken even though its effects are utterly devastating and the ramifications live on for decades. Whether it's the simplicity of having 10 family members sat on mats discussing the effect the death of their mother had on them, or a final set of sequences atop a cliff at Cape Reinga, laying photos and reflecting, there's a power here unable to be denied.

Carrying on the trend ploughed by Florian Habicht et al, Ryan Heron and Andy Deere's Bludgeon is a small treasure on the NZIFF programme, a doco that has elements of the Office and the heart of an against-the-odds competition.

It follows a group of modern knights looking to represent NZ in the sport of 'medieval combat', something one competitor intones should be an Olympic sport.

Packed with humour and heart, with a genial outlook and large swathes of humanity, Bludgeon is yet another celebration of what truly makes New Zealand tick, and another demonstration that all walks of life deserve celebration, even when their unswerving devotion to their cause bemuses and amuses.

A doco that's as much about showing the balletics of ice skating as it is interested in delving into its protagonist's torture, James Erskine's The Ice King celebrates John Curry.

To be frank, he's possibly a name that's less familiar to some, but Erskine's fulsome piece could ensure that changes - and Curry becomes known more about his ice-capades than being thrust into the spotlight after securing a gold medal at the 70s Olympics and coming out "off the record."

Using voiceover interviews, rather than endless talking heads, and with letters from Curry himself helping to sell and tell the story, The Ice King is not really your traditional documentary and also not really your traditional sports story.

It's a muted piece, that enlightens and enthralls occasionally, but never fully grips when the spotlight shifts from what Curry could do on the ice - at the end, he still remains an enigma to the audience. But it's interlaced with some splendid footage of Curry's moves on the ice, which are just incredible to behold.

If you ever wanted a reason to delete your social accounts and reassess your life, documentary The Cleaners is that film.

Distinctly terrifying and definitely a sign of our depressing online times, The Cleaners turns its eye on those who police Facebook and other social channels by following five content moderators who reside in the Philippines and whose job it is to moderate what is out there.

Bleak in many ways, psychologically depressing for anyone who uses social media or deals with communities, The Cleaners maybe goes a little too skin deep on the implications for free speech and lets off the moderators who strongly believe "Algorithms can't do what we do."

A sobering story of electronics and social media over-taking the world we inhabit and the morals we should hold dear, The Cleaners is perhaps one of the most terrifying portraits of 21st Century online life.

The New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off in Auckland on Thursday July 19th before heading around the country. More details at nziff.co.nz

Stay tuned to this website during the Auckland leg of the festival for reviews from the films and also director Q&As.

NZIFF Q&A - Paora Joseph, Maui's Hook

NZIFF Q&A - Paora Joseph, Maui's Hook

Director Paora Joseph – Maui’s Hook

My film is.... Māui’s Hook is an experience. It is a real slice of humanity, ordinary people who are extraordinarily brave, willing to share their vulnerability in order to help save lives.

The moment I'm most proud of is...

When we showed the film for the first time to the NZFC and stakeholders and there was absolute silence following the screening. The CEO was in tears and that’s when we realised that we had a film worthy of sharing with the world.

The reason I carried on with this film when it got tough is.....
The belief in my Tupuna and the fact that the whānau involved were prepared to share their vulnerability with the world in order to save lives.

The one moment that will resonate with an audience is.......
When the character playing Tama discovers his mortality

The hardest thing I had to cut from this film is........
We had to cut the reported methods of suicide from the film in order to ensure that it did not have a negative effect for some viewers. This was part of the honest kōrero shared by whānau members.

The thing I want people to take from this film is ......
We do not need to hurry death, and that through genuine sharing we can find a way through turbulent times.

The reason I love the NZIFF is.......
It provides a platform in which heartfelt stories about humanity can be shared with the world.

What the 50th NZIFF means to me is...... It is a hallmark, we should be all proud as New Zealanders to have this taonga.