Doc Edge 2020 reveals first films and dates for their online festival

Doc Edge 2020 reveals first films and dates for their online festival

THE STORIES OF OUR WORLD DELIVERED TO YOUR BUBBLE: DOC EDGE ANNOUNCES DATES AND FIRST FILMS FOR 2020 ONLINE FESTIVAL

Just another day on the job for wildlife photographer, Amos Nachoum, Picture of His Life, Doc Edge Festival 2020. Photo Credit @JebCorliss.

The Documentary New Zealand Trust presents
THE DOCUMENTARY EDGE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2020 (DOC EDGE)

Doc Edge Festival will open on 12 June, becoming Australasia’s first major film festival to take on the challenge of Covid-19 by going fully digital. Last month Variety and The Hollywood Reporter covered Doc Edge’s plans, catching the attention of international filmmakers, including winners from Cannes and Sundance. 

In a full line-up of over 70 films, a record number of filmmakers will present their world premiere screenings at this year’s Doc Edge. The full programme will be released on Thursday 14 May.  

Over the past 15 years, the Doc Edge Festival has brought the world’s best documentaries and filmmakers to our shores. While 2020 will look different, the quality of award-winning films will continue to set the bar high.   

In a year when everything is out of kilter and Covid-19 is dominating news cycles, these films focus on ongoing challenges: crusading journalists, unscrupulous spin doctors and corrupt politicians, the struggles of refugees, meatless diets, new religions – and how to swim with a polar bear and survive.  

Doc Edge is proud to announce the first selection of films.

A Sundance favourite, Influence (ZA/CA), is a timely examination of the career of Tim Bell, one of the most powerful and notorious names in global public relations. From award-winning South African directors and journalists Diana Neille and Richard Poplak, this compelling film is steeped in the world of politics and weaponised communication, investigating the rise and scandalous fall of British multinational Bell Pottinger. 

Dive into the suspenseful journey of renowned underwater wildlife photographer Amos Nachoum in Picture of His Life (US/IL). Nachoum has shot close-ups of great white sharks, leopard seals, orcas, anacondas and crocodiles, but one animal has forever escaped him: the polar bear hunting underwater. Last time he took up this challenge it nearly cost him his life. Award-winning filmmakers Yonatan Nir & Dani Menki continue their success of capturing the unique and touching relationships formed between humans and nature. 

For more than 40 years, journalist Robert Fisk reported on some of the most violent and divisive conflicts in the world. Director Yung Chang captures Fisk in relentless action—feet on the ground, notebook in hand, as he travels into landscapes devastated by war, ferreting out the facts and firing reports back home to reach an audience of millions. This is Not a Movie (CA/DE) follows Fisk in his dogged quest of the truth in a world where fake news is a sad reality. His motto: Report what you see with your own eyes. Only then will you get close to the truth. 

Kiwi filmmaker Sally Williams celebrates the stellar 67-year long career of the remarkable New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson in the biopic, Stevenson: Lost and Found (US/NZ). Williams creates an unexpectedly moving portrait that unearths the life, struggles and humour of an artist and his truly dazzling volume of work. 

Upon receiving a mysterious invitation, award-winning director Yoav Shamir sets off on a thought-provoking and humorous quest into the world's biggest UFO religion. The Prophet and the Space Aliens (ZA/IL/AT) follows leader Rael who founded the religion after an alleged encounter with extra-terrestrials, during which he was appointed the "last prophet". Through his ambitious attempts to find loyal followers, this gripping modern-day tale sheds light on some of the many themes and questions of religion and faith. 

With unprecedented access to World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab, Marcus Vetter becomes the first filmmaker to look behind the scenes of the controversial summit. The Forum (DE/CH) follows Schwab on his mission to improve the world through dialogue with some of the biggest names in politics and business. This absorbing documentary questions if the Forum can really contribute to solving global issues, or if it is just another part of the problem.

By partnering with New Zealand company Shift72, Doc Edge will realise its vision of offering all of New Zealand the chance to experience a documentary film festival, even it is in the comfort of their own home.

New Zealand’s largest Oscar-qualifying festival, Doc Edge will run nationwide for the first time. Directors Alex Lee and Dan Shanan said, “Reaching out in times of isolation enables us to express humanity at its best. We’re passionate about bringing important stories to everyone.”  

For more information and to keep up to speed with the 2020 season as more events and films are added, visit: www.docedge.nz, or follow Doc Edge on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Doc Edge is grateful to their partners who are helping make the online festival possible: RNZ, Rei Foundation, the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, Department of Post, MiNDFOOD, Shift72, Eventfinda, the University of Auckland, Auckland and Wellington Councils, and many more.

Win Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on Blu Ray

Win Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on Blu Ray

To celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker out now on DVD and Blu Ray, thanks to Disney Home Ent and Sony Home Ent, you can win a copy on Blu Ray

About Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

When it's discovered that the evil Emperor Palpatine did not die at the hands of Darth Vader, the rebels must race against the clock to find out his whereabouts. 

Finn and Poe lead the Resistance to put a stop to the First Order's plans to form a new Empire, while Rey anticipates her inevitable confrontation with Kylo Ren.

To win, all you have to do is email your details and the word SKYWALKER!

Email now to  darrensworldofentertainment@gmail.com 
Or CLICK HERE NOW  

Dolittle: DVD Review

Dolittle: DVD Review

Leaning heavily into the eccentricities and the weird Welsh whisperings of the titular character, the CGI heavy Dolittle comes across as a strange mix of Willy Wonka-cum-Jules Verne-cum Aladdin that never quite settles on a tone.

A wafer thin plot involving the grieving recluse being forced out of hiding to try and help save a terminally ill Queen Victoria is just the jumping off point for Downey Jr's Dolittle to head off with a menagerie of creatures and a potential apprentice in tow.

But the film is also there to give the man who imbued Iron Man with such gravitas a chance to make gorilla noises as well - it's that kind of movie.

In truth, it's not a mess, more an incoherent folly that dogs Dolittle throughout.

While the talking animals will amuse the kids, what they're saying will amuse the adults less, given most of it is relatively flat comedic fare that lands with nary a punchline.

The CGI is on overload, and maybe a little more breathing space would have given the frantic fare a bit more of the emotional appeal that it needs to counter the general broadness of the comedy and the attempted hits.

Downey Jr's Welsh accent isn't entirely convincing to start off with, and there's definitely a feeling some of it was redubbed afterwards, but it's the mumbling, withdrawn approach that ever so slightly holds this hero back from fully grasping the screen. He never seizes the moment, and while there's some Chaplin-esque clowning to be had, there's no defining moment for this incarnation of Dolittle.

Yet, there's also an other worldly old time quality to Dolittle, a film that wafts by insubstantially on more innocent fare (witness Sheen's cartoon pantomime villain) and feels  like it's from yesteryear as it flits quickly and awkwardly from one scene to the next.

Ultimately, this Dolittle is less a case of the man who could speak to the animals, more a case of should he have done so in the first place.

Bombshell: DVD Review

Bombshell: DVD Review

The most high profile of the post MeToo filmmaking choices, Bombshell is certainly a stylish and spirited affair, that's as interested in making sure you can't tell it's Charlize Theron under the make up as it is exposing the horrendous lascivious advances of John Lithgow's slimy take on Roger Ailes.

Mixing the kind of take that worked with Vice and the fourth wall breaking of The Big Short, director Roach tells the story of inside Fox News and Gretchen Carlson (Kidman, in a distracting chin) who sued sexual predator Ailes for harassment when he sacked her.

Combining and intertwining the stories of other women at Fox News - chiefly Theron's astounding take on Megyn Kelly and Robbie's composite cypher Kayla, a researcher who rose through the ranks after an appalling casting couch moment from Ailes - Roach's swift trawl through the worst of what was on offer is as shocking an affair as it is necessarily confronting.

It's fair to say that of the leads, Theron and Robbie are compelling.

Thanks to a transformational piece of make up work, Theron is unrecognisable as Kelly, the anchor whose views have bordered on racism and who's been happy to whip the arguments up when needed (a side barely explored in the script); but there's no doubt that as she parades around the screen initially, breaking the fourth wall, Theron deserves every accolade she's being afforded for this portrayal.

Equally, Robbie's Kayla is heartbreaking to watch - from innocent career-climber to deeer-stuck-in-the-headlights victim, Robbie gives her cypher character a heart and an arc to invest in.

In truth, Kidman's largely sidelined, but makes the most of her brief appearances as the chief instigator of the complaints that would bring Ailes down.

But in handling Carlson - and wider elements - is where Bombshell's script falls drastically short.
It ignores the fact Fox News has peddled fear and hate through the years, skates over the more dubious elements of Megyn Kelly's character and views and really presents a paper thin view of proceedings to give an air over definitive style over substance.

It may deliver a polished film that's about solidarity and the truly ugly side of Roger Ailes (Lithgow is fantastic throughout, a repugnant no-holds barred take on the man) but Bombshell never quite lives up to the title it aspires to. Sure, it's an explosive film in parts, but overall, it's a muffled muted bang that it delivers.

Predator Hunting Grounds: PS4 Review

Predator Hunting Grounds: PS4 Review

Developed by Illfonics
Released by Sony Interactive Entertainment

Illfonics' follow up to Friday the 13th sees the studio take on another franchise.

This time it's the 80s classic Predator, and the game throws you deep in the jungle where you play either as the Predator, hunting out a target and wiping out those who stand in your way or as a fireteam tasked with various side missions and a chance to take down the predator.

But that's about it - a lack of content makes the Illfonics game feel less than the full meal - even if it is a blockbuster morsel in parts.

Multiplayer and online always, Predator Hunting Grounds really does have something to offer - but it just feels so undercooked.

Matchmaking is currently a bit choppy at best, with long waits to saddle up as the predator (upwards of 20 minutes), and up to two minutes to play on as part of a team - if you're lucky.

The thrill of playing as the Predator in the new various jungle maps is tantalising enough though. 

Set in the South American jungles, the maps can be a nicely dense affair with trees, foliage and height giving you more than enough options to help plot the demise of your enemies. And yet they are also repetitive offering very similar edges and little else new in the way of things.

Given the task of taking out a target from the guerillas infesting the jungle, the Predator uses the usual skills of heat-seeking and leaping through trees, cloaking and targeting missiles to its advantage. It's here that there is a feeling of being part of the film franchise.

The controls are simple at best, and there are some passing thrills as you execute soldiers and hunt.

Currently the game is more slanted towards the fireteam and AI Enemies are easily dispatched, making missions more like a procedural than anything else. That's not to say they're not enjoyable, it's more a feeling that they're disposable at best.

The game's sole raison d'etre appears to exist on the desire for its fans to play on as the Predator and simple grind on and level up - which only appears to unlock cosmetics and extra weapons.

While the game offers some promise, it's to be hoped there's a bit more of a post release content plan because currently, it has the potential to honour the hunter's legacy, but it's yet to be seen fully how that could remotely transpire.

2020 New Zealand International Film Festival to take place online at your home

2020 New Zealand International Film Festival will be screened online - at your home

From Arthouse to Your House: NZIFF At Home – Online

New Zealand International Film Festival 2020 Edition To Screen On Line

The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) has today announced its plans to
present the 2020 programme in an online format.

With COVID-19 restrictions in place and likely to continue for some months, cinemas and
entertainment venues around the country are closed or will remain under stringent
gathering and social distancing limitations. NZIFF, run by the not-for-profit New Zealand
Film Festival Trust, is unable to confidently present the 2020 programme as originally
planned in cinemas across the country.

“This is an extraordinary situation and we need to adapt and find a creative solution for
2020,” says New Zealand Film Festival Trust Chair Catherine Fitzgerald. “The shared
experience of cinema and the power of storytelling to bring communities together has
always been our driving force. With the current, and evolving situation, we believe in the
value and importance of cinema now more than ever.

“We cannot do without the Film Festival in July and so we are excited to be able to upgrade
our online platform to ensure we can bring the best of new cinema to our audiences with
new ways to share the experience and interact with the filmmakers and fellow audience
members .”

The New Zealand International Film Festival At Home – Online will take place from 24 July to
2 August with a world-class curated programme of world and New Zealand premiere films
for audiences to screen at home,

Film premieres and film festivals around the world are being severely impacted by the
global pandemic with the cancellation and postponement of festivals including Cannes, New
York’s TribeCa, and Sydney among many others, but new NZIFF Director Marten Rabarts has
assurance from key film distributors in Australia, New Zealand and around the world that
they are committed to making this online edition work well.

“After the initial realisation and heartbreak of not being able to provide our Film Festival
whānau an in-cinema experience this year we’ve worked quickly, while leaning on our
strong relationships with filmmakers, distributors and sales agents, to ensure we are able to
confidently adapt the way in which we’ll present their films to our dedicated audience
across the country.”

Rabarts said “NZIFF At Home – Online will be a true film festival experience featuring world
and New Zealand premieres of films each night, and including virtual red-carpet, and
filmmaker Q&As and we can potentially invite more international guests to present their
films to our festival audiences than ever before using virtual means.

"Some films will be screened as special ‘one-off’ events, and many of the films presented will be exclusive to NZIFF and won’t have other New Zealand screenings.”

Key to the success of the online edition is the upgrade of the existing video on demand
(VOD) portal and the necessary technology and integration to present the festival
experience.

“We are working with our OnDemand provider Shift72 on the technology to
deliver a ‘bells and whistles’ digital screening room, coupled with live streaming events
possibilities on our own website.

Full information on the programme, viewing costs and viewing windows for the online
platform will be announced on Monday 22 June.

Film festival director Marten Rabarts

Bringing the NZIFF 2020 programme to life is a team of programmers led by Festival Director Marten Rabarts, newly promoted Head of Programming Michael McDonnell, Paris-based
Programmer Sandra Reid, and specialist programmers Nic Marshall (For All Ages), Ant
Timpson (Incredibly Strange), and Malcolm Turner (Animation Now), and new for 2020, a
quartet of international guest curators.

The four international guest curators for 2020 are Argentinian film producer and Venice Film
Festival programme consultant Violeta Bava, American curator and creative producer Alesia
Weston whose track record includes Sundance International and the Directorship of
Jerusalem Film Festival, former Director of Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and
programming associate for Toronto International Film Festival Vicci Ho, and Director of
Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program Bird Runningwater.

“We are excited to introduce our guest curators for the 2020 Festival. These four curators
are highly respected programmers globally and we are delighted to be able to draw on their
knowledge of specialised territories and their diverse backgrounds to enrich this year’s
programme,” Rabarts said.

Rabarts added that NZIFF is also looking to the near-future when COVID 19 gathering
restrictions will once again allow a return to an in-cinema programme.

“In January 2021 we hope to be celebrating that return with a special summer programme of films in our flagship venues in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin,” he affirms.

“We are fully committed to a return to cinemas in 2021 and we understand our audiences
cherish the experience of sharing the festival films with others as much as we do , but until
that’s possible you’ll find us no further away than the NZIFF website or app when we launch
our At Home – Online programme in June.”

Key Dates
Monday 22 June: NZIFF 2020 At Home – Online Programme Announced
24 July – 2 August: NZIFF 2020 At Home – Online runs nationwide

The Gentlemen: DVD Review

The Gentlemen: DVD Review

Guy Ritchie returns to familiar territory in The Gentlemen, a crime caper that dials up the Cockney tomfoolery and violence, but which pales in comparison to Ritchie's greatest Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

In this latest, centring around drug kingpin Mickey Pearson (an unctuous McConaughey) and his marijuana business, Ritchie spins a tale via unreliable narrator and potential blackmailer Fletcher (Grant, in a pastiche of a camp Michael Caine and tabloid editor) who tries his hand to get cash to keep Pearson's secrets.

But when Pearson wants to get rid of the dodgy dealings to spend more time with his wife Ros (Dockery, massively underused as a moll or any kind of character), it attracts the interest of the Chinese triads and their wannabe head Dry Eye (played by Crazy Rich Asians' Henry Golding)....

The Gentlemen is a film which puts the meta into the gangster genre. Or at least tries to.

Grant's slimy Fletcher seems like an extension of Ritchie himself, weaving a web of potential lies and deceit (and even pitching a film to Miramax at the end with a Man from U.N.C.L.E poster in the background), and winking at gangster movie conventions while riffing (less than subtly) on how films like The Conversation are rubbish, and digital films aren't as good as actual film. It's all a bit too much in some ways, and detracts from Ritchie's original simplicity of plotting - though there's a strong case to be said for Fletcher being Ritchie and Pearson's No 2 (Hunnam) being the audience if you want to dig deeper.

Elsewhere, it's the usual mix of trickery and an extremely liberal use of foul language as the cast go warts and all into the proceedings, into the codes of elder gangsters versus younger rivals and the shaggy dog progress of the story.

In truth, Grant's Fletcher is the best thing about The Gentlemen, a louche snake of a man whose self-preservation is second only to his own debauchery and desires - and Grant has a ball playing him, with lines such as "I can feel myself engorging" being delivered with such relish - along with Paddington 2 and this, Grant delivers a strong case for a villainous after career.

The rest of the cast are fine - Hunnam is overlooked though he's the head of the firm in reality, a fixer who's apparently in out of his depth, and McConaughey just oozes charm as the wastrel boss.

But less successful are Dockery, who's sidelined with nothing more than a moll (and a questionable near-rape scene) and Golding, whose one note performance is script related rather than actor delivered.

A long debate over how to racially refer to someone also teeters on extremely unpalatable as well - leaving parts of The Gentlemen feeling grubby and unwarranted.

Ultimately, The Gentlemen has a criminal amount of slippery class, but its stylised edges pale when held upto to Ritchie's best. Sure, he's having a ball, and bringing the audience with him, but this old dog doesn't have any massively new tricks to showcase, merely a criminal caper the likes of which we've mainly seen before.