tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48425828587194360082024-03-14T17:04:56.735+13:00ECLECTICVIEWS.COMMOVIES. MUSIC. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08435252713147883269noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-37772132335117481092017-10-08T20:52:00.002+13:002017-10-08T20:52:36.442+13:00Blade Runner 2049<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There is a rule with sequels that seems to hold true for most 99% of them, which is... by and large, they’re generally pretty much crap! Many a case of diminishing returns has befallen a staggering number of titles that were, on paper, deemed to distinguish themselves as fine additions to the already well-established canon that preceded their birth unto a willing audience. As we well know though, the reality is that if you’re going to step once more into that breach, you’d better be ultra-confident you’ve got the goods to back up your claims of a supposed extension to an existing legend.<br />
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With that in mind, without hesitation, I’m going to state this well up front...<br />
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BLADE RUNNER 2049 IS A MASTERPIECE.<br />
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Why?<br />
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Let me detail my justifications as why I hail this sequel as not only a masterpiece, but a deserved addition to the original movie from 1982.<br />
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<b>• Visuals:</b> GOBSMACKED. A pop phrase that well describes the utterly magnificent and stunning visual look which populates every single pixel and beyond. You could add a multitude of superlatives on just the visual vision of Blade Runner 2049 alone, but critically, none of these will mean a goddamn thing until you see it with you own very eyes. Pretty much nothing will prepare you for the perfectly composed, beautifully lighted, intelligently sequenced, exquisitely detailed frame upon frame within this seismic film that should, with us all praying to the Oscars Gods, get the supremely talented, but unjustly looked over, Cinematographer Roger Deakins his well-deserved first Statuette to place on his mantelpiece. The fourteenth time should be the charm – if the universe is in agreement. Fingers crossed.<br />
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<b>• Sound:</b> In considering sound in a film, there are two distinctions to make. Soundtrack and Sound design. Both elements working harmoniously together are vital in fusing the accompanying visuals to the various sounds and pieces of music that underline and score in such a fashion, that then, to deem any film a complete piece that works (on those specific levels), would thus render them, all but inseparable. The soundtrack for BR2049 which was co-created by film S/T veteran Hans Zimmer in collaboration with Benjamin Wallfisch is, dare I say it - perfect. It more than compliments the stunning visuals, but crucially although there are many musical motifs that are nods to Vangelis's groundbreaking score for the 1982 original film, the tracks presented for BR2049 boom, clank, roar, groan, cry and soar, creating an immersive experience that is beautifully synchronized to the intoxicating images. This film got the soundtrack it deserved - and then some.<br />
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<b>• Casting/Acting:</b> Another golden rule for film, ‘Get the casting right – the film takes care of itself’ is well adhered to with BR2049. The newcomers acquit themselves with finely crafted performances, the returning veterans more than equal to the task. Ryan Gosling is justifiably, one of the hottest commodities in La La Land. He inhibits his character K with a weary, yet curious sensibility, eager to journey to dangerous places and tangle with devious and deceptive minds that create veritable minefields of hazardous situations. He makes you care for his every uncertain step into paths unknown. Harrison Ford brings a huge reservoir of empathy, gravitas and finesse for his return as Rick Deckard. Although not appearing until the third act, he is thrust front and center for the remainder of the film, bringing the story to a suitable denouement. It would have been unthinkable had the filmmakers not been able to secure his services for this iconic role again. Loved Sylvia Hoeks as Luv, sexy and dangerous, with a hint of a soul, albeit a fleeting glimpse. If this role doesn’t propel her onto bigger career opportunities, it may well never happen for her. Nice too, to see both Dave Bautista & Robin Wright in slightly atypical roles, both bringing unique qualities to their characters. Jared Leto was compelling as the god-like Niander Wallace, bringing a disturbing<br />
and threatening presence to his villainess turn as the resident evil deity. Spooky, creepy, and compelling to watch.<br />
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<b>• Story:</b> Film 101. Get the story right, and really, you’d be a hack to fuck it up from that point! I’d wager that a critical part of why BR2049 works is the return of original screenwriter Hampton Fancher to the fold. His vision for where the story needed to pick up from and continue feels 100% right. We’re not left with many questions as to the what and why for the story and direction it heads in. Everything just feels equally logical and understandable, nothing comes across as unnecessary, which in turn, absolutely justifies the rather lengthy running time (163 Minutes). Mercifully, this translates to a film that doesn’t outstay its welcome, and doesn’t feel that long. But, empty your tank before settling in. It’s not short either!<br />
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Have I convinced you yet that this is one of the best movies, not just this year, but any year? Great if I have, if I haven’t, then, well there is no hope for you – haha! Kidding of course! Do you need to see the original Blade Runner beforehand? Well, aside from it too, being an absolute bona-fide Sci-Fi classic, you could get away with it, but viewing first it will enhance your experience and appreciation of the new vision that Denis Villeneuve and rest of the abundantly talented cast and crew have created with Blade Runner 2049.<br />
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Again,<br />
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<b>BLADE RUNNER 2049 IS A MASTERPIECE.</b><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-81173421992232208312017-10-08T18:21:00.000+13:002017-10-08T21:15:26.220+13:00GLENN HUGHES: Performing CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE; Auckland (NZ) October 3rd, 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When we anoint a person with a title, generally the view is that this person is very much worthy of that honour, their mark in their chosen field is indisputable. So when <b>The KLF</b> in their unique wisdom proclaimed guest vocalist Glenn Hughes as <b>“The Voice of Rock”</b> on their 1992 hit <b>“America: What Time Is Love?”</b> it immediately made perfect sense. Hughes’s extraordinary vocal abilities are something to behold, especially in the live environment whereby he can truly unleash the full potential of his staggering vocal instrument’s capabilities, slaying audiences across the world with consummate ease.<br />
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So when it was announced not long after, that Hughes would be returning to these shore, playing the music of Deep Purple, the band that firmly elevated Hughes to the upper tiers of rock royalty, getting tickets was, as they say, a no-brainer!<br />
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Actually, this was the second time I witnessed this brilliant musician in the flesh, he toured in New Zealand recently as part of the <b>‘The Music of CREAM’</b> tour, playing chosen specific Cream songs that gave us a great display of his immense talent.<br />
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Couldn’t persuade my good lady to spend another evening in front of one of my all-time rock vocalists, so my good friend Merrin was more than happy to take that unwanted ticket and join me for the evening. From reading her Facebook post, I’d say she really really enjoyed the show on hand. For me though, it went much further than that.<br />
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What I witnessed that night, I’ll never forget. A Rock ‘n Roll Masterclass, from one of its best practitioners ever to hit a stage. People, a rock vocalist of 65 years of age shouldn’t, by rights - be that bloody good! Unfreakinbelievable! His complete mastery of his god-given instrument, his voice, is something that any self-respecting fan who calls himself a fan of ROCK should not, I repeat should NOT, miss the opportunity to witness firsthand. High notes, low notes, soulful notes, bluesy notes, SCREAMS! Yelps, Jazz notes, sustain like you wouldn’t believe. My god, he can do it all. With stunning ease. Phew. Hughes promises to be back again next year. I’ll be hovering over a keyboard on the first day that tickets come online. No idea whether he’ll do another tribute to Deep Purple, but it won’t matter. You’ll be schooled in a masterclass of rock that will be unforgettable.<br />
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Not only was Hughes on fire that night, so too, was his astonishing band. Swedish Man-mountain Pontus Engborg’s drumming was raw, brutal, savage, yet beyond that power, was tacit evidence of a superb ability around the drums. Even the dreaded drum solo was more than bearable! The epitome of Cali-cool, veteran LA session/touring Guitarist Jeff Kollman unleashed an impressive arsenal of techniques that drew many varied sounds from his various guitars. Bluesy, progressive, and biting sonic tones were but a few of his superb skillset on the guitar. Last, but by no means least, the flamboyant Aussie, Lachy Doley, a showman par excellence! He has been called by some, the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the Hammond Organ’. Like Hughes’s title, this title fits Lachy to a tee. What a performance, my eyes were glued to him - when they weren’t focused on Glenn Hughes! A sensational talent on Keyboards. Clearly, the spirit of Jon Lord resides within his lithe frame.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3fhIm6I2vjYV-SRTvc377OlPlbFnUtNdadqaPP8WftEZtFmScuObMXocYAbAYXMLVoNQKO-DPkcMr6Yb-SZFTEZV7PSI1RPNIo2Bs678hURWTWLiDDjolETtHW57KG_cQ8P2B8VBNzA/s1600/20171003_215135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3fhIm6I2vjYV-SRTvc377OlPlbFnUtNdadqaPP8WftEZtFmScuObMXocYAbAYXMLVoNQKO-DPkcMr6Yb-SZFTEZV7PSI1RPNIo2Bs678hURWTWLiDDjolETtHW57KG_cQ8P2B8VBNzA/s640/20171003_215135.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoke on the water... fire in the sky... </td></tr>
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<b><u>SET LIST</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Stormbringer</i></b><br />
<b><i>Might Just Take Your Life</i></b><br />
<b><i>Sail Away</i></b><br />
<b><i>Mistreated</i></b><br />
<b><i>You Fool No One</i></b><br />
<b><i>This Time Around</i></b><br />
<b><i>Holy Man</i></b><br />
<b><i>Getting Tighter</i></b><br />
<b><i>You Keep on Moving</i></b><br />
<b><i>Smoke on the Water / Georgia on My Mind</i></b><br />
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<b><u>ENCORE</u></b><br />
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<b><i>Highway Star</i></b><br />
<b><i>Burn</i></b><br />
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Final Thoughts: Given what I’ve written above, the question I’d ask of myself “Would I go and watch Glenn Hughes live in concert again?”, the answer should be glaringly obvious to you readers. He and his magnificent band performed these classic Deep Purple songs with utter distinction and manifest joy. His love for his audience was infectious, so too, was our love for him.<br />
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If you think about, the title of his first major band’s (TRAPEZE) fantastic third album ‘You Are the Music… We’re Just the Band...” is a great way to sum up Glenn Hughes’s musical mindset. He feeds off us, we get in return that rarity - a genuine, heartfelt performance that cuts straight to your heart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_d7BtIxVlz3J7YvLWMpZWb7B-mmNZ23Chv7Mdm8zrT-cihj95mYIVfcEBdwexhYt8ZLfdjfzwADIn4xBV9ylpLt6UgiGxyvS-o1YBm0Fw85Me27l0NQnNYm0Ses7ivMIuZlzjRR9Rag/s1600/20171003_214949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_d7BtIxVlz3J7YvLWMpZWb7B-mmNZ23Chv7Mdm8zrT-cihj95mYIVfcEBdwexhYt8ZLfdjfzwADIn4xBV9ylpLt6UgiGxyvS-o1YBm0Fw85Me27l0NQnNYm0Ses7ivMIuZlzjRR9Rag/s400/20171003_214949.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_JOYC05kecSWwNiCv2XSFEiq_5l8pN8M9n8jh3bRebLy9vQ0_rpnhyphenhyphenZVtzdkmZeQ_aTb0TJ3KVmdnD_74i-Q6MfFv5iK-_Vl6mw_CPTLMdnxzA2ybNqQhn4-ktyT5vVHFYLgVWYEnr0/s1600/20171003_215445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_JOYC05kecSWwNiCv2XSFEiq_5l8pN8M9n8jh3bRebLy9vQ0_rpnhyphenhyphenZVtzdkmZeQ_aTb0TJ3KVmdnD_74i-Q6MfFv5iK-_Vl6mw_CPTLMdnxzA2ybNqQhn4-ktyT5vVHFYLgVWYEnr0/s640/20171003_215445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'The VOICE OF ROCK' - giving his all - and then some!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRMmYSQ49LZO8Gn3JVIc11OExsL7-CYa1r6geodZUoJZK1zMctlS_5Fghf7XQGaWtiYzroTyC2e4XHgNSrtyVWy9jTQmPlRMHsDMRjcU9Xa7AWOL1AjIGtVz-6WjU1pThl_4PN5R9rKg/s1600/20171003_221734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRMmYSQ49LZO8Gn3JVIc11OExsL7-CYa1r6geodZUoJZK1zMctlS_5Fghf7XQGaWtiYzroTyC2e4XHgNSrtyVWy9jTQmPlRMHsDMRjcU9Xa7AWOL1AjIGtVz-6WjU1pThl_4PN5R9rKg/s640/20171003_221734.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L>R; Lachy Doley, Glenn Hughes, Jeff Kollman, Pontus Engborg</td></tr>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-67028912505703773862015-07-31T11:32:00.000+12:002015-07-31T11:32:13.840+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 25; LOVE 3D<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKjz1ElfWjMDBWXMIV4zV6haXkaMRfNmgveGUsp9ybKr7PfExRgKkVTZSdxMGw9DAqO2Clt0L4KTzE1LYkxNxHhLqaNnmUiasYkvzBZxwEbPZuROYTmKvXt6ib6FB6ypiTGDIcoEcJ3Y/s1600/Love_Quad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKjz1ElfWjMDBWXMIV4zV6haXkaMRfNmgveGUsp9ybKr7PfExRgKkVTZSdxMGw9DAqO2Clt0L4KTzE1LYkxNxHhLqaNnmUiasYkvzBZxwEbPZuROYTmKvXt6ib6FB6ypiTGDIcoEcJ3Y/s640/Love_Quad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaspar! remember what the Beatles said? "All you need is LOVE, LOVE is all you need". Take note...</td></tr>
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<b>Whats it about? </b><i>Murphy gets told by his girlfriend she is pregnant with their second child, which sends Murph into a deep funk as he realises that he still hasn't gotten over Electra - his Parisian ex-girlfriend. Next thing, Electra's mother calls to say that she hasn't heard from her and she's extremely worried about her mental state...</i><br />
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When I heard that this provocative, boundary pushing explicit drama filmed by <b>Gaspar Noe</b> was headed for the festival, my first thought was, I can handle films like this, films that push at the very thin edge of what is acceptable (or not!) for mainstream audiences.<br />
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How bad? Or good? Could this be?<br />
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Hmm....<br />
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From what I thought I was going to see, and from what I experienced, I gotta admit, there was a gulf in expectation and the hard-core reality. I'm not gonna lie, I may have seen the odd thing or two on the internet over the years, so viewing something like this wasn't going to be hard to watch. What intrigued me was to see how the potentially explosive combination of hardcore sex, (in 3D no less!) and a conventional drama, would be handled by the person I anticipated would add his signature visual flourishes to create a work of art that would stand the test of time.<br />
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Hello reality. Reality is a cold harsh mistress sometimes, sharply reminding you of just who is firmly in charge. Gaspar, I gotta say this - A golden opportunity missed. At 134 extremely long minutes, we had to suffer through one of the most excruciating characters ever committed to film, well pixels in this case. Murphy is unequivocally, without question, one of the most narcissistic, self-centered, whiny, repulsive, obnoxious, repugnant and thoroughly unlovable screen characters. Ever. He so needed what you gave the guy in "Irreversible" - a beating to death with a fire extinguisher. Considering though, that is exactly how you intended the character to appear on screen, then I really am scratching my head wondering if you decided to title your movie "LOVE", where the f*%k was it?<br />
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Lets call a spade a spade here. Even the f&$%ing wasn't that great. It was mechanical, perfunctory. Sure, thanks for seeing what sex looks like from the inside of a woman (tick that off the list of things seen), and seeing a few jazz shots here and there. I've seen more humanity in an internet video where the passion, sex, and lust is patently obvious, it's written all over the faces of the real people who love to share their most personal and intimate experiences with a few billion others. That's something you sorta tried to recreate, but fell incredibly short of. By a country mile in fact.<br />
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In summing up, I'm happy that at least I can write with some degree of knowing what I'm talking about, I've watched the film from to start to finish. Gaspar, mate, I say this as someone who thinks you are a vital part of this industry, consider this next thought seriously.<br />
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Here's a suggestion for your follow up into this foray of 'sex-as-a-mainstream film' business.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Title: The Joy of Sex (Sex is Joy!). Something expressing the positive joy of sex is a good place to start. </li>
<li>No "Murphy" type characters whatsoever. </li>
<li>Real people shapes, flabby-ish, untoned bodies.</li>
<li>Average looks.</li>
<li> No more than 90-100 minutes.</li>
<li>Real passion, real lust. </li>
<li>Maybe use internet amateurs who are already well established in this type of practice. Trust me on this point - there's plenty out there! I could give you some suggestions... (wink wink, nudge nudge!).</li>
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I didn't hate LOVE, but equally, I didn't love LOVE either...</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-23040166733941734672015-07-30T11:43:00.000+12:002015-07-30T11:43:19.868+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 10; DEATHGASM! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlIuap3KxmJuN1il4UlbroRqalzYvq4WgDM48L2LxnmI-TyULZ-i-XSzYwSeOAh_K34-kvzWZrza09dX6-B93JxET2ceI-GgdXJhdn8JIOtl2rlUgAu19A7fd1OR6fOLZOwaeJdoinkU/s1600/PROD_Deathgasm_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlIuap3KxmJuN1il4UlbroRqalzYvq4WgDM48L2LxnmI-TyULZ-i-XSzYwSeOAh_K34-kvzWZrza09dX6-B93JxET2ceI-GgdXJhdn8JIOtl2rlUgAu19A7fd1OR6fOLZOwaeJdoinkU/s640/PROD_Deathgasm_11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Whats it about?</b> <i>Hell descends upon a small town when a Metal lovin' dude unwittingly records a song that turns the good townsfolk into zombies!</i><br />
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It is no exaggeration to say that as of right now, we are experiencing a golden period of Kiwi film making. For so long we've made made ok-ish features, with a few exceptional films justifiably gaining international acclaim and awards. The weakest perceived link was the writing, which often couldn't match the stunning cinematography, consistent great performances, and assured direction.<br />
With films like <b>Housebound, The Dead Lands, The Dark Horse, What We Do in the Shadows</b> the writing, however, has been elevated to another level.<br />
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Make no mistake, the script/storyline on Deathgasm is damn near note perfect, with first time Writer/Director Jason Lei Howden (ex Weta Workshops) drawing from his own heavy-metal loving past to assemble a rip-snorting tribute to the horror-comedy genre that is both affectionate and funny as hell! The cast are up for the task at hand, delivering performances which totally complement the onscreen action. It's patently obvious to all that they're having a blast with their roles, taking their characters on one hell of a wild joyride.<br />
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But you don't want to hear about the writing, what you really need to know is the following aspects.<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Its got GORE by the truckload!!! Blood, blood, guts, brains, and pretty much most body parts are reconfigured, quite messily! </li>
<li>A crunching, LOUD raucous soundtrack that is all things metal! Death to false metal!</li>
<li>For us Kiwis - plenty of real Kiwiana-laden jokes that might be slightly lost in translation! </li>
<li>A Holden Kingswood - driven at speed! You beauty! </li>
<li>Some of the funniest, goriest death and dismemberment scenes ever created for film!</li>
<li>Beatings and death by BIG BLACK DILDOS! Very very funny scenes indeed! </li>
</ul>
I could go on. And on. But I wont.<br />
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Go view this movie.<br />
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NOW!!!<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-73386590943716391662015-07-29T16:09:00.003+12:002015-07-29T16:09:58.935+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 12; EX MACHINA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1z-1BCpDu4jUKYnr4N6-iZJmXwyaOHmK9c9GeA3KuaeSR9Gn9QCJUxnIB7zg-e0nMC5AX2oZq_3zlCOWcpSFxY5rr8IJGVRHUWc3gd-zbYJlCYPSWcyMETsTwfC7ShCyB7eiGdCTPz8/s1600/ex-machina-official-teaser-trailer-1-2015-oscar-isaac-domhnall-gleeson-movie-hd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1z-1BCpDu4jUKYnr4N6-iZJmXwyaOHmK9c9GeA3KuaeSR9Gn9QCJUxnIB7zg-e0nMC5AX2oZq_3zlCOWcpSFxY5rr8IJGVRHUWc3gd-zbYJlCYPSWcyMETsTwfC7ShCyB7eiGdCTPz8/s640/ex-machina-official-teaser-trailer-1-2015-oscar-isaac-domhnall-gleeson-movie-hd.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Whats it about?</b> <i>Search engine company employee Caleb (<b>Domhnall Gleeson</b>) wins a lottery to visit the remotely located HQ/home of it's founder Nathan (<b>Oscar Isaac</b>) to start conducting tests on a highly secretive project that could be a game changer...</i><br />
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For a whole variety of wide-ranging reasons, this film has only now just made it to these shores for a few cinematic outings over the course of the festival run throughout New Zealand. In the lead-up, I've had to listen to others express their unbridled enthusiasm for the debut directing feature from <b>Alex Garland</b>, best know for writing with Danny Boyle amongst others. They've already viewed it on aircraft flights and 'other means' (you know what I'm hinting at...).<br />
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When Caleb lands via the company helicopter at the remote location, he is immediately met by his fabled genius boss Nathan who baffles him initially with his unconventional behaviour that takes Caleb a little while to figure out. Once attuned to his wavelength, Nathan then reveals the real purpose for his week long visit. To conduct the Turing test on his ultimate creation, the very human-like A.I. named Ava (a mesmerizing <b>Alicia Vikander</b>)<br />
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With the film mostly confined to one location, <b>Ex Machina</b> starts to slowly exert an ever increasing sense of dread and tension as we watch to see which of the three are the most honest with their stated intentions about this week long assignment. All three leads are uniformly excellent with their respective roles. Perfect casting decisions were made with these actors. The eerie score by Geoff Barrow (Portishead) & Ben Salisbury complement the visuals with a very assured resonance.<br />
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Essentially, the most compelling reason why Ex Machina works is down to one very key aspect. It feels believable. Chillingly so. The necessary questions this movie raises are timely and pertinent. We know that humanity is not too far away from attaining singularity. Its 'not if', only 'when' it happens. In our lifetime? Certainly seems all too possible...<br />
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Was the wait worth it? Definitely! It is, in my mind, already a contender for the best Science-Fiction movie of the year. In fact, it's brilliant. If you have any opportunity whatsoever to view this on the big screen, and you call yourself a Sci-Fi fan, then you need to make every effort possible to see it.<br />
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If you can't get to see it on a cinema screen, then do what you need to do to view it.<br />
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Brilliant. Masterful. Classic.<br />
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A very worthy addition to the pantheon of great science fiction movies...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-4436529342093913572015-07-29T16:06:00.001+12:002015-07-29T16:06:32.866+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 13; RED ARMY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8GIKLtQX0No85mZF1WEx_9q8A7mhoFSgwV-tlPmjKFwF1KfsKACvQ0xqDfDC1aNGzBPgsD-At4xbblCHaSY2BjSBw65DemFmI4vCOqT7ZFmezo2sSg5yrH14zh7DZSmCXq6NuzC3bZY/s1600/red-army-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8GIKLtQX0No85mZF1WEx_9q8A7mhoFSgwV-tlPmjKFwF1KfsKACvQ0xqDfDC1aNGzBPgsD-At4xbblCHaSY2BjSBw65DemFmI4vCOqT7ZFmezo2sSg5yrH14zh7DZSmCXq6NuzC3bZY/s640/red-army-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Whats it about?</b> <i>A frank, funny and hugely entertaining documentary charting the complete domination by the Soviet Ice Hockey Team during the latter half of the twentieth century...</i><br />
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Some sports stories are just meant to be told to a wider audience than their dedicated fan base. Red Army is more than just a mere 'story'. It also encompasses the social and historic climates which bred the conditions for the rise of this sport to something of major national pride. Indeed, Kiwi's can totally relate to the Soviet mindset. Think of the iconic status Rugby has on the New Zealand psyche. Hard to imagine the All Blacks position being downgraded anytime soon.<br />
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In retelling a story of this nature, it also helps a director if you have interviewees who have interesting stories to tell, and these people are reasonably interesting subjects themselves. Director Gabe Polsky struck gold by focusing mainly on one of the five key players who, when playing together, were both feared and revered whenever they played. Captain Vaicheslav (Slava) Fetisov is an absolute riot, with his blunt and candid ruminations on just why they were so damn good. You don't get too many interviewees who interrupt filming to take a personal phone call on their mobile - and then give the middle finger when the beleaguered directors asks them (not entirely unreasonably!) to focus on the task at hand. Slava reveals that amongst the seriously brutal training regime imposed on them, the team also studied ballet, dance and chess to gain disciplines and insights they could then utilize in their quest for continued improvement and match winning consistency. Watching period era footage is a thing of wonder as these magnificent warriors glided, danced, and weaved their spellbinding magic on a hockey field many times over. Indeed, when they compare to the American style of playing, the differences couldn't be more stark. The Yanks prefer to use violence and intimidation to bludgeon the opposition into submission. Well, that's the way they illustrate that point, fair or not.<br />
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The end result of having a sports team being world champions is the rise in the national mood as the successful results continually serve to remind the country of how great your nation is, and when your country is a communist state, well propaganda pretty much writes itself. 'Ha! Soviet system produces only winners! Pathetic Capitalism!' The Communist Party wasn't slow to highlight this fact whenever the opportunity presented itself either.<br />
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Yet again, Red Army is another outstanding documentary that rises well above the confines of its genre, and delivers a story that is both massively entertaining and informative.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-69774412443874246212015-07-29T15:59:00.001+12:002015-07-29T15:59:23.184+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 15: SUNSHINE SUPERMAN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGevi6woz0bWPu863jDXCL3g1KARANNqiXAADPkZ16mz6VBM74geqnny8WhPtE3RCgGljefSqWFJ1fEbgiA5w3I_o1T36oCoj7db8eHrox6N_ZI6PKRXh-0upkmBnN7Hi_pJkoPytCKg/s1600/Sunshine+Superman+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGevi6woz0bWPu863jDXCL3g1KARANNqiXAADPkZ16mz6VBM74geqnny8WhPtE3RCgGljefSqWFJ1fEbgiA5w3I_o1T36oCoj7db8eHrox6N_ZI6PKRXh-0upkmBnN7Hi_pJkoPytCKg/s640/Sunshine+Superman+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want to fly like an eagle, Let my spirit carry me, I want to fly like an eagle, Till I'm free...</td></tr>
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<b>Whats it about?</b> A heartfelt tribute to daredevil Carl Boenish, a skydiving filmmaker who is credited with inventing BASE Jumping.<br />
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For certain movies, everything you need to know can be found in the title. A clear concise title can immediately signal to a prospective audience exactly what they are going to be seeing. 'Sunshine Superman' was one description applied to pioneering 1970's BASE jumper Carl Boenish (rhymes with 'Danish'). That description fit him to a tee. Certainly after listening to family and friends recall how his boyish charms and continuous contagious enthusiasm struck all of them in such a positive manner means that, although his fate is already known, we cannot help but admire this genuine and remarkable man for his groundbreaking work in the risky business of jumping off places and things which hadn't been attempted previously.<br />
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One of the key aspects of his career was that in trying to convey his bubbling enthusiasm for skydiving, he wanted many others to be able to fully understand and experience what he got out of making so many jumps from an aircraft. He achieved this by pioneering the use of filming as many jumps as possible with crude, but effective head-mounted cameras that gave others the opportunity to actually see what a skydiver sees.<br />
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Successful with bringing skydiving to a wider audience, he and fellow skydivers, after many thousands of jumps, soon began to think of trying a jump off something other than a moving aircraft. The first place they tried was 'El Capitan' in Yosemite National Park. When the Park Rangers finally put a brake on that activity, Boenish's group then tried a variety of other tall landmarks such as Radio/TV towers, bridges, then ultimately buildings. Looking to give their fledgling movement a name that best reflected their wide range of jump sites, one of the members came up up with the perfect acronym - BASE (<b>B</b>uildings, <b>A</b>ntenna, <b>S</b>pans, <b>E</b>arth). Now armed with a credible brand name, base jumping skyrocketed in popularity as the various base jumpers (inevitably lead by Boenish - and his with Jean) upped the stakes by increasing the risk factor with the incredibly daring assaults on many seemingly unthinkable options.<br />
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The culmination was a world record attempt in 1984 off a daunting mountain range in Norway, the formidable 'Troll Wall' near Andalsnes. Successful and fully documented by David Frost, that should have been that, but a few days later Boenish felt the urge to try for another descent on a previously rejected jump point. As is invariably the case, the desire to keep on pushing to conquer your elements, can lead to somewhat questionable decision making. Alas, this decision in retrospect was to prove fatal, thus ending Boenishs' life prematurely.<br />
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I've read some reviews where the writers criticize the film for not giving a more rounded picture of Carl Boenish, to my mind, they've missed the point. His life was BASE Jumping/Skydiving. That was his passion, he died doing exactly what he loved. That really is all we need to fully understand the mindset of this most passionate man who lived for one reason alone. To feel truly alive.<br />
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Inspirational, absorbing, and absolutely exhilarating, "Sunshine Superman" is testament to one man's lust for life...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-72117523460798163392015-07-29T15:50:00.001+12:002015-07-29T15:50:04.165+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 11; THE ASSASSIN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoctmI30nov3Ne3rYe03juieabR0Ti-syz5kXSgfIxBljMyQgAQAWT1hZ8J0PK-bxyvhwZr0_NMtt7I4twaHGtmTYfSi1slEFF6ngcOQI_habn2A4J8Pxm1ba1ksoy8wCQlL1qjmCYjk/s1600/the-assassin-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoctmI30nov3Ne3rYe03juieabR0Ti-syz5kXSgfIxBljMyQgAQAWT1hZ8J0PK-bxyvhwZr0_NMtt7I4twaHGtmTYfSi1slEFF6ngcOQI_habn2A4J8Pxm1ba1ksoy8wCQlL1qjmCYjk/s640/the-assassin-poster.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Whats it about?</b> A beautiful female assassin is sent by her master to kill her cousin (whom she was once betrothed to) as punishment for failing a recent assignment...<br />
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A major reason for my enthusiasm and enjoyment of film fest is the annual chance to see these works of art on the big screen, right where they belong. Anything smaller than that would for me severely diminish the scale, you lose so much detail, the sense of grandeur is then completely underwhelming, to say the least. When it comes to Chinese movies, their Martial Arts and Historical dramas belong only on the big silver screen. Why? Because nobody does these genres better, the brilliant use of colour, costumes, and sets are unparalleled with their mastery of knowing exactly what these will look like once they're all combined together.<br />
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My only criticism, and this is purely down to my own failings, is that you can't watch a film like this with any lazy-ish intent. You are better served by paying strict attention to the story, and in particular, the relationship between the various characters. With any lapse in concentration, you will be scratching your head trying to figure out why certain events play out the way they do when the script and storyline, expertly written by the director, Taiwanese master filmmaker <b>Hou Hsaio-hsien</b>, consistently compliments the visual magnificence on display.<br />
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"The Assassin" is a glorious, colour-saturated work of art that glistens like a freshly painted canvas, bathing us in rivers of unrivaled luminescence, see it on the big screen if at all possible.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-53171084968927264922015-07-28T19:33:00.000+12:002015-07-28T19:33:02.609+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 9; HAEMOO<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbj1iyGNzCfzdEp_LfQoFkmMTKeLJiyUsiH3HiiJ0Lpg6sxQG934ILFCDGBGwA3DtCMrZwfeTcnNZ-Z4270gw_JLDOSokLwEQPgDml-6GxXMop22sgOXo_40OyqTJJmYy3DVoHUV3SMMQ/s1600/HAEMOO-0-2000-0-1125-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbj1iyGNzCfzdEp_LfQoFkmMTKeLJiyUsiH3HiiJ0Lpg6sxQG934ILFCDGBGwA3DtCMrZwfeTcnNZ-Z4270gw_JLDOSokLwEQPgDml-6GxXMop22sgOXo_40OyqTJJmYy3DVoHUV3SMMQ/s640/HAEMOO-0-2000-0-1125-crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<b>What's it about?</b> <i>A desperate Korean fishing Trawler Captain drags his unwitting crew into the illegal people smuggling trade - with disastrous consequences...</i><br />
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Korea is one of my now favourite film-making countries. In over 16 years of viewing them, I'm struggling to remember a really bad Korean movie. Is it something in the water? Who knows, what I do know is this: they make damn great movies!<br />
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<b>Haemoo</b> is adapted from a 2007 stage play of the same name, but it is based on a factual incident that took place off the Southern Korean coast in 2001. Where the film differs wildly is the fates of both the human cargo and the crew. 25 Chinese-Korean's actually died, but another 35 survived, along with all of the crew. By depicting a far more grim scenario, Haemoo attempts to portray what happens to ordinarily level-headed humans who are put into intolerable situations which not only creates severely stressful environments, but also examines the mindsets which lead them to make their rash decisions, decisions of a magnitude they could never conceive of ever being placed in in the first place. What happens when greed, ignorance, and genuine raw fear generate a climate of major stress?<br />
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The cast are all excellent, making their associated characters both believable and very human. The production design & sets creates a realistic view of life on a chaotic, dirty, aged and very ragged trawler that has clearly seen better days.<br />
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Fist time director <b>Shim Sung-Bo</b>, ably supported by co-writer <b>Bong Joon-ho</b> (Director <b><i>"Memories of Murder"/"The Host"/"Snowpiercer"</i></b>), has fashioned a morality tale that resonates clearly in this day and age. Haemoo is by turns, dramatic, tense and gripping, successfully examining what can happen when an already difficult situation threatens to change into something beyond the comprehension of those involved.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-18045364978430920152015-07-28T19:32:00.000+12:002015-07-28T19:32:50.644+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 8; 808<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGe4BAK6JIMmh35QoN7sIBxXBPD0F_XTesYzcnIRtec2CrKtlSXw6fCWSVoH-NlvbeiJSgUh9N8Jo6v9a3SehUojx57Vu25A5F93xUVknlBdlXFjGaqlaj9EX4o6kZjpHdAqtsxhSsXE/s1600/The-iconic-TR-808-Roland-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGe4BAK6JIMmh35QoN7sIBxXBPD0F_XTesYzcnIRtec2CrKtlSXw6fCWSVoH-NlvbeiJSgUh9N8Jo6v9a3SehUojx57Vu25A5F93xUVknlBdlXFjGaqlaj9EX4o6kZjpHdAqtsxhSsXE/s640/The-iconic-TR-808-Roland-014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies & Gentlemen, May I present to you, the one, the only... Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer!</td></tr>
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<b>Whats its about?</b> This documentary traces the origins of this iconic musical instrument and it's undoubted influence on many musicians who created history with its singularly unique sound.<br />
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You may not have ever heard directly of the <b>Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer </b>(Drum machine), but it's a device that shook the foundations of so many different musicians who found that it's theoretical limitations were in fact, the very reasons why they not only adopted the 808, but made it the foundation stone for a huge slab of songs that define the word 'classic'. Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye, Planet Rock by Afrika Baambaataa, Licence to Ill (Album) by the Beastie Boys, Face Value (Album) by Phil Collins (alongside real drums - obviously!) are a few examples. Where it really took hold was with the Rap/Hip-Hop and Dance communities, who loved one key sound in particular - the ultra-low bass sound that added an x-factor to their recordings. Indeed, it's well argued by more than a few of the interviewees, that <i>''No 808? No Rap. No Hip-Hop. No Dance"</i><br />
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By reversing a cliched saying, <i>"never let the story get in the way of the undisputed facts"</i>, here are a couple of them that make things even more interesting. The 808 got it's distinctive 'non-drum-like' sound from faulty transistors that were throwaways due to them not meeting the manufacturing minimum standard. That changed almost overnight when the manufacturing process improved, sending the defect rate from a then acceptable 3% to almost 0%! And considering that vital component was the key to the 808's sound meant its lifespan was over within 3 years. Only 12,000 TR-808's were ever built.<br />
<br />
With over 50 different musicians, producers & artists attesting to its unique charms, the 808 has amassed a cult following which has now created both huge demand & high prices for anybody lucky enough to score themselves an original unit.<br />
<br />
This informative and highly entertaining documentary delivers a tale that needs to be told, reminding us not only of the key people, but key instruments such as the <b>808 </b>which are indisputable to their place in musical history...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-43502887652556575992015-07-27T21:41:00.001+12:002015-07-27T21:41:36.896+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 7; The Duke Of Burgundy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRr7z5JEt1-LdoYUa8Cuq8L9Pl7ZQszpxPRMBeR4fUY8DwmAzzLPT7cciaA59lmvYPCUB_zKPdW1MZrMLs971oA6QP0OpT_TRTaEL1w9GytrzaH__VHK1LNLYOQ-Os-DgtJ4dlsGJ4ZXY/s1600/The+Duke+of+Burgundy+Still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRr7z5JEt1-LdoYUa8Cuq8L9Pl7ZQszpxPRMBeR4fUY8DwmAzzLPT7cciaA59lmvYPCUB_zKPdW1MZrMLs971oA6QP0OpT_TRTaEL1w9GytrzaH__VHK1LNLYOQ-Os-DgtJ4dlsGJ4ZXY/s640/The+Duke+of+Burgundy+Still.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Penalty for Non-Compliance is... More of the Same! Oh, if you Really Insist then...</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>What's it about?</b> Dominance & Submission between two exquisitely dressed European ladies in a secluded villa with a definite seventies Euro-Softcore porn vibe!<br />
<br />
When you first read the description of this film, one immediately thinks that you'll see exactly what you expect upon first viewing; copious amounts of naked flesh, but... artfully shot. What you get though, is something quite different. I'll freely admit that in amongst all the serious, angst-laden films I've planned to see at the festival, this one appealed for one reason alone. The chance for a bit of 'light relief', free from the rigours of both scripted and unscripted dramas. C'mon people, who's not adverse to a bit of titillation every now and again?<br />
<br />
Interestingly though, the nakedness wasn't that plentiful, what did catch my eye was just about every other aspect of this sumptuous surrealistic erotic fantasy. Stunning light filtered cinematography, an eerie, haunting and melancholic score, gorgeous costumes, wisteria covered crumbling villas that oozed faded elegance. None of this would have mattered though if the performances weren't good. The two principal actresses, <b>Sidse Babett Knudsen & Chiara D'Anna</b> were both outstanding, giving subtle, but finely nuanced roles that revealed a depth and presence to their potentially shallow characters at first glance.<br />
<br />
The Duke of Burgundy is a film that many (including myself initially) quite wrongly attempt to pigeon-hole as being of a certain genre when in fact, it is that rare beast - A film that transcends its theoretical limitations - by offering a tale that gives so much more.<br />
<br />
Not just something for the raincoat brigade then...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-81797636365153592692015-07-21T21:44:00.000+12:002015-07-21T21:44:30.859+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 6; '71<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>'71</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_sFY61VUDq3fWmQxsK67gFFFbrmOyq95Ywt-HXTsLxLQR8aeaHOxKHdOZPf0Rvvbqh_u3-X2wDkGvRa2sku5hLrV9LAa1KpaQB1NVvunncjoyg7e10450pyXGnOBNLe4_9Np7O4WLSo/s1600/71-film-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_sFY61VUDq3fWmQxsK67gFFFbrmOyq95Ywt-HXTsLxLQR8aeaHOxKHdOZPf0Rvvbqh_u3-X2wDkGvRa2sku5hLrV9LAa1KpaQB1NVvunncjoyg7e10450pyXGnOBNLe4_9Np7O4WLSo/s640/71-film-image.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1971. When a young British soldier is separated from his squad, the race is on from both friend and foe to find him first.<br />
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Tense? Beyond belief! <b>'71</b> feels less like a recreation than a ringside seat into the hell on earth that Belfast might have resembled to many during this violent era that captured the worlds headlines in no uncertain fashion. Jack O'Connell is fantastic in a near wordless performance that conveys his abject fear and rising confusion about exactly who he can or cannot trust on this increasingly nightmarish evening.<br />
<br />
From the innocent opening scene where our soldier is saying goodbye to his younger brother to the ending where a bus is carrying these two away into a glorious golden sunset, you have simply no preparation for the edge of your seat night from hell that private Hook struggles to survive in between these reference points. Every single turn could potentially be his last. Who exactly can he trust? The young but wise beyond his years kid who drags him into a bar? The doctor and his daughter who carry him home - and then call a 'friend'? You feel like you're only a few steps behind him, wanting to shout out, <i>'NO! not that way! Don't trust him! Go with her!' </i><br />
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This movie is brilliantly executed, flawlessly portraying the ultra-turbulent period with a visceral rawness that is heartpoundingly real, intoxicating all your senses as you, like soldier Hook, realise that the imminent danger lurking on these dangerous streets is not a bad dream, but a hell you must negotiate as quickly as possible if you want to live longer than this very bad and very long night.<br />
<br />
Quite easily, <b>'71</b> is one of the finest thrillers I've watched in a very long time, and this is down to one key element. It feels absolutely real.<br />
<br />
Unmissable...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-11109224392930512352015-07-20T20:48:00.002+12:002015-07-20T20:48:57.012+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 5; The Fool<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>THE FOOL</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3OW5eb17uIR03QoAker7M2BSGkJV152xUAB6AdN4v75JNXOYCT2N5xOKk2byndB2ytpX5h3SJYLL37kpjkgboi6NpJNiBcLiBqvOoZOVNOKdUOZdq8iwgbIBkE_893jATdNM-gEEpIA/s1600/Durak_02_Key+Still-0-800-0-450-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3OW5eb17uIR03QoAker7M2BSGkJV152xUAB6AdN4v75JNXOYCT2N5xOKk2byndB2ytpX5h3SJYLL37kpjkgboi6NpJNiBcLiBqvOoZOVNOKdUOZdq8iwgbIBkE_893jATdNM-gEEpIA/s640/Durak_02_Key+Still-0-800-0-450-crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's modern Russia. This kinda shit doesn't happen in real life... So Dima thinks...</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
When naive & idealistic plumber-come- engineering student Dima comes across a burst building pipe that hints of major impending danger to the occupants of a dilapidated dormitory in his town, he does what he instinctively thinks is the right action - he notifies those in charge to alert them so they can organize the appropriate response needed.<br />
<br />
But, this being modern Russia, nyet comrade! That is not how things are done. Palms need to be greased, ego's need to be massaged, bribes need to be paid, etc. Welcome to the dog-eat-dog harsh realities of life in Putin's corrupt state. As Dima slowly realises, nobody cares if the 800-odd inhabitants ("All Scumbags, thieves, punks, junkies, welfare-dependent lowlifes" states one of the mayors cronies) happen to perish. A collective shrug is given. Besides, who is this kid anyway trying to tell us what is going to happen?<br />
<br />
One of the best aspects of watching any non-Hollywood film is your lack of familiarity with the actors on screen. This means you come to believe you're watching real characters who are merely re-enacting these stories for our benefit. The cast here are uniformly excellent, all inhabiting their roles with consummate ease.<br />
<br />
This being a dramatic Russian movie, there isn't much overt humour on display, maybe just a few black-comedy-ish spots, but... it isn't a happy tale by any stretch!<br />
<br />
Weirdly though, all these various gloomy aspects are the key reasons for me as to just why it's so utterly compelling, and absolutely unmissable.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-21949366028602671412015-07-19T23:18:00.000+12:002015-07-20T13:21:10.762+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 2, 3 & 4: Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief; Iraq Odyssey 3D; Lambert and Stamp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After getting over a sudden and most unwelcome case of <b><i>Manflu</i></b>, my next festival outing is a bit more productive - and a damn sight more enjoyable!<br />
<br />
Three wildly diverse topics in the documentaries that I picked for viewing today. From an absorbing look into the inner machinations of the church of Scientology, then to a very personal overview of the effect of life in Iraq in the last century, ending with a great, funny and candid look at how two seemingly mismatched guys without any real concrete plans, made an ugly bunch of Londoners into the world class rock band The WHO.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<b>GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7buv0BTrG60NmXKqyRcJsOmcAjWAHB-AN7XSCA6ixOrJoty963wEtDK4bMae6X1F_CbJK8lXRDpvMx_PPfz4_dXf9D3ZHICrGAuiNzTpVg2r9pnuF0Y902Xq5jh-2vpHW-4HAZm7_iQ/s1600/GC+Event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7buv0BTrG60NmXKqyRcJsOmcAjWAHB-AN7XSCA6ixOrJoty963wEtDK4bMae6X1F_CbJK8lXRDpvMx_PPfz4_dXf9D3ZHICrGAuiNzTpVg2r9pnuF0Y902Xq5jh-2vpHW-4HAZm7_iQ/s640/GC+Event.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What will it be suckers! Your money? Or our lies! You decide! You have the freedom to choose! (er no - they don't...) </td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>
<br />
Wow! what a stunning revelatory document this is, giving us an unprecedented insiders view of exactly how the Church of Scientology operates. Getting in seems to offer the unwary and naive a potential panacea to all their worldly burdens, a place where they will be welcomed, accepted, cherished, and thrive in this new found heaven on earth.<br />
<br />
Except the real script doesn't quite read like that...<br />
<br />
Not when you have former high profile celebrities and high ranking apostates who are incredibly courageous in revealing why the church is so secretive and protective of its controversial policies and for its extremely questionable processes for dealing with anyone outside the church.<br />
<br />
The combined testimonies of their personal experiences (from both the victims and the perpetrators) give serious credence to the idea that this group's actual philosophy now is the only real common denominator that transcends all borders - money. And the active pursuit of it. If people threaten to leave, then they hold the countless hours of very personal taped 'audit sessions' against them. This is suggested as a possible reason why they continue to have a stranglehold on their prize celebrity, the mega-grinning Hollywood superstar Thomas Cruise Mapother IV.<br />
<br />
It's no surprise then to hear that the church has come out all guns blazing, denouncing this documentary and seriously attacking director Alex Gibney. Sadly though, you know the people who most need to watch this are gonna be the ones that will be barred from doing so - their current followers.<br />
<br />
Why on earth you would want to join this bunch of money grabbing fruit loops is beyond me! There are far better religions to be involved with, many that will not enslave you or degrade your sense of self-worth.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>IRAQ ODYSSEY 3D</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<br />
This movie has provided me with perhaps my most personal and intimate festival experience that I have ever encountered. I had no idea it was happening until midway through when I began to pay a little attention to the trio next to me. I could tell that they were possibly from the middle east when they sat down, but other than your usual reserved ever so slightly awkward kiwi-ish kinda greeting acknowledgement, I left them to it. It was after hearing one of the main characters talking of one of her recollections, that my moment of clarity happened.<br />
<br />
I'm actually sitting next to this incredible woman (Samira) who is also appearing many times onscreen! She has seen and experienced things that most of us never will in our lifetimes.<br />
<br />
What an incredible story her nephew Samir has constructed, framing it with the effect it has had on his extended generational family group who, as a consequence of successive oppressive governments, dictators and foreign occupation that have severely blighted this once prosperous and proud nation, no longer live there.<br />
<br />
I suggested to Samira and her daughter afterwards that the people who would most benefit from seeing this rare documentary would be the Iraqi people, but sadly both agreed that as of right now, this is not even remotely possible. Maybe in 2-3 generations Samira thought might be a more realistic time frame.<br />
<br />
Thank you Samira and your wonderful extended family for sharing these compelling but very human tales of the life of being an expatriate, when clearly, if all was well in Iraq, you would seriously consider returning to your beloved country.<br />
<br />
...................................................................................................................................................................<br />
<br />
<b>LAMBERT AND STAMP</b><br />
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<br />
<br />
Confession, yes, I am a big fan of The WHO, so when I saw (rather happily I should add!) that this was going to be on of the films on offer, it was a 'no-brainer' as to my attendance. Whichever session worked in best in my schedule, I made damn sure I wasn't going to miss this one.<br />
<br />
Was it worth it? Of course! It's the mighty WHO! How could it not fail to be anything other than funny, entertaining, insightful. revealing, dramatic, comedic, uncensored?<br />
<br />
"Lambert and Stamp" tracks how two seemingly mismatched lads met one day in a coffee shop, got yakking, then decided they were going to be filmmakers. All they needed was an up and coming band to be the central focus for this new found project. Neither party could have fully understood the potential ramifications of this fledgling alliance that gave birth to one of the worlds most enduring and loved rock bands.<br />
<br />
Sadly Kit Lambert is long deceased, but the footage reveals an incredible character, who fully devoted himself into making the Who something quite special. It's entirely conceivable that "Tommy" might not have ever happened were it not for both Lambert's own musical failings (his father was British conductor/composer Constant Lambert) and his drive to get Pete Townsend to create a piece that was way beyond the three minute pop structures of the times.<br />
<br />
Chris Stamp though, is a real character and a half! A witty raconteur, regaling us with the many tales of life with both Lambert and the combustible personalities that were the WHO.<br />
<br />
If your a WHO fan, it's unmissable, if you're just a fan of a tale well told, it's still a bloody good yarn!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-55085424794745110542015-07-17T10:38:00.000+12:002015-07-17T10:38:21.009+12:00NZIFF 2015: Film 1: "The Lobster"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<br />
All great directors have one trait that distinguishes them from the others - a 'clarity of vision'. They can articulate their unique vision into a completed work of art that readily defines them as having an abundance of talent when it comes to crafting a movie with all its disparate elements into a film that people quite willingly, pay to see.<br />
<br />
Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos has a worldview that is, singular, charming, weird, mysterious, and above all else, utterly compelling. Aside from those descriptive terms, The Lobster is one of those films that is best experienced with your own eyes, You will never see established actors like Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw & John C. Reilly utilized in such bizarre fashion!<br />
<br />
The opening film of a festival tends to set a tone for all the riches to come. This oddball charmer does that with ease.<br />
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Bring on the rest!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-23520421071063211352014-06-03T23:09:00.000+12:002014-06-03T23:09:34.722+12:00Upcoming Movies that might be worth watching... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of the perks of my job was attending the NZ Movie Convention in Wellington a couple of weeks ago. There, we watched not only full length features, but a smorgasbord of trailers/demo reels/features/behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming movies for the next 12 months.<br />
<br />
Although there were many obligatory mainstream movies represented that I have no desire whatsoever to watch (In any lifetime!), a vast majority of the others really really piqued my interest somewhat. One of the big reasons why I love movies so much is that, every year, without fail, there are so many talented people creating magical works of art that bring me (and hopefully you!) so much sheer entertainment and total enjoyment. Don't like what's currently on offer? No problemo - just wait a wee while for something that 'floats your boat' which will consequently, be appearing in a cinema near you sometime soon* (actually, you won't have many options other than to wait a very long time for a vast majority of my recommendations, but hey - at least you will have plenty to look forward to ;).<br />
<br />
I'm organizing this list by upcoming months - seems like the easiest way to do it. Starting with this month, keep coming back as I add additional months (once I write 'em!).<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">MAY 2014</span><br />
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<b><u>EDGE OF TOMORROW </u></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">Key Personnel...</span></b> Tom Cruise; Emily Blunt; Bill Paxton; Brendan Gleeson<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: yellow;">In a Nutshell...</span></b> Tom Cruise in an "Apocalyptic Groundhog Day"<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: yellow;">It's worthy because...</span></b> OK, I'm not a die hard Cruiser fan, but gee whizz, the dude ain't half bad in things like this ( Loved "Oblivion"), the trailer just looks bad-ass, and on the 'plus side' the cruiser gets killed more than a few times! What's not to like? I'm buying my tickets tomorrow to an IMAX 3D session. Yep, I have high expectations for this one, but am quietly confident that it will surpass those well enough. A timely review will be on it's way come this weekend!<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUmSVcttXnI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Edge of Tomorrow Trailer</a><br />
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<br />
<b><u>TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION</u></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">Key Personnel...</span> </b>Michael Bay; Mark Wahlberg; Titus Welliver; John Goodman; Stanley Tucci</div>
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">In a Nutshell...</span></b> Episode 4 sees them back from the 'dead' - so to speak.<br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">Its worthy because...</span></b> If you know my taste in film, I can quite easily swing between a mega-blockbuster like this - and the most obscure art-house/festival title that leaving you scratching your head! Art-house this is not! Definitely in the 'Shit goes BOOM!' category, c'mon off your highbrow leanings, sit back and enjoy a guilt-free ride on this actioner that will entertain you, assuming you get there in the first place!<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYDGqmxMZFI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Transformers-Age of Extinction Trailer</a><br />
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<b><u>WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS</u></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">Key Personnel...</span></b> Taika Waititi; Jemaine Clement; Jonathan Brugh; Rhys Darby<br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">In a Nutshell...</span></b> Mockumentary about a film crew following a group of vampires living in a Wellington (NZ) flat<br />
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<b><span style="color: yellow;">It's worthy because...</span></b> A) the advance hype is very credible, B) It's by the guy who did 'Boy' and the dudes from 'Flight of the Conchords' TV show. Taika spoke (as only he can can speak) at the conference, a key thing he mentioned was for his gut feeling that this will be regarded as a future cult classic. Pretty much on the mark there - from most of us who saw all the footage then! Crossover appeal? That's the hard question. Should do well, but we'll see in due course...<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv568AzZ-i8&feature=kp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What We Do in the Shadows Trailer</a><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-22512351324721703722014-04-13T17:45:00.000+12:002014-04-13T17:45:26.765+12:00The Grand Budapest Hotel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>In a Nutshell...</b> <i>This Wes Anderson film follows the fortunes of the dapper concierge M. Gustave and his trusty side-kick Zero as they battle love, fame, fortunes, families, old foes, new foes, prison, sadistic bounty hunters, lecherous lusting old ladies to name just a few of the obstacles to surviving life at the Grand Budapest Hotel and beyond...</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the usual suspects... (In yer 'typical' Wes film)</td></tr>
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This is, without doubt, Wes Anderson's best film yet. If he can top this, I would be both stunned - but pleased. And relieved I guess. Already with a perfectly formed back catalogue of movies that are now regarded as classics, Grand Budapest Hotel is his Everest. This is the top of the world Wes. You've knocked the bugger off. Hope ya shouted "Top of the world Ma!". For the descent down, go back and make small (but perfectly formed of course!) movies that don't require an ever-expanding roster of over-eager thesps who seemingly are gagging to make even the most minute micro-cameo (yep, you - gorgeous George), although would it be a sacrilege to omit that talismantic lucky charm, the crumpled old dog that is Bill Murray? Sometimes, to move forward...<br />
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As with any Wes Anderson film, there is always two key aspects that he fastidiously maintains with absolute consistency. Iconic, memorable characters (Even the secondary characters are just as fascinating to observe) and the stunning sets/production design that ground his characters in that specific locale - wherever it may be. Combine those things with a quirky storytelling angle, and you've got the raw ingredients to create a work of art which allows us as interested observers ease in identifying that, yet again, it is another Wes Anderson masterpiece I'm watching. <br />
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Specific highlights? Ralph Fiennes. After "In Bruges" and this, you really want to see him in more of these humorous roles. Fiennes plays these characters straight (as such), but also with the merest trace of a smirk, reminding us the viewer, that he too, knows how much fun the character is to watch. Willem Dafoe! Bugger all lines, but he really doesn't need any. He is a hoot as the stone faced Jopling, the dogged family enforcer brutally dispatching the various human's (And cat! Ker-splat! Best on-screen cat death this year so far) that are in the way of his progress towards securing 'justice' for the deceased's family he is employed for. The stunning set/production design. Oh. My. God. Stunning - and then some. The best filmmakers are inherently aware of the power of indelible images that can be recalled with consummate ease years from now. The Grand Budapest Hotel is going to be one of those. Mention this film to a friend in 20 years from now, and they will instantly have a picture in their mind of this masterpiece. <br />
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If you haven't already gleaned the essence of my review, then this is the only thing I need to say now.<br />
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Go see it. On the big screen. It is worth whatever price you have to pay for the nearest cinema to you.<br />
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One of my favourite movies this year - so far anyway!<br />
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<b>Jamie's rating?</b><br />
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<b>J for Jewel! </b><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-66586474801254778142014-03-05T22:32:00.000+13:002014-03-05T22:32:30.893+13:00The Boss. In my hometown...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It Ain't no Sin to be Glad you're Alive...</td></tr>
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Is there a better live performer on this planet today than Bruce Springsteen? On the 'evidence' presented on Saturday 1st of March 2014, In Auckland, New Zealand, you'd have to say a big emphatic <b>NO!</b><br />
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From the very start of his career as a musical performer, Bruce has been determined to give the hard working fan who has paid good hard-earned money to see him in the flesh, an intense experience that will create a bond which might just possibly last a lifetime between them. His commanding stage presence, relentless energy, committed rapport with any audience is something to behold in a live context. Viewing him at home is one thing, experiencing him in concert is transformative. Even from our position way back, thankfully with the massive projected screens, Bruce was super-sized to larger than life proportions. Which is absolutely befitting of a entertainer of his stature. His love for both what he provides - and the connections he makes in those few precious hours, add up to a potent combination that few others can match. Combine his supreme skills with the best backing band in the world, the legendary E-Street Band, and pretty much, if they are 'on-song', then there are only one or two other acts capable of similar feats such as they do. Night after night by all accounts from all over the world. Don't believe my hype? Google <i>'bad Springsteen Concert'</i> and see how many people didn't feel the sames as millions of others do. Springsteen is clearly loved by his fans - and he loves them back. That is something you can't fake.<br />
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Enough of the hyperbole, what actually happened on this precious night to make me write so passionately about the 3 hours and fifteen minutes I spent under his glorious spell?<br />
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Well, if you open your concert acknowledging where in the world you are via a cover of a local artists song, then that will ensure you start off on the right foot, so to speak. Armed with just an acoustic guitar, once he started singing, the crowd went crazy. <i>"Royals"</i>. Lorde. That is serious respect. We got that. He got that we got that, and from that point onwards, Springsteen had our complete and undivided attention. We were very willingly, putty in his formidable hands.<br />
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I'll spare you the full report of each and every song. It is more than tempting, but for sake of losing your interest, here's my personal highlights from this magical night.<br />
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<b><i>"Born in the USA"</i> </b>The complete album, as per the original running order! All songs performed with embellishments and extended running times, this was a massive pleasure to hear. The songs may be over familiar, but hot damn, they all sounded so vital, so fresh, so enjoyable, even if they've been played to death a zillion times prior! The concert-goers on Sunday got the full <i><b>"Born To Run"</b></i> album. Lucky bastards! Loved to have heard <b><i>"She's the One", "Backstreets" and "Jungleland"</i> </b>in particular, but what we got was more than good anyways. They didn't get the vast majority of we got. <i><b>"Badlands"</b></i>. Gutsy, powerful, intense. Loved Bruce's guitar solo on this number. A rollicking, Irish-influenced <i><b>"Death to my Hometown"</b></i>. A rousing raucous song that is something else live. A majestic, stately <i><b>"The River"</b></i>. My song of the night though was an unexpected pleasure. I purposely avoided reading previous concert set-lists - and wasn't sure who was in the touring band. So, when I realised that Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave) was actually playing, my hopes were raised for hearing a song that he has guested on previously, the title track from Bruce's' 1995 album <i><b>"The Ghost of Tom Joad"</b></i>. Seeing it on youtube is one thing. Watching this explosive track given a major revision via Morello's inventive 'rap-scratch' style guitaring was gob-smacking! Even the other half who normally gets turned off by fret-board wankery could fully appreciate the sheer artistry involved in this powerful rendition. (I'd 'primed' her up by taking her to the Neil Young + Crazy Horse gig last year. Of that, she was, shall we say, a little less than enthusiastic about the loud guitars. I was in heaven meanwhile...).<br />
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Gotta mention that the E-Street band played magnificently, Steve Van Zant had a permanent smile on his face the whole time. Jake Clemons, nephew of the iconic Big Man - Clarence Clemons -was clearly enjoying his opportunities when he was afforded them. Talent runs deep in the Clemons family. The 'Professor' Roy Bittan tinkled the ivories as only he can, showing why he is so popular in the industry (He's done hundreds of guest appearances on many many albums). The mighty Max Weinberg, on solid, booming drums, his backbeat providing the foundations for the others to weave their magic through. Nils Lofgren, displaying his undeniable chops with his guitar, only wish he got more solo's. He's too good not to be given more time to show off! Check out clips on youtube for proof. The other musicians were all talented too, but the aforementioned members are the ones that stood out for me on the night.<br />
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Bruce Springsteen. What else can you say? He's not God, he's not the messiah. But hell, if there ever was a church I'd wanna join, then the 'Church of The Boss' would fit pretty damn well. I suspect I wouldn't be alone in feeling this way either!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-66155820861583429782013-08-20T23:51:00.001+12:002013-08-20T23:51:44.671+12:00SPRINGSTEEN & I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>In a nutshell:</b> <i>Compiled from over 300 hours of homemade fan footage, this heartfelt love letter to 'The Boss' (Bruce Springsteen) examines the powerful bond an artist can make with his fans. From all over the planet, the selected few get their 15 minutes of fame to explain to us, why Bruce matters so much to them...</i><br />
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If you were the producer of this very specific type of movie, clearly the key element to making a 'fan footage' documentary work well is in picking the most iconic artist who best exemplifies the many reasons why millions hold that person in such high regard. With that in mind, it was, as i repeatedly say, a 'no-brainer'. C'mon on, who else has such devoted fans? Who else who clearly has such a massive worldwide following as big as the guy they choose? The one, the only, Mr Bruce Springsteen! <br />
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Director Baillie Walsh got the mix almost near perfect (Hey, a couple of them were less than compelling, but that's a minor niggle in the scheme of things). However, the people they did get right though, they were all very entertaining - for many varied reasons. My favorites were the hyper-stressed mother with her kid who clearly did not stick to HER SCRIPT! (Poor bugger probably got a right ear-bashing afterwards!) and the long-suffering husband 'dragged along' to endure hours, and hours, and hours of BRUCE, when he quite pointedly states that he is NOT A FAN! Then there's the guy as Elvis, the guy driving in his car, all adding their own unique thoughts on what BRUCE means to them - and more. Much more.<br />
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Once Springsteen gave this project his blessing, he rather generously allowed access to never-seen-before clips from his long career. Some of them are a revelation - to say the least. For a Bruce fan, this is a goldmine of unfamiliar footage that reassuringly reminds you, even very early on, this dude had an attitude that would not only endear himself to many, but also highlights an astonishing work ethic that puts many others in his field to shame. 4 hour shows? With consummate ease. Time after time. Even today, at 63 years of age, he displays a remarkable capacity to "give 'em more of what they want - more of me!". It's never clear who will wave the white flag first - Bruce - or his fans. <br />
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<b>Springsteen & I</b> has been expertly put together, the chosen segments are carefully edited to craft a story that is a significant reminder of how damn great Bruce is at what he does. Perhaps more crucially though, he never relinquishes the deep bond with the people that ultimately decide your greatness (or not), the loyal fans who love his artist contributions with heartfelt abundance. <br />
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Tramps like him? Baby, he was born to run. And then some...<br />
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<b>J for... Jewel!</b></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-12857431077975298412013-08-20T22:09:00.000+12:002013-08-20T22:09:52.633+12:002013 Film Festival review: Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Next installment of my Film Festival reviews! Reviews of films 7-13<br />
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<b>7) ANTARCTICA: A YEAR ON ICE:</b> Filmed by Kiwi Anthony Powell over a decade, this is, at once, both a stunning and heartfelt personal tribute to both the people he works alongside - and a brilliant reminder of the stupendous, awe-inspiring, yet undeniably brutal landscape of the southernmost continent on our precious planet. This entertaining doco is more than good. For me, it's not just one of the best Kiwi doco's, but one of the very best doco's I've ever seen. Period. It almost makes you want to go and live there. Even through the darkest harshest winter known to mankind! I did say almost. As a stop-gap though, you could do no worse than watch this very human masterpiece. If you can't see it on a cinema screen, then watch on the biggest TV you can. Did I mention it's very funny too? Our Kiwi humour shines through without a trace of self consciousness!<br />
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<b>8) WE STEAL SECRETS-THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS:</b> The timeliness & relevance of this engaging doco is revealed at the very end with a coda about the latest update on NSA agent Edward Snowden's current situation in Russia. Unsurprisingly, things have since moved on rapidly after the completion of this doco, of which, does a fantastic job at illustrating vividly, the extreme ease in which information is dispersed in the connected world of 2013. How WikiLeaks came from seemingly nowhere to being a major player could not have happened without someone like Julian Assange. Possibly, its too early to seen how he will be treated by history, but WE STEAL SECRETS does reveal Assange's complex background, and lays bare the undeniably very complicated psyche behind the public face. Clearly, paranoia was, in retrospect, inevitable? Given the highly sensitive nature of what he was attempting to do, Julian made that self-made hole he dug much bigger by alienating nearly every single person close to him. And, if you fancy a welcome diversion from an attentive groupie, don't forget that these extracurricular dalliances usually have consequences! Sometimes, ya gotta keep it zipped up... <br />
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<b>9) BIG STAR-NOTHING CAN HURT ME:</b> Some bands are destined for a long career in Rock 'N Roll. For select others though, fate, circumstance, bad luck, misfortune, can be ever present. Perhaps denying or even totally preventing them the expected rewards they work so very hard to seek. Money, Success, Respect, Global recognition are, but a few of the oft-stated goals of many others. BIG STAR were one such band seeking their share. Maybe it was the way too obvious name - Irony not fully appreciated back then? Maybe it was the clash of personalities? Maybe the lack of record company support at the time? Maybe, it was just the way it was meant to be? Fittingly, history now rightfully accords them their belated due with this engrossing documentary that delves into the intense personalities and the bands initially unforeseen demise to the now respected & influential place BIG STAR rightly hold in the music business. Take it from me, the music stands up brilliantly today, which reinforces the widely held belief of the time when they first emerged (Mid 1970's) - that these guys were GREAT. They deserved major success at the time, but alas, it was not meant to be. This doco is fantastic, but I implore you - do check out the MUSIC as well. You won't regret it...<br />
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<b>10) MUD:</b> I have a real attraction to any movie set in the American South, and this third effort from talented director <i>Jeff Nichols</i> (<b>Take Shelter/Shotgun Stories</b> - both fantastic! Check 'em out!) is an excellent reminder of how the stories from this vibrant region never fail to excite and entertain on most levels. Starring the charismatic <i>Matthew McConaughey</i>, who really shines as the roguish 'Mud', playing him as a misguided hero who has clear lines of morality and righteousness. His best role in eons. (Matt, hey buddy. No more generic 'Rom-Coms', OK?) When two young friends (Neckbone & Ellis - both superbly acted with abundant natural ease by their respective two young actors) find this escaped con holed up, somewhat mysteriously on an island at the head of a river, little do they realise by assisting him with his reason for being there in the first place (To reunite with his sweetheart - White trash goddess Juniper - a very welcome and convincing <i>Reese Witherspoon</i>), the grave danger they place themselves in with the arrival of a bunch of very determined bad men who are planning to prevent the reunion from ever happening. Funny, dramatic, tense, heartbreaking, and absolutely compelling, this is a movie that will be on my 'best of' list at the end of the year. Unmissable...<br />
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<b>11) TERMS AND CONDITIONS MAY APPLY:</b> Everyone can relate to this commonly struck obstacle: You know when those pesky T&C's come up on a website you're joining - and you furiously find the quickest way to say YES, so you can get on to the important stuff behind their front gate? Possibly, it might just pay to actually have a quick squizz at exactly what it is that you're agreeing to - before you say YES. The irony though is that the 'masses' will never watch this thought-provoking, entertaining, and revealing doco that lays bare the reasons why any legal contract is formatted in a very exact fashion. Make no mistake, the legal & business communities work together to ensure that most of us will never bother to read the fine print - and read between the intentionally micro-sized legalese that is expressly engineered that way. To persuade you that you do not need to read those boring bits of documentation. Trust us. We have your best interests at heart. Er, no. I'm not so sure now, after watching this penetrating look behind the curtains of control. Once viewed, this doco will leave a mark. You'll think twice before signing your 'life away' in future dealings of this nature...</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-7290433454327446742013-08-08T00:33:00.001+12:002013-08-08T00:33:02.263+12:002013 Film Festival review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
All done. Another year at film fest under my belt... (This is my 14th year of 'full attendance')<br />
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All told, I viewed 26 movies in total at this years festival! Not even close to my personal best from about 3 years ago (50 movies - in the two week time frame), but still, a fairly 'respectable' number to have seen this time around. Didn't feel rushed or worn out with a full-on schedule like I did with that 50 film extravaganza did at times. Worst was part of that not insignificant effort was 11 movies in two days! Yikes -what was I thinking beforehand? Ahem, clearly 'thinking' did not come into the equation when I was ordering tickets so, lesson learnt from then, when it came to making that all crucial decision about the maximum total of films to watch in this years festival, I cast my memory back, and realised that a more measured approach would be a hell of a lot more beneficial (in every sense), and a damn sight cheaper to boot! At ,on average, about $15.00 each, these tickets add up. Factor in the obligatory additional costs such as: buses, car parking, cold drinks, lunches, dinners, takeaways - and not forgetting the odd trip squeezed into a record shop (or two? Probably way more! Don't tell the other half - She will kill me if she knew exactly how much I spent on CD/DVD/BLU discs in those two weeks!), and, all of a sudden, a truckload of money has been siphoned out of your account faster than some lowlife sucking petrol out of your car!<br />
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The best part of the fest? Only 1 dud! (Terence Malick's critic dividing "To the Wonder" - which I have reviewed in full on this site below) Its not bad I guess, that only 1 out of 26 that didn't provide some form of pleasure. Pretty good ratio if you ask me...<br />
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What follows is a brief rundown on all of the movies I attended. I will spare you all the eye-glazing wall of lengthy spiels about how wonderful they all were - and keep it short and sweet. Promise I will self-censor myself if I start to get way too verbose!<br />
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In order of films viewed, here we go then...<br />
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<b>1) GOBLIN PLAY "SUSPIRIA" (LIVE IN CONCERT:</b> The original band (1970's Italian prog-rockers GOBLIN) provided the live soundtrack to this mid 70's horror from Dario Argento. Film has clearly dated in terms of the acting style, but the stunning visuals were dramatically reinforced by the demonically appropriate music. An event that was worth the price of admission. Glad I went!<br />
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<b>2) VILLAGE AT THE END OF THE WORLD:</b> Just how tough life really is in a very small village in the Northwest coast of Greenland in 2012. An insightful look at how a community can be brought together even closer when faced with the ever creeping threat of employment in the only place (A neglected fishing factory) becoming non-existent in Niaqornot due to the current unpredictable economic climate. Market forces are a powerful entity to try to overcome, but the Inuit people are conditioned to survive in a very harsh environment, so they do the only thing they can. Run the factory as a co-operative. A very inspiring story with a few colourful local identities making themselves heard through this film.<br />
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<b>3) MY SWEET PEPPER LAND: </b>When retired Kurdish resistance fighter Baran takes on a police posting in a remote village in northern Kurdistan, little does he realise the impact his presence will have on the villagers lives. He immediately incurs the wrath of the hometown local warlord whose twitchy lieutenants who are eager to show this infidel who is in charge. Complicating matters further, Govend, a pretty female teacher rides into town, on the run from over eager family who are keen to escort her back to be married off - much to her disgust. A very blackly comical look at the harshness of life in a region that probably hasn't seen much in the way of peace for many long periods. Factor in the imposing physical landscape that only reinforces the bleak situation the protagonists find themselves in, and you've got a very watchable movie indeed. <br />
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<b>4) PERSISTENCE OF VISION:</b> Put yourself in the mind of Richard Williams, a master animator who had a significant career in animation, winning awards by the truckloads over the decades. Which all meant nothing compared to his dream he dared to entertain. The dream to create an animated film that would be nothing short of revolutionary, dazzling, life changing, influential. It had the potential to be a landmark in this industry. An iconic work that would transcend time. Next, entertain this ominous thought. What if, say, you've toiled away for the best part of four decades - and the work still is nowhere near finished? Now, due to various legal contracts you've signed, you no longer have any rights to that work. Forever! How the hell would you feel then? Unsurprisingly, Williams declined to appear on film, but many of his colleagues, associates, friends did, recounting his tragic, possibly self inflicted tale of woe. A tale of dogged determination against pretty much anything and everything! Art above commerce indeed...<br />
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5) <b>PARADISE: LOVE:</b> This sordid little tale of how we act so differently when away on holiday ("What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" type of attitudes typical of many a tourist) is bleakly displayed by a lonely middle-aged, flabby solo mum looking for love in all the wrong places. Moral is, yup, money doesn't not buy you happiness. It only reinforces how pathetic you can be when you put your vulnerability on the line - and the vultures start heading in for the kill. A scarily believable fable in this day and age. <br />
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<b>6) LESSON OF THE EVIL: </b>Nobody does psycho like Japan's enfant terrible - Takashi Miike does, and in this gleefully violent film, he presents the latest exhibit to remind us of his supreme ability to create enduring nutters who revel in their handiwork with aplomb. School teacher Mr Hasumi is popular with all the students, his natural empathy creating a special bond with his students. But, as always the case, another teacher is distrusting, and starts digging into his seemingly fact-free prior employments. Cue to Hasumi finding out about this investigation which, naturally does not make him happy. Far from it in fact. Once we've got halfway through the film, Hasumi starts to display those qualities that aren't so endearing, unleashing slowly, but surely, his true intentions. Being a latent psycho, later rather than sooner, all around him start to see a different side to his character they've not seen before... Then, all bloody hell breaks loose. With absolute sadistic pleasure, he methodically teaches the students and staff who he really is. A very evil lesson indeed... albeit, with several lashings of perverse humour! <br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-84702410910990273882013-07-31T11:50:00.000+12:002013-07-31T11:50:34.255+12:00A Field in England<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Synopsis:</b> <i>In a remote field in England during the civil war, a rag-tag group of men fleeing the carnage meet other refugees who may have, quite possibly, very murky intentions. What follows next is a journey into the realms of the weird and the really 'out-there' as they all try to make sense of the encroaching madness that threatens to eventually overwhelm them all...</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3EJf-35SwJsbvWx522ehUgyjcYKjT0mhNzftevwU3TiWXabck3kkzF-NCvZoiPwcQ9JF8oMGCiYqKMskHCVoI0VzjKNyZsjOjxOil0SFa49JBqJ1Qh0mVCaWkhBEaTl1cqJ3ss3q1wM/s1600/f3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3EJf-35SwJsbvWx522ehUgyjcYKjT0mhNzftevwU3TiWXabck3kkzF-NCvZoiPwcQ9JF8oMGCiYqKMskHCVoI0VzjKNyZsjOjxOil0SFa49JBqJ1Qh0mVCaWkhBEaTl1cqJ3ss3q1wM/s640/f3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ere mate, this is the weirdest thing I've seen a long while! Not sayin it's a bad thing, but.."</td></tr>
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Oh, Hell YES! This film ROCKS! It is a masterclass in how to make a movie that has a iconic look and feel which then, categorically identifies itself as a work of art from a undeniably gifted director. In this case it's festival favorite <b>Ben Wheatley</b>, with his latest effort, the 4th such cinematic offering he has brought to fruition.<br />
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This bold and intoxicating film grabs you from the very first scene - and holds you firmly in its grasp until the credits start rolling. What a ride inbetween! Making the brave decision to film it in luminous black and white is, absolutely an artistic masterstroke. Colour would not have given the same organic feel as B/W. It would still be quite the experience, but a lesser one in my mind. Aside from that artistic choice, there are many other significant factors which contribute greatly to the success of this project, chief amongst them are the superb casting (All the gentlemen onscreen are equal to the task at hand, it's unfair to single any one person out), the strobing, psychedelic, feverish, frantic fantasy sequences; the staccato editing; the ominous creeping soundtrack; the imaginative storyline that was completely fresh, unique, and very compelling. All these elements blended together seamlessly, to keep you totally focused on the events unfolding before you. Much like the protagonists, desperately trying to make sense of it all! <br />
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The story you may ask? What's it all about then? People, people. Words are, quite simply, not going to be enough. All I can tell you is this. It's set during the English Civil War. It involves no more than 5 characters. They're all strangers. Some of the men get friendly, others are less inclined. Some might be looking for treasure. There's the prospect of a hearty refreshing ale at an alehouse. Some might get injured, possibly some will meet a more severe fate. They might ingest some hallucinogenic mushrooms. Then things really get very weird after that...<br />
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Gotta confess that I actually haven't seen the other three films that Wheatley has made yet (2009's "Down Terrace", 2011's "Kill List", 2012's "Sightseers") but having viewed this latest title to his name, I'll have to make amends. Sooner, rather than later I should add, this film being so damn good. I'm very curious now to immerse myself in all the films that I've mentioned above. It's kinda like when you arrive really late to an event, you miss out on so much at the beginning that you kick yourself for being tardy. Inevitably, it's always very beneficial to know how any story starts. Thus, you then have the 'complete picture' which, of course, gives you a deeper understanding of the whole thing. That's always a better place to make an informed judgement on matters such as these.<br />
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The biggest task any filmmaker has, when starting a new film, is to realise his vision properly. To execute it the way he has visualized it countless times before in his excited cranium. Once the project is completed to his exacting standard, it readies itself for an audience to discover and (most crucially), for them to fall in love with it is the desired wish. If a director has a strong self belief that he can manufacture something extraordinary, then the chances are he can produce a work of major significance. A work that will resonate with an audience, and will stand the biggest test of them all. The passage of time. <br />
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With "A Field in England", Ben Wheatley has created a fantastic movie which has the requisite 'X-Factor' in spades. This should (If it hasn't already) be enough to propel him to the forefront of leading edge filmmakers who have a unique voice via this wonderful medium we so cherish. <br />
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Long may he reign supreme!<br />
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<b>Jamie's Rating?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>J for... Jewel!</b></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-50186966464769129592013-07-29T22:22:00.000+12:002013-07-29T22:22:30.370+12:00A Band Called Death<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Synopsis:</b> <i>The power of family is the cornerstone of this uplifting documentary that explores what happens when the Rock 'N Roll dream three talented brothers had didn't pan out the way they envisioned it originally, back in 1974. Nearly 40 years later, they find the musical landscape has changed - for their better... </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBueCctoOpgtmkCPGEO6JMcqR3Eb7WketSQjmCetoEBV8StqhYZxNNw3Fy2HfPIcpyMG7GsP2zADeh3mh4XS9g7oD4pnDXU6IbcuUXbcjLZZcZUlVlykekQbPBs2YQpzeVSybe5IJ-1Sc/s1600/death-famous-pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBueCctoOpgtmkCPGEO6JMcqR3Eb7WketSQjmCetoEBV8StqhYZxNNw3Fy2HfPIcpyMG7GsP2zADeh3mh4XS9g7oD4pnDXU6IbcuUXbcjLZZcZUlVlykekQbPBs2YQpzeVSybe5IJ-1Sc/s640/death-famous-pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are FAMILY, I Got all my Brothers and me....</td></tr>
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The Musical environment in Detroit in 1974 was dominated by two major types of music - Rock as exemplified by Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Grand Funk Railroad & Bob Seger. On the other side, was R&B & Soul, from the incomparable Motown record label. Still a force, but no longer as completely dominant as they once were in the 1960s. So, if you were a budding musician, then these two options were pretty much the established genres of music that you should be looking to play and record, if you wanted a long term career.<br />
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What though, if these two types of music weren't the types of sounds in your head, that you wanted to play to people? What if, you were cut from a different cloth? And had the upmost conviction that your new type of music had something else to offer? And, backed with this self belief, you also had the integrity to stay true to yourself - no matter what others may say about your brand of Rock 'N Roll?<br />
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Siblings David, Dannis & Bobby Hackney had the love of music instilled in them from the earliest age they can recall, their parents always having music in the house, and when the opportunity arose, the chance was grabbed to purchase instruments that would set them on a path none could foresee at that point of time. The future was a very distant thing. After wreaking havoc on the local neighbourhood with their growing prowess on their chosen kit, it became apparent to all concerned that these boys had talent to burn. While attending a concert by The Who, eldest brother David had an epiphany: "That's the type of music WE SHOULD BE PLAYING!" Won over by his insistence, the other two quickly agreed that Rock music offered the right outlet for their growing social awareness about where society was at in 1974. David had only one requirement that he would stipulate strenuously, in fact, he decreed that it was non-negotiable term and condition if they were to pursue this new found direction. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DEATH</b>.</span><br />
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Their new band was going to be called <b>DEATH</b>. Nowadays, its very easy to visualize the impact this one detail would present at that time in history. Back in 1974, three black brothers playing a 'fuzzed-up' raw, in-your-face sound that did not - in any shape or form - even remotely reassemble what else was happening in Detroit at that moment. It didn't even come close. And, they were called <b>DEATH</b>.<br />
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Initially Dannis & Bobby did not think that this name was going to help them climb the ladder to stardom - and beyond. David though, was able to argue a very coherent logic as to the reasoning that made him determine this was the right name. The catalyst being the loss of their beloved father through a tragic traffic accident (Killed by a drunk driver whilst he was rushing an injured workmate to hospital). This travesty affected them all, none more so than David, who began questioning his place on this earth. Once he saw the light, that the name would be 'perfect' for them - and reflective of their current reality - he was never ever going to consider anything else. With a couple of weeks to reflect on this radical proposal, the younger two swung in behind David, lending him their full commitment to this venture into the unknown, to boldly go, where no band had gone before.<br />
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Initially, they got great support from Ardent Recording Studio in Detroit, making the first demo tapes to start hawking around to radio stations and record companies. Most were impressed with this new aggressive sound, and might have been keen to give it the requisite promotional activity to make it well known, bar one minor detail. Yep, <i>that</i> name. Change it - and major success beckoned. It's only a name, right? Ah, no, that wasn't going to fly. At all. Not ever. Not as far as David was concerned. The name <b>DEATH </b>was an emphatic statement about these three talented musicians, and if David said no, they all said NO. Even though the other two knew that it would make a difference, but the core family value that their father imparted was this: Always look after your brothers. Always support them - no matter what. <br />
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On the very brink of getting a major recording deal with the influential Clive Davis (Head supremo of Columbia Records), they had negotiated all terms bar one. The name change. The band wouldn't budge. Neither would the record company. With that door shut, many others soon began to shut as well. What seemed like a great vision of a powerful new type of music to spread to the world, soon faded to a tarnished reality that uncannily started to mimic the gradual decline that was seeping into daily life in Detroit. Beat, broken-down, battered, Death gigged as much as they could, but without a recording to let people take home, they eventually got to a point where they had to change. There wasn't many other avenues open to them at that stage. David, having created the complete concept, naturally took it the demise of the band the hardest. David being the true 'artiste', who having decided that <b>DEATH</b> was going to be his vehicle for delivering his message to the people, quickly made up his mind that it was <b>DEATH</b> - or nothing. In his mind, there wasn't a plan b. The plan was for <b>DEATH</b> to succeed. That was that.<br />
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This heartfelt documentary provides another fascinating look into a band that should have been better known, but were fated to be cast on a different path than the one they assumed would lead them to rock 'n roll glory. Yes, this doco may seem cynical to some, that it's another resurrection story to revise an overlooked band from complete obscurity, but credit where credits due. Thank god then, they made this lovingly crafted movie that pays full tribute to pioneers who just weren't made for those times. These guys need to be heard! <br />
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<b>DEATH</b> were of their time - and way ahead of their time. It is a shame that David didn't live to see the rewards that has belatedly recognized his iconic musical vision in 1974.The best way to repay him for his outstanding contribution to Rock 'N Roll is to watch <b>"A Band Called Death"</b> and spread the word to as many as you can. Most definitely, one of the best music documentary's this year...<br />
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<b>Jamie's rating?</b><br />
<br />
<b>J for... Jewel! </b><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-13412380218306814892013-07-29T09:52:00.002+12:002013-07-29T09:52:41.376+12:00To the Wonder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Synopsis:</b> <i>It's <b>Terence Malick's</b> latest film. Story? Hmmm... Read the review below. Then you'll understand why I cant write a more detailed synopsis...</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt1RGYYR1HaaIfTAUANCXgSZboEYhSReXKefQpRdGp6ZVtrFDq9fQdRUEXc1KNOz3KjerJcppUaI71qFdf4KgwUHffob1x0y_Fhj_fkcEnYuznXa02mEwN2LwLD83swmd6zeWUz5AD7M/s1600/to-the-wonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt1RGYYR1HaaIfTAUANCXgSZboEYhSReXKefQpRdGp6ZVtrFDq9fQdRUEXc1KNOz3KjerJcppUaI71qFdf4KgwUHffob1x0y_Fhj_fkcEnYuznXa02mEwN2LwLD83swmd6zeWUz5AD7M/s640/to-the-wonder.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're on the road to nowhere.. (Metaphorically speaking of course)</td></tr>
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This film is exactly the type of film that film festivals were made for. It 'ticks' many boxes, both good, and bad. Very very bad as well!<br />
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The 'Story' (A loose term if ever there was one!) goes something like this:<br />
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<i>Ben meets Olga (who has a kid - about 12-ish) in Paris. They fall in love, they go to the coast, they mooch around. They kiss, they touch. They argue. They decide to move to the States. In a small town with pretty fields. They meet some neighbours. They argue. They make up. They make love. They quarrel again. Daughter gets homesick. They send her back to France. Olga gets lonely. They both go to church. She can't get a job. He gets fixated with contaminated earth in his hood. He gets rest of hood all worked about that. She meets troubled priest Javier. Ben decides to leave. He needs space. She goes to France 'cause she can't get a green card. He finds old flame lawyer Rachel who is helping with the soiled earth business. They go to her daddy's farm. She likes horses. They start horsing around together. Olga comes back. Olga finds out. Olga not happy. Ben leaves Rach, gets Olga back. Olga gets a homemade musical instrument from some dude. They hook up in a seedy motel. He does the deed, and buggers off. She feels used. She tells Ben. Ben throws a hissy-fit! Ben makes her walk home. Javier walks around the neigbourhood. Moping. Avoids crazy ex-junkie lady. Maybe there is a 'dream sequence'. Maybe not. There were 'other things' as well. </i><br />
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<i>They all mumble. All the bloody time! </i><br />
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Without doubt, this is unquestionably, Malick's most esoteric, European influenced, avant-garde project he has completed to date. It is also, quite categorically, his most frustrating, irritating, boring, incomprehensible, and ultimately, his most worst film at the same time. If ever any critic needed ammunition to add to their argument that he has 'lost the plot', then <b>To the Wonder</b> is a key element in the case against him being self indulgent. Which is OK, if the movie has a certain charm about it. This film is totally devoid of charm. <b>To the Wonder</b> is going to be very hard to recommend to anyone who isn't a devoted fan. Thinking about that point further, I would say this: Even the most devoted Malick fan will find themselves questioning very seriously about the relative merits (if any?) of this film. For the record, I think that <b>Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World</b> are bona fide masterworks, they are some of my all time favorite films. I could happily watch those movies again, and again. <b>To the Wonder</b> I'll probably never watch again in my lifetime. I'll qualify this by saying I don't hate it per se, I'm just not ever going to find the 'spare' time to watch it again. I know my opinion won't ever change. I got nothing out of viewing it whatsoever. It will not improve with additional viewings. It is what it is. A statement by the director that is of no interest to me now, and forever. <br />
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Maybe the next one will be more 'watchable'? The bonus these days is that we no longer have to wait an eternity for a new Terence Malick movie. The unknown is whether or not the damn thing will be worth the wait.<br />
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We can only hope (and pray! Lord, we need to pray for him... ) that this has all been a bad dream. We'll all wake up soon, and he'll be saying <i>"Gotcha! Had ya fooled - didn't I! Wait for my next one. It will be something!".</i><br />
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Yeah, Right.<br />
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That 'something' better be damn good Malick...<br />
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<b>Jamie's Rating?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>J for... Joke! </b></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4842582858719436008.post-2170910860604065202013-07-23T09:36:00.001+12:002013-07-23T09:36:36.402+12:002 days = 1 movie? Wha' happen??? But the movie I did see...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Bugger... Never experienced this before? 3 days in - and the body said NO! In emphatic fashion. Had a raging... headache!!! So, on Sunday, after struggling through the first scheduled movie, I wandered up to Albert Park, to clear my throbbing cranium, to no avail sadly. Got Wendy to pick me up, and toddled off home to relax. Sometimes, things just don't pan out the way you envisaged them prior. Still, the one I skipped (Doco "The Act of Killing"), I will definitely make an effort to catch later in the fest. It will be a memorable viewing, that much I'm sure of.<br />
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However, the movie I did see yesterday, Kiwi Anthony Powell's heartfelt paean to the majestic continent that he has called home for over a decade, the utterly enthralling <b>"ANTARCTICA: A YEAR ON ICE"</b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrfqjZrOLWltanaeUvEK1bQaP2VojcDSGcCyzw8zmFpipXrbs49FiWHod9lo6Z9TRVkw6PLUr1vlM0MDNRxZ7J7n-jjKEIl22ncw4j64u_KHH_mpJNABZjruYc4X4rd_hixXZcl-iswk/s1600/antarctica_cold+-40+degrees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrfqjZrOLWltanaeUvEK1bQaP2VojcDSGcCyzw8zmFpipXrbs49FiWHod9lo6Z9TRVkw6PLUr1vlM0MDNRxZ7J7n-jjKEIl22ncw4j64u_KHH_mpJNABZjruYc4X4rd_hixXZcl-iswk/s640/antarctica_cold+-40+degrees.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You just know they're not kidding with that statement...</td></tr>
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I can quite easily say this much, as of this point in time. Without hesitation, <b>"ANTARCTICA: A YEAR ON ICE"</b> is one of finest documentaries I've ever seen. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to all and sundry. It is put together with two key things that elevate any film into another category, Passion & Love. Both of these factors are hugely evident in this stunningly filmed look at how it is to live in of the most unique places on this planet. In fact, I would quite happily venture this thought. It will be, a definitive document of both how and why, people from all over the world choose (of their own volition) to head to Antarctica to live - and to return to - time, and time again.<br />
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Powell's love for the continent infects you with relative ease, so much so that by the end of the film, I was seriously starting to wonder to myself... Antarctica... Hmmm... Could I cope with living there? Could I be a masochist and try working through a Winter as well? (Many don't even attempt that! The entire population reduces from 700 to around 50 during the winter months). There's no flights in (or out) whatsoever in that period, due to the obvious reason. There is no sun. At all. No pilot worth his salt would be foolhardy enough to attempt it. And considering the only flight down is courtesy of the US Air Force, then your chances of being rescued in that season (Should a medical emergency arise), will be nigh on impossible. <br />
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<i><b>David Attenborough</b></i> may have looked at the wildlife there, <i><b>Werner Herzog</b></i> may have looked at how 'weird' some people are there, but for my money, <i><b>Anthony Powell</b></i>, being a <i>'native'</i> of the land, <i>'gets it'</i> like no-one else has. He totally understands the type of personality drawn to this foreboding environment - and what impact it has on them because he speaks the same language. He has pretty much had the same experiences as well. Actually, you can make a case that 'Antarctican's' (No idea if that's how they describe themselves, but it 'fits' I guess?) have, through living in this seemingly inhospitable place, developed their own unique 'culture'. Certainly, the idiosyncrasies they all invariably tend to display lends weight to this idea. <br />
Powell conveys that although some of these people could be construed as socially awkward, they all embody the best of humanity for one simple reason. In Antarctica, no-one can hear you scream, whine, moan, sulk, and generally be a miserable bugger, due to the significant fact that you don't have any choice but to get on with all others as best you can. What are you going to do if it all gets too much? Dial a taxi? Bugger off somewhere else? Maybe its a 'category 3' weather event outside - minus 80! 200 kph winds! Er, no. You are going to do all you can to get on as best you can with person who may be 'bugging you' - there is no other feasible option available. <br />
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In creating such a fascinating story, Powell hasn't forgotten the key thing people want to see - Antarctica itself. The quite frankly stupendous visuals on-screen are gobsmacking, to say the very least. I've never seen Antarctica look the way it does - before viewing this documentary. Powell is an exceptionally skilled photographer, getting shot after shot of these vast but absolutely majestic landscapes that are a complete joy to see on a cinema screen.<br />
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If (and when) it comes back for another run at the cinema, then my friends, you owe it to yourselves to take a chance and view this brilliant movie on a big screen. It demands the biggest canvas possible. Failing that, it should not - under any circumstances, ever be viewed on a TV less than 50 inches in size. It would be a travesty to diminish this masterpiece to anything less than these recommended options!<br />
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There is one more screening tomorrow night in Auckland (6.15pm - at The Civic Theatre) I'd be pleasantly surprised if it sold out (It, by all rights should be the sort of movie to sell out, but then, the Civic is a big theatre). If you can, then take my recommendation seriously - and go and see it!<br />
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You will not be disappointed!<br />
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If you are, I'll slap you one! Until you 'come around'! :)<br />
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<b>Jamie's Rating?</b><br />
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<b>J for... Jewel!</b><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Jamie's Eclectic Movie & Music Reviews</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0