(M) Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Billy Burke, Dakota Fanning. Directed by Chris Weitz. 130 minutes. Showing now.

***

Already breaking box office records in New Zealand, New Moon equals new money, even though it isn’t the most original or compelling take on vampire mythology.

With inescapable plot similarities to Charlaine Harris’ The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels, upon which TV’s True Blood is based, novelist Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight trilogy is what teenagers gravitate to after abandoning their Harry Potter books in the rumpus room. The romantic fantasy novels aren’t quite adult only reading, but their characters and readers yearn for a lustful consummation of love

Vampires, with their dangerous sexuality and smouldering dark looks, are all the rage these days. They tap our deepest desires, especially in an age when the exchange of blood, let alone other bodily fluids, can kill. So it’s unsurprising that the Twilight films have struck a chord with movie audiences.

To avoid a prohibitive rating, New Moon is like a Victorian bodice ripper. It throbs with yearning and passion, yet sidesteps gratification by creating a sense of social unease compounded by the dangers of inter-species commingling. Unlike many teen movies, it conveys a strange sense of moral wholesomeness that flies in the face of the conventions of vampiric activity. In this sense, it’s the antithesis of Jennifer’s Body, which revels in its principal succubus’ wanton behaviour.

Director Chris Weitz (American Pie) has created a spacious movie that prioritises mood over action, although when events catch up to characters he’s not afraid to lay on the special effects and grand gestures involving loyalty, honour and devotion. Ably abetted by Kristen Stewart’s trembling, maladjusted Bella Swan and her smoky yet stoic vampire lover Edward Cullen (Pattinson), Weitz stays true to the central plot involving the power of love.

As a cinematic experience, New Moon prospers because Melissa Rosenberg’s script and Weitz’s direction remain true to the spirit of Meyer’s book. The sumptuous lighting and photography, not to mention the very attractive cast, overwhelm the frame, while songs by the likes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thom Yorke, Death Cab For Cutie and Lykke Li map the emotionography of the characters’ feelings.

New Moon unwittingly updates Two Moon Junction, though without the Southern drawl that makes True Blood so endearing. Bella is in love with a dangerous guy who will sacrifice much to preserve the one he loves. Many forces are at work to keep them apart, the least of which is a smitten best friend that happens to be a werewolf.

Clearly using Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings trilogy for inspiration (including poster/cover art that recalls New Line’s marketing of the films), New Moon adapts the book to suit its author, thereby fulfilling the expectations of its legions of fans.

- BARNEY MCDONALD

Starring Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore. Written & directed by James Cameron. 161 minutes. Showing now.

***

As arguably the most visually inventive film ever made, Avatar is a triumph. It looks and moves unlike anything seen before, especially when viewed in stereoscopic 3D, proving that filmmakers can finally breathe life into the imaginings of science fantasy writers.

Except that Avatar, now the most expensive movie ever made, is written by director James Cameron after conceiving the idea for the story 15 years ago. It isn’t the product of a brilliantly developed scenario by one of the innumerable novelists specialising in beings from distant planets. Instead, it’s a disappointingly conventional story that happens to be set somewhere fantastic.

This isn’t to say it isn’t worth the effort to sit through. On the contrary, it’s so breathtakingly beautiful to behold that it’s easily worth the price of admission, even if you throw overpriced confectionary into the deal. However, it’s simply a shame Cameron didn’t expend enough time and effort perfecting a unique narrative to complement the visual feast he’s served.

The story presents the age-old dilemma of colonisation. It’s 2154 and humans have been mining a distant planet called Pandora for three decades. Having debilitated our own planet, we’re now determined to extract a ridiculously named source of energy called unobtanium, even if it means uprooting a spiritually advanced, technologically primitive species, the Na’vi.

To engage emotions, Cameron plunders the basic premise of stories like Pocahontas and Romeo & Juliet. He’s even revisiting the theme of his own record-breaking Titanic, in which two young lovers from opposite sides of the track prove that true love conquers quite a lot. It’s a tired premise and Avatar offers nothing knew, except the medium through which human Jake Sully (Worthington) and Na’vi princess Neytiri (Saldana) can meet and fall in love.

Four years in production is beyond a marathon, even by Peter Jackson’s standards. And all of that work is definitely there on the screen, dazzling the senses and igniting the imagination. From the extraordinary creatures with remarkable names, to the floating islands dubbed Hallelujah Mountains, the visual effects are amazing. Even the Na’vi people, with whom the humans interact and infiltrate through the creation of special avatars, are compelling, though inescapably hyperreal.

But Cameron relies on too many clichés, many from his own films. Colonel Miles Quaritch (Lang), the overbearing leader of SecFor, the private security force assigned the job of relocating the Na’vi, is a walking, talking carbon copy of his gung-ho Marines in Aliens. And SecFor administrator Parker Selfridge (Ribisi) has been taking notes from sneaky, creepy corporate lawyer Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) in the same film.

The triumph of style over substance, Cameron has missed a great opportunity to boldly go where no other film has gone before – at least thematically – though you can’t deny his ambition.

- BARNEY MCDONALD

official blurb…”The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus and his extraordinary ‘Imaginarium’, a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom.”

First of all just looking at these images should make you want to see more

A dead heart-throb, a super-model sensation, the famous vertically challenged mini me, a levitating immortal elderly man who fathered ye super-model

and the infamously attractive male leads of our time all playing the same charming bad guy…

um yeah how can you not want to see this film, dont let it slip under your radar because it’s really worth seeing it big the visuals are the main draw card, second to the ridiculously big name cast of very very pretty young (and not so young) things

This is a selection of new and old film to come out of Germany over the last two decades. Focus is on the fall of the Berlin wall, and the massive change, in a reunified Germany.

Check out full programme here:

http://www.goethe.de/ins/nz/wel/prj/ffl/enindex.htm

http://www.rialto.co.nz/vistait/village/Default.aspx?Control=sites/Rialto/German2009

8th Latin American Film Festival is on now!!!

Sorry a couple days late but check out the programme at

www.oyelatino.co.nz

My pick is Cronos – it was the infamous Mexican auteur Guillermo del Toro’s debut film.

Last chance to see it in Auckland at the Academy is this Tuesday at 8.30!

www.academycinemas.co.nz

The Red Riding Trilogy 1974 1980 1983

Not many films have the ability to stick in your mind (especially my mind) for days after you’ve seen them…but for better or worse these films will.
If you want something that feels like you’ve endured, witnessed, and survived (but not in a war-zone kinda way) then I recommend them.

Intense with a capital I. The Red Riding is a trilogy of movies based on a quartet of novels by David Peace. The books (and films) are fictionalised accounts of the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper, a brutal serial killer that stalked the Yorkshire area of England in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Based on the novels but adapted for the screen by Tony Grisoni (Tideland and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), interestingly each film has a different director.

The synopsis for part one 1974 reads Yorkshire – a time of paranoia, mistrust and institutionalised police corruption. Rookie journalist Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield) is determined to search for the truth in an increasingly complex maze of lies and deceit that characterises a police investigation into a series of child abductions.

So you won’t want to watch them with anyone too fragile, I still feel like i’m blocking out the anxiety or adrenaline or general ‘lalalala-ahhh-I don’t want to think about it-reaction’ I had at times. I can’t fault any aspect; the casting and acting seemed spot on, soundscape is haunting but not overpowering and the cinematography is just beautiful – visually it really is a pretty but it doesn’t detract from the gruesomeness of its storyline.

The narrative is slower than a Hollywood style plot, but it manages to be a period drama without smacking you over the head with obvious clichés, instead it subtly evokes 1970s and ‘80s England, yes in the brown, sludgy colour palette, but they balance it well and avoid using too many tired retro signals.

But yes the USA are making their own…Columbia Pictures announced earlier today via Variety that they’ve acquired remake rights to the UK TV mini-series known as Red Riding, a trilogy of feature films that have been playing the festival circuit this year. The studio is “negotiating” with Steve Zaillian (Gangs of New York, American Gangster) to write the script and Ridley Scott (Gladiator, American Gangster, Body of Lies) to direct.

Posted by Ceili Murphy

Nowhere Boy is the bio-pic of John Lennon due out in NZ cinemas in February 2010

Here’s the trailer

by Ceili Murphy
Spike Jonze is hard to miss. He kinda does everything, music videos, feature films, documentries, amongst many more manifestations of his impressive creative output. What connects them is the unique Spike Jonze style that combines the attractive and alluring with touches of the absurd and random, just like his preference for completely original subjects and stories (Being John Malcovich, Adaptation).

But the subject of his next feature is about as familiar you can get. I’m of course referring to his upcoming film ‘Where the Wild things are.’ Maurice Sendak’s classic book comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. “Where the Wild Things Are” follows the adventure of Max (Max Records), a mischievous young boy who is sent to his room after rebelling against his mother (Catherine Keener). Max’s imagination is free to roam, and it soon transports him to a thriving forest bordering a vast sea. Delighted, he sets sail for the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns and Max rules. In bringing this imaginative fantasy to life, Jonze leads a team of filmmakers incorporating the most dynamic elements of voice performance, live-action puppetry and computer animation.
It’s a story which most of us consider sacred.

“When I was writing it, I kind of knew it was complicated, but I just had to be willfully naïve about that to not get bogged down in it. But it’s hard. By the time we got to Australia and were shooting it, the realities of what we were trying to do set in. It was just exhausting and insane to be out on these cliffs in southern Australia where there’s 60 mph winds, and you’ve got all these guys in suits, and you’ve got this little boy who’s freezing.”

Tackling such a much loved story is a pretty brave decision, and you really would have to be in your own imaginary world, to have missed all the hype surrounding it’s release in December. Spike is a perfect man for the job because he doesn’t seem to have grown up, he is a skater boy, who makes great clips of his friends, (working on music clips to developing TV like Jackass…) it’s a little boys dream and Spike’s the guy who shows it can be a reality.

He also co-founded Directors Label with Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry Directors Label is a series of DVDs devoted to notable music video directors. First released in 2003 by Palm Pictures, the series was created by Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham, and Michel Gondry, the subjects of the first three volumes.

www.directorslabel.com

WIN THE SPIKE JONZE DIRECTORS LABEL DVD HERE
– thanks to Madman films madman.co.nz

To go into the draw eMail prize (at) cheeseontoast.co.nz
with JONZE in the subject line and name a music video he has directed.
Include your full name & address.

But how did those wild things get here (who else is working on this with him…)

Lance Acord is WTWTA Cinematographer: Acord has earned the MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice”, which featured Christopher Walken and was also directed by Spike Jonze. He also worked with R.E.M. on a regular basis.

Acord made his first foray into narrative feature filmmaking as the cinematographer on Vincent Gallo’s Buffalo ’66. Since then, he has been the director of photography on Spike Jonze’s features Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, as well as Marie-Antoinette, directed by Sofia Coppola, with whom he collaborated previously as a cinematographer on Lost in Translation and her short film Lick the Star.

The film trailers track may be Arcade Fire, but the rest of the score was a colab between film composer Carter Burwell and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Burwell has had a long working relationship with the Coen Brothers. He enjoys working with left-field directors and has also scored Spike Jonze’s previous films. Some of his recent film scores are Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007), In Bruges (2008) and Twilight (2008). www.carterburwell.com

But for WTWTA his powers are combined with Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman Karen O! Needless to say this is super exciting! O enlisted a long impressive list of friends and fellow musicians to help her – Dubbed Karen O and the Kids, these include Tristan Bechet (Services), Tom Biller (co-producer with Karen O and member of Afternoons), Bradford Cox (Deerhunter), Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age, The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs), Aaron Hemphill (Liars), Greg Kurstin (The Bird and the Bee), Jack Lawrence (The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs, The Greenhornes), Oscar Michel (Gris Gris), Imaad Wasif (New Folk Implosion, Alaska), Nick Zinner, (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and an untrained children’s choir.

If that isn’t reason enough to go… check out COT WILD TRAILER STASH!

Featurette AWESOME:

First official single release – Karen O & the kids – All is love

Jonze – WAX music video – burning man

FLASHING LIGHTS – SPIKE JONZE VIDEO

first impressions by Andrew Tidball

I was lucky enough to be invited along to one of the handful of ‘reveals’ of James Cameron’s latest epic – due for release in December. A normal cinema trailer just cannot do the visual feast any justice whatsoever. Filmed in 3D at 24 frames per second it’s a a hybrid of live action and computer animation – and based on the 15 or so minutes we were treated to – the hybrid is truly seamless. Honestly I was gob-smacked by the sheer beauty that has been created for the planet Pandora.

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is an ex-marine who has paralyzed during combat – he’s given a new chance at walking by participating in the Avatar program, whereby he is given a new genetically-bred human-Na’vi hybrid body, known as an Avatar – the new breathing body is controlled by the human “driver”. Jake travels to Pandora and meets a young Na’vi female Neytiri and teh age-old story of boy-meets-alien-and-falls-in-live seems like it’s going to unfold.

Based on the snippets we were treated to it’s impossible to tell if the narrative, plot and script of this film will stand up to match the unquestionably amazing visual experience it will be; but I, for one, am sure as hell going to be among the first to find out for myself come December. At the very least, it’s going to blow my mind with it’s prettiness!

Taking Woodstock
review by Andrew Tidball

Taking Woodstock is the, perhaps romanticized, account of how forty years ago Elliot Tiber, whose parents owned a small motel in Upstate New York , and who at the time, held the only music festival permit, brought the now legendary three-day event to Bethel, New York.

The Woodstock festival was originally planned to be held at in industrial park in the town of Wallkill, New York but local townsfolk were opposed to the prospect of literally thousands of hippies invading their town and on July 15, 1969 the Wallkill Zoning Board of Appeals officially banned the concert on the basis that the planned portable toilets would not meet town code. Having already applied for a festival permit to hold his annual “music festival”, which by account usually entailed Tiber playing some of his records on his front lawn to a small gathering of music lovers, our hero reads of Woodstock Ventures’ plight; makes a call; a chopper lands, carrying Jonathan Groff as Woodstock organizer Michael Lang; followed by several limo’s of co-organizers arrive to scope the new proposed venue – El Monaco Motel.

While the Motel is clearly far too small to house even the vastly under-represented proposed 50,000 concert-goers – a neighboring farm owned by Max Yusgar is deemed perfect – and within a month the festival that is, historically, the mother of all music festivals occurs.

Don’t expect an entirely factual account or a concert-film; it’s more a heart-warming story of embracing those who are different; a story of triumph over adversity and, ultimately, the story of a young man becoming an adult and finally seeing his parents as his equals and accepting them as they accept him.

Speaking of parents, Imelda Staunton who plays Elliot’s mom and Henry Goodman, his dad, steal the show with their wonderful and lovable characterizations. An enjoyable film, if only a little light-weight.