Round up of the past weeks

Well just a few quick recommendations things are picking up down under in Wellington. The film festival is about to kick off with another year of excellant selections which will apeal to all from art house to genre films with the added mix of youth orientated animation that challenges the norm.
Particular stand outs are Submarine which I hope to see. I just got this years guide and its a book of delights. One film that stands out for me is the Battleship Yamoto so I might try to catch that particular film when it shows at Wellington's Paramount cinema.
Another film that appeals in Take Shelter due to Michael Shannon presence. This guy has yet to deliver a bad role, he was standout in Board Walk empire and I can't wait to see him in Zack Snyders Superman in which he has been cast as General Zod.
The festival will run from Friday 29th July -Sunday 14th August and brochures are available around Wellington and their website is up an running so go take a look and see what grabs your attention.


    On the satellite front I have managed to catch some real gems , which I sadly missed on the big screen. Two particular stand outs currently showing on our Rialto channel ( our art house provider) was the amazing Animal Kingdom. An australian film that explores a young mans nightmare experiences with his family of career criminals. Its a film full of supprises an express train into the darker side of humanity with a stand out performance from Jacki Weaver as the young mans grandmother Smurf. A woman truly to be feared. This a bleak tale that unfolds with pace and which takes you on a very dark journey.
    My next recommendation is Bick Hicks American


Bill Hicks hit the UK like a tornado, I was young and this guy made an impression because not only was he a great comedian sadly lossed to us in his prime. The guy put idea's out there and using humour made us question a lot of things about life, the states, and events unfolding. He was ahead of his time but just as recognition for his genius was taking hold he was sadly taken from us. This doco is a must see, with highlights of some of his work and through animationa and talking heads this is is a stand out doco and if your in New Zealand you can catch it on the Rialto channel. Highly recommended.
Lastly Joan Rivers A Piece of Work

This is another doco this time a year in the life of Joan Rivers a fly on the wall doco that follows her through one year and is at times a touching, and others downright hilarious exploration of the woman that lets it subject do all the talking. I enjoyed it and again its currently showing on our Rialto channel.