Reviewed by GREG KING Directors: Madeleine Sami and Jackie Van Beek Stars: Madeleine Sami, Jackie Van Beek, James Rolleston, Cecilia Pacquola, Ana Scotney. As Neil Sedaka once sang: “Breaking up is hard to do”, and that is borne out in this quirky, edgy occasionally abrasive and original romcom from New Zealand. People have a pathological fear of breaking off their relationships, so it’s nice to have someone to turn to for help who has no emotional stake in the relationship. And that’s where the titular breaker Upperers come in useful. Chosen to open the 2018 Continue reading
PORK PIE
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Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Matt Murphy Stars: James Rolletson, Dean O'Gorman, Ashleigh Cummings, Antonia Prebble, Geraldine Brophy, Matt Whelan. Along with Roger Donaldson’s 1977 political thriller Sleeping Dogs (which introduced us to Sam Neill), Geoff Murphy’s fast paced 1981 road movie Goodbye Pork Pie was one of the seminal films in putting New Zealand on the map and establishing the country’s modern film industry. Up until then the bulk of New Zealand productions were documentaries. Pork Pie is a crowd pleasing and fast paced remake of Continue reading
MAHANA
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Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Lee Tamahori Stars: Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning, Akuhata Keefe, Jim Moriarty, Regan Taylor, Maria Walker, Sienna MacKinlay. Twenty years ago Lee Tamahori gave us one of the best films to come out of New Zealand with Once Were Warriors, an exploration of masculinity, violence, family and Maori pride. After flirting with big budget Hollywood action films like Along Came A Spider and the Bond adventure Die Another Day, etc, Tamahori returns home for this powerful, uplifting and moving drama about family, secrets and Continue reading
MAHANA – interview with Lee Tamahori
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by GREG KING Mahana is a powerful new period drama from New Zealand exploring themes of masculinity, Maori identity and pride. It is the new film from New Zealand director Lee Tamahori, best known for the powerful Once Were Warriors. It is his first film shot in New Zealand after nearly two decades working abroad on big budget action films like Die Another Day, etc. Greg spoke to Lee about the film, which reunites him with actor Temuera Morrison. Twenty years ago Lee Tamahori gave us one of the best films to come out of New Zealand with Once Were Warriors, an Continue reading
TICKLED
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Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: David Farrier. New Zealand journalist David Farrier (tv series Short Poppies, etc) has made a career out of looking at the weird side of life. But even he was unprepared for the fallout after stumbling upon a website about "competitive endurance tickling" in which young men were paid to be tied up and tickled, complete with some videos. Although the on-line videos were pretty harmless, they piqued his curiosity as it sounded a bit kinky. Farrier decided to find out more. But when he contacted Jane O'Brien Media to try Continue reading
