Culture

Another NZ International Film Festival has come and gone, and our film-watching stamina has been put to the test. For two-and-a-half weeks they've thrown eight or ten films per day at an enthusiastic public, eager for a break from the usual Hollywood fare.

What was the result? Did you see as many as you had hoped? Were they up to par? Were there any surprises, or great disappointments? 
   There was a strong documentary section, with the standouts being the comedic Exit Through The Gift Shop and American: The Bill Hicks Story. ETTGS, a story of a foolish videographer who becomes an overnight art wold sensation, spurred some interesting thoughts about whether or not the film was faked and what that even means. The Bill Hicks flick was a loving tribute to a true comedy hero which left behind a packed house full of smiling faces. Other notable docs that satisfied this reviewer were: Babies, who doesn't love babies? *spoiler* The Mongolian baby steals the show; and Oceans, which raises the bar yet again for oceanic and underwater filmmaking.
   Two films I found disappointing were the much-overhyped Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom and the bland Spanish crime-romance-thriller 25 Carat. Someone told me I “didn't get” AK because the Aussie cinema isn't about having interesting characters or redeeming plots, good on ya mate! And after seeing so many good films at a festival such as this, 25 Carat was easy to spot as being shallow and rather un-compelling.
   But I've got to give it up for the hilarious homegrown Predicament, directed by Jason Stutter and starring Jemaine Clement. This beautifully-made dark comedy definitely held its own among some of the giants of world cinema, so make sure to check it out after its general release later this month. Until next year, NZIFF – we're looking forward to what you'll have for us.