Big Screen NZ

The Matrix: Resurrections Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-12-25T10:24:00.003+13:00

The Premise

Return to a world of two realities: one, everyday life; the other, what lies behind it. To find out if his reality is a construct, to truly know himself, Mr. Anderson will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more.

The Review

A long time ago I began reviewing films on a radio station called Life FM. From there it moved to a few other outlets, which in turn lead to the creation of this very site, Big Screen NZ. In the early days of reviewing a film came a long that completely blew my mind. The Matrix. It questioned reality while creating its own. It challenged the boundaries of cinema with its new use of filming techniques such as “Bullet time” and became one of a short list of films that is both a box office smash and a cult following gatherer. While the second and third sequels didn’t have quite the same impact, this was still a cinematic franchise that I so fully loved.

Fast forward 22 years later and something has happened that I loved the idea of, but was so scared it might destroy the memories of youth. The return of The Matrix. So much of modern cinema is rehashing the eighties and nineties, flogging a dead horse so to speak and often not with the best outcome. I am relieved to say that The Matrix: Resurrection is a cinematic triumph on all fronts.

It balances respecting what has come before with a taste freshness to perfection and like seasoning a delicious recipe it has been delicately accentuated with lots of wonderful little additions and nods that will bring extreme joy to The Matrix fans of all ages. That being said, I am not sure how great a film this would be to someone who has never seen any of the previous Matrix films as it relies heavily on the subtle and not subtle connections backwards.

I really don’t want to give anything away in regards to the plot, so I will probably be rather cryptic in how I phrase much of this review. The Matrix: Resurrections has so many lovely levels to it, that makes it not only a superbly interesting watch, yet also one of those films that has so many little Easter eggs dropped in for those in the know. (IE you have watched the previous films in this franchise)

You will however notice a few missing actors such as Lawrence Fishborne and Hugo Weaving. While you will see them in many flashbacks that have been incorporated into the new story, these characters have a different face and yet this is so well placed within the story that it still makes perfect sense. Hugo Weaving was originally approached to reprise his role as Agent Smith, but he had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts with other films. While newbies to the franchise Neil Patrick Harris and Jonathan Groff are spectacular.

According to Lana Wachowski, her decision to bring back Neo and Trinity for the sequel was inspired by the loss of both of her parents (who died only five weeks apart), and a close friend. The writing process was her way of comforting herself in the face of death. She also defines Neo and Trinity as the two most important characters in her life. For Lilly Wachowski, however, this sense of loss was part of her decision to NOT return to the franchise. In her own words: "I didn't want to have gone through my transition and gone through this massive upheaval in my life, the sense of loss from my mom and dad, to want to go back to something that I had done before..."

Perhaps this personal connection for Lana is why at the centre of this film is a love story. That of Neo and Trinity. This is the glue that holds this film together and gives meaning to the return to the world of the Matrix while still holding true to the amazing action that has become synonymous with this franchise.

The Verdict

Bloody marvelous love story with huge fight scenes and well rounded performances. A triumphant return to the world of code. Long live The Matrix.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 26^th December 2021

Rating: M – Contains Violence & offensive language
Duration: 149 minutes
Genre: SciFi

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Jada Pinkett Smith, Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Director: Lana Wachowski (The Matrix)

Sing 2 Reviewed by Clayton Barnett

2021-12-18T09:44:00.004+13:00

The Premise

Buster Moon and his friends must persuade reclusive rock star Clay Calloway to join them for the opening of a new show.

The Review

Sing 2 brings the gang back for more musical mayhem as they set their sights on the bright lights of Vegas!

If you enjoyed the first Sing you’ll love the sequel, writer/director Garth Jennings delivers the same slapstick fun and endearing ‘dream big’ message. It’s definitely a bigger plot that it needs to be – almost 2hrs for a kid's flick - but the songs are what make it and there are some great interpretations of classics from Coldplay, U2, Prince and so much more.

The all-star cast is all back too, Matthew McConaughey is still a ball of optimism as Buster Moon, Scarlett Johnasson’s Ash has a lovely arc and Taron Egerton is brilliant as usual as Johnny. Newcomer Bobby Cannavale chews up the scenery as wolfish villain Crystal and Bono seems to be enjoying his first animated outing as the reclusive rock star Clay Calloway.

The Verdict

Family fun times.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 7^th December 2021

Rating: PG – Contains Some scenes may scare very young children
Duration: 110 minutes Genre: Animation

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly Director: Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow)

Spider-Man No Way Home Reviewed by Clayton Barnett

2021-12-18T09:04:00.001+13:00

The Premise

With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, Peter asks Doctor Strange for help. When a spell goes wrong, dangerous foes from other worlds start to appear, forcing Peter to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

The Review

Strap in for an epic and emotional conclusion to the Spider-Man trilogy that has Tom Holland in spectacular form.

After his big identity reveal in Far From Home, the stakes were high in this finale to the Holland Spider-Man trilogy and the finish is one of the best Marvel movies I’ve seen. It’s so much fun and had the crowd punching the air and whopping in delight. Director Jon Watts deserves a lot of credit for spinning an amazing new Spider-Man universe that has just kept on delivering. And for an almost two and a half hours he keeps things swinging along at some pace.

The action set pieces are massive and one between Dr Strange and Spidey is absolutely mind bending. It’s breakneck stuff and the usual problematic comic book movie third act is just phenomenal. You know from the trailers that Spider-Man’s greatest villains are back and having heavy hitters like William Defoe and Alfred Molina lifted things to another level.

Tom Holland’s performance keeps all the craziness grounded, nailing his role as the definitive Spider-Man with plenty of Parker laughs and heart. It’s an emotional film and Holland, Zendaya and Marisa Tomei will have your eyes getting moist with some powerful scenes. Jacob Batalon is still good comedy value as Ned, and there’s great Spidey banter with Dr Strange and Happy Hogan.

The Verdict

Spider-Man: No Way Home is hands down one of the best Marvel movies, a huge amount of fun with a massive emotional wallop. An absolute must-see on the big screen, you won’t be disappointed.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 17^th December 2021

Rating: M – Contains violence Duration: 148 minutes
Genre: SciFi, Marvel

Starring: Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Tom Holland, Zendaya

Director: Jon Watts (Cop Car)

Dune Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-12-01T14:39:00.029+13:00

The Premise

A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, "Dune" tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The Review

WOW! For over two decades of reviewing films there has not been a lot of tunes where I wanted to start and end a review simply with WOW! The new Dune is so absolutely worthy of a full uppercase WOW with exclamation mark. Sure, David Lynch brought Dune to life in a strange yet alluring manner decades ago, bit now with the advances in cinematic technology, filming techniques and a move away from cheese factors, Villeneuve has now imagined this epic scifi saga on absolute brilliance. Talk before release would pitch it as the new Star Wars franchise. However, I think this has the potential to be even more impressive an ongoing saga.

While not a short film, Dune sets up the franchise perfectly with a pacing that feels neither slow or fast and delivers enough to deliver a great cinematic experience while leaving the viewer desperately hungry for more. There aren’t a massive list of long duration films that don’t feel as though they are dragging. Plus there is often a massive play off by film makers when making a first film in a potentially large series. How much effort do we put into a great standalone story, or do we focus on setting up the end game? The balance here is spectacularly executed.

Based on the hugely popular scifi book series by Frank Herbert, this is another creative source where the fans have probably got vivid imaginations and pictures in their minds of how the locations and characters look and behave. You get the feeling that the director and his art department team have captured this world perfectly. The sweeping desert scenes and massive scale production elements so fully envelope your sight line that you can’t help but feel fully immersed into the gritty world of Arrakis. (Just for reference four locations were used to create this amazing world, Wadi Rum in Jordan, a desert outside of Abu Dhabi, the northwest coast of Norway and sound stages in Budapest) Visually these locations and most likely a stackload of special effects have been combined to masterfully take you deep into the world of Dune.

While there are plenty of elements that mirror/match the original version from the 80’s, You certainly get the feeling that a little more attention has been paid to the casting in this version. Bringing in actors that are closer to the age of the characters in the book have helped to add a layer to the story and bring about a nicer juxtaposition of the future coming from the new generation. Chalamet and Zenaya are just magical with this innocence with a touch of deeply hardened buried underneath.

However, it doesn't stop there as the total ensemble cast is outstanding. You have thespians from some of the biggest action and scifi franchises colliding with amazing dramatic actors to create a wonderful depth of intensity.

The Verdict

WOW! A must see and on the biggest screen you can find!

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 2^nd December 2021

Rating: M – Contains violence Duration: 115 minutes Genre: SciFi

Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Fergusson, Zenaya, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa

Director: Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049)

Venom Let There Be Carnage Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-11-25T16:03:00.001+13:00

The Premise

Eddie Brock struggles to adjust to his new life as the host of the alien symbiote Venom, which grants him super-human abilities in order to be a lethal vigilante. Brock attempts to reignite his career by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady, who becomes the host of the symbiote Carnage and escapes prison after a failed execution.

The Review

This is probably my fifteen year old sons most anticipated film of the year. There pretty much wasn’t a week this year when he didn’t ask me when it was coming out and when we could see it. Which is saying quite a bit as there have been some big epic films that fit perfectly in the target market for teenage boys. The first Venom film was a nice surprise to watch. I don’t think the trailers accurately captured the extremely humorous vibe that it had and instead had pitched it rather dark and serious. So, having seen that, Venom: Let there be Carnage was less of an unknown quantity.

While I don’t think this is going to be one of the top ten Marvel films, it is a solid cinematic outing to continue to develop the story of Venom. There is heaps of action and plenty of somewhat dark laughs to be had. In the role of the villainous host Kasady, Woody Harrelson has certainly come a long way from his breakout role as simple bartender Woody in hit sitcom, Cheers. We have seen him take on a wide variety of dramatic, comedic and blended characters over his diverse acting career of over four decades. I would say he inhabits this character but instead it is this character that inhabits him. (A little symbiotic humour)

Then of course you have the somewhat powerful and scary Tom Hardy in this antihero character of Eddie Brock. He is a sniveling wimp who finds power through his symbiotic relationship with Venom and yet as all good stories do, the relationship must go through tough times in order to develop the plot and take the viewer on an emotional journey of sorts. While not an award garnering kind of performance from any of the cast, there is still enough to draw you into the plot and enjoy the anticipation as to what is going to happen and the obstacles along the way.

The Verdict

Another solid marvel film that perfectly targets teenage boys and the teenager in all of us.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 25^th November 2021

Rating: M – Contains and offensive language Duration: 97 minutes Genre: SciFi

Starring: Tom Hardy & Woody Harrelson Director: Andy Serkis (Breathe)

Breaking Bread Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-11-18T12:25:00.001+13:00

The Premise

Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel - the first Muslim Arab to win Israel's MasterChef - is on a quest to make social change through food. And so, she founded the A-sham Arabic Food Festival, where pairs of Arab and Jewish chefs collaborate on exotic dishes like kishek (a Syrian yogurt soup), and qatayef (a dessert typically served during Ramadan). A film about hope, synergy and mouthwatering fare, Breaking Bread illustrates what happens when people focus on the person, rather than her religion; on the public, rather than the politicians.

The Review

It is so amazing to see how far the TV format of Masterchef has travelled around the world. So many countries celebrating general people and their love of food and preparing it. For most of us, actually for pretty much all of us, food is something that brings us together. Often in those moments when we do gather it is around the dining table or with the excuse of eating at the forefront.

So it kind of makes perfect sense that Dr Nof Atamna-Ismaeel would end up utlising food to bridge the gap between those of Arabic and Jewish descent. This whole concept makes Breaking Bread an intriguing and rather triumphant story. Overcoming hundreds of years of racial differences through beautiful food.

It is not just about the people though, this is a foodies dream too. So many great meals to behold along the way. On the film’s website you can sign up for information for an upcoming cookbook and recipe information.

COOKBOOK / RECIPE INFO - BREAKING BREAD (breakingbreadmovie.com)

There are so many awards that this film has already won around the world at film festivals, so it is very clear that Break Bread is a film that connects with a wide variety of audiences.

The Verdict

Delectable viewing that moves the soul and gives hope to the thought that we have more in common than our differences.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 18^th November 2021

Rating: M – Contains offensive language
Duration: 85 minutes Genre: Documentary

Director: Beth Elise Hawk (Films)

The Green Knight Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-10-25T13:10:00.003+13:00

The Premise

An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, "The Green Knight" tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger. From visionary filmmaker David Lowery comes a fresh and bold spin on a classic tale from the knights of the round table.

The Review

We are all familiar with the Mythology that surrounds King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. However, we might not be as familiar with another of the sources of myth for these characters. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English chivalric romance. While, the author is unknown and the title was given centuries later, it is one of the best-known Arthurian stories. Its plot combining two types of folk motifs, including the beheading game and the exchange of winnings.

This poem has been adapted for the big screen three times so far, with the first two versions (1973 and 1984) coming into criticism for their departure from the original source material. It has even been adapted into an Opera in 1978. The idea for adapting The Green Knight came to David Lowery while he was setting up a diorama of action figures from Willow in his backyard. Lowery’s approach has been to stick a lot closer to the original poem and hence this is a rather strange story that has plenty of story elements that are either open to a wide range of interpretations or need further research to find context.

Visually, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It is beautifully filmed and edited and the scenery adds so much to the general flow of the story. The Green Knight is set in this mystical medieval time that is foresty and foggy and therefore you spend a lot of your time viewing time feeling lost in this hazy world, where scenes and locations blend into what feels like a big flowing dream sequence.

The cast is brilliant and centres around Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander who so beautifully inhabit the roles. Patel brings a great amount of moral ambiguity to the role of Gawain and you spend the film trying to figure out is he good, bad, flawed or even redeemable. It reminded me a little bit of a David Lynch style film in that it feels as though many of the connecting story blocks have been removed and leave plenty of guess work along the way. Hard to know if this was done on purpose to create a more interpretative experience or whether it was to keep the film to a shorter length for the film studio. Regardless of the why, I found I retrospectively enjoyed the film more once I had done a little research and found more of the connecting context to bring it together.

The Verdict

A very mysterious and mystical fantasy film that although is very slow-paced will still be a weirdly enjoyable visual experience. However, just saying that it is not your usual blockbuster big action medieval type film and will not appeal to everyone and may need some research to add context to really bring it home.

The Trailer

The Info

Streaming Prime Video: 28^th October 2021

Rating: TBC
Duration: 130 minutes Genre: Fantasy

Starring: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Barry Keoghan, Ralph Ineson, Sean Harris Director: David Lowery (A Ghost Story, Pete’s Dragon)

No Time To Die Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-10-25T11:29:00.005+13:00

The Premise

Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

The Review

I grew up in the shadow of James Bond. A huge amount of the films had already been made and released long before I was a cinema going youth. Yet, as I became a teenager, it quicky became a part of my film-loving world. As a young man, I loved the crazy over-the-top action sequences and for sure, Bond was super cool and kind of someone that you wanted to be like, He had the gadgets, the moves and for sure he had the ladies. I remember watching some of the Roger Moore ones at Saturday Night youth group events, which in hindsight seems a little racey for a Church youth group activity and yet it is what we did.

Roger Moore was my first experience of Bond, so the Connery years are something that I then went back to enjoy many years later. Plus as a massive fan of Remmington Steele, I was so ready and charged for Pierce Brosnan to come into the fray and take the franchise to a whole new level of greatness. I think that at the time Brosnan was my favourite Bond and when many years later we saw Daniel Craig announced to take over the leading role, I was so very dubious and even wondered how this blond, blue eyed grumpy looking actor was going to avoid ruining a much-loved pillar of action cinema.

Here’s the thing, I am now very proud to own Daniel Craig as my favourite bond of all-time and I have really enjoyed his four cinematic outings that have lead to the beautiful culmination that is No Time To Die.

No Time To Die is such a well-thought out story that connects many dots and yet would be just as entertaining as a stand-alone film. There is a plethora of action sequences, crazy stunts and high-octane thrill rides that have you sitting on the edge of your seat throughout. Add to that concoction, a well-rounded story that is delicately balanced with plot twists and character relationship pieces and you have a super enjoyable nearly three hours of entertainment.

It is definitely a collaborative activity that has brought us this successfully executed thrill-ride. It has been helmed to perfection by Fukunaka in the directors chair. Of course behind the scenes you have Barbara Broccoli pulling the strings to get the overall direction that they want for the franchise. I certainly think that it is also due to the well thought out cast that brings clever characters in line with the beautiful. Reportedly, Daniel Craig personally hand-picked Cuban actress Ana de Armas to play Paloma after working with her on Knives Out. She was outstanding in that Murder-Mystery classic.

No Time To Die is Daniel Craig's fifth and final appearance as James Bond. Scheduled to be released in 2021, the movie will also be Craig's 15th year in tenure as James Bond since his first in 2006’s Casino Royale. That is a large length of time to be inhabiting a single character and while I am sure he will be sad to let it go, Craig will also be somewhat happy to be done with it, especially when finishing his time as Bond in such a satisfying outing.

The Verdict

I have to say that as he brings Craig’s tenure to a close, I wouldn’t actually mind if they stopped making anymore Bond films. No Time To Die is a very well-rounded conclusion to the five Bond outings that have seen Craig completely own the Bond Character and take it to something new and refreshing that the franchise desperately needed. More relationship pieces, more depth of story with threads that clearly connect all five stories. A very satisfying conclusion to the Daniel Craig years.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 7^th October 2021

Rating: M – Contains violence and offensive language
Duration: 164 minutes Genre: Action

Starring: Billy Magnussen, Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek and Lea Seydoux Director: Cari Joji Fukunaga (Jane Eyre, Sin Nombre)

Win the 20th Anniversary edition of Amelie on BluRay

2021-10-22T21:56:00.002+13:00

The 20th Anniversary edition of Amelie is out now on DVD and BluRay and we have copies for you to win!

The Competition

What is your favourite French film?

Email your answer with your contact details to win@bigscreennz.com by 7th of November 2021 (Please put "Amelie" in the subject line) Plus for a bonus chance to win, make sure you are signed up to the weekly email out. Click Here to join

The Premise

A brand-new digital restoration of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's award-winning classic to mark its 20th anniversary. Amelie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) lives in Paris, and in a world of her own. Introverted, but with a very extroverted imagination, Amelie is obsessed with the small pleasures of life and believes she can twist the fate of others by affecting the slightest changes in their environment. So she sets out to give the lonely and unloved a new lease of life, taking some time to enjoy skimming stones and planning to win the heart of Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz).

The Trailer

Amelie is out now on DVD and BluRay

Rated M - Contains sexual reference

The Terms You must be a Resident of New Zealand and over 16 years of age to win and judges decision is final

Final Trailer for Dune

2021-10-19T12:25:00.005+13:00

A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, "Dune" tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Coming to NZ 1st December 2021

New Trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife

2021-10-19T12:15:00.005+13:00

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mum and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan.

Starring Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd.

Directed by Jason Reitman

IN CINEMAS NEW YEAR’S DAY, 2022

#GHOSTBUSTERS

Juniper Reviewed by Mel Tito

2021-10-18T09:47:00.000+13:00

The Premise

When a self-destructive teenager is suspended from school and asked to look after his feisty alcoholic grandmother as a punishment, the crazy time they spend together turns his life around.

The Review

Intimate and enlightening, with a hearty script.

Sometimes as humans we find ways not to feel the most intense parts of life. It’s only when we come face to face with emotions and realities that can’t be ignored that the masks and facades start to come off. “Juniper” does this very thing, ripping off the comforts we turn to and displaying the emotional highs and lows of life in their stark glory.

The leads are well cast. Charlotte Rampling plays Ruth, a sharp-witted, brusque woman whose disability has only further defined her strong will, appetite for alcohol and lust for life. Her performance is confrontational, deliberate and layered. She feels very real. George Ferrier plays Sam, Ruth’s 17-year-old grandson who found life bad enough before he was forced into the role of caring for Ruth. His portrayal of Sam is convincingly true-to-life; I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that writer-director Matthew J Saville drew on his own experience of having his grandmother move in to his family home with a broken leg when he was 17.

Saville has done a superb job with the script, particularly with this being his debut feature film. It is beautiful, relatable and extraordinary, as is the stunning New Zealand landscape captured in the film.

The Verdict

The themes of life, illness, family, pain, fear and friendship take centre stage in this poignant auteur film. The relationship between Ruth and Sam is most interesting and enjoyable to witness. At times intense and stormy, “Juniper” is also funny, watchable and edifying. I loved it.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 28^th October 2021

Rating: M – Contains Violence, offensive language, drug use & deals with suicide
Duration: 94 minutes Genre: Drama

Starring: Marton Csokas, Charlotte Rampling, George Ferrier, Edith Poor Director: Matthew J Saville (Debut Feature Film)

Lamb Reviewed by Clayton Barnett

2021-10-15T09:40:00.004+13:00

The Premise

A childless couple, María and Ingvar discover a mysterious newborn on their farm in Iceland. The unexpected prospect of family life brings them much joy, before ultimately destroying them.

The Review

An unsettling horror that will draw you in with atmospheric visuals but might try your patience with the slow moving story.

Director and co-writer Valdimar Jóhannsson has debuted with a splash, winning the Un Certain Regard Prize of Originality at the Cannes Film Festival. He’s come from a sci-fi fantasy background, working as crew on Game of Thrones and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which helps the powerful and haunting visuals here.

Now this is a bit of bonkers story, based on Icelandic folklore it might be a bit hard to follow the slow pace for some. But if you enjoyed other similar paced horrors from A24 like Midsommar and Hereditary this might be for you. It does delve into family drama for long periods rather than the advertised horror, but the acting on show helps drive it and the finale is as horrific as it comes.

Noomi Rapace (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Hilmir Snær Guðnason do great work making you buy this unique and sweet family situation, as things slowly deteriorate with the appearance of Hilmir’s brother.

The Verdict

A uniquely Icelandic film that might not be to everyone’s taste, the haunting visuals and striking acting work will help keep you invested in this slow moving horror.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 14^th October 2021

Rating: Rating
Duration: 106 minutes
Genre: Drama, Horror

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson Director: Valdimar Jóhannsson (Debut Feature Film)

Persian Lessons Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-10-14T22:18:00.001+13:00

The Premise

1942. Gilles, a young Belgian man, is arrested by the SS alongside other Jews and sent to a concentration camp in Germany. He narrowly avoids execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, but then Gilles is assigned a seemingly untenable mission: to teach Persian to Koch, the officer in charge of the camp's kitchen, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Persia (Iran) once the war is over. Gilles finds himself having to invent a language he doesn't know, word by word. As the unusual relationship between the two men begins to incite jealousy and suspicion, Gilles becomes acutely aware that one false move could expose his swindle.

The Review

Partially inspired by German writer Wolfgang Kohlhaase’s 1977 short story "Erfindung einer Sprache" (Invention of a Language), Persian Lessons is a stirring story of the inbuilt hunger for survival. As the story begins we see the words inspired by a true story and of course elements of this story of survival are based on accounts handed down from those who lived through the horrors of the holocaust. Yet it leans toward the realm of creative license in quite a big way.

That is not to say that this isn’t an amazingly told and deeply moving tale. Of course it is and I found myself fully engaged from start to finish. One young Jewish man’s desire to survive leads him to do something that most would consider completely impossible to pull off, especially over pretty much the entire length of the war. The idea that you could teach someone a language you only knew one word of. The way the story unfolds is so enthralling and part of that is the way in which they have created this made up language in order to suit the story. In fact, the fake version of Persian spoken in the film was invented by the director and a Russian linguist, developing a grammar and a 600-word dictionary.

I found it profoundly interesting to learn that the script of the film was first written in Russian, then translated into English and eventually into German. So it is no wonder that the delivery of the most central element of the story is perfect and as a result helps you to completely believe in the characters and the actors performances throughout.

An element that helps bring this story into the world of believability, is that it contains no recognizable mainstream actors, one feels that while it might have felt like Oscar Bait to a Hollywood star, it could very easily have derailed the whole thing.

We have seen many films based on survival stories from the second World War and most of them involve elements of courage and hiding in weird measure. Persian Lessons is something quite different and yet still involves those elements but not as the main focus. I can imagine that this is why the story stood out to Canadian Director Vadim Perelman. He has already shown himself to be a wonderful Auteur based on his previous films such as House of Sand and Fog. His ability to share the historical horror without needing to be extremely graphic in nature, while still staying true to the death and pain that characterized this moment in the human timeline.

The Verdict

Another powerful tale of human’s hunger to survive and the lengths that one may go to. A deeply sad triumph perfectly crafted to dig down in the depths of death to grasp the smallest handful of hope.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 14^th October 2021

Rating: M - Contains violence, offensive language, sexual references & nudity
Duration: 127 minutes Genre: Drama, War

Starring: Maximilian Anthony, Serge Barbagallo, Peter Beck Director: Vadim Perelman (The Life Before Her Eyes)

The Rose Maker Reviewed by Jarred Tito

2021-10-13T15:45:00.005+13:00

The Premise

Eve Vernet was the largest rose grower. It is now on the verge of bankruptcy, on the verge of being bought out by a powerful competitor. In addition, Véra, her faithful secretary, employed three employees without any gardening skills.

The Review

A charming film that brings a lot of heart with each character adding colour and diversity to the plot which helps to create some good dramatic suspense.

Eve Vernet (Catherine Frot) plays her role so well that you could easily believe she is an expert grower. Her character is well developed as is her back story, of taking over her father’s struggling rose growing business. The two, Eve and her business, are perfectly intertwined together and create an ideal backdrop for several developing relationships. Though this film is billed as a comedy I feel it leans more towards a light drama that features mild humour scattered throughout.

Fred (Melan Omerta) is really the other main character and second half of the story. He is a destitute young man, abandoned by his parents from an early age, void of any meaningful future work and career aspirations and is currently unemployed. He finds himself part of a ‘vocational skills’ programme which deploys unemployed people into voluntary working positions which is how he meets Eve on her rose plantation. It is here that a significant relationship is forged.

Now to be clear, this is not a romantic relationship. Eve takes Fred under her wing, in a parental way, and helps him to redefine himself as well as discover a special talent he possesses in the rose business which does lead to a breakthrough for both of them. In a subjective way, Fred’s story could have easily been made into the main story but instead, sits nicely in the pocket of Eve’s struggle to stave off bankruptcy.

As can be expected in French movies, there are good supporting roles laced throughout the film which adds to its overall integrity.

The Verdict

If I were to use one word to describe The Rose Maker, it would be ‘gratifying.’ My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed viewing this. A perfect film for lockdown too which gave us both a real sense of being out and about. It certainly is worth seeing for yourself.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 7^th October 2021

Rating: M – Contains offensive language
Duration: 95 minutes
Genre: Comedy

Starring: Catherine Frot, Manel Foulgoc, Fatsah Bouyahmed Director: Pierre Pinaud (Crumbs)

Die In A Gunfight Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-10-12T21:23:00.002+13:00

The Premise

The Rathcarts and the Gibbons are modern day Montagues and Capulets, two rival families who each control their own media empire in New York City. Their teenage kids ignore the feud and fall in love, despite their parents efforts to keep them apart. With hitman, corporate corruption, love, jealousy, revenge and lust, all of the characters and emotions come to a head at the wedding in this fast moving action filled love story.

The Review

Well, before we go deeper into this film, it makes sense to point out in a very clear manner that this is quite the modern day retelling of the classic Shakespearean tale of Romeo and Juliet. I know that it hints to it in the above synopsis, but taking the classic tale and then setting it in New York has quite a natural feel to it. Especially when think back to the more successfully delivered Romeo and Juliet by Baz Luhrman.

Perhaps that gives you a clue as to the general feel of Die In A Gunfight. It is pretty nicely filmed and utilizes some interesting comic-book animation styles to tell back story and flashbacks. The action when it happens is pretty solid and is what you would expect from a general B-Grade action film. You would expect plenty of fights, based on the lead character’s desire to live up to the film’s name and Die In A Gun Fight.

Overall, the cast o a pretty solid job, yet it is the quirky nature of Travis Fimmel’s hitman character that kind of steals the show along the way. He dazzles in a super weird way and gives you some comedic relief when the film finds its pace slowing to a crawl. His role is not specifically the comedic role inserted to make you laugh, yet his dark and over the top nature helps to create discomfort and delight in equal measure.

I will however, point out that this is also a romance film and while that plays a central part to everything, it isn't over the top in it's sugary sweetness and therefore makes it blend well rather then takeover.

The Verdict

While unfortunately slow in pace, Die In A Gun Fight still manages to bring some thrills and action to a well done storyline.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 30^th September 2021

Rating: R16 – Contains Violence, offensive language & drug use
Duration: 92 minutes Genre: Action

Starring: Diego Boneta, Alexandra Daddario, Travis Fimmel, Justin Chatwin Director: Collin Schiffli (Animals)

Win Days of the Bagnold Summer on DVD

2021-10-09T17:07:00.003+13:00

Days of the Bagnold Summer is out now on DVD and we have copies for you to win!

The Competition

What is your favourite teen drama/comedy film?

Email your answer with your contact details to win@bigscreennz.com by 31st of October 2021 (Please put "Days of the Bagnold Summer" in the subject line) Plus for a bonus chance to win, make sure you are signed up to the weekly email out. Click Here to join

The Premise

The Inbetweeners star Simon Bird's directorial debut is a funny, charming and wince-inducingly accurate adaptation of Joff Winterhart's graphic novel, with a soundtrack by Belle & Sebastian. Days of the Bagnold Summer sweetly draws you into the wobbly relationship between well-intentioned single librarian Sue Bagnold and her black-clad teenage son Daniel, who'd rather listen to Metallica than his mother. Daniel was meant to spend the summer in Florida visiting his dad, but is now stuck with Mum following the trip's cancellation.

The film boasts supporting turns by Rob Brydon and Alice Lowe, but belongs to its two leads. Long-suffering Sue is sympathetically portrayed by Monica Dolan, with Earl Cave's Daniel a suitably lank-haired, pale-skinned picture of adolescent metal-head angst.

The Trailer

Days of the Bagnold Summer is out now on DVD

Rated M - Contains offensive language

The Terms You must be a Resident of New Zealand and over 16 years of age to win and judges decision is final

Win James & Isey on DVD

2021-10-09T17:00:00.000+13:00

James & Isey is out now on DVD and we have copies for you to win!

The Competition

What is your favourite local doco film?

Email your answer with your contact details to win@bigscreennz.com by 31st of October 2021 (Please put "James & Isey" in the subject line) Plus for a bonus chance to win, make sure you are signed up to the weekly email out. Click Here to join

The Premise

Genuine New Zealand treasures, Isey and James invite us into their lives in the week leading up to Isey's 100th birthday! #FlorianHabicht, the director of Kaikohe Demolition, captures a Northland celebration of life and aroha like no other.

"Another in the rather long list of must-see NZ documentaries that is destined to have an exceptionally long life and most likely continue to live large, long after most of the film makers have gone by the wayside. (Not Isey though, she may very well outlive us all!)" - Jon E Clist

Click Here to read the full review

The Trailer

James & Isey is out now on DVD

Rated M - Contains offensive language

The Terms You must be a Resident of New Zealand and over 16 years of age to win and judges decision is final

Win The Father on DVD

2021-10-09T16:53:00.003+13:00

The Father is out now on DVD and we have copies for you to win!

The Competition

What is your favourite Sir Anthony Hopkins film?

Email your answer with your contact details to win@bigscreennz.com by 31st of October 2021 (Please put "The Father" in the subject line) Plus for a bonus chance to win, make sure you are signed up to the weekly email out. Click Here to join

The Premise

A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

The Trailer

The Father is out now on DVD

Rated M - Contains offensive language

The Terms You must be a Resident of New Zealand and over 16 years of age to win and judges decision is final

Win Tickets to See Die In A Gunfight

2021-10-01T14:26:00.004+13:00

Die In A Gunfight is in cinemas from the 30th of September 2021 and we have Passes for you to win!

The Competition

What is your action/romance movie?

Email your answer with your contact details to win@bigscreennz.com by 10th of October 2021 (Please put "Die In A Gunfight" in the subject line) Plus for a bonus chance to win, make sure you are signed up to the weekly email out. Click Here to join

The Premise
The Rathcarts and the Gibbons are modern day Montagues and Capulets, two rival families who each control their own media empire in New York City. Their teenage kids ignore the feud and fall in love, despite their parents efforts to keep them apart. With hitman, corporate corruption, love, jealousy, revenge and lust, all of the characters and emotions come to a head at the wedding in this fast moving action filled love story.

The Trailer

Die In A Gunfight is in Cinemas from the 30th of September 2021

Rated R16 - Contains Violence, offensive language & drug use

The Terms You must be a Resident of New Zealand and over 16 years of age to win and judges decision is final

Annette Reviewed by Clayton Barnett

2021-10-01T11:57:00.003+13:00

The Premise

Los Angeles, nowadays. Henry is a stand-up comedian with a fierce humor. Ann, an internationally renowned opera singer. Together, under the spotlight, they form a happy and glamorous couple. The birth of their first child, Annette, a mysterious girl with an exceptional destiny, will turn their lives upside down.

The Review

Musicals are usually great toe-tapping fun, but even the star power and arresting visuals don’t save the seriously dour Annette.

French art-house director Leos Carax (Holy Motors) loves pushing boundaries and he does that here with the help of Sparks, the musical group of Ron and Russell Mael. The brothers, who were recent subjects of a doco by Edgar Wright, deliver 15 new songs and won best composer at Cannes for their efforts. Like most musicals the music is pretty good, like standout tracks ‘So We May Start’ and ‘We Love Each Other Very Much’.

But they also wrote the story, which is an oddball tale of the toll of fame. It’s highly stylised stuff and the visuals are captivating, but it’s a head scratcher that took itself way too seriously for me. Star duo Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard belt out the tunes with gutso, but play it straight down the middle without any sense of warmth or fun. The best surprise is The Big Bang Theory’s Howard (Simon Helberg) showing some great dramatic chops.

The Verdict

Probably not a case of sing when you’re winning. While there are a handful of redeeming factors, this is a little on the dour side of musicals.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 30^th September 2021

Rating: R16 – Contains Violence, nudity, sex scenes & offensive language
Duration: 140 minutes Genre: Musical

Starring: Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg Director: Leos Carax (Holy Motors)

The Ice Road Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-09-24T11:36:00.000+12:00

The Premise

After a remote diamond mine collapses in the far northern regions of Canada, an ice driver leads an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the lives of trapped miners despite thawing waters and a threat they never see coming.

The Review

So, here we go with another Liam Neeson ‘taking on the world’ kind of action thriller film. I am sure that after you’ve watched the trailer you will feel rather confident that you will know exactly what you are in for. I know I did, however, while it delivered the usual tension and action, it also threw a couple of curveballs in there to create a little more dynamic cinema along the way.

Filmed in Manitoba, Ice Road is certainly a thrill ride across an icy plain with loads of action to boot. The scenery is stunning and it certainly makes for a visually spectacular adventure. This kind of balances out the lack of great script or dialogue and for the most part you don’t mind these lacking as the momentum of the action and tension created from the location keeps you connected throughout.

You get what you expect and while the cast do what they need to do with the characters, there won’t be any thespian awards coming their way anytime soon. I will; however say that relative new-comer Amber Midthunder is solid as a supporting cast member that brings freshness to that of Neeson’s usual. This has kind of become a bit of a recipe in the Neeson action flicks of late. Neeson partnering up with a youthful character to bring a little diversity. However, the plots seem to mirror somewhat with Neeson being the older character that comes in to protect or save the youthful character, who in turns ends up stepping up to play a huge part in saving him.

The Verdict

You get what you get and you don’t get upset. Action on an Icy Road, what more did you want?

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 23^rd September 2021

Rating: M- Contains violence and offensive language
Duration: 109 minutes Genre: Action, Thriller

Starring: Liam Neeson, Laurence Fishburne, Amber Midthunder Director: Jonathan Hensleigh (The Punisher)

Ride The Eagle Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-09-24T10:18:00.003+12:00

The Premise

Leif is left with a conditional inheritance when his estranged mother Honey dies. Before he can move into her picturesque Yosemite cabin, he has to complete her elaborate, and sometimes dubious, to-do list.

The Review

Earlier on this year I introduced my wife to a New Girl. The TV show that is, New Girl. I hoped that she would love its somewhat silliness blended with hilarious characters and I won the day. (The Jessica Day, another little New Girl pun) we worked our way through the entire series and as we watched the final episode I found myself wondering, What are these actors up to now? I didn’t really recall seeing many if any of them popping up in much at all, yet imagine my joy and surprise when a few short weeks later I got an email about Ride The Eagle.

Now imagine my joy when I found that not only does Jake Johnson lead the cast of Ride The Eagle, but he also wrote the movie with director Trent O’Donnell. Talk about a lot of fun! I knew this would be a very quirky, funny and cleverly written film. It certainly delivered on all fronts. This is a film about a lost soul, who doesn’t even know he is lost and floating around without real direction until he is forced to face elements of his own existence when he finds out that his long estranged mother has shaken her own mortal coils. However she has not left without leaving a little drama and intrigue.

As mentioned above in the premise section, she has left Leif a rather weird and yet wonderful collection of tasks to do in order to inherit her beautifully located cabin in Yosemite. What follows is a wonderfully eclectic and entertaining journey to discovery blended with a reconnection with his past that he thought was lost and perhaps a future he didn’t know was there.

The film was so very funny and takes you on a very strange at times narrative that is emotionally moving and extremely entertaining. It is not a fast moving action film and moves at its own pace and yet you never feel lost or bored along the way. I think part of the magic comes from the partnership between the writers Johnson and O’Donnell. This is not a new partnership as they both worked on New Girl and while this might be O’Donnell’s first feature film as a director, he has certainly cut his teeth directing a huge amount of great television.

Add in an amazing performance from J.K. Simmons and you have some amazingly funny and even moving moments between them on the screen. Simmons isn‘t the only addition to the cast that helps to round out the ensemble. D’Arcy Carden drops in as a past love to bring some lovely moments of connection and reconnection. If you are a fan of the tv series The Good Place, then you will be delighted to see her on your screen again. She was one of the most amazing elements of that show and while she is not quite as quirky here, she still brings the magic.

The Verdict

Super funny, cleverly written and so very entertaining. Jake Johnson and Trent O’Donnell combine to bring an original tale that delivers on all fronts.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases: 23^rd September 2021

Rating: M – Contains Offensive language & sexual references
Duration: 88 minutes Genre: Comedy

Starring: J.K. Simmons, Jake Johnson, Susan Sarandon & D’Arcy Carden Director: Trent O’Donnell (Debut Feature Film)

Pig Reviewed by Jon E Clist

2021-09-22T17:50:00.001+12:00

The Premise

A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.

The Review

If you based your experience of Nicolas Cage movies in that middle space of B grade action films, you would probably discount him as a serious actor. There has been a long running joke in the movie world that Nic Cage never turned down a starring role. This has certainly led to some pretty dam average roles over the years. However, there are some films that while a little cheesy are still sold action films that were certainly a fun thrill ride, such as FaceOff and The Rock. Yet, the thing is, Nicolas Cage has also had some outstanding performances over his illustrious career and that includes the deeply powerful Leaving Las Vegas. This is not a light and fluffy film, however it is Cage and Elisabeth Shue at their absolute best and well worth a watch.

In Pig, this extremely amazing level of acting performance is back for Cage and while slow paced at times, you can’t turn away from him as he tries to find his beloved truffle pig. Yes, I know, the premise of this film sounds like that of a Snakes on A Plane or John Wick or even a Liam Neeson revenge thriller. No, don’t think that in the slightest, this is one hell of an amazing story that is so full to the brim with emotion and well throughout characters that it will keep you engaged well after the credits roll.

While the final edit rolls in at right on an hour and a half, the original cut was a solid hour longer until the films distributors stepped in to encourage a shorter version. This intrigues me as it is somewhat slow in pace and I could imagine that an extra hour would have you feeling that, however at this length it flew by and seemed perfectly balanced.

This is not a high budget film and yet you wouldn’t notice or care or even attempt to compare it to a blockbuster. According to the director, he only had 20 days to make the movie so all actors had to get everything right from the first time as there was no budget for re-shoots or delays. Perhaps this pressure is what helped the cast to so fully smash it out of the park. It is kind of funny that in an after film Q&A, director Michael Sarnoski revealed the pig only had three days of training and bit Nicolas Cage multiple times. After a particularly nasty bite, Cage joked: "I've been set on fire, I've been in flipped cars but it'll be sepsis from a pig bite that kills me."

The Verdict

Bloody marvelous, I would love to roast this Pig but cannot find anything bad to say about it. An extremely tasty cinematic morsel.

The Trailer

The Info

Releases Outside of Auckland: 23^rd September 2021

Rating: M – Contains violence and offensive language Duration: 91 minutes
Genre: Drama

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin Director: Michael Sarnoski (Debut Feature Film)

Win Tickets to See Ice Road

2021-09-13T12:18:00.005+12:00

Ice Road is in cinemas from the 23rd of September 2021 and we have Passes for you to win!

The Competition

What is your favourite Liam Neeson movie?

Email your answer with your contact details to win@bigscreennz.com by 23rd of September 2021 (Please put "Ice Road" in the subject line) Plus for a bonus chance to win, make sure you are signed up to the weekly email out. Click Here to join

The Premise
After a remote diamond mine collapses in the far northern regions of Canada, an ice driver leads an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the lives of trapped miners despite thawing waters and a threat they never see coming.

The Trailer

Ice Road is in Cinemas from the 23rd of September 2021

Rated M - Contains violence and offensive language

The Terms You must be a Resident of New Zealand and over 16 years of age to win and judges decision is final