A trip to Petone to see the new James Bond film- all the family.
A positive thumbs up from most attendees though I would say 7/10. A curry before hand-“English Curry” style would be a fair description. So very nice.
Category: Culture
Film festival revisited
So yesterday was the end of the Wellington setting of the NZIFF.
In the last 2 weeks we have squeezed a few more films. Last night was a viewing of 45 Years that seems to have been a hit with all the critics:
“It’s a film of small moments and tiny gestures that leaves a very, very big impression”
plus Shaz, but not me. It left me cold; too slow and with no particular expression the important issues. I obviously missed the point.
‘When Marnie was there‘ is the film that Isaac requested. I enjoyed this animated film as did he. It was a little unusual in that as a Japanese film it had a lot of European influence in the characterisation.
During the week we saw ’71 a drama set in Ulster while Shaz and Isaac saw ‘Saint Laurent‘ which was huge disappointment. Reading the reviews after the event was a bit late which were in keeping with their experience.
Wellington • New Zealand International Film Festival
Screening dates: 24 Jul — 12 Aug 2015
Source: Wellington • New Zealand International Film Festival
A belated post on the NZIFF which is currently in full flow. Last weekend was a fil marathon for us; one on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday and even a film on Monday evening.
We started with Far from Men set in Algeria in 1954 at the beginnings of the independence fight. It is based on an Albert Camus book (that I have read in part!). It as a beautiful story of relationships and being an outsider in society with the actions of the colonialists and Arabs as the backdrop. The filming is beautiful. A good start.
In brief Wrinkles is a cartoon depiction of the vagaries of aging with the loss of health and self-control with increasing dementia. Good, thoughtful but inevitably black.
Amy is a well-known story and a documentary that has made some waves. Essentially a sad story, with the ending well known, of a talented but vulnerable woman, who makes mistakes but is offered no protection by those on whom she depends. Not a good advert for fathers or humanity in general maybe.
The Enemy Within as famously said by the ‘Iron Lady” (was she one?) is the miners viewpoint of the 1984 strike. It is important to be told or reminded of the circumstances of the strike, the power of the state and its allies and to see the way events unfolded and as I saw it, the errors of strategy on the part of the miners.
Pheonix tickled the satisfaction less than the others. Seems to be highly rated and enjoyed but lacks credibility in the storyline. Survivor from an extermination camp in WW2 has plastic surgery and is unrecognisable by her husband when she comes back to their home city. A beautiful films as it recounts the new world and their new relationship but in my mind the implausibility always nags.
And today offers Banksy. A little bit different.
Family visit to see Selma
A very early(midday) trip to the cinema for family (including Swen) fun and apparently an education session for Isaac. He is studying the American civil rights in history currently. Off to the Lighthouse in Petone into the cinema not much bigger than our lounge.
A good film, fine performances and instructive to have the violence depicted to convey the reality that people fighting for their rights does not just involve talking and verbal discussion. Fear and physical risk is involved as well as the psychological humiliation that pervades racist attitudes.
Everyone enjoyed the film; the usual suspects cried.
As commented afterwards, is there racist irony in the fact that the lead did not get at least a nomination for the best actor at the Oscars?
Trip to the Cinema
The French film festival has hit Wellington. We booked to see two films, the first of which was last night. Une Nouvelle Amie came with a good intro and appeared to have potential. However, it fell extremely flat with me and Shaz.
The premise is that a newly widowed man is a transvestite and his behaviour is re-ignited by the death of his wife and his wife’s best friend becomes part of this world. The film did not really seem to know what it was portraying and came over as ridiculous and farcical with the twists and turns of what was happening. So 0/5 for that one.
Before that we had been to see Salt of the Earth a documentary of a Brazilian photographer , Sebastião Salgado, who is a renowned for his social documentary work and later natural work. It was very good but unlike EQ and Swen we did not cry at the images of human misery that he documented around the world: Rwanda, Ethiopia and the former Yugoslavia.
We are maybe just too hardened by history and work to be affected in the same way now. The beauty of youth and the progression of aging?
Don Quixote in Wellington
EQ and I continued our interest in the ballet.
She has recently returned to the dancing world after a couple years off; both for the activity, the enjoyment and the completion of her exam sequence as she has one more to complete.
Anyway- St. James theatre. The New Zealand ballet put on a ballet that(as usual) we had not seen. In fact we went in knowing nothing of the story but it it was simple to follow and enjoyable to watch. The music was a simple accompaniment rather than a real treat in itself as with some ballets. The costumes were bright, the set good and a simple humour about it. The delivery was slapstick in parts and quite camp in others.
The group dancing was well done. The individual performances were good even if a little formulaic in the way they were squeezed into the story line at time.
A positive review too.
Overall a good experience and a lovely evening with one’s daughter.
Coppelia at St James
As Eleanor is back for Easter, it was a good reason to enjoy the ballet again, and so we went to see a ballet that we enjoyed in the past.
The theatre was not full which seems to be a sign of the times, be it the arts festival, or on as different tack, the rugby at the stadium.
We were sat to one side which meant we could not see the balcony scenes, important of the first act-somewhat annoying. However, the performance was good and act 2, set in the workshop when the toys or mannequins come to life was really well done. The lead ballerina did not have a perfect night however.
Still it is great to got to these things and the company was good.
Monsieur Le President
Yesterday we saw ‘Being President’, shown during the French film festival. A documentary following the political activities of Francois Hollande. A bit long in truth, but interesting and entertaining. Despite the economic woes of the country, the extravagance of the pomp and ceremony is remarkable.
I also went to see ‘Belle& Sebastian’ with Isaac. Now that was a trip down memory lane, being a remake based on the television series of the sixties-of which I am sure I saw lots. Disney film in French??
Madame Butterfly
The buffs were at it again at the weekend. Another famous opera for us to see in Wellington. However, this time I was somewhat disappointed.
I am no expert on the nuances of opera but I do enjoy the spectacle: the mixture of music, acting, the extravaganza of the setting and the singing. However, for me, Madame Butterfly did not tick all the boxes. To my eye it is a one-dimensional production. The story is dominated by one character-the singer was great, but there was nothing else to it for me. It was very static, the staging was simple; a lack of the exotic or adventurous. The music did not set me on fire.
So, put this one down to experience-we will await the next time.
International Arts Festival- Episode Five
So the final outing of the luvvies of Khandallah.
Saturday night out to the Opera House to see “DJ Spooky” perform.
He is a mixer, multimedia artist.
The show was “Rebirth of a Nation”, his working of a 1913 film “Birth of a Nation”, a KKK propaganda film, with music mixing overlay. Sounded interesting so we went along with the other Wellingtonian hip dudes.
It was different, with flim playing on 2-3 screens with his added effects and titles and written commentary, with him standing of stage mixing the music. I was a bit diappointed because the use of the film was not different enough. Music was fine but not overwhelming to me, though the better half was on the the wavelength more.
Anyway, not something I have done before so worth the effort to see something new. A better review form my accomplice, so theoverallscore for the fesival is
3/5
Happy Cultural Times