In Cinemas: November 29 - December 5

Only have time for a quick update, as this week I have scored a new job at Animation College NZ, as well as a chainsaw wound to the gut. These things are not related, but combined are exhausting me. And while my injuries are keeping me out of the cinemas, your excuse can't be as good, surely.


CURRENT RELEASES:

* BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is finally back from NZFF 2012. A rather unique film about a little girl in a fictional bayou, floods and prehistoric creatures. Pretty great.

* Now, while Rachael Wilson's documentary YAKEL 3D is "New Zealand's first 3D film", Auckland actually appears to only have a 2D version of it in Rialto's e-Cinema (Dunners has the 3D version playing). Back from DocEdge 2012, it's about a tribe in Vanuatu and their 108-year-old chief. Rachael will be there actually, at the 6 PM Monday screening for a Q&A!

* Charlotte Rampling and Gabriel Byrne have a new noir thriller out; I, ANNA also has Eddie Marsan from ALICE CREED and even Pussy Galore herself, Honor Blackman! Playing at The Monterey or in Rialto Newmarket's e-Cinemas.



* Actually, those Newmarket e-Cinemas are pretty busy this week. Minnie Driver tries to get her students to perform a musical version of THE TEMPEST in HUNKY DORY, if that's your thing.

* Also back from NZFF 2012 is WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Directed by Andrea Arnold (FISH TANK / RED ROAD), it's a pretty stunning adaptation. Playing in Rialto's big boy, cinema 3.

* In asian cinema this week, a terrible drought hits while the Chinese are trying to fight the Japanese; BACK TO 1942 (一九四二) plays on select Event screens and stars Adrien Brody and Tim Robbins, wait what?? Plus Hoyts have the South Korean diamond heist flick THE THIEVES (도둑들), which stars Kim Yoon-seok from THE CHASER & THE YELLOW SEA, Lee Jung-jae from THE HOUSEMAID and Simon Yam from IP MAN, the Lara Croft sequel and pretty much every Johnnie To film.

* Then in Indian cinema, we've got Hindi crime story TAALASH playing at select multiplexes and medical romantic thriller (??) AYALUM NJANUM THAMMIL arriving on Friday at Sylvia Park.

* I'd also like to point out that SHADOW DANCER is barely hanging on in its second week, so see it while you can. Also, COMPLIANCE continues at the Academy; if you're not convinced you should see it, let us try to convince you. Also, HOW TO MEET GIRLS FROM A DISTANCE and SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED start their run out at Pukekohe 3.



REPERTORY / ONE-OFF SCREENINGS:

* The new Academy Cinema is still managing to impress; they're piping in a live Q&A with the guys behind KLOWN (KLOVN - THE MOVIE) at 9:15 PM Friday. Not bad for $20, I still haven't checked out their new digs yet... Updated: the guests have cancelled, but the screening's still on for only $5!

* NOSFERATU is back for two live score screenings at The Vic! Guitar, piano, looping, etc...sounds interesting. The Vic also has ON THE ROAD returning, EDITH COLLIER: A LIGHT AMONG SHADOWS (NZFF 2007), VILLAGE BY THE SEA (NZFF 2012), the aforementioned SHADOW DANCER and a bunch more this week.

* MEMOIRS OF THE MONTEREY is the premiere of the 30 minute documentary about the Howick cinema. Entry by gold coin donation, 8 PM Monday at the Uxbridge Arts Cinema Club. Director Scott Boswell will chat afterwards, probably still riding high from the premiere of his film THE FALL GUYS that premiered in Auckland last weekend.

* 2007 documentary AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO plays at 2 PM Saturday as part of the exhibition "Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 - Present", which is on at the Auckland Art Gallery. And while this clip isn't quite The Who, I'm in Movie Marathon mode, so excuse the segway...


* Monterey has Pixar's WALL•E (2008) playing for $5 at 9:30 AM Saturday and Sunday. The Gus Fisher Gallery has the 30-minute film from 1988 THE WAY THINGS GO playing for FREE at 1 PM Saturday. It's outdoor cinema season already too, so THE BAND'S VISIT (ביקור התזמורת)(2007) plays for FREE at Silo Cinema 9 PM Friday night. Also, there is a rather early (it's not due till Boxing Day!) sneak preview of WRECK-IT RALPH 3D, only it's a Kid's Club Premiere and I don't know if I can join that...2 PM Sunday at Event if you're cleverer than me.

* And finally, the latest in the "National Theatre Live" series is TIMON OF ATHENS, directed by the guy who made THE CRUCIBLE and THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE. Playing at The Monterey, The Bridgeway and Rialto Newmarket.

All sessions above are accurate at the time of publication. Your best bet would be to check Flicks or the theatre website before attending. Please let us know in the comments if you spy anything we've messed up/missed out!