There's a lot on this week, but really it's all about Johnnie To's DRUG WAR. More on that in a moment...
* If you missed ANTIVIRAL at Autumn Events and are wondering what a film by David Cronenberg's son is like, or just enjoy seeing icky things on camera, it's returned unexpectedly quickly and is playing in Rialto's e-Cinema.
* It's been a much longer wait for the return engagement of JURASSIC PARK 3D, but hopefully its accoutrement of 3-dimensionality has made that wait worthwhile. Now playing all over the place.
* THE COMPANY YOU KEEP seems to be crossing over the mainstream and arthouse cinemas - it's a Robert Redford-directed tale centered around The Weather Underground. Personally, we reckon it's going to have a hard task living up to the fantastic documentary on the group, even if its bombing-related subject matter is unexpectedly timely...
* More in the "returning from film festivals department"; HAUTE CUISINE opened the French Film Festival and will undoubtedly turn over crowds eager for inoffensive filmmaking for months, whilst the locally-produced documentary MAORI BOY GENIUS may have a shorter lifespan but augurs to be the more substantial of the two. The latter has a Film Talk at Rialto with filmmakers Pietra Brettkelly and Joanna Paul on Thu 2nd May at 6 PM.
* But, seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY: if you can see one film this week, make it Johnnie To's DRUG WAR (毒戰), screening exclusively at Hoyts Sylvia Park. Johnnie To is one of the living masters of Hong Kong filmmaking, having brought us such titles as EXILED, BREAKING NEWS, ELECTION, THROWDOWN, MAD DETECTIVE...the list goes on and on. And whilst his last few films have mined romantic comedy and drama, DRUG WAR could be a return to vintage To mayhem, and if you've ever loved a Hong Kong action film, you owe it to yourself not to miss this.
Is that all? No, it's not all: there's the heartwarming Korean comedy MIRACLE IN CELL NO. 7 (7번방의 선물) at Hoyts Wairau Park; this week's Bollywood offering, the action-crime drama SHOOTOUT AT WADALA at Hoyts and Event; MANET: PORTRAYING LIFE, an up-close look at the artist's works, plays at Rialto Newmarket; and there's a preview of GAMBIT, the Coen Brothers-penned remake of the Michael Caine film, sneaking into select Event cinemas at 10:30 AM Mon and Wed... not convenient for us, but maybe for you?
REPERTORY / ONE-OFF SCREENINGS:
* NZIFF's Autumn Events continue this week, and in addition to such returning titles as THE HOUSE I LIVE IN, WHERE THE CONDORS FLY, AFTER MAY, THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, GREGORY CREWDSON: BRIEF ENCOUNTERS, and THE DEEP, there are a few extra additions; in Jean-Luc Godard's VIVRE SA VIE: FILM EN DOUZE TABLEAUX (MY LIFE TO LIVE, 1962), Anna Karena ditches her family to act, but instead becomes a prostitute with pimps fighting over her. Playing once only, this Sunday at Academy Cinema.
* From Asghar Farhadi, the director of 2011's Iranian 'hit' A SEPARATION (جدایی نادر از سیمین), NZIFF also brings us 2009's ABOUT ELLY (درباره الی) as part of their Autumn Events selection. Drama, conversation and panic as 'friends' scour the beach for a missing girl's body. It's only playing once, next Wednesday at Academy, but it's the first of four Farhadi works to be shown in a retrospective; look for more next week!
* I like it when midnight premieres are an excuse for a double feature. Next Wednesday we've got STAR TREK (2009) and STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, which you can go see at 9 PM in Vmax, IMAX or good ol' regular.
* Down in Howick, Visconti's epic THE LEOPARD (IL GATTOPARDO)(1963) gets a spin on the big screen, and it's a movie that well deserves that scope. Catch it at Uxbridge Arts Cinema Club, 8 PM Thu 2nd May $8.
* Auckland Film Society, meanwhile, presents Terrence Malick's first film (and at least one of your contributor's candidate for the top 20 films ever made); BADLANDS (1973). If you missed out on Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen as young killers road-tripping back when the 35mm print played a couple years ago, this HD presentation is likely to be your best alternative. 6:30 PM Mon 6th May at Academy.
* An odd one for a one-night-only; London rapper Plan B has made a film! iLL MANORS threatens to be all hip-hop, crime and swearing and will only by playing at Queen St. Event, Fri 3rd May 9 PM.
* And then there is BEYONCÉ: LIFE IS BUT A DREAM. Not sure exactly what it is, but it'll be on at 7-ish Wed 8th May at select Event cinemas.
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!
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