murder – NZ Film Freak

Knives Out

Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson
Released: November 2019
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Christopher Plummer
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I love whodunnits!

My friend and I have read multiple Agatha Christie novels, and while we always try to figure out the culprit before the end, we never seem to be able to get into Agatha Christie’s head.

After hearing that Knives Out was a sort of Agatha Christie mystery, I decided that I had to watch it.

While it has all the tropes of a murder-mystery, it is in fact far from being a classic or typical murder-mystery.

As a result, I found it a tiny bit disappointing. Because Agatha Christie novels are perfect in every way, and Knives Out seems to try to one up her… Which is impossible to do without the story becoming over complicated or outlandish.

The thing is, the entire plot is given away too early – or at least that’s what I thought. As though we were told too much too soon. Of course, it all makes sense when the final twist at the end knocks you off your feet. But still, I was looking forward to be taken along for the Agatha Christie ride.

Nevertheless! The enormous amount of twists and turns are sure to keep you hooked, so long as your suspension of disbelief remains.

I loved the cast and characters – Toni Collette has always been a favourite of mine, and Daniel Craig did a surprisingly good job of being an investigator from the deep south! The mansion itself seems to be a character on its own too – the aesthetic is spectacular.

Overall, it’s a good popcorn movie that you don’t have to think about too much. Every scene has been carefully choreographed, with a huge attention to detail.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Two Little Boys

Director: Robert Sarkies
Writers: Duncan and Robert Sarkies
Released: September 2012
Starring: Bret McKenzie, Hamish Blake, Maaka Pohatu, Filip Berg
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I am so disturbed! Okay, I know it was a black comedy, but where was the comedy?

It was about Deano (Hamish Blake) who showed his ability to dispose of the man that his friend, Nige (Bret McKenzie) accidentally killed. They both go on a wild adventure to dispose of the body, eventually Deano decides to cut the body up. He comments on the consistency of the spinal chord of the corpse in gruesome detail with sound effects to match.

The story continues as he plans to murder Nige’s new best friend, a large security guard who I thought was the funniest of all three.

This movie was nothing like I expected it to be. After watching Hamish and Andy’s Australian television series, I was expecting it to be more of that kind of slap-stick, silly comedy. But it really wasn’t… It was just… Freaky.

Hamish and Bret — “Just doing some washing…”

I actually couldn’t tell you any specific jokes I liked to be honest… The story was easy to follow and straight forward, but nothing really stood out. (Except for the parts that made me cringe…) If you have seen the film with Dylan Moran in it named “A Film With Me In It”, you’ll know what I mean when I say that it was a dark film that almost made you feel guilty by laughing either out of nervousness, or at the few funny parts.

Don’t think that it’s a kiwiana film with deep and meaningful themes, nor is it a movie that expresses the kiwi humour. It does, however, present the 1980s New Zealand in a way that seems pretty legit’. It is certainly aimed at the New Zealand audience.

It’s probably not a film you would be buzzing about and talking about after… Probably not something you would watch more than once either. If you want to have a laugh, watch the trailer.

Jodie’s rating: 4/10