New Zealand – NZ Film Freak

Adios – Hybrid Blues

This is a paid review via Fiverr.

Hybrid Blues is a band that’s homegrown. The mature band members come from a wide range of backgrounds, but have all seem to have joined forces in New Zealand’s East coast city of Tauranga.

Their music is blues meets rock meets country, but it’s certainly upbeat! The rock and roll vibe of their song Adios reminds me of the darker rhythm and blues sound of Johnny Cash. I think it’s the guitar and gravelly vocals.

Adios tells a haunting story, supported by echoed vocals and a solemn guitar solo, which makes me think of The Eagles’ Hotel California.

The only thing missing is for the vocalist to totally let loose after the guitar solo. It’s as though the whole song leads up to a crescendo that isn’t quite there. I think the song should also continue the echoed vocals right through to the end with the story fading out; marching on past us.

Nevertheless, this would be an awesome band to see live! I think their passion is masked by a recording studio. I get the feeling that their live performances would give audiences chills.

It looks like they perform around New Zealand, so keep an eye out for them!

Check Adios out on Spotify!

This is a paid review via Fiverr.

Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore – Marlon Williams ft. Aldous Harding

marlon williams

After recently discovering the Kiwi brilliance that is Aldous Harding, I soon stumbled across this duet with another Kiwi icon, Marlon Williams.

Isn’t is strange, impossible to claim your reward,
I cannot explain, emotions I can barely afford to contain,
You’re the same, you hide away from anything that turns you on,
Nobody gets what they want anymore.

It’s a highly melancholy song, sung in a tone of despair. But it’s so dreamy and relaxing to listen to.

No words, only scream, could possibly protect you, you know what it means,
Two is the charm, a place therein around us and pray and pray,
And saying the name there is no blame, there is no shame, and even more,
Nobody gets what they want anymore.

There’s no animosity in the song, it just sounds like pure surrender to a really bad
situation. I think it’s a break up song:

What am I going to do when you’re in trouble,
And you don’t call out for me?
What am I going to do when I can see that you’ve been crying,
And you don’t want no help from me?
Baby, I can’t separate us out anymore.

It sounds like Marlon Williams is saying: ‘Something really terrible has happened but there’s nothing I can do about it. And that’s that.’

I love Aldous Harding. She’s the perfect choice for this song – it’s not as powerful when Marlon Williams sings it by himself in live performances.

Nevertheless, Marlon’s almost classical voice is faultless, and Aldous’s alternative style is perfect.

The music video to accompany this song is quite tongue-in-cheek (below), which I like. Marlon plays a waiter who keeps getting the orders wrong and ‘nobody gets what they want’.

Jodie.

Imagining My Man – Aldous Harding

aldous harding review

A blend of Joanna Newsom’s folk style and Kate Bush’s theatrical tone makes New Zealand’s Aldous Harding.

I had never heard of her before, but apparently one of her songs is on an advert back home at the moment.

The melody of Imagining My Man makes you melt; the soft keyboard and guitar relaxes you completely. The gentle clarinet (?) at the end is the cherry on top.

I’m going to answer, protecting
It can be so hard to forgive
It’s not what I thought, and it’s not what I pictured
When I was imagining my man

Her style of singing is certainly unique; I thought she was Swedish at first. But her distinctive voice is brilliant and full of emotion.

I love the rawness and honesty of Harding. I’ve watched a few live performances and she doesn’t hold back with exaggerated facial expressions. I heard her apologise ‘for what you’re about to see, but it’s all for the good of the song’ in the Tiny Desk Concert – I assume it was regarding her expressions. Nevertheless, I hope she doesn’t make a habit of apologising.

All my life (hey!) I’ve had to fight to stay
You were right, love takes time, hey, hey

I have since graduated on to another one of her songs, Horizon, which I love too.

Looking forward to hearing more of her!

Jodie

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

hunt1

Director: Taika Waititi
Writer: Taika Waititi (screenplay), Barry Crump (author of “Wild Pork and Watercress”) and Te Arepa Kahi
Released: 2016
Starring: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rachel House, Rima Te Wiata, Stan Walker, Oscar Knightly, Rhys Darby…
—

I really needed this film in my life.

Another Kiwi classic from director Taika Waititi, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is about a national manhunt ordered for a rebellious Kiwi kid, Ricky (Julian Dennison), and his foster uncle, Hec (Sam Neill), who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush.

[Reading wanted poster]: “‘Faulkner (Sam Neill) is cauc-asian’… Well, they got that wrong because you’re obviously white.” – Ricky Baker

A fantastically hilarious and beautiful tribute to everything that is Kiwi.

Sam Neill and Julian Dennison in hunt for the wilderpeople

After moving back to the UK, I didn’t realise how much I missed New Zealand until I bought the DVD of Hunt for the Wilderpeople. I also didn’t realise how much I identify with the Kiwi ways of life before finishing this movie.

For I can relate to the Kiwiana culture that courses through this movie, the humour, the landscape, the accent – once a cause for embarrassment to me, is now a twang that makes me feel overwhelmingly nostalgic and patriotic. I have concluded that the only English thing about me left is my crooked teeth.

I finished watching this movie with mascara running down my face (mostly due to nostalgic tears of joy and laughter) and an empty packet of Whittaker’s chocolate in my hand, while my feet were cosy in my New Zealand sheepskin slippers (you wouldn’t know it’s currently summer in the UK).

The main character, 12-year-old Julian Dennison, was absolutely phenomenal. He needn’t say much at all – his facial expressions are enough.

But I must say, Paula (Rachel House) has to be my favourite character. She made me laugh so hard! She’s absolutely hilarious. It’s not always what she says, it’s how she says it. Golden!

Paula (Rachel House) in Hunt for the WIlderpeople

“Well, I see he has a rifle. Just keep it away from this little guy. God knows what he’s capable of. OK, he’s all yours. No returns.” – Paula, child welfare

Of course, it wouldn’t be a New Zealand film if it didn’t have Rhys Darby in it! He makes an appearance as “PSYCHO SAM”.

Rhys Darby - Psycho Sam in Hunt for the Wilderpeople

A perfect film for homesick Kiwis. Loved it. I’m about to watch it for a fourth time this week.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – Through the Eyes of a Humble Kiwi

Having finished the vacuuming, dishes and tidying, I found myself sitting in a spotless house – with my one-month-old bachelors degree certificate mocking me on the wall – watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - can't smile Have. You. Seen. This!

It’s not even a guilty pleasure for me. I marvel at the fact that these people – also rattling around spotless ~~houses~~ mansions – actually exist. It’s like a social study! This is too easy to mock, so I won’t go too mad.

My favourite parts are when they cry. Not because I’m heartless, but because their faces don’t move. They don’t! They are botoxed and nipped and tucked to the point of having frozen features. I actually came across this montage of them trying to cry to illustrate my point:

Cassandra and Rose in Doctor Who — They remind me of Cassandra: A Doctor Who villain who was nothing but face and skin stretched on a frame after 708 plastic surgery operations.

Secondly, I’m constantly frustrated when they try to say words that begin with the letter ‘w’. Because their lips can’t touch. They’re too taut.

I sometimes wonder what would happen if I rocked up to Beverly Hills in my un-lifted face, and un-branded conservative clothes. Would I get double takes? Or strapped down to a surgical bed to be turned into a Beverly Frankenstein?

Their conversations make me laugh though. I wonder how much of a role the producers have in pushing them to react and talk in certain ways, because they get upset over the most absurd things…

Hair flick in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Such as when Joyce moved a bit of hair out of Lisa’s face, and Lisa shook her head and said ‘I don’t care, don’t worry about it’. Joyce was VERY offended and confronted her about it later, even reinacting it:

Are they aware of the things going on in the world that would benefit from the amount of attention they give to a strand of hair? I couldn’t survive there.

I’m also fascinated by the editing. If you’re edit-savvy, you’ll recognise the amount of unrelated reaction shots that are edited together. I’ve read papers talking about the manipulation involved in editing reality tv casts into stereotypes.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - I don't know what that means. Nevertheless, you have to acknowledge the skill involved. It’s an art. Combined with the music and sound effects, the edits are comedic regardless of who’s appearing in them. I don’t think editors get enough recognition.

I don’t want to treat these women as plastic people to point at… But are they aware of how they’re being portrayed? Maybe the amount of money I presume they get from the show helps them justify it.

It’s worth a watch. For educational purposes.

Jodie.

The Interview: Could it Cause the Disappearance of Cinemas?

The Interview film advert The controversial film we’re all waiting for [here in New Zealand and Australia] is of course, The Interview.

I’m sure you’ve heard all about it. Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the politcal satire comedy is causing quite a stir as the basis of the film is about the assassination of Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea.

The Interview film Having worked in a cinema leading up to the release of The Interview, I came to hear of the general LACK of buzz the film was receiving (before it’s release was postponed).

I heard people say – or maybe I just heard myself say – that it was going to be a typical Rogen film: crude, immature humour identical to that of This is the End, Pineapple Express, 40 Year-Old Virgin…

I honestly didn’t think many were super keen to see it.

That was, of course, until Sony Pictures got hacked.

The US FBI determined that the “North Korean government is responsible for these actions.”

The actor who looks like Jonah Hill, but I've forgotten his name... Apparently the major cinema chains pulled out and said they weren’t going to show the film. So the release was cancelled.

Suddenly, this film was the only thing we wanted to see! By telling us we can’t have it, makes us want it more.

That’s when Sony Pictures released the film for digital download, and made a record $15 million! It was the top online film ever. I wonder how much they would have made on opening night in the cinemas if there was no controversy or cancellations?

It begs the question: is this a turn in how we watch films, particularly new releases?

Black books tv show - cinema If we had the choice, would we bother going to the cinema at all? A loud audience, over-priced popcorn and day-old hotdogs… Why would we? We could just microwave popcorn and sit in the comfort of our beds watching new releases on our tablets.

If premieres meant a digital download rather than a cinema ticket, what would the industry look like?

No cinemas. Imagine that.

I’m sure we’re nearing the point of having hundreds of files on our laptops instead of wall-to-wall DVDs. Maybe we will invite friends over to each other’s flats for the film premieres.

As a side note, does this mean we are becoming independent, reclusive, or just plain impatient?

Michael Jackson eats popcorn at cinema gif Very interesting! It just goes to show that ‘they’ can cancel the release of movies, but a viewership is still inevitable, if not more inevitable.

Perhaps The Interview is the wake-up call the industry needs. I think we’re ready to jump into the next phase of movie-watching: what we want, when we want it. Even if it does mean the downfall of cinemas.

What do you reckon? Will the big screens stay no matter what?

(I bet you’re busting to see The Interview now, aren’t you!)

Jodie.

Lydia – Fur Patrol

I had no idea this rock band was from New Zealand (Wellington)! So crazy.

I love this song. I remember hearing a lot growing up and recently stumbled across it again. A song about letting go of somebody who has moved on to somebody else.

Am I surprised to see you here with Lydia,
She’s oh so nice and easier to love than I

Jodie.

Two Little Boys

Director: Robert Sarkies
Writers: Duncan and Robert Sarkies
Released: September 2012
Starring: Bret McKenzie, Hamish Blake, Maaka Pohatu, Filip Berg
—

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