Film Festival Sneak Peak
Some of you will be like me and saving your pennies up for the 36th Wellington Film Festival. It hits town on July 20th and runs till August 4th.
If the early line up announcement of some globally anticipated films is anything to go by it’s going to be yet another great see festival.
My top 3 picks are:
- Perfume, starring the amazing Alan Rickman
- Eagle vs. Shark, a home-grown beauty
- Helvetica, a celebration of the world’s most beloved font.
Cinephilia: Opening This Week
UPDATE: How Much Do You Love Me? is also playing at the Lighthouse in Petone.
This week’s blockbuster is the third installment in the Pitt/ Clooney/ Damon/ Soderbergh smug-fest, Ocean’s 13. This time the 11 from the first picture are joined by Ellen Barkin and Mr Hoo-Haa himself, Al Pacino. Diminishing returns? You be the judge at Readings, Sky City Queensgate, Penthouse or Empire Island Bay.
More down-to-earth is the messed-up Aussie no-budget romance Puppy (Paramount), described as a “weird and wonderful journey”. Another messed-up romance starts Thursday at the Paramount: How Much Do You Love Me? stars Monica Belluci as a prostitute who gets paid 100,00 euros a month to live with a lottery winner – until the money runs out. Also starring Gérard Depardieu.
Bridge to Terabithia, Pierrepoint, Scenes of a Sexual Nature and Off the Grid – after the jump.
Why Science Fiction is the only legitimate artform of the 20th and 21st centuries
Local artist, writer and intellectual David Cauchi is giving an address at the Film Archive on Saturday afternoon.
David is a right old character, and also the painter of one of my favourite works of art – entitled The fab four (Tasman, Cook, Du Fresne, De Surville) (above).
More info after the jump.
Pirates vs. Ninjas
So in every city, there are always people who are stupid and misguided and wrong. That’s how we got Kerry Prendeghastly for a mayor, after all, and the bypass too. In another classic example of people who are backing the wrong team, these people are planning on dressing like ninjas to attend the first screening of Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Yo me hearties, rise up and fight off the evil ninja threat! Everyone knows that pirates are cooler. Thinking otherwise is like saying robots could win in a fight against tigers. As if!
MySpace Freebies hit Wellington
Back in Feb those lucky Auckland MySpace people had the chance to check out Evermore for Free.
Well Wellington, our time has come and it’s a goodie. If you are a MySpace member just add The Black Curtain to your MySpace friends and you’ll be told the secret squirrel location of the free screening of HotFuzz this Friday.
Why Go?
Well, to start it’s free.
To follow it’s by the genius minds behind Shaun of the Dead
To continue you get a special appearance & introduction by Peter Jackson.
If that’s not enough – it’s free, people!
My only hope is that Simon Pegg is as funny in person now as he was when he was in Wellington for the Laugh Festival back in the deep dark ’90s.
The horror!
Videoblood brings you ‘FIRST BLOOD’. This dvd project brings together 11 video artists and visionaries to create an original masterpiece with the only rule being that it had to finish within 90 seconds.
Filled with motion graphics, stop motion, claymation, porno, comedy, 3d, surgery, flying, dude, geisha, planets,cosmic arts, snails and all in one serving of 15 minutes.
The Paramount is a massive theatre, tell everyone to come along because it’s FREE! FREE! FREE!
Featuring work from:
Alistair Cheyne
Vincent Lowe & Jon Strang
Lakshman Anandanayagam
Mike Heynes
Sally Tran
Guy Capper
Matt Pitt
Paul Herschell
Sam Webber & Gareth O’brien
Ed Davis
Jeremy Mansford
Check out the teaser at:
www.videoblood.com
FIRST BLOOD DVD LAUNCH SCREENING FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3RD, 9:30pm PARAMOUNT THEATRE
Celluloid architecture
These days it seem like there’s a specialist film festival for every taste and interest: human rights, vegetables, silent films and even Phoenix dactylifera. There’s even one for architecture buffs, and the Wellington season starts at the Penthouse this Friday.
[Read on…]
Snakes! On a plane! In Wellington!
Not that long ago, the London Time Out ran a feature on pirates in London to celebrate the release of Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Way to be hip, Time Out. Everyone who’s anyone knows that the actual most important movie this year is Snakes on Plane – or as some like to call it “Motherfucking snakes on a motherfucking plane”. So, in tribute to this movie that opens on Thursday, the Wellingtonista is proud to present this very special activity guide to recreating snakes on a plane in Wellington:
Carnie Alert
Watch out Wellington, the (Wellington) Circus (Trust) is in town.
The Wellington Circus Trust is holding a fundraiser to try and raise $1200, to match a grant from Creative Communities Wellington.
On Friday 16th June the Paramount will be rocking from 10pm – 2am with circus acts, DJs, plus a screening of “It’s All Gone Pete Tong”.
It will be a splendid affair.
All for the bargain price of $15.00.
Bookings in person at the Paramount or call (04) 384 4080
More information here.
Can’t stop the serenity, Welly installment
The Wellingtonista, it may be revealed, harbours at least two fans of Joss Whedon, creative motivation behind such televisual works of staggering genius as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and, er, Roseanne.
So we are pleased to relay Michael’s announcement of a Wellington charity showing of Whedon’s film Serenity on Friday the 23rd at 7pm at Reading.
Many, this writer included, missed this fine film owing to its absurdly truncated run in local theatres last year. Now is your chance to see it in its natural environment while at the same time supporting Whedon’s favourite charity.
For more information, including how to obtain tickets (which are not available from the Reading box office) click here.