Gladiator II – Dir: Ridley Scott (13th Floor Film Review)
Gladiator II: A Rehashed Sequel that’s Equally Empty and Epic.
Here and The Red: Two Horror (or Horrific) Films Open on Halloween
Two new films open on Halloween in New Zealand. The Red is a horror film about a giant zombie kangaroo while Here, made by many of the same folks who brought you Forrest Gump, is just horrible.
A Mistake Dir: Christine Jeffs (13th Floor Film Review)
Christine Jeffs returns after a 16-year hiatus with a thoughtful film that addresses accountability, responsibility, transparency, bureaucracy and humanity. And it was shot in Auckland!
Joker: Folie á Deux Dir: Todd Phillips (13th Floor Film Review)
The Joker is back! Despite intentions to the contrary, the 2019 film has a sequel. That’s what happens when a film makes over $1 billion. Everyone wants more.
Loading Docs Showcase: Season 10
This year marked the 10th anniversary of Loading Docs, an initiative dedicated to platforming emerging and established filmmakers from Aotearoa to produce resonant documentary shorts that challenge and inspire.
Megalopolis: A Fable – Dir: Francis Ford Coppola (13th Floor Film Review)
The question on everyone’s lips as we left Auckland’s IMAX cinema last night was…”what did we just see?”
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Dir: Tim Burton (13th Floor Film Review) ***
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: A Mildly Amusing Pastiche
Thelma Dir: Josh Margolin (13th Floor Film Review)
93-year-old June Squibb sparkles in Thelma, a life-affirming comedy-action romp.
Midas Man – Dir: Joe A. Stephenson (13th Floor Film Review)
Post-Peter Jackson’s Get Back, interest in all things Beatle-related has certainly risen…not that it ever was floundering. So, what better time to release a film about the “5th Beatle”…manager Brian Epstein?
Blink Twice Dir: Zoë Kravitz: 13th Floor Film Review
Zoë Kravitz’s striking directorial debut, Blink Twice, is a must-watch #MeToo-inspired thriller.
The Substance – NZIFF Closing Night 13th Floor Film Review
The 13th Floor’s Shamin Yazdani has been busy sitting in the dark, catching as many NZIFF as she can including The Substance on Closing Night. Here is her review and a summary of what was good and not so good at the Film Festival.
Sasquatch Sunset – Dir: David & Nathan Zellner: NZIFF 13th Floor Film Review
Sasquatch Sunset is an absurdist feature dramedy that follows a family of sasquatches in their North American habitat over the span of a year. If you were to read the plot on paper, you would probably think the film is absolutely bonkers, but somehow it just works (despite the absence of dialogue!).
Alien Weaponry and Eno: 13th Floor NZIFF Report #4
This year’s Film Festival has been a goldmine for music fans with docos and dramas on everyone from Paul Simon to Ryuichi Sakamoto.
TRIFECTA: Problemista, Crossing, Head South: NZIFF 13th Floor Report #3
13th Floor coverage of the New Zealand International Film Festival continues. The 13th Floor’s Shamin Yazdani shares her thoughts on these three films:
Sunday At The Civic: 13th Floor NZIFF Report #2
The line-up of films at The Civic on Sunday found the NZIFF sending us to Scotland, Iran and Christchurch
13th Floor New Zealand International Film Festival 2024 Report #1
The New Zealand International Film Festival is now in full swing. Opening night was Wednesday. Here is The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda with his first dispatch after having viewed three films.
Soundtrack To A Coup D’Etat – Dir: Johan Grimonprez (13th Floor/NZIFF Film Review)
Soundtrack To A Coup D’Etat is a dense, complex film that documents a time when the US government used jazz as weapon.
Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line – Dir: Paul Clarke (13th Floor/NZIFF Film Review)
Aussie rockers Midnight Oil get a career-spanning look from director Paul Clarke who has also documented John Farnham and Lillian Roxon.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Dir: Kevin Costner (13th Floor Film Review)
A Flawed but Epic Old-School Western
In Restless Dreams: The Music Of Paul Simon – Dir: Alex Gibney (13th Floor/NZIFF Film Review)
Doco-meister Alex Gibney gives the life and music of Paul Simon an exhaustive look in this meticulously-made movie titled In Restless Dreams: The Music Of Paul Simon.