There’s gold in them thar pages!
At a glance there aren’t many instantly recognisable films in this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival programme. But upon close inspection we found so many gems that Admit One’s bank account was emptied when we purchased tickets this chilly Wellington morning.
The more obvious choices this year include: Joss Whedon‘s low budget take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Steven Soderberg’s Behind the Candelabra (featuring a stand-out performance from Michael Douglas), The Past (Asghar Farhadi‘s follow up to A Separation), Sophia Coppolla‘s The Bling Ring (with Emma Watson), and Terrence Malick‘s The Wonder.
But there’s plenty you may not have heard of, but should definitely consider – Shane Carruth‘s intriguing Upstream Colour, the gripping documentary Blackfish, Sally Polley‘s stunning doco The Stories We Tell, Camera d’Or winning Ilo Ilo, gritty Irish drama What Richard Did, Adam Wingard‘s frightener You’re Next, the gorgeous animated film Ernst & Celestine, and this year’s acclaimed indie hit The Spectacular Now…to name but a few.
This year also features a remarkable number of exciting New Zealand films for your consideration, including Fantail, The Weight of Elephants, Sheen of Gold, Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song, Antarctica: A Year On Ice, and Utu Redux – a sensational-looking restoration of the Kiwi classic.
So now we’re off to the supermarket to stock up on Red Bull, and other sugar-infused treats, to get through a record number of films – 62 to be precise! Kudos NZIFF…you’ve outdone yourself again.
Here are all our picks, including a few stand out ‘Must See’ films you can’t afford to miss. Click on the film’s title to be taken to the associated NZIFF page.
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BIG NIGHTS
Behind the Candelabra
Giselle
Like Father, Like Son
Much Ado About Nothing – MUST SEE
New Zealand’s Best 2013 – MUST SEE
North by Northwest – MUST SEE
Only Lovers Left
The Past – MUST SEE
Utu Redux – MUST SEE
AOTEAROA
Antarctica: A Year on Ice – MUST SEE
Fantail – MUST SEE
Gardening with Soul
Romeo and Juliet: A Love Story
Scenes in My Head
Sheen of Gold – MUST SEE
Soul in the Sea
The Dead Ponies Gang
The Weight of Elephants – MUST SEE
FRANCE
WORLD
A Touch of Sin
Blancanieves
Ginger & Rosa
Like Someone in Love
Outrage Beyond
Stories We Tell – MUST SEE
The Selfish Giant
What Richard Did – MUST SEE
What Maisie Knew
FRESH
BOLD
Ernst & Celestine – MUST SEE
Heli
Leviathan
Mood Indigo – MUST SEE
Post Tenebras Lux
To the Wonder
Upstream Colour – MUST SEE
INDEPENDENTS
Frances Ha – MUST SEE
It Felt Like Love
Mud – MUST SEE
The Bling Ring
The East
The Spectacular Now – MUST SEE
INSIDE STORIES
Dirty Wars
The Gatekeepers – MUST SEE
Terms and Conditions May Apply
We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks
REAL
Blackfish – MUST SEE
The Act of Killing – MUST SEE
EXTREME
The Crash Reel
MUSIC
ARTISTS
Persistence of Vision
Us and the Game Industry
INCREDIBLY STRANGE
A Field in England – MUST SEE
Blue Ruin
Cheap Thrills – MUST SEE
Lesson of the Evil
Magic, Magic
Maniac
You’re Next – MUST SEE
V/H/S 2
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Wow, that’s a lot of films – all of which look outstanding. It might take another two weeks to recover from such hedonistic indulgence.
You agree with our picks? What are your ‘Must See’ films?
Have a blast at the festival everyone. As always, let us know your thoughts on the flicks you see.
The 2013 New Zealand International Film festival screens in the following locations:
Auckland: 18 July – 4 August
Wellington: 26 July – 11 August
Christchurch: 1 – 18 August
Dunedin: 8 – 25 August
Gore: 14 – 25 August
Palmerston North: 15 August – 1 September
Hamilton: 22 August – 15 September
Nelson: 28 August – 15 September
Tauranga: 12 – 29 September
Masterton: 16 – 30 October
Hawke’s Bay: 16 October – 3 November
New Plymouth: 24 October – 6 November
Head on over to the official NZIFF site (here) for more information.
