Author: James Partridge

Traces of Nut win 48HOURS. See their film, ‘The Sleeping Plot’, here!

Posted by | Jul 17, 2013 |

Traces of Nut, those 48HOURS stalwarts and the geniuses behind the 2012 smash comedy How to Meet Girls from a Distance, were last night crowned Grand National Champion of this year’s 48HOURS guerrilla filmmaking competition. With more than 800 entries, competition was tough. Their 4-minute black comedy, The Sleeping Plot, tells the tale of a 10-year-old girl trying to save $37 to buy a plant for a departed friend. She’s a smart cookie and finds ingenious ways to raise the funds, including creating a swear jar and duping her parents into swearing profusely. But all may not be what it seems… The girl is played by director Dean Hewison‘s daughter Nova Waretini-Hewison and her performance is sensational – little wonder she took home the Best Actress award on the night. That young lady has a very bright future. In a clever move, the film is all shot at the young girl’s level so you never see the faces of the adults on screen – which works brilliantly, especially during the more comic moments. So it’s not surprising The Sleeping Plot also garnered awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography. Traces of Nut is made up of Hewison, Richard Falkner and Sam Dickson. If you need evidence of their brilliance, here’s their winning entry for you to enjoy: But there was more than one winner on the night. Here they all...

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Meet the characters and cast of Disney’s ‘Frozen’

Posted by | Jul 16, 2013 |

Disney‘s new animated feature Frozen promises a wondrous wintry adventure. It’s the story of a daring young girl (voiced by Kristen Bell) who teams up with a mountain man and his loyal reindeer to free the kingdom of Arendelle – from the icy grip of eternal winter unleashed by Anna’s sister. As you might expect, our intrepid trio meets many colourful characters on its journey, including mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman. Recently released images and bios introduce us to the main characters and the acting talent involved – and we have them for you right here. Released in New Zealand on 26 December, Frozen is directed by Chris Buck (Tarzan, Surf’s Up) and Jennifer Lee (screenwriter, Wreck-It Ralph). . Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) Anna is more daring than graceful and, at times, can act before she thinks. But she’s also the most optimistic and caring person you’ll ever meet. She longs to reconnect with her sister, Elsa, as they were close during their childhood. When Elsa accidentally unleashes a magical secret that locks the kingdom of Arendelle in an eternal winter, Anna embarks on a dangerous adventure to make things right. Armed with only her fearlessness, a never-give-up attitude and her faith in others, Anna is determined to save both her kingdom and her family. Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) From the outside, Elsa looks poised, regal...

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Cinema Release Round-Up: 11 July

Posted by | Jul 11, 2013 |

Monsters reign this week; whether it be giant manga-inspired behemoths hell-bent on annihilating us all or more family-friendly creatures interested in tickling our funny bones. But if monsters aren’t your bag, there’s also an indie drama, a buddy-cop comedy and a bit of (not so) live theatre. . Opening today: . MONSTERS UNIVERSITY……FILM OF THE WEEK USA | 110 minutes | Animation, Comedy Director: Dan Scanlon (Mater and the Ghostlight) Cast: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Jennifer Tilly, Steve Buscemi, Frank Oz, John Ratzenberger, Helen Mirren, Charlie Day, Alfred Molina, Aubrey Plaza, Nathan Fillion, Bill Hader The prequel to Monsters Inc. takes us back to where the bromance first began – the hallowed halls of MU (aka Monsters University). But before Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan became best buds, they were fierce rivals; both with dreams of becoming champion scarers. Monsters Inc. is my favourite Pixar film and this prequel looks every bit as entertaining. Pixar, you’re back on form! Distributor: Walt Disney . EPIC USA | 102 minutes | Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy Director: Chris Wedge (Ice Age, Robots) Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell, Jason Sudeikis, Beyoncé Knowles, Johnny Knoxville, Aziz Ansari, Steven Tyler A teenage girl is transported to a secret universe of Leaf Men and Brave Bugs, where she becomes embroiled in their fight against a Spider Queen and her army. Looks like fine...

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