Change Your Image
OnewithTheClaws
Reviews
This Way of Life (2009)
Best Documentary of the Year. Hands down.
This is the most beautiful documentary I have watched this year, or indeed ever watched. It shows the true love that holds together an extraordinary family. The Karenas show that money doesn't equal happiness, that through adversity you can gain strength, and that even in the face of that adversity, with love and compassion, you can pull through. I think that Peter, speaking very candidly about his life, his perspective on existence (such as the concept of land ownership), and about what his family means to him is a wonderful example of what it means to be a real man in this country. He's obviously a hard man, but shows he has wisdom, restraint and compassion, and above all a reverence for the world. I have, since first seeing this documentary bought a copy for my own viewing, and have recommended it highly to everyone.
Black Sheep (2006)
Damn fine film.
After reading an extremely negative review of this, which COMPLETELY missed the point, I thought I'd write a far more 'accurate' review. In my opinion, this is one of the best of this type of horror movie i've seen. It's right up there with Peter Jackson's early work and Evil Dead. All the negative things the other reviewer was saying, the poor dialogue, and acting, the unrealistic effects, were deliberate, after all, the effects were done by highly skilled and trained effects people at WETA Workshops - who of course did Lord of The Rings. It is a horror comedy packed with clichés and subtle allusions, and full of New Zealand humour, which i concede probably doesn't translate well internationally. NZ is primarily a farming nation, we're a huge exporter of lamb, Farming is a huge part of our culture, and this blends that with our history of offbeat, slightly dark, and idiosyncratic cinema. It is a clever, quintessentially kiwi, homage to such previously mentioned horror comedies (or comedic horrors). That's what i like about it, it is a lot cleverer than it looks. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the film. If you like Peter Jackson's early stuff, you'll like this. Just don't expect it to be s***-your-pants scary.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Offensive, Purile, and REALLY REALLY FUNNY
I went to a free advanced screening of this last night. Its honestly one of the funniest things I've seen in recent memory. I had tears in my eyes.
I was offended (well I knew that I SHOULD be offended) by about 60 percent of what I saw or heard, but that didn't stop me laughing so hard it hurt.
Anyone who takes the offensive stuff in this movie seriously has no real sense of humour.
Funnily enough, while Borat is a bigot and a misogynist, some of the more offensive statements were made by real people.
I highly recommend this film to anyone with a sense of humour, and to those who aren't easily offended.
Anyone who has ever seen Borat as part of the Ali G show knows what to expect. I did, but even I was surprised at what he got away with putting into this film.
10/10 in my opinion. A must see.
Invader ZIM (2001)
Disturbing, Funny, and Brilliant.
Invader Zim is, in my opinion at least, the best cartoon that Nickelodean has ever made. Ren and Stimpy is a close second.
There are so many aspects to this show which made it so great. The storylines were wonderful, the characters were very very well done and very funny, and the style of the animation was brilliant. My favourite character is probably GIR, due to some of the best lines of dialogue ive ever heard coming from him. My favourite episode, well, i have no favourite, theyre all brilliant in their own way. I cant believe i know people who have never seen Invader Zim.
Jhonen Vasquez is a sick, twisted, funny, and brilliant man to have created this, and Johnny, and Squee, and I Feel Sick.
Its one of the greatest disappointments in television history that this series was stopped. I do hope theres a movie one day.