Where New Zealand Has It So Right in Terms of Females in the Film Industry

White Lies

So, not so long ago, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug came out, and because I'm the worst NZ film fan, I've forgotten about it already. Mainly because I was a little pissed to find out that the premiere they had last year was the only one they'd be having in NZ, so I missed out on my chance to cry over Queen Cate Blanchett. Alas, as you all ride your orcs to spend three hours in Middle Earth - which is actually all of NZ - I thought it was high time that I highlighted a couple of other fantastic NZ films from this year and how NZ has got it so right with its film industry.

Now, I have a bit of an aversion to NZ films as a whole. Which is part of the reason why I'm headed to Canterbury instead of Victoria for my film education, as Victoria is mostly NZ based. I'm not sure what it is, but our accents make for some pretty terrible acting, and everyone's least favourite soap, Shortland Street, kind of ruins any credibility NZ has on screen. However, a little while ago I watched a couple of 2013's biggest hits NZ film wise, White Lies and Shopping, and one thing I noticed is that damn it is a good place to be a female in the film industry at the moment.

My Unofficial 5 Worst and 10 Best Films of 2012

Oh hey, so since the year is ending and I've seen less than five 2012 movies (okay, that's a lie, but seriously, I haven't even seen Argo), I thought I may as well still do list the films I loved and loathed from the small selection I've seen. As I explained last night, these are films that had their American release date (or in the case of one of them, will probably not have an American release date so it is the NZ release date) this year, because I've already cleaned up 2011. First, let's look at the five worst films I've seen this year.

5. Rock of Ages
I really liked Adam Shankman's last musical, Hairspray. All I wanted was a nice, groovy musical with toe-tapping, feel good, sing-along songs. I got auto-tune piled upon more auto-tune. Gee thanks, Glee.
Tom Cruise was at least okay and really seemed to be in his element as filthy rocker Stacee Jaxx, but the rest were just people singing and dancing like they'd been boosted up on energy drinks. In other words, nothing was very good at all.

4. Battleship
Forgive me when I say that I didn't have very high expectations for this film, based on the board game. And those expectations were met: there were a lot of explosions for two hours, accompanied by a lot of slow-mo, and not much else. Oh Liam Neeson, what were you thinking when you decided to be in this movie for five minutes? You too, Alexander Skarsgard. I practically watched it just to see you being hot and you got killed off so I had to spend the remaining five hours with Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna. Yay.

Kiwi Cinema Showcase: The Most Fun You Can Have Dying

Despite hailing from the green grassy land of New Zealand, I can't say I'm too keen on our output of films. I'm not sure what it is, but it mostly has to do with the fact that we have horrible accents. I know that you all said that I have an "adorable accent", but you try watching Shortland Street for a week and you'll know just how horrible they sound. However, I'm always keen to give things a go, so every now and again, I'll showcase whatever NZ film I've seen lately. And liked, hopefully. First up is the very recent The Most Fun You Can Have Dying, which is out on DVD in NZ at the moment - I'm not sure if it has any distribution anywhere else but it sure as hell deserves to.

Based on the novel Seraphim Blues by Steve Gannaway, The Most Fun You Can Have Dying follows Michael (Matt Whelan), a young man diagnosed with cancer. Instead of staying at home and feeling sorry for himself, Michael sets out on a path of self-destruction by partying, having sex and drinking copiously. His community bands together to raise enough money for treatment that could possibly save his life, but he decides to take the money and escape on an OE to live out the rest of his days. In Europe, he meets up with Frenchwoman Sylvie (Roxane Mesquida), who is an equally self-destructive person. And yeah, we get to see a whole lot of nice locations. Nice locations in which are used to their full potential, because director Kristin Marcon knows how to make a film, as opposed to shooting a film. That's another thing I find slightly annoying about NZ cinema - so few want to push the ballot and try something as small as different angles or filters. But Marcon gives an otherwise extremely dark film such vibrant beauty, with undertones of the French New Wave coming through time and time again. She's one director who we ought to watch...and yeah, I'd just like to point out that this is yet another talented female director to come out of NZ, so there's hope for me yet.