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CARNAGE review

New on An Online Universe this week

We checked out new trailers and/or art for  Two Little Boys and The Raid.

We reviewed the new Liam Neeson thriller The Grey, the Jason Statham action flick Killer Elite, and the charming My Week with Marilyn.

Finally, we suggested 4 podcasts that film-lovers might want to check out.

Coming up next week: Reviews of Contraband, A Dangerous Method, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and more. We will also be taking a look at our first Japanese film of the month.

We hope you’ve checked out the site and have liked what you’ve seen. Thanks for reading and we hope you’ll visit us again at anonlineuniverse.com

New on An Online Universe this week

We checked out new trailers and art for The Amazing Spider-man, The Bourne Legacy, and The Avengers

We reviewed the new Denzel Washington/Ryan Reynolds action flick, Safe House

Finally, we did snap reviews of The Help, I Saw the Devil, and Page One: Inside the New York Times. These films are all available to rent or own now.

Coming up next week: Reviews of The Grey, Killer Elite, and more. We give The Tree of Life a second viewing and share some film podcasts we think all film-lovers need to listen to.

We hope you’ve checked out the site and have liked what you’ve seen. Thanks for reading and we hope you’ll visit us again at anonlineuniverse.com

New Zealand Box Office 2011

Below are the 10 highest grossing films in New Zealand in 2011. 8 of the 10 are sequels, and no NZ films feature. The top grossing NZ films (Billy T: Te Movie and The Orator) both grossed less than NZ$800k. The Christchurch Earthquake and the Rugby World Cup are being stated as reasons for the 9% drop in overall ticket sales.

Top 10

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 $7,940,795

2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon $6,533,483

3. The King’s Speech $5,243,395

4. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 $4,396,151

5. Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides $4,213,269

6. The Hangover Part II $3,752,023

7. Kung Fu Panda 2 $3,750,805

8. Fast and Furious 5 $3,718,543

9. Bridesmaids $3,579,609

10. Cars 2 $3,539,994

(via NZHerald)

Favourite Australian Films

As a film enthusiast and new resident of Australia, I feel that is my duty to deepen my knowledge of Australia film. I have to admit that my knowledge is limited to the more main stream films which have had cinema releases in New Zealand. Films like Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Castle, Rabbit Proof Fence, Tomorrow When the War Began etc. The Castle is currently my favourite Australia film. It’s got so much heart and still gives me a laugh 14 years on (can you believe it’s 14+ years since it’s release?).

So I took to Twitter to ask my (rather knowledgeable) follwers what their favourite Australia film was. Thank you everyone for your contributions to my film education. List below! Note: some of these may not be strictly Australian films only, but I’m listed all that were nominated.

The following 4 films received the most votes

*The Castle (1997), dir. Rob Sitch

*The Interview (1998), dir. Craig Monahan

*The Proposition (2005), dir. John Hilcoat

*Two Hands (1999), dir. Gregor Jordan

The following films are the rest of your favourites (in alphabetical order)

*Animal Kingdom (2010), dir. David Michôd

*Babe (1995), dir. Chris Noonan

*Bad Boy Bubby (1993), dir. Rolf de Heer

*Balibo (2009), dir. Robert Connolly

*Candy (2006), dir. Neil Armfield

*Chopper (2000), dir. Andrew Dominik

*Gallipoli (1981), dir. Peter Weir

*Ghosts of the Civil Dead (1988), dir. John Hilcoat

*Lantana (2001), dir. Ray Lawrence

*Mad Max (1979), dir. George Miler

*Mad Max 2 (1981), dir. George Miler

*Noise (2007), dir. Matthew Saville

*Roadgames (1981), dir. Richard Franklin

*The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), dir. Stephen Elliott

*The Dish (2000), dir. Rob Sitch

*The Square (2008), dir. Nash Edgerton

*Wake in Fright (1971), dir. Ted Kotcheff

*Young Einstein (1988), dir. Yahoo Serious

Are any of your favourite Australian films missing from this list? Please tweet me!

Update #1 - More of your favourite Australia Films

*Beneath Clouds (2002), dir. Ivan Sen

*Hercules Returns (1993), David Parker

*Look Both Ways (2005), dir. Sarah Watt

*Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), dir. Peter Weir

*Romper Stomper (1992), dir. Geoffrey Wright

*Siam Sunset (1999), dir. John Polson

*Snowtown (2011), dir. Justin Kurzel

*Walkabout (1971), dir. Nicolas Roeg

Movies for a desert Island

Salon.com recently published an interesting piece called “Movies for a desert island”. In this piece the author picked the 10 single feature films, 1 short, and 1 self-contained TV season, they would have if they were shipwrecked.

I thought it might be fun to put together my own list. Below are the rules copied from the Salon article.

Here are the rules:

1. This list is composed solely of motion pictures and TV shows. Music, books, paintings and other media are not included. It is assumed that you’ll have an indestructible DVD player with a solar-recharging power source, so let’s not get bogged down in refrigerator logic, mm’kay?

2. You can list 10 feature films, one short and a single, self-contained season of a TV series.

3. NO CHEATING. Every slot on the list must be claimed by a self-contained unit of media. You can put all 15 hours of “Berlin Alexanderplatz” on the list because it’s considered one long film (or if you saw it in Germany, a TV miniseries), but you can’t put “The Godfather” and “The Godfather, Part II” in the same slot because “it counts as one long film” (it doesn’t!). You can’t put 10 seasons of “I Love Lucy” on their, either, or “‘Twin Peaks’ up through the part in Season 2 where we finally find out who killed Laura Palmer.” Part of the fun of this exercise is figuring out what you think you can watch over and over, and what you can live without. Stick to the parameters, otherwise we’ll have human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, and mass hysteria.

My list is below (warning: they are nowhere as highbrow as Matt Zoller’s)

Home Alone (1990), dir. Chris Colombus

To me this film is Christmas. I watch it every year on Christmas Eve without fail and I couldn’t imagine a Christmas without it. Although some aspects of the film are quite dated (no mobile phones to get hold of people!), the sense of adventure is not. Happiness in one neat 103 minute package. This is also one of the first films I owned on VHS, and the very first film I owned on DVD. I can’t do life without it.

となりのトトロ - My Neighbour Totoro (1988), dir. Hayao Miyazaki

In my opinion this is the most magical animation of all time. Never has an animated film swept me into it’s world in the same way that Totoro has (and still continues to do so when I watch it).

TV series - Black Books: Season 1 (2000), created by Dylan Moran

To me this show represents the best of British comedy and TV. It’s hard to believe that it’s over 10 years old, because the humour hasn’t aged. We’ve all got bits of Bernard Black in us; and I don’t know about you but some days I wish I could be more like him and less like me. It’s hard to pick a favourite episode, but at a pinch it would be ‘The Grapes of Wrath’. Watching Moran and Bailey re-create the posh wine with things from the garden is beyond hilarious. 

The Man with a Camera (1929), dir. Dziga Vertov

This film is not only beautiful but it is also a window into 1920s Soviet Union. What started out as a film in the 20s becomes a documentary in the modern area. One of the very few silent films that I can say I honestly enjoyed. I think I’d find something quite calming and immersing about watching this.

Top Gun (1986) dir. Tony Scott

I think if you’re stuck on a desert island you’re going to want to watch at least one fun 80s action film, so why not Top Gun? Tom Cruise at his hottest, I mean finest, I mean best…whatever. The soundtrack alone would be worthy of having on a desert island. I can imagine myself delirious with heat stroke, dancing around singing “Through the fire”. Classic 

The Baader Meinhoff Complex (2008), dir. Uli Edel

I saw this at the New Zealand International Film Festival a few years ago and it really blew me away. There was something about seeing people my age committing these crimes/protesting in this way, which really had an impact on me. This film has a very powerful and timely message - In search for a more human society you must not lose your humanity or you are part of problem, not the solution. I think a film about this era is important to have.

Short - Portal: No Escape (2011) dir. Dan Trachtenberg

My short would have to be 2011’s internet short orgasm of the year, Portal: No Escape. As a huge fan of the games, I was completely blown away by the sheer awesomeness of this short. Trachtenberg manages to transfer the creepy awe of the game perfectly to the big screen. I don’t get sick of watching this and somewhat hope we get a feature length film one day.

The Tree of Life (2011), dir. Terrence Malick

If you’re stuck on a desert island you’re going to have a lot of time to think; probably about the meaning of life and other such profound things. This film would be helpful in that situation. If your island is devoid of any plant or animal life, this film could provide your visual stimulation. Finally, perhaps if I watched it a few dozen times I could finally “get” it.

Wall.E (2008), dir. Andrew Stanton

I’m going to put it out there….this is my favourite Pixar Film. There is something about the messages of greed and waste in this film which really resonated with me. I actually cried watching it, like proper blubbing. This animated robot has more heart than almost any human character in film in the last decade. Well deserving of a place in my desert island picks.

生きる - Ikiru (1951), dir. Akira Kurosawa

To me this is Kurosawa’s masterpiece. One of the closest things to poetry in pictures. In a sense Kurosawa is doing in this film, what Malick is trying to do 60 years later in The Tree of Life. He is trying to explore the meaning of life and the point of our existence. How trivial your loyalty to your job of 30 years seems when at the end you realise you have nothing. This film is both heart-breaking and heart-warming. A lesson in living for the moment.

The Shining (1980), dir. Stanley Kubrick

If you’t going to be stuck alone on a desert island, why not scare yourself with the best there is? I get freaked out just thinking about it. That is all the reason I need to include this film.

宇宙戦艦ヤマト - Space Battleship Yamato (2010), dir. Takashi Yamazaki

Let’s face it - if you’re alone on an island, there are only so many films about the meaning of your existence that you want to see. If I’m feeling down and can’t go on, I want to laugh not cry. This film made me laugh more than any other that I’ve seen in cinema. The worthy holder of my ‘Best worst movie’ title. This movie has all the cheesy lines, bad acting, and cats in space that you could ever want. I’m going out with a smile on my face!

Weekend (dir. Andrew Haigh)

This film is one of the most touching films of 2011, and the best feature debut by a new director.

It tells the story of Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glenn (Chris New) who meet at a gay bar and have a one-night stand, which turns into something much more.

This film had so many lovely and really awkward moments that we all can relate to. I laughed so hard at they really cringe worthy goodbye on Russell’s doorstep the morning after they hooked up. 

While the film does deal with issues of coming out and discrimination, it is ultimately the story of a chance meeting between two people and the impact they have on each other’s lives.

Great cinematography and music round out this excellent film.

The song choice for the end of the film made me blub my eyes out.  Just beautiful.

My #5 top film of 2011 and my pick for best romance.

4.5/5