Godfather
23 Reviews
Reviews
Zomboy
This was the film I most enjoyed in the heat, and I foresee a lot of potential from this team. They seemed more assured and filmically literate than a lot of young teams. The slapstick sense of humour was reminiscent of Sam Raimi or Bad Taste-era Peter Jackson - not rare in 48Hours, but not every team can actually pull it off with confidence. Finding a fresh take on zombie material is certainly not easy these days, but this story had a pretty original perspective. Odd coincidence: I used to live in that house about 20 years ago.
Tea is for Teleport
A woman tries to go to the kitchen to get her ungrateful husband a cup of tea, but her malfunctioning teleportation app instead sends her off on a series of madcap adventures. Well written and funny throughout, with some good action beats as well.
Tilting At Windmills
Fractured Radius’s best and most ambitious effort in years. Inspired by Don Quixote, as the title suggests, but also strong reminiscent of The Fisher King. The genuinely moving twist (yes, it’s contrary to the humorous tone of the majority of the film – that’s why it’s called a twist) was fairly effectively executed, but I think it needed a little more time to really sell it, while the set-up and gag-filled middle could have been tightened up a bit. Excellent work by the cast, particularly Tama Boyle. If he isn’t at least considered for best actor (not to mention best moustache) it will be a travesty.
STARSEED
This is one of the strangest 48Hours shorts I can remember seeing. If Alejandro Jodorowsky entered the competition, with sponsorship from a list of assorted local eateries and a tie factory, this is the sort of thing I would expect him to produce. The costume budget was genuinely impressive - all manner of bizarre and inventive 'blue avian' aliens. The plot was fairly rudimentary, but that wasn't really the point.
Under The Bridge
A young boy befriends a homeless man. This was genuinely beautiful. You don't generally see shorts like this without a New Zealand Film Commission logo at the start, playing before some lovely feature at the NZIFF.
Morgan Foster Presents: Mindcreep Cinema
You'd expect big things from this heavy-hitting team (former national grand final winners) and they don't disappoint this year. Their Criss Angel-esque Morgan Foster from 2014's Mind Creep returns, and this time he has reinvented himself as the Garth Marenghi-inspired host (if Marenghi was played by Matt Berry at his most manic) of a television horror anthology show, introducing a creepy little ghost story. If this film has a flaw, I imagine I would have to watch it several more times to spot it. Definitely one to watch out for in the final.
Zomboy
This was the film I most enjoyed in the heat, and I foresee a lot of potential from this team. They seemed more assured and filmically literate than a lot of young teams. The slapstick sense of humour was reminiscent of Sam Raimi or Bad Taste-era Peter Jackson - not rare in 48Hours, but not every team can actually pull it off with confidence. Finding a fresh take on zombie material is certainly not easy these days, but this story had a pretty original perspective. Odd coincidence: I used to live in that house about 20 years ago.
Stand Up
This was the slickest, most professional film in its heat. But what impressed me more than the visual polish was the well-controlled tone. The main plot - a workplace shooting - played out with genuine menace, which made the incongruity of the relationship drama very funny. It ended on a humorous gag, but something a little more fully realised could have made this a truly impressive entry.
Gym Buddy
This was a great example of script writing - the perfect level of complexity for a five-minute short. It managed to set up an expectation, subvert it, then twist back for an emotionally satisfying conclusion and a genuinely compelling buddy dynamic. Solid performances by all three of the main cast.