An incredibly slick looking comedy with an awesome performance at it's center.

I think smaller teams could learn a lot from GOING SOLO, especially in its lean story structure. Remember teams, there's nothing wrong with your film being a set up to a punchline, and if the punchline is good enough, you could even win!

Deserving of the city win - everything in this film really is 10/10. It looks gorgeous, it sounds perfect, the editing invisibly does a lot of the world buidling, and the story doesn't overstay it's welcome.

Aaron does a fantastic job playing off himself, where he plays two versions of the same guy with uncomfortably good chemistry with himself, and playing two very distinct versions. I especially loved the little montage with the love song playing - its borderline emotional. I also loved the reserved moments of insatiable lust we get glimpses of as these two multiverse selves undress each other with their eyes.

I've heard a few interesting critiques of this film - some pointing out that it doesn't feel right that you'd adopt another universe's unique qualities when traveling there (eg. if you travel to poop out your mouth universe, you'll poop out your mouth yourself) - but I think this could have been fixed with a smaller instance happening towards the beginning, perhaps there's some other physcal inconsistency the traveling Aaron notices happening to him?

My bigger note would be, and I'm sorry to take it here, but GOING SOLO is shockingly similar to Rabid Auntie Jean's co-director's previous Chch city winner A FAMILIAR FEELING (Two lovers meet at a bar who have some kind of incestuous connection, ultimately ending in some kind of awkward road block). It's hard, because maybe the film shouldn't be judged this way (and clearly it wasn't), but I do wonder if the filmmakers could have embraced more of a challenge here instead of replicating previous success. This brings me to...

Challenge for next year: Embrace more challenge! I think you've shown you can create an incredible film mostly set in doors, so show me what you're able to pull off mostly outdoors! Take me on a journey from point A to point B. Or don't. Do what you want!

Who cares if this film is similar to the winner from a few years ago. Every film is similar to other films in some way or the other.
The things that makes films like this so enjoyable are the differences and small details. The Hilarious posters about the mints and how it tied it self up in a perfect wee twist, which was set-up out but bet no-one saw coming was great.
Cant wait to watch the film again. And I bet everyone who watched this film was swept up in the journey just like I was, enjoying every minute until that final scene:)
Great cinematography- great acting - great script. BOOM

Loved this film so much. A struggle I'm pretty sure everyone can relate to executed in a hilarious fashion. A perfect blend of suspense techniques enhanced the comedy ridiculousness of the whole endeavour.

Our only complaint is we have to wait so long to watch it again.

THIS FILM IS SO EPIC. WE'VE SEEN IT 1 TIME AND EACH TIME WE WATCH IT IT GETS BETTER!!!

For some reason this film gave some Rick and Morty Vibes - don't ask me why - but its quite apt as R+M is heavily multiverse. so bravo:)
A fun film which will have you cracking up... even if you're sitting at home alone watching it... eating 3 day old pizza... in your underwear... surrounded by cats...

Totally not speaking from experience.

Superb film

Umm what the actual...

a romp into a post apocalyptic submerged world........ W all around

tim and his team really leans into their strengths on this one. No-one can say that the effort and execution of the set wasn't topnotch.

great film, much cinematography, such production design

Possibly the best 48hours film there ever was or will be.

Severely disappointed to see this film take home the win. Yes, formally great, Ok. However, in times of climate emergency and severe ecological threat, the narrative of this film felt exceptionally naive. Again, we are seeing the age-old trope of individual change and micro-action (in this case, walking instead of driving to school) offer a cathartic solution to the enormous issues of climate change. I am not suggesting we abandon our duties to the planet, but many of us are sick of seeing moral messages that shove ecological responsibility onto those with minimal means to make any substantial difference.

The fact that soft-ecological-solution-porn takes the top prize for NZ’s largest film competition worries many of us. The judges, whether they like it or not, are cultural curators, determining the fate of filmmaking and the way political issues are advanced on-screen. Why are they rewarding the exact mediocre solutions the state has advanced for the last decade? Have we not learned that we need to do more than what this film advocates? Where are the radical filmmakers? Has this competition weened them out?

Wow the movie is amazing, I enjoyed every part of it