The Lumière Reader » Film

The Film Reader is the cinephile arm of The Lumière Reader. It publishes related news and editorials; features, interviews and essays; film and DVD reviews; film festival coverage; and an ongoing series of columns with a preference towards the marginal and underseen. [About Us]

Lumière's NZIFF coverage has wrapped for 2008. Festival features and reviews can be revisited below. The Editor's Post-Festival Report will conclude proceedings shortly.

Browse NZIFF Coverage

Interviews and editorial from the NZ International Film Festivals:

» Ben Russell on We Can Not Exist in This World Alone

» Adam Wingard on Pop Skull

» Yung Chang on Up the Yangtze

» Benjamin Gilmour on Son of a Lion

» Kathy Dudding on The Return

» Gregory King on A Song of Good

» NZIFF '08 Dispatch #3: New Illustration

» NZIFF '08 Dispatch #2: Priming the Melbourne International Film Festival

» NZIFF '08 Dispatch #1: Auckland, and onwards

» New Directions: the New Zealand International Film Festivals 2008

Pineapple Express: The funniest stoner movie I can remember. Seth Rogen's horsepowered performance anchors a consistently amusing flick. George Washington's David Gordon Green ably directs. Rogen effortlessly draws on his natural affability. He tells Lumiere his numerous acting roles aren't hard; generally they are "pretty similar" to his own life: "It's weird. I still think I'm lazy."

I'm Not There: My November DVD pick. Strong performances (especially gender-bending Cate Blanchett and poignant Heath Ledger), intuitive direction from Todd Haynes and Dylan's glorious music make this biopic exceptional. Like Dylan's autobiography Chronicles, it sensuously suggests the eponymous chamelon's enigma. (Warner/Icon, $39.95)

Tintin and I: Belguim's best export since Hoegarden recieves satisfying tribute in Anders Ostergaard's documentary. The exploits of the plucky young journalist are a veritable chocolate box. (Madman, $34.95)

Burn After Reading: No Country For Old Men is the film of the year. The Coens' new film is a sharp, comic counterpart. The Brothers skewer the dangerous farce of the Bush regime and McCain/Palin. Brad Pitt is hilarious as a gym dork talking about the Good Samaritan Tax.—Alexander Bisley

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