Film Festivals 2004
Another great year for documentary fans with the gripping 'Capturing the Friedmans', political offerings 'Control Room', Robert McNamara in 'Fog of War', and the disturbing psyche of 'The Corporation'. For music lovers there was the fascinating 'End of the Century: The Sory of the Ramones', 'The Mayor of Sunset Strip', 'Metallica: Some Kind of Monster' and 'Festival Express'. Hector Babenco broke a long absence from directing with the powerhouse 'Carandiru' while Zhang Yimou's lush 'Hero' made it to New Zealand screens along with 'Motorcycle Diaries', gut-wrenching Korean flick 'Old Boy', heart-tugger 'Osama' and the delightful 'Triplets of Belleville' to name just a few.
Carandiru (2003)
7.6/10
Director: Hector Babenco
Starring: Rodrigo Santoro, Milton Goncalves, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos, Maria Luisa Mendonca...
Carandiru, Brazil's largest correctional facility. Built to house 3,000 inmates, it is home to over 7,000 murderers, rapists, drug addicts and crimina... Read more
The Motorcycle Diaries (2003)
7.8/10
Director: Walter Salles
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo De La Serna, Mia Maestro
From executive producer Robert Redford and acclaimed director Walter Salles ("Central Station") comes a love letter to a continent and its people. Bas... Read more
Kaikohe Demolition (2004)
8.4/10
Director: Florian Habicht
Starring: Uncle Bimm, John Zielinski, Ben Haretuku
New Zealand small town Kaikohe made world news in 1991 when some of it's children attacked Santa in the local Christmas Parade. Florian Habicht's ("Wo... Read more
The Band Wagon (1953)
7.6/10
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Starring: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant
Delightful musical featuring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in a story line that revolves around the difficulties of putting on a Broadway show. Astair... Read more
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
7.9/10
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Penelope Wilton,...
There comes a day in every man's life when he has to get off the couch... and kill some zombies. When flesh-eating zombies are on the hunt for a bite... Read more
Lightning In A Bottle: A One Night History of the Blues (2004)
7.6/10
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Aerosmith, Natalie Cole, Chuck D, Mos Def, John Fogerty, Macy Gray, Buddy Guy,...
On 7 February 2003 at New York's Radio City Music Hall a magical night of music was filmed; produced by Martin Scorsese this unique coming together of... Read more
In My Father's Den (2004)
7.6/10
Director: Brad McGann
Starring: Matthew Macfadyen, Miranda Otto, Emily Barclay, Colin Moy, Jodie Rimmer, Vicky H...
Paul (Matthew Macfadyen), a prize-winning war journalist, returns to his remote New Zealand hometown due to the death of his father, battle-scarred an... Read more
Go Further (2003)
6.7/10
Director: Ron Mann
Starring: Woody Harrelson
From award-winning documentary filmmaker Ron Mann, "Go Further" explores the idea that the single individual is the key to large-scale transformationa... Read more
Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003)
7/10
Director: George Hickenlooper
Starring: Beck , Cher , Coldplay , Rodney Bingenheimer, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Elvis C...
When music scene demi-legend Rodney Bingenheimer was still an awkward unpopular teenager his autograph hound mother dropped him off in front of actre... Read more
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
7.1/10
Director: Joan Churchill, Nick Broomfield
Starring: Aileen Wuornos
Returning to the subject of his 1992 documentary, "Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer", co-director Nick Broomfield delves into Wuornos' t... Read more