No matter how you look at it, the shooting in Colorado will, and has, not only put a dampener on peoples excitement about the release of this film, but will bring up many questions about the connection between violence and films. But, that’s for another time and place.

Shock Head Soul, The Angel's Share, and Bernie, a trifecta of great films to get my festival started!
 
Shock Head Soul
 

My 4th, and last film of the day of the NZIFF, was one I picked purely because of the star of the film, Jack Black! He’s one actor that can hardly do any wrong, and even when he’s doing wrong, he’s still good for a few laughs.

My second film of the NZIFF, and third film of the day, was ‘The Angel’s Share’, and it was one I knew very little about. In fact, all I knew about it was the picture that advertised it, which was of the four main characters wearing kilts.

The New Zealand International Film Festival has begun, and my first film was 'Shock Head Soul'. It was introduced with a well made kiwi short film about a shocking medical practice I never knew existed in this country.

I got to see some great documentaries at the New Zealand international film festival last year, and this film was one of them.

When I first heard about this film I thought it sounded pretty cool, and when I saw the first trailer those initial feelings were locked in place.

When I first saw the trailer for ‘Ted’ a few months back I thought a perfect storm of comedy was converging.

It’s been a slow month for DVD releases and this was another of The History Channel shows I picked as I scrapped the barrel, and as with last week’s review, I just hoped this wasn’t going to be overdramatized as that one was.

I’ve been lucky enough to review a few Studio Ghibli films this month, and ‘Arrietty’ is one I tried to catch at last year’s New Zealand International Film Festival, but wasn’t able to fit it into my packed schedule.