Last Thursday I managed to stop the car somewhere with four bars on the phone and chat to Lynn Freeman (sitting in for holidaying Kathryn Ryan) about The Dark Horse and a couple of other NZIFF titles on Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon.
Documentarian Alister Barry talks to Dan Slevin about his latest film Hot Air, on screen at the New Zealand International Film Festival in July.
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By way of a sneak preview of a lot of what I will say on Rancho Notorious tonight, here’s this morning’s film segment from Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon.
As they say in the movies, “It’s quiet… too quiet.” Yeah, sorry about that but I’ve had a lot on recently.
Here’s the deal. In October last year (2013 if you are visiting here via Google and the date is not otherwise obvious) I had to stop editing ONFILM magazine due to the inconvenience of not being paid and had to find another gig. Cinematica was taking up a lot of also-not-being-paid time and, even though it was an enormous amount of fun and enjoyed by many people, it was impossible to justify financially the amount of time it took every week. Kailey leaving was probably the final straw.
Since Christmas I have been working as editor of FishHead magazine in Wellington, firstly as interim, then as former, and finally appointed to the permanent position in March. Learning a new magazine and a new market as well as getting a handle on the business side of things has meant that I haven’t had any time to keep these pages up. This may shock you but I haven’t even been able to watch as many films as I used to.
Anyway, FishHead is almost under control, Nine to Noon is chugging along and the private life is in the best shape ever, so it’s time to reinvigorate my personal expression engine — Funerals & Snakes. In June you will see a new look here and a return to regular reviewing. Subscribers to the email newsletters will also get their weekly updates once again.
When we meet Texan man’s man Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) at the beginning of Dallas Buyers Club he is a mess – a shocking, disreputable, selfish combination of drunk, thief, womaniser and gambler. He doesn’t look so hot either. Soon after that, during a routine hospital check – routine for Ron is the equivalent of an emergency for the rest of us – we discover why: he has AIDS and, because it is only 1985 he has very little time left to live.
But because the word “ornery” was invented in Texas, Woodroof has no intention of succumbing quietly, even stealing the experimental drug AZT from the hospital stores until he discovers that it is even more toxic than the disease he is afflicted by. A last chance stoned drive to Mexico introduces him to a struck-off doctor (Griffin Dunne) and a cocktail of drugs that could extend his life – and millions of others – if only he could get at them.
Kathryn Ryan and the team at Nine to Noon started back earlier this week after the long summer break. This week, I spoke breathlessly about the big summer movies including Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle – and also took a moment to talk up The Pa Boys which opens on Waitangi Day.