Made in Wellington, this effects-laden, apocalyptic tale about a group of young people dealing with the final days of life is the debut film of Edward Lynden-Bell. Alice is in her 20s, a graduate with a shitty job. Julian sells his soul to the devil's cousin. Zoe is attempting to overthrow corporate capitalism through counter-propaganda, while Greg is building a bomb. Josie’s just been sacked. Petulia, a 14-year old goth, has befriended Julian’s disembodied shadow… kind of. Meanwhile the sky is cracking apart, whales walk the earth, and a colossal tidal wave threatens to destroy the planet. And a bumble bee’s life hangs in the balance. It's complicated.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
New Zealand’s capital of culture churns out more creative produce, this time on a more modest scale than any of Peter Jackson’s Wellywood escapades. It’s a story about the messy lives of a group of almost-adults, enlivened by a familiar setting and creative use of special effects.
The story itself is a loose mosaic of interconnected vignettes that play out like a mix tape. While this means the greater narrative arch can meander, it also allows for some interesting observations about the nature of politics, art and personal identity. Furthermore, it frees up first time director Edward Lynden-Bell to use leftfield concepts like mini films within the film and other radical structural concepts. Combined with visual effects that work as both story components and attractive transitions, it’s obvious that Lynden-Bell is blessed with a highly original imagination.
Sally Martin, as Josie, is the star every time she’s on screen. Others in the cast seem a little green and can’t always pull off the mix of deadpan humour and subtle emotion that some scenes call for. The biggest drawback is the small budget. If given more opportunities, you can easily see this being the start of something big for a lot of those involved.
By Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz
A tidal wave hangs over the city of Wellington... Whales walk the streets... It's not your average blockbuster... in fact quirky is an understatement, but what a fantastic calling card for director Edward Lynden-Bell! This is his first film and he nails this tale of love and wonderment that resides in the most intriguing of worlds. They might be on the brink of disaster, but that is only the backdrop for the real lives of these characters, because as the tag-line says: 'In a world where whales walk the earth, you still gotta go to work.' What an imagination! I for one can't wait to see where Lynden-Bell's next film is set!
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 12th Mar 2009.
Release date: March 12th 2009.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
