Oh yes Tom is backing trying to kill or maim himself as Ethan Hunt for our viewing pleasure! I sat down on the TVNZ Breakfast sofa with the lovely Melissa Stokes and we talked perfect popcorn escapism for the long weekend along with some quality Pedro Pascal objectification (Cannes Out Guns Out 😎)
Tom is also joined by Wes for the weekend.. who cast one of my all time favs Benicio as his main protagonist - bravo!
So welcome to your latest edition of The Projector… complete with this self-confessed diehard Wes Anderson fanatic reporting for duty. And as I snuggled into my comfy cinema seat ready for his latest confection direct from Cannes I was in my happy place. So many memorable movies delivering me so much delight over the years, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel are all revisited with alarming frequency and Life Aquatic? Don’t even get me started on Steve Zissou’s wounded bravado and that Sigur Rós needle drop. Does his latest film The Phoenician Scheme hit the sweet spot? Plow on Dear Reader for my review below.
It has of course been a BRILLIANT few weeks for the cinephile with the Cannes Film Festival dominating our feeds. Stoked to hear local distributor Madman Entertainment has secured the rights for Sentimental Value and Sirât - not to mention the Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident - for kiwi audiences.
Madman has a huge slate this year, they’re also releasing kiwi filmmaker Rob Sarkies’ latest film Pike River. The first trailer has just been released ahead of the film’s world premiere late June at the Sydney Film Festival showcasing the powerhouse pairing of Robyn Malcolm and Melanie Lynskey. The film will hit local cinemas later in the year.
And speaking of film festivals, the Intrepid French Film Festival Aotearoa has just kicked off and rolls out across the motu! Lucky ole moi has the honour of being the festival Patron this year (mon dieu!) and you can dive into my video reviews across your socials by making sure you’re following me (@kate_rodger) and/or the festival!
Better get booking - sessions are selling out fast - and if you’re even faster, the first FIVE of you to comment below will get a double pass to the festival! Simply tell me the one film from this year’s line-up you most wanna see - pop it into the comments - and I’ll fire you out a couple of freebies ;)
My Top festival picks so far are:
Holy Cow
My Brother’s Band
The Count of Monte Cristo
Now, lets dive into this week’s latest release!
NEW RELEASE
The Phoenician Scheme
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am, for the record, as aforementioned, a card-carrying member of the Wes Devotees Club. So please believe me when I say: I wanted to love this one. I expected to love it. I dressed up my heart in mustard corduroy and emotionally prepared myself for whimsical devastation.
And, as always, Wes Anderson’s latest tale is undeniably gorgeous — every frame a curated diorama, every performance delicately deadpan. But somewhere beneath the muted pastel perfection, the feeling got lost. And for the first time since Moonrise Kingdom, I found myself craving less colour and more connection.
This whimsy centres on a father/daughter dynamic; Benicio del Toro’s billionaire Zsa-zsa Korda and Mia Threapleton’s nun Liesl. Korda is constantly surviving assassination attempts and Liesl is as devout as any young self-respecting nun should be. They barely know one another and as the chaos of her father’s life becomes clear, dear Leisl’s faith will be tested.
As is de rigueur, many a Wes faithful shows up on screen to flesh out the cast. Tom Hanks is back after his delightful outing in Asteroid City and with Bryan Cranston by his side. Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray and Jeffrey Wright are almost cameos but still present and accounted for. New to the fray and an absolute highlight for me - Michael Cera - looking and feeling like he has belonged in the Wes Universe all his life. And then… the much talked about appearance from Benedict Cumberbatch late in the peace (and worth waiting for).
But… (and you knew the “but” was coming! ) for the first time in his filmography, I found myself marvelling at the craft, while desperately searching for the connection. What I got was a film so meticulously constructed, it felt hermetically sealed — all style, no oxygen. But the soul? Somewhere between the layers of meta-narrative and set-design porn, the emotional core slipped through the cracks.
So worth the ticket price you ask? If you’re diehard Wes-aholic then yes. If not? I’d sign up for Tom Cruise instead.
WINTER WARMERS - YOUR WEEKEND BINGES
Not sure how you’re been feeling lately but I’ve been absolutely knackered for no good reason at all - full hibernation-binge mode activated! I’ve found solace in my small screen and along with the final EPs of The Last of Us and The Handmaid’s Tale I’ve dived into a tonne of other shows new and old.
Mr 12 and I have somehow binged all six seasons of Cobra Kai and I kinda dug it (he LOVED it) ! In fairness I managed to miss many an EP but it didn’t seem to impact on my ability to follow what was happening ;) We’re both pumped to see the new Karate Kid: Legends when it hits the big screen over the next school hols.
Next, I talked him into watching, of all things, Lost! I never got into the show at the time so off we crash-landed into JJ Abrams crazy island and it’s motlet crew of survivors. We’re only half way through S1 so no spoilers please (ha!).
But for new to streaming - soooo much to choose from! Here are some of picks to add to your weekend watchlists…
Murderbot: AppleTV+
Meet Murderbot: part security droid, part sarcastic introvert, fully uninterested in your feelings and delivered with deadpan deliciousness by Alexander Skarsgård. Adapted from Martha Wells’ cult-fave sci-fi series, this is a sharp, smart, and surprisingly emotional exploration of identity, autonomy, and what it means to not be human - and I’m LOVING it. The icing on the cake? Exec directed by brilliant NZ filmmaker Toa Fraser who brings fellow kiwi Roseanne Liang for the ride directing several of the EPS. Dive in people!
Sirens: Netflix
Netflix's latest limited series Sirens features Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy and Milly Alcock in a show which I smashed and kinda loved and have been thinking about a fair bit since. The five-episode dark comedy unfolds over a single Labor Day weekend at the home of the super-wealthy Kell family residence on the fictional New England island of Port Haven. Recovering alcoholic Devon (Fahy) gatecrashes the annual Gala festivities to “rescue” her estranged sister Simone (Alcock) from the grips of her overbearing boss Michaela (Moore) but things are absolutely not what they appear. Never really could pick where this show was going and that made me happy. Addictive bingeing so beware!
Andor: Disney+
I’m gonna devote an entire Projector to this show but meantime know this: if you’re a Star Wars fan and you’re NOT watching Andor then hand in your light saber you’re not worthy. And if you’re NOT a Star Wars fan? This show is for you, and not in a gateway kind of way. You many never watch another Star Wars but you will NOT regret the time you spent bearing witness to the birth of a rebellion I promise you. One of the best written shows ever made. S1 AND S2 streaming on Disney+
Nine Perfect Strangers: Prime Video NZ
S1 saw nine stressed-out city slickers heading to a bush boutique wellness retreat to “transform” their lives. What they got instead was Nicole Kidman with a Russian accent, experimental therapy, and secrets thick as essential oils. S2 is essentially the same but in the snow and with a cast which includes the always excellent Christine Baranski alongside Triangle of Sadness stand-out Dolly de Leon. I smashed five EPs back to back and then strangely haven’t been back since. Thoughts film fam? Love hate or meh?
The Pitt: Neon NZ/HBO Max
The Pitt is a gritty, real-time medical drama that unfolds over a single, grueling 15-hour shift in a chaotic Pittsburgh emergency room. Noah Wyle my ER fav stars as Robby, a seasoned attending physician grappling with personal trauma while mentoring a new cohort of interns and residents. This is gripping storytelling but quite stressful and of course full to the brim with buckets of blood and bodily fluids - I seem only able to do an EP at a time but it’s very good!
That should be plenty to fill ya boots with! I’ve just been told I must watch Dept.Q which has just dropped on Netflix and from the team which gifted us The Queen’s Gambit, so I know where I’ll be heading next (massive fan of Matthew Goode!).
Better Living through Bingeing film fam and remember… If You’re Not A Rebel Spy, You’ve Missed Your Calling.
KR xx
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