It Must Be Heaven – This gentle, quirky, and very plot-thin film follows Palestinian director and writer Elia Suleiman’s (who plays himself) as he travels from Palestine to Paris and then to New York. Synchronised Parisian police on electric unicycles, an angel on the run, and a bothersome sparrow, among other eccentricities all make up Suleiman’s peculiar brand of humour and whether this mould of comedy works for you is subjective. While the film’s absurdist charms did not work on me, It Must Be Heaven will most likely be the uplifting antidote to this year’s drudgery for many. And if nothing else it’s certainly beautiful to watch.

Sputnik – This Russian creature flick is a crawling slithering cliche, but that’s not to say it’s bad. Yes, it borrows liberally from the likes of Alien, The Thing, and Solaris, both in plot and creature design, but it’s still well put together and the production values are top-notch.

Amundsen – Unfortunately it bites off too much, cramming in the famed Norwegian’s complicated romantic life, the turbulent relationship with his brother, and his expeditions to both poles. Would’ve benefited from a more focussed examination of his life, but remains interesting viewing, nonetheless.

See my reviews for the NZ Herald here and for Witchdoctor here.