She saw: ‘ThreeNow reigns supreme in home makeover shows’
ANATOMY OF A FALL (TVNZ+)
Despite losing out to the wildly bombastic Oppenheimer at this year’s Academy Awards, Anatomy of a Fall, by Justine Triet, was last year’s best film. and now it’s screening on TVNZ+. Part mystery, part courtroom drama, part examination of a troubled marriage, the film tells the story of Sandra Voyter, a writer standing trial following the death of her husband, who plummeted from the third storey of their French chalet while their son was out walking the dog. Whether he fell or was pushed is the central question of the hearing, during which every private detail of their marriage is scrutinised. It’s brilliantly written, putting the audience in the position of the court, flipping and flopping on whether or not she’s guilty as new details of their strained marriage come to light, some from Sandra’s largely autobiographical writing, which takes on new, more troubling meaning after he dies. In the event of Greg’s death, I state for the record, I love him deeply and anything previously written in these reviews that indicates otherwise has been exaggerated, misconstrued or taken out of context.
COUSINS (Whakaata Maori)
Among the many revelations of this profoundly moving film (pictured), based on the book by Patricia Grace, is the performance of Ana Scotney, who might be New Zealand’s brightest shining light right now. The film spans several decades, telling the story of three Maori cousins, one of whom — Mata — is taken away from whanau and raised by Pakeha. Her cousins Missy and Makareka vow to find her and bring her back to her turangawaewae, but it takes longer than either of them ever anticipated. It’s a beautiful and at times painful study of the importance of belonging and the devastating impact of colonisation. Directed by Ainsley Gardner and Briar Grace-Smith, if this film doesn’t have you bawling your eyes out by the end, you’ve got some seriously repressed emotions. You can find it, along with a vast catalogue of local content and some surprising international content, on Whakaata Maori.
LOVE IT OR LIST IT AUSTRALIA (ThreeNow)
Anyone with a penchant for home makeover shows probably knows ThreeNow reigns supreme in this department because of its relationship with the US network HGTV, which is also owned by Warner Bros Discovery. My unquestionable favourite in this genre, however, is not an HGTV show — it’s Love It or List It Australia. It’s certainly not the most cerebral watch, but I could write a dissertation on the relationship between seeing a house transform from a poky, dark, impractical duck to an open, light, fully functional swan in a period of 45 minutes — and the effect it has on dopamine production in the brain — with no trouble. The combination of renovation and real estate show is a perfect premise for a makeover programme.