Dave This film is about real-life teenage friends Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme in New Zealand in the 1950s.Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey are excellent as the friends who are suspected by their parents of being a lesbian couple and who react very badly to being separated. This is Winslet's best performance.

Leofwine_draca Director Peter Jackson calms down a bit after the manic gore fests of BAD TASTE and BRAINDEAD to give us what it undoubtedly his maturest work to date. It's certainly one of his most well-made and beautiful films, with some really stunning scenes in it - such as the moment where a cornfield becomes a royal garden complete with hedges, colourful flowers, and fountains. Filmed in New Zealand, the scenery of the woodlands and countryside is never less than breathtaking, and Jackson retains human interest also by offering interesting camera angles and situations throughout.Based on a true story, this is a very realistic and slow-paced film, with dialogue that rings true. Unfortunately I did find a lot of the lovey-dovey dialogue in the film quite irritating, even if it was a mark of the '50s era in which the story is set. Lynskey and Winslet are excellent in the roles of the friends, but even the supporting cast are very good too, each filling out the roles of the slightly odd, mannered and very much human characters that they place.There are some truly inspired and shocking moments in this film, like when Orson Welles walks on to the screen or the first time we see the life-sized clay men...thanks to some very impressive computer effects work these are highly convincing. After all the slow-build up and human drama, the bloody murder at the very end of the film is unpleasant and graphic, all the more so for being totally unexpected. This counters the serene feel of the rest of the movie and is thus more horrific for it.So, a well-made film with fine acting and an interesting story. Why didn't I rate it higher? The simple fact is that I didn't find this film to be particularly moving or engrossing, although it is well made enough to be thoroughly watchable. After all the hype I had heard about it, the movie could only disappoint me, although most other viewers would probably think of it as wonderful.

Prismark10 Peter Jackson known for low budget gory splat movies from New Zealand makes his first steps in serious film making in this murder drama based on a true incident.The film opens with the aftermath of the slaying as two teenage girls emerge hysterical from the woods in Christchurch.The film is about two schoolgirls, Mario Lanza, Orson Welles and living in early 1950s New Zealand which might had been decades behind the 1950s where rock n roll was to emerge in America.Awkward, morose, gawky schoolgirl Pauline (Melanie Lynsky) meets a new arrival from England, Juliet (Kate Winslet) who is confident, clever and brings Pauline out of her shell. Both bond closely with their love of opera and begin to live in a fantasy land which also allows Jackson to keep his horror fans satisfied with special effects scenes.The friendship between Juliet and Pauline soon becomes unhealthy as they feel superior and reality and fantasy collides. Pauline is resentful of her hokey, backwards family, especially her mother. Not helped by them not understanding her burgeoning sexuality, especially when a older boarder takes advantage of her and they blame the daughter.Juliet is ignored by her self centred parents who on the verge of splitting up and Juliet might end up going to South Africa. As the girls are forcibly kept apart they hatch a violent plan which ends up in disaster and tragedy.This is really a small scale drama from Peter Jackson, a world away from his recent overblown, enormous budget epics with even lengthier directors cuts.Here the acting from Winslet and Lynsky does the talking. Jackson brings the New Zealand of the 1950s to live, a world that is very insular. However the film is an efficient drama, nicely acted, a gory ending but not too far away from a well made television drama with some good special effects.

grantss Great, understated, enthralling drama, based on a true story.A few years before Peter Jackson sold out and started making 9-hour 3-part fantasy movies for kids and nerds, he made this great drama, which is still, to date, his best film.Set in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1953-54, the movie tells the story of two friends, schoolgirls with incredible imaginations. This, and their friendship, shapes their lives, and the lives of those around them, though, ultimately, not in a pleasant way.Great build-up by Jackson. You see the relationship between the girls develop, and how their imaginations grow more and more active, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Quite funny at times too.Superb performances by Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in the lead roles. Winslet was only 18 at the time and this was her first cinematic role. She is fantastic - her exuberance and funny-yet- nonchalant antics are a sight to behold.Good supporting cast too.