Jemaine Clement

The Lego Batman Movie Review

Good

A spin-off from 2014's awesome The Lego Movie, this raucously paced action-comedy is proof that nonstop hilarity isn't enough. Genre fans will adore the relentless barrage of silliness, as wordplay, sight-gags, film references and elaborate jokes pile on top of each other. But it's all rather exhausting, because the story is simply too slippery for the audience to hold onto.

When we catch up with Batman (again voiced by Will Arnett), he's revelling in his lonely life surrounded by his huge collection of gadgets in the cave under Wayne Manor, where his only companion is his sardonic butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes). But an encounter with the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) gets him thinking about his solitude, and new commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson) wants to work with him rather than let him do everything on his own. Then he inadvertently adopts the orphan Dick (Michael Cera), just as the Joker puts into motion a nefarious plan to unleash an army of bad guys on Gotham City.

The film pings from one crazed action set-piece to the next, packing comical touches into every image and each line of dialogue. The audience has little choice but to hold on for the ride, and since it's impossible to see every gag that flies at us, this is clearly a movie that requires multiple viewings. The problem is that the story and characters aren't very inviting. Arnett's gruff whisper is genuinely hilarious, especially in his postmodern flights of fancy, but Batman is a preening idiot, really. Dawson, Cera, Fiennes and Galifianakis are more likeable, but are sidelined in the story. And the sprawling, mega-starry supporting cast offers a continual stream of solid laughs. But it's all so frantic that the sentimental themes in the story never get a chance to resonate before the script makes fun of them.

Continue reading: The Lego Batman Movie Review

The BFG Trailer

Sophie and the other girls at Mrs. Clonkers orphanage share a big sleeping dorm and once the lights go out, the girls are expected to go straight to sleep. No talking and most certainly no getting out of bed but little Sophie isn't one for sticking to the rules. Once the rest of the girls are asleep, Sophie is busy reading her books.

When the bespectacled young girl hears strange noise coming from outside her window, she can't help but take a peek out of the pane. A vague shape starts to form in the background, Sophie's unsure what it is but knows it's gigantic. Beginning to get scared, Sophie runs back to her bed and hides under her blankets but it's too late, before Sophie knows what's happening she's snatched from her bed and taken to a far and distant world.

Initially scared for her life, Sophie thinks the giant has taken her to have as his next meal but soon she's introduced to her new home and keeper, The BFG (Big Friendly Giant). The BFG doesn't want to hurt Sophie, he wants to protect her. As the pair begin having adventures together, Sophie soon learns that not all giants are as welcoming as The BFG.

Is There Going To Be A 'Flight Of The Conchords' Movie?

By Ed Biggs in Movies / TV / Theatre on 20 August 2015

Flight Of The Conchords Jemaine Clement Bret McKenzie

It's been six years since the TV show ended, but Jemaine and Bret might be about to make the leap to the big screen.

Get ready for some great news, quirky comedy fans – ‘Flight Of The Conchords’ is coming to the big screen! The cult comedy is being adapted for a movie version, according to co-creator Jemaine Clement.

In an interview with entertainment website IndieWire last Saturday (August 14th), Clement revealed that he and his on-screen collaborator Bret McKenzie were working on a movie script, although there was no clear deadline for the project at this moment in time – or indeed whether it will even see the light of day.

Jemaine Clement of 'Flight of the Conchords' in New York in 2011

Continue reading: Is There Going To Be A 'Flight Of The Conchords' Movie?

People Places Things Trailer

Will Henry is a New Zealand expat living in New York as a college professor and graphic novelist. He has two young twin daughters with his partner Charlie, but everything falls apart when he walks in on her in bed with another man. Dejected, and with little motivation to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, he seeks solace in his daughters with whom he enjoys fun-packed weekends of pizza, kites, swimming and campfires. But they're not the only females holding his life together; a young student named Kat takes pity on him and introduces him to her single mother Diane, with whom he immediately finds a connection. However, life, as it happens, is a little more complicated than that, and when Charlie starts making plans for a whirlwind wedding with her new man, he must come to terms with his residual feelings.

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Don Verdean - Clip

With the potential to earn a quick bit of cash here and there, Don Verdean (Sam Rockwell) turned to the life of a "Biblical archaeologist", uncovering and selling works of art and pieces of Biblical history. As he starts to fabricate and lie his way through his 'adventures', Verdean acquires the help of a church that announce their intentions to bankroll his expeditions and help him do whatever he wants to in his quest to find and return The Holy Grail. With the potential of being found out and exposed, Verdean is forced to think inwardly about what is truly most important to him.

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What We Do In The Shadows Review

By Rich Cline

Excellent

Aside from being flat-out hilarious, this vampire-themed reality TV spoof actually has some pungent things to say about friendship in the 21st century. Not that it's ever trying to make a point. The goal of Kiwi filmmaker-stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi (known for the TV series Flight of the Conchords and the film Eagle vs Shark) is simply to poke fun at the genre while keeping the audience in fits of knowing laughter. And it's a relentlessly entertaining romp.

In Wellington, a camera crew decks itself out in crucifixes to protect itself before heading to a house shared by four vampires. The house's self-proclaimed leader is the preening dandy Viago (Waititi), who tells off the others for neglecting their chores. Brooding lover Vladislav (Clement) is annoyed that he's not as powerful as he was 800 years ago. Deacon (Jonathan Brugh) is a good-time boy who hates Viago's rules. And Petyr (Ben Fransham) is 8,000 years old and prefers to lurk menacingly in the basement. Then they meet Nick (Cori Conzalez-Macuer), a new vampire who with his human pal Stu (Stuart Rutherford) helps the flatmates understand more about present-day society as they prepare for the social event of the season, the annual Unholy Masquerade Ball.

Like a reality TV show, the film meanders through the lives of these men as they face everyday issues with a pronounced vampire slant. For example, going out for a night on the town isn't easy: first, you can't see yourself in the mirror to get ready, then you have to be formally invited to enter any bar or club, and finally if you hit a major artery while feeding the mess is a nightmare to clean up. Deacon has another problem with his human slave Jackie (Jackie van Beek), who is tired of being strung along with promises of immortality. And the local pack of werewolves is seriously annoying.

Continue reading: What We Do In The Shadows Review

What We Do In The Shadows - Clips

Ever wondered what the life of a hundred-plus-year-old vampire would be like in the 21st century? A documentary crew were granted protection as they gained access to the household of a group of blood-sucking fiends - who aren't as scary as you'd imagine. There's polite dandy Viago, bad boy Deacon and ladies' man Vladislav and they all live together in a dilapidated flat with their ancient Nosferatu like friend Petyr and all the problems that regular flatmates share. Desperate to connect with the modern world, they meet young tearaway Nick who soon causes them more than enough trouble. Things get a little tense when the group frequently invite their human technophile friend Stu over to help them with phones, computers, TVs etc., with, unusually, absolutely no intention of killing him. Not only that, but they soon find themselves amid a rivalry with the local werewolves.

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Has Flight Of The Conchords' Jemaine Clement Created Best Ever Vamp Comedy With 'What We Do In The Shadows'? [Trailer + Pictures]

By Holly Williams in Movies / TV / Theatre on 23 October 2014

Jemaine Clement Rhys Darby Taika Waititi Flight Of The Conchords

New Zealand filmmaker Jemaine Clement unveils a truly hilarious vampire mockumentary.

Fans of 'Flight Of The Conchords', brace yourself for yet more eye-watering hilarity as creator and star Jemaine Clement brings you the only vampire movie you're going to need to see this year (and, probably, ever again), 'What We Do In The Shadows'.

The cast of 'What We Do In The Shadows'
A hilarious cast makes vampire comedy 'What We Do In The Shadows'

That charming deadpan New Zealand humour that we loved so much in 'Conchords' makes its return in this wonderfully satirical mockumentary about three vampire flatmates who bring in some fresh blood and consequently start to feel the strain of immortality. A camera crew has been granted access to this undead underworld, whereby they meet Viago, Vladislav and Deacon who, apart from having pointy teeth, a thirst for blood, no reflections and the power of levitation, live really rather ordinary lives, going out clubbing in their waking hours and struggling with the housework rota.

Continue reading: Has Flight Of The Conchords' Jemaine Clement Created Best Ever Vamp Comedy With 'What We Do In The Shadows'? [Trailer + Pictures]

What We Do In The Shadows Trailer

Wellington, New Zealand. A documentary film crew were granted access into a secret society. Said society is situated in a Wellington apartment, and centres around three vampires. Viago (Taika Waititi), an '18th Century Dandy, Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), 'a bit of a pervert', and Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), 'the bad boy of the group', all live together and argue about chores and various little squabble that often plague housemates. When they add Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) to their ranks, his fooling around and amazement at the powers he now possesses are highly annoying for the other vampires. The four clash, with hilarious consequences.

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The 'Flight Of The Conchords' Renewal? Yeah...We Have Bad News

By Michael West in Movies / TV / Theatre on 03 September 2014

Jemaine Clement

It appears Jemaine Clement's comments in an interview with The Guardian were taken out of context,

Fans of HBO comedy-series 'Flight of the Conchords' should look away now. You were probably re-watching the previous two seasons after hearing about a renewal, right? Well it's not happening.

Bret McKenzie [L] and Jemaine Clement [R] will not be making any more 'Flight of the Conchords'. Yet. [Getty/Steven Lovekin]

It seems some of us got over-excited after Conchords star Jemaine Clement commented in an interview with the Guardian that "it was supposed to be this year." What many took for a new season of Flight was actually in reference to a new four episode comedy, entirely separate to the classic show.

Continue reading: The 'Flight Of The Conchords' Renewal? Yeah...We Have Bad News

Jemaine Clement Sunday 10th April 2011 Los Angeles premiere of 'Rio' held at The Grauman Chinese Theatre - Arrivals Hollywood, California