An Eye for Arovision

What to watch on Welly’s local streaming service 

This week, I have finally been stricken by the winter illness. My flatmates succumbed one by one, but I foolishly believed I might make it out unscathed. Laughable. Having zero clarity to consciously consume new movies—let alone come up with anything smart to say about them—I am falling back on old familiar favourites. This week: some of my top movies ever, thankfully available on Arovision. Go to ondemand.arovideo.co.nz and get watching, and remember to take some vitamins. 

Past Lives (2023) — $6

dir. Celine Song, USA & South Korea

“the kinda movie that makes you want to sit down and write a book about your life” — davidlsims, Letterboxd

Second on my top four. A film about Nora whose family moves from Korea to Canada when she’s 12 years old, leaving behind her childhood crush Hae Sung. Years later, Nora is living in New York to pursue writing when Hae Sung looks her up online to reconnect. What follows is basically the most heartwrenching and soft and beautiful and human story. The acting in this… my god. I’ve never been hurt so much by eye contact. Soooo beautiful to look at, the colour palette and lighting are just scrumptious. And the score! Oh, the score!!! I don’t know how else to sell this to you; the way Past Lives makes me feel is hard to convey. I first saw it at NZIFF in 2023. When the film later had its cinematic release, I happened to be visiting home and decided to invite my own childhood sweetheart to go watch it with me… maybe the craziest stunt I’ve ever pulled. Let this movie affect you, but don't go off trying anything like that. For your own sake.

Barbarella (1968) — $6

dir. Roger Vadim, France & Italy

“Never has straight sex been so gay.” — Todd_Complex, Letterboxd

Third on my top four. This is the most incredibly designed film. The sets and costumes and characters and music are all so funky and so perfectly attuned to the wacky world Barbarella inhabits. The film opens on Jane Fonda floating around inside her space craft as she slowly (and quite seductively) strips off her astronaut suit while an awesomely psychedelic theme song plays. That really sets the tone. After slipping into something a little more comfortable, the tit-ular (haha! boobs!) Barbarella is tasked by the President of Earth to locate and take down evil mad-scientist Durand Durand before he weaponises his deadly Positronic Ray. She sets off through the galaxy, and shortly into her travels discovers the lost art of authentic human intercourse. Yep… this is a suuuper horny movie. At some point, Barbarella is placed inside something called the Excessive Machine, designed to pleasure its victims to death. Yeeeep… a little fucking crazy! It’s still debated whether Barbarella is a feminist-icon in charge of her own sexuality or a victim of the sexualising male gaze. Jane Fonda herself is conflicted about the sex politics of the film. To me, the plot feels so absurdist and the setting so psychedelic I almost view Barbarella as satirical. I think we should reclaim this movie as a feminist text! There, I said it!

The Lego Batman Movie (2015) — $6

dir. Chris McKay, USA

“they got ralph fiennes to say "master dick" like five times” — childrenofmen, Letterboxd

Fourth on my top four. First of all, I think this is the funniest movie I’ve ever seen—every second line has me laughing heartily, no matter how many times I’ve seen this (...numerous). Secondly, I love Will Arnett. And Zach Galifianakis. And Ralph Fiennes. And and and… this cast is stacked. Even our very own Jemaine Clement (who I’ve already established my appreciation of) features. The plot is heartwarming: a lonely, solitary Batman slowly learns to love, despite his fear of losing everything all over again. Tears in my eyes… and it's not just the blocked sinuses. The Batman x Joker relationship is nothing short of romantic, and the analysis of fatherly bonds really tugs at the heart. For the comic nerds, there's heaps of references to both earlier Batman texts and the DC universe at large. Finally, I’ll once again mention how funny this is. So so so so SO unbelievably funny. Arguably more enjoyable for adult audiences… those stupid kids probably can’t catch half the witty one liners this movie throws at them.

Honourable Mentions

The first movie on my top four is unfortunately not available to stream on Aro, however you can rent the DVD from them in store. When Harry Met Sally (1989) by the late great Rob Reiner is the epitome of a romcom. I’ve been watching this since I was honestly far too young to know what was going on. Great jokes, epic cast, banging soundtrack, and the most impressive collection of 80s sweaters you’ve ever seen.