Russell Baillie: Where angels fear to tread

ITEM ONE: There's been some pretty gushing coverage of the New Zealand films showing at the Toronto Film Festival this past week. What's been less broadcast is the decidedly mixed reviews that both The Vintner's Luck and Under the Mountain have had from their world premieres at the influential industry bash.

Hollywood trade bible Variety described Niki Caro's adaptation of Elizabeth Knox's bestseller as "drearily literal-minded" while its competitor, The Hollywood Reporter's reviewer said it was a "an overblown work of amazing silliness" and speculated it might stand little chance of a release outside New Zealand.

The family-aimed Under The Mountain also got a drubbing from The Hollywood Reporter ("the plot and basic concept behind the film defy comprehension") while Variety liked it more ("entertaining, well-mounted Kiwi children's thriller").

Those initial reviews may well affect the films' commercial futures offshore, but given the local affections for both Knox's book and Maurice Gee's fantasy classic (which inspired a kidult television series a generation ago), they're sure to find big audiences at home.

But a thought. Could it be that The Vintner's Luck has run into an age-old problem - movies and angels just don't get along very well? Yes, there is the angel-assisted Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life from back in 1947 and 80s arthouse classic Wings of Desire.

But there sure aren't many other angel movies that have been as blessed. John Travolta in Michael? Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Dogma? Denzel Washington in The Preacher's Wife? Tilda Swinton as Gabriel in Constantine? Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan in City of Angels, the Hollywood remake of Wings of Desire? It's a pretty sorry list. Making movies about our feathered friends from above is a fraught business. Heck, even calling your movie Halo is risky.

But perhaps the real pity is if The Vintner's Luck doesn't take flight, there will be little chance of Knox's sequel novel The Angel's Cut making it to the big screen - and in that one the angel, Xas, actually lands a job in Hollywood as a stunt pilot.

ITEM TWO: They've won a Grammy but on Monday our time the Flight of the Conchords get three chances at an Emmy for their second series. That includes, curiously, one for Jemaine Clement for best actor in a comedy series - boy, talk about how to break up the band ... .

He's up against Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Steve Carell (The Office), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Tony Shalhoub (Monk) and Charlie Sheen (Two and Half Men). So his chances might not be great. But can any of those others say that, as well as playing a version of themselves, they also spent an entire show impersonating Art Garfunkel in an episode which also featured Art Garfunkel himself? Exactly. Give the man the damn Emmy. And make sure he shares it with Bret and Murray.

ITEM THREE: Air New Zealand Fashion Week is upon us which means the imminent arrival of Pamela Anderson on these shores as part of New York designer Richie Rich's global launch of his new Anderson-inspired collection. Yes, it includes togs. "Animal friendly" and "organic" ones, apparently, as well as T-shirts, hoodies, casual dresses and beachwear, some especially designed for running along beaches in slow motion like Pam's good old days on Baywatch.

Now some might wonder about the irony of someone largely famous for not wearing any being in the clothes-flogging business. Or one could just enjoy the looming fun watching we of the local media going a little, well, Borat at her presence here. Oh and fingers crossed for David Hasselhoff next year, huh?