Doco looks at rise of electric car

Lake Bell was born Lake Siegel Bell. Her father is named Harvey Siegel, but she says her mother got the last name in the divorce settlement.

Whanganui Film Society presents two films this week — one this Saturday, March 24, which is a special presentation of the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car. This screens in conjunction with the Leading The Charge Electric Vehicle Tour which has been facilitated by Duncan Sinclair of Black Pine Architects and Sustainable Business Network.

Revenge of the Electric Car is a follow-up to the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? and is narrated by Tim Robbins, with a wide range of interviewees from Elon Musk to Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor Danny DeVito to musician Anthony Kiedis, Stephen Colbert and numerous car company moguls. Director Chris Paine takes his film crew behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors to chronicle the story of the global resurgence of electric cars.

The film is one of two events in Whanganui that are happening as part of the EV Tour. The second, from midday-2.30pm this Saturday — at Whanganui's first electric vehicle charging point in the Pak'nSave carpark — is the opportunity to take a spin in a Tesla, or to test drive an Ionic or a Leaf. (Note: People must be 25+ and hold a full driver's licence to test drive the vehicles).
US-based EV advocate Chelsea Sexton, who was a consultant on the film, will be at both events and will answer questions after the screening.

Revenge Of The Electric Car
Special Presentation: Saturday, March 24, 7.30pm
Davis Theatre, Whanganui Regional Museum
Chris Paine • USA • 2011 • 90 mins • M Offensive language
Revenge of the Electric Car is a public screening with all proceeds donated to Whanganui Green Bikes.

The Whanganui Film Society regular screening on Monday is In A World ... , a comedy written, directed by and starring Lake Bell, who is best known for her comedic side-kick roles in numerous rom-coms. This low-budget indie flick is Bell's first foray into the male-dominated realm of directing and she takes a shot at the even more male-dominated film trailer voice-over industry — with a lot of success.
In A World ... , which features cameos from Eva Longoria and Geena Davis, won the Best Screenplay award at Sundance in 2013 and received rave reviews from critics.

In A World ...
Monday, March 26, 7pm
Davis Theatre, Whanganui Regional Museum
Lake Bell • USA • 2013 • 93 mins • R16 Sexual references & offensive language.

Reviews
"In some ways a late bloomer's coming-of-age story, it is also, in no particular order, a show-business satire, a family drama, a feminist parable and a sweet romantic comedy. Not that any of these labels can do justice to the originality of Ms. Bell's creative voice." — A.O. Scott, NY Times

"If you've never heard of Lake Bell, get cracking. She's a live-wire. Often the best thing in silly movies (No Strings Attached) and stupid TV (Miss Match), Bell has kicked out the jams with her first feature as writer and director. It's an exhilarating comic rush called In a World . . . and in it she spins inspired lunacy around the subject of, among other things like family dysfunction, sexual healing and female empowerment, voiceovers ...
"Bell's script, which won a deserved writing award at Sundance, ... In fact, Bell the writer, director, producer and actress knows how to set a savvy trap. While we're laughing, she pulls the rug out, making us see Carol's world as a microcosm for the world every working woman lives in. That she does it with subtlety, humour and touching gravity marks Bell as a film-maker to watch."
— Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

This screening is open to members only. New members can join online at whanganuifilmsociety.org.nz or at the venue from 6.30pm.