11 out of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Peter Jackson's heavenly masterpiece

Daniel Pollard from Manchester, England, 3rd March, 2009

Before Lord of the Rings and King Kong, Peter Jackson, New Zealand’s most well known film director made his greatest film, Heavenly Creatures. This masterpiece is about two young school friends with a close, almost too close, a relationship who vow to do anything to stay together. Their relationship becomes so intense they resort to murder and their case becomes notorious throughout New Zealand. This sounds like a dark portrait of two young killers with homicidal tendencies but it’s a beautifully told tale of friendship and the love between two marginalised girls. Jackson doesn’t concentrate on the criminal trial of the girls or their subsequent parting, but focuses on the imaginary world and characters the girls create, the love and affection they show each other, the emotional hysteria they work themselves into and in their eyes, the valid reasons for their final murder. Drawing parallels with his later films, Jackson is adept at bringing to life the girls fantasy world, which when mixed with the real world, creates a dangerous mix. He creates an unbearable sense of foreboding and hopelessness, which can also be seen in his later big budget Hollywood faire. This film should not be under-estimated, it launched Kate Winslet’s career as an Oscar winning actress and Jackson as a formidable screenwriter. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the UK on DVD, so even though I recommend it thoroughly, there is not much chance of watching this masterpiece apart from the odd television broadcast.

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9 out of 9 people found the following review helpful:

My favourite film

Rowan from Lancashire, 16th January, 2005

This is a wonderful film that is extremely underrated. Considering it is directed by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh (of Lord of the Rings fame) and the fact that it was Kate Winslet's first major role, and it was nominated for an oscar for its incredible screenplay. Not to mention the fact that it is an extremely interesting and emotive true story. It has been amazingly made and flawlessly researched and is thus my favourite film of all time. Give it a go and I hope that you get as much from it as I did.

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5 out of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Oscar nominated? Its not really 'underrated' then.

A Customer from london, 28th April, 2005

but yes, I agree, it is a great film. The two girls relationship and characters are well acted and very believable. The plasterceen dream sequences are fantastic. Highly recommended.

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3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:

I love this film - magical and horrifying, perfect.

Hanna Natalia from Greater Manchester, 15th January, 2006

I've been waiting for the DVD release of this for ages. it is just such a great film, the two girls are brilliant and all of the out-and-out fantasy bits are beautifully realised. Wierdly, I'd compare it to A clockwork orange in the way that you find yourself alarmed that you're sympathising with the most horrid characters.

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heavenly creatures

A Customer from Harrow, 13th March, 2009

Kate Winslet in her earliest film role, based on a true story of two teenage friends, who plot to kill one of their mothers so they can both be together. The story endsin a tragic way for all the parties concerned. Simply a must see.

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Heavenly Creatures

A Customer from Inverness, 27th December, 2008

This is a fantastic film and not available for rent! Surely some mistake? I loved it when it was first released and have seen it since and still love it. By being filmed and scripted in a fairytale/fantasy style (Peter Jackson's genius) it unearths a wholly real emotional truth about how adolescent friendships can become intense, disturbed and downright dangerous. We also know that behind every fairy story a horror story lurks and the film's denouement is truly shocking - more so as it is based upon a real case. Kate Winslet, in particular is scarily good (was she only 17 when she made this?). I still think it is one of her best performances.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Heavenly Creatures

mdridley from from Catterick, United Kingdom, 10th January, 2008

What a change of pace for Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. An Oscar nominated screenplay, based on true New Zealand events. Kate Winslet's first film. Reality gradually recedes into dreamscape as two Christchurch schoolgirls' fictional 'Fourth World' springs to vibrant life and the prospective novelists retreat further and further away from their restricting families and enter the surreal world of their own. There is sumptuous cinematography and imaginative visual scenes in Borovnia. It's another strong succession for Jackson who refuses to be pigeonholed here by telling a controlled, mature story with well-developed characters and storyline. Heavenly Creatures makes a departure from the extremities of early Jackson but is nevertheless a commendable picture with some truly thrilling moments of sinister intensity. A gripping and unsettling but lovely film.

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