Hottoceame The Age of Commercialism

Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Michael O'Keefe This New Zealand product slowly grabs you. Alice(Melanie Lynskey...Rose on Two and a Half Men)is a young women who craves excitement. She admires most all things American; you know...threat of danger, drugs, sex and in her mind anything resembling a cheap thrill. Her bedroom walls are covered with photos of James Dean and Elvis. She also has a fetish for snakeskin boots. Her ideal weekend is going with platonic friend Craig(Dean O'Gorman), who wants to be called Johnny because it is sexier, hitting the highway and picking up strangers. With each stranger there is the chance of adventure. Johnny being in love with Alice would go to the ends of the earth for her. What Alice wants...Alice usually gets. When these two adventurers pick up an American hitchhiker Seth(Boyd Kestner), the road trip becomes a thrill ride. Seth appears to be a rough cowboy packing a gun and wearing snakeskin boots; and he is trying to hide the fact he is running from drug dealers, who he robbed...he has their product and their money. This being known, small town Alice and Johnny become characters in the adventure of their lives. Lynskey has what it takes to carry the movie. She is vibrant and adaptable. Others in the cast: Oliver Driver, Jode Rimmer, Jacob Tomuri and Paul Glover.

cameragod I so wanted to like this movie, my sister was Melanie Lynskey's body double, but sorry sis you were good, the movie sucked. I didn't like or hate any of the characters, finding them bland, one-dimensional and sadly unengaging. The portrayal of the American drifter was right passed cartoon and into offensively stereotypical. Snakeskin does nothing new or even well, the comedy that should help lift the story is limp and unsatisfying. The whole thing is like a slow drive to nowhere with the kids fighting non stop in the back of the car. Are we there yet? When will it end? Spoilers- other than actually paying to see the movie.The writer Gillian Ashurst may think getting F***ed in a toilet by a stranger is very exciting and everyone's secret fantasy but. yawn, is this crap really the best she could come up with? I was glad when one of the main characters put the gun in his mouth and died. One less source of weak inane drivel to listen to and I felt relieved because the movie must nearly be over. wrong it just kept going on and on. and even then the end was not worth the wait.

serebo1 Superb acting and cinematography compliment a fresh writing style that skillfully guides us through this modern-day "Alice in Wonderland" set in New Zealand. Lynskey especially takes us on an ultra-realistic joy/horror ride, as the subtle changes in her character hook us almost subconsciously, and before we know it, drag us forever down the rabbit hole, screaming for more!

jacob thomas I went to Snakeskin not expecting much, perhaps something along the lines of "Stickmen" a NZ version of a successful overseas production, with a focus on Kiwiana and gimmicky NZ references. Too a large degree I was not disappointed. Oliver Driver plays yet another weirdo (although this time a skin head speed freak) which he does well, however, his appearances are becoming a little too familiar. While the acting and actors are excusable the writing is not, the first half of the film is nothing particularly new but works, but, by the second half the writing is completely incoherent. At one point towards the end it seems as if too many characters have been introduced and writer/director Ashurst just gets rid of them, they walk off, get shot etc. etc.... More noticeable than their demise is the increasingly strange (dare I say quirky) mishmash of ideas thrown in to try to hold the script together as it winds down towards the end which is neither a surprise nor original. (In fact for all you B-grade film viewers, very "Tales from the crypt" type thing). The whole film is very New Zealand on the surface and should be praised for being true to "NZ", those of you who liked "Stickmen" will like this film, but for me it does not compare with "Goodbye pork pie". Go and see it if only for the landscape.