3 Needles (2005)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Thom Fitzgerald

Writer:

Thom Fitzgerald (writer)

Release Date:

1 December 2006 (Singapore)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Where Despair Prevails, Hope Lives.

Plot:

A three-paneled look at the worldwide AIDS crisis: in Montreal, a porn actor (Ashmore) schemes to pass his mandatory blood test; a young nun (Sevigny) makes a personal sacrifice for the benefit of a South African village; in rural China, a black market operative (Liu) posing as a goverment-sanctioned blood drawer jeopardizes an entire village's safety. |

Plot Keywords:

Nun | China | AIDS | Montreal | Porn Star

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Mabel Adams	...	Nahmnru, the African Grandmother
Asckt	...	Tea Picker
Shawn Ashmore	...	Denys, the Porn Actor
Caroline Aspirot	...	Stripper
Nontombi Bovana	...	Grandchild
Rob Burns	...	Broker
Stockard Channing	...	Olive Cowie, the Porn Actor's Mother
Chin Han	...	Soldier Xuan
Tanabadee Chokpikultong	...	Tong Sam, the Rice Farmer
Yotaka Cheukaew	...	Qi, the Rice Farmer's Daughter (as Yotaka Chorkreaw)
Eric Codana	...	Abakeweta
Catherine Colvey	...	Clara the Novice's Mother (scenes deleted)
Kathryn Costello	...	Tourist
Steven Crowder	...	Depanneur Manager
Douglas Cwaba	...	Hermit

Also Known As:

Three Needles (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

USA:127 min | Canada:123 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Canada:125 min (DVD) | Argentina:127 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

Afrikaans | Mandarin | Xhosa | French | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | USA:Not Rated | Argentina:16 | Singapore:R21 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Bigfoot Entertainment

Trivia:

Most South African crew drove approximately 590 miles from Cape Town to the Port Saint John's location prior to shooting.

Movie Connections:

References The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Soundtrack:

The Motion

wonderful but harrowing

This is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time - but also one of the most harrowing and thought provoking. There are images from the film that will stay with me for a very long time. Uncomfortable viewing at times, but rewarding and some excellent and Oscar worthy performances - although I doubt it will puncture the consciousness of the Oscar voting brigade. the cast is wonderful, and the performances all the more powerful for being understated. The cinematography is amazing at times - and there are certain images that will stick with you long after you leave the movie. But be warned - this is not a light movie, it moves you to despair, challenges you, and in my own experience gives you nightmares. having said all that I am glad I saw it and would recommend it to you all