“We Were Dangerous” is a surprisingly funny film for a movie whose central conflict is the sterilization of a group of young women on the fringes of society in 1950s New Zealand.
Knowing the project, which debuted at SXSW in Austin March 8, is executive-produced by from Taika Waititi and Carthew Neal’s Piki Films certainly informs how the film approaches its troubling topic — much like the production company’s Holocaust-set “Jojo Rabbit” — with such levity, the majority of the credit for the heartfelt tone goes to a trio of women: writer Maddie Dai, director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu and producer Morgan Waru.
“We Were Dangerous” stars Erana James, Nathalie Morris and Manaia Hall as the three girls being held in a delinquent program by a matron (played by Rima Te Wiata). And though the film revolves around female solidarity, the seed that sparked “We Were Dangerous,” which marks the directorial debut...
Knowing the project, which debuted at SXSW in Austin March 8, is executive-produced by from Taika Waititi and Carthew Neal’s Piki Films certainly informs how the film approaches its troubling topic — much like the production company’s Holocaust-set “Jojo Rabbit” — with such levity, the majority of the credit for the heartfelt tone goes to a trio of women: writer Maddie Dai, director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu and producer Morgan Waru.
“We Were Dangerous” stars Erana James, Nathalie Morris and Manaia Hall as the three girls being held in a delinquent program by a matron (played by Rima Te Wiata). And though the film revolves around female solidarity, the seed that sparked “We Were Dangerous,” which marks the directorial debut...
- 3/22/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
We Were Dangerous begins so strongly and so confidently that it promises to take a grim but familiar period movie trope — the victimization of vulnerable young women in an authoritarian, male-dominated, post-war Christian world — and turn it inside out, mining it for deadpan, absurdist comedy instead of political outrage and focusing on the unexpectedly deep and moving friendships that can be made even in the darkest of situations. Frustratingly, it never quite comes together as the wry, subversive coming-of-age movie that it might have been, but the performances are powerful enough in Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s debut that its emotional heft is surprisingly indelible.
Initially narrated by the formidable Matron (Rima Te Wiata), this 1954-set film tells the story of Nellie (Erana James) and Daisy (Manaia Hall), both attendees at a New Zealand school for incorrigible delinquent girls. Matron thinks that her charges have little to offer society, believing that...
Initially narrated by the formidable Matron (Rima Te Wiata), this 1954-set film tells the story of Nellie (Erana James) and Daisy (Manaia Hall), both attendees at a New Zealand school for incorrigible delinquent girls. Matron thinks that her charges have little to offer society, believing that...
- 3/9/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
A small but spirited 1954-set drama about a group of “delinquent” teenage girls who plan a daring escape from the one-dock New Zealand island where they’ve been sent for institutional Christianization, Māori filmmaker Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s “We Were Dangerous” does its best to remain upbeat as the agents of colonization try to assert their control over its characters’ bodies. It’s a promising debut that does its best to remain upbeat as the agents of colonization try to assert their control over its characters’ bodies, as Stewart-Te Whiu skillfully combines the pluck of “A Little Princess” with the irreverence of executive producer Taika Waititi’s “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.”
Light on its feet even in the face of forced sterilization, Stewart-Te Whiu’s debut wields its upbeat tone as a rousing show of defiance unto itself; if that means whittling this story down to its 82-minute skeleton in...
Light on its feet even in the face of forced sterilization, Stewart-Te Whiu’s debut wields its upbeat tone as a rousing show of defiance unto itself; if that means whittling this story down to its 82-minute skeleton in...
- 3/8/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The 2024 SXSW Film and TV Festival has announced its lineup, with Netflix’s splashy sci-fi series 3 Body Problem opening the fest and the Ryan Gosling and Emily Bunt action comedy The Fall Guy acting as a centerpiece screening.
David Benioff and Dan Weiss are behind 3 Body Problem, based on the book of the same name. David Leitch directed the Universal feature about a Hollywood stuntman (Gosling) who is tasked with tracking down the star of the latest movie he is working on.
The Pamela Adlon movie Babes will also act as a centerpiece screening. The narrative competition features include Crystal Moselle’s latest, The Black Sea, and Barbie Ferreira starrer Bob Trevino Likes It. Elsewhere in the lineup are a Cheech and Chong doc, Tommy Dorfman’s directorial debut, Lilly Singh comedy Doin’ It, and My Dead Friend Zoe, exec produced by NFL star Travis Kelce.
The film...
David Benioff and Dan Weiss are behind 3 Body Problem, based on the book of the same name. David Leitch directed the Universal feature about a Hollywood stuntman (Gosling) who is tasked with tracking down the star of the latest movie he is working on.
The Pamela Adlon movie Babes will also act as a centerpiece screening. The narrative competition features include Crystal Moselle’s latest, The Black Sea, and Barbie Ferreira starrer Bob Trevino Likes It. Elsewhere in the lineup are a Cheech and Chong doc, Tommy Dorfman’s directorial debut, Lilly Singh comedy Doin’ It, and My Dead Friend Zoe, exec produced by NFL star Travis Kelce.
The film...
- 1/10/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Six Feet Under’ Star Rachel Griffiths to Lead Escort Agency Comedy-Drama Series ‘Madam’ (Exclusive)
Rachel Griffiths has been cast as the lead in “Madam,” a new dramedy series about an escort agency.
Griffiths, best known for her roles in “Six Feet Under” and “Brothers & Sisters,” stars as McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh, who sets up an ethical brothel in New Zealand after her philandering husband and mountain of debt leave her struggling to provide for her family.
Joining Griffiths on the show are Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of Time”), Danielle Cormack (“Wentworth”), Robbie Magasiva (“Bad Behaviour”), Martin Henderson (“Virgin River”) and newcomer Ariāna Osborne.
The series, which started shooting on location this week, is based on Antonia Murphy’s unpublished memoir about an American woman who opened an ethical escort agency in New Zealand after the country decriminalized sex work. Murphy’s company aimed to protect women’s rights, well-being and financial independence.
Showrunners are Shoshana McCallum (“Inside”) and Harry McNaughton (“The Pact”) while...
Griffiths, best known for her roles in “Six Feet Under” and “Brothers & Sisters,” stars as McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh, who sets up an ethical brothel in New Zealand after her philandering husband and mountain of debt leave her struggling to provide for her family.
Joining Griffiths on the show are Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of Time”), Danielle Cormack (“Wentworth”), Robbie Magasiva (“Bad Behaviour”), Martin Henderson (“Virgin River”) and newcomer Ariāna Osborne.
The series, which started shooting on location this week, is based on Antonia Murphy’s unpublished memoir about an American woman who opened an ethical escort agency in New Zealand after the country decriminalized sex work. Murphy’s company aimed to protect women’s rights, well-being and financial independence.
Showrunners are Shoshana McCallum (“Inside”) and Harry McNaughton (“The Pact”) while...
- 9/28/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The Wheel of Time is finally back with its highly anticipated second season. After initially premiering in 2021, the Prime Video fantasy series is here again to answer many unanswered questions and weave a few more questions in to keep the audience interested.
Created by Rafe Judkins, the fantasy series is based on a novel series of the same name by Robert Jordan with Brandon Sanderson. The Wheel of Time follows the story of Moiraine, a member of a magical organization. She takes five young people on a perilous journey, believing that one of them is a reincarnation of the Dragon. A very powerful individual who is destined to save the world or destroy it.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 – Episode Guide (When are the Episodes Coming Out?)
The Wheel of Time Season 2 premiered with its first three episodes on Prime Video on September 1, with the rest of the episodes coming weekly.
Created by Rafe Judkins, the fantasy series is based on a novel series of the same name by Robert Jordan with Brandon Sanderson. The Wheel of Time follows the story of Moiraine, a member of a magical organization. She takes five young people on a perilous journey, believing that one of them is a reincarnation of the Dragon. A very powerful individual who is destined to save the world or destroy it.
The Wheel of Time Season 2 – Episode Guide (When are the Episodes Coming Out?)
The Wheel of Time Season 2 premiered with its first three episodes on Prime Video on September 1, with the rest of the episodes coming weekly.
- 9/11/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Prime Video on Wednesday morning released a first look at the new cover for the second book in Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time Fantasy saga, which features a pair of stars from its TV adaptation.
A handful of additional photos for Season 2 of the Prime Video series, premiering Friday, Sept. 1, were also released (all seen down below).
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A handful of additional photos for Season 2 of the Prime Video series, premiering Friday, Sept. 1, were also released (all seen down below).
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- 6/14/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
The Wheel of Time is adding four new recurring cast members for season two. Maja Simonsen, Ragga Ragnars, Jay Duffy, and Rima Te Wiata are joining the Prime Video fantasy series.
Based on the novels by Robert Jordan, the fantasy series stars Rosamund Pike, Josh Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Zoë Robins, Barney Harris, Madeleine Madden, and Daniel Henney. The story is set in a world where magic exists, but only a select few can access it.
Read More…...
Based on the novels by Robert Jordan, the fantasy series stars Rosamund Pike, Josh Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Zoë Robins, Barney Harris, Madeleine Madden, and Daniel Henney. The story is set in a world where magic exists, but only a select few can access it.
Read More…...
- 4/24/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
During Saturday’s virtual JordanCon panel, Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time announced new recurring cast members for Season 2.
The series, which is based on Robert Jordan’s best-selling fantasy novels, has added Maja Simonsen (Emily in Paris) as Chiad, Ragga Ragnars (Vikings) as Bain, Jay Duffy (Derry Girls) as Dain Bornhald and Rima Te Wiata (Kiri and Lou) as Sheriam Bayanar.
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The series, which is based on Robert Jordan’s best-selling fantasy novels, has added Maja Simonsen (Emily in Paris) as Chiad, Ragga Ragnars (Vikings) as Bain, Jay Duffy (Derry Girls) as Dain Bornhald and Rima Te Wiata (Kiri and Lou) as Sheriam Bayanar.
More from TVLineMrs. Maisel's Alex Borstein Talks 'Cool Chemistry' With [Spoiler], 'Perfect Progression' of Susie's Coming Out ArcAmazon Adds Dialogue Boost Option to Select Original Series and MoviesThe Power Showrunner Raelle Tucker Details Dismantling and Rebuilding Amazon's Feminist...
- 4/22/2023
- by Claire Franken
- TVLine.com
Prime Video‘s fantasy series The Wheel of Time is expanding its Season 2 cast with the addition of several new recurring stars, which were unveiled during a presentation at JordanCon on Saturday, April 22. Joining the ensemble led by Rosamund Pike are Maja Simonsen (The King’s Men), Ragga Ragnars (Vikings), Jay Duffy (Derry Girls), and Rima Te Wiata (Hunt for the Wilderpeople). Based on Robert Jordan’s bestselling fantasy novels, The Wheel of Time television adaptation will see Simonsen portray Chiad, Ragnars will take on the role of Bain, Duffy’s set to play Dain Bornhald, and Wiata is going to play Sheriam Bayanar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maja Simonsen (@majasimonsen) Debuting in 2021, the show’s second season has been in the works for some time as fans were treated to a first looks at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2022 as well as New York...
- 4/22/2023
- TV Insider
As “The Wheel of Time” prepares to return for a second season at Prime Video, the Amazon Studios production has added four cast members to play characters from Robert Jordan’s series of fantasy novels. The announcement was made Saturday afternoon at JordanCon, which is dedicated to the author and celebrates sci-fi and fantasy writing.
Maja Simonsen (“Emily in Paris”), Ragga Ragnars (“Vikings”), Jay Duffy (“Hollyoaks”) and Rima Te Wiata (“Kiri and Lou”) have all joined the series for recurring roles. The actors will portray Chiad, Bain, Dain Bornhal and Sheriam Bayanar, respectively.
The recently announced quartet join returning cast members Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden, Josha Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Kate Fleetwood, Sophie Okonedo, Alvaro Morte, Hammed Animashaun, Alexandre Willaume, Johann Myers, Kae Alexander, Fares Fares and Priyanka Bose.
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it,...
Maja Simonsen (“Emily in Paris”), Ragga Ragnars (“Vikings”), Jay Duffy (“Hollyoaks”) and Rima Te Wiata (“Kiri and Lou”) have all joined the series for recurring roles. The actors will portray Chiad, Bain, Dain Bornhal and Sheriam Bayanar, respectively.
The recently announced quartet join returning cast members Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins, Madeleine Madden, Josha Stradowski, Marcus Rutherford, Kate Fleetwood, Sophie Okonedo, Alvaro Morte, Hammed Animashaun, Alexandre Willaume, Johann Myers, Kae Alexander, Fares Fares and Priyanka Bose.
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time has cast Danish model-actress Maja Simonsen, Icelandic actress and former Olympic swimmer Ragga Ragnars, Irish actor Jay Duffy and New Zealand singer, actress and comedian Rima Te Wiata in recurring roles for the hit fantasy drama’s upcoming second season. The announcement was made during today’s virtual panel at JordanCon.
The four will play familiar characters from Robert Jordan’s best-selling novels the series is based on.
Simonsen and Ragnars will portray Chiad and Bain, respectively. Chiad is a Maiden of the Spear of the Stones River sept of the Goshien Aiel who is bonded as a first-sister to Bain.Duffy will play Dain Bornhald, a high-ranking officer of the Children of the Light, while Wiata plays Sheriam Bayanar, an influential Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.
The Wheel of Time was adapted for television by executive producer/showrunner Rafe Judkins. Larry Mondragon...
The four will play familiar characters from Robert Jordan’s best-selling novels the series is based on.
Simonsen and Ragnars will portray Chiad and Bain, respectively. Chiad is a Maiden of the Spear of the Stones River sept of the Goshien Aiel who is bonded as a first-sister to Bain.Duffy will play Dain Bornhald, a high-ranking officer of the Children of the Light, while Wiata plays Sheriam Bayanar, an influential Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.
The Wheel of Time was adapted for television by executive producer/showrunner Rafe Judkins. Larry Mondragon...
- 4/22/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Haunted houses are a standard in horror for a reason. It’s not just the spectral invasion of our home that unnerves, but the unpredictability that comes with ghostly presences. A masked maniac can be stopped or temporarily subdued, but all bets are off in haunted houses.
This week’s “Stay Home, Watch Horror” streaming picks highlight the horror staple but not always in the way you’d expect. As always, here’s where you can watch them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Ghostwatch – Tubi
Upon initial airing, this made-for-tv movie stirred up controversy for the BBC, as its mockumentary style left viewers convinced what they’d just watched had been real. It plays like a live TV special with a camera crew on-site attempting to investigate the truth behind the most haunted house in the country. Neither they nor the viewer were prepared...
This week’s “Stay Home, Watch Horror” streaming picks highlight the horror staple but not always in the way you’d expect. As always, here’s where you can watch them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Ghostwatch – Tubi
Upon initial airing, this made-for-tv movie stirred up controversy for the BBC, as its mockumentary style left viewers convinced what they’d just watched had been real. It plays like a live TV special with a camera crew on-site attempting to investigate the truth behind the most haunted house in the country. Neither they nor the viewer were prepared...
- 1/9/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Before booting up M3GAN for producers James Wan and Jason Blum, Gerard Johnstone made his feature directorial debut on Housebound, an awesome horror comedy that’s brimming with bloody fun.
In the film, a young woman is forced to return to her childhood home after being placed under house arrest, where she suspects that something evil may be lurking.
If you’ve never seen this horror classic, it’s now streaming on the Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox!
Megan previously wrote about Housebound a few years ago. Here’s her breakdown:
“Written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, Housebound is a brilliant feature debut that makes you wonder when his sophomore feature might be on its way. A horror-comedy can be a tricky enough thing to pull off- rarely are the scales of humor and horror in balance- but Johnstone infuses dark comedy with genuine suspense. There’s even some touching family drama to ground it all.
In the film, a young woman is forced to return to her childhood home after being placed under house arrest, where she suspects that something evil may be lurking.
If you’ve never seen this horror classic, it’s now streaming on the Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox!
Megan previously wrote about Housebound a few years ago. Here’s her breakdown:
“Written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, Housebound is a brilliant feature debut that makes you wonder when his sophomore feature might be on its way. A horror-comedy can be a tricky enough thing to pull off- rarely are the scales of humor and horror in balance- but Johnstone infuses dark comedy with genuine suspense. There’s even some touching family drama to ground it all.
- 1/5/2023
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
When Blumhouse dropped the trailer for the new killer doll movie "M3GAN," the internet exploded. The film sees producer James Wan and writer Akela Cooper reuniting following their bonkers horror fever dream "Malignant," bringing on New Zealand director Gerard Johnstone to tell the story of a roboticist named Gemma (Allison Williams), who gifts her recently orphaned niece Cady (Violet McGraw) a life-like A.I. doll meant to serve as a de facto best friend and babysitter. Unfortunately, as any killer doll story could have predicted, M3GAN has more than just playtime on her mind. Whether it's the dead-eyed dance moves or the fact the doll looks upsettingly close to the Renesmee Cullen robot baby of the "Twilight" films, people can't stop talking about "M3GAN" having the potential to be the next "Malignant."
Don't get it twisted, Wan and Cooper truly made something magical with last year's most-talked-about horror film, but...
Don't get it twisted, Wan and Cooper truly made something magical with last year's most-talked-about horror film, but...
- 10/13/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Hunt for the Wilderpeople"
Where You Can Stream It: Netflix
The Pitch: Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) is a kid with a nose for trouble in director Taika Waititi's off-kilter comedy-adventure film. After years of being passed from one foster family to another, Ricky is taken to live with Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her standoffish husband Hector (Sam Neill) at their remote farm. Despite her initial insensitivity about Ricky's weight, Bella wins the boy over...
The post The Daily Stream: Hunt for the Wilderpeople Bridges Taika Waititi's Past and Present appeared first on /Film.
The Movie: "Hunt for the Wilderpeople"
Where You Can Stream It: Netflix
The Pitch: Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) is a kid with a nose for trouble in director Taika Waititi's off-kilter comedy-adventure film. After years of being passed from one foster family to another, Ricky is taken to live with Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her standoffish husband Hector (Sam Neill) at their remote farm. Despite her initial insensitivity about Ricky's weight, Bella wins the boy over...
The post The Daily Stream: Hunt for the Wilderpeople Bridges Taika Waititi's Past and Present appeared first on /Film.
- 4/13/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Exclusive: First Look Media’s streaming platform Topic has acquired North American rights to David White’s New Zealand-set quirky comedy feature This Town.
Written, directed by and starring White, This Town is about love, murder and finding the one. It features Robyn Malcolm, Alice May Connolly and Rima Te Wiata.
The film follows Sean (White) and Casey (Connolly), a typical budding couple in a small town in New Zealand. They met via an app, one date has led to another, and they are slowly introducing each other to their friends. There is one problem: Sean is widely presumed to have murdered his whole family. While Sean has to deal with a suspicious town, a dogged but bumbling sheriff, and an overzealous tabloid reporter, he wants nothing more than to prove his love to Casey by legally proving his innocence.
Topic will release the film May 20.
“We are thrilled to...
Written, directed by and starring White, This Town is about love, murder and finding the one. It features Robyn Malcolm, Alice May Connolly and Rima Te Wiata.
The film follows Sean (White) and Casey (Connolly), a typical budding couple in a small town in New Zealand. They met via an app, one date has led to another, and they are slowly introducing each other to their friends. There is one problem: Sean is widely presumed to have murdered his whole family. While Sean has to deal with a suspicious town, a dogged but bumbling sheriff, and an overzealous tabloid reporter, he wants nothing more than to prove his love to Casey by legally proving his innocence.
Topic will release the film May 20.
“We are thrilled to...
- 5/7/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
"You work for weak assholes who don't have the guys to talk to their partners!" "Yep." Netflix has unveiled an official trailer for a comedy from New Zealand titled The Breaker Upperers, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival last year. Executive produced by Taika Waititi, the film is co-written and co-directed by the two women who star: Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek. The two play best friends who bonded when they were younger after finding out they were being two-timed by the same man. Together they create The Breaker Upperers, a small-time business helping couples break up for cash. The cast includes James Rolleston, Celia Pacquola, Ana Scotney, Rima Te Wiata, and Carl Bland. This does look hilarious, and it's an original concept these two came up with and have worked passionately on to make it really sing. Here's the official trailer for Madeleine Sami & Jackie van Beek's The Breaker Upperers,...
- 2/2/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Never heard of “Within the Wires” before? The podcast’s latest episode will have you hooked in no more than 10 words: “Welcome to the Tate Modern, of the former United Kingdom.” Presented plainly, with a hint of warmth and a dollop of intrigue, “Within the Wires” is an audio fiction series that draws its power from phrases like “former United Kingdom.” To us, they feel like jarring glitches in reality, but within the world of the show they’re treated as mere fact.
The thrilling first season of “Within the Wires” (a production of the “Night Vale Presents” network) was told through a single narrator, taking the form of a series of relaxation tapes that, over time, revealed a world much more complex than a disembodied voice instructing you to pay attention to your breathing. Roping in themes of family and mental health, showing an otherworldly sense of memory loss,...
The thrilling first season of “Within the Wires” (a production of the “Night Vale Presents” network) was told through a single narrator, taking the form of a series of relaxation tapes that, over time, revealed a world much more complex than a disembodied voice instructing you to pay attention to your breathing. Roping in themes of family and mental health, showing an otherworldly sense of memory loss,...
- 9/6/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Horror movies don’t need to be expensive to get audiences screaming. Some of the genre’s key titles have used budgetary limitations to their advantage, creating creeping dread from the isolation of single locations or the simplicity of a killer hiding right behind the door in your own home. IndieWire has selected 11 scary films now streaming on Netflix that prove horror doesn’t need big stars or flashy SFX teams to create a big onscreen impact.
“Hellraiser” (1987)
Click to watch on Netflix
Clive Barker’s “Hellraiser,” an indelible blend of sadomasochism and terror, was made for only $1 million, but spawned a sprawling series that just will not die. While sequel quality varies, the original still looms large over the horror genre, with genuinely nauseating special effects and a knotty plot that touches on many of the key themes from Barker’s iconic writing career. —We
“Monsters” (2010)
Click to watch...
“Hellraiser” (1987)
Click to watch on Netflix
Clive Barker’s “Hellraiser,” an indelible blend of sadomasochism and terror, was made for only $1 million, but spawned a sprawling series that just will not die. While sequel quality varies, the original still looms large over the horror genre, with genuinely nauseating special effects and a knotty plot that touches on many of the key themes from Barker’s iconic writing career. —We
“Monsters” (2010)
Click to watch...
- 8/24/2017
- by Jamie Righetti and William Earl
- Indiewire
Ryan Lambie Dec 27, 2016
Taika Waititi's delightful comedy-adventure Hunt For The Wilderpeople found a spot in our top 10 films of 2016...
As is tradition at this time of the year, our writers have been voting for their favourite movies. In fourth? It's Hunt For The Wilderpeople...
See related Batman Forever: the case for and against Val Kilmer looks back on Batman Forever Joel Schumacher on Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, nipples Jim Carrey on Batman Forever: Tommy Lee Jones hated me
4. Hunt For The Wilderpeople
There’s much to be said for taking a bit of creative license when adapting a novel for the screen. With Hunt For The Wilderpeople, New Zealand actor and filmmaker Taika Waititi takes a few tonal liberties with Barry Crump’s best-selling novel Wild Pork And Watercress, and in the process creates a winning comedy drama with his own streak of quirky humour.
Waititi’s films - which include Boy,...
Taika Waititi's delightful comedy-adventure Hunt For The Wilderpeople found a spot in our top 10 films of 2016...
As is tradition at this time of the year, our writers have been voting for their favourite movies. In fourth? It's Hunt For The Wilderpeople...
See related Batman Forever: the case for and against Val Kilmer looks back on Batman Forever Joel Schumacher on Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, nipples Jim Carrey on Batman Forever: Tommy Lee Jones hated me
4. Hunt For The Wilderpeople
There’s much to be said for taking a bit of creative license when adapting a novel for the screen. With Hunt For The Wilderpeople, New Zealand actor and filmmaker Taika Waititi takes a few tonal liberties with Barry Crump’s best-selling novel Wild Pork And Watercress, and in the process creates a winning comedy drama with his own streak of quirky humour.
Waititi’s films - which include Boy,...
- 12/19/2016
- Den of Geek
"The Furniture" our weekly series on Production Design. Here's Daniel Walber
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the year’s most heart-warming comedy, may not seem like an obvious example of unique production design. It takes place entirely in the backwoods of New Zealand, much of it deep in the bush. It’s a showcase for the tremendous beauty of the land, not opulent sets.
Yet while the design team may not contribute to the film’s breathtaking vistas, their work is crucial to its narrative arc. Before young Ricky (Julian Dennison) and his ornery foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill) are forced by circumstance to run from the law, they don’t like each other very much. It’s Bella (Rima Te Wiata), Hec’s wife, who welcomes Ricky into their lives. Her love and her house serve as an emotional foundation, and her sudden death sparks the adventure to come.
Were it not for her memory,...
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the year’s most heart-warming comedy, may not seem like an obvious example of unique production design. It takes place entirely in the backwoods of New Zealand, much of it deep in the bush. It’s a showcase for the tremendous beauty of the land, not opulent sets.
Yet while the design team may not contribute to the film’s breathtaking vistas, their work is crucial to its narrative arc. Before young Ricky (Julian Dennison) and his ornery foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill) are forced by circumstance to run from the law, they don’t like each other very much. It’s Bella (Rima Te Wiata), Hec’s wife, who welcomes Ricky into their lives. Her love and her house serve as an emotional foundation, and her sudden death sparks the adventure to come.
Were it not for her memory,...
- 10/3/2016
- by Daniel Walber
- FilmExperience
A troubled orphan finds himself on the run with his grizzled foster uncle in this unaffected, emotional story
A big-hearted picture full of small, understated moments of magic, the New Zealand-based comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an off-kilter charmer. Directed by Taika Waititi (co-director of the uproarious vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows), this downplays the broad laughs of its predecessor, instead focusing on the emotional thrust of a mismatched buddy movie.
Not that any of the central characters would admit to anything as fluffy as an emotional journey. Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a troubled orphan, raised on hip-hop and rejection. Placed with the latest in a series of foster families, this time on a farm far away from the city where he styles himself a gangster, Ricky is reluctant. But his foster aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) breaks down his defences with down-to-earth love and affectionate mockery.
A big-hearted picture full of small, understated moments of magic, the New Zealand-based comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an off-kilter charmer. Directed by Taika Waititi (co-director of the uproarious vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows), this downplays the broad laughs of its predecessor, instead focusing on the emotional thrust of a mismatched buddy movie.
Not that any of the central characters would admit to anything as fluffy as an emotional journey. Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a troubled orphan, raised on hip-hop and rejection. Placed with the latest in a series of foster families, this time on a farm far away from the city where he styles himself a gangster, Ricky is reluctant. But his foster aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) breaks down his defences with down-to-earth love and affectionate mockery.
- 9/18/2016
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
We present our exclusive interviews from the premiere of Hunt for the Wilderpeople from director Taika Waititi who also brought us What We Do in the Shadows and will soon be entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok. The film stars Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Tioreore Ngatai- Melbourne and […]
The post Premiere Interviews: We chat to the very funny Sam Neill & Julian Dennison for Hunt for the Wilderpeople appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Premiere Interviews: We chat to the very funny Sam Neill & Julian Dennison for Hunt for the Wilderpeople appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 9/13/2016
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Taika Waititi’s “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” follows defiant kid Ricky (Julian Dennison), who is sent by child welfare services to live in the country with foster parents Aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and cantankerous Uncle Hec (Sam Neill). When Bella suddenly dies and child services threatens to take Ricky away, he runs away into the wilderness with Uncle Hec in pursuit. Soon, a national manhunt ensues for the two when government officials erroneously believe Hec has kidnapped Ricky. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below featuring a young Ricky writing a haiku.
Read More: Sundance Review: Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ Starring Sam Neill & Julian Dennison
The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It also screened at South by Southwest, Tribeca Film Festival, and the San Francisco International Film Festival. It entered limited release this past June.
Waititi previously directed the mockumentary horror...
Read More: Sundance Review: Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ Starring Sam Neill & Julian Dennison
The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It also screened at South by Southwest, Tribeca Film Festival, and the San Francisco International Film Festival. It entered limited release this past June.
Waititi previously directed the mockumentary horror...
- 9/10/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Ryan Lambie Published Date Friday, September 16, 2016 - 06:35
Other directors might have tried to make a grittier adaptation of the novel Wild Pork And Watercress, written by the best-selling New Zealand author, Barry Crump. But rather than try to emulate Crump’s spare, masculine storytelling, writer-director Taika Waititi gently bends the story's tone to his own quirky sensibility.
The result is another film about misunderstood outsiders from the filmmaker behind such brilliantly offbeat comedies as Eagle Vs Shark and What We Do In The Shadows; in Waititi’s hands, Hunt For The Wilderpeople becomes an eccentric outdoors adventure with welcome splashes of laugh-out-loud comedy. It’s like a blend of Waititi’s 2010 hit Boy and 1982 Stallone joint, First Blood - with maybe a bit of Harold And Maude and Thelma And Louise thrown in for good measure.
Julian Dennison plays Ricky Baker, a disadvantaged, overweight city kid who’s sent...
Other directors might have tried to make a grittier adaptation of the novel Wild Pork And Watercress, written by the best-selling New Zealand author, Barry Crump. But rather than try to emulate Crump’s spare, masculine storytelling, writer-director Taika Waititi gently bends the story's tone to his own quirky sensibility.
The result is another film about misunderstood outsiders from the filmmaker behind such brilliantly offbeat comedies as Eagle Vs Shark and What We Do In The Shadows; in Waititi’s hands, Hunt For The Wilderpeople becomes an eccentric outdoors adventure with welcome splashes of laugh-out-loud comedy. It’s like a blend of Waititi’s 2010 hit Boy and 1982 Stallone joint, First Blood - with maybe a bit of Harold And Maude and Thelma And Louise thrown in for good measure.
Julian Dennison plays Ricky Baker, a disadvantaged, overweight city kid who’s sent...
- 9/6/2016
- Den of Geek
Don’t put away that passport! And stop unpacking! After taking a cinematic road trip to New Zealand last week for the superb documentary Tickled, we’re back in that lush locale once more. Seems there’s more to that place than elves and hobbits. While David Farrier and friends lived in the city, the action in this fiction flick takes place out in the wild, also known as the “bush”. Our guide/director is the talented film-making actor Taika Waititi. You might recall that gem he released to theatres two years ago, the clever, hilarious “mockumentary” What We Do In The Shadows, about a quartet of vampires sharing a big New Zealand estate (it’s streaming via several services, so watch it after you see this). Now it looks like Mr. Waititi has been “called up to the majors”. Those savvy talent scouts at Marvel Studios have recruited him...
- 7/22/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an uplifting, gruff New Zealander film about family love. Ricky (Julian Dennison) comes from foster care to the home of Hec (Sam Neill) and his wife, Bella (Rima Te Wiata). Hec and Ricky stay away from each other initially, largely due to how similar they are. Both prefer nature and solitude to city life and small talk, and so they vet each other cautiously. Ricky tries to befriend Hec because he lacks an adult male figure who might care for him and seems interesting, while Hec does not want to be responsible for Ricky’s well-being nor how he occupies himself on their farm; this is all Bella’s job.
Hec is heart-jerking at times, suppressing his emotional undercurrent, and a combination of Jeff Bridges’ begrudging hero in True Grit (2010) and Jack Nicholson’s hidden softie in As Good As It Gets (1997). He hides his...
Hec is heart-jerking at times, suppressing his emotional undercurrent, and a combination of Jeff Bridges’ begrudging hero in True Grit (2010) and Jack Nicholson’s hidden softie in As Good As It Gets (1997). He hides his...
- 7/15/2016
- by Dina Paulson
- CinemaNerdz
To help sift through the increasing number of new releases (independent or otherwise), the Weekly Film Guide is here! Below you’ll find basic plot, personnel and cinema information for all of this week’s fresh offerings.
Starting this month, we’ve also put together a list for the entire month. We’ve included this week’s list here, complete with information on screening locations for films in limited release.
See More: Here Are All the Upcoming Movies in Theaters for June 2016
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, June 24. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.
Wide
Free State of Jones
Director: Gary Ross
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Keri Russell, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Jacob Lofland
Synopsis: “In Jones County, Miss., Newt Knight joins forces with other farmers and a group of slaves to lead a rebellion against the Confederacy.”
Independence Day: Resurgence...
Starting this month, we’ve also put together a list for the entire month. We’ve included this week’s list here, complete with information on screening locations for films in limited release.
See More: Here Are All the Upcoming Movies in Theaters for June 2016
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, June 24. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.
Wide
Free State of Jones
Director: Gary Ross
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Keri Russell, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Jacob Lofland
Synopsis: “In Jones County, Miss., Newt Knight joins forces with other farmers and a group of slaves to lead a rebellion against the Confederacy.”
Independence Day: Resurgence...
- 6/24/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Taika Waititi has been quietly building his body of work as a filmmaker with a distinctive comic voice and a deadpan absurdist shooting style. Eagle vs Shark was a sweet little romantic comedy with a real voice, and What We Do In The Shadows is a laugh-out-loud deflation of film vampires from every era. With his latest film, Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Waititi really comes into focus as a filmmaker, and he’s got an exceptional sense of control over some tricky material. It helps that Sam Neill gives one of his very best performances as Hec, a grizzled old man who lives on a remote farm with Bella (Rima Te Wiata, who was delightful in Housebound). When the foster care system brings them a 12-year-old boy named Ricky (Julian Dennison), Bella is able to forge a connection to him. It’s not easy, but once Ricky starts to get comfortable,...
- 6/23/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Hunt for the Wilderpeople The Orchard Reviewed by: Tami Smith, Guest Reviewer for Shockya Grade: B+ Director: Taika Waititi Written by: Taika Waititi Based on: Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump Cast: Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Tuss, Finn Release Date: June 24th, 2016 Ricky (Julian Dennison), an abandoned, overweight, thirteen-year old child living in New Zealand, had his share of foster care homes. Life changes when he is delivered by Paula (Rachel House), a social worker, to the modest home of Aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Uncle Hec (Sam Neill). The couple live in a small house with outdoor plumbing and hunt for [ Read More ]
The post Hunt for the Wilderpeople Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Hunt for the Wilderpeople Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/21/2016
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
For most independent filmmakers, making the jump from their own modestly budgeted films to a box office hit is the endgame, the big dream, the ever-dangling carrot on a stick. For “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” director Taika Waititi, it’s already old hat. The New Zealand director may be on the cusp of shooting his very first Hollywood feature – the third “Thor” standalone film, due out in November of next year – but the “Boy” and “What We Do In the Shadows” director is already very familiar with making smash hits that entire countries adore.
“Wilderpeople,” which debuted at Sundance back in January, is already a huge success in New Zealand, ranking as the highest-grossing locally-produced feature film of all time (as of last week, it had made over $8.3 million in New Zealand alone; for some context, that’s nearly $5 million more than “Captain America: Civil War”). But it’s hardly...
“Wilderpeople,” which debuted at Sundance back in January, is already a huge success in New Zealand, ranking as the highest-grossing locally-produced feature film of all time (as of last week, it had made over $8.3 million in New Zealand alone; for some context, that’s nearly $5 million more than “Captain America: Civil War”). But it’s hardly...
- 6/21/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” follows Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a scrappy young city kid known to cause plenty of trouble, who is sent by child welfare services to live in the country with foster Aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and mysterious, grumpy Uncle Hec (Sam Neill). But when Ricky flees to the bush, Uncle Hec chases after him only for child services to believe the mentally unstable Hec kidnapped the boy. Now, they must band together in order to best survive in the wild. In this exclusive clip below, see director Taika Waititi discuss his personal rules for survival in the bush.
Read More: Sundance Review: Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ Starring Sam Neill & Julian Dennison
Director Taika Waititi’s 2005 short film “Two Cars, One Night” was nominated for an Oscar. He has also previously directed the features “Eagle vs. Shark,” starring Jemaine Clement, one of two members...
Read More: Sundance Review: Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ Starring Sam Neill & Julian Dennison
Director Taika Waititi’s 2005 short film “Two Cars, One Night” was nominated for an Oscar. He has also previously directed the features “Eagle vs. Shark,” starring Jemaine Clement, one of two members...
- 6/20/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Throughout his short and blistering career, Taika Waititi has served up quirky indie romance in Eagle Vs. Shark and cast blinding light on a house filled with vampires in the really rather excellent horror comedy, What We Do In The Shadows.
It’s enough to give ardent Marvelites a tease of what’s to come, too, considering that the New Zealand filmmaker is set to helm next year’s Thor: Raganrok. But before whisking moviegoers back to the decadent halls of Asgard, Waititi is on the verge of releasing a much more intimate adventure in Hunt For the Wilderpeople.
Lifting inspiration from Barry Crump’s acclaimed 1995 adventure novel Wild Pork And Watercressa, Hunt for the Wilderpeople places Sam Neill in the shoes of Hec, a grizzled and curmudgeonly foster uncle who reluctantly agrees to take care of Ricky, a stubborn city kid (Julian Dennison). As an unlikely pair of not-so-happy campers,...
It’s enough to give ardent Marvelites a tease of what’s to come, too, considering that the New Zealand filmmaker is set to helm next year’s Thor: Raganrok. But before whisking moviegoers back to the decadent halls of Asgard, Waititi is on the verge of releasing a much more intimate adventure in Hunt For the Wilderpeople.
Lifting inspiration from Barry Crump’s acclaimed 1995 adventure novel Wild Pork And Watercressa, Hunt for the Wilderpeople places Sam Neill in the shoes of Hec, a grizzled and curmudgeonly foster uncle who reluctantly agrees to take care of Ricky, a stubborn city kid (Julian Dennison). As an unlikely pair of not-so-happy campers,...
- 4/28/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
"So what do we do now?" "We run." The Orchard has unleashed the official Us trailer for Taika Waititi's new comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which is another one of our favorite films from Sundance this year (Captain Fantastic being another). Newcomer Julian Dennison plays Ricky Baker, a troublemaker kid from the city who ends up with a foster care family in a rural part of the country, with his new parents, Aunt Bella and Uncle Hec, played by Rima Te Wiata and Sam Neill. Eventually Ricky and Uncle Hec go on the run out in the New Zealand bush. This film is hilarious, heartfelt, and so much fun to watch. We've already featured two trailers from Australia, but one more to convince everyone it's worth seeing won't hurt. Here's the official Us trailer for Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople, in high def from Apple: You can...
- 4/27/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
After premiering at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, thankfully one doesn’t have to wait long for Taika Waititi‘s What We Do in the Shadows follow-up Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Set for a U.S. release in June, the film features an unlikely pair (Sam Neill and newcomer Julian Dennison) as they’re on the run from the government following a misunderstanding. Today we now have a thrilling new trailer for the adventure comedy, one of our summer must-sees.
We said in our review, “If one imagines a real-life version of Up with a bit of Thelma & Louise thrown in, they get Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Taika Waititi‘s charming on-the-run adventure comedy. Based on Barry Crump’s book “Wild Pork And Watercress,” the story follows Ricky (Julian Dennison) as a rambunctious foster child on his last straw before juvenile prison. An expert in stealing, graffiti, kicking things,...
We said in our review, “If one imagines a real-life version of Up with a bit of Thelma & Louise thrown in, they get Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Taika Waititi‘s charming on-the-run adventure comedy. Based on Barry Crump’s book “Wild Pork And Watercress,” the story follows Ricky (Julian Dennison) as a rambunctious foster child on his last straw before juvenile prison. An expert in stealing, graffiti, kicking things,...
- 4/27/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Despite being known for its Bush-covered outbacks, New Zealand is becoming more of a cinematic treasure trove by the week. Movies like Housebound, What We Do In The Shadows and Deathgasm have rocked the horror circuit as of late, but the Kiwis boast more than jovial scares. Taika Waititi’s latest, for instance, made waves after outgrossing Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice at the Nz Box Office. Yes, a movie titled Hunt For The Wilderpeople struck down Zack Snyder’s superhero kerfuffle after only a few short weeks, and rightfully so. Good on New Zealand for supporting cinema in all forms, even when pitted against mass-marketed comic legends.
Waititi’s tale (based on Barry Crump’s novel, Wild Pork and Watercress) dives deep into New Zealand’s lush “Bush” environment, as two unlikely friends find themselves fleeing from government pursuers.
Actually, let me rewind for a minute – it all...
Waititi’s tale (based on Barry Crump’s novel, Wild Pork and Watercress) dives deep into New Zealand’s lush “Bush” environment, as two unlikely friends find themselves fleeing from government pursuers.
Actually, let me rewind for a minute – it all...
- 4/23/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Team Experience is at the Tribeca Film Festival. Here's Jason on "Hunt For the Wilderpeople".
About a year ago director Taika Waititi showed us the homier side of Nosferatu & Co with the vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows... and the very next thing I knew he was being hired to direct the third Thor movie for Marvel. I always felt like a step was missing in there, and sure enough here's Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the adorable little rainbow bridge he took on over to the big leagues.
An adaptation of the well-loved 1986 novel Wild Pork and Watercress by New Zealand's favorite author slash adventurer Barry Crump, Wilderpeople feels more like a proper Movie than Shadows did - whereas that was a collection of funny bits hung together by silly string, this time out there's a more novelistic approach, with explicit chapter titles and also things like a beginning,...
About a year ago director Taika Waititi showed us the homier side of Nosferatu & Co with the vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows... and the very next thing I knew he was being hired to direct the third Thor movie for Marvel. I always felt like a step was missing in there, and sure enough here's Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the adorable little rainbow bridge he took on over to the big leagues.
An adaptation of the well-loved 1986 novel Wild Pork and Watercress by New Zealand's favorite author slash adventurer Barry Crump, Wilderpeople feels more like a proper Movie than Shadows did - whereas that was a collection of funny bits hung together by silly string, this time out there's a more novelistic approach, with explicit chapter titles and also things like a beginning,...
- 4/22/2016
- by JA
- FilmExperience
As it goes with the Sundance Film Festival, some movies make waves, others flop, and others still just come and go. That's more or less what happened with Taika Waititi's "Hunt For The Wilderpeople," which earned some decent buzz if you put your ear to the ground, though it didn't quite cause a bidding war. Our own review noted that it's "a perfectly amicable dramedy" and not much else. Read More: Chaos Is Unleashed In The First Teaser For Taika Waititi's Sundance Comedy 'Hunt For The Wilderpeople' Starring Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, and Oscar Kightley, and based on the book "Wild Pork And Watercress" by Barry Crump, it tells the story of the orphaned Ricky, who heads off into the forest with his cranky foster Uncle, Hec. Here's the official synopsis: Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky...
- 2/19/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
During downtime between gothic hit What We Do in the Shadows and his first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with next year’s Thor: Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi carved out time to direct an atypical adventure film in the form of Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Premiering at Sundance to rave reviews, today heralds the arrival of the film’s first full trailer, and it’s one that places a laser focus on Sam Neill and Julian Dennison’s unlikely duo. Neill, sporting a beard and a gruff attitude, takes point as Nec, the curmudgeonly foster uncle that is left caring for Dennison’s unruly young city kid.
One major misunderstanding later and Dennison and Neill’s mismatched twosome are off on the run from government officials.
Hunter for the Wilderpeople will be based on Barry Crump’s acclaimed adventure novel, Wild Pork And Watercress. First published in 1995, Crump’s...
Premiering at Sundance to rave reviews, today heralds the arrival of the film’s first full trailer, and it’s one that places a laser focus on Sam Neill and Julian Dennison’s unlikely duo. Neill, sporting a beard and a gruff attitude, takes point as Nec, the curmudgeonly foster uncle that is left caring for Dennison’s unruly young city kid.
One major misunderstanding later and Dennison and Neill’s mismatched twosome are off on the run from government officials.
Hunter for the Wilderpeople will be based on Barry Crump’s acclaimed adventure novel, Wild Pork And Watercress. First published in 1995, Crump’s...
- 2/19/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
"I'm amazed how lost you are." Ohhhh, I really love this movie. A full-length trailer has debuted online for Taika Waititi's latest hilarious film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, about a boy and his foster father who go on the run in the New Zealand bush. Newcomer Julian Dennison plays Ricky Baker, a troublemaker kid from the city who ends up with a foster care family in a rural part of the country, with his new parents, Aunt Bella and Uncle Hec, played by Rima Te Wiata and Sam Neill. This full trailer and new poster are for the upcoming Australia/New Zealand release, since it doesn't have an official Us date yet. This was one of my favorite films of Sundance 2016, and I interviewed Taika Waititi during the festival as well. Don't miss this! Here's the full-length trailer for Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople, direct from YouTube:...
- 2/19/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
He helped direct one of last year’s funniest films with What We Do in the Shadows and now before Taika Waititi takes on Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, he snuck in another feature. Hunt for the Wilderpeople features an unlikely pair (Sam Neill and newcomer Julian Dennison) as they’re on the run from the government following a misunderstanding. Premiering at Sundance to strong reviews, including our own, the first full trailer hailing from New Zealand, has now landed.
I said in my review, “If one imagines a real-life version of Up with a bit of Thelma & Louise thrown in, they get Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Taika Waititi‘s charming on-the-run adventure comedy. Based on Barry Crump’s book “Wild Pork And Watercress,” the story follows Ricky (Julian Dennison) as a rambunctious foster child on his last straw before juvenile prison. An expert in stealing, graffiti, kicking things, and many more offenses,...
I said in my review, “If one imagines a real-life version of Up with a bit of Thelma & Louise thrown in, they get Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Taika Waititi‘s charming on-the-run adventure comedy. Based on Barry Crump’s book “Wild Pork And Watercress,” the story follows Ricky (Julian Dennison) as a rambunctious foster child on his last straw before juvenile prison. An expert in stealing, graffiti, kicking things, and many more offenses,...
- 2/19/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Simply put, the SXSW Film, Music and Interactive Festival is one of the biggest, most prestigious events in the media calendar. Taking place annually in Austin, Texas, it is beloved by film fans and filmmakers from all over the world, and has reached such heights by building a reputation for showcasing excellent content. This results in a high level of competition, with the Narrative Feature category alone having received 1442 submissions this year, and the documentary feature category having received 1,013.
The 2016 event looks to be particularly exciting, with many world premieres and feature debuts already announced. The Narrative Feature category will include Julia Hart’s Miss Stevens, Debra Eisenstadt’s Before The Sun Explodes, Joey Klein’s The Other Half, and Musa Syeed’s A Stray, among others, while the Headliner category will feature Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
The Narrative Spotlight category includes 9 Rides by Matthew A. Cherry; The Waiting...
The 2016 event looks to be particularly exciting, with many world premieres and feature debuts already announced. The Narrative Feature category will include Julia Hart’s Miss Stevens, Debra Eisenstadt’s Before The Sun Explodes, Joey Klein’s The Other Half, and Musa Syeed’s A Stray, among others, while the Headliner category will feature Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
The Narrative Spotlight category includes 9 Rides by Matthew A. Cherry; The Waiting...
- 2/10/2016
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Follow all of our Sundance 2016 coverage. New Zealand has an unfair advantage over many other countries when it comes to films and scenes set outside in nature because so much of it is stunning in its natural beauty. Taika Waititi‘s (What We Do in the Shadows) latest film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, takes full advantage of that intensely gorgeous landscape to tell a very funny and heartwarming story about finding family along the way. Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) is a real bad egg, and we know this both because it’s the name of the first chapter heading and because the child welfare officer who delivers him to his new foster parents tells them so. The inner-city boy has spent his youth breaking things, stealing things, vandalizing things, burning things… you get the picture, but it’s one she paints for the older couple in great detail as a way of warning them. As...
- 1/25/2016
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
By all accounts, New Zealand director Taika Waititi seems to be a very pleasant individual who, in turn, makes very pleasant movies. Waititi continues to ride that wave of pleasantry with “Hunt For The Wilderpeople,” a perfectly amicable dramedy that makes a concerted effort to avoid offending or provoking. And by extension of the film's unending niceness, Waititi has made a movie mired in the middle-ground, a terrain marred by the absence of innovation. That same lack of ingenuity can't be said for Ricky (Julian Dennison), though, a precocious foster care child who is relocated to the home of Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Hec (Sam Neill). Dubbed a delinquent by a child-services worker (Rachel House), Ricky quickly proves to be nothing but a little misguided. With an affinity for both Tupac and Twinkies, it doesn't take long for Bella to warm up to Ricky's eccentricities. However, when a tragedy...
- 1/25/2016
- by Sam Fragoso
- The Playlist
If one imagines a real-life version of Up with a bit of Thelma & Louise thrown in, they get Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Taika Waititi‘s charming on-the-run adventure comedy. Based on Barry Crump’s book “Wild Pork And Watercress,” the story follows Ricky (Julian Dennison) as a rambunctious foster child on his last straw before juvenile prison. An expert in stealing, graffiti, kicking things, and many more offenses, he’s yet to find a foster family that can put up with him.
As a last-ditch effort, child welfare services move him out of the city and into a shabby, remote hut out near the bush, a seemingly endless area of lush forests. His new guardians are the loving and accepting Aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her gruff woodsman husband Uncle Hec (Sam Neill). The first evening at the home, Ricky jets off in the middle of the night, but...
As a last-ditch effort, child welfare services move him out of the city and into a shabby, remote hut out near the bush, a seemingly endless area of lush forests. His new guardians are the loving and accepting Aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her gruff woodsman husband Uncle Hec (Sam Neill). The first evening at the home, Ricky jets off in the middle of the night, but...
- 1/24/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Taika Waititi is about to make the leap to the big time, directing Marvel's "Thor: Ragnarok." But before he jumps into the world of superheroes, he's showing the kind of edgy comedy he might be bringing to the franchise with "Hunt For The Wilderpeople," and the first teaser is here. Read More: Check Out All Of Our 2016 Sundance Film Festival Coverage Making its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, the movie stars Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, and Oscar Kightley, is based on the book "Wild Pork And Watercress" by Barry Crump, and tells the story of Ricky, who turns the lives of everybody upside when he goes on the run. Here's the official synopsis: Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella,...
- 1/23/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Sundance 2016 is fast approaching. Last week we posted the movie lineup of Midnight and Competition film selections. We now have the complete lineup for the premieres in both the feature film and documentary categories. We also have their selections for the Spotlight and Kid films. I've also included a list of special events.
There are a lot of great films on this list that I'm excited about seeing because of the incredible talent involved. Viggo Mortensen and Frank Langella star in Captain Fantastic; Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams star in Certain Women; Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates and Danny Glover star in Complete Unknown; Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez star in The Fundamentals of Caring; John Krasinski directed a film called The Hollars which he stars in with Anna Kendrick, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, and Charlie Day; Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has made a new...
There are a lot of great films on this list that I'm excited about seeing because of the incredible talent involved. Viggo Mortensen and Frank Langella star in Captain Fantastic; Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams star in Certain Women; Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates and Danny Glover star in Complete Unknown; Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez star in The Fundamentals of Caring; John Krasinski directed a film called The Hollars which he stars in with Anna Kendrick, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, and Charlie Day; Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has made a new...
- 12/13/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Sundance programmers have unveiled what is a jaw-dropping, savoury Premieres line-up. With names such as Asif Kapadia (Ali & Nino), Kelly Reichardt (Certain Women), Joshua Marston (Complete Unknown), Ira Sachs (Little Men), Whit Stillman (Love & Friendship), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea), Todd Solondz (Wiener-Dog) and James Schamus’ directorial debut (Indignation), the 2016 edition could be considered a “gold” level edition that in the decade plus years we’ve been covering the fest easily rivals what we might find in the Main Comp in Cannes later that year. In addition to titan auteurs names mentioned above, the fest also have faves in Anne Fontaine, Taika Waititi, John Carney and Diego Luna on tap plus will showcase work from Matthew Ross (directorial debut – Frank & Lola) and Matt Ross (sophomore film – Captain Fantastic). Here is the Premieres line-up.
Agnus Dei / France, Poland (Director: Anne Fontaine, Screenwriters: Sabrina N. Karine, Alice Vial, Pascal Bonitzer) — 1945 Poland: Mathilde,...
Agnus Dei / France, Poland (Director: Anne Fontaine, Screenwriters: Sabrina N. Karine, Alice Vial, Pascal Bonitzer) — 1945 Poland: Mathilde,...
- 12/7/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Kate Plays ChristineThe lineup for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 21 -31, has been announced.U.S. Dramatic COMPETITIONAs You Are (Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, USA): As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere The Birth of a Nation (Nate Parker, USA): Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World PremiereChristine (Antonio Campos,...
- 12/7/2015
- by Notebook
- MUBI
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