Bookworm (2024)

Direction: Ant Timpson
Country: New Zealand

The lighthearted comedy Bookworm offers a delightful father-daughter adventure set against the lush wilderness of New Zealand. Directed by Ant Timpson with a screenplay by Toby Harvey, the film follows 11-year-old Mildred (Nell Fisher), a witty, sarcastic bookworm, and her estranged father Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood), a washed-up American illusionist who arrives to care for her after her mother is suddenly hospitalized. Together, they embark on a camping trip to track down the legendary Canterbury Panther. 

Set against scenic landscapes, Bookworm brings feel-good charm and beautiful visuals. While it could have leaned more into its quirky potential, and though some scenes feel slightly off and the finale a bit forced, the film maintains solid family-friendly appeal and leaves viewers with a warm sense of happiness. Surprisingly impish, it’s an adventure comedy with more good moments than missteps.

The Justice of Bunny King (2022)

Direction: Gaysorn Thavat 
Country: New Zealand

Australian actress Essie Davis (The Babadook, 2014) stars in The Justice of Bunny King as the title character, a true fighter and single mother of two who is bound to battle the social services to be near her children - Shannon, four; and Reuben, 14 - who are in foster care because she's homeless. 

She stays temporarily with her sister Grace (Toni Potter) and her boyfriend, Bevan (Errol Shand), counting every penny collected from washing windscreens in Auckland. With the Child Protection Services restricting all her moves toward the children, she can only dream of getting an apartment and reuniting with her family. But a terrible finding involving her niece Tonyah (Thomasin McKenzie) pushes that wish farther away.

This New Zealander drama is occasionally moving but never surprising. Benefitting from its authentic execution, even if engaging sporadically in some unnecessary clichéd proceedings (why does every drama include a feel-good scene with music inside a car?), this is a vividly etched depiction of how a loving mother and her children can grow apart. 

In her feature debut, Gaysorn Thavat knits the drama with serious and sobering observation, whereas the script by Sophie Henderson had some margin to improve. Still, the final sequence - formulated with good and bad choices - may leave you with a lump in your throat, even though you clearly see the ending coming. Davis delivers on the story's promise with a convincing portrayal. There’s no doubt she deeply cares about the character she plays, compelling us to feel the same.

Coming Home in the Dark (2021)

Direction: James Ashcroft
Country: New Zealand

This New Zealander dark psychological thriller put together by debutant director James Ashcroft shapes a short original story written by Owen Marshall.

The plot follows Hoaggie (Erik Thomson), a school teacher who takes a road trip with his family to a remote, bucolic area. Once there, he’s confronted with the brutality of two insidious strangers - the garrulous and unpredictably violent Mandrake (Daniel Gillies); and the silent, watchful Tubs (Matthias Luafutu) - who might have not approached them by chance. 

Coming Home in the Dark is a brutal film, psychologically heavy and startlingly gripping. A slightly loopy take on a pugnacious machination of crime and punishment that hung in doubt from start to finish, rooting one's discomfort in the insensitive aggressors and their vicious actions as well as in the desperate victims. 

The tension builds in a slow boil and the film is powerful at times, but this impression becomes dangerously diluted with some less fortunate decisions preceding the ending. With that being said, Ashcroft, unafraid to take some risks, announces himself as one to watch. His work makes the most of the plot’s obscurities and limitations, and Gillies’ dedicated performance gives it a good extra push.

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Direction: Taika Waititi
Country: New Zealand / USA

Two years after the colorful superhero adventure that was Thor: Ragnarok, New Zealander director Taika Waititi demonstrates that his comedic voice (What We Do in the Shadows; Hunt for the Wilderpeople) is pretty intact in Jojo Rabbit, a rousing and zany satire set in the 1940’s Nazi Germany that is dividing filmgoers.

The plot centers on the 10-year-old Johannes Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) a.k.a. Jojo Rabbit, a little Nazi boy whose fanaticism for Hitler’s cause diminishes considerably after getting to know Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie), a Jewish refugee who was sheltered by his pacifist, self-assertive mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson).

When not filling his notebook with the Jews' common features and behaviors, Jojo is whether dialoguing with the silly, occasionally irascible imaginary figure of Adolf Hitler (Waititi himself), or training to go to war under the orders of the opaque one-eyed Captain K. (Sam Rockwell), the officer in charge of the Hitler youth group.

Nutty and mischievous, but also sweet and enchanting, Jojo Rabbit is pure fun and entertainment from minute one, which is clearly the only goal of the filmmaker. There are plenty of gags and laughable situations counterpointing the unfunny marks of war presented in some crushing scenes that no kid should ever have to witness or participate in.

It is exactly through the contrast between humor and poignancy, innocence and immorality, human values and an unacceptable iniquity, absurdity and seriousness that Waititi succeeds in his efforts to parody the Nazi doctrine. Who didn't think about Tarantino’s Glorious Basterds and Chaplin’s The Great Dictator?

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Directed by Taika Waititi
Country: New Zealand

Following up the indelible “What We Do in the Shadows”, one of the most gratifying parodies from last year, “Hunt For Wilderpeople” is another hilarious comedy from the New Zealander Taika Waititi, who is now confirmed as a first-rate director in the genre. 
Although labeled as a comedy, the film is also an enthusiastic and highly entertaining adventure, nearly a rustic western, containing the right amounts of action and drama to become simultaneously animated, funny, and heartwarming.

Mr. Waititi doesn’t need much more than a sharp-witted screenplay, which he wrote based on Barry Crump’s book ‘Wild Pork and Watercress’, suitable actors for each role, and considerable amounts of goodwill and cheeriness to make this film work wonders.

The story focuses on the fat young Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a gutsy and difficult orphan who never stops running away from the juvenile centers or foster homes he's sent to. However, his rebellious posture will change for the better when feeling genuine care and love coming from his new foster aunt, Bella (Rima Te Wiata), who lives with the grumpy foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill), an inveterate pigs' hunter.
Sadly, Bella passes away, leaving Ricky under the orders of the Child Welfare Services once again. When ordered to return to a caring home, the wild kid hides in the dense New Zealander bushes, dragging the reluctant Hec with him. The latter, after giving it some thought, decides to protect him from a few relentless yet ridiculous pursuers. An eventful and unforgettable adventure starts, replete of both dangerous and friendly encounters. 
Ricky, an eternal fugitive turned into a national hero, and his brave uncle, unjustly accused of being a pervert, even seem to have the same blood when consumed by the adrenaline of a thrilling escapade.

With numerous effective jokes, an irascible fight against a huge savage pig, and a spectacular car chase, “Hunt For Wilderpeople”, a bracing fantasy for all the family, will provide you with many occasions for out-loud laughs.
It’s already one of the best comedies of the year.

The Dark Horse (2014)

Directed by: James Napier Robertson
Country: New Zealand

Imagine a blend of “Shine”, “The Chess Players” and “Once Were Warriors”, and you’ll have “The Dark Horse”.
Director James Napier Robertson, based himself on the true story of Genesis Potini, a former speed chess champion of Maori descent who, as a part of his therapy for bipolar disorder, focuses on teaching kids with a high risk of being recruited by the lawless local gangs.

The story takes place in Gisborne, Genesis’ hometown, where the chess club entitled The Eastern Knights hosts a bunch of smart kids showing a huge eagerness to participate in a tough championship in Oakland. The man behind this unthinkable idea was the feverish Genesis who, under the effect of pills and in the midst of his litanies of excitement and awe, faces the suspicious parents, including his own brother whose son, Mana, reveals great skills and interest in the game but is about to be initialized in his father’s gang through a traumatic ritual. 

With a predilection for backlit photography, Robertson presents us two distinct sides: a sweet one, carrying noble intentions and positive attitudes; and a dark one, where a tough social reality is toxic enough to be vehemently condemned. 
There’s a strong sequence of images that confronts the two opposite realities: while Mana gets visibly disturbed with the violence of the ritual and is forced to cope with it, the other youths give wings to artistic creativity on the streets in order to raise money for the trip. 

Cliff Curtis, in his most notable performance to date, was brilliant as Genesis, an exemplary man that despite the illness, never ceased to believe in his dream. 
“The Dark Horse” isn't emotionally perfect, yet its positive message stays with us.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Directed by: Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement
Country: New Zealand

Movie Review: Coming from New Zealand and set up as a horror mockumentary, “What Do We Do in the Shadows” is a vampire parody written, directed and starred by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. A promising partnership since the former attained international success with his 2010’s drama “Boy”, while the latter, as comedian and multi-instrumentalist, brings some inspiration on both aspects. Bluntly shot with handheld camera but with appealing results, the film follows four vampire housemates – Viago, Vlad, Deacon, and Petyr (an accurate replica of Nosferatu) - whose sanguinary lives are shaken by the arrival of a reckless young vampire called Nick. With exception of the super-old Petyr who likes to stay in his tomb, the others like to dress well, feel sexy, play music and stroll around the town where they try to be invited for nightclubs, but Nick cannot restrain from drawing attention to himself. This behavior causes problems between the group of friends who rely on Deacon’s ‘slave’, Jackie, to lure humans, preferably virgins, to their decrepit mansion. Vampire hunters, the burning sunlight, and occasional confrontations with a group of werewolves, are other funny factors to be seen. Clever and hilarious, “What Do We Do in the Shadows” shows how to do a lot with so little resources, and my only remark goes to the inefficient light that comes out of the outdoors’ nocturnal scenes. Actually, it’s curious that another vampire film called “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” also had captivated me with its artsy formalism, in a completely opposite approach. Despite the washed-out genre, creativity speaks louder!

Boy (2010)

Directed by: Taika Waititi
Country: New Zealand

Summary: Set on the east coast of New Zealand in the year 1984, Boy, an 11-year-old kid and devout Michael Jackson fan gets a chance to know his father.

Review: “Boy” is a sensitive and often funny movie about a kid from a New Zealand’s village, whose family was broken from the moment that his mother died. His absent father finally returns one day, not to find their children, but to collect a buried amount of money. Being immature and sly, he will be a complete disappointment to his kids, who had imagined a model dad. Using an engaging style and the typical colors from the Pacific lands, “Boy” covers father/son relationship and the power of forgiveness without being too sentimental or boring. For an agreeable matinee. 

Relevant awards: Best feature film (Berlin); audience (Sidney).