More New Zealand films you might like...

[kiwidiva]

If you liked Once Were Warriors (or even if you hated it) and Whalerider, look out for these movies with more Polynesian talent lighting up the big screen... click on the links to see the movie homepages & trailers...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/db/River_queen.jpg/200px-River_queen.jpg
RIVER QUEEN (2005)
An intimate story set during the 1860s in which a young Irish woman Sarah (Samantha Morton) and her family find themselves on both sides of the turbulent wars between British and Maori during the British colonisation of New Zealand. Also stars Temuera Morrison & Cliff Curtis from Once Were Warriors - as well as Keifer Sutherland.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdJpnyyomRU

http://thecia.com.au/reviews/s/images/sione-s-wedding-poster-0.jpg
SIONE'S WEDDING (2006) renamed SAMOAN WEDDING FOR THE US RELEASE
Sione's Wedding is New Zealand's highest grossing film of all time: a feel-good comedy about four 30-something New Zealand born Samoan guys who must each find a girlfriend before their best friend's wedding. Features the boys from The Naked Samoans comedy troupe.

http://www.sioneswedding.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTc7TuVazy0

http://www.moviesonline.ca/movie-gallery/albums/userpics//poster_thetattooist_campa_1sht.jpg
THE TATTOOIST (2007)
Look out for this new film, due to be released in New Zealand cinemas on August 30th. No word yet on the international release date but stay tuned...

SYNOPSIS: American tattoo artist Jake Sawyer (Jason Behr from Roswell) wanders the world, exploring and exploiting ethnic themes in his tattoo designs. At a tattoo expo in Singapore, he gets his first glimpse at the exotic world of traditional Samoan tattoo (tatau), and, in a thoughtless act, unwittingly unleashes a powerful angry spirit.In his devastating journey into Pacific mysticism, Jake must find a way to save his new love, Sina (Mia Blake) and recover his own soul. Stars Samoan actors Robbie Magasiva & Nathaniel Lees (from Sione's Wedding)

http://www.thetattooistmovie.com/home.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75KDaA4mmeU

That last one is for you PoiBoy! "The Tattooist" storyline shows that practicing the ancient art of tatau, without respect for the culture can release a very pissed off Samoan spirit! I'm looking forward to seeing it! And I don't even like scary films!!

In previous years, River Queen & Sione's Wedding both played in Hawai'i as part of the Hawai'i International Film Festival so hopefully The Tattooist gets picked up for the Fall HIFF - if it isn't released in the US before that.

[PoiBoy]

I was surprised that Sione's Wedding/Samoan Wedding was so popular in New Zealand, even breaking box office records. Pakeha must love Tama Hamoa meat. :D

I can't wait to see The Tattooist. Very excited for that one.

[kiwidiva]

I was surprised that Sione's Wedding/Samoan Wedding was so popular in New Zealand, even breaking box office records.

I was glad! There was some controversy because pirated versions of the movie hit the black market before it premiered so a lot of people were buying the illegal DVDs rather than going to see it on the big screen.

http://www.southpacificpictures.com/default,543.spp

They prosecuted the guy who was distributing them and he was found guilty of film piracy. I was pretty disappointed that he would do that, knowing that he was ripping off all the people who had worked on the movie. I discouraged everyone I knew from buying the pirated version because I want Polynesian films to do well so that in the future, investors will continue to finance them.

Even with all that, the film still did great at the box office - even though it could have done better - especially in South Auckland (where I'm from) where Polys are the majority and the box office returns there were expected to be the highest but only ended up being 10th in NZ.

Even though it featured Samoans, the story in Sione's Wedding was pretty universal and I think the Naked Samoans have fans of all races in NZ due to their successful animated TV show - broTown - "The Simpsons of the Pacific" - where their satire is pretty much directed at ALL races.
http://www.brotown.co.nz/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RzzMUeBans
The series is now being shown to international audiences in Australia, Canada, Fiji, the Caribbean and Latin America but was not picked up by U.S. networks who deemed it to controversial for the sensitive U.S. market. :D :D :D

[kiwidiva]

http://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1010/400017.1010.A.jpg EAGLE vs. SHARK (2007)
Directed by Maori director Taika Waititi - his short film "Two Cars One Night" was nominated for an Oscar a few years ago. This is his first feature film and is getting mixed reviews for its limited US release today. Most reviewers compare it to Napoleon Dynamite (which I did not see) but I personally thought this movie was kind of weird. Good for a few laughs (esp. when Samoan comedian Dave Fane cameos) but, as we say in New Zealand, "it wasn't my cup of tea."

http://www.eaglevsshark.net/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xVMkqaOUS0

The lead actor Jemaine Clement (self proclaimed "part Maori, part European") appears in HBO's new series Flight of the Conchords - which premieres on HBO this Sunday at 10:30 p.m. ET. The series follows the trials and tribulations of a two-man, New Zealand digi-folk band as they make their way in New York City. It seems to be getting better reviews than Eagle vs Shark. You might recognize Clement from the Outback Steakhouse commercials.
http://www.hbo.com/conchords/

[buzz1941]

It played in Hawaii as "Samoan Wedding" (http://starbulletin.com/2006/10/27/features/story06.html)

[Random]

Hey. Does Lord of the Rings count?

--a fantasy literature fan.

[greentara]

Many Thanks Kiwidiva ~ I will definitely check these out.:) Tattooist sounds excellent!!!!!

[kiwidiva]

It played in Hawaii as "Samoan Wedding"


Yeah, I know, I did mention that somewhere. But to me it will always be "Sione's Wedding" - they just changed it because they were worried Americans couldn't pronounce S-I-O-N-E (see-oh-neh...)