Hailed by New Zealand critics as one of the best local films of the year, this must-see epic promises to be an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Set in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1864, KA WHAWHAI TONU tells the story of a pivotal battle in the first New Zealand land wars in the Waikato region. A battle fought with impossible odds between Māori and the Colonial forces.

This heroic conflict is told through the eyes of two young teenagers forced to take control of their own destiny amidst the chaos of the battle and their escape.

KA WHAWHAI TONU: STRUGGLE WITHOUT END – Club Dendy Preview
Tuesday, July 23 @ 6.30pm
Dendy Cinemas Coorparoo
www.dendy.com.au

Fifteen years ago, Mel (Madeleine Sami) and Jen (Jackie van Beek) discovered they were being two-timed by the same man. Bitter and cynical they became fast friends and formed The Breaker Upperers, a small-time business breaking up couples for cash.

Now they’re in their late-thirties and business is booming. They’re a platonic, codependent couple who keep their cynicism alive by not getting emotionally involved with anybody else. But when they run into an old victim, Mel develops a conscience and their friendship is truly put to the test. ©Miss Piki Films Limited 2018 Director: Jackie Van Beek and Madeleine Sami

To enter this great competition just fill in the entry form below. Please note – these tickets are for a specific screening only and can not be exchanged or refunded. The winners will need to be available on Wednesday July 25 at 6:30pm in Brisbane to be able to attend this screening at Event Cinemas Garden City Brisbane.

Competition will be drawn 24 July 2018, winners will be notified by email.

Named as ‘One of ten new directors to watch’ by Variety magazine in 2007 following his excellent feature debut, Eagle Vs. Shark and having received widespread acclaim for his follow up film, Boy, Waititi now presents one last ‘small’ film before he bursts Peter-Jackson-style onto the Hollywood scene with his helming of the forthcoming Thor: Ragnarok.

Hunt For The Wilderpeople follows very much in the flavour of Waititi’s previous features. It too skates the fine line between comedy and drama though not quite as close as his previous efforts. It’s his most commercially accessible film to date, winding the drama down a notch while proportionately winding up the comedy quotient. It’s a solid crowd pleaser that playfully references other pop culture films such as Pixar’s Up (the themes of which it follows quite closely), Thelma and Louise, The Terminator and First Blood, which keeps the mood lite and the film approachable.

Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) is a delinquent 12 year-old bounced from foster carer to foster carer until he finally lands in the loving lap of Bella (played with boundless cheer by Rima Te Wiata), nestled in the back country of the NZ wilderness. Bella’s husband, Heck (Sam Neill), is less enthusiastic about this new family member however. When developing circumstances lead to Heck and Ricky running as fugitives through the bush, a Carl Fredricksen/Russell style relationship ensues between the pair.

Waititi’s film is imbued with that characteristic Kiwi charm that makes it impossible not to fall in love with. It’s a charm that Aussie films once had before we got all ‘serious’ and lost our sense of humour. Now we Aussies (or our film commissions at least) seem to green light mostly grimy, wrist-slitting dramas. Waititi’s films remind us of what we once had and we should be thankful of that (and maybe try to regain some of it). This is not to say that Waititi doesn’t embrace darkness. There is a lot of darkness in his films (and this one is no exception) but it is balanced with an abundance humour, which smooths out its harsher lines and makes the grim moments bearable.

The film is littered with fun peripheral characters such as Ricky’s social services officer, Paula (Rachel House), who relentlessly pursues our protagonists in a manner that exceeds her station by a large margin – to good comic effect. And a group of deer hunters turned bounty hunters who want in on the action (and the reward). They all combine to together to form a warm, hearty soup of a movie that will leave you feeling good about life as you exit the cinema. Go see it if only so you can say you knew this fine ‘unknown’ director before he drew worldwide acclaim for his forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster. You won’t be disappointed.

Stuart Jamieson
www.facebook.com/huntforthewilderpeople

Two rebels. One million hectares of untamed wilderness. The hunt is on.
 

 
Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle (Sam Neill) in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive in this hilarious and heartfelt adventure.

www.facebook.com/huntforthewilderpeople

Competition will be drawn 25 May 2016, winners will be notified by mail

Pretty as a picture in his cardigan, trackie daks and red Crocs, Gen’s severe bipolar disorder sees him frequently institutionalised as he struggles with the norms of society. Released into the care of his brother, Gen is thrust back into the violent gang environment into which he was born but his iron determination to overcome his disability and help others sees him use his substantial chess playing ability to help disadvantaged youth avoid an inevitable path of violence and crime.

The Dark Horse has inevitably been compared to the great Maori film, Once Were Warriors, but in reality it is much closer to its sequel, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, in terms of its tone and its theme of breaking the cycle of social violence. And it is a better film than What Becomes of the Broken Hearted as well. Of course The Dark Horse benefits from not being a direct sequel to a wonderful (and violent) predecessor and also a feel-good happy ending.

After being a Hollywood ethnic everyman in his early career (Vis-a-vis Three Kings and The Insider), it’s always nice to see Cliff Curtis return to a native Maori role and this one is a cracker! Piling on the kilos Raging Bull-style is testament to Curtis’ conviction to the project but it is his quiet, confident internal performance which shines through. It’s an explicitly non-violent performance which (somewhat paradoxically) exudes strength and courage. James Rolleston who played the title role in Taika Waititi’s Boy also stars.

The Dark Horse is an inspiring true story with a wonderful central performance. It is a film not to be missed.

Stuart Jamieson
www.thedarkhorsefilm.com