Lifting the lid on another world; a gentler, kinder, calmer, slower, less consuming world which a number of us caught in our own wee rutted worlds love to hear about. Documentary mode worked well - the focus on "the man of the house" was evident but fantastically accompanied, and clearly made possible by, his stoic wife and his delightfully ALIVE kids. Most poetic part of the film is the metaphor-making moment when the son falls from a horse (which looks massive compared to the wee fella!). He stamps his feet in anger/frustration in the sand.... and then climbs back on the horse (helped by his Dad). Classic. A gentler, simpler time for us all to be reminded of. Happiness doesn't live in long-life cartons down aisle 4 of the supermarket; nor does it come with a 3 pin plug and only in need of 240volts!! My wife loved the horse/rider scenes in the water and the swimming/jumping off rocks with the kids - I thought the naked scenes were a tad gratuitous/sensational (perhaps some jealousy on my part I am prepared to admit !) I don't doubt it was absolutely natural, but it came across to me as a tad intrusive in that case. All up, a great reminder for us all of to take stock, consider our needs versus our manufactured/manipulated demands. A man who didn't even consider being afraid to share the simple truths of his feelings. Nice one.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Boy
(I) (2010)
WARNING: You could be clapping in public at the end of this !
4 April 2010
I'll start, unfairly perhaps for any new movie, by comparing it with thoughts that other NZ movies have left me with - only to explain how it left me feeling. I am smiling as I recall the movie and type this. A good sign! So, Eagle v Shark's quirkiness. Whale Rider's pathos & culture. Bro Town's language skills (who'd have thought "Egg" would be so eloquent a derogatory remark!) Second Hand Wedding's humanity, commentary on relationships & our overall resilience. Good things will happen. Every Boy's natural instinct to worship their father - irrespective of whether he's earned it or not - is shown against the halcyon backdrop of an east coast life in Godzone. I laughed out loud at Rockys apology for abuse of his special powers to knock an old fella over. I ached when Boy's Dad returned and the interactions between them - the hero worship meeting with reality; a coming of age. Taika's now customary expansion of characters was excellent - flawed, bravado filled fragile wee worlds we all build up. I have not served Boy adequately in this random review - its an amazing film. 9/10. Made me feel happy & glad to be alive and living in NZ.
Second Hand Wedding
(2008)
Emotional Tank Charger!
30 May 2008
Second Hand Wedding is the kind of film that could make a 40-something, 6', 120kg rugby fan sniffle & wipe away more than one spontaneous affliction of "eye leakage" (NOT crying). Not me you understand, just a figure of speech... In the genre of 4 Weddings, Nottinghill, Love Actually, SHW is a roller-coaster happy/sad/happy ride which had me smiling inanely all the way home - in fact I'm smiling again as I type this review! Great locations (Raumati/Paraparaumu never looked so enticing), great casting (Geraldine Brophy as the Mum is the one you want to adopt and take home !) and the total package does not disappoint in any way. All up a total and absolute emotional tank filler. It'll make you feel good about life. It'll make you smile at strangers on the way home. It'll make you want to get up early the next morning to take your wife a cup of tea in bed. It'll make you want to write a review for it even though your less eloquent than you want to be and have never written a review before. Got it? Its that good.
Tell Your Friends