What the Folk!

Kipples I understand completely. If there was a way for me to get to New Mexico this weekend I would be there.

It's really exciting to see that it is being shown in the U.S. I hope this is a lead-in to a wide release.

I never thought I would ever say this but I wish I lived in New Mexico.

OK, this is impressive - Boy is about to become NZ's biggest local film ever, in any category. It's passed Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider and is about to pass The World's fastest Indian.

CONGRATULATIONS TAIKA!!

Also, did you notice that last line - Boy has an Australian release date. Maybe it's the start of it getting further afield too... *crosses fingers*
(God I hope you all like it when you finally get to see it - how embarrassing if you didn't! LOL!)

Okay, so I got to see BOY yesterday afternoon as part of the Sydney Film Fest

Where to begin..? I'm only going to speak very generally because I don't want to spoil a single moment of it for anyone.
I guess the Reader's Digest Condensed Version of my review is just: Wow. There are very few films I really love unreservedly, but this is without a doubt one of them. For obvious reasons I went into it with sky-high expectations, and it absolutely blew me away.

It's both absolutely hilarious and absolutely heartbreaking.
And it manages to find the perfect balance between the two, without ever being dismissive of the serious issues, or melodramatic. It's both incredibly intimate and also beautifully filmic and epic.
There were a few brief moments of animation, but they were used to absolutely devastating effect. I found two of the animations (both depictions of Rocky's view/imagination) two of the most powerful moments of the movie.

It's perfectly-balanced and masterfully-created with ever feeling calculated or contrived, it always feels natural and very very human.

The kids were just incredible, and it really is James Rolleston's (who plays Boy) movie. I remember about three quarters of the way through the movie just having a moment where I thought "I don't want this to end, I don't want to leave these kids...."

The movie recieved 3 rounds of applause from the audience we saw it with, at the end, then after the Thriller Haka, and then again after an adorable little moment that happens after the end of the credits

This is what I loved (and continue to love) about Eagle Vs Shark....It is both painful to watch (cause the sad stuff is so relatable) and hysterical at the same time.....Taika really has a gift.

I really hope I get to see this in the theater....It deserves this kind of recognition worldwide....especially given that I saw a movie today and all the previews were for stupid remakes....it seems like there is so little originality left in Hollywood these days.

Thanks for the reveiw and for not giving anything away, helgecko!

You're right, Taika really does have a gift for that delicate balance, it's wonderful to see

BUT, I have to say, for my money Boy is streets and streets ahead of E vs S.
As I think I've said before, I love EvS for its intentions, for the ideas behind it and its heart, but I don't believe it was executed all that well. My feeling is that Boy has all those beautiful intentions and more, and has also fully realised them, and expresses them elegently.

I do know, however, that there are many here who are mad for EvS, so it'll be interesting to see how Boy stacks up against it for them

Another thing that occurred to me is that the title "Boy" could just as much be referring to Alamein as to Boy himself. Alamein is definitely the less mature of the two, and reminds me of this line in this song you may have heard...
"He will always be a boy; he's a man that never grew up.."

Oh, and at the screening yesterday they said the general release date for Aus is in August, so hopefully that's the start of it's worldwide distribution!

I've already convinced myself that it will be distributed world wide...
Greedy American distributers will have to jump on it now that its getting such awesome reviews and breaking records and such...

YAY! I'm so glad you like it Hels!

*Buffs national pride*


Sadly, I'm not so sure, closet (or should that be CJ?!). The World's Fastest Indian and Whale Rider were NZs highest grossing local films before Boy came along - what kind of US distribution did they get? Very limited I'm guessing despite TWFI starring a major U.S. actor and Whale Rider with an Oscar nominee... I hope I'm wrong though!

Both Rider and World's Fastest Indian were in general release, and had quite long "legs" at the box office due to word of mouth. They are also quite popular choices in US Netflix queues.

Does anyone know how long it was between these films being released in NZ and then getting released worldwide?

[quote="Great HSadly, I'm not so sure, closet (or should that be CJ?!). [/quote]

Most folks around these parts say/type CJ. Which is fine by me.

No, but maybe imdb might have that?

Of course!

There seems to be about 5-6 months between the NZ release dates and the UK release dates.
Using the power of mathematics, we're looking at a Aug - Sep release here, and by here I mean(hope) Ireland. But I'm so flying over to the UK if it's not released here at the same time.

Excellent review, Hel and thanks for not giving much away at all! I cannot wait to eventually watch this film. I know that it's going to premiere in the UK at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on the 18th and 19th of June so it's great knowing that it's being shown in the UK but I can only hope it finds its way down to the London very soon so I can go and see it.

Ok so I've spent the last 10 minutes checking flights for Edinburgh and I can't find one for cheaper than £200, so I think I better be sensible and just wait a little longer!
I know it'll be worth it. I'm just worried I'm going to have it ruined for me the longer I have to wait to see it.

The Galway film Fleadh is in July and the programme is yet to be announced so fingers crossed it will be included in that