Whale Rider is one of the most moving and awe-inspiring films I have ever seen in my life. I'm not sure words can express the depth of emotion it inspired in me.
The film is, loosely, a New Zealand Maori legend. It's also a compelling story with touches of the prophetic. The spiritual touches amplify its realism because you know that the culture is real. This is what the Maori are like.
I'm not sure what else I can say, other than "go see it."
posted
Whale Rider is an incredible movie, and having lived in NZ for 8 years and having many Maori friends, the effect was even greater. Its a must see damn it
Posts: 122 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I (and most likely WheatPuppet) would like to see that movie. We saw previews of the movie at the Savoy, this tiny movie theater tucked in between two buildings in WP's town. It usually plays somewhat independent, off-beat films - the previews we saw were when we went to see "Bend It like Beckham" (another good movie). To me, it looked enchanting, and I know WP likes NZ. When it comes, we'll be sure to catch it!
Posts: 70 | Registered: Jul 2003
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My father's from NZ and he also loved the film (and he's very, very choosy when it comes to movies). I almost cried during Whale Rider, which is a rarity for me.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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One of the drawbacks of being out in the boonies (the middle of the Ozarks) -- I'm four hours from the nearest independent movie theater... Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I was in a songwriting mood after seeing Whale Rider, which happens to me quite often after seeing remarkable films. Here is my first draft of the result. I call it Paikea, after the Maori's ancestor, the first whale rider, who rode the whale that brought the Maori to New Zealand (or so the legend goes).
posted
I saw this tonight (based on twinky's recommendation), and must say it was pretty damn good.
My god can the little girl who played Pai act. She can convey more emotion with a look than 90% of the hollywood actresses can.
I had a few complaints, but mostly with the theatre . They left the lights on dim the entire movie. I didn't want to go complain because I hate missing parts of movies, but I was quite upset. Then there was also a damaged part of the screen right in the middle, possibly made more visible by the lights being on in the theatre. To top it off, there were some glitches with the picture being jerky and messing up near the end.
*minor spoilers*
One thing I didn't like in the movie was not getting a glimpse at the whales eyes. The part of a creature that makes them most real is the eyes, and I kept wanting Pai and the whale to make eye-contact. It was frustrating when they never did. Also, all the shots of her riding the whale underwatervwere really close up, with her seemingly absent on the distant shots. Both of these problems could have been due to not having a hollywood budget, since either could have been difficult to shoot. Other than that, I would have liked to know how she was rescued.
Since these are my only complaints, and they are fairly minor, it was definitely a good movie .
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Thank you for posting your review. I was in the mood last night to just walk off and see a movie, and found a theater with Whale Rider. I loved it. Again, thank you.
Posts: 9754 | Registered: Jul 2002
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I also went and saw this solely on twink's review. Fantastic movie. I loved that you don't fully realize how much you care about the characters until near the end and then BAM you realize that you really love all of them. Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Thanks to all for making me want to see this movie! I truly think it's one of the best I've seen this year. That girl can flat out act!
Posts: 601 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:If you had time to see all of those terrible movies, you damn well better have a couple of hours to see Whale Rider.
It turns out I did have a couple of hours to see Whale Rider (although it's only 105 minutes long). Here's what I thought of it. Thanks, twinky.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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I still want to see it though, because this review does not convince me that the person who wrote it has any more than a high-and-mighty depressing movie person who apparantly thought "Life is Beautiful" was worth nothing.
quote:But if you're still in the mood for an artful, entertaining, and poignant film about whales, I recommend "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."
I think Jurgen Fauth kind of missed the point of the movie if he thinks it's about whales. He (she?) makes a certain point about the "formula" of the movie but there are insanely few non-formulaic movies (or for that matter, stories of any kind), and what makes a given story worthwhile is not so much the overarching paradigm but the details.
He also wasn't paying very close attention to the film's stance on certain issues. Koro's not nearly as clear-cut a bad guy as Fauth's interpretation of the film would lead you to believe.
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I'll be taking the opinion of anyone who thought that a Star Trek movie rates as a cinematic masterpiece with about a litre of highly purified salt. I love Trek, but excellent films they were not. Fun, yes.
Kayla, the one word is "magnificent." Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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However, if it were really a one word review, all that other stuff wouldn't have been there?
And how can anyone, with any credibility say that any movie with Shatner (the worst actor alive, save possibly Meryl Streep, according to OSC) is anything but campy? The brilliance of Free Enterprise was made campy with his addition, even if that was the point, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do in the sequel. It was still campy.
Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Yeah, well, I knew you were teasing. Though in rereading my post, I can see how you'd think I was serious.
BTW, my thread is in honor (mockingly, of course, because that's really the only way I can do anything) of yours.
Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Kia Ora Twinky, I too enjoyed the movie. It's great that the story can be seen internationally. My favourite character was the grandmother of Pai.She reminded me of so many Kuia (older woman) I know.
quote: call it Paikea, after the Maori's ancestor, the first whale rider, who rode the whale that brought the Maori to New Zealand (or so the legend goes).
Sorry to be picky but the legend is not how the Maori came to N.Z but how Te Whanau o Paikea came to N.Z...everyboby else has legends relating to Nga Waka, the seven canoes that came. They were called Tainui, Te Arawa, Maataatua, Kurahaupo,Tokomaru, Aotea and Takitimu. I bet if you say the first one to your dad, it's pronounced roughly Tie-new-ey, he'll be able to sing the rest for you..they are part of a chant most of us learn when we are knee-high to a grass-hopper
the place where it was filmed is having a tourist influx that they can't cope with...sometimes they get as many as fifteen people a day visiting!
Have you read anything by Witi Ihimaera? He is worth the effort and I think more of his books are going to be made into films.
Kia Ora Mintieman.Whereabouts in Aoteoroa did you live?
Posts: 141 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Ah yes, you're right... It's been so long since I've done any learning about the Maori that things have gotten a bit jumbled up over the years (not to mention that in the interim I've been steeped in middle eastern culture as well).
I love that the thread keeps coming back as more and more people see this wonderful movie.
posted
This movie...hmm...I kinda liked it, but, I don't know. Something about it didn't sit well with me. At the end of it, I didn't know what it had all been for or what it was really about. I mean, I cared about the characters - got tears at certain parts, but at the end I was a bit unsettled. I tried to figure it out later after the movie, and I don't know, it was just...beyond me. Maybe it's because I don't know that much about Maoris. Anybody have a good suggestion for a book to read? I love reading fiction books that just sneak a whole lot of culture into them. But yeah, so I thought the movie was good, but I still don't understand the greatness.
Posts: 1261 | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Watched this again tonight. If anyone here hasn't seen this, this is probably the best movie to be made since Shawshank Redemption.
Posts: 9754 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Having finished Ray, I have to say, wow. That was the best movie I've seen in a loooong time. I'm recommending it to everyone.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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. They left the lights on dim the entire movie. I didn't want to go complain because I hate missing parts of movies, but I was quite upset. Then there was also a damaged part of the screen right in the middle, possibly made more visible by the lights being on in the theatre. To top it off, there were some glitches with the picture being jerky and messing up near the end.![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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