New Zealand Filmmaker Taika Waititi on His Sundance Movie "Boy"
By Eric Kohn
Taika Waititi has a memorable name even if American audiences don't know it yet. The New Zealand filmmaker was nominated for an Oscar in 2005 for his short film, "Two Cars, One Night," then made his feature-length directorial debut in 2007 with "Eagle vs. Shark." That movie, which introduced future "Flight of the Conchords" star Jemaine Clement to the world, showcased Waititi's unique comic tendencies and led to production on his sophomore effort, "Boy." Set in 1982, that movie, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday, has been steadily gathering positive notices for its bittersweet portrayal of the titular young kiwi child whose absent father (portrayed by Waititi himself) initially comes to life in the adolescent character's active imagination. When Boy's dad eventually does show up, the kid learns to accept that real life can't live up to his impossible ideals. Waititi met with Speakeasy in between screenings of the movie to discuss his latest accomplishment. (Read entire interview here)
The Hollywood Reporter reviews Tiaka Waititi's "Boy"
Boy -- Film Review
By James Greenberg
PARK CITY -- A cross between "The 400 Blows" and "Slumdog Millionaire" (though not quite in their class), "Boy" follows a group of kids during a sleepy summer in a Maori community on the rural East Coast of New Zealand. If nothing particularly exciting happens, it's a slice of life from a faraway place where the fundamental things still apply.
James Rolleston's sweet, winning performance in the title role as a kid with a lot of potential and a vivid imagination, largely overcomes the leisurely storytelling. It's a crowd-pleasing film that could find a modest theatrical audience. (Read entire article here)
