whalerider

[sirdizzy]

ok i noticed this came to town this week and i was curious what it was avout so i watched the trailer on apple.com

and it looks really good, has anyone seen it, what did you think


i think i might go see it tommorow i was thinking of seeing sinbad but this looks better

[CMJ]

I haven't seen it, but it's one I've been contemplating going to for a few weeks now.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Its playing in one theatre in downtown Portland, and I thought it looked pretty interesting. Haven't gone to see it, probably won't make it down there either. :\

[sirdizzy]

Whale Rider (2003)


Drama
1 hr. 45 min.
MPAA Rating:PG-13 for brief language and a momentary drug reference.
Release Date: June 6th, 2003.
Starring:Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa
Directed by:Niki Caro



Paikea as the legend tells rode on the back of a whale to lead his people to a new and wonderful land. For his achievements and for his leading his people the first-born male of the chiefs is always named after him. Many generations later in modern day New Zealand his descendents hold on tightly to their heritage and the legends they have grown up with. No more so then the leader of his people Koro who would like nothing more than to see his people to greatness, so much so that he drives away the people he loves. When his oldest son’s wife delivers twins his joy is short lived as the boy dies as well as the mother. All that is left is the girl twin whom Koro can never accept because of her gender. In a much heated argument between the grief stricken son and father Koro drives away his son Porourangi who leaves the care of the his new infant daughter to his mother. Even though Koro changes his mind about Pai and grows to love her over the years she cannot escape the fact that she is still a girl and cannot lead the people. Faced with hard times for his people Koro decides to gather up all the first born sons and train them in the ways of the chiefs in hopes of finding the leader he so desperately seeks. But Pai refuses to be left out and with the help of a wayward uncle she will struggle to fight the stubbornness of her grandfather and find her true place amongst her people and in her own life.

It is a shame that many low budget and independent films don’t make it to most theatres. It is an even bigger shame that most people do not go to see them, clueing in the theatres and the movie makes that more of suck kinds of movies are wanted and needed. In a summer jam packed full of one action/adventure movie after another, in a year of bullets whizzing around and everything and anything exploding and in a decade of decadence Whale Rider had none of these things and yet was one of the most enjoyable films I have seen in a while. I have admitted to having a penchant for popcorn films that entertain me but I also have a love and passion for dramas that move me. Whale Rider is a glorious film that relies on storytelling, acting, and drama to drive the movie rather than a team of special effect artists. The action is almost non-existent but the movie is clearly a winner. I was moved by the film and find myself curious about the story, to see if it is a true story, to maybe better understand the wonderful language they used and too read more about the events that unfolded before my eyes. There were a few odd moments but I was very pleased they did not use the formulistic Hollywood ending that in most cases is such a letdown. The ending they went with fir the movie and no other ending would have been as fulfilling. I truly enjoyed the movie for its drama and its wonderful way of telling a story so well in fact that I was completely drawn into the world that they tried to portray.
5 stars out of 5