With two Oscar nominated films being released in cinemas this week, Moonlight and Hidden Figures, audiences will finally be able to judge which film deserves the accolade of Best Picture at the Oscars.
The seven films that were nominated for the biggest prize at the 89th Academy Awards are all excellent titles, but none of them registered with me in the way that Hunt for the Wilderpeople did.
While Taika Waititi's magnificent story of family, comedy and survival wasn't acknowledged by the Academy, it has earned plenty of plaudits and fans.
If your sense of humour is a a little bit odd and twisted, this is a must watch.
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Upon its initial release, Wilderpeople received a five-star review from
Empire (they also voted it as the best film of 2016) and it currently has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
So, what's it about?
Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky (played brilliantly by newcomer Julian Dennison) gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside.
Ricky quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella, cantankerous Uncle Hec (Sam Neill), and dog Tupac.
When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.
Imagine a wonderful mixture of Up, Flight of the Conchords and Moonrise Kingdom.
If you're looking for something that's heartfelt, funny and original, this is definitely for you. Majestical!
Here's the trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Xvsjy57X0
Clip via - Piki Films
