Stars: Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees, Jay Laga’aia, Shavaughn Ruakere, John Tui | Written by John Argall | Directed by Kiel McNaughton
Imagine Taika Watiti directed a mash-up of Once Were Warriors, with a sprinkling of Kung Fu Hustle; then add a touch of Lock Stock, oh, and some WWE Raw and you have This movie!
I bloody love it when I’m right… You know when you see a trailer for a movie or a poster or even just the box for the movie, and you think man that looks and sounds so damn good?! So you spend some hard earned cash (well in this case fire off an email) and sit down to watch it, only to find that you have uncovered an absolute gem of a movie. That dear reader is The Legend of Baron To’a. An absolute joy of a movie that had me smiling from ear-to-ear all the...
Imagine Taika Watiti directed a mash-up of Once Were Warriors, with a sprinkling of Kung Fu Hustle; then add a touch of Lock Stock, oh, and some WWE Raw and you have This movie!
I bloody love it when I’m right… You know when you see a trailer for a movie or a poster or even just the box for the movie, and you think man that looks and sounds so damn good?! So you spend some hard earned cash (well in this case fire off an email) and sit down to watch it, only to find that you have uncovered an absolute gem of a movie. That dear reader is The Legend of Baron To’a. An absolute joy of a movie that had me smiling from ear-to-ear all the...
- 12/3/2020
- by Kevin Haldon
- Nerdly
In the social distancing era of Covid-19, Fantasia International Film Festival is coming online with a virtual edition taking place August 20th–September 2nd, and their final wave of programming includes a massive wave of films, a plethora of panels, and a masterclass and lifetime achievement award for the Master of Horror himself, John Carpenter.
To learn more, visit Fantasia's website and check out the full final wave announcement below:
6 August 2020 // Montreal, Quebec – The Fantasia Film Festival announces today a massive new assortment of feature films for its 24th edition, along with details on scheduled panels, talks, tributes, and special events.
Fantasia 2020 To Present A Lifetime Achievement Award To Filmmaker John Carpenter, Close With Kiwi Action Comedy The Legend Of Baron To’A
Johnnie To’s Chasing Dream, Vincent Paronnaud’s Hunted, Jorge Michel Grau’s Perdida, Daria Woszek’s Marygoround, and Tran Thanh Huy’s Rom are among...
To learn more, visit Fantasia's website and check out the full final wave announcement below:
6 August 2020 // Montreal, Quebec – The Fantasia Film Festival announces today a massive new assortment of feature films for its 24th edition, along with details on scheduled panels, talks, tributes, and special events.
Fantasia 2020 To Present A Lifetime Achievement Award To Filmmaker John Carpenter, Close With Kiwi Action Comedy The Legend Of Baron To’A
Johnnie To’s Chasing Dream, Vincent Paronnaud’s Hunted, Jorge Michel Grau’s Perdida, Daria Woszek’s Marygoround, and Tran Thanh Huy’s Rom are among...
- 8/6/2020
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Halloween director John Carpenter is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming virtual Fantasia Film Festival.
Carpenter, who created Halloween's masked killer Michael Myers, will also conduct an online masterclass about a filmmaking career that includes The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing and Starman. As North America's largest genre film festival unveiled its final lineup, the New Zealand comedy The Legend of Baron To'a, by director Kiel McNaughton -- which blends pro wrestling and martial arts and stars Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees and Jay Laga’aia -- will close the 24th edition with a ...
Carpenter, who created Halloween's masked killer Michael Myers, will also conduct an online masterclass about a filmmaking career that includes The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing and Starman. As North America's largest genre film festival unveiled its final lineup, the New Zealand comedy The Legend of Baron To'a, by director Kiel McNaughton -- which blends pro wrestling and martial arts and stars Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees and Jay Laga’aia -- will close the 24th edition with a ...
Halloween director John Carpenter is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming virtual Fantasia Film Festival.
Carpenter, who created Halloween's masked killer Michael Myers, will also conduct an online masterclass about a filmmaking career that includes The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing and Starman. As North America's largest genre film festival unveiled its final lineup, the New Zealand comedy The Legend of Baron To'a, by director Kiel McNaughton -- which blends pro wrestling and martial arts and stars Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees and Jay Laga’aia -- will close the 24th edition with a ...
Carpenter, who created Halloween's masked killer Michael Myers, will also conduct an online masterclass about a filmmaking career that includes The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing and Starman. As North America's largest genre film festival unveiled its final lineup, the New Zealand comedy The Legend of Baron To'a, by director Kiel McNaughton -- which blends pro wrestling and martial arts and stars Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees and Jay Laga’aia -- will close the 24th edition with a ...
The writers over at Quiet Earth continue to amaze this reviewer with unique and interesting content; their latest unearthing is the New Zealand shot Ice. This environmental disaster film from director Nick Copus ("The Dead Zone") and English writer James Follett (Quiet Earth) envisions a world in an another looming ice age. Oil supplies have collapsed and the "Greenland Glacier" (Quiet) is melting, with dire consequences for those living across the world. Hundreds of feet of snow cover every major land mass and the film asks: "what will you do, where will you go to survive?" (Ice).
The film is set in the year 2020 and production on this film has recently completed. The distribution company Power will help facilitate Ice's move to theatres and other platforms, but a release date has not been announced for North America. However, a glorious two minute trailer can be found on the film below.
The film is set in the year 2020 and production on this film has recently completed. The distribution company Power will help facilitate Ice's move to theatres and other platforms, but a release date has not been announced for North America. However, a glorious two minute trailer can be found on the film below.
- 10/29/2010
- by 28DaysLaterAnalysis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Writers: Matthew Grainger, Jonathan King Directors: Peter Burger Cast: Jason Behr, Mia Blake, David Fane, Robbie Magasiva, Caroline Cheong, Michael Hurst, Nathaniel Lees Rating: R Studio: Sony Release Date: June 24, 2008 I really didn’t know how I felt about having to review a movie called The Tattooist. I’m not one of those people who think tattoos are bad. I’m also [...]Sharethis.addEntry({ title: "DVD Review: The Tattooist", url: "http://www.literaryillusions.com/LIreviews/2008/06/27/dvd-review-the-tattooist/" });...
- 6/28/2008
- by Dominick
Actors Sue for 'Lord of the Rings' Profits
Fifteen actors from The Lord of the Rings movies have filed suit against film studio New Line, accusing the company of a breach of contract over merchandising. The New Zealand actors filed court papers in Los Angeles Superior Court last Wednesday, alleging New Line broke an agreement to pay them five per cent of an estimated $100 million profits from merchandising sales, such as caps, games and mugs. The actors' lawyer Henry Gradstein said New Line took "gross participation" fees that the company wasn't entitled to. Gradstein says, "The expenses will always be approximately 104 per cent. It's Hollywood accounting." This is the latest of several lawsuits New Line have been served with in relation to the film adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien classic novels. In 2005, director Peter Jackson accused New Line of withholding profits from the first installment in the trilogy The Fellowship Of The Ring, while producer Saul Zaentz settled out of court with the firm over the rights to the books. According to industry newspaper Variety, the fifteen actors filing lawsuits are: Noel Appleby, Jed Brophy, Mark Ferguson, Ray Henwood, Bruce Hopkins, William Johnson, Nathaniel Lees, Sarah McLeod, Ian Mune, Paul Norell, Craig Parker, Robert Pollock, Martyn Sanderson, Peter Tait and Stephen Ure.
- 6/7/2007
- WENN
Samoan Wedding
Hawaii International Film Festival
HONOLULU -- Romantic comedy gets a masculine makeover in "Samoan Wedding", a local hit from New Zealand. With strategic handling by U.S. distributor Magnolia Pictures, the film should appeal to mature urban audiences and fans of world cinema.
Guided by veteran producer John Barnett ("Whale Rider") and released domestically in March as "Sione's Wedding," it broke New Zealand's opening-weekend boxoffice record on the strength of wide multicultural appeal. Stateside, "Wedding" could make a fair showing in limited release when it expands following a Nov. 11 release in Hawaii.
Best friends and first-generation Samoan New Zealanders Albert (Oscar Kightley), Stanley Iaheto Ah Hi), Michael Robbie Magasiva) and Sefa (Shimpal Lelisi) are 30-ish former members of the Duckrockers breakdancing crew who still haven't outgrown their protracted adolescence. "The Boys" are notorious throughout their close-knit Auckland Samoan community for trashing parties and disrupting wedding receptions with their drunken antics.
To ward off any further misbehavior at his upcoming nuptials, Michael's younger brother Sione (Pua Magasiva) prompts the local minister (Nathaniel Lees) to ban the four from the event. Disbelieving at first, then desperate to attend their best boy's wedding, the guys strike a deal: If each can find a legitimate date for the ceremony, he will be admitted.
With only a month left before the big day, each faces daunting dating challenges: Hunky bike messenger Michael is popular with his selected demographic of affluent white women but can't find anyone who considers him more than just a boy toy. Albert is too shy to even get a date and blind to the affections of his cute co-worker Tania (Madeleine Sami). Party-hearty Sefa thinks he's set with girlfriend Leilani (Teuila Blakely), but she's increasingly fed up with his irresponsible behavior. Meanwhile, Stanley (aka "Tyreeq") scams short-term hookups on a phone-chat line.
When Albert's mother (Ana Tuigamala) tries setting him up with distant cousin and Polynesian beauty Princess (Maryjane McKibbin-Schwenke), Michael becomes a rival after suddenly discovering the allure of Samoan women. Meanwhile, Leilani moves out on Sefa, signaling that the Boys are headed for a world of heartache on the road to reforming their ways.
Although endearingly acted as it deploys pointed sendups of male romantic foibles, the film only occasionally hits the heights of hilarity to which it aspires. First-time feature filmmaker and music video director Chris Graham capably modulates the tone between conventional and more outrageous comedy, assuring that the film's well-meaning humor is ultimately infectious, even if some important plot points remain neglected.
Culturally specific comic performances by central members of the ensemble cast were honed in the Naked Samoans theater group, but strongly accented dialogue could dull the delivery for American viewers.
Graham brings a snappy, polished style to the picture, en-hanced by Aaron Morton's crisp widescreen cinematography and Iain Aitken's locally flavored production design. A score featuring hip-hop and soul-inflected numbers, along with a selection of traditional Polynesian songs, tunefully anchors the story in its colorful cultural milieu.
SAMOAN WEDDING
Magnolia Pictures
A South Pacific Pictures presentation in association with the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air, Village SkyCity Cinemas, Joseph P. Moodabe
Credits:
Director: Chris Graham
Screenwriters: James Griffin, Oscar Kightley
Producers: John Barnett, Chloe Smith
Executive producers: Paul Davis, Mark Horowitz
Director of photography: Aaron Morton
Production designer: Iain Aitken
Music: Andy Morton, Dawn Raid Entertainment
Costumes: Jane Holland
Editor: Paul Maxwell
Cast:
Albert: Oscar Kightley
Stanley: Iaheto Ah Hi
Sefa: Shimpal Lelisi
Michael: Robbie Magasiva
Sione: Pua Magasiva
Leilani: Teuila Blakely
Tania: Madeleine Sami
Princess: Maryjane McKibbin-Schwenke
Albert's Mom: Ana Tuigamala
Minister: Nathaniel Lees
Running time -- 97 minutes
No MPAA rating...
HONOLULU -- Romantic comedy gets a masculine makeover in "Samoan Wedding", a local hit from New Zealand. With strategic handling by U.S. distributor Magnolia Pictures, the film should appeal to mature urban audiences and fans of world cinema.
Guided by veteran producer John Barnett ("Whale Rider") and released domestically in March as "Sione's Wedding," it broke New Zealand's opening-weekend boxoffice record on the strength of wide multicultural appeal. Stateside, "Wedding" could make a fair showing in limited release when it expands following a Nov. 11 release in Hawaii.
Best friends and first-generation Samoan New Zealanders Albert (Oscar Kightley), Stanley Iaheto Ah Hi), Michael Robbie Magasiva) and Sefa (Shimpal Lelisi) are 30-ish former members of the Duckrockers breakdancing crew who still haven't outgrown their protracted adolescence. "The Boys" are notorious throughout their close-knit Auckland Samoan community for trashing parties and disrupting wedding receptions with their drunken antics.
To ward off any further misbehavior at his upcoming nuptials, Michael's younger brother Sione (Pua Magasiva) prompts the local minister (Nathaniel Lees) to ban the four from the event. Disbelieving at first, then desperate to attend their best boy's wedding, the guys strike a deal: If each can find a legitimate date for the ceremony, he will be admitted.
With only a month left before the big day, each faces daunting dating challenges: Hunky bike messenger Michael is popular with his selected demographic of affluent white women but can't find anyone who considers him more than just a boy toy. Albert is too shy to even get a date and blind to the affections of his cute co-worker Tania (Madeleine Sami). Party-hearty Sefa thinks he's set with girlfriend Leilani (Teuila Blakely), but she's increasingly fed up with his irresponsible behavior. Meanwhile, Stanley (aka "Tyreeq") scams short-term hookups on a phone-chat line.
When Albert's mother (Ana Tuigamala) tries setting him up with distant cousin and Polynesian beauty Princess (Maryjane McKibbin-Schwenke), Michael becomes a rival after suddenly discovering the allure of Samoan women. Meanwhile, Leilani moves out on Sefa, signaling that the Boys are headed for a world of heartache on the road to reforming their ways.
Although endearingly acted as it deploys pointed sendups of male romantic foibles, the film only occasionally hits the heights of hilarity to which it aspires. First-time feature filmmaker and music video director Chris Graham capably modulates the tone between conventional and more outrageous comedy, assuring that the film's well-meaning humor is ultimately infectious, even if some important plot points remain neglected.
Culturally specific comic performances by central members of the ensemble cast were honed in the Naked Samoans theater group, but strongly accented dialogue could dull the delivery for American viewers.
Graham brings a snappy, polished style to the picture, en-hanced by Aaron Morton's crisp widescreen cinematography and Iain Aitken's locally flavored production design. A score featuring hip-hop and soul-inflected numbers, along with a selection of traditional Polynesian songs, tunefully anchors the story in its colorful cultural milieu.
SAMOAN WEDDING
Magnolia Pictures
A South Pacific Pictures presentation in association with the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air, Village SkyCity Cinemas, Joseph P. Moodabe
Credits:
Director: Chris Graham
Screenwriters: James Griffin, Oscar Kightley
Producers: John Barnett, Chloe Smith
Executive producers: Paul Davis, Mark Horowitz
Director of photography: Aaron Morton
Production designer: Iain Aitken
Music: Andy Morton, Dawn Raid Entertainment
Costumes: Jane Holland
Editor: Paul Maxwell
Cast:
Albert: Oscar Kightley
Stanley: Iaheto Ah Hi
Sefa: Shimpal Lelisi
Michael: Robbie Magasiva
Sione: Pua Magasiva
Leilani: Teuila Blakely
Tania: Madeleine Sami
Princess: Maryjane McKibbin-Schwenke
Albert's Mom: Ana Tuigamala
Minister: Nathaniel Lees
Running time -- 97 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 11/28/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.