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![\"Taika](\"http:\/\/www.rachaelturk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/Taika-Thriller-1-1.jpeg\" "\\"Taika")
<\/a><\/p>\nHaving already overtaken Whale Rider<\/em> as the highest grossing New Zealand film of all time, this hilarious tale of the underdog combines finely drawn characterisation with the understated humour of Beached As<\/em>; the same classical composition and mesmirising child performances of Taika Waititi’s Oscar nominated short Two Cars, One Night<\/em> (one of my favourite shorts of all time) and the quirky, indy sensibility of his first feature Eagle Versus Shark<\/em>.<\/p>\n In my Q&A last night, writer\/director and actor Waititi explained that his homage to the ’80s stemmed partly from his own childhood experience but also from a filmmaker’s desire to avoid the all-too-fast obsolecence of technology; opting instead for something that was “already daggy.”<\/p>\n A touching coming-of-age story of family, identity and national pride \u2013 in tight pants and fluorescent tights.<\/p>\n See the mashup here<\/a> that saw a nationalistic anthem go to number three on the charts. Guaranteed to make you smile, moonwalk and\/or twirl a poi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Writer\/Director: Taika Waititi Producers: Cliff Curtis, Ainsley Gardiner, Emanuel Michael [In Australian cinemas August 26 through Transmission Films] Having already overtaken Whale Rider as the highest grossing New Zealand film of all time, this hilarious tale of the underdog combines … Continue reading