With some helpful babysitting from the in-laws, we rushed out to see Whalerider. This movie is set in New Zealand, among the Maori. Good story, well told, mostly about how family and cultural relations mix (or don’t).
Originally a book (which I’ve neither read nor heard of), Whalerider was quick and beautiful. By quick, I mean the movie ran 90+ minutes. I appreciate a movie that takes as long as necessary, but no longer. Editing saves time. I wasn’t in a rush, but the pace of a story must move faster than most directors seem to want to move… maybe too enchanted with their story-telling. By beautiful, well, this movie made New Zealand look gorgeous and sunny. I’ve only spent three weeks in New Zealand, but I think only half of the characterization is necessarily true: NZ is gorgeous, but I don’t think it’s nearly as sunny as portrayed. Minor quibble. See the movie.