I didn't want to watch this movie. I had seen the trailer and it was great and for many movies the trailer is where it begins and ends... three funny or clever or cute lines and the rest is filler.

Not here! This was nothing short of a remarkable little gem, a touch of brilliance, utterly charming in every way.

I have never liked Sam Neil... yes, he can act but... in this marvellous romp of a film he's actually likable and perfect in his role.

As for Julian Dennison... this kid is brilliant... nothing overdone, the best delivery of the one-liners that were all through this joyful masterpiece... I'm not so sure this boy was actually acting or just having a very good time! All of the cast were perfect, every face fit the bill.

The script - not sure how much came straight from the book, possibly quite a bit - but this was truly funny! The rarest thing in a movie ever these days is anything that is genuinely actually funny. The moving moments were smart, direct and quick and all of the actors knew how to carry these moments well. I can only think that the director was superbly working all the moments, that this very, very clever, funny film was filled with care and attention and lots of remarkable talent.

I couldn't help myself, I watched it two days in a row. Fabulous. And I will never forget some of those one-liners: 'Vegetables?' 'The knack!'

The over the top ending - priceless.

Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) is an unruly foster child who "spits" among other things. He is taken in by the Faulkners, Bella (Rima Te Wiata) being a collector of stray dogs and such. Her husband Hec (Sam Neill) is not keen on the boy. Ricky develops a love and admiration for very independent Bella. After her death, child services "no child left behind" comes to take Ricky back. Ricky takes off into the woods, Hec tracks him down. Through a number of circumstances they are gone for a long time and a bounty is put out on them. They encounter some characters along the way, including the under used Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby) who wears a colander to prevent the government from stealing his thoughts.

The characters were all great and likable, even the "bad" guys. The dialogue was superb with old film references. Worth going out of your way to watch it.

Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. Talk of child molesting.

"Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is a marvelous new movie from New Zealand and it sure makes you want to see more from writer/director Taika Wiatiti. It's a sweet and enjoyable film from start to finish and the young star of the film and veteran Sam Neill are a joy to watch together throughout the movie.

When the film begins, a very strange social worker, Paula, brings Ricky (Julian Dennison) to live in yet another foster home. The kid is angry and a mess and yet somehow Bella makes the boy feel loved and all is well...until Bella soon unexpectedly drops dead. Her husband, Hec (Sam Neill),isn't thrilled with keeping the kid and has every intention of returning the kid to Paula. However, before he can do this, the kid disappears...off to live the 'thug life' in the New Zealand bush! As for Hec, he makes the fateful mistake of following after the boy. Why is this so bad? Well, after finding Ricky, Hec falls and shatters his leg and they are now in the middle of nowhere and are forced to camp out and live off the land. In the meantime, Paula alerts the police and soon there's a nationwide dragnet to find the boy...and folks all believe Hec is some sicko who's kidnapped the kid! So, when they finally return, they are nearly killed by angry idiots and they are forced, once again, to return to the countryside. What will ever happen with this oddly mismatched pair?!

If the plot sounds familiar, it's actually very much like a live action version of "Up"...with a few changes of course. There's the dead wife, the grouchy old man, the needy kid and their eventual search for a supposedly extinct bird...all familiar "Up" elements. But it works as well because there are some lovely differences...and instead of schmaltz and sentiment, the film relies on the kid being a cute little budding sociopath as well as some wonderful dialog by all the characters. Well worth seeing, lots of fun and a great look one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. Additionally, in Hunt for the Wilderpeople, look for the director in a bit part as the minister performing Bella's funeral...it's a very strange and funny scene.

Incidentally, if you enjoy this film, there are a few other great Kiwi films I strongly could recommend, such as "Once Were Warriors" and "Whale Rider". All three are excellent family films, though "Once Were Warriors" is definitely for an older and more adult audience (no pre-teens for this one).