BOY

"You could be happy here....we could grow up together"- E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Every once in a while, there will come a film that speaks to you, touches you, teaches you, and ultimately helps you see things a little differently. For me, this is one of those films. Could it be for you? Don't you want to find out? Sometime back in 2012, while "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises" were taking the box office by storm, I happened upon this little indie gem in a red box outside of a 7/11 at a time when I was in the midst of personal despair, and it remains the best single dollar I've ever spent. Original, offbeat, charming and above all else unforgettable, With lessons to be learned, and morals hidden in every nook and cranny,"Boy" will capture your heart and never let go.

With a low budget and limited resources this film delivers in a big way with an  exceptional, screenplay from the mind of the third most popular man in New Zealand, Taika Waititi. Armed with what has become my favorite opening sequence of all-time, and all-round great perfomances from every cast member young and old, "Boy" stands as one of the best films of the decade. Seriously, the first 3 minutes of this film are so good, you can't possibly tear yourself away. Witty dialogue and out of the ordinary situations will keep you laughing, but make no mistake this film is very capable of reaching deep inside of you finding your heart strings and tugging on them. Stellar perfromance from the film's young stars, James Rolleston (Who was 11 at the time) and Te Aho Eketone (6 years) are without a doubt some of the best acting you will ever see come out of such small bodies. Accompanied by heartfelt and sincere Waititi himself who plays the boy's estranged father, it's safe to say the acting gets an A+.

The film isn't without it's technical flaws, but it's strenths shine so bright that they are easily masked. If you're looking for something different this film is for you. So be warned,this film is something different. To give a general synopsis, it's a story about a fantasy-prone pre-teen and his little brother who is convinced he has super powers who spend their spare time talking to their pet goat and harvesting marajuana with their misfit group of friends after school. So, as I said, it may be a little too off-kay for the popcorn movie-goer, but it's far more accessable than Waititi's directoral debut "Eagle vs. Shark", which is....original, yet odd. Mostly odd. Okay, I'm being generous, it's bonkers.... but I liked it!

Now available to anyone with access to a Netflix account "Boy" is right at your finger tips, and I highly recommend it! What are you waiting for?