Summer is set to be full of catching up with friends and family all over the country but if all that in-person socialising becomes too exhausting and you need a break.
Māori Television has a range of family friendly films, free to air over summer and the festive season. Films range from the heart warming Lost Christmas starring Eddie Izzard to the epic the Mandela and the Christmas classic Scrooged, starring the hilarious Bill Murray plus many more.
NETFLIX
Arcane
This is an exquisite, artful animation action series for those 16+ (though the mature 13+ can probably handle it). Based on the infamous and globally popular multi-player online ‘battle’ game League of Legends, Arcane draws you into the richly complex and conflicting worlds of Zaun and Piltover. Zaun is an edgy dark under-city of crime and misfits with a dangerous drive for social justice to make right past wrongs. Piltover is a place of prosperity, progress, innovation and trade with a veneer of social righteousness built off the backs of others.
The storyline traverses the clashing of ideals, factions, competition for power, loyalty and belonging with an ensemble of characters that drive the action forward amongst a web of slowly emerging back stories.
Popular with critics and game fans alike, there is something magical about being drawn into a story with no physical limits. Even those with no knowledge of the storyworld and the game, with it’s complex narrative threads, will be captivated by characters, enthralled by the artful moody direction and incredible animation, proving again that animation is not just for kids.
****
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Wheel of Time
Lovers of the Wheel of Time books from the 90s will have been excitedly awaiting the launch of this fantasy series for decades. Starring our own and extremely talented Zoe Robins, amongst a strong and likeable cast, this is a dark and sometimes visually brutal series. The battle scenes are impressive yet violent, with just enough magic and CGI to keep you glued to the screen.
Rosamund Pike is always impressive, anchoring the fantasy with bleak brooding voiceover, ensuring the action doesn’t become too fanciful and the complex narrative doesn’t become overwhelming.
Without the books to measure it against, it’s easy to find it compelling - a little dark, but with enough rewarding light relief fromcharacterslikeBarneyHarris’MatCauthontokeepyou going. While some fans find the addition of some characters and omission of others jarring, most find the building of the story world and the development of the characters true to the essence of the books and with 20 books in the series they potentially have a lot of delicious escapism to look forward to.
****
TVNZ ONDEMAND
Milk and Money
Super interesting. Even if you think you knew a fair bit about the dairy industry, this documentary series reveals some startling realities of New Zealand’s love affair with ‘white gold’ aka milk. Researched and presented by journalist Baz Macdonald, who comes from a family of dairy farmers, the doco provides both an insider's empathy yet a thorough critique of an industry that is often on the coalface of current climate change controversies.
It’s insightful and revealing and if you find this short series interesting, do seek out the cinematically impressive and critically acclaimed New Zealand feature documentary Milked (directed by Amy Taylor). It takes the dairy industry story to a whole new impressively visual level. It’s full of emotional triggers and implications for our future.
***1/2
The Great Kiwi Bake Off Celebrity Christmas Special
This local Christmas special is sure to provide some great festive inspiration as six iconic Kiwi celebrities go to battle in a warm spirited bake-off. They will be decking the halls, trimming the tree, and baking up a storm for charity this December. A wide range of celebrities will be putting their cooking skills to the test; stepping up to the plate will be National MP Simon Bridges, comedian and actor Laura Daniel, Shortland Street star Rebekah Randall, all-round funnyman Josh Thomson, The Casketeer’s Francis Tipene, and comedy legend Justine Smith. With $50,000 up for grabs, which celebrity’s baking will impress the judges and take the Christmas cake? One to look out for.
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Published 3 December 2021