Movies By Moonlight - Boy The Movie

03/03/2011

Every summer, usually during the months of February and March, Auckland City Council organises free movie screenings in parks – Movies in Parks. This year, it’s dubbed Movies by Moonlight. Since Terry is not much of a movies person, I invited Jann to join me for the screening of the critically acclaimed New Zealand made movie “Boy” at Monte Cecelia Park. “Boy” was released in year 2010 and received much positive attention  and high praises during both Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. Jann and I have also heard numerous good reviews about this local film. We were eager to watch it for ourselves at the park.

Armed with a bedsheet as our picnic mat cum blanket, we arrived at Monte Cecelia Park by 6.30pm with our dinner and proceeded to pick a nice spot in front of the huge screen.  Somehow I forgot my camera. I had to make do with my old Sony Ericsson phone built-in camera. Please excuse the bad quality photos in this post….

Monte Cecelia Park

The park is beautiful, spacious and in my opinion, very suitable for movie screening because it’s slope-y layout. Somewhat like a coliseum. I noticed stalls selling ice cream, kettle corn (popcorn) and hot coffee set up next to the screen. A row of portable toilets were also set up behind the screen.

Ice cream, popcorn, coffee and free L&P!

Toilets

Several groups of people were already there having their dinners. By 7.00pm, a DJ started entertaining us with music while waiting for the movie to start by sunset. Jann and I on the other hand, made ourselves comfortable and were happily enjoying our dinner of fried chicken and chips.

Jann and I

Yummy fried chicken and chips

The crowd started to swarm in by 7.30pm. By then everyone were given L & P drinks (a special Kiwi soft drink) and Arnott’s Shapes Sensations biscuits for free!! What a way to start the evening! After we were done with dinner, we bought ice creams (always yes for ice cream!) and were given free Yo-yos As we make our way back to our spot, a lady came over and said, “Would you like to have some free toys?” Why yes of course! Yayy to more freebies! It feels good to be treated like kids and we were beaming with joy

Freebies!!

More freebies!!

Always yes for ice cream

The movie started at 8.30pm. It got pretty chilly during the screening, luckily I brought an extra scarf to use as a wrap around and the bedsheet was good as “feet warmers” for both of us.

The crowd

Keeping feet warm

Our view

Yep, that's Michael Jackson on the screen

“Boy” is a coming to age comedy-drama set in year 1984 New Zealand. It  revolves around an 11-year old Maori boy, nick-named “Boy”, his obsession with Michael Jackson and how he views and imagines his father as his hero; even though in real life, his father is just a criminal and a gangster who was never there for him and his little brother, Rocky. Or as the Maori people put it, “He’s an egg”.

The 86-minute movie is very light and enjoyable but very touching at the same time. I feel that it captured the essence of being an 11- year-old kid in a small Kiwi town very well even though I am not a local. Taika Waititi did an excellent job as the writer, producer, director and also the actor playing Boy’s father in the movie. Awesome actors, pleasant story and humorous scenes, I give it double thumbs up! Would love to watch it again.

Here is the movie trailer, check it out!

Jann and I went home two very happy kids at about 10.00pm that night with heaps of freebies

“Inception” will be showing at another park on 18 March, I’m definitely planning to go.