The Top 3 Best Movies Set in New Zealand
New Zealand is an enchanting country and has proven time and time again that it’s a fertile ground for exceptionally talented filmmakers and actors. Although its film industry isn’t as big as the American or UK sector, there are many award-winning films that have generated a lot of media attention and received critical acclaim. But what are the best films set in New Zealand? We had the difficult task of choosing only three movies that are set in New Zealand and represent outstanding movies. Read on to see what the best movies are set in New Zealand.
What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows is a famous TV Series on FX, but initially, it was a film created and directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, who also starred in the film. The film is a mockumentary-style horror-comedy film that follows four vampires who are roommates in Wellington. The four vampires, Vladislav, Deacon, Viago, Petyr, and Jackie, a familiar who covers up their murders and fulfills their request in the hopes of becoming a vampire.
The film crew that interviews the vampires follows their escapades into Wellington and its bustling nightlife while the vampires try to avoid run-ins with any werewolves and find their next victims. Although it has plenty of tragic and gore elements, the film is a well-written comedy that captures human relationships and the eternal need for belonging.
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Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings is an award-winning epic fantasy based on the legendary novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is widely considered the most influential film series of all time and won 17 Academy Awards. The films follow the unpredictable journey of Frodo, a pure-hearted hobbit, his best friend Sam from the Shire, and eight companions that decide to set out on a journey to destroy the One Ring in Mount Doom and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.
Some of the most famous locations include Mount Sunday (Edoras), the Waiau River (Anduin River), and the real settlement in Matamata, Waikato – Hobbiton. The fame of The Lord of the Rings put New Zealand on the map as a real-life version of Middle Earth.
The Piano
The Piano is a critically acclaimed and award-winning film directed by Jane Campion. The period drama explores the relationship between a selectively mute woman from Scotland, Ada McGrath, and her young daughter Flora who is sold into a marriage in New Zealand.
She expresses herself through her daughter, who has become an interpreter of sorts of her sign language and through her piano. In New Zealand, Ada gives piano lessons to George Baines. Soon she finds herself in an extra-marital affair with George while her husband becomes increasingly worried and angry with her, plotting his revenge. The film was huge with audiences and lauded by critics. It won three Academy Awards and won the Palme d’Or.