Don Selwyn Movies

A Maori take on one of William Shakespeare's most enduring plays, The Maori Merchant of Venice offers a new take on the classic tale as it explores the complications of religious discrimination, revenge, and the politics of business. Desperate to court the beautiful Portia (Ngarimu Daniels), Christian Bassanio (Te Rangihau Gilbert) approaches best friend, Antonio (Scott Morrison), for the money to do so, though Antonio's funds are currently tied up in ships that are currently out to sea. Wishing to accommodate his good friend, Antonio in turn takes a loan from Jewish moneylender Shylock (Waihoroi Shortland), who, well aware of Antonio's questionable business ethics and racist nature, agrees to loan him the funds on the morbid condition that if he is unable to repay the loan in cash, he must offer instead a pound of his own flesh. Shylock is subsequently crushed when his daughter Jessica elopes with Christian Lorenzo (Te Arepa Kahi), all the while stealing from her father. Though Bassanio passes a difficult test set by Portia's deceased father and wins her hand in marriage, he soon gets news that Antonio's ships have sunk and his old friend has been arrested at the request of Shylock, who remains eager to collect his due. Despite Bassanio's desperate please to save his friend and offer to double the original loan's return with money from the wealthy Portia, Shylock's thirst for utu (revenge) leaves Bassanio in a tight spot that may not be so easy to escape. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A virulent strain of gonorrhea is loose in New Zealand and it is up to a nurse to find the carrier in this Kiwi thriller set in WW II. New Zealand was a popular shore-leave locale for battle fatigued American sailors. Kelly Towne is a nurse from the Hygiene Department. Her assignment is to help keep the spread of VD in check. She works with both the troops and the local brothels. In the film's beginning a Marine has been murdered and his girlfriend, a former hooker, has disappeared. Kelly becomes involved in the mystery after she finds out that both the missing girl and the wife of a local politician carry this new, deadly strain of gonorrhea. With the help of U.S. Marine Capt. Michael Starwood, she sets off to find the girl and is surprised that her trail leads to the highest ranks of the New Zealand government and the American military where a conspiracy is taking place. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Enriched by a phalanx of deeply-etched characters straight out of New Zealand's finest folklore, this winning comedy by Kiwi director Ian Mune tells the story of two buddies out to ride a great horse-racing scam for as long as they can. Based on a story by the late writer Ronald Hugh Morrieson, the setting is around 1949 in rural New Zealand. Wes Pennington (Peter Bland) and his pal Cyril (Philip Gordon) are inveterate gamblers who have joined forces to bilk local bookies by taking advantage of delayed broadcasts of horse races. The duo do not linger long in each place, but when they arrive in Tainuia Junction, fate catches up with them. Through a series of unforeseen circumstances, Cyril and Wes get involved in uncovering a bootlegging ring, arson, murder, and other dastardly deeds. The townspeople are in a class of their own, but outstanding among them is the Tainuia Kid (Billy T. James) who is a kind of protector for the put-upon, gambling duo. The "Kid" is a mix of modern New Zealand ingenuity and traditional patriotic values, with a bit of humor thrown in as well. Viewers do not have to be from New Zealand to appreciate the story, the comedy, and the characters that emerge in this entertaining film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In this suspense thriller, a missing anthropologist is given up for lost by his wife (Darien Takle) and twin brother Edward (John Bach), but his daughter (Emma Takle) is convinced something odd is involved in her father's disappearance. Events conspire to put the three people together on a manhunt for the anthropologist -- among a "lost" tribe in the southern part of New Zealand that is not going to cooperate in the trio's search. If the wife, daughter, and uncle are extremely lucky, everyone will be able to escape intact. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Director Roger Donaldson's directorial debut was also a breakthrough film for New Zealand filmmakers, being the first film from New Zealand to open in the United States. Sam Neill stars as a man named Smith who lives in a near future of economic collapse in New Zealand. Smith is a husband who discovers that his wife has been having an affair. Unable to deal with it, he decides to move out and live by himself. But the precarious political chaos in New Zealand has created a right wing backlash, with repressive government forces murdering opponents to the government's policies. Smith finds himself joining a group of freedom fighters that sets out to preserve democracy. Opposing Smith and the freedom fighters are the government thugs and an apolitical soldier of fortune named Willoughby (Warren Oates). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi