Julian Dennison

And a few months ago, the preorder went up on my favorite movie store, Atomic Video Store, Atomic Movie Store, by the way.

And I looked it up, and it's a Taika Waititi movie from 2016 starring Sam Neill and Julian Dennison, who we would see later in Deadpool 2.

And I did some research.

It is the biggest grossing New Zealand film of all time.

But this two point five million dollar movie went on to make twenty three point two million dollars.

So that's a big deal for a New Zealander movie.

It is a coming-of-age story of sorts with a cantankerous Sam Neill and a young Julian Dennison who is a foster kid placed with him and his wife.

And through some things that happen in the story, they go off on an adventure together in the New Zealand outback.

I mean, Invictus is Hollywood and all that stuff, but are, is there another one, other than Brothers on Three as well, that you like? That, that's a little more obscure, but I think it's a good rugby film.

And mine, and Fitzy, I want you to answer this too, and mine is a movie called Uproar, uh, with, with, uh, Julian Dennison i- is the star, uh, Minnie Driver.

It's about racism and an identity of him.

It takes place during apartheid, uh-

What's like kind of some standout things? Like what have you always loved about it?

I've man I've just loved Sam Neill in that movie yes like he's just so his performance is rest in peace and it was actually I hadn't seen it since Sam Neill passed away and he was just wasn't he just like just fantastic he was so amazing in this film him as Hector he's so like resentful at the beginning and then he just opens up and he just becomes this really like loving loving guy at the end the i mean we were like jumping ahead but like oh my god the ending's amazing when they go off and find that birds and it's like and he shoots him at the oh my god it's so good yeah that sam neill is such a standout Julian Dennison, who plays Ricky Baker.

I saw him in Camden like a few weeks ago.

Are you kidding me? I was at the cinema with my mate Nick and we were like chatting and I was like, and Nick was like here and I was where I was.

And then Julian Dennison walked past and Nick was just like...

I was like, yo, what? What's up? And he's like, dude, that's Ricky Baker.

And I'm

Anything else you want to plug? Like anything else you want to share? Anyone, any people you want to like talk about or anything, anything you

So, um, when you put out the call, I figured I'd, I'd jump in.

Um, and, and yeah, it's just, you know, it's a fun kind of, um, coming of age and, uh, buddy comedy movie, um, with Sam Neill and, uh, a new actor, you know, young kid actor, uh, Julian Dennison.

Um, so it's mostly a, mostly a two-hander where he the, Julian plays a, a foster kid who comes to live with a new family.

Um, it's taken in by, uh, Bella, um, is the mother's name, uh, who's, it, and it's her kind of driving the adoption of the foster kid.

In the film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, directed by Taika Waititi, we are taken on a journey through the lush and untamed New Zealand bush, where the beauty of nature serves as both a backdrop and a character in its own right.

The story follows Ricky Baker, played by Julian Dennison, a rebellious city kid who has been shuffled through the foster care system, and his reluctant foster uncle, Hector, portrayed by Sam Neill.

After the sudden death of Bella, played by Rima Tiwiata, Ricky's kind-hearted foster mother Ricky and Hector find themselves on the run from the authorities, sparking a nationwide manhunt.

Taika Waititi, known for his unique storytelling style, brings a blend of humour, adventure and heartfelt emotion to this film.

The movie is an adaptation of Barry Crump's novel Wild Pork and Watercress, and Waititi's touch is evident in the way he balances the comedic elements with the deeper themes of belonging and self-discovery.

The film is divided into chapters, giving it a storybook feel, and the editing is sharp and precise, enhancing the comedic timing and emotional beats.

Ricky, a character full of youthful energy and imagination, is portrayed with charm and wit by Julian Dennison.

His journey from a bad egg to a young man finding his place in the world is both humorous and touching.

And obviously a lot of that is in, not just Sam Neill, it's in that central relationship, which is beautiful.

Even despite that, on the face of it, the kid, whatever, Julian Dennison's character is such a, in every way, broad character.

He's almost a caricature.

Yeah.

thing.

And this is where the stuff about the mother, the wife rather, I guess, the sort of adoptive mother at the start plays into it.

Because these two people, you know, Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, they don't find each other unless she brings them together and then she disappears and they are left to kind of rediscover each other in light of because what happens when she disappears is their relation to each other changes because actually their relation to each relationship to each other didn't really exist they both have a relationship

she's the connection

And he was an absolute delight.

That was a clear career highlight for me, him and Julian Dennison.

So I was really, really proud to do that.

And in this, he plays an altogether less wholesome character, let's say.