The Insatiable Moon The Insatiable Moon

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Sometimes you have to let go and see where you end up

When Arthur, self-proclaimed son of God, sets off on a mission to find the Queen of Heaven, his world changes.

Bruce Phillips Ian Mune Rawiri Paratene Sara Wiseman Ray Woolf Sarah Valentine Greg Johnson Sarah Somerville Benjamin Murray

Director

Rosemary Riddell

Writer

Mike Riddell

Language

English

drama

97 mins   More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

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  • Andrew Johnson

    Review by Andrew Johnson ★★★½

    Viewed as part of Dreaming The World.

    Rawiri Paratene is phenomenal.

    It doesn't quite cohere into something as emotionally satisfying as it could be; it made me want to read the book. That said, I find the premise and the first half pretty spectacular, even if the resolution (aside from the penultimate scene) strikes me as weak.

    This film is at its best when it's promoting empathy, not only for the poor and the mentally ill, but also for those we are quick to deem as "evil" and "irredeemable." There's a phenomenal moment that occurs during a funeral for a child molester that made me weep, and the payoff is one of the more honest examinations of transformation I've seen…

  • Glen Grunau

    Review by Glen Grunau ★★★★

    Somehow what seemed so incredible the first time I saw this movie a few days ago, now seems not so far fetched when I open myself up just a little bit more to the possibilities of the heart.  Oh what a beautiful world this could be if we open up space for love to soften our prejudice, ease our discomfort, and calm our fears.

    Perfect love casts out fear.

    How does a film this special fly so low under the radar?  Thank you Gareth Higgins for serving up this movie and inviting all of us to meet on Zoom tomorrow with you and the director and screenwriter to explore in more depth this little gem.

  • Glen Grunau

    Review by Glen Grunau ★★★★

    Dreaming the World: Seven Weeks of Seeing in the Dark
    Film #1 - New Zealand

    Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

    This story took a big credibility risk that I suspect alienated the occasional critic and prompted some viewers to shy away. After all, how much can you trust a crazy man?

    But if we get too hung up on how much this story fits into our tidy theories of mental illness and whether we can allow for miraculous insight into the mind of God, we will miss the beauty of this movie that embraces difference and values love and forgiveness and generosity over fear and judgement and greed.

  • STEPHEN TUBBS

    Review by STEPHEN TUBBS ★★

    A touching story. Have rated the film on the world stage at two * - but it rates higher against other New Zealand films .

  • Bill Robinson

    Review by Bill Robinson ★★★★½

    This is a beautiful and delightful moving film. Everyone should watch it.

  • Elspeth Grant

    Review by Elspeth Grant ★★★

    Very New Zealand.

  • Andrew Dubber

    Review by Andrew Dubber ★★★★

    Even better on a repeat viewing. Some nuance I'd missed came out this time around. Helps if you know some of the kiwi references, but there are some standout performances. Greg Johnson steals the show, but Don Linden is superb too. Ray Woolf too. And yes, of course, Rawiri is amazing.

    Lovely story, some really heartfelt moments and an emotional punch - and laugh out loud funny in a few places too. I really like it a lot.

  • cassadee

    Review by cassadee ★★

    I enjoyed the familiar settings in this film, having visited these streets before. We meet Arthur, a lovely man. Is he really the second son of god, or is that a manifestation of his mental illness?

    There is a lot of sweetness in this film - I liked some of the characters and ideas, found some scenes touching, but thought the story ultimately flimsy. It felt like a labour of love by the makers, and I’m glad I watched it.