Came a Hot Friday
Set in post-war (1949) rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men to run a betting scam in a small town (Tainuea) already rife with illegal gambling corruption, and eccentricity.
Set in post-war (1949) rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men to run a betting scam in a small town (Tainuea) already rife with illegal gambling corruption, and eccentricity.
Peter Bland
Wes Pennington
Phillip Gordon
Cyril Kidman
Michael Lawrence
Don Jackson
Billy T. James
The Tainuia Kid
Marshall Napier
Sel Bishop
Don Selwyn
Norm Cray
Marise Wipani
Esmerelda
Set in post-war (1949) rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men to run a betting scam in a small town (Tainuea) already rife with illegal gambling corruption, and eccentricity.
Click here for a video version of this review: https://youtu.be/U7w_jcSD3iE The early 80s was a time where the New Zealand film industry began to really bud and grow. One of the classics to come out of that time was _Came a Hot Friday_. Much like _Goodbye Pork Pie_ that came before it, this is a screwball comedy full of larger than life characters and general silliness. So what exactly is the story here? _Set in post-war rural New Zealand, this film traces the efforts of two con men as they run a betting scam in a small town already rife with illegal gambling, corruption, and eccentricity._ There really isn't a lot of story here and the movie is a bit of a shambles, but in a way, that's what gives it its charm. Its poorly acted and edited, but you 100% get a real sense of 1980s New Zealand, even though the movie is set in 1949. It's hard to say whether or not I recommend this. From a strictly story and quality point of view, its a bit of a disaster looking at it through modern eyes. As a slice of what we in New Zealand call "Kiwiana" though, its a treasure trove. It was a delight to see the legendary Billy T. James in this as, no less, and Maori Mexican bandito, and along with him, there were a few other familiar, albeit, much younger, faces from the NZ film and television alumni. I came across this in full on YouTube, and apart from that, I'm not sure where on earth you would be able to find a copy these days. It's not a great movie, but does have a ton of nostalgia value.
A street smart runner develops an intense rivalry with an equally ambitious wealthy young athlete.
Jon Katz is close to burnout. He's a writer with writer's block; his wife has left for her sister's because he's emotionally distant; he rarely answers his phone. A kennel sends him a border collie that's undisciplined because of abuse. Despite a series of mishaps, Jon decides to keep trying with the dog, and he rents a dilapidated farm house to give the dog room to run. A local handyman refers Jon to a woman who might be able to help him train the dog. Reluctantly, Jon gives her a try. Is the dog the problem, or the owner?
Christian Slater is a stranger who comes to a small town. The local citizens think he's up to no good. After bothering him for a while, he blurts out in frustration, that he is there to kill himself.
Tom and Mae Garvey are a Tennessee farming couple battling violent floods to save their land. In addition to natural disasters, the Garveys fight to stop a selfish land developer and a local corporation from foreclosing on their farm. While Mae stays at home to care for their children and tend to the crops, Tom finds work as a scab at a steel mill to preserve his family's property.
A newlywed couple cancels their honeymoon and returns to the snowy Midwest to make the funeral arrangements for their best man, who died unexpectedly after their ceremony.
A successful advertising executive finds his freewheeling life crashing to a halt when his parents end their longtime marriage.
Three middle aged men polish their martial arts skills to avenge their fallen master.
Alan is a stylish tailor with moves as sharp as his suits. He has spent years searching tirelessly for his missing son Michael who stormed out over a game of Scrabble. With a body to identify and his family torn apart, Alan must repair the relationship with his youngest son and solve the mystery of an online player who he thinks could be Michael, so he can finally move on and reunite his family.
Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American, bets the high school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads 5' 8" Chang on a quest to learn to dunk—not only to impress his crush, Kristy, but to gain the respect of his high school peers too. But before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he'll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships and his family.
There are dysfunctional families... and then there are the Conways. After a family tragedy, 15-year-old Billy Conway has become the de facto glue between his bitter mom, distant brother, and stoic dad. But when Billy starts to act out, everything changes for him and his family