Keisha Castle-Hughes received a best actress Academy Award nomination for her performance in 'Whale Rider'. Photo / Supplied
To mark the tenth anniversary of nzherald.co.nz, we're rounding up some of the highs and lows of the last decade. Below is our pick of the ten best New Zealand films since 1998, as chosen by Timeout editor Russell Baillie.
1. Whale Rider, directed by Niki Caro
Set in the small East Cape settlement of Whangara, Whale Rider tells the story of a young girl, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), who is the most recent descendent of the hapu's ancestor Paikea - the whale rider. Pai's mother and twin brother died in childbirth and she must overcome
the disapproval of her stubborn grandfather (Rawiri Paratene) before she can fulfil her destiny as a leader.
* Article about how Whale Rider was received internationally
2. Out of the Blue, directed by Robert Sarkies
A chilling depiction of the events of November 13, 1990, when David Gray (Matthew Sutherland), an Otago gun enthusiast, murdered 13 people in the small coastal town of Aramoana.
* Review of Out of the Blue
3. Eagle vs Shark, directed by Taika Waititi
When Lily (Loren Horsley) meets Jarrod (Jermaine Clement) at a burger joint, an unconventional love story begins to unfold. Jarrod sets out on a revenge-inspired trip to his hometown and the socially awkward and lonely Lily decides to follow him.
* Review of Eagle vs Shark
4. The World's Fastest Indian, directed by Roger Donaldson
Based on a true story, The World's Fastest Indian traces the journey of 67-year-old Invercargill man Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins) as he attempts to set a new world speed record on his Indian Scout motorcycle. Munro's travels take him to the salt flats at Bonneville in Utah, where his primary problem is being allowed to race at all.
* Review of The World's Fastest Indian
5. Rain, directed by Christine Jeffs
Set during a typical New Zealand summer holiday Rain depicts a family disintegrating in what should be an idyllic location. As the holiday progresses, 13-year-old Janey Phelon (Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki) becomes increasingly aware of the fissures in her parents' marriage ... and of her own sexuality.
* Review of Rain
6. Scarfies, directed by Robert Sarkies
When a group of Dunedin students find an abandoned house, they think their accommodation prayers have been answered. With the discovery of a marijuana plantation in the basement they decide their new abode will also be able to provide them with some extra cash, but things start going awry when the owner of the plants shows up.
* Review of Scarfies
7. In My Father's Den, directed by Brad McGann
Returning home after a 17-year absence to attend his father's funeral, war journalist Paul Prior (Matthew Macfadyen) befriends local schoolgirl Celia (Emily Barclay). When Celia disappears, Prior is forced to confront elements of his past he has long tried to forget.
* Review of In My Father's Den
8. Sione's Wedding, directed by Chris Graham
Determined to stop his wedding from being ruined by the childish antics of his older brother and friends, Sione (Pua Magasiva) issues them an ultimatum: bring a date or stay away. The film traces the four 30-somethings' attempts to find girlfriends before Sione's big day rolls around.
* Review of Sione's Wedding
9. Stickmen, directed by Hamish Rothwell
The story of three mates' attempt to win a high-stakes pool tournament run by a local crime kingpin. Thomas (Paolo Rotondo), Wayne (Scott Wills) and Jack (Robbie Magasiva) are regulars at the local pool hall, but Dave's plan to get himself out of debt by winning the tournament run by "Daddy" (Enrico Mammarella) nearly derails the 'Stickmen'.
* Review of Stickmen
10. Kaikohe Demolition, directed by Florian Habicht
Director Florian Habicht meant to make a documentary looking at places in Northland where the tourist buses didn't go - but he became distracted by the Kaikohe Car Club, the regular meetings of which provided the backbone for this charming documentary about life in a small North Island town.
* Review of Kaikohe Demolition
