How to Meet Girls from a Distance

I was so impressed with the standard of acting and being a local, loved the scenery. There were lots of places I recognised which made the movie special for me. Having said that, overseas audiences would not feel left out as there are no specific local references or New Zealand specific jokes. The characters were easy to relate to and so many of the scenes were funny. Unless you knew beforehand, you would not realise this film had a low budget and a tight time frame for shooting. There was some tasteful adult humour too- probably not a good first date movie! It was nice that the story had a romantic side to it as well as some dating disasters.

One of the funniest films I have seen in a long time! Hard to find a film with fresh ideas and original characters - well this film has both! Highly appealing characters that are genuinely likable (and adorably flawed!) and a great fresh faced cast that truly gave them life. Also worth noting is how transferable this film is. Though set in Wellington NZ, it doesn't rely on an in depth knowledge of Kiwi culture to be funny, which can otherwise leave international viewers feeling alienated from the plot. This film is one of those unique gems that leave you giggling for a few hours after. It's originality, great humour and feel good factor - with an obvious lack of Hollywood (over the top) pretentiousness - rank it in good company with such films as Forgetting Sarah Marshell and 40 Year Old Virgin in my book. I will also be keeping eye out for the soundtrack - a must have for in my car!

Overall, a pretty funny movie but I felt like the time between most of the jokes was a little bit long. There certainly were some funny moments, but in between there were some fairly flat periods with characters that did little to excite. I would still say the movie is worth a watch, but it lacks some strength as a compelling example of film in any category. The fact that the movie is from New Zealand does add some interest, providing a refreshing and different take of life (fans of Flight of the Chonchords may recognize some of this). The movie also has an interesting soundtrack, although mostly for it's variety rather than any hard hitting performances. In summation, it's a worthwhile effort that shows promise but ultimately seems to be missing the finishing touches that make for a great movie.

We went along to this not knowing what to expect, and came away thrilled. You know you have been to a good movie when the following day you are talking and still laughing about it. It was a quirky movie but it will still appeal to a mainstream audience. We loved the soundtrack and it helped the movie skip along at a exciting pace. The acting was genuinely excellent for such a low budget film. There were some very very funny scenes in this movie. They will stay with us for a long time and we are already reciting them to each other and breaking out in laughter. Really enjoyed the Wellington location and views of the Wellington skyline and windy, hilly roads. Creative imagination makes up for lack of high-tech special effects. Would have liked to have perhaps a few deep or meaningful messages sprinkled in there to give the movie a 10 - but still a fun night out :-)

What a way to end the New Zealand International Film Festival!! I'd wanted to attend one of the screenings but they were all booked out. It's for good reason there was an added screening attached to the very end of the festival and a buddy scored some last minute tickets!!

Without exaggeration, this was a laugh out loud, knee-slapping comedy with characters you'll be discussing and laughing about with friends well after you've left the theater! It's the most I laughed all festival long! Congratulations to everyone involved in making such a funny film within such a short time and limited budget! It'll surely stick around as one of the greats coming out of Wellington!

I hope it gets a wider release and I look forward to seeing what's next from Director Dean Hewison and his team!