Eagle Vs Shark

Sundance Eagle vs. Shark Screening Information

EAGLE VS. SHARK
New Zealand, 2006, 87 Minutes, color
Director:
Taika Waititi
Screenwriter:
Taika Waititi

Which is the more dangerous predator: an eagle or a shark? That’s a trick question. Don’t try to answer it. You’ll have your own opinion by the end of Taika Waititi’s deliciously tangy, deadpan feature debut about two colorful misfits thrown into each other’s orbit.

Lily is one of those weird, sweet-natured girls with stringy hair who is quite lovely and charismatic under a surface of shy awkwardness. But most people don’t have enough vision to notice, and the truth is that Lily isn’t looking to change. She cashiers at a fast-food joint and pines for Jarrod, the self-aggrandizing, clueless geek from the computer store across the way. Fiercely optimistic, Lily crashes Jarrod’s animal/video-game extravaganza, impressing him enough with her shark suit and gaming prowess to score a hookup with Eagle Lord (Jarrod) himself. Soon Lily and her brother are driving Jarrod back to his hometown to confront his childhood nemesis. But here Jarrod’s self-absorption blossoms so mightily that it may drive even the most adoring of girlfriends away. As Jarrod prepares to exact his revenge on the past, Lily’s quiet power gathers force as well.

With so much subtlety and precision in Loren Horsley and Jemaine Clement’s straight-faced, oddball performances, Lily and Jarrod’s attempts to reach each other are hilarious and excruciatingly real. Meanwhile, Phoenix Foundation’s charming, moody score perfectly reflects lopsided hearts as they stumble through uncomfortably transformative terrain.— Caroline Libresco

Screenwriter : Taika Waititi
Executive Producer : Emanuel Michael
Cinematographer : Adam Clark
Editor : Jono Woodford-Robinson
Sound Designer : Dave Whitehead
Costume Designer : Amanda Neale
Cast : Loren Horsley, Jemaine Clement, Craig Hall, Rachel House, Brian Sergent, Joel Tobeck

Screening Times

Tuesday , Jan 23 9:00 PM Egyptian Theatre, Park City EAGLE23EN
Wednesday , Jan 24 9:15 PM Holiday Village Cinema III EAGLE243N
Thursday , Jan 25 9:00 AM Egyptian Theatre, Park City EAGLE25EM
Friday , Jan 26 9:30 PM Peery’s Egyptian Theater, Ogden EAGLE26ON
Sunday , Jan 28 6:30 PM Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, SLC EAGLE28GE

Director(s) Bios

Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi has been involved in the film industry for several years, initially as an actor and now as a writer and one of New Zealand’s most promising young directors. His success with the Oscar-nominated Two Cars, One Night was followed by the festival winner Tama Tu. In January 2005, he attended the Sundance Directors and Screenwriters Labs to workshop the feature project Choice and was again selected in July 2005 to fine-tune Eagle vs. Shark.

From: Sundance Film Guide