11 Best New Zealand Movies to Watch

By Vlad Zakh · December 5, 2025

New Zealand Drama thought provoking feel good

New Zealand’s film industry punches well above its size, producing an Oscar-winning period drama, a deadpan vampire mockumentary and the dry comedies that eventually made Taika Waititi a Marvel director. Sione’s Wedding bans four friends from a family wedding unless they find respectable dates, Eagle vs Shark stumbles two misfits through a romance, and Boy watches a kid’s idea of his absent father collapse when the man shows up. Heavenly Creatures spirals toward a real 1954 murder. Whale Rider, The Piano, Once Were Warriors, Housebound and Hunt for the Wilderpeople round out the list.

Sione's Wedding (2006)

TMDB ★ 6.3

Four childhood friends are banned from a family wedding unless they can each find a respectable date.

Directed by Chris Graham · 1h 37m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Eagle vs Shark (2007)

TMDB ★ 6.1

Two awkward misfits stumble through a romance neither is equipped to handle gracefully.

Directed by Taika Waititi · 1h 27m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Boy (2010)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A kid's idealised picture of his absent father collapses the moment the man actually turns up.

Directed by David Bowers · 1h 34m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Starz Apple TV channel, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Two teenage girls' intense friendship spirals towards a real, shocking 1954 murder.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 1h 49m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Whale Rider (2002)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A young girl fights to prove she can lead her tribe despite a leadership tradition reserved for boys.

Directed by Niki Caro · 1h 41m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+ · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 96% Metacritic 76

A documentary crew embeds with a household of ancient vampires navigating modern flatmate life.

Directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi · 1h 26m · Rated R

26 wins & 18 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The World's Fastest Indian (2005)

TMDB ★ 7.7

An elderly enthusiast builds a record-breaking motorcycle in his garage and takes it to the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Directed by Roger Donaldson · 2h 07m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Dox Amazon Channel, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A foster kid and his reluctant guardian become the targets of a nationwide manhunt in the New Zealand bush.

Directed by Taika Waititi · 1h 41m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Once Were Warriors (1994)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A Maori family in urban Auckland is shattered by a father's alcoholism and violence.

Directed by Lee Tamahori · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Film Movement Plus, BFI Player Amazon Channel, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Piano (1993)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A mute woman communicates only through the instrument she refuses to leave behind.

Directed by Jane Campion · 2h 00m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Housebound (2014)

TMDB ★ 6.5

A woman sentenced to house arrest at her childhood home becomes convinced the place is actually haunted.

Directed by Gerard Johnstone · 1h 51m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Bloodstream · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

11 Best New Zealand Movies to Watch

Sione's Wedding (2006)

Eagle vs Shark (2007)

Boy (2010)

Heavenly Creatures (1994)

Whale Rider (2002)

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

The World's Fastest Indian (2005)

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Once Were Warriors (1994)

The Piano (1993)

Housebound (2014)

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