Whale Rider

Gr 5 Up—Twelve-year-old Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes) comes from a long line of Maori chiefs in her village, but her grandfather refuses to accept her in that role because she's a girl. Patient but resilient, Pai secretly trains to become a chief and prove her worth to her grandfather and unite her community. The 15th anniversary edition of the New Zealand film proves that this modern classic has aged well; it powerfully reflects on topics such as sexism and the struggle for communities to adapt while shining a positive light on the Maori culture. The soundtrack may be the only component that hasn't grown with the movie. The New Age tone of the background music is too relaxing, slowing down the pace and clashing with the emotional songs that are sung in the Maori language throughout. Special features divulge how some of the bigger set pieces were created, like the large canoe or the beached whales, but these can also be seen in previous versions of the DVD. For an anniversary edition, there doesn't seem to be anything really special about it. However, the movie by its self is a wonderful coming-of-age story that will be retold for many years to come.