media reviews
film-rezensionen
30 Sept 15 - German film reviewer Oliver Armknecht says, "Man ist doch nie zu alt zum Tanzen! „Hip Hop-eration“ erzählt mit viel Humor, aber auch mit entwaffnender Ehrlichkeit, wie eine Gruppe Rentner im Alter an den internationalen Hip-Hop-Meisterschaften teilnehmen will. Das mag teilweise ein drolliger Anblick sein, gleichzeitig aber so lebensbejahend und inspirierend, dass man sich im Anschluss kaum das Lächeln auf dem Gesicht verkneifen kann." more...
29 Sept 15 - "Der subversive Humor und die ansteckende Lebensfreude machen Bryn Evans Film zum echten Feelgood-Movie." ★★★★ more...
AG Kino: Programmkino.de
23 Sept 15 - German film critic, Gaby Sikorski says: "Mit Witz und Intelligenz erzählt Bryn Evans davon, dass Begeisterung und Leidenschaft keine Frage des Alters sind, und er verwöhnt das Kinopublikum zusätzlich mit schönen Landschaftsbildern. Ein feiner, kleiner Wohlfühlfilm! more...
Kritiken.de
2 Sept 15 - Germany's online portal for film reviews says "Man ist niemals zu alt, um den ersten Schritt zu gehen. Unter dieser Prämisse trainiert Billie Jordan eine Gruppe von 30 Senioren aus Neuseeland, die ihren Lebensabend verleben. Die älteste Person blickt auf ein stolzes Alter von 96 Jahren zurück und wagt dennoch, wie ihre Mit-Rentner-Kollegen, den ersten Schritt: Im Hip Hop!" more...
NZ Listener
3 Oct - Film reviewer Helene Wong gives a glowing 4-Star review. She says "The frankness that comes with age delivers both humour and poignancy. Their interviews are respectfully unhurried, yet appropriately for these women, they’re always filmed in some kind of action, whether cooking a meal or busting a move." more
Verve Magazine
3 Oct - Feature writer Jamie Christian Desplaces says "this true life tale is one of the most moving, uplifting, life-affirming films that you will see not just this year, but ever," More
Metro magazine
★★★★ review!
1 Oct - Metro magazine film critic, Graham Adams, says "The result is the best kind of feel-good doco — warm, inspiring, insightful and funny — and one that could easily give 2007’s hit Young@Heart a run for its money around the world." More
The TV Guide
28 Sept - Shaun Bamber finds out that age is no barrier to living a full life after talking with crew manager, Billie Jordan. More
5-STAR REVIEW
28 Sept - Film reviewer Sarah Watt gives 5-STARS and says, Regardless of your age or musical inclinations, this unashamedly feel-good local documentary will have you tapping your toes and whooping for joy. More
NZ Herald
25 Sept - If you loved Young@Heart, Ping Pong or Autumn Gold, about a group of geriatric athletes preparing for the World Masters Competition; Hip Hop-eration is for you. A heartwarming documentary that challenges perceptions of what it is to grow old; Hip Hop-eration celebrates living life to the fullest and is full of laughs, colourful characters and Kiwi attitude. More
Flicks.co.nz
24 Sept - Film reviewer Liam Maguren says, Coming out of nowhere is this New Zealand Film Commission-funded documentary about a Waiheke community of elderly Kiwis that forms a hip-hop dance crew, an activity that troupe manager Billy Jordan initiates to get the pensioners “out of their comfort zone.” more
Breakfast, TV One
23 Sept - The big screen debut
The world-famous elderly hip-hop troupe are about to hit NZ cinemas in a heart-warming documentary. Watch
OneNews Tonight
22 Sept - The Hip Op-eration crew got to put their best hip-hopping feet forward while reporter Danielle Stanbury discusses the film with director Bryn Evans. Watch
The Paul Henry Show
22 Sept - A New Zealand hip-hop film has had a glitzy premiere in Auckland tonight, but its stars may not be the kind of hip-hop dancers you'd expect. Watch
Oma kickt die derbsten Styles
1 Oct 15 - Julia Bähr von Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Siebenundzwanzig alte Herrschaften, eine Tanztrainerin und jede Menge cooler Moves: Die neuseeländische Seniorentanztruppe „Hip Op-eration“ übt Hiphop – und eine hinreißende Doku begleitet sie auf ihrem Weg zu den Meisterschaften. more...
Wenn Senioren tanzen: Dokumentation "Hip Hop-Eration"
28 Sept 15 - Berlin (dpa) - Tanzfilme sind fast immer emotionsgeladen: Anspannung vor dem Auftritt, jubelnde Zuschauer, Musik zum Mitwippen. Mit "Hip Hop-Eration" kommt ein besonders berührendes Werk in die Kinos. more ...
★★★★ review
26 Sept 15 - Germany's MDR Kino Royal programme profiled Hip Hop-eration and gave it 4-stars. watch
★★★★ review
17 Sept 15 - German film critic Christian Horn of Filmstarts says: "Fazit: Hip Hop-eration ist eine rührende Wohlfühldoku über eine rüstige Senioren-Tanzgruppe aus Neuseeland, die ausgerechnet zu Hip-Hop tanzt." more
ScreenDaily review
27 Nov - An engagingly fluffy documentary that is packed with moments to smile at, Bryn Evans’ Hip Hop-operation (the title feels very self-aware, bit at least reflects the tone of the film) is an easy-to-watch delve into the antics of 30 senior citizens (the oldest of whom is 96) based on a small New Zealand island who are preparing to take part in the World Hip-Hop Dance Championships in Las Vegas. more
Kiwi doco to shine on world stage
2 Oct - New Zealand documentary Hip Hop-eration will make its international premiere at the prestigious 2014 International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). More
Hip Op-eration crew win award
2 Oct - The Kiwi seniors taking the world by storm with their hip hop moves have won an age dignity award. More
Radio New Zealand
Unlikely breakdancers
1 Oct - Interview with Billie Jordan, Manager of the Hip Op Crew on Radio New Zealand. Listen
The Breeze
1 Oct - The Two Robbies are taught some hip hop moves by two members of the Hip Op-eration crew. Watch
Kate Rodger, TV3
26 Sept - What a life-affirming little film this is, a truly kiwi can-do story full to the brim with personality. A little trimming and tightening to the storytelling here and there would have elevated the experience, but this is a really enjoyable watch.Watch
Stuff ★★★★
25 Sept - Film reviewer Graeme Tuckett says There is joy in this film, enough personal history to lend some real flesh and pathos to the tale, and a very genuine celebration of lives very well lived. More
Dominion Post
Hip to be old: Age no barrier
25 Sept - Film reviewer Caitlin Salter says, Ninety-year-olds hip-hop dancing their way from Waiheke Island to Las Vegas is a novel idea for a documentary, and the sort of wacky premise viewers might dismiss as implausible in a narrative feature film. But the story is real, and it is a great one. more
Stuff
Swagger has no age limit
24 Sept - Nine of them are deaf, four use mobility aids, one is blind, 11 are in their 80s and 90s but the Hip Hop-eration Crew all have one thing that doesn’t age: Swagger. more
Coast radio
Brian Kelly talks life after hip hop
24 Sept - Radio show host Brian Kelly talks with aging hip hoppers "Kara Bang Bang", "Quicksilver" Maynie and group manager Billie Jordon about the film, life and hip hop. Brian says Hip Hop-eration is the "Movie of the year!" Listen
Herald on Sunday
21 Sept - Grannies grab the spotlight in a new movie, finds Dominic Corry. The shamelessly uplifting new local documentary Hip Hop-eration highlights New Zealand's thriving hip-hop dance culture via the efforts of a crew with a difference: Hip Op-eration's members are all between the ages of 67 and 95. more
Canvas magazine
20 Sept - Theirs is an unlikely story: a bunch of senior citizens from Waiheke — ranging in age from 65 to 95 — who formed a hip-hop dance crew then went to the world champs in Vegas. They talk to Alan Perrott about moonwalking, twerking and feeling alive again. more
GrownUps
17 Sept - If you love a good feel-good movie, don’t miss the latest New Zealand film/documentary Hip Hoperation. It is a glorious, funny, poignant and thoroughly uplifting true story about a wonderful group of seniors living on Waiheke Island. more
Doku „Hip Hop-Eration“: Senioren tanzen auf der Weltbühne
28 Sept 15 - Focus online - "Agil, gelenkig, jung: Das dürfte auf die meisten Hip-Hop-Crews der Welt zutreffen. Der Film „Hip Hop-Eration“ porträtiert die wohl reifste Tanzgruppe der Welt - lebensfroh und rührend bis zum Schluss." more....
26 Sept 15 - UWM film critic, Mary Jo Contino, says - "I wanted terribly to call up my 87-year-old grandmother and chat about life afterwards, but I knew it was her dinner time around the time the film let out. The film is a reminder that age really is just a number. You can do whatever the hell you want in your future, even after your inevitable hip replacement. more...
Film sweeps up 3 NZFA doco awards
12 Dec - Nominated for four awards, Hip Hop-eration received Best Documentary, Best Documentary Director and Best Documentary Cinematography at the Rialto New Zealand Film Awards leaving the team feeling totally overwhelmed and honoured. more
Good Morning Show
30 Sept - Could you see yourself busting a move at ninety-five? We'll hear the heart-warming story of the crew from 'Hip-Hoperation' who say age is just a number. Watch
★★★★ review!
29 Sept - Christine Powley says, The Waiheke Islanders turn to an urban crew for guidance and it is instant love on both sides. When they perform the young crowd does not see mockery, they see an openness to their culture. It's the love that keeps these aged hip-hoppers going. More
KeepingUpWithNZ
27 Sept - Film reviewer Ian Wright, of KeepingUpWithNZ, says Hip Hop-eration is a heartwarming and hilarious Kiwi documentary which is full of as much uplifting jubilance as it is heartfelt and tear jerking monologues. More
Localist
26 Sept - Kylie Bailey talks to crew manager, Billie Jordon to find out why Hip Op-eration. “What I love about the film is that they don’t show the gleaming white beaches – they show the moods of Waiheke – and the little baches,” says Billie. “It’s all about our quintessential Kiwi can-do attitudes and being the underdog.” more
Yahoo!
25 Sept - Film reviewer Stacey Hunt says, Whoever said growing old is boring has clearly never met New Zealand’s Hip Operation crew. In what is one of the most uplifting documentaries I’ve ever seen, this group of senior citizens defy all odds to take to the stage at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships in Las Vegas. More
Flicks.co.nz
25 Sept - Flicks.co.nz and Chillbox Creative talk to documentarian Bryn Evans about his feel-good feature that follows a group of senior Kiwis who train to compete in the World Hip-Hop Championships in Las Vegas. Watch
Jo Holmes blog
24 Sept - Watching the 500 or so members of the public and media emerging from having seen the ‘Hip Hop-eration’ film premiere on Monday night it was obvious the film was going to be a huge success. more
Kickarts radio show
21 Sept - "This is one of the most stunning documentaries I have seen in a long time...the film, the narrative was beautifully edited and directed...it was real insight into old age, into courage...it crosses the generations...I cannot describe the emotional journey it took me watching it...it's funny, it was really funny, I laughed, I cried and it took me by surprise too..I went off to bed that night with a little skip in my step feeling very happy....Go and see it...I cannot say this strongly enough I give it 11 out of 10. It's an awesome awesome documentary." Richard Green, radio show host. Listen (at 31:20)
North & South magazine
Big Screen NZ
18 Sept - Film reviewer Clinton Randall, says, Firstly I think it's important that this review be prefaced with the fact that I'm 29 and male. I went into Hip-Operation with low expectations hearing that it was about a bunch of senior citizens trying to form a 'crew' and very quickly into the film changed my tune! more