Julian Dennison (left) and Sam Neill appear in a scene from "Hunt for the Wilderpeople"

Day seven at the Nashville Film Festival may have been the best day yet, with three of my favorites films at the festival to date taking center stage.

The highlight was “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” writer/director Taika Waititi’s follow-up to “What We Do in the Shadows.”

Based on a book by Barry Crump, “Wilderpeople” tells the story of rebellious kid (Julian Dennison) and his foster parent (Sam Neill) who become the target of a manhunt when they go on the run in the New Zealand bush.

“Wilderpeople” has plenty of laughs, with the same dry humor as “Shadows,” but also has a soft side as the relationship between this unlikely pair blossoms.

This, like “Shadows,” is essentially about an unconventional family and the result is both hilarious and heart felt.

Another film about unconventional family bonds is “Hunky Dory.” This had elements of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” with its story of a dive bar drag queen named Sidney (Tomas Pais) forced to re-evaluate his life when his ex-girlfriend leaves their 11-year-old son George (Edouard Holdener) in Sidney’s home and disappears.

This is a intriguing character study with strong work from both leads and some tender moments that feel authentic.

“Magallanes” was also quite effect, a Spanish import about a former army soldier (Damian Alcazar) turned taxi driver who looks to make amends for a terrible secret from his past.

This is a well-acted film with a compelling story and beautifully haunting cinematography. 

The fourth film I viewed on Wednesday was the creepy horror film “The Alchemist’s Cookbook” about a young hermit who hides out in the forest hoping to crack an ancient mystery, only to uncover something truly evil.

It’s a film that requires the audience’s patience, a slow steady build with a solid pay-off.

This would make a perfect double feature for the recent release “The Witch.”