Film

Sometimes things don’t turn out as you planned. You thought a situation was going to be one thing and it turned out to be something completely different. New Years’ parties always start with so much hope and excitement and are often underwhelming. But sometimes, those magical moments where you don’t think anything exciting will happen…

There is an expression: same same, but different. Many people get t-shirts with it brandished on from Thailand or Bali. Lots of locals use the expression to say this food is going to be basically the same as what you are used to, but a little bit different.  Nude Tuesday (dir. Armağan Ballantyne) tells a…

I will avenge you, father! I will save you, mother! I will kill you, Fjölnir! The words of young Amleth as he escapes his island home that was sacked by his Uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang). Amleth had to watch his uncle murder his father and carry his mother off screaming. He vowed to make right…

Food scientists try to find the bliss point. It is the perfect combination of ingredients such as fat, salt, and sugar in food that optimize deliciousness. It is why ice cream is so moreish. You can’t stop with just one bowl, or maybe that is just me.  Movies have sweet spots too, the bliss point…

A good joke has a set-up and a punchline. Often the story is familiar but the unique twist on the existing expectation creates a delightful outcome.  Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is directed by David Yates – who has directed the previous Fantastic Beasts movies as well as some of the Harry Potter movies…

What did I just watch? How do you begin to talk about a film where two grown men try to jump onto an IRS award that is also a huge buttplug (because dealing with the iRS is a pain in the arse) to access other memories from versions of themselves in other dimensions to fight…

It felt weird.We were back in cinemas, again. Another lockdown over, but this review felt weird. People weren’t sitting near each other. Masks were on. It felt weird.  C’mon C’mon (dir. Mike Mills) centers on Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) a radio journalist, who is going around the US interviewing kids on their perspective on modern life.…

Round two, back at it again. Auckland lockdown v2 is over and I can do what I love: that is, going into cold air-conditioned rooms to get out of the awful humidity that is an Auckland Summer. Also, there are movie screenings and ice creams so I am excited. The first screening is Ghostbusters: Afterlife.…

I love milkshakes. I am not embarrassed to say it. I love them. Fidel’s cafe in Wellington has the best milkshakes in the country. I haven’t found anything that matches it in Auckland. It has been a real struggle. The Fidel’s milkshake has the perfect combination of price, thickness, quantity and flavour.  The trailer for…

There is a phrase called ‘Jumping the shark’. It comes from the classic sitcom Happy Days. It was years into their run and they were losing their audience share so they thought if they did something spectacular they would get more attention. They decided to do a stunt, Fonzie literally jumped over a shark on…