Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, and yet here we are at the end of another week of being asked to prove racism exists. I have reason to believe the recent gale-force winds were caused by all the people of colour in New Zealand sighing at the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to the Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government prepares ground for a no-treats budget, Waikato DHB pulls out of expensive app failure, and a controversial immigration programme put on hold. The government is preparing the ground for a treat-free Budget by pointing to the situation they inherited. At yesterday’s post-cabinet press conference, PM … Read more
NZ filmmaker Taika Waititi has raised hackles by diagnosing racism in New Zealand in a sweary simile. But good news! Turns out he’s totally incorrect, and all you need to do is scroll down the pages of NZ news sites and social media to find out. Late last week Dazed published an interview with Taika Waititi and … Read more
An interview with Dave Gibson, the outgoing head of the Film Commission, looking back on four years of rapid change. Public sector arts jobs look horrible from the outside. You have an inevitably too-small pot of money, distributed to a group of people who are either deliriously happy or incandescent with rage according to whether … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens and luminaries making the news. In the second episode of our summer series, Cynthya Richardson explores the hidden meaning of NZ’s favourite works of art.
Dan Taipua explores indigenous ideologies in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok, New Zealand’s highest grossing film of 2017. This story was first published on 31 October 2017. Without a doubt, Taika Waititi is the finest New Zealand filmmaker of his generation. At the time of writing, Thor: Ragnarok is the most critically well-received Marvel movie of all … Read more
Following the success of Thor: Ragnarok, Toby Morris looks at other Hollywood franchises that Taika Waititi could improve. It’s Taika’s world, we’re just living in it. So where does he go next? Wherever he bloody wants. After the success of Thor: Ragnarok, every major studio and blockbuster franchise in Hollywood will be lining up to … Read more
Dan Taipua explores indigenous ideologies in Thor: Ragnarok, the blockbuster movie from the king of the space Māori, Taika Waititi. Warning: contains spoilers for Thor: Ragnarok Without a doubt, Taika Waititi is the finest New Zealand filmmaker of his generation. At the time of writing, Thor: Ragnarok is the most critically well-received Marvel movie of all … Read more
She’s perhaps New Zealand’s most prominent actress of this moment, but when she gets a big part, she’s still reluctant to share the news for fears of being cut down. She’s a sudden film star, a theatre legend, and a chill-as-shit lady. Sam Brooks sits down in a park for a few beers with Rachel House. Photography by Joel Thomas. There’s the … Read more
Professor Michael Milford and his colleague Juxi Leitner assess the scientific plausibilities of Thor: Ragnarok and finds them difficult but not always impossible. Thor: Ragnarok is the latest Marvel movie out today that sees Chris Hemsworth back as Thor, but he’s not on friendly home turf. Instead he finds himself imprisoned on the opposite side of the universe … Read more
Alex Casey previews Wait For Me Hollywood, the final TVNZ1 Sunday Special following movie star James Rolleston in the aftermath of his near-fatal car accident. When James Rolleston was a little boy, he used to peer at the TV from his front lounge in Ōpotiki and say “I want to be in there.” Several years … Read more
The Real Pod team assemble in the boardroom of dreams to talk reality TV and real life in New Zealand, including the return of MKRNZ, Art and Matilda’s new cats and TVNZ’s new season announcements. This week on The Real Pod, worlds collide as Lena Dunham gets onboard with The Real Housewives of Auckland, Max … Read more
TVNZ just announced their new season line-up for 2018. Here’s what TV editor Alex Casey is looking forward to the most. Tonight, TVNZ launched their big new season programme on Auckland’s waterfront, including the likes of Big Bang prequel Young Sheldon, UK nudist horror show Naked Attraction and – gird your loins – an untitled Grey’s … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. It ended exactly as you’d imagine it would: with the Prime Minister and Richie McCaw on stage while ‘Poi E’ boomed out across the room and Toni Street and Scotty Morrison clapping on. The night had been long, though unlike … Read more
Alex Casey interviews local legend Anika Moa about getting her own talk show (feat: us!), Nigella Lawson’s butt and why you should never hold in a burp. This is the first of a brand new interview series called On the Lash, brought to you by Australian wine geniuses Vinomofo. Photography by José Barbosa. Anika Moa bowled … Read more
Joseph Harper celebrates Taika Waititi’s ingenious early comedy gems on NZ On Screen. There’s lots of cool pre-Waititi era Taika – when he was better known as Taika Cohen – on the internet. There are a couple of really lo-fi vids of him and Jemaine Clement as The Humourbeasts hosting some kind of talent quest in … Read more
Taika Waititi’s new film Hunt for the Wilderpeople opens on March 31. It’s a good-natured romp based on a novel by Barry Crump, who created an enduring myth of himself as a good keen Kiwi bushman. The reality was different. London-based poet Fleur Adcock offers a rare memoir about her brief marriage to “Crumpy”. When I’m … Read more