#Pasifika Cinema

[oceanusborealis]

Uproar - Movie Review

TL;DR – An emotional punch to the face as it explores the power of finding your identity. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.Disclosure – I paid to see this film Uproar Review – At the time of writing, we are in the middle of the Brisbane International Film Festival or, more affectionately, BIFF. So many films were on offer that you needed to sort…

[tourist-destinations]

Top 7 Tourist Attractions in Australia

The first documentation of Australia was done in the 16th century. But the country was inhabited by the Aboriginals for centuries before. In fact, Australia boasts of being home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. What makes the country truly fascinating is that it has grown into one of the best-developed countries in the world. You will get to see everything from the most modern cities to the best airports in the world here. Yet, the country has been able to keep its natural beauty and culture intact. A holiday to Australia would give you the chance to see an array of amazing things. All you need is an Australia visa subclass 600 (visitor visa). Here are the top 7 Australian tourist attractions.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House is synonymous with Australia and is the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of the country. Opened in 1973, this architectural masterpiece is shaped like shells or swirling sails of a sailing ship. Flanked by the Sydney Harbor on three sides and the Royal Botanic Gardens on one, the Opera House is a symbol of art and culture. It houses theaters, a concert hall, a cinema, exhibition rooms, and studios. It is clearly one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Great Barrier Reef

One of the best wonders of the world is in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest collection of coral reefs on earth. It is so huge that it is the largest living structure that is visible from outer space. It is home to over 3000 coral reefs, 300 coral rays, 1500 types of fish, 4000 types of mollusks, and a significant population of the large green turtle and dugong. The place also has around 600 continental islands and several inshore mangrove islands. The best way to explore the Great Barrier Reef is by scuba diving or snorkeling.

Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum is an immersive museum that will give you a deep insight into the Australian state of Victoria and the world itself. The amazing exhibits of the museum encompass numerous perspectives of natural science, history, and culture. Located in a building in Carlton Gardens, some of the most interesting exhibits of this museum are The Science and Life Gallery, Forest Gallery, Te Pasifika Gallery, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, etc. The museum also conducts engaging activities and workshops regularly.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the top sights in Australia. It was built in 1932 and is located 134 meters above Sydney Harbour. Measuring a whopping 500 meters, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world’s largest steel arch bridge, as 53,000 tons of steel was used to build this colossal bridge. The best thing to do here is go on a Bridge Climb Tour, which will give you the chance to enjoy 360-degree views of Sydney Harbour and the city. You can also go for bike tours on the bridge. Do visit the museum to know more about the history of the bridge.

Kakadu National Park

Apart from bustling cities, Australia is known for preserving its wilderness. While the country has several national parks, Kakadu National Park is the best. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s second largest national park. This place has different ecosystems, including wetlands, mangrove swamps, rivers, gorges, and rainforests. It also a rich wildlife, including a huge population of saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. Moreover, over 300 species of birds call this national park their home. You can explore this national park while trekking or cruising on its waterways. Arial tours are also available.

Bondi Beach

Gorgeous and iconic beaches are in abundance in Australia. But if you must pick one, Bondi Beach is a place you must not miss. Located in Sydney, Bondi Beach is known for its clear blue waters, golden sand, and wonderful views. One thing you must not miss in Bondi Beach is the sunrise from the Ben Buckler Point. If you are adventurous, you will have a fun time swimming, snorkeling, and surfing here. The coastal walk from Bondi to Bronte and dining at one of the cafes and restaurants are some other things to do on the beach.

Sea World Marine Park

Sea World Marine Park in Australia is where nature meets modern-day fun. It is the country’s largest marine park, where you can enjoy meeting some of the most intelligent marine animals and indulge in thrilling rides. The various exhibits here give you the chance to see or meet penguins, polar bears, seals, dolphins, sharks, and several sea birds. Plus, there is an amusement park with rides that will not fail to give you an adrenaline rush. Animal shows, presentations, encounters, and adventures also await you at this marine park. The places mentioned here do not even scratch the surface of the best attractions in Australia. Focus on one area of the country for each visit to make the most of what the country offers. So, get your Australia visit visa now and make some beautiful and adventurous Australian memories.

[scapegoats00]

Wellington Entertainment: A Kaleidoscope of Culture and Fun

Wellington, New Zealand, is a city that thrives on the vibrancy of its culture and the diversity of its entertainment offerings. Nestled between the sparkling waters of Cook Strait and the rugged hills of the North Island, Wellington is a city that never sleeps when it comes to providing entertainment options for its residents and visitors alike. From film festivals to live music, theater productions to outdoor adventures, Wellington has it all.

A Cinematic Haven:

When it comes to Wellington Entertainment has earned a well-deserved reputation as the "Hollywood of the South Pacific." The city is home to Weta Workshop, the renowned special effects company behind blockbusters like "The Lord of the Rings" and "Avatar." Visitors can take guided tours of the workshop, getting an inside look at the magic that happens behind the scenes of their favorite films.

Every year, Wellington hosts the New Zealand International Film Festival, where cinephiles from around the world gather to enjoy a diverse selection of films. The Embassy Theatre, a historic cinema in the heart of the city, is the festival's main venue and a favorite spot for moviegoers throughout the year.

Musical Melodies:

For music enthusiasts, Wellington offers a thriving live music scene that caters to all tastes. Whether you're into indie rock, jazz, classical, or electronic music, you'll find venues and events to suit your preferences. Iconic venues like San Fran and Meow regularly host local and international acts, ensuring there's always a fantastic show to catch.

Wellington's love for music is also evident in its numerous music festivals. Homegrown, CubaDupa, and the Wellington Jazz Festival are just a few of the events that bring the city to life with melodies, rhythm, and dancing feet.

Theatrical Delights:

The theatrical arts flourish in Wellington as well. The city boasts a rich tradition of theater, with venues like the Circa Theatre and BATS Theatre offering a wide range of productions, from thought-provoking dramas to side-splitting comedies. The New Zealand Festival, held every two years, showcases a diverse program of international and local performances, including theater, dance, and circus acts.

A Taste of Culinary Excellence:

Entertainment in Wellington isn't limited to the stage and screen. The city's culinary scene is a form of entertainment in itself. From quirky cafes and food markets to award-winning restaurants, Wellington is a foodie's paradise. Explore the bustling streets of Cuba Street or visit the waterfront precinct to savor the flavors of international cuisines and indulge in locally sourced delicacies.

Adventure Awaits:

For those seeking adventure and outdoor entertainment, Wellington's natural beauty is a playground waiting to be explored. The Wellington region offers a plethora of hiking trails, with the iconic Red Rocks Coastal Walk being a favorite among locals and tourists alike. You can also get up close and personal with marine life by taking a boat tour to the nearby Kapiti Island or exploring the vibrant underwater world through scuba diving.

Cultural Diversity:

Wellington's entertainment scene is as diverse as its population. The city's multicultural makeup is celebrated through various festivals and events, such as the Diwali Festival, Pasifika Festival, and the Chinese New Year Festival. These events provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of cultures that call Wellington home.

For More Info :-

Zombie Apocalypse

[tinadesignstudiob]

week2.1

<1>Lecture:

Exploring a social issue:

housework(chore wars)-look for the evidence and reasons-follow the leads-for visual evidence

web: theconversation.com; Massey uni library; nz official sources; 

red dot magazine; mezzanine: Adbusters, CA communication arts; 

Image Source: Massey image source

How poster works:

1. Focus the eye: what do the audiences focus on first? How can we determine it?

2. Overwhelm the eye:

to use ornamentation, pattern, swirling lines and repeating forms to keep the viewers’ eye engaged.

3. Simplify: simple image while requires painstaking hand skills combined with close observational analysis.

4. Cut and paste:

inspiration: cinema juxtaposed image at different scales and angels and created new images out of fragments.

5. Overlap: to create the illusion of depth within the flatness of 2d space.

6. Assault the surface:

burning, bending, ripping an image can be similar to breaking through the “fourth wall in cinema”

7.Activate the Daigonal:

Vision is dynamic.

8.Manipulate Scale:

scale is relative. An object is only big or small in relation to what surrounds it. Scale can indicate hierarchy. 

9.Use Text as Image:

well resolved typography often disappears, playing a supporting role to the content. 

10. Tell a story:

the use of image and text within the fixed frame of page can indicate an event unfolding in time. What just happened? What will happen next?

11. Double the meaning:

through the use of metaphors, puns, irony and other rhetorical devices, designer can create double meanings.

12. Amplify: means to turn up, boost or intensify any signal or message.

13. Making Eye Contact: 

14. Making a System: 

Studio Exercise:

<2>Daily Exercise:

<3>Research:

1.Good Examples:

I find some impressive public service ads to learn from, here are a series of WWF animal & environment protection posters:

Since all of them are displayed as photography ( some edited in photoshop) rather than illustration or other forms, the main visual rhetoric here is about telling a story. I find these posters sharing some tricks in common that they either combine nature with human goods or use artificial products to represent nature.

For the first two, the corals are made of plastic bottles that people drop into the sea and real turtles are replaced with plastic turtle toys. Though it’s just a simple transformation, the familiar scene makes the audiences scared because that could really happen in real life if we keep polluting the ocean.

The third is regarding animals as the material of coat, the fourth is about earth is liking a melting ice cream and the fifth using  “manipulate scale” describes a scene where a huge dirty water bucket is toppling over and becoming a real river.

To sum up, WWF is really good at connecting the natural subject with familiar products or scenes in our daily life to express a dangerous signal. It makes you feel that the scary imagery in the poster isn’t that far away from our life if no one starts to change a little bit. 

The next two WWF ads are kind of my favorite. If the last group is about connecting nature with human life, these two are giving  human behaviors and emotions to animals. If something inhuman is acting or being treated in a human way, it’s easier to provoke our internalized feelings. 

We see deserted cats and dogs relatively often on street, but what if we see a polar bear or a seal becoming homeless and wandering in the street. Though you know it’s impossible for a polar bear acting like a homeless man and sleep around a dirty corner, it still make you feel painful since you know before that, they are already dead. If they are able to act like mankind, there is still a chance to be alive. However, for those endangered animals, if the environment changes too much, there is no other place to live.

They also reminds of the teddy bear. A deserted teddy bear could represent the homeless and a torn teddy bear is like a child suffering family violence. Sometimes, there is no need to set a real human in the scene.

There is a group of posters about homeless and child poverty, I like these three because they are all from unique perspectives.

2. Key Facts about alcoholism in New Zealand:

Source: Key Facts about Drinking in New Zealand | Alcohol.Org.Nz. https://www.alcohol.org.nz/research-resources/nz-statistics. Accessed 28 July 2020.

4 in 5 adults (79%) consumed alcohol in the past year (2017/18 data). Alcohol consumption is highest in men (83%), those identifying as European/Other (85%) or Māori (80%), and people living in the least deprived neighbourhoods (86%).

1 in 4 (25%) past-year drinkers have drunk hazardously in a way that can harm themselves or others.

When looking further into hazardous drinking:

Men are twice as likely as women to be hazardous drinkers

1 in 2 Māori men who drink and 1 in 3 Māori women who drink are hazardous drinkers

2 in 5 young adults drink hazardously

Pasifika and Asian men and women are the least likely to drink alcohol but hazardous drinking is high among Pasifika who do drink

In 2007, around 800 deaths of New Zealanders aged 0-79 years were attributable to alcohol, representing 5.4% of all deaths under 80 years old.43% of all deaths attributed to alcohol are due to injuries, 30% to cancer and 27% to a variety of other chronic diseases. 

Over twice as many deaths are seen in men as women – 23 deaths per 100,000 for men compared to 10 deaths per 100,000 for women.The death rate for Māori is disproportionately higher – 34 deaths per 100,000 for Māori compared to 14 deaths per 100,000 for non-Māori.

Alcohol is known to be a factor in 1 in 5 fatal crashes between 2015 and 2017. It is also a factor in 15% of serious injury crashes and 10% of minor injury crashes.

2 in 5 violent interpersonal offences in 2014 are known to involve alcohol with either the offender, the victim or both drinking at the time of the offence. Women (30%) are less likely than men (51%) to be the victim where they and/or the offender had been drinking. Alcohol is also involved in 1 in every 3 family violence incidents in 2018.

3. Visual Understanding:

IDEAS:

The photos of the beer bottles remind me of the clock hands, bowling, ship, and the shadow of the beer bottles look like a giant hand...

1: The first one is based on alcoholic death clock, some alcoholic parents do not consider their drinking problem as a serious issue but relaxation, however, this could cause huge negative effects toward their children.

2: The 2nd, 3rd and 4th ideas are mainly about tell a story. The scenes of children walking pass through the show windows where parents models are being sold. On the left side, there is a happy, warm family while on the right side, there is a drunk family. And the kids are all gathering around the first group of parents.

[magdalenes]

actually okay no i know i just made a post about how i love her but let’s talk about michelle, really talk about her, because she was incredible in spider-man: homecoming (bless you zendaya, you slayed and our cinema — four hundred people full — loved you and the whole film. we applauded at the end, i shit you not, with some even giving it a standing ovation)

okay so peter obviously has the main arc in this film and i love it, the kid was endearing and wonderful and lovable and hilarious and always tried to do the right thing and i love him, but he’s not the only one with an arc. michelle’s admittedly comes off as pretty minor when considered against some others, like peter’s, but it exists. it’s there. and that’s a pretty important thing to acknowledge, when you consider what her arc’s about: friends. more importantly, having them. let’s start with who she is. by the way, if you haven’t seen the film, i would stop reading now if you’re avoiding spoilers, because i can’t promise i’ll be avoiding them. also heads up for probably confusing parentheses bc i go off on tangents so!! michelle. michelle who we first see calling out peter and ned for “we should probably stop staring before it gets creepy” — “too late, you guys are losers”. that was in the first trailer and don’t get me wrong, it was the perfect timing for that comment, and definitely introduced us, in one line, to who michelle is. but it’s the next thing she says that i want to focus on. i feel like it may have made it’s way into promotional material for the film but i don’t remember; either way, it was the moment, for me, that highlighted an important trait about michelle (her honesty, though that’s not really all it is — it’s something that would be self-deprecating in almost anyone else’s mouth, but doesn’t quite hit that note here. it’s raw, i guess, like a punch in the face, because you don’t expect anyone to say something like “i don’t have any friends” without some emotion being attached, and while there are the barest hints of emotion there, it exists as something different entirely and i just really wanna applaud zendaya on a job really well done), as well as set up her arc’s key words. “i don’t have any friends.” whilst it’s subtly hinted as the film goes on that it’s not the only reason she’s sitting with them, it’s definitely the strongest contender. (also, bless ned; i don’t know anyone else who would consider someone sitting at the opposite end of your table ‘sitting with us’ and i love you for it. ned was a blessing) anyway! michelle is this wonderful, observant girl (“i’m not obsessed with him, i’m just very observant” was wonderfully-delivered as a line, and i love michelle for managing to inject dignity in that statement when everyone is staring at her after she reveals her observation of peter (and also how many of the same extra-curriculars she and peter have lol), even if it’s perhaps not entirely true; not that i’m positing that michelle is obsessed with peter, because definitely not, but there is definitely the subtle hints of a crush and this is tangential kinda but I REALLY LOVE HOW THEY DID THAT, like she’s not the love interest in this film and it’s subtle and definitely is not the defining aspect of her character and i just love her and i love this movie) who fits in protesting around the academic decathlon (after WINNING it, my GIRL) and seems to eat toast at parties hosted by the most-popular senior in the school (seriously i’m probably seeing this again next week but if anyone sees it before me or can remember: was she making toast at liz’s house lmao). she’s dry and clever and sits in detention when she doesn’t have it because she likes drawing people in their crisis points and shows them the pictures i cannot even express to you how much i love this girl also i don’t want to understate the washington monument moment. i never actually caught their teacher’s name but to me he will always be professor cligoris from community. anyway, when prof clig turns to her, because the rest of them are heading up to washington monument, and she realises what she’s getting at and informs him she doesn’t really want to celebrate or be involved with (i can’t remember exact phrasing so if anyone does please shout out) something slaves built, and then when prof clig is like “oh i’m sure slaves didn’t—” and then the guard in the background is just shaking his head a little in the background and michelle’s matching expression, i just. i think it’s a really good highlight of a particular way race dynamics can play out: prof clig doesn’t know slaves built the monument, doesn’t even think about it, because he’s never felt he’s needed to. even though he is the adult, the educator, he is coming from a place of historical (and modern day) privilege; it’s not something he’s thought about because it’s not his historical oppression, it’s not emblematic of historical atrocities that have ramifications on his culture today — or, it is, but those ramifications don’t actively work against him, so he doesn’t have to think about it. and liz goes up, and michelle stays down; both legitimate choices, both incredible girls. i’m just still buzzing that they showed us a character making that choice.

also, marvel’s never been the best with diversity amongst its cast, and i’m not going to suggest that this movie somehow makes up for it, because it doesn’t. i’m constantly frustrated as a biracial pasifika woman that i never see anyone who looks like me in these movies i love (i’ve long since given up on seeing someone pasifika in marvel films (though i am unbelievably excited for taika waititi’s thor), but just in general, it’s so important to see more poc in these movies) but this is the first marvel movie i’ve seen set in new york that is actually populated with enough diversity to look like it could actually be new york. also, the high schoolers actually look like teenagers! i’m in awe! i fucking love this cast anyway i’m getting really distracted. all right, so we have michelle in all her blunt, smart, politically active, toast-eating, cool outsider glory. and we have her arc words: “i don’t have any friends.”

and then we have the washington monument scene, a moment that only peter is privy to, though michelle doesn’t know it’s peter. michelle, on the ground — michelle who says “can’t believe you guys are at this lame party”, michelle who is involved in several extra-curricular groups but is usually alone outside of them, michelle who voluntarily attends detention, michelle who says “i don’t have any friends” — michelle points up at the monument that’s cracking and cries out, worriedly (it’s literally the most earnest emotion we’ve heard from her all film; generally she’s dry and fly af), “my friends are up there!”

honestly, it didn’t occur to me until after, because i was so swept away in the moment, but she says it. my friends. and peter — peter hears it. spider-man does this odd stumbling double-take at her words, and at the time i thought it might be his surprise at seeing her there, or his concern at what she said regarding the whereabouts of their team, or just his general panic. and honestly, i still think that. peter parker is smarter than me, but i think even he would be too caught up in everything to realise what she said. but she still said it. i don’t know if peter would click or remember later — honestly, he had a lot of stuff going on. but she still said it, and he does know that, even if she doesn’t know he does.

we see michelle with the gang other times, of course — with peter in detention, with ned and the others at the dance, etc. — but it’s her final scene i want to draw you to, the academic decathlon meeting after liz leaves. michelle is named captain, and they’re all clapping for her and it’s so pure and ned looks honestly excited for her and peter looks earnest and it’s just so pure — and then she says, “my friends call me mj”. (i’m gonna revisit that in a moment, but i need to finish the scene). ned turns to her, like, “i thought you don’t have any friends” and she pauses, then says, “i didn’t” and i fucking died.

we go from michelle at the beginning, on the very end of the table, alone and away from even losers peter and ned — because they may be losers, but they’re together. michelle is alone. we go from that michelle, saying “i don’t have any friends”, to michelle at the end, surrounded by her decathlon team, clapping for her, happy for her, acknowledging her deserved captaincy, saying “my friends call me mj”, saying “i didn’t [have any friends]” but now i do.

i just !!! i love michelle so much and maybe it’s not a hero arc, or learning about the importance of looking out for the little guy, or even learning to listen (which was probably happy’s), but it’s still important. it’s still meaningful. i went into that film being sure i’d love zendaya’s character. i came out of that film not only loving her, but rooting for michelle “mj” jones.

aaaaaand let’s talk real quick about the mj thing, because it’s not the point of this post but i still want to. personally, i love mary-jane in the comics, but her film presence has been pretty lacklustre, and michelle is quite different to her but i also really really love michelle, like holy shit, and i think she’s an incredible mj. i don’t know what role she’ll occupy going forward. they said she’s not mary-jane watson, that she’s a completely new character, and technically, that’s true. she’s mj, but she’s not mary-jane. they also said she wasn’t a love interest this movie; that’s also true. liz was. however. she’s not mary-jane, but she is mj. she wasn’t a love interest this movie, but she was nursing a well-hidden crush on peter. so maybe in spider-man 2, who knows? personally, i’m rooting for it, but more than that, i’m rooting for her. as a character. spider-man: homecoming gave me so many wonderful things, like a wonderful cast, the best use of donald glover since community (”i like bread”) which also snuck in a miles morales reference, a great ferris bueller’s day off homage, my favourite film incarnation of peter parker, the wonder that is liz allen, an a.i. named karen who is more supportive of peter than most adults are in general, high schoolers that looked like high schoolers, an updated version of a bully instead of a jock meathead and ned wearing an awesome cowboy hat because it gives him confidence (ned is such a fucking blessing) (also i hope he one day meets groot wearing that because groot’s reason for not liking hats gives me life), but michelle “mj” jones might be the gift i appreciate most.

[montrealrampage]

First People's Festival Raises its Voice

First People’s Festival Raises its Voice

For 28 years, the Présence Autochtone / First People’s Festival has showcased the best in Indigenous cultures both locally and abroad. With multiple festival sites and a full week of free performances, and a rich programming of cinema, Indigenous cultures welcome everyone to listen, learn, and enjoy the offerings.

Tipi First People’s Festival. Place des Arts. Photo Rachel Levine

Cinema is a…

[playsfordaaays-blog]

Wellington Theatre 2016

First post, 22nd January NZ time, hi!

Adam Goodall’s excellent article on the Pantograph Punch, "I Am More Important Than Shakespeare": Ten Moments in Wellington Theatre 2016 opens by analysing the general state of Wellington theatre in 2016. Given that I don’t know anything about the state of Wellington theatre in 2015 or 2014 or in any previous year, I can’t do anything similar here. In 2015, I started to be interested in theatre and went to a few plays, much fewer than this year, drawn by an interest in the theatre department at my then-new school Wellington High and by going to the plays put on by the Wellington Young Actors, a company which my friend Gabe Parkin is a member of. However, I didn’t really have anything approaching an understanding of what was even happening – I didn’t so much as know who The Bacchanals were until about December, and I managed to miss A Christmas Karel Capek. 2016 has been my first year in theatre, as it were, it’s been my first year where I’ve been attending plays regularly and keeping up with developments and criticism. As such, all I can say with my lack of context is that the year in theatre has been good, and that a lot of people have made good plays during it. This list is about those plays.

First item: my top ten plays of the year, in the order I want to give them attention

Hudson and Halls Live!

Everyone loved this play. It got fantastic reviews, apparently did very well at the box office (though I’m unaware of any available figures, I’m just going off how many people I heard talking about it and the large audience I saw it with) and swept the Wellington Theatre Awards. I’m slightly resentful of that last one – it wasn’t even from Wellington! – but I can see where the judges are coming from. Hudson and Halls was a very funny and completely engaging play. The most interesting part of the play for me was the core conceit that this was a live filming of an episode and that we were the studio audience, which allowed for the audience to be very naturally involved in the action because we were present in the diegesis.

The Trojan Women

I put this here primarily for the text. Greek tragedies aren’t put on terribly often, and this one was very rewarding to see. The new translation by Simon Perris was very good, and because of it you can now cite “f*** you and die” as a quotation from Euripides. The production itself was strong, with good performances that handled the meter well. Particular note should be given to Katie Alexander, playing Kassandra with captivating intensity, and to the Mad Max (mostly Fury Road)-based design. (I’d credit the designers, but the program contained the credits in a separate piece of paper and I’ve lost that piece of paper! I’m getting names from Theatreview, and I can get from there that Ashleigh Dixon and Rudimiller Mafi are the costume designers, but there may have been other people doing other aspects of the design and I’ll credit them if I find the credits.) I think that the entrance of Athena, borne aloft by a team of ten Greek men dressed like Fury Road’s War Boys, was probably the coolest thing I’ll see in a theatre for a long time.

Smells Like Xmas          

I started writing this post just a couple of days before I published it, but I was considering starting much earlier (yay procrastination!) Several weeks ago, I was considering making a start, but I thought I should wait until that Saturday, the 17th, when I would see my last two shows of the year: The Better Best Album Party That Anyone Has Ever Been Two and Smells Like Xmas. I considered it unlikely that any candidate for this list would arrive so late, but I was wrong. Binge Culture’s Christmas show was a great success of experimentalism. Its series of skits were often abstract and sometimes difficult to follow, but they were always absolutely hilarious. I’m of the understanding that Binge Culture has quite a good reputation; judging by this, it’s well deserved.

Hamlet

Quite a lot of people heard about this production, most of them were misinformed as to its nature. It was at the Pop-Up Globe for a single day, which is what most people know about it. It was actually touring the North Island, with the Pop-Up being a brief but notable stop. I don’t have that much to say about it, other than that it was a very solid production and that the all-female casting worked very well.

Titus Andronicus

2016 was a very good year for Aotearoa Tituses. This play, once one of the least popular, had three productions this year: one in Auckland at the Pop-Up Globe, one in Hamilton, and this one, in Wellington. It was the only one of these productions I saw (of course), and it was very good. Put on by a brand-new company going by the name of the Lost Shakespeare Company, which states that it is dedicated to putting on more obscure Shakespeare plays, it was a solid minimalist production. One thing that was very notable about it was that it had no fake blood or gore effects; a startling choice for this splatterfest of a play, but one which worked very well, allowing it to play more like a straight tragedy and clearly presenting the themes and characters in the lessened presence of shock.

Riding in Cars With (Mostly Straight) Boys

Another Auckland import! Sam Brooks had two plays running in early December: Making Friends Collective’s production of Wine Lips, which I missed, and this, his own production of the semi-autobiographical play which seems to be his signature. Another one where I don’t have much to say about it, just that it’s a complex, well-written and well-acted piece of work, and that Brook’s Bruce Mason Award is well deserved.

Well

I really wish I had a script of this. Well was a piece of verbatim theatre by new feminist theatre company Women Aren’t Wolves, dealing with mental illness from the perspective of people who have it. As a document it was vital, providing a space for people with mental illness to define their conditions in their own terms. The descriptions stated that they wanted to explore “what it means to be well”, and this production met that goal admirably.

Rukahu

James Nokise is completely amazing. I don’t think that there’s anyone disputing this. This play was simultaneously one of the funniest things I’ve seen all year and a searing piece of cultural comment and criticism. Some of this was lost on me, as I don’t really know enough about the sort of theatre he’s parodying to understand how his character, Senior Pacific Artist Jon Bon Fasi, applies to how real-life Māori and Pasifika theatre is handled by CreativeNZ and the general theatrical establishment (if that is his target, I think it is), but what I could understand was incredibly insightful. Nokise could write a book, but that wouldn’t get the audiences he wants, and it wouldn’t be as funny. This is what political theatre is for, and I’m not sure it even is political theatre.

When We Dead Awaken

This show was massively underappreciated. I’ve heard very little talk about it – there are quite a few reviews of it floating around, sure, but only because it toured the North Island and was reviewed in the newspapers where it went. It certainly had flaws, with the acting sometimes lacking variance in intonation, but this production of Henrik Ibsen’s symbolistic final play was extraordinarily powerful. Stripped down to just under an hour (an Ibsen play!), it was particularly notable for its blocking, its design (though the colour pallet was composed exclusively of my favourite colours so I am biased), its music, and the vocal work of the actors. I saw the first performance in the Fringe Festival and the last one at BATS in October, and both times the ending made me gasp from the catharsis.

Galathea: Into the Bush                                                

Ania Upstill had a strong year, first directing Love’s Labours Lost for Summer Shakespeare (which was OK), then Hamlet, then this. This play was an update of John Lyly’s Elizabethan play Galathea (or Gallathea or Galatea) about two girls being disguised as boys and sent into the forest by their fathers to escape being sacrificed to Neptune and falling in love while in the captivity of Diana’s Hunt, all surrounded by the machinations of various gods. Typical Elizabethan story. Opening a week and a bit after Trump’s election, this play wasn’t just funny (and it was very, very funny), it was happy, it was celebratory, and it represented a great variety of and was primarily aimed at LGBT people. All this made it very appropriate for the time, in a different way to most things of which that can be said. Representation will be increasingly important under Trump, both to humanise the people he’ll dehumanise and to create a space for said people. The humour, the acting, the theatrical skill, and the politics of this play are all things I hope I see more of in the plays of 2017.

Second Item: Shows I missed but really wish I’d seen

Shot Bro: Confessions of a Depressed Bullet

The Vultures

Mana Wahine (I need to make a note of the Kia Mau Festival next year!)

No Post On Sunday

The Fence (directed by the older siblings of one of the WHS Shakespeare directors this year!)

Wine Lips

A Trial and/or It’s a Trial!

Rose Matafeo: Finally Dead

Perhaps, Perhaps… Quizás

Not In Our Neighbourhood (though there’ll probably be another chance to see it)

Third Item: Now For Something Completely Foreign

It wasn’t a New Zealand play at all, but I saw a cinema screening of the RSC Hamlet with Paapa Essiedu and it was completely incredible. Keep an eye on Essiedu, he’s probably got a strong career ahead of him based on his performance. Keep an eye on anyone involved in this, really. This is possibly the best play I’ve ever seen in my limited experience.

Fourth Item: Ten favourite plays with enthusiasm translator (like the Obama anger translator but for enthusiasm)

Hudson and Halls Live!

Really funny! Good theatrical technique!

The Trojan Women 

Yay tragedy!

Smells Like Xmas        

Experimental! Hilarious!

Hamlet

Yay Shakespeare!

Titus Andronicus

Yay Shakespeare!

Riding in Cars With (Mostly Straight) Boys

Yay well-written character-based drama but also with jokes!

Well

I know things I didn’t before!

Rukahu

Best editorial is a comedy show!

When We Dead Awaken

Really impressive presentation of interesting overlooked text!

Galathea: Into the Bush                                               

Spreaded non-holiday-related cheer! (I realise spreaded isn’t a word)

Fifth Item: Shows I’m Looking Forward To In 2017

The Undertow

January. Four history plays about Wellington, viewable two at a time or in one ten-hour session with intervals.

Stoge Chollonge 2006

February. Fringe Festival. Comedy show about Stage Challenge and 2000s period piece.

Possible Bacchanals show

Only exists if David Lawrence manages to get out of the Pop-Up Globe or much less likely, if they go on with less of his involvement. Lawrence has said that he does really want to do something with The Bacchanals for the election year

Nearly Inevitable PSA Show

Almost certainly coming to the Comedy Festival. With an election year AND President Trump for meat.

Anything Ania Upstill makes next year

Anything James Nokise makes next year

Good luck for next year! I don’t think there’ll be much good for the world, but theatre’s going well, however much that even matters!

[oceanusborealis]

Next Goal Wins - Movie Review

TL;DR – A fun time that gets held back by some wooden acting and forced storytelling. ⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress. Next Goal Wins Review – I have been enjoying my time at the Brisbane International Film Festival, but as always, things must come to an end. But if you are going to pick a film to end it on,…

[oceanusborealis]

The Convert - Movie Review

TL;DR – A very compelling narrative of finding oneself far away from home. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.Disclosure – I paid to see this film. The Convert Review – There was a whole wave of unintended consequences when the British gallivanted around the world, sticking their flag on any spot of land that they could. You know, other than the…

[oceanusborealis]

The Mountain - Movie Review

TL;DR – An emotional roller coaster that can have you laughing, crying, and uplifting all in the space of 30 seconds. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5. Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.Disclosure – I paid to see this film The Mountain Review – After a long and challenging week, I thought I would stop in at the movies on the way home from work on a Friday afternoon. I had a number of…

[oceanusborealis]

Red, White & Brass - Movie Review

TL;DR – A film that brings you joy from the moment they start in a house covered in Tongan flags till those final credits roll. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.Disclosure – I paid to watch this film. Red, White & Brass Review – There are many emotions that cinema can bring forth, and if I am honest, my favourite is joy. You are just sitting there…

[oceanusborealis]

Movie Review – Take Home Pay

Movie Review – Take Home Pay

TL;DR – A look at what happens when the competing interests of money and family collide Score – 4 out of 5 stars Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Review – Today we get to dive back into the world of Pasifika Cinema as we explore a film that takes on themes like tradition v modernity, brother v brother, money v family, and honour v fun. However, all of this is tempered by a…

[oceanusborealis]

Movie Review – The Legend of Baron To'a

TL;DR – A bonkers fun film from first till last     Score – 4 out of 5 stars Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Review – Do you know what I needed this week? I needed a bit of fun, you know what I think a lot of people need this week, a little fun, well, have I got news for you. It has been great over the last couple of years to see Pasifika Cinemago from strength to strength and…

[magdalenes]

actually okay no i know i just made a post about how i love her but let’s talk about michelle, really talk about her, because she was incredible in spider-man: homecoming (bless you zendaya, you slayed and our cinema — four hundred people full — loved you and the whole film. we applauded at the end, i shit you not, with some even giving it a standing ovation)

okay so peter obviously has the main arc in this film and i love it, the kid was endearing and wonderful and lovable and hilarious and always tried to do the right thing and i love him, but he’s not the only one with an arc. michelle’s admittedly comes off as pretty minor when considered against some others, like peter’s, but it exists. it’s there. and that’s a pretty important thing to acknowledge, when you consider what her arc’s about: friends. more importantly, having them. let’s start with who she is. by the way, if you haven’t seen the film, i would stop reading now if you’re avoiding spoilers, because i can’t promise i’ll be avoiding them. also heads up for probably confusing parentheses bc i go off on tangents so!! michelle. michelle who we first see calling out peter and ned for “we should probably stop staring before it gets creepy” — “too late, you guys are losers”. that was in the first trailer and don’t get me wrong, it was the perfect timing for that comment, and definitely introduced us, in one line, to who michelle is. but it’s the next thing she says that i want to focus on. i feel like it may have made it’s way into promotional material for the film but i don’t remember; either way, it was the moment, for me, that highlighted an important trait about michelle (her honesty, though that’s not really all it is — it’s something that would be self-deprecating in almost anyone else’s mouth, but doesn’t quite hit that note here. it’s raw, i guess, like a punch in the face, because you don’t expect anyone to say something like “i don’t have any friends” without some emotion being attached, and while there are the barest hints of emotion there, it exists as something different entirely and i just really wanna applaud zendaya on a job really well done), as well as set up her arc’s key words. “i don’t have any friends.” whilst it’s subtly hinted as the film goes on that it’s not the only reason she’s sitting with them, it’s definitely the strongest contender. (also, bless ned; i don’t know anyone else who would consider someone sitting at the opposite end of your table ‘sitting with us’ and i love you for it. ned was a blessing) anyway! michelle is this wonderful, observant girl (“i’m not obsessed with him, i’m just very observant” was wonderfully-delivered as a line, and i love michelle for managing to inject dignity in that statement when everyone is staring at her after she reveals her observation of peter (and also how many of the same extra-curriculars she and peter have lol), even if it’s perhaps not entirely true; not that i’m positing that michelle is obsessed with peter, because definitely not, but there is definitely the subtle hints of a crush and this is tangential kinda but I REALLY LOVE HOW THEY DID THAT, like she’s not the love interest in this film and it’s subtle and definitely is not the defining aspect of her character and i just love her and i love this movie) who fits in protesting around the academic decathlon (after WINNING it, my GIRL) and seems to eat toast at parties hosted by the most-popular senior in the school (seriously i’m probably seeing this again next week but if anyone sees it before me or can remember: was she making toast at liz’s house lmao). she’s dry and clever and sits in detention when she doesn’t have it because she likes drawing people in their crisis points and shows them the pictures i cannot even express to you how much i love this girl also i don’t want to understate the washington monument moment. i never actually caught their teacher’s name but to me he will always be professor cligoris from community. anyway, when prof clig turns to her, because the rest of them are heading up to washington monument, and she realises what she’s getting at and informs him she doesn’t really want to celebrate or be involved with (i can’t remember exact phrasing so if anyone does please shout out) something slaves built, and then when prof clig is like “oh i’m sure slaves didn’t—” and then the guard in the background is just shaking his head a little in the background and michelle’s matching expression, i just. i think it’s a really good highlight of a particular way race dynamics can play out: prof clig doesn’t know slaves built the monument, doesn’t even think about it, because he’s never felt he’s needed to. even though he is the adult, the educator, he is coming from a place of historical (and modern day) privilege; it’s not something he’s thought about because it’s not his historical oppression, it’s not emblematic of historical atrocities that have ramifications on his culture today — or, it is, but those ramifications don’t actively work against him, so he doesn’t have to think about it. and liz goes up, and michelle stays down; both legitimate choices, both incredible girls. i’m just still buzzing that they showed us a character making that choice.

also, marvel’s never been the best with diversity amongst its cast, and i’m not going to suggest that this movie somehow makes up for it, because it doesn’t. i’m constantly frustrated as a biracial pasifika woman that i never see anyone who looks like me in these movies i love (i’ve long since given up on seeing someone pasifika in marvel films (though i am unbelievably excited for taika waititi’s thor), but just in general, it’s so important to see more poc in these movies) but this is the first marvel movie i’ve seen set in new york that is actually populated with enough diversity to look like it could actually be new york. also, the high schoolers actually look like teenagers! i’m in awe! i fucking love this cast anyway i’m getting really distracted. all right, so we have michelle in all her blunt, smart, politically active, toast-eating, cool outsider glory. and we have her arc words: “i don’t have any friends.”

and then we have the washington monument scene, a moment that only peter is privy to, though michelle doesn’t know it’s peter. michelle, on the ground — michelle who says “can’t believe you guys are at this lame party”, michelle who is involved in several extra-curricular groups but is usually alone outside of them, michelle who voluntarily attends detention, michelle who says “i don’t have any friends” — michelle points up at the monument that’s cracking and cries out, worriedly (it’s literally the most earnest emotion we’ve heard from her all film; generally she’s dry and fly af), “my friends are up there!”

honestly, it didn’t occur to me until after, because i was so swept away in the moment, but she says it. my friends. and peter — peter hears it. spider-man does this odd stumbling double-take at her words, and at the time i thought it might be his surprise at seeing her there, or his concern at what she said regarding the whereabouts of their team, or just his general panic. and honestly, i still think that. peter parker is smarter than me, but i think even he would be too caught up in everything to realise what she said. but she still said it. i don’t know if peter would click or remember later — honestly, he had a lot of stuff going on. but she still said it, and he does know that, even if she doesn’t know he does.

we see michelle with the gang other times, of course — with peter in detention, with ned and the others at the dance, etc. — but it’s her final scene i want to draw you to, the academic decathlon meeting after liz leaves. michelle is named captain, and they’re all clapping for her and it’s so pure and ned looks honestly excited for her and peter looks earnest and it’s just so pure — and then she says, “my friends call me mj”. (i’m gonna revisit that in a moment, but i need to finish the scene). ned turns to her, like, “i thought you don’t have any friends” and she pauses, then says, “i didn’t” and i fucking died.

we go from michelle at the beginning, on the very end of the table, alone and away from even losers peter and ned — because they may be losers, but they’re together. michelle is alone. we go from that michelle, saying “i don’t have any friends”, to michelle at the end, surrounded by her decathlon team, clapping for her, happy for her, acknowledging her deserved captaincy, saying “my friends call me mj”, saying “i didn’t [have any friends]” but now i do.

i just !!! i love michelle so much and maybe it’s not a hero arc, or learning about the importance of looking out for the little guy, or even learning to listen (which was probably happy’s), but it’s still important. it’s still meaningful. i went into that film being sure i’d love zendaya’s character. i came out of that film not only loving her, but rooting for michelle “mj” jones.

aaaaaand let’s talk real quick about the mj thing, because it’s not the point of this post but i still want to. personally, i love mary-jane in the comics, but her film presence has been pretty lacklustre, and michelle is quite different to her but i also really really love michelle, like holy shit, and i think she’s an incredible mj. i don’t know what role she’ll occupy going forward. they said she’s not mary-jane watson, that she’s a completely new character, and technically, that’s true. she’s mj, but she’s not mary-jane. they also said she wasn’t a love interest this movie; that’s also true. liz was. however. she’s not mary-jane, but she is mj. she wasn’t a love interest this movie, but she was nursing a well-hidden crush on peter. so maybe in spider-man 2, who knows? personally, i’m rooting for it, but more than that, i’m rooting for her. as a character. spider-man: homecoming gave me so many wonderful things, like a wonderful cast, the best use of donald glover since community (”i like bread”) which also snuck in a miles morales reference, a great ferris bueller’s day off homage, my favourite film incarnation of peter parker, the wonder that is liz allen, an a.i. named karen who is more supportive of peter than most adults are in general, high schoolers that looked like high schoolers, an updated version of a bully instead of a jock meathead and ned wearing an awesome cowboy hat because it gives him confidence (ned is such a fucking blessing) (also i hope he one day meets groot wearing that because groot’s reason for not liking hats gives me life), but michelle “mj” jones might be the gift i appreciate most.