Otago Daily Times: Entertainment

Florida model swimsuit issue's cover girl

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:43:47 +1300

Sports Illustrated magazine has unveiled its annual swimsuit issue with model Kate Upton on the cover in a two-toned, red string bikini with a bottom piece that, literally, appears to be little more than a string.

Actor David Kelly dies

odtonline — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:33:27 +1300

Irish stage and screen actor David Kelly, known for appearances in British comedies such as Robin's Nest, has died aged 82.

Whitney Houston found unconscious and underwater

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:13:02 +1300

Pop star Whitney Houston was found "underwater and apparently unconscious" when she was discovered in a Beverly Hills hotel room bathtub, police said today.

Amalur shoots for moon

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Role-playing games are not expected to play as crisply as pure action games do, and action games need not run as deep in the storytelling and character-building departments as role-playing games do.

Monkey business leads to gaming success for Kiwi company

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The New Zealand video game development industry grew 46% last year, boosted by the huge growth of smartphone and online gaming, according to a survey of developers.

Transplanted into life in the suburbs

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Suburgatory looks at what happens when a worried father (Jeremy Sisto) moves his daughter (Jane Levy) to the suburbs to get her away from negative big-city influences.

Paranoia and fear post 9/11

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Homeland is not just the best new drama of the season (and would be, no doubt, even if the bar had been set higher than it has been this year), it's the first telling of a post-9/11 story that is all the things it should be: politically resonant, emotionally wrenching and plain old thrilling to watch.

Remotely Interesting: 'Misfits' just super

David Loughrey — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Perhaps the best, most definitely the strangest, take on superheroes has returned to television.

Houston confirmed found dead in bathtub

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:15:31 +1300

Coroners completed their autopsy on the body of singer Whitney Houston and confirmed that she was found in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room, but said the cause of death would not be determined until more lab tests were completed.

'The Artist' dominates at Baftas

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:03:31 +1300

Silent movie "The Artist" has had a night to shout about, winning seven prizes including best picture at the British Academy Film Awards.

Star's death brings sombre note to Grammys

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:57:43 +1300

Soul singer Adele has triumphed in her return to music's stage, scooping up six Grammys and winning every category in which she was nominated including album of the year for "21" and best record with "Rolling In the Deep."

Singer Whitney Houston dies

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:32:05 +1300

Whitney Houston, whose soaring voice lifted her to the top of the pop music world but whose personal decline was fuelled by decades of drug use, has died in a Beverly Hills hotel room. She was 48.

First public photos of Beyonce's baby Blue Ivy

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:54:40 +1300

She's been a sensation since she's been born, and now Blue Ivy has made her public debut.

Adele wows viewers with post-throat surgery song

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:40:59 +1300

Adele has wowed fans in her first public singing outing since throat surgery in November, putting to rest fears that her distinctive husky voice may have been damaged.

Sins of the father

Mark Price — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:26:00 +1300

Joe Karam has another book out on the Bain murders. And this time it's about guilt, not innocence, Mark Price reports.

Investor tale has currency

Dene Mackenzie — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The Fear Index is a well-known measure of stock market volatility in the United States, measuring as it does the market perception of how stocks will play out in any given circumstances.

Mystery a letdown

Geoff Adams — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Elizabeth George goes to great lengths to make her Inspector Lynley mysteries entertaining.

Poetry

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Gregory O'Brien penned "Sprig":

Murdoch story disturbs as well as fascinates

Geoff Adams — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Rupert Murdoch: an Investigation of Political Power by David McKnight, an Australian media academic at the University of New South Wales and former journalist, is a well-researched and chilling survey of the philosophy that has fostered dangerous media abuse of responsibilities.

A fresh angle to a century-old tragedy

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

My only experience of "other than economy class" travel has been finding a pair of pyjamas in an op shop with Singapore Airlines insignia on the pocket, presumably a perk of first or business class.

Classical reviews

Geoff Adams — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Adele set to conquer Grammys

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Adele is poised for a Grammy coronation, reports Greg Kot, of the Chicago Tribune.

Long Player: Those weird and wonderful Brazilians

Jeff Harford — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

In the age of the digital download, Jeff Harford rediscovers the album ...

Adios and party on

Darryl Baser — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Hi all, this is my last column for the Otago Daily Times after 14 years as a music columnist.

Film review: Weekend

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Film review: The Artist

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Life and politics

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The Ides of March offers George Clooney an opportunity to meld his professional interests and his political ideals, writes John Horn, of the Los Angeles Times.

Uggie steals scenes in Pawscars

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:54:27 +1300

The Oscars aren't until February 26, but winners of the Pawscars are already celebrating.

Naomi Watts to play Princess Diana in movie

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:09:31 +1300

Actress Naomi Watts will play Britain's Princess Diana in a new feature film about the last two years of her glamorous life that ended in tragedy, Britain's Ecosse Films said.

Hobbit role for Billy Connolly

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:22:30 +1300

Scottish actor and comedian Billy Connolly will join the world of Middle Earth to play a dwarf warrior in Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" films, the director said, completing the casting of the two long-awaited movies.

Brand, Perry finalise divorce

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:49:46 +1300

A judge has granted Katy Perry and Russell Brand a divorce, although the pair won't be legally split up until July.

Gaga confirms Auckland show

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:39:35 +1300

Get your wackiest outfits ready and prepare for the monster ball - Lady Gaga has confirmed a June show in Auckland.

The Guide: What's on this week

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Gigs

Alibi, the Octagon.
• Fridays, from 10.30pm: Hemi and Bede.

Year of good Fortune

Charmian Smith — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Last year was a tough one for the new management team and staff at the Fortune Theatre, but this year they can start enjoying it, says Lara Macgregor, the theatre's artistic director. She tells Charmian Smith about the new programme and many other initiatives they are looking forward to.

Art seen

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

"At the museum/Cry of the young karearea", by Ray Ching (Milford Gallery).

A surrealist atmosphere hangs heavily over Dunedin at present - nowhere more so than at the Milford. Here, a major exhibition of seven contemporary New Zealand surrealist and magic realist artists is being shown, with the entire gallery given over to the display.

McCartney heads Queen's jubilee gig lineup

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:39:56 +1300

Some of the world's biggest pop stars will perform in front of Buckingham Palace on June 4 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, palace officials say.

Chris Brown returns to Grammys

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:06:59 +1300

Chris Brown will perform at this Sunday's Grammy Awards for the first time since beating his then girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 on the eve of the music industry's biggest night, which threatened to derail his music career.

Madonna to tour Australia next year

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:02:43 +1300

Fresh from her success at the Super Bowl in the US, Madonna has announced a world tour that will bring her to Australia.

Intern claims she was JFK's teen lover

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:17:32 +1300

A former White House intern is speaking out about an 18-month affair she had with US President John F. Kennedy while he was in office, revealing intimate details in a new book to be published on Wednesday.

Storm over rapper's rude gesture at Super Bowl

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:22:54 +1300

Television network NBC and the NFL apologised for a rude gesture flipped by British hip hop star M.I.A during her halftime performance at yesterday's Super Bowl, but the Parents Television Council called for further action.

Kylie calls cops after Twitter threats

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:54:30 +1300

Pop princess Kylie Minogue says she's been harassed by an online stalker making threats over Twitter.

'Star Wars: The Old Republic' biggest fantasy world created, for $200 million

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It may be the largest entertainment production in history. More than 800 people on four continents have spent six years and nearly $US200 million creating it.

Strength of mind and body

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

You could never tell by looking at him now, but Liam McIntyre, who plays the sinewy hero in Spartacus: Vengeance, had severe asthma when he was a boy.

More biggest loser trainers

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Bob Harper isn't going anywhere. Season 11 of The Biggest Loser starts tomorrow with the biggest twist the weight-loss show has ever seen: Contestants must choose between working out with Harper and Jillian Michaels or with two unknown trainers.

'2 Broke Girls' old-style sitcom

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Despite a diversionary opening salvo of post-feminist raunch and unfortunate racial stereotyping, 2 Broke Girls is a solid, old-fashioned sitcom about two mismatched girls taking on the big city and makin' their dreams come true.

Remotely Interesting: Mothers: past it or blessed?

David Loughrey — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Old Age Mums is a television programme that delves into the ethically and morally grey area of women having children well past their menopause.

Dawn French adjusts to new body after losing 47kg

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:20:20 +1300

British comedienne Dawn French admits she misses her old body after losing more than 45kg.

Madonna dazzles with slick Super Bowl halftime show

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:41:39 +1300

Pop superstar Madonna dazzled football fans and more than 100 million television viewers today when she performed during the Super Bowl halftime show.

Mean streak part of Apple genius, biographer says

Dene Mackenzie — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Tackling the definitive biography on the late Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc, was a daunting task given the overwhelming grief that followed his death.

Radcliffe admits being drunk during Potter scenes

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:49:29 +1300

Daniel Radcliffe admitted he was drunk while filming some scenes for the Harry Potter movies during a period in his life where he was drinking "nightly," the young star said in an interview.

Fat, addictive, and ridiculously entertaining

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Some of the fun facts recounted in I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Revolution:

Making wearable art in front of telly

Gillian Vine — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

For those of us who learned to knit because that was the only way to get a new jersey, the notion of craft knitting was long an alien one. Those who aspired to great things tackled complex Aran designs or Kaffe Fassett's Tumbling Blocks but these were to demonstrate one's skill rather than be produced as artworks.

Good material but poor delivery

Marjorie Cook — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Hunter-gatherer types will probably need little introduction to Haast helicopter pilot and hunter Dave Saxton, who deserves a few chapters in West Coast bush lore.

Going with the buzz

Shane Gilchrist — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

From the fun and funk of AHoriBuzz to the darker drones of Cairo Knife Fight, guitar ace Aaron Tokona embraces his multiple musical personalities, writes Shane Gilchrist.

Classical reviews

Geoff Adams — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Long Player: Great pop music, with strokes of genius

Jeff Harford — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

In the age of the digital download, Jeff Harford rediscovers the album ...

Family ties down folk Tui Amiria Grenell

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Amiria Grenell's second album, Three Feathers, has won the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand's Best Folk Album award for 2012.

Pushing Play: Band buzzes off

Darryl Baser — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Dunedin rock three-piece Honeybone play a final farewell show on Thursday before setting sail for Melbourne.

Film review: Julia's Eyes

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

This stunning supernatural thriller is almost too clever for its own good.

The silent treatment

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The unlikeliest of Oscar nominees, The Artist deserves the silence treatment, writes David Germain, of AP.

Film review: J. Edgar

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

J. Edgar Hoover, the longtime director of the FBI, dominated American society for almost 50 years, but, for all his love of publicity, he was essentially a back room operator.

Tribute more than words can say

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Michel Hazanavicius loves the sounds of silence, reports Moira Macdonald, of The Seattle Times.

Crowe tipped to star in Noah's Ark

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:54:36 +1300

Kiwi actor Russell Crowe is rumoured to have been offered the lead role in a new film, Noah, the biblical story of Noah's Ark, a Hollywood website says.

Super Bowl show dream come true - Madonna

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:06:02 +1300

Pop superstar Madonna said it was a dream come true to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show on Monday (NZT) and conceded she was feeling pressured by singing in front of the huge live television audience.

Review: Thin plot but comic aspect works well

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +1300

Heaven Help Us!
Playhouse Theatre
Thursday, February 2

Avatar director Cameron moving to NZ

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:36:25 +1300

Wairarapa will soon be home to another Hollywood director after James Cameron bought two farms in the district.

Hayley Westenra engaged - report

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:49:46 +1300

Kiwi songstress Hayley Westenra is engaged to marry to her long-time French partner, according to UK reports.

Adele returning from surgery for Grammys appearance

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:26:48 +1300

Adele is nominated for six Grammys, and she'll be on deck to collect anything she wins: the 23-year-old singer is set to perform at the awards show.

Cowell gives X Factor major shake-up

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:23:31 +1300

Simon Cowell gave his talent show "The X Factor" a major shake-up, showing the door to host Steve Jones, judge Nicole Scherzinger, and old friend Paula Abdul after a lacklustre first season on US television.

Desert Island Discs turns 70

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:25:53 +1300

Margaret Thatcher chose Beethoven, Michael Caine picked Frank Sinatra and boxer George Foreman selected The Beatles' "All You Need is Love."

Best version of formula to date

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The Mario Kart series, now more than nineteen years old, is in its seventh iteration.

Remotely Interesting: One not worth watching

David Loughrey — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Somewhere north of here, nice young people with names like Tom and Christabel sit in offices and put together little courier bags full of DVDs and other goodies to send to me.

Show features Dunedin manager

Ellie Constantine — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

With her own extensive property portfolio, property manager Andrea Elliott has seen it all when it comes to rogue tenants, but one Dunedin rental proved television gold.

Belated Christmas present for 'Downton Abbey' fans

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Fans of wonderfully snooty British period drama Downton Abbey will be pleased to know the Christmas special which screened in Britain last month will play here this month.

History with a twist

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It sounds like the kind of thing that would emerge either from the mind of an imaginative 9-year-old or an alcohol-fuelled barroom bet: who would win in a battle between a pirate and a knight? Or how about between a Spartan and a ninja?

A new life across the Ditch

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

With primetime shows on both sides of the Tasman, Jay Ryan has become one of our most in-demand television actors. The Go Girls star talks to Lydia Jenkin about his new role as a doctor in Offspring and escaping West Auckland.

Surprises thrown up at SAG Awards

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:05:47 +1300

Civil rights drama "The Help" got a leg up in the Oscar race when the movie won three awards from the Screen Actors Guild, including best cast in a surprise over silent movie romance "The Artist."

US chat shows in bidding war for Pippa

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:21:02 +1300

US television chat show Queens Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters are locked in a fierce bidding war to secure royal sister Pippa Middleton as a guest, says a British tabloid.

Hobbit casting call overwhelmed

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:48:10 +1300

A casting call for extras in Sir Peter Jackson's movie The Hobbit had to close its doors early on Saturday after being overwhelmed with hopefuls.

Demi 'smoked something' before hospital trip

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:50:52 +1300

Demi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released by Los Angeles fire officials.

King takes time to get back in form

Hayden Meikle — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It is not hard to find the sporting cliche that fits this latest release from the prolific Stephen King.

Latest detective tales stick to proven formulae

Gillian Vine — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The quality of long-running series tends to bob up and down and so it is with the detective tales by American novelists Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton.

Fresh insights into author of classic novel

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

John Mulgan was born on December 31, 1911, and these paired texts were published to mark his centenary.

Generous work on Canterbury Art Society

Geoff Adams — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Canterbury University Press has produced such a large, handsome, and generously illustrated volume for Warren Feeney's history of the Canterbury Society of Arts (1880-1996) that the retail price of $49.95 seems a great bargain.

Debt owed to trail visionary

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

New Zealand owes a large debt to Geoff Chapple, the visionary who saw potential in a trail the length of the country, and who then battled on to see his dream fulfilled.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

One of the delights of an interest in history is that it is almost never definitive: new information is constantly coming to light and our understanding of the past never stops evolving.

Long Player: 'Screamadelica' took indie band into house

Jeff Harford — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

In the age of the digital download, Jeff Harford rediscovers the album ...

Mutton Birds back for the songs

Shane Gilchrist — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The Mutton Birds are reuniting for a 16-date summer tour with Gin Wigmore and Avalanche City next month. Shane Gilchrist asks frontman Don McGlashan, guitarist David Long, bassist Alan Gregg and drummer Ross Burge a few questions about hits, friendship and remaining young at heart.

Classical reviews

Geoff Adams — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Geoff Adams reviews the latest classical music releases.

Film review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

I was a teenager when I watched the television series of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I knew I was watching something special and that Alec Guinness was superlative but I was also totally baffled by it.

Film review: The Descendants

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Directed and adapted for the screen by Alexander Payne, The Descendants has a little of the distinctive feel Payne brought to his most successful films (Sideways, About Schmidt) but is still heavily indebted to the book on which it is based.

Unlocking a secret life

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio talk to Rebecca Keegan of the Los Angeles Times about making J. Edgar.

Ne-Yo details Motown vision

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:24:34 +1300

Ne-Yo has a dream: he believes the record industry is segregated, and has hopes of changing that as the new senior vice president of artists and repertoire for Motown Records.

Kylie heading home for Mardi Gras

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:49:03 +1300

Kylie Minogue, the petite diva of pop, will ride the biggest float in Mardi Gras history when she returns to Sydney's Oxford St in this year's parade.

Travolta car thief ordered to pay

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:34:29 +1300

A man who stole John Travolta's vintage 1970 Mercedes-Benz convertible is serving a jail term and been ordered to pay the actor $US50,000 in restitution, court records show.

Cowell launching DJ talent quest

odtonline — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:31:50 +1300

TV personality and music producer Simon Cowell is launching a new talent competition to find the world's best DJs.

The Guide: What's on this week

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Competition captures Burns

Charmian Smith — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Dunedin has a special relationship with Scottish poet Robert Burns, so it's not surprising the city celebrates his birthday with an annual poetry competition. Charmian Smith talks to one of the judges, 2011 Otago University Burns Fellow Fiona Farrell.

Art seen

James Dignan — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The university and polytechnic are host to many artworks which, if not strictly speaking public, are on open display. Some are well known, such as Peter Nicholl's Bridge of blackened timbers close to the University Union. Others are in more secluded spaces, or within the tertiary institutes' buildings.

Captain Scott's story a feature of Sinfonia series

Charmian Smith — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

A new work celebrating the centenary of Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to the Antarctic will be a highlight of the Southern Sinfonia's 2012 subscription series, which is released today.

Captain Scott's story a feature of Sinfonia series

Charmian Smith — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

A new work celebrating the centenary of Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to the Antarctic will be a highlight of the Southern Sinfonia's 2012 subscription series, which is released today.

Wife of Brian unhappy over film

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It was not an intentional send-up, but the wife of Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki has blasted the smooth character of Cardinal Hoani in Sione's Wedding 2 as shameful and "racist".

Jagger quits British PM's Swiss gig

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:30:09 +1300

Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger has decided British Prime Minister David Cameron can't get what he wants after all.

Conchord nominated for Oscar

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:37:28 +1300

Bret McKenzie is waiting for Kermit the Frog to confirm whether he will accompany him to the Oscars.

Tales of hope head Oscar nominations

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:24:12 +1300

A group of movies offering personal redemption and hope have swept up Oscar nominations, led by Martin Scorsese's colorful "Hugo" with 11 and silent-era romance "The Artist" with 10, including a best film nod for both.

Potter star looks to life without wands

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:24:04 +1300

For Daniel Radcliffe, it's time to forget Harry Potter.

Aretha calls off engagement

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:31:32 +1300

Aretha Franklin won't be getting fitted for a wedding gown after all: she's called off her engagement.

Game preview: Chilling new take on 'Silent Hill'

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Silent Hill has a past nearly as sordid as the titular town.

Seduced by New Orleans

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

A crowded nightclub is the setting. Ragtime music echoes through the smoke-filled room.

Oh, to be a toff at Downton

David Loughrey — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Mr Bates, you are the finest of fellows. You ignore that which is good for you, and think only of that which is good for others.

Rival's quip accepted as compliment

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The creator of Sex and the City has fired up after the TV hit's second film was criticised by the man behind Desperate Housewives.

Life-after-death sculptures still fascinate

Eileen Goodwin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

To understand Pacific art it is necessary to discard Western assumptions, visiting curator Dr Michael Gunn says.

For Bennett, every song is fresh each nigh

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Singer Tony Bennett says he never tires of leaving his heart in San Francisco.

Seal, Heidi Klum confirm separation

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:04:57 +1300

Seal and Heidi Klum have announced that their storybook marriage is coming to the end of the runway.

'Grinding, blinding beauty' in Young concert film

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:04:07 +1300

Neil Young recalls how his first concert film with director Jonathan Demme was a lush, stately tribute to country music.

Jackson doco debuts at Sundance

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:22:09 +1300

The high-profile case of the West Memphis Three murderers might seem like an odd choice of films for director Peter Jackson, but the "Lord of the Rings" maker has come to Sundance with a documentary about the case and a new revelation of a possible suspect.

Second season for Vanilla Ice DIY show

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:57:19 +1300

An unlikely home improvement show hosted by 1990s rapper Vanilla Ice is set to premiere its second season with the remodelling of another South Florida home.

Free Big Day Out entry causes controversy

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:05:22 +1300

A final present from Big Day Out NZ organisers to long-time fans was received with controversy on Friday evening, as paying ticket holders were joined by people entering for free.

Campion on Q'town beat for crime series

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:23:22 +1300

Oscar-winning film maker Jane Campion has been out on night patrol with police in Queenstown in preparation for a television mini-series she'll begin shooting in February.

Blues great Etta James dies

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:31:25 +1300

Three-time Grammy winner singer Etta James, a pioneer of 1950s rhythm-and-blues and rock music known for her show-stopping hit "At Last," has died from complications of leukemia, age 73.

Unabashedly weird, surprisingly wise

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Barry Southam lives in his earthquake-battered home town of Christchurch. He has returned from Auckland. There he acted in many TV plays and films.

Agonies of a city revealed in searing detail

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Readers of Leningrad will need stout stomachs.

Giving full justice to the soldiers

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Australia played a notable role in the Gallipoli, Palestine and Syrian campaigns during World War 1 and the Greek, Egyptian, Libyan and Syrian campaigns during WW2. This book does full justice to the experiences of its soldiers.

Time to address the bias in New Zealand history

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

In the early 1990s when I joined the Historic Places Trust staff, work was well under way on conserving the trust's Pompallier property in the Bay of Islands.

'American Idol' debut hits sour note

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:25:28 +1300

The audience for "American Idol" dropped by some 18 percent to 21.6 million viewers when the TV singing contest returned for its 11th season, according to early ratings figures on Thursday.

Saunders inspired by the South

James Beech — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

It is only natural the Warratahs frontman Barry Saunders should play songs from his solo album, Magnetic South, at his Gibbston gig, for the Southern Lakes was his inspiration when he wrote them.

Classical reviews: January 21

Geoff Adams — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:35:28 +1300

Nigel Keay: Music for Small Groups. Blumlein CD.

Wiggles deny rift over new line-up

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:48:46 +1300

The Wiggles famously sing about a hot potato and they are now juggling one after the exit of one of its members to make room for the return of original yellow Wiggle Greg Page.

Wahlberg sorry for 9/11 comments

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:49:06 +1300

Actor Mark Wahlberg has apologized for saying events may have turned out differently had he been on one of the planes that crashed on 9/11, after incurring the wrath of critics and one victim's widow.

Ire over tot's sitcom F-bomb

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:31:03 +1300

An anti-profanity crusader has asked ABC to pull a "Modern Family" episode in which a toddler appears to use a bleeped curse word.

LL Cool J to host Grammys

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:30:38 +1300

After seven years with a no-host format, the Grammys will have an emcee - LL Cool J.

Everything for the gentle reader

Charmian Smith — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

A wealth of information on topics ranging from Benjamin Franklin's latest experiments with electricity to the battle of Culloden, poetry and quack medicine was to be found in The Gentleman's Magazine.

Charmian Smith reports on the world's first magazine, copies of which are on display in the Special Collections gallery in the University of Otago Central Library.

Art seen

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

"Kabuki: The art of transformation" (Dunedin Public Art Gallery)

Brass and class at Nelson summer school

Nigel Benson — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

An Otago contingent will join an international chorus of voices in Nelson this week.

The Guide: What's on this week

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Gigs

Alibi, the Octagon.
• Fridays, from 10.30pm: Hemi and Bede.

Circadian Rhythm, 72 St Andrew St.
• Every Friday: Philtre jazz trio, from 5.30pm.

Online predator poses as pop star Bieber

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:57:01 +1300

An online predator tried to groom a 10-year-old girl by posing as Canada's teenage pop sensation Justin Bieber.

Heartbreak drives new Swift album

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:49:03 +1300

Should Jake Gyllenhaal be worried?

Last day out for Big Day Out

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:23:49 +1300

For 18 years The Big Day Out has been Auckland's biggest, noisiest music festival and a rite of passage for many teenagers, but after Friday, it will be no more.

Block sought over 'Mein Kampf' publication in Germany

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:32:06 +1300

Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf", banned from German bookstores, will soon be available from newspaper kiosks after a British publisher said he would print excerpts from the text in Germany.

Weta whiz pleased with 'Tintin' success

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:49:02 +1300

The Weta Digital visual effects whiz behind The Adventures of Tintin is happy the film has been recognised with a Golden Globe award.

Globe winner spurs interest in dwarf assault

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:31:55 +1300

Peter Dinklage ended his Golden Globes acceptance speech with a mention of an unfamiliar name, and the humble suggestion to "Google him."

Nintendo finally finding a groove with Pushmo

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Downloadable Game of the Week
Pushmo
For: Nintendo 3DS (via Nintendo eShop)
From: Intelligent Systems/Nintendo
Price: $US7
Billy O'Keefe

Though it took its sweet time, a stream of exciting original games is trickling on to Nintendo's new handheld. Elsewhere, and following an even longer wait, Nintendo's downloadable portable games channel is finally finding a groove.

'Evolved' shapes up well

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012
For: Xbox 360 (Kinect required)
From: Ubisoft
Billy O'Keefe

That hissing sound you hear? That's your resolution to get in shape slowly seeping out of the room as the excitement of 2012's first week gives way to life as usual.

Overcoming apps conflicts

Dene Mackenzie — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

This year could be the one in which chief information officers go from zero to hero, according to Andrew Fox, head of mobility at SAP ANZ.

Inside a gender change

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

The changing of one's voice is a male rite of passage. But most men go through it long before they turn 40. And the news doesn't usually land in the tabloids.

Super brand secrets

David Loughrey — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

BBC Knowledge is a television channel I trust. The BBC, after all, is from England, and is, like - the BBC.

Stars come out for Golden Globes

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:13:19 +1300

Silent-era film "The Artist" and family drama "The Descendants" were the top film picks at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday in a loose-lipped awards show that even had host Ricky Gervais walking onto the stage with a drink in his hand.

New Miss America named

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:13:01 +1300

Laura Kaeppeler of Wisconsin has won the 2012 Miss America crown at a Las Vegas pageant that was updated with a reality TV format including a surprise "save" for one contestant and on camera eliminations for others.

Network taking gamble on Sheen

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:11:51 +1300

The head of the FX network says he still hasn't seen a script for Charlie Sheen's new sitcom "Anger Management," which is due to premiere in June.

Hollywood readies for Golden Globe party

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:04:24 +1300

Hollywood prepared for its annual party and prize giveaway, the Golden Globe Awards, on Sunday but as much as Tinseltown's eyes will be fixed on which films and stars will be honored, its ears will be listening for barbs from show host Ricky Gervais.