The Hobbit: Middle Earth Character Guide
Don’t know or cannot recall the characters from The Hobbit? The Movieclips Trailers present the Middle Earth Character Guide to keep you informed about your favourite characters.
December 2014 Archives
Oana Jones’ 3D Printed Record Player Worldwide Hit
A working vinyl record player made with a 3D printer has gained Auckland animation tutor Oana Jones worldwide attention. Jones created the player for a competition run by American independent record label Ghostly International…
Lorde Finds Sisterhood with Katniss in Mockingjay Songs
Lorde’s low hum that begins her new single, Yellow Flicker Beat takes the viewer from the final shot of the transformed heroine Katniss Everdeen to the closing credits of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay –…
Kiwi 3D Beach Artists
New Zealand Herald presents a group of Mt Maunganui artists who have combined their skills to create 3D sand drawings on the beach to prepare themselves for future art…
Paul Ewen’ Latest Novel Brilliant Satire of Booker Set
In his second novel New Zealander Paul Ewen “cranks up his deadpan satirical style through one Francis Plug, and catches a vast array of contemporary Booker prizewinners in his firing line,” Ben Myers writes…
Black Caps Best Year Ever
Having just won the first test against Sri Lanka, New Zealand’s Black Caps have made 2014 their best Test year ever. The Black Caps beat Sri Lanka by an impressive 8 wickets with a day…
Lucy Lawless Plays Evil Queen in Californian Pantomime
Actress Lucy Lawless is currently portraying the evil queen Carabosse in a California-based production of Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight. Through 4 January, at the Pasadena Playhouse, Lawless plays alongside Ben Giroux (Hart of…
New Zealand From Above: Northland
Watch the full-length documentary about New Zealand’s North Island. New Zealand from Above is a 5 episode TV series about an aerial journey from the deep south of the…
Tami Neilson’s Dynamite Deserves to Explode in US
Virtually unknown in the US, New Zealand-based singer Tami Neilson has accrued awards aplenty in recent years, but with her 2014 album Dynamite she has crafted something truly special that deserves to explode with…
Herbst Architects’ Sensitive Retreat Invites the Outside in
A new beach house – “overlooking New Zealand’s breathtaking Whangarei Heads” – designed by Auckland husband-and-wife team Lance and Nicola Herbst is featured on design magazine Wallpaper’s website. “Situated on a cranked ridge line ……
Brendon McCullum Makes Australia’s Cricketers Look Average
In the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch, Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum, 33, was just five runs short of demolishing what could possibly have been the fastest ever double century in…
Billy Apple’s Retrospective Not like Anyone Else’s
Ahead of Billy Apple’s 2015 retrospective exhibition Billy Apple®: The Artist Has to Live Like Everybody Else at Auckland Art Gallery, arts publication Yareah Magazine looks back at the life of New Zealand’s most…
Wellington Makes Rough Guides Top Ten Best Cities for 2015
Wellington is one of the Rough Guides Top 10 city destinations for 2015 sitting at sixth place alongside No 1 destination Johannesburg, Malaga, New Orleans, Hamburg, Nizwa, Belgrade, Salta, Birmingham and Yangon. “Big-budget films helped…
Lisa Walker’s Unconventional Jewels Make Italian Vogue
Wellingtonian Lisa Walker’s “large, colourful jewels … are ‘food for art’, according to Vogue Italia, and “it’s the colour that first strikes the observer”. “This designer from New Zealand is constantly seeking to offer an…
Maori Feature in New Book Documenting World’s Tribes
Powerful portraits of Maori feature in a new book about 31 unique tribes by British photojournalist Jimmy Nelson called, Before They Pass Away, “an irreplaceable ethnographic record of a fast disappearing world.” Nelson writes…
“O Holy Night” SOL3 MIO Live at Christmas in the Park
Listen to the beautiful voices of Sol3 Mio, as they perform “O Holy Night” at Christmas in the Park, Auckland Domain, New Zealand, 14 Dec 2013. SOL3 MIO are…
Chartbusters Sol3 Mio Poised to Tackle the World
Fresh from performing the New Zealand national anthem in Chicago for a rare rugby match between the USA Eagles and world-champion All Blacks, operatic trio Sol3 Mio are hoping for many more thumping victories…
Carbon Converter LanzaTech Has Significant Global Potential
Illinois-based LanzaTech, which got its start in a New Zealand basement in 2005, plans to revolutionise ethanol production with a gas-eating microbe, which converts waste gases into useful chemicals and fuels, including ethanol. LanzaTech has…
SOL3 MIO: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Merry Christmas to you from SOL3 MIO! SOL3 MIO are made up of two brothers, Pene and Amitai Pati from Mangere, and their North Shore cousin Moses Mackay, SOL3…
Golden Boot Awarded to Warrior Shaun Johnson
Warriors half-back Shaun Johnson has won the Golden Boot for the best rugby league player in 2014, only the fourth New Zealander to win the prestigious award. The panel of 13 judges gave Johnson nearly…
Meanwhile in New Zealand… A Very Kiwi Christmas
Air New Zealand presents “Meanwhile, in New Zealand… A Very Kiwi Christmas” for the children of Portobello, on the Otago Peninsula, a little Christmas Surprise.
Hayley Westenra Sings Holiday Favourites for Wisconsin Fans
Acclaimed Christchurch-born soprano Hayley Westenra, 27, who has mesmerised audiences across continents, appeared with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra (WCO) at the Orpheum Theater on 18 and 19 December singing Christmas favourites. Westenra’s music director, Tim…
Royal New Zealand Ballets Vodafone Season of a Christmas Carol
Take a look at a preview of the Royal New Zealand Ballets Vodafone Season of a Christmas Carol. Royal New Zealand Ballet is a company of 34 dynamic dancers…
All Black Sensation Dan Carter’s Paris Move a Big Deal
All Black great Dan Carter, 32, is poised to become the world’s highest-paid rugby player when he moves to France after next year’s Rugby World Cup on a three-year deal with Paris club Racing…
Who’s-Who of NZ Sidemen Join Guy Pierce on Debut
An assured, confident debut album draws from Australian actor Guy Pearce’s genuinely appealing voice and a who’s-who of New Zealand sidemen, including Liam Finn regular Jon Mulholland and Tim Finn/Gin Wigmore guitarist Brett Adams. “[The…
Te Araroa Trail One of the World’s Dream Hikes
Long-distance tramping route, New Zealand’s new 3000km Te Araroa Trail, is considered one of National Geographic’s best hikes in the world. This year, the publication asked 20 outdoor luminaries – from trail runners to CEOs…
Building a Better Possum Trap
“In New Zealand, killing small mammals brings people together,” writes staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert in her long-form article in the December 22-29 issue of The New Yorker. Kolbert’s story, “The Big Kill,”…
What if we let kids do the family Christmas shopping?
As part of a new Christmas campaign DDB Group New Zealand create an ad for The Warehouse about letting the kids go Christmas shopping instead of their parents….
The Hobbit: “Peerless Fantasy, Flawlessly Rendered”
“The pleasure is intense, and mixed with awe,” writes Wall Street Journal film critic Joe Morgenstern of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. “There is majesty here, and not just because we’re…
#173: Merry Xmas Headlines & Videos
The Global Life of New Zealanders From Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM | 22 December 2014 | #173 | New York We tweet and publish on Facebook daily.
Auckland City’s incredible FIFA Club World Cup podium finish
“It’s incredible,” reports FOX Football. “They’re a bunch of semi pros yet Auckland City have claimed third place at the FIFA Club World Cup, defeating Mexican side Cruz Azul 4-2 in a penalty…
Melanie Lynskey the Voice of an Irascible Cartoon Bluebird
New Zealand-born actress Melanie Lynskey, who starred alongside Charlie Sheen in television comedy Two and a Half Men, is the voice of bluebird Beatrice in the “beautiful” Cartoon Network 10-part miniseries Over the Garden…
Writing Isn’t Just about Expression Says Author Eleanor Catton
Author Eleanor Catton, who is a participant in The Hindu Lit Fest in January 2015, talks to the Hindu about why writing isn’t just about expression but about impression too. Catton, who has set up…
Ferryman Alan Brann Working the Waters of the Columbia River
Alan Brann, known better as Kiwi, ferries passengers and cargo to and from the big ships in the Lower Columbia River at the Port of Astoria in Oregon aboard his boat, Miss Molly. In…
Empire Reunites Peter Jackson and the Bad Taste Gang
For the January issue of Empire, devoted entirely to bidding “Farewell to Middle-earth,” Peter Jackson and the crew of the 1987 splatter classic, Bad Taste are reunited “to reminiscence about the crazy shoot.” “That year,…
Kimbra Takes A Visit To Sesame Street
New Zealand singer-songwriter Kimbra has been spotted on one of the world’s most well-known streets and has been seen with some of its most famous residents – Elmo and the Cookie Monster. The effervescent star…
Tawa College Blue Notes – A New Zealand Christmas
Tawa College Blue Notes sing “A New Zealand Christmas” at the Wellington Regional Big Sing Festival 2014. The school is well known for its achievements in the arts, notably…
Kiwis’ Continue Country’s Tradition of Great Motorsports
Driving legend Scott Dixon and newcomer Earl Bamber are carrying on New Zealand’s long tradition of motorsport racing heralded by Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon. Dixon, a three time IndyCar champion, has signed…
Stuart Farquhar: What Makes You Proud To Be A Kiwi?
Commonwealth Games Javelin thrower Stuart Farquhar talk about why he is proud to be a Kiwi. Stuart Farquhar is a javelin thrower and was the silver medallist in the…
GM President Dan Ammann Instilling Culture of Accountability
General Motors executive Dan Ammann talks to Fortune about manufacturing in Mexico, and because of a number of recalls over the past decade, how he aims to instill a culture of accountability among the…
Portrayal of Genesis Earns Cliff Curtis Best Actor Accolades
Cliff Curtis has won best actor at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for his portrayal of Genesis Potini in The Dark Horse, ahead of veteran Australian actor David Gulpilil, who won the prize…
Serko’s Darrin Grafton One of World’s 25 Most Influential Travel Execs
New Zealander Darrin Grafton, co-founder and CEO of Serko, an online travel and expense management software company, has been named one of Business Travel News’ 25 most influential industry executives of 2014. Grafton’s win marks…
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Featurette – 17 Year Journey
Take a look at all the memories throughout the 17 years of the making of The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. Peter Jackson and the crew talk…
Golden Globe Nomination for Lorde’s Hunger Games Single
Lorde is “blown away” by a Golden Globe nomination for her hit single Yellow Flicker Beat included on the soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, which the eighteen-year-old herself curated. “I am…
Battle of the Five Armies Packs Huge Chain Mail Punch
Upon its release in Britain, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was met with great enthusiasm, with UK newspapers agreeing the New Zealand director has completed his trilogy with verve. “Jackson’s…
They Toil and Spin (1942)
Check out this historical piece of media about the Wool and the War effort in New Zealand. All ages of woman spin and knit wool to support the kiwi…
New Zealand Scientist Attains International Pinnacle In His Field
The Riddet Institute’s Principal Investigator, Professor of Food Chemistry Laurie Melton, has been appointed as an editor of the prestigious Food Chemistry publication. Professor Melton’s appointment confirms New Zealand’s leading role in the Food Sciences…
Happy – Queenstown Winter Festival 2014
In 2014 Queenstown Winter Festival celebrated 40 years of making people happy. Pharrell Williams hit song “HAPPY” is used as the theme song for the video.
Susan Te Kahurangi King’s Vociferous Drawings Animate NY
Since the early 1960s, New Zealand artist Susan Te Kahurangi King – who makes her gallery debut in Chelsea, New York – “has been reworking Looney Tunes characters like a rogue animator, abstracting, distorting…
Nine Things We’ve Learned about Peter Jackson’s Epic Saga
“Just as there are nine members of the Fellowship, here are nine things we have learned from Peter Jackson’s six-picture behemoth …” Guardian journalist Ryan Gilbey gives us the rundown. “It’s big. But how big?…
Roger Donaldson Remembers New Zealand Beginnings
Before he became one of Hollywood’s most dependable big-movie helmers with hits for stars such as Eastwood, Pacino, Cruise, Costner, Hopkins, Statham, Brosnan, Roger Donaldson, 69, literally helped invent the film industry in New…
It’s Official, Kimbra Is the Coolest
New Zealander Kimbra is officially the “coolest” according to Nylon magazine, telling their readers that if they’re not already familiar with the singer then, “it’s time to get acclimated.” “Her music has the power to…
Crowded House the ARIAs’ First Superstars
At the inaugural Australian Record Industry Association awards (ARIAs) in 1987, New Zealand judge (and now Australianised) Jenny Morris was joined by a countryman whose second band was named best new talent and went…
Mark Wigley Judging Hot Helsinki Guggenheim Competition
New Zealand born architect and author Mark Wigley is the jury chair for the Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition, which has now announced finalists for the as-yet-unapproved Guggenheim art museum in Finland’s capital. The jury has…
Roland Taylor’s Sydney Storm Grabs World’s Attention
Sydney’s spectacular early-season storms may just crack open a photographic career for Wanaka-born Roland Taylor, with his recent images attracting hundreds of thousands of online views. Taylor, 24, combined a perfect vantage point…
Peter Jackson Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Peter Jackson landed a choice section of Hollywood Boulevard for his Walk of Fame star outside the Dolby Theatre and joined by his family and friends from “The Hobbit.”…
