Tag >> Salon.com

Melanie Lysnkey’s Togetherness Performance a Stand-Out

It’s hard to pinpoint what is brilliant about new comedy series Togetherness, but a good place to start is its casting of Melanie Lynskey, according to Salon television critic…

Meet Dr John Money the Father of F***ology

In an essay excerpted from Fuckology: Critical Essays on John Money’s Diagnostic Concepts, the authors examine the work of trailblazing Morrinsville-born scientist and sexual libertarian Dr John Money.

Money, who…

Stunt Icon Raises Issues of Violence and Victimisation

New Zealand Stuntwoman and actress Zoë Bell’s film Raze is one of three out this January, which “tackle semi-weighty issues of violence, victimization, sexuality and gender.”

The online arts and…

Needing Fiction Like Water

Brian Boyd, a distinguished professor of English at the University of Auckland, defends fiction in his new book On the Origin of Stories, which offers an overview and defense…

Guitar-based Digi-bongo Acapella-rap-funk-comedy Folk gets Sexy

Wellingtonians of the Year Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement (AKA Flight of the Conchords) have made Salon‘s ‘Sexiest Man Living’ list for 2007. Salon promotes its list as…

Edge Envoy to Iraq

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan named New Zealander Ross Mountain as his interim envoy to Iraq. Veteran Mountain has had a long career with the UN and has worked as a relief co-ordinator…

Rings-led Revolution

“New Zealand has had a day like no other”. The world premiere of The Return of the King in Wellington outshone all expectations, with a 100,000+ crowd lining the…

Aquada, Bond Aquada, 0064

International media attention was lavished on The Thames, London, for the launch of NZ-entrepreneur Alan Gibb’s revolutionary Aquada (inspired by inventor Terry Roycroft’s design innovations). The James Bond-style sports vehicle with the amphibian…

Bamboo Dick: First Flyer

“What’s all the fuss about the Wright Bros? All good Kiwis know New Zealand’s Richard Pearse got there first.” With the centenary of his flight looming, Debbi Gardiner, writes in Salon…

Heavenly pop hits

Aotearoa musical ambassador Neil Finn’s One Nil launched in the US as One All, and draws in at No.2 on Salon’s audio charts. New songs and collaborations with…

Acid Rain

“This New Zealand coming-of-age movie isn’t really about anything. When it’s this rich and luscious, who cares?” Direction and acting applauded in Christine Jeff’s debut feature adaptation of Kirsty…

Oscar post-script

Solace for those lamenting that the southern cross didn’t shine brighter on Hollywood’s star spangled banner: “A Beautiful Mind was a Good Film. Not a brilliant film. If Peter Jackson had…

The most feared woman on the internet?

NZer Rebecca Wilson (“director of leaves and petals” at the experimental Dutch Arts’ Foundation Studio for Electro-instrumental Music) postulated as as a real identity behind Net legend…

Movie of the year

“The most heartbreaking thing about faithful movie-going is that awe, beauty and excitement, three of the things we go to the movies for, are the very things we’re cheated…

Emily’s choice

British-based New Zealand writer Emily Perkins sat on the all-powerful all-girl jury for the Orange Prize, Britain’s major literary award for women only. Also, Perkins comments on the double jury…

Fairytale victory

Kiwi co-directed Shrek is “a computer-generated miracle. Based on William Steig’s 28-page book, the film puts forward the most marvellous case for the craziness of repressing fairytales since Sondheim’s…

Donuts to the World

Krispy Kreme donut king, Kiwi Don Henshall talks cautious expansion for the American icon.

All that is golden…

The Lord of the Rings (the book) – boyish fantasy or “true myth” that is a modern masterpiece?

It Won’t Hurt a Bit

New Zealand Cancer Society prostate awareness star, John Hopoate, takes legal action.

Chathams Hungover

“We blew our budget last year and walked away with a huge headache, but we had a lot of fun,” says Chathams man Robin Preece, predicting a quiet New Year for…

Proof of Life

The plot goes wobbly, but Russell Crowe is the man. Crowe is “a powerful screen presence, the sort of fellow every man wants to befriend and every woman wants…

Sia in America

Samoan New Zealander Sia Figiel reads from her second book, They Who Do Not Grieve (US edition forthcoming). Figiel won the Commonwealth Writers’ Best First Book Prize for

Courtney Love: Nelson Girls old-girl takes on Napster

As a user Courtney loves Napster, but it carries some risks and the Hole lead singer is wary of corporate relationships in general, “If you want some little obedient…

G’Day Caesar

Crowe’s accent crosses the expanses of the globe and the distance of time in the Gladiator – Owen Duggan corrects the notion that it’s Bondi-based, and Christine Kenneally muses on…

Kiwi Student Crucifies Penis

Gross-out contest winner horrifies New Zealand