Posts by JackElder

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  • Hard News: The Honours,

    This would seem an apropos moment for some classic Brass Eye:

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Hard News: Holiday Musings,

    A certain irony in Cameron arguing that It's about storytelling, when he can't construct an original storyline to save himself.

    Storylines don't need to be original, they need to be compelling. The two are often found together (you're drawn along with the story purely to find out what happens next), but not necessarily. The original Star Wars has a great plot, despite the fact that the storyline is blindingly obvious from early on. Similarly, I'm sure we've all sat through godawful art house flicks with storylines that prioritised novelty over watchability.

    Related point: I don't think it's always about story. P G Wodehouse is one of the best writers ever in English, and he only had about three plots.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Hard News: You're all fabulous,

    the only concert I went to last year was the Wiggles.

    They're touring again here next year. Book through the usual outlets; I've got my (well, our) tickets already. Excellent gig, I must say.

    My picks for the year: Gogol Bordello's excellent "Live from Axis Mundi", King Midas Sound, large swathes of the Tiger Lillies back catalog, the debut from the Benka Borodovsky Bordello Band, the Mamaku Project, the Juan Maclean, and the second Herbaliser Band album.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Random Play: Welcome to this world,

    Aw, okay then. You make a good case. It's not appropriate for an eight year old boy, is it?

    I'd take an eight year old. My five year old daughter wants to see it, which I think is a bit too young, but eight should be fine. I'd rate the violence as "No worse than Jurassic Park", though there's a fair bit of it.

    One scene near the end appears to have been mistakenly filed under "you were really there and it happened" ...

    Several of the critics from the early previews have similar reports.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Random Play: Welcome to this world,

    Digital 3D shouldn't be a problem with astigmatism; I have very odd, very poor eyesight and it was absolutely fine. The main thing to watch for is where you are in the theatre. As close to the centre of the theatre as you can get is where you want to be. As you get further out, the divergence between the apparant angle of the 3D projection and the angle you're actually watching it at can make some people uncomfortable.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Random Play: Welcome to this world,

    My eyes were sore after 2 hours 40 minutes -- I think this is going to be an issue with this kind of cinema

    Nitpick: it's an issue with the specific projection technology. 3D isn't necessarily the problem, it's more the way that the projection technology that your local cinema uses.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Up Front: Because You Are Wonderful,…,

    I was encouraged, by members of the Public Address Community*, to make up stories about Emma and a Certain Recent Night.

    I must refute this most strongly. At no point did we encourage you to make things up. We encouraged you, in the spirit of therapeutic healing, to use the techniques of rational analysis and recovered memory to "piece together the gaps" from the evening in question. So, for example, you might be walking down the street and see two policewomen, a duck, and the City to Sea bridge and suddenly "recollect" something that Emma had done in the blur between 5 and 7am.

    Actually, at the T4WAs last night, I was quite surprised by how many people I'd met at the book launch - some of whom I'd had extensive conversations with - completely failed to remember me. Then again, when you turn up at 10pm to an event where people have been drinking since 5, I suppose it's hardly unexpected.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Up Front: Because You Are Wonderful,…,

    I'm guessing olives might be involved.

    In which orifice?

    villa envy

    I'm spending the Christmas holidays packing to move away from our carefully restored villa with polished matai floors, leadlights, heat pump, etc. It's a nice house, but it's just got a bit too small for us.

    Though that villa linked just made me think "Jesus, it's true: houses are literally half the price in Dunedin."

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Up Front: Same as it Ever Was,

    So "petunias" just became a metaphor for...everything?

    Actually, I must come clean and say that it was a mixed bed of petunias and pansies. But in the retelling, I decided to sacrifice botanical accuracy for brevity.

    Because no-one ever said, "botanical accuracy is the soul of wit."

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

  • Up Front: Same as it Ever Was,

    "With the assistance of alcohol": the way I tend to win things.

    Sadly, doesn't work with cycling. The great tragedy of my really.

    Email (about to be) sent, with bonus added salacious details redacted from the original post in case my kids ever google this.

    In the interests of fairness, I should point out that I seriously considered withdrawing from the running in favour of Rodger. The occurrence he described, although less funny, was considerably more awesome. Ah, the memories.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report

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