Haven't done a post here for a while, but was moved to it after last night, the occasion......
Sole Mio's "On Another Note" tour concert, Palmerston North's Arena 2 stadium.
Audio visual triumph..., magnificent voices, fantastic stage and sound management, more incredible given that the place is a bit of a barn.
There must have been close to the documented 5000 crowd capacity, good view all round aided by a couple giant screens.
The back-drops were a masterpiece, couldn't figure out if they were 3 large rear projection panels, or actually video panels themselves, of some sort. Anyway, they were great, switching scenes appropriately between numbers, and even doing a bit of video motion.
Pene, Amitai, and Moses............. what can one say.
We got the full treat from opera to popular, accompanied in some part by grand piano, other by canned orchestra, and then by their own uke, guitar, and double bass, rousing opera through popular swing to sentimental ballad, delivered by an impeccable and fulsome sound system.
They sang the whole program. As an audience we got a full nine yards, and some surprise to walk out after two encores to find it was only 10.30pm (from an 8pm start, on time too). No time-wasting warm-up act here.
Their quiet dignity and cherishment of family and community values fueled the national pride tank.
Its Pacific for me......
the union jack can take a hike off the national flag.
10 out of 10, and much better in person than the CD
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Movie: Spy
Good laugh here, serious actors Law and Statham doing comedy, and Melissa McCarthy the brilliant spy, (with the odd flaw).
Chuck in Miranda and 50 Cent, and you've got a riot.
9 out of 10.
Be nice if the troupe could be brought back for a series.
Chuck in Miranda and 50 Cent, and you've got a riot.
9 out of 10.
Be nice if the troupe could be brought back for a series.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Book: Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Total Recall"
From a country on a losing side of the war, to the corridors of politics in one of the world's greatest nations, Arnie illustrates the power of having a dream to chase, and the tenacity to do the hard yards to get there.
A bit of a "how-to" book really, how to do good at body building, how to go to America, and succeed there. How to succeed in business, build an asset portfolio, not just get into movies but make it big time, and finally get to be Governator, with a lot of derring-do, learn as you go, and insight into all the paths of life he strode.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Movie: A Million Ways To Die In The West
Cant understand the bad reviews for this movie, been home an hour and still laughing.
The gags, I think, seem to cop the criticism, but its the whole situational comedy/farce thing that amused me, much like with The Lone Ranger.
The story's about a nerd doing all the wrong things to keep his girl, and being led to handle it right, and get to a totally more satisfying place. Don't we all wish..?
Often I asked myself where this movie was heading, then you get to see why, everything overdone for a purpose.
What makes the punchline of a joke is its coming out of left-field, and there was a ton of that in this movie.
All the lead roles were masterly done, and I'm sure gorgeous Charlize will still be in my head long after tomorrow.
I'm a big Seth MacFarlane fan, Family Guy, and Ted, the aforementioned critic cant even spell his name right.
11 out of 10.
Just the tonic I needed after a stressful work week.
Dont go see it if you're a prude.
The gags, I think, seem to cop the criticism, but its the whole situational comedy/farce thing that amused me, much like with The Lone Ranger.
The story's about a nerd doing all the wrong things to keep his girl, and being led to handle it right, and get to a totally more satisfying place. Don't we all wish..?
Often I asked myself where this movie was heading, then you get to see why, everything overdone for a purpose.
What makes the punchline of a joke is its coming out of left-field, and there was a ton of that in this movie.
All the lead roles were masterly done, and I'm sure gorgeous Charlize will still be in my head long after tomorrow.
I'm a big Seth MacFarlane fan, Family Guy, and Ted, the aforementioned critic cant even spell his name right.
11 out of 10.
Just the tonic I needed after a stressful work week.
Dont go see it if you're a prude.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Books: Couple of good reads here
Couple good reads Ken lent me:
Peter James "Dead Tomorrow", another Detective Roy Grace novel, starts off with a bod being dredged off the bottom of the English Channel and turns into a slickly written rush from several different perspectives to the central denouement involving human trafficking and organ harvesting.
The subject matter's a little on the gruesome side for me, but James paces this mystery extremely well with the approach from the different characters, so you can get through the 650 odd pages in nightly instalments with each segment neatly partitioned, and another thread resumed the next.
He also provides a good insight into what it'd be like to be a parent of an organ transplant candidate.
9 out of 10, and only missing the perfect score on account of the macabreness not being my cuppa.
CJ Box "Winterkill"
I've read a couple of Box's Joe Pickett yarns before, and for a long while into this book I had a sense of having already read it, but no, it turned out new read territory.
Ken passed this book on because we'd been through the Twelve Sleep County, Wyoming, on the US rides he organised for us Kiwi motorcyle tourers. We've done the trip in the summer, so its interesting to imagine the winter-scape that Box mostly writes about in his novels.
In this one, aside from severe snow-outs and mysterious killings, Joe deals with rampant bureaucracy, sovereign nationalists, and threat of losing an adopted daughter.
Joe's no super hero, just a capable ranger dealing with extraordinary circumstance, which makes the this particular genre an agreeable read.
8 out 10, good descriptive prose, storytelling a bit ragged round the edges in places.
Peter James "Dead Tomorrow", another Detective Roy Grace novel, starts off with a bod being dredged off the bottom of the English Channel and turns into a slickly written rush from several different perspectives to the central denouement involving human trafficking and organ harvesting.
The subject matter's a little on the gruesome side for me, but James paces this mystery extremely well with the approach from the different characters, so you can get through the 650 odd pages in nightly instalments with each segment neatly partitioned, and another thread resumed the next.
He also provides a good insight into what it'd be like to be a parent of an organ transplant candidate.
9 out of 10, and only missing the perfect score on account of the macabreness not being my cuppa.
CJ Box "Winterkill"
I've read a couple of Box's Joe Pickett yarns before, and for a long while into this book I had a sense of having already read it, but no, it turned out new read territory.
Ken passed this book on because we'd been through the Twelve Sleep County, Wyoming, on the US rides he organised for us Kiwi motorcyle tourers. We've done the trip in the summer, so its interesting to imagine the winter-scape that Box mostly writes about in his novels.
In this one, aside from severe snow-outs and mysterious killings, Joe deals with rampant bureaucracy, sovereign nationalists, and threat of losing an adopted daughter.
Joe's no super hero, just a capable ranger dealing with extraordinary circumstance, which makes the this particular genre an agreeable read.
8 out 10, good descriptive prose, storytelling a bit ragged round the edges in places.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Life of Note: Mikhail Kalashnikov
The Saturday Dom runs a weekly obit page on lives of note and there's some really interesting stuff on people who had an influence on history, no less so than did Major General Kalashnikov, inventor of the AK47 assault rifle, who died age 94, couple of days before Xmas.
Its estimated 70 million of the Avtomat Kalashnikov 1947 model (I guess avtomat is Russian for automatic), were made, excluding copies produced in third-world backstreet workshops. 7.62mm carbine, it can fire 600 rounds per minute, accurate to 300 metres, still lethal at 1500 metres, reputed as robust, lightweight, easy to maintain, operable in environments ranging the full gamut from sand to mud, less sensitive than the American M16, and more reliable than most British counterparts, continuing to operate when most others would jam.
Kalashnikov was born in Khazakstan, a 17th child of a peasant family, went to work on the Turkistan-Siberian railway on leaving school, and on call-up for military service in 1938, trained as a tank driver, then a tank commander, seriously wounded in the 1941 Battle of Byansk, (a stand-off southwest of Moscow where two Panzer divisions surrounded the 50th Army, who managed to extricate without much actual fighting, despite a huge toll of 80,000 killed and 50,000 taken prisoner as a result of the artillery and air bombardment), brooding on the superiority of German weapons, he conceived the idea of making a simple weapon for soldiers "that dont go to university", and built the prototype while recovering at the railway workshops, all with hand tools.
On later posting to the Emsk small-arms proving ground he developed the final version, which became the chosen standard weapon for the Soviet army, but given the 1947 date, never saw active usage in WWII. The pity of it all, and much to Kalashnikov's disappointment, the rifle went on to become the weapon of choice for anybody but the good, was probably responsible for killing most of the Russians killed during the Afghanistan occupation, and the Chechen uprising. Asked at a press conference how he felt about inventing a weapon that had killed more people than the Hiroshima bomb, he replied he'd received a lot of negative letters but still slept well. "Weapons are not to blame when used illegally," he replied. "the ones to blame are the politicians, not the designers."
Anywhere other than Russia, Kalashnikov would have become a multi-millionaire for his invention, instead he got honours heaped on him by Moscow, Hero of the Socialist Labour, Stalin Prize, Lenin Prize, a doctorate in engineering, 3 Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner, and at age 75, Yeltsin promoted him to Major-General.
Ironically, he became a friend of Eugene Stoner, the inventor who made a fortune from his M16 rifle, who gave him more than a taste of the lavish hospitality he missed out on.
A lot of people would condemn the invention of such a weapon, but you couldnt deny the influence the man had on history.
Its estimated 70 million of the Avtomat Kalashnikov 1947 model (I guess avtomat is Russian for automatic), were made, excluding copies produced in third-world backstreet workshops. 7.62mm carbine, it can fire 600 rounds per minute, accurate to 300 metres, still lethal at 1500 metres, reputed as robust, lightweight, easy to maintain, operable in environments ranging the full gamut from sand to mud, less sensitive than the American M16, and more reliable than most British counterparts, continuing to operate when most others would jam.
Kalashnikov was born in Khazakstan, a 17th child of a peasant family, went to work on the Turkistan-Siberian railway on leaving school, and on call-up for military service in 1938, trained as a tank driver, then a tank commander, seriously wounded in the 1941 Battle of Byansk, (a stand-off southwest of Moscow where two Panzer divisions surrounded the 50th Army, who managed to extricate without much actual fighting, despite a huge toll of 80,000 killed and 50,000 taken prisoner as a result of the artillery and air bombardment), brooding on the superiority of German weapons, he conceived the idea of making a simple weapon for soldiers "that dont go to university", and built the prototype while recovering at the railway workshops, all with hand tools.
On later posting to the Emsk small-arms proving ground he developed the final version, which became the chosen standard weapon for the Soviet army, but given the 1947 date, never saw active usage in WWII. The pity of it all, and much to Kalashnikov's disappointment, the rifle went on to become the weapon of choice for anybody but the good, was probably responsible for killing most of the Russians killed during the Afghanistan occupation, and the Chechen uprising. Asked at a press conference how he felt about inventing a weapon that had killed more people than the Hiroshima bomb, he replied he'd received a lot of negative letters but still slept well. "Weapons are not to blame when used illegally," he replied. "the ones to blame are the politicians, not the designers."
Anywhere other than Russia, Kalashnikov would have become a multi-millionaire for his invention, instead he got honours heaped on him by Moscow, Hero of the Socialist Labour, Stalin Prize, Lenin Prize, a doctorate in engineering, 3 Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner, and at age 75, Yeltsin promoted him to Major-General.
Ironically, he became a friend of Eugene Stoner, the inventor who made a fortune from his M16 rifle, who gave him more than a taste of the lavish hospitality he missed out on.
A lot of people would condemn the invention of such a weapon, but you couldnt deny the influence the man had on history.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Book: Never Go Back; Lee Child
I'm so hooked on Lee Child and Jack Reacher, he has to be my all time favorite read.
This one I started at 10.30pm to go to sleep on, only I roared through it to the end without the sleep.
11 out of 10!
This one I started at 10.30pm to go to sleep on, only I roared through it to the end without the sleep.
11 out of 10!
Book: Leighton Smith; Beyond the Microphone
LOL...
Leighton says something like, with the growth of social media, people make a heap of sharp comment that isn't worth reading, none more so than book reviews, so what can I say?
Well, for starters I did enjoy this book. You couldn't say it was high literature, but given his lengthy career in radio, it was a nostalgic commentary of our times, and although I've only been a sporadic listener to his morning talk-back only recent years, its the only talk-back I can be bothered listening to.
Why?
I think I get educated by listening, the others are just a load of petty proletariat gripings and platforms for talk-show hosts to mouth their own less educated and formed, and sometimes nasty, opinions. You can chuck sports-talk into this category as well. No search for a solution, most times I'm made to feel better off than any caller, so the ills of the world are all my fault.
In his book Leighton details what amounts to a good life.
He's earned it.
A 5 out of 5 read for me.
Leighton says something like, with the growth of social media, people make a heap of sharp comment that isn't worth reading, none more so than book reviews, so what can I say?
Well, for starters I did enjoy this book. You couldn't say it was high literature, but given his lengthy career in radio, it was a nostalgic commentary of our times, and although I've only been a sporadic listener to his morning talk-back only recent years, its the only talk-back I can be bothered listening to.
Why?
I think I get educated by listening, the others are just a load of petty proletariat gripings and platforms for talk-show hosts to mouth their own less educated and formed, and sometimes nasty, opinions. You can chuck sports-talk into this category as well. No search for a solution, most times I'm made to feel better off than any caller, so the ills of the world are all my fault.
In his book Leighton details what amounts to a good life.
He's earned it.
A 5 out of 5 read for me.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Book: Gavin Menzies "Who Discovered America"
Interesting read, maintaining Chinese colonised America by sea, plenty of evidence, DNA and archaeology, they were there about the right time.
Major plank being the land bridge from Asia theory is shot full of holes, who'd want to tramp 1000's of miles across snow and ice, no local food source to sustain the journey.
But my question from the outset was, no reason why planet Earth might'nt have been a lot warmer at odd times past, permitting shorter sea crossings and more land based migration.
And neither is there much evidence today of the supposed Chinese shipping armada, although I had a cousin researched building himself an ocean-going steel boat, and after pretty thorough research came up with the chinese junk being the most sea-worthy, easiest built and rigged, one-man sailed model.
So who knows. The ancients were no less clever than we are today.
Who can say what civilisations were swept away by natural catastrophe.
Major plank being the land bridge from Asia theory is shot full of holes, who'd want to tramp 1000's of miles across snow and ice, no local food source to sustain the journey.
But my question from the outset was, no reason why planet Earth might'nt have been a lot warmer at odd times past, permitting shorter sea crossings and more land based migration.
And neither is there much evidence today of the supposed Chinese shipping armada, although I had a cousin researched building himself an ocean-going steel boat, and after pretty thorough research came up with the chinese junk being the most sea-worthy, easiest built and rigged, one-man sailed model.
So who knows. The ancients were no less clever than we are today.
Who can say what civilisations were swept away by natural catastrophe.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
ANZA Harley Demo Day
Quick blat over to PN today for the annual demo day put on by ANZA. Booked in for two rides.
 |
| Couple of nice bikes |
The bike cornered beautifully too, and brakes only needing a touch. I liked the toggle on the digital read-out that gave an option of gear indicator, plus rpm. Other's on the toggle included fuel, odo, and distance.
The forward controls were fine, but I was getting a bit uncomfortable after 30 odd mins.
I mainly wanted to see what the Breakout went like. Pretty similar really, but some bark from the exhaust. I think I liked the deceptive quiet rumble of the Fat Bob better.
Handled pretty much as nice as the FB too, maybe better, certainly no influence felt from the phat back tyre.
A lot more comfortable ride for me though, dished seat and forward controls felt better placed.
6th gear indicator light in a nice big speedo. The left side ignition switch had me tricked.
Back on my old 99 LowRider coming home, I felt more comfortable, maybe neither of them would be good trip bikes without some changes, but you'd be hard placed to find a more fun commuter straight off the shop floor.
The LR embarrassingly gave a bit of starting trouble to get on the way home, how convenient said the shop staff. Unfortunately I couldnt respond positively by leaving it as a deposit on a new machine, but I did vindicate myself by coming home with a new helmet, Scorpion EXO100. Open face model which will earn me criticism from the full-face brigade. Such critics ignore that lack of a visor riding into the sun is pretty imperilling with full-face, this one has a visor. Its also got a flip down sun lens, and have to comment its one of the best shaded lens I've looked through, excellent definition and very little dimming of the vision, and lovely range of sight through to the peripheral. Easily removable, and a clear one comes with it. The visor clips off too.
At the sale price, $149 incl, it would make an excellent round-town lid.
Bugger the full-face critics, most cops round the world wear this model, and as far as looks go, its a stunner.
At the price, I had farm use in mind if I wasn't bowled away with on-road suitability.
OSH have a real problem getting farm people to wear helmets on bikes and quads, and I think the main drawback is the models available are so, so, plain DAWKY.
A model like this, boys will be boys, couldn't help wanting to put this one on!
The clasp is an interesting ratchet latch, with an easy open tab, very comfortable to wear, if perhaps a little on the heavy side.
Thanks to Kerry and the ANZA staff for once again putting this day on, really appreciated.
This year simultaneous events were held in Wellington, New Plymouth, and Napier, so it was a one-day affair, and ample riding opportunity for a smaller attendance.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Wellington Oct '13
Aztecs - Conquest and Glory, exhibition at Te Papa till 9 Feb, staged in partnership with Mexico's National Council for Culture and Arts, and National Inst of Anthropology and History, plus Australian Museum and Museum Victoria, so goes without saying there's a wealth of interesting stuff to see and ponder on.
An education on the great culture of city and pyramid building, the largest city lying underneath present day Mexico City, and a now filled in lake.
The schism of class was greater than I had been aware, another case of an upper class keeping hordes of minions under control by fear and hocus pocus, human sacrifice an integral part in a supposed continuum of appeasing gods, but conveniently keeping the proletariat on the back foot.
Nothing like a live beating heart to feed the eagles.
I'd always thought it was the superior war technology, steel and mounted cavalry, that handed a small Spanish force conquest over a vastly more numerous indigenous people, but really when you think about it, the recruitment of disaffected Indians who saw one bloke dying on the cross back in the past, was a far better lurk than being regular eagle fodder.
Te Papa's stream of quality exhibitions keeps coming, and its certainly a help being a Friend of the museum, and having access to 2 days parking as part of membership.
Had also won a couple of tickets in a Dompost draw, to the stage show "No Naughty Bits", put on at Circa.
Being a fan of the Month Python series years back, thought this dramatisation of the difficulty experienced getting the show into USA could be a good lurk. A newspaper reviewer subsequent to my big win wasn't quite so enthusiastic, but we couldn't complain about the price!
Well, we both had a little nod off in the first half, but the second half came to life with snappy dialogue in the court-room scene, with lots of laughs, credit to the cast for keeping this up.
Quick bite at Joe's Garage beforehand, filling lamburger with glass of pinot.
An education on the great culture of city and pyramid building, the largest city lying underneath present day Mexico City, and a now filled in lake.
The schism of class was greater than I had been aware, another case of an upper class keeping hordes of minions under control by fear and hocus pocus, human sacrifice an integral part in a supposed continuum of appeasing gods, but conveniently keeping the proletariat on the back foot.
Nothing like a live beating heart to feed the eagles.
I'd always thought it was the superior war technology, steel and mounted cavalry, that handed a small Spanish force conquest over a vastly more numerous indigenous people, but really when you think about it, the recruitment of disaffected Indians who saw one bloke dying on the cross back in the past, was a far better lurk than being regular eagle fodder.
Te Papa's stream of quality exhibitions keeps coming, and its certainly a help being a Friend of the museum, and having access to 2 days parking as part of membership.
Had also won a couple of tickets in a Dompost draw, to the stage show "No Naughty Bits", put on at Circa.
Being a fan of the Month Python series years back, thought this dramatisation of the difficulty experienced getting the show into USA could be a good lurk. A newspaper reviewer subsequent to my big win wasn't quite so enthusiastic, but we couldn't complain about the price!
Well, we both had a little nod off in the first half, but the second half came to life with snappy dialogue in the court-room scene, with lots of laughs, credit to the cast for keeping this up.
Quick bite at Joe's Garage beforehand, filling lamburger with glass of pinot.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Book: Faster Than Lightning - Usain Bolt
Even at my pathetic level of achievement in athletics I could relate exactly to the slo-mo recount of the sprint race experience Bolt does so well.
Then there's all the rest of it, ability to cope with expectation, both own and others, motivation, and the all important mentors, plus family environment shaping the individual.
Good book, narrated in nice easy yo bro style.
Well done Usain, you my Hero!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Stan Walker's World Tour of NewZealand
Big surprise here, didnt know what to expect.
Have to admit Whenua Patuwai, (runner up in this year's X-Factor NZ), was a major attraction for me, as he was for many others according to the booking office.
Whenua sounded a lot better on stage than he did on TV, I think he's come on heaps since then, incredible voice, powerful for someone still quite young.
His bracket of songs was well received, certainly he's not short of a fan base, even had a couple of teenies rush the stage to give him a hug. Half time......
Then it was Stan.... searchlights, showband, backing group, dance troup, it was all on, fantastically constructed show.
Stan himself doing the moves with a great hip-hop gangsta dance team, doing his popular numbers and more.
The backing group did a bracket, and I particularly liked Troy Kingi and his acoustic guitar work.
11 out of 10, and I'd go see it again.
Have to admit Whenua Patuwai, (runner up in this year's X-Factor NZ), was a major attraction for me, as he was for many others according to the booking office.
Whenua sounded a lot better on stage than he did on TV, I think he's come on heaps since then, incredible voice, powerful for someone still quite young.
His bracket of songs was well received, certainly he's not short of a fan base, even had a couple of teenies rush the stage to give him a hug. Half time......
Then it was Stan.... searchlights, showband, backing group, dance troup, it was all on, fantastically constructed show.
Stan himself doing the moves with a great hip-hop gangsta dance team, doing his popular numbers and more.
The backing group did a bracket, and I particularly liked Troy Kingi and his acoustic guitar work.
11 out of 10, and I'd go see it again.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Roger Fox 40th Anniversary Tour
a two and a half hour non-stop jazz concert superbly crafted by Roger Fox.
While knowing the Fox Big Band was always worth a listen, I went mainly to hear guitar guest, Mike Stern, and that was really nice stuff, upper fretwork on an electric Fender or look-alike, mellow softer harp tone, but got a further shot to the fabulous with the other two guests.
Joey Defrancesco was billed as a hammond organ exponent, which was pretty good, but I thoroughly enjoyed his faultless and expressive "flugelhorn", (he called it), like a bugle, but bigger horn and mellower, fuller, plaintive sound.
Brenda Boykin was a sweet surprise for me too, not being all that familiar with the jazz scene, strong, powerful, accurate, story-telling, as only a negress could do.
The local men from Wellington Jazz Orchestra did trombone and sax solos with accuracy and aplomb, and the evening wouldnt have been complete without a trombone lick from the Master himself.
Top show, I could go see it again. 11 out of 10.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Movie: Elysium
Set in 2154, all the wealthy folks live on a space station while the hoi polloi battle out their existence down below, and the main theme's about equalising things.
Some say Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to District 9 didnt quite make it, but I think it did, one of the better sci-fi's of late.
The slum theme was recognisably so, very realistic, in fact realistic real, those scenes filmed in Mexico.
Easy to follow plot, but again as getting more common in movies, some of the dialogue garble difficult to follow.
Matt Damon's one of my favourite action heros, and Jodie Foster looking gorgeous here.
As with District 9, Jackson/Weta Workshop had a hand in.
9 out of 10.
Some say Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to District 9 didnt quite make it, but I think it did, one of the better sci-fi's of late.
The slum theme was recognisably so, very realistic, in fact realistic real, those scenes filmed in Mexico.
Easy to follow plot, but again as getting more common in movies, some of the dialogue garble difficult to follow.
Matt Damon's one of my favourite action heros, and Jodie Foster looking gorgeous here.
As with District 9, Jackson/Weta Workshop had a hand in.
9 out of 10.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Movie: Pacific Rim
Contrary to Lone Ranger, the Dompost movie critic thought this movie was great.
I found it tedious, crash bang action start to finish, predictable plot, and rah, rah, America victory parade.
When the noble commander got up to make his climax battle pep-speech, I was waiting for him to say something like, "We will not go quietly into the night, we will not go without a fight". But no, it was something pretty lame and forgettable.
Del Toro did do a great job of the robot action, and I have to admit the camera work was awesome, but I've had enough of looking down the throats of scary monsters.
2 out of 5.
I found it tedious, crash bang action start to finish, predictable plot, and rah, rah, America victory parade.
When the noble commander got up to make his climax battle pep-speech, I was waiting for him to say something like, "We will not go quietly into the night, we will not go without a fight". But no, it was something pretty lame and forgettable.
Del Toro did do a great job of the robot action, and I have to admit the camera work was awesome, but I've had enough of looking down the throats of scary monsters.
2 out of 5.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Movie: The Lone Ranger
Here we go again, the Dompost movie critic panned this movie, I thought it was great.
I think it helped having watched it as a kid on TV, the corn was brilliantly re-presented. The critic really stiffed Arnie Hammer, for doing what he was supposed to do.
The standouts were Silver (the horse), and Tonto Depp, what a great actor/entertainer he is.
The critic lamented no story and poor dialogue, but nothing about it bugged me, a full of surprise start to finish romp between serious and parody.
The William Tell overture for the final sequence topped it off for me.
10 out of 10.
I think it helped having watched it as a kid on TV, the corn was brilliantly re-presented. The critic really stiffed Arnie Hammer, for doing what he was supposed to do.
The standouts were Silver (the horse), and Tonto Depp, what a great actor/entertainer he is.
The critic lamented no story and poor dialogue, but nothing about it bugged me, a full of surprise start to finish romp between serious and parody.
The William Tell overture for the final sequence topped it off for me.
10 out of 10.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Movie: Oblivion
Great expectation on this one despite mixed reviews.
Tom's a great actor, no disputing that. The tech and action was spec, and the story good.
I know how it finished, but gee, I lost the thread in the last tantalising quarter, so I dont quite know how it got there.
Wasnt helped by not being able to translate from gaming/texting gibberish, the plot critical bits the girl said.
S'pose thats what happens after 60 years in suspended animation.
Actually, I missed what Morgan Freeman said about that helmet the free people were wearing too, that enabled them to avoid detection by the Drones.
3 out of 5, top movie that never quite got there.
Maybe I should go see it again.
I mean what happened to Jack II in the 3 years after his scrap with Jack I.
When Jack I arrived back with the medi-pak to treat the girl, Jack II wasnt where he was left trussed up by Jack I.
Jees........???
Maybe I've just got too old, and pointlessness is the name of the game these days.
Tom's a great actor, no disputing that. The tech and action was spec, and the story good.
I know how it finished, but gee, I lost the thread in the last tantalising quarter, so I dont quite know how it got there.
Wasnt helped by not being able to translate from gaming/texting gibberish, the plot critical bits the girl said.
S'pose thats what happens after 60 years in suspended animation.
Actually, I missed what Morgan Freeman said about that helmet the free people were wearing too, that enabled them to avoid detection by the Drones.
3 out of 5, top movie that never quite got there.
Maybe I should go see it again.
I mean what happened to Jack II in the 3 years after his scrap with Jack I.
When Jack I arrived back with the medi-pak to treat the girl, Jack II wasnt where he was left trussed up by Jack I.
Jees........???
Maybe I've just got too old, and pointlessness is the name of the game these days.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Movie: Django Unchained
Django passes the lasting impression days after test with flying colours, another glorious, gorious, Tarantino.
Superb acting by Samuel L Jackson, De Caprio, and Christoph Waltz, really made the movie, while Jamie Foxx completed his spoof role to perfection.
Its quite a long movie, and the reprieve granted Django with the escape from the mining co. slave train was an almost un-necessary add-on, I think us punters would have gone home happy with an earlier splatter wind-up back at the estate.
But never mind, top movie.
Morricone's objection to his treatment over the score is an interesting sideshow. After hearing so much about the Django theme, I was waiting for something that didnt quite happen for me, nothing instantly everlasting like the themes from the spaghetti's or the Kill Bills.
5 out of 5.
Superb acting by Samuel L Jackson, De Caprio, and Christoph Waltz, really made the movie, while Jamie Foxx completed his spoof role to perfection.
Its quite a long movie, and the reprieve granted Django with the escape from the mining co. slave train was an almost un-necessary add-on, I think us punters would have gone home happy with an earlier splatter wind-up back at the estate.
But never mind, top movie.
Morricone's objection to his treatment over the score is an interesting sideshow. After hearing so much about the Django theme, I was waiting for something that didnt quite happen for me, nothing instantly everlasting like the themes from the spaghetti's or the Kill Bills.
5 out of 5.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Masters Games Motorcycle Event
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| Racecourse start venue, Day 1 |
Day 1 took us up the Parapara, now a much improved hill-country road loved by local riders, with the first stop at the Railway Cafe at National Park.
Gotta say at the outset that this event has a sort of 3 face value to it, part cafe crawl, part scenic tour, part set your own comfort pace burn-up.
National Park Railway Cafe, in the old station, does a good menu and has a nice cabinet if you're a bit shorter on time.
Then up to near Taumarunui turning right over Waituhi Saddle to Turangi. Have done this a couple of times on a push bike in the old Tour de Trout, 25 km grind up hill, and a 25km fly down the other side where you can give yourself the cramp in the braking hands, or the sphincter if you dont.
Lunch and refuel at Z/BK Turangi, then home via Waiouru and Karioi, across the Whangaehu to Fields Track/Parapara, then home, nice ride in late afternoon hues.
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| Rangitikei Valley, near Apiti |
Day 2 out to Hunterville via Fordell and Turakina Valley, for morning coffee at the old BNZ, now sporting a bike museum, then up to Ohingaiti and a particularly pretty stretch of hill country curves to Apiti Hotel for a cooked lunch menu under umbrellas in the back court-yard. Another over the hill to Pohangina Valley, down to Ashhurst and up over the Saddle Road, with a quick stop at the Windfarm, before pm coffee at Cafe 88, Woodville. Through the Manawatu Gorge, now repaired of the massive slip, and home via Colyton and Makirikiri Rd.
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| The group at the Wind Farm, Saddle Rd |
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| Republic of Whangamomona |
A couple more saddles to crest before the Tangarakau Gorge, a river wending its way through a bushed gorge to join the Whanganui. This part of the road is unsealed, but has an excellent surface. If it was sealed it'd be the equal of any scenic road on the South Island's west coast, but would hardly be a Forgotten World anymore.
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| Closer to Taumarunui |
Each day's conclusion, Roger had arranged a group entry into the Games hospitality enclosure for the medal presentation ceremony, placings determined by poker run basis with a draw from a card deck at 5 check points each day, with somewhat hilarious result, but emphasising the social aspect of participation.
Roger concluded a successful round of events by saying it all went free of 'incident', we all got home safe and sound, but we did pass a prang in another group going the opposite direction, which was a timely sober.
Only got a few pics, as time didnt allow for the camera stops I would have liked through the winding and scenic bits.
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