Movie: Safe

Phwoar, boy's night out here, non-stop gratuitous violence, shootings and punchups, Statham at his best.
Interesting to note Kevin Spacey one of the producers.
9 out of 10.
And also caught a trailer of Expendables2 in the pipeline!

Movie: Prometheus

So, us humans are the product of an ancient race who came to Earth and seeded the place with their DNA and around about 2093 some archaeologists figure out where they came from, and technology has advanced enough the spaceship Prometheus can warp out to whence the star-map says they came.
Only when they get there the welcome aint so hunky-dory.
Noomi Rapace has settled into a better role than the western thing she was in a while back, I hope she carries on as the new "Ripley" in any sequels, the yarn certainly ends leaving an opening for one.
Despite the critics giving this movie a hard time, I liked it. Sci-fi that has an aura of possibility do it for me.
8 out of 10.
Charlise Theron's in here too, exhibiting yet again her versatile cool. I see she's in a remake of Mad Max this year.

Transit of Venus 6.6.12

Didnt give this much fore-thought, seeing the weather was so bad, but around 2-3pm the cloud peeled away.
An article in the local rag stated no-one alive has seen a transit in NZ, they come twice in eight years, every 100 odd years apart, the last one was in 2004 but you had to be on the other side of the Earth to see it, and the next one isn't due for another 105 years.
That was enough motivation for me.
The old boyhood telescope somewhere up in the attic would have taken too long to set up, wouldnt have a clue where the smoked sun-lens would be, so it was down to the workshop and the arc-welding mask. I used to map sunspots as a kid by projecting from the eyepiece onto a sheet of paper. I burned holes through a few bits of paper before I got things right, lucky I still got my eyes.
Actually, it took two welding lenses to shut the light down enough, and sure enough, there was little dot Venus. So there, I saw it.
Even tried taking a pic with the cellphone, Venus is the little dot down near the bottom, lol.
Rather fortuitous the sky clearing, just imagine being old Capt Cookie sailing halfway round the globe, if the weather had been inclement when he got here.

Movie: MIB3

Well, have to say it dragged a bit at the 3/4 mark, but the story-line was great and Josh Brolin did a top job depicting the young Agent K.
Jemaine Clement was an impressive baddie, nice to see the Kiwi boys doing well, following Bret McKenzie's Oscar.
Will and Tommy good as ever.
7 out of 10

Hosea Gets 100

Congrats to Hosea Gear on attaining his 100th first class game try.
I'm in the camp who can't understand his continually being over-looked for All-Black call-up.
Even though I think Deaker's the biggest nong in sports media, I have to agree with his assessment of Guildford, (who got the current call-up to cover Cory Jane's injury instead of Hosea), no nous under pressure, cant kick, and given his RWC performance, suspect under the high ball.
I thought Hansen was particularly mean to say they were going to give preference to players who showed committment to staying in NZ, when there's been the rumour going the rounds Hosea might be looking at a move to Japan.
Hosea was distinctly gracious accepting the honour post-game last night, adding there were some aspects of his game he still wanted to work on, and NZ was the best place to do it.
Meanwhile, the AB's spot goes to the kid, short of talent, and who cant behave in public.
(Now rectified thank goodness).

Opera: Rigoletto

Bravo to NBR NZ Opera for this one, at Wellington's St James Theatre.
The modern setting rather than the classic operaone was unexpected, and fantastically well done, minimally uncluttered revolve stage but very effectively lit, with an overhead front drop for the colonnaded palace scene. Great touch with the reflective marble.
AJ and I are no opera buffs, we simply enjoyed the whole thing. I thought Warwick Fyfe was better in the second half, AJ revelled in Emma Pearson's voice. The Duke was a real prick, which goes to show the role-play was outstanding, and emotion thoroughly evoked. Minor leads enhanced the entertaining difference with solid performances
We'd swotted up the plot beforehand and once accommodated to the setting twist, the range of human foibles and consequences well illustrated and easy for us amateurs to follow.
That Mr Verdi was obviously no mug.
In the impression test, still in my head 3 days later...  and that's something.
The better view and seating over that of the Opera House was appreciated too.

For afters we chose Monsoon Poon.
Big ups here too, uncomplicated menu, but fantastic flavours, AJ went for the fried fish and prawn, staple sweet and sour for me, plus rice and pita.
We opted for cocktails from a pretty extensive list, hers rhubarb and raspberry liqueur base, mine, tequila and cointreau, $14 a throw, but OK when you compare with the cost of a bottle of wine, which we didnt want for in the circumstance.
We fell for a closing dessert cocktail, hers khalua based, mine..., I forget!!
Cold as, creamy ice, maybe a bit of menthe, would be great following a hot curry.
Comfortable, easy atmosphere, you can watch the chefs at work and there's a mirror above the servery where you can see your order on its way, driving background musak, out the door for a tad over a hundred.
Would do here again anytime.

Movie: Good for Nothing

Whatever way you view this Kiwi "Pavlova" western, serious, tongue in cheek take-off of the spaghetti's, or anywhere in between, it worked.
I guess all the actors were Kiwis, and all credit to them for putting on the faces, particularly lead man, Cohen Holloway. The Dom reviewer commented he should go far, not just here in NZ, and it'd be hard not to agree.
Congrats to the producers Mike Wallis and Inge Rademeyer, (also leading lady).
The Central Otago backdrop played a major role, ably supported by the NZSO, and Raetihi's Mellonsfolly supplying the western town, should gain some increased patronage for their part.
This movie was big on imagery, and theyre still with me a day later...
5 out of 5.