Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: Wallywood

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  • Jeremy Andrew,

    I needed help with those pesky armholes

    I've never been called that before...

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report

  • Islander,

    O I dont know philipmatthews - I am a really big Hiyao fan (have all works available in English except for 'Ponyo') and there are moments in UP that climax some of his best...

    then again, I'm someone who finds sublime moments in 'Lilo & Stitch'-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    One possible explanation for the surprising Best Picture Academy Award was that the Academy moved this year to a preferential voting system, rather than first-past-the-post voting which has prevailed from the beginning (previously, with the distribution of votes, a film with around 27% share of the final votes could win). This means it is now easier to shut out the James Camerons of the world. In addition, I read somewhere that the average age of Academy members is 70+. which suggests they are far removed from the dominant film audience these days (ie males 15 to 25).

    Still, I was pleased that a small film won over the over-financed, over-blown, over-praised Avatar.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    The voters in the AMPAS are mostly elderly and actors are wildly overrepresented. Their decisions tend to make sense if you keep this in mind.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report

  • Paul Litterick,

    Point of Information, Mr Cracker: I believe Wellington International Airport is now known as Wild at Heart, in celebration of 50 Wild Years.

    I cringe by proxy for the locals.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Yes. Although unlike Herr Fuhrer I don't mind the new terminal personally.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • recordari,

    @philipmatthews who noted earlier that the link was buggered and relinked to it... ;)

    I'll get my invisibility cloak on, then. Maybe it was the poor German translation of 'this link is broken.' That'll teach me for using bable fish.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Evan Yates,

    James Cameron is reputed to be putting some Na'vi N'ookie into the Avatar director's cut (it's busin'ess t'ime!... on DVD only ). I guess that spares us the 3D version in theaters with the plastic-specs thing.
    "Coming right at you!" would take on a whole new meaning.

    P.S. I liked Avatar... but didn't love it.

    Hamiltron, Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Nov 2006 • 197 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And,nothing wrong with a "must do better next year" post it on the fridge, for those coming in second eh?

    To be honest, I don't think 20th Century Fox think they've gotten "second best" out of their relationship with James Cameron, no matter how high maintenance he is.

    When the same Academy has, for example, rewarded Ordinary People over The Elephant Man and Raging Bull or Forrest Gump over Pulp Fiction, I guess it's hard to assume that the best film will always win.

    Meh... I stand by my belief that the "Avatar wuz robbed by the out of touch Hollyweird elitist' crowd are just the kind of fanboys who give geeks a bad name.

    Sure, valid criticisms can be made of its Dances With Wolves premise, but it never gets near as awful as what Lucas threw us in the first few minutes of The Phantom Menace . I genuinely thought "what is he doing!? " when I saw that.

    That's not lowering the bar, that's burying it.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Paul Litterick,

    Although unlike Herr Fuhrer I don't mind the new terminal personally

    He failed to get into architecture school, you know.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Wellywood

    shouldn't it more correctly be WELLYWOODLAND (as per the original HOLLYWOODLAND sign)
    or
    Orc-Land International Airport?

    (and Auckland could be "Heavenly Craters"...)

    How about a large "WHERE'S WELLY" sign?

    meanwhile back in Mosgiel they hope the Hollywood chamber of commerce hasn't noticed them too..

    and sheesh the Hollywood sign letters are 14m tall not 3 metres!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    That's such an over the top reading ...

    Philip: Are we both reading the same Nikki Finke? I enjoy Deadline Hollywood enormously, but anyone looking for cool understatement is going to have a pretty frustrating time of it.

    Sorry, but Nikki loves playing the "Hollywood outsider" and fits of feeble minded populism are just part of the package. Back on planet Earth, you might as well hate on the Pullitzer Prize jury as being a pack of out of touch elitists because the odds of Dan Brown or Stephanie Myer being on the shortlist this (or any other) year are somewhat remote.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Point of Information, Mr Cracker: I believe Wellington International Airport is now known as Wild at Heart, in celebration of 50 Wild Years.

    Wot? That's just Wellington Airport's slogan. And it's better than anything like "Bringing Wellington to the world".

    I like it because it makes me think of David Lynch, and then his Kiwi doppelganger Richard Till.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Re the Wellywood sign: Wellington isn't copying Hollywood. It's copying Mosgiel.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • 81stcolumn,

    We recently enjoyed the company of a First Nations friend from Canada who pointed out both the similarity between avatar and pocanontas as well as the offensive nature of both tales. Not that I think this would have swayed the academy's judgement.

    I believe an extended phrase would be "wild at heart and weird on top". Would a member of the Wellingtonista like to comment ?

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    That's just Wellington Airport's slogan

    And anyone who has landed there in a stiff breeze would get the meaning right away :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Paul Litterick,

    Not so much a slogan, more a way of life: when you arrive at the terminal, all you see is Wild at Heart logos, with Wellington International Airport mentioned only in the small print. It looks like a rebranding to me. The intention is

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report

  • Tim Hannah,

    We recently enjoyed the company of a First Nations friend from Canada who pointed out both the similarity between avatar and pocanontas as well as the offensive nature of both tales. Not that I think this would have swayed the academy's judgement.

    The winner pretty much proves that offensive tales won't sway the academy's judgement. Not a single Iraqi portrayed as anything but victim, coward or psycho killer. Only character in entire film who cares at all about Iraqi kids is the big ol' American - really, he asks the natives for help and gets none. And for his suffering and pain he is never thanked, but still does it again, cos that's the kind of world saver he is.

    I'm not defending Avatar's story, but it didn't win. The winner was at least as bad and doesn't have the excuse of being highly fictionalised. It's creepy.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 228 posts Report

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Not a single Iraqi portrayed as anything but victim, coward or psycho killer. Only character in entire film who cares at all about Iraqi kids is the big ol' American - really, he asks the natives for help and gets none. And for his suffering and pain he is never thanked, but still does it again, cos that's the kind of world saver he is.

    Wow. These days they normally manage at least a token nice Muslim or Iraqi. Extremely token, I'll grant, but none...that's depressing.

    The other comment I've seen is that it's quite telling that the first time a woman wins Best Director, it's for a film that is not only seen as a men's topic (however inaccurate that is) but is almost exclusively about men and male experiences.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    The other comment I've seen is that it's quite telling that the first time a woman wins Best Director, it's for a film that is not only seen as a men's topic (however inaccurate that is) but is almost exclusively about men and male experiences.

    Yeah, I would have preferred Deepa Mehta too. But it goes back I think to how difficult it is for women to direct at all, especially in the United States. You can count the female directors of non independent feature films on the fingers of what - one hand?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Tim Hannah,

    These days they normally manage at least a token nice Muslim or Iraqi.

    Don't get me wrong, there is one token Iraqi who I think you're s'posed to have some attachment to. But he's not an active character.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 228 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Deborah joins the fray. Fly, you fools made me giggle.

    My preferred sign doesn't fit on the side of the hill according to the character limitation of the generator. It reads

    YO, SIR PETER JACKSON, YOU KNOB, I DON'T CARE HOW MANY OSCARS YOU WON, DRIVING YOUR BLACK MERC AROUND TOWN WITH BIG OLD HEADPHONES ON IS DANGEROUS SO WOULD YOU KINDLY STOP DOING IT?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Then on the B-side of the hill I'd put THANK YOU.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole,

    One thing that gets me is the supposed trivialisation of native language that is portrayed by Avatar. Having watched it, I see someone who, after three months of immersion with bilingual teachers, can have a conversation but relies on a translator for a speech that, when you look at the language, could've been delivered by an eight-year-old. If that's trivialising the language, then it's trivialising any western language because it's fairly generally accepted that you'll achieve conversational fluency in something like Spanish or German within two months if you're immersed. Even Japanese can be learned to moderate conversational fluency if you've got three months of solid instruction from people who're determined to teach you.

    Perfectly willing to concede that the storyline itself is offensive to first peoples, given its pretty condescending depiction of their awareness of the intentions of the invaders and their ability to organise and fight back, but getting indignant about the language just looks silly by comparison. Did these people actually watch the movie, or just hear about it?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Rich Lock,

    Re: the Oscars. It's a glittery, razzmatazz, highly politicised circle jerk with beautiful people and expensive frocks. The films, to a great extent, are incidental.

    But I'm deriving great amusement from watching people get all hot and bothered about it, like it actually means something and that some great injustice has been perpetrated in the choice of 2010 winners.

    Because in all the other years they've held the ceremony, the acadamy members have really, really worked hard, lost sleep, and suffered long dark teatimes of the soul to really, genuinely make sure that the best film wins. So this is an abberation, a blip, an injustice! It cannot, and indeed must not, be allowed to stand! The future of art itself depends on it!

    Seriously, it's more or less meaningless apart from DVD marketing. Chill.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

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