Light conditions seem to be real popular for titles in this genre, for some reason

bags first dibs on Crepuscular_
(and Creepuscular )
it's just so redolent of latent horror

and Dappled while I think of it
...you can lead a horse to culture...

and the sheep version ?
-…

Seems that it won't.

Man. Time has caught up with some of the actors of that show. Glad they're not touching it again, too good to be redone.

Possibly my biggest problem with Twilight being popular is that I happened across Robin McKinle'sy bite 'n bonk (thanks) book Sunshine and found it rather quirky and enjoyable. Now it's like the pitch has been queered by another vampire book named after light conditions.

Light conditions seem to be real…

And doesn't all the past week's 'Fawlty Towers Re-opened' hoopla point rather chillingly that way?

If that happens...

Seems that it won't.

being a fan of the more absurdist and wordist realms
I'm surprised there are no Mighty Boosh boosters out there,
it's is the closest thing I've seen to a modern day, visual Goon Show. with a touch of a more cerebral Young Ones

Good comparisons, especially to the Goons, though…

The intertubes is filled with douchebags waffling on about how Women Aren't Funny

This mentality really upsets me. Like I said many pages ago, Sweetman is never seen at local comedy nights. If he did bother to haul his ass in he'd see some great local comics – male and…

Having watched both the new Reggie Perrin and the new Red Dwarf I can tell you not to bother. The RD was weak and the cast clearly were going through the motions, it was also not funny, in the slightest.

Martin Clunes is manifestly not the right person to…

On their TV they buy in show ideas and scripts from the UK like The Office.

Although... the US version of The Office is excellent, and a very different beast, not just a rehash.

Oh, and in relation to that early bit of this thread, about Sweetman: dude is part…

I'm totally with you on this Craig, I adore Alan Bennett.

Stephen Fry channeling Patricia Routledge may take some getting used to though. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNzUmSnh6I8&feature=related

Huge fan of Alan Bennett, who (IMNSHO) is painfully funny but not one of life's little joy germs.

I'm totally with you on this Craig, I adore Alan Bennett. I loved the way he turned down an honorary degree from Oxford when they established the Rupert Murdoch Chair in Language…

You're right, it is redundant.

Christine Rankin as the head of the Families Commission

.. makes satire redundant.

Any culture that sits around just rehashing the classics is one that has ceased be interested in itself as it is and thus will miss important movements and developments.

I dunno. If we have continual, evenly-paced innovation, how will we recognise "important movements and developments?" Only when we have stultifying…

Martin Clunes is manifestly not the right person to play…

may as well throw my hat in the ring as eat it
though some excellent contenders have gone before

punchlining above one's weight

nice...
maybe I should quip while I'm ahead

Good to see the Topps added to the Pantheon
and there may even be room for…

The stage was now set for the Alan Parsons Project, which I believe was some sort of hovercraft.

sadly I think we can blame someone closer to my soul than Denver for Parsons.

I belong to a couple of forums where folks adore him as Balearic . Mostly, I keep…

The stage was now set for the Alan Parsons Project, which I believe was some sort of hovercraft.

sadly I think we can blame someone closer to my soul than Denver for Parsons.

I belong to a couple of forums where folks adore him as Balearic . Mostly, I keep…

Charlaine Harris was somewhat shocked at how explicit True Blood was so she sits somewhere between Hamilton and Meyer in Bite to Bonk scale.

*Really*? Because given the amount and explicit nature of the sex in the books, she has no excuse being shocked. (True, they're not Hamilton, but Hamilton's…

Do you mean Jim Tully didn't disagree. He seemed to. He did say making her Minister of Broadcasting would definitely be a conflict but…

I don't think her personal life ought to be a factor in her suitability for public offices.

In general, I agree, Paul. In this case though I believe Rankin's marital status compared with her pronouncements over the past few years about the good old nucular family are fair game. TV…

Watching Campbell Live, Melissa Lee didn't show for an interview to answer questions about her owning the media company that produces Asia Downunder and receives govt funding!!

Oh, what a fucking bitch! Really! You can dismiss me as a partisan hack if you must, but as so often happen with…

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the portent of what's to come.

Of course... because let's not fuck up a good rant with anything within spitting distance of reality. Why don't we just go here and be done with it?

Personally, I'm a little more worried that the Law…

Given she is on her fourth marriage she must be perfect for the job having had so many families.

There are some really good reasons to criticise this appointment, but that's completely fucking irrelevant.

Christine Rankin as the head of the Families Commission? Given she is on her fourth marriage she must be perfect for the job having had so many families.

I don't particularly like what Rankin's about or stands for. I think she was a poor public servant and has hardly done…

The stage was now set for the Alan Parsons Project, which I believe was some sort of hovercraft.

A mysoginist hovercraft, to be precise. It's knowledge, bro.

Christine Rankin as the head of the Families Commission? Given she is on her fourth marriage she must be perfect for the job having had so many families.

Don't give up the day job...

all that folk music from the 60's, like the Chad Mitchell Trio.

who gave the world John Denver...yeeeeechhhh

The stage was now set for the Alan Parsons Project, which I believe was some sort of hovercraft.

all that folk music from the 60's, like the Chad Mitchell Trio.

who gave the world John Denver...yeeeeechhhh

unless you want to get verbally hammered

Ok, it's not a hammering, but see! :

You didn't like Ep 5 Season 2?

Actually I saw much of Season 1 (about the only NZ thing you can find on TV here apart from Outrageous Fortune and that old show about dirty…

But what would I know..I didn't get Seinfeld either

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

my nomination for international comedian of the year award

This year? I liked him at first but he seemed pretty keen on endlessly recycling himself, while the material itself remained unspectacular. But perhaps he's better these days.

I agree he's very funny, though I wouldn't say he's on the "cutting edge". It's pretty conventional stand-up, and some of his grumpy-old-man youth-bashing is a bit predictable, and it's more his persona and delivery that makes him stand out. But stand out he does.

I'm sorry I missed Moran…

Back to the Families Commission, Peter Dunne is not at all happy about Christine Rankin's appointment:

Now that's funny — considering the squalid Christianist bigots Dunne was willing to bend over and spread his political cheeks for, he's got a flaming fuckload of nerve calling Rankin "divisive".

I went and saw Dylan moran on Saturday night. He is on the cutting edge of comedy, and a very funny man.

I agree he's very funny, though I wouldn't say he's on the "cutting edge". It's pretty conventional stand-up, and some of his grumpy-old-man youth-bashing is a bit predictable,…

"She is divisive and controversial and her appointment will be disruptive to the ongoing work of the Commission"

while Family Fist says it:

"will bring the Commission ‘down to earth’ and rather than being…

I'm still trying to work that out actually...

LOL – I knew there was one somewhere on these boards.

who can't walk past creepy sex and obvious statements about the suckitude of the American imperium.

I'll get the popcorn then.

Charlaine Harris was somewhat shocked at how explicit True Blood was so she sits somewhere between Hamilton and Meyer in Bite to Bonk scale.

The books are also rather funny, which I like. But remember we're talking about Alan Ball — the man who brought us Six Feet Under and…

Who's Gareth...?

I'm still trying to work that out actually...

In the good old days, silver bullets killed vampires; right?

Well, in some versions of the vampire myth silver was a metal of purity, and therefore could wound or impede their progress. Or not, depending on who's doing the telling.

Not comedy, Craig, but now you've got me thinking of True Blood. Find any favour?

It's growing on me, because I've never really been much of a fan of writer Alan Ball. But Anna Paquin seems to have settled on an accent, and I'm just hoping the second season is…

http://dracula-feed.blogspot.com/

Bram Stoker's throatgnasher done in a blog stylee.

Geoff, I love the way True Blood weaves in the racial politics so skillfully.

Please, nobody tell Paul Litterick!

I second that. The love story of Sookie and Bill the Vampire are universes and generations distant from Twilight (which my 15 year old daughter despises). It is all blood, sex, mayhem, sex and, somewhere in there, truly fascinating ideas.

I've read the original books, though not found time for…

all that folk music from the 60's, like the Chad Mitchell Trio.

'Folk' in the sense that they had moving body parts?

along with all the other ghastly music my parents used to subject me

I must be younger, because I got all that folk music from the 60's, like the Chad Mitchell Trio. As so brilliantly stated in A Mighty Wind __there was abuse in my family but it was mostly…

Geoff, I love the way True Blood weaves in the racial politics so skillfully.

We just luuurvvvv Lafeyette, the very stroppy, gay Black short-order cook.

Yikes--I better get back to my essay marking!

actually an old 1950's song.

Originally sung by The Four Lads, along with all the other ghastly music my parents used to subject me to on National Radio in the old days (Red Sails in the Sunset; Shrimpboats are Acomin'--Patti Page and other horrors).

Damn; I was wrong.

In the good old days, silver bullets killed vampires; right?

Nope. You're thinking of werewolves and other sundry lycanthropes.

Millions of girls are in love with an undead, emo glitterball. We're doomed.

Aargh; you’re not wrong there.

OT, can anyone help in a debate I had with my daughter during a Twilight hangover.

In the good old days, silver bullets killed vampires; right?

Not comedy, Craig, but now you've got me thinking of True Blood.

I second that. The love story of Sookie and Bill the Vampire are universes and generations distant from Twilight (which my 15 year old daughter despises). It is all blood, sex, mayhem, sex and, somewhere in there, truly…

Millions of girls are in love with an undead, emo glitterball. We're doomed.

I knew there was a reason we kept you around, Craig. Just remember the whole thing is a repressed Mormon's metaphorical-sex fantasy, and you may come to terms with it. Or, you know. Not.

On-topic, my partner…

Craig, American Dad pushes it further than Family Guy. You like?

Can't stomach either show, but I've got the funny feeling its no more made for me than the uber creepy Twilight franchise. Millions of girls are in love with an undead, emo glitterball. We're doomed.

The track you're talking about was originally released by The Four Lads circa late 50s.

Right, as you were...

I'm not going to ask how Craig knows about caustic douches, but I do find Diplomatic Immunity way funnier than Brotown.

Meh... even that doesn't really work for me. James Griffin gets a lot of slack in this fale for the magnificence that is Outrageous Fortune, but if you're trying…

That said, I can't disagree with his take on Conchords. They didn't raise a smile with me...I just didn't get it, although I understood what I was supposed to get. And I've found it's not a smart thing to say in NZ unless you want to get verbally hammered.

You…

And I found the Wilson Dixon character hilarious both years that I've seen him on the televised opening Gala thingy. Interview from Nightline here with link to video at…

Has anyone seen Wilson Dixon? I didn't even know he was a local until I googled him. His 5 or 10 minutes at the Gala were hilarious. I'm very happy that the dry sense of humour that many Kiwis…

That said, I can't disagree with his take on Conchords. They didn't raise a smile with me...

And I find Bro'Town about as amusing as a caustic soda douche, but didn't the hype machine crank up for "The. Last. Series. Ever...ever...ever.."

He is mediocre critic and reviewer.

Often, yes but at least he's not afraid to go against the swell sometimes even if you want to slap him. His taste tends to veer towards the mainstream and what I'd consider the very mediocre but in that he does speak for a…

That has tended to be my view.

He is mediocre critic and reviewer. Remember, this is a man who once described Tears For Fears as "one of the best bands of the '80s" in one of his North & South columns.

He also…

And may I mention the Topp Twins here? And recommend their fillum?

Sure you can, and I'm going to wait until it (inevitably) ends up on television. Sorry, but its like going through the film festival program and making an educated guess what going to be back, and what you're…

Because it documents them through their songs, which often have political/protest messages in them, it is a great overview of the big issues in New Zealand in the last quarter of the last century. The cinematography and directing was really good as well,…

On the Topp Twins movie

It has just cracked the $1 million mark at the NZ box office. which is great for a doco. I have never seen the point of the Topp Twins myself (and yodelling, in my opinion, is a good argument for genocide), but they are much…

Oh, I've just googled... its a Doco!

Um? Advertising failure, but I think I'd like to see that.

I recall lots of fantastic reviews of 'Scarfies' which was a movie I enjoyed, but felt didnt quite match up to the hype... Maybe the reviewers were overjoyed just because it didnt totally suck?

I recall lots of pre-publicity and build-up before the…

I went and…

Nah, don't buy it. What I'm saying in my point isn't that he shouldn't be negative but that he shouldn't be a negative douche.

We're not actually disagreeing here. But come on... you seriously trying to tell me that kind of cultural nationalism is a thing of the past? If…

a country that produced John Clarke, Billy T James and Flight of the Conchords must be doing something right.

Billy T and the Conchords are very funny and I enjoy them...

But John Clarke is on another level.... he is comedy genius.

It's a shame we here in NZ dont…

I'm also a wee bit bored with the inverted cultural cringe where everything not only had to be grossly over-praised, but reviewers are expected to be unpaid PR flacks

Nah, don't buy it. What I'm saying in my point isn't that he shouldn't be negative but that he shouldn't be…

You want some comedy?

How about Christine Rankin being appointed as a Families Commissioner?

How about moving out the back staff onto the front line dole queue?

I was pottering around on the Theatrereview site (waiting for this review) and there was a discussion of a Simon Sweetman blog post which has a certain all-NZ-comedy-is-shit flavour that I'm kind of bored of.

Yes... it wasn't a good review, but I'm also a wee bit bored with the…

Simon Sweetman is an embarrassment to proper reviewers.

That has tended to be my view.

which has a certain all-NZ-comedy-is-shit flavour that I'm kind of bored of

Even if everything else was shit (and it isn't) a country that produced John Clarke, Billy T James and Flight of the Conchords must be doing something right. That trio of acts to my foreign comedy-loving ears constitutes…

I'm kind of enjoying this one today, even though it does glorify terrorism:

I wish people who made movies could spell the plural of video though.

and there was a discussion of a Simon Sweetman blog post which has a certain all-NZ-comedy-is-shit flavour that I'm kind of bored of.

Simon Sweetman is an embarrassment to proper reviewers.

He bad mouths NZ comedy (and music) sometimes with a personal slant.

The blog post in question was a…

"TVNZ makes generally terrible television."

How about Christine Rankin being appointed as a Families Commissioner?

How I laughed! How I wept!