Where: Lightbox
Movies:
The Cabin in the Woods
Seeing this film at the Civic Theatre late one night was honestly one of the highlights of my cinematic life. I can't guarantee you the same vibe of a 2000-strong audience screaming, shouting and laughing manically - but I can guarantee you will be sufficiently "buzzed out" by Joss Whedon's genre-bending mega-meta horror. It starts off like any other movie showing after midnight on TV2: a group of young adults wearing too-small shorts travel to a cabin/lake house/boat, looking to drink glasses of alcohol and listen to Limp Bizkit. But, as always, they are not alone.
Cabin in the Woods propels this predictable trajectory to a whole new level, taking a chainsaw to any preconceived notions of genre, cinema, life and reality you may have. Starring our own Anna Hutchison as you've probably never seen her before, be sure to make the trip out to the woods this weekend. /AC
Where: TV2 at 12.50am Saturday
Free to Air Shows:
Jono and Ben Celebrate TV3's Half Century
I can't think of a nicer 25th birthday present for TV3 than getting Jono, Ben and the gang around for a one hour extravaganza. The family friendly show promises a bigger studio, live music and our biggest and brightest B to D-list celebs. Blatt. Bagust. Bridges. As in Jeff. As in expect an exclusive interview with the real-world-famous stars of Palme d'Or nominee Dumb and Dumber To? Also expect the usual creme de la creme of sketch comedy. We are truly blessed here at The Spinoff to have several JABAT writers featured on our site and can confirm - as if they needed it - that they are very, very funny. Lastly, look out for the debut of TV3's latest branding campaign during the episode, starring both stars and fans alike. It'll be a branding birthday miracle for the ages. /AC
Where: TV3 at 7.30pm on Friday
NZ TV:
University Challenge NZ
Right about when TV3 got started, the genius quiz show University Challenge stopped. Too long the nation has cried out for sweatshirt wearing know-it-alls answering rapid fire questions with more crash zooms than any Tarantino film. Well, dry your tears New Zealand - it's all coming back to Prime. University Challenge 2.0 will force universities head to head to see which brainiac region has "superior general knowledge and the ultimate mental dexterity." I'm hoping to see some serious characters at play. The ponytailed philosophy student. The B Com student in a giant powersuit. The bright-eyed captain of every possible committee. The first episode is Waikato vs. Otago, who will triumph and who will have to plead for compassionate consideration? /AC
Where: Prime at 11.30am on Saturday
Reality:
Hoarders: Buried Alive Season Finale
Nothing makes me feel simultaneously better and worse about myself than sitting down to a good episode of Hoarders. A docu-series following extreme cases of obsessive-compulsive hoarding in America, expect to see things you never thought possible - and start worrying less about that messy third drawer in your kitchen. It's an exhausting gamut of emotions: disgust, sympathy, bemusement, horror, and the worst of all - self-recognition. But there's a big difference between saving shoeboxes and keeping hundreds of dead cats in your freezer. It's a fascinating look at a very dark condition of modern life, prepare yourself to see some pretty gruesome stuff. I would avoid eating during this one for sure. /AC
Where: TV1 at 2.55pm on Sunday
Sky Pick:
Dollhouse
The arrival of legitimate competition in the form of Lightbox, Premier League Pass and the looming Netflix has had a revelatory effect on Sky. The last eighteen months have seen the debut of a clutch of quality new channels, headlined by The Zone, a specialist 'genre television' outlet for sci-fi, horror and fantasy. It's programming which is wild, often flawed and equally frequently packed with bold thinking. Joss Whedon's Dollhouse - a dystopian shadowy-corporation situation - was arguably his first big miss, and canceled after two seasons. It's the kind of show which would have been lost to the mists of time a decade ago, but is perfect for the pulpy confines of The Zone. (Later the same night: modern trash showcase Cinema Z features Battledogs, which looks outrageously bad). / DG
Where: The Zone from 9am Saturday
More Spinoff:
• "Spunoff" is a competition to come up with a suitably entertaining Spinoff to a Lightbox show. The best wins a Samsung tablet and a spot on our Group Think panel.
• José Barbosa stayed up all night watching infomercials to bring us this horrifying report.
• Alex Casey recapped the compelling 1988 final of University Challenge in preparation for it's long-awaited return to our screens
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