OpinionChris SchulzConcert review: The War On Drugs, PowerstationAdam Granduciel is standing in the middle of the stage, hunched over his guitar and stabbing repeatedly at the strings as one final note reverberates around the Powerstation's walls.18 Dec 07:00 PM
EntertainmentPaddington: Return of a rare bearPaddington was a creation of the 1950s, but the story of this polite, accident-prone bear from the depths of Peru has translated nicely into the present day.17 Dec 07:00 PM
EntertainmentLove is StrangePitch-perfect acting and a fine control of high emotion that never slips into treacly sentiment distinguish this small and lovely ensemble piece by writer-director Ira Sachs, who gave us 2008's memorable dark farce, Married Life.17 Dec 06:00 PM
EntertainmentFolies Bergere a treat for grown-upsThe new film for French cinema's leading lady has nothing to do with the fabled Paris cabaret of the title.17 Dec 05:00 PM
EntertainmentConcert review: Auckland Choral, Auckland Town HallUwe Grodd chose his words carefully, introducing Auckland Choral's Monday Messiah.16 Dec 04:00 PM
EntertainmentReview: RaggamuffinReggae festival's move to Auckland provides solid but soggy start to the summer festival season, writes Chris Schulz.13 Dec 08:45 PM
EntertainmentMovie review: Now: In The Wings On A World StageShakespeare for short attention spans, this self-congratulatory “making-of” documentary doesn’t oblige the viewer to do anything so tedious as encounter the text. Indeed, as the title implies, it doesn’t even take us on stage very much.13 Dec 05:00 PM
EntertainmentA Streetcar Named DesireThe set deserves star billing in this Young Vic production released in cinemas under the NT Live* banner.12 Dec 05:00 PM
EntertainmentThe Hobbit: Definitive reviewAnd so it ends, with a hiss and a roar. Actually, many hisses and many roars - those from that dragon from the previous instalment going down in flames at the beginning.11 Dec 02:00 AM
OpinionRachel BacheLegend's smooth Auckland showReviewer Rachel Bache takes in crooner John Legend's Auckland show.10 Dec 07:00 PM
EntertainmentSmashing Pumpkins - Monuments to an ElegyIf you still call yourself a Smashing Pumpkins fan, there's one thing you accepted long ago - Billy Corgan is a bit of a prick. T10 Dec 06:20 PM
EntertainmentDictaphone Blues - Mufti DayMufti Day is the third album from Auckland-based Dictaphone Blues, and it's the best one yet.10 Dec 05:30 PM
EntertainmentTheatre review: Romeo and Juliet, TapacShakespeare's tale of teenage love is brought to life with an authentic, very contemporary infusion of teenage vitality from the Young Auckland Shakespeare Company.07 Dec 04:30 PM
EntertainmentReview: Hauraki Horror, The BasementThe Basement's Christmas fundraising tradition is as scruffy and silly as a present wrapped by toddlers using tinsel and a gluestick.07 Dec 04:00 PM
EntertainmentMovie review: SundayThe cool good looks and technical confidence of this self-funded feature belie its limited budget. But they can't compensate for a seriously underdeveloped script.05 Dec 07:00 PM
EntertainmentMovie: Advanced Style"It's inexcusable," one of the women in this small but diverting documentary remarks, "for a woman not to have her nails polished and have nice shoes."05 Dec 05:00 PM
EntertainmentDance review: A Christmas Carol, Royal NZ BalletNorthern Ballet's noted production of Charles Dickens' famous tale of curmudgeonly greed, grim reflection and a joyous redemption in Act III has all the charm of a very traditional Christmas card.04 Dec 06:00 PM
EntertainmentKids outshine Billy Connolly in dark comedyFollowing her roles in Gone Girl and Hector's Search for Happiness, Rosamund Pike again finds herself in a troubled relationship, this time as Abi, a mum of three in the process of divorcing husband Doug (Tennant).04 Dec 02:30 AM
EntertainmentHard to hold back the tears in Hilary Swank's new filmPack the tissues. Although this story of a young woman dealing with a progressive neurodegenerative disease is predictable and emotionally manipulative it's still hard to hold back the tears.04 Dec 01:30 AM
EntertainmentAC/DC - Rock or BustGuns? Knitting? It's still as hard as it always to find a sticking-to phrase that describes the adhesive power of AC/DC when it comes to being glued to their old ways.03 Dec 11:30 PM
EntertainmentJools Holland - Sirens of SongIt's that time of year, when labels start pouring out Christmas offerings from their stars, best of compilations, and re-releases.03 Dec 05:30 PM
EntertainmentEminem and Wu-Tang ClanYou want them to remind you why they're great. You want them to teach those hip-hop pretenders a lesson. You want them to spit hard and fast over brilliant beats.03 Dec 04:00 PM
EntertainmentNathan Haines - 5 A DayAfter two old-school jazz albums - the acoustic The Poet's Embrace and Vermillion Skies, recorded live in the studio and direct to tape - multi-instrumentalist Haines here reverts to the amalgam of sax 'n' flute jazz.03 Dec 04:00 PM
EntertainmentGame review: Lego Batman 3: Beyond GothamHere's the problem with Batman right now - he's bloody everywhere. The Dark Knight has just appeared in The Lego Movie, he'll be showing up in the new Batman v Superman film, and there's even a real-life Batman doing good deeds in Japan right now.03 Dec 04:00 PM
EntertainmentThe first New Zealand Hobbit reviewWe review the final instalment of Sir Peter Jackson's Middle-earth epic, The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies.01 Dec 11:25 PM
EntertainmentReview: APO, Auckland Town HallFriday's <i>Settling the Score Live</i> drew an enthusiastic APO audience to hear what radio listeners had taken to the top of this year's poll, writes William Dart.30 Nov 04:00 PM
EntertainmentOlive Kitteridge: Bleak but full of laughsI do hope they rescreen Olive Kitteridge. The HBO drama, which finished its four-part run on Sky's SoHo this week, should be made compulsory viewing for anyone with a family, which means, of course, all of us.28 Nov 10:00 PM
EntertainmentAzealia Banks - Broke With Expensive TasteIt's incredibly cheeky to include on your debut a single that's 3 years old, no matter how good it is.27 Nov 09:30 PM
EntertainmentElsa and Fred: 'not as predictable'A very loose remake of a 2008 Argentinean romance which was itself pretty soppy, this story of love in the autumn of life is not without its charms.27 Nov 06:00 PM
EntertainmentDavid Guetta - ListenFrench DJ David Guetta is known for his chart-soaring catchy club hits. His previous album Nothing But the Beat was littered with them: Titanium (featuring Sia), Without You (featuring Usher), Sweat (featuring Snoop Dogg).27 Nov 05:00 PM
