Mexico
Restaurant
Kendrah Worsley
3
With the idea of overseas travel growing more unlikely with each new COVID case, the closest I could get to Mexican decor and exotic food was with a night at Mexico on Victoria Street.
I haven’t been to Mexico since last year and back then it slapped, but with a recent menu change and my favourite pork belly skewers being 86ed I wasn’t sure what to expect. The bar staff was super friendly and recommended ordering at least two options from the menu per person. I started the night with a mango and passionfruit margarita and ordered the pomegranate lamb shoulder quesadilla, fried chicken, beef cheek birria and the barbacoa pork adobo skewers to share.
The margarita was yum as and went down faster than I care to admit. So I ordered the raspberry and lime margarita next which was equally as easy to down. There were some clear front-runners when it came to the food though. The lamb quesadilla and beef cheek birria were both super juicy and flavoursome. The same can’t quite be said for the pork skewers. The notes of black cumin really shone through and while tasty, I don’t recommend ordering them unless you have either a steel jaw or someone to chew your food for you. You really can’t fault their fried chicken with jalapeño and chipotle mayo though – it’s the stuff dreams are made of and they know it.
So, why not branch out from your usual double cheeseburger combo and go for a drive to Victoria Street. If you don’t go for the food, at least go for the drinks. The sangria is a hot take too.
Old
Film
Jak Rata
0
- Night Shyamalan comes in clutch with a somewhat thrilling film about… aging? The plot is still murky, as is the reasoning for the mutation in their genetics, and why time moves at a faster pace. If that sentence sounds confusing, then you’re probably not too familiar with Shyamalan and his fucked up need to confuse you with every scene. What is this shit? Narnia?
I’m someone who generally has mixed reactions to his films, with this sitting in the middle of the road, not good or bad. With some fleshed out characters, Old boasts interesting developments between relationships with fast-paced action. However, this still doesn’t stop you from asking, “What the fuck did I just watch?” The film is confusing and definitely doesn’t offer resolution at any point. Only watch it when you’re sane of mind and not influenced by outside sources. Trust me.
Jungle Cruise
Film
James Raffan
+1
Disney is borrowing from its well established Pirates of the Caribbean formula of taking a theme park ride, imbuing it with a mythos and adding quirky stars to create a franchise you’d be forgiven for just dismissing this as a movie where The Rock spends the runtime acting like The Rock, but there is a tiny more substance to that. For starters it has a submarine river boat chase and that is everything I never knew I wanted. Jessie Plemons is perfectly cast, if not a little overshadowed in this film, as the pre-nazi german villan.
Is it going to win any awards? Nah. Is it entertaining enough to sit down and watch while you fold towels? Absolutely. It evokes some of the best parts of the popcorn pulp-action genre and even just a touch of the Rocketeer. The absolute star of it though is Emily Blunt who has real chemistry with every actor on screen. My one complaint is that they tried to shoehorn in moments into her brother’s (Jack Whitehall) character while also presenting him as a two-deminsional, over-dressed, gay, english stereotype.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation
Animated Series
James Raffan
+4
Today’s review may as well be titled “Fuck the Internet” because if, like me, you had seen any sort of reaction for this series you would be forgiven for thinking that the world was burning. The reality is a bunch of mid-40’s YouTube commentators were streaming from their mothers basements talking about how this wasn’t their He-Man and they had made Teela “woke and butch”. Unsurprisingly, old white virgins are not great at change.
Instead what you got was a thematically complex narrative about how the notion of secrets and lies have an impact. The animation is stunning thanks to the team behind Netflix’s Castlevaynia, the pacing is great and it leaves you on a cliffhanger. It is only part one (five episodes), and ultimately this revival is going to be judged on where it goes from here. If it carefully builds on the rich narrative world it has established then it will be brilliant.
Big Shiny Ball on Campus
Art Installation
Hannah Petuha
-2
When lurking behind K Block you will see a shiny ball. Sitting like an egg from the Golden Hen, it’s hard to know whether it’s an art installation or something sinister waiting to hatch. What does it symbolise? I don’t know but it sends chills down my spine.
If you inspect it closely a distorted reflection of yourself will appear. Don’t fear the drooping nose and thin fingers. The new reflection staring back at you is luring but you shouldn’t stare too long. Your reflection may shape and change on it’s own. For good measure don’t stand more than three feet close.
I don’t know who decides which statues go where on Campus but judging by its look I am going to assume it was a middle-aged man going through a divorce and feeling a little inadequate. Either way, I go by my instincts: Beware of the Big Shiny Ball on campus.
Single Sentence Reviews
Love Island UK (Unseen Bits) – Season 7
-5
Piss off with your unseen bits – give us the real tea Ian.
Tip Top Crave – Cookie Caramel Crush Ice Cream
4
Ben & Jerry’s who? This shit slaps.
Wide Awake by Hailey James
3
“Fuck men!” I tell myself as I drive home to my boyfriend of three years who’s made dinner and folded my washing.
National Party
-5
Judith Collins’ ‘Aotearoa’ Referendum can eat shit.
