Things are looking rather grim in this the beginning of October of 2008, with all the talk of recession and bailouts. It is almost bad enough to make one feel a little emo about life generally.  However never fear, we have one advantage that previous recessions never did – the Internet!  As such here are a couple of ideas to tide you over while we actually write something new: 

Facial expressions – In any recession you will need many distinctly different facial expressions – 1) the considerate – to use when a friend or family member is telling their tale of recession woe and 2) the sadly brave face – for use when outlining your tale of recession woe to friends or family.  If things get really bad then 3) will be needed, that being brutal apathy – for use when being begged for money. However the risk of using 3) is that you may then later have to master at some speed 4), contrition & deserving of mercy as you get cornered by the hungry street people you just practiced 3) on. Post videos on Youtube, if it still exists.

Recession Fan Fiction – Don’t you hate it when bad things happen that you know you could do better, but sadly you never get the chance to do anything about it because you are either not smart enough, connected enough, not the King of Siam, part of the Illuminati or any of the other key global string pullers?  Of course you do, and pre Internet all you would be able to do is sit back and stew in your rage. However now that we have the joys of Internet self published fan fiction you can rewrite events in such a way that pleases you! Got a theory about how to solve everything easily? Write a story that allows you to do just that! Then hope like hell that in two thousand years historians read your account and believe you really were the Hero of the Age rather than an actual true account.

Oh and don’t forget to vote this November, whether that be in NZ or the US. Vote early and often!

Karate Party continues our tradition of reviewing the New Zealand International Film Festival and as in previous years we will give you the low down dirty, care of a selection of Wellington’s great and good, as defined by the KP crew.

The Festival will begin its annual circuit on July the 10th in Auckland then finishing in Napier on the 26th of November. We encourage you to take a look at their website, they have an online programme diary that interested parties can customise if they are determined.

We would like to thank again the Festival organisers for the opportunity to participate

List of Reviews

I Just Didn't Do It - Reviewed by Jarrod Baker

Bigger, Stronger, Faster   - Reviewed by Stevie McCleary

Jar City - Reviewed by Jarrod Baker

George A Romero's Diary of the Dead - Reviewed by Stevie McCleary 

Teeth - Reviewed by Jeremiah Chin