Sam Brooks is a playwright, journalist and critic. Email him on sam@thespinoff.co.nz
Twenty years ago – before Instagram – a game about documenting your every move was released. That game was Pokemon Snap.
The internet is a place where the darkest seeds of the world take root – but there's light there too. Sam Brooks talks to the person behind one of those lights, the Can You Pet the Dog twitter account.
There's no doubt that The Spice Girls are one of the biggest bands of all time - but how have they fared in the twenty-odd years since?
How important is accessibility when it comes to enjoying and appreciating our art? Sam Brooks reviews Blanc de Blanc and The Magic Flute, both part of the Auckland Arts Festival.
Anika Moa Unleashed finishes up its second season with its most coveted and triumphant get yet: A twenty year reunion of TrueBliss.
Left Alive has been released this past week to harsh reviews and studio backpedalling - yet another failure in the rare people-in-robots genre of game.
Working on my Night Moves is the latest show from award-winning theatremaker Julia Croft - and marks a philosophical change for her.
The Enemy Within combines the funnest parts of a spy thriller with the complexity of a character study, thanks to a compelling lead performance. Sam Brooks reviews.
Sam Brooks steps back in time to 2009, the year of Now! That's What I Call Music 31. What did his younger self think of those songs – and do they still hold up today?
This morning, Nintendo announced the eighth generation of Pokémon: Sword and Shield, and along with it came three starters. Sam Brooks ranks these starters - and all of the rest …
Our sword-queen returns, a reliable popstar deepens her foundations and Aldous Harding mesmerizes us with the power of dance. These are the songs of the month – five international, three local – as picked by The Spinoff’s culture editor Sam Brooks.
Less than a week out from release, Sam Brooks dips back into the breast physics controversy that has enveloped Dead or Alive 6.
Australian band Haiku Hands had a social media smash with their song 'Not About You', and they're performing at Splore this weekend.
BioWare's new online multiplayer Anthem has stumbled out of the starting block, with decidedly mixed reviews. So is this it for BioWare?
A new British dramedy proves to us that Anna Paquin has the goods – but the rest of it doesn't meet her at her level. Sam Brooks reviews TVNZ2's Flack.
She's the tsunami taking the world over - and you better get on the wave before you get dragged under. Sam Brooks tells you why you love Lizzo.
Sam Brooks talks to ASHY about her brilliant new single 'Temporary Crush', the hustle of being self-managed, and her hopes for 2019.
TVNZ2's new black comedy Fresh Eggs premieres on TVNZ2 tonight. Sam Brooks interviews the creators in a roundtable interview about the show's tone - and what makes it so different from everything else.
There's a dearth of queer work in Aotearoa, and very little of it is supported by our mainstages. Homos, or Everyone in America is a gleaming light in the darkness.
It’s one of the most controversial entries in the long-running series, but on its 20th anniversary Sam Brooks is standing behind Final Fantasy 8 as the best one of them …
Auckland Arts Festival is rolling around again and there’s so much to choose from this year. Sam Brooks picks the six shows everyone will be talking about – the ones you’ll kick yourself for missing.
It's been a few months since Spider-Man came out, and its follow-up DLC, The City That Never Sleeps, has ended its run. Sam Brooks looks back at the game, and how well the DLC fares compared to the original.
Will & Grace ran for eight seasons at the turn of the century and now it's been revived for a ninth. Sam Brooks explains why the beloved sitcom remains relevant today.
The biggest meme generator of 2018, the return of a beloved sitcom favourite and a new Lightbox Original are just some of the new titles coming to Lightbox this month. Sam Brooks and Alex Casey run down the highlights.
The series had a quiet end, but that doesn't change how impactful Silent Hill was on its debut. Sam Brooks looks back at Silent Hill and its impact on video games today.
A popstar reclaims her hype, an indie-darling goes pop, and a trio of locals make good on their early promise. These are the songs of the month – five international, five local.
