Tom Augustine

Guest writer

Tom Augustine is a filmmaker, writer and critic. He is head film critic for VIEW Magazine, and regularly contributes to Metro Magazine, RNZ and the NZ Herald.

Malls a Christmas – what a delight

I can’t cope with shoppers reversing into mall carparks at this time of year

It might be safer and his friends might disagree with him, but Tom Augustine is stuck behind reverse parkers and is struggling.

By Tom Augustine | 23rd December, 2025

Guy Williams holds some Waimate water

New Zealand Tomorrow might be the best local show of the year

The new show demonstrates a genuine evolution for Guy Williams and New Zealand Today.

By Tom Augustine | 15th October, 2025

All 86 staple items at a classic Kiwi bakery, ranked and reviewed

All 86 staple items at a classic Kiwi bakery, ranked and reviewed

A love letter to every bakery in New Zealand, in the form of a deeply subjective ranking.

By Tom Augustine | 25th July, 2025

Roseanne Liang (Photo: Devon Wycoff, additional design: Tina Tiller)

‘Spectacle, heart and smarts’: How Roseanne Liang become Hollywood hot property

She just worked on Netflix’s The Last Airbender reboot, now she's directing Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry’s new action film... what next?

By Tom Augustine | 3rd March, 2024

William Melvin Kelley. Photo used upon publication of his first book “A Different Drummer.”

Black exodus and white supremacy: a rediscovered 1962 novel, reviewed

Tom Augustine on the mythic satire of William Melvin Kelley’s A Different Drummer, written nearly 60 years ago and still too relevant.

By Tom Augustine | 12th June, 2019

How much are these people in The Avengers?

Does Avengers: Endgame have heaps of your favourite superhero, or not much?

There are more characters in Avengers: Endgame than there are minutes in an hour, but how much is your favourite actually in it? Tom Augustine has the answers.

By Tom Augustine | 29th April, 2019

Yes, that’s Taika Waititi.

Remembering Freaky, New Zealand’s most traumatic kid’s show

Goosebumps had nothing on this one. Tom Augustine looks back at the Kiwi kid's horror series that scarred a generation: Freaky.

By Tom Augustine | 27th February, 2019

Julia Deans in Fur Patrol’s ‘Lydia’ video

Rejoice, for ‘Lydia’ by Fur Patrol is finally on Spotify!

In 2000, Fur Patrol dominated the New Zealand singles chart with 'Lydia'. 18 years later, 'Lydia' is finally streaming on Spotify. We pay tribute to this New Zealand classic.

By Tom Augustine | 17th May, 2018

Montgomery and Batt in 2015

Live every moment: A fanboy farewells The Worst Idea Of All Time

Tonight, in Los Angeles, the New Zealand podcast phenomenon The Worst Idea Of All Time comes to a close. Tom Augustine pays tribute to the show that took a terrible idea and transformed it into art.

By Tom Augustine | 1st December, 2017