Critic's Day

Critic’s Day: A film reviewer on being blocked, fired and sued for doing his job

Critic’s Day: A film reviewer on being blocked, fired and sued for doing his job

Aaron Yap is one of the most insightful film critics in New Zealand. Unfortunately his cerebral reviews have lost him friends and infuriated people. He recounts his bad times below.

By Aaron Yap | 11th July, 2016

Critic’s Day: Duncan Greive wrote a horrible review of Open Souls. The band recorded a song about him. Years later, they talked it out

Critic’s Day: Duncan Greive wrote a horrible review of Open Souls. The band recorded a song about him. Years later, they talked it out

By Rosabel Tan | 11th July, 2016

English satirist, journalist and broadcaster, Bernard Levin (1928 – 2004), 16th March 1973. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Critic’s Day: Peter Calder’s classic column ‘Job of others to nurture fragile flower of art’

In 2002 a small storm erupted when the brilliant film, theatre and restaurant critic Peter Calder dared to negatively review a local production. An actor involved angrily accused him of traitorousness, or some other rubbish. Below we reprint, with Calder's kind permission, his scorching response.

By Peter Calder | 11th July, 2016

Critic’s Day: A professional theatre critic explains why New Zealand theatre criticism sucks

Critic’s Day: A professional theatre critic explains why New Zealand theatre criticism sucks

Today The Spinoff assesses the state of the professional critic in New Zealand with four pieces – two new, two older – which reflect on the challenges the form faces. Here theatre critic Sam Brooks assesses the state of his art.

By Sam Brooks | 11th July, 2016

Contributing writer