Dan Slevin
@danslevin.funeralsandsnakes.net
Gentleman of Silverstream. Writer, broadcaster and sometime CEO. Reviewer of films at substack.funeralsandsnakes.net and RNZ.
Pinned
Here's a quick pinned intro post for all those welcome new arrivals. I'm a film and tv critic for RNZ in Aotearoa New Zealand, broadcasting every Friday on Nights with @emiledonovan.bsky.social, and occasionally as a reliever on At the Movies.
I love the original CD but this is surely due for the remaster treatment.
What makes Shona Laing's South an essential album
Essential New Zealand Albums: Shona Laing – South
If there's one Shona Laing album that's outlived all the others, it's 1987's South.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 27, 2025 at 10:27 AM
I love the original CD but this is surely due for the remaster treatment.
That escalated quickly.
December 27, 2025 at 7:18 AM
That escalated quickly.
Anyone who bought the 4K “upgrade” of SkySportNow just for the Ashes must be feeling like they’re getting value for money now.
December 27, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Anyone who bought the 4K “upgrade” of SkySportNow just for the Ashes must be feeling like they’re getting value for money now.
Reposted by Dan Slevin
My take on the "AVATAR hasn't made a big cultural impact" thing is that for movies in the last 40 years to make a big cultural impact, people need to watch them over and over and over, and among popular films, AVATAR is uniquely bad at being a movie that people want to watch on their TV.
December 27, 2025 at 5:57 AM
My take on the "AVATAR hasn't made a big cultural impact" thing is that for movies in the last 40 years to make a big cultural impact, people need to watch them over and over and over, and among popular films, AVATAR is uniquely bad at being a movie that people want to watch on their TV.
Christmas Hollywood at Home: we wanted to blob out to a franchise so have settled on STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (Meyer, 1982). Blu-ray from the first Paramount OG box set.
December 25, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Christmas Hollywood at Home: we wanted to blob out to a franchise so have settled on STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (Meyer, 1982). Blu-ray from the first Paramount OG box set.
Reposted by Dan Slevin
Like many kiwis with grownup kids, I'm in Australia today! So, Happy Christmas to everyone who understands this graph!
An explanation / Christmas message in the ALT text x
An explanation / Christmas message in the ALT text x
December 24, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Like many kiwis with grownup kids, I'm in Australia today! So, Happy Christmas to everyone who understands this graph!
An explanation / Christmas message in the ALT text x
An explanation / Christmas message in the ALT text x
Reposted by Dan Slevin
Movies coming out this summer worth seeing
The movies coming out this summer worth seeing
Maybe you want to take the kids to a movie or perhaps it's the air-conditioned cinema luring you in, here are the flicks worth your popcorn money over Christmas and the New Year.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Movies coming out this summer worth seeing
CRUMBLING NEWS
December 22, 2025 at 8:51 PM
CRUMBLING NEWS
This is my last piece for RNZ this year. News you can use.
December 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
This is my last piece for RNZ this year. News you can use.
“18th and Potomac” and “Two Cathedrals” in The West Wing are as good as television ever gets.
December 21, 2025 at 8:27 AM
“18th and Potomac” and “Two Cathedrals” in The West Wing are as good as television ever gets.
Without clicking the link I’m going to guess it was a Satan tracker, right?
I had no idea this is how the NORAD Santa tracker got started! www.npr.org/2014/12/19/3...
NORAD's Santa Tracker began with a typo and a good sport
It all started in 1955 with a misprint in a Colorado newspaper and a call to Col. Harry Shoup's secret military hotline. Shoup played along with the tiny voice who called, and a tradition was born.
www.npr.org
December 21, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Without clicking the link I’m going to guess it was a Satan tracker, right?
So last night I broke a tooth eating - of all things - a Trumpet. Luckily the dentist in Naenae could fix it with a big filling rather than a crown. I must be the only person in the world to break a tooth on an ice cream!
December 21, 2025 at 7:31 AM
So last night I broke a tooth eating - of all things - a Trumpet. Luckily the dentist in Naenae could fix it with a big filling rather than a crown. I must be the only person in the world to break a tooth on an ice cream!
Made in the Hutt Valley of Wellington, NZ. Not a creative response to Avatar or LOTR or The Hobbit (for those following that other debate.)
December 21, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Made in the Hutt Valley of Wellington, NZ. Not a creative response to Avatar or LOTR or The Hobbit (for those following that other debate.)
Hopefully this is because Wood is coming to us on loan for the rest of the season. #coyi #hammers #whufc
🚨🔴⚫️ AC Milan are closing in on deal to sign Niclas Füllkrug from West Ham. Final details yet to be sorted with clubs in contact to get deal sealed, Füllkrug said yes to AC Milan days ago. Loan move with buy option clause not mandatory for fee under €15/14m. 🔜
December 20, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Reposted by Dan Slevin
On the use of high frame rate in AVATAR 3... www.vulture.com/article/avat...
There’s Something Weird About the 3-D in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron’s new film ramps up the frame rate in certain scenes, making them look almost motion smoothed.
www.vulture.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:18 PM
On the use of high frame rate in AVATAR 3... www.vulture.com/article/avat...
Reposted by Dan Slevin
Tried to sum up the year in film with @emiledonovan.bsky.social on RNZ Nights earlier. May not have succeeded in that goal but was one of the best bits of radio I’ve ever done.
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin
Nights' resident screen critic joins Emile Donovan to review the year in movies.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 19, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Tried to sum up the year in film with @emiledonovan.bsky.social on RNZ Nights earlier. May not have succeeded in that goal but was one of the best bits of radio I’ve ever done.
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Tried to sum up the year in film with @emiledonovan.bsky.social on RNZ Nights earlier. May not have succeeded in that goal but was one of the best bits of radio I’ve ever done.
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin
Nights' resident screen critic joins Emile Donovan to review the year in movies.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 19, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Tried to sum up the year in film with @emiledonovan.bsky.social on RNZ Nights earlier. May not have succeeded in that goal but was one of the best bits of radio I’ve ever done.
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Reposted by Dan Slevin
The Park Road Post Christmas tree at Wellington Airport has Costa Botes’ film Forgotten Silver playing on the ornaments!
December 18, 2025 at 12:38 AM
The Park Road Post Christmas tree at Wellington Airport has Costa Botes’ film Forgotten Silver playing on the ornaments!
Reposted by Dan Slevin
I mean, thanks to Luxon et al, we could easily say we’ve had mass uncontrolled emigration
December 18, 2025 at 7:01 AM
I mean, thanks to Luxon et al, we could easily say we’ve had mass uncontrolled emigration
Reposted by Dan Slevin
Great news, this case was shameful piss-taking and a waste of everyone's time www.1news.co.nz/2025/12/17/j...
Judge dismisses Talley's defamation case against TVNZ
High Court trial ran for more than four weeks, hearing from more than 40 witnesses.
www.1news.co.nz
December 17, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Great news, this case was shameful piss-taking and a waste of everyone's time www.1news.co.nz/2025/12/17/j...
December 18, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Reposted by Dan Slevin
The Vanity Fair photographer knew what he was doing. (I doubt I’m the first to notice this but it hasn’t graced my TL)
December 18, 2025 at 1:11 AM
The Vanity Fair photographer knew what he was doing. (I doubt I’m the first to notice this but it hasn’t graced my TL)
Reposted by Dan Slevin
Merry Christmas to Costa Botes; wherever he is now, he will have a guitar in his hands
The Park Road Post Christmas tree at Wellington Airport has Costa Botes’ film Forgotten Silver playing on the ornaments!
December 18, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Merry Christmas to Costa Botes; wherever he is now, he will have a guitar in his hands
The Park Road Post Christmas tree at Wellington Airport has Costa Botes’ film Forgotten Silver playing on the ornaments!
December 18, 2025 at 12:38 AM
The Park Road Post Christmas tree at Wellington Airport has Costa Botes’ film Forgotten Silver playing on the ornaments!
What with Dean O’Gorman playing Kirk Douglas in Trumbo, kiwis are cornering the market in golden age of Hollywood stars.
KJ Apa stars as James Stewart in the first teaser for Aaron Burn' 'Jimmy.'
Also stars Kara Killmer, Neal McDonough, Max Casella, Jason Alexander, Christopher McDonald, Sarah Drew, Rob Riggle, Julian Works, and Jen Lilley, & Marc Malkin.
In theaters November 6th.
[📽 Via Burns & Co.] #Jimmy
Also stars Kara Killmer, Neal McDonough, Max Casella, Jason Alexander, Christopher McDonald, Sarah Drew, Rob Riggle, Julian Works, and Jen Lilley, & Marc Malkin.
In theaters November 6th.
[📽 Via Burns & Co.] #Jimmy
December 17, 2025 at 7:59 PM
What with Dean O’Gorman playing Kirk Douglas in Trumbo, kiwis are cornering the market in golden age of Hollywood stars.