The Scam – Reservation Dogs – A very easy bread recipe
...and other recs this week!
Kia ora, welcome to this week’s newsletter.
Our third and final selection from the 2021 Loading Docs collection is what many in the business would call a cracking yarn. The Scam is the story of hard case West Coast beekeeper Roy Arbon, who was lured halfway around the world to São Paulo by email scammers who correctly identified him as a very easy mark. The short film tells Roy’s larger than life tale in his own words, and kind of feels like an entire true crime podcast series condensed into ten quick minutes. The film’s director Oliver Dawe shared his top picks for other short documentaries with us last week, so check those out next time you can’t decide what to watch.
This week’s new podcasts
On a very juicy episode of The Fold [Apple | Spotify], Duncan Greive spoke with Janet Wilson about her time as press secretary for Judith Collins.
On When the Facts Change [Apple | Spotify], Bernard Hickey spoke with renowned economist Luigi Zingales about the future of capitalism.
On Business is Boring [Apple | Spotify], Simon Pound talked to Ockham Residential co-founder Mark Todd about New Zealand’s cooked housing market and how they hope to change the conversation.
Gone By Lunchtime [Apple | Spotify] is back tomorrow with more late night lockdown politics chat.
And The Real Pod [Apple | Spotify] is getting stuck right into the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island as well as all the usual Real News, Real Life and other bits and pieces.
Subscribe and listen now wherever you get your pods!
Te Ao o Hinepehinga Rauna on FIRST
You probably know her as pregnant teen Aria on high school rugby drama Head High, or as hot-headed nurse Waimarama on Shortland Street. Or, if you went to school with Te Ao o Hinepehinga Rauna on the East Coast, maybe you still remember her as The Girl Who Shaved Her Head. At least, that was the rumour that went around when she was 12. Who started it? Why? Nobody knows but you’ve got to admit – really good rumour. That’s this week on FIRST.
Extremely Online: Are you being catfished?
In 2007 a 24-year-old photographer from New York received a painting. It was of one of his photos, painted by an eight-year-old called Abby. The photographer loved it, so he reached out to her, and through Abby he met her half sister Megan. From here blossomed an online romance between Megan and the photographer, and he arranged to meet her in person in Michigan. Only, neither Megan nor Abby existed. If this sounds familiar it’s because it’s what happens in Catfish, the 2010 documentary that became a hit MTV reality series – and because it happens online all the time. Find out more in this week's episode of Extremely Online, from the team at Shit You Should Care About.
Reservation Dogs
Sam says: “Reservation Dogs (on Star via Disney+ from today) is excellent in pretty much every regard: the four actors at the centre of it all deserve to be stars in their own right, while the writing blends dry humour and gut punches, often finding the harsh laugh in a bleak truth, and the brutal honesty in a mirthless chuckle.” [Read Sam’s full review here.]
The very easy bread
Stewart says: “This very easy bread recipe has gone semi-viral in Auckland during lockdown. I found it after it was shared far and wide on the Facebook group Lazy Susan, which is a great spot for food tips and recs. Unlike other bread, this one needs just four ingredients and requires literally no kneading. Overall it took about five minutes of prep time, then I left it overnight to rise and chucked it in the oven for 30 minutes. Can confirm it’s delicious!”
Only Murders in the Building
Jane says: “The recently released Only Murders in the Buildingon Disney+ is a delightful gem of a show. It stars Steve Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short as a trio of unlikely sleuths determined to make a true crime podcast about a mysterious death in their building. Don't be put off by the ridiculous concept (or the fact Sting stars as himself in the show), it's an easy and visually dynamic watch with some gorgeous New York decor to inspire your next Pinterest board.”
Two new pods
Leonie says: “E rua ngā kōnae ipurangi e whaikupu ana ahau i tēnei rā. Tuatahi: Up To Speed with Te Reo Māori is a great snackable new podcast series from te reo Māori champion Stacey Morrison. Over 10 short episodes (think five minutes each), she helps you understand basic but easy to overlook Māori language phrases and words, in categories like food, dates and days, Māori names and dialects.
Tuarua: Angella Dravid’s unbelievable Billy T Award winning stand-up show, about an ill-fated marriage that ended with her locked up in a UK prison, is now a full-length podcast. It’s the detail in Love, Rock Bottom & Other Triumphs that really makes it addictive, as well as her signature uncomfortable humour. Whakarongo mai.” [Read Leonie’s interview with Angella here.]
My Horse Prince
Josie says: “I have been playing My Horse Prince, a dating simulator where you fall in love with a horse-man. If you had to guess, would you say the horse-man had a man body and a horse head, or a horse body and a man head? Yes, it's the latter. Other great dating simulators: Hatoful Boyfriend, where you are the only human at a school for birds, and Love! Brother-Kun, where you slowly fall for a Brother printer (he likes futsal and his favourite ink is magenta).”
Land Lines
Dylan says: “Not quite sure how to describe Land Lines, but it's fun and sort of meditative.”
GLOW ON
Chris says: “I’ve been in need of something hard, fast and heavy to help me get through another week of level four. I thought Sleigh Bells’ new record Texas might do the trick, but it’s lighter, tuneful and more melodic than previous releases. Same goes for Deafheaven’s Infinite Granite, another solid record but more shoegazey than previous pummelling efforts. I need something that hurts, and that’s what I got from Turnstile, a Baltimore five-piece as in love with punk as they are with hardcore. Their third album, GLOW ON, is a perfect soundtrack for turning up loud and getting it all out of your system. Highly recommended.”
Torn
Sam says: “I would like to recommend watching this video of Natalie Imbruglia performing her 90s classic Torn at Night of the Proms in Antwerp in 2015. Hearing this karaoke mainstay performed by an on-form Imbruglia, backed by a full orchestra, is what is going to get me through the rest of level four. I pass it on to you.”
Having a cry
Amber says: “I would like to recommend having a big cry, especially if you happen to live in Auckland. I was holding back but once I let myself go, it was an incredible release both emotionally and physically. Five star experience, will do again.”
That’s all for this week! Please reply to get in touch and share with anyone else who might like to subscribe too. See you next Wednesday 👋