Philip Matthews

@secondzeit.bsky.social

565 followers 296 following 78 posts

Journalist in Christchurch, New Zealand. Senior writer with The Press. Author of The Quiet Hero (Allen & Unwin, 2023), the story of a peaceful volunteer’s death in Ukraine. Films, books, music.

Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] May 22, 2024 at 23:40 UTC

www.theguardian.com/film/article...

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] May 22, 2024 at 23:39 UTC

What an opening paragraph

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] May 12, 2024 at 21:21 UTC

Such a loss. www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/sunday...

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] May 12, 2024 at 21:19 UTC

My interview with Dame Anne Salmond, from Sunday magazine www.thepress.co.nz/culture/3502...

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] May 05, 2024 at 21:03 UTC

Mood of the city: Christchurch

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] May 05, 2024 at 21:02 UTC

A Flying Nun top 10 as the label sort of comes home

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 30, 2024 at 01:52 UTC

Reading

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 29, 2024 at 05:24 UTC

Easter viewing

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 24, 2024 at 21:01 UTC

The question of what "power" is, separate to wealth and political power, is tricky too. Cultural power is harder to assess, I think. Influence maybe a little easier? A work in progress.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 24, 2024 at 21:00 UTC

We're doing a couple of follow-ups, one is suggestions from readers on who we missed (I like to think it can be a conversation, not the media dictating a list from on high), and the other are ones to watch, which skews differently from the main list, demographically, without us even trying.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Mar 24, 2024 at 04:51 UTC

Definitely some of that feedback coming in. Need to think about whether these are my blind spots or reflect reality?

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Reposted by Philip Matthews

Mike Dickison @adzebill.bsky.social
[ View ] Feb 13, 2024 at 04:08 UTC

Supermarkets in NZ have 30–40% markups and make $1m a day in profit, but can’t keep vermin out of the food. Maybe their new spy cameras could be pointed inwards to spot mice, and the staff could fingerprint us instead. www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zea...

6 replies 30 reposts 83 likes

Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Feb 06, 2024 at 04:45 UTC

If you for even a second enjoyed Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s The Power of Love, you’ve got to see All of Us Strangers. Utterly beautiful film.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 31, 2024 at 05:20 UTC

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Vincent O'Malley @vomalley.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 05:25 UTC

This guy needs some NZ history lessons.

5 replies 5 reposts 39 likes

Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 05:17 UTC

It was always a bit misleading

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Sara Templeton @sarainchch.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 04:36 UTC

I wrote a thing and The Press published it this morning 👇

4 replies 19 reposts 72 likes

Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 04:44 UTC

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 04:30 UTC

If I was a populist demagogue, I'd use "Shout" by Tears for Fears

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 04:29 UTC

Although Trump is indeed "criminally vulgar", or just criminal and vulgar, did you ever think you'd live to see a world in which the Smiths were warm-up music for Trump rallies?

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 25, 2024 at 04:25 UTC

I reviewed the reissued edition of Michael King's Penguin History of New Zealand -- which now has Aotearoa in the title. How did 2003 compare to 2023? What has changed? newsroom.co.nz/2024/01/25/h...

4 replies 3 reposts 11 likes

Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 23, 2024 at 04:36 UTC

I wondered that too.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 22, 2024 at 23:21 UTC

Very cool front page

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 20, 2024 at 21:08 UTC

Twitter (X) is "a quagmire of ridiculous reckons and squabbles about politics". Tracy Watkins defending journalism. Good piece. www.thepress.co.nz/politics/350...

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social
[ View ] Jan 19, 2024 at 01:02 UTC

Happy to share my latest article for The Conversation. Online abuse against women MPs is a breach of their rights & forcing them to tolerate abuse or leave is bad news for diverse representation in our democracy. What the govt should be doing about it:
theconversation.com/golriz-ghahr...

3 replies 34 reposts 87 likes

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Cushla كوشلة @cushladillon.bsky.social
[ View ] Dec 18, 2023 at 03:34 UTC

Thanks @secondzeit.bsky.social !

0 replies 3 reposts 5 likes

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IIML @modernletters.bsky.social
[ View ] Dec 07, 2023 at 22:41 UTC

More bad news for the art and culture media

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Dec 07, 2023 at 22:29 UTC

The second to last of a dying breed (Voyagers has axed the reviewer category for 2024, plus essay, feature topics and reporting topics). Tough times.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 29, 2023 at 18:59 UTC

Did I really listen to that much Laibach?

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 20:45 UTC

Looking forward to your list.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 20:38 UTC

Thanks, Dan, I'll add the mention

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:30 UTC

10. Artists in Antarctica, edited by Patrick Shepherd. Paintings of snow, photos of ice, 100 ways to talk about awe and terror.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:30 UTC

9. Blood and Dirt, by Jared Davidson. You’ll never see a more beautifully produced book about prison labour.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:29 UTC

8. From There to Here, by Joe Bennett. A tender memoir that was strangely overlooked, I thought.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:29 UTC

7. The Waters by Carl Nixon. Brutal, truthful stories of male trauma and damage in Christchurch.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:28 UTC

6. Shadow Worlds, by Andrew Paul Wood. Not spooky but witty and erudite.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:28 UTC

5. Birnam Wood, by Eleanor Catton. A gripping environmental activism page turner.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:28 UTC

4. Pet, by Catherine Chidgey. A gripping Catholic school mystery page turner.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:27 UTC

3. Bird Life, by Anna Smaill. A mesmerising novel about grief and madness, set in Japan.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:27 UTC

2. Pull Down the Shades, by Richard Langston. The thriving, homemade music journalism we had before the internet.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:26 UTC

1. Ithaca, by Alie Benge. Remarkable. The opening essay (on Ethiopia) is one of the best things I read all year.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 28, 2023 at 04:25 UTC

As a former winner of Best Reviewer at the Voyager Media Awards, I am often asked* for my 10 best NZ books of the year (2023). Here they are, in no particular order. *not really

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 24, 2023 at 18:52 UTC

A Tale of Two Cities

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 24, 2023 at 01:31 UTC

Cute

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 23, 2023 at 20:31 UTC

I never expected Noddy Holder and Jimmy Page to be in political leadership positions in 2023

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Mick Ryan @warinthefuture.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 21, 2023 at 22:30 UTC

The arsenal of democracy President Biden described in October 2023 is yet to materialise. But, the Russia-China-Iran industrial complex is now the Arsenal of the Authoritarians. This is a big problem for #Ukraine, and all democracies, in the years ahead.
mickryan.substack.com/p/breaking-o...

4 replies 19 reposts 53 likes

Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 21, 2023 at 05:53 UTC

Nice. What a shame.

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 21, 2023 at 04:27 UTC

Abandoned turret, Colombo Street

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 18, 2023 at 07:59 UTC

I don’t know

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Philip Matthews @secondzeit.bsky.social
[ View ] Nov 18, 2023 at 05:13 UTC

1 replies 1 reposts 4 likes