Music Plus with Winston Watusi watusi@thesun.co.nz

Easter. After all the build-up, it’s arrived.

And I’ve said all that I’m going to say about it. Check out last week’s column on SunLive. Or just head straight to jazz.org.nz for the full programme.

But I do have the answer to the one festival question I’ve been asked most often. It is: Yes, James Morrison really is that good, you should definitely go see him.

James Morrison.

So, enough about the jazz fest – y’all have fun now y’hear. I have other things to deal with which, unfortunately, this week means coping with a defiantly incontinent cat.

Yes, sadly I have to report that it’s been a particularly smelly time at the Watusi Country Club. The three guard cats grow older and frailer and, if possible, even more randomly irrational. The eldest has obviously decided that her advanced stage of life means the normal decorum of popping outside for a pee no longer applies. It is her home, to do with as and where she pleases.

Consequently, every room and every corridor are now lined with big square blue and white puppy pee pads. It looks like some strange asylum. My life consists of replacing them. Visitors look vaguely alarmed and sympathetic and try and pretend they can’t detect that faint odour lingering over everything. Bloody cats.

I can only assume there is a better way: I know a lot of you are cat lovers – suggestions will be gratefully received at: watusi@thesun.co.nz

Until October

Okay. Enough of that. Let’s take a trip to the movies.

Many will have heard the bad news that the New Zealand International Film Festival has, in response to a couple of dire economic years, tightened its belt and consequently will not be coming to Tauranga in 2024. So the role of the Tauranga Film Society in making it possible to see more obscure but fêted films on the big screen is even more valuable.

Their season started at the beginning of the month and runs through until October. They screen films early evening every second Wednesday at the Luxe Cinema in Tauranga –previously Rialto – and occasionally at the Luxe in Papamoa. Membership is $120 a year and you can jump on any time. There are also trial memberships.

Very varied programme

We’re a couple of films into this season’s very varied programme. Last week it was Paul Schrader’s extraordinary ‘Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters’, about the famous Japanese writer who committed public suicide after staging a failed military coup.

I asked Michael O’Brien, of the society, for suggestions: “We have films from USA, Japan, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Tunisia, USSR, South Korea, France, Germany and New Zealand. Also two films from the great British filmmaker Carol Reed. I am particularly looking forward to ‘First Cow’ a highly-regarded historical drama, ‘Joyland’ a contemporary Pakistani film addressing transgender issues and ‘Hit the Road’ a fantastic Iranian film, which I first saw in the International Film Festival a few years ago”.

Find more on the Tauranga page of nzfilmsociety.org.nz