Archive

In The Cage: You can’t escape the Cage

Posted 10:22pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Jordan Irvine

After three months out of the Cage, I was back in. I have not mentioned it so far but there are a lot of boobs in his films. One of the first things you see in Zandalee is a naked woman and it makes me think it had to be in his contract or something. To be honest, most of the film is about naked Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: David vs. Cake-lioth

Posted 10:15pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Ruby Hudson

This week I was asked to partake in a battle akin to that of David and Goliath: Connor’s Critic Cake vs. the Tart Tin Celebration Cake.  The clear Goliath of this pairing is the Tart Tin. The Tart Tin is a boutique bakehouse that overlooks Queens Gardens, revered for their use of fresh Read more...

Critical Tribune: Many upset after Critic says, “Well, you’re not invited to my birthday party”

Posted 9:54pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Billary Harry

Within the past months many readers, staff, University affiliates, and OUSA, have been excited about Critic turning 100 years old, as well as the party that would come along with it.  Editor Nina had been overheard saying there would be “super cute party games” like pass the Read more...

OUSA Exec: The Thorn in OUSA’s Side

Posted 9:46pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Liam White

For over 100 years, Critic has been a persistent, unrelenting, and entirely necessary thorn in everyone’s side. Like a bad tattoo, a bad post on Mum’s Facebook or a drunk fresher with a mullet, it’s always there – loud, proud, and ready to remind you that your job could be Read more...

Booze Review: Speight’s Gold Medal

Posted 9:43pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Gin Swigmore

Speight’s is culture. It was the first beer I ever had. Being underage, it was acquired through messaging unemployed 25-year-olds on the Dunedin Sober Driver’s Facebook page, where I and two other borderline prepubescent teens climbed into a random’s clapped-out Subaru Impreza to Read more...

Local Produce: The Crown Hotel

Posted 9:24pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

The legendary Crown Hotel is still shaping Ōtepoti’s live music scene. The bar and music venue hosts local, student, and international musicians. A quick nosey around the pub gives you a sense of its history. The jukebox displays the owner’s extensive music collection, meanwhile Read more...

Editorial: Critic, the Collective

Posted 6:40pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Nina Brown

The Crown has refused to admit it, but Critic turned 100 last Wednesday. As promised, we’ve done our best to be as annoying about celebrating and commemorating ourselves as possible. We’ve bothered countless alumni repeatedly for favours – contributions and direction for the Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 7 2025

Posted 6:29pm Sunday 6th April 2025 by Critic

Pisces Now is the time to start picking up a bit more responsibility. You have coasted along as a ‘teenager’ for long enough, your resume is looking a little light and applications for summer internships open soon. You as party food: Lamingtons Libra A little birdy told me that you Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 6 2025

Posted 10:56pm Sunday 30th March 2025 by Critic

Pisces Don't eat that yogurt that has been sitting in your fridge since the start of uni. You have created a new kind of bacteria that will either make dicks double in length or kill someone. While fun and awesome, it's kind of gross.  Your joint to crack: Neck Libra Libra, Read more...

Editorial: History in Your Hands

Posted 11:11pm Saturday 29th March 2025 by Nina Brown

Happy 100th, y’all. The official birthday of Critic Te Ārohi is this week, April 2nd, the date of the debut issue’s publication – the very same you now hold in your hands. This relic was dug up from the Hocken Library archives. Don’t worry, the spray paint is Read more...

In the Cage: “Reasonably Concerned”

Posted 10:20pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Jordan Irvine

Even though Nicolas Cage’s voice was odd in Peggy Sue, it is nothing compared to Vampire’s Kiss. A film that uses the vampire as a metaphor for lust and greed, the Cage is unhinged. Not only is the voice weird but so is his hair, his mannerisms, his cadence – his everything. He Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 5 2025

Posted 10:18pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Critic

Pisces This week's weather will be your downfall. Make sure that the first thing you do in the morning is check the MetService app – no one wants to be the person who gets caught in the rain in a t-shirt or forgets to put a top under their hoodie on what feels like the hottest day Read more...

Booze Review: Gonster

Posted 10:16pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Gin Swigmore

A Gonster in its ideal state (ideal is used loosely here) looks like a slightly disturbing black and green traffic light drink, with the two substances separating like oil and water. Critic’s first attempt at making one didn’t go quite to plan; we weren’t able to get our grubby Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Black Bean Enchiladas

Posted 10:05pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Time: 1hr Serves: 5 Price: $$ This week we have a tasty dinner dish sure to please the whole flat: black bean enchiladas! We have probably all had a nacho night or two in the flat already, so this is a great way to spice things up that echoes a flatting classic. I will preface this recipe Read more...

OUSA Exec: On Prez’s Radar

Posted 9:59pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Liam White

Top of the morning to you students! I hope everyone had a great St. Patrick’s day filled with responsible alcohol consumption. I know you didn’t but there’s nothing I can really do about that.   I just wanted to put a couple of things on your radar that’s coming Read more...

Local Produce: Fun Bucket

Posted 9:49pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

Fun Bucket exclusively plays every Thursday for Pequeño's Jazz Nights. After paying the $20 entry fee, you'll be welcomed with a complimentary cocktail and, squeezed into the chandelier-lit corner, you'll find the band. The intimate group of spectators are found eagerly Read more...

Editorial: Celeb Apology Video: Drugs Issue Edition

Posted 9:44pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Nina Brown

If you had beef with last week’s issue, chances are you weren’t the only one. While the editorial team were preoccupied making sure the drugs content of the Drugs Issue was spic and span and we didn’t accidentally nark on a dealer or out someone for a drug habit – well, Read more...

Debatable: Cans vs Bottles

Posted 9:43pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Gryffin Blockley

Cans  Otago student culture is founded upon the footsteps of dusty students trampling bits of broken glass. But it doesn’t have to be like this anymore.  Sure, maybe as a fresher at Whiteout it's funny standing in a sea of broken glass. But your car tires don’t say Read more...

Third-year Wellness Influencer Insists Her Bag is Ethically Sourced

Posted 9:19pm Sunday 23rd March 2025 by Anderson Coomer

Local third-year Food Science and Nutrition Student student Molly Edwards, a self-proclaimed fitness and wellness influencer, who preaches the benefits of clean-eating, early morning runs and therapeutic properties of Saunas on her Instagram account (@MolsHolistic) put a pause on her ‘daily Read more...

Local Produce: Southern Events

Posted 6:11pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

DJ decks, lighting rigs, and sound systems are now expected to be at every Castle Street host. Southern Events’ model has become the new normal for open hosts. Their TikTok and Instagram Reels presence has made the brand a household name across North D. The three stakeholders, Morgan Sarge, Read more...

In The Cage: Hey, he’s in these movies!

Posted 6:07pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Jordan Irvine

Now onto Cage’s first leading role, portraying Randy in Valley Girl. It is the 1983 version of Romeo and Juliet and, honestly, the Cage isn’t the weirdest part of this film. There are the classic Cage-isms that he will hone in on for future works but there is also a very horny mum, Read more...

Booze Review: Protein Beer

Posted 6:01pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Gin Swigmore

“Bro, my business creating 0 calorie lemon-flavoured RTDs has gone under, who knew the market was so flooded?”   “Bro, my DJing career has failed and my dad has cut me out of the trust fund because of my crippling weed dependency. How are we going to fuel this Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Afghan Biscuits

Posted 5:55pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Makes: 12 Time: 45 mins Price: $  Ahhh the good ol’ critic drugs special <3 I’m sure this week when you flicked to the recipes you were expecting brownies, but I love to keep you all on your toes. With this recipe you’re baking ;) you get that hit of chocolatey Read more...

OUSA Exec: Residential Hall Visits

Posted 5:40pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Callum Hadlow

We all know the state of housing in Dunedin, and far too many of us have undergone a baptism of cold, mould, and being told that's how it is and not to expect better. But with the illusion of a Dunedin summer fading we need to face the fact that an “indoor outdoor flow” shouldn't Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 4 2025

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Critic

Pisces It's time to revamp your Spotify playlists. You have been listening to the same 20 songs on repeat and are missing out on some really amazing new releases. New songs will also give you a new lease on life and as the sun disappears, lord knows you need something to keep you Read more...

Editorial: But First, A Disclaimer

Posted 5:11pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Nina Brown

The cover of this issue couldn’t have more explicitly announced the theme of this issue: drugs! If the overwhelming hype behind the mysterious Boba Ket’s drug review last year was anything to go by, it’s been one of Critic’s most popular themed issues. They printed double the Read more...

Debatable: Bongs or Joints?

Posted 5:04pm Sunday 16th March 2025 by Zoe Eckhoff

Pro-Bong You’ll remember your first bong-rip like your first kiss. It’s sensual, sparks are flying and lips are touching. What’s not to fall in love with? Just like kissing, you might need a YouTube tutorial or two to get it right, but it's easy to pick up and from then on Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Muesli Bars

Posted 12:17am Monday 10th March 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Time: 30 mins Price: $ Do you deserve a sweet little treat to get your energy up? Are you sick of spending your hard earned cash on teeny tiny muesli bars? Look no further because this week we have a banger, created by nutritionist Harriet Lidgard (for more recipes, check out her Read more...

Local Produce: The Early Risers Crew

Posted 12:13am Monday 10th March 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

The water is never as cold as you think it is. But the only way to find out is to jump on in. This is a philosophy that the Early Risers Crew embraces headfirst. The group, run by Keira Hill alongside her friend Jess Flemming, meet up at St. Kilda Beach every Thursday morning for a sunrise swim Read more...

Debatable: Flash mobs, yay or nay?

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Hunter Jolly

Nay: Grow up, you’re not in a musical. Nobody wants to have their peace abruptly ripped from them like a vulture peeling the skin off a rodent’s carcass. If I’m ever strolling through the mall, minding my own business, and a flash mob suddenly breaks out, I fully intend to sue. Read more...

Booze Review: Bay & Barnes Chardonnay

Posted 11:39pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Gin Swigmore

A wise man once said to never start your wine drinking journey with expensive wines, because then the cheap shit will taste even worse.  Upon ignoring this advice, I quickly learned that the only thing better than an expensive bottle was a free one, especially when it’s stolen from Read more...

OUSA Exec: BDS Explained

Posted 11:36pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Jett Groshinski

BDS is a global movement launched in 2005 by Palestinian civil society, inspired by South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement. It is a non-violent campaign applying economic and political pressure to encourage compliance with international human rights law through: Boycott – Avoiding Read more...

In the Cage: Throwing away the key

Posted 11:12pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Jordan Irvine

Reader’s note: This column has been in the works since the 30th of July 2024. Welcome to the Cage. As Critic’s designated pop culture expert, I have been a fan of films for a very long time. This often manifested as becoming obsessed with one particular actor's work in a given Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 3 2025

Posted 11:08pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Critic

Pisces Your delulu optimism will be the only thing keeping you going this week. The whole world will be trying to drag you down but thank GOD for your rose tinted glasses. Just keep your head up and live like that motto on your mum's tea towels: keep on keeping on.  Your Body Mod: Brow Read more...

Editorial: That Scarfie Stereotype

Posted 11:04pm Sunday 9th March 2025 by Nina Brown

After recent interactions with national media, I’ve grown a little tired of the way Dunedin students are stereotyped.  Bless them, they’re genuinely intrigued by the spectacle of students burning couches in the street, stealing cones by the thousands, and squatting in our mouldy Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Red Lentil Dhal

Posted 8:19pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Serves: 6 Time: 30 mins  Price: $ This week we have a tasty meal that will satiate vegetarians, vegans, meat-eaters and everything in-between. You can’t go past a good red lentil dhal when craving something comforting, cheap and speedy. Using mostly pantry staples, this recipe Read more...

Local Produce: Nic Sick

Posted 7:57pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

Nic Sick broke into Ōtepoti’s live music scene just as 2024 was drawing to a close. Having formed in halls, the new year has brought a bit of uncertainty, with fewer members and fewer practice spaces. However, the excitement of the unknown has kept the momentum going.   James Read more...

Letters: Issue 2 2025

Posted 6:54pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Critic

LETTERS POLICY Letters should be 150 words or fewer. The deadline is Thursday at 5pm. Get them into Critic by emailing us at critic@critic.co.nz. Letters of a serious nature directly addressing a specific group or individual will not be published under a pseudonym, except in extraordinary Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 2 2025

Posted 6:46pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Critic

Aries Energies are high at the start of the week, with lots of aesthetic sunrises, Instagram stories, and study seshes. But that doesn't last long. When the burnout hits mid-Wednesday, remember that it's not even a month into uni and that try-hard shit can wait till after mid-sem Read more...

From the Archives: 1981 Critic Editor Chris Trotter reflects on covering the Springbok Tour

Posted 6:42pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Chris Trotter

Chris Trotter, political commentator and 1981 Critic Te Ārohi editor, reflects on his experience reporting on the contreversial Springbok tour and the role of student media. The 56 days of the 1981 Springbok Tour weren’t the whole story – the before and after were just as Read more...

Editorial: From the Archives

Posted 4:38pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Nina Brown

Critic Te Ārohi turns 100 this year – and we need your help to celebrate.  Over summer, Iris (Features Editor) got cracking on research for the centenary book we’ve proposed. The idea is that she would take a year off her studies to work full-time on digging through the Read more...

Debatable: Chasers: Yay or Nay?

Posted 4:31pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Gryffin Blockley

Chasers: Yay First of all, just because you want to have a chaser doesn’t mean that you can’t handle a shot at all. Let’s dispel that common myth. Pres are meant to be a wholesome experience; if there’s a way to decrease the grossness, why not go for it?  Nights Read more...

Booze Review: Woodstock Whiskey Lemonade

Posted 4:19pm Sunday 2nd March 2025 by Gin Swigmore

Woodstock have officially hopped on the ‘soft drinks made alcoholic’ bandwagon with the release of their Ginger Ale and Whiskey Lemonade. This move seems to follow on from the trend of brands making ‘healthy’ RTDs, which just taste like water that’s been left in your Read more...

Local Produce: The Dumpling Lady

Posted 6:56pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Jonathan McCabe

The art of building a community through dumplings often gets lost in the fold. If you’re fiending a feed on campus, the best place to head is 'The Dumpling Lady'. Here, perched in the shade of Union Hall across from the OUSA arches, you'll find Catherine Page and her trusty Read more...

Booze Review: Emerson’s Dirty Bird IPA

Posted 6:49pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Gin Swigmore

Welcome back to another year of booze. We’re kicking things off with a bang thanks to the new Emerson’s Dirty Bird, the latest member of the Bird Dog family for all you IPA nerds. Though new on the scene, Dirty Bird is sure to become a household name with its captivating taste, one Read more...

Debatable: Should we throw eggs at freshers?

Posted 6:46pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Hanna Varrs

Against Yeah, you’re a first-year student. A fresher. But isn’t the whole ‘egg the fresher’ trope overdone? Come up with something funnier, @therestofthestudentbody. Pick on someone your own size instead of a bunch of vulnerable 17 and 18-year-olds (weird when you put it Read more...

Mi Goreng Graduate: Burger Bowls

Posted 6:36pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Ruby Hudson

Hello and welcome to another year of Critic Te Ārohi recipes! We are kicking off the year with something fresh, tasty and customisable that the whole flat will love. This is a take on a classic burger, just with the fun twist of deconstruction and bowl-ifying to make it feel fancy. Feel free to Read more...

OUSA Exec: OUSA's Five Big Issues

Posted 6:29pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Liam White

Nau mai, haere ma – whether you’re stepping onto campus for the first time or back for another year, welcome to Otago! I hope you’ve had a chance to recharge over the break, because what’s ahead is everything that makes student life special – long nights, great Read more...

Horoscopes: Issue 1 2025

Posted 5:57pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Critic

Aquarius The new year's goals crumbled pretty early, but that doesn't mean you need to wait until next year to quit those naughty habits. Try giving up the vape, hitting the books and giving your vibrator a deep clean. Fav moment of Ori: Monday in U-Bar! Pisces It’s your season, Read more...

Editorial: The City of Spokes

Posted 5:44pm Sunday 23rd February 2025 by Nina Brown

Welcome back, suckers! Welcome back to a new year of living it large at the cosiest wee campus-based university that Aotearoa has to offer. Now that I once again have you all by the balls of editorial control, here’s my pitch: make North Dunedin a City of Spokes.  In a move almost as Read more...