LOST: Callie Hernandez plays Lisa, one of a group of teens who experience terror in the forest.

Blair Witch

• Horror; Cert R13, contains violence, horror scenes and offensive language; 1hr 29mins
• Starring: James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez and Corbin Reid
• Director: Adam Wingard

IF you saw 1999’s The Blair Witch Project you will know exactly what to expect from this sequel.

Back then, I think we might have been more naive and easily frightened than we are now.

These were the days when we were all prepping for the Y2K non-disaster, and the found footage format was something new.

I think more than a few viewers left the theatre unsure whether what they had just seen was truth or fiction – which was clearly the effect the filmmakers desired.

Today’s audiences are not so easily fooled and, in my case, less tolerant of spending 80 minutes being juddered through dense forest by hysterical teens with wobbly cameras.

Set a few years after the original, it follows James (James Allen McCune) and friends as they go in search of his sister Heather, who went missing in the first film.

This time they are armed with the latest camera tech, such as drones, GPS phones and ear-mounted digital cameras. It doesn’t help them, or the film.

The story sticks very much to the original format until, toward the end, it amps up the terror with some very claustrophobia-inducing scenes.

Despite these scenes I was left feeling Blair Witch was similar enough to The Blair Witch Project to be more an unnesecary re-boot than a sequel.

6/10

DOUBLE-DECKER: Plenty of deck space in the fully-fenced, private backyard. D4280 series

FROM the driveway this home doesn’t look big enough to have four bedrooms and the backyard is completely concealed.

So it is a surprise to walk through the front door and realise what a spacious and appealing home it is, with great outdoor living areas.

Entering through the sunny kitchen, varnished wood floors lead to the large dining room, which could easily accommodate a 12-seater table.

A ranchsliding door opens on to the deck from both this room and the adjoining, huge, step-down living room, which is carpeted and has a free-standing gas fireplace that keeps the whole area beautifully warm at the touch of a button.

The largest of the four bedrooms is off the lounge, while the remaining three, all with built-in wardrobes, are along the hallway.

The bathroom has a bath with overhead shower and the floor has been tiled along with the separate laundry.

Situated in a quiet street, down a wide driveway, it has a large concrete parking turn-around area in front of the garage, which is separate from the house and includes an area for a workshop.

The backyard is completely fenced and feels very secure and private with north-facing decks.

As well as the main outdoor entertaining area on the north side of the house, there are plenty of useful spaces between the house and garage and between the garage and fence that have great potential.

This home has seen plenty of improvements in recent years, including modern new cabinetry and bench-tops in the kitchen, but it still offers plenty of opportunity for the new owners to add value.

This property is currently rented at $360 per week.

Whether as first home buyers or investor, come and take a look and start making your plans.

Ohope Beach Realty

66A Riverside Drive, Whakatane
Agent: Chris Stevens
Phone: (07) 312 5005 or 027 218 2135 Price: $364,000
Viewing: By appointment

TO THE RESCUE: Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) is rescued from a mud bath by American millionaire Jack (Patrick Dempsey).

Bridget Jones’s Baby

• Romantic-comedy; Cert M, contains offensive language and sexual references; 2hrs 2mins
• Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey and Emma Thompson
• Director: Sharon Maguire

IT was the best surprise of my week to discover the third Bridget Jones movie is the funniest yet.

Though perhaps it’s only because my expectations were so low – after all, it’s been 12 years since The Edge of Reason.

I could also have been influenced by the infectious jolliness of the other women in the theatre laughing themselves silly.

But there’s no denying Bridget Jones’s Baby is rich in laughs, and is definitely not one of those movies where they put all the good bits in the trailer.

Renee Zellweger, managing to look a few years younger than her 2004 self, returns to her best-loved role. Bridget is this millennium’s quintessential Cinderella. Ploughing from one mistake to the next, trying her hardest to live up to everyone’s expectations but never being quite good enough, she is someone many of us will relate to.

Her ability to pick herself up, dust herself off and put her best foot forward despite it all is more encouraging than a busload of Prince Charmings.

Though she is now in her 40s and pregnant, the plot hasn’t changed in that Bridget is caught up in a love triangle between two men. However, rather than one Prince Charming and one scoundrel, this time it’s one Prince Charming, and one prince even more charming.

Patrick Dempsey plays American millionaire Jack, who charges in on his white horse when Bridget falls face-first in mud at a music festival.

Meanwhile, she is continually running into her ex, Mr Darcy (Colin Firth, looking worryingly frail), at various social functions. When she finds herself pregnant she is unsure which of these men is the father.

Emma Thompson is hillarious as the stern Dr Rawlings and the ubiquitous Ed Sheeran does a great cameo as himself.

If you’ve had one of those Bridget Jones kind of weeks, this could just be the catharsis you need to (as she would put it) put your past mistakes behind you and go on to make all new mistakes.

9/10

BAD BUNNY: Jack Russell terrier Max and shaggy mongrel Duke are thwarted in their attempts to find their way home by Snowball, a white bunny.

The Secret Life of Pets

• Animated comedy; Cert G; 1hr 30mins
• Starring: Louis CK, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Steve Coogan, Lake Bell and Dana Carvey
• Directors: Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney

I CONFESS, I’m a sucker for both animated comedies and cute, fluffy animals.

So this film was a double whammy for me and a must for anyone who adores their pets.

This comes from the same production team who brought us the brilliant Despicable Me franchise and Minions so you know its going to be hilarious.

The hero of the story is Jack Russell terrier Max (Louis CK) who lives in a New York apartment. Utterly devoted to owner Katie, Max’s life is turned upside down when she adopts a new dog, a large, shaggy mongrel called Duke (Eric Stonestreet).

Max’s attempts to rid himself of Duke result in the two of them being lost in New York. Max’s mates – tabby cat Chloe (Lake Bell), pug Mel (Bobby Moynihan) and dachshund Buddy (Hannibal Buress) – and love interest Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate), set out to find them and are both helped and hunted by a host of other pets and strays. The film has been critisised for being too much like Toy Story with fur, but for me, that’s more of a recommendation than a critisism.

8/10

DOUBLE ACCESS: The home has a second driveway for separate access to the self-contained flat. Photos Matt Lowe Open2View

THERE are not many three-bedroom homes on the market with fully self-contained units and this one at Coastlands is made all the more special as it has just been given a complete internal rebuild.

This is a very solidly-built, executive-style home. The ground level is concrete block construction with brick cladding upstairs and tile roof.

While the outside is very well presented, complete with a new wrap-around balcony with glass balustrades, inside everything is new, from carpets and wall linings to the latest technology in lighting and bathroom ventilation.

Entry is through a north-facing conservatory at ground level. A delightful courtyard area provides an outdoor entertaining area. Upstairs, the three bedroom, two-bathroom family home enjoys sunny, open-plan living with views of Whakatane surrounds and across the plains to Mount Putauaki.

The modern kitchen features granite benchtops, a scullery, island bench and all new appliances.

Ranchsliding doors open to the deck from the large living room, which has a heat pump for comfortable temperatures all-year round.

The bedrooms, at the other end of the house, are all doubles with built-in wardrobes. The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom.

The laundry is downstairs beside the back door and the large, two-car internal-access garage with automatic doors.

The downstairs flat has its own separate entrance as well as an internal linking door and has been rebuilt to the same standards as the main home, right down to the wall linings.

The kitchen is spacious, modern and open plan with double wall oven and dishwasher.

The sunny living room opens out to the backyard via ranchsliding doors. The double bedroom has built-in wardrobes.

With its own laundry, bathroom, hot water cylinder, heat pump and even its own letter box, it would be ideal either for renting out for extra income or as a home for a family member.

Situated only 400 metres from the beach this home is perfect for families that enjoy surf-casting, long lining, swimming or coastal walks.

With a car port and loads of off-road parking there’s plenty of space to park a boat, campervan and extra cars.

EDGE Realty

3 Ohuirehe Road, Coastlands

Agents: Lorraine Cunningham and Lynne Baker

Phone: (07) 308 0232 or 027 483 0508 for Lorraine
or 027 284 6996 for Lynne

Price: Sale by tender, closes 4pm, October 1

Viewing: Sunday, 3.15pm to 3.45pm

BEING REAL: Right, Chelsea says people like her recipes because they know they can sucessfully make them themselves. Photo Tamara West

FORMER New Zealand Masterchef and bestselling recipe book author Chelsea Winter is appearing at the Liberty Centre, courtesy of Whakatane Paper Plus, on October 10 to promote her new book, Scrumptious, which goes on sale this weekend. Eastern Bay Life caught up with Chelsea at her Auckland home.

Is this your first time in Whakatane?

I haven’t actually been before and I’m quite looking forward to it. Most of my family live down at Mount Maunganui, so, I’m always at the Mount. I went for a little drive, a couple of weekends ago and got as far as

Matata, so I haven’t quite got there yet.

I know a lot of people who are almost rabid fans of yours. Why do you think it is that you have such a huge following?

Yeah, well, rabid fans are the best kind. I like them. I think first and foremost, my recipes work. People make them and then they realise they can trust them.

It’s a really big thing when it comes to cooking because not everyone has confidence and people have been burned by crappy recipes before that don’t work. People know they can pick up a Chelsea book, pick something, and they’re going to have a success.

And also, I guess I’m just me. I don’t have a big team of people. I don’t have people looking after my social media or a team of kitchen people doing my recipes. I work from home. I write the recipes from scratch in my own kitchen. I test them myself. I write them up in my office. It’s just real and people like that. People can sniff out a fake a mile away and I don’t try to be anything that I’m not.

You mentioned your Facebook page. That seems to be quite popular. Are you saying you do all that yourself?

It’s all me. I’m all on my own.

Do you enjoy getting that sort of feedback?

I think it’s incredible. I just can’t believe how lucky I am to have this amazing community of people I can connect with directly. The people who are actually cooking my recipes are there. I’m accessible to them if they have a question.

Yeah, just a really lovely group of people. I think it’s up to about 310,000 now and most of them are females in New Zealand. And that really is who I want to be talking to.

Do you get people posting their failed attempts sometimes?

Every now and then there are emails and messages from people who aren’t sure about things and I can help them out, which is cool. There was that epic custard square fail that a woman posted a while ago.

It was just this runny custard thing and it went viral, which I thought was really cool, because it’s nice to see that everything’s not always perfect. But the good thing about the social media aspect is that I got in touch with her and said, ‘hey, this is probably what you need to do next time, because this is where it went wrong’.

Then two weeks later she posted another photo, which was an absolutely perfect custard square and she was stoked.

What can people expect, on October 10, when you come to Whakatane?

My main reason for coming is so I can meet as many people as possible. I’ll be signing books and giving a little talk, taking photos with whoever wants photos and just having a yarn really. It’ll be low key, and just a meet and greet.

What can they expect from your new book, Scrumptious?

The recipes are all brand new and fresh and exciting, but the one thing I have to be careful not to change is what people love about my books.

Homemade Happiness, was apparently the bestselling cookbook in New Zealand last year, and it’s getting to the point where I know what people want. For every single recipe the ingredients are everyday items that you can get at the supermarket. The recipes are easy to follow and they work. They’ve all been tested by me at least three times. Those things aren’t going to change.

What also isn’t changing is that there’s a massive section dedicated to dinners, basically inspiration for achievable, tasty dinners that the family all love. Of course, no cookbook would be complete without a delicious sweets and baking section, so we’ve got a lot of nostalgic recipes as well, like Louise slice and Anzac biscuits, which is an old family recipe.

There’s also a chocolate-chippie pudding, which is about the most delicious thing ever. But there’s a special section in this book, which is the Christmas section, so it is all my favourites for Christmas time. I’m trying to make Christmas stress-free for people in the food department.

What is your favourite meal to sit down to?

It depends what I’m in the mood for and what time of year it is. One of my all-time favourites is a good-old roast chicken. Scrumptious has my secret recipe for the perfect roast chook. It’s a fast cook in the oven and then a slow rest upside down for about 30 minutes after it’s come out, and it just turns out so good.

But sometimes if I want something a bit luxurious and really quick and easy, I make an alfredo, which is just pasta with cream cheese and herbs and salt and pepper and that recipe is in scrumptious too. That takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. Not a very balanced meal, but bloody great.

I’ve heard this expression that you should never trust a skinny cook? Why do you think so many people trust you and what are your tips for looking like Chelsea Winter as well as cooking like her?

I think they trust me because my recipes work, and that’s the very essence of where the trust needs to come from – 315,000 fans can’t be wrong.

I’m also a great believer in everything in moderation, and also home-cooked food. Food from scratch is always a great way to go. I also advocate lots of fresh air and sunshine, which is good for you guys in the Eastern Bay. Lastly, sing loudly whether or not people are listening. I think singing is a great stress reliever.

STRANGE CHILDREN: Lauren McCrostie, Pixie Davies, Joseph and Thomas Odwell and Ella Purnell as some of Mrs Peregrine’s odd charges.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

• Fantasy; Cert M, contains violence and scary scenes; 2hrs 6mins
• Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Samuel L Jackson and Terence Stamp
• Director: Tim Burton

IF you really want to give your children nightmares, this is the perfect movie to take them to.

It’s easy to see how Gothic master Tim Burton found this children’s story irresistible. It’s based on the novel of the same name by American writer and filmmaker Ransom Riggs, who developed the characters from his collection of bizarre old photographs.

The result is a kind of American Horror Story: Freak Show, for children. The film stars Eva Green (Penny Dreadful, 300: Rise of an Empire) as Miss Peregrine, the headmistressy caregiver of a group of children with unusual abilities living in pre-World War I time warp on a remote Welsh island.

However, the story begins in modern times, with 16-year-old Jake (Asa Butterfield) who goes searching for Miss Peregrine for answers to the strange death of his grandfather.

What follows includes scary monsters, even scarier children and seems needlessly long. But for anyone with a taste for Victorian-style weirdness, it’s a must-see.

8/10

diane.mccarthy@whakatanebeacon.co.nz

MISFITS: A disparate group of dangerous men join forces to protect a small town from a corrupt businessman; from left, Vincent D’Onofrio, Martin Sensmeier, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ethan Hawke, Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Byung-hun Lee.

The Magnificent Seven

• Western; Cert M, contains violence; 2hr 12mins
• Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett and Peter Sarsgaard
• Director: Antoine Fuqua

MY favourite reimagining of Seven Samurai is still Pixar’s A Bug’s Life.

The past two decades have produced some captivating westerns. The remake of 3.31 to Yuma and Appaloosa are just a couple I could mention. The Magnificent Seven, in comparison, is a bit of a disappointment.

It’s not terrible, but despite Denzel Washington’s steely calm as leader of the titular seven Sam Chisholm, balanced by Chris Pratt’s goofy charm as gambler Joshua Faraday, this film simply made me nostalgic for Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen.

Ethan Hawke, as Confederate veteran and sharpshooter Goodnight Robicheaux, who is having a crisis of confidence, adds to the star power. A conspicuously more ethnically inclusive seven includes Mexican outlaw Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), knife-wielding East Asian immigrant Billy Rocks (Korean actor Byung-hun Lee) and Comanche warrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). Haley Bennett puts in a convincing performance – sadly overshadowed by her incongruous cleavage – as Emma Cullen, the young widow who hires the seven. The job is to protect the fearful townspeople from a corrupt industrialist with a private army who wants their land.

Outright warfare ensues with enough lead flying to leave the entire town suffering severe lead poisoning.

7/10

diane.mccarthy@whakatanebeacon.co.nz

LOTS OF SPACE: With four bedrooms and two bathrooms this home has plenty of space.
Photos Louis Klaassen D4353-003

WAKE up to views of Whale and White islands and as far as the East Cape in this ocean-front home at Ohope.

With only one careful owner in its 20-year life, this four-bedroom, two-storey home is just waiting for you to add your own touches to it.

Set on an easy-care section overlooking the beach, this stucco home with Colorsteel roofing makes the most of the views with a balcony and large picture windows along the north-facing front.

The paved driveway, partly sheltered by the front portico, provides lots of off-road parking.

The front door opens onto a wide entryway.

As you climb the stairs to the second level, the rimu cathedral ceiling over the dining area is revealed, with the enormous, arched window below it.

The large, open-plan living area has stacker sliding doors that provide great outdoor flow to the balcony.

The kitchen, with its high, curved, rimu bar is the perfect place to stand to both enjoy the views and be able to chat to people in the dining and living room areas while preparing meals.

There are two bedrooms upstairs and two downstairs, with a bathroom on each floor, making it an easy home to find your own private space, even with a full house.

Every room in the house enjoys a sea view.

The bedrooms all have double wardrobes except the upstairs master bedroom, which has a large walk-in wardrobe, or dressing room, which also connects to the upstairs bathroom. Each level also has a separate toilet.

The internal-entry, double garage has a storage-work area leading out to the backyard.

The fully-fenced, paved courtyard garden makes a terrific spot for summer barbecues.

A laundry by the back door and several linen cupboards, as well as an under-stairs storage room, complete the home.

A track across the dunes directly in front of the house provides great access to the beach and also the opportunity to keep an eye on beach activities.

Come along to the open home this Sunday or phone for an appointment to view this special property.

Harcourts

140A Ocean Road, Ohope

Agent: David Marshall

Phone: (07) 3125045 or 027 4998481

Price: $750,000

Open homes: Sunday, 1pm to 1.45pm

UNRELIABLE WITNESS: Emily Blunt plays the eponymous girl on the train, who thinks she has witnessed a murder.

The Girl on the Train

• Thriler; Cert RP16, contains violence, offensive language, sex scenes and content that may disturb; 1hr 51mins
• Starring: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Haley Bennett
• Director: Tate Taylor

BRITISH author Paula Hawkins’ debut novel took the world by storm last year.

The mystery thriller made the New York Times bestseller list and was raved about by book groups and critics alike.

It was a no-brainer that the movie rights would be snapped up and the story copes easily with being transported from London to New York.

However, despite the best efforts of the superb cast – Emily Blunt, carries off the lead role of drunken, unreliable Rachel brilliantly – the story makes a better novel than a film. It lacks action and pace, and too many sobbing, victimised women make it a bit grim.

What it lacks in momentum, however, it makes up for in perplexity. Despite having read the book, I still found myself befuddled as to who had done what. Told through the haze of Rachel’s grief-stricken, alcohol-soaked memories there are more than a few red herrings to lead the viewer astray.

Haley Bennett (The Magnificent Seven) and Rebecca Ferguson (The White Queen) are convincing as the objects of Rachel’s stalking via commuter train, while Laura Prepon (Orange Is the New Black), Allison Janney (Mom) and Lisa Kudrow are fantastic in support roles.

7/10

NICE STREET: A large family home in a great neighbourhood. D4382 series

This large, modern four-bedroom home has everything a busy family seeks.

SITUATED in the very family-friendly neighbourhood of Mokorua Gorge, this well-presented 206 square metre home has all the space a large family needs.

The current owners have made some terrific improvements in the nine years they have lived here.

The 565 square metre property has been fully landscaped within the past three years, with retaining walls and terraced gardens, a blissfully peaceful deck with urban views stretching all the way to Kohi Point, and enough off-road parking for three cars in front of the house, plus space to park a boat.

Just inside the front door, with its brick-pillared portico, is the internal access to the double garage and laundry.

The master bedroom is also on the ground floor and has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom with shower and toilet.

The central staircase winds up to a large landing area with three more bedrooms opening out from the hall.

These double bedrooms, with built-in wardrobe, share the upstairs bathroom, which has a bath with decorative tile surround and a shower.

Double doors at the top of the stairs open into a spacious, open-plan living room with lots of north and east-facing windows creating a sunny aspect.

The lounge opens onto the north-facing balcony with stairs leading to a viewing deck above the house. This is a great spot for peaceful contemplation, shaded by ferns in summer and serenaded by tui and other birdlife.

The kitchen and dining area adjoining the living room provides a great space for family to gather.

A powerful 7.6 kilowatt heat pump in the dining area keeps the whole home climate-controlled, helped by a well-insulated roof.

The kitchen has a pyrolytic self-cleaning wall oven, ceramic benchtop stove, double sinks, and a good-sized pantry.

The interior of this home has been recently painted in an attractive, modern colour scheme with new curtains and blinds in most rooms.

The floors are tiled in non-carpeted areas such as the bathrooms, kitchen and entrance.

There are lots of storage cupboards, including two large cupboards under the stairs.

A handy covered outdoor area at the side of the house is situated below the balcony.

With feijoa and lemonade trees and a dwarf orange in the front yard and great neighbours this is a great place to raise a family.

Real Deal Real Estate

74 Appenzell Drive, Whakatane

Agent: Jo Tuhoro

Phone: (07) 307 1122 or 027 418 2323

Price: $545,000

Viewing: By appointment

TRUCKER'S VIEW: Above-left, Patrick O’Brien, truck driver, biker and poet. Photo supplied

MEETING Patrick O’Brien is an interesting experience. Among the first things you notice about him is that everything he says sounds like a poem.

I’ve always thought of poetry as something written down on a page, read aloud or quoted from memory. Patrick, however, seems to have poetry’s euphonic qualities programmed into his speech patterns. Rhyme, rhythm, assonance and alliteration seem to flow naturally in everyday conversation.

It is hardly surprising he has become a popular guest speaker for groups as diverse as the Taupo Truck Enthusiasts Club and Golden Pond Rest Home.

“Poetry never held any interest for me,” he says. “But everywhere I go they call me the poet.

After a life of trucks and bikes no one was more surprised than me when I started up using a pen.”

Forty years as a truck driver and motorcycle enthusiast has helped shape Patrick’s view of the world, which shows in his self-published book White Line In Mind, subtitled A Kiwi trucker’s view of life through verse. The book contains not only poems and prose he has written himself, but also poems by friends he has met along the way that have helped him.

He says he is “overjoyed” to share what he has learned along the way.

From Taupo originally, Patrick has lived in Whakatane for more than three years now. He says he is not very technically savvy but he has some very good friends who have helped him in creating a website, whitelineinmind.yolasite.com, and several YouTube videos where he reads his poems.

Eastern Bay Life has a copy of Patrick O’Brien’s book, White Line in Mind, to give away.

Email: ebl@whakatanebeacon.co.nz with White Line in Mind in the subject line before 12 noon on Tuesday, October 18 to be in the draw.

OFF THE GRID: Viggo Mortensen is Ben Cash, exposes his six off-the-grid-raised children, including Zaja (Shree Crooks into modern Capitalist culture.

Captain Fantastic

• Drama; Cert M, contains offensive language, nudity, suicide, sexual references and content that may disturb; 2hrs 10mins
• Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hanh and Steve Zahn
• Director: Matt Ross

THIS quirky and thought-provoking tale of Ben Cash, a man raising his six children off the grid, succeeds mainly due to its lead, Viggo Mortensen.

He and the young actors who play his children, aged eight to 18 years, infuse this film with delightful eccentricity. They will almost have you convinced, at least for the duration of the film, that the key to a happy and fulfilled life is to turn your back on capitalist society and move to the remote wilderness – in this case a forested north-west United States. It soon becomes obvious, however, that this is a complete fiction, written and directed by actor Matt Ross (Silicon Valley’s Gavin Belson).

The tone of Captain Fantastic lies somewhere in the middle ground between the wholesome adventure of The Wilderness Family (1975) and the dark psycholgical terror of The Mosquito Coast (1986).

Ben has trained his children to be super-intellegent, yoga-practising anti-capitalist ninja philosophers, but their utopian lifestyle is interupted when they learn that Ben’s wife, Leslie – institutionalised with bipolar disorder for the past few months – has committed suicide.

They all pile into the family bus – their only link to the outside world – and take a road trip to her funeral, where Ben’s strict training regime is pitched against modern American culture and Leslie’s parents.

Life lessons are learned, first love experienced, grief processed, ideologies challenged, and there are a few laughs along the way. Far-fetched, but loveable.

7/10

diane.mccarthy@whakatanebeacon.co.nz

FORMAL: This attractive Ohope home catches eyes as you drive along Pohutukawa Avenue. Photos Matt Lowe Open2View

Much-admired family home is waiting for you to put your own stamp on it.

FORGET the United States elections, here’s your chance to make Ohope’s White House your official residence.

This much-admired home, one of Ohope’s original icons, is distinctive for its Grecian-style white exterior, which makes it stand out from its neighbours, despite being set comfortably back from the road.

Set amid extensively landscaped grounds, the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home enjoys a multitude of outdoor living areas.

A cobblestoned courtyard, gazebo, covered barbecue area, aviary and terraced gardens create a very pleasant environment in the private backyard, while the front yard provides generous off-street parking and turn-around areas and a more formal garden, best viewed from the home’s sun-drenched balcony.

The 1634-square-metre section extends up the bush-clad hillside behind the house, providing even more fun possibilities for energetic children and homeowners.

The ground floor of the two-storey home consists of a tandem, internal-access garage and loads of storage space.

The living areas are on the upper storey, which is reached by wide, concrete steps leading up to a sheltered porch.

The interior living space includes a large living area heated by a free-standing wood fire, with picture windows and sea views.

A large dining area and kitchen open onto the courtyard at the rear of the house through stacker sliding doors.

The four bedrooms are all on the same level.

Two sun-drenched, north-facing bedrooms have polished timber floors and access to an adjoining balcony via bi-folding doors. Both the lounge and front bedrooms enjoy an expansive view over exclusive Waterford Estate as well as some good peeps out to sea.

The central bathroom has been recently refurbished and enjoys lots of natural light though a skylight window.

A bath with overhead shower, and vanity with soft-closing drawers make it pleasantly modern.

The second bathroom is at the rear of the house, making it handy for the fourth bedroom.

Although the home has been extended and modified over its lifetime it still offers great potential for new owners wanting to put their own stamp on it.

Harcourts

218 Pohutukawa Avenue, Ohope
Agent: Deborah Jeffray
Phone: (07) 312 4441 or 027 4542780
Price: Expecting interest over $700,000
Open home: Sunday, 1pm to 1.45pm

PERFECT: This four-bedroom Ocean Road home is perfect for holidays or year-round living.

This four-bedroom, two-storey, beachfront home would be the perfect place for summer and offers plenty of room for guests.

MAKE the most of summer with the beach across the road, a pool in the backyard and a giant shed for your boat and beach toys.

This four-bedroom, ocean-front home, with beach access directly across the road, is presently used as a holiday home but would make a fantastic permanent residence.

With recently repainted exterior and new roofing, this substantial two-storey home is good to go.

It has loads of space and plenty of options for how to use it, depending on your lifestyle.

The backyard has an in-ground swimming pool and a huge, high-stud shed suitable for campervan, boat and any other beach toys.

The ground floor of the house is of brick construction and has its own separate kitchen and bathroom facilities, laundry and bedroom that are handy for people using the pool or coming back from the beach.

Vinyl flooring throughout this level is very practical for this purpose.

Of course, this area would also be useful for anyone wanting separate, self-contained living downstairs.

The double, internal access garage is presently used as a games room, adding to the holiday-home feel of the place.

The main living area is upstairs, where a balcony wraps around the north-facing open-plan lounge, dining and kitchen area on two sides.

Here you can enjoy your uninterrupted views of the ocean and Whale and White islands.

The master bedroom has its own access to the balcony. It shares access to the enormous upstairs bathroom with the second, large bedroom.

A corner spa bath and large shower add to the luxurious feel of the home.

A separate toilet can also be accessed from the bathroom. A lift makes this home very desirable for anyone who can’t manage stairs.

The third upstairs bedroom is off the living area, giving you the option of using it as an office.

Holiday home or permanent residence; the choice is yours. This home would be perfect as either.

Harcourts

270A Ocean Road, Ohope

Agent: David Marshall

Phone: (07) 3086359 or 027 499 8481

Price: $850,000

Open home: Sunday, 2pm to 2.45pm

This substantial, modern, home in a quiet enclave between ocean and harbour has been built with quality, elegance, spaciousness and ease of living in mind. FROM the moment you step into the tile-floored foyer of this executive-style, four-bedroom, three bathroom home in Ohope you will be impressed. The graciously curved staircase leading to the bedrooms […]

I, Tonya Sport biopic; Cert R16, contains domestic violence, sexual violence, sex scenes and offensive language; 1hr 59mins Starring: Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan, Julianne Nicholson Director: Craig Gillespie ICE skating isn’t something that figures strongly among my interests, but even I was familiar with the name Tonya Harding before watching this biopic about […]

    Lady Bird Comedy-drama; Cert R13, contains drug use, sex scenes and offensive language; 1hr 34mins Starring: Saorise Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracey Letts and Lucas Hedges Director: Greta Gerwig What Lady Bird lacks in a strong plot it more than makes up for in characters to bring a smile to your face. Saorise Ronan […]

THE owners of this three-bedroom home with sleep-out are very motivated to sell. Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, close to schools, this home is currently tenanted at $345 a week and would make a fantastic investment, or great starter home for a first-home buyers. It has been fully renovated in recent years, […]

Finding Your Feet

• Romantic comedy; Cert M, contains offensive language, sexual references and drug use; 1hr 51mins
• Starring: Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie, David Hayman, Joanna Lumley, Josie Lawrence and John Sessions
• Director: Richard Loncraine

IMELDA Staunton and Celia Imrie are best known for their support roles in British films so it is interesting to see them join forces to lead a cast.

In Finding Your Feet they play long-estranged sisters Sandra and Bif, a snooty social climber and an alternative lifestyler, who reconnect after Sandra’s marriage comes to a very sudden, public and messy end.

Both women are wonderful actors but, for me at least, have a tendency to blend into their roles so well it is easy to overlook them.

Despite their talent, throughout this film I found myself looking about for that intangible ingredient, star power. There is plenty of it about.

Timothy Spall, as romantic interest Charlie, is a good place to start. There is something compelling and believable about this actor, whether he is playing a monster or a mouse.

The big, sad bloodhound eyes are put to work here as a sweet, sad and kindly man living in a barge.

The infinitely glamorous Joanna Lumley has allowed the grey to take hold for the small role of many-times-divorced Jackie, filled with advice for the shell-shocked Sandra.

Screenwriter Nick Moorcroft penned this somewhat predictable story about an over-65s romance. If you don’t expect any big surprises and don’t mind if it comes off as being a bit pat, this is a heartwarming story.

It takes a while to accept Staunton as a romantic lead rather than a villain – she does bad so well – and the lovely John Sessions as the uptight cheating husband.

Josie Lawrence, best known from improv show Whose Line is it Anyway, plays Sandra’s former best friend who turns out to be the other woman.

Imrie lights up the screen as the pot-smoking, off-beat activist sister. When Bif insists Sandra shake off her troubles by coming to her dance group she finds herself discovering that there is such a thing as finding romance and finding yourself, after retirement. Gentle comedy and life lessons ensue.

7/10

diane.mccarthy@whakatanebeacon.co.nz