Bumi Kinar is Ubud’s hidden paradise of tranquil luxury in Bali

Have you ever been asked to think of somewhere peaceful while sitting in a guided meditation class? That one tranquil place in your mind that makes you feel utterly relaxed? Well, Bumi Kinar has become that place for me. Just outside the hustle and bustle of central Ubud in Bali, you’ll find sprawling grounds dotted…

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Interview: Melissa Barrera on the unique storytelling of Your Monster; “I always find a way of brainwashing myself into being in the emotional state of the character.”

Battling an illness and dumped by the love of her life, struggling actress Laura Franco returns to her childhood home to recover. To her horror, she discovers a monster living in her bedroom closet. Turns out he’s quite the charmer. Over time, they forge an unlikely connection as Monster helps Laura stand up to her…

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Film Review: Your Monster is a deliciously deranged win for original cinema

It’s not an uncommon trope for a female character to be introduced to her audience at her lowest moment.  She indulges in a sense of self-loathing (we’ve all been there) and through either her friends, her career or a fresh male presence, she builds herself back up and becomes the best version of herself. In…

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What’s happening for the 2024 Holidays at Disneyland Resort in California

On November 15th, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, kicked off their holiday season with the highly anticipated opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. This coincided with updated decor throughout the park, festive performances, new dining and shopping opportunities and even updated outfits for classic Disney characters. Here’s a look at what you can expect from Disneyland…

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The Anker Prime Charger (250W, 6 ports, GaNPrime) is a one-stop solution for home charging

We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing multiple Anker charging products in the past, like the 10,000 mAh 30W Power Bank, which I still use today. However, The Anker Prime Charger differs from what we’ve seen before. In its newer 250W, 6 port form, this GaNPrime desktop charger essentially acts as your go-to charging station for…

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Interview: Temuera Morrison, David Fane and Awhimai Fraser on taking ownership of their characters and culture in Moana 2

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything…

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The Offspring announce Australian Supercharged tour with Simple Plan

On the back of their latest album, Supercharged, THE OFFSPRING are heading down under to showcase the songs to a live audience. Joining the punk rock icons will be another incredible band, Simple Plan, who between them have a massive catalogue of hits. The Offspring: SUPERCHARGED Worldwide in ’25 Aussie tour kicks off on Sunday 4th…

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Film Review: Moana 2 swims as a serviceable continuation of oceanic adventures for Disney’s Polynesian Princess

The fact that Moana 2 was originally envisioned as a long-form television series for Disney+ (Moana: The Series, for those playing at home) perhaps explains why this sequel – which was only announced as a reworked theatrical effort at the beginning of the year – never quite reaches the emotional heights of its predecessor, and…

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Death From Above 1979 to return to Australia, celebrating 20 years of You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine

Legendary Canadian duo, Death from Above 1979 will be touring Australia in April, 2025 to celebrate 20 years of their debut album, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. Released in 2004, the album has gone on to become a cult classic and still shines after 20 years. Classic tracks include “Romantic Rights”, “Blood on Our…

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How nostalgia has driven Australia’s EDM scene to new heights

Music is much more than just art. It’s a neuroscientific tool that you can use to pocket memories, elevate moments and add magic to the mundane. Some elicit stronger bouts of nostalgia than others simply because of how they’re produced and written. But the process of music digging into our souls and helping us find…

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Film Review: Heretic furthers the horror genre’s stronghold on cinema at its most perceptive

In the last few years Hugh Grant has truly taken pleasure in playing against the grain of expectation he laid upon himself after a career of inhabiting predominantly likeable characters.  Arguably starting with his wonderfully committed camp turn as the villainous Phoenix Buchanan in Paddington 2 in 2017, Grant has been on an incline of…

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Photo Gallery: The Cult – Sydney Opera House (26.11.24)

English rock band The Cult played to an enthusiastic crowd at the iconic Sydney Opera House on their 8424 40th Anniversary tour. Original members Ian Astbury (lead singer) and Billy Duffy (lead guitarist) were in stellar form, delighting their fans with a brilliant display of rock and roll. Tickets are still available for their remaining…

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Top Australian Festivals To Add To Your Events Calendar in 2025

Australia is known the world over for its vibrant festival culture – how lucky are we? From our electrifying bush doofs to more laid-back affairs, our country is home to over 500 music festivals. Our festival scene is also so unique that it attracts music lovers from all corners of the globe, making Aussie music…

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A Song to Drown Rivers

Book Review: Ann Liang’s A Song to Drown Rivers explores feminine power amongst the devastation of war

Heartbreakingly sad, beautifully written and filled with edge-of-your-seat tension, A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is a stunning exploration of war, feminine power, and the ability to endure. Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, the story opens with Xishi washing silk in a river on…

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Interview: Viggo Mortensen on respecting the western genre with The Dead Don’t Hurt, creating a female-centric story, and preparing for good luck on set

The Dead Don’t Hurt is a story of star-crossed lovers on the western U.S. frontier in the 1860s. Vivienne Le Coudy (Vicky Krieps) is a fiercely independent woman who embarks on a relationships with Danish immigrant Holger Olsen (Viggo Mortensen). After meeting with Olsen in San Francisco, she agrees to travel with him to his…

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Win tickets to see Pharrell Williams’ LEGO-inspired biopic Piece By Piece

Thanks to Universal Pictures Australia, we have 5 double digital in-season passes (Admit 2) to see Pharrell Williams‘ LEGO-inspired biopic Piece By Piece, screening in Australian theatres from December 5th, 2024. Featuring a star-studded cast of music super stars like Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, and Justin Timberlake, PIECE BY PIECE is an inspiring autobiographical story…

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Album Review: Ocean Grove – ODDWORLD (2024 LP)

Beloved nu-metal Melbournians, Ocean Grove, dropped their fourth studio album, ODDWORLD, this past Friday, and it’s been well-received by fans and critics alike. After the departure of vocalist Luke Holmes in 2019 and his subsequent return for this record, the band has embraced a decidedly eclectic sound. This album, true to its name, feels like…

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Kid LAROI

The Kid LAROI is sensational at Adelaide Entertainment Centre for The First Time album tour (24.11.24)

The Kid LAROI was initially scheduled to tour back in February, but now that the tour has been rescheduled to November, it’s all worth the wait. There was a definite buzz of anticipation as the audience filled the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Rap artist Quavo was unable to perform, so Kid LAROI’s DJ, TJ Mizell took…

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Interview: Yan Chen and Dell’s Alex Timbs discuss AI’s role in VFX for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and the future of filmmaking

In the closing months of 2024, the following has happened: Ridley Scott revealed that AI can now achieve what used to take 10 people 10 weeks, in just one week, and he plans to integrate it into his process. Robert Zemeckis credited generative AI for making his latest film, Here, possible within a $50 million…

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Matia

Book Review: A family legacy explored in Emily Tsokos Purtill’s Matia

Emily Tsokos Purtill‘s debut novel took her ten years to write. Ten years in which she was also building a promising legal career and a family. It’s no surprise then, that family is at the heart of Matia – the story of four generations of women from a Greek Australian family. The matia of the title…

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James Blunt is as good as it gets on his first Australian stop of the Who We Used To Be Tour

Full disclosure: I am not a religious person, but Thursday night at Brisbane’s Riverstage I may have experienced something akin to a conversion. Through a few small miracles and a touch of divine intervention, James Blunt’s first Australian stop on the Who We Used To Be tour was easily one of the best shows of the…

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How Music Can Boost Focus and Creativity for University Students

University is fun, but also pretty demanding. This will very likely be a period you look back to with affection, but while you are there, it can be impossible to juggle all the academic responsibilities. Most students also want to add social life and having fun into these years, not to mention that some work…

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Hoodoo Gurus

Hoodoo Gurus Stoneage Romeos national tour made a triumphant stopover in Adelaide (23.11.24)

It’s hard to believe that Hoodoo Gurus released their debut album Stoneage Romeos forty years ago. Winning awards in the day, it’s as fresh and exciting now as it was back then. The sold out crowd crammed the three levels of the Hindley Street Music Hall to witness rock history. Opening act, Dallas Crane are…

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Mario & Luigi: Brothership indulges in its worst RPG tropes without exploring its best bits

It’s been far too long between outings for Nintendo’s acclaimed Mario & Luigi RPG outing. This has supposedly been rectified by masterful remakes of two of the series’ most acclaimed titles, as well as a brand new adventure in Mario & Luigi: Brothership. The interesting release strategy is a smart move from Nintendo, nodding to…

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Film Review: Little Dixie is an investing thriller that exists in a rough, dirty reality

Director John Swab, a gritty aesthetic and the gruff likeability of Frank Grillo have proven a welcome parcel over the last few years, and following on from both Body Brokers and Ida Red is Little Dixie, a formulaic but no-less investing thriller that exists in a rough, dirty reality. Though there’s plenty of genre tropes…

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Photo Gallery: The Saints ’73-’78 + Kim Salmon and The Surrealists – Enmore Theatre, Sydney (22.11.24)

The Saints ’73-’78 played a killer set of original punk songs from their massively influential first three albums (I’m) Stranded (1977), Eternally Yours (1978) and Prehistoric Sounds (1979). The Saints consist of original members Ed Kuepper on guitar, Ivor Hay on drums with Mudhoney’s Mark Arm on vocals, The Birthday Party / Bad Seeds guitarist…

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Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons is heading to Australia

If you’ve never played Stardew Valley before, we recommend immediately rectifying the situation and getting your farming hat on. For those who have, you’ll be familiar with the whimsical and relaxing soundtrack accompanying gameplay. Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons is heading to Australia in 2025, and will feature a whopping 35-piece orchestra, performing the most…

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New Music: TUSHAR releases Feels Like a Start EP

South Asian indie-pop musician TUSHAR has just released his sophomore EP, Feels Like a Start. The title song is a feel-good uplifting pop song that just makes you feel happy. The song is infectious, with an upbeat vibe. The pace slows down a little for a previous single “Peaches and Wine”, but the deep brooding…

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Mundi Undi Run

Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash – event updates, tickets selling fast!

Next year the Mundi Mundi Bash will be your best outback music festival option, as the Birdsville Bash will be taking a break for a 2025. Running over three days from the 21st to the 23rd of August, the festival on the outskirts of Broken Hill has several options for 1, 2 or 3 days,…

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Live Review: Pearl Jam deliver something special to Sydney – Engie Stadium (21.11.24)

If you’d arrived at Sydney Olympic Park’s showground early enough (and 6pm is very early) , you’d have seen Eddie Vedder introducing the Cosmic Psychos to the crowd as one of his favourite bands. The seminal Melbourne punk band really don’t need much introduction, just a small bit of stage and a mic. What they…

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