Year: 2013

Film Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (M) (USA, 2013)

And we’re back. It’s the sort of feeling you get the minute The Hunger Games: Catching Fire hits the screen, throwing you right back into Suzanne Collins’ hypnotising dystopic world of Panem, this time in a film helmed by Francis Lawrence (no relation to the film’s star). The sequel to the international hit film The…

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Film Review: Filth (R18+) (UK, 2013)

From the man that brought you Trainspotting we have another gritty, intense depiction of debauchery, excessive drug and alcohol intake and the deterioration of the mind courtesy of the abuse of those substances. Climb aboard the rollercoaster and see if you can deduce what’s really going on in this mind-melding trip. Bruce Robertson ( James…

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Live Review: Patrick James + Warning Birds – The Ellington Jazz Club, Perth (14.11.13)

Thursday night saw Sydney troubadour Patrick James kick off the first of two intimate shows in WA in support of new single “Wait”, with a packed performance at The Ellington Jazz Club. None too shabby for an artist who hadn’t played a headline show in the state before. The evening’s support came in the form…

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Exclusive Video Feature: Nick and Paul from Franz Ferdinand quizzed on some Australian fun facts.

the AU review challenges Nick and Paul from Franz Ferdinand to a quiz on some “fun facts” about Australia.

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Tour Diaries: goodbyemotel – Part Three!

Our good friends in Melbourne’s goodbyemotel are continuing their tour around America. Enjoy part three of their adventures around the country in this very special tour diary feature video!

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Photo Gallery: Electric Run – Sydney Olympic Park (16.11.13)

A record 26,000 runners braved the rain to run in the five kilometre night time fun run event, making it the biggest stand alone 5km event in Australian history. Brought to us by Wilkie Productions, enjoy these photos from the run and the big dance party that followed, featuring DJ Dingo and Alison Wonderland! The…

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the AU interview: Andrew Knox of Made in Japan (Sydney)

We catch up with Andrew Knox from Sydney band – and good friends of the AU – Made in Japan to talk about their UK adventures earlier this year, their new music, their upcoming shows in Sydney and Melbourne and much more! …you recently took on the streets of London – How did you find…

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TV Review: New Girl – Season 3 Episode 8 “Menus” (USA, 2013)

We’ve really got to give kudos to New Girl for still coming up with the quirkiest plot ideas without getting too off-track or repetitive. This was a really solid episode, ticking all the boxes for amusement, development, and character airtime – Coach and Cece included. That being said, in the aftermath of last week’s episode,…

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BIFF Film Review: The Act of Killing (Denmark, Norway, UK, 2012)

Viewers going in to see this documentary were warned that it was going to be grizzly. But none were prepared for the disturbing images this film produced. Most of which were re-enactments and fantasies, but they were all horrific and true. The Act of Killing focuses on a group of retired gangsters in Indonesia. In…

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BIFF Film Review: Six Degrees of Separation (USA, 1993)

One of the great things about Brisbane International Film Festival is not only the celebration of new films and innovations but also the celebration of old ones. Six Degrees of Separation is almost incidentally nostalgic of New York, the 90s and the fantasy of socialites. Though there’s been enough time to get informed, it’s obvious…

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Hello Asia! Japanese Film Festival 2013 Review: The Complex (クロユリ団地) (Japan, 2013)

The Complex is the latest horror offering from Director Hideo Nakata, who’s credited with directing the original versions of the Ring 1 & 2. To complement the release, a 12 episode drama titled Kuroyuri Danchi was aired prior, which follows events leading up to those that take place in the film. Although the film debuted…

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Film Review: Bad Grandpa (MA15+) (USA, 2013)

It’s been a few years since the last Jackass film; the hit and miss formula of ridiculous public stunts, aimed to shock and confuse bystanders is incredibly fun to watch at times, which is why the brand has always been entertaining. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa threads this formula throughout an actual narrative, much like one…

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The Iris Interview: Christian Antidormi & Todd Lasance of Spartacus (New Zealand/USA)

With Supanova winding down in Adelaide today, fans had scattered to catch the final panels for the weekend and take up final opportunities in snagging autographs and photos with their favourite guests. Sitting in on the Spartacus panel (one of the funniest of the weekend), I was interested in the popularity of the historic drama – in the case…

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TV Review: Lessons From The Grave, Episodes 1-3 (Australia, 2013)

Most people would have heard of, or at least recognise actor Bryan Brown, he’s an iconic part of Australian film, prolific in the 70s and 80s. There’s no doubt he’s brilliant, but it’s his daughter Matilda Brown who’s come into her own acting, writing and producing, that deserves kudos for creating this gem of mini-series….

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BIFF Film Review: The Congress (Israel/Germany/France, 2013)

You know when you watch a film, and when someone asks you to describe what you just watched you’re completely lost for words? Ari Folman’s The Congress is one of those films. It’s a psychedelic rabbit hole that you’ll tumble down with increasing velocity, leaving logic and reason behind for an experience like no other. Robin Wright stars…

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Live Review: Leonard Cohen – Perth Arena (13.11.13)

This week the Australian leg of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Old Ideas World Tour’ arrived in Western Australia with a packed show at the Perth Arena. At 79 years old, Cohen doesn’t look to be slowing down any, treating his Perth fans to a three-hour set, that featured, a good twenty songs and not one, but two…

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Photo Gallery: Franz Ferdinand + Shining Bird – Metro Theatre (15.11.13)

Franz Ferdinand played the Metro Theatre on Friday night with support from Shining Bird. Gwendolyn Lee was there and brings us these photos from the pit.

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the AU interview: Nick and Paul from Franz Ferdinand (Glasgow)

the AU review sits down with Nick and Paul from Franz Ferdinand in Sydney, Australia to talk about all their adventures around the world, their return to Australia, performing their new album live and much more…

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Live Review: Neutral Milk Hotel + M Ward + Superchunk – Enmore Theatre, Sydney (15.11.13)

A little more than a month after Neutral Milk Hotel kicked off their reunion tour – their first run of shows since 1998* – in Baltimore, Maryland, the iconic group have made the journey down to Australia for their first ever shows in our country. To be considered so early in this reunion cycle, or…

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Live Review: World’s End Press + Movement – GoodGod Small Club, Sydney (14.11.13)

Electronic music isn’t what it used to be – where there once were clear lines between house, dance and rock, Australian music has openly taken on all technology so that there is a fusion of the best parts of each genre. Melbourne’s World’s End Press and Sydney trio Movement take on big sound for a…

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Iris Interview at BIFF: Joanthan Teplitzky, Director of The Railway Man (UK/Australia, 2013)

Meredith McLean attended the Red Carpet Opening of BIFF 2013 and had a chance to speak with Jonathan Teplitzky about “The Railway Man” and it’s screening at BIFF. Hi, it’s lovely to meet you. Hi I’m Jonathan Nice to meet you, Jonathan. I’m Meredith, I’m from the AU review and The Iris. First of all,…

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On The Red Carpet: Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) Opening Night 2013.

It’s that time of the year again when not only the social and cultural Brisbanites band together but people come from all around the world for the Brisbane International Film Festival. A little bit of Hollywood found its way to Brisbane’s renowned Gallery of Modern Art on Wednesday night when the red carpet rolled out,…

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the AU sessions: Katie Noonan and Abby Dobson perform Leonardo Bride's classic track "Even When I'm Sleeping"

the AU review presents Katie Noonan and Abby Dobson performing the classic Leonardo’s Bride track “Even When I’m Sleeping” in anticipation of Katie and Abby’s “Songs That Made Me Tour” which also features Angie Hart of frente and new talent Martha Marlow. The pair talk about the tour, Katie talks about her love of the…

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John Butler Trio release new single "Only One" and tease new album details in "Flesh & Blood"!

It’s been almost four years since the John Butler Trio‘s record April Uprising was released. It went on to go platinum in Australia while the band toured the world. Now, it’s finally time for a new JBT record to see the light of day, with the band finishing up Flesh & Blood set to be…

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the AU interview: Luke O'Farrell of The Laurels (Sydney) talk Farmer and the Owl Festival.

Ahead of their appearance next weekend at Wollongong’s highly anticipated boutique music festival The Farmer and the Owl, we caught up with Luke O’Farrell from Sydney’s The Laurels to talk about the importance of events like this, growing up in Wollongong, The Drones, album number two, touring the USA and much, much more… How important…

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New Trailer and Character Posters Revealed: The Lego Movie (USA/Australia, 2014)

Being produced right here in Australia at Animal Logic (Happy Feet), is the new film from Phil Lord & Christopher Miller – directors of 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The film is the first ever full length theatrical LEGO adventure, and is aptly titled The LEGO Movie, set for an Australian cinematic…

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Live Review: OneRepublic + Emma Birdsall – The Star Event Centre, Sydney (12.11.13)

For a band that has never headlined a tour in Australia to date, the guys from OneRepublic managed to nearly sell out the enormous Event Centre room and bring a thunderous show to the crowd filled with epic pop rock tunes and flashy production.

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Photo Gallery: OneRepublic – The Star Event Centre (12.11.13)

OneRepublic played the Star Event Centre on Tuesday night. Gwendolyn Lee was there and brings us these photos from the pit.

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News: Maltesers Moonlight Cinema announces first half of 2013/2014 program.

Taking in picturesque locations in around the country, Maltesers Moonlight Cinema has announced the first half of its 2013/14 program, which will once again see the cinema under the stars feature an exciting mix of advance previews, contemporary, classic and cult films. Advance previews that will be on offer include the comedy sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend…

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Single Stream: Cold Clinical Love "Bob Dylan" (2013)

We came across this track “Bob Dylan” recently. It’s from a new outfit called Cold Clinical Love. We don’t know who they are or where they’re from. We know they have a Tumblr and a Facebook though, and that voice is quite familiar… well, we’ll let you be the judge on that. In the meantime,…

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