Day: 16 June 2014

Videau Games PS3 Retro Review – Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition (Netherrealm Studios, 2012)

Even though R18+ classification legislation was passed in Australia nearly two years ago, there have been lengthy delays around official game releases to the public. So unless local stores had exercised their right to parallel import games early (completely legal), gamers were left to frustratingly bide their time. For Mortal Kombat fans however, this may have been…

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the AU interview: 360 (Melbourne) on his new album "Utopia"

the AU review sits down with Australian hip-hop superstar Matt Colwell aka 360 to talk about his new album Utopia – which was released in Australia on Friday – the massive tour he has planned for September, working with Daniel Johns, Pez and much more…

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Vivid Sydney 2014 Breaks Attendance Records Again!

Vivid Sydney has once again proven that the arts are en vogue, with more than 1.43 million people – that’s more than the population of Adelaide – attending the 18 day light, music and ideas festival. The number breaks the record set in 2013 by 79 percent. On this news, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister…

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the AU interview: Laurent Saulnier – VP Programming & Production of Montreal International Jazz Fest on the 2014 event!

the AU review meets Laurent Saulnier – the Vice President of Programming & Production at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in Canada – to talk about how he got started with the event, the highlights of his career (Leonard Cohen, naturally!) and we get excited about the event, which kicks off on June 26th. Find…

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The Day Trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto, Canada (Part One)

Destination: Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canada) Origin: Toronto, Ontario (Canada) Travel Time (Each Way): Two Hours Niagara Falls. The name alone conjures up a sense of mystic beauty, let alone the magnificent splendour that awaits its onlookers. So when I was given the opportunity to spend a day at the iconic natural wonder, following a week…

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Sydney Film Festival Review: Love.Love.Love (Russia, 2014)

Awarded the Special Jury Award winner at the Sundance Film Festival, Love.Love.Love is a charming short documentary film about the notion of love as seen through the eyes of a group of woman ranging from young girls to elderly women. Love.Love.Love was developed via the Cinetrain initiative, a cinema event that takes place in Russia…

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Sydney Film Festival Review: Ilo Ilo (Singapore, 2014)

It’s 1997 and the Asian Financial Crisis is in full swing. Companies are downsizing, people are feeling the pinch and the burden of providing for one’s family is high. It’s in this pressure-cooker environment that first-time Singaporean director Anthony Chen brings Ilo Ilo. For many, Ilo Ilo is not just about class systems but also…

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Sydney Film Festival Review: Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (USA, 2014)

When we see those pre-empting words of ‘based on a true story’ at the beginning of a film, we are usually left thinking about how much of what we see is fiction, and how much is fact. In the case of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, the latest offering from the Zellner Brothers, the protagonist is…

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Classic Film Reviews: Three films by Agnès Varda (France) ahead of the ACMI retrospective.

Agnès Varda is a director who has a nose for a good story and an eye for the sublime. The Grand Dame of French New Wave Cinema started her career as a stills photographer and it is clear that she has brought these skills to her feature films. Her movies are often quite sensual and…

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Exclusive Interview: Peter O’Donoghue – Editor & Co-Writer of Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets.

The Iris talks to Peter O’Donoghue, the editor and co-writer of Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets about the film while in Sydney for the Australian premiere at the Sydney Film Festival – June 2014. ———- This content has recently been ported from its original home on The Iris and may have formatting errors…

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Sydney Film Festival Review: The Little Death (La Petite Mort) (Australia, 2014)

La Petite Mort translated as The Little Death, is a French euphemism for orgasm, referring to the post-orgasmic state of consciousness some people go through after a sexual experience. Josh Lawson’s (Any Questions for Ben?, Anchorman 2) low budget directorial debut based on this intriguing concept, is an extension of a short film he’d put…

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61st Sydney Film Festival Awards announced at Closing Night Gala

Last night saw the end of the 61st Sydney Film Festival, with the festival’s prestigious awards handed out at the Closing Night Gala at the State Theatre. Of the 12 films competing in the Official Competition, the Sydney Film Prize was awarded to the French film Two Days, One Night, directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc…

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