Month: September 2014

Film Review: InRealLife (UK, 2013)

Won’t somebody think of the children? This may be Helen Lovejoy’s catchphrase from The Simpsons but it could also be used to sum up the documentary, InRealLife. The film could have asked a series of timely and important questions about the Internet but instead it feels like heavy-handed and judgemental scare-mongering. The film is written…

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Album Stream: Listen to Adam Cohen's new record "We Go Home"

Though he’ll forever be preceded by “Son of Leonard…”, Montreal singer/songwriter Adam Cohen has been active in the music industry for almost twenty years, amassing an impressive catalog of music in both French and English along the way. His last release, Like a Man, went gold in Canada, impressing critics and helping Adam grow a…

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the AU interview: Cirque du Soleil "Duo Fixed Trapeze" Performer Guilhem Cauchois on "Totem" – touring Australia from October.

As Montreal’s famed company Cirque du Soleil celebrates its 30th Anniversary, they are getting ready to bring their new production TOTEM to Australia. To get our head around what we can expect from the new show, we will be catching up with the performers and creative minds of the show over the coming weeks. First…

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the AU interview at BIGSOUND: Saskwatch (Melbourne)

the AU review sits down with the two parts of Melbourne ensemble Saskwatch while at BIGSOUND 2014 in Brisbane to talk about their international travels, their BIGSOUND successes, their latest album, their upcoming touring and musical plans and much more…

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the AU interview at BIGSOUND: Mise en Scene (Canada)

the AU review got to know Canadian duo Mise en Scene while they were in Brisbane for their first ever Australian trip as part of the Canadian contingency at BIGSOUND 2014! Watch our chat with the oh-so-cool rockers here:

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the AU interview at BIGSOUND: Oli and Louis Leimbach of Lime Cordiale (Sydney)

the AU review sat down with brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach of Lime Cordiale while at BIGSOUND 2014 in Brisbane to talk about their new music and latest recording sessions, their drummer, their live show and much more… Keep tabs on the band on their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/limecordiale

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Exclusive Music Video Premiere: Emma & The Hungry Truth "Always The Last To Know" (2014)

“Always The Last To Know” is the exciting first taste of Brisbane-based band Emma & The Hungry Truth’s debut EP, Feast, and today we premiere the video on the AU. Fronted by the enigmatic Emma Dean, The six-piece have crafted a release that is being described as a combination of theatrical pop, tribal beats, soaring…

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the AU interview: Alex Rathgeber and Claire Lyon on "Anything Goes" and "Phantom of the Opera"

We chat to stage actors Alex Rathgeber and Claire Lyon about their roles as Billy Crocker and Hope Harcourt in the new version of Anything Goes – the classic Broadway Musical – hitting Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in Australia in 2015. We also discuss their experiences with Phantom of the Opera, which Claire is currently…

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Box Office Report: Turtles fight off competitors to retain top spot

There was hardly any room for competition this past weekend as worldwide hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was officially released after a couple of weeks of advanced screenings. The film had a huge opening weekend, taking in $4.37 million at the Australian box office. The film has received decent if not stellar reviews (such as ours, which…

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TV DVD Review: Anzac Girls (Australia, 2014)

It’s fair to say that the nurses of the Australian Army didn’t get nearly enough credit for the job that they did during the First World War; that’s criminal, really, when you realise just how close to the front they were, the conditions they lived in, and the trauma they endured, all while facing massive…

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Film Review: Disney Planes – Fire & Rescue (USA, 2014)

Dusty Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cooke) has defied all odds, transforming himself from a small town crop duster to a global aerial racing champion. Planes: Fire & Rescue is the next exciting chapter to his story, following his training with the unsung heroes of Piston Peak’s fire and rescue unit. After a routine practice session…

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Exclusive Interview: Michael Muhney, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring from Veronica Mars at Oz Comic Con

Chris Singh chats with Michael, Percy and Jason from Veronica Mars as they prepared for the Sydney leg of Oz Comic Con. They talk about the success of Veronica Mars, making the switch from TV to movie, Kickstarter and the new spin-off Play It Again, Dick. ———- This content has recently been ported from its…

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the AU sessions: Little May (Sydney) performs "Dust"

Sydney trio Little May stopped by the AU HQ earlier this month to give us a taste of their new single “Dust”, coming off their debut self-titled EP (due out on October 10th). Enjoy this live and exclusive AU session here:

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The first full trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is here!

The first part of the third installment in the immensely popular The Hunger Games has now been given a full trailer, portraying an epic uprising as the rebellion take the games to a much larger and more open scale. From the looks of it, we can expect the Capitol to be throwing their full weight…

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Film Review: Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case (Denmark, 2013)

Ai Weiwei is a fascinating figure, both as an artist and as one of China’s most influential and outspoken dissidents. Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case portrays the oppression and danger that Weiwei encounters as he continues his political activities. Andreas Johnsen’s quietly important documentary picks up where Alison Klayman’s 2012 Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry left…

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Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper share an intense love in the first trailer and posters for Serena

Jennifer Lawrence is without a doubt the most popular actor in the world right now. Ever since her Oscar-nominated breakthrough in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, Lawrence has been steadily building one of the most impressive Hollywood careers in recent memory. Her headlining of the massively successful Hunger Games franchise and well-deserved Oscar win for Silver Linings Playbook cemented her position as the biggest…

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What To Watch: The Iris’ Weekly TV Picks (15th – 17th September 2014)

Between digital free-to-air and Foxtel, it’s at a point where it’s hard to choose what to watch on a given night. So we thought we’d take the task on ourselves and filter through the best TV of the week. Twice a week, we’ll deliver our picks for the days ahead. We kick things off with…

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Film Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (USA, 2014)

The tale of anthropomorphic ninja turtles, raised and trained by an anthropomorphic rat sensei, has been ubiquitous in children’s lives since the 1980’s. There’s something about this ridiculous concept that has worked for years, with the lore of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles increasingly rich with video games, toys, comics, TV shows, and even pizza…

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Editor's Picks: The Best Music of Bigsound 2014 – Larry Heath picks his five favourite performances from Brisbane.

The annual music industry gathering that is BIGSOUND has come and gone this week in Brisbane, and as we all make our way home, curled up in balls of exhaustion, we’re looking back on our highlights of the week. In the first of our editor’s picks, I count down what were my five favourite performances…

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Brisbane Festival's Artistic Director Noel Staunton delivers his 2014 festival highlights.

Brisbane is a hotpot of activity right now. There is the annual BIGSOUND conference and related events that just wrapped up in Fortitude Valley. In addition to this, Kanye West will be entertaining the masses on Monday and we even threw a little birthday party in the Black Bear Lodge last night. But outlasting all…

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Theatre Review: The Distance From Here – State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth (09.09.14)

The Distance from Here is the latest production from Perth theatre company Endless Theatre Company. Written by American director, screenwriter and playwright Neil LaBute, the play is a dark and at times brutal look at life on the fringes of suburbia, a tale populated by disenchanted youth and their extended families. Though set in suburban…

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Head to the first Girls on Film Festival this weekend for movies, parties and feminism

This weekend (September 12-14) sees the first ever Girls on Film Festival take place at Northcote Town Hall in Melbourne. The festival has been described as a “fan club meets movie marathon meets feminist salon meets house party with girl bands”, and will include screenings of ten brilliant films across the weekend. Each of the…

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Film Review: The Double (UK, 2014)

“I am a person”, says recluse Simon James, “I exist”. This simple sentence drives much of The Double, the new film from Richard Ayoade, famous for his role as Moss in British comedy series The IT Crowd. Ayoade has recently moved into the director’s chair, with feature debut Submarine and now 2013’s The Double, a…

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Win a double pass to the MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival in Sydney!

The annual Manhattan Short Film Festival returns to Glen Street Theatre as part of a global event when more than 100,000 people in over 300 cities across six continents gather in cinemas, galleries, universities, museums and cafes to view and vote for their favourite short film. This year, the festival received entries from 47 countries,…

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Win a double pass to Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema opening night in Brisbane!

Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinemas are back with a bang this spring, bringing music by day and movies by night to their original Brisbane home at South Bank’s Rainforest Green from September 28 until November 9. Brisbane is the first stop on the outdoor event’s national tour that reaches 150,000 festivalgoers across Australia. With live…

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Film Review: Step Up – All In (USA, 2014)

Have there been SIX Step Up movies already? It seems like only yesterday (like, 8 years ago) when Channing Tatum and his freakin’ abs danced their way onto the silver screen and into the hearts of many a hormonal human being. Step Up: All In is the sixth film in the franchise, and while there…

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hands like houses

Trenton Woodley of Hands Like Houses (Canberra) gives the latest scope on new EP and Soundwave!

Being a talented vocalist of Hands Like Houses, Trenton Woodley has had a busy year with tour life and recording the band’s alternative EP, reimagine. He’s a realist at heart and someone that isn’t afraid to be honest with himself about his own struggles, which goes to show that there’s more to life than just being in…

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Interview: Klaus Flouride (California) of Dead Kennedys chats about the band’s early days and touring

The Dead Kennedys were at the forefront of the punk rock movement in the early eighties. After a long hiatus, they reformed in 2002 and are touring Australia in October. John Goodridge had a chat with bass player Klaus Flouride about his guitars and the craziness of those early days. Hi Klaus, how did your…

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Melbourne’s beloved Astor Theatre to close in 2015

In news that will sadden cinephiles around the country, it has been announced that the Astor Theatre in Melbourne will close its doors in May of 2015. The single-screen repertory cinema has been screening a diverse program of films since 1982, mixing the latest hits with the classics of years gone by, often screening 70mm…

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