Month: October 2014

the AU interview: Husky (Melbourne) talks "Ruckers Hill" and America!

the AU review’s Larry Heath sits down with Husky and Gideon from Melbourne group Husky to talk about their latest album Ruckers Hill, the two years since their last release Forever So, their experiences in America, touring plans and much more! Ruckers Hill is available now.

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Tech Review: Sonos Playbar and Play:1 Surround Sound Set Up (Wirelessly Connected without Bridge)

Almost a year ago I first got my hands on the Sonos Play:1 unit, a powerful, versatile speaker perfect for home or the office (read the review here) – and though it’s fine to use on its own, it’s built to be paired with other Sonos products. And now that the recent firmware upgrade (5.1)…

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Games Review: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One, 2014)

On first inspection, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor wasn’t a title that interested me overmuch when it was announced last year. It looked too derivative of games like Assassin’s Creed or Batman: Arkham City, with its parkour-happy ranger and free-flow combat. This year’s holiday season games crop has been very good at subverting expectations, though, and…

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Box Office Report: Gone Girl is still unbeaten after three weeks on top

This is quite incredible. David Fincher’s Gone Girl, an adaptation of Gillian Fynn’s best-seller, has taken over $3 million in its third weekend in Australian cinemas. The film has now taken over $16 million at the Aussie box office, which is a very impressive tally for a film of its kind. In comparison, Fincher’s The Social Network took $13.9…

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What we learnt from Doctor Who‘s Jenna Coleman at Armageddon Expo in Melbourne

Doctor Who‘s Jenna Coleman was the star attraction at the second day of Armageddon Expo over the weekend in Melbourne. Kimberley Salmond was there and brings us back some of the things asked to Jenna during the Q&A, and how she answered! Have you ever suggested ideas to Steven (Moffat)? No, you have to be…

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Taika Waititi behind the script for Disney’s latest film Moana, set for 2016 release.

The first image for Disney’s next Princess adventure, Moana, has been released, along with more details about the company’s upcoming animation. Disney’s 56th animated feature film will hit screens late 2016 and focuses on the story of ‘Moana’ – a Polynesian ‘Princess’ who sets out on a quest to fulfill an ancestor’s quest. Labelled as an…

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DVD Review: South Park: The Complete Seventeenth Season (USA, 2014)

When you realise South Park is on its eighteenth season, it kind of boggles the mind. Not just because it makes you feel old – but because (at least in my case) you realise that you’ve actually been watching it for the last eighteen years. A show that started out full of little more than…

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ACMI in Melbourne to screen “22 Years of Big hART: A Film Retrospective” this weekend.

In Melbourne this weekend, ACMI will be celebrating 22 years with Big hART (http://bighart.org/#h), who are one of Australia’s leading companies for arts and social change. They make art that influence social change and have been giving a voice to our nation’s invisible and forgotten since 1992. At the event, which will take place on…

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Counting down the 7 best Brad Pitt performances.

This Thursday, Brad Pitt returns to the silver screen in Fury, seeing Pitt revisit World War II – last being seen there in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. As we anticipate the film, we wanted to reflect on seven of our favourite Brad Pitt performances over the years, counting you down from 7 to 1… Legends of…

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the AU interview: Elize Ryd of Amaranthe (Sweden) talks about new album Massive Addictive and sexism in the industry

One can’t help but feel good listening to Amaranthe, after all the European sextet is all about creating positive energy. Less than two years since the release of The Nexus, whose single of the same name has had over six million views on YouTube, modern metal’s hottest act is back with a new album. Massive…

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Aussie showcase "Southern Exposure" lineup and set times announced for CMJ, presented by the AU review.

Southern Exposure is a special showcase of Australian music taking over Piano’s in New York City this Thursday night, from 8pm to 3am, as part of CMJ 2014 – proudly presented by Australian publication the AU review and showing off some of the finest up-and-coming talent from the Great Southern Land. Let’s take a look…

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the AU interview: The Murlocs (Geelong)

Last month we sat down with two parts of Geelong quintet The Murlocs while at BIGSOUND in Brisbane last month. Watch the full chat here, as we talk about their music, the festival, upcoming plans and much more!

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the AU interview: Julia Henning (SA) on "Another Day" and how music helps us overcome sadness.

Last month we sat down with South Australia’s Julia Henning while she was at BIGSOUND in Brisbane. Watch our full chat here on the AU as we talk about the festival, her music (including latest single “Another Day”) and touring. Julia also talks about how music helps us overcome sadness.

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the AU interview: Stu Mackenzie of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Melbourne) talks America, China, CMJ and "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz"

Earlier this month I caught up with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard‘s Stu Mackenzie to talk about their new album I’m In Your Mind Fuzz coming out at the end of the month, recording at Daptone Records in New York, their upcoming performances at CMJ (this week!) and their recent trip to China –…

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Michael Hogan of Battlestar Galactica, Skyrim, Mass Effect talks at Armageddon Expo in Melbourne

The Armageddon Expo dropped by Melbourne this weekend, providing a fun environment for geeks to well, ‘geek out’ on their favourite fandoms and share their obsessions for all things television, sci-fi, mystical and comical with other fans. On the first day, Michael Hogan of Battlestar Galactica, Skyrim, Mass Effect fame spoke in front of a…

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New teaser trailer released for Focus, starring Will Smith.

The teaser trailer for Focus has just been released. The film stars Will Smith as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie), who seems to have reprised the accent she nailed in The Wolf of Wall Street.. The trailer shows Nicky teaching Jess the tricks…

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DVD Review: The Wipers Times (UK, 2013)

“Do you suffer from optimism?”  The Wipers Times asks in its distinctly and irreverently British portrayal of the First World War and ‘The Wipers Times’, a satirical newspaper created in the trenches.  Contrasting the humour of the paper with the ugly reality of fighting in Ypres and the Somme, this unique BBC film captures the…

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Alaina Huffman of Stargate Universe, Supernatural and Smallville speaks at the Armageddon Expo in Melbourne.

The Armageddon Expo dropped by Melbourne this weekend, providing a fun environment for geeks to well, ‘geek out’ on their favourite fandoms and share their obsessions for all things television, sci-fi, mystical and comical with other fans. On the first day, Alaina Huffman of Stargate Universe, Supernatural and Smallville fame spoke in front of a…

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TV Review: Doctor Who Season 8 Episode 9 “Flatline” (UK, 2014)

If there is one thing Doctor Who has become stellar at over the years, it’s throwing a spanner into the works, just when the audience is comfortable and thinks they know what is happening. “Flatline” is that point for Season 8. While it takes the ‘Doctor Lite’ format and shows off Clara more than ever as a strong and…

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TV Review: American Horror Story: Freak Show Episode 2 “Massacres and Matinees” (USA, 2014)

This week on American Horror Story: Freak Show, Episode 2 “Massacres and Matinees” has brought us deeper into the lions pit and introduced us to the new Dell Toledo Aka the strong man and with him his lady-man, three breasted wife Desiree Dupree. We see hints of Emma Roberts making an appearance in later episodes…

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TV Review: Bones Season 10 Episode 4 “The Geek in the Guck” (USA, 2014)

The charm of this week’s Bones was its return to everyday routine, even more so than the previous episode which still dealt with the emotional fallout from Sweets’ death. The show begins with young Christine refusing to eat her breakfast, while Booth and Brennan try to reason with her. It seems Christine is taking after…

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What to Watch: The Iris’ Weekly TV Picks (20th – 22nd October)

By Kimberley Veart Monday The X Factor, Ch. 7, 7:30 pm AEST It’s the grand final of the X Factor, so tune in to see who will be crowned the winner. It’s between folk group Brothers 3, fifteen-year old vocalist Marlisa and singer-songwriter Dean Ray. Tensions between the judges have been running high this season,…

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Film Review: Son of a Gun (MA15+) (AUS, 2014)

Australian film Son of a Gun looks at a number of different themes, primarily it’s a heist movie but it also examines the desire for a stable family life and the father/son and brother/brother relationships that can evolve in prison. Loyalty, honour and morality are all tested and questioned and all served up with a…

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Film Review: Before I Go to Sleep (MA15+) (UK, 2014)

What would it be like to wake up each morning not knowing who you are? What if you could not recognise your loved ones? How would it feel to completely forget over a decade of your life? These are the very intriguing questions posed by the central concept of Before I Go to Sleep. This…

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the AU sessions: Watch Gideon and Husky from Husky (Melbourne) perform "Saint Joan" off their new LP.

the AU review captures Melbourne’s Husky performing in stripped back duo mode, bringing us their latest single “Saint Joan” Live and Acoustic for the AU sessions. The track is taken from their brand new LP Rucker’s Hill, in stores now. Rucker’s Hill was released in stores yesterday and don’t miss the band on the road…

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Watch This Exclusive Clip from the new DFA 1979 Documentary "Life After Death From Above"

In 2006, Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger called it quits on a band they “started out of boredom and necessity”. That band was Death From Above 1979. In 2011, after five years of silence between them, they reunited for Coachella – and as we now know, this went pretty well. The new documentary Life After…

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the AU interview: Jim Gaffigan (USA) talks Meat Pies & playing the Sydney Opera House for Just For Laughs.

Jim Gaffigan sits down with the AU to talk about his first ever visit to Australia – eating meat pies, how he feels like he’s accepted in Australia being an American and playing the Sydney Opera House as part of the Just For Laughs Festival in Sydney as part of his “White Bread Tour”. Jim…

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Single Stream: Foo Fighters "Something From Nothing" (2014)

With Dave Grohl’s latest documentary project Sonic Highways kicking off on GO! in Australia this weekend, the Foo Fighters are ready to tease us for the full length record of the same name with the release of its first single, “Something From Nothing”. The highly anticipated new album is out worldwide November 10th. Listen to…

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the AU interview: Dana Roskvist of Sydonia (Melbourne) talk "Reality Kicks" and crowd-funding their tour.

Dana Roskvist from Sydonia sat down with the AU’s Larry at BIGSOUND last month to chat about their latest album Reality Kicks, their successful crowd-funding campaign that allowed them to tour, getting more radio play than they’ve ever had and concentrating on writing new, faster and heavier songs.

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Just For Laughs Comedy Review: Jim Gaffigan "The White Bread Tour" – Sydney Opera House (16.10.14)

Jim Gaffigan is funny. He’s an American comedian in every respect, filling his set with American themes, references and characters – though that’s not to say he doesn’t work hard at being accessible. His set on Thursday Night at the Sydney Just for Laughs festival (his second of three) was filled with his first impressions…

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