Spooky season is well and truly upon us, and the team here at The AU Review are firing up the popcorn maker and getting ready to enjoy our favourite scary movies. If you’re looking for some ideas for that horror marathon you’re planning this weekend, here’s a few films had us checking under our beds…
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In these pandemic-driven times, the idea of inhabiting another planet sounds more and more appealing. And with space travel now becoming somewhat generally accessible – sure, you have to be filthy rich, but it’s still a step up from it being exclusive to astronauts only – it stands to reason that such a concept could…
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A descent into grief and an examination on the affects of re-opening old wounds, Time Now, from writer/director Spencer King, is a tragic thriller that implements an unreliable narrator to maintain a certain intrigue as it navigates its central tragedy. Jenny (Eleanor Lambert, daughter of Diane Lane and Christopher Lambert) is feeling secluded and alone…
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Last month, Sydney’s Florian released another sparkling pop song, this time being the shimmering “Seventeen”. 2021 has already been a year of quality releases for the talented singer/songwriter, with “Patrick Swayze” and “Yours & Mine” both making waves. “Seventeen” is tinged with an 80’s vibe, as she reflects on a younger version of herself, with…
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Kenny Rogers so famously told us “You gotta know when to fold ’em”, and in The Card Counter writer/director Paul Schrader seems unsure as to which hand he wants to confidently play. It’s not that this film is poorly made, nor is his commitment to the representation of desolation anything other than pure, but it’s…
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German character actor Udo Kier is so synonymous with villainy that his role in Swan Song appears all the more revelatory. But given the actor’s own queer identification and penchant for theatrical performances, a character like his at the centre of Todd Stephens‘s gentle dramedy feels quite in tune with the actor’s aesthetic. Based on…
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Immigration is a topic that’s quite intensely debated across the world, particularly in the United States. And in Blue Bayou, a spotlight is shone on a specific group of immigrants, those that come to a country as infants with little to no recollection of their homeland and, quite often, had no other choice. Such is…
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“While the events of this story are fictional…These. People. Existed.” These words hit harder than any bullet or bass snare experienced in The Harder They Fall as they sprawl across the screen in the opening seconds of Jeymes Samuel‘s Black Western fantasy. Perhaps, in a way, an almost spiritual sequel to Mario Van Peebles’ genre-breaking…
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Mess Esque is a recent collaboration between iconic 90’s band Dirty Three‘s Mick Turner and McKisko‘s Helen Franzmann. The music and instruments are provided by Mick, and the lyrics and vocals by Helen. Probably best known for his work with Dirty Three, Mick has been making music for more than forty years. His most recent album…
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I never expected my last couple of free evenings to be spent trying to smack, dodge and jump over Michaelangelo against the backdrop of The Flying Dutchman’s Ship. But based on what 2020 and 2021 has shown us so far, anything absolutely goes these days. This is Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, the latest platform fighter that…
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The end of Sydney lockdown (thanks to increasing vaccination rates) doesn’t just mean restaurants and bars are open for business again, it means the city’s love of left-centre brand collaborations is back. The latest: Master of Mixes and Stanley Street favourite The Big Easy, teaming up to celebrate the return of iconic Aussie snack Tasty…
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Indie-folk duo Charm of Finches have been casting their spell on listeners with a stream of singles from Wonderful Oblivion, their third album, the most recent being the emotive and melancholic “Heavy”. Finally, the date for the release of this much-anticipated record has arrived for sisters Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes. The album was recorded at home by…
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Lending an air of femininity to the western genre – one so often entangled with a masculine temperament – without compromising its rooted personality, Leah Purcell‘s The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson is the cinematic incarnation of her penned 2016 stage play and 2019 novel, all inspired by Henry Lawson‘s short story, “The…
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When Karen Herbert was made redundant from her corporate job, she did what most people only dream of. She sat down, and she began to write a book. A mere eighteen months later, she had two books contracted to Western Australian powerhouse, Fremantle Press. The first of these to be released is The River Mouth,…
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Parquet Courts has always been a band comfortable in their ability to produce songs with no (or limited) frills that always manage to get the job done. From initially breaking out with Light Up Gold in 2012, right through to 2018’s Wide Awake, the New York four piece’s brand of chaotic post-punk garage rock has…
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Jack Carty has been charming audiences with his heart-warming indie-folk since 2010. A gifted storyteller, a wonderful guitarist and possessing a wide vocal range, his songs have a depth and humanity that resonates with the listener. We are thrilled today to be premiering “Boab (Time Is A River)”, the latest single from Jack, and the…
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Sydney band Human Noise have today released their debut album, Animal People. It’s a beautifully varied record, from lo-fi grooves to frenetic guitar-driven bangers. The lyrics are sharp and no two tracks are the same. Fans of indie-punk rock acts such as Sonic Youth, RAT!hammock and The Strokes should find plenty to love here. I’m also…
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Given their status today it’s difficult to think of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as anything other than substantial stars in their field. But, back in 1997, neither was well-known, and their collaborative efforts as screenwriters brought them to the forefront of the industry thanks to a shared Oscar win for Good Will Hunting. Though…
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Searching for that perfect pop song to blow away those Hump Day woes? Well, “IKEA” from Sydney’s Zhuli is exactly what you’re looking for! It’s a little bit cheeky, a little bit empowering, and a lot of fun, making it a natural choice for this week’s Track of the Week. Taking cues from the likes…
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Sydney singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and producer Chelsea Warner is going through a purple patch of releasing new music. Today she released “It Be Like That”, the third new track since June. Following on from “Drama” and “Not In The Mood” it continues the theme of self-exploration, analysis and growth. Classically trained at the Sydney Conservatorium…
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Given summer is just around the corner, it seems the time is right for some of the most prolific sweet-leaning brands in Australia to start collaboration to produce unique new ice cream flavours. We already saw it with Koko Black as they teamed up with Connoisseur for two brilliant flavours. Now it’s Peters Ice Cream’s…
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The 2021 ARIA Awards have just announced their nominees, celebrating the best in Australian music of the last 12 months. Like last year, this year’s event will stream live on YouTube around the world. Amy Shark and Genesis Owusu (pictured) have topped the nominations list with 6 a piece. Here’s the full list of how…
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“Circles” is the first release from the new project, jarry, which is the solo outlet for musician Jarred Young. Jarred has floated between Sydney, Melbourne and regional Queensland, and is probably best known for his work as songwriter, vocalist and drummer for indie-rockers Bad Pony. We are thrilled to have the premiere of “Circles”, which…
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We often become too accustomed to drinking the same thing each and every week, so when a limited edition collaboration of this magnitude comes along, it’s worth paying attention. That would be a new limited edition coffee gin liqueur created by the Singapore Tourism Board in collaboration with famed pastry chef Anna Polyviou, coming straight…
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The story of how Sara Sheridan’s latest book The Fair Botanists came to be is a fascinating one. Or one to envy if you are trying to get a book published yourself. In an author’s note at the back of the novel, Sara tells of how she was eating at a restaurant when she got a text…
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Looking to brush up on your cheese board skills (yes, putting together a platter is art) or perfecting the art of the savoury crepe? You’re going to want to hit up Bon Fromage Festival’s digital component, which runs this year from 22nd to 24th October entirely online. The great festival of French cheese is prepping…
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Now that Sydney’s most reliable restaurants are starting to open back to up to fully vaxxed patrons, we’re beginning to see some of the city’s finest establishments reveal new seasonal menus across the board. One of the best we’ve seen so far has been the new spring menu at Matt Moran’s long-standing Aria, with exec….
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There’s always a special time and place for Domino’s, and even if the time between finishing a full large pizza and being slapped with guilt and shame gets increasingly shorter the older you get, you’d be a fool for thinking you’d never go back to Australia’s most consistent pizza chain. The brand has nailed consistency,…
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Artisan chocolatier Koko Black has been quite the busy brand this year, with numerous new releases dotted throughout 2021 and keeping us well chocolate’d-up through lockdown. Their latest collaboration is perhaps their best yet, teaming up with Connoisseur Gourmet Ice Cream to deliver a new collection straight to your freezer. Released to align with World…
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It may seem like an odd dichotomy for an audio brand, but Jabra has always been at the forefront of both sports-friendly truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds, and enterprise headphones. If you’ve ever been to an office and then gone for a jog on your lunch break, you should already be quite familiar with Jabra and…
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