Year: 2021

Interview: Actors & Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Queensland President Michael Balk on supporting the arts industry; “Right now we need people to help the people that usually help everyone else”

During COVID-19 the Actors & Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Queensland received an unprecedented number of calls for help, with requests for assistance increasing by 720% since March 2020. Despite being the most difficult year in the Fund’s 46 years history, the charity was able to meet each and every single request for assistance from people…

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Genshin Impact

7 Things You Should Know Before Starting Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact has taken the gaming world by storm, but what exactly is it? Genshin Impact is an open-world, action, massively multiplayer role-playing game by Chinese developer, Mihoyo. In the year since its release, it’s become the career launchpad for a huge number of streamers and YouTubers. It’s also given players the ability to explore…

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Win 1 of 5 Blu-ray copies of Free Guy starring Ryan Reynolds

Make it a great day by adding Free Guy to your movie collection!  20th Century Studios’ action-comedy Free Guy debuts on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and streaming on Disney+ on September 29, and to celebrate the release we have 5 Blu-ray copies up for grabs! A bank teller (Ryan Reynolds) who discovers he is actually a background…

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Interview: Moneyboys director CB Yi on overcoming obstacles and the inspiration behind his visual aesthetic

As the Taiwan Film Festival in Australia continues to screen virtually for the country, our own Peter Gray contacted director CB Yi, whose film Moneyboys (read our review here) has been one of the festival’s premiere titles, to discuss the film’s origins and tackling the risky subject matter. How did the project originate? When I…

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Smoking Martha

Guest Playlist: The rock classics that Brisbane’s Smoking Martha simply can’t go past

Brisbane rockers Smoking Martha recently released the high-octane “Liquid Sunshine”. With heavy riffs and the smoky powerful vocals of Natasha Doherty, it’s another confident step forward for the quartet that have been making waves in the Sunshine State. Featuring blistering guitars and pounding drums, the vocals keep this fast-moving amped-up ball of energy in its lane….

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The Finks

Track by Track: The Finks talk us through The moment the world rushed in

The Finks is the musical project for Melbourne songwriter Oliver Mestitz. Today he is releasing his six-track EP, The moment the world rushed in. This is a beautifully textured and delicate collection of songs. Five of the six tracks are instrumentals, with the title track containing vocals. The songs on the EP are a mix…

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Nintendo

A Brief Ode to Nintendo On Its 132nd Birthday

Nintendo has come a long, long way from its humble beginnings as a playing card company in Kyoto, Japan, to a video game behemoth. One that is near and dear to many gamers worldwide. Like a lot of you reading this piece, you probably grew up playing a Nintendo game. Whether it was Zelda or…

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Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood

Gallery: The art of The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood

If you can look at this Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood concept art and not hear the Skyrim theme, you might be fibbing. Bethesda’s popular MMORPG is enjoying something of a golden age. The return of daedric lord Mehrunes Dagon has drawn many old and relapsed fans back into the fold. The latest in a string…

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The Stars Beyond The Stone

Book Review: Bonnie Wynne’s stellar The Price of Magic continues with The Stars Beyond the Stone

Life seems to have finally slowed for Gwyn. After the battle with Molech Suun, the Clockwork City is in ruins and Gwyn, reluctantly, is one of the figureheads of the movement to rebuild it. But she can’t shake the feeling that her old master Faolan is still alive. And with Scions to destroy and a dangerous…

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Ruby Fields

Album of the Week: Ruby Fields – Been Doin’ It For A Bit (2021 LP)

It’s no surprise at all that Ruby Fields‘ debut album, Been Doin’ It For A Bit, sounds exactly like, well, Ruby Fields. Seemingly a million years in the making, the album is everything that Fields has built her name around and then some. A genuinely fun and charismatically easy listen, Been Doin’ It For A…

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Switch OLED

Where to see Friday’s Nintendo Direct in Australian times

If you’re hunting for where you can see this week’s Nintendo Direct in Australian times, look no further. The tradition of the late-September Nintendo Direct broadcast lives on. Nintendo announced its next direct-to-consumer broadcast is coming tomorrow — Friday, September 24, 2021. Nintendo said on socials that the broadcast will run for around 40 minutes….

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K Mak

Exclusive Video Premiere: K Mak “It’s You” (2021)

Singer/songwriter K Mak creates vivid electropop and recently dropped her sophomore single, “It’s You”. K Mak, the moniker for classically trained Kathryn McKee integrates strings with electronic beats, with the result being a heady mix of emotive pop. We are thrilled today to be premiering the video for this track, ahead of her debut album. About…

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Mad Women's Ball

The Mad Women’s Ball is a satisfying hybrid tale of psychological drama and friendship: TIFF 2021

Set in 19th century France, The Mad Women’s Ball follows Eugenie (Lou de Laage), a young, wealthy lady of the manor who feels institutionalized within family and gender expectations. Her father expects her to be married off to a husband while she wants to travel, go on adventures and learn new things like her brother…

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Call of Duty Vanguard beta

Call of Duty: Vanguard Beta Impressions: Tone and tenor

It’s that military shooter end of the year again, and Call of Duty Vanguard is hot on the horizon. A franchise well known for its collection of action-packed World War 2 shooters has come full circle, as developer Sledgehammer Games have opted in to take Call of Duty: Vanguard back in time for an old…

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Balenciaga Fortnite

Balenciaga drops Fortnite fits in-game and IRL

Fortnite has partnered with luxury fashion label Balenciaga on a run of clothing both in-game and IRL. The collaboration includes updated (and highly fashionable) skins for fan-favourite characters Doggo, Ramirez, Knight, and Banshee. Certain skins are reactive and will change colour in concert with your actions during play. You can pick up each skin individually …

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You are not my mother

You Are Not My Mother is an extremely effective horror flick that blends filial drama and powerful frights: TIFF 2021 Review

You Are Not My Mother tells the story of Char (Hazel Doupe), a struggling teenager who is living a self-sheltered life, drifting through school with good grades despite the bullies, all while having to take care of her mother Angela (Carolyn Bracken) and grandmother (Ingrid Craige). Her relationship with her mother is distant, after a…

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Track of the Week: Foster feat. Chelsea Collins, “run away” (2021)

If you like your lazy summer vibes with a side of sharp lyrics and personal growth, you can’t go past the latest from Foster. “run away“, featuring Chelsea Collins, is our Track of the Week, and we think you’re going to love it! Hailing from a musical family and growing up in Nashville, it makes…

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Jem Cassar-Daley

Exclusive Video Premiere: Jem Cassar-Daley “Letting Go” (2021)

At only twenty years old, Brisbane’s Jem Cassar-Daley is impressing all with your powerful voice and magnetic stage presence.  She recently released her debut single, “Letting Go”, and we are thrilled today to be premiering the video for this outstanding first-up release. The track shows great maturity and has a beautiful upbeat vibe. The production…

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Wine Journey is Australia’s newest intrepid service bringing the world’s best regions to your door

Having a wine subscription service curated and deliver you new and exciting wines regularly has become one of the most popular ways to discover the local and international growing regions during lockdown. Although there are also similar services that have been popping up lately, again focused on curation but without locking people into any ongoing…

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Interview: David Arquette on wrestling, redemption, and surviving Scream; “I really wanted to find that balance of what’s human and what’s my personal struggle”.

The documentary You Cannot Kill David Arquette (read our review here) presents the titular actor in a manner many audiences will be unprepared for.  Opening himself up to the very masses that shamed him upon his attempt to infiltrate the world of wrestling, David Arquette‘s personal and professional struggles are laid out at the core…

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The Ghan has launched its first ever day-trip to Clare Valley

Australian icon The Ghan has been roaming Australia’s countryside for decades now, but for the first time ever the train will be leaving on a special epicurean adventure to the world-renowned Clare Valley. Straight from October 8, the single-day itinerary will be a complete food and wine-focused adventure, designed to showcase a new railway journey…

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Murina is an assured feature-length directorial debut from Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic: TIFF 2021 Review

Murina follows Julija (Gracija Filipovic), a 16-year old girl living with her parents on an island that many would consider to be a heavenly paradise. With an endless summer maintained by daily chores of fishing in beautiful vistas, it sounds like the perfect place to live. But underneath the façade lies something that is anything…

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iHeartWine is a new app showcasing independent winemakers and connecting them directly to drinkers

Smaller producers have been profoundly impacted these past two years as the devastating triple punch of bushfires, Chinese tariffs, and the global pandemic has shaken the local wine industry. I don’t even need to tell you important it is to support your favourite winemakers at a time like this, so the arrival of a new…

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Interview: Comedienne Emma Zammit on Waltzing Jimeoin; “He was the reason I wanted to do stand-up”

After 30 years of doing comedy all around Australia, famed comedian Jimeoin is finally embarking on a tour on his own terms.  With his new program Waltzing Jimeoin (screening now on the Ten network), the loveable larrikin is surrounding himself with some of the industry’s funniest performers and performing stand-up wherever the roads of Australia…

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Rita B

Rita B: My Top 5 favourite venues to play when touring Australia

Sydney singer/songwriter Rita B, recently released her second single of the year, the delightful “Travel Companion”. It’s a track that reflects the life of a modern-day troubadour, telling their story on the road as they tour the country. This beautifully stark yet vivid song should garner favour with fans of Stella Donnelly and Julia Jacklin….

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Whoop 4.0: Everything you need to know about the new digital fitness and health coach

Health-coaching fitness bands have been competing nicely with more specc’d out smartwatches for a few years now, and Whoop has been the main driver of that. It’s then no surprise that the next iteration in the company’s range, Whoop 4.0, is getting plenty of hype thanks to a heavy list of features helping boost value…

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Planning a Sydney picnic? East 33 are now offering their spring season oysters fresh from the farm to your door

Right now, with relaxed restrictions regarding small outdoor gatherings, Sydneysiders have one thing on their mind. Picnics. And some of the city’s best restaurants are moving quickly to adapt, introducing picnic hampers, having bake sales, and putting together produce to make picnic planning that much easier. Although not much can rival getting produce direct from…

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This $150 limited edition food box proves Porcine is one of the best new restaurants in Sydney

With Shane Delia’s recently launched Providoor Sydney has been going off lately, locked-down Sydneysiders have been getting used to getting food boxes delivered from some of the city’s best restaurants. Pre-proportioned ingredients are all ready to cook up into a hearty, restaurant-quality meal. It was only a matter of time before other restaurants hopped onto…

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Concrete Surfers

Track by Track: Brisbane’s Concrete Surfers take a deep dive into their Calamities EP

Brisbane rockers Concrete Surfers today dropped their latest EP, Calamities, a well-crafted four-track collection of high-octane surf-rock. With grungy vocals, a driving beat and songs addressing issues that relate to the youth of Australia, it’s another winner from the boys from Brisbane. They live-tracked the EP, capturing the energy of their renowned live shows. It’s…

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NBA 2K22

NBA 2K22 Review: Consistency, and the art of being a team player

NBA 2K22 couldn’t have arrived at a better time. It’s been a rough couple of seasons for the NBA. A global pandemic, postponed games, bubble playoffs, shortened seasons and play-in tournaments have charted a new future for the sport. The lone beacon of consistency: that the NBA 2K franchise will smash out its annual instalment,…

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