Month: February 2022

Film Review: Blacklight opts for an emotional and political edge over standard action thrills

It’s almost hard to believe there was a time before Liam Neeson took an almost exclusive stance on the midrange-budgeted actioner where his character, usually an operative in some form or another, possessed enough of a skillset to inflict pain on an interchangeable villain.  It’s been the actor’s go-to for almost 15 years, and whilst…

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William Crighton

Album of the Week: William Crighton’s Water and Dust cements him as one of Australia’s finest artists

There’s always something fun about artists throwing it back to a time where music was nothing more than stories, vocals, guitar and percussion. Here on his third album, Wiradjuri Country artist William Crighton is all guns blazing as he takes the listener into his mind and experiences with Water and Dust; a vast and sprawling release that…

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Interview: Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson and Maluma on Marry Me; “There are going to be so many people from Latin America that will feel attached to this movie”

Releasing in Australian cinemas today – just in time for the Valentine’s season – Marry Me is the latest romantic comedy from Jennifer Lopez, with the global icon starring as a pop singer who suffers a public humiliation and, on a leap of faith, marries a stranger on an impulsive whim.  After saying “I Do”…

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Beautiful Little Fools

Book Review: Heroines of a Jazz Age classic speak up in Jillian Cantor’s Beautiful Little Fools

“I hope she’ll be a fool– that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” So says Daisy Buchanan, the glamorous but fickle love interest in F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s classic novel The Great Gatsby. She’s talking about her young daughter, Pamela, who rarely appears on the page in the original…

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Wild Dogs

“The way it feels, the way it smells, and the way it sounds”: Michael Trant talks about his new thriller Wild Dogs

Michael Trant is a WA country boy who now resides in Perth after a variety of careers ranging from farmer, marine draftsman, pastoralist, and FIFO pot washer. He writes with an authentic rural voice, drawing on his experiences to open readers to places and lifestyles foreign to many. Trent is passionate about farming, writing and…

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William Crighton

Exclusive Video Premiere: William Crighton “Stand” (2022)

We have a very special premiere today, the video for the track “Stand” from the third album, Water and Dust, to be released tomorrow by William Crighton. It beautifully captures the essence of a William Crighton show. He is without a doubt one of the most authentic and dynamic storytellers and singer/songwriters in the country…

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Film Review: Marry Me basks in the glow of Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson’s warm chemistry

Prior to Jennifer Lopez becoming the global icon she’s considered today, her path as an actress was one that oft travelled in directions not expected.  Sure, now we align her with romantic comedies such as The Wedding Planner, Maid In Manhattan and Second Act, but some 20-odd years ago, before she was synonymous with that…

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A Unique Bite: How Wyrmwood: Apocalypse sets itself apart from the zombie pack – behind the scenes with Luke McKenzie

Halfway through 2021, the AU review was invited to visit the set of Wyrmwood: Apocalypse which was being filmed under strict COVID-19 regulations in the outskirts of Sydney. It’s the long-awaited big-budget sequel to Australia’s “most pirated film” Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, a title the team are proud to boast about, which was released…

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NewDad

Guest Playlist: NewDad share their essential Irish indie tracks

NewDad, the indie rockers from Galway in Ireland, have just dropped Banshee, their latest EP. This follows on from their debut EP, Waves, which dropped last year. The band may only be relatively young, but they are one of those acts with a bullet against their name, with a speedy trajectory in store for them….

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Dream Destinations: Hiking the picture perfect Joffre Lakes in British Columbia, Canada

You’d be forgiven for thinking the photo above is taken in the famed blue waters of Lake Louise in Banff, Alberta. It is, after all, one of Canada’s most photographed destinations. Alas, it is not alone in its regal beauty. Sitting three hours or so north of Vancouver, just past Whistler and Pemberton, the Joffre…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Tied Down “Slow” (2022)

We keep saying it, but Western Australia continues to deliver outstanding musical artists. We are stoked today to be premiering “Slow”, from the explosive and energetic Tied Down. The boys have melded a quixotic blend of punk, rap and indie-rock into their own unique sound. “Slow” is a track packed with emotion to address the…

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Win a double in-season pass to see Blacklight starring Liam Neeson

Thanks to Rialto Distribution we have 5 double passes (Admit 2) to give away for the upcoming release of Blacklight, starring Liam Neeson, set for release in cinemas from February 10th, 2022. Travis Block is a government operative coming to terms with his shadowy past. When he discovers a plot targeting U.S. citizens, Block finds…

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Film Review: Death on the Nile is a campy mystery that succeeds as a knowingly melodramatic affair

Whilst most films set for release over the last two years were understandably shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenneth Branagh‘s Death on the Nile has been more than just a casualty of coronavirus.  Though its initial late 2020 release was pulled due to the ongoing pandemic – and industry insiders spooked by Tenet‘s “underperformance” –…

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The 2022 Furphy Literary Award opens for submissions

Pens/keyboards at the ready – the 2022 Furphy Literary Award has opened for submissions! Named for Joseph Furphy, author of the 1903 Aussie classic, Such Is Life, and “furphies” – the yarns spun on the back of Furphy water carts during World War One – the award celebrates writing with a distinctly Australian focus. Writers…

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Film Review: Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a nostalgic look at all those sunny days

For most people, the opening chords to Sesame Street theme song “Sunny Days” will bring back a surge of memories. Sesame Street recently celebrated its golden anniversary, and was a staple for many growing up. The revolutionary kids’ show has already inspired many documentaries, including Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days and the puppeteer-focused…

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Theatre Review: The Wedding Singer keeps the party going with a dazzling encore season

An 80s-lover’s neon-filled fantasy, come to life! After selling out performances across Broadway and the UK, and lighting up the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne in 2021, The Wedding Singer brings its neon lights, flashy perms and dazzling choreography to The Arts Centre’s State Theatre – updating the already brilliant performance with spectacular new sets and…

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The Wedding Singer

Calling all WA writers: the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award is open for entries!

Submissions for the 2022 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award opened late last week, inviting WA authors to submit their manuscript for a chance to win $15,000 and a publishing contract. Writers have until midnight March 20th to put their work forward, so if you’re thinking about it, better move quickly! Sponsored by the City of…

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Grand Theft Auto V on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S gets new release date

A release date for the next-gen version of Grand Theft Auto V has been revealed. Rockstar Games confirmed this morning that this version will now be released on 15 March 2022. While this date seems as though it’s right around the corner, the game had experienced a minimal delay, from 11 November 2021. “With the GTAV community stronger…

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Rockstar Games confirms next Grand Theft Auto game is in active development

With developer Rockstar Games’ historic run of both support and popularity for Grand Theft Auto V, many many have given up on expectations of a new iteration in the works. But the day has come. Rockstar Games has officially announced it is indeed working on the next game in the series, confirming the game is…

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Pokémon Legends: Arceus Review: A childhood dream come true

When Pokémon Legends: Arceus was first announced, I must admit that I was somewhat skeptical about it. What could The Pokémon Company and Game Freak possibly do with the Sinnoh region that we haven’t already learned by now? Then, more and more information started to come out, and I became more and more hooked on…

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Ghostwire: Tokyo Preview: Souls to save

If we knew very little about Ghostwire: Tokyo up until this week, the tables have truly turned. We got the chance to check out 30 minutes of gameplay last month, and our impressions sent us through a loophole of spooky enemies, whacky finger guns, and a soul-saving mission that sends you throughout the hollow streets…

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Film Review: Moonfall is an explicable cluster of sci-fi nonsense

Known as the “master of disaster”, due to his penchant for predominantly large-scale destructive narratives, director Roland Emmerich has, once again, assembled an abundance of special effects, overt exposition, and stock standard human characters for his latest suspension of disbelief – Moonfall. Whilst his varied directorial career is littered with some genuine genre gems –…

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Filming a zombie sequel in a pandemic: Wyrmwood: Apocalypse – behind the scenes with Luke McKenzie

Halfway through 2021, the AU review was invited to visit the set of Wyrmwood: Apocalypse which was being filmed under strict COVID-19 regulations in the outskirts of Sydney. It’s the long-awaited big-budget sequel to Australia’s “most pirated film” Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, a title the team are proud to boast about, which was released…

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Urthboy

Is it time Western Sydney music receives the respect it deserves?

With a population of approximately 6 million people, Sydney is the largest city of Australia. And just like every other city in the country, Sydney has many suburbs, cultures, sub-cultures, communities and milieus that make it culturally and artistically rich. The most important, and often overlooked, is Western Sydney. Always seen as the poorer and…

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The Terrys

New Music Discoveries 4th February: The Terrys, Haiku Hands, Calexico and more

We’re welcoming in the month of February by adding ten new tracks to our Discovery Playlist, including one exclusive premiere. This week our Track of the Week belongs to Gerringong surf-rockers The Terrys with their new single “IDK”. “IDK” is classic Terrys. It’s fun, it’s punchy and it’s the perfect end to the week. Of…

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Unwrapping PlayStation’s State of Play Gran Turismo 7 showcase

With just over a month to go until the release of Gran Turismo 7, PlayStation’s first State of Play stream for the year decided to spend an entire 30 minutes devoted to the racing sim. With an admittedly impressive amount of things to unpack in such a short amount of time, one thing is clear;…

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SXSW Festival 2022 Line-up Highlights: The Movies We Are Excited About

The South By Southwest Festival has announced its 2022 Film Festival slate for its 29th edition, with this year’s acclaimed program being a largely in-person event, with select titles being offered online.  Running from March 11th to the 20th, the 2022 program will include 99 features, including 76 World Premieres, 4 International Premieres, 4 North…

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Film Review: Here Out West shows a rich tapestry of multicultural Australia that we rarely get to see on-screen

Set in present-day Western Sydney, Here Out West starts off following the story of a grandmother, who is visiting her daughter who had just given birth. The grandmother is stuck with babysitting an 8-year old neighbour and they both make a trip to the hospital. However, the relationship between the grandmother and the daughter is…

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Bad Moon Born

Sydney’s Bad Moon Born share their five favourite Aussie hard-rock bands

Sydney hard-rock outfit Bad Moon Born, have recently dropped the gentle and poignant track, “Light Leaves the Day”. It’s a beautiful counterpoint to their heavier songs, and will be a welcome addition to their setlists. It addresses Jordan Von Grae’s (singer and lyricist) struggles with addiction and the path he has taken to sobriety. It’s heartfelt,…

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Film Review: Jackass Forever‘s cringe-inducing lunacy caters to a fanbase who know exactly what they’re getting

They say that with ageing comes the idea of wisdom.  Whoever stated such a bumper sticker statement though clearly hadn’t met the Jackass crew, a group of middle-aged men old enough to know better, but too famous to care. A reality slapstick comedy show that heavily relied on its shock value – garnered either through…

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