Year: 2022

Zac Efron knows better than to play with fire in first Firestarter trailer

In a new adaptation of Stephen King’s classic thriller from the producers of The Invisible Man, Firestarter tells of a girl with extraordinary pyrokinetic powers fighting to protect her family and herself from sinister forces that seek to capture and control her. For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron; Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile;…

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Win a Suunto 7 Titanium worth $699 so you can nail those fitness goals in 2022

A smartwatch and fitness tracker is one of the most essential pieces of tech you can own in 2022. No doubt you’ve been trying to unleash some pent up motivation, getting out and about to nail those fitness goals this year. Tracking your activity is the best way to do that nowadays, using tech to…

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Jordan Peele’s mysterious Nope trailer asks “What’s a bad miracle?”

Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.  The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice)…

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The nightmare begins in latest Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer

A new dimension of Strange is upon us. With Spider-Man: No Way Home STILL going strong at the global box office, the Marvel hype for the anticipated Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is at an all-time high, with Sam Raimi‘s sequel seemingly looking to pick up where Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Strange left off. A…

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Book Review: Vanessa Len’s Only a Monster is YA at its very best

Melbourne’s Vanessa Len takes all the tropes you know and love and manages to make them feel new and exciting in her debut novel Only a Monster. This urban fantasy adventure features enemies-to-lovers romance, a hidden magical underworld, time travel, hot monster boys, and a mysterious monster king surrounded by a frightening monster court. The…

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Zal & Ardor

Album Review: Zeal & Ardor’s new self-titled LP is the genre mashup you didn’t know you needed

There are very few bands that can take diverse elements from a wealth of musical styles and blend them in a way that creates something new and compelling. Swiss experimental metal duo Zeal & Ardor, consisting of frontman and multi-instrumentalist Manuel Gagneux and drummer Marco Von Allmen, are one of them. Their self-titled third studio…

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Live Review: Pond – Fremantle Arts Centre (11.02.22)

WA-based psychedelic rockers Pond opened the Perth Festival at the wondrous Fremantle Arts Centre on Friday night in front of a gig-starved audience on a glorious late summer’s evening. Pond are much more than a Kmart version of Tame Impala and they showcased that to their tune-thirsty audience, with a fun and groovy display that…

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The Jungle Giants

Photo Gallery: The Jungle Giants + Bag Raiders + Lazy Wax – Thebarton Theatre (11.02.22)

The Jungle Giants hit Thebarton Theatre like a breath of fresh air considering the reduced number of shows in recent times. Opening with some older favourites, before showcasing their latest album Love Signs, the audience were as energetic as COVID restrictions would allow. Bag Raiders and LazyWax warmed up the proceedings with dance and house…

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Live Review: Seth Sentry’s Brisbane return with Skrub was well worth the wait

Melbourne rap legend Seth Sentry’s anticipated Brisbane leg of the Super Cool Tree House tour at The Zoo on Friday 11 February was more like a party than a gig. A night full of comic skits, fan participation, drinking contests and stagedives, the man definitely put on a show. Accompanied by the infamous DJ Sizzle…

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Film Review: Drive My Car is a purposeful drama that’s devastating in its beauty

Only weeks ago Drive My Car would have been considered the best film you’ve never heard of.  Now, with a deserving Best Picture Oscar nomination to its name, it’s hopeful that the same enthusiasm and appreciation that drove Parasite to glory two years ago can be transferred to this foreign-language gem. A Japanese drama that…

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Interview: Director Kiah Roache-Turner and Wyrmwood Apocalypse star Luke McKenzie on the making of their zombie sequel

The idea of making a movie about a viral outbreak during a pandemic is a form of irony that was not lost on director Kiah Roache-Turner or star Luke McKenzie when filming Wyrmwood Apocalypse, but as on the nose it may have been, it was perfectly in tune with the embracement they felt when leaning…

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Gesticulations

The Existence Of My Bane: Gesticulations take us through their new album, track by track

The Existence Of My Bane is the third album in less than a year from Gesticulations. It follows on from Sense of Purgency and Threadbare which were released in 2021. Gesticulations is fronted by Graham Ashton (The Shambolics and Way Cool Jnr) and he seems to have a never-ending pool of ideas. He has again teamed up with collaborator…

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Film Review: I Want You Back is a simplistic, yet enjoyable rom-com bolstered by Charlie Day and Jenny Slate

With the recent release of Marry Me reminding us that not all romantic comedies have to be relegated to the throw-away click-throughs of a streaming platform (I’m looking at you Netflix), I Want You Back decides to brazenly prove that a quality entrant to the genre can be released to a service – in this…

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Fletcher Gull

Fletcher Gull takes us on an illustrated deep dive into Ancient History Shares A Knowing Smile

Last week Melbourne indie singer/songwriter Fletcher Gull released his sophomore EP, Ancient History Shares A Knowing Smile. The phrase was apparently on a t-shirt and brought a wry smile to the creative artist. We have been watching his progress keenly and was crushing on one of the tracks from the EP when it was released late…

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New Music Discoveries 11th Feb: Jack Carty, Sharon Van Etten and more

This week brings with it another ten additions to our Discovery playlist; including two exclusive premieres. Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Jack Carty‘s new single “Dragnet”, which sees him collaborate with Georgia Mooney, takes out the Track of the Week slot. About “Dragnet”, Jack says it’s “an anti-love song inspired by past infatuations that, on reflection, were superficial flights of…

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Interview: Nervous Light talk debut EP, a secret video and being ‘elder emos’

Brisbane experimental post-hardcore trio Nervous Light are ready to take on 2022 with their hearts on their sleeves and eyes on the prize. The emo punk lads released their awaited debut EP, Bury What’s Left of My Heart in Your Backyard, independently on 4 February. If the title alone wasn’t enough to pull you in,…

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Gourmet Life has your valentines day picnic plans sorted this weekend

Purveyors of taste and decadence, Gourmet Life, are playing it smart ahead of Valentine’s Day this year. The popular online gourmet grocer has curated its top-shelf products into three different Valentine’s Day packs for couples planning to picnic this weekend, offering up what is easily some of the ritziest packs around. From fresh black truffle…

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Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2022: 5 gifts that anyone would love

Just because Christmas is in the rear-view, doesn’t mean you get a break when it comes to the year’s most notable gift-giving occasions. Valentine’s Day may have lost some of its allure over the years, with an ever-evolving culture where the majority is moving away from the cheaply marketed idea of having a day dedicated…

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Here’s every major announcement from today’s Nintendo Direct

This morning’s Nintendo Direct showcase covered a bunch of new announcements for Nintendo fans. If you missed out, however, allow us to unwrap things for you below. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Houses returns as a Musou-style hack-and-slash experience, arriving on Nintendo Switch June 24, 2022. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp…

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Interview: Sarah Silverman, Michelle Buteau and Marry Me director Kat Coiro on crafting the romantic comedy and working with “the real” Jennifer Lopez

In addition to hearing the principle cast of Marry Me discuss the making of the film, Peter Gray chatted one on one with stars Sarah Silverman, Michelle Buteau, and director Kat Coiro. In between being serenaded by the two comediennes, he discussed working with Jennifer Lopez, the Anaconda reunion we didn’t know we needed with…

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Interview: Mark Williams on directing Blacklight with Liam Neeson and filming in Australia

Ever since 2008’s Taken reorganised Liam Neeson‘s career, the actor has embraced his action persona and, almost annually, kept his fans satiated with each subsequent outing. His latest release is Blacklight, a slightly more grounded action film where he stars as FBI operative Travis Block who uncovers a conspiracy within his own agency.  To coincide…

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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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