Year: 2023

Reality is an unnerving reminder of the precarious times we live in: Sydney Film Festival Review

Described as a “verbatim description” of what happened to Reality Winner (yes, that’s an actual name), an American Air Force veteran, who was suspected of leaking classified government information to the media while she was working as a translator with top-secret security clearance in June 0f 2017, Tina Satter‘s stage play “Is This A Room”…

Read more

Interview: Sasha Calle on the importance of representation in playing Supergirl in The Flash

As The Flash speeds into cinemas around the world this week (you can read our review here), where the titular superhero uses his powers to alter the events of his past, changing the course of the very future he once knew, we’re entering a new dawn of DC superheroes – including none other than Supergirl!…

Read more
Liquid Time

Exclusive EP Premiere: Liquid Time – Working Nights (2023 EP)

Sydney’s northern beaches seems to be a breeding ground for bands that cross genres. The quintet Liquid Time is another fine example of a band that has its foot in many camps. They effortlessly float between psych-rock, nu-disco and indie surf-rock. They have recently dropped two fabulous singles, “Forever” and “Seeing Green”. Tomorrow they release…

Read more

Album Review: Jack River’s Endless Summer takes listeners on a breathtaking, sun-drenched journey

Get ready to embark on a sun-soaked journey through the vibrant soundscape of Jack River‘s highly anticipated latest album, Endless Summer. Set to be released on June 16th, this musical gem encapsulates a delightful fusion of psychedelic waves and captivating melodies that will undoubtedly leave you craving more. Holly Rankin, the ingenious Australian artist behind…

Read more

Chevalier; Kelvin Harrison Jr dominates serviceable period drama with swagger and charm: Sydney Film Festival Review

A historical figure whose achievements are all the more remarkable due to the obstacles faced as the son of a white father and black mother, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is highlighted, but not quite as richly celebrated in Stephen Williams‘s Chevalier. And given the extraordinary details of his life story, it’s a shame that…

Read more

Live Review: Laufey transfixed her Oxford Art Factory crowd in Sydney

Who is Laufey? Well, a simple search will reveal that they are a figure in Norse mythology and the mother of Loki. But in reality, it is the first name of an Icelandic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist that has brought the world of jazz, bossa-nova and to a whole new generation. She has delivered her jazz-infused…

Read more

Everything announced at Ubisoft Forward 2023

Summer Games Fest 2023 is charging forward with a huge presentation from Ubisoft covering games and TV shows from the studio for the next 12 months. While most of the focus was on Avatar : Frontiers of Pandora, there were quite a few surprises here as well. We have been patiently waiting (since yesterday!) for…

Read more

Halsey and SUGA team up for Diablo 4 anthem

Halsey has announced her team-up with BTS artist SUGA, to celebrate the release of Diablo 4 with their new anthem, Lilith. Based on Diablo 4’s new villain, this track, along with an official video clip, truly sums up the tone of the game, while Halsey herself seemingly transitions into Lilith throughout the video. She announced…

Read more

Game Review: Diablo 4 is the best the series has ever been

I had never really played much of the Diablo series. While I had played each of them in some way or at some point in my life, they’ve never really stuck with me. Be it the ageing mechanics and visuals of Diablo and Diablo II on the PC, to the early days of Diablo III,…

Read more

Catching Dust is a potent, uneasy thriller enhanced by an arresting Jai Courtney: Tribeca Film Festival Review

There’s a palpable sense of unrest that litters the core of Catching Dust, Stuart Gatt‘s feature debut that speaks to one woman’s sense of autonomy and choosing between the devil she knows and that she doesn’t. The woman in question is Geena (Erin Moriarty), whose isolated Texas desert locale is the result of her violent…

Read more

Theatre Review: Driftwood the Musical presents a timeless story of love, courage and survival

It’s an exciting time for the Australian arts when we get to see an ambitious, personal, and original Australian musical take the stage. Driftwood the Musical presents a captivating tale of hope and perseverance which delves into poignant themes involving the Holocaust, inter-generational trauma, sacrifices in times of war, and the perseverance of art. Created,…

Read more
Frente

Photo Gallery: Frente presents Marvin the Album 30th Anniversary – The Gov, Adelaide (09.06.23)

It’s been 30 years since Frente released the platinum winning album Marvin the Album. Currently they are touring the album at selected venues around Australia. We caught them at the Gov in Adelaide, supported by Kate Pomery. This folk singer from Kuarna land, whose latest single “Cardiologist” connected well with the audience. She has an…

Read more

Everything announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023

Summer Game Fest 2023 continues. This time though, it’s Xbox’s turn to take the floor. It’s quite a packed showcase once again, with plenty of hyped and unique releases either revealed or confirmed to be right around the corner. So sit tight. We’re running through everything announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023. A New…

Read more

The New Boy tackles religion and colonisation with an allegorical mentality: Sydney Film Festival Review

The themes tackled throughout Warwick Thornton‘s The New Boy are presented with symbolic, almost-magical and allegorical physicality.  And though its 1940’s Australian setting lends interesting conversation to its religious outlay and the clashing of beliefs at the time, the film itself doesn’t quite contain the spark needed to earn true impact; though it’s not for…

Read more

Past Lives is an impeccable drama of human connection and quiet complexity: Sydney Film Festival Review

Despite the simple premise of Celine Song‘s Past Lives and its romantic comedy connotations, the film is anything but.  Burning slow and composing its emotions until it knows when to release them in a flood of responsive passion, Song’s impeccable debut is a drama of humanism and quiet complexity. Set over the span of 24…

Read more

Game Review: Company of Heroes 3 provides a solid blend of strategy and intensity

Company of Heroes 3 marches forward onto consoles, bringing with it a wealth of content and heart-pounding gameplay. Developed by Relic Entertainment, this WWII real-time strategy game sets out to capture the essence of war while delivering an engaging experience for players. Even though the campaigns have their flaws, the multiplayer matches and skirmishes shine…

Read more

Interview: Writer/director Bill Oliver on Tribeca drama Our Son; “With gay marriage I think there’s a little bit of an expectation to be perfect.”

Premiering at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, Bill Oliver‘s Our Son is where drama meets mindfulness as audiences explore contemporary relationships between two men (played by Luke Evans and Billy Porter) trying to make their way in the world of parenting their child in the aftermath of their separation. This story unabashedly unfolds with the…

Read more

Our Son details the dissolution of a marriage with a sense of wit and wisdom: Tribeca Film Festival Review

Whilst the breakdown of a marriage and the impending custody battle that will take place as to whose time favours the child in question has been a reliable staple for cinematic drama over the years – most recently displayed in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story and perhaps most famously in 1979’s Kramer vs. Kramer – queer…

Read more

I Like Movies celebrates the film bro, video store rentals and auteur filmmakers with a genuine gaze: Sydney Film Festival Review

In this era of streaming taking priority (unfortunately), there’s a whole generation of movie watchers – if they aren’t on their phone during said watch – who are unaware of just how special a time the video store truly was.  I Like Movies indulges in that time. Set amongst the backdrop of teen angst, Blockbuster…

Read more

Sisu is visually exciting, shamelessly playful, and always, always unpredictable: Sydney Film Festival Review

There’s both a sense of adhering to the temperaments of action films gone by and embracing the current and future state of the genre present in Jalmari Helander‘s Sisu. Matching its dark sense of humour (and I mean dark) with a violently bloody mentality (and I mean bloody!), Sisu manages to present the simplest of…

Read more

Asteroid City; Wes Anderson’s visually lush comedy is heavy on star wattage, but light on substance: Sydney Film Festival Review

Another Wes Anderson creation, where the sheer cast alone is unfathomable in their collective talent and the twee is as twee as can be, Asteroid City, with its distinct colour pallet and deadpan performances, won’t convert any viewers over to the Wes way of watching, but those that have stuck with the auteur through his…

Read more

Game Review: Street Fighter 6 is a stellar return to form

I had spent the past couple of weeks wondering why it’s been a while since I had played a Street Fighter game. And then I remembered why. I loved Street Fighter 4 when it was released all those years ago. It was refined, fun and accessible. But Street Fighter 5 was a different story. Sure,…

Read more

Dog Cosplay meets Final Fantasy XVI at Sydney’s Darlo Bar

Final Fantasy XVI is celebrating things a little differently leading up to its June 22 launch, by celebrating our beloved best doggo friends. The event will be known as Paws of Valisthea, and look to bring dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes together at Sydney’s Darlo Bar on the 17th of June, from 10:00…

Read more

Everything announced at Summer Game Fest 2023

That time has rolled around yet again. With the undeniably disappointing cancellation of E3 2023, we can take solace that game-related announcements are still hitting fast and strong, with Geoff Keighley’s yearly show providing the goods once again. There’s a bunch to unpack here, so buckle up and keep your head on a swivel. We’re…

Read more

Photo Gallery: The Waifs + Mama Kin Spender – Northcote Theatre, Melbourne (08.06.23)

The Waifs graced Northcote Theatre for their Up All Nights 20th Anniversary Tour, and absolutely brought the house down with nostalgic tunes and reflective stories to match. Eloise was there to capture the joy of the night. Mama Kin Spender opened the night, a playful joint venture between Mama Kin and Dingo Spender. The two artists complimented…

Read more

Photo Gallery: The Damned + The Neptune Power Federation – Metro Theatre, Sydney (08.06.23)

On a cold midweek gig legendary UK punk band The Damned smashed up Sydney’s Metro Theatre. Supported by the colossal power of The Neptune Power Foundation fronted by Imperial Priestess Screaming Loz Sutch. Pete Dovgan was there to capture the dark night.  

Read more

Scrapper is an impossibly charming dramedy made all the more so by its central performances: Sydney Film Festival Review

Whilst it’s easy to pick how Scrapper – Charlotte Regan‘s impossibly charming comedy/drama – will end when all is said and done, the central performances from newcomer Lola Campbell and Harris Dickinson as a feisty, self-reliant 12-year-old and her man-child father, respectively, are what keeps the quirky narrative continually engaging. It’s one of those “message”…

Read more

Late Night With the Devil has occasionally nasty, always unbridled fun with the “found footage” horror genre: Sydney Film Festival Review

“Before we continue I’d like to apologize to anyone who might be upset or offended by what you saw before the break. It’s not every day you see a demonic possession on live television.” Not the most typical sentence you’d expect to hear from a late night host, but such is the statement made by…

Read more

New Music Discoveries 9th June: Grievous Bodily Calm, PJ Harvey, Shen Panthers and more

Another ten songs have been added to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music this week, including one we premiered the music video for. Our Track of the Week is “Cascades” from Boorloo/Perth experimental jazz quintet Grievous Bodily Calm. “Cascades” is the title track from their forthcoming EP, which is due for release later…

Read more

Carmen is a haunting and isolated tale that will entrance with its unconventional tempo: Sydney Film Festival Review

Though the title of Benjamin Millepied‘s feature directorial debut Carmen – the dancer-turned filmmaker having cut his teeth on short films and music videos – suggests a connection to Georges Bizet‘s French opera of the same name, his script – co-written with Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Loïc Barrere – only mildly references its narrative mentality and…

Read more