Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.
It’s finally back! The long and torturous wait between seasons is a testament to how deeply involved the world has become in the Game of Thrones universe. The series’ fourth season kicked off with the mostly excellent ‘Two Swords,’ doing a nice job of making sure we’re up to speed while also setting up some…
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Winter is coming! Winter is coming! These are words that at least one person you know – if not everyone you know and yourself included – are very excited to hear. That’s because the ridiculously popular Game of Thrones will be premiering its highly anticipated fourth season Sunday night in the USA – which is…
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All that character development wasn’t building up to any big, heartbreaking deaths as many expected. Instead, the Walking Dead crew decided that Season 4’s finale was best used to further the nuanced character arcs and set up a terrifying Season 5. ‘A’ led us through two big sequences, and took it’s time getting through each….
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Running across four days in Sydney next month, the World Movies Secret Cinema is one of the film season’s most anticipated events. We caught up with Chris Keely, general manager of the event to talk about its origins, how they put each season together and much more: How did the concept for World Movies Secret…
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‘Us’ had one job and it was to put at least some of the splintered survivors onto the same trajectory. As such, we were given a mildly touching reunion with Glenn and Maggie, preceded by a showing of just how desperate Glenn can get; desperate enough to wander into a dark cave with an unknown…
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The reviews have been so particularly harsh for I, Frankenstein that you would expect to actually enjoy the film; having your standards dropped so low that surely semi-competent performances by Aaron Eckhart; and Bill Nighy could be enough to derive at least some satisfaction. Right? Wrong. The film is as unimpressive as you’ve probably already…
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It had to be done, right? ‘The Grove’ didn’t move the plot along at all, opting again for a stand-alone type episode in similar fashion to Beth and Daryl’s alcohol-driven journey in ‘Still.’ The third to last episode of season four took it’s time to slowly crush us with one of the most intense episodes…
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The highly reputable Sydney-based company Fresh Catering have been invited back by Opera Australia – after successful partnerships during Carmen and La Traviata – and given the massive task of creating an exquisite dining menu for this year’s Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: Madama Butterfly (which runs from March 21 to April 14 at Fleet…
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So Maggie wants to go one way; Sasha wants to go the other way; and Bob is just happy that he isn’t left alone – as he has been two times prior to joining the group. ‘Alone’ presents us with a group that has less ties to each other than the other groups; splintered together…
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How much you will enjoy 300: Rise of an Empire really depends on how you felt about the first film. While the first 300 was mildly engaging with its plot, thoroughly entertaining with its action, and awesome with its effects, our second outing – complete with new director Noam Murro – is too excessive to…
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With five episodes left, ‘Still’ took a bit of a time-out to redefine two characters we never expected would interact on anything more than a superficial level. When the prison walls came tumbling down and everyone split up, Daryl and Beth was the least likely duo. Fans worried that the writers were messing up; pairing…
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‘Claimed’ wasn’t all about our three new characters as most would have expected; instead, Rick’s plight was the highlight of this episode The Walking Dead. In continuing the bleak prospects that come with separation – and both the human and zombie threat that doesn’t allow for any sort of rest – we were split between…
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With the writers seemingly placing character development first, ‘Inmates’ continues the artful slow-burn that worked so well in ‘Alive,’ but this time they have four disparate storylines to play around with. Despite multiple arcs not working so well in previous seasons, ‘Inmates’ handles the situation quite nicely, patching each tale together with not-so-subtle easter eggs,…
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Stylish and brutal, Lone Survivor refuses to hold your hand during its harrowing 121 minutes, while you gasp and squirm at the incredibly uncomfortable fate of four U.S Soldiers deployed in the lonely mountains of Afghanistan. Based on the true story of 2005’s failed Operation Red Wings, this film handles the unquestionable dangers of Navy…
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Last season The Walking Dead kicked off their second half of season 3 by introducing Tyreese, a character which hasn’t yet made the impact he does in the comics, and hasn’t yet been developed properly. Despite this, it was still a big moment in the series and kicked the mid-season off with a finale-quality feel….
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Trudging through the wasteland of found-footage, Paranormal Activity has always managed to stay afloat where others – that attempted a similar style – were quickly dismissed. The feel of amateur footage lends itself greatly to the typical tropes of supernatural horror, adding a slightly more effective dose of realism and making it so much more…
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It’s about that time of the year when all things chocolate take centre-stage as people around the world gear up for the Easter weekend. Synonymous with rich, quality chocolate is Max Brenner, the infinitely tempting chain of specialty dessert restaurants. To celebrate the forthcoming festivities, Max Brenner have provided the AU with their recipe for…
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Nothing says I love you quite like packing all that love into a tiramisu, right? And since Valentines Day, that lovely calender day of love, is right around the corner we thought it best to search low and high for a tiramisu which is a bit different than your standard, with added distinctiveness from a…
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It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen Keanu Reeves in a Hollywood blockbuster; it’s been even longer since he’s been in a decent film. Reeves’ famously silent, wooden way of acting has always been strangely endearing, but in Carl Rinsch’s 47 Ronin, his presence is lacking as he quietly broods throughout the film, occasionally…
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***MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*** With AMC doing their whole standard mid-season split, fans of The Walking Dead are left with a few months to ponder the long overdue prison break our nearest and dearest survivors have now been forced to make. For a second there, it looked like we might have a repeat of the slow-burning…
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The Iris meets funnyman Will Ferrell on the red carpet of the Sydney Anchorman: The Legend Continues premiere to find out what happened to the Anchorman musical, if a trilogy is in store and how Australia ahas treated him in an all too brief visit to our shores. Interview: Chris Singh Camera: Nathan Atkins Edit:…
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It’s been a few years since the last Jackass film; the hit and miss formula of ridiculous public stunts, aimed to shock and confuse bystanders is incredibly fun to watch at times, which is why the brand has always been entertaining. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa threads this formula throughout an actual narrative, much like one…
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Three disconnected episodes make up this incredibly visceral short series, created by the incredibly talented and thought-provoking Charlie Brooker. The series has been described by some as a tragicomedy, and while it does have hints of sharp, witty humour throughout, the show is much more bone-chilling than anything else. A pervasive theme throughout the series…
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Upon the trailer’s release, those who aren’t familiar with Cassandra Clare’s novels – the source material – immediately began comparing The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones to Twilight and Harry Potter. While the Harald Zwart-directed film is a worthwhile addition to the tween fantasy genre, it fails in more ways than one and is unlikely to impress anyone over the…
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Michael Bay suffers a heavy stigma from the backlash against his grandiose, CGI-fests; yet despite nit-picking critics, he remains a highly skilled director who artfully plays with gorgeous shots of Miami to liven up what is essentially a very dark story in his latest blockbuster. The film – based on a true story – is simply…
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Liberace is a name known to many, but his story is often overlooked when it comes to Hollywood icons. Director Steven Soderbergh brings the classic performer and his story to the masses withBehind the Candelabra and goes big by recruiting both Matt Damon and Michael Douglas in what has undoubtedly been the most controversial roles of both of their impressive careers. After…
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Guillermo Del Toro’s gargantuan Pacific Rim is every bit as fun as its trailer promised us. Forget the snotty, negative stigma that often surrounds overblown sci-fi/action films; this one makes up for any perceived lack of brains with so much brawn that you won’t be able to help yourself high-fiving and cheering whenever a destruction-driven battle scene pops…
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Brutal action scenes and a decidedly clumsy Superman is what Man of Steel will be remembered for; this reimagining of the classic superhero myth, by director Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan, is loud, confronting, and grand, and this is why watching it on a screen as big as the one at IMAX Darling Harbour was absolutely essential; it’s this…
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The Eight is Sydney’s largest Chinese restaurant, specialising in modern fusion and traditional Chinese cuisine with a focus on live fresh seafood. Part of the award-winning Zilver Restaurant group, The Eight has been a finalist for several awards, the most recent being the 2012 Australian Small Business Champion Awards. They’ve been kind enough to share…
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You might think you’ve peeped the scene – you haven’t The real one’s far too mean The watered down one The one you know Was made up centuries ago It made it sound all whack and corny Yes, it’s awful, blasted, boring Twisted fiction Sick addiction Well gather round children Zip it, listen. The words…
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