Film & TV

Australian Box Office: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire claims top spot in opening weekend.

The Australian box office saw the highly anticipated sequel The Hunger Games: Catching Fire claim the number one spot in Australia over the weekend, bringing in $12.475 million on 579 screens from Thursday 21st November to Sunday 24th November. The film took in $2.6 million on Friday alone, thanks to sold out midnight screenings around…

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BIFF Film Review – Blue Is The Warmest Colour (France, 2013)

As with many European Art films, Blue Is The Warmest Colour requires patience. The film moves at a snail’s pace but this is only to increase the drama and tension at pivotal turning points in the narrative. That being said, Blue Is The Warmest Colour is a beautiful character study that, with its depiction and…

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BIFF Film Review: Foxfire (France/Canada, 2012)

Foxfire screened at Biff Wednesday night at Palace Cinemas. The film runs dangerously close to three hours but thankfully you won’t notice it until you step out of the theatre bleary-eyed onto the busy, buzzing barracks shopping complex. This isn’t the first time Foxfire has entered the minds of girls, women and people everywhere. The…

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The Iris News Weekly: 21st November 2013.

Change is coming to Foxtel music Kicking off summer will be a new offering to the TV market as well as two refreshed MTV music channels. Get ready for SMOOTH, a television extension of the hugely popular smoothfm radio brand, launching Tuesday December 3, 2013 as the ultimate music destination to relax and escape. SMOOTH…

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Australian Box Office Results: Bad Grandpa tops week ending November 20th.

After Marvel’s Thor dominated the Australian box office for two weeks – last weekend bringing in close to $6 million – this weekend Australians looked towards the comedic world of Jackass, helping land the reasonably well received comedy Bad Grandpa to the number one spot with $3.4 million. Thor continued to perform well, however, coming…

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BIFF Film Review – OXV: The Manual (Australia/UK, 2013)

OXV: The Manual is unlike any other film you’ve seen, it’s even coined a new genre: the ‘scientific-philosophical romance’. It breaks free from genre conventions to deliver a unique story that presents a new look on fate, determinism and freewill. The film may take a few viewings to fully grasp the rules of writer/director Darren…

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BIFF Film Review – The Railway Man (UK/Australia, 2013)

It’s refreshing to see a war film that doesn’t concentrate on the ‘fighting’ aspect of war. Instead, The Railway Man, which opened the Brisbane International Film Festival, focuses on the effects of war such as post-traumatic stress disorder and its devastating nature for decades to come. Based on the autobiography by Eric Lomax, the film…

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Film Review: Filth (R18+) (UK, 2013)

From the man that brought you Trainspotting we have another gritty, intense depiction of debauchery, excessive drug and alcohol intake and the deterioration of the mind courtesy of the abuse of those substances. Climb aboard the rollercoaster and see if you can deduce what’s really going on in this mind-melding trip. Bruce Robertson ( James…

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Film Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (M) (USA, 2013)

And we’re back. It’s the sort of feeling you get the minute The Hunger Games: Catching Fire hits the screen, throwing you right back into Suzanne Collins’ hypnotising dystopic world of Panem, this time in a film helmed by Francis Lawrence (no relation to the film’s star). The sequel to the international hit film The…

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TV Review: Lessons From The Grave, Episodes 1-3 (Australia, 2013)

Most people would have heard of, or at least recognise actor Bryan Brown, he’s an iconic part of Australian film, prolific in the 70s and 80s. There’s no doubt he’s brilliant, but it’s his daughter Matilda Brown who’s come into her own acting, writing and producing, that deserves kudos for creating this gem of mini-series….

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The Iris Interview: Christian Antidormi & Todd Lasance of Spartacus (New Zealand/USA)

With Supanova winding down in Adelaide today, fans had scattered to catch the final panels for the weekend and take up final opportunities in snagging autographs and photos with their favourite guests. Sitting in on the Spartacus panel (one of the funniest of the weekend), I was interested in the popularity of the historic drama – in the case…

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Film Review: Bad Grandpa (MA15+) (USA, 2013)

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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Hello Asia! Japanese Film Festival 2013 Review: The Complex (クロユリ団地) (Japan, 2013)

The Complex is the latest horror offering from Director Hideo Nakata, who’s credited with directing the original versions of the Ring 1 & 2. To complement the release, a 12 episode drama titled Kuroyuri Danchi was aired prior, which follows events leading up to those that take place in the film. Although the film debuted…

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BIFF Film Review: Six Degrees of Separation (USA, 1993)

One of the great things about Brisbane International Film Festival is not only the celebration of new films and innovations but also the celebration of old ones. Six Degrees of Separation is almost incidentally nostalgic of New York, the 90s and the fantasy of socialites. Though there’s been enough time to get informed, it’s obvious…

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BIFF Film Review: The Act of Killing (Denmark, Norway, UK, 2012)

Viewers going in to see this documentary were warned that it was going to be grizzly. But none were prepared for the disturbing images this film produced. Most of which were re-enactments and fantasies, but they were all horrific and true. The Act of Killing focuses on a group of retired gangsters in Indonesia. In…

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TV Review: New Girl – Season 3 Episode 8 “Menus” (USA, 2013)

We’ve really got to give kudos to New Girl for still coming up with the quirkiest plot ideas without getting too off-track or repetitive. This was a really solid episode, ticking all the boxes for amusement, development, and character airtime – Coach and Cece included. That being said, in the aftermath of last week’s episode,…

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BIFF Film Review: The Congress (Israel/Germany/France, 2013)

You know when you watch a film, and when someone asks you to describe what you just watched you’re completely lost for words? Ari Folman’s The Congress is one of those films. It’s a psychedelic rabbit hole that you’ll tumble down with increasing velocity, leaving logic and reason behind for an experience like no other. Robin Wright stars…

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On The Red Carpet: Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) Opening Night 2013.

It’s that time of the year again when not only the social and cultural Brisbanites band together but people come from all around the world for the Brisbane International Film Festival. A little bit of Hollywood found its way to Brisbane’s renowned Gallery of Modern Art on Wednesday night when the red carpet rolled out,…

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Iris Interview at BIFF: Joanthan Teplitzky, Director of The Railway Man (UK/Australia, 2013)

Meredith McLean attended the Red Carpet Opening of BIFF 2013 and had a chance to speak with Jonathan Teplitzky about “The Railway Man” and it’s screening at BIFF. Hi, it’s lovely to meet you. Hi I’m Jonathan Nice to meet you, Jonathan. I’m Meredith, I’m from the AU review and The Iris. First of all,…

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New Trailer and Character Posters Revealed: The Lego Movie (USA/Australia, 2014)

Being produced right here in Australia at Animal Logic (Happy Feet), is the new film from Phil Lord & Christopher Miller – directors of 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The film is the first ever full length theatrical LEGO adventure, and is aptly titled The LEGO Movie, set for an Australian cinematic…

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News: Maltesers Moonlight Cinema announces first half of 2013/2014 program.

Taking in picturesque locations in around the country, Maltesers Moonlight Cinema has announced the first half of its 2013/14 program, which will once again see the cinema under the stars feature an exciting mix of advance previews, contemporary, classic and cult films. Advance previews that will be on offer include the comedy sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend…

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Film Review: The Best Offer (Italy, 2013)

There have been mixed reviews for Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore’s latest masterpiece. His name is perhaps not extensively known in Australia, but some may remember his film Baarìa, a beautiful piece from 2009. The Best Offer may just be his best to date, showcasing his talents as both a director and a writer, casting insight to the mind…

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Watch: Live stream from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire global Red Carpet premiere.

Available from 5pm on the 11th of November UK time, Yahoo! Movies will take you live to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire global red carpet premiere in the UK. Find the stream available below, which will go live at about 4am Sydney time. The film is released in Australia on 21st November 2013. ———- This content…

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The Iris Interview: Stanislav Ianevski (Bulgaria) from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The Supanova Pop Culture Expo has recently wrapped up its Brisbane leg, bringing some awesome talent from the fields of TV, film, graphic novels, comics and more to Australian fans. One such member of the guest lineup is Stanislav Ianevski, also known to many Harry Potter fans as the Durmstrang Champion, Viktor Krum. The actor, who played the role in Harry Potter…

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TV Review: New Girl – Season 3 Episode 7 “Coach” (USA, 2013)

This week’s episode brought the whole gang back together with the arrival of Coach (Damon Wayans Jr), and, let’s be honest, was anyone really expecting that plot? Strip clubs, crying, getting drunk (we probably expected those last two), and Taye Diggs saying ‘rubber baby buggy bumpers’. All signs of a great episode. It was nice…

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Film Review: Camille Claudel, 1915 (France, 2013)

Poor Camille Claudel. The famous artist would create a lasting legacy of sculptures and drawings that are still important and relevant today. But she was also one tortured artist. Camille Claudel 1915 attempts to capture all of these emotions and feelings. It’s also a French biopic that is a claustrophobic chronicle of three days in her sad life. Claudel…

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TV Review: Ja’mie: Private School Girl – The First Three Episodes (Australia, 2013)

Forget the Big Brother finale or the latest instalment of Underbelly, Australia’s television event of 2013 comes with the return of everyone’s favourite (or least favourite) polarising comedian. Chris Lilley’s Ja’mie: Private School Girl essentially picks up where we left off after Summer Heights High – it’s Ja’mie’s last year of high school, she’s the ‘quichest’ girl…

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TV Review: American Horror Story: Coven – Episode 4 “Fearful Pranks Ensue” (USA, 2013)

The fruits of plot and character seeds are beginning to flourish. Episode 4 illuminates character history and sets the foundation for war between the witches of Salem and the voodoo witches. Although a step up from the state the series began with, it is still unsubtle in conveying information. If you haven’t seen the last…

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TV Review: Homeland Season 3 Episodes 5 & 6 – “The Yoga Play” / “Still Positive” (US, 2013)

Homeland is back for another year. I will be chronicling the journeys of Carrie, Saul and Brody throughout the third season of the best show currently on television. Spoilers within so don’t read before viewing the episodes! Previously on Homeland… So the whole ‘Saul betraying Carrie and having her put in a mental institution’ scenario…

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First Look Trailer: Winter’s Tale (USA, 2014)

Directed by Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind), February 2014 will see the international release of Winter’s Tale, an adaptation of Mark Helprin’s celebrated novel of the same name. The story is simultaneously set in 19th Century and present-day Manhattan, revolving around a thief, a dying girl and a flying white horse. We’re thinking of this…

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