The tension levels increase exponentially as we now hit the back end of the series and the finale is now edging ever closer. The title of this episode is a paradoxical parable that is loosely thematic of what we see in the episode and relates to free will. Interestingly we see a lot of that…
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X Men: Days of Future Past focuses heavily on the concept of time travel , and in a similar fashion to the penultimate season of Lost, approaches it with a sense of playful irreverence as we are given something much lighter than the previous X Men installment (First Class). Mystique plays a central role in…
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“They saw what I saw” And with that, the Draper torch has been passed. An incredible amount of hype and hesitation has been attached to the mid-season finale for Mad Men Season 7, and it’s safe to say that Waterloo delivered on every note it had to. From the rocket lift off at the episode’s…
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From the opening scene right through to the closing credits Fargo emulates its film forebear with the same intriguing plot, twisted dark humour and spectacular cinematography. With the original Ethan and Joel Coen brothers as executive producers and writing credits the series was destined to have a similar tone. The series commissioned for a limited…
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Raising a disobedient 7 year-old child while working shifts at a nursing home and maintaining what remains of your home after your husband is gone – killed in a car crash on the way to the hospital to deliver your unborn child – is pretty damn tough. This is what Amelia faces (Essie Davis) with…
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“And then man created time, and spent eternity trying to outrun it” From this opening piece of text set before a cascading cosmic landscape, it’s quite clear that Three Poems is no run of the mill short film. The debut effort from writer director Jake Houston Harris is exactly what it says it is- three…
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When people think of John, Paul, George and Ringo, a name that doesn’t immediately spring to mind is Freda Kelly. But this humble, Liverpudlian woman was the group’s secretary; manager, Brian Epstein’s assistant; and the head of their fan club for 11 years. Good Ol’ Freda is a quaint little documentary about an inspiring woman…
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The internet is dark and full of spoilers, so if you are reading this review I consider your eyes permission to write about what happened in the outstanding ‘The Lion & the Rose.’ “The viewers send their regards.” It was always going to be a well-received event; the pent up blood lust of every single…
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Stunning, visceral immersion into one of the world’s most important and historically rich cities is exactly what one will get when they settle into the IMAX to watch Jerusalem 3D. This documentary is a virtual visit to the gorgeous land and infinitely intriguing architecture, taking you through everything from the vibrant marketplaces to the historical…
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If you don’t end up walking out of this movie with a nostalgic tinge for your childhood or singing “Everything Is Awesome” or wanting to buy Lego then you must be a robot. This movie has been one of the hotly anticipated films of the year and with good reason. A combination of stop motion…
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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 Wind Rises (Kaze Tachinu) is the much heralded and final offering from legendary Japanese animated feature film director of Studio Ghibli fame – Hayao Miyazaki. In true Miyazaki style, it is loosely based on historical events steeped deeply in fantasy and adventure. Although this film is a highly fictionalised biography, it pays tribute to…
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When Cleaver Greene was sent to prison at the end of Season 2 of Rake, I have to admit that I was pretty dubious about how the next season would play out. Surely they’d have to think of some legal fandangle that would have Cleaver waking up to find it was all a bad dream— a…
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A new year and, thankfully, a new season of SBS2’s The Feed. After making its debut last year in 15 minute format, the current affairs/news review program has now returned to the airwaves in extended 30 minute version and was clearly in no mood for time wasting. Kicking off with its trademark wrap up of…
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Bringing together two giants of Hollywood; Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, True Detective is the latest offering from quality television provider HBO (broadcast on Showcase, Foxtel in Australia). The story, told across eight episodes in this first season, moves the viewer from past to present as ex-detectives narrate their investigation into the murder of a…
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A free black man living in New York, Soloman Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) accepts a job working as a violinist with a circus, does a few gigs in different cities and ends up in Washington. His travel companions trick him, sell him in to slavery and, as the title suggests, the film tells the story of…
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Majestic, powerful and intimidating, the sad reality is that sharks have more reason to fear us, than the other way round. Thanks to netting, shark finning and mercury poisoning we’ve managed to push over 90% of shark species to the brink of extinction. Directors Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas choose to broach the subject more…
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Ask anyone under the age of 30 what they think is the funniest film ever made, and 9 out of 10 of them will say Anchorman. Hardly a success when released in 2004, the film became a hit on DVD and has since become the most frequently quoted film amongst members of Generation Y. Who among us has…
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With an ensemble cast of some of Hollywood’s current A-list crop and an Oscar nominated multi-award winning director/writer helming the film American Hustle is already garnering a lot of hype and I would say that you better believe it’s worth it. We open with the film telling us that “some of this actually happened” and…
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Darlene Love. Merry Clayton. Lisa Fischer. Claudia Lennear. Táta Vega. Judith Hill. Jo Lawry. Stevvi Alexander. The names of these women may not seem familiar, but I can guarantee that you have heard at least one, if not all of them sing. How? Because all of these women are backup singers, and among the most celebrated of…
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As everyone is talking about the new ABC series Ja’mie: Private School Girl at the moment, lets take a look back at Chris Lilley’s last project Summer Heights High. Set at an Australian public high school, Summer Heights High is a mockumentary starring Ja’mie King, Jonah Takalua and Mr. G – all played by funny man Chris Lilley. We all know…
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As BIFF winds down the movies certainly do not. The last screening of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon graced the Palace Cinemas last night and guests were greeted with champagne and a chance to be photographed. It was a nice touch to bring a little bit of Hollywood to Brisbane. Anticipation for Don Jon has been brimming…
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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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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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In a recent photo shoot for The Hollywood Reporter, Ricky Gervais is captured flipping the bird to the camera, whilst burning money with the smoke of his cigar. Say what you will about him, but I think he’s brilliant. His aptitude in developing comic relief which showcase the raw reality of banal existence is spot…
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Have you ever wished that you could go back in time to stop yourself from saying something stupid? Or to return to a moment when you should have kissed someone but didn’t? Of course you have. One of the great frustrations of life is that you cannot re-live moments that have passed. But what if you…
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I’ve started writing this review mere minutes after seeing the film. There was even more hyperbole than what the end product suggests. I have left the cinema with an uncontrollable sense of awe. Even hours and days later, I can’t escape what I witnessed. In spite of the emotionally engaging and thrilling sequences that leave…
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Woody Allen’s directorial output has been decidedly uneven, particularly within the last decade. While highlights of the decade have included the thrilling Match Point (2005) and the joyous gem Midnight in Paris (2011), Allen has also underwhelmed us with films like You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010) and To Rome with Love (2012). This is understandable given the sheer frequency of…
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Film-makers who operate in the area of short films have the unenviable task of captivating their audience in a very short period of time. There’s no time for the film to find its feet or grow on the audience; it must make its impression quickly and precisely. It is particularly impressive when a short film…
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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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