Year: 2014

TV Review: Halt and Catch Fire – Season 1, Episode 1 (USA, 2014)

Premiering on AMC in the US today – from the people who brought us Breaking Bad – Halt and Catch Fire follows on from the Mike Judge fronted HBO comedy Silicon Valley in giving us a different look at the world of computers and technology development. I had the opportunity to see the show’s pilot…

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the AU interview at Music Matters: Dune Rats (Brisbane) talk about their debut album and their Asian tour!

In our two part chat featured below, Larry caught up with Brisbane trio Dune Rats while they were in Singapore to talk about their Asian adventures – how they are coping without access to weed – and their debut, self-titled album which was released in Australia today (June 1st). We also look ahead to their…

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Film Review: Edge of Tomorrow (USA, 2014)

You know those tag lines they use to promote films? Well the tag line for Edge Of Tomorrow is “Live. Die. Repeat” and this movie does exactly what it says on the tin. Not to mention throw tons of sci-fi action in your face and manages to deliver an interesting story that stays focused and…

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TV Review: Fargo – Season 1, Episode 6 “Buridan’s Ass” (USA, 2014)

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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Josh Brolin cast as Thanos in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

After making his first appearance during the credits of 2012’s The Avengers, it has been expected that comic book supervillain Thanos would be taking on a large antagonistic role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thanos’ next appearance will be in the upcoming Marvel space adventure Guardians of the Galaxy and, while Marvel is yet to make an official statement regarding the…

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Photo Tour Diary: DUNE RATS travel to Singapore!

DUNE RATS are releasing their debut record this Sunday, “Dune 1st”. Excellent. They’ve been touring all around Asia to celebrate it – before heading home to tour Australia. Well, they’re home now and want you to know all about their Asian adventures. Here’s a glimpse at life on the road with the Dunies when they…

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Industry Interview Feature: David Lowe of Uberpong (Austin, TX)

While at SXSW earlier in the year, I had the opportunity to sit down with David Lowe, the founder of the company Uberpong, based out of Austin, Texas. The company has a fairly simple premise: personalise the experience of ping pong / table tennis through custom paddles. We talk about how his business has taken…

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We review 15 Australian bands at Canadian Music Week 2014 in Toronto! Part Two: From Lili Kendall to Mia Dyson.

Following on from my overview of Toronto’s CMW for 2014, a review of Broods and a bunch of interviews, photo galleries and tour diaries, it’s finally time to get to more of the Australian music at the event. But honestly, I saw too much great Australian music in too little time. Out of the 26…

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The five best moments from Taboo Week on SBS 2’s The Feed.

With taboo week now at an end, The Iris looks back on five stories that really caught our attention during the week. As is typical with The Feed itself, some stories are serious, others are more fun – but everything is informative in its own way: 5. Fat pride: The growing movement of people looking…

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TV Review: The Feed – Season 2, Episode 66 (Taboo Week) – 29th May 2014 (SBS2, Australia)

It’s been an incredible and thought provoking Taboo Week on The Feed, and episode four certainly didn’t disappoint. In addition to the headlining stories, the team also touched on the leggings-as-pants phenomenon (no, it’s not okay), iPhones being hacked and remotely held of ransom, and Christopher Pyne wanting to posthumously tax the population. For those…

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Win a double pass to see The Possibilities are Endless at the Sydney Film Festival!

The Possibilities Are Endless is an innovative interpretation of Edwyn Collins’ life-changing experience and is a film not to be missed. The former lead singer of Orange Juice, Collins is a celebrated indie singer-songwriter known for his ’80s and ’90s hits ‘Rip It Up’ and ‘A Girl Like You’. After suffering a stroke, the only words…

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Live Review: Gary Numan – HQ, Adelaide (29.05.14)

It may be the unfortunate truth that when you have a history as long as Gary Numan, many older fans only want to hear the songs they know. Numan’s last visit to Adelaide saw him play his synth pop milestone album The Pleasure Principle in its entirety. While it was a fantastic show, the 2011…

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Trailer released for FX’s latest horror series by Guillermo del Toro and Carlton Cuse

Acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro and executive producer of Lost Carlton Cuse have joined their creative minds to bring a new vampire horror series to cable channel FX. Titled The Strain, the series looks to be about parasitic creatures which spread out on a doomed flight and cause an apocalyptic outbreak. The official trailer is…

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Film Review: X-Men Days of Future Past (USA, 2014)

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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World Movies to screen Sex Before Soccer showcase in June

In the lead up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, World Movies is presenting Sex Before Soccer; a series of sexy international films, with two films playing off against each other at 9.30pm each night from Monday June 2nd, culminating with a marathon starting at 6pm on Saturday June 7th. Below is a promo and a…

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David Gulpilil wins Best Actor award at Cannes for Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s Country

The Cannes Film Festival wrapped up recently, and as usual a crop of world class actors and film-makers were awarded at the close of the festival. In a great boost for Aussie film and, more particularly, Indigenous Australian artists, legendary Australian actor David Gulpilil was awarded Best Actor for his role in Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s…

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6 films that broke sexual taboos

As The Feed on SBS2 wraps up its Taboo week tonight, we thought we’d look at six films that broke the ultimate film Taboo: sex. Sure, you can blow someone’s head up and depict violence in a realistic manner – but the minute there is nudity, or sex, the censor board has a field day….

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Film Review and Stream: John Mayer “Someday I’ll Fly” (USA, 2014)

There is something about singer and guitarist John Mayer. Clearly, he is talented. He is a 19-time Grammy award nominated recording artist, and of those nominations, he has won 7, the last win in 2009 for his song “Gravity”,, for which he won the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. But for some, his tabloid fodder…

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TV Review: Unplanned America – Episode 6 – 26th May 2014 (SBS2, Australia)

In the final episode of Unplanned America, Parv and Gonzo hit up spring break, hang out with UFO chasers, take a look at rockabilly culture in Las Vegas, attend a tailgate, pimp their car and do shots over a cryogenically frozen corpse. This is what happens when Nick isn’t there to supervise them. The show…

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Music Matters Live Photo Gallery: The Aussie BBQ – Beer Market, Clarke Quay (22.05.14)

The annual Aussie BBQ music showcase returns to the Beer Market in Clarke Quay, Singapore with another collection of fantastic Australian artists. This year we have The Love Junkies, Jeremy Neale (pictured above) Dune Rats and Kid Mac, who were joined by Tully on Tully, Empra and Tired Lion. The Aussie BBQ in Singapore is…

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the AU interview: Hudson & Troop (Melbourne) speaks on 'Frameless', a new EP, and more

The irresistible music of Melbourne’s Hudson & Troop has that immediately arresting vibe that strikes gold in songs like “Frameless” – which we have been loving at the AU office since we posted it last month. We caught up the man behind it all – Travis Aulsebrook – for a little more insight into this…

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Twin Lakes' Canadian Music Week Photo Tour Diary (Part Two)

Following the first part of their tour diary earlier this week, as well as a special video they put together for us, Newcastle band Twin Lakes bring us the second and final part of their adventures in Toronto for Canadian Music Week earlier this month! DAY FOUR OF CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK Woke up with a…

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We review 15 Australian bands at Canadian Music Week 2014 in Toronto! Part One: From Audego to King Gizzard.

Following on from my overview of Toronto’s CMW for 2014, a review of Broods and a bunch of interviews, photo galleries and tour diaries, it’s finally time to get to more of the Australian music at the event. But honestly, I saw too much great Australian music in too little time. Out of the 26…

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TV Review: Mad Men – Season 7 Episode 7 “Waterloo” (USA, 2014)

“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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Film Review: Palo Alto (MA15+) (USA, 2013)

In the privileged valleys of north-west California, the next generation are figuring their shit out. Based on James Franco’s linked short story collection of the same name, Palo Alto is the directorial debut of Gia Coppola. The premise will be familiar to anyone versed in the disaffected-slacker-coming-of-age genre: boys do stupid things, with pyrotechnics, alcohol and/or…

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TV Review: Unplanned America – Episode 5 – 26th May 2014 (SBS2, Australia)

Gonzo, Parv and Nick spend the majority of this episode in Detroit. The once motor industry powerhouse is now the most bankrupt city in the country and a physical metaphor of the failure of the American Dream. Everything from houses to the once grand Michigan Central station are now abandoned and being reclaimed by nature….

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TV Review: The Feed – Season 2, Episode 64 (Taboo Week) – 27th May 2014 (SBS2, Australia)

Episode 2 in ‘Taboo Week’ examines the struggles of gay surfers and the surfing subculture and also a revealing look into the workings of a BDSM master/slave relationship. But before that the main headline of the news was the very public arrest of former detective Roger Rogerson over the alleged murder of uni student Jamie…

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Vivid Live Review: Kate Miller Heidke – Sydney Opera House (26.05.14)

There are few voices in the Australian music scene that are as ethereal, magical and awe-inspiring as that of Kate Miller-Heidke. We are all the more fortunate for her veering down the path of the alternative indie pop scene, than sticking with her classically trained operatic roots. Tonight’s performance is a fairy-tale showcase of how Heidke…

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Interview: Dominic McGuinness of The Bohicas (UK) talks about the upcoming Australian tour!

John Goodridge chats with Dominic McGuiness of The Bohicas ahead of their first trip to Australia – a short trip, but one that has been greatly hyped about since the dates were announced. Hey Dominic, how’s it going? Yeah, pretty good thanks. How you doing? Yeah, good. I just want to congratulate you on your…

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Music Matters Live Review: JPNSGRLS – Crazy Elephant, Singapore (23.05.14)

Sporting well-coordinated polo shirts and enthusiastic grins, emerging Vancouver based quartet JPNSGRLS (pronounced “Japanese Girls”) hit the stage at Crazy Elephant in Singapore last week as part of the Music Matters LIVE festival, taking over Clarke Quay. It was easy to understand why they were so excited: a great crowd had gathered, there was a…

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