Year: 2015

Disneyland Hong Kong is the iconic brand’s second home in Asia, after launching its Tokyo location back in 1983. It’s also the Disney Theme Park that’s geographically closest to Australia – and with the park originally opening in September 2005, that means that this year they will be celebrating their 10th Birthday! I had the…

In Austin for the North American Premiere of the film about his own life, The Iris’ Johnny Au meets the final NASA Astronaut to step foot on the moon, Astronaut Eugene Cernan, to talk about the Documentary The Last Man on the Moon. Eugene talks about having his life documented in conversation with Johnny, the…

“Our art is a reflection of our reality”. Universal Pictures upcoming biopic for notorious hip hop group N.W.A is edging closer and closer, and with it comes more insight into what kind of film we will be seeing come August. The group have been forever etched into the halls of music history with not only…

– Words by Simon Anicich  In exciting news for fans of Aunty, the ABC has announced the launch of a new current affairs program, Australia Wide. The weekly show will air Saturday nights at 9.30pm AEDT, with an encore performance 10.30am AEDT airing on ABC Sunday mornings. The show aims to look at things that effect all Australians,…

Revolution Wants to Make a Difference. Environmental activism is in director, biologist, and conservationist Rob Stewart‘s blood. With his first film, Sharkwater, Stewart aimed to draw attention to the practice of shark finning, and ended up igniting a movement that led to policy changes around the world. His new film, Revolution, aims to do much…

The term Kintsugi is a beautiful one (the Japanese word for the art of mending broken pottery) and as the title of Death Cab For Cutie‘s eighth studio album it’s a good indication of where the band stands in both sadness and heartache. 2011’s Codes and Keys, brought an upbeat indie rock style but now, since the many changes…

There’s something about Fictionist that is promising and to have that potential makes their music something to look forward to. Unfortunately, their self-titled album doesn’t highlight their best work as some songs are of mediocre quality. The band have succeeded on their own terms by being part of the SXSW festival and for them to get that kind of…

Having a strong catalogue of albums and reigning success in the indie/alternative rock scene, Death Cab For Cutie are clearly great at what they do. With their eighth studio album, Kintsugi just released, we chat to bassist player, Nick Harmer about the meaning of the term “Kintsugi”, the details behindChris Walla‘s departure and how the band have evolved using both experimentation…

Last month, Danish group Mew played their first US shows in six years at SXSW in anticipation of the release of their long awaited sixth full length record +- (Plus Minus). Larry Heath had the opportunity at the festival to sit down with Johan Wohlert and Jonah Bjerre of the group to talk about getting the band back together – with bassist Johan returning to the band for the first time since departing in 2006. We talk about working with American Producer Michael Beinhorn again – the pair having previously worked with him on the acclaimed And the Glass Handed Kites (2005). We talk about working with Kimbra and Russell from Bloc Party. But perhaps the most important question of all was: when will the band finally be coming to Australia?

Brendan Toller is a rock and roll maniac. Having directed his first film, I Need that Record: The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store, he came into contact with many of rock and roll’s greatest figures, including the lesser known Danny Fields, who was responsible for the success of many iconic bands…

“In the land of the blind the one eyed girl is queen”. So goes the premise to director, Nick Matthew’s feature debut, The One Eyed Girl. The winner of the Dark Matters award at Austin Film Festival in 2014 is a raw, experimental and plodding look at how and why a psychiatrist descends into the…

There has been a few Mad Max: Fury Road teasers but today the full length trailer has exploded across media and it’s a dirty, gritty, fiery and frenzied 2 minutes and 30 seconds. With explosions, scavenged steam punk-esque vehicles flipping all over the place, an electric dust storm tornado and a guitar flame-thrower. Director George…

The Iris had the opportunity to chat to Anna Zlokovic, the director of the music video, “The Empty House,” for musician Jack Kovacs. In our exclusive interview, we talk to Anna about SXSW, recognising music videos as art, the challenges of the shoot and what it’s like working with Jack Kovacs. Anna also shares her…

Ahead of its release on DVD and Blu-Ray next week (April 8th), Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain sat down to talk about working on Christopher Nolan’s epic Insterstellar – from the space suit to the film’s strong female characters – plus Matthew’s Academy Award and space exploration. Read on: What were the challenges of…

While at SXSW, Larry Heath sat down with NCIS: Los Angeles actress Renee Felice Smith to talk about her new short film Baby, which she served on as star and Executive Producer. The project, which premiered as one of the shorts in the Narrative Shorts Competition at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, tells the story of a…

Avast, mateys! Here be SpongeBob with another cinematic adventure. This time he voyages out of water, out of time, out of earth and out of his dimension. Whatever it takes to restore the cornerstone of civilisation ­the Krabby Patty. The secret formula for this highly addictive burger has mysteriously disintegrated into thin water, and the…

With the news officially breaking last week that cult hit 90’s TV show The X-Files would be making a come-back we decided to take a look back at the show and pick out some of our favourite episodes. One of the things we discovered is that over the course of the 9 seasons picking favourites…

Four first look images have just been released for The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. To say that we’re excited is a gross understatement. In this next chapter of the epic Maze Runner saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known…

When it comes to true music icons, it’s fair to say they’re a rare breed – but anyone who knows Mavis Staples will tell you: she’s in a league of her own. With some sixty five years of performances behind her – and more still to come (she’s touring Australia as we publish this piece) –…

Earlier this month, ahead of its May release in Australia and in the US, the new action-comedy Spy had a premiere screening at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Though seemingly unorthodox for a major release (and a mainstream comedy at that) to see a public screening so far in advance of its release,…

When we left the Nine-Nine precinct at the end of Season 1, Det. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) was asked to go undercover for the FBI, his unrequited feelings for fellow detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) were still, well, unrequited, Terry Crews was still a large mass of comedic dynamite and Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) had…

Today marks the day that Brisbane-based “edgy chunk rockers” Ninth Of May are releasing the music video for the brand new single “Ramen”, and we’re proud to exclusively premiere the track on the AU today. The entirely self-produced project sees jjj unearthed winners collaborating with some of Brisbane’s finest musicians, delivering a striking yet mesmerizing…

One of our personal favourite events to cover each year is the great Sydney Film Festival; the celebration of international and home-grown cinema that is now in it’s 62nd year. Today, the first 27 films that will be spread across the event, from June 3rd to June 14th, has been announced and it includes some…

Hello Asia! Editor Johnny Au chats with actor Anthony Brandon Wong about his character “Le Bok” on ABC’s Maximum Choppage, his work as an actor as well as an acting coach and his passion for all things food! You may (or may not) have seen him as “Ghost” in The Matrix sequels but his character…

In news that has fans of The Daily Show across the globe hitting up Google like there’s no tomorrow, retiring host Jon Stewart’s successor has officially been announced as South African comedian Trevor Noah. Most of you may be saying to yourself ‘Trevor who?’ and you wouldn’t be alone. Many fans were expecting a big…

While at SXSW earlier this month, Larry Heath sat down with Jessica Edwards, the director and producer of Mavis! – a new documentary about the legendary Mavis Staples, who just so happens to be touring Australia as we publish this piece. The pair talk about the experiences of making this film, the icon herself and much…

If you are a fan of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s best-selling manga series Parasyte, April 26th is one day you are going to want to have marked down in your diary. For one day only, Madman Entertainment have announced that Parasyte: Part 1, the first part in a planned two-part film adaptation of the series, will screen across…

In exciting news for Nirvana fans, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen’s Cobain: Montage of Heck is set to have a limited release in Australian cinemas, premiering on May 7. The film is the first fully-authorised documentary about the life of the legendary frontman Kurt Cobain, featuring exclusive interviews with friends and family as well as home…

‘Dia de Muertos’ aka Day of the Dead has always been a great theme for films to work with, particularly animated ones. Director Jorge Gutierrez has taken the opportunity to inject the Mexican tradition’s vibrancy into The Book of Life, generating a sense of wonderment through stunning visuals and lively characters. The film’s plot revolves…

In the 34th installment of ‘Stumbled Upon’, we meet the UK’s Edgarville and chat about keeping things simple, their upcoming 3 month tour around the UK and get to know a little more about the band. Read on: Band Name: Edgarville Website / Social Media: Facebook Genre: Acoustic Members & their roles: Ed – singer,…