Year: 2016

New Zealand has a hidden gem for movie lovers around the world. The Wellington-based Weta Workshop‘s filmmaking facilities has been listed as one of the top 10 film studio tours worldwide. They have  proven to be extremely popular with over 100,000 people attending the workshop since the beginning of April last year. The Guardian ranked the…

This year’s annual Gold Coast Film Festival (running in its 14th year)  will consist of 38 films from 15 different countries. The festival has also secured six Australian Premieres and seven Queensland Premieres from 31 March – 10 April.  The Festival will offer films that have been selected from Queensland and around the world, ranging…

With the return of the Oscars, Sydney Opera House’s fourth All About Women festival returns on Sunday 6th March, and has created three fictional trailers for films “you probably won’t be seeing this summer” – films that would pass the ‘Bechdel test’. The Bechdel test, a benchmark developed by American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, judges how much…

Spoilers ahead: This article discusses events from episodes one and two from Vikings season four as well as past events from the series. Last night’s episode of Vikings, the second of the brand new season, was entitled “Kill the Queen” and we learned that it was Kwenthrith, the Queen of Mercia (Amy Bailey) whose life…

In terms of Coen brothers fare, Hail, Caesar! stands as one the duo’s most carefree affairs. Doing away with a cohesive narrative and firing on cylinders that are very much their own, the film is sure to tickle the funny bone of die-hard Coen brothers fans but likely to polarise general audiences who will attend…

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced its last Conference Keynote featuring Academy Award-nominated actress and activist Ellen Page and Ian Daniel, co-creators of the new documentary series Gaycation. Page’s body of work toggles between independents and tentpoles and she is now increasingly stepping behind the camera as a producer. Page and Daniel will…

When it comes to modern crime thrillers, film sometimes has trouble competing with television. Each year sees dozens of TV series – prime-time, cable and otherwise – tackle the genre and for a film to really stand out against this herd and compete with stuff like True Detective or Luther, it has to go big or go home….

Netting over $2 billion in the box-office, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was one of, if not the, biggest movie of last year. For such a big release, it only seemed right to go see it on one of the biggest screens in Sydney – the Moonlight Cinema. Revisiting Episode 7 – this time in a larger,…

Aussie and Kiwi ski bunnies are finally united under one lift pass, connecting Thredbo Resort with NZ Ski resorts Coronet Peak, The Remarkables (Queenstown) and Mt Hutt (Christchurch). The pass, called The “Mountain Collective”, is an alliance with the world’s best independent ski destinations, also including Canada, USA, Europe, Japan and South America, allowing skiers…

In the wake of the tragic Cyclone Winston, Fiji’s tourism leg announced a series of discounts in the hopes of attracting visitors back to the idyllic collection of islands to show them that the stunning stretches of sand and crystal clear waters are still waiting, ready and able to present everyone one would need for…

Boasting excellent service and a great location for those visiting Calgary, the Kensington Riverside Inn is a high level, contemporary boutique hotel. Situated in the trendy area of Kensington, this hotel is just across the road from the beautiful Bow River, an easy walk to the beautiful Prince’s Island Park and just around the block…

Tigerair have long been known in Australia for being the cheaper alternative to other major domestic carriers. While some choose to see that is evidence of their being cut-rate in all aspects of their business, Tigerair is more determined than ever to turn the naysayers around. With a fresh new look, a shiny new terminal…

Now in it’s fourth year, Pixel Sounds returns to Campbelltown Arts Centre on Saturday March 12, as part of the Centre’s Contemporary Music Program. Incorporating workshop elements with a musical performance, Pixel Sounds hosts some of the best chip tune creators and performers from across Australia and around the world. The event featuring Tuberz McGee,…

The City of Knox in Melbourne’s east will be rocking on Friday 4 March when Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be – The Story of Bon Scott is presented as an outdoor concert performance for the first time at Wally Tew Reserve, Glenfern Road Ferntree Gully. Following a season at the National Theatre Melbourne…

This week a rare Automata has appeared at the Arts Centre Melbourne. In an age oversaturated with digital art and entertainment, Melbourne artist Mark Ogge has drawn on the centuries-old tradition of mechanical automata and coin-operated attractions to create a work of great immediacy and charm. The Circus Automata, a large, three-dimensional, mechanically operated diorama…

The two members of EastEnd Cabaret, Jennifer Byrne & Vicky Falconer-Pritchard, are currently in Australia performing their show Yeti’s Demon Dive Bar – a musical sketch show which delves into the lives of characters enjoying themselves within a bar set-up on stage. “We did three sort of work-in-progress shows back in London at Soho Theatre,…

Some of the best international and local surfers will be trading in their boardies for chef jackets once again as the exciting SurfAid Cocktail Party makes it’s return next week, located at postcard-worthy bar-diner The Bucket List by Bondi Beach. Amongst the surfing talent joining some of Australia’s best chefs is former world surfing champion…

Whether you know them for their decadent high teas sessions or their highly textured, famous macarons, it’s hard to deny world renowned French bakery brand Ladurée, especially with celebrations like Easter coming up. This year, the brand are preparing for for Easter by announcing a collaboration with famous Japanese painter Yuko Higuchi, who has done…

This month, on Thursday 10th March, Parramatta’s local Riverside Brewing Company will be heading to the inner-city to take over 13 tapes at craft beer-hub Keg & Brew, offering up free tasters, giving away their merch, and talking all things craft beer. The Parra brewery, which opened up in 2012, is the area’s first craft…

To nab some of Jock Zonfrillo‘s time now moreover any other time of the year is an opportunity not to be taken for granted. Not only has his always popular Adelaide CBD establishment Street ADL been catering to the masses in town for the Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide Festival of the Arts (not to mention their pop up food…

KY-OTO has opened on Kensington Street’s Spice Alley, offering the option of Japanese cuisine to visitors of the hawker-style laneway, furthering the ongoing evolution of Kensington Street’s incredible range of dining options. KY-OTO is designed to capture two distinct elements of the Kyoto restaurant experience. The indoor dining room, housed in a heritage terrace house, adjoins an outdoor eating area located…

It’s the first weekend of autumn for 2016 but that doesn’t mean the carefree summer nights are going anyway. Just two days ago it was reported that March will be mostly hot, leaving a traditional autumn to start sometime in April instead. It’s good news for Sydneysiders, especially those heading out this week since there…

Following the success of the original House of Crabs which rests above the Norfolk Hotel in Sydney’s Redfern, the HoC team have opened up another seafood eatery in St Kilda at The Basement within The Newmarket Hotel. Primed to open its doors tomorrow, House of Crabs St Kilda boasts an American-style seafood menu that pays…

Late-night bar The Belleville are gearing up to celebrate their first birthday in a big way this month, opening up Chinatown’s Globe Alley for the inaugural chicken and beer festival. For around 10 hours on Saturday 12th March the entire alleyway will be filled with The Belleville’s wildly popular rotisserie chicken, craft beers and spirits…

We continued to march on into Merivale and its aptly named festival this year with the hotly anticipated European Laneway, fashioned as a feast under the stars. After a series of successful events in previous years, the laneway was once again choc-a-block of the best food and drink the Merivale group has to offer, all…

Rising live show favourites Methyl Ethel are getting back on the road and will be touring Australia through April! The WA band has recently been announced as having signed to 4AD (home of Grimes, Bradford Cox etc), another impressive notch added to the Methyl Ethel belt, following on from the success of their debut album, Oh Inhuman…

Californian Day Wave (aka Jackson Phillips) has already begun generating momentum surrounding his music in Australia following his recent signing to I OH YOU and subsequent love from blogs and music fans in the lead up to the release of his Hard to Read EP (due out tomorrow, March 4th). For those who’ve been hanging out for Day…

The Sounds Australia crew have today released details of their official SXSW events, including the always popular Aussie BBQ. The full artist line ups for the Aussie BBQ and two Sound Gallery Showcases have been unveiled, with 30 Australian acts set to perform. The Aussie BBQ celebrates its 13th year at SXSW in 2016 and…

It’s hard to know where to begin when covering the NSW boutique festival Secret Garden, an event I attended for the first time over the weekend. It takes place about an hour out of Sydney and gives precedence to its name by not revealing its announcement until the event sells out; which was about a week…

Okay, so if you’ve been keeping tabs on Sufjan Stevens‘ recent Australian shows, you’ll have gotten the inkling that they have been all-in, emotional affairs. Of course, it’s to be expected of Sufjan, that his music presents such delicately evocative narratives and especially with his latest album Carrie & Lowell, there’s some intensely personal stories to be…