Year: 2016

Roadshow Films have unveiled some media for their alien invasion film Arrival, including the debut trailer and official posters. When a mysterious spacecraft lands on earth expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is called in to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the her team (Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker)…

The trailer for Robert Zemekis’ (Back to the Future, Cast Away) new film, Allied has dropped. Set in 1942, in the heart of WWII, Allied tells the tale of intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt), who joins French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. As the two fall in love, their relationship…

If 2014’s World War Z set a precedent for anything, it was that you can unequivocally produce a zombie flick without copious amounts of gore and severed limbs and still have it be entertaining. South Korean film Train to Busan follows this blueprint and improves upon it in a number of of satisfying ways. When…

Mixed reviews and Jared Leto critiques be gone, because Suicide Squad remains firmly in first place on the Australian Box Office report.  Whilst it didn’t do as well in its second week against its unbelievable performance in its opening week (where it earned AU $13,904,557), its takings of AU$5.9 million mean that it’s stronger than Jason Bourne’s second week on…

With the documentary Tickled set for a limited release tomorrow, The Iris’s David Hunter was lucky enough to get a one-on-one interview with New Zealand co-director and star of Tickled, David Farrier. During out chat, we discuss the highs, the lows and the law suits for his new documentary. We touch on the differences between…

The Melbourne Recital Centre became a cultural gala on August 12th as the winners of the Westpac Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and the Western Union Short Film Festival were announced. Amongst the crowds was Bollywood hallmark Rishi Kapoor who was awarded the Westpac Excellence In Cinema Award for 2016. Kapoor, who has as many…

When it comes to travelling around Australia, there are four major players connecting us to capital cities around the country, owned by two companies. Qantas are the classic choice, while Virgin Australia sit as the player who shook things up as Virgin Blue in 1999. The brand now sit as the country’s second largest airline,…

Between Luke Kennedy and Joel Turner there has blossomed quite the musical partnership, one that will be making its hyped debut at the Brisbane Powerhouse as part of Wonderland 2016. The duo present Smooth Criminals – The Songs of Michael Jackson this December: an homage to the late Michael Jackson‘s extensive catalogue in a way that hasn’t been seen before….

It turns out that the popular photo sharing app Snapchat is not all “cute” dog face filters, or even the latest avenue for product placement; rather it has been revealed the app has a decidedly more NSFW alternative use. Los Angeles based Australian artist Jesse Willesee has created Premium, a mini-documentary  investigating the world of Snapchat…

After a very popular season in Melbourne, Songs For A New World has finally made its way to Sydney and we were ready! Well, sort of. Songs For A New World is one of those “musicals” that you kind of need to see in person, and its difficult to get a sense of really anything…

Personal sacrifice meets political thriller in Simon Boccanegra, an opera by a master of the genre- Giuseppe Verdi. We caught up with Opera Australia tenor Diego Torre, who played the Genoese gentleman and love-interest Gabriele Adorno in the opera, to discuss the twisting plot and the interesting challenges of Verdi operas. This is your debut in the role…

Anyone who has ever given blood via Red Cross Blood Service know that joyous feeling of refueling with cookies from Byron Bay Cookie Company, the service’s official partner. It’s like blood and cookies go hand-in-hand now, and that partnership has just been kicked up to the next level by Sydney’s famed Three Blue Ducks (specifically,…

Sunday 4th September brings Father’s Day around for another year, which means you’re pretty much bound by social norms to treat your dad to something special. Only you know how to best spoil the old man to his personal tastes, but just in case you’re thin for inspiration this year, allow us to spark those…

Finding a good brunch spot in the Sydney CBD on the weekend can be a bit of a struggle with cafes generally closing up shop. Bowery Lane has come to the rescue with all-day breakfast now available from 8am on Saturdays and Sundays. Continuing on a food philosophy that champions local and seasonal ingredients, the…

Bombay Sapphire are thinking outside of the box when it comes to their latest collaborative project, focusing that crisp flavour and complex profile – the premium London Dry has 10 different botanicals – into what they are calling “True Artistry”. It’s a program of avant-garde partnerships with various Australian music, fragrance, and culinary talents, curated…

While the release of his much-anticipated new album Crooked Jaw doesn’t officially see release until Friday, the man behind the sounds – Sydney producer Waza – has given us a special green light to share his new collection of material in advance! Available to check out through today and tomorrow, Crooked Jaw is here for your enjoyment; featuring…

Fractures is definitely one BIGSOUND artist we know we can’t leave the event without seeing. The latest from the multi-instrumentalist in “Alchemy” definitely plays up to its title, the melting and purifying of elements in producing a precious and in this case, golden, end result. A perfect follow on to Fractures’ recent collaboration with Set Mo, “Alchemy”…

October will be seeing hip hop artist ANTWON out to Australia for the first time, taking in festival appearances at both Yours & Owls in Wollongong and at Camp Doogs in Perth, but also some east coast headline dates too. For Antwon, his profile both within and outside the US has continued to rise through this year…

Passenger has long held a strong fan base in Australia, with his years of busking experience through our cities making him one of our favourite performers way before he hit it big. Good news for his fans came recently, with news of a new studio album in Young As The Morning, Old As the Sea, and a…

With his new album Smoke Fire Hope Desire edging its way towards release, Harts has now unveiled a stack of Aussie tour dates to support this highly anticipated record. September and October will have the guitarist on the road down the east coast and into South Australia with a live show that has continued to develop and…

Melbourne’s Mcrobin (aka folk songwriter James McGuffie) today gives us a little hint into what’s in store on his sophomore EP release Shallow Diver, in new single “Concrete Feet”. Set for official release at the end of the week, the new track sees Mcrobin step further out into the spotlight with some rich and rhythmic alt-folk music. Co-produced…

For Toronto’s VACAY, the momentum generating around his music is only getting stronger at them moment. With his single “The Other Side” bringing him acclaim from blogs, tastemakers and hungry new music fans online, the young artist is steadily building himself up as an artist to be watching. We find out more about ‘the male…

As I’m chatting to Charles, lead guitarist and vocalist of Brisbane favourites Babaganouj, he’s laughing, struggling to unlock the door, and has just made it through Brisbane peak-hour traffic. “It’s really not [that bad],” he laughs, reminiscent of the laid back nature of Brisbane; it’s no wonder Babaganouj’s indie pop-rock sounds are so upbeat. The…

Blizzard have hit the ground running at Gamescom 2016, announcing a brand new map for their competitive team-shooter Overwatch. Called Eichenwalde, the new map will see players storming a German castle.

There are more and more big names starting to be linked with the Mary Poppins sequel, with the latest reporting Meryl Streep and Ben Wishaw are in talks to join the project. Whether the millennials will recognise it or not, a sequel to the 1964 Mary Poppins is a graceful moment for American cinema. The…

The Australian Film Television and Radio School has announced a partnership with Virgin Australia that will see its aircraft screens adorned with the best short films to come out of the school. The initiative will take the title, the ‘Best of the Fest’ program and will feature a selection of AFTRS films that have screened…

Music streaming service Spotify is now requesting the company of gamers of all ages. They’ve just released a gaming channel that incorporates all styles of gaming music, from classic 80’s mono-tunes and retro synth themes, to modern day masterpieces played by popular orchestras. 

“You’re as connected to the city as you are to the sky at Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport”, the hotel’s brochures proudly proclaim.  Which is just as well, because the Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport is pretty ideal for travellers passing in and out of our nation’s capital. Less than 10 minutes from Canberra’s CBD, and 50 metres…

This coming weekend, artists, art therapists, community development workers, educators, and arts and humanitarian organisations will partake in a special forum at Sydney’s Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, discussing artistic practice by, with, and about refugees. Inspired by the recent number of exhibitions with a focus on refugees, including CPAC’s own Refugees, and the Refugee Art Project,…

Lila Gold. Who is this artist capturing attention fast in local circles? Well, for those newcomers to her sound, she’s Sydney-based but New York raised and is one of the latest names to be embraced by the Mushroom family. “China Chalet” is her debut single and the music video that has come with it offers…