Month: February 2025

Stepping into Puri Tempo Doeloe felt like entering a different world – a quiet, beautiful retreat tucked away in the heart of Sanur, Bali. This isn’t just any hotel. It’s a place that feels more like a hidden treasure. A space that makes you slow down, take a deep breath, and enjoy being in the…

Influential emo artists The Juliana Theory‘s Emotion Is Dead turns 25 this year, and, as part of the celebrations, they’ll be heading our way in July. And they won’t be coming alone! The Spill Canvas will be joining them to celebrate a milestone of their own – 20 years since the release of second album…

When it comes to depicting real-life violence on screen, Australian director Justin Kurzel has an enviable history of such.  His 2011 debut, Snowtown, was a harrowing re-enactment of the South Australian body-in-a-barrel murders that plagued the 90s for close to a decade.  In 2021 he represented the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre through the psychologically taxing…

Perth-based alternative rocker RinRin has just dropped new EP Angels, a six track strong celebration of her signature fusion style of hyper-pop punk and metal. The musical project of singer-songwriter and guitarist Qarin Hipe, RinRin pulls influences from the likes of BABYMETAL, Poppy, and Bring Me The Horizon. Angels is a prequel of sorts, gathering recent releases…

Last week, Melbourne-based Turkish/Australian artist Kaya Byrne released the soulful and soothing indie gem “Stasis.” It’s only the second single from the talented artist, following last year’s “Lily Brown,” and we are thrilled today to premiere the video ahead of its general release later in the week. The genesis of the track lay with the frustration of…

It’s only been a week since its release, but Central Cee is already taking CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS on the road. True to its name, the record was a long time coming—and the UK rapper is celebrating with a humble 39-date world tour, hitting Europe, North America, and making it down to Australia in June/July. Big…

Before she became (and while she was becoming) known for The Scholomance trilogy and the Temeraire series, Naomi Novik wrote an impressive number of short stories published across anthologies and magazines – and now, readers can enjoy these stories anew or for the first time. Spanning some familiar worlds and other completely new ones, Buried…

I’ve been a big fan of movie tie-in games ever since I can remember, with fond memories of Goldeneye 007 and The Warriors being some of my highlights. While it’s no secret most of them have been average, we thought we would track down and discuss some of the better games that have rivalled the…

Around 800 cherry blossom trees wither over the water in the hip, canal-centric neighbourhood of Nakameguro in Tokyo; their spines ain’t what they used to be.  From mid-to-late March, the canal is dressed as its festive best, the cherry blossom trees shedding over the narrow 3.8-km stretch, floating in the water to create a memorable…

25 years ago, a rejected X-Files plot and a morbid sense of humour came together in the most glorious (and gory) fashion for Final Destination.  At a time when the horror genre was heavily reliant on the slasher subsect, Final Destination dared to go beyond conventions, taking the pin-up cast of its contemporaries and offing…

There’s a certain period-piece sexuality billowing through Widow Clicquot that brings to mind other such similarly-set efforts as Atonement and Pride & Prejudice.  And given that those films’ second-unit director, Thomas Napper, is at the helm here, it makes perfect sense that such detail and intimacy is adhered to; fittingly, Joe Wright, director of the…

Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin is a darkly atmospheric, surreal historical fantasy with themes of colonisation, class, feminine power and sisterhood. Set among the streets and cabaret clubs of 1930’s Shanghai, Lin has created a city that feels like a mix of steam and cyber punk with its neon lights and mechanical wonders…

Sensitively handling the queer love story at its core, Mathias Broe‘s Sauna explores the fluid possibilities of connection, further exacerbating its impact through the filmmaker’s own relationship with his transitioning partner. The sauna of the title refers to the place of work for young Johan (Magnus Juhl Andersen), a barely-legal, zero body fat-type twink who…

We recently had the pleasure of previewing Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and apologise if we repeat anything here by chance. That being said, we must reiterate that when the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance was released in 2018, we were pleasantly surprised with the amount of freedom given to players, to explore a detailed and vibrant…

While I was in the USA last year I had a few changes to my itinerary. It was ambitious, I was darting from coast to coast to Canada and back again, but not everything was locked in. I spent most of the time in New York City and planned to gradually make my way over…

Villa Avaya, located inside a gated compound in Jimbaran, Bali, may just be one of my new favourite places to stay. A quick walk from Jimbaran Beach, this stunning villa offers the best of both worlds – privacy and seclusion, yet easy access to everything you could want. The villa itself is a true masterpiece,…

What happens to things that don’t bend? After years of watching foldable phones struggle to justify their existence, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold finally answers the question: “Why would I want a phone that bends?”. Samsung has been trying to answer that question for years now, and Apple is only starting to ask it. Google’s…

Editor’s Update May 6th: This exhibition has been extended due to popular demand through July 17 at Las Vegas City Hall’s Grand Gallery. For the first time ever, Cirque du Soleil is partnering with for a museum for a limited-time exhibit, honouring more than three decades of history in Las Vegas. That museum is one…

The Flaming lips, led by their charismatic lead singer Wayne Coyne, took us on a psychedelic trip of songs from their classic 2002 release Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots plus a second set of all the hits including fan favourite “She Don’t Use Jelly”. Throughout the night, the Hordern Pavilion was transformed into a kaleidoscope…

In the few short weeks since The Used announced their massive 25th anniversary world tour, the Australian dates have gone absolute gangbusters. Sold out dates across the states have resulted in a slew of venue upgrades and new shows. Here’s everything elder emos everywhere need to know! First, venues in both Adelaide and Perth have…

Over the weekend it was revealed that Delta Air Lines is set to become the third airline to service the Melbourne to Los Angeles route. Starting 3rd December 2025, the carrier will see Melbourne become its third non-stop destination in the country, following Sydney and Brisbane. Melbourne will also be the fifth direct destination for…

Ahead of his visit to Australia for a series of shows including WOMADelaide, we chatted to Goran Bregović about his joyful approach to music making. Starting life as a rock star in the Balkans, before becoming involved in music scores, he has recently assembled a band called Goran Bregović and His Wedding and Funeral Band. I…

Forza Horizon 5 will officially be released for the PlayStation 5 this Autumn. This announcement is huge news for PlayStation 5 owners, but what does it mean for Xbox and the future of its exclusives, games, and platforms? Let’s dive in and discuss. Forza Horizon 5 on the PlayStation 5 Firstly, let’s outline what PS5…

Counting just how many hotels there are scattered across New York City would be an impressive undertaking. New properties are popping up from some of the world’s best hotel companies almost every month. I spent a decent amount of time travelling around New York City in mid-2024 so I could bring AU Review’s readers a…

Luxury with such heart, cinematic appeal and playfulness is rare. Amid all the showiness and exclusivity of a snooty five-star in Manhattan, there can be a real sense of disconnection as the soullessness of it all starts to take hold and that all-important sense of place drops off. That’s why feeling a deep sense of…

After more than a decade of shaping Australia’s indie music scene, Holy Holy have announced that they will be stepping away from the project indefinitely. Sharing the news on Instagram, the duo- comprising of composer Oscar Dawson and lyricist Timothy Carroll, explained that major life changes have led them to this decision. With Carroll relocation…

A self-awareness regarding certain specifications in getting his film made along with a universality in conjunction with its narrative, writer/director Alireza Khatami goes beyond genre conventions with The Things You Kill, a twisted thriller that breaks apart what it is to transform. At one point in the film, the language professor at the centre of…

CLIFFORDS are a five piece band from the city of Cork and are being hailed as the next big things to come out of Ireland after making waves internationally and from listening to their 2024 released single “Sleeping With Ghosts” I would have to agree. Lead singer and guitarist Iona Lynch and the band have…

Formed during the pandemic, L.S. Dunes made their debut at 2022’s Riot Fest shortly before releasing their album Past Lives, which was well-received by fans and critics. The band is made up of lead vocalist Anthony Green (Circa Survive , Saosin and The Sound of Animals Fighting), guitarist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), guitarist Travis…

Concrete Jungle where dreams are made of? The now immortal phrase refers to New York City’s most distinctive visuals, where bright, vivid colours of nature snake through the urban sprawl like a dystopian fever dream. Few places in the world are as symbolic of biophilic design, which is why it works having two properties from…