Year: 2025

From the opening sequence of Aneil Karia‘s Hamlet it’s evident that the Shakespeare tale we know won’t be simply rehashed on screen.  This isn’t your school production or even Broadway, with Karia maintaining the classic tongue of the prose, but bringing its setting to modern day London within the South Asian community. Following the moment…

If you are one of the many audience members seemingly disappointed that Dakota Johnson‘s love triangle with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal’s in Materialists earlier in the year wasn’t as romantic as you were led to believe, then it’s possible that Michael Angelo Covino‘s Splitsville may be the antidote.  Of course, this self advertised “unromantic…

Embracing the “unromantic comedy”, writer/director Michael Angelo Covino assembles one of this year’s finest ensembles for Splitsville, a riotous, emotional dramedy about the perils of honesty and intimacy within relationships. When Ashley (Adria Arjona) asks for a divorce, the good-natured Carey (Kyle Marvin) runs to his friends, Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Covino) for support….

It’s the first week of Spring and we have ten more tracks to add to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. Fresh from a successful jaunt touring across Europe, Fanny Lumsden takes home our Track of the Week with her new single “Look At Me Now”. “Look At Me Now”, recorded on the…

We just got our first decent look at 007 First Light with a brand-new State of Play showcase, dedicated to Britain’s most iconic spy. The showcase took us through a 20-minute mission filled with espionage, stealth and bucket loads of action, complete with a smaller, more guided 10-minute look at how gameplay elements and options…

From relatively humble horror beginnings, The Conjuring Universe – as it was so dubbed the more sequels it garnered – is coming to a close after over a decade of mixed scares and box office bullion. And whilst The Conjuring: Last Rites, the ninth installment in the franchise overall (following the previous three Conjuring films,…

Brighton’s explosive punk duo Lambrini Girls are set to bring their riotous live energy to Australia for the very first time, announcing headline shows in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth February/March 2026. Lambrini Girls are vocalist Phoebe Lunny and guitarist Selin Macieira-Bosgelmez, are known for their sharp-witted political commentary, unapologetic stage presence, and a ferocious…

“Your videography is getting so good,” I’ve heard multiple times over the past year. “Thanks,” I reply sheepishly. I do admit that I’m getting much better at shooting content, but these apparent skills wouldn’t exist without the proper tools. Yes, there’s intuition and a journalist’s eye, but those things are learned through trial and error….

The Linden Postcard Show is in its 35th year and this year there will be over 1200 artworks on display available for purchase. The Postcard Show runs from 6th September to 2nd November in the gallery in St Kilda in Melbourne. This is a much loved fixture in the Melbourne Art scene. As part of…

Artistic directors and cofounders of the Adelaide Ballet, Rejane Garcia and Sarah Humeniuk have a vision – to establish a professional ballet company that honours the timeless beauty of the art form, while telling the stories of South Australia. And, in the confines of the Light Room Studio at ILA, Adelaide’s Immersive Light and Art,…

Whilst The Magic Flute has been a staple since W. A. Mozart wrote the music in 1791, this performance of the opera by the State Opera South Australia has been produced with the co-support of Opera Hong Kong, Beijing Music Festival and China National Opera House. This gives it a multicultural feel. In the opera,…

If you’ve been to a major music festival recently, you may have been impressed by DJ RONA on the decks. She’s played Laneway, Pitch Music & Arts, Strawberry Fields, and Splendour in the Grass. Many are citing the 2024 Sugar Mountain Boiler Room set as a defining moment. RONA. is known for her original electronic…

Global trailblazer and boundary-pushing icon M.I.A. is set to return to Australia in October 2025 for two exclusive headline performances in Melbourne and Sydney. Renowned for her genre-defying sound, political edge, and explosive live shows, M.I.A. has been a fearless voice in global music for nearly two decades. With smash hits like “Paper Planes”, “Bad…

We only got our first look at the long-awaited 007 First Light a couple of months ago, but it seems as though the team at IO Interactive are already keen to give us a deeper look. According to a recent PlayStation.Blog post, 007 First Light will be getting its own State of Play showcase on…

It’s been 25 years since Wheatus released their self-titled debut, complete with iconic noughties classic “Teenage Dirtbag“. To celebrate this massive milestone, the band have lined up a run of shows across Australia in January 2026. New Zealand fans won’t miss out either, with Wheatus also announcing their first ever NZ dates as part of…

When trauma is experienced, how does one move on with a semblance of normalcy? That is the question indirectly asked at the centre of Eva Victor‘s stunning Sorry, Baby, a darkly comedic, at times devastating drama that unfolds in the more mundane moments that follow an act of sexual assault; in a wisely unseen moment,…

Eva Victor is a writer-director and actor whose fearless character-forward comedic sensibility has cemented them as an undeniable triple threat to watch. Victor has boldly established themself as a singular emerging cinematic voice with their feature directorial debut Sorry, Baby, which world premiered to massive acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, before closing the Director’s…

Three years ago, The AU Review’s Peter Gray spoke with author Aaron Blabey about seeing the first book in his Bad Guys series come to life on the big screen.  Now, The Bad Guys 2 has arrived, and Blabey is once again chatting with us – and, if it’s possible, even more enthused – about…

After wowing audiences out of Sundance earlier this year, where the Oscar campaign for Jennifer Lopez officially started, Australia will now have their chance to see the triple threat in action herself, with Kiss of the Spider Woman set for a local release in theatres from October. Dreamgirls and Beauty and the Beast director Bill…

Recent data shows that moving house is one of the most stressful experiences a person can go through. So, if you have a friend or family member moving, it’s important to show them love and support. One of the best ways you can support a loved one moving away is through gifts. Research has shown…

Survival is the only victory. The trailer for Beast of War has dropped, marking the arrival of one of the biggest and boldest Australian films of the year – a high stakes thriller that cranks up the genre into a brutal fight for life – where the enemy isn’t just in the skies, but circling beneath…

Motionless in White are set to play their biggest Australian shows yet, with dates announced for Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. They’ll arrive Down Under in June next year, with support from Currents and Perth’s own Make Them Suffer. Known for their blend of industrial metal and almost cinematic gothic pop, Motionless in White are a…

Emo icons The Used head into the final week of the Aussie leg of their massive 25th anniversary tour. It’s been a true throwback run, with the band performing their first three albums in full – one each night, in each city. Dates sold out fast, venues were upgraded, and new shows were added, and…

2025 marks ten wonderfully wild years of Beyond The Valley, and its showing no signs of slowing down. Once again, it’ll be taking over the beautiful Barunah Plains on Wadawurrung Country from 28 December – 1 January. This year’s lineup may be one of the most genre-bending yet, with headliners Dom Dolla, Addison Rae, Kid…

Kirby is no stranger to reinvention. For over three decades, Nintendo’s pink hero has shape-shifted through 2D platformers, spin-offs, party games, and even pinball. Yet 2022’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land felt like a genuine breakthrough the moment when HAL Laboratory finally committed to a fully 3D Kirby adventure, blending classic charm with bold new…

Gears of War: Reloaded is a strange beast; a remaster of a remaster, almost 20 years after the original defined an era of cover-based shooters on Xbox 360. For many, this was the game that shaped what third-person action could look and feel like. Its influence is undeniable, paving the way for the likes of…

This year marks the 10th anniversary of BADLANDS, Halsey’s first studio album; a triple platinum certified debut that no doubt shaped a generation of young teens with songs like “Colors”, “Hurricane”, and “Gasoline.” To celebrate this huge milestone, Halsey announced and released a music video for her song “Gasoline” with another one for “Drive” on…

As we are about to head into spring in Australia, we’ve added ten new tracks to our Discovery playlist on Apple Music and Spotify. Our Track of the Week is “TOP OF THE HILL”, from Perth’s powerhouse five-piece South Summit. This is the band’s first release since their debut album, The Bliss, dropped last year. It’s…

Don’t believe dad when he says he doesn’t want anything for Father’s Day. Even the most stoic of parents gets a bright spark when they feel a tinge of appreciation. And that’s any age, whether dad is still sprightly or moving towards retirement. You don’t need a gift to show you appreciate, of course, but…

The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers another thrilling chapter of the iconic Conjuring cinematic universe. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return as Lorraine and Ed Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise, directed by Michael Chaves, who has helmed such Conjuring cinematic universe titles as The Curse of La Llorona,…