Year: 2025

Interview: David Freyne on the classic inspiration behind his new romantic comedy Eternity

Eternity is an imaginative and bittersweet romantic comedy about the afterlife, where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity. For Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) it’s a facing of an impossible choice between the man she spent her life with (Miles Teller) and her first love (Callum Turner), who died young and has waited decades…

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Forever Ends Here on their latest EP – I’m Still Trying To Find Myself

Forever Ends Here were a real moment in the early 2010s Melbourne pop-punk scene, and their 2025 return definitely wasn’t on by bingo card- but I’m here for it. While this might look like a classic comeback, the Melbourne trio are approaching things with a clean slate as they reinvent themselves through their new EP,…

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Interview: Emerging filmmaker Darcy Conlan on winning the AACTA Wake in Fright Development Initiative for his cosmic horror debut feature The Harvest

AACTA, Sanctuary Pictures, Umbrella Entertainment and the Wake in Fright Trust today announced The Harvest, written and directed by emerging filmmaker Darcy Conlan, as the 2025 recipient of the Wake in Fright Development Initiative. Conlan will receive $30,000 in funding and dedicated development support to take the project toward production; the Wake in Fright Development Initiative honours the…

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How Disneyland’s Lightning Lane Multi Pass works: Is queue cutting worth the extra cost?

In December 2021, after more than 20 years of the “FastPass” system (which this feature length documentary will tell you all about so I don’t have to), Disneyland scraped their relatively groundbreaking – if imperfect – queue cutting system, in favour of “Genie+”. The catch: putting it more in line with the add-ons offered by…

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Maho Magic Bar lights up Spiegel Haus Melbourne with the Japan’s sleight-of-hand masters

Teleportation may not be possible just yet, but Maho Magic Bar is the closest we’ve come! Situated in the newly opened Spiegel Haus Melbourne precinct, step into a bespoke space that stimulates the senses and transports you to an authentic Tokyo magic bar without ever leaving your backyard. Combining dazzling magic, classic cocktails and laughs…

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How Food Trends Influence the Way Nomads Explore New Places

Travelers who move from one region to another often treat food as a guide. They follow flavors that spark curiosity and inspire movement. Many nomads choose their next stop based on a dish they want to taste or a style of cooking they want to learn more about. As these explorers move across borders, simple…

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Blackout at 18: How Britney Spears Rewrote the Future of Pop Music

When Blackout arrived in October 2007, it felt less like an album release and more like a cultural reset. Britney Spears – the most photographed woman in the world, trapped in an aggressive media cycle – walked into one of the most turbulent years of her life and somehow delivered a record so forward-thinking that…

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Georgia Scarlett

Track by Track: Georgia Scarlett breaks down her debut album, Rhythm of Life

A new artist to the AU, Georgia Scarlett steps forward today with the publishing of her debut album, Rhythm of Life, a tender, time-shaped journey through heartbreak, healing and self-discovery. The Meanjin/Brisbane singer-songwriter leans into country-pop and folk storytelling to chart an emotional landscape shaped by change, resilience and the quiet clarity that comes with…

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New Music Discoveries 28th November: Seb Szabo + Joan & the Giants, Beth and Blue, Joe Mungovan & more

This week on our Discovery Playlist we’ve added ten new tracks in celebration of Ausmusic Month — and fittingly, every single one comes from an Australian-based artist. Leading the pack is our Track of the Week, Seb Szabo + Joan & the Giants with their joyous new single “Figure It Out”. A radiant celebration of…

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Book Review: Step into the Underworld with Nikita Gill’s verse novel Hekate

Hekate, the daughter of Titans, has never known safety. When her parents are on the losing side of war with Zeus, her mother Asteria seeks refuge in the Underworld, where Styx and Hades agree to raise Hekate. Asteria flees, pursued by Zeus and Poseidon, while Hekate’s father, the Titan Perses, is captured, locked away somewhere…

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Photo Gallery: Kaiser Chiefs + The Delta Riggs – Hordern Pavilion (27.11.25)

English indie legends Kaiser Chiefs returned to Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album Employment and proved their debut still packs more bite than most bands’ entire careers. Lead singer Ricky Wilson bounded across the stage like a man fuelled by nostalgia and nitroglycerin, leading a crowd of old-school indie diehards…

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Margot Robbie announced as Jury President for landmark return of Tropfest 2026

Tropfest – the world’s largest short film festival – is set to make its spectacular return to Centennial Park, Sydney, on Sunday 22 February 2026, with internationally acclaimed and Academy Award nominated actor and producer Margot Robbie leading the charge as Jury President; she joins a prestigious list of fellow Australian and international celebrities, such as…

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“I had this as a daydream when I was 10… I had no idea how to get there”: Wheatus’ Brendan B. Brown celebrates 25 years of being a Teenage Dirtbag.

Brendan B. Brown still sounds faintly amazed when you ask him about the staying power of “Teenage Dirtbag.” Twenty-five years after Wheatus released their self-titled debut album, the misfit anthem is not only alive but thriving, fuelled by the viral TikTok trend of celebrities posting teenage photos of themselves, surprise covers, and a new wave…

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 provides some solid gameplay, but stumbles in its campaign

It’s no secret that the Call of Duty machine practically churns at the end of every year, working on the next annual project in hopes of moving the Modern Warfare or Black Ops series forward. Funnily enough, we got Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 one after the other, so it seems the next…

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Film Review: Dead of Winter; Emma Thompson is an unlikely action heroine in mature, tense thriller

Director Brian Kirk manages to set quite the tone within the first minutes of his icy thriller Dead of Winter, with Emma Thompson‘s Barb navigating the snowy environment in the isolated Minnesotan wilderness she has ventured into to spread the ashes of her recently deceased husband. The emotionality conjured through Barb’s motivation offsets the terrifying…

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Interview: Director Gurinder Chadha on reimaging a seasonal classic through a musical lens with Christmas Karma

Gurinder Chadha is one of Britain’s most distinctive filmmakers, known for telling stories that reflect the rich diversity of modern life.  She broke through internationally with Bend It Like Beckham, and has since directed a string of much-loved films, including Bride and Prejudice, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, and Blinded by the Light.  Her work is marked by warmth,…

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How Stranger Things: The First Shadow strikes the perfect balance for fans of the stage and screen

This is a spoiler-free article that was originally published 25th June 2025.  Less than 18 months after it premiered on the West End, Stranger Things: The First Shadow made its anticipated Broadway debut this April. The play is Netflix’s first production on the stage, and understandably, the production was initially met with skepticism. Could the…

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Film Review: Eleanor the Great; Scarlett Johansson’s meditation on grief is poignant and profound

One of the most poignant lines of Eleanor the Great is “Talk about the things that make you sad,” and it’s with such a notion that Scarlett Johansson‘s affecting dramedy takes it on as a throughline.  A film that so easily could have been about deception becomes something far greater and more profound, transforming itself…

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‘G’day & Goodbye’; Belinda Carlisle announces farewell Australian Tour for 2027

In March 2027, international pop icon Belinda Carlisle will bid a celebratory farewell to Australian fans, with a national run of dates saluting four decades of hits on the aptly titled G’day & Goodbye Tour. One of the most distinctive voices of the 1980s and beyond, Belinda will take fans on a musical journey through her extraordinary…

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The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is an absolute dream for competitive gamers

We recently reviewed Corsair’s Vanguard 96 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, applauding it for its premium build quality, satisfying keys and general versatility. That being said, we would also like to mention up top that our review for the Vanguard Pro 96 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard might draw similarities in certain areas, and while we don’t mean…

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Series Review: Ghosts: Australia is a clever transposition of a modern comedy classic – even if the jokes sometimes don’t quite land

When Ghosts: Australia was announced, it might be fair to say that the idea was met with some trepidation. There have been numerous examples of comedy hits in one country failing to impress when adapted for another – anyone remember when they tried to do an American version of Kath and Kim? Yet Ghosts, based on the…

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Forever: Why The Spice Girls’ Much-Maligned Third Album Deserves Its Flowers 25 Years Later

Twenty-five years after its release, the Spice Girls’ third album Forever has returned to turntables with a celebratory anniversary vinyl edition – an event that has inspired a wave of reassessment from fans and critics alike. It’s fitting that this reissue has sparked renewed conversation as Forever has long lived in the shadow of its…

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When the credits roll: how TV soundtracks became the new playlists

There was a time when the music in television shows was meant to blend quietly into the background — a tool to guide emotion, never to steal the scene. But over the past decade, that’s changed. Music on TV has become something bigger: a cultural event in its own right. Today, entire generations discover artists…

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Live Review: Sam Fender + Holly Humberstone – The Showring, Sydney (21.11.2025)

It feels that November, despite being Aus Music Month, has been dominated by the Poms. Fresh on the heels of Oasis selling out stadiums and making every second middle-aged man cry about a band they never thought they’d be able to see live again, Sam Fender has returned to our shores and delivered a set…

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Interview: He Had It Coming creator Gretel Vella and Jungle Entertainment Producer Chloe Rickard on their odd couple crime comedy series

Produced by Jungle Entertainment with major production investment from Screen Australia, He Had It Coming is an odd couple comedy-drama of two women accidentally entangled in a murder mystery when their spontaneous feminist art activism is co-opted by a killer. Now streaming on Stan Australia, where it’s immediately raced into the Top 10 current most-streamed series,…

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Catch Fish and Chips makes a splash at Westfield Chermside in Brisbane

A new name is reeling in the good stuff at Westfield Chermside this November, as Catch Fish and Chips has officially opened its doors! Bringing a fresh take on the classic Aussie fish and chip shop, Catch Fish and Chips is all about simple, feel-good food done right – fast, fuss-free, and full of coastal…

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J.I.M is a game changer for Melbourne’s wellness space

As someone who has had an on and off relationship with exercise for more years than I’d like to count, I’d recently gotten back into the groove of being a little bit more consistent with maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But there is one thing I do struggle with, and that’s finding the time. I am…

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Film Review: Sisu: Road to Revenge; bloody action speaks louder than words in risible, near-silent sequel

They often say actions speak louder than words. So it’s entirely fitting that the dialogue is minimal in Sisu: Road to Revenge, Jalmari Helander‘s brutal, gloriously implausible follow-up to 2022’s surprise success Sisu. Following relatively the same structure as its predecessor, the sequel (Sisu is a Finnish word-blend of strength, resilience, willpower, and grit) once…

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John Vesely on bringing Secondhand Serenade’s Awake to Australia this December

Secondhand Serenade is the emotive acoustic project of Californian singer-songwriter John Vesely. One of the defining breakout acts of the Myspace era, Vesely soared to global attention with his heart-on-sleeve debut album Awake. Nearly two decades on, the record’s impact hasn’t dulled and Vesely is celebrating its legacy with a tour, playing the record front…

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My Chérie unveils her Life is Short and Life is Long EP, featuring new single “Box of Pencils”

Adelaide alt-pop singer / songwriter My Chérie has just released Life is Short & Life is Long, an EP that explores identity, hope and healing. We teased an earlier single “Dishes in the Sink” back in August this year. The EP also includes “Life Is”, alongside the powerful new focus single, “Box of Pencils”. “Box…

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