Year: 2025

Interview: William Shockley on the fingerprint he wants to leave with his directorial debut Long Shadows; “Goodness must lead the way.”

Set in the fading days of the Wild, Wild West, Long Shadows follows a lone young drifter driven by a single purpose: to avenge the brutal murder of his parents. Hardened by loss yet yearning for something beyond vengeance, his path unexpectedly shifts when he discovers love and the possibility of a new beginning. But…

Read more

The Dell UltraSharp U2725QE monitor is a bright, polished performer

Dell’s UltraSharp series has long been a go-to for professionals chasing image quality, thoughtful ergonomics, and dependable build quality. The latest in that lineage, the U2725QE, continues that tradition. Not through total reinvention, but refinement. This current release takes lessons from Dell’s previous models and folds them into a cohesive, modern package. With smarter connectivity…

Read more

Painkiller is a functional shooter that ultimately lacks variety and originality

Funnily enough, I actually have my original PC copy of 2004’s Painkiller, and while I was way too young to be playing it, I  enjoyed the first-person chaos. As you would imagine, I was actually incredibly excited to find out this underrated gem was getting a full remake. While 2025’s Painkiller is a functional shooter…

Read more

The Swann MaxRanger 4K Mini is a compact, capable security system that solves the range problem

If you’ve ever tried setting up a wireless security camera only to find it barely clings to your home Wi-Fi signal, you’ll know how quickly excitement can turn into frustration. Swann’s new MaxRanger 4K Mini proposes a fix for that. A compact, battery-powered camera kit that ditches the usual home network setup in favour of…

Read more

Album Review: Deadbeat may be Tame Impala’s most vulnerable album yet

It’s been five years between albums for Tame Impala. In the intervening years between 2020’s The Slow Rush and Deadbeat the multi-instrumentalist behind the project, Kevin Parker, has also become a husband and a father, making the choice of name for the album an interesting one indeed. Following on from the huge success of earlier…

Read more

Biffy Clyro announce their long-awaited Australian tour for 2026

When I spoke with Ben and James Johnston in September, they were adamant that Australia was definitely “on the list” for tour dates.  True to their word, today Biffy Clyro have announced their return to Australia in April next year. The Futique Tour lands in Melbourne on Tuesday, 7 April, then Sydney on Wednesday, 8…

Read more

The Maybourne Beverly Hills blends outright luxury with warmth and soul

Nowadays, the word “luxury” is vague and overused in the travel industry. Every influencer and their Pomeranian specialises in “luxury.” Every travel writer and blogger specialises in “luxury”. Everyone wants a piece of that upper-crust lifestyle (very understandable), but few understand that genuine luxury goes far, far beyond aesthetics, location and exclusivity. You cannot claim…

Read more

AUTG production of The Whale is a satisfying exposition of the nuances of life

The 2022 film version of The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, earned two Oscars and a BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Samuel D. Hunter‘s play, written in 2012, centres on a morbidly obese online English tutor trying to reconcile with his perpetually angry daughter. The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild,…

Read more

The Boulies EP460 Ergonomic Chair serves as a decent, budget-friendly option

As I’ve gotten older, I have found that I am actively looking for products that are designed for efficiency and comfort. I’ve changed my mouse, keyboard, and brought in additional accessories to make my working environment feel more comfortable. So when I was allowed to try out the Boulies EP460, I simply jumped at the…

Read more

Persona 3 Reload is a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch 2

Persona 3 is consistently ranked among the best JRPGs ever made. Reviewing the game on the PS5 last year, the unsettling themes and incredible gameplay still ring through my head whenever I talk about it. Now this beautifully made remaster is being released on the Nintendo Switch 2, so you can take it on the…

Read more

Blanc de Blanc Encore brings burlesque, acrobatics and bubbly to Spiegel Haus Melbourne

What better way to celebrate the grand opening of Spiegel Haus Melbourne, a new entertainment venue in the heart of the CBD, than with a sexy, sultry and seductive adults-only spectacle? Blanc de Blanc Encore is a sensual mix of cabaret, circus and comedy, turning this eclectic Melbourne venue into a Parisian, champagne-fuelled delight for…

Read more
Paul Dempsey

Paul Dempsey’s stripped back solo show was a celebration of simplicity

We are often told to keep it simple, stupid. Well, Paul Dempsey decided to do just that and take it on the road. For his latest solo show he treated audiences to his fine croon and an acoustic guitar. Just that. And it was simply captivating to behold. The Something for Kate frontman has recently…

Read more

Oasis returned to Sydney and delivered a set that will live forever

I’ve been fortunate in my time to see some of the biggest acts of not only my life, but objectively all time. From Paul McCartney to Taylor Swift, Arctic Monkeys and Florence + The Machine, The Strokes and The Cure, I look forward to telling my future children that I got to witness some of…

Read more

Interview: Leo Suter on embodying a new iteration of the classic detective Lynley; “It does make one reflect on class in Britain.”

A fresh take on Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley novel series, Lynley follows the weekly adventure of a mismatched crime solving duo – an aristocratic police detective (Leo Suter’s Lynley) and maverick sergeant from a working class background (Sofia Barclay’s Havers). Together, the opposing duo become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice…

Read more

Interview: Sofia Barclay on embracing the flaws of her character in the reimagined Lynley; “I like the fact that she wasn’t particularly likeable.”

A fresh take on Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley novel series, Lynley follows the weekly adventure of a mismatched crime solving duo – an aristocratic police detective (Leo Suter’s Lynley) and maverick sergeant from a working class background (Sofia Barclay’s Havers). Together, the opposing duo become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice…

Read more

Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed again

We hate to see it, but the news is now official. Rockstar has announced that GTA 6 will be delayed until the 19th of November, 2026. It didn’t feel like long ago that they had announced a delay to May of next year, but as it stands, we’ll have to wait another entire year to…

Read more

Live Review: bbno$ brings big meme energy to Brisbane’s Riverstage

    It’s Wednesday night at Brisbane Riverstage, and Vancouver rapper bbno$ is about to play the biggest show of his career. Originally slated to play the 3000 capacity Fortitude Music Hall, the Brisbane show sold out so fast that the night was quickly upgraded to Riverstage, a venue with triple the capacity – and…

Read more

Review: Ricky Martin Live proves the singer is a showman for the ages – Brisbane Entertainment Centre (06.11.25)

It’s been a decade since Ricky Martin – undisputedly, the “King of Latin Pop” – graced Australian shores with his graceful energy, and last night on the Brisbane stop of his Ricky Martin Live tour he proved more than worth the wait. At 53-years-old, the Puerto Rican performer appeared more youthful than ever, arising on…

Read more
The Maple State

After 17 years, The Maple State return with new album Don’t Take Forever

The Maple State are back! Seventeen years after their original disbanding, the Manchester emo-punk outfit has released their new album Don’t Take Forever. A staple of the early 2000s punk scene, The Maple State steadily developed a loyal following over the years – one that includes Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus and The 1975’s frontman, Matty Healy….

Read more

Metallica blows the roof off Adelaide Oval with a blistering show

It’s been twelve years since Metallica last played Australia, but boy did they make up for lost time. Stopping at Adelaide on Wednesday as part of their M72 World Tour, the heavy metal juggernauts put on what could probably be called the show of the year. Some 50,000 fans of all ages packed out Adelaide…

Read more

New Music Discoveries 7th November: Small Miracles, Genesis Owusu, Yumi Zouma, and more

Ten more tracks have been added to our playlist on Spotify and Apple Music this week, including two from releases we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. We’re heading Northwards to Wales for our Track of the Week – “Phantom” from Cardiff queer art-rock outfit Small Miracles. “Phantom” is the opening track from the band’s…

Read more

Michelle Pfeiffer ditches the holidays in first trailer for Prime Video’s Oh. What. Fun.

Michelle Pfeiffer is done…with Christmas. The first full-length trailer has arrived for the new seasonal comedy Oh. What. Fun. just in time for the holidays, with the three-time Academy Award nominated actress leading an impressively wrapped ensemble cast; I mean, look at this – Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Danielle Brooks, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa,…

Read more

Interview: Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua – Two Worlds documents the recording of his latest album in Maori

Upcoming NZ director Ursula Grace Williams has created a playful and revealing story, documenting Marlon Williams‘ four-year journey of creating an album recorded in his native te reo Mãori language. The album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, is a blend of Marlon’s familiar country folk tunes and the rhythmic styles of traditional Māori music. Williams was recently…

Read more

Exclusive EP Premiere: Donni Heat dives deep on Echoes From The Fallout

Adelaide-based pop-punk firestarter Donni Heat unleashes his debut EP Echoes From The Fallout, premiering exclusively today on the AU review ahead of its official release this Friday, November 7. Blending punk aggression with heartfelt pop sensibility, the record captures the full force of Donni’s evolution—from bedroom project to high-voltage live band—channelling his signature mix of…

Read more

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson dream huge in trailer for Song Sung Blue

No stranger to dabbling in their own respective musicality, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson sing their way into the awards season with Song Sung Blue, an inspiring drama based on the true story of Mike and Claire Sardina aka Lightning & Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute band they formed after meeting, proving it’s never too…

Read more

Book Review: Stark Holborn muses on death and redemption in acid Western novella For The Road

Staggering through the desert, Jesse Bartos stumbles across a train station. Wounded and with only fragmented memories of what brought him to Dawn’s Holt station, he’s taken in by a welcoming, albeit strange, family, who assure him that the train will come. He just has to be patient. Stark Holborn returns with fever dream For…

Read more
Verticoli

Verticoli unveil Silverlinings – exclusive album premiere and Track by Track

Tasmanian alt-rock powerhouse Verticoli return with their stunning new long play release, Silverlinings — a raw and reflective collection that finds light amid the storm. Premiering exclusively today on the AU review, the album captures the band at their most anthemic and emotionally direct, exploring anxiety, loss, disconnection and the desperate search for meaning through…

Read more

Film Review: Predator: Badlands moves the legendary series into an exciting new direction

The Predator series has had a slew of existences since being introduced in the titular 1987 actioner, which, at the time, furthered Arnold Schwarzenegger’s stronghold as the genre go-to and served as something of a more popcorn alternative to the Alien franchise. The original film was a success of its time, and only grew in…

Read more

Interview: Director Dan Trachtenberg on injecting universal humanness in the Predator franchise with Predator: Badlands

Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, Predator: Badlands follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Predator outcast from his clan, who finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. The first film in the long-running Predator franchise that focuses on a…

Read more

Interview: Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi on transforming for Predator: Badlands and fusing the character with his Polynesian spirit

Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, Predator: Badlands follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Predator outcast from his clan, who finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. The first film in the long-running Predator franchise that focuses on a…

Read more