Author: Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.

Film Review: Jojo Rabbit plays Hitler for a fool

A tender coming-of-age story about a 10 year old boy learning to navigate a Nazi summer camp and fantasising about being best friends with a slapstick version of Adolf Hitler. How the hell did Taika Waititi pitch this, successfully? The Kiwi auteur seems to have made the most unlikely (and, to some, offensive) film he…

Read more

Amazon Echo (3rd Gen) Review: Who needs a “Plus” anyway?

Amazon haven’t really reinvented anything with their latest line-up, which began rolling out in Australia just a few months ago. They added a brilliant LED display to their budget-friendly Echo Dot, introduced raw power with the Echo Studio, and have simply just refined and polished the standard Echo to prepare it for a stronger Alexa…

Read more

Fitbit Versa 2 Review: Wellness pro, but smart watch amatuer

Fitbit are now as ambitious in the world of smart watches as they are dominators of the fitness industry. Ever since 2017’s Ionic product line started the brand who had been, up until that point, only known for fitness tracking wearables started to move towards something bigger and better. They made the mistake of trying…

Read more

Google Pixel 4 XL Review: A lot of promise, a lot of problems

Where smartphone photography is still bread and butter for all companies now, Google have admirably sought to refine what it means to own a smartphone in 2019. They’ve looked at the entire experience with the Google Pixel 4, which has given us some pretty cool features that should hold great influence over smartphones in 2020….

Read more

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15-inch Review: AMD comes through

The Surface Laptop series has proven to be a big success for Microsoft, pulling them ahead when it comes to traditional clamshell laptops and placing them in direction competition with Dell and Apple. Most importantly, it has given the company a new identity in this race, and arguably won them more than a few legs….

Read more

Amazon Echo Dot with Clock Review: Small change, big difference

Amazon claim that the Echo Dot is the best-selling speaker of all time. I haven’t looked into that, but I haven’t doubted it either. It’s ridiculously affordable, offers incredible value and looks fantastic sidling up to everyday furniture, whether that be on a bedside table or in the kitchen. Since 2015, the device has been…

Read more

Rums, whiskies and wines that pair well with any Christmas feast

Rum, whisky and wine. Clear spirits take a backseat when it comes to ideal Christmas pairings, and wine is infallible given the multitude of flavours in a silly season feast. You might as well be across your best options, right? We’ve rounded up some of the best for you to go grab in your last…

Read more

The wildly ambitious Tasting Australia 2020 program has been announced

South Australia has long been regarded as a playground of sorts for discerning gourmands and wine enthusiasts the world over. Alongside the plentiful key regions of Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, the capital of Adelaide maintains its reputation for compact travel, artisan outlets, world-class restaurants (bolstered by the iconic Adelaide Central Market), and…

Read more

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review: Struggling to justify the price

2019 has been a big year for noise cancelling headphones, and the race to produce the very best has been increasingly difficult to call. Bose were once the clear front-runners with the widely acclaimed QuietComfort line, but since then worthy competitors from Sony, Sennheiser and Bang & Olufsen stepped up in a big way. With…

Read more

The best way to spend a weekend in California’s iconic Napa Valley

The small city of Napa is no longer just a stepping stone to the many venerated vineyards that populate Northern California’s Napa Valley. Although once seen as the forgettable part of an unforgettable wine adventure, recent years have worked magic around Napa’s boutique-minded downtown, propping it up as the most ideal base for discerning wine…

Read more

Important changes to visa process for Australians entering Chile

Chile’s National Tourism Service has today announced a postponement of the planned visa requirement for Australian tourists wishing to enter the country. Between now and May 9, 2020, Australian passport holders will not be required to hold a visa when entering Chile. As of May 9, 2020, Chile will introduce a new electronic visa, which…

Read more

The world’s first Ink Hotel makes Melbourne debut

Melbourne is now the location for the world’s first Ink Hotel, a personality-focused brand from Singapore-based Next Story Group, best known for their elegant NEXT Hotels and forward-thinking ‘Members Only’ club Kafnu. Ink adds another distinctive element to the group, focusing on lifestyle hotels that shape their own social scenes and provide a comfortable guest…

Read more

Qatar Airways will add Dubrovnik, Santorini, and Osaka to rapidly expanding network

2020 is going to be a big year for Qatar Airways and their ever-expanding network, if the airline’s most recent announcement is anything to go by. As part of a massive network expansion, the five-time “World’s Best Airline” winner are introducing numerous seasonal flights and new destinations to make some of the world’s best destinations…

Read more

Chicago International Film Festival Review: The Painted Bird – brutal, cold, beautiful

Candide, or absolute nihilism? Eastern European cinema has always had a nail-biting bleakness about it, but The Painted Bird may have just upended all others. This is a brutal hellscape somehow stretched into an adventure epic; as hard to look away from, as it is to watch in the first place. There’s little wonder as…

Read more

Chicago International Film Festival Review: Just Mercy finds justice on death row

A film like Just Mercy lays all cards on the table before it even starts. On the surface, it’s another entry in the long-line of righteous fury pointed at miscarried justice and a system unashamed by its own historical wrongdoings. And yes, that’s pretty much what it is, adapting the true story from a 2014…

Read more

11 of the most incredible things to see in the Canadian Rockies

Want to experience something truly surreal? We’re talking genuinely life-affirming, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping sights that will forever be etched into your memory. See everything you possibly can in the Canadian Rockies. Hike it, drive it, sit on a solitary pier tearing up at the profound beauty of it all; fear this immense pocket of untamed nature…

Read more

Arlo Pro 3 Review: Big step forward for smart security tech

Assuming you have enough disposable income left over after building up the modern DIY smart home, security should be the next consideration. We’ve already seen what Arlo are capable of when they play around in their ultra premium security space. Now that they’ve steadily built up a rich ecosystem of devices, it’s time they finesse…

Read more

Live Review: Dead Prez are still bigger than hip hop – Metro Theatre, Sydney (11.12.19)

Sincere motivational rhymes about veganism and leading a healthy lifestyle may have been the last thing you would have expected from a dead prez concert. That is, if you thought the anthemic chant of their signature hit, “Hip Hop”, was nothing more than an infectious hook. The now veteran duo of stic.man and M1 don’t…

Read more

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless 3 Review: Good here, bad there

Feature-rich, highly intelligent and design-forward, Sennheiser have put a great deal of love into the 2019 iteration of their reputation MOMENTUM Wireless range. The over-ear headphones not only outperform most rivals, but consider the entire sonic experience. This includes Tile technology to address the possibility of misplacing the set. Although you’ll be paying a premium…

Read more

Huawei Y9 Prime Review: high-end features at an affordable price

A triple-lens camera and a reliable battery are usually features you’d find in high-end flagship smartphones, but thankfully the growing trend of refining mid-range phones is changing all that. After dominating smartphone photography this year with the brilliant Huawei P30 Pro, the company wasted very little time at offering a cost effective option that focuses…

Read more

A usable 1920’s rotary phone with unlimited minutes has popped up in Sydney

Novelty things are happening around Sydney all the time, as restaurants – the creative ones at least – strive to compete in a fickle scene. Take, the recently launched Parlour Cucina for example. When they first opened, the team behind it made the wise choice to let nonnas eat for free – it’s obviously an…

Read more

Finally: Merivale’s ambitious plans for Coogee Pavilion’s Middle Floor

Merivale’s Coogee Pavilion has been a tremendous success over the past few years, but there’s always been one giant chunk of the beachside venue missing. The middle floor of this multifaceted venue always felt like a lull when making the short climb to that gorgeous rooftop – no more. No stranger to ambition, Justin Hemmes…

Read more

Dyson Pure Cool Me Review: A cleaner, cooler take on self-care

Last year Dyson completely outdid themselves with the three-in-one Dyson Pure Hot + Cool, offering an incredibly efficient device that could cool, heat and purify a room with ease. The device’s imposing size meant that this could handle all three functions for an entire room, whereas Dyson’s latest play, in the bladeless fan space they…

Read more

Nike are releasing the Dunk Low Pro B Viotech in Australia this week

This week, Australians will be able to get their hands on what was originally an exclusive Japan release all the way back in 2002. Perhaps better known for its 2013 reissue, the Nike Dunk Low Pro B Viotech silhouette will be making its triumphant return. The vibrant tonal variation and rich materials used in this…

Read more

Pokemon Sword and Shield Review: Dexit can’t stop this party

Understandably, some fans were upset when it was announced that Pokémon Sword and Shield would severely limit which Pokémon could be caught across all eight generations. It was dubbed “dexit” (perhaps to keep with the UK theme), decried online (ad nauseam), and even led to a few grown adults crossing their arms, stomping their precious…

Read more

Track of the Day: Klue “Coming Home” (2019)

Fresh from another life over in Europe, Klue has zipped back to Sydney for the summer and is celebrating with the celebratory “Coming Home”. The Aussie-born producer, also known as one third of True Vibenation, has caught our attention numerous times with his slinky, summery productions and penchant for pulling in inflections of jazz, tropical…

Read more

An entire year of Scottish music and arts is coming to Australia for 2020

They might not be bringing the wild landscapes and unparalleled whiskies (although there will be some of that) with them, but the great country of Scotland will be sending some of their best musicians and creatives over to Australia for “The Year of Scotland”. Charmingly abbreviated to (#)YOSA2020, the year-long 2020 program will build a…

Read more

Qantas has a new frequent flyer partnership with KLM and Air France

There’s some big news for Qantas Frequent Flyers as the Australian airline has been announced as the latest partner of Flying Blue, the loyalty program of KLM and Air France. This of course means that passengers can and spend QFF points and receive tier benefits on both major airlines. The announcement builds upon a previous…

Read more

What it’s like seeing a concert in Colorado’s legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Honestly, is there any live music experience as prized in the U.S as seeing a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the first time? Sure, there’s South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, Billy Bob’s, the jazz of New Orleans, and the blues of Memphis, but none quite compare to the myth and majesty of this…

Read more

20 gift ideas if you really want to sleigh Christmas this year

What makes the perfect Christmas gift? Something that tugs the receiver’s heart strings? something the receiver has already asked for? or something the receiver didn’t know they even needed in the first place? It of course depends on the individual (and the gift-giver), and that should be your first consideration when trying to find the…

Read more