The Gold Coast glittered a little brighter on the first night of the AACTA Festival on Wednesday, February 4th – not because of Hollywood shine, but because of something far rarer and more meaningful: a genuine celebration of Australia’s own. This opening night wasn’t about red carpets for the biggest stars or the climactic awards…
When Valentine hit American theaters in February 2001, it arrived at a strange and unforgiving moment for horror. The post-Scream boom had peaked, critics were exhausted by the meta-wave, and studios were scrambling to find the next box-office darling. Into this atmosphere entered a stylish, glossy, almost defiantly straightforward slasher film – one that critics…
There are films that fail loudly, and then there are films that fail quietly; misjudged, misunderstood, and filed away under “not good enough” before anyone really figures out what they were trying to do. Awake belongs firmly in the latter category. Released in 2007 with a barely-there theatrical campaign, Joby Harold’s sleek medical conspiracy thriller…
When Scream arrived in 1996, the slasher genre wasn’t just tired, it was on life support. The once-mighty franchises of the ’70s and ’80s had collapsed under the weight of diminishing returns, self-parody, and cultural irrelevance. Friday the 13th had become a punchline. A Nightmare on Elm Street had turned Freddy Krueger into a merchandising…
On a Brisbane soundstage transformed into open ocean, Killer Whale is quietly revealing itself to be far more than a creature feature. What the producers and creative team are building here is a film that blends old-school practical filmmaking, contemporary visual effects, and a pointed generational perspective – one aimed squarely at an audience rarely…
Hollywood’s current nostalgia cycle has moved beyond prestige remakes and into something far more interesting: reclamation. The success of Anaconda’s meta-leaning revival – powered by the pairing of Jack Black and Paul Rudd – signals a new appetite for films that don’t apologise for their origins, but interrogate them. The ’90s were an era of…
Rose McGowan has been speaking again – quietly, painfully, and with a clarity that still cuts. On the latest episode of Paul C. Brunson’s We Need To Talk podcast, the actress and activist reflected on the cost of telling the truth in an industry that rarely forgives women who do. Now 52, McGowan, one of…
When Hostel was released theatrically in 2006 (it technically debuted in 2005 at the Toronto International Film Festival), it arrived like a blunt instrument. Audiences recoiled, critics argued, and the term “torture porn” entered the mainstream horror lexicon almost overnight. Directed by Eli Roth and produced by Quentin Tarantino, Hostel quickly became a lightning rod…
2025 has proven to be a year of cinematic surprises, a period where filmmakers pushed boundaries, challenged expectations, and delivered stories that linger long after the credits roll. From pulse-pounding thrillers that leave you breathless, to intimate dramas that pierce the heart with quiet, unflinching honesty, this year’s films navigated extremes – emotional, visual, and…
There’s a point every December when the sleigh bells start to feel a little too loud and the familiar holiday classics blur together. You’ve seen the same heartwarming arcs, the same snowy kisses, the same miraculous last-minute transformations. Sometimes you want a Christmas movie that doesn’t insist on comfort. You want something stranger, sharper, or…
Every great Batman era begins the same way: with skepticism. Michael Keaton was dismissed for his comedic inclinations. Ben Affleck was written off as a miscast action star. Robert Pattinson was mocked for his Twilight past. Even Heath Ledger’s casting within the Batman franchise was met with intense trepidation before he ultimately redefined The Joker….
Rob Reiner‘s passing is a shock felt across the worlds of film and television. Known for directing such beloved classics as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally…, Misery, and A Few Good Men, he leaves behind a body of work that spans genres, tones, and generations. Reiner’s…
When Netflix announced it would acquire Warner Bros. for more than $80 billion, the news landed with considerable weight. It wasn’t just another merger in an era already drowning in media consolidation. It was the moment Hollywood officially surrendered one of its last legacy studios to the gravity of a global tech giant. And let’s…
The spooky season is once again upon us, and with that comes necessary horror viewing. Sure, you could always revisit the classics (we’re talking your Halloween, Friday the 13th, Scream – and they’re iconic for a reason, so no judgement), but half the fun of the Halloween season is unearthing something scarily unexpected. Between endless…
In 2017, aspiring Japanese journalist Shiori Ito went public with the allegation that powerful, and high-profile Washington Bureau Chief of TBS TV station in Tokyo, Noriyuki Yamaguchi, had drugged and raped her after he invited her out to dinner. Yamaguchi was a well-known presence on TV with ties to some of the most powerful people…
The year that was 2024 in film. Gladicked wasn’t quite Barbenheimer 2.0. Scary movies ruled all (wait, is horror back?). Audiences weren’t Kraven’ superheroes – unless they were Hugh Jackman. Nicholas Hoult quietly emerged as the year’s most reliable leading man. And, like last year, originality was far more satiating. Here at the AU Review…
From the ICC to multiple UTS venues, the Palace, and beyond, the energy of Australia’s film industry was unmistakable at SXSW Sydney 2024’s Screen Festival. Here are some of our highlights from panels, interviews, and sessions featuring indie pioneers and industry giants alike. Creative folks talking candid shop What better way to open a festival…
2024’s Sony Catchlight Film Festival awards night was a vibrant celebration of filmmaking talent, held at Sydney’s iconic White Bay Power Station. Now in its fourth year, the festival recognises filmmakers from Australia and New Zealand who tell their stories using Sony cameras. The 2024 edition was nothing short of inspiring, with awards given across…
Feeling old, buddy? This month, the big screen adaptation of South Park, South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut, celebrates its 25th anniversary. Debuting at the end of June 1999, the film was amongst the most controversial of a year filled with controversial but successful, MPAA R-Rated films. You had The Matrix, which had been an…
Whilst the phenomenon of Barbenheimer brought many people back to the theatres, there are still certain audiences who aren’t venturing out beyond their living rooms to see the latest films. And if you, like so many others, are curious as to just why this year’s Academy Award nominated Best Picture options were the 10 titles…
Melbourne’s new next-level cinema experience is unveiled today, with FoMo Cinemas opening its East Brunswick doors. A haven for cinema and food-lovers alike, FoMo Cinemas brings together the best of the silver screen with an elevated in-cinema food offering in a first for Australian movie-goers. Housed in the newly opened East Brunswick Village precinct by…
In a year that was ruled by Barbenheimer and mortally wounded the once-unstoppable superhero genre, 2023 definitely saw audiences shift their minds (and money) towards more original content. Perhaps an indication as to where the industry should place its focus, The AU’s best of list similarly echoes the sentiment that bigger doesn’t always mean better,…
The BIFF is back! As the Brisbane International Film Festival continues to go from strength to strength as an industry must-do, newly appointed CEO Luke Wheatley and Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney made sure the festival’s 29th year was worthy of an Uproar-ious reception. A celebration of films for audiences seeking new perspectives and memorable…
Over 22 years and 10 films (thus far), the Fast & Furious franchise has defied all expectations – and physics – and driven its players to constant peril, but ultimate safety, all in the name of family. With Fast X now riding high in cinemas across the globe (you can read our review here), in…
Those of us that still collect physical media will be all too aware of the oft-golden special feature that is the director’s commentary. But, in perhaps a sign of the streaming model cottoning on that it needs to up its game when it comes to packaging a film, Netflix have sanctioned writer/director Rian Johnson to…
It’s always an amusing statement to hear when people say that “There are just no good movies out there.” You can cry foul on 2022 being “the worst year of movies, ever” all you want – it’s considerably not true – and, perhaps, because certain blockbusters failed to wow you or due to the endless…
Sydney singer/songwriter Able Joseph has recently released the tender and intimate track, “Lonely LA”. It’s a heartfelt song that tells the story of a couple who are treating their journey through life as one that is navigated by them as a team, and all that entails. It follows on from his previous single, “SOLO” which…
Being the home of so much of the entertainment we enjoy daily, it’s no surprise that Hollywood is filled with experiences made especially for film and TV lovers. And they’re adding new ones all the time. We’re not talking about celebrity house hunting with TMZ or your local movie star maps here. These are experiences…
Halfway through 2021, the AU review was invited to visit the set of Wyrmwood: Apocalypse which was being filmed under strict COVID-19 regulations in the outskirts of Sydney. It’s the long-awaited big-budget sequel to Australia’s “most pirated film” Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, a title the team are proud to boast about, which was released…
Halfway through 2021, the AU review was invited to visit the set of Wyrmwood: Apocalypse which was being filmed under strict COVID-19 regulations in the outskirts of Sydney. It’s the long-awaited big-budget sequel to Australia’s “most pirated film” Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, a title the team are proud to boast about, which was released…
