Film & TV

Dubbed “weird, vile and sick”, the Sundance film The Greasy Strangler is touring Australia

Monster Pictures wants to invite Aussies to the weird and wacky, The Greasy Down Under Tour, showcasing the Sundance film The Greasy Strangler. Directed by Jim Hoskings, The Greasy Strangler, tells the tale of Big Ronnie (Michael St Michaels) who runs a disco walking tour in LA with his son, Big Brayden (Sky Elobar). The arrival…

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Aussie fans of The Beatles are getting a jam-packed special edition for Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years

It was only supposed to be in cinemas for one week, but The Beatles documentary Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years saw fans of the iconic British group come out in their droves. It made the release so popular that some cinemas are still showing it, well over a month after it was…

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Film Review: Doctor Strange (M) (USA, 2016) is visually and aurally exquisite

As we now roll into Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe we are pulled to the beginning of one character’s story. Doctor Strange is Marvel’s step back to delivering an origin story for a new superhero but in some ways this film is a giant leap forward in universe building. It’s hard to fathom…

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Win a copy of Our Kind of Traitor on DVD

Based on the critically acclaimed novel of the same name from John Le Carre, the new film Our Kind of Traitor is a blend of suspense and international intrigue. An ordinary couple (Ewan McGregor and Naomie Harris) on vacation finds themselves lured into a Russian kingpin’s (Stellan Skarsgard) plan to defect. They are soon caught…

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is bringing IRL Sweet Rolls to Sydney (and your kitchen)

When Bethesda’s epic The Elder Scrolls V: Skyim was first released in 2011 it came to no one’s surprise that the video game almost immediately hit cult classic status; it remains as loved to this day. The impressively vast, cleverly paced, and wondrously engaging action RPG has become a cultural touchstone, reaching a point very…

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Win a copy of the first acclaimed series of Agatha Raisin on DVD

Agatha Raisin is a former high-flyer from the world of PR, who takes early retirement and rejects London life for the quiet, picturesque Cotswold village of Carsely. However, such a succession of perplexing murders on her doorstep, life turns out to be anything but quiet and Agatha finds herself getting into all sorts of scrapes…

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Win a double pass to see American Honey in Australian cinemas

Star (Sasha Lane), an adolescent girl from a troubled home, runs away with a traveling sales crew who drive across the American Midwest selling subscriptions door to door. Finding her feet in this gang of teenagers, one of whom is Jake (Shia LaBeouf), she soon gets into the group’s lifestyle of hard-partying nights, law-bending days,…

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See Rory and Lorelai Gilmore reunite in the first full Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life trailer

After Netflix’s announcement of making Gilmore Girls available to stream in every single country possible, it made sense to why they came to the decision of it available for everyone. With the highly-anticipated four-part series of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Netflix launched the trailer on Tuesday, creating hype for fans of the…

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Digital restoration of 1991’s Proof to screen in Sydney; Jocelyn Moorhouse & Hugo Weaving to attend Q&A

It was announced yesterday that The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) will partner up with Sydney’s Ritz Cinema and will present a digital restoration of 1991 film Proof. The film will be screened on Wednesday November 9 with all box office proceeds going towards the NFSA Restores program. After the film screening,…

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TV Review: Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2, Episode 4 “DUI” (USA, 2016)

Every now and again, a television series delivers an episode that may not necessarily be bad but it’s just mundane and almost boring. Enter DUI. Despite an important closing minute, Ash vs Evil Dead’s fourth episode of its second season can pretty much be regarded as filler. After Ash’s dad had his head mushed all…

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We rank the episodes of Black Mirror‘s third season from worst to best

I don’t know how I managed to miss the memo, but I only realised there was a new season of Black Mirror coming perhaps two weeks before the new episodes of thrilling goodness premiered on Netflix. Like many no doubt, I’ve been hooked on Charlie Brooker‘s anthology series ever since he put Rory Kinnear‘s UK Prime Minister in a…

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Film Review: Equals (USA, 2016) is pretty damn beautiful… for a dystopia

Hitting DVD and Blu-Ray players this week is the new film Equals, another descendant of the Orwellian dystopia; one that doesn’t necessarily add to the sci-fi subgenre, but also one that doesn’t take anything away from it. Set in a post apocalyptic society, the film tracks the forbidden bond forming between Nia (Kristen Stewart) and…

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British Film Festival Review: Burn Burn Burn (M15+) (UK, 2016) succeeds where a lot of this genre stumbles

Burn Burn Burn – set to screen in Australia as part of the BBC First British Film Festival – is the feature film debut from director Chanya Button and surprised me as a standout film of the “road trip” genre. Even if it did take a little long to get there, it’s the journey that…

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Benedict Cumberbatch talks origin story for Doctor Strange, being a part of MCU and challenging the imagination with VFX (EXCLUSIVE)

Calling us from his hotel room in Hong Kong, Benedict Cumberbatch exudes a polite charm and grace as he tells us about “the parity of Victoria Harbour” to Sydney with their ocean harbours sharing the same colour blue of the water. There’s an ease in his voice which belies the madness that he’s about to…

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Benedict Cumberbatch on hand ballet & physicality, working with Tilda Swinton and what he hopes fans will take away from Doctor Strange (EXCLUSIVE)

In the first part of our interview with Benedict Cumberbatch, we discussed what it was like being part of the Marvel universe, the origin story of Stephen Strange as well as the visual effects used to bring the film to life. We delve further into what it was like becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, as well…

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Westworld creates even more mystery with “The Stray” & “Dissonance Theory”

Now that we are four wonderful episodes into HBO’s Westworld, I’d like to run through some of my thoughts and theories on the last two episodes, “The Stray” and “Dissonance Theory”, as they double down on the mystery and ante-up the violent factor. We lead ever closer to the inevitable take-over of the hosts and…

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The Iris’ Weekly Australian TV Picks: 25 – 31 October

From Mums (not to be confused with Moms), to Doctors and Queens, here are this week’s TV picks… Tuesday, 25th October Mum, BBC First, 8:30pm AEST Cathy attempts to run a New Year’s party smoothly but an argument erupts between Kelly and Jason, and there’s Michael to worry about. Wednesday, 26th October Doctor Doctor, Ch…

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Doctor Who is set to return to Australian cinemas with The Power of the Daleks

BBC Worldwide ANZ and Sharmill Films have announced that they will be screening a limited theatrical screening of Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks animated series from Saturday 12 November for one week only. The Power of the Daleks is one of the most iconic Doctor Who arcs, released 50 years ago and yet no…

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Australian Box Office Report: Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher knocks Emily Blunt off the train

If you think Tom Cruise’s ability to pull a box office coup was over, think again. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back has only entered its first week in theatres and it’s already gained the top spot, earning $2.61 million.  Whilst that’s great news for Cruise and his fans, it has, however, earned the the lowest screen average for the #1 movie…

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Film Review: Hell Or High Water (MA15+) (USA, 2016) rises above the simplicities of its genre

Proving that his script work on Sicario was no fluke, screenwriter Taylor Sheridan has taught an old dog some new tricks with Hell Or High Water, a should-be predictable crime tale that’s peppered with so many nuances and perceptive characters that it rises above its genre simplicities. Despite director David Mackenzie (Starred Up, Young Adam)…

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The Sydney Film Festival opens up submissions for their 2017 program

Nascent filmmakers looking to launch their careers in the same way as Australian film luminaries Chris Noonan (Babe), Don McAlpine (Moulin Rouge) and Jack Thompson (The Man From Snowy River) will have their opportunity as the Sydney Films Festival has begun taking submissions for their 2017 program. The 2017 Sydney Film Festival will take place…

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The Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival (BAPFF) have released their full program for 2016

After two successful years, the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival (BAPFF) will return with a stacked line-up that features 82 unique films from all parts of Asia. The BAPFF has today released the full program for the 2016 event, which will take place around Brisbane from the 23rd of November to the 4th of December. The…

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TV Review: Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2, Episode 3 “Last Call” (USA, 2016) reunites the holy trinity

Ash is an idiot. Not only did he lose his Delta to a bunch of teens he pissed off in last weeks episode, but it also had the Necronomicon in the back seat. But one amazing thing comes out of all of this: Last Call reunites Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi (brother of Sam, and third…

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Interview: Adele Perovic talks series two of ABC TV’s The Code, amazing normality and what makes her tick

Aussie actress Adele Perovic stars in the political thriller series from ABC, The Code and since showing her true acting grit in the first series, returns for a second. Perovic began first took acting classes at the age of five, before studying drama during high school and majoring in Theatre Arts at University in Toowoomba,…

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Our favourite new and upcoming horror games of October and beyond

Halloween is right around the corner, so it’s time turn off the lights and scare yourself silly with The Iris’ list of new and upcoming horror games.

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Film Review: Masterminds (M15+) (USA, 2016) never hits its target sucessfully

When “based on a true story” flashes across the screen in the beginning moments of Masterminds, you can’t help but think that it’s trying to squeeze an easy laugh out of its audience. Somehow, whether you believe it or not, Jared Hess’s comedy adopts its premise from an actual robbery that took place in the…

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Donald Glover to portray young Lando Calrissian in Han Solo Star Wars film

Community and Atlanta Actor, and Grammy Nominated Rapper Donald Glover (a.k.a disc jockey Childish Gambino) has been cast as Lando Calrissian in the yet-to-be titled Han Solo Star Wars film. Donald Glover will share the set with Alden Ehrenreich, who will play the iconic Solo, LucasFilm has announced. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller…

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A second gameplay trailer has dropped for Skyrim’s Special Edition

Bethesda Studios has released a second gameplay trailer for the visually stunning Skyrim Special Edition, which promises remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and improved snow shaders and water shaders.

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Village Cinemas to host exclusive screening of Usain Bolt Documentary I am Bolt

Village Cinemas has announced an exclusive premiere screening of the documentary, I am Bolt, which follows the life of global Olympic icon Usain Bolt.

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