Film & TV

Powerful and utterly inspirational Sarah Gavron’s latest film Suffragette follows the brave women of the suffrage movement in Britain during the 19th and 20th century. This historical drama draws upon the daily abuse faced by women during a time period when they had no rights at all, and a group of women who would no…

Given that at some point everything that is old becomes new again, it makes sense that the National Lampoon Vacation series would be on the reboot agenda. A surprisingly durable series that has spanned over three decades, the latest in line acts as a semi-reboot-come-sequel with enough sly nods to pay tribute to the original without…

Based on James Dashner’s 2009 novel, The Maze Runner (2014) was a quiet success. Praised for its unique premise, tight scripting and intense action sequences, it quickly etched its name in the hall of Young Adult Dystopia adaptations (Divergent, Hunger Games). The second film deviates from the first in a major way but still contains…

With all the hype around Netflix, Stan and Presto, it’s often easy to forget there are other existing brands in Australia providing fantastic streaming services. SBS On Demand has an incredible array of content – some of which is exclusive to its system (and very hard to find elsewhere) – and ABC iView has been a…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was always going to be one of the biggest films of the year, and subject to positive reviews (which it has received in droves), likely one of the biggest films of all time as well. But few could have predicted just how massive its first 24 hours would be. Including…

Those who want to get the new wave of streaming services onto their televisions have quite a few options these days. But most of them are pretty expensive. If you’re a gamer, you likely already have the capabilities through your Xbox or Playstation. But these are $400+ units. You’re unlikely going to get your hands…

Earlier this year, Simon Pegg – who makes a cameo himself as Unkar Plutt – let it slip that James Bond, Daniel Craig, managed to work his way into the new Star Wars film The Force Awakens while filming Spectre – the latest Bond film – nearby. Craig outright denied the claim in later interviews –…

For an actor who has spent much of his life bemoaning one of his most famous roles, Harrison Ford sure has been supportive of the new Star Wars film. He flew to Australia to promote the film, has taken just about every opportunity to say how great it is and given the fact he did it…

Visionary Director Paolo Sorrentino gives us one of his most universally appealing and accessible works to date with Youth, calling upon the ageless talents of Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel and a scene-stealing Rachel Weisz, to deliver a fascinating, surreal – almost absurd – exploration of legacy, loss, wisdom, memory, and cynicism. Set exclusively in…

Witty SNL/30 Rock legend Tina Fey is dipping her toes in action-comedy next year for Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, a spirited adaptation based on 2011 memoir The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Chicago Tribune journalist Kim Barker. In the film, Fey portrays Barker, a ProReblica reporter out…

Ali Larter this year returned to the horror genre she’s flourished in previously in the sci-fi horror flick The Diabolical (out on DVD this month!). The American actress, who we’ve seen in memorable movies including the Resident Evil and Final Destination franchises, Legally Blonde and not to mention Heroes on the small screen, recently took…

British game developer Media Molecule have proven to be one of the most valuable companies in contemporary video games, channeling that ever-growing trend and ever-growing demand for more creation-based gaming into award-winners like the LittleBigPlanet (LBP) series and the more recent Tearaway Unfolded. Progressive, mind-blowing (and often adorable, if not slightly creepy) design and engaging…

When I got the opportunity to write the review for what is undoubtedly the biggest film of the year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I trembled at the idea of doing something so underwhelming and unjust. Then I thought – while it isn’t remotely on the same level – J.J Abrams must have felt the exact…

As Sony Playstation Australia celebrated 20 years of gaming this past week, the announcement was made that Australian SVOD service Presto has officially joined the all-encompassing entertainment offerings on both PS3 and PS4 systems. The announcement continues sony’s push to make the Playstation a one-stop-shop for entertainment, bringing in Presto’s curated collection on TV and…

We all know – and most of us love – Home Alone. It’s the classic story of Kevin McCallister Macaulay Culkin being neglected by his family and left alone to fend off two aggressive and relentless burglars with booby traps and all types of 8-year-old commando magic. If it was real, do you realise how…

A live action version of Tarzan is coming next year, with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgård playing the eponymous character. Interestingly enough, Disney is not behind the production, with Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures delivering the new take on the legendary character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film also stars Australian actress Margot Robbie as Jane, Samuel…

In the fallout from last weeks episode, Fire in the Hole sees Ash, Kelly, Pablo and new recruit Amanda stopping off to get some weapons, courtesy of Ash’s old militia pal Lem. But it seems Lem has gotten there first and he is all types of undead. Fire in the Hole plays like an episode…

To celebrate the shiny, sparkly, glittery special DVD release of Broad City Season 1 we decided to revisit the dynamic duo known as Abbi and Ilana. From their interesting methods of transporting drugs to trying to deal your taxes, this show deals with what every 20-something is truly thinking. The DVD gives you all kinds…

Rockstar are back at it again. Their generosity knows no bounds as GTA V Online players are set to receive another free update today entitled Executives and Other Criminals. The update which is bound to appease a number of fans focuses on living the lavish life, not unlike the previous Ill-Gotten Gains update. The biggest addition…

Gearbox Software, creators of the beloved Borderlands series and upcoming Battleborn have announced that they’re expanding by launching a studio in Quebec, Canada. Their mission to “entertain the world” just got a massive hand as the company begins hiring for its “inaugural title growing to full AAA production capability through 2016.” “We are fortunate that…

The 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards nominees have been announced, honouring the best achievements in film and television performances for 2015. Can you believe 165,000 members of SAG-AFTRA voted? That’s a lot of TV watching and box ticking but hey, someone’s gotta do it so we can enjoy another star-studded red carpet affair. Comedian Carol Burnett was already…

Novels by Road Dahl are apart of most children’s upbringing and one of the absolute classics is The BFG, which has now been transformed into an epic Disney film directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. Fun fact: it’s the first time the famed Director has helmed a Disney project – though he’s been a Producer on others in the…

Cloud Imperium Games, the developers behind the highly anticipated, crowded funded space sim Star Citizen, delivered the game’s biggest update yet on the 12th of December. Scheduled for a full release sometime in 2016, the arrival of the Alpha 2.0 update brings players of Star Citizen the “first true slice” of gameplay experience from the…

Simon brings us his weekly TV picks, this week focusing exclusively on Foxtel programming. Check out the incredible selection here: Wednesday 16th December 2015 Rabbit-Proof Fence – Masterpiece Movies – 6.50pm AEST Based on Doris Pilkington Garimara’s much loved novel Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, this Australian drama is an inspiring story of an often dismissed…

This week’s DVD releases are adaptations or twists on classic stories, films, or television shows. Mr Holmes Mr Holmes is a twist on the tales of famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, and stars Sir Ian McKellan as an ageing Holmes. With his health and memory ailing, Holmes relies on the care of his housekeeper Mrs…

New seasons for 2016 have been announced for the popular In The House classic cinema series held by Event Cinemas on George Street in Sydney and at Innaloo, Marion, Brisbane. The two cinemas are in their fourth and second seasons, respectively. Here’s the lineup of films planned for next year: Event Cinemas – George Street,…

Kicking off with a ten-day, beach-side event in Sydney’s Bondi next month, the 25th annual FLiCKEREST International Short Film Festival will be bringing a total of 53 selections into their Academy Accredited, BAFTA recognised Australian Competition for 2016. Over 2300 entries were received this time around, resulting in a curated schedule of 18 world premieres,…

While The Killer of Killers may have served as a pit stop on the road to the seasons inevitable grizzly end, it may well have been the best episode since the pilot. Like many of the best episodes in the season, The Killer of Killers benefits from cramming its narrative and action into one isolated…

Justin Lin’s Star Trek: Beyond looks like a hell of a lot of fun in the first official trailer for the 2016 film. Lin, who is best known from the Fast & Furious series knows his way around cutting-edge, tense action and it looks like we’ll be getting a lot of that, hopefully working in…

It’s a real shame that Keanu Reeves opted to follow-up his acclaimed actioner John Wick with Knock Knock, a deliriously campy, sexed-up thriller that could quite possibly be the most embarrassing feature Reeves has had the displeasure of involving himself with. Toeing the camp line is always a risk with any given actor but, let’s face…