Film & TV

Film Review: Sin City 2 – A Dame to Kill For (USA, 2014)

The original Sin City got over so well with it’s highly stylised look that Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For was pretty much guaranteed to be met with ecstatic fandom. But then it took too long to make. Nine years after the first Frank Miller adaptation of his comic books is a long…

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ACMI to screen 35mm restored print of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather trilogy from September 20-28

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) is partnering with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) to bring Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather trilogy back to the big screen this month. The 35mm restored print of the epic crime saga will screen at ACMI from Saturday September 20 until Sunday September 28, with…

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Melbourne’s beloved Astor Theatre to close in 2015

In news that will sadden cinephiles around the country, it has been announced that the Astor Theatre in Melbourne will close its doors in May of 2015. The single-screen repertory cinema has been screening a diverse program of films since 1982, mixing the latest hits with the classics of years gone by, often screening 70mm…

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Box Office Report: Ninja Turtles knock Guardians from top spot

Marvel’s latest superheroes were no match for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles over the last weekend. The heroes in a half-shell took the top spot with a weekend of advanced screenings, just edging out newcomer Into the Storm, which also had a decent opening weekend. You can read our Into the Storm review here. Turtles has been one of the few success stories…

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DVD Review: Road To Paloma (USA, 2014)

Better known for his intense stare and inaudible grunts as Khal Drogo on the original Game of Thrones series, Jason Momoa proves there’s more to him than meets the eye with his work in Road To Paloma. As the film’s lead he provides his most emotive performance yet, as the director he displays his strength at…

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Win a copy of The Grand Budapest Hotel on DVD!

Celebrated as one of – if not the – best movies of the year Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is now available for purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD through Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. With an all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Jude…

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Sydney Underground Film Festival Review: Housebound (New Zealand, 2014)

There are two film genres that are notoriously hard to get just right – horror and comedy. So does that make a horror-comedy mash-up near impossible to perfect? Evidently not-so for Kiwi writer/director, Gerard Johnstone who nailed it on his first try with Housebound. The first horror film to (finally) present a practical reason for…

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Wastelander Panda: Exile to premiere on ABC iview and at Fantastic Fest this month

Madman has announced that Wastelander Panda: Exile, the first drama program commissioned for ABC iview, will premiere on iview on Saturday September 20th. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi western will also have its international premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas from Septermber 18-25. Fans will also get a chance to see a sneak preview of the…

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TV DVD Review: Kids On Speed? (Australia, 2014)

Kids On Speed? is a factual and fly-on-the-wall series which follows five children who are suspected to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It’s a powerful and revealing show that looks at this much-maligned, misunderstood and stigmatised illness that has been met with controversy (due to its resulting in more children being medicated). This documentary…

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Character trailer revealed for American Horror Story: Freak Show

As we near the fourth installment of the popular American Horror Story series, “Freak Show”, certain details are being drip fed from FX, the latest of which is a neat character trailer revealing the various archetypes we will see come to life through the series. Set to the gorgeous “Carousel” by Melanie Martinez, the AHS:…

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AMC confirms companion series for The Walking Dead

The zombie-infested world, propped from Robert Kirkman’s popular comic books, will soon become all the more richer, with AMC announcing on Friday that they have ordered the pilot for a companion series to their immensely popular The Walking Dead. Since the day this apocalyptic series premiered fans have often wondered what is going on outside…

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Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema returns to Brisbane this spring

Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinemas are returning this month to kick off its country-wide tour in Brisbane, with a season of incredible films screening from September 28 until November 9. The Openair Cinemas also bring with them a range of live music acts, with each Sunday hosting Ben & Jerry’s Sundae Sessions. Each Sundae Session will include live music…

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Environmental Film Festival Review: The Human Experiment (USA, 2013)

When we consume every day, household products we assume that the ingredients have all been tested and are safe for humans to use. But what if this assumption was wrong? The Human Experiment is a documentary that looks at the pervasive, hidden chemicals that are found in all of the things we commonly use- from…

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Sydney Underground Film Festival Review: Teenage (USA & Germany, 2013)

It may be hard to believe but there was a point in history where the idea of the teenager didn’t exist. You were either a child or an adult, there was no other option. Teenage is a documentary that is directed by Matt Wolf and is adapted from the book, Teenage: The Prehistory of Youth…

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DVD Review: Perfect Sisters (Canada, 2014)

Perfect Sisters has some good features but that doesn’t mean it’s free from flaws. The film is based on a real life story, a case involving two Canadian sisters who performed matricide. But despite being based on a true crime story, this film is often unbelievable, flippant and lacking in emotion and tension. The movie…

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Box Office Report: Guardians shoots back up top while If I Stay debuts strong

Counting out the almighty Star Lord is a foolish, foolish thing to do. While the adored cast of The Inbetweeners 2 reigned supreme last weekend, it was Guardians of the Galaxy which returned with a vengeance, climbing back on top of the charts. While total profits seem to be down from last week, all movies…

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The Iris Interview: Nicholas Brendon on Buffy, Coherence, Australian seafood and more!

Oz Comic-Con is kicking off in Brisbane this weekend for the first time and it’s clear that the buzz has definitely hit the Sunshine State. Guests have been able to don the tourist caps and explore a little ahead of the weekend pop culture expo, where fans of loads of different movie and TV franchises, comics…

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Film Review: Into The Storm (USA, 2014)

Some reviews floating around are likening this tornado-obsessed film to Sharknado without the sharks, but all that seems a bit sensational when you actually sit down and watch through Steven Quale’s Into The Storm. While the acting is only a couple of notches above that in the shark-infested storm parody, there’s a semblance of a…

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‘In The House’ brings cult film classics back to the big screen at Event Cinemas George Street

Some of the most beloved cult films are returning to the big screen at Event Cinemas George Street over the next few months with the cult film festival ‘In The House’. The festival includes screenings every second Friday night and will be hosted by Channel 7’s Jason ‘Jabba’ Davis, and Quinny from Supanova. Tickets are…

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Win a double pass to see Jaws on the big screen in Sydney!

Some of cinemas most celebrated titles are set to return to the big screen at Event Cinemas George Street, with the launch of the In The House Cinema Series next month. Featuring landmark films at their finest, the series will herald the return to the big screen of some of the greatest movie titles of…

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Environmental Film Festival Review: Slow Food Story (Italy & Ireland, 2013)

When you shop at a farmers’ market or eat at a restaurant that displays the food’s providence on the menu (and the ingredients are local and fresh), chances are the name Carlo Petrini doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But he is the man who is responsible for the rise in these things. Petrini is the…

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Win a copy of Chef on DVD!

Written, directed, produced by and starring Hollywood funnyman Jon Favreau, comes the refreshingly heartwarming film, Chef. With an all-star cast including Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr and Dustin Hoffman. Chef is yours, as you like it on Blu-ray, DVD and digital with UltraViolet from September 4, 2014. Carl Casper (Jon Favreau), a once…

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Film Review: Boyhood (USA, 2014)

With Boyhood, director Richard Linklater further asserts himself as one of the most innovative in the business, his body of work – which includes Before Sunrise and it’s sequels – already coated with more acclaim than most of his peers. He excels with minimalist plots, painting seemingly dull and everyday occurrences as happenings which are…

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Film Review: What We Do in the Shadows (New Zealand, 2014)

Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement has found himself with steady work since the series about a pair of quirky New Zealand musicians living in New York came to an end. It’s seen him garner roles in big budget films (Men in Black 3, Rio) and balance that with some projects of his own. Often,…

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The Axis of Awesome launch new YouTube comedy series Axis All Areas

Australian musical comedy group The Axis of Awesome has been an internet sensation ever since their brilliant song ‘Four Chords‘ became a hit. The group, which is made up of Jordan Raskopoulos, Benny Davis and Lee Naimo, have been together since 2006 and currently have almost 200,000 subscribers on YouTube. The Axis of Awesome have…

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Exclusive Interview: Filmmaker Don Hardy on his documentary, The Human Experiment (USA, 2013)

We as consumers may not realise that using everyday products is a lot like playing a game of Russian roulette. All sorts of consumables are laden with chemicals and independent testing is often rare or non-existent. Chemical companies are also very profitable and powerful machines, but there is hope as individuals out there strive to…

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Exclusive Interview: Writer/Director Michael Spierig on his latest film Predestination

“What if I could put him in front of you? The man who ruined your life.” With this line, so begins Predestination, a home grown time travel mind bender that will have you pinned to the edge of your seat. Starring Ethan Hawke, Noah Taylor, and breakout star Sarah Snook, this sci fi trip from…

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TV Review: Doctor Who – Season 8 Episode 2 “Into the Dalek” (UK, 2014)

“Clara, be my pal. Tell me: am I a good man?” – It’s the question that fans first wigged out over when the BBC first started rolling out its teasers for the eighth season of the revived Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi’s first. For long-standing fans, it’s a question we know has been plaguing our favourite Time Lord…

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ACMI’s DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition has been extended until October 26th

Due to its overwhelming popularity, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) on Flinders Street has decided to extend the season of its blockbuster experience, DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition, by three weeks. The exhibition is an incredible chance for fans of DreamWorks animated films to see the process that each film takes from the initial idea right through…

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Terrifying full trailer for The Conjuring spin-off Annabelle released online

Last year, James Wan’s The Conjuring terrified us all with its old-school scares and underlying sense of dread. One of the creepiest aspects of the film was the demon-possessed doll Annabelle, which Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) obtained after the doll terrorised two nurses. After that film’s success, Warner Brothers decided to produce an…

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