Film & TV

Opinion: Under The Dome really has become Lost 2.0 hasn’t it?

Before the first series of Under The Dome began in June 2013 – a rare non-reality premiere Summer series out of the USA – Producer and Director Jack Bender sat down with the Huffington Post to tell everyone that despite having worked on Lost for six years in the same capacity, the new Stephen King…

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Film Review: Love Hotel (UK, France & Japan, 2014)

It’s not often that documentary filmmakers manage to capture their subject matter in an unobtrusive, fly-on-the-wall style manner. It’s even rarer for the filmmaker to achieve this while talking about sex, baby, and to show some explicit scenes of the deed without it all turning into sleazy voyeurism. But Love Hotel manages to achieve all…

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DVD Review: Between Us (USA, 2012)

Between Us first found success as an off-Broadway play but it fails as a film. The story focuses on two key episodes in two pairs of couple’s lives and exposes the flawed relationships between themselves and with each other. It is supposed to be an arty, intense and cerebral drama but instead it feels like…

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The Doctor Is In: A Doctor Who Podcast (Episode 003)

The first installment in our Doctor Who Podcast series “The Doctor Is In” for 2014. We talk about the first episode of the eighth series, hear from Peter Capaldi when he was in Australia and get news about Jenna Coleman’s imminent return to our part of the world… ———- This content has recently been ported…

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Interview: Ray Winstone talks about Noah, big sets and kicking Russell Crowe’s butt.

Released today in Australia on DVD and Blu-Ray is the Biblical epic Noah, from Writer/Director Darren Aronofsky. Ray Winstone played Tubal-cain in the film, and reflected on the role, his experiences filming, and posited whether or not he could kick Russell Crowe’s butt. Hey Ray. How are you going? I’m having a ball (laughs). Darren…

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Film Review: Felony (Australia, 2014)

Cloudstreet director Matthew Saville brings an honest, raw approach to Aussie crime drama Felony, illustrating the script by writer, producer and lead actor Joel Edgerton with flair and enough restraint to keep the film grounded in it’s tactile web of emotional quandary and brutal honesty. Opting for the quieter approach to the slow-burning thriller, the…

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Film Review: Magic in the Moonlight (USA, 2014)

Have you ever noticed how the men and women in Woody Allen’s films somehow manage to resemble new-age replicas of Woody Allen and Diane Keaton? Take the way they walk, for instance: Hips thrust forward, shoulders slightly stooped, hands in pockets if they’re men, or arms dangling about if they’re women… It’s seriously noticeable. If…

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Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes Video: Turning Anthony Hopkins into Methuselah in Noah.

In this special behind-the-scenes clip, watch some of the process behind turning Sir Anthony Hopkins into Methuselah in the Darren Aronofsky film Noah. To see more, check out the film on DVD or Blu-Ray – available now! ———- This content has recently been ported from its original home on The Iris and may have formatting…

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Aussie mini-series Devil’s Playground to screen on Foxtel in September

We are definitely experiencing a golden age in modern television, with many series operating on emotional and technical levels never before seen on the small screen. It’s great to see Australian series being a part of this era, and the next is psychological thriller The Devil’s Playground. The mini-series, which will run for six episodes starting from…

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The Iris Interview: Stephen Hunter of “The Hobbit” on finishing the trilogy, Oz Comic-Con and more!

New Zealand actor Stephen Hunter has become a favourite within the Oz Comic-Con family, having already been along for Perth and Adelaide conventions so far in 2014, with the upcoming events in Brisbane and Sydney this September set to add to his rising pop culture expo count. Currently starring as ‘Bombur’ in Peter Jackson‘s latest dive into the world of Tolkien…

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Melbourne International Film Festival Review: Stray Dogs (France & Taiwan, 2013)

Tsai Ming-Liang’s Stray Dogs is a film that begs a certain amount of prior knowledge before watching. Had I known that Tsai Ming-Liang is renowned for his lack of dialogue and still image composition, I probably would have been a little more adequately prepared for this 145 minute investment. Undeniably beautiful but a rather hard…

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Environmental Film Festival Review: Unravel (UK & India, 2012)

Unravel is a short film that lifts the veil on the recycled garment industry. It is produced and directed by Meghna Gupta and travels to the Northern Indian town of Panipat. It is here that over 100,000 tonnes of discarded clothes from the West wind up each year and are subsequently recycled. The film mainly…

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Cranston, Paul and Gunn take home trophies as Breaking Bad dominates the Primetime Emmy Awards for the last time

The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards took place today is Los Angeles, and they were overall a relatively predictable affair. Breaking Bad was the big winner for the night, with stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn all taking home awards for their phenomenal work in the final season of the show. Voters just couldn’t pass up…

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Box Office Report: The Inbetweeners take the weekend while Doctor Who returns with a bang

The boys are back! After taking the biggest opening day of any comedy film in UK box office history, The Inbetweeners 2 has now taken the top spot in its opening weekend at the Australian box office. Fans have been loving the latest adventure of Will, Simon, Jay and Neil, and reviews have been mostly favourable (including…

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Opinion: F**k piracy. Why isn’t Game of Thrones screening in Cinemas?

If the success of Doctor Who is anything to go by, fandom can be a profitable market in the world of Cinema. This past weekend, the first episode of the new season of the series brought in some $700,000 in Australia alone. That’s at least 40,000 tickets around the country in limited release, in the…

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TV Review: True Blood Season 7 (USA, 2014)

Just like that, long running HBO hit True Blood has met the true death with a final 10-episode run to cap off it’s seventh year. Just like that, True Blood saunters off into that realm of failed TV finales, settling in beside Showtime’s Dexter into the pile of rubble that we once loved, and then…

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Film Review: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window & Disappeared (Sweden & Croatia, 2013)

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window & Disappeared (Hundraåringen som klev ut genom fönstret och försvann) looks set to divide people. The reason for this is because your enjoyment of the film hinges on whether you warm to the centenarian lead character. Ultimately, this film is full of dark humour (which also won’t…

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We predict the winners of the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards

Well the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards are almost upon us! This years list of nominees is an incredible selection of actors and shows. Breaking Bad looks set to take home a few awards for its final season, while new series Orange is the New Black has a good shot at defeating reigning champ Modern Family to take the award for…

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TV Review: Doctor Who – Season 8 Episode 1 “Deep Breath” (UK, 2014)

When Peter Capaldi was announced as the new Doctor – the 12th Doctor (not counting, of course, John Hurt’s brilliant turn as the War Doctor last year) – it was met with much fanfare and excitement. Not to mention YouTube clips and meems anticipating the newest Doctor to echo Capaldi’s much lauded character of Malcolm…

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Megan Fox and Will Arnett coming to Sydney for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles event

Fans of Megan Fox (Transformers) and Will Arnett (Arrested Development) will have the chance to see the stars in person when they attend a green carpet event in Sydney at the Hoyts Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. The event, which is celebrating the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, will take place on Sunday September 7th…

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Luna Park Sydney to launch world-first interactive attraction based on 20th Century Fox’s upcoming The Maze Runner

To celebrate the release of 20th Century Fox’s upcoming young adult adaptation The Maze Runner, Luna Park Sydney has teamed with Fox to launch The Maze Runner Adventure – Live! at the park from September 18th. The attraction will be a massive maze within Luna Park, and will take guests ‘on a walk-through, hands-on adventure, involving innovative special effects…

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Win a DVD copy of the Paradise Trilogy!

The Paradise trilogy is the collection of three fills directed by acclaimed Austrian director Ulrich Seidl. They focus on three women from one family, one traveling to kenya as a sex tourist, one tries to propagate Catholicism and one has to spend time at a weight loss camp. The films were set to be a…

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KOFFIA Film Review: Thread Of Lies (우아한 거짓말) (South Korea, 2014)

Death is often tragic. But it’s even sadder when a young person has died from their own hand. Korean film, Thread Of Lies (우아한 거짓말) deals with this taboo issue in a soft and tender way. It also slowly reveals the tragic set of circumstances surrounding the lead character’s passing and does so with a…

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Foo Fighters release the trailer for the Sonic Highways HBO documentary series!

The first look at the Foo Fighters’ highly-anticipated documentary for Sonic Highways has been released online! Airing on HBO in the US on October 17th, the trailer sees the band performing and recording their upcoming new album in studios across America, documenting the extensive history of music in each city along the way. The clip…

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Legolas – ahem, Orlando Bloom – set to appear at Oz Comic-Con in Sydney and Brisbane

Time to get excited Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fans – Legolas is coming. Yes, that’s right, it was confirmed today that Orlando Bloom, famed for his role in the franchise, will be coming to Sydney and Brisbane as part of the epic Oz Comic-Con lineup. Obviously a huge part of the first…

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Melbourne International Film Festival Review: Listen Up Philip (USA, 2014)

Listen Up Philip is relentless story telling based on relentless story tellers. Relentless seems an apt adjective to describe both the characters and the narrative, both of which rarely waiver from their over analytical tendencies and their inability to take a step back. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Listen Up Philip documents the struggles…

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Exclusive Interview: Cast of The Inbetweeners 2 talks to The Iris about Australia, the series’ future and more.

The Iris’ Alex King sits down with the cast of The Inbetweeners 2 to talk about their roles, the film, Australia and much more… The film is released in Australian cinemas this Thursday, August 21st! ———- This content has recently been ported from its original home on The Iris and may have formatting errors –…

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Film Review: The Inbetweeners 2 (MA15+) (UK, 2014)

Studio executives know the value of the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That sort of thinking has led to countless terrible and lazy sequels because the film-makers know that audiences will turn up no matter what dribble they serve up onscreen. However, sometimes more of the same is a good thing. The…

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Win a double pass to Oz Comic-Con in Brisbane or Sydney!

Television star Nicholas Brendon is heading to Australia for Oz Comic-Con Brisbane and Sydney, becoming one of the latest celebrity guest to be added to the growing lineup for the pop culture conventions’ debut events this September. A familiar face for cult-TV fans, Brendon starred as the loveable Xander Harris alongside the titular heroine in Joss Whedon’s…

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Box Office Report: Guardians and Helen Mirren defeat Expendables in box office showdown

Australian audiences clearly can’t get enough of Marvel’s brilliant Guardians of the Galaxy, as the space adventure took the top spot for the second weekend in a row with $4.28 million. Critical and audience response has been overwhelmingly positive so far, with many calling it the best Marvel film to date. A sequel has already been announced for…

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