Given that Migration, the latest animated offering from the Illumination collective (the production company behind such successes as Despicable Me and the inexplicable Minions), is penned by White Lotus creator Mike White, it makes sense that the film manages to make us care about its characters, rather than just be mildly amused at their comedic…
In Margaret Meyer’s The Witching Tide, the story of a witch-hunt is seen through the eyes of Martha Hallybread, a mute midwife, who may actually be a witch. Ironically, she is the only woman in her town who seems to be safe from the paranoia and suspicions of a community riddled with bad luck – failed…
Fresh off the Meredith Music Festival stage, indie darlings Alvvays played a packed-out Forum in Melbourne on Tuesday. The Canadians spent the night rattling off tracks from their glorious catalogue, spanning a humble twelve years. Eloise Coomber was there behind the lens.
We’re back for the 15th annual list of the 40 best albums of the year, as compiled by the team at the AU review, bringing in music from Australia and around the world. It’s a packed list, with many artists making their debut on our countdown. Read on, and click on the album covers to…
With Christmas less than a week away, at the AU we’ve got to the task of agonising and arguing over our end of year lists – best albums, best films, best games, and of course best books. The Books team have taken a look over the year’s releases and compiled a list of some of…
It’s that time of the year once again. The holiday season is upon us, Summer has hit down under, and the ever-expanding backlog of games has hit its peak. But at the end of the day, these must lay their claim to the game of the year conversation. As always, we’ve rounded up an honourable…
The Heartstopper franchise is the perfect way to expose young people to diversity, inclusivity, and what it is like to grow up, experience first times, and all the awkwardness that comes with it. At the beginning of the book, one of the main characters, Charlie Spring, turns sixteen. After a year of Nick Nelson and…
Hot off the heels of one of the most commercially successful film sequels of all time, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora delivers a visually stunning experience that showcases the capabilities of the PS5, and earns its stripes as a graphical powerhouse. Running at a smooth 60 frames per second, its visuals are simply breathtaking, and the…
Power banks are becoming increasingly important not only when out and about, but when using multiple devices too. While my phone is inevitably with me wherever I go, I might decide to bring along a secondary device. But even when those devices are fully charged, longer trips away call for a larger battery, with a…
Hotel Indigo has always been a brand deeply rooted in the local community, and so the collection’s latest initiative shouldn’t come as a surprise. After holding their own research and finding that 71% of Australians think it’s important to feel connected to their neighbourhood, Hotel Indigo has decided to extend a helping hand these holidays…
Whilst Dermot Mulroney won’t exactly see a career shift in the same manner as Liam Neeson did as an action-heavy persona in the wake of Taken, his rough and ready stature as a vigilante wrestling coach in Ruthless certainly works in his favour, and proves the film’s only true saving grace. Directed by Art Camacho…
Everyone on This Train is a Suspect is Benjamin Stevenson‘s second whodunit murder mystery novel told in the first person by his endearingly human narrator and main character, Ernest Cunningham. The fourth wall breaking of this book, much like the first – Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone – makes it a little confusing…
Power banks feel somewhat essential these days, with the ever-growing list of portable devices along for the ride when we’re on the go. While it’s always handy to leave the house with a full battery, sometimes it’s just nice to have that reassurance there, in that something as important as your phone, for example, doesn’t…
Rising to fame with his 2022 album, Stick Season, American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan is quickly becoming a household name. Hitting Aussie shores in January 2024, he’s playing significantly larger venues than his previous tour in 2018, selling out all six shows including Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion twice. If you missed…
For the past few years, the fine folk behind QT Hotels have been posting up a bit of a Christmas day for families and friends who want to eat and drink very, very well. A taste of absolute decadence is packed into the group’s QT At Home boxes, gifting merry-makers a one-stop-shop of deliciousness so…
This holiday season, Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration. The Mallard family is in a bit of rut….
Castlemaine singer-songwriter Eliza Hull is a leading voice for individualism with her honest new EP Here They Come, released 1 December. Featuring the singles “Running Underwater” and “Island”, the five-track project is the fifth record from the Victorian songstress since emerging with her debut single “Without Words” in 2012. Timed to coincide with International Day…
Indie-folk troubadours Lord Huron are coming Down Under for the first time in five years, playing four headline shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, as well as Vintage Vibes Festival in Adelaide. Performing a selection of tracks from their entire catalogue, fans are sure to be in for a treat! Their sophomore album, Strange Trails…
In the past year or two, pizza ovens have eclipsed air fryers as the must-buy kitchen appliance. Where you might use an air fryer every day, a pizza oven is more specific and occasion based. You might break it out when you have mates over for a pizza party, or at the most use it…
Whilst it made sense for a character such as Jack Reacher to be opted for big screen treatment, it wasn’t quite as clear as to why he was realised through Tom Cruise. From an action capability view it worked, and no one could ever question Cruise’s ability to get butts on seats, but the character…
Twice Cursed is the second anthology from editors Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane on the theme of the curse. Authors such as Neil Gaiman, Angela Slatter, Laura Purcell, and A. C. Wise have each contributed short stories of dark and urban fantasy and fairy tale to explore the concept of a curse: of being cursed,…
SteelSeries has spent the better part of the past two years redesigning and reinvigorating its entire range, along with the introduction of the Alias; a new pro-grade PC microphone aimed at not only gamers but those interested in all types of content creation and streaming. While its price is admittedly a little steep at A$399,…
Last night, one of the UK’s biggest rock outfits, Royal Blood, returned to Sydney for their first shows since 2018. In the time between visits, the duo have released two new albums, both of which hit #1 on the UK charts – so it’s fair to say that fans have been eagerly anticipating their return….
This autumn, for the first time in almost a decade, comedy icon Jack Black returns to his role as Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master, with a hilarious, butt-kicking new chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4. After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and…
Best-selling rural fiction author Fleur McDonald takes us to the South Australian outback with her latest novel Voices in the Dark. A family drama at heart, the book is an authentic exploration of grief, family estrangement, and life on the land. Upon receiving the news that the grandmother who raised her is dying, Sassi Stapleton…
A year after their surprise reunion at Good Things festival in 2022, Australia’s favourite seven piece anonymous alternative rock group, TISM are back. In November, they released their first new track in almost twenty years, “I’ve Gone Hillsong”, and the lyrics are profound: I like to pee on people from my balcony I poo jog…
There’s a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as the Meredith Music lovers set up camp and make their way to the amphitheatre. Seasoned attendees have secured their favourite spots, decorated their campsite and set up their couches in the amphitheatre. Friday’s weather is hot and windy, but that doesn’t deter the…
Seasons change, sometimes four times in a day. Meredith Music Festival’s 2024 serving was a wet one, with a predicted steady rainfall of 20mm over the weekend. Despite the drizzle and cold, some 13,000 revellers met within the Sup, creating a weekend of joy and community. With heavy-hitting headliners such as Caroline Polachek and Kraftwerk,…
If you live in Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth, you probably already have Wildlands Festival in your diary. The set times for these three events have just been released to help you plan your day. Brisbane is hosting the event on New years Eve at the Brisbane Showgrounds and it’s a massive line-up. RÜFÜS DU SOL will…
Despite having a deep love for hip hop and R&B, I hate most “urban music” festivals that come to Australia. The only one that has really won me in the past decade was Soulfest 2014, which was co-headlined by Maxwell and D’Angelo with the likes of Angie Stone, Anthony Hamilton, and Common in tow. It…
