Film Review: Under the Influencer is an earnest effort that speaks to the value of staying honest in the world of social media

Given how important a person’s online presence (or persona, even) is in this age of social media, and that “influencer” is now apparently so prime that it can be considered a career, it’s not surprising that such a topic is readily explored in other forms of media.  In the case of Alex Haughey‘s Under the…

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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will break Australian ground with gold trident and water-projected footage presentation

From Atlantis to Waterman’s Cove, Warner Bros. Pictures’ Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will preview footage from the film on 9m high wall of water, as the character’s own 7m gold trident sets for display in Sydney’s Barangaroo from the 14th to 17th of December, 2023, ahead of the film’s release on Boxing Day. The…

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Tim Robards to test North Bondi’s strength to find Australia’s own Jack Reacher

Have you got what it takes to be Australia’s Reacher? To get Australians PUMPED for the release the second season of the Amazon Original series Reacher – set to stream on Prime Video from December 15th, 2023 – Prime Video are inviting locals to test themselves against the ultimate Reacher Fitness Challenge at North Bondi…

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Book Review: Others Were Emeralds is a unique exploration of anti-Asian sentiment in the 80s and 90s

Others Were Emeralds by Lang Leav is a coming-of-age tale that explores the complications of friendships, relationships, and the experiences of immigration during the 1980s and 1990s when anti-Asian sentiment flooded Australia. Ai, her family, and her close-knit group of high school friends live in the diverse fictional town of Whitlam, based on Sydney’s Cabramatta, where…

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Tech Review: The CRKD Nitro Deck is a must-have for any Nintendo Switch user

I use my Nintendo Switch quite often, and usually in handheld mode when I’m on the couch or out and about. And while I’ve put up with the standard joycons for several years now, there’s no denying that they’re not really the comfiest things to hold during longer play sessions. Enter the CRKD Nitro Deck….

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Win a double in-season pass to the sexy new romantic comedy Anyone But You

Hot? Yes. Bothered? Also yes. Thanks to Sony Pictures Australia we have 5 double in-season passes (Admit 2) to see the sexy new romantic comedy Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, set to steam up cinemas exclusively from Boxing Day, December 26th, 2023. Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like…

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You can now order boxes of fried chicken and Champagne to your room at QT Hotels

The age-old art of room service is one of the last aspects to hotel living that hasn’t changed one bit. You open the menu and you’d reasonably expect to see dishes from all over the world, designed to cater to a great variety of guests with the usual burgers, pastas and curries just one call…

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Film Review: Wonka, like his chocolate, is a sweet, delicious treat

There’s something rather ironic in Paul King‘s Wonka being deliciously, inoffensively sweet, given that the character at its core has done plenty to unnerve (however slightly) young audiences across the near six decades of his existence. As written by Roald Dahl in 1964’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and then brought to life by the…

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Book Review: Morgan le Fay takes centre stage in Sophie Keetch’s Arthurian retelling Morgan Is My Name

Beginning with the tale of Arthurian villainess Morgan le Fay, Sophie Keetch‘s Morgan Is My Name marks the start of an exciting new historical fantasy. Following Morgan from the death of her loving father and his replacement in the form of the brutish Uther Pendragon, to her eventual escape to the court of her young…

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Sunsick Daisy take us through their debut EP Breathe In… Breathe Out

Kaurna/Adelaide indie pop-rock act and triple j Unearthed finalists Sunsick Daisy are quickly on the rise with their anticipated debut EP Breathe In… Breathe Out, released independently 24 November. Boasting the lead single “Underwater”, the relatable project delivers five dreamy shoegaze tracks addressing mental health struggles. Produced by Jarred Nettle (Teenage Joans, TOWNS), Breathe In……

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John Vincent III

John Vincent III releases his much anticipated sophomore album, Songs For The Canyon

Last month, singer-songwriter John Vincent III released Songs for the Canyon, his long-awaited second full-length album. His 2019 debut album, Songs From The Valley, cemented him as one-to-watch, having racked up over 190 million streams on Spotify alone. With those numbers, it’s fair to say that this album has been keenly anticipated. The successor to his…

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The AU Review’s Ultimate Christmas Guide For 2023: Gifts For All Budgets

The AU Review is back with its annual Christmas gift guide to help guide you to the gadgets, gifts and products that anyone would love to find under the Christmas tree. There’s no denying that everyone needs Christmas this year, or at least the family and friend aspect that comes out of the day. Of…

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Interview: Natalia Córdova-Buckley and Ryan Kwanten on exploring grief in their horror film The Portrait

In the wake of her husband’s devastating accident, a devoted wife becomes consumed by a mysterious portrait that resembles him in his happier days. However, as her obsession intensifies, the painting starts to unleash terror upon her life, leading her to question whether it is possessed by a malevolent force or if she is losing…

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Film Review: The Portrait appears as a fresh piece of horror art thanks to the sum of all its creators within.

Making his feature-length debut, director Simon Ross proves a capable genre helmer with The Portrait, which, initially, expresses its terror through the artwork that sits in the attic (where else?) of the expansive mansion that serves as the film’s lead location. Why it proves unsettling to the film’s tortured heroine, Sofia (Natalia Córdova-Buckley, committed to…

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Film Review: Our Son is a universally emotional and deeply personal drama

Whilst the breakdown of a marriage and the impending custody battle that will take place as to whose time favours the child in question has been a reliable staple for cinematic drama over the years – most recently displayed in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story and perhaps most famously in 1979’s Kramer vs. Kramer – queer cinema has taken a…

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Old-school Atreyu fan Alex Hill of Mélancolia reviews their new album, The Beautiful Dark of Life

California metalcore legends Atreyu have been influential to many heavy bands that followed in their footsteps during the 2000s particularly. Their latest record, The Beautiful Dark of Life, was released today via Spinefarm Records to conclude the trilogy of EPs they have shared throughout the year. A whopping 15-track journey, the band’s ninth studio album…

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SonOfHarry

Track by Track: SonOfHarry takes us through his atmospheric debut concept album, The World Has Gone Mad

Australian singer/songwriter SonOfHarry is a bold and innovative musician. He is making his mark by today releasing his debut album, a gorgeous and lush collection of songs exploring themes that are dear to the heart. The maturity and variety on the album is outstanding, especially given that he is still only twenty one years old….

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HighSchool

New Music Discoveries 8th December: HighSchool, The Crimson Crows, Brenn! and more

We are on the run-down to the end of the year, and this week we’ve added another ten tracks to our Discovery Playlist on Spotify and Apple Music, including one exclusive premiere from earlier in the week. Our Track of the Week is “August 19” from the Naarm/Melbourne-raised and now London-based post-punk outfit HighSchool. We first…

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Here’s when and where you can watch The Game Awards in Australia

The Games Awards are once again upon us, with Geoff Keighley’s show becoming one of the most heralded and anticipated gaming events of the year. The event will crown the best game of the year, and reveal some hotly anticipated trailer and upcoming games for next year and beyond. The show will take place tomorrow…

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2024 Sundance Film Festival announces 91 projects for its 40th edition

Today the non-profit Sundance Institute announced the 82 films, eight episodic titles, and a New Frontier interactive experience selected for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The Festival will take place January 18–28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles available online nationwide from January 25–28, 2024. This…

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The Wiggles first ever Vinyl Run of 1994’s Yummy Tummy quickly sells out at Impressed recordings

We see a lot of new release news, but this one really captured our eye. Just this week, Impressed Recordings have released a limited edition coloured vinyl pressing of the classic Wiggles album, Yummy Yummy. The original line up of Murray, Jeff, Anthony and Greg, went on to become household names with hits such as…

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Ball Park Music

Ball Park Music joins Rudimental, Groove Armada, Milky Chance, The Teskey Brothers and DMA’S at Vintage Vibes Festival 2024

Like fitting the final piece to a jigsaw puzzle, the announcement of Ball Park Music as headliners for next year’s Vintage Vibes Festival is great news for music lovers. After last years debut in the Adelaide Hills, this year is set to be a must attend on your calendar. Joining Ball Park Music are UK’s…

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Royal Blood kick off massive Australian tour this weekend with Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and The Buoys

UK’s Royal Blood are on their way back to Australian waters, as they kick off their Australia/New Zealand tour tonight in Auckland, ahead of their Australian dates this weekend. The tour has been a long time coming, with the duo – Mike Kerr & Ben Thatcher – having last played shows out here in 2018….

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The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts announces the debut of the AACTA Festival

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) proudly announces the debut of the AACTA Festival, a four-day celebration of Australia’s vibrant screen industry that promises an immersive experience for all, from industry professionals to film enthusiasts, school-leavers, families, and aspiring creatives.  The festival, including the AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group, will be hosted at the Home of…

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Game On Cancer launches largest gaming and entertainment giveaway to raise funds for cancer research

Cure Cancer and their Game on Cancer initiative have announced that they are running one of the largest gaming and entertainment giveaways with over 900 prizes up for grabs, valued at a whopping $58,000. Having already raised $ 1 million for cancer research, it’s a great way to get everyone on board to support a…

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Photo Gallery: Kraftwerk – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney (06.12.23)

German electro-pioneers Kraftwerk mesmerized Sydney fans with a faultless display of electronic music, computer animations, and performance art. There were many highlights on the setlist, including “The Man-Machine”, “The Model”, “Autobahn”, “Geiger Counter”, “Radio Activity”, “Trans Europe Express” and the first of the four-song encore, “The Robots”. Pete Dovgan was there to capture images.  …

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Live Review: The War on Drugs at their very best at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt

With possibly the best band name of the last 20 years, The War on Drugs have always managed to put on a killer show everywhere and every time they’ve played. Their show at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt was no exception. Returning to Australia in support of their I Don’t Live Here Anymore, the Philadelphia…

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Photo Gallery: Jai Paul – 170 Russell, Melbourne (04.12.23)

Jai Paul took over 170 Russell on Monday to sold-out crowd for one of three nights in Melbourne. A part of the Always Live program, a state-wide celebration of live contemporary music, the singer-songwriter and producer made his first and only Australian tour stop-off. Eloise Coomber was behind the lens.

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Marcus Wynwood

Exclusive EP Premiere: Marcus Wynwood – Killerbites (2023 EP)

Singer/songwriter Marcus Wynwood hails from Lutruwita/Tasmania and has carved a name for himself for his fierce and energetic guitar-driven blend of indie rock, post-punk and power-pop. We’re thrilled today to be premiering his new EP, the explosive Killerbites, ahead of its release tomorrow. The EP is a collection of six songs featuring honest and artful…

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Grand Theft Auto 6 has unveiled its first official trailer

We really can’t believe it either. The first official trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI might have dropped earlier than planned but has understatedly taken the internet by storm. As many would have guessed, the trailer showcases the return to Vice City and the long-rumoured protagonist duo. Lucia is indeed mentioned by name, while the…

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