Vanessa Len is a bestselling Australian author and educational editor, who has worked on everything from language learning programs to STEM resources, to professional learning for teachers. She took time out of her busy schedule to chat with Jess Gately about her writing process, book boxes and her new book Never a Hero. So, first of…
“You guys are so talented. So unbelievable. This will break you. This will fully destroy you.” Not exactly the type of words you expect to hear from the head of a theater camp said to a collection of young, eager pupils, but such is the way of creative existence at AdirondACTS Theater Camp where camp…
Author and University of Melbourne lecturer Jessica Zhan Mei Yu is a writer of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Holding a PhD in Creative Writing, But The Girl, is her first novel. A deeply introspective and at times heavy read, the story transports us to the vibrant streets of London. Here, we encounter an Australian narrator…
It feels like it’s been over a decade since I played an Armoured Core game last; well, that’s because it has been. Armoured Core 5 might have been released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 way back in 2012, but the team at FromSoftware have decided it’s about time to suit up and deliver,…
Laneway is back and has just unleashed its highly anticipated line-up for the 19th edition of this Trans-Tasman touring mega-festival. The multi-stage is set, and it’s nothing short of impressive, coupling both established icons and rising stars. The power of this year’s line-up is in the inclusion of a substantial number of artists (almost a…
It seems like only yesterday that we found out that EA Sports and FIFA were parting ways, granting the long-running football franchise a seemingly new identity. Name change aside, EA Sports FC 24 does its best to freshen up many of the game’s nuanced mechanics and motion capture, in ways that feel new and exciting,…
Deadpan humour meets swashbuckling swords-and-sorcery in this collection of short stories from fantasy heavyweight Garth Nix. A series of adventurous tales about friendship and duty, Sir Herward and Mister Fitz: Stories of the Witch King and the Puppet Sorcerer pulls together eight previously separately published stories, plus one new story of the dynamic god-slaying duo….
Since their creation some almost-40-years ago, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have seen their brand of comedic, family-aimed action spread across six feature films (in three separate timelines) and countless television, comic book and video games. Despite all this, and each respective creative honing their own spin, the younger, more appropriately teen-aged years of the…
Live Nation has been committed to changing live music discovery with their series ONES TO WATCH. Unearthing fantastic Australian talent, the series is set to keep up the momentum with the announcement of the new instalment of the series at this year’s BIGSOUND. Taking place in Meanjin/Brisbane on September the 6th, this instalment is set…
We’ve been playing the jangly “Dont’ Stop!” from Melbourne post-punks Hydra Fashion Week since it came out a couple of weeks ago. It’s a captivating high-energy song that grabs your attention and keeps giving. We’re stoked today to be premiering the video today ahead of its general release. This is a track that doesn’t try…
Shell yeah! Thanks to Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Superdream, we have 5 family in-season passes (Admit 4) to giveaway to see everyone’s favourite heroes in a half shell – Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo – in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers…
If you think you haven’t heard of MAY-A, think again. After touring with Aussie legends 5 Seconds of Summer earlier this year, the 22 year old Sydney artist went on to be crowned #1 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 with her feature in Flume’s “Say Nothing”, as well as recently performing at the Logies. And…
Vietnam is a popular tourist destination known for its stunning landscapes, historic sites, and cultural attractions. Places like Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, and the Mekong Delta attract millions of tourists each year. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to…
Before we start this review, let’s get one thing out of the way. Red Dead Redemption is not only one of developer Rockstar’s best games but also one of the best games ever made. While I prefer Red Dead Redemption 2, there’s still much to be said about Red Dead Redemption’s relevance in 2023, given…
As we roll into spring in the southern hemisphere, we’ve added ten new tracks to our Discovery Playlist on Apple Music and Spotify, including two tracks we exclusively premiered this week. Our Track of the Week comes from Naarm/Melbourne’s Hannah Cameron and her new single “The Wrong Way”. If ever you have felt like you’ve…
Brisbane’s Concrete Surfers are back with a bang, releasing this week “Control”, a track brimming with energy and reminiscent of pulsating ’90s punk. We’re thrilled today to be premiering the video for “Control”, ahead of its release on Monday. The track advocates that sometimes we need to acknowledge the hopelessness in the world, and that…
With The Equalizer 3 promoting itself as “the final chapter” of a movie series I think many of us were surprised made it past the 2014 original, there’s an understandable sense of expectation when it comes to the packaged deal of star Denzel Washington, director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter Richard Wenk. Whilst the first two…
Aussie Indie Artists is a series of interviews with lesser known Aussie creators across all forms and fields. The goal is to share exciting new works, find new angles towards the art, and peek behind the scenes. You could easily mistake the brilliant swirling colours, and twisting alien shapes of Tania Malkin’s photos for abstract…
I’m a sucker for magic and fantasy as much as the next guy. Immortals of Aveum comes out swinging, dishing out some gorgeous visuals, clean first-person combat and a story that, while not groundbreaking in terms of lore and emotional depth, does help things churn along at a consistent pace. Its repetitive encounters and linear…
A delicate drama born from her own personal experience, Celine Song is laying emotions bare with the release of Past Lives (you can read our review here). Following its stellar reception at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the South Korean-Canadian director, playwright, and screenwriter is telling her story globally as the film releases in Australian…
Mortal Kombat 1 might be rebooting the narrative, even if the long-running fighting franchise relies on a successful, established formula to pave its way forward. We got our hands on the recent closed beta over the weekend, and we can safely say that Mortal Kombat 1 is a downright enjoyable fighter thanks to some splendid…
Unlike Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise, The Haunted Mansion is one such Disney theme park ride that actually has a decent jumping point for a filmic incarnation. But unlike the Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise films we saw defy the odds and turn the most basic of premises into larger-than-life adventure…
Leaning into a meta self-awareness that even the knowing winks of such slashers as Scream would deem a little too overt, Marcel Walz‘s That’s A Wrap perhaps works with a few too many layers of knowingness. It starts off with enough of a sense of humour though as a horror-inclined actress, lamenting to her manager…
Adelaide’s Space Theatre has been wonderfully transformed into Emerson’s Bar and Grill. With moody dark lighting, café seating near the stage and a three-piece jazz band, the audience is transported back to the 1920s. Kym Purling plays the part of pianist Jimmy Powers, who introduces us to the band, with Victor Rounds on Double Bass…
*Due to overwhelming demand for tour dates in Australia, further shows have been added* Diamond-certified selling artist The Weeknd has announced today that his sold-out global concert tour, “After Hours Til Dawn”, will extend to both Australia and New Zealand. Celebrating both his critically acclaimed albums “After Hours” (the 2020 release featuring the newly announced…
Despite the simple premise of Celine Song‘s Past Lives and its romantic comedy connotations, the film is anything but. Burning slow and composing its emotions until it knows when to release them in a flood of responsive passion, Song’s impeccable debut is a drama of humanism and quiet complexity. Set over the span of 24…
The Summer Dance series is back in Sydney with the announcement of Four Tet and Jyoty for the first instalment. The Summer Dance series has become a mainstay of the Sydney club scene, this year at the Entertainment Quarter. On Saturday, 30 September, Summer Dance returns with a brand new format taking you from day to…
Aussie Indie Artists is a series of interviews with lesser known Aussie creators across all forms and fields. The goal is to share exciting new works, find new angles towards the art, and peek behind the scenes. Mo•Louie’s singing vibrates between soulful, jazzy and poppy. She’s sometimes Charli XCX, sometimes Dorian Electra, and sometimes Sia….
Sit, Stay, Love is the story of Sera Madden, an awkward thirty-something with a deep passion for saving animals and a love for writing. Running the always struggling animal rescue Rose’s Rescue (named after her late grandmother), Sera is comfortable with her life, which she mostly shares with her dreamy best friend, vet Toby. The…
Eora/Sydney-based artist KHAOS EMRLD is following up his exceptional debut single, “getting better”, with another gem this week, the hypnotic and addictive banger, “not the same”. We’re stoked to be premiering “not the same” ahead of its release this Thursday. KHAOS EMRLD is the solo project for Eora/Sydney-based artist Cody Stebbings. Cody is known as…
