Interview: Rhys Nicholson on judging Drag Race Down Under vs The World; “You’ve got to have that slightly unhinged level of confidence to make it work.”

For four seasons, Rhys Nicholson has watched queens sashay, lip-sync and occasionally self-destruct from the Drag Race Down Under judging panel. But with Drag Race Down Under vs The World, the competition gets even fiercer, bringing together eleven queens from across the global Drag Race franchise for the first international showdown filmed on Australasian soil….

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Interview: Any Young Mechanic on humanity, community and their debut album; “We’re trying to make something sincere.”

At a time when music is increasingly defined by algorithms, immaculate production and digital precision, Any Young Mechanic have arrived with something refreshingly human. The Tarntanya/Adelaide five-piece have quietly built a reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting new acts through captivating live performances and richly textured songwriting, culminating in their remarkable debut album, The…

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The Corsair CLIPPER PRO MINI 60 Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is a fantastic space-saving option

We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing various Corsair keyboards here at The AU Review, and I’ve pretty much loved each one that I’ve come across. There are obviously various keyboards for certain users, but regardless of the model, Corsair are no stranger to producing quality products that provide fantastic value for a range of competitive…

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Where to Buy Your 007 First Light PC Key Without the Retail Markup

007 first light pc key hunting is officially the meta right now. 007 First Light launched on May 27 as a premium single-player release with absolutely no Game Pass day-one inclusion, meaning full retail price was initially the only official option on the table. In this guide, I’m breaking down exactly what a PC key…

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Brisbane Festival Village South Bank

Brisbane Festival 2026: Five events not to be missed

“Switch On, Light Up, Come Alive” is the theme of this year’s Brisbane Festival, which runs from 4-26 September. This is Ebony Bott’s first Brisbane Festival as Artistic Director, featuring a range of events, including live music, theatre, opera, dance, talks, and film. We’ve chosen five must-see events that showcase new voices, storytelling, and local…

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Illy comes full circle with his Two Degrees tour at The Triffid in Brisbane

Melbourne hip hop icon Illy wrapped up his highly-anticipated Two Degrees 10th anniversary tour with a sold-out show at The Triffid in Brisbane last night – and what a send-off it was. Supported by emerging Perth rapper Brat, it was a big party from the moment the lights went down for an achievement that few…

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Interview: Andy Serkis on why his Animal Farm feels more relevant than ever

Andy Serkis has spent much of his career exploring what power does to those who wield it. From Gollum’s all-consuming obsession in The Lord of the Rings to Caesar’s reluctant leadership in Planet of the Apes, his work has repeatedly examined the fine line between idealism and tyranny. Now, the acclaimed filmmaker turns his attention…

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MUNA talk creating Dancing On The Wall, “We wanted it to feel like it was made in 2025”

While their 2022 hit single “Silk Chiffon” might have put them on the map for many casual listeners, MUNA have been crafting their own brand of glittery, emotionally charged pop since 2013. Their latest record, Dancing On The Wall, is no different, but it’s elevated in every way. Packed with shimmering 80s-inspired synths and the…

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Wellness and photography are the perfect marriage in Japan

One of the best things about travelling with a proper camera has nothing to do with photography. It has everything to do with how the mind works. Specifically, it’s how attention works. Attention is a prerequisite for presence, which in turn is the essential ingredient for wellness. Attention is important. The very idea of it…

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A fun but uneven trip down Rodeo Drive: Pretty Woman the Musical in Melbourne

Walk down the street to Melbourne’s Regent Theatre, where Pretty Woman the Musical has landed for the final leg of its debut Australian tour. Strap on those glossy red heels, tighten that bold red tie and witness the stage adaptation of one of the most beloved 90s romantic comedies, now with an array of songs…

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Interview: Anna Friel on new Australian medical drama The F Ward, second chances and why tough love saves lives

When lives are on the line, there’s little room for hesitation. Stan’s new Australian drama The F Ward throws audiences into the chaotic reality of Sydney’s underfunded Pines Hospital, where a group of failed medical interns are handed one final opportunity to prove they deserve to become doctors. Battling impossible workloads, life-or-death emergencies and the…

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Every second counts for Gal Gadot in first trailer for The Runner

Gal Gadot swaps superheroes for a desperate fight to save her son in the first trailer for The Runner, an upcoming psychological thriller that transforms a routine morning jog into a relentless race against time. Directed as a high-stakes survival story, The Runner follows Maia Marten (Gadot), a successful London lawyer whose carefully controlled life…

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Interview: Jennifer Garner, D’Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan and Chloë Sevigny on exploring grief and second chances in The Five-Star Weekend

Luxury, laughter and seaside escapes might be what first catches your eye in The Five Star Weekend, but beneath the picture-perfect Nantucket backdrop lies a far more relatable story about grief, forgiveness and the friendships that shape us long after we’ve left different chapters of our lives behind. Based on Elin Hilderbrand‘s bestselling novel, Peacock’s…

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TIFF 2026 adds five more Special Presentations, including new films from Rachel Morrison, Bassam Tariq and the Zellner brothers

The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival has expanded its Special Presentations line-up, unveiling another five films set to screen as part of this year’s festival. The latest additions continue TIFF’s tradition of showcasing some of the year’s most anticipated premieres, with new works from acclaimed filmmakers Rachel Morrison, Bassam Tariq, Benjamín Naishtat, Ben Shirinian, and…

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New Music Discoveries 17th July: Holly Throsby, Jordan Rakei, Hoolahan, and more

We have another ten tracks added to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music for you again this week. Acclaimed singer-songwriter and bestselling author Holly Throsby is our Track of the Week, with her latest single “Tell Me I’m Done”. “Tell Me I’m Done” is the latest to be released from her forthcoming sixth…

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Everything you need to know about Thelma Plum’s I Don’t Play That Song Anymore tour

Prolific Gamilaraay artist Thelma Plum is on the road for her first-ever acoustic tour. Performing in a duo, she will be playing 20 shows across Australia, captivating audiences with her enchanting vocals, insightful and raw lyrics, accompanied by just the strum of acoustic guitars. Following the release and success of Thelma’s last album I’m Sorry, Now…

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Verdani

Exclusive EP Premiere: Verdani take us track by track through The Illusion Is Gone

Sydney alt-rock outfit Verdani are preparing to release their debut EP, The Illusion Is Gone, tomorrow, and today we’re giving you an exclusive first listen. Across four tracks, Verdani move between romantic vulnerability, simmering anger and existential reflection, wrapping weighty themes in dark, atmospheric arrangements. Drawing on post-punk, gothic rock, art rock and baroque influences,…

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Film Review: The Odyssey; Christopher Nolan delivers a definitive cinematic epic

For all the technological leaps cinema has made over the last century, Christopher Nolan continues to prove that nothing rivals the tangible. The weight of real bodies. The unpredictability of crashing waves. The texture of weathered stone. The immensity of landscapes that actually exist. The Odyssey is perhaps the purest expression yet of Nolan’s filmmaking…

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The Off Campus obsession continues with Funko POP! collection announcement

Prime Video’s Off Campus has quickly grown from bestselling book adaptation to streaming obsession, and now fans have another way to show their love for the series. Funko has announced its first-ever Off Campus POP! collection, with four of Briar University’s most beloved characters joining the company’s ever-expanding line-up of pop culture collectibles. Inspired by…

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Exclusive Video Premiere: Abby Nissenbaum “Gentleman” (2026)

Nashville-based indie-rock artist and LGBTQ+ advocate Abby Nissenbaum is serving up something playfully subversive with her latest single, “Gentleman”, and today we are delighted to premiere its wonderfully tongue-in-cheek new video. Lifted from Nissenbaum’s new EP, Want to Be Wrong, due for release this Friday, 17th July.  “Gentleman” takes aim at the idealised, hypermasculine “dream…

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The Meredith Music Festival Ballot is now open

The Meredith Music Festival Ballot is now open. It’s simple to enter, and it’s the easiest way to get tickets. Just head over to mmf.com.au before 10:34pm AEST, Monday 10 August. Meredith 34 will be held over three days and two nights at the one and only Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, from December 11, 12 & 13, 2026. Camping,…

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Delta Goodrem announces Australian dates for Pure World Tour in 2027

After returning to the spotlight in spectacular fashion this year, Delta Goodrem is set to hit the road once again, announcing the Australian leg of her PURE World Tour for April 2027. The eight-date arena run will see the multi-platinum, ARIA Award-winning singer perform in Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart, celebrating…

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The Dreame H16 Pro Steam knows how to drop it low

Robot Vacuum manufacturers are trying to make things jump (and mop without slushing dirt around). Phone manufacturers are constantly tweaking their cameras and trying to make life (even) easier for content creators. The ones building wet and dry vacuums? What keeps them up at night is profile. How can they produce a vacuum cleaner that…

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Series Review: Lucky; Anya Taylor-Joy makes Apple TV’s slick crime thriller worth the gamble

Crime thrillers live and die by two things: whether their central mystery keeps you guessing, and whether you care enough about the people at the centre of it to stay along for the ride. Thankfully, Lucky has Anya Taylor-Joy. Apple TV+’s seven-episode limited series wastes little time throwing audiences into the deep end. Luciana “Lucky”…

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Interview: The F Ward‘s creator Dan Edwards on why failure can make better doctors

Medical dramas have long been built around brilliance. The gifted surgeon. The impossible diagnosis. The life-or-death operation that only the best doctor in the hospital can pull off. But The F Ward takes a different approach, asking what happens when the people holding the scalpel are the ones still trying to put themselves back together….

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Digimon Story Time Stranger feels like the perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch 2

While both were prominent in the 90’s and early 2000’s while I was growing up, there’s no doubt that Pokémon and Digimon always went hand in hand. It’s not to say that one copied the other, and while Pokémon came out first, I felt as though I was always watching one anime show after the other each…

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The legend of Friday the 13th begins with Crystal Lake in chilling teaser trailer

More than four decades after Friday the 13th introduced one of horror’s most enduring legends, the franchise is heading back to its roots. The first teaser for Crystal Lake has arrived, offering an unsettling glimpse at the upcoming psychological thriller series that explores the tragic events before Jason Voorhees became a horror icon. Premiering October…

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Tasmania Road Trip Recs: Essential Stops for your Itinerary

As Australia’s only island state, Tasmania is already quite unique – but it’s not until you start navigating the winding roadways of the Tassie countryside that you realise just how different Lutruwita is from the rest of the Australian mainland. Beloved by the locals for its ancient wilderness regions, dramatic coastlines, and rich Indigenous history,…

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Bellroy suitcases

Gear Patrol: Bellroy’s Lite Carry On vs Transit Carry On

Bellroy has always been my favourite brand for carry solutions. I used to do a bit of writing for Rushfaster, which is the world’s biggest online retailer for quality carry solutions like bags, packing cubes and whatnot. Writing about a few Bellroy products was my first assignment, and since then, the Australian company has been…

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The Australian Speedrun Marathon will return to Adelaide in 2026

The Australian Speedrun Marathon 2026 (ASM2026), is set to return to Adelaide. The event will aim to raise funds for Game OnCancer, a Cure Cancer initiative, and will take place at the Adelaide Rockford Hotel, from Tuesday 14 July to Sunday 19 July. The event will look to build on the success of ASM2025, which…

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