At 155 minutes, and unfolding across three timelines that initially appear to have only the faintest connective tissue, La Bola Negra asks its audience to place an enormous amount of trust in directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. For much of its first two hours, their sweeping queer epic can feel deliberately elusive, moving between…
Winner of the Best Director award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, La Bola Negra, from filmmaking duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, is an ambitious and deeply affecting exploration of queer identity, repression and the enduring legacy of love across generations. Unfolding across three distinct periods in Spanish history, the film examines how desire,…
The lineup for Golden Plains Nineteen has arrived, and once again Aunty has put together a wonderfully odd, wide-ranging and very Golden bill for the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre. Returning to Wadawurrung Country from Saturday 6 to Monday 8 March 2027, Golden Plains will welcome a lineup headed by Geese, Underworld, Angine de Poitrine, Miss Kaninna,…
The red swimsuits are back, and so is one of television’s most recognisable franchises, with the first trailer for the new Baywatch offering audiences a glimpse at the sun-soaked action, beachside drama and familiar faces awaiting them when the series premieres exclusively on Stan in Australia from January 2027. More than three decades after the…
The odds are looking ever in Australia’s favour as The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping launches its global press tour in Sydney, with Australian actor Joseph Zada and Mckenna Grace arriving to promote the highly anticipated next chapter in the blockbuster franchise. Directed by franchise veteran Francis Lawrence and adapted from Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel,…
For nearly half a century, the Friday the 13th franchise has taught audiences to fear what lurks around Crystal Lake. With A24’s Crystal Lake, creator and showrunner Brad Caleb Kane is asking audiences to look at that mythology from an entirely different perspective – not by beginning with the unstoppable killing machine Jason Voorhees would…
After almost two decades of cinematic silence, Jason Voorhees is finally back. Well, sort of. The hockey mask-wearing, machete-wielding horror icon has remained conspicuously absent from our screens since 2009’s Friday the 13th reboot, with legal complications and creative uncertainty keeping one of the genre’s most recognisable villains frustratingly dormant. Now, with A24’s eight-part prequel…
The notion of “moving on” after losing someone has always felt somewhat cruel. It suggests that grief is something we can eventually put behind us, that heartbreak comes with an expiration date, and that finding happiness again somehow requires us to leave behind the people who once made us happy. Cinema has often embraced this…
Grief is rarely a linear experience, and the notion of simply “moving on” after losing someone can feel almost cruel in its suggestion that love is something we’re expected to leave behind. It’s this emotional complexity that sits at the heart of Love of Your Life, the beautifully observed romantic drama from director Rachel Morrison…
Apple has officially unveiled HomeView, its latest attempt to become the centre of our increasingly connected homes. The new smart home display is available to pre-order in Australia from today, 14 October, priced at $449, with the first units arriving on Friday, 13 November. Now that John Ternus has taken the reins as Apple’s new…
I’m a massive Star Wars fan, but I’m also a massive fan of arcade-style racing games like Wipeout and Burnout. So if you haven’t heard of Star Wars: Galactic Racer yet, that’s the best pitch I can really give you. Merging those franchises is not only a genius idea, but it has provided some of…
There are certain pop stars who seem destined for arenas, and Zara Larsson is undoubtedly one of them. Armed with a catalogue of infectious dance-pop anthems, a spectacular voice and the kind of stage presence that makes performing look effortless, the Swedish singer has all the makings of a global superstar. So, to see her…
TISM are back in action, with their No Mistakes tour now underway and the masked provocateurs bringing their trademark chaos to stages around the country. Never ones to play by the rules, TISM have built a reputation on savage satire, absurdist humour, confrontational theatrics and a healthy disregard for good taste. Their live shows are…
If you spent the early 2000s as a disenfranchised youth, screaming along to the bands that helped earn the genre its “screamo” title, it’s time to warm up those vocal cords. Story Of The Year and Silverstein are bringing their Camp Screamo co-headline tour to Australia in February 2027, with US rockers Point North joining…
The AU review is thrilled to premiere “Spirit World”, the new single and video from Los Angeles alt-punk garage outfit SP’s, ahead of its release on October 15th. The track is the latest taste of the band’s debut album, Dating at the End of the World, due March 26th, 2027 via Baby Robot Records. “Spirit…
While I personally prefer Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei is still one of the best PS5 exclusives you can play right now. Ghost of Yotei’s latest DLC bundle includes a new story, Echoes of Sekigahara, along with a new roguelike mode titled Most Wanted. While I think the Echoes of Sekigahara storyline does a…
The Persona series has become a fan favourite not only worldwide but also in my house. I’m not a huge JRPG fan, but this series, along with Xenoblade Chronicles, just gets me. Hearing about Persona 4 Revival bringing with it a massive overhaul to the graphics system, voice acting and improved combat system, I was…
Based on the bestselling nonfiction book “The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II” by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger, and directed by Peter Berg, The Mosquito Bowl is a sweeping World War II drama about sacrifice, brotherhood and the devastating loss of innocence, starring Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, Ray…
No way. This is actually HAPPENING. POWDERFINGER ARE GETTING BACK TOGETHER! Sixteen years. SIXTEEN YEARS since the Sunsets Farewell Tour, and I honestly thought we’d never see the day. The cryptic billboards, the teasers, all the hints… and now it’s REAL. Powderfinger are back, with all five members reuniting for a massive 18-date Australian tour…
Aliens might be one of the best science fiction films of all time, but that’s an easy one. Here’s a take that’s a little hotter: Alien: Isolation is one of the best horror games of the last generation. With that, you could imagine that I was particularly excited to check out Alien: Isolation 2. It’s…
In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. But apparently there’s a new Total War: Warhammer 40,000 game coming out too. While I’m a fan of the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, I sadly have never played a Total War game, and I’m not really sure why. But thanks to the good folks…
If you’re a fan of the Like a Dragon games (formerly known as Yakuza), then Stranger Than Heaven might already be on your radar. It certainly was on mine, and thanks to the good folks at Sega at PAX Aus 2026, we got the chance to sit down for some hands-on time. As you would…
Steve Valentine, screen star and world champion magician (appearing in The Illusionists, Wizards of Waverly Place, Crossing Jordan and even Spider-Man 3) will lead the international ensemble of Hook’s Neverland, which will run at Sydney Opera House in January 2027. Valentine will be joined by first-mate, Smee, (Norwegian contortionist Captain Frodo whose previous credits include…
At 19, Australian singer-songwriter Lotte Gallagher is starting to find a new kind of freedom in making music. With her lead single “WISH” marking a shift in her sound and aesthetic, and latest single “LUCKY2LOVE” having just arrived, Gallagher is entering a new chapter without necessarily knowing exactly what it looks like yet. Ahead of…
The market for premium over-ear headphones has been eerily quiet over the past few years. Ever since Apple released its AirPods Max in 2020, there’s been a sense that the category has settled into a comfortable rhythm, with manufacturers seemingly less interested in making substantial leaps between generations. We’ve seen a stronger showing elsewhere. Sony…
Thanks to Rialto Distribution, we have 10 double digital in-season passes (Admit 2) to giveaway to see Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close in the acclaimed drama La Bola Negra, recent winner of the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, in Australian theatres from October 15th, 2026. Winner of the Best Director…
British indie-rock nostalgia hit full volume at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion as Razorlight and James delivered a double bill packed with guitar-driven anthems. Razorlight brought the swagger, guitars and the energy, with Johnny Borrell leading the charge and then James followed led by vocalist Tim Booth with his stage presence and an emotionally charged performance backed…
Mike Flanagan is no stranger to exploring the darker corners of the human psyche, but with The Exorcist: Martyrs, the acclaimed filmmaker is stepping into one of horror cinema’s most iconic franchises. And judging by the newly released trailer, he’s bringing his particular brand of psychological unease to a story where the horrors of the…
Canadian rock heavyweights Nickelback are heading back to Australia in October 2027, bringing their Everything Under The Sun Tour to seven cities and regional locations, with British rockers Don Broco joining them as special guests. The tour will kick off at Perth’s RAC Arena on 2 October before heading to Adelaide, Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane and…
Across generations and continents, Irish music has carried stories of home, migration, loss, celebration and belonging. For The High Kings, that tradition is not something preserved in the past. It is something living, evolving and finding new audiences, including an ever-growing following here in Australia. When I spoke with Finbarr Clancy and Brian Dunphy ahead…
