As we rapidly approach the end of the year, the AU Books team have been desperately sorting books, rating and re-rating, choosing and re-choosing as they try to narrow down their favourite reads of 2024. It’s never an easy to task to choose just one, so we at least let them put forward a couple…
Matthew Hooper’s heart-wrenching debut A Cold Season doesn’t shy away from the realities of rural life in a bitter post-WW1 winter. Narrated by 14-year-old Beth, the book is set in the foothills of Mount Kosciusko. Isolated and vulnerable, the story opens as a harsh winter is rolling in, bringing with it flash storms and heavy…
The time has rolled around once again for us to wrap up the year that was and summarise 2023’s best games. It never gets any easier, but we’ve had to extend this year’s list out to 10 games as opposed to the usual 5. That being said, let’s hit the ground running and jump straight…
Every Australian knows something of the colonisation of Australia; of the ships that were sent and the convicts that arrived. But, there are some parts that are left out of the wider narrative, unnoticed or undiscussed in conversations about Australia’s history. It’s one such element that Santilla Chingaipe delves into in her latest book Black…
Look up… As the DCEU suits up for a brand new iteration under the guidance of director James Gunn, our first taste will fly into theatres from July 2025 in the form of Superman. Embodied by rising star David Corenswet, the Man of Steel will be reintroduced to fans and newcomers alike, and the first…
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fans will be over the moon to hear that Dungeons & Dragons: Twenty-Sided Tavern is now playing at the Sydney Opera House, straight from New York. We had the pleasure of attending the premiere night on Wednesday 18 December. As a long-time D&D lover, it was a unique opportunity to see…
The 16th annual AU review countdown of the 40 best albums of the year has arrived. This year, as always, our contributors bring together a mix of artists from Australia and around the world. Hopefully your favourite album(s) made the cut – and maybe you’ll discover a few new ones along the way, too. Read…
Thanks to Kismet Movies and ThinkTank Communications, we have 3 double digital in-season passes (Admit 2) to see the acclaimed new dark comedy from director Sean Baker (Red Rocket), Anora, starring Golden Globe nominee Mikey Madison, in Australian theatres from Boxing Day, December 26th, 2024. Step into the wild world of Anora, a hot Oscar contender…
Invasion is imminent! Hostile forces have overtaken a remote moon and are in the midst of uncovering a secret base that holds the key to a delicate intergalactic alliance. It is up to superhero Anvil Liza to thwart the enemy’s plans and in the process maintain balance in the universe. Launched via Kickstarter, Stellarlands is…
I love Twelve South’s range of changing stands and still use the HiRise Deluxe 3 today. The HiRise Deluxe 2 follows in the footsteps of its slightly larger predecessor while bringing some new and interesting features to the fold. The new Qi2 charging certification certainly helps your services charge quicker, while the premium finish and…
Today, the AACTA Festival announced over twenty new sessions have been added to the 2025 program, which returns to the Home of the Arts, Gold Coast, from February 5 – 9 2025. Celebrated Australian music icon Paul Kelly will perform live at the festival alongside Meg Washington, Brendan Maclean, Beddy Rays and other special guests at the How to Make Gravy – Live…
Shifting away from the sibling rivalry at the centre of the modern-set dramedy Scrap, writer/director Vivian Kerr moves into gothic horror territory for her sophomore feature-length project, Séance, a dramatic tale that still admittedly utilises the mentality of rivalry, but does so in a different, more psychological manner. Grief, obsession, and both the fragile and toxic…
Ten years ago, Australian musician Pepa Knight released his debut album, the cross-cultural and entrancing Hypnotised Vol I. At long last, the sequel is in the midst, and a couple of weeks ago, Pepa released the first single – “Superman”. Today, we are thrilled to be premiering the video for this beautiful new track. Hypnotised…
Continuing our extensive Nosferatu coverage in the lead-up to the film’s New Year’s Day release here in Australia (you can read our review here), Peter Gray spoke to Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult about their roles in Robert Eggers’ gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her,…
Described by our own Peter Gray as “An experience beyond mere audience transportation” – you can read our full review here – Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. As the immersive horror film prepares…
A stunningly haunting reimagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent expressionist vampire film Nosferatu, itself an unauthorised adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula”, Robert Eggers‘ gothic tale (ironically) breathes fresh life into Henrik Galeen‘s original, weaving human obsession and pain in a macabre manner that results in the genre filmmaker delivering possibly his finest craft…
Combining video games with exercise is an ambitious challenge, but Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer steps into the ring aiming to make cardio workouts engaging and accessible. While it won’t turn you into a championship boxer, it succeeds as a fun way to burn calories, get moving, and break a sweat—all without leaving your…
The BlueAnt Pump X over-ear headphones bring an impressive suite of features to the table, making them appealing to fitness enthusiasts and casual listeners alike. With loud, booming audio and thumping bass, combined with the X-Mode audio setting for workout intensity, these headphones cater specifically to those who want motivational soundtracks during their exercise routines….
Compact with big ambitions, XGIMI’s MoGo 2 Pro might not be perfect but, for the price, it’s the portable projector to beat right now and has me excited about where the technology is going. When it comes to portable projectors, the XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro aims to redefine expectations, packing impressive features into a device…
Having visited Bali six times, I thought I’d discovered all the hidden gems the island had to offer. So, when I found Amarta Beach Retreat, with its infinity pools overlooking the black sands of Pasut Beach, I was pleasantly surprised. Nestled on the serene coastline of Tabanan in Bali, Amarta Beach Retreat is a slice…
Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain tells of mismatched cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history, setting the scene for…
Though there’s the sense that, initially, the characterisation of Benji Kaplan (Kieran Culkin) in A Real Pain is to purely lean into the personality-driven descriptiveness of such a title, writer/director Jesse Eisenberg has other plans in helping us as an audience empathise with his plight. Benji hones the type of energy that can be described…
Aussie pop punk legends Stand Atlantic will take to the road in 2025, bringing their energetic live show to venues across the country. They’ll be joined by alt-rock powerhouses RedHook for the 14 date tour, with local bands also taking to the stage each night. Kicking things off in Tasmania, it’s set to be an…
“There are 200 million sandwiches eaten a day in America”, according to Australia’s Ben Gollan. One might say he’s a sandwich aficionado, and he’s not shy to admit it, remarking on a beautiful New York autumn afternoon, “the Sandwich is a global dish that beings people together, which is why I do this tour and…
Santa’s state-sanctioned home invasions are just around the corner. The big ball of joy is going to be squeezing down your chimney in just a few weeks, but you don’t want him to spot a sad, empty Christmas tree when he makes it down, do you? Trees that shadow dozens upon dozens of wrapped presents,…
As 2024 comes to its end, I’ve always enjoyed being able to head out and catch a couple local bands get in their last shows for the year, as they cap off what could have been a pivotal year of change for them. In this instance, it was Annie Hamilton headlining the last of her…
Look, I’ll be honest. When Apple first announced the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 Pro in September 2024, my initial reaction was pretty lukewarm. Another button? Really? It felt like one of those features that was just more about doing something different than doing something important. The more I thought about it, the…
One of the world’s most acclaimed musicians, Detroit’s Jack White, is in Sydney this weekend following a run of shows in Victoria as part of the Always Live initiative. Originally expected to be exclusive to the southern state – as was St Vincent in recent weeks – NSW fans were elated to see the iconic…
The Game Awards 2024 has wrapped, and we would firstly like to congratulate every single nominee and winner. There were plenty of great games this year, and we would also like to congratulate Astro Bot, which took home the Game of the Year award. While this yearly event, now celebrating its 10th year, is known…
Luna Park Sydney officially unveiled its new, highly-anticipated immersive attraction, Squid Game: The Experience, at the grand opening last night, marking a significant milestone in the Park’s transformation into a world-class experience destination. Among the attendees were prominent figures, including the Minister for Arts, Nighttime Economy, Music and Minister for Jobs and Tourism, John Graham….
