Film Review: Touch is a tender, reflective drama exploring a romance unknown

It’s never the easiest realisation to have when it comes to facing one’s own mortality, but if any situation over the last few years pushed such a mentality to the forefront, it was the pandemic.  Whether it was wrapped up in regrettable decisions, the roads not travelled, or the relationships we formed or lost, life…

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Interview: Baltasar Kormákur on directing the time-spanning romance of Touch; “It’s never too late to fix a relationship.”

The last time our Peter Gray spoke with director Baltasar Kormákur it was when he was placing Idris Elba in the biting line of a ferocious lion in 2022’s underrated survivalist actioner Beast. For his latest turn behind the camera, the Icelandic filmmaker couldn’t be further from the dangerous throws of South Africa with his tender…

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The Weeknd is coming to Australia in October

After his Until Dawn tour was cancelled last year, The Weeknd has finally set a set of new dates for his Australian tour. And it’s looking like you’re in for a bit of travel if you don’t live in Sydney or Melbourne. Australia’s two major cities will get two shows each, with The Weeknd leaving…

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Sam & Max : The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered is the best title since the original

One of my first computer game experiences was Sam & Max Hit The Road. It was a point-and-click PC game beautifully illustrated with endearing characters and a wicked sense of humour that kept me entertained and made me fall in love with the world of gaming. Since then, the duo have had a string of…

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Photo Gallery: Griff – Northcote Theatre, Melbourne (17.08.24)

UK pop darling Griff filled Northcote Theatre with an undeniable warmth and energy last night. She lit up the stage, effortlessly blending her raw emotion with the kind of hooks that stay with you long after the gig ends. From the haunting “Black Hole” to the stunning “One Night,” Griff had the crowd in the…

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How Delta has turned LAX from a nightmare to a dream

For decades, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was one of the most dreaded entry points in the USA. No one I’ve spoken to likes flying into L.A., and at its best, the furiously busy airport is a functional failure. At its worst, it’s a nightmare. But things have finally changed in 2024, the first full…

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Interview: Ashley Zukerman on the challenging themes of his new film In Vitro and how his career has altered after Succession

Like many farmers tending to land and livestock around the country, Layla and Jack live an isolated existence. While their son is away at boarding school, Jack experiments with biotechnology to breed cattle, and Layla quietly laments her child’s absence and her strained relationship with her husband. When Jack is injured during a storm-induced blackout…

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Meredith 2024 lineup includes Jamie xx, Waxahatchee and Genesis Owusu

News has just landed about the Meredith 2024 lineup and it’s massive. The event runs on December 6, 7 and 8 at the Meredith Supernatural Ampitheatre in Victoria. The second round of the ballot is now open until 10.32 on Tuesday 20th August. The ticket price includes all parking, camping, booking fees, car passes, BYO convenience, and spins on The Eye. Meredith is an…

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Pride and Prejudice at the Sydney Opera House is a fitting tribute to the brilliance of Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, arguably Jane Austen’s most famous novel, has been the subject of countless adaptations. There is the 2005 film with Keira Knightley, the modern-day retelling in Bridget Jones’ Diary, the cultural reinterpretation with Bride and Prejudice, and who could forget the incredible masterpiece that was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. However, there is…

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Live Review: Griff lives out her vision at the Enmore (15.08.24)

Pop singer, Charley, is a superstar in the making. Her home support slot on the Sydney leg of the Griff tour is sure to spark her career into a fully fledged flame – after all, she’s now just one degree of separation away from Taylor Swift and that’s not something many Australian artists can boast….

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PAX Aus 2024 to showcase its largest ever tabletop area

PAX Aus might already be one of the most popular gaming events in the country each year, but it’s about to get even bigger, with the announcement that PAX Aus has dedicated even more floor space to tabletop gaming this year, making it the largest it has ever been when the event comes around from…

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The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405M) is a fantastic blend of portability and power at the right price

If you’re in the market for a laptop that is ultra-portable, feature-packed, and visually appealing, the current options might seem overwhelming, and likely introduce some trade-offs. Should you sacrifice size for portability and performance? Price for display quality and battery life? Like the warrior in a Zen(book) garden, ASUS might have just provided the answer…

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Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece on PC provides the definitive collection for fans and newcomers alike

Since its debut in 2002, the Kingdom Hearts series has enchanted gamers around the globe with its unique combination of both Final Fantasy and Disney characters. The series has earned a dedicated fanbase by blending action-packed RPG adventures with a rich tapestry of beloved intellectual properties. As someone who missed the boat as a kid—when…

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New Music Discoveries 16th Aug: Folk Bitch Trio, ratbag, Chasing Ghosts, and more

As we stride further into August, we’ve added ten more songs to our Discovery playlist on Spotify and Apple Music, including two tracks we exclusively premiered earlier in the week. Our track of the week is “God’s A Different Sword” from Naarm / Melbourne-based Folk Bitch Trio. The three-part harmonies of Folk Bitch Trio on…

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The Offspring to play a one off intimate show in Melbourne this November

Always Live is perhaps one of the greatest things to happen to Melbourne’s current live music scene. This epic 17-day statewide celebration of music is responsible for bringing some of the greatest international acts to Victoria for exclusive appearances. This year, they’ve unveiled yet another incredible lineup of events, and among the highlights is a…

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FANGZ drop new single “Same Old Story” and announce 24 hour East Coast tour

FANGZ have never been a band to do things by halves. From launching their own hot sauce, to curating festival FANGZstock, to living out frontman Josh Cottreau‘s dream of playing in (*checks notes*) Orange, to holding the Guinness World Record for most number of hard-boiled eggs eaten in one sitting, the FANGZ brand has always…

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Film Review: Alien: Romulus is an atmospheric blend of old-school respect and new-school brazen

Whilst Alien: Romulus is the seventh in the line of Alien features – ninth if you count the Alien Vs Predator movies (and it’s okay if you don’t, because…choices) – Fede Alvarez‘s nasty, carnivorous entry is a stand-alone sequel placed between Ridley Scott’s defining original, 1979’s Alien, and James Cameron’s continuation, 1986’s Aliens; Alvarez and…

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Film Review: Jackpot!; John Cena and Awkwafina make the most of mild action-comedy

For the global press conference for Jackpot!, director Paul Feig mentioned that he ultimately took on the film because it was the “Jackie Chan movie (he) always wanted to make.”  And it’s in that spirit that this comedic actioner is best viewed, where the two genres co-exist as one and the same and the silliness…

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Album Review: Yours Truly – TOXIC (2024 LP)

There’s no gentle easing into the second studio album from Sydney pop punk trio, Yours Truly. TOXIC bursts forth from the speakers, delivering a swift smack in the ears with opener “Back 2 U”, and then it’s full speed ahead for the rest of the album. Strap yourselves in, kids. Given this is a new line-up,…

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Interview: Director Paul Feig and the cast of Jackpot!, John Cena, Awkwafina and Simu Liu, on their wild new comedy

In the near future, a ‘Grand Lottery’ has been newly established in California – the catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot. When Katie Kim (Awkwafina) moves to Los Angeles, she mistakenly finds herself with the winning ticket. Desperate to survive the hordes of jackpot hunters, she reluctantly joins forces with amateur…

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Review: Muse’s Chris Wolstenholme debuts fantastic new project Chromes with “The Good Life” & “Imaginary World” Double Single

In case you missed it, last week saw one of the stealthiest releases of new music that I’ve experienced in a while.  Using his Instagram account, Chris Wolstenholme – best known as the beast of bass for Muse – introduced us to his new project, Chromes, unveiling double debut singles, “The Good Life” and “Imaginary…

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Interview: Celia Pacquola on the return of Thank God You’re Here; “Everyone accepts that what they are about to do is brave and silly and very scary, and none of us want to do it.”

After a 14 year hiatus, Australian improv series Thank God You’re Here was rejuvenated in 2023 for a whole new generation to bask in the unpredictable comedy stylings of some of Australia’s (and the world’s) most loved comedians. Hosted by national treasure Celia Pacquola, the series is back in 2024 for a brand new round…

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Book Review: Last Best Chance explores themes of motherhood and climate catastrophe

Award-winning West Australian writer, Brooke Dunnell, published her second novel earlier this year, turning her pen to the climate crisis and modern motherhood. While her first novel, the Fogarty Literary Award winning The Glass House explored themes of aging parents and suburban life, the follow-up, Last Best Chance has a bit more of a futuristic view. Following two…

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Byron Bay Bluesfest to call it a day after 2025

In major news today, Peter Noble OAM, Festival Director of Bluesfest Byron Bay, announced that the 2025 edition of Bluesfest will be its last outing. Easter on the East coast of Australia will never be the same again. Perhaps the writing was on the wall when it was cut down from five days to four…

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All the Disney film and television announcements from D23 2024

If there’s one way to follow-up that Robert Downey Jr. announcement at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con last month – if you haven’t heard, the newly-minted Oscar winner is returning to the MCU as Victor Von Doom – it’s by announcing all the films and television series coming our way possible from the House of…

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Paxy

Exclusive Video Premiere: PAXY “Magnetic Field” (2024)

Last month, PAXY – the moniker of Naarm musician Bridget Leila – released the sumptuous moody and bluesy “Magnetic Field”, a song chronicling the challenges of dealing with the push and pull of forces that can’t be ignored. We are thrilled today to premiere the video for the track, a cinematic journey beautifully paired with…

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All the Disney Theme Park announcements from D23 2024: New Coco, Avatar, Avengers, Lion King rides and more!

It’s been a massive weekend of announcements for Disney, thanks to their annual fan event D23 taking place in Anaheim, California. And this year may have seen more announcements for their theme parks around the world than ever before. Some attractions were long rumoured, like the Indiana Jones attraction at Animal Kingdom, or even semi-confirmed…

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Little Murmur at the Sydney Opera House provides a stunning insight into living with dyslexia

Choreographed by Aakash Odedra and Lewis Major, Little Murmur at the Sydney Opera House is a sensory feast of projections, dance and sound. Aimed at younger audiences, the performance reflects on Odedra’s life growing up with dyslexia. Having been diagnosed at a young age, he struggled in school and misspelled his own name until he…

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JPEGMAFIA

Album Review: JPEGMAFIA opens new conversations on I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU

There has been a long and keen wait for JPEGMAFIA’s latest album. Currently, he is at his peak of popularity following 2023’s SCARING THE HOES a collab album with Danny Brown. Fans have known that this album was coming and each of its many delays have only intensified the desire to hear it. With each…

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Live Review: Foo Fighters thrill with a non-stop, classic-filled, three hour set in Los Angeles

I’ve been lucky enough to see the Foo Fighters a couple of times in Los Angeles over the years. First was in 2006 at The Pantages, in the shows that wound up on their CD/DVD release Skin and Bones. And then in 2018 at the second (and presumably final) year of their Cal Jam Festival. The…

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