From acclaimed Canadian director François Girard (Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, The Red Violin) comes a drama that the entire family can enjoy. Boychoir is the story of a talented youngster struggling against the odds to find his voice. Boychoir will be released on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital on August 26th and to…

The AICE Israeli Film Festival returns to Palace Cinemas in August, 2015, this year pulling no punches in showcasing all aspects of Israeli culture – the good, the bad and the ugly. Respected film industry stalwart Richard Moore joins the Festival as Artistic Director and has curated a bold programme that is at once tough,…

Alexander Dunn’s expositional documentary 808 takes its name from the Roland TR-808, one of the first programmable drum machines. Originally manufactured in early 1980 for studio musicians to record demos, the 808 was criticized for its unrealistic drum sound and was likened to the sound of marching ants. However, the snappy, tinny sound of the…

A detective, a DUFF and an Oscar-nominated performance dominate this week’s DVD releases. Here are our three picks of the week:

On the eve of the release of the new Hearthstone expansion “The Grand Tournament” – which adds a whopping additional 132 new cards to the game – we chat with the Art Director Ben Thompson about what to expect from the new expansion and the joy of directing the art behind the game. New Mechanics The…

She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry is a little documentary with a big, important message. It chronicles the second wave of feminism in the United States from 1966-1971. It was a tumultuous time that saw some radical changes. This film is an illuminating one that tackles one key part of a complex social movement. This documentary…

Penny brings us the latest from the world of film and television in the The Iris’ weekly news round up! We kick things off with the new Tarantino blockbuster…

There’s a worrying future for those of us in Australia’s largest cities: unless you already own a house or two, the rest of us are not going to make it in the property ownership game.  So we stress and stew about the fact that although we’re going to have to work till we’re 70 years…

Folk trio The Once had a chat with the AU’s Editor-in-Chief, Larry at Edmonton Folk Music Festival in their homeland, Canada. Geraldine, Phil and Andrew share their thoughts on what to record next, the strong collaborative vibe from the festival and how they’re eager to come back to Australia. Click through to read (and watch)…

British alternative-folk band Bear’s Den sat down with the AU’s Editor-in-Chief, Larry at Edmonton Folk Music Festival. This is the second time the band has performed at the festival, having graced the stages last year as well. With a busy year in the works, click through to hear about their tour and plans for a…

Independent artist John Smith had a chat with the AU’s Editor-in-Chief, Larry at the uniquely Canadian Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Reflecting on his time so far and discussing plans to record new songs, click through to hear what Smith had to say… Smith is one artist out of many that has high regard for this…

You’d not be wrong in thinking that 2015 could be the year of the spy movie, with Kingsman: The Secret Service, Spy, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation having all been released already and Spectre due later in the year. We also have another contender in the genre, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. With a ridiculously attractive…

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the great puppeteer Jim Henson’s passing, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) is opening up the unique and enchanting world of his creations. From Monday 21 September – Sunday 11 October 2015  Muppets, Music and Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy will explore Henson’s films, animations, TV commercials and…

Entries to Tropfest Australia 2015 are now officially open. To enter, all you need is an eager heart and a story to share with the world.   Whether your a pro or a beginner, everyone is invited to share their amazing ideas, so if you think you have a good story to tell, well, tell it. With thousands of entries every year,…

Golden Age Cinema & Bar is hosting a film program of an outer space kind next Wednesday 19th August, to be presented by astronaut Chris Hadfield who is currently in Australia on his tour A Spaceman’s View of the Planet. For the ‘Guest Presents Session’, Chris Hadfield has chosen the film Moon the directorial debut…

Tarantino, you had our curiosity, but now you have our attention. Genius Director Quentin Tarantino is about ready to unleash The Hateful Eight upon the world towards the end of this year, and our first look is guaranteed to heighten interest in the film as we get a closer look at Kurt Russell as John…

Pop-folk singer Jenn Grant caught up with Larry at this year’s Edmonton Folk Music Festival. An enthusiastic and welcomed performer to any folk stage, see what Jenn Grant had to say on songwriting and an upcoming tour to Australia! It’s been nearly a year since Grant’s last record was released, resulting in a successful stream…

Larry caught up with Californian rock group The New Pacific backstage at Lollapalooza, this being the first time the four-piece has performed at the illustrious festival, after being dedicated attendants year after year. To hear about their current record plans and their journey so far, click through to read more… Performing in front of a…

Lion Guard: Return of the Roar  may not be a title which inspires much confidence in Disney’s Lion King television revival project, but at least we’ll be getting some of the original voice-cast reprising their roles. Firstly, James Earl Jones will be returning to as Mufasa, alongside Ernie Sabella who will once again voice that…

Who can it be now? The documentary, Colin Hay: Waiting For My Life To Begin is about the affable Men At Work front man-turned-solo troubadour who is now known for his appearances on the TV show, Scrubs. The film is a fascinating and honest one that is a little in-cohesive at times but still manages to…

The second season of True Detective was always going to be a hard-sell. The first season of Nic Pizzolatto‘s crime anthology series combined exceptional writing, acting, direction and cinematography to great success. As a result, the pulpy and philosophical series became an instant classic amongst critics and audiences. However, this left the inevitable follow-up burdened…

Need to catch a TV break and don’t know what to watch? Simon takes us through his top picks on must-see shows and films for the week. Click through to see what’s showing for your entertainment needs. Wednesday 12th August 2015 The Last Leg-ABC-9.30pm AEST First airing as a companion show to the 2012 Paralympics,…

After a couple of weeks of chopping and changing, Traninwreck has settled in at top spot. Earning $3.1 million this past week Amy Schumer and Paul Fieg have overcome superheroes and Tom Cruises as it rolls toward comedy of the year status. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation has dropped to second spot after a short spell at…

Amy (Amy Schumer) is a writer for a men’s magazine, along with her friend Nikki (Vanessa Bayer). One morning, they sit in adjacent cubicles of their office bathroom, comparing Johnny Depp(s) from different films based on their fuckability. They aim for the funniest answers, such as: Edward Scissorhands (1990) because you’d always have a great…

Acoustic singer-songwriter, Joshua Radin has undeniably got a burning passion for music. Since releasing his sixth studio album, Onwards and Sideways his raw honesty in his lyrics displays signs of love towards his art, showcasing things that he has felt in his life. From a personal perspective, this album wasn’t just your average release – it was a catalogue…

Sydney’s Manning Bar got a sick dose of punk on Saturday night, when the much loved US crew Good Riddance came through! It’s been a while since crowds have seen them in full flight and this show was one for the books, supported by Versus the World, Nerdlinger and The Great Awake. Photos by Gwendolyn…

Hip-Hop artist L-Fresh The Lion has just announced his “Get Mine” single tour. In September and October, his new song will debut across the country. With a highly anticipated album release early next year, this upcoming tour is expected to set the bar on what to expect next. What has so far been described as…

Rolling Stone Magazine proudly announces Rolling Stone live lodge will shortly be arriving in Sydney’s own Newtown Social Club. Following a successful pop-up bar in Melbourne, the event will be taking over the band room for three entertainment-packed weeks between September 23rd and October 11th. This bespoke bar, open six nights a week, will be…

Finally, the long wait is over! Absurdist comedy-cult duo Tim and Eric will be returning to our shores this December, proudly calling their show “Tim and Eric – ’Stralia – Zealand Experience”. Live Nation is excited to announce the return of the cult pair who will bring their unique brand of humour for a whirlwind…

Sydney’s leading festival for cult and underground films, the Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF), will once again spread over 100 experimental, subversive, and controversial screenings over four days this September. These screenings include various Australian premieres, special retrospective screenings, and Q&A sessions alongside masterclasses and live music. Provocative and notorious Writer-Director Gaspar Noe will be…