When we are first introduced to Red Rocket‘s lead subject – washed-up porn star Mikey (Simon Rex) – writer/director Sean Baker frames him in such a manner that alludes to him being one of those scrappy anti-heroes whose undeniable charm is enough for us to forgive his indiscretions. And indeed, Mikey is that (in a…
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Beyond the City’s second day continued the party in Melbourne to see out 2021. The second day had a heavier focus on bands on the main stage while the dance stage was a non-stop party throughout the day and early evening. Lime Cordiale and Ball Park Music were two of the biggest drawcards throughout the…
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Despite his prolific status within comedy, chances are you’re likely to recognise Nick Kroll‘s voice before seeing him in person. Biding his time between family fare – just this last month he was heard as Gunter in the animated Sing 2 – and more adult aimed comedy – if you’ve laughed at either Coach Steve,…
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The Tragedy of Macbeth is the latest film from Joel Coen of the Coen Brothers; best known for their works that are singular in vision, unique in meshing genres and humorous in their own idiosyncrasies. For his latest film, he is working solo for what is the umpteenth adaptation of the titular Shakespearean play. Many…
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After a long eighteen months away, Beyond the Valley returned in a new way; Beyond the City with the two-day event kicking off in style at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl to celebrate the ringing in 2022. With international acts out this year, it meant that BTC was able to highlight some of Australia’s growing…
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Clayton Watson may be most familiar to audiences as he appears above, but the actor, best known as Kid from the Matrix sequels Reloaded and Revolutions, is so much more. Returning to Sydney to attend the preview screening of The Matrix Resurrections (you can read our review here), Watson engaged with our own Peter Gray…
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New year. New cinema. 2022 is here (can you even believe?) and the multiplexes are doing their darndest to make you forget what’s going on in the real world with a heft of escapism entertainment. Between a killer sequel, A-list horror, Oscar bait dramas, and female-fronted action, the first taste of the new year promises…
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Clayton Watson, ‘The Kid’ in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions attended the red carpet screening of The Matrix Resurrection at United Cinemas Opera Quays along with local celebrities Nasser Sultan, Emma Roche, Kamahl and others last night. Nathan Atkins was there to bring us these photos.
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There’s a lot of DNA shared between Jason Reitman‘s Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the 1984 original that his father, Ivan Reitman, helmed to fruition. But it’s not just a familial bond that links the respective films, with several portions of the film’s plot and its character line-up clearly based off what came those near-four decades prior. …
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The last episode of The Wheel of Time season one was released on the 24th of December, capping off the agonisingly slow weekly wait (who decided to re-introduce that?) for new episodes of the epic fantasy series. For the uninitiated, the show is based on the well-known novels by Robert Jordan – although fans of…
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Many of us have probably never contemplated a world where restaurants didn’t exist. The French film, Delicious traces the origins of those humble establishments with a heart-warming story involving French nobility. The result is a visual feast that will warm the cockles and sate the appetite just like a fine Christmas dinner. Éric Besnard directs…
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Set in 1973 San Fernando Valley, California. Licorice Pizza tells the story of Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman), a TV show actor and high schooler who is smitten with the school photographer/volunteer Alana Kane (Alana Haim). The two are aware of the elephant in the room in terms of them being together; being the vast 10-year…
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Although most headphones on the market – especially those concerned with noise-cancelling – sport a closed-back design, there are some out there that get by just fine with the opposite. We’re talking a closed-back design, which has its own advantages and disadvantages, putting the focus almost entirely on audio performance and not much else. Brooklyn-based…
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A shortlisted title for Best International Feature at next year’s Academy Awards and currently sitting 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, The Worst Person in the World is undoubtedly one of this year’s most celebrated films. After a successful run at film festivals across the globe, it arrives in Australian cinemas on Boxing Day. To coincide…
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As much as The Worst Person in the World adheres to many of the standard ingredients of the “romantic comedy”, to refer to Joachim Trier‘s as one would be doing it a massive disservice. Detailed over 12 chapters (and both a prologue and epilogue), the film gives us a look into a certain period of…
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Since exploding over the internet with his isolation cooking videos in early 2020, Sydney comedian, musician, YouTuber and now award-winning, bestselling author Nat’s What I Reckon has been riding the wave of success with style. The swearing tattooed rocker has been creating content for almost a decade, uploading tongue-in-cheek criticisms of cultural norms and societal…
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Are you ready for another trip down the rabbit hole? The Matrix Resurrections (you can read our review here) is returning such iconic characters as Neo and Trinity to the technological fray, with visionary director Lana Wachowski further suspending her audience’s perception of reality. With such intricate and expansive design sprawled across the screen, Wachowski…
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As world-famous designers and founders of acclaimed brand Rodarte, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy have been at the forefront of fashion since the label’s inception. Not just content dominating their own avenue, the sisters have branched out into the world of film, both as designers creating pieces for the Oscar-winning Black Swan and as directors…
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Few movies from 1999 can boast as much as The Matrix. A groundbreaking effort, both in terms of its special effects and its allegoric mentality, The Wachowski‘s post-apocalyptic, philosophical action film pushed the boundaries of modern cinema, exceeding audience expectation in the process. Maintaining a cultural relevance in the decades since essentially allows such a…
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Nearly 20 years after it was released, The Matrix still remains a culturally relevant blueprint for which other genre films are based on. Breaking boundaries and expectations in the decades since, with such bold efforts as Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending, director Lana Wachowski has returned to the very IP that launched a phenomenon with…
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Having a background in live-action comedy films has evidently paid off for director Garth Jennings with his animated aspirations. The acclaimed helmer of such features as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Son of Rambow, Jennings moved into animated fare with 2016’s jukebox-musical success Sing. Now back to reunite his scrappy crew of musical…
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In a semi post-pandemic world, scratching even the tiniest travel itch serves serious relief. However, my latest hotel stay went beyond such relief… I’m talking euphoric non-stop eye-rolling action. Allow me to indulge you in paradise on Melbourne’s Downie Street, Hyatt Centric. I’ll start with standard housekeeping: 277 rooms, 25 floors, indoor pool, a gym,…
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Previous Halo games have always served as a single-player experience for me. While I did attempt to get into it in the previous title Halo: Guardians, There were way too many other MMO games at that time that had my attention. After a bit of a dry spell this year, I jumped into Halo Infinite…
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“…flour, salt, a little red wine, and don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang.” is a phrase that is ingrained in so many of us. Paul Kelly‘s “How To Make Gravy” has become synonymous with the festive season since its release in 1996. Not only that, but the 21st…
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Much was said about Being the Ricardos before it even screened for critics, with the fact that stars Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem were somewhat controversial casting choices to play Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Neither looks considerably like the legendary comedic performers, which left a certain sour taste in the mouths of those wondering…
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Christmas is approaching and you haven’t gone out and filled your sack with stocking-stuffers yet, right? Whether it’s the (reasonable) trepidation about heading out in the lead up to family time or general forgetfulness, it’s safe to say there are more than a few people out there who treat their Christmas shopping like they would…
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It was a blissful relief to be reading Robyn Mundy‘s latest novel, Cold Coast, over a humid Perth week. The novel is set on Svalbard in 1932, and follows a year in the life of Wanny Wolstadt (pronounced Vanny Voldstadt), who was Norway’s first female trapper. Wolstadt, a young widow, is already unconventional for a woman of…
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A beautiful summer night at Enmore Theatre with the return of Melbourne based Hiatus Kaiyote to Sydney on their worldwide Mood Valiant tour in all the style and colour we expect from one of the coolest bands in the world. Supported by Baro Cura x Silent Jay. Images brought to you by Pete Dovgan. …
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For better or worse, Illumination will always be known as the studio that gave an extended life to Minions. Originally something of a throwaway gag to provide easy laughs within the Despicable Me films, they took on a force of their own and seemed to pull focus from any other studio property. One such charmer…
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Even for a filmmaker of Steven Spielberg‘s stature, it’s safe to say that taking on a property such as West Side Story would still be a daunting task. The 1961 cinematic adaptation of the 1957 Broadway production was awarded 10 Oscars, including Best Picture, and has remained something of a cultural criterion in the decades…
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