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King Stingray delivers a stinging gig
MUSIC REVIEW Band: King Stingray Support acts: Colbey, Adam Newling Where : Corner Hotel, Richmond When: February 25 King Stingray kicked off their national tour in emphatic fashion last Friday night, playing an hour long show to a full house at the legendary Corner Hotel in Richmond. After opening with three unreleased numbers, rhythm guitarist Dimathaya Burarrwanga tested the temperament of the audience, asking: “Thank you Melbourne! Howzat?” The rapturous reception wa
Mar 4, 20222 min read


Wayne’s World: window on a rock fashion transition
FILM FASHION REVIEW What: Wayne’s World Run time: 1 hour, 38 mins Who: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Tia Carrere, Rob Lowe Where, when: Streaming on Stan Rating: Excellent early-’90s inspo When it comes to 1990s rock fashion, grunge probably comes to mind – think Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain. Grunge was the biggest counterculture of the decade, but that’s not the whole story – a lot of early-’90s rock music was an extension of ’80s hair metal. As rock shifted towards grunge
Feb 16, 20223 min read


Style to the max: House of Gucci puts everything out there
FILM FASHION REVIEW What: House of Gucci Run time: 2h 38mins Who: Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, Al Pacino, Jared Leto Where, when: Now in cinemas Rating: A mixed bag Ridley Scott’s most recent movie, House of Gucci , is a disappointment. The performances range from serviceable to bizarre, the lighting and cinematography are inappropriately dreary for the glamorous production design, the runtime is too long, and for a movie about an Italian family, it really isn’t all that Ital
Jan 13, 20223 min read


Celebrating a proud history and a stronger future
A lone man unloads tins of paint and spray cans from his car, under the unwavering gaze of curious eyes that look out over Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus. It’s a cold Tuesday morning, but renowned Melbourne street artist Matt Adnate is undeterred. For nearly three weeks, he has been busy creating a large artwork on the side of Swinburne’s three-storey chemistry (CH) building, on Burwood Rd. His plan for this day is to finalise the portrait portion of his mural and begin paintin
Dec 21, 20214 min read


Original content: the streaming giants stake out their territory
Platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Stan, Binge, Apple TV+ and now Paramount+ are all competing for the top spot in the streaming wars. Although the local Australian content is moderate, original material on each platform has grown immensely to attract and retain new subscribers. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says Australia’s lockdowns and restrictions have “delivered an ‘unprecedented boom’ to Australia’s subscription services”. Research by Telsyte ind
Dec 21, 20216 min read


How Netflix has changed not just the way we watch TV, but the TV we watch too
In the almost nine years since House of Cards premiered on Netflix, the concept of the streaming service original series has completely shifted the way television is produced, and the way we consume it. On-demand technology has brought many great things with it, and many great shows too, but there’s no denying that many of these shows feel like they’re missing something, and most of them seem to disappear from pop culture mere weeks after their release. Same-day season relea
Dec 13, 202111 min read


Disney+ Premier Access: the big challenge for cinemas post-pandemic
Films typically have a 90-day exclusive window in cinemas before being released on other mediums, meaning the only legal option for consumers eager to see new movie releases is to visit a theatre. As the Covid-19 pandemic caused extended cinema closures, Disney launched Premier Access on their Disney+ streaming service, allowing subscribers to pay an additional once-off fee to stream the latest film releases at home. Premier Access made its debut on September 4, 2020, with th
Dec 11, 20219 min read


The streaming wars: who really has the best offer
Australia’s streaming business sector is stacked. With new players like Paramount+, BINGE, Disney+ and Apple TV+ joining the now veteran platforms Netflix, Prime Video and Stan, getting to premium amusement content is simpler and more reasonable than it’s ever been. A close comparison of what each streaming platform offers and the amount it costs could save you a fortune over the long haul. The first things to consider are value, content, quality, and compatible devices. But
Dec 8, 20219 min read


The Australian screen: disrupted and transformed
The introduction of television in Australia in 1956 brought with it a host of economic and cultural dividends, aided by government incentives, regulations, and protection from international broadcasters because of Australia’s geographic isolation. Commercial access to its TV market and the development of networks have been controlled by government in waves across decades, underpinned by an intention to safeguard national sovereignty over its institutions and perceived cultur
Dec 4, 202111 min read


Shang-Chi: generic but enjoyable superhero flick
Marvel continues to pursue their current trend of recruiting indie filmmakers by placing Destin Daniel Cretton ( The Glass Castle ) at the helm of its recent addition to the universe, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings . Sadly, the movie suffers from an abundance of all too familiar tropes, removing any possibility of injecting the franchise with the director’s unique style. Shang-Chi follows the titular character, martial arts master Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), as he con
Nov 25, 20212 min read


Craig says farewell with a lacklustre Bond
After years of rewrites, stalling and delays, Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond has arrived. No Time To Die follows Bond (obviously) on one final mission after being forced out of a self-imposed retirement in Jamaica. An old friend in the CIA asks him for help, which sends Bond on a rescue mission that pits him against a powerfully armed foe. Cary Joji Fukunaga, of True Detective fame, brings a clear and confident sense of direction for the film, doing well to ap
Nov 19, 20212 min read


Abundance of new films usher in the return of Melbourne cinemas
“The movie comes alive in the theatre.” Keen filmgoer Alex Breen – like a multitude of fellow Melburnians – is excited to return to the cinema after the long lockdown. “I look forward to taking full advantage of these screenings. I’m excited to get back into the cinema and see some movies with friends,” he says. The one problem is the overwhelming choice of new release films coming up. Cinemas have a backlog of films originally intended for release through August to October
Nov 5, 20214 min read
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