On October 22 – Melbourne’s 262nd day of lockdown – restrictions began to ease in Victoria. For 21-year-old student Tom Dickinson, anxiety came soon after Daniel Andrews’ announcement. “Initially, I was really excited when I heard the announcement,” he says. “Then, the thought of being in a big group actually sunk in a bit more … it’s a situation that I knew was going to make me a bit anxious, especially as I was used to only seeing one or two other people at a time.”  In th

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

“There are lots of moral panics around the innocence of children,” says Dr Joanna McIntyre, a lecturer in media studies at Swinburne University. McIntyre is part of the Swinburne research team working with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation on a four-year research project into Australian children’s television. “In Western culture, children are understood to be asexual and must be kept away from certain things – the framing of childhood is seen as a time of inno

In an age where superhero movies are churned out at an industrial rate, it’s a breath of fresh air when a movie in this genre gives you something new.  Eternals follows a family of superheroes sent to earth to protect humans from predators known as the Deviants. The film explores how and why they came to Earth 7000 years ago, as well as the necessity for teaming up once again to save the day. Chloe Zhao, who won an Academy Award for Directing Nomadland , is an inspired choic

Experts from Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens believe a marketing campaign could protect the natural world. Executive director of science Professor David Cantrill says people are increasingly more disconnected from nature, but if they can identify with it, they’re more likely to act to protect it.  “A social marketing campaign is something that could achieve this,” he says.  Marketing experts say a campaign like this would cost in the millions, but if pulled off correctly, c

Melbourne International Games Week wrapped up last month, having provided a distinctly Australian celebration of the evolution of a growing local video game industry. Curated by Creative Victoria, Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW or “Migwa” as it is affectionately known) is held every year to commemorate the local industry and act as a touchstone for both casual fans and industry workers alike. Michelle Shepherd, a senior project officer with Creative Victoria, says i

While Australia’s live music industry continues to struggle, musicians turning to the local games industry for composing jobs are striking gold. Music in video games has evolved quickly through technical and creative innovations, leaving behind that synthesised, 8-bit or “chiptune” music sound popular in early arcade and console games. Game soundtracks are an integral part of the overall tone and experience of players, with some composers’ work attracting attention outside o

A car passed, the driver’s window rolled down and the man spat two crude words at the young mother standing with her baby on the path. It was 2001, only a few months after the twin towers at the World Trade Center fell on the other side of the world, and 20-year-old Ayesha was walking her son to the nearby shopping centre from their Maribyrnong home. Unsure and afraid, Ayesha could only freeze. It has been more than 20 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U

“When I first heard about BreadTube, I thought it was a meme.” Chris – going by Shark3ozero online – has been producing left-wing content on American politics for close to two years. With a nearly 50,000-subscriber YouTube channel as well as a dedicated following on streaming platform Twitch, Chris has comfortably embedded himself within the steadily growing online left, nicknamed BreadTube by its community. “A lot of people think BreadTube means you’re specifically anti-Ca

“It was a gradual process. I just went there step-by-step,” journalist Craig Idlebrook says about becoming an anti-vaxxer.  “I was always trying to figure out how to live more naturally.” Now years removed from this period in his life, Craig is able to reflect on what lead him down that path. “It’s sort of like coming out of a fever dream,” he said. Craig now actively supports the other side of the debate, and tries to nudge people to get the vaccine . While currently the

“The thing that needs to be realised is that every level crossing is different,” Parkdale father Dave Harrison says. “Parkdale is one of the last true villages left in the state, that in itself needs to be recognised.” The proposed removal of the Parkers Rd level crossing in the seaside village of Parkdale has embroiled the township in a major struggle. The Andrews Government has committed to removing 85 dangerous level crossings around the state by 2025, with Parkdale set t

“I wish when I was growing up, I had some character that was openly bisexual. I would’ve been like ‘that’s what I am’, but I didn’t have that at all.” Melbourne Uni culture studies senior lecturer Dr Hannah McCann says getting some representation for bisexuality has been a long time coming. “So having any character, let alone a huge mainstream comic character identify as bisexual is really significant for challenging the stigma around the identity,” she says. DC Comics has a