The Cuban Missile Crisis looms in the tense spy thriller The Courier. Based on fact, it tells the story of America’s most valuable source of information about Russia during this tumultuous period. With nuclear war a real possibility, a high stakes cat-and-mouse game plays out. Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) is a high-ranking Russian official. But…
Hyper-violent action, humour, and a ripping soundtrack await those that venture to see Nobody. This is undoubtedly one of this year’s biggest surprise packets. “Nobody” sure becomes somebody – somebody to be reckoned with. Bob Odenkirk is Hutch Mansell, a seemingly mild-mannered husband and father whose life is drab and routine. Nothing to see here….
Truth or lie? That is the question at the centre of a fun-filled night at the Brunswick Ballroom featuring a number of highly regarded showbiz-types, drawn from comedy, television, film and music. They are divided into two teams of three, with the “players” varying from show to show. The night I attended, there was Emily Taheny, Mike…
Silly, funny, creative and clever, the Umbilical Brothers bring their unique blend of humour to the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the city is all the better off for it. This show, titled The Distraction, won the Best Comedy Award at the recent Adelaide Fringe Festival. David Collins and Shane Dundas, who are the Umbilical Brothers, have been…
It is a joy of gargantuan proportions to witness Handa Opera’s La Traviata in all its passionate glory on Sydney Harbour, with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House and Sydney skyline as a spectacular backdrop. A massive chandelier – frequently lit up in many a hue – hovers above the stage throughout, held fast by…
The magic of Disney is alive and well … and thriving, if Frozen, The Musical is anything to go by. It is the perfect blend of humour, emotion and theatrics, and brings to life the story of sisters separated by a potentially deadly curse. The musical has been adapted from the Disney film and the original 1844…
Get excited. Mighty excited. For all the hype surrounding the arrival of Hamilton, the musical in Sydney is justified. It is an incredible, spine tingling history lesson, packaged as entertainment par excellence, much of it delivered as readily digestible hip-hop, together with classic Broadway song writing. The entire story unfolds through the lyrics and it is crystal…
Two apex predators go head-to-head with an extra surprise thrown in for good measure in Godzilla vs Kong. It’s a battle that goes back generations and most interest lies in who will emerge victorious. Several story lines come together in the film. First up, Kong is being monitored around the clock on Skull Island, but…
Peter Rabbit was a delightful revelation when it was released in 2018, readily blending live action and animation. It brought us the tale of a recalcitrant bunny (the voice of James Corden) and his prickly relationship with Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson). You may recall Thomas inherited the farm next door to nature lover, Bea (Rose Byrne)….
With no shortage of drama, hijinks and a surfeit of musical talent, this unauthorised musical parody is pure gold for Harry Potter fans. It is 1942 and we are in Hogwarts castle. There, Professor Dumbledore (Ellis Dolan) is holding court trying to control his students. Among them are Muffin Rows (Mel O’Brien), who has a penchant for…
