There may be nothing more painful to experience than pure unadulterated grief. Which is why many will choose to pass on the latest album from Australian post-punk rocker Nick Cave and his band The Bad Seeds, as Skeleton Tree, from start to finish, in tone and style, is a funeral dirge. And it’s not like…
The Red Turtle is a dialogue-free animated film from the renowned Studio Ghibli, which has given us Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away. But this is an international co production between France and Japan, and is the first non-Japanese film produced by the revered animation studios. This is a richly emotional and resonant exploration of…
There is a mythological link between storks and babies in many cultures. A quick search of the Internet reveals references by the Greeks, Germans, Chinese, Egyptians and Israelis, to name but a few. Regardless of the veracity of those myths, that is the starting point or, perhaps that should read “flying point” at the heart…
Three time Oscar winner Oliver Stone’s (Platoon) latest outing, Snowden, is a look at one of the most polarising figures of the 21st century. He is the man responsible for what has been described as the most far-reaching security breach in US intelligence history. In 2013 Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) quietly leaves his job at…
If you were concerned about how your fond memories of one of the most iconic television sitcoms in history would be translated onto the stage four decades later, I am here to allay your fears. One of the original writers and its star John Cleese – who penned Fawlty Towers with fellow lead Connie Booth…
A great sense of fun, good humour and liberal dollops of audience interaction are the constants in Paris Underground, a subversion of classic French cabaret and variety that is more than a little cheeky. Seven performers take to the stage for a couple of hours singing, dancing, tapping, contorting, climbing, telling stories and performing magic…
Many Australians are outraged by the treatment of asylum seekers who look for refuge in this country. One took her opprobrium on the road earlier this year, delivering a petition with more than 17,000 signatures to the Federal Member for McMillan, Russell Broadbent. Mr Broadbent, in a show of support, tabled the voluminous appeal for…
Jason Cavanaugh is a man on a mission in his latest incarnation, Man of the Year – delivering grand and memorable speeches from noteworthy figures and connecting these to mankind’s propensity to commit violent acts. As he is doing so, passionate, wide-eyed and eloquent, he is constantly interrupted by a calm voice of reason (Sharon…
It’s easy to automatically reject that which the Internet deems as being worthy of our time and attention. I had peripherally been made aware of Frank Ocean’s impending release and all of the buzz surrounding it. Appreciating his earlier work but not totally in love with it, I was skeptical of the actual merits of…
The comedic horror story Yoga Hosers is the second of what writer and director Kevin Smith has called the True North Trilogy. The first, Tusk (released in 2014), was based upon Smith’s weekly podcast in which he and his long-time producing partner Scott Mosier discuss current events and other random topics in a humorous way….
