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Showing posts from June, 2013

Superman Unbound (DVD) Review

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Based on Geoff Johns' and Gary Frank's "Brainiac" story arc from Action Comics #886-870, Superman Unbound is perfectly timed to take advantage of the runaway freight train that is Zack Snyder's Man of Steel.  The 16th film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, Superman Unbound offers a look at Superman that is sadly missed in many an adaptation. What Unbound manages to do in 70 short minutes, is show just how much Superman's adopted home means to him. This human element is what makes Superman not only relatable but also interesting. Without such a focus, he can often come across as being quite vanilla. With no real threat to his safety, it is his attachment to the things and people around him that gives importance to his exploits.

Man of Steel Review

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Comic book movies are a money making machine nowadays and DC/Warner Bros latest incarnation of everyone's favourite Kryptonian is no different. With an estimated budget of USD $225 million, the film has already surpassed $400 million worldwide but does financial success a quality movie make? Man of Steel is the great hope for DC and Warner Bros to cash in on the superhero craze and hopefully make enough coin to finally float that Justice League film that we've heard so much whispering about. However as a character, Superman is a surprisingly hard sell. Even when talking to my wife she said "Superman is boring. He's never really going to be in danger so where's the story in that?". Frankly, this statement is genius. The highest hurdle over which this super-alien needs to leap is giving the audience a sense of impending doom or at least some semblance of threat but instead falls short and leaves us with what is essentially a disaster movie in a cape.

VOCALOID NIGHT to be held after SMASH!

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If there's one thing that Australia is missing out on, it's J-Pop. Beyond SBS Pop-Asia, we just don't get anything arriving on our shores. Well, that's all about to change. The fine folks from SMASH have gone one step beyond and are bringing a one night only event to Sydney. Other states have had pop-up cafes but they ain't got nothing on this. What better way to cap off an awesome day of conventioning than partying into the night with your fellow geeks. Follow on after the jump for all of the details on VOCALOID NIGHT 2013!

Third REEL ANIME film announced - A Letter To Momo

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The penultimate REEL ANIME ANNOUNCEMENT has dropped and it's a biggie.  It's hard to believe that this is only Hiroyuki Okiura's second feature behind his first outing, the groundbreaking Jin-Roh. Further to this, Madman have announced that the second Berserk film will get a very limited cinema release. So, with such massive titles announced, what could they possibly have left up their sleeves?

Winter (fest) is Coming THIS WEEKEND!

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If your case of con fever is still burning on the back of Sydney Supanova, you can always get your fix this weekend at WINTERFEST!  Taking place this weekend (June 29th & 30th) at Parramatta Park, you'll be surrounded by fair maidens, knights, vikings, mead, birds of prey and other such awesomeness. We had the chance to speak with Andrew, one of the events co-ordinators about what you can expect to find at this years WINTERFEST! Get your medieval on!

Anthony Montgomery Interview - Supanova Sydney 2013

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Supanova was positively bursting with talent this year and one of my absolute favourite interview was with Mr Anthony Montgomery. While he may be best known as Ensign Mayweather from Star Trek Enterprise, he's very quickly carving himself a nice little niche as a comic book creator. Not only is he an absolute gentleman and a star in one of my favourite entertainment franchises but he is also the fantastically talented and humble creator of Miles Away. Follow on after the jump for our Supa-Interview.

Have Your Filmmaking Skills Judged by Margaret Pomeranz

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Are you a student? Do you love movies? Fancy yourself to be a creative type? Well, the My Story My Content short film competition is for you!  With special guest judge Margaret Pomeranz on board, this is the perfect opportunity to show off your mad skills and supreme creativity. Lights, camera, create! Follow on after the jump for more!

Johnny Depp Falls from a horse in The Lone Ranger!

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Not long to go now until The Lone Ranger stampedes into cinemas and this latest behind the scenes featurette has me champing at the bit. Director Gore Verbinski and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer sure know how to make an epic adventure film and the amount of practical effects in The Lone Ranger has me all sorts of excited. Follow on after the jump to check out a behind the scenes featurette in which Johnny Depp falls off a horse! Hard hitting journalism at its best, right here!

Our top five films for the year so far...

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It's been a great year for cinema so far and hopefully the best is yet to come. If you agree or disagree with our top picks please feel free to comment below with your best films of the year.

Monsters University Review

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Is there such thing as a bad Pixar film? In my honest opinion, no. While I will concede that Cars 2 wasn't their strongest work, but in no way was it "bad". Instead of expanding on an established property with a sequel, Pixar have this time delved into the Monsters Inc universe and created a prequel which establishes the relationship between a young Mike Wazowski (green beach ball with one eye) and James "Sulley" Sullivan (great big blue kitty cat). While we know the outcome, the journey to Monsters Inc is where the fun's at. Essentially, Monsters University is a Pixar version of American Pie albeit without the rude bits. After being introduced to the young and idealistic Mike we are transported to those halcyon days of college complete with bitter rivalries, crippling anxiety and parties that you were never invited to. Ahhh, those were the days.

Superman Unchained #1 Review

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Scott Snyder is certainly hot property at the moment. With his run on Batman wowing fanboys and critics alike, it's not surprising that he's become one of the most sought after commodities in the comic book world. Put the words "written by Scott Snyder" on just about any project and it's almost guaranteed to be a commercial success. Throw in the artistic talents of the venerable Jim Lee and you know you are in for something special. Enter Superman Unchained: what could be seen from a cynical light as DC's desperate attempt to return Superman to his former glory. And who better to do it than Scott Snyder and Jim Lee, right? Well, yes and no.

World War Z - Review by Stu

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After a much-publicised production debacle, Marc Forster’s World War Z defies the odds, resulting in an entertaining, if flawed, zombie flick. For several years, this graphic novel adaptation lived in limbo. Many suitors have attempted to get it off the ground and failed, leaving it floundering in pre-production hell, until Brad Pitt swooped in and picked it up via his production company Plan B. Once the production began, the internet was abuzz with rumours of script issues, re-shoots and unease on set, which usually forewarns of a sub-standard film. Ultimately, the re-worked final product has its fair share of issues but thankfully manages to scrape a pass.

New Elysium trailer drops and it looks AWESOME!

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Oh. My. Lord. After his incredible feature film debut with District 9, Neill Blomkamp returns with a gigantic bowl of eye candy in ELYSIUM. Having proven that he can write a damn fine story, Blomkamp is promising to deliver a sic-fi epic for the ages. In the year 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet’s crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium – but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens’ luxurious lifestyle. The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max (Matt Damon), an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission – one that pits him against Elysium’s Secretary Del

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Enter Shredder Review

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The newest iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is proving itself to be an absolute winner on all fronts. Not only is an awesome fan animated adventure for new fans, but it pays service to old fans in a number of different ways. First of all, the second volume in its home entertainment release is called Enter Shredder, an obvious nod to the second episode of the original 1987 series which is also called Enter Shredder. While the story lines differ, this new series still captures the fun of the original series without losing sight of the most important aspect of the franchise, characterisation. When I reviewed volume 1 back in February, I said that it was a great feeling to be back in the familiar world of TMNT and volume 2 manages to bump up the nostalgia even further.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug trailer Released

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Not much can be said to justify just how much of a spin the internet was in when the official trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug dropped however, that excitement seemed to drop a level when due to the lack of Benedict Cumberbatch. The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduring popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventures of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opens in Australian cinemas on 26th December 2013.

Batman Arkham Origins Gameplay Revealed

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Welcome to a fledgling Arkham for the story behind the story. Batman is being hunted by a crew of the worlds deadliest and must use all the tools at his disposal to escape from the clutches of Black Mask.  It looks as though much of the gameplay in Origins walks the same line as the previous two games and, while that's not a bad thing, hopefully we'll see some innovation in upcoming videos. In the meantime, enjoy some gameplay of the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins. On the eve of the E3, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has unveiled the debut action-packed gameplay trailer for Batman: Arkham Origins. The first look at gameplay showcases some of the villains players will see in the game – Bane, Deathstroke, Black Mask, Deadshot and The Joker. Viewers can also get a sneak peak at some of the new features including the all-new Crime Scene system and Remote Claw gadget.  Developed by WB Games Montréal, Batman: Arkham Origins features an expanded Gotham City a

Toriko Collection 1 Review (DVD)

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Straight from the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump comes Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro's TORIKO , a series whose premise is so ridiculous, that it really shouldn't be as enjoyable as it is.  We enter the "Gourmet Age". A time and place where chefs are heroes and "Gourmet Hunters" battle giant, monstrous creatures purely to create their ultimate menu. If this sounds like a mash-up of Masterchef and Dragon Ball, it's because that's pretty much what it is but frankly, it's far fetched enough that it actually works.

Fast and Furious 6 - Review by Stu

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The year is 2001: Limp Bizkit is wowing people with lyrics that don’t make a lick of sense, Starbucks is marching over Australia like it’s Poland and two plucky up-starts have just graced the screen in a blatant rip-off of Point Break. Little did we know then that twelve years later, The Fast and The Furious would have spawned five sequels (with at least two more in the pipeline) and amassed a devoted base of  followers. 

Sinister Review

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The horror genre is stale. Over the last few years, horror films have been more interested with cheap thrills and gore than lingering chills and actual horror. Undoubtedly due in part to the profitability of the Saw and Paranormal Activity franchises.  In fact, the promotional poster for Sinister proclaims that it's "from the producer of Paranormal Activity". While this is surely a selling point to the general public, Sinister is a far superior film to any of the Paranormal Activity films. 

*CLOSED* Win the Complete Tiger & Bunny Collection

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After reviewing both of Siren Visual 's Tiger & Bunny releases, it's quite obvious that we love it! Now, thanks to Siren, we've got some superhero awesomeness to give to our super readers! We've got the complete collection of Tiger & Bunny to give away to 2 lucky readers, one copy on DVD and another on Blu Ray. All you have to do is follow on after the jump, answer a simple question, fill out the form and you're in! Don't forget, you can score yourself an extra entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook!

*CLOSED* Win Dexter Season 7 on DVD

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Based on Darkly Dreaming Dexter, the first in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, the TV series Dexter has been thrilling and chilling audiences since 2006. Dexter Season 7 is out on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 19 and Thanks to our pals at Paramount, we have 5 x copies of DEXTER Season 7 on DVD valued at $54.95 each! The multiple award winning series from Showtime, CBS and Paramount has been a staple among fans of TV crime shows. To get your hands on a copy, all you have to do is follow on after the jump, fill out the form and you're in the running! Don't forget, you can score yourself an extra entry just by following us on Twitter or liking us on Facebook!