EDITOR: MARK HALYDAY. JACOB AMARANT, PAIGE ASHBY, RYAN BETSON, PAT BRAITHWAITE, DYLAN BOADEN, LAURA CORRIGAN, ALAISDAIR DEWAR, MARK HALYDAY, BRITTANY HOWARTH, RYAN LAWYER, SOPHY KEMPE, DANIEL PRIMAN, ALBERTO SANCHEZ.
Editor Mark Halyday and guest contributor Paige Ashby speak to Queensland’s rising stars Jayden, 15, Cameron, 13, & Kaylea, 10, on their amazing careers so far and their plans for the future.
How long have you been in the insdustry? We started off first doing small films for universities like Griffith and Bond mostly and then after a while Kaylea joined. We did a film with a university and they liked the look of her so she started acting. I think my youngest sister also wants to get into acting. She’s got a film coming up with Roy Billings, which is pretty good for a first film.
You’ve all worked on some massive projects. What’s your best memory from a shoot? J & C: So many. K: San Andreas when I got to spend a few hours with the Dwayne The Rock Johnson. He was really big and very friendly. C: I know a fun memory was when we finished a shoot we all went out to get wraps. Like it was a wrap so we all went and got wraps. Jayden worked with Bridie Carter on the short film J: I have a few things but one that really stands out Nostalgia. How did you react when you found that is doing this really serious scene walking through the out? park and there’s no audio so the director is directing me J: Like most people would. But after a while you find aloud, walking backwards with the cinematographer out they’re just a person. But still pretty big. and the director trips over and lands on his back. So I had to keep a straight face and that ended up being There was a facebook post on Jayden’s page a while the shot we used. back that was something along the lines of “Quick audition for a television commercial before school”. Do you get nervous before you go on set? You keep very busy. J: Not so much. If I have a crying scene sometimes J: We have about sixty films between us. So we were because they’re a bit difficult. pretty much busy the whole year. How do you get yourself in character for that to be Between full time school and acting you don’t have lot upset? of free time. What do you do to relax and have fun? C: Go somewhere alone. Chop up some onions. J: Sleep! I play XBOX games a fair bit but lately it’s J: Kaylea can just cry on cue. It’s her gift. There’s a lot been getting boring so today we went down and rode of cheats for crying. motorbikes which was pretty fun because I’ve only just started and I fell off a few times. You’ve worked together on a couple of films. Jayden C: Usually after school and afternoon we’re not busy and Cameron did the film ICE and Jayden and we’ll ride motorbikes. Before that we’d ride our regular Kaylea both shot parts for RISE. It is any different bikes around the street. working with your sibling or are they just another J: Everything revolves around bikes. actor on set? J: I think Cameron had a bigger role than us in RISE. School is supposed to be a journey to a career but In the trailer Kaylea and I were pretty much extras. here you are as a proper employed actor. Does it I did have a bigger scene in it but it was too sad of a frustrate you studying for something like science scene and it was supposed to be an uplifting part of when you’re already locked into the arts side of the the film. So Kaylea and I were only in the start on the career force? school bus. Cameron plays a younger version of the J: It’s a bit like “Where am I going to use this ever?” but older character. then it’s good stuff to know when you talk to people. C: It’s easier because you don’t need to meet them and I like learning about some off that, not all of it, but you can be more comfortable with them. some of it. C: It helps with social skills and it’s good for a backup. J: That’s true too, if acting doesn’t work out.
How do track down all this work? Is it all through your manager or do you actively seek stuff out yourself? J: Mostly it’s our manager Chairmaine. She’s really good for us and sends up heaps of work. What happens is casting agents send stuff to her and then they’ll say the actor or actress has to look a certain way so she sends the jobs to anyone in her book that looks like that. C: And sometimes our mum tracks down work. We get offered a lot of work from friends too. You must meet so many new people. C: Sometimes it gets hard to remember names. I’m a face person but not a name person.
(To Jayden): Do you write? J: Sometimes. With Cameron or my friend Tim. We went out one time and wrote a whole bunch of stuff down and it was pretty fun. What about directing or something like that? Do ever want to branch out? J: Maybe sometime. Like if I could get funding and make my own film. C: I don’t think I’m more of a director. I prefer Assistant Cameraman more because it’s fun. I’ve done it twice already.
Do you study Film & TV or anything at school? J: I used to do Drama and Media but I found out What’s the best film you’ve seen this year? Media is less about learning how to use cameras and more about news so I got bored of that. But Drama is C: I am hooked on Guardians of the Galaxy. I love the pretty fun, as long as it’s practical and not writing. music in it. The soundtrack is the best! C: I take Drama more as a fun thing to do. Muck J: I might get a bit of hate for this but I like Jurassic around with friends and have fun, have a laugh. And World. (Nothing wrong with that) then I’ll do my proper professional stuff outside of K: Ummmm…. Very hard question…. school. J: I’m surprised you’re not saying San Andreas straight up. Do you take acting classes outside of school? K: Too hard to choose! J: Sometimes. Our friends at Warehouse Workshop and TAFTA give us classes. Cameron wrote a short film a while back. Can you tell us about that? Can you paraphrase it down and omit words you C: That was ages ago but it didn’t turn out that well. don’t know or don’t normally use? J: The footage was good but we weren’t keen on the C: Well sometimes the words you don’t use are a really edit so we didn’t put it out many places. key point. Like Kaylea had this huge medical phrase C: We got a lot of friends because we didn’t have a – what was it? – “If you fall from the cliff you’ll suffer massive budget and we found some people didn’t like brain trauma or-“ working together too much. K: No no no no no. It is: “Don’t fall or you’ll die from the blunt force trauma Do you still write? and internal bleeding or massive bone fracture in C: We might write a short film. We’ve got some ideas your large intestine. Alternatively you’ll fracture your rolling around but we haven’t got to making it yet. cranium and be due for acute hematoma” That’s a lot of medical mumbo jumbo. Very impressive.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? ‘ J: You’ll have a hundred auditions and you’ll only get one out of all of them so just keep persevering. K: Don’t look at the camera! C: Yeah that was a good one to know. She’s got over it though. I used to think that lines were so important and you should know them word by word – J: Do that anyway! C: Yeah, do that. It’s a good thing. But when it comes down to it, it’s more important to break down your character. Figure out what they’re all about. But learn your lines too of course. Do you do a lot of travelling? C: Not so much. Jayden went to Los Angeles to audition for the new Pan movie the other year. J: They flew me out and we auditioned but I didn’t get it because I was too old. C: Although I’m off to Adelaide next week to shoot something new down there. And let’s end it with some fun rapid fire questions: Marvel or DC? C: Guardians of the Galaxy is Marvel so definitely Marvel. J: DC because it’s Batman and Superman. K: Marvel! Favourite ice cream flavour? C: Mango! K: Triple caramel choc chip. But there’s this place that sells hundreds of flavours and I tried mint with mango and it wasn’t a good choice. J: I’m a big fan of chocolate mint. C: I was filming in Melbourne for Spirit of the Game and we went to the Ice Cream Shoppe. And we ended up filming our scenes in that restaurant because it was sort of old and opened a long time ago. And the ice cream was delicious. Playstation, XBOX or WiiU? J: XBOX C: XBOX K: WiiU And finally, if you could choose one actor in the world to collaborate with who would it be? C: Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt. J: Hugh Jackman, just because he’s a legend. Thank you very much for your time and best of luck in the future.
Joshua Thomas chats to Robert Leeshock about what makes good sci-fi, Earth: The Final Conflict and his new film Star Leaf.
ROBERT LEESHOCK From space hero to space junkie, actor Robert If that isn’t enough to peak your interest (how couldn’t Leeshock has ventured far and wide into the vast it?), Star Leaf in greater detail is a film about hikers expanse of the science fiction genre. who stumble upon a secret crop of extra-terrestrial marijuana and must fight for their lives after the aliens Best known for his role on the sci-fi tv series ‘Earth: guarding their stash seek to protect what’s their’s. The Final Conflict’ from the early 2000’s, Robert With a tagline like ‘Some highs are out of this world’ returns to the genre he loves dearly in his latest flick, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking this was a film Star Leaf, a film he describes as a mixture of “weed, that could be stored into the ridiculous category along veterans and aliens”. with movies like Sharknado. But, Star Leaf is more than meets the eye or should I say high. 6
At it’s heart, under a layer of cringe worthy set-up, is a strong message on marijuana use and PTSD, something Robert Leeshock was proud to be a part of spreading.
“I was lucky to be a part of the most dynamic seasons where the show really got massaged and reworked and it was really an exciting time. The foundation for the show was pretty awesome and I am fond of the work that the writers and the late Majel Roddenberry “Our job is to take the clear and present issues of had done along with Kevin Kilner to facilitate that PTSD as it affects soldiers from countless wars first season. The mythology was set up quite well. I and through a very sneaky process we like to call only wish we could have really nailed down the arc ‘entertainment’, we introduce an alien sci-fi motif to of seasons 2 to 5 up front. Then it would probably provide a platform for marijuana to be used a gateway remain as one of the more memorable Star Trek to the unconscious, while at the same time promoting derivative series.” responsible cannabis use.” In amongst both these appearances Robert found In the film, a soldier suffering from PTSD finds an the time to write the short film Godmachine, which escape in the extra-terrestrial cannabis he stumbles explored AI power, the beginnings of the universe and upon. Although in the movie veiled behind science- unification of man and machine. Robert notes how fiction, Star Leaf scratches the surface of marijuana’s unique and demanding it was writing a film saying, ability to help those suffering from PTSD. Robert and “Well, writing is re-writing and Godmachine was the rest of the cast and crew on the film had a vested always being rewritten. We ultimately came up with a interest in the topic with Robert telling me about the pretty awesome story.” extensive research that’s gone into seeing what benefits cannabis can offer sufferers. With a fond and seemingly endless love of the sciencefiction genre Robert says when it comes to sci-fi it “With the aid of cannabis, the subconscious can be can’t just be serious, “it’s still gotta be “goofy” and accessed which then enables the rerouting of responses fun! Otherwise, it’s just physics class and b-o-r-i-n-g.” to PTSD triggers, providing a remedied response to With Star Leaf, Robert has certainly stayed true to his stimuli associated with this disorder.” belief. Looking back Robert feels like the film served their purpose of educating and entertaining. “We take the audience on a journey of self discovery, yeah kind of like a ‘trip’, but also guided by a multitude of characters, including a Park Ranger serving as kind of ‘kharmic police’ to balance both the real and the unreal. Trippy stuff…”
If you thought it couldn’t get any wackier than Star Leaf, Robert shared some details of his next film Wulfkrieg. “It’s about a German family of werewolves who are being recruited by the Nazis for their supernatural powers to fight against the Allies in WWII. It’s an awesome story! Sci-fi reigns supreme, I can’t fight it!!”
Although advocating it potential uses, Robert is quick to emphasise that the film doesn’t encourage marijuana use amongst our most vulnerable. “We are not advocating marijuana or alcohol use for kids or the undeveloped mind and psycho-emotional states of our youth. But, we’ve got to rethink this and take away big Pharma’s suppression and the Federal government’s reluctance to acknowledge the benefits of this naturally occurring plant!” Before he was battling drug wielding aliens, Robert had a successful stint on sci-fi tv show ‘Earth:The Final Conflict’ just over a decade ago. Looking back, Robert recalls the ups and the downs of being part of the show. 7
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Miss You Already Alaisdair Dewar spends time with one of the most moving movies of 2015, starring the incomparable Toni Collette (from Blacktown, New South Wales) and Hollywood stalwart Drew Barrymore. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke.
Miss You Already follows the life of two friends Milly (Toni Collette) and Jess (Drew Barrymore) from their first meeting as schoolgirls when Jess transfers to England from America, to hanging out with Milly’s glamorous actress mother Miranda (Jacqueline Bissett) on set of her TV Soap as teenagers, to experiencing their first kiss together, to Milly’s marriage to rocker Kit (Dominic Cooper) and the subsequent birth of their two children. When Milly finds out she has an aggressive form of cancer, their relationship is tested as they go through the ups and downs that come with this dangerous disease. After reading the synopsis I know what you’re thinking, sounds pretty standard right? To some degree it is; there are no ground-breaking new thematic ideas in this, but what it does come down to is the flawless performances from the entire cast. Collette is the stand out performer here, as always, as she completely embodies this character who I consistently had a love/hate relationship with. The ‘cancer bully’ element also took the film to some really dark moments with Barrymore and Cooper along for some pretty intense scenes. Bissett is flawless as Miranda, the complete diva who delivers a lot of laughs and energy when things start to get too heavy.
Hardwicke’s direction in this is flawless, the camera is consistently moving at an appropriate pace, and that opening montage alone is some of her best work. Interestingly enough, some of the scenes from the film were shot on an iPhone (apparently due to some issue with the memory cards in the camera they were using). The cinematography is breathtaking; the English moors have never looked so good on film, and Or, as I like to call this movie, how many times London city actually feels like a character itself. can Catherine Hardwicke make me cry in twoand-a-half hours? From the previews this looks This film is a beautiful celebration of friendship like your typical My Sister’s Keeper-esque film, and family, with human interactivity a big play however this film not only packs emotion but on everything that is happening. When I wasn’t also a lot of laughs, even as it heads into dark wiping away tears I was laughing, and as soon as I waters fuelled by stars Toni Collette and Drew left the movie theatre I was texting my best friend Barrymore. Going into this movie I knew I was to tell them that I love them and how grateful I going to cry, but I didn’t realise that it would am that they are in my life. It has been a while come in (several) waves, and just how much since I have been this moved emotionally and for this beautiful story and friendship hit me until a second week in a row I give a full 5/5! afterwards (YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!). Take your tissues and your bestie!
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Sophie Kempe on this month’s big Aussie flick, filmed three hundred kilometres outside of Melbourne in a little town called Horsham. Stars Titanic’s Kate Winslet, Hunger Games Saga’s Liam Hemsworth, The Matrix Trilogy’s Hugo Weaving and Predestination’s Sarah Snook.
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If you had told me at the start of this year that an Australian film would be one of my favourite films of the year (and up there with all time), I’d have quoted another famous Australian film back to you- ‘You’re dreamin’. But in the case of The Dressmaker, based on the novel by Rosalie Ham and directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse (director and producer of many Australian films, notably Muriel’s Wedding), I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. This film has an outstanding cast, being a veritable who’s who of Australian cinema including Liam Hemsworth, Hugo Weaving, Judy Davis, Shane Jacobson and Barry Otto just to name a few. The real stand out performance of the film though was Kate Winslet. If you had never seen her acting in anything else, you would think she was a born and raised Aussie. Normally when the British try and imitate an Australian accent, it goes horribly wrong (think Julia Gillard...). But the refinement and ease with which Kate Winslet speaks makes it much easier to immerse yourself into the world of the film. For those who don’t want to know a thing before seeing this film, cover your eyes, potential spoilers ahead.
The film is set in 1951 Australia in a small rural Victorian town. Our heroine arrives into town in the dead of night, carrying only her suitcases and a sewing machine. Dressed to the nines, she makes her way to a small shack overlooking the rest of the town. We don’t know it yet but Myrtle ‘Tilly’ Dunnage is back in town and ready to seek her revenge on those who have wronged her. As the film opens, we see glimpses of small children playing, scenes from Tilly’s past. These are weaved throughout the film as the underlying motive for her return to town. She was sent away at a young age and made her way to Europe and ultimately Paris and became a famed seamstress in my famous fashion houses. One of my favourite characters, Sergeant Farrat (played brilliantly by our own Hugo Weaving) being the only policeman in the town, is expected to be manly and punishing but of course we find out that couldn’t be farther from the truth with his first exclamation of ‘Is that Dior?!’. This film is really quite difficult to categorise, with elements of so many genres making their way into the story. We have the drama of Tilly’s return, her plotting revenge on the townspeople but then the comedy that is Judy Davis’ performance as Tilly’s mother, Molly. The film circulates through criminal intrigue and love interests and does it all seamlessly (excuse the pun).
Alaisdair Dewar had high hopes for Guillermero Del Toro’s latest and it’s noteworthy cast. Let’s hope he didn’t disappoint. Disclaimer : Guillermero Del Toro (writer & director of Crimson Peak) is one of my favourite directors and writers of all time, this may skew my opinion of this movie slightly but I will attempt to remain as objective as possible. After the international success of Pacific Rim, Legendary continue their relationship with visionary direction Guillermero Del Toro with the gothic romance Crimson Peak. Not to be mistaken for a typical Del Toro horror movie, the film has a haunted house vibe combined with a Victorian era romance, with loads of ghostly CGI to keep things interesting, however all of these elements combined just seem to scrape the surface and the film lags in its second half to its detriment. Crimson Peak follows the story of Edith (Mia Wasikowska), her new husband Thomas (Tom Hiddleston) and his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) after the mysterious death of Edith’s father in Buffalo, NY, she is whisked away to their family estate in England, an isolated and barren acreage. The house has a gaping hole in the roof and is literally sinking under this beautiful red liquid that Thomas is trying to mine to make money to repair the house. Edith suspects that Lucille is hiding a dark secret and communicates with the ghosts to uncover the secrets hidden in Crimson Peak before its too late. At the start of the movie Edith proclaims that she does believe in ghosts, and ghosts are a metaphor for the past. It feels so literal as the movie progresses with the more ghosts that appear, unlocking doors and clues about the history of the manor. It is definitely the stories biggest strength, the rest unfortunately is bogged down in stereotypical romance and suspense, every plot twist was expected, every “surprise” already guessed so it did not really work for me in this sense, but it was clearly offset by the cinematography. If I wasn’t seeing this at the movies, I would want to see it on the biggest 4K blu ray screen I possibly could, the amount of detail splashed with colours and textures are truly spectacular. I cannot wait to get this on blu ray and gorge on every intricate detail put into the sets and background. The red liquid rises and mixes with the snow outside the house to resemble the after effects of a bloody battle. Inside the house the liquid gushes down the walls giving the house a bleeding effect.
It has been 24 hours since I saw the film and I cannot get it out of my head, upon reflection I have come to the conclusion that we as modern audiences are used to fast paced horror, and I think this is what I was expecting, so when that didn’t happen I initially felt let down. This film will stand as one of those you either love or hate with no grey area. If you enjoy Del Toro’s previous work, you will enjoy this modern take on the Gothic Romance tale, but be warned this is not a horror film by traditional standards, however there is enough blood and gore to push its MA rating to the limit. Crimson Peak is a clear throwback to the gothic romance while mixing in Del Toro’s mad appetite for horror elements that make his films unique and engaging. All the actor’s bring their A game in this and it shows in an engaging and jump scare journey you won’t soon forget.
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Legend is the latest in a long line of British crime films…ah you know what, I can’t be bothered. Either you already know what this film is about or you can just look it up on Wikipedia or watch the trailer. Well, normally it would be a good idea to watch the trailer but not in this case. The trailer for Legend is only representative of the first half of this film, in that this is a tongue-in-cheek, fun, beat-em-up, gangster biopic up until the halfway mark. After which, this story becomes much more dramatic and the entire feel of this film changes. It’s almost as if Brian Helgeland handed over the reins to some different director/ writer halfway into the production. Fortunately, both parts are as equally as enjoyable as their respective counterparts, it just felt a little jarring. I don’t think I can go on much further without talking about the acting in Legend. Tom Hardy, yet again tops himself in this/these performance/s and really this movie should have been retitled, “The Tom Hardy Variety Hour”. Funny, charming, menacing, intelligent, simple, calculating, suave, scary, any of those words could be used to describe the Kray Twins in Legend. In every scene, it is instantly obvious which twin you are watching regardless of makeup and costume. As Ronnie, Hardy hunches up his back, drops his lip and creates the image of a man that is smarter than he looks. Whereas Reggie is pure confidence, he walks around London like he owns the place and you could put in a convincing argument that he really does. Emily Browning’s performance as Frances Shea really sneaks up on you, up until her last few scenes I was prepared to dismiss her acting as nothing much more than average. That was until I realised that she has let her character subtly grow and mature throughout the entire story. Not to mention, that she is Australian, a fact I was unaware of until I did some late night googling. One final notable mention is Taran Egerton who delivers a much more interesting character than his one from Kingsman. His character, Mad Teddy is crazy with a hint of hilarity and charming with a splash of stupidity. Apart from these three, the rest of the cast is nothing special. Convincing but not amazing, even Christopher Eccleston as Nipper Read is nothing to shout about. My one rule for biopics is that the facts can only be changed if it improves on the story, a rule that Legend manages to follow very nicely. All the changes to the plot add to the drama and charm of this film, i.e. Ronnie’s sexuality has been changed from bisexual to homosexual and the entire family’s mistreatment of Frances. I must stress that I haven’t read the 12
Tom Hardy faces another challenging role. Daniel Priman sees if he, ahem, RISES to the occasion.
book that this movie was based on so I’m not sure whether the changes were first made there but it seems irresponsible to tell falsehoods in a nonfiction book. As I said before, the first half of this film is a lot different than the final half and in some ways it was a bit weird. Not good, not bad, just weird. This may only be me but I couldn’t help but feel that there was something a little bit odd that I can’t quite explain.
If you are going to see this movie for the East London gangster knees-up then you might want to reconsider your choice of movie. Legend definitely has gangster elements and overall it is a British gangster film but the main focus is on the Krays’ personal lives, Reggie in particular. Don’t let that worry you violence fans because Legend is violent from A to Z and the choreography in these scenes is both impressive and a little bit unnerving. Laughter fans should also be happy with the joke count; Legend can be absolutely hilarious at times. Reggie and his crew are promoted to comic relief when the script calls for it and for the most part, these jokes are corkers. A few of the jokes fell a little bit flat to me but I’m a tough crowd when it comes to humour. Just outside the actual film for the moment and the marketing team deserve a very shifty handshake for this sneaky and misleading poster which makes The Guardian’s two star review seem like a much more positive score. As far as I can see, there was no real need for the narration. This film could have worked just as well without it and a more cynical person than I would write that off as lazy storytelling. It didn’t necessarily bother me as I’m generally a sucker for narration and some of the dialogue given to Emily Browning for the narration was quite beautiful. The only real nitpick I have with Legend lies with the score. On the whole the music was fine but there were a few scenes where it was too loud, making it a little hard to hear the actors’ lines. Most notably, the scene of Reggie’s first date with Francis, where the music was not only too loud but rather unsuited to the drama playing out on the screen. In summary (my year 12 English teach would be very proud), Legend is a pretty good way to spend the afternoon. I don’t see this movie going down in history as any kind of legend (there it is, you’ve been waiting for that terrible joke this whole article and I hope it was worth it) but I would say it is worth a rewatch or two. Three stellar performances from Hardy, Browning and Egerton topped off by some clever gags and gripping drama. Also, as all good biopics or historical films go, it is a very fun way to learn about history and not that we should be celebrating these two horrible men, there is no denying that they have a pretty interesting story. When you have a story as interesting as this, it’s important to make sure that you don’t butcher the tale and I think it’s fair to say that Brian Helgeland has even made this story more interesting. Legend is a much deserved four out of five stars. 13
Like Interstellar and Gravity before it, this awards season features a high profile director setting his movie in space. Can Ridley Scott live up to Chris Nolan and Alfonso Cuaron? Our newest writer Jacob Amarant investigates.
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The problem with trying to be realistic can make a film long, dry and forget about the story. The Martian boasts 100% scientific accuracy but does being completely realistic make a movie good?
The plotline can be easily explained to your parents or grand-parents as; imagine the movie Castaway with a NASA employee instead of a Fed Ex employee and the role of the island being played by Mars.
The Martin however uses its realism to build our engagement, we don’t become distracted by any farfetched ideas or plot advancements. The Martian shows the ingenuity of mankind and how quickly it can all be taken away. Matt Damon plays our favourite Martian by the name of Mark Watney dealing with the most intense isolation, luckily Watney is the Bear Grylls of science.
Everyone’s favourite blood covered spheroid Wilson’s part is filled by the audience. We are the ones that have full access to Watney’s inner most thoughts, we are there experiencing his wins and his losses as our own. A lot of the concepts may not be new but it executes them so well.
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There are times where the humour is too present especially when dealing with a topic that deserves more insight. It is as if Ridley Scott looked back at what he did in Alien and did a similar series of rise and fall and rise again in tension but this time made the dinner scene with the crew laughing a lot longer before the eventual cough and splutter occur and then the great fear is born. A movie filled with isolation relies on our castaway to uphold the movie on their own. Luckily for us Matt Damon does just that, delivering a truly Learning from Guardians of the Galaxy, The Martian human performance. has a retro soundtrack which even though has been done recently suits the atmosphere so well. Much like The Martian is the space movie that we need in our a laser T-Rex there is something about the blending of lives right now. It is a constant reminder of the small futuristic and retro that is oddly satisfying. Continuing pride of man in the vast universe we live in and that on from lessons we learnt from Guardians of the one small dream for mankind is one giant nightmare Galaxy, well placed humour goes a long way which for one man. A balanced combination of stunning visuals and stellar performances makes The Martian a The Martian surprisingly has a lot of. solidly brilliant film. The scenery is a huge focus in the movie, not just on Mars but on Earth as well. As the bright, vast and harsh terrain of Mars houses a calm and in control Mark Watney, it is Earth’s confined and dark settings that brings a lot of the chaos. As if Watney was on a sunny island resort for MacGyver enthusiasts and everyone back at the office was freaking out because he was the only one that new how to change the printer cartridges.
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Johnny Depp’s been nominated for three Oscars and won none, although he did pick up a Golden Globe for Sweeny Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street back in 2007. There’s buzz that Black Mass is the film to get that elusive golden man. Does Laurra Corrigan agree? Black Mass: Not a bromance, “strictly criminal” Black Mass is based on the true story of Jimmy ‘Whitey’ Bulger (Johnny Depp), an Irish mob boss from South Boston. It centres on his alliance with FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), a childhood friend. Depp is terrifying and Edgerton is the character you love to cringe at. It’s your typical rags to riches (then fall) gangster film but don’t expect any bromance. It’s a film about the characters not about their relationships with each other. We’re first introduced to Whitey (Depp) in a dimly lit pub where he’s sitting silently at a table with clammy men who talk over each other, it’s 1975. He’s watching one of them choose a peanut, eat it, lick the salt off his fingers, and then dip his hand back into the communal bowl. The corner of Depp’s mouth twitches. He’s always watching everyone with his piercing blue eyes that even gold rimmed, tinted aviators can’t hide. Then you see Depp in daylight and get slapped in the face by his prosthetics. Dark and mysterious Depp has been transformed into a blue eyed, blonde eyebrowed Irishman. Make up designer Joel Harlow, who’s worked with Depp before for Captain Sparrow and the Mad Hatter, did a good job, inserting each pale hair individually into Depp’s brow. But, I know too well what Johnny Depp looks like so all I see is Depp in a mask. Whitey, in his tight white jeans and leather jacket, drives around town in his period-appropriate cah (Boston for “car”). He murders people unsuspectingly but he also helps old ladies with their groceries. He lets his mum win rummy, and gives questionable fatherly advice to his young son. We’re introduced to Whitey’s brother, the blue suit wearing Billy (Benedict Cumberbatch) through his lunch date with FBI agent John Connolly (Edgerton). It seems like childhood friends catching up, but soon enough Connolly asks Billy to get Whitey to contact him. He’s looking for an informant. Billy passes on the message, afraid his career as a US Senator might be jeopardised if his brother isn’t kept in check.
a mutually beneficial mission to take down the Mafia. “We’ll let the FBI fight our wars,” Whitey tells his righthand man. For a movie about two brothers and their childhood friend it lacks any brotherly bonding. Director Scott Cooper’s previous film Out of the Furnace (2013) also focuses on brothers on either side of the law, but Russell (Christian Bale) and his little brother Rodney (Casey Afleck) airbox each other, joke around and tease. In Black Mass, Whitey and Billy are polite to each other around their mother and have dinner parties. In fact, Cumberbatch’s role is fairly minor, but he does pull off a Bostonian accent. If you were sold this movie as a story about brothers, you were lied to. In a similar vein, there’s no evidence Connolly is actually friends with the Bulger brothers. It’s just a lie Connolly keeps telling himself. He’s that loser in high school sucking up to the cool kids. Edgerton nails it looking like a curious and surprised used-to-be-fat kid with his mouth always in a small ‘o’. He passionately throws around his favourite word ‘loyalty’, which no one else knows the meaning of. But the best performance comes from Peter Sarsgaard as Brian Halloran, an impulsive Miami associate of Whitey’s gang. Sarsgaard plays a sweaty paranoid Brian who looks like he’s on the verge of bursting into giggles or tears. He goes through more emotions in one breath than Whitey and his wife during an unconvincing hospital scene where they discuss someone close’s imminent death. Depp’s best scene is when he’s having dinner with Connolly and federal agent Morris (David Harbour). Whitey asks Morris for his steak marinade recipe. The agent says it’s a ‘family secret’ but then gives it up. Whitey’s expression goes blank, “you spill your family secret today then maybe you spill about me tomorrow?” Dramatic pause, then he bursts out laughing. Then he goes upstairs to where Connolly’s wife, uncomfortable around murderers, is feigning sick. He feels her forehead and checks her throat for swollen glands. His hand wrapped around her neck, he’s threatening without making threats.
There’s one of those scenes of Whitey watching his son sleep before he agrees to work with Connolly on 17
If you haven’t heard of Josh Thomas or Please Like Me by this point, at the very least, you’ve probably seen it appear on half a dozen ‘Great TV Shows You Aren’t Watching’ lists. Created by and starring Josh Thomas as a version of himself, this low-key yet charming comedy series manages to get just about every element right. Supported by a strong core cast (Debra Lawrance, Thomas Ward, David Roberts, Caitlin Stasey, Renee Lim, Keegan Joyce), Please Like Me is sweet, dark, hilarious and above all, sincere.
Josh Thomas’ fictionalised version of himself is ABC2’s highest rating original comedy ever and has gotten picked up by American cable company Pivot. Tegan Lyon gives notes on the romantic series opener.
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Its season three premiere, ‘Eggplant’ signifies a mature turning point for Josh, who in the past has struggled with being emotionally vulnerable and a tendency to be self-absorbed. Josh’s characterisation has always provided such an accurate portrayal of what it is like to be a twentysomething, a feat that many Australian viewers arguably believed only an American series like Girls could pull off. Josh certainly has a healthy helping of narcissism, emphasised in ‘Eggplant’ by the fantastically on-point statement, “When was the last time you met and new person and thought, ‘Oh gosh, that’s an interesting thing you just said’?” but he also deeply cares for his friends, family and boyfriend, even if at times he behaves as if they are nothing more than a nuisance.
Watching Josh pursue a tentative relationship with Arnold (Keegan Joyce) has given even more nuance to his character. We’ve seen it before and the series’ title is the most blatant reference to it, but Josh is constantly seeking validation. In a clever role reversal from his previous relationship with Geoffrey in season one, Josh is the insecure party here, having to chase after Arnold and navigate through all of his baggage. As always, Josh is only too eager to use his friends and family as a sounding board for his insecurities. His mum (played by the wonderful Debra Lawrance), having spent time her fair share of time with Arnold in a private mental hospital last season, suggests simply finding “somebody easier”.
Josh then fears it was all for naught after he doesn’t hear from Arnold for over a week. Arnold eventually shows up at Josh’s place drunk, climbs into bed with him and says, “I love you” while Josh pretends to “play dead”. Even though Josh is more than a little irked by the way Arnold went about it, “That’s how he wants to say ‘I love you’ for the first time? Drunk and with the words ‘Poof Doof ’ stamped on his arm?” Josh decides to tell Arnold that he loves him.
Now sober, Arnold refuses to say it back and the conversation the two of them share demonstrates some of the most growth we’ve ever seen from Josh. Where Arnold had earlier confessed that he wasn’t ready to be vulnerable for him, Josh earnestly tells Josh and Arnold finally do sleep together – a scene him, “I get that this is a big deal for you and you have that is visually gorgeous and unlike anything I have a complicated brain, but sometimes my feelings need witnessed on Australian television. At Josh’s insistence to be thought of ”. It’s a difficult moment for Josh, but it that Arnold plan one of their dates for a change, he also might be the most emotionally honest he has ever takes Josh to an abandoned warehouse where he has been with another person. decorated the space with blankets and fairy lights. This being Please Like Me, the moment is hilariously The episode could have actually benefited from undercut by Josh, “It’s just that this is exactly how a ending with this scene as it packs such an emotional sixteen year old girl imagines they are going to lose punch, but just like Josh, I’m a huge Love Actually their virginity”. He then begins to belt out a tone-deaf fan, so I couldn’t help but adore the way Arnold chose rendition of Sixpence None the Richer’s ‘Kiss Me’ to apologise to Josh. Arnold recreates a more honest before the actual version of the song kicks in. The sex version of the famous cue card/Christmas Carol scene scene plays out beautifully; hesitant, awkward, less from the film purely for Josh’s benefit, finally able to communicate all the real feelings he can’t voice aloud. than sexy and finally, lovingly.
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The strength of a woman should not be determined by her grit or physical power. However, it seems with cinematic and TV super hero team ups, both in DC and Marvel, the female heroines are continuously portrayed with grit and power immediately resulting in the title of a ‘strong woman’. It is a cookie cutter framework that has the audience saying ‘hell yeah’ and done in the hopes that these women will get a bit of respect.
Even with all this, she smiles. She friggin’ smiles and grows into a respectable woman that gets a city job. That is a strong woman, someone who is no doubt breaking on the inside but pushes on.
But she’s also unsure of herself. This world sees Superman as the biggest hero, perhaps even amongst the gods. To her, her once younger cousin has surpassed her in so many ways and become perfect in the eyes But why the hell must these heroines be pushed to of Earth. She is turned down by the Department of the extreme of power and grit in order to get respect? Extranormal Operations (DEO/ also where Kara’s Shouldn’t these heroines be given respect even when foster sister works) and her boss is a real pain in the they’re odd? Gentle? Or even Caring? arse! Things just keep piling up against her, but it’s her foster sister, Alex Danvers, who helps her to her feet. With the sudden release of the Supergirl trailer, I hope this is the path that the writers are taking. The Kara is odd, she is clumsy and she is unsure. These just grit and power has been used repeatedly with Black make her a stronger woman. Widow, Maria Hill, Mystique, both Black Canaries and Nyssa. Now, I love these characters to death As for Supergirl’s cannon, I am so excited to see if and the creative development of Black Widow in the Darkseid, Granny Goodness and her Furies will cinematic universe really seems to have opened up the make an appearance. Or even her comic book trainer, door for ‘strong women’ on screen. But there are many Wonder Women. However, with the movie coming different types of ‘strong women’. out in 2017, I doubt Wonder Women will make a physical appearance. Which is why I love the portrayal of Kara within the trailer. She is quirky, odd, determined and, my guess, The music throughout the trailer felt so traditionally she’ll be clumsy. I feel like I know her! One might argue Superman but current that it was beautiful. However, that heroines have taken a step back with a female the piano solo under Alex’s inspiring speech did make being portrayed like this. That it’s super degrading, me think Jurassic Park. Her supersuit, and the many her being a receptionist and getting coffees. I believe trial and errors of it, is great fun and practical. It’s a it’s the next step. brilliant nod to the comics but also something fresh with its trim of red on her blue shirt. These personality traits haven’t been chosen to degrade women. In fact, if someone thought they Supergirl looks to be a series that will be fun as well were, I would be insulted (I have dropped many a as progressive to heroines for both DC and Marvel thing at work). Kara grew up on another planet with screen adaptations. But, most importantly, young different customs and cultural values, and she crash girls will now have a well-dressed and strong woman landed here in the knowledge her parents are dead. to look up to. I would have killed to have this. Her friends are gone. And Kal-El is her only family, her only kind. Even the knowledge of coming to Earth as Kal-el’s protector is gone when she finds he is now a grown man. She has nothing and can only live as similarly to a human female as she can.
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DC Domination host Brittany Howarth looks at the newest superhero pilot from the people behind Flash, Arrow & Legends of Tomorrow
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Last season’s cliffhanger left us with The Flash racing skyward right in to the eye of an inter-dimensional tornado as it sucked up everyone and everything up in its wake. Eagerly awaiting the return of TV’s favourite scarlet speedster for months now, I was ready to jump right back in and continue where we left off. I perched myself on the edge of my couch and pressed play play set to resume from that adrenaline filled moment. What I got though, was Barry facing off against Captain Cold and Heatwave again? Huh? Where’s the episode guide? Is this a repeat? Oh no wait it’s just a dream?! Now the action will kick off! But no, rather than jumping back to that abruptly ended final scene the show pulls the six months later card and we’re instead given a slow burn return to our characters lives with tiny tidbits alluding to what happened on; what the newspapers have coined “the day The Flash saved Central City”.
Just as things wrap up Cisco boasts about the new state of the art security system for Star Labs, now no one can just walk in when suddenly a mysterious figure steps in to the room. But this isn’t just any one and I doubt very much that he just “walked” in. The man introduces himself in a sentence only a true hero can get away with saying “my name is Jay Garrick and your world is in danger” and cue credits. Dammit, even starting slow it still leaves me wanting more. I hope this episode was just the writers tying up loose ends and planting seeds for things to come but for a Season opener it was more like an average filler episode. However with so many exciting promos for the season ahead still colour me Red and colour me intrigued to see where this season is going moving “forward”.
As the episode unfolds we find that the Star Labs team have gone their separate ways. Cisco is aiding Joe and the Central City police equipping their new Meta Task Force with tools to take down superhuman threats on their own. Caitlin has moved on to work at Mercury Labs and Barry has gone solo feeling guilty over what happened that day. Finally about halfway in to the episode we get an abridged version that was so badly paced and lacked tension of any kind that it almost felt like an afterthought. The least they could have done was put that scene at the start. What it does show though, is that in order to close the portal Ronnie Raymond in his Firestorm form sacrificed his life. Which explains why we haven’t been seeing him in promo material for spin off Legends of Tomorrow. But with a slow start rather than this the momentum earned from the finale already brought my the episode and my interest to a crawl and things kinda just plodded along after that. Barry reluctanly makes an appearance at “Flash Day” when suddenly Bane abruptly turns up to ruin the proceedings. As he grows in size bulking up as though venom enters his blood stream he easily takes down The Flash and even equipped with his new metahuman aresenal Joe too. Wait, what’s that? It’s who? Atom-Smasher? But hes just like… Nevermind, WWE wrestler The Edge plays Al Rothstien who has the ability to absorb radiation around him and grow in size in strength which with clever cut arounds worked quite well and at times looked pretty cool when he towered over Barry.
One of the best new shows last year returns. Dylan Boaden sees if it lives up the hype.
Full reviews and weekly updates: novastream.com.au
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TSomething old: Star City. Something New: Damien Darhk. Something Borrowed: An Apartment. And something green. Arrow’s season four, episode one did not waste time in kicking the story into action. The newly named Star City is falling further into darkness and, try as they may, Diggle, Laurel, and Thea need help. Well, more than what Felicity has
been secretly doing during her and Ollie’s hiatus. They both agree, though Ollie was reluctant, and head home. On their way back into the derelict town, Ollie asks the big question… a big question: What did they really accomplish? Whether it is a tirade of masked loons or a quiver full of dead arrows, over the past few months Laurel and Thea have accomplished some awesome new moves. After spending episodes under my scrutiny for her lack of fighting ability (like I can talk), Laurel shows her new moves while defending her dad. And even though these new badies pack a punch, Laurel just won’t stay down. Thea doesn’t hold back either as she shows off her moves in the back of a speeding truck. Her style is similar to her predecessor and ex-boyfriend (Roy/ Jason) with that perfect balance of brutality and gymnastic ability. But there’s a flare of her flickered throughout her fights as she laughs on swinging doors and shouts how amazing fighting the bad guys are. However, she isn’t the only one a little more light hearted. Stephen Amell once again graces our screens with acting above and beyond. No longer is he brooding with a voice that terrifies you, although he doesn’t find it hard to summon it back. He is a man that smiles. He is lighter, happier and the emotion in his voice heavily contrasts against what it was last season. Another contrast is our villain. Season one was Merlyn: businessman, assassin, and future city developer. Season two was Deathstroke: Australian maniac with an eye patch (guess he didn’t see that arrow coming). And season three gave us Ra’s: another Australian maniac with an heir problem. So say goodbye to the Australians and say hello to Damien Darhk: businessman, assassin, and future city developer…
The show that started it all. Brittany Howarth looks at the fourth season of the Emerald Archer
His plans are the same as Merlyn’s, yes, but Darhk is bringing mysticism to Star City and he has approached the task without dagger and cloak. This man just waltzed into a council meeting, told his victims his plans, and they still couldn’t do anything to stop him. Except for good, old Captain Lance. Amongst her team, only the Black Canary was able to save him from death but was it worth it? What secret does this Captain have hiding under his shield? He isn’t the only one hiding secret. Although, Ollie’s secret is a little nicer, hidden in a bowl of pebbles in Thea’s, now his, apartment. Now, I have presented my case against Ollicity on many occasions and, although I still don’t completely agree, I may have softened a little at how cute a couple they are in this episode. The only thing cuter would be Diggle with his baby Sarah. I cannot wait until season twenty when baby Sarah joins the team. This episode has given the audience the good old treatment of amazing fights, the new world of mysticisms, and brought Ollicity closer together with the borrowed apartment. And as for something green?
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There isn’t only one ring referenced.
One of the main cast members this season is Hypodermic Sally (charming name) played by AHS sweetheart Sarah Paulson. She may not have been such a strong character in Murder House but Paulson has become a necessary part of the show. Her characters are deeply flawed and sympathetic and we can’t help but love her. As Sally, Paulson gives us a tragic portrayal of a junkie who’s lost everything a lifetime ago. There’s no innocence about her but she’s an underdog so clearly we’re going to be rooting for her. To an extent. She’s still very much unhinged and dangerous. Before going on any further, it’s easier to just mention now that every character so far is an archetype. There’s Kathy Bates, the concerned mother who has to live with letting her junkie son (Matt Bomer) lose his way to drugs. There’s the [possible] genderfluid, sassy bellboy played by Denis O’Hare. There’s the dutiful cop (Wes Bentley) who’s hunting for a serial killer, is still dealing with the loss of his son, and has resigned himself to the fact his marriage is over. There are the And here we are again. standard horror movie creepy kids running in the American Horror Story has returned along with its hallways and messed up creatures that are nightmare magnificent cast. To be honest, it’s the cast that keeps inducing. They all followed pre-existing conventions us coming back. Despite the many weaknesses of the but the guests of Hotel Cortez seem like they’ll be show, particularly in Freak Show with is somewhat worth following for a while longer. lack of central storyline, we’re still hooked. Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy and, Then there’s the big draw card for this season: of course, Jessica Lange have especially left a mark on Lady Gaga. In lieu of Jessica Lange (who can never the show, to the point where it couldn’t possibly have be replaced in AHS), Gaga plays the enchanting had the same level of success had each season brought murderess, seducing her victims and living for pleasure in a brand new cast. With only Paulson, Rabe and and self-gratification. It’s actually a role that could’ve Evans confirmed (so far) to appear this season, Hotel worked for Lange herself, but Gaga is in her element. The elaborate costumes, the looks, the overt sexuality better not disappoint us. all are very much suited to a Gaga music video. Yet, it The opening shots of Hotel beautifully set the mood. works here too. So while we’re still holding our breath The pan shots of the deep red and warm yellow colour that Lange makes a return even if only for one episode, scheme of the foyer and the occasional fish lens creates we’ve got a decent cast to tide us over. a mysterious and malevolent atmosphere (inspired by The Shinning no doubt). The music is reminiscent of At points Hotel feels like it’s trying to conjure up its old horror movies, which is a clever juxtaposition to inner Shinning but, of course, that’s not possible and it the modern day setting. Clearly this is a place trapped knows that. The fact the episode ends with The Eagle’s in time much like the house in season 1. This is where Hotel California is the kind of self-awareness that Hotel‘s potential lies. It feels like it’s better thought is necessary to keep the show from taking itself too out than Freak Show, and it seems like it’ll use the seriously. While it’s still early days for Hotel, there’s strengths of Murder House and Asylum. A coherent hope for it to be a strong season. But just to be safe, and well executed plot has never been a AHS strong lower those expectations ever so slightly and try to suit but that’s not really an issue overall. It’s how the enjoy the ride. characters react and interact in Ryan Murphy’s world that really captivates us. 20
Murder House. Asylum. Coven. Freak Show. And now Hotel, starring Lady Gaga, Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson and X:Men - Days of Future Past’s Evan Peters. Alberto Sanchez checks in at the latest incarnation of Ryan Murphy’s spookfest. 23
OUR TV CREW BREAK DOWN THE MONTH’S HAPPENINGS IN ONE EASY COLUMN. SPOILERS, OBVIOUSLY. FOR WEEKLY UPDATES AND BREAKING NEWS FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @NOVASTREAMAU
There was a lot of hype for FOX’s newest show upon its premiere and lots of praise for Ryan Murphy’s ability to recruit so many A-listers to star. Songbirds Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas were never going to stick around long but I do feel a little ripped off with the amount of quality time we’ve been spending with Jamie Lee Curtis. Emma Roberts continues to dominate the show that appears to be tailor-built for her. She’s certainly committed to the role and while the cracks are starting to appear in her character there’s no flies on the performance. Abagail Breslin is a touch underwhelming as Chanel #5 and needs a jolt of life in her plot stat to make us remember her excellent acting chops. Billie Lourd is plain brilliant. Never change. The budding rivalry between Zayday and Chanel has been one of the more interesting subplots of the series and has come to the end of its chapter for now after the house’s presidency came down to a tie. The two are currently ruling together, taking trips up secret portrait alleyways and becoming closer frenemies as time goes on. Skylar Samuels is suffering from the same thing the lead in MTV’s Scream is. She’s the centrepiece and moral compass all at once which gives her very little interesting to do. There’s a reason Breaking Bad/ Mad Men/ Walking Dead are such big hits – a morally ambiguous protagonist (Chanel) is ten times more interesting. It will surprise nobody that we are no close to uncovering who the killer is. At this rate we’re likely to find out in the very last seconds of the finale. Could it be Jamie Lee Curtis, the hateful Dean? Or Oliver Hudson, wiping away his grimy Nashville persona for an intrusive but well-meaning father? Or perhaps any of the students? Nick Jonas’ smile was certainly sinister the last time he was on screen and I have high hopes for the resolution of that dangling thread. The writing is leaning towards Diego Boneta but that seems unlikely, unless the finale is a more direct homage to the original Scream film than it appears. Lea Michele is a delight as an absolute psycho. Her acceptance into Chanel’s ranks was a cool progression for the series and blurred the lines between the two factions of the sorority even further. The middle of the season has been far slower than the four murders in the pilot but it still has promise. The death of Billie Lourd’s kind of girlfriend woke me back up and I’ll happily stick around for the resolution.
A sophomore season is rarely judged on it’s own merit, rather, in comparison to the season that preceded it. Especially when the first season was a hit, as was How To Get Away With Murder. And it’s been a bumpy season thus far on How to Get Away With Murder, not only for its characters, but in terms of quality as well. Structurally, the series hasn’t changed all that drastically from its debut season. There are season-long arcs at play, episodic cases and flash-forwards that offer critical information that will only make sense once the full picture is realised, predictably in the mid-season finale. Creator Peter Nowalk made excellent use of this structure in season one, most notably the way he incorporated the flash-forwards, an aspect of the series that used to be one of its highpoints. It was fascinating to watch how Wes, Laurel, Michaela and Connor behaved in ‘present time’ versus how they either stepped up, went manic or completely felt apart while attempting to deal with the consequences of their actions on the night of Sam Keating’s murder. The flash-forwards were almost a separate narrative, one that demonstrated character and advanced plot. This season they seem to exist simply to bookend each episode and offer last minute plot twists. So what do we know so far about this season’s ‘big picture’? Annalise is stabbed in the mansion of the clients she has been representing, her students have left her for dead and are in cahoots with her former lover, the prosecutor in the case has also been attacked, and Bonnie and Asher are also somehow involved this time around. I completely respect the decision to only offer minimal information, but these snippets lack last season’s cohesion and tension. My biggest gripe with season two is something that I’ve been vocal about in my reviews; if everybody has become so cavalier about murder, are there any real stakes anymore? Just last week the threat of prison loomed again when Asher was discovered as an informant, but it felt empty. I know the literal title of the series is “how to get away with murder”, but the actions of the main cast don’t carry the same weight when Annalise or Frank can simply clean up any spilled blood without breaking a sweat. This isn’t to say it has all been disappointing. Viola Davis continues to elevate every single scene she’s in and the evolving mutiny among the Keating Five is definitely propelling the season in the right direction. But there’s an expiration date on this series, it can only continue for so long before viewers ask, “how can they keep getting away with murder?”
Doctor Who has a penchant for two-parters this season and while neither live up to the nerdgasminducing wonders of the opener they still have been entertaining and at the very least a lesson in adventurous storytelling. Of course adventure brings danger and in episode six the series gets a little bogged down in the philosophy of being immortal, forgetting the whiz-bang spectacle that keeps people with short attention spans (like me) from dozing off. Torchwood writer Catherine Treggenna’s script reads more like a study than a proper episode. not at all helped with a rubbish vlionvillian thing. Other than that – fantastic! It’s a shock to think Doctor Who is in its ninth season of the revived series and its fifty-second year since original broadcast. Its revolving cast is crucial to keeping things fresh but there’s also a joy to seeing any version of Team TARDIS operating like clockwork. Think Ninth Doctor/ Rose / Jack in Boom Town, Eleventh Doctor/ Amy / Rory / River in The Impossible Astronaut or Tenth Doctor and everyone in Journey’s End. The Twelfth Doctor and Clara are in that place. No introductions or explanations necessary – let’s save the universe! In the third episode this finds them facing “ghosts” in an underwater UNIT base. The crew are all strong three-dimensional characters scribed from Being Human creator Toby Whithouse. The cliffhanger sees the group separated – Doctor with one group, Clara with another – and the Doctor whizzes off to find the origin of the base and the ghosts. The Fischer King is a cool new villain who’s voice is by Peter Serafinozwicz and roar is from Slipknot’s Corey Taylor. Cameo points there. The following episode is geared to kids and features Vikings! It’s a solid episode with a few fun bits and everyday heroics. Nothing terribly bad, nothing to write home about. Guest star Maisee Williams (Game of Thrones) was the surprise shock of the trailer and played her doey-eyed character extremely well. SPOILERS: She dies, though the Doctor uses some alien technology and accidentally makes her immortal. They reunite the following episode and have a long chat about it, though a menacing photo indicates that there is still more to come from her character. Next week the Doctor and Clara reunite with Kate and a somehow alive Osgood to battle the Zygons! It looks terrific. And since there’s still room left of the page, can we talk about how awesome Peter Capaldi is as the Doctor? And his gutair is just plain rockstar.
The Flash has come racing out of the gate and into audience’s hearts again - packing physical and emotional punches into every episode so far. This season has seen the return of fan favourite characters, new visually incredible villains, set ups for spin-off shows and even the introduction of another A-list hero - also named The Flash no less. All this in just four episodes and showing no sign of slowing down. With the show tackling time travel in season one, season two adds inter-dimensional travel to the mix. It’s the kind of storyline most series wouldn’t attempt until their fifth or sixth season but the writers are giving audiences their strongest work up front and then somehow achieving the impossible feat of continually getting better and better. 52 dimensional rips have opened up across Central City allowing a steady flow of new threats to pass through including the musclebound radiation fuelled Atom Smasher, the shape shifting sand manipulating Sand Demon and - if you didn’t think last seasons telekinetic giant sized Gorilla Grodd was crazy enough wait until you see the 8 foot tall half-shark, half-man King Shark. Once again the special effects are leaps and bounds beyond what we’ve come to expect from a television show. But even with all that on offer it’s the characters that we come back for, week after week. Each member of the returning cast are getting more to do as their own personal struggles and storylines deepen. Resident fanboy Cisco is developing a set of his own powers foreseeing the future through the vibrations in time. After tragedy struck one half of the flaming Firestorm duo Dr Stien has recruited a new ally and they’re only just getting fired up. Detective West is joined by a plucky new rookie Paddy Spivott as he builds a task force to take on the storm of meta-humans and deals with the return of his thought to be dead ex-wife, the secret he’s been keeping from Iris her whole life. But the most exciting of all is the unexpected appearance of Jay Garrick, the Flash of another world, who is ready to give Barry a run for his money. Plus Harrison Wells is still lurking around (or a version of him at least); but is it to wreak more havoc for the loveable STAR labs team or unite them? Only time will tell. Audiences may be quick to dismiss a show about a guy fighting crime by running around in tights really fast - especially if they haven’t taken the time to watch a full episode. But if you have even the slightest interest in superhero fare, do yourself a favour and get up to speed with The Flash so you too can join in the fun and follow this new exciting season as it unfolds.
The hood. The vigilante. The Arrow. Merlyn may have nearly said Oliver Queen’s true comic name in season one but it’s in season four where the die-hard fans just die in excitement. Oliver Queen is the Green Arrow, but don’t let his new outlook on life fool you. The Arrow TV show is darker than ever thanks to its hive of villainy. Anarchy, Double Down, and Darhk. Oh my! These three villains from season four’s opening episodes have created big expectations for whatever comes next. But the cream of the crop is Anarchy, a villain whom even Darhk won’t associate with. The man is wild, uncontrollable, and terrifying. He also brought the worst out of Thea. Yes! After three seasons of waiting we finally have Thea as Speedy and she has some of the best fight scenes. Thea continues the gymnastic fighting style of her predecessor but adds even more aggression. She nearly beats multiple H.I.V.E. agents to death, burns Anarchy alive, and smirks as she slowly glides a blade across a Leaguer’s throat. It has been three seasons of waiting for her character and so far it looks like the waiting has paid off. A common aspect across many heroes is the ownership of a grapple hook and zip line. It has made a few guest appearances in Arrow but season four has delivered one of the best. Within the first two minutes of episode 2 Team Arrow finds themselves battling against soldiers called Ghosts. Canary races across roof tops, dodging bullets while the Green Arrow waits on a higher roof. Then, as Canary leaps of a ledge, the Green Arrow shoots a zip line which she clasps onto and glides to ground level. Not only a cool concept but also wonderfully executed. Finally, there’s Damien Darhk, the biggest game changer of the series. The man brings mysticism to Star City and a creepy air of business and insanity. He is direct in everything he does, each move calculated and planned which intensifies every murder he commits. He even murders a member of H.I.V.E. with a playing card and leaves her limp, in a dark warehouse, with the card sticking out of her throat for Team Arrow to find. So far, this season has brought to life some amazing stories and characters including Sarah Lance, who has once again evaded death. But one character I am looking forward to gracing our television screens is John Constantine. He can’t be too far away with magic now so prominent within Star City.
The excellent ensemble comedy’s biggest strength is that it never rests on its laurels. By the end of last year’s finale the dynamics of all seven characters were fairly well explored so it promptly removed two of them with little warning. Network comedies usually end up in the same place despite the episode’s obstacles and even though it was a finale it was truly shocking to see Cpt. Holt (Andre Braugher) and Gina (Chelsea Peretti) depart the precinct. It even felt kind-of permanent. Similar plot stunts occur all the time – Castle plotted its lead as a private eye for half a season, The Flash has “killed” Ronnie twice and NCIS disbanded its team for about a month upon the arrival of the new Director. That’s the length this lasts – only it feels like it could go on for a season or more. This is thanks to the bureaucratic beast of Madeline Wuntch (Kyra Sedgewick, hilariously subverting her lead role on The Closer) and opens the door to a three episode stint from Dean Winters (30 Rock, and oddly twentyseven episodes of Law And Order: SVU, which is again an awesome subversion). Andy Samberg’s fellow Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader does the pilot episode without getting in the way of the regular cast, playing an especially farcical character that reads a little too close to a Weekend Update character than the awesome Hader that appears in film. Still, some Hader is better than no Hader so who am I to complain? Elsewhere Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy (Melissa Fumero) umm and ah over their status for a moment before committing to a proper relationship. There was a time when television was afraid to solve the Ross and Rachel relationship. Brooklyn Nine Nine still has the Charles/Diaz thing in the background – masterfully pushed to the background by Charles/Gina - so perhaps Jake and Amy are more like Chandler and Monica (actually that fits perfectly) but it’s still worth noting some brave storytelling. Terry’s impending child is STRESSING. HIM. OUT. and the writers find a cool visual gag to make it shine. Charles falls in love with a convict and vows to prove her innocence. Hitchcock and Scully – the most incompetent characters ever to exist in television – steal some yogurt and summon the wrath of Rosa. The Halloween episode reunites the team for the best episode of the season yet and has a signature Brooklyn Nine Nine twist. Best moment? A tie between Holt as a pigeon or Gina’s welcome back.
Almost halfway in to Season 4, and already, The Mindy Project is a roller coaster of a ride. We started the season off on a brand new platform. After being cancelled by Fox at the end of Season 3, Hulu picked up the show for the fourth season. And thank goodness, as with a heavily pregnant Mindy and a commitment phobic Danny, things were looking dire! Luckily, we started off the fourth season with Danny rethinking his ways (and travelling to India to meet Mindy’s parents) and an engagement to go with the baby. ABOUT TIME!!! This show has always centred on Mindy with supporting characters providing the rest of the action, but this season has both Mindy and the show coming into their own. Our running joke Beverly is still at Schulman and Associates, Tamra and Morgan are still broken up and Jeremy is picking up the slack while Danny and Mindy are adjusting to their newfound parenthood. Cue the shenanigans and its good old The Mindy Project just how we like it. As expected, Mindy couldn’t possibly have (or want) a normal birth, opting for the ‘knock out’ special and booking in a room more at home in a day spa than a hospital. Of course Danny is against it, trying to bring on labour earlier so Mindy can experience the ‘magic of childbirth’. Neither of them gets their way and Mindy proceeds to have little baby Leo on the subway (a true New Yorker!). As a result of Mindy’s new found MILF status (or as Danny thinks, Mom I’d like to French), the practice hires a new doctor and nurse, Southern gentleman brother and sister duo Jody and Colette (played hilariously by Garret Dillahunt and Fortune Feimster). Of course Mindy immediately has a confrontation with Jody, who is staunchly traditional in his views on women and their place... As an avid fan of this show, I feel qualified to say that this season is truly the best so far. We’ve laughed and cried with Mindy over the last three seasons and to see her get everything she’s ever wanted (and maybe a few things she didn’t) is very satisfying for the viewer. The writing team are constantly one-upping themselves and I for one cannot wait to see what they come up with next.
comfortable. Sixteen hour battery life. A full day’s worth of audio right there. If you’re wearing it the whole time… go outside… just for a minute. What’s the range like?
Ryan Betson, host of PopCulturists, DC Domination and Game Over Remastered swung by the PDP Gaming Booth at EB Expo 2015 and chatted with Jake about their products.
40 ft of distance on it so you can walk around the house with it and if you’ve got line of sight you get a little bit further. So this is your XBOX stuff. What about PS4? It’s the same for the PS4. The only difference: the PS4 headsets are blue. That’s it? Nice and simple.
In the PS4 versus the XBOX One the back end Performance Design Products, or PDP Gaming as it’s construction is different so they’re not going to be affectionately known, is the company behind some of cross-compatible. But they’re the still the same high the biggest accessories in the business. They are the quality headsets. company behind AfterGlow headsets, Rock Candy controllers and most recently a line of wired WiiU Do we get a nice surround sound in there? fight pads featuring Mario, Link, Princess Peach and other beloved Nintendo characters. It’s a virtual surround so you’re going to have good directionality – you’ll know where things are coming from in the game and everything sounds fantastic. If How’s EB Expo for you? you’ve used our headsets in the past I would compare It’s been great, crazy so far. This year versus last year – this one to the Afterglow Nur. This is going to be in EB tonnes of people, tonnes of fun. It’s been an excellent Games in October. day. That’s one thing I always get in trouble for. But That’s great. Telll us about some of the new gear if I have 7.1 surround sound I don’t need the TV you’ve got today. speakers. We’re showing off our wired fight pads for the WiiU and the new series of Afterglow Headsets. We’ve got the Level series – so you start at Level Three with the standard wired headset that plugs into your controller. Level 5 Plus series also plugs into your controller but it’s a powered headset so you get a bit more of a kick with it. And you’ve got the AG9 which is our true wireless headset. Connects to USB receiver and is microphone detectable. Love it! The amount of times I’ve broken a microphone on a headset… too many… It’s good for single player games. You can just disconnect and enjoy the game to yourself. Very soft and
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Well the microphone on this is nice and long so you can shout at your friends in peace. Keep the fiancé happy. That’s the plan. Thanks for your time today.
It’s been over three years since the last Halo and it’s one of, if not the biggest release of 2015. Can it possibly live up to expectations? Josh Thomas explores. 25
In short, I’d say yes to both, but only just. Halo 5 is a triple A game in every sense of the word. With an OCD like polish, Hollywood worthy cut scenes and adrenaline pumping action, Halo 5, aesthetically, is a masterpiece despite a few sharp edges that must be made with any triple A game.
longer campaign and a bit more of a challenge I really recommend bumping up the difficulty.
That said I’m not too sure you want to prolong the campaign longer than you have to. As a person that prefers campaign play over multiplayer, it very much feels like Halo 5 has taken the Call of Duty path and Visually beautifully with some stellar new locales, opted for a basic campaign that acts like more of a technically slick with phenomenally quick load times tutorial to the multiplayer than stand-alone feature. and full of the sweet sounds of intergalactic warfare, it’s hard to fault Halo 5 as an outsider looking in. Sure the crossing over between Spartan Locke and Master Chief was a neat change of pace and the story Immerse yourself in the game though and a few itself had the usual Halo weight to it, but I just couldn’t glaring faults emerge that taint an otherwise near help but feel somewhat short changed once the credits perfect gaming experience. started rolling. There were a few big boss battles yet nothing really stood out while some of the missions, The campaign is a notable departure from the lone even those that lasted under 20 minutes, became ranger model that has worked so well for previous rather grindy. Throughout the campaign there’s also Halo games. I personally love the added adrenaline a lack of guidance, I never really knew where I was of attempting to save the galaxy alone. In this entry heading or doing most of the time, with the pop up however you’ll be playing as both Master Chief with guide needed way too often. his Blue Team and Spartan Locke with his Red Team, meaning you’ll always have someone there to save you All this said, the story and conflicts that arise make whether you like it or not. amends for these lapses even if some of the trailers exaggerate the eventual conflict between the two With the power to revive you, although you can die if protagonists. I won’t go into more detail as Halo 5 they take too long or if you are utterly disintegrated, does deliver a very captivating story even if it falls the danger of death is very much dimmed to the within the confines of original tropes of the genre. ultimate detriment of the game. Rather than the strategy other games have encouraged, I often felt like Like most games today though, the campaign and I was meant to be running and gunning now I had a story plays second fiddle to the multiplayer which squad behind me. from my small taste, adds the flavour the campaign is missing. The squad dynamic isn’t all bad though with the extra guns making for larger battles and more enemy The two core modes of Arena and Warzone are ideal scalps to claim. The AI themselves are rather helpful contrasting game types with the new Req Pack system often providing good cover when you find yourself ensuring a perfect mix of well-earned advantage and reloading and risking their own lives to revive you a mechanic that does its best keep things level. In the (something I doubt your co-op buddies would do). few games I played, never once was there a blowout and no single player truly dominated. Both these That said I get the sense that the campaign is best things may change with time but the fact everyone enjoyed with friends. Together you can actually seems to start of level is a positive. strategise and work out a good plan of attack. While you can command your AI minions around with Overall, Halo 5 ticks all the necessary to avoid this positional commands, there’s just not the same level being a disappointment. Be warned though that if you of unison you and your mates can have as a team. are just looking for a good campaign and nothing else, disappointment may well creep in. Gone are the days The campaign itself, in large part to the extra difficultly of solo Halo play with both the team based campaign to die, is very short. With 15 missions in all, some that and emphasise on multiplayer suggesting that one last only a matter of minutes, you can polish it off in man can no longer save the galaxy and one gamer can around 8 hours on normal difficulty. So if you want a no longer be the focus of big gaming companies.
WB Games recruits some big names for it’s next title. Lego Dimensions is making a statement and Alaisdair Dewar is listening. Skylanders and Disney Infinity have been bleeding out poor parent’s pockets for the last few years with not only new game discs to buy, but characters, power discs and whatever else these massive companies can churn out, so it was only a matter of time before Warner Bros got on board. The difference is by partnering with the world’s largest toy company Lego, combining franchises like The Simpsons, DC Comics, The Wizard Of Oz, Scooby Doo, Doctor Who, Portal 2 (and many many more to come!) they have clearly taken their time and come up with not only the best strategy for your hard earned dollars, but also best game of this genre to keep you entertained for hours with both physical building and game playing entertainment. This is a difficult game to review, so I am going to do the best that I can. For starters if you don’t understand how these games work, you have physical toys that you place on a portal and they appear in-game, on screen. The starter pack for Lego Dimensions requires you to build the entire portal out of the Lego bricks provided (a task which will take an hour or two, depending if you do it alone or with children) and then if that wasn’t enough, you also have to assemble the characters and their accompanying vehicles. You can opt to load the game up and start assembling the characters and portal in small pieces while you play, but personally I did it all at the start and found it was much easier to dive straight into the game. In the starter pack you get Wildstyle from the Lego Movie, Gandalf from Lord of The Rings and Batman from DC It is a great balance of personalities and franchises that fortunately is enough to complete the entire game and levels included. However if you do want to access all areas, you can purchase additional characters who can only access certain characters. I reviewed this game with the addition of Homer Simpson, Wonder Woman and Cyborg (did you really expect anything different from me?) This also granted me access to the Simpsons level and to Springfield, the entire area is littered with hilariously typical Simpsons grade humour (most impressively Homer stating “This is not shameless promotion, it’s co-branding!”)
Something about seeing Wonder Woman take down the Joker Bot at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant was just mind blowing. The banter between franchises and characters is worth this game alone, so make sure you switch around characters to hear their interactions (Wonder Woman telling Homer Simpson she heard he has a crush on her, Wildstyle organising a coffee date with Wonder Woman to gossip about Superman and their relationship) It really is one of the game’s best selling points. As far as gameplay goes, it is pretty typical Lego game fare here, go here, smash these Lego bricks, press these buttons, pull that grapple to kill that character. The strength is not its gameplay, but its consistent mash up of franchises and their interactivity that is going to peak your interest. We have only seen the first few waves of franchise announcements and WB have promised more to come, so expect this game to stick around for the long haul and for many more Lego brick adventures in the foreseeable future. I hear your question, what does this mean for the other Lego games? Good question! We were fortunate enough to play Lego Avengers at EB Games Expo this year, and definitely stands alone as a game that can exist outside of this franchise. Overall Lego Dimensions is the game that we all want to play, it is the embodiment of what Lego represents and by throwing in a wide mix of loved franchises that both kids and adults love, they have ensured a game that has universal appeal and will continue to grow for years to come. If you love Lego games, you will love this, if any of these franchises appeal to you, you will love this game. Honestly it would be really hard to not love this game, there is so much attention to detail and love given to every aspect of this game. Lego Dimensions gets a cool 5 out 5 from me, and is one of my MUST HAVE games for 2015.
Characters and Locations of Lego Dimensions: Back to the Future. The Simpsons. The Wizard of Oz. Doctor Who. Ninjago. Scooby Doo. Ghostbusters. Lord of the Rings. Portal 2. Jurassic World. Every DC superhero. And of course The Lego Movie.
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Can you believe Ryan Betson and The PopCulturists have been with Novastream for a year and this is his first proper review? It was the day that the music died. Early 2013 saw the end of the Rock Band series with Harmonix announcing the final DLC song for the series and essentially putting a nail in the rhythm game’s coffin. After more than 4000 tracks, over 275 consecutive weeks, and a total of seven games it was all coming to an end. Personally I was shattered. This was the series of my later teens. I can’t even recall all the nights of fun with friends or the ones by myself. I loved this franchise and invested hundreds or close to thousands of dollars into it, and now I was forced to face its demise. But not all hope was lost. After almost two years to the date Rock Band 4 was announced. It was coming back! But did it come back swinging? Or is there even still a place for clicky instruments in the home? For anyone that has ever played Rock Band or the previous Guitar Hero games will feel right at home with Rock Band 4. It hasn’t strayed away from the old formula where you hit a coloured button on the guitar, or pad on the drums, as the on-screen partner passes the interface. Just like the other games, the four various difficulties increase the number of notes per song. All of this happens while created cartoon representatives of you flail around on a stage as the crowd sings and jumps along. So far nothing has changed. Making the jump to next gen has given it an overall polish though. The avatars look super crisp in 1080p and the small details that have been added, like noticeable finger prints and smudges on the guitars, are welcoming. Along with this, the game is now running at the next-gen standard of 60 fps. Reports have come through from other sites of frame rate drops but with my sessions I saw none of this. It ran smooth and consistent. This added fluid motion only enhanced the experience, especially when playing at greater speeds. Alright, that’s great. It’s more of the same but prettier. What else does it have to offer?
One of the biggest additions to Rock Band 4 is the “Freestyle Solos”. Previously when a solo would pop up in a song you would play the exact solo from the exact song. Now instead of playing a pre-charted solo you can play whatever you wish and the game will replace it with a synthesized section. The mechanic will keep you in time and key so even if you just wail on the buttons something reasonably coherent will come out and give you that sensation of a guitar God. I found Freestyle Solos to be an incredible addition to the game. They are insanely fun, easy to master, and deliver a genuinely new experience; however, there are a handful of issues. On occasion I would play a note and the game would take a beat to catch up. I assume this was to keep it in time and sound like a reasonable solo. Sometimes the guitar tone used doesn’t seem to fit the song causing it to sound quite odd and out of place. Overall, the positives really outweighed the negatives and this is a welcome addition in my eyes. Drums, on the other hand, have gone the other way. The classic drum fills, where you could go Keith Moon crazy, has been replaced with a more structured charted sequence to trigger the overdrive. To me, I’m uncertain how I feel about this. As a drummer I like those small moments of creative freedom but for the casual player who wouldn’t be able to put together a fill it provides a bit of assisted freedom. Similar to the guitar the drum tone was sometimes off when performing a fill, which often snapped me out of the experience. Vocals have been given a slight change too with their own freestyle option allowing you to sing harmonies instead of matching the song exactly. Oh and bass. Yep. That’s still there. No changes to report. Everyone forgets the bass.
Sadly due to incredible over pricing I wasn’t able to test out the new instruments ($500 AUD for the bundle is insane! Double that of the US price. Come on guys!) but I am happy to report that previous instruments work with about 90% effectiveness. For the guitars a Guitar Hero 5 and an original Rock Band controller were used. The controllers worked with the standard use, coloured buttons and strum bar, but wouldn’t seem to respond with the accelerometer so overdrive needed to be triggered by a button press rather than the tilt. The directional pad and home buttons failed to work so a controller was required at all times. The original Rock Band controller worked best, with the new freestyle solos taking advantage of the second set of buttons lower on the neck. For the drums a Rock Band 3 set with the cymbals were used with not a single issue. Microphones worked just exactly like they should. If you were someone, like myself, that picked up the keyboard peripheral for Rock Band 3 expect no support here. It’s almost like they removed it from history.
previously purchased songs” you are required to one by one download all the songs through the store with the only indicator being “free” or “purchased” on the ones you own. Once again I am reasonable and assume there is a reason for this but it is still an inconvenience none the less and will keep me going back to the last gen version, something I hoped to never have to do. Most of the standard modes are still here with quickplay and career but no practice or online play. Granted I never used these options too much previously but being able to focus on a particular section of a song in practice mode greatly improved my skills. Quickplay remains relatively unchanged except with the addition of a voting system to select the upcoming song, which seems quite irrelevant seeing as you can only play with other people in the room where you could just turn your head and ask them. Conversely, the career mode has seen the greatest overhaul. The career mode is still very similar i.e. play x amount of songs at y location, repeat, but with the addition of choice. Do you take the option of the manager who can get you more cash but with potential strings attached or get a crappy RV and increase your fan base? Granted these aren’t massive game changing decisions but it added a nice dynamic and potential replay value which I certainly took advantage of. With one band I made, named Dickbutt, I took the indy fan based approach where my other band, Fartbox, we sold out hard! The biggest thing I got out of this mode was making it personalised with my friend. We gave each band member a back story, motive, and a path for our own pure enjoyment and with the addition of the choices we were able to create and develop our made up story.
The deciding factor for a music game is exactly that, the music. Rock Band 4 sees a 65 song soundtrack on disc, noticeably shorter than Rock Band 3’s 83. This is one of the biggest upsets with this game. The song list just feels lacking with no more than 10 tracks that I knew and a handful more from bands I knew. It really seems that with Harmonix going independent they no longer have the pulling power they once had; or they exhausted those most wanted bands key tracks and now are just tapping their back catalogue. There were some welcome additions with Elvis Presley and U2; this being the first time U2 has appeared on any music game. To counter this it was announced that previous DLC and songs will be transferrable. Overall Rock Band 4 is more of the same, which isn’t really a bad thing. I get to play music that I would There are some major asterisks to this of course. never be able to in real life and have a good time Harmonix claim that around 1500 songs were with my friends. There has been some real welcome available at launch but according to PSN there are only additions with the freestyle solos and the ability to 708, that’s less than half. Now DLC does not include continue using my old instruments and previously when you would export previous tracks from other purchased tracks. Sadly the issues with the DLC Rock Band games, removing a massive chunk out of and the instruments not working seamlessly is a bit playable songs. Also, if you had previously purchased disappointing. Don’t get me wrong though, I had, and a track pack containing three songs and one of them will continue to have, a tremendous time with this is now unavailable it means you are required to rebuy game but there is certainly room for improvement. All the other two; I assume it registers that you bought the I can hope is that Harmonix plan to use Rock Band track pack and not the individual songs so technically 4 as a base station and support with fixes and future you didn’t purchase it. I am aware that all of these DLC, and if they do I will surely give them more of song issues are a result of licencing agreements with my money. record labels and hopefully will be remedied in the future but even re downloading the songs is an issue. Instead of pressing a button that states “download all
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PlayStation gives one of it’s signature titles a makeover. It gives Alaisdair Dewar a chance to get nostalgic Some of the best moments with my Playstation 3 was playing any of the Uncharted games. One of my friends (and writers on this site!) Ryan introduced me to the first two games and I devoured them as quickly as I could. I was completely sold by the gorgeous cinematics, the story, the humour and the characters who were so loveable, it was clear that this was the Sony franchise that would keep me as a Playstation fan for as long as it was around. It was no surprise that all 3 games were getting the remastered treatment for Playstation 4, while personally I was hoping for Uncharted : The Master Thief Collection (in a hilarious nod to Microsoft’s Halo rehack) the game is finally here, and rather than rehash all 3 games in review’s I have already done previously, I have decided to do more of a “Should You Buy It” thing (with an accompanying video review coming next week!) z What you get in this pack is the 3 console games, Uncharted : Drake’s Fortune, Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves & Uncharted 3 : Drake’s Deception. The Vita exclusive Golden Abyss is notably absent from this collection, but due to its inferiority, I don’t hear anyone complaining (well much…)
Uncharted 3 : Drake’s Deception
The final game in the trilogy Drake’s Deception has a special place in my heart, the day of its original The game that started all has been beautifully release, I took 2 annual leave days from work, it was restored, and while it doesn’t look as polished as raining, I remember rushing to EB Games to get The Last Of Us, the mechanics have dramatically my copy first thing, got back in my pj’s headed back improved with increased aiming ability and no to the couch and completely devoured this game more six axis motion controls when trying to walk for the next 2 days. over a log, it is already infinitely better than the PS3 The graphics were mile ahead of the previous version. instalments, with the narrative and pacing switched It does look dated a little as a complete overhaul up to give a “high stakes” feel that the previous would have been a garish task for BluePoint games lacked. The blending of cinematic’s, action games to undertake, that being said there were and story set the bar for big budget games and this still “WOW” moments when the vast scenery and translates just as well as The Last Of Us Remaster last year. sweeping camera motions took my breath away. Uncharted : Drake’s Fortune
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves The critically acclaimed “most popular” of the trilogy scared me a little at first, this game is considered by some as Naughty Dog’s greatest achievement (and to some degree it is true) so any attempt to rework this and something going wrong would surely rain down the wrath of a million fan boys, fortunately this is not the case at all. The levels, character models and gameplay shine on the Playstation 4 system, the climate, the falls and sheer terror are still as heart pounding and confronting as they were on the PS3 version.
If you are new to the franchise, this is your chance to get into this experience before Uncharted 4 hits next year, dedicated franchise lovers (or ‘Charties as we like to call them!) will relish in this experience and is a great reason to finally let go of your old gen console, as now all the Naughty Dog GREAT games have been successfully remastered to the Playstation 4. Look out for my video review next week on our YouTube channel, this is the FIRST game I have EVER given a 5/5 to! This is one of the hottest games on the PS4 this summer!
A preview of Uncharted 4 can be found on Pg. 123
Ryan Lawler dives into the tabletop side of the Warhammer 4000 universe
Warhammer 40,000 (or 40k as I’ll refer to it for the t rest of this review) is an old Games Workshop tabletop gaming franchise that has grown from being simply a sci-fi variant of the Warhammer flagship into, in my opinion, the premier Games Workshop franchise, with dozens of novels and a number of video games continuing to grow and expand the universe. Warhammer 40K: Regicide is a PC-based take on the classic tabletop game of Chess, replacing all of the original chess pieces with Warhammer 40K units, and adding a couple of game modes to spice things up. If you are looking chess simulator with the option for some fresh tweaks, then Regicide is probably going to meet your needs. If you are looking for a game that’s going to build on the already extensive 40K universe, you probably aren’t going to get much out of this game. Regicide has three primary modes for you to check out: Classic, Regicide and Campaign. Classic mode is simply chess with 40K units replacing the normal chess pieces. The AI for classic mode is reasonable, on par with most other chess simulators, and I had to really be on my game to beat the computer on the harder difficulties. Regicide is a fusion of normal chess with some 40K tabletop rules, where player turns are split into the movement phase, which is your normal chess rules, and the initiative phase, where players are able to utilise a range of abilities to attack and defend against other pieces on the board. The Campaign mode is a mission based mode where we get a story split into multiple acts that follows the Blood Angels, a Space Marines unit, as they take on their arch-enemies the Orcs in set piece missions that progressively get harder and harder. The campaign mode makes use of the Regicide mode rules but sets up the board with a variety of different pieces and obstacles, and sets challenges for the player to complete (like taking out all enemy troops in a given number of turns).
There is some capacity to customise your experience, with different abilities unlocking as you gather experience points, complete challenges, level up your units, and unlock missions in the campaign mode. It’s hard to describe without getting too technical, the best way to understand this game is to just start playing it. In terms of presentation, Regicide is not the best looking game out there, but the artwork, animations and audio are serviceable and certainly add some flair to the stereotypically boring game of chess. I don’t have a high-end PC by any means, but I was able to run the game with no crashes, no obvious bugs, moderate load times, and a steady framerate. The interface is reasonably intuitive with the majority of actions controlled by left-mouse button clicks and the rest of the mouse buttons / keyboard used for either camera manipulation or binding abilities to specific keys. This is a well made game with plenty of polish, just don’t expect it to be cutting edge or pushing any boundaries. I liked this game but I just struggle to understand who this game is for. Fans of 40K would likely want something with a deeper exploration of the 40K universe rather than a bare-bones story told across 50 missions with a handful of dialogue transmissions introducing each mission. Fans of chess would likely appreciate the Regicide and Campaign game modes, but there are better chess simulators out there with better AI and more relevant information to give the full chess experience. As someone who is a fan of both 40K and chess, I definitely feel like this game is for me but I’m very aware that I’m in the minority. Hopefully this game will be able to find its audience and establish a following, because the Regicide rules certainly provide a unique and challenging variation on classic chess with that stylish 40K flavour.
Pat Braithwaite + Joshua Thomas play nine unreleased triple A titles at EB Expo 2015.
Online Now: Pat looks at Gutair Hero Live & Rock Band 4 JOSH ON UNCHARTED 4:
From the 20 minute play through I watched at the EB Expo, it’s clear that Uncharted 4 has lost none of the cinematic flare and finely tuned gameplay that made the first three entries in the series the treasure troves they were to gamers around the world. Seamlessly blending cut scenes with actual gameplay, Uncharted has a knack of keeping you glued to the screen, something I certainly was with Uncharted 4, despite the lack of a controller. Before I get into the finer detail of what I saw of Uncharted 4, I want to emphasise just how impressed I was by the games ability to keep my attention despite not actually getting to play. I’ve never been a passive gamer. Without a controller in my hands, I don’t see the point of watching a game. At the very least, I need the ability to click a button here or there. Uncharted 4 however has flipped that ethos on its head. When I say I was glued to the screen, I literally mean glued, I didn’t miss a single second of the play through I got to witness. The scene that unfolded in front of me involved Nathan Drake and old man Sullivan evading a heavily armed truck as they try to track down Nathan’s brother Sam in the streets of East Africa. With Nathan driving for most of it, a seemingly smooth and easy driving mechanic was shown off. The guy playing it obviously had plenty of practice but even a few lapses of concentration kept the scene unfolding looking cinematically appealing while only adding to the excitement. Visually, the game as you’d expect looks phenomenal. With a real subterranean feel and colour, the scene unfolded to slowly show off more and more of the beautifully crafted landscape. The inevitable explosions during the car chase 32
carried serious weight and the fierce looking fire we gamers have become accustomed to. During the ride, Nathan and Sully exchanged their usual friendly banter that further added to the entertainment of the scene. To say I enjoyed my time watching a game despite not actually playing it, is a huge commendation that Uncharted 4 earnt with relative ease. Now I just can’t wait to add a controller to the mix, unfortunately that won’t happen until March 18, 2016. Until then though I’ll have to settle for some more hands off game play, something I’m strangely content with. PAT ON THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TRIFORCE HEROES:
Like a moth to fire, The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes drew me in, and it was everything I had hoped for and more. Myself and the guys from The Popculturists raided the Zelda booth, with Josh and I taking control alongside a sleep deprived Nintendo representative. It was love at first sight. With the game…not the Nintendo Rep. Taking cards from the deck of previous titles such as the Four Swords in terms of game play and Wind Waker in terms of art direction, the game was everything I expected and more. We started our journey in the costume studio. The system this Zelda titles introduces revolves around two key things, the first being clothes. So each link will pick a costume, each comes with their own buffs. I, ofcourse, picked the dress because…why not. The legendary dress grants additional hearts for enemy kills, whereas other costumes could grant additional arrows or bigger bombs. You can even put on less clothing to add to the challenge.
The second new system is the focus on working in threes and making totems, stacking each link on top of another to solve puzzles or defeat enemies. This would range from being a certain height to hit a switch or climb a ledge and obtain a key, or attacking an enemy who’s weak spot is higher than ground level. As most Zelda games, we traversed a themed environment fighting chu chus and totem-ing to take down large deku scrubs. As with the Four Swords titles in the past, we moved through three or four puzzle solving sections culminating in a boss battle. The boss was also another nod towards the new totem mechanic, is it would move its weak spot up and down the Z-axis, forcing you to totem two or three links to reach it.
there wasn’t a moment of quiet in Star Wars Battlefront and that’s awesome. My experience with Battlefront was exactly what you’d expect on a battlefront in the realm of Star Wars; non-stop, adrenaline pumping action. Living up to its name, Battlefront had a nice variety of weaponry on show with a rifle that didn’t need reloading but that could overheat a welcome addition to an early arsenal of weapons. Not to mention the weaponry used had the nostalgic ‘phew’ Star Wars fans will drool over.
Finally, the game supports local Download Play (a feature that isn’t as commonly advertised as it used to be) which will make finding your team of links a lot easier given that your team mates don’t need to own the game to join the fray.
There was plenty of reward on offer throughout as well with kills earning enhanced weaponry like a rocket launcher that was perfect for inflicting maximum damage on those pesky Walkers. One particular feature of the game I enjoyed utilising was a blast jump of sorts that could be used every minute or so. This jump propels you quickly across the battlefield, helping you spring a surprise attack or accidently land between enemies depending on how you use it.
All in all, The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Warriors was a pleasure to play and it’s October 24th release date cannot come sooner.
Overall, there’s a lot to be excited about for Star Wars Battlefront and for now I’m happy knowing Star Wars Battlefront at least lives up to its name.
JOSH ON STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT
PAT ON STREET FIGHTER V
It’s utter chaos. People left and right all running towards the one spot. A storm trooper here and a Chewbacca there. And that’s just the cue for Star Wars Battlefront. Quite similarly, my hands on experience with the game was a great mix of chaos and Star Wars nostalgia all mixed into one.
Atop a podium sat two glorious fight sticks and a large flatscreen TV…it was on! I gladly took on the reigns of Ken Masters and took on some fellow patrons of EB Expo in a few rounds of Street Fighter V, and once my eyes adjusted it was one wild ride.
After a brief and rather painful tutorial on the multiplayer mode we were about to get our hands on, I found myself in snowy Alps surrounded by friends and foes approaching in the distance. My goal in this mode was to activate and protect select satellites from incoming enemies. A simple mission made a whole lot more difficult with a pair of ominous Walkers closing in.
Street Fighter’s latest addition is, in one word, beautiful. Like previous fighting games that have made the leap to current generation consoles, my biggest hiccup was adjusting to the faster frame rate. The silky smooth 60 fps the new consoles are pumping out make street fighter look amazing, however the new timings of attacks as a result do take a bit of an adjustment. But after a brief fumbling around, I was throwing Hadoukens like the good old days.
Taking out these Walkers and defending our set points was a unique and challenging balancing act, one which we ultimately failed. With a large number of enemy forces crowding the battlefield, there wasn’t a second of my experience with Battlefront where I could relax. Whether it was bombarding a Walker that was getting too close for comfort, ducking in and out of dug outs as I gunned down encroaching troops or activating and defending set relays,
Fighting is smooth, fast and fun. The additional V-Guage is a nice addition to the combat system, building up as you give and receive damage. This can then utilise new abilities for each character. First are V-Skills which are unique for each character, and do things such as deflecting projectiles or parrying attacks. Then there are V-Reversals which are used to counter opposing attacks. Finally V-Triggers are 33
abilities that can boost attacks or defence at the expense of your entire V-Guage.
ensures a continuously level playing field with the sole focus on out gunning your opponent.
Utilising these new techniques in conjunction with standard combos and EX attacks (stock standard in the series since Street Fighter III) will take some time, but soon it will become a staple of every fighters arsenal. I got to try out some of the new fighters as well, including my new favourite Rashid. A fighter of middle eastern decent, he uses technology and martial arts to produce mini tornadoes. What isn’t awesome about that?
At the other end of the spectrum lies Warzone, a 12 on 12 mode with a sprawling map where victory can be achieved two ways. One, be the first team to reach 1000 points or have the most at the end of 15 minutes. Two, capture three of your opponents outposts which opens up a core, which if destroyed, earns your team automatic victory.
My biggest gripe with the game is that it is seemingly taking some pages out of the dead or alive books, with female characters in the game being over sexualised in the build that I got to play. This was most noticable with Chun-Li who seemed to jump at least two cup sizes and equiped with very exaggerate jiggle physics. This sort of thing is not only sexist and unnecessary but I think it will detract a lot of players. I hope that is corrected in the final build of the game. Beyond that, Street Fighter is shaping up to be a fitting entry into the current generation of fighters. JOSH ON HALO 5: GUARDIANS:
Three years since Halo 4 released, I arrived at the EB Games Expo keen to put an end to the wait for some new Halo goodness. A long line however extended the wait another hour and half, but boy was it all worth it. A 20 minute preview however further delayed me getting my hands on Master Chief again. The preview though was interesting as it shed more light on the single player campaign and showcased the two unique multiplayer modes that make up Halo 5’s online mode. In a Halo first, the Halo 5 campaign will be playable with 3 friends. Going between control of Master Chief and three squad mates as team Blue and the mysterious Spartan Locke and his companions as team Red, the campaign sees the two eventually square against one another in what appears to be a very even battle. Much remains a mystery, but from what I saw expect some awesome combat and a strong story that ties it all together. But on to the all important multi-player. For more elite, intimate players there’s a 4v4 mode void of any perks that
Warzone was the mode I found myself in when the presentation and my long, long wait for Halo 5 goodness came to an end. Put simply, it’s insane and it’s fun. Not only are you and your loyal accomplices up against 12 other players, but Halo has taken a leaf out of Titanfall’s book and introduced AI opponents to ramp up the kill counts and make every second of Warzone an intense, satisfying experience. My quick but productive time in Warzone saw my team lose narrowly with the opposition getting to 1000 points before us. But points wasn’t our teams focus as we went for the oppositions core for a swifter victory. Having taken care of their outposts with ease we spent most of the game attempting to get close to their core to no avail. In fact it was this offensive stance that likely led to our loss. That said, having two ways to win makes for a very interesting gaming dynamic where you eye must be on more than objective. A key feature of Warzone and new introduction to Halo multiplayer are Req Packs (Requisition Packs). Earned throughout your experiences in War Zone, Req Points can be cashed in at Req Terminals scattered across Warzone’s maps for you guessed it, Req Packs. These packs can have an aesthetic impact in terms of player customisation or a far more important influence in way of guns and vehicles. I utilised these throughout my play through, and they kept things even livelier as players cash in their points for higher powered guns, Ghosts and even titan like robots that wrecked havoc on the playing field. I’m sad to say that as I entered my titan, the game and my brief time with Halo 5 came to an end. That it is until October 28 of course.
PAT ON Animal Crossing – Happy Home Designer
At the bright and beautiful Nintendo booth, I managed to sit down at what seemed like a hipster-esque seating arangement by a tree and get my eager hands on the
new instalment from the Animal Crossing series, namely Happy Home Designer. My time was spent experiencing what I can only describe as The Sims meets Animal Crossing, as the series forgoes the wider life simulation for house interior decoration (A feature of previous titles that was both adored and addictive). Taking on the role of an employee at Tom Nook’s, you are tasked with using the new interface to design homes for the inhabitants of the Animal Crossing world, working to their design specifications and unlocking new features and furniture as the game progresses. The game controlled and graphically looked similar if not the same as Animal Crossing: New Leaf (the prior 3DS title in the series) however the lower screen now takes on the form of a grid to assist in laying out your new designs using a plethora of both new and old items.
took time to shine some light on another of their upcoming titles that has been swept under the rug in the aftermath of Fallout 4, I’m talking of course about Doom. The folks at id Software look like they’ve been busy recreating the utter bloody insanity of the franchise, and I’m excited to see what mayhem we find ourselves facing when it releases Autumn next year. That is of course if we’ve finished with Fallout 4 by then. From the 30 minute preview given at the expo, there can be no denying the sheer size of Fallout 4. Not only is the open world humungous but the attention detail throughout is incredible. These two assets have made Fallout games the gems they are and look sure to make Fallout 4 just as attractive.
The preview we were shown also emphasised the value of everything you collect in the vast world on offer, a All the while next to a beautiful display case featuring criticism of Fallout 3. No matter what it is, if you collect the first wave of Amiibo cards, new cardboard it, it can either be used or dismantled to help in your alternatives to our mass produced NFC figurines. Each survival of post-apocalyptic America. As Bethesda has one of this first 100 cards features the same Near Field said, everything you come across has currency in game, Communication abilities as their predecessors and making those hours of looting all the more worthwhile is adorned with a different lovable Animal Crossing and alluring. Character, giving the user access to new content in the game and new characters to take on board as clients. In terms of story, the preview showed us more of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer is shaping up the America we’ll be experiencing before the nukes to be a fun game and is set to hit shelves tomorrow here dropped with a real focus on highlighting what’s been in Australia alongside Amiibo card booster packs and taken away from survivors of the blast. For the first the Amiibo reader for older 3DS models. time in Fallout history, you’ll experience the game in a time before the landscape and those that survived were JOSH ON FALLOUT 4: left devastated by nuclear attack. It’s also clear that it won’t be just you taking on the wastelands in Fallout 4 with your German shepherd companion again front and centre in what was shown. Outside of the main story and quests, Fallout 4 also allows players to build, maintain and protect their own houses in the wastelands. Similar in many ways to Minecraft, players can create their own sanctuaries but must also protect and upgrade them if they are to There’s people everywhere. Madness is quickly taking survive the inevitable onslaught of scavengers. The type hold. There’s cues of desperate gamers as far as the eye of houses that you can build are seemingly limitless can see. I need refuge, and quick. Glancing around with a few examples from developers showing the nervously I try to find some shelter from the storm of customisation available. This, as was suggested by the sweaty gamers. Where better I realise, than the Fallout presenter, could very well be all the game some players 4 booth. need. It’s been a long time coming. But the sneak peek we got at the EB Expo marks less than two months until the huge game that is and will be Fallout 4 is released. And rest assured, it will be huge. Before I got to dive into the preview though, Bethesda
While it hasn’t quite been 200 years, the wait for Fallout 4 has been a long one. Thankfully for us, it appears time hasn’t turned the Fallout franchise into a wasteland but rather a much needed sanctuary. Fallout 4 releases November 10 this year.