Friendship, nostalgia, and isolation: SUDS 'Play On' Review

Play On, written and directed by Gemma Hudson, is an ambitious and exciting cross of And Then There Were None with Heathers.

CampusAngus McGregorAugust 23, 2023SUDS, theatre, student theatre, netball, nostalgia, high school, drama, friends

Long Live the Drag Kings and Queens.

This series of photographs places drag artists in the everyday realm – from convenience stores to adult shops – capturing their glamour even through the most mundane of activities.

CultureBipasha ChakrabortyAugust 22, 2023drag, identity, queer, photography

I have a parasocial relationship with a man from the 16th century

You talk to me as if I exist. I am not real. I am not Cosimo. I am oil paint on a panel.

Art, CultureChina MeldrumAugust 20, 2023art, Renaissance, Art Gallery of NSW

Artificial stupidity

Humans are smart. Unfortunately, humans are also annoying, trite, boring, unimaginative, clichéd, derivative, etc, etc, etc. AI seemingly thrives off all of these worst aspects.

CultureHuw BradshawAugust 7, 2023Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, AI, technology, opinion, film

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Joonam (جونم)

Urich’s soulful connection with the documentary as well as the subject matter is one that is felt palpably.

FilmDanny YazdaniAugust 7, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, Iranian cinema, Iran, social realism, tradition, mystery, thriller, psychology

BroadSlay: sashay away

In investigating BroadSlay’s tragic death, I discovered the event’s spirit.

CultureZara UpfoldJune 28, 2023broadslay, mardi gras, world pride

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

I felt cheated by an experience that capitalised on Murakami’s name and a trailer that hinted at his many stories, but had very little to do with the collection itself.

FilmDanny YazdaniJune 27, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, anthology, literary adaptation, animation

Coffee to cure your architectural in(digest)ion

Coffee to the architect is what sexual frustration is to the engineer. A point of conversation, a particular quirk, one’s whole personality.

About a basin

As hard as I try to remember, from no part of my being can I summon a reason for me being here.

LiteratureJuliette JarrettJune 26, 2023creative writing

When asked, I describe my hobby as ‘Google Maps user’

It’s more than just directions.

CultureMaeve HopperJune 23, 2023google maps, apple maps, directions, sydney

I played Papa’s Freezeria and all I got was exploited

There’s nothing cool about violating labour law.

CultureAriana HaghighiJune 23, 2023gaming, video games, cool maths games, papa's freezeria

Albos old and new

With his knack of changing character to fit the times, I’m confident it will be a while before we see his last.

CultureLuca IttimaniJune 23, 2023politics, anthony albanese, hard quiz, image management, labor

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Subtraction (تفریق)

Haghighi, all-round artist of acting, writing, and directing origins, leads Subtraction with direction reminiscent of Iranian greats.

FilmDanny YazdaniJune 21, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, Iranian cinema, Iran, social realism, tradition, mystery, thriller, psychology

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Sunflower

Set in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, this film acts as an enticing representation and characterisation of coming out in a society where homophobia has become socialised.

FilmNathan PhillisJune 21, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, Australian, Australia, queer, LGBTQIA+, queerness

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Blue Jean

Oakley’s directing is subtle and effective, with clever use of sound and lighting to contrast the two major settings at Jean’s school and the nightclub, which are the symbolic fronts of the heteronormative and queer environments that she arbitrates between.

FilmImogen SabeyJune 21, 2023SFF, Sydney Film Festival, SFF 2023, cinema, film, LGBTQIA+, queerness, UK

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Scrapper

I knew two things about the film going in: a) Harris Dickinson was in it and b) it was going to make me cry. Those two things turned out to be true.

FilmKate SaapJune 21, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, Charlotte Regan, family, UK

PALACE, MIRE, FORM

Made in a lab for your viewing pleasure.

ArtBrodie FordJune 21, 2023illustrations, art

SFF 2023 REVIEW: Kim's Video — “A lot of things used to be here, and now they are not”

Redmon and Sabin masterfully balance gravity and levity in what might be the funniest documentary I have ever seen.

FilmAlexandra DentJune 18, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, documentary, David Redmon, Letterboxd, music, VHS, vintage

SFF 2023 REVIEW: L’immensità

Set in circumstances of perpetual domestic conflict: Rape, betrayal, and family violence continually oscillate between each other, creating a profound sense of unease.

FilmMae MilneJune 18, 2023film festival, SFF, cinema, Emanuele Crialese, Italy, transgender, gender, childhood, family

SFF 2023 REVIEW: No Bears – the camera as truth-teller

In No Bears, we are just as much aware that we are watching a film as we are of the action taking place. With knowledge of Panahi’s context, every shot feels dangerous, and you're constantly left wondering how he made it.

FilmHarry GayJune 12, 2023Jafar Panahi, Iran, Iranian cinema, film festival, SFF, cinema