Geek of Oz

The Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace at Cremorne will be the only cinema in Sydney screening the new Paul Thomas Anderson film The Master in its original 70mm format. Director Paul Thomas Anderson filmed 80% of The Master on 65mm stock in the widescreen ratio 1.85:1. The digital age was meant to be the end of the high-resolution film gauge, which begun as far back as 1928 known as Grandeur and quickly dropped by Fox Films due to it's crippling film stock costs and resistance by cinema operators to install new equipment. It was not used again until 1955 for Oklahoma as part of the film's distributors to compete with television which was devastating cinema attendances at the time. There will be selected sessions in 70mm of The Master from November 8-21, at the Orpheum, during the first two weeks of the season only. For further details check out www.orpheum.com.au

Here at Geek of Oz we are proud to support all artistic ventures, so it’s with pleasure we get out our digital bullhorn and tell everyone about Phonic Duo, a Sydney based acoustic duo comprising of singer Sal Jones and guitarist Karl Bowles. Phonic Duo will be playing at Cabana Bar, St Leonards from 530pm on the 2nd and 16th of November. For more information check out www.cabanabar.com.au www.phonicduo.com.au

Ever played a video game and thought this would make a good film? Well Dredd is a case of the opposite; confronting violence, paper-thin characters, atmospheric environments, simple plot points and a truly woeful script make this latest offering by Pete Travis ( Vantage Point ) seem like a first person shooter game masquerading as a movie. Dredd is based upon the UK comic book character of the same name. Employed by the Hall of Justice, he is judge, jury and executioner all wrapped up in an efficient crime-fighting package. The film is set in a not-too-distant but all-too-hackneyed future dystopia where drugs and violence have all but destroyed the fabric of society. Seem familiar? For once, I’d like an action film to depict an imagining of a future which isn’t a dysfunctional and corrupt slum-filled cesspool. It even has the ubiquitous genetic mutation element – the cliché du jour for films of this genre. We first meet Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) in hot pursuit of three armed and...

Since it's release in 2008, Star Wars: The Clone Wars has quickly become a fan favourite among geeks young and old. Often lauded as being the most enjoyable extension of Lucas' franchise, it expands upon a number of storylines that are mentioned in passing in the films or hold particular relevance to a number of main characters. Set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, it fills in a number of blanks and gives relevance to a number of characters that seem important in the films, such as Count Dooku and General Grievous. Executive Producer George Lucas and Lucasfilm Animation present Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™ The Complete Season Four. The battle to save the galaxy reaches new heights of peril and new depths of darkness. The valiant Jedi Knights and clone troopers defend exotic planets from enemy forces. They wage war underwater, battle across a night-shrouded world and take on the merciless Death Watch. Our heroes are tested like never before as Anakin i...

The anime industry has a tendency to take itself far too seriously, especially considering that at the end of the day, we're talking about cartoons. Thankfully, every now and then a series like Thermae Romae comes along and exerts humility through overt silliness and proves what should be blindingly obvious, anime should be fun. In Rome in the year 128 AD, a Roman named Lucius Modestus is having trouble coming up with ideas for architecture. While contemplating in a bathhouse, he discovers a strange drain than sends him to a bathhouse in Modern Japan. While confused by his surroundings, he becomes amazed by some of their innovations, such as fruit flavored milk. Taking these ideas back to Rome, he incorporates these ideas into a new bathhouse to great success. A year later, Lucius is commissioned by a sickly man to build an outdoor bath near Vesuvius. While inspecting a heated well, Lucius is once again sent to modern Japan, this time winding up in a hot spring, wher...

One of the first releases from Australia's newest anime company, Hanabee, is Dream Eater Merry. Based upon a manga series of the same name it is a psychological thrill ride that impresses in so many ways although would have benefited from more straightforward storytelling. "Sometimes daydreaming can get you into trouble, but what do you do when it’s OTHER people’s dreams that you have to watch out for? For the last ten years Yumeji Fujiwara’s life has been getting progressively stranger, beginning with the sudden ability to predict what kind of dreams other people will have! Then, his own dreams take a bizarre turn in which he’s being pursued by armies of cats. Now, the weird-o-meter has just maxed out: Not only has Yumeji learned that the leader of the dream cats needs Yumeji’s body to access the Real World, but a beautiful girl suddenly drops on top of him and announces that she’s a Dream Demon who needs to return to HER world! The fabric that separates reality and fa...

Every now and then an anime series comes along that has all of the hallmarks of greatness. A series that is the epitome of all that is good in anime like unbounded creativity, glorious animation and story lines that befuddle as much as delight. Star Driver... is almost that series. On the southern edge of Japan, the inhabitants of Southern Cross Island lead seemingly normal lives - but far beneath the surface of this quiet island lies an ancient secret that lays dormant until Takuto Tsunashi washes ashore one night... Upon enrolling at Southern Cross Island High School, Takuto and his friends become embroiled in a conflict with a clandestine society to control giant machines, called Cybodies, sealed under the island whose powers are bound by special shrine maidens. What secrets will Takuto dig up, and how will he deal with the obstacles that lie ahead of him? This struggle will threaten to tear apart the entire island!

Sweet mother hubbard, I think I just pee'd a little. After months of speculating whether the remake of Evil Dead would be any good a teaser pops up and scares the poop out of us here at Geek HQ.  After recent disappointments in the field of horror films it appears as though Evil Dead have got it right. This remake of the 1981 cult classic is produced by Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Robert G. Tapert - reuniting the filmmakers of the original Evil Dead series. Written by Sam Raimi and Fede Alvarez. The film stars Jane Levy (Suburgatory), Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas and Australian actress Elizabeth Blackmore. Check out the official Australian teaser after the jump!

To celebrate the release of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse Season 1  we have 3 copies on Blu Ray to give away! As an “Active”, the mysterious Echo (Dushku) serves as an unwitting agent of Dollhouse, an illegal underground organization that provides its elite clientele with programmable human beings. Actives receive personality imprints, allowing them to temporarily become anyone or anything—the perfect burglar, lover, spy, or assassin. Now, with the FBI and her own shadowy past closing in, Echo must face a rogue Active who will stop at nothing to bring Dollhouse down—forever. For all the details on how to win , follow on after the jump!

Brace yourself for an addictive thrill ride! American Horror Story is TV’s most original and frightening new drama; a deeply stylish psychosexual haunt devised to keep you on the edge of your seat.  Receiving rave reviews from critics and sweeping this year’s awards season, with 17 Emmy Nominations, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award win for Jessica Lange’s incredible performance; this is one TV series you should be afraid to miss!  After numerous family hardships, a family of three make the move from Boston to LA in the hope of finding a fresh start. Unfortunately for them, this fresh start includes a new home with a dark past that wreaks havoc on the new owners.  To prepare you for the release of American Horror Story Season 1 on DVD and Blu-ray we’ve prepared a character guide so you know exactly who’s who. Now you just have to find the nerve to watch it! 

Press info on the recently released Terra Nova series just keeps coming and this time we're given an insiders look at Terra Nova's Shannon family and an all new directors diary featurette. It’s the year 2149, and humanity is in the final throes of extinction. Those fortunate enough to escape are allowed to travel back in time 85 million years to an outpost known as Terra Nova. For the Shannon family, it’s a chance to reunite and start over. But once there, they face giant, carnivorous dinosaurs, and mysterious forces conspire to destroy the entire experiment — and everyone involved in it!  With Terra Nova Series 1 on DVD just released (24 October) here’s an introduction to the family who battle against all odds to save not only themselves, but the project from extinction.  Check it all out after the jump.

A veritable flood of new Terra Nova related info is coming to hand with a look at the "Nightfall" episode and, as a special bonus for dinophiles, an insiders look at the dinosaurs of Terra Nova. Terra Nova tells the story of The Shannon Family, who are residents of Earth in a parallel Universe 85 million years in the past. The family aren’t the only residents of the planet though and to celebrate the upcoming release of the series on DVD (out 24 October) here is a guide to some of the Dinosaurs that inhabit the ‘New World.  Get all the info you need to know to survive Terra Nova and a special episode clip after the jump!

Although not due for release until 2013, the latest incarnation of the Naruto Ninja Storm franchise, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, has an all new gameplay trailer and details on what you can expect. Keeping in step with the manga series our eponymous hero, Naruto, will do battle with "The Masked Man" and defend Kanoha from Nine Tails himself.  If you have any idea of what that means, you should have just wet your pants a little. If you don't know just rely on the fact that this is going to be an anime styled action epic based on one of the most successful manga franchises of all time, 'nuff said. Check out further details and a gameplay trailer after the jump!

Just in time for Halloween the good folks at Namco Bandai Partners and Square Enix bring us an all new Sleeping Dogs DLC, Nightmare in Northpoint. Sleeping Dogs is the perfect combination of GTA and Batman Arkham Asylum and just so happens to be one of my absolute favourite games of 2012 so any DLC I is a welcome edition to what will hopefully be an ongoing franchise. Oh yeah, just to creep you out a little bit more, North Point is alleged to be the suicide capital of Hong Kong...

Ben Affleck seems to be honing his craft. Film-by-film, and scene-by-scene, he is becoming a highly effective director. Say what you like about Affleck as an actor, but as an Academy Award winning screenwriter he is also showing that he can comfortably handle the burden of leading man and directing duties. Argo is his latest film, set around the events of the Iranian revolution in 1980, during which six Americans were forced to hide in the Canadian Ambassador’s residence in Iran. Based upon a true story, we follow CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) as he leads an audacious mission to return the six people home. This is a story which was crying out to be made and thankfully it was done with precision, respect and good humour.

No longer a name known only to we geeks, Joss Whedon has come to be something of a household name. So it should come as no surprise that when Joss releases a new TV series, people notice. Set for release tomorrow is his latest foray into the televisual realm, Dollhouse, which reunite Mr Whedon with one of his old Buffy playmates and fan favourites, Eliza Dushku. Check out a making of video for Dollhouse Season One after the Jump! As an “Active”, the mysterious Echo (Dushku) serves as an unwitting agent of Dollhouse, an illegal underground organization that provides its elite clientele with programmable human beings. Actives receive personality imprints, allowing them to temporarily become anyone or anything—the perfect burglar, lover, spy, or assassin. Now, with the FBI and her own shadowy past closing in, Echo must face a rogue Active who will stop at nothing to bring Dollhouse down—forever.

  Dollhouse: The Complete First Season is finally coming to Australia! With the release of Dollhouse Season 1 on Blu-ray and DVD fast approaching (October 24 th ) we thought we’d share all we know about the hit science-fiction series.  So, we’ve compiled a top list of the ‘need-to-know’ facts about Dollhouse Season One. How many do you know already? Check out the list below to find out.

That's right, true believers! The very first trailer for Marvel's upcoming Iron Man 3 has finally arrived. 'nuff said. Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Are you an aspiring filmmaker? Would you like to win some new Sony kit? Would you like to have your work judged by master filmmaker Quentin "Mr Brown" Tarantino?  If you answered yes to ANY of the above questions, you're in luck. Sony Pictures and Sony Electronics are offering the chance of a lifetime. Follow on after the jump for full details!

Due for release on the 3rd of January 2013 is Jack Reacher. Based upon the best selling novels of Lee Child comes the story of a hardened ex-military investigator who is described as being a master strategist, lethal and a tower of a man. Jack Reacher is played by Tom Cruise... From The New York Times bestselling author Lee Child comes one of the most compelling heroes to step from novel to screen—ex-military investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise).When a gunman takes five lives with six shots, all evidence points to the suspect in custody. On interrogation, the suspect offers up a single note: “Get Jack Reacher!” So begins an extraordinary chase for the truth, pitting Jack Reacher against an unexpected enemy, with a skill for violence and a secret to keep. Follow on after the jump for the brand new trailer.

There aren't many horror film franchises that have made quite as much of an impact as Paranormal Activity. Since its initial release in 2007 at a variety of film festivals, it has often been touted to be the scariest series of all time. A fact with which I humbly disagree. While full of startling "BOO!" moments, it has always lacked the overarching creepiness that has a tendency to linger more that outright shock. Set five years after the end of PA3 we are reunited with young Hunter and his aunt, Katie, who was last seen taking the child from the arms of his dead mother. They move into a house across the street from what we are assured is a normal suburban American family before chaos ensues.

Chloë Grace Moretz is quickly becoming my favourite actress. Taking on a great range of roles including the eponymous lead in 2013's Carrie which was so famously portrayed by Sissy Spacek in the 1976 incarnation. Based upon Stephen King's original novel and directed by Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don't Cry), Carrie has more than enough pedigree to become a sleeper hit in 2013. "Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz) is a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore), who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom." Check out the all new teaser after the jump!

Beyond having Steven Spielberg on board as Executive Producer, Terra Nova came and went with little fanfare. Unfortunately for fans of the series, earlier in the year Fox announced that they would not be picking up the series for a second season. A kind of mix between Jurassic Park and Star Trek, Terra Nova managed to enthrall a selection of the geek community. Noted for its big budget effects and action aplenty, it's surprising that Terra Nova didn't manage to captivate the general populace. Beefed up with over 2.5 hours of special features, Terra Nova the Complete Series will be a must have item for fans of the series that found itself extinct all too soon. Check out the DVD details, trailer and full motion comic after the jump!

Savages , the latest film by Oliver Stone, tells the story of Californian drug dealers Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Johnson) as they are planning to retire. Complications arise as a Mexican Cartel led by Elena (Salma Hayek) start to move in on Chon and Ben’s territory, which results in multiple kidnappings, shoot-outs and double crossings. Ultimately, Savages suffers from an inconsistent tone but has a few highlights to draw upon. Savages is the film adaptation of a novel by acclaimed crime author, Don Winslow ( The Power of the Dog, The Winter of Frankie Machine and Dawn Patrol ). I am a huge fan of Winslow’s work; he is able to lace the criminal world with grounded characters which make for more compelling stories. Being a story about drug dealers, it’s already a hard enough task getting the audience to sympathise with its protagonists. Failing to establish the title characters of Ben and Chon exacerbated this problem. Sure, we get a montage introducing their operation ...

It's okay to be excited for Dredd because quite frankly, so are we. After enjoying the absolutely terrible Stallone incarnation, how could we not enjoy Urban rocking the helm? Let's get this straight, what things did Stallone do wrong? Well, for starters you couldn't understand him! "I am COLESLAW!" Thankfully, the brand new Dredd 3D fixes a whole bunch of problems and makes for a particularly badass take on a particularly badass character and as an added bonus, there will be no kissing or removal of the helmet. Geek rant complete and now onto business. Our friends at Icon have supplied us with 5x double passes to Dredd 3D. So, to get your hands on one, fill out the form after the jump for your chance to win! Competition closes at 11:59pm EST on Sunday the 21st of October 2012. Your details will not be used in any way other than for the delivery of your prize. The Geek of Oz and Icon Film Distribution do not take any responsibility for the loss, damage or...

Last month we gave you the chance to win 1 of 5 double passes to Tai Chi Hero but this month, loyal readers, we're giving you the chance to win 1 of 10 double passes!  As told in TAI CHI 0 (opening 27th September 2012), TAI CHI HERO (opening 25th October 2012) and the upcoming final chapter of the trilogy (coming in 2013), this saga tells the story of Yang Luchan, a young genius who, tired of being picked on, travels to Chen Village to learn the art of Tai Chi. Luchan finds out the hard way that it is forbidden for a villager to teach an outsider when the villagers, from strong men to old women to little children, repeatedly challenge him to a series of fights, all of which he loses quite badly. But when a frightening army of steampunk soldiers bearing strange machines shows up, the villagers realise that in order to save their home, they must trust this strange outsider with the ancient and powerful knowledge of Tai Chi. Just follow on after the jump, fill out the require...

We here at Geek Of Oz were excited about Django Unchained before this trailer, in fact we were excited for Tarantino's next film regardless of what it was! So needless to say, after watching this newest trailer... we have no words. "Set in the South two years before the Civil War, Django Unchained stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive. Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South’s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: findin...

News recently broke that the first episode of Arrow, a brand new series featuring DC's Green Arrow, has pulled in the highest ratings on The CW in 3 years.  In a stroke of good luck and timing, Warner Bros Interactive have announced that everybody's favourite archer (Marvel fans excluded), will e a playable character in the upcoming and much anticipated InjusticeL Gods Among Us from the makers of Mortal Kombat. To say that the Geek of Oz crew are excited would be a MASSIVE understatement! Check out the all new gameplay trailer after the jump!

One Piece is the most successful Japanese comic book series of all time. Consider that for a moment. In an industry that sold 503.61 million copies in 2011, One Piece sold close to 260 million copies.  With such overwhelming success undoubtedly comes a plethora of licensing opportunities in virtually every form. Clothing, action figures, games consoles, cafes and full time dedicated gift shops have been emblazoned with Eiichiro Oda's creation.  After the release of more than THIRTY official licensed One Piece games we get One Piece: Pirate Warriors which is developed by Tecmo Koei and published by Namco Bandai.  Taking all of this facts into the consideration, One Piece: Pirate Warriors must be pure win, right?

A frustrating thing about being a film fan is watching a promising film succumb to its various flaws, like watching a car crash in slow motion, leaving it battered and bruised and ultimately unsatisfying. Lawless , the latest offering from John Hillcoat, is based upon the historical novel The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant (grandson of the main protagonists), which tells the story of the Bondurant Brothers who ran a Virginia moonshine operation during the 1930s prohibition era. The Bondurant Brothers, thanks to a few lucky escapes due mostly to rum good luck, are believed by the local county to be unkillable and untouchable. They meet their match, however, when Special Agent Charlie Rakes (Guy Pierce) is sent from Chicago to stop the flow of moonshine. A great narrative premise, and whilst brimming with potential, Lawless could not overcome its awful screenplay and chaotic editing issues. John Hillcoat is a competent director who has the critically acclaimed The Pro...

Anyone who has been following Geek of Oz for a while will no doubt have encountered our gushing reviews of K-On! Season 1 . Well, but on a raincoat because you're in for a drenching. The girls of the Light Music Club are back and they're just as cute as ever. "For two full years, Yui, Mio, Ritsu and Tsumugi have worked together to keep Sakuragaoka Girl's High School's struggling Light Music Club alive, and along the way they've begun to build a reputation as real rock musicians... especially since the previous year's addition of underclassman rhythm guitarist Azusa. But as a new school year begins, there are new and scary challenges ahead.  With four fifths of the club graduating at the end of the year, replacement members have to be recruited. There are college exams to prepare for, colleges to choose, and friends to prepare to say goodbye to. But no matter what happens, they'll have their faculty adviser and secret former death metal g...

Do you remember Tom Cruise before he was jumping on couches and sprouting scientology? Well, the good folks at Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace are giving everyone the opportunity to relive Tom at his underwear-parading best in a screening of Risky Business, together with the John Hughes classic Sixteen Candles, on Sunday the 14th of October as part of the Orpheum's 'I Love Retro' series. Wanna win tickets? Check out all of the details after the jump!

Paranormal Activity 4: Paranormaler was the title I would have gone with, but I digress.  The Paranormal Activity franchise is The Blair Witch Project for a new generation. Filled with scream out-loud moments it has been one of the few horror series of late to shy away from blatant (and cheap) thrills from gore and instead has increased the chill factor through the slow burn approach. Paranormal Activity 4 hits Australian cinemas from the 18th of October 2012. Check out the all new trailer after the jump. PS: children are creepy!

Remember that giddy feeling of sheer excitement that you felt when you first watched the Pirates of the Caribbean trailer? Well, prepare to feel it again. Back in February we reported that Disney's newest franchise, The Lone Ranger, had begun production.  Now, 8 months later, I can official say that we here are eagerly anticipating Gore Verbinski's latest adventure. Check out the all new trailer after the jump!

DC Universe Animated Original Movies are continually great. Each one seems to tackle a well known saga but not many are as well known, or as highly lauded as Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Batman is finished. Many moons ago he hung up his cape and cowl and decided to let the city that he loved look after itself for a while, well that was the plan. Bats quickly learns that Gotham can't help but destroy itself from within. "In the bleak and ominous future of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, it’s been a decade since Bruce Wayne hung up his cape, following most of the other superheroes who had been forced into retirement. Facing the downside of middle age, a restless Bruce Wayne pacifies his frustration with race cars and liquor – but the Bat still beckons as he watches his city fall prey to gangs of barbaric criminals known as The Mutants."

Black★Rock Shooter has one of the strangest origin stories in anime history. Back in December 2007, artist Ryohei "Huke" Fuke posted an image of the eponymous character to his blog and art community Pixiv. This character in turn was the inspiration for a song of the same name by J-Pop group Supercell, who used the Hatsune Miku Vocaloid synthesiser to supply all of the vocals. From their, Supercell and "Huke" collaborated to release a film clip for the song on video sharing site Nico Nico Douga. From this point, BRS found itself portrayed in a single episode OVA, a number of manga releases, as an iPhone game and finally an 8 episode anime series. With such a convoluted origin, it is downright surprising that BRS works as well as it does.