Geek of Oz

For the most part I try to watch films with an open mind and no expectations. But when I first heard that Baz Luhrmann would be directing The Great Gatsby I instantly knew that I wouldn’t enjoy it. I know that sounds narrow-minded but I’ve never warmed to his style of storytelling – like a comedian that I never found funny. I just don’t care for his flashy sequences and manic camera techniques. I found The Great Gatsby to be a bloated, self-indulgent and hollow film.

What do you get when you take the fun and raw energy of a character like Spiderman, remove all of the confusing continuity and throw in a few foul words for good measure? Why, you get "The Bounce #1" from Image Comics of course! It's energetic, dynamic, refreshing and channels a delightful sense of youth. If like me you've been meaning to pick up a Spider-Man book but have been too intimidated by the convoluted past of Peter Parker, then this is the book for you.

Sydney's premiere anime convention, SMASH, has made yet ANOTHER massive announcement for this years con. Following the success of Japan Foundation's Evangelion expo and announcement of Evangelion 3.0 at Madman's REEL ANIME festival, SMASH announce the inclusion of Matsubara Hidenori! UPDATE: SMASH have confirmed that Hidenori-san will be holding art workshops at SMASH! Masakazu Morita , Haruko Momoi and now Matsubara Hidenori? Why isn't August here yet? Full details after the jump.

After giving such a glowing review to Part 1 of Siren Visual's Tiger & Bunny release, it feels great to jump straight on in and review Part 2. Things are really starting to heat up in Sternbild City with Tiger & Bunny both facing off against the alleged killer of Barnaby's parents. This seemingly untouchable NEXT has taken down all who face him and looks to keep the secret of Ouroboros to himself. Will Bunny find out who killed his parents? Will Tiger score a damn point this season? 

Ah, the good old "found footage" sub-genre. It works so well and for one simple reason, it grounds the events in reality and in return scares the bejesus out of me. Enter, SINISTER. In Cinemas May 30, the new frightening supernatural thriller from the producer of the Paranormal Activity films and the director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose, SINISTER stars Ethan Hawke as Elison, a true-crime writer who lacks inspiration and decides to move into a new home with his family. When he discovers a box of disturbing 8mm films in his attic, he watches a series of gruesome crimes and begins to delve further into the story. He soon uncovers a terrifying truth that could put the lives of his family and his own at risk. Check out all of the details after the jump and remember, you can score yourself an extra entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook!

The more information that comes out about Batman: Arkham Origins, the more I want it to be here now! Unfortunately the all new trailer doesn't show any gameplay but what it does show is that the team in charge of the game has a knack for story telling. However, we do have a couple of screenshots that look as though they're from gameplay. More than just an awesome CGI clip, it shows a Batman who hasn't yet become as grizzled and surly as he was in the most recent games. It also shows a Batman who, while still kicking all sorts of butt, isn't quite as masterful as he will become. It also shows that a CGI film needs to be made, now! Check out the full trailer and details on preorder bonuses after the jump!

Confession time, I'm not a fan of cricket. That said, I will watch absolutely anything that Stephen Curry is involved in.  The good folks at Madman films have confirmed that SAVE YOUR LEGS will be released on DVD, Blu Ray and digitally Australia wide on 17 July 2013. Full details below.

Tiger & Bunny sure took its time getting to our fair shores but was the wait worth it? Hell yes. I'd had my eyes on this series since it first hit streaming services and it always struck me as being an odd blend of American superheroes and Japanese animation. For once in my life, I was totally right. Welcome to Sternbild City circa NC 1978. The city is home to millions of everyday folks and a handful of super powered individuals known as "NEXT". Of course, wherever there's superheroes, there will be supervillains. Each of these superheroes is sponsored by real-life corporations including Pepsi, Softbank and Bandai while they take part in a show called "Hero TV". Each hero is awarded points for their heroic deeds, all in the hopes of being named this seasons "King of the Heroes".

Thanks to our friends at Paramount Pictures Australia, we're giving our readers the chance of a lifetime! We're giving 10 lucky Geek of Oz readers the chance to win a double pass to the Australian premiere of the upcoming zombie blockbuster, WORLD WAR Z. But things just get better, Paramount have confirmed that director Marc Forster and Brad Pitt will be walking the red carpet in Sydney at the Australian premiere. See Brad Pitt walk the red carpet in Sydney on June 9th at the Australian Premiere of World War Z. For all the latest World War Z Australian Premiere information follow @ParamountAU on Twitter .

Way back in July 2012, I attended the Sydney Manga and Anime Show (SMASH) and reported on Hanabee's very first acquisition panel. At that time they announced titles Toradora, Dream Eater Merry and Red vs Blue before taking some questions from the audience. It was at this time that I asked Hanabee President, Eric Cherry, whether they would be pursuing Kids on the Slope. After umming and ahhing he finally said something to the effect of "I'd love to, it's a really great series and one that we'd be interested in releasing". In no way am I insinuating that I had anything to do with this decision but instead am of the belief that Hanabee were well and truly on the case even back in July. Thank goodness for that.

Siren Visual have announced via their Facebook page that they will be releasing Naoki Urasawa's (20th Century Boys) MONSTER in 5 volumes starting from November.  Set in Düsseldorf, Germany; MONSTER is the story of a Japanese brain surgeon who chooses to save the life of a young boy over the life of the city mayor. Bizarre serial murder follows. Siren have confirmed that the release will feature both Japanese and English dubs as well as English subtitles.  This fan favourite psychological thriller will see all 72 episodes released on DVD but not Blu Ray. Siren have explained that this is purely due to the fact that no HD masters exist as yet.  Stay tuned as we confirm further details as they come to hand. For further detail on the series, head on over to  http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3750

Calling all children of the 80s! Your services are required this Sunday at the Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne as the I ♥ Retro series continues with the 1984 classic The NeverEnding Story. Tickets are only $10 and there is a give away for best dressed. So dust off that Atreyu outfit, grab your rock biting and Falkor riding buddies and come down for the show. Hayden Orpheum, 380 Military Road, Cremorne http://www.orpheum.com.au .

The Call could be easily be mistaken for a straight-to-DVD late 90s film due to its generic look and feel. After perusing director Brad Anderson’s ( The Machinist ) filmography I wasn’t surprised to see that the majority of his work has been in the wonderful world of television. His latest effort feels like an extended episode of a nondescript police television show. Halle Berry stars as veteran 911 Operator Jordan Turner who is forced to face her demons as a call goes horribly wrong when a young girl is kidnapped by a potential serial killer. By no means a perfect film, The Call delivers enough thrills and takes enough chances to warrant a watch. 

Robotech is responsible for introducing many an anime to Japanese pop culture. Unlike many other adapted series of the time, Harmony Gold and writer Carl Macek openly promoted the show as being of Japanese origin.  The series featured some rather progressive topics for its time as well as design elements that were much more detailed and intricate than others at the time. Thanks to our pals at Beyond Home Entertainment , we managed to chat with Associate Producer Steve Yun about Love Live Alive and Robotech in general.

Released a couple of weeks ago now, Iron Man: Rise of Technovore is the latest anime collaboration between Marvel and Madhouse. If any characters would benefit from the incredible mech design sensibilities that Madhouse has to offer, it'd be Iron Man and War Machine. Follow on after the jump for a look at the very cool design of Iron Man's offensive offsider in a special behind the scenes featurette.

Japanese film director Takashi Miike is really something else. He creates films like no one else on Earth and this is no doubt in part due to the sheer volume of work. Perhaps his skill is a direct result of what Malcolm Gladwell described in Outliers as the "10,000 hour rule".  One particularly pleasing aspect of Miike's career is the sheer diversity of his portfolio. From the disturbing and overtly violent Ichi the Killer to the colourful, delightful and child-friendly Ninja Kids , Miike has shown that he is a master filmmaker regardless of genre. Enter Ace Attorney.

I think we've already been through this but... I'm ridiculously excited for the release of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. Having missed it upon initial release, Square Enix' announcement of the Australian release is welcome news as are the details for a Limited Edition Art Book release! This truly looks like a special game which anime, Disney and Square Enix fans would love.  So, for details of the Australian release and the low down on the Limited Edition Art Book release, follow on after the jump.

DC Universe Animated Original Movies are fantastic. This may sound like blanket statement and frankly, it is. Sure some of their movies have been better than others but overall they make a bloody good film! The latest of which is SUPERMAN: UNBOUND. Based on Geoff Johns' Superman: Brainiac, UNBOUND pits the Man of Steel against an all but unstoppable force. Follow on after the jump for more details, a look at the trailer and the low down on the awesome special features on the Blu Ray release!

Thanks to our pals at Hanabee, we have a BEVVY of their May titles to giveaway! If you're lucky enough, you could get your hands on one of the following DVD collections: Hakuoki: A Memory of Flowers Kids on the Slope Nisemonogatari Part 1 All three of these titles are incredible for their own reasons. Hakuoki is a gorgeous example of the chanbarra genre and brings with it an aesthetic and sensibility that is sure to make you smile. Aside from being a brilliant and thrilling supernatural romp, Nisemonogatari is beautifully presented in its very own art book. Finally, Kids on the Slope. Every single thing about this series is beautiful, the story, the visuals and the music... ESPECIALLY the music! All you have to do is follow on after the jump and fill out the form and you're in with a chance to win one of these titles which will be chosen at random! Don't forget, you can score yourself an extra entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking...

Thanks to our friends at Beyond Home Entertainment, the people responsible for Australia's awesome Poké-releases, we have 5 copies of Pokemon Movie 14: Black & White Double Pack to give away on DVD. A Hero Must Choose: The Power of Ideals…or the Courage of Truth? When Ash wins the annual battle competition in Eindoak Town with the help of the Mythical Pokémon Victini, he and his friends Iris and Cilan begin an exciting adventure that could follow two different paths—but you can follow both of them! In Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom, Ash must make different choices if he is to earn the help of Reshiram—or Zekrom —to rescue Victini from the clutches of the misguided Damon and save Eindoak Town from disaster! It’s twice the Pokémon adventure! - Beyond All you have to do is follow on after the jump and fill out the form and you're in with a chance to win! Don't forget, you can score yourself an extra ...

May might very well be the best month to be a Japanophile. Not only does it see the Evangelion Art Exhibition reach Sydney and Melbourne after the Gold Coast, but we also have a whole swag of incredible Japanese cinema in stores now.

Those in the know would be aware that the prequel series, Enterprise, was known solely as Enterprise until season 3 in an attempt to somewhat distance itself from the franchise. This series was supposed to be a prequel to all that had come before it albeit one that would be accessible to an all new audience. Unfortunately, in attempting to be all things to all people, Enterprise season 1 is somewhat of a technical failure. That said, it's a failure that I thoroughly enjoyed under the pretence of being a life-long Star Trek fan. While nowhere near as successful as JJ Abrams reboot, Enterprise was a great introduction to Star Trek from it's very beginnings.

Gosling and Cooper deliver spellbinding performances as their lives intertwine in this dramatic powerhouse of love, death, crime and punishment. There is no simple way to explain this film. It is part love story, part thriller, part action and all drama. There is not a single weak performance from the entire cast and Cianfrance’s direction and script are superb in their ability to be astounding and understated in equal measures, an achievement unto itself. In a movie that could easily be made into two separate films, Cianfrance has been able to seamlessly tie the two parts together with great effect leaving the audience full to the brim. This is not a happy movie, I’ve just gotta say that. There are times when I was cringing to the edge of my seat; I just wanted it to end but the ability of all the actors to convey their emotions without overacting was a beautiful thing and it kept me interested and engaged throughout, that and an intriguing story.

From what I can gather, American students see spring break as an opportunity to ditch their text books, morals and clothing and hit the nearest beach, basically converting it into Sodom and/or Gomorrah.   Spring break is so popular that it’s spawned an entire industry of film makers following drunken almost-women around as they debase themselves. Spring Breakers , the latest film by provocateur Harmony Korine ( Trash Humpers, Gummo ), follows four friends who risk everything just to join the party, but ultimately each getting far more than they bargained for. Korine skewers the spring break dream with a bitingly cynical look at a generation of lost souls all searching for their meaningless fifteen minutes of fame. 

In only 5 days time, Japan Foundation Sydney are bringing the highly acclaimed Evangelion Art Exhibition to Sydney. In what is yet another boon for the Sydney anime scene, Japan Foundation and SMASH! have announced a very special guest at this years show. The voice of Ichigo from the smash hit Bleach and Barnaby Brooks Jr from Tiger & Bunny, Masakazu Morita is a certified superstar. Having previously visited Australia for the Gold Coast Film Festival, Morita returns to our fair shores but this time exclusively thanks to Japan Foundation and the Sydney Manga and Anime Show!

Image Comics have always excelled at two things: bringing astounding new talent to the attention of readers and giving well established talent a place to truly cut loose and experiment. Jupiter's Legacy #1 is a wonderful example of the latter. Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, although both well established creators in their own right, team up to bring forth a book which is nothing short of a fully realised alternative superhero comic. Before I go any further, I should probably 'fess up to being a raging Mark Millar fanboy. I pretend to want intelligent, thought provoking and conceptually mature comics but at the end of the day all I really want to see is two jerks in capes beating the living snot out of each other and Mr. Millar is all too obliging. Make no mistake, Jupiter's Legacy is nothing more (or less) than a tale of sex, drugs and superpowers.

For something a little different, Stu and I thought that we would share our views on Star Trek Into Darkness on audio! That's right, give your eyes a rest and listen in as I (a lifelong Trekkie) and Stu (not) compare notes on JJ Abrams latest foray into the United Federation of Planets. WE'RE THE ORIGINAL ODD COUPLE! As an extra special treat, we've added a clip of our interview with JJ Abrams on his recent visit to Sydney. Check out our review after the jump!

Battle Arena Melbourne turns 5 this May and what a birthday celebration it's looking to be. In what will undoubtedly be their biggest year yet, CouchWarriors have organised a veritable bevy of events including exhibitions, special events, live entertainment and, of course, THE EVER PRESENT BATTLE FOR GLORY!

Warner Bros and NetherRealm have announced their very first DLC character and it's none other than the chain smoking, chain wielding, Czarnian bounty hunter - Lobo. A fan favourite character, Lobo looks to be bringing some serious attitude to the game that we called a "tonne of fun" . While the cost of this litte gem is not yet known, Warner Bros have released a gameplay trailer and the dreadlocked fraggin' bastich has never looked better.