Geek of Oz

Thanks to our pals at Roadshow Australia, we've got 3 copies of Doctor Who: The Complete Seventh Series on DVD! Matt Smith returns as the Eleventh Doctor in this big, blockbuster-movie style series! Series Seven chronicles the last days of the Ponds, with Amy and Rory joining the Doctor to investigate the Dalek Asylum, a spaceship full of dinosaurs, a Wild West cyborg, a slow invasion of Earth and a final showdown with the Weeping Angels. The Doctor then retreats to Victorian London for Christmas, until his sense of adventure is reignited, leading him on a hunt for the twice-lost 'Impossible Girl' called Clara Oswald. The riddle of the Impossible Girl and the Doctor's oldest secret both threaten to be revealed as the world's longest running science fiction series builds toward its explosive 50th anniversary. The Complete Series Seven boxed set includes over four hours of bonus content! So, to get your hands on a copy, all you have to do is fill ou

Both Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City were released to great fanfare upon their release in 2009 and 2011 respectively. The third in the series, Batman: Arkham Origins, has seen one major change in the franchise with the baton being passed from initial developers Rocksteady, to WB Games Montreal. While the developer may have changed, just about everything else has stayed the same. In Arkham Origins, Batman has been wearing the cape and cowl for a meagre 2 years. Still somewhat of a greenhorn, he is yet to encounter many of the characters who will eventually become staples of the Bat's rogues gallery. Essentially, Arkham Origins is your run of the mill prequel.

Machete Kills is a poor film by a director who has seemingly lost the once promising touch he had. Even now I'm still debating whether or not I should even bother with this review. Perhaps I should put in as much effort as the filmmaker did, although if that were the case I'd be allowed to finish right here...but I need to write about this for my sake, to see if I can work through why I was utterly repulsed by this film. So please indulge me as I go over the wreckage of this horrific excuse for a film.

Having recently scored COWBOY BEBOP a 10 out of 10 , we here at Geek of Oz are over the moon that Madman will be streaming SPACE DANDY at the same time as it airs in Japan. This is incredible news for fans of Shinichiro Watanabe but to make it an even better deal, it'll be FREE! Check out the full press release and teaser trailer after the jump.

Just like any farer of the turbulent oceans of the internet, I too have a tendency to be a sizable cynic. However, this Ubisoft promotion (yes, I realise it is still promotion) has warmed the cockles of my heart. Across the 3 days of EB Expo, Ubisoft Australia commissioned artist Gary Donnellan to create a massive painting based on the upcoming Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Now that the painting is done and dusted it's being hocked off for charity on eBay with all proceeds going to the Starlight Children's Foundation. 

Just when you thought that the Japanese Film Festival couldn't get any bigger or better, The Japan Foundation Sydney have announced FOUR superstar guests who will be attending this years festival in Sydney and Melbourne.

Gatchaman is a mildly entertaining superhero film which sadly lacks the must-see moments to warrant a viewing. The production design is best summed as an unhappy marriage between low-budget practical and computer-generated effects, resulting in a film that is all too often reminiscent of an episode of Power Rangers .

I’ve always loved films which are set upon the high seas. There’s an ever-present danger and unpredictability to the ocean which adds weight to the drama and reminds us of how small we are in comparison to the vast foreboding landscape. With that in mind, Captain Phillips is a perfectly-executed tension-filled tort hostage film. Directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum) the film is based upon the 2008 kidnapping of American Captain Richard Phillips by Somali Pirates. I was concerned that knowing the outcome of the story would have an adverse effect on my experience; however it seemed to raise the stakes for me. The film superbly blends elements of heist, hostage and action films with a bleak cynical look at world economics.

You won't find any ninja, robots, explosions, gunfights or even fan service Chihayafuru and that's part of the reason that it is such an endearing series.  Based on the manga series of the same name by Yuki Suetsugu, Chihayafuru is a story of dedication, friendship and an oddly riveting card game called karuta. Karuta is a game of both speed, knowledge and language. Players face off against each other while listening to Japanese waka poems and try to grab the card corresponding to the poem being recited. Frankly, even that description is deathly boring and yet at no point during Chihayafuru will you find yourself catching some Z's.

One of the true blockbusters at this years Japanese Film Festival, Gatchaman is the superhero embodiment of a childhood dream: Battle of the Planets on the big screen. Full of action, adventure and kick arse costumes, Gatchaman is a must see film at this years festival and we're giving away double passes! Just remember that these tickets are only available for the sessions outlined HERE. All you have to do is fill out the form below and you're in the running to win a double pass thanks to the Japan Foundation Sydney ! Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook!

With the dramatic sensibilities of a great zombie film, Shield of Straw replaces shambling corpses with every day people who are equally as driven by the almighty dollar as they are by justice. Kunihide Kiyomaru, a cold blooded pedophile and murderer, who finds himself in everyone's crosshairs when the victims Grandfather places a 1 billion dollar bounty on the criminals head. Charged with his safety and delivery to Tokyo for due process, Tokyo's finest police officers are assigned to the case and in protecting his life put their own on the line.  This is Japanese cinema on a Hollywood scale and proof that superstar director Takashi Miike (Audition, Ninja Kids!!! ) can do no wrong.

Ok geekers, here's the thing; There's not going to be much I can tell you that will make you want to see this movie if you haven't already made up your mind. If you see the phrase "from the makers of Notting Hill and Love Actually " and think to yourself, "I'd rather watch The Matrix for the 100th time." then go and watch The Matrix and save yourself from About Time . If by any chance you're one of those with a penchant for a flick with a dash of British wit and a pretty American starlet doing her best to down play her beauty then this is the movie for you.

Library Wars is one of the most enjoyable films I’ve watched this year. It uniquely blends political espionage, warfare and romantic comedy into a touching and entertaining film. Library Wars instantly sets up a believable world and completely fleshes it out. Set in a not-too-distant-future dystopian Japan, the government has passed new laws in order to censor any books it deems “immoral”. Agents of the Betterment Act are charged with tracking down and destroying all questionable material. In response to this, the Library Defence Force was formed to protect creativity and free expression. 

Every now and again a series comes along that blows everything out the water, combining elements from various genres into one outstanding, well-rounded, and polished series. Cowboy Bebop is that series. This fan favourite anime series is considered one of the greatest ever created and now, 15 years later, this timeless classic is available in high definition Blu Ray.

Prisoners is a dark and suspenseful police procedural which explores every parent’s worst fear: the kidnapping of their children. The scariest film villain is the plausible real-life monster who dwells amongst our communities; the shadowy figure lurking near play equipment or spying from behind drawn curtains. The question Prisoners asks is, how far as a parent would you go when faced with acts of evil. 

Just when you thought the Japanese Film Festival couldn't get any bigger, the Japan Foundation Sydney have announced that Western Sydney Wanderer's star Shinji Ono is the festival's official Cultural Ambassador. Full details after the jump.

It's a great time to be a Doctor Who fan, or Whovian if you will. Not only is the Complete Seventh Series about to reach store shelves but we're celebrating 50 incredible years with BBC's flagship sci-fi franchise. Whether you're a Pertweee, Tennant or Smith fan (FYI, Baker for me) one thing is constant: The TARDIS.  To celebrate the release of Doctor Who: The Complete Seventh Series on DVD and Blu Ray, the TARDIS will be visiting The Galeries in Sydney. More details after the jump.

Thanks to our friends at Roadshow, we've got 5 copies of IN THE FLESH series 1 on DVD to give away! Taking place in a world after ‘The Rising’ (the Zombie apocalypse), where for the first time, there is a cure for zombiism, or as it’s known by the new politically correct term - PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome), PDS sufferers must try and reintegrate into society. But with dark forces working against them, namely the Human Volunteer Force, things aren’t so easy for the formerly undead, particularly for teenager Kieren (break out star Luke Newberry), who is about to return to his home town to try and start his life again. Deeply psychological, emotionally powerful, cool and cutting edge, IN THE FLESH is a unique mash of genres and a darkly funny new take on the Zombie phenomenon. IN THE FLESH is available on DVD from October 16th. All you have to do is fill out the form below and you're in the running! Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just

Available now on Blu Ray and DVD, The Guillotines 3D is the latest action blockbuster from superstar Andy Lau and thanks to our friends at Icon we've got 3x copies of The Guillotines on 3D Blu Ray to give away! Arguably history's first SWAT team, this covert assassination squad of the emperor was composed of young street thugs who had been killing for food and survival since they were kids. Trained to use the Flying Guillotines, the deadliest weapon ever invented, they competed with one another to be the best killer. Merciless and arrogant, they live life in the fast lane, until one day it was revealed they've been killing the wrong people for the wrong side. As they were ambushed by another team of killers, and the hunters became the hunted, they were forced to kill for their survival again or faced imminent annihilation - Icon All you have to do is fill out the form below and you're in the running! Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry ju

The God of Ramen is a touching, heart-felt documentary about one mans' desire to serve people his deceptively simple ramen. Whist glaringly unpolished, the human story in the piece is so enveloping that the result is a compelling, if bittersweet, film that should definitely be seen. For over forty years, Kazuo Yamagishi has served thousands of queuing fans his signature ramen dish. This isn't the upmarket end of Japanese cuisine; it's basic but superbly executed rustic-style fare that captures his diners’ adoration and devotion. The film focuses upon the twilight of Yamagishi’s career as he is struggling with health issues and coming to terms with the modern world starting to leave him behind.

Positively dripping with old-school retro appeal, Dragon’s Crown  (ドラゴンズクラウン)  from developer Vanillaware and publisher Atlus is a throwback to the glory days of 8 and 16 bit side scrolling beat em’ups like Double Dragon, Streets of Rage and, of course, Golden Axe. Bucking the market wide trend of 3D graphics, Vanillaware have instead opted for 2D, hand painted imagery with naturalised movement implemented through a process which looks like sophisticated Flash animation. In short, it looks like moving pictures. This somewhat lo-fi approach to the game makes for an original experience which is both completely fresh and yet delightfully archaic. For some reason, it’s exactly how I remember Golden Axe. I don’t remember it being as pixelated as it actually was. In my rose coloured memory, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage (including subsequent sequels) were every bit as fluid and vibrant as Dragon’s Crown. This in itself makes this beat em’ up all the more enjoyable.

One of my favourite things about reading comics is constantly being surprised by all the truly unique and talented creators that work in the medium. Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder are two such creators. Their new Image Comics series, Rocket Girl, didn't blow my mind nor did it render me unconscious from awesome. It did, however, leave me with a big fat smile on my face. Rocket Girl #1 is charming, pretty, a tiny bit cliche but mainly a whole bunch of fun as Montclare and Reeder begin to extract as much as they can from the premise of a 15 year old girl fighting crime with a jet pack. 

Available today through retail outlets and on the Playstation Network, Dragon's Crown is a fantastical, fun filled game which throws back to some of the most memorable games of my generation such as Golden Axe. That said, I don't remember Golden Axe being this epic nor as saucy. Follow on for an outline of all of the standout features of Dragon's Crown as well as a look at the character designs.  Don't forget to check back in the next few days for our review of this neo-retro beat em up! 

Oh. My. Word! Square Enix have made some beautiful looking games in the past and Drakengard 3 is no exception. Set for digital release in English on PS3 next year, Drakengard 3 serves as a prequel to the original game and looks like it's bring all of its dragony goodness with it. From the screenshots and trailer that we've seen, 2014 can't come around soon enough. If your appetite has been sufficiently whetted, you could always up and relocate to Japan where it sees release this month. Follow on after the jump for further details and a gorgeous trailer.

The widely praised stealth murdery Dishonored is now available with every official add-on in  Dishonored: Game of the Year Edition for PC, 360 and PS3. The game that IGN labelled AMAZING and MEMORABLE has spawned a number of add-ons including the Dunwall City Trials, Brigmore Witches, Void Walkers Arsenal and The Knife of Dunwall, all of which are included in one tidy little package which is available from today across Australia. More detail after the jump.

At this years EB Expo in Sydney, the Warner Bros Games pavilion was chockablock with goodies and punters lapping it up. From the terrifying Dying Light and post-apocalyptic Mad Max to the delightful and family friendly Lego Marvel Superheroes and Scribblenauts Unlimited, WB has something for everyone ESPECIALLY if you're a Batman fan. With the imminent launch of WB Games Batman: Arkham Origins, we had the chance to chat with WB Games Creative Director, Eric Holmes. A big thanks go to the fine folks at WB Games for organising the interview.

One thing that immediately strikes you upon walking into EB Expo is the massive scale of everything that's on offer. Every one of the booths stretches just as far high as they do wide and many were sporting Ferrari's,  Lexus' and even V8 Supercars. Don't forget to click to enlarge each of the images. Surely these pictures won't do the event justice but may assist in giving an idea of just how awesome an event it is. The professionalism (money) that went into this even really made it feel like a car show for geeks. One of the coolest things about the event was the amount of families in attendance with separate areas for kids activities and something for the younger punters. EB Expo is without a doubt the biggest, best and most professional Expo I've ever been to. Can't wait for next year!

The 2 storey Playstation arena was well lit with the company's trademark azure hue while a bumper crowd lined up to get their first look and feel of the upcoming next gen console, PS4. Sporting rows and rows of playable PS Vita games and a gorgeous Lexus LXA promoting Gran Turismo, the Sony booth was a buzz. Of all the games on display the one I was most interested in playing was Killzone: Shadow Fall and luckily for me, I got my shot. The very first impression from Killzone: Shadow Fall wasn't actually an impression of the game at all but of the controller. The PS4 controller feels to be around the same weight as the current Dualshock controller but feels much more sturdy and almost completely solid. The handgrips are sturdy and fit perfectly in the hand. The minimalist design of the controller almost makes it appear more iconic, instead of relying on typology to let you know that it's a Sony, the now classic square, circle, triangle and X tell you that it just is.

Of all the exhibitions at this years EB EXPO, none were as loud, brash or generally as busy as EA's Battlefield 4. Guarded by a life size tanks, military cosplayers and EA Australia's own Jiggsy wielding a t-shirt cannon, the Battlefield 4 compound was consistently swamped with punters eager to get their hands on the incredibly popular first person shooter. 

I was privileged enough to attend the opening night of this year's Graphic festival - a weekend celebrating comics, animation & music which is held at the Sydney Opera House from Friday 4th of October till Monday the 7th of October. Running since 2010, Graphic has garnered a reputation worldwide for presenting unique and exciting performances, talks, and workshops involving some of the best creative minds in the world. This year is no exception. The opening event of Graphic 2013 was 'Robot Chicken Live'. Co-Creators Seth Green & Matt Senreich brought along some of their friends involved in the show (Tom Root, John Harvatine IV, Eric Towner & Doug Goldstein) to host a Q&A panel about the series. First up was a best of series of questions that were submitted by Madman entertainment from fans that emailed in. This was followed by the panel explaining their favourite clips from series & showing on the big screen. These are listed below:

As a thank you to all of our supporters for getting us to 1,000 followers on Twitter , we're having our biggest anime giveaway EVER and there will be only 2 winners! That's right, only 2 winners so you could be walking away with an INSTANT anime collection thanks to anime powerhouse, Madman.  All you have to do is fill out the form below and you're in the running to score an instant anime collection on Blu Ray or DVD! Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook!  So, what's in the haul, you ask? Well, follow on after the jump to find out.

Screening as a double bill with Ghost in the Shell: Arise is Makoto Shinkai's utterly delightful The Garden of Words. Weighing in at a very lean 46 minutes, The Garden of Words packs a real punch in a tiny package. One day when on his way to school budding shoe designer, 15 year old Takao Akizuki, makes an executive decision. He decides to skip school each and every rainy day to sketch designs and soak in the scenery of one of Tokyo's most beautiful parks, Shinjuku Gyoen. During his first visits he encounters Yukari Yukino, a beautiful business woman who sits, wordless, drinking beer and eating chocolate. The Garden of Words is their story.

  Gravity, the latest film by visionary director Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Muma Tambien and Children of Men), is a thrilling story of the determination of the human spirit. Let me warn you: while not perfect, there are aspects of this film that I intend to gush over; in particular the special effects, which are close to immaculate. I’m stilling trying to work out how they actually made this film – is it green screen? Perhaps models or miniatures? Or maybe they just swiped some gear from NASA and filmed on location 600 hundred kilometres above the earth. Either way, the effects are ground-breaking and undoubtedly benchmark-setting. With strong performances and moments of sheer terror, Gravity is everything I want from a highly-crafted space thriller.

Although Ghost in the Shell: Arise isn't actually a film, it sure is a welcome addition to Madman's line up at this year's REEL ANIME film festival. Part 1 of a 4 part OVA series, Ghost in the Shell: Arise is a prequel of sorts, if not a re-imagining. Beginning before Motoko Kusanagi joined Section 9, in fact before Section 9's inception, Arise is a fresh take on the much loved franchise which is all based upon Masamune Shirow's legendary manga series. The original Ghost in the Shell film served as many peoples introduction to anime. It was a time of transition during which those of us who grew up watching Yamato, Robotech and Captain Harlock suddenly had our horizons opened with the release of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell and  *ahem* Urotsukidoji. One of the most enduring of the bunch has been Ghost in the Shell and this, a proper introductory release, is a welcome addition to the already well established New Port City.

If sex sells and crime pays I can only assume Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky are gonna be rolling in revenue from their new Image series, Sex Criminals. This bold storytelling endeavour takes on a genre seldom attempted in comics - the sex comedy. Usually reserved for the silver screen, sex comedies thrive on the comedic chemistry between actors and awkward timings, things that you just can't capture on the static comic book page. That, however, doesn't stop Sex Criminals #1 from being a hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt addition to the genre. Sex Criminals follows Suzie and John, two book loving twenty-something-year-olds who both share the ability to stop time when they have sex. So what do they choose to do with their bizarre ability? Rob banks of course! I'll be the first to admit that it's a somewhat precarious premise but where others would fail Fraction and Zdarsky make it work.