Geek of Oz

Jonathan Hickman has carved quite the name for himself in the world of comica. Where Grant Morrison is associated with psychedelic trips, Mark Millar with high-octane ultra-violence, and Brian Michael Benids with superhero soap operas, Hickman has his reputation firmly planted in his love of high concept science fiction and intricate plots. Seriously, no one does sci-fi quite like Hickman, and the first time I read one his books, the first volume of The Manhattan Projects, it took me a solid week to process what I had just read. He's a skilled writer with a unique voice to say the least, but there is one slight problem, his schtick is starting to wear thin on me. Hickman has such a clear and definitive writing style that often his characters become overpowered by it, reduced to cogs in the overarching plot machine. Don't get me wrong, I love what the man does, but I would just like to see him change it up a little and tell more character driven stories in his creator ow...

Following two exhilarating instalments, The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 serves more as a point of reflection for the franchise, allowing its characters to recover both emotionally and physically, before building to what promises to be an enthralling climax. I can’t say I had as much fun with this film as I did with the preceding ones, but in fairness The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 has to be viewed in the context of the entire story. If this were a ten-part television series then this film would be equivalent to episodes 6, 7 and 8, so one must appreciate the role it has to play in setting up the finale. After all she’s endured, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is suffering from PTSD - understandable given what she’s experienced up to this point. Struggling through nightmares and panic attacks, she is being hoisted up as the symbol for the rebellion against the Capitol, a burden which rest uneasily on her shoulders. The rebellion is being led by District 13 which is ...

Let’s a get ready to RUUMMBLLEEEE!!! In those immortal words of Muhammad Ali “We gonna get it on, cos we don't get along!” . This Saturday PRESS PLA Y is hosting a Super SMASH Bros 64 tournament consisting of 16 teams of 4. The night will also feature music from a selection of popular DJ’s and live art from Heidi Abraham, as well as prizes for best dressed (Cosplay/Retro themed). There will also be gaming consoles for casual gamers to partake in The night will be sponsored by Red Bull, Kwencher Beer, and The Gamesmen, which means that there will be FREE beverages for punters. PRESS PLAY is a retro themed night that combines various forms of live entertainment: Gaming, music, art and fashion into one jam packed night of excitement PRESS PLAY @ SPECTRUM 34 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 2010, NSW Date: 22nd November 2014 Ticket Price: General Admission: $10.00 (GST inc) - Presale & OTD tickets available Times: 7:30 PM – 1:00 AM To order your tickets please v...

Worst. Barber. Ever Assassin's Creed is back and this time it's bringing its A-game exclusively to next/current gen consoles in the form of Assassin's Creed Unity, set during the French Revolution of the late 1700's, you are Arno a young man who overcomes personal adversity only to find himself recruited into a shadowy league of assassin's in their fight to... well... fight. They fight against authority, Templars and various other ragamuffins. The game unfurls and reveals a pseudo-science fiction undercurrent in which a dodgy tech company is doing dodgy things. Sound familiar? Well, it's very much a rehash of what has come previously in the franchise with little offered in terms of gameplay innovation but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Bad things are yet to come.  "Last one there's a rotten croissant!" So as to expedite the review process, perhaps an airing of negatives should be done before progressing any further. This...

I recently watched Napoleon Dynamite for the first time, and was worried that it wasn’t going to live up to the hype. It’s one of those films that whenever I mentioned I hadn't seen it, a chorus would sing out declaring it one of the greats. So it was with great trepidation that I decided to put its reputation to the test … and it was glorious! A delicious blend of quirky characters, exquisitely-timed comedy and tonnes of heart, which is everything I want in a film like this. I’m not surprised that Napoleon Dynamite is held in such high regard since, at its core, it’s a tale about finding your special place in the world where you’re free to just be you. It’s so damn relatable because, in this increasingly social-media-fuelled world, it feels as though those spaces are becoming harder to find. I particularly love how Director Jared Hess (Nacho Libre) took a nondescript location and populated it with such fascinatingly peculiar inhabitants. In a way it reminded me of Baz ...

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar  is a string of expanding propositions, which if you’re onboard you’ll be treated to a fascinating film but if you’re not, then oh boy Houston we have a problem. It will more than likely be one of the years more divisive films, given its heavy reliance on scientific theories and bold choices in the storytelling department. I’m well entrenched in Camp Yay! on this one, but in fairness like most of Nolan’s work, the film has its issues. This isn’t your typical blockbuster fare, in fact you’ll have to do a little work while you’re watching it. It’s more like sitting through a lecture from a really cool teacher who’s spruiking that learning can be fun. Pretty sure this'll be near the top of my best films for the year list. Set in a not-too-distant future the world’s resources are quickly running out. Mankind is forced to explore other galaxies to find planets that may be suitable for colonisation. After receiving a strange message Cooper (Mat...

I'll be the first to admit I'm a lapsed Doctor Who fan. Although I've watched on and off since Christopher Eccleston stepped into the TARDIS back in 2005,  I've  never really stuck with the show for more than a season at a time. And at the risk of being torn apart by a pack of rabid Whovians, Steven Moffat's promotion to head writer didn't really help me stick with the show. But before the Who fans lynch me, I can promise you I went into 'Deep Breath', the first episode starring Peter Capaldi in the iconic role, with an open mind, and I quite like what I saw. 'Deep Breath' is an episode that doesn't save its silver bullets. In the opening sequence alone we are treated to a T-rex pacing up and down the River Thames only to spit out the TARDIS a couple of seconds later. What follows is a delightfully bizarre narrative framed as a sort of murder mystery concerning the murder of the aforementioned time-displaced T-rex. In true Doctor ...