Saturday, December 31, 2016

Best Movies of 2016


BEST hyped film of 2016 - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

BEST jump out of the seat film - Don't Breathe / The Shallows (two way tie)

BEST Teen drama/coming of age/comedy blah - Hunt for the Wilderpeople

BEST film of 2016 - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

BEST small film - Room

BEST 3D movie - Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (4D)

BEST Aussie Movie - Goldstone

BEST Music film - Sing Street

BEST controversial film of 2016 - NA, 2016 was way straight. The only thing controversial was TRUMP!

BEST Drama - The Girl on the Train / Nocturnal Animals (two way tie)

Friday, December 30, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016


Another Boxing Day film as we head into New Years Day film releases, it's time to check out ALLIED



I gave Hacksaw Ridge a miss this year due to faitgue on war films so I find myself interested in why I choose Allied over La La Land last night. Oh yeah that's right musicals generally suck asshole on the big screen.

Other films aside Allied has it's moments and clocking in at just over 2 hours it has time for "moments".

Brad Pitt is dashing as always (even at 53 there would be no kicking him outta bed) and Marion Cotillard is a total glamour puss.

The film looks a million bucks and there is one action scene that is off the chart but other than that the film does drag in the middle as the plot ever so slowly unfolds. If you had watched the trailer you know whats coming and when it finally does come it's the whole is she, or isn't she?

Rogue One and the Star Wars reboots have effectively killed the big blockbuster film, nothing WOW arrives on Boxing Day as Rogue One is still slaying at the box office for at least another month.

Even the kids movies (Trolls and Sing) seem a little lacklustre. Indian film Dangal always seems to have lines before I enter my selected session and I am not sure the US hype has been replicated in Australian for Moana. Even poor old Red Dog sessions seem to be shrinking quicker than the Australian film industry.

Other than my above observations at the cinema this (Allied) isn't a bad film but it isn't great either, it's a 3 Star film at best and as much as I was slightly swept away when I left the cinema, all was forgotten come the morning.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016


I wanted to ask James Franco WHY HIM? In starring in this rather average Boxing Day comedy release.



Why Him? Isn't bad in a sense it's just come after a long line (or two movies in close secession) films about the holidays that throw in a few fucks and a few dirty jokes. See Bad Santa 2 and Office Christmas Party.

So forgive me if I read this film wrong.

James Franco is hot (nice abs in the above screen grab) and always worth watching on screen and Megan Mullally whilst stealing a lot of scenes also has this expression on "Why in the wide world of fuck did I sign up for this?".

I didn't love the female lead Zoey Deutch which also didn't help it's cause with her and James Franco just not looking right together. Maybe I am too excited for Franco's next film I am Michael?

Okay so lets break it down for easy Summer reading, do you want an easy to consume comedy? Yes, well this is for you. Do you want something equally as funny as Bridesmaids with a killer cast, maybe watch something else on Netflix, like the Sense8 Christmas special, yay for Christmas specials that don't suck old uncle Jack's hairy balls.

So Why Him? It's not the greatest Summer release (i.e. It ain't no Rogue One) I give this a pass 2.5 Stars.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Star Season 1.


The follow up series to Fox's most successful drama (at present, we looked at the least successful Scream Queens last week) Empire, Lee Daniels returns with STAR.



Star did well after the recent mid season finale for Empire being watched by close to 7 million viewers and showcasing some great new and existing talent.

The cast is varied and between newcomer Jude DeMorest (as the lead) and Queen Latifah this show is going to have wide appeal. Not only that but Daniels again covers race, sexuality and gender heavily and does not shy away from the Black Lives Matter movement.

Benjamin Bratt is also a great find in the cast alongside Rock n Roll legend Lenny Kravitz. Naomi Campbell is also cast to star in an upcoming episode and no doubt like Empire Star will have a number of sensational musical guests. I would also love to see a crossover between Empire and Star, maybe down the line?

So at this time of the year I already raised alarm Australian networks just rest on their laurels, hope the Australian public are brain dead enough to watch a day and a bit water race from Sydney to Hobart or a paint drying episode of a dying five day cricket test match or they could be savvy enough to be into this new hit drama. Or Homeland is apparently popping up online early to showcase it's first episode ahead of New Years. I am 100% moist at the thought of Homeland returning.

Back to Star after a paragraph post Christmas rant and honestly the musical sequences in this show are like the ones that used to make Empire. I was 100% into the first episode and almost lost my shit during the trailer for coming this season on Star.

I see a bright (pardon the dodgy dad pun there) for this show, it was a slower start than Empire had although I think a younger more edgy cast and the Atlanta setting makes this show DOPE.

It's no Donald Glover Atlanta edgy but the shows are catchy and I genuinely like the three girls. Star is officially your next show to get hooked on.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Shooter Season 1.


Ryan Phillippe returns to TV after his lead role in the US Secrets & Lies. That was an Australian show remade in the US and lasted longer than it's original Australian outing.

Phillippe was outstanding alongside Rose Byrne and Glenn Close in Damages back in 2012, now he takes on a role made famous by Mark Wahlberg in the 2007 film of the same name. Yes I thought the film was average when I watched it back in the middle of the year but Phillippe since being a stud muffin in the I Know What You Did Last Summer film reminds me of High School days.

He has aged exceptionally well if not better looking now than in his Cruel Intentions past.

Phillippe was a massive star back in the late 90's and showed us he could disco too in 54. What a sex symbol.

Shooter is nothing original, it's another cat and mouse action drama but it's done well and being renewed early for a second season this is perfect Australian Summer viewing. When the Australian networks are resting there talent (or lack thereof) the US networks and Netflix are bringing us some entertaining and amusing viewing.

Shooter is not going to make any Best of 2016 lists but it's a solid effort for the Wahlberg and Phillippe produced action drama. Well worth a look, new episodes are uploaded weekly on Netflix in Australia or it airs on the USA Network (same as Suits and Queen of the South) state side.

Sunday, December 25, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016


First up Merry Christmas dear readers and next up, SPOILER ALERT it's a five glowing star review for ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY


Yes Rogue One is the first of three (I read somewhere there is a Bobba Fett and the next one is a young Han Solo film featuring Donald Glover) stand alone films.

After the brilliant return to Star Wars last year with The Force Awakens we get another early Christmas present with a brilliant Star Wars story. This time wedged between earlier films Revenge of the Sith & A New Hope.

The brilliant film sees an epic end battle, plans around the death star captured and hiding on an exotic Imperial base somewhere in space.

With an all star amazing cast from HBO champion of 2016's the Night Of Riz Ahmed really is one of 2016 brightest stars across TV & cinema, there is former Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen, Aussie Bloodliner Ben Mendelsohn, Diego Luna from last years film and Theory of Everything's Felicity Jones.

It's hard to fault a film with such a solid cast like this, all do well in their respective roles and the story is epic, the action sequences second to none and the way the stories interlock with previous films, outstanding.

As a huge Star Wars fan from years back this is excellent, a brilliant pre/post Christmas distraction, Star Wars have really killed the anticipation for New Years and Boxing Day films. Well at least for the next four Summers.

5 Stars.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Sense8 Christmas (Season 2) Special


I have been extremely positive and upbeat about several amazing series lately, sadly none of them are Australian network shows, forcing my hand to say the death of commercial TV is near. Maybe sooner than the next CEO fucking his way through the female staff at his network. At least the next sex scandal could involve two men or a bisexual encounter. Well that would happen if there was some creativity living in the Australian TV landscape.

I return to talking about positive news stories, SENSE8, the Christmas special, pure brilliance.



I do have a boner to pick with Sense8 though, the second ten episode series will not arrive until May 5, 2017. Honestly that is WAY too far away.

The first season was epic and aired all the way back in June, 2015. So it's already been a long time between drinks so if you need a recap ahead of watching this sexy Summer show there is one loaded onto Netflix right NOW!

This show is so global, so beautifully filmed, it's just outstanding, it is truly Donald Trump's worst nightmare, GLOBALISATION on screen.

It's contrast of countries and destinations it's filmed in this is just pure escapism and brilliant TV. I honestly am so in love with this show as I watch the closing minutes of the spectacular five star Christmas special.

Now all I want for Christmas is season 2 to hurry the mother fuck up!

Binge worthy and outstanding, Sense8 Season One and two hour Christmas special are on Netflix now. Yet another reason to sign up and join the revolution streaming is here to stay and below is my top 6 Netflix dramas and moments of 2016:

1. HOUSE OF CARDS - Season 4 - March, 2016
2. ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK - Season 4 - June, 2016
3. THE GET DOWN - Season 1 (well half, thanks for nothing Baz) - August, 2016
4. CHELSEA DOES - January, 2016 (still watching but love the piece on racism, LOVE)
5. EASY - Season 1 - September, 2016
6. STRANGER THINGS - Season 1 - July, 2016

Friday, December 23, 2016

Scream Queens, last ever episode???


Scream Queens is honestly Fox's worst rating show and with new players like STAR, LETHAL WEAPON and 24: LEGACY all following on from other shows (Star is by Empire's team), movie to TV remakes Lethal Weapon and spin offs like 24: Legacy it's hard to imagine the show will return for a third and final season.

Even with a slightly lame cliffhanger and more eye candy than you could poke a stick at Scream Queens has always struggled.

Season One had a better villain in the Red Devil and the Green Meanie's reveal(s) were kinda lame and WAY too early. Jumping the gun this did and also it left the viewer thinking, why am I continuing with this. When Scream on MTV did a better job and even added a spin off two hour Halloween edition of the show. Appearing to be it's third and final 6 episode season next year Scream will continue nicely I hope.

Scream Queens needs a to do a nice Looking style TV movie wrap up. The only thing remaining to be answered is does Chanel survive the returning Red Devil? All the other characters either died in the second season or there was an almost perfect wrap up for all the characters futures.

I enjoyed the series as it's camp over the top nature was a bit of light fun and a nice distraction to the cunty lead in to Christmas.

Will Scream Queens do a third outing or a TV movie? Time will tell but it don't look good.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Shameless Season Finale Leaves you..


Yearning for more.. and thank god it's back for an eighth season in 2017.

Season 7 has been beyond brilliant and there was a moment when Emmy Rossum's pay dispute could have seen the show cancelled. Now that would have been diabolical and right before Christmas!

But thankfully Rossum has struck a pay deal.

This season saw Ian and Mickey's love (maybe) come to an end..



And the whole Gallagher gang dealt with the death of one of their own in one of the saddest moments of the brilliant series.



Showtime really has a winner on it's hand with this brilliant family drama, comedy.

I can hardly wait for it to return in 2017, until then Homeland returns next month and something tells me they were banking on a Clinton for president.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016 (Outdoor Cult Classic)


Oh 1995 I was 13 and full of rage, until I saw CLUELESS


I too was TOTALLY Clueless in 1995 and was starting to realise what I was and what life was all about. I was a basketball referee and had a paper run, I was hustling my ass off the Central Coast ASAP!

But back in 1995 Alicia Silverstone was a thing and Paul Rudd was equally as much of a star. Paul Rudd has done a lot better for himself with Alicia opting for the more B Grade films.

The soundtrack was one of my favourite things, Luscious Jackson, Beastie Boys, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Radiohead, Jill Sobule and Coolio.

The movie has dated that well but it's still a cult classic and in all honesty the experience at Ben & Jerry's outdoor cinemas was a little budget and last night in Sydney it was like Winter. Overall though it was a romantic clear night with stars in the sky and on the screen. Clueless it may not be the worlds best film but damn it was a lot of fun and the fashion!

Sunday, December 18, 2016

TV Hits of 2016


1. SHAMELESS - Season 7

Just brilliant


2. HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER - Seasons 2 & 3* (returning January 2017)

For some strange reason this show only gets better and is Shonda at her BEST!


3. QUANTICO - Season 2* (returning late January 2017)

Best looking cast on TV, FULL STOP!


4. SUPERGIRL - Season 2* (returning late January 2017)

The most fun superhero show on TV right now.


5. SCREAM QUEENS - Season 2

My guilty pleasure, I love to hate, but can't wait to watch this Ryan Murphy season


6. AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ROANOKE

Most coherent in the series, best story so far with it never outstaying it's welcome and also being the scariest season to screen.


7. PLEASE LIKE ME - Season 4

Best local comedy series but an honourable mention to UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN. Well done ABC.


8. WENTWORTH - Season 4

Australia's best TV show by a HUGE long shot. Season Five is filmed and in the can, coming to a screen early-mid 2017.


9. THE BLACKLIST - Season 4* (returning late January 2017)

This show is actually getting better, lets hope the spin off THE BLACKLIST - REDEMPTION is equally as addictive.


10. HOUSE OF CARDS - Season 4

That final scene - fuck my ass! Intense!


11. VEEP - Season 5

Easily the best comedy. Laugh out loud after laugh out loud moment, brilliant!


12. DIVORCE - Season 1

Brilliant new Sarah Jessica Parker series, thank god it's renewed.


13. INSECURE - Season 1

I loved this series, with GIRLS concluding this is a brilliant replacement.


14. ATLANTA - Season 1

Outstanding, Donald Glover is officially the hottest man alive!


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Empire, Please Like Me & Shameless


I have been very busy in the lead up to that time of the year where everyone runs around mad, gets grumpy, looses there shit when they cant get a car park.

However I have been thrilled watching the final episodes, seasonal finales and potential last episodes of some shows.

EMPIRE has been a little average this series and maybe with the launch of the new Lee Daniels show STAR (which had just under 7 million live viewers on it's debut) he is a little distracted.

Like Ryan Murphy it's tricky with multiple projects all at once. Murphy struggled with AMERICAN HORROR STORY and SCREAM QUEENS and GLEE and out of the ordinary came the multiple award winning brilliance of AMERICAN CRIME STORY.

EMPIRE appears to be losing touch of it's signature hit music moments and becoming too much of a soap opera revolving around a completely over the top blended family.

PLEASE LIKE ME suffered a blow ahead of it's fourth series with Pivot the US network which loved it suffering closure. The show has never been a ratings hit in Australia and honestly I was surprised this show was continuing when shows like Miss Fishers Murder Mystery is out in the wilderness.

Josh Thomas is a star but the show is niche and when the ABC has to defend every little thing that goes to air, it's risky having a show like PLEASE LIKE ME on air. Not to mention some truly woeful ratings.

SHAMELESS made headlines for all the wrong reasons with a pay dispute with lead Emily Rossum holding up the eighth seasons green light. The show is the jewel in Showtime's crown lately with THE AFFAIR looking to wrap up and RAY DONAVON a Summer series the channel is quickly becoming HBO's poor cousin.

SHAMELESS has been truly fabulous this season and I really cannot imagine Monday (Australian time) nights without the Gallaghers. Thank god HOMELAND is still going strong which is the only other saving grace for Showtime with the series set to run until 2019 (with the series renewed up to season eight (expected to be it's last)).

So what can I recommend for Summer viewing? Come by tomorrow and I will award my hits of 2016, TV wise.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Triple J's Hottest 100


Here's what I voted for, you can vote NOW too:


Flume - Never Be Like You {Ft. Kai}
Drake - One Dance {Ft. Wizkid/Kyla}
Banks - Fuck With Myself
Beyoncé - Hold Up
Chance The Rapper - All Night {Ft. Knox Fortune}/Kaytranada Extended Joint
Tkay Maidza - Simulation
Solange - Don't Touch My Hair {Ft. Sampha}
Mac Miller - Dang! {Ft. Anderson .Paak}
Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Ft. Pharrell Williams}
AlunaGeorge - Mean What I Mean {Ft. Leikeli47/Dreezy}

Monday, December 12, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016


After the huge disappointment of Bad Santa 2, why did I put myself through OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY?



Well I love a gross out comedy for starters and Randall Park, all I want for Christmas is for you to sit on my face, thank you and please cum again.

So Jason Batman and Jennifer Aniston is leaving behind her good girl Friends routine for another workplace related adult comedy.

The big question is, is this film funny at a time of the year when nothing is funny and everything is irritating as fuck?

Well yes and no, the start is one lame set up after another and mindless boring back stories of each of the extremely talented cast. Let's just say HBO was well represented from Veep, Silicon Valley & various other shows.

Once the party started there were a few more laughs to have but overall this missed the mark of Bad Mom's which was honestly one of my favourite comedies of the year. Like Bad Mom's to me this was about workplaces and the stereotypes of all the annoying people we work with 8 hours a day for 5 days a week.

It was also very much like Malcolm's Jobs and Growth which in itself is clearly failing, like the tech company featured in this film. When jobs are hard to hold down and there is no growth how can one fudge the figures, with comedy that's how.

This was not a great film but a distraction from the sad fact it's almost school holidays again and there is a family disagreement just around the corner.

3 Stars for the second Christmas comedy of the season.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016


School holidays are here and here comes the kids of all ages films, first cab off the rank FANTASTIC BEASTS & WHERE TO FIND THEM.



This film was released last week, had several good reviews (as below from the terrific Marc Fennell) and honestly this was not on my list but when a free pass landed on my lap, whateves!



So after my Flume Friday (full review over HERE) I was tired, it was a monster week last week so a chilled Saturday afternoon film was perfection.

Words of advice here I have NEVER seen a Harry Potter film, nor do I intend on but this was visually spectacular and in a way brilliant.

A huge and stellar cast of Hollywoods legends and up-comers JK Rowlings book on the big screen looked a million (or $180M, according to the budget) bucks.

My only comment was Eddie Redmayne after the Danish Girl will always well look like a lady to me after that film. Eddie is great but the real star of this film is Dan Fogler as the non magical human.

I honestly enjoyed this film despite it being too long (2 hours, 13 minutes) for a fantasy adventure film but still it's Summer so one needs free air con.

For the school holidays this will have wide appeal and also it's pretty harmless fun, I am giving this as a non fan of the book series and Harry Potter films 3 brilliantly presented stars.

Friday, December 9, 2016

It's FLUME Friday, Full Review...


Tomorrow or the next day, or the one after that, I'm BUSY!

Christmas time is hell this year, hell I tell ya!

Here is some FLUME to warm up all you young up starts ahead of his two HUGE gigs at Sydney's Superdome (Commercial name is TOO shit for words).







More MUSIC stuff HERE

Boy BYE!

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Monday, December 5, 2016

Triple J Album of the Year Poll


I love Richard Kingsmill's Album of the Year poll, it means the year is over (and what a cunt of a year it has been) and it means one of Australia's best radio announcer reveals his favourite records plus the amazing Triple J listeners album of the year.

I think Flume might take it out the listeners album of the year, whilst here is the ten records I voted for:

AlunaGeorge - I Remember
Anderson .Paak - Malibu
Weeknd, The - Starboy
Tkay Maidza - Tkay
Sia - This Is Acting
Solange - A Seat At The Table
Flume - Skin
Drake - Views
NxWorries - Yes Lawd!
Broods - Conscious

You can also vote HERE!

As the year wraps up I will have my movies of the year list (like last year) and more the year in music lists/reviews and specials than you can poke a big ass stick at.

Yesterday I crowned FLUME the male artist of 2016 on Flashing off the Record and next Sunday it's the ladies turn. So keep an eye out on Flashing off the Record.

See you round soon!

Saturday, December 3, 2016

GARBAGE.


Oh 90's WORLD! Garbage a few months ago announced they would play a run of A Day on the Greens with an all star line up and some gigs on their own along the way. Unfortunately it's not the 90's anymore as I had not seen the Hordern this empty in a while.

However I do love an older more well behaved crowd. People brought their kids, 90's World Version 2.0 t-shirts came out and the set list kicked off with 1996 radio single Supervixen.

The crowd was overjoyed at the older songs included in the set including second track I Think I'm Paranoid from the 1998 record Version 2.0.

I feel in love with Garbage around the time of I Think I'm Paranoid and I dug back into their first record and was an instant fan, so much so I travelled to Brisbane to see them along with Ben Lee & Sebadoh at Livid. The festival in 1999 featured a stellar line up including The Offspring, Suede, Powderfinger, Spiderbait, 28 Days, Gerling and so many more! Livid along with many other festivals died in 2003, with no festival in 2004 and the promised return in 2005 never happening. Sad really, it was fun.

Anyway like festivals unfortunately for Garbage the music world has changed, a lot!

Their last record Strange Little Birds vanished almost as soon as it was released and the previous record Not Your Kind of People suffered a similar fate.

The problem with some 90's bands is they are almost stuck in the 90's, Shirley Manson was a tour de force back in the day, she even appeared on the telly in a short lived Terminator series. However in 2016 Shirley liked to have a rant about how scary the world is getting (true that, girl) and the person in front of me answered stop preaching and sing. Oh boy.

As Shirley Manson has hit 5-0 it's great to see her still with as much stage presence as ever but I wonder whether it's time for her to try solo or a new genre. It's like Madonna, honey no one is buying you and Nicki Minaj!

My highlight of a patchy set list (the new songs mostly went down like a lead balloon) was the final encore number Cherry Lips (Go baby Go). The group decided to turn their back on their biggest hit When I Grow Up and my personal favourite Androgyny.

It was patchy and a majorly nostalgic night that I won't forget in a while and I applaud Shirley and the gang for still being iconic but I hate to say it, I like their old stuff better than their new stuff.

RELATED AUDIO







Thursday, December 1, 2016

That Movie Gay #2016


Let me start off with saying I saw this for free and it was the second time it was offered to me, second time the charm I was off to see A UNITED KINGDOM.



Now let me start with David Oyelowo is so gosh damn handsome. When he removed his shirt, DANG!

Rosamund Pike on the other hand was much more exciting in Gone Girl than this British biopic. Look the true story of Sir Seretse Khama & Ruth Williams Khama was extremely interesting and in 2016 we need stories like this of good beating evil or Malcolm Turnbull actually doing something useful or Bill Shorten being remotely interesting and/or inspiring.

So A United Kingdom it is just under two hours, the romance and the love story is sweet enough but I felt like I had seen this story a million times before on the big screen.

Look if there is nothing else on this Summer maybe give it a go, 2.5 Stars.