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Informer

INFORMER CINEMA: Last Ride - Hugo Weaving Interview

Tuesday, 30 June 2009
ALASDAIR DUNCAN recently caught up with Australian screen legend HUGO WEAVING to discuss his latest locally-produced effort, the harrowing father-son drama LAST RIDE. Be first to comment on this article
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INFORMER ARTS: The Tempest - Theatre Review

Tuesday, 30 June 2009
SEANNA VAN HELTEN reviews ZEN ZEN ZO’s production of THE TEMPEST. Be first to comment on this article
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INFORMER COMEDY: In Stitches - Review

Monday, 29 June 2009

IN STITCHES: WIL ANDERSON

QPAC - Thu Jun 25

I confess, I used to be sceptical about Wil Anderson. Never thought he was especially funny on Glass House, but The Gruen Transfer made me reconsider and now I’ve changed my mind completely. From the moment he comes on stage in thongs to teach new swears to kids, Wil Anderson is piss-funny. His performance has a vague theme organised around his theories on how to make the world a better place – he thinks maybe we could care less about money – but that’s just here to give a loose structure to the night so he can make callbacks to earlier jokes and tie things up neatly at the end. Mostly, he’s here to ramble. A bit about whales goes way off course when he realises his whale voice sounds like a drag queen and a joke about Japanese harpooning suddenly becomes a joke about gay sperm whales. He riffs off people in the audience too, and his ribbing of a group of 14-year-old boys in the front row ("When did you get your first mobile, 10? Fuck you! I had a tin can, string and no friends!") changes when 16-year-old girls come in late and take the seats next to them. Suddenly, it’s all high fives. All these digressions mean he starts motoring at 8.05 to get through the jokes he’s about to stop using because he’s just filmed a DVD and that only makes them funnier. Consider me converted.

JODY MACGREGOR

IN STITCHES: ANTHONY MENCHETTI

QPAC - Fri Jun 26

Anthony Menchetti is a self-described ‘vagina decliner’ from a very religious family – that’s comedy gold right there. Family conflict is a rich vein for the gags and so is the Bible. His routine goes beyond wacky Catholic dad jokes though, because after coming out to his parents they convinced him to go through gay conversion therapy. If you’re not familiar with gay conversion, it’s the idea that people can be de-homofied by the power of Jesus and some pictures of boobs. In America it leads to parents packing their kids off to ex-gay bootcamps, but in Perth things are a little more relaxed and it sounds more like a tea-and-biscuits Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Menchetti’s story isn’t a sob story about the trauma inflicted by intolerant parents, and in fact his folks come off as well-meaning but hopelessly ignorant schmucks rather than actual villains. Menchetti makes excellent use of a variety of props during his performance, including a keyboard that he performs dinky little ditties on and a whiteboard of shame. He’s also aided by a dancer who removes an item of clothing each time he runs onto stage to boogie like a maniac before scurrying away. These diversions are a laugh, but the core story he tells is strong enough that even without them it would be worth hearing. The fact that it’s funny as hell just helps to sweeten the deal.

JODY MACGREGOR

IN STITCHES runs at QPAC until Saturday Jul 4. Bookings for remaining shows, including Fiona O’Loughlin, The Kransky Sisters and Justin Hamilton, can be made at www.institches.qpac.com.au

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INFORMER CINEMA: Coco Avant Chanel - Anne Fountaine - Director Interview

Monday, 22 June 2009
The always-stylish GENEVIEVE PARLEY is privy to the thoughts of French director ANNE FONTAIN as she discusses her new Audrey Tatou-starring film COCO AVANT CHANEL, which channels the life of the vastly influential 20th Century couturier. Be first to comment on this article
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INFORMER CINEMA: Sydney Film Fest Review

Tuesday, 23 June 2009

PAUL RANKIN braved Sydney’s bitter cold snap for SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL.

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Gaming News

ONLINE GAMES FILTERED IN AUSTRALIA

Australia doesn’t have an R18+ classification for games, which means any games over MA15+ (GTA 4 and Fallout 3, for instance) have their content censored. Up until now this has only applied to local retailers, and Australians have been free to get their R18+ fix on the web. Now, the Australian government plans to filter online content such as MMOs and Flash games (and presumably the websites which house them) which do not comply with our MA15+ classification. Online game retailers which sell R18+ games will also be filtered, so Australian gamers can’t import R18+ games (or say check foreign sites for price or release date information).

A spokesman for Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy (who has been nominated by the British Internet Service Provider’s Association for its annual "Internet Villain" award) said "computer games such as web-based flash games and downloadable games, if a complaint is received and the content is determined by ACMA to be Refused Classification" would be blocked, along with "the importation of physical copies of computer games sold over the internet which have been classified RC [refused classification]".

So far MMOs like World Of Warcraft or Warhammer Online have been exempt from classification, but will likely be impacted by the scheme, says Internode’s Mark Newton.

"That exemption is the only reason why multi-player games with user-generated environments are possible in this country. Without it, it’d only take one game user anywhere in the world to produce objectionable content in the game environment to make the Australian Government ban the game for everyone."

Basically, someone swears in WoW, some kid cries, his mum complains, no WoW for Australia. Perfect, you’re a real prince Mr Conroy. You’d think we were in China or Iran or something....

ID BOUGHT BY ZENIMAX

id Software, the previously independent studio behind such iconic games as Doom and Quake, has been bought by Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media. The move was necessitated by publishers’ unwillingness to fully support games that weren’t developed internally, and for which they didn’t own the IP copyright – as id Technical Director John Carmack explained to Kotaku.

"As we were shopping Rage and Doom and upcoming stuff, talking about all of that, we were getting a pretty consistent line from all the publishers," he said. "They were willing to continue to fund our working with partner companies for all of these but pretty much every publisher said, ‘Well, it would be worth much more to us if you would grow your studio and do more of your own work internally.’

"Going back to a much earlier time, we were just Activision’s shooter shop," he continued. "We did the FPSes there. There was no conflict, and that was great, but they brought on their own internal studios and there’s a very real conflict there between whether they want to put resources behind something they own the IP for and derive all the profit for versus something where they don’t own the IP and they might feel like any effort they’re putting into it isn’t going into their value but somebody else’s. That problem has grown over the years as budgets have increased."

It’s reported that all id employees have signed long-term contracts, so the output of the studio is unlikely to change. It might mean Bethesda get some sweet graphics engines for their games though, and God knows, they need them.

Oh, and John Romero isn’t happy about it, but he’s been bitter since leaving the company in 1996.

BIOWARE & MYTHIC MERGE

EA has merged their two RPG developers, BioWare (Mass Effect, Dragon Age) and Mythic (Dark Age Of Camelot, Warhammer Online), into a single studio. BioWare founder Ray Muzyka will head the new enterprise, while Mythic co-founder and CEO Mark Jacobs has left the company – a move that is speculated to be involuntary. As one ex-employee stated: "People are shocked and in disbelief about Mark leaving, but they’re also excited to be working with BioWare. I can’t even fathom Mark leaving a company he loved so much, it was his life. Personally, I can’t see that this is voluntary in any shape or form."

The other Mythic co-founder, Rob Denton, will replace Jacobs. And on the bright side, the BioWare touch may just make Warhammer Online the killer MMO it was so close to being. Or perhaps Mythic’s pvp expertise will find its way into the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO.

IN BRIEF

Publisher THQ has reorganised into three divisions covering Core, Casual, and Online gaming.

Indie game portal Manifesto has shut down. It is seen as a precursor to Steam, XBLM, PSN and the App Store.

XBLA beat ‘em up Castle Crashers has reached a million users. Cartoon fantasy smash!

Classic PS1 JRPG Final Fantasy VII has reached 100,000 downloads on the PSN.

Lars von Trier’s graphic, sexually violent film, Anti-Christ, is getting made into a game.

Modern Warfare 2 won’t have co-op in the campaign mode, as Infinity Ward’s game is going to be story driven and "all about pacing". The Special Ops mode, where players tackle specific missions, will be tailored specifically for two player co-op though.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is coming to the PSP with updated graphics and new missions.

Game Reviews

VIRTUA TENNIS 2009

Developer: Sumo Digital/Sega

Platform: PS3 / 360 / PC

Genre: Sport

Rating: G

GRAND SLAM TENNIS

Developer: EA

Platform: Wii

Genre: Sport

Rating: G

Oh come on! You can NOT be serious!!!

When these two titles dropped on my desk, I figured there would be no need to review them separately – they are both tennis video games, everyone knows about the sport, so why not combine the two and save writing the same review twice.

Instead, it has come to a back-and-forth Tennis Video Game Challenge – between the long-standing classic Virtua Tennis 2009 on the PS3, and newcomer EA’s Grand Slam Tennis on the Wii.

VISUALS: The Nintendo Wii is already starting out at a massive disadvantage when it comes to graphical power (the Wii compares best to the PS2), so there is little in the way of visual competition between the two. Virtua Tennis 2009 is crisp, well-rendered, looks amazing at 1080p, and the animations are fluid and believable. While Grand Slam Tennis is not quite down at Wii Sports Tennis’ level, it is still not much to look at in the HD department. Virtua Tennis wins with a very convincing Ace. 15 – Love

CONTROLS: Tennis is really a sport about timing. Swinging early or late can greatly alter the direction of the ball, which is exactly what you would expect from a tennis video game. When it comes to Virtua Tennis there is nothing virtual about it. Holding on to the X button and charging your shot and pushing direction is really all you need to do, so there are nothing but grand slams. Compared to Grand Slam Tennis – where there isn’t much of an opportunity for any grand slams – I started to get the feeling that the names should be switched. The Wii remote’s response works perfectly with Grand Slam Tennis, almost as if the controls were designed to represent swinging a racquet. It will take a while to get used to, but this only goes a long way to better involve the gamer in playing Grand Slam Tennis for the first time. After a session swinging, when you literally experience tennis elbow, you will be a pro, hitting those impossible shots in the backcourt. Virtua Tennis on the other hand is so easy to pick up that there is no real challenge. Wii’s Grand Slam Tennis has won this with a simple drop shot. 15 – 15

GAMEPLAY: Grand Slam Tennis does not mess about; you can get stuck straight into thwacking those balls in training, exhibition or career modes. In the other court, Virtua Tennis has so many selectable options, mini games and career mode choices that it actually hinders the game’s pace. If you are involved in a career mode you can only play in a defined number of tournaments before your character will need to rest at home, or go on holiday at day retreat spas; you will also have to manage your earnings with your spending, and … sorry, but I really don’t care about what Roger Federer does off the court (I imagine that he shaves a lot). This run of missed serves doesn’t stop there – mini games such as trying to sink a pirate ship with a tennis ball are just dreadful. Virtua Tennis double faults. 15 - 30

Grand Slam Tennis on the other hand is a lot of fun – it does get you off the couch and you will be rewarded for actually swinging and perfectly timing a serve or a shot, meaning that it’s impossible not to get immersed in the experience. The two titles just don’t compare when it comes to gameplay, Grand Slam Tennis wins with a simple backhand. 15-45

REF’S VERDICT: I am afraid that with something as perfect as the controls on Wii’s Grand Slam Tennis – and it should be noted, this was tested with the original Wiimote, not the new Motion Plus controller, which I suspect would improve gameplay even more – it wouldn’t matter if the game looked like 1973’s Pong, it would still defeat a generic and boring tennis title like Virtua Tennis 2009.

** VT2009

**** GST

BLIP

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INFORMER: Tiny Robot Monkey - Vinyl Toys & Comics

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Box Fresh

Tiny Robot Monkey’s Boxfresh is taking a break from presenting fortnightly design news and has packed to escape the Brisbane winter, migrating to New York City for June and July. Fortunately, Rave readers can come along for the ride with SUSAN MILANOVIC thanks to the BOX FRESH GUIDE TO NEW YORK: PART 2!

This week: Things to do and see while in NYC

GO TO A TODD P SHOW

New York City has a thriving live music scene, with amazing bands playing seven days a week. While in New York make an effort to check out a show put on by promoter Todd P, who has been organising events, mostly in Brooklyn, since 2001. What makes Todd P shows unique is the venues chosen for bands to play in – from the basement of a Williamsburg building to a space in an abandoned Bushwick loft, the settings reflect the DIY ethos of the Todd P shows. These events are a great way to discover new music; Todd P’s eye for good bands means a significant amount of acts featured in his shows go on to achieve commercial success. When in New York, check out www.toddpnyc.com to see all upcoming acts.

VISIT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

This Museum, which is over 140 years old, is one of New York’s largest. The museum has 25 interconnected buildings that house 46 permanent exhibition halls, meaning visitors should set aside an entire day to explore. There are so many parts to the building that it’s a struggle to get them all in comfortably, but highly recommended is the dioramas in the Mammal Halls. Each exhibit is meticulously displayed with the highest quality of taxidermy and artwork put into each diorama. The hall of Ocean Life is also pretty amazing, in part due to the giant whale. The museum has also been referenced frequently in pop culture – it was not only the setting for Ben Stiller’s Night At The Museum, but has also been referenced in Catcher In The Rye, TV series Friends (it’s where Ross worked) and many other films, such as Malcolm X, The Day After Tomorrow and The Squid And The Whale.

JUST HANG OUT IN CENTRAL PARK.

Central Park is located in the middle of Manhattan, the top is at West 110th Street, and the bottom is bordered by West 59th Street and access is by any street in between. The park is massive and features a range of pretty bridges, lakes, buildings and sculptures. There are sections devoted to noisy sports, and parts which allow no noise at all. A memorial to John Lennon (Strawberry Fields) is included and there is a theatre and stage for performances (a free program occurs on the Summer Stage in the warmer months). Due to the ease of accessibility the park is great to wind down in after a museum day, or to read a book or people watch when the weather is pleasant. Be sure to explore this fantastic landmark while in New York City.

EAT A BAGEL, EAT PIZZA.

Eating in New York can be done on the cheap and there is a fantastic variety. All nationalities are represented in culinary form and it’s easy to grab a lunchtime meal at a sit down restaurant for under $10 (including tip). New York City is renowned for two things – pizza and bagels. Bagels are a bread treat traditionally hand rolled, ‘proofed’ for 12 hours, boiled then baked. These are delicious with cream cheese and affordable, usually under $2. The best place to try a bagel is at The Bagel Store, which has two locations in Williamsburg – they are amazing and both bagels and cream cheese come in a variety of flavours. Hot tip: try a (toasted) Garlic Bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese – just divine. No doubt Rave readers have been exposed to New York Slice in Brisbane, possibly in the early hours of a Saturday morning, but the actual pizza in New York is about 200 times better. Thin and with a huge range of toppings, in NYC there are pizza stores on almost every block. Stuff the diet and eat as much as you can while in New York City, because nothing (not even the overpriced franchise) in Australia comes close to comparing to a real New York Slice.

Check out Rave in a fortnight for more boast posts – er... ‘travelling tips’ from BOX FRESH.

Hey Kids! Comics!

PHONOGRAM: THE SINGLES CLUB #3 – Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie

(Image)

You’ll want the DJ to play this one again

Each issue of The Singles Club is self-contained, telling the story of a night in a club from the perspective of a different character, but as the series goes on the little nods they share are building up. Only three issues in there’s already a delightful layer of overlapping moments. That means the book’s likely to get even better, which is an exciting prospect since it’s already so bloody good. Issue three finds Emily Aster, witch and bitchkrieg hedonist, out on the town. If you’re not the exact same person you were when you were a kid you’ll understand Emily, but Phonogram’s literalisation of metaphors makes her de-cocooning a bit more dramatic. I’ll leave it at that to avoid ruining it. The story’s set in 2006 which you can tell by the songs and the fact people still smoke in the club. McKelvie adds screentone dots to the smoke puffs, adding depth without adding ridiculous amounts of definition that would jar with his elegant style. I mention that little detail because it’s indicative of the attention to detail in all the art, especially the clothes and dancer’s poses, that make this one-room indie club over a bar feel instantly real and familiar. Like every issue of The Singles Club there are a couple of B-side backup strips, including a retelling of the previous series that’s hilariously self-parodying while also being quite a good summary of the story’s point. Highly recommended, especially if the idea of identifying with music to change who you are and then finding that who you’ve become is a music-obsessive strikes a chord.

****½

JODY MACGREGOR

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INFORMER: In Fashion - Trends, News & Styles

Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Made By Miffy TESS CURRAN chats to local indie designer LOUISE STUART: the lady with aprons so pretty, they should be worn as dresses! Comments (1)
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