Archive for category Reviews
Review: Tolkien (2019)
For many, at least of my generation, Tolkien is a name associated with fond memories of childhood battles, acted out with sticks and imaginations, reminiscent of the great war scenes in the Lord of the Rings. It is this audience – and perhaps those few among us that have actually read the admittedly long-and-very-detailed books […]
Review: In This Corner of the World
There is something surreal about the use of watercolours in animation. In This Corner of the World is a beautiful example of how they can bring a heart-wrenching story to life using soft edges and gentle colours. Following the life of a young Japanese woman from Hiroshima, In This Corner of the World captures the […]
Review: Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Anime, Films, Japan, Reviews on November 4, 2017
In my experience, Japanese animation rarely features simplicity as one of its main assets. Japanese animation is traditionally complex, detailed, and at times, very dark in it’s subthemes. Nobuyuki Takeuchi and Genki Kawamura’s most recent film, ‘Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?’ challenges these norms, and does so magnificently. Based […]
Review: Bricktober 2017 – Perth, 7th & 8th October.
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Events, Pop Culture, Reviews on October 7, 2017
They stand 9.58mm tall, 16mm wide, and are hollow on the inside. Yet a handful of these seemingly trivial bricks can open the door into a world of never ending possibilities. Inspiring creativity and problem solving in children and adults alike, LEGO proves that in a world of plastic, no one encourages imagination like they […]
Review: Dunkirk
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Films, History, Reviews, War on August 16, 2017
Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk is a film that has been long anticipated by a wide audience. I first saw the trailer at Oz Comic-con in March, and the buzz surrounding it even back then was intense. I’m going to be brutally honest here though; I wasn’t one of those excited people, the trailer didn’t […]
Review: Disrupted (Festival of Ideas) – Sunday 30th July
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Events, Language, Reviews, Uncategorized on July 30, 2017
Day Two of the Disrupted Festival of Ideas is almost at a close! Here is a quick review of the two sessions I attended today. The weather was much better than yesterday’s miserable conditions, so there was quite a queue at the front door when I arrived there this morning. Who knew that a library […]
Review: Disrupted (Festival of Ideas) – Saturday 29th July
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Events, Language, Reviews on July 29, 2017
Disrupted is an annual festival put on by the State Library of Western Australia exploring a range of topics and ideas. Of key focus this year are language, politics, and social norms. There are a range of talks, walks, panels, and events to explore; all seeking to ‘disrupt’ the way we think about, discuss and […]
Review: Their Finest
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Films, History, Reviews, War on April 30, 2017
It’s the year 1940 and British citizens are facing the harrowing realisation that they may not be winning the fight to which they have lost thousands of lives, homes, and years. Based on the book Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans, directed by Lone Scherfig and starring Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, and […]
Review: Oz Comic-Con 2017 – Perth
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Anime, Conventions, Events, Pop Culture, Reviews on March 29, 2017
It’s ten-to-one in the morning and someone has run out of blue thread. Across the city, several people have yet to figure out how to get their individual armour pieces to attach together – much less stay on their arms and legs, several needles are stuck in their respective sewing machines, and multiple computers are […]
Review: Madman Anime Festival – Perth
Posted by H. J. Stephens in Anime, Conventions, Events, Pop Culture, Reviews on March 6, 2017
The Madman Anime Festival is a convention that Perth has been pleading for a long, long time. Traditionally only visiting Melbourne and Brisbane, 2017 was the event’s first time coming over to the Western side of Australia. As it has been so deeply anticipated, it had a lot to live up to. I’m afraid that […]
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