Sci-fi as a genre undeniably has something of a shaky history when it comes to feminism. All too often sci-fi’s female characters fall into one of two categories: the ‘slutty nemesis’ or the ‘damsel in distress.’ This is why BBC America’s science fiction series Orphan Black is a great addition to our screens. Here’s what…
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This week, the ABC has devoted lots of airtime to bringing mental illness into the spotlight. Titled ‘Mental As’, the suite of programming coincides with Mental Health Week and is all about removing the stigma from illnesses that are not always physically apparent, yet can be truly debilitating. On Wednesday night, viewers were treated to…
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The documentary Felicity’s Mental Mission aired last Monday night as part of ABC’s Mental As week. In honour of world Mental Health Week, the ABC is dedicating much of its programming to shows and features that deal with mental health issues. Felicity’s Mental Mission is just one of the many things you can watch on…
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A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend Oz Comic-Con in Sydney and meet Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars Nicholas Brendon and Emma Caulfield. I managed to keep my cool during my very brief chat with them, but on the inside I was squealing at a decibel that would have rivalled that…
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This week (5 – 10 October) is Mental Health Week in Australia. You can find various events happening around Oz by checking out websites such as this one for Victoria, and this one for Western Australia. This is in support of world Mental Health Day, which takes place on 10 October every year. For…
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Among the countless Twitter users live-tweeting Monday night’s Primetime Emmy awards was Janet Mock, an author and transgender activist from New York City. Her tweets were unrelentingly funny, astute and honest about the awards, as well as the industry being awarded. None were as biting, however, as one of her most popular tweets of the…
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It is hard to deny the somewhat mythical significance of the ANZACs and Gallipoli in popular understandings of Australian history. The connotations of mateship, bravery and nationhood that are all tied up with the ANZAC figure seem predominantly masculine, but how often do we hear about female ANZACs? It was not just men who experienced…
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Josh (Josh Thomas) is a gangly, light-haired young man who describes himself as looking like a ‘fifty-year-old baby,’ and he has just ordered a massive sundae. He’s talking about not being able to properly enjoy things, and complaining about his ‘rubbish face.’ Across from him, his girlfriend Claire (Caitlin Stasey) waits for him to…
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After an eight-year hiatus, Kim Cattrall is finally returning to the small screen to play the headlining role in HBO Canada’s Sensitive Skin. Based on the 2005 British series of the same name that starred Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous), Sensitive Skin is a black comedy about a married woman coming to terms with the inevitable effects…
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The ABC has broadcast a number of outstanding historical telemovies of late: from Paper Giants to Mabo, these period dramas have told stories of amazing Australians and documented social change in our country’s recent past. The latest offering in line with this trend is Carlotta, a film based on the life of Carol Byron, a…
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Meet Matt Palazzolo, one of the creators of the web series Bloomers. Matt is an actor, screenwriter, filmmaker, and director based in Los Angeles. He is best known for originating the role of Fever, a street prostitute in the NAACP Award-winning musical City Kid. He has been recognised for his performance in the indie feature…
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Warning: There will be spoilers. On 7 April, Game of Thrones returned to Australian screens with the eagerly awaited season four – and it was undeniably stunning. Chock full of drama, humour, grief, death, and the dangerously beautiful CGI dragons, the first episode provided everything that GOT fans were promised – and more. Sure,…
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Former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard took to The Guardian earlier this week to draw comparisons between the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones and her time as the country’s first female prime minister. Leader of the Labor party from 2010 to 2013, Gillard said that once she started watching the hit show, based on…
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As the Logies nominations for 2014 were released last Monday, I could almost hear the collective scorn with which these awards are often received boiling up in anticipation of the awards night itself. But, I have a confession to make: I watch the Logies every year. Although I try to pass myself off as a…
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