Can Netflix Beat Hollywood at Their Own Game? (VOR)

Netflix and Amazon are drastically changing the film distribution system - and it could spell disaster for the old guard.

Are Video Game Movies Doomed To Fail? (VOR)

With Warcraft charging into cinemas this week, we decided to look back at the history of video game movies and assess why Hollywood has such a hard time translating them onto the big screen.

Mining Nostalgia at the Mouse House (VOR)

More and more Hollywood tentpoles are trading original thinking for recycled nostalgia and regurgitated concepts – and we need to asking more of the entertainment we consume to combat them.

Truth, Justice and the New American Way (VOR)

Captain America and Superman are two very similar characters in an ideological sense; so why is it that Marvel can get the former so right whilst DC have gotten the latter so horrendously wrong? 

Hollywood, History and Whitewashing (VOR)

Whitewashing - it's always been part of how Hollywood does business, but the practice has come under intense scrutiny in the past few months and years. I wanted to pour my thoughts on the issue into words and generate some sharing of ideas - so please give my column a read, and let me know your thoughts on the topic in the comments below.

Why Are Comedy Sequels Always Shit? (VOR)

It's an age-old question that continues to baffle humankind...why do comedy sequels always suck?

Riding the Deadpool Bandwagon (VOR)

Deadpool. It’s crude, explicit, irreverent and excessively violent. The script is witty, meta and pleasingly loyal to its existing fanbase. On top of all this, it’s garnered rave reviews from critics the world over. And guess what? We're doomed to witness a million more like it. 

Misguided Movie Marketing (VOR)

Movie trailers - love them or hate them, they form the backbone of generating buzz for upcoming blockbusters. But more often than not, these previews let slip a little too much about the movie that they're selling. And it's really starting to peeve this blogger off.

The Force Awakens in All of Us (VOR)

With The Force Awakens just around the corner, I’ve been pondering what it means to be a Star Wars fan…

Opinion: Which Streaming Service Is Right For Me?

Streaming services have taken off in a big way here in Australia over the last 12 months, with a diverse line-up of platforms all vying for the privilege of beaming TV and movies direct to your eyeballs.

But which service offers the best content, is the best value for money, or is the most versatile? We took a look at the four contenders – Netflix, Stan, Presto and Quickflix – to judge which streaming platform is worth your hard-earned cash. Happy viewing!

Time Travel, Tropes and Paradoxes (VOR)

Time travel. It's one of those film tropes that has seemingly endured since, well, since the dawn of time if you'll pardon the pun. Up there with alien invasions, zombie apocalypses, atomic wastelands and sentient robotics, time travel is just one of those things that has ingrained itself into the film medium so thoroughly that we no longer question its viability or plausibility. 

Last weekend, the latest instalment in the Terminator franchise, Terminator Genisys, has zapped into the cinemas. A series that revolves around time travel, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to reflect on the trope and discuss what prevailing stories that the sci-fi genre has continually revisited and dipped into.

Breaking the Origin Story Cycle (VOR)

Spider-man, Batman and Superman. Three superheroes whose beginnings and backstory we’re all familiar with, unless of course you’ve been living under a giant Kryptonite rock for your whole life.

And herein lies the problem - we all know these stories. Over the last two decades, comic-book characters have exploded from the pages of dusty books stored away in basements and propelled themselves into the wider cultural zeitgeist. So why do studios constantly insist on retelling these 'origin stories' again and again?

Is Original Sci-Fi Stuck in a Tailspin? (VOR)

2015 hasn't been an easy year for science fiction so far. Three months in and the outlook for the genre isn't looking rosy - two high profile flops in the form of Jupiter Ascending and Chappie have underlined how risky it can be to produce a wholly original piece of science-fiction when audiences are so comfortable gorging on a steady-diet of unfunny Will Ferrell comedies and reimagining of classic Disney princesses.

Does this mean that original science fiction doesn't have the foothold it once did in cinema? Can the genre have the same impact and success as it once did, or is it stuck in a tailspin?

Birdman Backlash (VOR)

Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is the clear frontrunner this Oscar season, a critical darling that has racked up nine nominations for next month's annual awards show. 

From the daring cinematography to the revelatory performances and bitingly satirical screenplay, Birdman has got critics across the globe falling head over heels on every level.

Bearing this in mind, how come I've been reading so much negative backlash on Facebook and from audiences who've seen the film? What is it about Birdman that has got audiences and critics so divided?

I'm Spinnin' Around (VOR)

This post contains spoilers for the final season of Breaking Bad. You have been warned. Bitch.

Having just finished watching Breaking Bad for the first time (FYI: Believe the hype, it's without a doubt one of the best shows ever made), my attention immediately turned to where I can get my next TV fix.

With my head still immersed in the world of Walter White, meth labs and New Mexico, I soon found myself hunting around for all the information on upcoming Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul, which centres on the immensely popular side character, Saul Goodman.

Whilst the whole things sounds good, and I'll certainly check it out, it made me wonder - is it really...necessary? How can a mere spin-off compare with the original?

Meddling with Middle-Earth (VOR)

The release date for Peter Jackson’s final foray into Middle-Earth is fast approaching with the highly anticipated film, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, premiering this December. 

With that in mind, my personal friend (and first-time guest blogger) - Daniel Jauk - decided it was time to look back at previous instalments in The Hobbit trilogy and weigh up what worked, as well as what didn't and why.

Even though Dan's a big fan of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (particularly the extended editions), he does have something of an axe to grind when it comes to The Hobbit trilogy (we're looking at you, character development).

So, without further ado, let's delve once more into the depths of Middle-Earth. Take it away, Daniel!

Politics, Ideology, and the Hunger Games (VOR)

Young adult films often get a lot of shit for being bland, derivative and aimed squarely at teens, but one film franchise stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to having something to say. To me, The Hunger Games has always had an intriguing social and political undercurrent to its narrative, and nowhere is that more evident that in the latest instalment, Mockingjay Part 1. 

So, with this in mind, is it about time we start taking these films more seriously?

Marvel's Going To Infinity and Beyond (VOR #29)

I've been adverse to deconstructing every morsel of comic-book news over the last few weeks, but today's bombshell from Marvel was just too big to ignore. Essentially, Kevin Feige and co. sat down hundreds of journos in the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and outlined every Marvel movie in between now and May 2019. 

We've got a Civil War brewing, more Guardians of the Galaxy, a third Thor and not one, but two new Avengers movies in addition to raft of new character franchises. Let's go through what this means for the future of Marvel's Cinematic Universe...

Fantastic Four, Where Art Thou? (VOR #28)

2015 is jam-packed with big name films, and getting any one to stand out is important. Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Terminator: Genysis, Star Wars - we've heard lots of key plot details, set photos and casting info to get the hype building ahead of time. 

However, there is one movie that has completely eluded the spotlight - Josh Trank's The Fantastic Four, from 20th Century Fox. Only 10 months away from hitting cinemas, we know next to nothing about the movie, with no trailers, no convention appearances or even set photos. Very myseterious indeed.

So, I ask you this - what's up with that?! Are Fox trying to cover-up another Fantastic Four dud, or playing it safe?

Superhero Show Saturation (VOR #27)

If hadn't already noticed, let me spell this out for you - superheroes, are freaking everywhere right now. They're inescapable. From the Hulk-smashing success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the way down to cutesy Funko Pop vinyl figures, those guys in tight tights dominate screens big and small. 

And it's the with the latter that this shift is most evident. This (northern) autumn, a new wave of superhero shows are hitting airwaves as TV networks race to hook audiences on weekly daring-dos from our favourite lycra-clad heroes. So, is this trend here to stay, or just a 'flash' in the pan?