Asus has announced a new program for gamers in India called ROG Academy. The Asus ROG Academy will empower gamers in India and the program will help identity PC gamers thorough a screening process. The company will also provide them with a platform to improve their skills and prepare for professional-level gaming.
With Asus plaining to build a strong gaming ecosystem in India, this new ROG Academy initiative is testimony to India being an important market for Asus. Asus ROG will be providing tournament-ready gaming equipment and high-quality technology to gamers, with professional mentorship through this initiative.
The ROG Academy is a yearlong- program which is divided into four sessions, one per quarter. It is aimed at strengthening the E-sports talent pool in India. The shortlisted team and players will go through the selection process divided into different phases which will culminate into 6 select players becoming part of a 3-month long session for the first quarter.
The activities during the period include individual skill training, mentorship from the coach to teamwork, communication, and high-level concepts used in the highest level of competition. The exercises, schedule and entire program will be specifically designed keeping in mind the title and the existing skillsets of the players who will be a part of it.
For the inaugural season, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will be the official title. The panelists will include representatives from Asus ROG, partners, and CS:GO. The company will provide Rs 1,00,000 as a prize to all the final 6 players, once they will complete their 3-month training successfully. In addition, the players will also get Rs 15,000 as a stipend as well as a bonus on a monthly basis during the training period.
The six players will continue to represent the brand for additional 3 months while participating in any tournaments or events post completing 3 months training program successfully.
How to apply for ROG Academy
If you are a hardcore PC gamer, here is how you can apply and stand a chance to win the prize and get full training. To apply, one must be aged 16 and above and gamers aged between 16 to 18 will have to provide a consent letter from their parents. You can head to the ROG Academy registration page and fill up the details and submit your application. The registration is currently open and will close on February 10.
After registrations, participants will have to go through a screening process which will include showcasing their abilities in the open tryouts where they will be judged by a Jury. The top six participants chosen from the tryouts phase will receive admission into the program.
https://ift.tt/154AwVo Galaxy Z Fold 3 Ultra concept renders suggest that the phone could have a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra-like quad rear camera setup, thin bezel display, and S Pen support. The rumoured smartphone may be launched in June 2021.
Ever since the unveiling of the Snapdragon 888 chipset in December last year, smartphone manufacturers have been busy trying to win a share of the attention by teasing their upcoming flagship products. Joining the fray, we have the ZTE Axon 30 Pro, which is now expected to launch with an insane 200MP camera.
Ni Fei, the company’s President took to Weibo to talk about the ZTE Axon 30 Pro’s camera. He confirmed that the upcoming smartphone will be able to shoot photos with a resolution of 200MP or over 2.7 billion pixels. It will also be capable of capturing photos in low-light scenarios which are as dark as 0.1 lumens, 4K HDR video recording and 10-bit colour support.
The post also mentions the use of the Spectra 580 image signal processor and the Snapdragon 888. This will be a significant change over the ZTE Axon 20 from last September – which was powered by the mid-range Snapdragon 765G.
Snapdragon 888 camera specs(Image credit: Qualcomm)
Another leak on Weibo shed some more light on the camera sensor. It is expected to implement the S5KGND image sensor from Samsung, which is yet to be announced but not unexpected. It is said to have a diagonal size of 1/1.37-inches, allowing it to shoot 50MP images at 0.64μm with quad-pixel-binning and 12.5MP images at 1.28μm with 16-in-1 pixel binning. It’s unclear if it will also be capable of shooting at the full 200MP resolution, as that would mean shifting to a pixel size of just 0.16μm — the smallest on any camera by quite a margin, leading to lower light sensitivity.
Just like its predecessor, the ZTE Axon 30 Pro is also likely to sport an under-display selfie camera. Now in its second iteration, it remains to be seen how much better it gets as the maiden attempt was not really great. Similarly, there will be obvious questions over the need for such a high-resolution camera when some of the best camera phones continue to use 12MP sensors.
ZTE is yet to confirm the Axon 30 Pro launch date, but we expect it to be in the coming months itself.
Change is the only constant in the technology industry. In a bid to outbid the competition or to become an industry leader, constant innovation and introduction of new features at a rapid pace have become an integral part of the industry. This is probably the reason why a feature or piece of tech that became a necessity in all phones in the last couple of years might have vanished in thin air with the dawn of 2021.
Xiaomi’s General Manager Liu Weibing has highlighted the same in his post on Weibo and justified the reason why none of Xiaomi’s phones came with a ToF sensor.
Taking a dig at other brands that had promoted ToF sensors heavily during the launch events and otherwise, he said: “Today it suddenly occurred to me that brands that originally promoted the TOF function no longer carry the TOF function in new products phones.”
(Image credit: Weibo)
However, he also subtly added that “but this year more new products will carry 100 million pixels,” suggesting that 108mp sensor will be a feature that will get democratized and will be seen in more phones than ever before.
While the ToF or Time of Flight sensor was hailed as the next big thing in the smartphone industry, brands that introduced it as a feature were seen going gaga over its use for AR and 3D imaging. According to an explanation found on Samsung’s website, “ToF Camera is used with Live focus video and Quick Measure, letting you add more creative flair and get information in a way you've never seen before.” And that it allows you to “blur out the background in real-time” or makes your camera act “as a 3D camera, judging width, height, area, volume, and more when you put an object in frame.”
To put in simpler terms the ToF sensor helps offer better depth in images or videos and allows you to take measurements of an object.
However, Liu Weibing has always been critical of this feature and has called it a mere gimmick. He has even suggested that this feature has just been added to lure users in spending more money on the phones and has stated this as a useless feature. Interestingly he voiced these thoughts back in 2019 when Android smartphones with ToF sensors were expected to amass over 20 million shipments.
In hindsight, which is normally the safest way to look at things, his opinion does hold ground. Quite a few brands including Huawei, Honor, Samsung etc. that were aggressively marketing ToF sensors as a breakthrough feature have now gradually stopped using it altogether. We do have Samsung’s flagship Note 20 series rocking these sensors but not many devices in the affordable price bracket come equipped with this additional sensor.
His post also suggests that smartphone makers this year will focus on the massive 108-megapixel sensor and quite a few devices will come with this massive sensor. This means an obvious megapixel war and an increase in the pricing of smartphones.
Megapixel war?
We already have smartphones with 48mp and 64mp sensors going mainstream and Samsung is rumoured to be working on 150, 200 and even 600mp sensors. This is at a time when Google and Apple are still using an array of 12- or 13-mp camera sensors and producing amazing results. Both iPhones and Pixel phones are considered to be best camera phones by a fair margin thanks to the software prowess these companies possess and are not solely dependent on higher megapixel count.
Apart from these Xiaomi also has a slew of devices ready with the 108-megapixel camera to be launched in its home and overseas markets. So, is Xiaomi’s GM hinting that even these are a gimmick?
Remember, a great photo is still a result of photographers’ keen eye to capture the moment, aided by the light and placement of the object. The higher megapixel count doesn’t guarantee a great photograph.
Though a bigger sensor does have a few benefits and better low light photography is one of them. A larger sensor will collect more data compared to a smaller sensor, however, a bigger sensor will not result in a sharper low-light image automatically. It will still need software optimization to process the data provided by the sensor to produce an excellent low-light photograph.
So next time you’re in the market to shop for a new phone, not falling for the gimmicks will help you save a lot of money.
UPDATE:Netflix has released a powerhouse film about India's caste system in The White Tiger, which we fully expect to win numerous awards. Find out all about this film below!
If you're new to Netflix and want to find the best movies to watch, or you're tired of browsing the app for 30 minutes before finding something to watch, you've come to the right place. With thousands of movies at your disposal, it's easy to get stuck in binge-watching mode, but finding the honest-to-goodness best films can be a bit of a hassle.
In an effort to determine the best of the best, we've put together a list of the greatest possible films you can watch – curated by TechRadar editors and backed up with ratings from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes – so that you don't have to sift through the muck. We'll keep this best-of list up to date with the latest movies that are must-watch, so you waste zero screen time searching.
Below, you'll also find a hand-selected list of the top trending newly added movies on Netflix Australia at the moment. Here's what we think you should be watching this month. Alternatively, you could also skip directly to your chosen genre via the drop down menu above!
The White Tiger
Ramin Bahrani’s adaptation of Arvid Adiga’s 2008 Booker Prize-winning novel is no Slumdog Millionaire. Instead of a charming rags-to-riches story, this is a very real, and dark look into India’s caste system and what life is like for those living in poverty. It’s a gripping tale of a poor, yet ambitious, young man keen to become a driver for a wealthy businessman’s US-educated son. He brings not only loyalty, but servility as well, but his loyalty is challenged when he’s betrayed by his employers. The movie is dark, seething with resentment and cynicism. It also captures, for the most part, what life really is like for India’s poor, portrayed almost perfectly by director Ramin Bahrani and director of cinematography Paolo Carnera. Strong dialogue, great characters and good acting showcases the hypocrisy of the privileged classes, the needs of India’s poor and the underlying corruption that keeps the system churning.
As tech enthusiasts, it's perhaps unsurprising that we're obsessed with science fiction here at TechRadar. From glorious space operas to mind-bending films that make you think, there's something for everyone on our list of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix Australia.
I Am Mother
(Image credit: Netflix)
A smart, slow-burn science fiction film that favours suspense over explosions, I Am Mother is more akin to the likes of Ex Machina and Moon than it is The Terminator or I, Robot. The mother in question is in fact a robot (voiced by Rose Byrne) who has been raising and preparing a young girl (Clara Rugaard) within a scientific facility since birth, with no contact with the outside world, for reasons unknown. Though the girl, referred to only as 'daughter', loves her 'mother', the arrival of an outsider (Hilary Swank) turns her world upside down with a startling revelation, forcing the girl to question her allegiance to the machine that raised her and its motives. Featuring a story that will keep you guessing, and an incredibly-convincing practical robot suit devised by Weta and performed by Luke Hawker, I Am Mother is a must-watch for sci-fi fans.
If you've seen writer-director Alex Garland's previous sci-fi masterpiece, Ex Machina, you'll know to expect a wild ride with his follow-up, Annihilation. Based on the highly regarded novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation follows a group of women who set off on an expedition into an environmental disaster zone where the laws of nature don't apply. Natalie Portman leads the pack as a biologist searching for her missing husband, and she's joined by Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez and more. Though the film has only just been released in theatres in the US, Australia is lucky enough to be one of the countries getting the film on Netflix right away. Equally brainy and terrifying, Annihilation has all the makings of a modern science fiction classic.
One of Christopher Nolan's most ambitious films, Interstellar imagines a future where Earth is on its way out, and humanity must venture out beyond our galaxy to find a suitable new planet to call home. Among these astronauts are Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), who must leave his children behind, despite the journey possibly lasting several decades, and Brand (Anne Hathaway), who is on a mission to track down her partner in the far reaches of space. Simultaneously thought-provoking and mind-bending, Interstellar is a true science fiction spectacle – one that rewards multiple viewings.
Way back in 1999, The Matrix blew audiences away with its amazing special effects, mind-bending sci-fi plot, incredible wire-fu action scenes, wonderfully era-appropriate industrial soundtrack and spectacular bullet-time camerawork. Though writer-director siblings The Wachowskis would eventually follow it up with two lacklustre sequels, nothing could diminish the story of a virtual superhero named Neo (Keanu Reeves) and his awakening from a lifelike illusion. Neo learns that our world is just a virtual construct developed by machines in order to enslave humanity and use us as batteries to keep itself alive – not the best news to wake up to, that's for sure. In the words of Keanu himself, The Matrix is one film that is guaranteed to make you say "whoa".
We all love a good scare (so long as we're safe and sound at the end of it), so with that in mind, we've taken the liberty of shining a spotlight on some of the best horror movies currently streaming on Netflix Australia. These freaky flicks are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine!
The Babysitter: Killer Queen
Set two years after the events of The Babysitter, the film that introduced the world to the talents of Australia's own Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), The Babysitter: Killer Queen doubles down on its predecessor's colourful and comedic tone, while still delivering ample amounts of blood and gore. Having grown up significantly since the previous film, Cole (Judah Lewis) and Melanie (Emily Alyn Lind) find themselves entangled once again with a murderous satanic cult. Critics seem to hate this one, but audiences seem to enjoy it quite a bit, so we suggest checking it out for yourself.
An instant classic of the horror genre, Hereditary tells the terrifying story of a family haunted by the dark secrets of its own ancestry. Toni Collette gives a career best performance as Annie, a mother who's driven to uncover her family's cryptic past after an immensely tragic occurrence leaves them devastated. The way that Hereditary unfolds is truly unpredictable, with a number of shocking moments which are guaranteed to leave viewers speechless. While it can be a tough watch at times, Hereditary is a rewarding and immaculately-crafted horror experience that's well worth taking.
Writer-Director Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler) delivered a film that's a whole lot crazier than we were expecting with Velvet Buzzsaw. The supernatural/satirical horror film is set in the art world, where a series of paintings by an unknown deceased artist begin to take revenge on those who worship money. The film stars Nightcrawler alums Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo, along with John Malkovich, Daveed Diggs, Natalia Dyer, Tom Sturridge, Billy Magnussen and Zawe Ashton. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like your films left of centre, you just might appreciate Velvet Buzzsaw.
In the grim tradition of The Wicker Man and The Witch comes Apostle, a gory new folk horror tale from Gareth Evans, director of The Raid films. Set in 1905, Apostle sees Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) infiltrate an island-based cult which is holding his sister Jennifer (Elen Rhys) for ransom. Led by Prophet Malcolm (Michael Sheen), the cult is entering a particularly dark time — its crops and livestock are rotting from within, as if the people are being punished by their deity. With the community in dire straits, Malcolm and his followers have become murderous monsters, resorting to horrific, medieval practices in a vain attempt to restore life to their home. In other words, a terrible time to be discovered as an intruder! With Apostle, Evans has not lost his knack for bodily destruction, with several scenes of torture and violence that may be too much for some viewers. Those with strong stomachs, however, will be rewarded with a nail-biting horror story with incredibly production design and cinematography that's willing to go to some truly dark places. It's nerve-jangling score is also worth keeping an ear out for.
The film that defined the term 'blockbuster', Steven Spielberg's classic fright film Jaws has swam its way onto the the service and is hungry for more viewers to chomp on. When an aggressive great white shark starts eating swimmers in the lead up to Fourth of July weekend, the mayor of a popular tourist destination sets a bounty for the shark's head. The town's sheriff (Roy Scheider), an oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter with a grudge (Robert Shaw) set out on the seas to take it down for good. They're gonna need a bigger boat...
One for the horror comedy fans, the Netflix Original film The Babysitter, from director McG (Charlie's Angels), is an energetic and fun flick with some killer one-liners and a star-making performance from Aussie actress Samara Weaving (yes, she's related to Hugo), whom horror fans may remember from her role in the first season of Ash vs Evil Dead. The plot is simple: kid develops a crush on his incredibly cool babysitter, only to find out that she's sadistic, devil-worshipping killer with a group of equally psychotic friends, all of whom are planning to kill him. Though he's a total wimp, he must now fight back in order to survive. Gory and funny in equal measure, The Babysitter is a hell of a time.
Documentaries offer unprecedented insight into the lives of real people and the extraordinary events that surround them. Fiction is great, but fact truly has the power to move and inspire people like nothing else. With that said, here are some of the best documentaries currently available to stream on Netflix Australia.
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
(Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix nabbed a huge exclusive when it locked down the rights to Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé – an in depth documentary showcasing the megastar's awe-inspiring performances at Coachella 2018, intercut with extensive behind-the-scenes and rehearsal footage. More than an incredibly entertaining concert film, Homecoming also acts as a rallying cry for women of colour the world over. A powerful and politically-charged statement that just happens to be filled with absolute bangers, Homecoming is surely to please Beyoncé fans.
It was promised to be the most high-end, luxurious island-set music festival experience known to man, with supermodels, yachts, five-star accommodation and dining all set to provide an experience unlike any other. Unfortunately, festivalgoers were in for a rude shock when they arrived at their supposed paradise, instead finding a setting that looked more like an internment camp than Club Med. Netflix's original documentary Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened tells the story of how this event unraveled, going from party of the century to Hell on Earth.
The Trump presidency has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons, and has been a source of entertainment for late-night shows and comedians across the US. There are books aplenty already published on the Trump White House, yet the world is yet to meet the President-maker, “the trickster”, behind the scenes. Get Me Roger Stone is about the man who puts a Republican in the White House, using every (underhanded) technique he possibly can to get his man the top job. And he does so unashamedly. The documentary follows this self-acclaimed “agent provocateur” – reminiscent of a dapper character right out of a James Bond novel or movie – as he reveals everything he’s done during his long career, from Nixon to Trump. The documentary not only puts the subject, and his Nixon tattoo, centre-stage, it also reveals how the American democracy works in its current form.
Following the enormous success of its original docu-series Making a Murderer, Netflix has once again returned to the ever-popular 'true crime' well with Amanda Knox. The Netflix Original documentary tells the harrowing story of an American exchange student who spent four years in an Italian prison after being convicted for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. Forced to endure the prosecution's various character assassination tactics, including public slut-shaming, Knox maintains her innocence at all times, with her appeals eventually reaching Italy's Supreme Court. Amanda Knox is an effective and truly eye-opening documentary that is not to be missed.
We love a good thriller, which is why we've narrowed down some of the best ones that are now available to watch on Netflix Australia. These films will have you on the edge of your seat in suspense, so sit back, try to relax, and enjoy.
Horse Girl
(Image credit: Netflix)
There are two (main) ways of looking at Sarah (Alison Brie), the lead character of Netflix's mind-bending new film Horse Girl: she either suffers from severe delusions related to inherited mental illness, or everything she believes is happening to her is actually true. While it's easy to lean towards the former, the film's screenplay, co-written by Brie and her director Jeff Baena, was written to be open to interpretation – the pair clearly seems to delight in throwing the audience off at every turn. It's helped in large part by a truly fantastic and deeply-committed performance from Brie, who is able to sell both versions of the film simultaneously.
Netflix's Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is finally here, and while it doesn't quite live up to the hype it generated from its showing at Sundance, it does feature an absolutely magnetic performance from Zac Efron, who plays the depraved serial killer Ted Bundy. Told from the perspective of Bundy's former girlfriend Liz (Lily Collins), Extremely Wicked attempts to explain how any rational human could have fallen for the horrific murderer's innocence claims. Leaning heavily into Bundy's reported eloquence and charm, the film occasionally makes the killer of over 30 young women seem like an underdog, which may rub some the wrong way. Of course, that approach does serve the film's ultimate goal, which is to provide the viewer with an understanding of how someone as evil as Bundy could emotionally infiltrate a person's life to such a degree.
A deliriously twisty and sinister horror film, The Perfection follows the demented relationship between musical prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) and rising star Lizzie (Logan Browning), who threatens to upstage Charlotte at her former school. Without giving too much away, The Perfection is absolutely unpredictable – not even the trailer above can truly give you an idea of what the film has in store for unsuspecting viewers. Just know that The Perfection isn't afraid to get gross or venture into shocking and uncomfortable territory.
Equal parts Oldboy and La Femme Nikita, The Villainess is a female-driven Korean revenge thriller with the most incredible and original action sequences this side of The Raid — seriously, the first-person knife fights and shootouts in this put Hollywood action movies to shame. Sook-hee (Ok-bin Kim) is apprehended after carrying out a killing spree that leaves dozens of gangsters dead. She's given a choice: train to become a ruthless assassin and receive freedom after ten years, or spend the rest of her life in jail. Obviously, she chooses the former, and before long it becomes clear to her that her rampage was spurned on under false pretences. Now, it's time to make everyone pay for what they did to her.
2017 has been a great year for Stephen King adaptations (ahem, The Dark Tower aside), and the new Netflix Original film Gerald's Game joins It and 1922 in the upper echelon. In an attempt to rekindle their marriage, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) and Jessie (Carla Gugino) retreat to a remote lake house. When a sex game goes awry, Jessie is left alone and handcuffed to the bed and must overcome her mounting paranoia and deep, personal demons. Though the film mostly takes place within the one room, Gerald's Game remains thrilling from start to finish. It also features one of the best performances of Gugino's career.
We're serious cinephiles here at at TechRadar. It's not all about Star Wars around here – we enjoy a good tear-jerker, too. There are many sensitive drama films streaming on Netflix Australia right, and these are some of the best ones. So grab a hanky and get ready for a heavy night in.
Da 5 Bloods
Arriving at seemingly the perfect time, right in the middle of a paradigm-shifting cultural movement, Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods feels ripped from the headlines, even as it weaves a story about five African-American vets who return to Vietnam as old men. In dealing with the experience of black GIs drafted into an immoral war, Da 5 Bloods get right to heart of issues that are still prevalent today. That it manages to do so while simultaneously acting as an action-packed (and surprisingly violent) film about buried treasure is a testament to Spike Lee's mastery as a filmmaker. Sure, Da 5 Bloods is at times messy and raw by blockbuster film standards, but Lee has never been concerned with perfection – he's a director who aims for emotional truth, with the urgency of someone who will tell you how he feels in pure, unfettered form.
A heartbreaking (and surprisingly funny) film that details a messy divorce from both sides, Marriage Story feels like writer/director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) publicly working through the emotional minefield of his own relationship breakdown as a means of therapy. Featuring a razor-sharp script that feels painfully real, the film is backed by career-best performances from Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, who somehow leave us rooting for both sides and hoping that both parties just find happiness.
Some people will say that Breaking Bad, which had about as perfect an ending as a groundbreaking TV show can have, didn't need a follow-up. Sure, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie isn't strictly necessary, but we'll gladly spend more time with these characters. In this Netflix Original event from series creator Vince Gilligan, we catch up again with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), who's now on the run following the events of the violent series finale. Yes, you will see a number of familiar faces in El Camino, which essentially plays out like an especially cinematic double episode. In our opinion, El Camino is a fantastic bookend to one of the greatest series of all time, and fans should be more than grateful for the opportunity to revisit this world.
The film that finally bagged Leonardo DiCaprio a much-deserved Academy Award, The Revenant is at once a stunning technical achievement and a gut-wrenching tale of survival in the harshest wilderness imaginable. Based on the true story of Hugh Glass (though fudged a little for the sake of added drama), a man who was left for dead by his fur-trapping party after a savage bear attack (amazingly realised here in one of the film's many single-take camera shots). Now, Glass must carry himself across 200 miles of snowy hell to track down down the man who killed his son (that part is made up) and left him to die alone, played here by a mumbly Tom Hardy. A powerful film with incredibly cinematography and exceptional performances, The Revenant is a must-see piece of cinema.
If Bohemian Rhapsody was a little too sanitised for your liking, you may want to check out The Dirt, an unflinching music biopic about glam metal outfit Mötley Crüe that revels in the debauchery of the band's sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle in the 1980s. Never shying away from Mötley Crüe's more outrageous (and utterly disgusting) antics, The Dirt explores the highs and lows of being a rock star with no sense of self control in regards to partying, women and hard drugs (the film's Ozzy Osborne scene is particularly revolting). Be warned, the film rivals The Wolf of Wall Street when it comes to sex, nudity and drug use, often feeling seedy and exploitative in its portrayal of women (almost every female character in the film is a disposable groupie or horrible person). That said, when viewed as a time capsule of a particularly crazy moment in music history, The Dirt is immensely watchable.
Famous bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde have been immortalised in popular culture thanks in large part to the classic 1967 film about their exploits, but what about the lawmen responsible for ending their killing spree? Netflix's new original film The Highwaymen aims to tell their story once and for all. Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson star as Frank Hamer and Maney Gault, two real-life Texas Rangers who are brought out of retirement with one goal in mind – to find Bonnie and Clyde and put them down for good. Despite being divisive amongst critics, The Highwaymen features terrific performances, assured direction and beautiful cinematography, giving this story the prestige film treatment it deserves.
Though it'll always be remembered as the film that was accidentally read out as Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2017, La La Land would still have been a deserving winner regardless. Written and directed by wunderkind filmmaker Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, First Man), the film is an all-singing, all-dancing love story about a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) who fight to stay together as their dreams pull them apart. Equal parts joyous and heartbreaking, and featuring two megastars at their most charming, La La Land is one of the best romantic musicals in recent years.
An astonishing ode to motherhood in all forms, Roma is the most personal film to date from visionary director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Gravity). On paper, Roma is not the easiest sell – a subtitled black and white film about a live-in housekeeper spoken almost entirely in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language, Cuarón's latest is nonetheless riveting from a cinematic standpoint. More a series of vignettes than a traditional three-act story, Roma examines the life of a Mexico City family in the early 1970s during a time of great social upheaval. Described by Cuarón as 90% autobiographical, the film provides some insight into the famous director's early life, although the story is witnessed primarily through the eyes of his caretaker, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), who would become a loved member of the family. One of the most gorgeously photographed films of the year, Roma deserves to be seen on the largest screen possible. Shot entirely in 65mm, Roma would make for an ideal theatrical experience. However, if that isn't an option, you won't be disappointed by the Roma's breathtaking 4K Ultra HD presentation on Netflix – just make sure you keep tissues on hand, because it's very likely you'll shed a few tears during the film.
A worldwide phenomenon, Your Name is the highest-grossing anime film of all time — that's right, bigger than any Studio Ghibli film or science fiction blockbuster. That a simple story about a young girl from a rural town switching bodies with a young man from bustling Tokyo hit such a cord with audiences is a testament to the heartfelt writing that helps bring these animated characters to life. Makoto Shinkai's film is the kind that will have you laughing one moment, then crying the next. A joyful and beautiful love story told in a unique and cerebral way, Your Name is one of the true anime masterpieces, sitting alongside the likes of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Grave of the Fireflies, Spirited Away and the legendary Akira.
As Netflix's first original movie, Beasts of No Nation had a lot to prove. The VOD scene had traditionally been associated with low budget indies and D-grade horror films, but with Beasts of No Nation, Netflix managed to convince people that high quality (dare I say, Oscar-calibre) films could be streamed at home and shown in theatres at the same time. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective season 1), Beasts follows the loss of a child soldier's innocence as he's forced to do unspeakable things. The film hits like a sledgehammer, never shying away from the brutality and horror experienced by this young boy (played masterfully by newcomer Abraham Attah). Equally powerful is Idris Elba's portrayal as the boy's remorseless and despicable commander. Though not what you'd call a crowd-pleaser, we hope that Netflix continues to bring us brilliant films like this.
Korean director Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Snowpiercer) is an eclectic filmmaker, and his latest work, Okja, is in a genre all of its own. Is it an adventure film? Is it science fiction? Is it a drama? Is it a fairy tale? Is it satire? The answer is... all of the above. With a style that's somewhere between Spielberg and Miyazaki, the film follows a young Korean girl's quest to rescue her best friend Okja, a super-pig that was created by the multi-national conglomerate Mirando Corporation for the purposes of consumption. Flipping between heartbreaking and joyful at the drop of a hat, Okja is an emotional roller coaster of a film that may well have you reconsidering your dietary choices.
Need a good laugh? Netflix Australia is home to some terrific comedies, with a number of hilarious movies ready to stream in an instant. Some are light-hearted, while others are pitch black. With that in mind, there's a comedy for everyone below.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend
Fans of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt rejoice! The impossibly sunny character and her friends Titus, Jacqueline and Lilian are back in Netflix's new interactive special, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend! Like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch before it, the new special allows the viewer to make decisions throughout the story which could lead the character to unexpected places. Admittedly, many of the choices in Kimmy vs. the Reverend are of the pass/fail variety, meaning your story probably won't chase drastically no matter what you choose. That said, the choices do open up a large number of hilarious jokes, so it's worth trying out choices that you know will fail just for the heck out it (you'll even get some secret jokes by choosing every option). Thankfully, regardless of what you choose, you'll always have a 'do-over', meaning you won't cut the story short by making the wrong choice. Oh, and make sure you click on 'skip intro' to get an additional treat.
Bummed about Eurovision's cancellation this year due to Covid-19? You're in luck, because Netflix's new Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams-starring comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is here to fill the void! Not the satire that many think it is, the film is glorious and sincere love letter to the world's biggest music competition. The film follows the Icelandic pub band Fire Saga which, due to unforeseen circumstances, becomes the country's only eligible submission into the Eurovision Song Contest. With a number of fantastic original songs, and cameos-galore from Eurovision's biggest stars, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga might be the most purely enjoyable crowd-pleaser that Netflix has delivered to date.
For years, aspiring entertainer Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) struggled to break into show business, mostly due to the fact that he wasn't particularly good at anything. Taking inspiration from a local homeless person's hilariously filthy rhymes, Rudy takes on the persona of a foul-mouthed pimp named Dolemite, immediately becoming an underground sensation across black America. Of course, it's not enough to break into the Billboard charts with his raunchy comedy albums – Rudy's got bigger dreams, such as starring in his very own Dolemite movie! Now, Rudy and his crew gang – portrayed in the film by the likes of Keegan-Michael Key, Wesley Snipes, Omar Epps, Craig Robinson and more – set out to make a film for the people, one which has pimps, drug pushers, blood, boobs and an all-girl karate army! Based on a true story, Dolemite is My Name is a true underdog story about making your own dreams into a reality, even if you don't have any real talent to speak of! If you love movies like Ed Wood, you'll love Dolemite Is My Name.
With the success of Crazy Rich Asians finally proving that there's indeed an audience hungry for mainstream films made from an Asian perspective, Netflix's film Always Be My Maybe has arrived at the perfect time to reinforce that truth. The film's story is universal: after growing apart years ago, two childhood friends end up back in each other's lives only to fall in love all over again. It helps that those two friends are played by none other than the hilarious comedian Ali Wong (from Netflix's standup special, Ali Wong: Baby Cobra) and the extremely charming Randall Park (Ant-Man and the Wasp, The Interview). With an amazing guest appearance from man-of-the-moment Keanu Reeves, Always Be My Maybe is one of the most enjoyable romantic comedies that Netflix has delivered to date.
Following an interview incident that leaves guest Matthew McConaughey dead, Between Two Ferns host Zach Galifianakis is sent on a quest by his boss Will Ferrell to film a whole season's worth of interviews in a single week in order to redeem himself. To do this, Zach and his crew head out on an epic road trip to interview the likes of Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Benedict Cumberbatch and more. Featuring hilariously offbeat humour and deliciously awkward interviews, Between Two Ferns is underscored by a surprisingly sweet story about friendship and loyalty. It also saves its funniest moments for the closing credits, where a number of outtakes give us a peek behind the process of filming these interview segments. Spolier alert: Zach and his guests find it very difficult to keep a straight face.
Perhaps the most charming and endlessly entertaining comedy of Eddie Murphy's career, Coming to America takes the standard 'fish out of water' concept and weaves pure magic with it. Unhappy with the arranged marriage set up by royal parents, Prince Akeem of the wealthy (and fictitious) African nation of Zamunda sets off for America in search of love with help from his squire, Semmi (Arsenio Hall). Before long, Akeem falls for the smart and independent Lisa (Shari Headley), heir to the McDowell's fast food restaurant empire. Insistent that he win her affections with his personality and not his wealth, Akeem and Semmi pretend to be poor and acquire jobs at McDowell's. Now, the pair must contend with Lisa's over-protective father (John Amos) and her jerk boyfriend (Eriq La Salle). Full of heart and bloody hilarious, Coming to America is a comedy classic.
Though they live on the other side of the law, we as people tend to be fascinated by criminals. Whether it's the outlaw lifestyles they lead, or the fact that they live those lives on the edge and do things most of us wouldn't dream of, something about their stories makes them cinematic gold. Here are some of the best crime movies now streaming on Netflix Australia.
The Irishman
A front-runner for the 2020 Academy Awards, Netflix's original film The Irishman may very well be the most ambitious picture of director Martin Scorsese's celebrated career. In order to tell the story of real-life hitman Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) and his interactions with Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and mobster Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) over multiple decades, Scorsese employed a team of VFX artists to de-age his cast. More than just another gangster movie, the funereal latter portion of The Irishman indicates an older director and cast pondering their own mortality through the story's doomed characters. If you're put off by the film's length, don't be – The Irishman's three-and-a-half hour runtime practically flies by, and you're likely to be glued to the screen the entire time. It is what it is.
Mark Wahlberg stars in his first Netflix Original film with Spenser Confidential, an old-school buddy action film which pairs the actor with Winston Duke (Us, Black Panther). Directed by Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day), the film follows an ex-cop named Spenser (Wahlberg) who gets out of prison and is wrangled into training up-and-coming MMA fighter, Hawk (Duke). Though he planned on turning his life around, Spenser once again finds himself in a whole mess of trouble when some of his old colleagues turn up dead. Eager to find those responsible, Spenser convinces Hawk to help him track down the killers. An action film with its tongue planted firmly in cheek, Spenser Confidential is the kind of flick that may not land on anyone's 'favourite movies' list, but should at least offer an entertaining escape for a couple of hours.
Featuring Adam Sandler's best performance since Punch-Drunk Love, Uncut Gems sees the comedian go darker than ever before. This gritty thriller sees a New York jeweller get in way over his head with a number or gangsters, bookies and loan sharks as he attempts to pull off an enormously risky bet on the NBA finals. With a blaring and chaotic soundtrack that perfectly matches the chaos that's unfolding on-screen, Uncut Gems is designed to keep you stressed out for its entire run time. One of the most anxiety-inducing films you'll ever see, Uncut Gems is one of the few Netflix films that absolutely will not let you 'chill'.
Good Time stars Robert Pattinson in the type of performance that will make you forget all about his involvement in the Twilight saga. We're talking young De Niro good, here. When his mentally-challenged brother is snatched by the police after a bank robbery, Connie (Pattinson) sets out to do anything he can to free his brother before getting sent to the brutal Rikers Island jail complex. This sets off a night that spirals out of control extremely fast. There's pretty much no way of predicting what will happen next. Gritty and grimy, Good Time is an intense film with an incredible soundtrack and fantastic cinematography. One of the best films of 2017.
Though Ben Affleck's directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, was an exceptional film that hinted at his burgeoning filmmaking prowess, his follow-up, The Town, solidified the multitasking celebrity as one of Hollywood's biggest talents. A bank robber thriller in the vein of Heat and Point Break, The Town is set in a neighbourhood in Boston called Charlestown – described in the film as the 'bank robbery capital of America'. After taking a lady bank-teller named Claire (Rebecca Hall) hostage on a heist, Affleck pursues a relationship with her, hugely complicating things within his bank robbing crew. Will Affleck be able to leave his criminal life behind, or will Claire realise what he did to her and give him up to the authorities? The Town is a nail-biting action-packed adult thriller that will make you see Affleck in an entirely new light. We can't wait to see him direct The Batman.
Buckle up for some heart-pounding entertainment with some of the most kick-ass action movies now streaming on Netflix Australia. Adrenaline junkies will get a kick out of every one of the brawny movies listed below.
Extraction
From Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) comes Extraction, one of the most hard-hitting action blockbusters to arrive on Netflix to date. Our very own Chris Hemsworth plays Tyler Rake, an Aussie mercenary with a death wish who accepts missions that most others would run away from. His latest mission is an especially dangerous one – rescue the kidnapped teenage son of an imprisoned drug lord in Dahka, Bangladesh. Of course, he'll have to contend with a ruthless rival drug lord's personal army and an entire force of corrupt cops. Featuring nail-biting action sequences that rival The Raid and John Wick in their intensity, Extraction is an action lover's dream come true. Watch out for show-stopping 12-minute 'single-take' action sequence in the middle of the film – just don't forget to breathe!
Based on the graphic novel by acclaimed comic writer Greg Rucka (Detective Comics, Action Comics), The Old Guard offers a fresh twist on a familiar premise. Andy (Charlize Theron) leads a tight-knit group of immortal warriors who have spent thousands of years in the shadows, protecting humanity through well-meaning mercenary work. However, when a greedy pharmaceutical executive finds out about the team's immortality, their very existence comes under threat. Packed with extreme violence and beautifully choreographed action scenes and fascinating mythology, The Old Guard may very well end up being Netflix's next big film franchise.
No thanks to the ongoing pandemic, it's been a long time since the last big superhero movie was released, so chances are you're craving some super-powered action right about now. Thankfully, Netflix has delivered just that with Project Power, a visual effects-driven blockbuster that sees a new illegal drug can grant people superpowers for five minutes at a time. Of course, you won't know what your power is until you take the drug, meaning you could end up exploding, and that wouldn't be so super. Starring Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dominique Fishback, Project Power is en entertaining diversion that will help keep you satisfied until Black Widow and Wonder Woman 1984 are released.
Fans of Arrow are in for a treat with Code 8, which sees Arrowverse-alums (and real-life cousins) Robbie and Stephen Amell play criminals in a near future where 4% of the population posses superhuman abilities. Connor (Robbie Amell) is one such individual who is convinced by Garrett (Stephen Amell) to use his powers to steal after his mother becomes ill. Of course, this is no small task when the crew has to contend with a hotshot detective who's hot on their trail (Sung Kang), a ruthless crime boss (Greg Bryk) and a team of autonomous robot drones with the sole purpose of taking down powered people.
True to the film's marketing and Ryan Reynolds' amusing promotion across social media, 6 Underground is the most Michael Bay movie that Michael Bay has ever made. Depending on your taste, this is either the best or worst thing you can imagine. Fans will be treated to the director's most outrageously over-the-top action set-pieces since Bad Boys 2. Right from the film's incredible opening car chase, Bay seems committed to presenting immense destruction and a wanton disregard for human life, making 6 Underground the director's most violent and reprehensible film to date (which is great if you have a particularly twisted sense of humour). Thankfully, 6 Underground has a lot of heart, too, with Ryan Reynolds' billionaire character assembling a team of untraceable agents in order to forcefully stabilise regions of the world that are governed by murderous dictators. Whether you like Bay's films or not, it cannot be denied that the man knows how to stage a spectacular action sequence, and 6 Underground has many.
Following on from the success of DC's last standalone film, Wonder Woman, comes the larger than life adventures of Aquaman, starring the one and only Jason Momoa in the titular role. Once considered a ridiculous character by many, Aquaman finally gets to show what he's made of in this epic blockbuster from Australian director James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring). A war is set to kick off between land and ocean, testing the allegiances of Arthur Curry (Momoa), rightful heir to the throne of Atlantis. With some goading from the warrior princess Mera (Amber Heard), a reluctant Arthur must fight to reclaim the throne from his villainous half-brother, Orn (Patrick Wilson), if he has any hope of preventing this war. One of the most visually spectacular superhero films ever made, Aquaman rivals Star Wars in terms of its scope, with the underwater city of Atlantis being a particular standout. Thankfully, the film is carried by the charm of its characters rather than its VFX, making it DC Cinematic Universe's most fun and enjoyable movie to date.
After years of service to their country with little to show for it, a group of soldiers (Oscar Isaac, Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal and Garrett Hedlund) sets out to rob one of the wealthiest and most dangerous cartels in South America. Of course, things exactly don't go to plan, and now the team is on the run with upwards of $250 million in drug money. Can they escape with the money and their lives? Directed by J. C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year), Triple Frontier is an edge-of-your-seat thriller with terrific performances and fantastic cinematography (believe us, the film looks spectacular in 4K HDR).
Shane Black, writer and director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, returns to the world of gumshoe detectives with The Nice Guys, a smart and funny mystery that establishes Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a comedic match made in heaven. Set in the late '70s, Crowe's tough guy enforcer teams up with Gosling's bumbling private eye to solve the mystery of a dead porn star. Filled with hilarious one-liners and terrific action sequences, The Nice Guys is the kind of movie they really don't make anymore, which makes its very existence something of a miracle, wouldn't you say?
One of the most incredibly violent action films ever made, The Night Comes For Us is a martial arts gangster epic (featuring several actors from The Raid series) where blood and body parts are offered up by the barrel. A fierce killer (Joe Taslim) betrays his Triad gang members to protect an orphaned little girl. Now, the entire Triad is out to claim his head, including his former best friend (Iko Uwais). What ensues is an unrelenting bloodbath of martial arts mayhem that never slows down for the rest of the film. We're not kidding when we say that this film might be too violent for many action junkies – heads are smashed in, throats are slashed, fingers are chopped off, bodies are blown apart and guts are ripped out with alarming frequency. If you thought The Raid was violent, you ain't seen nothin' yet!
In the first John Wick, they killed his dog, sending this boogeyman-like professional killer (played by a never-better Keanu Reeves) on a roaring rampage of revenge where no noggin remained bullet-free. In John Wick: Chapter Two, our favourite head-shooting hitman is on the defensive, as he is betrayed by an old associate and left to fight off every trigger happy assassin in New York and abroad. With even more insane stunt work and mythology building than the original film, John Wick 2 is an action-packed middle chapter which promises to end in an almighty bloodbath for the upcoming trilogy-closer, John Wick 3: Parabellum.
Need some kid-friendly entertainment that will make the whole family happy? We've selected some of the best family movies that Netflix Australia has to offer. Each one of these films is guaranteed to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.
How to Train Your Dragon
Credit: DreamWorks Animation
One of the best animated films of the last decade, How to Train Your Dragon surprised everyone with its tale of a young Viking boy who defies his village's dragon hunting ways to become the very first dragon rider. When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) stumbles upon an injured Night Fury, the rarest and most-feared dragon in existence, he manages to befriend the creature (which he adorably names 'Toothless'), eventually teaching his family a valuable lesson in the process. Packed with incredible action and adventure, How to Train Your Dragon is a classic that can be enjoyed by both young and old.
Criminally overlooked by audiences upon initial release, The Iron Giant is an animated film that has steadily grown in appreciation over the years, to the point where many traditional animation purists now consider it an undisputed classic. The feature-length debut of director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), and Set during the 1950s at the height of the 'Red Scare' period of America's history, The Iron Giant tells the story of a lonely boy named Hogarth (Eli Marienthal) who makes a new best friend in an enormous amnesiac robot (Vin Diesel). The robot eventually realises that he was actually built as a weapon, and before long, the authorities find out about him and set out on a quest to destroy the gentle giant. Now the boy and his metallic friend have to protect each other at all costs. A touching film in the tradition of E.T. the Extra-terrestrial, The Iron Giant deserves to be considered as not just a terrific animated film, but as one the greatest films of the '90s, period.
A time-travelling classic from director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and producer Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Back to the Future sees 1980s teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) race back to the 1950s to ensure that his parents meet during high school and fall in love – he better succeed, because if he fails, he'll be wiped from existence in his current timeline! To do this, he'll need help from Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) – an eccentric scientist who's built a working time machine in the form of a DeLorean sports car. A fantastic fish-out-of-water tale that leans heavily on 1950s nostalgia, great performances and terrific visual effects, Back to the Future can be considered a high-watermark from everyone involved.
