12 Years as a Slave: A shared history of heartache
Jenny Cooney Carrillo Chiwetel Ejiofor's family connection to the men and women in 12 Years a Slave made it a tough shoot.
Parquet Courts: As good as gold
Are Parquet Courts dorks, pot-heads, slackers or the new saviours of indie rock? Barry Divola tries to find out after seeing the band play in their home town of Brooklyn.
Critics' picks
Georges Bizet's Carmen was a succes de scandale when it premiered in Paris in 1875, shocking audiences with its depiction of a feisty, sensual woman who smokes, drinks and hangs out with criminals.
Clutch: Finding the right gear
BERNARD ZUEL Clutch are not the kind of band for everybody - and that's just the way they like it.
Sydney Comedy Festival: Funny business
Sarah Thomas Make a diary note for the 10th Sydney Comedy Festival, April 22 to May 17, which promises the best in overseas and local funny people. With an abundance of visiting talent this year, there will be plenty of opportunities to get your laughs on.
Just the ticket
ELISSA BLAKE From Strictly Ballroom to tales of long-nosed lovers and controversial operas, there's rich pickings on stage this year.
Robocop: Police state
Jenny Cooney Carillo It took a role in RoboCop for Abbie Cornish to finally gain her brother's respect.
Warpaint: True colours shine
Anthony Carew With a hit record behind them, Warpaint are now relishing their new freedom.
Misanthropic start for garage-rock duo
Anthony Carew Drenge set out to be merely provocative, but their real talent soon emerged.
PBS broadcaster David Heard's trifecta
STICKY CARPET Longtime PBS presenter David Heard named Citizen of the Year in Australia Day Awards.
A battle cry for a new era
Anthony Carew Warpaint are attracting hype despite their non-commercial attitude.
Being Mrs Robo
Jenny Cooney Carillo Abbie Cornish wins extra family respect over her new role in RoboCop.
Film's testament to humanity, dignity
Jenny Cooney Carrillo Director Steve McQueen chose a lead actor for his personal qualities.
No punches being packed here
Stephen Holden Grudge Match is emblematic of cinema's pandering to the 'old-guy' market.
In tune with sexuality
John Bailey Composing songs for the Melbourne Theatre Company has been rewarding for Missy Higgins.
Theatre for tiny Osiris
John Bailey A night of cabaret, comedy and music will be held to help a boy born at just 24 weeks.
Shortlist weekly album reviews
New releases from The Jezabels, Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra and more.
Melbourne film listings
Philippa Hawker and Jake Wilson New releases this week: A Touch of Sin, Uptopia and Grudge Match.
Dick Diver: All in a day's work for the dedicated
Bronwyn Thompson Dick Diver's Al Montfort is juggling many demands.
Beady Eye: Don't look back in anger
GEORGE PALATHINGAL Don't mention Oasis (or Blur for that matter), Beady Eye are blazing their own trail.
Critics' picks
From Chicago's Q Brothers, creators of the Off-Broadway hit The Bomb-itty of Errors, comes another funky take on Shakespeare.
Pam Ann's Plane Filthy: Fasten seatbelts, turbulence ahead
STEVE DOW Bawdy air hostess Pam Ann is flying high in New York but heading for Aussie runways soon.
Ker$er
Kerser: Fresh voice for local stories
PETER VINCENT Campbelltown rapper Kerser has been pegged as Australia's Eminem.
Rudimental: Group effort feels the love
CRAIG MATHIESON Rudimental's members joined forces and turned street sounds into radio-friendly hits.
Hard act to follow: Winning the second round
GEORGE PALATHINGAL We're not talking about artists going solo or side-project splinter groups - here are five more bands for whom the end of a brilliant outfit didn't mean they couldn't achieve great things with a new one.
The true meaning of Australia Day
Australia Day may be an artificial holiday, but take some time to think, declares Rhys Muldoon.
My perfect weekend
Lauren Ziegler We always make sure there's a lot of swimming and eating. We live in Bondi so we'll get up and make a big feast, and go for a surf around Bondi, or up on the Northern Beaches where we grew up.
Martin Scorsese
The Wolf of Wall Street: No laughing matter
Jenny Cooney Carrillo Martin Scorsese mulls over the controversy surrounding his latest film.
Cloud Control: No place like home
Roger Ma Folk-rockers Cloud Control will be back on familiar territory for Australia Day.
Martin Scorsese's leading men
GARRY MADDOX Just as Woody Allen is known for his great roles for women, Martin Scorsese's movies have had powerhouse roles for male actors since the 1970s, writes Garry Maddox.
PBS Live Drive steps up a gear
STICKY CARPET An all-star line-up of home-grown acts to join community broadcaster PBS's annual series.
Beady Eye
Don't look back in anger: Liam Gallagher's Beady Eye open to playing Oasis songs
George Palathingal Liam Gallagher's other band, Beady Eye, is cranking out the classics.
Listening out on Australia Day
Cal Wilson My top priority for Australia Day? Just listening...all the day long...
Rap voice of the south-west
Peter Vincent Sydney's bad-boy rapper stands his ground in face of the critics.
Rocking on with a heart of stone
Brett Woodward Vista Chino drummer Brant Bjork has remained true to his roots.
Wolf of Wall Street: Wild tale takes us for a ride
Jenny Cooney Carrilllo The Wolf of Wall Street is intended to be excessive to the point of absurdity.
Don't be fooled by the look
Anthony Carew An indie-rocker may appear to be a slacker but he's working hard at his craft.
Hint of a dark cloud
Jon Caramanica Justin Bieber's new movie charts the emotional highs and lows of a teen music star.
Melbourne film listings
Philippa Hawker and Jake Wilson New releases this week: Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, The Great Beauty and more.
Shortlist weekly album reviews
This week: new music from Angel Haze, Jungal, Mogwai, The Cartwheels and Bo Ningen.
Critics' picks
Reaching cinemas this weekend are two movies from high-profile American directors that feature in Hollywood's awards season. From Spike Jones (Being John Malkovich, Where the Wild Things Are) comes the comic romanceHer, in which Joaquin Phoenix (pictured) plays a lonely writer who falls for his computer operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. The Coen brothers follow A Serious Man and True Grit with Inside Llewyn Davis. Set in 1961, it's a musical drama about a struggling singer-songwriter, played by Oscar Isaac.
Feeling the love
Samuel J. Fell It has all come together nicely for psychedelic pop-rockers Grouplove.
Folk heroes
Jenny Cooney Carrillo Oscar Isaac fills out the title character in the latest Coen brothers' movie, Inside Llewyn Davis.
Bridging the gap between art and cricket
Rhys Muldoon visited two places of worship over the holidays: the SCG and MONA.
My perfect weekend
Lauren Ziegler ''On a Friday night, I'll go and watch one of my friends performing in an independent theatre show, somewhere like the Old 505 Theatre (in Surry Hills) or the Sidetrack Theatre in Marrickville.
Stepping into the shoes of Jack Ryan
Stephanie Bunbury Chris Pine is the latest chiselled leading man to flesh out Tom Clancy's CIA hero.
Third time lucky for classic
BERNARD ZUEL Big Star have influenced generations - and get a special tribute at the Sydney Festival.
