Category: Published

TOP 10 FILMS OF 2018… SO FAR… LIST AVAILABLE AT X-PRESS MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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X-Press Magazine have released a list of the best films given an Australian 2018 release so far as voted by critics of the mag. It is with particular pride and humble gratitude that I have been asked to contribute and that some of my words have been used for three films mentioned. Some of those listed will be films that were released in 2017 elsewhere most prominently Stateside.

You can read the entire list here http://xpressmag.com.au/top-10-films-of-2018-so-far/ which includes great stuff from my fellow writers. Having already written about some of these films with my own Top 10 for 2017 it was a lot of fun to find a new way to discuss these films yet again with original words.

X-Press Magazine was established in 1985 and at one point was Australia’s highest circulating free weekly entertainment publication with over 40,000 copies reaching 1,0000 outlets every week.  On the 24th May, 2016 Issue 1527 hit stands. Like many publications of its ilk X-Press Magazine is now foremost an online magazine engaged globally and making the most of the possibilities that new digital technology offers. It’s roots though are tied to its home city, love of local artists and productions and music which it supports wholeheartedly. Perth a capital city most isolated from all the other capitals is continuing to grow and develop culturally and artistically with its own identity and talent. X-Press has always been there to capture this growth and will continue to do so.

-Lloyd Marken

A CONVICT’S HOPE REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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Last Saturday I went to the Museum of Brisbane to attend the launch of a new interactive game they are showing there called A Convict’s Hope. The interactive performance is produced by Folly Games and is inspired by MoB’s latest exhibit Life in Irons: Brisbane’s Convict Stories. Think part escape room/part live performance but with a larger crowd and venue, it certainly was interesting to attend with Karen to review the show for Scenestr magazine.

Although we were on our feet for well over two hours and at some point I wondered how much longer we had to go. Essentially you go over clues in one room and then use those to help you look for clues and put together puzzles in the exhibit. By the time we were doing this for the 3rd or 4th time I was good. So it has to be said that kids attending, encouraged to engage by the performers straight away, overcame their initial shyness and as some of us began to flag they become more and more involved which I think is a strong testament to Folly Games getting the important things right. Building on their excitement the game finished strongly for all. The actors we saw perform too worked very hard to keep the energy up. If the point of the show is to bring to life the hopes and dreams of people who lived long ago and some of the struggles they had to have any sort of personal freedom then the show is very effective. You can read my published review here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/a-convict-s-hope-review-museum-of-brisbane-20180711

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland every month.

-Lloyd Marken

AVENGERS : INFINITY WAR REVIEW AVAILABLE AT BUZZ MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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I am very lucky to have had my review for Avengers: Infinity War published at Buzz Magazine. I am fortunate enough to have a lot of reviews of big blockbusters published over at Buzz and they don’t come bigger than this. Please feel free to click here http://buzzmagazine.com.au/avengers-infinity-war/ to read my thoughts and offer any of your own. I hope you enjoy.

Based out of Victoria, Buzz Magazine was one the longest running street press magazines in Australia being published in print from 1993 to 2010. Some fine writers have worked for Buzz over the years and gone onto successful careers in media since and there is simply no way to measure the contribution the mag made to local music over its print run. With such words and minimal advertising on the website the impression could be taken that Buzz is now semi-retired. Yet the site is quite prolific with new write-ups on a daily basis, the ongoing interest of fans old and new and contributions from some very talented people indeed.

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I’m very excited to say that I’ve reached a new milestone with this review at Buzz. This is my tenth review published with them following on from Black Panther, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Blade Runner 2049, Five Came Back, Atomic Blonde, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Wonder Woman, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Let me know if you had particular favourite.

-Lloyd Marken

 

BLACK PANTHER REVIEW AVAILABLE AT BUZZ MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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It’s been a long time coming but I’ve finally done a review for Black Panther which has been kindly published by Buzz Magazine where  a lot of my reviews of blockbusters get published. The editor has been through a lot in the past year and I am happy to hear that Buzz magazine will be continuing due in part to his strength and resilience for which I’m grateful. There’s a couple of other reviews I did for Buzz a few months back that hopefully will be up on the site in the coming days. I hope you enjoy. You can check out the Black Panther review here http://buzzmagazine.com.au/black-panther/

Based out of Victoria, Buzz Magazine was one the longest running street press magazines in Australia being published in print from 1993 to 2010. Some fine writers have worked for Buzz over the years and gone onto successful careers in media since and there is simply no way to measure the contribution the mag made to local music over its print run. With such words and minimal advertising on the website the impression could be taken that Buzz is now semi-retired. Yet the site is quite prolific with new write-ups on a daily basis, the ongoing interest of fans old and new and contributions from some very talented people indeed.

-Lloyd Marken

 

COVER STORY ON CHUCK NORRIS AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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Chuck Norris is coming to Supernova Comic Con & Gaming this month in Perth and Sydney and to celebrate Scenestr did a retrospective on the career of one Carlos Ray Norris. This was the Cover Story for the June edition of the Western Australian print issue and I was lucky enough to get the gig. This is my fifth cover story following on from my interviews with circus performer Jascha Boyce interview (WA DEC2017), Q&A with EDM legend Opiuo (QLD JAN2018), SNL superstar comedian Michael Che (WA FEB2018) and Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director Ali McGregor (SA MAY2018). I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have done these cover stories.

 

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There was a lot of freedom with the piece about Chuck Norris since it wasn’t a straight forward interview and he’s lived quite an interesting life. I’m really very happy with how it came together and hope you enjoy it too. You can read it here http://scenestr.com.au/lifestyle/chuck-norris-is-ready-to-roundhouse-at-supanova-sydney-perth

 

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Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland every month. The feature on Chuck Norris is the cover story for this month’s Western Australian magazine featuring on pages 10 and 11. You can read a digital version of the printed Western Australia edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/WA/2018/15-WA/scenestr-WA-15.html#p=11

-Lloyd Marken

LOST IN PARIS REVIEW AVAILABLE AT X-PRESS MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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It’s just a pleasure to review films for X-Press Magazine where I have gotten screeners from some truly interesting and diverse work. I was first published with them December 14, 2017 contributing to the Top 20 Films of 2017 List and then on December 21, the Top 20 TV Shows of 2017 List. Which when you think about it was a pretty privileged way to start as a contributor. In the five months since I have reviewed for X-Press The Crown Season 2, Ellipsis, We Don’t Need A Map, Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool, In The Fade, The Endless, Tully and now in my tenth published post for them the 2016 French/Belgian co-production Lost in Paris.

I had never heard of Fiona Gordon or Dominique Abel who wrote, directed and star in this latest collaboration between the real life couple who met years ago in the circus. I defy anyone to not be charmed by this film a little and you can read more of my thoughts here http://xpressmag.com.au/lost-in-paris-gets-8-10-the-french-connection/

X-Press Magazine was established in 1985 and at one point was Australia’s highest circulating free weekly entertainment publication with over 40,000 copies reaching 1,000 outlets every week.  On the 24th May, 2016 Issue 1527 (the last one in print) hit stands. Like many publications of its ilk X-Press Magazine is now foremost an online magazine engaged globally and making the most of the possibilities that new digital technology offers. It’s roots though are tied to its home city, love of local artists and productions and music which it supports wholeheartedly. Perth a capital city most isolated from all the other capitals is continuing to grow and develop culturally and artistically with its own identity and talent. X-Press has always been there to capture this growth and will continue to do so.

-Lloyd Marken

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE SQUID REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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The Anywhere Theatre Festival is currently running throughout my hometown of Brisbane. Act/React Theatre were doing their new show Kiss of the Vampire Squid as part of it at the Queensland Maritime Museum onboard HMAS Diamantina. HMAS Diamantina was the last World War II era ship to leave RAN service in 1980. The quarterdeck where the show was performed is where high ranking Japanese officers took part in surrender ceremonies of islands in the Pacific. This was such a unique setting for a venue from a group of performers I respect so much that I was really hoping I would get a chance to see the show.

I was even luckier than that, I got a chance to review it for Scenestr magazine attending the night of the final performance. I have seen shows from Act/React before including Love/Hate Actually and earlier this year one of the Convince Me comedy debates. I have also attended two shows by ImproMafia who share a lot of their same talent. In fact Kiss of the Vampire Squid was more similar to the comedy improv performances of Lord of the Thrones and Animated! from ImproMafia than say the thoughtfully prepared brilliance of Love/Hate Actually.

However you define it though, the show was excellent and Karen and I really enjoyed ourselves. You can read more of my thoughts here  http://scenestr.com.au/arts/kiss-of-the-vampire-squid-brisbane-review-anywhere-theatre-festival-20180521

I don’t want to belabour the point, some performances are better than others when it comes to improv but I really do marvel at what these people do and how well they consistently pull it off. To have them part of the Brisbane cultural scene means a lot and they travel too so keep your eye out for them appearing in your neck of the woods.

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

100 POSTS PUBLISHED

Posted on by Lloyd Marken
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After seeing Raw starting a tradition of Grilled Burgers while on assignment. Copyright Lloyd Marken

 

 

I probably wanted to be more Steven Spielberg than Roger Ebert growing up. Maybe Mel Gibson or Harrison Ford perhaps. But whenever I thought about film critics it just sounded like the best every day job you could have if you didn’t get to be a movie star. In 2004 in my final year of uni I had a film review published and it kind of made a dream come true but despite a few follow up efforts nothing really came of it. 2017 is many years on from 2004 so you can understand that when Scenestr published a film review of mine it was not something I took for granted. Suddenly things were possible, I set goals but remained scared this had been a fluke or I’d be found out. Since though I’ve submitted successfully to five publications, seen countless shows and films and interviewed some remarkable individuals. So I thought I would take stock because in April last year the idea of being published 100 times seemed very far away.

I’ve been published 9 times with Perth based X-Press Magazine recently, 8 times with Buzz Magazine where I mostly get to write about blockbusters, 25 times with Heavy Magazine, once with FilmInk magazine and I’m counting the review with Utopia from all those years ago. Rounding out the 100 is the 56 times (20 interviews, 16 reviews of theatre shows, 15 film reviews and 5 stand-up performances) I have been published with Scenestr magazine produced by the incredible team at Eyeball Media Enterprises.

This would maybe be the part where I tell you what some of the highlights were for me but they were all highlights so instead I’d like put it out to you gentle reader. Was there a review or an interview that you read over the past year that you still remember and think was kinda cool? It’s a tricky question I know, of those I regularly follow I couldn’t tell you their favourite posts. I liked when you got married or talked about Warren Zevon or waxed lyrical about Meg Ryan or said the Girl from Ipanema was a good song and quoted Frasier or wrote about your girl or hung shit on a bad teen comedy or relayed the sad facts of a long ago war. But maybe your memory is better than mine so who knows but I’d be interested to hear what you think.

As for me I just count myself very lucky to get this side gig and have it continue and that you here in my small blogging community continue to support me. It means a lot.

-Lloyd Marken

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Karen and I with the cast of Aladdin. Copyright Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ALI McGREGOR AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr83I have been very fortunate to score the work of putting together another cover story for Scenestr magazine. Featured on the cover is cabaret star Natalie Gamsu who is bringing the highly anticipated Carmen, Live or Dead to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival but my interview was with the Festival’s Artistic Director Ali McGregor who additionally is debuting her new show Yma Sumac about the Peruvian songbird as well there. Scenestr86

We skyped and when it was over I realised I had just conducted my longest interview, at least since I started working for Scenestr. McGregor in addition to being a remarkable talent, was passionate about the art form of cabaret, full of praise for Adelaide crowds and came with her own fascinating back story about moving from a career in opera to one that is more diverse. It was a pleasure to get to speak to her and talk about the largest cabaret festival in the world. You can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/adelaide-cabaret-festival-explores-the-possibilities-of-the-art-form

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Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland every month. The interview with Ali McGregor is the cover story for this month’s South Australia magazine featuring on pages 8 and 9. You can read a digital version of the printed Western Australia edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/SA/2018/39-SA/scenestr-SA-39.html#p=8

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A cover story interview with a person so creative and articulate you only hope to give some justice to them on the page. You can’t ask for a better gig than that and I count myself very fortunate.

-Lloyd Marken

 

RACHMANINOV SYMPHONIC DANCES REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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I was lucky enough to score another gig with Scenestr magazine going along to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre Concert Hall last Saturday to see the Queensland Symphony Orchestra perform. Karen’s sister performed in Queensland Wind and Brass for many years which I always enjoyed going to, so I was looking forward to this performance. However I do have to admit I am not well versed in these matters so set out to do some homework and was lucky enough to attend a pre-concert talk that was held. QSO was performing Intermezzo from Notre Dame by Franz Schmidt, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 14 by Samuel Barber and Symphonic Dancers by Sergei Rachmaninov. There was also a special guest in the form of violin soloist Chad Hoopes. I enjoyed the performance and you can read the review here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/rachmaninov-symphonic-dances-brisbane-review-qpac-20180516

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken