Simon de Bruyn

Australia & NZ Editor; Melbourne, Australia

Simon de Bruyn has been writing about Australian & New Zealand films for 5 years, and in that time he's seen the region grow into a white-hot crucible for amazing genre cinema. He also works for Twitch-associated company XYZ Films as an acquisitions consultant.

Hey Australia & New Zealand! Win Amiel Courtin-Wilson's Brilliant HAIL On DVD!

Update: Due to an overwhelming response from readers the competition is already closed and all DVD's claimed - with both Australian and New Zealand readers getting copies, which is great.One of the most acclaimed Australian films of last year and... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Well-Timed GREAT GATSBY Extended TV Spot Joins Promo Avalanche

While most here at Twitch appear to be hungrily anticipating Pacific Rim, I have the same fervour for Baz Luhrmann's take on The Great Gatsby, and am eating up every morsel of promo in the lead up to its May... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

A Completely Accurate Portrayal Of The Modern Cinema Experience

Thanks to Michael Cusack for hitting the nail on the head. This should really stand alongside the Alamo Drafthouse no cell phones PSA.... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

SNOWTOWN's Justin Kurzel to Direct Michael Fassbender in MACBETH

Back in 2006 the director of Romper Stomper, Geoffrey Wright, directed a rising Sam Worthington in a contemporary retelling of Macbeth set in the ganglands of Melbourne. It was an interesting if flawed adaptation, certainly made more compelling by a... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

US Ambassador Calls For Australians To Stop Pirating GAME OF THRONES

Come on Aussies, this is serious. The US Ambassador to Australia, Jeffrey Bleich, has set aside diplomacy to issue a drastic call for Australians to stop pirating Game of Thrones. In a missive posted on his official Facebook page at 3:14am... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Sly Stallone Approves Aussie Director Patrick Hughes For EXPENDABLES 3

Sylvester Stallone has chosen Australian director Patrick Hughes to direct Expendables 3. Hughes burst onto the action-directing scene with his debut feature, neo-western Red Hill, which stormed around film festivals, landed with Sony Pictures in Australia and proved a powerful... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

100 BLOODY ACRES Teaser: Morgans Organic Will Get Your Garden Growin' Great!

During the Melbourne International Film Festival last year, one of the most raucous premieres was for horror comedy 100 Bloody Acres. While it starts off as a slow burn, once it gets going the movie is pretty damn funny -... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Abe Forsythe, Summer DeRoche, Darcy Prendergast, Natasha Pincus Among First St Kilda Programme Announcements

One of the best short film festivals of the annual calendar is St Kilda. While there have been many pretenders over the years, St Kilda has remained as the premier event for short films (and music videos) in Australia. This... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

New STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS Clip Shows That Out Of Context, STAR TREK Is Hilarious

I watched Galaxy Quest again recently and as well as showing that it gets better with age (Sam Rockwell's later role in Moon actually adds further comedy layers to his panicked spaceship crew-member) it also shows that actors running around... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Shia LaBeouf Could Play Robert De Niro's Annoying Son in Father-Son Spy Thriller

Paramount has picked up rights to Spy's Kid, a story set in the world of espionage with Shia LaBeouf and Robert De Niro in talks to play a father and son spy duo. Now just when you are hoping to hear... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

JOHN DOE Trailer Reveals Jamie Bamber as Vigilante Serial Killer

Update: It seems whoever posted this trailer didn't have permission to. It's been pulled from the web in recent days due to a copyright claim from the producers.Not many non-Australian actors can do an Aussie accent. Most, like Quentin Tarantino... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Hey New Zealand! Ant Timpson Sends You An Invitation To Death

A couple of days ago I received an invite in my inbox from ABCs of Death producer Ant Timpson to attend the New Zealand premiere of the film on April 20 at The Civic in Auckland. The invite is such a... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Magic New Poster for Aussie-Indian Film MY CORNERSTONE

Update: We now have a second poster for the film, which gives a more balanced idea of what the film is about. This one firmly pitches the film as a romantic comedy, although the magic vest still features. Check it... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

World War I Indie FORBIDDEN GROUND Gets An Explosive Trailer

It's not often you see 'war movie' and 'indie' describing the same film, but Johan Earl and Adrian Powers' debut feature Forbidden Ground fits in both camps.Written and directed by the duo, and utilising Earl's expertise in armory, explosives... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Jimmy McGovern Creating BBC2 Series on First Australian Convicts

Almost as soon as it was established as a British outpost, Australia became a giant prison for all manner of serious and petty criminals. This has provided lots of fodder for Australian storytellers over the years, most recently seen in... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan to Attend Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

Only in its second year, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is leaping from strength to strength. This year the festival will welcome special guest Amitabh Bachchan, to present the closing night screening of his 1975 blockbuster film Deewar, directed... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

First MAN OF STEEL TV Spot Lands

If there was any ambiguity what the moral-psychological wrestle that Kal-El aka Clark Kent aka Superman goes through in Man Of Steel would be, that is now dashed with the first TV spot for the film, which basically gives away... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

First Look at Beardless Chris Hemsworth in Ron Howard's RUSH

Apparently Ron Howard has been doing something else besides making new episodes of Arrested Development. He's gone and made himself a true-sporting-story-of-battling-rivals-overcoming-the-odds-in-cars movie. Formula 1 cars at that, and starring everyone's favourite Australian Norse God, Chris Hemsworth.Check out the first trailer... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Get Initiated Into 1970s Sharpie Culture With Michael Kratochvil and Ladyhawke

In 1960s and 1970s Australia, one of the prominemt subcultures of suburban Melbourne were the Sharpies. Also known as Sharps, these were members of violent suburban youth gangs, so named due to their focus on looking and dressing "sharp".Now in... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

Watch Glendyn Ivin's Incredible Promo for the New Zealand Fire Service

In just one minute Glendyn Ivin will make you cry. His promo for the New Zealand Fire Service (below) is so damn effective that I got dust in my eyes twice watching it in quick succession.For those unfamiliar, Ivin is... More »

By Simon de Bruyn

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Leading Voices in Global Cinema

Todd Brown, Founder & Editor Toronto
Peter Martin, Managing Editor Dallas
Ryland Aldrich, Festivals Editor Los Angeles
James Marsh, Asian Editor Hong Kong
Brian Clark, European Editor Paris

FEAR & LOATHING AT CANNES, PART 3: EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL AND I'M TRIPPING BALLS

CHAPTER 6: THERE'S NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A PURPLE BEACH SMOTHERED IN MELTING TROMMETTES DURING A CRIMSON TINGED SUNSET ON THE FRENCH RIVERIA, HOLY SHIT I'M TRIPPING MY FUCKING FACE OFF.It's night. When the fuck did it become night? I'm naked. Where the fuck did my clothes go? I'm on... More »

Destroy All Monsters: I Think We've Been This Way Before, Mr. Spock

They can remember it for you wholesale, and they do. At some point, we licensed our pop cultural nostalgia to a handful of multinational conglomerates (well, to be fair, they always owned the licenses) and now they're selling them back to us - though, I guess, not at wholesale, but... More »

Interview: Twitch Talks to HANGOVER III's Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong may often play a lunatic on both big and small screen, but in person it's quite disarming to see just how calm and considerate he comes across. While he got his big screen start in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up, Jeong's real breakthrough was taking a small-on-paper role... More »

Hollywood Beat: Notes On Cutting The Cord And NBC's Genre Programs

I cut the cable cord last year, but I'm not always happy about it. I had to wait a year before seeing Season 2 of Game of Thrones, for example, and will have to wait to see Season 3 until next year. I only have to wait to see Mad... More »

Twitchvision: Talking STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, MUD and THE ICEMAN

Another Twitchvision chat with Scott Laurie, this time me gushing about J.J.'s latest Star Trek film, which I unabashedly loved.Also talked about he fabbo Mud, and the less fabbo The Iceman, both with Michael Shannon doing his thing.Video embedded below.Update: Was asked to come in today and pick a few... More »