Introducing The AACTA Awards: The Industry Awards Ceremony Behind The Latest Issue Of FilmCentral Magazine

The latest issue of FilmCentral Magazine shines a spotlight on the glamour and prestige of the 2024 AACTA Awards, held at HOTA, Home of the Arts, on Queensland’s breathtaking Gold Coast. The event, which took place on Saturday, February 10, was preceded by the AACTA Industry Awards on Thursday, February 8, marking an extraordinary celebration of the Australian film industry.

Among the esteemed attendees was FilmCentral Magazine’s editor-in-chief, who, along with the Streets of Colour team, captured the essence of this prestigious event in vivid detail.

FilmCentral Magazine proudly reports that several members of their Streets of Colour team graced the AACTA Awards ceremony, commemorating the collective effort that earned them a nomination for Best Film – Independent. Despite not securing the win in their category, the editor-in-chief expressed immense pride for the cast, crew, and supporters, acknowledging the dedication and hard work that led to this significant recognition.

“While we didn’t secure the win in our category, being nominated was a monumental achievement in itself. Our Streets of Colour team had a one in six chance, and the acknowledgment of their work on such a platform is a testament to their talent and dedication,” said Yolandi Franken, Editor-in-Chief of FilmCentral Magazine.

The nomination for Best Film – Independent was a remarkable acknowledgment of the Streets of Colour team’s commitment to storytelling that pushes boundaries. The editor-in-chief emphasized the importance of overcoming systemic challenges and addressing the fear associated with telling stories that resonate with marginalized communities.

“In their pursuit of creative excellence, the Streets of Colour team faced systemic mountains and navigated the fear entrenched in those hesitant to share narratives like theirs. Their journey symbolizes a commitment to breaking barriers, taking risks, and amplifying voices that often go unheard,” added Franken.

While the win eluded them, the presence of the Streets of Colour team at the AACTA Awards was a triumph in itself, shining a spotlight on their resilience and dedication to bringing meaningful stories to the forefront of the Australian film landscape.

Dates Announced for Annual Casting Guild of Australia Awards Ceremony

The annual Casting Guild of Australia (CGA) Awards Ceremony is moving to Sydney this year, with the prestigious invite only event to be held at Establishment Hotel on Friday 24 November. Nominees for the awards are set to be announced early-November.

Launched in 2015, the CGA Awards is the only casting awards ceremony in the southern hemisphere that celebrates and recognises casting across all mediums including film, television, advertising, theatre and online content. The annual Awards Ceremony seeks to acknowledge and support the critical role casting directors play in bringing together great casting opportunities both on a national and international stage.

2023 CGA AWARD CATEGORIES:

  • Best Casting in A Feature Film
  • Best Casting in a Short Film
  • Best Casting in a TV Comedy
  • Best Casting in a TV Drama 
  • Best Casting in a Telemovie & Miniseries
  • Achievement in Casting
  • Best Casting in a Theatre Production
  • Best Casting in a TVC – Community
  • Best Casting in a TVC

The 2023 CGA Rising Stars will also be announced early-November with recipients set to be interviewed by some of Australia’s top casting directors on CGA’s social pages in the lead up to the official presentation on November 24.

For further information about CGA visit www.castingguild.com.au and be sure to follow the official socials channels for the latest news and updates.

Sonic the Hedgehog Review: Warm And Surprisingly Spot-On Funny

Rating: 4/5 stars

When it comes to movies, I always do my research before shelling out 10$ to go see it in the theaters. I like to know who’s in it, what’s involved and to get an idea of what I’m getting myself into. Trailers can sometimes make or break a film and determine right away if it’s going to earn their cash. When the first trailer for “Sonic” came out, people were instantly horrified at the bizarre (and frankly, flat out ugly) design for the titular SEGA mascot. The film was met with instant scorn and hatred from the internet and forced the studio to spend thousands of dollars to go back and fix Sonic’s design; making him look less “realistic” and more towards his traditional design. The change was greeted warmly by fans but…what about the rest of the movie?

The story leads our speedy blue hero, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) arriving on Earth to escape dangerous forces trying to steal his speed powers from his home dimension. After living in isolation Green Hill city and secretly watching local cop Tom (James Marsden), Sonic’s existence eventually alters the attention of the government. They dispatch Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to capture and study the otherworldly hedgehog. Now Sonic and Tom embark on a road trip to escape Robotnik, get Sonic back home and enjoy life on Earth one last time before his time runs out.

When I first heard this was a combo CGI/live-action blended film, I was deeply worried we were going to get another unwatchable heap of dumbed-down, brain dead garbage like the live-action “Alvin and Chipmunks” movies or the “Garfield” films. Thankfully, “Sonic” proved this film as more going for it than just a shiny, updated new design for the Blue blur. This story is about family and friendship; first and foremost. That may sound like a cheesy, sappy kinda message you’d expect to be beaten over the head within any typical kids film, but here, it treats Sonic more like someone longing to connect rather than relying on typical fish-out-of-water jokes. There is a connection being made here and it’s working on the cast as well as the audience.

Having Sonic be lonely and longing to connect with someone creates a warmth and a sense of purpose that feels very real and touching without playing it up for laughs or making it too serious to stomach. I’ve seen many incarnations of the iconic speedy hedgehog and this is by far the most likable and, more importantly, the least obnoxious. The humor goes hand in hand with the film’s values and morals and relies on the strength of the character’s bonds rather than overloading it with Easter eggs and in-game references. “Sonic” manages to strike the near-impossible perfect balance of quality storytelling and effective hat-tipping to please all audiences.

Schwartz is the perfect voice for Sonic. His youthful energy and quick-witted one-liners make him likable enough that, no matter how long he’s on-screen, he never wears out his welcome. I adored his relationship with Tom and felt Marsden was a great companion for Sonic’s juvenile antics to work off of. But as everyone has no doubt already announced on every media platform, Jim Carrey is the real core of the film as Dr. Robotnik. Carrey is back in top form; cranking out the zaniness and gold comedic timing he hasn’t whipped out since “Batman Forever.” He’s energetic, funny, fully commits to the eccentricities Sonic’s nemesis is known for and never EVER misses a beat. There’s never a dull moment or disappointing scene with him in it and I greatly look forward to seeing what he will do with Robotnik next when sequel time comes.

Overall, if I had any negative points with “Sonic” it’s that I feel there were missed opportunities with the government’s involvement in trying to catch Sonic. They vanished as quickly as they came and it felt like some more could have been done there. However, the warmth and surprisingly spot-on humor more than makes up for whatever the film lacks. Marsden and Schwartz make a top-notch duo, the fun and humor work with many ages on many levels and Jim Carrey is back in full force and he makes it impossible not to have fun when he’s around. “Sonic” is a prime example of how quality video game movies can be and here’s hoping that will continue into a franchise with many sequels to come.