Australian Penthouse would like to invite you to Minx on Wednesday, September 1, for the NSW Pet of the Year finals!

Performances by our Aussie Babes 2010 winner, and 2010 Miss Centerfold ‘Miss Oceania’ winner, Zahra Stardust, as well as a full spread of shows by our Pets of the Month: Ayva, Jewell and Erica.

Director: Stuart Beattie

Stars: Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Deniz Akdeniz, Lincoln Lewis, Phoebe Tonkin, Chris Pang, Ashleigh Cummings

PARAMOUNT

IN CINEMAS SEPTEMBER 2

BASED on the first in a series of acclaimed novels by John Marsden, Tomorrow, When the War Began explores what might happen if Australia was invaded and occupied by a hostile foreign power.

At the heart of the action are seven teenagers, who leave a fictional country town called Wirrawee to go camping in a beautiful remote area incongruously known as ‘Hell’. While they’re there, forming and furthering romances and generally having fun, they see a large number of military aircraft fly overhead. While they acknowledge it as strange, they don’t think too much of it…until they arrive back in Wirrawee and find the place deserted.

Worried about their families, the kids split up into three groups and discover that the townsfolk are being held captive at the local showground by a ruthless, unidentified army. Led by the pragmatic Homer (Akdeniz) and resilient Ellie (Stasey), the friends decide to fight back and wage a guerrilla war against the heavily armed invaders.

Filmed entirely in New South Wales, primarily in Raymond Terrace and the Blue Mountains, Tomorrow, When the War Began is one of the best Australian movies to emerge in recent years. While it’s obviously aimed at teens and young adults – just like the book – the action sequences are as good as you’ll see in any Hollywood blockbuster and the performances are engaging, particularly from Caitlin Stasey and Deniz Akdeniz.

With six more novels in the series, the film-makers hope Tomorrow… will become an international Twilight-like phenomenon, and the potential is certainly there.

American cable station HBO is developing a show about the porn industry in California in conjunction with Entourage and Boardwalk Empire executive  producers Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson.

The series will follow the trials of an adult film company as it fights to stay solvent  as seen through the eyes of an ingenue adult actress.

James Frey is writing the pilot for the show, which he describes as: “…a sprawling epic about the porn business in LA. We’re going to tell the type of stories no one else has told before, and go places no one has gone before.”

Australian Penthouse September 2010 is out now!

Get the September issue of Australian Penthouse for the latest on who’s hot and what’s happening in your world today.

THE BABES

Pet of the Month JORDEN; NICOLE RAY; KATIE CRUISE; SANDY & CINDY; IMOGEN; DIAMOND KITTY; LINDSAY MARIE; JENNA & MATT; JANA.

THE ARTICLES

BLOOD MONEY; CAN COMEDY BE TAUGHT; SPOTLIGHT ON… THE GATEWAY CLUB; 5 MINUTES WITH RAY WARREN AND MORE.

Home from America and excited about the future, Aussie country music star Catherine Britt talks to Penthouse about her new self-titled album, songwriting, and her not-entirely-pure love for Hank Williams

The new album is simply titled Catherine Britt. Does it mark some sort of reinvention for you?
A little bit, yeah. It was actually Kasey Chambers who called me one day and said, “I think this album is really about you getting back to your roots and I don’t think you can call it anything other than Catherine Britt.” It just really made sense in the end.

How have you changed as an artist?
In a lot of ways, I guess. I started out pretty young and kinda made music that just made me feel good. When I went over to America, I got a little side-tracked. I don’t think I ever compromised, but I was starting to mentally give up. It was when I started getting in that frame of mind that I knew I had to walk away, go home and find myself again. I wasn’t inspired and I was going to start making music for the wrong reasons, and I didn’t get into the industry to write a song just for a radio station. I’m really happy to be back home making the music I want to make.

What’s your favourite track on the new album?
It changes daily, but I’ve got a real fondness for every track for different reasons. It’s a very diverse album.

There are some great, happy songs on the record…
Yeah, there are, which is surprising because I’ve always struggled to write a happy song. So yay!

Can you describe your writing process?
It’s sort of different every time. I get really inspired by other music, and life experience, of course.  I also like a project – I knew I had an album to write and that focused me. Once I start writing, it’s pretty straightforward.

You’ve known producer Bill Chambers for a long time. What was it like to work so closely with him on Catherine Britt?
I’ve known Bill since I was about 11 and he’s always been involved with my career. He produced my first EP and my first album, and then he went over to Nashville with me and co-produced my second album, Too Far Gone. After that, we kinda lost touch, but when I came back to Australia and got my shit together, I realised he was the person I needed to be in contact with again. It was actually his advice to get Shane Nicholson, Kasey Chambers’ husband, on board for the project. It just sort of became this big family affair again, which is good because that’s how it started out for me.

Will you go back to Nashville or are you home for good?
I definitely want to go back to America, but not to live. I can’t predict the future, but I don’t see it making sense for me ever again. I really love Australia and I just want to live here.

What are the best and worst aspects of being a professional musician?
The best aspect is everything! We have this very blessed, creative way of living, and then you get to tour and party and have a great time. I guess the only downside is that when there’s not a lot going on, it can get a bit boring.

Do you have any advice for aspiring country artists?
You’ve really got to put in the hard work in the beginning and keep it going or you’ll be quickly forgotten. I’ve had a lucky path in a lot of ways, but I’ve also seen a lot of things that maybe I shouldn’t have seen by 25, and I think that just comes with the industry. People sort of sit around on their couches and wait for the record labels to come to them; what they don’t realise is you’ve got to go out and get that stuff. I worked my arse off to get my record deals and write my songs.

Who are you listening to right now?
I’ve been rediscovering a lot of old artists recently, such as American minstrel performer Emmett Miller, Hank Williams and Lucinda Williams. And I’m listening to a lot of Old Crow Medicine Show – I just love their stuff!

Fantasy duet?
I hate to be predictable, but definitely Hank Williams. He’s everything to me. If he was alive, I’d marry him and have lots of duets with him!

At the end of the day, how would you like to be remembered?
As someone who always made music that was true to me, and that I never compromised.

Catherine Britt is available now. Check out www.catherinebritt.com for news and upcoming gigs.

Premier Melbourne gentleman’s club, The Men’s Gallery, is offering an exclusive membership to subscribers of Australian Penthouse magazine.

The complimentary Black Membership is an “invitation only” offer extended exclusively to Australian Penthouse subscribers.

To register your interest in securing a Black Membership, simply enter the Promotional Code listed on page 60 in the latest edition of Australian Penthouse magazine and complete the application form on The Men’s Gallery website (www.mensgallery.com.au), and you’re done!

The Men’s Gallery is Australia’s largest table dancing venue, open 7 days per week. The Men’s Gallery is the host venue of the 2010 Australian Penthouse Pet of the Year grand final, to be held on Thursday September 16, so secure your membership early to enjoy the benefits!

The Men’s Gallery
601 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
(03) 9670 0331
www.mensgallery.com

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Director: Edgar Wright
Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jason Schwartzman, Brie Larson, Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong, Brandon Routh, Chris Evans

Review: Dave Kozicki

The comic book-to-film adaptation is a fickle mistress. For every The Dark Knight and Sin City that challenges our perceptions and exceeds our expectations, there is a Ghost Rider or X-men Origins: Wolverine to remind us that Hollywood considers the graphic novel and comic book genre to be a box office no-brainer, a target market cash cow, with ad-hoc consideration of the source material.

The  independent film market often fares considerably better, resulting in the exceptional Kick Ass, and Wanted. Now indie comic book hero, Scott Pilgrim, gets the big screen makeover. Much as Matthew Vaughn’s Kick Ass used the graphic novel as a basis—artfully taking the film in an action-packed and “movie friendly” direction so it feels like a companion piece to the source material—so too has director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) taken the whimsical core of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s digest-sized morsels and added kinetic camera work and an impressive grasp of action flick lore in creating Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

Any doubts are allayed quickly as the film kicks off with an 8-bit pixellated rendition of the Universal studio logo and a fun reworking of the studio’s introductory theme via Super Mario keytones. Pop culture status approved. Rating: Awesome!

Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Superbad) plays 20-something Scott Pilgrim, an “in between jobs”  slacker who has retreated into his shell after a particularly nasty break-up. Distracting himself with his band, Sex Bob-omb, he lives a carefree existence and platonic relationship with his 17-year-old Catholic High School girlfriend, Knives Chau (newcomer Ellen Wong), until a dream encounter with  spunky Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Deathproof) results in instant attraction/near obsession for the newly invigorated Scott.

When the two begin dating it soon becomes apparent that Ramona has major baggage—namely a Legion of Seven Evil Exes who Scott must fight, and defeat, in order to date Ramona.

While the colourful cast of side characters and evil exes do ultimately steal your attention, thanks to Michael Cera’s layered performance, the impressive supporting cast are the icing on the cake as opposed to the main course.  Kieran Culkan (Igby Goes Down) is great as Scott’s sardonic flatmate, Wallace, and Chris Evans (The Losers) shines in his all-too-short stint as heartthrob action hero, Lucas Lee, a hilarious mesh of Wolverine and Vanilla Ice, with a dollop of douchebag.

However, the most rewarding Evil Ex is without doubt Todd Ingram, played by Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Chuck). After several double takes to confirm that yes, this is really Superman, Routh’s interpretation of vegan-powered, bleach-blond bass player (and evil ex) Todd Ingram is riveting, but just one of the film’s many highlights.

Director Edgar Wright’s eye for action is impressive, with all fight scenes brilliantly choreographed—so much so that you can believe that Michael Cera could kick serious ass. Each battle has its own tone and is rife with heavy-handed but welcome videogame references. The pacing is spot on and entertaining from the moment the film begins until the final credits roll. The only criticism: the brushed-over development of Scott and Ramona’s relationship, with the chemistry between Scott (Cera) and Knives (Wong) both while dating and laying the smack down, offering real electricity.

Those who question Wright’s ability to move beyond the comedies of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, to bring a cult classic to life will enjoy sitting down to a double serving of humble pie, as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the most quirky, perfectly paced, action-oriented and entertaining film of the year, so far.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World opens August 12

It is that time of the year again – Boobs On Bikes^® will be hitting Auckland’s Queen Street from 12:30 pm on Wednesday 11th August 2010 for our annual freedom of expression ride.

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