Tag: Reviews
Reviews – Adult DVDs: The Smiths
by Suzan Ryan on Sep.12, 2011, under Adult Reviews, Blu-ray, DVD
Motoring: Tesla Roadster
by Suzan Ryan on Jul.01, 2011, under Reviews
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What you’re looking at is, to many car industry pundits, the next evolution of the automobile: the Tesla Roadster. Externally, it looks like any other sports car, but it’s what’s under the surface that is poised to revolutionise what we drive.The Tesla is an electric vehicle. You will never have to go to a petrol station, never put any oil in it and never have to worry about the nation’s dependence on foreign oil (if you did in the first place). But what makes the Tesla even more remarkable is where it comes from. Not from the technical minds of Germany or America’s automotive heart—Detroit. No, the Tesla comes from the same place as Apple, Google and Facebook—Silicon Valley, California. Tesla Motors is the brainchild of Elon Musk, the co-founder of PayPal, who has big dreams for his little company. Musk plans to become a major player in the car business and the Tesla Roadster is only the first step. Musk didn’t actually start Tesla Motors, but he was one of the first investors and quickly became a hands-on part of the operation back in 2004. The Roadster endured a difficult gestation (threatening to cost the company on every model sold), but eventually went on sale in 2008. One of the key challenges for any electric vehicle is getting the battery technology right; storing enough energy without overheating. Given Musk’s background and the company’s location in Silicon Valley, Tesla devised a system to use what are effectively laptop batteries—lots of them. Almost 7000 lithium ion cells arranged in ‘sheets’ running throughout the floor of the Roadster are used to supply electricity to the vehicle’s motor. To help shortcut the development of the chassis, Tesla turned to British sports car maker Lotus. The Roadster is actually based on the Lotus Elise and the chassis is built in England by the British company’s customer division before being shipped to California to fit the electric motor. So far, Tesla has sold more than 1000 cars around the world, including in Australia. But that still makes it very small fry in the grand scheme of things. However, what Tesla Motors has done with the Roadster is kickstart the electric car movement throughout the rest of the global automotive industry. Former General Motors executive Bob Lutz has admitted that Tesla’s ability to produce a production-ready electric car was a major catalyst for his company committing to its own electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt. In fact, most major auto manufacturers are exploring electric vehicles, with Mitsubishi the first to hit the Australian market with the i-MiEV city car. This model will be followed by Nissan, Holden (with the Volt), Mini, Renault, Volvo, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Citroën, BMW, Ford, Audi and Mercedes, all of whom are investigating expanding uses in electric technology. Whether Tesla can compete with those established brands in the long run remains to be seen. At the moment, it’s just a boutique company producing a low-volume niche sports car. |
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To make the leap from small player to serious contender means producing bigger, more practical cars in greater volume. Musk and co. are pinning their hopes on the Model S, a sleek-looking sedan that is Tesla’s first completely bespoke design; targeted to compete with the likes of the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. Musk hired former Mazda chief designer Franz Von Holzhausen to design theradical new car. Even though it looks like a traditional sedan—with four doors, a bonnet and a boot—the electric motor meant Von Holzhausen could start with a blank piece of paper. He didn’t have to worry about fitting in a big engine, fuel tank or sound-deadening material. He was able to run the battery pack along the floor of the car so he was able to free up space for two rearwards facing seats; making the Model S a seven-seater. In keeping with the futuristic feel of the running gear, the inside of the Model S has little in common with a traditional sedan. There are no dials on the dashboard, only digital displays, but the party piece is a 17-inch touchscreen that fills the centre console. It controls all of the navigation, air-conditioning and radio functions and even offers wireless internet browsing. The Model S made an impact when it was revealed to the public at the start of 2009,but there was still a major hurdle Tesla had to overcome—getting it to market. Tesla needed a factory, more funding and an understanding about mass-producing cars. Musk was able to convince both Daimler (parent company of Mercedes-Benz) and Toyota to invest heavily in his business; US$50 million each. In November, Panasonic invested US$30 million and agreed to help increase battery production.In June 2010, Tesla became the first American car firm to go public since Ford in 1956. The decision to float the company netted it US$226 million. With the US government tipping in US$465 million, Musk went out and bought a massive former Toyota factory in California. It’s capable of pumping out 450,000 cars per year. But Musk has less than 5000 pre-orders of the Model S.Tesla now stands on the brink of something great—becoming the world’s first all-electric mass-production car company. However, on the other hand, it could also become just another failed car-maker that couldn’t cut it against the big boys. Whichever way it goes, Tesla has already cemented its place in history as a catalyst for the electric car revolution.
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DVD review: Prince of Persia – The Sands of Time
by admin on Oct.27, 2010, under Reviews, Web Exclusives
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME
DIRECTOR: MIKE NEWELL
STARS: JAKE GYLLENHAAL, GEMMA ARTERTON, BEN KINGSLEY, ALFRED MOLINA
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENT.
FILMS based on videogames tend to be diabolically bad—Street Fighter, House of the Dead, Wing Commander, BloodRayne… Thankfully, Prince of Persia is one of the rare exceptions. It’s not The Lord of the Rings, but it’s a decent action adventure that remains true to its platform-gaming roots—which is to say there’s plenty of running, jumping and hitting things in a pseudo-historical Arabian setting. It helps to have a competent director at the helm and Mike Newell has experience with both magical mumbo-jumbo and desert locales, having previously made Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire plus a bunch of Young Indiana Jones episodes.
The suitably ancient plot sees the Persian king murdered and his adopted son, Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal), blamed for the deed. The prince goes on the run in an attempt to clear his name, reluctantly joined by political pawn Princess Tamina (Arterton). Initially, she can’t stand the sight of him, so you know where that’s gonna lead. As for why someone would commit regicide, could it have anything to do with Dastan’s sneaky Uncle Nizam (Kingsley) or the strange dagger that it’s Tamina’s duty to protect? Of course it could, but this movie is less about the destination than the scenery and colourful characters encountered along the way, such as the ostrich-racing Sheik Amar (Molina) or the mystical killers known as the Hassansins.
For a Disney release, you may be disappointed to learn that the DVD of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time contains but a single extra—a making-of documentary. (The Blu-ray version is only slightly better, adding a deleted scene.) That said, if you missed this one at the cinema, are in the mood for non-taxing derring-do with a big budget and a quality cast, or you’re a fan of the videogame series on which it’s based, then there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours. Super Mario Bros., Alone in the Dark, Double Dragon, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within…
Reviews – Games: Borderlands
by admin on Jan.19, 2010, under Reviews
Australian Penthouse asked January 2009 Pet of the Month Ashlee Adams to co-review summer blockbuster shooter-meets-RPG game, Borderlands… Continue reading “Reviews – Games: Borderlands” »
Reviews – Music: Malice in Wonderland by Snoop Dogg
by admin on Dec.23, 2009, under Reviews, Web Exclusives
![snoop-dogg-malice-final[1]](http://www.australianpenthouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/snoop-dogg-malice-final1-300x300.jpg "snoop-dogg-malice-final[1]")
Snoop Dogg’s new album, Malice in Wonderland is a far cry from Doggystyle and The Doggfather, and therefore many die-hard Snoop fans will be disappointed. Continue reading “Reviews – Music: Malice in Wonderland by Snoop Dogg” »
Reviews – Adult Products: Semenex
by Suzan Ryan on Nov.05, 2009, under Adult Reviews, Other, Web Exclusives
It’s long been accepted that semen is the nectar of the Gods. Now, Semenex makes it possible for seed to taste like ambrosia with little to no effort on the your behalf.
Within 24 hours of consumption, the all-natural ingredients of Semenex (including cinnamon and pineapple) can neutralise the bitter taste of your gentleman’s relish, well and truly putting your junk on the menu.
Tickle her fancy this festive season, and order your jar of Semenex today. http://www.semenex.com/products.htm)
Gear… Self Invest
by admin on Sep.03, 2009, under Columns, The Magazine
Father’s Day isn’t just for dads. It’s an ideal time for men to invest in affordable, feel-good items to set them apart from the pack
Reviews: Rambo, Red Cliff, Cynthia Plastercaster & The Beatles
by admin on Aug.26, 2009, under Reviews, The Magazine
Film and DVD reviews from Australian Penthouse… this month, Rambo: First Blood, John Woo’s Red Cliff, Sasha Grey goes mainstream in The Girlfriend Experience, a different view of rock stars with Plaster Caster, and The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour Continue reading “Reviews: Rambo, Red Cliff, Cynthia Plastercaster & The Beatles” »
Reviews – Books: The Absolute Sandman: Volume Three by Neil Gaiman
by Suzan Ryan on Jul.29, 2009, under Reviews, Web Exclusives
The Absolute Sandman: Volume Three
The Absolute Sandman: Volume Three
Written by Neil Gaiman / Cover by Dave McKean
Vertigo
An involving and rewarding effort from the master of surrealist fantasy graphic novels.
It is difficult to find fault with such an iconic and perfectly presented book, other than to say that Volume Three is more a bridging-middle to the series than the snap-crackle-pop introductory story arcs of the two preceding books. Naturally, it’s wise to begin your Gaiman journey with Volume One, as these are not the kind of books you just pick up and start reading from any point; the stories are deep, broad and complex—written for adults who prefer to delve into the depths instead of the shallows, with themes of morality, mythology, life after death, faith and love.
Volume Three’s major story arc is ‘Brief Lives’ (it also features the single-issue prequel ‘Song of Orpheus’), the plot focuses on The Sandman’s sister, Delirium, and her quest to find their missing brother, Destruction. Accompanied by Dream (who carries a hidden-agenda), the pair embark on a fruitless search that throws up more questions than answers—especially between The Sandman and his son, Orpheus.
‘World’s End’, travellers’ stories about how the duo became moored at the Inn at Worlds End, provides a welcome and interesting divergence. The book also features several single-issue stories, including the acclaimed ‘Ramadan’: the story of a boy-king of ancient Baghdad and the deal he brokers with The Sandman to grant his city immortality—featuring stunning illustrations by P. Craig Russell (The Jungle Book); and ‘A Parliament of Rooks’, a prequel that examines the childhood lives of Dream and Death.
First-time bonus features include: pin-up pages from galleries in The Sandman #50 and Sandman Special #1; the ‘Desire’ story from Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3; The Endless Gallery #1; script and thumbnails from The Sandman #50, a section on Endless products (such as poster, statues, t-shirts and more); plus an introduction by artist, Jill Thompson.
This beautifully bound book of more than 600 pages is presented in a sturdy, illustrated hardcover slipcase.
Reviews: Street Fighting, more zombie killing, music industry woes and The Doves
by admin on Jun.15, 2009, under Reviews, The Magazine
Music and game reviews from the June 2009 issue… this month we look at Street Fighter IV, The Doves’ Kingdom of Rust and the music doco Before The Music Dies Continue reading “Reviews: Street Fighting, more zombie killing, music industry woes and The Doves” »
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