Before getting a glimpse into everyone else's lives was as simple as logging into your social-media platform of choice, a game arrived that let its players do something similar with computerised characters. A spinoff from SimCity and its city-building follow-ups, The Sims allows whoever is mashing buttons to create and control virtual people, then step through their existence. First hitting in February 2000, it has spawned three sequels, plus a whole heap of expansion and compilation packs for each — and online, console and mobile versions as well. A quarter of a century since its debut, The Sims still keeps dropping new releases. To mark its 25th birthday, there's now The Sims: Birthday Bundle. That's one way to celebrate the game's latest anniversary. Here's another: stepping inside a three-day Australian pop-up dedicated to the beloved life simulator, which is heading to Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image from Friday, February 21–Sunday, February 23, 2025. Despite The Sims' more-recent titles, thinking about the game usually means thinking about the 2000s. So, this pop-up is taking that truth to heart by celebrating the Y2K era, too. Going along involves entering inside a 2000s-era pre-teen bedroom that's been decked out by Josh & Matt Design with all of the appropriate touches. Yes, it'll be nostalgic. Yes, there'll be CD towers and blow-up couches, just to name a few decor choices. The pop-up will also feature free stations where you can play The Sims: Birthday Bundle, if the best way for you to commeroate the occasion is by diving into the franchise virtually. In addition, there'll also be a free panel about the game on the Saturday, with speakers including Josh & Matt Design's Josh Jessup and Matt Moss — who are big The Sims fans — and EA/Firemonkeys' Simulation Division General Manager Mavis Chan. "As Australia's home of videogames, ACMI is so chuffed to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Sims! For 25 years, The Sims has provided a platform for so many kinds of imaginative play for multiple generations, allowing them to achieve great feats of digital architecture, guide their Sims to dizzying success — or cruelly remove their pool ladders. With each new expansion and sequel, The Sims has expanded its complex social world, reflecting changes to real-life society, and facilitating even more forms of self-expression in its passionate player base," said ACMI Curator Jini Maxwell, announcing the pop-up. "As a long-term Sims player myself, I'm so thrilled to celebrate the game's cultural legacy and personal significance in this event and free talk hosted by ACMI." EA Presents The Sims 25 is popping up from Friday, February 21–Sunday, February 23 at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne — head to the venue's website for more details.
August delivers one of Brisbane's most quietly impressive dining experiences from an unlikely setting: a beautifully converted heritage church in West End. The soaring ceilings and original architectural features create a dramatic yet serene backdrop, giving the restaurant a sense of occasion without feeling overstated. The menu centres on a seasonal tasting format, shaped by premium Queensland produce and modern technique. Dishes are precise and thoughtfully composed, balancing restraint with depth of flavour. Rather than theatrics, the focus is on clarity. Each course is designed to build gently on the last. The pacing is deliberate, encouraging guests to settle in and experience the progression as intended. Wine pairings are considered and well-matched, complementing the structure and tone of the food. (BYO Sundays are a hit with local wine-lovers who are itching to dip into their own cellars.) Service is confident and calm, guiding diners through the menu with insight but without intrusion. August feels intimate despite the scale of the space. It's a restaurant for those who appreciate detail, seasonality and a dining experience that unfolds with quiet confidence. Images: supplied.
With warm weather fast approaching, now is the perfect time to plan your next getaway out of the city. These 16 Victorian stays all radiate tranquil energy, so you can escape the city for a holiday surrounded by vast fields, leafy bushland or lush rainforests. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Melbourne The Best Glamping Sites in Victoria The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels, B&Bs and Self-Contained Getaways in Victoria The Best Places to Stay on the Great Ocean Road Luxury Spa Cabin, Wilsons Promontory Located in the expansive Wilsons Promontory National Park, this deluxe cabin offers the opportunity to catch Aurora Australis if you're lucky, as well as a range of wildlife including koalas, alpacas and whales at the nearby beach. From $344 a night, sleeps two. Manta Ray One, Skenes Creek With stunning ocean views from its floor-to-ceiling windows, this unique property radiates sun and summer all year round. Wake to the sights and sounds of the beach before walking down for a morning dip. From $403 a night, sleeps seven. Wild Orchard Cottage, Olinda Hidden within the Dandenong Ranges, this private cottage may look quirky from the outside, but it houses a lush renovated living space and a cosy fireplace. From $350 a night, sleeps two. Lake View Private Retreat, Port Fairy Yambuk Located next to Lake Yambuk and its neighbouring beach, this homely stay promises serenity and relaxation. Keep an eye out for the local peacock who is known to come and visit the property. From $210 a night, sleeps four. Spring House, Apollo Bay Here, as the living room opens onto the deck, you're in for stunning natural ocean views. Feel the sea breeze as you relax in this one-bedroom pavilion-style home located southwest of Melbourne, just outside Great Otway National Park. From $425 a night, sleeps two. Jeraboam Eco Lodge, Moyston This environmentally friendly house in the Grampians National Park exists off-the-grid, aiming to be completely self-sufficient in energy and water. Feel good about your sustainable holiday whilst enjoying tranquil bushwalks and visits to the nearby wineries. From $140 a night, sleeps six. The Newstead Haven, Newstead Unwind in this cosy, private country home under the stars. The property's seclusion provides breathtaking views of the Milky Way. From $220 a night, sleeps six. Romantic Studio Cottage, Bright This unique two-storey cabin is engulfed in greenery from every side. Primed for relaxation, it even has an in-bedroom spa bath looking out over the trees. From $254 a night, sleeps two. Rivernook Cottage, Johanna A classic coastal Australian home with modern furnishings, ocean views and a heated indoor swimming pool. From $374 a night, sleeps four. Tranquil Getaway, Yea Designed and built by a local architect, this quaint cabin looks out over the area's reserves and mountain ranges. Bask in the serenity with the convenience of still only being a 15-minute walk from town. From $259 a night, sleeps two. Avalon House, Harrietville Featuring original timber wall panelling dating back to 1889, this beautifully-restored cabin is charming, pet-friendly and rich in historic detail. From $207 a night, sleeps two. Studio Apartment, Saint Andrews Beach Find the perfect balance of fun and relaxing at this peaceful private studio located close to a beach, brewery, wineries and several golf courses. From $165 a night, sleeps two. Coorabell, Mount Dandenong A comfy converted barn set amongst the trees. Relax in this peaceful space complete with a log fire and a spa bath looking out onto the bushland. From $450 a night, sleeps two. The Farm on One Tree Hill, Smiths Gully This stylish, modern two-storey cabin is set on 18 acres of kangaroo, horse and goat-filled fields. The pet-friendly property is located by the Yarra Valley wine region, near Kinglake Mountain Ranges and just 50 minutes from Melbourne Airport. From $230 a night, sleeps four. Avalon Spa Villa, Elevated Plains With both an indoor and an outdoor spa (that's right, two spas) overlooking lush bushland, this villa is primed for a romantic weekend of relaxation. From $260 a night, sleeps two. Cottage by the Lake, Cobaw Surrounded by lakes and gardens, this cottage sits on 50 acres of bucolic farmland. You'll feel like you're in a children's book as you cruise out onto the water in the rowboats supplied with the house. From $300 a night, sleeps eight. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Airbnb
For half a century, no trip to the Sunshine Coast has been complete without visiting a 16-metre-high pineapple. In 1983, even Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles went there, as throngs of tourists have before and since. Stop by now and you'll still see a giant piece of tropical fruit, but one that's had a revamp, with the Queensland big thing officially reopening after undergoing renovations. Plenty of changes have been floated for The Big Pineapple and its 165-hectare site over the years, with a craft brewery, water park, and places to stay via an RV park, an eco resort and a hotel all among the ideas under the attraction's master plan. For now, however, owner Peter Kendall and his company CMC Property have focused on repairing and restoring the main highlight itself, as well giving the location's train the same treatment. The Big Pineapple has also scored a new cafe, new viewing platform and new children's playground. If the towering sight looks extra shiny — and ready to gleam in the obligatory snaps that everyone takes while they're in its presence — that's thanks to sandblasting, repairs and marine paint by the hundreds of litres. To get a good glimpse, that's where the new viewing platform comes in. Dating back to the 50s, the train now has a similar sheen after a restoration process, including to its carriages and track. "We are awaiting some final certification for the train and hope to start public train rides soon, providing rides across the property including access to Wildlife HQ," said Kendall, also mentioning the zoo with 200-plus species of animals that's been onsite since 2014. Stopping by The Big Pineapple hasn't just been about its fibreglass namesake for some time, given that TreeTop Challenge Sunshine Coast and its high-ropes courses and ziplines also calls it home. So does coconut foods producer COYO, as well as Sunshine & Sons distillery. Come October, The Big Pineapple Festival — the locale's music festival — will return for the first time since 2021. The fest started in 2013, then ran annually surrounded by pineapple fields until its present three-year break. Getting a ticket isn't just about seeing live tunes in the location's natural amphitheatres in such close proximity to The Big Pineapple, but also pitching a tent at event's 4000-person campground. [caption id="attachment_944026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Big Pineapple, Alpha via Flickr[/caption] "The Big Pineapple is undoubtedly the most-recognisable tourism icon of the Sunshine Coast and so I am very proud of the team's work to restore the pineapple to its original glory," said Kendall. "This is just the first stage of the regeneration project. Our number-one priority was to reopen the main pineapple structure and cafe, and to get the train running again." "Our next priority is to complete the renovations to the inside of the pineapple structure itself and we hope to reopen it for tours later on." [caption id="attachment_698027" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anne and David via Flickr[/caption] Find The Big Pineapple at 76 Nambour Connection Road, Woombye, Queensland — open 8.30am–4pm daily. For more information, visit the attraction's website.
There are only a handful of soundtracks that can make millennials' hair stand on end — one of which is Harry Potter™. If you've ever wanted to hear John Williams' instantly recognisable Oscar-nominated score live, you're in luck as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone™ In Concert is about to cast a spell over Sydney. To celebrate 25 years of witchcraft and wizardry on screen, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is performing the entire film soundtrack live. Running across five performances from Wednesday, December 2 to Saturday, December 5, the film that began the series will be screened in high definition, while the orchestra brings John Williams' epic score to life. See the first Hogwarts letter being delivered, the beginnings of Harry, Ron and Hermione's friendship, a troll running amok, and the story that inspired a generation, all backed by an expert live orchestra. Whether you're a Potterhead yourself or are introducing the magic of the film to someone for the first time, you can expect to experience a whole new level of enchantment at the Sydney Opera House this December. Book your tickets now. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone™ In Concert is rated PG. Please note: children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times when attending concerts at the venue. All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.
Think of Brisbane coffee, and you may envision iced latte walks by the river or packed sidewalk cafes serving flat whites in trendy Tenerrife. But, in an industrial suburb in Brisbane's north sits Fox Coffee: a coffee roastery and family business that has evolved into one of the city's largest operators, using around 130 kilos of beans every week. Fox Coffee was born in 2016, after coffee roaster James May returned to Brisbane from Melbourne, where he had worked for Campos Coffee. After learning about the industry (in the peak of the specialty coffee boom), James asked his parents, Peter and Susan, to go into business together and do Brisbane coffee their way. The plan began modestly. The family decided to build a "small" roastery with an espresso bar attached to see if they could gain traction in the wholesale market. They initially looked across Brisbane's inner suburbs before landing on an out-of-the-box contender. A rough-around-the-edges warehouse in Geebung. "Geebung at the time was not a particularly popular suburb," Peter tells Concrete Playground. "But what we did realise is there were loads of people that lived in the area, and there wasn't much around." Located between Chermside's Westfield shopping centre and the major Sandgate Road, the May family opened the roastery Monday to Friday. That wouldn't last long. "Some of the customers that started coming in used to say, 'Gee, if only you were open at the weekend, we might come in'. The rest is history," says Peter. Fox Coffee began opening its doors on Saturdays (followed quickly by Sundays) until the weekend became the small roastery's busiest period. Families, cyclists, dog-walkers and tradies all flocked to the warehouse in Geebung to enjoy the specialty coffee that's usually reserved for the inner city. Brisbane-Style Coffee After experiencing Melbourne's fanatical coffee industry first-hand, James knew the Brisbane market deserved something different. Something uniquely Brisbane. Unpretentious, uncomplicated, and flavour that focuses on chocolate over exotic fruits and batch brews. "It wasn't that people didn't like coffee up here. It's just they didn't care what people were doing in Melbourne," says James. "When I was leaving Melbourne in 2015, I was tired of drinking milky sour water because it was all light roasted, funky, and that's just not what we want up here. The clientele was different." Fox Coffee were happy to fill the gap in the Brisbane market, and their wholesale blended beans now fly off the shelves. Crafted is their best-seller. It's a smooth, easy-drinking coffee with sweet notes of milk chocolate, toffee and hazelnut. Dusk is slightly heavier and bolder, and as James describes it, "big on the mud cakey kind of flavours". Finally, Hunter has a slight fruit edge, with milk chocolate and marmalade notes. Fox Coffee's wholesale beans are a staple of the family-run business, and after ten years of growth, with thousands of kilos of beans and shots served at its espresso bar, the team decided it was time for a renovation. Fox's New Era With the growth of Fox's reputation and the Geebung area itself, the warehouse couldn't keep up with demand. The May family wanted to improve the space without stripping away the industrial character that made it what it is. The result is a smarter, more functional layout: clearer ordering points, better flow, more room to wait, and faster service, all while keeping that raw, roastery feel intact. "When you're doing that sort of volume of coffee, then you need to get the flow going better," says Peter. The brand-new espresso bar has been designed by local interior designer Collectivus and features new espresso equipment, including two La Marzocco machines, six Markibar grinders, and two Übermilk frothers. The upgrade also includes upgraded retail shelving and an on-site kitchen that will serve Fox Coffee's existing menu of snacks, including focaccia toasties, brioche Vegemite scrolls, muffins, quiches and more. Remaining Local While Fox Coffee has grown exponentially from its humble Geebung warehouse beginnings, the team insists they're not chasing rapid expansion. "We don't want to be bigger just for the sake of being big," says Peter. "I don't see it going from 150 kilos to 250 kilos. That's not the sort of business we want to be." In a way, Fox Coffee tells the story of the Australian Dream. A family-run business that's seen local community success. It doesn't aim to be flashy or a leader in the hyper-competitive coffee industry. Instead, they want to continue focusing on their roastery and the local customers who've supported them from the start. The ones who helped turn a humble Geebung roastery into a community hub and cafe. "We're serious about the business, but we're not too serious about ourselves. We want to have a good business that makes customers happy." In a landscape that often leans toward the overly curated or overly complicated, that balance might just be Fox Coffee's biggest strength. Visit Fox Coffee at 3 Ellison Rd, Geebung, QLD 4034.
Australians can now send emoji-filled text and online messages featuring illustrated boomerangs, the Aboriginal flag and other visual representations of the country's Indigenous culture. As first announced earlier this year, Ingenous Studios has created a set of Indigenous images that are now available to download on both Android and iOS platforms — marking the first such collection of emoji-like symbols that celebrate the nation's first peoples. Called Indigemoji, and originally slated to feature 19 pictures but now spanning a whopping 90, the set was developed on Arrernte land in Mparntwe, aka Alice Springs, by Central Australia's young Aboriginal people. The Northern Territory residents were asked to design new emojis that were relevant to their culture and lives, with symbols that feature the Aboriginal flag on crowns, hands and hearts among them. Other images include animals, plants, landscape, vehicles, faces, gestures and symbols. Each of Indigemoji's images also feature their name the Eastern and Central Arrernte language, which is spoken around Mparntwe/Alice Springs, Amoonguna, Ltyentye Apurte/Santa Teresa and Titjikala. And while the set of symbols features the term 'emoji' in its name, they function as stickers — because getting any new emoji approved by overseeing body Unicode, let alone a set of 90, is an extensive and difficult process. If you're keen to start adding them to your messages, that means that they don't officially feature in your phone's inbuilt emoji keyboard. But, once you download the Indigemoji app from the App Store or Google Play, you can share them to text messages, WhatsApp, Messenger and social media platforms. The Indigemoji app is now available to download from the App Store and Google Play. For further details, visit the Indigemoji website or Facebook page. Image: Ingeous Studios.
It wasn't so long ago that most Australians only knew Wendy's for its insanely viral social media posts. However, since 2022, the American chain has begun to establish a significant presence on our shores. First launching in Surfers Paradise (unless you're counting a series of stores closed in the 1980s), the brand aims to open over 200 locations around Australia by 2034. Well, they've ticked another off the list, with a flagship Wendy's Brisbane restaurant touching down in the heart of the CBD. Serving as a major milestone in the company's national rollout, delivered in partnership with Flynn Group, this two-level themed location provides an extra special nod to the restaurant's bold design, nicknamed Haus of Wendy. Featuring more than enough space for 130 diners, an openair ground floor leads into an expansive lower level, with both decked out in contrasting bright red and blue decor that resonates with fun-loving energy and personality. Going beyond just a splash of paint, red celebrates Wendy's sass and spice, with the in-store experience seeing hand-painted murals set against bespoke wall panelling inspired by Wendy's famed braids. Meanwhile, blue speaks to Wendy's iconic Frosty, with this level featuring a bow wall crafted by local artist Rachel Burke and made from upcycled materials. Here, you'll also encounter a Frosty-inspired lounge area, complete with a photo booth. "This flagship represents everything the Wendy's brand stands for — fresh food and bold personality," said Corina Black, Chief Marketing Officer, Wendy's ANZ. "Brisbane's vibrant energy is a natural fit for Wendy, and we're proud to contribute to the city's reputation as a destination for food, culture and creativity." With the spread of Wendy's across the country just getting underway, this brand-new location remains one of the few spots in Australia where you can dine on the brand's signature dishes. Think classic doubles, Baconmators and spicy chicken sandwiches alongside Wendy's Frosty in chocolate or vanilla. Plus, super crunchy double hand-breaded chicken tenders and sea-salted fries with loaded options hit the mark for an on-the-go snack. "Wendy's has built its reputation on doing things differently, and this flagship takes that spirit to a new level," said Lauren Leahy, Chief Transformation Officer, Flynn Group. "We've taken Wendy's much-loved global brand and reimagined it for Australia. The new store brings that to life in a way that's both unmistakably Wendy's and uniquely Australian." Wendy's Brisbane launches on Wednesday, October 29, at 245 Albert Street, Brisbane, open daily from 9am–10pm. Head to the website for more information.
Now, before you get us all wrong, this is a guide to hotels where you can swing back and forth on actual swings and hammocks. It's not for the other kind of swingers. These hotels have swings on the beach, by the pool, at the bar and in the rooms — on which you can gleefully rock back and forth and take in spectacular views in total comfort. Read on to find our favouriting swinging spots. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Hotels in Melbourne The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Australia SHINTA MANI, CAMBODIA You'll rethink your kitchen chairs after a stay at Shinta Mani, where the streetside Kroya restaurant boasts dreamy swings on a breezy terrace. The idea of swings and food might sound messy, but you'll soon get the hang of things in no time. Plus, these swings are huge — you really shouldn't be falling off them. The excellent Cambodian dining options available will also make practice a pleasure rather than a chore (perhaps only the steady-handed should order crab bouillabaisse). American architect and interiors whizz Bill Bensley styled the hotel and added in all the swinging details. NALADHU PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT, MALDIVES Why doesn't every hotel have beach hammocks and in-room swing chairs? Naladhu Private Island Resort, set between a lagoon and the sea, boasts both. That's not all it has, either: each of the 19 intimate beach houses comes with its own private pool and romantic semi-outdoor glass-sided bath and shower. With all this in your villa, don't be surprised if you never reach the main pool, flanked by inviting sun loungers and overlooking the lagoon. When you want to have both feet planted firmly on the ground, head to the Living Room, a thatched-roof restaurant with an openair hardwood deck, to feast on local seafood as the sun sets over the water. COQUI COQUI COBA, MEXICO This luxury Mexican resort is a swinger's paradise. Within the Coqui Coqui Coba suites and villas, you'll find hammocks hanging in the centre of rooms, wooden swings in the bathrooms and hammocks simply used as decorations on the walls. You can even head down to the pool located by the lagoon and surrounded by Mayan-inspired towers to swing about on one of the outdoor hammocks all day long. Order some food and cocktails from its restaurant and swing here while watching the sun set over the mountains. THE GRAY, ITALY The swinging scene at Milan's The Gray revolves around the lobby, where a giant fuchsia-upholstered swing with lipstick-red cords drops from the ceiling: a memorable first impression, regardless of whether you're bold enough to go and sit on it. If you take the swing as a promise of the unexpected, you won't be let down. The rooms have ivory-silk curtains that whoosh open at the touch of a button; there are Jacuzzis in bathrooms; the restaurant has black-velvet chairs, grass-topped tables and spoons and forks suspended from light fittings. It's all over the top and we love it. SAL SALIS, AUSTRALIA A little closer to home, this swingers accommodation is set right on the Ningaloo Reef, where the desert meets the sea — an extraordinary and unique part of Australia that should be on all travel bucket lists. The 16 off-grid wilderness tents are located right on the beach, surrounded by little else but untamed nature. Swing in your hammock all day long, gazing into your stupid-beautiful views with an ice-cold beer at hand, or get out on a sea kayak to explore the nearby reefs full of colourful sea life. Not only is this one of the best accommodations for swingers, it's also one of the best glamping spots in Australia. COMO COCOA ISLAND, MALDIVES COMO Cocoa Island is your quintessential luxury Maldives resort that's home to villas hovering on stilts above clear blue waters. It's the kind of place you see in honeymoon brochures and would expect to be the next location of The White Lotus. It is pure luxury. It's also where swingers can hop from beachside hammock to beachside hammock throughout a long sunny day. When you grow tired of your own private pool and the waters full of turtles and dolphins, you can hit up some of the swings dotted about the island. Bring a good book and a few beers with you and spend your holiday swinging by the sea. RUSCHMEYER'S, UNITED STATES This grown-up, summer camp-style boutique hotel in the Hamptons is home to 19 detached rooms surrounding a large swath of grass that provides a back-to-basics luxury — with swings, a tepee and lawn chairs aplenty. Swingers will even find hammocks in some of the Ruchmeyer's bedrooms. And come night-time, the lawns host summer parties and outdoor cinemas. This means you can swing here all day and all night long. GAYANA MARINE RESORT, MALAYSIA At Gayana Eco Resort, you can take swinging to whole new heights: this eco-luxe hideaway has jungle paths with a canopy walk and zip line, so you can whoosh through the trees like an over-caffeinated monkey. For calmer moments, there's also an excellent spa with horizon-view rooms and a selection of massages, scrubs, facials and beauty treatments. There's even an on-site marine research centre: a hub devoted to giant-clam breeding and coral restoration programmes, where guests can feed man-sized groupers in floating pens, plant coral, or scoop up starfish and squishy sea cucumbers in the touch tanks. WALDORF ASTORIA LOS CABOS This Los Cabos resort is huge and opulent. The 115 individually decorated guestrooms feature fireplaces, private plunge pools and balconies overlooking the private beach. Swingers won't find any swings in their rooms, but there are plenty dotted about the resort. On the beach, stacks of hammocks line the shores, while the beach bar has swapped out the stools, preferring guess to sip cocktails while sitting on wooden swings. These may get a little dangerous once you've had a few bevs, so you best head to the beachside hammocks or one of the four Waldorf Astoria restaurants soon after. THE KOROWAI, INDONESIA Each of Korowai's wood-framed rooms are carved into the limestone cliff overlooking Bali's famous Impossible Beach (known for surfing, not partying). Marvel at the ridiculous uninterrupted 180-degree views across the ocean from the privacy of your own little balcony adorned with traditional Balinese décor — including many hammocks and crochet nets. It's one of the most romantic places to stay in Bali. The glitz and glam of other Uluwatu resorts doesn't exist here. Instead, you and your partner will feel as if you've found your own hidden oasis. But, when or if you do want to get into town, the hospitable resort staff will rent you a scooter or organise a taxi ride. Plus, there are a few walkable restaurants nearby if you somehow get tired of dining at their restaurant overlooking the beach. Top images: Naladhu Private Island Resort Feeling inspired to book a swinging getaway? Book your next dream holiday with Concrete Playground Trips — with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations around the world.
In 2013, 300 people danced to Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights' in a field — and in 2025, the idea is back and bigger than ever. Yes, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is happening in Brisbane again from 2pm on Saturday, July 19. Yes, everyone should be dressed as Kate Bush, complete with a red dress, red stockings and black belt (men, that means you as well). On the day, a clowder (that's the collective noun for Kate Bushes, just FYI) will descend upon Milton and copy Bush's swaying, kicky dance in unison just for the pure joy of it. Support for this weird and wonderful outing has been widespread, and Kate Bush fans from around the world have been inspired to create events in their home cities. So get your gear together (dressmakers are usually flooded with orders for the day) and ready yourself to roll and fall in green, out on the wily, windy moors of Frew Park. If you need an incentive — other than the event itself, of course — it's now 47 years since the song was first released. Also, this year's celebration of all things Kate Bush is taking place a few days before British musician's birthday. Running up that hill beforehand (whichever hill you like) isn't compulsory, but it feels fitting. And yes, when it comes to Kate Bush worship, she sang it best herself: don't give up. A donation is appreciated to attend, to help cover costs at the fan-run event.
Having a drink with friends is such a simple act, but it hasn't been easy for Australians this year. During the country's periods of lockdown — including two for Victorians — clinking glasses with your mates was mostly vanquished to the realm of fantasy. So now that life is slowly returning to normal, we're betting that you're more than a little keen to gather the gang, pick up your preferred beverage and make the most of it. This year hasn't been smooth sailing for the folks who make your favourite drinks either, of course. But when you're saying cheers with your nearest and dearest, you can also say cheers to local standouts like 6Ft6, Billson's and 3 Ravens in the process. They're responsible for three of Victoria's most-loved tipples, and they have the votes to prove it as part of the BWS Local Luvvas initiative. Over the last few months, the bottle shop retailer asked Aussies to pick their top local drinks, in which the winners receive an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores. That's a big show of love in a year where everyone definitely needs it — and we've chatted to the talented teams behind the scenes at 6Ft6, Billson's and 3 Ravens to hear about their journeys. THE GEELONG WINERY ON AN EX-SHEEP FARM 6Ft6 prides itself on three things: its location, its varieties, and its talented viticulture and winemaking team. They're must-haves for every winery, but this Geelong vineyard boasts a particularly intriguing story behind the first two components on that list. Not only does it sprawl across an old run-down sheep farm in the Moorabool Valley, but it originally began with 90 acres of pinot noir — because when you know what you like to drink and where you'd like to drink it, you naturally go all in. That was back in 1982, when Austin's Wines was first established. It is now run by a second generation of family members, Scott and Belinda Austin, and counts 6Ft6 among its brands. Although many folks in the industry can make the same claim, Scott and Belinda are now living the dream. "We've always had a passion for drinking wine," Belinda explains, "and the love and learnings of growing and making wine has been a fascinating journey to be on". These days, Belinda isn't just passionate about sipping 6Ft6's tipples, but sharing them. "We love to spread a little cheer wherever we go, and this has been very relevant in 2020," she notes. That's an impressive attitude to have in this difficult year, especially one that has brought so many changes to the winery. "We have had to adapt in more ways than we could have imagined, from finding ways to make up for lost revenue for events and restaurant trade, to shifting to a digital focus in our marketing efforts," Belinda says. "The only thing that hasn't changed in 2020 is the grape-growing and winemaking process. We are glad something was predictable!" THE 155-YEAR-OLD BREWERY AND DISTILLERY USING ALPINE SPRING WATER Back in 1865, when English brewer George Billson founded the company that still bears his name, he couldn't have imagined what would follow. Established in Beechworth all those years ago purely to enable easy access to the town's alpine spring water — which it uses in its spirits, beers, cordials and sodas, as sourced from a 150-year-old red-brick well onsite — Billson's is now a must-visit regional destination. "Historically, our small business has relied almost solely on regional tourism," says director Nathan Cowan. That statement doesn't apply to 2020, though. "It's definitely been a challenging year for everyone," he notes. But local support has helped to keep Billson's afloat, and keep its team busy. "It's so awesome to see so many people supporting their local producers. We wouldn't be here without it," he says. "When people choose local, they are supporting far more than just the business. There are so many flow-on benefits to the entire community." When someone chooses Billson's spirits, they're choosing a tipple made by a company that's "completely captivated by the process of spirit-making," Cowan explains, describing the team's approach as "a mix between creative expression and science". Unsurprisingly, Billson's is committed to using local ingredients in that process, too. "We are passionate about showcasing our spectacular region," Cowan says. "Our talented team use as many fresh local ingredients as possible, and we are lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing growers." THE OLDEST INDEPENDENT BREWERY IN A BEER-LOVING CITY It might seem like a fool's errand, asking a Melburnian to pick their favourite local brew — and to select only one, too. When BWS did just that, however, the city showed its support for 3 Ravens. Founded in 2003, the Thornbury-based beer makers, bar and barrel room helped kickstart Australia's craft beer scene, and did the same in Melbourne as well. Sparked by "a love for more flavoursome European style ales at a time when Australian beer drinkers' options were a little lacklustre to say the least," as general manager Nathan Liascos explains, it's now the Victorian capital's oldest independent brewery. That isn't a status that the 3 Ravens team takes lightly. "Brewing good beer is relatively easy, but brewing excellent, award-winning beer requires a lot more attention to detail," he notes. "We're firm believers that even people who claim to not like beer can be won over by an excellent example of something that aligns with their tastes — and we feel like our job is done whenever we hear 'I don't usually like beer, but...'." When you love beer and you feel just as strongly about making it, singing your favourite brew's praises isn't a hard task. But 2020 has thrown more than a few challenges 3 Ravens' way, although Liascos is looking on the bright side. "There have been some positive outcomes that we've been able to celebrate this year so far, such as seeing increased public awareness and support of local and independent businesses, and an incredible level of ingenuity and adaptation to an increasingly challenging world," he says. "It's also been fun delivering to the locals and personally meeting the people that have been supporting us through these turbulent times." To find these or other Victorian drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva's initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
When Paniyiri rolls around in 2026, expect it to be bigger than ever, with the annual Brisbane festival set to celebrate its 50th year. That's next year's fun, however. Paniyiri will also be back in 2025, turning 49 with another two days of souvlaki, haloumi, barbecued calamari, loukoumades, dancing the zorba, smashing plates and sipping Mediterranean wine — all taking over Musgrave Park in May. For two days every year, this patch of South Brisbane and West pretends that it's on the other side of the world. The menu goes heavy on all of the above dishes, Greek vino flows freely and an array of market stalls celebrate Greek culture. It's one of the River City's biggest annual events, and it has a date with Saturday, May 17–Sunday, May 18 in 2025. First held in 1976, Paniyiri began at The Greek Club — where else? — as an exhibition. Now, it sees 50,000-plus people eat, drink and party like they're in Greece across a weekend. After a few pandemic cancellations and scaled-down revamps, plus the impact of soggy weather, the fest returned to its OG format in its OG timing in 2023, and has kept doing so since. So, if you've been before, other than between 2020–22, then you know what's in store. Food-wise, the spread of bites covers dishes from 11 Greek regions. If devouring as much as you can is your idea of a great time, the festival's regular food contests tend to keep stomachs satisfied. Then, to wash all of that down, that's where the Greek wine, Greek beer and Greek-inspired cocktails come in. For 2025, if you nab entrance in advance for the fest's first day, you can also book in for a Paniyiri picnic between 12–4pm. Your online ticket will get you a Greek mezze box on the day — think: keftethes, spanakopita, taramasalata, tzatziki, kalamata olives, feta and pita bread to feed four — and access to the VIP picnic area to enjoy it in. Either way, in addition to eating and drinking — usually including at 20-plus stalls — Paniyiri's array of Greek revelry spans grapes to stomp, plates to smash, TV stars to rub shoulders with and cooking demonstrations to watch. To really ensure that attendees feel as if they've jumped over to Europe, a pop-up Greek village also sets up shop. Also, it wouldn't be Paniyiri without fancy footwork via Greek Dancing with the Stars and the Hellenic dancers. Alongside relishing all things Greek in Musgrave Park, Paniyiri also takes over its original home at The Greek Club. And if you've always wondered why it has the name it does, that's for a very fitting reason: the event's moniker means 'festival' in Greek. Paniyiri 2025 will take place from Saturday, May 17–Sunday, May 18 at Musgrave Park and The Greek Club, Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
The third season of The Bear is a season haunted. Creator and writer Christopher Storer (Dickinson, Ramy) — often the culinary dramedy's director as well — wouldn't have it any other way. Every show that proves as swift a success as this, after serving up as exceptional a first and second season as any series could wish for, has the tang of its prior glory left on its lips, so this one tackles the idea head on. How can anyone shake the past at all, good or bad, it ruminates on as Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White, The Iron Claw) faces a dream that's come true but hasn't and can't eradicate the lifetime of internalised uncertainty that arises from having an erratic mother, absent father, elder brother he idolised but had his own demons, and a career spent striving to be the best and put his talents to the test in an industry that's so merciless and unforgiving even before you factor in cruel mentors. Haunting is talked about often in this ten-episode third The Bear dish, but not actually in the sense flavouring every bite that the show's return plates up. In the season's heartiest reminder that it's comic as well as tense and dramatic — its nine Emmy wins for season one, plus four Golden Globes across season one and two, are all in comedy categories — the Faks get to Fak aplenty. While charming Neil (IRL chef Matty Matheson) is loving his role as a besuited server beneath Richie aka Cousin (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, No Hard Feelings), onboard with the latter's commitment to upholding a Michelin star-chasing fine-diner's front-of-house standards and as devoted to being Carmy's best friend as ever, he's also always palling around with his handyman brother Theodore (Ricky Staffieri, Read the Room). They're not the season's only Faks, and so emerges a family game. When one Fak wrongs another, they get haunted, which is largely being taunted and unsettled by someone from basically The Bear equivalent of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Boyles. For it to stop, you need to agree to give in. In Storer's hands, in a series this expertly layered, this isn't just an amusing character-building aside. Joining the Disney+ menu Down Under on Thursday, June 27, 2024, season three opens with an episode called 'Tomorrow', setting the action on the titular day following the soft relaunch of Carmy's pride and joy. Season one followed his immersion in The Original Beef of Chicagoland, which his elder sibling Mikey (Jon Bernthal, Origin) ran before his death, and the call to turn it into the restaurant that Carmy has always wanted. Season two charted the hard yards traversed to make the plan happen and bring The Bear to fruition, culminating in an unveiling to family and friends that had them raving about the food while The Bear's staff were in bedlam. With Carmy, who was stuck locked in the fridge for most of the big hurrah, then ended it with his girlfriend Claire (Molly Gordon, Theater Camp) out of his life and his relationship with Richie at a new low, the third go-around asks how you whisk that difficult kickoff — and all previous difficulties — out of your brain and somehow move forward. The Bear has been posing a version of this question from the outset, because it's one of existence's defining queries: how does anyone go on when our heads are swirling with the pinnacles and plunges, achievements and traumas, and riches and missteps gone by? This is a show that sees baggage and, Station Eleven-style, remembers damage. So, how could Carmy, Richie, Carmy and Mikey's sister Natalie (Abby Elliott, Cheaper by the Dozen), their pseudo-uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt, Chicago Med), and The Beef's loyal staff Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas, IF), Marcus (Lionel Boyce, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) carve a path — any path — after losing Mikey? With newcomer chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, Inside Out 2), after they ensured it was still a place that he'd approve of, how could they pivot to The Bear? And with Jimmy's money backing them and the culinary world watching, how can they now guarantee that their new restaurant not just simmers but boils? 'Tomorrow' is a tone-poem first instalment to The Bear's third course, flitting through Carmy's history — the other kitchens that he's been employed in feature heavily — to establish how being haunted will season everything that follows. It's a mindset episode, and a smart and absorbing one, as his time working for the unpleasant David Fields (Joel McHale, Animal Control), the kindly Andrea Terry (Olivia Colman, Wicked Little Letters) and the IRL René Redzepi at Noma all flash up. Its mood then turns haunting itself, persisting atmospherically as Carmy makes some blunt decisions solo about what the restaurant will be and do, then Syd, Richie and the crew are confronted with his choices. The Bear will now operate under a list of non-negotiables. It will change its menu entirely daily. It'll actively seek Michelin's covered five-pointed endorsement. It isn't overtly stated, but it will also exist in a state of fear over what a review by the Chicago Tribune might deem it, be it innovative, excellent, delicious, confusing, overdone or inconsistent. The aftertaste of what's come before, and how impossible it is to cleanse it from your palate, lingers in every moment of kitchen and dining-room chaos — of which there's a buffet — alongside every plot strand. Syd struggles with the realisation that she's still the entree to Carmy's main, clicking the button on the partnership agreement that will formalise her stake in The Bear and whether to leave what she's toiled so hard for to take a new opportunity. Richie has the reality of his ex-wife (Gillian Jacobs, Invincible) moving on to deal with. The pregnant Nat's due date speeds closer. Marcus endeavours to cope with his grief by focusing on the job. Tina's route to The Beef gets its own episode. And The Computer (Brian Koppelman, the creator of fellow TV series Billions), Jimmy's no-nonsense numbers guy, has thoughts as The Bear keeps booking out and generating buzz but battling financially. Season three's performances in roles not only lead and supporting but also among the guest stars — well-known names pop up again, some returning, some new — remain delectable. Leading the show, no one better provides the faces of those tormented by their choices, hopes, yearnings, chances, mistakes and regrets, sometimes as motivation and sometimes as an anchor for Carmy, Syd and Richie, like the one-two-three punch of White, Edebiri and Moss-Bachrach. No one on- or off-screen across the whole series shows any sign of being plagued by living up to the one of the best new shows of 2022 and best returning shows of 2023, or knowing what to do, either. Although the second and third seasons of The Bear have had the program's own past to match, doing so hasn't been a problem to-date, including when Storer can so effortlessly segue between experimental and classic, and wide-spanning to ultra-focused as well. One of the reasons that the exploits of Carmy and company satisfied audiences from the show's initial arrival is its authenticity, understanding the pressures and anxieties, plus the hustle and bustle, of the hospo grind at the sandwich-diner level and the cream-of-the-crop tier alike. The Bear is equally as emotionally astute and frenetic beyond the kitchen, as every spoonful of its third season reminds viewers. The reality of trying to make it as a chef, cook, restaurateur and server collides with the reality of simply trying and being; it's a perfect recipe. In the show, the feeling of sitting down to your dream meal but proving incapable of dislodging your inner mayhem is inescapable. For those watching, The Bear is the streaming equivalent of the ultimate dish — and, because we all have our own internal turmoil, also the cure for being haunted across its superb 14 hours now over three seasons. Check out the full trailer for The Bear season three below: The Bear streams via Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand, with season three dropping on Thursday, June 27, 2024. Read our review of season one and review of season two. Images: FX.
Charles and Ray Eames had a bit of a backwards Lannister twins problem. Everyone thought they were siblings. Both were famous for their innovative design work, but people who hadn't met them would just go on ahead and assume they were brothers. They weren't. They were husband and wife. Nowadays they're often best remembered for designing chairs. They did, for sure, make some wonderful chairs. But it wasn't just furniture where they excelled. The Eames office designed almost everything. The Eameses' work was so either ahead of its time or so timeless that lots of its products are familiar objects today. The Eameses' grandson, Eames Demetrios, is about to make a brief visit to Sydney at both the Sydney Film Festival and for Vivid Ideas to talk about both his grandparents' work and his own. To help you get your head around the breadth of their combined output, we've assembled just a few examples of the family's pioneering work. Chairs The Eameses spent over a decade experimenting with shaping wood. They'd invented a surprisingly striking splint out of moulded plywood for the US army during the Second World War. When they'd moved into their new apartment in 1941, their idea of fun was to squeeze a plywood moulding machine into their spare bedroom. They'd made it themselves out of scrap wood and a bicycle-driven pump and called it 'Kazam!'. They took turns riding the bike. After the war they moved to a real studio at 901 Abbot Kinney Boulevard in LA and stayed there for the rest of their working lives, still working with plywood. One of the products of their iterative wood obsession, in 1956, was the Lounge Chair and Ottoman. The lounge was designed for furniture company Herman Miller. While the lounge chair still looks pretty space age, their Molded Plywood Chairs (below) are much more familiar. The Eameses' work in chairs went on to be so successful that today these pieces just seem, well, normal. The SFF Hub plans to have a bunch of these Herman Miller chairs on display over the duration of the festival. The Eames' Lounge Chair and Ottoman will be there, as will the Moulded Plywoods and a new version of the classic Shell Chair. You can place an order for a chair online, though, it should be noted that the price is usually where these chairs' similarity to school chairs suddenly ends. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0 The Long Zoom The beginning of Contact does it, as does the end of Men in Black: the almost-infinite, long zoom across the universe has been a movie staple since the '90s. The shot was pioneered by the Eameses in their 1977 film Powers of Ten, which ostensibly explored the geographic power of adding and subtracting a zero to long numbers. As the film whips out from the Chicago lakeside into the depths of space, and back again, its effortless play with scale and relentless zoom whip you into a exponential sense of pleasant disbelief. Charles Eames had done some film work, though Hollywood didn't end up being his thing. But, about the time George Lucas had the predecessor to ILM filming their Death Star in a parking lot — and well before computer-based special effects — the Eameses were polishing off a nine-minute tracking shot that traversed the known universe. Eames Demetrios will be presenting Powers of Ten alongside a selection of his grandparents' extensive corpus of short films at Eames on Eames, including Design Q&A ("known to specialists") and Music of the Fifties ("just never seen" and "fascinating because it is, in many ways, the beginning of the music video"), not to mention a restored version of the multiscreen Glimpses of the USA. Multiscreen In an age where lining up multiple screens is about as hard as putting two phones side by side, it's hard to imagine how big a deal it was to see a multiscreen image. During the cold war, the USA put on an American trade exhibition in a Moscow park, which would later become famous for the 1959 Kitchen Debate between then Vice-President Nixon and the Soviet leader, Premier Khrushchev. Not too far away from this culinary power centre, the Eameses had been commissioned to make "a major propaganda exercise designed to inject the elixir of consumerism into the heart of the Soviet empire". So they made a film. Glimpses of the USA was a massive array of seven screens designed to overwhelm Muscovites with the breadth of experience in American life. Seven landscapes, seven cityscapes or seven people popped across the screen, in quick succession. It was designed to dazzle: and it worked. Apparently, the final sequence was so powerful it brought tears to even Nikita Khrushchev's hardened eyes. Interactive Museum Exhibitions Interactivity doesn't give you bragging rights at museums these days. But in 1975, though computers had come a long way since the President of IBM ostensibly said "I think there is a world market for about five computers," they were still pretty much unheard of for the museum experience. Ray and Charles Eames put together a concept film for a makeover of New York's gargantuan Metropolitan Museum. They laid out a vision of a connected experience, where visitors could call up their favourite artwork on a computer and its display would automatically show them related items from the collection. Back then, this vision didn't wash. Reports from 1977 talk about electronic controversy: "concerns about an art museum weakening its raison d'etre by activities not concerned with the experience of original art but, instead, films, facsimiles and electronic gadgetry." The funding was withdrawn, and the touted makeover never happened. Nowadays, this 'electronic gadgetry' is just called the Metropolitan's 'website'. Innovator in the Centre Reviewing the recent documentary, Eames: The Architect and the Painter, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott compared the Eameses' influence to Steve Jobs' for the sheer breadth of the influence their design work on our everyday lives. Scott took this comparison further, saying they were also happy to be the centre of the credit: "Like Walt Disney — and like Steve Jobs — Charles Eames did not share credit. His name alone went on the studio's products." Eames Demetrios disagrees. His counterpoint to Scott easily works through the details of his grandparents' crediting history, with the opinion that a story like Charles' alleged surprise that Deborah Sussman wanted credit for Day of the Dead is "demonstrably untrue". But he adds, "I don't think it was told in malice, because it represents an emotional truth, which is that it is a very hard to feel you are getting your due when you are living/working inside someone else's worldview — especially a powerful one like the Eameses." In the absence of space for his full reply here, Demetrios points to the chapter '901 Culture' in his book An Eames Primer for more detail. A Virtual World Eames Demetrios' films started out relatively tame. Common Knowledge presaged the production method of local film 52 Tuesdays, by giving a documentary portrait of dozens of people every few weeks for a year in 1988, but he "kept thinking it would be really amazing to be able to visit a story physically. To create a parallel world that people could visit." Demetrios created the virtual world of Kcymaerxthaere, a story whose locations have leeched across out of fiction and into the physical world. "It is kind of like a novel with every page in a different place," he says. "Most of the installations are markers (in bronze or stone) that tell a piece of the story." Since 2003, the project has installed 99 sites across 22 countries. There are ten in Australia. He has aspirations to install one in the Red Centre but is open to suggestions from Sydneysiders about a site closer to home. "The key is that we need permission to install the marker permanently (or for at least 99 years)," he adds. Sydneysiders can take a turn at interpreting this world at Storytelling to Generate Fresh Perspectives at Vivid on Sunday, June 7. Eames will be telling some stories from Kcymaerxthaere, after which participants will be invited to make their own "disputed likenesses" (images based on the stories) on postcards to be sent off to previous participants. Local participants will get postcards from other workshops before too long. Melburnians can check out a Kcymaerxthaere exhibition opening at Pure and General from June 11. Good design is good hosting is good grandparenting Charles Eames saw the designer as a host, focused on getting the details right for the recipient of whatever thing he was designing. This need to design "to the need" is pervasive in the Eameses' work and its cultural spread is echoed in modern tech firms' ambitions to sweat the details. It's the same sort of obsession with details at the heart of the story of Steve Jobs anxiously calling Vic Gundotura to tweak the yellow in a Google logo. "Charles and Ray are far more famous today than they were in their lifetimes," says Demetrios. "The notion of a rockstar designer did not exist then." Their legacy is only now getting some of the mainstream attention it deserves, three years after the release of the documentary Eames: The Architect and the Painter. But it wasn't just their design skills that lasted. Their parenting and grandparenting skills kept two generations of children interested in working to preserve their legacy. Demetrios also sees time with his grandparents as the roots of his design education. "My theory is that we learned about design backwards when we were growing up — we learned all the lessons about life that we now realise were lessons about design too. Things like the fact that Charles and Ray were excellent hosts. Picnics were important; presentation was important; experience was important. "As we are older, we understand that they were teaching by example one of their key ideas: 'The role of the designer is essentially that of a good host, anticipating the needs of the guest.'" 'Interactive display' image, actually a multitouch sequencer, by Daniel Williams. The couple's grandson Eames Demetrios will be guiding audiences through a screening of some of his grandparents' short films during the Sydney Film Festival at Eames on Eames and getting a few thoughts off his chest at Vivid Ideas.
There's nothing like watching a film at the planetarium, but it's something that most of us mightn't do all that often. Daytime sessions often cater to school groups. While the Brisbane International Film Festival has hosted fulldome programs in the past, they aren't a regular occurrence. Here's something that might get you staring up at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium ASAP, however: Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience. The band's iconic album turned 50 in 2023, so the Mt Coot-tha venue is celebrating with stunning visuals set to 42 minutes of the record — views of the solar system and beyond. Each track gets a different set of images, with some pondering the future, others delving into the band's history, and all toying with space and time. The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience is popping up around the world, but only at select places. In Australia, Brisbane joins a past season in Melbourne. The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium isn't just devoting a couple of days or weeks to it, either, with the mind-bending Pink Floyd tribute sticking around from September 2023–March 2024. Screening in Brisbane since the beginning of spring, The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience is already selling out — and expect that to continue. But, you have options for heading along, with the six-month-plus season including 3pm shows on Wednesdays, 6pm and 7pm sessions on Fridays, 4pm and 5pm projections on Saturdays, and a 2pm Sunday slot. If you haven't been to the planetarium since your school days, you will still be sitting in reclining chairs, peering up at the 12.5-metre domed ceiling and soaking in the fulldome experience — with a Pink Floyd soundtrack. The venue is almost as old as the album that it's celebrating, with the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium opening at the base of Mt Coot-tha in 1978 and celebrating its 45th birthday in 2023. Over that time, the domed building has played host to plenty of wonders — and, every week, it asks audiences to look up at programs on everything from the moon to stars to the dark universe, often with a guided run-through of Brisbane's own skies at the end. Check out the trailer from Melbourne's season of The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience below: The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience is playing at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mount Coot-tha Road, Mount Coot-tha until March 2024 — head to the Brisbane City Council website for further details.
UPDATE, January 7, 2021: Pieces of a Woman screens in Brisbane cinemas from Wednesday, December 30, and will be available to stream via Netflix from Thursday, January 7. Everyone has heard the claim that women forget the pain of childbirth, with hormones and maternal stirrings washing away the agony of labour once a mother meets their bundle of joy. How true that proves is the subject of debate, but if you've only seen life brought into the world via on-screen depictions, you can be forgiven for subscribing to such a school of thought. Childbirth, like sex, is usually sanitised for cinema. Courtesy of thrusts, groans, screams and part-exhilarated, part-exhausted smiles, films typically convey the gist, rather than the nitty gritty. The visceral reality rarely exists in a fictionalised world of convenient meet-cutes, perfect make-up adorned faces and zero signs of sweat; however, thanks to a tense and harrowing 23-minute delivery scene that plays out in one continuous take, Pieces of a Woman doesn't shy away from the mess and chaos. It doesn't evade the devastation when a planned home birth not only experiences hiccups, but leaves Boston-based expectant mother Martha (Vanessa Kirby, Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw) struggling to cope, either. Martha won't forget what occurred when her water broke, her husband Sean (Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy) remained by her side and midwife Eva (Molly Parker, Words on Bathroom Walls), a fill-in rather than the couple's first choice, delivered her baby. Neither will viewers of this daringly intimate drama from White God and Jupiter's Moon director-writer duo Kornél Mundruczó and Kata Wéber. The unbroken birthing scene isn't the movie's first, but it does precede its title card — with the filmmakers making it plain that, after getting a front-row seat to Martha's trauma, the audience will now witness her attempts to stitch herself back together. That's Pieces of a Woman's storyline. Shattered instead of feeling ecstatic and complete, as she had anticipated, the feature's protagonist tries to work out how to go on. But her marriage has lost its lustre, her overbearing mother Elizabeth (Ellen Burstyn, House of Cards) won't stop giving her two cents — and trying to throw around piles of money to help a problem that can't be fixed by cash — and, at Sean and Elizabeth's urging, there's also a court case to deal with. Pieces of a Woman doesn't lack narrative developments, involving both Martha and those in her bereaved orbit. Ex-alcoholic Sean also endeavours to process the situation, including falling back on old habits. His relationship with Elizabeth flips from bickering to conspiratorial, too; he's a construction worker, and his mother-in-law has always disapproved of his and Martha's class differences, but now they agree on what's best moving forward. Also having an impact: the involvement of Martha's lawyer cousin Suzanne (Sarah Snook, Succession), and the attention that comes from pursuing legal proceedings. Martha can't escape any of the above, but they're the film's scaffolding, rather than the main attraction. These external ups and downs will all pass, while Martha's maelstrom of despair and anger will remain. Accordingly, after stepping through her life-changing moment in realistic detail, the movie makes the bold choice to explore its protagonist's emotional and mental state. The Crown brought Kirby to broader fame and acclaim, earning her awards for her on-screen work after years of receiving them for her stage career — but, as stellar as she is in the regal drama, Pieces of a Woman is a career-best performance. She's tasked with weathering an ordeal rarely laid bare with such candour, and doing so via a dynamic and lived-in portrayal. She's asked to convey the torrential torment that Martha endures in every second after pushing through the contractions in Sean's embrace, holding their child in hers, and then suffering the worst type of absence. In the birth scene, she's primal and unfiltered in a way that's never seen on film. Afterwards, Kirby is glassy with and distant from those around Martha in a manner that rarely resonates as authentically as it does here. Pieces of a Woman is well-cast, and its star is ably matched — by Burstyn especially, particularly in one big monologue that rides a remarkable rollercoaster — but the intensity in Kirby as Martha crumples, yet remains resolute about her right to fracture and fray however she needs to, is near-overwhelming. Mundruczó and Wéber tackle an array of weighty notions through Martha, and through Kirby's performance, the ravenous monster that is grief being one. Pieces of a Woman is heartbreakingly unrestrained in showing how it feels to navigate loss, specifically the kind that isn't often addressed in society let alone in cinema. It does so with disarming potency, as if everything within its frames has been ripped from truth by the filmmakers. Just as effectively, the movie also unpacks how women are constantly expected to stick to set roles, even when tackling what might be the most distressing thing that'll ever happen to a mother. That's where all the struggles with Sean, Elizabeth and the court case really strike a chord — because, no matter what's going on, Martha is always supposed to fit a type dictated by long-held ideas about being a woman, and her husband, mum and anyone else with an opinion can't quite accept her refusal to adhere to convention. If Pieces of a Woman wasn't so deeply moving, some of its overt symbolism might've fallen flat, including repeated shots of a bridge being built by Sean, plus Martha's obsession with apples. And yet honesty reverberates from both, reflecting how easy it is to cling to anything and everything when life isn't progressing as planned. This excellent movie does spend its 126 minutes as intended, of course. From its attention-grabbing early sequence and intricate emotional landscape to its astonishing lead performance and its masterful direction — and its fittingly solemn score by Howard Shore (a two-time Oscar-winner for The Lord of the Rings) and roaming yet lingering visuals lensed by Benjamin Loeb (Mandy), too — it plunges viewers headfirst into Martha's experience. Nothing has been sanitised for anyone's comfort or protection here, either by the filmmakers or by their unforgettably real and raw central character. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zLKbMAZNGI Top image: Benjamin Loeb / Netflix.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from July's haul of newbies. (Yes, we're assuming you've watched Black Widow already.) BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON Coffin flops, sloppy steaks and babies that know you used to be a piece of shit: they're just some of the absurdist and hilarious gems that the second season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson serves up. Also making an appearance: a secret excuse to help men explain away pee stains on their pants, quite the loud and lurid shirt, and a daggy hat. Back in 2019, the sketch comedy's first season was Netflix's best new show of the year, and easily. History is repeating itself with the series' next batch of episodes, with all of the above inclusions resulting in side-splitting chuckles. To put it simply, absolutely no one excavates, explores and satirises social awkwardness with the gusto, commitment and left-of-centre viewpoint of Robinson. His skits dive headfirst into uncomfortable and excruciating situations, dwell there, and let them fester. He's a mastermind at ensuring that gags go for exactly as long as they need to — whether they're brief or prolonged — and the only criticism that can be found with I Think You Should Leave is that its short 15–17-minute episodes zoom by, so you'll probably watch all six new instalments in one 90-minute sitting. That's perhaps the best hour and a half you could spend staring at the TV right now. Robinson's flexible face is a constant source of surprises, and humour, and his outlook upon the world is both savage and brutally relatable. Binge his gags, then binge them again; that's how savvy this show is, and how addictive. If we can't have more Detroiters, the sublime sitcom that Robinson made after his time on Saturday Night Live, thank goodness we now have this. The second season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is available to stream via Netflix. THE PURSUIT OF LOVE Bolters and stickers. They're the two labels given to women in The Pursuit of Love, a lavish, effervescent and also impeccably shrewd new three-part miniseries adaptation of Nancy Milford's 1945 novel of the same name. Befitting its source material's timing, the storyline leads into the Second World War, all as chalk-and-cheese cousins Linda Radlett (Lily James, The Dig) and Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) grow from teens into women — and the former, the impulsive and passionate daughter of a Lord (Dominic West, Stateless) who doesn't believe in educating girls and hates foreigners, chases romance at all costs. Fanny narrates the story, detailing Linda's ups and downs alongside her own. Her own mother (Emily Mortimer, Relic) is purely known as "the Bolter", having left Fanny with her sister (Annabel Mullion, Patrick Melrose) as she too sought love again and again. It's a label that Linda despises when it's applied to her, though. Whether having her eyes opened to the world by her bohemian neighbour (Andrew Scott, His Dark Materials), falling for the first arrogant boy (Freddie Fox, Fanny Lye Deliver'd) she spends any real time with, or later crossing paths with a motivated Communist (James Frecheville, The Dry) and a French duke (Assaad Bouab, Call My Agent!), she does keep leaping forward, however. In contrast, Fanny literally bumps into Oxford academic (Shazad Latif, Profile) and settles into domestic bliss, all while worrying about her cousin. Mortimer also makes her directorial debut with this swiftly engaging look at well-to-do lives, and unpacking of the way women are perceived — and it's the latter, the vivid staging and cinematography, and the vibrant performances that make this a must-see. The Pursuit of Love is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. THIS WAY UP Another month, another season of stellar comedy This Way Up. That's not how it aired in Britain, but it's basically how it has panned out for Australian viewers. And, that's a great thing — not only because this smartly written, astute, insightful and delightfully acerbic series about London-based Irish siblings Áine (Aisling Bea, Living With Yourself) and Shona (Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe) keeps viewers hooked episode after episode, but because binging your way through it immerses you wholeheartedly in their chaotic lives and headspace. As the first season established, English teacher Áine is riding the ups and downs of a mental health journey that saw her spend some time receiving in-patient treatment, and has left Shona, the high-powered overachiever of the pair, perennially worried. Even as COVID-19 approaches and begins to affect their lives, that dynamic is still in place. But Áine is now embarking upon a relationship with Richard (Tobias Menzies, The Crown), the father of a French boy (Dorian Grover, The White Princess) she tutors, all while trying to hide it from her bosses and said kid. Shona is the least-fussed bride-to-be there is as she prepares to get married to her long-term boyfriend and ex-colleague Vish (Aasif Mandvi, Evil), and also navigates more than a little awkwardness with her friend and new business partner Charlotte (Indira Varma, Official Secrets). The heart of this series is the push and pull between this sisters, and how they try to weather everything that life throws their way — and it remains firmly intact this time around. The second season of This Way Up is available to stream via Stan. FEAR STREET Maya Hawke. A mall. Retro clothes and tunes aplenty. Combine the three, and that's how Fear Street Part 1: 1994 opens. Yes, that's familiar, because all of the above played a significant part in the third season of Stranger Things, too. But while Hawke is still popping up on Netflix here, she isn't in Hawkins, Indiana anymore. Instead, her character Heather is working at a mall in Shadyside, Ohio. The year is obviously 1994, Heather is doing the closing shift at a book store, and viewers first see her gushing over an eerie title, only for the customer that's buying it to proclaim: "it's trash; lowbrow horror". Fear Street Part 1: 1994 might begin with a wink to its RL Stine-penned source material, but that isn't the only nod it serves up. Directed and co-written by Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon), this slasher flick splashes its debts to everything from Halloween to Scream across every frame. That's part of the package, as is plenty of blood, gore, bumps and jumps. The end result is unmistakably formulaic, but aptly so; every novel in Stine's series also earned the same description, as did every Goosebumps book as well. From this scene-setting opening, there's a masked killer on the loose, more deaths and chaos follows, and a witch's curse pops up. Then, two more movies keep spinning the story. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 takes its cues from Friday the 13th by heading to a summer camp in its titular year, and Fear Street Part 3: 1666 ponders the origins of Shadyside's curse in the 1600s — and binging all three at once is immensely easy. All three Fear Street movies are available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review of Fear Street Part 1: 1994. DR DEATH Cliffhangers aren't a new creation, but Dr Death deploys the tactic masterfully. When each episode of this true-crime series ends, you want more. That's a product of the show's structure as it jumps between different years in neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch's life, and also a result of the stressful story itself. As played by Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere), Duntsch is full of charm when he's trying to encourage folks with spinal pain and neck injuries into his operating theatre — or when he's attempting to convince hospitals, particularly in Texas, to hire him. But again and again, those surgeries end horrendously. And if he's not endeavouring to sweet talk someone to get what he wants, and maintain the reputation and lifestyle he demands, his charisma melts into pure arrogance, including when he's dealing with his patients post-surgery and/or their loved ones. That's the narrative that Dr Death charts, all based on Duntsch's real-life tale, with the series following The Case Against Adnan Syed and the first and second seasons of Dirty John in jumping to the small screen from podcasts. If you've heard the Wondery release that shares Dr Death's name, you'll know that this tale is pure nightmare fuel, and the well-acted, well-shot and rightly angry drama plays that way on the screen. The longer he's allowed to operate, the bleaker Duntsch's story gets, all while fellow Texas surgeons Randall Kirby (Christian Slater, Dirty John) and Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin, Pixie) do whatever they can to bring his misdeeds to light. Dr Death is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE WHITE LOTUS With Enlightened, his excellent two-season Laura Dern-starring comedy-drama from 2011–13, writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) followed an executive who broke down at work. When she stepped back into her life, she found herself wanting something completely different not just for herself, but for and from the world. It isn't linked, narrative-wise, to White's latest TV miniseries The White Lotus. Here, wealthy Americans holiday at a luxe Hawaiian resort, which is managed by Australian Armond (Murray Bartlett, Tales of the City) — folks like business star Nicole (Connie Britton, Bombshell), her husband Mark (Steve Zahn, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and the teenage trio of Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria), Paula (Brittany O'Grady, Little Voice) and Quinn (Fred Hechinger, Fear Street); newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Songbird) and Shane (Jake Lacy, Mrs America); and the recently bereaved Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, Promising Young Woman). From the outset, when the opening scene shows Shane accompanying a body on the way home, viewers know this'll end with a death; however, as each episode unfurls, it's clear that these characters are reassessing what they want out of life as well. Here, a glam and glossy getaway becomes a hellish trap, magnifying glass and mirror, with everyone's issues and problems only augmented by their time at the eponymous location. In terms of sinking its claws into the affluent, eat the rich-style, this perceptive, alluring and excellently cast drama also pairs nicely with the White-penned Beatriz at Dinner, especially as it examines the differences between the resort's guests and staff. The first three episodes of The White Lotus are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes dropping weekly. TED LASSO A sports-centric sitcom that's like a big warm hug, Ted Lasso belongs in the camp of comedies that focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things. Parks and Recreation is the ultimate recent example of this subgenre, as well as fellow Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine — shows that celebrate people supporting and being there for each other, and the bonds that spring between them, to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. As played by Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart), the series' namesake is all positivity, all the time. A small-time US college football coach, he scored an unlikely job as manager of British soccer team AFC Richmond in the show's first season, a job that came with struggles. The ravenous media wrote him off instantly, the club was hardly doing its best, owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham, Sex Education) had just taken over the organisation as part of her divorce settlement, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) refused to get along. Ted's upbeat attitude does wonders, though. In the second season, however, he finds new team psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) an unsettling presence. You definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its heartwarming determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships (which is where Maleficent: Mistress of Evil's Juno Temple comes in). In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. The first two episodes of Ted Lasso's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly. MONSTERS AT WORK Some of the best films leave you pondering a simple question: what happened next? Sequels don't always answer that query, though, because often you're wondering what literally followed mere moments after the exact events you've just watched — which isn't necessarily where follow-ups head. Cue Monsters at Work, Pixar's latest addition to its Monsters, Inc franchise. That smart and sweet 2001 movie saw seasoned scarer Sulley (John Goodman, The Righteous Gemstones) and his offsider Mike (Billy Crystal, Untogether) upend their titular employer's setup, their city of Monstropolis and their whole monster-filled world, all by realising that the children they're tasked with frightening would be much happier laughing. 2013 prequel Monsters University then joined them back at that eponymous spot; however, if you've always wanted to know what happened after Sulley and Mike switched to eliciting giggles, that's where this new Disney+ TV series comes in. The pair everyone already knows and loves is adjusting to the new status quo, because the ten-part animated show picks up the very next day after the film that started it all. Also thrown askew: Tylor Tuskmon (Ben Feldman, Mad Men) a horned scarer who just graduated, is all set to spook kids, but finds himself working in maintenance instead. Even as it explores the fallout of Pixar's beloved 20-year-old delight, this series doesn't really need to exist, but it nonetheless delivers an enjoyable extended stint in this creature-filled world. Also entertaining: voice work from Mindy Kaling (Locked Down) and Henry Winkler (Barry) as Tylor's new colleagues. The first five episodes of Monsters at Work are available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes dropping weekly. MIRACLE WORKERS: THE OREGON TRAIL In the first season of Miracle Workers, which hit screens back in 2019, the one and only, always-great Steve Buscemi (The King of Staten Island) played god. It was a stroke-of-genius piece of exceptional casting in an eccentric comedy about heavenly bureaucrats subjected to the supposed Almighty's whims while still trying to keep earth running — and attempting to save it from the deity's destructive tendencies — but the storyline wrapped up in one season. Thankfully, the series still returned in 2020; however, this time it went back to the Dark Ages. Buscemi's role: Eddie Shitshoveler. Yes, that name does indeed describe the character's occupation, and many hilarious hijinks ensued in that addition to this ongoing anthology. Again, the tale ran for a single season, but that wasn't the end of the show either. Now that Miracle Workers has returned once more, it has the subtitle The Oregon Trail. Buscemi is Benny the Teen, an outlaw in pioneer era-America who ends up leading townsfolk from a fading rural locale along the titular track and hopefully to a better life. All of his now three-time co-stars are back as well, with Daniel Radcliffe (Guns Akimbo) playing a priest, Geraldine Viswanathan (The Broken Hearts Gallery) as the unhappy wife of Jon Bass' (Baywatch) snobbish villager, and Karan Soni (Superintelligence) as another gunslinger. Like its predecessors, this season is delightfully absurd, filled with intriguing characters and benefits from committed comic performances, all while parodying its new setting. The first three episodes of Miracle Workers: The Oregon Trail are available to stream via Stan, with new episodes dropping weekly. CLASSICS TO WATCH AND REWATCH THE SPY KIDS FRANCHISE Here's the thing about the best family-friendly movies: if they're great and they truly live up to their genre, then they really are not just suitable for but entertaining to audiences of all ages. Most films that overtly endeavour to entice children's eyeballs do also attempt to keep adults engaged as well — but oh-so-many fail. Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids franchise is one of the rare examples that works for everyone. It's goofy enough to play as an espionage comedy for viewers young and old, and even its flatter moments are better and have more personality than the bulk of its genre cohorts. Given the cast, which includes Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Carla Gugino (Gunpowder Milkshake), Alan Cumming (Battle of the Sexes), Cheech Marin (The War with Grandpa), Danny Trejo (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run), Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers: The Oregon Trail; see above) and Salma Hayek (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard), as well as Daryl Sabara (The Green Inferno) and Alexa Vega (Nashville) as the central kids, there was always going to be plenty to love here. Nostalgia might keep drawing you back to this series, but that's not the only thing that'll keep you interested. The frenetic and kinetic pace, the candy-coloured visuals and the all-round offbeat approach all filter through not only the first three flicks in the franchise, aka 2001's Spy Kids, 2002's Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, and 2003's Spy Kids 3: Game Over, but also 2011's Spy Kids: All the Time in the World as well. Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3: Game Over are available to stream via Binge, and all four films are also available on Stan. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May and June this year — and our top straight-to-streaming movies and specials from 2021 so far, and our list of the best new TV shows released this year so far as well.
Under normal circumstances, when a new-release movie starts playing in cinemas, audiences can't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with a worldwide pandemic forcing picture palaces across the globe to shut down temporarily in the interest of public safety, the film industry is being forced to adjust. While no one in Australia can currently head to their local movie theatre, sit in a darkened room with a crowd of fellow film buffs and feast their eyes on the silver screen, that doesn't mean we aren't eager to see the latest flicks. In fact, as these quarantine days turn into isolation-heavy weeks, you can be forgiven for craving something new to watch. So, film distributors have started fast-tracking their recent releases from cinemas to streaming — movies that were playing in theatres when they closed, flicks that had just released and even films that didn't yet get the chance to hit the big screen. Here's a dozen you can watch right now at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY THE INVISIBLE MAN Our critic says: "As written and directed by Australian filmmaker Leigh Whannell, this slow-building version of The Invisible Man isn't an account of a scientist corrupted by his latest discovery, as seen in its predecessors. Rather, it's a portrait of a woman at the mercy of a man who'll do anything and use any means to get what he wants. The end result: psychological horror mixed with futuristic science-fiction and layered with a piercing societal statement, and it's as effective as it sounds. Of course, anyone who saw Whannell's previous feature Upgrade will realise that this is the only interpretation of The Invisible Man that he could've made. The Aussie talent continues his fascination with body modification and tech-enabled surveillance, as well as his fondness for hyper-kinetic action, a pervasive mood of dread and tension, and a sparse, sleek look — plus his interrogation of the kind of society that, with not too many imaginative tweaks needed, we just might be headed for." — Sarah Ward The Invisible Man is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzqL60kvwU BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) Our critic says: "From the moment that Margot Robbie stole the show in Suicide Squad, a Harley Quinn-focused spinoff was always inevitable. So, knowing when they're onto a good thing — and witnessing their now Academy Award-nominated Australian star keep rising in fame via I, Tonya, Mary, Queen of Scots, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Bombshell — the folks behind the DC Extended Universe have gone and done the obvious. Thankfully, the powers-that-be learned a few lessons along the way, leaning into everything that first made the anarchic character attract so much big-screen attention. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is vividly stylised, irreverently upbeat, and both frenetic and fluid. To the benefit of every fight and chase scene, it's also more concerned with eye-popping action choreography than overblown special effects. The movie's riotous mood, lurid colour scheme and kookily comic sensibilities can't smooth out all of its bumps, though, but put it this way: Suicide Squad, this definitely isn't." — Sarah Ward Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmnEHSJx-M COME TO DADDY Our critic says: "Following a map to a remote waterside location, Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) knocks on his father's door, reuniting with the man he hasn't seen for more than 30 years. It's a tense, awkward scene, with more of the same following — and, in a movie that segues from reunion drama to unsettling mystery flick to crime thriller, things only get unhinged and deranged from there. Marking the feature directorial debut of New Zealand producer-turned-filmmaker Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death, Turbo Kid, Deathgasm), Come to Daddy proves an anarchic, unruly and very amusing ride, complete with committed performances not just from Wood, but from Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley and The Breaker Upperers' Madeleine Sami as well. It's also inspired by reality, although to say more would be to reveal too much about a movie that revels in its twists and turns. And in its ample splashes of gore and blood, too." — Sarah Ward Come to Daddy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and Umbrella Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxKXiQvyG_o ONWARD Our critic says: "Onward tells the tale of brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (Marvel co-stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), two teenage elves who've grown up without their dearly departed dad. Thanks to an unexpected flash of long-dormant magic, they're given the chance to spend one last day with their father — but, in order to do so, they'll have to undertake a perilous quest in Barley's rundown van Guinevere. From this description, you might've noticed that Pixar's usual formula isn't at play here, with the company branching beyond the "what if toys/cars/rats/robots/monsters/feelings had feelings?" setup that's served it so well in everything from the Toy Story franchise to Inside Out. Rest assured, however, that Onward's central elf siblings do indeed experience a whole heap of emotions as they cast spells, try to decipher mysterious maps, endeavour to avoid curses, explore their complicated brotherly relationship and team up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion called The Manticore (Octavia Spencer)." — Sarah Ward Onward is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes, and will hit Disney+ on Friday, April 24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAWKALOCAg THE HUNT Our critic says: "When The Hunger Games pit people against each other in an elaborate battle royale-style fight to the death, it did so in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world. In Craig Zobel's The Hunt, a similar situation applies — but, taking aim at the political divides so prominent between the left and right in America today, this satirical horror-thriller is firmly set our current reality. Here, 14 strangers awaken in a remote woodland area, gagged but with access to a giant crate of weapons. Soon afterwards, the shooting starts. Pitting "deplorables" against "liberal elites" in a film with the kill-or-be-killed chaos of reality TV parody Series 7: The Contenders and action choreography that'd make the John Wick franchise proud, The Hunt is nowhere near as savage, smart or politically astute as it thinks it is. That said, thanks to a steely lead performance by GLOW's Betty Gilpin, a playful sense of humour and a willingness to toy with audiences as much as it does with its characters, it entertains far more often than it provokes." — Sarah Ward The Hunt is available to stream via Google Play and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbHkNiIyl3I THE WAY BACK Our critic says: "Pitched as Ben Affleck's big comeback role after a run of average-at-best flicks — including his short-lived turn as Batman — The Way Back follows a faded man who used to be a big deal. His character was once a high school basketball star; however the years since have been filled with bad choices, tragedy and an overabundance of alcohol. Given the chance to relive his glory days by coaching the school's struggling current team, he embarks on a quest for redemption. As well as boasting Affleck's best performance since Gone Girl, it's to The Way Back's credit that this underdog story on multiple levels doesn't always take the obvious route. Still, it's guilty of leaning on illness-related heartbreak for easy, cliched emotional manipulation, rather than trusting its central performance. Affleck feels like he's trying a little too hard to follow in his brother Casey's footsteps, too, with similarities to the far superior Manchester by the Sea evident." — Sarah Ward The Way Back is available to stream via iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je22_P3Qm7U THE GENTLEMEN Our critic says: "When in doubt, they say to go back to your roots. Given that Guy Ritchie's last two films were Aladdin and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, it's fair to assume that doubt had squarely reared its head. As the director's name alone evokes the sound of cockney rhyming slang and the image of grimy London back alleys, dancing bedazzled elephants were about as off-brand as it gets. So he goes back to his roots with The Gentlemen — and it's a warm and welcome return. Overall, The Gentlemen is fun, to put it in the simplest of terms. It's certainly not without its faults — the patchwork of styles, from action film to hip hop music video and everything in between is constantly jarring — but the general experience is an agreeable one. Like the scotch enthusiastically consumed by the film's unofficial narrator, Fletcher (a delightful turn by Hugh Grant), The Gentlemen is a little rough at first, but smoother with every sip until you're silly drunk and smiling like a fool." — Tom Glasson The Gentlemen is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llt7-EQP6dg EMMA Our critic says: "In the latest big-screen version of Jane Austen's beloved novel, well-heeled chaos ensues — as much chaos that can within stately and sprawling country manors, while compliant, silent servants are always on hand, and amidst polite conversation constantly tinted with gossip (although as Downton Abbey keeps demonstrating, that's plenty). Emma circa 2020 does everything it's supposed to, including using its sumptuous production and costume design to paint a vivid picture of Regency-era England, but it adds little of its own personality. Austen's prose, here shaped into a screenplay by The Luminaries' author Eleanor Catton, still sparkles with wit. Making her feature filmmaking debut, photographer and music video director Autumn de Wilde retains the novel's playful mood, and pairs it with a sweeping sense of visual symmetry that'd do Wes Anderson proud. And yet, this adaptation feels mostly indistinguishable from the many other unchallenging film and TV versions of literary classics that've reached screens over the years. In fact, the end result is fine, but in the passable rather than excellent sense of the word." — Sarah Ward Emma is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78k9Mhgzy74 JUST MERCY Our critic says: "Just Mercy boasts much that other films would envy, such as an emotive true tale, serious subject matter that's sadly still relevant today and a top-notch cast. Eyes blazing, his voice calm yet commanding, and compassion driving his every move, Michael B. Jordan is especially fantastic as real-life lawyer Bryan Stevenson — and he's matched by a restrained but no less resonant Jamie Foxx as a man on death row and resigned to the lie of the land in the deep south. But the feeling that this has all been seen before is used to particularly compelling effect here. It's something that writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton is clearly cognisant of, as he was when he focused on troubled teens living in a group home in the excellent Short Term 12. Layering in other cases, such as that of fellow condemned prisoner Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), the filmmaker draws attention to the unending spate of real-life stories such as these. That's not a new revelation, but it bears heavily on a movie that's already weighty anyway." — Sarah Ward Just Mercy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szby7ZHLnkA SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Our critic says: "Cast-wise, there's a clear standout. Jim Carrey is back in full force, dropping the most endearingly over-the-top performance audiences have seen from him in ages. As villain Dr Robotnik, he's somehow even more cartoonish than the CGI Sonic — and it's spectacular. Like Sonic's running, however, there's far too little of it throughout. Instead, the lion's share of screen time is reserved for Sonic (voiced by Parks and Recreation's Ben Schwartz) and his new pal Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the local sheriff who's helping him avoid capture. Giving credit where credit's due, Marsden delivers the goods, charming his way through scenes that ought to have tanked hard. Schwartz, too, makes the inspired choice of keeping Sonic low-key instead of manic, resulting in a far more likeable hero." — Tom Glasson Sonic the Hedgehog is available to stream via iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbKh4FqR2g RICHARD JEWELL Our critic says: "All it took was a concert and a backpack for Richard Jewell's (Paul Walter Hauser) life to change forever. That's the real-life story that monopolised news headlines 24 years ago. It's also the tale that Jewell, with his desperate desire to work in law enforcement, was overjoyed to have attached to his name. And, it's the narrative that Richard Jewell tells, although Clint Eastwood's involvement should make it obvious that it doesn't end there. As demonstrated with gusto in the latter years of his five-decade directorial career, Eastwood is drawn to heroes. He's not just fascinated by people acting bravely, but by true tales of fortitude in the face of pressure, scrutiny, admonishment and even contempt by society, authorities and bureaucracy. American Sniper's flag-waving tribute to the deadliest marksman in US military history, Sully's recreation of the Miracle on the Hudson and subsequent investigation, and The Mule's account of an octogenarian forced to become a drug courier to make ends meet — they all fit the profile, as does Jewell's swift slide from saviour to suspect." — Sarah Ward Richard Jewell is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-7ACXBRP-g BLOODSHOT Our critic says: "Vin Diesel as Frankenstein's monster? Vin Diesel reliving the same events over and over again, Edge of Tomorrow-style, to right a past wrong? Vin Diesel filled with tiny robots — including in a Terminator-esque scene where half his face is exposed, revealing the nanotechnology gleaming beneath his flesh? Throw in shades of Universal Soldier and RoboCop as well (and some speedy car chases, because Diesel sure does love getting fast and furious behind the wheel), and that's Bloodshot. Yes, as well as tasking Diesel with playing a US soldier brought back from the dead, Bloodshot attempts to revive a variety of parts itself — all cobbled and spliced together from multiple other science-fiction stories and action flicks. Indeed, the fact that Bloodshot is actually based on a comic book character dating back to 1992 doesn't seem anywhere near as important to first-time feature director David SF Wilson as nodding at a heap of other pop culture titles." — Sarah Ward Bloodshot is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review.
In his three decades so far behind the camera, every film that Wes Anderson has made, features and shorts alike, has boasted one of two people behind their ideas. Number one: himself, with the writer/director sometimes teaming up with Owen Wilson (Haunted Mansion), Noah Baumbach (White Noise), Jason Schwartzman (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and/or Roman Coppola (Mozart in the Jungle) to pen his screenplays. Number two: Roald Dahl, the author responsible for a bookshelf full of childhood classics that've engaged and entertained generations. With the latter, first came Anderson's magnificent stop-motion Fantastic Mr Fox adaptation, which is lively, smart and funny as well as gloriously animated. Now arrives four new Netflix shorts based on various parts of Dahl's lengthy bibliography. Wondering how Anderson would fare with The Witches, Matilda or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — each of which have reached screens multiple times, including a recent The Witches remake, the film version of Matilda The Musical and upcoming origin story Wonka — remains confined to the world's imaginations at the moment. Instead, the symmetry-loving filmmaker and Dahl still prove a dream match with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison. Dropping daily since Wednesday, September 27, the entire group is now available to stream. Watch all four at once and you've got a new Anderson-directed, Dahl-inspired feature-length anthology, plus pure, quintessential, gorgeous and thoughtful Anderson gold. Visually, the Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom and Isle of Dogs filmmaker busts out his jewel and pastel palette, elaborate dollhouse visuals, moving sets, centred framing and distinctive dialogue rhythms in his latest works, each trademark stylistic touch a reliably dazzling treat in his hands. Talent-wise, he enlists a core sextet of well-known stars — Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Dev Patel (The Green Knight), Ben Kingsley (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Ralph Fiennes (The Menu), Richard Ayoade (The Souvenir: Part II) and Rupert Friend (High Desert) — who deliver pitch-perfect Anderson-esque performances cycling through a range of roles while uttering deadpan to-camera dialogue. Thematically, Anderson starts the shorts series with belief and hope, then keeps skewing darker. His fixation with meticulously delightful sights has always been paired with bleaker notions, as seen from Bottle Rocket onwards; here, he swings between humanity at its best and its worst. Also present: more stories within stories within stories (within stories), as Anderson has long loved stacking and unpacking, frequently with writers taking centre stage. Fresh from stepping into a play as a live production in a TV show in Asteroid City and also flicking through a magazine's articles in The French Dispatch, the filmmaker now gets an author sharing his scribblings. Dahl isn't just the origin of the four stories adapted. Fiennes, who reunites with the writer/director after turning in one of the finest-ever performances in his films in The Grand Budapest Hotel, plays Dahl in one of his current parts for Anderson. That move enthusiastically makes the helmer's fondness for layers known structurally, standing out as much as the faux sets that he deploys visually — and as Dahl pops up to narrate and explain from his Buckinghamshire writing hut, it's also a choice with meaning. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar begins the set with its longest and lightest entry, the source of some of Anderson's best and most purposeful visual playfulness yet, and a 39-minute flick that shares an account of personal and spiritual growth. So, as the author's 1977 tale comes to the screen, the movie's version of Dahl chats. Henry Sugar (Cumberbatch) does as well. Dr Chatterjee (Patel) and his patient Imdad Khan (Kingsley) also have a natter. Their stories reveal that Khan has learned to see without his eyes, Chatterjee couldn't be more fascinated about this medical marvel and, after learning about it accidentally, Sugar is desperate and determined to learn the trick for himself. Initially, the eponymous figure is solely in it to help his gambling and get even richer than he already is; however, there's only soullessness and emptiness on that path, but tenderness with another choice. The next in the batch, the 17-minute The Swan, pushes Friend to the fore. It also sharply changes Anderson's tone. In this short, bullies terrorise a classmate and wildlife in tandem, in a musing on cruelty that's still stunning to look at. With The Rat Catcher, which also clocks in at 17 minutes, the short's namesake (Fiennes) is enlisted by a village (represented by Ayoade and Friend) to live up to his name, a feat he's certain that he only achieve by being as rat-like as possible. Then, in the similarly 17-minute Poison, Cumberbatch, Patel and Kingsley work through almost the opposite of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, with an Englishman in British-occupied India (Cumberbatch) given kindness by a colleague (Patel) and local doctor (Kingsley) in a life-and-death situation, but hardly repaying it. The cast that brings The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison to life is as divine on-screen as it sounds on paper, especially Cumberbatch and Patel in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, plus Patel and Kingsley in Poison. Anderson's way with aesthetics may hog the limelight whenever his name comes up — that, and the wealth of talent that he amasses in each of his films — but his ability with actors is one of his greatest skills. There isn't merely a knack to performing in the filmmaker's work; he gets his stars epitomising his specific style while showcasing their own flair, too. Watching The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, no one would ever want Anderson's latest ensemble to leave his sight, in fact, or to stop telling stories for him. Only one quibble springs from this four-short project: the decision to release each chapter separately, rather than packaging them together as an anthology feature. Of course, streaming makes that choice moot now that The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison are all freely available in Netflix's catalogue. There's a cumulative power to this set of films. Anderson sees the ups and downs of human nature as he works through Dahl's four stories. As Fiennes' Dahl talks in and around their narratives, Anderson also spies it in an author who is both beloved for his creations and decried for his discriminatory opinions. It's there in the explanatory text on-screen noting what inspired The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison as well. Spectacular to look at, exceptionally performed, and packing an emotional and thematic punch, these shorts are vintage Anderson through and through. Check out the trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar below: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison are all available to stream via Netflix. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
The best glamping sites in New Zealand are made for travellers who want to explore and stay amid the country's spectacular natural landscapes without having to rough it. Either hit a few of these as you road trip through the North and South Islands or find a location you love then stock up and stay for a good few days. Whether you're after seaside glamping or a mountain escape, with fantastic lodgings scattered across the countryside, Aotearoa's best assets are on full display at these glamping destinations that get you closer to nature than any hotel (although there's no shortage of great hotels in New Zealand). Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in Australia The Most Romantic Places to Stay in Bali The Best Spas in Auckland The Best Spas in Wellington Glam Camping, Queenstown At Glam Camping, you'll find a collection of geometric dome tents perched along a hillside looking down on the green valley and lake just a 20-minute drive from Queenstown. During the day, take the 90-minute walk around Moke Lake or go horse riding. You can even join a morning yoga class or organise a wine tasting tour around one or many of Queenstown's famous vineyards. But we are particularly excited about the Glam Camping's food and drink offerings. You can opt to cook your own food (with all the produce provided by the hosts) or let a private chef treat you and your travel buddies to a three-course feast on the property. [caption id="attachment_880413" align="alignnone" width="1920"] SJL Photography[/caption] Kawakawa Station, South Wairapa This sprawling farming property spans across rolling grassy hills by the South Wairarapa coastline. And until the end of April 2023, the Kawakawa Station team invites guests to stay in a series of large tents hidden within the pastures. But, unlike other bell tents, these have clear ceilings so guests can stargaze from the comfort of their own bed. It also has a fully equipped kitchen on the property, so you can prep your meals without needing to bring a heap of gear. You can easily spend a few days at this New Zealand glamping site, hanging out among the sheep and strolling around the property. But, if you're after a proper adventure, Kawakawa Station also offers an epic hiking experience. The three-day hike along the Station Walk takes you through forests, along creeks and right down to the coast. The team will put you up in a bunch of different accommodations along the way, too. Coromandel Luxury Escapes, Coromandel It's in the name but still deserves being repeated — Coromandel Luxury Escapes is a truly luxurious glamping site in New Zealand. It is all powered and comes with a mini fridge, oil heater, large king bed as well as a private free-standing outdoor bath. A massive deck with a BBQ is also there for you when you want to cook up some locally caught fish. Apart from the site, one of the biggest selling points is the location. It's close to some of New Zealand's best beaches, including the picturesque New Chums Beach. And, if you're up for a 50-minute drive, you've got to visit Hot Water Beach. Here, you can dig a hole in the sand to find naturally hot water bubbling up to the surface — just be careful when digging, as this water can reach temperatures beyond 100 degrees Celsius. Use Coromandel Luxury Escapes as your base when exploring the Coromandel region which is just a two-hour ferry ride from Auckland. Lavericks Bay, Christchurch The Lavericks Bay glamping spot has two tents making up this wonderfully bucolic site. Seclusion is almost totally guaranteed. Apart from the property's wandering sheep. You'll feel as if you have the entire bay and rolling countryside to yourselves — for exploring or just sitting back and taking in the views. During the day, head to the beach for some leisurely swimming at the property's private beach to check out the resident dolphins and seals that tend to float past. And, at night, you can't say no to a dip in the large wooden hot tub in which you can do some proper stargazing. There's no light pollution here, so you'll be guaranteed a stunning night sky. Waitomo Hilltop, Waitomo The Waitomo Hilltop glamping site feels like it's pulled from a fairytale. Atop a hill, in the green Waitomo countryside lies this luxury tent that's been kitted out with everything you could need. Cook up fresh pizzas in its woodfired oven, rug up by the fire pit watching movies via projector or take a dip in one of the outdoor baths overlooking the countryside. There used to be just one glamping tent available, but Waitomo recently finished creating another equally luxurious site. The new campsite has two tents joined together with a glass walkway — including three separate bedrooms, a lounge area and a massive kitchen and dining room. It is technically a tent, but looks far more like a bricks and mortar home. The Black Yurt, Oakura This one is for the keen surfers out there. You're a short walk away from Oakura's surfing beach which is known for having some fairly reliable swell. The Black Yurt is also close to town — walking distance from plenty of boutique stores, restaurants and bars. It may be one of the least remote New Zealand glamping spots on this list but it still feels miles away from crowds. The large yurt is surrounded by palms and native bushland, offering up some well-needed privacy. The interiors of the yurt are also extra cushy. There's a king bed, a queen futon mattress as well as some schmick bathroom facilities. And, if the weather is good, you can open the dome and windows to let the outside in. [caption id="attachment_879080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Sun Photography[/caption] Tawanui Farm, Cheviot It doesn't take long to find jaw-dropping vistas outside of New Zealand's main cities. Just an hour-long drive from Christchurch lies Tawanui Farm, a working sheep, cow and deer farm. Here, the Loughnan family have set up two geodesic domes, a central camp kitchen (with couches and cooking gear all provided) and a large hot tub looking out over the pastures. It's easily one of the best New Zealand glamping sites out there. Each dome sleeps up to four people, and no matter how many guests you book for, you'll get the entire site — that makes Tawanui Farm great for larger groups. Either laze around playing boardgames and drinking in the hot tub or use it as a base to explore the rest of the region. You can fish at the local Hurunui River, swim and surf at Gore Bay or take an ATV farm tour to learn a little more about Tawanui Farm. Dealer's choice. Kanuka, Rotorua This is just about as remote as it gets. A single Kanuka glamping tent is hidden up in the bush, right next to Lake Tarawera, and can only be reached by a boat ride or hike. The campsite comes with a large tent and queen-sized bed, a bush kitchen with everything you need to cook up some grub, a dining area as well as a separate bathroom. The essentials are sorted. And, once you're all settled in, what you choose to do around here is totally up to you. The Kanuka team can provide a kayak for exploring the lake, there's a sandy beach less than 50 metres away and you can hike along a number of trails (with one leading to a natural hot pool in the bush). Ah, you've got to love New Zealand and all its thermal hot springs. [caption id="attachment_880412" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Kerins[/caption] Camp Kekerengu, Kaikoura Coast If you're travelling with a bunch of mates or a big family, Camp Kekerengu is perfect. Here, you will find three large tents, a group kitchen and a covered lounge area — all with uninterrupted sea views. But, be prepared for living it a little rougher than you might like. The entire glamping site is off grid. This will force you to fully unplug and enjoy nature. You're a short walk from the beach, close to several walking trails and simply surrounded by wide open plains and rolling mountains. It's stunning. And is the perfect example of why people love to go glamping in New Zealand. Here, you get the best bits of Aotearoa's natural landscape all in one location. Feeling inspired to book a getaway unlike anything else out there? Only through Concrete Playground Trips, our new travel booking platform, can you now purchase holidays specially curated by our writers and editors. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips at destinations all over the world. Top images: Waitomo Hilltop
Humans spend roughly a third of their life sleeping. Aside from the occasional drunken night or camping trip, most of this sleeping is done in a bed. So why, then, are such important objects in our lives often so commonplace and dull? Beds can be used to express our inner self, to represent our deepest loves or simply help us wake up and get going in the morning. Here are 20 of the most creative and eccentric designs that are sure to put a smile on your face. 1. The Stand Up Bed Thanks to this novel bed, which resembles a large vertical bean bag, sleeping while standing is apparently very possible. 2. The Floating Bed This magnetically charged floating bed by Janjaap Ruijssenaars not only looks incredibly chic and contemporary, but also would make it very hard for any monsters to hide underneath it. 3. The Rocking Bed The 'Private Cloud' is a a patented rocking frame designed by Manuel Kloker, which will be sure to lull you into a serene sleep every night. 4. The Sonic Bed Kaffe Matthew's Sonic bed probably isn't exactly designed to provide a good night's sleep, created with 12-channel surround sound speakers encased around the edges to cover every cell of your body with musical beats. 5. The Forest Bed For those who want to have a sense of being out in the wild whilst remaining in the comfort of their own bed, this exotic wooden bed would be the one for you. 6. The Safe Bed This 'Quantum Sleeper' is the ultimate in protection for those paranoid about the threat of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, kidnappers or any variation therein. 7. The Starfish Bed Known as the 'Hold Me Bed', this structure will ensure that you overcome those restless nights of tossing and turning because, well, you won't be able to move a muscle. 8. The Hay Bed Some people have such an affinity for hay they simply want to be surrounded by it when awake and asleep. 9. The Yin and Yang Bed If you believe you've found your absolute soulmate but can't handle sleeping next to them for whatever reason, perhaps this next bed will provide the solution to your problems. 10. The Sandwich Bed You are what you eat, right? 11. The Hammock Bed Everybody loves the tranquil and relaxing sensation induced by the gentle swinging and folding of a hammock. 12. The Pull-Down Bed If you are crammed for space due to a small apartment or want another handy spare bed that doesn't waste the space of a whole room, then this innovative and nifty pull-down bed is the way to go. 13. The Molecular Bed Scientists, sportspeople or ball-lovers will be sure to enjoy this bed made of 120 soft and pleasant balls. 14. The Cinderella Bed Perfectly suited to little princesses with large imaginations and a love for fairytales. 15. The Foetal Position Bed This bed doesn't leave much margin for movement - that is unless you want to end up snuggling up with the floorboards. 16. The Bird Nest Bed This large pit of soft pillows encased in a brown, nest-like structure is a novel way to help kids nod off to sleep. 17. The Geometric Bed If you want to keep the brain cells flowing even when getting some shut-eye, perhaps this bed with a modern geometric structure attached to it is the perfect way to achieve just that. 18. The Brush Bed This bed looks like it would be jabbing uncomfortable protrusions from every angle. 19. The Book Bed Let imaginations soar with this creative life-sized book that also doubles as a bed. 20. The Napping Pod Cure that threethirtyitis by grabbing a quick nap in one of these high-tech napping pods.
With Game of Thrones finishing its run a few months back, there's currently a huge fantasy-shaped hole in the TV and streaming landscape. Of course, the beloved show is set to go on thanks to its own prequel; however plenty of networks and platforms are trying their hands at the genre in the interim — and giving television buffs plenty to watch. Amazon is hoping to fill the gap with its forthcoming Lord of the Rings series, although it isn't due until 2021. HBO's next contender has just arrived this month, courtesy of its adaptation of His Dark Materials. And, while Netflix already has its Dark Crystal prequel, which launched back in August, it'll soon drop new series The Witcher as well. In fact, the Henry Cavill-starring show will arrive on Friday, December 20, just in time for some Christmas break binge-viewing. Even better — if you're super-keen for the new series, you now have two seasons to look forward to. As reported by Variety, Netflix seems confident that plenty of folks are eager to see Cavill sporting long blonde locks and fighting monsters, because it has already renewed the show for a second season before the first even drops. You will have to wait for the follow-up batch of eight episodes, though, as it's not slated to shoot until 2020 or hit the streamer until 2021. Perhaps it's the concept that has everyone excited. As seen in both the initial trailer and the recent second sneak peek, the witcher of the title is Geralt of Rivia (Cavill), a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone in a realm called The Continent. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra, Netflix's Wanderlust) and young princess Ciri (newcomer Freya Allan). The latter harbours a secret, because of course she does, with the series blending plenty of fantasy staples such as magic, royalty, fighting factions, battling hordes, fearsome creatures, a heap of sword-swinging and many a scenic location. After stepping into Superman's shoes and facing off against Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible — Fallout, The Witcher marks Cavill's return to TV a decade after starring in regal period drama The Tudors. As well as Chalotra and Allan, it also features Jodhi May (Game of Thrones), MyAnna Buring (Kill List), Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards) and Australian actor Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks). Behind-the-scenes, the show's eight-part first season is created, executive produced and co-scripted by Lauren Schmidt, who has everything from The West Wing, Parenthood and Power to Daredevil, The Defenders and The Umbrella Academy to her name. If the series' name sounds familiar, that's because The Witcher is based on the short stories and novels of writer Andrzej Sapkowski — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens back in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. Check out the latest trailer for Netflix's The Witcher below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndl1W4ltcmg The Witcher will hit Netflix on Friday, December 20. Image: Katalin Vermes. Via Variety.
If there's one word that can sum up much of 2022's television landscape so far, it's this: finally. After longer-than-anticipated delays due to the pandemic, plenty of excellent shows made their way back to our streaming queues. That includes sublime crime-thriller spinoffs, time-travelling comedies and 80s-worshipping sci-fi hits — and glitter eyeshadow-strewn teen chaos, everyone's favourite hitman-turned-actor and savage explorations of America today, too. They're the shows that we all missed for years, and eagerly welcomed back like old friends. Spanning mind-bending animation and explosive takes on superheroes as well, all these long-awaited returnees arrived with two pieces of good news. Firstly, they made a comeback. Secondly, they proved worth the wait. So did a heap of series that arrived for their latest runs exactly when they were supposed to — following up last year's ace seasons with this year's. Basically, when it comes to already-great shows dropping more episodes, the first six months of 2022 have well and truly delivered. More will follow before the year is out — but now that we're at the halfway point, here are the best 15 returning TV shows that reunited with our grateful eyeballs between January and June. BETTER CALL SAUL Saul Goodman's name has always been ironic. As played so devastatingly well by the one and only Bob Odenkirk, the slick lawyer sells the "s'all good, man" vibe with well-oiled charm, but little is ever truly good — for his clients, as his Breaking Bad experiences with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman demonstrated, or for the ever-enterprising law-skirting attorney himself. That truth has always sat at the heart of Better Call Saul's magnificent tragedy, too, and has made the prequel series one of the best shows of this century. Viewers know the fate that awaits, and yet we desperately yearn for the opposite to magically happen. But now that the series' final season is in full swing, we're pushed well past the point of hoping. Professionally, the earnest, striving, well-meaning Jimmy McGill is gone, ditching his real name and his quest for a legitimate career, and instead embracing his slide into shadiness. It isn't over yet, but Better Call Saul's new season has explored the fallout from this concerted life change — and from all that's brought Jimmy to this point. It hammers home what's to come as well, given that it opens on Saul Goodman's Breaking Bad-era home being seized by the feds; however, the show still has much to cover in the lawyer's past. With his significant other Kim Wexler (the simply phenomenal Rhea Seehorn, Veep), he's seeking revenge on their former boss Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian, Black Monday). Meanwhile, his ties to the Salamanca family and their drug empire — to the psychotic Lalo (Tony Dalton, Hawkeye) and ambitious-but-trapped Nacho (Michael Mando, Spider-Man: Homecoming), and to ex-cop Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks, The Comey Rule) and Los Pollos Hermanos owner Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito, The Boys) — are drawing attention. Tense, intelligent, heartbreaking and just exceptional: that's the result so far, as it always has been with this astounding series. Better Call Saul is available to stream via Stan. BARRY Three seasons into the sitcom that bears his name, all that Barry Berkman (Bill Hader, Noelle) wants is to be an actor — and to also no longer kill people for a living. That's what he's yearned for across the bulk of this HBO gem, which has given Saturday Night Live alum Hader his best-ever role; however, segueing from being an assassin to treading the boards or standing in front of the camera is unsurprisingly complicated. One of the smartest elements of the always-fantastic Barry is how determined it is to weather all the chaos, darkness, rough edges and heart-wrenching consequences of its central figure's choices, though. That's true of his actions not only in the past, but in the show's present. Hader and series co-creator Alec Berg (Silicon Valley) know that viewers like Barry. You're meant to. But that doesn't mean ignoring that he's a hitman, or that his time murdering people — and his military career before that — has repercussions, including for those around him. One of the most layered and complex comedies currently airing, Barry's third season is as intricate, thorny, textured and hilarious as the first two. Indeed, it's ridiculously easy to see how cartoonish its premise would be in lesser hands, or how it might've leaned on a simple odd-couple setup given that Anthony Carrigan (Bill & Ted Face the Music) plays Chechen gangster Noho Hank with such delightful flair. But Barry keeps digging into what makes its namesake tick, why, and the ripples he causes. It does the same with his beloved acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, The French Dispatch) as well. With visual precision on par with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, it's also as phenomenal at staging action scenes as it is at diving deep into its characters — and, as every smartly penned episode just keeps proving, it's downright stellar at that. Barry is available to stream via Binge. Read our full review. GIRLS5EVA When it first hit streaming in 2021 with an avalanche of quickfire jokes — as all Tina Fey-executive produced sitcoms do, such as 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Great News and Mr Mayor — Girls5eva introduced viewers to its eponymous band. One-hit wonders in the late 90s and early 00s, their fame had fizzled. Indeed, reclaiming their stardom wasn't even a blip on their radars — until, unexpectedly, it was. Dawn Solano (Sara Bareilles, Broadway's Waitress), Wickie Roy (Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton), Summer Dutkowsky (Busy Philipps, I Feel Pretty) and Gloria McManus (Paula Pell, AP Bio) had left their days as America's answer to the Spice Girls behind, barely staying in contact since the group split and their fifth member, Ashley Gold (Ashley Park, Emily in Paris), later died in an infinity pool accident. But then rapper Lil Stinker (Jeremiah Craft, Bill & Ted Face the Music) sampled their single 'Famous 5eva', and they were asked to perform backing vocals during his Tonight Show gig. Jumping back into the spotlight reignited dreams that the surviving Girls5eva members thought they'd extinguished long ago — well, other than walking attention-magnet Wickie, who crashed and burned in her attempts to go solo, and was happy to fake it till she made it again. That's the tale the show charts once more in its second season, which is filled with more rapid-fire pop-culture references and digs; the same knowing, light but still sincere tone; and a new parade of delightful tunes composed by Jeff Richmond, Fey's husband and source of music across every sitcom she's produced. One of the joys of Girls5eva — one of many — is how gleefully absurd it skews, all while fleshing out its central quartet, their hopes and desires, and their experiences navigating an industry that treats them as commodities at best. The show's sophomore run finds much to satirise, of course, but also dives deeper and pushing Wickie, Dawn, Summer and Gloria to grow. Obviously, it's another gem. Girls5eva is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. STARSTRUCK It's official: after a dream of a first season, Rose Matafeo's rom-com sitcom Starstruck worked its magic a second time. In season two, it makes viewers fall head over heels for its 21st-century take on dating a famous actor all over again. It's also official for Matafeo's (Baby Done) Jessie, who is now dating Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), the celebrity she had a one-night stand with on New Year's Eve, then navigated an awkward will-they-won't-they dance around every time they ran into each other in London. But this next batch of six episodes poses a key question: once you've enjoyed the wild meet-cute, ridden the courtship rollercoaster and been bowled over by a grand romantic gesture (see: Starstruck's The Graduate-style season-one finale), what comes next? It's the stuff that rom-com movie sequels might cover, except that for all of Hollywood's eagerness to rinse and repeat its most popular fare, this genre is sparse in the follow-up department. Season two picks up exactly where its predecessor left off, with Jessie and Tom's bus ride segueing into a WTF realisation — as in "WTF do we do now?". That's a query that Jessie isn't ready to answer, even though she's made the big leap and missed her flight home. So, she avoids even tackling the situation at first, and then eschews fully committing even when she's meant to be in the throes of romantic bliss. Basically, it's messy, and the kind of chaos that rom-coms don't show when they end with a happily-ever-after moment. Like everyone, Jessie and Tom endure plenty. In the process, this gem of a show's second season is light but also deep, a screwball delight while also sharp and relatable, and still filled with fellow romantic-comedy references. And, as well as continuing to showcase Matafeo at her best, it remains a rom-com that's as aware of what relationships in 2022 are really like as it is about how romance is typically portrayed in its genre. Starstruck is available to stream via ABC iView. Read our full review. ATLANTA Atlanta's third season hit with two pieces of fantastic news, and one inevitable but not-so-welcome reality. Dropping four years after season two, it's one of two seasons that'll air this year — and it's as extraordinary as the Donald Glover-created and -starring (and often -written and -directed) show has ever been — but when season four arrives later in 2022, that'll be the end of this deserved award-winner. The latter makes revelling in what Atlanta has for viewers now all the more special, although this series always earns that description anyway. Just as Jordan Peele has done on the big screen with Get Out and Us after building upon his excellent sketch comedy series Key & Peele, Glover lays bare what it's like to be Black in America today with brutally smart and honest precision, and also makes it blisteringly apparent that both horror and so-wild-and-terrifying-that-you-can-only-laugh comedy remains the default. Actually, in the season-three episodes that focus on Glover's Earnest 'Earn' Marks, his cousin and rapper Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles (Brian Tyree Henry, Eternals), their Nigerian American pal Darius (Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah) and Earn's ex Vanessa (Zazie Beetz, The Harder They Fall), the lived experience of being a Black American anywhere is thrust into the spotlight. Paper Boi is on tour in Europe, which results in an on-the-road onslaught of antics that repeatedly put the quartet at the mercy of white bullshit — racist traditions, money-hungry rich folks looking to cash in on someone else's culture, scheming hangers-on, brands using Black artists for politically correct PR stunts and culinary gentrification all included. And then there's the standalone stories, all of which'd make excellent movies. Proving astute, incisive, sometimes-absurd, always-stellar and relentlessly surprising, here Atlanta examines the welfare system and in its inequalities, reparations for slavery, and the emotional and physical labour outsourced to Black workers. Atlanta is available to stream via SBS On Demand. Read our full review. UNDONE Returning for its second season three years after its first — which was one of the best shows of 2019 — the gorgeously and thoughtfully trippy multiverse series Undone is fixated on one idea: that life's flaws can be fixed. It always has been from the moment its eight-episode initial season appeared with its vivid rotoscoped animation and entrancing leaps into surreal territory; however, in season two it doubles down. Hailing from BoJack Horseman duo Kate Purdy and Raphael Bob-Waksberg, it also remains unsurprisingly concerned with mental illness, and still sees its protagonist caught in an existential crisis. (The pair have a type, but Undone isn't BoJack Horseman 2.0). And, it deeply understands that it's spinning a "what if?" story, and also one about deep-seated unhappiness. Indeed, learning to cope with being stuck in an imperfect life, being unable to wish it away and accepting that fate beams brightly away at the heart of the show. During its debut outing, Undone introduced viewers to 28-year-old Alma Winograd-Diaz (Rosa Salazar, Alita: Battle Angel), who found everything she thought she knew pushed askew after a near-fatal car accident. Suddenly, she started experiencing time and her memories differently — including those of her father, Jacob Winograd (Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul), who died over 20 years earlier. In a vision, he tasked her with investigating his death, which became a quest to patch up the past to stop tragedy from striking. Undone didn't necessarily need a second season, but this repeat dive into Alma's story ponders what happens in a timeline where everything seems to glimmer with all that its protagonist has ever wanted, and yet sorrow still lingers. Once again, the end result is deeply rich and resonant, as intelligent and affecting as sci-fi and animation alike get, and dedicated to thinking and feeling big while confronting everyday truths. Undone is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. HACKS In 2021, Hacks' first season quickly cemented itself as one of 2021's best new TV shows — one of two knockout newbies starring Jean Smart last year, thanks to Mare of Easttown as well — and it's just as ace the second time around. It's still searingly funny, nailing that often-elusive blend of insight, intelligence and hilarity. It retains its observational, wry tone, and remains devastatingly relatable even if you've never been a woman trying to make it in comedy. And it's happy to linger where it needs to to truly understand its characters, but never simply dwells in the same place as its last batch of episodes. Season two is literally about hitting the road, so covering fresh territory is baked into the story; however, Hacks' trio of key behind-the-scenes creatives — writer Jen Statsky (The Good Place), writer/director Lucia Aniello (Rough Night) and writer/director/co-star Paul W Downs (The Other Two) — aren't content to merely repeat themselves with a different backdrop. Those guiding hands started Hacks after helping to make Broad City a hit. Clearly, they all know a thing or two about moving on from the past. That's the decision both veteran comedian Deborah Vance (Smart) and her twentysomething writer-turned-assistant Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) had to make themselves in season one, with the show's second season now charting the fallout. So, Deborah has farewelled her residency and the dependable gags that kept pulling in crowds, opting to test out new and far-more-personal material on a cross-country tour instead. Ava has accepted her role by Deborah's side, and is willing to see it as a valid career move rather than an embarrassing stopgap. But that journey comes a few narrative bumps. Of course, Hacks has always been willing to see that actions have consequences, not only for an industry that repeatedly marginalises women, but for its imperfect leading ladies. Hacks is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING Born out of the world's recent true-crime and podcasting obsessions — and the intersection of the two in the likes of Serial — Only Murders in the Building boasts its own version of Sarah Koenig. In this marvellous murder-mystery comedy, she's called Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva). As viewers of the show's impressive and entertaining first season know, though, she's not the main focus. Instead, Only Murders in the Building hones in on three New Yorkers residing in the Arconia apartment complex — where, as the program's name makes plain, there's a murder. There's several, but it only takes one to initially bring actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) together. The trio then turn amateur detectives, and turn that sleuthing into their own podcast, which also shares the show's title. In season two, the series returns to the same scene. Yes, there's another killing. No time has passed for Only Murders in the Building's characters — and, while plenty has changed since the series' debut episode last year, plenty remains the same. Viewers now know Charles, Oliver and Mabel better, and they all know each other better, but that only makes things more complicated. Indeed, there's a lived-in vibe to the program and its main figures this time around, rather than every episode feeling like a new discovery. Among the many things that Only Murders in the Building does exceptionally well, finding multiple ways to parallel on- and off-screen experiences ranks right up there. That applies to true-crime and podcast fixations, naturally, and also to getting to know someone, learning their ins and outs, and finding your comfort zone even when life's curveballs keep coming. Only Murders in the Building is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. EUPHORIA From the very first frames of its debut episode back in June 2019, when just-out-of-rehab 17-year-old Rue Bennett (Zendaya, Spider-Man: No Way Home) gave viewers the lowdown on her life, mindset, baggage, friends, family and everyday chaos, Euphoria has courted attention — or, mirroring the tumultuous teens at the centre of its dramas, the Emmy-winning HBO series just knew that eyeballs would come its way no matter what it did. The brainchild of filmmaker Sam Levinson (Malcolm & Marie), adapted from an Israeli series by the same name, and featuring phenomenal work by its entire cast, it's flashy, gritty, tense, raw, stark and wild, and manages to be both hyper-stylised to visually striking degree and deeply empathetic. In other words, if teen dramas reflect the times they're made — and from Degrassi, Press Gang and Beverly Hills 90210 through to The OC, Friday Night Lights and Skins, they repeatedly have — Euphoria has always been a glittery eyeshadow-strewn sign of today's times. That hasn't changed in the show's second season. Almost two and a half years might've elapsed between Euphoria's first and second batch of episodes — a pair of out-of-season instalments in late 2020 and early 2021 aside — but it's still as potent, intense and addictive as ever. And, as dark, as Rue's life and those of her pals (with the cast including Hunter Schafer, The King of Staten Island's Maude Apatow, The Kissing Booth franchise's Jacob Elordi, The White Lotus' Sydney Sweeney, The Afterparty's Barbie Ferreira, North Hollywood's Angus Cloud and Waves' Alexa Demie) bobs and weaves through everything from suicidal despair, Russian Roulette, bloody genitals, unforgettable school plays, raucous parties and just garden-variety 2022-era teen angst. The list always goes on; in fact, as once again relayed in Levinson's non-stop, hyper-pop style, the relentlessness that is being a teenager today, trying to work out who you are and navigating all that the world throws at you is Euphoria's point. Euphoria is available to stream via Binge. RUSSIAN DOLL Getting philosophical about existence can mean flitting between two extremes. At one end, life means everything, so we need to make the absolute most of it. At the other, nothing at all matters. When genre-bending and mind-melting time-loop comedy-drama Russian Doll first hit Netflix in 2019, it served up a party full of mysteries — a repeating shindig overflowing with chaos and questions, to be precise — but it also delivered a few absolute truths, too. Fact one: it's possible to posit that life means everything and nothing at once, all by watching Natasha Lyonne relive the same day (and same 36th-birthday celebrations) over and over. Fact two: a show led by the Orange Is the New Black, Irresistible and The United States vs Billie Holiday star, and co-created by the actor with Parks and Recreation's Amy Poehler, plus Bachelorette and Sleeping with Other People filmmaker Leslye Headland, was always going be a must-see. Here's a third fact as well: after cementing itself as one of the best TV shows of 2019, and one of the smartest, savviest and funniest in the process, Russian Doll's long-awaited second season is equally wonderful. In glorious news for sweet birthday babies, it's also smarter and weirder across its seven episodes, this time following Lyonne's self-destructive video-game designer Nadia and mild-mannered fellow NYC-dweller Alan Zaveri (Charlie Barnett, You) as they tackle another trippy problem. After being caught in a Groundhog Day-style situation last season, now death isn't their problem. Instead, time is. It was an issue before, given the duo couldn't move with it, only back through the same events — but here, via the New York subway's No 6 train, Nadia and Alan speed into the past to explore cause and effect, inherited struggles and intergenerational trauma. Russian Doll is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. PHYSICAL Lycra-clad ladies of the 80s and 90s making their mark in a ruthless, consumer-driven and male-dominated world, all by getting active: as far as on-screen niches go, that's particularly niche. It's also growing. Back in 80s itself, Flashdance did it. Starring a fantastic Kirsten Dunst, the sadly cancelled-too-soon 2019 series On Becoming a God in Central Florida did as well. For three seasons from 2017–19, GLOW similarly stepped into the ring. And since 2021, Apple TV+'s Physical has, too. What a feeling indeed. Now back for season two, the latter sports a staggering lead performance, a superb supporting cast and a complex premise unpacked with precision, as well as a pitch-perfect vibe and a killer 80s soundtrack. Season one of Physical didn't quite see Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne, Irresistible) get everything she'd ever fantasised about. Rather, it followed the San Diego housewife as she pursued something she didn't even know she wanted until her endorphins kicked in at an aerobics class. Now, she's the star of her own fitness tape — and spruiking it, be it in supermarkets or by hosting public aerobics sessions, has become her life. But while she's in control of every exercise move she makes, earning the same power in her relationships, and in business, isn't as straightforward. She's still stuck in a rut with her husband Danny (Rory Scovel, I Feel Pretty), to put it mildly. She's still caught in a torrid affair with grim Mormon business developer John Breem (Paul Sparks, Castle Rock), too. And while she starts leaning on her wealthy and supportive best friend Greta (Dierdre Friel, Second Act) more, she's also unable to shake the engrained notion that needing anyone's help is a sign of weakness. And then there's the help she hopes to get from fellow aerobics instructor Vinnie Green (The White Lotus scene-stealer Murray Bartlett). Physical is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. STRANGER THINGS Finally back for its fourth season after a three-year wait (yes, finally), Stranger Things ventures beyond its trusty small-town setting of Hawkins, Indiana, and in several directions. It keeps its nods and winks to flicks and shows gone by streaming steadily of course — but expanding is firmly on its mind. Once again overseen by series creators The Duffer Brothers, its latest batch of episodes is bigger and longer, with no instalment clocking in at less than an hour, and several at flat-out movie length. Its teenage stars are bigger and taller as well, ageing further and faster than their characters. The show has matured past riffing on early-80s action-adventure flicks, too, such as The Goonies; now, it's onto slashers and other horror films, complete with new characters called Fred and Jason. And with that, Stranger Things also gets bloodier and eerier. That said, it's still the show that viewers have loved since 2016, when not even Netflix likely realised what it had unleashed — and no, that doesn't just include the demogorgon escaping from the Upside Down. But everything is growing, as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, Godzilla vs Kong), her boyfriend Mike (Finn Wolfhard, Ghostbusters: Afterlife), and their pals Will (Noah Schnapp, Waiting for Anya), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo, The Angry Birds Movie 2), Max (Sadie Sink, Fear Street) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin, Concrete Cowboy) all visibly have. Eleven, Will, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton, The Souvenir Part II) and Joyce (Winona Ryder, The Plot Against America) have branched out to California, and Mike comes to visit. Back in Hawkins, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Steve (Joe Keery, Free Guy), Robin (Maya Hawke, Fear Street) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer, Things Seen & Heard) have a new evil to face. And, as for Hopper (David Harbour, Black Widow), he's stuck in a Russian gulag. Yes, things get chaotic from there, Kate Bush and Metallica needle-drops included. Stranger Things season four is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE BOYS In savage and savvy caped-crusader satire The Boys, it has been evident since episode one that Homelander (Antony Starr, Banshee) is a fraud. He's America's favourite superhero, as well as the leader of top-tier supe crew The Seven — and he uses his public persona as a shield for his twisted ego, soul-devouring insecurities, arrogance and selfishness. As instalment after instalment of the show passes, his sinister true nature keeps burning. In The Boys' third season, Homelander may as well be America's most recent ex-President, complete with unhinged rants and an at-any-cost desperation to retain control. The comics that this series is based on were actually published from 2006–12, but the show they've spawned is firmly steeped in the polarised US of the past six or so years. Subtlety hardly comes with the territory here, and yet it doesn't make The Boys any less potent. The in-show alternative to Homelander's psychopathic, egotistical, world-threatening existence: the ragtag gang of vigilantes that shares the series' name. Led by cynical-as-fuck Brit Billy Butcher (Karl Urban, Thor: Ragnarok), they remain intent on bringing down The Seven and Vought, the all-encompassing company behind it, as always. About year has passed since season two, however, and Hughie (Jack Quaid, Scream) now works with congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) at the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, countering misbehaving superheroes the legal way. That involves overseeing Butcher and fellow pals Frenchie (Tomer Capone, One on One) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara, Suicide Squad), but this wouldn't be The Boys if their battle was that straightforward. It also wouldn't be The Boys if everything that followed wasn't wild and OTT to a jaw-dropping degree, oh-so-astute about popular culture and consumerism today, brimming in blood and Billy Joel songs, and always biting deeper — and sharper. The Boys is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. SERVANT Ted Lasso is the Apple TV+ series that's been scoring all the praise and love for the past few years, and rightfully so — but the platform's M Night Shyamalan-produced Servant is also one of its winners. Perched at the complete opposite end of the spectrum to the warm-hearted soccer comedy, this eerie horror effort spends the bulk of its time in a well-appointed Philadelphia brownstone where TV news reporter Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose, The X-Files) and her chef husband Sean (Toby Kebbell, Bloodshot) appear the picture of wealthy happiness, complete with a newborn son, Jericho, to fulfil their perfect family portrait. But as 18-year-old nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free, Too Old to Die Young) quickly learned in Servant's first season, there's nothing normal about their baby — which, after the tot's death, has been replaced by a lookalike doll to calm the otherwise-catatonic Dorothy's grief. That's how the series began back in 2019, with its second season deepening its mysteries — and Leanne's place with the Turners, even as her own unconventional background with cult ties keeps bringing up questions. In Servant's third season, the household is once again attempting to pretend that everything is normal and to also keep Dorothy unaware of the real Jericho's fate, even with a flesh-and-blood infant now back in her arms. But in a slowly paced series that's perfected its unsettling and insidious tone from episode one, serves up a clever blend of atmospheric and claustrophobic thrills mixed with gripping performances, makes exceptional use of its setting and also features Rupert Grint in his best post-Harry Potter role yet, there's always more engrossing twists to rock the status quo. Servant is available to stream via Apple TV+. RUTHERFORD FALLS Mike Schur sure does have a type. If you're a fan of Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Office, though, that won't be new news. And if you watched the television producer and writer's great first season of Rutherford Falls as well, you will have spotted all his usual touches at work — which doesn't change in season two. By no means is this a criticism. His various different series feel like siblings, not clones; they share similar traits, but there's so much about their individual personalities that remains distinctive. Here, the fact that Rutherford Falls is a show deeply steeped in a Native American community gives it a wealth of avenues to go down, as well as plenty that's purely the sitcom's alone. Also crucial: the influence of co-creator and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas (Superstore), and the strong commitment to exploring the treatment of First Nations peoples in America today. Rutherford Falls' latest batch of episodes follows one of its characters running for local office, for instance, which is a scenario that Parks devotees will instantly recognise. And yet, what that means in a small town that's struggling to address the colonial impact upon its original inhabitants, the Minishonka Nation, is always its real focus. What everything means here is filtered through that lens — including teenage aspiring mayor Bobbie Yang (Jesse Leigh, Heathers), enterprising CEO of the Minishonka Nation casino Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes, Firestarter), cultural centre head Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding, Reservation Dogs) and her best friend Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms, Ron's Gone Wrong). It's noticeable that Helms is no longer the show's anchor, too. Indeed, the already smart, funny and warm series spends its excellent second season showing how Nathan wants to de-centre himself from hogging the town's limelight, and puts that idea in motion itself. Rutherford Falls is available to stream via Stan. Looking for more viewing highlights? We picked the 15 best new TV shows of 2022, too. We also keep a running list of must-stream TV from across the year so far, complete with full reviews. And, you can check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
Ask any long-term Brisbanite to rattle off a list of great things about this fair city of ours and they won't have any trouble. The glorious year-round weather, the plethora of spots to relax by the water, summery day trips, the ability to head either up or down the coast for a quick weekend away, GOMA — they're all certain to rate a mention. So too should Brisbane's abundance of places where you can take a relaxed hike through nature. Just because you live in a city, that doesn't mean you don't want to go for a scenic mosey without straying too far from home, after all. We all love wandering well beyond our own backyards, of course, but sometimes sticking to nearby turf is on the cards. That's when all those hiking trails near Brisbane look particularly attractive. So, next time that you grab your partner and/or housemates, pack yourselves a picnic, jump in the car and get ready to start breathing in the fresh air while putting one foot in front of the other — and you're keen to stay local — give one of these six Queensland hiking locations a try. Recommended reads: The Best Walks in and Around Brisbane The Best Brisbane Bike Rides The Best Caves to Visit Near Brisbane The Best Waterfalls Near Brisbane You Can Swim Under [caption id="attachment_899401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Mt Cooth-tha Reserve For some, heading to Mt Coot-tha is all about wandering through the Botanic Gardens, driving up to the lookout and having a meal at the summit-top restaurant (which is set to get a big revamp). For others, Brisbane's inner-city mountain is a hub for walking and hiking — and stopping for a bite to eat on the grass if you've come prepared, which we recommend. Towering above the city just 15-minutes drive from the CBD, Mt Coot-tha Reserve spans across 1600 hectares, and features a hefty number of picnic spots and plenty of walking trails — Mount Coot-tha Summit Track being the most popular. If it has been raining, you might also spy flowing creeks and rushing waterfalls, all while meandering along tracks that take anywhere from 15–90 minutes to complete. [caption id="attachment_899445" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matthew Taylor/Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] D'Auilar National Park Previously known as Brisbane Forest Park, D'Aguilar National Park stretches over 36,000 hectares, which means there's always somewhere to walk. And, it starts right next to the aforementioned Mt Coot-tha Reserve, so this is another place where you can go wandering without leaving the city limits (if you prefer). Choose which part you'd like to see, or add them all to your list — whether you're eager to hike around Mount Nebo, feast your eyes on the water at Enoggera Reservoir, or head to Samford and Mount Glorious. If it's a lake, some grassy trails and a nice picnic spot you're after, you can also venture west to Lake Manchester, which is connected to the nearby dam around 15 kilometres north of Ipswich. [caption id="attachment_899403" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve Brisbane's inner west isn't the only spot just a few kilometres out of the CBD, surrounded by houses, with a lofty peak to drive up — well, a city-sized peak — and a lookout perched at the top. Or, with greenery and trails surrounding said landmass, so that you can get hiking before, after and while you're peering down at this Queensland capital of ours. Head south and Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve, the 91-hectare expanse that's home to the Mount Gravatt Lookout, also ticks those boxes. For walking, you can bash along five bush tracks, including through the adjoining 260-hectare Toohey Forest Park. And for company, you just might spot koalas, echidnas, owls, honey eaters, frogs and more. [caption id="attachment_899397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lyle Radford via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Karawatha Forest Fancy getting out of the house not only for a change of scenery, or to get some exercise, but in the name of creative inspiration? If so, you might want to take a trip to Poet's Rock in Karawatha Forest. You don't have to start composing rhyming lines once you've strolled along the Brisbane hiking trails, of course, but you'll be in a mighty eye-catching spot either way. Wetlands filled with frogs, flower-filled lagoons, and plenty of other flora and fauna are also part of this 900-hectare parcel of bushland, which is located in Brisbane's outer southern suburbs of Karawatha and Kuraby. Walking-wise, you can pick from a range of different tracks — usually eight, but some have been temporarily closed for restoration recently — ranging from 20 minutes to one hour in duration. [caption id="attachment_768824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Brisbane Koala Bushlands No prizes for guessing what kind of creatures inhabit this patch of greenery in the Redlands region — which means that, while you're walking, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled. Even if you don't spot a furry, cuddly, big-eared Australian animal in Brisbane Koala Bushlands, you might just find plenty of other wildlife, as well as a whole heap of the native vegetation that wallabies, bandicoots, gliders, rosellas and kingfishers call home. On one of the bushlands' walks, you can stand on the boardwalk and peer out over Stockyard Creek. On another, you'll mosey past rainforest, wildflowers and ridges. Two of the site's tracks are also open to horse riders, too, so you might just have some equine company trotting along nearby. [caption id="attachment_768825" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Castle Hill Blackstone Reserve via Facebook[/caption] Castle Hill Blackstone Reserve Hit the highway, drive west and you can then tick two things off of your to-do list at once. Firstly, you can get out of Brisbane without travelling more than 50 kilometres away. Secondly, you can find somewhere picturesque for a stroll — or, if you'd rather, a mountain bike ride. Castle Hill Blackstone Reserve boasts spaces for both, including four kilometres of foot trails that double as a walking museum. While you're hiking, you'll be enjoying a slice of history, dating back to the area's coal-mining past. And, you'll see the remnants of Brynhyfryd, the three-story mansion built in the late 19th century that was considered a castle — hence the region's name. You can find Abbott's Bakery products at all major supermarkets — and discover more tasty sandwich recipes via its website. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
With the temperature in Brisbane having plummeted to cardigan-appropriate in the last few weeks, it is nice to see bar and cafe Artie & Mai embrace the cold change with their new evening menu. The British-influenced fare (attributable to head chef Anthony Gordon's stint in the UK), is comprised of dishes simply prepared, and flavours left to speak and fend for themselves. To enjoy the full effect, choose a selection of small share plates (all hover around the $11 mark) like the rabbit and pork terrine with piccalilli; mushroom arancini with truffle oil and gorgonzola fondue; scotched hen's egg; and fried duck egg with chicken liver, wild mushrooms and soldiers. Large plates include a 500g wing rib of beef, bone marrow and duck fat kipflers ($38). Let the rich, earthy flavours continue with cereal milk panna cotta, served with caramelised cornflakes and crunchy peanut chocolate, or opt for the cinnamon doughnuts with chef's filling (which on past occasions has included banana and rum, and apple and cinnamon). A bright star of Albion's budding food quarter, Artie & Mai certainly strives to serve the varied needs of those who live and work nearby. Open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday, they also open their doors seven days a week for breakfast and lunch. Their coffee is Belaroma, the selection of wines and (especially) beers is considered, and their cocktails aren't to be scoffed at. Banquet-style private dining is available, as is a breakfast feast for groups. Wednesday (from 3pm onwards) spells $20 pizza and beer night, and if you want takeaway, the menu includes slow roast lamb shoulder roll with tzatziki and rustic chips ($12). Though the takeaway options do sound very appetising, dining in means you can escape the Brisbane chill and enjoy the fit-out. Taking up the fire engine red building on Sandgate Road vacated by Stockholm Syndrome, Artie & Mai have retained many of the design features of their predecessor. Apart from the eye-catching exterior, the stripped brick walls and the penchant for old wood furnishings remain.
Vacationing closer to home shouldn't mean settling for unimaginative getaways. Australia has its own collection of holiday paradises, stunning sights and supreme vacation vibes without the long-haul flight — including the lush hinterland region of Queensland's Sunshine Coast, sitting around 90 minutes north of Brisbane. Here, you'll find cosy couples' cabins, treehouse hideaways and stunning rural retreats, all perfectly located to the area's famed nature walks, hinterland villages and sandy beaches. We've done the hard work for you and pulled together a list of the most stunning Sunshine Coast hinterland stays you can book right now. Pick a winner, pack your bags and get ready to recharge those batteries with a blissed-out rainforest retreat. Recommended reads: The Best Dog-Friendly-Stays in Queensland The Best Places to Go Glamping in Queensland The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Island Stays in Queensland 629 Balmoral Ridge, Balmoral Ridge Stay on top of the world at this stunning ridgetop retreat, complete with epic views and a roomy deck from which to soak it all in. From $690 a night, sleeps four. Blue Summit Cottages Luxury Escape, Witta Boasting a fireplace, living room spa and sweeping views across the treetops, this self-contained cottage makes for an idyllic couples' escape. From $414 a night, sleeps two. Pencil Creek Cottage, Mapleton Break from reality at this charming couples' cottage, set among the leafy surrounds of Mapleton. Log fire, four-poster bed and peaceful deck, all included. From $297 a night, sleeps two. Cuddle Cottage, Montville This picture-perfect cottage for two comes kitted out with a romantic loft bedroom, plus a sunny terrace for afternoon cocktails with a view. From $195 a night, sleeps two. The Farm on Razorback Ridge, Montville A lofty retreat set on ten hectares of farmland and rainforest. Enjoy sunny days splashing in the pool and nights unwinding by the fire. From $1146 a night, sleeps ten. Bird Song Valley, Montville Experience your own slice of hinterland paradise at this breezy revamped Queenslander, complete with crisp styling, wraparound verandahs and a luxurious master tub. From $375 a night, sleeps six. Couples Spa Suite Retreat, Montville Unwind and reconnect in this luxury honeymoon suite. The balcony spa bath, bio-fuel fireplace and treetop views are getaway goals. From $350 a night, sleeps four. Treetops Seaview, Montville With its breathtaking outlook, this private treetop hideaway feels worlds away from reality. Lounge on the sun-drenched deck, or soak up epic views in the spa. From $512 a night, sleeps two. Cobhearthome, Maleny Tread lightly with a stay at this award-winning Mediterranean-style eco-cottage, decked out with colourful murals and boasting views across lush green rainforest. How much? From $230 a night, sleeps four. The Wilds Container Home, Dulong This converted shipping container home is an architectural delight, enveloped by nature. Enjoy a stylish hideaway, with luxe features and a private, leafy setting. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Treehaus, Valdora Tranquility meets style at this breezy nature retreat. Unwind with the help of luxurious linens, a blissful courtyard garden and a toasty fire pit. From $180 a night, sleeps four. The Bower Couples' Cabin, Wootha Surrounded by rainforest, this charming timber cabin makes for a romantic hideout year-round. Snuggle fireside, unwind in the claw-foot tub, or laze by the shared pool. From $165 a night, sleeps two. All images courtesy of Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Already a go-to for budget-friendly groceries, snow gear and whatever other specials that it can rustle up, ALDI is now bringing its discounted prices to your wardrobe. Selling clothes isn't new for the chain, as everyone who regularly trawls its middle aisles will be well-aware; however, for the first time ever, the brand is releasing its own ALDI streetwear collection. And yes, everything comes cheap — under $20 cheap, in fact. We all know someone that's bought a fridge, bed or TV at ALDI. You might even be that person. Now, everyone can know folks — or be them — that rock an ALDI-branded hoodie, track pants, slides, sneakers, socks or beanie. The list of items on offer in the new collection, which is called ALDImania, also includes sweatshirts, t-shirts, bucket hats and caps. For some pieces, there's also multiple colours available, with grey, navy and white the range's base hues. In total, there's 23 items made from sustainably sourced or recycled materials, with compact umbrellas and double-walled insulated mugs helping round out the collection. The socks have the lowest price, coming in at $4.99 no matter which of four styles you choose from. And the dearest item is the sneakers, which cost $19.99. In-between those maximums and minimums, fleecy hoodies will set you back $14.99, slides and beanies $7.99 each, and tees $8.99. From top to bottom — excluding underwear — you could deck yourself out in ALDI gear for less than $50. You'll only find the ALDImania collection in ALDI stores from Saturday, April 13. Given how popular the chain's usual specials are, expect the range to get snapped up quickly. "We have been offering our shoppers high-quality, affordable loungewear for years, but this is the first time we've brought our own brand of leisurewear to the middle aisles," said Belinda Grice, ALDI Australia's Buying Director for ALDImania. ALDI's streetwear range will hit the chain's supermarkets around Australia from Saturday, April 13. Visit the ALDI website for more details.
If you ever drifted off in class back in your school days, then you're already well placed for a slumber at Brisbane's newest boutique hotel. Nestled into James Street, Miss Midgley's sits inside a heritage-listed building that dates back to the 1860s — including previous stints as a private home, a private hospital and, at the turn of the 20th century, as a private school called Miss Midgley's Educational Establishment. The former schoolhouse is now a five-apartment place to stay that can be rented by the room or booked out as an entire building, giving a spot with a significant past a new lease on life. But, as seen in the hotel's name, Miss Midgley's eagerly embraces its history. Mother-daughter duo Lisa and Isabella White, both architects, have renovated the building with a key focus on restoring, preserving and celebrating its century-plus-old charms. From the outside, Miss Midgley's heritage look greets both visitors and passersby immediately; being built out of Brisbane tuff stone, aka the type of weathered-appearing rock that marks many of the city's oldest and earliest buildings, will do that. That said, this new hotel is also the kind of spot that you could walk past, marvel at the exterior but not realise that you can staycation there — including with pets in its three ground-floor apartments. Those bottom-level rooms all feature outdoor courtyards, and all five across both storeys are self-contained, air-conditioned and come with their own outdoor space. They all each take names from the school theme, nodding to the OG Miss Midgley's, too — so downstairs you'll find the one-bedroom Principal's Office, plus two-bedroom Locker Room and Refectory, while the also two-bedroom Assembly Hall and Drawing Room sit upstairs. With all but one apartment boasting two bedrooms — and the entire place sleeping 18 all up — booking in with your pals for a Brisbane getaway without actually getting out of town is now on your travel curriculum. Given the New Farm location, you'll be just a stroll from James Street's shops and eateries, as well as New Farm Park and Howard Smith Wharves. And if you're happy just hanging out at Miss Midgley's, there's not only the pool but a tropical garden and small sundeck as well, and each apartment gets its own fringed umbrella. In revitalising Miss Midgley's, the Whites took their design cues from the stone walls; think: a colour palette filled with rusts, pinks and browns, as seen across walls and furniture. The corten front fence is also designed to stand out while still making the building itself the main attraction. And if you're wondering more about Miss Midgley's past, the Midgley family bought the place in 1903, with daughter Annie converting the home into a school in 1905 due to overcrowding at New Farm State School across the road. Find Miss Midgley's at 135 James St, New Farm. For more information, or to book, head to the heritage accommodation spot's website. Images: Static Identity.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from August's haul. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL NOW HEARTSTOPPER Whether they attend Truham Grammar School or the neighbouring Higgs Girls School, most of Heartstopper's teenagers have much to say, often via text. But perhaps the most apt line of the entire Netflix series so far is uttered by Isaac Henderson (first-timer Tobie Donovan), the quiet bibliophile among the show's main friendship group. "I read all these books where people fall in love and I still have absolutely no idea," Isaac advises in the web-to-page-to-screen hit's second season. As a webcomic, a graphic novel and also a TV series that proved an instant smash when it debuted in 2022, Alice Oseman's creation couldn't better embody this reflection. Heartstopper is Isaac's yearning and confusion turned into art, even as the series remains sweet and joyous in every episode. Isaac gets his own storyline in season two, exploring what that lament means to him as he unpacks his own identity, and it's among the show's weighty narrative threads. But everyone in Heartstopper, from central couple Charlie Spring (fellow debutant Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Little Joe) to their maybe-more-than-friends pals Tao Xu (newcomer William Gao) and Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney), plus classmates Tara Jones (Corinna Brown, Daphne) and Darcy Olsson (Kizzy Edgell), live his telling statement in their own ways. Tales about getting swept away by first love adore conveying the rush, buzz and head-over-heels effervescence evoked by the pivotal experience. Awkwardness often factors in, but rarely the reality that no one ever truly knows what they're doing when it comes to romance. A chronicle of coming of age and also coming out, Heartstopper makes the truth that every teen is just doing their best and following their heart one of the show's core guiding concepts. And mostly, usually with each other's help as they traverse the full onslaught of adolescent emotions, this supremely likeable, relatable crew of high schoolers knows that they don't, can't and won't ever have all the answers. Brought to the screen by Oseman as the series' creator and writer, plus director Euros Lyn (Dream Horse) behind the lens — together, they've respectively penned and helmed all 16 episodes, eight in season one and that amount again in season two — Heartstopper spent its debut offering watching Charlie and Nick gravitate into each other's orbits. When the pair were sat next to each other in form class at the beginning of a new term, a friendship and then more swelled. Season two finds them officially and happily boyfriends, and with Nick's mother Sarah (Olivia Colman, Secret Invasion) supportive about Nick's bisexuality. Telling the rest of the world when he chooses to is part of his latest journey, always with the protective Charlie by his side. Heartstopper streams via Netflix. Read our full review. TELEMARKETERS No one likes it when their phone rings from an unknown number, whether "no caller ID" or digits that you don't recognise flash up on your mobile's screen. Telemarketers isn't going to change that response. It won't dampen the collective ire that the world holds towards the pushy people on the other end of the line, either. HBO's thrilling three-part docuseries doesn't just reinforce what viewers already feel about the nuisance industry that thinks it can interrupt your day and life with a spiel that no one wants, and impact your bank balance in the process. In addition, it spins a true tale that demonstrates why a deep-seated dislike of telemarketing is so well-founded, and also why cold-calling operations can be so insidious. This true-crime story about the New Jersey-based Civic Development Group surpasses even the most call centre-despising audience member's low expectations of the field — and it's gripping, can't-look-away, has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed stuff. In fact, it's also an account of a tenacious duo revealing a billion-dollar fraud, and bringing this stunning whistleblower documentary to the masses. "Every other telemarketer who drives you crazy in the whole world is because of CDG," advises one of the series' interviewees. That might seem like a big claim, but co-directors Sam Lipman-Stern (Live From the Streets) and Adam Bhala Lough (The New Radical) step through its truth. The former knows the outfit's approach from experience, working there for seven years from the age of 14 after dropping out of high school, while the latter is the filmmaker cousin he wasn't aware of. Lipman-Stern is Telemarketers' on-screen guiding hand, too, but his ex-colleague Patrick J Pespas is its heart and soul. As seen early, Pespas is called a "telemarketing legend". Although he's happy snorting heroin on-camera in 2000s-era footage, he's switched on to CDG's shonkiness; more than that, he's determined to expose it even if it takes two decades. Everywhere that Lipman-Stern and Pespas look from there, this tale gets worse. It's no wonder that Uncut Gems and Good Time filmmakers Benny and Josh Safdie are among Telemarketers' executive producers, plus Eastbound & Down's Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. Telemarketers streams via Binge. Read our full review. JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL The man knows how to rock a hat: Timothy Olyphant (Full Circle), that is. He knows how to play a determined lawman with a piercing stare and an unassailable sense of honour, too, and television has been all the better for it for nearing two decades. Pop culture's revival culture has benefited as well — first with HBO's 2004–06 western masterpiece Deadwood returning as 2019's Deadwood: The Movie, and now with 2010–15's US Marshal drama Justified making a comeback as miniseries Justified: City Primeval. Olyphant was perfect in both the first time around, and proves the same the second. Indeed, Deadwood: The Movie's only problem was that it was just a made-for-TV film, not a another season; Justified: City Primeval's sole issue is that it spans only eight episodes, and that a next date with the Stetson-wearing Raylan Givens hasn't yet been locked in. This continuation of Justified's initial six seasons arrives eight years after the show ended for viewers, but also finds Raylan with a 15-year-old daughter. And it's with Willa (Vivian Olyphant, Timothy Olyphant's real-life offspring) that he's hitting the road when a couple of criminals reroute their plans. Now based in Miami, Florida rather than Justified's Harlan, Kentucky, Raylan is meant to be taking Willa to camp, only to be forced to detour to Detroit, Michigan to testify. It isn't a brief stop, after the Deputy US Marshal makes the wrong impression on Judge Alvin Guy (Keith David, Nope), then is personally requested to investigate an assassination attempt against the same jurist — teaming up with local detectives who are adamant about Detroit's particular ways, including Maureen Downey (Marin Ireland, The Boogeyman), Norbert Beryl (Norbert Leo Butz, The Girl From Plainville) and Wendell Robinson (Victor Williams, The Righteous Gemstones). You can take Raylan out of rural America and into the Motor City, as Justified: City Primeval does, but even with silver hair atop his calm glare he's still Raylan. So, he'll always stride around like a lone gunslinger who has seen it all, will confront anything, and is perennially valiant and resolute — and silently exasperated about humanity's worst impulses, too — as Justified: City Primeval welcomes. New location, passing years, the responsibilities of fatherhood, more and more lowlife crooks (including Boyd Holbrook, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny): they haven't changed this character, and audiences wouldn't have wanted that to happen. Justified: City Primeval streams via Disney+. Read our full review. KILLING IT Craig Robinson slays snakes. If Killing It was initially pitched with those four words and those four words alone, it still would've been easy to greenlight. When the latest comedy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-creator Dan Goor and executive producer Luke Del Tredici first arrived in 2022, it leaned in, too, with terminating serpents the whole point of the contest at the centre of the comedy's debut season. The place: Florida, home to the python-teeming Everglades. The year: 2016, in the lead up to the US election. The reason for vanquishing vipers: a $20,000 payday, which Craig — also the name of Robinson's character — needed to enact his vision of becoming a saw palmetto farmer. Killing It served up far more than just Robinson, a B99 guest and The Office star, polishing off reptiles, however, and not simply because Claudia O'Doherty (Our Flag Means Death) joined in as the hammer-swinging Jillian. As a satire of the type of society that has people resorting to seeking a better future by offing animals competitively, and a nation that celebrates the American dream as the pinnacle of existence without recognising how unachievable that notion is, this series has always sunk its fangs in. Getting Killing It's characters bludgeoning wildlife was a savvy signifier of a horribly broken system in season one. In season two, slaughtering serpents is old news, but venomous foes definitely aren't. They're the uncaring bureaucracy, the shameless corporations, the shaking-down gangs, the car thieves, the cruel insurance bodies, the nation's entire health scheme, the manipulative bosses, the rude customers and the cash-splashing rich. They're absolutely everyone with a solely in-it-for-themselves perspective, which is almost everyone. When Killing It's latest eight-episode go-around kicks off, its central pair have followed through on the saw palmetto plan — albeit at a cost, with Craig's low-level criminal brother Isaiah (Rell Battle, Superior Donuts) now on the lam and posing as a doctor in Phoenix. Their farm is up and running, and perennial-optimist Jillian isn't is the only one who's hopeful. The two business partners even have a buyer for their berries — and, while their margins are thin, they're getting by. Alas, whether they're dealing with a possible giant snail problem, being blackmailed into taking on new colleagues or becoming the subject of a hostile takeover, Craig and Jillian swiftly realise that snakes still lurk everywhere. Killing It streams via Stan. Read our full review. IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA No one should start watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's 16th season with its eighth and last episode (last for this season, that is; the already record-breaking TV comedy, which became the longest-running live-action American sitcom ever with its 15th season, has been renewed for a 17th and 18th go-around). Still, the final instalment from this current batch, called 'Dennis Takes a Mental Health Day', is one the show's best-ever chapters. As a character study of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's most arrogant and abrasive member of its main quintet, aka Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton, Blackberry) — and yes, given his company, that's some feat — it's phenomenal in stepping through how his twisted mind works. A whopping 170 episodes in, it's also a prime example of the series' constant eagerness to push and stretch itself. Season 16 also features It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia instalments that are so classic that they could've aired years ago, not that the program ever repeats itself, but this run also keeps challenging how It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia tells its tale, unpacks Dennis and company, and satirises Pennsylvania's worst Irish bar owners. Howerton remains mesmerising as one of the show's Reynolds twins throughout season 16; however, so does Kaitlin Olson (Hacks) as his sister Dee. This far in, Charlie Day (Bupkis), Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest) and Danny DeVito (Haunted Mansion) could all play Charlie Kelly, Mac and Frank Reynolds in their sleep, too — but there's no coasting here, only going deeper into what makes the Paddy's Pub crew who they are. Their responses to any given outlandish situation, aka It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's bread and butter, might seem predictable on the surface. Even what proves true, though, nothing is ever straightforward. Amid the scheming, plotting, conning, fighting, revenge plans and more, this bunch constantly unpack and parody America at its most problematic, and western attitudes overall as well. They're as sharp and ridiculous and hilarious now as they were in 2005. In their sights this time: inflation, gun violence, reality TV, chess, celebrity endorsements (complete with a spectacular couple of guest stars), child-friendly food and amusement joints, bowling and, of course, mental health. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia streams via Disney+. VESPER Some films make their audience feel like they could reach out and touch their on-screen worlds, and French-Lithuanian-Belgian movie Vesper is one such picture. Here, that sensation springs from a key element: first-rate world-building efforts on writer/director duo Kristina Buožytė and Bruno Samper's (ABCs of Death 2) parts. This isn't a sci-fi blockbuster with a massive budget and seemingly thousands upon thousands of companies working on special effects. Rather, Vesper is far more modest in scale, as was its big-screen run, including film-festival berths and no general release Down Under. But without megabucks behind it, Vesper spins a dystopian tale that seems tangible — that, as you watch, feels like you could walk straight into, too — as it focuses on its titular teenager (Raffiella Chapman, His Dark Materials). Her quest: surviving after an ecological crisis while looking after her bedridden father Darius (Richard Brake, Barbarian). In this vision of what might come, the planet's plants and animals have become the victims of viruses that ravaged the globe, leaving insects and bacteria as humanity's main diet. Buožytė and Samper, scripting with Brian Clark (Compulsion), work in English with Vesper. That said, on their latest sci-fi feature after Vanishing Waves, they also frequently work in the space between what's uttered aloud. The narrative sticks with Vesper as she keeps attempting to scrounge up food and electricity, usually with Darius' consciousness floating in a drone by her side — a machine that looks like an old-school TV, but with a face drawn on. The film also charts its namesake's determination to avoid her nefarious uncle Jonas (Eddie Marsan, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), who trades in the blood of children to obtain seeds, which are used as currency and highly protected by towering bases called citadels. And, as it muses on what it truly means to endure and persist, and why, doing so amid grey-toned imagery, a fierce lead performance, meticulous attention to visual detail and expressive silences, it observes what occurs when Vesper finds Camellia (Rosy McEwen, The Alienist) after a crash, then has her perception of an already-tough life challenged. Vesper streams via Paramount+ and Prime Video. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING Corpses and killings don't normally herald joy on-screen, even in pop culture's current murder-mystery comedy wave, but Only Murders in the Building isn't just another amusing whodunnit. There's a particular warmth to this series. In each of its three seasons to-date, the New York-set show has unleashed amateur gumshoes upon a shock death, with its key trio sifting through clues and podcasting the details. Along the way, it has also kept telling a winning story about second chances and finding the folks who understand you. Only Murders in the Building's ten-episode third season relays that tale again, expanding its portraits of artist Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die), theatre director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and veteran actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated) — and of their friendship. Once more, it embraces the power of chemistry, both within its narrative and for audiences. That isn't new; when the show debuted in 2021, it felt like the murder-mystery comedy genre's version of a cosy embrace because its three leads were so perfectly cast and their odd-throuple characters so full of sparks. While Mabel, Oliver and Charles wouldn't be a trio if it wasn't for a building evacuation, a murder and a love of true-crime podcasts, their connection isn't merely fuelled by chatting about the murders in their building, with crossing each other's paths changing their respective lives. There's a death in season three's initial episode — it first occurred in season two's dying moments, to be precise — and, of course, ample sleuthing and talking about it follows. The victim: Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), a silver-screen star best-known for playing a zoologist who fights crime by turning into a snake in the blockbuster CoBro franchise. (Yes, if those movies weren't just Only Murders in the Building's Ant-Man gag, existed IRL and starred Rudd, they'd be a hit.) But Only Murders in the Building's latest run also opens with Mabel, Oliver and Charles in places that they wouldn't be if they were solo. Largely, that applies emotionally: Mabel is more grounded and open, and now thinking about the future more than the past; Oliver has faced his career fears, resurrecting his showbiz bug with a new show; and Charles is less misanthropic and more willing to take new chances. They're also frequently in a different location physically thanks to Oliver's comeback production Death Rattle (which is where Meryl Streep fits in). No, the series isn't now called Only Murders in the Building and on Broadway. Only Murders in the Building streams via Star on Disney+. Read our full review. THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART In The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, blooms are rarely out of sight and petals never evade attention. Adapted from Holly Ringland's 2018 novel, the seven-part Australian miniseries is set on a farm that cultivates native flora. It dubs the women who tend to them, an ensemble from various backgrounds largely seeking refuge from abusive pasts, "flowers" as well. Whether stem by stem or in bunches, its characters use florets as their own secret language. And yet, as much as bouquets linger, getting all things floral on the mind, star Sigourney Weaver burns rather than blossoms. Fire is another of the show's strong recurring motifs, so it's still fitting that its biggest name is as all-consuming as a blaze. She needs to be that scorching: this is a story about endeavouring to survive while weathering woes that ignite everything in their path. Weaver also draws upon almost five decades of thriving before the camera, often playing steely, smart and sometimes-raging women. Her on-screen career began sparking with Alien, the film that made her an instant icon. Since then, everyone has heard her performances scream — and, in The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, she's again dazzling. Flowers frequently surround Weaver's June Hart far and wide. With a carefully selected cutting, the shotgun-toting matriarch of Thornfield Flower Farm can say all she needs to. That's what the eponymous Alice (Ayla Browne, Nine Perfect Strangers) quickly learns about her grandmother when she arrives at the property following a tragedy, becoming one of the farm's flowers after losing her pregnant mother Agnes (Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Hotel Mumbai) and violent father Clem (Charlie Vickers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is a tale about traumas, secrets and lies that lurk as deeply as the earth — about the choices and cycles that take root in such fraught soil, too. When nine-year-old Alice relocates fresh from hospital, the determined June, her doting partner Twig (Leah Purcell, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) and their adopted daughter Candy Blue (Frankie Adams, The Expanse) aim to shower the girl with sunlight to blaze away her horrors. You can't just bury problems, however, then hope that something vivid and colourful will grow over the top. Dedicating its first half to Alice's childhood and its second to 14 years later, when she's in her early twenties (Alycia Debnam-Carey, Fear the Walking Dead), The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart understands this immutable fact in its core. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. RESERVATION DOGS There's only one thing wrong with the third season of Reservation Dogs: this batch of episodes is the show's last. There's a skill in knowing when something's time has come, but this teen-centric comedy about restless Indigenous North American adolescents is so rich in stories, perspectives and minutiae — and so resonant as well — that it feels like more and more could (and should) just keep following. Ending Reservation Dogs when this ten-episode run wraps up is also an example of the show taking its own message to heart, however. As co-created, executive produced and written by Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Love and Thunder) — the former its guiding force — Reservation Dogs knows that little lasts. It hangs out with its characters as they learn about life's transience at every moment, whether they're chasing their dreams of leaving the reservation that they've always called home or they're grappling with loss. So, of course the series is moving on. In the process, its farewell season is proving even more moving and thoughtful than ever, even after its debut year delivered one of the best new TV shows of 2021 and its second spin served up one of the best returning shows of 2022. The last time that viewers saw the Rez Dogs — the OG quartet of Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese (Lane Factor, The Fabelmans), plus Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds), the somewhat-reluctant newcomer to the group — they had finally made the trip to California that they'd been working towards their entire lives. Season three picks up with the group still far away from home, and still journeying even when they do return. Elora considers both her past and her future. Bear goes wandering on his own, including through several revelatory encounters. Harjo still isn't afraid to veer away from his leads along the way, whether sliding into history to explore myths, traditions or horrors inflicted upon Indigenous children. Reservation Dogs finds a story, be it big or small, for everyone within its frames. Bear, Elora, Willie Jack and Cheese especially will be deeply missed, but Woon-A-Tai, Jacobs, Alexis and Factor shouldn't ever be far from screens after this exceptional breakthrough. Reservation Dogs streams via Binge. PHYSICAL Rose Byrne made her acting debut in the 90s, with Echo Point, Wildside, the OG Heartbreak High and Two Hands among her earliest credits. Physical sends the Australian star a decade further back, and the results have kept proving insightful and astute across three seasons. Created by Annie Weisman after the writer and producer previously pondered domesticity in Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory, the series bends and stretches with Byrne (Insidious: The Red Door) as Sheila Rubin, a San Diego housewife when the first episode dropped in 2021 — and an aerobics star not long afterwards. Slipping into a leotard, then getting the blood pumping, isn't just exercise for Physical's protagonist. The late, great Olivia Newton-John mightn't have sung "let's work through our troubles while working up a sweat" (unsurprisingly; it isn't catchy), but that's the thrust here. Among those struggles: Sheila's opinion of herself, including of her body; her relationship with food as a result; the self-critical voice in her head; and her marriage to Danny (Rory Scovel, Babylon) and its impact on her self-esteem. Physical takes the darkly comedic approach to Sheila's ups and downs, including the self-loathing, the lack of fulfilment, the catharsis that aerobics brings and the professional path that it sets her on. In the show's ten-episode third and final season — three being the magic number, just like with Reservation Dogs — its central figure is doing well but wants more, including national exposure and fame. Sheila has also learned to be kinder to herself, at least as herself. When Hollywood actor Kelly Kilmartin (Zooey Deschanel, Dreamin' Wild) encroaches into her territory, she's the new scolding tone in Sheila's brain. Physical has always boasted a stellar cast that can flip between laughs and drama as swiftly as the show does, which is often, and Deschanel is no exception as a newcomer in this swansong run. That said, Byrne's comic chops keep proving a dream (see also: this year's Platonic), while Dierdre Friel (Second Act) is a constant scene-stealer as Sheila's friend and business partner Greta. Physical packs an emotional punch, too, as it embraces Sheila's imperfect journey and her imperfections in general. Physical streams via Apple TV+. AHSOKA In this or any other galaxy, whether here, near or far, far away and a long time ago, Star Wars streaming shows can't all be Andor. In cinemas, the franchise's movies can't all be Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, either. So, in both formats, they aren't always the weightiest and most grounded instalments that the series has ever delivered, all while demonstrating about as much interest in nostalgia as Jar Jar Binks has in not being annoying. The latest TV effort in the George Lucas-started space-opera saga, Ahsoka doesn't want to follow exactly in the last new Star Wars small-screen entry's footsteps, however, even if it's another sidestep tale about battling evil that champions folks who are rarely at the fore. Instead, it has intertwined aims: serving up a female-led chapter and drawing upon the franchise's animated realm. So, as it tells of eponymous ex-Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson, Clerks III), it links to streaming's three seasons of The Mandalorian and 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett, and also springs from animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, plus fellow animated shows Star Wars Rebels and Tales of the Jedi. Ahsoka's inter-franchise Star Wars links are strong, then, but it isn't just for fans who've watched every frame that the saga has ever sent hurtling across screens. Cue diving deeper beyond the obvious Star Wars fodder while still engaging more-casual franchise viewers. Cue another tale of mentors and students, too, with Ahsoka once a pupil to Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen, Obi-Wan Kenobi) before he went to the dark side. Then, she passed on knowledge herself to rebellious, flame-haired Mandalorian Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Guns Akimbo). Thanks to the man who became Darth Vader, Ahsoka is wary about the Jedi order and cautious in general. Via her prior time with Sabine, she knows the difficulties of being a guide to a headstrong protégée. While the series gives its central figure nefarious foes to battle, it also has her grappling with her past traumas, mistakes and regrets. She's guarded there, too; when rebel crew member and now-New Republic general Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) suggests that the way forward might involve enlisting Sabine's help, Ahsoka is uncertain. But only the youngest of the main trio can unlock a pivotal orb that holds a map that could lead to exiled Imperial officer Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, The Kingdom) and Ahsoka's fellow one-time padawan Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi, The Inspection). Ahsoka streams via Disney+. Read our full review. A STONE-COLD CLASSIC FILM TO WATCH (OR REWATCH) IMMEDIATELY OLDBOY Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods) remaking your movie is a massive compliment, but Park Chan-wook's magnificent Oldboy didn't ever need that tick of approval. The former's US-set and English-language version of the latter's stone-cold Korean classic is great as its own film — albeit maligned when it released ten years ago, so much so that it skipped a cinema date Down Under as a result — but the latter's original is a work of brutal, powerful and astonishing art for the ages. That's Park's wheelhouse, of course. When it arrived in 2003, his Oldboy was the middle chapter in the acclaimed auteur's Vengeance Trilogy, after all, following 2002's Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and preceded by 2005's Lady Vengeance. Joint Security Area, Thirst, Stoker, The Handmaiden, TV's The Little Drummer Girl, 2022's very-best film Decision to Leave: Park's resume is filled with remarkable efforts; however, that he'll always be synonymous with Oldboy, as well as its hammer and live octopus, isn't because nothing else on his filmography beats it. Every Park movie is its own gem in its own way — again, Decision to Leave was the finest film of 2022 — but this one is 100-percent designed to hit hard. The story: it's 1988, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik, Big Bet) gets drunk and misses his daughter's fourth birthday, then needs a pal to collect him from the police station. But the sloshed businessman doesn't make it home. Instead, he's forced to spend 15 long years in a hotel room that he can't leave, all while being imprisoned by kidnappers that are committed to keeping him alive, too. Of course a quest for revenge springs from there. Adapted loosely from a Japanese manga of the same name, Oldboy's narrative throws up surprise after surprise before, during and after its protagonist's captivity, though. Every element of the plot makes a statement. Every decision that Park makes as a filmmaker does, too. This is a raw, dark exploration at human nature, as helmed with incisiveness, anchored by a stunner of a lead performance and featuring a corridor-set action scene to end all action scenes — and it's always worth watching, be it on a screen big or small, for the first time or as a revisit. Right now, a date with Oldboy also means celebrating its 20th anniversary. Oldboy streams via Shudder and AMC+. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June and July this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from this year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023's first six months, top 15 returning shows over the same period and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies from January–June 2023, too.
After another helluva year, we find ourselves once again entering the festive season. This time maybe a little more wearily, but still aching to hug our loved ones, and, in many cases, shower them with gifts. We all have that one person we have trouble buying a present for. Maybe it's your stubborn old man? Perhaps a wealthy aunt? Or it could be your partner (who you know got you something awesome and, even though it's not at all a competition, you still want to make sure you got them the better gift). Whatever your motivation, there's never a better gift option than to give someone an experience. If you add travel into the mix, you're also supporting some great regional areas around the country that are home to unique cultural experiences. It's a win-win. We've teamed up with Tourism Australia to put together ten top-notch cultural experiences to help you give a memorable, meaningful gift this holiday season.
Only one movie about a Griswold family getaway has ever hit the screen without Lindsay Buckingham's 'Holiday Road' echoing. What does the Nobody 2 trailer boast that National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation doesn't, then? That earworm of a tune, plus plenty more. The sequel to 2021's Nobody, aka the film that enlisted Mr Show with Bob and David, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul great Bob Odenkirk in a John Wick-esque part — its screenwriter Derek Kolstad created the Keanu Reeves (Sonic the Hedgehog 3)-played character, in fact — this is still a movie about a seemingly mild-mannered family man who had a previous life as an assassin. It's another chapter in a tale that acknowledges that those skills aren't just in the past, too. But it also takes Odenkirk's Hutch Mansell on holiday. "Let's just say the first film was a moody winter — this one will be a colourful summer," Timo Tjahjanto tells Concrete Playground. The Indonesian filmmaker is in the director's chair on Nobody 2, which is still an action-thriller. That said, it adapts to its protagonist and his loved ones — including his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen, Gladiator II), children (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent's Gage Munroe and Harland Manor's Paisley Cadorath) and father (Christopher Lloyd, Hacks) — going on a getaway, as the just-dropped sneak peek demonstrates. The resort setting, the tropical attire, arcades, pool noodles and boat rides: they're all part of it, as is Hutch trying not to let discovering that the Mansells' destination is an old bootlegging route ruin their break. "I love moody winter. My films have always been very moody and very often depressive," Tjahjanto advises. "But I think a good challenge for me right now is 'how do we make this violent world of Hutch Mansell collide with this burst of summer vacation — like this burst of 'the family wants to have fun in this water park'?". He continues: "that's our approach to it, visually and tonally". Again, that comes through in the picture's debut glimpse, which features a number of sights that could've sprung from a Vacation or any other holiday-set movie, except for the frenetic fights everywhere from elevators to those aforementioned arcades and boats. The first time around, Nobody also operated as a character study. When you have multiple Emmy-nominee Odenkirk in the lead — and partly riffing on events that happened to him, with the franchise coming to fruition after his own home was broken into — that's the ideal approach. In Nobody 2, set four years after his altercation with the Russian mob, now the story broadens its focus to Hutch's nearest and dearest as well. The setup: the Mansells head away because Hutch begins to realise that his children are growing up and he's barely spending any time with them, so making the kind of memories that only family time can conjure up is in order. Nobody 2 is Tjahjanto's first full Hollywood picture. He's no debutant, though. For more than a decade and a half, Tjahjanto has been adding features to his resume, both solo and as part of the Mo Brothers with fellow Indonesian filmmaker Kimo Stamboel (Dancing Village: The Curse Begins). Together, they're behind 2009's Macabre, 2014's Killers and 2016's Headshot. Tjahjanto on his lonesome also contributed segments to American horror anthology flicks The ABCs of Death, V/H/S/2 (co-helming with The Raid, The Raid 2 and Havoc's Gareth Evans) and V/H/S/94. Plus, he's directed Indonesian pictures May the Devil Take You and its sequel May the Devil Take You Too, alongside The Night Comes for Us, The Big 4 and The Shadow Strays. He's also been attached to Train to Busan remake The Last Train to New York, and is helming The Beekeeper 2. How has that charting that path assisted Tjahjanto with hopping onboard Nobody 2? How did being able to ask Odenkirk's advice along the way — and co-star Sharon Stone's (The Flight Attendant) as well — help, too? And, like audiences watching, was seeing his lead in action-hero mode part of the appeal of the job? Tjahjanto spoke with us about all the above, plus his approach to stepping into a world already established by the initial Nobody, the action setpiece he's particularly keen on viewers to enjoy on a big screen, the theme of duality flowing through the feature, balancing tone and more. On Whether Seeing Bob Odenkirk as an Action Hero Was Part of the Appeal of Directing Nobody 2 "Yes — and also, in a way, we even try to dig deeper than that. So basically, look, we know by now, in the first film, that Bob can do action, right? But I think what's appealing to me is also that when Bob becomes an action man, he doesn't specifically transform himself into this one-dimensional action hero. He's not the all-knowing, the guy who thought about ten steps ahead — or like 'this is what I'm going to do'. He's not a fully in-control hero. And that's what I like about this character, Hutch Mansell. It's really, yes, he was on top of his game at some point. But now that he is a father of two kids, he's a husband, how does he juggle all these things? And often the greatest moment comes from the time in the film — especially in the second film, you'll see — when things are becoming out of control. And I love that. I never have any interest to make a protagonist who doesn't have any flaws. As a matter of fact, the more the protagonists have all these cracks, and sitting on a ship that is slowly sinking and he's trying to throw away all the water with a little cup, that's when it appeals to me. And that's pretty much what happens to the character here in this film." On How Tjahjanto Approached Taking on a World That Was Already Established in the First Film "The easy answer will be to sit very closely with Bob. Not a lot of people know that the first film is also sort of based on what happened to Bob in real life — the whole idea that he was confronting this thing that happened in his house, when somebody broke into his house. So he exorcised that sort of, I guess, trauma, by writing a script or writing a story. And in this one, he knows Hutch Mansell more than anybody else. And I think it's always good to sit with him and just really be like 'Bob, I don't want to overstep you, but how do we evolutionise Hutch Mansell as a character?'. And we found the fine line between 'well, in order for us to make him grow, we also need to make the family grow — we also need to sort of put the family at the centre of it all'. So that's what we did with this second film. We no longer tell a story about just Hutch Mansell. We also tell a story about Becca Mansell and Brady and Sammy, his kids. And then there's also grandpa and the brother Harry [RZA, Problemista]. So it's really a family affair in the end. " On the One Particular Nobody 2 Action Scene That Tjahjanto Is Most Excited for Audiences to See on a Big Screen "I think they definitely will have a smorgasbord, a buffet, a buffet table of different action setpieces in this film. But I'm definitely proud of the boat fight, just because how technical it is to achieve. We really shot that fight scene inside that boat, in a real location. When we read it in the script, we all had the unison sort of talk, like 'yeah, we're going to do it in the studio with the green screen'. But by the end of it, we decided that 'you know what? Let's torture ourselves further, let's really shoot it in a boat by down by the river'. So that's what we did. And sometimes we'll watch it on post, we'll watch it and Bob will say 'can you imagine this Timo, like we really did this?'. So it's great. I'm proud of that scene and I hope people will enjoy it, too." On the Kind of Direction You Give an Actor Like Bob Odenkirk When They're So Linked to a Film — Not Just Starring, But Writing and Producing as Well "I think the beauty is, I think I always think 'you know what, I'm a much darker person than Bob, I feel'. So I think sometimes there will be times when 'Bob, can I make you do this?'. And then he'll ask me 'aren't we being a bit too much, Timo?'. And then it's like 'you know what, Bob, let's do your take first, and after that, let's do a couple steps darker, you know?'. And that's always fun, just because we'll find the balance of like 'aaah all right, there you go'. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. And it's fine. I think the beauty will come when we both realise why I want things to be in a certain way — because, especially a lot of this film, it's about duality. So there's the doting father and husband who's trying so hard to please his family; to have this beautiful, magnificent memory; to be on a vacation. Because he realised his son's getting older, his daughter as well. Soon they'll be going to college and all that stuff. So there is that real-life issue that he's facing. But at the same time, we've got to remember this is also a man capable of violence. So I think the whole Jekyll-and-Hyde sort of play, it's really something that we both were kind of like 'okay, let's see where's the fine line between the father and the seasoned killer'. On How Tjahjanto's Decade and a Half-Plus of Directing, Both Solo and as Part of the Mo Brothers, Has Led Him to Nobody 2 "I would say I always approach every new project as if I haven't done anything before. I think that's my best preparation, just because that way I'll be very prepared. It's like a kid who's going to a chemistry test for the first time — you better bring the whole table and all that stuff. Because that's the only approach that I feel will prepare you for being from a small pool, suddenly jumping into this Olympic-size, ocean-size pool that is the Hollywood industry. And I always say it's always good to be very prepared. And when I talk to somebody who's in such a different calibre, such as Bob Odenkirk or Sharon Stone, it's always good to realise being a director, yes, you have to know a lot of things, but you should never be afraid to be sort of like 'hey Sharon, what do you think about this? Do you think there's a take that you think is interesting?'. Or even to Bob. These people have been around for decades, and sometimes it's also a situation where, as a director, I'm learning from them." Nobody 2 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
Maybe you lived through the 90s rave scene. Perhaps you spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s. Or, you might just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes. Ministry of Sound was around to see both, and now it's revisiting the experience — bringing back its massive Testament parties for another year, this time touring them around Australia over two weekends. If cutting loose like you've travelled back in time is your ideal way to mark absolutely anything, then you'll want to make a date with Testament when it hits up six Australian cities. For two nights each in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, plus one-day-only stops in Adelaide and the Gold Coast, the event will have you making shapes to 90s and 00s bangers. [caption id="attachment_799510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Jones[/caption] More than 90 DJs will be hitting the decks between Friday, August 4–Sunday, August 13 across the tour. It's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, so fans of old-school tunes can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks, and lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. Leading the bill at the 90s parties are Barbara Tucker, Inner City, Phil Hartnoll and Tall Paul, while The Bloody Beetroots, Digitalism, Freq Nasty and Stanton Warriors are their 00s counterparts. The roster of local DJs varies per show and per city, too, including everyone from Alan Thompson, Jason Digby, Barking Boy, Mark Dynamix and Jen E on the 90s bill, plus Groove Terminator, Goodwill, Kid Kenobi, Bang Gang Deejays and Andee Van Damage on the 00s lineup. MINISTRY OF SOUND: TESTAMENT 2023 DATES: Saturday, August 5 — 90s session at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney Sunday, August 6 — 00s session at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney Saturday, August 12 — 00s session at The Timber Yard, Melbourne Sunday, August 13 — 90s session at The Timber Yard, Melbourne Friday, August 4 — 00s session at Warner Laneway, Brisbane Saturday, August 12 — 90s session at Warner Laneway, Brisbane Saturday, August 5 — 00s session at Metro City, Perth Sunday, August 6 — 90s session at Metro City, Perth Friday, August 4 — 00s session at Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide Sunday, August 13 — 00s session at Miami Marketta, Gold Coast MINISTRY OF SOUND: TESTAMENT 2023 LINEUP: Barbara Tucker Inner City Phil Hartnoll [Orbital] Tall Paul The Bloody Beetroots Digitalism FreQ Nasty Stanton Warriors + 85 local DJs around the country Ministry of Sound: Testament 2023 will tour Australia in August. For further details, and to buy tickets — with pre-sale registrations until midnight on Monday, May 29, pre-sales from 8am on Tuesday, May 30 and general sales from 8am on Wednesday, May 31 — head to the event's website.
Browsing through stalls, sipping a freshly brewed beer, seeing a movie, checking out a rooftop farm: in the near future, all of the above will be possible at one inner-north address. In around 12–18 months, Lutwyche will be home to the Lamington Markets, a 10,000-square-metre food and retail precinct that'll set up shop on Lutwyche Road above the the northern busway over Lutwyche Station. And if you're wondering where all of the above will fit, this new site will spread out vertically. That means Brisbanites will have multiple levels to explore, which is where the development's 4500-square-metre indoor market halls will reside — and its craft brewery, boutique cinema, restaurants, cafes and 134-plus residential apartments, too. Atop it all will sit the aforementioned rooftop urban farm, which'll take over a 500-square-metre site and feature its own restaurant. Also included: greenery, obviously, as well as views southwards to the CBD and eastwards over to Moreton Island. If it's the markets side of things that you're now excited about, there'll be more than 100 stalls on offer. Shopping-wise, a speciality supermarket will also feature, as well as boutique retail shops. And, if it's the brewery that's whet your appetite, it'll sprawl over 400 square metres — while the cinema is set to take inspiration from Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art. The development will also be built into excavated and exposed rock, which is where the movie theatre will be located — and terraced lawns, influenced by the High Line in New York, will feature as well. In terms of design and setup, Lamington Markets will also glean a few cues from Adelaide Markets, New York's Chelsea Markets and Barcelona's Santa Caterina Markets, with architecture studio Conrad Gargett doing the honours. Patrons can expect a sculptural look, copper aplenty, a large number of laneways, and areas that merge the indoors with the outdoors. Brisbane's climate has also guided the design, which is where touches such as energy efficient lighting and performance glass will come in. Just getting the go-ahead from Brisbane City Council last week, the development is expected to start construction towards the end of this year. And, it's just one of two new precincts being built by Marketplace Developments, alongside the soon-to-open Craft'd Grounds, which'll launch in Albion in August. Lamington Markets is expected to open by early 2023 at 612 Lutwyche Rd, Lutwyche. For further details, head to the architecture studio's website.
The ever-expanding reach of Google has been a contentious topic over the past decade. Though great for reminiscing on an old family home or researching a new one, Google Street View has creepy Big Brother vibes all over it. Their control over our data is unsettling to say the least, and with European privacy clauses changing just last week, many users have opted out of its clutches completely. But some good has finally come from this global panopticon! In a similar effort to Street View, Google is now cataloguing the best street art from all over the world. After its launch today, Google's Street Art Project already has more than 4,000 works available for viewing. The artworks both large and small span all the way from the now defunct exhibition space 5Pointz in NYC to randomly scattered works along the streets of Belgium. As a user of the new system, you can take guided 360-degree tours through graffiti-coated buildings in metropolitan Paris and make your way down a street in Argentina alongside huge murals that may be gone within the month. It's pretty great. Created by the Paris-based Google Cultural Institute, the system works off a combination of images captured via Street View, images from existing cultural institutions and artists, and submissions from random art lovers. Basically, this is what it would look like if Google had an Instagram. Understandably, the project comes with its own problems and debates. With street art still in a legal purgatory, concerns are mounting about such a public endorsement of what is considered by many as vandalism. On the flip side, some artists are known to protest about others benefitting off images of their public work. To quell the latter, Google has ensured its users that if any artists are unhappy with their images being used, they will be removed. Furthermore, any organisations providing images for the project must sign contracts confirming that they own the rights to them. Unlike what's currently happening to Banksy in London, no one will be profiteering off work that was intended for public use. Proponents of the new database include famed street artist Shepard Fairey — the guy behind both Obey and Barack Obama's Hope posters. "I’ve always used my street art to democratise art," he told the New York Times. "It would be philosophically inconsistent for me to protest art democratisation through Google." Either way you look at it, it's undeniably an amazing project for those who love art. Users can search for street art via artist name, location or genre, and there's even a special section devoted to New York walls of the 1990s. Though the real works invariably get painted over or demolished, like everything in Google (for better or worse), these pictures never fade. Get a cup of coffee, cancel the rest of your work for the day and check it out for yourself over here. Via New York Times. Images via Google Cultural Institute.
Tranquility and Lutwyche now go hand in hand. So do pastels and Lutwyche; Mediterranean-style bathhouses and Lutwyche; and escaping life's chaos in saunas, steam rooms and ice baths in Lutwyche. The reason: Contro Wellness, where you can relax, slow down and put your wellbeing first. With its soft and calming hues, Contro Wellness has gone dreamy with its bathhouse setup. Patrons will find both traditional and infrared saunas, float therapy, mineral soaks, red-light therapy and salt therapy inside, too. Also, if you're keen on not just relaxation, but some alone time — or sharing your experience with a date or mate — this isn't the kind of place where you'll be using the facilities with other folks. All services are private, which is handy if you're also the type of person who finds trying to de-stress surrounded by people who don't know anything but calming. Price-wise, you'll be forking out at least $30, which is where Contro Wellness' services start. Sessions are also available in packs of five and ten, so you can plan out your future visits. And, the bathhouse lets you book in via its app, letting you lock in your next stint of unwinding at the touch of a button. Images: Contro Wellness, Luke Donegan.
Italian Riviera-loving restaurant Bar Gusto is the latest addition to Rydges Fortitude Valley. The 190-seater gives pizza and pasta pride of place on the menu, and puts one of the King Street precinct's fig trees at the heart of its outdoor space. Dine outdoors on the terrace here — or drop in for an al fresco drink — and being surrounded by greenery is part of the package. Bar Gusto's deck has been built around the century-old tree, in fact. Indoors, the fitout heroes walnut panelling with antique brass. The vibe that the joint is aiming for: laidback but timeless. In a place that seats 150 in its main areas, plus 40 in its private dining room, executive Chef Francesco Trucco leads the kitchen — whipping up a menu that goes big on tradition, with family recipes steering his dishes. Cooked in a Valoriani Vesuvio Igloo pizza oven, the restaurant's slices come in eight varieties, including sausage and taleggio; pancetta atop carbonara paste; a mushroom and ham number made with truffle paste; and a combination of Mooloolaba tiger prawns, caviar and crab meat. If you prefer pasta, black squid linguine is the signature dish, the ravioli comes filled with carbonara sauce and tucking into nonna's meatballs in napoli sauce is an option. Among the smaller bites, pumpkin and basil arancini, potatoes crocchette with crab and bruschetta sit alongside rosemary olives, fries and those Mooloolaba tiger prawns again, this time in chilli garlic butter. Gusto does grazing boards, too, while panna cotta and tiramisu are the dessert choices. Whether you're just after a sip or you're pairing your beverage with a meal, the wine list favours Italian and local vino. Prefer a cocktail? They're a big feature. Think: the Gusto Aperitivo (made with Campari, Regal Rogue wild rose, lime juice, grapefruit soda and orange slices), Dolce Colada (Sailor Jerry, banana liqueur, coconut, lemon, pineapple and coconut foam), Bond, Rosemary Bond (Tanqueray, Cinzano Bianco, rosemary syrup, lemon and peach bitters) and Razzmatazz (vodka and Chambord with citrus, vanilla syrup, seat salt and egg whites). In total, seven types are available for just one person, two more for sharing (including the summery watermelon punch), plus two mocktails as well. And, if you prefer a classic other than Bar Gusto's specials, just ask.
For Trishia Mariano, hosting has never been about perfection. It's about intention — how a space feels, how people connect, and the quiet power of gathering around a thoughtfully set table. The founder of Mesa Collections didn't come to tableware through design school or a formal interiors background. In fact, by day she works as a growth analyst, immersed in data and numbers. But during the long, isolating months of COVID lockdowns — as she approached her 30s and found herself craving connection — Trishia returned to something far more instinctive: cooking for others, inviting people in, and creating a sense of belonging through food. "I was bored, honestly," she says, laughing. "But more than that, I really missed community." @trishiamariano join my dinner party or our group chat? https://mesacollections.com.au/pages/eatwithus #sydney #dinnerwithstrangers #sydneydinnerwithstrangers #hosting ♬ original sound - Ally Rendall That longing led her to an experiment she called Dinner With Strangers: intimate supper clubs hosted in her Sydney apartment, where guests — often complete strangers — gathered around a shared table. What began with eight people quickly grew to dinners of 20, with Trishia collaborating with chefs and culinary creatives to bring each night to life. Some evenings were curated and structured; others were deliberately casual. One dinner ended with guests presenting their own work or interests to the group — terrifying, she admits, but transformative. "It wasn't really about the aesthetics," she says. "It was about creating an atmosphere where people felt comfortable enough to open up." Those dinners — now well documented on TikTok — didn't just shape Mesa Collection as a brand. They helped Trishia articulate what hosting meant to her, and why it felt so deeply personal. @trishiamarianoPart 4 | Launching a new product Photoshoot and all the preps behind it. Honestly, this was the tiring part but SO worth it. Doing this all with my FT job was brutal. I slept at 2am and woke up at 6am to start the day. I ended up hiring a super lovely shoot assistant very last minute and honestly that's one of the best decisions I've made in building this business. Networking is a big learning for me in this journey. The opportunities it opens for you are sometimes so surprising. See you in part 5!♬ sweet nothing sped up - kacey ✧.* Raised in a Filipino household where someone was always cooking and the door was always open, hosting was never framed as an event — it was simply how life happened. That cultural instinct runs through Mesa Collections today, from the ruffled edges of its linens to the emphasis on pieces that feel lived-in rather than precious. "Food and hosting are so intrinsic to my heritage," she explains. "When I design for Mesa, I always go back to that — my grandma sewing, the textures she used, the colours she put on the table." Designing a Table That Feels Like an Invitation When Trishia designs a tablescape — whether for a Mesa shoot or one of her own dinners — she starts long before guests arrive. Ideally, the table is set the day before. Not for Instagram, but for intention. "It makes people feel expected," she says. "Like you've been waiting for them." Her process is methodical but intuitive. She often follows a loose 60–30–10 rule: 60 percent of the table anchored in a primary colour or texture (often a linen tablecloth), 30 percent in a complementary tone, and 10 percent reserved for contrast — silver cutlery, ceramic plates or an unexpected pop of colour. Layering matters. A tablecloth first, then placemats if the surface needs grounding. Plates and cutlery come next, with centrepieces added last, once the mood is already set. She prefers to see the table "breathe" before placing anything in the middle. And despite the rise of elaborate, overflowing tables online, Trishia is firm on one thing: restraint. "A centrepiece should be a conversation starter, not an obstacle," she says. "You still need space for food and for people to move." Some of her favourite centrepieces have been deeply personal — framed childhood photos at her own birthday dinner, or bowls of seasonal produce instead of florals. Fruit and vegetables, she notes, have become a defining tablescape trend, adding texture, colour and a sense of abundance without feeling wasteful. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mesa collections (@mesa.collections) What's Worth Investing In — And What to Thrift Mesa Collections was built with longevity in mind, and Trishia is clear about where to invest versus where to experiment. If there's one category she believes is worth spending on, it's cutlery. Good silverware, she says, lasts forever — and often becomes the kind of object that's passed down. "Cutlery is used every day. It's tactile. It's something you'll have for decades." Linens, too, are worth choosing carefully. Mesa's ruffled tablecloths and placemats are designed to age well — crinkling gracefully rather than demanding constant upkeep. Trend-led elements, on the other hand, are better thrifted: mismatched ceramics, vintage plates, heirloom serving spoons, candleholders collected slowly over time. "It's about mix and match," she says. "That's where personality comes in." That philosophy extends to how Mesa operates as a business. Many of its pieces are available to rent as well as buy — allowing customers to try before committing, and reinforcing the idea that tablescaping should be accessible, not intimidating. The Art of The Perfect Host For Trishia, a good host isn't defined by what's on the table — but by how people feel when they leave. "The goal is that they want to come back," she says simply. That means removing pressure wherever possible. Not cooking everything yourself. Letting people contribute. Choosing comfort over formality. The most memorable dinner she's ever hosted? The very first Dinner With Strangers — a potluck. "Everyone shared why they made what they made," she recalls. "It took the focus off me and made it about everyone else." It's a lesson she's carried into Mesa Collections: hosting as an act of care rather than performance. Beautiful objects can elevate a moment, but they're never the point. "Sometimes what people remember most is a conversation that happened out of nowhere," she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by mesa collections (@mesa.collections) Building a Brand Around Gathering Today, Mesa Collections exists not just as a product line but as a growing community — with Trishia hosting founder dinners, summer lunches and collaborative events that blur the line between brand and lived experience. A recent lunch at Northcote wine bar Samuel Pepys saw Mesa linens transform the courtyard into something relaxed, layered and distinctly hers. "I didn't create Mesa just to sell things," she says. "I really love the community that's forming around it." In many ways, Mesa is a continuation of those early dinners — a way to give others the tools to host with confidence, warmth and a sense of self. Not perfect tables, but meaningful ones. Because, as Trishia has learned, the table is rarely just a table. It's where people arrive as strangers — and often leave as something more. Explore Mesa Collections products via the website, and find out more about the next Founders Dinners via Trishia's TikTok. Images: Supplied
Beloved Brisbane pop-up Birria Boy has proven so popular that it has, to the delight of locals, now become a permanent fixture. That means its bold flavours, refreshing bevs, and upbeat vibes are here to stay. "From the moment we opened, the response was immediate. We built Birria Boy as a pop-up to test the idea, but the support from the community made the decision easy. People kept coming back, bringing their friends, really connecting with what we're doing here. Brisbane, you asked for it, so here we are," says chef and owner Andy Ashby. The restaurant is housed in a heritage building designed in collaboration with JDA Architects, Sophie Hart Design and ICU Design. An upgraded, original wood-fired oven proudly sits as a centrepiece in the kitchen. This Mexican venture is a project from the AW Hospitality Team (from C'Est Bon and Le Bon Bar), with Ashby leading the charge. Ashby's menu is influenced by the street-style energy of Jalisco and built on the smoky flavours of fire and spice. The hero dish, the birria taco, features slow-cooked goat or beef (or wood-fired braised mushrooms) served in a crispy shell, primed for dunking into the aromatic, hearty consommé. If you prefer, there are also fresh masa tacos filled with confit duck, frijoles, burnt orange and radish, or tempura prawns with tomatillo, cactus and crema verde. Alongside tacos, snack on corn ribs with chipotle crema, woodfired jalapeños stuffed with chorizo, tuna belly tostadas, or lamb skewers with charred pineapple. For something larger, opt for smoked goat ribs, lamb barbacoa or chicken asado, cooked over the woodfire, and served with flour tortillas and condiments. "Birria Boy is all about creating a fun, casual space that serves great food and drinks with energy," says Ashby. "We wanted somewhere for people to drop in before a show at The Princess Theatre or stay late for tacos and margaritas. It's approachable, it's full of flavour and a place to get your hands messy." To drink, as expected, there is a healthy selection of tequilas, mezcals and agave spirits, sourced mostly from small-batch growers in Mexico and even a locally made spirit from Far North Queensland, Beudi Agave. Cool down with ice-cold Mexican lagers on tap, slushie cocktails or frozen margs. "Birria Boy adds a different layer to what we do. It's fast, it's fun, it's a little bit loud, and it gives people another reason to come into the precinct. It complements C'est Bon without competing with it. This is about giving the locals something that feels good and keeps them coming back", says Ashby. The news of Birria Boy's permanency marks the next phase of AW Hospitality's continued expansion across Brisbane. Now that it has moved beyond its pop-up days, the beloved Mexican joint will continue to evolve and expand its menu, while maintaining a high-energy and bustling dining space. Images: Supplied.
How many ways can Melbourne go dotty for Yayoi Kusama? Everyone is about to find out. The National Gallery of Victoria's big summer 2024–25 exhibition is dedicated to the Japanese artist, complete with a five-metre-tall dot-covered Dancing Pumpkin sculpture in NGV International's Federation Court, plus a world record-breaking number of infinity rooms and other immersive installations, many featuring spots. There'll be polka dots inside and out around the venue, including on the plane trees on St Kilda Road. On Wednesday, November 27, 2024 — in the lead up to the exhibition's run from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025 — the NGV has unveiled the beginnings of Kusama's latest artwork. A version of Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees is being staged in Melbourne, with more than 60 trees outside the gallery having their trunks covered in pink-and-white polka-dotted material. The first row has been completed, which anyone in the vicinity can now check out — and by early in the week commencing Monday, December 2, 2024, all four lanes of St Kilda Road in front of the NGV will be brightly wrapped. With over 180 works set to feature, in what'll be the largest Kusama retrospective that Australia has ever seen — as well as one of the most-comprehensive retrospectives devoted to the artist to be staged globally, not to mention the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving the country — stepping foot inside the NGV will still be mandatory for art lovers. But Kusama is also livening up the road for everyone to enjoy all day and all night long. In the past, including when Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees debuted at the Kirishima Open Air Museum in Japan in 2002, a red-and-white colour scheme has been used; however, Melbourne has scored its own bold-pink iteration. Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees is obviously free to view, joining several other artworks that won't cost anyone a cent to see during the exhibition. The aforementioned Dancing Pumpkin is already on display. NGV International's glass waterwall is also going pink, but with black rather than white dots. Kusama's new version of Narcissus Garden, which dates back to 1966 and will feature 1400 30-centimetre-diameter silver balls this time around, is set sit in front of the waterwall and in parts of Federation Court. Plus, the yellow-and-black spheres of Dots Obsession will hang over the Great Hall. Then there's the artist's sticker-fuelled, all-ages-friendly The Obliteration Room, where audiences young and old pop coloured dots everywhere — 'obliterating', as Kusama calls it — to cover an apartment interior that's completely white otherwise. Overall, Yayoi Kusama will step through the 95-year-old artist's eight decades of making art via a thematic chronology. Some pieces hail from her childhood. Some are recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s; plenty from the past four decades: they'll all appear. [caption id="attachment_950480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] Yayoi Kusama displays at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Images: Yayoi Kusama's Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees, 2002/2024, on display along St Kilda Road, Melbourne for the National Gallery of Victoria's Yayoi Kusama exhibition until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Tobias Titz.
Forty years after first forming, Cirque du Soleil still knows how to notch up firsts among its lineup of dazzling circus shows, especially for Australian audiences. In 2023, the Montreal-based company headed Down Under with CRYSTAL, its first-ever ice production on ice. In 2024, it's following that up with LUZIA, which takes inspiration from Mexico, and also marks Cirque du Soleil's first touring performance that features rain in its acrobatic and artistic scenes. LUZIA's name is a combination of the words 'lux' and 'lluvia' in Spanish, with the first translating as light and the second as rain. What that means in the production will be unveiled to Brisbane audiences from Wednesday, September 25 next to Royal Queensland Golf Club, off Curtin Ave East. While it has been four decades since Cirque du Soleil was created back in 1984, 2024 is the 25th anniversary of the troupe's performances in Australia, making LUZIA the tenth big-top show to hit our shores. So, although it's already an ode to Mexican culture, the production has even more to celebrate as it spends the bulk of 2024 and into 2025 making its way around the nation. Packing their bags to help: a team of 120 people, which includes 47 artists from 26 countries. First staged in 2016 and becoming Cirque du Soleil's 38th original production at the time, LUZIA has already been seen by 4.5-million people, a number that'll grow in Australia. Audiences are in for a trip to an imaginary version of Mexico, where the performance gets playful and surreal amid the light and rain. Some of the settings include an old movie set, the desert, the ocean and a dance hall, all backdropping the company's acrobatics, trapeze displays, contortionist feats, juggling and more. In the Cyr wheel, artists will roll and spin through the rain. And that trapeze work? That happens through showers. LUZIA also spans hoop diving on giant treadmills, a natural sinkhole, seven pins being flung in the air by jugglers and street dancing that includes footballs. Daniele Finzi Pasca wrote and directs the production, which begins with a parachutist falling into a field of cempasuchil flowers, turning a huge metallic key, then taking a magical journey. From there, the clown antics give LUZIA a beach clown and clown scuba diving, the acrobatics even take to a bike, a luchador mask makes an appearance in the swing segment — 1000-plus costumes are seen across the show in total — and a hair-suspension act features. Images: Anne Colliard.
A 90s-era Blockbuster Video might play a prominent role in the next big superhero movie headed to cinemas, Captain Marvel, but in Australia, the chain and its bricks-and-mortar outlets will soon be a mere nostalgic memory. The country is currently home to one last Blockbuster outlet in Western Australia, and one of only two remaining on the planet; however the store's owners have just announced that they're shutting up shop. As reported by Community News, Blockbuster Morley in Perth will close its doors at the end of March, with locals able to head in and say farewell for the rest of the month. Speaking with AAP, owner Lyn Borszeky said that the rise of streaming services had impacted the business. "We knew change was coming but were a bit surprised how quickly it affected our customer base once Netflix hit the Australian market." [caption id="attachment_710127" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Blockbuster Morley[/caption] When the Morley shop says goodbye, just one Blockbuster will remain worldwide. Located in Oregon in the US, Blockbuster Bend earned the title of America's last outlet back in July 2018, when a fellow store in Alaska closed up. It's a far cry from the brand's glory days, aka the late 90s and early 00s, when it had more than 9000 stores worldwide. In Australia, the first Blockbuster store opened in Melbourne in 1991. For Perth folks who haven't completely replaced their physical media collection with a never-ending streaming queue, the Morley shop will also be throwing a closing down sale — the bittersweet part of any video store's last moments. For everyone else, hold on to those memories of spending way too long walking up and down video store aisles, picking movies based on their cover artwork, and taking home towers of plastic cases during school holidays and sleepovers. Scrolling through Netflix isn't quite the same, and doesn't throw up anywhere near as many old gems that you wouldn't have come across otherwise. Via Community News.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from January's haul. Brand New Stuff You Can Watch From Start to Finish Now Boy Swallows Universe A magical-realist coming-of-age tale, a clear-eyed family drama, a twisty crime and detective thriller, a time capsule of Brisbane in the 80s: since first hitting the page in 2018, Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe has worn its happy flitting between different genres and tones, and constant seesawing from hope to heartbreak and back again, as confidently as readers have long envisaged Eli Bell's wide grin. That hopping and jumping, that refusal to be just one type of story and stick to a single mood, has always made sense on the page — and in the excellent seven-part adaptation that now brings Australia's fastest-selling debut novel ever to the screen, it also couldn't feel more perfect. As played by the charmingly talented Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom), Eli's smile is indeed big. As scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Hotel Mumbai), and with Dalton among the executive producers, the miniseries embraces its multitudes wholeheartedly. Like style, like substance: a semi-autobiographical novel penned by a writer and journalist who lived variations of plenty that he depicts, learned and accepted early that everyone has flaws, and patently has the imagination of someone who coped with life's hardships as a child by escaping into dreams of an existence more fanciful, Dalton's tome and every iteration that it inspires has to be many things in one bustling package. Its characters are, after all. Seeing people in general, parts of a city usually overlooked, and folks with complicated histories or who've made questionable choices — those forced in particular directions out of financial necessity, too — in more than just one fashion flutters at the centre of Boy Swallows Universe. In the Australian Book Industry Awards' 2019 Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year, and now on streaming, Eli's nearest and dearest demand it. So does the enterprising Darra-dwelling 12-year-old boy who knows how to spy the best in those he loves, but remains well-aware of their struggles. His older brother Gus (Lee Tiger Halley, The Heights) hasn't spoken since they were younger, instead drawing messages in the sky with his finger, but is as fiercely protective as elder siblings get. Doting and dedicated mum Frankie (Phoebe Tonkin, Babylon) is a recovering heroin addict with a drug dealer for a partner. And Lyle Orlik (Travis Fimmel, Black Snow), that mullet-wearing stepfather, cares deeply about Eli and Gus — including when Eli convinces him to let him join his deliveries. Boy Swallows Universe streams via Netflix. Read our full review, and our interview with Bryan Brown. Society of the Snow It was meant to be a fun trip to Chile with friends and family for a game. When the Old Christians Club rugby union team boarded Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in Montevideo on October 13, 1972, destination Santiago, no one among them knew what would happen next. The plane didn't make it to its destination, as 1976 Mexican film Survive!, 1993 American movie Alive and now Spanish-US co-production Society of the Snow each cover. All three features boast apt titles, but only the latest sums up the grim reality and existential dilemma of crashing in the Andes, being stranded for 72 days in snowy climes with little resources against the weather — or for sustenance — and attempting to endure. Taken from the memoir by Pablo Vierci, aka La sociedad de la nieve in Spanish, only this phrase adorning JA Bayona's (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) picture encapsulates the tremendous effort that it took to find a way to persist, as well as the fact that trying to remain alive long enough to be rescued meant adapting everything about how the survivors approached each second, minute, hour, day, week and month — and also links in with how a catastrophe like this banded them together, doing whatever it took to find a way off the mountains, while reshaping how they contemplated what it meant to be human. Society of the Snow isn't just a disaster film detailing the specifics of the flight's failed trip, the immediate deaths and those that came afterwards, the lengthy wait to be found — including after authorities called the search off — and the crushing decisions made to get through. Bayona, who also helmed the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami-focused The Impossible, has made a weighty feature that reckons with the emotional, psychological and spiritual toll, and doesn't think of shying away from the most difficult aspects of this real-life situation (including cannibalism). This is both gruelling and meaningful viewing, as crafted with technical mastery (especially by Don't Breathe 2 cinematographer Pedro Luque, plus Cinco lobitos' Andrés Gil and Cites' Jaume Martí as editors), built upon brutal candour, and paying tribute to resilience and then some. Its feats extend to its hauntingly acted performances from a cast that includes Enzo Vogrincic (El Presidente), Agustín Pardella (Secrets of Summer) and Matías Recalt (Planners), all contributing to an account of camaraderie and sacrifice that deserves its Best International Feature Film Oscar nomination. Society of the Snow streams via Netflix. The Tourist Same cast, new location, similar-enough scenario: that's the approach in The Tourist's second season, which brings back what was meant to be a once-off series from 2022. In its debut run, Jamie Dornan's (A Haunting in Venice) Elliot Stanley awoke in the Aussie outback with zero memory and his life in danger. When the first six episodes ended, he'd uncovered who he was, complete with a distressing criminal past, but was en route to starting anew with Helen Chambers (Danielle Macdonald, French Exit), the constable who helped him get to the bottom of his mystery. After the show worked so swimmingly to begin with, swiftly earning its renewal, screenwriters Harry and Jack Williams (Baptiste, The Missing, Liar) switch part of their initial setup for its next spin. The story moves to Elliot's homeland, while Helen is the tourist (as is her grating ex Ethan, as played by Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe's Greg Larsen). Remaining in the compellingly entertaining thriller-meets-dramedy's return is the lack of recollection about Elliot's history, even as he actively goes looking for it. The Tourist first rejoins its main couple on a train in southeast Asia. While not married, they're firmly in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. But the now ex-cop has a revelation: Elliot has received a letter from one of his childhood pals who wants to meet. Quickly, off to the Emerald Isle they go. Trying to shave off his bushy holiday beard in a public toilet leads to Elliot being kidnapped, plus Helen playing investigator again. As he attempts to flee his captors (Outlander's Diarmaid Murtagh, Inspektor Jury: Der Tod des Harlekins' Nessa Matthews and The Miracle Club's Mark McKenn), she seeks help from local Detective Sergeant Ruairi Slater (Conor MacNeill, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), but any dreams that The Tourist's globe-hopping couple had about happy reunions or relaxing Irish getaways are sent packing fast. Disturbing discoveries; feuding families led by the equally formidable Frank McDonnell (Francis Magee, Then You Run) and Niamh Cassidy (Olwen Fouéré, The Northman); again bringing Fargo and TV adaptation to mind: they're all influential factors in The Tourist's easy-to-binge (again) second season. The Tourist season streams via Stan. Read our full review. Echo With its ninth live-action streaming series on Disney+, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has broken out a new label:" Marvel Spotlight". It's now being applied to anything that's apparently less about ongoing MCU continuity and sports a greater emphasis on character. The idea is that watching shouldn't feel like homework, with no prior viewing required. Echo has also dropped its entire five-episode span at once, another MCU first. The focus on badging this Hawkeye spinoff about Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox, who made her acting debut in the earlier series) as something different because it isn't just connecting Marvel dots and setting up more to come is a curious choice, though. It's also the wrong point to stress. Echo isn't worth watching thanks to a lack of constant MCU winking, nudging and future nods. In fact, given that Avenger Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner, Mayor of Kingstown), Matt Murdoch/Daredevil (Charlie Cox, Kin) and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio, Dumb Money) appear, that "no knowledge necessary" claim isn't accurate. What makes Echo a must-see, rather, is its protagonist, the authenticity with which it explores her story as an Indigenous woman who is deaf and has had a limb amputated, its cast and the potency that gathers across its run. By deviating from its standard release pattern — where it usually launches with a few episodes at once, then doles the rest out weekly — and unveiling the full series in one go, Disney isn't dumping Echo. If anything in the MCU's streaming catalogue demands a one-sitting binge, it's this. As created by Marion Dayre (Better Call Saul), and directed Sydney Freeland (Reservation Dogs) plus Catriona McKenzie (the Australian filmmaker behind 2012's Satellite Boy), Echo's power resounds with more strength the longer that it continues. The show takes time to step into Maya's backstory, explore her Choctaw community in Oklahoma, see how Kingpin's criminal enterprise reverberates through her family and thread its elements together. The three prologues that kick off the first three episodes, each telling of one of Maya's foremothers, start painting the full picture: this is an MCU TV entry made with careful attention to and affection for the cultural heritage that it depicts, and ensures that that's a genuine and crucial part of the narrative, even if Marvel also still being Marvel comes with the territory. Echo streams via Disney+. Read our full review. The Kitchen He has an Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe for Judas and the Black Messiah. He was nominated for all of the above accolades for Get Out, and should've won them all then, too. His resume spans Skins, one of Black Mirror's most-memorable episodes, plus Sicario, Widows, Black Panther, Queen & Slim and Nope as well. But The Kitchen marks a first for Daniel Kaluuya: his first movie as a director. Hopefully more will follow. Co-helming with Kibwe Tavares — who also notches up his feature debut behind the lens after shorts including Jonah and Robot & Scarecrow, which both starred Kaluuya — and co-penning the screenplay with Calm with Horses' Joe Murtagh, the actor makes a stunning arrival as a filmmaker. The Kitchen's setup: in the year 2044 in London, with class clashes so pronounced that not being rich is basically treated as a crime, a man (Top Boy's Kane Robinson, aka rapper Kano) living in the titular housing development crosses paths with a 12-year-old boy (newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman) who has just lost his mother, with the pair discovering that they have no one but each other as they endeavour to find a way to survive. Robinson's Izy has bought into the social-climbing dream when The Kitchen begins. He'll do so literally if he can come up with the cash for an apartment in a swankier tower away from everything he's ever known within 21 days, a dream that he's been working towards at his job selling funerals. It's at the latter that he meets Bannerman's Benji, who has nowhere to live after his mother's death and no one else to turn to for help. The film's scenario is pure dystopia, reflecting the inequities, oppressions and realities of today as all great sci-fi should. Its intimate emotional core hones in on people attempting to persist and connect, as the genre's best always does as well. Accordingly, this is an impassioned and infuriated portrait of society's gaps as everyone watching can recognise, a nightmarish vision of what might come and a thoughtful character study. As directors, Kaluuya and Tavares excel at world-building, at bringing such rich detail and texture to the screen that viewers feel like they could step straight into its social realist-leaning frames, and at guiding affecting performances out of both Robinson and Bannerman (who adds to the feature's impressive first efforts). The Kitchen streams via Netflix. Prosper Prosper is the Australian TV series that was always bound to happen. Now that it exists, it's also easy to predict remakes of this involving drama popping up elsewhere in the world. Hillsong very likely inspired the eight-part show, which turns the angling within a Sydney-based megachurch's hierarchy into a Succession riff within religious confines, but the underlying story of power, corruption, and the complicated bonds of family and faith is universal. Richard Roxburgh knows what it's like to lead an Aussie effort that gets a US spin, thanks to Rake — and here he turns in another mesmerising performance. This time, the star of Elvis, The Crown, Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe, Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Go!, Fires and Bali 2002 in just the past four years alone plays Cal Quinn, a charismatic pastor whose belief in himself is just as strong as his devotion to the almighty. The fact that scandals keep raining down upon U Star, the name for the mix of worship and song he's trying to spread around the world with his wife Abi (Rebecca Gibney, Back to the Rafters) and their offspring, doesn't dent his certainty. The Quinns have big dreams to conquer the US, and also just-as-hefty chaos at home to deal with. Eldest son Dion (Ewen Leslie, The Clearing) wants to be more than just his dad's right-hand man, but has a fraying relationship with his wife Taz (Ming-Zhu Hii, La Brea) that's troubling him. Daughter Issy (Hayley McCarthy, Sylvie's Love) and her husband Benji (Jordi Webber, In Limbo) have their eyes on the American expansion, too. Cal and Abi are desperate to do anything that's necessary to bring Jed (Jacob Collins-Levy, The Witcher: Blood Origin), who left the church to work with the unhoused in the community, back to the fold. Throw in youngest child Moses (Alexander D'souza, Angry Indian Goddesses), a high schooler eager to understand who he truly is — and also family lawyer Eli Slowik (Jacek Koman, Faraway Downs), who knows everyone's secrets — and there's ample fuel for a rollercoaster-ride of a thriller. But as Prosper unpacks the Quinns' lives and lies, it also works in eager parishioner Rosa (Brigid Zengeni, The Artful Dodger) and her skeptical daughter Juno (Andrea Solonge, Class of 07), plus star US singer Maddox (Alex Fitzalan, Chevalier), who claims that he wants to be saved. Prosper strams via Stan. Good Grief Grief is a frequent filmic theme, but also a difficult one. Movie-of-the-week weepies have built their own set of cliches. The worst of the worst use someone's illness to try to claim that dying isn't worse than being by a person's ailing side. Dramedy Good Grief knows that the subject that's right there in its name is tricky, however — and that there's no one-size-fits-all experience of mourning. It also manages a complex task, focusing on a man who becomes a widower when his husband is killed suddenly, following his plight as he realises that not everything about their relationship was as idyllic as he thought, but never using someone losing their life solely as fodder to make its protagonist more interesting or tragic (or both). The directorial debut of Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy, who also pens his first feature screenplay, this sincere grappling with mortality and love cares about its characters deeply. It sees their intricacies and their flaws. This is also a film about the messy space that awaits when everything you thought your future holds crumbles, and then all that you're holding onto feels like it's floating away. Levy also stars as Marc, adding to a busy past year that's also seen him in The Idol, Haunted Mansion and Sex Education. When his character throws a Christmas party with his husband Oliver (Luke Evans, Nine Perfect Strangers), the only thing that doesn't seem rosy is the fact that the latter has a business trip to Paris that's taking him away mid-shindig. But the evening turns heartbreaking, leaving Marc lamenting the perfection he's lost — until he learns that there's more to Oliver's jaunts to France. Accompanied by his best friends Sophie (With Negga, Passing) and Thomas (Himesh Patel, Black Mirror), a visit to the City of Love himself awaits, where the stark discoveries keep coming in tandem with earnest soul-searching. Levy helms and pens this like he's lived it, especially in the honest dialogue. He unfurls the story with humour, too, and soulfulness. And he also never lets the inescapable truth that grief never disappears — and that its evolution never ends, either — fade from view. Good Grief streams via Netflix. New and Returning Shows to Check Out Week by Week True Detective Even when True Detective had only reached its second season, the HBO series had chiselled its template into stone: obsessive chalk-and-cheese cops with messy personal lives investigating horrifying killings, on cases with ties to power's corruption, in places where location mattered and with the otherworldly drifting in. A decade after the anthology mystery show's debut in 2014, True Detective returns as Night Country, a six-part miniseries that builds its own snowman out of all of the franchise's familiar parts. The main similarity from there: like the Matthew McConaughey (The Gentlemen)- and Woody Harrelson (White House Plumbers)-led initial season, True Detective: Night Country is phenomenal. This is a return to form and a revitalisation. Making it happen after two passable intervening cases is a new guiding hand off-screen. Tigers Are Not Afraid filmmaker Issa López directs and writes or co-writes every episode, boasting Moonlight's Barry Jenkins as an executive producer. True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto remains in the latter role, too, as do McConaughey, Harrelson and season-one director Cary Joji Fukunaga (No Time to Die); however, from its female focus and weighty tussling with the dead to its switch to a cool, blue colour scheme befitting its Alaskan setting, there's no doubting that López is reinventing her season rather than ticking boxes. In handing over the reins, Pizzolatto's police procedural never-standard police procedural is a powerhouse again, and lives up to the potential of its concept. The commitment and cost of delving into humanity's depths and advocating for those lost in its abyss has swapped key cops, victims and locations with each spin, including enlisting the masterful double act of Jodie Foster (Nyad) and boxer-turned-actor Kali Reis (Catch the Fair One) to do the sleuthing, but seeing each go-around with fresh eyes feels like the missing puzzle piece. López spies the toll on the show's first women duo, as well as the splinters in a remote community when its fragile sense of certainty is forever shattered. She spots the fractures that pre-date the investigation in the new season, a cold case tied to it, plus the gashes that've carved hurt and pain into the earth ever since people stepped foot on it. She observes the pursuit of profit above all else, and the lack of concern for whatever — whoever, the region's Indigenous inhabitants included — get in the way. She sees that the eternal winter night of 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle come mid-December isn't the only thing impairing everyone's sight. And, she knows that not everything has answers, with life sometimes plunging into heartbreak, or inhospitable climes, or one's own private hell, without rhyme or reason. True Detective streams via Binge. Read our full review. Criminal Record It was accurate with side-splitting hilarity in The Thick of It, as dripping with heartbreak in Benediction and in the world of Doctor Who in-between: Peter Capaldi is one of Scotland's most fascinating actors today. Criminal Record uses his can't-look-away presence to excellent effect, casting him as DCI Daniel Hegarty, one of the eight-part series' two key detectives. By day, the no-nonsense Hegarty is a force to be reckoned with on the force. By night, he moonlights as a driver, seeing much that lingers in London as he's behind the wheel. In his not-so-distant past is a case that brings DS June Lenker (Cush Jumbo, The Good Fight) into his orbit — a case that she's certain is linked to a distressed emergency call by a woman trying to flee domestic abuse, and who says that her partner has already committed murder, gotten away with it and sent another man to prison for the crime in the process. Hegarty contends otherwise, and gruffly, but Lenker is determined to discover the truth, find her potential victim, ascertain whether someone innocent is in jail and learn why every move she makes to dig deeper comes with professional retaliation. This is no odd-couple cop show. It's largely a two-hander, however — and saying that it couldn't be better cast is an understatement. Capaldi is already someone who makes every moment that he's on-screen better. So is Jumbo, which makes watching them face off as riveting as television gets. Passive aggression oozes from the frame when Hegarty and Lenker first confront each other. Tension drips throughout the series relentlessly, but do so with particular vigour whenever its key cops are in close proximity. Criminal Record doesn't waste time keeping audiences guessing about who's dutifully taking their role as part of the thin blue line and who's part of policing at its most corrupt; instead, it lets those two sides that are both meant to be on the upstanding end of the law-and-order divide clash, surveying the damage that ripples not just through the fuzz but also the community. While twists and mysteries are also layered in, they regularly come second to Criminal Record's extraordinary performances, plus its thematic willingness to tear into what policing should be, can be and often is. Criminal Record streams via Apple TV+. Expats Adapting Janice YK Lee's 2016 novel The Expatriates, Lulu Wang's first major stint behind the lens since The Farewell has been dubbed Expats as a miniseries. The six-parter marks a shift in location to Hong Kong and a splinter in focus to three protagonists for its guiding force — with Wang creating the show, executive producing, helming all six episodes and writing two — but she's still plunging deep into bonds of blood, deceptions amid close relationships, grappling with grief and tragedy, and being caught between how one is meant to carry on and inescapable inner emotions. It too sees not only people but also its chosen place. It's a haunting series and, albeit not literally in the horror sense, a series about women haunted. And it's spectacularly cast, with Nicole Kidman (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom), Sarayu Blue (A Million Miles Away) and Ji-young Yoo (The Sky Is Everywhere) each stellar as its three main characters, all who've relocated for love, work or new beginnings, then make each other's acquaintance. The year is 2014, and Margaret Woo, her husband Clarke (Brian Tee, Chicago Med) and their family aren't new Hong Kong arrivals — but their past 12 months have been under a shadow ever since their youngest son Gus (debutant Connor James) went missing. No one is coping, including elder children Daisy (Tiana Gowen, True Love Blooms) and Philip (Bodhi del Rosario, 9-1-1). But while Margaret refuses to give up hope of finding her three-year-old boy, there are still lives to lead and, to help start Expats, a 50th birthday party for Clarke to host. In the lift at The Peak, the towering symbol of wealth inhabited by plenty who give the show its title, she's also insistent that her friend, downstairs neighbour and fellow American Hilary Starr (Blue) attend the shindig. The frostiness that fills the elevator also stems from Gus' disappearance, and accusations made against Hilary's recovering-alcoholic husband David (Jack Huston, Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches). When the soiree takes place, Mercy (Yoo) is there working one of her gig-economy jobs. Indeed, the lives of the privileged aren't solely this show's domain — because while this is a tale of three Americans adrift with their sorrows, where and the reality that surrounds them is equally as important as how and why. Expats streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. Death and Other Details There's no doubting that Death and Other Details loves whodunnits, or that it's made with a murderers' row of them in mind. Playing "spot the nod" is one of this ten-part series' games. Sleuthing along with its plot is the other, obviously. So, as an odd couple with an age discrepancy team up to attempt to solve "a classic locked-room mystery" — the show even calls it such — among the preposterously wealthy on holiday, and on a boat at that, where everyone has a motive and a battle over who'll seize control of a family business is also taking place, gleaning what creators and writers Heidi Cole McAdams and Mike Weiss (who also worked together on Stumptown) have been reading and watching isn't a puzzle. Nudges and references are regularly part of the murder-mystery genre anyway; here, recalling Agatha Christie's oeuvre and especially Death on the Nile, as well as Only Murders in the Building, Knives Out, Poker Face, The White Lotus and Succession, is part of sailing into a tale that's also about what we remember and why. Indeed, when other films and shows earn a wink here, Death and Other Details also digs into the purpose behind the minutiae that sticks in our memories. It's a savvy yet risky gambit, getting viewers ruminating on how they spy patterns and filter their perspectives, too, while chancing coming off as derivative. Mostly the series bobs in the first direction; however, even when it sways in the second, it still intrigues its audience to keep watching. Its seemingly mismatched pair: Imogene Scott (Violett Beane, God Friended Me) and the Hercule Poirot-esque Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin, Homeland), with the second regularly dubbed "the world's greatest detective". Most folks might believe that label, but Imogene does not. The duo shares a history spanning two decades, from when she was a child (Sophia Reid-Gantzert, Popular Theory) mourning the shock killing of her mother that he couldn't solve. Back then, Rufus was on the case at the behest of the wealthy Colliers, who work in textiles, employed Imogene's mum as a personal assistant to patriarch Lawrence (David Marshall Grant, Spoiler Alert) and took the girl in when she had no one else. Now, both Rufus and Imogene are guests on a cruise chartered by them — she's there as basically a member of the family; he's accompanying the Chuns, with whom the Colliers are in the middle of a billion-dollar business deal — when bodies start piling up. Death and Other Details streams via Disney+. Read our full review. One of the Best Films of 2023 That You Absolutely Need to Watch — or Rewatch Killers of the Flower Moon Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon quickly. Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon often. While Martin Scorsese will later briefly fill the film's frames with a fiery orange vision — with what almost appears to be a lake of flames deep in oil country, as dotted with silhouettes of men — death blazes through his 26th feature from the moment that the picture starts rolling. Adapted from journalist David Grann's 2017 non-fiction novel Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, with the filmmaker himself and Dune's Eric Roth penning the screenplay, this is a masterpiece of a movie about a heartbreakingly horrible spate of deaths sparked by pure and unapologetic greed and persecution a century back. Scorsese's two favourite actors in Leonardo DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Robert De Niro (Amsterdam) are its stars, alongside hopefully his next go-to in Lily Gladstone (Reservation Dogs), but murder and genocide are as much at this bold and brilliant, epic yet intimate, ambitious and absorbing film's centre — all in a tale that's devastatingly true. As Mollie Kyle, a member of the Osage Nation in Grey Horse, Oklahoma, incomparable Certain Women standout Gladstone talks through some of the movie's homicides early. Before her character meets DiCaprio's World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart — nephew to De Niro's cattle rancher and self-proclaimed 'king of the Osage' William King Hale — she notes that several Indigenous Americans that have been killed, with Mollie mentioning a mere few to meet untimely ends. There's nothing easy about this list, nor is there meant to be. Some are found dead, others seen laid out for their eternal rest, and each one delivers a difficult image. But a gun fired at a young mother pushing a pram inspires a shock befitting a horror film. The genre fits here, in its way, as do many others as Killers of the Flower Moon follows Burkhart's arrival in town, his deeds under his uncle's guidance, his romance with Mollie and the tragedies that keep springing: American crime saga, aka the realm that Scorsese has virtually made his own, as well as romance, relationship drama, western, true crime and crime procedural. Killers of the Flower Moon streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review, and our interview with Martin Scorsese. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2023. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from last year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023, 15 newcomers you might've missed, top 15 returning shows of the year, 15 best films, 15 top movies you likely didn't see, 15 best straight-to-streaming flicks and 30 movies worth catching up on over the summer.
When an awards body has spent almost a century handing out high-profile gongs in a field that garners plenty of attention, it really should be past the point of smashing records and making history. But the Academy Awards hasn't been particularly inclusive or diverse over its 93-year run to-date — which is why 2021's big winner is still breaking boundaries. When Chloé Zhao was nominated for this year's Best Director Oscar for Nomadland, she already achieved an immense feat. Only five female filmmakers had ever even made it to the awards ceremony in the coveted field before 2021, and she joined Promising Young Woman's Emerald Fennell among this year's candidates. This marked the first time ever that two women had received recognition in the same year in the category, too, because when it comes to realising that yes, women are filmmakers, the Academy's track record has been nothing short of abysmal. Now, with the awards handed out and winners anointed, Zhao has become the first woman of colour to ever emerge victorious in the field. She's only the second woman to ever win as well. Zhao ended up with two awards, because Nomadland won Best Picture and she was one of the film's producers. But the importance of her win for Best Director really can't be understated. Zhao joins The Hurt Locker's Kathryn Bigelow, who nabbed the prize in 2009, as the only two women who've ever scooped the field. And, with their nominations, both Zhao and Fennell joined Bigelow, Lina Wertmüller (for Seven Beauties), Jane Campion (for The Piano), Sofia Coppola (for Lost in Translation) and Greta Gerwig (for Lady Bird) as the only women to even get the chance to win Best Director on Hollywood's night of nights. [caption id="attachment_796213" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Director Chloé Zhao filming Nomadland. Image: Searchlight Pictures.[/caption] Nomadland is Zhao's third film, after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider — and viewers can already look forward to watching her fourth later this year. Her next movie will see the director head into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Eternals focusing on an immortal alien race, and starring Angelina Jolie (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), Kumail Nanjiani (Stuber), Salma Hayek (Like a Boss), Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses), Gemma Chan (Captain Marvel), Brian Tyree Henry (Superintelligence) and Game of Thrones co-stars Richard Madden and Kit Harington. Zhao will be working on a far bigger scale than seen in her filmography so far; however, there's a sense of empathy and a knack for observation to her features that'll hopefully make the much-needed jump to superhero territory. If you're wondering who else emerged victorious at this year's Oscars, the full list of nominees and winners in every category is below. You can also check out our in-depth overview of ten of this year's winners that are worth watching ASAP. OSCAR NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2021 BEST MOTION PICTURE The Father Judas and the Black Messiah Mank Minari Nomadland Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7 BEST DIRECTOR Another Round, Thomas Vinterberg Mank, David Fincher Minari, Lee Isaac Chung Nomadland, Chloé Zhao Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Andra Day, The United States vs Billie Holiday Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman Frances McDormand, Nomadland Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Anthony Hopkins, The Father Gary Oldman, Mank Steven Yeun, Minari PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy Olivia Colman, The Father Amanda Seyfried, Mank Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah Leslie Odom Jr, One Night in Miami Paul Raci, Sound of Metal LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Judas and the Black Messiah, Will Berson, Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenny Lucas and Keith Lucas Minari, Lee Isaac Chung Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell Sound of Metal, Darius Marder, Abraham Marder and Derek Cianfrance The Trial of the Chicago 7, Aaron Sorkin BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman and Lee Kern The Father, Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller The Mauritanian, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani and MB Traven Nomadland, Chloé Zhao The White Tiger, Ramin Bahrani BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Da 5 Bloods, Terence Blanchard Mank, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Minari, Emile Mosseri News of the World, James Newton Howard Soul, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'Fight For You', Judas and the Black Messiah (HER, Dernst Emile II and Tiara Thomas) 'Hear my Voice', The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite) 'Husavik', Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson) 'Io Si (Seen)', The Life Ahead (Diane Warren and Laura Pausini) 'Speak Now', One Night in Miami (Leslie Odom, Jr and Sam Ashworth) BEST FILM EDITING The Father, Yorgos Lamprinos Nomadland, Chloé Zhao Promising Young Woman, Frédéric Thoraval Sound of Metal, Mikkel EG Nielsen The Trial of the Chicago 7, Alan Baumgarten BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Another Round Better Days Collective The Man Who Sold His Skin Quo Vadis, Aida? BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Onward Over the Moon A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Soul Wolfwalkers BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Collective Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution The Mole Agent My Octopus Teacher Time BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Judas and the Black Messiah, Sean Bobbitt Mank, Erik Messerschmidt News of the World, Dariusz Wolski Nomadland, Joshua James Richards The Trial of the Chicago 7, Phedon Papamichael BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN The Father, Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Mark Ricker, Karen O'Hara and Diana Stoughton Mank, Donald Graham Burt and Jan Pascale News of the World, David Crank and Elizabeth Keenan Tenet, Nathan Crowley and Kathy Lucas BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Love and Monsters, Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox The Midnight Sky, Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins Mulan, Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram The One and Only Ivan, Santiago Colomo Martinez, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher Tenet, Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher BEST COSTUME DESIGN Emma, Alexandra Byrne Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Ann Roth Mank, Trish Summerville Mulan, Bina Daigeler Pinocchio, Massimo Cantini Parrini BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING Emma, Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze Hillbilly Elegy, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson Mank, Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff Pinocchio, Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti BEST SOUND Greyhound, Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman Mank, Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin News of the World, Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett Soul, Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker Sound of Metal, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Colette A Concerto is a Conversation Do Not Split Hunger Ward A Love Song for Latasha BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Burrow Genius Loci If Anything Happens I Love You Opera Yes-People BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Feeling Through The Letter Room The Present Two Distant Strangers White Eye Top image: Frances McDormand and Chloé Zhao on the set of Nomadland. Image: Searchlight Pictures. © 2020, 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved
It's that time again, film and television fans: awards season. Shiny trophies are given to deserving actors, directors, writers, producers and more, and the best and brightest movies and TV shows get the recognition that they deserve. Each year, it all starts with the Emmys in September — aka Hollywood's night of nights for everything that airs on a screen that's small, rather than big. If you really love your TV, then you probably react to the annual gongs like Leslie Jones when Regina King won Best Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie at today's ceremony. Or, maybe you're as joyous and shocked as Jen Svendsen, the girlfriend of Glenn Weiss, when the latter proposed to her during his acceptance speech for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special for his work directing the Oscars. Hosted by Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost and Michael Che, the night saw Che give out reparation Emmys to black talents who were overlooked in previous years, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen took everyone through the history of the awards, and #MeToo earned more than a few mentions. Trophy-wise, a number of long-term hits picked up gongs — yes, Game of Thrones won Best Outstanding Drama — while newcomers and overlooked favourites did, too. Of course, some series were cheated. We'll never forget the fact that the third season of Twin Peaks barely received any nominations, or that David Lynch didn't win best director. But, regardless, we've all still got plenty to add to our must-see list. Hope your couch is comfy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkxxnqStVbk BARRY What it's about: Assassins are people too in Barry. Actually, the eponymous post-traumatic stress-afflicted sniper turned hitman-for-hire is also an aspiring actor trying to take classes in Los Angeles, after stumbling upon his new calling during a job. He's also attempting to cope with his disorder, and hoping to get out of the murdering game. Bill Hader has never been better than in this dark comedy, which he also co-created, co-wrote and directed episodes of — with Henry Winkler also memorable as Barry's acting coach. Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Bill Hader), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Henry Winkler). Where to watch it: Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL What it's about: In New York City in 1958, Miriam 'Midge' Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) has become accustomed to waiting in the wings while her husband tries his hand at stand-up comedy. Then she takes to the stage herself, and this blend of comedy and drama follows the revolutionary aftermath. Picking up best comedy or musical TV series and best lead actress in a comedy or musical TV series at the Golden Globes, too, it's the latest show from Gilmore Girls and Bunheads mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino. Won: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Rachel Brosnahan), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Alex Borstein), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Amy Sherman-Palladino), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Amy Sherman-Palladino). Where to watch it: Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgTtyfgzGc0 BLACK MIRROR What it's about: What isn't Black Mirror about, really? Dreaming up creepily dystopian futures based on society's ever-increasing dependence on technology, the Charlie Brooker-created anthology series has touched upon everything from social media to drones to political scandals to bringing back the dead, and that's just a handful of topics. In its fourth season, it specifically explored toxic fandom in Emmy-winning episode U.S.S. Callister, which looks like a comic take on Star Trek but delves into much darker — and also funnier — territory. Won: Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special (William Bridges, Charlie Brooker). Where to watch it: Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7vrC95RwB8 AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE What it's about: It's all there in the name with the second series of anthology effort American Crime Story, which turns real-life crimes into on-screen dramas under the guidance of Glee and American Horror Story executive producer Ryan Murphy. Where the first season covered the OJ Simpson case and won a heap of Emmys, this time around it's the 1997 shooting of fashion designer Gianni Versace that's in the spotlight, with a cast that includes Édgar Ramírez as Versace, Ricky Martin as his long-term boyfriend, Penélope Cruz as his sister Donatella and Darren Criss as the man responsible for a tragic killing spree. Won: Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Ryan Murphy), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Darren Criss). Where to watch it: Foxtel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMUiRYoc76A GODLESS What it's about: In the town of La Belle, New Mexico, most of the men have been killed in a mining accident, leaving the women to hold the fort, hold firearms and just generally hold their own. Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery and Nurse Jackie's Merritt Weaver do just that, while Jeff Daniels plays a gun-toting outlaw and Skins' Jack O'Connell co-stars as the partner he's trying to hunt down. Set in the 1880s, and produced by Steven Soderbergh, clearly this is a western — and a seven-episode mini-series as well. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Jeff Daniels), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Merritt Wever). Where to watch it: Netflix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIn_MH8_2ig THE AMERICANS What it's about: Spanning six seasons and finishing up earlier in 2018, The Americans takes viewers into the thick of the Cold War during the early 1980s. Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) seem like the perfect ordinary couple, with two kids to match and a life in suburbia, but they're actually KGB officers living undercover and spying on the US for Russia. Drama ensues, clearly, in a period-set series that was a critical hit across its entire run. Spy twists, turns and thrills aren't relegated to the big screen, after all. Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Matthew Rhys), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Joel Fields, Joseph Weisberg). Where to watch it: Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLRcgftdh3w WESTWORLD What it's about: Imagine a theme park that takes you to another world (and no, regular amusement parks don't count). At Westworld, attendees feel like they've stepped back to America's wild west, all thanks to a completely immersive park filled with human-like androids that talk, shoot, drink and do plenty of other things as well. It's a fantastic premise, which proved the case when author Michael Crichton turned it into a movie back in 1973, and still remains true now. And with Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Thandie Newton and James Marsden among the robots — or 'hosts' — wandering around, HBO's take on Westworld also comes with a stacked cast. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Thandie Newton). Where to watch it: Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME2umFQ_xBA THE CROWN What it's about: It's the biographical show that made everyone interested in the royal family again, not only thanks to its behind-the-scenes dramas, but courtesy of its stellar cast. Across the first two seasons of this period drama, Claire Foy transforms into a young Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith into her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, starting with their marriage in 1947 and covering their lives until the early 1960s. Foy dedicated her award to her fellow actors, who have all been replaced for the series third and fourth seasons, with Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies taking on the central roles. Won: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Claire Foy). Where to watch it: Netflix.
In this age of seemingly endless streaming platforms — with newcomers vying for your eyeballs every week, or so it seems — there's never a shortage of things to watch. New movies hit the likes of Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and DocPlay all the time, as well as the plethora of other online viewing services, all ready to be watched and enjoyed by your ravenous eyeballs. With such an ongoing onslaught of content fighting for everyone's attention, it's easy to miss the highlights. Or, to put a new film in your queue, then keep watching Tiger King and completely forget all about it. To help, we round up the best streaming highlights each and every month. But, in case you've missed any of our movie picks, we've also compiled a list of the standout flicks we've recommended over the past year that are still available for you to stream — and are well worth your attention — this very moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8 UNCUT GEMS The best film of 2020, based on Australian release dates, might only screen on Netflix on our shores. That might seem a big call, but the anxiety-dripping, riveting Uncut Gems is a stone-cold masterpiece, complete with one of the greatest performances of Adam Sandler's career (alongside Punch-Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)). Far, far removed from his Netflix comedies of late, the actor is all hustle and bustle as Jewish American diamond-district jeweller Howard Ratner. A compulsive gambler who is deeply in debt, about to get divorced and being shaken down by a loan shark (Eric Bogosian) he's related to by marriage, he's always trying to lure in high-profile clientele. When he comes into possession of a rare black opal — the uncut gem of the title — basketballer Kevin Garnett becomes interested, sparking a wild chain of events. Writer/directors Josh and Benny Safdie last worked their gritty, vivid and relentlessly tense magic with the Robert Pattinson-starring Good Time to exhilarating and mesmerising effect, and this uncompromisingly chaotic thriller and all-round exceptional character study is even better. Uncut Gems is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul5GFfMAvtg THE REPORT One of 2019's late highlights is based on a US Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture. No, that's not a sentence that comes up very often. Directed by Contagion, Side Effects and The Laundromat screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, The Report recreates the experiences of real-life Senate staffer Daniel Jones, who, from 2009–2015, delved into the scandalous treatment of terrorist suspects by America's key intelligence agency. It mightn't sound riveting on the page, but as Jones dives deeper into a dark part of recent American history, weathers hefty opposition and dedicates himself to ascertaining the truth, The Report makes for gripping viewing. Adam Driver serves up his latest stellar performance as the committed investigator and, while the film belongs to its star and its subject matter, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Michael C. Hall and Corey Stoll also leave an imprint. The Report is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9YEKRJ4TA4 I LOST MY BODY Forget the latest version of The Addams Family — the best movie to feature a detached hand scrambling around on its own five fingers is French animation I Lost My Body. A deserved winner of the Critics' Week Grand Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Jérémy Clapin's rich and textured picture adapts a novel by Amelie screenwriter Guillaume Laurant's and intertwines two narrative threads. Imbued with a bittersweet mood, the film charts the efforts of pizza delivery pizza Naofel (Hakim Faris) to earn the attention of young librarian Gabrielle (Victoire Du Bois), while also following the exploits of the aforementioned autonomous appendage as it roams around town. The imagery, including visuals framed from the hand's perspective, is sumptuous. The emotional journey, complete with thrills, spills and ample melancholy, finds the balance between whimsical and weighty. Poetic, ruminative and entertaining, this is the best animated movie of the year. I Lost My Body is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td0oBCWO_I4 THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE Talk about perfect casting. If you're going to make a movie about a meek, mild-mannered accountant who spends the bulk of his time alone, doesn't fit in with his frat boy co-workers and is struggling to cope with being violently attacked — and you're making a black comedy that firmly and sharply skewers toxic masculinity, too — then you want Jesse Eisenberg as your lead. Drawing upon experience in the likes of The Social Network and the Zombieland films, he's pitch-perfect as the aforementioned Casey, including when he seems to find solace in the teachings and classes of a local karate dojo. Also starring Imogen Poots (Eisenberg's co-star in Vivarium), and written and directed by filmmaker Riley Stearns (Faults), this smart blend of satire, statement and thrills never makes the obvious choice; however it does drum up plenty of laughs. The Art of Self-Defense is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JLUn2DFW4w EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE Six years after he was last seen driving off into the night, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) finally made a comeback. That's how long it was for Breaking Bad fans; however, for the character, absolutely no time passed. Picking up where the show's grim finale left off, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie explores what comes next for Walter White (Bryan Cranston)'s former meth-cooking partner. The cops are on his trail, but Skinny Pete (Charles Barker) and Badger (Matt Jones) are on hand to help. As Jesse tries to find a way forward, plenty of flashbacks also flesh out and reshape his story. While El Camino might be superfluous — Jesse didn't really need this lap of honour, and viewers didn't really need such a definitive conclusion — it's still an immense pleasure to return to the Breaking Bad realm, especially with series creator Vince Gilligan at the helm. Of course, Better Call Saul has been letting audiences do that since 2015, but every BB aficionado has a soft spot for Jesse, his love of saying "yo", and his fondness for science and magnets. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHBcWHY9lN4 ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE It's a little unfair to say that Always Be My Maybe is worth watching for Keanu Reeves. He's not the film's star, with those honours going to writers and comedians Ali Wong and Randall Park; however, he's an unmissable force of nature not only playing the man who could thwart the movie's central romance, but also playing a heightened, exaggerated, ultra sensual version of himself. Yes, it's as glorious as it sounds. Always Be My Maybe is never as entertainingly chaotic when Reeves isn't around, but it's a charming, topical rom-com from start to finish, albeit one that hits familiar genre beats. A little charisma goes a long way, however, and Wong and Park (and Reeves, obviously) have it in spades in a movie that also marks the film directorial debut of Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23's Nahnatchka Khan. Always Be My Maybe is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMfyueM-ZBQ TOGO As moving a dog-focused movie as you're ever likely to see, Togo tells an extraordinary true tale. You might've already heard of Balto, the sled dog who came to fame for running 53 miles in a snow storm to help fetch diphtheria anti-toxin for a small Alaskan town back in 1925. That canine is clearly a hero — but another Siberian Husky named Togo actually led the pack that ran the bulk of the distance, covering a huge 260 miles over ice and snow. So, this heartfelt and action-packed movie tells the latter's story. Starring Willem Dafoe as his owner Leonhard Seppala, it's endearing from start to finish. In earnest mode, Dafoe is typically excellent, while the cute pooch acting is first-rate as well. And while director Ericson Core did a terrible job of 2015's needless Point Break remake, he does exactly what he needs to here. Togo is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q57D6kF5B1k THE PERFECTION With Get Out and now The Perfection, Allison Williams appears to have an on-screen type, playing ambitious women who'll do whatever it takes to get what they want, including getting their hands dirty. But this Netflix horror film doesn't just throw the Girls star into familiar territory and ask her to follow in her own footsteps, even if that's how it initially seems. Williams plays cello prodigy Charlotte Willmore, who, after her career is cut short, befriends her replacement Lizzie (Logan Browning) during a trip to China. Where the narrative twists and turns from there is best discovered by watching, but filmmaker Richard Shepard has made a feistily immersive genre piece with thrills, body horror and a timely statement. The Perfection is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Vm_Awe3bw MINDING THE GAP When Free Solo took out this year's Academy Award for Best Documentary, it was a thoroughly deserving winner, as anyone who's sweated through the true rock-climbing tale can attest. If the trophy had been handed to Minding the Gap instead, however, the Oscars wouldn't have made a mistake. Directed by Bing Liu and also featuring the filmmaker on-screen, this intimate doco steps into the lives of three Illinois residents as they cope with life's stresses, endeavour to find solace in skateboarding, and wrestle with society's expectations of them as young men. While every kickflip and ollie looks and feels equally raw and astonishing, the action footage has nothing on the film's real rollercoaster ride: the film's three subjects and their stories of domestic and substance abuse, living on the margins, and trying to navigate both economic and racial oppression. Minding the Gap is available to stream via DocPlay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEoJuTRZDjk EARTHQUAKE BIRD After exploring the life of writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette in last year's Keira Knightley-starring biopic Colette, British writer/director Wash Westmoreland jumps from late 19th- and early 20th-century France to Tokyo circa 1989. That's where Swedish expat Lucy Fly (Alicia Vikander) lives, works and starts to date Japanese photographer Teiji (Naoki Kobayashi). And, with the film framed through a police interrogation, that's where she also becomes a suspect in a missing persons case that could also be a murder. Based on Susanna Jones' 2001 novel of the same name, Earthquake Bird charts the fallout after American Lily Bridges (Riley Keough) arrives in town, befriends Lucy and then disappears — after getting close to Teiji. The film takes its time to solve its central mystery, but that patient approach comes packaged with sumptuous visuals, appropriately contrasting portrayals by its female stars (Vikander is icy and restrained, Keough is lively and vibrant), and a considerable command over its slow-burn thrills and tension. Earthquake Bird is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDQm70Q9hKI GUAVA ISLAND Last year, when Coachella hit, Donald Glover delivered audiences everywhere a treat — whether you were at the Californian festival or not. The artist also known as Childish Gambino teamed up with his Atlanta director Hiro Murai, his screenwriter brother Stephen Glover, Black Panther's Letitia Wright, Game of Thrones' Nonso Anozie and, oh, none other than Rihanna, for a new film called Guava Island. Filled with Glover's music (naturally), it premiered at a specially built theatre at the fest to tie in with Glover's headlining set, and it's also available to stream via Amazon's streaming platform. The thoughtful and delightful film follows Deni Maroon (Glover), a Cuban musician trying to put on a festival on the titular island, all while battling his tyrannical employer. Guava Island is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT4bnfULz2s THE KING Since he came to widespread fame in Call Me By Your Name, Timothée Chalamet has become cinematic royalty. In The King, he embraces that status. Stepping into both historical and Shakespearean territory, he plays Hal, aka King Henry V, in a slow-building but astute drama based on the Bard's Henriad plays. Perfectly content never to take 15th-century England's top job, Hal nonetheless finds himself donning the crown — and, thanks to a war with France, following in his father's (Ben Mendelsohn) footsteps in more ways than one. Directed by Australian filmmaker David Michod and co-written with his Animal Kingdom star Joel Edgerton, The King plays up the internal and external conflict, tones down the language and, when it comes to political manoeuvring, finds much to muse on. Michod and cinematographer Adam Arkapaw particularly revel in the film's battle scenes, while, cast-wise, the sight of Chalamet facing off against a long-haired, French-accented, almost-comedic Robert Pattinson is the stuff that the internet's dreams are made of. Edgerton, Sean Harris (Mission: Impossible – Fallout ), Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace) and Lily-Rose Depp all also make an impact. The King is available to stream via Netflix.
At this point, Maybe Sammy not appearing on The World's 50 Best Bars' prestigious annual rankings would be a shock. The personality-packed retro cocktail lounge in Sydney's CBD has earned a spot on the coveted list six years in a row. However, while its previous rankings have earned it the laurel of the nation's best bar, that honour has this year been given to a different watering hole — Caretaker's Cottage in Melbourne. The Little Lonsdale Street bar ranked 21st on this year's list, moving up two spots from its 2023 position of 23rd place. It was also awarded the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award — a gong also previously won by Maybe Sammy — which recognises the bar with the most outstanding service in the world. [caption id="attachment_922565" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caretaker's Cottage[/caption] Maybe Sammy dropped in the rankings this year from 15th to 26th position, breaking its five-year streak as not only Australia's best bar but also Australasia's. One other Australian bar, Byrdi, also earned a spot on the list, in 35th position, breaking into the top 50 for the first time after only making the 100-strong longlist last year, ranking 61st. The judging panel praised Caretaker's Cottage's owners, veteran bartenders Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks and Matt Stirling, for not only opening the bar but also working there too. "They don't shout the pedigree of Caretaker's Cottage to the world, preferring to call it a simple, local pub, and in vibe and design it's very much a neighbourhood joint," the judging notes said. [caption id="attachment_743915" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maybe Sammy, Trent van der Jagt[/caption] The judging panel said Maybe Sammy "has remained [Sydney's] most talked-about bar since it opened in early 2019, lighting up a dreary stretch of street in Sydney's sandstone district, The Rocks," also spotlighting the bar's signature combination of "theatrics and attentive, fun service". Byrdi was praised for its hyper-local focus, with the judging panel noting that the La Trobe Street venue "might very well be the most Australian bar in existence". The judges also highlighted the bar's technical prowess: "There is foraging and fermenting and vacuum distilling – and the drinks are high-concept creations. As for the service, there is a loquaciousness here, a laid back, casual sensibility that, despite all the hard work, experience and knowledge, is determined to show their guests a good time." [caption id="attachment_921792" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Byrdi, Haydn Cattach[/caption] The bar crowned the world's best, announced at a ceremony in Madrid on Tuesday, October 22, was Mexico City's Handshake Speakeasy, with the judges hailing the subtle complexity of the menu: "At first glance, the drinks list is minimalist, but given that head bartender Eric Van Beek uses advanced culinary techniques in prep, each drink is more complex than meets the eye." To see the full list of this year's rankings, head to The World's 50 Best Bars website.
When Dark Mofo announced its 2023 lineup, it promised a sleepover. The Tasmanian festival also promised everything from a Twin Peaks-inspired ball to Soda Jerk's latest film; however, slumbering at the gleefully weird, wild and wonderful winter event was always going to stand out. Usually, Dark Mofo attendees are doing anything but catching 40 winks, instead staying up all night and making the most of the jam-packed program — not popping on their pyjamas and bunking down for the evening. The sleepover comes courtesy of Max Richter's SLEEP, which returns to Australia for a new eight-and-a-half-hour overnight stint. The session kicks off on Wednesday, June 14, greets the day on Thursday, June 15 and, unsurprisingly, is already sold out. Fancy playing along — well, kipping along — at home in your own bed? Dark Mofo is now making that happening with a live broadcast of the entire Australian-exclusive performance. [caption id="attachment_659938" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Allan[/caption] If you're new to Richter's and to SLEEP, attendees get some shuteye while Richter's compositions play. The former usually happens on beds at venues around the world, and the latter is based on the neuroscience of nodding off. In the past, Richter's SLEEP performances have been held at the Sydney Opera House, Philharmonie de Paris and Grand Park in Los Angeles, as well as at New York City's Spring Studios, London's Barbican and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. There's even a documentary about it that'll instantly get you excited if you aren't already. [caption id="attachment_659957" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rahi Rezvani[/caption] Lucky Dark Mofo ticketholders will be dozing at MAC2, but everyone else can join in and get the SLEEP experience by tuning into Edge Radio for the night. The live broadcast will start at 11.59pm on Wednesday, June 14, running until 8am on Thursday, June 15, so don't go planning an early start at work that morning. What makes SLEEP so unique? It isn't just a case of Richter and the American Contemporary Music Ensemble performing all night in different spots around the globe. The piece is informed by the neuroscience of sleep and takes its moniker seriously. Accordingly, it features slow-paced movements to help listeners tune out everything but the music as they slip into slumber — and to slow down their own pace in general. Yes, it's basically a lullaby — and it's enchanting. Here's a glimpse of SLEEP from its stint at the Sydney Opera House in 2016: Max Richter's SLEEP will broadcast live from Dark Mofo 2023 from 11.59pm on Wednesday, June 14–8am on Thursday, June 15 via Edge Radio. Dark Mofo 2023 runs from Thursday, June 8–Thursday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. For more information, head to the festival's website. You can also check out our wholesome-to-hedonistic guide, which'll help you stack your Dark Mofo itinerary based on the level of chaos you're after — and our Dark Mofo picks for last-minute planners. Top image: Max Richter - SLEEP im Kraftwerk Berlin am 15.03.2016. Foto: Stefan Hoederath.
Since Euphoria last hit screens in 2022, 2023 added Saltburn to Jacob Elordi's resume, then 2024 Down Under brought Priscilla. In 2025, viewers will be watching the Australian star in The Narrow Road to the Deep North. The Australian-made five-part miniseries was initially announced a couple of years back, then unveiled a few sneak-peak images last year. Now, Prime Video has locked in the show's streaming debut for April. Put Friday, April 18, 2025 in your diary, and consider your Easter long-weekend viewing sorted. The Narrow Road to the Deep North will premiere at this year's Berlinale first, getting a rare cinema showing, before bringing its page-to-screen tale to streaming. Before all of the above projects, and also before the three Kissing Booth films helped boost his career first, Elordi scored his initial on-screen acting credit beyond short films in Aussie movie Swinging Safari. Since then, however, the Brisbane-born talent has largely focused on working overseas. So The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a rarity of late on his filmography, with the actor returning home to make the drama. The series adapts Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. Also featuring among the show's starry lineup of talent: Olivia DeJonge (Elvis), her The Staircase co-star Odessa Young (My First Film), Limbo and Boy Swallows Universe's Simon Baker; Heartbreak High's Thomas Weatherall, Love Me's Heather Mitchell and Belfast's Ciarán Hinds — as well as Show Kasamatsu (Tokyo Vice), Charles An (Last King of the Cross), Essie Davis (One Day), William Lodder (Love Me), Eduard Geyl (Born to Spy) and Christian Byers (Bump) The project's impressive talent extend behind the camera, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North hailing from Snowtown, True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram collaborators Justin Kurzel and Shaun Grant. Kurzel directs, while Grant is on adaptation duties — and both are also executive producing. [caption id="attachment_927127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic for HBO via Getty Images, supplied by Prime Video.[/caption] Elordi shares the role of Dorrigo Evans with Hinds, playing the younger version of the character in a tale that jumps between different time periods. The Narrow Road to the Deep North's protagonist is a Lieutenant who becomes a prisoner of war on the Thailand-Burma Railway. His story encompasses becoming a surgeon and war hero, and a life-changing stint of falling in love with Amy Mulvaney (Young). DeJonge and Baker feature with Elordi and Young in the show's 40s-set segments, where World War II obviously casts a shadow. Hinds hops in when the series gets to the 80s, which is where Mitchell, Weatherall, Kasamatsu and An will pop up as well. [caption id="attachment_947836" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HBO[/caption] [caption id="attachment_919075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saltburn[/caption] The Narrow Road to the Deep North will stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Prime Video.
