Just as hearts will go on, so will everyone's fascination with the Titanic: the ill-fated vessel and the film of the same name. Where the latter is concerned, it has been two decades since Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet stepped onboard James Cameron's Oscar-winning behemoth, danced, flirted, fell in love and fell afoul of an iceberg, but cinemas aren't done with the box-office hit yet. To be fair, however, the movie's latest outing isn't exactly in your usual picture palace. In November, Beyond Cinema will screen Titanic in the way you never thought you'd see it: on a ship in Sydney Harbour as part of a live event that not only lets you pretend you're on the real thing, but re-enacts the feature. They're calling it a unique cinema experience designed to take you into the movie, aka Titanic cosplay. If you're a fan, you'd best hold onto your necklaces and maybe bring your own door to use as a raft. The Titanic Experience is the maiden voyage in a planned series of similar events, with screening The Shawshank Redemption in a jail one of the next on the agenda according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Of course, they're not the first to jump into the immersive, interactive cinema space — Underground Cinema and World Movies Secret Cinema are just some of the organisations that have done the same thing, and Brisbane has had its own pop-up prison cinema as well. Still, Titanic on a boat sounds like a watery treat. Information regarding specific dates and prices is also yet to be announced; however anyone interested in pretending they're the king of the world can sign up for pre-release details on the Beyond Cinema website. Beyond Cinema's Titanic screening will take place in November. For more details, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
You're feeling festive. You're also feeling like tucking into some fried chicken. But, because it isn't December yet, your two-piece feed probably doesn't feel all that merry. Enter KFC's latest piece of merchandise, which is being released to celebrate Christmas in July — but can obviously be worn whenever you need some yuletide cheer and some of the Colonel's secret herbs and spices in your life at the same time. The item in question: a red-and-white Christmas jumper. To use the very words stitched onto it, alongside tiny little chicken drumsticks and buckets of KFC: 'tis the seasonings. Clearly, it's the only thing that you should be decked out in whenever you treat yo'self to some of the fast food chain's fare. If you like to pair your chook pieces with VB for some reason, and you already bought one of the beer brand's own Christmas sweaters last year, you'll now have two festive pieces of apparel to choose from. KFC's version costs $59.95, comes in seven sizes spanning from extra small to triple extra large, and is available to purchase now. That said, they're a limited-edition item, so you'll need to get in quickly if you just can't imagine eating chicken while donning anything else. The brand is donating all of the proceeds to charity partners The Black Dog Institute, ReachOut Australia and Whitelion, too, so you'll be giving them a Christmas in July gift as well. Because KFC does like to theme as many things as it possible can with its own brand — it has given the world KFC cocktails, a KFC meditation track that sounds like chicken frying and gravy simmering, a KFC wedding service and a KFC augmented reality game, after all — it has paired the new jumper with a new Christmas tune as well. Well, a fresh spin on the classic carol 'Deck the Halls', to be exact, with Dune Rats doing the honours. You can listen to the new track below, probably while you're trying to ignore your chicken cravings: KFC's 'Christmas in July' jumper is available for purchase online now, but it's only available for a limited time.
Like the finer stuff when it comes to eating and drinking? Keen on multi-course meals with carefully matched food and beverage options? If you said yes to both and you love craft beer, then let Newstead Brewing Co. take you on a journey. Browse through pale, golden and amber ales as well as porters, as served with a mouth-watering selection of tasty treats, while you enjoy everything from a fire-twirling performance to an auction — complete with prizes. And not only will the event fill your bellies with goodness, but it'll make a difference too, with all funds raised going towards providing vital services for people with cystic fibrosis.
Back in 2018, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that it was adding a new award to the Oscars for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film. If you can't remember which flicks have won it, there's a reason for that: the gong was scrapped quickly thanks to a heap of backlash. Across plenty of years since, the reason that that accolade wasn't needed has been proven. Black Panther, Joker, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Oppenheimer and Barbie have all featured heavily among the nominations, for instance — and everything except Barbenheimer so far has notched up wins. Both Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig's latest films are among the flicks with the most nominations in 2024, with 13 and eight apiece. They're also massive global box-office hits. So, going into this year's ceremony, you've likely seen at least those two contenders — but if you're wondering where to catch everything else, we've got the rundown. We've predicted who we think will emerge victorious, but the winners will be anointed on Monday, March 11, Down Under time. Right now in Australia, you can catch up with 31 movies that are hoping to score trophies. Some you need to hit the cinema to see. Others you can catch on the couch. With a few, you have the choice of heading out or staying home. From Barbenheimer (of course) and twists on Frankenstein to animated Spider-Man antics and devastating documentaries, here's where to direct your eyeballs. On the Big Screen: Anatomy of a Fall Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Justine Triet), Best Actress (Sandra Hüller), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing Our thoughts: A calypso instrumental cover of 50 Cent's 'P.I.M.P.' isn't the only thing that Anatomy of a Fall's audience won't be able to dislodge from their heads after watching 2023's deserving Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner. A film from writer/director Justine Triet (Sibyl) that's thorny, knotty and defiantly unwilling to give any easy answers, this legal, psychological and emotional thriller about a woman (Sandra Hüller, The Zone of Interest) on trial for her husband's death is unshakeable in as many ways as someone can have doubts about another person: so, a myriad. Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. Four Daughters Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: There's a reason that Four Daughters can't include its entire namesake quartet, with just two appearing on-screen themselves and the other two played by actors. Unlike the younger Eya and Tayssir, the older Rahma and Ghofrane are no longer at home with their mother Olfa; instead, they left their family after becoming radicalised, with Islamic State in Libya their destination. So explores Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania (The Man Who Sold His Skin), in a documentary that's as gripping as it is heartbreaking — and uses recreations with a purpose unlike almost any other movie. Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. May December Nominations: Best Original Screenplay Our thoughts: May December takes inspiration from Mary Kay Letourneau, the teacher who had a sexual relationship with her sixth-grade student in the 90s. A simple recreation was never going to be Todd Haynes' (Dark Waters) approach, however. Starring Julianne Moore (Sharper) and Charles Melton (Riverdale) as its central couple decades after the scandal, plus Natalie Portman (Thor: Love and Thunder) as an actor about to feature in a movie about them, this a savvily piercing film that sees the impact on the situation's victim, the story its perpetrator has spun, and the ravenous way that people's lives are consumed by the media and public. Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. The Zone of Interest Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Glazer), Best International Feature, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound Our thoughts: Quotes and observations about evil being mundane, as well as the result when people look the other way, will never stop being relevant. A gripping, unsettling masterpiece, The Zone of Interest is a window into why. The first film by Sexy Beast, Birth and Under the Skin director Jonathan Glazer in more than a decade, the Holocaust-set and BAFTA-winning feature peers on as the unthinkable happens literally just over the fence, but a family goes about its ordinary life. If it seems abhorrent that anything can occur in the shadow of any concentration camp or site of World War II atrocities, that's part of the movie's point. Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. In Cinemas or at Home: The Holdovers Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Paul Giamatti), Best Supporting Actress (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing Our thoughts: Melancholy, cantankerousness, angst, hurt and snow all blanket Barton Academy in Alexander Payne's (Nebraska) The Holdovers. It's Christmas 1970 in New England in this thoughtful story that's given room to breathe and build, but festive cheer is in short supply among the students and staff that give the movie its moniker. Soon, there's just three folks left behind: Angus Tully (debutant Dominic Sessa), whose mother wants more time alone with his new stepdad; curmudgeonly professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti, Billions); and grieving cook Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Only Murders in the Building). Where to watch: In Australian cinemas, and streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Killers of the Flower Moon Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Actress (Lily Gladstone), Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song ('Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)', Scott George), Best Production Design Our thoughts: Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon quickly. Death comes often, too. While Martin Scorsese will later briefly fill the film's frames with a fiery orange vision, 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, this is a masterpiece of a Lily Gladstone (Reservation Dogs)-, Leonardo DiCaprio (Don't Look Up)- and Robert De Niro (Amsterdam)-starring movie about a heartbreakingly horrible spate of deaths sparked by pure and unapologetic greed and persecution a century back. Where to watch: In Australian cinemas, and streaming via Apple TV+, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Martin Scorsese. Poor Things Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Yorgos Lanthimos), Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Production Design Our thoughts: Richly striking feats of cinema by Yorgos Lanthimos aren't scarce, and sublime performances by Emma Stone are hardly infrequent. The Favourite, their first collaboration, ticked both boxes. Screen takes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein also couldn't be more constant. Combining the three in Poor Things results in a rarity, however: a jewel of a pastel-, jewel- and bodily fluid-toned feminist Frankenstein-esque fairy tale that's a stunning creation, as zapped to life with Lanthimos' inimitable flair, a mischievous air, Stone at her most extraordinary and empowerment blazing like a lightning bolt. Where to watch: In Australian cinemas, and streaming via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Via Streaming: American Fiction Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright), Best Supporting Actor (Sterling K Brown), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score Our thoughts: Here's Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison's (Jeffrey Wright, Rustin) predicament when American Fiction begins: on the page, his talents aren't selling books. So, sick of hearing that his work isn't "Black enough", he gets a-typing, pumping out the kind of text that he vehemently hates — but 100-percent fits the stereotype of what the world keeps telling him that Black literature should be. It attracts interest, even more so when Monk adopts a cliched new persona to go with it. Wright is indeed exceptional in this savvy satire of authenticity, US race relations and class chasms, and earns his awards contention for his reactions alone. Where to watch: Streaming via Prime Video. Read our full review. American Symphony Nominations: Best Original Song ('It Never Went Away', Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson) Our thoughts: Jon Batiste has enjoyed a dream career so far, with the musician packing more into his 37 years than most people do in a lifetime. Matthew Heineman's (Retrograde) American Symphony isn't that tale, though. Instead, it spends a year with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's former bandleader and Soul Oscar-winner — a year where he's nominated for 11 Grammys, and endeavours to compose the symphony that gives this intimate and touching documentary its name. Also shaping the 12 months: in his personal life, grappling with the return of his wife and bestselling author Suleika Jaouad's leukaemia. Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Barbie Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ryan Gosling), Best Supporting Actress (America Ferrera), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song ('I'm Just Ken', Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt; 'What Was I Made For?', Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell), Best Costume Design, Best Production Design Our thoughts: No one plays with a Barbie too hard when the Mattel product is fresh out of the box. The more that the toy is trotted through DreamHouses, though, the more that playing with the plastic fashion model becomes fantastical. Like globally beloved item, like live-action movie bearing its name. Barbie, the film, starts with glowing aesthetic perfection. It's almost instantly a pink-hued paradise for the eyes, and it's also cleverly funny. The longer that it continues, however, the harder and wilder that director Greta Gerwig (Little Women) goes, as does her lead-slash-producer Margot Robbie (Babylon) as Barbie and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) as Ken. Where to watch: Streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Bobi Wine: The People's President Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: In western countries where democracy is entrenched, the system of government is too easily taken for granted. Bobi Wine: The People's President shows what the fight for a nation that's free, fair and gives its people a voice looks like, chronicling the plight of its titular figure. Bobi Wine was an Ugandan pop star, and a popular one. Then, in response to the autocratic rule of Yoweri Museveni since 1986, he turned to political activism. Filmmakers Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp, both first-time directors, also show how important and difficult his quest is — and there isn't a second of this documentary that isn't riveting. Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+. The Color Purple Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Danielle Brooks) Our thoughts: On the page, stage and screen, The Color Purple's narrative has mostly remained the same, crushing woe, infuriating prejudice and rampant inequity included. Musicals don't have to be cheery, but how does so much brutality give rise to anything but mournful songs? The answer here: by leaning into the rural Georgia-set tale's embrace of hope, resilience and self-discovery. Ghanaian director Blitz Bazawule follows up co-helming Beyoncé's Black Is King by heroing empowerment and emancipation in his iteration of The Color Purple — and while it's easy to see the meaning behind its striving for a brighter outlook. Where to watch: Streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Creator Nominations: Best Sound, Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Science fiction has never been afraid of unfurling its futuristic visions on the third rock from the sun, but the resulting films have rarely been as earthy as The Creator. Set from 2065 onwards after the fiery destruction of Los Angeles, this tale of humanity clashing with artificial intelligence is visibly awash with technology that doesn't currently exist — and yet the latest movie from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards, which focuses on an undercover military operative Joshua (John David Washington, Amsterdam) tasked with saving the world, couldn't look or feel more authentic and grounded. Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. El Conde Nominations: Best Cinematography Our thoughts: What if Augusto Pinochet didn't die in 2006? What if the Chilean general and dictator wasn't aged 91 at the time, either? What if his story started long before his official 1915 birthdate, in France prior to the French Revolution? What if he's been living for 250 years because he's a literal monster of the undead, draining and terrifying kind? Trust Chilean filmmaking great Pablo Larraín (Ema, Neruda, The Club, No, Post Mortem and Tony Manero) to ask these questions in El Conde, which translates as The Count and marks the latest exceptional effort in a career that just keeps serving up excellent movies. Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. Elemental Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: With Elemental, Pixar is in familiar territory — so much so that this film feels like something that was always destined to happen. Embracing the the studio's now-standard "what if robots, playthings, rats and the like had feelings?, it anthropomorphises fire, water, air and earth, and ponders these aspects of nature having emotions. The result from filmmaker Pete Sohn (The Good Dinosaur) is just-likeable and sweet-enough, despite vivid animation, plus the noblest of aims to survey the immigrant experience, opposites attracting, breaking down cultural stereotypes and borders, and complicated parent-child relationships. Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Eternal Memory Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: After The Mole Agent, writer/director Maite Alberdi earns her second Oscar nomination in two successive films for a documentary that's just as layered — but she's no longer telling a caper-esque tale. This time, Augusto Góngora and Paulina Urrutia receive her attention. The former is an ex-former journalist and broadcaster. The latter is an actor and politician. Góngora's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease sits at the centre of this haunting effort, which focuses on how its central couple endeavour to cope with his memory loss, the role that reflecting on the past has on our present and future, and how love endures. Where to watch: Streaming via DocPlay. Flamin' Hot Nominations: Best Original Song ('The Fire Inside', Diane Warren) Our thoughts: The feature directorial debut of Desperate Housewives actor Eva Longoria, Flamin' Hot is a product film, as Cheetos fans will instantly know. If you've ever wondered how the Frito-Lay-owned brand's spiciest variety came about in the 90s, this energetically made movie provides the answer while itself rolling out a crowd-pleasing formula. Eating the titular snack while you watch is optional, but expect the hankering to arise either way. This story belongs to Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia, Ambulance) — and it's also an underdog tale, and an account of chasing the American dream, especially when it seems out of reach. Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+. Read our full review. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Arriving to close out a standalone trilogy within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 zooms into the saga's fifth phase with a difference: it's still a quippy comedy, but it's as much a drama and a tragedy as well. Like most on-screen GotG storylines, it's also heist caper — and as plenty of caped-crusader flicks are, within the MCU or not, it's an origin story. The more that a James Gunn-written and -directed Guardians film gets cosy within the usual Marvel template, however, the more that his branch of Marvel's pop-culture behemoth embraces its own personality. Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Nominations: Best Original Score Our thoughts: Old hat, new whip. No, that isn't Dr Henry Walton 'Indiana' Jones' shopping list, but a description of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. While the fifth film about the eponymous archaeologist is as familiar as Indy films come, it's kept somewhat snapping by the returning Harrison Ford's (Shrinking) on-screen partnership with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag). If you've seen one Indy outing in the past 42 years, you've seen the underlying mechanics of every other Indy outing. And yet, watching Ford flashing his crooked smile again, plus his bantering with Waller-Bridge, is almost enough to keep this new instalment from Ford v Ferrari filmmaker James Mangold whirring. Where to watch: Streaming via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Maestro Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Actress (Carey Mulligan), Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Our thoughts: When a composer pens music, it's the tune that they want the world to enjoy, not the marks on a page scribbling it into existence. When a conductor oversees an orchestra, the performance echoing rather than their own with baton in hand and arms waving is their gift. In Maestro, Bradley Cooper (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) is seen as Leonard Bernstein in both modes. His portrayal is so richly textured that it's a career-best turn. But Cooper as this movie's helmer and co-writer wants Maestro's audience to revel in the end result — and if he wants love showered anyone's way first, it's towards Carey Mulligan (Saltburn) as Felicia Montealegre Bernstein. Where to watch: Netflix. Read our full review. Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Nominations: Best Sound, Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Just as its lead actor's gleaming teeth do, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, the seventh instalment in the TV-to-film spy series, thoroughly shines. Like Tom Cruise (Top Gun: Maverick) himself, it's committed to giving audiences what they want to see, but never merely exactly what they've already seen. This saga hasn't always chosen to accept that mission, but it's been having a better time of it since 2011's Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, including since writer/director Christopher McQuarrie jumped behind the lens with 2015's Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Where to watch: Streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Napoleon Nominations: Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: When is a Ridley Scott (House of Gucci)-directed, Joaquin Phoenix (Beau Is Afraid)-starring trip to the past more than just a historical drama? Twice now, so whenever the filmmaker and actor team up to explore Europe centuries ago. Gladiator was the first; Napoleon follows — and where the Rome-set first was an action film as well, the second leans into comedy. This biopic of the eponymous French military star-turned-emperor can be funny. In the lead, Phoenix repeatedly boasts the line delivery, facial expressions and physical presence of someone actively courting laughs. When he declares "destiny has brought me this lamb chop!", all three coalesce. Where to watch: Streaming via Apple TV+, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. Nimona Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Bounding thoughtfully from the page to the screen — well, from pixels first, initially leaping from the web to print — Nimona goes all in on belonging. Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal) wants to fit in desperately, and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it in this animated movie's medieval-yet-futuristic world, where there's nothing more important and acclaimed than being part of the Institute for Elite Knights. But when tragedy strikes, then prejudice sets in, he only has one ally. Nimona's namesake (Chloë Grace Moretz, The Peripheral) is a shapeshifter who offers to be his sidekick regardless of his innocence or guilt. Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. Nyad Nominations: Best Actress (Annette Bening), Best Supporting Actress (Jodie Foster) Our thoughts: Most sports films about real-life exploits piece together the steps it took for a person or a team to achieve the ultimate in their field, or come as close as possible while trying their hardest. Nyad is no different, but it's also a deeply absorbing character study of two people: its namesake Diana Nyad (Annette Bening, Death on the Nile) and her best friend Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster, True Detective). The first is the long-distance swimmer whose feats the movie tracks, especially her quest to swim from Cuba to Florida in the 2010s. The second is the former professional racquetball player who became Nyad's coach when she set her sights on making history as a sexagenarian. Where to watch: Netflix. Read our full review. Oppenheimer Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr), Best Supporting Actress (Emily Blunt), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Sound Our thoughts: Cast Cillian Murphy and a filmmaker falls in love. There's an arresting, haunting, seeps-under-your-skin soulfulness about the Irish actor, including when playing "the father of atomic bomb" in Christopher Nolan's (Tenet) epic biopic Oppenheimer. Flirting with the end of the world, or just one person's end, clearly suits Murphy. Here he is in a mind-blower as the destroyer of worlds — almost, perhaps actually — and so much of this can't-look-away three-hour stunner dwells in his expressive eyes, which see purpose, possibility, quantum mechanics' promise and, ultimately, the Manhattan Project's consequences. Where to watch: Streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Past Lives Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay Our thoughts: Call it fate, call it destiny, call it feeling like you were always meant to cross paths with someone: in Korean, that sensation is in-yeon. Partway through Past Lives, Nora (Greta Lee, Russian Doll) explains the concept to Arthur (John Magaro, The Many Saints of Newark) like she knows it deep in her bones, because both she and the audience are well-aware that she does. That's what writer/director Celine Song's sublime feature debut is about, in fact. The term also applies to her connection to childhood crush Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, Decision to Leave) in this sensitive, blisteringly honest and intimately complex masterpiece. Where to watch: Streaming via Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Celine Song. Rustin Nominations: Best Actor (Colman Domingo) Our thoughts: After Selma, One Night in Miami and Judas and the Black Messiah arrives Rustin, the latest must-see movie about the minutiae of America's 60s-era civil rights movement. All four hail from Black filmmakers. All four tell vital stories. They each boast phenomenal performances, too, including from Colman Domingo (The Color Purple) as Rustin's eponymous figure. His turn as Bayard Rustin, who conceived and organised the event where Martin Luther King Jr gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, isn't merely powerful; it's a go-for-broke portrayal from a versatile talent at the top of his game while digging into the every inch of his part. Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. Society of the Snow Nominations: Best International Feature, Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: Society of the Snow isn't merely a disaster film detailing the specifics of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571's failed journey, 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. JA Bayona (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), 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. Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: When 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse took pop culture's favourite web-slinger back to its animated roots, it made flesh-and-blood superhero flicks and shows, as well as the expensive special effects behind them, look positively trivial and cartoonish. The end result was a deservedly Academy Award-winning masterpiece — and its first sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which hails from directors Joaquim Dos Santos (The Legend of Korra), Kemp Powers (Soul) and Justin K Thompson (Into the Spider-Verse's production designer), plasters around the same sensation like a Spidey shooting its silk. Where to watch: Streaming via Binge, Prime Video, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. To Kill a Tiger Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: A battle for justice sits at the heart of To Kill a Tiger, a documentary that is as powerful as it is heavy, and is also an essential piece of filmmaking. When his 13-year-old daughter becomes the victim of sexual assault, Ranjit is determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. Not that that's a straightforward feat anywhere, but it isn't the same quest in India as it is in western countries, as writer/director Nisha Pahuja (The World Before Her) examines. Ranjit is dedicated to the fight, even knowing how difficult it is — from the backlash that he receives across his village to the horrifying statistics regarding the frequency of rape in the country and the paltry conviction rate. Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix from Friday, March 8. 20 Days in Mariupol Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Incompatible with life. No one ever hears those three devastating words — one of the most distressing phrases there is — in positive circumstances. Accordingly, when they're uttered by a doctor in 20 Days in Mariupol, they're deeply shattering. So is everything in this on-the-ground portrait of the first 20 days in the Ukrainian city as Russia began its invasion, as the bleak reality of living in a war zone is documented. Directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mstyslav Chernov, that this film even exists is an achievement. What it shows — what it immerses viewers in, from shelled hospitals and basements-turned-bomb shelters to families torn apart and mass graves — can never be forgotten. Where to watch: Streaming via DocPlay. The 2024 Oscars will be announced on Monday, March 11, Australian time. For further details, head to the awards' website. Wondering who'll win? Check out our predictions.
When 2023 first kicked in, it brought a multi-sensory Frida Kahlo installation Down Under, letting art lovers in Sydney immerse themselves in the iconic Mexican artist's works. Consider that exhibition the appetiser before the main meal that is Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution: a huge winter-long tribute to Kahlo, her well-known spouse Diego Rivera and the entire Mexican modernism movement, which is now on display in Adelaide. Open at the Art Gallery of South Australia since Saturday, June 24, running until Sunday, September 17 and one of the venue's headlining exhibition for 2023, this showcase is sizeable. Visitors can currently see more than 150 works, spanning everything from paintings and photographs to works on paper and period clothing, as drawn from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution has two key aims: examining why Kahlo's work, and Kahlo herself, holds such enduring appeal; and placing Kahlo and Rivera's art in context with their contemporaries. "'Each generation brings a new lens to the profoundly inspiring figure that is Frida Kahlo. A 21st-century muse, Kahlo is today revered as a feminist and as a singular political and creative force. Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution speaks to the influence and ingenuity of art practice in Mexico and aims to recontextualise the enduring allure of Kahlo within today's society," said AGSA Director Rhana Devenport ONZM. "These iconic paintings from the extraordinary Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection form the heart of this exhibition. Close friends of Kahlo and Rivera, the Gelmans were pioneering collectors who formed an outstanding collection of works foregrounding Mexican modernism," adds Tansy Curtin, AGSA's Curator of International Art, Pre-1980s. Amid suitably colourful walls, attendees can also spy large-scale reproductions of folk art-heavy Rivera's murals. Another highlight: exploring Kahlo and Rivera's home life and artistic practice, as inspired by their La Casa Azul house and studio. That said, while Kahlo, Rivera, and their art, connection, politics and influence all sit at the centre of this wide-ranging showcase, it also highlights pieces by Manuel and Lola Álvarez Bravo, Miguel Covarrubias, María Izquierdo, Carlos Mérida, David Alfaro Siqueiros and more — as any survey of Mexican modernism should and must. Focusing on the first half of the 20th century, this an Australian-exclusive exhibition, too — meaning that you'll have to go to Adelaide to see it — as well as most comprehensive exhibition of Mexican modernism that the country has ever seen. Unsurprisingly, South Australia expects it to be a big tourist attraction. Accordingly, Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution is being accompanied by a series of events, and not just at AGSA, to cater for locals and travellers alike. Think: clay and cocktails sessions, making paper-cut flowers in the traditional Mexican decorative craft style, a dining experience to mark Mexican Independence Day, Mexican-themed menus at Adelaide restaurants and a La Casa Azul installation in Rundle Mall. Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution is on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia until Sunday, September 17, 2023. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the AGSA website. Images: installation view: Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photos: Saul Steed.
Today's workplace isn't what it used to be. While there are plenty of reasons for this, technology is a big factor as is a shift in what most people consider important in regard to job satisfaction. In order to keep pace with such societal changes, workplaces are constantly adapting the type of skills they look for in new hires. Don't be too concerned though. Open Universities Australia (OUA) and its university partners are well aware of what it takes to succeed. That's why we've teamed up with OUA to outline five of the core skills you need to thrive in every work situation. The best part? There's a fantastic range of relevant courses through university partners across Australia. Regardless of your previous education, you can enrol instantly in a number of uni subjects that will help you upskill quickly and excel in the workforce. LEARN TO NAVIGATE THE CHANGING DIGITAL LANDSCAPE We live in a time of rapid change, particularly when it comes to technology. In the modern workplace, you don't necessarily need to be the one pumping out code or building expertly designed websites, but it is important to have an understanding of how technology intersects with your work. Studying subjects like Digital Culture and Everyday Life with Curtin University through OUA allows you to get acquainted with the basics. You'll learn how the internet became a part of everyday life and its general impact on society and culture. If you're keen to get more in-depth, you can also take a look at more focused subjects such as Writing for Digital Media or Cyber Crime, which both offer very specific skillsets. LEARN TO SET BOUNDARIES AND MANAGE YOUR TIME Knowing how to set boundaries is a crucial skill in every aspect of your life. However, striking the right balance between work and play isn't always a simple task. When the lines blur (as they often can), it's common for anxiety and stress to arise, so knowing how to separate the two is a valuable skill to have. And when your student life is full-time online, meaning your university exists wherever your computer does, you'll quickly learn that those essential clear and concise limits are the only way to properly manage your time. While it may not be fun at the time, it'll definitely stand you in good stead later down the line. LEARN HOW TO LEAD AND MANAGE PEOPLE Leadership skills. We all know we're supposed to have them but how do you actually hone them? The answer is simpler than you think. Just by taking online university courses you'll learn how to keep up with deadlines and work autonomously — skills which many places look for in leaders. Or, if you want to take it a step further, you can study the 14-week Project Leadership and Teams course with the University of South Australia via OUA. You'll learn all about managing teams effectively, critical problem solving and understanding and harnessing different people's strengths and weaknesses. Plus, you'll gain some great interpersonal skills. LEARN TO MAKE AND KEEP A SAFE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT It should come as no surprise that workplace safety is critical. After all, everyone wants and deserves to work in a secure and protected environment. But what may come as a shock is that plenty of people don't even know their own workplace rights, let alone what to do if they suspect those rights are being violated. Enrolling in Griffith University's Work Health and Safety through OUA will have you up to speed with the 2011 Work Health and Safety Act in no time. Plus, you'll get a clear understanding of the main types of hazards at work — be it in the office or out in the field. LEARN HOW TO BE APPROPRIATELY CULTURALLY AWARE People from all sorts of cultural backgrounds are represented in the workplace. Aside from the fact that cultural respect and an understanding of one's own privilege should be an inherent part of life anyway, having that sort of awareness and the ability to lead by example can be extremely beneficial in a work setting. From working in teams and avoiding miscommunication to scheduling mishaps during religious holidays, studying something like Curtin University's Human Rights History Across Cultures and Religions via OUA is a great first step to building your knowledge of a diverse range of cultures beyond the western viewpoint. Because everyone deserves to be treated equally both in and outside of the workplace. Start looking at all the subjects on offer online from leading Australian unis through Open Universities Australia and you could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
It sure is no secret that Sydney's a pretty exxy place to call home. But here's some news to make you really start plotting that move interstate: a recent report on the cost of living has stuck it right up at number 10, above both New York and London. That's right, all your mates battling those killer Hackney rent prices now, apparently, have it better than you. As The Guardian reported this week, the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2018 study pushed our harbour city up four spots higher than in the same list last year, seeing it crack the top ten for the first time ever. This comes after another pice aggregation website Numbeo saw Sydney and Melbourne move up on its list too. The study compared prices across more than 150 products and services, looking at things like food, transport, utilities, clothing and rent in all the major cities. Singapore has again claimed the title of the world's most expensive city, followed by Paris, which jumped five points, and Zurich, which climbed one position. New York swapped last year's number nine ranking for a spot in 13th, while at number 30, London scored its lowest position in two decades — a fall the report's authors say has a lot to do with a little thing called Brexit. Via The Guardian.
The Art Gallery of NSW has announced the finalists for the 2016 Archibald Prize — and this year's got some good'uns. This is the 95th year for the highly sought-after portraiture award.Considered the "who's who of Australian culture", portraits entered into the prize generally depict notable Australians, from politicians and celebrities to artists and athletes. This year's finalists include Natasha Bieniek's oil painting of Wendy Whiteley (above), Clara Adolphs' portrait of actor Terry Selio, Betina Fauvel-Ogden's painting of MasterChef's George Calombaris (which is also the winner of the Packing Room Prize) and — our personal favourite — Carla Fletcher's portrait of fashion icon Linda Jackson. Seriously, look at those colours. [caption id="attachment_579238" align="alignnone" width="455"] Carla Fletcher, Twin souls, Linda Jackson, mix media on board, 200 x 150.5 cm, © the artist, Photo: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins.[/caption] The Archibald finalists will be exhibited at AGNSW from July 16 to October 9, along with the finalists for the Wynne Prize (which awards the best landscape painting of Australia or figure sculpture) and the Sulman Prize (for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project), which were also announced yesterday. After exhibiting in Sydney, the finalists will then tour regionally until August 2017, after which time the winner will be announced by the trustees of AGNSW. The winner will be awarded $100,000 in prize money and some serious bragging rights to boot. The prize was created by Jules Francois Archibald, the founding editor of The Bulletin magazine. He established the prize with the goal to promote both great Australian portraiture and great Australians. The only real stipulation within the contest is that the painting must have been created in the last 12 months and include at least one live sitting with the subject. The award is an open competition, which means that any resident of Australia or New Zealand can enter. Something to keep in mind for next year. Top image: Natasha Bieniek, Wendy Whiteley, oil on wood, 34.5 x 32.5cm, © the artist Photo: AGNSW, Mim Stirling.
In great news for cat-loving cinephiles, 2019 is shaping up to be a huge year for felines on film. Photorealistic big cats are currently prowling around the new remake of The Lion King, and they'll soon be joined by a bunch of singing, scurrying street mousers in the silver-screen adaptation of stage musical Cats. For nearly four decades, Andrew Lloyd Webber's acclaimed production has pranced across stages everywhere, turning a tale inspired by poems from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats into an award-winning theatre hit. But, while plenty of other popular musicals have made the leap to cinemas, this one hasn't until now. The first trailer for the new flick might just explain why. Ever wanted to see Taylor Swift as a preening, purring cat? Keen to soothe your disappointment over the fact that Idris Elba isn't James Bond by spotting him with whiskers, fur and a tail? Perhaps you've always dreamed of watching accomplished actors such as Judi Dench and Ian McKellen channel their inner feline? Have you ever hoped for all of the above, and for the actors to all play cat-sized cats? That's what's on offer in the just-dropped first clip, as well as a heap of dancing and singing set to the musical's famous melancholic tune 'Memory'. In terms of story, Cats zaps Swift, Elba and company down to feline height to spin a narrative about the Jellicle cat tribe, who spend a night deciding just which four-legged moggy will get to leave their group, ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. The movie comes with a significant pedigree, with Les Miserables' Tom Hooper in the director's chair, Webber on music duties, Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler doing the choreography, and the cast also spanning James Cordon, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Ray Winstone and Rebel Wilson. And yet, it all looks a little odd. Perhaps it doesn't help that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt featured a fantastic Cats parody, or perhaps it's just the film's cats-with-human-faces concept. Check out the first Cats trailer below: https://youtu.be/FtSd844cI7U Cats opens in Australian cinemas on December 26.
Long before we were all forced to indulge our international wanderlust through a screen — and only though a screen — the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival was projecting France's wonders into Australian cinemas. For the past 31 years, the annual event has let Aussie movie buffs see the European nation's newest, best and brightest flicks. And when you're watching French features, you're often watching films set against Paris' busy streets, the country's greenery-filled countryside or along its scenic coastline. As it always does, the 2021 festival traverses plenty of France through its big-screen lineup. City-set dramas, suburban comedies, beachside romances: they're all on this year's bill. In total, 37 films are hitting cinemas Down Under throughout March and April, in a touring program that's making its way around the nation. Wondering what to check out? We've planned your movie-watching itinerary for you, all thanks to our ten must-see picks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYCyYJofeEE SUMMER OF 85 Nothing is ever simple in a film by François Ozon, as the likes of 8 Women, Swimming Pool, In the House and By the Grace of God has already made plain across his 19-feature resume. So, when Summer of 85 makes viewers swoon over its blossoming seaside love story — and makes teenager Alexis (Félix Lefebvre, School's Out) fall for the slightly older David (Benjamin Voisin, Moving On) when the latter rescues the former after capsizing in a sailboat — no one should get comfortable or cosy, or think that a complication-free romance will float easily and effortlessly across the screen. Alexis falls hard for his new friend, who is one of the only people he has connected with since moving to Normandy. But, unfolding across two timelines as the 16-year-old looks back on his time with David, this becomes a knotty tale of love, heartbreak and forging one's identity out of defining moments. Writing as well as directing, Ozon adapts Aidan Chambers' 1982 novel Dance on My Grave with his usual swelling mood and command of detail — and from the pitch-perfect period fashions to the coastal setting, Summer of 85 catches the eye as much as it demands the audience's emotional investment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7GvHwRzjz0 SKIES OF LEBANON Heartfelt and hauntingly evocative, Skies of Lebanon starts its story in the 50s, when Alice (Alba Rohrwacher, Happy as Lazzaro) departs Switzerland for Beirut. Never feeling as if she belongs in her homeland, she jumps at the chance to work abroad, where she quickly meets, falls for and starts a family with astrophysicist Joseph (Wajdi Mouawad, Still Burning). That part of the tale happens quickly, because this isn't the kind of romance where a couple simply lives happily ever after. Indeed, once the Lebanese Civil War begins, the ebbs and flows of Alice and Joseph's existence are wholly dictated by the combat, which instantly changes the mood of the entire city. Making a stunningly affecting feature debut, writer/director Chloé Mazlo plunges into the reality of having everything you hold dear touched by conflict, with her narrative drawn from her grandmother's recollections from the time. The always-exceptional Rohrwacher conveys Alice's internal struggle in a quietly expressive performance, while Mazlo's jumps into playful animation and striking use of stylised sets gives the film the air of a memory, helping an already moving feature to keep landing stirring blows. THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN Back in 2017, when The Square clawed through the commercialisation and commodification of the art world, it won the Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or for its efforts. Fellow satire The Man Who Sold His Skin doesn't have the same accolade to its name, but it's just as savagely entertaining as it rips into the same topic. The man of the movie's title is Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni, Opium). A Syrian refugee in Lebanon, he accepts a strange offer from an acclaimed, controversy-provoking artist (Koen De Bouw, Torpedo) to have Europe's Schengen visa tattooed on his back. He'll also receive assistance to obtain the real thing, as long as he agrees to sit in art galleries as a living exhibition whenever he's asked. If that last part sounds familiar, Wim Delvoye's Tim, which is live-streaming at Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art, provided writer/director Kaouther Ben Hania (Beauty And The Dogs) with inspiration for The Man Who Sold His Skin. That said, this whip-smart and wild movie takes its own ride. The great Monica Bellucci (Twin Peaks) also pops up, but a film this vivid, clever and ferocious about art, money, freedom, borders and the way the world treats asylum seekers doesn't need a star to stand out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM3J6INVpcw THE GODMOTHER With the inimitable Isabelle Huppert at its centre, and a premise that owes a debt to Weeds and Breaking Bad, The Godmother strikes a crafty balance between comedy, drama and thrills. The Greta and Happy End star (and Elle Oscar-nominee) plays Patience Portefeux, a translator who works with the Paris police on narcotics cases. During a routine job listening to wiretapped phones, she decides to prevent the big bust that'd make her boyfriend Philippe's (Hippolyte Girardot, Marseille) career, steal the enormous stash of hash after redirecting the cops' attention and take up a side hustle as a wholesaler to street-level dealers. Her motivation: money, with the long-widowed mother of two attempting to secure her financial future in a world that's hardly accommodating to single, middle-aged women. Adapted from Hannelore Cayre's book of the same name by the author with director Jean-Paul Salomé (Playing Dead, Female Agents), The Godmother is unsurprisingly lifted by Huppert, as everything she stars in is. Still, this lively and engaging crime caper is helmed with a light touch, as well as a keen awareness of the material's deeper moments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puzzh3wowd8 DELETE HISTORY Following three French suburbanites who are each intensely unimpressed with today's always-online times, Delete History is a satire for anyone that's ever felt tired of social media's hold on their lives; of the likes, favourites and ratings that now dictate much of human interaction; and of the fact that every word, text, video and action can last forever in the digital world. All residents of the same masterplanned community, the recently separated Marie (Blanche Gardin, #Iamhere) is being blackmailed over a sex tape she can't remember starring in, widower Bertrand (Denis Podalydes, La Belle Époque) keeps writing letters to Facebook over his teenage daughter's cyberbullying, and ride share driver Christine (Corinne Masiero, Invisibles) can't seem to amass more than a single star from her customers. Banding together in a film that's always purposefully odd and absurd, and yet also clearly grounded in relatable situations and emotions as well, this trio decide to take matters into their own hands in increasingly offbeat ways. Writer/director duo Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kervern (I Feel Good) don't deliver an earth-shattering insights about modern-day life, but in a quickly memorable movie, they do serve up a wealth of wry laughs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqEjJW059TA IBRAHIM An on-screen presence in everything from TV's Spiral and The Returned to films such as In the Name of the Land and The Transporter Refuelled, actor Samir Guesmi makes his feature directing and screenwriting debut with the sensitive and moving Ibrahim. He also co-stars, playing waiter and single father Ahmed Bougaoui; however, the movie's real point of focus is the titular teenager (Abdel Bendaher, How to Make Out), his character's son. After sliding into shoplifting with his friend Achille (Rabah Nait Oufella, Nocturama), getting caught and leaving his dad with a sizeable debt, Ibrahim is torn in two directions. He's determined to make things right for his already-struggling father, even if that means further flirting with crime. With Ahmed sternly condemning of Ibrahim's new direction, the latter is also a ball of pain, uncertainty and unhappiness. Both Guesmi and Bendaher turn in exquisitely layered performances as a father and son weighed down by life's disappointments but, despite their hurt and heated feelings, always tied together. And, as a filmmaker, Guesmi tackles the coming-of-age genre with naturalistic flair — visually, and in exploring his intricate characters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuSlIPZZFRc CALAMITY, A CHILDHOOD OF MARTHA JANE CANNARY If you've ever watched Deadwood, as everyone should've, then you've already seen one version of Martha Jane Cannary on-screen. The American frontierswoman better known as Calamity Jane has been immortalised on television and in film many times, including in the 1950s Doris Day-starring musical that shares her nickname — but Calamity, A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary steps back to the real-life figure's formative years. While telling her tale through gorgeous minimalistic animation filled with deep and vibrant blues, greens and purples (and with breathtaking renderings of America's sprawling landscape, too), this all-ages gem does't pretend to stick to the facts. Instead, it spins Cannary's youth into an 1860s-era adventure set on and around the Oregon Trail. Director and co-writer Rémi Chayé already has 2015's Long Way North to his name, and also worked on 2009's The Secret Life Of Kells, so he's no stranger to eye-catching animation. Here, he teams spectacular imagery with a spirited narrative, and the delightful end result won him the Best Feature Film award at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z56cG1ULGi0 NIGHT SHIFT In Lupin, playing the titular master thief, Omar Sy continually skirts the law. In Night Shift, he stands on the other side, as one of three cops assigned to escort asylum-seeker Tohirov (Payman Maadi, The Night Of) to the airport — to be deported back to Tajikistan, where further torture and worse likely await. A tense drama that delves into topical subject matter, Night Shift splits its attention between Sy's Aristide and his fellow officers Virginie (Virginie Efira, Bye Bye Morons) and Erik (Grégory Gadebois, An Officer and a Spy). Each has their own story, took their own path to their present situation and deals with the demands of the job in their own fashion. With their current task, and the fate their prisoner is expected to face, each copes in their own way as well. Adapting Hugo Boris' novel Police, it's a testament to director and co-writer Anne Fontaine (The Innocents) that little here feels as straightforward as it sounds, even if it primarily remains in familiar territory. The top-notch cast assist considerably, with Efira pushed to the fore in a rare cop movie that noticeably values a female perspective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij-SxVU5P3g MISS When Misbehaviour thrust beauty pageants into the cinematic spotlight in 2020, it recreated real-life events from 1970 to call attention to the fight for equality — a battle that became worldwide news half a century ago, as covered in the film, but still hasn't been won in the 21st century. Because movies on similar themes often arrive in pairs, Miss also explores the industry, this time pondering gender identity and the norms that society has long ascribed to femininity. Since childhood, Alex (Alexandre Wetter, Emily in Paris) has dreamed of becoming Miss France. Uttering that goal as a boy earned laughs, and pursuing it as a twentysomething requires navigating a wealth of expectations, preconceptions and judgement. Playing a character that's confident in their heart but still learning to show the same assurance externally, Wetter brings grace, poise, texture and complexity to the central part, while filmmaker Ruben Alves (The Gilded Cage) ensures that Miss is rousing, charming and never as by-the-numbers as its feel-good premise signals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRGs--e32Sc MANDIBLES In Mandibles, friends Manu (Grégoire Ludig, Bye Bye Morons) and Jean-Gab (David Marsais, The Nobodies) stumble across a giant fly. Freeing it from a car boot, they decide that they can train it, then profit. Yes, that's what this OTT film is about. Yes, it comes straight from the mind of Quentin Dupieux, because it really couldn't spring from anywhere else. The French filmmaker has already made movies about psychotic tyres and alluring jackets — in 2010's Rubber and 2019's Deerskin, respectively — so adding a big insect flick to his resume hardly comes as a surprise. His sense of humour is that absurd and distinctive and, if the film-viewing world is lucky, he'll keep reminding us of that fact with every new movie he makes. Dupieux's work isn't to everyone's taste, as you've either gathered by watching or just by reading the above right now; however, if you're on his out-there, surreal and often incredibly silly yet also disarmingly astute wavelength, it's a delight. And sure, multiple versions of The Fly already exist, but they're bound to look positively sensible compared to this. The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from March 2–April 22, screening at Sydney's Palace Central, Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema and Hayden Orpheum Cremorne from March 2–April 5; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Astor Theatre, The Kino and Pentridge Cinema from March 3–April 5; Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Windsor Cinema, Luna on SX and Camelot Outdoor Cinema from March 10–April 11; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from March 17–April 15; and Adelaide's Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas from March 23–April 22. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the AFFFF website.
Bumps and jumps can happen at any time, but they feel extra eerie when October rolls around each year. So, when it comes to unleashing its spooky tales upon horror-loving Melburnians, acclaimed West End hit Ghost Stories has obviously chosen the exact right part of the calendar. Coming to Australia for the first time, Ghost Stories will bring its thrills and chills to the Athenaeum Theatre from this October. Exact dates are yet to be announced, but the season will run for eight weeks. And, it'll be doing so with the team behind a couple of other unsettling recent experiences: Melbourne-based Realscape Productions, who've been responsible for shipping container installations Seance, Flight and Coma, plus a number of horror audio experiences since 2020. Created, written and directed by Andy Nyman (Derren Brown) and Jeremy Dyson (The League of Gentlemen), and first staged in the UK back in 2010, Ghost Stories offers exactly what its name suggests. Leading the charge is fictional Professor of Parapsychology Phillip Goodman, who takes audiences through three of his cases. If it sounds familiar even though the production hasn't ever made it to our shores as yet, that's because Ghost Stories was turned into a film with The Office, The Hobbit and Sherlock star Martin Freeman a couple of years back — and also featuring Nyman as Goodman. This is the type of show where the less you know going in, the better. You want to experience those frightening tales afresh, after all. Audience members have been known to physically jump in their seats while they're watching, too, which is part of the point. "If people are paying their hard-earned money to see the show, we have a responsibility to give them more than they pay for," said Dyson in a statement. "We knew that we wanted to craft a play that would deliver something of substance to an audience, some solid ground underneath the fun, that would leave a deeper, darker residue and be harder to shake off," continued both Dyson and Nyman. Yes, the show has been likened to watching a horror movie play out on stage — so if you that sounds like your ideal way to spend 80 minutes, prepare to be in your element. If you're easily scared, you probably already know to stay away. Check out Ghost Stories' Australian trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfabPFfTm6g Ghost Stories will hit Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre sometime this October, with exact dates yet to be announced. For further details, and to sign up for the ticket waitlist, head to the production's website. Top image: Chris Payne.
If you're the kind of person who can't stop moving up in the world — taking every opportunity to see whichever city you're in from towering heights, that is — then you'll understand why one Brisbane hospitality crew keeps being drawn to rooftop bars. Earlier in 2022, Icatha Hospitality's Ross Ledingham launched Lina Rooftop, which soars over South Brisbane. Now, with Evita's ex-head chef David Hernandez, he's about to add Soko Rooftop to the Fortitude Valley skyline. Set to welcome in patrons from November this year, Soko will sit on the 14th floor of Jubilee Place, which towers over St Paul's Terrace. If you've been in the area lately, you won't have missed the new building, which sits above the Jubilee Hotel. Perched on its top level, Soko will offer scenic views over the city to 500 patrons — and a mix of Peruvian and Japanese drinks and bites to eat. While the full menu hasn't been revealed as yet, ceviche, traditional lomito al jugo, yakitori and sashimi will all be on offer. So will grade nine wagyu served with yuzu kosho, which'll be created by the venue's specialist chefs on each counter. Drinks-wise, wine and sake will feature heavily, and the cocktail menu will include more than 40 flavours of pisco sours — including using sake and yuzu. Soko will take inspiration for its decor from South America, too, complete with an Amazon-inspired irrigated ceiling that'll be filled with greenery. And, while you're eating and drinking, you'll be listening to Latin music, and watching Latin dancers and bongo players, with the venue's live entertainment set to be as big of a drawcard as the obviously impressive vistas. Find Soko Rooftop on the 14th floor at Jubilee Place, 470 St Paul's Terrace, Fortitude Valley from early November — open 11am–3pm Monday–Friday for lunch, 5pm–late Wednesday–Friday for dinner, and 12pm–late on weekends. We'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced.
Even vegetarians and vegans need a filthy food option sometimes — and Lord of the Fries is one of few fast food joints that really gets this. Now, Australia's homegrown vegetarian chain is expanding their offering to include all-day vegan breakfast. The photos may look like Maccas knock-offs, but the brekkie options — like the rest of the Lord of the Fries menu — are 100 percent vegan. Think BLTs, sausage and hash brown muffins, and a fried chicken and waffle bun with bacon, butter and maple syrup. Plus, there's also an English muffin stuffed with the holy trinity of 'bacon', 'egg' and 'cheese'. All made without any animal products, of course. The idea of vegan eggs might make some people squirm, but the mere fact that vegan fast food breakfast options are readily available is roof-raising news for those who like to keep their hangover cures cruelty-free. The all-day breakfast is now available nationwide and in all stores. Check out the full menu here.
Acai has to be one of the most mysterious of all the much-hyped superfood clan. What's all the fuss? Where did these things even come from? Why are all your friends ditching coffee to go out for 'a bowl'? In an effort to get answers to these Very Important Questions, we've gone to the masters. Ben Day and Sam Carson are the owners of Redlands' first ever organic superfood bar. Though each one of them cuts a pretty impressive physique, they don't have protein shakes to thank for their healthy glow. These two muscular men rely on a much more natural source — they call themselves the Acai Brothers. So, what is Acai? Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is a Brazilian superfood originating in the Amazon rainforest; an antioxidant-packed berry which can be consumed in various forms, but which according to the current trend is most frequently turned into an aesthetically pleasing and highly refreshing dish known as a 'bowl'. In this form, the acai is blended with ice and other clean ingredients to become the base layer of the dish, and is presented in a similar way to a dessert. Just search #acaibowl on Instagram and you'll get the gist (and a fairly strong craving to boot). Who eats acai? Nutrition is often seen as a woman's game, but thankfully that's gradually changing and the Acai Brothers are actively helping to break down that stereotype for their fellow blokes; they're two macho men, passionate about putting the right things into their bodies for continued good health, and even more passionate about practicing what they preach. "How about we open male minds a little bit?" says Sam. He says guys are slowing getting weened off their protein shakes and coming around. But it's not just gym junkies who should get on board. "Right now we've got a specific target market of gym-goers, business people, naturopaths, mums and little kids, but there's a big market of people who have no idea that eating healthily can be cheap, quick and highly beneficial," says Sam. "One of our main goals is to tap into that school market and educate young people about the benefits of eating superfoods ... It’s going to take time, like any movement." It's more than a fashion trend Taking this superfood to the next level means better educating young people. Ben and Sam are trying to cut through the hype and get kids to understand the actual benefits. Their long-term aim is to prove that eating superfoods is more than a passing fashion; it's a dietary choice. "Acai is tremendously beneficial to gut health, it assists the absorption of nutrients and aids the removal of fatty acids," says Sam. This little berry is spectacularly high in antioxidants and vitamins (packed with three times that of blueberries). It improves your immune system and helps prevent common ailments like colds and flu; when taken to the extreme and coupled with supergreens, acai can be a total powerhouse. It gives you energy and improves your mental focus. That's better than some superficial Insta-post. There are a bunch of ways to eat it Brisbane is currently the only location within Australia that boasts acai specialist cafes, so residents are spoilt for choice when it comes to beautifully-presented bowls. Kiss the Berry, Coco Bliss and Raw PawPaw are among the many vendors. But according to the boys, acai is also an easy product to introduce into your diet at home. Australian company Amazonia provides three options for acai consumption: frozen puree (for use in bowls and smoothies), freeze-dried powder (a great ingredient when you're making a batch of bliss balls) and freeze-dried capsules (the pop-in-your-mouth-and-go option). One quick trip to your local health food shop, or a few clicks online, and you're set. According to Ben, if you have a blender it couldn't be easier to put together a tasty bowl yourself. "No matter what you put on top, it tastes great. A guy recently requested avocado on his bowl, which was something different! We've got thousands of recipe ideas that we'll explore over time. We try to present something that looks incredibly appealing, bright and vibrant." First-timers can expect the texture of sorbet (it should never be runny, nor too thick), purple in colour, with a slightly tart, berry flavour. Toppings can include all manner of deliciousness: fruit, muesli, buckini, coconut, cacao, yoghurt or coyo, seeds, nuts and just about anything raw or dehydrated you can get your hands on. You can even add edible essential oils if you're feeling particularly brave and creative. For Sam, the ideal bowl consists of banana, kiwifruit and strawberry. For Ben, it's all about lemon, shredded coconut, goji berries, cacao nibs and gluten-free buckini which forms a great crumb. It's perfect for summer Sam and Ben opened their new superfood bar at just the right time; summer is here and we're all in need of something refreshing. Their drive to educate people about the advantages of acai is also timely, as our city's hunger for all things healthy is at an all-time high. Thankfully this is starting to catch on with guys too. The Acai Brothers claim they've seen a noticeable shift in the balance between male and female customers. It could be that their dude-led acai love is encouraging others to try something new. When all is said and done, it doesn't seem to matter how we consume it; the point is that we should all inject some acai into our diets. So go, explore, experiment and enjoy all the amazing-ness of the Amazon's finest fruit. And, if you happen to visit the Acai Brothers in the Redlands, tuck into a Raw Lemon bowl. It'll seriously rock your world. The Acai Brothers Superfood Bar is located at 683 Old Cleveland Road East, Wellington Point. Images courtesy of Rosie Greenaway, Amazonia, Breno Peck and eliduke and readandrewrite via photopin cc.
In Australia, January means warmth, more warmth and heading to the movies to watch Oscar contenders to escape it. In Park City, Utah, it means snow, a celebration of cinema started by none other than Robert Redford, and the first big international film festival of the year. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival has just played its slate of 2017 flicks — or, as we like to look at it, the titles that will hopefully be heating up Aussie big screens in the near future. Last year, number one on our Sundance wish list was Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Thankfully, that turned out to be pretty majestical. Plenty of our other 2016 picks have shown up at local festivals around the place too, such as Werner Herzog talking about the internet in Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World; singing Polish mermaids in The Lure; and Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern and Michelle Williams at their best in Certain Women. And, speaking of Williams, her Oscar-nominated performance in Manchester by the Sea from last year's choices is about to open in Australian cinemas. Enough looking backwards, though — 2017's lineup delivers a massive new list of movies to get in front of your eyeballs. First, the good news: from Sundance's latest batch, plenty are already coming our way. To name a few, they include US Dramatic competition winner I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore, which will drop on Netflix worldwide in February; Berlin Syndrome, the third feature from Australian Somersault and Lore director Cate Shortland, which is already slated for an April cinema release; and all-female horror anthology XX, which Monster Fest is championing. Plus, Netflix strikes again with documentary Casting JonBenet from Aussie filmmaker Kitty Green, environmental doco and audience award favourite Chasing Coral, and anorexia drama To the Bone by former Buffy writer turned UnREAL showrunner Marti Noxon. As for the rest? Here's the ten we're crossing our fingers and toes to see in our local cinemas (and a few others as well). CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Most actors wouldn't want to walk in the footsteps of the inimitable Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes, but that's just what Armie Hammer does in the film that became the talk of the fest, Call Me By Your Name. Set in 1983, the queer coming-of-age drama is the latest effort from Italian I Am Love and A Bigger Splash director Luca Guadagnino, which virtually guarantees how good its summery images will look. Bound to be more powerful than that, though, is the underlying tale of desire, as well as the accompanying performances. Also watch out for: Mudbound, which delves into the stories of two families in America's south post-World War II with an all-star cast of Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund, Jonathan Banks and Jason Mitchell. THE BIG SICK If you've watched Silicon Valley or Portlandia (or caught 2016 flicks Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates or Central Intelligence), you'll recognise Kumail Nanjiani — though his list of credits runs much longer than that. In fact, with his wife Emily V. Gordon, he has added feature film screenwriter to his resume with The Big Sick, and turned their own culture-clash dating story into an amusing and insightful film in the process. Michael Showalter of Wet Hot American Summer fame directs, with the pair re-teaming after Nanjiani featured in his last ace movie, My Name is Doris. Also watch out for: Aubrey Plaza in everything, always — or, specifically, in Ingrid Goes West. Here, her titular character befriends an Instagram lifestyle guru played by Elizabeth Olsen, because that's a thing. Next-generation actors O'Shea Jackson Jr. (who played his dad, Ice Cube, in Straight Outta Compton) and Wyatt Russell (son of Kurt) also star. LANDLINE There have been plenty of comedies about pregnancy, but when Obvious Child took on the topic back in 2014, it showed the world what a frank, funny, empathetic and earnest look at unexpectedly discovering you're expecting could turn out — and helped show just how great a talent Jenny Slate is in the process. Three years later, the actress reunites with writer/director Gillian Robespierre for a trip to the '90s. Yes, it's set at a time when people chatted on the phones that you couldn't take with you, and it makes for a darkly amusing effort that's certain to bring the same honesty and hilarity to exploring family troubles. Also watch out for: Jenny Slate again, this time in The Polka King opposite Jack Black. They play husband and wife, with the former scamming his way to a polka music empire. Jason Schwartzman and Australia's own Jacki Weaver are among the cast. BEACH RATS Pay attention to the name Eliza Hittman. She received the US Dramatic comp's best director prize, and if her sophomore feature is anything like her moody, evocative debut It Felt Like Love, she's a certain talent to watch. In Beach Rats, the filmmaker charts the efforts of Brooklyn teen Frankie to brighten up a thoroughly unhappy summer — and explore his own wants and needs — when he simultaneously starts hooking up with guys at a beachside cruising spot and dating a young woman. Also watch out for: After featuring in 2015 flick People Places Things, The Daily Show's Jessica Williams once again joins forces with writer/director Jim Strouse in The Incredible Jessica James, this time taking the lead as an aspiring playwright who forges a new bond to cope with a breakup. I DREAM IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE Talk may be the focus of the Mexican-set I Dream in Another Language — getting the two last native speakers of a dying language to speak after a 50-year feud, to be exact — however this thoughtful love story says just as much with images as it does with words. Think deeply-felt cinematic poetry that leans towards the lyrical, patient style of filmmaker favoured by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (the director behind Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Cemetery of Splendour). Also watch out for: Carpinteros (Woodpeckers), an engrossing romance that introduces viewers to a world they've probably never thought of and a form of communication they likely haven't heard of — neighbouring prisons in the Dominican Republic and the form of sign language their inmates use to communicate. A GHOST STORY Don't you just love secret films? We're talking about the type that just spring up out of nowhere, made without anyone knowing. A Ghost Story fell into that camp when it first made headlines in November, and the talent involved with the movie makes it all the more exciting. After working together on 2013's Ain't Them Bodies Saints, director Dave Lowery (Pete's Dragon) re-teams with Rooney Mara and likely future best actor Oscar winner Casey Affleck (for Manchester by the Sea) to examine death and grief — and, yes, the spiritual presence you're expecting based on the title. Also watch out for: With Jon Hamm and Tim Robbins among the cast, Marjorie Prime similarly broods over mortality, focusing on the last days of an 86-year-old — spent with a computerised version of her dearly departed hubby. STEP They don't just give any old film a Special Jury Award for inspirational filmmaking, the gong Step took out in Sundance's US Documentary field. Treading the same turf that 2016 festival hit The Fits made its own with such style and skill, the doco follows three high-schoolers trying to chase their step dance team dreams. Expect more than just the usual formula as first-time director Amanda Lipitz peers inside the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, the ladies striving for a better future and the crowd-pleasing journey that results. Also watch out for: Tokyo Idols, which joins the growing ranks of factual efforts trying to understand just what makes Japanese girl bands, pop music, its stars and their fans tick. PATTI CAKE$ Does the road to rhyme-slinging rap success start in New Jersey? And is the rags-to-riches path paved with assistance from a goth-metal muso named Basterd? For the wannabe hip hop artist who calls herself both Killer P and Patti Cake$, it just might be. For Aussie actress Danielle McDonald, the energetic underdog effort that shares Patti's name could also be her stepping stone to broader acclaim — and, for music video director turned first-time feature helmer Geremy Jasper, his as well. Also watch out for: Roxanne Roxanne, a biopic about a big hip hop beef known as the Roxanne wars — aka a series of songs answering the last, with 14-year-old emcee Roxanne Shanté in the middle. Playing Shanté, newcomer Chanté Adams won a Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance. AXOLOTL OVERKILL And the prize for best title goes to…actually, German drama Axolotl Overkill won a jury award for cinematography in the World Dramatic comp, but it'd have a fair shot if the other contest was a real thing. The feature debut of writer/director Helene Hegemann is based on her own semi-autobiographical novel, which she wrote when she was 17. Not only does it take the coming-of-age genre into partying and nightlife territory — which, yes, you've seen before — but the stylistic exploration of teen excess promises to traverse contemplative and surreal terrain as well. Also watch out for: A fellow contender in the great name stakes, Don't Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl! brings professional and non-professional actors together to tell a fairytale-like story of teenage love, colonial oppression and gang struggles in three languages. 78/52 Every film festival has one: a movie that cinephiles just won't be able to contain their excitement about. 78/52 takes the honours at this year's Sundance, with its moniker referring to the number of setups and edits it took to film the most iconic shower scene in cinema history. Alfred Hitchcock and Psycho fans will be in their element as the doco breaks down this famous sequence, and explores just how it changed filmmaking as we know it. And, the likes of Guillermo del Toro, Bret Easton Ellis, Karyn Kusama Eli Roth and Peter Bogdanovich are all on hand to help. Also watch out for: The Nile Hilton Incident, a Cairo-set corrupt cop flick charting an investigation into a murdered singer — and the film that took out the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.
If you firmly believe that you can never have too much Idris Elba, then you have most of the planet for company. Right now, the Hijack-watching world and streaming service Apple TV+ are also firmly in that camp. After the British actor's high-octane thriller series hit the small screen in 2023 and swiftly hooked viewers, the platform has announced that it will return for a second season. And yes, Elba will be back — although what'll be testing his negotiation skills this time is yet to be revealed. In its first season, Hijack featured the Beast, Three Thousand Years of Longing and Luther talent as Sam Nelson, a veteran negotiator who was on his way home to the UK from Dubai when terrorists took over the flight. Accordingly, it was up to the actor that everyone would like to see as 007 tries to try to get everyone to their destination safely, all in a series that took place in real time. Nelson's onboard tasks switched from relaxing in the air to trying to talk his captors down, let authorities on the ground know what was happening and minimising casualties. If you're not only thinking about Bond but also 24, that's the right wheelhouse. And yes, non-stop tension does go down smoother when Elba is looking calm and collected under pressure, a fact that helped make the series one of Apple TV+ most-popular dramas last year. Created by Criminal's George Kay and Jim Field Smith — with Kay also behind Lupin — Hijack's first season also boasted Elba as an executive producer, a role that he'll retain again when it returns for its second season. Field Smith will again be the show's lead director as well. "I was floored by the overwhelming audience response after season one. It's top secret what new situation unfolds for Sam Nelson but I can assure you we will bring the high-octane back!" said Elba, announcing the show's renewal. Alongside the show's storyline for its second season, when Hijack will return hasn't yet been announced, and neither have any co-stars that'll feature opposite the series' The Harder They Fall, Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, The Suicide Squad and Thor: Ragnarok alum leading man. Fingers crossed that whatever the scenario, and whoever else features on-screen, another quickly addictive nail-biter results, even if you'd expect that it won't focus on Idris Elba on a plane again. Check out the trailer for Hijack season one below: Hijack streams via Apple TV+ — and season two doesn't yet have a release date. Read our full review of season one.
What begins in Milan, then heads to Puglia and the Italian Alps, plus Naples, Sicily, Tuscany, Florence and Rome, too? An impressive getaway, and also the 2023 Italian Film Festival. What dives into history, includes love and treasures, and also soul-searching journeys, stunning threads, labyrinths and great art? Again, a dream holiday, and also Australia's annual celebration of Italy's best and brightest on the big screen. Running from Wednesday, September 27–Wednesday, October 25 at Palace Barracks and Palace James Street in Brisbane, 2023's IFF will open with The Last Night of Amore, which is where the fest's jaunt to Milan comes in, and one of its thrillers as well. Making its Australian premiere after a successful stint at the Italian box office, writer/director Andrea Di Stefano's (The Informer) police flick stars Pierfrancesco Favino (The Hummingbird) as it tells of an about-to-retire honest cop facing a chaotic, crime-riddled, corruption-fuelled situation. Also among the event's spotlight flicks, Kidnapped sits in the centrepiece slot, recreating the tale of the Vatican's abduction of a young Jewish boy in the 19th century, plus as the scandal that unsurprisingly followed. As part of a focus on actor, filmmaker and screenwriter Massimo Troisi, 1994's The Postman, the talent's two-time Oscar-nominated final film, will close out the fest with a 50s-set whirlwind of love and friendship. There's more where they both came from — more special-presentation and special-event movies, and more of Troisi's work. First, the features getting some extra IFF love. Starring Josh O'Connor (Mothering Sunday) and directed by Alice Rohrwacher (Futura), La Chimera heads to 80s-era Tuscany as a British archaeologist gets caught up in ring selling stolen Italian wares — while Beautiful Boy's Felix van Groeningen shares directing duties with his The Broken Circle Breakdown co-screenwriter Charlotte Vandermeersch on The Eight Mountains, which stars Luca Marinelli (Martin Eden) and Alessandro Borghi (Devils), and won 2022's Cannes Jury Prize. Also, Burning Hearts dives into crime and revenge in black and white, Carravagio's Shadow features Riccardo Scamarcio (John Wick: Chapter 2) as the eponymous painter, and documentary The Genius of Gianni Versace Alive unravels its namesake fashion designer's career. With IFF's Troisi retrospective, viewers can see three more of his films: 1981 comedy I'm Starting From Three, his debut as both a big-screen actor and director; Nothing Left to Do But Cry, where he acts opposite and travels back in time with Roberto Benigni (Pinocchio); and the cinema-adoring Splendour, also featuring the late, great Marcello Mastroianni. And, there's also Mario Martone's (Nostalgia) doco Somebody Down There Likes Me, about his exploration of Troisi's movies. Elsewhere on the bill, Nanni Moretti (Three Floors) directs himself playing a director grappling with today's streaming reality in A Brighter Tomorrow; Strangeness enlists Toni Servillo (The Hand of God) as Literature Nobel Prize-winning playwright Luigi Pirandello; The First Day of My Life also features the prolific actor, this time in the latest effort from Perfect Strangers' helmer Paolo Genovese; and both Like Sheep Among Wolves and Prophets sit among the fest's thrillers. The list goes on, including the family-friendly Supernova and The Properties of Metals, plus comedies Orlando and My Shadow Is Your Shadow. And, there's the music-focused My Soul Summer featuring Italian X Factor-winner Casadilego.
If you're an Uber One member who's headed to the Australian Open, you're in luck. Complimentary rides to the Rod Laver Arena in snazzy EVs are on the cards — and they'll even drop you home. For the duration of the tournament until Sunday, January 28, Kia is serving up a fleet of 30 brand-new EV9s and EV6s, which are available in the 'Kia Electric' option on your Uber app — assuming that they haven't all been snapped up at the time you're looking, of course. Given that Kia is the major partner of the Australian Open, these same types of EVs will be transporting the players to and from the tournament. So you'll have the chance to experience travelling to the matches like a star of the game, even if you get winded going up the stairs. [caption id="attachment_935839" align="alignnone" width="1920"] annieb via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] How do you snag one of these rides? Simple. When heading to the tennis, just pop 'Rod Laver Arena' as your destination. If you're going home, just pop in your address or anywhere else you feel like heading within a five-kilometre radius. If an EV is available between 9am–7pm, from until Sunday, January 28, you can select it and enjoy the ride on Kia's dime. Here's the fine print: it's capped at $100, and only available if you're an Uber One member and booking within a five-kilometre radius of the arena. Free trip to one of the greatest sporting events on the planet, all in the quiet comfort of a slick EV? That's not a bad start to any day at the tennis. The Australian Open is held at Melbourne Park. It runs from Sunday, January 14 to Sunday, January 28. Top image: Tourism Victoria via Flickr.
Imagine if there was a drug that could make the person you have saved as your iPhone wallpaper fall in love with you. "Gimme gimme," I hear you screaming at your screen. Well sorry, outside of Shrek 2 such thing doesn’t exist. But the latest Queensland Theatre Company’s play, The Effect, shows that maybe, just maybe, the best love drug of all doesn’t come in a little pink capsule. When Connie signs up for a clinical trial for a new, super-duper anti-depressant she meets fellow volunteer Tristan and flirtation ensues; but not in cafes, or studio apartments, or outside Pie Face on Queen Street Mall – rather, in the confines of their clinical trial room, with no contact with the outside world. In time, the chemicals running through their systems tamper with their youthful bodies, igniting canoodling, kissing and all things that make Nicholas Sparks smile. This threatens to throw the whole drug-trial off course, and that’s when the real trouble begins. The Effect is playing at Billie Brown Studio until the 5th of July. Whether you're head over heals in love, or a cynical spinster, you won't be disappointed by the twists and turns of this production. Plus, it's a little reassuring to know that the best way to someone’s heart is to get jacked up on anti-depressants, and lock yourself in a room with them – cue Tom Jones.
Four days, one coastal hotspot, and oh-so-much to see, eat, drink and do: that's your latest excuse to treat yourself to a trip to Byron Bay. Back in July, it was announced that the seaside New South Wales town was getting a brand-new festival that's all about food and culture — and now that event, Caper Byron Bay Our Food and Culture Festival, has announced its program. Firstly, yes, the fest has undergone a name change. Rather than just lapping up all that the region has to offer under its old title Revel, the new moniker now encourages attendees to go a-frolicking. But other than that one switch, the idea is still the same, spanning eating, drinking, checking out art, listening to tunes and being merry in gorgeous surroundings. Taking place between Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 13, Caper boasts a hefty culinary component as curated by Chef David Moyle, who has been Chief of Food at Harvest Newrybar since 2020. Highlights include bottomless oysters and bellinis at Balcony Bar & Oyster Co, natural wine-fuelled degustations at Supernatural, distillery tours at Brookie's Gin and a sourdough workshop with Bread Social. Soon-to-open newcomer Bar Heather is doing a five-course dinner with Palisa Anderson, while 100 Mile Table at Stone & Wood is hosting a backyard barbecue — and Treehouse on Belongil is opting for a mix of beats, bubbles and brunch. A farm-to-table feast with The Farm and Three Blue Ducks and The Hut's Spanish fiesta are also on the bill, alongside pop-up yum cha — with the Brunswick Picture House being taken over by Melbourne Chinatown diner ShanDong MaMa on the Saturday and Sunday. Also making the journey, but from Brisbane: Louis Tikaram from Stanley, who'll be part of a cabaret takeover at the same space. Another standout: celebrating embrace Bundjalung Nation's Indigenous culture via a walk on Country tour led by Explore Byron Bay owner and Arakwal woman Delta Kay, then a five-course lunch curated by Karkalla chef and owner Mindy Woods. An 'anti-bad vibes circle' with OneWave Fluro Friday; free exhibitions at Yeah, Nice Gallery, art salon Gallery 7, Gallery 3 and ThomGallery; and horse-riding followed by brunch or lunch at Zephyr Shack are also on the wide-ranging agenda, with more than 30 events filling out the program If you're keen to see where the day takes you in-between the official activities, head to the Caper Village, aka a massive food, beverage, music and art precinct that's set to sprawl across the whole North Byron Hotel in the Byron Arts and Industrial Estate. It'll host live music, DJs and art installations, as well as workshops, panels and talks. Caper Byron Bay Our Food and Culture Festival runs from Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 13 at various locations around Byron Bay and the Northern Rivers region. For more information, head to the festival's website. Images: Jess Kearney.
This year, Campari is transforming September into Negroni Month. While the main event takes place from Monday, September 22, to Sunday, September 28, there will be four whole weeks dedicated to the classic Italian cocktail. Made with equal parts Campari (because there's no negroni without Campari), gin, and sweet vermouth, the bitter apéritif is taking centre stage on menus across the city. Fish Lane Arts Precinct, which stretches from South Brisbane to the West End, is dedicating the entire week to creating twists on the much-loved cocktail, and hosting negroni-worshipping events. This includes the Secret Handshake Tour on Saturday, September 27, taking you on a sip and stroll throughout the cultural precinct. Tickets are $95 per person and include negroni-inspired drinks and specials to showcase the Fish Lane bartenders and restaurateurs. It's all for a good cause as this Negroni Month, Imbibe Magazine and Campari are joining forces with Slow Food to foster a more sustainable world of food and beverage. Donations raised by you simply buying drinks during Negroni Month will help to continue Slow Food's mission of defending biological and cultural diversity. Ready to add some Campari kick to your September? Here are the top Brisbane venues to sip your way through this Negroni Month. [caption id="attachment_916758" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Midtown[/caption] Midtown Midtown has quickly become a go-to spot for after-work drinks in Fish Lane Arts Precinct. Despite being known for its martinis, Midtown does a mean negroni. On Wednesday, September 24, the bar will be hosting a long Negroni Week dinner to celebrate the Italian classic. Featuring Tuscan toast, Vitello Tinatto, gnocchi gorgonzola, and even a negroni cheesecake for dessert, each dish will be served with a negroni-based beverage such as the Smoky Negroni and the Negroni Colada. Get in quick, though. This dinner has previously sold out and is booking up fast. If you can't make it to the dinner, Midtown will be keeping the cocktails on the menu for Negroni Week from Monday, September 22, to Sunday, September 28. Buy your tickets for the Negroni Week dinner, here. [caption id="attachment_867581" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Bar Brutus[/caption] Bar Brutus Given the negroni's Italian heritage, Bar Brutus is a must-try during Negroni Month. The aperitivo bar is the kind of venue where one pre-dinner apéritif can quickly turn into two, and the small plates of spuntini are perfect for picking over a bitter negroni. Bar Brutus is hosting a Negroni Pop-Up Bar on Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27, so you can enjoy the classic cocktail while people watching in the heart of Town Square. Julius Pizzeria Looking for a hearty meal to pair with your negroni? Julius in South Brisbane is an Italian-style pizzeria serving delicious wood-fired pizza and a number of aperitivo, including, of course, the negroni. Throughout September, Julius will be offering a special negroni menu so you can try a twist on the ruby red cocktail for yourself. [caption id="attachment_867584" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Kiki[/caption] Kiki Located in the centre of Fish Lane Arts Precinct's Town Square, Kiki is a popular local lunch spot that's also known for its cocktails. Open for coffee and bahn mi from 7am, Kiki Kiosk transforms into a bustling cocktail bar once the afternoon strikes. During September, be sure to try a negroni from Kiki's curated Negroni Month menu. [caption id="attachment_867582" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Hello Please[/caption] Hello Please Modern Vietnamese restaurant, Hello Please, is the perfect Friday night dinner pick. With small plates of crispy tofu and prawn toast, and large share plates of pork belly in garlic soy honey, Hello Please will get your appetite (and tastebuds) going. The Asian-Australian restaurant also serves a deliciously bright negroni for your weekend pick-me-up. Keep an eye out during September for Hello Please's curated Negroni Month menu, dedicated to the art of the apéritif. Maker Maker may be a small bar, but it has big flavour ambitions. The bar focuses on unique, seasonal cocktails, making it the perfect venue to add to your Negroni Month list. With just 20 seats and walk-ins only, Maker is an intimate cocktail bar that's sure to put a creative twist on the classic drink. Head to the South Brisbane bar during Negroni Month to peruse the specially curated negroni-inspired menu. Please remember to drinkwise. Lead image: Midtown
For the much of the second half of 2020, the Sunshine State has been off limits to Victorians. Over that period, the status of Queensland's borders has changed multiple times — as it has throughout much of 2020 — including shutting out all of NSW, then reopening to all of NSW except Greater Sydney, then recently closing to Adelaide residents. But, finally, Victorians will be able to make the journey north from Tuesday, December 1. Today, Wednesday, November 25, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on ABC News Breakfast that Queensland will reopen its border to all of Victoria from the first of next month — which is less than a week away. The move was flagged in yesterday's similar announcement about reopening to all of New South Wales on the same date, but was contingent on the southern state not recording a new case in the past 24 hours. Victoria has now had 26 consecutive days with zero new cases and yesterday hit the milestone of zero active COVID-19 cases for the first time since February. The Queensland Premier called the announcement "very, very good news" — and said the lack of community transmission of COVID-19, plus testing rates and sewerage testing results, all played a part in the decision. She also noted that the Sunshine State now expects an influx of visitors over the summer holidays. Of course, this is also good news if you're a Queenslander now keen on a Victorian getaway, as you'll be able to head to Melbourne and not have to worry about quarantining on return. The Sunshine State will continue to keep its borders closed to 20 South Australian LGAs for the foreseeable future. Whichever way you're heading, though, you will still need a border pass. It isn't required to leave the state, but you'll need one to enter, regardless of whether you're a tourist or returning resident. To obtain a pass, you'll need to apply online, with each one valid for seven days. For more information about Queensland's border policies, head to the Queensland Government website.
Life keeps finding a way to bring new movies in the Jurassic franchise to cinemas — and its characters keep finding a way to come face to face with prehistoric creatures. Three years after Jurassic World Dominion, the saga's latest instalment will stomp into picture palaces come winter Down Under. Welcome to ... Jurassic World Rebirth. Also, welcome to a cast featuring Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon), Jonathan Bailey (Wicked) and Mahershala Ali (Leave the World Behind) embarking upon a clandestine mission to a secret island that was home to the research facility for Jurassic Park's original dino sanctuary. The date for your diary to discover how that turns out (which, for the human characters involved, will be badly): Thursday, July 3, 2025. The idea at the heart of the series' seventh entry, as the just-dropped first trailer for the flick shows: on the landmass at the centre of the new movie, different species of dinosaurs to those that the films have featured before roam — species that were considered too dangerous for the park. Johannson plays covert operations expert Zora Bennett, who heads there with Bailey's palaeontologist Dr Henry Loomis and Ali as her righthand man Duncan Kincaid — and company — to obtain genetic material that could help develop drugs to save human lives. Accordingly, Rebirth turns a Jurassic World movie into a heist film — with pesky rampaging ancient beasts. As well Johansson, Bailey, and Moonlight and Green Book Oscar-winner Ali, the movie's lineup of on-screen talent also spans Rupert Friend (Companion) as a pharmaceutical executive; Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer) as a civilian who gets dragged into the mission after becoming shipwrecked; Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs Lopez) as the latter's family members; and Philippine Velge (The Serpent Queen), Bechir Sylvain (Black Mafia Family) and Ed Skrein (Rebel Moon) among Zora and Krebs' crew. In the feature's storyline, five years have passed since the events of Jurassic World Dominion — which, for audiences, followed 2015's Jurassic World and 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in the Jurassic World saga, plus 1993's Jurassic Park, 1997's The Lost World: Jurassic Park and 2001's Jurassic Park III in the OG Jurassic Park trilogy. Jurassic World Rebirth director Gareth Evans (The Creator) is new to the franchise, but knows a thing or two about flicks about fighting giant creatures courtesy of 2010's Monsters and 2014's Godzilla. Rebirth does have a key link back to the debut Jurassic Park movie, however, with screenwriter David Koepp returning after co-penning the initial film and scripting the second solo. (Koepp also returns to grappling with dinosaurs after a three-movie run writing screenplays for Steven Soderbergh with Kimi, Presence and Black Bag.) Check out the first trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth below: Jurassic World Rebirth releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Winter is coming, as Game of Thrones has been telling us for years — but the show's final season is coming first. Before the weather turns cold again in the southern hemisphere, fans of the epic HBO series will be able to discover how the popular series wraps up, with the eighth and final season hitting the small screen at 11am on Monday, April 15. That's next week, friends. Prepare the snacks. And with the final season, will come the death of many more cherished characters. As George RR Martin has shown us, over and over and over again, no one is safe from his murderous pen (or keyboard) — any character's death is fair game. The list of deaths in the first seven seasons is long — longer than even Arya Stark's list — and the fallen are being commemorated in an eerie new Game of Thrones cemetery, which has popped up in Sydney. Yes, right here in Australia. Two mausoleums and many, intricately designed, gravestones have been spread across 2000 square metres of Sydney's sprawling Centennial Park by Foxtel, ahead of next week's series premiere. And each is inscribed with the names of who lays inside. There are the fallen Starks: Eddard, Benjen and Rickon; the Baratheons (or should we say Lannisters): King Tommen, Joffrey and Robert; and the Stark direwolves: Shaggy Dog, slain by Smalljon Umber in S06E09, and Summer, mauled by wights in S06E05. [caption id="attachment_716483" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hodor's grave.[/caption] We'll never forget who else died in that latter episode — 'The Door' — either: Hodor. He has his own gravestone, as do other series favourites: Khal Drogo, the Sand Snakes and Oberyn Martell. Some of the more disliked characters are also remembered here, including Tywin Lannister, Walder Frey and Ramsay Bolton — whose grave is, fittingly, surrounded by barbed wire. Visitors to the cemetery, dubbed the Grave of Thrones, can download a map of the graves and listen to an eerie audio tour of the cemetery. [caption id="attachment_716488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Joffrey Baratheon's grave.[/caption] With the final season promising a huge final battle between the living and the White Walkers, we think this cemetery, which features hands and animals emerging from the graves, may also be ominously hinting to something else: we're going to see the return of many favourite fallen characters — as wights. In the offical trailer, dropped last month, you see Arya running through the halls of Winterfell — could she be running from something, newly reanimated, in the crypts? Then, there's this Crypts of Winterfell teaser. We'll let you continue speculating for yourselves, but expect one helluvan emotional Walking Dead-style murdering-of-fallen-friends battle to go down this season. Prepare many boxes of tissues. In the meantime, we suggest you jump on one of those electric Lime E Bikes and head on down to the cemetery in Centennial Park — you'll find it on Grand Drive near the kids' bike path. Maybe you'll find other hints scattered throughout, too. If you're not in Sydney, we suggest you carefully look through the images above, and the rest of the cemetery online here. Find Foxtel's Grave of Thrones at Fearnley Grounds, Centennial Park, NSW. It's open from 7am–6pm from Friday, April 12 till Sunday, April 14. Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres at 11am on Monday, April 15 on Foxtel.
Its usual mission is to help optimise your lounging time, by hooking you up with comfy, affordable beds and sofas. But from this week, Aussie online furniture brand Koala wants to see you launching yourself off the couch instead, and into a heart-pumping living room sweat sesh. Yes — that same living room you've been seeing a lot of during lockdown. Koala has teamed up with Retrosweat — masters of the vintage-inspired workout — to bring you an at-home aerobics program doused in plenty of 80s Australiana, fittingly dubbed The Great Australian Workout. Best break out the leotards and leg warmers because this is the time-tripping exercise class your dance floor-deprived iso self has been waiting for. Across 12 fun, high-energy episodes, Retrosweat founder Shannon Dooley guides punters through a series of nostalgic workouts they can smash out in the comfort of their own home. With or without a healthy dose of spandex, of course. Expect plenty of old-school ocker lingo, a heap of 80s Aussie references and a fair dinkum retro workout wardrobe that promises to send you straight back to the days of Scott and Charlene's wedding, and Olivia Newton John's Physical. Clocking in at around three minutes each, the free live workout videos have just dropped over at the Koala website, so you can attack one each day or sweat your way through the whole bunch in one go. Plus, those following along on Tik Tok will have the chance to score some sweet prizes. Share a glimpse of some of your own 80s moves and blast-from-the-past workout threads, and you could win some Ken Done artwork or a Koala sofa for your efforts. Clear out that coffee table and get ready to throw down some moves. You can farewell lockdown boredom and catch The Great Australian Workout here. 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.
Paperlinks, a savvy Los Angeles-based QR code company, are allowing customers to explore what's on offer at a restaurant via their smartphone. The operation was launched earlier this month and has been put to trial in several restaurants. Once the code has been scanned, customers can browse the menu of the restaurant and order food on their phone. When they check out, Paperlinks then contacts the restaurant via e-mail to relay the order to the kitchen. This smooth operation not only adds convenience for customers, but also gives businesses a little novelty and an exciting new means of interacting with customers. Furthermore, Paperlinks allow you to create QR codes with customised colours and designs. If you happen to own a vegetarian restaurant, you might want to present a lush green QR code at the front of your business. Paperlinks have already worked with high-profile clients including Nestle and GNC. With a plethora of food-based iPhone apps now available for purchase, and with companies like Beat The Q popping up locally, it will be interesting to see the impact that this will have on businesses in Australia and New Zealand. [via PSFK]
When December 2023 hits, it will have been four decades since David Byrne walked out onto a Hollywood stage with a tape deck, pressed play and, while standing there solo, began to sing 'Psycho Killer'. It'll also be 40 years since then-future The Silence of the Lambs Oscar-winner Jonathan Demme directed cameras towards the legendary Talking Heads' frontman, recording the results for concert film Stop Making Sense. What's the best way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the event behind the greatest concert film ever made? By watching it, as A24 is here to help with. As well as releasing Close, Beau Is Afraid, You Hurt My Feelings, Past Lives, Beef and smash-hit Australian horror movie Talk to Me in 2023, the cult-favourite independent film and TV company is bringing a completely restored version of Stop Making Sense back to the big screen where it belongs. Madman is distributing the concert flick Down Under, where it'll get everyone wanting to wear big suits from Thursday, November 9. When it starts burning down select picture palaces around Australia, all 88 glorious minutes of Stop Making Sense will screen in 4K, as premiered at this year's Toronto International Film Festival — and also has a date with SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival in October. So, no it isn't the same as it ever was: Stop Making Sense is now even better. Stop Making Sense isn't just iconic for how it starts, which definitely isn't how concerts usually kick off. From there, as captured at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in December 1983, David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison put on one helluva show in support of their previous year's album Speaking in Tongues. Expect a lineup of hits, a playful approach, Byrne's famous oversized attire and even heftier stage presence, and the feeling that you're virtually in the room. Indeed, everything about this energetic and precisely executed documentary, which records the set from start to finish, couldn't be further from the standard concert flick. As 'Once in a Lifetime', 'Heaven', 'Burning Down the House', Life During Wartime', 'This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)', 'Genius of Love' and more get a whirl, each element of the film is that fine-tuned, and every aspect of the band's performance, too. And if it feels like Byrne was on-screen not that long ago, that's because his Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods)-directed solo concert movie American Utopia did the rounds of Aussie cinemas back in 2020 — and proved one of that year's absolute best films. Check out the trailer for Stop Making Sense's 4K restoration below: Stop Making Sense will screen in Australian cinemas from Thursday, November 9. Images: Jordan Cronenweth, Courtesy of A24.
Platform sneakers, Union Jack-themed apparel, glittery outfits and anything that screams 90s girl power — it's all currently making its way around Britain as part of a huge new Spice Girls exhibition. Now open in London until August 20, moving to Manchester from August 24 to September 4, and planning to keep touring the country into 2019, Spice Up is exactly what it sounds like. If you wannabe indulging your nostalgia for one of the biggest acts of two decades ago, this is the event to zigazig-ah your way to — and attendees can also see the Spice Bus, aka the double-decker vehicle immortalised in Spice World. In total, more than 7000 items are on display, spanning everything from costumes worn by Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham — hundreds of them, in fact — to as much merchandise featuring the group's name and likeness as the organisers could find. Or, if simply spicing up your life by looking at various Spice Girls-themed bits and pieces isn't enough, the exhibition has also recreated a typical fan bedroom from the group's heyday for the ultimate blast for the past. Tickets cost £10 (AU$17.57), if you happen to be in the UK in the next two months — and there's no word yet if Spice Up will take the show on the road beyond Britain. Just cross your fingers and say you'll be there if it does.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — at present, spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. NINE DAYS Androids may dream of electric sheep, or they may not, but that isn't the only metaphysical question that cinema likes to contemplate. Do souls yearn and strive for — and fret and stress over — their chance to shuffle onto this mortal coil? That's the query that Pixar's Soul pondered so thoughtfully and enchantingly, and it's one that Nine Days, which actually predates its animated counterpart but is only reaching Australian cinemas now, masterfully explores as well. "You are being considered for the amazing opportunity of life," a bespectacled, suspender-wearing, serious-faced Will (Winston Duke, Us) tells the candidates hoping to soon live and breathe. They're far more enthusiastic about the process than he is, although he values their prospective existence much more than they can fathom in their wide-eyed eagerness and excitement. Will has seen what can happen next, because it's his job not only to select the best souls to embark upon this thing called life, but to monitor their progress in all the days, months and years afterwards. He's observed the success stories; however, he's also witnessed the heartbreaks as well. In this stirring and fittingly soulful debut feature from writer/director Edson Oda — a movie that won the dramatic screenwriting award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and that's memorably and evocatively about the texture, experiences, feelings and enigmas that comprise every soul, and every life — Will surveys his next troupe of contenders fresh from viewing the unhappy end that met one of his previous favourites. He's already adrift from existence as we know it, and from almost everyone else who resides in the picture's ethereal yet also earthy pre-life realm, but he's now burdened with a renewed sense of solemnity. His colleague Kyo (Benedict Wong, The Personal History of David Copperfield) tries to get him to see the lighter side — the more human side — of the path his next chosen candidate will take. He emphasises the ebbs and flows that Will, who has become more rigid in his thinking and feelings the longer he's in the role, now fervently discounts. But among a roster of new applicants that includes Kane (Bill Skarsgård, IT Chapter Two), Alex (Tony Hale, Veep), Mike (David Rysdahl, Dead Pigs) and Maria (Arianna Ortiz, Rattlesnake), all of which are given nine days to demonstrate why they should be born next, it's actually the calm, passionate and inquisitive Emma (Zazie Beetz, Atlanta) that challenges the way Will perceives his work and what it means to be alive. Read our full review. GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE Cutesy name, likeable stars, stylised brutality, a familiar revenge scenario: blend them all together, and that's Gunpowder Milkshake. There's one particular ingredient that's missing from this action-thriller's recipe, though, and its absence is surprising — because much about the film feels like it has jumped from the pages of a comic book. That's one of the movie's best traits, in fact. The world already has too many comics-to-cinema adaptations, but although Gunpowder Milkshake doesn't stem from a graphic novel, it actually looks the part. Its precise framing and camera placement, hyper-vibrant colours and love of neon could've easily been printed in inky hues on paper, then splattered across the screen like the blood and bullets the feature sprays again and again. Writer/director Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves) and cinematographer Michael Seresin (War for the Planet of the Apes) have made a visually appealing film, and a movie with evident aesthetic flair. All that gloss is paired with a generic assassin storyline, however, and a half-baked feminist thrust. It's Sin City meets John Wick but gender-flipped, except that the Kill Bill movies and Atomic Blonde have been there and done that. Crafting a film that's entertaining enough, but largely in a mechanical way, Papushado and co-scribe Ehud Lavski (a feature first-timer) attempt to complicate their narrative. The basics are hardly complex, though. As skilled killer Sam (Karen Gillan, Avengers: Endgame) notes in the movie's opening narration, she works for a group of men called The Firm, cleaning up its messes with her deadly prowess. It's an inherited gig, in a way. Fifteen years earlier, she was a fresh-faced teen (Freya Allan, The Witcher) with a mum, Scarlet (Lena Headey, Game of Thrones), who did the same thing. Then her mother abandoned her after a diner shootout, leaving Sam to fend herself — and, to ultimately get her jobs from Nathan (Paul Giamatti, Billions), one of The Firm's flunkies. It's on just that kind of gig that Sam kills the son of a rival crime hotshot (Ralph Ineson, Chernobyl), and he wants revenge. Soon, her employers are also on her trail, after she takes another assignment in an attempt to sort out her first problem, then ends up trying to save eight-year-old Emily (Chloe Coleman, Big Little Lies) from violent kidnappers. The cast also spans the impressive trio of Angela Bassett (Black Panther), Michelle Yeoh (Last Christmas) and Carla Gugino (a Sin City alum), albeit sparingly, with all of Gunpowder Milkshake's female figures solely tasked with navigating an inescapably clear-cut scenario. Read our full review. SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY In the misfire that's always been 1996's Space Jam, basketball superstar-turned-unconvincing actor Michael Jordan is asked to hurry up. "C'mon Michael, it's game time! Get your Hanes on, lace up your Nikes, grab your Wheaties and your Gatorade, and we'll pick up a Big Mac on the way to the ballpark," he's told. Spoken by go-to 90s schemester Wayne Knight (aka Seinfeld's Newman), this line couldn't better sum up the film or the franchise it has now spawned. The Space Jam movies aren't really about the comedic chaos that springs when a famous sportsperson pals around with cartoons. That's the plot, complicated in the original flick and now 25-years-later sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy by evil forces that turn a basketball game into a battle ground; however, it's also just a means to an end. These features are truly about bringing brands together in a case of mutual leveraging, as product placement always is. Connect Looney Tunes with the NBA, and audiences will think of both when they think of either, the strategy aims. It has worked, of course — and with A New Legacy, the approach is put to even broader and more shameless use. Everyone who has ever even just heard of Space Jam in passing knows its central equation: Looney Tunes + hoop dreams. The first Space Jam's viewers mightn't also remember the aforementioned product name-drops, but Warner Bros, the studio behind this saga, hopes A New Legacy's audience will forever recall its new references. All the brands shoehorned in here are WB's own, with its other pop culture franchises and properties mentioned repeatedly. The company also has Harry Potter, The Matrix, the DC Extended Universe flicks such as Wonder Woman, and Mad Max: Fury Road in its stable. Its catalogue includes Game of Thrones, Rick and Morty, The Lord of the Rings, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons like The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, too. And, it holds the rights to everything from The Wizard of Oz, Metropolis and Casablanca to A Clockwork Orange and IT. A New Legacy wants to forcefully and brazenly impress these titles into viewers' minds so that they'll always equate them with the studio. In other words, this is just a Warner Bros ad with LeBron James and Looney Tunes as its spokespeople. You don't need to be a cynic or have zero nostalgia for the OG Space Jam to see A New Legacy as purely a marketing exercise, though, because corporate synergy is literally what the movie's villain, an algorithm named Al G Rhythm (Don Cheadle, Avengers: Endgame) that runs the on-screen Warner Bros, aims to achieve in this shambles of a film. Read our full review. SIR ALEX FERGUSON: NEVER GIVE IN Even among sports agnostics who know next to nothing about football of any code, and don't want to, Sir Alex Ferguson's name still likely rings a bell. The prodigiously successful soccer manager was synonymous with equally prosperous English Premier League team Manchester United for almost three decades between 1986–2013, leading them to 38 different trophies — including 13 EPL titles. He oversaw an era that featured star players such as David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, all famous names that are also known beyond sports fans. Accordingly, Ferguson is a highly obvious candidate for a documentary, particularly an authorised film directed by his own son Jason. But the best docos don't just preach to the already celebratory and converted. A piece of non-fiction cinema has the potential to turn any viewer into an aficionado, and to get everyone watching not only paying attention, but wholly invested. As the vastly dissimilar, not-at-all sports-related The Sparks Brothers also does, that's what Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In achieves. It steps through its eponymous subject's life story, all with the man himself narrating the details, sharing his memories and musings, and looking back on an extraordinary career. Helpfully when it comes to standing out from the crowded sports doco crowd, Never Give In has an angle: in 2018, Sir Alex was rushed to hospital and into surgery due to a brain haemorrhage. At the time, his biggest fear was losing his memories, which the younger Ferguson uses as an entry point — and as a touchstone throughout the birth-to-now recollections that fill the film otherwise. This approach helps reinforce exactly what Sir Alex has to recall, and what it all means to him. It also makes his plight relatable, a feat his footballing achievements were never going to muster (we can all understand the terror of having our lives' best moments ripped from our consciousness, but few people can claim to know what his level of professional success feels like). In his Scottish brogue, the elder Ferguson proves a lively storyteller, talking through his upbringing in Glasgow, his childhood adoration of Rangers Football Club, his ups and downs as a player — including taking to the pitch for Rangers and against them — and the path that led him to coaching first in Scotland, then for Manchester United. A wealth of archival footage assists in fleshing out the tale, as do interviews with players such as Cantona and Ryan Griggs. The result: an easy win of a film, but a nonetheless compelling and skilful one, too. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27; June 3, June 10, June 17 and June 24; and July 1 and July 8. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Ema, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, My Name Is Gulpilil, Lapsis, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Fast and Furious 9, Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, In the Heights, Herself, Little Joe, Black Widow and The Sparks Brothers.
When you're in lockdown, you're only meant to go to the shops to buy essentials — and while creative cocktails may be crucial to your stay-at-home experience, gathering all the ingredients to make them doesn't really fit with the intention behind the rule. Thankfully, delivery services have been filling in the gaps. Cocktail Porter is one of them, bringing DIY kits to your door featuring everything you need to whip up inventive beverages. And yes, it's mighty handy even if your part of the country doesn't happen to be locked down at this very moment. Already, the service has delivered three different types of Gelato Messina cocktail kits — including summery concoctions, Easter cocktails served in Easter eggs and dulce de leche espresso martinis. The next packs on its list also feature a beloved ingredient, although Messina isn't involved. But hey, everyone loves Wizz Fizz, right? Yes, we know the answer to that question. Every Australian kid loves Wizz Fizz, and every Aussie that's ever been a kid, because that's something your tastebuds can never outgrow. Cocktail Porter's new DIY Tommy's margarita kits feature the little bags of sherbet alongside Tromba Blanco tequila, agave syrup and Listo Tommy's margarita mix. It also comes with chilli salt, if you'd prefer to spice up your drink. You can pick between two different-sized packs, with a small kit costing $75 and serving up six drinks — and a large pack priced at $135 and making 18 dessert cocktails. Cocktail Porter delivers Australia-wide, if that's your spring drinking plans sorted. The DIY Tommy's margarita kits will be delivered from Wednesday, September 15, and you'll need to have signed up for one by Sunday, September 12. They're actually part of Cocktail Porter's monthly subscriptions, which see a different kit sent to your door each and every month. To order Cocktail Porter's DIY Tommy's margarita kits, head to the Cocktail Porter website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. ALI & AVA All plot, all the time: that's how some filmmakers craft movies. Every scene leads to the next, then to the next and so on, connecting the story dots so that event A plus event B (plus event C, event D, event E and more) neatly equals wherever the narrative eventually ends up. Clio Barnard is not one of those writers or directors. Every scene always leads to the next in every film that tells any tale, no matter who's spinning it, but much of what happens in the Dark River and The Selfish Giant helmer's movies doesn't change, shift or drive the plot at all. Indeed, her features often have storylines that seem straightforward, as the tender and tremendous Ali & Ava does. But that uncomplicated appearance — including here, where a man and a woman meet, sparks fly, but complications arise — couldn't be more deceptive. In Ali & Ava, that man and woman are indeed Ali (Adeel Akhtar, Killing Eve) and Ava (Claire Rushbrook, Ammonite), both residents of Bradford in Barnard's native West Yorkshire. He's a working-class landlord — a kind and affable one, noticeably — from a British Pakistani family, and was once an EDM DJ. She's an Irish-born teacher's assistant at the school where one of Ali's tenants' children attends. Frequently, he's on drop-off and pick-up duty, because he is that helpful to his renters. So, when the skies open one day during his school run, Ali offers Ava a ride home rather than seeing her walk to the bus in the pouring rain. They chat, click, laugh, bond over a shared passion for music and slowly let their guards down. But what would a romance be, especially an on-screen one, if the path to love truly was effortlessly smooth? With a lyrical social-realist bent that'd do Ken Loach, living patron saint of British lyrical social-realist filmmaking, proud — see: Loach's I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You for his two most recent examples — Barnard unpacks everything that roughs up Ali and Ava's tentative courtship. But there's another English director who springs to mind, too, thanks to the way that Ali & Ava can turn from poignant to portentous in a second: This Is England and The Virtues' Shane Meadows. His work finds bliss and joy in ordinary, everyday moments, and also violence and menace as well. One can become the other so quickly that, if it didn't all feel so genuine and authentic, a case of whiplash might be the end result. All three filmmakers possess a commitment to detailing lives that aren't typically fodder for celluloid dreams; all three, including Barnard with The Selfish Giant and now Ali & Ava, make features in the vein that are potent, perceptive, dripping with empathy and as emotionally raw as films come. Ali, friend to everyone, is troubled by more than just regret about no longer hitting the decks. He has a wife, Runa (Ellora Torchia, Midsommar), who no longer loves him or wants to be with him. But he's too proud to tell his family, so they still live together while she keeps studying. That brings judgement his way, with his sister Usma (Krupa Pattani, Ron's Gone Wrong) vocal in her disapproval about his growing closeness with Ava. It makes Ava apprehensive as well, unsurprisingly. She already has enough of her own worries as it is, caring for her five kids — some of which have had kids of their own — as a single mother. One, her son Callum (Shaun Thomas, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), remains affected by his father's death a year earlier, and also his parents' breakup before that. He's far from welcoming to Ali as a result, terrifyingly so, hating even the idea of him as his mother's potential friend. Read our full review. AFTER BLUE (DIRTY PARADISE) In his 2017 feature debut, French writer/director Bertrand Mandico took to the sea, following five teens who were punished for a crime by being sent to a mysterious island. Sensual and lurid at every turn, The Wild Boys was never as straightforward as any description might intimate, however — and it proved both a tempest of influences as varied as Jean Cocteau, John Carpenter and David Lynch, and an onslaught of surreal and subversive experimentation several times over. Much of the same traits shine through in the filmmaker's second feature After Blue (Dirty Paradise), including an erotic tone that's even more pivotal than the movie's narrative. Mandico makes features about bodies and flesh, about landscapes filled with the odd and alluring, and where feeling like you've tumbled into a dream most wonderful and strange is the instant response. Tinted pink, teeming with glitter, scored by synth, as psychedelic as bathing in acid and gleefully queer, the fantastical realm that fills After Blue's frames is the titular planet, where humanity have fled after ruining earth. As teenager Roxy (debutant Paula-Luna Breitenfelder), who is nicknamed Toxic by her peers, tells the camera, only ovary-bearers can survive here — with men dying out thanks to their hair growing internally. In this brave new world, nationalities cling together in sparse communities, with roving around frowned upon. But that's what Roxy and her hairdresser mother Zora (Elina Löwensohn, Mandico's frequent star) are forced to do when the former meets and saves a criminal called Kate Bush (Agata Buzek, High Life), who she finds buried in sand, and are then tasked by their fellow French denizens with tracking her down and dispensing with her to fix that mistake. If Dune met The Love Witch, the resulting film still wouldn't be as seductive, kaleidoscopic and phantasmagorical as After Blue — a picture that, as The Wild Boys also proved, has to be seen to be truly understood. Obviously, that's accurate of every movie; again, though, Mandico couldn't be more disinterested in making features that can be neatly summarised or unpacked. He isn't fond of holding back, either, and so After Blue dives straight into its maximalist adventure quest, ramping every sight, sound and performance up to levels that'd do This Is Spinal Tap proud. His latest release isn't a mockumentary, but an exercise in excess over and over that's turned up far past 11. Guns are named after designer brands like Gucci and Chanel; Kate Bush sports a third eye between her legs that sparks stirrings in Roxy; pleasure bots are the only masculine presence sighted, and even then they're forbidden; cigarettes wriggle like insects; and goo drips and oozes whenever it can, for instance. As well as pre-empting the current Stranger Things-inspired Kate Bush mania by almost a year (After Blue first premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in August 2021), Mandico doesn't make brief features. With a sizeable array of shorts to his name dating back to 1998's Le cavalier bleu, he seizes his opportunities when he's playing with long-form flicks. That gives After Blue more than two hours to luxuriate in its look, sound and vibe — a 70s-meets-80s sci-fi/western heaven — but also makes its narrative feel slight. Of course, the tale itself isn't the main attraction, but the style-over-story focus also doesn't scuttle into the background. But whenever the plot lags or zips by, aka Mandico's two pacing struggles, tentacles slide into view, nipples shoot metallic balls, a line of dialogue becomes a hilariously absurd gift, and either cinematographer Pascale Granel (Simple Passion) or composer Pierre Desprats (Olga), or both, deliver a piece of sound and/or vision that's trippy and sublime. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; and June 2, June 9, June 16 and June 23. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions and Nude Tuesday.
High-rises aren't the most ideal set-up for making new buds. It's not every apartment-dwelling crew that's lucky enough to undertake wacky antics in the hall, eat from each other's fridges and bond over Ugly Naked Guys across the way. You're more likely to encounter your neighbours through the wall — outlandishly vocal bedroom activity, raging Avicii-fuelled parties, World Cups. It's all pretty negative, fist-shaking stuff, usually moderated by your tired, tired landlord. But what if some friendseeking architecture firm just wanted us to all get along, even design friendships between neighbours? It all has do to with space. Dense, high-rise housing can be an isolating place to live, even though you're surrounded by hundreds of people and their better-than-yours cooking aromas. Vertically-stacked apartment living often lacks those common areas where you can bump into your (often hundreds) of neighbours and hang out — courtyards, gardens, front porches; Actual House areas — resulting in the whole nod-and-smile, awkward silent elevator ride and subsequent, perpetual avoidance of eye contact. But you might have more in common than you think with mean old Mr Macgillycuddy downstairs. Tired of these missed, loneliness-curing opportunities and taking cues from corporate setups, a presumably friendly Belgian design firm has come up with an inspired solution. C.F. Møller Architects and Brut Architecture and Urban Design have made social interaction the main goal of their new mixed-use high-rise design in Antwerp. That's right, an apartment tower designed to help you make friends. C.F. Møller's 24-story plan is all about mini-communities. Grouping together similar apartment types (family homes with other family homes, raucous students with other raucous students), the plan throws together residents with typically matching day schedules and increases the chance of bumping into each other for mad chats, recipe swaps and sugar borrowing. Cooking and eating alone's definitely another opportunity for buddying up in apartment living — nothing like a sad, tear-dressed Caesar for one. So the team have included a communal dining area in the design, perfect for post-work vents and cheap pot luck dinners, as well as a roof terrace for those beer-fuelled new friend-making chats. Nothing sparks a new friendship faster than similar interests. Cyclists can event meet other veloheads in the bike repair repair facility. Pet owners can let their four-legged friends roam free all year long in the triple-height indoor garden and students can compare notes from outdoor study sessions in the massive balcony space. While C.F. Møller haven't released a completion date yet, estimates look toward 2017 for the building's red ribbon ceremony. Until then, why not give your neighbours a chance instead of a passive aggressive note? Could be an everyday Ryan Gosling on every floor. Via Fast Company.
Embarking on an adventure need not be at the expense of the planet. In a world where conscious living is becoming a mantra, wanderlust and sustainability now walk hand-in-hand. Say goodbye to travel guilt with this list of ten feel-good adventures that promise awe-inspiring moments and a lighter impact on our precious planet. Together with B Corp-certified travel group Intrepid Travel, we've selected the trips that allow you to explore the planet with a green conscience. Europe by Rail One of the best low-impact ways to explore Europe is by train. The countries of the continent are all interconnected by rail networks. You can hop on a train in London and travel under the English Channel to arrive in the City of Lights: Paris. Spend a couple of days exploring the French capital, from the Eiffel Tower to the artistic neighbourhood of Montmartre in Paris — once home to artistic legends Van Gogh and Picasso. Then hop on a train south to Nimes to discover ancient Roman monuments and swim or kayak in the Gardon River. Next, it's on to Catalonia in Spain to the colourful city of Barcelona before journeying to the heart of Spain, the capital city of Madrid. Not only is this adventure more convenient — no long airport queues or driving days — it's also more carbon-friendly as you will travel by public transport the entire way. Hiking the Dolomites If an adventure for you includes lacing up your hiking boots and traversing a mountain range, then The Dolomites should definitely be on your travel list. The stunning, rugged scenery of the epic mountain range in the northern Italian Alps is next to none. You will make most of the footprints on this journey, not carbon emissions. This adventure to The Dolomites covers the Three Peaks of Lavaredo loop, a full-day walk that is widely regarded as the most scenic hike in the region. The trip will require you to hike up to 14 kilometres a day — although there is a cable car ride one day — so you'll want to pack light and consider hiking poles. You'll be fuelled on your hike with breakfasts, an apple strudel tasting, a cheese tasting, a gourmet picnic lunch and the guesthouses along your route have bustling restaurants with schnitzel and beer on offer for hikers. New Zealand by Bike Jump in the saddle and follow the Central Otago Rail Trail through the unforgettable landscape of South Island. Kick things off in the outdoor paradise of Queenstown at the base of The Remarkables mountain range, then meander through valleys, wine regions and small gold-mining towns. Not only will you see the epic landscapes of New Zealand without impacting the environment, but also by travelling on this trip, you'll directly support Intrepid Foundation partner World Bicycle Relief. It provides school kids, health workers, and farmers in remote areas with bicycles that provide access to education, healthcare, and income. Trek or Train the Inca Trail Machu Picchu is on the bucket list of most wanderlusting travellers. The fascinating ancient Incan civilisation perched atop a mountain range in the Sacred Valley. As you journey to the iconic site, you will pass through local villages, marketplaces and maize crops. Stop for lunch and chat with locals — see if you can pick up a few words of the local Quechua language — before climbing to the summit. Did you know you have many options to see this epic clifftop wonder? This trip allows both trekkers and non-trekkers to visit Machu Picchu with the Inca Trail and Quarry Trail for those who want to travel by foot and train option for those who wish to have a more comfortable climb. Morocco by Foot Where are my ladies at? This women-only trekking tour of Morocco promises an epic adventure off the beaten path. Take in the beauty of the M'goun Valley over four days of hiking. You'll need to be relatively fit for this adventure as you'll be walking up to seven hours daily meandering through picturesque valleys and rocky terrains. By travelling on this trip, you may only make a low environmental impact, but you will make a major impact on the lives of the young women and girls of the High Atlas Mountains — as this trip is led by a female leader and supports female-owned businesses throughout the area. Explore the Red Centre The spiritual heart of Australia is Uluru. The Red Centre is a must-visit for all Australians and visitors to this country. Circumvent the sandstone monolith and witness heart-soaring sunsets and sunrises where the red ground changes to orange and purple. Lace up your hiking boots and walk the Kings Canyon Rim Trail in Watarrka National Park. Then, wind through two of the Kata Tjuta's towering domed rock formations on the Walpa Gorge Walk. This is a camping and trekking adventure for those who want an action-packed trip that doesn't cost the earth. Central America by Bus and Boat Feel the calming sea breezes on Playa del Carmen, trek through the lush jungle and cruise to Rio Dulce on this three-country trip to Central America. Amble down the coast by ferry, shared boat and bus with options to hire a bike to explore the region on two wheels. Public transportation allows you to live like a local and reduce your impact while exploring the local wonders of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Vietnam by Train Travel by sleeper train from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City on this adventure to Vietnam. Bike through the UNESCO-heritage ruins of Ninh Binh, kayak between the limestone islands of Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island and explore the local markets and nightlife of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Take in the stunning scenery from the local point of view, all without the carbon guilt. Hike, Bike, Kayak Through Japan Embark on an epic adventure from Tokyo to Osaka by boat, public bus, metro, bullet train, train, taxi, walking, bike and kayak. This is an adventure for those adventurous travellers who love to get their hearts pumping. Cycle along the Shimanami Kaido to the Inland Sea, hike between the preserved post towns of the Nakasendo Way and traverse the World Heritage-listed pilgrimage trail (one of only two in the world), The Kumano Kodo. This trip also supports World Bicycle Relief, which provides bicycles to school kids, health workers, and farmers in rural areas. Walk the Camino De Santiago If you spend your weekends walking the bush and hiking up mountains, amp up your adventuring travel with this iconic 100-kilometre trail, the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Uncover the real Galicia as you trek through quaint hamlets, ancient bridges, and Roman ruins on your journey from Sarria to the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela. This is more than just a physical challenge, it's a journey to the past and one that respects the environment you'd be travelling through — there are no buses or cars on this adventure, just your own feet, so be sure to pack sturdy (and comfy) walking boots. Also, this trip directly supports Intrepid Foundation partner Open Arms, which helps safeguard the rights of migrant people. Intrepid Travel offsets emissions on its trips on its travellers' behalf. The company also has a carbon reduction target you can read about on the website. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website.
Before Parasite and after Parasite: for audiences, for the film world in general and for composer Jung Jae-il, that then-and-now split applies. Bong Joon-ho's 2019 movie earned immensely deserved devotion and collected almost every accolade that it could — including the Palme d'Or at Cannes, the Sydney Film Prize, a Golden Globe, two BAFTAs, a Screen Actors Guild Award, an Asian Pacific Screen Award, five Grand Bell Awards and, making history, four Oscars — as it wowed everyone, viewers and awards voters alike, with its class-clash black comedy/thriller tale. It wasn't Jung's first collaboration with the Memories of Murder, The Host and Snowpiercer director or his last; however, it was an unsurprisingly pivotal, influential and impactful experience. "First of all, I just fell in love with film music," Jung tells Concrete Playground. "Because I'd been composing for so many genres, like dance, pop, all genres, for decades, but I'd never thought I would be a professional film composer," he continues. Prior to Parasite, Jung had other film scores to his name, including for the Bong co-written and produced Haemoo (also known as Sea Fog) and the Bong-directed Okja, but lending his musical talents to the Kim family's efforts to infiltrate the Park household "was very challenging and exciting," he notes. "And making music for the film, it just made me go deep inside of me. Trying to translate the director's vision and the edit, the cuts, I have to understand what the cut needs in a musical way." "I felt like I have to be a translator‚ to translate the director's vision to musical language. And it was very exciting — sometimes very despairing — but [I thought] 'oh, this could be my turning point'," Jung furthers. "And as a pop musician, pop composer, pop music is very short. Sometimes it's even two minutes. And I had a really hard time to make that short music, because I like to make drama in music — but to make drama, it's too short," he says. "So all of this is very inspiring. I can give my mind more to film music. I just love that." Jung's music career dates back to being a teenager. For the big screen, he's now also the composer behind Bong's Mickey 17, Hirokazu Kore-eda's Broker — the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker and Shoplifters Palme d'Or-winner's first South Korean feature — and 2025 Sundance-premiering American dramedy Twinless. On the small screen, one of the biggest streaming sensations of the 2020s wouldn't have proven the same without his integral contribution, with scoring Squid Game also on Jung's resume. [caption id="attachment_1009331" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S3. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2025[/caption] Thanks to that fight-to-the-death hit Netflix dystopian thriller dropping its second season at the end of 2024, then its third and final run in mid-2025, and also due to Mickey 17 reaching cinemas and Twinless doing the film festival rounds as well, the past year has been particularly huge for Jung. Now comes a trip to Australia for something that's rarely occurred before: Parasite in Concert. At the Melbourne International Film Festival — where Twinless is also playing — the composer is both performing and conducting Parasite's score live, aided by Orchestra Victoria, across two shows on one day. "It's very special for any composer, because it's a live-to-picture show. Just performing scores live is very common, but with the screen from top to the bottom it's so very rare. It is quite challenging as well — but for me, it's a lifetime experience as well," Jung advises. The complexity springs "because I should play exactly with the screen. So we have a very complicated playing system, the metronome and clicks, and all that. That is very challenging." [caption id="attachment_1016407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix[/caption] What goes into preparing for Parasite in Concert for Jung? "It's very simple to play just by myself, but I have to collaborate with the orchestra, so I should prepare the score and parts, and talk with the maestro or the musical director," he explains. "And I'm going to move to Melbourne just before, three days or two days before the show, and rehearse with them for about a whole day. So I should prepare the two-hour score in a day. That's very challenging for me, but very exciting as well." Attendees will witness the results on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Melbourne's Hamer Hall, in what's set to be one of the highlights of MIFF's 73rd edition — and a stunning way to help close out the festival's Thursday, August 7–Saturday, August 24 in-person stint for the year (its online program also runs from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31). Jung is also set to speak about his career on the same morning in an hour-long in-conversation session. In the lead up to his trip Down Under, we chatted with him about his composing journey so far, too, as well as working with Bong Joon-ho multiple times, finding inspiration, his path to Squid Game, his first response to the show's premise and more. On Jung's Journey as a Composer Leading Up to Parasite "When I was a teenager, I worked as a session musician — guitar and piano. And for many composers and many singers. And one day, this one composer called Won Il— he is a very famous composer, especially in traditional and film composing in Korea — suggested me to arrange some parts of a score, and that was the very first start for me. And then as a main composer, I worked for a film called Marine Boy. That was my first film. Nobody knows the film in Korea, but it was a little bit not a good experience for me — too many works and too little income. So I thought 'I cannot be a film composer right now'. So I just forgot about that. And after that, Baram just came to me to work with them, and they required me to make music with only traditional Korean instruments. That was very challenging and very interesting, so that's why I said 'okay' for them. And with that film, it was very interesting, but not helpful for my life — not helpful for my financial situation. So I just forgot that. And after that came the film Sea Fog, which is the film where the executive producer was Bong Joon-ho. And with the film, 'oh, this is film scoring. Oh, this is quite exciting.' And I love the orchestra — and I could use the orchestra a lot. So that was a very satisfying project. Sea Fog, nobody knows as well, but I just started to see the precious thing in film scoring. And with Okja, Parasite, I just definitely fell in love with film scoring." On Jung's Creative Partnership with Bong Joon-ho Across Okja, Parasite and Mickey 17 "As I said before, I'm just a translator. I don't want to express my own individual musical taste or musical hope like that. I'm concentrating on what this director is thinking and what this cut is saying to me. That's why Mr Bong Joon-ho likes me, because I'm just concentrating on his vision only. But that's the basic attitude for me to work with other directors as well." On the Bong Joon-ho's Meticulousness and Precision — Including Only Shooting the Exact Shots He Needs, and How That Type of Approach Carries Over to Movie Scores "To be honest, that is very common in Korean film. Everybody does that. But Bong Joon-ho really explains precisely what he's thinking. So, I don't say that much. He just tells me what he's been thinking and how this cut is completed — I think that's it. And when you get the final locked version of cut, after that I have to take care of everything regarding music. But when he doesn't like my first version of music, he tells me what he doesn't like, what he likes, very precisely — sometimes in a very imaginative way, sometimes in a very practical way. That's why Mr Bong Joon-ho is different among other directors." On Finding Inspiration for a Score From Beyond a Director's Instructions "For Parasite, Bong Joon-ho just told me that he'd been listening to baroque music, baroque-era music, a lot while he was writing the script. But as a self-taught composer, I didn't know much about baroque music. So I had to research Vivaldi, Bach every day. Sometimes I played Bach's 'Goldberg Variations' every morning. So I practiced and I exercised to get the baroque elements into my body, into my heart. That's one way to find the inspiration." On Getting Into the Right Mindset for Parasite "As a film composer, the first opening theme is very important. Even though it's not a main theme, the opening theme is very important for a composer because it's the first step. And with that first step, the path is going through — and in the script of Parasite, the first phrase was 'very hopeful music with despair'. I didn't know what to do, so I tried several versions of opening them." On How Genre Impacts the Way That Jung Tackles a Film Score "Basically I love drama, because I love to use the orchestra or piano, rather than computer music or band music. So I prefer drama rather than sci-fi or a thriller. For Mickey 17, it's a sci-fi, but it's a film about love at the same time — love and hope and peace. So I could use piano and orchestra in a very traditional way, because even if it's sci-fi, I could make the score in a very traditional way — and I am very happy with that." On Working with Hirokazu Kore-eda on Broker "I just watched this film Nobody Knows in 2004. I was really shocked, and I just fell in love with this film. And I've been tracking all of his masterpieces for decades. And finally, I heard the news that he is going to make a film with Korean staff and Korean actors. So I just wrote a letter to him with my previous works: 'I would love to work with you in Korea'. That's how I worked with him. That was the first time I approached a director before he approached me." On How Parasite's Success Helped Jung's Career, Including Putting Him on the Path to Squid Game "It was unbelievable recognition for me. I'm just a person who works backstage, behind the curtain. I had many opportunities, many chances. And because of Parasite, I just met director Hwang Dong-hyuk of Squid Game. And Squid Game is an unbelievable success. It's a phenomenon. I got proposals from many American directors for many scripts — and even I released my own solo album with Decca Records in London, which I'd never thought about before. But for me, my life is not that changed, because I'm just working alone in my own studio. But the obvious thing is now I don't have to prove myself to other people. That's quite comfortable for me — I only need to concentrate on how to make good music. That's the most-important part, most-important change for me. And I just fell in love with series or film music — to translate the vision into musical language. That's very powerful work and very useful work at the same time, because film is not going to fade away — music is film's best friend. So they're the most-exciting changes for me." On Jung's First Response to Squid Game's Premise "It was so brutal and cruel, so I just thought 'I could do this' and 'this is very quite exciting'. And I was a fan of Mr Hwang Dong-hyuk because of his previous work called The Fortress. I've watched that film about 10–20 times. So I had very deep faith in him. So even though the script was very brutal, full of blood, I could read the humanity. The very deep studying of humanity — I could read that in the script, even in the tragedy and violence. [caption id="attachment_977953" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S2. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024[/caption] So 'yeah, why not?'. Because he was my hero, one of my heroes — and 'yeah, I would love to do this'. But for me, it was very challenging as well because it was a series — my first time on a series — because I was very used to two-hour films. But this is nine-hour films. So 'oh, I could do that?'. That was very challenging for me." [caption id="attachment_840359" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S1[/caption] On the Influences for Squid Game's Score "Every time that I make a new score, I search for a unique way. Unique is better than common things. That's how I'm thinking. So I just found these musical instruments which are very familiar for Korean children in elementary school — they learn that instruments like recorder, castanets, tambourine, melodeon, that kind of thing. And 'oh, that that could be very interesting'. [caption id="attachment_1007294" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S3. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2025[/caption] And children are not good at performing, so they make disharmonies and no rhythms, then that makes some kind of scary sounds as well. So 'let's start with these elements'. That was my first way to approach Squid Game. And I composed some cues that felt a little bit like Hollywood-style music, but Mr Hwang Dong-hyuk really hated that Hollywood-style approach. So I just thought 'alright, I could just remove this Hollywood-style, I'm going to stick to very unique and powerful, sometimes-traditional style'. That's how it started from the first part." On Evolving the Music for Squid Game Across Three Seasons "I think I just concentrated on how to make this scene powerful. I could revise or rearrange and repeat the main theme — the successful themes — time to time, but I decided to make original ones a little bit more. So one is very different from two. Two is very different from one. And three is very different from two. But for season three, I repeated this one theme called 'I Remember My Name', which is first used in season one and it represents the farewell in death. That is the most-repeated theme of Squid Game — and other than that, all are original." Parasite Live in Concert takes place on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Southbank — head to the venue website for tickets and further information. The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
UPDATE, June 1, 2024: Godzilla Minus One is available to stream via Netflix. Since 1954, there have been few pieces of movie music as meaningful, magnificent and momentous as Akira Ifukube's Godzilla theme. It's a tune of urgency and spirit, and of foreboding and triumph alike. The OG feature that brought Japan's towering kaiju to the screen isn't a masterpiece simply due to its score, but the picture's main song contributes as forcefully as Zilly's big bite. Memorable film music doesn't solely make an impact when it is echoing, though. When Ifukube's all-timer fades away in a Godzilla flick can impart as much as when it resounds. Godzilla Minus One knows this expertly, because the first Japanese live-action entry in the franchise since 2016's exceptional Shin Godzilla is a movie about living in the silent shadow and aftermath of devastation in addition to being about its namesake making an appearance in post-World War II Tokyo. A film that deploys its theme so artfully, precisely and potently is a film that knows how to thoughtfully ponder more deeply than a gash from pop culture's ultimate giant lizard. That's evident from Godzilla Minus One's name as well, which references the desolated state that Japan was in at the 20th century's midpoint, plus the magnified ruin that comes with Godzilla being Godzilla. Writer and director Takashi Yamazaki (Lupin III: The First, Ghost Book) tackles everything in his entry to the creature-feature saga with that kind of care and insight, and the picture that results isn't just better for it — it's one of the best Godzilla efforts yet. Electrifyingly moving and heartfelt, it's the Godzilla movie equivalent of the blazing blue spikes that its chief critter now sports. It dazzles and stands out, including at a time when the kaiju is everywhere, with the American Monsterverse fresh from 2014's Godzilla, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong, plus Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on streaming, and with 2024's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on the way. Yamazaki doesn't just go back to Godzilla's beginnings. He ventures further into the past, albeit still to Odo Island. As the Second World War is almost at an end, the land mass is being used as an aviation hub. Kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunokuke Kamiki, Suzume) arrives to escape having to donate his life to the war effort, only for Godzilla to emerge. The same situation awaits, and the same outcome. Kōichi survives alongside mechanic Sosaku Tachibana (Munetaka Aoki, Fence); however, this won't be anyone's last encounter with the mutated, ferocious, radiation-breathing dinosaur-like being that was initially conjured up as a metaphor for the trauma inflicted in that war, and by atomic weaponry. While Godzilla still represents the fallout from and anxiety sparked by going nuclear, and due to combat in general, Godzilla Minus One stamps its way among the series' greats by being delicately and affectingly attuned to the human toll. The fact that he still lives while others fell victim to Godzilla haunts Kōichi as Yamazaki's film tracks him in subsequent months and years. Movies about the monster who has multiple Tokyo statues dedicated to it can also turn their commentary inwards, towards Japan — so, after Shin Godzilla leaned on bureaucratic bungling to nod to the Fukushima meltdown, Godzilla Minus One tears into the military concept that a single life is expendable. Being wracked with survivor's guilt and dismay over abandoning his kamikaze mission drives Kōichi to seek redemption once Godzilla returns, and disrupts the makeshift family that he forms with Noriko (Minami Hamabe, Shin Kamen Rider) and a baby orphaned in the Japanese capital's bombing. Lingering over the narrative, though, is the truth that every person and their time alive matters, and that people banding together can take on colossal problems — yes, that means Godzilla. Kōichi's first post-war job: ridding the sea of mines, another gig where his existence is treated as expendable. Jaws sinks its teeth in as inspiration as the ragtag cleanup crew take to their task — and, of course, as a formidable figure from the deep surfaces to wreak havoc. Yamazaki matches the blockbuster thrills of Steven Spielberg's game-changer, masterfully crafting tense ocean-set sequences that are a spectacle to behold. In the air, the Top Gun flicks get a run for their money. When Zilly tramples through Ginza, complete with train carnage that tops Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, it's another stunning moment. When you have a background in special effects, as Godzilla Minus One's guiding force does — including on Shin Godzilla — gifting the screen one of its best visual renderings of Godzilla yet isn't a given, but Yamazaki repeatedly delivers with the craggy-skinned, plate-clad critter and the damage it causes. Viewers can see it all clearly, too; there's no hiding shoddy CGI in dim night scenes here. Also as plain as not just day, but as a skyscraper-sized beast: that the people dwarfed by Godzilla Minus One's eponymous presence are suffering and grieving both individually and en masse. Although performances aren't reliably among the highlights when the king of the monsters is in the frame, film or genre, Kamiki, Hamabe, Aoki, Sakura Ando (Shoplifters) and Hidetaka Yoshioka (Dr Coto's Clinic) — the latter pair as one of Kōichi and Noriko's neighbours, and a big-thinking scientist, respectively — are all terrific. The weight and toll, stakes and pain, and fears and horrors that Godzilla is wrapped up in as a symbol are resonantly conveyed in their portrayals, which also enjoy a similar role as Ifukube's always-rousing theme song. Words, sounds and tunes can say much, and do, yet the emptiness when they're hushed can also speak volumes. Godzilla Minus One understands the importance of both, and how to balance the two. Now 37 live-action entries in, Godzilla is the longest-running film franchise ever, a feat befitting an on-screen titan in multiple senses of the word. Over the saga's 69 years to-date, almost everything that can happen in a Godzilla movie has, for better and worse — "an internet" being the saviour in the awful 1998 first American flick proving a prime case of the series' direst of developments — but Godzilla Minus One shows that the finest instances won't ever stop thundering with surprises. When a Godzilla feature is as substantial as this one, spawning seven more decades of films feels warranted. The possibilities continue to be endless. So far, no one has made a mashup movie starring the two hugely popular creatures both linked to Bikini Atoll, aka Godzilla and SpongeBob SquarePants, for example. Nothing beats Zilly blasting into the world that created it, however — back in 1954 when Ifukube's music first delighted and, with composer Naoki Satô's (Kazama Kimichika: Kyojo Zero) score assisting, also now.
If your idea of bliss is a lengthy soak in warm water in a stunning location, you have a date with the outback Queensland town of Cunnamulla in your future. Before summer is out, it'll be home to a new hot springs that boasts seven geothermic pools, is perched right by Warrego River for the ultimate in scenic surroundings, and will also get you relaxing by sunrise and sunset. And, it hails from the Peninsula Hot Springs crew. Not content with getting folks steeping on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and at Metung Hot Springs in East Gippsland — both in a state vying to become home to a 900-kilometre hot springs trail — plus at Maruia Hot Springs in New Zealand, the team is spreading its footprint. Cunnamulla Hot Springs was announced in 2023, and originally set to launch last winter; however, the fact that the Peninsula Hot Springs Group is now running it is new, and so is the Thursday, February 1, 2024 opening date. The local Paroo Shire owns the five-star venue, which cost $11.7-million to establish, with contributions from both the federal and Queensland state governments. But, now that Cunnamulla Hot Springs will soon welcome in patrons after becoming the largest-funded project that the Paroo Shire Council has ever undertaken, it has handed over day-to-day operations to one of the big Australian names in the business. The site's pools are surrounded by native trees, and feature mineral- and vitamin-rich water taken from and heated naturally by the artesian basin underneath. Learning about the latter around your soak is also part of the experience — relaxing your body and feeding your mind at the same time. Each of Cunnamulla Hot Springs's bathing spots sport different temperatures, so you can get steamy, opt for a stint in the chilled plunge pool or both. One has been specifically built to be shallow, so that folks sitting in it can gaze at the stars in the most immersive way possible. In the state-of-the-art complex, a sauna and a steam room is also part of the setup, as is an area for salt scrubs and clay masks. The aforementioned early-morning and late-afternoon dips are all about taking advantage of day's cooler temperatures. Dawn bathing starts at 6am, while a twilight soak is on offer from 5–9pm on weekdays. Patrons aren't merely surrounded by Cunnamulla's landscape as they sit; everything about Cunnamulla Hot Springs has taken its cues from its environment, with Cox Architects on design duties. Think: earthy colours, and using stone and ironbark timber among other natural materials — plus the thermal waters, of course. "Cunnamulla Hot Springs in one of the remotest destinations in one of the least populated countries in the world. We want guests to connect with the outback, the local indigenous communities and most importantly, the water — the mineral-rich artesian water that is found at Cunnamulla," said Peninsula Hot Springs' Charles Davidson. "Our hope is that Cunnamulla Hot Springs will create a sense of community by embracing the land, culture and wellbeing — as the Mornington Peninsula did when it opened, over 18 years ago." When it was announced last year, Cunnamulla Hot Springs was named as a highlight on the Outback Queensland Traveller's Guide, which is filled with things to do inland in the Sunshine State. Queensland isn't just about beaches, rainforests and the tropics, even if that's what it's best known for. So, the bathing venue joins everything from starlight river cruises in Longreach and Winton's Australia Age of Dinosaurs Museum through to the Southwest Queensland Indigenous Cultural Trail and a heap of national parks (and other outback spas and baths, including in Julia Creek, Bedourie, Quilpie, Mitchell and Yowah). If you're now planning a trip to Cunnamulla, it's around a nine-hour drive west from Brisbane, with flights via Rex, and also boasts an outback river lights festival; the Artesian Time Tunnel, which explores the Artesian Basin's history; and safari-style glamping — among other attractions. Cunnamulla Hot Springs will open at Lot 5 Ivan Street, Cunnamulla, Queensland on Thursday, February 1 — head to the venue's website for bookings and further information. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
When it comes to experiencing the natural world and all its animals, what could be better than going on safari? Well, not much — except perhaps going on safari and then coming back to a luxury camp at the end of the day. That seems to be the thinking behind Kenya's new Loisaba Tented Camp, anyway. Not only do they want you to explore the wonders of the East African wilderness, but they want you to get a bit of infinity pool action at the same time. The camp comes from African accommodation company Elewana, who have a collection of luxury camps and lodges in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Located in the in Laikipia region of Kenya just north of Nairobi, it sits on a small, elevated part of the 56,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy, which affords some absolutely killer views across the Laikipia Plains to Mount Kenya. Just look at the view from the infinity pool. While you're enjoying this 360-degree eye candy, you'll be reclining in total comfort. The camp has six double luxury 'tents' (if you can call them that), as well as three family tents and a private residence that boasts its own private infinity pool and bar. Everyone staying at the secluded camp can access the other infinity pool though, as well as the on-site restaurant. They even have 'Starbeds', which can be rolled outdoors so you can sleep under the stars. But you won't just be relegated to your tent all day — there's many an activity to do. Loisaba offers all guests the opportunity to partake in bushwalks, mountain biking, camel riding, lion tracking, horse riding, fishing and local village excursions, among other activities. And if your next question is (rightly) about the camp's impact on the environment and its wildlife, you don't need to worry. The camp was set up with the support of The Nature Conservancy, and aims to use tourism to further protect the Loisaba Conservancy, its wildlife and communities. As well as being a sanctuary for over 700 elephants, the area also provides refuge for one of Kenya's most stable lion populations and helps protect species like Grevy's zebra, wild dogs, leopards and cheetahs. If you're already picturing yourself in that infinity pool, you'll want to know how must this thing costs. It's not cheap — prices start from $670 AUD per person per night — but that includes accommodation, transfers, taxes, booze and all activities. For more information about Elewana's Loisaba Tented Camp, visit their website.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has just wrapped up its two-week long meeting in Manama, Bahrain, during which it added a further 19 sites to the World Heritage List — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's list of landmarks and areas that are legally protected due to their significance. Thirteen of the new sites have been selected for their cultural importance, three are sites with noteworthy natural features, and the remaining three fall into both the natural and cultural categories. The list of the new cultural sites chosen is as follows: Aasivissuit-Nipisat. Inuit hunting ground between ice and sea in Denmark. Al-Ahsa Oasis, an evolving cultural landscape in Saudi Arabia. Ancient city of Qalhat in Oman. Archaeological border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke in Germany. Caliphate city of Medina Azahara in Spain. Göbekli Tepe in Turkey. Hidden Christian sites in the Nagasaki region in Japan. Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century in Italy. Naumburg Cathedral in Germany. Sansa, Buddhist Mountain monasteries in Korea in the Republic of Korea. Sassanid archaeological landscape of Fars region in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site in Kenya. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles of Mumbai in India. Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains in South Africa, the Chaine des Puys — Limagne fault tectonic arena in France and Fanjingshan in China have been selected as the new natural sites. Meanwhile, the new mixed sites are Chiribiquete National Park, aka 'The Maloca of the Jaguar' in Colombia' Pimachiowin Aki in Canada and Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley's originary habitat of Mesoamerica in Mexico. In addition, the committee approved the expansion of one natural site: Central Sikhote-Alin in the Bikin River Valley in Russia. The World Heritage List now includes 1092 different sites spread across 167 countries. Perusing the full list is certain to get you marvelling at the planet's many wonders — and give you some serious travel inspiration.
If running a successful startup business is a feat, running 11 successful businesses is a modern-day miracle. But that's what Julien Moussi does. If you're a Melbourne food lover, you've probably eaten at one of Julien's establishments (including Temperance Society in Hughesdale, Penta in Elsternwick, Tinker in Northcote and most recently, Bentwood in Fitzroy) and enjoyed the fruits of his entrepreneurial labours without even realising it. We teamed up with MYOB to get to know the people who are doing business right and had a yarn with Julien to learn how his venues manage to thrive in a city so inundated with hospitality talent. Turns out, it's a healthy mix of hard work, trust and not sweating the small stuff. And, whether it's your first startup or your eleventh, it doesn't get easier, but you do learn a heck of a lot along the way. Julien gave us a rundown of his best tips for small business owners. RUNNING A BUSINESS IS LIKE RAISING A CHILD "You have to put all your time into it. Forget about your usual sleeping patterns, hobbies or routines," Julien says. The first few years can be tough as you learn the ropes of running a business. You'll make mistakes and more importantly, you'll have to make sacrifices (forget everything you knew about work/life balance — you're a business owner now). If you ever doubt yourself, remember it's not forever. When your little business baby ages out of the terrible toddler years, you'll both be stronger for it. "Those sacrifices have paid dividends," Julien says. "I get to travel a lot overseas and have a very flexible schedule. I can also catch up in the middle of the day with my mum, dad and friends for a coffee — things that just weren't possible in the first three years." YOUR PEOPLE ARE YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET If your business is a baby, then choosing who to co-parent with is the most important decision you'll make. It's scary but important — sharing the load is the only way to prevent burnout and actually have some fun with it. "Nothing can really prepare you for business. I had no social life for at least the first two or three years and did nothing but work," Julien says. "[My] mentality was 'if it is to be, it's up to me', but then finding fantastic people to work with is key. Staff are the most important part of any business. Now, I'm happy for us to make mistakes in order to give people experience and growth." BE DIFFERENT OR PERISH There's a lot of sameness and copy-cattery happening in the Melbourne cafe scene, but there's still always demand. It's crucially important, no matter what your business does, to put your own spin on things. Carve out a niche for yourself however you can and make sure that niche is incomparable. "[With Bentwood] our aim was to make a space that was very different to the typical Melbourne cafe scene," Julien explains. "We wanted an environment that was sophisticated but not over-designed, so the interior has grand but honest and raw finishes. The biggest statement is the steel boxed ceiling which was very challenging to get sign-off from structural engineers." The bottom line? Don't scrimp on standing out. DO YOUR HOMEWORK In the early years, many small business owners end up wearing a lot of hats. You become the accountant, the operations manager, the social media intern — you try to do it all, and it's a double-edged sword. Getting involved in every aspect of the business in the early days is a great way to understand what makes it tick, but it's probably not a sustainable reality. "Understand your model," Julien says. "Measuring benchmarks and reviewing your financials weekly is the reason we grew so quickly...MYOB helps us get a quick snapshot of where the business is at any given time, whether it be daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly...I knew what everything cost, how much profit we were making and what I needed to do to keep evolving and growing. I always looked ahead and wanted more." If trying to do it all sounds intimidating, Julien's final piece of advice might help: ask questions, no matter how dumb they sound; never stop questioning and learning. "That's what's helped me grow my skill set which has made our business more powerful." Planning to open your own business? Whether it's the first or eleventh, consider MYOB to help sort out all your accounting needs.
Sometimes, enjoying the music festival experience involves gumboots, picking the best outfit with the most pockets and dancing in huge crowds. At other times, it spans making shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing. Yes, the latter has become familiar during the pandemic, but it's also been a way to live the Coachella life without heading to Indio, California for a decade now. And, with the fest returning in 2022, so is its YouTube livestream. Boasting a lineup headlined by Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd — as announced back in January, albeit with the latter pair now taking over Ye's slot — Coachella is finally back for its first fest since 2019. It'll unleash its impressive bill over the weekends of April 15–17 and April 22–24, which is Saturday, April 16–Monday, April 18 and Saturday, April 23–Monday, April 25 Down Under. So, if you haven't been fortunate enough to make the trip to America, that's your long weekend sorted for two weeks in a row. Wondering who to watch when? Coachella has just dropped its setlists if you're wondering which acts will be hitting the livestream on which days. Styles headlines the first day, Eilish does the second and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd are now leading the charge on the third — on both weekends. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) And, they're joined by a bonafide metric fucktonne of squealworthy acts, including Australia's own Flume, The Avalanches and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, plus Phoebe Bridgers, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Jamie xx, Run the Jewels, Fatboy Slim, Finneas and Joji, just to name a few. Also, when it dropped its set times overnight, Coachella just casually added Arcade Fire to the lineup. Of course, livestreaming music fests is no longer a novelty in these pandemic times but, given the calibre of Coachella's roster, it's still a mighty fine way to spend a weekend or two. And, YouTube will be adding live chats and artist interviews, aka the kinds of experiences that you wouldn't get if you were at the fest IRL. Coachella's return is a 'nature is healing' moment for the music industry, after a tough few years for festivals in general — and this one in particular. Coachella's 2020 event was postponed less than a month out, and later cancelled completely. And, plans to make a comeback in 2021 unsurprisingly didn't happen either. Coachella runs from April 15–17 and April 22–24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST / 11am NZST on Saturday, April 16 and Saturday, April 23. Top image: Roger Ho.
What'll start at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, then spread plenty of sports around Victoria? Every year, the AFL season does just that — but soon, the Commonwealth Games will as well. Just four years out from the event, and mere months away from 2022's games in Birmingham, England, regional Victoria has been named as the event's 2026 host. While the opening ceremony will take over the MCG — where else? — the games themselves will play out in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. Each spot will operate as regional hub, scoring their own athletes' village and sports programs, and spreading the event around the state in the process. [caption id="attachment_831273" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn, Visit Victoria[/caption] And, because the 2026 Commonwealth Games really are set to take advantage of as much of Victoria as they can, Shepparton will also host sporting and cultural events, too. If you're wondering exactly what'll be hosted where, it's been proposed that all of the aquatics events happen in Geelong, as well as hockey, gymnastics, table tennis, beach volleyball and the triathlon. Gippsland could host badminton and rugby, athletics and boxing has been earmarked for Ballarat, and Bendigo looks set to welcome weightlifting, lawn bowls and squash. The cycling program will likely take place from Gippsland to Bendigo, while Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland would all host cricket. And, there'll be a para sport program as well, with para athletics, para swimming, para lawn bowls, para table tennis, para triathlon and para powerlifting already locked in. It's official: the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be the Regional Victoria games. — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) April 12, 2022 Announcing the news, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said that "it's a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games — we can't wait to welcome the world to all of our state." It's estimated the 2026 games will give the Victorian economy a$3 billion boost, creating more than 600 full-time jobs before the event, as well as 3900 jobs while they're on and another 3000 afterwards. The Commonwealth Games will also feature cultural events spread across the state, and the Queen's Baton Relay will race through Victoria's various regions in the weeks leading up to the opening ceremony. And yes, Australia only recently held the games, back in 2018 on the Gold Coast. Also, this means that Australia will host two huge sporting events in the next decade, given that Brisbane has already been locked in as the site for the 2032 Olympic Games. The 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place in regional Victoria in 2026, with exact dates to be announced. For more information, head to the Commonwealth Games website and Victorian Government website. Top image: StephenK1997 via Flickr.
Usually when a festival dedicated to espresso martinis pops up, it takes over one place. Such boozy fests only tend to run for a day or so, or a weekend, too. But one of Australia's big hospitality chains is ditching both of those norms, because this drink needs a whole week and more than 200 pubs countrywide to truly get buzzing. Who needs sleep when there's caffeinated cocktails to sip and celebrate? The event: ALH Hotels' Espresso Martini Festival, which'll take over venues in a heap of states including Queensland from Monday, March 13–Sunday, March 19. If you're wondering why, the reason is the same that most food- or drink-themed fests pop up. Yes, there's an occasion dedicated to the beverage in question, with World Espresso Martini Day upon us on Wednesday, March 15. For the week around the espresso martini-fuelled date, ALH Hotels will pour Grey Goose espresso martinis no matter what time you drop by. Fancy a pick-me-up over lunch? After-work bevvies with your colleagues? A cruisy weekend session giving you some extra perk? They're all options — just don't expect to be tired afterwards. Among the venues taking part in the Sunshine State, Brisbanites can hit up Breakfast Creek Hotel, Brunswick Hotel, Oxford 152, Indooroopilly Hotel, Stones Corner Hotel and the RE.
In cinemas everywhere in 2023, to more than a billion dollars at the global box office, Ryan Gosling is "just Ken" in Barbie. He's also fantastic. Jump back almost two decades, however, and he was getting attention for locking lips with Rachel McAdams (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) during a downpour in The Notebook — and that Nicholas Sparks-penned effort isn't done spreading its sappy brand of romance just yet. 2024 will mark exactly 20 years since The Notebook hit the big screen, as based on Sparks' 1996 debut novel. It'll also see the musical version of The Notebook make its Broadway debut. The production was first announced back in 2019, then premiered in Chicago in 2022 and now heads to the Big Apple. While Gosling can sing — see: Barbie, La La Land, his band Dead Man's Bones — he likely isn't part of the stage show's cast. Exactly who'll be crooning through the book-turned-movie-turned-musical's lovestruck drama in New York's prestigious theatre district hasn't been announced yet, though, so you can hold onto your Gosling fantasy for a bit longer. Either way, expect singing in the rain, obviously, as well as belted-out declarations of love in a rowboat. Expect a song-filled account of heiress Allie Hamilton falling in love with lumber mill worker Noah Calhoun in the 1940s, too. Should tissues be handed out with every ticket? As The Notebook jumps from tear-soaked pages to weep-inducing celluloid to a stage version, that wouldn't be the worst move. This treading-the-boards take on the A Walk to Remember, Dear John, The Last Song and The Lucky One author's best-known tome will start Broadway previews on Tuesday, February 6, if you have an NYC trip in your future. Public tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 26. The Notebook musical's script and songs stem handled by Bekah Brunstetter and Ingrid Michaelson respectively. The former was a writer and producer on TV show This Is Us, and the latter is best known for singles 'The Way I Am' and 'Girls Chase Boys'. And on directing duties: Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen) and Schele Williams (Motown the Musical). Check out a glimpse of The Notebook musical's Chicago season below: The Notebook musical opens on Broadway, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, with previews from Tuesday, February 6. Head to the show's website for more information, plus public tickets from Tuesday, September 26.
Having dominated Australian dining for decades with the likes of Bondi's Icebergs Dining Room, Da Orazio and The Dolphin Hotel, restaurateur Maurice Terzini is now taking his talents to Asia. And his first stop is Seminyak, Bali, where his new restaurant Da Maria will be opening on Saturday, November 5. As the name suggests, the venue will be bringing a splash of Italy to the tropical Indonesian island. Roman architects Lazzarini Pickering took care of the design and, walking into the courtyard, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd landed on the Amalfi Coast. The cool whites and blues, bold shapes, fountains and feature ceiling are a contemporary take on 1960s aesthetics, including that of Giò Ponti's famous Sorrento hotel Parco dei Principi. "Da Maria is our portrait of Maurice Terzini in Bali," said Carl Pickering. "'Bali Style' wouldn't have worked for the ideas Maurice had for this restaurant." That said, there is evidence of Balinese influence in the rubber trees, cacti and passionfruit vines. Plus, you'll notice a dash of French fer forgé style in the tables and chairs. As far as the food goes, Terzini has gone for a modern take on simple, traditional Italian dishes. A cool 24 hours of fermentation goes into the pizza dough, which is made using Neapolitan techniques and cooked in lava stone ovens. You'll also find porchetta (whole pig) which has proved a big hit at Bondi's Da Orazio. Among the lighter dishes, there's asparagus with anchovy butter and parmesan, snapper crudo with tomato, chilli and marjoram, and octopus with overnight beans, red wine vinegar and parsley. If you're up for a long feast, then order 'La Panarda', which will get you a selection of sharing plates. "We are offering traditional Italian food, done correctly, in a modern environment without trying to reinvent the wheel," said chef Steven Skelly. "It's accessible, fresh and fun and we really enjoy cooking it." Meanwhile, in the Americano-influenced bar, expect Italian classics, like the Negroni and the Spritz, as well as house-made liqueurs, including vermouth, and a contemporary wine list. As at any Terzini establishment, special events will pepper the calendar, to be curated with help from Motel Mexicola's Adrian Reed. DJs will be popping in every night from 10.30pm onwards and, before then, you'll be kicking back to playlists put together by Sydney DJ Kali (Picnic). Last but not least, there's an onsite boutique, Da Maria Shop by Ten Pieces. Ten Pieces is Terzini's fashion label, launched in partnership with Lucy Hinkfuss in 2011. Find Da Maria at Jalan Pettinenget 170 Badung, Bali, Indonesia, open daily from 5pm–2am and on Sunday for brunch from 11am–3pm.
It's always summer somewhere, right? Not exactly, but that's long been the idea behind swapping Australia's winters for a midyear trip to Europe. And if that's on the cards for you at the moment — or you're thinking about it given how genuinely cold the last month has been already Down Under — then you can now hop on one of Qantas' new direct flights to Rome. To truly get the non-stop experience, you'll need to live in Perth. If you hail from another part of the country, you will have to make your way to the Western Australian capital first. But, either way, that flight from Perth to Rome won't make a layover — getting you from Down Under to continental Europe faster, and without switching planes, worrying about connecting legs and navigating other airports. The direct-to-Rome routes were first announced back in late 2021, but they've just started taking to the air since Saturday, June 25. They follow the airline's direct flights from Perth to London, and will make the trip three times a week between now and October. And yes, that timing is 100-percent aimed at letting Australians take full advantage of European summer holidays. As well as being the only flights that connect Australia to continental Europe, the new Rome trips are speedier than other routes to the Italian city — more than three hours faster than the current quickest travel time from Australia to Rome. That means fewer hours spent in transit, and more to actually soak in Italy. It also means spending a big unbroken block of time in the air, which still sounds a bit like science fiction after so long without international travel. If you're keen to head elsewhere on the continent, you can use Rome as a connection point to fly to 16 other European destinations, including Athens, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Nice, Madrid and Paris. You can also venture to 15 other spots in Italy, Milan and Venice among them. Also, if you fancy flying into Rome but coming home from London, or vice versa, Qantas will let you combine the two direct routes on the one return ticket. The airline has also added a few Italian-inspired food and drink items, including negronis, to its lounge and inflight menus — and it's screening films that link in with Italy, too, such as Rome, Open City and Life Is Beautiful. And if you're wondering about the possibility of travelling non-stop to Europe from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which Qantas has been looking into for a few years now, the carrier has locked in direct Sydney-to-London flights (and direct Sydney-to-New York routes as well) to start in late 2025. Qantas' new Australia–Rome direct flights are flying three times a week from Perth until October. For more information, or to book tickets, head to the airline's website.
Stakes at the ready: more than three decades after Buffy the Vampire Slayer first hit the big screen, and nearing the same span since the undead-vanquishing character first made the leap to television, another TV series looks set to continue the story. Into every generation a new slayer is born, after all. And if this new small-screen effort comes to fruition, it will indeed focus on a new character — but Sarah Michelle Gellar (Dexter: Original Sin) is also set to co-star. As per both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, a sequel series to Buffy the Vampire Slayer is expected to receive a pilot order from US streamer Hulu, with Gellar in talks to reprise her performance as the Sunnydale resident who spent her nights dispensing with bloodsuckers. Narrative-wise, details from there are scarce, but a fresh face will take the spotlight, with Gellar featured in a recurring role. Behind the scenes, another big name is attached to the new Buffy: Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao, who is set to helm the pilot if it gets the greenlight, and also executive produce. If you're choosing not to get too excited until everything is official, however, that's understandable. Into every few years, reports of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer comeback are born, too. Back in 2018, a Buffy spinoff was in the works, for instance. Alas, like vamps and making daytime plans, nothing happened. Thanks to Audible, though, Slayers: A Buffyverse Story did continue the tale with a heap of the show's original cast, focusing on bleached-blonde vampire Spike (James Marsters, Isla Monstro). Until confirmation that Buffy really is rising again like the creatures its namesake has spent so long battling, it's time to start hoping that other cast members will return to the TV sequel. Among the show's lineup of talent during its 1997–2003 run, and spinoff Angel's span from 1999–2004: everyone from Alyson Hannigan (Office Race), David Boreanaz (SEAL Team), Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl) and Alexis Denisof (How I Met Your Father) to Charisma Carpenter (Going Home), Anthony Head (Ted Lasso), Juliet Landau (Claws), Emma Caulfield Ford (Agatha All Along) and Amber Benson (I Saw the TV Glow). If it goes ahead, the new Buffy will boast Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman (Poker Face) as writers, showrunners and executive producers, while Gellar would executive produce as well. There's obviously no trailer for the latest take on Buffy yet, but you can get a blast from the past with trailers from the OG TV series below: The new Buffy the Vampire Slayer doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you with more details when they're announced. Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter.
There are few film festival experiences as fun as spending four days camped out at Marrickville's Factory Theatre during the Sydney Underground Film Festival. Attending this fest in-person involves hopping in and out of its makeshift cinemas, watching all manner of out-there and indie movies you won't see elsewhere, and spending plenty of time at the bar chatting about what you've just seen — and, whether you're a diehard cinephile and festival devotee, you're just sick of watching mainstream fare or it purely sounds like a great way to spend a weekend, it's a total and utter delight. SUFF isn't playing out quite like this at the moment, however, for obvious reasons. Moving online for the second year in a row, it's hosting its 2021 edition virtually. Thankfully, while no one can enjoy the physical side of the fest between Thursday, September 9–Sunday, September 26, SUFF has brought its usual anarchic vibe to its 30-film program — all of which is now available to stream, and nationally as well. Get ready for affectionate documentaries, weird and wild features that just keep getting weirder and more wonderful, and pretty much everything in-between, all while getting cosy on your own couch. And if you've not sure where to start, we've watched, picked and reviewed seven highlights from SUFF's 15th annual program. There's your viewing sorted for the next fortnight or so. POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHÉ Add Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché to the list of exceptional music documentaries — and yes, that observation can end there and prove 100-percent accurate. That said, this excellent film also belongs among the ranks of standout docos about famous musicians that serve multiple purposes. For existing fans of Marianne Elliott-Said, the punk singer who fronted late-70s band X-Ray Spex, this is an unflinching love letter that dives into every facet of her life. Covered here: her rise to stardom at a pivotal time in music history, the way she was treated as a British Somali woman, her efforts to subvert every standard that applied to women and public figures, and the toll it all took. As co-written, co-directed and guided on-screen by her daughter Celeste Bell — as an act of embracing everything her mother was and stood for — the film also demonstrates again and again why its title couldn't be further from the reality. For newcomers to the woman best known under her stage name Poly Styrene (which she picked from the phone book), this loving feature acts as an entry point, too. Like fellow outstanding music doco The Sparks Brothers, it'll give some of its audience a new obsession. Via voice snippets rather than talking heads, the likes of Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore also offer their memories of and insights into all things Poly, but Bell and her co-helmer Paul Sng (Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain) understandably push their bold, rebellious and inimitable central figure to the fore at all times — including via riveting archival footage, as well as potent and emotional snippets from her diaries and poems. WONDERFUL PARADISE No one will finish Wonderful Paradise wondering what writer/director Masashi Yamamoto (The Voice of Water) and co-screenwriter Suzuyuki Kaneko might've left out of their script. The pair throw everything they can into this absurdist Japanese comedy, and it shows — because this is the type of movie where giant coffee beans get ravenous, children segue from projectile vomiting to transforming into branches, pregnancies last around 20 minutes, and parties become funerals, then turn into big song-and-dance numbers. The premise: at a house in suburban Tokyo, Akane (Mayu Ozawa, The Happy Prisoner), her father (Seikô Itô, We Are Little Zombies) and her brother (Soran Tamoto, I Turn) are packing up their belongings. For financial reasons that involve big debts and shady figures who are keen to collect, they're moving out of the sprawling abode. But Akane decides to host one last party and, after she tweets out the details, friends, relatives and strangers alike — including her estranged mother Akiko (Kaho Minami, Oh Lucy!) — all start popping up. From there, anything that can happen does. Indeed, sharing the same kind of manic energy that also made fellow low-budget Japanese flick One Cut of the Dead a delight, this plays like a hallucinatory mind trip more than a movie. That isn't a criticism of Wonderful Paradise; this is just a film that sweeps you along for a strange and surreal ride, satirises everything it can while also making plenty of savvy statements, careens off in weird and wonderful directions, and also makes you adore every minute. LORELEI Following an ex-felon who has just been released from a 15-year prison stint, as well as his former teenage sweetheart, Lorelei isn't in a rush to unfurl its dramas and dive to its deepest depths. Marking the feature debut of Sabrina Doyle, it's the type of film that needs that space and 111-minute running time to grow and breathe, and to build up to its surprises — and to earn the emotional journey that its standout lead performances slowly but commandingly convey at every moment. Orange Is the New Black's Pablo Schreiber plays Waylan, a small-town biker who didn't snitch when he was sent up for armed robbery. Keeping quiet cost him not only a decade and a half of his life, but his romance with Dolores (Jena Malone, Antebellum). His incarceration has saw their shared dreams dissolve, too, and led Dolores to have three children with other men since. The pair reunite after Waylan is released, crossing paths purely in passing. Quickly, staring into each other's eyes brings back old feelings, and also conjures up new regrets about the existence they always thought they'd lead together. Doyle is as concerned about the precarious situation that Dolores and her children Dodger (first-timer Chancellor Perry), Periwinkle (fellow newcomer Amelia Borgerding) and Denim (debutant Parker Pascoe-Sheppard) have endured over the years as she is with Waylan's route forward, and much of Lorelei thoughtfully dwells on the stark realities facing all of its characters. Indeed, there's not just empathy but a sense of rawness here — including when the film endeavours to leap into sunnier waters. ALIEN ON STAGE It's one of the greatest science fiction movies ever made, and always will be. It spawned three sequels and two prequels over the course of four decades and, while many of those have been stellar themselves, it still remains the best film there is with xenomorphs at its centre. It made Sigourney Weaver not just a star but a legend, too — and, thanks to an amateur stage version of the iconic flick that was initially staged in Dorset, then hit London's West End, it gave a group of British bus drivers their time in the spotlight as well. The movie in question: Alien. It mightn't seem suited to the theatre, but that didn't stop Dave Mitchell and his friends. When they decided to turn the film into a stage production, they put their hearts and souls into it, and Alien On Stage tells their story. The show turns out exactly as you'd expect with a non-professional cast and crew at the helm, and with homemade props recreating the Nostromo and its unwanted stowaway. The same description applies to his loving documentary — because this is a movie made by fans, about a stage show made by fans, and the end result leans into all of those layers of affection. Back in 1979, Ridley Scott mightn't have ever imagined that his sci-fi/horror film could spawn this level of devotion, or give this much happiness to folks trying to follow in his footsteps — and to a room full of immensely entertained Leicester Square Theatre attendees, too. That's just one of the things that Alien has spawned, and everyone can hear this movie's screams of joy. SWEETIE, YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT When Arman (Azamat Marklenov) and Murat (Erlan Primbetov) pick up Dastan (Daniar Alshinov, A Dark, Dark Man) for a day of fishing in Sweetie, You Won't Believe It, they're just trying to gift him one last moment away from his responsibilities. His girlfriend Zhanna (Asel Kaliyeva, The Secret of a Leader) is about to give birth to his first child, and this film subscribes to the idea that parenthood means kissing goodbye your old self. But, the trio have never cast a line into the water before. That's the excuse they've used to head away, though, so they decide to stick with it. They're soon fashioning a boat out of blow-up sex toys, but that's far from the worst that their day trip to regional Kazakhstan has in store. As they're floating and not really fishing, they witness gun-slinging gangsters (Alamat Sakatov, Yerkubulan Daiyrov and Rustem Zhaniyamanov) attempting to squeeze information out of another man in a violent fashion — and, soon, Dastan and his pals find themselves being pursued by the ruthless criminals as well. Then, complicating matters even further, a one-eyed, jaw-ripping psychopath (Dulgya Akmolda) on a quest for vengeance starts targeting everyone in sight. Sweetie, You Won't Believe It doesn't take any of its various parts seriously, thankfully. It's one part buddy getaway comedy, one part western slapstick, one part secluded horror and one part gory gangster flick, and it loves seesawing back and forth between all four. It also has ample fun satirising prevailing ideas of masculinity amidst the blood, guts and over-the-top silliness. CANNON ARM AND THE ARCADE QUEST When The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters chronicled Steve Wiebe's attempt to earn Donkey Kong's highest score ever — and oust Billy Mitchell from retaining that title in the process — it turned a slice of the gaming world into one of the must-see documentaries of the early 2000s. Well over a decade later, Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest mashes similar buttons, this time focusing on the eponymous Danish Gyruss devotee and his dream of clocking up 100 consecutive hours playing the 80s game. If successful, Kim aka Cannon Arm won't just claim the world record for his favourite shoot-'em-up title. Standing in an arcade for more than four days straight (with some canny plans around how to eat, nap and go to the bathroom, if you're wondering how that all works), he'd smash the existing feat by a whopping 41 hours. Sporting a greying mullet and noted for his lack of conversation, Kim himself approaches the possibility with few words; however, his friends and fellow games are eager to do anything they can to assist his quest. As this doco charts, achieving this kind of milestone isn't straightforward. Yes, Kim's health is considered in detail as first-time feature filmmaker Mads Hedegaard — who narrates as well — explains. All that gaming isn't the only focus of the documentary, though, with Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest smartly diving into what draws Kim and his Bip Bip Bar mates to their preferred pastime, what else they're fascinated with in their lives, and how gaming both parallels their other interests and provides a respite from their daily lives. DANNY. LEGEND. GOD. If there's one thing that Bulgarian councillor Danny (Dimo Alexiev, A Hidden Life) isn't lacking, it's confidence. He isn't short on arrogance, either, or on the impulses needed to take the most corrupt, abhorrent, self-serving option at any possible juncture — and he's extremely unpleasant to be around even in small bursts. Danny is also the titular figure in mockumentary Danny. Legend. God., so he demonstrates his worst traits over and over, and for an extended period. First-time filmmaker Yavor Petkov wants viewers to feel uncomfortable, in fact, because that's the natural reaction to seeing someone who's little more than a crook throw their weight about in a position of power, care only about themselves and have zero regard for the long-term repercussions for everyone in their orbit. In other words, this is a film that proves particularly piercing given the current global political climate. It's darkly humorous, but in a savage, biting, only-two-degrees-removed-from-reality way. And if you're wondering why Danny is in the spotlight — and why Alexiev puts in quite the committed performance in the part — that's because the film revolves around a news crew visiting the character's home town to capture and ideally expose his wrongdoing. What starts out as an attempt to make a documentary about money laundering soon gets hijacked by their subject, though, as Danny demands that his freewheeling life is captured exactly how he wants it — no matter what he's doing, or snorting, or the cost of his actions. The 2021 Sydney Underground Film Festival runs from Thursday, September 9–Sunday, September 26. For further details, or to watch online, head to the festival's website.
Effortless multitasker Joss Whedon has taken time off between letting Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents clean up the scum to unveil a fan-friendly surprise: his brand new film In Your Eyes available to rent online for just $5. The Avengers director high-fived his fans worldwide by releasing the film online as it was premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Currently filming the next instalment of the Avengers: Age of Ultron, Whedon made $1.5 billion from the first ‘gang’s all here’ Marvel superhero romp. The Buffy creator has seen shifts in the industry over the years and wanted to explore options to satisfy both fans and his bottom line. "It's exciting for us because we get to explore yet another new form of distribution — and we get $5," he said. Whedon recorded a video message to introduce the release, played before the Tribeca screening and seemingly recorded on the Avengers set. In Your Eyes will mark the second release from Bellwether Pictures, Whedon’s pet project and “micro studio” that released the playful, black and white rom-com version of Much Ado About Nothing in 2013. Whedon and his wife Kai Cole founded the LA studio as a means to bypass "the classic studio structure" that Whedon receives millions of dollars yet limited creative distribution control to work in. Starring newcomers Zoe Kazan (writer and star of Ruby Sparks) and Michael Stahl-David (Cloverfield, NBC’s The Black Donnellys), In Your Eyes is a so-called paranormal romance, following two strangers who find themselves linked by supernatural means. Whedon wrote and produced the film, looked at his laughable schedule, then handed the director hat over to buddy Brin Hill (writer and director of 2008’s Ball Don’t Lie). Whedon has been pretty busy of late being King of Marvel Errrrthang, divvying up his directorial time on the Avengers sequel Age of Ultron to serve as creative consultant on Any Marvel Film Anyone is Making Right Now. Whedon penned dialogue for Thor: The Dark World as well as directing the mid-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier — Whedon’s Marvel input cameos might soon rival the onscreen pop-ins of legendary creator Stan Lee. “This is the most prolific title we’ve had on the platform, definitely,” Vimeo spokesman Greg Clayman told Gigaom. Stealthy, unannounced releases are becoming more used by major players as a means of distributing directly to fanbases. “It's a non-traditional way, for sure. But hey, it works for Beyonce." Due to Whedon being an absolute legend, In Your Eyes is available to rent on Vimeo right now. Via BBC and Gigaom.
When Lunar New Year rolls around, there's one obvious place to go in Brisbane: the Chinatown Mall. Lion dances will saunter through the Fortitude Valley spot, firecrackers will light up the night, markets will tempt your wallet and a Vietnamese clay figures workshop will teach you a new skill — but it isn't the only place in the vicinity getting into the celebratory mood. Also joining in to mark the Year of the Rabbit are the Brunswick Street Mall, where traditional and dance music will provide the entertainment alongside comedy, drumming, martial arts and an LED lion show — and Bakery Lane, which'll have roving performances. [caption id="attachment_758021" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tanya Dedyukhina via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] It all happens from 4–8pm on Saturday, January 21, and entry won't cost you a thing. And if you're wondering about the tastiest part of Lunar New Year celebrations — the food, obviously — you'll be in the absolute best place thanks to Chinatown's many eateries (and the Valley's in general). We recommend booking in advance, though, as you won't be the only one with that idea. Top image: J Low via Flickr.
