Remember when you spent your time dreaming up magical places and fantastic creatures? Well, Sarah-Jayne McCreath still does that. Her art feels like childhood imaginings entering an adult world. It bursts with playfulness and recalls all things weird. It's a fascinating combination. Indeed, hers are the type of pieces likely to spawn their own mythology, and the type to get grouped together in an exhibition called Drongos, too. They're both cute and a little creepy, and they're the perfect thing to look at while you're having a coffee. Yes, really. If you head to Haven Espresso at Stafford Heights until the end of December, you can do just that, enjoying something creative with a caffeine fix or a tasty snack. McCreath — aka Beara, the name of her imagination playground — is the cafe's featured artist of the month, with her works not just adorning the walls, but available for sale as well.
Disneyland has so monopolised the 'happiest place on earth' tag, it seems Universal Orlando has been driven to try the opposite: They've announced they're building an immersive recreation of horror movie Cabin in the Woods. It's one of the scariest films released in the last few years, so this maze attraction is set to make grown-ups cry and children stare jealously from the gate, as their entry is, of course, strongly discouraged. It's also one of the cleverest movies of the last few years, and how often can you say you've gone on a ride based on a clever movie? (If it succeeds, our vote is for Primer: Hall of Mirrors next.) The Cabin in the Woods maze will be spoilery, with Universal Orlando Entertainment Team member Michael Aiello telling Zap2it, "We are building the cabin completely. You're going to walk through a forest to get there. You're going into the cabin. You're going to go into the cube cells. We're literally taking everything we can in the film and giving you a kind of best-of montage of the film with this kind of linking story." The film, by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, follows a party of five young people who go to stay at a stereotypically idyllic/deadly cabin in the woods. Every horror movie convention is then thrown at them, and twisted. Goddard is on board helping script the storyline for the maze, so you can rest assured your own little journey through hell will be thoughtfully integrated with the main plot. The Cabin in the Woods maze is part of Universal Orlando's 'Halloween Horror Nights', a program of scares that runs from from September 20 to November 2. It all fits into the US's seemingly unending appetite for extreme haunted houses, which feature Broadway-level production values and favour psychosexual torture over the fake cobwebs and peeled grape 'eyeballs' of so many Baby-sitters Club novels. Via io9.
Back in 2021, Telstra did everyone who has ever forgotten their mobile phone when leaving the house a solid — and anyone who has been caught with a flat phone battery, lost their device, simply doesn't have one or has been stuck in an emergency as well — by making most calls free at its 15,000 payphones around the country. But what if you have your phone, or another internet-capable device, but have run out of data, your budget doesn't stretch to cove online access or, again, it's an emergency? From today, Thursday, August 25, the telecommunications company is starting to make wifi free at its public phones, too. The free wifi starts immediately at around 3000 payphone booths around Australia, and will eventually roll out across the entire nationwide network. And while it might sound like an extra convenience for most, helping people who are isolated or vulnerable is one of the move's key aims. For those who have a device, or access to one, but no data, hopping online will simply involve finding a payphone branded 'free Telstra wifi', then connecting to the 'free Telstra wifi' network in your device settings. Once you've connected the first time, your device will automatically connect to free wifi at other Telstra payphones, too, so you shouldn't need to go through the above process each time. Given that our mobile phones are basically pocket computers, Telstra's free wifi helps make what's become an essential utility — the internet — accessible to everyone. A map of payphones with free wifi is available online, and Telstra is prioritising rolling out the service to communities affected by the recent floods and summer bushfires. The plan is to have free wifi available from the entire network over the next few years. For more information about free wifi from Telstra's payphone, head to the company's website. Images: Sarah Tee.
What do you do when a global pandemic cancels Melbourne's annual film festival? If you're the folks at MIFF, you move the show online. Like Sydney Film Festival, this year's Melbourne International Film Festival is going virtual. So if you usually spend most of August watching new movies from around the world, you can still look forward to doing just that. Running at the same time the physical festival would've — so, between Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23 — this socially distant fest has been dubbed MIFF 68 1/2. 2020 should mark the event's 69th year, but it's keeping that label for next year's in-person fest. Still, cinephiles across Australia will still be able to get a MIFF experience, complete with a ticketed program. On the bill: new flicks, fresh discoveries from emerging filmmakers, and a range of Australian, international, documentary and animation shorts. MIFF's regular Shorts Awards will also be given out. The lineup won't be announced until July 14 (again, MIFF is sticking to its usual timetable), so you'll have to wait to see what you'll be feasting your eyes on — although, given film fests have been cancelled around the world since mid-March, you can probably expect to see a healthy selection of titles from earlier festivals that did still take place, such as Sundance and Berlinale. MIFF 68 1/2 is being made possible thanks to the most significant philanthropic gift the festival has ever received from a private donor, all to ensure the fest still goes on this year — and it'll use streaming platform Shift 72 to screen its program. [caption id="attachment_769569" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Zan Wimberley.[/caption] The full program launch and ticket sales for MIFF 68 1/2 begin on July 14. Top image: Tony Zara / Dean Walliss.
Next time that you slurp down some oysters, you needn't solely opt for natural molluscs served with lemon and Tabasco. There's nothing wrong with that old favourite; however, it has company among the oyster dishes at One Fish Two Fish's returning Oyster Frenzy. Between Friday, January 26–Sunday, January 28, the Kangaroo Point eatery is serving up 2024's six-course oyster feast, taking seafood lovers through six different flavours. Start with the tried, tested and aforementioned combination, then move onto oysters with creamed spinach and breadcrumbs, served with baked artichokes, and paired with native pepper berry and oak-aged chardonnay mignonette You'll also be snacking on a cheesy barbecue mornay variety, plus oysters with lychee popping pearls. A sitting will cost you $95 per person. Because oysters are always popular, bookings are essential — with Oyster Frenzy running at 6.30pm Friday–Saturday for dinner, plus 1.30pm for lunch on all three days. You can also add some booze via oyster shooters for $10 a pop, choosing from bloody mary, gin and tonic, and dirty martini options.
The wonderful Moonlight Cinema, nestled in New Farm park until February, is back. It seems like every time these Moonlight cinemas are on, I miss them. That could be due to the fact I don't live exactly inner city, and always find out too late. I am determined not to miss out this time though. The first film on the program is Drive, which stars the argued Sexiest Man In The World, Ryan Gosling, and is about a stunt driver turned underworld crim who gets caught up in a series of unfortunate events. It also sees Bryan Cranston in another gritty role, and has garnered some very impressive reviews. The rest of the program is set to delight, with Ferris Bueller's Day Off and a Grease sing-a-long scheduled. I personally will not miss the Grease screening, and will attend rain, hail or shine. That said, the cinema operates in changing weather, but if a cancellation occurs, they will happily give you a voucher for another session, so there's no need to worry about our wild weather ruining your fun completely! You can bring blankets, your own food (plus non-alco drinks), and pillows to relax on, and even your dog if you so wish. Make sure you don't miss the Ford Focus Moonlight Cinema when its in town – did I mention they'll be showing Life of Brian?
Have you spent the last decade popping your colleagues' staplers in jelly, or covering their desks in gift wrap? When someone makes a comment — any comment — do you answer "that's what she said"? Do you a soft spot for paper company employees, or for anyone who gets married at Niagara Falls? As soon as you meet people who work in HR, do you expect them to be called Toby? If so, then The Office — the US version — has changed your life, and now it's time to put your secret skills to the test. Michael Scott won't call everyone into the Shady Palms conference room on Thursday, June 28; however Man vs Bear will host a trivia night from 6.30pm, so it's almost the same thing. Because Brisbane loves trivia evenings based on sitcoms that Mike Schur had a hand in (think Parks & Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine) more than it loves pulling pranks, the first night has already booked out, so don't miss out on this one. The quiz session will run for 90 minutes, and someone had better break out Jim and Pam's wedding dance — and bring something beetroot-flavoured, ideally from Schrute Farms.
You already know that drops by way of Central Otago, Marlborough and Hawke's Bay deliver the goods, but when was the last time you sought some vino from beyond the big three New Zealand wine regions? Believe it or not, Gisborne is actually the country's third largest plonk-producing region — perhaps that's because Kiwis have a profound love for the cheap and cheerful east coast native, Lindauer. Elsewhere, the winterless north is home to some of the country's first grape plantations, North Canterbury sets the scene for 90 vineyards and over 20 cellar doors, and a cluster of pioneering vineyards sit less than 30-minutes from Auckland's CBD. [caption id="attachment_782157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Milton Vineyard.[/caption] GISBORNE You've likely sampled the goods of premier east coast wine region Hawke's Bay, but how about vino from 200 kilometres up the road in Gisborne? Like its east coast neighbour, the high and hot sunshine hours and fertile soil make Gizzy the ideal location for growing and making world-class wine. It's the country's third largest wine-producing region and is best known for bottling aromatic chardonnay, gewurztraminer, viognier, pinot gris and malbec. Big name bubbly label Lindauer was born here, but a visit to the region might also see you swirling drops from Milton, the country's first organic and biodynamic wine estate. Award-winning producer Matawhero Wines can also be found up the road and the single-vineyard wines of the family-owned Bushmere Estate. Wine (and RTD) lovers can even party between the vines at the largest music festival in the country, Rhythm and Vines. [caption id="attachment_721838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matakana Estate.[/caption] MATAKANA Wine lovers visiting New Zealand's biggest city are truly spoilt for choice. A cluster of award-winning and family-owned vineyards sit less than an hour's drive from the CBD. Dotted among the hillsides and bays of northern Auckland, Matakana has a warm climate that produces elegant reds — there are 28 varieties planted in the region, which makes it one of the most diverse wine growing areas in New Zealand. Here you'll find French-inspired creations and an elaborate 'if you build it, they will come' sculpture park. Heron's Flight is the only vineyard in New Zealand to specialise solely in Italian grapes, including sangiovese and dolcetto. Matakana Estate has been around since the boutique wine region first sprung to light more than 30 years ago, and Runner Duck Estate is a vineyard specialising in small quantities of French-inspired syrah, Bordeaux blends, pinot gris and rosé. [caption id="attachment_669900" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marsden Estate.[/caption] NORTHLAND The winterless north is where the country's first grapes were planted over 200 years ago. The wine region spans nearly 300 kilometres from Karikari in the north to Mangawhai in the south, with its subtropical climate creating full-bodied and rich wines. It's here you'll discover tropical chardonnays, vibrant viogniers, merlot blends and peppery pinotages. If you have an afternoon to wile away, Marsden Estate is found a short trip from Kerikeri airport. At the winery you can enjoy an educational wine tasting before settling on your preferred varietal. Afterwards, take a stroll around the subtropical vineyard gardens with another glass of vino. Once off the car ferry en route to Russell, make a short detour for Paroa Bay Winery, a property set against the rolling hills and overlooking its namesake watery cove. The boutique vineyard has a big focus on sustainability, using techniques of dry-grown vines across chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, syrah, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and merlot. Go for a tasting flight and stay for the Mediterranean and European-inspired menu at the onsite restaurant. [caption id="attachment_782115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Westbrook.[/caption] WEST AUCKLAND West Auckland is host to a range of first-rate wine producers — some of which have been pumping out the goods for more than 100 years. A short drive from the CBD in and around Kumeu Valley is where the historic grape-growing region lies and where most of the vineyards were founded by families of Dalmatian (Croatian) origin. In just one day you can hop between cellar door tastings, private wine tours and full pairing degustations. Best known for chardonnay and pinot noir, the region is also ushering in a new era of wine production with aromatic grapes like the Spanish albarino. Pioneering winemaker Babich Wines has been operating out of Henderson Valley since 1916, Coopers Creek is a family-owned winery in Huapai with a reputation for producing classic regional wines, and The Hunting Lodge is an 80-acre estate featuring a lawn bar and cuisine from celebrated chef Des Harris. Elsewhere, you can't beat the output of boutique Waikoukou Valley producer Westbrook, the chardonnay of the Brajkovich family's Kumeu River, and the personal wine tours of Soljans Estate. [caption id="attachment_782156" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Black Estate.[/caption] NORTH CANTERBURY Just outside of the South Island's largest city is a destination renowned for its wine and food. The North Canterbury wine region is home to some 90 vineyards and over 20 cellar doors where you can sample interesting and expressive wines. Drops range from chardonnay and riesling to the lesser-known varietals like albarino and saint laurent — the 'wild cousin' of pinot noir. Waipara family-run vineyard Black Estate is famous for its organic and biodynamic wines, and its restaurant is often considered one of the best winery offerings in New Zealand. Elsewhere, Terrace Edge is an award-winning organic vineyard and olive grove on the Waipara River, pioneering winery Pegasus Bay offers drinkable riesling and pinot noir, and Greystone Wines dishes up a menu of organic and foraged produce. Also worth noting is Theo Coles' The Hermit Ram label which produces unfiltered and unrefined natural wine out of Omihi. Top image: Black Estate.
Contrary to popular belief, tennis isn't always that boring. If you've ever been forced to watch it by your parents or boyfriend, you can suddenly feel your eyes going from one side of the screen to the other, and before you know it you're on the ground doing the Lleyton Hewitt “C'mon!”. The Brisbane International tennis tournament may not be one of the best known sports competitions, but it doesn't been it's any less important. The Queensland leg of the ATP World Tour 250 Series is integral to tennis itself, and is scheduled just before the Australian Open. In the years since its inception in the 70s, Brisbane has played host to thousands of talented professional players, including Andy Roddick, the aforementioned legend Lleyton Hewitt, Kim Clijsters, Martina Hingis, Samantha Stosur and Anna Kournikova. Tickets are quite cheap and the tournament runs for a whole week, so there'll be plenty of chances to see your favourite stars in action over these holidays. You'll be cheering along with a big home crowd, and who knows, you might even spy some celebrities.
Stay tuned. More info coming soon.
Another year, another version of Batman. The Dark Knight doesn't get a new famous face quite that often, but you can be forgiven for thinking that it feels that way. Following in the footsteps of Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson is now the latest actor to don the recognisable cape and mask — all thanks to upcoming superhero flick The Batman. No one really needs a plot synopsis for flicks about the Gotham City-dwelling character, because yes, we've all seen multiple versions of Batman over the years. This one is meant to stand completely apart from the most recent Affleck-starring DC Extended Universe version of the character, though. So, basically, what DC Films and Warner Bros Pictures did with Joker in 2019 — serving up a grimmer, grittier iteration of the infamous figure that has absolutely nothing to do with the rightfully hated Jared Leto version — they're endeavouring to do for Batman now. Also following the same playbook: enlisting a top-notch star in the lead role. Remember, it was only last that Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for playing the clown prince of crime. As well as Pattison as the titular character and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne, The Batman stars Zoe Kravitz (Big Little Lies) as Catwoman, Paul Dano (Escape at Dannemora) as the Riddler, Colin Farrell (Voyagers) as the Penguin, Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) as Commissioner Gordon and Andy Serkis (Long Shot) as Alfred Pennyworth. Plenty of these figures have popped on screens large and small multiple times, too — but Farrell's version of the Penguin certainly stands out in the film's just-dropped (and suitably dark, brooding and violent) full trailer. Originally slated to release this year, The Batman is one of the many movies that've been delayed due to the pandemic. And yes, you have gleaned a sneak peek before, with the movie dropping its first teaser trailer more than a year ago. Pattinson did just star in the Christopher Nolan-helmed Tenet in 2020, so perhaps it makes sense for him to play a character that Nolan helped bring back to cinemas 16 years ago. This time around, however, Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Matt Reeves is in the director's chair. Check out the full trailer for The Batman below: The Batman is currently due to release in Australian cinemas on March 3, 2022. Images: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ ™ & © DC Comics.
Reading-list inspiration, sorted: even if you've devoured plenty of books by the authors on the 2025 Sydney Writers' Festival program, there's still much more to discover and explore. Whether you're keen to start leafing through pages now or plan to finish the fest with a stacked pile of new material by your bed, get excited — more than 200 events are on the lineup, featuring 40-plus international guests and over 100 Australian talents, and showcasing 34 authors among that group that are releasing new books this year. Sydney Writers' Festival's latest roster isn't just great news for Harbour City literary fans. When it runs from Monday, May 19–Tuesday, May 27, it'll also livestream some sessions around the country, so joining in isn't only about being there in-person in Sydney. Either way, there's something on the program for all reading tastes, fans of a wealth of genres, and attendees looking to hear from beloved scribes and discover their next favourites alike. Taking over Carriageworks, Sydney Town Hall, State Library of New South Wales and other venues around the city, SWF 2025 is also budget-friendly with more than 50 events costing nothing to attend — and 30 of those free sessions are at Carriageworks alone. What opens with Torres Strait Islander writer and activist Thomas Mayo, Yuwaalaraay writer and performer Nardi Simpson, plus poet Lemn Sissay and Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit writer Jeanette Winterson, all responding to the theme 'in this together'? This festival. What closes with Anna Funder examining writing in artificial intelligence-heavy times? This fest again. What includes 2024 Booker Prize-winner Samantha Harvey, Brooklyn author Colm Tóibín and Australian Big Little Lies wordsmith Liane Moriarty as well? Yes, this program. Harvey will chat about the International Space Station-set Orbital, while Tóibín has Long Island, the sequel to Brooklyn, to dig into. Also the creative force behind Nine Perfect Strangers and Apples Never Fall on the page, Moriarty will discuss everyday life stories becoming smash hits with David Nicholls, as well as careers and having a literary family with her sisters Jaclyn and Nicola. Plus, Winterson isn't just part of opening night, but will celebrate 40 years since her debut novel and also explore the impact of AI. Similarly on the SWF 2025 bill: Torrey Peters, the first openly trans woman nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction; Ian Rankin speaking about the 25th instalment in the Inspector Rebus series; plus everyone from The Ministry of Time's Kaliane Bradley and The Safekeep's Yael van der Wouden through to Vanishing World's Sayaka Murata and After You'd Gone and Hamnet's Maggie O'Farrell. You've likely seen actor Harriet Walter in Succession, Silo and Ted Lasso — and This Is Going to Hurt, Killing Eve and Rocketman in the past few years as well — and now you can add this fest to that list, where she'll be unpacking Shakespeare's female characters. Other highlights span Entitlement's Rumaan Alam, Discriminations' AC Grayling on cancel culture, stepping into the world of espionage stories and getting a hankering for pastries — the latter with Flour and Stone's Nadine Ingram, Beatrix Bakes' Natalie Paull and Lune's Kate Reid. The return of the Great Debate is a starry event, featuring Annabel Crabb, David Marr, Nicholson, Matilda Boseley, Justine Rogers, Jennifer Wong and Yumi Stynes. And from there, other topics on the SWF lineup also include the situations in Gaza and Ukraine, sleep, First Nations storytelling, life in exile, queer culture, dwindling workers' rights, Robodebt and Miles Franklin. [caption id="attachment_994843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reynaldo Rivera[/caption] Sydney Writers' Festival images: Jacquie Manning.
Have you launched a hospitality business that deserves some love? Think you could be Australia's next great business success story? Been in business for five years or less? Keep reading because you could be in with a chance to win a business-changing worthy prize. Here at Concrete Playground, we love championing the hospitality businesses that keep the country fed and entertained. We also understand that times are tough right now. That's why, in partnership with Square, Concrete Playground is giving away a marketing package worth $20,000. If you've been in business for five years or less, the Boost Your Business competition aims to shine a light on your brand. By entering the competition, you could be in with a chance to win a native editorial feature on Concrete Playground and get your business in front of our dedicated readers, as well as inclusion in Concrete Playground's hospitality directory. You'll also receive a social media push as we promote your business across various channels and help you reach engaged audiences with an eDM inclusion. Intrigued? Simply tell us in 25 words or less why your hospitality business is Australia's next great success story. For the full details, see the comp form below. T&Cs apply. [competition]1022571[/competition]
If you like watching Eric Bana (A Sacrifice) trying to solve mysteries, cinemas have been delivering in recent years. First, the Australian actor stepped into Aaron Falk's shoes in the movie adaptation of author Jane Harper's The Dry in 2020. Come 2024, that Aussie hit scored a sequel, with Bana returning as the lead in Force of Nature: The Dry 2. On the small screen, now comes Untamed, which has nothing to do with Harper's Falk novels — but still puts Bana in murder-mystery mode. As the just-dropped trailer for the Netflix limited series illustrates, the show tasks the Chopper, Dirty John, Blueback and Memoir of a Snail star with playing an Investigative Services Branch agent of the US National Parks Service who is looking into a death in Yosemite National Park. If you also enjoy watching whodunnits and detective tales where the person doing the sleuthing is forced to confront their own past in the course of their investigation, that's Untamed across six episodes as well, as viewers will see when it arrives on Netflix on Thursday, July 17, 2025. Bana's Kyle Turner is "looking into this girl who went up El Capitan", he advises at the start of the sneak peek. Before the trailer is out, Sam Neill (The Twelve) as his colleague and chief park ranger Paul Souter is advising "you have to stop beating yourself to death with memories". Skeletons, scratch marks, evil, explosions: they're all a part of the footage for the show so far, as is facing the task of working on a case that spreads across close to a million acres of wilderness. Rosemarie DeWitt (Smile 2), Lily Santiago (La Brea) and Wilson Bethel (Daredevil: Born Again) also feature among the cast, portraying Kyle's remarried ex-wife Jill, Los Angeles police officer Naya Vasquez and former army ranger-turned-park wildlife management officer Shane Maguire, respectively. Bana not only stars but executive produces, with Untamed created by Mark L Smith (Twisters) — in his second new Netflix series of 2025 after American Primeval — and boasting The Pitt's John Wells as another of its executive producers. Check out the trailer for Untamed below: Untamed streams via Netflix from Thursday, July 17, 2025. Images: Ricardo Hubbs / Netflix © 2025.
Australians do many cuisines very well. Arguably, Mexican isn't one of our strong suits. Whether it's our geographical distance or aversion to spice, Australian-Mexican food can often pale in comparison to the bold flavours the authentic dishes are known for. San Pancho, a taquería in Marrickville, aims to subvert this stereotype. The taquería opened its doors in June 2024 with one premise: cooking food the way it's eaten day-to-day in Mexico. The founders chose Marrickville from a line-up of Sydney suburbs for its authenticity. "It's a neighbourhood where food is part of everyday life, not something overly polished or staged. San Pancho belongs in that kind of setting. Somewhere casual and grounded, where substance matters more than spectacle," says co-owner and chef, Roberto Garcia. View this post on Instagram A post shared by San Pancho Taqueria (@sanpancho_taqueria) The restaurant takes its name from a beach town in western Mexico, adding to the laidback and warm energy of the communal dining setting. "These are the flavours of our childhood, the dishes from our Abuela's table, and the spirit of the taquerías that bring people together every day." Roberto studied Culinary Arts in Puebla, Mexico, and grew up with a principle of Mexican food: to be simple yet bold. "That background shapes everything I cook, with a focus on flavours that feel true to Mexico, without overexplaining or dressing them up for trend. What I do is straightforward: cook real Mexican food, the way it's meant to taste." What are the flavours that define Mexican cuisine? While we may assume that it's all heat and power, Roberto shares that Mexican food is actually about balance. "Acidity, heat, richness, freshness. Each element has its place. Mexican food isn't about overpowering flavours, but about how they work together." San Pancho's enchiladas suizas, Roberto's most recommended menu item, are just this. Comforting, straightforward, and all about balance rather than complexity. If you want to impress your dinner guests with your own Mexican food that tastes straight out of Oaxaca, these are the staples to keep in your pantry, according to Roberto. View this post on Instagram A post shared by San Pancho Taqueria (@sanpancho_taqueria) Fresh herbs Roberto recommends using fresh herbs to garnish your Mexican dishes. While coriander, oregano and salt may come to mind instantly, one spice you may not have in your pantry is epazote. The traditional herb (also named Mexican tea) is used in chilli sauces and Mexican bean dishes. It'll add a strong blend of mint, citrus and anise to your dishes, creating that unmistakable Mexican taste. Dried chillies A range of chillies (not just Sriracha) is a must for authentic Mexican flavour. Morita, guajillo, pasilla, ancho and arbol chillies all add the Mexican heat and smoky flavours you know and love. Each brings its own balance of sweetness, depth and heat, forming the backbone of countless traditional salsas, garnishes and marinades. Handmade tortillas Store-bought tortillas make a good substitute for busy people, but handmade tortillas will elevate your Mexican cuisine. Authentic tortillas are made of flour or corn, salt, and oil (or fat). The simple flavour of the crispy dough will make your flavours and spices stand out even more than pre-packaged tortillas. "With those basics," says Roberto, "you can already cook food that feels genuinely Mexican. It's less about having everything and more about using a few things properly." If you're ready to start cooking more authentic Mexican foods and flavours, Roberto recommends experimenting with a simple salsa roja (a smoky, tomato-based salsa) or salsa verde (a lime-centric green salsa). "It's where Mexican cooking really begins, and it teaches heat control, balance, and restraint." By investing a little more time in cooking and sourcing these pantry staples, your Mexican will taste more elevated than your usual burrito night. If you find yourself stuck, San Pancho's in Marrickville is always there to scratch the itch.
Dazzling lights brightening up the Harbour City. Must-see gigs filling venues big and intimate around town. Fascinating talks musing on ideas, innovation and technology. That's the standard Vivid Sydney format, not that there's ever anything standard about the creativity-fuelled annual festival's yearly program. In 2023, however, it'll have a brand-new addition to that trusty template: Vivid's first-ever food fest, Vivid Food. Prepare your stomachs for a delicious time spanning both bites to eat and drinks to sip, all in an array of venues across the Sydney CBD. Today, Wednesday, February 15, marks 100 days until Vivid kicks off in 2023 — running from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17 — and fest organisers have started releasing a few details. If you're fond of Sydney's dining scene, Vivid Food is clearly now at the top of your must-attend list. [caption id="attachment_889194" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivid Sydney 2022[/caption] Vivid Food will have two main aims. Firstly, it'll activate the Sydney CBD's venues after a tough few pandemic-afflicted years — a period that saw Vivid cancelled in 2020 and 2021, in fact, before returning in 2022. And, it'll go all in on Sydney's culinary creativity and innovation, aka two of Vivid's main fascinations. The details are still scarce, but the event will span everything from pop-up restaurants to haute cuisine, involving chefs, producers, restaurateurs and more, and including one-of-a-kind menus from renowned figures heading to Sydney for the fest. And, there'll be multi-sensory degustations, food along the returning Vivid Sydney Light Walk, and mixologists and bartenders literally getting things shaking. [caption id="attachment_797353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maybe Sammy, DS Oficina[/caption] "We are proud to have curated an impressive collection of local and international artists and food creatives to provide Vivid Sydney audiences with new and exciting experiences," said Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini, announcing 2023's first highlights. "We have expanded and evolved the festival further this year and have curated an amazing lineup for 2023. The festival offering includes some significant new and Vivid-first experiences, as well as Vivid Food to deliver world-class culinary talent, events and activations as part of the program." [caption id="attachment_889195" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] The theme for Vivid overall in 2023: Vivid Sydney, Naturally. Also on the bill so far: the return of that aforementioned (and understandably super-popular) Vivid Sydney Light Walk, this time with 49-plus light installations and 3D projections along its illuminated eight-kilometre stretch; Barerarerungar from First Nations artist Maree Clarke, which will be projected across the Museum of Contemporary Art; and Jen Lewin's The Last Ocean, which hits Sydney after premiering at Burning Man in 2022. There's also light festival Lightscape — yes, a light fest within a light fest — which has proven a huge hit internationally and in Melbourne. It'll take over The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney for its Sydney debut. The full Vivid 2023 lineup will be announced mid-March, but you can also look forward to spending time elsewhere in the Sydney CBD, Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, The Goods Line, Central Station, Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Museum of Contemporary Art and more — as is always the case when Vivid unfurls its wonders. "Vivid Sydney is NSW's biggest annual event and makes a vital social and economic contribution to our state. From our creative industries to entertainment and hospitality venues, accommodation and retailers, it supports and creates jobs across the NSW economy," said NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin. "Last year Vivid Sydney was attended by over 2.5-million people and injected $119 million into the NSW economy. With internationals borders fully reopening, we're anticipating this year's festival to be our biggest and best yet. Vivid Sydney 2023 promises to be a significant driver for domestic and international visitors to travel to NSW and attend Australia's brightest event and immerse themselves in our city," Franklin continued. [caption id="attachment_889193" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glenn Turner[/caption] Vivid Sydney 2023 will run from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17. We'll update you with the full lineup when it's announced in mid-March — and for further information in the interim, visit the event's website. Top images: Destination NSW.
When summer holidays seem like a depressingly distant memory, nothing recharges the soul quite like a couple of days spent exploring the very best of a city — especially when that city is considered the world's most liveable city at that. So, we've teamed up with the folks at DoubleTree by Hilton to curate your ultimate Melbourne weekend getaway. Boasting a top-notch Flinders Street location, right in the heart of all the action, the Melbourne hotel is primed for that hard-earned city escape you've been planning — plus, they'll always welcome you back with a nice, warm 'welcome cookie'. Lose yourself down laneways, feast your way through the city's many multicultural offerings and shop till you're ready to drop, knowing you've got a comfortable home away from home to land yourself at the end of the day — with a spot for a nightcap, if you should feel so inclined, at the hotel's Platform 270. Here's our guide to a cracking Melbourne weekend. START THE DAY AT HIGHER GROUND, CBD As much a feast for the eyes as for the belly, CBD cafe Higher Ground makes its home within a gorgeous, lofty space that once housed the Little Bourke Street power station. Here, award-winning designer touches and exposed brick walls create an elegant backdrop for the kitchen's forward-thinking, artfully designed fare. Pop in for breakfast and a specialty coffee to kick-start a big day of exploring, or swing by after dark to road-test the chic dinner menu on offer Thursday through Sunday. GET YOUR ART FIX AT ROSE STREET MARKETS, FITZROY Each weekend, Fitzroy's Rose Street becomes a shopping hot-spot, playing host to two vibrant weekly markets. On Saturdays and Sundays, hit the Rose Street Artists' Market to find a stellar lineup of local makers showcasing an array of art, fashion, homewares, jewellery and photography, plus an onsite cafe primed for caffeine pit-stops and brunch feeds. Just a few metres down the street there's yet more shopping goodness in store for you at Saturday's Fitzroy Mills Market. This one's got a health and wellness focus, sourcing top produce from local makers and growers — expect treats like quality fruit and veg, desserts, artisan bread, vegan eats and even fare for your four-legged friends. GO FULL MELBOURNE AT WHITEHART, CBD Tucked down a laneway, surrounded by lively street art and crafted from a couple of upcycled shipping containers, Whitehart is unmistakably Melbourne. The industrial-inspired bar slings a top-notch booze lineup of clever cocktails, boutique wines and craft brews, while food comes courtesy of a rotation of visiting food trucks. Also impressive is the soundtrack, as the decks play host to a dance-worthy mix of resident DJs and guest artists from across the world. Swing by for a sunny afternoon session, or after dark to soak up those late-night Melbourne vibes. WANDER THE NICHOLAS BUILDING, CBD A veritable treasure trove of fashion and design, art deco stunner The Nicholas Building is home to a diverse mix of studios, boutiques and galleries. Drool over beautiful heritage features like the leadlight dome above the arcade while you get some retail therapy. Highlights include a huge selection of pre-loved threads at Australia's largest vintage store Retrostar, perfume from The Powder Room, Kimono House's Japanese crafts and textiles, jewellery designs from Victoria Mason and women's fashion from the likes of Obus and Kuwaii. DIG INTO SUPERNORMAL, CBD At the sleek Asian-accented Supernormal, acclaimed Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell delivers some very memorable eats, drawing on a range of influences and serving it all with a healthy side of fun. Here, classic flavours from across Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China are reworked into a menu of modern delights and matched with a contemporary drinks offering of sake, local wines and intriguing cocktails. Just remember, McConnell's cult classic lobster roll is a must and, when opting for the banquet menu, it pays to be within rolling distance of where you're staying. [caption id="attachment_659089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Gollings.[/caption] EXPLORE THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, SOUTHBANK Delivering a diverse program of bold exhibitions, performances, talks and events, the Australian Centre For Contemporary Art is a hotbed of creativity and a must for any visiting art aficionado. Boasting an award-winning building set among the arty offerings of Southbank, it features thought-provoking works from big-name artists the world over, in addition to commissioned pieces designed to change the way the world sees contemporary art. Cruise the current exhibitions at your own pace, or jump on one of the free public tours, held each Sunday during exhibition periods. CATCH SOME VIEWS AT ROOFTOP BAR, CBD An astro-turfed, open-air space perched at the very top of Swanston Street's Curtin House, Melbourne's original rooftop bar is a year-round favourite, thanks to its laidback feel and those sprawling city skyline vistas. Venture up for brews with a view and eats from The Rooftop Burger Shack, while getting acquainted with one of Melbourne's most iconic drinking spots. During the warmer months, you can even catch a flick on the outdoor big screen for the legendary Rooftop Cinema. PICNIC IN THE SUN AT ABBOTSFORD CONVENT, ABBOTSFORD Set among picturesque grounds in Melbourne's inner north, multi-arts precinct the Abbotsford Convent has a little something for everyone. Once operating as a convent and one of Australia's largest Catholic complexes, the heritage-listed, 16-acre site now boasts a colourful assortment of galleries, studios and green space — not to mention a stack of architectural gems to marvel at. Lose a day happily exploring the current offerings, from exhibitions and talks to markets and performances. Social history tours are run every Sunday afternoon, and there's a plethora of great onsite eateries to choose from come lunchtime. [caption id="attachment_649405" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jamie Durrant.[/caption] EAT TAPAS AND MONTADITOS AT BAR TINI, CBD Having won hearts across the country with his stable of MoVida restaurants, Frank Camorra's latest project is another Spanish-inspired charmer — this time, a cosy laneway haunt called Bar Tini. With its warm red accents and cheery decor, this one's a nod to the bodegas of Spain, its menu a cracking lineup of imported tinned seafood, flavour-packed tapas and montaditos, and open sandwiches. Snack your way through, while sipping vermouth on tap and revamped classic cocktails. Pop in for a daytime visit and you'll even be able to check out the iconic street art of Hosier Lane outside the front door. [caption id="attachment_658995" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stano Murin.[/caption] LAUGH IT OUT AT THE BUTTERFLY CLUB, CBD If a culture fix is on the cards, you can bank on finding a ripper program of happenings at The Butterfly Club. The laneway theatre hosts a diverse lineup of over 1100 performances each year, from cabaret acts to side-splitting stand-up shows. You'll also find a solid mix of regular events, including Tuesday night's burlesque life drawing sessions and Friday's long-running improv comedy show, The Big Hoo Haa. The Butterfly Club's two bars make for charming pit-stops in themselves, decked out with lots of kitsch touches and slinging an oft-changing lineup of themed cocktails. Spend your weekend exploring some of the very best things around Melbourne, and when you need a place to recoup, find your home away from home at DoubleTree by Hilton on Flinders Street.
Renowned for creating beautiful, healthy, glorious hair, Tigerlamb has built quite a name for itself in Brisbane, with four salons dotted across the city. Voted Newcomer of the Year in the Australian Hair Industry Awards in 2019, the Coorparoo Square salon is home to some of the most talented stylists in Brisbane, so you just know you'll walk out thrilled with your new 'do. Whether you're looking for a full hair makeover, or just a trim, the team will cater to your needs. Balayage, foils, blowdry, treatments, eyebrow waxing — they do it all. The salon also stocks a range of much-loved brands, including Olaplex, Redken and Kerastase. Images: Kiel Wode
Sibling rivalries and scandalous family secrets come bubbling to the surface following the death of a Moroccan business man, in this amusing and insightful (if mostly predictable) comic drama set at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea. Heavily indebted to the collected works of Jane Austen, the new film from writer-director Laila Marrakchi distinguishes itself via a purposeful sense of cultural specificity within a more broadly relatable story. Rock the Casbah offers some shrewd observations into a society caught between the Islamic world and the West, particularly in regards to the role of women. At the same, Marrakchi's portrayal of familial dysfunction feels so maddeningly familiar that you'd swear it all took place around your parents' dining room table. Born in Casablanca but educated abroad, one imagines that Marrakchi feels a certain connectedness with her protagonist Sofia (Morjana Alaoui), the youngest daughter of wealthy Tangier businessman who now works as an actress in Hollywood. She's the only member of her family to have left Morocco, and as such, finds herself feeling decidedly out of place when she returns home to attend her father's funeral. Amidst the gossip and judgements of her sisters Miriam (Nabine Labaki) and Kenza (Lubna Azabal) and the cold stoicism of her mother Aicha (Hiam Abbass), Sofia is forced to confront her strained relationship with her late father, as well as the demons surrounding the suicide of her other sister, Leila, under mysterious circumstances years before. The film's opening titles established the contradiction of Tangiers, as women in conservative religious garb relax on the beach alongside others in bikinis. Although still governed by long-standing patriarchal traditions, there's a sense that the country's value structures are becoming increasingly outdated. Marrakchi, an outspoken feminist, laces her mannered domestic comedy with no shortage of scathing social criticism, including a contemptuous portrait of a deadbeat uncle who stands to inherit the family fortune simply because he's a man. Nor does she show any qualms in calling out the exaggerated assumptions many westerners have about the Muslim world: one of the great recurring jokes of the film revolves around Sofia's inability to find an acting job playing anything other than a terrorist. The film is at its best when poking fun at cultural stereotypes such as these. Even as religious men prepare the deceased man's body for burial, his crotchety old mother-in-law chows down on a McDonald's value meal in the other room. We watch the sisters drink like fish, joking and giggling about sex. Likewise, we watch them argue, bitterly and without any sense of decorum. In other words, they're a family, probably a lot like your own. Loud. Judgmental. But mostly brutally, agonisingly honest. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Zud2_-im5aM
When Succession roves over New York's skyline — in its opening credits, as set to that bewitching theme tune, or just during its episodes — it gleams with wealth and privilege. Depiction doesn't equal endorsement, however, with the stellar HBO satire sharply cutting into its chosen world at every chance it gets. As one of the show's supporting cast members, Dasha Nekrasova slides into that realm, too, but that's not her only dalliance with the city's architecture, power brokers and all that both represent. The Scary of Sixty-First, the Red Scare podcast host's feature directorial debut, also savages the rich and seemingly consequence-free. It clasps onto a real-life story that's made that case inherently, abhorrently and monstrously. There's no gentle way to put it, but the fact that Nekrasova plays a woman investigating if a bargain Upper East Side duplex was one of Jeffrey Epstein's "orgy flophouses" says much about this purposefully provocative conspiracy thriller horror-comedy. College pals Addie (Betsey Brown, Assholes) and Noelle (the film's co-screenwriter Madeline Quinn) can't believe their luck when they find the cheap property, even if it does visibly need a clean — and have mirrored ceilings, as well as some questionable lock choices — and even if they don't appear completely comfortable with committing to live together. But from night one, the literal nightmares begin. Soon they're spying blood stains, scratched walls and eerie tarot cards, and feeling unsettled in a variety of ways. Enter Nekrasova's stranger, who comes sporting a dark-web rabbit hole's worth of paranoia and bearing the Epstein news. Addie and Noelle take the revelation in vastly different fashions, with the former seeming possessed by one of Epstein's child victims, and the latter diving deep into potential theories with her unnamed new friend. Letting a headline-monopolising sex offender loom large over the plot is an instant attention-grabber — and, while The Scary of Sixty-First doesn't lunge straight down that path, it feels like Nekrasova and Quinn's starting point. Their movie smacks of conjuring up a controversial premise, then fitting parts around it; thankfully, they have more than one target in their sights, plenty to ponder, and Nekrasova's bold vision bringing it all together. From the outset, there's much to mine about the hellishness of finding somewhere to live in your twenties, and in NY especially. The things you'll settle for in that situation clearly also earns the feature's focus. The same rings true of post-college life and its intrinsic awkwardness in general — and being expected to act like a fully functioning adult, and make pivotal decisions, without yet amassing the experiences to match. By contemplating the hostile real-estate market and the ordeal that is trying to find your place in the world (emotionally, intellectually and physically), The Scary of Sixty-First immediately unpacks power, money and privilege. If Addie and Noelle could afford somewhere else or had other support at their disposal, there wouldn't even be a story. When Nekrasova appears and drops Epstein's name, that excavation digs down several levels. Again, there's no shortage of ideas, directions or tangents to explore, and the script explodes as many as possible. This is a movie about a dead billionaire paedophile, the wealth of theories that've sprung up around him and the 24-hour news cycle that's made his tale inescapable. It's also about how doomscrolling has become routine, the grim routes incessant web searches can take you down, the normalisation of true-crime obsession, the proliferation of conspiracy-driven rhetoric and relentless chaos as the natural state of the world. Addie has an interminably unpleasant boyfriend, Greg (Mark Rapaport, Pledge), who also sparks an array of questions — because even when he's turned off by her descent into inappropriate baby talk during sex, he still sees his own needs as more important than anything else. Indeed, while The Scary of Sixty-First is messy by choice, and also lets its 16-millimetre frames frequently look the part, nothing here is accidental. That's true of outdoor masturbation scenes and out-there theories alike, all of which make a statement. Usually, the movie isn't coy; as the possessed Addie gets more forceful with every action, her sloppy kissing of Prince Andrew's photo couldn't be more overt. Repeatedly, though, the film sends multiple messages at once; when her glistening fingers, fresh from a stint of self-pleasure, caress Epstein's initials outside his apartment building, The Scary of Sixty-First also comments on how taboo such feverish displays of female sexuality still prove on-screen. It's still easy to see the influences coursing through Nekrasova and Quinn's screenplay, and in Nekrasova's directorial choices. If the movie itself was haunted, it'd be by 70s and 80s horror flicks and thrillers, Italian giallo cinema, every picture that's probed New York's underbelly and, quite pointedly, by Eyes Wide Shut and Rosemary's Baby as well. Making his feature debut, too, cinematographer Hunter Zimny synthesises that hefty list of touchstones into a visual style that takes little bits from everywhere, but also fittingly makes it all feel like a dreamy swirl, jittery onslaught and tormented experience. Aesthetically, The Scary of Sixty-First just keeps spiralling from the uncertain and the otherworldly to the uncontrollable, mimicking another of the script's strong observations about 21st-century life. Careening wildly is one of The Scary of Sixty-First's key traits, intentionally so, as also seen in its central performances — Brown, Quinn, Nekrasova and Rapaport all turn in committed portrayals — and its sense of humour. There's no shaking the pitch-black comedy of it all, again by design, but even the film's most absurd moments and farcical touches are steeped in reality in one way or another. Its most nightmarish inclusions are as well, and that's part of the feature's knowing, winking seesaw ride. Yes, a global paedophile ring among the elite sounds like the sickest kind of fiction and an unhinged conspiracy. Yes, there's elements of truth to such horrendous sex-trafficking. The Scary of Sixty-First doesn't always completely come together, but Nekrasova has crafted an uncompromising and compelling movie that acknowledges both, plays like a slap in the face and isn't easily forgotten.
Checking over this year’s French Film Festival guide I hovered over the description for Romantics Anonymous. When I read a quote stating that this film was like “Amelie meets Chocolat” my heart literally started beating a little faster. Two of the cutest and interesting romantic French/ French-esque films (which I’m completely a sucker for) - how could I refuse? Romantics Anonymous did not disappoint and now it’s back on the big screen for a short time only at Dendy Portside. Romantics Anonymous tells the story of Angélique (Isabelle Carré), a gifted chocolate-maker whose incredible shyness prevents her from acknowledging her talents, and Jean-René (Benoît Poelvoorde), owner of a chocolate factory who also suffers from a similar case of overwhelming shyness which threatens to drown his company. When Jean-René hires Angelique to help save the business the two develop affections for each other but have a very strange way of showing it. This film is incredibly cute and awkward with unexpected humour thrown into the mix. There is unusual romance and the film also looks into the lives of individuals whose irrational fear of life has reduced them to margins of functionality. Watching the pair overcome their crippling awkwardness to find love proves a delectable and sweet journey.
The Swiss are renowed for their time-keeping abilities and reliable public transport systems, but they do not exactly have a reputation for unmitigated creativity and artistic pursuits. Ironically, Ursus Wehrli's work may encourage us to rethink our perceptions of Swiss creativity whilst doing little to challenge the stereotype that the Swiss are all a bunch of neat freaks. Artist and comedian Ursus Wehrli first came to attention with his book Tidying Up Art, a collection of his work where he cleverly reinterpreted classics by Van Gogh, Chagall and Seurat by, well, tidying them up. He is back again and up to his old ordering tricks, except this time he's stopped tidying up the art, and has started tidying up everything else. In his latest book, The Art of Clean Up, Wehril reassembles the chaos of everyday life — children's beach toys are lined up into categories in a sand pit, cars are lined up according to their colours in a parking lot and the stars are lined up in the sky. These images are also accompanied by a series of short films that document the painstaking organisation that took place in order for Wehrli's images to be created, providing clever examples of the asethetic appeal of order (and also a reminder of how lovely a little bit of choas is as well). https://youtube.com/watch?v=l200LN39dv4 [Via PSFK]
When you're taking your pet pooch to the park at the end of October, you want your four-legged friend to look as frightening as possible. Halloween is for all creatures, big and small, after all. While puppers are generally pretty adorable — and not in any way scary — that will all change when it dons a terrifying spider or pumpkin (maybe not so much) costume courtesy of Big W's new range of Halloween-themed petwear. This way, your dachshund can go trick-or-treating as a dangerous dinosaur, your jack russell terrier can run around the backyard in a witchie tee or your shih tzu can snooze in a ghoulish sweater. They're all super-affordable, too, with costumes starting from $8 and bandanas from $4. A heap of hair-raising costumes are currently available (including various sizes and colours) for pets and the full Halloween range also includes costumes for humans (big and small) and decorations, such as pumpkins, gravestones, buckets and skulls aplenty. While Big W has dubbed the line its 'petwear', so far it's all for dogs. That said, if you can somehow manage to get your cat into a vest or sweater, then you might just be able to get them into a dinosaur suit. [caption id="attachment_785479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leo the Cavoodle[/caption] Big W's Halloween petwear is currently available to purchase online, with contactless home delivery and pick up available.
She was once one of the most famous movie stars in the business, with an Oscar to her name and roles in everything from It's a Wonderful Life to Oklahoma! to The Big Heat. But in 1981, Gloria Grahame (played here by Annette Bening) was worlds away from her '50s Hollywood heyday. Preparing to take to the UK stage in a version of The Glass Menagerie, she collapsed in pain just before the curtains opened. Refusing medical treatment, Grahame instead asked to recuperate in Liverpool, at the family home of her younger ex-boyfriend and local actor Peter Turner (Jamie Bell). Adapted from Turner's memoir of the same name, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool doesn't play shy with its narrative. Even for those unfamiliar with this particular chapter in tinseltown's history, there's no prizes for guessing where it's all heading. And yet, much like the movie's multifaceted protagonist, first appearances soon prove to be misleading. Grahame was known for her brash femme fatales in the days of black-and-white cinema, but her on-screen persona only told part of her story. Directed with period flair and eye-catching scene transitions by Paul McGuigan (Victor Frankenstein), the film that charts her final years likewise does more than just combine a tear-inducing tale of sickness with an unlikely romance. Both love and illness feature prominently in Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, with Grahame and Turner's time together unfolding in flashbacks while she's convalescing under the care of his mother (Julie Walters). In sequences from their early days together, she's spirited and sultry, and he's instantly smitten — whether they're trading lines to help her rehearse, catching a showing of Alien, or enjoying a sensationally seductive disco session in her London living room. Later, as she tries to ignore her worsening condition, she's defiant and he's doting, even as her impending demise hangs between them. From these contrasting glimpses, a touching portrait forms not only of a fading star, but of a fascinating, complicated woman and an equally intricate relationship. As such, those eager for a full rundown of Grahame's career would do well to read up before (or after) they hit the cinema. Matt Greenhalgh's latest celebrity-focused screenplay (after Control, Nowhere Boy and The Look of Love) is more a character study than a cradle-to-grave biopic, evoking a entrancing sense of the actress' presence and personality rather than dwelling upon her work. In Grahame's contemplative backstage moments, her flirtatious looks and her all-round fighting spirit, the film serves up a multi-layered portrayal of a multi-layered figure. In doing so, it says as much about its subject as it does the industry's disdain for ageing, and society's lack of regard for older women in particular. With all that in mind, it's hardly surprising that Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool benefits enormously from Bening's stellar performance. Despite missing out on well-deserved awards acclaim for both this and last year's 20th Century Women, the four-time Academy Award nominee just keeps going from strength to strength. Digging beneath glamour and vanity, and painting Grahame as vibrant and vulnerable all at once, Bening's work makes it easy to understand why Turner melts in her company. For his part, in his best role (and with his best dance scene) since Billy Elliot, Bell delivers a tender and textured performance. But when Bening shines, the whole bittersweet film shines with her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnE7jdOfp3E
Edgar Wright's Don't and Rob Zombie's Werewolf Women of the SS must be on their way to the big screen soon. With Thanksgiving's arrival, three of the five films teased as trailers in 2007's Grindhouse — and at the time only conceived to exist as those faux trailers — have come to full-length feature fruition. So, the double of Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof didn't just give the world biochemical zombies and a murdering stuntman, but Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun and now Eli Roth's turkey-holiday slasher horror. In this first stint behind the lens since 2021 documentary Fin, plus 2018's vastly dissimilar Death Wish and The House with a Clock in Its Walls before that, the Cabin Fever and Hostel filmmaker knows the right mood: when you're plating up a film that began as a gag ad, leaning into both tropes and a knowing vibe is the best choice for carving a path forward. There's a downside to the joke beginning and happy winking now, though: Thanksgiving sure does love sticking to a tried-and-tested recipe. Roth and screenwriter Jeff Rendell, both returning from 16 years back and sharing a story credit, have taken to the whole "Halloween but Thanksgiving" approach with the utmost dedication — because it's as plain as a roasted bird centrepiece that that's what they've purposely cooked up. The mood, the nods, the derivation: they don't add up to a new masterpiece, however, genre-defining, cult or otherwise. But there's something to be said for a film that commits to its bit with this much relish, so bluntly and openly, and with the tongue-in-cheek attitude that was baked into the Grindhouse package slathered on thick. And yes, the image that no one has forgotten for almost two decades returns, alongside other signature shots from Thanksgiving's proof-of-concept sneak peek. As they splatter around gore, not gravy, plus guts that don't belong to poultry, Roth and Rendell have given themselves a task: reverse-engineering an entire feature from a spoof trailer that made fun not just of holiday horror flicks, but of Roth's part in torture porn's boom. They're also eager to ensure that their picture locks in its place on the occasion-centric viewing calendar. The raucous Thanksgiving slides in before Black Christmas and New Years' Evil, dates-wise, and joins a roster that also spans My Bloody Valentine and April Fools' Day. This slice of the scary-movie spectrum isn't small, both in general and with past Thanksgiving-themed fare — for the latter, see also: Blood Rage, Black Friday, Blood Freak, ThanksKilling and Boogeyman, and more — but, blatantly angling for sequels as well, Roth and Rendell don't just want to dish up one serving. Thanksgiving could go by Black Thursday, the shopping opportunity that's also been dubbed Grey Thursday and Brown Thursday, because that's when and why its carnage commences. The place is still Plymouth, Massachusetts, and the slasher who'll start offing teens still nabs disguise cues from pilgrims — wearing a John Carver mask specifically, which noticeably resembles not just Plymouth Colony's first governor but V for Vendetta's Guy Fawkes mask — but the 2022-set opening is all about a crushing trip to score bargains. At RightMart, the masses gather when it's traditionally dinnertime, demanding with increasing ferocity to be let inside. The shoving and shouting becomes a stampede after the crowd sees Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque, Big Shot) and her friends enter early because it's her dad Thomas' (Rick Hoffman, Billions) store. For some, the results are fatal, whether via being caught underfoot, copping shards of glass or getting scalped by trolleys. In adding to the bowl while spooning in pieces from horror classics, Roth and Rendell take inspiration not just Halloween but from Dawn of the Dead — aka that shopping spree gone savage — as well as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. If Thanksgiving was a feast itself, it'd be everything from dark and light meat with cranberry sauce to sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie smashed together in a blender. Here's another mission on Roth's list: crafting killer setpieces and slayings, with the Black Thursday onslaught at the top of the heap. Not every death is inventive, but this movie and its director are all about the audience impact, with endeavouring to incite cheers, screams and laughs their stuffing and seasoning. That said, Thanksgiving is strongest when it's fresh out of the oven, then dutifully works through its recreated offings from the Grindhouse trailer and soon proves content with a stock-standard cat-and-mouse game. The bulk of the flick occurs a year following the RightMart riot, when Jessica and her fellow survivor pals Gabby (Addison Rae, He's All That), Evan (Tomaso Sanelli, Holly Hobbie), Scuba (Gabriel Davenport, Mistletoe Time Machine) and Yulia (Jenna Warren, The Young Arsonists) get tagged in a creepy social-media post. Then a diner employee turns up dead not long after waiting on them, a spree begins, and Sheriff Newlon (Patrick Dempsey, Disenchanted) and his colleagues aren't much help. Although biting into consumerism's worst impulses is on the menu, as is satirising the chase for viral fame in these always-posting times, the themes and plot aren't the main course. That status goes to upping the body count with bloodthirsty and grisly enthusiasm. The key thing to be thankful for here is that Thanksgiving's creative forces are patently having schlocky fun, including with their McDreamy casting, practical effects and some visual moments — and they don't ever stomach being subtle about it. Ditching the throwback look hasn't meant scrapping the 70s-esque tone or toning down the revelling in getting gruesome. There's a difference between appreciating how much enjoyment went into whipping up the movie and consistently having more than a by-the-numbers time with it, though. Excited chefs can still cook average meals with sprinklings of flavour, as Roth does. There's also one goal that Thanksgiving threw out with the bones: creating a picture that doesn't make viewers certain that they saw most of the best bits in that years-ago trailer.
The Witcher wasn't Freya Allan's first acting role. But within a mere two years of her debut on-screen credit, she was in a streaming smash. The Netflix series arrived just as Game of Thrones ended, falling into the big wave of fantasy efforts endeavouring to capitalise upon the genre's Westeros-fuelled renewed TV popularity. It did just that, sparking two more seasons that've already aired, a fourth in the works — to be co-led by Liam Hemsworth (Land of Bad), who takes over from Henry Cavill (Argylle) — and both animated and live-action spinoffs. The Witcher also thrust Allan, the show's Crown Princess Cirilla of Cintra and one of its three central characters, to fame in a huge way. The English actor isn't done with her time as Ciri yet, but she's now added a new first to her resume: her first lead film part. In fact, Baghead is only her second movie stint, after co-starring in 2021's Gunpowder Milkshake. One thing remains familiar, as it did when she appeared in miniseries The Third Day as well: Allan and the supernatural keep being linked. While that connection isn't purposeful on her part, the two-time Saturn Award-nominee — the accolades handed out by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, with Allan twice in contention for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series — can see why it keeps happening. "I think once you show a certain thing, people go 'oh, she's the girl that can do that'. And it's harder to break out of a certain box," Allan tells Concrete Playground. "But it's always a work in progress." [caption id="attachment_944097" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Susie Allnutt, Netflix[/caption] Baghead tasks her with getting otherworldly by talking to the dead in an eerie pub. Iris Lark, Allan's character, inherits the Berlin watering hole when her estranged father Owen (Peter Mullan, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) passes away. She didn't know about the bar's existence otherwise but, as encouraged by a disquieting solicitor (Ned Dennehy, The Peripheral), she's soon signing up to take it over. Inside, the run-down inn offers more than anyone could ever bargain for. In its basement exists an entity that can give patrons quite the deal: for two minutes, it will gift whoever sits in a chair opposite it the chance to spend time with a loved one that they've lost. It boasts Talk to Me vibes, but the premise initially fuelled Alberto Corredor's 2017 short that's also called Baghead. The full-length version is the director's feature debut. At the movie's centre sits two key elements: the "what would you do?" question, as part of its grappling with grief; plus Allan as the twentysomething woman tussling with that very query — which Iris only learns about after the mourning Neil (Jeremy Irvine, Benediction) arrives with cash for his own date with the pub's other inhabitant — and then experiencing the consequences. Taking the horror heroine route to the silver screen is a tried-and-tested path. After Baghead, however, Allan will next hit picture palaces in 2024 in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth film in the latest Planet of the Apes franchise. "Apes for me is my proudest project I've done so far. I just think that everyone involved is just superb at what they do. All the actors, I watched most of the film the other day, and they just killed it. So I feel very proud of it and I'm just excited for people to see it, and I hope that they can appreciate everyone's hard work," Allan advises. We also chatted with Allan about her response to Baghead's setup, what she'd do in the same situation, how she chooses projects, her relationship with horror and taking on her first lead part — and The Witcher, of course. On How Allan Would React If She Was Given the Chance to Talk to the Dead for Two Minutes "I would. Well, I wouldn't in this film, because there's a lot of risk factors involved. But in general, if I could talk to my grandparents, I definitely would. It was two years ago we shot it, but I'm sure we must have had a conversation about it at some point while shooting. I feel like it's the inevitable question." On Allan's Initial Response to Baghead's Premise — and How She Prepared for the Part "My first response as Freya, I was drawn to that element. I think grief is such a topic that everyone can really associate to and has experienced. And so I think that's immediately something that's very easy to connect to, and is such a prevalent part of life. You can't really escape it. So I think that's profound. I just came up with a backstory and made sure I had all the details I needed, and all the questions answered that I needed. And in regards to when she lost her parents, and understanding a bit more about peoples' experience in the foster-care system where she's come from. And having just lots of conversations with people and their experiences around grief as well, even talking to my mum about it, and Alberto and the other cast as well — just having those constant conversations." On the Challenge of Taking on Her First Leading Film Role "It doesn't necessarily feel totally different to The Witcher in terms of the pressure. I think I have the same pressure on every job I do. It never really goes, whether you have a smaller part or a larger part. And also, it very much felt like I was a part of a team with Ruby [Barker, from Bridgerton] and Jeremy, who played Katie [Iris' best friend] and Neil. So, it felt like we were there to support each other." On What Appeals to Allan About New Projects — Including Baghead "It depends. I think I definitely was at a place of still wanting to learn. I mean, I want to learn on every job I do, obviously — it's just a natural part of leaving a job, you always feel like you've learned even more for the next job. I saw this as a great opportunity for that. It was my first lead in a feature and it was a great ground to learn in order to go into other projects with more experience. And I would say from here, I love to do some stuff which is completely stripped back and has no supernatural at all." On Starring in a Horror Movie But Not Being an Obsessive Horror Fan "I feel like it's an inevitability for every actor. You can't really be an actor and not have done a horror film — and actually it's, like I say, a great ground for learning a lot of things, because a lot of it actually does really revolve around physicality and building a heart rate. And you begin to realise how much physicality plays into being an actor. That really helped me for for other things. But no, I'm not immediately a horror fan — I don't know everything about horror films, but I definitely have had great experiences of watching certain horror movies. I really do think that they can be the perfect film for cinema, to go and have a have a real experience with your friends, and be scared and have a snack." [caption id="attachment_944098" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Susie Allnutt, Netflix[/caption] On Allan's Journey with The Witcher So Far "When I got that role, that was huge for me and it was so exciting. That character is always going to be hold a very dear place in my heart, and I feel very lucky to have specifically played her. I think she really gets to have such an arc throughout the whole show by the end. But obviously, you do begin to want to do new things as well. So I think when it comes to an end, it will be a bittersweet thing of saying goodbye to a character that I'm hugely grateful for, but also being excited to do new things." Baghead opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 22. Read our review.
UPDATE, January 7, 2022: Godzilla vs Kong is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. The kaiju to end all kaiju (or to fight them, at least), Godzilla isn't a villain. When the giant critter first rampaged across the screen 67 years ago in the original and still best Godzilla film, it was born of the need to confront the consequences of nuclear weapons. When fire blazed from the monster's mouth, there was no doubt that it was sparked by the apathy and arrogance that humankind showed the planet by creating the atomic bomb. Predating the leviathan by debuting in 1933, King Kong isn't a villain either. If the enormous ape hadn't been captured and exploited, the so-called 'eighth wonder of the world' wouldn't have had a date with the Empire State Building. If humanity hadn't interfered with nature, he wouldn't have clutched several blondes — Fay Wray to start, Jessica Lange in 1976, Naomi Watts in 2005 and Brie Larson in 2017 — in his oversized hands across the decades. Given that neither of Godzilla vs Kong's towering titans are truly terrors, and therefore neither should really emerge victorious over the other, getting them to face off seems pointless. "They're both big, so they can't get along" is the simplistic concept. This isn't a new train of thought, or new to the American-made Monsterverse that's been nudging the beasts closer together for seven years. Thankfully, in the hands of You're Next and The Guest director Adam Wingard, Godzilla vs Kong has as much in common with its superior Japanese predecessors as it does with 2019's terrible Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The follow-up to 2017's Kong: Skull Island, too, this new battle of the behemoths doesn't remake the duo's first screen showdown in 1962's King Kong vs Godzilla. And, sadly, it hasn't ditched the current Hollywood flicks' love of unexciting human characters. But it crucially recognises that watching its titular creatures go claw-to-paw should be entertaining. It should be a spectacle, in fact. The film also realises that if you're not going to make a movie about this pair with much in the way of substance, then you should go all out on the action and fantasy fronts. In other words, Godzilla vs Kong feels like the product of a filmmaker who loves the Japanese Godzilla flicks and Kong's maiden appearance, knows he can't do them justice thematically, but is determined to get what he can right. Wingard is still saddled with a flimsy script with a tin ear for dialogue by screenwriters Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Max Borenstein (Kong: Skull Island), but his massive monster melees are a delight. That's fantastic news to everyone who strained to get a proper glimpse of Godzilla in 2014, found that Skull Island borrowed a little too much from the Jurassic Park series, and suffered through the dark and ugly-looking King of the Monsters. Also welcome: Godzilla vs Kong's eagerness to lean into its genre. When it surrenders to its pixels, and to a tale that involves a journey to the centre of the earth, subterranean asteroids, altercations with giant flying lizards and an underground tunnel from Florida to Hong Kong, it's equal parts loopy and fun. That trip to the planet's interior is guided by Kong, whose life has changed since last swinging across the screen. Kept in a dome that simulates the jungle, the jumbo primate is under the watch of Jane Goodall-esque researcher Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall, Tales from the Loop), and bonds with Jia (newcomer Kaylee Hottle), the orphan also in the doctor's care. But, after Godzilla surfaces for the first time in three years to attack tech corporation Apex's Miami base, CEO Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir, Chaos Walking) enlists geologist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård, The Stand) on a mission. Testing the latter's hollow earth theory, they plan to track down an energy source that could be linked to both Zilly and Kong's existence — but only if Kong will lead them there. In a plot inclusion that'd do Scooby Doo proud, teenager Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, returning from King of the Monsters) and her classmate Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) are certain that Apex is up to no good and — with conspiracy theory-obsessed podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry, Superintelligence) — start meddling. If you're tired of seeing podcasting overused as an easy narrative crutch — as also present in everything from the most recent Halloween to the new Mighty Ducks TV series — you're not alone. Story-wise, Godzilla vs Kong makes a slew of such lazy choices. When its handling of technology brings up memories of the atrocious first US take on Godzilla back in 1998, that definitely isn't a good thing. And, despite the high-profile array of talent involved, the film doesn't give its cast anything to brag about. You could be generous and assume that's intentional, because Godzilla and Kong should be the stars of the show and dwarf their flesh-and-blood costars in multiple ways; however, the feature spends far too much time with its thinly written humans to support that notion. When the movie's monsters are pushed to the fore and thrust together, though, Godzilla vs Kong is a much better film. One exceptional sequence doesn't make any picture a masterpiece, but the luminous wrestling match that takes place against Hong Kong's neon-lit skyline is instantly gorgeous, impressively staged and reminiscent of Tron: Legacy's dazzling imagery. While the fact that the film's fights aren't messy, dim and frenetic to the point of being visually nonsensical shouldn't be as much of a win as it is, that's the state of big blockbuster action these days. Indeed, the knack for action choreography that Wingard initially showed in the underrated and underseen The Guest is firmly a highlight here. The idea of pitting its titans against each other remains ludicrous, but Godzilla vs Kong knows it, leans in, delivers on the concept and adds a pulsating synth score. Wingard has the average recent Blair Witch on his resume, too, so he has struggled with jumping into an existing franchise before — but from the eponymous animals to a not-at-all surprising but still well-handled late appearance, he has helmed one of the Monsterverse's most engaging entries yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odM92ap8_c0
UPDATE, January 15, 2021: John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Cinematic beauty comes in many forms, and the John Wick franchise perfects one of them. The term 'balletic' couldn't better describe the series' hypnotic action sequences, with its array of frenetic fights and carnage-dripping set pieces all meticulously choreographed like complex dance routines. In fact, when ballerinas actually pirouette across the screen in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, they seem bland in comparison. As 2014's John Wick and 2017's John Wick: Chapter 2 proved, murderous mayhem has rarely looked as stunning as it does in this ultra-violent saga. Whether its eponymous assassin is unleashing his fury with fists, firearms or knives (or, in the latest flick, killing one enemy with a book and dispatching others by wielding a horse as a weapon) the result is simply exhilarating to watch. As played with the steely stoicism that Keanu Reeves wears oh-so-well, John Wick finds many other ways to eradicate his adversaries in Parabellum. Motorcycles aren't just for riding, belts don't only hold up pants, and attack dogs, swords and axes all come in handy. With the movie energetically picking up where the last film left off (mere moments afterwards, to be exact), the retired triggerman isn't short on opportunities to unleash his deadly flair. In the first flick, he was lured back to the hitman life after his car was stolen and his puppy killed, while the second chapter chronicled the savage fallout not only from his vengeance, but from his determination to stay retired. Now, after breaking the assassin code, there's a $14 million bounty on his head — and dear Jonathan, as his friend and hotelier Winston (Ian McShane) calls him, has been cut off from the slick facilities and tools of his underworld profession. With its name meaning 'prepare for war' in Latin, Parabellum follows John's kill-or-be-killed quest, pitting the supremely skilled hitman against the rest of the world's contract murderers. To the surprise of no one, copious amounts of bloodshed results. The story ponders loyalty, purpose and honour, however the details don't overly matter, with returning screenwriter Derek Kolstad and his three co-writers throwing everything they can at their anti-hero. That includes old acquaintances (Anjelica Huston and Halle Berry), difficult head honchos (Jerome Flynn and Saïd Taghmaoui), a fanboy foe (Mark Dacascos) and an adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) tasked with punishing John's misdeeds — as well as the return of Reeves' Matrix co-star Laurence Fishburne as the king of New York's gun-toting homeless population. They're all grist for the mill; with more characters and conflicts comes more excuses for the franchise's trademark visual displays. Every actor should hope that their former stunt double becomes a director, because it's turning out swimmingly for Reeves and Chad Stahelski. Like its predecessors, Parabellum blends a martial arts movie's dizzying moves with a shoot 'em up thriller's murky mood, and the ex-Matrix stuntman turned filmmaker delivers both superbly. The climactic showdown throws a few blows too many, as does the 132-minute flick itself, but that's a minor complaint after such an enjoyable onslaught of brutal brawls mixed with brooding glares. Set in dazzling glass surroundings, the film's final confrontation also demonstrates something that the John Wick series doesn't always get enough credit for: its sumptuous production design. Battles that unfurl like performances, placed in spaces that look like art — it's still a winning combination, with Stahelski expertly assisted by two-time franchise cinematographer Dan Laustsen and production designer Kevin Kavanaugh, as well as three-time stunt coordinator Jonathan Eusebio. John Wick's commitment to fleshing out the rules and requirements of the assassin life has always gone hand-in-hand with its action and aesthetics, too, building an involving world that's both sleekly stylised and lived-in. Of course, all of that sheen and fury would mean nothing without the right person at its centre. Gifted a role that ranks alongside Theodore 'Ted' Logan, Johnny Utah and Neo in the iconic stakes, Reeves continues to be the series' not-at-all-secret weapon. Parabellum's painstakingly staged frays are a sight to behold, but they prove all the more powerful when paired with its star's piercing stare and calm demeanour. It's a part that Reeves could play forever; here's hoping that he does. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BULB0aX4lA
A futuristic story set in Brisbane? Now there's something that you won't come across every day. In Digi Youth Arts' latest production, the city as we know it is long gone. The year is 2044, and one suburb has been cut off from the rest of Brissie. So, what happens next? That's something you'll only discover by attending Dislocated, which follows a group of youth who must return to the city in order to survive. Of course, the fact that they've never known their intended destination is certain to throw a few obstacles in their way. Before bringing the play to Brisbane Powerhouse from October 20 to 22, Digi Youth Arts also staged Glad Tomorrow and In-dij-uh-nus at the New Farm venue in 2013 and 2015, ensuring that their latest effort is eagerly anticipated. And, as they stage their newest foray into the theatre, the not-for-profit arts organisation also continues to support Indigenous young people, and provide opportunities to tell their stories through their words and in their own ways.
After throwing open the doors to its new development in Brisbane in 2018 and announcing it'll be laying foundations in Sydney as well, the next destination on the horizon for luxe hotel chain W Hotel will be Melbourne. W Melbourne is slated to open in December 2020 on Collins Street in the middle of Melbourne's shopping heartland. Following Brisbane's ten-gallon baths and Sydney's flashy pool deck overlooking the harbour, the Melbourne digs look to be no less indulgent. W Melbourne will encompass 294 rooms and 29 suites, including an 'Extreme Wow Suite', which has its own 40-square-metre balcony with views of the Yarra, a jukebox and cocktail bar. Designed by New York-based Shop Architects, global design firm Woods Bagot and interior designers Hachem, W Melbourne will also house a 14th-floor spa, gym and a heated indoor pool with a gold-adorned roof, as well as a poolside bar and DJ decks. And, for those needing function space, W will have more of it than you can physically fill (under current COVID-19 restrictions, at least) — a 830-square metre space for conferences, meetings or holding lush balls. [caption id="attachment_673553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Collins Arch[/caption] On the food and drinks front, you'll have four in-house venues to choose from. The 30-seat Warabi will be your go-to for Japanese fine dining, while Lollo will be run by a "renowned local chef" — we'll let you know exactly who that is when it's announced. Curious bar promises an "all-night experience" like "falling down a rabbit hole" and Culprit will flip from a cafe during the day to a wine bar at night. Functioning, too, as the bottom 20-storeys of a towering new precinct called Collins Arch, W Melbourne will sit on Flinders Lane. The $1.3 billion new precinct will be comprised of two towers of commercial, residential and retail spaces, joined at the top by a dramatic sky bridge. With international travel looking like it'll be off the cards for Australians for a little while longer, the opening of the dramatic W Hotel may be a good excuse to plan a trip to Melbourne or staycation when the hotel opens. W Melbourne is slated to open on Flinders Lane in December 2020.
When West Village revamped its chosen patch of West End, it took over a site of significance. From 1928–1996, the Boundary Street spot was home to the Peters Ice Cream Factory, which churned out frosty dairy desserts for seven decades. That's why, to mark the precinct's past, West Village hosts an annual ice cream festival — and it's also now home to Anita Gelato. The international chain already has stores in Barcelona, New York, San Juan, Tel Aviv and Sydney, but its new West Village spot marks its first Queensland shop. Its specialty: boutique handmade gelato, with more than 150 flavours in its range. That hefty lineup includes yogurt and sorbets, too, as well as its organic, sugar-free, fat-free, soy-based and real cream-based gelato. For those new to the brand, it started almost 20 years ago in the Mediterranean, with its namesake and her youngest son Nir making frozen desserts for their friends and neighbours. Then, Nir began selling their ice creams — which use Anita's homemade jams for flavour — at local markets. Opening a store was the next step, then more followed around the world. Those jams, still made in Anita's kitchen, remain a feature — although you can choose from other toppings, such as fresh fruit, syrups and chocolate. You'll spy a heap of those add-ons on display in gold tiered trays at Anita's eye-catching West End setup, which goes big on green hues, wooden furniture and mirrors. Wondering what kinds of flavours rank among that 150-strong list? While you won't find them all on offer every day, the list includes creamy varieties such as pavlova, salted bagel, chocolate cheesecake, cappuccino with butter cookies, and chestnut with hazelnut cream. Anita Gelato joins the likes of Beirut Bazaar and Harris Farm Markets at the ever-expanding West End spot— and adds to Brisbane's sizeable list of ice cream and gelato joints, because this particular dessert does go particularly well with our usually warm and sunny climate. Find Anita Gelato at West Village, 97 Boundary Street, West End — open 9am–11pm daily.
In 2021, déjà vu and heading to the movies keep going hand in hand. Many of the big-name big-screen releases showing in cinemas this year were due to release last year, which means we've been hearing about them for a while — so, if you feel like first saw the trailer for sci-fi epic Dune quite some time ago, for instance, there's a very good reason for that. More than ten months after that first glimpse dropped, another trailer has just arrived. Unsurprisingly, it's sandy. And, once again, it teases a movie that's set to combine a beloved science fiction title, a star-studded cast and a Hans Zimmer score. Pairing up all three worked rather spectacularly in Blade Runner 2049, and now filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is hoping that it'll just turn out just as swimmingly with his Timothée Chalamet-, Oscar Isaac- and Zendaya-led version of Dune. In the latest adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, Chalamet (Little Women) plays Paul Atreides — son of Duke Leto Atreides (Isaac, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), who has just been given stewardship of the planet Arrakis. In this futuristic tale, Arrakis is the source of 'the spice', the most valuable substance in the universe. It's also home to a population of people known as the Fremen, as well as to giant sandworms, and it's known for being dangerous partly due to the latter. And, once Paul, Leto and Paul's mother Lady Jessica (Doctor Sleep's Rebecca Ferguson) move to the planet, it's the subject of a bitter battle with malicious forces over the spice trade. If all of the above sounds more than a bit familiar, that's because David Lynch brought Dune to the screen back in 1984, with his Kyle MacLachlan-starring movie becoming one one of the most unfairly maligned sci-fi films ever made. Fellow director Alejandro Jodorowsky also tried to make his own version — a feat that wasn't successful, sadly, but was explored in the excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune. Just how Villeneuve's take will fare is still yet to be seen, obviously, with the film initially due to hit cinemas Down Under on Boxing Day 2020, but now slated to release on October 21, 2021. But the French Canadian director has an impressive resume — see: Arrival, Sicario, Enemy, Prisoners and Incendies, just to name a few titles on his resume — and with Dune, he's clearly reaching for epic territory. Like the first trailer, the latest glimpse at the film makes that case quite heartily. As well as serving up plenty of Call Me By Your Name's Chalamet as the film's brooding hero, the sneak peek features sandy expanses aplenty, weighty chats with Isaac, and many a confrontation. And, a stellar cast that also includes Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame), Stellan Skarsgård (Chernobyl), Dave Bautista (Army of the Dead), Charlotte Rampling (Red Sparrow), Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and Javier Bardem (Everybody Knows), all getting caught up in a spice war. Check out the latest trailer below: Dune will release in Australian cinemas on October 21, 2021. Top image: Chiabella James. Copyright: © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Put down your croquet mallet, plaster on your best game show host smile and grab a slushie: it's Heathers' dance party time. The fun-loving folks at Black Bear Lodge are celebrating one of the most very films of the '80s, and the whole decade in general. Big hair, blazers with shoulder pads and giant red scrunchies are a must. Complaining about everyone you know called Heather — that's optional. Whether you channel your inner Veronica or JD, or broaden your remit to other cult flicks of the era, you certainly won't lack in fashion inspiration in what will definitely be a night of big fun. DJs Sophie Luna and Mumgenes won't lack in ace retro tracks to spin, either. Whatever will be, will be, after all. So, what's the event's damage? It's free, it hits the Brunswick Street bar from 11pm on May 27, and drinking blue beverages isn't recommended. Be there, or be a pillowcase — or be jealous much.
Already known for Japanese fine-dining thanks to longterm tenant Sono, Portside Wharf has now added high-end Korean BBQ to its suite of riverside restaurants. At an eatery that's all about levelling up the usual grill experience, patrons still sear their meat themselves, but on a smokeless setup installed in the table. Premium wagyu cuts, wine flights, oysters to start, slow-cooked short ribs if you'd prefer a main to a set menu, a cocktail bar pouring tipples: that's the Marble Korean Steakhouse offering. Add Marble Korean Steakhouse to Portside's recent newcomers as part of its multimillion-dollar revamp, following the likes of Rise Bakery, Mademoiselle, Fosh, Rosé Gelateria, Birds Nest Yakitori, Portside Social, Dumbo and The Ballpark Portside — and more — over the last few years. Husband-and-wife duo Simon Kang and Vanessa Devine — a Korean-trained chef and a hospitality professional, respectively — have launched a venue that pays tribute to its chosen cooking style, but also aims to give it a more-contemporary spin. As Devine puts it: "we've reimagined the Korean BBQ experience for a modern audience". The look of the place: sleek and moody, all in an industrial-inspired space. The vibe: a lively night out. For those fresh to the Korean BBQ experience, or just keen on some expert guidance, Marble Korean Steakhouse's staff are on hand to assist as you get grilling. And to ensure that your vino pairs perfectly with your meat, that's where the wine flights come in. "Rather than the usual thin cuts and DIY cooking, we guide diners through premium selections of high-grade meats, paired with vibrant side dishes and house-made sauces. It's about indulgence, discovery, and confidence at the grill," explains Mr Kang. "You don't need to be a wine expert — we've done the hard work for you. Everything is curated to enhance the flavours and elevate the experience," adds Devine. Two key options await diners: the $89 butcher's fire menu and the $129 marble signature. With the first, you'll work through a range of Tajima wagyu and Australian wagyu cuts, while the second adds full-blood wagyu as well. Both packages also include a choice of two braised stews, savoury egg soufflé, pickled seasonal vegetables, ssam and the chef's pick of desserts. If the grill isn't calling your name, you can go for the $79 hansang set for non-BBQ tables, where Korean fried chicken is a prime part of the nine-dish range. Find Marble Korean Steakhouse at 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton — and head to the venue's website for more details.
With The Studio, Seth Rogen draws upon his years in show business to both satirise and shower love on Hollywood and the filmmaking game. He also plays the Apple TV+ series' lead: Matt Remick, a film executive who has always dreamed of getting the head job at Continental Studios, and achieves that feat when season one begins. Newly installed in his coveted gig, Matt unsurprisingly starts discovering the stresses of running a studio, including the difficult balance between artistic and commercial objectives — aka making something that he can be proud of and making hits. As one of The Studio's guiding forces, Rogen has achieved that mix with the show, which is both excellent and a success. The streaming platform behind it are clearly fans, because they've given it the ultimate tick of approval: renewal for a second season while its first is still dropping weekly episodes. There was always going to be ample material for an inside-Hollywood comedy from Rogen and his long-time collaborator Evan Goldberg (see: Superbad, Pineapple Express, This Is the End, Bad Neighbours and its sequel, The Interview and The Night Before). Together, they've co-created, co-written, co-directed and executive produced The Studio, partly drawing upon their own Tinseltown experiences. In both the regular cast and among the show's guest stars and cameos, Rogen and Goldberg have also enlisted a heap of other familiar faces to navigate everything from trying to make the next Barbie, one-take shots, giving famous filmmakers feedback and casting choices to awards ceremonies and whether the movie industry is important work. Rogen (Mufasa: The Lion King) leads, with Catherine O'Hara (The Wild Robot), Ike Barinholtz (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Kathryn Hahn (Agatha All Along) and Chase Sui Wonders (City on Fire) joining him in the main ensemble as fellow execs — some displaced by Remick, some gunning for the same gig, others wide-eyed and bringing a new perspective among seasoned Hollywood veterans. The core group frequently have company — so when Bryan Cranston (Argylle), Zoë Kravitz (Blink Twice), Paul Dano (Fantasmas), Olivia Wilde (Don't Worry Darling), Charlize Theron (Fast X), Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Brave New World), Zac Efron (A Family Affair), Sarah Polley (Women Talking) Greta Lee (Past Lives), Ice Cube (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem), Rebecca Hall (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire), Adam Scott (Severance), Ron Howard (Jim Henson Idea Man) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) aren't making appearances, then Dave Franco (Love Lies Bleeding), Jean Smart (Hacks), Johnny Knoxville (The Luckiest Man in America), Josh Hutcherson (The Beekeeper), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Ramy Youssef (Poor Things), Steve Buscemi (Transformers One), Zack Snyder (Rebel Moon), Aaron Sorkin (Being the Ricardos) and Parker Finn (Smile and Smile 2) are. "We're thrilled to be making a second season of The Studio. We're looking forward to taking the lived experience of making season one and immediately putting it into season two, then repeating that loop for ten more seasons. And, we're excited to keep all our industry friends and colleagues guessing as to when one of their personal stories will stream on Apple TV+," said Rogen and Goldberg about the renewal. The Studio joins a number of fellow Apple TV+ series that have locked in their comebacks in recent months, after news arrived that Ted Lasso's fourth season is finally on the way and that Severance will return for season three. There's obviously no sneak peek at season two as yet, but check out the trailer for The Studio's first season below: The Studio streams via Apple TV+ — and we'll update you with more details on season two when they're announced. Read our interview with Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Chase Sui Wonders, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver.
Across the past eight years, Sydney's All About Women festival has featured sessions on everything from hip hop and toxic masculinity to the post-#MeToo era — and, for its ninth iteration in 2021, it's once again presenting an exciting and eclectic program. When the event returns on Sunday, March 7, it'll feature talks, panels, workshops and films about the evolution of the feminist movement, its limitations, the gendered nature of household responsibilities, misogynistic online communities and the judgements built into artificial intelligence. There's also a session about coping with doomscrolling, because that topic couldn't be more relevant after the past 12 months. Once again, the fest will take place around International Women's Day — happening the day before, though, so it can still be held on a weekend. And while AAW has always covered a huge array of bases each and every year, there is a particular focus on power structures that limit the female experience in 2021. That subject will come through in sessions about identity, sexuality and resilience, and others that explore technology, entrenched inequalities and feminist futures. Talks about sex work and mindfulness are also on the bill, too. Leading the lineup of speakers is writer Isabel Allende, who'll be discussing her 2021 memoir The Soul of a Woman — which explores her role in the feminist movement across continents, cultures, and centuries. She's joined on the program by How to Be A Woman and More Than a Woman author Caitlin Moran, who'll examine the realities of of middle-aged life; Koa Beck, the ex-Jezebel editor-in-chief who penned White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind; and Laura Bates, author of Everyday Sexism and Men Who Hate Women and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project — with the ways in which the individual is often valued over the community and the corners of the internet swaying the mindsets of boys and young men all on the agenda. [caption id="attachment_797616" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Isabel Allende. Image: Lori Barra[/caption] For folks interested in AI, researcher and professor Kate Crawford will chat about machine classification and its role in entrenching inequality. Covering completely different subjects, one panel session will examine the often-complicated relationship between sex work and feminism, too, while another talk will help participants learn to cope with uncertainty in today's COVID-afflicted world. Or, attendees can head to workshops about making zines, weaving baskets — as led by Yorta Yorta woman Tegan Murdock and her mum Margaret Murray — and using music to help let go of the past. Unsurprisingly given the state of Australia's international borders, speakers from overseas will appear via video, rather than in-person. For those who can't attend AAW in person — including those located outside of Sydney — some sessions will be live-streamed as well, and made available to watch on-demand afterwards. The jump to online also includes AAW's film component. Two documentaries, Brazen Hussies and Coded Bias, will screen at the Opera House — and they'll also be available to stream online, alongside a lineup of short documentaries from female Australian filmmakers. All About Women 2021 will take place on Sunday, March 7 at the Sydney Opera House. Livestream tickets and event multipacks are on sale from 9am on Wednesday, January 20, with single-ticket pre-sales starting at the same time — and general public tickets available from 9am on Friday, January 22.
Do your usual trips to Minjerribah, also known as North Stradbroke, involve hitting the beach? Of course they do. That's one of the island's biggest drawcards — but soaking up the destination's arts scene deserves to be on your list as well. And if you don't quite know where to start, there's a ten-day arts trail dedicated to that very topic. Thanks to the Island Artists and Makers Straddie Arts Trail, there are plenty of places to start — 34 stops across three townships, actually. Running from Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 21, the event will showcase more than 50 artists and six community groups across Straddie's scenic expanse, covering folks in Dunwich, Amity and Point Lookout. Put together by Island Artists and Makers (iam), the trail has a theme, too: creative island. Even if that concept wasn't overtly pushed to the fore, it's obviously what visitors will find as they head to community and museum galleries, wander into open studios and scope out pop-up galleries. Also, plenty of Straddie's retailers, restaurants and cafes are getting into the spirit of the trail, too, featuring pieces by the island's artists and makers, and hosting events as well. If you're keen to learn a few skills while you're there, you can book into workshops on everything from making jewellery and blacksmith methods to upcycling using embroidery, weaving and beekeeping. Some sessions are free, but others vary in price. Fireside storytelling is also on the agenda on selected evenings, and an island bazaar will feature from 8am–12pm across Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 14 and again from Friday, August 19–Sunday, August 21 at the Point Lookout Markets.
Over half a century ago in Sydney, Rob Hirst and Jim Moginie formed a band. Soon, they'd add Peter Garrett and Martin Rotsey, and take Midnight Oil as their name. Back then, none of the group could've predicted the fame they'd have and the millions of records they'd sell worldwide — or the fact that a documentary about them will open the 2024 Sydney Film Festival. Making its world premiere, Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line will kick off this year's SFF when it starts its projectors on Wednesday, June 5. Unsurprisingly, the State Theatre screening will be followed by a celebration in Sydney Town Hall — and we all know what'll be on the soundtrack. "We are thrilled to present Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line as the opening film for this year's Sydney Film Festival," said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley. "This documentary not only chronicles the formidable journey of one of Australia's most influential bands but also captures the spirit of an era that reshaped our cultural and political landscapes. It's a fitting tribute to their legacy and a profound reflection on their impact that continues to inspire audiences around the world." Written and directed by Paul Clarke (who also co-helmed fellow documentary Between a Frock and a Hard Place, about the making of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line steps through the band's story from those 70s beginnings onwards. There'll be power. There'll be passion. There'll be a chronicle of a group who gave Australia — and the globe — songs such as 'US Forces', 'Beds Are Burning', 'Blue Sky Mine' and 'Redneck Wonderland'. Audiences can expect live and studio footage that's never been seen before, and interviews that haven't been heard until now as well, covering chats with every band member. Clarke's doco also weaves in The Oils' "sorry" suits at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, their outback tour with Warumpi Band and the Exxon protest gig in New York. A major theme: the fact that Midnight Oil stands apart in the country's music history, with the film the product of Clarke following the group for seven years. "With strong management, a tough crew and a sabre-tooth lawyer, bands can often dwell in a kind of mobile Faraday cage — the lightning striking all around, while the musicians remain high and dry in a studio, on a stage or wedged inside a Tarago. Thus it was for Midnight Oil: rarely were we able to focus on the horizon and see the 'big picture', if there was such a thing," said drummer Hirst. "So a film such as The Hardest Line is as much a revelation as a chronicle. Perhaps at last we can frame the last 50 years, make some collective sense of it, wrap it in a box marked 'the luckiest band ever'." SFF 2024 will run until Sunday, June 16, with The Hardest Line joining the lineup alongside the previously announced Bondi Icebergs documentary The Pool, a retrospective paying tribute to Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène, horror classic Hellraiser with a new live score and 15 other already-unveiled flicks. If that's not enough motivation to get you clearing your schedule for 12 days in June, the fest's full program will drop on Wednesday, May 8. [caption id="attachment_938017" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Levy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_938016" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Levy[/caption] Sydney Film Festival 2024 takes place from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information, head to the festival's website — and check back here on Wednesday, May 8 for the full 2024 lineup. Midnight Oil images: Tony Mott, Daniel Boud and Andrzej Liguz.
Trying to battle dark magical forces is a big job. Being the Boy Who Lived is too. There's much that's massive about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second cinematic adaptation of JK Rowling's enchanting novels, so you'll want to revisit it on a particularly huge screen — one that measures 44 metres long, perhaps? Set up in the middle of Eagle Farm Racecourse, the aptly named Big Screen on the Green is that giant screen. It hosts films regularly, and from 7pm on Friday, January 24 (with gates open from 5.30pm), it'll bringing this wondrous return trip to Hogwarts to its sizeable expanse. Tickets cost $15, which gets you a spot on the public lawn — or you can spend $25 and get a large popcorn as well, plus your choice of wine, sparkling, house beer or a non-boozy beverage. You can't BYO food or drinks, but there'll be more available to purchase, including classic movie snacks, Harry Potter-inspired butterbeer cocktails (made from vodka, butterscotch, creaming soda and whipped cream). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmPrfYkpwTY Feeling like splashing out? If you'd like a picnic, bring a pal and nab a $65 gourmet hamper package for two, which includes a baguette each, cheeses, meats, dips and crackers. You can also hire a bean bag for $8, a picnic blanket for $12 and get access to the VIP seating area (bean bag included) for $30. Image: Big Screen on the Green.
When Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) returns to the world of fashion, very few people care. In Zoolander 2, the male model finds that everyone has moved on during his 15-year absence; in fact, upon his arrival at the Rome airport with his rival turned best buddy Hansel (Owen Wilson), the paparazzi barely give him a second glance. The dim-witted character's on-screen comeback appears to subvert the film's off-screen reality, given that audiences have been clamouring for a follow-up to Zoolander ever since the 2001 feature became a cult favourite. Alas, it actually proves a sign of things to come, with the sequel rendering its central figure utterly forgettable. The Derek Zoolander of today might still boast shiny hair and his famous facial expressions, but he's now a recluse who gave up his career and son after a tragedy. Only an invitation to sashay down the runway for superstar seamstress Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig) lures him back into the spotlight, though his trip to Italy also thrusts him into the thick of another conspiracy plot. This time, celebrities are dropping like flies, leaving pouting, blue steel-style selfies behind. Enter Interpol fashion division agent Valentina (Penélope Cruz), who needs Derek's help to put an end to the assassinations. Like many sequels, Zoolander 2 knows that viewers liked the first film, and isn't willing to stray far from that winning formula for its second outing. That means not just a similar story, the same levels of sartorial silliness and ample stupid dialogue, but plenty of overt nods to its predecessor. Indeed, spotting the references, repeats and rehashes — a familiar face here, a recycled line there — is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the movie. If you think that's a bad sign, you'd be right. If you think that everything else feels stretched, with countless twists and gags about obvious pop culture targets, you'd be right there too. That sense of déjà vu you're feeling is by design. What sets the two films apart, other than the sequels bloated narrative, is their respective strike rates. Zoolander might've been little more than a collection of exaggerated sketches and quotable dialogue, but at least its jokes landed more often than they didn't, whether skewering the fashion industry or taking aim at society's obsession with superficiality. Here, the recognisable content raises a smile, but attempts to contemplate loyalty, legacy and longevity come across as cheap and easy. Everything else — taking down hipsters, packing in cameo appearances, literally killing off Justin Bieber, and having Hansel date an orgy — falls flat. At least Stiller, as co-writer, director and star, can't be accused of lacking enthusiasm either in front of or behind the lens. Zoolander 2 is left wanting in the surprise and subtlety departments, however it forges ahead with the same energy he brings to his performance. Acting-wise, he's pulling the same faces and hitting the same beats — as is Wilson and scene-stealing fellow returnee Will Ferrell as devious designer Mugatu — but he doesn't seem as strained as the material he's working with. Ultimately though, Stiller's eagerness isn't enough. Just like there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking, there should be more to a long-awaited sequel than blatantly reliving past glories.
Many people travel overseas in order to partake in a process of self-reflection and immerse themselves in foreign cultures that will somehow alter their character when they return home. Others love to travel overseas to undergo extensive retail therapy and eat food in humourously large quantities and levels of deliciousness never experienced in Australia. After the recent explosion of interest in the In-N-Out pop-up store at Barrio Chino in Kings Cross, we decided to compile a list of businesses and brands that Australia not only wants, but needs. Let's face it - travelling across national borders to grab a burger or an item of clothing is deadset ludicrous, but we've all been tempted to do it (or actually have). Keep your fingers crossed and pray for one of these to land on our streets sometime in the near future. Muji Muji is Ikea's younger and slightly more efficient Asian brother. In compliance with everything that is produced by our beloved Japanese friends, Muji's products are focused on minimalism and practicality. They stock everything from stationary to storage units, all with a delightful simplicity that espouses neatness. Furthermore, their products are also environmentally friendly. With the company's expansion into South-East Asia, let's hope that Australia is the next stop on their global tour. Shake Shack Shake Shack describe themselves as a "modern day roadside burger stand," and we'd be delighted if one of these joints opened up on our local streets. Offering hot dogs, burgers and shakes, it's distinctly American and don't we love it. Shake Shack even have their own Shack Cam, which streams footage of their store in Madison Square Park in NYC to visitors on their website. The purpose? Allowing potential customers to check the size of the queue before heading down for lunch. Tasty and amazingly considerate. Pinkberry With the immense popularity of stores such as Wow Cow and Gelato Messina in Darlinghurst, we can only assume that Pinkberry would also draw massive crowds over on our shores. After initially opening in Los Angeles in 2005, the store has since gained an international cult following. Offering frozen yoghurt in a host of vibrant flavours with fresh fruit toppings, Pinkberry's menu would be a perfect accompaniment to sweltering summer days at any beachside suburb. Their products will have even the most dedicated and masculine carnivores digging into a wonderfully light pomegranade treat. Denny's Sydney and Brisbane are severely lacking when it comes to late night feeds, and a lot of the time the only option you'll have is a cold meat pie from the local convenience store. Enter Denny's, a restaurant which prides itself on being always open, serving meals around the clock. You'll find everything from steaks to banana splits, all at a reasonable price. This is definitely what the doctor ordered for those inevitable midnight cravings. Billionaire Boys Club/Ice Cream Pharrell Williams has not only crafted some of the most memorable beats in recent hip-hop history as a member of the Neptunes, but he has also dressed rap royalty with his BBC/Ice Cream brands, a collaboration with A Bathing Ape founder, Nigo. You may recognise some of their prints after they were bootlegged extensively at markets across the nation, but these items are of the highest calibre in streetwear. They'll cost you an arm and a leg too. However, as the recent Odd Future pop-up store and Adidas x Jeremy Scott sneaker launch have proven, Sydney definitely has its fair share of dedicated urban fashionistas. Ichiran Ichiran is for those who want a no-frills feed with no fluffing about. You order ramen noodles by filling in a questionnaire detailing exactly how you want your meal cooked. Each seat is fitted with a sensor, which allows queuing customers to know when a seat becomes available through an electronic panel. Each "table" is actually a small booth isolated from the wandering eyes of other customers. This might not be the most social eatery about, but it's ideal for those nine-to-fivers who want to get in and get out. ASOS With Zara and Topshop opening their doors to hungry audiences in Australia, there are murmurs that ASOS could be the next to follow suit. After recently launching a dedicated Australian site which includes free shipping on all orders, ASOS have a healthy following that would also transfer to any offline stores. Presenting customers with their own adequately-priced clothing line as well as premium fashion brands, news of an ASOS store anywhere in Australia may be the cause of numerous hipster heart attacks. In-N-Out Burger You guys all heard about it on Concrete Playground. Some of you may have turned up to Barrio Chino only to be told that capacity had been reached, and walked away hungry and emotionally shattered. But we can only hope that last week's In-N-Out pop-up store will be a sign of permanent residence in Australia. After successfully taking over the American West Coast, In-N-Out has gained global fame with their simple menu of undisputed classics. After living off their burgers for four days on my recent trip to Los Angeles, I can say with complete confidence that a Quarter Pounder just doesn't cut it. Legoland Lego is an integral part of everybody's childhood, and no child should be deprived of hours of countless fun building castles and all sorts of other cool stuff. But kids across the globe have been experiencing Lego on a whole new level at Legoland. These theme parks are made to appear like the rides are made out of the famous building blocks, and sections of Legoland are themed after existing Lego sets. The theme parks are owned and operated by Merlin Entertainments, a British company who recently purchased a handful of Sydney attractions and are set to open Madame Tussaud's in May. Legoland should be next on their list. H&M Over 2,300 stores and not one in Australia? I know we're tucked away at the bottom of the global map, but Australians need to be dressed too. H&M began in Sweden but has expanded exponentially across the globe, to pretty much everywhere except Down Under. Several years ago they launched a collaboration with Kylie Minogue, but the pop princess wasn't enough to entice them to open up our own store. Offering complete outfits from underpants to overcoats at reasonable prices, H&M would be a Godsend.
Like karaoke? Fond of singing along to well-known songs, whether you're solo or in a group? Happy to belt out a tune from your couch? If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then it's time to up your crooning game during Australia's Biggest Singalong. If you love singing when you're in a pub with a beer in your hand, too, then you'll want to join in as well. Since early 2017 in Brisbane, Pub Choir has been amassing brew-loving music fans in venues around the city. The regular event asks its attendees to learn a particular song in three-part harmonies, with talented professionals on hand each time to show everyone the ropes and lead the way. Every evening then culminates in a big boozy singing session, with the event making its way to bigger Brissie locations over the years, as well venturing around the country. Now, it's heading to television. Set to air on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand at 8.30pm AEST on Saturday, June 5, Australia's Biggest Singalong transports the Pub Choir format to TV — with a few adjustments, obviously. While still feeling like a far more organised version of exactly what happens whenever someone puts 'Wonderwall' or 'Weather With You' on the pub jukebox, it'll have big-name hosts in Julia Zemiro and Miranda Tapsell — and it's asking for viewers at home to record their own videos in advance, upload them and hope they'll be screened during the two-hour-long special. Multiple songs will be covered, but Hunters and Collectors' 'Throw You Arms Around Me' is the big track that eager crooners can film themselves singing in advance. Entries close on Monday, May 17, with all of the details available on the Couch Choir website — which belongs to Pub Choir's pandemic-era spinoff from last year, as you might already be aware. Hunters and Collectors lead singer Mark Seymour will be part of the broadcast, and Pub Choir co-founder and choirmaster Astrid Jorgensen will be guiding the singing, too. So, you just need to decide whether you're fine to take part from home while pouring yourself something cold from your own fridge, or if you'd rather head to the pub and sing with your mates during the show. Pub Choir's IRL events are mighty popular, with tickets getting snapped up very quickly each time, so that's something you don't have to worry about in this format. Australia's Biggest Singalong will screen on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand at 8.30pm AEST on Saturday, June 5, Australia's Biggest Singalong. For more information, head to the SBS website. To upload your own video before Monday, May 17, visit the Couch Choir website. Images: Jacob Morrison.
Each filmmaker sits in the shadows of all who came before them — and as cinema's history lengthens, so will those penumbras. With Bergman Island, French writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve doesn't merely ponder that idea; she makes it the foundation of her narrative, as well a launching pad for a playful and resonant look at love, work and the creative wonders our minds conjure up. Her central duo, two filmmakers who share a daughter, literally tread where the great Ingmar Bergman did. Visiting Fårö, the island off Sweden's southeastern coast that he called home and made his base, Chris (Vicky Krieps, Old) and Tony Sanders (Tim Roth, The Misfits) couldn't escape his imprint if they wanted to. They don't dream of trying, as they're each searching for as much inspiration as they can find; however, the idea of being haunted by people and their creations soon spills over to Chris' work. Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage has already been remade, albeit in a miniseries that arrived on the small screen a couple of months after Bergman Island premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival — but across one half of Hansen-Løve's feature, that title would fit here as well. Her resume has long been filled with intimate looks at complicated relationships, including in 2009's Father of My Children and 2011's Goodbye First Love, with her movies both peering deeply and cutting deep as they unfurl the thorny intricacies of romance. Accordingly, when Chris and Tony find themselves sleeping in the bedroom where Bergman shot the original Scenes From a Marriage, it's a loaded and layered moment several times over. That said, the thing about willingly walking in someone else's footsteps is that you're not bound to taking the exact same path — as Bergman Island's characters learn, and as the filmmaker that's brought them to the screen clearly already knows. Turning in finessed and thoughtful performances, Krieps and Roth bring a lived-in dynamic to the film's first key couple, with the chaos that swirls from being in the same line of work but chasing disparate aims not just flowing but bubbling in their paired scenes. He's the kind of Bergman fan that's adamant about going on the Bergman safari, a real-life thing that all visitors can do, for instance, while she prefers being shown around informally by young film student Hampus (acting debutant Hampus Nordenson). But their Fårö escapades only fill half of Bergman Island, because the movie also brings Chris' budding script to life. She tells Tony the tale, seeking his assistance in working out an ending, but he's too immersed in Bergman worship to truly pay attention. The feature itself, Hansen-Løve and the audience all savour the details, though — eagerly so. There, in this film-within-a-film, 28-year-old director Amy (Mia Wasikowska, Blackbird) visits an island, too — "a place like this," Chris advises, and one that visibly resembles Fårö. She dances to ABBA to cement the Swedish ties, and also spends her time on the locale's shores wading through matters of art and the heart. The catalyst for the latter: her ex Joseph (Anders Danielsen Lie, The Worst Person in the World). They're both attending a wedding of mutual friends, and their lengthy, passionate and volatile history quickly pushes to the fore. While they've each moved on, they're also forever connected, especially when placed in such close quarters. Accordingly, that tumultuous relationship is as bedevilled by other creative endeavours, and also by the thrall of history, as Chris' quest to put pen to paper. And, via the movie-inside-a-movie concept, there's an evocative sense of mirroring that couldn't spring any firmer from Bergman himself. Again, Hansen-Løve hasn't merely made her version of a Bergman film. As her screenplay-in-progress comes to life in the Wasikowska-led segments, Chris hasn't either. Rather, both muse on how fine the lines are between life, love and the myriad of influences that come everyone's ways — and if you know anything about Hansen-Løve herself, who was previously in a long-term relationship with fellow filmmaker Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper), it's easy to see yet another level of links between her situation and those played out in the movie. Perhaps that's why Bergman Island proves as savvy and soulful as anything in the director's career so far, including the stellar Eden and Things to Come, and as personal and profound as well. Not all helmers use their work to sift through parallels in their own existence, whether in fictionalised or semi-autobiographical form, but few do so as well as this. Naturally, it helps when an actor as talented as The Phantom Thread standout Krieps is on hand to play Hansen-Løve's potential on-screen surrogate, and when the equally exceptional Wasikowska then arrives as the latter's own equivalent. The similarities between the two are counterbalanced by their contrasts, but they're constantly in sync either way — sharing mannerisms and reactions at times, juxtaposing different responses and actions at others, but consistently feeling like two halves of a whole. Individually and combined, their performances do what the very best manage, letting audiences into their characters' headspace and hearts alike. Of course, that's a skill that Hansen-Løve's quiet, patient, perceptive and expressive directorial style has always heightened, including her way with music; in mood and impact, that aforementioned ABBA scene sits up there with Eden's revelatory EDM-soundtracked moments. Also essential: the mischievous vibe that floats through Bergman Island like a soft sea breeze, as aided by cinematographer Denis Lenoir (Eden, Things to Come) and editor Marion Monnier (a veteran of the same two films, and of Assayas' Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper, too). They shoot and edit with an enthralling sheen and rhythm that's part-dream, part-memory, part-emotional whirlwind — and, assisted by repeated props and costumes that pop up across its two sections, they each help the movie toy with where lines are blurred, what's pinned together and when various aspects nest like matryoshka dolls. Reality and fantasy weave in and out here, and in multiple ways. In a feature that unpacks the stories that surround relationships, careers, cinema and creativity, especially where celluloid reveries and the people behind them are involved, that's as natural as idolising auteurs like Bergman. Exactly who authors our lives, hope and ambitions, how and why, and what thrall we let them hold: that's another question this entrancing and ingenious filmic getaway also astutely contemplates.
Japan has a knack for turning something simple into an elite experience and its snack game is no exception. Whether you've experienced the joys of a Tokyo konbini (convenience store) for yourself or you've only seen the hauls all over social media, the sheer volume of unique and delicious treats can be mind-boggling. So, in partnership with Suntory -196, we've hand-picked our ultimate favourites — from a satisfying savoury bite to the sweet candies to stash in your desk drawer — and found the top spots around Australia to get your hands on them. Happy snacking. [caption id="attachment_820994" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sandoitchi, Leigh Griffiths[/caption] Sandos Grab-and-go food chains have never really taken off in Australia like they have in other parts of the world so actively seeking out a convenience store sandwich when in Tokyo can be a hard concept to grasp. But one bite of a tamago sando (Japanese egg sandwich) will smash through any preconceptions. Made with fluffy crustless milk bread (shokupan) and a rich, buttery egg filling, these decadent bites are beautiful in their simplicity and can be found in pretty much every one of the 50,000 konbini across Japan. Back in Australia, we'd recommend sticking to the dedicated cafes like Saint Dreux in Melbourne CBD which coats an egg slab with a nori (seaweed) sheet and panko breadcrumbs; Supernova, in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, truffle-laced version served with a curry dipping sauce; or new-kid-on-the-Darlo-block Punpun in Sydney where the chefs steam the eggs into a custard-like consistency before slathering them with chive mayo. Once you've tried the cult classic, venture out to the other iterations, like the pork katsu sando or the fruit sando, stuffed with seasonal fruit and whipped cream — both are done to perfection by the legends at Sydney favourite Sandoitchi. Suntory -196 Japan may be nicknamed the Land of the Rising Sun but the major cities really come alive at night. From walking down neon-lit streets to chatting with locals at intimate vinyl bars and belting out your best rendition of 'My Heart Will Go On' at a karaoke joint, many of the iconic experiences travellers seek out in Japan happen after dark. And many of them happen with a Strong Zero in hand — the cult Japanese premixed drink, made with a blend of shochu, vodka and soda, available in 7-Elevens, Lawsons and Family Marts across the nation. When you're looking to capture a little of that Japanese spirit (both literally and figuratively) ahead of your next night out, pop to your local bottle-o to grab some Suntory -196s, brought to Australia by Suntory in honour of their number one premix in Japan. There are now three exceptional flavours to try — the zesty yet crisp OG Double Lemon; the sweet 'n' sour Double Grape and the oh-so-juicy Double Peach (Double Peach was released just last year and we can't wait to see what new stuff they've got in store for 2025). All three are made using Suntory's patented Freeze Crush Infusion Technology, which involves the flash freezing of real fruit at -196 degrees Celsius before crushing and infusing the fruits into spirits to intensify the flavour profile for double the fruity hit. Can't decide which one to go for? Opt for a variety ten-pack from all major bottle shops, including Dan Murphy's, and slowly sip your way through to find your favourite. Melonpan What happens when two classic comfort foods — bread and cookies — join forces? It creates the ultimate little snack to satisfy those 3pm sugar cravings. Featuring fluffy sweetbread covered by a crunchy cookie crust, melonpan is a slightly sturdier version of the famous Hong Kong pineapple bun and is named for its resemblance to rockmelon. Sydney's Azuki Bakery (Newtown and Wolli Creek) has gained a following for its melonpan — while you're there, grab the best-selling curry pan, a savoury doughnut filled with beef curry. In Melbourne, head to Japanese-inspired bakery and cafe Fuumi Fuumi in South Yarra for its flavoured versions (think matcha, strawberry or chocolate) straight from the oven. Brisbane's well-loved French patisserie Le Boulangerie Amour Fou, with locations in Sunnybank, Indooroopilly, Woollongabba and more, offers its own take on the treat in mocha and mango flavours. Kororo Gummy Candy File this one under 'there's nothing quite like it'. These colourful little gummies are popular across Japan as much for the affordability and novelty as they are for the actual taste — a pack will usually only set you back the equivalent of about AUD$1 and they somewhat resemble a grape, right down to the wrinkly skin that you can (but don't need to) peel off. Inside, the gummy is soft, chewy and bursting with flavour. The most popular flavours are grape, muscat (green) grape and white peach. Owing to these little gems going viral on TikTok a while ago, most Japanese grocery stores in Australia now stock these so check out Maruyu and Amami Mart in Sydney and Fuji Mart in Brisbane and Melbourne. Mochi This traditional rice cake snack comes in so many forms it could have its own article — you can get them stuffed with sweet fillings like red bean paste, fresh cream and fruit or tiny scoops of ice cream; in soup; toasted into a waffle; or transformed into a chewy doughnut. They're so popular that they're not very hard to find in Australia anymore — even the major supermarkets sell them — but quality can vary wildly. Seek out authentic, freshly made mochi at Torori Warabi Mochi in Haymarket, Sydney, in classic flavours like matcha, hojicha and Hokkaido milk. A Melbourne store is due to open later this year. In Brisbane, Sonder Dessert in Sunnybank has been the go-to for years, serving its version coated in roasted soy bean powder with a brown sugar dipping sauce. [caption id="attachment_988373" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 15cenchi[/caption] Japanese Cheesecake Many nations lay claim to having the best cheesecake. There's the New York-style version (uncooked cream cheese with a crumbled cookie base) and the bittersweet yet creamy burnt Basque-style option. But the Japanese version, a soufflé-esque concoction that is wobbly and oh-so-light, must not be overlooked. Uncle Tetsu takes the (literal) cake for bringing this masterpiece to the Aussie masses with stores in Sydney and Melbourne, and both cities now boast cult-favourite LeTAO, too. Meanwhile, Mountain River Patisserie in Runcorn has a good take on the treat for Brisbanites. If you're a ride-or-die basque cheesecake fan, make tracks to Sydney's lockdown darling, 15 cenchi, for the ultimate hybrid. Named for the '15 centimetres of happiness' it promises customers, 15cenchi offers Japanese-style basque desserts in innovative flavours like salted grapefruit and lychee or yuzu. Kit Kats Japanese Kit Kats have been the hot-ticket Japan souvenir for years. Every colleague that has ever been to Tokyo has returned to work with a stash of them. It's a small win for mandatory office days but the bad news? They almost always opt for the same flavours: matcha and strawberry. They're both delicious but it's a true shame when you learn there are over 300 flavours in the range in Japan — you could be treating your palette to a seasonal chocolate smorgasbord with flavours like wasabi, sakura, salt lychee and sweet potato. The next time you're at your local Japanese grocery store, keep an eye out and see what's available. Onigiri Considering how popular premade sushi rolls are here, it's a little surprising that onigiri hasn't had the same impact on Aussie lunchtime culture — until now. Otherwise known as Japanese rice balls, onigiri features steamed rice formed into a triangle and wrapped in a nori sheet. Just like its Japanese counterpart, 7-Eleven Australia has started stocking these portable snacks in three classic flavours: cooked spicy tuna, sweet chilli salmon and chicken teriyaki. If you want to try more unique takes, opt for one of the many hole-in-the-wall joints that have popped up recently. In Sydney, we're big fans of the one stuffed with an onsen egg at Mogu Mogu, the chashu (braised pork belly) and chilli from Parami (a collab with the iconic Chaco Ramen) and the plum kombu from Domo39. In Melbourne, West Melbourne's 279 offers traditional fillings like takana (mustard greens) or cured cod roe while Tokyo Lamington in Carlton gets a bit more experimental with the likes of miso eggplant, bacon and egg or chicken curry. Finally, Brisbane joined the trend a few months ago with the arrival of Shiro where onigiri comes packed with miso pork or salted seaweed. Babystar Crispy Ramen If Mamee Monster Noodle Snacks were a lunchbox staple for you growing up, it's time to graduate to Baby Star Ramen. This raw noodle snack has been around since the 1950s and is so well-loved it even has its own theme park, Oyatsu Town, in Tsu City, Japan. Available in flavours like tonkotsu, garlic, chicken or yakisoba, these noodle strands are salty, crunchy and incredibly moreish — don't be surprised if you finish the entire bag in just a few minutes. You can find them at most Japanese grocery stores around Australia and via JFC Online. Level up your next summer snack sesh by pairing Suntory -196 with any of these top-tier Japanese snacks. Head to Dan Murphy's to pick up a limited-edition 'Suntory -196 Variety Pack' featuring all three epic flavours: Double Lemon, Double Grape and Double Peach.
For much of the past ten months, 2020 hasn't been a year for block parties. It hasn't been one for watching DJs on the beach over drinks, wandering through arts experiences on an island or listen to music in a sprawling garden, either. But all of the above is on the agenda at the Gold Coast's returning Bleach* Festival, which'll be taking over the Glitter Strip from Thursday, November 12–Sunday, November 22. Across 11 days, the fest's program features work by 204 artists across more than 214 unique arts experiences — so, in other words, you won't be bored. When you're not checking out an installation that's inspired by the sky and showcases the efforts of female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from the area, you'll be stepping inside a life-sized lava lamp, watching performer J'aiMime twist herself in and out of a giant six-foot balloon, and listening to tunes by the shore as the sun goes down. If you're particularly keen to make the most of Bleach*, and of the first festival under new CEO and artistic director Rosie Dennis, you can pick up a single ticket that'll get you into nine different parts of the program on Chevron Island. That's one of the fest's hubs, with others on the Burleigh Heads beachfront and at the Botanic Gardens — with the event taking attendees into the Goldie's beaches, green spaces and abandoned buildings. Top image: Art Work Agency
Back from a visit to 'Brucefest' in Kyogle, upper NSW — named, fittingly, after my Uncle Bruce — I have seen the glory of the backyard music festival and have returned to spread the word. Brucefest emerged one year ago, simply enough, from my uncle's need to burn off some extra lumber cluttering the paddock. Why not have a bonfire, he thought? On that note, why not have some mates round to watch the bonfire? In fact, why not have some tunes? For that matter, why not build my own stage? Thus, with a little ingenuity, Brucefest was born. While the constructed stage was certainly a testament to the carpentry skills of the Newton clan, the main thing I take away from Brucefest — as I watched my uncle and a ragtag collection of local Kyogle musos spend the night hopping on and off stage, switching easily between drum solos, stoking the bonfire and mingling with the crowd — is that anyone with a few talented mates can do this. Combine a jam session with a few microphones, a crowd of your mates and some open space, and the possibilities are endless. Whether it be a garage-punk do crammed in an inner west back lane or a blues and roots jam in Bruce's back paddock, the home-grown vibe just can't be beat. Without further ado, here's a few dos and don'ts for getting your own 'insert-name-here-Fest' off the ground. DO CONSIDER GOING RURAL If you know someone with a rural property I would infinitely recommend this over your typical suburban lane fest. Yes, it’s oh-so-Melbourne to be crammed into tiny lanes, chilling in the gutter with your longneck in a paper bag, but come on, look at this place. The chance to watch the sun go down behind your very own stage and have room to dance despite the crowds just can’t be beat. DON'T MAKE IT BIGGER THAN YOU CAN HANDLE The whole idea of a backyard music festival is that it's small enough that you and your mates can run it. Make sure you've got a setting that can actually fit the amount of people you're wanting and won't have the cops shutting you down in a half hour. You'll probably find that you and your mates and the bands and their mates are pretty much all you need. Remember, when the music stops, the clean-up begins. Note: Public Facebook pages are your enemy. DON'T FORGET TO PLAN THE STAGE We can’t all be carpenters like my moustachioed Uncle Bruce, (although sometimes we really want to be). So if you’re wanting to construct a stage that isn’t going to collapse underneath your best act and electrocute the bassist, then you had best put a little thought into the technical side of things. Have a think about how you're planning on hooking up your bands to power, whether you’re going to be needing some lighting and (if you’re playing on a grassy knoll) how you’re going to keep your bands out of the mud. DON'T STRESS TOO MUCH ABOUT MAKING A LINEUP THAT FLOWS The beauty of a backyard fest is that there are no rules. Recruit anyone you know who you want to hear and enjoy the freedom to put together bands that would otherwise never be on the same stage. I guarantee you that you know more good musicians than you think you do and that you'll have more fun watching your mates merge reggae with punk than you would listening to a tight lineup intended to please the crowd. From experience, the best part of your night is going to be when every single guitarist present jumps the stage to play the 'Johnny Be Good' solo simultaneously. DO/DON'T HAVE A BONFIRE This one’s a little less than clean cut. On the one hand: it's cold at night and bonfires are magical things. Burning off your extra lumber pile will provide a surprising amount of heat for your frost-bitten crowd and keep you going through the night. On the other hand: Do not have a bonfire. If you are not on a rural property and you have never managed a bonfire before, then bonfires are not your jam. It’s all fun and games until a stray spark lands on an inner west terrace and you’ve gone and burnt the whole neighbourhood down. DON'T ORGANISE THE FOOD YOURSELF What, are you crazy? You’ll spend the whole day in the kitchen and checking supplies and you will miss the whole thing, regardless of whether or not you think you have catering skills of my Aunt Judy. You don't. Either get people to bring their own or sort out a food truck that wants in on the day. DO REMEMBER TO TELL THE NEIGHBOURS Might seem like a hassle, but if you don’t get the neighbours on board with what you’re planning in advance, then you’re just going to get shut down by the cops before you get to the good stuff. If you’re living rural and your neighbours are a 10 minute drive down the road, then the only thing you have to remember is not to freak out the livestock. Which brings us, finally, to... DO REMEMBER TO TURN THE ELECTRIC FENCES OFF Though remember that if you turn the electric fences off, the livestock may come for a listen. Holding a rural fest might mean making a choice between zapping your mates and sharing a dance with a few friendly cows. Livestock and crowds are never the best mix, but I can promise you that when you see two little girls dancing around that bright white wire, you'll be more than happy to know that the fence is turned off. If your four-legged friends pay you a visit, just treat them with respect and let them bask in the tunes. I know from experience they are big fans of a good Tracy Chapman cover, the big softies. Top image: Dollar Photo Club. Other images and videos by Elise Newton.
When someone spots a giant spider, they take notice, even when it's simply a tall metal piece of art. Seeing one of Louise Bourgeois' towering arachnids is indeed a stunning experience; however, so is watching people clock her lofty works. Her Maman sculptures demand attention. They're the type of public art that audiences just want to sit around, soak in and commune with. They're photo favourites, too, of course — and one has just arrived in Australia. This is the first time that Maman has displayed Down Under, with the world-famous piece arriving in Sydney as part of Sydney International Art Series. Bourgeois is one of three hero talents scoring a blockbuster exhibition during event, alongside Wassily Kandinsky and Tacita Dean. The nine-metre-high, ten-metre-wide sculpture that Bourgeois is best known for is currently on display on the forecourt of the Art Gallery of NSW, towering over the historic South Building. The sculpture hails back to 1999, and boasts its name because it's a tribute to Bourgeois' mother. The artist described her mum as "deliberate, clever, patient, soothing... and [as] useful as a spider". [caption id="attachment_927831" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of the Louise Bourgeois 'Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Felicity Jenkins[/caption] If you're keen to see Maman on home soil, Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night, or Has the Night Invaded the Day? is running at the gallery from Saturday, November 25, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024, boasting 120 different works — the most comprehensive exhibition of Bourgeois's work ever to grace a gallery in the Asia Pacific. The Bourgeois exhibition is on display 13 years after the Paris-born artist passed away in New York in 2010, and after she stamped her imprint upon the art of the 20th century. Visitors will see her Arch of Hysteria work down in the gallery's underground Tank, textile works of the 1990s and 2000s, and plenty in-between. Other highlights include The Destruction of the Father, which is among the pieces that've never been displayed in Australia before; Clouds and Caverns, which is rarely seen in general; and the mirrored piece Has the Day Invaded the Night, or Has the Night Invaded the Day?, which shares the exhibition's moniker. Alongside the display of art, there will be a free film series curated by the AGNSW's Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd. A heap of Louise Bourgeois' favourite flicks will be screened at the gallery's cinema, including 1958's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1971's Harold and Maude, David Lynch's Eraserhead, John Waters' Pink Flamingos and The Wizard of Oz. [caption id="attachment_927828" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of the Louise Bourgeois 'Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Felicity Jenkins[/caption] Top image: installation of Louise Bourgeois 'Maman' at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Felicity Jenkins.
If your idea of Australia's hip hop scene is one of skepticism and smirks, you probably can't be blamed — especially if your car radio is tuned to B105. One might associate Aussie hip hop with angsty trios, the ARIAs and dolla-dolla coins y'all, but Australian rapper Allday is a welcome, somewhat askew addition to the scene, quickly becoming a fan-laden leader of free verse. Like all great leaders, Allday's got a following to match — from his self-initiated bus cult to reverence by Lord of the Fries as a VIP, the 22-year-old might soon be hailed as this generation of rappers' Chosen One. In the last few months, he's been turning as many heads as tunes; with songs that border on lovey-dovey before hardening into deeply gutsy. Earlier this year he performed a remarkable cover of INXS' 'Never Tear Us Apart' gaining two thumbs up from Hutchence fans, and he's been proving his worth through EPs, live performances and singles. Plus, he's just as savvy with his sound as he is with Facebook and Tumblr — cue teenage swoons. Now, having just wrapped up a nationwide tour, Allday has fully-fledged album Startup Cult out now through Illy's label ONETWO. We had a little chat to Aussie hip hop's newest asset about the road so far and what fans can expect ahead from this young gamechanger. You've been making a hell of a lot of waves this year on the Australian music scene — how have you found 2014 so far? What's been the highlight? Thank you! There have been a lot of highlights, but for me the best thing was getting better as a musician — feeling like I had a breakthrough on the quality of music I am able to make. That has been the best part. Can you tell us a bit out your bus 'cult'? How did the idea come about, and was it a success — will Allday soon be synonymous with Children of God? Well, I have always gone to ridiculous lengths to give a good experience to my fans. I had an idea to just drive around and pick people up in a car, then play them the album one-on-one. Then I realised if we did a bus we could get to more people. It was a success from my perspective and it seems like people had a fun time. What can we expect from the new album, Startup Cults? It's pretty different for a rap album from Australia, I think. There's a lot of R&B and pop influence on it, there's also a lot of good rapping on it. I guess it's a pretty personal album, maybe a little dark in parts. https://youtube.com/watch?v=9LxQAn3BpgM You said in an interview that if fans can't afford the album, they have your permission to download it. Why be so kind? Well, firstly I know what it's like to be poor. When I was 20, I was still driving a $600 banged up car to my pizza delivery job and making 50 bucks a night. Then when I moved to Melbourne, I was on Centrelink because I couldn't get a job. I said that because a fan messaged me saying, "I didn't pay my phone bill so I could buy your album." I was like, "Fuck that, pay your phone bill and torrent my album." Have you found your style and process has changed since Noue Yesue? For sure. Noue Yesue was my first EP and it was just something I did as a Sunday afternoon hobby type thing. I recorded it at my friend Koolta's house and he was the only one I knew with beats, so I rapped on his beats. I spent maybe 30 minutes recording each track. If you listen to it now, it sounds like my voice was deeper then — that's actually because I always had a hangover and I would lose my voice in a club the night before recording. It took me all the way until this album to realise that you have to be more hands on with the process. This time I sat with producers and crafted the sound myself, from snares, synths to vocal takes to mixing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mGp5oA1fd28 In the past few months, have you found you've been thrown into a wider music community — not just the hip-hop world? A little bit. Sometimes people get photos with me and I think they know of me but don't really listen to me. That's pretty weird. I'm not necessarily aiming for just a hip hop market though. I think I make good hip hop, but hopefully I can make music that everyone can get. You've just wrapped up a tour, any highlights? Can we expect another soon? Brisbane was awesome — we finished the tour in Brisbane and it was (as always in Queensland) a highly excitable and awesome crowd. I'll be announcing a new tour soon... October! Startup Cult is out now via ONETWO. Want to check out more new Aussie hip hop artists changing the game? Head over here for our round-up of must-hear ones-to-watch.
The endless buzz, 24-hour culture and chaotic energy of New York City is a major part of its appeal. But if you want a change of pace without venturing too far beyond the concrete jungle of the five boroughs, you've got options aplenty. Whether you prefer charming villages, counterculture havens or beachfront getaways, adding an extra dimension to your NYC holiday is an easy train or rental car's ride away. Ready to book your journey? We've teamed up with New York State to highlight some of the best spots to visit that ensure your time outside the Big Apple is well spent. [caption id="attachment_853428" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED , Darren McGee[/caption] WOODSTOCK, THE CATSKILLS Woodstock has a permanent place in the annals of music history, having lent its name to the legendary counterculture music festival of 1960 (which actually went down about 60 miles away at a dairy farm in Bethel). Nevertheless, this small town in the Catskills is still overflowing with the same free-spirited creativity that people associate with the Woodstock name. There's the Woodstock Art Exchange which shows work by diverse artists living across the region; The Center for Photography which supports emerging and established photographers; and Levon Helm Studios, where local musicians perform a few nights a week, in the space founded by the bonafide rock legend from The Band. The town's culinary scene also has a legit claim to fame. Head to Garden Cafe for farm-fresh vegan cuisine or Silvia when you're in the mood for Modern American food and cocktails. Woodstock is also bursting with outdoor adventures, like Overlook Mountain's summit hike, which plays host to unbeatable views of the Catskills. How far? Woodstock is about two hours from Manhattan. [caption id="attachment_846970" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] COLD SPRING, HUDSON VALLEY Cruise alongside the Hudson River for a little over an hour to find yourself in Cold Spring, a wonderfully charming waterfront village with a strong hipster energy. Main Street is where you'll find most of the action — a leafy avenue lined with quaint storefronts showcasing local clothing designers, homewares and antiquarians. Also along this thoroughfare is a cluster of restaurants, pubs and cafes including the Hudson House Inn, a top choice for steaks and seafood overlooking the river. For a hit of nature and highland views, head to the bucolic Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary (about five minutes out of town by car), or hike the Breakneck Ridge Loop and explore the Stonecrop Gardens to find native plants and farm-fresh air. How far? Cold Spring is about 70 minutes from Manhattan. [caption id="attachment_853510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] FIRE ISLAND, LONG ISLAND Fire Island is the ideal day trip for those after a complete departure from the city. Getting there requires a ferry ride from mainland Long Island which feels like an adventure in itself. Its major attraction is the landscape and surrounding coastline, which offers ample opportunity for hiking and swimming. Robert Moses State Park is especially impressive, with its five-mile-long beach and historic lighthouse. Meanwhile, the captivating Sunken Forest is also a must-see destination, featuring a boardwalk that traverses through a rare ecological phenomenon. How far? Fire Island is about 90 minutes from Manhattan. [caption id="attachment_846976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] NEW PALTZ, HUDSON VALLEY Visiting New Paltz from NYC is simple, with a drive straight up the New York State Thruway delivering you right into this classic collegiate town. While the student population ensures plenty of bars and live music venues exist across town, the area is also renowned for its world-class hiking and mountaineering locations. Mohonk Mountain House is a National Historic Landmark resort that provides guests with an award-winning spa, a range of dining options (from al fresco lakeside eating to an old fashioned soda fountain), and is the perfect stay to access some of the region's best hiking — including the famous Labyrinth rock scramble and Lemon Squeeze crevice which demand a challenging climb through massive boulders for the reward of spectacular views of the Hudson valley. This part of the Hudson Valley is also celebrated for its vineyards and breweries with highlights including Robibero Winery and Kettleborough Cider House. How far? New Paltz is about 90 minutes from Manhattan. [caption id="attachment_846977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] ALBANY, CAPITAL-SARATOGA If you're still getting up to speed on your New York geography, Albany is the capital city of New York State. Head to the venerable Albany Institute of History and Art to deep dive into this historic city's storied past. Once you've brushed up on your local history, you can experience the region's scenic landscapes and native wildlife with a trip to the striking Albany Pine Bush Preserve. For your many pit stops in Albany, the city has a handful of stellar breweries for beer lovers with options like Fort Orange Brewing and Druthers Brewing Company offering excellent local brews and hearty meals. How far? Albany is about 2.5 hours from Manhattan. To start planning your trip to New York State, head to iloveny.com. Also, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best food and drink stops, cultural experiences, outdoor adventures and places to stay. Top image: NYSDED, Darren McGee
