What can Disney say except... yes, "you're welcome", Moana fans? A sequel to the 2016 animated hit is on its way to cinemas before 2024 is out, as announced earlier in the year. Now, the movie's first teaser trailer is here to make a splash, and to confirm that Auli'i Cravalho (Mean Girls) is back voicing Moana and Dwayne Johnson (Fast X) is also returning as demigod Maui. When Walt Disney Animation Studios had Johnson sing a ridiculously catchy tune that was penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda in the first Moana, it clearly gave itself the perfect response to all the love thrown the film's way. Adore the movie? You're welcome. Can't stop crooning its songs? You're also welcome. Excited about the sequel that'll hit cinemas on Thursday, November 28 Down Under? You're welcome for that as well. Story-wise, Moana 2 will see its namesake take to the seas of Oceania to answer the call from her ancestors, which is where new characters will come in. While eight years have passed for viewers, only three have elapsed within the film when Moana and Maui set off on their new — and dangerous — adventure. In the director's chair: Dave Derrick Jr, who was a storyboard artist on the original Moana. And on music duties this time are singer-songwriter Abigail Barlow, composer Emily Bear (Dog Gone), Opetaia Foa'i (returning from the first film) and Mark Mancina (also back from the initial movie). "This was originally developed as a series, but we were impressed with what we saw and we knew it deserved a theatrical release," said Disney CEO Bob Iger when he announced the sequel in the company's first-quarter earnings call for 2024. "The original Moana film from 2016 recently crossed one-billion hours streamed on Disney+ and was the most streamed movie of 2023 on any platform in the U.S." Moana 2 is one of two new Moana movies in the works, with a live-action adaptation of the first Moana also on the way — and with Johnson starring. "Along with the live-action version of the original film that's currently in development, Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise," continued Iger. Check out the first teaser trailer for Moana 2 below: Moana 2 will release in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, November 28, 2024. Read our interview with Jemaine Clement about Moana. Images: © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you drink much coffee (or have ever been to a cafe, worked in an office or looked through other people's rubbish), you've probably realised that Australia's cafe culture produces a huge number of wasted takeaway cups. But what you may not know is that these cups are not recyclable. Though coffee cups feature paper on the outside, the liquid-proof inside lining is made of plastic, which means the cups cannot be recycled like other cardboard items. It also means they take on average 50 years to decompose in landfill. There is currently no facility in Australia that is able to recycle takeaway coffee cups, but Closed Loop hopes to change that. The Australian company — which offers waste management and environmental solutions to a range of companies, including Noma when it was in Sydney — just completed a trial to help make the case for their proposal. The trial, which received a $17,500 grant from the City of Sydney, introduced standalone bins for takeaway coffee cups into three office buildings across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 12,000 cups were collected over four weeks, successfully demonstrating that people would be willing to use such bins. And after they've been collected? Closed Loop has worked with researchers from the UK, where they already run a similar cup collection and recycling program, to develop technology that combines the materials in the cups with a polymer to produce a plastic-fibre compound. It can be used to make placemats, coasters and outdoor furniture. Based on the success of the pilot (that is, people using the bins correctly), Closed Loop is proposing to set up a dedicated facility to recycle them. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore estimates that if the program were to go ahead, more than 25 million coffee cups could avoid ending up in landfill per year from the City of Sydney area alone. Given that around one million disposable coffee cups end up in landfill per minute worldwide, it's good to know there are people trying to tackle the issue. We'll keep an eye on this one to see where it goes. Image: Tim Wright.
The Icelandic Government ushered in the new year with a legal first when, on January 1, it became the first nation in the world to outlaw unequal pay for women. Any company or government agency that employs 25 people or more must prove their equal pay policies through government certification or face hefty fines. "[They] evaluate every job that's being done, and then they get a certification after they confirm the process if they are paying men and women equally," Dagny Osk Aradottir Pind, a board member of the Icelandic Women's Rights Association, told Aljazeera. Even before the passing of the law, which was announced on International Women's Day 2017, Iceland was ranked number one in the world for gender equality according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2017. (In case you're wondering, Australia came in at 35, while New Zealand took out 9th spot). Iceland's current leader, Katrin Jakobsdóttir, who was elected in November 2017, is the nation's second female Prime Minister — and since 2016, women have held 48% of parliamentary positions. "I think that now people are starting to realise that this is a systematic problem that we have to tackle with new methods," said Aradottir Pind. "Women have been talking about this for decades and I really feel that we have managed to raise awareness, and we have managed to get to the point that people realise that the legislation we have had in place is not working, and we need to do something more." The Icelandic Government is hopeful that the gender pay gap won't exist beyond 2020. Here's hoping other countries around the world start to follow their lead.
When 2025 hits, 20 years will have passed since Oasis last toured Australia, but that's where the lengthy gap between the band's Down Under shows is ending. There's comeback tours and then there's Britain's most-famous feuding siblings reuniting to bring one of the country's iconic groups back together for a massive world tour — and when Liam and Noel Gallagher start taking to the stage together again, they'll do so at gigs in Sydney and Melbourne. Oasis' reunion tour has been huge news for months, ever since Liam and Noel announced in August that they would reform Oasis — and bury the hatchet — for a run of shows in the UK and Ireland. Since then, they've been expanding their tour dates, also locking in visits to Canada and the US. From London, Manchester and Dublin to Toronto, Los Angeles and Mexico City, the entire tour so far is sold out. [caption id="attachment_975205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oasis Knebworth 1996, Photo by Roberta Parkin/Redferns[/caption] That's the story, morning glory — and expect Australian tickets to get snapped up swiftly for Oasis' two announced concerts, one apiece in Sydney and Melbourne. The Manchester-born band is kicking off their Aussie visit on Halloween 2025 at Marvel Stadium in the Victorian capital, then heading to Accor Stadium in the Harbour City a week later. "People of the land down under. 'You better run — you better take cover ...'. We are coming. You are most welcome," said the group in a statement. [caption id="attachment_975206" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oasis Knebworth 1996, Jill Furmanovsky[/caption] Oasis broke up in 2009, four years after their last Australian tour, and following seven albums from 1994's Definitely Maybe through to 2008's Dig Your Soul — and after drawing massive crowds to their live gigs along the way (see: documentary Oasis Knebworth 1996). If you're feeling supersonic about the group's reunion, you can likely expect to hear that track, plus everything from 'Live Forever', 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', 'Morning Glory' and 'Some Might Say' through to 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova' when they hit Australia. Oasis Live '25 Australian Dates Friday, October 31 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Friday, November 7 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Oasis are touring Australia in October and November 2025. Presale ticket registration runs until 8am AEDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, with Melbourne tickets on sale from 10am AEDT and Sydney tickets from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 15. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Simon Emmett.
Street food has fast become the current gastronomic obsession. When The Bun Mobile started driving around Brisbane in 2012, food trucks were a novel concept. Now, the city’s first purveyor of quality meals on wheels has become a local institution, and it has company. The new breed of mobile culinary delights spans all types of cuisines, dishing up delicious delights at affordable prices. At Food Truck PheNomNomNom, nine roaming restaurants will converge upon the Coorparoo Bowls Club for the first event of its kind in Brisbane. Fancy the Mexican tastes of Juan More Taco? Or the hearty Italian of The Pasta Cruiser? Is devouring a woodfired slice of Roam'In Pizza more your style? Do you have a hankering for Thumbs Up Hotdogs? Alongside the cutely named Sushi Neko Food Van and the savoury treats of King of the Wings, these trucks have lunch and dinner covered — but don’t forget dessert. I Love Frozen Yoghurt serves up everyone’s favourite cold concoction, Chocolate Komberry Co. keeps the cronut craze kicking on, and V's Vanilla Van has a solution for poffertjes cravings. With local blues-infused rockers Don & the Mobsters providing jaunty tunes for a enjoyable afternoon, Food Truck PheNomNomNom is the initial instance of what aims to be a regular event. Sample the fun of curbside dining on June 1, from midday to 6pm at Coorparoo Bowls Club (32 Riddings Street, Coorparoo).
Flick through the pages of any issue of National Geographic and the planet comes to life in all of its natural glory, particularly the colour, movement and all-round splendour of the animal world. Indeed, the magazine has been taking eye-catching wildlife photographs since 1888, and first featured one such image — a snap of a reindeer — on its cover back in 1903. From that huge 130-year history, the publication has picked out the absolute best photos in its archive for a brand new exhibition, which will make its world premiere at the Melbourne Zoo from September 8 to November 30. 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will showcase exactly what it sounds like — 50 breathtaking snaps of the earth's animal inhabitants, as curated by famous nature picture editor Kathy Moran, and featuring the work of iconic National Geographic photographers such as Michael 'Nick' Nichols, Steve Winter, Paul Nicklen, Beverly Joubert and David Doubilet. If last year's Photo Ark exhibition has you staring in wonder, then this promises that and more as patrons not only view the stunning sights captured, but the way that photography has evolved over the course of more than a century. Displaying as an outdoor gallery in Melbourne Zoo's Carousel Park, 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will be accompanied by augmented reality experience Air, Land & Sea. The interactive installation transports viewers to a watering hole where animals — hailing from Africa, the Arctic and more — graze, drink and interact with the environment around them. As well as giving patrons a glimpse at wildlife photography at its finest, Melbourne Zoo hopes the exhibition will bring attention to the plight of animals around the world. "Our hope is that, after viewing these stunning images and connecting with the wildlife at Melbourne Zoo, visitors will be compelled to remember that all animals deserve our greatest respect, awe and preservation," says Melbourne Zoo director Kevin Tanner. National Geographic's 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will be on display at Melbourne Zoo from September 8 to November 30. Entry to the exhibition is included in the zoo admission price. For more information, visit the website. Image: Gray Whale Hands by Thomas P. Peschak, San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico, April 2015.
The confusers of the Brisbane music scene are back to headline Woodland this Saturday. Known for their energetic and visceral live shows, let them lull you into a false sense of security with their soulful ballads before tossing you against the wall with their loud and fast punk, covering all shades of electro-punk-pop in between. Leading up to the global release of their highly anticipated debut album Sport, RE:Enactment get back into the gigging circuit starting at one of Brisbane’s most exciting live venues. Joined by noise-rock favourites The Rational Academy, energetic indie collective The Slow Push and fleshed out by the masterful Subsea DJs, this is a showcase of home grown talent not to be missed. Although the album isn’t officially released until the 1st of March, there is talk of some sneaky copies available on the night. Be one of the first to get your hands on this eclectic release and bring along a wide array of dance moves for this one of a kind line-up.
Excusez-moi mes amis? Que faites-vous le Vendredi? Quelque chose excitant? Haha! See what I just did there? Instantly made myself look cool and chic (don’t fight it), whilst also retaining a bit of je ne sais quoi. It’s almost ridiculous how feigning knowledge of a second language instantly lifts your level of intrigue. But what can you expect, really? Everyone knows that French equals chic, and god knows it wouldn’t hurt if everyone were a tad more sophisticated. If, like me, you’re in the mood for croissants and champagne, or perhaps macaroons and un café, look no further than the Powerhouse. Their 2012 installment of the So Frenchy So Chic franchise is just around the corner so it’s time for your berets and stripy tops to make an appearance. This year the performances are by two vastly different yet amazing acts, ready to seduce you with their dulcet French tones. Asa has been described in the past as a young Bob Marley and is sure to bring a high amount of soul to the evening. Moriarty Moriarty is also set to impress as the five-piece band accompany their voices with an eclectic range of instruments - including a drill. If you are the mood for some international intrigue, So Frenchy So Chic is the event for you. Who knows, you may even find your own foreigner to feed you wine and cheese and whisper sweet accented nothings into your ear.
They're the pieces of plastic no one can leave home without — if you want to catch a bus, train, tram or ferry. Sydney has Opal, Melbourne has Myki and Brisbane has the Go Card, aka the main way to pay for public transport in today's increasingly cash-less society. For now, that is. News Corp's Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane papers are all reporting the looming end of the current ticketing cards, in favour of smartphone, smartwatch and tap-and-go bank card payments. It's one of those obvious leaps in technology that was always going to happen at some point soon. If there's a more convenient, contactless way to pay that don't rely upon everyone remembering to stuff yet another card into their wallet, then it's hardly surprising that the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland governments are looking into it. In Sydney, a trial began on the Manly ferry last year, with patrons tapping their Mastercards instead. It's expected to expand to other forms of transport according to The Daily Telegraph, although it's worth noting that Opal multi-trip benefits don't apply to other payment systems. Melburnians can expect to scan on with a credit or debit card in trials due to start this year, focusing on Routes 11, 86 or 96, The Sunday Herald Sun notes. And in Brisbane, The Sunday Mail reports that a trial will commence either later in 2018 or sometime in early 2019, starting with the Airtrain. Moving away from dedicated transport cards — or adding other payment options — will make things easier for tourists and travellers, who shouldn't have to buy a new piece of plastic just to catch a bus or train (or pay extra for a paper ticket if they don't) when they're visiting. Ensuring the new system remains accessible for anyone that doesn't have a smartphone, smartwatch or bank card remains a concern, however. And, there'll always need to be a backup option in case someone forgets their phone, watch or wallet. Via The Sunday Mail / The Sunday Herald Sun / The Daily Telegraph. Images: Beau Giles / Binayak Dasgupta / Andrew Thomas.
Four Australian female composers. Four singers. Four dramatic operatic works inspired by mythology, literature and rare Australian birds. World premiering on one night. Streaming on the Carriageworks Facebook page at 7.30pm AEST on Saturday, April 25, the four-part Breaking Glass was meant to be performed inside the physical arts precinct from March 8–April 4, but its temporarily closure forced the show's premiere online. Presented by Sydney Chamber Opera and Carriageworks together with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music's Composing Women Program, Breaking Glass is broken into four one-act operas by female composers. There's Commute by Peggy Polias, which combines Homer's Iliad with a modern women's uneasy walk home at night; Josephine Macken's terrifying The Tent inspired by Margaret Atwood's writing; The Invisible Bird by Bree van Reyk, telling the true tale of a rare Australian parrot; and Georgia Scott's Her Dark Marauder, which uses Sylvia Plath's poetry to explore a women's battle for identity. If you can't already tell, these aren't your typical operas. Expect electronic music, "abstract aural soundscapes", smoke surrounding performers, kaleidoscopic digital projections and stories firmly planted in the 21st century. Breaking Glass world premieres on Carriageworks' Facebook page at 7.30pm. Images: Daniel Boud
Australians throw away up to 20% of the food they buy. That's one out of five of your grocery bags, into the bin. This means Australians are throwing out $8 billion worth of edible food every year, the same weight as three average size fridges. Each. Yeah, WHAT. Anyone who's worked as a function waiter, bakery barista or silver service maitre d knows that the end of the night's waste can be colossal. I've watched an entire trough of fresh king prawns and glistening oysters poured into the trash at a certain five-star Sydney hotel in front of a hungry, underpaid staff. I've seen trayloads of party pies tipped into dumpsters post album launch. I've stared bitterly as bucket after bucket of organic dinner rolls were shuffled into black plastic rubbish bags and carted away for fear of staff food poisoning lawsuits. Luckily, some young New York-based upstart app developers are using their digital talents to combat the globe's atrocious waste problem. Meet PareUp — an app that allows users to purchase restaurant leftovers at the end of the day. Retailers store inventories of their products, set prices and update listings and herald the 'offerings for the day'. The app is similar to Leftover Swap, a development which allows you to snap your food, upload it to the app and let users know where the food is, how cold it is and whether it can be delivered. The app is due to launch in NYC soon, hopefully Australian restaurants will be able to pair up with the app sometime in the near future. Until the app gets here, restaurants should take a look at their hungry, student loan-ridden staff and think twice about chucking those creme fraiche-topped tarts. Via Food Beast and Lost At E Minor.
Sydney lad Kilter (aka Ned East) is a beatmaker well and truly at ease in the current electronic scene. The locally-applauded producer has already supported Australian electronic bigwigs RÜFÜS, The Kite String Tangle and Art vs. Science, also remixing cuts from the likes of Duke Dumont, London Grammar and Jamie xx. But make no mistake; you won't see this 22-year-old Sydney producer playing a show solemn-faced behind the bright lights of a laptop screen. Kilter much prefers playing a more physical part in his live music, keeping mighty busy with all those keys and knobs on his MPC and microKorg, while working up a real sweat with synths and drum pads. Kilter's brand new EP Shades is released on July 11 — the same date that his 16-venue Australian and New Zealand tour hits the ground running. With the very talented producer Hatch playing in support, Kilter will turn it up at The TBC Club with a late night set on August 9. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fFHI_iyB6QM
Writer/director Paolo Sorrentino itched to create a character based on The Cure's Robert Smith. After seeing that Smith doesn't shed his '80s goth punk gear when he leaves the stage, Sorrentino became fascinated with the idea of "a 50-year-old who still completely identified with a look which, by definition, is that of an adolescent," and all the contradictions in character it implies. That's how we get Cheyenne (given life by Sean Penn), a former rock star who once fronted Cheyenne and the Fellows and now lives a quiet life on an Irish estate with his countervailing, down-to-earth wife (Frances McDormand). There's a little bit of Ozzy in him, too; after years taking drugs (though never booze), he moves slowly, dragging his grocery trolley behind him. He's prematurely old, but also stuck in youth. He's sweet, but petulant. He insists on living in the world the way he wants to live in it. And, yes, he still paints a red oblong over his lips and tucks his black jeans into Docs. This Must Be the Place is a unique comedy where you laugh with someone who's slow-paced, not quick-witted, and you laugh with him. Cheyenne's sentences are a meandering journey whose end you can't envision when you're at the beginning. Or in the middle, usually. It's uniquely funny, and in a gorgeously big-hearted way. There's a couple of lines in here so hilarious and inimitable they alone are worth watching the film for. Concrete Playground has four DVD copies of This Must Be The Place to giveaway. To go in the running, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=MuvFmg_Ge9k
It's been 13 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Thankfully, Laneway Festival has just confirmed it will be heading back to its collection of unconventional venues for another year, revealing it's 2018 dates and first two headliners. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with what looks to be one heck of a lineup. Following on from the announcement of two of 2018's headliners — California's inimitable Anderson .Paak with his live band The Free Nationals, and Canada's Mac DeMarco — the festival has dropped the full lineup. On it is a slew of exclusive sets, which will see you get down to BABADNOTGOOD, Odesza, The Internet, and sway along to The War on Drugs and Father John Misty. The full lineup was initially slated to be announced tomorrow, but has been brought forward after it was leaked online this morning. Visa pre-sale tickets go on-sale this Thursday, September 14 and the rest of the tickets going on sale at 9am on September 18. But, enough chit-chat — here's the full 2018 lineup. LANEWAY 2018 LINEUP Aldous Harding Alex Cameron Amy Shark Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals BABADNOTGOOD (exclusive to Laneway) Billie Eilish Bonobo (exclusive to Laneway) Cable Ties City Calm Down Dream Wife Father John Misty KLLO** Loyle Carner Mac DeMarco Miss Blanks Moses Sumney ODESZA (exclusive to Laneway) Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (Sandy) Alex G Shame Slowdive Sylvan Esso The Babe Rainbow** The Internet (exclusive to Laneway) The War On Drugs TOKiMONSTA Wolf Alice (exclusive to Laneway) **not playing Fremantle LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2018 DATES Singapore — Saturday, January 27 Auckland — Monday, January 29 Adelaide — Friday, February 2 Melbourne — Saturday, February 3 Sydney — Sunday, February 4 Brisbane — Saturday, February 10 Fremantle — Sunday, February 11 Tickets go on sale Monday, September 18 at 9am AEST from Laneway Festival. Image: Andy Fraser.
You may remember a few months back we had a look at some of the best zines that the creative minds in Brisbane had to offer. There was some great stuff; words, art, thought – everything. Now there is a newcomer in their midst, a zine that aims to provoke with words and to promote the authors and their creativity; it goes by the name WISEenough. To celebrate its first hard copy collection of work (collated from submissions from some of Brisbane’s best wordsmiths), there will be a shindig at the home of some of Brisbane’s best artistic endeavours, The Box. There will be live poetry installations and some food and drink on offer, as well as some performances from some interesting Brisbane musicians. Scott Wings, White Elephant and The Bell Divers will be performing sets between 7pm and 10pm, so make sure you get wise and get on over to The Box on time to celebrate with some of our city’s brightest minds. Entry is by donation.
The Australian and Queensland governments have put the call out for some good old-fashioned brain power, in an effort to help save the world's largest living organism. The Great Barrier Reef has copped it pretty hard of late, suffering coral bleaching events in both 2016 and 2017, and more recently sporting a nasty outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish. And experts warn things will only get worse for the reef if climate change issues are ignored and rising ocean temperatures cause irreversible damage of their own. As SBS reports, the problems have inspired the two governments to launch a $2 million challenge, which will tap into local minds to find ways to protect and restore the country's great natural wonder. Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg described the initiative as "an open invitation to our greatest scientific minds, industry and business leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions which will protect corals and encourage the recovery of damaged reefs." Applications can focus on any aspect of the Great Barrier Reef's restoration, including boosting coral regeneration rates and protecting coral from its main physical stressors. Applications are open now through the Advance Queensland Small Business Innovation Research initiative. Check out all the info on their website. Via sbs.com.au
So there’s this group of guys from Brisbane, right? They have a lot of wild hair going on, a large serving of swag and like to make a hectic amount of noise under the name Millions. Apparently they also like wearing suits and making good decisions. If you haven’t heard of these guys before, don’t feel too bad because they’ve only been kicking for around six months. I advise you to listen up and pay attention, because after the news they received on Thursday, Millions will be a household name in no time. Just announced as the Triple J Unearthed Winners for Splendour in the Grass 2011, these local lads will be opening the festival as well as gracing the same stage as legends like Kanye West and Coldplay. Luckily for you Brisbane-ites, the band already had a local gig planned and will be headlining at Woodland on Friday 24 June before going into intense rehearsal mode. What I'm trying to say, is basically you’re a fool if you don’t show. C'mon guys, this is your last chance to claim you were a groupie before Millions get famous at Splendour!
Rumour has it Google employees get unlimited “sick” days, but chances are only the most raging of hangovers would convince them to stay at home. The company in charge of ruling the world gave an exclusive tour of their NYC offices, and they make the idea of working from home in your pyjamas flicking tabs between Microsoft Word and Facebook while spilling toast crumbs over your MacBook look dreadfully boring. CEOs everywhere, take note: The way to get employees eager to show up to work is not with fruit box deliveries or permission to cellotape cheesy family photographs to office cubicles. A more effective way to increase workplace morale is with Pac-Man arcades and game rooms where employees can fight brain block with a round of pool. For those who find silence more conductive to creativity the compound also features a Google Library eschewing books (so last decade) in favour of secret rooms. And for days when heating last night’s leftovers in one of the multiple “micro” kitchens (which are incidentally bigger than most people’s apartments) doesn't sound appetising there are cafés dishing up free hot meals. One of them even has a rooftop theme and an interior resembling a wooden sauna. Interesting to think what the disgruntled employees of Facebook would have to say about that wee perk. Evidently the building is also occasionally used for working. This can take place in sleek cubicle spaces housing both actual humans and Star Wars B1 Battle Droid replicas, from the comfort of a lounge chair in a space modeled on an NYC apartment, or in the Broadway-themed New Amsterdam conference room. Scroll through the images, turn green with envy and try to think of one cooler office in which to have Friday afternoon drinks. Google's "computer museum". The game room. One of the many "micro" kitchens, which appears to be connected to the Pac-Man arcade. Free M&Ms in the micro kitchen. The Google Library. A B1 Battle Droid from Star Wars. Inside the Five Borough Café. These walls are a continuous impression of what's behind them, giving the impression of viewing the NYC skyline from a balcony. A room poking fun at a cramped NYC apartment. via Refinery29.
The best kind of brunch is one that starts during that critical time bracket between 9.45am and 11.30am (a little too late for breakfast, a bit too early for lunch) and lasts until the sun starts going down. In order to make the good times go the distance, you need a well constructed playlist and an extensive spread of food options. And, of course, you are going to need drinks. After all, a well stocked drinks tray is the cornerstone of any successful brunch. What isn't is facing a table full of boozed up guests before the clock strikes 1pm. Now, thanks to an increased demand for delicious low- and no-alcohol options, you can let the brunch beveragino generously flow without getting everyone totalled. We've teamed up with Tempus Two to handpick some liquid inspiration to impress your guests and make your party an affair to remember (literally). THE MOOD: Popping bottles THE SERVE: 2020 Tempus Two Lighten Up Prosecco Nothing kicks off a brunch better than ceremoniously plucking the cork from a bottle of fizz to the sound of wild applause. It's the ultimate sensory trigger that signals a special occasion is going down. The 2020 Lighten Up Prosecco by Tempus Two has the full flavour of a traditional prosecco with crisp notes of citrus and green apple — but at 6.8 percent alcohol volume and a lower calorie count, you can enjoy more than JTO (Just The One). To put that number into context, that's a massive 30 percent less alcohol (and calories) than a standard bottle of prosecco. We'll drink to that. [caption id="attachment_747074" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Walter's Steakhouse[/caption] THE MOOD: Gorgeously garnished THE SERVE: The 'lightly bleeding' mary A good cocktail can be a work of art. And presenting a tray of artfully constructed concoctions can really wow a crowd, especially with some unexpected little touches in the final execution. Like the umami one-two punch of a cornichon and pickled onion alongside a good stalk of leafy celery on your bloody mary. To go the distance, make them what we're going to call a 'lightly bleeding' mary. Top your tomato juice and Worcestershire with a half measure of vodka or gin — or substitute the booze with a quality, non-alcoholic botanical spirits by the likes of Vera, Sea Arch or Seedlip (the Garden 108 is recommended here). All flavour, no regrets. THE MOOD: F Scott Spritzgerald THE SERVE: The springtime spritz Invoke a Gatsby-esque garden party with a bright, signature spritz that not only looks fantastic on the table but can be sipped throughout the duration of brunch. Start with a scoop of ice, then add a generous dash of Lyre's Italian Orange (a very, very good booze-free substitute for Aperol or Campari), pour in your favourite prosecco (the fruity profile of the Tempus Two Lighten Up would work perfectly), and top with soda. Add a twist of orange peel and two slices of strawberry and you're golden. THE MOOD: On the beers THE SERVE: Heaps Normal So you kicked off the morning with bottles of bubbles and a selection of delicately composed treats but now it's afternoon, your guests have settled in and you've just opened a bag of chips. It's beer o'clock, as they say in France. Keep a few tins of Heaps Normal's exceptional Quiet XPA in your fridge. Brewed to less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume but with refreshing malty sweetness and long finish, it's a great companion for a leisurely day of drinking. THE MOOD: Something smooth THE SERVE: 2020 Tempus Two Lighten Up Pinot Noir Whether you want to serve it lightly chilled or get pouring straight off the wine rack, a good red is always a friend to brunch hosts and guests alike. The Lighten Up Pinot Noir from Tempus Two gives up great wafts of black cherry and a juicy full flavour that makes it as drinkable as any other promising pinot, but with an alcohol content of 6.8 percent, you can keep quaffing this one for that little bit longer — where a standard 750ml bottle would have anywhere between seven to nine standard drinks, there are only four in a bottle from the Lighten Up series. Your cup overfloweth! For more information about the low-alcohol Tempus Two Lighten Up range, head to the website. Top image: Tempus Two
Singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov is a bit of an anomaly in the music world. Despite his success in music (he has clocked over 300 million streams on Spotify), Isakov still spends as much time as possible on his land, sewing seeds, growing crops and recording in his home studio. It's a testament to Colorado's beauty — the US state is famous for its vast prairies, rugged mountains and tumbling waterfalls. It's also a musical paradise, with 360 festivals held every year. And we want you to experience all that this state has to offer. So, to celebrate Isakov's upcoming Australian tour, we're giving away a trip to his homeland. For five days, you and a mate will get to explore some incredible scenery, plus see Isakov live in concert at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver. This epic prize, worth a cool $5596, includes return flights to Denver, Colorado, three nights in a loft-style room in lower-downtown hotel The Maven, tickets to Isakov's show and a bunch of other local adventures — all thanks to Visit Denver. Next up, thanks to Colorado Tourism Office, you'll have two days of free exploration around Colorado with a rental car and accommodation in a town of your choice (within two hours' drive of Denver). And if you don't land the main prize, we also have tickets to give away to his concert here in Brisbane on Wednesday, March 6. Enter with your details below for a chance to win. [competition]709429[/competition] Image: Colorado Josh.
Back when MySpace Tom was still a known person being we discovered that playing around with contrast and camera angles could remove pores, noses and any other unsightly facial features that made us look like normal humans. Then Instagram came along and retro-chic became the new high contrast, though this time the entire world was "enhanced": Skies were consistently a halcyon shade of blue, inner-city roads were somehow rife with beat-up Kombis and any annoying details, scenic or human, were happily obliterated. But if you ever find yourself frustrated that you find it hard to recognise your friends in real life because sometimes they have pimples and regular-sized eyes, the Normalize app might be of some assistance. Normalize was created by app developer Joe Macirowski after he became fed up of seeing already beautiful sights being distorted by the Valencia haze. The app, which costs $0.99, takes the Instagram picture and runs it through a series of complex algorithms to try to remove the effects and return the image to its original state. A shared picture manipulated with any of the effects on Instagram becomes stripped of its original information, making it otherwise impossible to view them normally without making tedious manual corrections. With Normalize you can upload a photo and use a simple sliding scale to clean up the colours, borders and brightness to see the image as it would have appeared to the naked eye. Apparently the app doesn’t always work perfectly, but it’s comforting to know that sunsets are sometimes pretty IRL too.
We've made it to the last month of winter (it's almost time to burn your beanies and unpack your togs) and to celebrate Falls Festival has just gifted us with one helluva lineup. Helping to ring in the art and music festival's 27th year is a pretty exciting gang of musical mates headlined by America pop singer and star Halsey, who'll be performing songs off her Platinum albums Badlands and Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. She's joined by Ezra Koenig-fronted rock band Vampire Weekend, who've just dropped their latest album Father of the Bride, British electro duo Disclosure and Icelandic indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. True to form, the Falls 2019 local lineup is equally exciting, and every bit as broad. Homegrown acts hitting the stage include The Voice himself John Farnham, who'll be belting out hits from some of his nineteen albums, including, we're sure, 'You're the Voice'. Aussie dance trio Pnau, dance floor regulars Peking Duk, folk singer Vera Blue and rapper Baker Boy will all be making appearances, too. As always, the tunes are backed by a colourful curation of art events, performances, pop-ups, markets, wellness sessions and gourmet eats. It's all happening over New Years at the usual spots in Tassie's Marion Bay, Lorne in Victoria, the North Byron Parklands and the Fremantle Oval Precinct, WA. But here's what you're here for — the full lineup. FALLS FESTIVAL 2019 LINEUP Halsey (no sideshows) Vampire Weekend Disclosure Peking Duk Of Monsters and Men Pnau Lewis Capaldi Milky Chance John Farnham Banks (no sideshows) Dope Lemon Vera Blue Yungblud G Flip Crooked Colours Parcels Thelma Plum #1 Dads Waax Baker Boy Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Amyl & The Sniffers The Japanese House Pink Sweat$ Good Doogs Cxloe Totty Tash Sultana (Byron Bay only) What So Not (Lorne only) Wolfmother (Marion Bay only) Matt Corby (Fremantle only) + More to be announced FALLS FESTIVAL 2019 DATES Lorne, VIC — December 28–31 Marion Bay, TAS — December 29–31 Byron Bay, NSW — December 31–January 2 Fremantle, WA — January 4–5 Falls Festival 2019 will take place over New Years. Pre-sale tickets are available from 9am on Monday, August 12, with general sales kicking off at 9am on Wednesday, Wednesday, August 14. For more info and to buy tickets, visit fallsfestival.com.
New York did it. Melbourne did too. And now Brisbane might be joining the fold. We're talking about taking the wasted space above ugly train lines and turning it into something much more exciting — a brand new entertainment precinct, for instance. If developers AEG-Ogden get their Brisbane Live project off the ground, that's exactly what will happen to the high-use transport corridor adjacent to Roma Street Station and the Roma Street Parklands. In the city's answer to Madison Square Garden and Federation Square, the former will be torn down and replaced, and the latter will gain an extra 12 hectares of public space, including a water-based section. New hotels, apartment towers, cultural facilities and a 17,000-seat live performance arena will also help liven up the area. Given that large inner-city venues are noticeably lacking in the Queensland capital, it's the last part of the proposal that should get most locals excited. The new venue will supposedly host everything from major acts to sporting events, and put an end to the annoying trek out to Boondall to see high-profile gigs. Plus, it'll also boast a 4000-capacity club, multiplex cinemas, restaurants and bars, as well as a giant screen and amphitheatre catering for around 15,000 people. And don't forget, convenient public transport options are all part of the package. That's the great thing about building this kind of development on top of a bus and railway station: part of the infrastructure already exists. So if all goes to plan, we could be saying goodbye to the current unattractive eyesore most Brisbanites avoid if they can help it, and be welcoming the kind of place you just might spend a whole lot of time at in the future. Well, that's if it garners state government approval, of course. The plans are currently under consideration, but you can get a sneak peak of just what could be in store courtesy of online flyovers available on the project website. Via Brisbane Development.
You total high tea fiends. You spoon-wielding dessert hunters. You long-dedicated market stall hunters. Here's what you clicked, perused and ate with your eyes on Concrete Playground this year, the most popular articles of 2014. Needless to say, you're a hungry bunch with good taste, on an unrelenting quest for the perfect cup. 10. The Ten Best Milkshakes in Brisbane 9. The Ten Best Bookstores in Brisbane 8. The Ten Best Beaches Near Brisbane 7. The Ten Best Vintage Homewares Stores in Brisbane 6. The Five Best Dessert Spots in Brisbane 5. National Young Writers' Festival Announce 2014 Program 4. The Five Best Italian Restaurants in Brisbane 3. The Seven Best High Teas in Brisbane 2. The Ten Best Coffee Spots in Brisbane 1. The Ten Best Markets in Brisbane
Can it be? Looks like your favourite black comedy of the late '80s — full of suicide, scrunchies and Christian Slater’s dazzling smile — has been remade into a glam and glitter musical. Heathers, the 1988 cult film, is arguably the edgiest of the high school satire canon. Telling the story of two high school students who unwittingly turn suicide into a popular teen craze, Heathers makes Clueless and Mean Girls look like after-school specials. Complete with double murders and underage terrorism, this brutal take on teenage groupthink is hardly a likely candidate for the jazz hands of musical theatre. And yet… brimming with romance, brilliantly brutal insults and teens wearing colour-coordinated powersuits to school, something tells us this creepy Tim Burton-esque tale has always been waiting to be set to music. How very.
If you're a southeast Queenslander that's fond of twinkling lights, you might get struck by a big case of envy each winter. That's when Vivid dazzles Sydney, Melbourne gets lit up by its Rising festival, Dark Mofo brings the fire to Tasmania and Adelaide's Illuminate gets luminous. But basking in a glow doesn't have to mean heading out of state, all thanks to the new Big City Lights fest. Debuting this July, it'll shine a light on the Gold Coast for four radiant evenings. When it comes to peering at all things twinkling, night is the time to do it — and Big City Lights has plenty that'll sparkle. Stemming from Placemakers* Gold Coast, who also look after annual arts festival BLEACH*, it's taking over the Goldie's CBD in Southport from Wednesday, July 7–Saturday, July 10. Expect installations, audio-visual experiences, huge digital works, 3D-mapping and projections spanning rooftops, building facades, alleyways, car parks and shopfronts. Southport will boast five separate art zones: in Nerang Street, Scarborough Street, Young Street, Regent Lane and Davison Lane. They'll get glowing thanks to local, Australian and international artists, with Michaela Gleave, Buchan Group, Jacob Leary, IKONIX, Claudio Kirac, Kirsten Baade and Peter Thiedeke all set to feature. [caption id="attachment_858964" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fear Eats the Soul, Michaela Gleave. Image: Remi Chauvin.[/caption] That includes Gleave's Fear Eats the Soul, a giant sign on a five-minute electrical glitch loop, which'll appear in Nerang Street; Leary's Excesssssscape in Davison Lane's Hutong Garden, which blends sculpture, video and painting; and Buchan Group's Dancing Particles, also in Regent Lane, which'll use infrared sensors to scan the audience and project them onto buildings Among the other highlights, there's IKONIX's Quantum, also in Nerang Street, which'll turn The Scarborough Centre into a moving canvas — and Buchan's Bug Hunt, a game of hide and seek using spotlights in Southport Central in the Young Street. A wall of neon, Kirsten Baade's Big City Eyes features radiant peepers that even blink and wink, while IKONIX's Iridescence is a tunnel of of light and colour. [caption id="attachment_858961" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bug Hunt, Buchan.[/caption] Live tunes from The Riot, Genie Boy and more are also on the bill, and bars and eateries such as Mr P.P.'s Deli & Rooftop, Vinnie's Dive Bar and Last Night on Earth are also getting in on the action. And yes, if you're a Brisbanite, this is just your latest excuse for a trip south this winter — alongside a rooftop alpine lodge surrounded by snow, a new hotel with a swim-up pool bar and Miami's street art fest. [caption id="attachment_858963" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Big City Lights, Kirsten Baade.[/caption] Big City lights runs from Wednesday, July 7–Saturday, July 10 in Southport. For more information, head to the festival's website. Top image: Iridescence, Ikonix.
Suitcases at the ready, eager travellers: your dream Japanese getaway is back on. After two-and-a-half years of border restrictions due to COVID-19, the nation will fully reopen to individual international tourists from Tuesday, October 11 — and you won't need to book a package through a travel agency, or abide by the country's pandemic-era visa restrictions, to enjoy your holiday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news on Thursday, September 22 US time during a trip to New York, The Japan Times and Nikkei Asia reported. "We are a nation that has flourished through the free flow of people, goods and capital," the Japanese Prime Minister advised at a press conference at the New York Stock Exchange, as per Reuters. "COVID-19, of course, interrupted all of these benefits, but from October 11 Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel," he said. That means that visitors to Japan will be able to make their own travel arrangements — a huge change to the current rules, even though requirements were only altered recently. Until May, the country was closed to international tourists. Then, the Japanese government started trialling in letting strictly controlled package tours, including with Australian tourists. Next, in early June, it broadened those entry requirements to allow in visitors from a heap of nations under the same rules. And, since early September, it has permitted travellers, including from Down Under, to make the journey even when they aren't on guided tours, as long as they have organised their flights and accommodation through a travel agency. From October 11, dropping the visa requirement applies to visitors from nations that weren't required to obtain tourist visas before the pandemic — including from Australia and New Zealand. So, in several ways, heading to Japan will return to the pre-COVID-19 status quo. Japan is also ditching its daily cap on international arrivals, which is currently set at 50,000, on the same date. The timing is fantastic for Studio Ghibli fans eager to make a date with the animation house's upcoming theme park — which opens on Tuesday, November 1. Desperate to hit up a Super Nintendo theme park, too? Always wanted to walk across Shibuya's famous scramble crossing? Keen to sing karaoke in a ferris wheel — or simply eat and drink your way around all the ramen joints and izakayas possible? This is supremely welcome news for you as well. Japan's new border rules will come into effect on Tuesday, October 11. For further details about visiting Japan and its border restrictions, head to the Government of Japan website. Via The Japan Times / Nikkei Asia / Reuters.
Here's a great way to get people to pay attention to almost anything: add Paul Rudd. Movie fans have known that truth since the 90s, when he first grabbed everyone's attention in Clueless. Sure, some of his early big-screen roles — such as Romeo + Juliet as well — tried to convince us that Rudd was the lesser romantic alternative, but we all knew better. Sorry, mid-90s films, you were wrong. At the beginning of the pandemic, New York City even enlisted Rudd to spread the word about COVID-19 safety — that's how deep the "add Paul Rudd to anything" rule goes. So getting the Ant-Man and Ghostbusters: Afterlife star to run around NYC to plug Billy Eichner's new queer rom-com Bros just makes sense, obviously. Eichner is doing the running with him, bringing back his beloved comedy game show Billy on the Street for a brand-new episode to promote his new flick. Rudd has already been on the series before, in a season-three episode called 'Would You Have Sex with Paul Rudd?'. You don't have to pay many people $1 to say yes to that. This time, Eichner and Rudd jog around, stick a microphone in people's faces and ask if folks will see Bros — and tell them that Rudd wants them to. "Paul Rudd demands that you see Bros," Eichner says to one New Yorker. "I'm in" is the response, naturally. Rudd also carries that aforementioned man, upon request. Not everyone is as obliging, however. "I'm sorry I'm not Florence Pugh!" Eichner screams in response to one rejection, as only Eichner can. If this is your first Billy on the Street experience, the show sees comedian Eichner take to the New York City pavement to ask ordinary folks about movies, music and TV shows, often with a celebrity in tow. During its main run from 2011–17, episodes also involved Eichner yelling at his unsuspecting contestants about their questionable pop culture taste or utter lack of entertainment knowledge — yep, right there on NYC's streets, with a camera pointing their way — and the end result was a hilarious dream to watch for audiences, too. As for Bros, it releases in cinemas Down Under on October 27 — and sees the Parks and Recreation and Difficult People treasure becomes the first openly gay man to co-write and star in his own major studio film. He plays a podcaster who has been asked to write exactly this kind of flick, and falls in love himself (with Killjoys' Luke Macfarlane) along the way. Eichner co-wrote the Bros script with director Nicholas Stoller (Bad Neighbours and its sequel), while Judd Apatow (The King of Staten Island, Trainwreck) produces. On-screen, the cast includes Ts Madison (Zola), Monica Raymund (Chicago Fire), Guillermo Díaz (Scandal), Guy Branum (Hacks), Bowen Yang (Fire Island) and Amanda Bearse (Married with Children). Check out the trailer for Bros below: Bros opens in cinemas Down Under on October 27.
It's a war that's been waged for decades among regional bakeries the country over: who's dishing up Australia's best pie? Whose pastry comes closest to perfection? Which filling reigns supreme? Well, this year's top dog has officially been named, with Kyneton's Country Cob Bakery taking out top honours at the 2019 edition of Australia's Best Pie and Pastie Competition. While you might have your own thoughts about which pie makes the best road trip accompaniment, this nationally recognised contest is run by the experts at the Baking Association of Australia. The 2019 competition saw 12 professional judges sample a whopping 1760 pies from 345 bakeries, across three days. And for the third year in a row, Country Cob claimed the top title, this time winning over tastebuds with a caramelised pork and pepper pie creation loaded with local ingredients. It's an impressive run for baker brothers Ryan and Chan Khun, who've owned and operated the bakery for the past three years. [caption id="attachment_726906" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The award-winning pie.[/caption] The two backed up their big win with 11 other gold medals, including taking out the title of Best Seafood Pie for their curry scallop number, and scoring Best Gourmet Pie with that same champion pork round. Other winners included Gusto Bakery's curried pumpkin, feta and spinach number for Best Vegetarian Pie (which you can find in Fairfield and Moonee Ponds), and Whittlesea Bakehouse claimed the title of Best Plain Chunky Beef Pie. Further afield, JoJo's Gluten Free in the Bass Coast Shire took out Best Gluten-Free Pie as well as Best Pastie overall. Coeliacs might want to lock in a road trip ASAP. And if you fancy sampling Country Cob's primo pie for yourself, Kyneton sits about an hour north of Melbourne just off the Calder, making the perfect pit-stop on a trip to Bendigo. The champion pastry will be sticking on the menu for the foreseeable future. Find Country Cob Bakery at 130-132 Mollison Street, Kyneton, Victoria — it's open from 6am–4.30pm on weekdays and 6am–3pm on weekends.
If you're a vegetarian, worshipper of eggplant or just a keen home cook — which, let's face it, many of us are becoming — chances are Yotam Ottolenghi has had some impact on your life. In fact, we bet you've got at least one of his bestselling cookbooks in your cupboard. And, this week, you can get some tips and tricks from the cult Israeli chef when the Sydney Opera House streams its 2019 chat with him. Streaming at 3pm AEST on Sunday, April 26, the recording is from the Opera House's Talks and Ideas program. Ottolenghi's Aussie visit followed the publication of his book Simple, which celebrates the joys of fuss-free dishes, featuring 130 easy-to-make yet super-tasty dishes. The renowned chef will be in conversation with Malaysian Australian cook Adam Liaw and they'll be discussing everything from what makes a recipe simple to the humble cauliflower, bold flavours and cooking for kids. So, even if you're a bit of a novice in the kitchen, this talk is sure to get you cooking up a storm soon enough. But, Ottolenghi will be talking about much more than that, too. Firstly, there are all his other books, like the Middle Eastern-inspired Jerusalem, the vegetarian-friendly Plenty and the dessert bible Sweet, a collaboration with Melbourne pastry chef Helen Goh. Then, there are his documentaries and his regular writing gigs: a weekly column in Feast magazine and a monthly column in The New York Times. [caption id="attachment_768174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Stijn Nieuwendijk[/caption] The talk is part of the Sydney Opera House's three-month digital program From Our House to Yours, with free content streamed nightly from Wednesday–Sunday. While you wait for the full talk to stream on Sunday, you can also check out the Opera House staff's favourite five Ottolenghi recipes here, as well as five fun facts about the famed chef. Image: Ken Leanfore
The winner of multiple awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011, Leo tells the story of an unassuming man with a huge imagination. Stuck in a room with nowhere to go, Leo tests the limits of his strange new world and delights in the discovery that he is, in fact, superhuman. He can scale walls like Spiderman, dance on the ceiling like Fred Astaire and meditate in mid-air like an Indian guru. Challenging the rules of gravity as well as genre, multi-talented dancer, actor, gymnast and clown Tobias Wegner, who is also the show's creator, is bringing this perplexing and perspective-bending experience to Auckland Arts Festival.
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With Australians knocking back an average of 50,000 takeaway coffees every 30 minutes, and one billion paper cups winding up in landfill each year, it's pretty clear that our on-the-go coffee habits need to undergo a drastic change. But no matter how many reusable cups hit the market, that throwaway culture is a hard one to shake. We've been taking tiny steps to address the problem, though; last year the City of Sydney trialled standalone bins for one-use coffee cups and, just recently, a Sydney cafe banned all disposable cups. But the latest product to help make our caffeine addictions somewhat better for the environment is the RecycleMe cup — a new 'more recyclable' takeaway coffee cup, which is being trialled in Sydney and Melbourne this week. This little guy is the brainchild of Australian-owned paper and packaging specialists Detpak and California-based Smart Planet Technologies, who were looking to create a disposable cup that could be easily recycled through the usual paper and cardboard recycling stream. At present, regular coffee cups cannot be recycled like other cardboard items due to their waterproof polyethylene lining, and there is currently no facility in Australia that is able to recycle them. The RecycleMe cups differ because they have a mineral-based lining that's easier to be removed, and means up to 96 percent of the cup can be recycled. The RecycleMe cups can't go straight into your regular recycling bin, though. As part of the trial, patrons who order takeaway coffees will have to turf their empty cups and lids into the special blue bins in-store. From there, the lining will be removed before the cups head to a regular paper recycling facility to be processed and made into new paper and cardboard products. While having to dispose of your takeaway cup at the cafe you bought it from sort of defeats the purpose of getting a disposable one in the first place, it is a step in the right direction — particularly if the cups can enter the regular recycling stream rather than simply going to landfill. You can test the final product at Toby's Estate in Sydney and Melbourne Museum, where the RecycleMe cups will be in use until Sunday, August 20. Detpak aims to have the RecycleMe cups on the commercial market within six months.
Unlike a certain lab coat-wearing grandfather and his nervous grandson, we can't all exclaim "wubba lubba dub dub" and zap our way to a different part of the multiverse when things aren't going our way. But, we can get schwifty, kick back and watch a couple of animated interdimensional adventurers unleash their specific style of chaos, with Rick and Morty set to return in 2021 for its fifth season. Once again, Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (both voiced by show co-creator Justin Roiland) will do what they do best: not just aping a concept straight out of Back to the Future, but wreaking havoc in as many universes as they can stumble across. Also back are Morty's mother Beth (Sarah Chalke, Firefly Lane), father Jerry (Chris Parnell, Archer) and sister Summer (Spencer Grammer, Tell Me a Story) — and, as both the initial trailer for season five and the just-released second sneak peek both show, they're playing a big part in Rick and Morty's dimension-hopping antics this time around. Glimpses at Rick and Morty's upcoming episodes are more about the mood, look and feel than the storylines. The show's trailers tease a heap of the out-there situations, battles and general sci-fi chaos that its characters will find themselves dealing with, and leave the specifics for the new season itself. That's been the case with season five so far, naturally — with nods to and parodies of everything from Voltron to Blade bundled into the two trailers to-date, because that's the way the news goes. As for when you'll be able to watch the next batch of Rick and Morty anarchy — and rejoin the smartest Rick and Morty-est Morty in the universe, of course — the fifth season will start airing week-to-week in the US from mid-June. Hopefully Netflix Down Under will follow suit shortly afterwards. That's what happened with season four, which released its long-awaited episodes in two batches in 2019 and 2020. Watch the latest trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tks_1uCO5kA Rick and Morty's fifth season will start airing weekly from June 20 in the US. Down Under, the show airs on Netflix — and we'll update you with a release date for the new season when one is announced.
Take every horror movie staple, every expected line and all the usual eerie settings, then throw in a beloved childhood character that's stopped being friendly and turned savage instead. That's a recipe for one of the most intriguing movies of the year, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. Yes, it's a slasher film starring Winnie-the-Pooh. Yes, really. And yes, it looks set to forever change the way you see the childhood favourite. The flick itself isn't new news, but it now has a trailer — and it's as creepy as the whole concept sounds. "Oh bother!" is definitely the mood, after Christopher Robin returns to the Hundred Acre Wood as an adult, years after leaving his pals Winnie, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and Roo behind. All that time alone hasn't turned out well, and there's about to be a body count to prove it. No, the idea that Pooh might turn murderous hasn't ever crossed anyone's minds before. Gracing pages for almost a century — plus screens big and small for decades — Winnie-the-Pooh has done many things in his time, but getting grisly hasn't been one of them. Ever since AA Milne first conjured up the honey-loving, walking-and-talking teddy bear back in the 1920s, Pooh has enjoyed plenty of adventures involving his human and animal friends, and tried to eat as much of his favourite foodstuff as possible. We've all seen the cartoons and toys, and also watched films such Goodbye Christopher Robin and Christopher Robin in recent years. To director Rhys Waterfield, however, Pooh is no longer cute and cuddly, even if he's a honey-fiending teddy bear who normally doesn't wear pants (although he appears to here). And if you're wondering about the tone of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, other than horror, the filmmaker's other upcoming titles include Firenado, Sky Monster and Rise of the Loch Ness. Clearly, Pooh breaking bad all falls into B-movie territory, which the premise makes plain as well. The setup: after seeing their food supplies dwindle as Christopher grew up, Pooh and Piglet have spent years feeling hungry. They've turned feral, in fact, even eating Eeyore to survive. So when Christopher returns, it sets the pair on a rampage, which leads to them a rural cabin where a group of university students are holidaying. From that summary, it's obvious what'll happen from there. The trailer cements that fact, and throws in more horror tropes than you could fit in a pot of honey in the process. Exactly when Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey will reach screens Down Under, and where, also hasn't yet been announced — and the film's release date in the US and UK is also yet to be set at this point — but it's heading to DVD and VOD rather than cinemas. Wondering why something that's usually so sweet and innocent is being given the creepy, bloody, eerie horror treatment — turning Winnie-the-Pooh into a killer, no less? It's because the character has just entered the public domain in America. Disney no longer holds the copyright, and no one can now hold the exclusive intellectual property rights over the character, opening the door for wild interpretations like this slasher flick. Check out the Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey trailer below: Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details are released. Images: Jagged Edge Productions.
Life's not easy for an intrepid, jet-setting rubber duck. Earthquakes, typhoons, stabbing, drowning and censorship are just some of the hardships that Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s oversized plaything has faced since first venturing from the bath in 2007. And now, an explosion that’s making international headlines. Twelve hours before the bird was scheduled to become the unrivalled star of Taiwan’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, it deflated without warning in front of crowds of shocked fans, turning into nothing but an enormous piece of yellow plastic. So far, no one really knows why. The sun was shining; the water was still — to all eyes, the northern port of Keelung in which the duck was floating seemed as safe as a hot tub. “We want to apologise to the fans of the yellow rubber duck,” organiser Huang Jing-tai said to journalists. “The weather is fine today and we haven’t found the cause of the problem. We will carefully examine the duck to determine the cause.” According to the Central News Agency, an eyewitness suggested that eagles may have been the problem, having been spotted scratching the avian invader with their claws. This is the second occasion on which one of Hofman’s ducks has exploded in Taiwan. Last month, in Taoyuan, strong winds following a 6.3 magnitude earthquake caused the installation’s back end to burst during inflation. Having proved quite a hit at Cockle Bay last year, the Rubber Duck will return to Sydney Festival on 10 January, this time taking up residence in the Parramatta River. Its visit will not be affected by these overseas traumas; a separate Rubber Duck is safely sequestered away for the event. Via ABC.
If you've only ever spotted one thing about former wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson, we're betting you've noticed that he already looks like he has superpowers. And if you've been watching The Rock's on-screen career as he's amassed a hefty movie resume over the past couple of decades, you've probably also observed a second key point: he overwhelmingly loves joining franchises. Cases in point: The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King, his multiple Fast and Furious flicks (and spinoff Hobbs & Shaw), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, GI Joe: Retaliation, and both Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. New to that list is Black Adam — and, fittingly, here he plays someone with superpowers. The latest entry in the DC Extended Universe — aka the movies that revolve around Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the whole Justice League gang, because Marvel isn't the only comic book company with a film and TV universe — Black Adam is also a spinoff from past DCEU flick Shazam!. Johnson plays an ancient prisoner turned god who was given powers almost 5000 years back, then captured in a tomb. Now, he's free and on the loose in the modern world. Is Black Adam a hero or villain? On the page, he's one of Shazam's archenemies — but as the just-dropped trailer for Black Adam shows, grappling with that question is a big part of this new movie. Given that he's played by the always-likeable Johnson, you can probably expect him to fall further on the side of good than evil. Black Adam hits cinemas Down Under on October 20, with Johnson's Jungle Cruise director Jaume Collet-Serra helming. Also featuring on-screen: Aldis Hodge (One Night in Miami) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (the To All the Boys I've Loved Before franchise ) as Atom Smasher and ex-Bond star Pierce Brosnan as Dr Fate, plus Sarah Shahi (Sex/Life), Marwan Kenzari (Aladdin), Quintessa Swindell (Voyagers) and Bodhi Sabongui (A Million Little Things). And if Black Adam has you thinking about Shazam!, it is getting a sequel this year, too, with Shazam! Fury of the Gods due in cinemas in December. Check out the trailer for Black Adam below: Black Adam opens in cinemas Down Under on October 20.
The year Falls Festival is really teasing us. After announcing that they would expand to Western Australia this year back in June, and then confirming that none other than Childish bloody Gambino would be headlining earlier this month, this morning they've let slip another headliner before the full lineup is released this afternoon. And, much to our delight, it's London Grammar. Yep, the British trio will return to Australia for Falls Music & Arts Festival over the New Years period. It's a quick return to the country — after all, they only toured last year — and they'll join musical (and acting and writing) wunderkind Donald Glover to play all four shows. As always, Falls will be heading to Lorne in Victoria for four nights, and Marion Bay in Tassie and Byron Bay on the NSW coast for three nights over New Year's Eve. They'll also be setting up shop in Fremantle for the first time with Falls Downtown, a two-day city festival slated to take place over the weekend of January 7-8. The main stage will be set up in Freo's town square, while an old-world ballroom and a stone-walled church will house the smaller ones. They'll also be taking over the abandoned Myer building, turning it into a creepy crib for art installations, "unexpected performance areas", markets and "bunkered basement danceterias". There'll even be a small number of glamping tents on the roof. It sounds similar to some of Melbourne Music Week's activations of abandoned spaces, and it sounds insane. This new iteration of the festival and the announcement of Childish Gambino as headliner is another win for Falls, who sell out their Lorne event basically every year. Since its inception in Lorne back in 1993, the festival has grown to span three cities, which include the original site on the Great Ocean Road, Marion Bay in Tassie and, since 2013, Byron Bay. But here's the dates. The full festival lineup will be announced this afternoon. Stay tuned. Lorne, Victoria: December 28-31 Marion Bay, Tasmania: December 29-31 Byron Bay, NSW: December 31 - January 2 Fremantle, WA: January 7-8 Tickets for Falls Festival 2016/17 will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, August 30 via their website.
I remember the first time I heard Emma Louise sing – the soothing lyrics to her debut single Jungle seemed to so perfectly match my then current situation that it astounded me and I needed to download it immediately for my collection of ‘thinking’ songs. Many thanks must indeed go to Triple J for having it for available for free back then. I’ve since played that song many, many times, which obviously brings me much joy, however it simultaneously pains me that I am yet to hear it live. From all available accounts, an Emma Louise show is something to marvel at and I can imagine why. Her lyrics and voice are so powerful through the radio alone, that I think a live show would be something to marvel at and close to a religious experience. Lucky Brisbanites can catch her at The Zoo this Saturday, as she tours around the country in her first headlining national tour. Joining her as support are the equally as melodic band Charlie Mayfair. She has previously launched her EP Full Hearts and Empty Rooms and is currently working on her second, so she is sure to have plenty of material to preach to her lucky audience.
It has been less than a year since the sale of medicinal marijuana became legal in Australia, but the Federal Government isn't stopping there. They've now approved the export of the country's cannabis-based medicines. Yes, domestic manufacturers can now sell their wares overseas. The move applies to medicinal cannabis products, rather than cannabis itself. In a statement, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt dubbed the move "an important step for the development of the medicinal cannabis sector and to secure long-term supplies for Australian patients," and said it "will help both the domestic supply and Australian producers by strengthening the opportunities for domestic manufacturers." Hunt expanded upon the rationale further to the ABC, noting "we would like to be, potentially, the world's number one medicinal cannabis supplier." It is believed that by helping Aussie manufacturers expand, it'll assist in warding off competition from imports by allowing local outfits to grow their market. As part of any licence authorising export, medicinal cannabis products will be required to be made available to Australian patients first. Since February 2017, local companies have been allowed to distribute the drug as a medicine, with people with chronic illness and pain — like epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and cancer — able to access the drug after getting a prescription from their doctor. "We want a robust Australian medicinal cannabis industry so that doctors have safe, quality domestic products that they can confidently prescribe to their patients," said Hunt. Just to be clear, though, recreational use of marijuana is still very much illegal and laws vary state-to-state. By Lauren Vadnjal and Sarah Ward.
If catching a real-life talk by Barack Obama is on your intellectual bucket list, then you're about to get your chance to tick it off — the former United States president is coming Down Under for a speaking event next month. The New Zealand United States Council yesterday revealed that it'll host Mr Obama for two exclusive talks next month, with the first to be held at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on March 22. He will then fly into Sydney for a second talk at the on March 23 which, according to News Corp, will be held at the Art Gallery of NSW. "President Obama's presidency had an extraordinary impact on the world and during his service, New Zealand's deep friendship with the United States was strengthened politically, culturally, in trade and investment, innovation and security," said NZUS Council Chairman Leon Grice in a Facebook post. Mr Obama visited Australia twice during his eight-year presidency. This will be his first post-presidency trip to the country. The finer details are yet to be announced and it's not yet known if the event will be open to the general public. We'll let you know when more details are confirmed.
When Daft Punk announced that they will premiere their new album, Random Access Memories, at the Annual Show in the tiny town of Wee Waa, NSW everyone lost their minds a little bit. It seems like every website and news outlet in the world ran an equally incredulous item that, 'Yes, this is actually happening', and, 'No, this is not a joke'. Up until now, though, we hadn't heard any music from what is probably the most keenly anticipated album of the year. All changed over the weekend with the release of a snippet of a song called 'Get Lucky', featuring Pharrell Williams (from N*E*R*D*) on vocals and Nile Rodgers (from everything). The clip also reveals the names of some of the other very special guests who will feature on the album, including Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Panda Bear of Animal Collective, DJ Falcon, Chilly Gonzales, Paul Williams, Giorgio Moroder and Todd Edwards. So. Excited much? https://youtube.com/watch?v=JMJwcOiBoZE
The way people talk about food has changed. With a lot of the focus shifting to the 'paddock-to-plate' movement, people are putting more onus on where their food is coming from and are being encouraged more and more to support local and sustainable farming operations. Transparency on sustainability, provenance and 'food miles' is becoming increasingly meaningful to consumers. And this movement hasn't just stopped at food. It's trickled into the world of drinks, particularly in brewing, with beer drinkers and makers raising their glasses to a 'paddock-to-pint' movement. Tracking a beer's creation every step of the way is a rich and rewarding way to ensure its quality, as well as gain a greater understanding of its flavour. So, it's this experience that's captured the hearts and tastebuds of many brewers in Australia and around the world — and it's the story of these beers that's captured the hearts of consumers. Everyone loves a good tale. So, getting to know the narrative of a product, be it the eye fillet on your plate or pint in your hand, has allowed for another layer of appreciation. Family-owned and with a reputation for winning over beer drinkers with its high-quality brews, Coopers has released its 2018 seasonal Vintage Ale, which this year, channels this paddock-to-pint movement. We chat with Dr Tim Cooper, chief brewer, to find out more about the brewery's approach to the movement and how it plays into this year's seasonal release. THE FIRST STEP The first step of the brewing process is the sourcing and preparation of malts typically sourced from barley, though wheat and rye are also used for certain styles. High-quality malt is a vital base for creating good beer, and being certain of where your malt comes from is a great place to start. Recently, the independent, family-owned Coopers reopened a maltings facility next to its Regency Park brewery, placing it in a "relatively small group of brewers worldwide with their own maltings". Having carefully sourced Westminster barley from nearby Kangaroo Island, Dr Cooper remarks on the brewery's "enviable advantage" of not only being able to source its malt locally but also being able to then manage the full process from the paddock to the maltings facility, from the brewery and into your glass. Another vital ingredient in the beer making process is the hops. The variety used for this year's Vintage Ale, though not local, is the high-quality Aramis hops, originating from eastern France and known for its herbal, citrus and spicy notes. The specialist hop is a blend of Strisselpalt and Whitebread Golding, which typically offers medium spice and a stable, refreshing bitterness. Just a small quantity was imported for this year's vintage release to provide "an elegant hop flavour". This was achieved by adding the hops during fermentation, as well as late in the brewing stage to give the beer notes of dried fruit, spice and a hint of vanilla, complete with a herbal, aromatic bitterness to round everything out. THE RELEASE Speaking of the seasonal vintage brew, this year marks the 20th anniversary of Coopers' iconic annual release. The recipe and base ale yeast have both grown and developed over time depending on what ingredients were best available at the time of brewing each year — not on what's trending. As Dr Cooper explains, "creating Coopers Vintage is not a matter of following trends, but about the Coopers brewing team experimenting with what they think is good". The beer style that best befits Coopers Vintage is that of an English strong ale, expect malt-driven flavours of honey, toffee and caramel, contrasted by moderate spiciness and a refreshingly earthy bitterness from the presence of the Aramis hops. Pouring a deep amber colour with a creamy white head and weighing in at a hefty 7.5% ABV, this is a rich, but well-balanced beer that has plenty of character from the first sip to the last. THE AFTER PARTY Like fine wines, beers with a higher ABV (like 7.5%) can be aged, so over time, they develop idiosyncratic qualities resulting in truly unique beers whose flavour profiles shift and become more complex with age. With carefully monitored and selected ingredients, each vintage of Coopers Vintage Ale offers a different experience when aged correctly, from day one to year one to year five. Dr Cooper advises that the journey of flavour, much like the paddock-to-pint process, is a rewarding step-by-step adventure for the more discerning drinker. "I recommend buying a carton and savouring the Vintage Ale over a period of time, to enjoy the flavour journey and to see how the flavour evolves...Depending on the storage conditions, I think five years is enough time to enjoy a carton this way." Keen to know more about cellaring beer? Grab a carton of this year's Vintage Ale and read up on why and how you should be cellaring more beer.
What started with one of the best sci-fi films ever made, delivered two underwhelming sequels, also includes an excellent animated anthology and rightly claims that Keanu Reeves is the one? For the past two decades, we've all known the answer: The Matrix franchise. The science-fiction epic smartly recognises that it's Keanu's world and we're all just living in it — but what if that isn't the case in The Matrix Resurrections? Come Boxing Day Down Under, the series' long-awaited fourth live-action flick — and fifth film overall — will reach screens. Yes, Keanu is back, as is Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones) as Trinity. But as the new movie's first trailer showed, and the latest sneak peek keeps teasing, things aren't the same for his on-screen alter-ego Neo. After working with sibling Lilly on the first three live-action films, filmmaker Lana Wachowski was never likely to bring back The Matrix without throwing in more than a few trippy twists, of course. "Maybe this isn't the story we think it is," the new trailer tells viewers — all while reminding us both verbally and visually about the deja vu glitch in the matrix theory. Things get trippy, and quickly. And as well as changes for Neo, it looks as if Trinity has a new role. From the clips so far, audiences can also expect Keanu's John Wick-era look; a version of Neo who can't remember anything about blue and red pills, bending spoons, bullet time and living in a simulated reality in a dystopian future where artificially intelligent machines harvest human bodies for power; an advice-spouting character (played by Mindhunter's Jonathan Groff) who just might be the new Agent Smith; some martial arts moves in a recognisable dojo; and a familiar figure in a new guise. Arriving 18 years after The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions hit cinemas in 2003, this follow-up obviously dives back down the rabbit hole as Neo once again grapples with the Matrix and everything it means for humanity — and also sees Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip) return alongside Reeves and Moss. They're joined by Matrix newcomers Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin), Jessica Henwick (On the Rocks), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The White Tiger), Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman). Forget Christmas — Boxing Day can't come soon enough. Check out the latest trailer for The Matrix Resurrections below: The Matrix Resurrections opens in cinemas Down Under on December 26, 2021.
Whether you're a big nature nerd or err on the indifferent side to the science of it all, chances are you've seen at least some of Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet. The BBC nature documentary series — narrated by the man himself and accompanied by an epic score from Hans Zimmer — first aired back in 2001, and its follow-up second season, Blue Planet II, was released just last year. But the bits you've seen on TV or YouTube are sure to be belittled when the BBC brings the live show to Australia this April. Like the performances of Harry Potter and Star Wars we've seen in recent months, Blue Planet II Live in Concert will see the documentary screened in all its glory accompanied by a live orchestra. And it's a big score. The music for Blue Earth II was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer (responsible for epics like The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception) alongside Jacob Shea and David Fleming. In Australia, the score will be performed by three of the country's leading orchestras and, in lieu of Attenborough, Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley will be narrating in real time. The show will travel around Australia in March 2019, visiting Brisbane on Monday, March 11. In the meantime, you can watch ehe first season of Blue Planet on Netflix. Image: Hugh Miller, copyright BBC NHU (2016).
Let's call it the year of comebacks. Based on huge pop-culture behemoths hitting streaming queues, 2022 is certainly panning out that way. First, Stranger Things finally dropped its long-awaited fourth season. Next, eagerly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon arrived three years after the HBO hit wrapped up. And, come Friday, September 2, The Lord of the Rings is getting the TV treatment — taking the elves, dwarves and harfoots (aka hobbit ancestors) to Prime Video. Eight years after the last of The Hobbit movie adaptations hit cinemas, and 19 years since the Lord of the Rings film did the same, the fantasy realm conjured by up JRR Tolkien will start unfurling across the small screen in an all-new series set in Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been in the works for five years, but it's finally becoming a reality. And as the array of trailers keep showing — including the initial sneak peek, then not one, not two, but three new trailers in July, and now a just-dropped final glimpse before the series actually arrives — the first season is all looking suitably epic. Get ready to jump back to Middle-earth's Second Age, with The Rings of Power bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the first time. A young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) has a mission to hunt the enemy, after her brother gave his life doing the same — and she sees fighting for fate and destiny as the work as something greater. "Each of us, every one, must decide who we shall be," Galadriel declares — with the new trailer focusing on folks choosing to go into battle for what's right. The big bad they're trying to stave off? The rise of Sauron, with the show charting how that gave rise to the rings and the impact across Middle-earth. Gorgeous settings, elves, dwarves, harfoots (aka hobbit ancestors), stormy seas, strange skies, cave trolls, orcs, raging fires, a balrog — they're all set to show up across The Rings of Power's first season. So will a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man), as well as New Zealand's natural splendours standing in for the Elven realms of Lindon and Eregion, the Dwarven realm Khazad-dûm, the Southlands, the Northernmost Wastes, the Sundering Seas and the island kingdom of Númenór. Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set its premiere date back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, as per the show's official synopsis, it follows "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The series will "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness," the synopsis continues. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. That's a massive tale to tell and, this latest The Rings of Power trailer stresses, more than a few figures are involved. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the new The Rings of Power trailer below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022. Images: Matt Grace / Ben Rothstein.
First, the British Film Festival's 2022 lineup wowed movie lovers with Bond and big-name festival hits. Now, the Australia-wide event has revealed its full program for the year — and it too is filled with highlights. Get ready to catch Paul Mescal's latest post-Normal People role, then check out a rom-com starring Lily James (Pam & Tommy) and Shazad Latif (Toast of Tinseltown), before seeing the Australian premiere of Olivia Colman's (Mothering Sunday) newest movie. As always, it's a star-studded affair, and it'll tour the country in October and November. 2022's ode to British will run from Tuesday, October 18–Wednesday, November 16, hitting picture palaces in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Byron Bay. Opening the fest: the already-announced Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, set in the world of French fashion, with Oscar-nominated Phantom Thread actor Lesley Manville in the titular role. At the other end, that aforementioned rom-com What's Love Got to Do With It? will wrap things up, with James and Latif joined on-screen by Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Mescal's addition to the program comes courtesy of Aftersun, which charts a father-daughter bond during a holiday — while Colman's arrives via Joyride, about a 12-year-old who flees a difficult home situation in a stolen taxi, only to find a woman passed out in the backseat with a baby. Among the flicks with big names at this year's fest, they join the previously announced The Banshees of Inisherin, which reunites In Bruges writer/director Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and his stars Colin Farrell (After Yang) and Brendan Gleeson (The Tragedy of Macbeth); plus the Bill Nighy (The Man Who Fell to Earth)-starring Living, about a terminally ill man in the 1950s. There's The Lost King, too, which takes inspiration from the IRL discovery of King Richard III's remains beneath a Leicester car park, and features Sally Hawkins (The Phantom of the Open) and Steve Coogan (The Time with Alan Partridge). Also on the complete bill, and a huge inclusion: Empire of Light, the new film from 1917, Skyfall and Spectre's Sam Mendes. Skyfall will also play as part of the Bond retrospective, but the director's latest has been called a love letter to cinema — because charting a romance in an old picture palace in the 1980s was always going to earn that description. An Emily Brontë biopic, aptly named Emily, and directed by Australia actor-turned-filmmaker Frances O'Connor (The End), also sits on the lineup — as do more sea shanties in song-filled sequel Fisherman's Friends 2: One and All. Or, there's Rogue Agent, which dramatises conman (and fake undercover MI5 agent) Robert Freegard's IRL story; In From the Side, about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club; and Aisha, focusing on a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland. As for that shaken-not-stirred contingent, it celebrates six decades since Dr No, the first movie in the 007 franchise, initially graced cinemas — and includes 14 films, with tickets $13 for each. The title that started it all is well and truly on the lineup, as are the fellow Connery-led You Only Live Twice, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball; Roger Moore-era titles Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun; On Your Majesty's Secret Service with Australia's Bond George Lazenby; Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill; Goldeneye and The World Is Not Enough with Pierce Brosnan; and Daniel Craig's Casino Royale and Skyfall. BRITISH FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: Tuesday, October 18–Wednesday, November 16 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16 — Palace Norton, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16 — Palace Electric, Canberra Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema and The Astor, Melbourne Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16 — Palace James Street and Palace Centro, Brisbane Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16— Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema, Perth Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay The 2022 British Film Festival tours Australia between Tuesday, October 18–Wednesday, November 16. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
The last time that Timothée Chalamet and Luca Guadagnino joined forces, the best film of 2017 was the end result — and what a swooning, moving delight Call Me By Your Name proved to be. The 1980s-set romance nabbed Chalamet a Best Actor Oscar nomination, and Guadagnino a Best Picture nod, too. So, arriving five years later, it's safe to say that pair's second collaboration is among 2022's most eagerly anticipated movies. That film is called Bones and All, and it'll premiere at this year's Venice Film Festival at the end of August/early September — and it boasts another key factor that'll pique viewers interests. Once again, Chalamet and Guadagnino collaborate on a love story, although this one comes with an extra bite. Forget peaches; here, Chalamet plays one half of a cannibal couple. "You don't think I'm a bad person?" he says as Lee, speaking to Taylor Russell's (Waves) Maren, in Bones and All's just-dropped first teaser trailer — which the Dune, The French Dispatch and Don't Look Up actor himself unveiled via Twitter. The response is exactly what you'd expect: "all I think is that I love you," she replies. While Bones and All will follow its cannibal lovers as they road trip across America, at 28 seconds, this first sneak peek is big on mood rather than plot — and the vibe is yearning, swooning again, but also unsettling. When Mark Rylance (The Phantom of the Open) pops up, he has his finger to his lips in a gesture of warning. Bones and All marks Guadagnino's first feature since 2018's Suspiria remake — after a detour to television with HBO series We Are Who We Are — and sees the director bring Camille DeAngelis' novel of the same name to the screen. Also set to feature in the film: Chalamet's Call Me By Your Name co-star Michael Stuhlbarg, We Are Who We Are alums Chloë Sevigny and Francesca Scorsese (yes, the daughter of filmmaker Martin Scorsese), plus André Holland (Passing), Jake Horowitz (The Vast of Night), filmmaker David Gordon Green (Halloween Kills), and Jessica Harper from both the original Suspiria and Guadagnino's version. Bones and All will release in the US on November 23, but doesn't currently have a release date Down Under — fingers crossed that that changes sooner rather than later. Check out the trailer for Bones and All below: Bones and All hits US cinemas on November 23, but doesn't currently have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is confirmed.
Jumping on a bike and pumping the pedals is one of the best ways to explore a new city; however, usually it's something that only happens on land. Not in Paris if their new navigating gym comes to fruition. Here you won't just ride your way along the city's River Seine — you'll ride on it. To be specific, you'll sit on a stationary bike on a glass-enclosed 20-metre platform that floats down the famous French waterway. And, you'll actually be helping make the vessel move, with the workout-centric boat powered by exercise (plus solar panels for added energy, in case the 45 people on board prefer to cycle at a leisurely pace). Opening its windows to the elements during the summer, and keeping everything closed and warm during colder months, the Paris Navigating Gym will also feature cross-trainers for those keen on a different kind of fitness routine, plus augmented reality screens. That's how you'll keep track of just how much pedal power you're contributing to the vessel's trip, as well as data about the Seine's environmental conditions. The concept is a collaboration between Italian architects Carlo Ratti Associati, fitness equipment manufacturer Technogym, non-profit architecture group Terreform ONE and urban regeneration institute URBEM. At this stage, it's just that — a concept — but fingers crossed that this certain tourist drawcard becomes a reality. Via Inhabitat.
Hold onto your various HP merchandise, kids, because there are two new books comin' atcha. To celebrate 20 glorious years of making a generation of pessimistic adults low-key believe in magic, Bloomsbury publishing house has announced two new Harry Potter books. They'll be released as part of a long-ass exhibition titled "A History of Magic" that will run from October 2017 to February 2018 hosted by the British Library in London. The books are named Harry Potter: A History of Magic – The Book of the Exhibition and Harry Potter – A Journey Through A History of Magic. So, not exactly canon but still jolly good. The former is about the curriculum offered at Hogwarts and an exploration of its glorious subjects, from herbology and transfiguration, all the way through to the OHS nightmare that is Care of Magical Creatures. The latter is a more general history of magic and ancient creatures. Both include sprinklings of previously unseen bitties from J.K. Rowling and illustrations by Jim Kay (the illustrator behind the book covers). Look, it's not as exciting as a real new Harry Potter story (we're still not sure if the Cursed Child even counts) and now we'll have to sell our organs for a trip to see this exhibition, but we're cool with that. We'll just quietly continue to hold out hope that the Harry Potter empire never crumbles and/or turns out to be real all along. Via Reuters.
