Bursting for a beach escape to Byron Bay but can't quite swing it at the moment? Try this instead. Classic fish and chips always reminds us of summer holidays as a kid, and Fancy Fish in Flinders View is making us all kinds of nostalgic. Remember scorching your legs from holding the bundle of chips on the car ride home? Luckily for us, the Fancy Fish delivery menu means that you can skip the third-degree thigh burns. The meal packs can serve up to four people, with a choice of fish, plus calamari rings, chips and tartare sauce. Do yourself a favour, and add on a couple of handmade potato scallops (just try not to argue with your Victorian mate who insists that they are called 'potato cakes', ugh).
Take one of popular culture's biggest supervillains, throw in one of today's very best actors and add the director of The Hangover trilogy. Only a few years ago, the above sentence might've seemed like a joke. Today, it's the reality we're living in — the reality that sees a standalone Joker movie cackling its way towards cinema screens, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role. Move over Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto — it's Phoenix's time to don exaggerated clown makeup, wield a killer smile and wreak havoc on Gotham City. The just-released first trailer for Joker promises plenty of all three, as failed standup comedian Arthur Fleck turns to a life of facepaint-wearing crime (and eventually obsessing over Batman, we're guessing). As directed and co-written by Todd Phillips (Old School, Starsky & Hutch, Due Date), Joker also comes with a suitably unhinged vibe, as if Phoenix's You Were Never Really Here character stumbled into Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy. (Fittingly, the latter film plus Taxi Driver and Raging Bull have been cited as inspirations for the new DC Comics flick, and Scorsese is one of Joker's executive producers.) It also looks certain to help everyone forget that the last take on the famous villain only arrived three years ago, because who wants to remember Leto's green-haired turn in Suicide Squad? Here's hoping Phoenix will follow in the footsteps of Nicholson and Oscar-winner Ledger instead, which looks likely based on the footage so far. And, of course, his excellent body of work in general. Robert De Niro, Atlanta's Zazie Beetz and Brian Tyree Henry, and Marc Maron also feature in Joker, with the film hitting cinemas in October. Check out the first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t433PEQGErc Joker releases in Australian cinemas on October 3, 2019.
Watching a cursor move around a computer screen doesn't sound very exciting, let alone frightening. There's only so much intrigue to be found in basically watching over someone's shoulder as they flick between YouTube, Skype, Facebook, Spotify, Gmail and iMessage — or is there? It depends what they're up to, of course, and in these always-online times, that could be anything. In Unfriended, the MacBook user in question, high schooler Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig), is doing quite a few things. First, she's watching shocking footage of her friend, Laura Barns, committing suicide exactly a year earlier, as well as the embarrassing video that drove her to her death. Next, she's cyber flirting with her boyfriend, Mitch (Moses Jacob Storm). Then they're both video chatting with pals Adam (Will Peltz), Jess (Renee Olstead), Ken (Jacob Wysocki) and Val (Courtney Halverson). They're not the only ones taking part in the conversation, as they soon realise. Their Skype call also includes an unknown party, but hanging up on the unpleasant troll isn't as easy as it should be. At the same time, Blaire starts receiving strange Facebook messages from Laura, despite her dearly departed status. Mitch suggests that their virtual gatecrasher is Laura's ghost in the machine, a prediction that seems laughable at first, but less so as the interloper's taunts get increasingly violent — and personal. Yes, this is a supernatural revenge film. Yes, it swaps a handheld camera for a computer screen in the next evolution of the found footage genre. Yes, that means that the entirety of Unfriended unfolds on a laptop, as scared teens are taunted by an unseen foe. Director Levan Gabriadze, writer Nelson Greaves and producer Timur Bekmambetov — the helmer of Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, as well the most famous name involved with the ultra low-budget production — simply toy with the usual horror narrative in the same way their villain plays with the characters. It's both obvious and ingenious, and it mostly works. Setting the movie within an overlapping cascade of constantly minimised and maximised application windows places the potential victims in an immensely relatable situation — i.e. staring at a computer for hours on end. More than that, it also ramps up the suspense. A couple of bloody set pieces aside, the usual jumps are largely absent, with few scares to be found in pixilated video that keeps the characters' fearful faces on screen as much as possible. However, tension ripples through every typed then deleted message and every mouse move to the wrong place. Blaire and her friends are on the edge of their keyboards, and the audience is inching towards the edge of their seats. Unfriended also offers a critique of online interaction from bullying to shaming, though there's nothing new in its exposé of the awful ways people behave when they think they're anonymous. There's nothing new in the cast's performances as self-absorbed, fighting and terrified teens, either, other than accurately reflecting the right age and behaviour. Innovation doesn't matter here, though; the movie only ever promises a modern update. When it clicks, it clicks. When it doesn't, it's still not enough to make you want to log off.
Australian grime fans have been dealt a disappointing blow: Stromzy has announced he is cancelling his highly anticipated upcoming tour. The UK sensation was set to grace Australian shores later this year on the much-delayed H.I.T.H World Tour alongside a run of festival dates as the headliner for Spilt Milk, but has confirmed in a statement released through the festival that he has pulled out of all of his international tour dates for the remainder of 2022. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to inform you guys that due to circumstances beyond my control, I must cancel international commitments for the remainder of the year which includes my Australian and New Zealand tour," said Stormzy. "You guys have waited so patiently and I am so sorry that this has to happen after all these ups and downs. I love you guys and I promise I will be back as soon as I can with a show that's bigger and better than ever." Originally scheduled for 2020 before being pushed back multiple times for pandemic-related reasons, the run of dates was finally supposed to kick off in Perth on Wednesday, November 23, before hitting Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Wellington and Auckland, as well as Ballarat, Canberra and the Gold Coast with Spilt Milk. While losing Stormzy is a huge blow for the festival, Spilt Milk has come through with another exciting international headliner in his place. Highly influential Grammy-nominated indie-pop singer and one of 2022's biggest breakout stars Steve Lacy has been added to the lineup for all three Spilt Milk dates. An original member of the popular funk and soul group The Internet, Lacy has worked with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Solange and Tyler, the Creator. Following solo success with his debut album Apollo XXI as well as singles like 'Dark Red' which you've almost certainly heard on TikTok, the Californian singer-songwriter has found huge mainstream success this year with the release of his album Gemini Rights and its lead single ' Bad Habits' which currently sits at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Alongside his appearances at Spilt Milk, Lacy has also announced a run of headline dates across the east coast of Australia. He'll be popping up at Melbourne's The Forum on Tuesday, November 22, The Tivoli in Brisbane on Tuesday, November 23 and Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Monday, November 28. Due to the lineup change, Spilt Milk will be offering refunds for anyone who requests one via Moshtix before 5pm Thursday, October 4. After that, you can also pop your tickets up for sale on the festival's resale facility. Those that want to head along to catch Lacy alongside previously announced acts like Flume, The Wombats, Spacey Jane, G Flip, Fisher and Peach PRC can access tickets via the Moshtix resale. Tickets for Steve Lacy's solo shows will go on sale via the Frontier Members pre-sale at 9am local time on Tuesday, October 4, before the general public tickets go on sale on Wednesday, October 5. [caption id="attachment_851188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] Stormzy has cancelled his run of Australian and New Zealand shows including his appearances at Spilt Milk. Refunds for Spilt Milk are available via Moshtix until 5pm, Thursday, October 4.
Sporting giant Adidas has outdone itself with the adiZero f50 miCoach, a new soccer boot that boasts state-of-the-art technology. According to the manufacturer, the boot will be able to measure 'key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride rates.' Judging by this description, these super-intelligent boots are a serious athlete's dream. The information on the boot can then be stored for up to seven hours, and subsequently uploaded via WiFi or USB to other devices. The thoughtful guys at Adidas have then tapped into the social media aspect of the shoe, as your stats can then be shared with your friends on Facebook, or kept as a record for your own training regimes. You can even compare your own stats with professional (Adidas-sponsored, of course) athletes such as Lionel Messi as they upload their figures. With more features than necessary and more intelligence than you ever thought a shoe could possess, you're probably wondering how much it will cost to get your hands on a pair of these bad boys. They're set to drop in November at a price of $330, which isn't too bad considering that you're pretty much lacing up a computer on your feet. However, keep in mind that the $330 price point is in American dollars and you're probably going to have to fork out a lot more when they eventually land Down Under. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LK_paShxGM8 [Via PSFK]
The government's restrictions and regulations for COVID-19 containment are changing at a rapid pace. But there are two words we're all hearing on repeat: stay home. As much as is possible within each person's specific set of circumstances (including their job and requirements around food, exercise and health), every Australian is being encouraged to avoid leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary. We're being told that minimising the time spent outside is vital in getting through this crisis. As a result, many of the services that contribute to the lifestyles of city dwellers have been temporarily suspended, including cultural institutions, cinemas, clubs, pubs and gyms. But we still need to be able to access the essentials: household essentials, booze and, of course, food. Up until now, delivery services have been viewed as merely a convenience or something to facilitate laziness. Now, they're more important than ever. IT'S ONE OF THE SAFEST WAYS TO GET FOOD Supermarkets are still open to purchase food and other household items, but we'd rather avoid them as much as possible right now. The stories of stockpiling — and subsequent product shortages and buying restrictions — paint a pretty dire picture of a simple visit to the shops. Plus, with many of our favourite activities currently on hiatus, we have to find fun where we can. Yep, you may not be able to go to a gallery or play team sports, but you can still shirk your cooking and cleanup duties and let someone else prepare dinner. In the wake of the restrictions on public gatherings, many restaurants and cafes have shifted their operations to takeaway and delivery, so you can eat well in the comfort of your own home. And, to put your mind at ease, it's worth remembering that commercial kitchens are held to extremely rigorous food safety and hygiene practices, and most have upped their cleaning and sanitation procedures as the COVID-19 situation unfolded in Australia. For Domino's, this means daily audit checks and no human contact with the pizzas after they leave the 265-degree ovens. IT'S KEEPING PEOPLE INDOORS Obviously, the increased availability of delivery services means there are fewer people out on the streets, which can only be a good thing right now. But some places have taken it one step further. For example, Domino's has introduced a zero-contact delivery for all delivery orders place through the app or over the phone. The person delivering your meal will leave it on your doorstep and call or text you to confirm it's there — and they'll wait until they can see you've picked it up, too. This is just another simple step, facilitated by technology, to limit person-to-person contact with those outside your household. It also means you don't need to leave your house for too long and miss that live-stream of furry koalas, a theatre show or a gig. IT'S KEEPING PEOPLE EMPLOYED As the restrictions continue in an effort to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, huge job losses are occurring over many sectors, including hospitality. Maintaining (and supporting) delivery services is vital to ensuring this number does not continue to grow. In fact, it could help minimise the issue. Some companies, including Domino's, are currently seeking out temporary workers to keep up with increased demand for delivery services. The company is also supporting other essential workers with its Feeding the Frontline efforts, which delivers pizzas to those working tirelessly to support the community during this time — think healthcare, supermarket, government, education and emergency workers — to keep morale up and more people in jobs. Domino's is now offering zero-contact delivery across Australia. To order, head here.
For the dessert fiends at Gelato Messina, it isn't enough to sit in the chain's brand-new Marrickville headquarters in Sydney and dream up every kind of wild and delicious ice cream flavour that anyone could possibly think of. The Messina crew do that, and often, of course. But they also apply their sweet treat-loving minds to creating next-level limited-edition specials, often taking a beloved dish, adding gelato and then giving it another twist. Here's the latest: Messina's Vovovroom, aka its frosty version of Iced Vovo biscuits, which it has indeed made before. This time around, it's adding mango. Why? The better question is: why not? So, first everyone's favourite childhood biscuit is getting the gelato treatment — again. But because that's already been on Messina's menu, it's now adding in a flavour that most folks love just as much. Wondering what exactly the end result entails? It comes filled with layers of toasted coconut and mango gelato, plus mango salsa and shortbread. Then, it's topped with piped Italian meringue and desiccated coconut. Yes, the end result looks like the bikkies you know and love — but in a mango hue, obviously, and in a scoopable form. Messina's mango Vovovroom gelato tubs can only be ordered online on Monday, April 17 for collection between Friday, April 21–Sunday, April 23 Messina now opens its orders at various times for various places, so you'll want to hop online at 9am for Queensland and Australian Capital Territory stores, 9.15am for Victorian shops, and at either 9.30am, 9.45am or 10am depending on where you are in New South Wales. Gelato Messina's Mango Vovovroom gelato tubs will be available to order on Monday, April 17, for pick up between Friday, April 21–Sunday, April 23 — head to the Messina website for further details.
Those seeking free WiFi will no longer need to spend hours lurking in their local McDonald's thanks to the development of 4sqwifi, an application that uses Foursquare to locate WiFi spots and give you their passwords. Apostolos Papadopoulos and Giannis Poulakas are the pair behind the app, and state that their vision is be "everywhere and always connected." They also stress that the product is still in its development stage, although a version is currently avaliable for free from the iTunes store. Features in the first version include "venue check-in, Twitter/Facebook sharing, in-app tip section for each venue so people can add WiFi passwords within 4sqwifi, map view and hell knows what more." The app works worldwide, and will be perfect for those who seek some urgent urban bandwidth. [Via TechCrunch]
This could be love: a classic 80s film that's been adored for decades, a new date with the big screen, and a live band and singers bringing its soundtrack to life as you watch. Dirty Dancing in Concert isn't new to Australia, but it keeps returning to tour the country because the movie at its centre is one that audiences can't get enough of. If you're a fan, you'll know which phrase fits: ideally, you'll have the time of your film-watching life. On Saturday, October 4, 2025, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey will dance up a storm in the 1987 romantic drama at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. While this event is clearly hoping that you've never felt like this before, that'll only apply if you didn't go to 2022's or 2023's shows. Whether you're a Dirty Dancing in Concert first-timer or returning after seeing it before, you'll not only see the movie — you'll also hit up the party afterwards. Accordingly, as you celebrate one of Swayze's biggest and most-charming film roles, you'll be immersed in the world of the picture from the moment that you take your seat. Although no one will be carrying watermelons or checking into Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills, the digitally remastered feature will grace the big screen, its iconic songs will get a workout live, then the musicians will stick around afterwards to headline a party that'll naturally have you singing and dancing. If you're feeling adventurous and inspired by the movie, you might even want to try to recreate the famous lift. Here, nobody will put you or Francis 'Baby' Houseman in a corner — and you'd be just a fool to believe otherwise. Your hungry eyes will soak in Baby's first taste of dirty dancing, her eager rehearsals and her growing infatuation with Johnny Castle, as well as her parents' bitter unhappiness about the entire situation. Dirty Dancing in Concert images: Zdenko Hanout.
Imagine that you had become an international superstar playing Harry Potter, then spent more than a decade as the beloved character in one of the biggest movie franchises there is. Once your wizarding time was over, you'd probably want to take on a whole range of weird, wonderful and vastly different projects. Daniel Radcliffe, the only person who fits the above description, certainly seems to be following that path — and his latest action-comedy might just be the wildest entry on his post-Boy Who Lived resume so far. Since the HP films wrapped up back in 2011, Radcliffe has played a man who wakes up with horns protruding from his head in the aptly titled Horns, as well as Victor Frankenstein's apprentice Igor in the terrible movie that's conveniently named Victor Frankenstein. He also transforms into a corpse in Swiss Army Man — a corpse whose farts make it skim across the ocean like a jet ski. And, in the first season of great TV sitcom Miracle Workers, he's an angel trying to save the world from a slacker God (Steve Buscemi). Next, though, Radcliffe is stepping into the shoes of a snarky video game developer — one who is forced into a real-life fight-to-the-death game. His ordeal is also being live-streamed as part of an illegal death-match fight club channel called Skizm. Oh, and he has guns bolted to his hands. That's the premise of Guns Akimbo, which seems to combine elements of Battle Royale, Man of Tai Chi, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Nerve into one clearly, gleefully over-the-top package. As seen in the movie's just-dropped new trailer, Radcliffe's character, Miles, has to try to survive when he's thrust into the city-wide game — and navigate a world where brutal gladiator-style fights have become mass entertainment. The film also stars Ready or Not's Samara Weaving and Flight of the Conchords' Rhys Darby, with New Zealand filmmaker Jason Lei Howden (Deathgasm) behind the lens. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOFatKD0Vzo&feature=emb_logo Guns Akimbo will start screening around Australia on February 28 at special event screenings.
In life and onstage, singer-songwriters Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter shared plenty. On-screen over the past year, they shared frames in exceptional documentary Wash My Soul in the Rivers Flow, too. And, come 2023, the pair will share a sculpture celebrating and commemorating their work and legacies, which is set to become a permanent fixture in Fitzroy. The Melbourne suburb will welcome a piece that hasn't yet been commissioned and designed, but will be overseen by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and Yarra City Council, as well as Roach and Hunter's family members. That process will start now, in preparation for unveiling next year, with the Victorian Government putting $287,000 towards the statue. [caption id="attachment_859315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacinta Keefe[/caption] "I remember good times with my dear baby brother Archie in Fitzroy and with Ruby right beside him," said Roach's sister Myrtle Evans in a statement announcing the news. "We shared many good times here together as a family. Being back here reminds me of those times. I miss those times now. May the spirit of dear Archie and Ruby always be here." Both Roach and Hunter, who passed away earlier in 2022 and in 2010 respectively, enjoyed careers worthy of the heartiest of tributes. It's aimed for the statue to become a landmark for fans to visit, including from within Melbourne, across Victoria, interstate and beyond. The pair's individual achievements are immense, with Ruby's 1994 record Thoughts Within the first solo album released by a First Nations female artist — and Roach's 'Took the Children Away' a powerful anthem for the stolen generations since 1990. Ruby was inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2020, and Archie was named Victorian of the Year the same year. The statue will also recognise Roach and Hunter's work with Melbourne's First Peoples communities, including via the Archie Roach Foundation since 2014. "Uncle Archie's and Aunty Ruby's passion for their people inspired these gifted songwriters. They produced lyrics that not only touched the hearts of millions but educated a nation on the Stolen Generations," said Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Colin Hunter. Fitzroy's new sculpture celebrating Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter will be installed and unveiled sometime in 2023. We'll update you when further details are announced — and keep an eye on the City of Yarra website in the interim. Top image: Wash My Soul in the Rivers Flow, Sandy Scheltem.
Tegan and Sara have obviously done their family proud. The identical siblings have sold over a million albums in their career and have shared the stage with some of the world’s biggest musical stars. They have made their mark on the musical landscape thanks to the evolution of their pop sound scapes since their inception in the late '90s. The twins were last here in 2010 for Groovin' The Moo and they enjoyed it so much they came back to do it again. This time, Tegan and Sara are giving their Australian fans a real treat by playing a few dates around the country in their own headline tour. Their seventh album, Heartthrob (follow-up to 2009’s Sainthood) unveils a new set of hits for the duo to perform on the tour alongside lead single, 'Closer', which has garnered over half a million streams and earned the siblings performance spots on American television. Undoubtedly, this album is going to make long time fans very happy, and may even add some newcomers to the growing legion of the devoted. Tegan and Sara play the Tivoli with support from Clubfeet.
For eight weeks this autumn, Hamilton will boast two places to see movies. Only one will get you catching a flick outdoors, under the stars and by the river, however. That cinema: Sunset Cinema, which first popped up at Northshore in 2023 and is returning to get its projector whirring again from late-March through till mid-May in 2024. While sunset doesn't usually follow moonlight, Brisbane's outdoor cinema scene is one place where it does, with Sunset Cinema hitting town a month after Moonlight Cinema wrapped up its latest season. The latter gets a summer run in Roma Street Parkland each year, while the former opts for autumn in Hamilton. It's been a busy period to see a movie beneath the evening sky in general in the River City, with Brissie now home to a permanent year-round openair picture palace over at Brisbane Powerhouse. For Sunset Cinema's 2024 stint in the Queensland capital, films will screen at Dock D, largely from Wednesday–Saturday. The season kicks off on Thursday, March 21 with rom-com Anyone But You, then ends on Sunday, May 11 with Kung Fu Panda 4. In-between, everything from more Sydney Sweeney in Madame Web to twice the Timothée Chalamet thanks to Wonka and Dune: Part Two is on the lineup — and also Barbie, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Wicked Little Letters and Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black as well. Filmgoers can also see Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn's latest spy caper Argylle, the Mean Girls musical starring Australian actor Angourie Rice (The Last Thing He Told Me), witness Barbie's Kingsley Ben-Adir transform into a reggae icon in Bob Marley: One Love and catch Eric Bana's second stint as Aaron Falk in Force of Nature: The Dry 2. A number of double features filled with retro classics are on the bill, so the OG Mean Girls will show with Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You with Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie with Jennifer's Body. Or, there's Finding Nemo paired with Toy Story, then The Princess Bride with The Wizard of Oz. BYO picnics are encouraged, but the event is fully licensed, so alcohol can only be purchased onsite. For that, Oxford Landing is providing the wine, Manly Spirits Distillery Co the gin for G&Ts and Mountain Culture Beer Co the brews. Didn't pack enough snacks? There's hot food options, plus plenty of the requisite cinema treats like chips, chocolates, lollies and popcorn. Choose a VIP seat in the sunset lounge, which comes with premium bean lounges and the best view of the screen, and your popcorn will be bottomless, in fact. Sunset Cinema is doing headphones for its audio, so you'll be listening in via bluetooth once the flick kicks off at last light (with gates opening at 5.30pm). And, your movie-loving dog won't miss out, with the picture palace pooch-friendly, but Rover will need to stay on a leash.
If you're in Melbourne or Brisbane and Uluru has always been on your travel bucket list, getting to the world-famous large sandstone formation in Australia's Red Centre just got easier. Back in late 2023, Virgin announced that it was starting direct flights from the two cities to the Northern Territory landmark in June 2024 — and now those routes are taking off, complete with a sale slinging cheap fares to celebrate. People make their way Down Under from around the globe to see Uluru. Last year, it was even named one of the best places in the world to visit by The New York Times. For folks keen to head there from the Victorian capital, flights begin on Thursday, June 6, 2024. And for Queenslanders, you can take the trip from Friday, June 7, 2024. The new direct routes mark Virgin's first-ever legs to Uluru from Melbourne and Brisbane. The airline is flying between Melbourne and Uluru four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The carrier is zipping between Brisbane and Uluru three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Virgin has partnered with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia — which runs Ayers Rock Resort — on the new services to get more people to the middle of the country. And it's aiming to send quite a few more tourists in that direction, with 62,000-plus seats a year on offer thanks to the two new legs. "To see Virgin Australia planes touching down in Uluṟu again is a huge thrill — this is a landmark moment that underscores the boundless appeal of the Red Centre," said Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. "We're excited to have even more visitors experience the wonders of Uluṟu, along with culturally immersive experiences like Sunrise Journeys and Wintjiri Wiru, through Virgin Australia's extensive network." If you're eager to book ASAP and score a bargain, Virgin's new flight sale is running until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Fares start at $119 one-way in economy, with dates varying across July–December 2024. For accommodation, Ayers Rock Resort is doing $230-per-night three-night stays as well. [caption id="attachment_905928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Salty Travellers[/caption] [caption id="attachment_905930" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism NT and Sean Scott[/caption] Virgin's Melbourne–Uluru services commence on Thursday, June 6, 2024, and its Brisbane–Uluru services start on Friday, June 7, 2024. The airline's current sale on flights to Uluru is slinging fares from $119 until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024 — head to the Virgin website for more details.
Chances are, you've walked past a Jimmy Rod's Barbershop once or twice. There are ten in Brisbane alone, including this one in Broadway Mall, Westfield Chermside and the original in Oxley, which Jimmy Rod first opened in 2003. It's hard to pinpoint this success to one element. Of course, the stores have that sleek industrial feel, and the barbers know their craft well. But you can't ignore the little details like tasty snacks, complimentary coffee and beer, and a Playstation 4 to play while you wait. It's also pretty affordable for a traditional barbershop with men's cuts starting from $36.50 and beard trims from just $11.50. Meanwhile, cut-throat shaves start at $47.50 and the shop sells a broad range of aftercare products from Uppercut Deluxe, American Crew and Kingbrown Pomade. Hot tip: try to nab a midweek appointment as prices jump up on weekends.
The best thing about film festivals? The surprises. And boy oh boy does the 2017 Russian Resurrection Film Festival have a great one. The touring fest has plenty of ace picks, including a drama set inside the Bolshoi Theatre, aptly called The Bolshoi; Attraction, the first Russian flick about aliens landing in Moscow; and the innovative Tolstoy adaptation that is Anna Karenina: Vronsky's Story. It also has the 1989 action flick Tango & Cash starring none other than Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. Why is this big hair-loving, US-made buddy cop movie on the bill? Because it was primarily directed by Russian filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky, who collaborated with the great Andrei Tarkovsky early in his career, and then spent a big chunk of the '80s and '90s working in America. It's the kind of nostalgic selection that is best appreciated with retro fun in mind (and a few beverages in hand). It's not quite so-bad-it's-good, but it is something that has to be seen to be believed. In more serious offerings, Arrhythmia explores the erratic pulse of a complicated marriage, Spacewalkers jumps into the Cold War space race, and the comedic The Kitchen: Final Battle pits chefs against each other. Catch them and more at Event Myer Centre from November 1 to 8.
He's quick, he's nimble and he has what you need to get through lockdown. Jimmy Brings is a booze delivery service that'll bring wine, beer and spirits to your doorstep in an unbeatable 30 minutes or less — from that bottle of champagne for an unexpected iso engagement celebration to a Couch Cuddle Pack of shiraz and Toblerone to spice up iso movie nights. Old-mate Jimmy has been delivering the goods since long before COVID-19, starting out as a late-night service in Sydney in 2011, dropping off extra drinks, snacks and even ciggies for your out-of-hand house parties. Those were the days. Now Jimmy is all grown up, with not only a long-serving history in Sydney but also a suite of drivers in Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and further afield. He's still peddling alcohol on demand, but things have stepped up a notch and you can now add in a bottle of hand sanitiser, ice and a pack of Jonny Condoms for those wild nights at home. The booze offering is a small-but-mighty range that's taste-tested by the Jimmy Brings team, and wine descriptions will make you smile. Those after organic wines can find low-preservative, punchy wines from Speak No Evil, Il Villagio and Farm Hand. There's also whites, reds and sparkling from Jolly Trotter, Heritage House and Covielle. And if you're stocking up for the long haul, there are wine bundles starting from $49.99 for six — around $8 a bottle. On the spirits and mixers front, you can make things super easy with Cheeky G&Ts, Skinny Soda and Moscow Mule packages that scoop up all the necessary ingredients for you, including soda, ice and limes, so you can add to cart without having to think too much about the logistics. A Dirty Daiquiri starter pack is $49.99 and an Aperol Spritz pack, just $42.99. Your beer, wine and bubbles are delivered cold and, as always, you can order seven days a week until 11.59pm in Sydney, and until 11pm in Brisbane and Melbourne — orders must be placed 30 minutes before closing time. Though they can't leave alcohol unattended, Jimmy Brings drivers are operating low-contact deliveries during COVID-19 times, including leaving bags on the ground and sighting your ID without handling it directly, so everyone's kept safe and happy. Never used Jimmy Brings before? Download the Jimmy Brings app and use the code 'CONCRETE' to get $10 off your first go. That's two packets of Nobby's mixed salted nuts, right there. Lucky you. Check out what Jimmy Brings can offer in your suburb. Offer expires on July 30, 2020.
Sundays can be bittersweet. Do you party, or do you prepare for the week ahead? Answer: go ahead and check out these ten great things to do in Brisbane on a Sunday. They'll put in you in the perfect Monday mindset. A Sunday well spent brings a week of content, it's true. Leftover Sundays at Depo On Sunday nights the crew at Depo serve up a special chef’s menu to make use of the leftover produce from the week. As the menu changes depending on the produce available, the only thing I can tell you is that these ain’t your average leftovers. With mains for $20, desserts for $10 and cocktails for $12, the menu is served until it is sold out, so make like your granny and get in for an early dinner. Find a seat among the taxidermy and the sheepskin rugs, soak up the atmosphere and get down with the chill vibe Depo does oh so well. With a DJ on the decks from 4pm until late, you’ll be begging to stay out past your bedtime. All that is left to say is head on over to Horan Street and experience one of the tastiest Sunday sessions in town for yourselves. 16 Horan Street, West End Eat Street Markets If anyone has experienced the tastiness of Eat Street Markets on a Friday or Saturday night over the past few months, you’ll be pleased to know that the markets have extended their trading hours to now include Sundays. That’s right Brisbane, you can now get your cronut fix three days in a row! With stalls trading 10am to 7pm, Hamilton Wharf is a great place to embrace Brisbane’s balmy spring weather and while away the day indulging in the fantastic food, fashion and atmosphere to boot. Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton Limes Rooftop Bar Limes rooftop is a great spot any day of the week but on Sunday afternoons the dress code relaxes and so should you! Drinks, share plates and live entertainment fill guests with merriment and let you pretend that Monday morning isn’t quite as close as it seems. In some parts of Australia rooftop activities might get put on hold during that season they call ‘winter’ but up here in the Sunshine State we can play outside almost any day of the year. So embrace the sunshine and make Limes a Sunday staple because who doesn’t enjoy a pre-week beverage on a rooftop? 142 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley Kettle and Tin A Sunday at Kettle and Tin epitomises just how Given Terrace keeps on givin’. Behind the picket fence, Kettle and Tin serve up one of the best cheese platters in Brisbane, and on a Sunday afternoon you can enjoy your cheese with a side of live music. Order a cocktail jug or a glass from the fantastic wine list and sample the ever-changing but always scrumptious menu while you watch the sun go down on Brisbane Town. 215 Given Terrace, Paddington Livespark at the Powerhouse While free comedy has moved to Friday nights, the good folks at the Powerhouse have not left your Sunday nights bare, as free live music fills the Turbine Platform every Sunday from 3.30-5.30pm. With two acts playing every week, this is a chance to relish in some of the best indie-pop and rock bands from Brisbane and beyond. And if you’re not ready to go home when the music stops, you’re mighty lucky that the Powerhouse has two fantastic on-site restaurants. Both Bar Alto and Watt Bar and Restaurant deliver excellent food and drinks and an unbeatable riverside vibe. An afternoon at the Powerhouse is one of the best ways to appreciate the cultural, edible and physical gems on offer in the River City. 119 Lamington Street, New Farm Chester Street Bakery and Bar Whether you’re an early riser, a slow starter or a late-night craver, on a Sunday Chester Street can cater to all of your needs. Brunch is served 8am to 3pm, and the bar gives you the option to spike any juice or smoothie (I’ll leave you to make that decision depending on how your Saturday night panned out). An array of cooked, griddled and just baked menu items should satisfy just about any Brisbanite’s appetite, so why not make your next group catch up a boozy Sunday brunch at Chester Street? If your bakery cravings hit you a little later in the day (or night), do not fear, dessert is served all day until late. 32a Chester Street, Newstead Sunday Sessions on the Green at River Quay The River Quay Green at Southbank is one of Brisbane’s best riverside destinations, making it another grand spot to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. From 2pm you can enjoy great entertainment as you hang out in the lush green grass. If free live music and lawn games doesn’t quite satisfy, then why not mosey on over to Stokehouse and get Stoked on Sundays. From 4pm you can soak up the spectacular city views and sip on a cocktail or two to the sounds of Brisbane’s best DJs. South Brisbane Sixes and Sevens Should you find yourself in need of rehydration after a day of strolling James Street, make your way to At Sixes and Sevens, where “the speak was easy, the food shared, the drink appreciated” — exactly how a Sunday session should be. The menu is designed for sharing and allows you to eat a little or a lot. Beer, cider, wine or spirits — whatever your poison, the bar at Sixes and Sevens has got you covered. Find a cosy nook inside or lounge around in the sun out back, but whatever you do, make sure you try the smokey eggplant, white bean and feta dip. 67 James Street, Fortitude Valley Australian Cinematheque at QAGOMA The Gallery's Australian Cin ematheque at QAGOMA has an extensive film and moving-image collection, and they want to share it with you, Brisbane. Every Sunday there are two free showings at the cinema (1pm and 3pm). From documentaries to dramas, expect a showcase of works of influential filmmakers and artists to add a little bit of eye-opening culture to your weekend. You can check out the calendar for full details of current and upcoming programs. Stanley Place, South Brisbane Ballyhooed BBQ at The Statler and Waldorf Sometimes on a Sunday you just need to sink your teeth into a hearty meal and eat them feelings about the week ahead. But when your mum isn’t around to cook a roast for you, the beautiful people at The Statler & Waldorf are here to help out. Every Sunday from 3pm at the Ballyhooed BBQ, the chef serves up gastronomical delights that are sure to make you feel better. The offerings changes each week, so keep an eye out on their Facebook page for details and put it in your diary. 25 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace Top image: Limes Hotel Rooftop.
There are sushi trains, and then there are sushi trains. Located on level one of the Wintergarden, Hanaichi Sushi Bar + Dining takes things up a few notches. There's no tiny locomotive here — just top-notch dishes delivered via a conveyor belt, all in a place that feels far removed from your usual quick bite-style eatery. And if you hadn't already guessed, no it doesn't feature the same menu as the other Hanaichi in the food court. In fact, Hanaichi Sushi Bar + Dining boasts something particularly special: all-you-can-eat sushi every night of the week. Stop by from 5pm and expect an unlimited feast that also includes shabu shabu. On the menu: various sushi plates, wagyu beef, pork, wombok, tofu, noodles, fish balls and more, all for $32 per person. If you'd like to up the ante, a $50 version is also available, complete with sashimi, sand crab, oysters and prawns on top of the usual buffet.
Everyone's favourite melancholic hitmaker Post Malone is coming back to Australia later this year. The global superstar was just in the country in January and February supporting Red Hot Chili Peppers, but he must've enjoyed his time Down Under, because he's already announced a run of headline Australian shows as part of his If Y'all Weren't Here I'd Be Crying world tour. Diamond-certified multiple times over, Posty will be hitting Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne throughout November on this run of shows. You can catch him at the Brisbane Showgrounds on Thursday, November 23; The Domain in Sydney on Wednesday, November 29; and Melbourne Showgrounds on Thursday, November 30. He's also swinging past New Zealand beforehand for a show in Auckland on Tuesday, November 21. The fun, however, does not stop there. Live Nation's tour poster for the Australian run of dates includes four other yet-to-be-announced stops: Canberra, Gold Coast, Ballarat and Perth. Interestingly, these locations lineup with where and when the touring festival Spilt Milk usually pops up. The festival is set to drop its lineup this coming Tuesday, July 4 at 8am, so it looks like Malone may be a real possibility to headline this year's edition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXhTHyIgQ_U This tour is in support of Post Malone's fifth studio album Austin which is set to arrive on Friday, July 28 featuring recent singles 'Mourning' and 'Chemical'. You can expect a career-spanning performance dipping into his most recent album, 2022's Twelve Carat Toothache, and his catalogue of global smashes like 'Congratulations', 'Rockstar', 'Sunflower' and 'Circles'. Check out the poster for Post Malone's Australian tour below — featuring the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane shows, as well as the unannounced Canberra, Gold Coast, Ballarat and Perth dates. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Live Nation Australia (@livenationaustralia) POST MALONE: IF Y'ALL WEREN'T HERE I'D BE CRYING AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES Tuesday, November 21 — The Outer Fields at Western Springs, Auckland Thursday, November 23 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Wednesday, November 29 — The Domain, Sydney Thursday, November 30 — Melbourne Showgrounds Post Malone is touring Australia and New Zealand in November 2023. Tickets for Australian shows go on sale online on Monday, July 13 — at 1pm in Brisbane, 12pm in Sydney, and 11am in Melbourne, with pre-sales via Vodafone from Thursday, July 6 and from Live Nation on Tuesday, July 11. For more information, head to the tour website. Tickets for New Zealand shows go on sale online at 12pm on Thursday, July 13, with pre-sales via One NZ on Thursday, July 6 and from Live Nation on Tuesday, July 11. For more information, head to the tour website. Top image: Chrisallmeid
Staying in, getting cosy and inviting your friends over to watch a stack of TV shows has become a tried-and-tested winter pastime — but what if you've seen everything that's out there? Firstly, of course you haven't. But thanks to the huge range of content available, it can often feel that way. Perhaps you've just worked your way through all of the stuff that you know about and just can't bring yourself to keep scrolling through pages of options. Plus, we all know how picking a new show can go down when you're in a group and everyone has a different must-see priority. That's where we come in — we've teamed up with Aussie internet service provider MATE to take the stress out of choosing what to watch. If MATE can get you easily sorted with NBN access (with no contracts and locally based support teams), then we can make whiling away the hours with your pals and a TV screen much simpler. Gather the gang, microwave some popcorn, and put someone in charge of drinks and other snacks — you and your squad have a date with these seven ace shows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQaCxIJX0J0&feature=youtu.be GLOW Big hair, big drama, colourful costumes, strong women: that's the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (or GLOW). In the 80s, when putting anyone other than men in the ring was considered a mere novelty act, GLOW emerged to prove that notion wrong. Now, three decades later, Netflix's series of the same name charts the ups and downs on both sides of the ropes. Starring Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin as struggling actors who find their place among GLOW's formidable ladies, as well as Marc Maron as the director who helps turn the all-female concept into a TV series, the show finds the perfect balance between comedy, drama and OTT wrestling action. Even better — when the third season hits at the end of July, taking the gang to Las Vegas, Geena Davis joins the cast. Where to watch: Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpDUMdULVZg DETROITERS It has only been out for mere months, but Netflix's I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson has already proven one of the most bizarre and brilliant comedies in recent years. The sketch show isn't Robinson's first amusing outing, however. He also spent a couple of seasons on Saturday Night Live, and co-starred in (and co-created and co-produced) the hilarious sitcom Detroiters. Featuring opposite Veep's Sam Richardson, Robinson plays a Detroit advertising agency creative with more than a few out-there ideas — but that term describes his life working beside his best pal anyway. While it screened in the US in 2017, the show's ten-episode first season is a new arrival to Stan, includes guest stars such as Jason Sudeikis and Keegan-Michael Key, and is sidesplittingly funny. Where to watch: Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1UjEaO4qd8 COLONY Given the current state of the world, dystopian sci-fi can scratch a cathartic itch — at least aliens haven't landed and taken over the planet, right? That's the premise behind Colony, which follows a Los Angeles family of five as they try to navigate the new world order under extraterrestrial rule. The otherworldly visitors are happy to let a few chosen humans keep the rest in their place with force, which headstrong cop Will Bowman (Lost's Josh Holloway) and his wife Katie (The Walking Dead's Sarah Wayne Callies) are willing to risk their lives to fight against. As well as giving Holloway another chance to unleash his no-nonsense charms, the series is suspenseful, engaging and relevant. Two seasons are available on Netflix, and keep an eye out for the third. Where to watch: Netflix. YOUNG AND PROMISING It's been two years since Girls wrapped up and, if you're still feeling the show's absence, it's time to head to Norway. With four seasons available to stream on SBS On Demand, Young and Promising is the Scandinavian equivalent. It's not a remake, but given that it follows struggling millennials Nenne (Gine Cornelia Pedersen), Elise (Siri Seljeseth, who is also the show's writer) and Alex (Alexandra Gjerpen) as they chase their dreams, it tackles similar themes and dramas — especially since they're all trying to work in creative arenas. Norwegian TV isn't just about Nordic noir, after all, as the series' highly relatable central trio try to balance love, work and life in general. Where to watch: SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfe5xQ1M7Jw JEOPARDY! 2019 has been huge for Jeopardy!, the highly addictive American game show that gives contestants the answers and asks them to respond with the questions. The program hit its 35th year, and also welcomed a professional Las Vegas gambler as a contestant — who bet big, won big and made series history. But there's never a bad time to watch Jeopardy! — or is there a bad episode for that matter. Netflix keeps cycling through the show's past, so you can catch some retro 80s, 90s and 00s fashions while you're playing along at home and battling your mates. At the time of writing, the season premieres for the show's first 32 years are all available, as are the episodes from the time that host Alex Trebek asked two of Jeopardy!'s biggest-ever winners to test their skills against a supercomputer. Where to watch: Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSUxKtgMDw YOU CAN'T ASK THAT The idea behind ABC's You Can't Ask That is so simple, it's almost surprising that someone hasn't thought of it before. In each episode, a range of traditionally marginalised Australians answer questions — and yes, as the title makes plain, they're the kind of queries people are usually afraid to ask. Basically, it's a Reddit AMA on TV. With each episode focused around a specific subset of the population, the thought-provoking series gives its subjects a chance to challenge stereotypes, counter discrimination and tell their own tales. Across four seasons so far, everyone from Indigenous Aussies, the short-statured, ex-prisoners, the terminally ill and refugees to ice users, former cult members, folks over 100, priests and carnival workers have featured. As well as opening your eyes, the show is certain to get you and your friends talking. Where to watch: ABC iview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzsy-haNy1E PEEP SHOW If you haven't seen this classic British sitcom by now, then it's time to address that gap in your viewing. Peep Show first aired back in 2003, but its view of share house life never gets old — or any less relevant. Comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb play south London friends Mark and Jeremy. One is awkward and uptight, the other free-spirited and irresponsible, and they both make terrible decisions about their lives. With nine seasons each spanning six episodes each, the pair's antics cover bad jobs, different girlfriends, huge fights, chaotic weddings, crazy parties, children — and just generally trying and failing to be adults. Oh, and before she won an Oscar for The Favourite, Olivia Colman also co-starred. Where to watch: Netflix. Make home internet usage hassle-free by signing up to MATE. For more information on packages, visit the website. Top Image: Detroiters.
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter" isn't just a line The Little Mermaid fans have had stuck in their head for the last two decades. Come the beginning of 2019, it's also the first thing likely to pop into the minds of anyone heading to one particular Norwegian restaurant. Set to open in the coastal village of Båly in the country's south, Under will plunge hungry patrons into watery surroundings, offering more than just the usual scenic vistas. At this eatery, diners will be tucking into their dishes underwater. To be specific, they'll be feasting on seafood under the sea — if you're going to open a space underneath the ocean, you have to serve up the fish, which is just what head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard will be doing. Visitors will descend down three colour-coded levels to sip sparkling tipples in a champagne bar that boasts views of the shoreline, before enjoying meals in the completely submerged dining room. The latter sits five metres below the water's surface, and is surrounded by panoramic acrylic windows for quite the aquatic view. For those wondering about pressure and safety, metre-thick concrete walls will keep everyone nice and dry, in a structure designed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Describing the space as "a sunken periscope", the building will be constructed not only to wow those stepping foot inside, but to fit in with its surroundings. The grey exterior colour scheme will blend in with the rocky coastline, and coarse surfacing will encourage molluscs to cling on. Indeed, over time it's hoped that Under will become an artificial mussel reef. As well as offering a memorable place to eat, the project also aims to champion biodiversity, functioning as a research centre for marine life. This will include informational plaques educating visitors about the area, helping to expand not only the list of places you've tucked into a meal, but your knowledge. Start planning your 2019 Scandinavian trip now. Images: Snohetta.
Of all the new TV shows that are heading to streaming in 2023, only one has a groove and a meaning. Well, only one is based on a movie with a theme song that claims that, at least. And yes, you now have that tune stuck in your head — because 'Grease', the track, is that much of a catchy and persistent earworm. The entire Grease soundtrack is, and perhaps the tunes that come with Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies will be as well. This new prequel series steps back into the 70s-made, 50s-set musical rom-com's world, giving its titular girl gang an origin story. Based on both the initial teaser and the just-dropped full trailer, Rise of the Pink Ladies is hopelessly devoted to taking that task seriously. Here, in a ten-episode series set to stream via Paramount+ in Australia from Friday, April 7 — with New Zealand airing details yet to be revealed — it's the 1954–55 school year. It's also when the eponymous young women are given words of warning about appropriate behaviour. "Ladies, you must be careful with whom you associate," Assistant Principal McGee (Jackie Hoffman, Only Murders in the Building) tells them in the first trailer. "A girl's reputation is all that she has." Welcome back to Rydell High, clearly, but before Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) walked its halls. If the OG Grease and its tale about an Australian transfer student falling in love with an American high schooler in California is the one that you want — always — then you'll know that this franchise hasn't ever just been about the hit 1978 movie anyway. Before it became a silver-screen classic, it was a popular stage musical. After the first film's success, it spawned a 1982 Michelle Pfeiffer-starring sequel, too. Pink jackets, T-Birds, dance scenes (including while wearing mechanics' overalls), a new take on a familiar track advising that Grease is indeed the word: they're all included in show's two sneak peeks so far. Cast-wise, Marisa Davila (Love and Baseball), first-timer Cheyenne Isabel Wells, Ari Notartomaso (Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin) and Tricia Fukuhara (Loot) play the four teens who start the Pink Ladies, and are joined on-screen by Shanel Bailey (The Good Fight), Madison Thompson (Emergency), Johnathan Nieves (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels), Jason Schmidt (FBI: Most Wanted) and Maxwell Whittington-Cooper (The Photograph). This isn't the last time that all things Grease will pop up again, either — not including the stage musical and OG movie's enduring popularity, of course — with a Danny and Sandy-focused prequel flick Summer Lovin' also in the works. Check out the full trailer for Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies below: Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies starts streaming via Paramount+ in Australia on Friday, April 7. New Zealand release details haven't yet been revealed — we'll update you when further information comes to hand.
This summer, the National Gallery of Australia comes to life with a major exhibition on two greats of the modern art movement. Matisse & Picasso presents an Australian-first gathering of the iconic works of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, with the pair's intense friendship and rivalry considered a defining factor behind contemporary art's development during the 20th century. The pair first met in 1906 when Picasso was essentially unknown to the art world, but Matisse was already considered one of the avant-garde's most prominent artists. Staying close throughout their lifetimes, they looked to each other's work, responding and challenging their peer to stay on the cutting-edge. As Picasso explained to one of his biographers Pierre Daix, "No one has ever looked at Matisse's painting more carefully than I; and no one has looked at mine more carefully than he." Running until April 13, 2020, Matisse & Picasso showcases more than 200 paintings, sculptures, prints and costumes. Across many of their most famous works, Matisse & Picasso makes the artists' intrinsic connection clear. The exhibition has been designed so instead of walking from start to finish, you'll be wandering back and forth between the artworks as the similarities emerge. To give you a head start before your visit to the NGA, we've picked out six artworks that you can't miss at Matisse & Picasso. [caption id="attachment_756083" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Woman by the Sea', Pablo Picasso (1922). Bequest of Putnam Dana McMillan, Minneapolis Institute of Art. Copyright Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency.[/caption] PABLO PICASSO: WOMAN BY THE SEA (1922) Following the First World War, both Picasso and Matisse demonstrated a deep fascination with classical Greek art and stories. A distinct departure from the Cubist aesthetic that he's best known for, 'Woman by the Sea' is one of many paintings with dreamy human figures set against plain landscapes that Picasso would go on to produce. Taking inspiration from the ancient statue known as Venus de Milo and a sculpture of the Greek goddess Hera that he saw in Naples, for this work, Picasso translates the relaxed posture and flowing dress of the marble structure into a two-dimensional format. [caption id="attachment_756086" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Woman by a Window', Henry Matisse (1920–22). Gift of Ferdinand Howald, Columbus Museum of Arts, Columbus. Copyright Succession H Matisse/Copyright Agnecy.[/caption] HENRI MATISSE: WOMAN BY A WINDOW (c. 1920-22) As you look over the art of Matisse, one of the most common motifs that repeatedly appears is his use of open windows. Following the end of the war, a despondent Matisse retreated to southern France where he found inspiration within the soft colour palette and charming interiors of the region. Turning his hotel rooms into art studios, these intimate quarters provided him with a new creative drive that became emblematic of his art. "[Matisse] was inspired by the southern light and painted a series of light-filled hotel rooms facing the sea," explains NGA's Curator of International Painting & Sculpture Simeran Maxwell. "When Picasso paid homage to Matisse after his death, he used this distinctive device in his own paintings." [caption id="attachment_756092" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Reading', Pablo Picasso (1932). Musée Picasso, Paris. Copyright Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency. Photo: RMN Grand Palais[/caption] PABLO PICASSO: READING (1932) Throughout Matisse and Picasso's lengthy careers, the various women in their lives often became the subjects of their artworks. Reading features one of Picasso's most adored muses, Marie-Thérèse Walter, whose face and figure was interpreted in a variety of ways through dozens of paintings and sculptures. Reading also demonstrates a significant change in artistic direction for the Spanish artist, showcasing his newfound interest in bold colours and patterning — a style that Matisse had been using to great effect within his artwork. [caption id="attachment_756096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Seated odalisque', Henry Marisse (1926). Gift of Adele R Levy Fund Inc 1962, The Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York. Copyright Succession H Matisse/Copyright Agency.[/caption] HENRI MATISSE: SEATED ODALISQUE (1926) Following trips to Morocco in 1912 and 1913, Matisse became fascinated by the bright clothing, distinct architecture and the daily life of the locals, which was so foreign to him having only experienced life in France. One way that the North African experience influenced his artwork was the inclusion of models dressed as odalisques — members of harems — alongside vibrant textiles that he had collected during his visit. For this work, Matisse "uses an appliquéd wall hanging as a backdrop for model Henriette Darricarrère dressed in Moroccan pantaloons and a sheer blouse," explains Maxmwell. [caption id="attachment_756102" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The studio', Pablo Picasso (1955). Presented by Gustav and Elly Kahnweiler 1974. Accessioned 1994, Tate. Copyright Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency.[/caption] PABLO PICASSO: THE STUDIO (1955) Over two weeks in 1955, Picasso painted 11 canvases of the studio in his Cannes villa known as La Californie. While the idea of the artist within the studio was something that Picasso explored many times during his career, this series stands out as the structure of the building is the central focus of the work. With the studio one of the subjects that often appeared in Matisse's work, it's been suggested that Picasso created this series in direct response to his contemporary's death the previous year. As Maxwell describes it, "One of Matisse's longstanding subjects was an interior scene with a view through a window. Here Picasso adopts this idea, as homage to his late rival." [caption id="attachment_756101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Annelies', Henri Matisse. Purchased 1981, National Gallery of Australia. Copyright Succession H Matisse/Copyright Agency.[/caption] HENRI MATISSE: ANNELIES (1946) Matisse was best known for his colourful paintings and sculptures. But he often expressed the belief that drawing was the most intimate way to translate a subject onto the page. In 1946, he met Dutch model and artist Annelies Nelck, who would spend six years living with Matisse and posing for his artwork. "He would repeatedly draw the model from all possible angles with a deliberate, confident and clean series of lines," explains Maxwell. "When viewed in order, it would appear as if Matisse had been circling his model as he worked." Matisse described this process of repetitive and intensive creative process as "a cinema film of a series of visions". Matisse & Picasso is on display at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra until April 13, 2020. Tickets and exhibition information are available on the NGA website. Top images: Installation view of Matisse & Picasso, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency 2019, © Succession H. Matisse/Copyright Agency 2019.
Pirates of Australia: prepare to panic and startle the parrot perched on your rough, sea dog shoulder. The Pirate Bay, the worst enabler of petty criminality in Australia (probably), will be blocked in the next 15 days. According to ABC News, in a case before the Federal Court of Australia, Foxtel and Village Roadshow have asked for five major torrent sites, including The Pirate Bay, to be blocked by major internet service providers. Other sites include Torrentz, TorrentHound, IsoHunt and SolarMovie. It'll be up to the ISPs to decide how to do the blocking. In what is presumably favourable news for piraters, the ISPs haven't been granted a rolling injunction, which means new sites can't be added to the block list as they spring up. This means mirroring can (and most probably will) spring up, making the whole legal exercise a little redundant. One commenter on the ABC post offered their experience of similar legal orders in the UK. What the lack of rolling injunction means is that if a site like TorrentHound (which doesn't actually exist anymore), closes down and restarts under a different name, they will have to go back to court to shut it down. It's been noted (again and again, mind you) that VPNs are an easy and cheap way around the blocks, but Graham Burke — co-chief executive of Village Roadshow, who, as well as being one of the copyright-holding applicants, have also proposed a plan to fine illegal downloaders — told the ABC he doesn't think they are a significant issue. "The experience overseas is not many people use VPNs because they cost money as well," he told ABC News. Sure thing. While the outcome of this court case doesn't worry most people — and there's nothing in the act that mentions any fines or penalties for people who try to access the blocked sites — the precedent has been set, so it'll be easier in future to litigate. In a live Facebook video chat, ABC journalists Will Ockenden and Jake Sturmer note that piracy rates have dropped since sites like Presto, Netflix and Stan have become widely available in Australia, so it's possible a solution is out there. What did they expect, though? Australia was colonised by a steady stream of low-key crims from the start. If they could have downloaded bread in the 1700s, you know the convicts would have been racing home every Monday to download the latest tastiest loaf from HBO. Via ABC News.
Over the past few years, as the music world has lost many an icon, we've all developed a routine. When terrible news arrives, Spotify and YouTube get quite the workout as well all immerse ourselves in tunes and videos. Sound familiar? For Brisbanites looking to extend their cathartic listening and viewing to a public place, that's where Kristian Fletcher's tribute nights come in. With the passing of Dolores O'Riordan, he's heading to the New Globe Theatre and cranking out The Cranberries' tracks on their big screen. Yes, you do have to let it linger as the Irish band's songs well and truly get in your head from 6.30pm on January 25. Entry is free, the bar will be open, and the lineup includes back-to-back music videos followed by a recording of The Cranberries in concert.
When you're going through the motions of your morning skincare routine — likely a little bleary-eyed as you've only just woken up and haven't had a coffee yet — it can be easy to forget how much work, passion and science have gone into that substance you're smearing all over your money-maker. Clarins is setting out to change that. The plant-based French beauty brand has designed an interactive virtual laboratory, which will be popping up on a screen near you from 5pm on Wednesday, May 4. The digital space offers visitors the chance to delve into the history of Clarins, learn all about the research that backs its products — including the pioneering Double Serum, which contains a whopping 21 plant extracts — and play games for the chance to win luxe skincare-centric prizes. Up for grabs is a year's worth of Clarins skincare (to keep you looking fresh and your skin glowy), a 75ml Double Serum for 30 winners as well as samples galore so you can quickly add a dose of plant-based science to your skin routine. With a prize pool worth over $110,000, it's the perfect chance to join the fun. Hurry along, the virtual laboratory's doors are only open for a limited time (that is, until the prizes run out or Tuesday, May 17). The Clarins virtual laboratory pop-up is free to visit and will be open from 5pm, Wednesday, May 4, until prizes run out or Tuesday, May 17. Happen to find yourself in Sydney? Head to the Clarins Herbarium on Pitt Street for an IRL beauty experience.
For Queenslanders, Bundaberg Rum is the nectar of the gods. To its most devoted admirers, it is known as 'sugarcane champagne', a colloquial fan term that Bundy has now officially co-signed in a new 'sparkling' beverage the distillery is releasing in partnership with Uber Eats. The creation is called Maison de Bundy's Blanc de Cane, a faux-pretentious riff on champagne house nomenclature, and is an alcoholic ginger beer made with white Queensland cane spirit and Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Not to be confused with the Dark 'n' Stormy, this drop doesn't actually contain rum per se — rather, white cane spirit is the base spirit used to make rum. The resulting beverage is super sweet, extremely easy to drink (4% ABV) and is best served cold on ice with a squeeze of lime. The good news for rum fans and Bundy collectors: They're giving the stuff away for free. This Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 at Leonards and Dawn in Brisbane, The Civic Hotel in Sydney and The Sporting Globe in Melbourne (the Richmond location), you can turn up, show bar staff the Uber Eats app on your phone along with proof of ID and you'll get a free 640ml bottle. The bad news? Maison de Bundy's Blanc de Cane comes in an extremely limited run of one thousand bottles so you'll want to set your alarm. It will be available in the aforementioned venues from 5pm on Friday until they're all gone. There are people out there who will line up for these like BTS fans lining up for concert tickets. One thousand Maison de Bundy's Blanc de Cane will be available across selected Australian venues. Just show your Uber Eats app and proof of ID to claim a 640ml bottle this Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jWZ6P1rWy4 FIRST COW Gone are the days when every image that flickered across the screen did so within an almost square-shaped frame. That time has long passed, in fact, with widescreen formats replacing the 1.375:1 Academy aspect ratio that once was standard in cinemas, and its 4:3 television counterpart. So, when a director today fits their visuals into a much tighter space than the now-expansive norm, it's an intentional choice. They're not just nodding to the past, even if their film takes place in times gone by. With First Cow, for instance, Kelly Reichardt unfurls a story set in 19th-century America, but she's also honing her audience's focus. The Meek's Cutoff, Night Moves and Certain Women filmmaker wants those guiding their eyeballs towards this exquisite movie to truly survey everything that it peers at. She wants them to see its central characters — chef Otis 'Cookie' Figowitz (John Magaro, Overlord) and Chinese entrepreneur King-Lu (Orion Lee, Zack Snyder's Justice League) — and to realise that neither are ever afforded such attention by the others in their fictional midst. Thoughtfully exploring the existence of figures on the margins has long been Reichardt's remit, as River of Grass, Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy have shown as well, but she forces First Cow's viewers to be more than just passive observers in this process. There's much to take in throughout this magnificently told tale, which heads to Oregon as most of Reichardt's movies have. In its own quiet, closely observed, deeply affectionate and warm-hearted fashion, First Cow is a heist movie, although the filmmaker's gentle and insightful spin on the usually slick and twist-filled genre bucks every convention there is. Initially, after watching an industrial barge power down a river, First Cow follows a woman (Alia Shawkat, Search Party) and her dog as they discover a couple of skeletons nearby. Then, jumping back two centuries and seeing another boat on the same waterway, it meets Cookie as he's searching for food. Whatever he finds, or doesn't, the fur-trapper team he works with never has a kind word to spare. But then Cookie stumbles across King-Lu one night, helps him evade the Russians on his tail, and the seeds of friendship are sown. When the duo next crosses paths, they spend an alcohol-addled night sharing their respective ideas for the future. Those ambitious visions get a helping hand after the Chief Factor (Toby Jones, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom) ships in the region's highly coveted first cow, with Cookie and King-Lu secretly milking the animal in the dark of night, then using the stolen liquid to make highly sought-after — and highly profitable — oily cakes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcOP5kQrABk WRATH OF MAN With revenge thriller Wrath of Man, filmmaker Guy Ritchie (The Gentlemen) and actor Jason Statham (The Meg) reunite. The pair both came to fame with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, repeated the feat with Snatch, then unsuccessfully tried again with Revolver, but they've spend the past 16 years heading in their own directions. During that stretch, the former subjected the world to his terrible Sherlock Holmes films, fared better with left-field additions to his resume like The Man From UNCLE and Aladdin, but didn't quite know what to do with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. The latter has become an action go-to over the same time — with both forgettable and memorable flicks resulting, including three Fast and Furious movies and a stint scowling at Dwayne Johnson in the franchise's odd-couple spinoff Hobbs & Shaw. Thankfully, now that they're collaborating again, they're not just interested in rehashing their shared past glories. From Wrath of Man's first moments, with its tense, droning score, its high-strung mood and its filming of an armoured van robbery from inside the vehicle, a relentlessly grim tone is established. When Statham shows up shortly afterwards, he's firmly in stoic mode, too. He does spout a few quippy lines, and Ritchie once again unfurls his narrative by jumping between different people, events and time periods, but Lock, Stock Again or Snatch Harder this isn't. Instead, Wrath of Man is a remake of 2004 French film Le Convoyeur. While walking in someone else's shoes turned out horrendously for Ritchie with the Madonna-starring Swept Away, that isn't the case with this efficient, effective and engaging crime-fuelled effort, which finds its niche — and it's a new one for its central duo, at least together. Statham plays Patrick Hill, the newest employee at the Los Angeles-based cash truck company Fortico Securities. On his first day, his colleague Bullet (Holt McCallany, Mindhunter) dubs him H — "like the bomb, or Jesus H," he says — and the nickname quickly sticks. H joins the outfit a few months after the aforementioned holdup, with the memory of the two coworkers and civilian killed in the incident still fresh in everyone's minds. So, when gunmen interrupt his first post-training run with Bullet and Boy Sweat Dave (Josh Hartnett, Penny Dreadful), they're unsurprisingly jumpy; however, H deals with the situation with lethal efficiency. Cue glowing praise from Fortico's owner (Rob Delaney, Tom & Jerry), concern from his by-the-book manager (Eddie Marsan, Vice) and intrigue about his past from the rest of the team (such as Angel Has Fallen's Rocci Williams and Calm with Horses' Niamh Algar). Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MGhAbSsKtQ LAND Pitting humanity against nature is one of cinema's favourite setups; however, when movies dwarf a lone soul in their expansive surroundings, then watch them try to survive, the medium endeavours to explore exactly what makes us tick. The mere sight of a single figure attempting to endure against the elements can send a potent message, reminding viewers of how small we each are compared to the planet we live on, how fleeting our existence ultimately proves in its lengthy history and how witnessing one day following the next is never a given for anyone in any situation. Like everything from Into the Wild and The Grey to All Is Lost and Arctic before it, Land conjures up these ideas and themes within its hauntingly beautiful frames. It also boasts the space and patience to ponder the impressions our traumas and tragedies leave, too. None of these notions are new or unique, and Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam's (Submergence) screenplay doesn't ever pretend otherwise or treat them as such. Rather, this thoughtful drama knows that it's traversing well-worn and universal territory, and that films past and future will continue to walk similar paths — but director and star Robin Wright (Wonder Woman 1984) is also well aware that continually interrogating and reevaluating why we're here, where we fit into this world, what we choose to do with our lives, and how we change and evolve along the way is what makes us human. In her filmmaking debut after helming ten episodes of House of Cards over the years, Wright plays Edee, a woman who can only see one way to cope with the type of pain, loss and heartbreak that has forever upended life as she once knew it. With a trailer filled with tinned and dry food, she escapes to the Wyoming wilderness, where nothing but a rustic cabin, clear lakes, trees and mountains as far as the eye can see, and the occasional animal awaits. But when a bear destroys her food supplies and the region's frosty winters prove punishing beyond her expectations, Edee struggles to find the peace she seeks. Enter the kindly Miguel (Demián Bichir, Godzilla vs Kong), a kindred spirit with his own troubles to work through, and with his own draw to the land as well. When done badly, movies about finding solace and strength in the great outdoors threaten to turn the "nature is healing" trope into a movie, but Land isn't that feature. It doesn't unravel a romance against cinematographer Bobby Bukowski's (Irresistible) scenic imagery, either. Instead, it watches as Edee works through the minutiae of her chosen new existence, faces challenges, rediscovers the value of having even just one person to reach out to and slowly comes to terms with who she is after all she's been through. Wright's internalised performance is phenomenal, and although its final act moves too quickly, this is always a compassionate, poignant and affecting film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrpibk1CgUw CLIFF WALKERS 2016's Matt Damon-starring The Great Wall might've threatened to prove otherwise, but when Zhang Yimou makes a movie, it usually demands attention. The Chinese filmmaker's 1988 debut Red Sorghum won Berlinale's Golden Bear, 1991's Raise the Red Lantern remains stunning on multiple levels, and 2002's Hero, 2004's House of Flying Daggers and 2018's Shadow remain dazzling examples of the wuxia genre at its finest. With new release Cliff Walkers, the acclaimed director toys with an espionage narrative. Jumping into the spy realm is new for him, but when the film starts with sweeping shots of snowy Manchukuo — a Japanese-controlled state in China's northeast in the 30s and 40s, and the site of a death camp that's pivotal to the story — it's clear that he's behind the lens. Indeed, these frosty moments are so visually striking that, when the white landscape gives way to terse, tense altercations on trains and then within the city of Harbin, feeling disappointed is an instant side effect. Zhang has a meticulous eye for streets and interiors, too, however. And, for secret exchanges and fraught chases also. Benefiting from the filmmaker's regular director of photography Zhao Xiaoding as well, there isn't a single shot in Cliff Walkers that doesn't demand attention. Even the sight of fallen snow collecting in the brims of the hats worn by the feature's characters boasts its own beauty. Within its eye-catching frames and amidst its entrancing era-appropriate production design, Cliff Walkers tracks four Chinese operatives who've been tasked with rescuing a survivor of a massacre at the Manchukuo camp from the Japanese authorities — a job that's filled with peril from the outset. After parachuting into the snow in the feature's vivid and alluring opening, Zhang (Zhang Yi, The Eight Hundred) and Lan (Liu Haocun, A Little Red Flower) tackle one part of the mission, while their romantic partners Yu (Qin Hailu, The Best Is Yet to Come) and Chuliang (Zhu Yawen, The Captain) are paired up and saddled with the other. It's the 30s, and double-crossing, double agents and danger all follow, as does betrayal, heartbreak, tests of loyalty and hard choices. The film that unfurls doesn't overflow with surprises, plot-wise, but Zhang and first-time feature screenwriter Quan Yongxian focus on the details, making every coded interaction and suspenseful altercation as gripping as the movie's multi-layered cat-and-mouse games. After his previous picture, One Second, was pulled from the 2019 Berlinale at the last moment — officially due to "technical difficulties" — Cliff Walkers' patriotic leanings don't come as a shock; however, it doesn't dampen the film's visual splendour or involving narrative, either. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24umxshK1f8 TWIST Forget watches, calendars and social media reminders that tell you what you were doing on this day years ago whether you like it or not — when it comes to conveying the passing of time, the entertainment industry has a surefire tactic. There's nothing quite like seeing the now-grown child of a famous face start appearing on-screen to make you realise how quickly the seconds, minutes, hours and more melt away. Twist is the latest film to have that effect, thanks to the first-time lead actor that plays the titular Charles Dickens-penned character. Rafferty Law looks exactly like his father, sounds like him and has the same stare that's worked so well for the latter for years, including in The Third Day and The Nest of late. He also appears here opposite Michael Caine, who Jude Law co-starred with in 2007's Sleuth; however, this isn't quite the start to his big-screen career that the younger Law would've hoped for. A modern version of Oliver Twist that reframes the famed orphan as a freerunner and graffiti artist who leaps between London's rooftops and tags the tallest of buildings, it's the update that no one could've asked for — including the teenage audience it's targeting. And, at a time when even Guy Ritchie is moving on from his usual bag of tricks with Wrath of Man, it enthusiastically follows in his decades-old footsteps. Presumably director Martin Owen (Killers Anonymous), screenwriters John Wrathall (The Liability) and Sally Collett (The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud), and the seven other folks given either idea or additional material credits just couldn't handle living in a world where Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Dickens hadn't crossed paths. There are no gruelling orphanage scenes in Twist, but there is a criminal mastermind called Fagin (Caine, Tenet), a gang of light-fingered pickpockets led by Dodge (Rita Ora, Fifty Shades Freed) and an abusive villain named Sikes (Lena Headey, Game of Thrones). When the eponymous teenager falls into their company, he's rightly apprehensive; however, he just wants to belong, even if that means becoming part of an art heist. If it wasn't for fellow building-leaping crew member Nancy (Sophie Simnett, Daybreak), Twist mightn't fall in as thickly with the thieves as he does. But Owen and his fellow creatives never let a cliche pass by. Similarly, as their hero and his new pals plot to pilfer paintings from gallery owner Losberne (David Walliams, Murder Mystery), the film doesn't miss an opportunity to spout hackneyed dialogue, fill its soundtrack with oh-so-literal choices and throw in more parkour whenever it seems that a few minutes might tick along without it. Caine should've left his Dickensian escapades to The Muppets Christmas Carol, while everyone else should've expended more than a couple of seconds thinking about this flimsy wannabe caper. And, while Rafferty Law's presence might remind the audience that time passes so quickly that multiple generations of families keep popping up on our screens (see also: Scott Eastwood in Wrath of Man, Lily-Rose Depp in Voyagers and John David Washington in Tenet, just to name a few), Twist makes its 88-minute running time feel like an eternity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN9RO5SnnCs THE DEVIL HAS A NAME In one of the many courtroom scenes in The Devil Has a Name's second half, Californian almond farmer Fred Stern (David Strathairn, Nomadland) takes the stand in the $2 billion lawsuit that he has brought against Shore Oil. He's demanding compensation for the poisoning of the land beneath his property for the past ten years, and the questioning and corresponding testimony turns to matters of intention and knowledge — with Stern pointing out that the energy behemoth mightn't have deliberately contaminated his farm initially, but it also didn't change its ways once it discovered the environmental effects of its actions. Instead, regional director Gigi Cutler (Kate Bosworth, Force of Nature) sent a flunky (Haley Joel Osment, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) to try to buy Stern off. The latter's foreman Santiago (Edward James Olmos, Mayans MC) immediately questioned the motives behind the deal, but it took the sight of toxic water streaming out of his shower to inspire Stern to fight. As told in flashbacks by a whisky-swilling Cutler to Shore Oil's slimy CEO (Alfred Molina, Promising Young Woman), the resulting battle sees lawyers both crusading (Martin Sheen, Judas and the Black Messiah) and corporate (Katie Aselton, The Unholy) become involved, a villainous fellow company employee (Pablo Schreiber, First Man) endeavour to derail Cutler, Stern's property threatened and Santiago's undocumented status given a public airing. Olmos also directs The Devil Has a Name, working with a script by first-timer Robert McEveety. Just like the company at its centre, their film has an intention-versus-reality problem. Taking its cues from the very real water contamination wars in Central Valley, passion, anger and a worthy point pump through the feature. But The Devil Has a Name isn't merely the latest in a long line of sincere dramas about corporate exploitation of natural resources and the very real consequences for everyday folks, as seen with Dark Waters, Promised Land and Erin Brockovich. Thanks to its overboiled tone, Bosworth and Molina's scenery-chewing, Schreiber and Osment's utter cartoonishness, and its eager bluntness, it strives for the comic causticity that Thank You for Smoking applied to the tobacco industry and I Care a Lot to legal guardianship. Finding a sense of balance between earnest and darkly comedic isn't Olmos' strength, though, and nor is pairing social activism with exaggerated melodrama. It doesn't help that Reynaldo Villalobos' (Windows on the World) cinematography always appears to be moving, with little reason, or that Bosworth is only ever asked to be in femme fatale or hysterical mode. When any combination of Strathairn, Olmos and Sheen share the screen, however, it's easy to see how The Devil Has a Name would've worked without its soapy, over-the-top quirks — but that's not the movie that Olmos has made, sadly. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15 and April 22. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident and The United States vs Billie Holiday.
UPDATE, September 30, 2021: Free Guy is still screening in Brisbane cinemas, and it's also available to stream via Disney+. If Free Guy was a piece of home decor, it'd be a throw pillow with a cliched self-empowerment slogan printed on the front. You know the type. It might catch your eye the first time you spotted it, but it'd look almost identical to plenty of other cushions you can buy at absolutely any department store. It'd make you think of other, nicer pillows, too, but its phrasing and design wouldn't be as resonant or appealing. And, while its attractive font would tell you to believe in yourself, stand out and make each moment count, it'd still simply spout the usual well-worn sentiments that keep being served up as store-bought tonics for weary souls. Yes, Free Guy is a big-budget, star-led movie that primarily exists to answer two not-at-all pressing questions: what would The Truman Show look like if it starred Ryan Reynolds, and how would that 1998 classic would fare if it was about massive online video games instead of TV? But it's firmly Hollywood's equivalent of mass-produced soft furnishings emblazoned with self-help platitudes and designed to sit on as many couches as possible. Clearly cast for his generically affable on-screen persona — you almost always know what you're going to get when he's leading a film, as the Deadpool and Hitman's Bodyguard franchises keep attempting to capitalise upon — Reynolds plays Free City bank teller Guy. His daily routine involves greeting the same goldfish upon waking, putting on the same blue shirt, picking up the same coffee en route to work, and having the same chat with his best friend Buddy (Lil Rel Howery, Judas and the Black Messiah) when their place of employment is held up multiple times each and every day. Guy is completely comfortable with his ordinary lot in life. He knows that things aren't like this for 'sunglasses people', the folks who tend to wreak havoc on his hometown, but he doesn't challenge the status quo until he decides that the shades-wearing Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer, Killing Eve) is the woman of his dreams. To have a chance with her, he's certain he needs sunglasses himself — and when he snatches a pair off the latest robber sticking up his bank, it's Guy's first step to realising that he's actually a non-playable character in a video game. Sporting an upbeat mood best captured by its frequent use of Mariah Carey's 'Fantasy', Free Guy enjoys its time in Free City — which is also the game's title. There's a story behind its NPC protagonist's story, however, with the movie splitting its focus between its Grand Theft Auto-esque virtual world and reality. In the latter, coder Millie uses the Molotov Girl avatar, which she needs to search for evidence for a lawsuit. Years earlier, alongside her pal Keys (Joe Keery, Stranger Things), she created an indie open-world game that was purchased by tech-bro hotshot Antwan (Taika Waititi, The Suicide Squad), then sidelined — and, while Keys now works for Antwan, Millie is certain that Free City rips off their game. Proving that will require Guy's help, especially as he starts breaking his programming, making his own decisions and becoming sentient. Something that Guy doesn't glean once he begins thinking for himself: that he's the protagonist in a derivative big-screen action-comedy. Free Guy also borrows from The Matrix, The Lego Movie, Groundhog Day, They Live!, Wreck-It Ralph and Black Mirror. Pilfering from terrible fare as well, it even cribs from the abysmal Ready Player One. And, in reminding viewers that Disney is behind this flick via its purchase of 20th Century Fox, and that the Mouse House also serves up all things Marvel and Star Wars — as if anyone had forgotten — it sits in the same space as the horrendous Space Jam: A New Legacy. There isn't a second of Free Guy that feels original or authentic, in fact, even as it keeps stressing the importance of taking your own route through life. Director Shawn Levy (the Night at the Museum franchise) and screenwriters Matt Lieberman (The Addams Family) and Zak Penn (a Ready Player One alum) are happy with their throw cushion-level message. They're just as content not to practice what they preach. Their villain even blatantly embodies the cash-hungry corporate mindset that thinks leveraging the same ideas is better than developing new ones — there's a whole monologue about it — and it'd be much too generous to think that's a tongue-in-cheek inclusion. There's a bit of winking and nodding in Reynolds' casting, though, and welcomely so. Again, viewers typically know what to expect when he's the star of the show — and as well as aggressively synthesising a heap of better movies into one script, Free Guy endeavours to forcefully coast by on its leading man's likeable presence. If it wasn't entertaining-enough to see him play this kind of part, Hollywood would've stopped doing it. That said, now three decades into his acting career, audiences can also spot the formula behind most of his roles. Free Guy wants you to do exactly that, and to know that Reynolds is putting his usual charm to work as a guy that's meant to be the epitome of usual, which is by far the smartest thing about the film. The man in the spotlight doesn't let anyone down in the process, but that's different to carrying a feature that's anything more than average. Indeed, other than Comer's naturalistic performance, nothing that's around Reynolds busts free of its usual bounds either, and that can't be by design. You can't print by-the-numbers romantic subplots and slick-but-standard action scenes on home furnishings, of course — and you definitely shouldn't do the same with buzzword-heavy dialogue — but that's always Free Guy's chosen level.
Bill Murray. Zombies. As movie-goers learned ten years ago, it's a winning combination. But Zombieland is no longer the only way to see the beloved film star enter the realm of the shuffling undead. Thanks to upcoming comedy The Dead Don't Die, Murray dwells in a world of re-animated corpses once more — and it's now his job to fight them. The latest flick from filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, this zom-com spends time with a trio of small-town cops (Murray, Adam Driver and Chloë Sevigny), who discover that their new case has quite the twist. As the movie's first trailer tells us, "in this peaceful town, on these quiet streets, something terrifying, something horrifying is coming". Yes, that something is zombies, the undead or ghouls, as Driver's character explains. Cue plenty of comic battles against brain-munching foes, as well as plenty of appearances by famous folks — including Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Sara Driver, Selena Gomez and Carol Kane, plus Iggy Pop, RZA and Tom Waits. Murray (Coffee and Cigarettes, Broken Flowers), Driver (Paterson), Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive) and Buscemi (Mystery Train) have all worked with Jarmusch before, as has the movie's trio of musicians, but don't go expecting something familiar here. As all of the above flicks have shown, and Night on Earth, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and documentary Gimme Danger too, the writer/director has never been fond of making the same film twice. The Dead Don't Die will hit Aussie cinemas on October 24. But if you're in Sydney, you can catch it at this year's Sydney Film Festival, where it will screen over three sessions on June 14, 15 and 16. There are still tickets available to them, so we recommend booking them in now. In the interim, prepare for a wacky yet deadpan addition to the zombie fold, complete with Murray hanging out in a cemetery and Swinton playing a sword-wielding mortician. Check out the deadly trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs5ZOcU6Bnw The Dead Don't Die will hit Australian cinemas on October 24, 2019. It will also screen at Sydney Film Festival on June 14, 15 and 16. You can get those tickets here. Updated: May 20, 2019.
UPDATE, Friday, January 12, 2024: Killers of the Flower Moon streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, January 12, and via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon quickly. Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon often. While Martin Scorsese will later briefly fill the film's frames with a fiery orange vision — with what almost appears to be a lake of flames deep in oil country, as dotted with silhouettes of men — death blazes through his 26th feature from the moment that the picture starts rolling. Adapted from journalist David Grann's 2017 non-fiction novel Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, with the filmmaker himself and Dune's Eric Roth penning the screenplay, this is a masterpiece of a movie about a heartbreakingly horrible spate of deaths sparked by pure and unapologetic greed and persecution a century back. Scorsese's two favourite actors in Leonardo DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Robert De Niro (Amsterdam) are its stars, alongside hopefully his next go-to in Lily Gladstone (Reservation Dogs), but murder and genocide are as much at its centre — all in a tale that's devastatingly true. As Mollie Kyle, a member of the Osage Nation in Grey Horse, Oklahoma, incomparable Certain Women standout Gladstone talks through some of the movie's homicides early. Before her character meets DiCaprio's World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart — nephew to De Niro's cattle rancher and self-proclaimed 'king of the Osage' William King Hale — she notes that several Indigenous Americans that have been killed, with Mollie mentioning a mere few to meet untimely ends. There's nothing easy about this list, nor is there meant to be. Some are found dead, others seen laid out for their eternal rest, and each one delivers a difficult image. But a gun fired at a young mother pushing a pram inspires a shock befitting a horror film. The genre fits here, in its way, as do many others: American crime saga, aka the realm that Scorsese has virtually made his own, as well as romance, relationship drama, western, true crime and crime procedural. Although this chapter of history has hardly been splashed across the screen with frequency, its new place among the iconic director's filmography helps him to continue making a statement that he's been beaming at audiences for most of his filmmaking life. The specifics differ from flick to flick, but Scorsese keeps surveying the appallingly corrupt and violent deeds done in the pursuit of power, wealth and influence. He constantly peers into humanity's souls, seeing some of its worst impulses staring back. Indeed, there's no doubting that Killers of the Flower Moon hails from the same person as Goodfellas, Casino and Gangs of New York, or The Wolf of Wall Street and The Irishman, too. It also easily belongs on a filmography with entries as varied as Raging Bull, The Age of Innocence, Kundun, The Departed and Shutter Island. Between them, DiCaprio and De Niro have starred in most of those movies. Now, they combine for the first time in a Scorsese feature to basically rekindle their This Boy's Life dynamic from three decades back, all while plumbing the depths of money-coveting men chasing land rights, aka Osage headrights, through a cruel, brutal and disarmingly patient plan. "The finest, the wealthiest and the most beautiful people on god's earth" is how Hale describes the Osage Nation to Ernest when the latter is freshly back on US soil, off the train in Fairfax and getting reacquainted with his uncle. Those riches stem from being pushed out of Kansas, resettled, then striking black gold in a stroke of good fortune that brings more misfortune. Hale wants a piece and more, and gets seemingly every other white man in Oklahoma joining his pursuit. In an extraordinary performance, De Niro gives Hale quietly formidable potency — the kind that doesn't need raised voices or a weapon to command a room, evoke unease and enforce his might. Scorsese lets the outwardly supportive, not-so-privately manipulative town anchor become the open villain almost instantly. Killers of the Flower Moon isn't a whodunnit, but rather a living-with-knowing-who's-doing-it film. It tells its atrocity-filled tale about evil in plain sight carefully, exactingly and unhurriedly — earning each and every one of its 206 minutes — with narrative inevitably breeding suspense and emotional tension. Sporting an injured gut from combat, Ernest turns to chauffeuring to make a living under Hale's wing. When he begins driving the graceful and stately Mollie, his uncle has already laid out his scheme to get Osage property and wealth gushing their family's way. Still, everything about Ernest and Mollie's romance is genuine. DiCaprio and Gladstone are exquisite, including when their characters are flirting over cab rides and storm-backdropped sips of whiskey, resting their foreheads together in a gesture that gets them saying everything without saying anything, and stealing other silently happy moments. But the bodies keep mounting, with many of Mollie's nearest and dearest — such as her sisters Minnie (Jillian Dion, Alaska Daily), Anna (Cara Jade Myers, Rutherford Falls) and Reta (Janae Collins, Reservation Dogs), plus their mother Lizzie Q (Tantoo Cardinal, Three Pines) — in Hale's way. While the gangster-film label mightn't fit Killers of the Flower Moon as neatly as Mean Streets and company, this is still a gangster film. Scorsese is in his element, not that he's ever been out of it on any feature that isn't a gangster flick — but that's never the only place that he wants to be. As cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (Barbie) lenses both the eye-catching landscape and dark interiors, editor Thelma Schoonmaker (who has done his splicing since Raging Bull) gives the movie its meticulous pacing and the now-late Robbie Robertson (who starred in Scorsese music documentary The Last Waltz as part of The Band) imparts a slinkily propulsive beat amid a pitch-perfectly anxious score, this is also a movie of blistering anger and interrogation. As the saga of Ernest, Mollie, Hale and pervasive death always thrums at its core, so does a reckoning. Killers of the Flower Moon carves into the injustices of America's past, plus their impact upon the present, to stress the blood and bones that the US was built upon. It sees how much about today ties back to its tragedy of oppression and slaughter, how distressingly familiar this situation is around the world and, in a stunner of a coda, how such realities are regularly exploited rather than addressed. Bold and brilliant, epic yet intimate, ambitious and absorbing, as meaningful as it is monumental, a quintessential Martin Scorsese movie: every single one applies to Killers of the Flower Moon. It's also rich and riveting in each touch and instant, from building its lived-in portrait of the 1920s midwest to the magnificent cast that also spans Jesse Plemons (Love & Death) as a federal investigator — even if the Birth of the FBI part of the feature's source material is scaled down — and both John Lithgow (Sharper) and Brendan Fraser (The Whale) as lawyers. Three and a half hours almost doesn't seem long enough to spend revelling in this superbly complicated film, or to confront the many difficult truths explored. It definitely isn't long enough with its three outstanding key players, who each turn in shattering portrayals whether playing it slick, nervy or soulful. Killers of the Flower Moon is steeped in so much heartwrenching death, and unforgettably so, yet it could't have been better brought to on-screen life.
What's better than a film festival that brings the best and brightest new Japanese movies to Australian cinemas each year? One that also returns a few months later with a solely digital lineup that you can check out from your couch. Yes, after the IRL Japanese Film Festival last hit locations around the country in late 2021, it's now time for the Japanese Film Festival Online for 2022, aka your next excuse to indulge in your Japan obsession without hopping on a plane. This year's online program spans 17 films over two weeks, screening from Monday, February 14–Sunday, February 27. That gives you plenty of choices, plus ample time to catch comedies, mysteries, dramas, documentaries and more — some from the past year or two, others dating back to 2008. And, in particularly exceptional news, they're all streaming for free. Highlights include the food focused Mio's Cookbook and The God of Ramen, with the former offering up a period drama about a young chef and the latter honing in on famed Tokyo figure Kazuo Yamagishi; mystery Masked Ward, which unleashes its thrills and twists in a hospital; It's A Summer Film, about a high schooler obsessed with old samurai flicks; and comedy Happy Flight, as set during an emergency flight from Tokyo to Honolulu. While you won't pay a thing to watch, you do still need to register via the fest's website.
Aaron Hobson has taken some breathtaking landscape photographs of remote locations scattered across the globe, and all without leaving the comfort of his own computer screen. From the haunting energy of undisturbed forests in France to roads that wrap around mountainous Spain, Hobson has captured each of these picturesque moments using Google Street View. Hobson says that he began using Google Street View to discover possible shooting locations for a film, but soon found himself clicking away for miles along deserted roads, all for his own pleasure. He also says that he uses Google Street View in High Definition, so that the photographs only require a few minutes of editing before they are put on show. His work has garnered so much attention that last week his website buckled under the pressure of 50,000 views in one day. This isn't the first time that Google Street View has been used to create an artistic work. Last week we featured the remarkable Address is Approximate, a stop motion animation film by Tom Jenkins. This film uses a clever combination of Google Street View and everyday objects to create a quirky sense of travel and distance. The use of Google Street View by these online explorers proves that the world is now literally in the palm of our hands. [via Mashable]
It's been a busy 12 months or so for Qantas. The Australian airline launched 17-hour non-stop flights from Perth to London, started eyeing off even lengthier trips direct from the east coast to the UK and US, and introduced biofuel into its jaunts from Melbourne to Los Angeles. Now the carrier is kicking off the new year by earning a highly sought-after accolade, being named the safest airline to travel on in 2019. It's not the first time that Qantas has achieved the feat. In fact, the Aussie carrier has topped AirlineRatings.com's list for six years in a row. Entering its 99th year of operation, the airline emerged victorious from a pool of 405 carriers from around the world, with Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand also making the site's top 20. The other 17 airlines — which aren't ranked by number — span Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. If you're a budget-conscious flyer, the website also outlined the ten safest low-cost airlines. Jetstar is one of them — and it's joined by Flybe, Frontier, HK Express, Jetblue, Cook, Volaris, Vueling, Westjet and Wizz. Factors that influence a carrier's placement on the two lists include crash and incident records, safety initiatives, fleet age, profitability, and audits by aviation governing bodies, industry bodies and governments. At the other end of the scale, five airlines received the lowest rankings: Ariana Afghan Airlines, Bluewing Airlines, Kam Air and Trigana Air Service. Via AirlineRatings.com.
When Milky Lane opened in Bondi back in 2016, it immediately generated a cult following. Thanks to its calorific concoctions, casual any-night-of-the-week vibe and celebrity endorsements, the venue has become a go-to for many Sydneysiders when an indulgent meal is a must. The chain made the jump to the Gold Coast in 2018 but, for Brisbanites, the slog down south can be long and painful (albeit worthwhile once the mega shake and burger-induced coma hits). Thankfully, there's now a solution a lot closer to home, with the team is opening a new venue at Gasworks Newstead on Wednesday, September 11. The formula has remained pretty much the same across Milky Lane's six stores so far, with five in Sydney and one in Queensland to date. On the menu: artery-clogging burgers, loaded fries and shakes. Hey, if it ain't broke. Graffiti typically lines the walls, transforming the burg joint into the sort of place that instantly makes you feel cool by association. And as for culinary favourites, there's the fried chicken Chic Kanye burger, the bacon-stuffed Kevin Bacon burg, mac 'n' cheese croquettes, deep-fried Golden Gaytimes and Kit Kat Choc Fudge Booze Shake cocktails, among others. The venue is sizeable, too, seating 200 burger fiends both inside and out. It's also mighty close to the other burg, shake and dessert-swilling eatery in the area, Betty's Burgers — but we all know how much Brissie loves meat between two pieces of bread, hefty piles of fries, milky drinks and over-the-top sweet treats. Milky Lane Brisbane opens at Gasworks, 76 Skyring Terrace, Newstead, at midday on Wednesday, September 11. For further details, visit the chain's website — or keep an eye on the store's Facebook page. Images: Milky Lane Bondi by Bodhi Liggett.
By now, you've probably mastered the art of pickling and tried your hand at bread baking. And sure, becoming a whiz in the kitchen is great and all, but sometimes it's important to treat yourself a little — even when you're spending so much time at home. Whether you've finally organised your bookshelf, reached that work deadline or just made it through the day, it's worth celebrating the small wins. So, next time you're in need of a little at-home indulgence, crack open a bottle of bubbly and order yourself a tray of some of the finest oysters around thanks to East 33's new next-day delivery service. A collective of Australia's major Sydney rock oyster farmers located along the NSW coast, East 33 usually supplies some of the country's — and the world's — top restaurants. But in light of the impact that COVID-19 and corresponding restrictions have had on pubs, restaurants and bars, East 33 has changed tact with its new service 33 Delivery, meaning you can have a fine dining experience from your couch. If you're an oyster fan, you already know that Sydney rocks are considered some of the best of the bivalves. And, for a limited time, East 33's dropping them to your door at reasonable prices. Do yourself, your partner or your housemates a favour and order some stat. You can either get them shucked or unshucked, with prices starting at $59 for a tray of two dozen. If you want to sample Sydney rocks from up and down the coastline, opt for the East 33 Tasting Kit ($69) which features eight from northern NSW, including Nambucca, Hastings River and Camden Haven; eight from the central coast regions of Port Stephens, Manning River and Wallis Lake; and eight from the south coast areas of Merimbula, Pambula and Lake Wapengo. Next-day delivery (except Sunday) is available a range of Brisbane suburbs for a flat rate of $10. To see all delivery locations, head to East 33's website. East 33's new next-day delivery service is available across a heap of Brisbane suburbs for a limited time only. For more information and to place your order, visit the company's website.
Haunting strains of bluegrass music flow through Belgium's tear-jerking entry to last year's Academy Awards. Such mournful melodies are a fitting accompaniment to the story, about two musicians whose marriage begins to crumble after their daughter succumbs to terminal cancer. Despite the miserable subject matter, writer-director Felix Van Groeningen eschews unchecked histrionics for honest, bittersweet emotion. Actors Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens have devastating chemistry as shell-shocked parents Didier and Elise. A banjo-playing cowboy and a music-loving tattoo-artist respectively, they're a free-spirited pair brought crashing down to earth by six-year-old Maybelle's unexpected diagnosis. The best moments in the movie are undoubtedly the songs; a mix of classics and original compositions performed in key scenes by Didier, Elise and their band. In these moments in particular, Van Groeningen finds his harmony between beauty, sorrow and joy. Read our full review here. The Broken Circle Breakdown is in cinemas on Thursday, May 15, and thanks to Entertainment One, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=raaHRyBtIEo
In March this year, Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing musical Hamilton made its way to Australia. Yes, finally. Until then, local fans had to be content with obsessing over the 11-time Tony-winning show from afar — or, since mid-2020, enjoying the filmed version of its Broadway production. But thankfully that all changed when the blockbuster production hit the Sydney Lyric Theatre, where it has been unfurling its tale of 18th-century American politics for a few months now. That's obviously a great situation for Sydneysiders, and for anyone willing to make the trip to the New South Wales capital for a night of rousing theatre. If you're in those two categories, you can currently be in the room where it happens. But if you're a Melburnian, it looks like even better news is coming. Sometime in 2022 — perhaps as early as March — Melbourne residents might get their shot to see Hamilton on home turf. Although an official announcement hasn't yet been made, the production is expected to make its way to Victoria next year, The Age is reporting. If it does debut in March as suggested, it'll do so a year after it premiered in Sydney, with Her Majesty's Theatre its likely home in Melbourne. It's anticipated that official word will come soon — possibly by the end of this month, in fact. If you're up to date on the Australian theatre scene's recent announcements, though, you might've anticipated this news. Other big musicals, such as The Book of Mormons, have toured the country after their big local premiere seasons. Also, earlier this week, it was announced that the Mary Poppins musical would float into the Sydney Lyric Theatre from May next year — and obviously the venue can't host two shows at once. Haven't become a Hamilton obsessive yet? Not quite sure why it has been one of the most-talked about theatre shows of the past six years? The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. As well as its swag of Tony Awards, which includes Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. This won't be Miranda's first musical to come to Melbourne, with his take on the classic 2000s film Bring It On: The Musical hitting the city in 2018. In the meantime, Melburnians can watch the filmed version of Hamilton with the original Broadway cast on Disney+ — and yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard. Sydneysiders, if you haven't yet booked yourself in to see the musical, you might want to get in quickly. And Brisbanites, start crossing your fingers that Hamilton plans a move up north after its Melbourne season. Hamilton is expected to stage a Melbourne season in 2022. We'll update you with further details if and when they're announced — and you can keep an eye on the musical's website in the interim. Via: The Age. Images: Hamilton, Broadway. Photos by Joan Marcus.
Turning the cute and cuddly into the rude and crude isn't a new concept. Everything from Greg the Bunny to Meet the Feebles to Ted has been there and done that with varying degrees of success, while the irreverent Who Framed Roger Rabbit bounced through somewhat similar terrain as well. It's not a lack of originality that proves The Happytime Murders' undoing, however. Rather, it's failing to realise that an amusing (albeit well-worn) premise still needs some fluff in its felt. He might come from a puppetry pedigree, but almost every single joke in Brian Henson's new film offers a variation on the same thing: what if puppets drank, did drugs, swore and had sex? Henson, son of The Muppets mastermind Jim Henson and director of both The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, wasn't responsible for The Happytime Murders' script. That honour goes to Todd Berger (It's a Disaster, Cover Version), although there's little in the way that Henson executes the screenplay that extends past playing up the obvious. In fact, other than flesh-and-blood stars Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph and Elizabeth Banks, the movie's best touch actually springs from the writer's pen. In a film that endeavours to dive into nostalgic territory only to tear it apart in a sea of filthy fabric, having misbehaving puppets snort sugar as their substance of choice is a clever inclusion. Something sweet becomes something toxic, mirroring the picture's own gleeful approach. Made of blue material and sporting a gloomy attitude to match, Phil Philips (voiced by Bill Barretta) roams Los Angeles' streets as a wizened gumshoe. In short succession, two events change his life: he's hired by a seductive new client, and, working her case, he's found at the scene of a violent crime in a puppet porn shop. Before you can say "an octopus fondling cow udders" (something that happens in The Happytime Murders in graphic detail), another killing occurs, and Phil is teamed up with police detective Connie Edwards (McCarthy) to get to the bottom of it all. That the murder victims were all stars on 80s puppet TV show The Happytime Gang complicates matters, as does the fact that Phil was once the LAPD's first puppet cop (and Edwards' partner). While the puppet body count keeps climbing, little else in The Happytime Murders evolves across its mercifully brief running-time. From start to finish, it thinks that toys ejaculating silly string and having Basic Instinct moments is the height of humour. And let's be clear — we're not saying that puppets behaving badly can't be funny, just that it wears not just thin but threadbare here, and incredibly quickly. To give them credit, the filmmakers do try to branch beyond the Team America-style debauchery, setting their story in a world where the plush are treated like second-class citizens, dubbed 'felties' by their 'meat sack' oppressors and given no respect, in an attempt to parallel real-life racial discrimination. And yet, as well-meaning as that part of the story is, it's simply used to set up more debased jokes. It's also hardly unique, especially if the aforementioned Who Framed Roger Rabbit was one of your childhood favourites. Similarly working against the limp film is its unconvincing appearance, which never sells the idea that humans and talking pieces of cloth are actually interacting. There's an awkward, stilted feeling emanating from every scene, and it speaks volumes that the movie's most entertaining sequence involves Bridesmaids co-stars McCarthy and Rudolph and absolutely no characters fashioned from floppy material. Of course, a lot of hard work and skill went into making the furry figures come to life, as behind-the-scenes footage over the picture's closing credits shows. But, as the otherwise unseen green-suited puppeteers manoeuvre stitched-together toys, their efforts contribute to a stitched-together film that can't survive on a rote noir storyline, some human energy and too many gags about puppets gone wild. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ8R5xJeYfU
When SXSW Sydney first started revealing details of its 2025 lineup, it promised more free programming on this year's bill. If you're keen to head along to the event's third year — after making its Harbour City debut in 2023, then returning in 2024 — without spending a cent, you'll want to make a date with Tumbalong Park, then. Again, the spot is playing host to the fest's budget-friendly activities, including everything from live music to movies, as well as DJ sets, talks, fashion showcases, pop-ups and more. Free sessions have always been a component of SXSW Sydney, but adding more was never not going to be a welcome move. Accordingly, after outlining that there'd be a significant expansion of its free programming, the festival has upped its Tumbalong Park lineup to 85-plus hours of events. At SXSW Sydney Unlocked, as the hub has been dubbed, there'll be more than 200 options to engage in the fest between Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19. This part of the lineup runs every day, but will feature extended hours from Thursday–Sunday. Weekday lunch breaks are a particular focus, spanning programming from 12–1.30pm Monday–Friday, as are happy-hour sessions from 4.30pm Tuesday–Friday. So, SXSW Sydney clearly wants the city to join in whenever suits everyone's daily schedules — and via everything from guest appearances to surprise hosts, too. Highlights include the return of FOMA: Fabrics of Modern Australia on the runway; gigs by Indonesian hip hop stars Tenxi, Filipino folk-pop singer Angela Ken, J-Pop boy band Psychic Fever and Chinese Tencent singer Tia Ray; and Blak to the Future: A Celebration of First Nations Creatives' celebration of Indigenous filmmaking. Or, hit up twilight gigs in the Seymour Centre courtyard, get line-dancing lessons and see a range of country talent — Max Jackson, The Washboard Union, Lewis Love and Big Wheels — at Tumbalong Honky Tonk, and explore the Australian Space Agency's space-themed hub. There's also Small Fry Rock for families, with Grinspoon's Phil Jamieson and Little Birdy's Katy Steele taking to the stage. The Rubens are set to celebrate ten years of 'Hoops', while K-pop is also getting a moment. On the Saturday, if you fancy attending the Games Showcase and Innovation Expo without bothering your wallet, that's also on the agenda. Images: Jess Gleeson, Paul McMillan and Ben Gibson.
If you've ever been to Brisbane's Night Noodle Markets, you'll know that waiting can be an inescapable part of the experience. You usually need to wait in line to pick up your food, and to find somewhere to sit and eat. All that hawker-style food attracts plenty of Brisbanites, after all — and yes, the wait is always worth it. In 2021, you'll be waiting in another manner, too, because this year's event is taking place later in the year. Initially, it was due to kick off on Wednesday, July 21 — and move to the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens — but, after announcing its full vendor and food lineup, the event had to scrap its winter plans. The reason: Greater Sydney's ongoing lockdown and the border and quarantine restrictions stemming from it, because many of the Night Noodle Markets' vendors are based in New South Wales. Thankfully, the event's organisers are now hopeful about spring — so you can mark Wednesday, September 22–Sunday, October 3 in your diary. It'll be warmer, you'll want to spend more time outdoors, and the Botanic Gardens' many blooms will be blossoming, if you need a few more reasons to embrace the new time slot. Accordingly, get ready to eat a heap of foods on sticks and tuck into mango sorbet crepes, just at a later date. All of the already-announced vendors and dishes will remain on the menu, too, so you can look forward to the same culinary lineup. In total, 17 stallholders were headed our way, including returning favourites such as Hoy Pinoy, Bao Brothers, Bangkok Street Food, Donburi Station and Gelato Messina. All other Good Food Month events have been going ahead as planned in July, so your stomach won't completely miss out this month. The 2021 Brisbane Night Noodle Markets will now take place from Wednesday, September 22–Sunday, October 3 at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. For further details, head to the event's website.
Driverless transport. Everyone's doing it (well, trying to) — but while Washington D.C. got their own self-driving mini bus earlier this year and Uber has started trialling driverless cabs, Australia is yet to ditch humans in favour of computers in the driver's seat. Until now. Yesterday Australia's first fully driverless bus was released onto the roads of Perth. The RAC Intellibus™ has been a joint venture between French electric company NAVYA and Western Australia's motoring body RAC WA. The 11-seat shuttle bus — which is adorable, by the way — is a level four vehicle, which basically means it's fully autonomous. The bus is fitted with ultraviolet light detectors, front and back cameras, a GPS, motion sensors and autonomous emergency braking to drive around town without causing absolute mayhem. This allows it weave its way through traffic, dodge parked cars and interact with pedestrians and cyclists. At the moment it's in the on-road trial stage, which will see the bus travel a pre-programmed route up and down South Perth Esplanade. However, if you're planning on getting anywhere fast, it might be better to get on yer bike — the bus will only travel at an average speed of 25 kilometres per hour. "This trial is an Australian-first, and will be a real trial incorporating members of the public travelling on public roads," RAC Group Chief Executive Officer Terry Agnew said in a statement of the RAC website yesterday. "We anticipate this first step in exploring driverless technology will start a conversation on further trials, research and collaboration, which will increase WA's understanding of how driverless vehicles can integrate into our transport system." Can we have one? Pleeeaaase?
Andreas Amador's life is a beach, playing in the sand...literally. Although for Amador, 'playing' in the sand proves to be a little more intense than it may sound. A working morning for Amador consists of meticulously carving enormous scaled designs into the sand - all under the time crunch of the ocean tide. Up before sunrise, Amador arrives at his local San Francisco, California beaches around low-tide, creating the biggest possible space for a beach canvas. He then executes his pre-conceived, generally abstract and organic, designs. The sand is contoured with rakes, giving it a multidimensional look that hopefully Amador can capture in a birds-eye photo before tide rushes in. He generally designates about two hours to the process, but there is always the risk of his work being washed away too quickly. Of course, all of his sand drawings are effervescent by nature, only adding to their beauty. Amador sells prints and postcards of his photographed works, and offers other art services as well. He leads team-building workshops, birthday celebrations, and personal transformation journeys; he also creates commissioned pieces, including sand-scrawled marriage proposals. Simon Beck is another artist with a similar technique; his medium, however, is snow. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mP0O4Yu0kYE [via Gizmodo]
Spring, southeast Queensland and eye-catching outdoor displays: it's quite the combination, and it's in full force in 2022. Up in Brisbane, giant moon sculptures, a boat decked out with glowing orbs and a tower of bubbles have popped up for Brisbane Festival. Head west to Toowoomba and Carnival of Flowers is back and blossoming. At Currumbin Beach, Swell Sculpture Festival is about to take over a one-kilometre stretch of sand again — and, still on the Gold Coast, HOTA, Home of the Arts will soon be temporarily home to a towering palace. That structure, called Alcazar, spans seven metres in height — and 13 metres in width. Mixing art and architecture, it looks like a series of stacked circles, reaching up three levels. Yes, you can indeed walk through the installation. In fact, you're meant to in order to see how both light and colour shift throughout the space. Even better: it's a different experience in the daylight, when the sun beams over the outer facade, and at night, when internal lights get luminous. Free to see at the site's outdoor stage for ten spring days, Alcazar hails from the artists at Sydney-based design studio Atelier Sisu, and is having its world premiere at HOTA during the venue's Wonder arts festival. On display from Friday, September 16–Sunday, September 25, it joins the group's past works at i Light Singapore Festival, Vilinuis Light Festival and Enlighten Canberra, and at Vivid Sydney as well. On Sunday, September 18, an early-morning yoga session will take over Alcazar, too — and on Saturday, September 24, the Lux de da Luna dinner will serve up a five-course meal with the installation as a backdrop. There's plenty more on the Wonder lineup, including Alternative Symphony taking on the music of Daft Punk, plus a candlelit Queen tribute concert. The big Friday-night lineup features an art battle between six artists on Friday, September 16, as hosted by Tom Thum, and then Flamenco House with Cameron De La Vaga providing a Spanish soundtrack on Friday, September 23. Alcazar will be on display at HOTA, Home of the Arts, for the Wonder arts festival from Friday, September 16–Sunday, September 25. Head to the HOTA website for further details.
A thriving garden of fruits and vegetables in the middle of a city isn't something you come across very often. Thornton Budgens supermarket in North London argues that this shouldn't be so, and is taking steps towards a more sustainable future with produce. Thornton Budgens along with project leader Azul-Valerie Thome has created Food From The Sky, a rooftop permaculture garden of organic fruits, vegetables and herbs. The ultimate goal of the project is to prove that produce can be grown in cities and sold locally in a manner that is efficient and not wasteful. The grocery store began the project in May 2010 with only 10 tons of compost and 300 recycling boxes, but with care from employees and over 20 volunteers the garden now yields enough produce to sell every Friday. Any fruits or vegetables that are not sold, instead of simply being thrown away at the end of the day, become compost that will enhance the soil for the next batch of produce. What makes a rooftop garden a great idea? The warmth from the store's heating and lighting systems heat the floor of the roof, preventing the plant seeds from freezing during the colder months, and is free of the slugs and snails that cause pigeons to dig up the soil during vital growth periods. Why didn't we think of this before? In addition, the grocery store is offering courses about this alternative approach to food production in order to instill the power in others to sustain produce gardens in the city while being conscious of the planet. The Food From The Sky project aims to extend its influence to other supermarkets and be a template for other rooftop permaculture gardens in cities. "One day, I want to see supermarket roof-gardens all over the country," said Thome.
Stranger Things is wrapping up with its fifth season, and with one final battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower, Emmanuelle) in a Hawkins where the Upside Down is no longer just an otherworldly realm. The mood, then, as captured in the just-dropped official teaser trailer for the show's last run: "wherever this blood leads, I need you to fight one last time". A reverberating metal tune (Deep Purple's 'Child in Time'), explosions, a town under military quarantine, a hunt for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, The Electric State), Terminator franchise icon Linda Hamilton, tears, hearty embraces, huge stands: this sneak peek at Stranger Things season five has them all. As the trailer demonstrates, it also possesses a sense of occasion. Audiences should already be feeling it, given that this is goodbye to the series, but the show's characters clearly are as well. Yes, Netflix is going big on finales of late, with Squid Game coming to a conclusion in June, too. With Stranger Things, Down Under viewers will be tuning in not once, not twice, but three times for this farewell trip to Indiana — starting in November 2025, then checking in again in December this year, then finally on the first day of 2026. On Thursday, November 27 in Australia and New Zealand, the first four-episode volume of season five will drop. Then, come Friday, December 26, you can mark Boxing Day with the second three-chapter volume. Finally, Thursday, January 1, 2026 will kick off with the last Stranger Things episode ever. Back in June, Netflix also dropped a clip teasing the show's swansong — one filled with looks backwards at the tale that Stranger Things has told so far, which means peering at how young the cast was when the show premiered in 2016, as well as glimpses forward. Accordingly, from what's in store, fans already know that comas, bedside vigils, exploring via torchlight, shaking floors and a key piece of advice — "run" — all feature. Season five makes finding and killing Vecna its main aim, all Eleven has been forced into hiding. The year: 1987. The time: autumn. That's a jump forward from the fourth season's spring 1986 timing. And one way or another, the residents of Hawkins that viewers know and love will have their final experience with the eeriness that's been plaguing their town for years. That's the promise that bidding adieu to Stranger Things, of course, even if the hit Netflix show's end won't be it for the franchise's broader universe. If it feels like there's been a lengthy wait for more — even with the series no stranger to long delays between seasons — that's because there has been. When November rolls around, it will have been almost three-and-a-half years since season four, a gap extended due to 2023's Hollywood strikes. Before that, just under three years elapsed between seasons three and four, and just under two between the second and third seasons. The 13-month gap between seasons one and two seems positively short, then. Late in 2024, Netflix revealed the titles of Stranger Things' eight season-five episodes. If you feel like obsessing over the monikers for clues, you've had eight hints for a while, then. The season will kick off with 'The Crawl', then deliver 'The Vanishing of ...', 'The Turnbow Trap' and 'Sorcerer'. Next comes 'Shock Jock', 'Escape From Camazotz' and 'The Bridge', before it all ends with the enticingly named 'The Rightside Up'. Alongside Brown and Bower, season five brings back all of the other usual faces, too — so Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), David Harbour (Thunderbolts*), Finn Wolfhard (Saturday Night), Gaten Matarazzo (Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain), Caleb McLaughlin (The Deliverance), Noah Schnapp (The Tutor), Sadie Sink (O'Dessa), Natalia Dyer (All Fun and Games), Charlie Heaton (The Souvenir: Part II), Joe Keery (Fargo), Maya Hawke (Inside Out 2), Priah Ferguson (The Curse of Bridge Hollow), Brett Gelman (Lady in the Lake) and Cara Buono (Things Like This). As for more Stranger Things-related antics after season five, when creators Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that their sci-fi show was working towards its endgame back in 2022, they also said that they had more stories to tell in this fictional realm. Instantly, we all knew what that meant. Netflix doesn't like letting go of its hits easily, after all, so the quest to find a way to keep wandering through this franchise was about as surprising as Jim Hopper's (Harbour) usual gruff mood. Check out the teaser trailer for Stranger Things season five below: Stranger Things season five will arrive in three parts, streaming in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, November 27, 2025; then on Friday, December 26,2025; and finally on Thursday, January 1, 2026. You can watch the first four seasons now via Netflix — and read our review of season four. Images: courtesy of Netflix © 2025.
Take a burlesque troupe, add a member of Resin Dogs, and then combine their styles of music and movement. The end result is Drop It: Hip Hop Burlesque, with The Velvet Kittens and DeeJaye Katch joining forces to create a blend of burlesque and beats. If you think they don't quite sound like they go together, that's okay — in fact, that's partly the point. And yet it's a great melding of smooth tunes and record scratches, collaboration and defiance, and harmony and conflict, all in one rhythmically entertaining, utterly toe-tapping package. This event is part of Wonderland 2016.
From unflinching violence to unbridled sexual passion, some of the most important films in history are the ones that dared to push the boundaries. Doubling down on last year's lineup of controversial cult classics, World Movies presents More Films That Shocked the World from Monday, March 17. This five-day selection of taboo-shattering cinema consists entirely of Australian television premieres. Each one of these films has been the subject of censorship in this country, and when you see them, you'll understand why. It's a program designed to challenge your expectations as well as your limitations, not to mention, at times, your stomach. Prepare yourself people; these films are not for the faint of heart. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vUd_6FF4AtM PINK FLAMINGOS (1972) The film that launched both director John Waters and LGBTQ icon Divine to the far-reaching fringes of the American cultural underground, Pink Flamingos was marketed as an exercise in bad taste; rarely has an ad pitch been so accurate. A pitch-black gross-out comedy, the film tells the story of an overweight transvestite (Divine) with a mentally disabled family who goes to increasingly depraved and then violent ends to defend her title of 'filthiest person alive'. Scenes of coprophagia, cannibalism, bestiality and anal acrobatics earned the ire of Australian censors while at same time helping the film become one of the most notorious midnight movies ever made. Monday, 17 March, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZkCTSn8gcL4 I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (1978) Surely the nastiest pick in the week-long program, this hideously violent rape-revenge tale contains some of the most brutal scenes of sexual brutality that have ever been put to film. Director Meir Zarchi initially self-released the movie after no other distributor would do so. Once it received wider play, critic Roger Ebert labelled it "a vile bag of garbage", a pan that probably ended up helping the film at the box office. Many have debated over the years whether the film is a celebration or an indictment of the sexual violence it depicts. Now, if you dare, you can make up your mind for yourself. Tuesday, March 18, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=IU3P6WXzvXU HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (1986) Based loosely on the crimes of Henry Lee Lucas, this grim, ultra-low-budget serial killer film spent more than four years on the shelf after being completed, as the producers were faced both by a hostile ratings board and the challenge of marketing what they had made. Eventually released in 1990, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is not a particularly gory film yet remains disturbing to this day because of the casual and highly realistic fashion in which the protagonist commits his crimes. By being purposely unentertaining, Henry takes the glamour out of a genre that has fascinated us for decades, raising some pretty prescient questions about our obsession with serial murder. Wednesday, March 19, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=g3hSsK61NsE EMMANUELLE (1974) Released at a time when pornography was flirting with the mainstream, this soft-core sexual odyssey follows the affairs of a young French woman living with her husband in Bangkok, and was sold as a classy alternative to the likes of Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones. Although not well received by critics, the film was a massive hit in both Europe and the US, spawning six sequels and literally dozens of spinoffs, including eight made-for-TV movies set in space. Classy indeed. Thursday, March 20, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=lj0BnsF1FXs CALIGULA (1979) A fitting way to end a week brimming with cinematic depravity. The disastrous story behind this porn-filled epic is more entertaining than the movie itself. A lavish biopic about an insane Roman emperor, the film was plagued by delays and ran horrendously over budget — and that was before producer and Penthouse founder Bob Guccione wrestled control away from director Tinto Brass and decided to shoot several unsimulated sex scenes to be included in the final cut. A perfect example of a production gone to hell, if you ever wanted to see Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole and full penetration in the same movie, then Caligula should be right up your alley. Friday, March 21, 9.30pm
Visitors to the Sydney Opera House might soon be able to stay the night, under a bold new plan being considered by NSW state authorities. According to The Guardian, the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment is currently mulling over a proposal that would see certain sections of the Opera House — including the Utzon Room, the Board Room, the Joan Sutherland Theatre and the Concert Hall — temporarily transformed into luxury accommodation on a small number of nights throughout the year. Under the proposal put forward by the Sydney Opera House Trust last year, the Opera House could be utilised for "two types of experiential events". The first would offer "up to two nights' accommodation for a maximum of five guests, offered five times per year". The second would offer "up to two nights' accommodation for a maximum of 100 guests, offered on a single occasion per year". According to the proposal, the activation would "provide a unique opportunity for the community to experience the iconic Sydney Opera House in new and innovative ways", while allowing corporate partners to "promote their support of the Sydney Opera House". The idea sounds cool in theory, but has caused some controversy, particularly in relation to the Opera House's corporate partnership with Airbnb. In a submission to NSW Planning, a former Opera House employee called the plan "bold and brazen marketing" and described the partnership with Airbnb "evil genius". Speaking to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the Opera House said that they did not intend to charge visitors for an overnight stay, but would instead utilise the accommodation for "ballots, visitor experiences, competition prizes or promotional activities". It doesn't sound too dissimilar to the types of competitions that accommodation sites Airbnb and HomeAway have run overseas, which have included overnight stays. It doesn't sound too dissimilar to the types of competitions that accommodation sites Airbnb and HomeAway have run overseas, which have included overnight stays in the Eiffel Tower, the catacombs in Paris and Dracula's Castle. And while it could prove a handy option if the Opera House decides to run its all-night Bingefest this year, we'll wait and see if the proposal gets the final sign-off. Via The Guardian. Image: Frances Gunn.
