The allure of a Mediterranean beach holiday might seem tempting, but you'll find a bounty of worthy vacation spots located right here in your own backyard. And if sun, sand and surf are on the agenda, there are plenty of idyllic island escapes up and down the coast of Queensland, just waiting to be explored. Indulge in a tropical getaway to Hamilton Island, or embrace the beachside life with a few days spent lounging in The Whitsundays. We've done the hard work for you and pulled together a list of the most idyllic island accommodations you can book in Queensland. Pick a favourite, pack your sunscreen and get ready to feel the sand between your toes. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Glamping Sites in Queensland The Best Dog-Friendly Accommodations in Queensland The Best Islands in Australia to Visit Any Time of the Year Central Airlie Holiday Home, Airlie Beach This Airlie Beach gem has room for the whole gang, but it's the divine deck and pool overlooking the Whitsunday Islands that'll steal your heart. From $545 a night, sleeps 10. Luxury Private Retreat Villa, Urangan Your own tropical haven, just minutes from the beaches of Hervey Bay. This breezy villa boasts contemporary styling, gorgeous outdoor living and a private pool. From $235 a night, sleeps six. Yacht Club 33, Hamilton Island This newly built island escape is a study in luxury living, complete with high-end features, pool access and sweeping ocean views throughout. From $1715 a night, sleeps nine. The Little Bush Hut, Nelly Bay On a secluded patch of island paradise, this stylishly restored hut is couples' holiday perfection. Fall in love with the private setting and the covered outdoor tub. From $310 a night, sleeps two. Headland House, Picnic Bay This architectural stunner boasts a covetable location on Magnetic Island, with luxurious spaces indoors and out, and epic ocean vistas to match. From $1752 a night, sleeps ten. Point Blue, Hamilton Island With its sleek interiors, picture-perfect views and abundance of outdoor living, this island home is the answer to all types of tropical holiday cravings. From $2164 a night, sleeps eight Point Lookout Townhouse, Point Lookout This stylish townhouse comes complete with panoramic water views, a gorgeous indoor-outdoor set-up and access to the complex's infinity pool. From $580 a night, sleeps seven. Complete Straddie Beach Retreat, Point Lookout Blissful island days await at this vibrant villa, perched just metres from the beach. Enjoy the romantic loft bedroom, sun-drenched deck and shared pool. From $219 a night, sleeps three Ascension, Point Lookout Luxe out in this sprawling holiday mansion, set overlooking the waters off Point Lookout. There's a huge deck, spa room and telescope for whale-watching. From $1000 a night, sleeps 12. Romantic Dog-Friendly Cottage, Macleay Island With leafy surrounds and pristine water views, this high-set cottage makes for a dreamy island hideaway. Split time between the cosy fireplace, luxurious spa and sunny deck. From $295 a night, sleeps four. Elementa House 1, Airlie Beach Unwind in style with a stay at this Whitsundays stunner, complete with private garden, shared infinity pool and master tub with breathtaking views. From $637 a night, sleeps six. 14 The Cove, Airlie Beach This next-level waterfront stay is what holiday dreams are made of. Indulge in show-stopping views from the open-plan living zones, sprawling deck and pool. From $960 a night, sleeps six. La Boheme Studio, Jubliee Pocket Experience your own little slice of Whitsundays magic at this contemporary coastal cottage, flitting between porch hammock and incredible magnesium pool. From $155 a night, sleeps two. Shorelines 23, Hamilton Island You'll feel on top of the world at this soaring Hamilton Island apartment, featuring panoramic ocean views and a stunning shared pool located just metres away. From $495 a night, sleeps six. Hamptons House on the Hill, Airlie Beach Boasting incredible vistas across the Whitsundays, a private pool and lots of luxury features, this award-winning Hamptons-style home is total bliss. From $375 a night, sleeps four. The Moreton Mansion, Tangalooma This generous three-level abode makes for a lavish group getaway, overlooking the waters of Moreton Bay. Plus, enjoy full access to the nearby resort facilities. From $1050 a night, sleeps 16+. Bedarra Island Villa, Bedarra Island A glam island paradise surrounded by leafy palms and lapping blue ocean. This designer villa boasts a stunning deck and delightfully secluded beachside setting. From $1258 a night, sleeps eight. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Courtesy of Airbnb
"Will there be kangaroos?" That's Liv's (Jessica Henwick, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) main question when she's offered a job in the Australian outback with her best friend Hanna (Julia Garner, Ozark). They're Americans backpacking Down Under, they've run out of cash and, yes, they make the stereotypical query about heading to a mining town for a live-in gig at a pub. After the pair make their temporary move, parched landscape as far as the eye can see awaits, plus drinking goon and serving copious amounts of brews to the locale's mostly male population. That's the tale that The Royal Hotel tells — and, if you've seen documentary Hotel Coolgardie, which inspired this thriller, you'll know that Liv and Hanna aren't in for a blissful time. In the just-dropped trailer for The Royal Hotel, weathering the blazing heat is nothing compared to dealing with the bar's men. Among their new acquaintances is a host of of familiar Aussie faces, including Hugo Weaving (Love Me) as the watering hole's owner, plus Ursula Yovich (Irreverent), Toby Wallace (Babyteeth), Daniel Henshall (Mystery Road: Origin) and James Frecheville (The Dry). The storyline, the real-life basis, the cast, the fact that this is the latest film from Australian director Kitty Green: thanks to all of the above, The Royal Hotel should already be high on your must-see list. The trailer only amplifies that anticipation, with the filmmaker in tense and unsettling mode as she explores gender dynamics and Australia's drinking culture. This is the Casting JonBenet helmer's second movie in a row with Garner, her current go-to star. Both turned in a stunner in with The Assistant — another picture about power imbalances, the everyday threats that loom over women and problematic workplaces. Green's second fictional feature and fourth full-length effort overall, The Royal Hotel premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival on the way to making its Aussie debut at SXSW Sydney in October. How do you open the first-ever SXSW Screen Festival Down Under (and outside of Austin)? With this homegrown effort. Next stop after that: launching the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival just days later. The Royal Hotel doesn't yet have a general release date, but expect it in cinemas afterwards. Check out the trailer for The Royal Hotel below: The Royal Hotel will open 2023's SXSW Sydney on Sunday, October 15 and Adelaide Film Festival on Wednesday October 18, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under otherwise. Images: Neon / See-Saw Films. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, in your cosy bed in your warm, above-ground room, and thought “There’s really not enough human remains in here. I wish I could take this doze underground to the world’s largest grave”? Macabre napper, you're in luck. Airbnb is running a competition to win a romantic night for two, deep in the catacombs of Paris. Yes the catacombs, which are currently the resting place for 6 million skeletons and presumably their angry, angry ghosts. This cosy little corner of death could be your own little getaway on the spookiest night of the year: October 31, Halloween. Airbnb are flying the winners out to Paris and putting them up for a night in the ‘combs. They’ve confirmed there will be a real mattress, so no bedding down amongst various femurs. The prize also includes dinner with a private concert, a catacombs tour, and a spooky storyteller to really lend the whole ‘night in a tomb with walls made of the dead’ experience some chilling ambiance. Next morning, you will become the only living person ever to wake up in the Paris catacombs (allegedly). Tres bien. Airbnb have reportedly paid $450,000 to rent the tunnels for the night, which kinda checks out — the tunnels are, of course, a huge tourist attraction with lines for entry frequently around the block. This isn't the first time Airbnb has tried to scare your pants clean off, between this terrifying stay at the end of a ski jump, or this luxurious, perilous night you could have spent dangling at 9000ft in a cable car. The scariest part of this particular Airbnb stay though? The listing doesn’t have internet access. OooOOooOOooOO. Enter the contest here.
Although SOPA and PIPA were withdrawn from Congress last month, it seems that online freedom may still face immense danger in the savage war against piracy. Recently we saw the unravelling of a bizzare set of events in the Megaupload saga, which included the shutting down of the website and the FBI's dramatic arrest and indictment of founder, Kim Schmitz. Schmitz and fellow Megaupload employees were arrested on piracy charges, as the website is said to have accounted for a staggering $500 million of losses in unauthorised content. Furthermore, it is said that the website also generated $175 million through advertising and other means. With unprecedented accessibility to media and information online, it seems almost all of us are guilty of some form of piracy, which has become normalised and largely seen as a victimless crime. Stemming from a traditional "us vs. them" attitude against corporations and a genuine love of free things, most of us don't think twice about downloading the latest episodes of Mad Men, or hopping over to Thailand to grab a few dodgy seasons of Sex and the City for the missus. Such an attitude is summarised beautifully in a Facebook response to the anti-piracy advertisements equating downloading media to physical theft: I wouldn't steal a car, but I'd download one if I could. With so much stuff out there it's hard to know what belongs to whom, to what extent we're breaking the law and who we are actually hurting when we download media. Indeed, nothing proves this more than the case of aggressive anti-piracy group BREIN, who were accused of using Melchior Rietveldt's song without permission in an anti-piracy advertisement. Besides being a most humorous and delicious slice of irony, this is also evidence of how contractual agreements for media must now be drafted with greater intricacy and detail to keep up with technology's rapid evolution. The effects of the Megaupload shutdown have scared similar websites into re-examining their services, and FileSonic, Turbobit and FileServe have largely disabled their sharing capabilities. In retaliation to the shutdown, hacktivist group Anonymous set their omnipresent eyes on the high-traffic websites of enemies in high places, and the online presence of CBS, Universal Music and the U.S. Department of Justice was temporarily inaccessible. The group has promised further attacks, and we can't help but be a little nervous as the endless list of targets is examined. A call-to-arms video for a blackout on Facebook on January 28 appeared, but its credibility was called into question and the date passed without disturbance. Thank God we were still able to check-in at our favourite restaurants and lurk our friends' photos in comfort. A relief to say the least. Nevertheless, the mere possibility of somebody taking down Facebook and destroying my treasured memories makes me extremely anxious and a little nauseous. If anything, such attacks have proven how individuals can impact others greatly from the comfort of their own bedrooms and mysterious underground hacker-dungeons. With the music and film industries seeking desperately to guard the gates to their traditional pools of revenue, there looks to be no end to the internet war against piracy. If anything, such battles will become more frequent and dispersed, and fought with greater speed and complexity.
If you're going to open an arcade bar that nods to all things circus and sideshows in Brisbane — and gives away prizes — then Bowen Hills is the obvious place for it. That's where Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq now calls home, although that wasn't always the case. The venue has made the move to King Street from Toombul, where it launched back in 2019, then had to close due to the 2022 floods (the precinct is now officially being torn down). Fun and games in a suburb known for the Ekka, but all throughout the year? That's what's on offer at Archie Brothers' 340-person space in Bowen Hills — aka arcade antics, drinks, bowling and more. The games span everything from Mario Kart to Dance Dance Revolution, the sips are of the OTT variety, and a six-lane ten-pin alley and karaoke rooms are also onsite. Archie Brothers Bowen Hills also features Hungry Hungry Hippos, Connect 4 Hoops, The QUBE virtual reality experiences and party rooms. Need more? Air hockey, basketball hoops and VR are all included, too, in a place that definitely doesn't want you to get bored. On the drinks list: alcoholic concoctions like the Pop Till you Drop (made with fireball, butterscotch, apple juice, maple popcorn, bitters and whipped cream) and the Candy Stand (a strawberry shake featuring white rum, Frangelico, a vanilla candy frosted rim and a giant lollipop, plus whipped cream and sprinkles). Archie Bros' food menu focuses on over-the-top novelty American diner grub, fitting right in with the circus decor. So, expect to tuck into dishes such as three-meat burgers, giant pretzels, and potato gems with garlic aioli that's served in a syringe. The kidulting venture is just one of many for Funlab, which also boasts boozy mini-golf chain Holey Moley, Strike Bowling, the also games-related B. Lucky & Sons and challenge-room venue Hijinx Hotel in its stable — and opened a new Holey Moley and Hijnx Hotel in Chermside in 2022.
Port Macquarie's Festival of the Sun has been running for nearly two decades, and the boutique summer music festival is still bringing the goods. The lineup for May has just been released and it looks like it'll be another doozy. Hermitude, Skeggs, Middle Kids and San Cisco lead the three-day fest's bill, with Ruby Fields, A Swayze and The Ghosts, The Buoys, Caitlin Harnett and the Pony Boys, Concrete Surfers and First Beige lending their voices too. The list goes on, so get ready for a big couple of days of music. Running between Thursday, May 19—Saturday, May 21, the camping festival is also — excitingly — BYO, so you don't need to spend your hard-earned cash on overpriced UDLs. Alongside the lineup of live music, there will also be a heap of food trucks (serving everything from burgers to vegan fare), silent discos and silent comedy. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday, April 15. FESTIVAL OF THE SUN 2022 LINEUP Hermitude Skeggs San Cisco Ruby Fields Middle Kids A Swayze and The Ghosts The Buoys Caitlin Harnett and the Pony Boys Concrete Surfers First Beige Hayley Mary Jelly Oshen Kim Churchill Lazywax Liyah Knight The Rions Romero Pink Matter The Oogars Saint Lane Radolescent Boycott Fungas Palomino Updated Tuesday, May 3.
In the kind of punishment Cersei Lannister might dream up, the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones isn't due until mid-2018 at the earliest — and sometime in 2019 at the latest. However, one London cinema is offering fans an immersive way to pass at least some of that period. Taking the movie marathon idea to the extreme, they're showing the entire series' seven-season run to date in one massive sitting. Fans of Westerosi dramas, resilient Stark siblings, formidable dragons and more can expect to get comfy in The Prince Charles Cinema for four days, as they screen all 67 episodes between November 27 and 30. It all kicks off at 7pm on Monday and runs until just after 6pm on Thursday. And while that might seem like quite the commitment — in hours, in the willingness to sit in cinema seats for that long, and in sacrificing your normal life for your favourite show — if there's one thing that GoT fans love more than shipping Jon Snow and Daenerys, it's spending as much time in the Seven Kingdoms as possible. The event is designed to promote the DVD release of the seventh season, which just finished airing in August. For anyone who happens to have a spare week, it's free to attend. There'll also be a pop-up pizza bar onsite for sustenance. If you're in London, the Game of Thrones Marathon Screening runs from November 27 to 30. Visit the event Facebook page for further details, or to register for tickets.
First-time visitors to Singapore have a lot on their plate with the city's cuisine, museums, attractions and parks. But dig a little deeper and you'll find a diversity of rich experiences that'll help you get under the skin of the city. Whether this is your first trip or your fifth, these off-the-radar destinations in Singapore will help you delve into the island's vibrant history. Along the way you'll explore pristine natural spots, see unique architecture, try exquisite eats and rub shoulders with locals. We've partnered with the Singapore Tourism Board to showcase some of the best hidden gems across the country. From former military enclaves and heritage neighbourhoods to beautifully repurposed spaces and island destinations, these spots will elevate your next Singapore adventure. [caption id="attachment_864395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lim Wei Xiang (Singapore Tourism Board)[/caption] THE RAIL CORRIDOR A shining example of Singapore's bid to be hyper-modern while honouring its history, the Rail Corridor is a 24km-long green passage through the city's heartlands. The former railway track is a classic example of Singapore's commitment to being 'a city in a garden', while allowing wildlife to move between major green spaces. Parts of the corridor are still in development, but highlights include a former quarry, the Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge which was built in 1932 and a wealth of parklands. Visitors can also access the revamped (but non-operational) Bukit Timah Railway station, a conserved heritage building that first opened in 1903. [caption id="attachment_864396" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Sim (Flickr)[/caption] CHANGI CHAPEL AND MUSEUM This poignant museum honours the prisoners of war and civilians that were held at the notorious Changi prison camp under the Japanese Occupation of World War II in February 1942. The families of those who were once interned at the camp have donated personal items, so the museum now offers unprecedented insights into the the fall of Singapore and prisoners' daily lives. The collection highlights include a 400-page prisoner diary and replicas of the murals painted by English bombardier and artist Stanley Warren. [caption id="attachment_864411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tony Hisgett (Flickr)[/caption] HAW PAR VILLA Created by Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par — the sibling heirs to the Tiger Balm empire — this giant theme park in Pasir Panjang houses over 1,000 statues and 150 large-scale dioramas showcasing snippets of Chinese mythology and history. Built in the 1930s, the park was meant to provide moral guidance according to Chinese traditions. Though the original building was bombed during World War II, it was rebuilt and now features the newly revamped Hell's Museum — inspired by gruesome scenes from Chinese folklore — and dioramas depicting tales like the Legend of the White Snake and Romance of the Three Kingdoms. These days, visitors can take part in a scavenger hunt through the park for Zodiac animals or do a self-guided 'Instagram walk'. [caption id="attachment_864415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marklin Ang (Singapore Tourism Board)[/caption] SUNGEI BULOH WETLAND RESERVE It might be a bright, modern metropolis but Singapore is home to plenty of green spaces and nature reserves, too. At Sungei Buloh, the city's first wetland reserve, you can wander through 87 hectares of rare mangroves. Along the way, you might see some of the cheeky native inhabitants which include water monitors, mud lobsters, monkeys, mudskippers, sandpipers and the odd estuarine crocodile. There are plenty of observation posts to stop at so you can take in the impressive natural grandeur of the area. And, it's far enough off the beaten path that you probably won't be rubbing shoulders with hordes of tourists. [caption id="attachment_864423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] JOO CHIAT/KATONG Named for a wealthy Chinese landowner, the Joo Chiat/Katong neighbourhood was once a coconut plantation and weekend retreat for well-heeled residents. Over the 20th century, it developed into a residential enclave for middle-class, English-speaking Peranakans and Eurasians. The area retains its eclectic pre-war architecture, though the colourful heritage shophouses have been turned into charming eateries including 328 Katong Laksa, The 1925 Brewing Co., Birds of Paradise and Rumah Bebe, as well as boutiques like Cat Socrates that stock stylish homewares, decor and accessories. There are also numerous museums exploring the area's history and culture — The Intan, Katong Antique House, and Eurasian Heritage Gallery are all worth visiting. [caption id="attachment_864426" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] FORT CANNING Singapore is full of history but few places capture as much of the city's past as Fort Canning Park. Over the centuries, it has been the seat of 14th century Malay kings, served as the headquarters of the Far East Command Centre for the British Army and witnessed the surrender of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942. These days, the 18-hectare space boasts nine historical gardens, the boutique Hotel Fort Canning, military history attraction The Battle Box and hosts cultural events such as Shakespeare in the Park. There's also the Instagram-friendly tree tunnel, with its spiral staircase and enormous Rain Tree. [caption id="attachment_864441" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] THE ISLANDS Singapore might be a city-state known for its gleaming skyscrapers and modern infrastructure, but just off its shores there's an archipelago well worth exploring. St John's Island, once a designated quarantine centre for major diseases, is now a popular destination for pristine beaches and outdoor adventures, while Kusu Island (pictured above) — named for the Chinese word for tortoise — has hidden lagoons, religious monuments and quirky folklore. Another popular spot, Pulau Ubin, is a former granite quarry that draws visitors for its military history, adventure sports, 1960s vibes and the biodiverse Chek Jawa Wetlands. [caption id="attachment_864446" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] DEMPSEY HILL Named for Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey, a British soldier who had a decorated military career, Dempsey Hill was once an enormous nutmeg plantation called Mount Harriet and later in the 1850s became the British-run Tanglin Barracks. Since 2007, this has been a go-to dining and entertainment district. Sample Michelin-starred Peranakan dining at Candlenut, steaks and beers at Red Dot Brewhouse and local bites at Samy's Curry Restaurant. Then, browse the retail offerings at the iconic global fashion boutique Dover Street Market (pictured above), try a pottery class at Impressions Art Studio or visit Singapore's first gin distillery at Tanglin Gin. For more incredible ways to experience Singapore, head to Singapore Tourism Board's website. Top image: Yik Keat (Singapore Tourism Board)
Finding greatness in Bong Joon-ho's Parasite isn't difficult. The perceptive class-clash and eat-the-rich story, the array of pitch-perfect performances, the acclaimed director's stunning mastery of tone, the insightful and revealing production design: they're all examples in this Oscar- and Cannes-winning South Korean masterpiece. Another instance comes courtesy of composer Jung Jae-il's score, which soundtracks the film with tunes both disquieting and baroque. It's no wonder that accolades came Jung's way, too, including from his homeland's Grand Bell Awards. Hearing Jung's contribution echoing as Parasite screens is the best way to appreciate it, of course — and watching him perform it live in Australia with Orchestra Victoria will dial what's already a spectacular experience up a few notches. For the first time, the composer is heading Down Under, all thanks to 2025's Melbourne International Film Festival. The event's commitment to honouring the art of screen composition via screenings that pair live tunes and movies is continuing, and two Parasite in Concert sessions are set to be among this year's fest highlights. At 2pm and 8pm on Saturday, August 23 at Hamer Hall in the Victorian capital, Jung will take to the keys. He'll also be conducting Orchestra Victoria as he plays. Seeing Parasite on a big screen is already a treat, no matter how many times you've watched it before; however, giving the picture the concert treatment is something extra special. It's only happening in Melbourne, if you're located elsewhere in Australia and needed more motivation — beyond the 26 films the fest has already announced for 2025 — to attend this year's MIFF. Jung isn't just known for Parasite. If you've felt the tension emanating from Squid Game's score across its two seasons so far — with the third arriving before June 2025 is out — then you've also appreciated the composer's efforts. Prior to Parasite, Jung collaborated with Bong on Okja, then did so again afterwards on this year's Mickey 17. The tunes in Hirokazu Kore-eda's Broker hail from him as well, as does the score for MIFF 2025 title Twinless. "Composing the score of Parasite for director Bong Joon Ho was a life-changing experience for me, and it's a work I'm incredibly proud of. I'm so excited to conduct and perform this original score live in concert for the first time in Australia with the talented Orchestra Victoria as part of Melbourne International Film Festival," said Jung about MIFF's Parasite in Concert events. "This isn't just a film with live music, it's something far more rare. To see Jung Jae-il perform and conduct his own score, live, brings an intimacy and immediacy you can't replicate," added Melbourne International Film Festival Artistic Director Al Cossar. "It's exactly the kind of experience that belongs on a festival stage. In collaboration with Orchestra Victoria, we're proud to present something that speaks directly to MIFF's mission to bring audiences the story of the world through unforgettable screen experiences," Cossar continued. Parasite in Concert joins two sessions of almost-100-year-old masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter on the music-and-movies side of Melbourne International Film Festival's 2025 program so far. As for what else they'll have for company beyond the already-revealed titles, the fest's full lineup is unveiled on Thursday, July 10. Check out the trailer for Parasite below: Parasite Live in Concert takes place on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Southbank — with tickets on sale from 11am on Thursday, June 12, 2025 via the venue website. The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, including the full program from Thursday, July 10, visit the MIFF website.
When Alex Honnold scales a nearly kilometre-high cliff, it's with a look of fierce determination blazing in his eyes. When the professional climber discusses the extraordinary feat documented in Free Solo, the same no-nonsense vibe filters through his voice. He's never sombre — just direct. Ask him how it feels to venture to such great heights, and his response is "pretty good". Ask him about the possibility that his death could've been caught on camera, and he says he "basically didn't really care". As newly Oscar-nominated documentary Free Solo chronicles, Honnold made history while scampering up Yosemite's National Park's famous El Capitan rock formation. Plenty of climbers have propelled themselves up the granite monolith's 900-metre vertical expanse, but only Honnold has successfully done so without ropes. The practice is called free climbing. When it's done alone, it's called free soloing. Made plain in the title of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's film, Honnold's record-breaking quest to the top was completed by himself without any supportive or protective equipment. Unsurprisingly, it's a feat that has garnered significant attention — but reading news articles and seeing photographs really doesn't do it justice. Honnold notes that "the film doesn't quite do justice to the real scale of it" either, but watching Free Solo is as close as the rest of the world will get — and for many, as close as they'll ever want to get — to stepping into his climbing boots. Assisted by their filmmaking team, Vasarhelyi and Chin assemble an astonishing array of footage, with their connection to climbing evident in every frame. A real-life couple, they both directed acclaimed climbing documentary Meru, while Chin is also a professional climber in his own right. Of course, as exceptional as Free Solo's footage is — and as skilled as making viewers feel like they're making the nerve-racking climb with its subject, too — there would be no film without Honnold. He describes scaling El Cap as "an Olympic gold medal-level athletic achievement... and if you don't get that gold medal, you're going to die", in case the whole situation didn't already sound difficult and dangerous enough. Fresh from garnering considerable applause on the international film circuit, an array of accolades from critics groups and now an Academy Award nomination, Free Solo has arrived in Australian cinemas to share its thrills with eager cinema-goers. We spoke to Honnold about the motivation behind his love of climbing, his preparation process and the difficulties of opening his life up to the camera. [caption id="attachment_706084" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] National Geographic/Jimmy Chin[/caption] THE BIG QUESTION: WHY FREE SOLO? There's an enormous question at the heart of Honnold's climb — one that he recognises himself and that he can't completely answer. When asked what it is about free soloing that appeals to him, he replies: "I don't know, it's just a challenge that I seek out". That might sound like a blasé approach to a dangerous field where many experienced figures have died doing what they loved, but Honnold is anything but. In the film, he's meticulous about his work, documenting his progress in climbing journals, memorising complex moves and even living in his van so that he can remain as close as possible to El Cap. "It's just a more demanding style of climbing," he explains. "It requires more from you, so I feel that it gives a little bit more back in return." While Honnold also mentions finding personal limits and trying his hardest — "it's something I feel like I can do, and I feel a certain obligation to do the hard things that I'm capable of" — what truly shines through is how much he enjoys climbing. "I think it has always been the most fun part of my life," he reflects. "It's funny, because I think the really difficult parts of my life are doing the film tour and travelling and just doing appearances as a professional climber, and doing events — you know, working, things like that." That said, Honnold is also quick to stress the difference between climbing in general and free soloing. "Free soloing is pretty rewarding, but it is very difficult and challenging. If I could only choose one style of climbing for the rest of my life, it wouldn't be free soloing." [caption id="attachment_706086" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] National Geographic/Jimmy Chin[/caption] GETTING RID OF THE ROPES "Part of it is intense, but then part of it is amazing. A lot of it just has to do with which part of the route you're on." That's Honnold's assessment of climbing in general — so what made him decide to free solo El Cap, the route that was "always the last one [on his list] that was aspirational"? Initially, he thought it was too frightening, but that's where planning and training came in. It might seem incredulous to the watching audience, but "two years' preparation made something very scary feel relatively comfortable by the end," he notes. Given the life-and-death stakes at play, Honnold's training — which included two years of practice and climbing El Cap with a rope eight times — prepared him to take the leap. "There was no pressure to actually do the climb, so if I had never felt prepared for it — had I never felt comfortable — then I just wouldn't have done it". Of course, he wasn't just hopping to survive the climb, but to enjoy it. "Part of what was so satisfying about it was that I had exactly the experience that I was hoping for. Through the course of making the film, I spent so much time up there working on it, that when I finally did it, it felt great." HOW THE CAMERAS CHANGED THE CLIMB Honnold recognises that watching free soloing is hard. "I don't like to watch my friends free solo. Nobody really likes to watch free soloing — because, as you see here, and as audiences experience, it's just uncomfortable to watch somebody in that kind of position." It should come so no surprise, then, that the impact of the cameras on Honnold's climb — and the impact of his mammoth endeavour upon Vasarhelyi, Chin and their team — is as much a part of Free Solo as the eventual feat itself. Indeed, the documentary doesn't shy away from the emotional toll on those recording Honnold's every move, or the planning that went into ensuring that the filming process didn't take a toll on Honnold. "The crew did a remarkable job of insulating me from any of those [negative] feelings and just staying neutral throughout it all," says Honnold, noting that the cameras didn't feel like they changed his experience "at all". That said, if something had gone awry, Honnold wasn't worried for himself, or about the fact that his literal downfall would be caught on camera. "To me, if something went wrong — if I fell off and I died — I don't really care what happens to the footage after that because I'm dead," he says. Instead, his concerns lay with traumatising the camera crew, who are also his climbing pals. Honnold doesn't just expose the most dangerous moments of his life to Free Solo, however. The film also dives deep into his personal life, including his relationship with new girlfriend Sanni McCandless, which becomes strained as her worry for his safety and their life together is largely ignored as Honnold zeros in on his goal. As someone who'd clearly rather get on with the business of climbing, rather than talk about it, it's the more intimate side of his daily existence that proved the hardest part to share — and to watch later. "I cringed my way through that. I normally pull my hood really deep and cover my eyes. It's hard to watch. And a lot of it is hard to watch because I'm just not a great boyfriend and I'm not a great partner to Sanni." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XhsuT0xctI Free Solo is now screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. Images: Madman / National Geographic / Jimmy Chin.
Perhaps you're keen to check out Studio Ghibli's upcoming theme park. Maybe you're desperate to hit up a Super Nintendo theme park, too. You could've always wanted to walk across Shibuya's famous scramble crossing — or you might be eager to sing karaoke in a ferris wheel. Fancy simply eating and drinking your way around all the ramen joints and izakayas possible? That's perfectly understandable as well. Whichever reason (or reasons) are motivating your dream Japanese holiday, they're all achievable again — including hitting up that Studio Ghibli park when it starts spiriting fans away at the beginning of November. Today, Tuesday, October 11, for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan has reopened its borders to individual international tourists. And no, you no longer need to book a package through a travel agency, or abide by the country's pandemic-era visa restrictions, to enjoy your getaway. Suitcases at the ready, eager travellers. The move comes after two-and-a-half years of border restrictions, and came into effect at 12am on Tuesday, October 11 Japanese time. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news back in September, advising that the country has previously "flourished through the free flow of people, goods and capital," as per Reuters. "COVID-19, of course, interrupted all of these benefits, but from October 11 Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel," he continued. That means that visitors to Japan can now make their own travel arrangements — a huge change to the most recent rules. Until May, the country was closed to international tourists. Then, the Japanese government started trialling in letting strictly controlled package tours, including with Australian tourists. Next, in early June, it broadened those entry requirements to allow in visitors from a heap of nations under the same rules. And, from early September until now, it permitted travellers, including from Down Under, to make the journey even when they aren't on guided tours, as long as they have organised their flights and accommodation through a travel agency. Also now in effect: dropping the visa requirement, which applies to visitors from nations that weren't required to obtain tourist visas before the pandemic — including from Australia and New Zealand. So, in several ways, heading to Japan has returned to the pre-COVID-19 status quo. Japan has also ditched its daily cap on international arrivals, which was most recently set at 50,000. There are a few caveats, though. You do need to provide one of two forms of proof regarding the pandemic to enter. You'll either need you will need to have a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate with at least three doses noted, or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure (and that test has to be a PCR, not a rapid antigen test). And, there's also a COVID-19 questionnaire to fill out. Wondering what to do in Japan? Check out this Concrete Playground Trips package, which'll take you on a cultural tour from Kyoto to Tokyo. Japan's new border rules came into effect on Tuesday, October 11. For further details about visiting Japan and its border restrictions, head to the Government of Japan website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
For cheese fiends, there's only one suitable way to tuck into the beloved dairy product: all the time, or at least as much as possible. That's an idea that Australian cheese festival Mould not only understands but encourages, and has since 2017. In 2023, from May through to August, those cheese dreams will be continuing as well. Because you can never have too many occasions to eat cheddar, brie, camembert, raclette or whatever other cheese takes your fancy, Mould is back for another year, letting dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. The event hails from Bruny Island Cheese Co cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, and will hit up not just Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney but also Perth for its latest run. Running for either two or three days in each city, Mould will kick off in Brisbane in May, then head to Melbourne in early June, plus Sydney at the end of June and beginning of July. As for Perth, it's getting a Mould x Pinot Palooza combo — because cheese and wine are that fine a pairing. There won't just be a few cheeses on the menu at each stop. Usually, more than 75 artisan cheeses from around the country are ready and waiting for you to devour, spanning dairy from around 30 producers. In past years, that lineup has included Bruny Island Cheese Co, naturally, plus Grandvewe, Milawa Cheese, Yarra Valley Dairy and Stone & Crow, as well as Section 28, Red Cow Organics, Nimbin Valley Cheese, Dreaming Goat, Long Paddock Cheese and Second Mouse Cheese. Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses — snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you — the fest features cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, vodka, gin, beer, cider, cocktails and sake, all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. Unsurprisingly, Mould is mighty popular. In 2021, attendees tucked into a one million samples across the fest's three cities, and also took home over 3.5 tonnes of Aussie dairy products. So, if this the kind of event that your cheese dreams are made of, you'll want to nab an early-bird ticket ASAP for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — with the Perth event not yet on sale. MOULD — A CHEESE FESTIVAL 2023 DATES: Friday, May 12–Sunday, May 14 — John Reed Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills Friday, June 2–Sunday, June 4 — The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne Friday, June 30–Saturday, July 1— Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, Sydney Friday, August 25–Sunday, August 27 — Centenary Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth Mould — A Cheese Festival tours Australia from May. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
SXSW Sydney's 2024 program continues to roll out, in excellent news for fans of the tech, innovation, screen, music, games and culture festival in general — and also of hearing interesting discussions echo through the event. In the third batch of lineup details for this year, following a first batch in May and a second round in June, the initial two keynote speakers have been announced. Human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and author Johann Hari will each take to the stage, one fresh from defending Julian Assange and the other with book Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight Loss Drugs newly on shelves. "Our first two keynote speakers reflect our commitment to fostering challenging conversations. Discussing human rights and our wellbeing intersecting with the rapidly evolving landscape of technology is more critical than ever," said SXSW Sydney Managing Director Colin Daniels, announcing Robinson and Hari's spots on the 2024 program. "Our keynote speakers will ignite discussions that are not only timely but necessary, as we navigate the complexities of our modern world." Alongside being a London barrister with international law and media law also among her specialities — and already named on SXSW Sydney's 2024 lineup earlier in the year — Robinson published How Many More Women? in 2023, digging into the response to the #MeToo movement from a legal sense. Hari's 2022 text Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention earned acclaim around the world, and his TED Talks Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong and This Could Be Why You Are Depressed or Anxious have notched up 93-million-plus views. Also now on the bill are fellow speakers Min-Liang Tan, the CEO of Razer; Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) author Amy Gallo; Rolling Stone India Senior Editor Peony Hirwani; and Australian race car driver Molly Taylor. Pianist, podcaster and Chad Lawson will also get chatting, as will entertainment and music rights expert Priyanka Khimani, Beatdapp Founder Andrew Batey and The Attention Economy, How Media Works author Karen Nelson-Field. The festival will welcome Luke Hemsworth, too, with the Westworld and Bosch & Rockit star hosting the session Better Than a Hollywood Movie: The Highs, Lows, Epic Moments and Colossal Steps Forward in Bringing Back the Tasmanian Tiger, with Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm and University of Melbourne's Head of the Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Laboratory Dr Andrew Pask diving into the topic. Talks on How to Seize Control of Your Workday and Redefining Success: Beyond the 1% will also expanded the roster of sessions, and demonstrate that variety is firmly at the heart of the festival. SXSW Sydney's new additions for 2024, the event's second year Down Under, join the likes of Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, TikTok marketing head Sofia Hernandez, Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon, cricketer David Warner, Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid and documentary Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts, about the new uses of former Pizza Hut buildings across America — and that's barely scratching the surface of the lineup specifics announced so far. If you missed it, 2023's inaugural SXSW Sydney welcomed everyone from Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker and Chance The Rapper to Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb and Nicole Kidman to its stages. In the process, and via not just its talks but also its concerts, films, TV shows and games as, it notched up 287,014 attendances from 97,462 unique attendees. Those figures came from 34,975 total tickets, with folks from 41 countries heading along to 1178 sessions. SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Images: Jami Joy, Ian Laidlaw, Jess Gleeson, Katje Ford and Paul McMillan.
"For me, photography is the foundation of human freedom," says Rina Vukobratovic, the Serbian photographer and visual artist behind the series A Girl Who Sees the Lyrics. It may sound grandiose at first, but take a look at her work and you will see what she is getting at — it's a free fall through association, imagination and thought; photography of permission. There is a gentle poetic sensibility steering this series, as though adult and child artist are whispering stories to each other, or perhaps, comparing recollections. The artist has constructed each image with explicit reference to verses from her own haiku poetry written as a girl. In 1991, the idea for this series took root after she read an article published about her childhood poems, and to prove it she used the article's name. Although she has switched the pen for the camera, Vukobratovic has sustained a through line of imagery from her initial artistic impulse to her current one, resulting in a gentle poetic dialogue between a child's imagination and an adult's understanding. Or maybe it is the other way round. "I try to give answers [about] who I am, and why I am," she explains. This lyricism endows her images with a dynamic energy that is simply captivating — music manuscripts burst into spontaneous bloom about a mini-grand. Battle-scarred sailing ships charge towards the windswept freedom of the household window, all on the high seas of the living room. It is easy to see why someone creating these images would say that they "will never get tired of photography, because it contains a secret." These are images of awe, nonsense and wonder captured by a filter of love — first the child's love of the world and then the adult's love of the child. A Girl Who Sees the Lyrics is on show at the MiCK Gallery until June 23 as part of this year's Head On Photo Festival. See more of Rina's photography at her website.
Whether you like hitting the beach, hopping on rollercoasters, touring movie studios or trekking through the hinterland, the Gold Coast isn't short on tourist attractions. But the Sunshine State holiday spot's latest addition will take you to new depths — swimming around underwater sculptures and coral, and past hundreds of different species of marine life, all without venturing too far from the shore. Meet Wonder Reef, which opens for dives from Wednesday, June 8. It's a huge artificial reef, and it's perched just a ten-minute boat trip from the Gold Coast Seaway. Here, you'll descend down to 30 metres, and paddle around nine giant buoyant reef sculptures, which are floating beneath the surface about 2.5 kilometres offshore from Philip Park at The Spit. First announced back in mid-2021, the new $5-million attraction is designed for experienced divers — and to draw in more tourists to the Goldie, obviously. The site's coral was planted just before Christmas last year, and has already been attracting everything from lobsters, octopus and tropical fish to turtles and giant gropers. It's also expected to grow by between one and 25 centimetres a year. That's what more than 16,000 divers will see each year, too, as well as those nine sculptures. Made by Queensland artist Daniel Templeman, they measure up to 22 metres tall, weigh more than 738 tonnes (in air) and span a reef habitat of 32,000 cubic metres in size. If you're now keen for a dip, Gold Coast Dive Adventures and Queensland Scuba Diving are running regular tours. Or, if you're an experienced diver with your own boat and dive equipment, you can also book a public mooring. Pitched as a new bucket-list dive site by the City of Gold Coast and the Queensland Government, who've brought it to fruition, Wonder Reef has been given a 50-year seabed lease. So, it's sticking around for both a good time and a long time. And while the site is man-made — the coral is real, but the reef setup is artificial — it's been crafted with the natural environment in mind. Indeed, not that anyone should need any assistance, but helping folks to appreciate the underwater beauty of the natural world is another of Wonder Reef's big aims. Wonder Reef is open for bookings from Wednesday, June 8. For more information, head to the Wonder Reef website.
Over the past seven years, Hamilton has become a cultural phenomenon — and, thanks to its fame and acclaim, so has the hip hop musical's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. But that's not the only stellar stage show to the multi-talented composer, actor, singer and playwright's name. Before he took on US history (and before he helped bring Bring It On to the theatre, too), Miranda turned life in Manhattan's Washington Heights into four-time Tony-winner In the Heights. While every Hamilton fan dreams of the day that it gets adapted for the big screen, his debut musical is actually making the leap to cinemas first — this year, finally, after its original 2020 release date was postponed due to the pandemic. Yes, the recorded version of Hamilton hit streaming last year, and was as phenomenal as everyone hoped, but In the Heights hasn't just filmed a stage performance. When it releases Down Under on June 24, In the Heights will do so with a stacked cast, with Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M Chu behind the lens, and via a movie primarily shot on location in its titular spot. Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the text for the stage version, has also written the feature's screenplay. And Lin-Manuel Miranda is involved, naturally, producing the movie, overseeing the music and popping up on-screen as well. On Broadway from 2008–11, Miranda played the lead role of bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega. In the film, that honour goes to Anthony Ramos — an alumnus of the original production of Hamilton who has also featured in Patti Cake$, A Star Is Born and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Usnavi works hard, saves everything he earns and strives for a better life. He also sits at the centre of a vibrant community just beyond the 181st Street subway stop, with In the Heights charting the lives, loves and dreams of the Latinx neighbourhood through colourful, energetic and — as seen in both 2019's first trailer for the movie and the latest, just-dropped sneak peek — exquisitely choreographed song and dance numbers. Joining Ramos and Miranda (who plays Piragua Guy, the owner of a shaved ice dessert stand) are Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton), singer Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (Vida), Dascha Polanco (Orange is the New Black), Marc Anthony and Jimmy Smits — plus original In the Heights stage star Olga Merediz, Rent's Daphne Rubin-Vega and Matilda the Musical's Gregory Diaz IV. Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Stephanie Beatriz also features, after Miranda made an appearance on the hit sitcom in 2019. Check out the latest trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4CRPvel2Vc In the Heights will release in cinemas Down Under on June 24.
Now that summer has dropped its anchor, it's time to fancy up your cocktail making and shaking skills. And, as many a pro mixologist would tell you, this doesn't mean manufacturing a whole new wheel. Your best bet is to rehabilitate a classic, but give it a subtle modification or two. After all, if a beverage has made its way through the years better than Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire', then surely we owe it our utmost respect. Here are three renovated cocktails to whip up at pool parties, languid beachy gatherings and festivals before January has slipped away. BEACHY DAYS: THE JAMAICAN STORMY The spicy, refreshing Jamaican Stormy is made for long evenings on – or near – the sand, whether you're camping or kicking back in a beachfront house. It's an evolution of the Moscow Mule, a vodka-ginger beer-lime combo that was invented in Hollywood in the early '40s and soon became the go-to drink at L.A. beach parties. In this concoction, the vodka is replaced with rum for a deeper flavour profile. Line up 1 part Appleton Estate V/X, 2 parts spicy ginger beer, 3 lime wedges and 1 dash Angostura bitters (optional). Squeeze the limes into a highball glass, pressing them with a muddler. Add ice, build in the remaining ingredients and give it a gentle stir. The more fiery the ginger beer, the better. POOL PARTIES: THE ESTATE DAIQUIRI Ernest Hemingway had one named after him. John F. Kennedy drank a few on the night he was elected president. The daiquiri, which, as far as we know, was first incarnated in Cuba in the 1890s, is one of the world's most-ordered drinks. Its sweet-and-sour easy drinkability makes it perfect for summer pool parties. In this recipe, the addition of Appleton's versatile Estate Reserve creates an especially smooth version. Take 1½ parts Appleton Estate Reserve, 1 part fresh lime juice and 1/6 part simple syrup. Pop them in a cocktail shaker with ice, give it a good shake and strain into a chilled Coupette glass. Add a twist of orange peel for garnish. POST-FESTIVAL NIGHT CAP: THE ESTATE OLD FASHIONED The Old Fashioned's unique combination of class and comfort makes it the ideal post-festival night cap. According to Slate gentleman and scholar Tory Patterson, the Old Fashioned is at once "the manliest cocktail order" and "something your grandmother drank." Having been around since 1806, it's one of the oldest cocktails on record, which means all kinds of wondrous variations have emerged. Here, the Old Fashioned is served premium-style, with the inclusion of Appleton's indulgent rare blend 12-year-old. You'll need 2½ parts Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old, 1/2 part sugar syrup, 2 dash Angostura bitters and 2 dash orange bitters. Put all ingredients in a mixing glass with a large cube of ice. Stir quickly until the glass frosts, then strain into an Old Fashioned glass, over a large block of ice or an ice sphere. Add orange peel for garnish.
Maybe you have a date with the 2024 Paris Olympics. Perhaps Paris is the ultimate stop on your travel bucket list. You might've been to the French capital before, but dread the lengthy trip that always accompanies heading to Europe from Australia. Whichever fits, Qantas has excellent news: the Aussie airline is now getting passengers to the City of Light speedier, launching direct flights from Perth to London. Non-stop legs from the Western Australian city to Europe have just kept joining Qantas' itinerary in recent years, giving travellers faster journeys with fewer stopovers. First, Qantas launched direct flights from Perth to London. Then came straight-to-Rome routes as well. The Perth to Paris flights were announced back in 2023, and have now taken off timed perfectly for the soon-to-begin 2024 Olympics, Euro summer getaways and hitting up Europe in general all year round. Sitting on one plane for almost an entire day isn't for everyone; however, if you can handle looking at the same aircraft walls, screens and fellow travellers for 17 hours and 20 minutes, that's now on the agenda. Expect to spend three hours less in transit from Perth to Paris as a result, which is three hours more that you get to spend in the City of Light pretending you're in Lupin or Emily in Paris. Expect to fly on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, too, and to be travelling on the longest non-stop flight to France from anywhere across the globe. To begin with, the flights are running four days a week, moving to three days per week in mid-August 2024 after peak season. Qantas is the only airline doing direct Perth-to-Paris flights, with the new service adding 75,000-plus new seats from Australia to Europe annually. And yes, at least for July, passengers have Amelie among the in-flight movie options. "In recent years we have seen a significant increase in customers wanting to fly direct on long-haul routes and avoiding stopovers wherever possible. Our direct flights from Perth to London and Rome have some of the highest customer satisfaction on our international network," said Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson "With these new flights, our customers can depart Perth in the evening and arrive in Paris in time to enjoy brunch overlooking the Eiffel Tower." Of course, if you hail from another part of the country other than Perth, you will have to make your way to the Western Australian capital first. Still, that flight from Perth to Paris won't make a layover — getting you from Down Under to France quicker, plus without switching planes, worrying about connecting legs and navigating other airports. Wondering about the possibility of travelling non-stop to Europe from Australia's east coast, which Qantas has been looking into for years now? The carrier announced that in 2022 that it was aiming to begin direct Sydney-to-London flights (and direct Sydney-to-New York routes as well) in late 2025, but now is targeting a mid-2026 launch. Fingers crossed for departure dates from Melbourne and Brisbane as well, plus adding a direct leg to Berlin among the non-stop Euro destinations. Qantas' new Perth–Paris direct flights are now flying, running four times a week until mid-August 2024, after which they'll run three times a week. For more information or to book tickets, head to the airline's website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Those currently working from home have probably seen two major changes to their routine: less shoes and more snacks. To help with the latter, Australia's much-loved biscuit maker Arnott's is opening its vault and releasing some of its coveted recipes — for the first time in history. For weeks one and two of the snack expert's Big Recipe Release it unveiled its Monte Carlo and four-ingredient Scotch Finger recipes. Next up is a much-loved childhood-favourite: the Iced VoVo. Topped with pink fondant, raspberry jam and coconut, it's a little like Arnott's answer to the lamington. This recipe has been adapted for home bakers by Arnott's Master Baker Vanessa Horton, who suggests creating love heart shaped bikkies for mum — but, honestly, you can create whatever shape you like. Have a dinosaur shaped cookie cutter? Go wild. None at all? You can just cut them into squares. As you'd expect, you do, in fact, need flour to make Iced VoVos, but we've rounded up some of the spots selling the essential ingredient across the country, which aren't supermarkets. Australia's oldest baker will continue to release a new recipe for one of its famous biscuits every week until social distancing regulations are lifted. Next up, will it be the Tim Tam? Mint Slice? Pizza Shapes? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, though, here's the Iced VoVo recipe: ARNOTT'S ICED VOVO 180 grams unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup (75 grams) soft icing sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups (300 grams) plain flour Royal Icing 1 large egg white 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon glucose syrup 1-2 drops pillar box red colouring 1/2 cup raspberry jam 1/2 cup desiccated coconut Heart-shaped cutter (optional) Piping bag and nozzle (optional) Method Pre-heat fan-forced oven to 160°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, icing sugar, and salt for two minutes or until pale and creamy. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Place half the mixture between baking paper and roll out to approximately five millimetre thickness. Using a six centimetre heart shaped cutter, cut out biscuits, transfer to baking sheets. Repeat rolling and cutting heart shapes with remaining mixture, rerolling scrap dough to make more hearts. Bake for 16–18 minutes or when biscuits start to turn golden. Leave on the tray to cool. Royal icing Place egg white in a clean mixing bowl and mix on low speed with the whisk attachment until the whites begin to break up. Gradually add the icing sugar, vanilla and glucose, whisking until combined and glossy. If the mixture is too stiff add a teaspoon of water to loosen it up but ensure it isn't too runny as it will slide off the biscuit. It should form a smooth surface. Add your colour and stir until combined. Cover surface of icing with cling wrap until ready to use to prevent the icing going hard. Place a small round tip (we used a no. 2 nozzle) and fill your piping bag 1/3 full of icing. Don't overfill your bag. Fill another piping bag with raspberry jam. Pipe a jam strip down the centre of the heart biscuit and pipe pink icing around the edges before filling in the remainder of the heart with icing. Sprinkle with coconut. Place iced biscuits in a single layer of an airtight container to set overnight. Tips Be very light handed when adding your colour to ensure a soft pink colour. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a snap lock bag and snip the corner off. Biscuits can be made into any shape, including the traditional rectangle.
There's no putting a happy face on this news: Joker: Folie à Deux has been named one of the worst movies of 2024 by the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards. While the first Joker film earned Joaquin Phoenix (Napoleon) an Oscar, now he's up for Worst Actor instead. Lady Gaga (House of Gucci) is included in the Worst Actress field for her performance as Harleen Quinzel, and the picture's two leads share a nod in the Worst Screen Combo category. The flick also popped up in the Worst Screenplay, Worst Director (for Todd Phillips, War Dogs) and Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel camps. 2025's Razzies, which will announce its winners on Sunday, March 2, 2025 Australian and New Zealand time, weren't fond of comic-book characters making the leap to the screen. Madame Web also collected a heap of nominations — six in total, including for Worst Picture and in three of the acting fields. Cinema's least-coveted gongs didn't have any love for video game-to-film adaptation Borderlands, either, another flick with a big showing, including in the top field. Also up for Worst Picture: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis and political biopic Reagan. The five-film group covers all of the most-nominated titles for 2025's awards, with Joker: Folie à Deux up for seven, then Madame Web, Borderlands, Megalopolis and Reagan each up for six. From there, although they weren't featured in the Worst Picture field, the Jerry Seinfeld-directed Unfrosted picked up four nods, Kraven the Hunter scored three and the remake of The Crow starring Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu) nabbed two. Everything from Argylle (for two of its performances) to Mufasa: The Lion King (for Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel) are now Razzie nominees. Among the big-name stars recognised this year, Seinfeld earned two (for Worst Actor and Worst Director), while Jack Black received three (for Worst Actor for Dear Santa, Worst Supporting Actor for Borderlands and for the latter again for Worst Screen Combo — for any two obnoxious characters, but especially Jack Black). Whichever films emerge victorious in March, they'll follow on from 2024's winners, with Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey nominated in five categories and winning all five — and Expend4bles collecting two awards. The year before, Morbius, Blonde and Elvis tied for the most accolades with two apiece. Check out the full list of Razzie nominees below: Golden Raspberry Nominees 2025 Worst Picture: Borderlands Joker: Folie à Deux Madame Web Megalopolis Reagan Worst Actor: Jack Black, Dear Santa Zachary Levi, Harold and the Purple Crayon Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux Dennis Quaid, Reagan Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted Worst Actress: Cate Blanchett, Borderlands Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux Bryce Dallas Howard, Argylle Dakota Johnson, Madame Web Jennifer Lopez, Atlas Worst Supporting Actor: Jack Black, Borderlands Kevin Hart, Borderlands Shia LaBeouf, Megalopolis Tahar Rahim, Madame Web Jon Voight, Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land and Strangers Worst Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, Argylle and Kraven the Hunter Leslie Anne Down, Reagan Emma Roberts, Madame Web Amy Schumer, Unfrosted FKA Twigs, The Crow Worst Screen Combo: Any two obnoxious characters (but especially Jack Black), Borderlands Any two unfunny "comedic actors", Unfrosted The entire cast of Megalopolis Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller, Reagan Worst Director: SJ Clarkson, Madame Web Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux Eli Roth, Borderlands Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel: The Crow Joker: Folie à Deux Kraven the Hunter Mufasa: The Lion King Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver Worst Screenplay: Joker: Folie à Deux Kraven the Hunter Madame Web Megalopolis Reagan The Golden Raspberry Awards will be announced on Sunday, March 2, 2025 Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
Since 2019, Netflix's Dead to Me has contemplated endings — starting with a just-widowed woman trying to cope with losing her husband in a hit-and-run incident. Taking a few cues from 2018 film A Simple Favour, the grief-fuelled dark comedy has twisted its way through plenty of chaos from there, including via the unlikely friendship at its centre; however, the fact that everything comes to a conclusion sooner or later has always hung over the show. When it returns for season three on Thursday, November 17, that notion will remain — and Dead to Me itself will wrap up. Back in 2020, after the second season aired, it was revealed that the show would finish after a third and final run. So, get ready for your last swim through its murders, mysteries and cover-ups. The premise, if you missed Dead to Me when it premiered back in 2019: two women meet, become friends despite seemingly having very little in common, and help each other with their daily existence. From there, however, they find themselves immersed in more than a little murky business. Christina Applegate (Bad Moms 2) plays Jen Harding, whose husband has just died, while Linda Cardellini's (Hawkeye) Judy Hale is the positive-thinking free spirit that breezes into her life. They initially cross paths at a grief counselling session, sparking a definite odd-couple situation — which has evolved to feature secrets, lies, complications and cliffhangers galore across the show's two seasons to-date. Season two ended with a big car crash, in fact — and as well as announcing when Dead to Me would return to close out its story, Netflix has just dropped a teaser trailer for season three. Get ready for a glimpse of Jen and Judy in hospital and unhappy about it, as well as a recap of exactly what's brought them to this point. As for where the story will head afterwards, that'll only be revealed when Netflix drops the third season itself. If it's as easy to binge as the first two seasons, you'll know how the show ends quickly. Created by 2 Broke Girls writer Liz Feldman, Dead to Me marked Applegate's first lead TV role since 2011-12 sitcom Up All Night when it debuted. For Cardellini, it saw a return to Netflix after starring on the streaming platform's drama Bloodline — and she also featured in A Simple Favour, too. Check out the first teaser trailer for Dead to Me's third season below: Dead to Me's third season will hit Netflix on Thursday, November 17. Images: Saeed Adyani / Netflix.
No one normally loves spending a weekend on the couch when there's a huge music festival happening, unless you can cure that FOMO by joining in from home. Coachella has been making attending the event without leaving home happen for years via its YouTube livestream, thankfully. And with the Indio, California fest upon us for 2024, it has unveiled its set times for its first weekend so that you know when to tune in. On the bill: Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator, Doja Cat and the reunited No Doubt as headliners. Coachella's first 2024 run spans across Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 in the US, which is Saturday, April 13–Monday, April 15 Down Under. On Saturday in Australia and New Zealand, you'll be making a date with Del Ray. On Sunday, tune in for Tyler, The Creator and No Doubt. And on Monday, you'll be able to see Doja Cat. [caption id="attachment_936351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Casey via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Also among the highlights on Saturday in Australia and NZ: Justice, Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Sabrina Carpenter, Deftones, Suki Waterhouse, Peggy Gou and Tinashe. The list goes on, of course. On Sunday Down Under, get excited about Blur, Ice Spice, Jon Batiste, Sublime, Dom Dolla, Vampire Weekend, Grimes, Orbital, Oneohtrix Point Never and RAYE, too — and more, obviously. And, come Monday for Aussies and New Zealanders, J Balvin, Lil Yachty, Kruangbin, Reneé Rapp, Flight Facilities and DJ Seinfeld are on the bill, plus a heap of others. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) Spotted a dreaded set clash? This year, for the first time ever, you'll be able to livestream multiple stages at once. How many? Four in total. Each year, Coachella and YouTube join forces to beam the massive music fest around the world, which is no longer such a novelty in these pandemic-era times — but being able to fill your screen with a quartet of Coachella sets at the same time definitely is. YouTube's multiview concert experience will enjoy its debut in the music space, and globally, at Coachella. This year, the service will be capturing six different stages, as it did in 2023 for the first time ever — with Sonora on the list for the first weekend and Yuma on the second. [caption id="attachment_950216" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Clay Junell via Flickr.[/caption] That said, while you can feast your eyes on four stages simultaneously, you'll only be able to hear one, so you will still need to pick a favourite in any given timeslot. Coachella 2024 returns again from Friday, April 19–Sunday, April 21, which is Saturday, April 20–Monday, April 22 Down Under, if the first weekend's timings don't suit your schedule. Bookmark Coachella's YouTube channel ASAP — or hit it up below: Coachella 2024 runs from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14 and Friday, April 19–Sunday, April 21 — which is Saturday, April 13–Monday, April 15 and Saturday, April 20–Monday, April 22 Down Under — at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and livestreams via YouTube across the same dates. Top image: petercruise via Flickr.
Ellen took a temporary break from her hosting duties to take and tweet a (slightly blurred) selfie Hollywood would be proud of, roping in a big bunch of willing A-listers including JLaw, Bradley Cooper, Brad and Angie, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep. After a bit of contention about who was going to actually take the photo (Meryl was the first choice but she seemed a little uncertain and admitted that she'd never tweeted before) and a sneaky late entry to the group (Jared Leto jumped in out of nowhere, apparently still riding a high from his best supporting actor win), it was Bradley Cooper who took the matter in hand and snapped the shot. The result was slightly surreal, with the Guardian's live Oscar coverage commenting on the spookiness of seeing "the most photographed people photographing themselves, live on camera, watched by millions". The pic was retweeted over 500,000 times in less than 30 minutes. Then temporarily crashed Twitter. Woah. After what was arguably an expectedly tame opening monologue, Ellen also wins big points for stirring things up a bit by ordering pizza and then distributing slices to the first few rows of smartly dressed stars, who she assumed must be pretty hungry after weeks of dieting to fit into their gowns and suits. Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Martin Scorsese were among those getting in on the action, with a bemused Leonardo DiCaprio firmly declining. Perhaps the best part was when, pizza devoured, Ellen announced she had no money for a tip and suggested that Sandra Bullock cover the costs. Keep up the good work, Ellen.
Well folks, it turns out we've officially arrived at the future — someone has created the world's first holographic smartphone and it's set to hit the market in a matter of months. Dubbed the Hydrogen One, this'll be the first phone offering from camera company Red, and it's being launched by US telecommunications giants AT&T and Verizon. So what kind of magical functions does it have? According to a statement by AT&T spokesman Kevin Petersen, "when the Hydrogen One launches, you'll be able to look around, below and into your screen's image with a four-view holographic display, which is even better than 3D." Apparently, it'll have multi-dimensional surround sound and loads of expansion capabilities, making it a primo tool for anyone using their phone to create content. "This revolutionary smartphone will provide you with significant advancements in the way you create and view content on the leading network for entertainment," he said. The public will be able to get its first glance of the Hydrogen One on June 2 and 3, when it's shown off at AT&T's Shape exhibit at Warner Bros. Studio in Los Angeles. The smartphone will then be available to purchase in the USA by the end of their 2018 summer. Image: RED via PR Newswire.
Ali Barter knows all too well that tapping into your most creative self doesn't always come easy. "I used to experiment a lot more," says Barter. "I'd play different instruments, I'd get on the keyboard, or I'd try and write to a concept. I was trying to find my pattern." Along the way, she's discovered her ideal approach is a more organic one, gathering inspiration as she goes. "It starts off with words, maybe from watching a movie or having an interaction with somebody," explains Barter. "I'll jot them down, and then when it gets to the songwriting part, I'll sit down with an instrument, make up a melody and use these words that I've saved. Or new words come along." We sit down with Barter to discuss her approach to the creative process and staying true to herself in music and in fashion. Some will tell you that routine and structure are creativity's best mates, but for this artist, it's the opposite. Between touring, songwriting, time spent in her Collingwood studio and all the other life stuff, Barter's day-to-day schedule is always changing, which means there's no chance of relying on a specific place or time of day to ignite that creative spark. "My routine's all over the shop," she muses. "So it's more just about showing up, getting my notebook and guitar and being there. And something might happen, or nothing might happen." The artist, who writes a lot with husband and producer Oscar Dawson, says she also draws plenty of inspiration from just being around someone she trusts creatively. "If Oscar's there and we're together, it doesn't really matter where we are," she says. "A creative space is really dependent on your attitude and who you're with." "It's like when I go to band practice — we're just in an empty, sterile room, but because I'm there with three other musicians that I love to play music with, we'll end up being creative." And, just as Barter's best work has come from sticking to her own guns in the creative process, the artist's discovered along the way that staying true to her own sense of style also inspires her most authentic work. "I'm just really a jeans and t-shirt girl," she explains. "Sometimes I've tried to be a little bit more out there, but I never feel like myself. And I think it's the same with my music. Musically, if I've tried to be a bit more cool or fancy, I end up not sounding like myself. And with fashion, when I try and be something that I'm not, I don't feel like me." In Barter's wardrobe, denim has always been a staple. "I wear denim every day, it's like my work gear," says the singer-songwriter. "It's just such a functional but honest piece of clothing, you know?" "I've started wearing these Wrangler jeans called Birkins, and I just wear them every day," Barter says. "They're high-waisted, cropped, not too tight and they look good with everything." Listen to Ali Barter's music here, and find the denim that brings out the creative, innovator and gamechanger in you at The Iconic. Images: Kate Shanasy.
Streaming services overflow with TV series to watch, with new titles added daily, but the best of them achieve a particular feat. We all have our favourite television show that it feels like we live inside; however, that isn't a sensation that any old program can manage. From 2023's new TV offerings so far, only the best of the best can make that claim. If you've already started planning a move to Tasmania thanks to an Australian murder-mystery comedy, you understand this. If you feel in your bones like you know how you'd react to the apocalypse, or having Pedro Pascal as your surrogate dad, you do as well. And if you just want to hang out in a coffee cafe with Aussie comedians, you're definitely ticking that box. They're some of 2023's best new TV shows so far — the series that, no matter how little couch time you have or how easy it is to just revisit Parks and Recreation again, you need to see. After hours and hours of viewing, we've chosen 15 of them now that 2023 is halfway through. Play catchup and you won't be able to say that you don't have anything to watch before the year is through. DEADLOCH Trust Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, Australia's favourite Kates and funniest double act, to make a killer TV show about chasing a killer that's the perfect sum of two excellent halves. Given their individual and shared backgrounds, including creating and starring in cooking show sendup The Katering Show and morning television spoof Get Krack!n, the pair unsurprisingly add another reason to get chuckling to their resumes; however, with Deadloch, they also turn their attention to crime procedurals. The Kates already know how to make viewers laugh. They've established their talents as brilliant satirists and lovers of the absurd in the process. Now, splashing around those skills in Deadloch's exceptional eight-episode first season lead by Kate Box (Stateless) and Madeleine Sami (The Breaker Upperers), they've also crafted a dead-set stellar murder-mystery series. Taking place in a sleepy small town, commencing with a body on a beach, and following both the local cop trying to solve the case and the gung-ho blow-in from a big city leading the enquiries, Deadloch has all the crime genre basics covered from the get-go. The spot scandalised by the death is a sitcom-esque quirky community, another television staple that McCartney and McLennan nail. Parody requires deep knowledge and understanding; you can't comically rip into and riff on something if you aren't familiar with its every in and out. That said, Deadloch isn't in the business of simply mining well-worn TV setups and their myriad of conventions for giggles, although it does that expertly. With whip-smart writing, the Australian series is intelligent, hilarious, and all-round cracking as a whodunnit-style noir drama and as a comedy alike — and one of the streaming highlights of the year. Deadloch streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. I'M A VIRGO No one makes social satires like Boots Riley. Late in I'm a Virgo, when a character proclaims that "all art is propaganda", these words may as well be coming from The Coup frontman-turned-filmmaker's very own lips. In only his second screen project after the equally impassioned, intelligent, energetic, anarchic and exceptional 2018 film Sorry to Bother You, Riley doesn't have his latest struggling and striving hero utter this sentiment, however. Rather, it springs from the billionaire technology mogul also known as The Hero (Walton Goggins, George & Tammy), who's gleefully made himself the nemesis of 13-foot-tall series protagonist Cootie (Jharrel Jerome, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse). Knowing that all stories make a statement isn't just the domain of activists fighting for better futures for the masses, as Riley is, and he wants to ensure that his audience knows it. Indeed, I'm a Virgo is a show with something to say, and forcefully. Its creator is angry again, too, and wants everyone giving him their time to be bothered — and he still isn't sorry for a second. With Jerome as well-cast a lead as Atlanta's Lakeith Stanfield was, I'm a Virgo also hinges upon a surreal central detail: instead of a Black telemarketer discovering the impact of his "white voice", it hones in on the oversized Cootie. When it comes to assimilation, consider this series Sorry to Bother You's flipside, because there's no way that a young Black man that's more than double the tallest average height is passing for anyone but himself. Riley knows that Black men are too often seen as threats and targets regardless of their stature anyway. He's read the research showing that white folks can perceive Black boys as older and less innocent. As Cootie wades through these experiences himself, there isn't a single aspect of I'm a Virgo that doesn't convey Riley's ire at the state of the world — that doesn't virtually scream about it, actually — with this series going big and bold over and over. I'm a Virgo streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. DEAD RINGERS Twin gynaecologists at the top of their game. Blood-red costuming and bodily fluids. The kind of perturbing mood that seeing flesh as a source of horror does and must bring. A stunning eye for stylish yet unsettling imagery. Utterly impeccable lead casting. When 1988's Dead Ringers hit cinemas, it was with this exact combination, all in the hands of David Cronenberg following Shivers, The Brood, Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly. He took inspiration from real-life siblings Stewart and Cyril Marcus, whose existence was fictionalised in 1977 novel Twins by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland, and turned it into something spectacularly haunting. Attempting to stitch together those parts again, this time without the Crimes of the Future filmmaker at the helm — and as a miniseries, too — on paper seems as wild a feat as some of modern medicine's biggest advancements. This time starring a phenomenal Rachel Weisz as both Beverly and Elliot Mantle, and birthed by Lady Macbeth and The Wonder screenwriter Alice Birch, Dead Ringers 2.0 is indeed an achievement. It's also another masterpiece. Playing the gender-swapped roles that Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) inhabited so commandingly 35 years back, Weisz (Black Widow) is quiet, calm, dutiful, sensible and yearning as Beverly, then volatile, outspoken, blunt, reckless and rebellious as Elliot. Her performance as each is that distinct — that fleshed-out as well — that it leaves viewers thinking they're seeing double. Of course, technical trickery is also behind the duplicate portrayals, with directors Sean Durkin (The Nest), Karena Evans (Snowfall), Lauren Wolkstein (The Strange Ones) and Karyn Kusama's (Destroyer) behind the show's lens; however, Weisz is devastatingly convincing. Beverly is also the patient-facing doctor of the two, helping usher women into motherhood, while Elliot prefers tinkering in a state-of-the-art lab trying to push the boundaries of fertility. Still, the pair are forever together or, with unwitting patients and dates alike, swapping places and pretending to be each other. Most folks in their company don't know what hit them, which includes actor Genevieve (Britne Oldford, The Umbrella Academy), who segues from a patient to Beverly's girlfriend — and big-pharma billionaire Rebecca (Jennifer Ehle, She Said), who Dead Ringers' weird sisters court to fund their dream birthing centre. Dead Ringers streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE LAST OF US If the end of the world comes, or a parasitic fungus evolves via climate change, spreads globally, infests brains en masse and almost wipes out humanity, spectacular video game-to-TV adaptation The Last of Us will have you wanting Pedro Pascal in your corner. Already a standout in Game of Thrones, then Narcos, then The Mandalorian, he's perfectly cast in HBO's latest blockbuster series — a character-driven show that ruminates on what it means to not just survive but to want to live and thrive after the apocalypse. In this smart and gripping show (one that's thankfully already been renewed for season two, too), he plays Joel. Dad to teenager Sarah (Nico Parker, The Third Day), he's consumed by grief and loss after what starts as a normal day, and his birthday, changes everything for everyone. Twenty years later, he's a smuggler tasked with tapping into his paternal instincts to accompany a different young girl, the headstrong Ellie (Bella Ramsey, Catherine Called Birdy), on a perilous but potentially existence-saving trip across the US. Starting to watch The Last of Us, or even merely describing it, is an instant exercise in déjà vu. Whether or not you've played the hit game since it first arrived in 2013, or its 2014 expansion pack, 2020 sequel or 2022 remake, its nine-part TV iteration ventures where plenty of on-screen fare including The Road and The Walking Dead has previously trodden. The best example that springs to mind during The Last of Us is Station Eleven, however, which is the heartiest of compliments given how thoughtful, empathetic and textured that 2021–22 series proved. As everything about pandemics, contagions and diseases that upend the world order now does, The Last of Us feels steeped in stone-cold reality as well, as spearheaded by a co-creator, executive producer, writer and director who has already turned an IRL doomsday into stunning television with Chernobyl. That creative force is Craig Mazin, teaming up with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also wrote and directed The Last of Us games. The Last of Us streams via Binge. Read our full review. THE MAKANAI: COOKING FOR THE MAIKO HOUSE At the beginning of The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, 16-year-old best friends Kiyo (Nana Mori, Liar x Liar) and Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi, Silent Parade) leave home for the first time with smiles as wide as their hearts are open. Departing the rural Aomari for Kyoto in the thick of winter, they have internships as maiko lined up — apprentice geiko, as geishas are called in the Kyoto dialect. Their path to their dearest wishes isn't all sunshine and cherry blossoms from there, of course, but this is a series that lingers on the details, on slices of life, and on everyday events rather than big dramatic developments. Watch, for instance, how lovingly Kiyo and Sumire's last meal is lensed before they set out for their new future, and how devotedly the camera surveys the humble act of sitting down to share a dumpling soup, legs tucked beneath blankets under the table, while having an ordinary conversation. Soothing, tender, compassionate, bubbling with warmth: that's The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House from the outset. There's a key reason that this cosy and comforting new treasure overflows with such affection and understanding — for its characters, their lives and just the act of living. Prolific writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda simply isn't capable of anything else. Yes, Netflix has been in the auteur game of late, and The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House is unmistakably the work of its rightly applauded creative force. One of the biggest names in Japanese cinema today, and the winner of the received Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or back in 2018 for the sublime Shoplifters, Kore-eda makes empathetic, rich and deeply emotional works. His movies, including the France-set The Truth and South Korea-set Broker, truly see the people within their frames. On the small screen, and hailing from manga, the nine-episode The Makanai is no different. It's also as calming as a show about friendships, chasing dreams and devouring ample dumplings can and should be. The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House streams via Netflix. RAIN DOGS In 2019's Skint Estate, Cash Carraway told all; A memoir of poverty, motherhood and survival completes the book's full title. Penned about working-class Britain from within working-class Britain, Carraway's written jaunt through her own life steps through the reality of being a single mum without a permanent place to live, of struggling to get by at every second, and of being around the system since she was a teenager. It examines alcoholism, loneliness, mental illness and domestic violence, too, plus refuges, working at peep shows, getting groceries from food banks and hopping between whatever temporary accommodation is available. Rain Dogs isn't a direct adaptation. It doesn't purport to bring Carraway's experiences to the screen exactly as they happened, or with slavish fidelity to the specific details. But this HBO and BBC eight-parter remains not only raw, rich, honest and authentic but lived in, as it tells the same story with candour, humour, warmth and poignancy. Slipping into Carraway's fictionalised shoes is Daisy May Cooper — and she's outstanding. Her on-screen resume includes Avenue 5 and Am I Being Unreasonable?, as well as being a team captain on the latest iteration of Britain's Spicks and Specks-inspiring Never Mind the Buzzcocks, but she's a force to be reckoned with as aspiring writer and mum (to Iris, played by debutant Fleur Tashjian) Costello Jones. When Rain Dogs begins, it's with an eviction. Cooper lives and breathes determination as Costello then scrambles to find somewhere for her and Iris to stay next. But this isn't just their tale, with the pair's lives intersecting with the privileged but self-destructive Selby (Jack Farthing, Spencer), who completes their unconventional and dysfunctional family but tussles with his mental health. Including Costello's best friend Gloria (Ronke Adekoluejo, Alex Rider), plus ailing artist Lenny (The Young Ones legend Adrian Edmondson), this is a clear-eyed look at chasing a place to belong — and it's stunning. Rain Dogs streams via Binge. Read our full review. SILO Rebecca Ferguson will never be mistaken for Daveed Diggs, but the Dune, Mission: Impossible franchise and Doctor Sleep star now follows in the Hamilton Tony-winner's footsteps. While he has spent multiple seasons navigating dystopian class clashes on a globe-circling train in the TV version of Snowpiercer, battling his way up and down the titular locomotive, she just started ascending and descending the stairs in the underground chamber that gives Silo its moniker. Ferguson's character is also among humanity's last remnants. Attempting to endure in post-apocalyptic times, she hails from her abode's lowliest depths as well. And, when there's a murder in this instantly engrossing new ten-part series — which leaps to the screen from Hugh Howey's novels, and shares a few basic parts with Metropolis, Blade Runner and The Platform, as well as corrupt world orders at the core of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner flicks — she's soon playing detective. Silo captivates from the outset, when its focus is the structure's sheriff Holston (David Oyelowo, See How They Run) and his wife Allison (Rashida Jones, On the Rocks). Both know the cardinal rule of the buried tower, as does deputy Marnes (Will Patton, Outer Range), mayor Ruth (Geraldine James, Benediction), security head Sims (Common, The Hate U Give), IT top brass Bernard (Tim Robbins, Dark Waters) and the other 10,000 souls they live with: if you make the request to go outside, it's irrevocable and you'll be sent there as punishment. No matter who you are, and from which level, anyone posing such a plea becomes a public spectacle. Their ask is framed as "cleaning", referring to wiping down the camera that beams the desolate planet around them onto window-sized screens in their cafeterias. No one has ever come back, or survived for more than minutes. Why? Add that to the questions piling up not just for Silo's viewers, but for the silo's residents. For more than 140 years, the latter have dwelled across their 144 floors in safety from the bleak wasteland that earth has become — but what caused that destruction and who built their cavernous home are among the other queries. Silo streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. AUNTY DONNA'S COFFEE CAFE If comedy is all about timing, then Aunty Donna have it — not just onstage. In 2020, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun was the hysterical sketch-comedy series that the world needed, with the six-episode show satirising sharehouse living dropping at the ideal moment. While the Australian jokesters' Netflix hit wasn't just hilarious because it arrived when everyone had been spending more time than anyone dreamed at home thanks to the early days of the pandemic, the ridiculousness it found in domesticity was as inspired as it was sidesplittingly absurd. Three years later, heading out is well and truly back, as are Aunty Donna on-screen. Their target in Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe: cafe culture, with Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane returning to make fun of one of the simplest reasons to go out that there is. Grabbing a cuppa is such an ordinary and everyday task, so much so that it was taken for granted until it was no longer an easy part of our routines. Unsurprisingly, now that caffeine fixes are back and brewing, Aunty Donna finds much to parody. With fellow group members Sam Lingham (a co-writer here), Max Miller (the show's director) and Tom Zahariou (its composer), Aunty Donna's well-known trio of faces set their new six-parter in the most obvious place they can: a Melbourne cafe called 'Morning Brown'. The track itself doesn't get a spin, however, with the show's central piece of naming is its most expected move. As demonstrated in episodes that turn the cafe into a courtroom, ponder whether Broden might still be a child and riff on Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt's 1967 disappearance, nothing else about Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe earns that description. Pinballing in any and every direction possible has always been one of the Aussie comedy troupe's biggest talents, with their latest series deeply steeped — riotously, eclectically and entertainingly, too — in that approach. Think: Richard Roxburgh (Elvis) playing Rake, even though that's not his Rake character's name; Looking for Alibrandi's Pia Miranda making tomato day jokes;. stanning Gardening Australia and skewering unreliable streaming services, complete with jokes at ABC iView's expense; and relentlessly giggling at the hospitality industry again and again. Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe streams via ABC iView. Read our full review. BEEF As plenty does (see also: Rye Lane above), Beef starts with two strangers meeting, but there's absolutely nothing cute about it. Sparks don't fly and hearts don't flutter; instead, this pair grinds each other's gears. In a case of deep and passionate hate at first sight, Danny Cho (Steven Yeun, Nope) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong, Paper Girls) give their respective vehicles' gearboxes a workout, in fact, after he begins to pull out of a hardware store carpark, she honks behind him, and lewd hand signals and terse words are exchanged. Food is thrown, streets are angrily raced down, gardens are ruined, accidents are barely avoided, and the name of Vin Diesel's famous car franchise springs to mind, aptly describing how bitterly these two strangers feel about each other — and how quickly. Created by Lee Sung Jin, who has It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dave and Silicon Valley on his resume before this ten-part Netflix and A24 collaboration, Beef also commences with a simple, indisputable and deeply relatable fact. Whether you're a struggling contractor hardly making ends meet, as he is, or a store-owning entrepreneur trying to secure a big deal, as she is — or, if you're both, neither or anywhere in-between — pettiness reigning supreme is basic human nature. Danny could've just let Amy beep as much as she liked, then waved, apologised and driven away. Amy could've been more courteous about sounding her horn, and afterwards. But each feels immediately slighted by the other, isn't willing to stand for such an indignity and becomes consumed by their trivial spat. Neither takes the high road, not once — and if you've ever gotten irrationally irate about a minor incident, this new standout understands. Episode by episode, it sees that annoyance fester and exasperation grow, too. Beef spends its run with two people who can't let go of their instant rage, keep trying to get the other back, get even more incensed in response, and just add more fuel to the fire again and again until their whole existence is a blaze of revenge. If you've ever taken a small thing and blown it wildly out of proportion, Beef is also on the same wavelength. And if any of the above has ever made you question your entire life — or just the daily grind of endeavouring to get by, having everything go wrong, feeling unappreciated and constantly working — Beef might just feel like it was made for you. Beef streams via Netflix. Read our full review. POKER FACE Cards on the table: thanks to Russian Doll and the Knives Out franchise, Natasha Lyonne and Rian Johnson are both on a helluva streak. In their most recent projects before now, each has enjoyed a hot run not once but twice. Lyonne made time trickery one of the best new shows of 2019, plus a returning standout in 2022 as well, while Johnson's first Benoit Blanc whodunnit and followup Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery were gems of the exact same years. The latter also saw the pair team up briefly — Lyonne and Johnson, that is, although getting a Russian Doll-meets-Knives Out crossover from the universe, or just the Netflix algorithm, would be a dream. Until that wish comes true, there's Poker Face. It's no one's stopgap or consolation prize, however. This new mystery-of-the-week series is an all-out must-see in its own right, and one of 2023's gleaming streaming aces already. Given its components and concept, turning out otherwise would've been the biggest head-scratcher. Beneath aviator shades, a trucker cap and her recognisable locks, Lyonne plays detective again, as she did in Russian Doll — because investigating why you're looping through the same day over and over, or jumping through time, is still investigating. Johnson gives the world another sleuth, too, after offering up his own spin on Agatha Christie-style gumshoes with the ongoing Knives Out saga. This time, he's dancing with 1968–2003 television series Columbo, right down to Poker Face's title font. Lyonne isn't one for playing conventional detectives, though. Here, she's Charlie Cale, who starts poking around in sudden deaths thanks to an unusual gift and a personal tragedy. As outlined in the show's ten-part first season, Charlie is a human lie detector. She can always tell if someone is being untruthful, a knack she first used in gambling before getting on the wrong side of the wrong people. Then, when a friend and colleague at the far-from-flashy Las Vegas casino where Charlie works winds up dead, that talent couldn't be handier. Poker Face streams via Stan. Read our full review. MRS DAVIS It was back in March 2022 that the world first learned of Mrs Davis, who would star in it and which creatives were behind it. Apart from its central faith-versus-technology battle, the show's concept was kept under wraps, but the series itself was announced to the world. The key involvement of three-time GLOW Emmy-nominee Betty Gilpin, Lost and The Leftovers creator Damon Lindelof, and The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon writer and executive producer Tara Hernandez was championed, plus the fact that Black Mirror: San Junipero director Owen Harris would helm multiple episodes. Accordingly, although no one knew exactly what it was about, Mrs Davis existed months before ChatGPT was released — but this puzzle-box drama, which is equally a sci-fi thriller, zany comedy and action-adventure odyssey, now follows the artificial intelligence-driven chatbot in reaching audiences. Indeed, don't even bother trying not to think about the similarities as you're viewing this delightfully wild and gleefully ridiculous series. There's also no point dismissing any musings that slip into your head about social media, ever-present tech, digital surveillance and the many ways that algorithms dictate our lives, either. Mrs Davis accepts that such innovations are a mere fact of life in 2023, then imagines what might happen if AI promised to solve the worlds ills and make everyone's existence better and happier. It explores how users could go a-flocking, eager to obey every instruction and even sacrifice themselves to the cause. In other words, it's about ChatGPT-like technology starting a religion in everything but name. To tell that tale, it's also about nun Simone (Gilpin, Gaslit), who was raised by magicians (Love & Death's Elizabeth Marvel and Scream's David Arquette), and enjoys sabbaticals from her convent to do whatever is necessary to bring down folks who practise her parents' vocation and the show's titular technology. She also enjoys quite the literal nuptials to Jesus Christ, is divinely bestowed names to chase in her quest and has an ex-boyfriend, Wiley (Jake McDorman, Dopesick), who's a former bullrider-turned-Fight Club-style resistance leader. And, she's tasked with a mission by the algorithm itself: hunting down the Holy Grail. Mrs Davis streams via Binge. Read our full review. SWARM Becky with the good hair gets a shoutout in Swarm. Facial bites do as well, complete with a Love & Basketball reference when the culprit flees. This seven-part series about a global pop sensation and her buzzing fans and stans also has its music icon unexpectedly drop a stunner of a visual album, ride a white horse, be married to a well-known rapper, become a mum to twins and see said husband fight with her sister in an elevator. Her sibling is also a singer, and plenty of folks contend she's the more interesting of the two. Still, Swarm's object of fascination — protagonist Dre's (Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah) undying obsession — sells out tours, breaks Ticketmaster and headlines one of the biggest music festivals there is. And, while they call themselves the titular term rather than a hive, her devotees are zealous and then some, especially humming around on social media. Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the show's creators and past colleagues on Glover's exceptional, now-finished Atlanta — Nabers also worked on Watchmen, too — couldn't be more upfront about who they're referring to. No one says Beyoncé's name, however, but Swarm's Houston-born music megastar is the former Destiny's Child singer in everything except moniker. In case anyone watching thinks that this series is trading in coincidences and déjà vu, or just failing to be subtle when it comes to Ni'Jah (Nirine S Brown, Ruthless), the Prime Video newcomer keeps making an overt opening declaration. "This is not a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional," it announces before each episode. From there, it dives into Dre's journey as a twentysomething in 2016 who still adores her childhood idol with the same passion she did as a teen and, instalment by instalment, shows how far she's willing to go to prove it. Swarm streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. CUNK ON EARTH If you've ever watched a David Attenborough documentary about the planet and wished it was sillier and stupider, to the point of being entertainingly ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining alike, then Netflix comes bearing wonderful news. Actually, the BBC got there first, airing history-of-the-world mockumentary Cunk on Earth back in September 2022. Glorious things come to waiting viewers Down Under now, however — and this gleefully, delightfully absurd take on human civilisation from its earliest days till now, spanning cave paintings, Roman empires, Star Wars' empire, 1989 Belgian techno anthem 'Pump Up the Jam' and more, is one of the best shows to hit Australia in 2023 so far. This series is a comedy masterclass, in fact, featuring everything from a Black Mirror-leaning skit about Beethoven resurrected inside a smart speaker to a recreation of a Dark Ages fray purely through sound also thrown in. It's flat-out masterful, too, and tremendously funny. This sometimes Technotronic-soundtracked five-part show's beat? Surveying how humanity came to its present state, stretching back through species' origins and evolution, and pondering everything from whether the Egyptian pyramids were built from the top down to the Cold War bringing about the "Soviet onion". The audience's guide across this condensed and comic history is the tweed-wearing Philomena Cunk, who has the steady voice of seasoned doco presenter down pat, plus the solemn gaze, but is firmly a fictional — and satirical — character. Comedian Diane Morgan first started playing the misinformed interviewer in 2013, in Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, with Black Mirror creator Brooker behind Cunk on Earth as well. Over the past decade, Cunk has also brought her odd questions to 2016's one-off Cunk on Shakespeare and Cunk on Christmas, and 2018's also five-instalment Cunk on Britain. After you're done with the character's latest spin, you'll want to devour the rest ASAP. Cunk on Earth streams via Netflix. Read our full review. SHRINKING Viewers mightn't have realised they'd been lacking something crucial until now, but Shrinking serves it up anyway: a delightfully gruff Harrison Ford co-starring in a kind-hearted sitcom. Creating this therapist-focused series for Apple TV+, Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel didn't miss this new gem's immediate potential. Lawrence and Goldstein add the show to their roster alongside Ted Lasso, which the former also co-created, and the latter stars in as the also wonderfully gruff Roy Kent to Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning effect. It too bathes in warmth amid chaos, all while understanding, exploring and accepting its characters as the flawed folks we all are. As for Segel, he's no stranger to playing the type of super-enthusiastic and super-earnest figure he inhabits again here, as seen in Freaks and Geeks and How I Met Your Mother. If Ted Lasso downplayed the soccer, instead emphasising the psychologist chats that were a pivotal part of season two, Shrinking would be the end result. Also, if Scrubs, another of Lawrence's sitcoms, followed doctors specialising in mental health rather than working in a hospital, Shrinking would also be the outcome. Round up those familiar elements and details brought over from elsewhere, and Shrinking turns them into a series that's supremely entertaining, well-cast and well-crafted — and an engaging and easy watch. The focus: Segel (Windfall) as Jimmy Laird, a shrink grieving for his wife Tia (Lilan Bowden, Murderville), making bad decisions and leaving parenting his teen daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell, Generation) to his empty-nester neighbour Liz (Christa Miller, a Scrubs alum and also Lawrence's wife). When he decides to start checking back in, and to also give his patients like young war veteran Sean (Luke Tennie, CSI: Vegas) some tough love, it causes ripples, including for his boss Paul (Ford, The Call of the Wild) and colleague Gaby (Jessica Williams, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore). Shrinking streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. PLATONIC Sometime in the near future, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen and filmmaker Nicholas Stoller could easily join forces on a new rom-com. In fact, they should. Until then, buddy comedy Platonic makes a hilarious, engagingly written and directed, and perfectly cast addition to each's respective resumes. Reuniting the trio after 2014's Bad Neighbours and its 2016 sequel Bad Neighbours 2, this new series pairs Australia's comedy queen and America's go-to stoner as longterm pals who are never anything but mates — and haven't been in touch at all for years — but navigate a friendship that's as chaotic and complicated as any movie romance. That's an easy setup; however, watching the show's stars bicker, banter and face the fact that life doesn't always turn out as planned together proves as charming as it was always going to. Also, Platonic smartly doesn't try to be a romantic comedy, or to follow in When Harry Met Sally's footsteps. Instead, Platonic explores what happens when two former besties have gone their own ways, then come back together. The show knows that reconnecting with old pals is always tinged with nostalgia for the person you were when they were initially in your life. And, it's well-aware that reckoning with where you've ended up since is an immediate side effect. Enter Sylvia (Byrne, Seriously Red), who reaches out to Will (Rogen, The Super Mario Bros Movie) after hearing that he's no longer with the wife (Alisha Wainwright, Raising Dion) she didn't like. She's also a suburban-dwelling former lawyer who put work on hold to become a mother of three, and can't help feeling envious of her husband Charlie's (Luke Macfarlane, Bros) flourishing legal career. Her old BFF co-owns and runs an LA brewpub, is obsessive about his beer and hipster/slacker image, and hasn't been taking his breakup well. They couldn't be in more different places in their lives. When they meet up again, they couldn't appear more dissimilar, too. "You look like you live at Ann Taylor Loft," is Will's assessment. Sylvia calls him "a '90s grunge clown." Neither is wrong. Platonic streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. We also keep a running list of must-stream TV from across the year so far, complete with full reviews.
There's no shame in picking up a cheap bottle of whiskey. You're a little strapped for cash and in need of a nightcap, so what? You can knock it back all the same. As much as we'd love it, we can't all be Don Draper kickin' back on some Blue Label. But, now there might be a way to get the best of both worlds. This new device currently blowing up on Kickstarter claims transform your horrid cheap whiskey into something delectable in just 24 hours. Get ready for some serious life hacking. After six years of development, a group of Portland entrepreneurs named Time and Oak have created what they call Whiskey Elements — nifty little devices to stimulate the ageing process of whiskey (or at least make it seem that way). Each 'Element' is a small customised oak stick that is to be placed in a bottle of whiskey. After being submerged for a single day, your drink will taste richer and more complex while having much less toxins. The process has roughly the same effect as three years of ageing. Taking this one step further, the Elements have different variations to ensure a unique custom taste. You can choose from classic oak, vanilla, maple, smoky or peaty options and create a different flavour of whiskey altogether. It's a concept which must seem appealing to a lot of people. The Whiskey Elements Kickstarter campaign has surpassed its goal seven times over. Though the developers were only shooting for US$18,000, they've already received over $150,000 in pledges. The crowdfunding effort is open until next week, so you still have an opportunity to contribute and get your hands on some tasty, tasty whiskey. Though the lower level pledges only ship within the US, you can pick yourself up a starter pack for $24 plus delivery. If you ask us, that's not a bad price to trick your way into Don Draper levels of luxury. Via Springwise. Photos via Whiskey Elements.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we go to the newly revamped The Island Gold Coast, the spot we're putting up guests who book one of our exclusive For The Love VIP packages. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? The Island once had a reputation of notoriety as a Schoolies-friendly Surfers Paradise hot spot with an aesthetic and fit-out wearied by time and wear. But no longer. It's undergone a major renovation and design overhaul to be re-envisioned as a tasteful boutique hotel that gives off nods to Soho House members clubs and classic California coastal hotel design. Located in the heart of Surfers Paradise across the road from Main Beach and walking distance to some of the area's best restaurants and bars, it puts guests situated perfectly for a combination of laidback beaching by day and mixing it up at night. THE ROOMS Each of the 98 rooms is full of hardwood timbers, native plants and open facades that bring the outside, in. The natural elements help make this space feel like a calm personal hideaway. The four-and-a-half-star accommodation has all the top amenities. Rooms feature a private balcony as well as tea and coffee facilities, a mini bar, the obligatory flat-screen TV, free wifi and a safe — luxe linen sheets are also a big win. Many of the rooms also come with partial sea views down to Surfer's Paradise Beach, so make sure you pick one when booking. FOOD AND DRINK You don't have to go far for good grub, with the hotel's restaurant, Goldie's, on the ground floor (right next to the pool). Get your classic brunch dishes till 10am then pop in for lunch or dinner for $18 wood oven pizzas, selection of burgers or the holy chicken parmy. You can also head up to The Island Rooftop in the afternoon for similar dishes alongside a selection of fresh seafood including trays of oysters and a special aperitivo menu on Thursday — for $69 guests get unlimited cocktails and food for two hours. [caption id="attachment_833776" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lynda Hinton (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA You're right in the thick of it when staying at The Island Gold Coast. First off, the Surfer's Paradise Beach is mere moments away or you can head further south if you want some slightly less-populated beach action at Broadbeach, Palm Beach or North Burleigh. Alternatively, you can take to the streets to find some of the area's boutique stores or hit up Home of the Arts to find live performances, lake-side strolls, cinema and art exhibitions. THE EXTRAS The Island is not just a fun place to stay, it's also a proper nightlife destination for locals and guests. The boutique hotel hosts drag brunches, a drag musical, Sunday live music sessions around sunset, weekend parties on the rooftop and the Cocktail Flight Club each Thursday (for $20 you'll get to taste a series of cocktails and get a full size version of your favourite). Even if you're not staying here, it's worth stopping by if you're visiting the GC. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from June's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH With Freshman Year, Cooper Raiff cemented himself as a talent to watch, both on- and off-screen. The writer, director, actor, editor and producer wore many hats on the likeable romance-meets-coming-of-age film, and he wore them all impressively and effortlessly. With Cha Cha Real Smooth, he hands over splicing duties, but he's just as ace in every other guise yet again. Winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, in the prestigious event's US Dramatic competition, this comedy also focuses on the fact that no one really knows how to handle life — this time centring its tale around the just-out-of-college Andrew (Raiff, Madeline & Cooper). The character returns home after graduating with the sole aim of making enough cash to follow his girlfriend to Spain, but falls into a gig hosting Bar Mitzvahs for his younger brother David's (Evan Assante, Dinosaur World) friends. Andrew falls in another way, too: in love with Domino (an exceptional Dakota Johnson, playing a mum again after The Lost Daughter), mother to Evan's classmate Lola (debutant Vanessa Burghardt). Lola has autism, is bullied by the other kids and usually finds herself ignored at parties, somewhat happily so; however, Andrew makes her feel comfortable and accepted, which doesn't go unnoticed. His growing fondness for Domino is complicated, though. So is the object of his affection herself — and, while more than half a century ago The Graduate splashed in a similar pool, Johnson brings her own shades and depths to a woman who is yearning for stability yet rallying against it. Everything also remains complex about Cha Cha Real Smooth's portrait of being a fresh college graduate with everything ahead of you and zero ideas of how what to truly do — and proves always-earnest as well, a description that applies to Raiff's work as Andrew and this low-key, insightful and charming movie alike. Cha Cha Real Smooth is available to stream via Apple TV+. FIRE ISLAND Pride and Prejudice, but set on New York's Fire Island. That's it, that's the queer rom-com that shares its setting's name. Fire Island, the movie, even comes with its own Mr Darcy — here called Will and played by How to Get Away with Murder's Conrad Ricamora, who should enjoy the same career bump that Colin Firth did in the 90s when he stepped into the part in a far-more-faithful TV adaptation. Updating Jane Austen isn't new, of course. Bridget Jones' Diary, also famously starring Firth, did the same with Pride and Prejudice. Stone-cold classic Clueless, which gets a shoutout here in a perfectly co-opted line of dialogue, did it with Emma, too. One of Fire Island's best traits is how new yet comfortable it feels, though, like thumbing through a favourite but seeing it afresh — with hot tubs full of praise deserved by director Andrew Ahn (Spa Night, Driveways) and screenwriter/star Joel Kim Booster (Search Party, Sunnyside). Booster also boasts a writing credit on The Other Two, one of the best new TV comedies of the past few years — and that bitingly smart, laugh-a-minute tone shines through in Fire Island, too. He takes Austen's tale about love and class and steeps it within the queer community, its subdivisions and subcultures, and issues of race and socio-economic status that ripple through, as they do in America and the world more broadly. That's what Booster's self-confident Noah finds himself navigating on a week-long annual getaway with his best friends, and after he decides to put his pal Howie's (Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live) romantic prospects above his own. If you know the OG story, you know what happens next, including Noah's path towards the initially stern, quiet and standoffish Will. The end product here is witty, funny, heartwarming and sincere, as well as supremely well cast, energetic from start to finish, and bursting with queer pride. Fire Island is available to stream via Disney+. RUTHERFORD FALLS Mike Schur sure does have a type. If you're a fan of Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Office, though, that won't be new news. And if you watched the television producer and writer's great first season of Rutherford Falls as well, you will have spotted all his usual touches at work — which doesn't change in season two. By no means is this a criticism. His various different series feel like siblings, not clones; they share similar traits, but there's so much about their individual personalities that remains distinctive. Here, the fact that Rutherford Falls is a show deeply steeped in a Native American community gives it a wealth of avenues to go down, as well as plenty that's purely the sitcom's alone. Also crucial: the influence of co-creator and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas (Superstore), and the strong commitment to exploring the treatment of First Nations peoples in America today. Rutherford Falls' latest batch of episodes follows one of its characters running for local office, for instance, which is a scenario that Parks devotees will instantly recognise. And yet, what that means in a small town that's struggling to address the colonial impact upon its original inhabitants, the Minishonka Nation, is always its real focus. What everything means here is filtered through that lens — including teenage aspiring mayor Bobbie Yang (Jesse Leigh, Heathers), enterprising CEO of the Minishonka Nation casino Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes, Firestarter), cultural centre head Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding, Reservation Dogs) and her best friend Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms, Ron's Gone Wrong). It's noticeable that Helms is no longer the show's anchor, too. Indeed, the already smart, funny and warm series spends its excellent second season showing how Nathan wants to de-centre himself from hogging the town's limelight, and puts that idea in motion itself. Rutherford Falls is available to stream via Stan. COW As its name so clearly explains, Cow devotes its frames to one farmyard animal — and it's one of the most haunting films of the past few years. It's the third feature to take its title from a four-legged critter in the past 12 months, after the vastly dissimilar Pig and Lamb. It's also the second observational documentary of late to peer at the daily existence of creatures that form part of humanity's food chain, following the also-exceptional Gunda. And, it also joins 2013's The Moo Man in honing its focus specifically upon dairy farming, and in Britain at that. But the key to Cow is Andrea Arnold, the phenomenal filmmaker behind Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights, American Honey and the second season of Big Little Lies. She sees Luma, her bovine protagonist, with as much affection and understanding as she's ever seen any of the women who've led her projects. While watching, viewers do as well. Starting with the birth of Luma's latest calf — and, in the beginning, taking detours to see how it's faring as well — Cow unfurls with the rhythm of its agricultural setting. It's the rhythm of Luma's life, too, as she's milked and fed, moos for the offspring that's taken away too quickly, and is soon impregnated again. There's no doubt where the documentary is headed, either. There's simply no shying away from the fact that Luma and cattle like her only exist for milk or meat. Without ever offering any narration or on-screen explanation, Arnold stares at these facts directly, while also peering deeply into its bovine subject's eyes as often as possible. The result is hypnotic, inescapably affecting, and also features the best use of Garbage's 'Milk' ever in a movie. Cow is available to stream via DocPlay. HUSTLE When well-deserved Oscar predictions came Adam Sandler's way for the exceptional Uncut Gems, the actor and comedian said that he'd make the worst movie ever if he didn't win one of the Academy's shiny trophies. He didn't, and then Hubie Halloween arrived — and now Hustle. No, neither is the most terrible film on Sandler's resume. In Hustle's case, it happens to be home to one of his best performances. He has plenty to his name, including in Punch-Drunk Love, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and, of course, the astounding Uncut Gems, so it's in good company. There's also an element of art reflecting life in this new sports drama, even though basketball isn't what Sandler is famous for IRL. He knows more than a thing or two about only being seen one way, however, when his talents span much further. Whenever he branches away from the style of comedies that made his name, starting with Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, he knows plenty about being the underdog, too. On-screen, Stanley Sugerman is Hustle's underdog. A scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, he jets around the world scoping out new talent in the hope of finding a future match-winner, but it's not the job he wants. He loves basketball, he used to play and he's long dreamed about being a coach — but when good news arrives, then tragedy strikes, then the calculating Vince Merrick (Ben Foster, Galveston) takes over as the team's owner, it seems he'll be on the road forever. Bo Cruz (real-life NBA player Juancho Hernangómez) might be his ticket to better things, though, if he can get the Spanish construction worker signed or drafted. There's nothing that's surprising about director Jeremiah Zagar's (We the Animals) choices, or screenwriters Taylor Materne (video game NBA 2K20) and Will Fetters' (A Star Is Born) either, but Hustle remains a strong and lived-in character-driven drama as much as a tense against-the-odds sports film — and it's as entertaining and engaging to watch as the playoffs. Hustle is available to stream via Netflix. SPIDERHEAD When does a jail look like anything but a jail? When it's Spiderhead. Located on a remote island, the high-tech penitentiary would probably make a lavish holiday home if it wasn't for all the locks, observation rooms, and inmates walking round with creepy drug-dispensing packs attached to their backs — all to help test drugs under the watch of warden/pharmaceutical whiz Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth, Extraction) and his assistant Verlaine (Mark Paguio, Bump). Incarcerated for drink-driving his way to a tragedy, Jeff (Miles Teller, Top Gun: Maverick) is one of the facility's prisoners. He's also a key test subject of interest, and put through the wringer when it comes to his meds. That fascination goes two ways when he starts rebelling against his doses, as well as the exploitative scenarios in which they're given, and asking questions about both. Directed by Teller's Top Gun: Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski, Spiderhead takes its tale from George Saunders-penned short story Escape From Spiderhead. It isn't a particularly easy adaptation. But as played out against a weaponised soundtrack of glorious yacht rock — and with Hemsworth as gleefully unpredictable as he's ever been on-screen — it's always an intriguing and involving movie. Not every aspect works, but when something does, the film proves as gleaming as the Queensland-shot sunshine that blazes outside the titular prison. Kosinski also isn't afraid to take wild swings, just like his star lead does away from his Marvel cape, and sports an unwavering determination to explore moral rot, ethical boundaries and the real meaning of free will. None of the insights that the movie excavates are new, but the result is still a slick and absorbing sci-fi thriller. Spiderhead is available to stream via Netflix. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE BOYS In savage and savvy caped-crusader satire The Boys, it has been evident since episode one that Homelander (Antony Starr, Banshee) is a fraud. He's America's favourite superhero, as well as the leader of top-tier supe crew The Seven — and he uses his public persona as a shield for his twisted ego, soul-devouring insecurities, arrogance and selfishness. As instalment after instalment of the show passes, his sinister true nature keeps burning. In The Boys' third season, Homelander may as well be America's most recent ex-President, complete with unhinged rants and an at-any-cost desperation to retain control. The comics that this series is based on were actually published from 2006–12, but the show they've spawned is firmly steeped in the polarised US of the past six or so years. Subtlety hardly comes with the territory here, and yet it doesn't make The Boys any less potent. The in-show alternative to Homelander's psychopathic, egotistical, world-threatening existence: the ragtag gang of vigilantes that shares the series' name. Led by cynical-as-fuck Brit Billy Butcher (Karl Urban, Thor: Ragnarok), they remain intent on bringing down The Seven and Vought, the all-encompassing company behind it, as always. About year has passed since season two, however, and Hughie (Jack Quaid, Scream) now works with congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) at the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, countering misbehaving superheroes the legal way. That involves overseeing Butcher and fellow pals Frenchie (Tomer Capone, One on One) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara, Suicide Squad), but this wouldn't be The Boys if their battle was that straightforward. It also wouldn't be The Boys if everything that followed wasn't wild and OTT to a jaw-dropping degree, oh-so-astute about popular culture and consumerism today, brimming in blood and Billy Joel songs, and always biting deeper — and sharper. The Boys is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. IRMA VEP It's one of 2022's most magnificent new shows, and a cinephile's dream of a series, but Irma Vep requires some unpacking. The term 'layered' has rarely ever applied to a TV program quite as it does here. French filmmaker Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper) retraces his own footsteps, turning his cult-favourite 1996 movie of the same name into an Alicia Vikander-starring HBO miniseries. And, in this series itself, a director is also remaking one of his own past flicks as a television project. In all versions of Irma Vep, the movies and shows being made are also remakes of 1915–16 French crime effort Les Vampires. It was a ten-episode, seven-hour cinema serial, and it's supremely real. Indeed, by first helming a feature about remaking Les Vampires, and now a series about remaking a movie that remakes Les Vampires (which, IRL, is also a remake of a movie that remakes Les Vampires), Assayas keeps remaking Les Vampires in his own way. It all sounds exactly as complicated as it is — and Assayas loves it. Viewers should, too. The nested dolls that are Irma Vep's meta setup just keep stacking, actually. The 1996 Irma Vep starred Maggie Cheung, who'd later become Assayas' wife, then ex-wife — and the 2022 Irma Vep haunts its on-screen filmmaker René Vidal (Vincent Macaigne, Non-Fiction) with visions of his ex-wife Jade Lee (Vivian Wu, Dead Pigs), who, yes, led his movie. If you're a fan of word puzzles, you might've also noticed that Irma Vep is an anagram of vampire; that said, Les Vampires isn't actually about bloodsuckers, and nor is any iteration of Irma Vep. To add to the list, while Cheung played a version of herself, Vikander (Blue Bayou, The Green Knight) plays fictional American star Mira — a name that's an anagram of Irma. You can also take that moniker literally, because mirroring is patently a pivotal aspect of the brilliant Irma Vep in every guise. Irma Vep is available to stream via Binge. Read our full review. LOOT Aptly given its title, new Apple TV+ sitcom Loot doesn't look cheap — or sound it. It's partly filmed in one of America's biggest private homes, an enormous mansion with 21 bedrooms, five pools, a bowling alley and a cinema. It's filled with well-known needle drops that come quickly and often, with one episode featuring three Daft Punk tracks alone. It couldn't scream louder or drip harder with excess; the series is about a mega-rich tech whiz's wife who gets $87 billion in their public and messy breakup, after all. And, it is inescapably made by a company that's a big technology behemoth itself, and has been splashing stacks of cash to build its streaming roster (see: The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, Severance, Physical, Prehistoric Planet, Foundation, The Shrink Next Door, Shining Girls, Slow Horses, Lisey's Story and more). Loot is also clearly a satire, however, and a canny, warm and funny one at that. The setup: amid being gifted a mega yacht for her birthday, then jumping to a party in that aforementioned sprawling home, Molly Novak (Maya Rudolph, Big Mouth) discovers that her husband John (Adam Scott, Severance) is cheating on her. Post-divorce, after that huge settlement and a stint of partying around the globe with her assistant Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster, Fire Island), she gets a call from Sofia Salinas (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pose), the head of the foundation she's forgotten bears her name (and even exists). With Molly's drunken decadence all over the news, the charity is finding it difficult to do its work. So, the organisation's namesake decides to ditch the revelry — and her married moniker, becoming Molly Wells — and put all that dough to better use. She also commits to playing an active role in how her funds can truly help people. Loot is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING Born out of the world's recent true-crime and podcasting obsessions — and the intersection of the two in the likes of Serial — Only Murders in the Building boasts its own version of Sarah Koenig. In this marvellous murder-mystery comedy, she's called Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva). As viewers of the show's impressive and entertaining first season know, though, she's not the main focus. Instead, Only Murders in the Building hones in on three New Yorkers residing in the Arconia apartment complex — where, as the program's name makes plain, there's a murder. There's several, but it only takes one to initially bring actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) together. The trio then turn amateur detectives, and turn that sleuthing into their own podcast, which also shares the show's title. In season two, the show returns to the same scene. Yes, there's another killing. No time has passed for Only Murders in the Building's characters — and, while plenty has changed since the series' debut episode last year, plenty remains the same. Viewers now know Charles, Oliver and Mabel better, and they all know each other better, but that only makes things more complicated. Indeed, there's a lived-in vibe to the program and its main figures this time around, rather than every episode feeling like a new discovery. Among the many things that Only Murders in the Building does exceptionally well, finding multiple ways to parallel on- and off-screen experiences ranks right up there. That applies to true-crime and podcast fixations, naturally, and also to getting to know someone, learning their ins and outs, and finding your comfort zone even when life's curveballs keep coming. Only Murders in the Building is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. PHYSICAL Lycra-clad ladies of the 80s and 90s making their mark in a ruthless, consumer-driven and male-dominated world, all by getting active: as far as on-screen niches go, that's particularly niche. It's also growing. Back in 80s itself, Flashdance did it. Starring a fantastic Kirsten Dunst, the sadly cancelled-too-soon 2019 series On Becoming a God in Central Florida did as well. For three seasons from 2017–19, GLOW similarly stepped into the ring. And since 2021, Apple TV+'s Physical has, too. What a feeling indeed. Now back for season two, the latter sports a staggering lead performance, a superb supporting cast and a complex premise unpacked with precision, as well as a pitch-perfect vibe and a killer 80s soundtrack. Season one of Physical didn't quite see Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne, Irresistible) get everything she'd ever fantasised about. Rather, it followed the San Diego housewife as she pursued something she didn't even know she wanted until her endorphins kicked in at an aerobics class. Now, she's the star of her own fitness tape — and spruiking it, be it in supermarkets or by hosting public aerobics classes, has become her life. But while she's in control of every exercise move she makes, earning the same power in her relationships, and in business, isn't as straightforward. She's still stuck in a rut with her husband Danny (Rory Scovel, I Feel Pretty), to put it mildly. She's still caught in a torrid affair with grim Mormon business developer John Breem (Paul Sparks, Castle Rock), too. And while she starts leaning on her wealthy and supportive best friend Greta (Dierdre Friel, Second Act) more, she's also unable to shake the engrained notion that needing anyone's help is a sign of weakness. And then there's the help she hopes to get from fellow aerobics instructor Vinnie Green (The White Lotus scene-stealer Murray Bartlett). Physical is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. MS MARVEL First, the inescapable Marvel-ness of it all: Ms Marvel focuses on a Marvel superfan, heads to a Marvel fan convention, and revels in worshipping at the Marvel Cinematic Universe's altar enthusiastically. Yes, we've reached the point in the biggest current franchise there is where the MCU is overtly and openly celebrating itself within its own on-screen stories — and celebrating the people who celebrate the MCU. Here, Marvel also shows its characters frothing over the very saga they're appearing in, homemade costumes whipped up for cosplay contests and all. That sounds like something out of the supremely non-Marvel superhero satire The Boys, but it's now an IRL status quo. And yet, with Ms Marvel, all this Marvel self-fandom thankfully doesn't just feel like a massive corporation patting itself on the back in an expensive splash of self-congratulations. One of the reasons that Ms Marvel works: it's a series about a Marvel devotee because it's a coming-of-age series. Today's teens have grown up with the MCU, so a show about a 16-year-old finding her place in the world — with and without powers — can easily acknowledge that fact. The comic-book company isn't being meta or reflective. Rather, as non-Marvel fellow Disney+ release Turning Red was, Ms Marvel is about a teenage girl working out who she is and what she wants to be, and also how that process is shaped by what she loves. Pakistani American Kamala Khan (wonderful debutant Iman Vellani) happens to be obsessed with Marvel, and with Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), all while she's navigating high school, coming to terms with her new super skills, weathering her parents' (Bullets' Mohan Kapur and The Affair's Zenobia Shroff) strict expectations, diving into her family's past and remaining true to her culture. Ms Marvel is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2021, and January, February, March, April and May 2022 — and our top new TV shows of 2021, best new television series from last year that you might've missed, top 2021 straight-to-streaming films and specials and must-stream 2022 shows so far as well.
When there's all that vino to drink, no one really needs another reason to book in a holiday to the Barossa. Still, a towering new six-star hotel smack bang in the middle of the vineyard is certain to catapult the South Australian wine region to the top of your must-visit list. That's what's coming to the famed Seppeltsfield winery, as first announced back in 2020 — and the $50-million, 12-storey spot has just gotten the official tick of approval. Given that the Oscar Seppeltsfield has only just received that planning go-ahead after a period of community consultation, don't go backing your bags just yet — it isn't set to open until 2024. But it'll make one helluva impressive spot to visit when it does start welcoming in wine-loving guests, and also give the Barossa a new landmark. Named after winemaker Oscar Benno Seppelt, the hotel will be surrounded by century-old bush vines — and every room will feature a private balcony so that you can soak up that view. Speaking of spots to slumber, there'll be 71 rooms in total, including penthouses and suites. Also included: a fine-dining restaurant, private dining room, boardroom, fitness studio, day spa and infinity pool. And, to literally cap it all off, a top-floor viewing deck with 360-degree views over the region will sit on the highest level. Just think, after hitting up a bunch of cellar doors, sipping local vinos and eating lots of cheese, you can come back and have a dip in the pool, peer out over the vines from a great height, then sit down for more wine and a white-tablecloth dinner. If you're looking for indulgence, this is it. Designed by Adelaide-based firm Intro Architecture, the towering 12-storey design was inspired by wine barrels and is set to bring a modern edge to Seppeltstfield, which is one of Australia's oldest wineries and was lauded as one of the top 50 vineyards in the world in 2019. The new hotel also looks a lot like La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux, also one of the world's most prestigious wine destinations. Construction on the Oscar is expected to start this year. And yes, it's destined to become a tourist attraction. It's anticipated that the hotel will bring in an extra $90 million in tourism dollars, and also drive an increase in both Aussie and international visitors, within the first five years of opening alone. "The Oscar Seppeltsfield will complete the grand vision of our tourism master plan — to be the most desirable epicurean destination for tourists worldwide. A national icon for South Australia, a Sydney Opera House for the Barossa," said Seppeltsfield proprietor and Executive Chairman Warren Randall. Oscar Seppeltsfield is slated to open at Seppeltsfield Winery's Great Terraced Vineyard, Barossa Valley, South Australia, in 2024. For more information, head to the winery's website.
Normally, no one plans to go to sleep at the movies. If an uninspiring film, being in a cavernous darkened room, the comfort of recliners and daybeds, simple tiredness or any combination of the above can cause your eyes to get heavy, however, there's now a session where dozing is encouraged. More than that, having a nap is exactly what patrons are meant to do at southeast Queensland's Limelight Cinemas when its new Snooze Sessions kick off. Is this the first trip to the flicks that's all about drifting off? This chain thinks so. Its Ipswich venue initially floated the idea as an April Fool's gag, but it's now officially on the lineup, kicking off on Monday, July 14, 2025. If you hear snoring during it, well, don't be surprised. Those chaotic A Minecraft Movie screenings with "chicken jockey" screams and other mayhem that were packing cinemas earlier in 2025? Consider Snooze Sessions the exact opposite. The projectors will still get whirring, but there'll be no shouts and thrown popcorn. Also, you won't be slumbering through a big franchise hit, side-splitting comedy, affectionate rom-com or any other type of movie. Instead, relaxing visuals are on the agenda. At its first edition, Snooze Sessions is going with a rainforest theme, not just in what graces the screen but in the dialogue-free soundscape as well. "Snooze Sessions isn't about catching the next blockbuster — it's about catching your breath. It's a unique experience that proves you don't have to watch a movie to feel transported. It's an invitation to take a break, enjoy the quiet, and reset in a darkened cinema," said CEO Ross Entwistle. Tickets cost $10 for a recliner and $20 for a double daybed — and places are limited to ensure that it truly is a restful experience Maybe this is your moviegoing dream, because picture palaces always make you sleepy. Perhaps you already know that dropping off will be impossible. Or, if you're spending cash at a cinema, you could want to actually see a film. Whatever fits, Limelight Cinemas is giving Snooze Sessions a try for a short time — and it's not joking about it. Snooze Sessions are taking place at Limelight Cinemas Ipswich, Riverlink Shopping Centre, The Terrace, North Ipswich, for a limited time from Monday, July 14, 2025. Head to the venue's website for tickets and more details.
Australians looking to travel to New Zealand must consider the current COVID-19 advice. For information on quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub. You don't need to ski or snowboard to have a great time on New Zealand's powder-topped slopes. Alpine resorts across the country have a huge variety of other snow-based activities to choose from during the magical winter months. All you have to decide is whether you'd rather take a high-performance vehicle around a snow-covered race track, drive your own team of sled dogs, or ride a high-speed gondola through the clouds. FLOOR IT AROUND A SNOW-COVERED RACE TRACK Ice Driving is considered the ultimate winter driving challenge. The tyre-sliding experience invites anyone with a drivers licence and a wad of cash to jump in the hot seat and hoon around more than 40 hectares of snow-capped alps. It happens in the deep south from July to August every year with participants invited to take the wheel of a high-performance vehicle on a snow-covered race track. The experience is held at the iconic Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds on Mount Pisa, which sits 1500 metres above sea level between Queenstown and Wanaka. The snow track is the winter test centre used to test cars around the world. It's suitable for groups of ten and up who are keen to learn what it takes to drift around a snow circle, weave around a slalom course and bury the accelerator on ice. TUBE DOWN A 150-METRE SLOPE IN TEKAPO Tekapo Springs is the nerve centre for alternative winter activities in the South Island's Mackenzie Basin. Open from June until mid-September, the snow tubing park is just one attraction on offer, taking thrill-seekers on a slippery ride down a 150-metre slope. And there's no uphill walking involved once you're ready for another run — simply hop aboard the magic carpet back to the top. Once you've completed your one-hour tubing session, there's plenty to keep you occupied at the resort. Hit the outdoor ice rink, unwind in the on-site sauna and steam room, or soak in stunning lake and mountain views from one of three hot pools. [caption id="attachment_757146" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism New Zealand.[/caption] RIDE NEW ZEALAND'S NEWEST, LONGEST AND FASTEST GONDOLA Riding Mt Ruapehu's newly opened Sky Waka will take you on a journey into the clouds. Called New Zealand's largest and most technically advanced gondola, the high-speed Sky Waka travels 1.8 kilometres in just five minutes above the snow-capped terrain of Whakapapa. From the Top of the Bruce base station you'll traverse over icy waterfalls and ancient lava flows and catch a glimpse of Ruapehu and its neighbouring volcanoes, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, through the floor to ceiling windows. Touch down will bring you to the award-winning Knoll Ridge Chalet where a selection of dining options await. DRIVE YOUR OWN TEAM OF SLED DOGS Cardrona's home of cross-country skiing is also where you can carve trails with a pack of friendly malamutes and huskies. UnderDog New Zealand has been practising the northern tradition of dogsledding in the Southern Alps since 2013, and allows visitors to drive their very own team of dogs or sit back and enjoy the ride. Exhilarating experiences start from $255 and range from one-hour high country journeys to after-dark runs and full-blown overnight stays. SNOWSHOE TO A SECLUDED BACKCOUNTRY HUT Snowshoeing is nearly as easy as putting one foot in front of the other. At Cardrona Valley's Snow Farm you can make a night of your winter adventure by trekking to a backcountry hut in the Pisa Ranges. Overnight snowshoe rental and the trail pass will set you back $29, while a spot in one of the secluded huts starts from $35. There are three to choose from: Meadow, Bob Lee and Daisy Lee. While each features a gas cooker and log burner, the former has room for 20 people. All you need to bring is food, drinks, a sleeping bag and your overnight things. For those who haven't been to a backcountry hut before, don't expect electricity and running water. WHIP AROUND THE MOUNTAIN ON A SNOWMOBILE Queenstown Snowmobiles offers the only heli-snowmobiling experience in New Zealand. The company has access to trails and backcountry riding, only by way of helicopter. The snowmobiles are easy to operate and no previous experience is required. Each wilderness tour is around two and a half hours and includes a 15-minute scenic helicopter flight each way. All of the tours come with an experienced guided and can cater for both individuals and small groups. In no time you'll be cruising across pristine snow at an altitude of up to 6000 feet above sea level. Just don't forget your camera. HAVE LUNCH ON TOP OF A GLACIER An outing with Mount Cook Ski Planes lets you toast the breathtaking beauty of Aoraki National Park with a glass of bubbly. The operator offers a range of experiences through the Southern Alps, including private ski plane flights over snow-capped peaks and chopper excursions to ice caves — which, depending on snow and ice conditions, can be explored with a guide. Once you've taken in all that mountain air, your pilot will land on one of the region's many glaciers for a private picnic on the snow. From there, you'll fly towards Mount Cook to give you a better view of the highest peak in New Zealand.
Time for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? Don't settle for an experience that might better be described as "once-in-a-while." Fortunately, there's no such problem when it comes to Legendary Journeys – Ultimate Private Experience by Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest independent hotel brand. Delivered in partnership with Bucketlist Xperiences, this ultra-luxe 17-night itinerary spans Singapore, India, Rwanda, Kenya, Greece, Morocco and London, departing Tuesday, October 6, 2026, and shaped for those seeking a truly unparalleled escape. Flying on a private VIP airliner customised for luxury travel, up to 58 passengers will relish an epicurean experience, with an in-flight chef serving gourmet cuisine alongside curated wines and spirits. Meanwhile, the trip is taken to the next level with seamless transfers, private airport access, luggage concierge and personalised gifts. Throughout the itinerary, a 17-member service team will oversee every detail, no matter how small. Oh, and a professional photographer and videographer will be on hand to document every leg of the journey. With non-stop highlights over three weeks, this exclusive experience begins in Singapore with a two-night stay overlooking Marina Bay. Expect sunset cocktails on the roof and a welcome celebration perched above the waterfront. Then, this trip is bound for Jaipur, India, where guests will stay amid palatial splendour in Rajasthan before taking VIP excursions to iconic landmarks like the Taj Mahal, the Amber Fort and the City Palace. Africa awaits next, with guests headed to Kigali, Rwanda, for a two-night visit. Staying at the newly opened Mövenpick Kigali, guests are welcomed with a private reception hosted by President Kagame (yes, really). The following day, climb into a helicopter to soar above the Virunga Mountains, then trek through Volcanoes National Park to catch a glimpse of local gorilla populations. The wildlife experience continues in Kenya, where guests sleep in luxury safari tents as they embark on thrilling Big Five game drives between sunrise hot-air balloon flights and champagne breakfasts served deep in remote plains. Trading in dry and dusty conditions for Aegean coastal bliss, the journey soon touches down in Santorini, Greece, with guests relishing the Oia cliffside. Soak up a sunset sailing adventure, then sip on rare Assyrtiko vintages native to the region. Onwards to Marrakech, Morocco, guests will head into the medina for some local shopping, with time to spare unwinding in a traditional hammam. Rounding out this extravagant adventure is a final stop in London, with guests delighting in the world's first super boutique hotel — The Londoner. So, what does it cost to experience this genuinely once-in-a-lifetime holiday? Just a cool $133,500 USD per person. Sure, that's not the kind of money most of us can find down the back of the couch. But if you're a high-flying traveller with the means to make it happen, look no further for the vacation of your dreams. "Our mission has always been to connect travellers with the world's most remarkable independent hotels and destinations in ways that are both unforgettable and transformative," says Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Legendary Journeys – Ultimate Private Experience by Preferred Hotels & Resorts takes place from Tuesday, October 6—Friday, October 23, 2026. Head to the website for more information.
When Reservation Dogs first breezed into streaming queues in 2021 — including via Binge in Australia and Disney+ in New Zealand — it did so with heart, style and purpose, delivering a rarity in the current TV landscape. Authentic depictions of life for Indigenous North Americans are scarce on the small screen, or any screen. Such shows that riff on a Quentin Tarantino movie with their moniker, start with a brazen and entertaining heist, unfurl their stories through creative cinematography, serve up a stunningly thoughtful coming-of-age tale and survey an entire community obviously are, too. And a series that does the above with Taika Waititi's (Thor: Love and Thunder) brand of deadpan humour, befitting his role as co-creator and executive producer, as well as co-writing the very first episode — doing so alongside showrunner and Seminole Nation filmmaker Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) — is genuinely unclaimed territory. In Reservation Dogs' first season, the end result was one of the best new TV shows of 2021. This year, its second season is one of the best and most moving returning shows of 2022. This gloriously heartfelt and perceptive series is dedicated to diving deep into the Indigenous North American experience today — as a teenager, primarily, but constantly broadening its focus to the parents, elders and spirits so instrumental and influential in its central foursome's life in Oklahoma's Muscogee Nation. It's no wonder that season one earned a Peabody Award, which celebrates US media's most powerful, enlightening and invigorating stories. It's no wonder, either, that the show has been picked up for a third run as well. Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese (debutant Lane Factor) are those restless adolescents at the heart of Reservation Dogs, and they've shared a California dream since the series' very first episode. But when the debut season wrapped up with a tornado, plus a figurative storm of hard truths and buried feelings, the gang's relocation fantasy didn't play out as expected. The lure of family and culture remained strong, as did holding onto a past that's brought happiness as well as hurt. While losing one of their best friends, Daniel (first-timer Dalton Cramer), to suicide was big motivation for wanting to head away — it was also his plan, too — actually following through proved a far trickier prospect when it became tangible. In season two, the more things change, the more they stay the same — until they don't. Elora still attempted to go west anyway to close out season one, but being on the road with enemy-turned-travelling companion Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds) gets tumultuous. For Bear, Willie Jack and Cheese, staying on the reservation requires facing life on the reservation and all that it entails, including the pain that no one wants to shoulder and plotting out a future that no one ever thought would exist without Daniel. Bear tries by getting a job in roofing, which ends up being beside Daniel's dad (Michael Spears, 1883). Willie Jack and Cheese feel like the group is cursed, and turn to town elder Uncle Brownie (Gary Farmer, First Cow) for assistance. Elora is called back, confronting loss, tradition and the friends she left behind. Reservation Dogs can be a series of side-splitting comedy. The lines that the writers find for Spirit aka William Knifeman (Dallas Goldtooth, Rutherford Falls), the warrior who died at (but not in) the Battle of Little Big Horn and is quick to dispense advice Bear's way, are comic gold every time he's on-screen. (Wanting him to get his own spinoff comes easily.) It's also a show filled with goofy capers, from the opening Flaming Flamers chip-truck heist through to a hilarious late season-two episode where lighthorseman Officer Big (Zahn McClarnon, Westworld) unwittingly takes acid, then stumbles upon a racist land-grabbing conspiracy that's fuelled a local myth, all with salvage yard owner Kenny Boy (Kirk Fox, Parks and Recreation) by his side. This is and always has been a sitcom about home, though, a term that's oh-so-loaded in a First Nations context. What does it mean to want to flee land that's been taken from Indigenous communities from centuries? That was one of the first season's key questions. What does it mean to rediscover that homeland, even knowing how much heartache lingers? That's a pivotal consideration in the second season. California — the oasis it represents, including fresh scenery, leaving everyday troubles behind and seeing the ocean for the first time — still can't be shaken, however. Sometimes, the only way to weather life's ups and downs is to realise how much you'd miss what you already have if it was gone, too. Made with such an evident commitment to minutiae, and to feeling lived-in at every moment, Reservation Dogs spins both its episodic stories and its long-running arcs, themes and emotions into something wonderful and insightful again and again. One season-two episode departs to the yearly Indian Health Summit with the Aunties, including Bear's mother Rita (Sarah Podemski, Resident Alien), who get their own time away. Another follows Cheese to a group home run by the misguided Gene (Marc Maron, Respect), where he's sent through no fault of his own — while yet another goes to prison, where Willie Jack visits Hokti (Lily Gladstone, Certain Women), her aunt and Daniel's mother. From the engaging cast and complex narrative to the incisive examination of everything it means to be an Indigenous North American right now, plus the crucial commitment to telling Indigenous stories with Indigenous on- and off-screen talent (every writer, director and series regular is Indigenous), Harjo deserves all the kudos that can be showered his way for this gem of a show. Seeing where each episode heads, what surprises are in store, and how it keeps giving the USA's First Nations people on-screen representation and a voice, is a continual and rewarding delight. Seeing how Reservation Dogs values both personal tales and fleshing out a community portrait, and excels equally in realistic and magical storytelling, is as much of a highlight. As for Waititi, his way with sitcoms shouldn't be astonishing. The Eagle vs Shark, Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople helmer is three for three in America — including not only this, but also Our Flag Means Death, which will return for a second season after 2022's debut run; and the What We Do in the Shadows TV spinoff, which just aired its fourth season and has a fifth and sixth on the way. Indeed, while there are many reasons to be thankful for the New Zealand filmmaker as his resume keeps attesting, using his fame to help bring the gift that is Reservation Dogs into the world is firmly one of them. Check out the trailer for Reservation Dogs season two below: Reservation Dogs streams via Binge in Australia and Disney+ in New Zealand. Images: Shane Brown / FX.
It's summertime, which means plenty of days hanging at the beach, or in the park, and relaxing in the sun. And while summer reads are an essential part of any good trip outside, some days we're left either squinting against the glare or fighting that inevitable sunglasses tan. On those days, reach for your headphones and check out one of these podcasts instead. From true tales of murderous doctors to mind-boggling stories of viral Reddit threads, these podcasts will keep you entertained and informed this summer — whether you're relaxing at the beach or commuting on a train. SERIAL SEASON THREE The cult-favourite podcast Serial returned for its third season in September 2018, having been silent since season two aired back in 2015. Season three focuses on the entire criminal justice system in the US — and, more specifically, on the inconsistencies and failures of the courts in Cleveland, Ohio. Host Sarah Koenig (This American Life) and her crew spent one year in the Cleveland courts, where they recorded not only in courtrooms but also in judge's chambers, prosecutors' offices and back hallways, plus outside the courthouse in family members' houses, streets and prisons. Koenig witnessed an onslaught of court offences, including extra charges, pressure to plead guilty, shabby police work, "eleventh hour" evidence and dozing jurors and a judge — all ending with outsized prison sentences. Again, the story unfolds week-by-week, but this time follows different cases each time in the nine-episode season. Listen to Serial Season Three here. SLOW BURN SEASON TWO A Slate Plus production, Slow Burn explores "subplots, strange details, and forgotten characters" of contemporary political history in the United States. While season one focused on Nixon's Watergate scandal of the 1970s, season two (released in August 2018) investigates the 1998 impeachment of President Bill Clinton — during which Clinton was accused of having sexual relations with his intern Monica Lewinksy, and was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about it under oath. Host Leon Neyfakh explores this story of political and sexual scandal in depth, finding modern-day parallels, including similarities to the #MeToo movement. Whether you remember the scandal or not, the podcast explores it in a new, 2019-appropriate, light. Listen to Slow Burn here. DR. DEATH Dr. Death follows the deeply disturbing true story of Christopher Duntsch, a Texas neurosurgeon who was convicted of gross malpractice and sentenced to life in prison in 2017. A whopping 33 of his patients were left seriously injured from his operations — two of which died on the operating table. Created by Wondery — the network behind another wildly popular podcast, Dirty John — and hosted by the award-winning health and science reporter Laura Beil, the ten-episode season finished this December. It explores a medical system that fails to protect patients and the horrors that can await in the operating room because of it. Listen to Dr. Death here. NO MAN'S LAND No Man's Land dives into stories of some of the most trailblazing and game-changing, yet lesser known, women of history. The first season aired in November, with five episodes out so far. Some of the women featured include mid-1900s poet Sylvia Plath; investigative journalist and civil rights activist from the late 1800s, Ida B Wells; and Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta. The latest episode examines the originators of women's social clubs, and the resulting groups' power and influence. Host Alexis Coe is also the in-house historian for the podcast's creators, The Wing — a networking company that runs community spaces for women. Listen to No Man's Land here. THE TEACHER'S PET A must-listen for fans of murder-mystery, The Australian-created podcast The Teacher's Pet looks into the 1982 disappearance of Lynette Dawson — the wife of rugby league player and teacher Chris Dawson. The podcast unveils large amounts of evidence that had not been previously collected or examined by police, including details of the couple's marriage, Lynette's disappearance and Chris Dawson's affair with a 16-year-old student. Late last year, the podcast was awarded the 2018 Gold Walkley Award, one of Australia's most prestigious journalism awards. Hosted by award-winning Australian journalist Hedley Thomas, the 14-episode podcast aired in May, with two additional episodes added at the end of December following Chris's arrest and release after being granted bail. More episodes are also expected to air as new leads are unearthed, so this is the ideal time to get into this podcast. Listen to Teacher's Pet here. THE WITCH HUNT SEASON TWO As the title indicates, The Witch Hunt investigates famous witch hunts in history, both "literal and metaphorical" — starting, of course, with Salem, Massachusetts in season one. In season two, which aired back in April 2017, the focus is on the 'satanic panic' of the late-1900s, when the imagined existence of satanic ritual abuse in the States led to a pandemic of fear and paranoia. The eight episodes feature interviews with the likes of award-winning investigative journalist Jordan Smith (The Intercept) and Historical Blindness podcast host Nathan Lloyd. The Witch Hunt explores scapegoating of all kinds, too, including topics like child abuse allegations and Dungeons and Dragons (yes, the board game). Listen to The Witch Hunt here. CALIPHATE The New York Times' podcast Caliphate follows reporter Rukmini Callimachi, whose career focuses on Islamic extremism. The investigative podcast centres around the fall of Mosul — when the Iraqi Army was defeated by the Islamic State in 2014. The ten-chapter season asks questions like "who is it that ISIS appeals to, and how?" and "who are we really fighting"? Callimachi speaks with recruits, former and returned ISIS members, and detainees, as well as enslaved victims of the Islamic State. Released in April 2018, the powerful series unveils the reality of being a terrorism reporter on the front line and sheds light on the nature of ISIS violence. Listen to Caliphate here. ENDLESS THREAD While some people like to focus on internet's ability to isolate, WBUR and Reddit have combined forces to explore the ways in which it creates shared experiences and connections between people — on all sides of the globe. Endless Thread digs through Reddit communities to uncover stories that reveal the true potential of the internet, and some of them are fascinating, hilarious and horrifying. The podcast is hosted by Ben Brock Johnson (Marketplace Tech, Codebreaker) and WBUR's producer Amory Sivertson (Modern Love: The Podcast). It launched in January 2018 and continues to air every Friday. It promises to be more than cat videos, but also full of cat videos, and covers everything from miraculous near-misses (including a pilot landing a plane sans windshield) to a viral flyer selling a Soylent sculpture. Whether you love or hate Reddit, this one is worth the listen. Listen to Endless Thread here. LADIES, WE NEED TO TALK Exploring topics of work, health and sexuality, Ladies, We Need To Talk is created by women for women. It's an ABC Radio Podcasts production and was the winner of the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards for Best Lifestyle and Heath Podcast. Hosted by Australian TV presenter Yumi Stynes, the ongoing episodes delve into topics like anxiety, hormones, being judged by looks instead of intelligence and society's obsession with youth. Styne — who's joined on the show by a lineup of influential female Aussies — shares personal stories and discusses the struggle for women to balance work and private life. Ladies, We Need To Talk also encourages listeners to call in and share their own stories. Listen to Ladies We Need To Talk here. HEAVYWEIGHT The award-winning podcast Heavyweight just completed it's third season in December and continues to be a firm favourite amongst audiences and critics alike. It's hosted by comedian and author Jonathan Goldstein (This American Life, WireTap), who considers himself something of a "therapist with a time machine". He presents an usual podcast that tells the stories of ordinary people who have a major regret in life. In each episode, Goldstein guides a different person back to a pivotal crossroad in their life and helps them confront and, hopefully, overcome it. For example, in the first episode, Goldstein attempts to reunite his 80-year-old dad, Buzz, with his older brother. Heavyweight also encourages email submissions for the show. So, if you have a moment in time you want to get back or change, might as well try your luck — who knows, we might be hearing you in a future episode. Listen to Heavyweight here.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first started making its impact known, we all began to feel like we were living in a disaster movie. Contagion flicks, outbreak films, sci-fi fare about infectious diseases — they all echoed with eerie prescience. The next types of movies that might start cutting a little too close to home? Dystopian flicks about climate change's impact. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its sixth assessment report about the state of the planet, global warming's impact and humanity's influence upon increasing temperatures — and it doesn't paint a calming picture. The big news: if no big moves are made in current efforts to combat climate change, the planet will warm by 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures by as early as 2030. That figure has been mentioned for some time as an unwanted milestone, as it's when climate scientists predict that higher temperatures, rising sea levels, heavier rains, longer fire seasons and worse droughts will kick in. Given the increasing frequency of extreme weather events around the world already, including Australia's devastating 2019–20 bushfire season, seeing these conditions worsen is obviously alarming news. Also flagged by the IPCC, which is the United Nations' body for assessing the science related to climate change, has been around since 1988 and has 195 members from around the world: that the planet has already warmed by 1.1 degree since industrialisation, and that Australia has warmed by 1.4 degrees. And, it has dubbed humanity's part in these increases as "unprecedented", with working group co-chair Dr Valérie Masson-Delmotte saying that "the role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed." The #IPCC released its latest #ClimateReport today, #ClimateChange 2021: the Physical Science Basis. "The role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed." – Working Group I Co-Chair @valmasdel Report ➡️ https://t.co/uU8bb4inBB Watch the video, 🎥 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/hZOSU1xWQR — IPCC (@IPCC_CH) August 9, 2021 Also, even if the IPCC's most ambitious targets to arrest the impact of climate change were put in place, global warming would still likely hit 1.5 degrees by 2035. The body's scientists expect that the planet will warm by at least 1.6 degrees above pre-industrial temps regardless of whichever measures are put in place, before ideally beginning to drop again once those drastic mitigation tactics — things like large-scale reforestation projects, or being able to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — started to have an effect. It's no wonder that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called the IPCC report "a "code red for humanity" in a statement. "The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk. Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible," he continued. "The internationally agreed threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius is perilously close. We are at imminent risk of hitting 1.5 degrees in the near term. The only way to prevent exceeding this threshold is by urgently stepping up our efforts, and pursuing the most ambitious path," the Secretary-General said. "This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet... If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as the report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses." World leaders will meet at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from October 31 this year to discuss the planet's plans to stop warming at 1.5 degrees. To read the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's sixth assessment report, head to the IPCC's website.
After chronicling the day-to-day chaos at a company that sells paper, what comes next for The Office — in the US, that is? Documenting the daily reality of life working at a newspaper. As announced in 2024, the beloved American version of the hit sitcom is getting a spinoff. In The Paper, which is led by Domhnall Gleeson (Echo Valley) and Sabrina Impacciatore (G20 and also The White Lotus season two), a midwestern newspaper publisher is in the spotlight. The series debuts on Thursday, September 4, 2025 in the US and in Australia, streaming in the latter via Binge. If you're keen for a sneak peek, The Paper has also just dropped its first trailer. A new boss arriving to shake things up, staff ranging from apathetic to overenthusiastic, office-set awkwardness aplenty, a familiar face: they're all featured in the initial glimpse at the show. As its predecessor was, this is a mockumentary series. The setup: the same documentary crew that turned their cameras towards Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch have found a new workplace to explore. Their time pointing their lens the Toledo Truth Teller's way coincides with Ned Sampson (Gleeson) joining the publication as editor-in-chief, with the paper's newest employee underwhelmed with the status quo and brimming with ideas about how to change things. Chelsea Frei (The Life List), Melvin Gregg (Fight Night), Gbemisola Ikumelo (Black Ops), Alex Edelman (Unfrosted), Ramona Young (You're Cordially Invited) and Tim Key (Mickey 17) also star in The Paper, as does Oscar Nuñez (The School Duel), reprising his role as Oscar Martinez. Accordingly, the new series is set in the same universe as the Steve Carell (Mountainhead)-led hit dwelled in from 2005–13 and sports multiple ties to it, but definitely isn't simply walking back into Dunder Mifflin with new staff. Also, Gleeson starred with Carell on 2022's The Patient, giving the two series another connection. Greg Daniels — who created the US version of The Office to begin with, and has also been behind Space Force and Upload — is steering The Paper behind the camera with Nathan for You co-creator Michael Koman. And yes, the franchise that initially kicked off in the UK version in 2001 just keeps expanding, after the Australian version dropped in 2024. Cringeworthy bosses, annoying co-workers and soul-crushing office jobs show no signs of fading away, of course, which all things The Office has understood for nearly a quarter of a century now. Check out the trailer for The Paper below: The Paper debuts in Australia on Thursday, September 4, 2025, streaming via Binge. Images: Aaron Epstein and John P Fleenor/PEACOCK.
If you know only one thing about Singapore, it's most likely its reputation for fantastic food. And it's not just the cuisine that's earned high esteem with foodies around the world. Alongside the world-class eats, the city's bars are making waves on the global cocktail scene. There's no quicker way to unravel the complexities of Singapore's cultural heritage than by eating your way through the city, from Michelin-starred European fine-dining to humble hawker centres selling affordable but delicious dishes. Then there's the drinking, which ranges from quirky speakeasies to opulent cocktail dens. To showcase the depth of Singapore's drinking and dining, we've partnered with the Singapore Tourism Board to present some of the city's can't-miss experiences. From art deco bars and urbane craft breweries to authentic Peranakan restaurants and French fine dining, these are the places to bookmark for your next visit. ATLAS If you try only one cocktail bar in Singapore, make it Atlas — previously featured on the World's 50 Best Bars list. First, you'll be blown away by the grand art deco space with its vaulted (and frescoed) ceilings. Then you'll be awed by the lofty bronzed gin tower that requires bartenders to scale a ladder to access the more than 1,300 gins (though the extensive menu also includes seriously fine wines, champagnes and whiskies). Going beyond the booze, there's a European-inspired food menu, a lavish afternoon tea service, and the must-try #SundaysAtAtlas which includes free-flowing cocktails, champagne and nibbles. Reservations are essential. [caption id="attachment_864471" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] JIGGER & PONY Singapore has speakeasies aplenty but there's no finer example than Jigger & Pony. The proof? It landed on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The buzzy spot, located at the Amara hotel, is swanky yet relaxed but shakes up a serious cocktail. Jigger & Pony's drinks list — cheekily titled "A Decent Menu" — elevates 24 classic cocktails with clever twists. Think yuzu whisky sours, black pepper sazeracs and sakura martinis. Pair your tipple with a next-level bar snack — we're looking at you, black truffle macaroni and cheese — and go home with some of the bar's bottled cocktail selection to enjoy another day. [caption id="attachment_864481" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mindy Tan (Singapore Tourism Board)[/caption] KENG ENG KEE Zi char is a term derived from the Chinese Hokkien dialect that translates to 'cook and fry' and refers to casual home-cooked Chinese food meant for sharing. Third-generation zi char restaurant Keng Eng Kee has been firing its woks since the 1970s and has truly perfected its craft. The food here is largely of the Hainanese and Cantonese influence, with popular dishes including the chilli and black pepper crabs, coffee pork ribs and Marmite chicken. The late Anthony Bourdain was a fan, as is feted British chef James Martin, and that's good enough for us. [caption id="attachment_864482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Afur Wong (Singapore Tourism Board)[/caption] LEVEL33 Singapore may be the home of Tiger Beer, but LeVeL33 is the place to go for a brew with a view. Known as the world's highest urban microbrewery, this award-winning concept serves up freshly shucked oysters, lobster bisque, and pasture-fed Australian steaks, while brewmaster Gabriel Garcia whips up everything from lagers and pale ales to stouts and Bavarian-inspired wheats. Order a tasting paddle for the full experience. The beer menu pairs expertly with LeVeL33's views of the Singapore skyline as well as the "contembrewery dining" of elevated pub grub like baby back ribs and Wagyu beef chunks. [caption id="attachment_864485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] NATIONAL KITCHEN BY VIOLET OON France may have Alain Ducasse but Singapore has Violet Oon, the doyenne of authentic Peranakan cuisine. Oon's flagship is an elegant, colonial-inspired space of dark woods and Straits Chinese tiles tucked into the grand National Gallery of Singapore — but it's the authentic plates infused with fine, fresh ingredients that'll thrill. Dig into refined takes on popular local dishes like kueh pie tee, beef rendang and the signature dry laksa, all of which are full of flavour and beautifully presented. There's also a dedicated plant-based menu that features meat-free takes on classics. Round off the experience with a selection of locally inspired cocktails for a sophisticated Singapore meal. [caption id="attachment_864487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Danny Santos (Singapore Tourism Board)[/caption] MAXWELL FOOD CENTRE Hawker centres are a quintessential Singapore experience. And while the well-known Lau Pa Sat and Newton are on every tourist's hit list, insiders head straight for Maxwell. This go-to destination began life in 1929, but its current iteration opened in 1987. Inside you'll find a smorgasbord of popular food stalls so this is very much a choose-your-own foodie adventure. There's rich laksa at Old Nyonya, Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded chicken rice at Tian Tian and traditional sweets at Heng Heng tapioca cake stall. And that's before you get to the rare culinary finds like the alluring Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake and DIY China Street Fritters. [caption id="attachment_864493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] ODETTE Three Michelin stars? Step into Odette and it's easy to see why this is among Singapore's most lauded restaurants. Named after chef Julien Royer's grandmother, Odette delivers dishes inspired by Royer's French farming heritage and Asian culinary experiences, all laced with high-quality luxury ingredients handled with impeccable technique. Expect plates like the signature organic egg with ibérico chorizo, Normandy brown crab with wasabi oil and nashi pear, and kampot pepper-crusted pigeon. All of this is served in a graceful, elegant dining room and paired with polished service and a curated wine list. [caption id="attachment_864497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Singapore Tourism Board[/caption] MANHATTAN It might be located at the Conrad Singapore Orchard but Manhattan isn't your average hotel bar. Drawing on old New York glamour for its art deco-esque interiors and artisanal spirits for elevated cocktails, Manhattan is one of the city's best drinking dens. The onsite rickhouse produces exquisite liquid like solera-aged negronis and barrel-aged spirits, while the menu brings together classic and forgotten cocktails that revive Golden Age drinking. There's even a collection of over 150 rare American whiskies and tipples inspired by New York personalities like Whoopi Goldberg and Andy Warhol. Did we mention it's ranked 21st on the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2024? [caption id="attachment_866128" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] BURNT ENDS When Aussie chef David Pynt ran his Burnt Enz pop-up in London, he probably didn't know it was going to evolve into Burnt Ends, a modern Australian barbecue restaurant that currently holds one Michelin Star and is on the list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. Pynt translates his love of flame cooking (found while working with Victor Arguinzoniz of renowned Spanish restaurant Asador Etxebarri) into a daily menu of grilled delights. You might find items like flatiron steak with burnt onion and bone marrow or grilled leeks with hazelnut and black truffle, all complemented by a convivial, unpretentious atmosphere and boutique wines. For more incredible ways to experience Singapore, head to Singapore Tourism Board's website. Top image: Nauris Pukis (Unsplash)
It took 30 years, plus a warp pipe from live-action to animation, but Super Mario Bros finally gained a cinematic mushroom. While these are peak product-to-screen times — see also: The Last of Us, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, Tetris and Air, plus the upcoming Barbie, BlackBerry and latest Transformers flick — Nintendo's plumber siblings were long flushed out of movies thanks to their underperforming first outing. 1993's Bob Hoskins (Snow White and the Huntsman) and John Leguizamo (Violent Night)-starring film, the first-ever live-action video game film, isn't terrible. It followed its own dark path and hit its own wild blocks, something that stands out even more now that slavish obsession to intellectual property and franchise-building is king. If 2023's The Super Mario Bros Movie is a response to its predecessor, it's a happily dutiful one, doing its utmost to copy the video game. The strongest feeling it inspires: making viewers want to bust out their old NES or SNES or Game Boy, or emulators of any of them, or Nintendo's current Switch, and mash buttons as the red-capped, moustachioed, overalls-wearing Mario. These are also peak product-to-screen-to-purchase times; selling more Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros games is a clear and obvious aim of The Super Mario Bros Movie. To do that, the film truly is as enthusiastic about recreating its various source materials as Mario has been about collecting coins, completing levels and saving Princess Peach since way back in his 8-bit days. Under directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, creators of Teen Titans Go!, the animation looks like it's been ported straight from the console — a feat that's hardly unexpected given that it's all shiny pixels. It's also unsurprising due to Nintendo's recent success in mirroring the games IRL in Universal's Osaka and Hollywood theme parks. The Super Mario Bros Movie will help sell more tickets to those, too. In those impressive images, Italian Americans Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt, Thor: Love and Thunder) and Luigi (Charlie Day, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) essentially find themselves in the Super Mario Bros version of The Wizard of Oz. Like the 90s flick, they're also transported to another realm where a villainous creature lusts for power— Bowser (Jack Black, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) here, with an army of the turtle-like koopas doing his bidding. A sewer flood whisks Mario and Luigi out of their own world, after they try to fix it to drum up customers for their plumbing business. On the other side of the tunnel, Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi ends up Bowser's prisoner. Cue a quest, including along the rainbow road, to reunite the brothers, stop Bowser and keep him away from Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu) — who definitely isn't a damsel in distress, but the target of Bowser's obsessive affections. Screenwriter Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru) has kept The Super Mario Bros Movie's story slight, just as Horvath and Jelenic ensure that the tone stays light. Still, while it might star Pratt, there's no The Lego Movie-level smarts, satire and hilarity on offer. Instead, the fun-enough picture is packed with as many nods to the games as it can possibly fit in — and to as many games as it can manage. It's been four decades since Mario Bros initially hit arcades, spinning off from Mario's 1981 introduction in the first Donkey Kong, so there's much to reference. The film brings in the big gorilla (Seth Rogen, The Fabelmans) and his simian pals (Wednesday's Fred Armisen voices Cranky Kong). It gets speeding along that beloved rainbow road, with shells flying and Mad Max: Fury Road coming to mind. The list goes on and cuts far deeper than the obvious; it isn't accurate to say it's full of Easter eggs, though, because it's simply a Super Mario Bros movie stacked with attention to Super Mario Bros detail. Released beforehand, but still a sight to see within the complete flick, Mario's arrival in the Mushroom Kingdom and his introductory tour by the mushroom-headed Toad (Keegan-Michael Key, Schmigadoon!) is a visual treasure trove. When Peach has him prove he's up to the Bowser-battling mission by hopping through an obstacle course that mirrors Super Mario Bros' levels, it's also spot on. Before that in Brooklyn, rushing to a job gets the side-scrolling treatment — and it's an entertainingly playful touch. Nintendo composer Koji Kondo's famous tunes are worked and interpreted by composer Brian Tyler (Scream VI), too, and well. Of course, a game-to-movie effort can't just splash around familiar sights and sounds, actively court nostalgia, and call it all a film. This one doesn't, but the plot remains noticeably thin, including in its siblings-stick-together theme. It's also indebted to the Minions franchise in much of Bowser and the Koopas' storyline. That's animation house Illumination cribbing from itself, given it's behind Despicable Me and its sequels and continues, and now this. If the bright, bouncy, vivid and immersive imagery is The Super Mario Bros Movie's main power-up, which it is, it's still no invincibility star. Neither is the fast pace, aka the default mode for most family-friendly animated fare that isn't made by Pixar, Studio Ghibli or Wolfwalkers' Cartoon Saloon, and where the key focus is on throwing constant chaos at kids so that they don't get distracted. And when the stock-standard needle-drops start, because every all-ages-friendly movie has to jam in recognisable songs like 'Holding Out for a Hero' and 'Take on Me' like it's a jukebox musical — a lazy and grating genre staple that won't go away — there's basic Spotify playlist vibes. It might've sparked the Gentleminions fad among cinemagoers who grew up watching yellow babbling critters, but Minions: The Rise of Gru did the same. Cosplaying in red or green outfits to The Super Mario Bros Movie, which'll happen seeing that all things Mario are that adored, won't patch over the template at work here either. Although it doesn't seem like it when the picture presses start, Horvath and Jelenic are well-aware that they can't have Pratt let's-a-going his way through the film with a stereotypical accent, and don't. They're also comically knowing about it. That said, his casting is neither a coin box nor a banana peel — but his co-stars are winningly chosen. The expressive and energetic Day helps make the case for a big-screen Luigi's Mansion outing to come next. Taylor-Joy gives Peach pluck and determination, on par with the script's commitment to make the character anything but someone who needs rescuing. Key is lively and squeaky, Black growls and pines for Peach with Tenacious D-style glee and Rogan is audibly having a ball. And, while this can't be said about the bulk of this endearingly loving but supremely by-the-numbers film, that's something that The Super Mario Bros Movie delivers but the games can't.
How do you jump back into a superhero saga — a caped-crusader franchise within a sprawling, seemingly never-ending franchise, too — without your star? When Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in cinemas in November, Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will find out. With Chadwick Boseman sadly passing away in 2020, the sequel to 2018's excellent Black Panther obviously isn't the film that returning writer/director Ryan Coogler (Creed) originally intended. Based on the just-dropped first teaser trailer, it's going to be unsurprisingly emotional, however. Marvel released the initial sneak peek at the eagerly awaited movie during this year's San Diego Comic-Con, and it's big on swirling, swelling feelings. "I am queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone," exclaims Ramonda (Angela Bassett, Gunpowder Milkshake), T'Challa and Shuri's (Letitia Wright, Death on the Nile) mother, in a particularly climactic moment. While the teaser isn't overly concerned with Wakanda Forever's plot, it's firmly sets the mood. And yes, there's a tribute to King T'Challa among its frames. Story-wise, Ramonda, Shuri, M'Baku (Winston Duke, Nine Days), Okoye (Danai Gurira, The Walking Dead) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba, Deutschland89) are charged with protecting their nation from world powers after T'Challa's death — and they'll need help from War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o, The 355) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman, Breeders). Among the cast, joining the film are Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You) and Tenoch Huerta (Narcos: Mexico) — as well as Dominique Thorne (Judas and the Black Messiah) as Riri Williams, ahead of the character's solo Disney+ series Ironheart. Accordingly, the first glimpse at Wakanda Forever shows faces old and new, the same dazzling look and feel that was so essential to Coogler's initial film, and the Kingdom of Wakanda in a state of change. Dropping the trailer during a wide-ranging panel session that also included the latest look at Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Marvel revealed that Wakanda Forever will wrap up the MCU's phase four — because this ever-growing on-screen superhero world is broken up into different chapters. Obviously, more caped-crusader stories are still in the works, though, with the Disney-owned entertainment behemoth also plotting out its plans across phase five and phase six, taking it up to 2025. One thing that wasn't mentioned: the previously revealed Black Panther Disney+ series set in Wakanda that was announced in early 2021. Check out the first Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer below: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in cinemas Down Under on November 10.
After throwing open the doors to its new development in Brisbane in 2018 and announcing it'll be laying foundations in Sydney as well, the next destination on the horizon for luxe hotel chain W Hotel will be Melbourne. W Melbourne is slated to open in December 2020 on Collins Street in the middle of Melbourne's shopping heartland. Following Brisbane's ten-gallon baths and Sydney's flashy pool deck overlooking the harbour, the Melbourne digs look to be no less indulgent. W Melbourne will encompass 294 rooms and 29 suites, including an 'Extreme Wow Suite', which has its own 40-square-metre balcony with views of the Yarra, a jukebox and cocktail bar. Designed by New York-based Shop Architects, global design firm Woods Bagot and interior designers Hachem, W Melbourne will also house a 14th-floor spa, gym and a heated indoor pool with a gold-adorned roof, as well as a poolside bar and DJ decks. And, for those needing function space, W will have more of it than you can physically fill (under current COVID-19 restrictions, at least) — a 830-square metre space for conferences, meetings or holding lush balls. [caption id="attachment_673553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Collins Arch[/caption] On the food and drinks front, you'll have four in-house venues to choose from. The 30-seat Warabi will be your go-to for Japanese fine dining, while Lollo will be run by a "renowned local chef" — we'll let you know exactly who that is when it's announced. Curious bar promises an "all-night experience" like "falling down a rabbit hole" and Culprit will flip from a cafe during the day to a wine bar at night. Functioning, too, as the bottom 20-storeys of a towering new precinct called Collins Arch, W Melbourne will sit on Flinders Lane. The $1.3 billion new precinct will be comprised of two towers of commercial, residential and retail spaces, joined at the top by a dramatic sky bridge. With international travel looking like it'll be off the cards for Australians for a little while longer, the opening of the dramatic W Hotel may be a good excuse to plan a trip to Melbourne or staycation when the hotel opens. W Melbourne is slated to open on Flinders Lane in December 2020.
It just might be Australia's most famous man-made structure, and it'll soon be home to the Australian Aboriginal flag on a permanent basis. That'd be the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which only flies the Aboriginal flag for 19 days each year at present — for Australia Day, Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week — but will do so every day "as soon as possible", as New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has just announced. The Sydney Harbour Bridge currently has two flag poles, with one flying the Australian flag and, when the Aboriginal flag isn't on display on its allocated days, the other flying the NSW state flag. To display the Aboriginal flag permanently, the bridge will gain a third flag pole — with the Premier advising that the government has "been working through this for some time." Speaking at NSW's daily COVID-19 press conference on Saturday, February 5, Perrottet said that "the first advice I received is that it would take two years. Two years. I mean, in the 1920s, it took nine years to build the Harbour Bridge, but apparently today it takes two years to put a flag pole on top of the Harbour Bridge. I'll climb up there myself to put it up if I need to". He continued: "I can't see why it would take that long. The new advice that I've received is that it can be expedited — I think it went down to two years, and then to six months — so as soon as possible". A 5 year struggle worth while. WE BLOODY DID IT 🎉 Thank you to everyone who participated. The @ChangeAus petition & @gofundme won't stop until the flag is flying proud. Let's see it to the end.@AIA_SydneyCBD @MayorDarcy @david4wyong @GaryNunn1https://t.co/Xbqhunc8m7 — Cheree Toka (@Chereetoka) February 4, 2022 The announcement follows a five-year-long campaign by Kamilaroi woman Cheree Toka, who also launched a Change.org campaign in 2020 to continue to call on the NSW government to make this exact move. "The Aboriginal flag is a reminder that the country has a history before European arrival," Toka said two years ago. "I think it's really important to have a symbolic gesture on the bridge that identifies the true history of Australia, which is a starting point for conversation around greater issues affecting the Indigenous population." After the first three years of Toka's campaign, she had amassed more than 157,000 digital signatures and the required 10,000 paper-based signatures to bring the issue to NSW parliament. However, when it was debated in the final NSW parliamentary session of 2019, the result then was that it would cost too much to construct a third flagpole to see the Aboriginal flag flying daily — which was what sparked her crowdfunding campaign to raise the $300,000 quoted by the government to 'fund the flag'. [caption id="attachment_841962" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vakrieger via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Announcing the change of policy on the weekend, the NSW Premier said that "we can't truly be proud of our country unless we are working together to achieve true reconciliation. That's a combination of both symbolic reconciliation and practical reconciliation." The move to permanently display the Aboriginal flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge comes just weeks after 2022's other big flag news, with the Australian Government unveiling a copyright deal at the end of January with Luritja artist Harold Thomas, who designed the symbol, to make it freely available for public use, Exactly when the Aboriginal flag will start flying permanently on the Sydney Harbour Bridge hasn't yet been revealed — we'll update you when further details are announced. Top image: Mary and Andrew via Flickr.
It's Hollywood's night of nights for television, it usually takes place in September and it has already announced its 2023 nominees. This year's Emmys look set to delay anointing a new round of winners, however, with word circling that the awards ceremony will be postponed due to the current film and TV industry strikes. Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are reporting that the 2023 Emmy Awards will ditch its scheduled date: the night of Monday, September 18 in the US, which is Tuesday, September 19. If the strikes are still ongoing, actors and writers won't be attending the ceremony — not the red carpet, nor the awards themselves — meaning that the bulk of the televised accolades wouldn't be able to be accepted by their recipients. Also, the shindig will look mighty empty. As per Variety, vendors have been told that the event will be postponed, with a new date yet to be confirmed. The Hollywood Reporter also advises that the rescheduled awards won't take place in September — and, in a best-case scenario, will be held off until the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers comes to an agreement with SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America. TV lovers will have to wait a little longer, then, to find out which shows have been dubbed the past year's best by the voters in the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences — and how much they love HBO. The answer already: a whole heap. In 2023, the folks who decide which shows will score some Emmys love awarded a massive 74 nominations to three HBO series: Succession, The Last of Us and The White Lotus. TV's best case of family feud earned 27 nods, including for almost every actor who appeared in its fourth and final season in leading, supporting and guest roles. In the Best Actor category alone, Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin are going head to head. The most spectacular game-to-screen adaptation yet nabbed 24, while vacation chaos brought about 23 nominations. The other show that racked up a comparable tally? Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso with 21 nods. Similarly in the running: everything from Andor, Better Call Saul, House of the Dragon and Yellowjackets (all in the drama fields) to Abbott Elementary, Barry, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building and Wednesday (the comedy categories), plus the likes of Beef, Daisy Jones & the Six and Fleishman Is in Trouble (limited series) as well. Hollywood talents are fighting against diminishing residual payments for performers, and to establish firm rules about the future use of artificial intelligence in the industry, among other improvements to working conditions. When they took action in mid-July, SAG-AFTRA's members joined their counterparts in the Writers Guild of America, who've been striking since May. The current strikes are affecting film releases, too, with Australian crime-thriller Force of Nature: The Dry 2 already ditching its planned August date with cinemas given that star Eric Bana a member of the striking SAG-AFTRA. It's also been rumoured that big blockbusters such as Dune: Part Two, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom and The Colour Purple might also delay their releases, including until 2024; however, none have officially shifted their dates as yet. The 75th Emmy Awards are currently scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 19, Australian time, but may be postponed — we'll update you if/when a new date is confirmed. Check out the list of 2023 nominations, and keep an eye on the Emmys' website for further details in the interim. Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter.
Each year, the team behind Vivid Sydney clearly asks itself a question: where else can we dazzle with lights next? Ranging from gardens and tunnels to buildings and bridges, the answers brighten up not only the festival's annual program, but the Harbour City. Letting a train lit up with an immersive glow and pumping techno tunes loose on the New South Wales capital's rails is a new answer for 2024, however. Meet Tekno Train. This isn't your ordinary, everyday, average commute — this is a 60-minute trip filled with lighting and music that changes to match the train's speed and the landscape outside. And the tunes? Like the event itself, they hail from Paul Mac. The result is a 23-night-only railway experience that's an Australian first, with its music newly composed specifically for what promises to be a helluva ride. Here's how it works: between Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15, you'll hop onboard a K-set train at Central Station, either opting for a scenic route to North Sydney and then Lavender Bay via a secret spur line (the slower, more family-friendly trip), or hitting up City Circle and South Sydney (which'll be the livelier and faster-paced journey). Whether you pick The Scenic Route or Tech Express, as the two choices have been named, you'll see Tekno Train's custom lighting beam and hear its electronic dance music soundtrack pulse through all of the locomotive's carriages. If you're wondering how it links in with this year's Vivid theme of 'humanity', Tekno Train puts the power of music to unite — even when people are doing something that they don't normally think twice about — in the spotlight. It also celebrates public transport, mass transit and community. And, of course, it'll get you seeing riding the rails in a whole new light, literally.
The house where the Kerrigan family came to enjoy the serenity in the 1997 Australian film The Castle is now up for sale. While there's no pool room, the two-bedroom fibro shack boasts an open-plan kitchen, bathroom, laundry and combined dining and living area which opens onto the verandah, complete with original mozzie zapper. In recent years, the property has been used as a rental home, attracting city dwellers who want to reconnect with nature, family, and the vibe. Located 2.5 hours drive north-east of Melbourne on the banks of Lake Eildon, the beloved Bonnie Doon is a waterfront haven for those who love water sports, carp fishing and the smell of a two-stroke engine. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PmlMv5givwQ The property is enhanced by a magnificent set of power lines adjacent to the property, which stand as an important reminder of man's ability to generate electricity. It's also flanked by a vacant plot, so there's lots of spare ground if you want to dig a hole or practise kickboxing. As well as the property, the buyer will also be the proud owner of other pieces of memorabilia from the film, including Tracey Kerrigan's diploma of hairdressing from Sunshine TAFE, as well as a set of jousting sticks – a must-have for all family holidays. Sydneysider Richard Moseley first bought the property in 2006 for $170,000. It went on the market again in 2011 with an asking price of $195,000 but failed to sell and now it's set to hit the market again next week for $240,000. The last time it went to sale, the real estate agent was bombarded with calls from people who would ask the price — only to be followed with "You're dreamin!" and a dial tone. It apparently began to wear thin quite quickly. Via Domain.
Guillermo del Toro will be the first to tell anyone, as he did at Neflix's annual Tudum event for 2025, that he's long had an obsession with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, that he's been weaving that affection for it into his work since he first hopped behind the camera and that making his own adaptation of the gothic-horror masterpiece is a dream come true. "This is, for me, the culmination of a journey that has occupied most of my life," the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water filmmaker told the crowd on Sunday, June 1, 2025 Down Under. "I first read Mary Shelley's book as a kid, and saw Boris Karloff in what became, for me, an almost-religious stage," he continued while onstage, accompanied by Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight) and Mia Goth (MaXXXine). "Monsters have become my personal belief system. There are strands of Frankenstein throughout my films — Cronos, Blade, Hellboy, big time on Pinocchio, and a long, long [list], et cetera." It's alive, then: del Toro's version of Frankenstein, that is. Audiences will be able to watch the Netflix film from sometime in November 2025, with an exact release date not yet confirmed. Zapped into existence already, however, is the first teaser trailer for the movie, which demonstrates how much its writer/director adores Shelley's now 207-year-old text, all of the love and care that he has taken with bringing it to life, and how well he has cast its characters. Isaac portrays the feature's namesake, aka Victor Frankenstein, the scientist driven by tragedy to attempt to conquer the line between life and what exists beyond it. As the trailer notes, "only monsters play god". As Victor advises himself, "in seeking life, I created death". Also uttered in the movie's first sneak peek, reinforcing its theme: "what manner of creature is that? What manner of devil made him?". Goth is Elizabeth, Victor's fiancée. From there, Christoph Waltz (Old Guy), Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu), Charles Dance (The Day of the Jackal), Lars Mikkelsen (Dalloway) and del Toro regular Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Pinocchio) are also part of the cast. One of the film's biggest names belongs to the actor portraying Victor's creation, however, with Jacob Elordi taking on the role after already adding The Narrow Road to the Deep North to his resume this year. Frankenstein will never stop entrancing filmmakers, as it has James Whale back in 1931 when Karloff played the monster, Mel Brooks (Dracula: Dead and Loving It) with 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein, Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) on his 1994 take, Danny Boyle (Yesterday) with his stage adaptation, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) via Frankenweenie and Yorgis Lanthimos (Kinds of Kindness) in Poor Things, plus Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) with 2026's The Bride!, just to name a few examples. But, based on the first trailer, seeing del Toro take on Shelley's work looks set to dazzle. Check out the initial teaser trailer for Frankenstein below: Frankenstein will release via Netflix sometime in November 2025 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. Images: Netflix.
An emotion-dripping tale of love, loneliness and yearning against a backdrop of festering societal tension — as shot with swoon-worthy red-hued imagery, too — Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for Love isn't easily forgotten. And, for the past 20 years, anyone who has seen the 1960s Hong Kong-set romantic drama hasn't wanted to. Based on their new live performance, that includes Rainbow Chan, Eugene Choi and Marcus Whale. With In the Mood — A Love Letter to Wong Kar-Wai & Hong Kong, the trio join forces to pay tribute to this 2000 movie masterpiece — and to take inspiration from it. As streamed live at 9pm AEST on Saturday, September 26 from the Sydney Opera House's Joan Sutherland Theatre, they're serving up a moody, dreamy new song cycle that ponders and responds to In the Mood for Love's parting words: "that era is past, nothing that belonged to it exists anymore". As well as new music by Chan and Whale, plus narration from Choi, this world-premiere performance will feature a set that'll look like it has been plucked from the movie, 60s-style costumes, a bossa nova dance and new renditions of the film's soundtrack — with plenty of sax. And, it'll also pair all of the above with visuals that are meant to ponder what Wong's feature would look like if it was made today. Basically, viewers are set for an ode and a re-interpretation, with the latter firmly relevant to the lockdown era. If you can't watch along live, In the Mood — A Love Letter to Wong Kar-Wai & Hong Kong will also be available to stream on-demand from Saturday, September 26 . [caption id="attachment_783477" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] In the Mood — A Love Letter to Wong Kar-Wai & Hong Kong streams at 9pm AEST on Saturday, September 26 — and will be available to watch on-demand afterwards. Top image: Daniel Boud.
If you're fond of exclaiming "whoa!" to mark huge news — and you've been conditioned to do just that by a certain Keanu Reeves-starring sci-fi franchise — then the past year or so has given you more than a few opportunities to break out that word in the best possible ways. First came the confirmation that a fourth live-action film in The Matrix series was 100-percent happening. Then came trailers for that very flick, giving us all a few sneak peeks before we could watch the full thing. And, when Boxing Day rolled around in 2021, the movie itself — aka The Matrix Resurrections — finally arrived on the big screen. Here's another reason for you to channel your inner Keanu Reeves right now: just a month after reaching cinemas, and while still actually showing in cinemas, you can stream The Matrix Resurrections via video on demand at home. Fast-tracking films to digital is a trend that's been gathering steam during the pandemic — and if you've been a bit cautious about going out during Australia's current Omicron wave, you can still fall down the dystopian franchise's rabbit hole sooner rather than later. A hit for more than two decades now, this is the science-fiction epic that smartly recognises that it's Keanu's world and we're all just living in it, after all — and now, we can plug into all four live-action movies from our couches. Get ready for Neo (Reeves, Bill and Ted Face the Music) to once again grapple with the Matrix and everything it means for humanity — and also for Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones) and Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip) to return, too. They're joined by Matrix newcomers Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin), Jessica Henwick (On the Rocks), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The White Tiger), Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman). And yes, Reeves and Moss once again take centre stage this time around, because casting them in the first place — and showing unwavering belief in the duo — is the greatest move that filmmakers Lana and Lilly Wachowski ever made. It was a bold decision two-and-a-bit decades ago, with Reeves a few years past sublime early-90s action hits Point Break and Speed, and Moss then known for TV bit parts (including, in a coincidence that feels like the product of computer simulation, a 1993 series called Matrix). But, as well as giving cinema their much-emulated gunfire-avoidance technique and all those other aforementioned highlights, the Wachowskis bet big on viewers caring about their central pair — and hooking into their chemistry — as leather-clad heroes saving humanity. Indeed, amid the life-is-a-lie horrors, the subjugation of flesh to mechanical overlords and the battle for autonomy, the first three Matrix films always weaved Neo and Trinity's love story through their sci-fi action. In fact, the duo's connection remained the saga's beating heart. Like any robust computer program executed over and over, The Matrix Resurrections repeats the feat — with plenty of love for what's come before, but even more for its enduring love story. Lana goes solo on The Matrix Resurrections — helming her first-ever project without her sister in their entire career — but she still goes all in on Reeves and Moss. The fifth Matrix movie overall counting The Animatrix, this new instalment doesn't initially give its key figures their familiar character names, however. Rather, it casts them as famous video game designer Thomas Anderson and motorcycle-loving mother-of-two Tiffany. One of those monikers is familiar, thanks to a surname drawled by Agent Smith back in 1999, and again in 2003 sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. But this version of Thomas Anderson only knows the agent from his own hit gaming trilogy (called The Matrix, naturally). And he doesn't really know Tiffany at all, instead admiring her from afar at Simulatte, their local coffee shop. Check out the trailer for The Matrix Resurrections below: The Matrix Resurrections is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream online via video on demand — including via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review.
Courting might have been sweet back in your grandparents' day, but with the advent of Facebook, relationships have taken on a whole lot more complexity. Admit it - if you like someone, you'll periodically check out their Facebook profile, click through their photos, ascertain their general whereabouts and any signs that their lack of obtainability might be about to take a turn for the better. This practice, commonly referred to as Facebook 'stalking' - with all the overtones of obsession and garbage-bin rifling the word implies - is perhaps coming closer to the world of real-life courting, with the release of the BreakUp Notifier, the app most likely to get you laid by someone on the rebound. Using the app, you can bookmark the profiles of people in a relationship, and then you'll be automatically notified should that status change in the slightest. As the app itself explains,"You like someone. They're in a relationship. Be the first to know when they're out of it." Woe betide the person chasing after someone with the enigmatic 'It's Complicated' relationship status. Or those who refuse to divulge their status at all. While the Breakup Notifier is perhaps another step down the road to normalising creepy behaviour, you know that thousands of people are going to be downloading this app and making damn sure their's will be the first attractive and available shoulder to cry on. BreakUp Notifier
