Ever said something you wish you hadn't? Or gone home from a party when things were starting to get interesting? Like a swift punch to the stomach regret can be gut-wrenching. Whether it be utter embarrassment, not seizing an opportunity or ignoring your heart in favour of your head, regret is familiar to us all. Performance collective, The Good Room, have designed an event to exhibit regret in all of its cringe-worthy forms. In February the team asked strangers to anonymously share their biggest regrets. Over 500 secrets were collected and now, it's time for them to see the light of day as part of, 'I Should Have Drunk More Champagne'. In Metro Arts' basement you will find a tangle of tales from wallflowers, outspoken drunks and victims of lost love. Some will make you squirm, others will make you laugh but they will all remind you that each of us is prone to a good old face palm.
Christmas lunch is arguably the most important meal of the year. Get it right, with a beautiful ham as the centrepiece, and it is almost guaranteed that the day will run smoothly, ending with everyone in food comas whilst watching Miracle on 34th Street. Get it wrong, though, and it is likely that you will have a host of cranky family members ready to divulge some vindictive secrets and burn down the Christmas tree. Ensure that this year's festivities populate the family albums for all the right reasons by purchasing a Christmas ham of the highest quality from Victor Churchill and marinading it in the ham glaze you'll get as a gift when paying with your MasterCard® card. Victor Churchill's Christmas ham legs range from $95 for a half leg to $185 for a full leg. The delicious deal with complimentary glaze is all thanks to MasterCard's Priceless Sydney program and should be taken advantage of given the cut the butcher is using this season. Their Kurobuta Christmas hams are some of the most delicious and succulent cuts ever tasted, combining the very best European haute cuisine and Aussie character. So if you want to be the toast of the family and make this Christmas one to remember, head down to 132 Queen Street, Woollahra and order your Victor Churchill ham as soon as possible. This offer is strictly subject to availability while stocks last, so pay now and save Christmas Eve for that last-minute gift shopping instead. Visit the Priceless Sydney website to see more locally famous offers.
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. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from April's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmSK3XliTk4 RUTHERFORD FALLS He co-wrote and produced The Office. He did the same on Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which he co-created as well. And, he gave the world The Good Place — which makes Michael Schur one of the best in the business when it comes to kind-hearted, smart and savvy small-screen laughs. His new show, Rutherford Falls, continues the streak. Co-created with star Ed Helms and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas (Superstore), it also boasts his usual charm and intelligence and, as with all of the above programs, it's exceptionally well-cast. Plus, it's immensely easy to binge in just one sitting, because each one of its ten first-season episodes leave you wanting more. The setup: in the place that gives the sitcom its name, Nathan Rutherford (Helms, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun) runs the local history museum. One of his descendants founded the town, and he couldn't be more proud of that fact. He's also very protective of the towering statue of said ancestor, even though it sits in the middle of a road and causes accidents. So, when the mayor (Dana L.Wilson, Perry Mason) decides to move the traffic hazard, Nathan and his overzealous intern Bobbie (Jesse Leigh, Heathers) spring into action. Nathan's best friend Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding, Blast) helps; however, the Minishonka Nation woman begins to realise just how her pal's family have shaped the fate of her Native American community. Also featuring a scene-stealing Michael Greyeyes (I Know This Much Is True) as the enterprising head of the Minishonka Nation casino, Rutherford Falls pairs witty laughs with warmth and sincerity, especially when it comes to exploring the treatment of First Nations peoples in America today. The first season of Rutherford Falls is available to stream via Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PkRz0Qda4 WAKEFIELD Scroll through the list of Wakefield's cast members, and many a famous Australian name pops up. Ryan Corr (High Ground), Wayne Blair (Rams), Kim Gyngell (Brothers' Nest), Harriet Dyer (The Invisible Man), and comedians Felicity Ward and Sam Simmons are just some of them, but this ABC series belongs to phenomenal British talent Rudi Dharmalingam (The Split). With an Aussie accent so flawless that all other actors attempting the feat should study it in the future, he plays nurse Nik Katira. His workplace: the eponymous Wakefield, a mental health hospital in the Blue Mountains. Nik's days involve caring for his patients, navigating the usual workplace politics and grappling with his personal life, with all three often overlapping. That might sound like the usual medical drama, but Wakefield isn't ever as straightforward as it might appear. From its very first episode — one of five directed by The Dressmaker filmmaker Jocelyn Moorhouse, with the other three helmed by The Rocket's Kim Mordaunt — the series purposefully throws its viewers off-kilter. With roving cinematography and looping stories, it keeps everyone watching guessing, just as the figures within its frames are doing about their daily existence (including and sometimes especially Nik). Already set to be one of Australian TV's most impressive new series of the year — and likely the best of the year, too — Wakefield is gripping, twisty, powerful and almost devastatingly empathetic about a topic that is rarely handled with as much care and understanding. In other words, it's a knockout. The first season of Wakefield is available to stream via ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ3dgHqaw8U CONCRETE COWBOY Like many titles that grace Netflix's catalogue, Concrete Cowboy sounds like the type of movie that the streaming platform's algorithm could've easily cooked up. It might've gleaned that its subscribers like Idris Elba, and that they're keen on horses. It already knows that viewers love Stranger Things, obviously, which is where Caleb McLaughlin comes in. Combine all of the above with a coming-of-age tale that also doubles as a story of redemption, and this movie could be the end result. That's not how Concrete Cowboy came about, though. It's based on Greg Neri's novel Ghetto Cowboy, and it has both a classic and a vibrant air — befitting a film about a teenager who finds his life forever changed by an animal, and a movie about an urban riding community in Detroit as well. As the trouble-prone 15-year-old at the centre of the story, McLaughlin puts in a stirring performance. As his initially estranged father, and the man that introduces him to the stables, Elba (Cats) is magnetic, but his work here doesn't coast by on charm alone. First-time feature writer/director Ricky Staub guides stellar portrayals out of both his stars, and also works with cinematographer Minka Farthing-Kohl (The Nowhere Inn) to ensure that every second of Concrete Cowboy looks and feels as if it's galloping thoughtfully and perceptively through an oft-seen subculture. Concrete Cowboy is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgB7rMuxY-s THE SERPENT One day, Tahar Rahim will likely win an Oscar. He's that phenomenal an actor, as he has shown in everything from A Prophet, The Past and Daguerreotype to The Eddy and The Mauritanian. In The Serpent, however, he's never been more unsettling — but given that he's playing Charles Sobhraj, that comes with the territory. If the real-life French serial killer's name doesn't ring a bell, then this eight-part series will make sure you'll never forget it. The instantly riveting drama tells a grim true tale, and an unnerving one. With his girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc (Jenna Coleman, The Cry) and accomplice Ajay Chowdhury (TV first-timer Amesh Edireweera), Sobhraj targeted young travellers in Bangkok and south Asia in the 70s — usually luring them in with a scam first, or trying to flat-out steal their money, then drugging them, killing them and stealing their passports. Ripper Street writers Richard Warlow and Toby Finlay intertwine Sobhraj, Leclerc and Chowdhury's murderous exploits with the efforts of Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg (Billy Howle, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker) to find two missing tourists. After being tipped off about two bodies by a loud-mouthed Australian in Thailand (Damon Herriman, Judy & Punch), Knippenberg begins to piece together the broader story. It's easy to feel just as he does while watching The Serpent, actually, because getting swept up in its distressing details is simply inevitable. The Serpent is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9xVoRoWmnA I USED TO GO HERE With I Used to Go Here, writer/director Kris Rey (Unexpected) tackles an experience that everyone goes through once they've spent a decade or so being an adult. You might've achieved everything you'd ever hoped for when you were in university — and you might be well-aware that your teenage self would be gobsmacked by what you've conquered — but few dreams are ever as glittering in reality. For Kate Conklin (Gillian Jacobs, Love), things should've been perfect. But while the 35-year-old's first novel is new on bookshelves, it isn't selling. Her book tour has been cancelled as a result. And, although a wedding was in her near future, she soon finds herself single, confused, angry, alone and hurting. So, Kate accepts an offer to step back into the past. Asked to speak at her alma mater by a professor (Jemaine Clement, Legion) she looked up to, she jumps at the chance to revisit her old haunts, to feel like a big deal in her old college town and to get nostalgic with familiar faces. But, she primarily ends up hanging out with the students who now live in her old house, and regressing emotionally. In in its narrative, I Used to Go Here delivers few surprises. And yet, this keenly observed film knows how it feels to walk in Kate's shoes, and how to make those emotions drip from the screen as well. It helps that both Rey and Jacobs invest depth and emotion into every frame; indeed, this would've been half the movie it is otherwise. I Used to Go Here is available to stream via Stan. NEW SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miQqyfO66uw MARE OF EASTTOWN Kate Winslet doesn't make the leap to the small screen often, but when she does, it's a must-see event. 2011's Mildred Pierce was simply astonishing, a description that both Winslet and her co-star Guy Pearce also earned — alongside an Emmy each, plus three more for the HBO limited series itself. The two actors and the acclaimed US cable network all reteam for Mare of Easttown, and it too is excellent. Set on the outskirts of Philadelphia, it follows detective Mare Sheehan. As the 25th anniversary of her high-school basketball championship arrives, and after a year of trying to solve a missing person's case linked to one of her former teammates, a new murder upends her existence. Mare's life overflows with complications anyway, with her ex-husband (David Denman, Brightburn) getting remarried, and her mother (Jean Smart, Watchmen), teenage daughter (Angourie Rice, Spider-Man: Far From Home) and four-year-old grandson all under her roof. With town newcomer Richard Ryan (Pearce, The Last Vermeer), she snatches what boozy and physical solace she can. As compelling and textured as she always is, including in this year's Ammonite, Winslet turns Mare of Easttown into a commanding character study. That said, it's firmly an engrossing crime drama as well. Although yet again pondering the adult life of an ex-school sports star, The Way Back's Brad Ingelsby isn't just repeating himself by creating and writing this seven-part series, while The Leftovers and The Hunt's Craig Zobel takes to his directing gig with a probing eye. The first two episodes of Mare of Easttown are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes available weekly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_160Be71g THE HANDMAID'S TALE Fans of The Handmaid's Tale have had to wait longer than expected for its fourth season, with the dystopian series' next batch of episodes among the many things that were postponed due to the pandemic. But, now it's here — and yes, the word you're looking for is 'finally'. Basically, it's time to trade one source of anxiety and tension for another. Watching the series has never been a stress-free experience, and that continues this time around. Given that the show is all about toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality, sending your blood pressure soaring is to be expected (and reading Margaret Atwood's 1985 book wasn't a calm experience, either). After season three's cliffhanger, June (Elisabeth Moss, The Invisible Man) is still battling against Gilead. In fact, after everything that the oppressive regime has done to her and her loved ones — and the ways in which it has changed life for women in general — she's firmly out for justice and revenge. That involves taking new risks, but that's what a rebel leader has to do. And we all know that stress and tension is only going to keep building as The Handmaid's Tale drops its new episodes week by week. The first three episodes of The Handmaid's Tale season four are available to stream via SBS On Demand, with new episodes available weekly. INSTANT AND OLD-SCHOOL CLASSICS TO WATCH AND REWATCH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc5hiLqHa6g ZAMA Nine years is a rather long time to wait for a filmmaker to make a new movie. But, for fans of Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel, that's exactly the period that passed between her 2008 thriller The Headless Woman and 2017's exceptional Zama. Although there was never really any doubt that the latter would be something special when it finally surfaced, the acclaimed auteur well and truly made her comeback with an effort that matches her reputation: mythic. Here, Martel takes on Antonio di Benedetto's 1956 Argentinean novel Zama to explore the story of an 18th-century Spanish magistrate — the Don Diego de Zama (Daniel Giménez Cacho, The Promise) of the movie's title. He's stuck in a small South American town, desperately hoping for a transfer and, as he waits and his patience slips, he's also quickly losing his grip on everything. Narrative-wise, Zama has plenty to say about colonialism and class, and uses drama, comedy and tragedy to do so; however, it's how Martel conveys the film's tale and dives into its themes that sears this inimitable movie into viewers' brains. As its protagonist's ideas of his own grandeur are chipped away moment by moment, Zama, the feature, charts the opposite trajectory with its exquisite imagery, hypnotic rhythm and distinctive logic. Zama is available to screen via Binge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH-aPyydgoE SNOWPIERCER Whenever Bong Joon-ho makes a movie, the entire world should take notice. It did with Parasite, with the masterful thriller nabbing Cannes' Palme d'Or, Sydney Film Festival's prize and four Oscars to prove it (and a slew of other awards as well). But, arriving two titles and six years earlier on his filmography, Snowpiercer didn't initially get the same amount of attention. Yes, it sparked an immensely watchable TV remake; however, it didn't attract eyeballs en masse. It should've, but that's the thing about movies once they're out there in the world: if you've missed them, you can always hunt them down. When it premiered in Australia, also at SFF, more than a few folks in the audience walked out. They robbed themselves of a smart, savage and supremely entertaining dystopian action-thriller, all set on the perpetually moving train that gives the film its title. Adapted from the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Bong and co-screenwriter Kelly Masterson (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), the film transports the world's class, social and economic struggles into the locomotive's stratified carriages, and charts the inevitable uprising that follows when those left at the back of the train decide to rebel. Bong's first English-language feature, it boasts a killer cast, too, including Chris Evans (Knives Out), Song Kang-ho (Parasite), Tilda Swinton (The Personal History of David Copperfield), Jamie Bell (Rocketman), Octavia Spencer (The Witches) and John Hurt (Jackie). Snowpiercer is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8lT_X8Oycc FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. If those six words already mean something to you, you're clearly a fan of Friday Night Lights — which, although it only spanned five seasons and 76 episodes, is one of the very best dramas of the 00s. It wasn't guaranteed to be a hit, or to even be any good, though. Initially, Friday Night Lights was a 1990 non-fiction book about small-town high-school football. Then, it became a grim sports film, starring Billy Bob Thornton when he was fresh off of Bad Santa. Both the text and the movie still exist, of course, but it's the TV series that everyone now thinks of when the Friday Night Lights name comes up. It's the show that made everyone think of Kyle Chandler (Godzilla vs Kong) as their coach and their dad, too, because they're the roles he plays to absolute perfection here. The general premise remains the same, this time following the Dillon Panthers. Chandler's Eric Taylor steps into the head coach role just as the team's star quarterback is injured, which sets up the storyline for the first season. Not just centred on sport, the series also dives deep into the everyday lives of its players in its fictional Texas community, and their loved ones as well — which is where everyone from Connie Britton (Promising Young Woman), Taylor Kitsch (21 Bridges) and Jesse Plemons (Judas and the Black Messiah) to Michael B Jordan (Just Mercy) and Jurnee Smollet (Lovecraft Country) pop up. All five seasons of Friday Night Lights are available to stream via Binge. Top images: The Serpent, Mammoth Screen Ltd, photographer: Roland Neveu.
If you didn't see The Fall Guy, Twisters, Deadpool & Wolverine, Challengers, Inside Out 2, The Wild Robot or It Ends with Us on the big screen already in 2024, here's the perfect way to catch up with them: under the stars, while sprawled out on a picnic blanket or sat on a bean bed, at the latest season of Moonlight Cinema. And if watching Christmas films is one of your festive traditions, here's a scenic way to do that, too, with this annual opportunity to enjoy a movie outside packing its just-dropped first lineup for this year with seasonal flicks. As it does every summer, Moonlight Cinema is returning for another run of films in the open air, including at Brisbane's Roma Street Parklands from Thursday, November 21, 2024–Sunday, February 16, 2025. Among the brand-new titles, Gladiator II and Wicked are also on the bill, as are an advanced screening of the Hugh Grant (Unfrosted)-starring horror film Heretic. When Paddington in Peru gets the same treatment, you'll want marmalade sandwiches in your picnic basket. The OG version of Mean Girls will grace Moonlight Cinema's screens, too, as will 2023's smash-hit Barbie. For a merry time at the movies — a jolly one as well — the roster of Christmas fare spans the new Red One, as well as classics Elf, Love Actually, The Holiday, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Come January, A Complete Unknown has your Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two) fix covered and the OG Freaky Friday will give you a blast from the past before the sequel arrives later in 2025. Plus, We Live in Time, Heretic and Mufasa: The Lion King will also play under the stars. Other highlights include Gladiator II, Moana 2, Paddington in Peru and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, giving franchises plenty of love; Better Man joining the music-fuelled picks; the Jesse Eisenberg (Sasquatch Sunset)-starring, -written and -directed A Real Pain; and Conclave's tension in the Vatican. Among the retro fare, Bridget Jones's Diary, Shrek and The Princess Diaries will get you looking backwards. As always, the films and the setting are just two parts of the cinema's experience. Also on offer: the returning Aperol spritz bar. Nosh-wise, the event will again let you BYO movie snacks and drinks (not booze, though), but the unorganised can enjoy a plethora of bites to eat onsite while reclining on bean beds. There'll also be two VIP sections for an extra-luxe openair movie experience and a beauty cart handing out samples. Plus, dogs are welcome — there's even special doggo bean beds. Updated: December 12, 2024.
However you identify, we hope your feed is filled with rainbows and eco glitter this week as we gear up to celebrate Mardi Gras on Saturday, March 6. Whether you're going to events in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane — or staying home to watch the parade on SBS — you can share the love and pride with the LGBTQIA+ community on TikTok. We've teamed up with the social media platform to bring you these six pride-filled videos to help get you pumped for the parade. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@itsbybrandon/video/6921305046323842306[/embed] Epic transformations are par for the course on TikTok, so how do you stand out from the crowd? @itsbybrandon does it time and time again with their colourful, creative and often unexpected makeup transitions. And, they lip sync like a pro. Take inspiration from this rainbow effect eyeshadow for your Mardi Gras celebrations this weekend. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@dom.skii/video/6930381557991542017[/embed] Proving that exceptional makeup talent isn't in short supply, @dom.skii brings us a second inspirational transformation clip full of pride. As Lady Gaga puts it, "Don't be a drag, just be a queen." [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/foryou?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v2#/@emmahorn/video/6929595838914186497[/embed] Emma Horn jumped on the Domino Lovers TikTok Challenge with her girlfriend, and how can you not beam with pride watching them dance together? Emma's TikTok is full of hilarious reaction videos and relatable content, so if you're in need of a pick-me-up, check out her channel. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@the_dancing_farmer/video/6928677043387272450[/embed] Bretty G, aka @the_dancing_farmer, says they're here to spread love and positivity. Here they do it with an enviable pair of pins and a fabulous strut in the countryside dirt. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@tomi.queen/video/6930570843546209538[/embed] In one of our favourite videos in the 'I'm So Pretty' makeup transition trend, Sydney drag queen Tomi shows us how it's done. If Reyanna Maria isn't on your Mardi Gras playlist for this weekend, rectify that now. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kevininthecity/video/6931856237550193921[/embed] Sydney's Glitter King, @kevininthecity, isn't afraid to shine like a mirror ball. Here, they give us a masterclass in standing out from the crowd in one bold block of colour. Look out for Kevin in the City at this year's Mardi Gras Parade, as their face will be part of TikTok's official float alongside singer-songwriter G Flip. Download TikTok to watch more, and use the hashtag #JoinOurFloat to be part of TikTok's Mardi Gras float. Top image: Jeffrey Feng; Destination NSW
They topped Triple J's Hottest 100 in 2002. They've featured Dave Grohl on drums. Their third studio album Songs for the Death is one of the all-time-great 00s records. They're Queens of the Stone Age, of course, and now they're bringing their latest tour Down Under in 2024, with the band heading our way for the first time in six years. The Josh Homme-fronted group's The End Is Nero tour is their first trip to Australasia since 2018, and comes after their eighth album In Times New Roman... released in June 2023. Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore are giving their latest shows an apocalyptic theme, which fans can look forward to seeing in Brisbane from Sunday, February 25–Monday, February 26. [caption id="attachment_923130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andreas Neumann[/caption] Concertgoers can look forward to a setlist that steps through QOTSA's 27-year history, including their Hottest 100 winner 'No One Knows', plus everything from 'Go with the Flow' and 'Make It Wit Chu' to 'Emotion Sickness' and 'The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret'. In support at the Fortitude Music Hall: Pond and Gut Health. Queens of the Stone Age formed in Seattle in 1996 after Homme's prior band Kyuss split up, is linked to the Palm Desert music scene and have seven Grammy nominations to their name. Despite the long gap since their last trip Down Under, they're no strangers to playing Australia, including a joint tour with Nine Inch Nails back in 2014. Top image: Wünderbrot via Wikimedia Commons
Food. Drinks. Music. Doggos. It's a recipe for a great Friday evening, and it's what's on offer at The Sunset Social. Every fortnight, Davies Park welcomes stalls, street food, live performers, beverages and some fun for the family. That means that littlies can have fun on the jumping castle, at the animal farm, or playing giant Jenga and Connect 4 — and the adults with them, of course. On July 19, the West End get-together will boast an extra reason to drop by, all thanks to a Christmas in July celebration. As well as food trucks, there'll be other themed bites, mulled wine, Christmas-inspired beverages and a live choir. Otherwise, the usual applies. The event is fully licensed and completely pet-friendly, with the likes of The Roaming Pig, Gelato-a-Go-Go, Flavours of Eataly, Shanks' A Lot and Wild Rissole usually found among the vendors. Drop by from 5–9pm for a relaxing end to the working week. Plus, entry is free, which means you'll have more cash for everything else.
Subscriptions aren't just for magazines, wine, cheese, cars, ramen and streaming platforms. Thanks to Botanic Box, they're also for plants. Created by Brisbanite Rhiannon Campbell, the service brings a new bundle of greenery to your door each and every month. If the idea sounds somewhat familiar, that's because fellow Brisbane outfit The Succy Bunch does something similar — but while it changes its selection twelve times a year, you can't sign up on ongoing basis. With Botanic Box, packages range from three to six to twelve months, bringing you a different plant and a handmade item each month for the duration of your subscription. It's the type of service that seems tailor-made for folks with green thumbs but lazy feet — that is, anyone who'd love to get a heap of new plants, but can never make it to a market or nursery to buy one themselves. More than that, Botanic Box doesn't just feature the kinds of greenery that you could just pick up on your travels. Rather, your plants — maybe a fiddle leaf fig, a succulent or a eucalyptus — will arrive with handmade pots, art cards, key rings and more accompanying each delivery. As well as teaming up with a range of local growers, the service highlights a different artist and maker each month, with previous partnerships including Lush Succulents, studio Nikulinsky, Kojo Kokedamas and Lazer Unicorn. This is all about one-off collaborations that showcase local talent and add a nice dash of nature to your house. While October subscriptions have already closed off, anyone that's on the books for November will benefit from Botanic Box's team-up with ethical skincare company Two Winged Fruit. Subscriptions start at $49.95 per month, and you can purchase one for yourself or sign someone else up as a gift. Or, if you're feeling less than financial, you can drop hints to everyone you know that Christmas is around the corner. For more details, visit botanicbox.com.au.
There's one thing that all wine festivals have in common: vino, and plenty of it. But this returning rosé fest hosted by Brisbane's inner-city winery adds something extra to the mix. When it hits up its home base on Sunday, February 4, 2024 after previously popping up at The Tivoli, on King Street and at Westoria, the event's attendees will be able to help make rosé between knocking back glasses of the pink stuff. At Rosé Festival by City Winery, stomping and pressing grapes is one of the big attractions. And, the results of all that jumping up and down are usually bottled for the company's rosé release for the year, too. So, down the track, you'll be able to grab one, add it to your wine rack and know that you had a hand — or two feet — in making it. If you'd rather just sip the rosés already on offer, that's obviously also part of the festival, which is taking a more intimate approach in 2024. So, instead of a sprawling event, this is a limited-edition affair. Tickets cost $150, which includes a drinks package, bites to eat and learning more than you ever thought you needed to know about rosé. City Winery winemaker Dave Cush will lead a blending workshop as well — and everyone gets to take home a bottle that you create in the class.
If your Friday night usually involves hitting the dance floor to 90s R&B tunes, you're definitely not alone. But on Friday, July 8, Brisbane's Institute of Modern Art wants you to give your usual go-to a miss — and make shapes in its courtyard for NAIDOC Week instead. SHOW UP: A Celebration of Black Music will be playing classic hip hop tracks from 6.30pm, with Cherbourg man DJ Big Mike on the decks. That's just one part of this end-of-week party, which'll also see Meanjin-based First Nations hip hop dancers Ziggy Wade, Dylan Wotton and Damian Mulligan perform as well. In addition to marking NAIDOC Week, this free shindig will help see out IMA's Rebirth Is Necessary exhibition, with the showcase dedicated to Jenn Nkiru wrapping up on Saturday, July 9. A word of warning: you'll be outside for the entertainment, so rugging up is recommended. Back inside, though, IMA's exhibitions will remain open late — and the IMA shop as well. And, afterwards, there's an after party down Ivory Tusk if you're keen to keep on keepin' on after 9.30pm. [caption id="attachment_812379" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Top image: Maeve Baker, 'Do Your Chores, Try Not To Think Too Much, And Repeat', 2020, IMA Belltower Façade Projection. Commissioned by the Institute of Modern Art for 'Making ArtWork'. Photo: Charlie Hillhouse.[/caption] Top image: LIZANDBETTY, Final Friday, Institute of Modern Art, 2021. Photo: Marc Pricop.
When they're done well, focus on good recipes and great conversation, and actually step you through the culinary process, cooking shows remain one of the best factual TV genres there is. Fancy all of the above, plus celebrities? That's Netflix's new series, The Chef Show. Just launched on the streaming platform, the show stars actor/director Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi, who first worked together on the aptly titled film Chef. This time around, they're forgoing fiction for reality, taking viewers through their favourite dishes and techniques, and celebrating their shared love of food. Each episode features a different theme — in one, the duo smoke brisket in Texas with pitmaster Aaron Franklin; in another, they pay tribute to the late Los Angeles food critic Jonathan Gold. Given Favreau's career both on-screen and off, and his connection with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series' high-profile guests are also a significant drawcard. On the guest list: Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland, Gwyneth Paltrow, MCU producer Kevin Feige and Avengers' directors the Russo brothers. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez doesn't have a Marvel connection, but he also pops up. The mood is relaxed but informative — like sitting down for a leisurely dinner chat, which also happens on-screen. A word of warning: if you watch the series on an empty stomach, prepare to feel rather hungry. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPtPs22gtOA The eight-episode first season of The Chef Show is now available to stream on Netflix.
Japanese minimalist homeware wizards Muji are moving into the architecture game with a series of new flat-pack houses that are giving us some serious FOMO and YOLO and all manner of acronym envy and inspiration. The best part? They’re economical in both price and space, giving hope to the current generation that perhaps we won’t always have to deal with landlords. Praise be to Muji! Unfortunately, for now, they’re only available in Japan. However, Muji have recently opened stores in Melbourne and Sydney, so surely it’s only a matter of time before they ship em’ into our waiting arms. The houses are incredibly cute and, in classic Muji style, effortlessly minimalist. There are three designs to choose from, starting at US$150,000 for the ‘Wooden House’, US$160,000 for the ‘Window House’, and US$215,000 for the tall, Tokyo-inspired ‘Vertical House’. Incredibly reasonable. The finishes are all white and blonde wood with elegant staircases and cosy nooks. And hey, it may be a bit cookie cutter but moving to Japan is surely better than selling all your internal organs to afford a house in Toorak or Double Bay right? The real estate game is a-changin’ though and other retailers are starting to cater for the penny-saving generation (i.e. us ;_; ). Ikea are experimenting with movable walls (not set to hit the market for a few years but keep at it Ikea) and there are many innovative Aussie architecture firms experimenting with non-traditional and environmentally friendly ways to bring down the cost of building a new home. Firms like iBuild (punny) and the slightly more upmarket modscape design, construct and deliver modular homes and extensions which cost much less than a contractor. And of course, there’s the shipping container community who do some spectacular things with discarded shipping containers. Then there's the slightly earthy young buyers and the Earthship movement, slowly but surely making its way through all the red tape into the Australian construction landscape. Earthship structures use passive heating and cooling techniques, are constructed from indigenous or local materials (including old tyres and glass bottles) and feature an in-house sewerage treatment system, making them somewhat off the grid and cheap to run in the long term. So have faith guys, there are houses in our future, don’t you worry. They just might not be the classic two-windows-one-door type most of us drew in preschool. Via Domain.
Many road trippers heading north from Sydney aim for major hubs, such as Port Stephens, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. But, less than four hours away, there's a less-famous patch of coastline, national parks and green pastures called the Manning Valley. The area's lush beauty is down to its unusual waterway, the Manning River. It's one of the only major rivers in Australia that hasn't been dammed. Plus, it's a double delta, so it meets the sea in not one, but two places. Stick to the shore for empty beaches, impressive walks and a designer hotel dedicated to David Bowie, Nick Cave and Dave Grohl. Pop inland to sample at farmers' markets, groom alpacas and meet flying foxes in NSW's last bit of floodplain rainforest. Here's your guide to road tripping the Manning Valley. [caption id="attachment_604884" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Surfhouse Merewether[/caption] DAY ONE: INDIGENOUS HISTORY, SPARKLING LAKES AND WINE TASTING Road trips aren't for rushing. Break up yours with a couple of stops. Firstly, there's Newcastle — one-time steel capital of Australia, now creative hub by the sea — where laneways are dotted with street art, independent shops and cute cafes. Swing by The Tea Project for a just-right cuppa, Sprocket for locally-roasted coffee and The Edwards for mountainous cheese platters. Cashed up and wanting ocean views and oysters? You'll get them at Surfhouse Merewether. Find loads more Newie tips over here. Another hour on the road lands you in the Great Lakes region. If time's on your side, pretty Myall Lake and its eponymous national park are a worthy diversion. To take a journey into indigenous history, visit Dark Point, which, in 2002, was declared an Aboriginal Site of Significance. For more than 4000 years, the Worimi people met here for seafood feasts — look out for middens. You'll also be treated to spectacular views of Broughton Island, the only spot in New South Wales where you can camp the night among a sea bird colony. Continue along the Pacific Highway to Wootton to visit Great Lakes Paddocks Winery. You're welcome to sprawl out on the grounds for hours, trying the latest in verdelho and sparkling shiraz. Keep an eye out for live music events too. [caption id="attachment_604888" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Rudi's Farmers Market[/caption] DAY TWO: FARMER'S MARKETS, RAINFOREST AND A MUSIC DESIGN HOTEL Another 30 minutes north lands you in Taree, on the banks of Manning River. Start with a visit to Mentges Meats, where Rudi Mentges continues a 700-year-old family tradition, started on the Rhine, of turning local cuts into gourmet kranski, wurst and ham. Every Thursday morning, Rudi's Farmers' Markets takes over with a cornucopia of home-grown veggies, home-made jams, honey, raw cakes and fresh flowers. It's one of many farmers' and artisans' markets in the Manning Valley. Find out how tasty that produce can get when treated by a multi-awarding winning cafe. Bent on Food is in Wingham, a laidback town ten kilometres inland, which hosts the Wingham Akoostik Festival every October. Cafe owner Donna Carrier is a big fan of local farmers, as proven by the super-fresh, piled-up dishes, overseen by head chef Simon Livingston. Tuck into a spinach tortilla with chicken, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pumpkin and house-made basil pesto or local scotch fillet with house-made beetroot relish, cheese, lettuce, horseradish cream, Turkish bread and beer-battered chips. The cafe doubles up as a grocery shop, so you can take some valley goodness home with you. [caption id="attachment_604873" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bent on Food[/caption] The Wingham Brush Nature Reserve, which harbours the only floodplain rainforest left in New South Wales, is lovely for a shady afternoon stroll. There are a variety of walks, but the easiest is the 1.9-kilometre boardwalk, along which you'll meet flying foxes, brush turkeys, white cedars and a massive Moreton Bay fig tree. Tinonee Road winds south out of Wingham, passing through The Bight and Mondrook. Now that you've indulged in local produce, it's time to find out what the artists have been getting up to. Make an appointment at Artisans on the Hill, to see art works, handcrafted jewellery, wood turning and more. Workshops are held occasionally. [caption id="attachment_604904" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Boogie Woogie Beach House[/caption] Tonight's digs are The Boogie Woogie Beach House, found 20 minutes east in the beachside town of Old Bar. This extraordinary designer hotel was "born from the love of music and not wanting to go home after a great night out". There are five unique rooms, four of which are dedicated to legendary musicians, namely David Bowie, Dave Grohl, Nick Cave and Louis Armstrong. Can't decide? Go for the fifth: The Mixtape. Whether you take a spa with Ziggy Stardust or shower with Nick Cave, you can count on a luxurious therapeutic mattress, a record player (with vinyls supplied), free wifi, a mini-bar and a HD flatscreen TV. Downstairs, Flow Bar hosts live music on Fridays and Sundays, and serves up consistently excellent food. In the morning, go for The Frenchie (brioche, Rudi's smoked bacon, lemon mascarpone, toasted pecans, wild berry compote, maple syrup). [caption id="attachment_604899" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Black Head Beach[/caption] DAY THREE: BEACHSIDE RESORT, OCEAN POOL, COASTAL WALKS South of Old Bar is a series of gold sand beaches, backdropped by dunes and national park. The safest for swimming is sheltered Black Head Beach, where you can jump in patrolled surf or laze about in a stunning ocean pool. Should you work up an appetite, drop into Gobblegutz Cafe in Hallidays Point for coffee and tasty gourmet wrap. Don't let the shopping centre surrounds deter you — the food is good and hearty. Next up, it's time for some explorations on foot. There's a network of walking trails to help you do just that. For coastal rainforest, secluded beaches, caves and and rock formations, head into Black Head Reserve. You'll pass by a tranquil lagoon and, chances are, find yourself sharing the path with brush turkeys. Check out other tracks nearby over here. [caption id="attachment_604870" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ramada Resort[/caption] Tonight, you're sleeping over at Ramada Resort, right behind 5.5-kilometre-long Diamond Beach. To get as close to the water as possible, go for a one-bedroom apartment with water views, a two-bedroom apartment or a beach house. Whichever you choose, you'll score plenty of space and a spa bath. When the surf's too rough, take a windy stroll or stick to the resort, where you can dip in the pool, hit the tennis court or relax in the day spa. Jasmine Crittenden travelled to the Manning Valley as a guest of Destination NSW. Images: Peter Saw.
Here's one of Brisbane's inescapable truths: if you're wandering along Given and Latrobe terraces in Petrie Terrace and Paddington, you'd best be ready to eat and drink. Throwing a stone along the popular roadway isn't recommended, of course, but you'd hit a heap of restaurants and bars if you did. To celebrate all of those eateries and watering holes lining the precinct, Taste of the Terraces is giving Brisbanites an excuse to drop by between Friday, May 20–Sunday, May 22 (not that you ever need a special reason to make a visit). Stretching along down to the Collingwood Street intersection, 38 venues will be dishing up food specials and cocktails across the three days — whether you're keen to head along for breakfast, lunch, an afternoon drink or to make an evening of it. Exactly where will be serving up what — and for how much — hasn't been revealed, but you've got plenty of places to hit up anyway. Naïm, Hope & Anchor, Kettle & Tin, Darling & Co, Remy's, King Tea, Nota and its new neighbourhood wine bar, Ngon, Sassafras and Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers are just some of the venues taking part. Arrive hungry and thirsty — and full of love for Paddington — obviously. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland
Maybe your 21st birthday was the best night of your life. Or, perhaps you're still planning for the 21st to end all 21sts. Apologies to everyone in those two categories, plus everyone in general as well — because Splendour in the Grass' just-announced 21st-birthday lineup with Lizzo, Flume, Mumford & Sons, Lewis Capaldi and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs has all other 21st shindigs beat. Lizzo was first unveiled as one of this year's Splendour headliners back in March, and now she has some good as hell company on the full — and huge — bill. When the fest returns to the North Byron Bay Parklands stage from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, the US rapper, songwriter, singer and flautist will top the Friday night, with Flume doing the same on the Saturday and Mumford & Sons following on the Sunday. Flume's set is an Australian exclusive, celebrating ten years since his self-titled album and coming after his recent Australian tour in late 2022. Mumford & Sons are also doing an Aussie-exclusive gig, after last heading our way in 2019. Among their ample company, Lewis Capaldi will take to the stage on the Friday night, while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will play Saturday — making the trip to Australia after initially headlining 2022's Splendour in the Grass lineup, but cancelling in the lead up. Music lovers hitting Byron Bay can also look forward to Hilltop Hoods, Sam Fender, J Balvin, Slowthai, Little Simz, Idles and Tove Lo, plus Arlo Parks, Ball Park Music, 100 Gecs doing another Aussie exclusive, Pnau and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard — and more. Enough talk — here's what you're waiting for: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Splendour in the Grass (@splendourinthegrass) SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2023 LINEUP: Lizzo Flume (Australian exclusive: ten years of Flume) Mumford & Sons (Australian exclusive) Lewis Capaldi Yeah Yeah Yeahs Hilltop Hoods J Balvin Sam Fender Idles Little Simz Slowthai Tove Lo 100 Gecs (Australian exclusive) Arlo Parks Ball Park Music Iann Dior King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 070 Shake Pnau Ruel Loyle Carner Benee Marlon Williams Rainbow Kitten Surprise Hooligan Hefs Peach PRC Palace Dune Rats Tkay Maidza Noah Cyrus Skegss Sudan Archives Cub Sport Meg Mac X Club. Claire Rosinkranz Jack River The Smith Street Band Lastlings Jeremy Zucker Young Franco Sly Withers MAY-A The Vanns Telenova Vallis Alps Jamesjamesjames Kaycyy RVG Teenage Dads Balming Tiger Automatic Harvey Sutherland Gali Del Water Gap Royel Otis Shag Rock Big Wett Mia Wray Memphis LK Gold Fang Milku Sumner Forest Claudette Full Flower Moon Band William Crighton Hellcat Speedracer Triple J Unearthed Winners Mix Up DJs: Tseba Crybaby Latifa Tee Foura Caucasianopportunities Luen Mowgli DJ Macaroni Crescendoll Splendour in the Grass will take over North Byron Bay Parklands from Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23, 2023. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, April 14 — head to the festival website for further details. Top image: Charlie Hardy.
Wandering around a market while the sun shines is all well and good, but there's something extra appealing about the nighttime variety. Happening every Friday and Saturday night in Brisbane's north — and back for 2023, too — Bite Markets at North Harbour fits the bill. And, it serves up plenty of food, because that's what every night market attendee really wants. This twice-weekly setup boasts more than 20 'flavour makers' on its lineup, all trying to keep your hunger in check. Fancy a big heap of grilled meats? Sweet treats in the form of chocolates, doughnuts, lollies and poffertjes? Bao, fish 'n' chips, bubble tea, pizza, German sausages and teppanyaki? They're all on the menu. A shipping container setup like Hamilton's Eat Street — complete with landscaping and a dining precinct — Bite Markets showcases local talents, so prepare to feast on meals whipped up by the best producers, food creators and artisans in the area. Running from 4–10pm each Friday and Saturday, the huge foodie gathering calls a patch of Nolan Drive in Morayfield home. Entry costs $3 for adults, dogs are welcome — and for those driving north, there's more than 600 car parks onsite.
Some days, we all just want to want to wander through a vibrant, inflatable, lit-up dreamscape filled with billowing shapes. Pop this dazzling installation on a boat floating down the Brisbane River, and we'd all want to make its acquaintance there, too. Brisbanites, the time to do both of these things is this September — and during Brisbane Festival. In a welcome piece of news, moseying around a luminous playground that'll also spend time on the water is a key part of the event's 2021 program. Two installations by ENESS are coming to town from Friday, September 3–Saturday, September 25, and Airship Orchestra is one of them. It features bulbous shapes that glow, reach up to six metres in height, and come complete with a choir score. So, you'll be mesmerised by their appearance and their sounds alike. The vivid pop-up will span Northshore Hamilton from Monday, September 13, filling it with colour. Before then, it'll be on the move. It isn't just shifting locations, however, but will float along the river nightly as part of a watery art experience called Brisbane's Art Boat. Also, when it isn't at Northshore Hamilton, its sibling event Sky Castle will be — and vice versa. The same applies to its berth on Brisbane's Art Boat as well. Top image: Ben Weinstein.
Bookshops are known for their variety. Everyone should be able to step into any store celebrating the printed word and find something they want to read ASAP. Writers festivals operate under the same principle, bringing together a wide array of authors covering a broad range of subjects and styles — so of course the 2023 Melbourne Writers Festival jumps from viral recipes to beloved movie stars, and also from award-winners to Australian music icons. One huge highlight of this year's MWF program: Alison Roman, whose home-cooking tips you might've followed more than once. Making her first trip to Australia, the Brooklyn-based food writer and chef will chat about her dessert-focused cookbook Sweet Enough, and also all those recipes that've had the internet salivating, plus her general approach to the kitchen. [caption id="attachment_894138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alison Roman by Chris Bernabeo[/caption] Roman leads a lineup with its commitment to surveying writing in a wealth of forms, and from a swag of scribes, firmly intact — and a festival that hits Melbourne a little earlier in 2023, too. If it feels like the last MWF was just upon us, that's because it happened in September last year. From now on, however, the fest is settling into May dates instead, running from Thursday, May 4—Sunday, May 7 in 2023 at a variety of venues around the city. One such location is Melbourne Town Hall, which'll play host to four blockbuster sessions over two evenings to get MWF 2023 started. That includes an opening night event that asks a cast of writers to reflect upon the fest's theme 'I've Been Away for a While', with Penguin Random House copy chief and author Benjamin Dreyer doing the honours alongside nonfiction writer Bill Hayes, Sweet Country filmmaker and Kaytetye man Warwick Thornton, writer and critic Sarah Krasnostein, and Wiradjuri poet and artist Jazz Money. Also at the same venue that evening: Paul Kelly celebrating words penned by others — and likely not about making gravy — which'll see him perform Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Les Murray and more. Jurassic Park favourite Sam Neill is set to do the writers festival rounds, coming to Melbourne to chat about his career and new memoir with comedy star Jane Kennedy before doing something similar in Sydney — and two Booker Prize-winners are hitting both fests as well. So, the Victorian capital can also look forward to the most-recent recipient, with Shehan Karunatilaka emerging victorious in 2022 for The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida; plus Girl Woman Other's Bernardine Evaristo, the first Black woman to ever win the award. Other 2023 highlights include Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow's Gabrielle Zevin exploring the New York Times bestseller; Emma Straub, writer of This Time Tomorrow and owner of Brooklyn bookstore Books Are Magic, getting talking; and Grace Tame chatting about The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner: A Memoir. Or, there's Dreyer doing his 'Guardian of Grammar' thing in-conversation with Richard Fidler — and Fidler himself focusing on his new historical nonfiction publication The Book of Roads and Kingdoms. Stan Grant will discuss his latest The Queen is Dead — on the weekend of King Charles' coronation, no less — and Ellen van Neerven will unpack Personal Score, their examination of sport from a First Nations and queer perspective. Also, aforementioned author and photographer Hayes dives into Sweat, which is about exercise and its history; and actor Heather Mitchell (whose recent credits include Love Me, Blaze and The Great Gatsby) joins the guests with memoirs to unfurl. The festival's events lineup also features the return of the MWF Big Debate, asking 'do books matter more than sport?'; Queering the Canon, which'll see its speakers plunge into the texts that influenced how they think and write about sexuality and gender; and a discussion of the past year in politics. Spanning talks, panels, workshops and other activities, the program keeps turning pages from there — so if you're keen on hearing from Shirley Hazzard's biographer Professor Brigitta Olubas, learning about art and writing from a First Nations viewpoint, exploring where memoirs stand in the search for meaning, pondering how difficult it is to write about your heroes and celebrating the return to travel, that's all on the bill. So is the In the Suburbs series, which takes authors beyond the Melbourne CBD. This year, that includes The Dry writer Jane Harper chatting about Exiles, her final instalment in the Aaron Falk series, in Narre Warren — a handy session to go to ahead of Force of Nature hitting the big screen in August. Melbourne Writers Festival 2023 runs from Thursday, May 4—Sunday, May 7 at a variety of venues around Melbourne. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the festival's website. Top image: Alison Roman by Chris Bernabeo.
Are you the type of person who wakes at 5am on a Saturday morning, rushes to get the morning paper and carefully highlights the worthy garage sales in your area? Do you skulk around your neighbourhood picking up goods and haggling tea cosies down from $1 to a more reasonable 50 cents? Or perhaps you’re on the other side – a hoarder who needs to let go and make some space or much needed cash? Whoever you are and however much it is you appreciate a good garage sale, there is one thing we all have in common – we love a bargain. Every year, Garage Sale Trail takes the hard work out of finding quality garage sales in your area by encouraging everyone to have their own sale on the same day, posting it up on their site for everyone to see and following the trail. Coming from a sustainability background, Garage Sale Trail encourage you to help reduce landfill by passing your unwanted items along or collecting someone else’s. The day can turn into a real community event with art shows, backyard bands and a good ol’ BBQ. So get out of the house, meet your neighbours and help declutter your life or someone else’s. Register your sale or follow the trail at www.garagesaletrail.com.au
Thanks to our sweltering weather, abundance of beaches and all-round love of creamy, frosty desserts, Australia has given rise to many a great ice cream. But, one has always reigned supreme. That'd be the humble, colourful, swirl-filled Rainbow Paddle Pop, which tastes like caramel, summer, nostalgia and not having a care in the world (and every Aussie has the childhood memories to prove it). Licking your way through a single Rainbow Paddle Pop on a stick is all well and good (and often messy and sticky). In fact, even though it's the king of Aussie ice creams, you probably no longer give buying a whole box of them a second thought. Plunging a scoop into a tub of Rainbow Paddle Pop ice cream is something new, special and completely different, however — and, thanks to Streets' new one-litre range, it's now on the menu. The ice cream company has rolled out tub versions of three classic Aussie flavours — so, if you're not obsessed with Rainbow Paddle Pops for some reason, you can also tuck into scoopable servings of Bubble O'Bill and Golden Gaytime. And yes, the Bubble O'Bill tub includes bubble gum-flavoured candy pieces scattered throughout its chocolate and caramel ice cream, because we all know that it'd be pointless without them. Expect the new dessert line to be popular — announcing the tubs, Streets' Brand Manager Samantha Jarmul advised that "these are the top requests we receive from Streets' fans". If that's your next at-home sundae sorted, you can pick up tubs for $8 each from IGA supermarkets. They'll also be available in Woolworths stores nationwide by mid-next week, and will then be on Coles' shelves from mid-August. Streets' Bubble O'Bill, Rainbow Paddle Pop and Golden Gaytime tubs are now available at IGA supermarkets, will hit Woolworths stores by mid-next week, and will then be on Coles' shelves from mid-August — and will set you back $8 each.
It's the Fortitude Valley venue with the name that describes its antics: mammoth. And when Woolly Mammoth get into the tequila game, you can only expect that the results will be pretty hefty. Pop-up tequila bars and tequila cocktails on tap are both on the menu from 9pm on Thursday, August 30, all as part of the Ann Street spot's Neanderthal Tequila Fiesta. It in turn forms part of this year's Valley Fiesta, so consider it a party within a party. A live Mariachi band will unleash their festive sounds between 9.30–11.30pm, with DJs keeping the beats going afterwards — and, to ensure that all of the tequila isn't too harsh on everyone's stomachs, there'll be nacho specials. Actually, because the whole thing falls on a Thursday night, there'll also be free wings with every drink between 9–11pm. To add to all of the above, general entry is free as well.
2020 didn't bring much that sparked joy, but it did let Sydneysiders wander through a large-scale, multi-sensory Vincent van Gogh exhibition that projected Dutch master's works onto walls, columns and floors. In 2021, art lovers will be able to repeat the feat, this time with a heap of French Impressionist masterpieces — because Monet & Friends — Life, Light & Colour is heading to town from March. The idea behind Monet & Friends is the same as its predecessor. It stems from the same team as well. As you wander around the Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park from Friday, March 12, you'll feast more than just your eyes on huge projections of Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas' work. Light, colour, sound and fragrance are also all part of the exhibition, which is designed to make you feel as if you're walking right into the hefty array of paintings. The list of 19th- and early 20th-century artists showcased goes on, too, including Édouard Manet, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Berthe Morisot, Alfred Sisley and Mary Cassatt. Also featured are Gustave Caillebotte, Armand Guillaumin and Henri-Edmond Cross, plus Paul Signac and Georges Seurat. Once more, the project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which, for the past 16 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 145 cities around the world. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. For Monet & Friends, it's once again using state-of-the-art technology that combines 40 high-definition projectors to create multi-channel visuals, all while a classical musical score accompanies the vibrant colours in cinema-quality surround sound. When you're peering at pieces by the 15 featured artists, you'll be doing so in a socially distanced setting — with visitor numbers restricted to maintain enough space (which will exceed the one person per four-square-metres required by New South Wales' COVID-19 rules). So, that means that you'll have less company than you'd usually expect at a big exhibition of French Impressionist art. It also means that sessions are probably likely to get booked out quicker than normal, though.
Here's a lesson that no one in horror movies and television shows ever seems to learn: don't mess around with the dead. Whether they're zombies or vampires, or ghosts haunting various abodes, or spirits possessing people or dolls, little good ever seems to come of this. But if folks did heed this advice, we wouldn't have anywhere near as many scary flicks to watch — including the next big eerie film heading to cinemas from A24. The independent film and TV company has found its latest frightfest Down Under: Talk to Me, which stems from Adelaide-born twins Danny and Michael Philippou. They're also known as RackaRacka, which you might know from the YouTube channel, and this is their feature debut. A word of warning: if you're not a horror person — and, generally, you either are or you aren't — even the just-dropped trailer isn't for you. Based on a concept by Bluey producer Daley Pearson, Talk to Me's premise is horror 101, but it never feels like that for a second in the first sneak peek. This nerve-shredder is all about conjuring up spirits using an embalmed hand — because what else would you use a mummified appendage for? It starts as a game between friends, another scary-movie staple, then opens the door to the spirit world. Starring Sophie Wilde (The Portable Door), Miranda Otto (Wellmania), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Otis Dhanji (June Again), Chris Alosio (Millie Lies Low) and Alexandra Jensen (Joe vs Carole), Talk to Me enjoyed its world premiere at the 2022 Adelaide Film Festival, and has kept doing the rounds from there. Sundance, Berlin, SXSW, Overlook: it's scared them all since. General cinemagoers in Australia and New Zealand will get the chance to get spooked out themselves come July 27. The film's soundtrack is a drawcard, too, including New Zealand hip-hop collective SWIDIT — plus tracks from Lucianblomkamp, IJAE, Sia, Takara, ONEFOUR and The Kid Laroi. Composer Cornel Wilczek (Clickbait) takes care of the score. And yes, A24 has a mighty fine track record with on-screen nightmares, including The Witch, Hereditary, Midsommar, In Fabric, X, Bodies Bodies Bodies and Pearl, putting Talk to Me in immensely impressive company. Check out the trailer for Talk to Me below: Talk to Me opens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on July 27, 2023.
Miss out on tickets to Splendour? Don't fret, you can get your music fest fix at Kaleidoscope Festival this Saturday. No matter what your music taste, Kaleidoscope Festival will have something to tickle your fancy. Held at the New Globe Theatre, this mini-festival showcases some of Brisbane's finest groups. Music fans are in for a treat as an array of genres have been included in the festival such as electronica, jazz, psych rock, funk metal and loads more. For a full list of the line-up, check out the event page. Some our picks include Mega Ogre (pictured) which is comprised of James, Sam, Mike and Pete. These guys list their number one influence as space and create dreamy psychedelic punctuated by gorgeous harmonies. Pop-psych six-piece, Salvadarlings, are another must-see. Heavy blues rock group, The Royal Artillery will bring the groove with their high-energy tracks and catchy riffs. Other bands on the lineup include LeSuits, Big Dead, Shady Bliss, Cassette Cathedral and more. Morse Code Music DJ's will keep the tunes flowing between sets as well. Grab your tickets now! They are $15 presale or $20 on the door.
It's back. It's now two decades old. And, it's the inner-city street party to end all street parties. Sure, Brisbane as a whole likes to throw a whole heap of suburb-specific bashes; however no one does it like Fortitude Valley. If you've lived in this fair, mostly sunny city at any point over the past twenty years, then odds are that you've been to at least one Valley Fiesta — and that you know why it's worth celebrating as a result. From October 28 to 30, Brunswick Street and the surrounding Valley nooks and crannies will come alive with the sound of music, the smell of food, and the sight of everything from art to fashion. Oh, and yes it has the area's beloved markets as part of the program, too. After some specifics? How about The Vines, Yacht Club DJs, Harts, KLP, Joyride, Hey Geronimo and more taking care of the tunes, for starters? The event also boasts local talent singing their hearts out on Friday evening, multicultural showcases in the Chinatown mall on both Saturday and Sunday, the annual Queensland Music Awards showcase, and all the Valley shopping you could want. Yep, it's a fiesta alright.
If you're a fan of Ted Lasso, The Afterparty, Bad Sisters, Slow Horses, Hijack or Lessons in Chemistry, then you'll be more than accustomed to getting your streaming fix from Apple TV+. Across the first half of 2024, the platform has a heap more new shows vying for your eyeballs, plus a few returning series. And as Netflix just recently did, it has announced all the details, as well as a sneak peek of what's to come. To get your must-watch small-screen list started, new shows starring Ben Mendelsohn, Jonathan Banks, Noel Fielding, Kristen Wiig, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton and Jake Gyllenhaal are all on their way. Mendelsohn (Secret Invasion) will be gracing your television first, playing Christian Dior opposite Juliette Binoche (Both Sides of the Blade) as Coco Chanel in ten-part drama The New Look, which arrives from Wednesday, February 14. Also among the cast: Maisie Williams (Pistol), John Malkovich (Billions), Emily Mortimer (The Pursuit of Love), Claes Bang (Bad Sisters) and Glenn Close (Tehran). Noomi Rapace (You Won't Be Alone) and Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul great Banks star in Constellation, which also drops from February, about astronauts grappling with the reality of returning home. As for The Mighty Boosh's Fielding, he leads comedy The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, which has more than a bit of Our Flag Means Death about it. The series riffs on a real-life figure, a British highwayman, with Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey: A New Era) playing the lawman on his trail. March will bring the Tobias Menzies (You Hurt My Feelings)-led true-crime effort Manhunt, about the hunt for John Wilkes Booth following Abraham Lincoln's assassination — and also Palm Royale, with Wiig (MacGruber) playing a woman trying to find a way into Palm Beach high society, and Laura Dern (The Son), Allison Janney (The Creator) and singer Ricky Martin also featuring. Sugar hits in April, enlisting Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) as a private detective looking into a Hollywood case. So does Franklin, with Michael Douglas (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) as Benjamin Franklin. Then in May, page-to-screen sci-fi thriller Dark Matter features Edgerton (The Boys in the Boat) and Jennifer Connelly (Bad Behaviour), while June has Presumed Innocent with Gyllenhaal (Guy Ritchie's The Covenant) as a Chicago chief deputy prosecutor mixed up in a complicated casw. Also, sometime midyear, dramedy Land of Women boasts Eva Longoria (Tell It Like a Woman). Among the returning slate, Apple TV+ has second seasons of The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Maya Rudolph (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem)-starring billionaire satire Loot and The Big Door Prize on the way as well. And, the full lineup for 2024's first half also spans four-part documentary Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend, Acapulco season three and Trying season four. Check out Apple TV+'s trailer for its slate for the first half of 2024 below: New TV shows will hit Apple TV+ throughout 2024 — head to the streaming platform for its current catalogue.
If you just can't wait to spend more time in the photorealistic version of The Lion King's world, here comes a film about the lion that's king of the Pride Lands before Simba gets the job. Mufasa: The Lion King is again styled to look like reality, not animation — and, set to arrive in cinemas Down Under in December 2024, it gives 2019's The Lion King, a remake of the 90s animated hit, a prequel. It also just dropped its first teaser trailer. Call it the circle of cinema. Call it the movie that was always bound to happen once technology was rolled out to bring this beloved franchise back to the screen with visuals that make its animals appear as if they've walked out of a documentary (well, almost, as the last film demonstrated). Donald Glover (Mr & Mrs Smith), Beyoncé, Seth Rogen (Dumb Money), Billy Eichner (Bros) and John Kani (Murder Mystery 2) are all back from the past flick, reprising their roles as Simba, Nala, Pumbaa, Timon and Rafiki. But as the feature's moniker makes plain, this isn't any of those characters' tales. Mufasa, aka Simba's father, sits at the centre of a picture directed by Moonlight Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins. The movie is presented as a story told by Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa to Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala, who is voiced by Blue Ivy Carter. So goes a narrative about an orphaned cub who is taken in by a lion with royal blood, then set on a path that leads to the events of The Lion King. Among the voice cast, Aaron Pierre (Foe) does the honours as Mufasa. Kelvin Harrison Jr is Taka (Chevalier), the lion prince who takes Mufasa in like a brother. Tiffany Boone (Hunters), Mads Mikkelsen (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Thandiwe Newton (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget), Lennie James (Genius), Anika Noni Rose (Pantheon), Keith David (Rick and Morty), Kagiso Lediga (The Umbrella Men) and Preston Nyman (A Small Light) also lend their vocals to the flick. As well as Jenkins, Mufasa: The Lion King boasts another huge off-screen name, with Hamilton great Lin-Manuel Miranda writing the movie's tunes. "Elton John. Tim Rice. Hans Zimmer. Lebo M. Mark Mancina. Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh. Beau Black, Ford Riley, the incredible music team on The Lion Guard, and so many musical contributors over the years. The Lion King has an incredible musical legacy with music from some of the greatest songwriters around, and I'm humbled and proud to be a part of it," said Miranda. "It's been a joy working alongside Barry Jenkins to bring Mufasa's story to life, and we can't wait for audiences to experience this film in theatres." Check out the first trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King below: Mufasa: The Lion King releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Images: courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Oi oi oi! If there's one nation who knows how to party, it's Brazil. Now we Aussies can take a leaf from their notebook at our very own Brisbane Brazilian Day Street Festival. Think wild colours, energetic music, fierce dancing and more churros than you can poke a stick at. The festival begins at 12pm in the Fortitude Valley's Alden Street, just behind the Wickham Hotel. From then till late in the evening there will be live music by a lineup of authentic South American bands, as well as possibly the biggest carnival parade Brisbane has ever seen. The food and drink on offer is worth going alone. Various vendors and food trucks will be dishing up famous Brazilian barbecue, feijoda stew, savoury pastries, cakes and sweets. There will also be Caprioskas, Caipinha and Batida cocktail tents in case you need a little kick before attempting the samba. Tickets for the Brisbane Brazilian Day Festival are $20 and can be purchased through Moshtix. We're also going to leave this samba tutorial right here. Just incase.
Danny Boyle directs. Alex Garland penned the screenplay. Oppenheimer Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy isn't listed among the cast, but is credited as an executive producer. In the latter's place on-screen, Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nosferatu), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Jack O'Connell (Sinners) and Alfie Williams (His Dark Materials) are all tasked with navigating the remnants of a virus-ravaged world. That's the recipe behind 28 Years Later, and it looks set to unsettle — at least if the initial trailer from late 2024 and the just-dropped new sneak peek are anything to go on. Here, the zombie apocalypse has evolved. When just 28 days had passed, survivors faced a nightmare. Little had improved when 28 weeks had gone by. Now, following 28 years of chaos, life has been forced to find a new normality after dealing with the aftermath of a society decimated by a horrific infection for a hefty period. The setup this time around: almost three decades after the rage virus initially seeped through humanity after escaping from a biological weapons laboratory, some survivors have etched out an existence on a small island. Elsewhere, quarantine remains a key way of tackling the infection. With that starting point — and with unease dripping through both trailers so far, complete with stunning imagery — expect Boyle (Yesterday) and Garland (Warfare) to dig into the terrors that linger when two of the island's residents venture over to the mainland. Although 2030 will mark 28 years since viewers were treated to one of the best zombie movies ever, aka the Boyle-helmed, Garland-written 28 Days Later, the third flick in the same franchise — and second with Boyle behind the lens and Garland on scripting duties — arrives after 23 years. 28 Years Later was first confirmed at the beginning of 2024, and will hit cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 19, 2025. The series' initial film has already spawned one follow-up thanks to 2007's 28 Weeks Later, but Boyle didn't direct it. Garland, who also penned Sunshine for Boyle, then hopped behind the camera himself with Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, Civil War, Warfare and TV series Devs, wasn't involved with 28 Weeks Later, either. Their return restarts the saga, kicking off a new trilogy. The franchise's fourth feature 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple has already been shot, in fact, with Candyman and The Marvels' Nia DaCosta directing. Boyle and Garland's first proper collaboration after Boyle adapted Garland's best-selling novel The Beach for the big screen two years prior, 28 Days Later still ranks among the best work on either's resume. It's the same on Murphy's as well, even if it didn't win him any of Hollywood's top shiny trophies for playing a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma in a deserted hospital 28 days after an outbreak changed the world forever. And yes, the series is missing a 28 Months Later instalment. It was talked about for years, but the time has now passed unless the new trilogy includes a flick set between 28 Weeks Later and 28 Years Later. Check out the latest trailer for 28 Years Later below: 28 Years Later releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Brisbane is at its buzzy best during one of the most laidback weeks of the year between Christmas and New Years. If you're looking for things to do or inspiration on how to enjoy this peak stretch of summer downtime, our curated guide has you covered. Get Pampered at a Day Spa The silly season can be taxing after a long year, so why not supercharge your end of year recharge at a relaxing day spa. If you know where to look, they're peppered throughout Brisbane, each offering their own take on serenity and relaxation. Whether you prefer a dose of float therapy or a steamy sauna sesh, this is how to kick the best week of the year up a notch. Take a Paddle Down the River Brisbane River hardly needs an introduction, considering the waterway snakes its way through the heart of the city, with options to cross it on foot (via one of the many bridges running over it) or via ferry. Get up close and personal with the majestic river and see Brisbane from an entirely new vantage point. Rent a kayak and make a day of it, being sure to pack a sandwich lunch made with Abbott's Bakery bread for a day out on the water. The expansive river goes on for kilometres and features a diverse array of scenery to take in, so you'd best have a feed at the ready to keep your strength up. Have a Summer Sesh on the Water at a Bar or Brewery There's no shortage of venues along the river to soak in the summer vibes that Brisbane does so well. A long, unhurried summer sesh is exactly what's called for between Christmas and New Years. For a spur of the moment sesh, head to Felons Brewing Co. The sprawling brewery not only has plenty of brews that have come to life on-site, but also plenty of space so you should be able to find a spot even on short notice. Head to the Coast for a Laze on a Beach Swapping the city for the coast is always a crowdpleaser. Noosa, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast each have their charms and you never regret a swim. There's something about a dip in the Pacific Ocean that just washes away stress and dials up the relaxation. [caption id="attachment_976496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darren Tierney[/caption] Go on a Road Trip Out of the City Drive a little further and the beauty of what's beyond Brisbane in greater Queensland awaits. Take your favourite snacks, prepare a car-friendly sandwich lunch with Abbott's Bakery bread and hit the road. There are sights to revel in in all directions — from rainforests to waterfalls and even vineyards and mountains. You could even swing by multiple spots in one long, interconnected road trip. There are no rules, only possibilities. [caption id="attachment_702576" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Explore the Greenery at D'Aguilar National Park Stretching over 36,000 hectares, with gorges, pockets of rainforest, eucalyptus woodlands and views for days, D'Aguilar National Park will transport you right out of Brisbane — without actually requiring you to leave the city. The park is split into a northern region and a southern region, and there's no way you can cover everything in one day, but no matter where you decide to pull up stumps, you'll want to pack your bag with sandwiches, snacks and water to fuel your intrepid adventures. Swap your bag for a basket if a carefree picnic in one of the parks many picnic and lookout areas is preferred. [caption id="attachment_899402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] Stay in and Stay Cool You don't need us to tell you that Brisbane's heat can be brutal. When it all gets too much and all you really want to do is crank up the AC or perch yourself in front of a fan, we say do it. There's no better time for it than between Christmas and New Years too, when responsibilities are minimal and you can pass your time however you please. Catch up on your streaming or any podcasts and music you've haven't gotten around to. Use your Christmas leftovers in a scrumptious ham sandwich for an easy, delicious lunch that doesn't require stepping a single foot outside the house. Discover the full range of Abbott's Bakery bread and create your ideal sandwich.
Today, Zac Efron is making serial killer movies, Vanessa Hudgens has Spring Breakers on her resume, and song-filled, school-set Romeo and Juliet adaptations aren't sashaying across our screens. Back in 2006, it was different. That's when audiences were only just discovering High School Musical — the Disney TV movie that spawned two sequels, thrust its stars to fame and made viewers everywhere wonder just how many hats a teenager might need. Because blasts from the past never go out of style, Woolly Mammoth is throwing back to the HSM days with one huge party at its upcoming High School Musical Night. Step back in time from 10pm on Friday, May 31, and dance to 00s tunes from the film like you're a class newcomer falling for the resident basketball star. With Disney slinging plenty of hits over the past few decades, you can expect plenty of other love for — and songs from — the mouse house's huge catalogue as well. If you haven't belted out 'Hakuna Matata' on the dance floor, have you really taken its message to heart? From fellow animated classics like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, to the likes of ex-Mouseketeers like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, prepare to get mighty nostalgic. Tickets cost $18 in advance and $20 on the door — if they last that long, because a second date on June 1 has already sold out.
An enchanting swimming experience awaits a mere one-hour drive from Brisbane CBD. Park at the Cedar Creek Falls carpark then follow a short track along the gorge lookout all the way to the pools. Greenery and scrub overhang on rocky outcrops, framing the waterfall as it tumbles into the natural swimming pools below. The water is remarkably cool even when the pool catches full sunlight. You can lie on the warm rocks, soaking up the summer heat, then splash into the water for a quick rejuvenation. Rinse and repeat until refreshed. There are picnic tables and barbecues, so bring the esky and some pals and share a magical day of waterfall-bathing. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland
2016: what a year. We saw powerful figures do battle on more than one occasion, witnessed pop culture figures return (and unexpectedly flourish), explored multiculturalism in several western nations, examined the impact of unforgiving and inflexible government bureaucracy, and watched a fascist try to dispense with naysayers — and that's just in the realm of film. Many a superhero flick, plenty of remakes and sequels, and the likes of The Hateful Eight, Goldstone, I, Daniel Blake and Green Room can attest to that. We also experienced everything from alien attacks to bear maulings to ghosts needing busting, and we've still only just scratched the surface of the last year at the cinema. In short, it was a great year to be a movie buff. So what's worth watching? Well, Concrete Playground's film critics have been hard at work staring at screens for the past 12 months watching an insane amount of cinema. So here's our picks for the best films of the year — if you only have time to watch ten films this holiday season, be sure to choose these ones. AMERICAN HONEY As directed by Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights' Andrea Arnold, American Honey takes an almost three-hour road trip through the vast, bewildering, heartbreaking disparity between the have and have nots in American society. A streetwise teen looking for a different life proves our guide after she crosses paths with a smooth-talking travelling magazine salesman with an epic rat tail. The latter is the best work of Shia LaBeouf's career, however it's the revelatory efforts of first-timer Sasha Lane as the former — and Arnold's ability to make her film feel as wide-ranging as its roaming narrative, and as intimate as its boxed-in imagery — that packs the strongest punch. Well, that and the eclectic yet expressive mixtape-like soundtrack. — Sarah Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHOmrolJEiY THE HANDMAIDEN Dripping with sex, Park Chan-wook's adaptation of Sarah Waters' novel Fingersmith is a pulpy, stylish delight. Transplanting the story from Victorian era England to 1930s Korea, the film follows a maid out to steal her mistress's fortune, only for the pair to end up falling in love. Of course there's a lot more to it than that, with the director of Stoker and Oldboy taking viewers on a ride that is both ludicrous and utterly compelling. Aesthetically speaking, every single frame feels perfectly considered, while the twisting narrative will keep you guessing until the end. — Tom Clift MIDNIGHT SPECIAL It's been a great year for showing affection for sci-fi from years gone by — and, before Stranger Things set '80s-loving, TV fans' hearts aflutter, Midnight Special did the same in the cinema. The fourth film from Take Shelter and Mud director Jeff Nichols not only marks his fourth collaboration with the oh-so-great Michael Shannon — and his latest exploration of folks trusting in something bigger than themselves — but also offers an awe-filled, ambitious effort that's also a road movie, a chase thriller, an intimate drama and an otherworldly adventure. — SW THE NEON DEMON Director Nicholas Wending Refn turns his lens on the LA fashion scene with extremely unsettling, occasionally nauseating results. Bringing the same sleek, detached style (punctuated with violence, of course) that he did to his previous films including Drive and Only God Forgives, the Danish provocateur intentionally apes the aesthetic of the world his film inhabits, in order to expose the ugliness underneath. The Neon Demon has its detractors, and understandably so — the last act especially seems designed to test the audience's boundaries. But even those who despise the film would be hard pressed to deny its artistry. — TC CAROL As an actor skilled at bringing complex roles to life, Cate Blanchett just keeps getting better. As a filmmaker fascinated by stories of yearning for a more fulfilling existence, Velvet Goldmine and Far From Heaven director Todd Haynes does too. Combine the two with Patricia Highsmith's ahead-of-its-time 1952 novel The Price of Salt, add a disarmingly delicate performance by Rooney Mara as a shy shopgirl instantly smitten witg Blanchett's glamorous but conflicted older woman, and slow-building romance doesn't get much emotionally resonant and visually radiant than this. — SW DOWN UNDER Although tragically underseen in cinemas, writer-director Abe Forsythe's pitch black comedy set around the Cronulla riots is one of funniest and most insightful Australian films of the decade so far. A satire in the vein of Team America and Four Lions in which the stupidity of the protagonists belies the film's hidden intelligence, Down Under holds a mirror up to the ugly parts of Australian society, while painting bigots and racists as the idiots they so clearly are. Hysterically funny one moment and deeply troubling the next, it's a must see film that feels distressingly relevant today. — TC LA LA LAND It starts with sunshine, colour and song, then often lurks in moody bars and clubs. It spirits aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone) and avid jazz enthusiast Seb (Ryan Gosling) on a rollercoaster-like romance, and yet doesn't shy away from the pain and heartbreak of both following your passion and falling for someone. It references '50s musicals and '80s pop, but turns its influences into its own tale, proving nostalgic, celebratory and knowing all at once. Yes, Whiplash director Damien Chazelle's La La Land does many things, including bewitch audiences with its block-coloured, big crooning, bittersweet dream about life and love. The film has already been released overseas, but will officially hit cinemas here on Boxing Day. — SW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Xvsjy57X0 HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE Somehow outdoing his previous effort, the sidesplitting vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi delivered one of the funniest and most charming films of the year with Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Carried on the shoulders of veteran actor Sam Neill and his talented young costar Julian Dennison, this heartwarming indie about a pre-teen delinquent and his foster father on the run from the authorities in the New Zealand wilderness delivers big laughs and an even bigger emotional payoff, and will endear itself to you even further on second, third, fourth and fifth viewings. — TC THE WAILING Films about cops chasing killers are common. Movies about brutal murders and sinister forces with potentially supernatural elements aren't all that uncommon either. And yet, South Korean effort The Wailing well and truly stands alone within a crowded field — and not just because the slow-burn horror effort clocks in at two and a half hours. It takes its time and still proves packed with everything from gorgeously moody landscapes to an increasingly dark atmosphere, plus the undead, exorcisms, ghosts and the kind of nods to genre greats that most scary movies only wish that they could manage. — SW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMqeoW3XRa0 HAIL, CAESAR! While it may strike some as a lesser entry in the Coen Brothers canon — lacking the obvious dramatic heft of something like No Country for Old Men or Inside Llewellyn Davis — this seemingly silly comedy about a blackmail plot in 1950s Hollywood is as ingenious and subversive as anything the siblings have ever made. Ostensibly a love letter to the golden age of movie-making, Hail, Caesar! is in fact a barbed satire about misplaced faith in artificial institutions, from politics to religion to tinsel town itself. Throw in an A-list cast hamming it up and having a ball, and you'd be absolutely screwy not to give it a watch. — TC These are our favourite films of 2016, but we've also put together a list of the best films hardly anyone saw this year — y'know, the ones that sort of went in and out of cinemas without much fanfare but definitely deserve a watch. Co-written by Sarah Ward and Tom Clift.
These days, travel trends shift in the same way as food, music or fashion. Destinations that were popular a few years ago don't always stay that way, and as you scroll through Instagram, you'll often see your friends all hitting up the same travel hotspots. Instead of chasing the same locations, travelling in 2026 is about going somewhere that feels fresh, exciting and a little unexpected. Thanks to Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fare Deals, you can book ahead to the cities that are sure to fuel your curiosity, from Manchester to Johannesburg to Ho Chi Minh City. Manchester, England London will always be a classic holiday destination and a popular gateway to Europe, but Manchester has a lot more to offer than you might think. Known for its legendary music history (responsible for bands like The Smiths and Oasis), the city has evolved over the years into a hive of live gigs, design festivals and one of the UK's most exciting dining scenes. Football fans already know Old Trafford and the Etihad are must-visit stadiums for a game, but Manchester's neighbourhood bars and galleries are just as worthy of your time. With Singapore Airlines' Early Bird fares, you can fly Perth to Manchester from $1,555 return. Brussels, Belgium Belgium's capital is full of beautiful architecture and public spaces, but it's also fast emerging as Europe's creative hub, where street art and digital design combine with the city's old-world charm. Between modern art galleries, neighbourhood breweries and its reputation as the birthplace of fries, there are so many reasons to go and visit. It's also perfectly positioned for day trips to Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp, if you feel like taking your travel plans even further. Early Bird fares from Adelaide start at $1,473 return, proving that booking ahead pays off. Istanbul, Türkiye Few cities are as interesting as Istanbul right now. Straddling Southeastern Europe and Western Asia, the city is buzzing with a new wave of restaurants, rooftop bars and contemporary art spaces that sit alongside ancient mosques and markets. Stay in Sultanahmet if you want to be right in the historic centre. For something a bit less touristy but still trendy, find a place in the Beyoğlu neighbourhood. You can spend your days wandering through the Grand Bazaar, cruise along the Bosphorus and sample modern Turkish cuisine in Karaköy. Lock in your 2026 flights now and you'll have first pick of this ever-changing city. Frankfurt, Germany When most people plan a European trip, they think of Italy, Greece or Paris. But Frankfurt has quietly become one of Europe's most exciting cities, and it's worth adding to your list. Beyond its skyscrapers and reputation for delicious sausages, it's also home to leafy riverside parks, food halls that champion local producers and some of Germany's most active nightlife districts, offering everything from old school German pubs to trendy wine bars. With Singapore Airlines' and Lufthansa's joint network, you can also connect from Frankfurt to other European cities seamlessly, making it easy to hit multiple destinations in the one trip. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam On the Southeast Asia front, Ho Chi Minh City (still known locally as Saigon) is a place of constant movement. Once you touch down, you won't need any plans other than setting out on foot to explore. Street food stalls sit beside cocktail bars, while French colonial buildings stand near cutting-edge coworking hubs. Block out an afternoon to visit the historical Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office buildings, or check out the city's many stores stocked with locally sourced streetwear, jewellery and antiques. It's energetic and chaotic in the best way, and it's impossible to visit without wanting to return again and again. Johannesburg, South Africa For those wanting to go further afield, South Africa's largest city is an eye-opener. Over the years, the city has reinvented itself with a thriving arts district, an innovative restaurant scene and a proud emphasis on heritage as the home of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. It's also the perfect launchpad for safaris or road trips across South Africa, making it a destination that feels equal parts unique and inspiring. Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen is one of those cities that feels old and new all at the same time. There's colourful harbour front houses and cobbled streets alongside sleek architecture, bike-friendly paths and world-leading restaurants. In 2026, plan your visit for summer to make the most of the city's long, warm evenings — perfect for rooftop drinks, open-air festivals and cycling along the canals. Book with Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fares and you'll have first pick of the best travel dates to soak it all in. For Aussies looking to head overseas, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of fresh horizons. Thanks to Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fare Deals, you can book now and secure your seat to over 100 destinations worldwide. Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fare Deals end September 30, 2025, so get in early and make your next adventure one to look forward to. Find out more and book your Early Bird fare for select travel dates in 2026 here.
Think there's just one Hottest 100 in January? Think again. The second important countdown of the month actually goes rather well with the music poll that just proclaimed Sydney band Ocean Alley's 'Confidence' the nation's best track of 2018. In the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers list, great brews are in the spotlight. And, just like its music counterpart, a victor has come out on top. That'd be Balter Brewing Company, the Gold Coast-based outfit part-owned by surfers Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr and Bede Durbidge. It has again beat Stone & Wood — the winner of both the 2015 and 2016 polls — to the number one spot, claiming victory for the second year in the row. The label also had three beers in the top ten. Now that's something to toast to, ideally with their winning 'XPA' Extra Pale Ale in your glass. Clearly, plenty of folks did just that throughout 2018. Run by GABS — or the annual brew fest also known as the 'Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular' — the countdown is a people's choice poll decided by booze-lovers around the country, with a record 31,000 voters taking part this time round. Elsewhere on the list, 21 brews that first wet lips in the past year were included in the GABS Hottest 100, and 88 percent of the beers on the list are made by independently owned breweries. If you're particularly keen on either, GABS have also released rundowns of the Hottest 100 New Craft Beers and the Hottest 100 Indie Craft Beers (those owned independently) plus the next 100 from the main countdown. If you're thinking "less background, more beer", here's what you've been waiting for: the rundown of the best beverages from the past year that just keep tempting tastebuds. Working your way through them isn't just a great way to show your appreciation for locally made brews — consider it research for the 2019 countdown. From today, Dan Murphy's is also selling 24-packs of beers from the list, which are available through its website. GABS HOTTEST 100 AUSSIE CRAFT BEERS OF 2018 1. Balter 'XPA' (Pale Ale) Qld* 2. Stone & Wood 'Pacific Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 3. BentSpoke 'Crankshaft' (American IPA) ACT* 4. Young Henrys 'Newtowner' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 5. Bridge Road 'Beechworth Pale Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) Vic* 6. Balter 'IIPA' (Imperial IPA) Qld* NEW 7. Balter 'IPA' (American IPA) Qld* 8. KAIJU! KRUSH! 'Tropical Pale Ale' (Pale Ale) Vic* 9. Hop Nation 'Jedi Juice' (New England IPA) Vic* 10. Gage Roads 'Single Fin' (Australian Pale Ale) WA* 11. BentSpoke 'Barley Griffen' (Australian Pale Ale) ACT* 12. BentSpoke 'Cluster 8' (Imperial IPA) ACT* NEW 13. Your Mates'Larry' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 14. Black Hops 'Pale Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 15. Capital 'Coast Ale' (California Common) ACT* 16. BentSpoke 'Sprocket' (American IPA) ACT* 17. Coopers 'Original Pale Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) SA* 18. Big Shed 'Boozy Fruit' (New England IPA) SA* NEW 19. Balter 'Captain Sensible' (American Pale Ale) Qld* NEW 20. Green Beacon 'Windjammer' (American IPA) Qld* 21. Capital 'Rock Hopper' (American IPA) ACT* NEW 22. Coopers 'Session Ale' (Pale Ale) SA* 23. BentSpoke 'Red Nut' (Red IPA) ACT* NEW 24. Balter 'Strong Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) Qld* NEW 25. Furphy 'Furphy Refreshing Ale' (Kölsch) Vic 26. Philter 'XPA' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 27. Capital 'Trail Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) ACT* 28. Stone & Wood 'Cloud Catcher' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 29. Jetty Road 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) Vic* 30. Pirate Life 'Mosaic' (American IPA) SA 31. Young Henrys 'Natural Lager' (Kellerbier) NSW* 32. Modus Operandi 'Sonic Prayer' (American IPA) NSW* 33. Modus Operandi 'Former Tenant' (Red IPA) NSW* 34. Hemingway's 'Pitchford Betty's' (American Pale Ale) Qld* 35. The Welder's Dog 'Farmhouse Ginger Beer' (Ginger/Spiced Beer) NSW* 36. Dainton 'Blood Orange NERIPA' (New England IPA) Vic* 37. 10 Toes 'Pipeline' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 38. Grifter 'Pale' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 39. The Welder's Dog 'Australian Wheat Ale' (American Wheat) NSW* NEW 40. 4 Pines 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) NSW 41. One Mile '4:21' (Kölsch) NT* 42. The Welder's Dog 'India Pale Ale' (Australian IPA) NSW* NEW 43. Black Hops 'Hornet' (American IPA) Qld* 44. James Squire 'One Fifty Lashes' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW 45. Thirsty Crow 'Vanilla Milk Stout' (Sweet Stout) NSW* 46. Coopers 'Sparkling Ale' (Australian Sparkling Ale) SA* 47. Bridge Road 'Beechy Summer Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) Vic* 48. Burleigh 'Twisted Palm' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 49. Capital 'Evil Eye' (Red IPA) ACT* 50. Hop Nation 'The Dawn' (New England IPA) Vic* NEW 51. One Mile 'RDO' (Pale Ale) NT* 52. Akasha 'Hopsmith' (American IPA) NSW* 53. Feral 'Hop Hog' (American Pale Ale) WA 54. Fortitude 'Pacer' (American Pale Ale) Qld 55. Moon Dog 'Old Mate' (American Pale Ale) Vic* 56. Green Beacon 'Wayfarer' (Pale Ale) QLD* 57. Gage Roads 'Little Dove' (American Pale Ale) WA* 58. Pirate Life 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) SA 59. Akasha 'Korben D.' (Imperial IPA) NSW* 60. Colonial 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) WA/Vic* 61. Capital 'Summit Session XPA' (Pale Ale) ACT* NEW 62. Little Creatures 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) WA/Vic 63. CoConspirators 'The Matriarch' (New England IPA) Vic* 64. Wayward 'Raspberry Berliner Weisse Sourpuss' (Berliner Weisse) NSW* 65. Balter 'Pilsner' (Classic Pilsner) Qld* 66. Gage Roads 'Atomic' (American Pale Ale) WA* 67. 10 Toes 'Longboard' (Australian Pilsner) Qld* 68. Moon Dog 'Beer Can' (Hoppy Lager) Vic* 69. Pirate Life 'IPA' (American IPA) SA 70. 10 Toes 'Happy Days' (American IPA) Qld* NEW 71. Burleigh 'Bighead' (Pale Lager) Qld* 72. Nail 'VPA' (Pale Ale) WA* 73. One Mile 'No Limits' (American IPA) NT* 74. Green Beacon '3 Bolt' (American Pale Ale) Qld* 75. Yak Ales 'Wilk Yak Pacific Ale' (Pale Ale) Vic 76. Jetty Road ' India Pale Ale' (American IPA) Vic* NEW 77. Brouhaha 'Strawberry Rhubarb Sour' (Kettle Sour) Qld* 78. Grifter 'Serpents Kiss' (Fruit Beer) NSW* 79. Pirate Life 'IIPA' (Imperial IPA) SA 80. Blackman's 'Juice Banger' (Hoppy Lager) Vic* 81. 4 Pines 'Indian Summer Ale' (American Pale Ale) NSW 82. One Mile 'Otto's' (Irish Amber/Red) NT* 83. Mornington Peninsula 'Squid Rising' (New England IPA) Vic* NEW 84. Modus Operandi 'Dream Weaver' (New England IPA) NSW* NEW 85. Mornington Peninsula 'Squid Supremacy' (New England IPA) Vic* NEW 86. 3 Ravens 'Juicy' (New England IPA) Vic* 87. Bridge Road 'Bling' (American IPA) Vic* 88. Black Hops 'Super Hornet' (Imperial IPA) Qld* 89. Young Henrys 'Summer Hop Ale' (Australian IPA) NSW* 90. Big Shed 'Golden Stout Time' (Sweet Stout) SA* 91. Fixation 'Fixation IPA' (American IPA) Vic* 92. Batch 'Pash the Magic Dragon' (Kettle Sour) NSW 93. Your Mates 'Donnie' (Porter) Qld* 94. Young Henrys 'Motorcycle Oil' (Porter) NSW* 95. Young Henrys 'Afends Hemp IPA' (Specialty Beer) NSW* NEW 96. Colonial 'South West Sour' (Hoppy Sour) WA/Vic* NEW 97. Capital 'Hang Loose Juice Blood Orange NEIPA' (New England IPA) ACT* NEW 98. Sauce 'Trubble & Squeak' (New England IPA) NSW* NEW 99. Sauce 'Bubble & Squeak' (New England IPA) NSW* NEW 100. Feral 'Biggie Juice' (New England IPA) WA * — Brewed by an independent brewery. NEW — First brewed in 2018. Images: The Craft Pint.
In the era of stacked work calendars and social plans that feel like a game of Tetris, there's nothing better than a free weekend, an open road, and somewhere great booked on the other end. It's easy to wish away the kilometres and think the fun only starts once you get there, but we're firm believers that with a little bit of planning (and the right wheels), your next road trip can feel just as special as the getaway itself. So, to mark the release of BYD's SEALION 7, a premium electric SUV with luxury features baked in, we've pulled together a few simple hacks to help you make the most of the journey. Whether you're heading along the coast outside Sydney, inland into regional NSW, or somewhere in between, here's how to do it right. Plan Pit Stops Around Scenic EV Charging Spots If you're driving an EV, planning your route around convenient charging stops is a no-brainer. But it doesn't have to mean stopping somewhere dull. The trick is picking places you'd actually want to spend an hour or two. If you're going north from Sydney, Hunter Valley Gardens in Pokolbin makes an ideal stop. Stretch your legs in the gorgeous gardens or sample local wines while your car charges at the EV stations nearby. Heading south? Pull into Bowral to grab a coffee, stretch your legs, and maybe even pick up a treat for the weekend. Your car can recharge while you do the same. Bring The Comforts of Home with V2L Tech Why settle for convenience store snacks and lukewarm drinks when you can bring all your favourite treats with you? The SEALION 7's Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology lets you power anything from your mini fridge (hello, ice-cold bevs) to a sandwich press for on-road toasties or even a set of fairy lights to set the mood. Turns out a picnic doesn't need a table when you've got your whole car and all the comforts of home to play with. Tee Off at a Golf Club with Charging Stations If golf is your thing, it'd be rude not to make it part of the road trip plan. Luckily, some of the best golf courses around NSW are also great stopovers for EV drivers. Try Riverside Oaks in Cattai, a proper championship course with a bushland backdrop, Pacific Dunes in Port Stephens, or Cypress Lakes Resort Golf & Country Club in the Hunter Valley, where you can squeeze in nine holes while your car gets a top-up at the EV charging stations. Bonus: all courses are close enough to the city for a doable day trip. Treat Yourself at EV-Friendly Restaurants We're all for a cheeky roadtrip Macca's stop, but if you've got time and are near a charger, why not go for a proper meal? Thirroul's BÓVEDA does excellent Mexican and sits just a short stroll from local charging stations. Or if you're heading further north, Rick Stein at Bannisters in Port Stephens is a seafood classic worth timing your charge stop around. Settle in for a Luxe Movie Night at a Charging Stop If you've been staring at freeway lines for hours, sometimes you just need to stop and chill. The SEALION 7's 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen, heated seats and ambient lighting are basically begging to be turned into a portable cosy cinema. Park up in Berry, Kiama or any of NSW's many scenic charging spots, throw on a movie and settle in. Who said charging breaks had to be boring? It turns out the road trip itself can be the best part of the holiday, especially when you've got the right setup. From golf clubs and dining spots and roadside cinemas, a bit of planning and modern convenience at its finest can help you make the most of the ride. With a driving range of up to 482 kilometres (which, for context, is over two weeks' worth of driving for the average Aussie) and going from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just four and a half seconds, the SEALION 7 is built for weekend adventures. All that's left to do is choose a route. The all-electric BYD SEALION 7 provides power, performance and planet-friendly driving. With cutting-edge EV tech, a spacious interior and the ultra-safe Blade Battery, it's ready for school runs, road trips and everything in between. Want to see how it feels behind the wheel? Book a test drive to take the SEALION 7 for a spin on the BYD website. By Jacque Kennedy
Back in 2018, the weird and wonderful combined in Patricia Piccinini's Curious Affection exhibition at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. In the acclaimed artist's mind, bulbous creatures float through the sky, automobiles may as well be animals, and the line between humans and other critters is razor thin. It all sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie (or several), but Piccinini explores the way that nature and technology, people and animals, and the unusual and the sublime all blend across a range of mediums. If you missed this striking showcase a couple of years back, the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery has great news — and a great reason for you to take a road trip west. From Friday, November 12–Sunday, February 27, it's displaying Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection On Tour in conjunction with GOMA, complete with some of Piccinini's best-known sculptures, photographs and videos. Entry is free, too, so you'll be entering this otherworldly showcase without spending a cent. Expect curious creatures; boundary-pushing visions of critters that don't actually exist; a creative and probing mix of humans, animals and machines; and an all-round surreal experience thanks to one of Australia's most distinctive artists. Images: Installation view, 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at GOMA (2018), shot by Natasha Harth.
Coorparoo is set to welcome a brand new cafe and wine bar to its midst, overtaking the site that was previously home to Cafeine Cafe. The venue will act as a cellar door for Balancing Heart Vineyard and will stock some of the Granite Belt vineyard's most-loved blends. Stay tuned — we'll update you when this spot finally opens.
Chasing the sounds of summer? Ocean Alley is one of the first Aussie names that come to mind, beloved for their brand of sun-soaked psychedelic surf rock, tinged with funky basslines and buttery-smooth lyrics. Now the band is embarking on a massive national tour, taking their sound on a jam-packed road trip that spans beachy regional towns and capital cities. The upcoming tour comes on the back of Ocean Alley's landmark 2025. The band played to a huge crowd at London's Alexandra Palace, while performing their first dates to fans in Brazil, Chile and Mexico. At the same time, their tracks rocketed up the charts, with breakthrough hit 'Confidence' landing at 65 on triple j's Hottest 100 of Australian Songs. The band has also been busy serving up surprise releases, such as Live in Melbourne '23 — a live album and concert film recorded at John Cain Arena during their last Australian tour. Meanwhile, Ocean Alley just released a brand-new music video for their much-loved tune, 'First Blush'. Shot in Hawaii, it captures the many shades of love reflected in the song. As for the 2026 tour, Ocean Alley is kicking things off in Melbourne on Saturday, January 24, in Catani Gardens before hitting Brisbane Showgrounds on Friday, January 30. Dates in Sydney, Tasmania, Perth and beyond follow soon after, with the tour wrapping up at Glenelg Beach in South Australia on Saturday, March 21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRZYOPRLh2Q Of course, the band isn't taking to the stage alone. For those catching Ocean Alley on the East Coast, support acts include Nothing But Thieves, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Ruby Fields. For those in the West, expect Skegss, Ruby Fields and Smol Fish, with the likes of Allah-Las, Babe Raindow, The Grogans, Mid-Drift, Le Shiv and Seaside also appearing at various dates. Ocean Alley National Tour 2026 Dates Saturday, January 24 — Catani Gardens, Melbourne Friday, January 30 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Saturday, January 31 — The Domain, Sydney Friday, February 6 — Party In The Paddock, Carrick Saturday, February 21 — Freo Esplanade, Fremantle Sunday, February 22 — 3 Oceans Winery, Margaret River Saturday, March 7 — Exhibition Park, Canberra Sunday, March 8 — Torquay Common, Torquay Saturday, March 14 — Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie Sunday, March 15 — Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast Saturday, March 21 — Glenelg Beach, Adelaide Ocean Alley's national tour kicks off in Melbourne at the Catani Gardens on Saturday, January 24. Head to the tour website for further details.
Despite what The Rolling Stones think, time really isn't on our side. The term 'work-life balance' is constantly thrown around, and juggling work, health, and happiness is no easy feat. Luckily for the share economy generation, life altering services are created everyday, cutting down time and costs on cooking, cleaning, travelling – you name it. Give your chores to your smart appliances and hit the beach instead; get your fresh, healthy meals delivered and say goodbye to the mess of a chef. We're bringing you the best time hacks out there, simplifying 'must-dos' to make so much more time for 'want-to-dos'. TIME DRAINER: COOKING HEALTHY DINNERS Let’s be honest — who wants to cook after working eight hours a day?! The struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle is real. Foodie geniuses, Youfoodz, have found a way to save time cooking, by not cooking. They deliver fresh, ready-to-eat meals to your door that are healthy, delicious and affordable. With no shopping, cooking or cleaning, this means you can save 15 hours a week and have more time for the things that really matter in life. TIME DRAINER: GOING TO THE GYM Heading to the gym is one of the healthier things you can do with your time, but it can take a little chunk out of your day (making you less likely to actually go). Save time on journeying to inner city gyms and just use the time you have between places to get a little workout in — walk briskly instead of bussing it and track your progress with wearables. From smartwatches created by Apple and Samsung to the Smart Belt that adjusts for you, the future of clothing is all tech-based. Concern for your health has never been so easy to manage with companies like Heddoko making performance tracking workout clothing and Misfit creating the Swaroviski's Shine — a solar-powered, bling version of the Fitbit. The ultimate in bracelet technology, though, is easily the Nixie — a wearable droid that is literally revolutionising the selfie. TIME DRAINER: CLEANING, ALL OF THE CLEANING If you're planning a party but don't have time to clean, no worries — your appliances have you covered in a . With iRobot's Roomba, vacuuming is one less chore to think about — and if you strap an iPod to it, behold the immortal DJ Roomba. The newest in home cleaning, LG's HomeChat allows you to essentially iMessage all of your smart technology. With their instant messenger app, you can tell your dishwasher to run for a second cycle or put that load of laundry on from your phone. Having a party is now stress free — even if someone breaks a glass. TIME DRAINER: DATING Conventional speed dating is such a foreign concept to tech savvy daters. Apart from the ever-popular Tinder and slightly more romantic Missed Connections, the online dating scene is continuing to get faster and easier (pun partially intended). Whether you're into GPS tracking your meetups on Happn or pre-planning your first date with How About We, your dating game can be done in a heartbeat, making it easier to meet Mr/Mrs. Right, or Mr./Mrs. Right Now. On the other hand, this service will make your breakups easier, quicker and more profitable. TIME DRAINER: BUYING PRESENTS With Christmas around the corner, who has time to deal with the holiday rush? While Amazon delivers discounted goods from eBooks to Doctor Who paraphernalia and everything in between, creative sites like Etsy, Hunting for George, Sorry Thanks I Love You and RedBalloon have you covered on unique gift-giving. If you're going for really fast and cheap, the free delivery schemes with The Iconic and Asos are go-tos. Whichever gift you're after, you can spend that extra time with your loved ones, instead of shopping for them. Otherwise, try Concrete Playground's ultimate gift guide. TIME DRAINER: GETTING ACROSS THE CITY Waiting in taxi lines is a thing of the past. With Uber now (almost, almost) legalised by NSW and (definitely) ACT, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone without a 'personal driver'. The rideshare economy hasn't stopped there — startups like Airtasker have plenty of people waiting to drive you across town for a minimal fee, and international projects like New York's Via takes shared rides to the true sense and offers a five dollar ride anywhere in Manhattan. European-based BlaBlaCar even pairs road trip partners by how chatty you are. The only way travelling could get easier and more convenient is if jetpack technology takes off and the dream of the '90s classic The Rocketeer is realised — or if someone calls Elon Musk. TIME DRAINER: GETTING READY IN THE MORNING There's no place like home, especially when your home is smarter than you are. Amazon Echo makes your entire wake-up routine easier and even makes Siri seem obsolete. The cloud-based system is voice responsive and will recite any request on command, from the weather and traffic conditions to sports news and music preferences. This is one step in many voice-activated home systems, leading all the way up to the world's first personal robot, Jibo. The closest thing to Wall-E out there, Jibo is positioned as a loveable, 'hands free helper'. The bot independently taking photos and videos, connects to all home appliances and interacts personally to each member of the family. TIME DRAINER: LIFE ADMIN Nothing sucks the fun out of the day like personal, life admin, and with most businesses open only during office hours, you could be stuck using your sickie for the bank instead of the beach. Luckily, errands are becoming increasing web-based – you've probably used things like CommBank's cardless cash and apps with cheque scanning technology. But even doing your taxes is no longer a bore, with services like Etax that reduce the process to minutes. Being able to avoid these chores is a modern luxury like no other. Massive time-saver Youfoodz is doing a special offer for CP readers. If you order by Wednesday for delivery this week, they'll throw in their new spinach and ricotta tortellini for free. Yep, free food. Head over to Youfoodz and order your next meal. Images: Youfoodz, Dollar Photo Club, Fitbit.
very special guests INXS and New Zealand pop-rock legends Evermore, Matchbox Twenty come to Brisbane. For two dates this weekend Matchbox Twenty return to Australia for the first time since 2008, two months on from the release of their fourth studio album, North. Belting out classics from their extensive back catalogue like 'Push', 'If You’re Gone', 'Unwell' and '3am', the Floridian foursome will be joined by Aussie giants INXS, who are touring with new lead vocalist Ciaran Gribbin and celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their classic album, Kick. Matchbox Twenty are known for their multi-platinum selling albums and singles, with sales topping thirty million across the world, and 1.6 million in Australia. INXS’s career can never be overplayed, and Evermore too have a string of platinum hits.
With every Australian state and territory doing its own thing regarding borders during the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling around the country isn't a simple feat in 2020. But, if you're planning ahead, you might want to add Western Australia's Kalbarri National Park to your must-visit list — especially given that it has just opened a 100-metre-high skywalk perched atop Murchison Gorge, complete with mighty impressive views. Welcoming the public since mid-June this year — just WA residents so far, with the state's border currently closed to residents of the rest of Australia — the Kalbarri Skywalk features two cantilevered platforms over the 80-kilometre-long gorge. When you're standing on either of the two lookouts, you'll also be located 100 metres above the ground, with cliffs falling beneath you. The pair of platforms are within easy walking distance of each other, too, with one jutting out 17 metres from the cliffside and the other reaching out 25 metres. Built as part of a $24 million project, the Kalbarri Skywalk is also accompanied by an environmentally friendly kiosk that's designed to operate off the grid on low to no emissions, shade shelters, toilets and parking, as well as 22 kilometres of park roads, plus upgrades to existing tourist sites at Meanarra Hill and Z Bend. Also onsite: recognition of the region's Nanda Traditional Owners, their culture and stories, including via an entry sign emblazoned with 'kaju yatka' — the Nanda words for 'sky' and 'to walk' — and other artistic elements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZK7MtyuZNs&feature=emb_logo Located 150 kilometres north of Geraldton and almost 600 kilometres north of Perth, Kalbarri National Park welcomed more than 450,000 visitors in 2019 — so, when the rest of the country is permitted to enter WA again, expect to have company. If you're wondering about finding your way around the park, the WA Parks Foundation has just added Kalbarri National Park to its Smart Park mapping program, too, which allows you to download a park map, then navigate through the area offline and in real time. Find the Kalbarri Skywalk in the Kalbarri National Park, Kalbarri, in Western Australia's mid-west region. For further details, visit the park's website. Top image: Shem Bisluck/Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
When is a Friday night market more than just a market? When it includes all the food, drinks and stalls you'd expect, and live music as well, but also pairs them with fire twirlers, stilt walkers and fortune tellers — and a neon forest and a jumping castle. That's all on the bill at Brisbane's latest way to farewell the working week, Westoria. As the name makes plain, not to mention the list of highlights, it's a firm after-work go-to in West End. The vibe: weird, wild and wonderful, plus night market-meets-playground as well. That's the mood and attitude attendees can expect during the event's 2023 season from Friday, July 21 — running from 4–10pm on Jane Street next to the regular West End Markets site, then popping back up again weekly. For Westoria, the idea is for different sights, sounds and smells to await at every turn, whether you're keen for a bite to eat, something to sip or to take in the roving performances — or, ideally, all of the above. Freshly shucked oysters, a City Winery pop-up bar, tunes echoing from the outdoor stage: get ready for them all. And, for this return run, Westoria is doing Sunday afternoons as well, from 2–8pm from Sunday, July 23. More vino, cheese, picnics with your pup, lawn games, rollerskating thanks to Roller Bae — lock them all in. Entry to both weekly sessions is free, and you'll need your wallet for whatever you eat and drink once you're through the doors. Updated September 19.
Maybe your mum really loves Patrick Swayze. Maybe you just need some more terracotta or ceramics in your life. Maybe the idea of pottering around a clay-based showcase, finding pottery gifts and sinking a few pots at the bar is your idea of a great Saturday afternoon. Whichever category you fall into, coast on over to Clayschool's 2019 Summer Show. Browse, buy, sip beverages — it's the ultimate exhibition-slash-market. Indeed, while we're talking multi-tasking, Clayschool's students are hoping to show off their unique, handcrafted designs, and sell some as ace one-off Christmas presents. What do you get the person who has everything? This — and there'll be around 60 people exhibiting their wares. Given that it's all taking place at Wandering Cooks from 1pm on Saturday, December 14, that means food and drinks will be part of the fun as well. The kitchen will be whipping up its best eats, while the usual tipples will be available, of course.
Hemingway's Brewery is a must-visit for Far North Queensland visitors and locals alike. Not only for the stunning views across the aqua waters of Port Douglas but also for the quality craft brews. Waters from the nearby Mossman Gorge, top-notch hops and locally sourced base malts are combined to create its six-strong flagship line, which ranges from The Prospector, an award-winning bitter pilsner with a strong malt flavour, to the light, bright 7th Heaven, a tropical ale. The Port Douglas brewpub, which is the smaller of the brand's two locations (the other is in Cairns), is located on a superyacht marina — we suggest nabbing a table on the deck for the best water and mountain views. Pizzas, burgers, share plates and other standard pub grub is on offer and, on weekends, there is live music, too. [caption id="attachment_770965" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Krista Eppelstun via Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption]
A superstar Hong Kong bar dedicated to mezcal and tequila has just been named the number one bar in Asia for 2023 at the annual '50 Best' awards which took place in Hong Kong overnight. The victorious establishment COA (pictured above) located in Central Hong Kong and helmed by acclaimed bartender-owner Jay Khan, has retained the number one spot on the list for the third consecutive year, demonstrating that excellence and consistency can go hand-in-hand — even when tequila is heavily involved. [caption id="attachment_909998" align="alignnone" width="1920"] COA's Head of Operations Ajit Gurung and Owner Jay Khan[/caption] The top 50 features bars from 17 cities across Asia from Taipei to Tokyo, providing ample inspiration for destination drinking on your next trip to the continent. The bars that made the top five spanned five different countries. At #2 was perennial favourite Jigger & Pony in Singapore — inarguably one of the most influential businesses in getting the Asian bar scene on the map. At #3 is the glitzy BKK Social Club located at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok. Then at #4 is Tokyo favourite Bar Benfiddich, a delightfully oddball 14-seater bar in the hectic Shinjuku district that champions farm-to-bar cocktails. And rounding out the top five, at #5 is the beautifully-designed Seoul venue Zest, which also took out the Highest Climber Award for 2023 after jumping an astounding 43 positions from last year's 50 Best list. Explore the full list below and start making notes for your next getaway. [caption id="attachment_909985" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Inside Tokyo's tiny Bar Benfiddich[/caption] Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023 1. Coa, Hong Kong 2. Jigger & Pony, Singapore 3. BKK Social Club, Bangkok 4. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo 5. Zest, Seoul 6. Tropic City, Bangkok 7. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore 8. Argo, Hong Kong 9. Darkside, Hong Kong 10. Sago House, Singapore 11. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei 12. Vesper, Bangkok 13. Cham Bar, Seoul 14. The SG Club, Tokyo 15. Analogue Initiative, Singapore 16. Republic, Singapore 17. The Aubrey, Hong Kong 18. Sidecar, New Delhi 19. The Cocktail Club, Jakarta 20. Virtù, Tokyo (winner of the Highest New Entry Award) 21. Manhattan, Singapore 22. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok 23. Lamp Bar, Nara 24. 28 HongKong Street, Singapore 25. Le Chamber, Seoul 26. Penicillin, Hong Kong 27. Atlas, Singapore 28. Alice, Seoul 29. Pantja, Jakarta 30. Employees Only, Singapore 31. Quinary, Hong Kong 32. Stay Gold Flamingo, Singapore 33. Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong 34. The Curator, Manila 35. The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai 36. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur 37. Southside Parlor, Seoul 38. Copitas, Bengaluru 39. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou 40. Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya 41. Vender, Taichung 42. Native, Singapore 43. The Public House, Taipei 44. Bee's Knees, Kyoto 45. High Five, Tokyo 46. Soko, Seoul 47. The Old Man, Hong Kong 48. The Living Room, Mumbai 49. The Bellwood, Tokyo 50. Penrose Kuala, Lumpur Main image: COA
Celebrating all things LGBTQIA+ in Australia is easy this summer. In fact, it's historic. For the first time ever both Down Under and the southern hemisphere, WorldPride is heading our way, joining Sydney's already jam-packed lineup of queer events. That's the cultural landscape the returning Mardi Gras Film Festival slides into in 2023 — and it's marking the occasion with a massive lineup of movies to celebrate its own 30th-anniversary milestone. Fans of queer cinema, rejoice: this annual Sydney film fest is screening 166 films at eight venues around the city, running from Wednesday, February 15–Thursday, March 2 at locations such as Event Cinemas on George Street and in Hurstville, Dendy Cinema Newtown, the Hayden Orpheum, Ritz Cinemas, Casula Powerhouse, the Westpac Open Air Cinema and the Alumni Green at the University of Technology. Not in the Harbour City but still want to watch along? As it has done in past years, MGFF is also streaming part of its program online around the country — because catering to movie lovers Australia-wide is fast, and welcomely, becoming a pandemic-era film fest staple. For in-person attendees, the festival kicks off with coming-of-age film Of an Age, which heads to Sydney after also opening 2022 Melbourne International Film Festival, and marks the latest from Australian You Won't Be Alone director Goran Stolevski. Joining it as a MGFF bookend is closing night's The Venus Effect, with the Danish movie about two young women in love enjoying its Aussie premiere. And, just as huge is All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, 2022's Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning documentary about queer artist Nan Goldin, her life and career, and her battle against the billionaire Sackler family. With the full fest program including 100-plus sessions in cinema, outdoors and on-demand — as well as panel discussions, workshops, networking events and parties — other highlights include two world-premiere screenings, glimpses back to the past and free sessions. Documentary Trans Glamore and camp comedy The Winner Takes It All will make their bows at MGFF; Vegas in Space and an episode of Aussie soap Number 96 will hit the big screen; retro sessions of Pride and Raya and the Last Dragon also get a spin; and new queer comedy specials by Joel Creasy and Rhys Nicholson will nab a run, without attendees needing to pay a cent. Or, there's a special Westpac Openair session of the Cate Blanchett-starring Tár, which looks set to score the homegrown talent another Oscar; doco The Giants, about Dr Bob Brown becoming Australia's first openly gay member of parliament; Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize-winner Joyland, a Pakistani effort about a romance between a trans woman and a married man; and moving Moroccan drama The Blue Caftan. Plus, other standouts include The Longest Weekend, about three siblings in Sydney's Inner West; inner-city cowboy love story Lonesome; Uýra: The Rising Forest, focusing on trans-indigenous artist Uýra; In From the Side, about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club; and My Emptiness and I, honing in on a young trans call-centre worker. Plus, for cinephiles watching on from home, there are 21 features on offer, including Black as U R, a doco about the lack of attention paid to the black queer community; Icelandic spoof Cop Secret; Blitzed!, about the eponymous London nightclub, with Boy George, Princess Julia and Spandau Ballet sharing their memories; Youtopia, which explores the inadvertent formation of a hipster cult; and In Her Words, an ode to 20th-century lesbian fiction. Mardi Gras Film Festival 2023 runs from Wednesday, February 15–Thursday, March 2 at eight venues around Sydney — and online nationally. For more information, visit the festival's website.
Want to invest in crypto but aren't sure where to begin? Or are you already investing and want to avoid paying those pesky trading fees? Whether you're a crypto pro or total novice, you can now start investing in crypto sans trading fees via the Finder app. To celebrate the launch of Finder's new fee-free crypto-trading function, it's throwing a Bitcoin Drop Party where it'll be giving away a share of Bitcoin to everyone who signs up to the app. Once you've joined, you'll then have the chance to score even more Bitcoin via daily prize drops until the virtual party wraps up at 5pm on Monday, March 7. There's $200,000 worth of Bitcoin in total to be won, so don't worry, there's plenty to go round. Keen to join the party and to nab yourself some free Bitcoin while you're at it? The Finder Bitcoin Drop Party is happening online until 5pm, Monday, March 7. For more information and to read the terms and conditions, visit the website.
Like karaoke? Fond of singing in public in general, whether you're solo or in a group? Then it's time to up your crooning game. Pub Choir is exactly what it sounds like — aka a gathering of folks belting out a tune, together, in a bar. It's basically what happens whenever someone puts 'Wonderwall' or 'Weather With You' on the jukebox, but in a more organised fashion. Occurring on the second Thursday of each month, Pub Choir heads to new digs in the back area of The Elephant Hotel from its September outing, which means that the Valley will be alive with the sound of music. Participation costs $10, plus whatever you'd like to drink — and yes, singing and sipping go hand-in-hand. And, if you're not usually the type of person to unleash their inner Beyonce in front of the masses, don't worry. The great thing about choirs is that everyone is singing, so you are literally a voice in the crowd. In fact, you might just find joining in the fun cathartic. If you can't feel free when you're crooning along with hundreds of others, when can you?
The weather is cooling down, a heap of public holidays are just around the corner and getting cosy on your couch seems like the best way to spend a day (or several). Yes, April is here. With autumn well underway and Easter giving everyone a few days off, it couldn't be a better time for one specific activity: feasting your eyes on a whole heap of movies and television shows. Flick on your TV, fire up your chosen streaming platform and prepare to watch everything from sitcoms based on excellent movies to perhaps the best action film triple bill there is — plus dazzling nature documentaries, revived sci-fi anthologies and the most anticipated returning show of the year (you know the one). And, prepare to do so without spending much too long scrolling through a seemingly endless array of viewing options. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue for April. NEW STUFF TO WATCH NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfBbSwX6kEk WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS A bunch of vampires. One share house. Ample undead hijinks. It worked well in 2005 short film What We Do In the Shadows. It worked hilariously in 2014 mockumentary movie What We Do In the Shadows. And it's working mighty fine in new TV spinoff that's also called What We Do In the Shadows, too. Adapted for television by original creators and stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi (with the first episode written by the former and directed by the latter), this Staten Island-set version focuses on a new set of vamps and new supernatural problems, and the laughs keep coming. Unsurprisingly, Matt Berry's English bloodsucker Laszlo is a highlight, but this is a great ensemble effort, complete with ace turns from Kayvan Novak as Ottoman Empire-era soldier Nandor the Relentless, Natasia Demetriou as Romani vamp Nadja, Mark Proksch as 'energy vampire' Colin Robinson and Lady Bird's Beanie Feldstein as a live-action role-play fan who falls in with the undead crowd. What We Do In the Shadows is available to stream weekly on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQaTa5eTxnk THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED It has been five years since much of the world first heard the name Adnan Syed, delving into his case in the first season of Serial. And just like the hugely popular true crime podcast, Syed's is a tale that just keeps fascinating audiences. Murder and the possible miscarriage of justice will do that, as will the grim circumstances surrounding the death of Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee in 1999. Enter The Case Against Adnan Syed, the four-part documentary TV series that has been in production since 2015 and promises to answer — and pose — more questions. Yes, it delivers. As well as boasting a compelling subject, the series also has an impressive pedigree, with filmmaker Amy Berg adding another top effort to her resume after Oscar-nominated 2006 doco Deliver Us from Evil, 2012's West of Memphis and 2014's An Open Secret. The first episode of The Case Against Adnan Syed is available to stream now on SBS On Demand, with subsequent episodes available weekly on Sundays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t39E5xMD5I THIS TIME WITH ALAN PARTRIDGE Last month, it was Get Krack!n. This month, ABC iView is skewering breakfast TV with This Time with Alan Partridge. Credit where credit is due, of course — without Steve Coogan's iconic alter ego, who's been hitting the airwaves since 1991, there'd be no Get Krack!n or many other supremely awkward TV industry spoofs either. This time, the fictional inept broadcaster has been tapped to co-host a morning magazine and chat show — and the world's collective stomach muscles instantly feel the strain of oh-so-much cringing. If you've laughed and grimaced along to Knowing Me, Knowing You, I'm Alan Partridge and movie Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, then you'll do so again. If you're new to the character, who was co-created by Coogan with The Thick of It and Veep's Armando Iannucci back in the 90s, prepare for quite the introduction. This Time with Alan Partridge is available to stream now on ABC iView. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_51UsTDBAE UNICORN STORE Just last month, Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson shared the screen in Captain Marvel, which happens to be this year's biggest grossing film so far. As you might recall, they also co-starred in 2017's Kong: Skull Island. And, in-between the two, they made a third movie: Unicorn Store. Directed by Larson in her filmmaking debut, this indie fantasy couldn't be more different from the duo's big-budget pairings. It follows a young art student who has always loved unicorns, doesn't fit in anywhere, and is offered the chance to own her very own one-horned animal (by a pink suit-wearing Jackson, no less) just when her life is at its lowest point. It's all as twee, quirky and offbeat as it sounds — and as filled with rainbows and glitter — but Larson's take on arrested development from a rare female perspective isn't without its charms. Unicorn Store is available to stream now on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytB8xNQ18_c MIRACLE WORKERS Existential comedy is having a moment — and add Miracle Workers to the already great pile that includes The Good Place and Russian Doll. Based on the novel What in God's Name and adapted for TV by the book's author Simon Rich, the series asks a very important question: what if God was a slacker played by Steve Buscemi? The amusing questions keep coming. What if heaven was a huge company charged with making Earth run smoothly? What if two employees were responsible for all of the world's miracles? What if said miracle workers made a bet with God, and he's planning to blow up the planet if they lose? It all makes for ace viewing, complete with a stellar cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Australian actress Geraldine Viswanathan (Emo the Musical, Blockers) as the duo trying to save humanity by performing one heavenly feat: making a shy couple fall in love. The first season of Miracle Workers is available to stream now on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aETNYyrqNYE OUR PLANET Prepare your ears for one of the best sounds in the world: the sound of David Attenborough narrating a nature documentary. He has a whole heap to his name, including The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet and Planet Earth, and now he has Our Planet as well. The eight-part Netflix series explores Earth's remaining wilderness areas and their animal inhabitants, and delivers an array of simply astonishing natural sights in the process (given it has been made in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund, that's hardly surprising). Wildebeests in the Serengeti, penguins in their icy climes, elephants trekking across continents and the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef — they're just some of the wonders in store. Our Planet is available to stream now on Netflix. ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR LATER IN THE MONTH https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=rlR4PJn8b8I GAME OF THRONES Finally. After an almost two-year wait, the time has come for Game of Thrones to unleash its final season. And, naturally, to unleash more battles, bloodshed, bickering, living and icy dragons, undead hordes, revenge-seeking Stark children, scheming Lannisters, Daenerys looking fierce and Jon Snow knowing nothing as well. Just where the enormously successful hit series will end is anyone's guess, especially since its narrative has long overtaken the tale told in George RR Martin's books, although we all know that the fight for the Iron Throne will continue until the show's very last moments. Get ready to start saying your goodbyes — to your favourite characters (not all of whom will survive, we're guessing) and to the show as a whole. Also worth remembering: this farewell is going to be quick, because the season only runs for six episodes. Game of Thrones will available to stream weekly on Foxtel Now from Monday, April 15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_gA_GDGvE THE TWILIGHT ZONE The Twilight Zone is back, and it's in the best possible hands. After wowing horror movie lovers with Get Out and Us, Jordan Peele takes on the task of presenting, narrating and redeveloping the legendary sci-fi anthology show for the 21st century. Picking up where Rod Serling's original five-season 50s and 60s show left off (and short-lived revivals in 1985 and 2002, too), the eight-episode first series blends the old with the new — both remaking previous episodes and coming up with fresh, thrilling stories. It's as entertaining as you'd rightfully expect, and it comes with a huge cast, including Adam Scott, Kumail Nanjiani, Tracy Morgan, Steven Yeun, Zazie Beetz, Taissa Farmiga, Greg Kinnear, John Cho, Rhea Seehorn, Jessica Williams, Jacob Tremblay, Allison Tolman, Betty Gabriel, Ginnifer Goodwin, Chris O'Dowd and Seth Rogan. Put simply, it's must-see viewing. The Twilight Zone will be available to stream weekly on 10 All Access, with the first four episodes available on Friday, April 19. CULT CLASSICS TO REVISIT AND REDISCOVER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC86WzMhuSw NICOLAS CAGE FILMS Back in 1995, Nicolas Cage won an Oscar for alcoholic drama Leaving Las Vegas. For many actors, that'd be the pinnacle of their career. But Nicolas Cage isn't any old star, so he followed it up with three consecutive action movies — all of which prove supremely entertaining by themselves, but make for one hell of a triple-feature. We're talking about The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off. All three released one after each other in 1996 and 1997, and movie fans everywhere are still thanking Nicolas Cage for them. All three are also now streaming on Stan, and you just know you want to watch them back-to-back-to-back as soon as possible. A number of other Nicolas Cage flicks are also available, including the terrible Aussie-shot Knowing and the twisty recent black comedy Mom and Dad, should you need more Nicolas Cage fun. The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off are available to stream on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfVyDegH1wk JACKIE CHAN COLLECTION Perhaps you're a Jackie Chan fan from way back, and will take any excuse to revel in his martial arts and action-comedy mastery. Perhaps you've always wanted to delve into his filmography — further than Rush Hour, at least — and just didn't know where to start. In both situations, SBS On Demand has you sorted with a ten-movie lineup of the Hong Kong star's finest. Head back to 1980 with The Young Master, which he also directed. Catch the first two films in the stunt-filled Police Story franchise, or see him jump back to the 19th century in Project A. The list goes on, and promises plenty of fast-flying fists, cheesy gags and exceptional work from a movie master. Ten Jackie Chan movies are available to stream now on SBS On Demand.
