Fine dining can drift into performance — more chef's narrative, less dinner. At Singapore's Marguerite, Chef Patron Michael Wilson has made a series of choices to dismantle that rigour: an open kitchen that reads like a row of domestic island benches, total accessibility to the pass, and a standing invitation to wander over, ask questions, or simply watch. The atmosphere is notably calm — no barked orders, no theatre for theatre's sake — which makes a long tasting menu feel less like a marathon and more like an unhurried, convivial evening. The setting is singular. Marguerite lives inside the city's famed Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay — the world's largest glass greenhouse — and the restaurant leans into that sense of immersion. Plants thread through the room and curl around tabletops set with course-specific cutlery and crockery collected on Wilson's travels. In contrast, a ten-seat private room — inspired by mountain peaks and cumulus clouds — is wrapped in deep blue, burgundy, grey and dark forest green. Singapore's climate complicates strict seasonality. When your pantry can include Australian finger limes, New Zealand lamb and French cream for house-churned butter, "place" becomes a choice. Marguerite chooses freely — loosely French in spirit, but adapted for the tropics with lighter sauces, smaller bites and lucid riffs on classics. Steak frites becomes a bite-sized potato tart filled with tartare and crowned with a fried quail egg; ajo blanco appears as an ethereal foam; and New Caledonian prawn paste is transformed into delicate "tagliolini", glossed with clear spiced consommé and bright aromatics. Course after course arrives like edible sleight of hand — entire plates of flavour distilled into a mouthful. Pairings echo the kitchen's precision. Alongside a generous, far-reaching wine match, Marguerite's Temperance program offers non-alcoholic pairings — clarified juices and fermented jun tea — designed to deliver complexity without cloying sweetness. A mixed "demi" option straddles both. Service keeps the tone grounded and genuine throughout. Wilson's path explains the poise. Melbourne-born, he worked with Andrew McConnell and Guy Grossi before earning a Michelin star at Phénix in Shanghai just five months after opening. Marguerite followed in November 2021 and earned its own star within eight months, showcasing what he calls "creative cuisine" — craft, provenance and produce brought into clear focus. All bookings at Marguerite include a complimentary limousine buggy to and from the Gardens entrance and Flower Dome access for a pre- or post-meal stroll. Images: Supplied
Plastic shopping bags might seem to last forever, but Australian's reliance upon the pesky, flimsy carriers has an expiration date — and it's finally here. In a massive move for the industry — and a huge hug for the environment — the country's supermarkets are ditching single-use plastic bags from this week. Last July, three of the country's biggest grocery chains announced that they'll be banning the bag: Woolworths, Coles and the New South Wales-based Harris Farm. Harris Farm stopping stocking bags at the start of the year, and now it's time for the big two to do the same. Coles will pull the plug on Sunday, July 1, while Woolies — which also includes Big W and BWS — will get in first and remove the bags from checkout from this Wednesday, June 20. The move will impact Woolworths and Coles locations around the country — bringing New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia into line with South Australia, ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, where state-wide plastic bans are already in place. So, without the bags, what are your options? Well, you'll still be able to get plastic bags at the checkout at both supermarkets fro 15 cents each. These ones are apparently thicker, more durable and are made from 80 percent recycled plastic — but, even though they're meant to be more reusable, it's hard to say if people will use them any differently to the way they use single-use bags now. Woolworths will also be offering another fold-up 99-cent bag option, as well as the regular, bulkier green bags. If you get your groceries delivered, you'll be able to choose a no-bag option. Queensland will flat-out ban single-use plastic bags from July 1, and Victoria is set to do the same later this year. NSW is the only state that hasn't committed to banning them. Getting rid the ever-present items everyone has too many of is the latest example of Aussie businesses putting the planet first. Bars around the country have banned plastic straws, Closed Loop has been trialling ways to recycle takeaway coffee cups, and reusable coffee cups have been gaining popularity all over the place — with some cafes offering discounts, and others banning disposable containers completely.
We don't really think about garbage too much after it has been thrown into a dumpster or plopped out on the sidewalk ready to be picked up by trash collectors. The quicker the smelly bags of banana peels and egg cartons are out of our sight, the better. But what if we had to constantly live with the consequences of consumption? Outside of Cairo lies the small town of Garbage City, inhabited by a working community of the poverty-stricken Zabbaleen people. For the Zabbaleen there is no way of disposing of the never-ending flow of trash, making Cairo and its surrounds one of the most polluted areas in the world. Workers collect, reuse or resell the waste but the accumulated rubbish on every street corner and rooftop of the city remains. Mekano Architects have recently proposed a plan that could help the area use the trash to its advantage. The Seeds of Life project is a proposal to recycle the trash from Garbage City into material to build a multipurpose skyscraper. The building consists of an exoskeleton of "wind stalks" in which living and working units can be inserted, with floor plans including everything from family homes to basketball courts, terraces for agriculture and water collection, and designated areas to bury organic waste and produce electricity. Garbage City gone green seems a nearly impossible feat, but if accomplished could mean a significant improvement in both the standard of living in the outskirts of Cairo and cleanliness of the environment. Maybe the architects could even use TED's Global Village Construction Set to assemble the recycled skyscraper city.
This year has been a real doozy. For us, one of the toughest parts of 2020 is missing out on live gigs, especially in the form of music festivals. It'll still be a while before Australia (and the rest of the world, for that matter) gets its festival groove back, but that doesn't mean you can't get those festival vibes into your life in other ways. We've teamed up with our fun-loving mates at Bacardi to help you do just that. Here are seven fun things you can do to throw your own mini festival at home. Think dance-inducing tunes, DIY glitter stations, epic decor and summery rum cocktails aplenty. All you have to do is figure out who's on the guest list, then get cracking. [caption id="attachment_790477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] PICK A FUN THEME Like any good party, your festival should have a theme. You could go for the simple dress code option, whether that's donning fun, fruit shirts, bad hats, neon ballgowns, 80s disco or chic The Great Gatsby-style threads. Or, take things up a notch and make your festival's overall vibe specific to a well-known festival and do your best to emulate its atmosphere. Go for the colourful masquerade of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, boho chic looks of Coachella or make it an EDM-style bash like Belgium's Tomorrowland. Then, there's the all-out rave in the same vein of Barcelona's Sónar. And, you should work in one Aussie festival for good measure, too — our pick is Meredith Festival. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to avoid cultural appropriation as you go all out and have fun with it. DECK OUT YOUR SPACE Next, deck out every corner of your space, giving each area a different purpose and feel. Try out rooms based around different music genres. One room could be electronica, another indie pop or R&B, one deep house and even a dedicated 90s den playing nostalgic tunes. But, music isn't the only reason we venture around the world for festivals, with some of the best multi-day parties having many other drawcards — think installation art, group-based activities and breakaway areas with things like outdoor cinemas and karaoke stages. So, work in some of these elements to ensure you're the master of a well-rounded mini fest, offering something for everyone. Be sure to balance it out, so there are both high energy and chilled out spaces to choose from. STREAM DANCE-INDUCING DJ ACTS No festival is complete without a stellar music lineup. While you exactly can't fly in the likes of Four Tet, Lizzo or Tame Impala for your at-home affair, you can still get some epic tunes blaring through your speakers — from streaming live gigs to revisiting old festival sets and whacking on a dance-worthy playlist. First up, check out Boiler Room, which offers heaps of sets from the world's top DJs via its Youtube channel. Think Aussie artist Flume, Canadian electronic songwriter Jessy Lanza, lauded British DJ Ross from Friends and Korean-American electro artist Yaeji, who also recently released her new mixtape in a session called Yaeji in Place, which is also worth a spin. For more Aussie content, there's Newtown Festival and Splendour-inspired Spotify playlists you can queue up. Create that multi-stage experience and build energy by setting up different streams in each of your themed rooms and move from emerging artists to big-name headliners just like the festivals do. Most importantly, though, make sure these acts will get your crew on the dance floor. WHIP UP NOSTALGIC PARTY SNACKS Your festival will need to have party snacks and there's nothing like having all of your nostalgic favourites in one place. That means party pies and mini sausage rolls galore. If you want to go fancy, ditch the frozen stuff and make your own. If you have a barbie, a pack of snags never hurts, either, and you could also chargrill some corn. Don't forget the fairy bread, chilli popcorn, cabanossi sticks and even jelly that's beem moulded into a fun shape while you're at it. We recommend you prepare to serve your eats at different intervals, so your guests can snack from the arvo well into the night. SET UP A DIY GLITTER STATION We've all been there, covering ourselves in as much glitter as possible when heading to a rave. After all, getting dressed up is part of all the festival fun. If you're not afraid to find sparkles scattered around your house for months to come, then give your guests the chance to up their look at a DIY glitter station. Order some biodegradable eco-glitter online, so you can rest easy that your partying ways don't impact the planet. Your DIY glitter station can have other makeup and accessories, too, like fun hair clips, hilarious sunnies, DIY lanyards and glitzy costume jewellery. Get glammed up, put the final touches on your look and get ready to party. [caption id="attachment_786187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] SHAKE UP A SUMMERY RUM COCKTAIL One of the best things about hosting a festival at home is that you can serve any booze you fancy — and there won't be any overpriced, mediocre wine and beer at your mini fest, either. To really add to the party atmosphere, shake up a summery cocktail for the day. One of our favourites is a spiced piña colada. Simply shake up Bacardi Spiced, fresh pineapple and coconut water over some ice. It's sure to put all of your guests in the festive mood and it's also super easy to make. You can check out more fun rum cocktails over here if you're planning on making a few. Tip: an ice sculpture is always a fun thing to add to your punch bowl. HOST A POST-PARTY YOGA SESSION The day after a festival is always tough. You've had little sleep, your limbs are sore and, worst of all, the fun's over. To lighten the mood, host a post-party yoga session. Roll out the mats and deck out your space like a mini yoga studio. Choose a spot with bright, natural sunlight, put on some calming music and burn some incense. Unless you or one of your mates are a budding yogi, we suggest following Yoga with Adriene. Her chilled-out disposition makes her one of the best online yoga instructors out there. And she even has classes titled yoga for hangovers, yoga to calm your nerves and yoga for when you feel dead inside. You're sure to find something that will perfectly suit the post-festival mood. Do what moves you this summer thanks to the fun-loving folks at Bacardi. Once you've thrown your own epic mini fest, check out Bacardi's competition, where you and 20 mates could win the chance to attend Australia's smallest music festival. Top image: Mushroom Creative House
When Christmas rolls around each year, Brisbane gets a little bit brighter. As soon as Halloween passes, houses around the city start setting up their external decorations, giving the suburbs a glow; however, one of the most-dazzling spots in town is Roma Street Parkland. The reason: The Enchanted Garden, which has been popping up annually for festive runs for a few years now, and has locked in its return for 2024. Get ready to get lit: this luminous show lets you see one of the city's favourite green spaces in a completely new light, and is switching on its seasonal brightness for a month leading up to the jolliest day of all again — complete with food trucks and a bar so that you can make a night of it. This year's dates for your diary: Friday, November 22–Saturday, December 21, 2024. TheEnchanted Garden fills 22,000 square metres of Roma Street Parkland with lights flickering in, around and over the top of its lush greenery. As every home renovation-focused TV show has told us time and time again, a splash of colour can make a world of difference — and at this event, it can turn an already picturesque location into a glorious festive wonderland. This year, the setup will feature lasers, LED tubes, fairy lights, festive soundscapes, UV lighting and projections, all designed to immerse attendees. As you wander along the 30–40-minute walk, you'll get merry and celebrate nature at the same time. Unsurprisingly, it's a family-friendly affair — and, as there has been since 2021, there is a fee. You'll pay $9 to head along and stare up at all that dazzling brightness. Once you're in, you can soak up the luminousness for as long as you like. Attendees shouldn't go expecting the kind of setup that features on every street corner in Brissie's suburbs, though. Lights will twinkle and decorations will sparkle; however, this isn't a DIY display at all. That said, a word of warning: people love all things glittery, so prepare to a heap company. Also, tickets usually get snapped up quickly, with this year's going on sale at 9am on Friday, November 8. Sessions run from 6.30pm, letting folks in every 15 minutes until 9.15pm — and, if you're organised enough, you can always pack a picnic, arrive early and enjoy dinner beforehand. Food trucks will also be onsite at the Celebration Lawn from 5–9.30pm daily, as will a licensed bar, if you don't get around to taking care of your own nosh. The Enchanted Garden returns to Roma Street Parkland, 1 Parkland Boulevard, Brisbane, from Friday, November 22–Saturday, December 21, 2024. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 8 — head to the event's website for further details.
UPDATE, 2 AUGUST, 2018: After copping much backlash to its indefinite free-plastic bag offer, Coles has put a deadline on it — just 24 hours later. As reported by the SMH the company sent an internal email to staff notifying them that the offer would end on August 29. While an official statement has not been made by the company, we can only hope it sticks to its guns this time. In the next chapter of Australia's plastic bag saga, Coles has paused its ban again. And, this time, it'll be handing out free reusable bags indefinitely. The supermarket giant attempted to implement a nationwide single-use plastic bag ban on July 1, but announced just six days later that it would be giving them out for free for until July 8 (which was later extended to August 1). The reusable bags that are being given out for free would usually cost shoppers 15c. They're thicker, more durable and are made from 80 percent recycled plastic — and were meant to encourage shoppers to bring them back, again and again, rather than buying a new one each time. The reason Coles has backflipped on its ban is because, supposedly, customers "need more time". A company spokesperson told the ABC, "Some customers told us they needed more time to make the transition." The spokesperson continued, "Many customers bringing bags from home are still finding themselves short a bag or two so we are offering complimentary reusable Better Bags to help them complete their shopping." The complimentary bag offer is only valid in NSW, Vic, WA and Qld, as the other states and territories have already had single-use plastic bag bans in place for several years (SA leading the pack, introducing it back in 2009). The supermarket also offers a cloth bag alternative, its $1 Community Bags, which are designed by Australian school children and ten percent of sales are donated to charities. It's designed to be used repeatedly. Supermarket rival Woolworths, who also implemented a bag on July 1 and also temporarily gave them out for free, is currently charging for the 15c reusable bags.
Cancel your weekend plans, marshmallows. You now have a date with everyone's favourite pint-sized private eye. While the fourth season of Veronica Mars was due to drop in Australia next week, streaming platform Stan has just announced that it'll land today, Saturday, July 20, instead — all eight new episodes, and all at 6pm. The news comes after Ms Mars herself, aka Kristen Bell, attended San Diego Comic-Con overnight Australian time, and revealed that the fresh instalments had just released on US streamer Hulu a week early. What's good for America, in this case, is also good for Aussie Veronica Mars aficionados. Basically, if you're a fan of the show, then this past year just keeps delivering. First, we found out that the beloved series was actually, genuinely coming back for a fourth season. Then, not one, not two, but three teasers and trailers showed us just what kind of sleuthing fun we were in for. Now we'll get to see the whole thing earlier than expected — which couldn't be more different to how the original first three seasons were treated by Aussie TV back in the mid 2000s. https://www.facebook.com/StanAustralia/photos/a.777065482350660/2384072258316633/?type=3&theater Story-wise, the fourth season sees Veronica (Kristen Bell) back in her hometown of Neptune, still in the P.I. game with her dad Keith (Enrico Colantoni) and still solving mysteries. This time, a series of bombings and a shady ex-con turned businessman (JK Simmons) are on her radar. As well as plenty of twists and turns to follow, expect a heap of other familiar faces in the form of Jason Dohring as Veronica's on-again, off-again love interest Logan, Percy Daggs III as her bestie Wallace and Ryan Hansen as her sleazy ex-classmate Dick. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUiWTxS76og&feature=youtu.be All eight episodes of Veronica Mars' fourth season will hit Stan at 6pm on Saturday, July 20.
Grabbing everyone's attention with one shiny promise, then delivering something else as well: if you've ever watched Black Mirror, then you've seen that exact situation play out several times among its many tech nightmares. When the dystopian saga's seventh season arrives, that setup just might apply to the show itself, too. A sequel episode to season four's Star Trek-riffing USS Callister episode has long been promised, but a follow-up to choose-your-own-adventure movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch also appears to be part of the six-instalment return. Black Mirror season seven now has a trailer, and Bandersnatch's Will Poulter (The Bear) and Asim Chaudhry (Industry) are part of it. The next chapter in Charlie Brooker's can't-look-away take on how humanity's use of gadgets and innovations can go devastatingly wrong also has an official release date. In excellent news, you'll be plugging in soon, on Thursday, April 10, 2025. The new episodes will drop two years after 2023's sixth season, which is a short gap in Black Mirror terms given that there was a four-year wait after season five. Season seven's batch of Black Mirror episodes is also bigger than the past two seasons, serving up six instalments — which only season three and four have done in the past. As teased by the trailer, the show's seventh season has artificial intelligence in its focus — and everything from a black-and-white realm and wearable tech to Peter Capaldi (Criminal Record) chatting about expanding minds on offer along the way. From USS Callister, Cristin Milioti (The Penguin), Jimmi Simpson (Pachinko), Billy Magnussen (The Franchise), Milanka Brooks (The Windsors), Osy Ikhile (All American) and Paul G Raymond (Deadpool & Wolverine) are all back. Across the rest of the season, the cast also includes Awkwafina (Jackpot!), Emma Corrin (Nosferatu), Rashida Jones (Sunny), Chris O'Dowd (The Big Door Prize), Issa Rae (American Fiction), Michele Austin (Hard Truths), Tracee Ellis Ross (Candy Cane Lane), Harriet Walter (Silo), Patsy Ferran (Mickey 17), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) and more. And if you're wondering whether Brooker took any inspiration from his headline speaker gig at the first-ever SXSW Sydney in 2023, you'll need to watch the new season to find out. Chatting with Netflix, he has promised "a mix of genres and styles". Also "they're all sci-fi stories — there's definitely some horrifying things that occur, but maybe not in an overt horror-movie way. There's definitely some disturbing content in it." Check out the trailer for Black Mirror season seven below: Black Mirror season seven will stream via Netflix from Thursday, April 10, 2025. Read our review of season six, and our interview with Charlie Brooker.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions, you can't go on a holiday (locally or overseas). But, the government has hinted travel between Australia and New Zealand may be allowed in the near future, so it's time to start dreaming. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. With a bountiful backyard to be explored, it's high time you got out and slept in the most jaw-dropping rest stops in the South Island. You may be giving up your own bed, but you don't have to sacrifice any comfort for that natural NZ beauty at these glamping retreats. To help you find the perfect place to rest your head in the great outdoors (without getting too lo-fi), we've gathered a list of the best glamping spots in the south. Get ready for a night of luxury, trust us, you'll never sleep better. CAMP KEKERENGU, KAIKOURA Waking up at Kaikoura's Camp Kekerengu is like waking up on the edge of the earth. Perched high above the wild Clarence River, you can watch the sunrise from your bed over the expansive beaches below then enjoy sights of playful seals and whales putting on a show. The campsite is complete with outdoor baths and a kitchen with a vista to die for — you'll be moving in before you know it. Go for the full luxe experience, and head to Nin's Bin to eat some of the freshest crayfish you can get your hands on. $220 per night. LAVERICKS BAY, CHRISTCHURCH If you just want to switch off and escape, look no further than Lavericks Bay. Tucked away in the coves of the Banks Peninsula, this lavish campsite boasts wooden outdoor hot tubs and toasty wood burners for the cooler Christchurch nights. It also opens onto a private beach and backs onto rolling hills for your exploring pleasure. Fall asleep watching the stars, then hike up the hill to watch the sun rise over the ocean and feel the serenity. At a 40 minutes' drive from Akaroa and two hours from the garden city, it's a bit of a trek — but, trust us, it's worth the effort. While you're there, grab a surfboard and check out some of the remote breaks dotted around the Banks Peninsula. $210 per night. ROCKY POINT HUT, PEPIN ISLAND Just a stone's throw away from Nelson — but far enough to look back on the bay's beauty — is Rocky Point Hut on Pepin Island. Nestled on the remote tip of the picturesque farming island, the accommodation is a two-hour walk from the isolated Cable Bay beach. While that sounds long, your hard work will be rewarded with an epic vista to make you feel like the king of the land. Your throne? The outdoor hot tub with panoramic views of Tasman Bay. For the full royal treatment, forgo cooking and head to Cable Bay Cafe instead. It's a secret spot only the locals know and serves some of New Zealand's best fare. $150 per night. VALLEY VIEWS, OTAGO Deep in the heart of Mackenzie Country, you'll find a village of luxurious tents to call home. Valley Views Glamping does what it says, delivering incredible views of farm, river and mountain across the vast Waitaki Valley. The campsite sits two hours from Wanaka, giving you a chance to soak in the southern sights on your way to the comfy bed and cosy log burner that await your arrival. Bring a book, and your favourite person, you're not going to want to leave. While you're there, make tracks to Kurow Estate Winery's Cellar Door and pick up some vino to enjoy with the views. $200–$300 per night. WOODPECKER HUT Welcome to Woodpecker Hut, an oasis in the midst of the West Coast wilderness where you can kick back and let your worries subside. Designed and built by locals, the isolated cabin sits harmoniously within its natural surrounds. The hut marries luxury with nature seamlessly, so you can soak in the wooden hot tub all while you soak up a sunset. With bushwalks and beaches at your doorstep, there's plenty of adventuring to be done if you get tired of relaxing, too. If you're after even more views, take a trip just five minutes down the road to the breathtaking Pancake Rocks. $290 per night. Start planning your trip to New Zealand's south with our guide to the South Island journeys to take here.
Since 2017, watching The Handmaid's Tale has meant wishing for one thing: the end of Gilead, the totalitarian, male-dominated society that rules the show's dystopian version of the United States. (No, not the masterplanned Sydney community of the same name.) In the award-winning series adapted from Margaret Atwood's book, that outcome is finally coming in a way — with American streaming platform Hulu announcing that the hit show will finish up when its sixth season airs. That said, it's highly likely that The Handmaid's Tale won't truly wrap up with the destruction of Gilead, because Hulu also has revealed that The Testaments in the works. It too is based on an Atwood novel — on her sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, which hit shelves in 2019 — which means that her fictional nightmarish realm isn't going far. The news that The Handmaid's Tale will end after season six comes ahead of the show's fifth season, which starts airing from Thursday, September 15 — so fans still have two more batches of episodes to soak up, sweat and stress through, and enjoy. "It has been a true honour to tell the story of Margaret Atwood's groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale," said creator, showrunner and executive producer Bruce Miller in a statement announcing the news. "We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point," Miller continued. If this all sounds a bit familiar, that's because The Handmaid's Tale isn't new to plotting out its future a couple of seasons in advance. Back in 2020, it was renewed for this fifth season before the fourth even dropped, too. Miller will also work on The Testaments, which doesn't yet have a release date — and neither does The Handmaid's Tale season six. If you haven't read the book, The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of its predecessor, and also includes familiar characters. How that'll play into the end of The Handmaid's Tale on-screen obviously hasn't been revealed. For now, blessed be your streaming queue with The Handmaid's Tale season five, which promises one helluva reckoning. Of course, things are never well here — but now June (Elisabeth Moss, Shining Girls) faces the fallout from her actions in the show's last go-around, and Serena's (Yvonne Strahovski, Stateless) in-mourning getup speaks volumes. In the show's recent trailers, June doesn't just navigate more than a few consequences. Still fighting Gilead from afar, with Luke (O-T Fagbenle, Black Widow) and Moira (Samira Wiley, Breaking News in Yuba County), she admits how much she enjoyed her most recent choices. As for Serena, she's in profile-raising mode in Toronto, as Gilead's influence creeps into Canada — and Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford, Tick, Tick... Boom!) and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd, Rebecca) are endeavouring to reform Gilead. Also returning among the cast in season five: Max Minghella (Spiral: From the Book of Saw), Madeline Brewer (Hustlers), Amanda Brugel (Snowpiercer) and Sam Jaeger (The Eyes of Tammy Faye). Check out the trailer for The Handmaid's Tale season five below: The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit start airing in Australia and New Zealand from Thursday, September 15 — on SBS TV, and to stream via SBS On Demand and Neon, with new episodes arriving weekly. Season six doesn't yet have a release date and neither does The Testaments, but we'll update you when they do. Images: Sophie Giraud/Hulu.
In the latest of its comeback moves, Polaroid has jumped on the Instagram bandwagon with a brand new camera, Socialmatic. Not only does it print photos on the spot (let's face it, the only reason anyone buys Polaroid cameras any more), it also lets you upload them to your social media accounts instantly. Seems like Polaroid wants to remind us all where those square-shaped, Nashville-filtered snaps came from. Available for pre-order at US$299 and expected to hit shelves in January 2015, the Socialmatic runs only with Android. It uses Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet, and Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone. Shots can be sent to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and any other network with an Android App available on Google Play. At the same time, Polaroid's instant-print tech has received an upgrade. Gone are the days of shaking your photos until the black layer disappears. And, if you request it, every photo comes with its own QR barcode, so you can keep up with its movements in cyberspace. Shots are printed at dimensions of 5 x 7.5 centimetres. What’s more, the Socialmatic comes equipped with two cameras in one. The regular camera measures 14-megapixels, and there’s another on the back, which provides 2-megapixels of resolution and is designed specifically for taking selfies. Seems Polaroid really want to get in the game with this one. Before this, Polaroid’s most recent attempt at modernising happened with the release of the Polaroid Cube. It’s a teeny-tiny, HD, cube-shaped video camera that competes with the GoPro, selling at just US$99. Via Racked.
If your dream getaway involves staying in your favourite movie, walking in your music idol's shoes, hanging out with celebrities and once-in-a-lifetime pop culture-themed experiences all round, Airbnb has had you covered for a few years. You've seen the accommodation platform's special listings in the past, including being able to slumber at Shrek's swamp, Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill and Hobbiton — and also Bluey house, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop, the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera and a Christina Aguilera-hosted two-night Las Vegas stay. The list goes on — and it's only set to grow. Now, these kinds of Airbnb listings have a name and a category: Airbnb Icons. And to celebrate, the company has unveiled the next 11 spots that money normally can't buy (and in some cases, still can't, with most reservations free). [caption id="attachment_953321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Lowery[/caption] If getting some shuteye in the Up house is your idea of vacation bliss, you're in luck — located in Abiquiu, New Mexico, and taking bookings until Tuesday, May 14, it's a newly unveiled Airbnb Icon. Yes, the balloons are all there. Yes, you'll feel like you've walked into the gorgeous animated film. And yes, gazing at the stars is one of the activities on offer while you're on the premises. Still on Pixar, the latest chance to get excited about Inside Out 2 comes via the opportunity to sleep in the flick's headquarters, aka where the emotions convene and try to keep Riley's mood in check. It'll be taking bookings in June, which is when the movie releases in cinemas. [caption id="attachment_953323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eric Ogden[/caption] Still on cinema, maybe you'll find out what it sounds like when doves cry at Prince's Purple Rain mansion when it hits Airbnb Icons in August. This is the actual house from the inimitable film, as decked out in purple aplenty. You'll sleep in The Kid's bedroom, hear rare Prince tracks and go crazy with love for the flick and the late, great artist behind it, of course. Stepping inside X-Men '97 is also on offer, with the X-Mansion open for reservations until Wednesday, May 15. Guests will undertake student orientation, give Cerebro a whirl, get a superpower and stay in Wolverine's room. This one has a cost, setting you back AU$149.51 per guest, and can welcome in eight wannabe heroes. [caption id="attachment_953325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Max Miechowski[/caption] Doja Cat, Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor and Kevin Hart are all also on the Airbnb Icons list, each hosting stays. Available to book from October, Doja's listing includes a living-room show. Coming from Sunday, May 12, Kapoor's will see you spend time at her Chennai holiday home. And as for Hart, as available to reserve from August, he'll get you giggling at him and other comedians at his Coramino Live Lounge. Checking into the Ferrari Museum for an evening will be open for bookings from Monday, May 6 — and it covers sleeping in a bed made with the same leather as Ferrari car seats, doing a hot lap and eating at Cavallino, Enzo Ferrari's favourite restaurant. Or, from Wednesday, May 22, you'll be able to reserve a night at the Musée d'Orsay, snoozing in a bedroom designed around its clock, watching the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony from its rooftop terrace and nabbing a private look at its impressionist collection. [caption id="attachment_953327" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Prior[/caption] The initial 11 Airbnb Icons offerings also include a gaming loft hosted by TikToker Khaby Lame, which is taking bookings now until Tuesday, May 14 — and, with reservations launching on Friday, May 3, being part of reggaeton star Feid's tour for a full week. Here's how bookings work: whether they're free or not, you need to book through the app. If you are selected for a reservation, you'll get a digital golden ticket — of which there'll be 4000-plus available in 2024 alone. Folks will be drawn at random after they put in a submission for a property, then they'll be judged as semi-finalists, all of which will take place within seven days of the booking period closing. You can only put your name up for each listing once. And if you're picked, you have 24 hours to accept the invite. As has always been the case with these listings, even before they had the Icons category, you'll also need to pay for getting to the property — that isn't included in the reservation. Still, some of your fantasy holiday spots just became a reality. [caption id="attachment_953329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frederik Vercruysse[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] House of Pixels[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953331" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sismatyc[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953334" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Federico Ciamei[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Lowery[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953326" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Holly Andres[/caption] For more information about Airbnb's Icons stays, and to make bookings, head to the Airbnb website. Top image: Ryan Lowery Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
When David Bowie starred in 1976's The Man Who Fell to Earth, playing an alien being who crash lands on our planet, it became one of the musician's iconic on-screen roles. It's also one that he returned to nearly four decades later, in a fashion — co-writing the musical Lazarus, as inspired by the Walter Tevis novel that the sci-fi film was based on. Written with playwright Enda Walsh, and one of Bowie's final projects before his passing in January 2016, Lazarus opened off-Broadway in December 2015. The production made the jump to London in 2017 and, in 2019, it'll bring its otherworldly story — and its soundtrack of 18 Bowie tracks — to Australia. The first show announced for The Production Company's 2019 season, Lazarus will make its Aussie debut between May 18 and June 9, hitting the stage at Arts Centre Melbourne. While local cast details won't be revealed until February 19, when ticketing details will also be unveiled, the original production was a suitably star-studded affair. Dexter's Michael C. Hall followed in Bowie's footsteps in the part of Thomas Jerome Newton, while Fargo's Cristin Milioti played the alien's assistant. Those eager for a date with this starman — and to start loving the alien, again — can expect a sequel of sorts to The Man Who Fell to Earth. The enigmatic Newton remains on earth, unable to die; however the arrival of another lost soul might offer the solution that he's been looking for. As for the familiar songs that this story plays out to, it's basically a best-of catalogue of Bowie's greatest hits. 'Heroes', 'Changes', 'Life on Mars?', 'The Man Who Sold the World' and 'Sound and Vision' all feature — as do four of the star's final recordings, including the title track 'Lazarus'. Lazarus will hit the Arts Centre Melbourne stage from May 18 to June 9, 2019. Ticketing details will be available from February 19, 2019 — to sign up for the wait list, visit lazarusthemusical.com.au.
When Sally Rooney's Normal People first hit bookshelves in 2018, it thrust readers into a disarmingly relatable love story, following the amorous ups and downs of an on-again, off-again couple from Sligo, Ireland. Teenagers Marianne and Connell have known each other for years, as tends to happen in small towns. And although she's aloof, intense and considered an acerbic loner, while he's outgoing and popular, a torrid and tumultuous secret romance blooms. That's just the beginning of the Irish author's novel, which then heads to Dublin's Trinity College with its two protagonists — where, free from the shackles, expectations and gossip of their hometown, their roles have been reversed. Marianne is now the self-assured and well-liked toast of the campus, while Connell, although excelling academically, struggles to feel comfortable in his new surroundings. Still, when the two cross paths again, old emotions reignite. Unravelling the pair's ebbs and flows from their final year of high school, then all through their university years, Normal People won plenty of fans on the page — and plenty of awards, too. As well as becoming a bestseller, Rooney's second book was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and nabbed 2019's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. The next step: bringing this tale to the small screen, all courtesy of an excellent and involving new 12-part drama of the same name that has just hit Stan in its entirety, and will soon be available on TVNZ OnDemand. As anyone who has devoured Rooney's novel will anticipate, Normal People, the TV series, proves both tender and perceptive as it dives deep into a complex chronicle of first love. One of the show's triumphs: its commitment not only to charting Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Cold Feet) and Connell's (newcomer Paul Mescal) feelings for each other, but to detailing the recognisable and realistic minutiae of being a high schooler and then a uni student. This is first and foremost a romance, and a passionate and intimate one at that; however the series can't tell this complicated couple's story without touching upon everything else that pops up along the way. That includes thorny family situations, different social circles, everyday bullying and painful tragedies, as well as the possibilities and anxieties that moving away from home brings, and the pair's ever-growing pile of emotional baggage. In making the supremely confident leap from the page to the screen, it helps that Normal People boasts an array of talent. Rooney herself helped pen the TV adaptation, alongside fellow screenwriters Alice Birch (Succession) and Mark O'Rowe (Boy A). And, in the director's chair sits both Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson (Room) and BAFTA winner Hettie Macdonald (White Girl, Howard's End), who share helming duties. That said, as smartly written and intelligently directed as the series is — and as beautifully shot, too — it's impossible to imagine it striking such a chord without Edgar-Jones and Mescal. They're in great company on-screen, with Sarah Greene (Penny Dreadful) also a standout as Connell's mother. But when you're watching a sensitive and chaotic whirlwind of a romance, and unpacking all of its intricacies, you want textured, layered, convincing and heartbreaking performances to match — which these certain rising stars well and truly deliver. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODYjA9H4qcw All 12 episodes of Normal People are available to stream via Stan. It will be available in New Zealand via TVNZ OnDemand from May 3.
When Christmas rolls around each year, some folks go all out, decking every hall and wall with every decoration they can find. Others are lucky to remember to drag out their stockings on Christmas eve. Whichever category you fit into, and however you choose to show your festive spirit — or not — super-cute tiny trees should suit just about everyone. They're small, adorable, 100-percent living, suitable for homes of all sizes, and you can plant them in your garden afterwards. These trees hail from Australian plant delivery service Floraly, which focuses on sustainable blooms. Since 2019, it's also been doing a Christmas offering — and yes, it really is that time again, with pre-orders open now for deliveries starting in the second half of November. The big drawcard: those gorgeous living trees. If you're happy with a pint-sized version — because the traditional towering ornament-adorned showpiece isn't always practical, or wanted — then this tiny plant is about to make your festive dreams come true. 'Tis the season to order a 45–50-centimetre-tall tree that comes with decorations, fairy lights and a pop-up pot; then wait for it to be delivered; then feel mighty jolly. Sourced from farms in Victoria and New South Wales, and able to be sent Australia-wide, Floraly's trees also arrive with soil, baubles, bells and a tree-topper — so they really do look like miniature versions of the usual Christmas centrepiece. There are two versions available, so you can opt for red baubles and a gold star for the top, or go with white decorations and a silver star. In line with Floraly's eco-conscious mindset, its trees still have their root system intact. That means that once Christmas is over, you can replant them, keep them for some year-round merriment and then enjoy their splendour next year. The trees also come in fully recyclable packaging, further reducing their environmental impact. If you're keen, you can order a small bundle of greenery from the Floraly website for $95. Fancy sending a tiny tree as a gift? You can do that too, adding in wine, champagne, beer, bottled cocktails, candles, skin care products, chocolate, cookies, Christmas puddings and more. Floraly's tiny Christmas trees are available to pre-order now by visiting the service's website, with deliveries starting in the second half of November.
When Sauron lurks, no good can come. If you've ever read or seen anything Lord of the Rings-related, you'll know how true this statement keeps proving again and again. It sits at the heart of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, too, aka the prequel series that started jumping into Middle-earth's history back in 2022 — and it's accurate again in the full trailer for the show's upcoming second season. Prime Video already dropped a teaser trailer for season two, and announced that it'll take the elves, dwarves, orcs, wizards and harfoots to your streaming queue again from Thursday, August 29, 2024. Now arrives a full sneak peek at what's to come. Contentious jewellery, talking and walking trees, giant spiders, Sauron's chaos: they're all covered. Set in the fantasy realm conjured by up JRR Tolkien — as The Hobbit movie adaptations and OG live-action Lord of the Rings films were — and telling a tale in Middle-earth's Second Age, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power boasts familiar names among its key figures. In season one, a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) had a mission to hunt the enemy, after her brother gave his life doing the same. She saw fighting for fate and destiny as the work as something greater. A young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man) was part of that journey, and the big bad who needed staving off was indeed Sauron (Charlie Vickers, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart). With the show charting how the rings were forged, Sauron's rise and the impact across Middle-earth, season two brings the latter back after he was cast out by Galadriel. So, it's a battle between good and ascending evil, then, as the Dark Lord keeps pushing his shadowy influence — and sporting a different appearance. Also, more rings will be created. Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur , Coffee Wars), Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards, Under the Vines) are among the returning characters on the Prime Video hit, which was unsurprisingly huge when season one debut, attracting more than 100-million viewers. The platform first announced the show back in 2017, then gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 — so if it feels like this series has been hovering around for several ages even though it only has one season so far, that's why. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial emergence and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The Rings of Power remains separate to the big-screen Lord of the Rings revival that was first announced in 2023 and now has new movie Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum in the works. If you're a LoTR fan, there's no such thing as too much for this franchise, though — like breakfast for hobbits. Check out the full trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two will be available to stream via Prime Video from Thursday, August 29, 2024. Read our review of season one.
Square burger patties are now on the menu Down Under, with American chain Wendy's launching in Australia. After initially starting making moves to hit our shores in 2022, then confirming in 2023 that a heap of Aussie stores are on the way, the burger-slinging joint has opened its first-ever Australian outpost on the Gold Coast, in Surfers Paradise's Paradise Centre. In terms of big US fast-food franchise making the leap to this part of the world, Taco Bell did it, plus Mark Wahlberg's Wahlburgers and fellow burger joint Five Guys, too — and now Wendy's has officially followed suit. The Australian venues fall under The Wendy's Company's master franchise agreement with Flynn Restaurant Group to set up a huge number of Aussie shops. And we do mean a big figure: at least 200 stores, in fact, as slated to open by 2034. Wendy's already knew there was an Aussie appetite for its burgers thanks to a 2021 Wendy's pop-up in Sydney, where it gave out free burgs and desserts. Indeed, when it confirmed the massive expansion to Australia, the company mentioned the one-day pop-up's success among the reasons for giving Australia a couple of hundred places to nab its burgers within the next decade. Back then, it was expected that the stores would largely start launching from 2025 — and with the Gold Coast flagship, that's exactly what has happened. Exactly where Wendy's will set up shop from here, and when, hasn't been revealed. Open since Wednesday, January 15, 2025, Wendy's Gold Coast store features the brand's signature dishes, such as its Classic Double, Baconmator and Spicy Chicken Sandwich — as well as the Wendy's Frosty in chocolate or vanilla flavours for dessert. The menu also spans double hand-breaded chicken tenders (which are served by themselves, and in burgers and wraps), plus sea-salted fries with loaded options (cheese, chilli and cheese, and bacon and cheese). Flynn Restaurant Group and Wendy's have history, with the former already running nearly 200 of the latter's outposts across five US states. Similarly on Flynn Restaurant Group's plate in America: operating Applebee's, Taco Bell, Panera, Arby's and Pizza Hut restaurants. In Australia, Wendy's isn't the only food joint with that name. Across the country, that moniker also graces a South Australian-born ice cream chain which is now known as Wendy's Milk Bar. With more than 7000 stores worldwide, the American Wendy's is one of the globe's biggest and most-recognisable burger chains. While most of its outposts are scattered across the US, the chain also has over 1000 international locations in countries like New Zealand, Canada and the UK. The first Wendy's was opened by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio in 1969. It quickly expanded due to the popularity of its burgers and iconic Frostys, growing to over 1000 restaurants in its first nine years of operations. Find Wendy's at Paradise Centre, 2 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise — open from 10am–10pm Thursday–Tuesday and 11am–9pm Wednesday. Head to the chain's website for more details.
Late in the second season of Dr Death, the concept of trust in healthcare fuels a rousing speech. In a plea for a hospital to make the right choice about the titular practitioner, the importance of doctors doing their utmost to earn, deserve and uphold the faith that patients put in them — and that the entire medical industry is based on — is stressed like it's the most important aspect of being in the healing business. It is, of course. That anyone with an ailment or illness can have confidence that they're being given the best advice and treatment, and that whether they live or die matters to the doc caring for them, is the most fundamental tenet of medicine. It's also why this anthology series keeps proving shiver-inducing nightmare fuel, initially in its debut season in 2021 and now in its eight-episode follow-up. Streaming via Stan in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand from Friday, December 22, season two of Dr Death again explores the actions of a surgeon who threatens to shatter humanity's shared belief in doctors. The first time around, Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch was sparking terror. Now, the series tells of Paolo Macchiarini. Where Duntsch specialised in operating on spinal and neck injuries, often with heartbreakingly grim results, Macchiarini was dubbed 'Miracle Man' for his pioneering research into synthetic organs and regenerative medicine. In 2008, he was among the team that undertook the world's first-ever windpipe transplant aided by using the patient's own stem cells — a procedure that he hailed as a ground-breaking step forward, then kept building upon. Even without knowing the specifics of Macchiarini's life and career when sitting down to binge Dr Death's second season — which is compellingly bingeable in a can't-look-away fashion — it's obvious that everything that the Swiss surgeon claims can't be true. If it was, he wouldn't have been the subject of the third season of the Wondery podcast that originated the Dr Death moniker, or of this TV adaptation. Hospital horrors are one strand of true-crime's trusty go-tos. Another: romantic scandals. So, when the audio network that's also behind Dirty John learned of Macchiarini, it must've felt like it had hit the jackpot. With devastating results that are chilling to watch, his patients did when he offered them hope, too. With Édgar Ramírez (Florida Man) as Macchiarini and Mandy Moore (This Is Us) as investigative journalist Benita Alexander, two unnerving stories sit inside Dr Death's return. One examines the doctor who promises survival to people with tracheal injuries or cancer, or who were born without the tube connecting the larynx to the lungs, via new experimental surgery. Later, he'll also pledge a fresh lease on life to folks who aren't facing death, turning the operation into an elective procedure. The other narrative focuses on a woman who falls for a con man. Macchiarini is the key figure in both, with his charm helping put his patients at ease and get Alexander to see him as more than just a subject. Their paths cross when she's looking for feel-good news content, choosing producing a special about his efforts with two-year-old Hannah Warren (first-timer Naomi Rothing), a candidate for a biosynthetic windpipe. Although every episode of Dr Death season two jumps between countries and years — across the 2010s, Macchiarini worked in Sweden, the US and Russia — creator and writer Ashley Michel Hoban (The Girl From Plainville) pushes the rom-con to the fore to begin with, leaving much of the quest to expose medical malpractice to later instalments. Accordingly, early chapters spend more time with Alexander in New York as she dives into her gushing Macchiarini report while coping with an ex-husband (Jason Alan Carvell, Godfather of Harlem) facing terminal cancer and supporting her pre-teen daughter Lizzi (Celestina Harris, Yuletide the Knot). When the bulk of the attention shifts to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm after casualties start mounting, doctors Ana Lasbrey (Ashley Madekwe, The Strays), Anders Svensson (Gustaf Hammarsten, Parliament) and Nathan Gamelli (Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel) relentlessly pursue their mission to stop Macchiarini from inflicting harm. The flitting-about structure isn't this season's strongest choice, but it's done with a purpose: putting viewers unacquainted with Macchiarini firmly in Alexander's shoes. From the outset, Dr Death's audience sees the transplantees who don't make it, the cavalier attitude in the operating theatre, Gamelli's skepticism from the moment the Karolinska Institute commences fawning over its star arrival and the concerning results of Svensson's trials in rats for Macchiarini. With Ramírez all enigmatic charm in the show's initial half, however, they also spy why Alexander flouted journalistic ethics to have an affair with and then plan to marry the surgeon (and fell for claims that the Pope would officiate their lavish wedding). Across both his professional and personal spheres, Dr Death demonstrates how Macchiarini trades so ruthlessly and manipulatively in hope as well, with patients and Alexander alike seeing the doc as their solution for a better future. Ramírez is convincingly smooth as Macchiarini at his most charismatic and glossily shot, while always exuding an air of insincerity like everything that he's saying is too good to be true (again, it is) if you question it. He's also hauntingly petrifying whenever he's challenged, and in the utter lack of regard he has for anyone under his knife's welfare despite claims to the contrary. Moore ensures that Alexander isn't seen as dewy-eyed or simply easily duped out of grief; that she's astute and capable makes Macchiarini's scam all the more distressing. Combining compassion, anger and exasperation, Kirby gives Dr Death's best season two performance, though, especially in a traumatic episode about Yesim Cetir (Alisha Erozer, in her first TV role) and the 191 surgeries that sprang from being in Macchiarini's care — which visibly and emotionally charts the impact on the patient, plus the toll on the doctor trying to keep her alive. (Yes, that number is correct.) While Dr Death fleshes out the characters surrounding its latest titular figure, it isn't without its gaps. Still layered within is the infuriating lust for fame, prestige and money, including over safety, that drives not only Macchiarini but also the institutions that court, celebrate and protect him. The media's role in boosting his status is given less scrutiny, even though this story screams for it. He isn't just a true-crime favourite now — 2023 has brought two new on-screen accounts about Macchiarini, following Netflix documentary Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife, which released in November — but was fêted by Alexander's report and others. Although Dr Death depicts interviews, spots headlines and seethes with fury generally, and can't be faulted for taking the human angle, the bleak reality that Macchiarini garnered so much trust because of his press-assisted reputation can't be shaken. Check out the trailer for Dr Death season two below: Season two of Dr Death streams via Stan in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand from Friday, December 22. Images: Scott McDermott/Peacock.
A strange thing happens when you're an Australian visiting Japan: at least a couple of times during your trip, whether you're in a shop, izakaya or ramen joint — or walking across Shibuya's scramble crossing, scoping out the Studio Ghibli museum, wandering through a kaleidoscopic maze of digital art or singing karaoke in a ferris wheel — you'll hear a familiar accent echoing nearby. Before the pandemic, Japan had cemented itself as a favourite holiday destination for Aussies, making it highly likely that you'd encounter a fellow Australian or several in your travels. But making the journey has been impossible for the past few years, thanks to both local and Japanese border restrictions. If a Tokyo trip has been at the top of your post-restrictions bucket list, good news has finally arrived: Japan has announced that Australian tourists can again visit, kicking off sometime later in May. That said, if you're already packing your suitcase, there's one huge caveat, with the country only allowing in tourists travelling as part of strictly controlled package tours. The Japanese Tourism Agency advised that it'll begin letting small group tours to enter the country from later this month, to test reopening the border in full sometime in the future. To make the trip, you'll need to be triple-vaccinated, and be visiting as part of a planned tour in conjunction with travel agencies that's accompanied at all times by a tour conductor, and has a fixed itinerary. As well as Aussie tourists, triple-vaccinated travellers from the US, Thailand and Singapore will also be able to head to Japan as part of the trial. Designed to help the Japanese government assess health and safety protocols, and work how to manage any COVID-19 cases among visitors, the test was initially slated to take place earlier; however, due to the Omicron variant and its impact in Japan, it was pushed back. Exactly how long the testing phase will last for, and when Japan might completely reopen its borders to international holidaymakers, hasn't yet been revealed. Earlier this month, though, in a speech given in London, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that the next phase of reopening might occur in June — albeit without any further specifics. "At the end of last year, Japan strengthened its border control measures in response to the global spread of the Omicron variant. It was an essential public health step to delay the variant's entry into the country. This allowed us to fortify our healthcare system and promote vaccinations. I hope it is not too boastful to say that Japan's response to COVID-19 has been one of the most successful in the world," the Prime Minister advised. "We have now eased border control measures significantly, with the next easing taking place in June, when Japan will introduce a smoother entry process similar to that of other G7 members." For further details about visiting Japan and its border restrictions, head to the Japan Tourism Agency website. Via Reuters.
A year-long program of design events could be headed Sydney's way, and a two years' worth of bragging rights as well. The New South Wales capital is currently in the running to be crowned the World Design Capital, making the shortlist for the 2020 title alongside Lille in Northern France. If successful, Sydney will play host to six signature events between January and October, with an opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House, a World Design Street Festival throughout the CBD, an array of exhibitions and conferences in the lead up to Vivid, and a forum coinciding with Sydney Fringe Festival all currently outlined in the city's bid. Masterclasses, a new Festival of the Front Yard that focuses on post-war design and a design camp on Cockatoo Island are also mooted, in a proposal that seeks to "engage, collaborate and design a new model of social impact for an increasingly urbanised world." Beyond the showcase events, much of the suggested program focuses on Parramatta and its surrounding suburbs — and if you're wondering why, there's a good reason. The bid hasn't been put together by the City of Sydney, with the Parramatta council helping to lead the charge as part of a not-for-profit organisation backed by 40 other outfits, institutions and agencies. Still, "Sydney, World Design Capital" has quite the nice ring to it. As for that moniker and how it comes about, the World Design Capital is designated by the World Design Organisation, highlighting cities that use of design to drive economic, social, cultural and environmental development. The 2020 choice will be announced in October, with Sydney potentially joining previous picks Torino (2008), Seoul (2010), Helsinki (2012), Cape Town (2014), Taipei (2016) and Mexico City (2018). Via Sydney Morning Herald / ArchitectureAU. Image: Vivid / Ash Bollard
In the lead-up to new Hollywood-set satire The Studio premiering its first season on Apple TV+, the streaming platform kept doing something that's a well-established element of the entertainment industry: name-dropping. This is the latest project from long-time collaborators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg after Superbad, Pineapple Express, This Is the End, Bad Neighbours and its sequel, The Interview, The Night Before and plenty more, with the pair co-creating, co-writing, co-directing and executive producing the series. Rogen (Mufasa: The Lion King) stars, with Catherine O'Hara (The Wild Robot), Ike Barinholtz (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Kathryn Hahn (Agatha All Along) and Chase Sui Wonders (City on Fire) rounding out the main cast. That's a starry group already. Across two trailers, however, a heap of guest parts and cameos were revealed — including for Bryan Cranston (Argylle), Zoë Kravitz (Blink Twice), Paul Dano (Fantasmas), Olivia Wilde (Don't Worry Darling), Charlize Theron (Fast X), Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Brave New World), Zac Efron (A Family Affair), Sarah Polley (Women Talking) Greta Lee (Past Lives), Ice Cube (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem), Rebecca Hall (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire), Adam Scott (Severance), Ron Howard (Jim Henson Idea Man) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon). A few days before the show's Wednesday, March 26, 2025 debut Down Under, the full list of well-known talents appearing on-screen arrived. Dave Franco (Love Lies Bleeding), Jean Smart (Hacks), Johnny Knoxville (The Luckiest Man in America), Josh Hutcherson (The Beekeeper), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Ramy Youssef (Poor Things), Steve Buscemi (Transformers One), Zack Snyder (Rebel Moon), Aaron Sorkin (Being the Ricardos) and Parker Finn (Smile and Smile 2) are among them, too. It's clear through the roster of names, in The Studio's ten-part initial season itself, and from talking with a number of the show's cast and guiding forces: this is a series with the utmost of love for the art of making pictures, even as it savvily pokes fun at the whole business around movies. The task that Rogen and Goldberg have set themselves, and achieve winningly, is anchoring the act of parodying Tinseltown with details drawn from real-life experiences, assistance from that enviable lineup of Hollywood folks joining in and a celebratory insider spirit. Rogen plays Matt Remick, a film executive who has only ever wanted one job: to run the fictional Continental Studios. It doesn't take long for that dream to come true, or for the character to realise what being a studio head truly means. "I got into this because I love movies. But now I have this fear that my job is to ruin them," he tells his mentor and predecessor Patty Leigh (O'Hara). That line is indicative of The Studio's knack for turning reality into astute, acerbic but affectionate viewing — Rogen and Goldberg once heard it themselves, uttered by an IRL executive. "They're all really close to our experience in some way, shape or form," James Weaver — who co-runs Point Grey Pictures, the production company behind The Studio, with Rogen and Goldberg — tells Concrete Playground about the link between the series' characters and scenarios and actuality. That said, the team's own interactions across their careers were just the beginning. "We met with a lot of people in the industry who are friends of ours, who had run studios, et cetera, and tried to mine their experience for when we're not around. What do they say behind closed doors? And so I think we tried to have an understanding of what those conversations were like." Personal inspiration remains key across the show, though. "Giving a note to a filmmaker that you really respect, and a note that you know is not going to be popular, is something we've definitely had to do," Weaver continues. That 'been there, felt that' vibe is also crucial to the search for validation at the heart of The Studio. Everyone wants it, executives and megastars alike, whether by getting a gig, having their ideas heard, making a hit, leaving a legacy, winning awards, being thanked in public or being seen to have a worthy job. "Wanting to be thanked at an award show because that's the only evidence that you did anything on it is something that we've seen as well," Weaver advises. "I think we're hoping that that's coming through, that the authenticity of our experience is in the show, and that's partially, I think, what people seem to be liking." In Matt's Continental team, three fellow studio employees are rarely far from his side: Barinholtz's Sal Seperstein, another seasoned executive; Hahn's Maya Mason, the company's marketing head; and Wonders' Quinn Hackett, an up-and-comer. From their respective time in the business, each is familiar with the types of characters that they're portraying — and that knowledge played a part in their performances, sometimes directly and sometimes in a more general sense. "A lot of studio executives I've worked with over the years, some great, some not so great, but I pulled little moments from a lot of them and put them into Sal," Barinholtz notes. "I have not one specific person. What they wrote was what I basically followed. But as I was putting the costumes on, there's definitely some humans, one could say," Hahn says. For Wonders, "my best friend is an assistant to a director, and she is someone who's very precocious, very ready to take over the world, but definitely has to earn her stripes and bide her time, and I think lots of young, ambitious people can relate to that. So that's one person I had in mind." As Continental's execs weather everything from endeavouring to capitalise upon the intellectual property-driven movie trend by making a Kool-Aid flick to attempting to capture an expensive golden-hour one-take shot — plus missing footage, casting conundrums, trailer scandals, the Golden Globes and annual US movie theatre-owner convention CinemaCon — chaos is their baseline. Still, Wonders also sees the series as having "a big sense that if you love what you do and you do it with integrity, as sappy as that is, there is going to be something in it for you, some sort of goodwill that comes your way. I feel like these characters find they have sad lives where they just are so dedicated to this one thing, and at the end of the day they kind of find their family. So that's a nice universal message". [caption id="attachment_997078" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty Images.[/caption] And that oner? It isn't just a focus of a storyline within the show; long takes are also part of its own style. "It felt like every scene was a play, like you're doing a different play every scene — and just once you got dialled in, once we rehearsed and you knew what you were doing, it was really exhilarating to be in that zone," Barinholtz shares. "It's definitely more challenging, but then it's amazing how much you can accomplish," adds Hahn. "There's something heightened about doing it as a oner that I really, really love." We also chatted with Goldberg, Weaver, Barinholtz, Hahn and Wonders about the love that's baked into The Studio, that search for recognition that drives its characters, ensuring that the series is relatable far beyond Hollywood insiders, its visual approach, those cameos and more — including how Barinholtz and Hahn's past TV comedy roles on recent greats such as The Mindy Project, Parks and Recreation and The Afterparty came in handy. On How Everything in the Series, Jokes and Cameos Included, Filters Through the Show's Love for the Film Industry James: "At the beginning of the show, we really knew that this was going to be about having a show about how we love making movies. So I think it comes through the lens of that, everything that happens. So in terms of making jokes about A24 or some of the other companies that are in there, we've made movies with A24. They're great people. They do incredible work. And so I think the entire show is about our experience in Hollywood for the last 15 years, and I think we're trying to bring some truth and some sense of 'this is how it is', but also all through the lens of humour and fun. As far as the cameos, each of them came about in different ways. Some of them are people we've worked with in the past. Some people like Martin Scorsese or Zoë Kravitz, we met for the first time — and either through the script that Seth and Evan had written or through meetings, we talked to them about how we wanted to portray them in the show. And they were really excited and game. There is a history, whether it be The Player or The Larry Sanders Show, of Hollywood satirising itself. And so that was something that people understood, what we were going for, and people were really trusting and excited to be there. I think that we're not necessarily worried that people are going to see the show as some sort of takedown of Hollywood, because we love Hollywood and we love the fact that we get to make movies. It really is more of a presentation of our experience through the comedic lens than it is any takedown of the industry." On Barinholtz, Hahn and Wonders' First Impressions When The Studio Came Their Way Kathryn: "I mean, just to hear that these humans were involved. And I've never really worked with Seth and Evan together. And just the writing of it was just hilarious. And to think of these humans in those parts was really exciting. I couldn't wait to jump in." Chase: "They're telling very risky jokes, and I remember reading them on the page and thinking 'this is something I've heard behind closed doors, but never on television for all eternity'. So it's always good when you feel like you're doing something that's pushing boundaries." Ike: "I remember Seth called me and said 'hey, we're writing ...'. And I said 'I'm in'. And he said 'it's a show about Hollywood'. I said 'I'm in'. And he said 'Catherine O'Hara is going to be in it'. I said 'I'm in. I'm already in.'. It was the world's easiest 'yes'. It was just literally the world and the writing, and having them and Catherine — and Bryan Cranston, who is in really good physical shape. Beautiful body. It was the world's fastest and easiest 'yes'." On the Search for Validation That's at the Heart of the Show Evan: "I would say the nice thing about that element of the series is we set out not to make an aspirational version of Hollywood, but to make a real version of Hollywood. And that is the real version of Hollywood. People are very cynical and all that in the world today, but Hollywood is mostly people who are wildly passionate, care deeply and would rather do this than anything else in the world — no matter how high or low they are on the totem pole of success. People just are passionate in a way that most industries aren't. And so we get to tap into those hopes and dreams in making the show, merely by trying to replicate the real experiences we've had. And, of course, it doesn't always work out for people, and sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't, but the passion is the thing that bleeds through it all." On the Importance of Balancing Satire and Affection for the Cast — and the Fact That The Studio Takes the Art of Filmmaking Very Seriously Chase: "I think it's important. And one thing Seth and Evan really tried to hit is the realism of the comedy, and comedy born of situations where people are just trying their hardest and it's just these doofuses who can't quite get it right. It also helps when our production design is impeccable, the way we filmed it is so high-level and it just naturally lends itself to a more elevated, smart type of comedy than just a slapstick sort of thing." Kathryn: "Because everything is so elevated, you really feel a certain responsibility to uphold the world around you and the filmmaking around you. And there is less opportunity for hamming around. So everything feels very focused in a way that keeps the energy legit and high and focused." Ike: "Could not say it better than they just did, so I won't." [caption id="attachment_997090" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty Images.[/caption] On How Barinholtz and Hahn's Past Work on Fellow TV Comedies Such as The Mindy Project, Parks and Recreation and The Afterparty Helped Them on the Path to The Studio Kathryn: "All good ensembles." Ike: "Yes, yes." Kathryn: "Great ensembles." Ike: "Great showrunners." Kathryn: "Yes." Ike: "Great writing." Kathryn: "Great writing." Ike: "We're lucky to have been through a lot of those and seen how they all work. And this was different than all those, just because they went about it a different way. But I think you learn every time you do a show, every time you do an episode of a show or whatever, you learn something, you learn a new trick. So it definitely makes it easier." On the Elements of the Series That Most Felt Real for the Cast and Crew James: "It all feels real to us. I mean, I think we day to day are in these conversations about what kind thing to get behind in terms of a movie or TV show — or who's a filmmaker or a performer that we really believe in. Then we have to have those conversations about 'how is this thing going to make people money?'. It's really this idea of art versus commerce that I think is at the centre of what the show is. But as Evan was just saying, I think then you put overlay that with characters who care deeply about doing something artistic, but also care deeply about not getting fired. And so I think those two ideas are butting up against each other at all times. And that feels very real. The executives that we've been working with for 15 years are friends of ours. We've watched them get married to each other and there's a lot of like, a lot of community, in terms of the people that this show is portraying. And so it all feels very real to us when it goes through that lens. Seth and Evan are also just very, very funny people. So when it comes to making the jokes and the scenarios out of the real thing, they're just very talented at making that funny and entertaining. But it comes from a real place, and I think that's why hopefully people like respond to the show." Ike: "I'm friends with a lot of people who are studio executives, and I think they like to drink a lot. And so I stole that, and I drink a lot in the show. In real life, moderation — but in the show, I have a problem." Kathryn: "Always moderation." Ike: "Always moderation. That's the takeaway." Chase: "I think also studio execs are people who wield a lot of power, but when they're put in front of actors, who are these big personalities, they can be very shy and kind of cower away. And that's something that's both really fun to play the comedy of and also show the humanity of these characters." Ike: "That's a good answer." Kathryn: "I definitely have been in things in which I've seen the mockups for the posters or the possible trailers, and clearly no one has seen the show or the movie. They're so wildly not what the movie's about." Ike: "Yes, yes, yes." On Making the Series Relatable Outside of Hollywood Ike: "I think that the guys, Seth and Evan, did a very good job — even though the show is undeniably set in this world of movies and studios and executives, I think a lot of the situations in each of these episodes are things that everyone has dealt with. We've all had a boss who's gotten too drunk. We've all wanted credit for something and we are afraid we're not going to get credit for it. We've all been jealous of a coworker at some point. So I think a lot of the themes that they deal with in the episodes are universal, and whether you are someone who works in entertainment or around entertainment, or you have nothing to do with entertainment, you'll recognise a lot of those themes and scenarios, and hopefully they'll make you laugh." Kathryn: "Chances are people watch entertainment, so they'll get an idea of what the situations are. But also it's made with love, and so I think that's a different thing, too. There's such care for these characters and there's such love for this business of making movies, and nobody's really tearing down anybody. And I think that that also feels fun for an audience, too." On the Visual Approach When You're Making a TV Series About Filmmaking Evan: "For our show, the method we filmed it came from two different sources. One was, directorially Seth and I have done a lot of improv comedy feature films where we do a wide shot, medium and we get cross coverage of closeups, and then in editing we mess with all the improv we did. And we just wanted to do something very different, so we thought long extended takes would be a great way to do that and to make it more directorial as opposed to written and edited. Then through that conversation, we talked about how it could impact the actual storytelling — and the thing we wanted to embrace was the panic that a lot of these people experience in these jobs. These studio heads, even though they're very powerful and very passionate and very intelligent, they're often panicking because they can just lose their job for one big disaster. One flop and their whole job, maybe even their career, could be done or messed up for a long time. So we thought it would good to anchor people in that mania, and in that intensity, and let them feel the panic — and the best way to do that is make it feel like you are a person, like you are the cameraman, like there's an individual there. So we used one lens with long takes, and it whips back and forth just like your own head would if you were in that room experiencing the scenario that our characters are." On Working with Seth Rogen in His Many Roles on the Series: Star, Co-Creator, Co-Director, Co-Writer and Executive Producer Ike: "Oh man, I'd worked with him a couple times but never as a director. And he's really incredible, I think, at acting and being present in the scene — but he's watching everything. So if there's a slight little problem in a take, if the camera operator accidentally bumps into someone and the camera shakes for half a second, Seth has seen it. And he will just start laughing and go 'let's go again'. But he's just very tuned in. I'm very impressed at how much. You would think, that for who he is and what he ingests, he would be just not — but he is so freaking tuned in. And he's also just an incredibly good-natured guy. I think a lot of times, if something goes wrong, I've seen directors or producers blow their stack and get mad — and I don't know, it's just they're nice Canadian boys who just don't get that upset." [caption id="attachment_997093" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV+ via Getty Images.[/caption] Chase: "Doesn't yell, doesn't get mad." Ike: "They don't yell." Kathryn: "You could see sometimes when you screwed up and you're trying to find a word, and then you see him, you see him basically shake his head and look at you." Chase: "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Kathryn: "And you're like 'well, save me'." On the Securing The Studio's Many, Many Cameos James: "Martin Scorsese was someone that we all admire and never thought we would have a chance to meet. Seth and Evan wrote a script with him as that character, and we sent it to him and he read it, and he was like 'yeah, I'd love to do it'. And then all of our heads exploded, basically. But then people like Charlize Theron or Zac Efron, they're all people that we have worked with in the past, so they were people that we could talk to directly and say 'hey, we have this idea for a character for you in our show'. And then there were some new people we got to meet, like Zoë Kravitz or Olivia Wilde. They were characters that we wrote for the show, and we just had to meet with them and get their ideas on that character. Seth and Evan were on a lot of zooms with each of them before they signed on. But it was nice, because I think once Martin Scorsese said yes, there were several phone calls that I started with 'so Martin Scorsese's doing the show — so can you do the show?'. And that was really nice, because people would generally say 'yeah, sure'." The Studio streams via Apple TV+.
Arguably the biggest pop sensation to emerge in the last five years, Billie Eilish has just announced a run of Australian and New Zealand tour dates throughout September 2022. The tour marks the first time Eilish has graced the shores of either country since 2019. In the two years since her last tour, Eilish has released her latest chart-topping album Happier Than Ever, a documentary and visual book, taken out the Hottest 100 and swept the Grammys, taking home all four of the major categories at the 2020 ceremony. The announcement of this run on dates also comes days after the announcement that Billie Eilish is set to become the youngest-ever performer to headline the UKs Glastonbury Festival in 2022. The Happier Than Ever Tour will kick off at Auckland's Spark Arena on Thursday, September 8 before moving to Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on Tuesday, September 13. It'll then move on to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne and Perth's RAC Arena throughout the remainder of September. The tour follows previous tour announcements from international artists Tyler, the Creator, Gorillaz and Guns N' Roses, marking the expected return of international touring for the first time in more than two years. Tickets to the Happier Than Ever Tour start at $99 and are available as part of Telstra Plus and Vodafone pre-sales on Monday, October 11, plus Frontier and Live Nation pre-sales on Wednesday, October 13 before they go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 15. BILLIE EILISH — HAPPIER THAN EVER TOUR Thursday, September 8 – Spark Arena, Auckland Tuesday, September 13 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, September 17 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Thursday, September 22 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Thursday, September 29 – RAC Arena, Perth You can find all the details on Billie Eilish's Happier Than Ever Australia and New Zealand tour at the tour's website. Top Image: Crommelincklars
It's been 12 years since Superbad released in cinemas, made stars out of Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, and earned a spot in the teen party genre. Over that period, every coming-of-age flick about outsiders trying to enjoy high school life to the fullest has been compared to the 2007 hit. Now, two more are joining the fold. Premiering at SXSW over the past week, Booksmart and Good Boys have a few things in common with their thematic predecessor, and not just because they both feature protagonists who can't wait to experience a proper party. In the former, Hill's sister and Lady Bird actor Beanie Feldstein leads the charge alongside Beautiful Boy's Kaitlyn Dever, giving the idea a female-centric spin. In the latter, Seth Rogen co-produces — as he did with Superbad — with the movie following a group of 12-year-olds. Focusing on graduating pals Molly (Feldstein) and Amy (Dever) as they put away their studies and try to show everyone that they're fun, Booksmart marks the directorial debut of actress Olivia Wilde, and it's been getting rave reviews. Cast-wise, it also features Jessica Williams, Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow and Jason Sudeikis. As for Good Boys, it's the first stint behind the camera for The Office and Hello Ladies writer Gene Stupnitsky — and centres on three kids played by Room's Jacob Tremblay, Last Man on Earth's Keith L. Williams and Boardwalk Empire's Brady Noon. The likes of Will Forte (again), Retta and Lil Rel Howery help round out the cast. Check out the trailers below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkrY-jboiqA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeeyM8cRinI Booksmart opens in Australian cinemas on July 11, and Good Boys opens on August 15. Good Boys image: Universal Pictures.
Move over Adelaide; according to The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global 2022 Liveability Index, Melbourne is now the most liveable city in Australia — again. While the Victorian capital spent much of 2021 under stay-at-home restrictions, it has beaten out every other city Down Under for this year in the annual list, placing first among Aussie spots and equal tenth worldwide. Melbourne has previously topped the rankings — for seven years running between 2010–2017, in fact, but that span came to an end in 2018. Back then, it was dethroned by Vienna in Austria, which again took out first place this year as it did from 2018–20. Vienna's 2022 victory came at the expense of 2021's top placeholder Auckland, which tumbled from first down to 34th. Last year's top ten was filled with Australian and New Zealand cities, including Adelaide, Wellington, Perth and Brisbane as well. They've all dropped significantly, with Adelaide moving from third to 30th, Wellington plummeting from fourth to 50th, Perth moving from sixth to 32nd, and Brisbane from tenth to 27th. Melbourne tied for eighth in 2021, so although it still made the top ten in 2022, it has also dropped two spots. The report explains that both Australia and New Zealand "benefited in early 2021, when COVID vaccines were scarce: their closed borders kept cases down, keeping liveability high... However, this changed as a more infectious covid-19 wave struck in late 2021, which made closed borders less of a defence." The Economist Intelligence Unit continued: "although New Zealand's lockdowns ended in December, before our survey period, its cities no longer have a COVID advantage over well-vaccinated European and Canadian cities. In Australia, some states were slower to lift restrictions than others. As a result, Perth and Adelaide have lost ground since last year, and Melbourne is once again Australia's highest-ranked city." As well as Vienna in first spot, Melbourne was joined in the top ten by Copenhagen at second, Zurich in third, Canada's Calgary and Vancouver in fourth and fifth, Geneva at sixth, Frankfurt at seventh, Toronto at eighth and Amsterdam at ninth — with Osaka sharing tenth position. The annual index ranks cities on stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, culture and environment, giving each city a rating out of 100. Vienna achieved a score of 99.1 overall, and Melbourne received 95.1 — and, at the other end of the list, Damascus in Syria scored 30.7, ranking in 172nd spot. Narrowly missing the top ten for the second year in a row: Sydney, which came in 13th, after sitting at 11th in 2021. It had ranked third back in 2019. To read the full Global 2022 Liveability Index, head to the Economist Intelligence Unit's website.
Chances are, you've got a fondness for taking the odd selfie snap, but would you consider it a mental condition? A recent study by Nottingham Trent University psychologists Mark D. Griffiths and Janarthanan Balakrishnan has explored the idea of 'selfitis' — that is, a disorder that's diagnosed as obsessive selfie taking. After the term first appeared in a series of hoax news stories back in 2014, the pair decided to put it to the test with some actual empirical research. They interviewed 400 Indian university students about their selfie behaviours, asking questions like 'what compels you to take selfies?', and discussing affecting factors like social competition and mood modification. According to the research, titled An Exploratory Study of Selfitis and the Developmentof the Selfitis Behavior Scale, there are three different levels of the disorder. Borderline sufferers are those snapping at least three selfies a day without posting them on social media, acute sufferers would be taking at least three selfies and sharing them, and those with a chronic level of the disorder have an "uncontrollable urge to take photos of one's self around the clock" and post more than six times a day. Others in the field of psychology are yet to be convinced selfitis is a real thing, though Balakrishnan told Business Insider Australia he hopes their study will pave the way for a deeper look into the disorder. "Now the existence of the condition appears to have been confirmed, it is hoped that further research will be carried out to understand more about how and why people develop this potentially obsessive behaviour, and what can be done to help people who are the most affected," he said. While there's no doubt that body image, anxiety and other issues can be exacerbated by social media, we'll wait to see some corroborating studied before we start slinging the term around. Via Business Insider Australia.
Almost three decades ago, in a movie that's still as beloved now as it was then — and keeps throwing new franchise instalments at the big screen, too — Richard Attenborough uttered four iconic words. "Welcome to Jurassic Park," the actor said in-character as the dinosaur-filled theme park's owner John Hammond. That phrase has been repeated countless times since, and will always be linked to the Attenborough name. Of course, Richard Attenborough isn't the only famous figure in his family. The now-late actor and filmmaker's younger brother happens to be none other than David Attenborough — and now he's showing dinosaurs some love, too. No, you won't find him in the new Jurassic World flick; however, he will be lending his voice to a five-part natural history series about the prehistoric creatures right before Jurassic World Dominion reaches cinemas. If you'd listen to David Attenborough narrate anything and you're always fascinated by dinos — and yes, both of those apply to pretty much everyone — then Apple TV+'s Prehistoric Planet will be a must-see. With a name that falls in line with the broadcaster, biologist and natural historian's past shows The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet II, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet and Green Planet (as well as Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, plus documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet), it'll look backwards at what the earth was like 66 million years ago. Obviously, CGI will feature heavily, but combined with wildlife filmmaking and paleontology learnings. Accordingly, get ready to discover little-known and surprising facts of dinosaur life, step through the environments of Cretaceous times, see how the Tyrannosaurus rex parented, and explore the ancient creatures of both the sea and sky. That's what Prehistoric Planet will cover across five episodes, which'll drop daily on Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27. While David Attenborough's voice is always music to anyone's ears, Hans Zimmer will be adding rousing score to the show — fresh from winning his latest Oscar for Dune. And if you're wondering about the photorealistic imagery that's bringing dinosaurs to life, filmmaker Jon Favreau is one of the Prehistoric Planet's executive producers, and the effects company behind his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King is doing the CGI honours. Check out Prehistoric Planet's first teaser trailer and a sneak peek video below: Prehistoric Planet will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27, with a new episode available to stream each day.
Only 12 women have won the Archibald Prize, Australia's coveted award for portraiture, in the accolade's 103-year history. Laura Jones is now one of them. For the second year running, a female artist has taken out the prestigious gong, with four-time finalist Jones receiving the prize for her likeness of Australian author Tim Winton. She was inspired to commit his image to canvas after meeting him at an environmental advocacy event, then taking part in a 2016 artist residency that focused on studying the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. Even with artists winning the award twice, this is still just the 14th time that a woman has taken home the accolade — an honour that the Greater Western Sydney-based Jones has called "a life-changing moment". "There is an array of brilliant finalists for the 2024 Archibald Prize. I am shocked and humbled to be chosen as the winner," said the artist, who paints, draws, sculpts and makes prints with a focus on the connection between humans and the environment, in a statement announcing the winner of this year's award. "I would like to thank my sitter, Tim Winton. Tim is one of the world's greatest novelists and also a tireless advocate for the environment. He is an inspiration to me as both an artist and as a human being." [caption id="attachment_961081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.[/caption] As unveiled on Friday, June 7, 2024, Jones emerged victorious from a 2024 lineup of 57 finalists for the Archibald Prize, which was whittled down from 1005 entries. One such fellow contender: Matt Adnate's Rhythms of heritage, a portrait of Baker Boy that received this year's Packing Room Prize on Thursday, May 30. Other works in the running included Caroline Zilinsky's portrait of Saltburn and Priscilla's Jacob Elordi, Mia Boe's of Tony Armstrong, Jessie Bourke's of Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Paul de Zubicaray's of Jaguar Jonze and Angus McDonald's likeness of Professor Marcia Langton. Also on the list: Drew Bickford's portrait of Hello Dankness filmmakers Dan and Dominique Angeloro, aka Soda Jerk; Camellia Morris' of Anthony Field from The Wiggles; Tim Owers' of Matildas player Cortnee Vine; and Nick Stathopoulos' of film critic David Stratton. [caption id="attachment_961086" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Jones' $100,000-winning piece came about after she contacted the Perth-based writer with 30 books to his name — Breath, Dirt Music, Cloudstreet, The Turning and Blueback included — and showed him her work. "I wrote Tim a letter and sent him a book of my reef paintings, and we seemed to really connect on our interest in climate activism. I was amazed by the humility of this great novelist, who has enchanted generations of Australian readers," explained Jones. "Last year, I watched his ABC documentary Ningaloo Nyinggulu, about the fight to save Ningaloo Reef. It was beautiful and terrifying... I was stunned to discover a portrait of Tim had never been a finalist in the Archibald Prize." [caption id="attachment_961082" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Wynne Prize 2024, Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu 'Nyalala gurmilili', natural pigments on bark, 263 x 154 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] AGNSW pairs the Archibald Prize with two other awards: the similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 738 entries in 2024, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 628 entries, naming 40 as final contenders. 2024's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, has been awarded to Yolŋu elder and artist Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu, who hails from Yirrkala in the Northern Territory. The first-time finalists's bark painting Nyalala gurmilili earned her the award. Depicting the miwatj or "sunrise side" in Yolŋu Matha, it's one of the largest bark paintings ever made. The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Naomi Kantjuriny, an Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) community elder, doing the honours in 2024. Her winning piece: Minyma mamu tjuta, in which mamu — aka spirits both good and bad — feature. Also a first-time finalist for the award, she's also the third Indigenous Australian artist to win the Sulman. [caption id="attachment_961085" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Sulman Prize 2024, Naomi Kantjuriny 'Minyma mamu tjuta', synthetic polymer paint on linen, 197 x 153.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2024's finalists across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024. Don't agree with the judges? You can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Thursday, August 8. Jones' win adds to a diverse recent history for the Archibald. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. In 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top, while 2023's accolade went to Julia Gutman for a portrait of Montaigne. [caption id="attachment_961087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Archibald Prize 2024 Dates: Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW Friday, September 20–Sunday, November 17, 2024 — Orange Regional Gallery Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, January 26, 2025 — Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery Friday, February 7–Sunday, April 6, 2025 — Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Thursday, April 24–Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Araluen Arts Centre, Northern Territory Friday, July 4–Sunday, August 31, 2025 — Lismore Regional Gallery [caption id="attachment_961089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. [/caption] [caption id="attachment_961088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] 2024's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prize-winners will display at various locations around the country from Saturday, June 8, 2024. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: excerpt of the winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.
Sometime in the near future, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen and filmmaker Nicholas Stoller could easily join forces on a new rom-com. In fact, they should. Until then, buddy comedy Platonic makes a hilarious, engagingly written and directed, and perfectly cast addition to each's respective resumes. Reuniting the trio after 2014's Bad Neighbours and its 2016 sequel Bad Neighbours 2, this new Apple TV+ series arrives on Wednesday, May 24 to pair Australia's comedy queen and America's go-to stoner as longterm pals who are never anything but mates — and haven't been in touch at all for years — but navigate a friendship that's as chaotic and complicated as any movie romance. That's an easy formula; however, there's nothing by-the-numbers about watching the show's stars bicker, banter and face the fact that life doesn't always turn out as planned together. Smartly, Platonic doesn't try to be a romantic comedy. It doesn't set its two protagonists on a path towards coupling up and, while one of the most annoying on-screen questions there is does earn a mention, the series isn't really asking it. Ignoring the precedent set by When Harry Met Sally and a wealth of other rom-coms both before and since — openly satirising it, actually — Platonic knows that men and women can easily be friends, instead exploring what happens when two former besties have gone their own ways, then come back together. Platonic also knows that reconnecting with old pals is always tinged with nostalgia for the person you were when they were initially in your life. And, it's well-aware that reckoning with where you've ended up since is an immediate side effect. There's nothing like the blast from the past that is slipping into a decades-old dynamic to make you take stock, and to provide the spark you might need to move forward. Sylvia (Byrne, Seriously Red) reaches out to Will (Rogen, The Super Mario Bros Movie) after hearing that he's no longer with the wife (Alisha Wainwright, Raising Dion) she didn't like, an opinion she didn't keep to herself. She's also a suburban-dwelling former lawyer who put work on hold to become a mother of three, and can't help feeling envious of her husband Charlie's (Luke Macfarlane, Bros) flourishing legal career. Her old BFF co-owns and runs an LA brewpub, is obsessive about his beer and hipster/slacker image, and hasn't been taking his breakup well. They couldn't be in more different places in their lives. When they meet up again, they couldn't appear more dissimilar, too. "You look like you live at Ann Taylor Loft," is Will's assessment. Sylvia calls him "a '90s grunge clown." Neither is wrong. Created by Stoller with his spouse and creative partner Francesca Delbanco, as two-season Netflix comedy Friends From College also was, Platonic reteams Sylvia and Will at turning points, and gives them inescapably sitcom-style broad troubles and struggles. She's frustrated with domesticity and responsibility day in, day out, even with fellow school mum Katie (Carla Gallo, Happiest Season) frequently by her side. He gets into full midlife-crisis mode, including dating the younger Peyton (Emily Kimball, Daisy Jones & The Six). Indeed, on paper the two characters and their arcs sound like unhappy housewife and manchild 101. Thankfully, that's just Platonic's scaffolding. As well as astutely sending up the whole "can men and women be friends?" nonsense, this series unpacks well-worn character stereotypes, fleshes them out and bounces them off of each other — as the Bad Neighbours movies did with young parents and the fraternity next door, and amusingly. Art clearly isn't imitating life in Sylvia and Will's specific details, but its stellar lead casting makes them feel emotionally authentic. Byrne and Rogen are reuniting themselves, of course, and capitalise upon their evident buzzing real-life chemistry as friends and colleagues. Stoller and Delbanco mightn't have come up with the premise purely to get their stars sharing the screen again, and to give them all an excuse to knock about, but that's the vibe, too. That isn't a criticism; Platonic works because Byrne and Rogen are such joys to watch together, and because viewers want to spend ten half-hour episodes watching them spend time together. It's a hangout series itself, because that's what it's audience gets to enjoy — and its leads make for charming company. Both play to their respective comic strengths, genuinely share the series, and take Sylvia and Will on resonant emotional journeys (while also finding laughs in iguanas, wild nights out, e-scooters, UFOs, ridiculous beer flavours and more). Platonic is always thoughtful, a pivotal trait that applies not only when Byrne and Rogen are together — or when they're just as ace in they solo scenes — but everywhere. Sylvia isn't stuck in a cliched bad marriage. Charlie isn't dull or awful. Family life isn't painted as either rosy or boring, or simple. Will's newly single existence has its ups and downs, and Will himself can be both juvenile and perceptive. And lengthy relationships, whether they're romantic or platonic, are seen as the ebbing and flowing experiences that they are, requiring not just sparks and a rapport but commitment, understanding and effort. It's a show about a reunion. It reunites two winningly matched talents, and also reteams them with the filmmaker who first unleashed their combined magic (and mayhem) on-screen. Trust Platonic to keep the theme going with Stoller's Bros star Macfarlane, who is sensitive and warm as Charlie, and with Rogen's always-welcome Undeclared co-star Gallo. It's no wonder that there's such a sense of comfort in each of the show's key performances — or, again, that it's so easy to hang with. Unless they're overtly courting cringing, great comedies know that cast charisma is as crucial as comic timing; this boasts and thrives with both. If Byrne, Rogen and Stoller don't reconnect for a rom-com next, or find another season of Platonic in them, then any situation that brings them back together will do. Byrne and Rogen's odd-couple setup is that energetic and entertaining — argumentative but affectionate, too — and they make that delightful a pair. Plus, Byrne's other Apple TV+ series, the excellent Physical, will end after its upcoming third season, and no one should be forced to miss her comedic presence for long. On- and off-screen, Rogen clearly can't, and no one watching Platonic will ever want him to. Check out the trailer for Platonic below: Platonic streams via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, May 24.
Thirty-four-metres long, more than twice as big as a regular hot air balloon and ripped straight from Patricia Piccinini's inimitable mind, Skywhale might just be one of Australia's most recognisable recent pieces of art. It's a sight to see, and the largest-scale example of the artist's fascination with the thin line that separates nature and technology — and it's about to meet its match. Come February, the National Gallery of Australia will unveil Piccinini's new Skywhalepapa, which is designed to form a family with Skywhale. It was originally scheduled to premiere in 2020 — but, after joining the list of things that didn't turn out as planned last year, it'll take to the sky on three mornings in 2021 instead. Both Skywhale and Skywhalepapa will float above Canberra at 5.30am on Saturday, February 6, then again on Monday, March 8, and finally on Saturday, April 3, as part of an event called Skywhales: Every Heart Sings — with the second bulbous sculpture commissioned as part of the gallery's Balnaves Contemporary Series. Although art lovers can check out the event for free, you do need to register if you'll be in Canberra on any of those dates, and fancy getting up early and going along. Of course, that's hardly surprising in these COVID-19-safe times. [caption id="attachment_751759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Skywhalepapa, 2019/20 (artist's sketch), Patricia Piccinini. Courtesy of the artist.[/caption] Just how big Skywhalepapa will be is also yet to be announced but, given the impressive size of its companion, expect it to be hefty. And if seeing two Skywhales isn't enough, the NGA has been hosting Patricia Piccinini: Skywhales, an exhibition dedicated to them, since March 2020. It'll wrap up on August 1, 2021. If you can't make it to Canberra to see the growing Skywhale clan, it'll also head around the country for an NGA touring exhibition. Locations and dates haven't been announced as yet, and are set to be confirmed in the future. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings takes place at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes, ACT — with the floating sculptures taking to the sky at 5.30am on Saturday, February 6, then again on Monday, March 8, and finally on Saturday, April 3. For further information, visit the NGA website. Top images: Skywhale, 2013, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of anonymous donor 2019, Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program. Photo: Martin Ollman Photography.
It's easy enough to understand why so many people move from sunless England to Australia each year, but it's pretty rare for a whole restaurant and its staff to pack up their bags collectively. Yet that's just what's happening with one of the world's most famous chefs, Heston Blumenthal, and his molecular gastronomy stronghold The Fat Duck. They'll be shutting down the iconic Berkshire restaurant and 'relocating' it to the Crown Melbourne for six months. "This is not a popup restaurant," Heston obliquely insisted at this morning's announcement. Although The Fat Duck won't be opening until February 2015, you'll probably need to develop your booking strategy soon if you want to sample the likes of snail porridge, egg and bacon ice-cream and the aurally enhanced Sound of the Sea. The sensational food experience ought to wash away that bitter taste you get from having to pass through the casino to reach it. Funnily enough, The Fat Duck is not the only world-renowned restaurant to try an international exchange: Rene Redzepi yesterday tweeted that Noma would be moving its operation to Tokyo for two months in 2015. If these two chefs are on board, expect to see many more taking up the experiment soon. Heston's Melbourne non-popup temporary restaurant will leave a different, permanent one in its wake, dubbed Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Meanwhile, rumours of a Sydney Blumenthal excursion abound.
2024 will be a year of many things, including the year that hitting the skies Down Under means travelling on the three safest airlines in the world. As it does every January, safety and rating website AirlineRatings.com has released its latest ranking of the best carriers to fly with. Coming out on top: Air New Zealand, closely followed by Qantas and Virgin Australia. Air NZ returned to first place after also doing the honours in 2022, taking over from 2023 winner Qantas. The latter has a long history of topping the list, doing so for eight years in a row from 2014–21. Virgin Australia has also proven a mainstay on the full rundowns each year, with the top 25 carriers named in 2024. "Our top 25 safest airlines are all standouts in the industry and are at the forefront of safety, innovation and launching of new aircraft. In fact, the safety margins between these top 25 airlines are very small," said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas. "Between Air New Zealand and Qantas there is only 1.5 points. It's incredibly close." Wondering how Air NZ topped the list, then? The website called out the airline's "firm focus on safety", while also advising that it "has excelled across a broad safety spectrum right down to the smallest detail, and its pilots operate in some very challenging environments". The highly sought-after accolade chose its safest airlines for 2024 from a pool of 385 carriers from around the world. Factors that influence a carrier's placement on the list include crash and incident records, safety initiatives, fleet age, profitability, training assessments for expert pilots, and audits by aviation governing bodies, industry bodies and governments. Bird strikes and turbulence injuries aren't take into consideration, however, and neither are weather diversions and lightning strikes, given that airlines have no control over these issues. If you're a budget-conscious flyer, the website also outlines the 20 safest low-cost airlines. The winner this year also came from Down Under, with Jetstar emerging victorious. TOP 25 SAFEST AIRLINES FOR 2024: Air New Zealand Qantas Virgin Australia Etihad Airways Qatar Airways Emirates All Nippon Airways Finnair Cathay Pacific Airways Alaska Airlines SAS Korean Air Singapore Airlines EVA Air British Airways Turkish Airlines TAP Air Portugal Lufthansa/Swiss Group KLM Japan Airlines Hawaiian Airlines American Airlines Air France Air Canada Group United Airlines TOP 20 SAFEST LOW-COST AIRLINES FOR 2024: Jetstar easyJet Ryanair Wizz Norwegian Frontier Vueling Vietjet Southwest Volaris flyduba AirAsia Group (AirAsia, AirAsia X, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Philippines and AirAsia India) Cebu Pacific Sun Country Spirit Westjet JetBlue Air Arabia Indigo Eurowings For the full AirlineRatings.com list, visit the airline safety and product rating review outfit's website.
The most famous of the Greek islands are wonderful to visit, of course, but they are almost perpetually swamped with tourists. Plus, large swathes of them have been totally redeveloped — they paved paradise and put up a bunch of luxury hotels. Not your vibe? Skip the likes of Santorini and Mykonos (or just stay there briefly), then sail off to more remote islands throughout Greece, where local culture is thriving hand in hand with tourism. Check out our list of recommendations so you can find your own island paradise off the beaten track. [caption id="attachment_876183" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Apostolos Zafeiriou (Unsplash)[/caption] MEGANISI, IONIAN ISLANDS We would describe this as yacht country. So few people come here by ferry and stay on the island, but it is encircled by small yachts throughout the summer. That's because this part of the Ionian Sea is full of beautiful little islands that are hard to get to with ferries — our other favourites being the nearby Kastos and Kalamos. When staying on Meganisi, spend your days laying on empty sandy beaches or snorkelling around the clear waters before heading into one of the three towns (Spartochori, Vathi, and Katomeri) for dinner and drinks. Alternatively, hire a yacht with a skipper and explore this region of the Ionian Sea from the comfort of your own wind-powered boat. That's the best way to experience Greece's lesser-known islands. Try sites like Sailogy, Boataround and Borrowaboat for decently priced yachts that come with skippers. [caption id="attachment_876198" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Johnny Africa (Unsplash).[/caption] ANAFI, CYCLADES If you're wanting a chiller version of Santorini, then check out neighbouring Anafi. Here, you'll find long stretches of sandy beaches as well as countless monasteries and churches located atop mountains. Split your time between hiking up to views of the surrounding Aegean Sea and lazing about on the beaches below. But, to get around with ease, be sure to hire quad bikes or a car. You'll stay in the village of Chora (the only village on this small island) which is built onto the slopes of the mountain. It's a quiet town that still has enough bars and restaurants to get you by. Wander up and down the winding streets to see all the locals going about their daily business, warmly welcoming you to their lesser-known Greek island paradise. [caption id="attachment_876187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Petar Lazarevic (Unsplash)[/caption] PAXOS, IONIAN ISLANDS Paxos (also known as Paxi) is a small island famous for its steep cliffs that drop right down into crystal blue waters. See also: quaint little villages that have not lost their charm to tourism. We recommend you spend a few nights in Lakka, the northernmost town, located within a cove surrounded by hills covered in pine trees. This laidback town has a few shops and restaurants located by the two beaches, but you can easily wander off to find your own secluded swimming spot. Alternatively, try the slightly larger town of Gaios for colourful architecture as well as more bars and tavernas. While you're here, be sure to take a boat tour down to Antipaxos island for even more hidden beaches sitting below chalky cliffs (no one lives on this island, so it is pristinely preserved). [caption id="attachment_876188" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Angela Kidman (Unsplash)[/caption] SYROS, CYCLADES We still don't know why this hidden gem hasn't gone the way of other tourist-heavy islands. It is super easy to get to — it has its own airport and is only a short ferry ride from Athens — and is full of locals going about their daily lives. Tourism isn't everything here. The bustling port town of Ermoupolis should be explored and lived in for a while. Yes, you can find beautiful beaches and hikes around the hills but you can also expect more culture and history. Admire the Venetian architecture, spend nights out at small local bars that sprawl out onto the streets and eat all the best fresh seafood. Enjoy the bustling island village life on Syros before exploring other nearby islands. [caption id="attachment_876189" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Despina Galani (Unsplash)[/caption] KIMOLOS, CYCLADES A few years ago, Milos was the perfect unknown island that you had to visit. But, as it goes, the word got out. That's why we recommend you get on a short ferry ride to the lesser-known Greek island Kimolos instead. This nearby island is much smaller but has the same natural landscape and still has plenty of good places to go out for dinner and drinks. Also, those who aren't keen on hiring a car or quad bike can still get around by taxi and local bus. It isn't so remote that you have to do it all on your own. You can easily get to stacks of quiet beaches (with a cheeky goat or two wandering around) or over to walking trails around abandoned monasteries and windmills overlooking the sea below. Picturesque doesn't even begin to describe Kimolos' beauty. [caption id="attachment_876190" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Apostolos Zafeiriou (Unsplash)[/caption] ITHACA, IONIAN ISLANDS Located a short ferry ride from the more popular Kefalonia is the island of Ithaca. Most accommodation on Ithaca is in the main town of Vathy, so this will likely be your base of operations. During the day, the town feels fairly quiet and deserted as everyone runs away to the many hidden coves dotted about the island. But, at night, the locals and tourists return, flooding the small streets with a lively atmosphere. It's a great place for people-watching. If you have the time, make your way to the sleepy fishing village of Kioni to experience even more of traditional life by the water. Stone homes with balconies adorned in colourful flowers as well as the small cafes and tavernas make this one of our very favourite towns to visit. [caption id="attachment_876192" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Dimitris Kiriakakis (Unsplash)[/caption] ANTIPAROS, CYCLADES Celebrities have discovered Antiparos, meaning the ferry loads of tourists can't be too far off. You should get here ASAP, to not only do your celebrity spotting but also to take in the sites before it gets too busy. It won't be a lesser-known Greek island for long. Set yourself up at a beach bar, laying in a hammock with cocktails or ice-cold beers in hand and let this become your next happy place. When you're back in the office, this is where your mind will wander. If you are looking to get a bit more active, then hike around to some of the island's caves full of stalactites and stalagmites, or wander off to the monasteries and churches located atop hills and down on beaches (like the Church of Agios Ioannis Spiliotis). You can also take a day tour to the uninhabited Despotiko Island to feel even further away from the rest of the world. Feeling inspired to book a getaway unlike anything else out there? Only through Concrete Playground Trips, our new travel booking platform, can you now purchase holidays specially curated by our writers and editors. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips to destinations all over the world. Top image: Dragos Gontariu (Unsplash)
No matter the season, we can introduce some Italian sunshine into our golden hour tipples with a classic cocktail—and it's a lot cheaper than flying to Europe. Italy's most popular liqueur is arguably amaretto, and the world's favourite way to enjoy it is in a classic amaretto sour cocktail. Read on to discover everything you need to know about this sweet-and-sour drink that has delighted cocktail lovers for decades. What Is Amaretto? Literally translated, amaretto means 'a little bitter' and that's exactly what this luscious liqueur is: a little sweet and a little bitter. There are numerous amaretto liqueurs on the market, but the originator is Disaronno, from the municipality of Saronno in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Depending on the brand, it can be made from apricot kernels, bitter almonds, regular almonds or peach stones. These all contain a natural compound that imparts the liqueur's almond-like flavour. Like with many liqueurs, it can be enjoyed solo, with some ice, added to coffee, poured over ice cream, used in desserts like tiramisu (yum) or marinade for meat dishes, and, of course, in cocktails. What Is Disaronno? This Italian amaretto liqueur can trace its heritage back to the renaissance in 1525. Legend has it that Bernardino Luini, an artist from the Leonardo Da Vinci School of Art, was tasked with painting a fresco of the Madonna in the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church in Saronno, Italy. To complete his work, he needed a model, and he found one in the local fair-haired and beautiful innkeeper. According to the story, the innkeeper was so honoured to be chosen as the model for Madonna that she created an amber-coloured liqueur from a secret blend of 17 herbs and fruits infused in apricot kernel oil. It got its signature amber colour from caramelised sugar. She gifted this liqueur to Luini, and it caught on. The locals dubbed it 'di Saronno', meaning of or from Saronno, and eventually, that morphed into Disaronno. The liqueur is still made in Saronno, following that same recipe from 1525. How to Make an Amaretto Sour? This cocktail is believed to have been created in the 1970s and was originally known as Amaretto di Saronno. It's a twist on a classic sour cocktail that blends sweet and sour elements. It has two main ingredients: amaretto (in this case, Disaronno) and lemon juice. The inherent sweetness of Disaronno beautifully complements the tart lemon, but if you like it sweet you can always add a touch more simple syrup. For an extra touch of luxury, you can also add egg white, which imparts a silky texture and rich mouthfeel. Ingredients: 60ml Disaronno 30ml fresh lemon juice 5ml sugar syrup (optional, to taste) 1 egg white (or 15ml vegan-friendly option such as aquafaba) Ice Method: Put ice into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 60ml of Disaronno. Add the egg white (or vegan option if using) and freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you like it sweet, add the simple syrup. Shake the shaker and strain it into a chilled tumbler over ice cubes. Garnish with a slice of lemon, and enjoy. Where Can the Amaretto Sour be Enjoyed? In the summer sun, fireside in winter – an all year round tipple. But in all seriousness, we don't always want to be the ones mixing our cocktails. There are plenty of professionals out there who can do a better job than us. Simply go to your favourite bar and order an authentic amaretto sour made only with Disaronno.
Australian playwright Van Badham is known for her political, sometimes violent plays. Now, after a relationship breakdown and drawing on inspiration from a relic of Ancient Greek pottery in the Ashmolean Museum, she has written a romantic comedy. Based on the Minotaur myth, The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars is the story of two museum staff whose romantic frisson gets them into a bit of a tangle. With a mix of wordplay, humour and romance, Badham believes she's found a feminist way into a traditionally fluffy genre. This co-production between Merrigong Theatre and Griffin has already received glowing reviews following its premiere in Wollongong and is set to woo Sydney audiences in early May. We chat to Van about feminism, classics and the Minotaur. So, you wrote a play! I wrote a play! Tell me a bit about it. So, about two years ago, in 2011, I was asked to write an audio play based on a piece of pottery held in the collection at the Ashmolean Museum. It was an extraordinary commission; it was funded by the Onassis foundation, which supports a program at Oxford that promotes classical Greek literature and drama. I got this piece of pottery that had a man and a bull and I thought 'wow, that's pretty interesting', because I was mad about Greek myth as a child and I decided I would write something about the Minotaur. So you pulled a whole play out of a shard? The hook with the story was the idea of a museum and what a museum represents, which is the bricolage and mess of the past, the discarded remnants. And it's the discarded remnants that tell you a lot more about a civilisation than its official history. I was in the dying days of a long-term relationship at the time so I was thinking about relationships a lot and it all coalesced into this story, about two people who work in a museum, one of whom is married, and the attraction between them conjures a monster. That is what the Minotaur represented to me, a symbol of misplaced desire and a transgression — a mythological exploration of the Minotaur. So can we talk a bit about myth and classics more generally? Obviously in your case you were commissioned to write a play about a Greek myth so there's a clear starting point, but I have a suspicion that playwrights use classics as a way of tacking on intellectual heft to their plays. No, it's not about intellectual heft. The reason why theatre makers do revert to classical drama and adaptations is that it's very fucking hard to write a play and it's hard to write a play structurally. It's very hard to get it right where you combine spoken verbal language that has semiotic heft as well as create that uncanny valley of interpretability for an actor in performance as well as hooks, mysteries, stories and climactic patterning. So using classics is fine then as a helping hand? Yeah, investing an original structure in any form of literature is very hard. That's the actual challenge. And there's that theory that says there are only nine stories and everything else is a variation. Okay, but shouldn't that be taken as read? That classics will inform all new original works, rather than explicitly basing dramas on classics? Yeah, but realistically, one of the reasons that adaptations are so popular is that they sell tickets. I think that's what Australian audiences adore, going to a show and going 'great, I'm getting cultural cache because one, it was entertaining and two, it ticked the intellectual box of being based on a classic.' Well, this is the thing. Now that I work in programming, I can really see that brand recognition is how people make buying choices and the theatre is not spared from that. I wonder if that makes Australian playwrights scared of doing a straight-out original work that could one day be a classic in its own right. I don't think that's the issue at all. I think it gets back to fact that it's really damn hard to write a very good play. I mean my job at the Malthouse is to read plays. And good writing, brilliant writing is rare. In the time that I was at the Finborough, of the two thousand plays I read I recommended three for production. Three! It's really hard to write a classic. So knowing how hard it is as a playwright, what drives you? You're known as a political playwright, but this play is a romantic comedy... Yes it's a romantic comedy but it's a feminist play. It's about a woman whose real journey is about surviving desire and I don't think I've let women down by writing a play about that. It fulfills all the genre obligations of a romantic comedy but at the same time, I hope, based on my rather extreme level of knowledge in terms of the number of plays I've read in the past few years, I'm pretty close to something that is original in form and content. Ariadne is the female romantic lead in your play and she's defined by her romantic relationship first with Theseus and then with Dionysus. How do you balance this identity with your feminist project? Do you know what's amazing? Is that feminists, some of them, have relationships with men! And they can be really complex. And if you look at the genre of a romantic comedy in a patriarchal paradigm, generally it works with a woman having to make herself more attractive to the masculine ideal of what women should be like. And you've found a way around that? Well, this is what I try to do. My feminist project is to attack that [patriarchal] narrative whilst at the same time working within genres that are associated with women and women's enjoyment. It's romantic and funny, there are some language games in it that are clever and funny that I'm really proud of. It's about the subjective experience of desire and of love and that is quite intoxicating. The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars is at Sydney's SBW Stables Theatre from May 2 to June 8. More information and tickets here.
The location: a picturesque Hawaiian resort. The clientele: rich and mostly loving it. The vibe: largely demanding, entitled and oblivious that their attitude isn't everyone's idea of normal, at least when it comes to the bulk of the guests staying on the premises and expecting the hotel's staff to cater to their every whim. That's where The White Lotus finds its setting, and the type of folks the HBO series places in its suitably sun-dappled frames as well. But there's an anxious, dark and complex undercurrent pulsating beneath every gorgeous beach, luxurious suite and cashed-up patron — and a strong awareness of the chasm between the well-to-do customers and the struggling and striving hotel staff, too. The latest series from writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status), The White Lotus splits its time between some of the resort's current crop of guests and a selection of its employees. Business hotshot Nicole (Connie Britton, Bombshell) is on holiday with her husband Mark (Steve Zahn, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), teenage son Quinn (Fred Hechinger, Fear Street), college-student daughter Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria) and the latter's pal Paula (Brittany O'Grady, Little Voice), but tension keeps festering — Nicole can't help working, Mark receives some unexpected news, Olivia keeps kicking Quinn out of their room and Paula hits it off with Kai (Kekoa Kekumano, Aquaman), one of the staff. Newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Songbird) and Shane (Jake Lacy, Mrs America) are on their honeymoon, but he's too fixated with the fact that they didn't get an even fancier suite, to the point of constantly harassing the hotel's Aussie manager Armond (Murray Bartlett, Tales of the City). Meanwhile, Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, Promising Young Woman) just lost her mother, is working through her grief and leans heavily on spa manager Belinda (Natasha Rothwell, Insecure). Back in 2011–13, long before The White Lotus became one of 2021's best new shows — and best shows overall as well — White spent two seasons crafting Enlightened, the excellent two-season Laura Dern-starring comedy-drama that was cancelled much too soon. It followed an executive who broke down at work and, when she stepped back into her life, wanted something completely different not just for herself, but for and from the world. It isn't linked, narrative-wise, to White's latest TV miniseries. The same mood flows through, however. And, in terms of sinking its claws into the affluent, eat the rich-style, The White Lotus also pairs nicely with the White-penned Beatriz at Dinner, especially as it examines the differences between the haves and the have nots. The result: a perceptive, alluring and excellently cast satire that hooks viewers from the outset, and then keeps them both guessing and obsessed. In its opening scene, the series shows Shane accompanying a body on the way home, so the audience know this'll end with a death — and wondering who, how and why is one reason that The White Lotus is so compelling. But as each episode unfurls, it's clear that these characters are reassessing what they want out of life as well. The privileged aren't doing it willingly, unsurprisingly, but those at their beck and call definitely are. Here, a glam and glossy getaway becomes a hellish trap, magnifying glass and mirror, with everyone's issues and problems only augmented by their time at the eponymous location. This twisty, astute, savage and hilarious storyline will wrap up after six episodes, in what was meant to be one of HBO's many miniseries. That's the only bad part about the show — but, ahead of its final instalment, HBO has just announced that it's going to bring The White Lotus back for a second run. The next batch of episodes will tell a different chapter in a new place, focusing on a fresh group of holiday-goers at another White Lotus property. Just when they'll arrive hasn't been revealed as yet. Fingers crossed that it's as engrossing and biting as this initial season, though — and that it sports a score of tunes that are just as enticing and also eerie, too. Check out the trailer below: The first five episodes of The White Lotus season one are available to stream via Binge, with the sixth episode dropping on Monday, August 16.
Ever wanted to build your own community? And no, I don't mean spending every waking hour on The Sims renovating your virtual dream house. This big idea, straight from TED2011, could empower humans everywhere with the essential tools to create civilisations, DIY-style. TED fellow Marcin Jakubowski has identified 50 machines critical to our modern way of life — everything from tractors to ovens to brick-making machines. Determined to re-design these machines to be modular, long-lasting and made of local recyclable materials, Jakubowski began Open Source Ecology, a project uniting a community of farmers, engineers and supporters hell-bent on developing an open-source 'Global Village Construction Set'. In essence, it's a suite of machines that are essential for setting up any civilisation. The best bit? Machinery is made up of interchangeable life-sized LEGO-like parts, and has the potential to democratise industrial production and enhance supply chains to be more environmentally sustainable. Jabukowski says the Global Village Construction Set "lowers the barriers to entry into farming, building, and manufacturing and can be seen as a life-size lego-like set of modular tools that can create entire economies." https://youtube.com/watch?v=CD1EWGQDUTQ [Via GOOD]
There's never a bad time for ice cream, the sweet treat fiend that lurks inside of us all often whispers. It's certainly one of the main thoughts running through your mind when you're heading to a gelato parlour at 9.30am on a Saturday morning. Of course, Gelato Messina isn't any old purveyor of frosty goodness — and their Gelato Appreciation Classes aren't any old excuse to eat dessert for breakfast or brunch. If you've ever stood in front of the counter at one of their 15 Australian stores — or their sole venture in Las Vegas — and wondered just which flavour you could possibly choose because they all look so delicious, then their Gelato Appreciation Class will be your idea of a damn good time and then some. In short, you can taste them all. Messina lets customers do that anyway, but no one really tries 40 or so types in one visit. After you've spent a morning finding out how the magic is made and eating the kinds of dishes they don't scoop up everyday, however, you'll feel compelled to sample every single variety on offer. When you sit down in the Messina classroom, as well as being greeted by your own Messina recipe book, you'll discover that there's more than 5000 flavours in their catalogue thanks to the ever-changing array of experimental specials that pop up each weekday. That's just one of the insider titbits Messina's chefs share over the two to two-and-a-half hour session. There's definitely more where that came from. On an autumn morning, a cosy room of 16 ice cream-loving folks sat in Brisbane's brand new Gelato Messina store in South Brisbane to watch and learn how fior di latte gelato, strawberry sorbet and the famous Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom cake are made — and try them all, and even more. Held as part of their array of events alongside hands-on gelato-making workshops and their seven-course Creative Department dinners, Messina pitch the classes as part degustation, part look behind the scenes, and it's a description that fits. At one moment, you'll be watching a Messina staffer make gelato and talk you through the process — and then you'll be scooping and devouring small bites of the fresh-churned goodness. The next, you'll be finding out that the machine in Messina's Sydney headquarters pumps out a massive one-and-a-half tonnes of gelato per hour, and your stomach will grumble on cue. Then, you'll be tucking into one of several desserts. Perhaps you'll get one that comes in a tuna-like tin, and features smoked brown butter gelato, milk chocolate namelaka (aka a Japanese ganache-like substance), compressed apple and flourless chocolate sponge, for example. Over a fun, relaxed session, you'll keep eating, listening and learning — and hearing amusing anecdotes, including one that involves their Fitzroy digs being mistaken for a nightclub thanks to its hefty line down Smith Street. Prepare for stories about Messina's new dairy farm, the ratio of air that's whipped into their gelato, and even their future plans. Indeed, if you're a big fan, that's almost as ace as all of the gelato you'll be munching on. And, as well as the recipe book and a Lister Messina tote, attendees get a takeaway pack stuffed with gelato to take home. Arrive hungry, but don't expect to leave that way. Gelato Messina hold their Gelato Appreciation Classes in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane throughout the year, with tickets available via their website. Bookings are now open for their first Brisbane sessions, which will be held on July 15, August 19 and September 23.
On the big screen, Beetlejuice is making a comeback, with a sequel currently in the works. The original 1988 film is rarely far from cinemas anyway, proving a staple at retrospective screenings. But watching the ghost with the most sing and dance onstage? That's a brand-new experience for Australian theatre audiences. Start chanting three times: seeing the Beetlejuice musical Down Under will become a reality in 2025. Penned by the nation's own Eddie Perfect and debuting on Broadway in 2019, this take on Beetlejuice still focuses on the character from Tim Burton's beloved 80s flick, of course — just with songs and dance routines. Cinema's famous 'bio-exorcist' will start haunting Melbourne's Regent Theatre sometime in April 2025, in what'll be its Aussie-premiere run. "While Beetlejuice began on stage in America, this show has a macabre sensibility and twisted humour that Australians will delight in," said Perfect, announcing the Aussie premiere. "I always hoped it would have a life here at some point and I am thrilled that moment has finally arrived. I can't wait to share it with a home crowd for the first time." "Australian fans were some of the loudest begging us to bring Beetlejuice to Australia. We listened and we can't wait to expand our community of Netherlings down under. We are thrilled to bring this hilarious and remarkably touching show to a whole new place and share the electrifying experience that audiences on Broadway, and now throughout North America, have fallen in love with," added Mark Kaufman, Beetlejuice Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to head along, but you will spend time with a couple with one: Barbara and Adam Maitland. And, you'll see what happens when they start to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moves into their house and they decide they need that bio-exorcist. When Beetlejuice first burst into picture palaces, it did so with The Flash's Michael Keaton, Stranger Things' Winona Ryder, Schitt's Creek's Catherine O'Hara, GLOW's Geena Davis and Dr Death's Alec Baldwin all starring. Who'll follow in their footsteps in Melbourne is yet to be revealed. No matter which actors take to the stage in the Beetlejuice musical's Aussie debut, audiences are in for an acclaimed production directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), and with a book by Emmy-nominee Anthony King (Broad City) and Scott Brown (Sharp Objects) — plus Perfect's Tony-nominated original score, of course. The show picked up a whopping eight Tony nominations in 2019, and won Timbers a Drama League Award for Excellence in Directing, plus both Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nods for set design. The Beetlejuice musical will make its Australian premiere at Melbourne's Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne, from April 2025 — head to the production's website for further information and to join the ticket waitlist. Images: Matthew Murphy, 2022.
There are plenty of ways to spend the first day of the new year, including nursing the remnants of the previous night's celebrations and getting a head start on all your resolutions. When 2021 farewells us all forever and 2022 kicks into gear, US cable network HBO and Australian streaming platform Binge have another option to keep you occupied: watching the new Harry Potter reunion special. The show was announced earlier in November, and will reteam Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson — because it wouldn't be worth going ahead if they weren't involved. The reason? To celebrate 20 years of the beloved pop culture franchise on the big screen. The special's name, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, says it all. Yes, HBO is doing with all things wizarding what it did with the cast of Friends earlier this year, in great news for everyone that's been chanting "accio more Harry Potter" for the past decade since the eight-film series wrapped up. Like the Friends special, this one won't feature anyone in-character — but, if you're a Potter devotee, spending more time with the movies' stars still promises to be magical. Also taking part is filmmaker Chris Columbus, who directed the franchise's first two movies. Plus, a huge list of other actors from across the series are also involved, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman and Tom Felton, plus James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart. You'll spot some missing names — Maggie Smith and Robert Pattinson, for instance, to name just two — but clearly there'll be a whole lot of HP cast members reminiscing about their time in the wizarding world. Whether you're a muggle, a wannabe witch, or someone who spent far too much of their childhood reading the books and watching the flicks, you'll want to mark 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1 in your diary — as that's when the special will hit Binge. In the interim, you can check out the teaser trailer for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special below — or stream all eight HP flicks on the Aussie streaming service: HBO's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special will be available to stream in Australia via Binge from 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1, 2022.
The idea behind theme parks is simple. If someone loves something enough — superhero movies, TV shows, video games, animation studios, a huge entertainment brand or Italian food, for example — they'll be willing to pay money to indulge that affection. And, they'll be particularly keen to roam around an entire site dedicated to their favourite thing, celebrating it all day long. With that in mind, if you're someone who simply can't get enough bubble tea, you'll want to head to Japan's latest theme park. There are no prizes for guessing what patrons will be drinking at Tokyo Tapioca Land; however, that's not all they'll be doing. Attendees will also be able to work their way around various tapioca-themed photo booths, and try different tapioca foods and beverages, including from some of the country's big brands. Based on sketches on the theme park site, as well as a report by Sora News 24, they may also be climb onto tapioca-themed rides. Just what most of above will entail is being kept rather vague — and yes, it sounds a more than a little like the incredibly Instagram-friendly food-focused sites that've been popping up around the place, such as Australia's Sugar Republic. Tellingly, Tokyo Tapioca Land is a temporary attraction, setting up shop outside of the station in Harajuku train station from August 13 to September 16. [caption id="attachment_707444" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gotcha Tea[/caption] If you're going to be in Tokyo at the time, pre-sales have already sold out, but there will be tickets available on the day for 1200 yen (around AU$16) — if you're willing to brave what'll likely be some significant queues. For those who don't have a trip to Japan on the cards, perhaps trying to drink away your envy by indulging in a bubble tea or several will help. Tokyo Tapioca Land will be open at jing, outside the Harajuku train station at 6-7 Jingumae Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, from August 13 to September 16. For further details, visit the website. Via PR Times / Sora News 24.
Whether he's co-writing and starring in sketch comedies, directing two of the best horror films of the past few years, producing an Oscar-nominee or reviving a science-fiction classic, Jordan Peele has amassed an impressive resume. So, whenever he adds a new project to the lengthy list, it's worth paying attention. Already, he has Key & Peele, Get Out, Us and The Twilight Zone to his name— and he produced BlacKkKlansman, and produced and co-wrote the upcoming new Candyman flick too. This year, he also executive produced Al Pacino-starring TV series Hunters, about hunting down Nazis in the 70s. And, come August, he's doing the same with Lovecraft Country, a 50s-era exploration of both otherworldly and actual monsters. Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country follows a road trip across the US in the time of the Jim Crow racial segregation laws. Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors, Da 5 Bloods) is looking for his missing dad (Michael Kenneth Williams, The Wire), enlisting his friend (Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) and his uncle George (Courtney B Vance, Ben Is Back) to trek around the country with him. Cue the unwelcoming, discriminatory and hostile reality of white America, as well as terrors of the supernatural kind (aka, the type that American sci-fi and horror writer HP Lovecraft is synonymous with, hence the show's title). Yes, it sounds like it's completely in Peele's wheelhouse. Lost and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker's JJ Abrams is also one of the new ten-episode series' executive producers, too, alongside showrunner and writer Misha Green (Underground), directors Yann Demange ('71) and Daniel Sackheim (True Detective, Game of Thrones), and producers Bill Carraro (Blade Runner 2049) and David Knoller (Power, Big Love). Lovecraft Country hits HBO in the US in August, with the exact date yet to be announced. As for airing Down Under, Australians can likely expect it to screen on Foxtel and/or its new streaming platform Binge, with local details yet to be revealed as well. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJV9acMsDwM Lovecraft Country starts airing on HBO in the US in August. A release date Down Under is yet to be announced — we'll update you when one comes to hand. Top image: Elizabeth Morris/HBO
With COVID-19 cases remaining low in Queensland over the past couple of weeks — including no new cases reported in the past 24 hours — the state has been relaxing a number of coronavirus-related restrictions. Already, Queenslanders are allowed to leave the house for some non-essential purposes. From Sunday, May 10, you'll be able to welcome five people from another household into your home, too. And, in the next week, a whole heap of other limitations will also be lifted. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed the state's roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions today, Friday, May 8, following a similar announcement at the federal level. While Prime Minister Scott Morrison just unveiled the nation's three-step plan to lift lockdown limitations between now and July this afternoon as well, that country-wide framework needs to be implemented at the state level individually by each state — with Queensland getting in quick to explain exactly what's to come. From 11.59pm on Friday, May 15, Queensland will move to stage one of its "step-down approach to COVID-19", which is due to run for four weeks. During stage one, many normal, everyday activities that have been off limits since March will be allowed once again. In fact, it's a lengthy list. During stage one, the following will be allowed: Up to five visitors in your home, including from separate households. Gatherings of up to ten people outside of the house, for outdoor, non-contact activities — such as personal training, hiking in national and state parks, swimming in outdoor and indoor pools, visiting public spaces such as South Bank Parklands (including the lagoons), and heading to parks, playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor gyms. Gatherings of up to ten people in libraries. Weddings with up to ten people. Church gatherings of up to ten people. Funerals with up to 20 people indoors and 30 outdoors. Recreational travel within 150 kilometres of your place of residence — for day trips only. All retail shopping. Dining in at cafes, restaurants, pubs and hotels, with up to ten people allowed inside at any one time. Open homes and auctions with up to ten people. Beauty therapy services, with up to ten people allowed in-store at any one time. Of particular note is the increased number of outdoor activities, the fact that Queenslanders can now venture three times as far away from their homes, and the fact that cafes, restaurants and hotels will be able to open for dine-in customers — with the latter not initially expected to occur until June. Bars and gaming aren't included in stage one, however, but pubs serving food are. If all goes well, stage two will come into effect on June 12. That said, the Queensland Government will assess the effectiveness of stage one and monitor the outbreak of new COVID-19 cases before giving the go-ahead to loosen more restrictions. When stage two does start in Queensland, gathering limits will increase to 20, recreational travel will be allowed within 250 kilometres of your house, and 20 people will be allowed inside cafes, restaurants and hotels. Cinemas, museums, art galleries, theatres, arenas, arcades, zoos and outdoor amusement parks will also be able to open, again with a maximum of 20 people permitted at any one time. It's not until stage three, which has a target kick off date of July 10, that gathering limits will increase to 100 — including in cafes, restaurants and hotels, with bars and gaming venues then also allowed to open. Broader intrastate as well as interstate travel is also on the cards at this stage. Here's the full stage-by-stage rundown: At each stage, the standard social-distancing requirements will still apply — so sticking physical distancing, maintaining four square metres per person indoors, hand and cough hygiene, and frequent cleaning and disinfection. And, as the Premier stressed more than once during her press conference, these stages will be assessed on a month-by-month basis — so the timing may change depending on COVID-19 case numbers. "I am announcing our clear Queensland plan for the next three months. Of course, there may be setbacks along the way but I hope this plan can give certainty to Queenslanders as we map our path forward," the Premier noted. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Grace Smith
The sun is shining, you're out of office is on and you've already spent a good amount of time curled up streaming TV shows. Now's the chance to catch up on your reading — so, find a shady spot on a beach, next to a pool or by a waterfall and start making your way through our favourite books of 2020. Even if the unexpected amount of time spent at home this year has provided you with ample reading opportunities, we're sure you'll find something on the list to fill your days. It's a mixed bag this year — we've been turning the pages of novels about First Nations languages, Nick Cave and bars in Spain. Some of them are hopeful, some are relatable and some are heartbreaking, which makes them perfect for mulling over during the holidays, and providing flavourful fodder for dinner conversations. Take your pick. THE YIELD BY TARA JUNE WINCH Awarded the 2020 Miles Franklin Literary Award, Tara June Winch's The Yield is a book at odds with itself. It's about language lost as much as it's a celebration of tongue; the beauty of the land, the blood in it and its unearthing; and a culture dispossessed as well as a homecoming. It's about both Indigenous and colonial Australia. A connection to — and raw look at — Ngurambang/Country. When August returns home after her grandfather's death, she learns that the land she grew up on is being repossessed by a mining company. What ensues is a reaping of time, secrets, storytelling and blood. Split into three interlinking narratives — Albert 'Poppy' Gondiwindi and his passing on of his language, the Reverend's tales of starting a mission in Massacre Plains and August's quest to save her ancestors' land — it shows how tied Australia's future is to its past. The Yield is stunningly astute. It's a book worthy of attention; worthy to be placed on every Australian bookshelf. It rips at your heart, but also sings of hope. Cordelia Williamson, Branded Content Producer NEW VOICES ON FOOD A timely and personal look at how we connect through food, New Voices on Food makes room for a diverse collection of voices. Edited by writer, radio presenter and Sydney gem Lee Tran Lam, New Voices on Food is the first edition of a community-oriented anthology that offers new perspectives on our collective love of food. After taking public submissions back in August, the book showcases stories of individuals from underrepresented communities and celebrates the power of diversity. Contributions come in the form of written word, comics, photo essays and sketches. Each piece exudes a deep connection with food and its relationship with family, identity, memory and our tastebuds. Together, the stories demonstrate the importance of difference and promote what will hopefully be a more diverse future culinary landscape. Ben Hansen, Staff Writer HUMANKIND: A HOPEFUL HISTORY BY RUTGER BREGMAN If you hand-counted all the good things that happened in 2020, you would probably struggle to make it past your pinky finger. "Not me," you say? Good on you — go buy a yacht or something. If that statement is accurate, read on — literally. Danish author and historian Rutger Bregman has offered up his latest enlightening view on the world, and it's the most uplifting read you'll come across this year. Humankind: A Hopeful History argues against 'veneer theory': the idea that human compassion is cosmetic, and that underneath our thin layer of kindness lies our true, savage, violent and uncaring selves. Bregman uses the Lord of The Flies scenario as a common anecdote throughout the book, backed up with real-world social experiments that show just how horrible us humans are. But the historian in Bregman digs deeper, a lot deeper, and discovers that most of these 'scientific' social experiments were fuelled by ambition, hypocrisy and self-fulfilling prophecies. It's so satisfying to read through a criminologist's pessimistic magnum opus and have Bregman break it like a matchstick. The book leaves you feeling lighter — it's an absolute joy. Reuben Gibbes, Video Producer KOKOMO BY VICTORIA HANNAN You've probably seen Victoria Hannan's Kokomo in someone's hands on the tram, at the beach or at your local cafe; it's been receiving a bit of traction since its publication in July this year. Set in Melbourne, Kokomo feels familiar. Like Helen Garner's Monkey Grip but without the heroin, it celebrates the city and its ordinariness. In this way, it is far from the tropical paradise of the eponymous song by The Beach Boys. But, at its heart, Kokomo is about relationships and the building and tumbling of them. Mina, living her so-called best life in London, gets a call from her best friend Kira. Mina's mother has left the house — something she hasn't done in 12 years. Wanting answers, Mina returns to Melbourne and, after wading through her past, gets them. Hannan's tender storytelling drives her debut novel, with moments of heartbreak and hilarity and all shades in between. Cordelia Williamson, Branded Content Producer HONEYBEE BY CRAIG SILVEY Craig Silvey established himself as a force to be reckoned with in Australian literature with Rhubarb before following it up with the exquisite Jasper Jones. This year, he returned with another tour de force coming-of-age story. Set in Perth, Honeybee opens with its protagonist, Sam, leaning over the side of a bridge ready to jump. Sam is a transgender teenager and is struggling with self-hatred and the ill-treatment of others. Sam is confused and devastated. As it happens, an elderly man named Vic is also out on the ledge, and that chance meeting changes the trajectory of both of their lives forever. At times heart-breaking, tender, wild and woolly, funny and outrageous, this book is brimming over with luminous language and characters that burrow their way into your heart and stick with you. Your heart breaks repeatedly for Sam on such a difficult journey to find self-acceptance, self-love and to accept love; and ultimately this becomes a heart-warming story of becoming. Susi Reed, Business Development Director ALL OUR SHIMMERING SKIES BY TRENT DALTON In his award-winning debut novel Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton shows you the gritty underbelly of 80s Brisbane through the eyes of 12-year-old Eli Bell. In his second novel All Our Shimming Skies, the gravedigger's daughter Molly Hook takes you on a journey through outback Northern Territory in 1942. Both novels have an undeniably dark undercurrent, with war, death and domestic violence setting the scene for Molly's adventure, but they both have an air of magic. Stone hearts, gifts from the sky and 'sorcerer' Longcoat Bob all buoy Molly and her companions, sharp-tongued aspiring actress Greta and fallen Japanese fighter pilot Yukio, as they navigate greed, grief and can after can of Campbell's Condensed Oxtail Soup on their journey. All Our Shimmering Skies is a dreamlike coming-of-age novel, following Molly on her quest to find buried treasures and secrets alike. It's a novel that'll captivate you with descriptions of big fat orange caterpillars and storms that shake pennies from the clouds, and have you booking in a road trip to explore Australia for yourself. Samantha Teague, Editor INTOXICATING: TEN DRINKS THAT SHAPED AUSTRALIA BY MAX ALLEN In his latest treatise on the history of booze in Australia, lauded wine writer Max Allen describes his experience eating an apple from a 180-year-old tree in southern NSW: "It was a ravishing, moving experience: I felt for a moment as though I was travelling through time and space, from now, back through colonial Australia, all the way to Elizabethan England." The same could be said of his book. Intoxicating: Ten Drinks That Shaped Australia takes you on a journey, from gum trees on the edge of a boggy Tasmanian frost plain to the Victoria Bitter brewery in inner city Melbourne; from a Port Phillip Bay shipwreck in 1841 to a natural Margaret River vineyard in 2019. It's a history lesson — an engaging one, told by a teacher that's charming, witty and honest — a recipe book and social critique all in one. And it touches on an important not-oft-discussed topic: pre-colonial Indigenous-made alcohol and the myth of a 'dry continent'. It's a read best paired with a home-brewed peach cyder — and followed up with Bruce Pascoe's groundbreaking Aboriginal agriculture deep-dive Dark Emu. Samantha Teague, Editor BOY ON FIRE: THE YOUNG NICK CAVE BY MARK MORDUE Mark Mordue's Boy on Fire: The Young Nick Cave offers an enthralling glimpse into the formative years of the mysterious dark prince of Australian music. It's a personal peek under the hood of Nick Cave, a gripping bildungsroman and a looking glass to the wild Melbourne post-punk scene of the 70s and early 80s. If you're a Cave fan, yes, this is probably more than enough for you to run and grab a copy, but the biography goes far beyond the skimming of surfaces. Boy on Fire is the making of ten years of interviews between Mordue and Cave, as well as a revolving cast of characters from Cave's early days and those close to the enigmatic artist, including Cave's late mother Dawn, boyhood mates from Wangaratta and members of The Birthday Party. Mordue's prose is worthy of its subject; it is at once poetic and gritty, humorous and heartfelt, painting a portrait of an uncompromising, ambitious and, at times, erratic musician who came from rural Victoria to take on the world. Ben Hansen, Staff Writer and Cordelia Williamson, Branded Content Producer COCO WAS PARADISE BY GARY BRUN Coco Was Paradise is Gary Brun's debut novel, which is surprising because it reads as if he's been writing for decades. It's a boozy, sun-drenched fable of lust, jealousy, romance and madness — a tale that could have only been set in Spain. 23-year-old Arthur Washington travels to San Sebastián in an effort to escape the rut of his inner city Sydney life. He spends a night on a stolen yacht with a mystifying woman who goes by the name of Coco. Then, after a month-long coma, Arthur wakes up in hospital before being told he had fallen off a cliff. Did he fall? Or was he pushed? Coco Was Paradise is a sensory journey. Brun seems to have drunk in every bar and visited every cultural monument in Spain in the way he writes with such accurate detail. It's the perfect summer read that will leave you with a tan and a hangover. Reuben Gibbes, Video Producer UNCANNY VALLEY BY ANNA WIENER 'Doomscrolling' may be Macquarie Dictionary's word of the year, but writer Anna Wiener will tell you the act of endlessly refreshing the news on your phone is entirely by design. This won't be surprising to anyone who watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix this year (or, let's face it, to any consumer of media), but what might pique your interest is just how toxic the workplace culture is and was at many of the Silicon Valley companies responsible for our daily addictions. Casual sexism? Check. Harassment? Check. Excessive surveillance? You name it. Uncanny Valley is Wiener's memoir of her time at unnamed tech start-ups, but really it's a reality check for all of us to take off the company-branded t-shirts and start tapping into what we're really supporting with every mindless scroll. Emma Joyce, Branded Content Editor THE ANSWER IS... BY ALEX TREBEK There are many reasons to watch Jeopardy!, the long-running TV quiz show that has been on the air in the US in its current form since 1984. Alex Trebek and his love of knowledge are chief among them, though. Yes, it's fun to play along and to see contestants notch up big wins. But none of that would strike such a chord if Trebek wasn't so passionate and dedicated to the cause — even when he's getting a little sassy with the competitors. In a book that's been decades in the making, The Answer Is… By Alex Trebek sees the beloved host reflect upon his life and career across a series of vignettes, touching upon everything from the moustache that earned so much attention when he shaved it off to Will Ferrell's famed Saturday Night Live impersonations. Backstage stories abound, of course, which are catnip for longterm Jeopardy! fans; however it's Trebek's willingness to get personal that unsurprisingly resonates. The candid memoir hit bookstores earlier this year before the television icon died from pancreatic cancer in early November, but it was always going to be a witty, engaging and moving read. And, a definite Jeopardy! clue one day, too. Sarah Ward, Weekend Editor
Commencement speeches are admittedly a very American tradition. Sure, we have them in Australia, but they're usually given by some fusty old professor who you've never actually seen before. It takes a truly inspirational guy like Tim Minchin to break through the literal and figurative mould of the Australian graduation address, while Americans are spoiled for choice. Fittingly, NPR has recently compiled all the nation's best offerings into a commencement speech database — a sprawling intellectual oasis which is guaranteed to make your day. Describing the medium as "a hilarious, inspiring form of popular art", NPR has catalogued over 300 graduation speeches given by luminaries in the fields of science, politics, art and comedy. Speakers vary from Barack Obama at the University of Michigan, to Yoko Ono at Maine College of Art, to Andy Samberg at Harvard University (for some unknown and hilarious reason). Most speeches come in the form of transcripts, although many have accompanying Youtube clips. Jon Lovett's recent address to Pitzer College even comes with this adorable and uplifting animation. As outlined in the NPR blog, the main points of these speeches are usually a variation on a theme. Quite rightly, speakers often urge students to work hard, be kind, and embrace failure. The commencement speech is more than a guide to graduation after all; it's an uplifting look at adulthood. It examines the nature of success, but it also takes a larger look at humanity. You might have finished university, you might have a full-time job and a partner and a family, you might even have It All Figured Out. But from time to time, don't we all need a little inspiration? See the full database here.
Back in 2001, when now-The 40 -Year-Old Virgin, Superbad, 50/50, Pam & Tommy, The Fabelmans and The Studio star Seth Rogen earned a role in Undeclared, his second TV series, Nicholas Stoller (You're Cordially Invited) was one of the show's writers. With the college-set sitcom's creator Judd Apatow (The Bubble) — who Rogen had first worked with on Freaks and Geeks — the pair co-penned an episode together. On-screen, Carla Gallo (Mayans MC) was also among the core cast members. Rogen, Stoller, Gallo: in their professional relationship, this trio was just getting started. In 2010, when Stoller helmed Get Him to the Greek, his second feature, then-Two Hands, The Goddess of 1967, Troy, Marie Antoinette, 28 Weeks Later and Sunshine talent Rose Byrne (Physical) was one of his leads. Gallo also popped up, as she did in the filmmaker's debut Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Jump to 2014 and Bad Neighbours — or simply Neighbours in the US, but renamed Down Under for obvious soap opera clash-avoidance reasons — saw Byrne, Rogen, Stoller and Gallo all join forces. Again, the quartet's collaboration was just beginning. Bad Neighbours and its sequel Bad Neighbours 2 enlisted Byrne and Rogen to play a married couple with a new baby, grappling with the major change of lifestyle that comes with becoming parents while also dealing with living next door to a fraternity. What if Byrne and Rogen instead portrayed pals, not a couple — specifically, past BFFs who've drifted apart due to the complicated balance of attempting to juggle their platonic relationship with their romantic lives (aka: one didn't like the other's spouse and said so), and then reunite? Thanks to Platonic, that's when the Bad Neighbours team became focused on good friends. In a series co-created, co-written and co-directed by Stoller and Francesca Delbanco (Friends with College), Byrne plays Sylvia, a stay-at-home mother when the first season of Platonic premiered in 2023. The setup with her husband Charlie (Luke Macfarlane, Invincible): she put her law career on hold for their children, while he kept his, becoming the family breadwinner. Rogen is Will, who kicked off the show as a beer-obsessive brewpub co-owner whose life couldn't be more different from his old friend from college's suburban existence. The two haven't kept in touch since she was honest about her thoughts on his wife, however — but that changes when Sylvia hears about Will's divorce, reaches out and reignites their chaotic dynamic. When you're making a comedy about messy friendships, including with Gallo as Sylvia's pal Katie, does it help to be making it with friends? "Definitely," Rogen tells Concrete Playground. "I think in this case it did, yeah. For sure," adds Byrne. "I think when you're doing something like this — kind of outwardly comedic, and you're being expected to take swings and try things — the better you know the people, the more comfort there is with all that. And the easier that is to put yourself out there and try ridiculous things," pipes back in Rogen. "I agree. And Nick Stoller and Seth have known each other since Seth was 18, so that's such a wildly long friendship," continues Byrne. "A very long time, yeah," Rogen adds again. "And Nick gave me my first comedic role in Get Him to the Greek. So that, to me, is a very seminal moment for my career. I feel very sentimental about that at this point. So it's nice to reunite," Byrne reflects. "And this show is so fun. It's a really fun job that we have fun on — genuine fun on-set doing." Buddy-comedy gold, and also a deeply relatable and hilarious exploration of what it means to be best friends as life tears you in an array of directions and keeps throwing crisis after crisis your respective ways — personal, professional, family, romantic, the works — was the end result in Platonic's first season. The show's second run begins with almost an inverse of where its predecessor commenced, and proves both funny and thoughtful once more. Will is about to get married, and seems to mostly have it all together in love and at work. Meanwhile, Sylvia hasn't had the success that she was hoping for with her events company, and is also in a rut with Charlie. As it follows where these new starting points take its key duo, Platonic again digs into the complexity, codependence and sometimes-toxicity of Sylvia and Will's relationship, exploring their similarities and differences, and examining what it means to have a fulfilling and supportive friendship — and one that comes with so much history. The series' second season continues another of the show's pivotal elements, too: pondering the fact that no matter if you're married with kids or thinking about it, or where you are in your work realm, no one ever really feels grown up — or, at least, how you think being an adult and in your 40s will feel when you're younger. Among other topics, we also chatted to Byrne and Rogen about that crucial theme, unpacking the impact that a friendship like Sylvia and Will's has on the romances in their lives, Rogen's fondness for examining friendship on-screen and Byrne's physical-comedy prowess. On Stepping Back Into Sylvia and Will's Shoes for a Second Season Rose: "I'm just always nervous. You're just hoping it's going to be funny again." Seth: "Yeah." Rose: "'Is this going to work?'. That feeling of butterflies doesn't necessarily go away. It's just like 'okay, this was good. We got something good last time' — but the stakes are almost higher when you go back again, because 'okay, how do you make it better?'. But I feel it's actually stronger this season. I think they wrote even more to our strengths. And TV takes a minute to settle in — it takes a minute season by season to really enrich the characters. So I was still definitely nervous starting." Seth: "For sure, definitely." On Whether There's Something That Appeals to Rogen About Digging Into Friendships On-Screen Across His Career, Including in The Studio This Year Seth: "I guess so. I think it's people. It's something I just really relate to. I think part of it is probably that my creative partner is my friend. And so I think a lot of our creative output comes through this lens of friendship, and of collaboration and of attempts to communicate things with other people. It's just very relatable. And people, as much as it speaks to my personal life, it seems to speak to other people's lives as well. And I think conflict with your friends is something that I've also found to be very interesting and entertaining subject matter, and trying to reconcile a working relationship with a personal relationship, and things like that. They're just things that are big things in my actual life, so that's always what I'm trying to put into my work. And it's also a bigger source of conflict. I've been in a very happy marriage for like 20 years, or we've been together for like 20 years. And there's not a ton of conflict or comedy that comes from that. Much more comedy comes from the things my stupid friends do — and so we write more about that." On the Importance of Platonic Also Being a Show About the Fact That No One Ever Truly Feels Grown Up, Even When They're Entering Their 40s Rose: "I like that. I enjoyed the fact that they're in their 40s, they're at very different stages of their life — Sylvia's in the trenches with little kids, raising her family, and Will is still trying to capture the heydays of being in his 20s and 30s. So it felt ripe for comedy in that way — getting older, how do you navigate that and how do you have friendships when you're raising a family? It's really hard. How do you figure that out? And again, to Seth's point, I could really relate to that as a mum, as a working mum, and all that sort of stuff." On What's Interesting About Unpacking How Friendships Can Impact Relationships Seth: "To me, what's interesting is, when you're friends with people, is the constant conundrum of 'how involved do you get in their romantic relationships?' and 'how honest do you be about your feelings about their partners and their relationships with their partners?'. And I think that's what the show really gets into. And what I really relate to when I watch it is 'if your friend is in a relationship with someone you don't think they're right for, do you say something? Do you not say something? Do you let it go? If your friend's partner seems to be going through something, do you say something? Do you not say something?'. And to me, it's more of like there's no right or wrong answer that's across the board. I think it's very specific to different situations. But it's a really interesting thing for the show to explore, because it's something that I see a lot of in my real life." On Byrne's Knack for Physical Comedy — and What Excites Her About Getting to Give Those Talents a Workout Rose: "I feel so spoiled. I love it. And Nick and Francesca write me these crazy sequences. I always get nervous. They're often with Seth and I'm falling all over him and being crazy, and in somewhere weird — where were we? Some convenience store last season. Some of my favourite performances have great comedic, physical setpieces. So it's always a big swing, and you don't know if it's going to work, but they're so fun to try to do." On Whether Platonic Is Filling a Comedy Gap on the Small Screen That's Been Missing From the Big Screen in Recent Years Seth: "Maybe. It's a little light on concept for a movie, perhaps. It could maybe use a bit more plot if it was going to be a movie. But I think tonally it captures what our movies capture. But I think what's interesting is, especially when they pitched the idea to me in the first place, that's what was exciting about it — that it was sort of capturing this energy of these R-rated comedies that we made, but more tailored to a television sensibility. Which I think means it is more of a long game — it's more of a marathon and not a sprint, which I think allows the plotlines to be a little more grounded and relatable in a lot of ways. And you're not looking for a hook where it's like 'you've got 24 hours to get a guy to a theatre' or 'you're trying to buy beer for the party that night'." Rose: "Yes, yes." Seth: "It allows them to be a little bit more slice of life, which I think is cool, but it also has the tone of these big raucous comedies we used to make." On What Gets Byrne and Rogen Excited About a New Role and a New Project at This Stage in Their Careers Rose: "I'm the fan. I love seeing stuff and meeting people — and meeting directors and writers. I still don't take for granted working in this industry." Seth: "Yeah." Rose: "I mean, Seth made a whole show about it." Seth: "Yes." Rose: "It's real. I feel like if that feeling goes away, then I should go away. For me, it's still such a thrill to work. Obviously having a family changes things, and you have to prioritise and all those sorts of stuff, but every working parent has to do that. But I still feel like I'm still the fan — when I meet people and I still get starstruck and I still want to work with people, and all those sorts of things. So for me, it's still really a thrill to be doing it." Seth: "Yeah, me too. Exactly." Platonic streams via Apple TV+, with season two premiering on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Read our review of season one.
Danny and Michael Philippou know how to haunt. When the Adelaide-born twins unveiled their debut feature Talk to Me in 2023, a new Aussie horror sensation took the genre, and the world, by the hand to share its entertainingly eerie energy. The filmmakers behind it also became one of the hottest new things in scary movies. Two years later, the Philippous are returning with their sophomore effort — and, based on its just-dropped first teaser trailer, more must-see chills are on the way. After Talk to Me's huge success, including for cult-favourite distributor A24, sequel Talk 2 Me was quickly greenlit. But the filmmakers who started out their careers behind the camera as YouTubers RackaRacka will have Bring Her Back in cinemas first. Horror? Tick. A24 onboard? Tick again. Dancing with the dead once more? That seems to be the case as well. The non-Talk to Me flick that's combining all of the above, and also the Philippous (of course), stars The Shape of Water Oscar-nominee — and Wonka, Spencer, Paddington and Godzilla: King of the Monsters actor — Sally Hawkins. As the initial trailer shows, she plays a foster mother. The brother and sister newly in her care find more than just a new parent in her home, however. In the first sneak peek, this is a picture of grief, death and blood, plus strange circles and petrifying rituals. Alongside Hawkins, the Australian-made Bring Her Back also stars Billy Barratt (Kraven the Hunter), Jonah Wren Phillips (How to Make Gravy) and film first-timer Sora Wong. A24 went all-in on the Philippous after picking up Talk to Me in a Sundance Film Festival bidding war, when global attention started being showered upon the Aussie flick about shaking hands with an embalmed palm, feeling the rush while being haunted, having your mates watch and film it, and dealing with the spooky consequences. Danny and Michael made their feature directorial debut after racking up a huge following with RackaRacka's viral videos, and via behind-the-scenes work on Australian films such as The Babadook. Their first flick feature proved a big box-office success, taking in US$10 million on its opening weekend in America alone, which placed it second among A24's films after Hereditary. Across its big-screen run, it clawed its way up to second on the company's all-time worldwide list, after Everything Everywhere All At Once and Civil War. And, at the 2024 AACTA Awards, Talk to Me took home eight accolades, including Best Film of 2023, plus Best Director. Check out the trailer for Bring Her Back below: Bring Her Back releases in the US on Friday, May 30, 2025, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when more details are announced. Read our review of Talk to Me, and our interview with Danny Philippou.
Mother nature wants us to stop using plastic bags. They aren't good for the environment, particularly when disposed of incorrectly and become fatal turtle food due to their uncanny jellyfish-like appearance in the ocean. Consequently, she has teamed up with Mother Nature, a fellow attendee of her weekly mother's club, to create a brand-new range of uncarriable carrier bags that will tempt us into changing our plastic bag usage and recycling habits. Building on their first series of uncarriable carrier bags in 2005 that featured bags emblazoned with 'sperm clinic drop in centre' and 'Phil Collins unofficial fan club', the creative company has released four new yellow bags with overlaid x-ray machine like designs that suggest you are carrying items that you would not want your closest friends to uncover, let alone the wider general public. The designs include drug paraphernalia, sex toys and weapons and beg the question of how desperate your plastic bag need is if you are willing to be seen carrying these items. Showing that reverse psychology works a treat though, they may prove to be on everyone's want list as they are so covetable and novelty. But even then, that should slow plastic bag consumption, as these can carry all of your shopping and other plastic bag needs. Just don't take them on a plane, except maybe the sex toys one; that one probably won't get you stopped, just stared at a lot. Via It's Nice That
How do you fill 18 Victorian winter days with movies? That's the glorious problem that the Melbourne International Film Festival is tasked with solving each year. 2025's solution for its 73rd event will span hundreds of pictures, brand-new local features and must-see international award-winners alike, as MIFF delivers every August. Some examples this time around: Jafar Panahi's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning It Was Just an Accident, almost-100-year-old masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter performed live, an Australian time-loop comedy involving tequila, a Baker Boy- and Hugh Jackman (Deadpool & Wolverine)-narrated tribute to David Gulpilil, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind filmmaker Michel Gondry's latest and the world-premiere of natural disaster-focused virtual-reality documentary When the World Came Flooding In. Yes, it's MIFF first glance time, with the festival revealing its initial batch of titles for 2025 — and it's a hefty collection. While there's many more to come, 26 films are now officially on the lineup and set to hit Melbourne's big screens between Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24. Some will also play regional Victoria venues across two weekends, Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24. Then there's the return of MIFF Online via the Australian Centre for the Moving Image's streaming platform Cinema 3, sharing selected fest titles with the rest of Australia across Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31 (and with Melburnians, too, for a week after the physical festival ends for the year). Among the films mentioned above, the combination of Julia Holter and Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 silent great The Passion of Joan of Arc is taking over Melbourne Recital Centre for two evenings; One More Shot will get the spirits flowing amid temporal trickery with help from Emily Browning (Class of '07), Apple Cider Vinegar co-stars Aisha Dee and Ashley Zukerman, Sean Keenan (Exposure) and Pallavi Sharda (The Office); Journey Home, David Gulpilil charts the iconic actor's journey to be laid to rest; and Maya, Give Me a Title hails from Gondry. But even from the first-glance batch, they're just the beginning. Also on the bill, for instance: Richard Linklater's (Hit Man) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Andrew Scott (Ripley); Carey Mulligan (Spaceman) in music-fuelled comedy The Ballad of Wallis Island; the Dylan O'Brien (Saturday Night)-led Twinless; and Dreams, with Jessica Chastain (Mothers' Instinct) reuniting with her Memory helmer Michel Franco. "It all starts here — the full MIFF 2025 program is soon to arrive; set to be a world-ranging, celebratory and all-out extraordinary collection of films," said Melbourne International Film Festival Artistic Director Al Cossar, announcing his team's debut picks for this year. "I'm excited to share some of our first announcement of titles, and incredible highlights, of this year's MIFF: beloved auteurs, festival blockbusters, the best of new Australian filmmaking, alongside the incredibly special and absolutely unmissable live-score cinema event Julia Holter: The Passion of Joan of Arc." Similarly on the way to Melbourne: A24's Sorry, Baby starring Naomi Ackie (Mickey 17), Harvest's pairing of actor Caleb Landry Jones (DogMan) and Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari (Chevalier), actor Jay Duplass (Dying for Sex) making his solo directorial debut with SXSW Austin favourite The Baltimorons, and The Bear and Beef alum Alex Russell also doing the same with the obsessive Lurker. The 60s-era Bond-style homage Reflections in a Dead Diamond should be at the top of your list as well if you were a fan of Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani's Let the Corpses Tan when it played MIFF back in 2018, or Amer and The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears in general. Or, catch Cloud, with e-commerce in the spotlight in Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's (Serpent's Path) new thriller. Plus, Marlon Williams: Two Worlds — Ngā Ao E Rua is about its namesake New Zealand musician, while Fwends is set in Melbourne and marks Sophie Somerville's first feature. If you've been paying attention to Sydney Film Festival's 2025 program and you're spotting some familiar pictures, MIFF does indeed share some of the same films, as is the custom each and every year. [caption id="attachment_1002698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Greg Cotten.[/caption] The Victorian capital's annual major film fest boasts its own premiere fund, though, which helps to finance new Australian movies. That's where not only One More Shot but a range of other titles come in, with 2025's haul also spanning the likes of Filipino Australian photographer James J Robinson's debut feature First Light, documentary Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke about the comedy icon, the competitive Microsoft Excel-centric Spreadsheet Champions and Nigerian stand-up comedian Okey Bakassi in Pasa Faho's window into being African Australian, MIFF's program already goes on from there, and already boasts oh-so-much to get excited about; however for even more, the full 2025 lineup will arrive on Thursday, July 10. [caption id="attachment_997749" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alistair Heap/Focus Features ©2025 All Rights Reserved[/caption] The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, including the full program from Thursday, July 10, visit the MIFF website. Top image: Ben King/Stan.
