This may not be a revelation worthy of a David Attenborough doco, but after years of hotel sleuthing, boutique travel experts Mr & Mrs Smith tell us they have the check-in patterns of men and women down pat: he sizes up the entertainment system while she susses out the bathroom situation. Then, after flicking on remotes and getting a whiff of Aesop toiletries, both gather to scope the contents of the minibar. When those half serves of wine and teeny bottles of gin won’t do, we suggest checking into one of these stylish wine region stays, all within cork-popping distance of world-class vineyards. 1. MONA Pavilions, Hobart Where: 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania What: Pinot noir and aromatic whites It may be the head-scratching artworks in the museum that draw crowds to MONA, but this multi-tasking maverick has much to keep you entertained once the gallery shuts its oversized doors. Situated on the edge of Hobart’s Derwent River, MONA Pavilions mixes a serene setting with ultra-contemporary pavilions and original art from luminaries such as Arthur Boyd and Brett Whiteley. There’s also lip-smacking restaurant Source and a cellar door that offers tastings of Moo Brew beers and elegant Moorilla Estate wines, made using cool-climate grapes from Huon and Tamar Valley. Book through Smith and you’ll get a private cellar door tasting and a bottle of Muse Series wine. More info 2. Spicers Vineyards Estate, Hunter Valley Where: 555 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin, New South Wales What: Semillon and shiraz Just a two-hour drive north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is the ultimate wine-lovers getaway. Give yourself an early mark on Friday afternoon to beat the throngs on the F3, then check into Spicers Vineyards Estate, an adults-only sanctuary set among shiraz and merlot vines. Pop open a bottle of the estate-grown wine (free if you’ve booked through Smith), before slipping into the double spa bath. After a wow-worthy dinner in the hotel’s restaurant Botanica, a country-chic space mere metres from your suite, nab a spot by the fireplace in the cosy communal lounge. The next day, after a fortifying breakfast in the dining room, let Spicers staff arrange a bespoke tasting tour to standouts such as Keith Tulloch, Tyrrell’s and Andrew Thomas. More info 3. The Louise, Barossa Valley Where: Seppeltsfield Road, Marananga, South Australia What: Shiraz and grenache The Barossa may be best known for its big, ballsy reds and Teutonic tendencies, but there’s refinement to be found in the vale, too. Boutique hotel the Louise is a case in point: 15 sleekly styled suites with spa baths and private courtyards, plus one of Australia’s finest regional restaurants, Appellation. Reception can help arrange cellar door visits to Penfolds, Henschke and other regional heavyweights – bring a high tolerance level for intellectual wine-speak as you taste the best Barossa drops (expect to hear ‘toasty’, ‘berry’, ‘liquorice’ and ‘tobacco’ used at least thrice daily). Smith bookings score a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, the perfect pre-dinner pep-up. More info 4. Empire Retreat & Spa, Margaret River Where: Margaret River region. 1958 Caves Road, Yallingup, Western Australia What: Sem-sauv blancs and cabernet Housed in an old stone farmhouse among rows of chardonnay and cabernet vines, Empire Retreat & Spa is a soul-soothing sanctuary in the heart of Margaret River. There are 10 modern-rustic rooms located in and around the central lodge, ranging from contemporary Lodge Suites to Luxury Villas, which feature a sunken lounge area, spa bath and courtyard shower. Hop between Margaret River’s surf beaches and cellar doors, such as Moss Wood and Vasse Felix, then head back to Empire. Here, fireside couches beckon for a grazing plate and a glass of wine (you’ll nab a bottle on arrival if you book through Smith), and the decadent day spa delivers sigh-inducing treatments including the three-hour Opulence session. More info 5. North Bundaleer, Clare Valley Where: RM Williams Way, Jamestown, South Australia What: Riesling all the way There’s more than a lilting hint of Victorian luxe to North Bundaleer, a lavishly decorated homestead on a 400-acre sweep of farmland. This is a decadent, all-inclusive affair, with meals and drinks included in the room rate, including evening canapés, killer Clare Valley wines and an open bar. Oh yes. Lord it up in the Red Room Suite, home to a canopied four-posted, sitting room with open fire and a bath and shower in what was once the conservatory (how very Cluedo). Nearby, notable locals include Sevenhill, Crabtree and O’Leary Walker for refined riesling and elegant reds. If you need to work off all of that indulgence, climb to the top of Maslin Lookout for sublime sunset views. More info
The force is strong with this idea — and we've definitely got a good feeling about it. From 2019, Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World in Florida will both boast dedicated Star Wars-themed zones, called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Exact dates are yet to be announced, but Disney has just revealed that fans will be travelling to a galaxy far, far away by the middle of next year at Disneyland — and towards the end of the year at Disney World. Galaxy's Edge was first made public back in 2015, will span 14 acres at each site and will prove the biggest single-themed expansion the respective parks have ever seen. And, they'll be designed to "transport guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life." To be specific, fans will be able wander around the outpost of Batuu, which is a hive for smugglers and rogues (naturally); drink blue milk at a cantina; and hop onto a star destroyer. Most importantly, visitors will be able to fly the Millennium Falcon. Yep, prepare to say "punch it" a whole heap — and hopefully become best buddies with a loveable wookiee. The full details are yet to be unveiled, but expect Galaxy's Edge to tie into all ten Star Wars movies to date and feature an array of beloved characters roaming around. Expect to be able to buy plenty of merchandise at the gift shop as well. Eventually, visitors to Disney World will also be able to stay in an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel too, although construction hasn't started yet and an opening date hasn't been announced either. Of course, Galaxy's Edge will be open just in time for Star Wars: Episode IX, which is due in cinemas in December 2019. Given that we now get a new Star Wars flick each year — including spin-offs such as Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is set to be followed by a Boba Fett movie — you'd think it's probably only a matter of time before Disney also opens a Star Wars stadium to match its forthcoming Marvel one. Via Disney Theme Parks Blog.
Every single week, new releases grace the country's cinemas, spanning instant masterpieces, forgettable dreck and everything in-between. But as glorious as the silver-screen experience is — for watching a film, there's absolutely nothing like it — that's not the only place to see an ace movie. Plenty of standout flicks are now dropping in your streaming queue every single month without gracing a picture palace first. Sometimes, they've had small film festival runs beforehand — but definitely not always. Back in the day, these would've been dubbed 'straight to video' and come with an air of suspicion. But bypassing cinemas has never been synonymous with terrible films. It certainly hasn't been in 2022 so far, with the first six months of the year delivering a heap of highlights — 15 that we've picked, in fact — that rank among the year's best. Here's the full rundown of the straight-to-streaming gems that you need to catch up with. The added bonus: you can watch them all from your couch now. KIMI For the second year in a row, Steven Soderbergh has made one of the year's best movies and it has completely bypassed Australian cinemas. Unlike last year's No Sudden Move, however, Kimi was always destined for streaming. The latest in his series of paranoid thrillers that also includes Contagion, and once again female-fronted as Haywire, Side Effects and Unsane were too, this Zoë Kravitz-starring standout takes its cues from smart devices, humanity's increasing dependence upon technology, and the kinds of events that a virtual assistant like Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant might eavesdrop on. As a result, Soderbergh has crafted another movie that riffs on a growing area of real-life interest, then turns it into a tense, potent and devilishly smart feature. A bonus: focusing on a protagonist who doesn't feel safe leaving her house, Kimi couldn't better capture how the pandemic has felt without overtly needing to be a COVID-19 film. Kravitz (The Batman) plays Angela Childs, who works for Seattle-based tech corporation Amygdala from the comfort of her own sprawling loft — and from her own audiophile's dream of a computer setup — listening to snippets of conversation captured by smart speaker Kimi for quality assurance. In one clip, she hears what she believes to be a horrible crime and is compelled to follow up; however, her bosses aren't thrilled about her probing. Complicating matters: after being the victim of an assault a couple of years earlier, Angela suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, making leaving the house to investigate a fraught task. As he did to particularly stellar effect in Unsane as well, Soderbergh styles his latest psychological thriller after its protagonist's mindset, making unease and suspense drop from every aesthetic choice — camera angles and placement, jittery frames and a voyeuristic perspective all included. Kimi is available to stream via Binge. FRESH Finally, a film about dating in the 21st century with real bite — and that's unafraid to sink its teeth into the topic. In this hit Sundance horror-comedy, Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, and once again gets entangled in a romance that'll leave a mark; here, however, the scars aren't merely emotional. Swiping right hasn't been doing it for Fresh's protagonist, as a comically terrible date with the appropriately named Chad (Brett Dier, Jane the Virgin) demonstrates early. Then sparks fly the old-fashioned way, in-person at the supermarket, with the curiously offline doctor Steve (Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy). Soon, he's whisking her away to a secluded spot for the weekend — a little too swiftly for Noa's protective best friend Mollie's (Jojo T Gibbs, Twenties) liking, especially given that no one can virtually stalk his socials to scope him out — and that getaway takes a savage and nightmare-fuelling twist. If Raw met Ex Machina, then crossed paths with American Psycho and Hostel, and finally made the acquaintance of any old rom-com, Fresh still wouldn't be the end result — but its tone stems from those parts, as do some plot points and performances, and even a few scenes as well. First-time feature director Mimi Cave doesn't butcher these limbs, though, and screenwriter Lauryn Kahn (Ibiza) doesn't stitch them together like Frankenstein's monster. As anchored by the excellent Edgar-Jones and Stan, there's care, savvy, smarts and style in this splatter-filled, satirical, brutal, funny, empowered and sweet film. Its twists, and its cutting take on predatory dating, are best discovered by watching, but being turned off apps, men and meat in tandem is an instant gut reaction. Fresh is available to stream via Disney+. COW As its name so clearly explains, Cow devotes its frames to one farmyard animal — and it's one of the most haunting films of the past few years. It's the third feature to take its title from a four-legged critter in the past 12 months, after the vastly dissimilar Pig and Lamb. It's also the second observational documentary of late to peer at the daily existence of creatures that form part of humanity's food chain, following the also-exceptional Gunda. And, it also joins 2013's The Moo Man in honing its focus specifically upon dairy farming, and in Britain at that. But the key to Cow is Andrea Arnold, the phenomenal filmmaker behind Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights, American Honey and the second season of Big Little Lies. She sees Luma, her bovine protagonist, with as much affection and understanding as she's ever seen any of the women who've led her projects. While watching, viewers do as well. Starting with the birth of Luma's latest calf — and, in the beginning, taking detours to see how it's faring as well — Cow unfurls with the rhythm of its agricultural setting. It's the rhythm of Luma's life, too, as she's milked and fed, moos for the offspring that's taken away too quickly, and is soon impregnated again. There's no doubt where the documentary is headed, either. There's simply no shying away from the fact that Luma and cattle like her only exist for milk or meat. Without ever offering any narration or on-screen explanation, Arnold stares at these facts directly, while also peering deeply into its bovine subject's eyes as often as possible. The result is hypnotic, inescapably affecting, and also features the best use of Garbage's 'Milk' ever in a movie. Cow is available to stream via DocPlay. I'M YOUR MAN Since 2013, any film that's involved making an emotional connection with artificial intelligence has brought Her to mind. Since 2014, any movie about human-android relationships has conjured up Ex Machina as well. And, since 2007, any flick that focuses on the companionship that a lonely human soul might find in an artificial companion has walked in Lars and the Real Girl's footsteps, too. In smart, perceptive and warmly humorous German gem I'm Your Man, however, it's a woman who is opening her life to a male presence — an AI-run robot designed to be her perfect match — and she's not too happy about it. Archaeologist Dr Alma Felser (Maren Egger, I Was at Home, But) is merely and begrudgingly testing out the technology that brings Tom (Dan Stevens, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) into her life, for three weeks at the behest of her boss at Berlin's Pergamon Museum, and solely for the good of science. I'm Your Man is a rom-com, which means exactly what viewers think it does going in: that Alma slowly starts rethinking her position on Tom. But that's about the only aspect of this thoughtful, witty and yearning exploration of what it means to be human and to truly connect that does what's expected. Fresh from winning an Emmy for directing Unorthodox, German filmmaker Maria Schrader helms a charming and insightful take on what's beginning to be an oft-considered topic, and is unpacked in a moving and delightful way in her hands. Her film is also extremely well cast, with Egger thoroughly deserving her 2021 Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Acting Performance as Alma, and Stevens pitch-perfect as the supposed robotic man of her dreams — who just wants love himself. I'm Your Man is available to stream via Binge. HELLBENDER Meet the Adams family — no, not the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky characters that've featured on pages and screens for decades (including in two terrible recent animated flicks), but the filmmaking collective comprised of couple Toby Poser and John Adams, plus their daughters Zelda and Lulu Adams. The quartet might be missing a letter from their well-known counterparts' names, but they're just as fond of all things horror. Case in point: their second feature Hellbender, a self-financed standout that's both a spellbinding tale of witchcraft and a clever coming-of-age story. It starts in a house in the woods, and also spends most of its time there. It includes the arrival of an unexpected stranger, shattering the status quo. But formulaic and by-the-numbers, this must-see isn't. In making first-rate use of its setting, and of a cast that's primarily comprised of Adams family members, it's also a masterclass in lockdown filmmaking. In the most expected aspect of Hellbender, the film's name does indeed refer to a punk-metal band, with 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams, The Deeper You Dig) and her mother (Toby Poser) its sole members. No one else has ever heard them play, either, given that Izzy is both homeschooled and confined to the family's sprawling mountainside property, as she has been since she was five. Her mum tells her that she can't venture into town or around other people due to a contagious autoimmune disease; however, when a lost man (John Adams) wanders their way and mentions that his teenage niece Amber (Lulu Adams) lives nearby, Izzy gets the confidence to go exploring. As both written and directed by three out of four Adams family members — all except Lulu — Hellbender proves an impressive supernatural affair from its opening occult-heavy prologue through to its astute take on teen rebellion. Here's hoping this Adams family spirits up more DIY horror delights soon, too. Hellbender is available to stream via Shudder. APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD In 1969, the year that Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is set, writer/director Richard Linklater was nine years old and living in Houston, Texas. This lovely animated film happens to follow a boy around the same age in the same city — and trust the filmmaker behind Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, and the glorious trio that is Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight to make viewers who weren't there then (who weren't even alive and have never been to America, too) to feel as nostalgic about the place and era as he clearly does. As narrated by his Bernie and The School of Rock star Jack Black, the film's entire middle section dances through memories of the time and city with infectious enthusiasm, but its biggest dose of affection radiates towards the technological promise of the 60s. The Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions were rocketing into space and it patently felt like anything was possible, a sensation so marvellously captured in each second of Apollo 10 1/2. Jumping back into the rotoscoped animation that served Linklater so well in Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, this loving ode to years and moods gone by also sports a delightful premise. As his older guise (Black) explains, young Stan (debutant Milo Coy) was an ordinary Houston kid with a NASA-employed dad (Bill Wise, Waves), doting mum (Lee Eddy, Cruel Summer) and five older siblings when he was approached by two men (Shazam!'s Zachary Levi and Everybody Wants Some!!'s Glen Powell) to help them with a problem. In the lead up to Apollo 11, it seems that NASA accidentally built the lunar module a couple of sizes too small, so they need a kid — Stan — to help them by going to the moon to test things out before Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins make their famous trip in a bigger version. That fantastical idea feels ripped from Linklater's childhood dreams, and it well might be; it also makes for a warm and charming entry point into a movie that's as much about life's ups and downs, the bonds of family and the wide-eyed optimism of youth as it is about heading to space. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is available to stream via Netflix. THE JANES In the perfect version of 2022, watching The Janes would resemble unpacking a time capsule. In this documentary's frames, remnants of life during 60s and 70s America flicker across the screen — visions of what the US was like for women before the Supreme Court's landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling. But, devastatingly, that's not how viewing this Tia Lessin (Citizen Koch)- and Emma Pildes-directed film feels like now thanks to recent developments with America's current conservative-skewed highest judicial body. Accordingly, this powerful doco might just offer a window into the possible future by cataloguing a dark and heartbreaking part of the past. Its focus: members of Chicago's The Jane Collective, who stepped in to provide safe, affordable but also highly illegal abortion services when terminating pregnancies, and therefore giving women agency over their choices and their very existence, was a crime across the nation. Fellow 2022 highlight Happening has charted the same territory at around the same time, but in France and fictionalised. Back in 2020, the phenomenal Never Rarely Sometimes Always examined the situation in the US recently — well, before this year's Supreme Court ruling undoing Roe v Wade — as well. Each of the above, and The Janes as well, unsurprisingly makes for harrowing, infuriating, heart- and gut-wrenching viewing. In this instance, the film sticks with current-day talking heads and archival footage to step through why the service provided by Jane, aka the Abortion Counseling Service of Women's Liberation, was necessary and important. The brave and heroic women involved talked through the details with clarity and potency, as do some of the men who assisted, whether as husbands who were also lawyers, doctors, or construction workers-turned-abortionists. Of course, unlike in the times chronicled, women never come second to men in this gripping and resonant doco. The Janes is available to stream via Binge. CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH With Freshman Year, Cooper Raiff cemented himself as a talent to watch, both on- and off-screen. The writer, director, actor, editor and producer wore many hats on the likeable romance-meets-coming-of-age film, and he wore them all impressively and effortlessly. With Cha Cha Real Smooth, he hands over splicing duties, but he's just as ace in every other guise yet again. Winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, in the prestigious event's US Dramatic competition, this comedy also focuses on the fact that no one really knows how to handle life — this time centring its tale around the just-out-of-college Andrew (Raiff, Madeline & Cooper). The character returns home after graduating with the sole aim of making enough cash to follow his girlfriend to Spain, but falls into a gig hosting Bar Mitzvahs for his younger brother David's (Evan Assante, Dinosaur World) friends. Andrew falls in another way, too: in love with Domino (an exceptional Dakota Johnson, playing a mum again after The Lost Daughter), mother to Evan's classmate Lola (debutant Vanessa Burghardt). Lola has autism, is bullied by the other kids and usually finds herself ignored at parties, somewhat happily so; however, Andrew makes her feel comfortable and accepted, which doesn't go unnoticed. His growing fondness for Domino is complicated, though. So is the object of his affection herself — and, while more than half a century ago The Graduate splashed in a similar pool, Johnson brings her own shades and depths to a woman who is yearning for stability yet rallying against it. Everything also remains complex about Cha Cha Real Smooth's portrait of being a fresh college graduate with everything ahead of you and zero ideas of how what to truly do — and proves always-earnest as well, a description that applies to Raiff's work as Andrew and this low-key, insightful and charming movie alike. Cha Cha Real Smooth is available to stream via Apple TV+. FIRE ISLAND Pride and Prejudice, but set on New York's Fire Island. That's it, that's the queer rom-com that shares its setting's name. Fire Island, the movie, even comes with its own Mr Darcy — here called Will and played by How to Get Away with Murder's Conrad Ricamora, who should enjoy the same career bump that Colin Firth did in the 90s when he stepped into the part in a far-more-faithful TV adaptation. Updating Jane Austen isn't new, of course. Bridget Jones' Diary, also famously starring Firth, did the same with Pride and Prejudice. Stone-cold classic Clueless, which gets a shoutout here in a perfectly co-opted line of dialogue, did it with Emma, too. One of Fire Island's best traits is how new yet comfortable it feels, though, like thumbing through a favourite but seeing it afresh — with hot tubs full of praise deserved by director Andrew Ahn (Spa Night, Driveways) and screenwriter/star Joel Kim Booster (Loot). Booster also boasts a writing credit on The Other Two, one of the best new TV comedies of the past few years — and that bitingly smart, laugh-a-minute tone shines through in Fire Island, too. He takes Austen's tale about love and class and steeps it within the queer community, its subdivisions and subcultures, and issues of race and socio-economic status that ripple through, as they do in America and the world more broadly. That's what Booster's self-confident Noah finds himself navigating on a week-long annual getaway with his best friends, and after he decides to put his pal Howie's (Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live) romantic prospects above his own. If you know the OG story, you know what happens next, including Noah's path towards the initially stern, quiet and standoffish Will. The end product here is witty, funny, heartwarming and sincere, as well as supremely well cast, energetic from start to finish, and bursting with queer pride. Fire Island is available to stream via Disney+. ASCENSION Ascension may not be one of this year's Oscar-winners, losing out to the also fantastic Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), but it'll always be among 2022's nominees. More than that, this two-time Tribeca Film Festival winner will forever remain one of the most arresting documentaries of the past 12 months as well. Helming her first feature-length doco, filmmaker Jessica Kingdon turns her gaze to the Chinese dream — and what she sees, while situated in a very specific cultural context by design, is a clear and easy sibling to its American counterpart. That's part of the statement her film makes, all just by watching on patiently but meticulously as people go about their lives. Starting with factory recruitment on the streets, then moving into mass production, then climbing the social hierarchy up to the rich and privileged, Ascension explores employment and consumerism — and what they mean in an everyday sense in modern-day and modernised China. It's a portrait of the needs that make working on assembly lines a necessity, and of the dreams that inspire every climb, rung by rung, up the societal ladder. Some folks build sex dolls, their uncanny valley-esque forms adding an eerie mood. Others take lessons on etiquette for service jobs, including about not letting your face betray your emotions, and the tone is also unsettling. Observational to a mesmerising degree, Kingdon's exceptional film lets its slices of life and the behaviour, attitudes and patterns they capture do the talking, and they all speak volumes. Indeed, what a clever, telling, incisive and surreal story they unfurl. Ascension is available to stream via Paramount+. THE HOUSE Not to be confused with well-cast but decidedly unfunny Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler-starring comedy of the same name, The House dedicates its weird and wonderful stop-motion animated frames to three tales all set in the same abode. In the anthology film's first chapter from directors Marc James Roels and Emma De Swaef, a poverty-stricken family mocked by richer relatives luck into a deal with an architect, which results in the movie's central dwelling being built — and its new inhabitants getting more than they bargained for. In the second part by Niki Lindroth von Bahr, a developer, who also happens to be a rat, finalises his renovations and readies the place for sale; however, two odd prospective buyers won't leave after the first viewing. And in the third section from Paloma Baeza, the home towers above an apocalyptic future flooded with water, with its owner, a cat, struggling with her fellow feline tenants. Each of The House's films-within-a-film hail from a different creative team, boast different voice casts and splash around their own aesthetics — and they're all a delight. The constants: the titular structure, the fabric-style look to the animation (even as each director comes up with their own take) that makes you want to reach out and touch it, and mix of creativity and emotion in its dark-skewing stories. This is a movie that questions the comfortable mindset that bricks and mortar are expected to bring, and where where just trying to get by is recognised as the struggle it is in a variety of wild and inventive ways. And as for that vocal talent, Matthew Goode (The King's Man), Mia Goth (Emma.), Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown), Susan Wokoma (Truth Seekers) and Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker all do ace work. The House is available to stream via Netflix. TURNING RED What'd happen if the Hulk was a teenage girl, and turned into a giant, fuzzy, super-cute red panda instead of going green and getting ultra-muscular? Or, finding a different riff on the ol' werewolf situation, if emotions rather than full moons inspired a case of not-quite-lycanthropy? These aren't queries that most folks have thought of, but writer/director Domee Shi certainly has — and they're at the core of Pixar's Turning Red, her debut feature after winning an Oscar for 2018 short Bao. As many of the animation studio's movies do, the film takes its title literally. But, it also spins the usual Pixar question. Turning Red does indeed wonder what'd happen if red pandas sported human-style emotions; however, the Disney-owned company has been musing on people becoming other kinds of critters of late, with particularly astute and endearing results here. The movie's focus: 13-year-old Chinese Canadian Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her film debut). The year is 2002, and she loves meeting her strict but doting mum Ming's (Sandra Oh, The Chair) expectations, hanging out with her pals and obsessing over boy band 4*Town. And while her mother doesn't approve of her friends or her taste in music, Mei has become accustomed to juggling everything that's important to her. But then, after a boy-related mishap, the red panda appears. Mei goes to bed feeling normal, albeit angsty and upset, only to wake up looking like a cuddly creature. Like werewolf tales about teenage boys tend to be, Turning Red is all about puberty and doesn't hide it — and whether it's tackling that head-on, pondering generational trauma or showing its rampant love for boy bands, it sports sweetness, soul and smarts. Turning Red is available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. HUSTLE When well-deserved Oscar predictions came Adam Sandler's way for the astounding Uncut Gems, the actor and comedian said that he'd make the worst movie ever if he didn't win one of the Academy's shiny trophies. He didn't, and then Hubie Halloween arrived — and now Hustle. No, neither is the most terrible film on Sandler's resume. In Hustle's case, it happens to be home to one of his best performances. He has plenty to his name, including in Punch-Drunk Love, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and, of course, Uncut Gems, so it's in good company. There's also an element of art reflecting life in this new sports drama, even though basketball isn't what Sandler is famous for IRL. He knows more than a thing or two about only being seen one way, however, when his talents span much further. Whenever he branches away from the style of comedies that made his name, starting with Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, he knows plenty about being the underdog, too. On-screen, Stanley Sugerman is Hustle's underdog. A scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, he jets around the world scoping out new talent in the hope of finding a future match-winner, but it's not the job he wants. He loves basketball, he used to play and he's long dreamed about being a coach — but when good news arrives, then tragedy strikes, then the calculating Vince Merrick (Ben Foster, Galveston) takes over as the team's owner, it seems he'll be on the road forever. Bo Cruz (real-life NBA player Juancho Hernangómez) might be his ticket to better things, though, if he can get the Spanish construction worker signed or drafted. There's nothing that's surprising about director Jeremiah Zagar's (We the Animals) choices, or screenwriters Taylor Materne (video game NBA 2K20) and Will Fetters' (A Star Is Born) either, but Hustle remains a strong and lived-in character-driven drama as much as a tense against-the-odds sports film — and it's as entertaining and engaging to watch as the playoffs. Hustle is available to stream via Netflix. LUCY AND DESI Icons celebrating icons: when Amy Poehler directs a documentary about Lucille Ball, as she does here, that's the end result. It's fitting that Lucy and Desi includes a letter read mere days after Desi Arnaz's death, about his ex-wife and longterm professional partner, that included a touching line: "I Love Lucy wasn't just the name of the show". Poehler loves Lucy, too, understandably. Watching the compilation of clips curated here — spanning Ball's movie career in the 30s and 40s, as well as her TV shows such as the pioneering I Love Lucy, follow-up The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, and later sitcoms The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy — it's impossible not to see Ball's influence upon the Saturday Night Live and Parks and Recreation star, and upon the generations of female comedians that've followed Ball. Lucy and Desi loves Arnaz as well, though, and truly adores the pair's tumultuous love story — one that changed the course of comedy history. Forget Being the Ricardos, the average-at-best Aaron Sorkin film that inexplicably earned Oscar nominations — including for its one-note performances — and doesn't even dream of being funny. A deeper, meatier, far more interesting dance through Ball and Arnaz's life comes from Lucy and Desi, which benefits not just from Poehler's affection and her eagerness to ensure that her subjects' personalities shine through, but also from previously unreleased audio tapes of the pair talking about their ups and downs. Recent interviews pepper the film as well, including with daughter Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, and the iconic Carol Burnett. Still, this doco's points of focus truly do speak best for themselves, whether chatting frankly or seen in all of those wonderful sitcom snippets. Lucy and Desi is is available to stream via Prime Video. THE FALLOUT As a next-generation scream queen, Jenna Ortega has had an eventful 2022 so far. She proved one of the highlights of the latest Scream, in fact, then popped up in Foo Fighters horror movie Studio 666. And, she also made a firm impression in 70s-set, porn-shoot slasher X. Similarly a recent highlight: The Fallout, which earned both jury and audience awards for Best Narrative Feature at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, and is horrifying in a completely different way to its star's other roles of late. To be precise, it's devastating. Here, the former child actor plays an American teenager who endures what must be every American teenager's worst nightmare, then understandably struggles to process the aftermath. Surviving a school shooting isn't something that anyone should be expected to come to terms with, to move on from, or to slide easily back into their everyday life — including going back to the same classes — after, obviously. When that terrifying incident occurs, Vada Cavell (Ortega) happens to be in the bathroom. As soon as the first shots are heard, she's hiding in a toilet stall with the school's resident dance star Mia Reed (Maddie Ziegler, thankfully worlds away from Music), and both emerge physically unscathed. But the trauma and emotional scars run deep, with The Fallout chronicling Vada's post traumatic stress disorder-affected headspace in the days, weeks and longer that follow. Written and directed by actor-turned-feature filmmaking debutant Megan Park, this is an immensely powerful portrait of grief on several levels — for classmates lost, lives forever changed and innocent views of the world instantly shattered. Every choice made by Park, and also by Ortega and Ziegler, plunges viewers into their Vada and Mia's internal tussles, including the score by Finneas O'Connell. The Fallout is available to stream via Binge. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. We've also picked our top 15 movies that hit cinemas in the first half of 2022, as well as the 15 best new TV shows and 15 best returning TV shows of the year so far.
Saying goodbye to 2025 at Lost Paradise means farewelling the year with a jam-packed lineup of tunes. Ben Böhmer, Chris Stussy, Confidence Man, Duke Dumont, I Hate Models, KETTAMA, Marc Rebillet, Maribou State, Underworld, X CLUB: they're all headlining the annual end-of-year music festival in Glenworth Valley on the New South Wales Central Coast this year. So, mark Sunday, December 28, 2025–Thursday, January 1, 2026 on your calendar — and prepare for a huge few days. Other acts on the bill include Anna Lunoe, BIG WETT, Channel Tres, Fcukers, DJ Heartstring, Hot Dub Time Machine, Omar+, VTSS and plenty more. Some people love last-minute New Year's Eve plans, going wherever the mood takes them. Others can't start planning early enough. If you fall into the latter category, this December is for you. For Lost Paradise newcomers, the multi-day event turns a slice of its setting — which is located an hour out of Sydney — into one helluva shindig, complete with live music and DJ sets spanning both international and Australian talents. This year, organisers are promising newly reimagined versions of the festival's Arcadia, Lost Disco and Paradise Club stages. Tunes are just one part of the Lost Paradise experience, though. Here, art, culture, wellness, and food and drink also get a look in. And, at Shambhala Fields, you can hear talks and take part in workshops — so that's where you'll find the likes of Dr Karl, Eric Avery, Deano Gladstone, Lara Zilibowitz, Kath Ebbs, Sez, Tom Carroll, Simon Borg-Olivier, Gwyn Williams and others. Since first unleashing its specific flavour of festival fun back in 2014, Lost Paradise has become a go-to way to wrap up one year and welcome in the next — including if you're keen to camp for its duration. Lost Paradise 2025 Lineup Ben Böhmer Chris Stussy Confidence Man Duke Dumont I Hate Models KETTAMA Marc Rebillet Maribou State Underworld X CLUB Anna Lunoe Baby J Bad Boombox & Mischluft Balu Brigada Bella Claxton BIG WETT Blusher Bullet Tooth Cassian Channel Tres Dameeeela DJ Heartstring Dombresky presents Disco Dom Dr Banana Fcukers Folamour Heidi Hot Dub Time Machine INJI Jazzy Josh Baker Juicy Romance Kilimanjaro Luke Alessi Merci, Mercy Narciss Notion Odd Mob Omar+ Pegassi Prospa Riria Ross From Friends presents Bubble Love Sex Mask Silva Bumpa Sim0ne Sumner Swim (live) Two Another VTSS Wolters Alex Dowsing Badassmutha Bella Backe Caleb Jackson Couch Mechanic Cricket Dayzzi B2B Daug Disco Dora Elijah Something GMOZ Grooveworks Kai Kawai Large Mirage LAYTX Lily FM Lost Soundsystem Madame Reve Maina Doe Mash Middle James Mina Tonic Oscill8 Pamela Penelope People's Party Roxy Lotz Salarymen Selve Siila Silly Lily Sim Select Tia Lacoste Tokyo Sexwale Tseba Waxlily Yasmina Sadiki Shambhala Fields: Benny Holloway Catriona Wallace Chanel Contos Deano Gladstone Dr Karl Eric Avery Gwyn Williams Kath Ebbs Lara Zilibowitz Plastic Free Mermaid Sez Simon Borg-Olivier Tom Carroll Lost Paradise mages: Jess Bowen, Jordan K Munns, Byravyna and Amar Gera.
Whenever Vivid takes over Sydney to kick off winter, the city instantly gets brighter. Unleashing a huge festival of lights and vibrant installations (and music and talks as well) will do that, of course. And, come Friday, May 27–Sunday, June 18 this year, the popular event might just beam a little stronger than usual — returning for the first time since 2019, after cancelling its 2020 and 2021 events due to the pandemic. Vivid's just-dropped full 2022 lineup certainly boasts plenty of highlights — and more than 200 events in total. Sticking with all that eye-catching light to begin with, there'll be more than 50 luminous installations dazzling the city, including two particularly spectacular attractions by the water. The first, Sydney Infinity by Oracle Liquid, is a water sculpture in Darling Harbour that'll feature 12 80-metre-high water shoots, plus a Sydney-inspired soundtrack by DJ Pee Wee Ferris. And the second, at Walsh Bay, will see a 100-metre floating Light Walk pop up for folks to mosey along, including more than 200 giant, bubble-esque spheres that'll hover eight metres in the air. [caption id="attachment_846473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mandylights, Our Connected City[/caption] There's also Endless Love from Michaela Gleave, which'll arch that phrase over Circular Quay; Leila Jeffreys' piece in the same spot, Temple, which is all about Sydney's bird life; and Yarrkalpa — Hunting Ground, which'll light up the Sydney Opera House's sails with First Nations art by the Martu Artists, as aided by creative technologists Curiious (and with a soundtrack by Electric Fields and Martu Artists). Also, Vivid will host First Light, a Welcome to Country celebrating the Gadigal people and Country on Friday, May 27. And, Our Connected City by Mandylights will literally shine new light on the city's landmarks, setting up 200-plus searchlights beaming over Sydney Harbour, CBD buildings and the Cahill Expressway. Plenty of Vivid's other light works were revealed back in February — such as the overall Light Walk, a certain-favourite that'll host works from 62 light collaborators and 114 light artists from five countries, and mark Vivid's longest-ever continuous Light Walk; and Ken Done's For Sydney With Love which'll be projected onto the facade of Customs House. There's also Convergence in the disused Goods Line railway tunnel at Central Station, aka Vivid's largest-scale laser exhibition ever, as well as Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran's Earth Deities. [caption id="attachment_846469" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Eggert and Dan Hong, Destination NSW[/caption] In something completely new for 2022, Vivid will throw its first-ever Vivid Sydney Dinner, which'll celebrate the city in a whole heap of ways. Taking place at Merivale's Ivy Ballroom and hosted by Justine Clarke, it'll combine music, talks, food and wine — and lights, because it's Vivid — with a lineup that spans Ken Done, Julia Baird, the Vivid Sydney Brass Band, James Morrison, Ngaiire, Virginia Gay and Kate Monroe, plus food by chefs Dan Hong and Mike Eggert. On the talks part of the program, American filmmaker Aaron Sorkin is headed to Sydney to discuss the intersection of politics and drama, as seen so often in his work — so expect everything from The West Wing and The Newsroom to The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Being the Ricardos to get a mention. Also among the big names getting chatty: musician, artist and actor Troye Sivan, who'll talk with Patrick Abboud; and US journalist Gretchen Carlson, whose story was told in the film Bombshell. Get ready to enjoy this section of the lineup up late, too — thanks to the aptly named Vivid Ideas Up Late. It'll pop up at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Australian Museum, the Powerhouse Museum and the National Maritime Museum, hosting free nights filled with talks, performances, fashion, music and food. And, the overall Vivid Ideas bill will also feature James Valentine and HG Nelson's the Even Greater Sydney Committee at Parliament House, as well as tales about Sydney from folks such as Jonathan Biggins, Kate McClymont, Leah Purcell and Stephen Page. Over at The Great Hall at The University of Technology Sydney, more than 60 events will also join the program, including seminars and film screenings. [caption id="attachment_811633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sampa the Great, Lucian Coman[/caption] Music-wise, Vivid is no slouch, either. It never is. Vivid Live at Sydney Opera House will feature Paul Kelly, Thelma Plum and Ash Naylor during a gig dubbed Time And Tide: Four Decades of Song; Sampa The Great's new show An Afro Future; and Berlin-based piano star Nils Frahm performing Music for Sydney, for starters. Also on the lineup: Tkay Maidza in the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Spiritualized at Luna Park's Big Top, three nights of live music and short films in Darling Harbour, free DJs every night at The Goods Line, and 150-plus music events in total. Included in the latter figure is Carriageworks' program of tunes, featuring Perfume Genius, CHAI, TOMM¥ €A$H, Cate Le Bon, Divide & Dissolve and more. In some cases, the venues will be as big of a drawcard as the performers, with gigs set for Central Station's Grand Central Concourse, Tumbalong Park, Phoenix Central Park, The Calyx – Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, The Bearded Tit, Cell Block Theatre and National Art School as well. Yes, you'd best clear your calendar for the end of May and first few weeks of June — Vivid is about to keep you mighty busy. Vivid Sydney 2022 will run from Friday, May 27–Sunday, June 18. For further information and tickets, head to the event's website. Top images: Convergence, Mandylands / Earth Deities, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Jessica Maurer, Kane-Sullivan.
2023 might've been a Game of Thrones-free year, but 2024 won't be, and neither will 2025 if current plans hold. House of the Dragon will be back this winter Down Under, and it has the trailer to prove it. Then, next year, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is set to become HBO's latest addition to the franchise. When the OG TV series based on George RR Martin's books came to an end in 2019, the American cable network behind it was as keen as Tyrion Lannister is about wine to keep the series going on the small screen. Cue exploring spinoffs, spinoffs and more spinoffs, with plenty rumoured over the years, including focusing on Jon Snow and devoting a second new series to the Targaryens. But A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is the next to get the official go-ahead, which happened in 2023. Now, it has a 2025 release date. [caption id="attachment_794086" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Game of Thrones[/caption] You don't need your diary just yet, because only the fact that it's slated to hit streaming queues late next year has been revealed — no month, no date, no other specifics. But the 2025 timing, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, means that the Game of Thrones realm is back to being an annual part of HBO's viewing calendar, at least for these two years in a row. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight will get everyone saying its mouthful of a moniker as part of a 2025 lineup that also includes the return of The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Euphoria. In general, HBO are currently going big on TV shows that fall into franchises, too, given that Harry Potter, The Conjuring, IT and The Batman are all getting television offshoots. A century before @GameofThrones, there was Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg. Executive produced by George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker, Ryan Condal, and Vince Gerardis, A Knight of the #SevenKingdoms: The Hedge Knight has received a straight to series order. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/MRPUke5Upt — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is a prequel, and boasts George RR Martin as a writer and executive producer. It comes to the screen from the novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg, and has been rumoured for a few years now. The story follows knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg as they wander Westeros a century before the events of GoT, when the Targaryens remain on the Iron Throne and everyone still remembers dragons. Yes, there's an odd-couple vibe. No casting has been unveiled for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight so far. Also, production hasn't yet started, but is expected to kick off before 2024 is out. There's obviously no trailer yet for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, either, but you can check out the first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon season two below: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is set to premiere in 2025 — we'll update you with exact details when they're announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter. Images: HBO.
Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. Luckily, New Zealand's watery borders are home to around 600 islands that offer a unique blend of peace and tranquility, stunning scenery and adventure too. Make a beeline for one of the accessible island escapes below. Time your visit right to avoid the crowds and you might even manage to have an island practically all to yourself. Here are five islands where you'll find wildlife reserves for spotting kiwi in their natural habitat and island dark sky sanctuaries perfect for stargazing up into the universe. [caption id="attachment_986097" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Matt Crawford[/caption] Stewart Island/Rakiura Off the southern coast of South Island lies New Zealand's third largest island, Stewart Island/Rakiura. Over 85 percent of the island is designated National Park land and unspoiled nature with rare wildlife is what to expect down here. Despite its size, settlement on Stewart Island is sparse and the only place to stay is in Oban (also known as Halfmoon Bay) where you won't ever be too far from the island's pristine natural environment. Getting to the southernmost island of New Zealand is an adventure in and of itself, with ferries serving as one of the main ways to arrive. If the thought of travelling by boat makes you feel queasy, you can always fly in too. [caption id="attachment_986589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alistair Guthrie[/caption] Bay of Islands Just a three-hour drive or a 50-minute flight from Auckland is the Bay of Islands, a breathtaking destination where you'll discover sleepy towns that roll on to crystal-clear inlets, more than 144 undeveloped islands up for exploration as well as water activities and vineyards to fill your days. Roberton Island (Motuarohia) is a 20-minute boat ride from Paihia or Russell and is best known for its stunning blue water lagoons and snorkelling trail. The luxury Cook's Cove Retreat is one of five houses on the island that can be hired for overnight getaways. The eight-person resort is found in a peaceful private bay. From there you can bushwalk to historic Māori sites, explore underwater marine reserves, or set off via kayak from the private jetty. [caption id="attachment_986579" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Venning[/caption] Great Barrier Island/Aotea Great Barrier Island (Aotea) is the fourth largest island in New Zealand. A 30-minute flight or four-hour boat ride from Auckland will bring you to the rugged wilderness where spectacular fishing, natural hot springs and first-class surfing spots await. Away from the light pollution of Auckland, the off-the-grid island is also one of four dark sky sanctuaries, and the only officially recognised island dark sky sanctuary in the world. [caption id="attachment_663062" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miles Holden.[/caption] Waiheke Island An escape to New Zealand's Waiheke Island feels miles away from the bustle of central Auckland, though it's only a quick ferry ride from downtown. It's an island of varying landscape, with the turquoise-blue waters of the coast giving way to rolling green hills inland. This gives visitors endless options, too — from bushwalks and beaches to art galleries and, most notably, the plentiful wineries on offer. The whole island is easily explored by bus or bike, and trips from the vines of one winery to the next take only a traipse through the vineyard. Mudbrick is a standout, with stunning views back to Auckland city and top-shelf wines and dining options.You could spend a week here and still not hit all of the artisanal producers dotting the island. Join an art walking tour, try your hand at archery or distil your own bespoke gin, just to name a few things waiting for you on this wine island. Waiheke is the most densely populated island with over 8000 permanent residents. Kapiti Island This wildlife sanctuary off the Kapiti Coast is home to rare species such as the flightless takahē, white faced heron and kākā. You can visit the island for a self-guided day tour, or spend the night and enjoy local hospitality — while keeping an eye out for kiwi in their natural habitat. Kapiti is home to over 1200 little spotted kiwi, making it one of the most reliable opportunities to see them in the wild. There are three accommodation options including private glamping tents, native timber cabins and a Kiwi-style bach offering ocean views out across Waiorua Bay. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here. Top image: Slipper Island Resort.
In a wonderful flashback for stoners and film fanatics, Matthew McConaughey has reclaimed his trademark role as Wooderson from the cult film Dazed and Confused. In the music video for Butch Walker and the Black Widows' Synthesizers, McConaughey returns to the trademark Bob Marley shirt and pink pants that kickstarted his career and made the film one of the all-time greats. Walker is a huge fan of the film and summarised McConaughey's role beautifully when he stated that "when it comes to classic characters, Matthew McConaughey's Wooderson took the cake… and the high school girls with him." In the film clip, McConaughey's slow-motion strut and deep gaze are further evidence that he will forever be a definitive, if infinitely cheesy, ladies man. https://youtube.com/watch?v=94b3gMZGorc
If you're finding yourself with a decent amount of time on your hands this winter, you've come to the right place. Podcasts will keep you entertained through all of life's most mundane tasks (hello, cleaning) while also giving your brain a treat. So, here are the six best podcasts to listen to right now according to Concrete Playground's writers. SUZ TUCKER: Editorial Director, NBA obsessive (even follows summer league) Recommends: Ear Hustle. I've recently gotten very into this nonfiction series called Ear Hustle. It's not new but it's new to me. It's about the experience of being incarcerated in the US prison system, hosted by a former inmate of California's San Quentin State Prison and an artist from the area. Each episode is about life in or after prison, addressing topics like maintaining relationships while in the joint, solitary confinement, getting a job after jail and prison sex — all completely fascinating. It's a strange time to be listening to stories with confinement at the centre, but the show is always interesting and often surprisingly uplifting. MELANIE COLWELL: Branded Content Editor, performed in the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony Recommends: Sexy Stories. First things first: if you're not already following Melbourne-based sexologist Chantelle Otten on Instagram, go do it now, then come back. Done? Cool. On to her podcast, which she released in August 2020. Furthering her mission to empower people in all things sex (education, health, self-esteem, etc.), Sexy Stories sees Otten read erotic literature submitted by listeners. It's audio porn, quite literally. Less capable hands could've treated these tales as sordid but, with Otten on the mic, they are instead a celebration of every kink, fantasy and exploit. Plus, Otten has just about the sexiest voice I've ever heard. Listen with your partner, listen alone, listen to distract yourself from a really mundane task (trust me, you'll be very distracted). Just maybe don't save it for a long car trip with your parents or kids. [caption id="attachment_821096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied, photo by Jess Gleeson.[/caption] BEN HANSEN: Staff Writer, once had swine flu Recommends: Tough Love. As was the case with so many around the world, former Triple J host Linda Marigliano's world was completely warped by the pandemic. Plans to move to the US for her career and to live with her boyfriend were shot forcing her to reconsider everything. Marigliano takes us through a profoundly open and honest look at her life from her long-distance relationship and the process of freezing her eggs when faced with the uncertainty of when she will see her partner again, to her career, self-worth and moments spent with her grandma she may not have experienced if she had moved overseas. It's a touching and relatable look at life over the last year. COURTNEY AMMENHAUSER: Branded Content Producer, can crochet a jumper Recommends: Pieces of Britney. If you watched the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears earlier this year, the BBC Radio 4 series Pieces of Britney is excellent companion listening. Essentially, it's a fictional audio drama inspired by true events that is stitched together with facts. With Pandora Sykes at the wheel, the eight-part series weaves archival audio and interviews with fiction written by playwright Katie Hims to tell Britney's story. Hims' uses creative license to bring to life parts of Britney's past that have previously been described in interviews or have been alluded to in the past — some more fictitious than others — and somehow, this speculation works. Each part feels qualified and the subtle yet dynamic sound design keeps you hooked. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Culture (@theculture.pod) CORDELIA WILLIAMSON: Branded Content Manager, waited on Billie Eilish once when working in hospo Recommends: The Culture, The Teacher's Pet, The High Low, Dolly Parton's America. I wouldn't call myself a podcast buff, but when I like a series, I fall hard. I've soaked in the bath, with a glass of wine, listening to Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton's witty and oh-so-British pop-culture podcast The High Low; sat in the dark and binged The Teacher's Pet; and hit the highway with the nine-part exploration of the Dollyverse, Dolly Parton's America, blaring from the speakers. Now, with much more time on my hands (thanks COVID-19), I've been walking — a lot. And as I plod along, I've been listening to numerous podcasts. My top choice: The Culture. Hosted by Osman Faruqi, the show has only been around for a couple of months, so it's easy to make your way through the back catalogue. In particular, there are two episodes I recommend: 'How Western Sydney is redefining hip-hop' and 'How a four-year-old song became the biggest hit in Europe'. Whether you're deep in the Aussie music scene or just bop along to Top 40 tunes, both these episodes will hit close to home. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Casefile: True Crime Podcast (@casefilepodcast) NIK ADDAMS: Branded Content Manager, was taught the 1, 2 Step by Ciara herself (and has the video to prove it) Recommends: Casefile, My Dad Wrote A Porno, The Allusionist I probably don't make as much time for podcasts as I'd like to, but when I do listen I fall back on old faves. Casefile remains unmatched in its detail describing the most shocking true crimes from around the world, while The Allusionist is an utterly charming listen that never fails to put a smile on my face while exploring the intricacies (and idiosyncrasies) of the English language. I'm also super excited about binging the latest season of My Dad Wrote A Porno — Rocky Flintstone surely is one of the world's most misunderstood geniuses. Top image: Framing Britney Spears.
Welcome to the graduating class of refined gin drinkers. You might have been on this juniper-shrouded path for some time, or you may still confuse aquavit with a London dry. But no matter the maturity of your palate or knowledge of the botanical wonder that is gin, you're bound to pick up some useful notes to casually weave into conversation at your next gin tasting excursion. That's because we've brought in an expert guest lecturer: the master distiller at Archie Rose, Dave Withers. We sat down with him to discuss the latest 'ginnovations', including the new limited-edition Archie Rose Bone Dry Gin. So, pour yourself something floral and zesty and start soaking up some gin knowledge. PINE TALKIN': HOW YOU CAN TELL IF YOU'RE REALLY SIPPING A 'GOOD' GIN When it comes to deciding what to drink, do you seek out hefty price tags or let provenance guide your review? Does vintage or distilling technique give an advantage? While these factors might all affect what's in the bottle, Withers says it has to start with juniper berries. "A good gin should have the flavour of pine which is the juniper doing the talking," he says. If you're not starting with a base of these peppery orbs in the distilling process, then what's being produced is actually a flavoured vodka, not gin. But that doesn't mean you should neglect balancing other ingredients — and you should be able to spot these, too. "The flavours of gin should be clearly discernible and not muddled," Withers says. "For example, if a gin has a good amount of citrus and earthy rooty characteristics, then it will come across confused as one flavour tries to cancel the other out." WANT TO KNOW HOW GIN IS MADE? LET'S TAKE A MINI DISTILLERY TOUR If you've ever visited a gin distillery, you'll likely remember the mad scientist-like copper stills used to heat and cool ingredients. This equipment is used to redistill a neutral alcohol, usually from a grain base (similar to vodka production). Then, that product is re-distilled with botanicals to provide flavour, before being simmered down with water to bring it to a fit-for-human-consumption alcohol level. "Juniper is a very versatile ingredient that can highlight some really lovely flavours," Withers says. "That was the concept behind our Bone Dry Gin. We distilled our hand-foraged juniper from North Macedonia in a number of different ways, which allowed us to highlight citrus, woody, peppery and floral aromas." This limited-edition gin is the first to be released from Archie Rose's new Banksmeadow Distillery. Here, tailor-made vacuum stills enable more precise extraction of botanicals through hot and cold distillation, resulting in a layering of citrus and herbaceous notes that are rounded with that classic pine-dry finish. BONING UP ON DIFFERENT GIN VARIETIES If you're a seasoned drinker, you'll likely be able to differentiate between chardonnay and sauvignon blanc (having the name on the label does help), but it can be a little more complicated with gin. While there are numerous gin varieties on the market, they can be broadly categorised as 'contemporary' or 'traditional', with dry gins leading the latter. Withers says juniper invariably takes charge in traditional variations, and rides in the backseat for contemporary concoctions. "In our Bone Dry Gin we wanted to take the traditional format but add a twist. The juniper is a massive presence but we accented that with native Australian finger limes and a uniquely Australian ingredient called lemon-scented gum, which is literally a lemon-flavoured eucalyptus." A SHORT HISTORY LESSON Gin's 17th-century juniper berry-infused ancestor, genever, was developed in the Netherlands as a medicinal liquor before rising to prominence in England. Early 1800s gin-crazed London is likely where the trope of gin being an 'emotional' drink emerged, since there was little regulation around its production. This meant the alcohol content in gin could reach extraordinary levels and be distilled with unsanitary drinking water — a combination that would bring a tear to even the most gin-pickled of eyes. Right now, Withers says, we're "living in the golden age of gin." Beyond the delicious (and well-regulated) traditional bottles, you can find anything from grapefruit-infused pink gin to drams featuring green ants, and gin that magically changes colour when it meets tonic or citrus. In Australia, these creations are pumping out of more than 300 gin distilleries, a number that has grown exponentially over just the last few years. "In terms of quality and variability it has never been a better time to be a gin drinker." JUNIPER RETURNS – BUT IT'S IN SHORT SUPPLY We've already talked about it, but juniper really is the king of gin botanicals. And Withers thinks it's making a comeback. "There has been a move over the last few years to using really exotic ingredients that give big flavours. But I think drinkers are going the other way, hoping to get their juniper fix from their favourite brands." However, for the last few years gin producers and drinkers have been facing a catch-22 — demand for juniper is increasing in the face of a global shortage in supply. As well as increased demand, this shortage has been attributed to the spread of a fungal disease in some countries that can destroy juniper plants. Here's hoping for more fruitful seasons ahead. MIX MASTERS Happily, crafting an excellent gin drink is about simple combinations that let those botanical flavours shine. As for the secret to a perfect G&T, Withers says it's all about the ratio: "G&T drinkers shouldn't be afraid of using ample ice and minimal tonic. By reducing the amount of tonic and letting the ice dilute your drink, it's easier to taste the unique flavours of the gin." Withers says you can find similar refreshment from a gin and soda combo — but if you're after something stronger, you can't go past a classic gin martini. "There are so many variations on the martini that there's a whole world of nuance to be explored here," he tells us. "Visiting a local bar and asking your bartender what they recommend is a great way of seeing how small differences like a lemon twist or an olive garnish can transform your drink." FINISHING TOUCHES A squeeze of citrus can definitely elevate gin, but with so many varieties of gin to taste-test, it would be wasteful to not experiment with different garnishes. Withers recommends you try a few final flourishes that completely oppose a gin's flavour profile. "If the gin is savoury and salty then a sweet garnish like a strawberry can create a fantastic counterpoint," Withers says. "Snacking on the strawberry in between sips refreshes your palate and allows you to enjoy the distinctive flavours of the drink anew." Turns out you can have your garnish and eat it, too. For more information on Archie Rose and its brand-new Bone Dry Gin, head to the website. Want to win a case of it, as well as two bottled cocktails and a distillery tour? Just enter your details on our competition page.
When Disney+ made its way into the world back in 2019, it gave viewers — including folks in Australia and New Zealand — access to a huge range of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic movies and shows. What it didn't do is bring Hulu, which the Mouse House owns the majority stake in, to audiences Down Under. And, with Disney+ focused on family-friendly fare, it didn't deliver the kinds of series and films that Hulu screens, either. Hulu still isn't heading our way. But, come Tuesday, February 23, Disney+ is expanding to include a new section that's basically an international equivalent of Hulu. It's called Star and, when it was first announced late in 2020, film and TV fans were advised that it'd screen "an additional 1000 unique titles... in the first year". Wondering exactly what that'll include? Well, now Disney has revealed which series and flicks will be available when Star launches. Prepare to add 159 TV series and 447 movies to your streaming options — with four of those television shows falling into the 'Star Originals' category, meaning that they'll be brand new to viewers Down Under. Three of the four newbies are Hulu shows, too, so if you've been wanting to watch Love, Victor (the spinoff from 2018 movie Love, Simon), Helstrom (which forms part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) or Solar Opposites (an animated sitcom co-created by Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland), then you'll be able to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh-IaEaEdE0 From Star's big list of classics, plenty of titles stand out. Among the film selection, you'll find the Alien, Planet of the Apes, Die Hard and Omen franchises, plus the Predator and Taken flicks as well. And, you can also pick between older movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Fly, Never Been Kissed, Office Space, Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge, or more recent fare such as Black Swan, Eddie the Eagle, Logan, The Favourite and Jojo Rabbit. A heap of Wes Anderson films, including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, are also featured. On the television front, you'll be able to binge your way through every episode of Angel, Alias, 24, Felicity, Firefly and Glee — or opt for New Girl, Prison Break, Scandal and The X-Files instead. The list goes on and, like the existing Disney+ range, you'll find a hefty focus on older shows over new titles. Star draws upon Disney's studios, such as Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, 20th Television and Touchstone. And it doesn't everything that Hulu does, because plenty of Hulu's series and films pop up elsewhere Down Under — like The Handmaid's Tale, for instance. That said, it's safe to expect that some of the rights deals that deliver Hulu content to other networks and streaming platforms in Australia and might change after Star's hits, moving where you can catch certain flicks and programs in the process. As you might've already guessed, Disney+'s expansion to include Star comes with a price increase. Australian subscriptions will go up to AU$11.99 per month or AU$119.99 per year, while New Zealand subscriptions will go up to NZ$12.99 per month and $129.99 per year. If you're already a subscriber, the new price won't kick in for six months, though — so whenever your next renewal hits after August 22. Star joins Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, February 23, with Disney+ subscriptions costing AU$11.99 and NZ$12.99 per month or AU$119.99 and NZ$129.99 per year from that date.
You've had a bad day, you're feeling tense and stressed, you've received some news you wish you hadn't, or things just aren't looking as rosy as you'd hoped. We've all been there. In fact, we're all cycling through these exact scenarios at the moment — and being glued to your social media feed, TV or go-to news site 24/7 is probably taking its toll. As the old cliche goes, laughter is the best medicine. Really, actual medicine is always the best medicine. In response to COVID-19, preventative actions such as social-distancing also rank high on the list. But there's nothing wrong with needing an amusing, rib-tickling, gut-busting distraction from all the seemingly non-stop coronavirus updates at present — and we're here to help with ten sources of hilarity that'll help brighten your day, even if only momentarily. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e-TYLdOIss LADY DYNAMITE With BoJack Horseman and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on its slate, Netflix has become home to a number of episodic comedies that tackle mental health in a smart and thoughtful way — but Lady Dynamite just might be the most bizarre and playful of the bunch. Created by South Park alumni Pam Brady and Arrested Development's Mitch Hurwitz, it stars Maria Bamford as a version of herself, following her ups and downs as she endeavours to get her career back on track. That might sound like a standard sitcom setup, but Maria has just spent six months in treatment for bipolar disorder, and no one around her quite knows how to handle her return. Also featuring a standout performance by veteran comedian Fred Melamed as Maria's agent, and boasting appearances by everyone from Jenny Slate, Tig Notaro and Patton Oswalt to Judd Apatow, Andy Samberg and 'Weird Al' Yankovich, this is a comedy that swings big, dives deep, and knows how to be both delightfully loopy and astutely candid at the same time. Lady Dynamite's two seasons are both available to stream on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9veOumGnuU GARTH MARENGHI'S DARKPLACE Matt Berry crooning a slick 80s-style tune about romantic woes, complete with an awkward rap segment by Richard Ayoade. A TV medical drama where one of the doctors is an ex-warlock (Matthew Holness), another is occasionally psychic (Alice Lowe), and worrying about a hellmouth, mysterious cats, flying objects and extraterrestrial broccoli infections is all in a day's work. Behind-the-scenes commentary about said ultra low-budget series, with "author, dreamweaver, visionary, plus actor" Garth Marenghi (also Holness) and his publisher and publicist Dean Learner (also Ayoade) among the folks providing their thoughts. That's all part of six-part 2004 sitcom Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, which serves up the best three hours of TV comedy made this century. Filled with sublimely offbeat scenarios, off-kilter gags, witty wordplay and purposefully over-the-top performances, the weird and wonderful show has a cult following for a reason — and not just because The Mighty Boosh's Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt also show up. All six episodes of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace are available to stream on iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhdrA9qz79o HOT ROD Sometimes, if you're Kevin Bacon, you're struggling with a dancing ban in a small town and you're starring in 1984's Footloose, you just need to punch-dance out some rage. And sometimes, if you're Andy Samberg in 2007 comedy Hot Rod, you just need to gallop into a wooded glen and do the same in a stellar parody of the 80s flick. Gleefully ridiculous even when it's not satirising decades-old dance flicks, Hot Rod has plenty of other highlights. Samberg's pre-Brooklyn Nine-Nine stint as the eponymous wannabe stuntman is one of them, as is the great supporting cast that also includes Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Isla Fisher and Deadwood's Ian McShane. Overall, though, it's the surreal and silly vibe of the whole film that shines brightest — which won't come as a surprise given that The Lonely Island, Samberg's comedy trio with Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone (and the driving force behind Saturday Night Live's 'Dick in a Box', 'Lazy Sunday' and 'I'm On a Boat') are behind it. Oh, and the rousing scene soundtracked by John Farnham's 'You're the Voice' helps, too. Hot Rod is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrYB8hgyq4s MONSIEUR HULOT'S HOLIDAY, MON ONCLE AND PLAYTIME French filmmaker Jacques Tati only directed six feature-length films — all of which he wrote and starred in, too — but his body of work left an enormous imprint on comedic cinema. Offering a wry, subtle, irony-laced brand of physical comedy, he's rightfully considered one of the genre's best both in front of and behind the lens. In his breakout 1953 film Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, in which he introduces his eponymous (and clumsy) on-screen alter-ego, he takes visual satire to sublime lengths while pondering class differences. In his 1958 Best Foreign-language Film Oscar winner Mon Oncle, he unleashes his prowess while tasking his in-film surrogate with contemplating the rise of consumerism. And in his masterpiece Playtime, which took three years to make and features one of the most stunning sets ever seen on screen, he tackles a futuristic, highly industrialised Paris. All three are currently available to stream — and, once you've caught the Tati bug, so are his other three features Jour De Fete, Traffic and Parade. Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, Mon Oncle and Playtime are all available to stream on SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IZWeAwdJ-s PARKS AND RECREATION She's the government worker we all wish could be in charge of, well, absolutely everything — and she's the Indiana city of Pawnee's most devoted employee and biggest fan. We're talking, of course, about Leslie Knope, Amy Poehler's super passionate waffle-loving character in iconic sitcom Parks and Recreation. Willing to work hard in any situation and always ready to lean upon her friends and co-workers, Leslie knows how to handle almost anything. In one particular fifth-season episode of the Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe-costarring series, that also includes grappling with a pandemic. Created by The Office's Greg Daniels and Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Michael Schur, Parks and Recreation may have only come to the end of its seven-season run back in 2015, but the sitcom has been an instant classic from the get-go for one reason: focusing on relatable characters, the minutiae of their lives and the time working in local government, workplace-based comedy has never felt more kind-hearted, or — thanks to the show's penchant for letting its main players talk directly to the camera — so inclusive. All seven seasons of Parks and Recreation are available to stream on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuCCtBleq6w THE MUPPET MOVIE AND THE MUPPETS It's impossible to watch The Muppets, Jim Henson's most famous creations, and not have a smile plastered across your face. Seeing the late, great puppeteer's furry characters talk, joke and get up to all kinds of sketch-style antics — witnessing Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy's melodramatic romantic back-and-forth, Gonzo's zany stunts and the Swedish Chef's mumbling cooking segments, to name just a few — is warm, joyous and often absurdist fun, pure and simple. You can't really go wrong with whichever Muppets film or TV series you pick, and there's plenty to choose from; however two stand out from the crowd. Go old school with 1979's The Muppet Movie, where Kermit and the crew follow the stars in their eyes by trying to chase their Hollywood dreams. Or, join Jason Segel, Amy Adams and the usual felt-covered suspects as they attempt to save Muppet Theatre in 2011's delightful big-screen comedy-musical The Muppets. The Muppet Movie and The Muppets are available to stream on Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYzFieit8dI THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (NEW AND SELECTED) Before Noah Baumbach charted the end of a couple's wedded bliss in Netflix's heartbreaking Marriage Story, and before Adam Sandler tried dealing diamonds in the streaming platform's tense and glorious Uncut Gems, they paired up for another of the service's other great films in recent years. That'd be The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), one of Baumbach's perceptive comedy-dramas about the ties, woes and dysfunctions that bind people together — in this case, a family of adult siblings (Sandler, Ben Stiller and Elizabeth Marvel), as well as the sculptor father (Dustin Hoffman) who still proves a considerable presence in their lives. As seen in the likes of Frances Ha, While We're Young and Mistress America, too, Baumbach's sense of humour is bittersweet, honest and insightful. It's also simultaneously loose and sharp, never feeling too tightly wound but never letting a clever moment pass by either. All of that is on display here, as are a winning range of performances, especially from Sandler, Stiller and Hoffman. The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is available to stream on Netflix. Images: Lady Dynamite, Doug Hyun/Netflix. The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix. 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.
For half a century, no trip to the Sunshine Coast has been complete without visiting a 16-metre-high pineapple. In 1983, even Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles went there, as throngs of tourists have before and since. Stop by now and you'll still see a giant piece of tropical fruit, but one that's had a revamp, with the Queensland big thing officially reopening after undergoing renovations. Plenty of changes have been floated for The Big Pineapple and its 165-hectare site over the years, with a craft brewery, water park, and places to stay via an RV park, an eco resort and a hotel all among the ideas under the attraction's master plan. For now, however, owner Peter Kendall and his company CMC Property have focused on repairing and restoring the main highlight itself, as well giving the location's train the same treatment. The Big Pineapple has also scored a new cafe, new viewing platform and new children's playground. If the towering sight looks extra shiny — and ready to gleam in the obligatory snaps that everyone takes while they're in its presence — that's thanks to sandblasting, repairs and marine paint by the hundreds of litres. To get a good glimpse, that's where the new viewing platform comes in. Dating back to the 50s, the train now has a similar sheen after a restoration process, including to its carriages and track. "We are awaiting some final certification for the train and hope to start public train rides soon, providing rides across the property including access to Wildlife HQ," said Kendall, also mentioning the zoo with 200-plus species of animals that's been onsite since 2014. Stopping by The Big Pineapple hasn't just been about its fibreglass namesake for some time, given that TreeTop Challenge Sunshine Coast and its high-ropes courses and ziplines also calls it home. So does coconut foods producer COYO, as well as Sunshine & Sons distillery. Come October, The Big Pineapple Festival — the locale's music festival — will return for the first time since 2021. The fest started in 2013, then ran annually surrounded by pineapple fields until its present three-year break. Getting a ticket isn't just about seeing live tunes in the location's natural amphitheatres in such close proximity to The Big Pineapple, but also pitching a tent at event's 4000-person campground. [caption id="attachment_944026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Big Pineapple, Alpha via Flickr[/caption] "The Big Pineapple is undoubtedly the most-recognisable tourism icon of the Sunshine Coast and so I am very proud of the team's work to restore the pineapple to its original glory," said Kendall. "This is just the first stage of the regeneration project. Our number-one priority was to reopen the main pineapple structure and cafe, and to get the train running again." "Our next priority is to complete the renovations to the inside of the pineapple structure itself and we hope to reopen it for tours later on." [caption id="attachment_698027" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anne and David via Flickr[/caption] Find The Big Pineapple at 76 Nambour Connection Road, Woombye, Queensland — open 8.30am–4pm daily. For more information, visit the attraction's website.
She won an Oscar for her first feature film role, proved a formidable part of the recent Star Wars sequels as well as Black Panther, and unnerved audiences everywhere in her dual performances in Jordan Peele's Us. Now, Lupita Nyong'o is picking up a ukulele and protecting kids from zombies in Australian comedy Little Monsters. Directed by Aussie actor-turned-director Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters follows a school excursion gone wrong. Taking a class of five-year-olds on a field trip to a farm, then encountering the ravenous undead, really isn't your usual educational outing. But Nyong'o's Miss Caroline isn't taking the situation lightly, even when she's turning it into a game to try to stop the kids from freaking out. She also won't put up with anyone behaving inappropriately around her pupils, whether they're flesh-munching zombies, a bowtie-wearing children's TV presenter (Josh Gad) or a slacker musician (Alexander England). Premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival, then wowing crowds at SXSW as well, the film has been earning rave reviews. If Forsythe can turn the Cronulla riots into a race-relations comedy that's both smart and silly, as he did in Down Under, then he can do what few horror films dare to — throw a heap of kids at plenty of zombies. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1KP-OhBP4 Little Monsters will have its Australian premiere on Saturday, August 10 at the Melbourne International Film Festival, with further local dates yet to be announced.
UPDATE, APRIL 4: Paramount Pictures has announced a new release date for A Quiet Place Part II, with the film now hitting cinemas on September 3, 2020. UPDATE, MARCH 13: Due to concerns around the coronavirus, Paramount Pictures has announced that A Quiet Place Part II will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, March 19, 2020. At present, a new release date has not been announced — we'll update you when one has been revealed. 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. In 2018, the biggest horror movie of the year leaned heavily on silence. A Quiet Place tasked a young family with staying soundless, lest they be heard and then killed by giant spider-like monsters — and their efforts to survive became a huge box office hit. Indeed, A Quiet Place was so successful that it had a flow-on effect. When you watched it in a cinema, you probably glared whenever someone near you crunched popcorn, crinkled a packet of chips or started talking. Your ears keenly listened out for any noise that could put Lee (John Krasinski), Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) Abbott in jeopardy, and you didn't want some loud person in the next row ruining that viewing experience. The frightful aliens, the hushed tones and Emily Blunt in kick-ass mode — it's all back thanks to sequel A Quiet Place Part II. So, too, is hoping that your fellow cinema-goers don't make a sound while you soak in every second of expertly calibrated stillness. Like the first film, this follow-up is directed and written by Krasinski, with Blunt, Simmons and Jupe all returning on-screen. The sequel's cast also welcomes franchise newcomers Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders) and Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy). And if you're wondering why Krasinski isn't mentioned among the actors, then you need to go back and watch the original movie again. As the just-dropped first trailer shows, A Quiet Place Part II picks up where its predecessor left off. The suitably unsettling sneak peek starts with a flashback to the day the monsters initially made their presence known, before jumping to Evelyn, Regan and Marcus' latest attempts to avoid the fearsome creatures. Expect plenty of bumps, jumps and — naturally — silence. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7qxYOpy9Ms After being delayed from its original release date of March 19, 2020, A Quiet Place Part II will now open in Australian cinemas on September 3, 2020. Image: © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved
Popping up might be all the rage at the moment, but Londoners are on their way to developing an appetite for Popping Down. Soon, their city will see a new underground public space, with a disused tunnel being transformed into a subterranean walkway, lined with urban mushroom patches. Last year, the Landscape Institute, in conjunction with the Green Museum and the Mayor of London, ran the High Line for London Competition, an open call for ideas for green infrastructure. According to the contest guidelines, submissions did not need to "be constrained by any restrictions such as current planning law, land ownership, budgets or health and safety issues". Of the 170 entrants, Fletcher Priest Architects came out on top. The tunnel central to their plan is known as the 'mail rail' and runs under Oxford Street. Posties once used it to enable speedy delivery of letters and parcels between Paddington and Whitechapel, avoiding London's over-crowded streets. Pedestrians will enter and exit 'Pop Down' at street level. Above ground, a sequence of glass-fibre mushroom sculptures will delineate the passageway, simultaneously letting in controlled amounts of light, to be supplemented by interior fibre optics. What's more, there'll be a chance to sample some subterranean goodness, with pop-up 'fungi' cafes at the tunnel's entrances sourcing their produce from below. The competition was inspired by New York City's 'High Line', a public park constructed on an abandoned freight train railway elevated above Manhattan's West Side. In winning, Fletcher Priest beat a 20-strong shortlist of impressively creative rivals. The runner-up was Y/N Studio, with its 'Lido Line' plan, which would have seen the construction of a clean basin in the Regent's Canal, enabling water babies to swim to and from work.
Before they were chasing storms in Twisters, the 28-years-later sequel to one of the disaster-film blockbusters of the 90s, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos were no strangers to whirlwinds. Filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, who directs the Twister follow-up, swirls alongside them in the same category. The last few years have seen the careers of all four rise rapidly. Normal People made Edgar-Jones a star. Powell has enjoyed a Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You and Hit Man hot streak. Ramos is a Lin-Manuel Miranda favourite with an originating part — two actually — in Hamilton and a lead role in the big-screen In the Heights adaptation. And Chung is fresh from drawing upon his own life in Minari, which won an Oscar and collected five more nominations, including for Best Director. How did this quartet end up following in the footsteps of Helen Hunt (Hacks) and the late Bill Paxton (The Circle), as well as cinematographer-turned-filmmaker (and Die Hard and Speed veteran) Jan de Bont? Chasing fun, valuing the chance to focus on the human side of weather wreaking havoc, bringing America's Tornado Alley to the screen, not only having a personal connection with the first film but wanting the second to feel personal: they're among the answers that Twisters three leads and its director shared with Concrete Playground. For Chung, growing up on the Oklahoma border means that he's also no stranger to tornadoes IRL. As a teenager in the 90s, he was mesmerised with the original Twister, as the entire world was. "That was a really big deal for me, and for my friends and for my family," he advises. Under his guidance — working with a script by The Boys in the Boat and The Revenant screenwriter Mark L Smith, which started with Top Gun: Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski — Edgar-Jones, Powell and Ramos play storm obsessives on a mission. Make that missions, plural, beginning in college. At first Edgar-Jones' Kate and Ramos' Javi are on the road attempting to establish that tornadoes can be tamed. Then, tragedy strikes. Five years later, the pair reteam to scan the seasonal gusts that terrorise the US heartland, using portable radars that Javi has built a business around, albeit with now New York-based meteorologist Kate reluctant to be back out in the field and Javi leaving the details of his funding out of their conversation. Also seeking the same squalls is Powell's swaggering Tyler Owens, who prefers livestreaming his crew's exploits — and being a "tornado wrangler", merchandise and all — over taking the ultra-professional ethos sported by Javi's team. As Edgar-Jones and Ramos do with their characters, he ensures that this is a part that feels like only he could've slipped into. Indeed, Twisters doesn't enlist its impressive main on-screen trio just to get them caught up in the well-staged spectacle and action. [caption id="attachment_965979" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros.[/caption] No one gets out of the film without battling wild weather, of course, a process that's "like being in a washing machine, really", Edgar-Jones explains. "A great dirty washing machine," Powell adds. That said, the naturalistic imagery that Chung and cinematographer Dan Mindel (Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker) paint their tale with, favouring an aesthetic approach that makes Twisters visually resemble Minari more than the standard disaster flick, also mirrors the film's handling of Kate, Javi and Tyler. There's always storms to chase, plus run from, with special effects proving both pivotal and phenomenally convincing; however, there's also a genuine sense of character as its key threesome face devastating vortexes alongside their own baggage. Appreciating the communities impacted by destructive gales feels equally as authentic. If it seems like a leap for Chung to hop from Minari to here, he went via an episode of The Mandalorian — and that his latest movie falls in the middle of those two extremes, even if it might appear closer to the latter on paper, also came up in our chat. With Twisters in cinemas Down Under since Thursday, July 11, 2024, we also spoke with Edgar-Jones, Powell, Ramos and Chung about tackling a sequel to a beloved film after almost three decades, perfecting the right look, the human element of the narrative and more, including preparing to play the resident cowboy who wants to shoot flares into the storm. "I always came to set with fireworks and rockets," Powell jokes. "Nobody ever knew when I was just going to fire those things off." On Twisters Falling in the Middle of Minari and The Mandalorian Isaac: "After I made Minari, I was editing Minari and watching The Mandalorian — that's where I decided I'd love to do an episode of The Mandalorian, just because I fell in love with that TV show. When I worked on that show, it was so much VFX work, so much work on these LED screens and on a stage that, in taking Twisters, I wanted to bring our production back out to the field and back out to Oklahoma. So it did feel like it was kind of zigging and zagging and trying to figure out what I've learned from Minari, what I've learned from The Mandalorian, trying to bring those two things together in some way." On the Appeal of Chasing Tornadoes On-Screen Anthony: "It sounds fun — and that's kind of the biggest appeal. It's something that I never thought I'd ever do. And to work with this team has been a dream. It's cool, just the thought of going out into Oklahoma and driving trucks and being in the elements out there, and working with an incredible cast — I think that's what made it so appealing. That's what made it sound like 'hey, this is something I want to do, sounds fun'." On How Growing Up on the Oklahoma Border Influenced Chung's Decision to Direct Twisters Isaac: "That was a hugely influential part of taking on this project. I felt like growing up, there aren't many big films, blockbuster films, that take place in that world. And when Twister came out, that was a really big deal for me, and for my friends and for my family. And I remember that being really special. When I saw that this project was happening, I thought it was just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go back to where I grew up with a big tentpole action movie. So absolutely, that was a huge part of that decision-making." On Ensuring That This Is a Disaster Film with a Strong Human Element Daisy: "I think that was a big part of why I was so excited to be involved with this film. I'd watched Minari — I'm such a huge fan of that film and Isaac as a filmmaker — and obviously that's got a very indie sensibilities, very character-driven. And so when I heard he was making Twisters, I was so curious to see what that mixture would be like, someone who has this real interest in detail and interpersonal dynamics, but also this huge scale, this blockbuster feel. And so I think that was what was so exciting when we were involved, that all of the characters feel very beautifully drawn out. It's imbued with a lot of reverence for nature, but it also has this fun, this scale, this adrenaline to it. And I just think Isaac did such a remarkable job of really making all the individual characters feel so grounded in truth. As an actor, that's the thing I'm most excited about: to represent people truthfully." On Taking on a Sequel to a Film That's Widely Adored — and Making It Personal Isaac: "It really makes it very challenging because everybody has their own reason for loving that previous work. I'd encountered that already when I was working on the Star Wars shows, which I think Star Wars audiences are maybe the least forgiving, because I love that world so much. So I got my feet wet already with the idea of 'how do I honour something that a lot of people love for very good reasons, and still try to bring in my personal side and my own spin to things?'. In general, what I find with audiences is that if you really start with that love and appreciation for something, then they come around to whatever you choose to do as long as you're really honouring. So that was my approach with this. I wanted to honour that first film, but also make it personal to myself." On What Goes Into Playing the Resident Cowboy Storm Chaser Who Wants to Shoot Fireworks Into the Wild Weather Glen: "At the end of the day, it's Kate's journey to rediscover something she loves, something that should give her a lot of joy. And so Tyler's role in this movie is just to remind Kate why chasing something that gives you joy is the greatest pursuit of your life. And so it's fun to show up in a cowboy hat and jeans, and cowboy boots and drive trucks across the Oklahoma plains, and shoot rockets into the sky. I recommend it. It's a good way to go to work." On Favouring Naturalistic Cinematography That Grounds the Film Over a Glossy Action-Blockbuster Sheen Isaac: "I worked with an incredible cinematographer named Dan Mindel, and he's a real legend behind the camera. When he came on board, we were already talking about old western movies like The Searchers, we were talking about Kurosawa. We wanted to create a sense of place and space, and also evoke a feeling of a western with this movie. And then when we knew that we were going to be filming a rodeo, we wanted it to really feel like rodeo photography from the 1970s in magazines. So there was a lot of that thought going into the process to bring out the texture of the place. And hopefully that comes through. It was just a real joy working with him." On Filming Action Scenes in a Movie That's Not Only About Tornado Season in Oklahoma, But Was Shot During Tornado Season in Oklahoma Daisy: "Every scene felt quite laced with irony in the sense that we would have to shut down filming pretty constantly for actual weather, to then start filming again to then recreate the weather we had to shut down for. It was so incredible to really be in Oklahoma during storm season. There were a lot of tornadoes that did touch down while we were filming, and weather like I've never seen before, but it really helped us imbue the whole thing with truth. And everybody we met that was there, that were background artists from Oklahoma, they were chasers, they were also Red Cross workers, it really helped, I think, to imbue the film with as much truth as possible. The actual filming of tornado sequences is just sort of wild. It's like being in a washing machine, really. You don't really know what's happening." Glenn: "A great dirty washing machine." Daisy: "You're just hoping that there's some acting happening, but you're just kind of in it." Anthony: "Yeah, if you're getting pelted with wind and your face, you can't help but to make a face because you're getting rained on, there's dirt all over you. I see stills of me in some of the scenes that we shot, and I'm dusty and my clothes are filthy — and that's what you want when you shoot this kind of movie. You want to be in it. You want to feel that, and they were so good about making sure that we did it." Twisters opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Read our review.
Maybe viewing old episodes of Aerobics Oz Style helped you stay active during 2020's first long lockdown. Perhaps you've been obsessed with the now-iconic Key & Peele aerobics meltdown sketch for years, as everyone should be. Or, you might've watched the excellent Kirsten Dunst-starring On Becoming a God in Central Florida and got bitten by the water aerobics bug. Whichever fits — or even if none of the above applies to you — leotards, exercise and all things 80s haven't been far from our screens in recent years. And, they'll feature again in a big way in Apple TV+'s new ten-part dark comedy series Physical. Set in the decade that's always going to be synonymous with leg warmers, Physical sees Rose Byrne make the leap from hanging out with talking CGI rabbits in terrible book-to-screen adaptations to getting hooked on aerobics. She plays Sheila Rubin, a San Diego housewife with a husband that's running for California's state assembly. While playing her dutiful part as expected, she struggles with her self-image. Then, the only form of exercise that TV shows and movies seem to think that anyone did back in the 80s suddenly enters her life. Cue a journey that brings Sheila success, and turns her into a lifestyle guru. Obviously, she won't be posting about her daily life on social media — but this show is set in the peak VHS era, so expect videotapes to play a part in the story. Physical is set to start streaming on Friday, June 18, and will drop its first three episodes in one hit before releasing the rest weekly afterwards. Naturally, big hair and spandex abound in the just-dropped, supremely 80s trailer for the series. Alongside Byrne, the show stars Rory Scovel (I Feel Pretty), Dierdre Friel (Second Act), Della Saba (Ralph Breaks the Internet), Lou Taylor Pucci (American Horror Story), Paul Sparks (The Lovebirds) and Ashley Liao (Fuller House). Desperate Housewives and Suburgatory's Annie Weisman created, wrote and executive produced Physical, and serves as its showrunner, while I, Tonya's Craig Gillespie, Dead to Me's Liza Johnson and Love Life's Stephanie Laing all enjoy stints in the director's chair. Check out the teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQaHAy7r660 Physical starts streaming via Apple TV+ on Friday, June 18.
Most pet owners could look at their gorgeous ball of fluff all day, every day. Most animal lovers could do the same thing with any type of creature. If you're especially fond of gazing at cute puppies and delightful dogs, you'll soon have a new place to go — no, not your local dog park or pooch-friendly drinking session, but New York's Museum of the Dog. While a museum dedicated to dachshunds opened in Passau in Germany last year, NYC's newcomer will showcase all types of canines. Run by the American Kennel Club, it'll be specifically filled with doggo-centric art. Basically, if you think that paintings of pups are the ultimate creative ideal, then prepare to feast your eyes on more than just dogs playing poker. Statues of dogs, odes to famous movie pooches, a 'find your match' feature that uses facial recognition to pair you with the best breed for you, a 'meet the breeds' touchscreen exhibit that'll tell you everything you need to know about every kind of pupper — they're all part of the museum as well. It'll also include a community wall, where locals can show off their favourite four-legged friends. And, as it'll be located at the same site as the AKC's headquarters, the Museum of the Dog will also have access to the organisation's library, archives and collection. [caption id="attachment_704503" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Museum of the Dog[/caption] When the Museum of the Dog opens on February 8, it'll actually mark a homecoming, with the facility starting in New York in the 80s before moving to St Louis for the past three decades. The celebration of man's best friend will also offer rotating exhibitions exploring the art of making art about canines across the ages, plus 'guest dog of the week' sessions where visitors can meet, greet and learn about different varieties of pooch. If you're headed to New York next month, the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog will open its doors on February 8. Visit the museum website and Facebook page for further details.
Tenth birthdays are a big deal, especially when you're an Australian music festival that's been navigating a pandemic and the resulting difficult time for the industry for half of your run, and also grappling with the impact of La Niña. Yours and Owls has been on quite the rollercoaster ride across the past decade, clearly, so of course it's celebrating its milestone birthday with a massive lineup. Fontaines DC, Denzel Curry, The Kooks and Goo Goo Dolls lead the roster of talent taking to the stage in Wollongong across Saturday, March 1–Sunday, March 2, 2025. Orville Peck, Hockey Dad, The Jungle Giants, Peach PRC and The Veronicas are also on the bill, as are Elderbrook, Honey Dijon, JPEGMafia and Salute — and plenty more. [caption id="attachment_976058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Theo Cottle[/caption] When Yours and Owls revealed that it wasn't going ahead in 2024, joining the long list of music festivals scrapping plans for this year, it thankfully only put its fun on hold for 2025. Returning in 2025 was always the intention — and this is a lineup worth waiting for. Yours and Owls didn't completely sit 2024 out, however. Earlier in October, it held a pre-party, aka the event you put on when you can't put on the full festival experience at your usual time of the year because it doesn't work for your headliners' calendars. So, a tunes-filled shindig still took over the University of Wollongong campus — complete with Golden Features, Peking Duk, Alice Ivy, Anna Lunoe and more — to keep things warm for next year. Affectionately labelled "Gong Christmas", Yours and Owls 2025 will feature four stages across its two-day run, plus a feast of local arts — and food and drinks — beyond the tunes. The lineup arrives just a week after the fest locked in its dates for next year. Confirmation that the event will be back next year follows locked-in details for the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 for a heap of fellow festivals, such as Laneway, Golden Plains, Bluesfest (for the last time), Wildlands, Good Things, Lost Paradise, Beyond The Valley and Meredith. Yours and Owls Lineup 2025 Fontaines DC Denzel Curry The Kooks Goo Goo Dolls Elderbrook Hockey Dad Honey Dijon JPEGMafia The Jungle Giants Orville Peck Peach PRC Salute The Veronicas Allday Babe Rainbow Coterie Cyril Dice The Dreggs Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn Grentperez Isabel Larosa Magdalena Bay May A Mark Blair Pond Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners Sam Tompkins San Cisco Slowly Slowly Sycco Wunderhorse Battlesnake Bean Magazine Bodyjar The Belair Lip Bombs C.O.F.F.I.N Crocodylus Keli Holiday Kitschen Boy Le Shiv Miss Kaninna Nick Ward Ra Ra Viper Satin Cali Total Tommy Y.O.G.A [caption id="attachment_906428" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jess Gleeson[/caption] [caption id="attachment_906426" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ruby Bowland[/caption] [caption id="attachment_965220" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] Yours and Owls returns to Wollongong on Saturday, March 1–Sunday, March 2, 2025. Presale tickets start at 9am AEDT on Tuesday, October 29 with general sales at 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 30 — head to the festival website for more details. Top image: Ian Laidlaw.
Drinkify makes sure you'll never drink alone again. Created in 24 presumably booze-soaked hours, the website matches whatever music you're listening to with the perfect drink. Combining information about genres and audio summaries of tracks from The Echo Nest with the treasure trove that is Last.fm, along with a truly astonishing appreciation for alcohol, Drinkify is weirdly and delightfully accurate. For example, if you're spending a lonesome night indoors being serenaded by Johnny Cash and your vanilla Coke seems oddly inappropriate, you'll want to combine yourself 4 oz. of Jack Daniels and 4 oz. of honey in a highball glass and sit back and just see if you don't feel the world become a better place. To fully enjoy listening to M83, for example, you'd be advised to combine 8 oz. of water and 8 oz. of iced tea in a highball glass, whereas if you're hanging out to OFWGKTA things get a little more complex, and you'll need to get yourself one bottle of 'rum, fucking rum', one bottle of honey and 4 oz. of Worcestershire sauce, combined in a highball glass, and garnish with a twist of grapefruit. Chilling to Sleigh Bells is simplest of all: 10 oz. of whiskey, neat. And to demonstrate just how accurate Drinkify appears to be, they recommend listening to Gotye with 8oz of vodka, served neat, stirred quickly and garnished with a glow stick, and believe a quiet evening with SBTRKT requires 1 oz. cocaine, on the rocks, garnished with sparklers.
To quote David Suzuki, "Some of the ingredients in beauty products ain't that pretty". In fact, of the 82,000 or so ingredients commonly used, about one in eight is nasty. As in, a proven pesticide, carcinogen, reproductive toxin or hormone disruptor — or a combo of the above. It's not uncommon to toss a surfactant, degreaser or plasticiser into the mix. Consequently, more and more consumers are opting for organic and chemical-free products. DIY's on the rise, too, but doing anything more complex than sticking cucumber slices over your eyes and kicking back can get pretty messy pretty quickly. The good news is, a Milan-based company has come up with a system to make the process much smoother — more like the science lesson you wish you'd had at school than a cooking class gone horribly wrong. The Teardrop DIY kit is a "phytocosmetic lab" made up of beakers, burners, measurers and jars. Fundamentally, it's a distillation system via which you can extract the beneficial qualities of plants and create a 100 percent natural herbal water, which can be transformed into safe cosmetics. The kit comes with a bunch of recipes and info regarding the properties of various herbs and flowers. So you can work it successfully without a PhD in chemistry. Via PSFK.
Now streaming on Disney+, Moon Knight arrives as the latest chapter in a seemingly non-stop franchise that's near monopolised popular culture over the past decade and a half. The newest episodic series to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it adds yet another tale to the saga's ever-expanding web of superhero stories — this time focusing on a character first seen on the page back in the 70s; hardly as well-known as the likes of Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and Captain Marvel; and otherwise wholly unseen in the MCU so far. Moon Knight also starts unfurling as the latest instalment in another trend. For the second time in less than a year, Oscar Isaac stars in a must-see streaming series. In cinemas in-between, he's also added Dune and The Card Counter to his resume, too, because the compulsively watchable actor pinballs between projects vast and intimate — and between blockbusters and character-driven pieces. His two most recent small-screen projects couldn't demonstrate that chasm better, although Moon Knight has more in common with 2021's Scenes From a Marriage than it might initially seem. Or, to be accurate, it boasts one very specific and important shared trait: it wouldn't be what it is without Isaac's magnetic performance. Make that performances. The setup: in this six-episode miniseries, Isaac plays Steven Grant and Marc Spector. They're one and the same due to a case of dissociative identity disorder, although this is news to mild-mannered British gift-shop employee Steven. Usually, he wishes that he could lead tours at work, obsesses over studying Egyptian history and, thanks to a sleeping disorder, chains himself to his bed at night. But as gaps in his days lead him to learn, he is also American mercenary Marc Spector — or, to be exact, vice versa. Complicating matters further, he's the on-earth conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu (voiced by Mythic Quest's F Murray Abraham) as well. Already struggling with being able to tell the difference between being awake and asleep, Steven's role as the moon god's offsider is a source of stress, unsurprisingly — especially with shadowy cult-like figure Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird) hanging around. Character-wise, the Steven/Marc combo swiftly proves as complex as the MCU has delivered so far in Moon Knight's first four episodes, as deepened even further during a continent-hopping mystery-adventure that has him doing Khonshu's bidding. That's where Harrow comes in, complete with unfinished business with the moon god and big plans of his own. Archaeologist Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy, Ramy) also adds another layer, sporting ties to Marc's past that Steven is initially unaware of, and sparking a patch of romantic rivalry. Even within franchise confines, Isaac is mesmerising playing duelling dual personalities in Moon Knight, turning in the kind of portrayal that the MCU has been lacking. It isn't known as an actor's showcase, which is why even this far in — 27 movies and now six Disney+ series — the sprawling saga's standout performances make a splash bigger than throwing mjölnir into an ocean. It's what made Tom Hiddleston a hit in his big-screen outings, and also in fellow streaming show Loki. Also on the small screen, the greater texture served up by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, and the scene-stealing perfection of Kathryn Hahn as well, ensured that WandaVision left an imprint, too. Isaac bests them all; while Marvel's knack for casting has long been one of its superpowers — even with simply entertaining rather than necessarily meaty performances resulting — it flexes those talents magnificently in Moon Knight. Indeed, it's as shrewd a casting move as has been made to-date in this pop-culture behemoth. The fact that Moon Knight also tasks Isaac with playing someone that film and TV fans aren't already acquainted with is also pivotal. Welcomely, the Marvel formula feels fresher here. The series still spins an origin story, and will undoubtedly tie into the broader narrative to come. It also often falls back on a template between daring to be stranger and weirder. And yet, by branching off with a previously unseen protagonist, this is the first MCU Disney+ series that doesn't feel like homework. That isn't a slight upon WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye, but recognition that reaching in new directions reaps considerable rewards. Moon Knight doesn't lack in star power, of course — there's a reason that Isaac is rarely seen suited up with his face covered, Hawke is also fantastic, and they bounce off of each other compellingly — but it hasn't enlisted its big-name MCU newcomers to merely go through the by-the-numbers motions. Similarly leaving an impression: having Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Diab (Clash) direct four episodes, and getting American sci-fi/horror wunderkinds Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Synchronic, The Endless, Archive 81) to helm the other two. Both help ensure that Moon Knight's biggest thrills come from its best asset, especially given that he's doing double duty in a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde-style premise — and the scenes where Steven and Marc bicker with each other about who gets to control their shared body (which happens via reflective surfaces such as mirrors and puddles, and are shot with not just flair but boldness), are the show's clear highlights. The Indiana Jones nods, and the swings in The Mummy's direction, are clunkier, but the end product is still easily the most intriguing small-screen Marvel effort so far. Actually, when Moon Knight does ultimately end up overtly linking into the MCU in its final two episodes — and if it smoothes itself down in the process — that'll feel like a let down. Check out the trailer for Moon Knight below: The first episode of Moon Knight is available to stream via Disney+, with new instalments dropping weekly. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Beverly Hills, 90210 did it. Saved by the Bell and Gossip Girl, too. If a teen-focused series is a hit, odds are that'll end up back on our screens years and even decades after it first popped up, telling new high school-set tales with a new cast for a new generation — and that's exactly what's happening with Australia's beloved Heartbreak High. Back in 2020, Netflix announced that it was bringing the series back — and now that revival is almost here. The series itself will join your streaming queue on Wednesday, September 14, and the platform keeps dropping trailers in the interim. Indeed, after the first teaser arrived at the beginning of August, the streamer has just unveiled the full sneak peek. Yes, it definitely looks like a 2020s take on the Aussie classic. Yes, this new batch of students still attend Hartley High, the fictional school that everyone watching was obsessed with when the OG version of the show first aired way back when. And yes, teenage chaos is still the main focus, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to a public sex map that charts who at Hartley has hooked up with who. 90s kids, prepare to feel emotional — the initial series screened for seven seasons and 210 episodes between 1994–99, and wasn't just a high school-set Aussie show; it was the high school-set Aussie show of the era. The original Heartbreak High was filled with now-familiar faces, too, including Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid. This time around, a revelation turns Hartley High student Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect) into a pariah, and also sparks a rift with her best pal Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman). Attempting to repair her reputation, she calls on help from her new friends Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud) and Darren (first-timer James Majoos). Back when Netflix announced the cast, it described Amerie as a smart, big-hearted but loud working-class girl, and Harper as the person at Hartley that everyone is a little afraid of, including teachers. Quinni, who has autism, is "a brain trying to connect to a body and a heart", while Darren is "the warmest snarky shit-stirrer you're ever likely to meet". Other characters include Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, All My Friends Are Racist), a Bundjalung boy and basketballer who is new at Hartley High; Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), an insecure bass player in an indie rock band; Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC), who has been badged "the coolest, sexiest, and chiccest lesbian at the school"; and Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), a mullet-wearing drug dealer, food delivery driver and pet duck owner. Rachel House (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Baby Done) plays Hartley High's principal, too — and yes, Netflix is still streaming the original series, should you feel like a double dose of nostalgia. Check out the latest trailer for the new Heartbreak High below: Heartbreak High will be available to stream via Netflix on Wednesday, September 14.
Everyone has an opinion about Aaron Sorkin. Whether it's a gushing adoration for imagining Josh Lyman and Jed Bartlet, an intense frustration for his silver-tongued yet repetitive Sorkinisms, or a disbelief in the fact he can't write a decent female character to save his life (barring CJ Cregg, of course). We've all had arguments about the 52-year-old screenwriter at some point, and his highly criticised HBO drama The Newsroom only intensified the debate. Now, in a discussion at Tribeca Film Festival, Sorkin finally (if not a little begrudgingly) acknowledged its faults. "I’m going to let you all stand in for everyone in the world, if you don’t mind," said Sorkin to a live audience. "I think you and I got off on the wrong foot with The Newsroom and I apologise and I’d like to start over." If only that were possible. The show, soon entering its third and final season, has faced harsh scrutiny since its 2012 premiere for its overt preachiness, malformed relationships between characters, and ultimately for the fact that it's nowhere near as good as The West Wing. “I feel like I’m just now starting to learn how to write it,” Sorkin said. "I wish that I could go back to the beginning of The Newsroom and start again... but I'm feeling really good about how the third season is going." The bulk of his 'apology' went out to the journalists offended by the show's seemingly overt criticism of the modern press. “I think that there’s been a terrible misunderstanding," Sorkin said, sounding a little too much like Gob from Arrested Development. "I did not set the show in the recent past in order to show the pros how it should have been done. That was and remains the furthest thing from my mind. I set the show in the recent past because I didn’t want to make up fake news... I wasn’t trying to and I’m not capable of teaching a professional journalist a lesson. That wasn’t my intent and it’s never my intent to teach you a lesson or try to persuade you or anything.” Every scene from the show ever, would beg to differ. #sorrynotsorry Via Huffington Post.
Tasmania's delightfully sinister Dark Mofo is back for a sixth year, and the lineup is bigger and bolder than ever. Taking place in the run up to winter solstice, the festival is all about embracing the shadows and flaunting the freaky. Hosted by the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), it explores ancient rituals and mythology through music, performance and art installations — all while showcasing artists, performers and ideas that are otherwise overlooked in mainstream culture. While the main event is scheduled to run between June 13 and 24, this year's festival will also feature a 'prelude weekend' from June 7 to 10. A sneak peek before the full fest, it'll include exhibition openings at Mona and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and an orchestral quartet at the Port Arthur Historic Site. A symposium titled Dark and Dangerous Thoughts will also run across June 8 to 10, using film, literature and talks to explore moral and ethical issues within contemporary society. Capping it all off — and setting the tone for the entire festival — is Société Anonyme, a masked costume ball where opulence and mystery are to be expected in equal measure. When the festival proper rolls around on June 13, patrons should expect Dark Mofo's "usual mix of extreme, experimental and eclectic programming", according to creative director Leigh Carmichael. Crowd favourites such as the nude solstice swim and the Dark Park playground are all due to return, with the latter hosting ogoh-ogoh purging and burning, plus Ryoji Ikeda's light installation spectra. Germany's experimental industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten are also back, performing their piece (and studio album) Lament, which focuses on the outbreak of WWI. Elsewhere, the schedule is full of phenomenal female names. Laurie Anderson will bring her series of essays titled All the Things I Lost in the Flood to life on stage through music, video and spoken word. She has also partnered with new media artist Hsin-Chien Huang to create virtual-reality experience Chalkroom, as well as creating a 'sound bath' using her late husband Lou Reed's instruments alongside guitar tech Stewart Hurwood. Inuk throat-singer Tanya Tagaq will perform her fierce album Retribution, backed by a choir, while Grammy Award-winning crooner St. Vincent is slated to perform on June 15. Other highlights include a further exploration into the occult, with the Salamanca Arts Centre hosting a grotesque photography exhibition from William Mortensen and holding a ritualistic tattooing session for members of the public. And, for those keen to catch Soda Jerk's latest, their new film work Terror Nullius will screen as part of the fest. Plus, in a huge tribute to David Lynch and Twin Peaks, Dark Mofo will create their version of the Bang Bang Bar. It'll host intimate gigs like you'd see at the series' roadhouse — including sets by Rebecca Del Rio, who featured in the show as well as Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Dark Mofo takes place in Hobart between June 13 and 24. Tickets on sale from 11am on April 10 (with a subscriber pre-sale from 6pm on April 9). For more information, visit the festival website. By Melanie Colwell and Sarah Ward.
When Alba Bar & Deli opened in Brisbane's CBD in 2019, it launched at a time before a global pandemic temporarily shut down the world, including the hospitality industry, and then cost-of-living pressures changed the way that people spend their dollars on going out. The Burnett Lane spot weathered those unexpected ups and downs for five years, but has now sadly called it quits. If you went by on Saturday, June 22, 2024, then you hit up the watering hole on its last day of trade. Led by former MasterChef contestant Jamie Fleming, the Alba team announced the news just the day before the San Sebastian-inspired haunt shut up shop, citing the current economic climate for the decision. "It is with great sadness that we the Alba team have to announce that we will be closing as of tomorrow, Saturday 22nd of June. Unfortunately economic pressures as well as having terrible timing with opening (you know what we mean) means we have had to make this heartwrenching decision," said the Alba gang in a statement on Instagram. "We are a small team and always tried to offer the best-quality service and produce. Unfortunately with prices of everything going up and little support, there is unfortunately only one clear end." "We would like to say thank you to everyone that has helped bring Alba to life. From the team members, suppliers, friends and anyone who came through the door, you have helped bring something amazing to life," the statement continues. "A special thank you goes out to the hospitality industry at large. We have always had huge support from those we respect and love the most, our peers. Without your support, Alba would have been another statistic and instead, we have been given the opportunity to swing for the fences and continue to hit the mark. To have so many people come through our doors and buy into our concept has been overwhelming." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alba Bar & Deli (@albabaranddeli) The brick-fronted laneway spot paired its Spanish influences with nods to 90s-era New York, serving up amaro and vermouth spritzes, scallop ceviche, sardines, jamon serrano, steak tartare, patatas bravas and bistec to a hip hop soundtrack within cosy surroundings. Also a highlight: the daily aperitivo block from 3–5pm from Tuesday–Friday. As part of its farewell statement, the Alba team promises that this won't be the last that anyone sees of them, although there's no word yet on Fleming and company's next moves. Alba Bar & Deli closed at 34 Burnett Lane, Brisbane, on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
At any given moment, finding a movie to watch isn't difficult. But there's a difference between pressing play on any old film that your streaming service of choice is throwing your way — new releases and classics alike — and feeling like you're discovering something that's truly special. Online film festivals have been playing in the latter space during the pandemic, and letting cinephiles enjoy that electric feeling that comes with giving yourself over to a gem of a feature. And, for two years in a row now, Melbourne's annual film fest has been as well. The Melbourne International Film Festival didn't intend to run solely online two years in a row. In 2020, it made the jump to digital by necessity. This year, it worked towards a triumphant return to cinemas — yes, to physical screenings — while also continuing to embrace the greater accessibility that virtual sessions provide. But this year's fest always had to have contingency plans in case outbreaks and lockdowns bubbled up again, which is exactly what's happened. So, MIFF is unleashing its magic solely online once more. Making movie buffs feel like they're getting swept up in the latest and greatest in international cinema is still on the agenda, though. You might be sitting on your couch instead of in your favourite seat right at the back of the Forum or Hoyts Central — and you might be elsewhere in the country, too, instead of making the trip to Melbourne for some wintry cinema fun — but MIFF hasn't stopped giving film lovers what they adore. Already, we've watched, reviewed and recommended ten must-sees on the festival's MIFF Play streaming platform; however, this 18-day fest has plenty more where they came from before it wraps up on Sunday, August 22. So, we've done the same with another ten films. Streaming a couple won't just help you feel like you're getting a MIFF experience, either, but it'll also support the fest during an obviously challenging time. RIDERS OF JUSTICE Few things will ever be better than seeing Mads Mikkelsen get day drunk and dance around while swigging champagne in an Oscar-winning movie. Yes, that's one fantastic film experience that 2021 has already delivered. But the always-watchable Danish star is equally magnetic in Riders of Justice, a revenge-driven comedy that's all about tackling your problems in a different and far less boozy way. After a train explosion taints his life with tragedy, dedicated solider Markus (Mikkelsen, Chaos Walking) heads home to be with his traumatised daughter Mathilde (Andrea Heick Gadeberg, Pagten). Talking is her way of coping, but clamming up has always been his PTSD-afflicted modus operandi. Then statistician Otto (Nikolaj Lie Kaas, The Keeper of Lost Causes), his colleague Lennart (Lars Brygmann, The Professor and the Madman) and the computer-savvy Emmenthaler (Nicolas Bro, The Kingdom) arrive at the grieving family's door with a theory: that the accident was anything but because mathematically it's just so unlikely to have occurred otherwise. As written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen (Men & Chicken) — and co-penned with Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) — Riders of Justice takes a darkly comedic approach to its storyline, which is where its anarchic plot developments and witty dialogue come in. But this is also a film with a thoughtful and tender core, especially when it comes to men facing their troubles. It's set at the end of the year as well, so it counts as a screwball Christmas movie. ROSE: A LOVE STORY Less is more in survival thriller Rose: A Love Story — which is also a brooding horror movie, and yet doesn't feel the need to overplay its hand. This intimate British gem takes a familiar setup, bides its time building out its chosen world and revels in getting to know its two main characters, because their precarious relationship sits at the heart of the smartly written film. Living off the grid in a tree-lined patch of wilderness, the eponymous Rose (Sophie Rundle, Peaky Blinders) and her husband Sam (Matt Stokoe, Cursed) have clearly settled into their routine some time ago. They largely live off the land and pay one trusted acquaintance to bring them petrol for their generator, all so Rose can stay inside writing while Sam tends to chores outdoors. But she also needs his care, and needs the blood he collects via leeches — and when an injured teenager (Olive Gray, Save Me) literally stumbles upon their quiet abode, that part of their existence starts sparking questions. With its stripped-back way of unfurling its narrative, Rose: A Love Story leans heavily on Rundle and Stokoe's textured and compelling performances, which explore the stakes and sacrifices that come with love in every glance and gesture. Stokoe also wrote the script, but first-time feature filmmaker Jennifer Sheridan brings a canny eye to both warm and brutal moments alike, and to teasing out the complicated and fragile bond between this particular pair, as well as any duo in love. NIGHT OF THE KINGS Every movie aims to make its viewers feel as if they've stepped straight into its glistening frames. Rare is the film that genuinely manages that feat, though. Rarer still is a feature as vivid, immersive and engaging at every moment, and via every piece of sound and vision it thrusts at its audience, as Night of the Kings proves across its 93-minute running time. The second directorial effort from Ivorian filmmaker Philippe Lacôte (Run), this prison-set blend of drama, thrills and fantasy heads inside a Côte d'Ivoire jail surrounded by rainforest outside Abidjan. When a new inmate (debutant Bakary Koné) arrives, he's plunged straight into its chaotic depths; however, he also becomes a key player in its internal politics. Here, the inmates enforce their own order, including requiring their leader (Steve Tientcheu, Les Miserables) to take his own life if he can no longer fulfil his role. This incarcerated society also places great emphasis on one particular storyteller, a job that's soon bestowed upon its newest member. So, the fresh face dubbed the prison's 'Roman' spins a tale that jumps through the past, from 19th-century Africa to more recent bloodshed, with his words leaving his fellow detainees hanging — but if he can't make his yarn last all night, he too will meet his end. Night of the Kings sits right on the precipice of myth and grit, and of history and fantasy, and it's as inventive as it is gripping. And, even if the great Denis Lavant (Holy Motors) didn't pop up, it'd still be an imaginative and beguiling piece of cinema. COME BACK ANYTIME Craving the rich, noodle-laden flavour that only ramen can bring is an instant side effect of watching Come Back Anytime. Yearning to wander into a tiny Tokyo ramen bar, take a stool at the bar and watch a ramen master at work — while you leisurely slurp through his brothy bowls, pair them with pan-fried gyoza, enjoy a sake or several, and chat to his regular customers — is just as natural a consequence. Directed by John Daschbach (Brief Reunion), this year-in-the-life portrait of Chiyoda City's Bizentei and its owner and chef Masamoto Ueda is culinary documentary filmmaking at its finest, examining a beloved type of dish, one talented man who has made it his life's work, and the many other lives — and tastebuds — touched along the way. When the film hangs out in the ramen bar, watching Masamoto cook, his wife Kazuko assist, and Bizentei's devotees savour every sip, it captures a place and a mood with the same affection as Las Vegas bar doco Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets. When it explores Masamoto's technique and impact, it's the Jiro Dreams of Sushi of ramen movies. And when it cycles through the seasons, showing what different times of the year mean at the ramen joint in question, how its central figure's existence adapts and evolves, and also using its structure to prompt jumps back into both Bizentei's and Masamoto's history, it's never anything less than a deep, charming, soul-warming and all-round full cinematic meal. PREPARATIONS TO BE TOGETHER FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time first introduces Hungarian neurosurgeon Márta (Natasa Stork, Jupiter's Moon) as she's unloading her romantic woes upon her therapist. What could've been a standard rom-com or romantic drama setup soon twists into something far more alluring and intriguing, however, with writer/director Lili Horvát (The Wednesday Child) pondering just how we can ever know how someone else really feels about us, and how long any romantic emotions can last — and if we can ever trust those intense memories of love that implant themselves inside our brains and refuse to leave. After working in the US, Márta has returned home to Budapest suddenly because of fellow doctor János (Viktor Bodó, Overnight). They met at a conference in New Jersey, and pledged to cross paths again a month later on a Budapest bridge, but he doesn't show up. Worse: when she tracks him down at work, he says he doesn't know her. Márta can't bring herself to return stateside, though, and can't get János out of her mind in general. This is a haunting and beautifully acted psychological drama that lays bare just how all-encompassing, obsessive, intoxicating and mind-melting love can feel, all as it toys with memory and its ability to shape our perspectives. The tone is loaded but uncanny — sweet but uncertain, too — and Horvát has fun getting both emotional and cerebral while having her characters cut open brains. In other words, there aren't many movies quite like this one. THE NOWHERE INN "From now on, I need more say in how people are going to act," says Annie Clark. "It's a documentary," replies Carrie Brownstein. Winking and nodding (and gleefully eager to show it again and again), The Nowhere Inn tasks the famous pair with playing versions of themselves — under the guise of the Sleater-Kinney muso and Portlandia actor shooting a doco about St Vincent as she goes on tour for her album Masseduction. This psychological thriller-meets-mockumentary finds plenty to parody within its premise, especially after Brownstein suggests to Clark that she might want to let her onstage persona bleed out into the behind-the-scenes footage, because talking about radishes isn't really setting the right vibe. Cue a satirical interrogation of authenticity and performance, creativity and fame, and the riding the rollercoaster that is putting yourself out there in the world. Clark goes from mildly playing Scrabble and chatting about vegetables to becoming an OTT rock diva 24/7 and staging an affair with Dakota Johnson, with the Suspiria star even aping the musician's hairstyle. Meanwhile, Brownstein segues from trying to convey the different facets and blurred boundaries within her subject to sometimes recoiling from and sometimes embracing the exaggeration and artifice that comes with Clark being St Vincent non-stop. The two central figures wrote the script themselves, mining fame's existential struggles for both insights and laughs, and their commitment to the concept shows. Behind the lens, first-time feature filmmaker Bill Benz also brings a sketch comedy feel from his time on Kroll Show and, like Brownstein, Portlandia. NEW ORDER If only one word could be used to describe New Order, that word would be relentless. If just two words could be deployed to sum up the purposefully provocative latest film by Michel Franco (April's Daughter), savage would get thrown in as well. Sharing zero in common with the band of the same name, this 2020 Venice Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winner dreams up a dystopian future that's barely even one step removed from current reality — and in dissecting class clashes, and examining the growing discontent at the lavish lives indulged by the wealthy while so much of the world struggles, the mood and narrative are nothing less than brutal. The place: Mexico City. The setup: a wedding that goes wrong. As the ceremony gets underway at a compound-esque mansion jam-packed with the ultra-rich and ultra-corrupt, the chasm between the guests and the staff is glaring. Case in point: bride-to-be Marianne (Naian González Norvind, South Mountain) couldn't be more stressed when she's asked for money to help ex-employee Rolando's (Eligio Meléndez, La Civil) ailing wife, and plenty of her family members are flat-out rude about their former servant's plight. Then activists start making their presence known outside, and further afield in the city's streets. The military respond, sparing no one in their efforts to implement the movie's moniker. Franco doesn't want any second of New Order to be easy to watch, or for the parallels he's critiquing to go unnoticed — and while this definitely isn't a subtle film, it's a stylistically brash and bold, emotionally dynamic whirlwind that festers with palpable anger. STRAY In glorious 2016 documentary Kedi, Istanbul's stray cats received their moment in the cinematic spotlight, and also expressed much about the Turkish city and its human inhabitants in the process. The result was perfect — purrfect, even — regardless of whether you're normally a feline fan. With Stray, it's now their canine counterparts' time to shine. Istanbul has a 'no kill, no capture' law when it comes to the dogs roaming its streets, which is why there's more than 100,000 of them scampering around. And while documentarian Elizabeth Lo only spends time with a few of those tail-wagging woofers, including street veterans Zeytin and Nazar, as well as puppy Kartal, she stitches together a perceptive and textured portrait of their daily lives, of the city around them, and of the people who help and are helped by them. Making her first full-length film after a background in doco shorts, director/cinematographer/editor Lo lets her four-legged subjects be the stars, and lets her audience observe them. More than that, she frequently places the camera at canine height so that viewers feel as if they're seeing the world through a dog's eyes. Forget saccharine Hollywood flicks that use that idea as a gimmick (see: A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey — or, better yet, don't see them because they're terrible). Here, immersion and insight are the key aims, and they're feats that the soulful and thoughtful Stray repeatedly, patiently and ruminatively delivers. THE GIRL AND THE SPIDER When spectacular choreography graces the screen, it's often via balletic feats of action or striking displays of movement and cinematography. The John Wick franchise and The Raid films demonstrate the first category, while movies with a hypnotic sense of physicality such as Climax and Ema sit in the second camp. The Girl and the Spider has little in common with any of these features, and yet it's still a stunningly choreographed film. Directors Ramon and Silvan Zürcher turn their attention to people going about their ordinary lives, as they did in their excellent 2013 debut The Strange Little Cat. Where that last delight almost solely remained inside one apartment, this movie flits between a few, as Lisa (Liliane Amuat, Those Who Are Fine) moves out of the flat she shares with fellow students Mara (Henriette Confurius, Golden Twenties) and Markus (Ivan Georgiev, Leipzig Homicide). As family members, neighbours, handymen and removalists all potter around, Mara only feigns to help. Really, she just hovers around as everyone else works, packs and moves, haunting the space and sometimes wilfully causing messes and scenes. The Zürcher brothers adore gazing at everyday domesticity and letting their characters' actions do plenty of talking. This is a chatty film, but the physical symphony of ordinary comings and goings says just as much. As it contemplates connections and absences, new starts and festering loneliness, and camaraderie and alienation — and isn't afraid to show its characters being awkward, petty and petulant — The Girl and the Spider also uses its enveloping sense of movement to embrace life's ambiguities. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD In 1970, at the age of 15, Swedish teen Björn Andrésen's life changed forever. He walked into a hotel room to audition for Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti, and only did so at his grandmother's urging — but, after the director was struck by his look and presence, the boy was quickly cast in the big-screen adaptation of Death in Venice. Soon, Andrésen would receive quite the compliment, too. When Visconti declared him "the most beautiful boy in the world" at the movie's premiere, the entire planet took notice. That statement had an impact and, while the experience would leave an imprint upon any shy adolescent who'd much rather be playing music than making movies but nonetheless finds himself becoming an international idol, it drastically altered Andrésen's entire future. That's the poignant story that The Most Beautiful Boy in the World tells with a perceptive eye; however, crucially, this isn't just a case of documentarians Kristina Lindström (Palme) and Kristian Petri (The Hotel) looking back, compiling archival footage — including Andrésen's initial audition video — and relaying all of the details from an outsiders' viewpoint. Their central figure is as much a part of the film now as he is in snippets from the past, and he's just as willing to interrogate how Death in Venice caused a major shift in everything he knew. His tale spans much further, too, covering several personal tragedies that he reflects upon with candour, next-level adoration in Japan and a pivotal role in Midsommar. The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs until Sunday, August 22, screening online via the festival's streaming platform MIFF Play. For further details, visit the MIFF website. Looking for a few more MIFF movies to watch? Check out our first ten recommendations from this year's digital-only program.
It's not every comedian who would take a nonchalant detour from her LA stand-up set to announce to the audience she'd just been diagnosed with breast cancer. That day. "With humour, the equation is tragedy plus time equals comedy," said Tig Notaro that night. "I am just at tragedy right now." A brave, matter of fact Grammy-nominee who did something instantly legendary in 2012, Notaro has just announced she's coming back to Australia. One of the US's biggest stand-up comedians, Notaro is heading to our shores from December 6 – 13 for a limited run of dates presented by Melbourne International. Stopping by Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, Notaro's Boyish Girl Interrupted tour is sure sell out venues within an inch of their capacity — having sold out her wildly successful Edinburg Fringe run last year and sold a casual 100,000+ copies of her Grammy-nominated, second comedy album Live, the follow up to her 2011 debut Good One. Notaro's blend of humour and real life truth bombs have earned her serious high fives from some significantly kickass people — Louis CK tweeted after her LA show, "In my 27 years doing this I have seen a handful of truly masterful performances. One was Tig Notaro last night." Then This American Life's Ira Glass went and praised his frequent TAL contributor, "Tig is now in the heads of hundreds of thousands of people who don’t see her as a comic, she’s now their favourite person." Throw in some kickass guest appearances on The Office, The Sarah Silverman Program, Inside Amy Schumer and Community and you've got yourself one truly applauseworthy comedian. Tig Notaro's Boyish Girl Interrupted 2014 Dates: Perth: Saturday 6 Dec, 8pm — Regal Theatre. Tickets via Ticketek. Melbourne: Tuesday 9 Dec, 8pm — Athenaeum Theatre. Tickets via Ticketek. Brisbane: Thursday 11 Dec, 8pm — Tivoli Theatre. Tickets via Ticketmaster. Sydney: Saturday 13 Dec, 8pm — Enmore Theatre. Tickets via Ticketek. Tickets on sale on Wednesday 17 September. Image: Ruthie Watt.
Each year on January 26 triple j put a mortgage on Australia's airwaves, pumping out the best 100 tracks from the previous year as voted by their listeners in the world's largest annual music poll. The station is one of the only non-commercial national youth radio networks anywhere in the world, and places a real focus on uncovering and supporting the best Australian talent, providing a soundtrack to many a misspent youth in the process. So it was with great excitement that listeners awaited results in triple j's inaugural Hottest 100 Australian Records of All Time this past weekend. The results provided us with some interesting factoids, and after the 47,000 votes were counted, the top gong went to Powderfinger's Odyssey Number 5. At the time of its release in 2001, the album sold more than 500,000 copies and spent almost two years weeks on the ARIA Charts, winning six ARIAs in 2001, including Album of the Year and Single of the Year for 'My Happiness'. Our personal picks for the Top Ten at Concrete Playground HQ are: 1. Since I Left You – The Avalanches 2. Frogstomp – Silverchair 3. Crowded House – Crowded House 4. Back In Black – AC/DC 5. Kick – INXS 6. Unit – Regurgitator 7. 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 – Midnight Oil 8. Lovers – The Sleepy Jackson 9. In Ghost Colours – Cut Copy 10. Human Frailty – Hunters & Collectors The full Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time list is as follows: 1. Odyssey Number 5 – Powderfinger 2. Frogstomp – Silverchair 3. Back In Black – AC/DC 4. The Living End – The Living End 5. Kick – INXS 6. Internationalist – Powderfinger 7. Apocalypso – The Presets 8. Wolfmother – Wolfmother 9. Since I Left You – The Avalanches 10. Unit – Regurgitator 11. Like Drawing Blood – Gotye 12. Guide to Better Living – Grinspoon 13. Crowded House – Crowded House 14. Vulture Street – Powderfinger 15. Slightly Odway – Jebediah 16. The Hard Road – Hilltop Hoods 17. Eternal Nightcap – The Whitlams 18. Woodface – Crowded House 19. Innerspeaker – Tame Impala 20. Conditions – The Temper Trap 21. 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 – Midnight Oil 22. Diorama – Silverchair 23. The Calling – Hilltop Hoods 24. Sunrise Over Sea – The John Butler Trio 25. Get Born – Jet 26. Hourly, Daily – You Am I 27. Neon Ballroom – Silverchair 28. The Cat Empire – The Cat Empire 29. The Sound of White – Missy Higgins 30. Themata – Karnivool 31. Down the Way – Angus & Julia Stone 32. Universes – Birds of Tokyo 33. Diesel and Dust – Midnight Oil 34. Memories & Dust – Josh Pyke 35. Hi Fi Way – You Am I 36. In Ghost Colours – Cut Copy 37. Highly Evolved – The Vines 38. A Book Like This – Angus & Julia Stone 39. Birds of Tokyo – Birds of Tokyo 40. Echolalia – Something for Kate 41. Double Allergic – Powderfinger 42. East – Cold Chisel 43. Freak Show – Silverchair 44. Tu-Plang – Regurgitator 45. Sound Awake – Karnivool 46. Walking On A Dream – Empire Of The Sun 47. Black Fingernails, Red Wine – Eskimo Joe 48. Ivy and the Big Apples – Spiderbait 49. Whispering Jack – John Farnham 50. The New Normal – Cog 51. I Believe You Liar – Washington 52. Murder Ballads – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 53. Three – The John Butler Trio 54. Tea & Sympathy – Bernard Fanning 55. Blue Sky Mining – Midnight Oil 56. Bliss Release – Cloud Control 57. The Honeymoon Is Over – The Cruel Sea 58. New Detention – Grinspoon 59. As Day Follows Night – Sarah Blasko 60. We Are Born – Sia 61. Hold Your Colour – Pendulum 62. Cruel Guards – The Panics 63. Grand National – The John Butler Trio 64. Polyserena – George 65. Cold Chisel – Cold Chisel 66. Running on Air – Bliss N Eso 67. Flying Colours – Bliss N Eso 68. The Experiment – Art vs. Science 69. Gossip – Paul Kelly and The Coloured Girls 70. Young Modern – Silverchair 71. Beams – The Presets 72. Beautiful Sharks – Something For Kate 73. Highway To Hell – AC/DC 74. The Overture & The Underscore – Sarah Blasko 75. Living In The 70s – Skyhooks 76. Human Frailty – Hunters & Collectors 77. Immersion – Pendulum 78. Lovers – The Sleepy Jackson 79. Gravity Won't Get You High – The Grates 80. (I'm) Stranded – The Saints 81. Feeler – Pete Murray 82. Up All Night – The Waifs 83. Wonder – Lisa Mitchell 84. 16 Lovers Lane – The Go-Betweens 85. State Of The Art – Hilltop Hoods 86. This Is The Warning – Dead Letter Circus 87. A Song Is A City – Eskimo Joe 88. Imago – The Butterfly Effect 89. Pnau – Pnau 90. The Long Now – Children Collide 91. Gilgamesh – Gypsy & The Cat 92. A Man's Not A Camel – Frenzal Rhomb 93. Moo, You Bloody Choir – Augie March 94. Everything Is True – Paul Dempsey 95. Stoneage Romeos – Hoodoo Gurus 96. Paging Mr. Strike – Machine Gun Fellatio 97. Begins Here – The Butterfly Effect 98. The Boatman's Call – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 99. Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills – Grinspoon 100. Two Shoes – The Cat Empire https://youtube.com/watch?v=8fBbKtq_Li8
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was purely fictionalised and definitely not a documentary. Still, has Nicolas Cage ever been more relatable than when he was gushing over Paddington 2 in the 2022 action-comedy? No, probably not. Here's something else for fans of everyone's favourite bear to adore like a certain animal loves marmalade sandwiches: the first trailer for Paddington in Peru. The third film in the Ben Whishaw (Bad Behaviour)-voiced big-screen franchise that started with 2014's Paddington spells out its main point of difference from its predecessors in its title: instead of an entire picture filled with more of the coat- and hat-wearing talking bear's exploits in London, the flick is taking him and the Brown family to South America. In the sneak peek, the namesake country awaits, and the Amazon rainforest as well — after the chaos of getting a passport photo taken, of course — as Paddington decides to visit his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget) at the Home for Retired Bears. "I'm afraid she's set off on some sort of quest deep in the jungle, and we have no idea where she is," advises The Reverend Mother, the guitar-playing nun that adds Olivia Colman (Wicked Little Letters) to the Paddington realm, when Paddington arrives. Also joining the cast this time as the page-to-screen bear first created by Michael Bond goes off on his own search: Antonio Banderas (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) as an adventurer and Emily Mortimer (The New Look) as Mrs Brown. The latter replaces Sally Hawkins (Wonka), who played the part in the initial two features. Hugh Bonneville (The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin) is back as Mr Brown, however, and so are Samuel Joslin (Houdini and Doyle) as Jonathan Brown and Madeleine Harris (Man Down) as Judy Brown. Behind the camera, feature first-timer Dougal Wilson is in the director's chair, following on from Paddington and Paddington 2's Paul King (Wonka). With fellow Paddington 2 alum Simon Farnaby (The Phantom of the Open) and Paddington in Peru co-screenwriter Mark Burton (Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon), King still has a story credit, though. Viewers Down Under will be starting off 2025 with the latest Paddington movie, which will hit local cinemas on Wednesday, January 1, after releasing in the UK in early November 2024. Check out the first trailer for Paddington in Peru below: Paddington in Peru releases in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
WOMADelaide is returning to Adelaide's Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla from Friday, March 6 to Monday, March 9, 2026 — and the festival's first lineup announcement has landed, featuring 49 artists from around the globe. Headlining the 29th edition are Yothu Yindi, Obongjayar and Marlon Williams, with a program that will span from Bhutan to the Kimberleys, Cuba to Ukraine, and far beyond. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WOMADelaide (@womadelaide) Yothu Yindi will celebrate 35 years of Tribal Voice, while London-based Nigerian artist Obongjayar — known for his feature on Fred again..'s hit 'adore u' — will bring his blend of Afro-funk to Adelaide. Marlon Williams will perform alongside Kapa Haka group Ngā Mātai Pūrua, and Indian-American artist Ganavya will showcase her fusion of spiritual jazz and South Asian classical music. Other highlights include 82-year-old First Nations gospel singer Kankawa Nagarra, Cuban Grammy-nominee and Buena Vista Social Club alumnus Roberto Fonseca, Palestinian DJ Sama' Abdulhadi (returning after seven years), and soul sensation Jalen Ngonda, fresh from his Glastonbury debut. The festival will also feature Australian exclusives, including Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker's groundbreaking Rosas danst Rosas, Ukrainian-Canadian project Daughters of Donbas, French electronic act Orange Blossom, and Bhutan's first-ever representatives, the Bhutan Balladeers. They join previously announced acts including Yolngu rapper and dancer Baker Boy, US singer-songwriter Iron & Wine, Irish folk group Beoga and Pacific Break winner Mantis from Vanuatu. Since its debut in 1992, WOMADelaide has become one of Australia's most beloved festivals, celebrating music, arts and dance from across the world. The 2026 event will also see the return of Taste the World, WoMarkets, KidZone, Planet Talks and The Sanctuary Restaurant, alongside Around the Park performances scattered throughout the site. "Few festivals in the world are able to showcase the breadth and diversity of music, arts and dance on such a large scale while appealing to all ages and tastes," says WOMADelaide Director Ian Scobie. "It's a glorious opportunity to discover new sounds and embrace artists you love." WOMADelaide 2026 will run from Friday, March 6 to Monday, March 9 at Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla in Adelaide. Head to the WOMADelaide website for tickets and the full lineup. Images: Supplied
It's mind-boggling to think this idea hasn't been done earlier. Merging two of the greatest things imaginable, soon-to-be-opened Brisbane bar Cowch will officially be the first dessert cocktail venue in the entire state. Much better than the time you tried to make a Beer Spider (trademark pending), Cowch will be a sophisticated and versatile addition to Brisbane's foodie scene — a haven of sugar and bliss from 7am till late. Launching on Friday May 23, the most eye-catching thing about Cowch is its diverse menu. No longer is dessert relegated to a gluttonous afterthought, it's now front and centre. It's glaring at your while you grab a coffee on the way to work. Cowch's breakfast menu will in fact include churros, crepes, fruit parfait and bircher muesli with fruit — though why anyone would go to a dessert bar for muesli and fruit is truly beyond us. Cowch will also boast a whopping 22 flavours of yoghurt. But hey, we know you didn't click on this story to hear about yoghurt. Cowch's evening menu will let the sugar freak flag fly high with the inclusion of honey and rum grilled bananas served with vanilla bean ice cream, marshmallow martinis, strawberry margarita jello shots and toasted marshmallow served with a Baileys-infused chocolate shot. Cowch also boasts a customisable popsicle stand. Known as 'naked pops', diners can dress their plain ice cream sticks with different chocolate coatings and drench them in whatever they see fit — from berries to shredded coconut to almond tuile. Usually eating ice cream in winter is a big no no, but Cowch even has you covered for the weather. Designed by Michael McCann of Dreamtime Australia Design, the space features a big cosy lounge kept warm by a central fire pit, with low lighting so no one can see how quickly you demolished that marshmallow margarita. Basically, dessert is now acceptable all day and sometimes features alcohol. We're in. Cowch is located at 179 Grey Street, Brisbane. It will be open from 7am till late Monday-Thursday and 7am till 12am Friday-Sunday.
On July 4, 2010, Michiel Roodenburg and Joost Notenboom from the Netherlands embarked on a 20-month journey, and after cycling across over 15 countries the two recently finished their journey in Antarctica. Their ‘Cycle for Water’ campaign is the first attempt in history to travel from the Arctic Circle to Antartica aboard bicycles, and bamboo ones at that. Roodenburg and Nootenboom aimed to raise awareness about the global water crisis, which affects one seventh of the world’s population. Cycling across some of the most amazing places in the world, their 30,000 kilometre adventure took them through such areas as the Canadian wilderness and the rainforests of Central and South America. The pair decided to create the campaign after they saw the water shortages in Africa and the Middle East. "We believe that everyone on this planet has the right to a basic and sustainable source of drinking water. It is the first step out of poverty. Water is life, literally and figuratively," says Roodenburg and Notenboom. The National Geographic says "over 97 percent of the world's water is too salty to drink, another 2 percent is locked up in the world's ice caps and glaciers." This leaves us with less than one percent that we are able to use, so it's probably a good idea to keep it clean.
British artist Ben Turnbull's most recent collection of work, Supermen - An Exhibition of Heroes, is an exploration of idealised superheroes within pop culture comics and the real, heroic acts of everyday citizens. Turnbull's exhibition was inspired by the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, and commemorates all the firemen and policemen that served during this event. His creations are based on the visual vocabulary of an entire generation of superhero lovers. This time, however, the heroes are based on real American citizens rather than fictional characters. The works serve as a bridge between collective fantasy and harsh home truths. Turnbull delves into the idea that superheros echo the idea of a better world, but in reality this world is so far removed from the society we actually live in. Each piece has been created from cut-outs of an enormous personal collection of pre-1990 comics, including fictional superheroes like Captain America, Daredevil, The Fantastic Four, Batman, Spiderman and the Hulk. There's certainly a take-a-second-look appeal about Turnbull's works that has a nostalga-meets-pop-culture charm, while, at the same time, working as a thought-starter. [via yatzer]
One of the most celebrated novelists of our time delivered the keynote address 'Freedom to Write' and joined a playful panel discussion 'Television has Replaced the Novel' at this weekend's Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Across the two-day festival held at the Sydney Opera House, he offered some amusing insights. What entertaining snippets and truth nuggets did we learn from the irreverent Rushdie over the weekend? 1. The closest Salman Rushdie has ever come to death was the last time he was in Australia. He was in an accident on the highway between Sydney and Milton where his car was hit by a lorry carrying fertiliser; he jokingly claims to have been "literally hit with a truck load of shit" (for which he kindly thanks Australia). 2. He says that we have no idea what the future will remember, for all we know they might remember Twilight. He claims to not want a poor opinion of the future, but if Fifty Shades of Grey is what is remembered, he's glad he won't be part of it. 3. He REALLY doesn’t like Fifty Shades of Grey. 4. Instead, he is optimistic that novels, such as The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, will be remembered in the future. 5. He believes we must allow for freedom of speech, as it's better for ideas to be expressed and not repressed. 6. People’s feelings are hurt all the time, however speech should not be limited because of people getting offended. His advice: just get over it. You have to have skin that’s a little bit thick if you’re going to live in an open society. 7. He thinks religion is boring and hopes people will get sick of it. 8. He believes religion is about what didn’t happen. Unlike fiction, it doesn’t say on the cover of the Bible, a novel. 9. On the topic of inventing games with Christopher Hitchens, Rushdie claims he and Hitchens invented the clean ones — while Hitchens and Martin Amis invented the dirty ones. 10. One game they invented had the premise of "titles that don’t quite make it", with a inexhaustible list: Mr Zhivago, Toby Dick, Two Days in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, The Big Gatsby, Mademoiselle Bovary… Having squandered a day playing this myself, it comes with a warning of being a highly addictive form of literary procrastination. 11. He can understand why children's writers walk around with smiles on their faces — except Roald Dahl, who he claims was an arsehole. 12. His eldest son inspired him to write Haroun and the Sea of Stories because he asked the question, "Why don’t you write books that I want to read?". 13. His son, around nine years old at the time, offered Rushdie some of the best literary criticism he has ever received. Upon reading the first draft of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, his son said with an apparent lack of enthusiasm, "Yeah, it’s good." When Rushdie probed for further feedback, his son responded slowly, "Some people might be a bit bored." His final criticism, "It doesn’t have enough jump." With this, Rushdie rewrote the story. 14. He doesn’t believe that the television has replaced the novel, stating, "I'm so not on the death of the novel team." 15. He is not such a fan of shows like Lost, or any reality TV show starring anyone whose name starts with K. Unless, it was about Kafka. 16. However, Rushdie enjoyed Homeland season one, and is currently watching Game of Thrones. In terms of comedy, he’s a fan of The Big Bang Theory. 17. He liked the ending of The Sopranos. 18. He decided to dabble in writing for television, as TV series these days push the limits of weird, and he thought, "I do weird." He spent a year and a half writing a sci-fi television series pilot that was never made. He joked it was about a flesh-eating unicorn. (We hope that one day it will be produced). 19. He was a little chuffed to have been unknowingly featured in episodes of iconic sitcoms — Seinfeld, The Golden Girls and Cheers. 20. He recounts cute jokes. For example, two goats break into the projection room of a cinema. Whilst munching on the spools, one says to the other, "So, how's the movie?" The second goat replies, "The book was better." 21. He would like to see the works of Proust adapted into a television series. That might explain why he’s a novelist and not a cable TV executive. FODI images: Daniel Boud
Nickelodeon, the makers of You Can't Do That on Television, must have been onto something: slime may well hold the key to a sustainable future, if the creation of the world's first algae-powered building is any indication. Titled BIQ (Bio Intelligence Quotient) House, the zero-energy apartment block opened at Hamburg's International Business Exhibition last week and is the product of collaboration between multinational company Arup (the brains behind the Sydney Opera House and the Pompidou Centre), Austria's Splitterwerk and Germany's Strategic Scientific Consulting. Here's how it works: The southeast and southwest, sun-facing sections of the building's facade feature a 'second outer shell', which contains 129 glass bioreactors, filled with microalgae. A circuitous water supply provides the algae with carbon dioxide and liquid nutrients, which, in combination with sunshine, stimulate photosynthesis and growth. Once the algae is dense enough, it is harvested and taken to a special room in the BIQ House, where it is fermented and utilised in the production of biogas, thus becoming a renewable energy source. In comparison with other land-dwelling plants, algae can create five times as much biomass (organic material that translates as fuel) per hectare. Simultaneously, the facade functions a little like a solar thermal system. Any sunshine unneeded by the algae is transformed into heat, which can be used immediately or stored underground. Conventional needs are met, also, as the facade is a powerful source of shade and insulation, providing protection from cold, heat and noise. The BIQ House is but one of many slimy possibilities for the future. Earlier this year, Arup's Foresight + Innovation team published It's Alive, a report outlining ideas for the built environment come 2050, when the global population will most likely number 9 billion and three-quarters of people will inhabit cities. Arup's vision incorporates "intelligent buildings that can make informed and calculated decisions based on their surrounding environment" and have the capacity to "produce food, energy and resources". Via Inhabitat.
Every three years, the Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and Queensland Art Gallery take stock of their place in the world. From their riverside stretch of South Brisbane, the neighbouring art institutions are keenly aware of the importance of celebrating not only the city's creativity, but that of the country and the Asia-Pacific region as well. That's exactly what the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art is all about, and has been since 1993. The huge multi-gallery exhibition highlights the wealth of artistic treasures crafted in our own backyard — from the skyscrapers to the suburbs, the outback to the ocean, and the heart of Australia to the sprawl of neighbouring Asian cities. Marking its ninth event and running until April 28, 2019, the latest APT takes its task seriously. There's so much excellent art from the region to showcase, and so many talented artists as well. Indeed, the numbers paint one of the exhibition's biggest pictures, with the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art featuring more than 400 artworks by over 80 individuals, collectives and groups. If you're wondering which of APT9's pictures, paintings, sculptures, videos, installations and more that you should see at the free exhibition, we've singled out six must-sees. [caption id="attachment_700271" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gary Carsley 'Purple Reign'. APT9 Kids. GOMA 1.4. Installation view.[/caption] 'PURPLE REIGN' BY GARY CARSLEY Ignore GOMA's Children's Art Centre at your peril. The home of Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room every time that it comes to town, it's a space where art and interactivity combine for big and little kids alike. For APT9, it's overflowing with something that (basically) everyone loves: jacarandas. Most of Brisbane has just been blossoming with the distinctive purple flowers, but here they're taking over the walls. This piece is called Purple Reign for a reason (and not just to make a great Prince pun). As inspired by R Godfrey Rivers's painting Under the jacaranda 1903, visitors play with touch screens and video to explore the gorgeous blooms, which brighten up nearly every surface in the room. [caption id="attachment_700275" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] ALBAIQUNI Zico. Indonesia, b. 1987. When it Shook - The Earth stood Still (After Pirous) 2018. Oil on canvas. 200 x 120 cm. Courtesy: The artist and Yavuz Gallery.[/caption] THE WORK OF ZICO ALBAIQUNI In a huge exhibition designed to catch many an eye — both as a whole, and via its individual artworks — some of APT9's most vibrant pieces take art aficionados to Indonesia. More than that, they delve into the country's landscape and history — but not quite how you might expect. That's what artist Zico Albaiquni does, with exploring his country's traditions, its time under Dutch colonial rule and the state of the environment today all part of his practise. Working at the larger end of the scale, his paintings envelop viewers with their size, their scale and with their use of design, as well as with their almost forceful (and definitely attention-grabbing) use of colour. [caption id="attachment_700270" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] CAO Fei. Beijing, China b. 1978. Asia One 2018. HD video installation: 63:20 minutes, sound, colour, ed. 2/7 (edition TBC). Collection: Queensland Art Gallery.[/caption] 'ASIA ONE' AND '11.11' BY CAO FEI Every room holds a treasure at APT9, particularly the darkened corner of GOMA where Cao Fei's video works play on a loop. The Chinese artist is particularly interested in a topic that's beginning to monopolise cinematic pieces from the region: the changing way of life that's accompanying China's rapid modernisation. For both narrative effort Asia One and documentary 11.11, she steps inside the logistics hub of online retailer JD.com, exploring today's daily reality and pondering the intersection of humanity and technology in the future. And while the videos are worth watching alone, the exhibition's staging helps draw you in — you'll feel like you're in a warehouse rather than a gallery. [caption id="attachment_700273" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] "On the second day, Saturday, your three minutes..."Art Basel HK Encounter, 2017, performance/installation[/caption] 'ON THE SECOND SATURDAY, YOUR THREE MINUTES' BY JOYCE HO Need a rest, art lovers? Fancy sitting down and contemplating everything that you've seen? Thanks to Joyce Ho's addition to the exhibition, you'll find two lines of seats ready and waiting. This isn't about getting cosy, however, with the seats set up in separate spaces that resemble waiting rooms. There are no magazines or muted TVs here, but rather a mirrored window between the two chambers. Plonk yourself down on either side, and you'll spy both your reflection and the ghostly image of whoever happens to be sitting opposite, with the two combining in quite the striking and memorable fashion. [caption id="attachment_700267" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, GOMA, The 9th Asia and Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9), Exhibition no. 2018.05.Organisation Queensland Art Gallery, Start date 24 November 2018. End date 28 April 2019. Installation view.[/caption] 'UNTITLED (GIRAN)' BY JONATHAN JONES Nearly 2000 sculptures comprise Australian artist Jonathan Jones' piece, which spans across an entire wall. It's the kind of artwork that stuns from afar, making you step back to appreciate its full glory, while simultaneously inviting you closer to investigate its exceptional detail. Curved in appearance and with feathers featuring prominently, it's designed to resemble birds flying on the wind, although each individual element is actually one of six different types of tool. Made with family and Wiradjuri community members from raw materials, and crafted in collaboration with elder Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr, it instantly conveys the movement and change that comes with the breeze — and turning an already evocative static piece into an immersive installation, it's also accompanied by sounds of the wind, bird calls, breathing and the Wiradjuri language. [caption id="attachment_700272" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. QAG Watermall. The 9th Asia and Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9). Exhibition no. 2018.05. Organisation Queensland Art Gallery. Start date 24 November 2018. End date 28 April 2019. Installation view.[/caption] 'MY FOREST IS NOT YOUR GARDEN' BY DONNA ONG AND ROBERT ZHAO RENHUI A sea of green above a pool of water sounds like everyone's ideal of blissful eye candy. At APT9, it's Donna One and Robert Zhao Renhui's contribution to the fold, as found in QAG's already peaceful and serene Watermall. Walk across the platform above the indoor pond, and plenty of plants await, although these aren't any old potted pieces. They're actually a mixed-media assemblage that makes a statement about the use of nature in both Chinese and European art, with each one littered with tiny animals. Plus, while you're wandering through this leafy part of the exhibition, you'll also be able to see Kawayan de Guia's bright wall of works — a mashup of pop culture images and references to Filipino politics — in front of it. The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art runs until April 28, 2019 at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane. Top image: CAO Fei. Beijing, China b. 1978. Asia One 2018. HD video installation: 63:20 minutes, sound, colour, ed. 2/7 (edition TBC) Collection: Queensland Art Gallery.
While it's hard to put a number on the huge amount of Lego pieces in the world right now, one thing's for sure — all that plastic is the stuff of environmental nightmares. But we can all breathe a tiny bit easier, with the Lego Group announcing its latest good-guy move: it has started producing a range of sustainable pieces, made from plant-based plastic. The company will use a polyethylene sourced from sugarcane to create a new series of botanical Lego pieces, in the shapes of trees, leaves and bushes, to hit shelves as early as this year. They'll look and feel the same (sorry folks, stepping on these will hurt just as much as the regular Lego), but will have a much lighter environmental footprint. And it seems Lego's got plenty more eco-friendly initiatives up its sleeve, too. "At the Lego Group we want to make a positive impact on the world around us, and are working hard to make great play products for children using sustainable materials," said the group's Vice President for Environmental Responsibility Tim Brooks. "This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment of making all Lego bricks using sustainable materials." Lego Group has committed to using sustainable materials in all its core products and packaging by 2030.
Between the blazing fire shows taking over the Royal Botanic Gardens, the swag of immersive theatre experiences inviting audiences into parallel worlds, and the huge international acts returning to Aussie shores for the first time in decades, this year's Melbourne International Arts Festival will be tough to ignore. Unveiled yesterday, the festival's 2018 program is set to deliver a diverse, vibrant celebration of dance, music, theatre, visual arts and architecture from October 3–21, with the entire city as its stage. The Royal Botanic Gardens, acting as the festival's mini hub, will be transformed in a haze of flames across four nights, for the Fire Gardens fire-burning spectacular. Elsewhere on the site, acclaimed contemporary circus company NoFitState explores the 250-year history of the circus ring, with an exclusive performance of Lexicon. Post-punk legends The The make their first Melbourne appearance in almost 30 years, to play hits from across their internationally renowned back catalogue, and Berlin composer and pianist Nils Frahm makes his return to Hamer Hall, four years after the sell-out success of his Melbourne Festival debut. Japanese sound artist ASUNA will present its unique aural installation 100 Keyboards, which will see 100 battery operated keyboards brought to life. And the creators of last year's iconic House Of Mirrors installation and Dark Mofo's upside down crosses, Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney are at it again, taking over the Arts Centre forecourt with their new work 1000 Doors — an interactive piece inviting audiences to choose their own adventure. Meanwhile, the program's broad-ranging dance lineup includes top choreographer William Forsythe's boundary-pushing A Quiet Evening Of Dance, and visually stunning, Romeo & Juliet-style dance-opera, Layla and Majnun. Melbourne International Arts Festival runs from October 3-21, 2018, at venues across the city. Tickets are available here, from midday, July 30.
Always fancied hanging a gallery-worthy masterpiece on your wall, but don't have anywhere near the hefty budget needed to make that dream a reality? Adore that idea, but believe that great art belongs in galleries where the general public can see it? Whether you're an art lover without deep pockets or a huge supporter of art museums, here's a handy, creative and gorgeous new alternative: building one of the most famous paintings ever crafted out of Lego. If you can construct flowers out of the colourful plastic blocks, brightening up your home with succulents, orchids, bouquets and bonsai fashioned out of bricks, then recreating phenomenal art is the easy next step. The toy brand has come up with the kit to do just that in collaboration with New York's Museum of Modern Art — and the pair have chosen quite the piece to reimagine in 2316 pieces. Painted in 1889, and a mesmerising, twinkling, blue-dripping sight to behold, Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night is a post-impressionist wonder. When you're making it out of Lego, we recommend busting out the bricks next to a window with a view — given that van Gogh created the OG piece, entrancing colours, brush strokes and all, after taking inspiration from his vantage at the Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy, France. Unsurprisingly, The Starry Night is a big hit at MoMA, where it has been on display since 1935 — but now you can put together a version to look at whenever you want. Firmly designed for adults, Lego and MoMa's The Starry Night set measures 40 centimetres long, 21 centimetres wide and 28 centimetres high. And, yes, you can hang the 3D piece on your wall. Also included in the kit, which'll cost AU$259.99 / NZ $279.99 when it goes on sale on Wednesday, June 1: a van Gogh minifigure. It comes with a paint brush, palette, easel and mini painting on a printed tile, and there's an arm that you can attach to the big version of the The Starry Night, too, to show the artist painting the scene. It's been a great few years to be a fan of van Gogh Down Under — so if you went to the National Gallery of Victoria's huge van Gogh exhibition back in 2017, or enjoyed stepping into The Starry Night during multisensory showcase Van Gogh Alive's past Australian and New Zealand stops, this is the Lego set for you. For more information about Lego's new The Starry Night, which goes on sale on Wednesday, June 1, head to the company's website.
Don't think much of the humble of bowl of oats? Prepare to change your mind, like now. You can basically thank your existence on the subject of this feature. Porridge has in fact been dubbed the “greatest invention of all time”, without which, our earth simply wouldn’t be as populated as it is today. (Don't believe it? The UK Telegraph wouldn't lie.) Mercifully though, this ridiculously versatile breakfast option has evolved from the basic blend of oats, milk and a simple topping to the seriously inspired — think quinoa grains; milk alternatives such as almond or coconut; and toppings of fresh, poached or dried fruit, nuts, compotes, fairy floss, ricottas or burnt caramel sauces. Thanks to imaginative chefs in cafe kitchens across Brisbane, our top ten list covers the best from decadent and sweet to healthy and wholesome. Whichever way you prefer your morning goodness we're sure there's one below that's juuuust right. The Rogue Rennard The porridge at The Rogue Rennard is quite simply put, divine. A bowl of perfectly balanced flavours and textures, the creamy vanilla oats are cooked in full fat milk and are topped with sweet but still slightly tart quarters of poached quince, a sprinkling of crushed almonds and desiccated coconut and micro herbs to finish. It’s pretty much the epitome of winter in a bowl and leaves you scraping your spoon to ensure those final residual grains don’t escape your stomach. 106a Latrobe Tce, Paddington Al'FreshCo A stroke of genius from Alastair Mcleod’s Al'FreshCo team (who serve up French inspired deliciousness at the Jan Powers Farmers Markets every week) means you can now get your porridge fix whilst trawling for your weeks’ produce! The wonderfully indulgent vanilla porridge made with oats, vanilla bean paste and full fat milk, is served with sweet strawberries from fellow stallholder Wild Fruit, a drizzling of burnt orange caramel and is finished with optional bee pollen and honey. Sweet, warming and just heavenly. Jan Powers Farmer Markets, New Farm & Queens St The Moray Cafe The Moray Café’s take on porridge is definitely one for the sugar inclined. Nothing short of sweet, its banana chai porridge with berry compote, honeycomb and homemade fairy floss is as pretty as a picture and is almost like having dessert for breakfast. With oats made on a mashed banana and chai infused milk, the porridge is served with a sweet berry mixture of jam-like consistency and topped with clouds of pink floss. It conjures childhood imaginings of princess breakfasts and fairy food. 158 Moray St, New Farm Bear Bones Espresso Tucked away in a non-descript building on Mclachlan St in the Valley, Bare Bones Espresso does a mean coffee…but its small selection of breakfast options is equally as enticing. In particular the red quinoa porridge with chai tea soaked prunes (or cranberries if they’re out), pepitas and pistachios will warm the “barest of bones”! Both textural and flavoursome it ticks the boxes for creaminess, nuttiness and zing factor. 2/66 Mclachlan St, Fortitude Valley Kiss the Berry Known for amaze-balls acai bowls and awesome house blend coffee, Kiss the Berry has also recently started selling warm porridge bowls to hungry hoards of city goers. The overnight oat porridge bowls are the shiz with oats soaked overnight in water, vanilla and cinnamon, cooked in milk and topped with your choice of either apple, blueberries and pistachio crumble, or strawberry, banana, gluten free buckinis and coconut sugar. With either option you’ll also get a blob of acai compote to finish, which is all it takes to transport you to porridge nirvana. Shop 1/99 Creek St, Brisbane Spicers Balfour Kitchen If there were a prize for the most decadent of porridges in Brisbane, Spicers Balfour would be a serious contender. With oats and quinoa cooked with cream and served with an extra jug of it on the side for pouring, it’s thick, luscious and everything you want from a winter breakfast. Topped with candied almonds, tangy sour cherries, slightly crunchy caramelised apple and sugared pistachio it’s a breakfast that will make you want to curl up with a book and go straight back to bed after you've finished! 37 Balfour St, New Farm Sourced Grocer Locals are well aware that the cooler months mean it’s time for the much anticipated winter porridge from Sourced Grocer. We know these guys can do a killer bowl of oats making it wickedly rich with both milk and cream, but it’s the annually changing topping that generates the hype. Last year it was caramelised banana and maple and this year it’s all about the rhubarb with hazelnut rapadura sugar and extra cream. Served al dente so the rhubarb is still in tact and sprinkled with the nutty, sugary crumb it’s definitely another hit! 11 Florence St, Teneriffe Artie & Mai This may only be a special on the Artie & Mai menu but the quinoa porridge made with coconut milk and topped with slices of fresh banana, walnuts, sunflower seeds and thyme infused honey, is a ripper. Using only quinoa the porridge is light and fluffy with a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavour. Super healthy with just a hint of sweetness from the banana and honey, it’s also perfectly portioned so you don’t feel like you’re rolling out the door once spoons are down. Artie & Mai, we think this one needs to become a regular breakfast option. Stat. 340 Sandgate Rd, Albion Campos Coffee The team at the Campos head quarter’s kitchen in James St usually do porridge every winter that regulars look out for. Its current take on the traditional warming breakfast is a creamy vanilla oat porridge, served with earl grey infused dates dotted throughout and topped with a blob of thick, creamy ricotta and fresh strawberry halves (honey is also optional). Plus, Campos' oat-y goodness is like a never-ending bowl of deliciousness. Props to those who can polish it off! 11 Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley Stalled Espresso Normally Stalled’s porridge comes topped with vibrant rhubarb and berry compote, however, in a testament to improvisation (and lack of rhubarb on the day of review) they can easily substitute the topping for whatever they may have on hand. Sweet caramelised banana and fresh strawberries are a perfect combination and fresh alternative atop the creamy bowl of oats that will leave you wanting to return the next day. And the next. 38 Collingwood St, Albion Honourable mentions definitely to go to Willow and Spoon, Little Pawpaw, Blackbird Espresso. Photography by Mimi Hyll
If you're a wannabe wizard or witch looking for more Harry Potter magic in your life, the last few years have provided plenty of ways to accio up some enchanting fun. Harry Potter-themed potions bars have popped up across Australia and New Zealand, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child hit the stage in Melbourne, and screenings, parties, escape rooms, scavenger hunts and other HP-centric events have been common everywhere, really. You can also play Pokemon Go-style game Wizards Unite or browse your way through the online Harry Potter at Home portal whenever you like, too. Soon, all of above will pale in comparison to the kind of space HP fans can really lose themselves in — and one that, hopefully, visitors will need a Marauder's Map to get around. That'd be a dedicated Harry Potter theme park, which is set to open in Japan in the first half of 2023. Fingers (or wands) crossed that international travel is back to normal by then. As first reported earlier this year, the new park will take over part of the existing Toshimaen amusement park in Tokyo's Nerima ward. That site has been up and running for 94 years, but will close at the end of August 2020 — so Warner Bros Studio Tours, Warner Bros Japan, Seibu Railway Co Ltd, ITOCHU Corporation and Fuyo General Lease Co Ltd are teaming up, waving a few magic wands about and turning a section of it into a Harry Potter-theme park. [caption id="attachment_761496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Toshimaen. Image: Rsa via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Called Warner Bros Studio Tour Tokyo — The Making of Harry Potter, the new venture will take more than a few cues from the existing Harry Potter attraction in London, which spans costumes, props, exhibitions and special events. That means there'll be a focus on sets that fans can tour, rather than rides. If you were hoping to play quidditch, travel by portkey or ride the floo network, that doesn't seem to be on the agenda, sorry. Instead, visitors will be taken "on a fascinating behind the scenes tour of the Wizarding World series," according to the statement officially announcing the Tokyo park. Over a space of about 30,000 square metres that'll include a soundstage and backlot area, there'll be movie sets that were designed and built by the creators of the Harry Potter series, as well as original outfits and items from the films. Overall, it's expected to take patrons about half a day to wander through it all. [caption id="attachment_761499" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Warner Bros Studio Tour London[/caption] Warner Bros Studio Tour Tokyo — The Making of Harry Potter will be ticketed, unsurprisingly, but outside the entrance it'll also feature a landscaped area filled with sculptures of Harry Potter figures — and that'll be accessible to both park visitors and local residents. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will be turning the rest of Toshimaen Amusement Park's grounds into a public park, with the Harry Potter tour and the rest of site coordinating their development plans. Japan is already home to a Harry Potter theme park zone at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka — so diehard devotees just might have to visit two of the country's cities. When it comes to fruition, add the dedicated Harry Potter theme park to Japan's hefty range of pop culture-themed attractions. A Super Nintendo amusement park zone is due to open at the aforementioned Universal Studios Japan in Osaka this year, a forthcoming Godzilla attraction will let you zipline into the monster's mouth, and a Studio Ghibli theme park is in the works — and Tokyo already boasts huge Godzilla and Gundam statues, as well as the Studio Ghibli Museum just outside the city. Top image: Warner Bros Studio Tour London.
Few actors have splashed into Hollywood like Maria Bakalova. Few actors have had Sacha Baron Cohen completely change their lives, too. Jump back to 2020 and the Bulgarian talent was 24, working since she was 12, but a fresh face internationally. Then, mere months into 2021, she was the Oscar-nominated breakout star of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan — for playing Borat's teenage daughter Tutar Sagdiyev with fierce comic commitment that upstaged everyone around her, even Baron Cohen. How do you follow up that kind of whirlwind? For Bakalova, the challenge is seeking out interesting approaches, "because at the end of the day, all of the scripts, all of the stories have been written back in the day," she tells Concrete Playground from a hotel room in New York. "It's only the way that this production company, this director of photography, this filmmaker are going to share the story that's the difference between stories that have been the same over and over and over," Bakalova notes. Cue Bodies Bodies Bodies. Bakalova is spot on; there's much that's familiar about the latest horror gem from audience-darling studio A24. It brings together a group of wealthy twentysomethings in an empty mansion, where a party naturally ensues. It strands them with an encroaching hurricane, but that's the whole reason they're drinking tequila by the pool anyway. As the Halina Reijn (Instinct)-directed film's name makes plain, there are soon bodies, bodies, bodies, starting when the gang play the Mafia- and Werewolf-style game that also shares the movie's moniker. Avoiding becoming the next victim, pointing fingers among themselves while looking for the culprit, working through their Gen Z baggage: if you've seen a slasher flick, a whodunnit or Euphoria, you've seen plenty of Bodies Bodies Bodies' components before. Bodies Bodies Bodies isn't the film that audiences expect from there, though. It's savage, hilarious, playful, twisty, raucous and chaotic all at once — and it makes the utmost of a cast that enlists Bakalova as Bee, the quiet, working-class girlfriend to Amandla Stenberg's (Dear Evan Hansen) Sophie, and the outsider in the group of rich kids played by Pete Davidson (The Suicide Squad), Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), Chase Sui Wonders (Generation) and Myha'la Herrold (Industry). It's another movie-stealing performance and, with Bodies Bodies Bodies opening in Australian cinemas on September 15, Bakalova chatted us through fangirling over A24, seeking out a character far removed from Tutar and, yes, playing Bodies Bodies Bodies with her costars. ON DECIDING WHAT TO DO AFTER BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM "To be honest, I believe that most of the actors I like and most of the people that I look up to — I have been acting for a while, because I started when I was 12, it's been 14 years so far — most of the people that I admire in their work have always wanted to have longevity. That's pretty relevant to me as well. So that's why I always try to find something that is different than what I did before, something that is completely the opposite of my last character. Reading the script of Bodies Bodies Bodies and seeing that there is a character like Bee — somebody that is exactly the opposite of Tutar in Borat, the role that took me to America and made people somehow relate to me and root for the character — was challenging and interesting to approach and try to work on. Because she has nothing in common with Tutar, and she has nothing in common with myself. And I wanted to work with A24 as well — a lot. I love most of their movies, if not all of them. I believe they're all of them, but to not sound like a creeper, I will say most of them. Plus, I loved Halina's work. She's also a theatrically trained actress, as I am, and I was interested to work with her. I always like to work with women in charge, because every time you see a movie that has been led by a woman, there is this specific sensitivity that somehow triggers you in a different way. So with this script, with Halina in charge, with all of these female characters involved, I was excited to explore what's happening." ON GETTING DRAWN INTO BODIES BODIES BODIES' TWISTS "I was very happy to read a script where people are speaking the way that we're speaking. Bee is not the most outspoken person in the script, but the dialogue itself is just beautifully written, so all my respect towards Sarah DeLappe [Bodies Bodies Bodies' screenwriter]. You see these people, you hear them, you feel them. You see a real person in front of you. So I was excited while I was reading it, and I was questioning myself: 'Who is it? Who is it? You have to know! You have to feel it! You have to sense it!'. And at the end of the script when I get to the point that, 'oh my god, it's this!'. It's quite relevant to the decade that we live in, because we're all a little bit manipulated by some of the tools that we have access to. And we often forget to communicate, and just sit down and discuss what's happening — 'who are you, why are we friends, why are we a couple, what are we doing now?'. You just jump and judge and start blaming each other because the trust doesn't exist and you're not honest with each other. I was very thrilled by the script and the twist at the end, because that's what's the most exciting part of every single script that you're reading — you cannot wait to get to the end and see how this mystery will be solved." ON PLAYING THE OUTSIDER OF THE GROUP — AND FINDING AUTHENTICITY "I respect Bee's decisions — some of her decisions… She's way smarter than people think she is, and way stronger than their perception of her. The only similarity between me and Bee is that we're both from different countries, but that can be universal as well, because every one of us has felt sometimes where you're in a place and around people that you do not really know, do not really relate to, and you try to belong. So as much as she's similar to people like me, like Halina, as newcomers to this new big beautiful country dreamland, it's also a universal feeling of the desire to belong somewhere with someone. The process of Bodies Bodies Bodies has been really interesting because we got to work, to experiment, to think, and then shoot for a very quick period of time — and work with one location and a lot of settings, a lot of physical blocking. That's difficult for a theatrical play, which of course came from Halina and her desire to make this as authentically as possible — and with as long takes as possible. And Jasper Wolf, our director of photography, has just been a dream because he was following every single movement and every single decision we make in the moment. He captured things that haven't been written, haven't been rehearsed, they just happen in this moment, because Halina never said — not never, but a lot of times — she didn't say cut or stop, and we just kept going." ON PLAYING BODIES BODIES BODIES WITH THE CAST OF BODIES BODIES BODIES "We were shooting in this humongous, tremendous villa in the middle of Chappaqua [in upstate New York] in the woods, and we were staying at this very scary hotel around Chappaqua. Every single night, we wanted to spend time together rehearsing — and just hold hands and tell each other that we're worth it, we're loved and we're good, we're not bad people, because we were traumatised by the movie we were shooting somehow, and by the horrible people that we had to play. One of the nights we wanted to play Bodies Bodies Bodies, or as we call it, Mafia or Werewolf. And if was very interesting. I think it made us more into the game. And it was one of the first nights we were together, so it was interesting to explore what happens there." ON HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM "It became more bicoastal, universal. I've been working like crazy ever since I was a child, and trying to do as many things as possible — if they're good quality — but I just want to keep working, it makes me happy. It makes me happy to have the chance to portray all of these different people and try to think like them. And maybe somehow, it makes me understand people more, because I have to read the lines of this character, create their backstory and believe them. When you get the chance to explore different characters and their reasons, you are not so judgemental when you meet people in real life. That's why I'm passionate about acting and working. But the biggest change is that I hope people will pay more attention to people from my region of the world, people like me, people who haven't been in the spotlight yet and haven't been given a chance." Bodies Bodies Bodies screens in Australian cinemas from September 15. Read our full review. Images:Erik Chakeen / Gwen Capistran / The cast and crew of Bodies Bodies Bodies / A24.
The National Gallery of Victoria's revolving door of blockbuster exhibitions shows no sign of slowing, with an exceptional meeting of creative minds next set to grace its halls. Running from Friday, June 9–Sunday, October 8 as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, the NGV will play host to world-premiere exhibition Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi. This major showcase is set to feature more than 100 works by the famed French painter, seen through a fresh lens as accompanied by contemporary scenography by internationally renowned architect and designer Mahdavi. Originally slated to debut in 2020 before the pandemic did its thing, the highly anticipated exhibition has been curated in conjunction with Paris' Musée d'Orsay — home to the world's largest collection of Bonnard works. [caption id="attachment_890701" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The dining room in the country', 1913, Pierre Bonnard. Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The John R. Van Derlip Fund.[/caption] An icon of late 19th and early 20th century art, and a good mate of Henri Matisse, Bonnard is known for his colourful, textural depictions of French life, offering stylised yet subtle glimpses of intimate domestic scenes, urban backdrops and natural landscapes. Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi will showcase a hefty collection of the artist's own paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and other decorative objects, alongside works from his contemporaries — including Édouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Félix Vallotton and cinematic pioneers the Lumière brothers. [caption id="attachment_890702" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The window', 1925, Pierre Bonnard. Tate, London. Presented by Lord Ivor Spencer Churchill through the Contemporary Art Society, 1930.[/caption] Considered one of the world's most influential architects, multi-award-winning Mahdavi has been commissioned to help bring the historic pieces to life via her scenography, tasked with creating a setting that complements Bonnard's signature use of colour and light. "Monsieur Bonnard and I share the same passion: colour," Mahdavi explains of the exhibition. "I love his subjective perception of colour — the way he transforms the intimacy of everyday life into something sublime." Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi will include numerous pieces on loan from the Musée d'Orsay, as well as other museums and private collections in Europe, Australia and the USA. They'll be joined by significant works from the NGV's own collection, including Bonnard's 1900 painting La Sieste (Siesta). [caption id="attachment_890703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Siesta (La Sieste)', 1900, Pierre Bonnard. National Gallery of Victoria, Felton Bequest, 1949.[/caption] 'Pierre Bonnard: Designed by India Mahdavi' will run at the NGV International from Friday, June 9–Sunday, October 8. For more information, see the venue's website. Top image: 'Coffee', 1915, Pierre Bonnard. Tate, London. Presented by Sir Michael Sadler through the NACF, 1941.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from May's haul. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL NOW THE GREAT Television perfection is watching Elle Fanning (The Girl From Plainville) and Nicholas Hoult (Renfield) trying to run 18th-century Russia while scheming, fighting and heatedly reuniting in ahistorical period comedy The Great. Since 2020, they've each been in career-best form — her as the series' ambitious namesake, him as the emperor who loses his throne to his wife — while turning in two of the best performances on streaming in one of the medium's most hilarious shows. Both former child actors now enjoying excellent careers as adults, they make such a marvellous pair that it's easy to imagine this series being built around them. It wasn't and, now three seasons, The Great has never thrived on their casting alone. Still, shouting "huzzah!" at the duo's bickering, burning passion and bloodshed-sparking feuding flows as freely as all the vodka downed in the Emmy-winner's frames under Australian creator Tony McNamara's watch (and after he initially unleashed its winning havoc upon Sydney Theatre Company in 2008, then adapted it for television following a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for co-penning The Favourite). In this latest batch of instalments, all either written or co-written by McNamara, Catherine (Fanning) and Peter (Hoult) begin the third season sure about their love for each other, but just as flummoxed as ever about making their nuptials work. She's attempting to reform the nation, he's the primary caregiver to their infant son Paul, her efforts are meeting resistance, he's doting but also bored playing stay-out-of-politics dad, and couples counselling is called for. There's also the matter of the royal court's most prominent members, many of whom were rounded up and arrested under Catherine's orders at the end of season two. From Sweden, exiled King Hugo (Freddie Fox, House of the Dragon) and Queen Agnes (Grace Molony, Mary, Queen of Scots) are hanging around after being run out of their own country due to democracy's arrival. And, Peter's lookalike Pugachev (also Hoult) is agitating for a serf-powered revolution. The Great streams via Stan. Read our full review. PREHISTORIC PLANET When it initially arrived in 2022, becoming one of the year's best new shows and giving nature doco fans the five-episode series they didn't know they'd always wanted — and simultaneously couldn't believe hadn't been made until now — Prehistoric Planet followed the David Attenborough nature documentary formula perfectly. And it is a formula. In a genre that's frequently spying the wealth of patterns at the heart of the animal realm, docos such as The Living Planet, State of the Planet, Frozen Planet, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet, Green Planet and the like all build from the same basic elements. Jumping back 66 million years, capitalising upon advancements in special effects but committing to making a program just like anything that peers at the earth today was never going to feel like the easy product of a template, though. Indeed, Prehistoric Planet's first season was stunning, and its second is just as staggering. The catch, in both season one and this return trip backwards: while breathtaking landscape footage brings the planet's terrain to the Prehistoric Planet series, the critters stalking, swimming, flying and tumbling across it are purely pixels. Filmmaker Jon Favreau remains among the show's executive producers, and the technology that brought his photorealistic versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King to cinemas couldn't be more pivotal. Seeing needs to be believing while watching, because the big-screen gloss of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World sagas, the puppets of 90s sitcom Dinosaurs, and the animatronics of Walking with Dinosaurs — or anything in-between — were never going to suit a program with Attenborough as a guide. Accordingly, to sit down to Prehistoric Planet is to experience cognitive dissonance: viewers are well-aware that what they're spying isn't real because the animals seen no longer exist, but it truly looks that authentic. Prehistoric Planet season streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON Eat-the-rich stories are delicious, and also everywhere; however, Succession, Triangle of Sadness and the like aren't the only on-screen sources of terrible but terribly entertaining people. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson has been filling streaming queues with assholes since 2019, as usually played by the eponymous Detroiters star, and long may it continue. In season three, the show takes its premise literally in the most ridiculous and unexpected way, so much so that no one could ever dream of predicting what happens. That's still the sketch comedy's not-so-secret power. Each of its skits is about someone being the worst in some way, doubling down on being the worst and refusing to admit that they're the worst (or that they're wrong) — and while everyone around them might wish they'd leave, they're never going to, and nothing ever ends smoothly. In a show that's previously worked in hot dog costumes and reality TV series about bodies dropping out of coffins to hilarious effect, anything can genuinely happen to its gallery of the insufferable. In fact, the more absurd and chaotic I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson gets, the better. No description can do I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson's sketches justice, and almost every one is a comedic marvel, as again delivered in six 15-minute episodes in the series' third run. The usual complaint applies: for a show about people overstaying their welcome, the program itself flies by too quickly, always leaving viewers wanting more. Everything from dog doors and designated drivers to HR training and street parking is in Robinson's sights this time, and people who won't stop talking about their kids, wedding photos and group-think party behaviour as well. Game shows get parodied again and again, an I Think You Should Leave staple, and gloriously. More often than in past seasons, Robinson lets his guest stars play the asshole, too, including the returning Will Forte (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), regular Sam Richardson (The Afterparty), and perennial pop-ups Fred Armisen (Barry) and Tim Meadows (Poker Face). And when Jason Schwartzman (I Love That for You) and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) drop in, they're also on the pitch-perfect wavelength. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson streams via Netflix. Read our full review. IN LIMBO Not to be confused with the just-released Australian film Limbo, new six-part Aussie dramedy In Limbo not only takes its title to heart, but also uses the idea as fuel for a supernatural buddy comedy. Indeed, before the first episode is out, Nate (Bob Morley, Love Me) is palling around with his lifelong best friend Charlie (Ryan Corr, House of the Dragon) from the afterlife. The former doesn't know why he's still a presence. The latter is understandably reeling from the tragedy, and initially thinks that spying Nate is just a drunken hallucination. No one else, not Nate's wife Freya (Emma Harvie, Colin From Accounts), eight-year-old daughter Annabel (Kamillia Rihani, The Twelve), supremely very Catholic mother Maria (Lena Cruz, Wellmania) and affable father Frank (Russell Dykstra, Irreverent), can see their dearly-departed loved one as a ghost. It's Christmas, too, in this Brisbane-shot and -set series, and facing the festivities after such a shock is far from easy. While heartily deploying Brisbane Powerhouse and New Farm Park as settings, that's a lot for one show to delve into — and delve it thoughtfully does. Tackling grief, mental health and suicide is never simple, even in a show about someone haunting their best mate, and including when such topics have been increasingly popping up in Australian fare of late (see also: Totally Completely Fine). In Limbo is clearly made with care, empathy and understanding — and, crucially, doesn't attempt to offer any firm answers, instead acting as a conversation starter. At its core, the always-excellent Corr plays a complicated role with charm. That's no surprise given his resume, and he couldn't be better cast. Corr's likeable performance always dives deep into the about-to-get-divorced Charlie's struggle without Nate physically by his side, with Nate now his ghostly offsider and with his own problems, and never brushes past the character's flaws. And, just as importantly as the show's focus on 21st-century masculinity and friendship, Corr makes such a great double act with Morley that filmmakers should be clamouring to pair them up again ASAP. In Limbo streams via ABC iView. CONFESS, FLETCH Since Mad Men had Don Draper want to buy the world a Coke to end its seven-season run back in 2015, comedy has been Jon Hamm's friend. He's the ultimate TV guest star, building upon stints in 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation while Mad Men was still airing with Toast of London, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Curb Your Enthusiasm, on a resume that also includes The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, Childrens Hospital, Medical Police, Angie Tribeca, The Last Man on Earth and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp as well. So, casting him as the new Irwin Maurice 'Fletch' Fletcher couldn't be an easier move. Having fellow Mad Men standout John Slattery (The Good Fight) also appear in the latest flick about the investigative reporter, and the first since the Chevy Chase-led movies in the 80s, is another winning touch. Even if that reunion wasn't part of the film, Hamm is so entertaining that he makes a killer case for a whole new Fletch franchise — on whatever screen the powers-that-be like — with him at its centre. Hamm clearly understands how well he suits this type of character, and the genre; he's a comic delight, and he's also one of Confess, Fletch's producers. Superbad and Adventureland's Greg Mottola directs and co-writes, scripting with Outer Range's Zev Borow — and ensuring that Hamm and Slattery aren't the only acting highlights. Working through a plot that sees Fletch chasing a stolen artwork, discovering a dead body, and both looking into the crime and considered a suspect himself, the film also features engaging turns by always-welcome Twin Peaks great Kyle MacLachlan and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar gem Annie Mumolo. There have been several attempts to revive Fletch over the past three decades, including separate projects with Ted Lasso duo Bill Lawrence and Jason Sudeikis — on the page, the character spans nine novels — but viewers should be thankful that this is the action-comedy that came to fruition, even if it skipped cinemas everywhere but the US. Confess, Fletch streams via Paramount+ and Binge. BUPKIS In its opening moments, Bupkis unloads — twice, in completely different ways, while ensuring there's zero doubt that this is a series about Pete Davidson starring Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson. First, the former Saturday Night Live comedian gets Googling while alone in the basement of the Staten Island home he shares with his mother Amy (Edie Falco, Avatar: The Way of Water). The results about Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale and Kim Kardashian's ex aren't positive; so, to shake off the unpleasantness of reading '12 Things Horribly Wrong with Pete Davidson', he switches from "scumbro" with "butthole eyes" comments to porn. He's wearing a VR headset, and he's soon deep in self-love. Then his mum walks in. Bupkis clearly isn't wary about getting crude. It isn't concerned about satirising its central figure, either. Instead, this semi-autobiographical dramedy relishes the parody. At the age of 29, Davidson has reached the "you may as well laugh" point in his career, which is hardly surprising given he's spent the past decade swinging his big chaotic energy around. Partway through the eight-episode series, while keen to claim some perks for being Davidson's mother — other than doting on her son, that is — Amy shouts at wait staff that "Marisa Tomei played me!". Add that to Bupkis' gleeful, playful nods to reality. An opening statement before each instalment stresses the difference between fact and fiction, and why the show has the moniker it has, but art keeps imitating life everywhere. There's no switching names, however. Davidson is indeed Davidson, his IRL mum is called Amy and his sister is Casey (Oona Roche, The Morning Show). As in The King of Staten Island, they've been a trio since 9/11, and dealing with losing his New York City firefighter dad still isn't easy. Off-screen, however, Davidson must be a fan of My Cousin Vinny, plus the gangster genre. Hailing from the former as Tomei does, and famed for his performances in the latter like The Sopranos star Falco, Goodfellas, Casino and The Irishman alum Joe Pesci is a pivotal part of Bupkis as Davidson's grandfather Joe — a hilarious and delightful part, unsurprisingly. Bupkis streams via Binge. Read our full review. VENGEANCE When Vengeance begins with a New Yorker journalist who's desperate to start his own podcast, Soho House hangouts and relationship advice from John Mayer as himself, it begins with rich and savvy character details. Writing, starring and making his feature directorial debut after helming episodes of The Office and The Mindy Project, BJ Novak instantly establishes the kind of person that Ben Manalowitz is. He shows the East Coast world that his protagonist inhabits, too — and, by focusing on the only guy in NYC without their own audio outlet, or so it seems, plus that romantic guidance, it splashes around its sense of humour. This is a sharply amusing mystery-comedy, and a highlight on Novak's resume in all three of his guises. It's also about subverting expectations, and lampooning the first impressions and broad stereotypes that are too often — and too easily — clung to. Indeed, Vengeance bakes in that idea as many ways as it can as Ben (Novak) does the most obvious thing he can to convince his producer (Issa Rae, Insecure) that his voice is worth hearing: bursts his Big Apple bubble. The Mayer bit isn't just a gag; it helps set up Ben as the kind of person who is dating so many women that he doesn't know which one has died after he gets a bereaved phone call from Texas in the middle of the night. On the other end is Ty Shaw (Boyd Holbrook, The Sandman), brother to Abilene (Lio Tipton, Why Women Kill), who insists that Ben head southwest immediately to attend her funeral — she claimed that they were serious enough that she's his girlfriend, after all. Upon arrival, the out-of-towner initially regards his hosts as jokes, and their lives and Abilene's death as content. Ty thinks she was murdered, and Ben couldn't be giddier about getting it all on tape and calling the series Dead White Girl. The journo's self-interest is up there with his obliviousness about anything that doesn't fit into his NYC orbit; however, this isn't a culture-clash comedy — thankfully — but a clever, self-aware and ambitious satire. It's also strikingly shot and features a standout performance by Ashton Kutcher (That '90s Show) as a suave record producer. Vengeance streams via Netflix and Binge. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK SILO Rebecca Ferguson will never be mistaken for Daveed Diggs, but the Dune, Mission: Impossible franchise and Doctor Sleep star now follows in the Hamilton Tony-winner's footsteps. While he has spent multiple seasons navigating dystopian class clashes on a globe-circling train in the TV version of Snowpiercer, battling his way up and down the titular locomotive, she just started ascending and descending the stairs in the underground chamber that gives Silo its moniker. Ferguson's character is also among humanity's last remnants. Attempting to endure in post-apocalyptic times, she hails from her abode's lowliest depths as well. And, when there's a murder in this instantly engrossing new ten-part series — which leaps to the screen from Hugh Howey's novels, and shares a few basic parts with Metropolis, Blade Runner and The Platform, as well as corrupt world orders at the core of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner flicks — she's soon playing detective. Silo captivates from the outset, when its focus is the structure's sheriff Holston (David Oyelowo, See How They Run) and his wife Allison (Rashida Jones, On the Rocks). Both know the cardinal rule of the buried tower, as does deputy Marnes (Will Patton, Outer Range), mayor Ruth (Geraldine James, Benediction), security head Sims (Common, The Hate U Give), IT top brass Bernard (Tim Robbins, Dark Waters) and the other 10,000 souls they live with: if you make the request to go outside, it's irrevocable and you'll be sent there as punishment. No matter who you are, and from which level, anyone posing such a plea becomes a public spectacle. Their ask is framed as "cleaning", referring to wiping down the camera that beams the desolate planet around them onto window-sized screens in their cafeterias. No one has ever come back, or survived for more than minutes. Why? Add that to the questions piling up not just for Silo's viewers, but for the silo's residents. For more than 140 years, the latter have dwelled across their 144 floors in safety from the bleak wasteland that earth has become — but what caused that destruction and who built their cavernous home are among the other queries. Silo streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. THE OTHER TWO Swapping Saturday Night Live for an entertainment-parodying sitcom worked swimmingly for Tina Fey. Since 2019, it's also been going hilariously for Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider. Not just former SNL writers but the veteran sketch comedy's ex-head writers, Kelly and Schneider have been giving the world their own 30 Rock with the sharp, smart and sidesplitting The Other Two. Their angle: focusing on the adult siblings of a Justin Bieber-style teen popstar who've always had their own showbiz aspirations — he's an actor, she was a ballerina — who then find themselves the overlooked children of a momager-turned-daytime television host as well. Cary (Drew Tarver, History of the World: Part II) and Brooke (Heléne York, Katy Keene) Dubek are happy for Chase (Case Walker, Monster High: The Movie). And when their mother Pat (Molly Shannon, I Love That for You) gets her own time in the spotlight, becoming Oprah-level famous, they're equally thrilled for her. But ChaseDreams, their little brother's stage name, has always been a constant reminder that their own ambitions keep being outshone. In a first season that proved one of the best new shows of 2019, a second season in 2021 that was just as much of a delight and now a stellar third go-around, Cary and Brooke have never been above getting petty and messy about being the titular pair. In season three, however, they aren't just hanging around with stars in their eyes and resentment in their hearts. How do they cope? They've spent the past few years constantly comparing themselves to Chase, then to Pat, but now they're successful on their own — and still chaotic, and completely unable to change their engrained thinking. Forget the whole "the grass is always greener" adage. No matter if they're faking it or making it, nothing is ever perfectly verdant for this pair or anyone in their orbit. Still, as Brooke wonders whether her dream manager gig is trivial after living through a pandemic, she starts contemplating if she should be doing more meaningful work like her fashion designer-turned-nurse boyfriend Lance (Josh Segarra, The Big Door Prize). And with Cary's big breaks never quite panning out as planned, he gets envious of his fellow-actor BFF Curtis (Brandon Scott Jones, Ghosts). The Other Two streams via Binge. Read our full review. PLATONIC Sometime in the near future, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen and filmmaker Nicholas Stoller could easily join forces on a new rom-com. In fact, they should. Until then, buddy comedy Platonic makes a hilarious, engagingly written and directed, and perfectly cast addition to each's respective resumes. Reuniting the trio after 2014's Bad Neighbours and its 2016 sequel Bad Neighbours 2, this new series pairs Australia's comedy queen and America's go-to stoner as longterm pals who are never anything but mates — and haven't been in touch at all for years — but navigate a friendship that's as chaotic and complicated as any movie romance. That's an easy setup; however, watching the show's stars bicker, banter and face the fact that life doesn't always turn out as planned together proves as charming as it was always going to. Also, Platonic smartly doesn't try to be a romantic comedy, or to follow in When Harry Met Sally's footsteps. Instead, Platonic explores what happens when two former besties have gone their own ways, then come back together. The show knows that reconnecting with old pals is always tinged with nostalgia for the person you were when they were initially in your life. And, it's well-aware that reckoning with where you've ended up since is an immediate side effect. Enter Sylvia (Byrne, Seriously Red), who reaches out to Will (Rogen, The Super Mario Bros Movie) after hearing that he's no longer with the wife (Alisha Wainwright, Raising Dion) she didn't like. She's also a suburban-dwelling former lawyer who put work on hold to become a mother of three, and can't help feeling envious of her husband Charlie's (Luke Macfarlane, Bros) flourishing legal career. Her old BFF co-owns and runs an LA brewpub, is obsessive about his beer and hipster/slacker image, and hasn't been taking his breakup well. They couldn't be in more different places in their lives. When they meet up again, they couldn't appear more dissimilar, too. "You look like you live at Ann Taylor Loft," is Will's assessment. Sylvia calls him "a '90s grunge clown." Neither is wrong. Platonic streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. THE CLEARING They're called The Kindred, not The Family. Adrienne Beaufort is their leader, not Anne Hamilton-Byrne. But there's no mistaking the inspiration for JP Pomare's book In the Clearing and its new eight-part adaptation The Clearing. Exploring the inner workings of an Australian cult based in rural Victoria, spouting New Age sentiments mixed with doomsday thinking, fixated upon blonde-haired children and led by a charismatic woman — a rare female cult leader — this tale fictionalises the real-life details documented in countless newspaper headlines since the 80s, and also in Rosie Jones' 2016 documentary The Family and 2019 series The Cult of the Family. Amid their so-wild-they-can-only-be-true stories, both of those projects showed viewers the eerie image of children with platinum locks in severe bobs and dressed in matching blue attire. That distinctive look is similarly at the heart of Disney+'s first original scripted Aussie drama. In the earlier of its two timelines, Amy (Julia Savage, Blaze) dons the tresses and uniform as one of the older children at Adrienne's (Miranda Otto, Wellmania) Blackmarsh bush compound — one being prepared to be her heir, and made an accomplice in the group's quest to add more kids to its ranks. Initially dutiful, the teenager is soon questioning the only existence she's ever known, with its harsh rules, strict aunties keeping everyone in line between Adrienne's sporadic visits, weekend services attended by well-to-do acolytes and, sharing the show's title, its LSD-fuelled confessional sessions. When The Clearing dwells in the now, still in Victoria at its leafiest, the smear of heartbreak and damage is ever-present. Indeed, when single mother Freya Heywood (Teresa Palmer, Ride Like a Girl) hears about a girl being abducted, she can't shake the feeling that history is repeating. She dotes over her primary school-aged son Billy (debutant Flynn Wandin), but she's also visibly nervous and anxious. When she keeps spotting a white van, she's a portrait of panic. The Clearing streams via Disney+. Read our full review. HIGH DESERT In High Desert, the always-excellent Patricia Arquette (Severance) leads a private investigator comedy that dapples its jam-packed chaos under California's golden sun, against the parched Yucca Valley landscape and with an anything-goes philosophy — not to mention a more-mayhem-the-merrier tone. She plays Peggy Newman, who isn't letting her age get in the way of perennially struggling to pull her life together. That said, when the eight-part series begins, it's Thanksgiving 2013 and she's living an upscale existence in Palm Springs, with gleaming surfaces abounding in her expansive (and visibly expensive) home. Then, as her husband Denny (Matt Dillon, Proxima) jokes around with her mother Roslyn (Bernadette Peters, Mozart in the Jungle), and her younger siblings Dianne (Christine Taylor, Search Party) and Stewart (Keir O'Donnell, The Dry) lap up the lavish festivities, DEA agents swarm outside. Cue weed, hash and cash stashes being flushed and trashed, but not quickly enough to avoid splashing around serious repercussions. A decade later, High Desert's protagonist has been sharing Roslyn's house and trying to kick her addictions while working at Pioneertown, a historical attraction that gives tourists a dusty, gun-toting taste of frontier life. Peggy would love to step back in time herself when she's not pretending to be a saloon barmaid — to when her recently deceased mother was still alive, however, rather than to her glitzy post-arrest shindigs. Still angry about being caught up in a drug bust, Dianne and Stewart have zero time for her nostalgia and a lack of patience left for her troubles. Their plan: to sell Roslyn's abode with no worries about where Peggy might end up. Her counter: doing everything she can to stop that from happening. High Desert doesn't just embrace the fact that living and breathing is merely weathering whatever weird, wild and sometimes-wonderful shambles fate throws your way; in a show created and written by Nurse Jackie and Damages alumni Jennifer Hoppe and Nancy Fichman, plus Miss Congeniality and Desperate Housewives' Katie Ford, that idea dictates the busy plot, too. High Desert streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March and April this year. You can also check out our list of standout must-stream 2022 shows as well — and our best 15 new shows of last year, top 15 returning shows over the same period, 15 shows you might've missed and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies of 2022.
What's better than one of the Attenborough siblings marvelling over our planet's ancient creatures? None other than David Attenborough following in his brother Richard Attenborough's footsteps, of course. While the latter showed dinos some love back in Jurassic Park — with the now-late actor and filmmaker even uttering the iconic words "welcome to Jurassic Park" — his broadcaster, biologist and natural historian sibling has largely surveyed the rest of the earth's living creatures in his iconic documentaries. In David's next series, however, he's solely focusing on prehistoric critters. That show is Prehistoric Planet, a five-part natural history doco that's coming to Apple TV+ — and yes, fittingly, it's arriving on the small screen just before new Jurassic Park franchise instalment Jurassic World Dominion reaches cinemas in June. Even better: after revealing a few sneak peeks earlier in the month, the streaming platform has just dropped the full Prehistoric Planet trailer. Here, you'll hear David Attenborough talk through everything you need to know about dinosaurs. And, while peering back at what the earth was like 66 million years ago, he'll give the fascinating creatures the same treatment he's rolled out in 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). Basically, if you're always wanted to see a David Attenborough series about dinosaurs, life just found a way. And, it's clearly a must-see if you'd listen to him narrate anything and you're always awed by dinos (both of those apply to pretty much everyone). 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. Unsurprisingly, CGI will feature heavily in Prehistoric Planet — David Attenborough can do many things, but time travelling isn't one of them — but the show's special effects-created dinos will be combined with wildlife filmmaking and paleontology learnings. While the broadcaster'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. Also, the effects company behind his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King is doing the CGI honours. Check out Prehistoric Planet's full trailer below: Prehistoric Planet will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27, with a new episode available to stream each day.
The end of the world is coming to Mona. Where a library once sat, nothing but sand, water and debris will soon lurk. The Tasmanian gallery is remaining where it is. Dark Mofo is still on the calendar for 2025. And no, after becoming the first museum to receive Wu-Tang Clan's rare Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album on loan earlier in 2024, it isn't dropping the mic and saying goodbye. For a year, however, the inimitable Australian venue will fill part of its interior with a post-disaster landscape, all thanks to a new sculpture by French artist Théo Mercier. Commissioned specifically for the site, DARK TOURISM will display from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026 in Mona's former library. Using only sand and water, Mercier will create a scene that looks like the aftermath of a disaster — hence the debris — with the piece commenting on humanity's need travel to locations with grim histories, as well as making a statement about planet's changing climate. [caption id="attachment_980537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.[/caption] "What does it mean to sculpt catastrophe, or to construct collapse? Like others who have painted ruins in the past, DARK TOURISM is about sculpting contemporary ruins, which are also natural disasters," explains Mercier. "Faced with this frozen landscape, humans find themselves at the heart of the devastation, as spectators and consumers. But there's something contradictory about this project, something romantic and utopian at the same time. Because the sand allows the world to tremble and shuffle itself in infinite figures." [caption id="attachment_950179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artists and Mona, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "When Théo was last in Hobart he said he was 'going for a walk'. He walked to the top of kunanyi. He's back, and he'll be doing something just as mad at Mona," added Mona Owner and Founder David Walsh. Crafting DARK TOURISM at the venue, Mercier will be using Tasmanian sand to ponder how people face the worst — in the past and impending — with the tourist trade in Pompeii, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Paris' catacombs and Port Arthur given as examples of the type of dark tourism that the sculpture will be in dialogue with. "Théo's work is a reminder of the fragile and temporary nature of the world around us, and of life itself," notes Mona's Sarah Wallace, who curated the piece alongside Jarrod Rawlins. "I hope visitors will be drawn in by the intricate detail in this captivating installation, while reflecting on the questions he raises about how we cope with catastrophe." [caption id="attachment_980535" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Théo Mercier, 2023 © Jérôme Lobato[/caption] DARK TOURISM will display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania, from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026. Head to the venue's website for more information. Top image: Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.
If bustin' makes you feel good — ghostbustin', that is — then start singing the appropriate theme tune: the movie franchise about vanquishing spirits is returning again. Notching up the supernatural comedy series' fifth film, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has locked in a date with cinemas in March 2024, and now has a trailer teasing what's to come. Perhaps the most important details: Paul Rudd, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson are all back. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the sequel to 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which means that not only is Rudd (Only Murders in the Building) returning as Gary Grooberson, but that Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), McKenna Grace (Crater) and Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) are back as well. The latter trio play Callie, Phoebe and Trevor Spengler — yes, the daughter and grandchildren of the late Harold Ramis' Egon Spengler — who became initiated in the family business when they inherited his old farmhouse. As the just-dropped first sneak peek at Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire shows, this film is reversing the last flick's swap — so, rather than taking place in Oklahoma, it's back in New York. There, summer is proceeding as normal until an unseasonable chill kicks in. The reason for the plummeting temperatures isn't any old blast of cooler weather, either, which is where the Ghostbusters come in. Also in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's cast: Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales), Patton Oswalt (What We Do in the Shadows), Celeste O'Connor (A Good Person) and Logan Kim (The Walking Dead: Dead City), alongside OGs Murray (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Aykroyd (Zombie Town) and Hudson (Quantum Leap), as well as Annie Potts (Young Sheldon). The new film will arrive four decades after the first Ghostbusters initially hit screens, with Gil Kenan (A Boy Called Christmas) directing. Not only did 1989's Ghostbusters II follow before Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but also 2016's women-led, excellent and wrongly maligned Paul Feig-helmed Ghostbusters. After directing Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Jason Reitman (Tully, The Front Runner) — who is the son of Ivan Reitman, who helmed the first two movies — co-writes the script this time around. Check out the trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire below: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will open in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
