The incredible and heart-warming music doco Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul, follows the mysterious story behind a '60s musician simply known as 'Rodriguez'. Likened to artists like Bob Dylan for his soulful melodies and powerful lyrics, the Mexico-born musician was relatively unknown in America. Sixto Rodriguez, who was discovered by celebrated music producers in a Detroit bar, sold only six copies of his record Cold Fact in the US. However, in South Africa - nearly 10 years after his record flopped at home - a bootleg copy of Cold Fact quickly became a hit, an anti-establishment anthem for a country suffering under apartheid regime. Rumoured to have committed suicide on stage, Rodriguez vanished without a trace, unaware of his affect on fans in South Africa. Decades later, two fans set out to find out what happened to the obscure artist whose music resonated with them as they were growing up in riotous South Africa. What they uncover is an extraordinary story that has has impressed critics and audiences worldwide, including winning Special Jury Prize and an audience award at Sundance Film Festival. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Searching for Sugar Man, in cinemas now. To enter the competition, just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
The program of the Brisbane Fringe Festival is absolutely chock-full of amazing events, big and small. Although trawling through festival programs is a fun pastime, it sometimes takes a long time. To make the job a little bit easier (but not the final choice of what to see, that decision is still hard) we have narrowed the program down to six events that are really worth checking out. Have a look, and then we will see you on the fringe. Deep Sleep Taking place at THE BOX, Deep Sleep is a multimedia art exhibition curated specifically for the BFF. On display is the work of Zoe Porter, Pirrin Francis and Dord Burrough. Each piece explores the mysterious and complex makings of our subconscious and how examining our own mind can be self-revealing. Each night of the exhibition is accompanied by a musical component. Check out the event page for more information. Mere Noise Records: 10th Anniversary Party Mere Noise is a record label that has prided itself on releasing some of the brashest, noisiest and infectious rock music around. After a decade of releases, Mere Noise is holding a celebration at the BFF and they are bringing along their roster of outrageous bands. On the bill for the Brisbane show are Vegas Kings, Hits, Tiny Migrants and Death Rides a Horse. Great names, great bands. 3. Dizzy’s Comedy Hypnosis Show Brisbane stage hypnotist Dizzy is no stranger to getting what he wants. He can make you do anything just by snapping his fingers. There’s nothing malicious or dangerous about his show, of course. In fact, Dizzy’s shows are usually outrageously funny extremely unforgettable. He is setting up shop at the Spring Hill Hotel for a few nights. Why not pop in and catch all the mischief? Junk in the Trunk Touted as "the most fun you can have in a park — a car park that is", is the unique market experience, Junk in the Trunk. Get this; it’s a car boot market, with all goods crammed into the back of your car or arranged on your bonnet. Register your space online and cruise on over to West End to sell your junk, or simply drive by and see if there is anything that takes your fancy. Thoughts on Humans and other Animals Taking place at Blake House Gallery and supported by Little Creatures Brewing is the art exhibition Thoughts on Humans and other Animals. This display consists of works by two local artists, Duncan Mattocks and Ryan Coffey. They differ in style but not in impact, offering hyperrealistic depictions of humans and animals. Would: an Exhibition Ugees Espresso is usually a hub for dynamite coffee and conversation, but for BFF it has turned into a gallery space to showcase the artwork of Megan Starr-Thomas and Jeff Patton. Presented and organised by local art connoisseurs The Brisbane Collective, this is likely to be an A-Grade display of local artistic talent.
If you're the kind of traveller who plans entire holidays around your hotels of choice, then you'll want to add Newcastle to your must-visit list. Come early June, the New South Wales city will become home to the latest QT site — a 104-room spot in Newcastle's revitalised East End precinct, housed inside a 113-year-old building, and boasting everything from harbour views to quite the impressive clock tower suite. First, that must-stay room. Yes, when QT Newcastle opens its doors on Thursday, June 9, you really will be able to slumber inside the clock tower atop the heritage-listed structure — and watch the clock mechanism whirring around when you're taking a bath, too. That specific room has been fit out by interior designer Nic Graham to nod to the building's history as well, so expect heritage touches alongside all the usual modern QT amenities. Graham's work on the hotel doesn't stop there. Here, every room is different — in configuration, design or architecture — but the entire site takes inspiration from the city, and from the elements. That means references to the Newcastle coastline, views through floor-to-ceiling heritage windows across eye-catching landmarks, and just big nods to earth, water and light in general. "We have reinvigorated an iconic heritage building, respecting and maintaining the raw shell and layering contemporary life within," explains Graham. "It's a nice reminder of the human spirit, that we all come from something. We have created a cocooning interior through colour blocking and juxtaposing textures, which evoke the history of Newcastle." Equally impressive: spying those views from the rooftop bar, Rooftop at QT, which'll launch on June 9 as well. It'll be Newcastle's highest openair rooftop spot, in fact, and pairs its uninterrupted vistas with a bit of an izakaya feel. While cocktails and local wines will be on the menu, the bar will also boast Newcastle's largest library of Japanese whisky — so you'll be sipping Harajuku Highballs and Tomasu Margaritas while you eat salmon sashimi, yakitori chicken and miso eggplant robata skewers. That food lineup is the product of chef Massimo Speroni, who is also overseeing Jana, QT Newcastle's signature restaurant. It too will open on June 9. A bar and grill, it hews local with its ingredients, heroes steak — with the premium range sourced entirely from New South Wales — and features an an open kitchen and dry-aged meat cabinet. On the drinks list: oh-so-much wine, with Tyrell's the hotel's wine partner. QT Newcastle joins the chain's growing lineup of hotels, which currently includes sites in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Bondi, Falls Creek and on the Gold Coast in Australia — and in Auckland, Queenstown and Wellington in New Zealand. Also in the works, set for a 2023 launch: QT Parramatta and QT Adelaide. Find QT Newcastle at 185 Hunter Street, Newcastle, from Thursday, June 9. For more information or to make a booking, head to the hotel's website.
From stocking fillers to well planned and executed surprises, Christmas gifting is upon us and we again find ourselves searching for the best presents. If the person you've pulled out of the hat this year is a little more hands-on and a little more inclined towards new tech than gig tickets or a bottle of wine, peruse this list with growing joy. We've compiled some of our favourite gifts for exactly that kind of person. From gadgets to classes and big kid's toys (see: BrewArt's swish home brewing kit), we've done all the thinking so you can sit back and use this time to relax before the flurry of Christmas arrives. Whether it's a gift for a co-worker you've only just met, someone you've known all your life or anyone in between, this guide has got something for the tech-minded, urban hobbyist in all of them. SPROUT PENCIL This multipurpose tool is the perfect kind of stocking filler for the avid home gardener who dabbles with a little writing on the side — or for anyone who needs to write anything down at all, really. The Sprout Pencil begins life simply as a humble writing instrument. But when too many memos have been written, and its size begins to diminish, simply stick the end of the pencil in a bit of soil, add some water and the seeds in the capsule on top of the pencil will sprout into a variety of herbs, flowers and even vegetables. Sprout Pencil, $6.95. Available here. TILE MATE People lose things from time to time, sure. But for some people, the regularity at which it happens is a little more than annoying. So for these people, we give you the Tile Mate. For things that are a little harder to locate, like a wallet, for example, this annoyance is greatly reduced, all thanks to this lightweight Bluetooth tracker. Slide this little sucker in your wallet, and you can track it down, wherever it may journey to. There's also the option of a key ring tile, for those who are of the key-losing variety. It's the perfect gift for that friend who would lose their head if it wasn't screwed on. Tile Mate, from $25. Available here. LEGO ARCHITECTURE SET While dreams of building your own shed or, even more lofty, your own home are all well and good, unless you have architectural training or something of the like, these grand design dreams may remain just that — dreams. For the passionate wannabe (or actual) architect, then, consider a LEGO Architecture set, which is essentially just LEGO for adults. Instead of the colourful bricks and smiling little dudes, these sets put the construction of city icons in your hands. Build your very own Eiffel Tower, towering Burj Khalifa or the Sydney Harbour Bridge complete with the Sydney Tower Eye. Your architecture-loving giftee may never build a massive city icon for all to admire, but they can surely build something special for the family to 'ooo' and 'ahh' at around the Christmas tree. LEGO Architecture, from $49.99. Choose a city here. BLACKSMITH INTRODUCTION CLASS Even though technological advances allow building and crafting to become easier as time marches on, the art of creating doesn't necessarily hinge on the newest toys and fancy gear. For anyone who likes to work with their hands and get that pride from a successful DIY project, the opportunity to pick up a few tips on one of the most ancient crafts is precisely what they'd like under their tree this year. Eveleigh Works run regular courses in the basics of blacksmithing, running over a weekend. From the basic theoretical knowledge to learning the tools to practising the trade, the class covers all the bases to help you master one of history's fundamental professions. Or at least have a bit of fun while learning. Sydney: Blacksmith Introduction I, $490; book here. Melbourne: Beginners Short Course, $490; book here. Brisbane: Blacksmithing Basics, $410; book here. BREWART PERSONAL BREWING SYSTEM The ultimate stage of pursuing the dream of self-sufficiency is the ability to brew one's own booze — and doing it well. For many commercial producers, it's a subtle art, perfected over centuries and, while there is a slew of personal brewing options available on the market, and though a lot of them are pretty good, it's never quite the same as it is straight from the tap at the pub. Enter BrewArt. It's the first personal brewing system that is fully automated, making brewing easier than ever before. Using BrewPrints, the corresponding combinations of ingredients inspired by great beers, the BeerDroid controls every aspect of the brew and can be personalised and controlled by an app, available on your phone. It's a matter of pressing a button on the BeerDroid (or the app) and waiting until the app says that the beer is ready. The BeerDroid also has a partner in the BrewFlo, the state of the art keg-meets-beer-tap. Far from the battered metal bad boys that sit out the front of your local, the sleek BrewFlo looks more like a coffee machine with an authentic looking tap handle. While the BrewArt Kegs keep your brew fresh, the BrewFlo then chills your beer when you're ready to serve. BrewArt comes in two parts the BrewFlo ($699) and BeerDroid ($799). Available here.
It's been a busy 12 months or so for Qantas. The Australian airline launched 17-hour non-stop flights from Perth to London, started eyeing off even lengthier trips direct from the east coast to the UK and US, and introduced biofuel into its jaunts from Melbourne to Los Angeles. Now the carrier is kicking off the new year by earning a highly sought-after accolade, being named the safest airline to travel on in 2019. It's not the first time that Qantas has achieved the feat. In fact, the Aussie carrier has topped AirlineRatings.com's list for six years in a row. Entering its 99th year of operation, the airline emerged victorious from a pool of 405 carriers from around the world, with Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand also making the site's top 20. The other 17 airlines — which aren't ranked by number — span Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. If you're a budget-conscious flyer, the website also outlined the ten safest low-cost airlines. Jetstar is one of them — and it's joined by Flybe, Frontier, HK Express, Jetblue, Cook, Volaris, Vueling, Westjet and Wizz. Factors that influence a carrier's placement on the two lists include crash and incident records, safety initiatives, fleet age, profitability, and audits by aviation governing bodies, industry bodies and governments. At the other end of the scale, five airlines received the lowest rankings: Ariana Afghan Airlines, Bluewing Airlines, Kam Air and Trigana Air Service. Via AirlineRatings.com.
Iconic filmmakers dropping huge films: thanks Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Michael Mann's Ferrari and Ridley Scott's Napoleon, that's the current cinema story. The latter picture also sees the director reteam with Joaquin Phoenix, step into history and make an epic. And yes, the last time they did that turned out well for the pair. Back in 2000, exploring a brutal (and fictionalised) slice of the past brought both Scott and Phoenix both Oscar nominations. Repeating the feat 23 years after Gladiator, they might be hoping for the same outcome — or better. In Napoleon, Phoenix (Beau Is Afraid) is on a campaign to rule France as the movie's namesake, and Scott (House of Gucci) also returns to a period he dived into in his debut feature The Duellists back in 1977. [caption id="attachment_922708" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aidan Monaghan[/caption] The focus this time is clearly all there in the title, charting Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to French Emperor, then fall from the post. No, ABBA's 'Waterloo' doesn't feature in either the film's first sneak peek or in the just-dropped trailer. Present instead is a whole lot of wars being waged in a quest to first fight for and then to hold onto power, as well an examination of Napoleon's relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One). The hat, the determination, the military and political scheming, battle scene after battle scene: they all get a look in the Napoleon trailers, too, in a movie that's being touted by distributor Sony as boasting "some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed". Also accounted for: lines of dialogue, as scripted by All the Money in the World's David Scarpa, establishing Napoleon's arrogance. "I'm the first to admit when I make a mistake. I simply never do," Phoenix notes in the initial glimpse. When Napoleon hits cinemas Down Under in November, Phoenix and Kirby will be joined on-screen by everyone from Tahar Rahim (The Serpent) as Paul Barras and Ben Miles (Hijack) as Caulaincourt to Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) as Theresa Cabarrus — plus Catherine Walker (House of Gucci) as Marie-Antoinette, whose fate is seen in the two trailers. After a silver-screen date, the movie is also headed to Apple TV+, just like Killers of the Flower Moon. Check out the latest trailer for Napoleon below: Napoleon releases in cinemas Down Under on November 23, 2023. Images: courtesy of Sony Pictures/Apple Original Films.
It might come as a surprise, given Australia's questionable internet speeds, but Melbourne has claimed the ranking of tenth smartest city in the world, with Sydney snapping at its heels in spot number 12. Headed up by international parking app company Easy Park, the 2017 Smart Cities Index analysed 500 cities worldwide, ranking the top 100. Other Australian cities that made the cut were Perth at number 41 and Adelaide at number 61. The key factors used in the study looked at digitalisation (including 4G connectivity, access to Wi-Fi hotspots and high smartphone usage) and knowledge-based mobility and transport (considering the prevalence of ride-share apps, smart parking and traffic sensors). Sustainability, online access to government services, and significant levels of citizen participation were also taken into consideration. Over 20,000 urban planning and technology experts were then asked to provide opinions about their own cities. Melbourne scored highest of all the countries for 4G connectivity, with Sydney and Perth making up the rest of the top three. Melbourne and Adelaide also ranked especially well when it came to citizen participation. Unsurprisingly, no Australian cities broke the top 20 for internet speed. While San Francisco topped the class with a perfect score of 10, Melbourne ranked number 26, with Sydney at 29 and Perth clocking in at 31. See the full table of results for the 2017 Smart Cities Index here. Photo via Wikimedia.
Calling all architecture fans, folks keen to explore another side of Brisbane and just anyone who likes to peek behind closed doors. Open House Brisbane is back for 2019 and is once again showcasing the city's buildings and structures, letting you peer beyond their facades, and even welcoming you into nooks and crannies that aren't usually open to the public. Celebrating its tenth year in Brisbane, the event will feature 119 buildings across the weekend of October 12–13, which marks its biggest program yet. Get ready to wander through places that you probably walk past every day, spots you've always wondered about and everything in between. They include The Montague pub in West End, the Spring Hill Baths and The Shingle Inn in City Hall, plus the Fort Lytton Military Precinct (and Lytton Quarantine Station), the Old Windmill Tower and the always-popular homes inside Indooroopilly's Walter Taylor Bridge. A selection of architecturally distinctive residential buildings also feature, if you'd like a tour of other people's houses. Many require bookings, so planning ahead is recommended. Other highlights include seemingly every important space along the river at South Bank — Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum, State Library of Queensland, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art and ABC Brisbane — plus other city-wide favourites such as The Tivoli, Breakfast Creek Hotel, Brisbane Powerhouse, Parliament House, the Treasury Hotel, 4ZZZ's studios and the Queensland Herbarium. Fancy stepping inside the 90-storey Brisbane Skytower in Margaret Street, or the historic Howard Smith Wharves? They're also on the bill. While plenty of this year's locations were on the program in 2018, newcomers include All Hallow's Convent, Brisbane Racing Club, 25 King Street, the William Terrace carpark and one of West End's best-kept secrets: the Ryan Street Library. It's a footpath spot where locals can stop by, borrow a book, exchange their own or donate reading material — and it's inspired, architecturally, by a similar setup in Stockholm. Open House Brisbane isn't just about walking through spaces, whether you mosey at your own leisure or take a guided tour. It also boasts a program of talks and events running from September 26, including a new signature lecture on Singaporean architecture. Last year's special after-dark section also returns, taking place between September 30–October 11 — complete with everything from art exhibitions to laneway tours. Brisbane Open House runs over Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13 at a variety of places around Brisbane. For the full program, head to brisbaneopenhouse.com.au. Top images: Walter Taylor Bridget by Jake Churches, Port of Brisbane by Kim Williams, Government House Fernberg, Spring Hall Baths by Cieran Murphy and Old Windmill Tower by Paul Knie.
When he's not befriending transforming robots or donning an epic rat's tail on the cinema screen, Shia LaBeouf has turned venturing around the world, asking questions of the masses and live-streaming the results into his preferred pastime. Fresh from tasking Sydneysiders with pondering the apocalypse — or whatever else came to mind in response to the phrase #ANDINTHEEND — the actor and activist has set up a new, four-year-long anti-Trump-focused project in New York. A camera mounted on a wall outside the Museum of Moving Image forms the basis for LaBeouf's latest performance piece — and yes, the eager masses are once again the real performers. Above the always-operational lens is a printed statement: "HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US". Participants are asked to stand in the requisite spot and repeat the phrase as many times as they like, and for as long as they desire, with the results available to view at www.hewillnotdivide.us. The project started at 9am on January 20, 2017, timed to coincide with the day of new US President Donald Trump's inauguration, and will be live-streamed continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the next four years — or the duration of his time in office. It's designed to act "as a show of resistance or insistence, opposition or optimism, guided by the spirit of each individual participant and the community." As captured on LaBeouf's Twitter feed, the first participant was Jaden Smith. https://twitter.com/thecampaignbook/status/822443598771785732
It boasts a sole stage across its two nights and three days. Tickets are so coveted that you need to enter a ballot to nab entry. It takes place in regional Victoria, starting off summer with one of the firm festival highlights of each and every year. Fans lock in their date with the event before even knowing who is on the bill. We're talking about Meredith Music Festival, of course, which launched its ticket ballot for 2024 back in July ahead of its always-anticipated December return. Whether you've already put your name in the running to attend across Friday, December 6–Sunday, December 8, or you're keen to try now that the second round is open, the fest has now just unveiled its lineup for this year. [caption id="attachment_969942" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alasdair McLellan[/caption] Jamie xx, Waxahatchee and Genesis Owusu lead the list of acts that'll be helping punters spend a weekend at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre. For more than three decades now, this event has become a tradition, with 2024's fest marking Meredith's 32nd welcoming music lovers to The Sup. From there, the roster of talent for 2024 includes Mk.gee, ZAPP, Angie McMahon, The Dare and Glass Beams, too — and Fat White Family, Mannequin Pussy, Princess Superstar, BARKAA, Frenzee and Leo Sayer as well. [caption id="attachment_969943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Molly Matalon[/caption] Variety is always a highlight, with Olof Dreijer, Good Morning, MIKE, Party Dozen and Mainline Magic Orchestra also on the lineup, alongside DJ PGZ, Essendon Airport, Ayebatonye, YARA, Precious Bloom, The Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir, In2stellar, Keanu Nelson, Billiam & The Split Bills and the City of Ballarat Municipal Brass Band. To obtain a pass to the beloved three-day BYO camping festival, you've now got until 10.32pm AEST on Tuesday, August 20 to enter the ballot. Meredith Music Festival 2024 Lineup: Jamie xx Waxahatchee Genesis Owusu Mk.gee ZAPP Angie McMahon The Dare Glass Beams Fat White Family Mannequin Pussy Princess Superstar BARKAA Frenzee Leo Sayer Olof Dreijer Good Morning MIKE Party Dozen Mainline Magic Orchestra DJ PGZ Essendon Airport Ayebatonye YARA Precious Bloom The Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir In2stellar Keanu Nelson Billiam & The Split Bills City of Ballarat Municipal Brass Band [caption id="attachment_969945" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bradley Calder[/caption] Meredith Music Festival returns to Meredith from Friday, December 6–Sunday, December 8, 2024. To put your name in the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.32pm AEST on Tuesday, August 20. Meredith images: Chip Mooney, Ben Fletcher, Chelsea King and Steve Benn.
Blue might be the colour of all that the big screen wears at the moment, sloshing across cinemas in Avatar: The Way of Water, but movie theatres will be thoroughly thinking pink when mid-2023 arrives. That's when Barbie will bring its dolls and dream houses — and its toy chest filled with costumes and different characters, too — to picture palaces. Can't wait? Showing in front of The Water of Water IRL and now dropping online, the first teaser trailer for the figurine-to-film adaptation is here to provide a playful and glorious glimpse. Marking Greta Gerwig's third solo stint behind the camera after Lady Bird and Little Women, and scripted by the actor-turned-director with fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach — her helmer on Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America and White Noise, and real-life partner — Barbie follows in the footsteps of fellow toy-to-movie flicks like the Transformers series, Trolls, The Lego Movie and its sequel, Battleship and the GI Joe films. Playing the central parts: Australia's own Margot Robbie (Amsterdam) as the feature's namesake and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) as Barbie's paramour Ken. But, just like the toys, there's rumoured to be more than one version of each figure. Of course, when it comes to playthings like Barbie dolls, the Mattel toys blazed their own path, as this first look at the film nods to. In an entertaining 2001: A Space Odyssey parody, the trailer notes that most girls' dolls were originally babies. Add an 'r' and you get the adult-bodied line that debuted in 1959 — with a look that Robbie is seen sporting as the kids in the teaser fling around and smash their old infant dolls. The full film hits cinemas on July 20 Down Under, complete with a cast that also includes Will Ferrell (Spirited), Issa Rae (Insecure), Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Michael Cera (Arrested Development), America Ferrera (Superstore), Ncuti Gatwa (the incoming Doctor Who), Emerald Fennell (The Crown), Rhea Perlman (Poms), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Emma Mackey (Sex Education) and Jamie Demetriou (Catherine Called Birdy). In the initial trailer, there's zero in the way of story detail provided; however, as well as that 2001 riff, the sneak peek includes dream houses as far as the eye can see, Ken rocking a fringed leather vest and bandana combo, pink outfits aplenty and a shimmering dance number. Life in plastic, it's fantastic here — even without any sign of Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' on the trailer's soundtrack. Check out the first teaser trailer for Barbie below: Barbie releases in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023.
Usually when we see a teenage romance at the heart of a film we're watching a film made for teens. Goodbye First Love is no such film. The young lovers Camille and Sullivan do not kiss under the speckled light of a disco ball at prom. Mia Hansen-Love's third film weaves neatly into her emerging lineage of intimate, slow-burn portraits of fractured relationships. Concrete Playground spoke to the very talented young filmmaker ahead of her film's Australian release. Many adults would say there is no such thing as real love between teenagers. Even if they remember the heartache they felt as a teenager, with time they come to laugh at it. For Camille there's no laughing when she looks back. One of my motivations for making this film was a fight I had with my mother when I was a teenager. She would not believe the depth of my love for my boyfriend, the hold it would have on me for the rest of my life. In a way this film is a revenge piece! No, no that's not really true. I made this film for myself. It was a cathartic process. It's interesting you say that because in an interview about your last film (Father of My Children, 2009) when asked about the autobiographical dimension of the film, you said that you made the film to understand why you came to be a filmmaker. Tell me, why did you make Goodbye First Love now? All the themes I have worked with across my previous films can be linked back to the love I felt as a teenager. And so, to continue making autobiographical films without dealing with this part of my life would have been a lie. Honestly, I could only move on, only grow as a filmmaker, if I told this part of my life. In french we have an expression mensonge par omission I guess that would translate to 'Something that you don't tell is a kind of lie'. When Camille and Sullivan see a movie together, Sullivan says, "Really, you liked it? I don't understand you. Come on, it was so French! The actors are annoying. It was talky, complacent. It was awful." What is your relationship with French cinema and how do you see your films settling into this category? I guess I am very French! But that is not something I feel ashamed of. It's so French to not like French films. I think Australians love to hate their films even more! Oh, really? Well, that scene was written not so much to criticise French films but to criticise those who criticise [laughs]. French cinephiles can be so narcissistic. Yes, I had fun writing that scene. But, of course, what it's actually meant to express is that two people might not understand each other but they can still love each other. That sounds very intensive. Directors often refer to their films as their babies. Do you think of your films as your babies? [laughs] My films were my babies until I actually did have a baby — then you realise these things have nothing in common! Like children, do you dare compare them against one another? Oh I really don't like it when people ask me to compare. So, yes, in that way films and children are similar ... I give all that I am to my films. And so the film becomes a part of who I am. At this stage into the process I am in so deep I have no perspective and I don't know if what I'm making is any good. For this reason I have so much empathy for everything I make. I guess that could be confused with defensiveness. But it's not because I am so proud of what I have done but because I know them so well. I spend two years of my life with each film thinking only of them and when the process is over, only then do I realise that the film is something outside of me. That sounds more like a love affair than a mother-child relationship. Yes, exactly. And I really do have such a hard time when the process is over. For maybe one week I am very happy, very satisfied, but then the two or three months between the finish of the editing on one film and the beginning of scripting on the next, well, that is a very painful period. I think George Lucas was paraphrasing Da Vinci when he said, "a film is never finished it is only abandoned." Ah, yes! I know this quote and it's so true. Truffaut said something like "life for me is making films", and since my first film I would say the same goes for me. If I could not make films, I could not go on. Making films is like building a house. With each film I feel I am stacking another stone and at the end there is a space where I fell well, I feel safe. Actually, that's one of the reasons Camille becomes an architect — she wants to take control of the spaces and ways in which she lives. Speaking of the domestic, your films to date seem to be concerned with intimate character portraits set within domestic relationships. Have you deliberately established yourself within this territory or do you plan, at some point, to work beyond these borders? Hmm. Well, my next film is about the electro music scene and a DJ's place in it. Okay, so it isn't domestic but it's centred around the details rather than the big, dramatic moments. Read our review of Goodbye First Love here.
In the world of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, fighting for power and glory is a lifelong quest, and one shared far and wide across Westeros. In bringing the fictional realm created by author George RR Martin to the small screen, US network HBO seems to have adapted the same mindset — because this hugely popular franchise is only going to keep expanding in its hands. News about what follows the initial page-to-screen show has been bubbling for years now. Indeed, before Game of Thrones even came to an end back in 2019, HBO was looking at spending more time in Westeros. Of course, House of the Dragon has already aired its first season and been renewed for a second, which mightn't arrive till 2024. Chatter about what else might arrive spans a Jon Snow-focused spinoff with Kit Harington (Eternals) reprising his famous role, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg and an animated GoT show. Beyond that, another three prequels are also reported to have been under consideration. To farewell 2022, Martin himself advised that there actually may not be as many GoT spinoffs on the way; however, now comes word of a brand-new candidate. Variety is reporting that HBO is contemplating another prequel — and another show to focus on the Targaryens, this time exploring how Aegon I took over Westeros with his two sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, plus three dragons, then became its first king and the first to ever sit on the Iron Throne. There's no confirmation from HBO so far, and obviously nothing in the way of a title, timing or casting. But Variety also advises that this prequel could even start as a movie, then return to the episodic format. And if there's one thing that HBO adores when it comes to Game of Thrones, it's House Targaryen and their complicated history. Wigmakers, rejoice — if this series gets the go ahead, there'll be an even bigger need for artificial blonde mops. Special effects crews will also get plenty of work creating those dragons. Whether this show ends up eventuating or not, our days of watching fiery fights between famous Westerosi names — and games over who gets to sit on the Iron Throne — are definitely far from over. Game of Thrones was that much of a hit, and House of the Dragon has proven the same so far. Until House of the Dragon season two hits, or any other on-screen dances with dragons are confirmed, check out the season one trailer below: The latest proposed Game of Thrones prequel doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you if and when more details are confirmed. House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full review of season one. Via Variety. Images: HBO.
Usually when May rolls around, the bulk of Brisbane heads to Musgrave Park for two days to pretend that they're in the Mediterranean. Loukoumades, souvlaki, haloumi and barbecued calamari await, and in hefty quantities. So does a massive celebration of Greek culture, cuisine and booze — aka Paniyiri. In 2023, that'll finally be happening again, after the 2020 event cancelled, the 2021 fest opted for a scaled-down and largely online format and 2022's big comeback as a full two-day fest was postponed to October due to soggy weather. This'll be the first Paniyiri to take place in its OG format in its OG timing since before the pandemic, running from Saturday, May 20–Sunday, May 21. Once again, the city's massive Greek festival will take over West End with quite the array of food, drink, partying and more. Yes, there's a reason that more than two million people have gone along over the years. Getting closer to five decades since the fest first was held in 1976, 2023's Paniyiri will focus on the theme "picnic at Paniyiri". Bring your own blanket to sit on for the day or, if you'd like a souvenir from the occasion, there'll be Paniyiri versions to purchase. No need to take along anything to eat or drink, of course, with the festival's stalls taking care of that — plus the usual array of Greek revelry, such grapes to stomp, coffee to sip, olives to consume, plates to smash, TV stars to rub shoulders with and cooking demonstrations to watch. Food-wise, expect bites from 11 Greek regions. If devouring as much as you can is your idea of fun, the festival's regular food contests usually keep stomachs satisfied. Then, to wash all of that down, there'll be Greek wine, Greek beer and Greek-inspired cocktails as well. It wouldn't be Paniyiri without entertainment. While the full event program hasn't yet been revealed, dancing is always a big feature thanks to Greek Dancing with the Stars and the Hellenic dancers — so fingers crossed they return this year. Paniyiri's cultural program will specifically pay tribute to three powerhouse Greek women in the arts via a historical display: Maria Callas, Melina Mercuri and Irene Papas. In addition to celebrating all things Greek in Musgrave Park, Paniyiri also takes over The Greek Club — and given that it's marking its first regular fest with its regular timing in three years, expect both venues to host one massive shindig. "Since 1976, Brisbane's Greek community has taken such pride in bringing people together from all walks of life, to take part in the zest for life that we Greeks have," said Chris Kazonis, Paniyiri's co-Chairman. "From honey puff-eating to dancing the Zorba to shopping the market stalls reminiscent of the cobbled streets of Mykonos, we enjoy nothing more than bringing Greece to Brisbane's doorstep for one fun-filled weekend every year." Paniyiri 2023 takes place from Saturday, May 20–Sunday, May 21 at Musgrave Park and The Greek Club, Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane. For more information or to buy tickets from Saturday, March 25, head to the event's website.
Name a fictional detective — be it Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Nancy Drew, Scooby-Doo, Inspector Gadget or Benoit Blanc — and, no matter who they are or which cases they've solved, someone has wanted to follow in their footsteps. Actually, more than a few someones have. We've all done it: watched, read or listened to a murder-mystery, then figured that we could solve a big case if the situation arose. Thanks to podcasts such as Serial, as well as the recent true-crime boom in general, that's become the default reaction to hearing about an unsolved or thorny story. It's also the premise behind returning Disney+ series Only Murders in the Building, which satirises the fact that everyone has wanted to be Sarah Koenig over the past decade. Only Murders in the Building has its own version of Koenig, called Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva). As viewers of the show's first season know, though, she's not the marvellous murder-mystery comedy's focus. Instead, it hones in on three New Yorkers residing in the Arconia apartment complex — where, as the program's name makes plain, there's a murder. There's several, but it only takes one to initially bring actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) together. The trio then turn amateur detectives, and turn that sleuthing into their own podcast, which also shares the show's title. In season two, which starts streaming Down Under on Tuesday, June 28, the show returns to the same scene. No time has passed for Only Murders in the Building's characters — and, while plenty has changed since the series' debut episode last year, plenty remains the same. Viewers now know Charles, Oliver and Mabel better, and they all know each other better, but that only makes things more complicated. Indeed, there's a lived-in vibe to the program and its main figures this time around, rather than every episode feeling like a new discovery. Among the many things that Only Murders in the Building does exceptionally well, finding multiple ways to parallel on- and off-screen experiences ranks right up there. That applies to podcast fixations, naturally, and also to getting to know someone, learning their ins and outs, and finding your comfort zone even when life's curveballs keep coming. There wouldn't be another season without another murder, however. This time, Arconia board president Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell, Little Women) has left the land of the living. The OMITB crew were all known to have their struggles with her, so they're all persons of interest. They have media profiles now, due to their first-season success. Canning herself starts a podcast about the podcasters. It's Mabel who finds Bunny, in fact, sparking too many internet theories. And, to the joy of the actual NYPD detective on the case (Michael Rapaport, Life & Beth), all the evidence keeps pointing at her, Charlies and Oliver. Even if you've only watched one murder-mystery before, you know the old cliche about returning to the scenes of crimes. Generally, that's what the guilty do, driven by a need to witness the aftermath of their handiwork, insert themselves into the investigation and enjoy a second round of thrills. But Only Murders in the Building makes a comeback for a different reason, which definitely doesn't involve zapping more enjoyment out of evil deeds. At a series level, there's none of the latter to revel in anyway. The first season was such a warm and amusing gem — and smart and astute, too, whether it was serving up odd-thruple banter, or parodying whodunnits and their obsessives — that it instantly became one of 2021's best small-screen newcomers. What makes season two tick is the same thing that made season one tick, though: the show's fondness for people above all else. They're the only thing that ever truly matters in any murder-mystery, as should always be the case when someone has lost their life at the hands of another. In its first batch of episodes, Only Murders in the Building made a point of identifying its victim's flaws and troubles — explaining why more than a few people wanted him dead, because that's the genre's whole concept — but also took great care to flesh him out as a person, too. It does the same with Bunny the second time around, unsurprisingly. Indeed, diving into the ups and downs, strengths and struggles, and wins and losses that make the Arconia's inhabitants who they are is as crucial a part of the show as figuring out who decides to wield a gun, knife or knitting needle. Only Murders in the Building has been doing exactly that with Charles, Oliver and Mabel from the outset, of course, and keeps digging into its central trio. But new residents and familiar faces alike still get the same treatment during season two, including Amy Schumer as herself and the returning Theo Dimas (James Caverly, A Bennett Song Holiday). Viewers learn more about Charles' past with his father, which may be linked to Bunny — and his connection to Lucy (Zoe Colletti, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark), the now-teenager who was almost his stepdaughter. Oliver's bond with his son Will (Ryan Broussard, Modern Love) gets pushed into the spotlight, as does his need to be the dip-eating centre of attention. And Mabel's distrust of others continues to help drive the narrative, especially after she becomes the key suspect and gets badged #BloodyMabel on social media. Around of all the above, there are blackouts and 70s-style parties, canny commentary about lives lived online and lonely hearts in equal measures, wonderful one-liners and knowing in-jokes, and an impressive balance of comedy and heart. If cracking any case is all about puzzling together the right pieces, then Only Murders in the Building has found its ideal components — more so in season two, which is weightier, deeper, funnier, more insightful and more charming. It's also an even better showcase for its three leads, who just might be the most likeable trio currently gracing any series. Martin, Short and Gomez all such delights together that they deserve their own podcast about why they're so great playing podcast-obsessed podcasters. If you're already a fan of Only Murders in the Building, you know you'd listen to it. Check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season two below: Only Murders in the Building's second season starts streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ on Tuesday, June 28, starting with two episodes, then airing new instalments weekly. Read our full review of the show's first season. Images: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
Apple might be praised for clever design when it comes to its phones, but that sure hasn't been the case for its proposed Federation Square flagship store. In fact, the design for the controversial concept store has been pretty much ripped to shreds, with the ABC reporting that Melbourne City Council has received around 800 community submissions rejecting the proposal. Contention surrounding Apple's plans fired up in December, when the Victorian Government approved the demolition of Federation Square's Yarra Building to make way for the new flagship store. This plan to sell off the public space to a commercial retailer was not widely well met, especially as it would displace the Koorie Heritage Trust. Now, at a city council meeting last night, Greens Councillor Rohan Leppert has moved to lobby the Government to scrap Apple's design and start again, this time in close consultation with the public. The motion was unanimously backed by all of his fellow Melbourne City councillors, with one confirming what we were all thinking and likening the building to something along the lines of "a Pizza Hut" store. And they're not backing down, with plans to take the matter further if the Victorian Government rejects the calls for a redesign. "This is one of the strongest positions we have taken," Councillor Leppert said. "I'm quite sure that if the Government doesn't deal with this that there will be a motion in the Upper House." The proposed two-level flagship store will be much bigger than Apple's other Melbourne stores like Chadstone and Highpoint. The Victorian Government is no doubt keen to secure a space for the store as Apple has been extremely selective about the locations of its global flagships and there are only four others in the world, including Fifth Avenue in NYC and Regent Street in London. The Government will now respond to the Council's proposal — we'll update you when they do. Via ABC.
If you're a fan of Chinese-Australian artist Zhong Chen, here's some good news. As of November 2017, you'll be able to sleep with his works. The Art Series Hotel Group has just announced their latest venture and it's a five-storey, 100-room number dedicated to him. Named The Chen, the hotel is in Box Hill, 14 kilometres east of Melbourne, within Whitehorse Towers, which, at 36 storeys, is the tallest development outside of the Victorian capital's CBD. Architects Peddle Thorp have taken care of the design, inspired by Chen's King Fu series and, as you'd expect, fun, bold, bright colours rule. There's a bunch of digital archival fine art editions of Chen's works, as well as a stack of originals, including Rooster, fitting because Chen was born in the Year of the Rooster (1969) and the hotel will open in the Year of the Rooster (that's this year). There'll be four in-hotel spots for eating and drinking, including a yum cha restaurant, as well as a gym, events space and rooftop pool. You can also count on the Art Series' usual arty facilities and activities, including tours, libraries, television channels and documentaries, as well as Art Series-branded smart cars and Lekker bicycles available for guests. "I have lived and worked in Box Hill for nearly a decade," said Chen. "I am passionate about my community and its emergence as a cultural powerhouse outside of Melbourne. To have a hotel of such significance, opening in the year of my birth sign, is a true honour. I look forward to meeting guests and seeing how they interact with the hotel and my artworks. It is sure to be a surreal experience." The Chen is due to open in November 2017.
Love heading to a scenic spot to dance to live tunes? Adore sipping wine, too? Music and vino festival Grapevine Gathering understands. That pairing is this annual event's entire setup, with the fest bringing a heap of bands to vineyards each year. Yes, that includes 2022, with its October dates and venues now locked in. And if you live in Queensland or South Australia, get ready to experience Grapevine Gathering on your home turf for the very first time. The fest will return to Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, of course — hitting up Sandalford Wines in Swan Valley, Rochford Wines in the Yarra Valley and Roche Estate in the Hunter Valley, respectively. But this'll mark the first time that Grapevine Gathering has made its way to the Sunshine State and SA. Where it's heading: Sirromet Wines at Mount Cotton and Serafino Wines in McLaren Vale. While it's too early for the event's full lineup, it has dropped one key act: Aussie sketch comedians and Instagram celebrities The Inspired Unemployed. As they did at the last Victorian Grapevine Gathering, they're taking on hosting duties in order to keep you entertained between musos — and also hitting the decks as well. If you're wondering what the duo also known as Jack Steele and Matt Ford might have in store, shenanigans-wise, they did shoeys out of punters' footwear, performed an acoustic version of 'Drops of Jupiter' and hosted a segment of The Bachelorette the last time around. If you're also eager to find out who'll they be introducing, aren't we all — but past fests have been headlined by Two Door Cinema Club, Flight Facilities, The Wombats, Tkay Maidza and The Veronicas. Naturally, sipping wine is a huge part of the attraction. As always, attendees will have access to a heap of vino given the fest's locations, as well as an array of yet-to-be-announced food options. GRAPEVINE GATHERING 2022 DATES: Saturday, October 1 — Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley, Western Australia Sunday, October 2 — Serafino Wines, McLaren Vale, South Australia Saturday, October 8 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, Victoria Saturday, October 15 — Roche Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales Sunday, October 16 — Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, Queensland Grapevine Gathering will tour Australia in October 2022. The full lineup hasn't been announced yet, but we'll update you when it is. In the interim, you can head to the festival's website to register for further details when it hits.
Baffled by bubbly? Us too, so we thought it best to enlist the help of an expert to get the fast facts right. To bring you our Bluffer's Guide to Champagne, Concrete Playground caught up with acclaimed journalist and Champagne educator, Champagne Jayne who taught us just how damn special the bubble drop actually is. Let us share with you why ... Champagne 101 Champagne is exclusive to the Champagne region in northern France. Due to the cumulative effects of soil, climate and the cultivation practises, the three types of grapes used (chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meaner) are married together to produce the world-famous bubbly drop. The Champenois (master Champagne makers) use the lengthy and arduous traditional method that involves the bottle going under a second process of fermentation to create the fizz. Champagne first gained world eminence through its connection with the baptism of French kings, and consequently royalty spread the word throughout Europe about this exotic wine, awarding it status of opulence and nobility. Nowadays, it is the natural partner for any event where celebration, luxury and romance are themes. Popping, Pouring and Drinking Temperature plays an integral part in Champagne appreciation. "Bubbles are part of the pleasure. Serving champagne anywhere between 4.5 degrees celcius to 7 degrees celcius is perfect. If it is too cold it will suppress the aromatics and if it is too warm, the wine will froth up and then go flat," says Jayne. To open the bottle with the proper pomp, hold the bottle at a 45 degree angle (preferably aimed away from your compatriots) and keeping the cork still, gently twist the bottle. Pour a little bit into clean glasses to let the foam die down, and then top up leaving adequate space to get a whiff of its excellence. Matching Champagne with Food Champagne is the ideal drink as an aperitif, encouraging conversation that can be somewhat stale at the beginning of the night. However, because it is blended from numerous base wines, Jayne says that it's like an orchestra of flavour in your mouth and matches well with food. "Anything goes, from prawns to pizza!," she says. There are many types of Non-Vintage, but the general rule of thumb is that they're easy on the palate (and pocket), and best to serve with canapés. Vintage Champagnes have a slightly richer and heavier palate weight making them ideal with a more intensely-flavoured dish and are "also an unparalleled match for any cheese and delicate dessert". Is Champagne only for Special Occasions? "Rubbish! It's like a holiday in a glass!" exclaims Jayne. Champagne is most frequently associated with exclusive affairs, but why should we be such scrooges and reserve this esteemed beverage for memorable moments? Jayne believes it is the ultimate icebreaker for any audience and guaranteed to make anyone smile. "It isn't about being snobby, posh or saving up to celebrate a job or a wedding, it's actually the affordable luxury in life! Everyone can afford the small indulgence of enjoying a really decent glass of fizz on a Friday night." Hear, hear. We'll cheers to that. Champagne on the Cheap This is a toughie because unless you're Gina Rinehart, spending your bucks on Vintage champagne might not be so simple. Jayne says that the best value choice on the market at the moment for something exceptional is currently the world's favourite, Moet & Chandon which can be found for around $85. For Champagne at the start of a meal, Jayne recommends Pierre Gimonnet. "The delicious crisp blanc de blanc is approachable in style and accessibly priced," she says. "For everyday bubbles, Lanson or Duperrey are an affordable option at around $40," Jayne adds. For those who want a James Bond themed beverage, don't look past his favourite tipple Champagne Bollinger. The full-bodied classic (much like the man himself) can be spotted for $60. And don't forget to ensure that the label actually says 'Champagne' as well as France. If it doesn't, you've been well bluffed. Famous Champagne Drinkers Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV's favourite mistress, is credited with bringing champagne to the French royal court in the eighteenth century. She is also famously quoted as saying, "Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman beautiful after drinking it." We're certainly willing to road test that. Winston Churchill was also notorious for enjoying the tipple. And Napoleon was known to take large stocks for the army wherever they campaigned. Want to get even more serious? If you've got a spare 308 bottle handy, why not simulate Marilyn Monroe's habit of bathing in the bubbly stuff every night? And left we forget to remind you that it was American author and humorist, Mark Twain, who had it right all along. It was he who said, "too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right." Where to Drink Champagne in Sydney Most hotels, restaurants and bars in Sydney are stocked with the big names like Mumm, Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Conversely, if you’d like to go all out and grace yourself with boutique grower champagnes, Jayne recommends seeking out obsessive enthusiasts. "Places like Veluto, The Bentley, One Moncur, Monopole and Ananas have the best champagne for a bar situation," she says. After something notably remarkable for that down-on-one-knee occasion, perhaps? Jayne suggests knocking your socks off and booking into Quay, Marque or Est. for the ultimate sensory experience. "These places stock prestige champagne, with perfectly matched food and a refined atmosphere." Champagne Alternatives Crémant: is what you should look out for when after French bubbly on a budget (pronounced ‘cray-mawn’). This sparkling wine is made in France using the same traditional methods, however falls outside the borders of the Champagne region. Cava: this white or pink sparkly number is produced mainly in the Penedés region in northern Spain. Like crémant, Cava is made using the same method, but with different grape varieties. Cava is a part of Spanish tradition and like Champagne is often consumed at special occasions. Prosecco: this is the Italian aperitif of choice. Light and fresh, the aromatic bubbly has an apple-and-pear sweetness. Prosecco is the original base ingredient of the Bellini cocktail.
First, the bad news: if you've been hanging out to see The Kid LAROI take to the stage on his first-ever Down Under stadium tour, you'll now be waiting longer. Now, the better news: part of the delay is due to trying to lock in a "really big surprise and special guest", the Australian singer-songwriter advised on Instagram, who couldn't be finalised before the planned February dates. "We've had to push back the Australian leg of the tour to October," Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard noted. "The tour will now end off in Australia." The Kid LAROI also named "a bunch of other logistical stuff" as a reason for the delay, while saying that he wants to give audiences the best show he can — and "make everyone back home proud". The tour is in support of The Kid LAROI's debut studio album The First Time, and was originally set for a five-city Australian run. New dates haven't been announced as yet, but the star was due to play Melbourne's AAMI Park, Perth's HBF Park, Adelaide's Coopers Stadium, Sydney's Commbank Stadium and CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast. The First Time might be a new 2023 arrival, but The Kid LAROI has been releasing music since 2018 — solo, and also teaming up with everyone from Juice WRLD and ONEFOUR to Justin Bieber. Accordingly, fans can look forward to hearing 'Stay', 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' and more next spring. The stadium tour follows The Kid LAROI's first headline Australian tour back in 2022, which sold out arenas across the country, sparking the addition of more dates. On his postponed 2024 dates, the artist has confirmed that ONEFOUR will still be on the bill. As for who else will join them, "we're working on the details including some new additions to the lineup and will let you know ASAP," the singer said. THE KID LAROI THE FIRST TIME TOUR 2024: October 2024 date TBC — AAMI Park, Melbourne October 2024 date TBC — HBF Park, Perth October 2024 date TBC — Coopers Stadium, Adelaide October 2024 date TBC — Commbank Stadium, Sydney October 2024 date TBC — CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast The Kid LAROI is touring Australia in October 2024, postponed from February 2024 — head to the Australian ticketing site for more information. Top image: Adam Kargenian.
When the end credits rolled Dune: Part Two when it reached cinemas in February, it clearly wasn't the end of Paul Atreides' story. On the page, in the book franchise started by Frank Herbert in 1965, the tale of sci-fi's spiciest man — and of the planet Arrakis, and the fight to control it — goes on. It will continue on the big screen, too, with a third Dune movie from Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) now officially in development. As Variety reports, Villeneuve will work on the futuristic saga's next flick, which will follow 2021 standout Dune: Part One and this year's first sequel. That's all that's locked in right now, though — but here's hoping that it has a smoother path to picture palaces, after Part One was delayed from 2020 due to the pandemic's early days, then Part Two was pushed back from 2023 during Hollywood's strikes. When the next Dune movie will release, if it'll be called Dune Messiah like the second of Herbert's novels, whether Timothée Chalamet (Wonka) will be back as Paul, if he'll be co-starring with Zendaya (Euphoria) again: none of this has been confirmed at the moment. There might be a wait for more Dune, however, with Villeneuve also potentially adapting non-fiction text Nuclear War: A Scenario into a feature (and maybe making his own Oppenheimer as a result). Dune: Part One picked up a heap of 2022 Oscars, including for Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser. Although 2025's Academy Awards are still almost a year away, expect Dune: Part Two to at least notch up nominations again. Also featuring Rebecca Ferguson (Silo), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), Stellan Skarsgård (Andor), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Christopher Walken (Severance), Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer), Austin Butler (Elvis), Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta), Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future), Josh Brolin (Outer Range) and Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) across the two flicks so far, Villeneuve's Dune films to-date follow in David Lynch's footsteps. They also manage what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) in the process. Dune Messiah has only made it to the small screen before now, in 2003 miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune that included James McAvoy (His Dark Materials) and Susan Sarandon (Blue Beetle) among its cast — plus Alec Newman (The Boys in the Boat) as Paul. There's obviously no sneak peek at the third Dune film yet, but check out the trailers for Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two below: The third Dune film doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Read our reviews of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, and our interview with cinematographer Greig Fraser.
Don't be alarmed, but we think super-schmick purveyors of cool Monocle might be staging an artfully curated coup for world domination, with a luxury cafe in the centre of London set to open on Monday. Considering the powerhouse now boasts this, a 24-hour radio station, a formidable online presence, offline stores in London, New York, Hong Kong and Toronto and even an eatery in a Tokyo department store — all in addition to the global affairs and culture print magazine that started the whole thing in 2007 — we're about ready to lie down and submit to Monocle founder Tyler Brúlé's totalitarian regime, inspired by the pursuit of a thoughtful, well-designed approach of life. "We wanted to create a relaxed space for a morning coffee meeting, a lengthy weekend lunch with the papers and a glass of prosecco after work too," said Brúlé of his vision in an interview with Qompendium. Ah yes, all those after-work glasses of prosecco we've been having. The place comes complete with low-hanging industrial lights, enough stark white paint and soothing leafy greenery to rival a sanatorium and embossed napkins that look worth as much as a latte, so who are we to fight it? Via PSFK
Eleven years ago, the biggest small-screen fantasy series of the 21st century so far told us that winter is coming. It repeated it over and over again across its eight-season run, in fact. Now, in a different fantasy franchise's longest trailer yet, darkness is coming. And yes, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power does look like it's taking a few cues from Game of Thrones. On the page, JRR Tolkien's saga obviously got there first — but in your streaming queues, it's following George RR Martin's equally beloved series. Actually, that's the case in two ways, given that Prime Video's new Lord of the Rings show will arrive a couple of weeks after Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. There's plenty of room in everyone's lives for both — and now viewers as keen as a hobbit for second breakfast can enjoy their lengthiest look yet at Prime Video's small-screen jaunt through Middle-earth. That not only includes the faces that anchor the series, which covers elves, dwarves and harfoots, aka hobbit ancestors, but also the places. This time, New Zealand's natural splendours stand in for the Elven realms of Lindon and Eregion, the Dwarven realm Khazad-dûm, the Southlands, the Northernmost Wastes, the Sundering Seas and the island kingdom of Númenór. It's now been 21 years since the first of The Lord of the Rings movies had everyone rushing to cinemas, obsessing over hobbits and elves, and saying "precious" too many times. Come September, this time at home, get ready for much of the above to happen all over again. After five years of talking about it, Prime Video's new series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is mere months away from reaching eyeballs — and the new sneak peek has an epic feel about it. If you're not up to date on The Rings of Power, it features a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man). As seen in the show's first and second trailers, as well as this new one, it's also set to include elves catching arrows, humans stuck on rafts on stormy seas, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles. Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set a premiere date of Friday, September 2, 2022 back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, the series spends time in Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, The Rings of Power will follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power features an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the latest The Rings of Power trailer below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022. Images: Matt Grace / Ben Rothstein.
Cinderella, Mary Poppins and Beauty and the Beast have all taken to Australia's stages in recent years, bringing beloved narratives that everyone associates with Disney movies from the cinema to the theatre. For the next show that falls into that category, no one needs to grow up. The inhabitants of Neverland, where Peter and the Starcatcher is set, certainly aren't known to. A five-time Tony Award-winner for its 2012 Broadway season, the production earned theatre's coveted accolades for its costumes, sound design, scenic design and lighting, and for Best Featured Actor in a Play — but the version that's coming to Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane comes with a twist. For Peter and the Starcatcher's long-awaited Aussie debut, Dead Puppet Society (The Wider Earth, Ishmael) is reimagining the stage favourite, which is a prequel to JM Barrie's Peter and Wendy. Accordingly, from October 2024, expect puppets helping to spin a tale that features more than 100 characters, as well as live tunes. Originally based on Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's novel Peter and the Starcatchers, then adapted for the stage by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), the play heads to Neverland before Peter Pan visited — before Captain Hook inspired terror, too. So, it's an origin story, complete with an island, a moustachioed pirate, an orphan without a name and Wendy's mother Molly. "The initial production of Peter and the Starcatcher was a passion project — just a great group of artists and high expectations. To see the play come to life over and over again around the world is a joy I never expected," said Elice. "And to witness the marriage of this humble piece with the vast imagination and ingenuity of Dead Puppet Society is more than a joy, it's a privilege — and, for this playwright, an inspiration." [caption id="attachment_930290" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Barton[/caption] "Nearly everyone knows the tale of Peter Pan, but Peter and Wendy's origin story has been a much more closely guarded secret. Rick Elice's incredible play takes the characters we know and love and charts the course they take to Neverland and into the classics when a group of lost orphans, moustachioed pirates, and Wendy's mother Molly collide over a trunk full of Starstuff, the most powerful substance on earth," added Dead Puppet Society's Creative Director David Morton. "This lightning-paced, whimsical show was a mega hit on Broadway. To have the opportunity to bring an all-new production to Australian audiences, reimagined with Dead Puppet Society's approach to design-led theatre and stagecraft, is both an honour and a dream come true." "Ultimately this is a story of villains finding their heroes, of timeless friendships and fates that can't be avoided. But don't be fooled... this isn't just a show for young people, it's for the young at heart, and anyone else who never wanted to grow up." PETER AND THE STARCATCHER AUSTRALIAN DATES: From Tuesday, October 15, 2024 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra From Friday, November 8, 2024 — Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne From Thursday, January 9, 2025 — Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide From Friday, January 31, 2025 — Capitol Theatre, Sydney From Friday, March 14, 2025 — QPAC, Brisbane Peter and the Starcatcher will tour Australia across 2024–25 — head to the production's website for tickets for Melbourne now, tickets for Canberra from Wednesday, December 13 and to join the waitlist for other cities.
In news as exciting as a slice of Wensleydale cheese, the minds behind the world's favourite dairy-eating man and his dog are coming to Melbourne. With the Australian Centre for the Moving Image hosting an exhibition dedicated to Wallace & Gromit, Aardman Animations, and their broader catalogue of film and TV highlights, company co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton are heading our way for a series of events and workshops. If you're keen, make like a chicken and run to grab tickets. In town to launch Wallace & Gromit and friends: The magic of Aardman, the duo will ensure that attendees don't just have a grand day as they peruse more than 350 Aardman items, and celebrate over 40 years of close shaves and wrong trousers — they'll have a grand evening too. The appropriately titled A Night Out with Aardman on June 30 is the main attraction, with the Lord and Sproxton (Aardman's creative director and executive chairman, respectively) taking audiences through their careers, chatting about highlights, showing clips, sharing stories and revealing what inspires them. If you're in the industry, they'll also take part in a claymation-focused masterclass on June 29, hosted by Aussie Mary and Max and Harvie Krumpet animator Adam Elliot, while Lord will also oversee a hands-on workshop for 25 emerging animators on July 1. And, for those that really fancy their chances of following in their footsteps, ACMI is putting together an Inventors of Melbourne event on August 5 for everyone with innovative ideas. Lord and Sproxton won't be there — they'll be back home chasing were-rabbits and mischievous sheep named Shaun by then — but plenty of inventors, entrepreneurs and researchers will be. The four-month exhibition also includes a complete cinema retrospective of Aardman's features, so expect to get Flushed Away, get festive with Arthur Christmas and take to the seas with The Pirates! Band of Misfits too. Lord wrote the former and directed the latter (and wrote and directed Chicken Run as well), and Sproxton produced the lot. Forget popcorn — bringing your own slab of cheddar seems like the right thing to do. Wallace & Gromit and friends: The magic of Aardman will be showing at Melbourne's ACMI from June 29 to October 29. To buy tickets to the exhibition or any of the special events, visit the ACMI website.
Oh bother indeed: Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, the slasher take on AA Milne's honey-loving, walking-and-talking teddy bear, has gotten its sticky mitts on the award that no film wants to win. Each year for the past 44 years, the Golden Raspberry Awards has named the worst movie of the past 12 months. 2023's pick is this horror twist on a childhood favourite, which attracted gongs like flies to, yes, honey. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey was nominated in five Razzie categories. It won all five. So, according to the accolades that recognise that not all movies are great, good or even particularly watchable, it's the Worst Picture of 2023, as well as the Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel. And, it's home to the Worst Director, Worst Screenplay and Worst Screen Couple — the latter for Pooh and Piglet "as blood-thirsty slasher/killers". The film won big at the Razzies in the same month that sequel Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 will release in Australian cinemas, arriving on Thursday, March 28 — just over a year after the first film. The Razzies only gave gongs to four 2023 movies thanks to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey sweeping every field that it was in. Expend4bles, which picked up the most nominations with seven, won both Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Supporting Actress. Sylvester Stallone received the former and Megan Fox the latter. Fox was a two-time winner herself, also collecting Worst Actress for Johnny & Clyde, which is about serial killers being chased by a demon after they try to rob a casino. Best Actor went to Jon Voight for Mercy, which has just as likely a premise: a battle against the Irish mafia when they take control of a hospital. Always timed to arrive in the leadup to the Oscars, which take place on Monday, March 11 in Australia and New Zealand, the Razzies chose this year's worst of the worst from a heap of other movies, with plenty of big-name flicks in contention but going home empty-handed — happily, presumably. They include The Exorcist: Believer, Meg 2: The Trench, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Fast X, Magic Mike's Last Dance, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. The Razzies also give out the Razzie Redeemer Award, recognising someone who was nominated for one of its trophies in the past but is in a far better situation now. This year's winner is Fran Drescher, who was a nominee in 1998, and now the current SAG/AFTRA President. The accolades awarded her "for her brilliant shepherding of the actors' guild through a prolonged 2023 strike with a successful conclusion". Check out the full list of Razzie winners and nominees below: Golden Raspberry Winners and Nominees 2023: Worst Picture: The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Meg 2: The Trench Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey — WINNER Worst Actor: Russell Crowe, The Pope's Exorcist Vin Diesel, Fast X Chris Evans, Ghosted Jason Statham, Meg 2: The Trench Jon Voight, Mercy — WINNER Worst Actress: Ana de Armas, Ghosted Megan Fox, Johnny & Clyde — WINNER Salma Hayek, Magic Mike's Last Dance Jennifer Lopez, The Mother Helen Mirren, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Worst Supporting Actor: Michael Douglas, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Mel Gibson, Confidential Informant Bill Murray, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Franco Nero (as The Pope), The Pope's Exorcist Sylvester Stallone, Expend4ables — WINNER Worst Supporting Actress: Kim Cattrall, About My Father Megan Fox, Expend4bles — WINNER Bai Ling, Johnny & Clyde Lucy Liu, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Mary Stuart Masterson, Five Nights at Freddy's Worst Screen Couple: Any two "merciless mercenaries", Expend4bles Any two money-grubbing investors who donated to the $400 million for remake rights to The Exorcist Ana de Armas and Chris Evans (who flunked screen chemistry), Ghosted Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum, Magic Mike's Last Dance Pooh and Piglet as blood-thirsty slasher/killers in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey — WINNER Worst Director: Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey — WINNER David Gordon Green, The Exorcist: Believer Peyton Reed, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Scott Waugh, Expend4bles Ben Wheatley, Meg 2: The Trench Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel: Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey — WINNER Worst Screenplay: The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood & Honey — WINNER Razzie Redeemer Award: 1998 nominee and current SAG/AFTRA President Fran Drescher, for her brilliant shepherding of the actors' guild through a prolonged 2023 strike with a successful conclusion. The 2024 Golden Raspberry Awards were announced on Saturday, March 9, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
Oh bother! After Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey arrived in cinemas in early 2023, turning AA Milne's loveable bear into a horror-movie villain, the great public-domain rampage through everyone's beloved childhood stories is only beginning. That flick sparked so much interest before it even hit screens that a sequel was always inevitable — and that locked-in followup will also have plenty of company. Screens big and small — most likely small — aren't quite set to boast enough slasher takes on classic stories to fill the Hundred Acre Woods, but more than a few are on their way. While Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey's second effort hasn't yet started shooting or unveiled its plot, it has already locked in distribution Down Under, as per The Hollywood Reporter. So, viewers in Australia and New Zealand will get to see what happens after the first film sent its titular character and Piglet on a serial-killer rampage, slicing and dicing whoever crossed their paths because they'd been left behind by Christopher Robin after he grew up. The initial film was exactly the one-note movie it was always bound to be — a feature that exists purely because of its premise — and couldn't be further away from the cartoon iterations of the usually cuddly bear, or recent films like Goodbye Christopher Robin and Christopher Robin. It'll now also always be known for fuelling a low-budget trend, whether or not that's a welcome development. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey director Rhys Frake-Waterfield will also turn his attention to a certain flying boy thanks to Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare, as part of a whole universe of movies that'll massacre their way through typically family-friendly stories. Bambi: The Reckoning has also been discussed — and, yes, so has teaming up this cinematic realm's various characters Marvel Cinematic Universe-style. Then, as Variety reports, UK horror production outfit Red Shadow Studios is jumping in, including giving some of the aforementioned figures its own spin. That's where Winnie-the-Pooh: Death House comes in, which will apparently be The Strangers meets The Purge — plus slasher flick Peter Pan Goes to Hell. Fancy getting gory with Cinderella? Cinderella's Curse from ChampDog Films is making that a reality as well, as per Bloody Disgusting. None of these upcoming titles have sneak peeks yet, but you can check out the Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey trailer below: Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey's sequel, Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare, Bambi: The Reckoning, Winnie the Pooh: Death House, Peter Pan Goes to Hell and Cinderella's Curse don't yet have release dates Down Under — we'll update you when that changes. Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter / Bloody Disgusting. Images: Jagged Edge Productions.
When Yo came out we thought it was totally ridiculous. A single use app that just sends the word 'Yo' to your friends, it seemed like another sign of the world going app crazy — a new age equivalent of the creepy and superfluous Facebook poke. (Seriously, that thing was solely used by your grandparents and first-time flirters). But, despite our cynicism, the app took off in a big way and has now led the way for something even better. Working in exactly the same as Yo, but bearing a different message, Beer?! has been born. Finally saving your text-tired thumbs from making six separate motions on the keypad, Beer?! allows you to assemble your drinking buds with a single effective motion. There's no ambiguity; no unique invitation to be carefully crafted. Beer?! is as simple as it gets. It's about drinking beer. Soon. Possibly with you. With no emojis, no timestamps and no awkward 'seen' messages, single use apps like Beer?! have a strangely alluring appeal. As people become increasingly confounded with their smartphone's latest fandangled features and constantly evolving uses, simplicity like this is looking pretty good. Available now from the app store, it helps that the service is both free to download and free to use. It also comes with a surprising endorsement from Portugal The Man. So, that's something. Of course, to use the app properly you'll have to arrange some details in advance. Your friend is only able to communicate with the word 'Beer?!' so you'll need to figure out if a reply equals confirmation, and if so, where you'll be heading. There's never been a better time to adopt a pub as your local. We'd advise you to just call them, but really, that would defeat the whole purpose. Via PSFK. Photo credit: Daveybot via photopin cc.
In his guise as Benoit Blanc in both 2019's Knives Out and 2022's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Daniel Craig has pointed the finger at an array of well-known faces. With third film Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery officially on the way, that list is set to grow. The first three folks joining it: Andrew Scott (Ripley), Josh O'Connor (Challengers) and Cailee Spaeny (Civil War). If you weren't already excited about Blanc's next case, which is set to arrive on Netflix in 2025, then you should be now. The news that Wake Up Dead Man is on its way still relatively fresh, with the sleuthing saga's writer and director Rian Johnson announcing it via social media on Saturday, May 25 — and casting details have started arriving mere days later. [caption id="attachment_868527" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.[/caption] As reported by Variety, there's no word yet as to who Scott, O'Connor and Spaeny are playing opposite No Time to Die's Craig. But joining Wake Up Dead Man's suspect pool comes in a big year for fans of all three Down Under, with Scott's All of Us Strangers, O'Connor's La Chimera and Spaeny's Priscilla all reaching screens this year — plus the aforementioned Ripley, Challengers and Civil War, too. With the third Knives Out flick locking in a date with the small screen next year, the series continues its three-yearly pattern. Who else the filmmaker that also brought audiences Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and TV's Poker Face (which has been renewed for a second season) will get Blanc investigating hasn't been revealed, and neither has much else about the movie. "I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is. There's a whole tonal spectrum from Carr to Christie, and getting to explore that range is one of the most exciting things about making Benoit Blanc movies," Johnson did note. [caption id="attachment_951454" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Challengers, Niko Tavernise © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.[/caption] Exactly when in 2025 the flick will hit, and also whether it will reach cinemas before arriving on Netflix, also hasn't been announced. But, the streamer is teasing that this will be Blanc's "most dangerous case yet". So far, Johnson has plunged his detective into a familiar scenario twice, but always ensured that the end result was anything but routine. His trusty setup: bring a group of people together in a family home, mode of transport or lavish vacation setting, then watch on when one thing that always occurs in a whodunnit happens. That'd be a murder, in a formula that Agatha Christie also loved, as book-to-film adaptations Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice have shown. The author's play The Mousetrap and recent flick See How They Run, which riffs on it, make the same point. And, so does this clearly Christie-inspired franchise. [caption id="attachment_936946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Priscilla[/caption] The cast across Knives Out and Glass Onion has been impressive. Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers), Ana de Armas (Ghosted), Jamie Lee Curtis (Haunted Mansion), Michael Shannon (The Flash), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma), Don Johnson (The Collective), Lakeith Stanfield (The Changeling), Christopher Plummer (Departure), Katherine Langford (Savage River) and Jaeden Martell (Mr Harrigan's Phone) all featured the first time around. In the second flick, Edward Norton (Asteroid City), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things), Leslie Odom Jr (The Exorcist: Believer), Jessica Henwick (The Royal Hotel), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon) and Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) all co-starred. If you saw either — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how this movie series works from there. There's a standout setting, that big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. Check out the title announcement video for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery below: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will release sometime in 2025 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Read our reviews of Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Via Variety. Top image: All of Us Strangers, photo by Chris Harris, courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures.
Flicking through channels seems sort of passé, seeing as, y'know, not as many people use an actual TV for watching TV anymore. It's more probable that we're scanning through ABC iView, SBS On Demand, 9Now, tenplay and/or 7 Live, which doesn't necessarily have the same effect (plus, what if you forget to check Channel Ten and don't realise Survivor is on?). Well, to save you from multiple tab hell, Freeview has announced that it will be launching a new mobile streaming app later this year, where you can stream all Australia's free-to-air networks from the one place. Dubbed Freeview FV, this new all-encompassing app will bring 15 or so free-to-air channels together in a beautiful harmony of many, many hours of television. As well as live streaming the networks' broadcasts, they'll also offer catch-up functionality, a guide which will show you everything that's on and reccommendations (much like Netflix) when it launches in November. They're also putting a big focus on watching TV "on the go", so the app sounds like it will be pretty sophisticated on mobile. It's the first time globally that the free-to-air industry has come together to create one unified TV experience, says Freeview CEO Liz Ross. "Freeview FV will deliver fantastic choice and convenience in one place, it is simple and-easy to-use, and it will meet the needs of audiences wherever they may be," she says. "From live streaming news and current affairs during the morning commute to catching-up on a favourite TV program on the way home, Freeview FV will completely revolutionise access to the free-to-air TV offering in Australia." This is pretty huge news for the Australian free-to-air industry, especially after Foxtel just bought out streaming subscription service Presto from Seven West Media and will proceed to kill it at the end of the year. Freeview FV is set to launch in November, with more details to be released shortly.
May the force be with your streaming queue over the next few months, with not one but two new Star Wars series heading to Disney+. Both follow the same format, too, taking a character from the films, then spinning a whole show around parts of their backstories — and slotting in either before or between the tales that viewers have already seen. The first such program, Obi-Wan Kenobi, starts streaming today, Friday, May 27. The second, Andor, just dropped its first trailer today as well. On the agenda for the latter: not only a prequel to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but bringing espionage thrills to a galaxy far, far away. As its name makes plain, Andor focuses on its namesake — Cassian Andor, again played by Diego Luna (If Beale Street Could Talk). Star Wars fans have already seen him as a Rebel captain and intelligence agent, and also watched how his story ends, hence the show's need to jump backwards. The focus: following Andor as he discovers how he can play a part in fighting the Empire. Indeed, charting the rebellion, and how people and planets joined in, is the series' whole remit. The moody and shadowy just-dropped first sneak peek ends with telling words, after all: "that's what a reckoning sounds like". In fact, it's filled with statements like that, setting the tone for an intrigue-filled first season — which'll start streaming on Wednesday, August 31. Alongside Luna, Andor sees filmmaker Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy) — who co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One — return to the Star Wars franchise as the series' creator and showrunner. And, on-screen, Luna is joined by the Genevieve O'Reilly (The Dry) — who is also back as Mon Mothma — as well as Stellan Skarsgård (Dune), Adria Arjona (Morbius), Denise Gough (Monday) and Kyle Soller (Poldark). Oh, and a cute-looking new robot that's seen scurrying around in the trailer, although how big a part it'll play is yet to be revealed. Andor is set to span two seasons, both running for 12 episodes each and adding to Disney+'s ever-expanding array of Star Wars programming. Also on its way: the third season of The Mandalorian, which'll arrive in February 2023; and the just-announced Skeleton Crew, which'll star Jude Law and hit streaming queues sometime next year as well. Check out the first trailer for Andor below: Andor will start streaming via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 31.
A new player is stepping up to bat in the Australian hospitality scene, and in Melbourne. Introducing The StandardX, scheduled to open in Fitzroy in February 2024. The StandardX is the latest brainchild of Standard International, known for its lifestyle hotels in cosmopolitan hotspots like New York, Miami and London. But The StandardX is set to be a new direction for the brand, with the Fitzroy concept acting as "a rebellious younger sibling" of The Standard Hotels across the globe, distilling The Standard experience to its "x factor", and going for a more minimalist and cool approach. It seems that Fitzroy is the perfect location for the new concept. Melbourne's own Hecker Guthrie has infused the hotel's 125 rooms and public spaces with a contemporary yet unpretentious aesthetic. As for the food, don't expect the standard hotel restaurant. Led by Executive Chef Justin Dingle-Garciyya, the rooftop dining area will be exclusive to hotel guests, offering an array of Medellin-inspired dishes, including tacos and ceviche. The rooftop bar will be the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail after dinner, or before a night out, or at 10am — it's a hotel after all. With panoramic city views and the privacy that comes with exclusivity, it's set to be a pretty nice spot to have a sip and take in the majesty of the Melbourne skyline for locals and tourists alike. For those after a more casual bite, the all-day Thai diner and The Box, a retail concept offering on-the-go snacks and drinks, will ensure you're never far from curing a rumbling belly. With room rates expected to hover between $250–350, The StandardX is positioning itself as a premium choice for travellers and Melburnians looking for a unique hotel experience that blends luxury with Fitzroy's artistic and cultural heritage. Nick Cave, Ollie Olsen, Stuart Grant and Rowland S. Howard are even among the hotel's inspirations. The StandardX is set to open in February 2024 at 62 Rose Street, Fitzroy — head to the hotel's website for further details.
A Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard falls for the superstar singer he's been hired to protect. It's pegged as one of cinema's most iconic love stories, with Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner first tugging at our heartstrings back in 1992. And now, The Bodyguard is set to come alive for the Australian stage, with producers David Ian, Michael Harrison and John Frost bringing their award-winning musical show Down Under next year. Kicking off in Sydney in April 2017 before coming to Brisbane in July, this local production of The Bodyguard — which follows the just-as-awesome news that Moulin Rouge! will finally be made into a stage show — comes off the back of a wildly successful and star-studded run in London theatres, and record-breaking UK tour, which commenced in February this year. Paulini (of Australian Idol fame) will play Houston's Rachel Marron. Based on the eponymous Warner Bros. film and adapted for the stage by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris, The Bodyguard musical features all those epic Houston tracks that audiences fell in love with the first time around. According to co-producer Frost, the emotionally-charged storyline, along with those "soaring ballads" — like 'Queen of The Night', 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' and the legendary 'I Will Always Love You' (you know the ones) — were simply destined for the stage. The album is still the biggest selling movie soundtrack of all time. Yep. Still.
Whether you can't get enough of Euphoria, are a Succession stan or adore True Detective, streaming HBO's hits in Australia has meant making a date with Binge since 2020. The platform launched as an offshoot of pay TV service Foxtel — following past platforms Presto — with the slate of shows from the beloved US network as its number-one drawcard. Back then, it was Game of Thrones, Westworld, Chernobyl, Veep and Big Little Lies luring in subscribers; now, it's House of the Dragon, The Last of Us and The White Lotus, too. Whichever HBO series you adore — and how many of them are on your must-watch list — you'll be making a date with Binge for the foreseeable future. Or, with Foxtel if you still prefer. Either way, Warner Bros Discovery, which owns HBO, has just made a new deal with Foxtel and Binge to keep its series on those Aussie services. The Foxtel Group will remain the home of HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros and Discovery programming as part of a multi-year partnership extension — and the only place you'll be able to see shows like all of the above. Other series involved include set-to-return programs such as Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Perry Mason, And Just Like That..., The Sex Lives of College Girls and Peacemaker. And, the deal covers newcomers like The Idol, political drama White House Plumbers, the Robert Downey Jr- starring The Sympathizer, The Palace with Kate Winslet and The Batman spinoff The Penguin. Plus, when they make their way from cinemas to streaming, upcoming flicks such as Dune 2, Barbie, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom and other DC Extended Universe movies will also hit Binge and Foxtel. "This landmark partnership cements our position as the partner of choice to the world's largest entertainment studios. We are delighted Warner Bros Discovery chose us as we continue our long-standing partnership together with optionality at its core. A unique business model like ours that covers multiple platforms and brands means we can partner for the long term and together we will continue to entertain millions of Australians every day for years to come," said Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany, announcing the deal. "Foxtel Group are a long-term, historic partner for Warner Bros Discovery in Australia, and we are thrilled to deepen this strong collaboration with a renewed agreement that reflects the scale and opportunity of Foxtel Group's growing suite of products and customer base," added James Gibbons, Warner Bros Discovery President and Managing Director, Western Pacific. In America since 2020, and rolling out through Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Europe since, HBO streams its lineup of shows via its own platform, HBO Max, which hasn't yet made it to Australia. Based on the new deal with Foxtel and Binge, doesn't look set to anytime soon. "As we look to drive strategic growth of our business across all platforms locally, this deal also provides optionality for future collaboration, including for our future streaming service, that will ultimately offer Australians greater access to the world-class storytelling and much-loved brands Warner Bros Discovery is renowned for," said Gibbons. The Australian Financial Review reports that HBO Max won't make its way Down Under until at least 2025. For more information, head to the Binge and Foxtel websites. Top image: HBO.
When Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Captain America and their fellow caped-crusader pals all cross paths on-screen, they do so within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it's Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman's turn, they populate the DC Extended Universe. But these kind of big-screen franchises aren't just the domain of superheroes. In the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, for instance, a number of Spider-Man supervillains are getting their own interconnected movies. First came 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy (Dunkirk) as a journalist who is forced to share his body with an alien symbiote. Next year — delayed from 2020 — Morbius will see Jared Leto (The Little Things) play a figure also known as the "Living Vampire". In-between the two, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is also hitting screens. The initial flick about Hardy's Eddie Brock and his parasitic pal did ridiculously big business at the box office, so it was always going to get a sequel. Due to hit cinemas Down Under in September — and just releasing its first trailer overnight — Venom: Let There Be Carnage signals its other main point of focus in its title. This time around, Venom isn't the only formidable figure that Brock has to deal with, with Woody Harrelson (Zombieland: Double Tap) joining the cast as Carnage. For those who haven't dived deep into Spider-Man's comic book history, Carnage is another of the web-slinger's adversaries. Inhabiting the body of a serial killer called Cletus Kasady, he's also Venom's nemesis. And while Eddie's life isn't all that straightforward when the Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer begins — as seen during a peek at his attempts to find a way to live in harmony with Venom, including their complicated breakfast routine — things get a whole lot more chaotic when Carnage enters the scene. As these two villains face off, here's hoping that Venom: Let There Be Carnage gives Michelle Williams (Fosse/Verdon) more to do than the first Venom movie did, with the four-time Oscar-nominee returning as Eddie's ex-fiancée. Also seen briefly in the trailer: Naomie Harris (The Third Day) as yet another Spider-Man villain, Shriek, plus Stephen Graham (The Virtues) as Detective Mulligan. And, behind the lens, Lord of the Rings actor-turned-Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle filmmaker Andy Serkis directs. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USAsr2i4jiQ&feature=youtu.be Venom: Let There Be Carnage opens in Australian cinemas on September 16.
There's no shortage of ways to celebrate Halloween, whether scary movies, eerie art, a trick-or-treating stint, playing with Lego or themed mini golf is your thing. Here's a particularly tasty one: getting dressed up in costume and scoring a free Krispy Kreme doughnut. The chain is known for giving away its round treats, including handing out 100,000 of them each National Doughnut Day. For Tuesday, October 31, it isn't locking in an exact number of doughnuts that'll be on offer — but it will give one to everyone who turns up to a Krispy Kreme store dressed for the occasion. If that isn't an excuse to don your spookiest outfit, then what is? To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, head to your closest Krispy Kreme store in Queensland — there's eight different doughnut shops to pick from, with the most central in Albert Street in the Brisbane CBD — on Tuesday, October 31 while wearing a Halloween-appropriate costume. You'll receive one original glazed doughnut per person, and you don't have to buy anything else to nab the treat without paying a cent. Of course, Krispy Kreme is hoping that you will be possessed by the Halloween vibe while you're in-store — or beforehand — and treat yourself to something from its themed range. On offer until Tuesday, October 31: four different varieties.
Gone are the days when travellers checked into hotels with the sole purpose of sleeping. It seems everyone wants a bit extra with their holiday, be it a gardening course, an onsite brewery or a window onto the underwater world. The latest addition to the globe's accommodation wonders is an immersive Stars Wars hotel, which will debut as part of Walt Disney World's new 360 vacation concept in Orlando. We're happy to report that the resort is taking the immersive bit very seriously. Upon check-in, guests become a citizen of the galaxy, which means that, every minute of every day of your stay, you're a part of whichever Star Wars story is happening around you. Chances are, you'll find yourself helping Luke Skywalker in his struggle against the Galactic Empire, being rescued by R2D2 or facing off Darth Vader. And it sounds like dress up will be included and required. For now, the hotel is in concept stage only. As you'd expect, the rooms will be themed and several spaces will likely be straight out of the movies. You'll have to be committed to the experience, as the "every minute of every day" comment may well include sleeping hours — the dark side never sleeps, after all. Image: Disney/Lucasfilm via Disney Parks Blog.
The most electrifying new movies from Spain and Latin America will heat up Palace Cinemas around the country once again this autumn. The much-loved Spanish Film Festival will celebrate its eighteenth birthday in 2015, with the festival's most diverse and exciting lineup yet. From smash-hit romantic comedies to Oscar-nominated tales of revenge, there’s a film in this year’s program to suit every conceivable cinematic taste. The festival begins with Spain’s biggest ever box-office success, the upbeat rom-com Spanish Affair. From there, audiences can choose between more than three dozen titles, including Goya Award-winning crime film Marshlands, Cannes-selected indie drama Beautiful Youth and the darkly comedic horror flick Shrew’s Nest. Further highlights include a documentary about soccer superstar Lionel Messi, and a movie that brings Bollywood dance numbers to the streets of Barcelona. Closing night film Wild Tales is another major standout, combing six outrageous short stories about people who are driven to the edge — each one funnier and more twisted than the last. For the full Spanish Film Festival lineup, visit the festival website.
Several times a year, the folks at BrisStyle put on massive makers markets in various spots around town — King George Square, out at Ipswich and wherever'll have them come Christmas. They also throw together a regular Destash Market as well. Rather than talented artisans making new items, this one is all about letting crafty folks buy and sell their extra supplies. From fabric and buttons to beads and knitting supplies, if it's used to whip up something creative, you'll likely find it here. Plus vintage clothing, seconds, samples and plants as well. When it comes to clearing out the cupboard, plenty of people have plenty of things to offload. And when it comes to picking up secondhand scores, there's plenty of treasure to find. Kicking off for 2019, the next market takes place from 9am on Saturday, March 2 at 193 Ekibin Road East in Tarragindi, aka St Lukes Theatre. Entry is free, although your wallet will come in handy for paying for all of the crafty bargains on offer. Image: BrisStyle.
If you, like us, have binged every episode of the renowned crime podcast Serial, are still following the news roller-coaster on Adnan Syed's case from season one and are counting down the days until the HBO series airs — take a deep breath, because there's finally more where that came from. Serial will return for its third season on September 20, having been dormant since season two aired back in 2015. Season three will focus on the entire criminal justice system in the US — more specifically on the inconsistencies and failures of the courts in Cleveland, Ohio. "What does season one tell us about the criminal justice system?" asks host Sarah Koenig in the season's trailer. She concludes that instead of using Syed's extraordinary case to examine the system from the inside, she must use many ordinary cases. Koenig and her crew spent one year in the Cleveland courts, where they recorded not only in courtrooms but also in judge's chambers, prosecutors office and back hallways, plus outside the courthouse in family member's houses, streets and prisons. In the season three trailer, Koenig mentions one case in particular — that of Greg Rucker, whose prison recordings include an admission of guilt. Yet, in just this one trial, Koenig is witness to an onslaught of court offences, including extra charges, pressure to plead guilty, shabby police work, "eleventh hour" evidence, dozing jurors and judge — all ending with an outsized prison sentence. But, since Rucker is guilty, should we even care? This is a question that Serial will explore throughout the season. Again, the story will unfold week-by-week. To listen to the season three trailer or catch up on past seasons, check out the Serial website. The first two episodes of Serial season 3 will be released on the morning of Thursday, September 20 — Eastern Daylight Time (New York). No exact time has been announced, but past Serial episodes have dropped around 9.30am EDT, which corresponds to about 11.30pm in Australia and 1.30am in New Zealand. So, you can either stay up late on Thursday and listen, or wait until your Friday morning commute to work. One new episode will be released each Thursday thereafter. Image: Moth Studio, mural by Adam Maida
Everything is a multiverse these days, or so it increasingly seems. Marvel has one, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently in cinemas to remind us all of that fact if we somehow forgot after Spider-Man: No Way Home. Rick and Morty loves them as well. Even if the term isn't mentioned explicitly, everything from French delight Petite Maman to The Matrix franchise flirts with similar territory. And yes, the list goes on — but nothing else is quite like Everything Everywhere All At Once. Don't know why that's the case? There's a vast array of reasons, including star Michelle Yeoh getting to play multiple versions of the same character, earning a far worthier showcase of her talents than the likes of Boss Level and Gunpowder Milkshake have provided of late, and also working in a nod to her Crazy Rich Asians-era IRL self as well. Plus, there's the wonderful return to cinema by Ke Huy Quan, aka Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's Short Round and The Goonies' Data, who makes a fantastic double-act with Yeoh. Also a highlight: a world where everyone has hot dogs for fingers; another where Ratatouille is real, but with raccoons; and another still that's a sparse realm where life only exists in sentient rocks. Weird, wild and wonderful from its first frame to its last, Everything Everywhere All At Once stands out in a heap of ways — and, if you haven't seen it yet or you're keen to give it a revisit, you can now watch one of the best films of 2022 so far from your couch via digital platforms from Thursday, May 26. Fast-tracking flicks big and small to digital is our new pandemic-era reality, and this gem is the latest to make the leap — while it's still showing in cinemas, too. It looks fabulous on the big screen, but if the ease of checking it out at home suits you better, that's also now an option, as it also has been with The Batman, West Side Story, Dune, The Matrix Resurrections and more in the past few months. Written and directed by the Daniels, aka Swiss Army Man's Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once really does take its name seriously. Here, almost anything that can happen does, all while laundromat owner Evelyn (Yeoh) just wants to get the tax office off her back, save the family business and make the most of her dad's (James Hong, Turning Red) visit from China. In the middle of a punishing audit by IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween Kills), and already feeling chaotic after her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) brought her girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel, The Carnivores) home, Evelyn learns that the fate of the universe is at stake. Of course, only she can save everything — and while that setup might sound familiar, this funhouse of a feature never takes the expected path. Check out the trailer for Everything Everywhere All At Once below: Everything Everywhere All At Once is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream online via video on demand — including via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review.
This weekend sees the closure of the first round of La Boite Indie productions. These shows have captured imaginations and sparked conversation with their dazzling range and professionalism. This is Capital City is experienced on a truly hands on scale. Audience members are set loose into Capital City (the Kelvin Grove Village) and are tasked with the job of investigating the history and the myths of the city. Trigger points, audio logs and flags help lead participants through the city, slowly unravelling the mystery behind the sinister facade. The Séance is an acclaimed production about a group of supernatural phenomenon enthusiasts who dabble in the arcane art of speaking to the dead. This interesting experience brings a small audience together in a binding ritual of 'shamanic incantations and abstract pop covers.' Combining modern technology with performace theatre, Blindscape utilises an iPhone application that turns the performance space into a virtual world. The key word is discovery, as audience members will percieve reality in a new light that pushes boundaries to their limit. Do yourself a favour and check out the productions wrapping up this weekend, the next round of productions will be out in July.
Think all the Ekka fun happens at the RNA Showgrounds? Think again. For one night only, three of Fortitude Valley's top spots are turning their patch of the Brunswick Street mall into a sideshow of the partying kind. The RG, Ric's and Brunswick and Ann are pooling their eight bars and five DJs — and throwing in all the free fairy floss you can eat — for the kind of night that's certain to spill over into the next day. Dressing up, carnival style, is encouraged, as is drifting in-between the venues, with each establishment embracing the shenanigans in their own way.
From food to puppies to cricket umps, we'll never cease to be amazed by what Uber decides to deliver next (until they start delivering babies, that is). But their latest service offering is set to take things to literal new heights. At TechCrunch Shanghai over the weekend, Uber China announced it will soon give users the option to request not only cars, but hot air balloons and boats as well. The new services — aptly names UberBalloon and UberBoat — will come under the new Uber + Travel umbrella, which will roll out across China later this year. The ride-sharing company also announced UberLife, a sort of in-app magazine that will feature local events and attempt to make users spend more time in the Uber app while in the car/boat/hot air balloon. At the moment UberBalloon will only be available in China. According to TechCrunch, this is an attempt to move more services into the Uber app to help it properly compete with popular all-in-one app WeChat, which allows you to message, call, shop, make payments and play games. Desperate times call for desperate measures — and when you're Uber (and you're trying to take the Chinese ride-sharing market), those measures apparently include hot air balloons. Via TechCrunch. Image: ellehem.
Social media can get you anywhere, or so the story behind Marvel's latest movie and the actor playing its eponymous character demonstrates. Back in 2014, Simu Liu tweeted at the comic book company-turned-filmmaking powerhouse, asking "how about an Asian American hero?". In 2018, after Black Panther's success, he tweeted again — querying "are we gonna talk or what?" with the #ShangChi hashtag. Now, the Kim's Convenience star leads the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 25th feature, and the first to focus on a hero of Asian descent in its 13-year run to-date. He's the face of the franchise's latest step forward, both in terms of inclusion and representation, and in keeping the MCU's ongoing narrative forever hurtling onwards. Liu anchors a film about history and destiny, too — one that's about breaking free from the past and committing to the future — and he heartily embraces the occasion. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself flits between offering up a lively picture that strives to carve out its own space in the series, and simply serving up more of the usual Marvel template but in enticing packaging, however. Liu first graces the screen as Shaun, a San Francisco valet who's happy parking cars with his best pal Katy (Awkwafina, Breaking News in Yuba County), even though they both know they could follow other paths. While the film shows Katy's family decrying her lack of ambition, Shaun has a keener awareness of what he isn't doing — because he's really Shang-Chi, the son of centuries-old warlord Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung, The Grandmaster), who leads the shadowy Ten Rings criminal organisation and wears the mystical bracelets it's named after. Shang-Chi also has the otherworldly Jiang Li (Fala Chen, The Undoing), the former guardian of an enchanted village filled with dutiful warriors and mythical creatures, for a mother. But when she died when he was a child, his life changed. After the grief-stricken Wenwu obsessively trained him to become an assassin and see vengeance, Shang-Chi fled for the US, where he's lived since. Then, initially via a postcard from his Macau-based, underground fight club-running sister Xu Xialing (debutant Meng'er Zhang), and then thanks a violent visit from his dad's henchmen, he's forced into a family reunion that puts the fate of the universe at stake. It's telling that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actually begins by honing in on Wenwu, laying out his backstory and pushing glorious Hong Kong cinema legend Leung — a star with seven Wong Kar-wai films, such as In the Mood for Love and 2046, to his name — firmly to the fore. Marvel has loved daddy issues since Iron Man launched the MCU in 2008. It also adores complicated histories, and stressing the idea that heroes are forged from such complexity. And, it likes anchoring its sprawling on-screen world in as much lore and as many links to the past as it can. That's all accounted for in Shang-Chi's opening move, but so is pure movie-star physics. Leung is never less than magnetic in every feature he's in, including here. He's an actor with breathtaking presence, which has seen him prove one of cinema's most commanding figures for four-plus decades. The power and texture he brings to conflicted characters improves any film and, even with Liu handling his leading role with all the charisma and energy demanded, Leung is always the biggest highlight of every scene he's in. In other words, writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy, Short Term 12) has cast two essential roles devastatingly well — and maybe better than he intended in one case. Liu remains the star of the show, and the movie sets him up for more MCU appearances, of course. He crosses paths with other faces from the franchise, there's zero doubt that he'll be a key part of the saga moving forward and, based on this likeable-enough debut outing, audiences will want to spend more time in his company. But watching Leung constantly leads to yearning for more of Leung. The same applies when the great Michelle Yeoh (Gunpowder Milkshake) also pops up after Shang-Chi openly nods towards Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Marvel's decision to add a martial arts movie to its roster, and to populate it with Asian cinema superstars, can just remind viewers of all the exceptional works that the genre and those talents already made long before Hollywood blockbusters paid them notice, in fact. Shang-Chi brings other films to mind repeatedly, including via valet hijinks that ride in Ferris Bueller's Day Off's tyre treads, and a phenomenal bus scene — the movie's standout, and the beneficiary of dazzling fight choreography — that's more than a little like Speed-meets-Nobody. When a franchise spans 25 instalments and shows no signs of stopping, seeing echoes of past flicks comes with the territory as well, with Shang-Chi boasting the focus on character that makes the better MCU entries stand out, but also remaining happy to descend into the overblown CGI that's always been one of the series' worst impulses. It doesn't quite possess Black Panther's world-building flair, but it wants to. It can't exactly make its genre fit as well as Black Widow did with the spy realm, either. And, sometimes it feels like it's doing the bare minimum that Marvel thinks is necessary with this titular figure, and with committing to an Asian hero, as Captain Marvel illustrated before it with the saga's first solo female lead. When Shang-Chi soars — when Liu and especially Leung shine, the wuxia-inspired action choreography does the same and building engaging characters is the film's main motivation — it makes for vivid viewing. When it finds genuine emotion in Shang-Chi and Wenwu's thorny relationship, and celebrates the MCU's latest otherwise-overlooked sister (with Xialing joining Black Panther's Shuri and Black Widow's Yelena), it beats with heart, too. When it breaks out a sense of humour, which happens often in Cretton, Dave Callaham (Mortal Kombat) and Andrew Lanham's (Just Mercy) screenplay, it mostly mines an entertainingly goofy vibe (although it does lean a little too heavily on Awkwafina doing her Crazy Rich Asians sidekick schtick). That's the film's first two-thirds. When Shang-Chi regurgitates the standard formula, complete with a special-effects onslaught of a finale that favours pixels more than the fantasy flicks it's trying to ape, it surrenders a better movie to an average one. Here's hoping that Liu's tweets ultimately give rise to something more as the MCU keeps on keeping on.
It's undeniably tough for a hotel to cater their rooms to every guest that will ever stay in them, but this problem can be far more real for the intrepid traveller with a disability. The latest design of hotel room from new collaboration AllGo, however, seeks to change this fact by creating an adaptable room that makes rooms more accessible than ever before, all while channelling the contemporary aesthetic guests have come to expect from upmarket hotel experiences. The AllGo project is the brainchild of international architecture studio Ryder and contemporary bathroom design firm Motionspot. The idea came from the need to "create a concept that redefines the design of hotel bedrooms and bathrooms so they deliver the individual access requirements of guests without compromising on the aesthetics of the environment," according to Motionspot founder Ed Warner. Each room, according to the design, will incorporate features like handrails with braille printed on them, retractable wall panels that can fold away and act as furniture, wheelchair-friendly flooring, and motorised tracks to assist in access and egress to the bed. The best part is, however, that these features can be easily added and removed before the guest even arrives. The AllGo concept took out the top gong at the lauded Celia Thomas Prize late last year. The prize awards £20,000 (nearly AU$34,000) to the design that best creates a hotel experience for people with disabilities, and that can best "challenge the perception of hotel facilities set aside for disabled people, which can often be viewed as joyless, poorly designed and over-medicalised," according to the Royal Institute of British Architects. Gold medal-winning Paralympian, member of British parliament and bad-ass Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson was one of the driving factors in having the Celia Thomas Prize created. "Great architecture is about spaces that make you feel better and which make you want to return," she said, and the AllGo design strives to achieve that goal for everyone. Motionspot and Ryder will use their winnings to have a pilot program for the design up and running within the year. Via PSFK.
With the fifth and final season of the much loved cult series Broad City on its way, Melburnians are getting a very special surprise when co-creator and yas queen Ilana Glazer heads to Melbourne's Hamer Hall for a one-hour stand-up gig on Saturday, June 9 — and tickets are on sale right now. If you've already left this page to book, we understand. Glazer's hilarious portrayal of Ilana Wexler on Broad City has launched her into comedic fame since the show first aired back in 2014. Since then, you may have also have seen her alongside Scarlett Johansson and Demi Moore in Rough Night, as well as recognised her voice in the Netflix animated series BoJac Horseman. Most recently, Glazer has been busy on an 11-city comedy tour with comedian Phoebe Robinson, who hosts the podcast Sooo Many White Guys (also produced by Glazer). This means her stand-up act will be well primed for her one-off Australian gig. Presented by the Arts Centre Melbourne and Penny Drop, Glazer is the headline act of MEL&NYC, a new winter program of multi-disciplinary events that showcase the influence that New York City has on the Melbourne arts and culture scene. The program will take over the city's best cultural venues from June through August and see leading New Yorkers and Australians share their everyday experiences in a series of conversations, music, performances, educational talks and community outreach events. Other gigs include shows by Regina Spektor and Exo-Tech featuring Kimbra and Sophia Brousa, plus a live-to-film performance of West Side Story and a John Cameron Mitchell musical performance. Broad City's Ilana Glazer is performing stand-up at Melbourne's Hamer Hall for one night only on Saturday, June 9 at 8pm. For tickets, or to check out more events in the MEL&NYC program, head over here.
After months of speculation, it seems Amazon's much-hyped Australian launch finally has a start date. And that date is tomorrow. As business information researchers IBISWorld confirmed, emails were sent out to a bunch of Amazon Marketplace sellers on Tuesday, suggesting that the online retail giant would be kicking off an 'internal testing phase' here in Australia at 2pm Thursday, November 23 — just in time for that hectic, pre-Christmas retail rush. There's not a whole lot of info to go on, though sellers are being told to ensure their pricing and stock is up-to-date, and that their accounts are ready for purchases from the start of this soft launch. They're also being given the opportunity to opt out of the testing phase, by temporarily deactivating their account. It looks like the rest of us will have to wait until tomorrow to see which, and how many products are available during the launch period — though if we know anything about Amazon, it's that they don't do things by halves. According to Senior Industry Analyst for IBISWorld Kim Do, Amazon's arrival in Australia is set to give the local retail industry a solid shake-up. "The company intends to challenge domestic retail prices by offering items for 30 percent less than domestic retailers," she explained, adding that technology products are expected to be Amazon's highest selling category. Let the retail therapy begin!
Everyone has at least one piece of IKEA furniture in their house, and likely more than that. Maybe you also own some of the Swedish retailer's Lego storage boxes, too, or a bucket hat made out of the same material as its iconic blue bags. You could've whipped up outfits for your dog using said shopping carriers, and even cooked up its famed meatballs during lockdown. Something that even the brand's biggest Australian devotees won't own, however, is an IKEA t-shirt, tote or key ring — yet, that is. In 2020, IKEA launched its first-ever merchandise line, kicking off in Japan before releasing in Singapore, Thailand and Korea as well. Now, come Thursday, May 13, it's Australia's turn to get decked out in the brand's clothing and accessories — so get ready to don its hoodies, sip from its water bottles and wipe yourself down with its towels, too. The range is called Efterträda, and it nods to the company's popular products in a variety of ways. You'll find its recognisable blue and yellow logo on everything, for instance, as well as a minimalistic look in general. Oversized barcodes feature as a key design element, mimicking the type seen on its products — and, because they line oh-so-many walls, the Billy bookcase barcode has been given pride of place. Plus, the towels and water bottles come in either yellow or white, while the key rings have a blue option. Prices range from $4 for a key ring up to $49 for a hoodie, with water bottles costing $6, totes coming in at $10, t-shirts priced at $19 and towels costing $22.50. And, to answer the two questions that have probably just popped into your head: no, you don't have to assemble them yourself, or use an Allen key. IKEA's Efterträda collection will be available in Australian stores from Thursday, May 13. For further details, head to the Swedish retailer's website.
