The Abbotsford Anglers are a lousy, Saturday morning, suburban cricket team, led by Ted (Stephen Curry), a sweet but kinda hopeless guy who lives in a mate's garage and works at a sports store. When his best mate, Rick (Brendan Cowell), announces his plans to marry and have children (which, to the boyish Ted, amounts to no less than treason), Ted can see his beloved cricket team will be overtaken by nappies, wives and all the other dreadful trappings of manhood. Oblivious to the inevitable fact that the times and the nature of his friendships are a-changing, Ted leads his D-grade team into the depths of India for a tour of glorified park cricket. It's here that tensions arise, friendships are frayed, life lessons are learned and Ted must finally man up, grow up and fondly leave his teenage dreams behind. Underlying all the beer and bravado, Save Your Legs! is about mateship and coming of age, with an affectionate portrait of everyday Aussie battlers that puts it in the same cinematic bracket as The Castle and Kenny. Cowell and Curry give endearing performances as man-boys who are forcefully and finally shoved out of adolescence and into adulthood at the ripe old age of thirty-five. As a lighthearted, nostalgia-drenched film, Save Your Legs! hits a six. Courtesy of Madman Entertainment, we have 15 complimentary in-season passes to give away to Save Your Legs, in cinemas February 28. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. You can read our full review here.
If the only thing that's been holding you back from packing up and making a home in the middle of nowhere has been the lack of electricity (and the desire to not live out of a tent), you might want to start plotting your escape. Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) have designed a 3D-printed pod home that not only looks 100 percent epic, but can function entirely off the grid. The sustainable structure works in conjunction with a companion vehicle, which is also printed using 3D technology. Solar panels built into the pod's curved pavilion-stye roof powers it by night, and the vehicle generates its own power too through a hybrid electric system. The two share their power — get this — wirelessly through a closed-loop battery system to ensure you're not left in the dark when the sun doesn't peek out behind those clouds. The pod has been developed with the geniuses at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) project. The pod, which is largest of its kind at 11.6m long, 3.7m high and 3.7m wide, has been developed with the aim to illustrate "the potential of a clean energy future for a rapidly urbanising world by demonstrating the use of bidirectional wireless energy technology and high performance materials to achieve independence from the power grid at peak-demand times". 3D printing has given us everything from a chewable toothbrush, 60-second cupcakes, and titanium sculptures, but this has to be the most dream-worthy 3D printed possibility yet. Via Dezeen. Image: SOM.
Since 1989, Sweden's Icehotel has given travellers a decidedly cool place to stay each winter. December hits, and the site reveals its new frosty rooms — the kind that are carved out of ice and only around for a short time, as they'll melt once the weather gets warmer. They're not just any old slabs of ice and snow in the village of Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, however. As part of their annual tradition, the accommodation provider calls for designers and artists to unleash their chilly ideas — then unveils their wondrous creations to travellers. In this year's crop? A snail world made out of cold, cold substances, a hanging installation that you can sleep in, a bed you can only reach by navigating a 34-meter ice labyrinth and another than requires walking over a bridge — and some thin ice — before you can bunk down for the night. Other highlights include a frozen jungle of Monstera-plants, an icy Fabergé egg, a space-inspired space, and a dream-like, cloud-esque piece that UK artist Lisa Lindqvist has dubbed "an art installation who also happens to be a bedroom." Now open until April 15, 2018, the fresh blend of ice and creativity features 35 one-of-a-kind rooms in total, as crafted by 36 artists from 17 countries. They're made from more than 30,000 cubic metres of snice — that's a mix of snow and ice — from the local Torne River. As well as places to sleep, the new iteration also includes an ice bar, ice ceremony hall and ice gallery. If you're a fan of the kind of coldness the southern hemisphere doesn't see at this time of the year, but you can't make it to Icehotel's cold climes during the northern winter, don't worry — in addition to their annual slate of artistic suites, Icehotel has been open all year round for the past year. It inclludes 20 permanent suites, an ice bar, plus private saunas and spas for an added touch of warmth in such cold surroundings. For more information about Icehotel, visit www.icehotel.com. Images: Asaf Kliger.
Wes Anderson movies and Marvel films generally have little in common, but one fact remains true about both: they know how to stack a cast (sometimes with the same talents). The Phoenician Scheme, the latest from cinema's foremost fan of symmetry and pastels, is a case in point for the former. Benicio del Toro (Reptile) stars, joined by everyone from Mia Threapleton (The Buccaneers, and also Kate Winslet's daughter) and Michael Cera (Christmas Even in Miller's Point) to Riz Ahmed (Fingernails), Tom Hanks (Here), Bryan Cranston (The Studio), Mathieu Amalric (Why War), Richard Ayoade (Dream Productions), Jeffrey Wright (The Agency), Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon), Benedict Cumberbatch (Eric), Rupert Friend (Companion) and Hope Davis (Succession). Many of the above actors are Anderson regulars but, as the just-dropped trailer for The Phoenician Scheme shows, the writer/director never puts his ensemble to work in the same way twice. This time, he's enlisted his all-star roster to tell another of his tales of family chaos — one officially badged "the story of a family and a family business" — revolving around del Toro as Zsa-zsa Korda, one of Europe's richest men. Korda, an "international businessman" and "maverick in the fields of armaments and aviation", has nine sons and a daughter. The latter, Liesl (Threapleton), is a nun — and, as the first look at The Phoenician Scheme outlines, also newly appointed the sole heir to his estate despite not having seen her father for six years. Korda has his reasons. He also has a land and sea infrastructure scheme that's the "most important project" of his lifetime, plus the attention of rebels determined to get in his way however possible. Anderson's new movie doesn't just have a trailer — it has a date with cinemas soon. After it likely plays at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it will release Down Under on Thursday, May 29, 2025. The Phoenician Scheme marks the filmmaker's first project since 2023's Anderson bonanza, when Asteroid City hit cinemas and Oscar-winner The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar went straight to streaming alongside fellow shorts The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison. While the writer/director penned the script for The Phoenician Scheme solo, he reunited with Roman Coppola, another of his frequent collaborators — see: The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom, Isle of Dogs, The French Dispatch and Asteroid City — on its story. Check out the first trailer for The Phoenician Scheme below: The Phoenician Scheme opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
There's never a bad time to watch and rewatch Studio Ghibli's gorgeous movies, because there's no such thing as a bad Studio Ghibli film. But if you've spent plenty of hours doing just that — especially in the five years since the acclaimed Japanese animation house unveiled its most recent release, the moving French co-production The Red Turtle — then you're probably hankering for a glimpse at the studio's latest work. Called Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli's newest movie is set to screen in Australian cinemas early this year, although an exact release date hasn't yet been announced. That's clearly excellent news, especially given that seven years have passed since the animation company's last solo production, aka 2014's When Marnie Was There; however, if you're as keen as a catbus to get a peek at its latest effort as soon as you can, an English-language trailer for the film dropped over the Christmas period. Also previously known as Aya and the Witch, the movie marks the first Studio Ghibli feature completely made using computer-generated animation. Director-wise, it's helmed by Hayao Miyazaki's son Goro Miyazaki, who previously directed Tales from Earthsea and From Up On Poppy Hill. It's also based on a novel written by British author Diana Wynne Jones, who penned the book that Howl's Moving Castle was adapted from, too. In terms of story, Earwig and the Witch focuses on a girl at an orphanage in the British countryside. She enjoys living there, but her world changes when she's chosen to live with a couple — including, as the title makes plain, a witch. Earwig doesn't know that her own mother also had magical powers, so she's thrust into a strange new world, all while trying to do what she's always wanted: belong to a family. Also, she has a cat — and as the trailer shows, it's rather chatty. In its English-language version, the film will feature voice work by Richard E Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Dan Stevens (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) and singer Kacey Musgraves, plus newcomer Taylor Paige Henderson as Earwig. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk5YWIbwzRE Earwig and the Witch will release in Australian cinemas on Thursday, February 4. Images: Madman Entertainment.
Ever been so caught up in work, sleep or staring blankly into space that you've missed a huge piece of breaking news, only to discover something big has happened when you later log onto Facebook and notice everyone's changed their profile picture and talking about something you definitely do not understand? Those are the times you wish a mate had just sent you a little nudge to say that, "hey, X world event is happening right now — you probs need to know about it" or "X is doing a free gig tonight" to save you looking like a fool at the water cooler the next morning at work. Well, ABC News is now that friend. All you have to do is start up a convo with them on Facebook Messenger and they'll keep you updated on the latest news through some sneaky text messages. It's called ABC News on Facebook Messenger (fitting, really), and it's the broadcaster's newest way to deliver personalised news to its audience on mobile. All you have to do is find ABC News on Messenger (you can just search for them) and start up a conversation. Then, they'll send you the latest news updates through short, snappy messages in a conversational format — just like a really, really informed friend. It's very similar to the Quartz's news service, which does basically the same thing but through their own dedicated app. The best thing about having a personal convo with the ABC — the news is put together by their digital editorial team and the service is powered by a third-party bot Chatfuel — is that you can choose what news you want to get notified about. If you want a summary of what's happened while you've been sleeping, you can choose to get one sent to you as your alarm goes off. Or, perhaps you just want to get alerts when the really big stuff happens? You can opt in for the too. You can also choose alerts for sport teams you follow, long-form news or stories that involve puppies. You can also just start up the convo at any time to see what's happening. The service was rolled out yesterday after a successful trial. You can find out more and sign up here.
Positive Posters is putting forward the question: what do you care about? This creative initiative is a competition and exhibition asking designers worldwide what they think the most pressing global issues are. Entrants are challenged to design an original poster that conveys a message about a current problem which requires more attention. The posters will be viewed by thousands of individuals from over 150 nations, some of which won't speak your language. Entrants will therefore need to use make their message universal using images not words. The posters will be reviewed by judges who will create a shortlist of 30 to be exhibited at an exhibition in Melbourne in late October. From there, international judges will pick the top three place winners. Submissions can be entered in August and September, so get your creative thinking caps on quickly. For more information regarding the entry specifications and process read the Positive Posters 2012 brief.
You don't know what you've got till it's gone. That saying has never felt more poignant than right now as we look for ways to keep living our best city-dwelling lifestyles within the confines of our homes. We're missing impromptu after-work drinks with colleagues and big birthday bashes at a flashy restaurant with our crew. We're missing the thrill of seeing our favourite band perform live or shaking off the shackles of the workweek with some kidulting fun. These things will return in good time. Until then, we're going to be spending a bit more time at home than usual, so we may as well make it a place we actually like hanging out. To celebrate the return of the Miller Design Lab, we've come up with five ways to customise your home and bring the best aspects of your city's nightlife into the fold. Miller Design Lab has built their own online home of creativity and self-expression with Australia's leading minds in design, art, technology and fashion. Together, we're celebrating our nightlife and its impact on culture by bringing you ways to create exceptional moments in your own home. [caption id="attachment_503345" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Le Bon Ton[/caption] TRANSFORM YOUR BALCONY OR GARDEN INTO A ROOFTOP BAR It's no secret that we love a rooftop bar — there's just something about the fresh air and epic sunset views (and perhaps the altitude) that make our drinks even tastier. If you're lucky enough to have a balcony or garden space attached to your home, you better be making the most of that prime piece of real estate. Take some cues from some of your favourite sky-high bars around the city and transform those few square metres into a mini oasis that you can kick back in with a drink in hand. Once you've got the furniture sorted — whether that's the full setup from an outdoors warehouse or an eclectic mix of chairs and tables from Gumtree — focus on injecting some colour and personality into the space. Start with some greenery: you can get hanging planters, quirky pot plants and all kinds of foliage delivered to your door via The Plant Society in Sydney and Melbourne or The Plant Lounge in Brisbane. Next, set the mood with some lighting — go with some traditional fairy lights for an ethereal feel or festoon lights if you're aiming for something a little more rustic. TURN YOUR LIVING ROOM INTO A LIVE MUSIC VENUE Working from home has its perks, but it can actually be really hard to switch off at the end of the day when you've got nowhere to rush off to. To mark 'tools down', set a date with yourself and your roommates or partner to go to a gig — in your own living room. Live music venues may be closed for now, but there are a bunch of playlists that you can stream (check out some of our favourites here), plus many artists are bringing the gigs to you via the wonders of the internet. There's the daily LGBTQIA+ Zoom party Club Quarantine, Defected Records' Defected Virtual Festival (featuring sets from Calvin Harris, Sam Divine and more), and Room 2 Radio, the Sydney-based virtual dance party which kicks off every Friday night at 8pm. Plus, the likes of Hayden James and Major Lazer are doing weekly streams, while Radiohead and Metallica are uploading footage from old concerts every week on Youtube. Sunset is the signal for you to the shut the laptop, get the live-stream up on your TV and reshuffle the furniture (or just haphazardly push it to once side — either works) so you can have enough room to throw shapes. If you really want to get into the spirit, treat yourself and the room to a funky disco ball, neon sign or strobe light machine, too. MAKE NIGHTTIME PLAYTIME If there were ever a time you wished you could wind back the clock and be a little kid again, it's probably right now. Unless you have a Delorean in your possession (if you do, can we borrow it?), it's not a possibility. So, we've found other ways to get our kidult kicks across the city — think arcade bars, indoor trampoline centres and escape rooms. And you can bring some of those into your own home, too. Set up a mini golf tournament in your backyard, dig out those classic board games from the cupboard or stock up on puzzles — even our PM agrees the latter is essential. You can also try your hand at a virtual escape room — our pick is this Harry Potter one. Or, crowdfund with all your housemates to purchase a traditional arcade game. CONVERT YOUR DINING AREA INTO AN INTIMATE BAR Finding a dimly lit nook in a small bar and splitting a bottle with someone is one of our favourite winter pastimes — it suits when on a first date, catching up with an old friend and bonding with a new colleague. To bring some of those cosy vibes into your apartment, set mood lighting with those candles you've been hoarding, grab a couple of premium beers, then order in some cocktails from a local bar for 'happy hour' or crack open that vino you've been saving for a special occasion. Oh, and don't forget the snacks. Get some top-notch cheese delivered from Formaggi Ocello in Sydney, Milk the Cow in Melbourne or Le Fromage Yard in Brisbane and build your own grazing board. [caption id="attachment_709879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] REVAMP YOUR BEDROOM TO BE LIKE AN ART GALLERY You may only think of it as the place you go to sleep, but your bedroom is pretty important, particularly when you live with other people. It's where you retreat to after all that partying around your pad. It's also where you have free rein to express your personality and interests through your art and styling choices — from your bed linen to funky furniture choices. A wall mural decal will transform a blank wall into a big statement that emanates an inner-city laneway. For something a little less permanent, create your own mural with old photos, posters or magazine clippings (yes, just like you did in high school), or support a local artist and buy one of their pieces — sites like Cream Town are a good place to start with artworks starting at just $100. For more ways to celebrate your city's nightlife and recreate its energy in your own space, head this way.
At the moment, every movie franchise you can think of has or is being turned into a TV show, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its rival DC Extended Universe, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, IT, The Conjuring and Twilight. Another trend doing the rounds: giving 90s flicks a 2020s remake or sequel, as seen with Hocus Pocus, The Craft, Interview with the Vampire, A League of Their Own and now White Men Can't Jump. Yes, the Woody Harrelson- and Wesley Snipes-starring basketball film is heading back to screens 31 years later, this time getting Jack Harlow bouncing, dribbling, trash talking and trying to use his on-the-court skills to rustle up a big payday. The musician is turning actor to lead White Men Can't Jump circa 2023, as the initial sneak peek earlier in the year and just-dropped full trailer shows, opposite Nanny's Sinqua Walls. Harlow makes his movie debut, in fact, playing former basketball star Jeremy, who is struggling after injuries got in the way of his career. Then, he teams up with Walls as Kamal, a once-promising player who also didn't see his basketball future turning out as he planned. Bring on the streetball hustling from there, clearly. Behind the lens, Calmatic does the honours after also directing a House Party remake — yes, another 90s flick — and helming a heap of music videos, including winning a Grammy for Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road'. Penned by Black-ish's Kenya Barris and Doug Hall, 2023's White Men Can't Jump is headed straight to streaming via Disney+ Down Under, arriving on Friday, May 19. If you're new to all things White Men Can't Jump, as well as the court action, it featured a significant Jeopardy!-related storyline. The trailers for the new movie don't show any signs of bringing that back, sadly. Check out the full trailer for White Men Can't Jump below: White Men Can't Jump will be available to stream on Friday, May 19 via Disney+.
From holding a bake sale to selling off your bodily organs to teaching your dog to do this, artists, artisans and inventors have always had to be creative when it comes to getting dollars in the bank. If you’re not the baking or self-mutilating or dog-training type, Australia’s top crowdfunding platform Pozible might be up your alley. Pozible is more like a superhighway that started in 2010 and has since grown to support over 4,500 projects in Australia and around the world. It’s not hard to run a campaign, but it can be tough to succeed. We spoke to Pozible co-founder Rick Chen and compiled a hit list of top tips to help you on your way to making that money pool you always dreamed of. The Anything's Pozible pop-up is on in Sydney until March 13. Check it out for more tips and workshops to help you crowdfund your next project. Research ten similar projects First off the bat, do your research. Make sure you know how Pozible works. Search the Pozible website to find out how other similar projects have been funded. Read the FAQ, get in touch with Pozible and ask all the dumb questions. According to Rick, the Pozible team “work with project creators to educate them and let them know what works and what doesn’t work. This face-to-face guidance is a rare thing, and no other platform approaches crowdfunding in this way”, a contributing factor to high success rates. Tell a story “Most of the time it’s not about the project itself, it’s about the person behind it," says Rick. "People want to be part of you and your journey, so you need to be able to open those doors for people to get in.” Keep it simple, keep it personal, and make your crowdfunding supporters feel that they are all just as much a part of the process as you are. Transparency is also key in your storytelling. Tell people exactly what you are going to do with your money if you meet your target. (The more specific you are with this, the more it will feel as if your supporters are making a tangible difference). Include a video of yourself: you'll raise 114 percent more money if you That’s according to American crowdfunding site Indiegogo. And who doesn’t love a selfie? If you star in your own video, people will connect better with your story. The key is to create content that is visually compelling to compete with the visual noise of the internet. Offer a combination of physical goods and experience-based rewards "Physical products give your supporters a tangible sense they are getting something out of their contribution," says Rick. "Experience gives them the sense they are part of something exclusive. These two combined make it personal for people to get behind your project.” And how many rewards should you offer up? The sweet spot is somewhere between three and eight. Get another three people on your team If you have four or more people on your team, you’ll raise 70 percent more money than if you only have one person. That is, use your networks to build your team; it’s not about how many friends you’ve got, it’s about how you use them. Have your family and friends help to get the ball rolling. Don’t be afraid to ask people you know to contribute. In addition, line up a few key influential people to help spread the word. Build your networks before you launch to create hype. Shoot for 25 percent of your overall goal within the first 24 hours Go hard or go home. You are more likely to hit your target if you can reach 25 percent of your overall goal within the first 24 hours. People are more likely to donate to a campaign if other people have already donated. Pozible advises not to run a campaign for less than 20 days unless you have a good reason or are super confident. You need time to disseminate your marketing material. Indiegogo supplements this advice with the fact that on average, successful campaigns will cross their target fundraising goal on Day 36. Don't all-out beg on social media Only directly ask people to pledge to your campaign in 20 percent of your social media posts. The other 80 percent of posts should add meaning to your project, reveal exciting project news and engage people in the story. Plan your social media posts before beginning your campaign. According to Rick, “It is not about the social media platforms that you use, it is about how you use those platforms as a tool to carry out your activity — to tell your story”. Write medium-specific posts. And don’t get too disheartened if things slow down in the middle of your campaign, it happens to everyone. What’s important is you keep communicating during this period. Don’t be shy to post every day. Only ask for the amount you really need Consider the size of your networks and how many people you can realistically reach. Surprisingly, the average contribution size on successful campaigns comes in at around $70, with performance projects the most successful category. According to Rick, this is often because “these campaigners have strong existing followings — sometimes small but strong audiences who come to see shows, hardcore fans who follow these artists”. So it isn’t necessarily how many people you target, it’s who. Be realistic, write a budget. Factor in the cost of delivering your rewards. The more people you have promoting, the more pledges you will receive. Finally we asked Rick the ultimate question: What’s the biggest reason people don’t reach their targets? His response goes right back to point one: “Absolutely no question, it is because people don’t do their research properly and don’t know what they’re doing. We try to educate as much as we can, we run workshops on a monthly basis across cities in Australia. We strongly encourage people to prepare before they launch a campaign. Lack of research is basically what kills campaigns." Roslyn Helper crowdfunded her project zin's PARTY MODE on Pozible. Supplementary information sourced from US crowdfunding site Indiegogo.
For the past four years, gin lovers across the country have tripped over themselves to get their spirit-loving fingers on a bottle of Four Pillars' Bloody Shiraz Gin — and that's before they've even had a sip of alcohol. The limited edition shiraz-infused concoction really is that good, so we thought you'd like to know that the next batch goes on sale this Saturday, June 1. If you haven't come across the gin before, it's basically what it says on the label: gin infused with shiraz grapes. This gives the spirit a brilliant deep cerise colour and some sweet undertones (without a higher sugar content). That, along with its higher alcoholic content — 37.8 percent, compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin — makes the Bloody Shiraz Gin a near-perfect specimen. It can be used in cocktails where you'd usually use your regular gin, but we reckon it's best if you keep it simple with a G&T. Four Pillars created the game-changing gin back in 2015 when it came into a 250-kilogram load of shiraz grapes from the Yarra Valley. Experimenting, the Victorian distillers then steeped the grapes in their high-proof dry gin for eight weeks before pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin, and hoping like hell it would turn out well. It did. This year — after selling 50 percent of the company to beer behemoth Lion in March — Four Pillars has acquired more grapes from other Victorian wine regions to make more of the gin than ever before. Still, you'll need to move fast — last year's batch has completely sold out. The gin will go on sale for $85 this Friday, June 1 at selected bottle shops, in the Four Pillars online store and its Yarra Valley distillery (where the bar will be doing tastings). If you're lucky, you'll also be able to find it served at bars around the country. Godspeed. The 2019 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin will go on sale around the country for $85 on Saturday, June 1. Head to the Four Pillars website to buy a bottle.
He's one of the world's most renowned chefs, his three Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria Francescana claiming top spot on this year's prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants list. And now, culinary powerhouse Massimo Bottura is swapping kitchen for stage, heading Down Under and travelling the country for a speaking tour next August. Bottura, who you'll have spied getting wildly creative with his native Italian cuisine — and doing so to save thousands of wheels of parmigiano-reggiano — in episode one of Netflix series Chef's Table, is well-known for his storytelling, as well as for a deep love of art, music and history. Audiences are sure to gain colourful insight into the chef's childhood, his life spent in the Northern Italian city of Modena, and the rich local history and culinary traditions that helped ignite his love of food. Bottura will also share another of his passions, speaking about his own work in the fight against food waste and hunger. As founder of non-profit Food for Soul, which empowers communities to fight food waste and social isolation, the Italian chef's helmed a series of community kitchens and drop-in dining halls across Milan, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and London. He's long championed the idea that a chef's responsibility extends far beyond the kitchen and into their community, to help inspire global change. MASSIMO BOTTURA 2019 DATES Perth — Riverside Theatre, August 6 Sydney — The State Theatre, August 8 Melbourne — MCEC, August 10 Brisbane — BCEC, August 13 Tickets are on sale April 3, 2019. Register now for pre-sale.
Hallmark know a thing or two about invented celebration — heck, they did quite the number on that Valentine's Day. But there's never been a better reason to squeal and toss the nearest confetti-like whatever than Hallmark's latest campaign, the greeting card giants have hired puppies to deliver your mail. Have. Hired. Post. Puppies. With tiny, tiny mailbags. This is not a drill. To celebrate the launch of Hallmark's new Australian-only app, HelloYou:), (smiley face included, not this writer's haphazard love of emoticons), Hallmark have employed a team of outstandingly squealworthy, smooshface, ohp-dohp-dohp puppies to act as posties. The campaign runs like this: you download the HelloYou:) app to your smartphone, create a personalised card with your big ol' face on it, send it to the person in your life you most need brownie points from and it could be delivered by a tiny puppy in a tiny personalised uniform wearing a tiny mailbag within a few days. Could be. You're going to be pretty disappointed if some puppyless dude just shows up on your doorstep. Post Puppies will be in action on nominated dates between July 21 and August 8 in selected Australian cities. We're not sure how Hallmark acquired these tiny, tiny postal workers, whether they're getting good rates (read: pats and treats) and if they're allowed sick leave after all those love cards have been delivered. We're also pretty sure people will simply send cards to themselves to take all the postal puppy love for themselves (you selfish, selfish geniuses). Check out Hallmark's disarmingly adorable video below, in which a HelloYou:) user disturbs a tiny sleeping Golden Retriever with her need for post. Luckily, this pup takes the postal service seriously. We take no responsibility for you becoming the Office Weirdo for squealing at your computer after this little escapade: https://youtube.com/watch?v=uZwvmOczk-8
Feeling Women's World Cup withdrawals? That's understandable. After a glorious month of stellar football across Australia and New Zealand — the globe's best women soccer players all playing in our time zones, too — the competition is over for 2023. Want to keep the Matildas love going after the squad's historic fourth placing? You can watch a rousing docuseries about the team, get excited about Brisbane's upcoming statue commemorating their efforts and throw Sam Kerr some love to win the Goal of the Tournament. The Matildas won four of their seven games across the series, but you already know which one was home to the squad captain's nominated strike: the semi-final loss to England. And, we know that you saw it, because that match became the most-watched Australian TV event since 2001 and likely ever (ratings body OzTAM's records don't go back that far). Kerr is Australia's only nominee for the Goal of the Tournament, competing against nine other ace strikes. The winner is decided by public vote, which is where you come in. Get clicking, keep spreading the green-and-gold joy — it's that easy. Voting is open until Tuesday, August 29, via the FIFA website. If you're a Matildas supporter, you'll rightly think that there's no other goal as stunning among the contenders — but Kerr does have some impressive company. England's Lauren James, Japan's Mina Tanaka, Spain's Aitana Bonmati and The Netherlands' Esmee Brugts are all vying for the prize as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas) FIFA clearly know what Kerr's strike means to Australia, describing it as "the goal that made a nation erupt" and "a dream realised, the physical, tangible embodiment of hope". No, adults sadly can't enrol at Kerr's just-announced football academy for Aussie kids — girls and boys — to follow in her footsteps, but we can do our part to give our hero this accolade. .@samkerr1's out-of-this-world strike 🚀🌏#Matildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/CRvBO1PonE — CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 16, 2023 To vote for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Goal of the Tournament until Tuesday, August 29, head to the FIFA website.
Wellington is best known for its creative and culinary prowess, but the city's outdoor environment deserves its own accolades. Nestled between the Cook Strait and bush-covered hills clad in the protected Town Belt, this wilder-than-you-think spot boasts idyllic vistas every way you look — and alluring natural spots in spades. Indeed, there's no shortage of native bush or beach in this harbour city, but you don't need to be a hardcore outdoors-type to get amongst it. Thanks to Wellington's stunning geography, all the greenery and fresh air you could ever want is super close to its CBD restaurants, nightlife and galleries. For those who like to balance their busy urban breaks with sojourns in the countryside, book your flights ASAP, as you can get the best of both worlds. Pack your finest activewear and prepare to embark on a holiday where it's easy to walk off the after-effects of all that strong local beer, those delicious cocktails and that six-course wine-matched degustation. BAYS AND BEACHES Wellington city was built teetering on a waterfront that's sheltered by the surrounding harbour. This means there are a lot of beaches to choose from — some rugged and some peaceful wee spots with pontoons within paddling distance. Oriental Bay is a perennial favourite with Wellington office workers, thanks to its location just ten minutes from the CBD and its golden sand that's ideal for enjoying a cheeky yuzu olive oil gelato from Gelissimo. If you fancy going a bit more rugged, Island Bay or Lyall Bay are not far from the city and ideal for surfing. Don't forget to bring your wetsuit. [caption id="attachment_636628" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kristina D.C. Hoeppner via Flickr[/caption] STREET ART AND SCULPTURE Get your exercise plus a dose of culture. Wellington's cosy city streets are freckled with beautiful street art and public sculpture, ranging from literary to graffiti and everything in between. Look out for Charlotte Hawley's cosy mural down Egmont Street, Xoe Hall's trio of Bowies in Hannahs Laneway and BMD's anti-shark finning wall opposite Te Papa. If you wander from one end of the waterfront to the other, you'll hit an array of ocean-inspired sculptures, as well as the official Wellington Writers Walk, where excerpts from works by the city's greatest writers and poets are immortalised in concrete and set against a marine backdrop. Dreamy. [caption id="attachment_636684" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Capture Studios[/caption] TOWN BELT About 170 years ago, some savvy folk decided central Wellington ought to be surrounded by a band of wilderness, and the city's Town Belt was born. Arching around the CBD in a horseshoe shape, it's been miraculously preserved as Wellington has gone from a tiny colonial outpost to a bustling capital. The belt offers walking options spanning relaxed ambles to more lengthy day-walks, with plenty of brilliant views and spots for a picnic. There's also a 360-degree view of the town from the top of Mount Victoria, which only takes about half an hour to summit starting from the Courtenay Place nightlife district. [caption id="attachment_636635" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Phillip Capper via Flickr[/caption] MATIU / SOMES ISLAND Encircled by Wellington's waterfront and a delightful 20-minute ferry trip from the city is Matiu / Somes Island, a nature reserve with a fascinating history. Originally named by legendary Maori explorer Kupe after his daughter, Matiu was a refuge in times of war. After a few stints as a quarantine zone, the area is now conservation land and pest free, which means plenty of NZ's beautiful and sometimes bizarre native birds can be spotted. Pack a picnic and make a day of it. [caption id="attachment_636638" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Croc Bikes[/caption] BIKING Wellington is beginning to gain a bit of a rep as a mountain biking destination. With so many great tracks covering the bush-clad hills that surround the city, even office workers mountain bike to work. How's that for lifestyle? If the hundreds of kilometres of mountain biking tracks in the Wellington region don't tempt you, there are some lower-key biking experiences in the city. Hiring a Crocodile Bike is a classic Wellington activity: you can grab a two- or four-person bike and cycle around the bays for a few hours. Or head to Switched On Bikes a rent an e-bike; these babies have redefined pedal power, so you can cruise the city's hills without breaking a sweat. Maybe you've been to Auckland, maybe you've gone to the snow in Queensland, but now it's time to set your sights on Wellington. The harbourside city may be compact, but that only makes for excellent walkability from its excellent restaurants, cafes and bars to its cultural hot spots and around the great outdoors. Use our planning guide to book your trip, then sort out your Wellington hit list with our food and drink, culture and outdoor guides. Top image: Simeon W via Flickr.
The dockless bike sharing phenomenon hasn't exactly proved a roaring success here in Australia, with rogue bikes clogging up footpaths, or winding up broken and abandoned in dangerous locations, and oBike withdrawing from Melbourne entirely. And still, yet another company is keen to give the concept a whirl locally — this time, featuring electric scooters. Aussie start-up Scootie has announced it'll launch a trial program of its ride share service in November this year, giving locals in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth the chance to be the first to road-test its fleet of electric scooters. Punters keen to get involved are invited to sign up now to Scootie's mailing list. Riffing on the scooter systems that have been going gang-busters over in the USA, the local company is still nailing down its technology, with plans to launch the pilot program in St Kilda, before rolling out across CBD areas. At this stage, riders will simply locate a scooter, scan and pay via the Scootie smartphone app, before jetting off on their two-wheeled adventure. According to Scootie spokesman Troy Taylor, details about specific scooter deposit zones and charging stations are yet to be confirmed, though there will be a bond taken to help deter people from damaging or abandoning the scooters. Trip costs are also in the process of being finalised, with Taylor suggesting they'll start at around 20-40 cents per minute. So, for example, a 40-minute journey would cost between $8 and $16. Scootie's trial program is slated to launch in November and run for several weeks. You can sign up to be a part of it here.
If you fancy a glam getaway close to home, you're in luck. Brisbane is blessed with loads of dreamy destinations within a credit card's throw of town, ideal for blissed-out breaks with your partner or posse. Concrete Playground has teamed up with boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith to round up some of the best luxury hotels and self-catering stays in Australia and New Zealand, including everything from sexy city stays to romantic rustic retreats. And don't worry, we've got you covered for spa hedonism, winery wandering and island hopping, too. So grab your your wallet and your girl or boy, and go. Byron Bay Villa Where: above Wategos Beach, Byron Bay (address details shared on booking), NSW Even if it wasn't languishing above one of Byron Bay's most blissful beaches (the wonderful Wategos), Byron Bay Villa would get our vote. A double-decked diva of a beach house, this boho pad offers open-plan, white-on-white contemporary interiors with hip retro touches. Kenzo-striped sofas and cheery patterned cushions stop the styling getting sterile, as do seductive Asian sculptures. Killer Pacific Ocean views are a given (admire them from the lap pool or spa), so look out for dolphins year-round or whales if you're here between June and November. This glam abode sleeps up to eight, with a knock-out kitchen. Then again Bryon Bay's mellow cafés and restaurants are always pretty tempting too. Spicers Balfour Hotel Where: 37 Balfour Street, New Farm, Brisbane, QLD There's nothing like a lazy brunch and a rooftop bar, and we're pretty partial to the petite one at Spicers Balfour Hotel in Brisbane. With skyline city views, it's a sultry spot for an evening rendez-vous – try the Scarlett O'Hara, a moreish mix of Southern Comfort, cranberry and lime. The Balfour Dining Room is open daily for breakfast and champagne high tea, too, with chef Tyson Buchanan whipping up seasonal, organic fare, best sampled on the breezy Queenslander veranda. Thread counts are high in the nine bedrooms, where tactile sheets by lustworthy Italian label Society ensure a good sleep. Night owls are well catered for, too; New Farm and nearby Fortitude Valley are the Brisbane neighbourhoods du jour, so get out and play. Capella Lodge Where: Lagoon Road, Lord Howe Island Set in an incredible location, elegant escape Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island may be a two-hour flight away, but it definitely ticks the 'getting away from it all' box. There are a lot of birds here, but you don't have to be a binoculars-toting twitcher to get on a natural high. Soak up views of tropical peaks, turquoise lagoons and coral reefs from the hotel's nine stylish suites, the dreamy infinity pool or the terrace bar, where cocktails and sunset go together like sunglasses and Stevie Wonder. Grab a free bike to tour the island's beaches before returning for some fine dining and spa pampering. Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa Where: 2600 Wolgan Valley Road, Blue Mountains, NSW So, you need a country fix, but don't want to schlep too far from civilisation? Lovers of all things rural will go ga-ga for Blue Mountains boutique hotel Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa. A luxe eco-retreat set in over 4,000 acres of Jurassic Park-style wilderness, it's less than three hours' drive from Sydney. Once there, work the cowboy look with a spot of horse-riding, mount a mountain bike or just hit the seductive pool or spa. Then again, it's hard to tear yourself away from skinny-dipping in your own plunge pool, which come as standard in the 40 swish, standalone suites. Cate Blanchett and The Sartorialist fashion blog crew are all fans of Wolgan's just-remote-enough charms. The Cullen Where: 164 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC Flex your art muscles at The Cullen boutique hotel in Melbourne, a stylish homage to Aussie art's 'enfant terrible', Adam Cullen. Hip, modern interiors in the lobby and 119 sleek bedrooms are decked out with Adam's vibrant, cartoonish paintings and prints, including iconic Ned Kelly bushranger images. The ground-floor is a sociable spot to hang out, with brunch and casual bites at the Terrace bistro by day, and Chinese dumplings galore at Hutong by night. Prahran Market is right opposite if you feel a Melbourne foodie moment coming on, and Chapel Street's fashion-savvy shops are a stroll away. For eco-chic exploring, hire one of the bespoke red Swedish pushbikes or a Smart car for the day. Hotel DeBrett Where: 2 High Street, Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand is well within mini-breaking distance, so consider going trans-Tasman when you next get out of town. Just a three-hour flight from Brisbane, Hotel DeBrett in Auckland's CBD is the perfect place to roost, just a skip away from convivial Vulcan Lane and High Street's fashion-forward stores (handy for scoping NZ labels such as Kate Sylvester, Zambesi or Karen Walker). This stylish haven has long been popular with in-the-know locals, who throng the intimate, speakeasy-style Housebar come evening. Brunching at in-house restaurant Kitchen has become a hot weekend ticket, too, and as a guest you'll have first dibs. Bring your shades as the stripy rugs in the 25 rooms are ultra bright; art deco goes Pop. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers Where: Hawke's Bay, New Zealand What do you get when you combine a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle farm with jaw-dropping Pacific Ocean views, a glam golf course and soothing spa? Luxe boutique hotel The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, on New Zealand's dramatic Hawke's Bay in the North Island.
There's always something new in the works from Josh Niland. There's always another restaurant on the way, someone throwing the Sydney seafood chef some love or a reason to try his nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. In the past year or so alone, he's opened his second iteration of seafood butchery and takeaway shop Fish Butchery in Waterloo, announced plans to take over The Grand National Hotel and move restaurant Saint Peter into it, and launched restaurant and bar Petermen in St Leonards. Oh, and he was the only Australian to make the top 100 best chefs in the world list for 2022, and scored the Game Changer Award from France's prestigious La Liste with his wife Julie. Next on the list: slipping back into home kitchens everywhere. As much of a delight as it would be to have Niland drop by your door and whip you up at meal, that sadly isn't on the menu — but helping you learn his tricks of the trade, and make his recipes, is. Already, Niland has released two cookbooks: The Whole Fish Cookbook in 2019 and its sequel Take One Fish. Next comes a tome with a familiar name, aka Fish Butchery. [caption id="attachment_855330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rob Palmer[/caption] For his third foray into print, the chef will share his expert techniques, and also some of his pioneering recipes. In the process, as his cuisine always does whether you're eating at his restaurants or working through his tips at home, he'll be advocating for culinary sustainability. Readers will peruse the manual's three sections — entitled 'Catch', 'Cut' and 'Craft' — for detailed instructions on how to prepare fish, plus 40-plus dishes to make. So, get ready to learn the reverse-butterfly and double-saddle methods, then cook up fish sticks, fish pies, fish sausages and fish chorizo. [caption id="attachment_870811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Niland at the Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption] Debuting in hard cover and spanning 272 pages, Fish Butchery will hit bookstores on Wednesday, August 30. If you're a seafood fiend, you'll want to make space on your kitchen shelves ASAP — next to The Whole Fish Cookbook andTake One Fish, of course. The former nabbed Niland the James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020, becoming the first Australian do win the acclaimed prize. And the latter focused on 15 global varieties of fish, giving readers 60-plus ways to cook them up. [caption id="attachment_826359" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Niland at Charcoal Fish.[/caption] Fish Butchery: Mastering The Catch, Cut And Craft will release on Wednesday, August 30. Top image: Rob Palmer, The Whole Fish Cookbook.
Arts festivals are all about looking. Before the event starts, everyone looks forward to something dazzling dancing in front of their eyes. When a fest is in full swing, audiences peer at everything that the lineup can splash their way. Brisbane Festival is currently engaging the first mode for 2023, and there's plenty to get excited about. More than 1000 performances will take over the River City across 23 spring days, filling the first three weeks of September with everything from fireworks and kazoos to gospel-meets-dance music parties and glowing gardens. Throw in brand-new musicals, including one by Kate Miller-Heidke; Paul Kelly getting behind the microphone; and a day-long music festival headlined by Groove Armada and The Avalanches, too. In fact, that was all announced before Brisbane Festival even dropped its full 2023 program. Now that the whole shebang has been unveiled, the list of things to start counting down the days to — looking forward, of course — is even heftier. Swirling drones, circus in a cathedral, large-scale dance pieces: they'll also have you looking, as well as listening, between Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 23. From Brisbane Festival's just-revealed highlights, Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale is set to literally soar. It's a never-before-seen mass drone performance that'll tell a First Nations narrative. And we mean mass: 400 drones will fly through the sky above the river in front of Queen's Wharf. Also certain to stun is Circa's new world-premiere show Eternity, which will see eight acrobats and artists tumble into St John's Anglican Cathedral — and Maxine Doyle, Es Devlin and Australasian Dance Collective's Salamander, which'll head to Northshore, settle into a riverside warehouse, and ponder the future, labyrinths and landscapes beset by floods. Clear your calendar, then prepare to fill it with Brisbane Festival events — there's more where the above must-sees came from. The Making of Pinocchio, which hits Brisbane with international acclaim and a personal tale about gender transition, is one of them. Hiromi Hotel: Yu Ka 夢花, aka Hiromi Tango's latest towering installation, is another. And, so is Bangarra Dance Theatre's new show Yuldea, which makes its Queensland premiere. In Tracker, Wiradjuri choreographer and Australian Dance Theatre Artistic Director Daniel Riley steps through his great-great uncle's story. In Stunt Double, film fans and theatre lovers alike can delight in a piece about the shooting of a 70s Aussie action flick filled with, yes, stunts. Love rom-coms? There's Something About Music will sing through a heap of movie soundtracks. And, with The Party, Strut & Fret return to Brisbane Festival after Blanc de Blanc and LIMBO to live up to their latest show's name. Bite Club is similarly back, courtesy of Briefs Factory, this time with Sahara Beck joining the saucy cabaret, drag and burlesque blend. Also, South Bank Piazza is welcoming in circus again thanks to Cirque Bon Bon, which hails from former Cirque Du Soleil Assistant Creative Director Ash Jacks (McCready) and choreographer Julieann Nugent. While almost every inner-city venue you can think of will host part of Brisbane Festival's 2023 program, this fest isn't just about the middle of town. The returning Brisbane Serenades takes tunes to the suburbs, with more than 23 places across the Queensland capital playing host. Also, Moorooka's block party with First Nations and World Music talents is on the bill again, as is MOSAIC Multicultural Festival. A newcomer: West End Stories, a world-premiere session heroing storytelling and songwriting about Meanjin through an Indigenous lens. Common People Dance Eisteddfod graces the lineup for the fifth year, puppeteers Erth will get you diving with sharks without actually diving with sharks and Dead Puppet Society is unleashing full-size flamingos. Bowen Hills' King Street is going retro with inflatable gaming consoles and an 80s street party complete with rollerskating, while South Bank will host the fest's wine and food hub. Given the massive number of performances — including 19 world premieres, two Australian premieres and 11 Queensland premieres, plus more than 1400 Queensland-based artists and arts workers taking part, 57 arts organisations getting involved and over 170 First Nations artists joining in — the program clearly doesn't end there. When it all comes to an end, however, All Together Now will do the honours. A closing concert at Victoria Park / Barrambin, it'll feature the already-announced 10,000-kazoo orchestra and the 100-drum percussive sounds of Noise. [caption id="attachment_908141" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacinta Oaten[/caption] Brisbane Festival 2023 runs from Friday, September 1–Saturday, September 23 at venues all around Brisbane — head to the fest's website for further details and tickets.
Even with the tirade of articles stating that the hipster is dead, it still seems to be very much alive and kicking in slow-to-catch-on Brisbane. It’s all very well and easy for Gen Y to encompass this vegan, frugal, beard-growing, upcycling, bicycling ‘lifestyle’ (or at least pretend you do), but what we tend to forget is that the Gen X-ers before us were doing all of that way before it was cool to do it. Their interests remain the same, they just have a little more responsibility now. Responsibilities like houses and jobs and children. Although that may sound a little daunting, in my opinion, having a miniature version of yourself just means an opportunity to create perfect hipster spawn! Luckily for any vintage-and-handmade-collecting mums (and dads) who reside in Brisbane, next Saturday will be the next installment of the BrisStyle Indie Mother and Child Market. With a wide array of both child and hipster friendly wares for sale, the day sounds like a perfect opportunity to see and be seen. As the icing on the cake, this particular weekend will be held in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation with the entire street to be decked out in various shades of pink. In conjunction with the Racecourse Road Business Group, Chicks in Pink are also aiming to set a world record for the largest set of (human made) boobs and they need your help! So dress in pink and head to Hamilton for a good cause. Image credit: BrisStyle
In a previous article, we asked you what the world would look like if it was run by hipsters. Now, with a new series of artworks by illustrator Ronallman, it seems that this threat may have been more imminent than we ever thought. In a collection named 'The Dic-sters', Ronallman has taken the world's most infamous dictators and given them indie makeovers that would suit the next ASOS advertising campaign. Kim Jong-Illest shows his love for hip-hop by rocking a pair of Kanye shutter shades, while Fidel Hipstro swaps his trademark army greens for a red scarf and aviators. Joseph Stachlin's facial hair gets a neat upgrade, and he also wears a green shirt (top button done up, obviously) with a contrast plaid collar. However, perhaps most terrifying of all is Skritler, a hybrid of brostep champion Skrillex and Germany's most notorious chancellor, Adolf Hitler. Such a character isn't too far-fetched when you remember that Skrillex's music has often been labelled a crime against humanity. Hipsters, with their locally-produced vegan burgers and willingness to complain about anything, are usually aligned with left-wing ideology. However, Ronallman's illustrations prove that their wardrobes might be better suited to conservative nutjobs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6Z1RRslsFxA [via Complex]
Coachella FOMO is no longer a thing. With its biggest livestream yet, YouTube is solving it in 2023. Sure, you can still wish that you were heading to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California across April 14–16 and April 21–23. Yes, there's nothing quite like being there in person. But if you're all about seeing the fest's impressive lineup — seeing as much of it as possible, too — this year's Coachella and YouTube collaboration is beaming the entire event around the world. One of the globe's biggest music festivals has been teaming up with the video site for 11 years now. Earlier in 2023, they announced that they've locked in their arrangement till 2026, in fact. So expanding exactly what the Coachella livestream shows, and when, is the next logical step — with 2023's fest covering all six stages across both weekends. This is the first time ever that YouTube's Coachella footage has played the whole fest as it's happening, upping its feeds from three to six. Whoever you want to see — and if you want to catch their sets twice — you now can. 2023's bill is worth getting excited about, with Bad Bunny headlining the Friday nights, BLACKPINK doing the Saturday nights and Frank Ocean on Sunday nights. Down Under, you'll be tuning in on Saturday, Sunday and Monday to catch each, so mark your diaries now. Also on the lineup: a stacked array of acts that also spans everyone from Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers, ROSALÍA and Blondie through to The Kid LAROI, Björk, Fisher, Charlie XCX, Porter Robinson and Idris Elba. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) In-between sets, YouTube will fill its feeds with more on-the-ground coverage, so you'll be able to scope out the art and installations around the fest, head behind the scenes, see how the acts get partying before the hit the stage and more. 2023's set times haven't yet been announced, but keep an eye on Coachella's Instagram feed in the lead up to the festival — and, obviously, bookmark its YouTube channel ASAP. Coachella runs from April 14–16 and April 21–23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST on Saturday, April 15 Down Under.
Sweltering through increasingly toasty temperatures, the Earth keeps breaking and matching records — ones the planet doesn't want to continue. After notching up its hottest year in recorded history back in 2016, this spinning rock we call home equalled it in 2020. The past six years are now the hottest six on record, too, while the past decade is also the warmest ever recorded. The news comes via the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which tracks data about the climate now and the past to contemplate the future — not just for Europe, but also for the rest of the world. Compared to the period between 1981–2010, which is commonly used as a reference, 2020 was warmer by 0.6 degrees Celsius. In comparison to pre-industrial times, from 1850–1900 specifically, it was hotter by 1.25 degrees Celsius as well. That mightn't sound like a huge amount, but it made a big difference in some parts of the globe. Europe experienced its hottest year ever recorded, even beating 2016 by 0.4 degrees Celsius. And in the Arctic and Siberia, temps reached more than six degrees higher than average. That meant that Arctic sea ice was significantly lower than average in the second half of the year — the lowest sea ice extent on record in July and October, in fact. Announcing the data for the past year, C3S Director Carlo Buontempo said that "2020 stands out for its exceptional warmth in the Arctic and a record number of tropical storms in the north Atlantic. It is no surprise that the last decade was the warmest on record, and is yet another reminder of the urgency of ambitious emissions reductions to prevent adverse climate impacts in the future." https://twitter.com/CopernicusECMWF/status/1347438880551800832 The unwanted milestone also came about as the northern hemisphere mostly experienced higher than average temperatures for the year, while parts of the southern hemisphere had below average temperatures due to cooler La Niña conditions. C3S also advised that 2020 matches the 2016 record despite the cooling effect of La Niña, while 2016 started with a warming El Niño event. With climate change continuing to show its effects, the news shouldn't come as a surprise. It's still a stark reminder of the current state of the planet, however. Locally, the Bureau of Meteorology has already advised that Australia sweltered through its fourth warmest year on record in 2020, and ended its hottest decade ever as well. For more information about the 2020 data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), head to the C3S website.
Marty. De Niro. Leo. Enough said. That's the basic maths behind Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese's first film since 2019's The Irishman. Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival before hitting cinemas Down Under in October and then Apple TV+ after that, it's also his first feature to star two of his long-serving collaborators: Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. De Niro and DiCaprio have been in so many of the legendary director's movies that it's rare for any of his titles to not include one or the other. The former's run gave viewers gangster masterpieces such as Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino; also spans the iconic Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The King of Comedy; and covers musical New York, New York and thriller remake Cape Fear, too — and, of course The Irishman. The latter began leading Scorsese's films in the early 2000s, kicking off with Gangs of New York, then starring in The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street. Yes, that's a helluva resume for both actors, and for their favourite helmer. Enter Killers of the Flower Moon — which is actually the second time that De Niro and DiCaprio have joined forces for Scorsese, but their debut together in one of his full-length features (they played themselves in the director's 2015 comedy short The Audition). The actors have a past on-screen beyond that, however, thanks to the non-Marty helmed This Boy's Life in 1993, back when DiCaprio was still a teen. That's the Scorsese–De Niro–DiCaprio history, with Killers of the Flower Moon also jumping backwards into the real-life of murders of oil-wealthy members of the Osage Nation in Osage County, Oklahoma a century back. Scorsese also co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth (Dune, and an Oscar-winner for Forest Gump), adapting David Gann's 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. As the just-dropped first trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon shows, DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Certain Women standout Lily Gladstone play a couple caught up in the investigations surrounding the mounting killings. Also co-starring: not just De Niro (Amsterdam), but Jesse Plemons (Love & Death), John Lithgow (Sharper) and newly minted Best Actor Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale). Check out the trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon below: Killers of the Flower Moon will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 19, then stream via Apple TV+ at a later date — we'll update you with streaming details when they're announced.
There's a reality TV show for everything and, via the 2014–9 series Wahlburgers, that includes burger joints owned by actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers. Fancy eating the chain's fast food fare, rather than just watching it? After opening 52 stores in the US, Canada and Germany so far, Wahlburgers is launching Down Under. The first place that'll be serving up the chain's burgers, shakes, beers and 'wahlbowls' — aka burger ingredients, but without the bun — is the Sydney CBD. Folks in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane can all expect to tuck into the brand's bites to eat, too, and New Zealanders as well. Just where Wahlburgers will be opening in NZ hasn't been revealed, but the chain will be launching 20 stores across the two countries. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wahlburgers 🍔 (@wahlburgers) If the Wahlberg name has you thinking about movies — with Mark starring in everything from Boogie Nights to Instant Family, and his co-owner and brother (and ex-New Kids on the Block member) Donnie Wahlberg also featuring in The Sixth Sense and the Saw franchise — then that won't change at Wahlburgers' Aussie and NZ joints. The chain's venture Down Under is a collaboration with United Cinemas, and some of the former's sites will be located within the latter's picture palaces. United Cinemas currently operates venues at Narellan, Collaroy, Warriewood, Avalon and Opera Quays in Sydney, Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, Craigieburn in Melbourne, Indooroopilly in Brisbane and Rockingham in Perth, so that's where you might be getting your Walhburger fix; however, Walhburgers will be opening stand-alone stores as well. Just when the chain will launch hasn't been revealed, but news.com.au is reporting that the first store in Sydney's Circular Quay will be open in the next few months — and that the restaurants will play up the movie theme. [caption id="attachment_796269" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Michael Rivera via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Wahlburgers is also co-owned by chef Paul Wahlberg — another Wahlberg sibling — and, given its name, the chain decks out its sites with photos and memorabilia from the brothers' lives. If you happen to remember that Mark Wahlberg was in the music business before he started acting and, as part of his hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, he released the 1991 single 'Good Vibrations', then you might be wondering if Wahlburgers serves Sunkist — because it's referenced in the lyrics. Based on its US menu, the answer is no, but fingers crossed that changes Down Under. Wahlburgers is set to open in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and New Zealand — we'll update you with exact locations and dates when they're announced, and you can keep an eye on the chain's website and Facebook page in the interim. Top image: JJonahJackalope via Wikimedia Commons.
Up your midichlorian count and get your eyes all over this new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This is the second look we've had of the seventh Star Wars instalment, after the first trailer dropped in November. Don't get cocky. The film isn't out until Christmas — December 17, 2015. But never tell us the odds.
Wellington Paranormal is back for its fourth and final season, Rose Matafeo's rom-com sitcom Starstruck has just returned for its second batch of episodes, and now Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby's HBO Max pirate parody is less than a month away — yes, it's proving a fantastic time for TV comedies either made in New Zealand or starring NZ talent. And if you're particularly keen to say "ahoy!" to Waititi and Darby's Our Flag Means Death, here's some more great news: its just dropped an unsurprisingly hilarious full trailer. Sometimes, the world just handily delivers answers to questions you didn't even know you ever had. You might not have actively wondered to yourself "what'd happen if NZ treasures Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby played pirates?", for instance, but we're betting you're now keener than a buccaneer searching for a bottle of rum to discover how it turns out. And, arriving on Thursday, March 3 on Binge in Australia and Friday, March 4 on Neon in NZ, Our Flag Means Death will firmly answer that query. The ten-episode sitcom sees Darby lead the show as Stede Bonnet — who was a real-life pirate who took to the seas in the early 18th century. The reason that his story is getting the streaming treatment? Bonnet was a 'gentleman pirate', as both the initial teaser and just-dropped full trailer for Our Flag Means Death dubs him. He left his life of privilege to rove the oceans, which this comedy is set to have plenty of fun with. [caption id="attachment_840021" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aaron Epstein/HBO Max[/caption] As the show's sneak peeks so far demonstrate, Bonnet has some bold ideas about how life onboard should run — bold compared to the usual pirate stereotypes, that is. And, that sees him clash with a very famous name from pirate history: Blackbeard, which is who Waititi plays, and who appears far more traditional with his views on the whole pirate caper.. The two immensely funny NZ talents are joined by a long list of co-stars that includes Ewen Bremner (First Cow), David Fane (Paper Champions), Nathan Foad (Bloods), Joel Fry (Cruella), Samson Kayo (Truth Seekers), Rory Kinnear (No Time to Die) and Leslie Jones (Death to 2020). And, while Our Flag Means Death is the brainchild of writer, showrunner and executive producer David Jenkins (People of Earth), Waititi directs the pilot — and executive produces, lending his name and support to another up-and-coming comedy after doing the same with Reservation Dogs last year. And yes, that means he's directing Darby yet again, as he's already done in everything from Flight of the Conchords and What We Do in the Shadows to Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Our Flag Means Death will drop three episodes on March 3, another three on March 10, then two episodes on both March 17 and March 24. Check out the full trailer for Our Flag Means Death below: Our Flag Means Death will start streaming in Australia via Binge on Thursday, March 3 and in New Zealand via Neon on Friday, March 4.
Film festival lineups are only ever truly complete when the event is over for the year, because new movies and sessions can join the program right up until the curtains fall. 2025's Sydney Film Festival runs in June, for instance, and unveiled the bulk of its its roster to start May — but it still keeps expanding, including by scoring the Australian premiere of Ari Aster's Eddington. Fresh from announcing that DEATH STRANDING and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has joined the 2025 program to get chatting with Mad Max and Furiosa director George Miller, SFF has now revealed that one of this year's most-anticipated movies — that wasn't already on its bill — is also heading to the Harbour City across Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15. Eddington joins the fest's straight-from-Cannes contingent, with the news coming just days after the film debuted at the prestigious French festival. "With Eddington, Ari Aster turns his razor-sharp gaze to the fractured heart of America, and perhaps the world, in a film that is provocative, urgent and completely gripping. This is a compelling work that speaks to the chaos and contradictions of our times — and one that will spark passionate conversation," said SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley, announcing the movie's addition to SFF's 2025 program. "We are delighted to present its Australian premiere at Sydney Film Festival and offer Sydneysiders the chance to be some of the very first people in the world outside of Cannes to see this incendiary film." Arriving two years after Aster first stressed out Joaquin Phoenix in Beau Is Afraid, Eddington has more tension and chaos in store for the Oscar-winning actor. The pair reunite for a trip back to 2020, to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the movie's eponymous New Mexico location as it attempts to cope with the abrupt change to life as its citizens know it. Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux) portrays the small town's sheriff — with Emma Stone (Kinds of Kindness ) as his wife, Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as the loyal mayor and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders) as the charismatic Vernon Jefferson Peak. The storyline: putting Joe and the mayor on a collision course, which unsurprisingly causes ripples throughout Eddington, in a tale that's set to see townsfolk clash in a period that we all know couldn't have been more heightened. Aster is back cultivating unease, then, as he did so expertly in Hereditary in 2018, then Midsommar in 2019, then Beau Is Afraid in 2023. If you can't see Eddington at SFF, it releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday, July 24 — the same day as the also Pascal-starring Fantastic Four: First Steps. Check out the trailer for Eddington below: Sydney Film Festival 2025 takes place from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website.
Australia is home to tens of thousands of species of wildflowers — many of which are grown exclusively in Australia — making it one of the biggest and most diverse collections in the world. While some bloom in seemingly endless fields of brilliant colour, others grow in hard-to-see spots, among trees and grasses. Most get started in early spring, but, in cool environments, like the Snowy Mountains, the real action doesn't kick off until summer. Here's your guide to some of the best places for wildflowers in Australia — from the alpine meadows of Kosciuszko National Park to the wattle-filled picnic areas of Warrandyte State Park, just outside Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_740494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elinor Sheargold[/caption] NSW: KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK Once the snow has melted, Kosciuszko National Park transforms into a wonderland of wildflowers. Hundreds of species grow here, including 21 that are unique to the area. One of the nicest ways to see them — while conquering Australia's highest mountain — is along the Kosciuszko Walk, which travels for 13 kilometres from Thredbo to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko. If you're looking for an even more epic adventure, go for the Main Range Walk: a 22-kilometre loop that takes in several glacial lakes. Either way, you'll meet bright yellow billy buttons, pink everlasting daisies, yellow and purple eyebrights and alpine mint bush, among other delights. When to visit: December–January. [caption id="attachment_631474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pam Goldie[/caption] NSW: MUOGAMARRA NATURE RESERVE Need a wildflower fix, but don't want to travel too far from the city? Make tracks to Muogamarra Nature Reserve, which lies an hour's drive north of Sydney, near the Hawkesbury River. More than 900 native species live here, from brilliant red waratahs and angophoras to pink boronias and native orchids. Plenty of animals enjoy the sights, too, so don't be surprised to come across echidnas, wedge-tailed eagles and lyrebirds. To deepen your knowledge, join a guided walk, be it the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, the Muogamarra Highlights Walk or the six-hour Peats Bight Walk. There's only one catch — Muogamarra is open just six weekends each year in August and September. When to visit: August–September. [caption id="attachment_740505" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Spencer[/caption] NSW: TOORALE NATIONAL PARK If you're up for a road trip, make Toorale National Park your destination. You'll find it at the back of Bourke, around 11 hours' drive northwest of Sydney. Perched on the banks of Darling River, the park is made up of enormous floodplains and waterways, which create ideal conditions for flowers to bloom. See the most spectacular scenery on the Darling River Drive, a 41-kilometre loop that, in spring, passes through fields of teeny-tiny sunray daisies. After rainfall, you'll be surrounded by bluebells, native peas and pigweed. It's also an excellent route for stargazers and birdwatchers, especially those who like baby emus. You can camp by the water, too, at Yapara Paaka Thuru (Darling River Campground). When to visit: September–October. VIC: GREATER BENDIGO NATIONAL PARK Bendigo isn't only an excellent escape for culture vultures, it's also perfect for wildflower watchers. That's because the city is more or less encircled by national park. Begin your escapades at One Tree Hill Regional Park, with a three-kilometre hike to the summit. It's steep, but worth the visual rewards — expect to be immersed, not only in golden carpets of wattle, delicate wax flowers and an array of native orchids, but also by panoramic regional views. Another flowery spot nearby is Solomon Gully Nature Conservation Reserve, which is a 10-minute drive south of town. When to visit: September–December. [caption id="attachment_740501" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julian Kingma for Visit Victoria[/caption] VIC: GRAMPIANS NATIONAL PARK A whopping one third of Victoria's wildflowers are in Grampians National Park. In fact, it was once described as the 'garden of Victoria' and, given that Victoria was once known as 'The Garden State', that's saying something. If you're visiting in early spring, head for Heatherlie Quarry, Mount Zero and Mount Stapylton — all in the Grampians' northern section. Also impressive is Wartook Valley, where acacia blooms from late August. Come spring, the best views are around Halls Gap, where the last weekend of September is dedicated to the Grampians Wildflower Show. When to visit: August–December. [caption id="attachment_703439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Carson via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] VIC: WARRANDYTE STATE PARK Want wildflowers without any driving? You're in luck. Melbourne has its very own stash of blossoms in Warrandyte State Park, on the banks of the Yarra, 45 minutes' drive northeast of the CBD. It's the closest state park to the city. There's a diverse and colourful variety of flora to spot, from chocolate lilies (which are purple, not brown) and milkmaids to blue pincushions and pale sundews. Most bloom between September and December, though some, like ivy-leaf violets and common heath, last longer. In between looking down for flowers, look up for koalas. When to visit: September–December. [caption id="attachment_726968" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Nott for Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] QLD: GIRRAWEEN NATIONAL PARK The name's a giveaway. Girraween means 'place of flowers'. And they look even more dramatic here than in other spots — thanks to the massive granite boulders and outcrops, which create stunning backdrops. The show starts early, in late July, when thousands of wattle trees turn gold. But it's in spring that things really get going, with pea flowers bringing showers of red and purple, followed by native sarsaparilla, native bluebells and stacks of daisies, in a spectrum of colours. The cornucopia of blossoms is a magnet for flower-loving wildlife, including butterflies, crimson rosellas, wedge-tailed eagles and lyrebirds. Girraween National Park is three hours' drive southwest of Brisbane. When to visit: July–January. QLD: GURULMUNDI Not many people live in Gurulmundi, a locality in the Western Downs located five hours' drive northwest of Brisbane. So you won't be bumping elbows while photographing wildflowers. To help you make the most of the many blooms that grow here, there's a dedicated wildflower trail. Made for driving, this 100-kilometre loop officially begins in the nearby town of Miles and takes you off the beaten track, onto unsealed roads and into out-of-the-way places. Along the way, you'll cross the 5000-kilometre-long Dingo Barrier Fence: the longest fence in the world. Follow the wildflower signs for the most beautiful vistas. When to visit: September. QLD: BIRDSVILLE Birdsville might be best known for its legendary pub and spring races, but there are wildflowers, too. Lots and lots and lots of them. That's because the town is in the Diamantina River floodplains, which means fertile soil. The best time to visit is after spring rain, because it drives the seeds to sprout. And, given the terrain is so flat, the results aren't hard to see. Keep your eyes peeled on the road into Birdsville and, if you're exploring further, into Betoota and Bedourie, as well. Just some of the exotic flowers you're likely to see include poached egg daisies, the hairy darling pea, wild stock and desert nightshade. When to visit: After it rains. Top image: Wildflowers in the Grampians by Christine O'Connell; Barrington River by John Spencer; and Muogamarra by John Spencer.
Sydney WorldPride is now upon us and the Mardi Gras Parade is this weekend. If you've left your preparation to the last minute, we've enlisted the expertise of living legend Carlotta — a trans icon and cabaret performer who knows a thing or two about getting ready for a show. Carlotta is currently featured in a special Sydney WorldPride installation in the QVB which pays tribute to queer Australians who have made significant contributions to the LGBTQIA+ community. The QVB is temporarily rebranding from the Queen Victoria Building to reflect each of these contemporary queens with a set of fabulous portraits by photographer Dream Syndicator (pictured above). Carlotta is one of the queens in focus, along with queer activist Ken Davis (a member of the original Mardi Gras 78ers), Indigenous drag queen Felicia Foxx, Independent MP Alex Greenwich and Janine Middleton who, together, co-chaired Australian Equality and successfully fought for and helped achieve marriage equality in Australia. Fashion and costume has always played a role in self-expression for queer communities, and when it comes to dressing up Mardi Gras is one of the biggest nights of the year. So Carlotta shared a few tips for any Pride newcomers looking for a bit of a steer. Carlotta, what's the best way to mentally prepare for Pride? It's three weeks of (what seems to be) non-stop parties, so how does one survive? "To prepare for Pride you need to be organised, wear something you're comfortable in (for Carlotta this would now be wearing flat shoes) and make sure you're drinking lots of water." If you were going to Mardi Gras what would you be wearing? "If I were to be going to the celebrations I would be wearing a Camilla Kaftan because it's bright and colourful but also loose, flowy and comfortable. I'd also be wearing flat shoes because my feet are suffering now and I can't wear high heels like I used to." Where are some of the best places in Sydney to stock up on looks for Pride? For me it would be Camilla or House of Priscilla on Oxford Street (it has always been the best place). [caption id="attachment_892528" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Inside of House of Priscilla[/caption] How do you differentiate your day-to-day style versus your on-stage style? - Is your on-stage self an extension of your day-to-day or is it a completely new persona? "My day-to-day persona and on-stage persona are two completely different aspects. Day-to-day I wear more loose and flowy clothing, and on stage I'm more extravagant with lots of sequins and feathers." How do you think fashion plays a role within the queer community in general? Fashion plays a role in the queer community but all the fashion choices and styles are completely different. People can wear what they want to wear and that's what it's all about. What have been your favourite Mardi Gras/Pride looks to date? I've always loved everything I've worn. My favourite look I've ever done is when I did Priscilla Queen Of The Desert — I wore a big white coat and feather collar. Why do you think dressing up is such an important aspect of Pride? It's the excitement of the celebrations in the community. Everyone gets to me themselves and uses their outfits as self expression. For more inspiration for how to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration head to our events guide on the best of Sydney WorldPride.
At 25 years of age, French-Canadian director and professional overachiever Xavier Dolan has been touted by cinephiles as the next great auteur — an antidote to a global film industry bloated with high-budget, low IQ franchises. Once a child actor, Dolan's fifth film, Mommy, won some insanely high praise and the Jury Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival. In vivid colours and an Instgram-like 1:1 ratio, Mommy declares its arrival as loudly as its attention-seeking protagonist, Steve. An at-risk 15-year-old emblematic of Quebec's forgotten underclass, Steve (a hyper-charismatic Antoine-Olivier Pilon) has been expelled from his disciplinarian boarding school. His young, widowed mum, Die (Anne Dorval), is just as funny and street-smart and gutsy as her son, but ill-equipped to deal with his angry delinquency. Steve seems to get back on track thanks to a conveniently kindly neighbour who, despite her own barely discussed traumas, begins tutoring and putting boundaries on him, but begins to stray once again. Rather than frame these social-issue themes in a gritty, crime-flecked drama, Dolan opts for a set of stylish character studies about the volatile mother-son relationship, positioning his actors boldly in the middle of the square screen and pushing them to noisy, dramatic limits. The film is much less innovative than its stylistic choices promise, however, because it swerves towards predictably tragic plot points that we, as viewers, have learned to spot from sitcoms and indie dramas. 'Indie' has become a genre in its own right rather than a way of working outside the studio systems. The checklist for indie filmmakers working towards that sought-after 'quirky charm' seems to include an over- or under-saturated colour palette, blurry soft-focus camera work, a cast of loveable yet flawed characters (including a friendly stranger), a slowly revealed tragic backstory, a shot at redemption against hardship, a lip-synching musical sequence, a domestic disturbance, an ambiguous ending and so on. Like the filmmakers of the recent Skeleton Twins and Kumiko: Treasure Hunter, Dolan wilfully checks all these boxes. It's all about self-conscious style over substance, perhaps to compensate for an underwritten script that floats slackly over two hours. Like so much cinema, Mommy functions at a gut level — you either instinctively get it or you don't, which makes it inexplicably polarising. Whether you find the dialogue and performances accurate or OTT, the characters unbearably stereotypical or eye-openingly new, all comes down to your personal taste. From everything from the blaring musical choices (supposedly a '90s mixtape Steve's father made) to an emotional daydream sequence, this is showy filmmaking. Dolan has a tendency to push his actors to broad, melodramatic extremes to the point where I sometimes felt I was watching a Francophone Neighbours. Despite all the distractions, Mommy feels alive and young. There's something really interesting and energetic going on here — a director not working on autopilot, turning over big passions at high speed and with a great love of cinema. As to whether or not it amounts to much more than a French-Canadian, ADHD-style Instagram film, well, I'm unconvinced, but fascinated as to the director's next moves.
Whenever 90s rom-com Pretty Woman comes to mind, Roy Orbison's song likely does as well. When the musical based on the hit flick arrives in Australia for the first time, you'll be getting Bryan Adams tunes lodged in your head, too. The Canadian singer-songwriter helped bring the Julia Roberts (Leave the World Behind)- and Richard Gere (The Agency)-starring film to the stage, penning the music and lyrics for the show — and during his latest Aussie tour, it was announced that Pretty Woman: The Musical is finally heading Down Under, debuting in Brisbane. From Sunday, October 5, 2025, the late 80s-set tale of Vivian met Edward will roll into the QPAC Lyric Theatre in the Queensland capital, following a romance that's already fuelled a box-office smash as a movie, then premiered on Broadway in 2018 as a theatre production. If you've seen the film, you'll know the story, as an escort and a corporate raider fall in love — and you'll also know that it made Roberts a star, complete with a Golden Globe win, plus her first Best Actress Oscar nomination. Alongside America's most-famous theatre district, where it broke records at the Nederlander Theatre, Pretty Woman: The Musical has graced the stage in London's West End, plus Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany. There's no word yet regarding the local cast, so who'll be following in Roberts and Gere's footsteps — and Laura San Giacomo (NCIS) and Hector Elizondo's (Mr Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie) as well — hasn't been announced. Whether Pretty Woman: The Musical will head to other Australian stops also hasn't yet been revealed. Behind the curtain, Adams worked with his songwriting partner Jim Vallance, who he wrote 'Summer of '69', 'Run to You', 'Cuts Like a Knife' and 'Heaven' with, on the music and lyrics. Late filmmaker Garry Marshall (Mother's Day), who directed the Pretty Woman movie — plus Roberts and Gere's on-screen reunion in 1999 in Runaway Bride — penned the book with the OG flick's screenwriter JF Lawnton (Yellow River Christmas). Images: UK tour, Marc Brenner.
Reese Witherspoon. Nicole Kidman. Laura Dern. Shailene Woodley. Zoë Kravitz. Meryl Streep. Put any one of these actors on screen and viewers will follow. Stick them all in the same TV program, and it's set to become one of the biggest shows of the year. Picking up where the first season left off when it returns on Monday, June 10, Australian time, Big Little Lies is back with another dose of murky mysteries, tested friendships and life-altering events — and more lies, obviously. If you missed the huge Emmy and Golden Globe-winning first series back in 2017, it follows a group of women in Monterey, California, whose children all go to the same school. Oh, and who all got caught up in a murder tale, naturally. Based on the book by Australian author Liane Moriarty, it was originally planned a single-season run, but its enormous popularity (and swag of awards) have helped bring the drama back for another series. While Witherspoon, Kidman, Dern, Woodley and Kravitz were all among the cast the initial time around, Streep is a Big Little Lies newcomer. She's playing Mary Louise, the visiting mother-in-law to Kidman's Celeste. And, like everyone else, she doesn't quite expect she'll hear the truth when she starts asking questions about the previous season's developments. Also joining the fold is director Andrea Arnold, of Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights and American Honey fame, who is helming all seven episodes in the season season. She takes over from C.R.A.Z.Y., Dallas Buyers Club and Wild filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, who did the same for the first season. Check out the first trailer below: Big Little Lies airs on Foxtel Showcase weekly from Monday, June 10. Image: Jennifer Clasen/HBO.
Since 2016, Sydneysiders keen on a decadent French fine-dining experience have had an easy go-to: Restaurant Hubert. Taking its cues from post-war Paris, the hatted venue goes big on ruby hues, wood panelling and ruffled curtains; seats couples at candlelit tables for two; serves up French brasserie dishes and hefty drinks list; and features daily live jazz. It's one of the Harbour City's absolute best, in fact — and for one night only, it's coming to Brisbane. Keen to experience one of Sydney's top eateries but don't have a trip south in your future? All hail the latest restaurant pop-up, which is bringing Hubert's dining experience Brissie's way. Australia is a hotbed for such residencies and one-offs at the moment, including Britain's acclaimed L'Enclume and France's Mirazur heading to Sydney. Hubert mightn't be travelling as far, but its Brisbane stint is just as exciting. [caption id="attachment_673758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cole Bennetts[/caption] On Thursday, March 30, across sittings at 6pm and 8.30pm, Hubert's Head Chef Alexis Besseau will take over Woolloongabba's C'est Bon with a 'French on French' menu featuring four snacks and four courses. Costing $185 per person, consider it the meeting of two standout Gallic restaurants over one impressive evening. Expect tickets to sell out quickly, too, when they go on sale on Friday, February 24. Besseau leads Hubert after quite the culinary history, including enrolling in culinary school at the age of 13, working at l'Arpege in Paris four years later, and getting further kitchen experience in London, Switzerland and Brazil. His time in Australia has seen him work under chef Peter Doyle, become Head Chef at Bathers Pavilion, then move to Franca in Potts Point before settling in at Restaurant Hubert. During Besseau's Brisbane visit, C'est Bon diners can look forward to a French menu heroing Queensland produce; think pâté en croûte made with Brisbane Valley quail, for instance, plus duck a l'orange. C'est Bon's Andy Ashby will be joining in, which is why patrons will also tuck into sweetcorn brulee with scampi and French caviar with buckwheat and saltbush. And, to wash down all of the above, C'est Bon's sommelier Sebastian Langkamer will be picking vino in big-bottle formats from the Stanley Street spot's cellar. [caption id="attachment_837435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption] The Hubert x C'est Bon Dinner takes place at 6pm and 8.30pm on Thursday, March 30 at C'est Bon, 609/611 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba — costing $185 per person. For more information and to buy tickets from Friday, February 24, head to the C'est Bon website. Top image: Daniel Boud.
Those in the know about Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets will be aware of the hidden gems to be found in the hundreds of local stalls. Now, the market is turning the big 3-0, and to celebrate, The Esplanade will transform into a vibrant street party. On Saturday, September 27, from 4–9pm, this free street party will pay tribute to three decades of art, culture and community by the sea. Expect more than 100 market stalls from local artisans and designers, while you're treated to roving performers and live tunes. For those who have been hitting the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets since the 90s, you'll feel transported back in time with the themed decorations and carefree atmosphere. This 30th birthday celebration is all about legacy and bringing together the old and the new. That's why it's the perfect occasion for the whole family, keeping the kids occupied with a disco and activities, while the adults peruse the market stalls. Keep an eye out for Brazilian dancers who will bring plenty of colour and movement to the foreshore. At the same time, long-time market lovers can browse bespoke jewellery, homewares and fashion from independent creatives. There will also be plenty of surprise giveaways, adding an extra layer of fun to the anniversary event. Entry is free. So make sure to save the date and party like it's 1995. For more information, head to the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets Facebook page.
International sportswear label Adidas continues its efforts to save the world's oceans, announcing it will contribute $1.5 million USD to the Parley Ocean School Program. The catch? It will donate $1 for every kilometre run, so grab your joggers and pound the pavement for a good cause. Runners can clock their kilometres by joining the Run for the Oceans group within the app Runtastic, which is free to download on iPhone and android. There are also a slew of Adidas and Parley running events happening across Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, New York, Paris, Berlin, London, Barcelona, Milan and Shanghai, which you can also partake in. The initiative is running globally from June 8–16, 2019, and is capped at $1.5 million USD. Last year, 12 million kilometres were run and $1 million USD were raised for the same initiative. https://www.facebook.com/adidasAU/photos/a.614311325637497/779507399117888/?type=3&theater Parley Ocean School Program is a branch of environmental charity Parley for the Oceans that educates and empowers the next generation about the importance of the ocean, the dangers of plastic waste and what we can do to protect the ocean and its marine live. Together with Parley, this is just Adidas' latest campaign to help save the ocean and reach its 2024 goal of eliminating the use of virgin polyester from all products. The 2019 Parley apparel range will also see the the company produce 11 million pairs of shoes made from recycled plastic pulled from the beach. The planet-friendly range features the new slick Alphabounce+ running shoes, water bottles, training tights and backpacks. Adidas' Run for the Oceans initiative runs from June 8–16, 2019. To find out more info and to signup head to adidas.com.au/runfortheoceans.
Brisbane's latest nightlife spot wants to wow patrons before they even step foot through the door. It's keen to make its customers feel like they've been whisked somewhere far from the Queensland capital, too. First up, to get inside, you need to step along an LED walkway that has the entrance glowing, its stairs as well, then clubgoers once you're in. And those vibes from places far beyond the River City? Ibiza, Miami and Las Vegas are all influences. Enigma opened in Brisbane to start off August 2024, giving Fortitude Valley a new nightclub. The Brunswick Street spot boasts a $9.3-million fitout, which attendees can enjoy on Friday and Saturday evenings. As the luminous sights and overseas inspirations make plain, the aim is to whisk clubgoers away from their routine even if they're not leaving Brissie. Visuals also accompany the beats inside, in a space that joins Maggie May, Lefty's Music Hall, The Lord Alfred and Hey Chica! are among the company's fellow venues in Brisbane. Retro's and Finn McCool's have locations both here and on the Gold Coast. And the latter is also home to The Cavill Hotel, Sandbar, Lost Kingdom and Asylum — while Hallmark is also behind The Spotted Cow in Toowoomba. Enigma's resident tune-spinners include Tasha Lee, Curdin, SF Fudge, Sophie Bridges, Nestor Vargas and Apolloco, setting the mood whether you're hitting the dance floor or hanging out in the seven booths surrounding the DJ in the VIP area. As for the drinks options, classics such as margaritas, Long Island iced teas, Aperol spritzes and espresso martinis sit alongside the club's signature sip. Opt for The Enigma and you'll be drinking vodka, white rum, gin, blue curacao and raspberry, plus Red Bull.
Usually, Vegemite gets spread across bread. It's simple, it's easy and, if you like the yeasty Australian staple, it's a classic. But that's just one way to enjoy the famed product, which has found its way into chocolate, milk shakes, icy poles, ice creams, burgers, popcorn and booze, too — and now, to the top of a pizza as well. In the type of new menu item that'll either have you ordering right now or rethinking ever eating a slice again, Vegemite and cheese pizza is a real thing that now exists at Domino's. It's a limited-edition addition to the chain's menu, however, so if you're currently somehow salivating at the thought of this new food mashup, you've got three weeks to get a taste — starting Monday, October 11. Yes, a Vegemite and cheese pizza is as straightforward as it sounds, with Domino's slathering the yeasty spread across a pizza base, then adding mozzarella. Yes, your tastebuds and stomach are definitely allowed to feel confused about the whole idea. Wondering why such a Frankenstein's monster of a pizza has come to fruition? Domino's asked its social media followers if they'd sink their teeth into this exact creation, and they responded with an overwhelming yes. If the new Vegemite and cheese pizzas prove so popular that they sell out quickly, they won't actually be on the menu for the full three weeks — if you need an extra incentive to give one a try. Price-wise, they start from $7.95 for pick up, and are available at all Aussie stores. Vegemite and cheese pizzas are available at Domino's from Monday, October 11–Sunday, October 31 — unless sold out earlier.
If you're looking for a unique Las Vegas experience, this is beautiful in every single way: an Airbnb hosted by Christina Aguilera, with the entire weekend booking designed around the the 'Dirrty', 'Genie in a Bottle', 'What a Girl Wants' and 'Lady Marmalade' singer. She'll chat with you over drinks. You'll hit up her favourite Vegas restaurant. You'll also see her intimate show in the Nevada city. And, of course, you'll spend two nights making the most of your reservation, including slumbering just off the Vegas strip. Missed Aguilera at her one-night-only gig in Melbourne in 2023, which was her first Down Under since 2007? This is your chance to go one better — and head to her, too. Here's hoping that your calendar is blank in the near future, however, because the Airbnb stay is only on offer from Thursday, February 29–Saturday, March 2. [caption id="attachment_942172" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dennis Leupold[/caption] "Welcome to Las Vegas! I'm a big believer in self-love and embracing your true, authentic self, so I'm thrilled to host a stay in Sin City for fans to let loose and give themselves some much deserved TLC for the weekend," said Aguilera about her hosting gig. "This glam stay is all about empowerment, pleasure and play. Get ready." Included in the booking, which covers up to four people: that conversation with Christina while drinking cocktails; staying in the luxe four-bedroom, four-bathroom Airbnb for the weekend; a private burlesque lesson from choreographer and dancer Sarah Mitchell, who has worked with the singer for more than a decade; and VIP seats to Christina Aguilera at Voltaire, the star's current Las Vegas residency. You'll also score that restaurant experience; a glam session with Christina's team to learn about — and don — her looks — as well as a boudoir photoshoot. Thanks to Christina's sexual-wellness brand Playground, you'll take some goodies home with you, too. The one-of-a-kind Aguilera-focused stay is the accommodation platform's latest such once-in-a-lifetime experience. Shrek's swamp, Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill, Hobbiton, the Bluey house, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop, the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage and Santa's festive cabin in Finland have all featured before (and the list goes on). For you, if this is what a girl (or guy) wants, needs, will make you happy and set you free, you'll need to try to nab the free booking at 5am AEDT / 4am AEST / 7am NZDT on Friday, February 23. Whoever gets these special kinds of Airbnb reservations is usually responsible for their own travel, including for this one. So, making the trip to Las Vegas and back is on your own dime. The rest? Money really can't buy it. For more information about the Christina Aguilera-hosted Las Vegas Airbnb stay, or to book at 5am AEDT / 4am AEST / 7am NZDT on Friday, February 23 for a stay across Thursday, February 29–Saturday, March 2, 2024, head to the Airbnb website. Images: Victor Leung. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If you're a member of the Australian music industry, a musician or simply identify as a female, then head along to Music Industry Hookups: Women in Independent Music. Presented by 4ZZZ and Music Industry Inside Out, this evening is set to both celebrate women in independent music and bring together like-minded people who are up for a lesson or two on the music biz. This event kicks of at The Battery Station on March 7 at 5.30pm, and will feature wise words from: Tyler McLaughlin (The Sound Pound) Trina Massey (Smack Face Records, Dj Black Amex) Vivienne Mellish (Mucho-Bravado Head of Publicity) Leanne De Souza (Rock And Roll Writers Festival) Cat Maddin and Tara Wardrop (Dreamtime musicians and Crowbar bookings) Maz Devita (WAAX singer/songwriter) Lucinda Shaw (Silver Sircus, formerly iconic Brisbane band ISIS, theatre worker with collaborations with Vulcana Women's Circus and many more.) The evening is expected to round up around 8.30pm, though kicking on afterwards is inevitable. Be sure to come along with some issues in mind that you'd like to have a chat about, and be brave and mingle, making sure you leave with a new friend/contact or two. Also, fellas are more than welcome to pop along. Entry costs $5.
In life and in horror movies, don't pick up a book bound in human skin. Just don't. Anthropodermic bibliopegy is the name of that gruesome covering process, and it isn't a fictional creation of the Evil Dead world — so heeding this guidance really is sensible. Of course, there wouldn't be any films in the boomstick-waving franchise if its characters listened to such a warning. There'd be no cabin-visiting folks battling Deadites again and again, and no chainsaws coming in mighty handy, either. Evil Dead Rise, the fifth big-screen instalment in the saga that also started Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's careers long before the OG Spider-Man flicks, Burn Notice and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, does indeed include that flesh-wrapped Necronomicon Ex-Mortis. Also, the terrifying tome is grabbed, opened and unwittingly allowed to unleash its gory chaos. The body count rises, demons hop into bodies, and shotguns and power tools become necessary weapons. That said, while Evil Dead Rise definitely knows the series it's in, it's no mere exercise in blasting expected targets. There will be blood in this addition to the Evil Dead fold, and not just inking The Book of the Dead's pages. There's gallons of it, in fact, with assistance from an elevator overflowing with crimson liquid. Writer/director Lee Cronin is clearly happy to jump from his 2019 debut The Hole in the Ground to this beloved horror franchise while giving The Shining some love as well. And yet, nods to past Evil Dead films and scary fare in general aren't the main point of Evil Dead Rise, even though they're still there — loudly when "dead by dawn", words that are also part of Evil Dead II's title, is yelled. It shouldn't feel so rare to see a feature that isn't solely kept beating by gobbling up as many pieces of its predecessors as possible, but that's these nothing-must-die times. (When intellectual property is revived repeatedly by Hollywood's intonations, bringing back Evil Dead over and over couldn't be more appropriate.) Consider this another play around with recognisable parts — and with mutilating them, with Cronin showing no signs of holding back with his setpieces, gleefully unhinged onslaught of carnage or visual compositions. Or, think of it as striding into a lived-in hut with a keenness to make something already-beloved new again. With Raimi and Campbell only involved as executive producers, the film also doesn't ever feel like Cronin wrote a different script, then just dumped in a Necronomicon here and a Deadite there. Again, it's well-aware of the path it's treading, and of what's done so before. Still, amid the ample guts, the obligatory creepy pages and the eerie incantations (which for viewers unlike the movie's characters, are well-worth listening to closely), this saga-extender finds the right balance between affectionately savouring Evil Dead's groovy history and being its own fright-inducing meal. Familiar swooping and whooshing camerawork kicks Evil Dead Rise into gear, though, knowingly so. In a clever touch, it stems from a is doing the shooting, not due to supernatural nefariousness. There's a remote abode in the woods — an A-frame shack this time, levelled up to match 2023's travel aesthetic — and unsettling things afoot; however, the bulk of the film takes place a day earlier. That's when guitar technician Beth (Lily Sullivan, Picnic at Hanging Rock) cuts out a the worldwide tour to surprise her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland, New Gold Mountain). The latter is a tattoo artist and mother of three who has recently been left parenting solo, and is interrupted dying her hair 'cool mum' red when her sibling arrives. There's baggage between the pair, but there'll soon be viscera as well when Ellie's teenage son Danny (Morgan Davies, Blaze) finds a certain text — and, because he's a budding DJ, some dusty vinyl sporting words that no one in an Evil Dead movie should be saying or hearing. There's that trusty advice being disregarded. Danny's sister Bridget (Gabrielle Echols, Reminiscence) is on hand with an "I told you so" or several, mirroring what viewers are thinking. Actually, Evil Dead Rise inspires a new take on the old "don't pick up a book bound in human skin" counsel: don't go plunging into a hole in the ground when the condemned high-rise you're living in cracks in an earthquake and you spot an old bank vault in the newly opened void, then 100-percent don't pick up some literally underground tunes and the entombed, flesh-packaged tome they're buried near. But Danny does all that, thinking the volume might be worth something to help his mum's money worries. Bridget scolds and youngest sister Kassie (Nell Fisher, My Life Is Murder) is quickly scared by the aftermath. The trapped inhabitants of the about-to-be-demolished building are all unnerved, to say the least, as the Evil Dead realm's wicked spirits let loose their hellish waking nightmare. There will be splatter, too, as the 1981 original introduced on a supremely low budget. Each Evil Dead chapter loves imparting its own vibe, after the second film got funnier, 1992's third effort Army of Darkness became a dark fantasy, then 2013's Evil Dead snatched out every trace of absurdity — and, on the small screen, Ash vs Evil Dead got amusing again — but gore usually flows eagerly. Like grated cheese, there's no such thing as too much in Cronin's eyes. Like making that shredded dairy, a particular kitchen utensil gets a workout. With cinematographer Dave Garbett, an Ash vs Evil Dead alum, Cronin also frequently draws attention to the act of seeing, while making sure there's almost always something savage to lock one's peepers on. A fish-eye peephole earns some savvy use, and the overall cavalcade of mayhem just keeps mounting to the point where it's so purposefully ridiculous that you can't look away. Evil Dead Rise isn't going for a Raimi-and-Campbell mood. It isn't aiming for the pair's laughs and slapstick since the OG flick, either. But it spies that constantly ramping up the slashing, stabbing, scalping, ripping and gouging is as relentless as it is OTT, especially when paired with devilishly delivered lines like "mommy's with the maggots now". And, although its guiding force takes too long establishing the new characters' family dynamic, then does too little with the themes of trauma and parenthood it starts flirting with, the franchise's latest cast is up to the task when things get demonic. Australian trio Sutherland, Sullivan and Davies each leave an imprint, with one also giving the saga one of its best Deadite performances. No Evil Dead fan will ever want Raimi and Campbell to stray too far from this series, but this latest bite doesn't ever feel like it needs them, or leave its audience wishing it was watching Ash J Williams instead.
When lockdowns started sweeping the globe at the beginning of the pandemic, the entertainment industry responded in different ways. With in-person events off the cards for a significant period, streamed gigs and performances kept creatives and audiences alike busy. New at-home audio experiences popped up, too — so, between making jigsaws and baking sourdough, you might've spent some time listening to eerie radio plays. For the team at immersive entertainment company Swamp Motel, the situation inspired a new three-part online project that turns a night at home — or three — into a sleuthing experience. That series: Isklander. It's proven such a hit in the UK and US that it has been optioned by Gaumont UK, the studio behind Lupin and Narcos, to be turned into a TV show. In its current playable digital and format, however, it'll be available in Australia and New Zealand from Thursday, September 23. Isklander is designed to be played in groups, but everyone can be in their respective houses. It also unfurls a different mystery in each of its different chapters. So, with Plymouth Point, you're tasked with searching for a missing person. In the titular locale, Ivy Isklander has disappeared, and you need to work through clues, solve puzzles and crack codes to get to the bottom of it. Then, in The Mermaid's Tongue, you're sent looking for the eponymous ancient artefact, which could bring about doom if the wrong person gets hold of it. Finally, there's The Kindling Hour, which is described as "a corporate espionage thriller". Accordingly, you'll need to work your way into a powerful organisation to bring it down from the inside. If you're wondering how it works, Swamp Motel is all about blurring the lines between theatre, film and gaming — and turning the results into a shared live experience. Isklander is never the same twice, and it features everything from live-action performances and newsreel footage to fourth-wall breaking research (that is, the kind you do yourself). And, while it'll have you and up to five pals using the internet to investigate as part of the game, it also resembles a film at times and an escape room at others. The fact that the cast includes Dominic Monaghan (The Lord of the Rings, Lost), Dino Fetscher (Years and Years) and theatre performer Bathsheba Pipe helps nudge Isklander in the direction of a movie, but you won't just be sitting and watching. No, this isn't like another night glued to your streaming queue. You'll be playing a part — including hacking into emails, scouring social media posts, making phone calls and looking at websites — which means that you'll be experiencing a series that's part puzzle game and part scavenger hunt as well. To keep things running, each session is also directed live by an in-character aid, with Swamp Motel's team of 30 stage managers guiding you through all three chapters of Isklander — whether you choose to play them all, or just pick one or two. And, the whole experience unfurls in real time, with a ticking clock, so you'll definitely feel a sense of urgency while you're puzzling. Check out the trailer below: Isklander will be available in Australia and New Zealand from Thursday, September 23. Images: Matt Hass.
Physical navigation tools might've largely gone the way of landlines, cassette tapes and eating meals without taking a photo first, but one company has come up with a tasty alternative. You mightn't be able to navigate your way through London, New York or Tel Aviv with one of Tamtik's chocolate city maps, but you will have quite the eye-catching dessert, gift or both. A collaboration with online marketplace Nisnas Industries, the artisan creations combine three things everyone loves — aka travel, confectionery and art — into a melt-in-your-mouth package that proves the ultimate edible souvenir. Inspired by the geometric-shape heavy traditional Arabic patterns often seen in architecture, known as mashrabiya, the chocolates feature stylised designs depicting the streets of their chosen locations. And, lest you think they're too abstract, landmarks such as the Thames River and Central Park stand out among the curved lines of dark cacao. Indeed, to ensure that each map accurately reflects each city's landscape, they're made by local artisans. Tamtik are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to spread their wings to another city, with participants able to vote for their preferred destination. Rewards not only include chocolate, obviously, put copies of the moulds should you want to whip up your own at home. Alas, before you go dreaming about breaking a representation of an Australian or New Zealand city into chocolatey pieces, Tamtik only ship to the US, Canada, the UK and Israel at present. That said, just as they're planning to add more maps to their lineup, they're also planning to deliver to more areas in the future. Via My Modern Met. Images: Tamtik.
Next time you slurp down some oysters, you needn't solely opt for natural molluscs served with lemon and Tabasco. There's nothing wrong with that old favourite; however you can get a bit more adventurous with your oyster dishes at One Fish Two Fish's Oyster Frenzy. Between Friday, January 14–Sunday, January 16, the Kangaroo Point eatery is serving up a six-course oyster feast, taking seafood lovers through six different flavours. Start with the tried, tested and aforementioned combination, then move onto oysters with champagne, jelly and caviar; steamed and served with XO sauce; and paired with cucumber and lychee. You'll also be snacking on barbecue mornay oysters with pancetta, plus oysters paired with an oak-aged chardonnay mignonette. In total, you'll eat your way through 18 oysters all up — three per dish — for $89 per person. Because oysters are always popular, bookings are essential — with Oyster Frenzy running two sittings (from 12–2pm and 2.30–4.30pm) on all three days. And, if that isn't enough to satisfy your slurping, there's also a separate oyster shooters menu — which is where you'll find bloody mary, gin and tonic, and dirty martini options, all for an extra $12 each.
On- and off-screen, Bluey is inseparable from Brisbane. For its setting, the hit animated series takes inspiration from the Queensland capital. It also hails from a studio based in the River City. The Heeler home resembles Brissie's Queenslanders. And back in 2022 when a replica of the Bluey house popped up temporarily, of course it happened in Brisbane. It makes sense, then, that you can now step inside the famous Brisbane series at the new Bluey's World experience in Brissie. Announced in 2023 and open since early November 2024, the attraction will get you walking around life-sized sets that recreate the beloved family-friendly show. Yes, the Heeler house and yard are part of the setup — for real life. Yes, you can expect to hear "wackadoo!" more than once while you're there. Movie World might've badged itself as Hollywood on the Gold Coast, but it's no longer the only big tourist hotspot giving visitors to southeast Queensland — and locals as well — a chance to explore their on-screen favourites IRL. An immersive installation sprawling across 4000 square metres, Bluey's World features the Heelers' living room, playroom, kitchen, backyard (poinciana tree included) and more. Alongside bringing the global TV sensation's sets into reality, it also boasts familiar interactive games such as Keepy Uppy and Magic Xylophone, plus other activities for both kids and adults. Maybe you'll be accompanying your own little ones, or your nieces and nephews. Perhaps you know that appreciating the adorable Aussie show about a family of blue heelers isn't just for children. Either way, this new addition to Northshore Pavilion in Northshore Brisbane is big — literally thanks to its sizeable floor plan. And yes, as seen in the series, you can arrive via CityCat. Visitors should plan to spend 70 minutes bounding through the experience — and will also find an indoor playground that nods to Bluey's Brisbane neighbourhood, plus spring rolls and pizza on offer at the cafe. There's a soundscape to match, plus a gift shop. For big Bluey birthday celebrations, the site is hosting parties as well. Bluey's World is exclusive to Brisbane, making it a tourist attraction to fans not only locally and nationally but worldwide. Unsurprisingly, that's a big part of the push from both the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council, who are supporting the BBC Studios- and HVK Productions-produced experience.
When Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie-starring Barbie takes audiences on an opening tour of Barbie Land, it makes one thing supremely clear: Barbie can be anything. The famous doll can be President, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, a diplomat and a Supreme Court justice. It can be a mermaid, doctor, lawyer and Pulitzer-winner, too. Off-screen, Barbie the movie can be one helluva pink-hued pioneer in smashing records as well — including by reaching $1 billion at the box office globally. It took just 17 days from release for Barbie to notch up that figure, Variety reports. In the process, it earned that massive stack of cash faster than any other movie from Warner Bros, beating Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2's 19-day feat. Raking in all those takings from all those cinemagoers basking in Barbie's joys is all well and ace, but making Lady Bird and Little Women filmmaker Gerwig the first solo female director to hit the billion-dollar mark is a stunning achievement — the kind that really deserves a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, planned choreography and a bespoke song. [caption id="attachment_907779" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caroline McCredie[/caption] Barbie is only the second film this year to crack a billion at the worldwide box office, after The Super Mario Bros Movie. Since the pandemic hit, only Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way of Water, Jurassic World Dominion and Spider-Man: No Way Home have also brought in that much money. Wondering where Barbie's Barbenheimer buddy sits? Christopher Nolan's vastly dissimilar atomic-bomb thriller Oppenheimer has hit half a billion at the time of writing. The Robbie- and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man)-led film has beaten Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Little Mermaid, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' respective 2023 takings too — all of which sit alongside it, Mario and Oppenheimer in the global top ten right now. On the list of highest-grossing films of all time, only Frozen, Frozen II and Captain Marvel place higher with a female director at the helm — but all three were co-helmed with male filmmakers. Back when Barbie reach the half-billion mark on July 28, Warner Bros Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Jeff Goldstein and President of International Distribution Andrew Cripps said that "the extraordinary Greta Gerwig and her marvellous cast and crew have delivered an event for every kind of moviegoer everywhere in the world and, as critical praise continues to mount, what is quickly proving to be one of the best-reviewed movies of the year." "We couldn't be more thrilled or proud of these phenomenal results, and congratulate the filmmakers, cast and our colleagues at Mattel on this spectacular run, which — like Barbie herself — continues to defy all expectations." In Australia, Barbie made history almost instantly. The film notched up the biggest opening at the Australian box office for 2023 so far, raking in $21.5 million including preview screenings, over its first weekend — and earned the biggest opening weekend ever for a film directed by a female filmmaker. Alongside Oppenheimer, it also saw the Aussie box office score its biggest-ever Saturday and Sunday takings. And, it's likely to soon surpass The Super Mario Bros Movie as the highest-grossing film of 2023 in Australia so far. Yes, Barbie definitely can do anything. Check out the trailer below: Barbie is showing in Australian and New Zealand cinemas now. Read our review. Via Variety.
There's never been a better time to head out to Manly, particularly if you like eating breakfast whenever takes your fancy. You'll find dishes most consider early morning fare on offer right into the afternoon at Banter Coffee House; however that's not the only thing to get excited about. Don't get us wrong — given that Banter's menu features stacked brioche waffles with honeycomb crumbed strawberries, salted caramel anglaise and bee pollen sweet potato crisps, plus crab benedict on a French baguette, chilli scrambled eggs, and soy-glazed pork belly with fried bread, too, there's plenty on their all-day brekkie menu to get your mouth watering. Just leave room for lunch options like octopus salad and feta and asparagus flan, and one of their Fancy Shmancy Shakes as well. Yep, that's what they're called, and they come in apple blueberry pie, snickerdot and banana split flavours. Of course, you don't champion coffee in your name without offering hot cuppas of Uncle Joe's finest (and if you've been to Holland Park's Deedot Coffee House, aka Banter's sister store, then you know the type of caffeinated goodness you're in for). And, anyone keen on a chilled hangout space will find that too, courtesy of an airy Bayside pavilion vibe.
When the cinema powers-that-be finally decided to turn long-running and immensely popular stage musical Cats into a movie, they probably felt like the cat who got the cream. But once the film actually came into existence — once its first trailer hit, really — they likely felt more like they'd made a huge mess in the litter box. Thanks to awful CGI, terrible performances and a completely silly concept that was never going to work going to work on the big screen, Cats doesn't equate to movie magic. It certainly doesn't ascend to cinema's Heaviside Layer, either. And now the Tom Hooper-directed flick has the industry's least-wanted gong to show for it, plus a few extra not-so-shiny trophies. From its nine nominations at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards — the event's 40th ceremony — the musical picked up six prizes, including Worst Picture of the past 12 months. The Razzies also coughed awards Cats' way for Rebel Wilson for Worst Supporting Actress, James Corden for Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Hooper for Worst Director, and both Hooper his co-writer Lee Hall for Worst Screenplay. As for the singing moggy-focused movie's sixth gong, it was given for Worst Screen Combo for "any two half-feline/half-human hairballs/cats". Also recognised were John Travolta for Worst Actor for both Trading Paint and the Fred Durst (yes, that one)-directed The Fanatic; plus Hilary Duff for Worst Actress for The Haunting of Sharon Tate — none of which hit cinemas Down Under. Rambo: Last Blood picked up the award for Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, as well as another in the new category for 2019: Worst Regard Disregard for Human Life and Public Property. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws1YIKsuTjQ The Razzies doesn't just point out everything terrible in cinema from the past year — it also gives a Redeemer Award, too. Someone who once won a Golden Raspberry gets a prize for turning things around, and this year that that someone is Eddie Murphy. He's a Razzie favourite, winning Worst Screenplay in 1990 for Harlem Nights; Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Supporting Actor for Norbit; and Worst Actor of the Decade in 2010 for The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, Imagine That, Meet Dave, Norbit and Showtime. Now, he has the Redeemer Award for his excellent performance in Dolemite Is My Name as well. Check out the full list of nominees and winners below: GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2019: WORST PICTURE Cats The Fanatic The Haunting of Sharon Tate A Madea Family Funeral Rambo: Last Blood WORST ACTOR James Franco, Zeroville David Harbour, Hellboy (2019) Matthew McConaughey, Serenity Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood John Travolta, The Fanatic and Trading Paint WORST ACTRESS Hilary Duff, The Haunting of Sharon Tate Anne Hathaway, The Hustle and Serenity Francesca Hayward, Cats Tyler Perry (as Medea), A Madea Family Funeral Rebel Wilson, The Hustle WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR James Corden, Cats Tyler Perry (as Joe), A Madea Family Funeral Tyler Perry (as Uncle Heathrow), A Madea Family Funeral Seth Rogan, Zeroville Bruce Willis, Glass WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jessica Chastain, X-Men: Dark Phoenix Cassi Davis, A Madea Family Funeral Judi Dench, Cats Fenessa Pineda, Rambo: First Blood Rebel Wilson, Cats WORST SCREEN COMBO Any two half-feline/half-human hairballs in Cats Jason Derulo and his CGI-neutered "bulge" in Cats Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry (or Tyler Perry) in A Madea Family Funeral Sylvester Stallone and his impotent rage in Rambo: First Blood John Travolta and any screenplay he accepts WORST DIRECTOR Fred Durst, The Fanatic James Franco, Zeroville Adrian Grunberg, Rambo: First Blood Tom Hooper, Cats Neil Marshall, Hellboy (2019) WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL X-Men: Dark Phoenix Godzilla: King of the Monsters Hellboy (2019) A Madea Family Funeral Rambo: First Blood WORST SCREENPLAY Cats, screenplay by Lee Hall and Tom Hooper The Haunting of Sharon Tate, written by Daniel Farrands Hellboy (2019), screenplay by Andrew Cosby A Madea Family Funeral, written by Tyler Perry Rambo: First Blood, screenplay by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone WORST RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY Dragged Across Concrete The Haunting of Sharon Tate Hellboy (2019) Joker Rambo: First Blood RAZZIE REDEEMER AWARD Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and Toy Story 4 Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers Will Smith, Aladdin
