Between the third and fourth seasons of True Detective, five years passed. Thankfully, you likely won't have to wait as long for your next dose of the hit HBO series. After the latest batch of episodes, aka True Detective: Night Country, proved such a success since arriving in January 2024 — including becoming the most-watched season of the show ever — the US network has already renewed the series mere days after the recent six-episode run ended. Presumably, it'll be another case of new season, new cops, new case, as the series has been delivering since 2014. And whether or not you believe that time is a flat circle — and everything we've ever done or will do, we're gonna do over and over and over and over again, too — watching yet another round of instalments in this sleuthing thriller will become a reality again. While the main characters have changed in each of the show's seasons so far, season five will have something in common with season four: the return of Tigers Are Not Afraid filmmaker Issa López. She wrote and directed every one of Night Country's episodes, and now has a new multi-year deal with HBO. "Issa Lopez is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO's creative spirit. She helmed True Detective: Night Country from start to finish, never once faltering from her own commendable vision, and inspiring us with her resilience both on the page and behind the camera," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, announcing the news. "From conception to release, Night Country has been the most beautiful collaboration and adventure of my entire creative life. HBO trusted my vision all the way, and the idea of bringing to life a new incarnation of True Detective with Casey, Francesca and the whole team is a dream come true. I can't wait to go again," added Lopez. True Detective: Night Country followed Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster, Nyad) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis, Catch the Fair One) as they delved into an icy mystery in the town of Ennis in Alaska. When eight men on an arctic research station disappeared without a trace, the franchise's latest duo were charged with discovering what's going on, including wading through plenty of eeriness — even though they'd worked together before and don't get along. The show's fourth season also featured Finn Bennett (Hope Gap), Fiona Shaw (Andor), Christopher Eccleston (Dodger), Isabella Star LaBlanc (Long Slow Exhale) and John Hawkes (Too Old to Die Young) in front of the camera. Each season of True Detective tells its own tale, starting with the Matthew McConaughey (The Gentlemen)- and Woody Harrelson (White House Plumbers)-led first season in 2014 — and then followed by Taylor Kitsch (Painkiller), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret) starring in season two. Mahershala Ali (Leave the World Behind) and Stephen Dorff (The Righteous Gemstones) took over in season three. There's no word yet on who might do the honours in season five. Check out the full trailer for True Detective: Night Country below: Season five of True Detective doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when more details are announced. True Detective: Night Country streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review.
When one of the biggest movie franchises to ever grace the silver screen is forced to flee cinemas for more than a year — due to the pandemic, obviously — what happens next? In the Marvel Cinematic Universe's case, it plans a big comeback by releasing not one, not two, but three new movies in less than six months. First up is Black Widow, which is heading to both cinemas and streaming in July. When it does so, it'll mark only the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that solely focuses on a female protagonist. Yes, really. Next, come September, the franchise's next flick will also make history — because Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is the MCU's first movie with an Asian lead. Achieving that milestone is obviously long overdue; Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will be the 25th MCU flick, after all. Simu Liu is doing the honours, playing the titular martial artist and trained assassin, who has spent ten years living a normal life but is suddenly drawn back into the shady Ten Rings organisation. As the first trailer and the just-dropped new trailer for the superhero feature both show, Kim's Convenience star Liu will have plenty of chances to show off his character's skills. He'll have impressive company, too. Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings's cast includes Awkwafina, following on from her voice work in fellow Disney release Raya and the Last Dragon; the great Michelle Yeoh, who was last seen on the big screen in Last Christmas and Boss Level; and the just-as-iconic Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, a mainstay of Wong Kar-Wai's films such as In the Mood for Love, 2046 and The Grandmaster. Fala Chen (The Undoing), Florian Munteanu (Creed II), Ronny Chieng (Godzilla vs Kong) and debutant Meng'er Zhang also feature, while Short Term 12 and Just Mercy's Destin Daniel Cretton is on directing duties. And, you can be forgiven for looking out for familiar sights amid the heavy martial arts action when the movie hits theatres — because it was shot in Sydney. On the big screen, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will be followed by the Angelina Jolie-starring, Chloe Zhao-directed Eternals, which is due to release in November. Although the MCU has been absent from cinemas since 2019, the franchise has been busy on the small screen in 2021's first half thanks to WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki. Check out the latest Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings trailer below: Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings releases in cinemas Down Under on September 2, 2021. Top images: ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved
Hundreds of movies grace Sydney Film Festival's lineup each and every year. Even if you're among the most dedicated of cinephiles, you can't see them all during the event's 12-day annual run. Here's something that you can do, however: add four extra days to your fest experience in 2025, plus a heap of flicks along with it, because SFF is sticking around after its official closing night. When Splitsville wraps up the festival's standard Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 dates for this year on Sunday, June 15, the Harbour City's major annual cinema celebration won't be saying farewell until 2026 just yet. Extending the movie-watching fun into the following week is a SFF tradition. So, it's adding 16 sessions at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. These screenings have been dubbed SFF 2025 Back By Popular Demand, which explains right there in the name why the films on the lineup have been picked. Putting on a bonus session of 2025 Palme d'Or-winner It Was Just an Accident from Iranian writer/director Jafar Panahi comes after the filmmaker was revealed as a surprise SFF 2025 guest at opening night. Also picking up new screenings after hitting Sydney straight from Cannes: The Mastermind, which sees Josh O'Connor (Challengers) and Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) in a 70s-set heist thriller for director Kelly Reichardt (Showing Up) — and Ari Aster's Eddington, starring his Beau Is Afraid lead Joaquin Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux) opposite Emma Stone (Kinds of Kindness ), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders). Then there's The Secret Agent, as led by Wagner Moura (Dope Thief) for filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho (a Sydney Film Festival Prize-winner for Aquarius); Vie Privée with Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country); and Raoul Peck's (I Am Not Your Negro)'s Orwell: 2+2=5. The SFF 2025 Back By Popular Demand program also includes Berlin's Golden Bear-winner Dreams (Sex Love), the near-future Tokyo-set Happyend and Venice award-winning documentary Mistress Dispeller, alongside stepping inside the World Porridge Making Championship in The Golden Spurtle, exploring a music genre's origins via Move Ya Body: The Birth of House and Mr Nobody Against Putin's look at propaganda. Aussie effort Death of an Undertaker, the directorial debut of actor Christian Byers (Bump) — which uses an IRL Leichhardt funeral parlour as its setting — is among the titles scoring encore sessions, too. [caption id="attachment_1008444" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sundance Institute | photo by Vince Lawrence.[/caption] Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings hit Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. 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.
We have so much to thank the '70s for: P-Funk, The Clash, platform shoes, the advent of modern computing, and, most importantly, the terrarium. Back in the day, you would finish off whatever was in your favourite brandy snifter or plastic bottle, wrap it in your latest macrame creation, throw in a few ferns, and marvel at the fact that you suddenly had a portable piece of nature in your home. During the past few years, the terrarium has come back with a vengeance — and a sophistication with which it wasn't graced, traditionally. An expertly executed terrarium is now considered a work of high art, as demonstrated by the careers of New York's Paula Hayes and Melbourne's Clea Cregan. Even individuals putting together their own "ultimate, low-maintenance garden" at home can create a piece that'd make their mum proud. Whether you're a film buff who wants to see your favourite character immortalised in glass, a nature lover who wants to wear some greenery around your neck or are just looking to add a trendy touch to your home, you're sure to be inspired and surprised by the latest manifestations of the mighty terrarium. It's probably not a bad idea to take Don Burke's advice and keep your creation well-watered. The Hobbit Terrarium Recognise this door? Behind it, you'll find the home of one of fiction's favourite adventurers, Bilbo Baggins. The Hobbit terrarium miniaturises the already teeny-tiny world of Bag End, Hobbiton. The Beetlejuice Terrarium Yes, this really is what you think it is: a one-and-a-half inch model of Connecticut's spookiest house, built to scale. Made of wax, wire, paint and a hairbrush, it perches on a 'hill' of live, growing moss. If genius truly is patience, terrarium artist Rachel Bishop well might qualify. The Star Wars Terrarium Yoda's famous quip "Size matters not" takes on a new dimension here. The 900-year-old Jedi Master stands upon a hand-created 'landscape' surrounded by a glass globe just five inches in circumference. The Australian Open Terrarium CHARD asked Melbourne artist Clea Cregan to create this one for the Australian Open VIP Lounge. Cregan's Miniscapes can be found in all kinds of interesting places in Victoria's capital city. Forensics in the Flora Contemplating inviting friends over for How to Host a Mmurder? This terrarium could be the perfect conversation starter. Surreal Scenes Canadian costume designer Thyrza Segal fills her terrariums with Dali-esque visions. Polymer clay figures — half-human, half-flower — peer out from dreamily arranged, organic foliage. Terrarium in a Tear Drop New York artist Paula Hayes creates scenes of delicate beauty within glass that has been hand-blown into organic shapes. Last year, she installed a large terrarium at Lever House, New York City as part of an exhibition that explored the interaction of human beings with the natural environment. Terrarium in a Light Bulb Blown a light bulb and feeling guilty about throwing it away? Get out your tweezers and devise a world of your own imagining. A Living Necklace Seattle-based artist Courtney creates miniscule universes that you can take with you everywhere you go. Litill Terrariums New York-based artist Lauren Coleman uses succulents, sand and found objects to create unique terrariums of simple, elegant design.
Sustainability, maze-like furniture stores and music streaming services are just a few of the things Sweden does better than everybody else. And now, stamps can safely be added to that list. To celebrate the fact that Sweden are pretty darn good at churning out pop musicians, Swedish postal service PostNord have dedicated their next stamp series to some of the best Swedish purveyors of pop. The famous faces include the iconic artist Robyn, folk duo Klara and Johana Söderberg from First Aid Kit, soul singer Seinabo Sey, DJ and producer Avicii and Max Martin, the brain behind at least one of your late-night karaoke faves. And no ABBA, phew. Swedish artist Jenny Mörtsell is responsible for the beautiful illustrations pictured below, which were created from original photos by Alex Wessley, Andreas Larsson, Kirstoffer Berg, Johannes Helje and Mikael Dahl. So how does our good ole national postal service compare? Australia's Stamp Advisory Committee (yes, it's an actual thing) have been celebrating living legends on stamps since 1997 and last year, the Australian Legend series celebrated home-grown musos like Paul Kelly, INXS, The Seekers, Kylie Minogue and others. Not too bad. Maybe with a bit more creativity and by branching out to artists who are, er, born in more recent decades perhaps, we could reach Swedish stamp levels, one day. Just sayin', Australia Post. The pop musician stamps will be available to lick and stick on postal goods in Sweden on January 15. Just enough time to find a Swedish pen pal. Via Pitchfork.
Everyone loves Jamie's Italian. Or at least that's what we discovered when, back in November 2016, we reported that the Jamie Oliver had officially bought back his Australian restaurant chain after its parent company, the Keystone Group, went into receivership. People were excited — and the man himself even came to town to relaunch the venues. But now, a year on, things have taken a bit of a turn. The Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group will cease to manage its Australian restaurants, effective immediately. Last night, The Australian Financial Review reported that the group had gone into administration, and this morning it released an official statement announcing "a new operating partner for its Australian business". This partner is the Brisbane-based Hallmark Group, and it will take over the management of Australia's Jamie's Italian restaurants. What does that mean for your dinner plans? Well, the Sydney, Brisbane, Parramatta, Perth and Adelaide venues will continue to operate as usual, but, sadly, the Canberra outpost has already closed. "We'll be working closely with Jamie and the UK team, staff and local suppliers to keep driving the business forward and delivering exceptional experiences across the country," said a Hallmark representative. "Hallmark are actively seeking new suitable locations for the next Jamie's Italian." The news isn't that surprising considering the group has been in a spot of trouble in the UK — The Sun has reported that Oliver's group is in £71.5 million of debt, and will soon close 12 of his 27 restaurants. It'll be interesting to see if this changes much for Jamie's Italian. Will it bring back its $10 pasta deals? Will it finally expand to Melbourne? We'll keep you posted.
Summer might be in full swing on both sides of the ditch, but it's never too early to start thinking about your music festival plans for the year ahead, as well as how to spend the frostier months. One solution that ticks both boxes: Queenstown winter music festival and ski trip Snow Machine, which is returning in September 2023 for its huge second year. It's the hottest festival for the colder months, packed with five snow-filled days of music and adventure at two mountain-topping ski resorts this year. On the just-dropped lineup sits a heap of must-see names, including Art vs Science, Hayden James, Hilltop Hoods, The Jungle Giants and Peking Duk, all helping give Snow Machine's winter wonderland a thumping soundtrack. After launching in Japan in 2020, the festival was actually supposed to make its arrival in Aotearoa in September 2021 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. It finally debuted in September 2022, and now makes a comeback from Tuesday, September 5–Sunday, September 10, 2023. Attendees will be treated to action-packed days on the slopes, après ski events on both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, and a hefty roster of international acts against the idyllic backdrop of New Zealand's adventure capital. Also dropping in to share the stage will be Benee, Broods, Coterie, Danny Clayton, Jacotène and Jimi The Kween, as well as Kate Fox, Neil Frances, Northeast Party House, Pete Murray, Set Mo, Shapeshifter, Stace Cadet (doing a DJ set), Sweet Mix Kids and Zahn Walker. Other than the wintry backdrop, one of the things that sets Snow Machine apart from other music fests is being able to book your entire getaway with your ticket. Packages span both five and seven nights of accommodation, and include a four-day festival ticket and five-day ski pass. If you'd rather make your own way or pass on the skiing, there are 'ticket only' options — and VIP packages if you really want to do it in style. Festival goers are also encouraged to immerse themselves in the adventure capital by adding on heli-skiing, jet boating, bungy jumping, canyon swinging and skydiving — and that's on top of Snow Machine's huge welcome party, and vintage retro day dedicated to old-school ski suits. Also returning in 2023: the second annual Polar Bare, which endeavours to set a world record for the most amount of people heading down the slopes their swimwear. SNOW MACHINE 2023 LINEUP: Art vs Science Benee Broods Coterie Danny Clayton Hayden James Hilltop Hoods Jacotène Jimi The Kween The Jungle Giants Kate Fox Neil Frances Northeast Party House Peking Duk Pete Murray Set Mo Shapeshifter Stace Cadet (DJ set) Sweet Mix Kids Zahn Walker Tom Tilley and Hugo Gruzman present First Base Snow Machine will be held from Tuesday, September 5–Sunday, September 10, 2023 in Queenstown, New Zealand. Presale tickets go on sale from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, January 17, with general tickets available from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, January 18. For more information, visit the festival's website. Images: Pat Stevenson/Ben Lang. 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 there's a surefire way to brighten any average day, it's this: looking at YouTube videos of charming animals. We were all doing it before the pandemic. Thanks to plenty of live feeds, we kept doing it when we were all staying home, too. And now Guide Dogs Australia wants you to keep watching — and to start going "awwwwwwwwwwww" while checking out its new eight-episode behind-the-scenes series. Born to Lead is the insider look at adorable guide dogs you did actually always know that you needed. Dropping new ten-minute instalments weekly, it follows super-cute guide dogs from birth through to retirement. In the process, it also tells the tales of the people who help the pups' development, plus those who benefit afterwards — spanning volunteers and trainers, as well as Australians with low vision or who are blind who welcome a guide dog into their homes. Launching at 4pm AEST today, Monday, June 27 via the Bondi Vet YouTube channel, and filmed this year at Guide Dogs campuses and cities in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, Born to Lead also aims to give an insight into what it takes to raise a guide dog — from being a tiny little newborn pooch through to making an enormous difference in someone's life. "It takes up to two years and $50,000 to breed, raise and train just one guide dog, so we are beyond excited to have this incredible journey and many amazing stories from within the Guide Dogs community captured on film," said Charlie Spendlove, Head of Marketing and Communications at Guide Dogs Australia. If you're the kind of person who considers looking after a pup every time that Guide Dogs Australia puts out a callout, this is obviously the show for you. If you'll watch anything about humanity's barking besties — Tony Armstrong's ABC series from earlier this year, Netflix's two seasons of the docuseries Dogs and big-screen release Stray all included — then this is clearly as exciting as throwing a ball or heading to a dog park is to a pooch. Born to Lead hits screens courtesy of producers WTFN, who are also behind Bondi Vet and Mega Zoo. And, although it's only airing online for now, that might just be the beginning. "While Born to Lead will get a run on our Bondi Vet digital channels, which have over 2.5 million subscribers itself, we envisage it becoming a broadcast project in the future," said Daryl Talbot, WTFN's CEO. Check out the first episode of Born to Lead below from 4pm AEST Monday, June 27: Born to Lead will start streaming via the Bondi Vet YouTube channel from 4pm AEST on Monday, June 27, with new episodes dropping weekly.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Brisbane at present. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. THE LAST DUEL A grim historical drama that recreates France's final instance of trial by combat, The Last Duel can't be described as fun. It hinges upon the rape of Marguerite (Jodie Comer, Free Guy), wife of knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon, Ford v Ferrari), by his ex-friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver, Annette) — aka the event that sparked the joust — so that term will obviously never apply. Instead, the movie is exquisite in its 14th-century period staging. After a slightly slow start, it's as involving and affecting as it is weighty and savage, too. When the titular battle takes place, it's ferocious and vivid. And with a #MeToo spirit, the film heartbreakingly hammers home how poorly women were regarded — the rape is considered a crime against Carrouges' property rather than against Marguerite herself — making it an expectedly sombre affair from start to finish. The Last Duel must've been fun to make from a creative standpoint, however. Damon sports a shocking mullet, and Ben Affleck (The Way Back) dons a ridiculous blonde mop while hamming up every scene he's in (and demanding that Driver drop his pants), although that isn't why. Again, the brutal events seen don't earn that term, but teasing out Marguerite, Carrouges and Le Gris' varying perspectives is fascinating. Director Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World) and his screenwriters — Good Will Hunting Oscar-winners Damon and Affleck, plus acclaimed filmmaker Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said) — have clearly seen Rashomon, the on-screen benchmark in using clashing viewpoints. In their "he said, he said, she said" tale, journeying in the iconic Japanese film's footsteps proves captivating. It must've been an enjoyable challenge for its cast, too, terrible hairstyles and all; as moments repeat, so much of the movie's potency stems from minuscule differences in tone, angle, emphasis and physicality. "The truth according to Jean de Carrouges" proclaims The Last Duel's first chapter, adapting Eric Jager's 2004 book of the same name in the process. (Le Gris and Marguerite's segments, following in that order, receive the same introduction.) Even in his own instalment, Damon plays Carrouges as a scowling and serious soldier, and as petulant and entitled. He's also a victim in his own head. That attitude only grows as Le Gris finds favour with Count Pierre d'Alençon (Affleck), cousin to teenage King Charles VI (Alex Lawther, The Translators), and starts collecting his debts — including Carrouges' own. And when the knight marries the beautiful and well-educated Marguerite, it's purely a transaction. It also deepens his acrimony towards Le Gris long before the rape, after land promised in the dowry ends up in his former pal's hands via the smarmy Pierre. Still, Carrouges is instantly willing to fight when he hears about the sexual assault. That said, it's also just another battle against Le Gris and the Count, after taking them to court and the King over their property squabble. In Le Gris' chapter, where Driver broods with an intensity that's fierce even for him, Carrouges' joylessness and pettiness is given even more flesh. Also explored here: the Count's hedonism, the ambition and greed driving the opportunistic Le Gris, and the fixation he develops with Marguerite. Scott ensures that the rape lands like the horror it is, too, leaving no doubt of its force and coercion despite Le Gris' claims otherwise. Read our full review. THE HARDER THEY FALL Idris Elba. A piercing gaze. One helluva red velvet suit. A film can't coast by on such a combination alone, and The Harder They Fall doesn't try to — but when it splashes that vivid vision across the screen, it's nothing short of magnificent. The moment arrives well into Jeymes Samuel's revisionist western, so plenty of stylishness has already graced its frames before then. Think: Old West saloons in brilliant yellows, greens and blues; the collective strut of a cast that includes Da 5 Bloods' Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors, Atlanta's Zazie Beetz and LaKeith Stanfield, and If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar-winner Regina King; and an aesthetic approach that blasts together the cool, the slick and the operatic. Still, Elba and his crimson attire — and the black vest and hat that tops it off — is the exclamation mark capping one flamboyant and vibrant movie. Imaginative is another appropriate word to describe The Harder They Fall, especially its loose and creative take on American history. Where some features based on the past take a faithful but massaged route — fellow recent release The Last Duel, for example — this one happily recognises what's fact and what's fantasy. Its main players all existed centuries ago, but Samuel and co-screenwriter Boaz Yakin (Now You See Me) meld them into the same narrative. That's an act of complete fiction, as is virtually everything except their names. The feature freely admits this on-screen before proceedings begin, though, and wouldn't dream of hiding from it. Team-up movies aren't rare, whether corralling superheroes or movie monsters, but there's a particular thrill and power to bringing together these fictionalised Black figures in such an ambitious and memorable, smart and suave, and all-round swaggering film. After proving such a commanding lead in HBO series Lovecraft Country, Majors takes centre stage here, too, as gunslinger Nat Love. First, however, the character is initially introduced as a child (Anthony Naylor Jr, The Mindy Project), watching his parents get murdered by the infamous Rufus Buck (Elba, The Suicide Squad). A quest for revenge ensues — and yes, Nat shares an origin story with Batman. Samuel definitely isn't afraid to get stylised and cartoonish, or melodramatic, or playful for that matter. One of the keys to The Harder They Fall is that it's so many things all at once, and rarely is it any one thing for too long. This is a brash and bold western from its first vividly shot frame till its last, of course, and yet it's also a film about the tragedies that infect families, the violence that infects societies, and the hate, abuse, prejudice, discrimination and bloodshed that can flow from both. It's a romance, too, and it nails its action scenes like it's part of a big blockbuster franchise. As an adult, Nat still has Rufus in his sights. It'll take a few twists of fate — including a great train robbery to free Rufus en route from one prison to the next — to bring them face to face again. The sequence where the outlaw's righthand woman Trudy (King) and quick-drawing fellow gang member Cherokee Bill (Stanfield) take on the law is sleek heist delight, and the saloon clash with marshal Bass Reeves (Lindo) that gets Nat back on Rufus' trail is just as dextrously handled. Nat also has bar proprietor and his on-again, off-again ex Stagecoach Mary (Beetz) on his side, plus the boastful Beckwourth (RJ Cyler, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), sharp-shooting Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi, Briarpatch) and diminutive Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler, P-Valley). Everyone gets their moments, and every one of those moments sashays towards a blood-spattered showdown. Read our full review. MALIGNANT Nearly two decades have passed since a pair of Melbourne talents made a low-budget horror flick that became a franchise-starting smash, sparking their Hollywood careers. Thanks to Saw, James Wan and Leigh Whannell experienced every aspiring filmmaker's absolute fantasy — a dream they're still living now, albeit increasingly on separate paths. Wan's latest, Malignant, is firmly grounded in those horror roots, however. Most of the Insidious and The Conjuring director's resume has been, aside from recent action-blockbuster detours to Fast and Furious 7, Aquaman and the latter's upcoming sequel. With Malignant, though, he shows how strongly he remains on the same page as his former collaborator. Anyone who's seen Whannell's excellent Upgrade and The Invisible Man will spot the parallels, in fact, even if Malignant is the far schlockier of the three. Malignant is also an exercise in patience, because plenty about its first half takes its time — and, when that's the case, the audience feels every drawn-out second. But after Wan shifts from slow setup mode to embracing quite the outrageous and entertainingly handled twist, his film swiftly becomes a devilish delight. Heavily indebted to the 70s-era works of giallo master Dario Argento, David Cronenberg's body-horror greats and 80s scary movies in general, Malignant uses its influences as fuel for big-swinging, batshit-level outlandishness. Most flicks can't segue from a slog to a B-movie gem. Most films can't be saved by going so berserk, either. Wan's tenth stint behind the lens can and does, and leaves a limb-thrashing, blood-splattering, gleefully chaotic imprint. Perhaps it's a case of like name, like approach; tumours can grow gradually, then make their havoc felt. Regardless, it doesn't take long within Malignant for Dr Florence Weaver (Jacqueline McKenzie, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears) to proclaim that "it's time to cut out the cancer" while treating a locked-up patient in the film's 1992-set prologue. This is a horror movie, so that whole event doesn't turn out well, naturally. Jump forward a few decades, and the feature's focus is now Seattle resident Madison Mitchell (Annabelle Wallis, Boss Level), who is hoping to carry her latest pregnancy with her abusive husband to term. But then his violent temper erupts again, she receives a head injury, and childhood memories start mixing with visions of gruesome killings linked to Dr Weaver's eerie hospital — visions that Madison sees as the murders occur. Bearing telepathic witness to horrific deaths is an intriguing concept, although hardly a new one — and, that aforementioned first scene aside, it's also the most interesting part of Malignant's opening half. Wan and screenwriter Akela Cooper (Grimm, The 100) play it all straight and obvious, including when the cops (Containment's George Young and Songbird's Michole Briana White) are skeptical about Madison's claims. That leaves only her younger sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson, Mr Mercedes) believing what's going on, and leaves the movie a plodding psychological-meets-supernatural thriller predicated upon routinely predictable but improbable character decisions. It makes the second half feel positively electrifying in contrast, when the big shift in tone comes, but also makes viewers wonder what might've been if that lurid look and kinetic feel had been present the whole way through. Read our full review. ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN When Anthony Bourdain strode around the world, and across our screens, in food-meets-travel series A Cook's Tour, No Reservations, The Layover and Parts Unknown, he was as animated as he was acerbic and enigmatic. Beneath his shock of greying hair, the lanky New Yorker was relatable, engaging to a seemingly effortless degree and radiated a larger-than-life air, too. The latter didn't just apply because he was a face on TV, where plenty gets that bigger-than-reality sheen, but because he appeared to truly embrace all that life entailed in that hectic whirlwind of travelling, eating and waxing lyrical about both. Arriving three years after his suicide in 2018, documentary Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain captures that. It's so filled with Bourdain thanks to all that time he'd spent in front of the camera, it'd be near-impossible for it not to. But it also lurks under a shadow due to its now-infamous choice to use artificial intelligence to add dialogue that its subject didn't speak. Watching the film, there's no way of knowing which words Bourdain merely penned but didn't utter; the technology truly is that seamless. It still resounds as an unnecessary move, though, especially when such lines might've been incorporated in ways that wouldn't sit at stark odds with his visible liveliness. Roadrunner delves behind the facade that Bourdain presented to the world, of course. It notes his death immediately and goes in search of the sorrow and pain that might've led to it, as mulled over by friends such fellow chefs David Chang and Éric Ripert, and artist David Choe; crew members on his shows; and his second wife Ottavia Busia. Still, once you know about the AI, there's a sense of disconnection that echoes through the doco — because it surveys all that Bourdain was, compiles all of this stellar material and still resorted to digital resurrection. Thankfully, the passion and curiosity that always made Bourdain appear so spirited — yes, so alive, as compared to being vocally recreated by AI after his death — still makes Roadrunner worth watching. That's true for Bourdain fans and newcomers alike, although director Morgan Neville (Oscar-winner 20 Feet From Stardom) doesn't use his two-hour-long film as a birth-to-life primer for the uninitiated. Crucially, as also proved the case with his 2018 Mr Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Neville jumps through the details of Bourdain's life in a way that also muses on what his success and popularity said about the world. Why he struck such a chord is as essential an ingredient in Roadrunner as how he went from cook to celebrity chef, TV host, best-selling author and travel documentarian. The footage of Bourdain — from his shows, obviously, as well as from a plethora of TV interviews, behind-the-scenes clips and home videos — is edited together with the same restlessness that the man himself always exuded. You don't spend most of your year travelling if you can be easily pinned down, after all. It's a wise choice on Neville and editors Eileen Meyer (Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution) and Aaron Wickenden's (Feels Good Man) parts, but Neville has long had a knack for making his films feel like his subjects. Talking-head chats are spliced throughout, offering further details and grappling with how Bourdain's story ends; however, Roadrunner is repeatedly at its finest when it's peering at him and showing how his work encouraged us all not just to watch, but to eat, travel, think, talk and live. Read our full review. BECOMING COUSTEAU He's been parodied in a Wes Anderson film and mentioned in a Flight of the Conchords song. His red beanie, and those worn by his fellow crew members on his research ship Calypso, are an enduring fashion symbol. He won the second-ever Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or — becoming not only the first filmmaker to receive the prestigious prize for a documentary, but the only one to do so for almost half a century afterwards. When he started making television in the 60s, he turned his underwater-shot docos about the sea into truly must-see TV. He helped create undersea diving as we know it, and he's the most famous oceanographer that's ever lived. He was also one of the early voices who spoke out about climate change and humanity's impact upon the oceans. He's a rockstar in every field he dived into — and he's Jacques Cousteau, obviously. Becoming Cousteau touches on all of the above — except The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Flight of the Conchords' 'Fou de Fafa', of course — and makes for a a riveting splash into its namesake's life and career. There's just so much to tell, to the point that it frequently feels as if director Liz Garbus (an Oscar-nominee for What Happened, Miss Simone?) could've filled an entire series instead. Her big-screen tribute to Cousteau doesn't suffer from packing so much into its slice of celluloid, however. It simply makes the most of its time, leaving viewers wanting more because they've loved what they've just experienced. Becoming Cousteau is the cinematic equivalent of having a splash, gazing fondly at the sea's blue expanse, or peering deeply at the ocean's underwater wonders, all activities that beg for as much of your attention as possible. This isn't just an affectionate ode, though, even with ample praise floated Cousteau's way. When Garbus includes vision of wide-eyed children beaming up at her subject with wonder splashed across their faces, you could call it a case of a director telling audiences how they should feel — or signalling how she's looking his way, or both. But she knows that Cousteau's achievements, and the glorious archival footage that comes with it, elicits that reaction anyway. She also doesn't shy away from the thornier aspects of his personal and professional lives, tragedies and struggles among them. This is a film about a man who lived a life like no one else's, especially when he kept plunging beneath the sea, but it's also a movie about a man first and foremost. That's why Garbus sticks to a familiar biographical documentary format, as tempting as it might've been to take a more playful route. By chronicling Cousteau's existence in a chronological fashion — from naval officer to icon, with help from his own words as read by French actor Vincent Cassel (The World Is Yours) where footage doesn't exist — she emphasises who he becomes as he spends more and more time in, atop and contemplating the ocean. Yes, her title is that straightforward; however, neither the simplicity of Becoming Cousteau's structure nor the descriptiveness of its moniker can sum up this fascinating and thoughtful documentary. There's nothing standard about the way it charts his evolution or examines how he used his fame, either, or about the glorious way it selects, curates and compiles its wealth of clips — or about the movie's transfixing ebb and flow. LOVE YOU LIKE THAT She's alive, wrapped in seaweed. When a woman with amnesia washes up on the beach in Love You Like That, no one makes that Twin Peaks-esque comment. That's the most surprising thing about this Australian rom-com, because it doesn't skim on the obvious inclusions from that point onwards — and it isn't shy about swimming through an ocean of cliches, either. Indeed, by the time its big finale arrives to the sounds of John Paul Young's 'Love Is in the Air', blatantly trying to bring Strictly Ballroom to viewers' minds seems like the next natural step for a movie that's as generic and derivative as it comes otherwise. It's a misguided move, though, reminding audiences of what they would've been better off watching. Seafront Sands' mysterious new arrival (Allira Jaques, Charlie's Farm) claims she can't remember anything, including her name; however, she gravitates towards Mim, after the beach where she was found. People are drawn towards her in return, with the fictional coastal town swiftly influenced by her presence. Romance and kindness seem to follow in her footsteps — leaving Harrison (Mitchell Hope, Let It Snow), the local ladies' man who also runs a dating agency, intrigued. Of course, Mim has made her appearance on a day when the council is trying to woo developers, a big beach festival is scheduled and a policeman is pondering popping the question, and has an impact upon all three. There's a twist to Love You Like That, pegging the film firmly in the realm of sappy, soapy fantasies — although it lurks in that territory well before the big revelation arrives. That said, this is a tonally chaotic film. It's schmaltzy from start to finish, but also tries to stitch in middle-aged siblings mending their squabbles, a local cafe owner confronting her grief over her missing-in-action soldier husband, Harrison's parent issues thanks to an ailing dad and mum he never knew, and the raucousness of his assistant Emily (comedian Steph Tisdell) and her forcefully outgoing personality. Mostly, Love You Like That plays as if debut writer/director Eric C Nash has thrown everything he can at the screen to see what sticks. Alas, all that lingers is ridiculousness. The twist earns that description, and so does the seesawing mess that both precedes and follows it. A cast that includes well-known Aussie faces such as John Jarratt (Wolf Creek) and Chris Heywood (Dirt Music) — both in wasted parts — can't improve the careening screenplay. They also can't anchor a mood that changes in an instant like it's bobbing and weaving on the surf, including the jerky lurching from overblown sweetness (whenever Mim has an effect on people) to over-amped comedy (because Emily seems like she's come hurtling in from a completely different movie). Love You Like That is sunnily shot, but it's impossible to plaster over the film's many struggles with warm hues, beach imagery and wide smiles. Or, with 'Love Is in the Air' — which'll also get viewers thinking about how little this flick conjures. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on June 10, June 17 and June 24; July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22 and July 29; August 5, August 12, August 19 and August 26; September 2, September 9, September 16, September 23 and September 30; and October 7 and October 14. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Lapsis, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Fast and Furious 9, Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, In the Heights, Herself, Little Joe, Black Widow, The Sparks Brothers, Nine Days, Gunpowder Milkshake, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Old, Jungle Cruise, The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect, The Night House, Candyman, Annette, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Streamline, Coming Home in the Dark, Pig, Big Deal, The Killing of Two Lovers, Nitram, Riders of Justice, The Alpinist, A Fire Inside and Lamb.
After filming two of his last four movies in Australia (Lion and Hotel Mumbai), and also stepping into a Dickens classic set in Victorian England (The Personal History of David Copperfield), Dev Patel is heading somewhere completely different. Jumping back to medieval times, he's delving into the fantasy genre, messing with Arthurian legend, and swinging around a mighty sword and a giant axe, all thanks to the dark and ominous The Green Knight. Based on the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the film casts Patel as Sir Gawain. Nephew to King Arthur (Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible — Fallout), he's a knight of the Round Table and fearsome warrior. The character has popped up in plenty of tales, but here, he's forced to confront the giant green-skinned titular figure in an eerie showdown. As the poem explains, the Green Knight dares any other knight to strike him with an axe, but only if they'll then receive a return blow exactly one year and one day later. Based on the new, just-dropped trailer, this film adaptation looks to be sticking to that story rather closely — and the end result also looks more than a little moody, brooding and creepy. Patel is in great company, too, with The Green Knight also starring Alicia Vikander (Earthquake Bird), Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased) and Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses). Games of Thrones' Kate Dickie pops up as Guinevere, while her co-star Ralph Ineson — who is also known from the Harry Potter flicks, The Witch and the UK version of The Office — plays the Green Knight. Originally set to release in 2020 until the pandemic hit, The Green Knight is the latest movie by impressive and always eclectic writer/director David Lowery. His filmography spans everything from Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Pete's Dragon to A Ghost Story and The Old Man and the Gun — and, based on both the initial teaser and the new sneak peek, The Green Knight won't be like anything on his resume so far. Check out the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6ksY8xWCY The Green Knight will release in the US on July 30, but it doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when it does.
It's time to clock on: come spring 2024, The Office will reopen, this time in Australia. Back in 2023, Prime Video announced that it was making the 13th international take on the hit workplace sitcom, and also the first to be set Down Under. Now, the latest version of the franchise has a release date — and a debut image of star actor and comedian Felicity Ward (Time Bandits) as Flinley Craddick Managing Director Hannah Howard. Whether you think that David Brent was awful, awkward or a bit of both, Britain doesn't have a monopoly on cringeworthy bosses. Accordingly, after the original UK version of The Office proved a huge success two decades ago, more iterations of the comedy were always going to follow around the world. The American series became even more popular, and everywhere from Canada, France and Germany to Israel, India and Poland have similarly given the idea a go — so it should come as no surprise that an Aussie version is finally making its way to screens. Move over Brent, and also Michael Scott — it's now Howard's turn to become the manager that no one wants but everyone has worked for. She oversees a packaging company. When she receives news that head office is shutting down her branch, with everyone working from home instead, she's determined to keep her team together. Obviously, that won't go smoothly, or there'd be no sitcom antics to be had in The Office's Aussie stint. Joining Ward is a hefty cast spanning Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess), Shari Sebbens (Preppers), Josh Thomson (Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows), Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), Susan Ling Young (Barons), Raj Labade (Back of the Net), Lucy Schmit (The Pledge), Zoe Terakes (Talk to Me) and Claude Jabbour (Last King of the Cross). Also featuring: Susie Youssef (Deadloch), Justin Rosniak (Colin From Accounts), Carlo Ritchie (A Beginner's Guide to Grief), Rick Donald (Population: 11), and Chris Bunton (Wolf Like Me). Viewers will be able to binge Ward and company's antics, with the entire eight-episode first season of the The Office dropping on Friday, October 18 — so get your staplers in jelly ready. As well as marking the first woman-led version of the franchise, the Australian take on The Office also features an impressive roster of female talent off-camera. Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers) co-developed the series alongside Julie De Fina (Aftertaste), with both executive producers — and van Beek the setup director. Kylie Washington (Return to Paradise) is also an executive producer, with Sophia Zachariou (Ladies in Black) and Linda Micsko (The Letdown) producers. There's no trailer yet for the Australian version of The Office, but you can check out clips from the UK and US versions below: The Australian version of The Office will stream via Prime Video from Friday, October 18, 2024. Top image: John Platt and Prime Video, © BBCS and Bunya Entertainment.
Game of Thrones might be coming to an end, but HBO isn't done with secrets, scheming, lies, bickering, battles and betrayal just yet. After all things Westeros wraps up later this month, the network is returning to Monterey, California — with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz and Meryl Streep. Put any one of those 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. Yes, Big Little Lies is back for a second season, and it's added three-time Oscar winner Streep to its latest 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 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 originally aired as a one-season once-off, but its enormous popularity (and a hefty swag of awards) has helped bring the drama back for another series. While an initial teaser dropped in April, HBO has just released the first proper look at the new season. Unsurprisingly, the drama has been ratcheted up a few levels, with the arrival of Streep's new character hardly helping matters. Witherspoon, Kidman, Dern, Woodley and Kravitz were all among the cast the initial time around, but Streep joins the fold as 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 hopping on board 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 new full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCWevZV945M Big Little Lies airs on Foxtel Showcase weekly from Monday, June 10. Image: Jennifer Clasen/HBO.
Packing well for holidays is one of the vastly underrated artforms of our time. Knowing exactly what to bring and what to spend your dimes on before the actual trip takes a long-practiced, realistic ability to predict the weather, activities and highly Instagrammable moments of your future vacation. But not everyone's got the coin to drop on exxy designer threads before they land. So we've taken it upon ourselves to pack your suitcase with affordable goods, whether you're headed for a riotous camping adventure to your chosen annual music festival, hitting art galleries and destination restaurants on a cultural endeavour, or opting for the classic ol' beach holiday. Best bit? It's all from the one place — ASOS. And because they know some of the world's most keen travellers are penny-pinching students, they're offering a 20 percent discount just for students from Wednesday, February 23. THE MUSIC FESTIVAL CAMPING WEEKEND You've loaded up your rental (or pa-rental) car with tents, tarps and tinnies. You've pored over the festival timetable and listened up to the lineup. You're in full-on camping festival mode, and the trick here is to pack light, but pack smart. You've got to toe the line between statement pieces and everyday essentials — you'll need both for this adventure. Word to the wise? Leave the exxy cocktail dresses and dress shirts at home, but remember to bring pieces that make you happy; you'll be in them all day in the hot sun, pouring rain and occasional mud-slips. And bring more undies than you think you'll need. WOMENS ESSENTIALS Reclaimed Vintage Pull Over Hooded Festival Jacket $95 Cheap Monday Denim Short Dungarees $99 Pimkie Wellie Boot $34 MENS ESSENTIALS Nike Court T-Shirt 739479-100 $51 ASOS Check Shirt in Viscose With Long Sleeves $53 ASOS 5 Panel Cap In Black Canvas With Contrast Patch $26 THE ARTY CULTURE ADVENTURE Whether you're scooting between galleries, tasting All The Wine or sauntering through some serious shopping districts, culture adventures can be the trickiest for packing light. You'll want to bring every last pair of kickass shoes in your closet. You'll have plans to debut every new outfit you've recently impulse bought. But here's the thing, you're carrying your wardrobe with you. So choose a couple of pieces you can wear day-to-night and one pair of all-purpose, super fly shoes. That way you can throw more dosh on new pieces on your holiday shopping sprees. WOMENS ESSENTIALS ASOS Oversize T-Shirt Dress With Curved Hem $47 Glamorous Bell Sleeve Smock Dress With Festival Embroidery $51 ASOS OTTAWA Heels $74 MENS ESSENTIALS ASOS Super Longline Long Sleeve T-Shirt With Hooded Drape Neck $38 Reclaimed Vintage Drapey Duster Jacket $138 River Island Chukka Boots In Brown Faux Leather $95 THE CLASSIC BEACH HOLIDAY Towel, sunnies, bathers, sunscreen, book, beer. So begins the checklist for the age old beach holiday, the classic retreat for city slickers. This vacation's the easiest to pack light for, but that doesn't mean you have scrimp on style. Invest in a few new beachy staples and you'll be staging your own magazine shoots on your next ocean-bound road trip. Just remember to slip, slop, slap, wrap etc. WOMENS ESSENTIALS South Beach Mix and Match Wrap Cut Out Bikini Top $30 ASOS Stripe Rope Belted Beach Shirt Dress $60 ASOS Strappy Maxi Dress $38 MENS ESSENTIALS ASOS Mid Length Swim Shorts With Turtle Print $38 Base London Tiberius Leather Sandals $74 River Island Round Sunglasses In Silver $43
Unicorns invaded the runway last night. For the Australian Fashion Week's final Resort 2018 showing, Sydney's Romance Was Born, known for its outlandish, yet highly desirable collections, worked with two-time Archibald winner Del Kathryn Barton to send out sparkling unicorns, polka dotted femme fatales and grand dames draped with rich prints in Barton's iconic style. This is Electro Orchid. The name references Barton's eponymous show from 2014, where she presented a series of smudgy word paintings in pink gouache, which was reflected by models who strutted down the catwalk wearing nothing but handwritten evocative messages, nude undies, a pair of killer shoes, oh and a good dose of sparkle. As expected RWB's Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales brought the spectacle to MBFWA, ending the week on a runway acid trip and giving life to all of our wildest dreams — which we'll now also be able to wear in the coming months. With such an extravagant showing, it was only fitting to keep those glittery good vibes a-glimmer. So, the fashion set said goodbye to Carriageworks for the year, and made its way to QT Sydney to celebrate with a grand finale of pink tinsel and neon lights, cocktails, oysters and a soundtrack of ABBA and Whitney Houston. (The party also opened a small RWB archival exhibit at QT's Parlour Lane, on free public display until the end of the month.) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia has come and gone, bringing with it an epic collaboration between two Australia design icons in their own right (yes, one of those is the Opera House), street style by the sea, hectic mullets and a slew of trends to now mull over and decide which will influence what we're wearing next from our fine Aussie designers. Until next time MBFWA, you've been quite the ride. Images: Tim Da Rin / Flaunter.
Anyone who’s dreamed of spending a summer living in Berlin has just gotten some added incentive. The German capital has officially enacted new rent-control legislation, in order to curtail rising rental prices that have been driving low-income earners out of the city. Must be nice. The new law, which was approved by the German parliament in March, will prohibit landlords from increasing rent to more than 10 percent above the local average. The law was already in place for existing contracts, but will now apply to new tenants as well. Berlin was previously experiencing some of the fastest rising rental rates in Europe, with the average rate jumping by more than 9 percent between 2013 and 2014 alone. If you’re wondering why Australia doesn’t have similar legislation on the books, then welcome to the club. A recent global survey that took into account rental prices as well as various other cost of living factors including food, transport and utilities found that Sydney was the fifth most expensive city in the world, with Melbourne right behind at number six. Brisbane came in at 21, while Perth and Adelaide tied at 24. By comparison, New York City was number 26. That’s right. Living in New York is less expensive than Perth. The NSW Greens Party actually proposed changes to Sydney rental laws during their state election campaign earlier in the year. Under their proposal, rises in rent would be tied to the rate of inflation, and landlords would be restricted to one price increase per year. Member for Newtown Jenny Leong has pledged to introduce the legislation to the state’s lower house. In the meantime, Flight Centre has tickets to Berlin starting at $1499. Via The Guardian. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Calling all Gordon Gekkos and Jordan Belforts, the UK's got a new bar for you. The Reserve Bar Stock Exchange is London's new venue where drink prices fluctuate in real time according to their nightly popularity, opening on June 17. Set across three floors, Reserve is attempting to connect customers to the value of their cocktails, and how quickly one drink can rise in value while another crashes. It all depends on which drink is most popular on the night — classic supply and demand. There's a live market price board where you can see how different cocktails are doing, and the bar's smartphone app will let you keep track of things at your table — an app that also allows patrons to order cocktails right to their table. The bar's advice? "Buy low, play the market, and when the market crashes... everybody wins." We guess that means a sweet cheapo special. So who's the Wolf of Wall Street behind this whole deal? Reserve has been dreamt up by Alan Grant and his crew, whose former escapades include London's Cherry Jam, Supper Club and Notting Hill Arts Club. It's London's first bar of its kind, but it's not the world's — Austin, Texas has a stock market themed bar called The Brew Exchange, where the hundred beers on tap fluctuate according to popularity. If you happen to be in London (or you've got buds over there) before the bar opens on June 17, Reserve is offering punters the chance to feel like a right ol' Gecko — you can invest £25, £50 or £100 in the bar and you'll double your money instantly with a 100% return of £50, £100 or £200 in bar credit. The Reserve Bar Stock Exchange opens on June 17 at 46 Gresham Street, London. Via The Drinks Business. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Halal food, and the certification around it, has popped up in the Australian news a lot lately — mostly in the form of straight-up racist commentary that has no basis in fact. Most recently, newly elected Australian senator Pauline Hanson, threw a childish fit on Saturday after senator Sam Dastyari offered to buy her a Halal Snack Pack (HSP) as jesting congratulations. For those that don't know, an HSP is a greasy concoction of hot chips, kebab meat (chicken and/or lamb) and cheese, covered in sauces, including the 'Holy Trinity' of garlic, chilli and barbecue sauce. This dish is so popular among uni students that the Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society (HSPAS) is nearly 150,000 members strong. Hanson has repeatedly made fact-less allegations that funds made from halal certified food goes directly to fund terrorism. Her blatantly discriminatory remarks, which have been repetitively disproven and shown to have no factual research behind them, got us thinking — what is halal certification really all about? We're bringing you some plain old facts on the subject, because knowledge is power. [caption id="attachment_578771" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flickr.[/caption] WHAT IS HALAL FOOD? Halal (حَلَال) is an Arabic word that means 'permissible' or 'allowed' and refers to the dietary restrictions of the Muslim law. Foods that are explicitly prohibited by the Qur'an, and are therefore not halal, include: Alcohol (including used in food) Meat from carnivorous animals, most notably pigs and dogs Any bi-product of carnivorous animals, including lard, gelatine, blood, broth and enzymes (which many non-halal cakes, biscuits and ice-creams contain) Meat of an animal that has died of natural causes or as a result of strangling or beating All foods that do not meet these above restrictions are considered halal (that includes fruits, nuts and vegetables, to name a few). WHAT IS HALAL CERTIFICATION? Halal certification denotes to the consumer that the food is certified to fit the dietary restrictions of halal, much the way organic and gluten-free products must be certified. In order for a food to be certified as halal, it must be: Free from any meat or bi-product from a carnivorous animal Slaughtered with a Muslim person present and in compliance with Islamic rites Processed, manufactured and stored by using equipment that has been cleaned according to Islamic law (e.g. not cleaned with alcohol or in proximity to carnivorous animal bi-product). [caption id="attachment_578769" align="alignnone" width="1280"] CEphoto, Uwe Aranas.[/caption] OTHER USEFUL HALAL FACTS Food that is already halal is not changed during the certification process; it is simply certified to show that it has not broken any of the dietary restrictions within halal eating methods. Hundreds of Australian food products exist as halal certified, including Vegemite, Nestle Crunch bars, Maggi Two Minute Noodles and Kellogg's Coco Pops. Essentially, the animal used for food needs to be slaughtered humanely and using clean instruments that are namely pork and alcohol free. If you're thinking logically about it, a halal certification is similar to a food being certified as organic or gluten free — it simply tells a person who has specific dietary restrictions that they are able to eat the food and is actually very inline with standard ethical eating practices. ABC News Fact Check recently assessed Hanson's claims that halal certification directly results in funding terrorism and could find "no evidence whatsoever ... that money from halal certification has ever flowed to terrorist groups." They also debunked her claims that halal certification is a $3-trillion dollar industry — in fact, most responsive manufacturers claimed that their certification cost was negligible, even as little as $1-$2K per year. What is true is that the halal food industry is estimated to be in excess of $1-trillion. This means that the world economy profits in the trillions off of manufacturing halal food. [caption id="attachment_578861" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dan Nguyen.[/caption] When it comes down to it, all the fuss is really about nothing but and Hanson's comments are just an embarrassment. Halal food is embraced around the western world and is specifically prevalent in New York City, where halal carts are seen on every corner. The city's famous Halal Guys, which is the "longest running and best known street cart in New York City", serves the cart equivalent of the HSP and is an integral part of the food scene in the city. They're also donating $30,000 to LaGuardia Community College this year, which sure doesn't sound like global terrorist activity to us. Sources: Australian Food & Grocery Council, The New York Times, SMH, ABC Fact Check, Junkee, Merriam-Webster. Image: Toby Jay, Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society (HSPAS).
A number of prominent Australian musicians, including Little May, Montaigne, Ngaiire and Abbe May, are uniting through social media in order to throw their support behind International Breast Cancer Awareness month. The I Touch Myself Project was inspired by the 1990 hit song by Australian rock band Divinyls, whose lead singer Chrissy Amphlett died from breast cancer in 2013. The campaign was originally launched by the Cancer Council in 2014, with the likes of Megan Washington, Sarah Blasko and Olivia Newton John collaborating on a music video to encourage women to check themselves for the disease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeaO2BrrIf8 Now the campaign has been resurrected by a new group of female artists, who have taken to Instagram to share photos of themselves holding their breasts in their hands and encouraging other women to do the same, using the hashtag #itouchmyselfproject. "Every year, hundreds and thousands of women die from treatable breast cancer, simply because they are diagnosed too late," posted the members of Little May. "In memory of the late legend, Chrissy Amphlett, we have joined friends @ngaiire @actualmontaigne @katysteele @abbemayzing to touch ourselves as she had asked." Every year, hundreds and thousands of women die from treatable breast cancer, simply because they are diagnosed too late. In memory of the late legend, Chrissy Amphlett, we have joined friends @ngaiire @actualmontaigne @katysteele @abbemayzing to touch ourselves as she had asked. The Divinyls 'I Touch Myself' is now an anthem for the early detection of breast cancer. For International Breast Cancer Awareness month take a picture of your own hand bra, and tag 5 of your friends to do the same.. @becsandridge @catalish @ella_hooper @lexi_b__ @jessicahamiltn #myhandbra #itouchmyselfproject @itouchmyselfproject A photo posted by Little May (@littlemaymusic) on Oct 3, 2016 at 8:54pm PDT Every year, hundreds of women die from treatable breast cancer, simply because they are diagnosed too late. @actualmontaigne @abbemayzing @katysteele , @littlemaymusic and I have stepped out in our hand bras in honour of the late Chrissy Amphlett who wanted her song 'I Touch Myself' to be an anthem for spreading the awareness of touching ourselves for early detection. Spread the word this Breast Cancer Awareness Month by taking a pic of your own hand bra and tagging 5 of your friends to do the same. Will you touch yourself @beemcsee @haileycramer @julianedisisto @summerpagaspas @mamikoyo @vassi_lena ? #myhandbra #itouchmyselfproject #ngaiire A photo posted by N G A I I R E (@ngaiire) on Oct 3, 2016 at 7:07pm PDT Chrissy Amphlett did a wonderful thing before the world lost her to breast cancer, and that was to make sure she was doing the most she could to avail women of a similar fate. I am proud to be a part of the #itouchmyselfproject and to raise awareness of breast cancer alongside a plethora of other excellent women and @berleiaus. I touch myself for breast cancer awareness. Will you? Photographed by the amazing Tony Mott! A photo posted by Montaigne (@actualmontaigne) on Oct 4, 2016 at 2:08am PDT Every year, hundreds and thousands of women die from treatable breast cancer, simply because they are diagnosed too late. In memory of the late legend, Chrissy Amphlett, I am humbled to join friends @ngaiire @actualmontaigne @littlemaymusic @abbemayzing to touch ourselves as she had asked. The Divinyls 'I Touch Myself' is now an anthem for the early detection of breast cancer. For International Breast Cancer Awareness month take a picture of your own hand bra, and tag 5 of your friends to do the same.. @tanzertanzertanzer @leelulahula @sezzyfilmy @wheelsanddollbaby @jaala_bandthing Photo by #tonymott @itouchmyselfproject #itouchmyself #myhandbra A photo posted by Kａt y S t e e l e (@katysteele) on Oct 4, 2016 at 3:02am PDT Every year, hundreds of women die from treatable breast cancer, simply because they are diagnosed too late. The great @ngaiire, @actualmontaigne, @katysteele , @littlemaymusic and I have stepped out in our hand bras in honour of the late Chrissy Amphlett who wanted her song 'I Touch Myself' to be an anthem for spreading the awareness of touching ourselves for early detection. Spread the word this Breast Cancer Awareness Month by taking a pic of your own hand bra and tagging 5 of your friends to do the same. #itouchmyselfproject #myhandbra Photo taken by the radical Tony Mott. A photo posted by Abbe May (@abbemayzing) on Oct 3, 2016 at 7:10pm PDT
Hey kids, seems pizza does grow on trees, according to mightily-moustachioed, all-American comedian Nick Offerman. In a brand new Funny or Die video, the Parks and Recreation star takes you on a rip-roaring tour through his fictional Pizza Farm — where the team are hard at work "growing the ripe, juicy pizzas your kids love.” We wish. "What could be healthier than this? Acres of pizza, kissed by the sun, stretching as far as the eye can see." Offerman, or ‘food expert’ Daniel Francis, unearths Sloppy Joes from moist fields irrigated by cola, picks taquitos from the tree, wanders past fish finger vineyards, and eats a fresh slice of pepperoni pizza straight from the tree. “If it’s on a plant, it’s good for you, who cares how it got there.” According to TIME, Offerman’s genius Pizza Farm is apparently a big ol’ flip of the bird to idiotic protests against First Lady Michelle Obama’s huge campaign to change US school lunch regulations and get Congress to reauthorise the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 — which regulates the amount of unhealthy, high fat, high sugar, high salt food you can serve to school kidlets at lunch. Until then, most US school lunches will remain as cheaply-made and unhealthy as they can possibly can be. But as Offerman says, "French fries are practically salads, which is why I like mine with ranch." Pizza Farm with Nick Offerman - watch more funny videos Via TIME.
The Australian art industry's most talked about face for 2017 has been revealed, with the announcement of this year's Archibald Prize. This year's winner is Camden artist Mitch Cairns, who painted a stunning portrait of artist (and Cairns' partner) Agatha Gothe-Snape. He'll receive a cheeky cash prize $100,000 and bragging rights for life — and hey, when you've been shortlisted in the Archibald Prize four times already, you're already there. The subject of the portrait, Gothe-Snape is a celebrated artist in her own right, exhibiting at the 20th Biennale of Sydney and recently opening a solo exhibition at Tokyo's Mori Art Museum — a first for an Aussie artist. Her work constantly engages with the way the public engages with contemporary art, how we read it, understand it, and debate it. "In this painting, Agatha is both an active subject and a recalcitrant muse embracing and resisting simultaneously any idea of what it is to be fixed. Ultimately this is what is most attractive about Agatha. She embodies an uncompromising agency whilst having the grace to accept the ready complications inherent within our life as artists," says Cairns. "I composed this portrait with love in the full knowledge of its inevitable and palpable quake." Here's the work in full: South Australia's Betty Kuntiwa Pumani is the winner of the 2017 Wynne Prize with her striking ode to her mother country, and Joan Ross is the winner of the 2017 Sulman Prize for her mixed media work Oh history, you lied to me. See the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize exhibition, including Mitch Cairns' winning work, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from July 29 to October 22. More info here.
There's no one right way to experience SXSW, whether you're attending the Austin or Sydney version, but one of the event's huge highlights is its high-profile list of folks who get talking. As 2023's debut festival Down Under demonstrated, this is the kind of event where you could be listening to Chance The Rapper one moment, then Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker the next. In 2024, it's also the type of festival where The Kid LAROI, human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, author Johann Hari, Lucy Lawless, Grace Tame, Suzie Miller and Stephen Page are getting chatting. This year's lineup features more than 1000 speakers, 60-plus tech exhibitors, over 200 artists, 120-plus games and more than 75 screenings across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 dates. Other standouts from the conference part of the program include Nick Kyrgios, Noémie Fox, Chad Lawson and Molly Taylor. Fancy hearing about heading into space? That's where Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg comes in. On the music side of the bill, not only is The Kid LAROI the keynote speaker, but the 'Stay', 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' and 'Girls' talent is introducing a First Nations showcase. Stepping from Heartbreak High to SXSW Sydney Music Festival, Ayesha Madon is also one of that strand's highlights. SAHXL, Nick Ward, BALTHVS, Total Tommy, brothers J-MILLA & Yung Milla, Joel Sunny, Ena Mori, Smol fish, HighSchool, Maina Doe, 404: you'll be able to see them as well. Screen-wise, once opening night's Y2K kicks off the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, the program features everything from headliners Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements to Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker — and Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah, Sweet Country, The New Boy), The Babadook composer Jed Kurzel and Barbie executive producer Josey McNamara among the talks. At Tumbalong Park, SXSW Sydney's festival hub is back 60-plus hours of free entertainment, too. Keen to feel like you're stepping inside some of your favourite TV shows? So is Prime Video's Primeville pop-up from Tuesday, October 15–Sunday, October 20 at Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour. That's barely scratching the surface of 2024's SXSW Sydney characteristically jam-packed lineup. If you can't find something exciting to do, see, watch, learn from or dance to every single day of the fest, you clearly haven't looked at the program. [caption id="attachment_970635" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] Top images: Jordan Kirk, Ian Laidlaw and Jaimi Joy.
If you're a female chef, sommelier, waiter, restaurateur or manager — in short, if you're a woman and you work in hospo — there's a brand new not-for-profit in Australia dedicated to you. It's called WOHO and it's already attracted the support of some big names in the industry, including Christine Manfield, Danielle Alvarez and Nadine Ingram, who'll be acting as mentors. Even though 51.8 percent of Australian hospitality workers are women, only 15.4 percent of CEOs in the same industry are. So, when it comes to the top jobs, females are seriously underrepresented. WOHO will be bringing educational opportunities and forums to professionals at all stages of their careers. Members will be able to share experiences, ask questions, discuss issues, seek advice and access a supportive network. There'll be a formal mentoring program, regular events and meet-ups. "It is a very exciting time for Australian hospitality, which is now getting more recognition on the world stage," says Julia Campbell, founder and chair of WOHO. "While our forward-thinking approach to food and concepts is well-recognised, it is imperative that we face the issue of female underrepresentation at a senior level in the industry. WOHO is a vehicle for us to inspire, recruit and retain more females and to give them the confidence to support themselves and each other in their professional development." The rest of the WOHO Board is made up of Anna Pavoni (Ormeggio), Jane Hyland (4fourteen), Claire van Vuuren (Bloodwood), Michelle Maiale (A Tavola), Jane Strode (Bistrode CBD), Lisa Hobbs (Dedes Group), Lisa Margan (Margan Estate), Kerrie McCallum (delicious and Stellar) and Lyndey Milan (OAM). WOHO will launch on May 29 at 6pm at Three Blue Ducks, 1/85 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery. There'll be food by Bloodwood, 4Fourteen, Pastry Project and Bistrode CBD, and drinks by Printhie, Lisa McGuigan, Margan Estate, Young Henrys and Santa Vittoria. Tickets are $25 (members) or $30 (non members). WOHO membership is $10/month.
With three holiday dates coming up, April is the month to plan a weekend getaway. If you're still looking for your ticket out of the city, Flash Camp has just announced they'll be hosting a pop-up glamping site within Shoalhaven's Coolendel private reserve from April 7 through 25, including the Easter and ANZAC Day holidays. Only a 2.5 hour drive down the South Coast from Sydney and thirty minutes from Nowra, the remote location is an easy trip to achieve a true bush experience — well, kind of. As to be expected, the tents look quite luxe. The bell-shaped, premium 'Flash Tents' come with a king-sized mattress, covered in plush bedding and perched on timber pallets. The tents also feature solar lighting, table and chairs, Biology toiletries and a hand-woven Armadillo & Co rug. For groups looking for a slightly (very slightly) more traditional camping experience, Flash Camp also offer their regular bell tents with air beds. Guests will also have access to the existing Coolendel amenities, including hot showers and barbecue facilities, as well as a communal Flash Camp tent with seating, fairy lights and a campfire. The glamping site will be located within Coolendel's 52 hectares of bushland along the Shoalhaven River. Nature lovers will be keen on this secluded grassy park, which is an ideal location for spotting wombats, goannas, wallabies and native birds. Apart from nature watching and bushwalking, guests can also try a spot of canoeing, biking and fishing. Rates vary from $110 to $220 per night, depending on day of the week and holidays. Food is not provided, though, so campers should make sure to pack the eski full for the duration of the trip. Flash Camp Glamping will pop up at Coolendel from April 7 through 25. To book, visit the Flash Camp website. For more glamping options, check out our list for the ten best glamping spots near Sydney .
A new rooftop hotel in Melbourne is offering a luxurious alternative to the cramped family camper you would have piled into as a kid. Opening on Friday, August 26 atop a Flinders Lane carpark in the CBD, this boutique venture consists of six vintage airstream caravans transported from the U.S. and completely refitted as "designer urban accommodation", complete with queen size bed, split-system heating and cooling, and a fridge full of complimentary craft beer and wine. Throw in a little laneway graffiti art and this couldn't get any more Melbourne if it tried. In addition to the amenities listed above, each caravan at Notel Melbourne comes with a television, linen and an en suite bathroom with full height shower. Sounds a little cosy, but sometimes that's exactly what you need, especially when you're dealing with chilly Melbourne weather. There's also an 'Airstream with benefits' ultra-luxe option, which includes access to a goddamn spa outside your trailer. The rooftop itself, meanwhile, has recently gotten a new lick of paint courtesy of local artist Ash Keating. A photo posted by Notel Melbourne (@notelmelbourne) on Aug 24, 2016 at 3:03am PDT Guests will have access to tablets loaded with music and movies along with a virtual guide to help them explore the city. The space will also be available for functions, with room for up to 300 people on the roof. Keen to book a night up there? Airstreams are going at $395 a night for two people, and bookings are officially open here. Notel Melbourne is now open on the corner of Flinders and Harper Lanes, Melbourne. For more information and to book visit notelmelbourne.com.au.
From vending machines lining the streets to combinis (that is, convenience stores) taking up real estate on every corner of Tokyo, it's clear Japan is a nation puts a lot on emphasis on convenience. The Japanese attitude to fast food is no different — except in Japan, convenience doesn't have to mean compromising on quality. From curry houses filled with salarymen, ubiquitous heartwarming hamburgers and contemporary takes on traditional Japanese meals that will set you back less than $5AUD a pop, this is where to get real fast food in Japan. [caption id="attachment_629778" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lucy Dayman[/caption] SUKIYA No matter how long you spend in the country, Sukiya (すき家) is one sight you'll become familiar with fast. With over 1600 stores dotted throughout the nation, the store's red, white and gold logo is a staple on the Japanese urban landscape. The 24-hour restaurant delivers no fuss, classic Japanese dishes, though their most iconic dish is gyudon, which translates to 'beef bowl'. What you'll get is shredded beef served over rice accompanied with topping of your choice. What's great about Sukiya is the chain's dedication to experimentation and perfection, with additions and modifications being made to the menu — so no matter how many times you've visited, there will be something new to try. A meal will set you back about ¥500-800 ($6-10AUD). [caption id="attachment_629781" align="alignnone" width="1920"] cathykid via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] OOTOYA Ootoya might be a little steeper in price than beef bowl outlets like Yoshianoya and the aforementioned Sukiya, but it's worth the extra yen. Plus, with the average price hovering around ¥800 ($9-10AUD) it's still cheaper than anything in Australia. Ootoya specialise in classic Japanese teishoku 'meal sets'. Though a meal set sounds like something you'd get in a retirement village or jail, it's actually the best way to appreciate carefully curated Japanese cuisine. It will usually include rice, miso soup, and a main dish, which might be fish, or soba noodles. At Ootoya the sets are seasonal, so you won't be stuck eating the same thing over and over. [caption id="attachment_629779" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lucy Dayman[/caption] HIDAKAYA RAMEN It's impossible to speak about Japanese fast food — or just Japanese food, for that matter — without giving time to the nation's most internationally loved culinary creation: ramen. In Japan, ramen is as diverse as it is popular; every prefecture, city, restaurant and even chef has a different take on the dish. In Tokyo the ramen options are almost excessive, so, if you do your research, you can definitely find the most perfect bowl for your palate. However, if you're after consistently good, cheap, filling and easy-to-access ramen, you can't miss Hidakaya. This generally 24-hour outlet is the perfect place to rest your weary body and dive into a warm comforting bowl any time of the day or night. Most meals will cost you little more than your pocket change at ¥500 ($6AUD) and, if you want to drink, booze options start at ¥270 ($3AUD). [caption id="attachment_629782" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dick Thomas Johnson via Flickr.[/caption] UOBEI GENKI SUSHI Like ramen, you sushi is incredibly diverse in terms of options, price points and specialties — but as a little local tip, Uobei Genki Sushi is kind of special. Cheap and always delicious, the crew at Genki Sushi have reinvented the concept of conveyor belt sushi. Rather than constantly rotating dishes, the Genki Sushi use the conveyor belt method to deliver specifically ordered dishes right to you. With touch screen menus, all you have to do is select what you feel like and, within moments — like some strange futuristic dream — the sushi will take a ride on a little delivery plate stopping right in front of your face. With dishes costing around ¥100 ($1.20AUD) and simple English ordering, there's really no excuse not to go. [caption id="attachment_629783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hunter Nield via Flickr.[/caption] MOS BURGER It's impossible to speak about fast food in Japan without acknowledging the country's growing love of western cuisine. Like so many things here, Japan has turned appreciation into full-blown obsession and somehow managed to improve the already perfect. Though from the outside it seems like an average burger joint, MOS Burger is a not-so-little takeaway restaurant with a connection to the land: M.O.S stands for 'mountain, ocean, sun'. With over 1700 stores across the country, the store's mission is to "make people happy through delicious food". In a time where other burger chains are constantly unveiling artery clogging Frankenstein-style creations to garner publicity, Mos' humble attitude to producing made-to-order, well-crafted hamburgers is pretty refreshing. Depending on how fancy you want to go a MOS Burger will cost between 200- ¥600 ($2.50-8AUD) [caption id="attachment_629784" align="alignnone" width="1920"] kici via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] COCO ICHIBAN Though the icon status goes to ramen and sushi, curry is actually the most popular dish in the country. With over 1200 locations sprinkled throughout Japan (and more internationally), Curry House Coco Ichibanya are the local curry kings. Traditionally, Japanese curry is a more mild take on the Indian dish and it comes in a variety of forms. From curry with udon noodles, 'curry pan' (that's curry-filled bread) and the classic karē raisu (aka curry rice), this dish is a lot more Japanese than you anticipated. What makes Coco Ichiban so exciting is your freedom to fully customise your order. The amount of rice, spice and all those toppings are so nice that it means you're never going to get a mass-produced run-of-the-mill plate here. Depending on your order you can easily get a serious meal for less than ¥700 ($8AUD).
Ever wanted to own your own Banksy original? Well now for a mere $435,000 you can. And while that may sound a bit steep, the price actually isn't that bad when you consider that it includes the entire three bedroom house on which the mural is painted. Located on the side of a two-story terrace in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Spy Booth depicts three secret agents dressed in trenchcoats and dark glasses monitoring a nearby phonebooth with surveillance equipment. Painted in April 2014, it's viewed as a comment on the global surveillance scandal caused by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The house is located just a few kilometres away from the headquarters of the GCHQ, Britain's security and intelligence agency. But while you might imagine that having a Banksy on the side of your house would be a blessing, the owner of 159 Fairview Road says he has experienced constant stress since the appearance of the artwork, which he's been unable to remove or sell since council planners granted it retroactive planning permission. So instead, he's selling the whole building. "If Cheltenham want it, they can have it," 45-year-old David Possee said in an interview. "Just buy the building off me, I just want to get on with my life. Cut me free, you can have the Cheltenham Banksy." Fair warning to any potential bidders out there: while the artwork may be great, the house itself is in need of serious renovations. Or, as real estate agents Peter Ball & Co put it, "requires a comprehensive schedule of refurbishment." To view the listing, go here. Via Domain.
A drama released in 1989 that saw its premiere cut short because of the fall of the Berlin Wall. A tale of corruption in the sporting arena. A documentary about perhaps the greatest German director that ever lived. A lengthy father-daughter comedy that no one can stop talking about (us included). Yes, they're all part of the 2016 German Film Fest's 36-title lineup, which roams around Australia from November 15 to 30. In a nutshell, it's a great year to get your fix of the country's cinematic offerings. In fact, there's so much packed into the festival's heaving program that the aforementioned movies haven't even made our must-see list, which is a great indication of the wealth of choices available. So, just what should you ensure you get in front of your eyeballs? Here's our top tips, spanning everything from beloved filmmakers to movies made by ordinary people. EVERY THING WILL BE FINE We've said it before, and we'll say it again: James Franco really will pop up everywhere he can, even when you least expect it. Like in a German film. This time, he's starring in the latest one from iconic director Wim Wenders, alongside Rachel McAdams and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Every Thing Will Be Fine tells the tale of a writer faced with a life-changing experience; transformation is a common theme in the filmmaker's works. And don't go thinking Wenders' trademark fondness for breathtaking visuals will be sidelined in his first dramatic film in seven years; here, the Buena Vista Social Club, Pina and The Salt of the Earth helmer explores both the heartbreaking tragedy at the centre of the story and the aftermath via 3D visuals. DER NACHTMAHR It takes confidence to call your film Der Nachtmahr, or The Nightmare in English. Other horror movies have boasted about their terrifying dream-like status in their names to mixed results, aka the entire Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Director and visual artist Achim Bornhak aims for a more consistent scare rate in an effort ten years in the making. Given that the feature explores a teenager blighted with visions of a grotesque creature, here's hoping it hits the mark. GERMANY IN A DAY Back in 2011, Touching the Void and The Last King of Scotland filmmaker Kevin Macdonald took on another ambitious project. Life in a Day endeavoured to capture just what everyday existence is like by crowdsourcing its footage, accruing more than 80,000 clips submitted via YouTube. Five years later, Germany in a Day is the Deutschland-focused equivalent, as overseen by director Sönke Wortmann. If you've ever wondered what life was like for residents of the European nation on June 20, 2015, as captured by ordinary folks, this is your chance to find out. GOODBYE BERLIN In Goodbye Berlin, Turkish-German filmmaker Fatih Akin says hello to the road. Adapting Wolfgang Herrndorf's coming-of-age story Tschick (or Why We Took the Car in Australia), it's a feature filled with friendship, discovery, scenic sights and striking revelations after two unlikely pals steal a car one summer. And if it sounds like you've seen this before, Akin's previous filmography should convince you otherwise. Head On twisted the usual mid-life malaise drama, Soul Kitchen did more than cook up delicious-looking food and The Cut found insights in a portrait of resilience and endurance. VARIETÉ Step back in time thanks to 1925 film Varieté. Not only is it a circus fairytale of the kind that isn't often made these days, but it reportedly features the first documentation of unicycle hockey. Other claims to fame come thick and fast for the '20s film, partly due to its enchanting tale of a trapeze artist, the dancer he leaves his wife for, and the artist his lover then has an affair with — and partly due to the fact that the silent feature's score was lost long ago. In its place, The Tiger Lillies have a new soundtrack in their very own style to accompany the new digitised restoration. The German Film Fest Australia tours the country from November 15, screening at Sydney's Chauvel Cinema and Palace Norton Street from November 15 to 29, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Kino Cinemas and Palace Westgarth from November 17 to 30, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks from November 25 to 30. For more information, visit the festival website.
This year's Oscars belonged to one man, much like the last year in cinema has. It doesn't happen all that often, but the best film of the past twelve months dominated the Academy Awards — as did the filmmaker behind it. By winning Best Picture, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite became the first movie in a language other than English to do so. Let that sink in: it's the first film to score the top prize in the Oscars' 92-year run. By winning four trophies, all of which went to Bong thanks to his work as the movie's director, co-writer and co-producer, Parasite also became this year's most awarded feature. Given that before 2020, a South Korean film had never even been nominated for an Oscar — not even in the Best International Feature category — Bong well and truly made history. What a delight it was to see him so overwhelmed by the recognition, whether paying tribute to Martin Scorsese, a filmmaker he himself studied in film school, or thanking Quentin Tarantino for championing his movies from the get-go. How relatable it was, too, to hear Bong reveal his post-Oscars plans several times: "I will drink until the next morning". Still, while Parasite deservedly came out on top, 2020's ceremony spread the love across a heap of worthy films. A whopping 14 features won gongs, ranging from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Judy and Rocketman's respective renderings of showbiz history to Taika Waititi's 'anti-hate' comedy Jojo Rabbit — with the latter making him the first Maori person to win an Oscar. Among the other highlights: Janelle Monae and Billy Porter wowing everyone with a lively song-and-dance number right out of the gate, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig demonstrating that they would've killed it if they'd emceed the host-less ceremony, and Chris Rock mentioning how vaginas are missing from the director's nominees this year. Among the oddities: Eminem taking to the stage to sing his 2003 Oscar-winner 'Lose Yourself' for some unknown reason. That's the ceremony done and dusted. Now, if you haven't already, it's time to enjoy all the flicks that just received shiny accolades. From the second movie to nab an actor a prize for playing the Joker, to two Netflix films you can stream right now, here are all of the winners that you should add to your viewing list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE Won: Best Picture (Kwak Sin-ae and Bong Joon-ho, producers), Best Director (Bong Joon-ho), Best Original Screenplay (Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won), Best International Feature Film Our thoughts: "Bong Joon-ho has crafted a bleak, twisty blend of black tragi-comedy, pulsating thrills and socially relevant horror — a movie that's such a phenomenal example of all that cinema can and should be that you'll want to high-five the filmmaker after watching it... This isn't just a killer picture on all of the standard levels, however. Contemplating society's growing class collisions and inequities, Parasite also makes a killer statement." Where to watch it: In cinemas, still — and it's also available to rent or buy on DVD. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsL_spv4yEw ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Won: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Brad Pitt), Best Production Design (production design: Barbara Ling; set decoration: Nancy Haigh) Our thoughts: "Incessantly keen to splash his affection for celluloid history across the screen as always, Quentin Tarantino is in his element recreating Hollywood's golden days, its big names and LA's gleaming sights, and nodding to westerns once again. But, befitting a flick about weathering seismic personal, cultural and societal shifts, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is a glorious character piece first and foremost." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwRL0u87nbc 1917 Won: Best Cinematography (Roger Deakins), Best Sound Mixing (Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson), Best Visual Effects (Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy) Our thoughts: "The storytelling gimmickry is obvious, jamming in chaos and peril across a wealth of scenarios, but the overall impact is inescapably immense and heartbreakingly intense. What Dunkirk did for a pivotal World War II event, 1917 does just as commandingly for an entire earlier war." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C61wB6DTwiA JUDY Won: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Renee Zellweger) Our thoughts: "Stepping into a famous figure's shoes might be one of acting's most difficult feats, especially when that person is cinema royalty, but Renee Zellweger doesn't ever feel like she's just impersonating Judy Garland. Rather, she wears Garland's ruby slippers as if they're her own — and they fit perfectly." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr-Lg-_KFHU JOKER Won: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Joaquin Phoenix), Best Original Score (Hildur Guðnadóttir) Our thoughts: "Joker is unflinchingly bold and brilliant in one inescapable fashion, as it was bound to be when it cast its lead. All skin, bone and sinew as he cavorts, frolics and chortles, Joaquin Phoenix is in stunning, mesmerising, awards-worthy form yet again. His raspy cackle isn't easily forgotten; neither is his off-kilter demeanour." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHi-a1n8t7M MARRIAGE STORY Won: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Laura Dern) Our thoughts: "While Marriage Story does indeed tell the tale of a marriage, this devastatingly astute and empathetic drama does so within a portrait of the relationship's dying days and its rocky aftermath... In his ever-perceptive way, Noah Baumbach hones in on figures whose lives are a shambles, then watches as they natter their way forward — revealing their fragile core while revelling in the minutiae of their existence." Where to watch it: On Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MCOpNti_pQ LITTLE WOMEN Won: Best Costume Design (Jacqueline Durran) Our thoughts: "Greta Gerwig works wonders with her script and her actors — tasks that might seem easy, but still bear her fingerprints — however she also directs a visually sumptuous film. Little Women sparkles with warmth and charm, not only when dresses catch alight and catastrophic haircuts inspire laughs, but across tender and heartbreaking moments." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m36QeKOJ2Fc AMERICAN FACTORY Won: Best Documentary Our thoughts: The first film produced for Netflix by Barack and Michelle Obama, fly-on-the-wall documentary American Factory tackles a subject of paramount importance — not just to the former President and First Lady's own country, but worldwide. Across three years, directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert chronicled the operations of a Chinese-owned plant in Ohio, crafting an eye-opening portrait of the human impact of the global economy. Where to watch it: On Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl9JS8-gnWQ TOY STORY 4 Won: Best Animated Feature Film Our thoughts: "Reflective, sweet, sensitive and virtually guaranteed to wring a response out of even the most cynical of viewers, Toy Story 4 is a classic Pixar piece... At its best, this saga is as imaginative, amusing and fun as it is thoughtful, with bright, bouncy animation to match — and, returning to the heights of the first film, the franchise is at its best again here." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTm5DWgL-MU ROCKETMAN Won: Best Original Song ("(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again — music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin) Our thoughts: "There's a vibrant spark to Rocketman as it charts Reginald Dwight's transformation into Elton Hercules John. A glorious tone, too, which couldn't work better. Showing how fantastical the ups and downs of fame, fortune and rock stardom can be by sashaying through a sea of surreality, the result is a winning marriage of form and feeling." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4McUzXfFI JOJO RABBIT Won: Best Adapted Screenplay (Taika Waititi) Our thoughts: "Waititi's irreverent, irrepressible sense of humour is usually a delight (see: his aforementioned films, plus What We Do in the Shadows and Thor Ragnarok), but Jojo Rabbit is at its best when it actually dials back the gags, mockery and pointed current-day parallels, and instead hones in on its central trio in less overt moments." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3h9Z89U9ZA FORD V FERRARI Won: Best Film Editing (Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker), Best Sound Editing (Donald Sylvester) Our thoughts: A car-racing film that branches beyond speeding vehicles driving in circles around a track, Ford v Ferrari is more than just a dramatised account of two automotive companies battling it out in a prestigious race, too. With particular thanks to Christian Bale's performance as British driver and engineer Ken Miles, this is a celebration of smarts, hard work and ingenuity — and one that's engaging, thrilling and superb on a technical level as well. Where to watch it: In cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOdDd4NEeg BOMBSHELL Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker) Our thoughts: "Bombshell is the slick, shiny version of a ripped-from-the-headlines story, which earned global attention when it broke back in 2016. Airbrushed to buffer away blemishes and avoid tricky spots, it's watered down to deliver an easy, glossy, simplified narrative. " Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. Top image: Parasite.
Your mates at Concrete Playground know how much you guys love Nutella. Sydney lost its collective shit (and rightfully so) over those damn Tella Ball milkshakes, and Melbourne eats so much of the stuff they caused a temporary nation-wide shortage. As addictions go, we suppose it could be worse. Point is, when we heard there was going to be a toaster-shaped Nutella food truck rolling around the country, we figured you'd want to hear about it. Especially since all the goodies on board will be free. The food truck menu has been devised by Alistair Fogg, the man behind Sydney's Nighthawk Diner. Think stewed winter berries with Nutella and toasted coconut, raisin toast with Nutella and berries, and a crepe stack with Nutella and crispy bacon. It's only one item per customer per day, unfortunately. Let's just say at this stage, we're not ruling out the possibility of trailing the truck from town to town like the insatiable groupies we so clearly are. The road trip begins in Sydney's Wynyard Park on Wednesday, June 15. Other stops in the Harbour City include Centenary Park (June 16), Sydney Uni (June 17) and Glebe Markets (June 18), before the long haul down the Hume Highway via Lithgow (June 19), Goulburn (June 20), Wagga Wagga (June 21), Albury (June 22), Bendigo (June 23) and Ballarat (June 24). In Melbourne they'll hit St Kilda (June 25-26) and Southbank (June 27), before wrapping up their journey in Geelong (June 28). As for Brisbane, we've got our fingers crossed you might be added to the itinerary. If not, we'll send you a Nutella-smeared postcard. Find the complete list of dates, times and locations for the Nutella Road Trip at the official Facebook page.
When Skrillex and Four Tet took to the Coachella stage back in April, they did so to help plug a gap left by Frank Ocean dropping out of the Californian festival's second weekend. When they make the trip Down Under this spring, however, they won't be filling in for anyone, headlining 2023's just-announced lineup for electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out. Back for another year — after 2022 marked its first gigs since 2019 — this fest will do the rounds throughout September, hitting up Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney over two weekends. This is the first time that Skrillex will play gigs in Australia since Listen Out 2018 and, as well as Four Tet, the DJ and producer will have plenty of company. Also on the bill: Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Piri, venbee, Mallrat and Jyoty, as well as Marc Rebillet, Metro Boomin and Kenny Beats. Ebony Boadu will be on hosting duties, and there are still more acts to be announced. 2023's fests mark Listen Out's tenth birthday, and will bring curated stages to its four stops. So, The Atari Stage is primarily about hip hop artists, while 909 Stage features major dance acts. Then, over on the Prophet Stage, you'll enjoy cutting-edge electronic and house acts. [caption id="attachment_900830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leo K[/caption] Also hitting the road, albeit just with one stop: Listen In, a condensed version of the fest with a smaller lineup that'll solely play Adelaide. Folks in South Australia can look forward to Skrillex, Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Piri, Marc Rebillet, Arrdee and Friction, plus more to be announced. LISTEN OUT 2023 DATES: Saturday, September 23 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Sunday, September 24 — HBF Arena, Joondalup, Perth Friday, September 29 — Caribbean Gardens, Melbourne Saturday, September 30 — Centennial Park, Sydney LISTEN OUT 2023 LINEUP: Arrdee Coi Leray Four Tet Friction Ice Spice Jbee Jpegmafia Jyoty Kenny Beats Lil Uzi Vert Mallrat Marc Rebillet Metro Boomin Piri Skrillex Spinall Venbee Wongo B2B Little Fritter Young Franco Yunè Pinku Ebony Boadu as host 1TBSP Ayebatonye Donatachi Handsome Kobie Dee VV Pete Willo Plus triple j Unearthed artists to be announced + more LISTEN IN 2023 DATES: Friday, September 22 — Ellis Park, Adelaide LISTEN IN 2023 LINEUP: Arrdee Friction Ice Spice Lil Uzi Vert Marc Rebillet Piri Skrillex Plus triple j Unearthed artist to be announced + more Listen Out and Listen In's 2023 season tours Australia in September. For more information, or to buy tickets from 12/1pm (times vary depending on the city) from Thursday, May 18, head to the festival website. Top image: Josef W.
Brisbane's riverside dining and drinking scene just reclaimed a beloved favourite: the reopening Riverbar + Kitchen. For the past ten years, the Eagle Street spot has been an easy go-to for drinks by the water, and with a view of the Story Bridge. Out of action since late-February due to the city's floods, the Solotel and Matt Moran co-owned venue has now started welcoming patrons back in. Since Wednesday, October 19, Riverbar + Kitchen is back doing what it always has: serving up bites to each and beverages by the old brown snake. It took eight months to get the venue up and running again after it was fully submerged during the flooding — with just the tops of its yellow-and-white striped umbrellas sticking out of the water — but now the bar is back with a Miami Beach shack look and a new menu. Still nestled into Riparian Plaza's promenade level, where it first opened a decade ago, the new-look Riverbar + Kitchen now sports bright hues and white-washed wooden features, but one thing has definitely remained the same: those brollies. Menu-wise, the new all-day menu includes eggs benedict, house pasties, buttermilk pancakes and honey-roasted granola for breakfast; then seared pejo barramundi, cheeseburgers and chargrilled cauliflower for lunch and dinner. The latter selection also covers beet cured salmons, tuna carpaccio and a range of pizzas, plus a flourless chocolate cake. That culinary range heroes locally sourced seafood, plus plenty of fresh local produce in general. As for the refreshed drinks list, it features sips by the glass and jug. Brunch service — booze including the 'Wham Bam Jam' (Bombay Bramble Gin, strawberry jam, rose and a shiraz float). As for those tipples to share, that's where 'Cherry Pie' (Sailor Jerry, cherry heering, cranberry, orgeat, lime and soda) comes in.
When I first signed up for a day of whitewater rafting on Tropical North Queensland's Tully River I was pumped. I can't say it had ever been on my bucket list, but as a new resident of North Queensland I was keen to do anything that meant I got to explore the deep north – so I couldn't turn down this RedBalloon experience. My alarm on the morning of the adventure went off at 5.15am, and my dreams of being flung out the raft and thrown into white water came to an end. Mild panic had begun to settle in. By the time I arrived at the meeting point in Cairns where our tour bus was waiting to drive us to the riverside destination, I was scheming ways to get out of it. We travelled down the Bruce Highway past sugar cane fields, banana plantations and cloud-covered coastal mountains. About an hour later, the road started getting narrower, the surrounding vegetation more lush, and glimpses of the river opened up to full views. We got off the bus and our guide Gregor helped with my helmet and life jacket, then I grabbed a paddle and headed down the path with five strangers towards our raft. As we paddled towards our first lot of rapids I tried to recall the instructions on what to do. I realised that upon entering the raft, I'd been way too focused on wedging my foot in between the seats to ensure I was attached no matter what and forgot to listen. As the menacing whitewater looked like it was about to engulf us I didn't know whether to squeeze my eyes shut or hold on tight, or both. Neither of the options included helping to paddle. [caption id="attachment_593255" align="alignnone" width="1280"] This is me terrified and holding on to the rope.[/caption] Then Gregor's clear, calm voice came from the back of the raft, "Okay guys, this is how today will work," he said. "Listen to me and you'll be fine. I promise to give really simple instructions. We're going to have heaps of fun getting to know this river." I wasn't 100 per cent convinced but I did listen to him. My life was in his hands. "Okay guys, here we go! Paddle forward, forward, forward aaaand relax. Now back paddle, back, back, back aaaand relax." I did relax. Honestly. As soon as we'd cleared the first lot of rapids I knew I was in safe hands with a pro river guide and a bunch of people who were a mix of fairly experienced thrill-seekers and newbie thrill-seekers like me. Gregor maneuvered the raft through the first lot of rapids expertly. With names like 'Double D Cup', I couldn't help but giggle (nervously) as we approached them and then scream/laugh as we rode through them. Gregor informed us they were the trickiest set we'd encounter. I didn't want to ask if he meant before lunch or throughout the whole day, so I kept my mouth shut and rejoiced with the rest of my team that we'd aced it. As we floated into calmer waters we got out of the raft for a swim, letting the cool, crystal-clear waters take us past springs and falls while the magnificent rainforest growth of the gorge towered overhead. Ulysses butterflies flying above us came along for the ride too. After a refreshing shower under Pony Tail Falls we hopped on to dry land for a barbecue lunch in the middle of the rainforest before setting off to tackle the rest of the rapids. This time around, it was panic-free. By the end of the day I was jumping off a 5-metre-tall rock formation. As I bobbed up to the surface, I was chuffed with myself for being a bit of a daredevil. I knew I would've regretted not giving the jump a go, which sums up how I felt about the whole day. From the first "aaaand relax" from Gregor, my worries seemed silly. Photos from the day show that I was holding on to the safety ropes a lot, which made my team mates ask whether I'd actually done any paddling. But I did. I promise. Book your white water rafting adventure (or gift it to someone else) at RedBalloon. Images: RedBalloon.
FOMO — Australia's clash-free, one-day summer festival — is back for a fourth year. This year, it's making its return to Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, and bringing the full festival to Melbourne for the first time ever. Leading the program is famed American-Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, who released her high-energy, highly acclaimed fourth album Queen just last month — which features everyone from The Weeknd to Ariana Grande, Eminem and Lil Wayne. Hot on her heels is Mississippi's Rae Sremmurd, the hip-hop trio best-known for its chart-topping hit 'Black Beatles' made in collaboration with Gucci Mane. Meanwhile, Florida's Lil Pump is heading Down Under for the first time, bringing hits 'Gucci Gang', 'Esskeetit' and songs from his yet-to-be released album Harvard Dropout, and electro music producer Mura Masa will break up the hip hop and rap with his disco tunes. Also on the schedule is Kali Uchis, making her Australian debut and performing hits off her widely acclaimed album Isolation, along with the mononymous avant-garde Sophie, Australia's own Anna Lunoe, and Dutch experimental artist San Holo, among others. FOMO will kick off on Brisbane's Riverstage on Saturday, January 5, before moving to Parramatta Park in Sydney, on Saturday, January 12, and then to Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Sunday, January 13. Pre-sales start at 10am local time on Wednesday, September 5 and general sales at 10am local time on Thursday, September 6. $1 from every sale is going to refugee charity Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and, if you can't afford your ticket in one fell swoop, you can opt for a payment plan, which lets you pay it off via monthly instalments. Only available for festivalgoers in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. Here's the full lineup. FOMO 2019 LINEUP Nicki Minaj Rae Sremmurd Lil Pump Mura Masa Kali Uchis San Holo Anna Lunoe Sophie Cosha Carmouflage Rose Just A Gent MIMI triple j Unearthed winners FOMO 2019 DATES Saturday, January 5 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, January 6 — Elder Park, Adelaide Saturday, January 12 — Parramatta Park, Sydney Sunday, January 13 — Festival Hall, Melbourne FOMO will take place in January 2019. Tickets go on sale this week. For more info, visit fomofestival.com.au. FOMO image: Mitch Lowe
Bars where you can do more than just sit around and drink are really having a moment in Brisbane, and specifically in Fortitude Valley. In no small part, it's thanks to the ever-expanding empire of Funlab. The company is in charge of the ever-popular Holey Moley, plus Strike Bowling in the CBD and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq down in Sydney. Of course, Holey Moley leads the charge in the Valley's boozy kidulting scene, alongside the independently owned Netherworld. Now, Funlab has just launched its latest brainchild: B. Lucky & Sons. It's a kidult-friendly bar-meets-arcade with some actually good pawn-shop prizes, instead of the usual plastic crap you get. Think vintage Chanel bags, classic cameras and rare vinyls, plus Playstation 4s. Yup, they've gone real old school-meets-new school with this one. The bar is now open in the Valley's TCB Building — and it's hidden behind the facade of an old pawn shop, so expect something a little bit different. Like its Melbourne counterpart, the venue is also decked out with eclectic furnishings, from old-world casino chandeliers to neon-lit red octagonal booths. This East-meets-West fit-out extends to the food, where pizzas are topped with the likes of crispy wonton wrappers and bonito flakes or sausage, gravy and potato crisps. For drinks, the bar slings canned cocktails, alcoholic bubble teas and other creative concoctions — like Taro Bang (Frangelico, rum and taro with blueberry pearls and jellies) and the Passion Crackle (vodka, passion fruit and peach teas with apple flavoured pearls and jellies). Not to mention punch bowls served with floral tea cups, a gold-rimmed espresso martini and one with a side of toast and raspberry jam. The bar's games are clear throwbacks for the millennial generation — featuring everything from Mario Kart and Daytona to NBA Hoops. And although the venue is open to littluns during the day, it's strictly adults-only at night, so you don't have to worry about being laughed at by a ten-year-old when you fall off Rainbow Road for the fourteenth time. Images: Zennieshia Photography
The afternoon before I'm due to hop on a plane for my first ever skiing experience, I decide to be a little more organised than usual and make a list of things to pack. After all, I'd never even seen proper powder before — it couldn't hurt to make sure I was prepared. The QT Falls Creek, where I'd be staying, assured me I could hire everything I needed, but I checked in with Facebook anyway. "You need a facewarmer!" "THIN woollen socks under your boots!" "No cotton!" "You'll need goggles, you can't hire them!" "SERIOUSLY I'M NOT KIDDING ABOUT THE FACEWARMER." The Snow had always been something other people did; I am not outdoorsy, my family holidays tending towards reading and puzzles rather than adventure sports, and the whole skiing-snowboarding thing seemed to me to be an expensive, bro-y pastime that required wearing more neon manmade fabrics than I cared to think about. QT Falls Creek had three days and two nights to convert me. [caption id="attachment_587920" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Falls Creek QT.[/caption] DO If you're a nervous flyer like me, you might need to take a moment after the flight to Albury in a propeller plane. We were shuttled to the casually glam Atura Hotel in Albury, where we enjoyed a very good breakfast buffet in the huge open-plan lobby/dining area,which looks a little like a Typo exploded in it (lots of dark industrial textures, whimsical mismatching and pastel ceramic pineapples). You've got a long drive out to Falls Creek ahead of you, so it's a great option to stay or at least rest in Albury first. It's slowly building a rep as a great foodie regional centre, and the low-lying, hill-fringed farmland just outside the city is an extremely pretty place to drive through — read our Weekender's Guide to Albury for tips. The family-owned Falls Creek Coach Services will drive you and up to three mates the hour and a half from Albury to the door of your hotel or lodge and then back again, all for a bit over $700 — which, compared to wrangling a hire car up snowy mountain roads only for it to sit covered in snow for three days, is solid value. After being driven out through vast, hilly countryside and up the mountain in a super-comfy new Land Rover (while I made squee noises as the size of the ACTUAL SNOW snowdrifts on the side of the road increased the higher we climbed), we were checked into the QT Falls Creek, fitted for gear at the hire shop, and booked into a private ski lesson. QT Falls Creek is a ski-in-ski-out resort — this means it's right there where the slopes and lifts are, so you can come and go as you please, instead of having to schlep to where the skiing is with all your gear and then schlep back. This is perfect for the newbie skier; it was hard enough working out how I was supposed to walk in my rented boots (tip: don't do them all the way up until you're at the lift) as I clumped the ten metres from the door of the QT to the Cloud Nine lift for my lesson. [caption id="attachment_587914" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Falls Creek QT.[/caption] As the lift scooped us up I squeaked in surprise at the speed, trying to hold onto all my skis and poles and bits as the ground dropped away, but then suddenly it was quiet, and all there was was a white sky dropping flecks of itself into the wind, dark trees with white-laden branches, skiers weaving silently beneath us, and it was the prettiest damn thing ever. Those interludes between the hubbub at each end were easily my favourite way to appreciate this new landscape. Also, guys, skiing is hard. You'd think that there wouldn't be much more to it than just letting gravity win in a controlled fashion — kids can do it! — but that control is hard to get. Snow is slippery, it turns out, particularly when it's packed down, and rented boots aren't ideal when you need to have both comfort and control (thick socks are your enemy); but they're very welcoming to adult newbies, and a couple of ruddy, polite young men had me pizza-slicing like a pro (that's how you stop) and edging up tiny snowdrifts sideways with a sure-footedness that would make mountain goats jealous. Despite taking multiple breaks to get the feeling back in my feet, on the second day I managed to slide, terrified, and fall, confidently, down a gently sloping 100m strip of mountain, while being overtaken by literal toddlers. You go downhill a lot faster than you'd think, but the first time I tucked in my elbows and picked up a teeny bit of speed, I felt like Bond. After copping my first ever windburn that first afternoon, I was a little nervous about the facial treatment booked in for me at the cosy SpaQ. But, duh, they're used to dealing with skin that's been out in the weather all day, and therapist Tara worked mandarin-scented scrubby aloe vera magic on my poor face. (I'm not a massage person, but if you're ski-sore, the thermal massage with warming oils got rave reviews from my dinner companions.) A couple of days later, when the ruddiness was completely gone, my skin looked better than it has in years — I'll be paying a visit to the SpaQ in the Sydney CBD soon to try and replicate the magic. STAY The QT consists of a couple of discrete angular buildings along the main road; if you drive up yourself, you can park further down the mountain and catch shuttles up to the resort. Our three-bedroom apartment was large and surprisingly airy, with a tiled living area (all the better for shedding snowy layers, but still somehow warm underfoot), a decent kitchen with a well-stocked minibar and free tea and Nespresso, sleek bathrooms supplied with extremely stealable unisex Malin + Goetz toiletries, and a fairly neutral colour scheme (rather than locking themselves into a style, QT wisely kept the trendy decorative touches to easily swapped-out things like textiles). There was also our very own hot tub outside, which seemed hilarious to me, given how exposed the balcony was, jutting out from the corner of the building. But the view from there, and from the tall windows inside, allowed for both people-watching and snow-watching, and even glimpses of the valley below during short gaps in the whiteout. There are heaps of activities at Falls Creek outside the snow season, like mountain biking and bushwalking, and I figured you could certainly do worse than to hole up in front of that view with a beer on a balmy afternoon, all for seriously bargain off-peak rates. As well as the gear hire shop, which also functions as a souvenir and apparel shop, there's a well-stocked Foodworks and even a little boutique selling drapey knits and locally made jewellery — and that's just around the QT buildings. You can go for a walk to the other resorts and lodges, but there's no need to leave the QT area at all if you just want to chill. Tucking into the full-sized bottle of extremely decent Cab Sav from the minibar before bed, we debated trying out the jacuzzi; but the wind was whipping sleet against the windows, and extremely comfortable beds with crisp white sheets called to our tired newbie bones. EAT AND DRINK The breakfast and dinner buffets at QT's main restaurant, Bazaar, were so good-looking that I found myself cackling with glee under my breath as I surveyed my options, much the same way I once did as I planned tactical assaults on the Sizzler all-you-can-eat dessert bar. There are no cubes of jelly and tubs of smarties here, though; the desserts include bijoux bites of panna cotta or crèmes in tiny jars sprinkled with crushed pistachios or brownie crumbs, pleasingly rustic eclairs in various flavours, and heavy dishes full of homey puddings (a rhubarb crumble one night, choc-espresso bread and butter pudding the next). The savoury options — grouped loosely into cuisines, ranging from East and South Asian to Italian and Just Give Me All The Cheese You Have — vary every day, making every meal an adventure in avoiding food FOMO. I managed to remember to order from the chefs standing patiently behind the counters a couple of times (a slim but juicy rump steak on my first night, and an omelette with everything the next morning) but mostly got distracted piling my plate up with bright noodle salad and clouds of bacon risotto, and gazing wistfully at regimented rows of shellfish on ice that were so cartoonishly beautiful I considered trying to just talk myself into liking the taste of seafood. Breakfast is similarly generous: whether you want a full English, a bowl of porridge to sustain you through the day, or one of every flavour of milk and juice in tiny bottles with striped paper straws, you're sorted. The Stingray Lounge offers a range of things for lunch that are fried and/or covered in cheese; it's a little half-hearted, but after a morning of getting your cheeks ruddy up on the big hill, you'll want to fold that basic fried chicken burger in half and swallow it whole, so there's no need to overthink it. Cocktail-wise, keeping to the classics pays off: a spot-on espresso martini here, a brightening rum toddy there. As I hopped off the lift after an ill-fated snowboarding lesson on my last morning (two points of contact with the ground are definitely better than one), I spotted the hole-in-the-wall coffee shop tucked away near the SpaQ entrance. One of the hire shop staff recommended their coffee as the best on the mountain, but I found myself ordering a Polar Bear — a white hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps and Baileys — as I was convinced that my ski-bunny initiation was incomplete without warmed alcohol. Then, back in the apartment, I eyed off the icicles on the balcony railing and the gentle waft of the snowflakes, and decided it was now or never. Beanie on head, still-warm Polar Bear in hand, I placed my towel within arm's reach and slid into the welcoming embrace of the hot tub. I sat there for a good 20 minutes, gazing out at the flashes of dark-ridged mountains visible through the mist on the other side of the valley, cosier than a joey in a jumper, not even thinking about what I might be missing on the internet, thinking about nothing at all except how nice it was. Drinking hot, boozy milk in my balcony hot tub, with the sounds of kids laughing and lift machinery clanking and Feist on the Stingray sound system, all damped by that canopy of white that went forever — I can see myself doing The Snow again, but boy, did this place set the bar high. Dylan French stayed as a guest of Falls Creek QT.
The world's best game of connect the dots is currently happening in Brisbane. Step foot inside Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, and it begins — first with a multi-coloured, circled-covered sculpture, then with giant yellow spheres suspended from the ceiling. Bright canvases blasted with tiny pinpricks, portraits of animals surrounded by giant rings, mannequins with orb-like structures protruding from their torso — the list goes on. They're present on paintings of pumpkins, on recreations of the Venus de Milo and when you peer into a mirrored hexagon through a circular porthole. Of course, given that GOMA is currently playing host to a free 70-plus piece retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's work, dots are inescapable. Whether peppered across other objects, floating through the air or plastered across a white room by a willing audience, they've been a part of the Japanese artist's work since she was ten years old. Ask her why, and she has a simple answer: "I am just another dot in the world," she has famously replied — and it couldn't better encapsulate the feeling of looking at her repetition-filled, infinity-pondering artistry. That sentiment doesn't just echo throughout the gallery. It's written on one of its walls — not that visitors need the reminder, given the round shapes that linger everywhere you look. The exhibition might be called Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow after one of her most recent pieces, but at the heart of that rainbow sits a giant circle. Yes, we mean that literally. It's one of the last paintings on display, so you'll see it for yourself. Co-curated with the National Gallery Singapore, where the exhibition displayed until September, the vast showcase also spans everything from Kusama's 'net' paintings and soft sculptures to her black-and-white pieces and video work — and, all of the dot-flecked pieces that you could imagine. Running in Brisbane until February 11, 2018, it's an immersive experience that has to be seen to be truly understood and appreciated. Here's six things to look out for along the way. [caption id="attachment_646485" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] I WANT TO LOVE ON THE FESTIVAL NIGHT A mirrored hexagonal box isn't the type of thing that you see every day. Neither is the kaleidoscopic array of colourful lights shining brightly inside. An Instagrammer's dream, I WANT TO LOVE ON THE FESTIVAL NIGHT was specially created for the exhibition's Singapore stint, though it has evolved from her 1966 effort, Kusama's Peep Show. You'll want to peer into each of the structure's three viewing holes, and, given the changing hues, you'll want to stay staring through each for at least a few minutes. [caption id="attachment_646487" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] THE HEART OF KUSAMA'S RAINBOW Colour abounds in Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow, just like dots; but standing in one particular room in the exhibition will make you feel like you're bathing in several pails of paint. The bright, spiky shapes of Kusama's sculptures combine with the vibrant hues and vivid lines in her paintings, making the room seem alive. And that's without featuring any of the artist's immersive installations in this specific space. [caption id="attachment_646493" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] THE OBLITERATION ROOM It's an old favourite for a reason, and it's back. Interactive in the best, brightest and most fun possible way, The Obliteration Room stems from Kusama's childhood perception, seeing the world through a screen of tiny dots. After "obliterating" her work with dots from that moment, she now asks everyone else to do the same. You step inside a room, painted white from floor to ceiling — including all of its surfaces, fixtures, furniture and objects too — and then add spots of colour in sticker form. Yes, running around sticking spots on everything is as fun and therapeutic as it sounds. [caption id="attachment_646512" align="aligncenter" width="1926"] Sarah Ward[/caption] SOUL UNDER THE MOON Other than dots, one thing is certain at Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow: whatever day or time you visit, there'll be a line visible on the other side of the exhibition entrance. It's for the most immersive aspect of the show, and it's well worth the wait. While you're only allowed inside SOUL UNDER THE MOON for 30 seconds given the queue, you'll find a dark, mirrored room filled with suspended glowing balls awaiting once you enter. Be careful not to step too far when you're marvelling at its luminous sights that appear to go on forever (or taking snaps), or you'll find yourself in water. [caption id="attachment_646510" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] PUMPKINS AND POLLEN If you can wander through Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow and leave without feeling the need to eat pumpkin, then you clearly haven't spent enough time looking at Kusama's orange corner. You won't just find paintings of vegetables on display here, but sculptures that look like mutated pollen, a horror-movie like tentacle piece called Sex Obsession, and quite the blend of fabric, stylised anatomy and paint. Just when your cravings subside, however, you'll enter the mirrored THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS — and you'll be seeing pumpkins for days. [caption id="attachment_646494" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] KUSAMA'S VIDEO WORK Amidst the colour, movement, mirrors and dots of GOMA's exhibition, it's easy to walk past the dark room out the back — but don't. Inside, you'll find documents and video works from throughout Kusama's career, plus a seat to sit down and watch. Doing just that is recommended, whether you want to see the artist walk through the streets five decades ago, or see her stick dots on a cat. Yes, the latter does happen, and yes, it's as fantastic as it sounds. "If there's a cat, I obliterate it by putting polka dot stickers on it," is another of her famous quotes, after all. Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibits at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until 11 February 2018. For more information, head to the gallery website. Images: Anwyn Howarth / Sarah Ward.
A brand new streaming service could change the way you watch new release movies — assuming you're willing to fork over the cash. The latest online endeavour from Napster co-founder Sean Parker, Screening Room wants to bring movies into your living room on the same day they hit cinemas. The idea has already received backing from several major Hollywood filmmakers, including Peter Jackson, Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. But hostile theatre chains and prohibitive costs could mean the service remains a way off yet. The biggest hurdle, it would seem, is the cost of the service. Subscribers would need to purchase a US$150 set top box, after which they'd be charged $50 per film, which would remain available to them for 48-hours. Admittedly, you're paying for the convenience of not having to leave the house, and if you get enough people to chip in, it could easily work out cheaper than going to the cinema. But by the same token, if you're willing to wait a few months, you'll be able to watch the exact same movie on Netflix for a fraction of the price. The reason for the cost is in part to placate theatre owners, who might understandably be none too pleased about Parker trying to muscle in on their territory. According to Variety, as much as $20 out of each $50 rental fee would be paid to exhibitors, in return for two free tickets to see the given film in theatres, should Screening Room subscribers so choose. Film studios would also get a substantial slice of the pie, with Universal, Sony Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox all expressing interest in getting on board. There have, however, been several prominent naysayers, including filmmakers James Cameron and Christopher Nolan, who reaffirmed their commitment to theatrical presentation. It's easy to see their point: films are designed to be viewed on the big screen with the best possible picture and sound, something that cannot be replicated at home. On the other hand, it only takes one jerk on their phone in front of you to ruin the whole experience. Of course regardless of what happens with the Screening Room, we'd wager it'll still be quite a while before it makes its way to Australia. Looks like movie night is still a go, for now. Via Variety.
Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can't like both arts and sports. Whenever a film or TV awards ceremony rolls around, that's clearly proven wrong. Watching great movies and television shows get the attention they deserve, as well as the talented folks that make them, is the screen entertainment equivalent of a grand final — with the same amount of thrills. At this year's Golden Globes, that included a red carpet filled with black-hued outfits to make an important statement, Oprah Winfrey giving one of the most inspiring and extraordinary speeches you'll ever hear about oppression and the fight for equality, and host Seth Meyers making Kevin Spacey jokes. And that's not to mention Tommy Wiseau living his dreams and taking to the stage, Natalie Portman pointing out that there was not one female nominated for best director and Amy Poehler popping up as well. Plus, whether some of your most anticipated films of 2018 won plenty of shiny ornaments (hello The Shape of Water and Lady Bird) or you're certain the best damn thing on any big or small screen was thoroughly robbed (yes, we're talking about Twin Peaks), we can still watch all of the best and the rest once the ceremonies are over. Indeed, this year's Globes winners have gifted us all with quite the must-watch list of both quality efforts to catch up on, and others coming to screens near us soon. Here's our pick of their picks. Get viewing. BIG SCREEN MUST-SEES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA& THE SHAPE OF WATER Building his career out of monster movies in multiple guises, Guillermo del Toro has proven himself a master at creature features of the moving and unusual kind — think Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and even haunted house effort Crimson Peak. Compared to the above, The Shape of Water floats through its own stream of romance and drama, and yet it could've only been made by this year's Golden Globe winner for best director. Here, Sally Hawkins plays a mute woman who works nights cleaning at a top-secret government lab, only to fall for its prized possession: a man-like amphibian. The film won top honours at last year's Venice Film Festival, and it's likely to keep collecting them in the next couple of months. It's that entrancing and wonderful. GLOBES Won: Best Director — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Alexandre Desplat) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Sally Hawkins), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Octavia Spencer), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Richard Jenkins), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) In cinemas January 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzgTHyEv5Ng LADY BIRD Greta Gerwig, sitting solo in the director's chair for the first time in her career, didn't even score a nomination in that Golden Globes category. No female filmmakers did. As ridiculous as that is, her film won half of the fields it was nominated in anyway. A clearly personal endeavour for the Frances Ha and Mistress America star, Lady Bird wanders through life in her hometown of Sacramento circa 2002, spinning the exploits of its titular character (Saoirse Ronan) into one of the most relatable coming-of-age flicks to grace the big screen in years. No wonder it took out the gong for best musical or comedy film, and that fantastic Irish talent Ronan (Brooklyn) won best actress in the same category. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Saoirse Ronan) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Laurie Metcalfe), Best Screenplay - Motion Picture (Greta Gerwig) In cinemas February 15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZ3r-84EQc THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI If Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri wasn't already an Oscar frontrunner, it is now, winning best drama, best actress in a drama, best supporting actor and best screenplay. They're all well-earned awards for Martin McDonagh's black comedy about a mourning mother doing whatever it takes to motivate her local police force, though none is more deserved than star Frances McDormand's. She's in typical top form spouting McDonagh's typically coarse dialogue; however, the always-fantastic Rockwell shouldn't be underestimated for bringing nuance to a difficult role either. Our only gripe about its Globes success? That the fleet-footed Rockwell didn't dance when he won his statuette. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Frances McDormand), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Sam Rockwell), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh) Nominated: Best Director — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Carter Burwell) In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DT41LF22ZA THE DISASTER ARTIST Well, we all know what The Disaster Artist 2 should focus on. James Franco might've won best actor in a musical or comedy for playing Tommy Wiseau, but there wasn't a fan of The Room didn't break into an enormous smile when the real-life man himself took to the stage as well. He might've missed out on another chance to leap up when The Disaster Artist couldn't turn its second nomination — for best musical or comedy flick — into a trophy, but he stole the show as he tried to steal the microphone away from the man who imitated him perfectly. Next stop: the Oscars, hopefully. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (James Franco) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyjnzhXJlHU IN THE FADE Diane Kruger may be the most famous German-born actress working today, but she hadn't starred in a German-language film until In the Fade. At Cannes last year, she won best actress for her troubles, but at the Golden Globes, it was the movie's time to shine. Under writer/director Fatih Akin's guidance, the best foreign-language feature winner is an exploration of terror, mourning and revenge that — like much of what we're seeing on screens these days — is all-too timely and relevant. It's also on the shortlist for the same field at the Oscars, so expect to keep hearing about it. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language Release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIm1PyBSwc COCO In an industry increasingly ruled by sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, resurrections, cinematic universes and franchises that'll still be going long after we're all dead, it's always a joy to see a studio rewarded for taking a chance. While Pixar was once known for only making original stories — albeit, always about toys, monsters, robots and even feelings having feelings — their love of follow-ups like the terrible Cars 3 changed that. Then came Coco, which isn't the first animated film to play with Mexico's Dîa de los Muertos celebrations, but it is the most gorgeous, engaging and heart-swelling. A great pick for best animated film, it overflows with warmth and authenticity as it charts a 12-year-old boy chasing his music dreams into the Land of the Dead. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Animated Nominated: Best Original Song — Motion Picture In cinemas now — read our review. FUTURE SMALL SCREEN BINGES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL Calling all Amy Sherman-Palladino fans. If you loved Gilmore Girls and Bunheads, then you'll follow the American TV writer, director and producer anywhere, including to her latest show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Winning best comedy TV series, and best actress for star Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) too, it's the best show you probably haven't seen yet about a New York housewife trying out her stand-up comedy chops in the late 1950s. It should come as no surprise that Joan Rivers was one of the inspirations for the series, and that it is equally hilarious, heartfelt and finely observed, with the usual Sherman-Palladino charms in abundance. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Rachel Brosnahan) Now streaming on Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9P34WqoBtQ BIG LITTLE LIES The series everyone was talking about in early 2017 just keeps garnering attention — turning a limited run into a second season, sweeping the Emmys and now doing the same at the Golden Globes. The only nods Big Little Lies didn't turn into victories? When it had two actresses competing against each other in both the lead and supporting actress categories. Winners Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgård, and nominees Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley all star in this adaptation of Aussie Liane Moriarty's novel, about the mothers of first-graders attending the same school in California's Monterey. With filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild, Cafe de Flore) in the director's chair for all seven episodes, it's a deep and complex ride through topics that aren't always thrust into the spotlight. GLOBES Won: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Nicole Kidman), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Alexander Skarsgård), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Reese Witherspoon), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Shailene Woodley) Now streaming on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs THE HANDMAID'S TALE 2017 couldn't have been been a better time for The Handmaid's Tale to make it to the small screen. If that felt true when it first aired, the series' depiction of the oppression of women in a near-future dystopian society only proved more powerful as events played out in Hollywood as the year went on. The show's topical nature is only one of the its selling points, however, with everything about the adaptation of Margaret Atwood's ahead-of-its-time novel drawing you into an utterly unnerving realm. Standout and best actress in a drama winner Elisabeth Moss is particularly fantastic as Offred, one of the still-fertile women forced into sexual servitude to bear the ruling elite's children, while the series' mastery of mood and tone will give you literal chills. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Drama (Elisabeth Moss) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Ann Dowd) Now streaming on SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzwZZjPHv3A FARGO When the idea of turning the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning black comedy Fargo into a television show was floated, fans were understandably skeptical. So specific in its tone, so tied to its directors' sensibilities and so driven by Frances McDormand's ace lead performance, would it work on the small screen? And if an attempt to do just that failed in 1997, why would it succeed now? Those fears were easily quelled by the excellent end result, and the anthology series has continued its stellar run across not one, or two, but three series to date. In the latest, newly minted best actor in a limited series winner Ewan McGregor plays two very different brothers, in another account of greed, crime and stupidity in snowy Minnesota climes. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Ewan McGregor) Nominated: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (David Thewlis) Now streaming on Netflix.
We've tried everything. Berocctails, toasted sandwiches, Icy Poles, B&E rolls, gallons and gallons of water, even military-grade cures. But there's been an cheeky little hangover cure lurking in fruit shops Australia-wide, the humble, oft overlooked nashi pear. According to ABC, new results suggest Korean pear juice could stop your hangover before it starts — the ultimate pre-game bev. Valiant scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have been hard at work delving into the unsung benefits of the pear, and while the study is still ongoing, they've apparently uncovered some pretty high-fiveworthy results. According to the study, people who drank Korean pear juice before a big night on the turps experienced milder hangovers the next day. It seems there's certain components in pears that speed up your ability to metabolise alcohol — this usually sits at around one drink per hour for your average human. You'll need to drink about a cup (seven ounces) of pear juice to get the shield going. Importantly, the pear juice must be sculled before drinking, not after, as there's no evidence the liquid gold will save you once you've got a hangover. So let's crank a nashi before we head on out on the whiskey. Here's a recipe we've pulled from Serious Eats' Carolyn Cope. PRE-GAME HANGOVER-FIGHTING NASHI PEAR JUICE INGREDIENTS: 1 cup fresh pear juice from about 4 nashi pears 1/4 cup (2 ounces) fresh basil juice from about 2 packed cups basil leaves and stems 1/4 cup (2 ounces) fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons, peel and pith removed 2/3 cup (about 5 ounces) fresh celery juice from about 4 large celery stalks DIRECTIONS: Blend/juice ingredients together thoroughly, divide between two glasses, and serve immediately. Servings: 2 Via ABC, Shape, Serious Eats. Images: Dollar Photo Club, Carolyn Cope.
Now that the Olympics are over and done with, the real sporting contests can begin. Next week, more than 300 competitors will descend upon a small, abandoned town in Italy. Their purpose? To decide beyond all doubt the greatest hide-and-seek player in the world. The epic contest will take place on September 3-4 in Consonno at the foot of the Alps. Once known as the 'Land of Toys', the village is home to an old amusement park, but was abandoned after a landslide in the mid-'70s cut off the only access road. If you can think of a better place for a massive game of hide-and-seek, we'd certainly like to hear it. This year will see 64 five-person teams complete for gold and glory. One of the members of last year's winning team told Quartz that the two-day tournament was "pretty competitive", and that "each team had their tactics." Just don't expect his team to share theirs, because "obviously we will never disclose them." Sounds like a wise move, especially since a Japanese university professor began lobbying the Olympic committee to include hide-and-seek at the Tokyo Games in 2020. Although to be honest, as Olympic sports go, this probably wouldn't make for particularly good TV viewing. Image: Marcello Brivio.
“People are realising that they’ve become pretty disconnected from their food — where it comes from, who grows it and what goes into it,” says Indira Naidoo. “And that’s why a lot of people are growing their own. They’re learning to grow organically, without pesticides, and discovering the taste is so much better because the food is grown fresh and picked as you need it, without storage or refrigeration or transportation.” Since transforming her inner-city balcony into a fresh feast, Indira has been promoting Australia's urban farming revolution. In her new book, The Edible City, she visits some of the nation’s most productive community gardens, including a rooftop retreat for Sydney's homeless, a bush-tucker patch connecting Indigenous school students with their heritage and a worm farm helping a Melbourne restaurant to reduce food waste. In the process, Indira gives readers inspiration and tips for starting their own projects, as well as 40 urban garden recipes. The Edible City follows her popular growers guide for beginners, The Edible Balcony. “More and more, our cities are becoming about concrete and steel,” she says. “There aren’t too many green spaces around. So starting a community garden is a beautiful way to connect with nature. And it’s also a place where you can make social connections. With iPhones, and travelling in cars, we are really isolated from our communities and disconnected from our neighbours. But gardens allow us to work towards something together.” Indira shared with us five of her top tips for starting an urban garden — be it your own project or a community venture. YOU’VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO POT BEFORE YOU LEARN HOW TO FARM “I think the first mistake that new gardeners make is that they can get a bit too enthusiastic. They go to their garden centre or hardware store and pick up lots and lots of seedlings and things – tomatoes and capsicums and chillis – and head back and plant a lot of stuff. And it gets overwhelming and a bit out of control. So, I recommend starting small. “Start with some woody herbs, like oregano, rosemary and thyme. They’re hardy. They don’t need as much water and they can take higher heat or higher cold. Then move onto soft-leafed, green herbs, like basil and parsley, and then lettuce. After that, try tomatoes and fruit, and then root vegetables.” FIND THE RIGHT SPACE — AND SIZE DOESN’T MATTER “The key thing is to find the right space to grow in. Make sure that it gets at least six to seven hours of sunlight per day. Vegetables love sunlight. You need a water source as well, whether that’s a watering can or hose. “If you don’t have much space, grow in pots and choose plants that you eat a lot of. I eat plenty of salads and greens and herbs. So, on my window sill, I have one long, thin, pot that fits nicely, and sits on a little tray, so it catches the water. I put all my lettuces in and just give them a bit of water every morning. It’s so easy. I pick the outer leaves and the plant keeps growing, so one can last me three or four months. It’s perfect. If you have more space, for a bigger pot on the ground, put in a tomato seedling – a cherry variety. They’re fun and delicious. Nothing tastes better than a home-grown tomato.” ONLY GROW WHAT YOU HAVE TIME FOR – AND STAY REGULAR “Think about how much time you have. I set aside about ten minutes a day for my plants. I’ve got about thirty pots and they keep me busy enough. Don’t put in too many if you don’t have much time. “Once you start planting, make sure you do things systematically. A garden needs regular attention. You can’t just look after things on a Wednesday and then ignore them for two weeks. You don’t need a lot of time, but you do have to be noticing changes daily or every second day, doing some watering, doing some weeding and checking for bugs or pests. It’s about putting in a little care over a period of time.” PROMOTE PLANT HEALTH TO KEEP THE BUGS AT BAY “Plants are just like humans. When you get run down, that’s when you get sick. So, if you keep your plants healthy – if you feed them well, make sure they’re in nutritious soil, fertilise them every two weeks – they’re less likely to get a bug problem. “I like using organic sprays, like Neem. They don’t harm the environment, so you still have good bugs in your pots, but they do put off an odour that moths and butterflies don’t like, so they don’t lay their eggs. And I also do a lot of companion planting. Bugs don’t like the smell of marigolds, so I put them around my basil. Sage and rosemary are good like that, too. “But you can always get bug problems, even if you’re the best gardener in the world. Insects are amazing colonisers and they find a way to get into everything. So, don’t get too despondent. I just say to myself, ‘Oh well I’m giving food to other creatures on the planet.’” GET THE TIMING RIGHT “As I explain in [Edible Balcony and Edible City], most vegetables are season-sensitive, so there’s only a few you could plant all through the year without any problem. It’s important to look at the seed packet or the little label on the seedling. “The beginning of spring is a really good time for planting across most of Australia. It’s perfect for greens, tomatoes, capsicum, chilli, eggplant ... You can put your seeds or seedlings directly into your beds or pots. I’ve a got a sunny windowsill, where I have a seed-growing tray, with a seed-growing mix which is lighter and sandier than normal potting mix. So I just pop in a few seeds and wait for them to germinate.” Tour Europe's urban gardens with Indira Naidoo in 2016 In 2016, Indira will travel to Europe to visit urban gardens in four cities – London, Amsterdam, Vienna and Berlin. And you’re invited. “It’s a way to show people that there are cities (unlike in Australia, sadly), where urban growing is taken very seriously. As the UN says, 20 percent of our food now comes from urban farms around the world, and there are lots of spaces we don’t think of that work – like underground tunnels for growing mushrooms and aquaponics systems. It’s just extraordinary, all the ways that we can grow food in cities, close to where we live.” Indira's book, The Edible City, is out now through Penguin Books.
As Sydneysiders, we're lucky to be situated so close to so many of Australia's most celebrated wine regions — Orange, Mudgee, Hunter Valley et al. Whether you're looking for organically-produced, family-operated, or even inner city-located, wine lovers have got it all at a stone's throw away. If you're a fan of the plonk and you're not taking advantage of NSW's seriously kickass vineyards, it's time to get those engines revving. Here are ten top notch vineyards in your own backyard, from the best wine regions in NSW. Take a few pro tips before you head along though. Cellar doors and tastings are, for the most part, free. FREE. Some you'll have to book in advance, but most just let you rock up on the day. You're not obliged to buy anything, but you do have to be polite and respectful (don't guzzle yourself into oblivion on someone's hard work). Have a chat, talk to the winemakers, taste as many wines as you like, and you'll probably buy a bottle of something — and prices are usually wholesale, so cheaper than buying it later at the bottle shop. Also, do not drive home. Have a plan. The rest? These winemakers will take you through the tasting process (novice winos are always welcome). You just have to get there. ORANGE The Orange region is known for its sophisticated winemaking and cool climate which creates wines with bright fruit and deep, balanced flavours. [caption id="attachment_565814" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Andy Fraser.[/caption] PHILLIP SHAW Lead by Orange wine pioneer Phillip Shaw himself, this family-owned and operated vineyard has been kicking goals since 1988 and they take wine very seriously — award-winning seriously. The wines are 100 percent sourced from the 47-hectare vineyard and their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are both life-changing. Believe us, this is a Chardy not to be missed. A trip to the cellar door is more akin to visiting a wealthy friend's country house; the building is distinguished by a stone exterior and interior, with large share tables for tastings and stunning mountain views. You might even meet the famous Big renovations are planned for this site, and could change the game for Orange cellar doors across the board. 100 Shiralee Road, Orange; Cellar Door Hours: Mon – Sun 11am – 5pm [caption id="attachment_565815" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Andy Fraser.[/caption] SASSY WINES This single vineyard winery is family-owned and operated by husband and wife duo Rob and Felicia 'Fliss' Coles. Their signature wine, the Arneis, is an ancient Italian white varietal that dates back to the 15th century. Their newish cellar door is simple and modern, with glass walls showcasing their vineyard views. The head winemaker, none other than Peter Logan of Logan Wines, is a big part of the process; the two vineyards share grapes and techniques, the Coles taking over the process in barrel phase. 569 Emu Swamp Rd, Emu Swamp; Cellar Door Hours: Sat 10am – 5pm; Sun 10am – 4pm KANGAROO VALLEY The Kangaroo Valley region is distinguished by its rich volcanic soil which is ideal for viticulture — aka growing grapes. YARRAWA ESTATE The winding pathway to the remote Yarrawa Estate is not an easy one to follow, but you'll be pleasantly surprise as the path opens to this lakeside vineyard. If the golden retrievers and frolicking children remind you of a visit to your family country home, well, it should — the cellar door is quite literally set in the Foster family dining room, where strangers momentarily become relatives. Apart from the incredible wine, they also offer a range of nuts, jams and pickles made from homegrown produce. Be sure to taste their homemade walnut liquor wine, a combination of both passions. 43B Scotts Rd, Upper Kangaroo River; Cellar Door Hours: Sat 10.30am – 5.30pm; Sun 12.30pm – 5.30pm HUNTER VALLEY Hunter Valley is known for their Semillon and Shiraz and is easily the most popular of the NSW wine regions. BROKENWOOD This vineyard was established in 1970 and they've been turning out impressive, award-winning wines for decades. In this small barn of a cellar door, you'll find a fun and relaxed staff who are clearly passionate about winemaking, giving the place an infectious energy. It's a snob-free atmosphere where you can taste some great wines without being pushed to buy. Their Semillon is a must try, having just won best varietal of the year from the Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2016, and the Cricket Pitch blends are ever-popular. Overall, the bright, airy atmosphere of the place makes it one of the more fun tastings to be had. 401-427 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin; Cellar Door Hours: Mon – Sat 9.30am – 5pm and Sun 10am – 5pm TEMPUS TWO Tempus Two is one of the more famous Hunter Valley vineyards for good reason — the wine here is a high-end, classy affair and the staff are extremely knowledgeable. Founded by the well-known McGuigan family, this slick, contemporary cellar door is a modern take on a country shed. The best part is that they'll let you taste the most expensive, vintage wines with no fee. The wine to try right now is their Uno Series Shiraz (2013), a cellar door exclusive. Feeling especially lavish? Set up a private tasting for up to 30 of your nearest and dearest. Corner of Broke & McDonalds Roads, Pokolbin; Cellar Door Hours: Mon – Sun 10am – 5pm SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS The Southern Highlands are characterised by the long, slow ripening period and high natural acidity which gives the wines a clean finish and noticeable fruit character. TERTINI WINES A relatively young vineyard, Tertini Wines has received much acclaim since establishing itself in 2000. Their award-winning Reserve Pinot Noir is worth the trek alone and their Riesling is especially tasty with honeysuckle and green apple notes. They hand-prune and handpick their grapes, with little cropping involved. The cellar door is a simple barn attached to the vineyard, amplifying the country feel of this notable winery. Kells Creek Road, Mittagong; Cellar Door Hours: Mon – Sun 10am – 5pm MUDGEE Mudgee styles are known for their diversity, from organic to international varietals, and turn out some seriously impressive wine for a small region. LOWE WINES For some ungodly reason, organic wine has gotten a bad rap over the years. Thankfully, Lowe Wines disproves this fallacy time and again. Owner David Lowe is extremely passionate and specialises in small-batch winemaking, his most popular varietal being the Zinfandel. The vineyard is untrellised, unirrigated and certified organic. Their wine is distributed mainly to independent bottle shops and restaurant and Lowe is truly a no-intervention grower that we'd love to see more of. Tinja Lane, Mudgee; Cellar Door Hours: Mon – Sun 10am – 5pm HILLTOPS The Hilltops region sits atop a large granite rock, creating deep soils that are well drained and ideal for grapevines. FREEMAN VINEYARDS Freeman Vineyards uses this unique region to their advantage, providing Australia's only plantings of two northern Italian origin grape varieties – Rondinella and Corvina – which are the source of their flagship and award-winning Freeman 'Secco' wine. Their winemaking process is also unique; the grapes are dried in a neighbour's solar-powered prune dehydrator and then aged for 12 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. All this work is worth it: the wine just received the Red 5-Star rating in the Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2016. 101 Prunevale Road, Prunevale; Tastings by Appointment SYDNEY CITY For the lazy Sydneysider who deserves great wine anyway. NOMAD Nomad champions the little guys in the winemaking business; they sell wine solely from local growers, giving the small producers out there the time to shine. Their cellar door offers wines that are generally not sold commercially, many of which you can also taste at their celebrated adjoining restaurant. Stop in for some charcuterie and a glass or two, or stay for the full shebang with the chef's premium share menu ($85 per person). If you're too lazy to make such a short trek, go for online delivery of these exclusive wines. 16 Foster Street, Surry Hills; Cellar Door/Restaurant Hours: Mon – Tues 6pm – 12am; Weds – Fri 12pm –2.30pm; 6pm – 12am; Sat 12pm – 2.30pm; 5.30pm – 11.30pm CAKE WINES Just opened on March 10, Cake Wines is shaping up to be Sydney's new go-to city winery. Set in a restored warehouse, the space pays homage to its industrial roots with recycled wooden furniture, barrel wall and exposed brick interior. You won't just be getting simple wine tastings here — head winemaker Sarah Burvill is running masterclasses, blending sessions and workshops. Apart from their own award-winning wines, they'll be stocking small-batch wine, craft beer, cider and spirits, all Sydney local. Add live music and late nights to the mix and you've got one out-of-the-box cellar door on your hands. 16 Eveleigh St, Redfern; Cellar Door Hours: Wed – Fri 5pm – 11pm; Sat 12pm – 11pm; Sun 12pm – 10pm. Honourable CBD mentions: Handpicked Cellar Door Urban Winery Sydney Top image: Nomad.
We don't have to tell you that coffee is big in this town. We'd be hard pressed to find a person who doesn't rely on a series of coffee hits to get them through the day in caffeine-fuelled increments. But as we all know, coffee is more than a drug; it is a gift to be cherished and relished. Brisbane folk are spoilt for choice when it comes to beans, blends, brewing techniques and devices, whether you prefer cold press, Aeropress, Chemex, Kalita Wave or otherwise. Fear not, espresso lover — you haven't stumbled into Pourover Central. Variety is the name of the game. However you like your cup, there is something for you on this list. More precisely, there is something for you at any single establishment on this list. JOSIE NORTH, TOOWONG If you're serious about your caffeinated beverages and you live in Brisbane's inner west, then you need to add this new Toowong spot to your morning hit list. Given that owner Matt Roggenkamp will be familiar to anyone who's frequented Kenmore roasters The Single Guys, the eatery's brew-centric focus is hardly surprising. You'll find coffee from Sydney's Reuben Hills and Melbourne's Seven Seeds and Small Batch on Josie's maiden menu, and no doubt smell their heavenly aromas wafting down the streets as well. Brissie blends may also pop up over time. 51 Sherwood Road, Toowong. JOHN MILLS HIMSELF, CBD If there is anything to learn in your journey towards coffee connoisseurship, it is that a brew bar's coffee cred is directly proportionate to how difficult it is to find. To wit, John Mills Himself is nigh on impossible to stumble upon. The search is worth the effort, just be on the lookout for the A-frame signs. 40 Charlotte Street, Brisbane. THE TILLER COFFEE, ALDERLEY If you're not a regular of The Tiller, it's because you don't live anywhere near Newmarket train station. If you did, you'd be there every morning. Staff (who are lovely) operate out of a storage container, serving up cups of liquid gold. The smooth and rounded house blend, Three Mile Scrub, is a definite crowd-pleaser. 81 Mina Parade, Alderley. PABLO & RUSTY'S, CBD At Pablo & Rusty's first Brisbane store, the Sydney-based roaster is committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure its black, caffeinated liquids really are the best they can be. And that means more than offering a stellar range of beans and blends — though you'll find those on the menu, including a single origin offering that rotates weekly, and comes as a double shot, batch-brewed or nitrogen-infused and chilled. 200 Mary Street, Brisbane. DANDELION & DRIFTWOOD, HENDRA At Dandelion and Driftwood, coffees are delivered to your table with a small card detailing the origin, grower and the growing altitude of the beans. It's difficult to choose a favourite between the toasty Dandelion blend, and the heavier Driftwood with its molasses notes. If you have the time and the inclination, take a seat at the very impressive looking brew bar for a more dedicated coffee experience. Shop 1, 45 Gerler Road, Hendra. STRAUSS, CBD Coffee, whether espresso or filter, is a serious business at Strauss. Another hidey-hole to make this list, the chic-looking place doubles as a bar for an adoring CBD crowd. The ever growing drinks list is impressive, as is the selection of masterclasses to which the cafe plays host. Their coffee remains their trump card though. 189 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane. LTD ESPRESSO, FORTITUDE VALLEY This Brunswick Street favourite has quite the reputation for churning out cups of quality coffee and not much else, aside from a piece of toast and the odd pastry. That's okay though, the limited non-coffee options keep the focus where it belongs. Be sure to grab a bottle of their cold press on your way out. 362 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley. By Sophia Edwards with Sarah Ward.
Reluctant pirates of Australia, this one's for you. Announced today, Australia's getting a brand new internet service, Yournet, which uses geododging to grant you access to TV from around the world. No VPN/funny business needed. Yournet is a soon-to-be-launched internet provider with a philosophy that everyone should pay for the content they consume, but also that Australians often get shafted out of competitive deals and easy access to good streaming services because of a certain someone’s monopoly on the market (Foxtel. It's Foxtel. Foxtel.). According to SMH, Yournet will un-geoblock your access to the holy grails of cheap TV streaming (US Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer) and other blocked foreign sites. Yournet will become available in August and you’re looking at an ADSL2+ connection for $129.95 with unlimited downloads, which is a wee bit more than your current (terrible) TPG bargain bin deal. But considering a good VPN will cost up to $10 a month and Yournet has an uncapped download limit, we’re pretty into it. Yournet is also designed specifically for people who like to procrastabinge-watch entire seasons of TV shows without slow buffering times reminding you of the mountain of responsibilities that lurk outside of the safe zone (your laptop-warmed, bed pillow fort). If you're using Yournet, you will need to find your own way to sign up for blocked overseas services and actually pay for the service. But once you're signed up, Yournet allows you to flick between platforms easily with the 'Global Mode' service — unlike many VPNs like Hola, which don't allow Australian geoblocked sites through to the rest of the world, you can just flick between BBC and ABC iView for example. With Australia's new copyright laws rolling out with gusto, this could be the solution that lets you hang up the cutlass and parrot. How this is possibly legal, we're still pretty in the dark. However, Fairfax references legal advice that this type of technology to bypass geoblocking is perfectly okay, something that consumer advocacy group CHOICE Australia thinks is not exactly correct. "It's possible that we'll see a legal challenge against Yournet, similar to the actions against Global Mode services in New Zealand," CHOICE campaigns manager Erin Turner told SMH. "CHOICE remains concerned that the recently passed Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015 will allow Australian rights holders to block access to online tools that allow consumers to access geo-blocked services. This isn't an anti-piracy measure, it's an anti-consumer measure that could see some of Australia's biggest companies block access to their international competitors." Check out Yournet here, launching in Australia in August. Via SMH.
The legendary, controversial performance artist who does 'nothing' is finally making her way to Australia, set to perform a brand new artwork. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the beloved and equally criticised 67-year-old artist, Marina Abramovic, has been invited by arts heavyweight John Kaldor to Sydney to perform a yet-to-be-revealed, shiny new work in June 2015. Famous (and the topic of furious debate) for her iconic 2010 work at NYC's Museum of Modern Art, The Artist is Present, Abramovic's work was last seen in Australia for Kaldor Public Art Project's applauded group exhibition 13 Rooms at Pier 2/3 — the work, Luminosity, which saw a naked artist wall-mounted on a bicycle seat for long periods of time (and didn't star Abramovic herself). For her mysterious new Sydney work, Abramovic will use the Pier 2/3 space herself, in one of the most squealworthy announcements for performance art lovers this side of the equator. But this isn't the first time Abramovic has been to Australia; before presenting Gold found by the artists with partner in crime Ulay at the 1979 Biennale of Sydney, the artist spent a cheeky five months with an Aboriginal community in central Australia in the '80s (and raised a baby kangaroo and cuddled this sheep). According to Fairfax Media, there's also a whole Abramovic exhibition planned for David Walsh's Museum of Old and New Art next year — quite honestly, why she hasn't made MONA's acquaintance baffles us. To be fair, she's been pretty busy doing zilch for a total of 512 Hours at London's Serpentine Gallery, hangin' with Jay-Z and backing a new online school for girls with Sia, Pussy Riot, Kim Gordon, Yayoi Kusama and Yoko Ono. The artist is busy. Via SMH. Images: Complex.
It has been a chaotic year for the Oscars, but Maya Rudolph perhaps summed it up best straight out of the gate. One of the first presenters on stage at today's ceremony — alongside none other than Amy Poehler and Tina Fey — she reminded audiences that "there is no host tonight, there will not be a popular film category and Mexico is not paying for the wall". If you've missed the off-screen antics over the past year, there's been plenty, including the introduction and swift axing of a new field, Kevin Hart's short-lived run as host and a similarly brief decision to announce some awards during ad breaks. Thankfully, the show itself delivered a few highlights to almost wipe those mishaps out of everyone's memories. Almost. The aforementioned trio of funny ladies killed it, naturally, as did Melissa McCarthy paying comic tribute to The Favourite. Alfonso Cuarón, a frequent visitor to the winner's podium, wryly noted that he grew up watching "foreign-language films like Citizen Kane and Jaws". Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper belted out 'Shallow' and brought the house to its feet. And Samuel L. Jackson's reaction when announcing Spike Lee's Best Adapted Screenplay win for BlacKkKlansman was one for the ages. Stats-wise, history was made in a variety of ways. Spike 'Spikey Poo' Lee's gong was his first competitive trophy, and came nearly three decades after his first screenwriting nomination for Do the Right Thing. Green Book's Mahershala Ali became the first African-American actor to win two Oscars in the same category. The Marvel Cinematic Universe picked up its first Academy Awards, thanks to Black Panther — and ushered in the first wins by first black women in two fields, Costume Design and Production Design. And, with three-time recipient Roma, Cuarón became the first dual awardee for director and cinematographer in the same year for the same movie. That's the ceremony done and dusted. Now, if you haven't already, it's time to enjoy all the flicks that just received shiny accolades. From more than one music-filled drama, to an acerbic take on royal history, to an eye-popping animation, here are all of the winners you should add to your viewing list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp_i7cnOgbQ ROMA Won: Best Director (Alfonso Cuarón), Foreign-Language Film, Cinematography (Alfonso Cuarón) What our critic said: "For all of the highlights on [Alfonso Cuarón's] resume, Roma sees the director enter another realm. Acting as his own cinematographer, he peers so attentively at his hometown, the era of his upbringing, and at [his protagonist] Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), that he could be conjuring memories onto the screen." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: On Netflix. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph9_oITIefE BLACK PANTHER Won: Best Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter), Production Design (Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart), Score (Ludwig Goransson) What our critic said: "In a picture positively teeming with highlights, Black Panther's greatest quality is its all-round embrace of African culture. In every aspect of its look, sound and feel, this chapter is like nothing else in the Marvel universe, and that's clearly by design. Twice during the film, outsiders enter Wakanda and try not to let their jaws drop to the floor — and it's easy to understand their reactions." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: On Stan. Plus, it's available to rent or buy on iTunes, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2G8SetsNM4 THE FAVOURITE Won: Best Actress in a Lead Role (Olivia Colman) What our critic said: "The savage dialogue, each line wittier, bleaker and yet still funnier than the next. The gleeful abandon of polite, ordinary behaviour. The acerbic insights that prove equal parts perceptive and awkward. Thanks to all three — plus an utter disdain for meeting anyone's expectations — being an actor in [Yorgos] Lanthimos' films seems like one of the best jobs in the world." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywkF1lj5wyI A STAR IS BORN Won: Best Original Song ('Shallow' — music and lyric by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt) What our critic said: "With [Lady] Gaga leading the charge this time around, it's easy to see why A Star Is Born keeps glowing. A crash course in the highs and lows of the American dream, it's a fantasy where wishes come true, but where everything has a cost. It's also an underdog story, a star-crossed romance, an account of trying to make it in entertainment, a drama about substance abuse and a warning about fame's many ills." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: It's available to rent or buy on iTunes, Google Play and DVD. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27zlBpzdOZg BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Won: Best Actor in a Lead Role (Rami Malek), Film Editing (John Ottman), Sound Editing (John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone), Sound Mixing (Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali) What our critic said: "Bohemian Rhapsody is a greatest hits movie. It's the neat, easily digestible version of Queen's career, and of Mercury's professional and personal ups and downs along with them... You know what you're getting when you listen to a greatest hits album, and it's exactly what's on offer with this formulaic biopic — but it's still largely enjoyable." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: In some cinemas. Plus, it's available to rent or buy on iTunes, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8qbq6Z6HYk IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Won: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Regina King) What our critic said: Two years after directing Moonlight to an Oscars Best Picture win, Barry Jenkins' follow-up is another heart-swelling, swoon-inducing, all-round astonishing look at romance and race relations, this time set in Harlem in the 70s. From the emotive use of colour splashed across the screen, to the exceptional performances that say so much even when they're saying little, to Jenkins' piercing handling of James Baldwin's novel of the same name, this is a perfect film. — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XhsuT0xctI FREE SOLO Won: Best Documentary What our critic said: "As well as chronicling an awe-inspiring story, every frame of Free Solo offers a palpable, visceral reminder of life's enormous risks and immense rewards — and to the filmmakers' credit, you're all but certain to feel the impact in your constantly sweaty palms." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: In cinemas and on the National Geographic channel on Foxtel on Sunday, March 10. Read our full review — and our interview with climber and Free Solo's subject Alex Honnold. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbfIIGRfRJg SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE Won: Best Animated Feature Film What our critic said: "Who knew that a character who's been seen on screen over and over again for decades — and one who sports a 56-year history on the page as well — could seem so vibrant, thrilling and fresh? That's not a knock on the various live-action iterations, which have each boasted their own appeal, even if some fare better than others. But in embracing the entire big, bustling and diverse spider-world, Into the Spider-Verse genuinely feels new.." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: In selected cinemas (but the run is almost over). Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpxJIWz8MNQ BLACKKKLANSMAN Won: Best Adapted Screenplay (Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee) What our critic said: "No one makes a seething big-screen statement about bigotry in the US like Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and Chi-Raq director Spike Lee. You could call his latest joint many things, and they all fit: a crusading comedy laced with searing commentary, a tale so enraging and ridiculous that it can only be true, and a savage political polemic, for starters." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: It's available to rent or buy on iTunes, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSoRx87OO6k FIRST MAN Won: Best Visual Effects (Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles and J.D. Schwalm) What our critic said: "First Man is, despite its scale and subject matter, an intimate character portrait rather than a history lesson. It eschews the traditional pomp and grandeur of NASA control room scenes for dimly lit kitchens and moonlit walks, yet remains every bit the space odyssey such a tale commands." — Tom Glasson Where to watch it: It's available to rent or buy on iTunes, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c18JX_RS-Xo GREEN BOOK Won: Best Picture, Actor in a Supporting Role (Mahershala Ali), Original Screenplay (Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly) What our critic said: "[Viggo] Mortensen and [Mahershala] Ali truly make the best of the material at their disposal. More than that, they exceed it — as you'd expect from both... With likely two-time Best Supporting Actor winner Ali, there's soulful elegance, resounding dignity and quiet vulnerability to his portrayal of Shirley, giving the man what he deserves even if the film around him doesn't." — Sarah Ward Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. Top image: Black Panther.
After taking a big chunk out of the hotel business, Airbnb are finally getting into… the hotel business. The online marketplace has just launched Samara, an urban planning and design studio that recently put the finishing touches on its inaugural design project — a cedar wood guest house soon to open in the small town of Yoshino, Japan. Designed in conjunction with local architect Go Hasegawa, the dwelling features multiple bedrooms, a communal living area and a 16-foot-long dining table. It's currently on display in Tokyo as part of the House Vision exhibition, but will be transported to Yoshino in October, where it will function as a community centre that doubles as visitor accommodation. "Imagine it's lunch time and you're eating and at the end of the table there's a community meeting taking place," Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia told Fast Company Design. "I picture Western guests walking up, stepping inside, and you're interacting with the community from the minute you arrive. If you want to tour the sake factory, or the chopstick factory, or take a hike, the locals are right there." Apparently the whole idea was inspired by an elderly woman in Tsuyama Okayama, who created a mini tourism boom in town after listing her home on Airbnb. The hope is that the Yoshino house generates similar interest. Of course, that's assuming that locals actually want an influx of Western visitors — although the town did donate the land for the project, so presumably they're on board. "If this works, there are a lot of villages in Japan that could benefit," said Gebbia. Indeed, the plan seems to be to expand the project globally, with Gebbia mentioning that the company had received calls from people in places such as the UK, China, Korea, Spain, France, and Italy. Via Fast Company Design.
