Fatcow was a beef-eating favourite in its original digs at Eagle Street Pier — and the aim is to repeat the feat now that it has moved to Fortitude Valley. It was back in late 2023 that Tassis Group announced that Fatcow on James Street, which was known as Fatcow Steak & Lobster during its CBD days, would return in 2024. It lost its previous site, where it had operated since December 2020 in the spot that was formerly home to fellow upscale steak joint Cha Cha Char, when the Brisbane CBD precinct was torn down to make way for an upcoming new $2.1-billion waterfront precinct. Now, since May 2024, the new Fatcow is welcoming in patrons. The restaurant has relaunched in the Fortitude Valley spot that Space Furniture and David Jones each used to call home. The design led by Allo Creative and Clui Design harks back to steak-slinging eateries in the mid-20th century, complete with a bar made out of solid marble. Patrons can also peer through a window to the chef's grill to see where the culinary magic happens. Two private dining rooms are also on the premises at Fatcow 2.0, but just eating at a booth here means stepping into your own world. Each one comes with a floor-to-ceiling curtain that screens off the rest of the restaurant. That's another luxe touch at the steakhouse's new digs. Also on the list: wagyu tasting boards and a gold-wrapped 400-gram rib fillet on the menu. Neither comes cheap; the first costs $285 for three types of steak and three sides, and the second — aka the Golden Fatcow — is $190 for a 150-plus-day grain-fed black angus cut from the Riverina region that's wrapped in gold leaf. Under Head Chef Garry Newton, a Fatcow alum who also has Herve's and Rich & Rare on his resume, the new Fatcow's signature dishes also span a $199 steak-and-lobster combo and the butcher's choice, which varies in price. If it wasn't already apparant, this is a treat yo'self type of restaurant. All up, the menu features more than 16 steaks. You can also tuck into mains such as wagyu burgers, buckwheat risotto and lamb shoulder. Caviar is among the options, as are oysters fresh from Brisbane's only live oyster tank, raw scallops and beef tenderloin tartare as entrees, and tank-fresh lobster. The restaurant is taking a 24-hour approach to seafood — that's how long, maximum, the journey from the trawler to your plate will be. As for dessert, choices include a chocolate tart, lime sorbet and basque cheesecake, plus ten cheeses that come served in 50-gram pieces. To drink, a 300-strong wine list combines local and international drops, and cocktails are also among the beverages. Images: Markus Ravik.
Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman are Eric Lomax and Patti Lomax, lovers at the centre of a world torn apart by Eric's repressed memories as a prisoner of war in The Railway Man. Marcus Costello spoke with the film's Australian director Jonathan Teplitzky, who also made a big impression with 2011's Burning Man. The life of Eric Lomax, a quintessentially British man from another generation, set between Scotland and South-East Asia. How does an Australian director's perspective lend itself to this story? Going into this production, I thought the code of silence thing was a distinctly English POW character trait. I soon realised that it doesn't matter where you're from, if you were part of WWII, you come home with stories you will never share. Is that still the case for soldiers today? Yeah, sadly, I think it is. The irony is that we send young, impressionable people to war under morally dubious reasons, morally bankrupt, even, and we hold them to account for every moral decision they make when they're out there. If you think about how young these guys actually are, it's almost a 'Lord of the Flies' situation. No wonder they come home confused and reluctant to talk about it. I was talking with journalists at the Dubai Film Festival the other week and they were saying how important this film is for that part of the world as it struggles to deal with the warfare surrounding it. To that end, did you think about how your film would be received by present-day soldiers? Absolutely. In so many the face of warfare has changed beyond recognition since WWII, and yet, completely ineffective techniques like water-boarding are still used today. We live in a tell-all age of social media. Presented with an intensely private character, Eric Lomax, how do you expect/hope young people to respond? That's a really interesting question. The core audience we had front-of-mind when we were making the film was men above 35. In the test screenings we've noticed that younger people are genuinely interested in it. For all the negative press that the social media generation gets, I actually think it's a very inquisitive, socially aware group. The film looks beautiful. But war isn't beautiful. Can you talk me through your aesthetic choices? Sure. As a 20-year-old, going to War — to Thailand no less! — was a big adventure for Eric, so mixed up in fear and anxiety was a genuine sense of excitement. Of course we know the story of WWII — it was no exotic holiday — but to portray it like that wouldn't have been an accurate view of the world through his eyes. The heat, the incredible lushness of South-East Asia's forests was unlike anything this young Scot had ever experienced or really known about. To convey that wonder we heightened the contrasts between the countries: we sought out blues and greens when we where in Scotland, and hot colours when we where in Thailand, for example. I ask because there were a couple of moments during the film where I was in there with Eric then he'd see something like an explosion framed by silhouetted palm trees, and all of a sudden I was made aware that I'm looking at a representation. Did you ever feel a need to hold back because Thailand is just so photogenic? But I relish those moments! I try to do it as much as I can in the films I make! For me, the visual irony is key. It brings into question the absurdity of what's happening. Naturalism isn't always the only or the best way to give an authentic impression, as strange as that may sound. Given that taste for flourish, where there times when you felt constrained by having to tell a true-to-history story We were very lucky to have such a good relationship with Eric and Patti who were both so open but even still, I never felt obliged to tell something a certain way. I honestly never felt constrained. I can say that because I don't think getting every factual detail perfect is the aim of this kind of story. I think it's about capturing an essence and finding a way of expressing that. The Railway Man is in cinemas now. Read our review here.
After opening 90 bars over the past eight years, bringing its worldwide footprint to 94, Scottish brewery BrewDog has finally set up shop in Australia. And, sprawled across a hefty parcel of land by the banks of the Brisbane River, it has arrived with a splash. That said, while a brand new jetty has just been built right next to the company's Murarrie site — which has been dubbed DogTap Brisbane — don't go planning on pairing your brew with a dip in the ol' Brown Snake. Brisbanites, you really do know better than that. Still, Calvin McDonald, BrewDog's operations manager for Australia, isn't ruling out making the most of DogTap's impressive location. "There aren't many bars in the world that are totally accessible by jet ski," he notes, without giving away what fun activities the company might have in store down the line. If you've been following the brand, you'll know that it has engaged beer-lovers in many inventive ways over the years, including launching a craft beer hotel in the US, brewing up a Subwoofer IPA for pooches and taking to the skies in the world's first craft beer airline. [caption id="attachment_751722" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pandora Photography[/caption] In Brisbane, brew aficionados can look forward to the BrewDog basics when DogTap opens to the public on Thursday, November 21. Acting as the brand's Australian base, the brewery will pump out beer that'll get shipped around the country. It'll also have a huge taproom with food and plenty of opportunities to learn more about craft beer. There'll be tours of the facility, once the fully automated four-vessel 25-hectolitre brewing system and accompanying canning line is completely up and running in January, while eager drinkers can also enrol in Beer School — aka two-hour guided tasting sessions where one of BrewDog's Cicerone-certified staff will talk you through the BrewDog and craft beer basics. First announced in 2018, and only the company's fourth taproom directly attached to one of its breweries, BrewDog's $30-million street art-covered Brisbane site boasts a range of other reasons to drop by. Heading to the end of a Murarrie industrial estate hasn't ever been high on locals' to-do lists, but making the journey to sip freshly poured cold ones on a 485-square-metre riverside patio soon should be. The sizeable outdoor area comes with views towards Hamilton and the Gateway Bridge, as well as ample seating. There's also a selection of games, such as giant Jenga, giant chess and giant Connect Four. And, both the public and staff car parks are licensed too, so beer festivals and other events could be in DogTap's future. [caption id="attachment_751727" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pandora Photography[/caption] If you're coming by for the beer, BrewDog's headliners (including its famed Punk IPA) sit alongside a heap of small-batch brews. Nodding to the growing local craft beer scene — one of the reasons that BrewDog chose Brisbane as its Aussie base, McDonald advises — is a rotating range of guest tipples from other Queensland breweries, such as Range Brewing, Currumbin Valley Brewing, Balter, Aether, Brouhaha and Black Hops. All-Australian wines, an Aussie-heavy spirits list and local soft drinks are also on offer, should you want something other than beer. Of course, if you fall into that category, McDonald hopes that BrewDog will convert you. He's adamant that there's a craft beer for everyone, and that anyone who says they don't like beer just hasn't tried the right brew for them yet. Food-wise, it's a lineup of familiar bar favourites. Think 11 types of burgers and eight kinds of pizza — plus Korean-style chicken wings, crispy pork, baby squid and barramundi fritters. On weekends, a brunch menu will feature chicken and waffles, eggs benedict and other classic meals, while you can tuck into two-for-one vegan dishes on Mondays. In addition to 16 blue leather booths and high-top tables, DogTap's industrial indoor area also has arcade games, including Addams Family and The Munsters-themed pinball machines. [caption id="attachment_751728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pandora Photography[/caption] Really love BrewDog? There's a merchandise stall that's already been selling items before DogTap even opens. Want a few brews to take home? Stop by the takeaway area on the way out the door. And if you're an interstate BrewDog fan hoping that it'll be coming your way soon, McDonald explains that the plan is to open five Aussie venues in the next five years (then, hopefully, another five before the brewery marks a decade in Australia). Find DogTap Brisbane at 77 Metroplex Avenue, Murarrie from Thursday, November 21. It's open from 12pm–midnight daily. Images: Pandora Photography
Nearly 100 years after the Titanic plunged into the freezing waters of the Atlantic, artist and inspirationalist Dodo Newman will commemorate the legendary journey and lives lost with the Titanic Project, a tribute that will combine the sorrowful history with the newest marvels of design. The project will erect a monument of the Titanic designed with luxury that the regal ship itself would not match. Newman's vision for the monument has a diamond and Swarovski crystal surface, 300 kg of jewelry and LED lighting all on a pyramid-shaped aquarium base structure. To add to the designer detail, over 50 luxury brands will be incorporated into the monument, the displays intertwined with sea life in the underwater enclosing. Newman has always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic, and has been hoping to finish the plan for the commemorative installation for the past several years. The project is intended to be finally completed by 2012, just in time to honour the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking in 1912. [via Extra Vaganzi]
If you're a fan of Pedro Pascal (Gladiator II), 2025 is a busy year. The Last of Us is back for its long-awaited second season. Thanks to Materialists, he's in a rom-com from Past Lives' Celine Song. With Eddington, he's battling Joaquin Phoenix for Beau Is Afraid director Ari Aster. Then there's Pascal's leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The latter film arrives Down Under on Thursday, July 24, 2025, and sees the MCU finally get fantastic as it speeds towards notching up two decades of superhero movies and TV shows. As both the initial teaser trailer and just-dropped full sneak peek show, First Steps explores Mister Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch's beginnings in the 1960s — family dinners, big life changes, the worries that come with that, facing stresses together and world-threatening foes all included. Slipping into Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm's shoes in First Steps: Pascal as stretchy group leader Richards; Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), who is bending light as one of the Storm siblings; Joseph Quinn (Gladiator II) proving fiery as the other; and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), who is no one's cousin here, instead getting huge, rocky and super strong. Directed by WandaVision, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Succession's Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps pits Pascal, Kirby, Quinn and Moss-Bachrach against Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu) as space god Galactus and Julia Garner (Wolf Man) as the Silver Surfer — both of which pop up in the latest trailer. Also co-starring in the film: Paul Walter Hauser (Cobra Kai), John Malkovich (Ripley), Natasha Lyonne (Fantasmas) and Sarah Niles (Fallen). Pascal, Kirby, Quinn and Moss-Bachrach's characters aren't new to cinemas. Before there was a MCU, there were Fantastic Four movies. The first two to earn a big-screen release arrived in 2005 and 2007, with the latter hitting the year before Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Deadpool and Wolverine did 2024's Deadpool and Wolverine, the Stan Lee- and Jack Kirby-created superhero quartet now join the list of characters who are being brought into the MCU fold, as has been on the cards ever since Disney bought 20th Century Fox. Pascal and company are taking over from two batches of past film takes on the superhero team. In the 2005 and 2007 flicks, Ioan Gruffudd (Bad Boys: Ride or Die), Jessica Alba (Trigger Warning), a pre-Captain America Chris Evans (Red One) and Michael Chiklis (Accused) starred. Then, in 2015, Chronicle filmmaker Josh Trank gave the group a spin — still outside of the MCU — with Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Kate Mara (Friendship), a pre-Black Panther Michael B Jordan (Sinners) and Jamie Bell (All of Us Strangers). Check out the full trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps below: The Fantastic Four: First Steps releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Images: courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and 2025 MARVEL.
Each year, the team behind Vivid Sydney clearly asks itself a question: where else can we dazzle with lights next? Ranging from gardens and tunnels to buildings and bridges, the answers brighten up not only the festival's annual program, but the Harbour City. Letting a train lit up with an immersive glow and pumping techno tunes loose on the New South Wales capital's rails is a new answer for 2024, however. Meet Tekno Train. This isn't your ordinary, everyday, average commute — this is a 60-minute trip filled with lighting and music that changes to match the train's speed and the landscape outside. And the tunes? Like the event itself, they hail from Paul Mac. The result is a 23-night-only railway experience that's an Australian first, with its music newly composed specifically for what promises to be a helluva ride. Here's how it works: between Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15, you'll hop onboard a K-set train at Central Station, either opting for a scenic route to North Sydney and then Lavender Bay via a secret spur line (the slower, more family-friendly trip), or hitting up City Circle and South Sydney (which'll be the livelier and faster-paced journey). Whether you pick The Scenic Route or Tech Express, as the two choices have been named, you'll see Tekno Train's custom lighting beam and hear its electronic dance music soundtrack pulse through all of the locomotive's carriages. If you're wondering how it links in with this year's Vivid theme of 'humanity', Tekno Train puts the power of music to unite — even when people are doing something that they don't normally think twice about — in the spotlight. It also celebrates public transport, mass transit and community. And, of course, it'll get you seeing riding the rails in a whole new light, literally.
A 90s-set musical directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. A crime thriller starring Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds. Amy Poehler's latest stint behind the camera. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence teaming up in the newest film from The Big Short's Adam McKay. They're just some of the big new movies heading our way in 2021 — and they're all coming to Netflix, with the streaming platform revealing its slate of features for the year. Miranda's tick, tick…BOOM! will mark his filmmaking debut as a director, while Johnson plays an FBI profiler forced to team up with rival crims played by Gadot and Reynolds in Red Notice. As for Poehler, she's directing (and co-starring in) Moxie, about a 16-year-old fed up with the sexist attitudes at her high school. And the collaboration between DiCaprio, Lawrence and McKay — and Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep, too — happens in Don't Look Up, about two astronomers trying to warn humanity that a comet is about to wipe out the earth. [caption id="attachment_796892" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Moxie. Colleen Hayes/NETFLIX © 2020[/caption] They're just some of the films on Netflix's lineup for 2021 — and if you can't wait to check them out, the streaming service has released a sneak peek that rounds up a heap of its other titles for the year, too. Thunder Force sees Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy play superheroes; western Harder They Fall features everyone from Idris Elba and Lovecraft Country's Jonathan Majors to Watchmen's Regina King and Atlanta's Zazie Beetz; and Escape From Spiderhead plunges Chris Hemsworth into a futuristic tale about experiments on inmates using emotion-altering drugs. Or, there's a remake of The Guilty, this time starring Jake Gyllenhaal; the third and final films in both the Kissing Booth and To All the Boys trilogies; The Power of the Dog, the latest movie from filmmaker Jane Campion; and Robin Robin, the newest release from Aardman Animation, featuring the voices of Gillian Anderson and Richard E Grant. Some flicks, like the Zendaya-starring romantic drama Malcolm & Marie, already have release dates. Plenty of others don't as yet, including zombie movie Army of the Dead, starring Dave Bautista; Blonde, a fictional portrait of Marilyn Monroe featuring Knives Out's Ana de Armas as the real-life figure; Halle Berry's directorial debut Bruised, about an ex-MMA fighter; and thriller O2, which starts with a woman waking up in a medical cryogenics unit that's no larger than a box. Either way, though, Netflix has announced that it'll be releasing at least one new movie a week for the entire year. More than a few of these titles might hit cinemas, too. The Vanessa Kirby-starring Pieces of a Woman already has in Australia, while The White Tiger, an adaptation of the Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name, will release on the big screen in January — as will fellow page-to-screen affair The Dig. And, some were originally supposed to screen in theatres, but have made the jump to streaming due to the pandemic, such as The Woman in the Window with Amy Adams. Whether Netflix's 2021 movies get a cinema run or not, they'll obviously pop up on the platform. So, expect a hefty list of star-studded flicks sitting in your streaming queue throughout the year — and making sure that you're still well-acquainted with your couch. Check out Netflix's trailer for its 2021 films below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9t86v_JMG0&feature=youtu.be New movies will hit Netflix every week throughout 2021 — head to the streaming platform for its current catalogue.
The focus of yoga trends seems to be constantly changing — from beer yoga to hip hop yoga and rooftop yoga to farmside yoga, we thought we'd seen it all. Now, Dubai's Atlantis The Palm is bringing 'underwater' yoga onto the scene. Before you think about holding your breath while doing a submerged upward dog, the class isn't quite as complicated — or as cool — as it sounds. The yoga course is not held in the water, but instead it takes place inside a tank-like room called the Ambassador Lagoon. The Lagoon sits within the resort's Lost Chambers Aquarium, a 17-hectare openair marine habitat that boasts over 65,000 sea creatures within a massive maze of underwater corridors and passageways. The 250-plus salt and fresh water species include sharks, eels, rays and piranhas, as well as hundreds of exotic fish. That's a whole lot of marine life on call to sit audience to your meditation. The all-levels, 20-person class runs every Tuesday and Friday. Each ticket includes a yoga mat, bottle of water and valet parking, which we guess is what puts the price up at 120 Dirham (around $44 AUD). The lavishness of the course is no surprise coming from this 46-hectare luxury resort. Being in a darkened room surrounded by shimmering water and peacefully floating sea animals does sound quite relaxing, and, although there won't be any actual underwater feats involved, we don't think it would be quite as calming in practice anyway. Post-yoga, there's always the 18 million litres of fresh water which powers waterslides, river rides, tidal waves and pools to entertain yourself with. Underwater yoga is held at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. If you're heading there any time soon, visit their website for more information and bookings.
He may be best known as the frontman of Thirsty Merc (and writer of the Bondi Rescue theme song), but Rai Thistlethwayte is something of a musical polymath. He's been writing and performing tunes since the age of 15 and attended the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music. As well as his songwriting and singing talents, he plays the piano and guitar. In his career he's performed as a solo artist, as part of numerous jazz combos, as a member of the session group on The Voice and as a keyboardist for American rock god Joe Satriani's touring band. That's not to mention his stints as a teacher and mentor at APRA's annual songwriting conference. It's fair to say Rai knows what he's doing — and anyone lucky enough to catch him this month is in for a tour de force of top-quality musicianship. On top of his Sydney gig, he's playing up the coast at The Kent Hotel in Newcastle on Friday, November, 13 and at The Seabreeze Hotel in Nelson Bay on Saturday, November 14. Or, head (very far) west and catch him at the Griffth Leagues Club on Friday, November 27. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
We've almost made it to the end of this chaotic year. Holidays are looming ever closer, and it's time to hang out with friends and fam, recharge and reflect — potentially doing so at beaches, in ocean pools, while hiking or chilling out in parks — and maybe logoff from social media for a bit. And Pantone is suggesting we do so surrounded by 'life-affirming' coral. Living Coral (PANTONE 16-1546) has just been named as Pantone's 2019 Colour of the Year. The energising — and appropriately summery — shade was chosen by Pantone's colour experts not only because it "provide[s] comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment", but because it encourages lighthearted activity and pursuit of fun — exactly what we're all hoping to do over the next couple of months (and, ideally, throughout the New Year). Of course, coral is associated with nature, too, in animals (like flamingos) and in Australia's famous Great Barrier Reef. While we doubt it was on the minds of Pantone's colour experts, the colour is timely due to the recent, reinvigorated fight for emergency action on climate change in Australia. Hundreds of school students, just this Wednesday, descended on Canberra's Parliament House to demand action on climate change and to stop the Adani coal mine — a proposed Queensland mine, which, if it goes ahead, could have huge impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Then there's Living Coral's reinvigorating nature — it's said to energise and enliven. So paint your room in it, cover your body in it or just buy some snazzy coral socks — it might help you get through this crazy messed up world in 2019.
Everything in its right place: when Thom Yorke takes to the stage Down Under in spring 2024 for his debut solo tour, performing songs from across his four-decade career, that's how Radiohead fans will feel. The English musician has announced a six-date trip to Australia and New Zealand, on his first jaunt this way since the band that he's synonymous with last made a visit in 2012. Yorke has four Aussie and Aotearoa cities on his agenda in October and November, and he's going big at each of them (no surprises there). The Everything tour will kick off at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, then hop to Spark Arena in Auckland. When he makes the leap to Australia, Yorke will play two evenings each at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne and the Sydney Opera House Forecourt in Sydney. [caption id="attachment_959883" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Avedon[/caption] Yorke aficionados elsewhere across Australia and NZ, this does indeed mean that the tour is leaving you high and dry for local shows — so we foresee a trip in your future. The singer whose voice echoed through Radiohead's 'Creep', 'The Bends', 'Just', 'Karma Police', 'Paranoid Android' and more will be busting out select tunes from the band's catalogue. He also has three studio albums as a solo artist, so expect tracks from them to also get a whirl. And, his film score and soundtrack work — see: Suspiria, Motherless Brooklyn, Peaky Blinders and Confidenza — will also pop up. [caption id="attachment_959885" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Before the Everything tour, Yorke has been hitting the stage with The Smile, which also features fellow Radiohead alum Jonny Greenwood plus Sons of Kermit's Tom Skinner. The Smile's second album Wall of Eyes dropped in April 2024. Of the Sydney Opera House shows, the venue's Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall said this "this is historic. I'm ecstatic to announce the long-awaited Opera House debut of one of the greatest musicians of our time". "A multi-award-winning artist, Thom Yorke rose to cultural and critical acclaim throughout the 90s with his boundary-pushing reimagination of contemporary rock, and has soared through recent years with a plethora of wildly innovative solo and collaborative creative projects. Yorke will bring his hauntingly existential lyrics, inimitable falsetto and rapturous arrangements to the Forecourt for two nights only," Marshall continued. [caption id="attachment_959886" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glenn8881 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Thom Yorke: Everything Australian and New Zealand Tour Dates 2024: Wednesday, October 23 — Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch Friday, October 25 — Spark Arena, Auckland Tuesday, October 29–Wednesday, October 30 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Friday, November 1–Saturday, November 2 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney [caption id="attachment_959887" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Popcornfud via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Thom Yorke is touring Australia and New Zealand in October and November 2024, with Australian tickets on sale from 10am AEST on Wednesday, June 5 and New Zealand tickets on sale from 11am NZST on Monday, June 10. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image:Raph_PH via Flickr.
Here's some news worth slathering whichever type of food you love in McDonald's coveted Szechuan sauce: in less than a month, Rick and Morty will return for its sixth season. Anything can happen in the animated show's next batch of episodes, because that's the kind of dimension-hopping sci-fi series it is. Don't just take our word for it, though — the just-dropped full trailer for the upcoming season drips with chaos, unsurprisingly, and also paranoia. Well, actually, the sneak peek is set to the sounds of 'Paranoid' by Black Sabbath, but it's also a rather apt theme tune for the show's titular duo. When you're zipping around the galaxy and sliding through time, changing multiple worlds, making a whole lot of enemies and just generally causing interstellar mayhem in the process, being suspicious and mistrustful is bound to come with the territory. As for what'll occur from there, the trailer teases lectures about Die Hard, killer robots, vanishing from reality, alien armies, Wolverine-style claws, using Jerry as a human shield, arcade shootouts and exploding cars. So, just your usual Rick and Morty shenanigans. As always, anyone keen to get schwifty with the episodes can probably expect that Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (both voiced by show co-creator Justin Roiland, Solar Opposites) will keep wreaking havoc, and that the series will keep zooming between as many universes as it can. And, because that's the way the news goes, Rick and Morty's hijinks will keep drawing in Morty's mother Beth (Sarah Chalke, Firefly Lane), father Jerry (Chris Parnell, Archer) and sister Summer (Spencer Grammer, Tell Me a Story). Everywhere across earth where television is screened and streamed — interdimensional cable, too — Rick and Morty is set to return on Sunday, September 4 in America. That's on Monday, September 5 Down Under, where the series beams into your queue via Netflix. And if you're wondering what kinds of chaos are in store this time around, Adult Swim, the US channel behind the show, has advised that the new season will pick up with its titular pair "where we left them, worse for wear and down on their luck". "Will they manage to bounce back for more adventures? Or will they get swept up in an ocean of piss! Who knows?! Piss! Family! Intrigue! A bunch of dinosaurs! More piss!" the network also teased. Check out the trailer for Rick and Morty's sixth season below: Rick and Morty's sixth season will premiere globally on Monday, September 5 Down Under. It streams via Netflix in Australia and New Zealand.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are starting to reopen — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane (and, until the newly reinstated stay-at-home orders, Melbourne as well). 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 over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn3sK4WiviA ON THE ROCKS Not once, not twice, but three times now, Sofia Coppola has given the Bill Murray-loving world exactly what it wants. One of the great comedic talents of the past half-century, the Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day star is also a greatly charismatic talent — and, understandably, viewers want to spend more time in his inimitable company. So, Lost in Translation and 2015 Netflix special A Very Murray Christmas made that happen. Now On the Rocks does as well. These are films and specials predicated upon the very idea of palling around with Murray or the character he's playing, and this one hits that mark as perfectly as its predecessors. Murray steps into the shoes of a debonair playboy art dealer who is determined to help his New York-dwelling adult daughter discover if her husband is being unfaithful, his pairing with Rashida Jones is both joyous and lived-in, and Coppola once again strips bare her own life experiences, fictionalises them, and creates something both thoughtful and moving. On the Rocks' premise really isn't far removed from Lost in Translation. The film's female protagonist is a decade older this time, her romantic troubles are complicated by both marriage and children, and another bustling city provides the backdrop, but the basic idea remains mostly the same. With Murray as the lively Felix and Jones as his overstressed offspring Laura, the movie takes them hopping around NYC as they endeavour to ascertain if the latter's workaholic other half, Dean (Marlon Wayans), is cosying up to his attractive young colleague (Jessica Henwick) while Laura is raising their two young daughters. In the process, Felix and Laura chat about anything and everything, covering topics both important and trivial. They eat and drink, and do so in luxe spaces while Felix naturally captivates everyone in his orbit and turns everything into an adventure. Over the course of their investigative escapade, Felix helps Laura work through her struggles, too — although here, their own complicated relationship is actually one of them. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVb6EdKDBfU THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Combine A Few Good Men's setting with The West Wing's faith in democratic ideals, and that's where The Trial of the Chicago 7 lands. Yes, they're all products of writer, TV series creator and director Aaron Sorkin — and while Sorkin's work can veer from exceptional (see: The Social Network) to frustrating (see: The Newsroom), his second stint as a filmmaker after 2017's Molly's Game makes the very most of his usual traits. Given the true tale he's telling — a story of vocal dissent against unpopular government actions and latter's retaliation, spanning protests and violence on the streets involving both activists and police — that's hardly surprising. That Sorkin has amassed a typically top-notch cast to sling his words helps considerably, including Bridge of Spies Oscar-winner Mark Rylance, The Theory of Everything Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne and Watchmen Emmy-winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, plus everyone from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Keaton to Sacha Baron Cohen and Succession's Jeremy Strong. In the summer of 1968, as the Democratic Party assembled in Chicago for its national convention to confirm the party's nominee for the presidential election, several activist groups decided to make their displeasure known. There was much to rally against: the Vietnam War was raging and American soldiers were dying, both Martin Luther King Jr and Robert F Kennedy had been assassinated in separate incidents months earlier, and civil unrest was mounting across the country. The Trial of the Chicago 7 first introduces six figures making plans for the day, then cuts to the commencement of legal proceedings for eight defendants, all charged by the US federal government the next year. The complicated case that results is catnip for Sorkin, who unleashes his trademark flourishes on not only passionate speeches, but also infuriating courtroom incidents and the festering disagreement between codefendants, as well as in recreating the fateful protests. There's nothing unexpected about the way the filmmaker handles this story visually, narratively or thematically, but the end result proves an example of applying the right approach to the right tale. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nf--afqelY ANTEBELLUM Watching the sprawling, roving and weaving single-take shot that opens Antebellum, it helps to know what the movie's title actually means. The term refers to a time before a war, and is typically used in relation to the American Civil War — but in the film's eye-catching introduction, it certainly seems as if that historical conflict is raging away. On a southern plantation, Confederate soldiers under the leadership of Captain Jasper (Jack Huston) terrorise the property's enslaved Black workers with brutality and cruelty. Attempted runaway Eden (Janelle Monáe) is one of them, and subject not just to beatings, brandings and forced labour, but also raped regularly by the general (Eric Lange) who has claimed her as his own. She's planning another escape; however, thoroughly unexpectedly given the surroundings, a mobile phone suddenly rings. Now Monáe's character is called Veronica Henley, she's a well-known activist and author, and everything about her life (including the conference in New Orleans she attends) is firmly set in the 21st century. Obviously, how Monáe's dual roles intertwine is best discovered by watching — as is the involvement of Jena Malone's (Too Old to Die Young) Elizabeth, the plantation's resident belle as well as a modern-day caller for Veronica — but Antebellum proves far less powerful and clever than it thinks it is. While first-time writer-directors Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz blatantly try to follow in Jordan Peele's footsteps, using horror to explore race relations in America both in the present day and in the country's history, their efforts rely so heavily on one big twist that the movie resembles M Night Shyamalan's lesser works more than Get Out, Us or TV series Lovecraft Country. In endeavouring to unpack systemic racism, there's a smart idea at the heart the feature. Visually, Antebellum's always-lurid, often-violent imagery isn't easily forgotten, and the film also boasts a masterly performance by Moonlight and Hidden Figures star Monáe. And yet, connecting all those pieces together feels more like an exercise in making a provocative genre film than actually saying something meaningful about engrained prejudice in the US — a topic that, sadly, continues to remain timely, but is treated here as stock-standard horror fodder. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0FnJDhY9-0 THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO Watching Jimmie Fails in The Last Black Man in San Francisco, it never feels like you're viewing the work of a feature debutant. Played with the weight of the world not just carried on his shoulders, but oozing through in every quiet glance and gaze, his is a deeply nuanced and naturalistic performance — although given that the film is based on his own story, and he's starring as a fictionalised version of himself, perhaps that's to be expected. The on-screen Jimmie has been sleeping on his best friend Montgomery's (Lovecraft Country's Jonathan Majors) floor in the titular city's Bayview-Hunters Point neighbourhood. That's his latest stop, after years spent squatting with his dad (Rob Morgan), sleeping in cars and living in group homes. All Jimmie wants is his own house, and a specific one at that: a multi-storey abode in the Fillmore District that he grew up in, at least for a few years; that he contends his grandfather built in the 1940s; and that is now inhabited by an older white couple who aren't taking care of the property to Jimmie's standards. On paper, The Last Black Man in San Francisco's narrative sounds straightforward; however, as helmed by Fails' friend and Sundance-winning director Joe Talbot, this is an entrancing, almost fable-like film. It doesn't ever merely rally against gentrification in a simplistic manner, but paints a complex portrait of San Francisco as it now stands, of the city's scattered Black community and how they've been affected by its transformation, and of the shift away from artists and eccentrics in favour of bulldozers, technology and so-called progress. This is a movie about mourning for a past lost as well as reckoning with the future that's sprung in its place, and the evident love of details on display — in the house that Jimmie is so attached to, but also in his and Montgomery's daily bus trips, walks and skateboard rides throughout the hilly locale they call home — couldn't be more crucial in that regard. Sometimes, the film leans more on mood than story, but that approach fits when you're not only surveying and lamenting a place and a modern world that's losing its character, but turning that process into a piece of cinematic poetry. Indeed, there's a tender, heartfelt feel to The Last Black Man in San Francisco that, combined with its stellar cinematography, never feels less than authentic and moving in every frame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-oOnZ2Di0 SPUTNIK When Ridley Scott's Alien let a chest-bursting extra-terrestrial loose among a spaceship's crew, and John Carpenter's The Thing remake set a violent critter loose amongst an Antarctic research station, they didn't just create two of the best science fiction films ever made — they also inspired a wealth of imitators. And, at first, it seems that Russian sci-fi thriller Sputnik is one of them. Here, two Cold War-era cosmonauts see something strange during an orbital mission. Then, upon returning to earth, it appears that sole survivor Konstantin Veshnyakov (Pyotr Fyodorov, The Blackout) isn't the only creature inhabiting his body. It's 1983 and, as anyone who was watched the also 80s-set Chernobyl knows, the USSR isn't keen on big scandals. Accordingly, Colonel Semiradov (Fedor Bondarchuk, also one of the film's producers) is determined to keep Veshnyakov locked up in a secret south Kazakhstan facility until he can work out how to control the alien, enlisting boundary-pushing psychiatrist Tatyana Klimova (Oksana Akinshina, The Bourne Supremacy) to help. While watching Sputnik and thinking of similar flicks from years gone by go hand-in-hand, first-time feature director Egor Abramenko does more than simply nod to his influences. There's a grimness and a weightiness to this film that's all its own, even as it toys with familiar components — a specificity to the characters, and specifically to Veshnyakov and Klimova's efforts to navigate Soviet Russia's heavy-handed to control, too. And, when it comes to sustaining a mood of tension and suspense, evoking a forbidding sense of its time and place, and coming face to face with the slithering alien, Sputnik excels. Sparse in its look, firm in its tone and led by an impressive Akinshina, it never plays like a carbon-copy B-movie, either. There's an art to ensuring that even the most recognisable genre elements can feel fresh, entertaining and engaging — and suitably unnerving, which this narrative clearly calls for — and that ends up being the case here. Sputnik is screening in select cinemas in Sydney. 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 July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; and September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle and The High Note. Top image: The Trial of the Chicago 7 via Niko Tavernise/Netflix © 2020
Sometimes Apple TV+ dives into real-life crimes, as miniseries Black Bird did. Sometimes it mines the whodunnit setup for laughs, which The Afterparty winningly achieved. The family feuds of Bad Sisters, Servant's domestic horrors, Hello Tomorrow!'s retrofuturistic dream, the titular take on work-life balance in Severance — they've all presented streaming audiences with puzzles, too, because this platform's original programming loves a mystery. So, of course The Big Door Prize, the service's new dramedy, is all about asking questions from the outset. Here, no one is wondering who killed who, why a baby has been resurrected or if a situation that sounds too good to be true unsurprisingly is. Rather, they're pondering a magical machine and what it tells them about themselves. That premise isn't merely a metaphor for existential musings, although everyone in The Big Door Prize does go down the "what does it all mean?" rabbit hole. When the Morpho pops up in the small town of Deerfield, it literally informs residents of their true potential — for $2, their palm prints and social security number. Adorned with a butterfly symbol and glowing with blue light, the contraption looks like an arcade game. There's nothing to play, though, unless it is playing everyone who sits in its booth. Participants receive an also-blue business card for their troubles, proclaiming what they're supposed to be doing with their life in bold white lettering. Is it a bit of fun? A modern-day clairvoyant game? A gag? Somehow spot-on? Also, where did the machine come from? Who brought it to the local grocery store? Can it be trusted? The longer that folks share their existence with the Morpho, the more queries arise. As seen in the first three episodes that dropped on Wednesday, March 29, with the story then continuing weekly for the show's ten-episode first season — a second has just been greenlit as well — not everyone in Deerfield is initially fascinated with the locale's new gadget. The series opens as high-school history teacher Dusty Hubbard (Chris O'Dowd, Slumberland) turns 40, marking the occasion with that many gifts from his wife Cass (Gabrielle Dennis, A Black Lady Sketch Show) and teenage daughter Trina (Djouliet Amara, Devil in Ohio). Some presents he likes, such as the scooter and helmet. Others he's perplexed by, including the theremin. He's also baffled by all the talk about the Morpho, the new reason to head to Mr Johnson's (Patrick Kerr, Search Party) store. As school principal Pat (Cocoa Brown, Never Have I Ever) embraces her inner biker because the machine said so, and charisma-dripping restaurateur Giorgio (Josh Segarra, Scream VI) revels in being told he's a superstar, Dusty claims he's happy not joining in. Lines sprawl down the street in a town that only really has a main street, and a high school, as Deerfield's inhabitants are drawn in by the Morpho's promise: "Discover Your Life Potential". For someone who keeps saying he's sitting it out, Dusty sure does love obsessing over why everyone else is upending their routines because 80s-esque technology spat out their destiny. His parents announce that they're splitting, for instance, with his dad (Jim Meskimen, American Auto) pursuing male modelling and his mother (Deirdre O'Connell, Outer Range) heading to Europe after the machine advised that she's a healer. When Dusty points that his mum is already a doctor, it falls on deaf ears. So goes the entire town, making snap decisions and grabbing the opportunity to reinvent themselves, mix up lives that didn't ever seem like they'd change and reassess what they truly want. The Big Door Prize itself hasn't appeared out of nowhere, adapting MO Walsh's book of the same name. On-screen, it boasts David West Read as its creator — a writer and producer who knows a thing or two about pursuing alternate storylines thanks to penning stage musical & Juliet, which gives Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet a revisionist twist and continuation, and is also well-versed in small-town hijinks after winning an Emmy for Schitt's Creek. He's in far less overtly comic territory than the latter here; The Big Door Prize is still amusing, but rarely laugh-a-minute, although The Other Two delight Segarra could walk straight out of this and into Read's past hit. Still, this is also about a family disrupted while navigating small-town life, the assorted people who populate such spots, the rituals and gathering points that communities congregate around, and the quest to find significance in the cards you've been dealt. Making the most of its strong ensemble cast, each of the show's first eight episodes focuses on a particular Deerfield citizen and their potential, while keeping Dusty, Cass and their marriage in view, plus Trina's grief over her boyfriend's recent death and his identical twin Jacob's (debutant Sammy Fourlas) efforts to cope. All four earn their own chapter, as does Cass' mother and town mayor Izzy (Crystal Fox, Big Little Lies), Jacob's western-loving dad Beau (Aaron Roman Weiner, Suspicion), aforementioned NHL star-turned-Italian eatery owner Giorgio and school chaplain Father Rueben (Damon Gupton, Your Honor). This approach helps The Big Door Prize get not just philosophical but universal, because the Morpho's fortune-telling means different things to different people, yet sparks ripples that flow over everyone. While only bartender Hana (Ally Maki, Hacks) genuinely opts out, there's a tale around that as well. From the get-go, the Morpho nabs viewers' intrigue — and so do the strange cobalt dots, matching the machine's chosen palette, that appear early on Dusty's rear. There's no shortage of small mysteries in Deerfield, just as there's no lack of quirks (see: the town's staycation spot, aka "the number one nautical-based hotel in Deerfield", plus the canal and gondola inside Giorgio's eponymous restaurant). But like The Twilight Zone-meets-The Box but lighter, with nods to Schitt's Creek and sharing Wes Anderson's love of visually magnifying the everyday, The Big Door Prize gets its audience ruminating over two main questions. The first, in classic Apple TV+ mystery-style: what's really going on? The second: if a machine could advise how to best spend your days, possibly shattering your long-held dreams but maybe confirming your deepest desires, what would you do? In lieu of physically slipping into Dusty and co's shoes, then facing The Big Door Prize's scenario themselves, viewers should watch. Wanting to solve the show's key mystery makes this addictive viewing — and if you start thinking about Lost, or even the theory that Schitt's Creek was happening in purgatory, that's understandable. As written so convincingly across O'Dowd's expressive face, though, The Big Door Prize isn't about delivering instant answers. The likeable The IT Crowd, Bridesmaids and Moone Boy star plays a man who has never actively sought any himself, but just complied with the done thing, a path that's beginning to unravel. Easy proclamations now surround him; however, alongside his fellow townsfolk, he's learning that life's mundanities and enigmas alike don't fit neatly and nicely into any one box — and nor does this engaging series. Check out the trailer for The Big Door Prize below: The Big Door Prize streams via Apple TV+.
If you've caught up with some of the highest-profile new movies in recent months, you might have noticed that looking up has been a big part of a few films. Top Gun: Maverick demanded it, while Don't Look Up grappled with the very idea of peering upwards — and the sky plays a significant role in fresh release Nope, too. Tonight, on the evening of Thursday, August 11 Down Under, looking up should be on your agenda as well. Stare at the heavens with your own two eyes and you'll see a stunning sight — and it'll also be visible tomorrow morning, on Friday, August 12, too. Another supermoon is upon us, and will officially be at its peak at 11.35 AEST on Friday — but if you train your peepers towards the sky this evening, you'll still be in for a glowing show. While super full moons aren't particularly rare — several usually happen each year, and one occurred just last month — there is a good reason to peer upwards this time around. If you're wondering why, we've run through the details below. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. As we all learned back in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. They're not all that uncommon — and because August's 2022's supermoon is a full moon (and not a new moon), it's called a super full moon. It's also a sturgeon moon, too, which doesn't refer to its shape or any other physical characteristics, but to the time of year. In the northern hemisphere, August is around the time that sturgeon fish start to show up in big numbers in North America's lakes. Of course, that doesn't apply in the southern hemisphere, but the name still sticks. Also, this supermoon happens to the last one of 2022. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? As mentioned above, the sturgeon supermoon will officially be at its peak at 11.35am AEST tomorrow, Friday, August 12, Down Under — but thankfully it will be visible from Thursday night Australia and New Zealand time. The moon does usually appear full for a few days each month, so if you already thought that the night sky looked a little brighter this week, that's why. Still yet to catch a glimpse? You'll want to peek outside when it gets dark to feast your eyes on a luminous lunar sight. Head over to timeanddate.com for the relevant moonrise and moonset times for your area, with the moon rising at 4.22pm AEST on Thursday, August 11. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? You can take a gander from your backyard or balcony, but the standard advice regarding looking into the night sky always applies — so city-dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. Weather-wise, the Bureau of Meteorology advises that Sydney and Perth will be cloudy, Melbourne is in for a few showers, and the wet will increase in Adelaide. In Brisbane, though, clear skies await. Over in NZ, Conditions are fine in Auckland, while Wellington can expect periods of rain. Fancy checking it out online? The Virtual Telescope Project is set to stream the view from Rome at 3pm on Friday, August 12, too. Top image: NASA/Joel Kowsky.
New season of True Detective, new cops, new case: since 2014, that's been the setup for this HBO hit, as viewers will enjoy again in January 2024. When True Detective: Night Country arrives, Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster, The Mauritanian) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis, Catch the Fair One) are in the spotlight, investigating an icy mystery in Alaska. Eight men on an arctic research station disappear without a trace — and it's up to the franchise's latest duo to discover what's going on. 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 new episodes of this sleuthing series is indeed about to become a reality again. When True Detective returns for a six-episode fourth season after a five-year absence, it'll head to the town of Ennis, spend time with a pair that's hardly happy to be working together, and serve up plenty of chills and darkness. In both True Detective: Night Country's initial teasers and its just-dropped full trailer, Danvers and Navarro team up to discover why the Tsalal Arctic Research Station staff have gone missing. In the latest sneak peek, a potential supernatural angle is teased, too — ice zombies, anyone? When it hits Down Under on Monday, January 15 — via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand — True Detective: Night Country will also feature 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. Behind the lens, every one of the series' episodes is written and directed by Tigers Are Not Afraid filmmaker Issa López, with Moonlight's Barry Jenkins an executive producer. Each season of True Detective tells its own tale, so there's no need to catch up on past chapters if you watched the Matthew McConaughey (The Gentlemen)- and Woody Harrelson (White House Plumbers)-led first season in 2014 — as everyone did — but didn't keep up from there. Taylor Kitsch (Painkiller), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret) starred in season two, while Mahershala Ali (Leave the World Behind) and Stephen Dorff (The Righteous Gemstones) took over in season three. Check out the full trailer for True Detective: Night Country below: True Detective: Night Country will stream in Australia Monday, January 15, 2024 via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand.
Now in its eight year, the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards is looking to inspire passionate creatives across Australia by inviting them to submit their work for the chance to win the prize of a lifetime. In 2011, the SOYAs has expanded the categories of entry, with the roster now including fashion, interactive content and gaming, written word, visual design and communications, film and video, photography, visual arts, craft and object design, music, architecture and interior design, and animation. Australians under the age of 30 are encouraged to present their work in one of these categories, with the closing date of one category occurring each month until October 2012. Each winner will receive a handy $5000 cash prize. Furthermore, each category has a different one-year mentorship program which will allow the winner to work with some of the leading figures within their chosen industry. These include fashion icons Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, Legally Blonde director Robert Luketic, and music producer Lee Groves, whose portoflio includes the likes of Gwen Stefani, Marilyn Manson and Craig David. This will provide newcomers with invaluable experience from industry experts. If that wasn't enough, Qantas will also send the winners on a trip to an exclusive event within their field. These events are scattered all over the world, but are united by their prestige and widespread recognition. These include London Fashion Week, the Edinburgh Film Festival and Cannes Lions. Previous winners of the Spirit of Youth Awards have soared to new heights, such as fashion designers Romance Was Born (pictured), musicians Wolf & Cub and photographer Penny Lane. With the competition's expansion into unprecedented categories, there are now more opportunities for Australia's finest creative minds to showcase their work to the world. Furthermore, winners will be financially assisted and treated to experiences that will allow their talents to flourish.
A city break in Aotearoa New Zealand's biggest city, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, has never offered more. There's an itinerary to suit all timeframes and holiday personalities — from the city-slicker to beach-goer, the shopping-focused traveller to the foodie whose appetite leads the way. It's a city constantly evolving its offerings, with hospitality joints popping up left, right, and centre. So, we've scoped the best experiences and places to note with 100% Pure New Zealand to help you make the most of your Auckland break. Add an extra car ride out of the city or linger a little longer in the big smoke — it's over to you to indulge your whims. What we can promise is all roads lead to a memorable stay. One with world-class views, innovative foods or even dramatic black sand underfoot. [caption id="attachment_929906" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Hotel Britomart[/caption] Stay: The Hotel Britomart The Hotel Britomart pulls out every stop for a distinctly Aotearoa New Zealand stay in downtown Auckland. Exposed timbers and brick nod to the building's past life as a factory and Masonic house, while modern luxury oozes from local artisan-crafted furniture, recycled glass chandeliers and crockery. Inside the rooms, minibars are filled generously with local treats. The 99 sustainable rooms are categorised by their views. Generous windows offer direct glimpses of the Waitematā Harbour, the CBD's skyline, or the vibrant laneways. The Wairoa Suite, the largest of the five Landing Suites, offers sprawling rooftop views framed by architecturally designed wooden details. Downstairs, the all-day restaurant kingi focuses on elevated seafood, with a sommelier-curated wine library showcasing local terroirs. Tucked away in the on-site lane are a fleet of complimentary vintage bikes, ready for adventures. Stay: Mövenpick Hotel Auckland Auckland is a food-lovers paradise, and now you can stay at a hotel where food is the focus. Mövenpick Hotel Auckland's daily Chocolate Hour indulges guests with a complimentary daily buffet of truffles, cakes and fondue between 3.30–4.30pm. When it's time to break the sugar rush, on-site restaurant BODA offers panoramic harbour views, Korean-New Zealander cuisine and inventive cocktails. Or retreat to the sleek, monochromatic suites, knowing the 24-hour ice-cream sundae service means that your next sugar hit isn't far away. A central location makes Mövenpick Hotel Auckland the perfect base for urban adventures. Step out from the lobby to Auckland's main Queen Street or explore the local boutiques and eateries in the adjacent Commercial Bay. For adventures further afield, Auckland's main Britomart Train Station is on the same block to connect you to most mainland suburbs, while the main ferry terminal — the gateway to wine-mecca Waiheke Island and bird sanctuary Tiritiri Matangi — is just a few metres beyond. See: Ever-Changing Landscapes with GO Rentals As exhilarating as city life is, renting a car, even for a day, is your ticket to seeing Auckland in all its glory — and fast. After all, you're never more than 45 minutes away from a beach. Jump in a GO Rentals four-wheel-drive to venture through the bush, to wineries and eventually to the surf-ready black sand beaches of west Auckland. Closer to town, soak up all dimensions of Auckland through the skyroof of a climate-friendly GO Tesla. Cruise through the bustling beach strips of the eastern suburbs like Mission Bay and Kohimarama along Tamaki Drive. Drive up one of Auckland's many maunga (mountains) for quintessential Auckland views. Mt Eden and Mt Albert offer panoramic views, and the nearby townships are brimming with artisanal bakeries and cafes for picnic essentials. Round out your journey by offsetting emissions with CarbonClick, and you'll feel just as good as you did driving breezily behind the wheel. See: Explore the City's Seaside You can't come to Auckland without experiencing it from its most impressive vantage point: the glittering Viaduct and surrounding Hauraki Gulf. If you stay in Auckland's city centre, you'll be a short walk from Te Wero Island — a nook in the Viaduct that houses many of Auckland's bustling harbourside bars and restaurants like St Alice, Dr Rudi's and it-bistro, Soul Bar. It's an ideal spot to rug up and maximise your culinary experiences. Otherwise, the area's public transport and ample roads make it accessible from all directions. The nearby New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa runs harbour cruises on the beloved wooden boat, Breeze, for a different vantage point of the city too. [caption id="attachment_929939" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] ai_yoshi via iStock[/caption] See: Nature and Heritage Your Way at Auckland Domain Auckland's sprawling park is home to 150-year-plus trees as well as a stunning winter garden that's well worth the visit on any trip to Auckland. It's New Zealand's oldest public park, 200 acres in size and has four kilometres of walking tracks that can be used to explore the scenery and peaceful vibes above the city. It's serene surroundings can be enjoyed year-round, but if we're being honest, it's particularly magical when temperatures dip in the city. The gardens' sculpture walk takes on a new dimension when experienced with a bite in the air, with the cool metal of the sculptures in stark contrast to the grassy greens of the park. Taste: Exquisite Pacific Fusion at Metita At the newly opened Metita restaurant in SkyCity, explore the urban ritual that Aucklanders love most: indulging in new fusion cuisines. Offering contemporary Pasifika cuisine, Metita explores the intricate flavours of the many island cultures that call New Zealand home and chef Michael Meredith's Samoan roots. Dishes include inventively garnished meats, caviar and corned beef buns, and the signature oysters cooked in marrow. There's no shortage of things to do, see, drink, and eat here. Being Auckland's largest entertainment precinct, SkyCity houses 15 bars and eateries as well as the iconic Sky Tower and its 350 metre-high city views. There's also the award-winning East Day Spa (home to the nation's only marble lounger tepidarium) and two hotels. Taste: Authentically Loved Auckland Eats Aucklanders have solidified their love of eating into a collaborative list of must-try dishes: Auckland Iconic Eats. This list is updated yearly by public vote, and the quality is consistent. Favourites include the chicken parfait from Britomart's Mr Morris, succulent fish sliders from SkyCity's Depot and Gochu's pork and kimchi-stuffed milk buns. Consider it a starting point for your next sit-in menu, or treat it as a bar-crawl-like mission to tick off as many as possible and test the limits of your belt buckle. Taste: New-Wave Māori Flavours at Ada Adding to the list of cuisines that are hard to find outside of New Zealand is Ada, where Chef Kia Kanuta prepares elegant Māori comfort kai (cuisine). Rewarewa fried sourdough is topped with a bespoke mushroom grown only for Ada, paua (abalone) gets a vongole and chilli-infused twist, while snapper is battered whole and served with his iconic Marmite béchamel. Everything is harvested sustainably and served with the finesse of Chef Kanuta's French training. Ada is in The Convent Hotel, located in the trendy suburb of Grey Lynn, 15 minutes from downtown and easily accessible by bus or car. Lovers of interiors and architecture will appreciate the space's sleek transformation from a former 1922 Spanish-revival nunnery to a boutique hotel. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here.
MONA's summer festival Mona Foma is returning to Launceston this summer — and so is its airline, Air Mofo. After its debut last year, the 'private airline' will once again be on standby to usher guests from the mainland to Tasmania for the 2020 event in serious style — for free. The catch? You don't just get a seat on the purple and yellow Boeing 737 — you get the whole plane. So you'll have 149 seats to fill with your nearest and dearest, and basically anyone else who's free on the main festival weekend of January 17–19. The plane will leave from either Melbourne or Sydney, and everyone on board will be get free return airfares and a three-day festival pass. It goes without saying, you can expect more than just your average in-flight entertainment on-board. Your flight down south will be filled with all sorts of performances and is promising to be 'suitably lit'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmcAp570GRs&feature=youtu.be To enter, you'll have to do some detective work and pinpoint the Air Mofo plane on this map of Tassie. While clues will start going up on the Mona Foma website from today, you'll have to wait until next Thursday, October 10 to enter. First person to find it wins the trip. Then, they'll have just a month to organise their 149 guests. Air Mofo is once again a collaboration between Mona Foma and Tourism Tasmania, and the prize is valued at a whopping $99,000. The summer arts and music fest will take over Launceston from January 11–19. At the moment, the lineup has DJ and producer Flying Lotus coming in to Launnie from LA and a performance from classical musician Ludovico Einaudi — but the full thing will be announced on Friday, October 18. Three-day festival passes are also on sale now — this year priced at $129 for the weekend. And, if you're looking for other ways to enjoy the festival's new surrounds, check out our weekender's guide to Launceston during Mona Foma. Mona Foma 2020 will take over Launceston, Tasmania from January 11–19. Enter the competition over here.
When telling the tale of a five-year-old Indian boy separated from everyone and everything he knows (and the man who later tries to piece together his past), names are important. In Lion, Saroo Brierley is both the child and adult in question, with the movie recounting his real-life experiences trying to return to his mother Kamla and his brother Guddu, and then being adopted by Australians Sue and John Brierley. Newcomer Sunny Pawar and English actor Dev Patel play Saroo at different stages of his life, the latter with as spot-on an Australian accent as you're likely to hear. Nicole Kidman, David Wenham and Rooney Mara help round out the high-profile cast. Yes, there's names aplenty here. One that's crucial in bringing Saroo's plight to the cinema — based on his memoir, and as covered by TV's 60 Minutes — is Garth Davis. In fact, expect to hear his name more often, particularly as Lion keeps receiving acclaim. Davis was recently nominated for two Directors Guild of America awards, while the film snagged six Oscar nods, including for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Patel) and Best Supporting Actress (Kidman). Plus, his next movie is certain to attract even more interest: reuniting with Mara, and also starring Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Aussie Ryan Corr, you'll instantly know the story at the centre of Mary Magdalene. For a first-time filmmaker previously best known for co-directing the first season of Top of the Lake with Jane Campion, it has been quite the journey to becoming one of the hottest names in Australian cinema. With Lion making its way to local screens, we chatted with Davis about taking on such a powerful story, finding excellent leads and how travelling to India to follow in Saroo's footsteps shaped the movie. ON TAKING ON SAROO'S STORY "The story itself is just an extraordinary tale. It is hard to believe it is true. And you read this story, and you can't help but be moved by it. I mean, it's incredible. But I could also sense something moving under the story, that was quite spiritual and quite special, and I think that's what really lured me into making the film. And when I started to meet the real-life people in the story, like Sue and Saroo and all his Indian family, I realised that there was such an immense love that all the characters held — and I suddenly realised it was this love that I think engineered the miracle that the story has." ON DOING JUSTICE TO SUCH A POWERFUL TRUE TALE "There's a big responsibility in telling a true story. So all you can do really is spend time with everybody and try to understand their stories as deeply and emotionally as possible. So that's what I did — I basically almost immediately went to India, coincidentally at the time that Sue was meeting Saroo's birth mother Kamla. It was such an incredible meeting, so I just tried to immerse myself in their lives as much as possible, hear their stories, hear them talk about things. I think that's a really important process to go through so you can kind of dimensionalise their story. Because a lot of people take their story, and it makes a great article or a great paragraph or a great conversation — but to turn it into a movie, you've got to go a lot deeper. And you need to really get behind it to understand it." ON HOW TRAVELLING TO INDIA AND FOLLOWING IN SAROO'S FOOTSTEPS HELPED SHAPE THE FILM "It's very simple. It's very subtle and kind of existential. Things like, for me, when I stand in that village, I try to imagine myself as a child: where would I play? What would my world feel like? What are the sounds? What's the nature like? I go wandering off into the paddocks. I spent a lot of time just sitting at the dam, the dam that is featured in the film and in the story, just watching a new generation of children. Seeing how they play, how the women do the washing, seeing the trains passing by. So I just immersed myself in that world, as a director and as an artist. And then carrying that through, like when I got to Kolkata, I didn't quite realise how powerful that was. Like imagining my kids — because I've got three kids — imagining them just being dropped off in this chaotic planet, it's like another planet really. And just trying to imagine how they'd survive. Again, I would be in Saroo's shoes, just going, "okay where would I stay? What would I do?" and I'd walk around, and eventually I stumbled across real homeless children sleeping out in the subways and in some of those forgotten paddocks that sit across the way from the train station, and the reality of it really struck me — just how important and how powerful it was going to be as a film, and as an experience with an audience." ON LION'S STRUCTURE, AND SPENDING THE FIRST HALF OF THE MOVIE FOCUSED ON A FIVE-YEAR-OLD "It's not a story of a guy who starts to remember something. It's not that kind of story. He remembers everything — he's just lost, and he's never had any hope of finding home so he's had to move on and accept his fate. And find gratitude in what's happened to him ultimately, because he's survived all the perils. So it didn't seem like it was that kind of movie where he's remembering things and putting things together. I don't know, we just felt it was more powerful in that kind of snowball effect. People can become very complacent with their own worlds, you know? I think I was very interested in that idea that anybody in the street could have an amazing story. So if the audience steps into the shoes of a young boy who they almost take on as their own because he's so beautiful — and the family, despite their poverty, are very loving — I think he's a very accessible character. And then you basically go on a journey with him. Then, suddenly you leap forward 20 years and he's like an everyday Aussie guy, and he's got a charm and he's got a great life, and he's just a really healthy, happy-go-lucky guy, but he's sitting on this enormous past that you wouldn't see until you scratch the surface. So I think that was kind of interesting for me." ON FINDING THE RIGHT ACTORS TO PLAY SAROO "We did an extensive casting. We cast in three cities, we went for about four to five months. We looked at thousands of children and we shortlisted that to a few hundred. It was a lot of hard work, and we stumbled across Sunny one day, in all of his glory and character. He was the one — it was a bullseye. When you're dealing with someone so young, you need to make sure you cast someone who covers at least more than half of the characteristics of your character. So, in their natural state, in their natural being, you've kind of got Saroo. And then you can move from there. But it is very hard to have someone go against their nature for most of the movie, so we had to find someone who had a quality and a characteristic, and a light and a sense of instinct that matched Saroo. And little Sunny had all of that. And then we just had to basically encourage him and train him and teach him how to act, and how to feel safe in front of the camera, and learn some techniques. And eventually he started to do some full-blown acting — it was amazing. Dev Patel is one of those rare people, very very rare people, if you get to meet him you'll never forget him. He's just a beautiful light, there's a light about him — and I felt that this movie is full of that. And so I think his spirit is wonderful, and also he was the best actor by far. So it was again an amazing combination of things. That's the reason why he's playing Saroo and the reason why he's so fantastic in the film." Lion opened in Australian cinemas on January 19, 2017. Read our review. Images: Mark Rogers.
Survivor, but a fictional thriller. Fyre Festival, turned extra savage. The Hunger Games meets Lost. Any survival-of-the-fittest scenario ever seen on screen (and there have been plenty), relocated to kind of scenic place usually reserved for tropical holidays. Throw in a bit of Westworld and The Matrix as well, and all of these descriptions seem to apply to Netflix's upcoming series The I-Land. Here, ten people wake up on an island with no memory of how they got there, or even who they are, only to find themselves forced to work through psychological and physical challenges — or die. Releasing on the streaming platform this month, the limited series stars Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush), Natalie Martinez (Under the Dome), Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) and Kyle Schmid (Being Human), and will unravel its twists and turns over seven episodes. It shouldn't come as a surprise that nothing will be as it seems on this mysterious island — that's the entire premise — with the stranded folks all grappling with their best and worst tendencies in their quest to survive. Based on the just-dropped trailer, the show may just continue a trend that seems to be getting stronger on Netflix, taking cues from a heap of other hugely successful movies and TV series, cobbling them together into one new package and endeavouring to attract the widest possible audience as possible. That's not just a cynical view, with the service's algorithm already designed to serve up suggestions based on your viewing habits — and it's obviously using that data to inform what kinds of programs to make next. Given the huge success of Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened when it released on Netflix earlier this year, transforming that concept into a thriller is a logical next step — as the show's first teaser toyed with. Check out the initial teaser online and the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxpwiwOdMHk The I-Land hits Netflix on September 12. Image: Courtesy of Netflix.
Operational in New South Wales since 2017 and Queensland since 2018, container refund schemes are the waste reduction tactic that helps everyone. You get to exchange your used drink containers for shiny ten-cent pieces, and Australia in general benefits by removing bottles and cans from landfill — which is a small but worthy step towards a greener planet. Until August 23, 2020, swapping your empty drink vessels for loose change will also help another important party: Australia's bushfire-affected wildlife. In eligible states across the country — New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory — TOMRA Collection Solutions has launched Cans for Koalas, which'll direct your refund to WWF's Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund. Donating your refund to a good cause has always been an option; however, for the duration of the Cans for Koalas campaign, you can specifically direct your funds to the WWF. To do so, you'll need to head to a TOMRA recycling point, with more than 320 Return and Earn machines scattered across New South Wales and ten TOMRA recycling centres located around southeast Queensland. While Cans for Koalas' name singles out one particularly fluffy, adorable type of Aussie animal, they're not the only critters that'll benefit, with kangaroos, kookaburras, wallabies, wombats and a whole heap of other species all impacted by this summer's blazes. WWF will use your donation to provide food and water to affected animals in bushfire-impacted regions, help restore animal habitats via tree-planting projects, and support the veterinarians caring for and providing medical treatment to injured wildlife. The aim is to raise $250,000 by the end of May — a target that was not just met but more than doubled in the last big donation push, Bottles for the Bush. TOMRA Collection Solutions' Cans for Koalas campaign is running now until August 23, 2020. You can donate your empty drink containers via a TOMRA recycling machine in Sydney and Brisbane — for further information, visit the Cans for Koalas website.
Not that long ago, inner-city Brisbane was a hive of movie-going activity, with no fewer that five cinemas operating within the CBD. However, in recent times film lovers have become accustomed to seeing theatres close rather than open — but the approved new use for the Tara House building on Elizabeth Street is about to reverse that trend. That's right Brisbanites, the iconic CBD building is will soon be the Elizabeth Picture Theatre — and it's full steam ahead after the Brisbane City Council gave the project the tick of approval. After working wonders turning the old Village Twin on Brunswick Street into the revitalised New Farm Cinemas after more than a decade of inactivity, and running the Yatala Drive-In as well, the Sourris family have set their sights on turning the space previously known as the Queensland Irish Club into a seven-screen cinema. According to the development application, the heritage-listed venue will retain many of its existing features, including transforming the current first-floor ballroom into a grand yet intimate 121-seat theatre, alongside another 57-seat screen on the same level. Five other darkened rooms will grace the ground and basement storeys, and accommodate between 22 and 34 patrons each. Street-level retail tenancies — aka shops and eateries — will also feature. As we first reported last September, the new cinema will mark 179 Elizabeth Street's first significant change since 1919, when the Irish Club first moved in. Prior to that, it housed produce merchants and warehousing firms, with the building initially springing up in 1878. Of course, Elizabeth Picture Theatre's location won't escape the attention of the city's cinephiles; it's directly across the road from what's currently a giant hole in the ground, but previously housed the much-loved Regent Cinema until 2009. As well as its close proximity to the now-demolished movie theatre, it's just up the road from two other former cinema sites: the Forum on the corner on Albert and Elizabeth Streets (which then became a Borders and is now a Topshop store) and the Albert around the corner, which Dymocks, Vapiano and more now call home. Over in George Street, fellow CBD venue Tribal Cinema is still standing, but hasn't been in operation since 2013, though it was listed for lease in 2015. Via Skyscrapercity.com / Brisbane Times.
Everyone loves a comedy festival, but sometimes being so spoiled for comic choice isn't just amusing — it's overwhelming. That's where comedy festival showcases come in. They add laughs to the lulls between annual fests, plus they offer a bite-sized sample of the up-and-coming comedians you might not have seen live yet. Coming to Brisbane Powerhouse on Saturday, October 22, the Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase certainly promises both — serving up the brightest and most buzz-worthy performers from the 2022 event, which took place in the Harbour City earlier in the year. If it's highlights of hilarity you're after, then this is the place to get it. This year, Cam Knight, Luke Heggie, Mandy Nolan, Jacques Barrett and Cameron James are all on the bill, ready to give your funny bone a tickle. Also doing the honours: RAW Comedy winner Alexandra Hudson. Check them out now during side-splitting shows at 5pm and 8pm in the Powerhouse Theatre — and for just $39 — before putting their solo gigs on your must-see list for the 2022 festival circuit.
Come November, if you're keen on travelling to a galaxy far, far away, you won't need to visit your local cinema. Disney is getting into the streaming game and, when it launches its new Disney+ platform, it'll do so with the first-ever live-action Star Wars spinoff television series, The Mandalorian. One of the most anticipated shows of the year on this (or any other) planet, The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter who hails from the planet Mandalore and roams the outer reaches of the universe. His bullet-slinging antics happen far from the prying eyes of the New Republic, with the series set after the fall of the Empire — that is, after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi but before Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. If the basic premise isn't enough cause for excitement, then the stacked cast will help — it includes Game of Thrones' Pedro Pascal and Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito, plus Nick Nolte, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Ming-Na Wen, and none other than iconic director and occasional actor Werner Herzog. Behind the scenes, The Mandalorian also boasts plenty of big names, with The Lion King's Jon Favreau calling the shots (as the program's creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer), and Taika Waititi among its series' directors. Waititi will also voice a new droid, called IG-11. After announcing the show last year, Disney has been keeping the details as secret as possible; however, if you've been keener than Han Solo in any cantina in the galaxy to get a glimpse — here's your chance. With the Mouse House holding its huge D23 convention over the past weekend, the company has just dropped its first trailer for the series. You can't include Herzog among your on-screen talent without making use of his inimitable voice, which this initial clip does perfectly, reminding us that bounty hunting is a complicated profession. Of course, that's not all that's in store — check out the initial preview below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOC8E8z_ifw The Mandalorian will hit Disney+ when it launches Down Under on November 19.
Kraken Rum is giving UK bartenders the chance to mix drinks at the mother of all pop-up bars. The Black Ink Society will be hosting a bar at the Red Sand Sea Forts, a lonely 14km off the coast of Kent, for one day only on October 14. Hopeful bartenders will compete in the Think Ink competition for the chance to strut their stuff in the creepy abandoned pillboxes. The Red Sand Sea Forts were built during World War II as anti-aircraft defences and fell into disuse after the war. They were occupied by various pirate radio stations during the 1960s, but have since been abandoned and fallen into the depths of dilapidation. But Kraken Rum wants to change that. They want to restore the forts to their former glory — then throw a huge party in them. The competition itself carries only one proviso — in order to be considered a cocktail "as dark as the Kraken’s ink", bartenders must use at least 35ml of Kraken Black Spiced Rum. Otherwise, competitors are free to go for broke by mixing their own concoction in order to secure their place at this "unique, if terrifying" shindig. The finals are to be held on October 8. Via www.psfk.com. Picture by Russ Garrett.
When streaming first infiltrated our viewing habits, paid online services such as Netflix boasted a hefty advantage over free-to-air television: no pesky advertisements interrupting while you watch. That wasn't the only drawcard by any means, but it wasn't a minor one, either. Now, however, the platform is betting that some folks won't mind commercials here and there in exchange for a cheaper subscription. This move has been in the works for a few months now, but Netflix's new 'basic with ads' package is about to become a reality in Australia — starting Friday, November 4. Sitting below its existing ad-free basic, standard and premium plans, the new subscription tier will cost $6.99 per month, and is being positioned as a budget-saving option. Here's how it works: firstly, you'll need to opt into the new plan. If you're already a Netflix subscriber without advertisements, that won't change. If you choose to switch to the ad option, you'll be served around four-to-five minutes of ads per hour. Those commercials will run for either 15 or 30 seconds in length, and play before and during films and shows. Also, there'll be fewer titles — and you won't be able to download them. Netflix advises that the smaller range will affect "a limited number of movies and TV shows" which "won't be available due to licensing restrictions", which the service is working on. And, video quality will only go up to 720p/HD, which is the same as Netflix's ad-free basic plan. Australia is part of a 12-country initial rollout, alongside Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US. A bonus for your bank balance? An annoying distraction? You choose. Again, you have to actively opt in for the ad-supported plan, so it won't just pop up unexpectedly while you're deep in a Stranger Things or DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story marathon. Netflix subscribers aren't new to the streaming service's tinkering, with the platform testing and rolling out plenty of new features over the years — including its 'play something' shuffle function for when you can't decide what to feast your eyeballs on next, and blocking password sharing. A huge motivation for this move: the plethora of competing services also competing for viewers, because there's never a shortage of things to watch. Netflix's 'basic with ads' package will be available for $6.99 per month from Friday, November 4.
2021 marks 23 years since '...Baby One More Time' rocketed up Australia's charts, and made sure that everyone in the country knew who Britney Spears was. In the decades since, the singer has enjoyed a slew of other hits, thanks to everything from 'Sometimes', '(You Drive Me) Crazy' and 'Oops!... I Did It Again' to 'Toxic', 'Everytime' and 'If U Seek Amy'. Yes, you now have at least one of these songs stuck in your head (or, let's be honest, a medley of all them). This year also marks the arrival of a must-see documentary about the pop star, which Aussies have heard plenty about but have been unable to watch for the past month. Part of The New York Times Presents series that streams in the US via Hulu, Framing Britney Spears examines not only the singer's life since she was a child — going back to before her first hit single, and before her time on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club in the early 90s, too — but also the way she has been treated in the press, the fact that she has been under a conservatorship since 2008 and the #FreeBritney movement that's sprung up in response to the latter. Not by her own choice, Spears has been an almost-constant presence in the tabloid media for nearly quarter-century. The paparazzi has covered her every move and career with disturbing intensity, in fact. Everyone knows the details, because they've been plastered all over magazine front pages and internet headlines for years and years, to the point that they've been impossible to avoid. And, as this doco ponders, it's easy to join the dots between the relentless hounding by photographers, the endless mentions in gossip columns, the ridiculous way Americans reacted when she didn't meet their idea of what a 'girl next door'-style pop star should be, how she has been regarded by pop culture in general and how the US legal system has stripped away her right to control her own life for more than a decade. The film makes for important and grim viewing — and, although it premiered in the US in early February, Channel 9 just aired the Hulu doco this past week, and has also made it available on its online service, 9 Now. So, you can now spend 71 minutes stepping through a story that hasn't ended yet and doesn't wrap up happily in the movie, but is rightly sparking a reassessment of how female celebrities — and young women in the spotlight in particular — are treated, Spears included. Check out the Framing Britney Spears trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GEa844LCoI Framing Britney Spears is now available to stream on 9 Now.
It has been just over six months since Amazon finally launched in Australia, promising an array of goods delivered quickly and affordably, as shipped from Melbourne. But you're probably still making purchases from the company's US and UK sites, aren't you? Given that Amazon's Aussie range and prices don't quite match its overseas counterparts, that's understandable. But, come July 1, that'll no longer be an option. In emails sent out to customers today, Amazon advised that purchases from its international platforms will no longer be shipped to Australian addresses once the new financial year hits. The new policy is the result of an upcoming change to the country's GST laws, with the standard goods and services tax of 10 percent set to be applied to all online overseas purchases. At the moment, GST only applies to transactions over $1000. "We have taken this step to provide our customers with continued access to [our] international selection and allow us to remain compliant with the law which requires us to collect and remit GST on products sold on Amazon sites that are shipped from overseas," advised Amazon in its correspondence to customers. Anyone in Australia trying to purchase from Amazon US, UK or elsewhere will have the option of buying from a new Amazon Global Store, launched today, which will apparently "provide customers with continued access to [Amazon's] international selection". Still, it won't quite be the same. The Guardian reports that the Amazon Global Store currently has around four million items, which isn't even one percent of the range available in the US. And while Amazon states that more than 60 million products are currently available on its Australian site, if you're a seasoned online shopper, you've probably come across more than a few gaps. Or, you've found the same goods on sale to Aussie customers for a much steeper price, even taking exchange rates and international shipping into account. Given that the ban applies to all Australian addresses, we're sorry to say that sneaking around the block with a VPN won't work. Using a shipping forwarding service — where orders are initially sent to an overseas address, then forwarded on to Australia (for an extra fee) — will be an option though. If you're worried that this could change online shopping in Australia, you're not alone. With the change in GST laws and Amazon's precedent, it seems inevitable that other online retailers will follow in the global retailer's footsteps.
It has been six months since The Handmaid's Tale dropped its first teaser for its upcoming fourth season, which, like plenty of other things this year, was postponed until 2021. But, even though new episodes won't bless screens this year, fans of the dystopian series can rejoice at the latest news — because the show has just been renewed for a fifth season. Yes, even though The Handmaid's Tale's fourth season won't air until sometime next year, it already has an extra batch of episodes beyond that locked in. The news was announced as part of Disney's big 2020 Investor Day, because the Mouse House owns a majority stake in Hulu, the US streaming platform that produces the series. That means that audiences can look forward to more time with the show's protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss), following season three's cliffhanger ending. And, it means more of the series' oh-so-relevant dialogue that's full of lines that feel like they could be said today, in reality, in everyday life. Using a deeply dystopian scenario to reflect the modern world has always been one of the acclaimed, award-winning series' strengths, of course. It was true of Margaret Atwood's 1985 book that started it all, too, and it doesn't look likely to change on-screen anytime soon. So, this tale of rebellion and revolution isn't anywhere near done yet. Toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality doesn't happen quickly, after all. If you're wondering what's in store next, June is set to strike back against Gilead and become a fierce rebel leader in season four — but, like everything in this series, that comes with risks and challenges. Obviously a sneak peek of The Handmaid's Tale's fifth season isn't available yet, and won't be until after its fourth season both airs and finishes – but you can watch (or rewatch) the season four trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WLqBUi4r6o The fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit screens in 2021 — on SBS in Australia — and we'll update you with further details when they're announced. The show's fifth season will air sometime after that, likely in 2022.
Did reading (or watching the movie adaptation of) We Need to Talk About Kevin leave you feeling uneasy for weeks? Have you been getting your vampire fix by devouring The Passage trilogy? Did leafing through Looking for Alibrandi help you survive high school? If you answered yes to any of the above questions and you're keen to see your favourite authors chat about their work, then you're in luck. Yes, it's Christmas time for anyone fond of the printed word — the Brisbane Writers' Festival is back for 2016. Celebrating its 54th year from September 7 to 11, this year's BWF is bringing the authors of the aforementioned novels, Lionel Shriver, Justin Cronin and Melina Marchetta, to Brissie — and that's just the beginning of their hectic program. Keen on the comedy of English comedian Alexei Sayle? Or the complex fiction of Irish novelist Michael Collins? Maybe you've always dreamed of writing your own cookbook? Or perhaps you've been wondering why every second story seems to be about a dead girl? Well, you'll find sessions with all of the above on this year's lineup, alongside discussions of sensual reading that doesn't reference any shades of grey and a primer on making your own cryptic crosswords and other word puzzles. Basically, we could keep asking you about your reading habits for hours and we'd still come up with relevant BWF sessions for you to go to. That's what happens when the State Library of Queensland becomes a hive of literary activity for five busy days, after all. The rest of the fest's topics include the struggles faced by female writers, how to ensure a picture really does convey a thousand words, and instructive seminars about everything from getting published to uttering phrases on the radio. And, if you don't feel like trekking into the city, you can still join in the fun as part of the free BWF in the 'Burbs series. The Brisbane Writers Festival runs from September 7 to 11. To check out the full program — and to purchase tickets — visit the festival's website.
It's impossible to be stressed when there's cute puppies around, which is as good a motto as any to live by. Are you the kind of person who gets tense rushing around airports, even if you've checked in early and you're heading off on your dream holiday — or you've just landed for a relaxing getaway? Here's something that'll help: for one day only at Sydney Airport, you can add spending time with tiny guide dogs to your trip. Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has dubbed its pop-up a puppy cafe, and sipping a cuppa while patting labrador puppies Aero, Pax, Kingsford, Syd and Amelia is on the agenda. You'll need to make a date with Café Veloce at airport's Domestic Terminal 2 on Thursday, January 18, however, and be around between 10–11.30am and 12.30–2pm. If anything is worth dropping your bags off well in advance of your flight or hanging around after disembarking, it's this. Tickets cost $15 for adults, and are only available at the door. Expect to have company — who wouldn't want to add some adorable Guide Dogs pups, which've been named the 'airport litter', to their airport visit? Attendees will also be surrounded by Therapy Dogs as well as the five Guide Dogs pups, and get a free coffee as part of the entry fee For Sydneysiders who aren't jetting anywhere anytime soon, you can still drop by, but you will need to go through airport security to get to the cafe. "For one day only, we are thrilled to open up our Guide Dog cafe in Sydney Airport where ticket holders can meet the gorgeous airport litter and learn about the wonderful work of Guide Dogs," said Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Puppy Development Advisor Sabrina Gabrielle "This day is all about highlighting the brilliant work that Guide Dogs does, raising awareness for our community and celebrating our wonderful Christmas appeal partnership with Sydney Airport." "It takes over two years and costs $50,000 to breed, raise and train each life-changing Guide Dog, including the pups we'll have at our cafe. Through this event we want to recognise the crucial role all of our dogs play in helping Australians living with low vision and blindness lead a life without limits." The Guide Dogs pop-up puppy cafe will be at Café Veloce in Sydney Airport's Domestic Terminal 2, Keith Smith Ave, Mascot, on Thursday, January 18 — with sessions from 10–11.30am and 12.30–2pm. You can buy tickets from $15 on the door. For more information about Guide Dogs Australia, head to the organisation's website.
Whether you're working in the CBD or hanging out at South Bank, crossing from one side of the Brisbane River to the other is a straightforward prospect, especially if you're making the trip on foot. No fewer than five bridges for pedestrians are located between Hale Street and Gardens Point; however, that's clearly not enough, with the busy stretch of the river about to gain another crossover. Proposed as part of the Queen's Wharf development, the Neville Bonner Bridge will reach from the new precinct over to the Cultural Centre Forecourt. Earmarked solely for foot traffic and named after the country's first Indigenous Australian parliamentarian, it'll link Queen's Wharf's restaurants, bars and retail hub with South Bank's venues, plus the surrounding parklands. Construction and opening dates haven't been revealed, but the Queensland Government has just announced that the tender for the project will soon be unveiled, meaning that work could be underway sooner rather than later. An exact cost for the bridge hasn't been revealed either, but, speaking to The Courier-Mail, Tourism Minister Kate Jones noted that it's expected to range around the $100 million mark. She also advised that it would be paid for by the consortium behind Queen's Wharf — Destination Brisbane Consortium — rather than taxpayers. Of course, if you're thinking the obvious — that is, do we really need another piece of cement crossing the river in a part of city that already has plenty of them? — you're not alone. The Neville Bonner Bridge will sit between the Victoria Bridge and the Goodwill Bridge, after all. The former runs from QPAC to the Treasury Casino, is open to cars, buses, bikes and folks just using their legs, and is located incredibly close to the new bridge (particularly its southern section). The latter is already purely for pedestrians, spanning from the other end of South Bank over to the Queensland University of Technology. As for Brisbane's other three bridges with pedestrian access in the area, they're all nearby too — the foot traffic-only Kurilpa Bridge runs from the Gallery of Modern Art over to Tank Street, the mixed-use William Jolly Bridge links Grey Street with North Quay, and the Go Between Bridge, which caters for vehicles, cyclists and walkers, runs from Merivale and Cordelia Streets in West End to Hale Street in Milton. Perhaps the idea is for Brisbanites to spend more time walking across bridges, and less time walking to get to one? For further details about the Neville Bonner Bridge, visit the Queen's Wharf development website. We'll keep you updated with an opening date when we have one.
The Kook is a short film made on a small budget that's taking the US independent film festivals by storm (and walking away with all the awards too). Already given the Official Selection title at a number of festivals, including Austin, New Orleans, Riverrun and Slamdance, the film is set to screen at several others in the US and Europe too. The film's story follows Fa, a gentle and unassuming member of an eccentric religious sect, as she inadvertently discovers an unsettling truth about the cult's leader. It's a dark comedy that plays with the realisation that everything Fa has ever believed in is fake, but it's not just The Kook's universal themes of truth and deception that has won audiences over. Although the cult's yellow jogging suits and dark bowl-cut hairdos probably make a lasting impression for many of the film's audiences, it's an 18-minute film that feels like nod to '80s soft-focus cinematography and the creation of a kooky world that's, worryingly, not too unlike our own. Actress T. Sahara Meer, who plays the naive Fa, recently received an award for best actress at a comedy festival in LA and, just a few days ago, the film's directors - New Yorkers Gregory Mitnick and Nat Livingston Johnson - took home the Audience Award at LES Film Festival in Manhattan. It looks like it'll be a big year for this little film. Now we just need to convince them to show it off down under. https://youtube.com/watch?v=t8u284szuk4
When Babylon Brisbane opened its doors, it didn't just mark the first Sunshine State outpost for the eatery that's been serving up dishes and drinks in Sydney since 2019. It also saw 145 Eagle Street gain the first of two new venues, the second of which is a waterfront bar. Babylon Garden is the 500-person, 645-square-metre outdoor hangout space accompanying Babylon Brisbane's sitdown indoor 120-person setup. So, you can head inside for a restaurant meal with river views, or spend your afternoon or evening right by the water on two tiers of terraces, sipping beverages in the open air. As with indoors, Babylon Gardens' design is overseen by Brisbane's Hogg and Lamb, the architects behind the Sydney venue. This time, pale bricks are a big feature, plus timber furniture, leather banquettes, and palm trees and plants aplenty. You'll sit at green marble tabletops at high and low tables, and your drinks come from a ten-metre brass bar. On the menu amid that greenery, and while soaking in the fresh air: Middle Eastern and East Mediterranean bites and cocktails. The food lineup is a collaboration between Babylon Brisbane's Head Chef Ferdinand Sariin and Babylon Sydney's Head Chef Robert Taylor. Drinks-wise, the range of beers on tap and by the bottle heroes brews from around the world, as does the hefty wine list. With bubbles, the focus unsurprisingly falls heavily on French champagne. Folks keen on a cocktail will find Middle Eastern-meets-East Mediterranean flavours shining through here, too, as tasted in the Semiramis' Throne (made with Tanqueray Sevilla, mastic liqueur, apricot, lemon, falernum and orange blossom), Devine Levanthyme (limoncello, lemon gin, thyme, sugar and egg white) and Turkish espresso martini (with Turkish coffee and cardamom-infused Metaxa 7, chocolate liqueur, orgeat and cold brew). Images: Markus Ravik.
You already know that drops by way of Central Otago, Marlborough and Hawke's Bay deliver the goods, but when was the last time you sought some vino from beyond the big three New Zealand wine regions? Believe it or not, Gisborne is actually the country's third largest plonk-producing region — perhaps that's because Kiwis have a profound love for the cheap and cheerful east coast native, Lindauer. Elsewhere, the winterless north is home to some of the country's first grape plantations, North Canterbury sets the scene for 90 vineyards and over 20 cellar doors, and a cluster of pioneering vineyards sit less than 30-minutes from Auckland's CBD. [caption id="attachment_782157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Milton Vineyard.[/caption] GISBORNE You've likely sampled the goods of premier east coast wine region Hawke's Bay, but how about vino from 200 kilometres up the road in Gisborne? Like its east coast neighbour, the high and hot sunshine hours and fertile soil make Gizzy the ideal location for growing and making world-class wine. It's the country's third largest wine-producing region and is best known for bottling aromatic chardonnay, gewurztraminer, viognier, pinot gris and malbec. Big name bubbly label Lindauer was born here, but a visit to the region might also see you swirling drops from Milton, the country's first organic and biodynamic wine estate. Award-winning producer Matawhero Wines can also be found up the road and the single-vineyard wines of the family-owned Bushmere Estate. Wine (and RTD) lovers can even party between the vines at the largest music festival in the country, Rhythm and Vines. [caption id="attachment_721838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matakana Estate.[/caption] MATAKANA Wine lovers visiting New Zealand's biggest city are truly spoilt for choice. A cluster of award-winning and family-owned vineyards sit less than an hour's drive from the CBD. Dotted among the hillsides and bays of northern Auckland, Matakana has a warm climate that produces elegant reds — there are 28 varieties planted in the region, which makes it one of the most diverse wine growing areas in New Zealand. Here you'll find French-inspired creations and an elaborate 'if you build it, they will come' sculpture park. Heron's Flight is the only vineyard in New Zealand to specialise solely in Italian grapes, including sangiovese and dolcetto. Matakana Estate has been around since the boutique wine region first sprung to light more than 30 years ago, and Runner Duck Estate is a vineyard specialising in small quantities of French-inspired syrah, Bordeaux blends, pinot gris and rosé. [caption id="attachment_669900" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marsden Estate.[/caption] NORTHLAND The winterless north is where the country's first grapes were planted over 200 years ago. The wine region spans nearly 300 kilometres from Karikari in the north to Mangawhai in the south, with its subtropical climate creating full-bodied and rich wines. It's here you'll discover tropical chardonnays, vibrant viogniers, merlot blends and peppery pinotages. If you have an afternoon to wile away, Marsden Estate is found a short trip from Kerikeri airport. At the winery you can enjoy an educational wine tasting before settling on your preferred varietal. Afterwards, take a stroll around the subtropical vineyard gardens with another glass of vino. Once off the car ferry en route to Russell, make a short detour for Paroa Bay Winery, a property set against the rolling hills and overlooking its namesake watery cove. The boutique vineyard has a big focus on sustainability, using techniques of dry-grown vines across chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, syrah, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and merlot. Go for a tasting flight and stay for the Mediterranean and European-inspired menu at the onsite restaurant. [caption id="attachment_782115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Westbrook.[/caption] WEST AUCKLAND West Auckland is host to a range of first-rate wine producers — some of which have been pumping out the goods for more than 100 years. A short drive from the CBD in and around Kumeu Valley is where the historic grape-growing region lies and where most of the vineyards were founded by families of Dalmatian (Croatian) origin. In just one day you can hop between cellar door tastings, private wine tours and full pairing degustations. Best known for chardonnay and pinot noir, the region is also ushering in a new era of wine production with aromatic grapes like the Spanish albarino. Pioneering winemaker Babich Wines has been operating out of Henderson Valley since 1916, Coopers Creek is a family-owned winery in Huapai with a reputation for producing classic regional wines, and The Hunting Lodge is an 80-acre estate featuring a lawn bar and cuisine from celebrated chef Des Harris. Elsewhere, you can't beat the output of boutique Waikoukou Valley producer Westbrook, the chardonnay of the Brajkovich family's Kumeu River, and the personal wine tours of Soljans Estate. [caption id="attachment_782156" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Black Estate.[/caption] NORTH CANTERBURY Just outside of the South Island's largest city is a destination renowned for its wine and food. The North Canterbury wine region is home to some 90 vineyards and over 20 cellar doors where you can sample interesting and expressive wines. Drops range from chardonnay and riesling to the lesser-known varietals like albarino and saint laurent — the 'wild cousin' of pinot noir. Waipara family-run vineyard Black Estate is famous for its organic and biodynamic wines, and its restaurant is often considered one of the best winery offerings in New Zealand. Elsewhere, Terrace Edge is an award-winning organic vineyard and olive grove on the Waipara River, pioneering winery Pegasus Bay offers drinkable riesling and pinot noir, and Greystone Wines dishes up a menu of organic and foraged produce. Also worth noting is Theo Coles' The Hermit Ram label which produces unfiltered and unrefined natural wine out of Omihi. Top image: Black Estate.
Love it or hate it, tipping culture has steadily crept into Aussie restaurants, bars and cafes. And despite growing cost-of-living pressures, you might be surprised to learn that more of us are tipping more of the time. In fact, the average tip across the nation has increased 25 percent year-on-year, now reaching $25.20. Yet some tippers are a little more generous than others, with a recent Zeller report finding that one state stands out as the stingiest in the country. That'd be New South Wales, with the average tip just $16.90. Contrast that with Victoria — where the average tip is $39.50 — and the data starts to paint a somewhat unfavourable picture. It's unlikely people from NSW are uniquely penny-pinching, so what might have caused this chasm in generosity? According to Josh McNicol, Director of Growth at Zeller, several factors must be considered. "The potential for financial pressure to dampen tipping enthusiasm, especially in costly cities like Sydney, is a logical outcome where diners feel tight budgets outweigh tipping impulse," he says. McNicol also suggests subtle differences in hospo cultures could exist, with those in Melbourne more open to honouring stellar service. He explains: "Victoria, particularly Melbourne, has long enjoyed living in the heart of Australia's dining and hospitality sector. There's an ingrained culture where diners want to reward great service, and now smarter payment technology makes it simpler for diners to leave a tip if they choose to do so." South Australia is also highlighted in the data. The average tip has increased 64 percent, with Adelaide posting a 180 percent year-on-year increase. And for those keen to split the bill — only 2.9 percent of restaurant transactions nationally involve a split, representing a 25 percent decline. That suggests fewer big group outings — or perhaps more of us have generous friends. Whether you're a tipper or not, check out our cheat sheet to the best restaurants and bars in Sydney or discover 20 top spots in Melbourne for a cheap eat.
If you thought Africa's first underwater hotel room was impressive, how about an upgrade? For an additional US$283,500, you can stay in your very own submarine hotel. Titled 'Lovers Deep', it's the latest offering from luxury travel company Oliver's Travels, whose motto is 'Why Do Ordinary?' Indeed. Why put up with terrestrial limitations, when you could be floating 650 feet deep off a Caribbean island of your choice? Making demands on a dedicated butler? Performing ablutions in company in a dual shower? Watching schools of fish swim by while eating their aphrodisiac friends? You can ask Oliver’s to customise an overnight package according to your desires. Options include sunset beach walks, a petal-scattering service, champagne breakfasts-in-bed and fine dining feasts involving caviar, oysters and chocolate fondant. "All of our hand-picked, luxury properties have something unique and quirky about them," says Oliver Bell, the company's co-founder. "But Lovers Deep really stands out as one of our quirkiest yet." Oliver’s, a UK-based company, specialises in highly unusual, once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. Their stable includes remote, romantic lighthouses, abandoned windmills-turned-hotels, French chateaus and British country mansions surrounded by rolling hills. Via PSFK.
This winter, garage goths, a fusion of jazz and metal played by musicians in clown masks, a head-on collision and sand raining down on a man in an hourglass are all on the agenda — on Dark Mofo's 2025 agenda, that is. If you needed any proof that the Tasmanian winter arts festival is back after sitting out 2024, consider the above sample of the lineup as overwhelming evidence. This has always been a fest where expecting the unexpected is the baseline, and that isn't changing in 2025. Dark Mofo already gave the world a sneak peek at what's to come from Thursday, June 5–Sunday, June 15, 2025, when the bulk of the event takes place — the Nude Solstice Swim is on Saturday, June 21 — when it announced Nathan Maynard's We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep back in March. Accordingly, when it revealed that it'd be hosting a mass installation from the multidisciplinary Trawlwoolway artist, and one that uses sheep flesh to make a statement about the treatment of First Nations people, it signalled that it was still the boundary-pushing fest that folks love flocking to when the weather cools. Now comes the full program, the first under new Artistic Director Chris Twite, which has a date with riverbanks, deconsecrated churches, rooftops, basements, bank vaults and more. 'Dark Mofo is back!" said Twite, revealing the lineup. "Once again we will bathe the city in red, filling it with art and taking over disused and hidden spaces all across Nipaluna/Hobart. Night Mass — the late-night labyrinth of revelry — will carve new paths through the city and a host of Australian-exclusive artists from around the world will storm our stages." That filling downtown Hobart with art and music for Night Mass was set to be a part of Dark Mofo 2025 was announced last year — as was the return of the aforementioned Nude Solstice Swim, the Ogoh-Ogoh and culinary highlight Winter Feast. The festival has shared more details on each now, however, including that Niyati Rao from Mumbai restaurant Ekaa is Winter Feast's guest chef, working with Craig Will, Bianca Welsh and James Welsh from Launceston's Stillwater; that Night Mass: God Complex boasts 100-plus talents involved; and that a giant Maugean skate is the focus at the Ogoh-Ogoh. [caption id="attachment_998147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netti Habel[/caption] On the music side of the lineup, the full program now adds The Horrors and Clown Core, plus Tierra Whack, Cold Cave, Boy Harsher, Baroness, Crime & the City Solution, Show Me the Body, Alabaster DePlume, LUCY (Cooper B Handy), Machine Girl and Mong Tong — all in Australian-exclusive gigs, and all demonstrating how wide-ranging even just the fest's tunes will be. Rap and R&B, progressive metal, art-punk, hardcore both ceremonial and digital: they're just some of the genres on offer. Portishead's Beth Gibbons is also performing at Vivid Sydney, RISING in Melbourne and Brisbane's Open Season, but her spot on the Dark Mofo bill is no less exciting — and via two shows at The Odeon, she's launching the music program. Or, you can catch Rival Consoles give the ambient synth of Landscape From Memory its Australian premiere; see Spectral Wound, Imperial Triumphant Hymns, Hulder and Slimelord at the return of Hymns to the Dead; and witness Dead Can Dance founding member Lisa Gerrard and William Barton perform their Under In Between project live for the first time. DIIV, Jessica Pratt, Drain Gang's Thaiboy Digital, Keanu Nelson, Shackleton, Siddhartha Belmannu, Gut Health, Forest Swords, Brighter Death Now, Evicshen: they're hitting the stage as well. So is a new project from German music festival Berlin Atonal, and London Contemporary Orchestra's Robert Ames teaming up with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Featuring Brazilian artist Paula Garcia and a stunt driver, Crash Body is one of the performance highlights. The Havana-born Carlos Martiel is contributing two pieces, video work Cuerpo and new unveiling Custody, which is where the hourglass comes in — and, as part of his unpacking of systemic violence against people of colour, where Dark Mofo gets another must-see. A empty warehouse will be lit up like the sky thanks to SORA by Nonotak, Simon Zoric's Coffin Rides contemplates the afterlife and collaborative music project Everything Is Recorded from Richard Russell will ponder the winter solstice in an improvised piece. Claudia Comte's La Danse Macabre is set to combine two pianists playing the titular piece as a motocross rider jumps through a the flames from a wooden sculpture on fire — as everyone can witness on a screen in Dark Park — to comment on capitalism, while Ida Sophia's video work Witness muses on religious fervour, and Nicholas Galanin's Neon Anthem will get visitors taking knee and scereaming. From Ronnie van Hout's Quasi and Travis Ficarra's Chocolate Goblin sculptures to the extreme metal vocalisations of Karina Utomo's Mortal Voice and Dark Mofo Films making a comeback, too — with Sound of Metal, Eraserhead, The Proposition, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Lighthouse, Wake in Fright, Melancholia and more — if you're not finding at least 20 events on the program to get excited about instantly, then you're not looking hard enough. [caption id="attachment_994599" align="alignnone" width="1920"] We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep images: Jesse Hunniford, 2025. Image courtesy of Dark Mofo 2025.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_998148" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ednid Alvarez[/caption] Dark Mofo returns from Thursday, June 5–Sunday, June 15, 2025 and for the Nude Solstice Swim on Saturday, June 21. Head to the festival's website for further details and tickets. Images courtesy of Dark Mofo. Top image: Marcos Cimardi.
A soon-to-be-released app is promising a brand new superpower: reading at the speed of light. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it is posing some rather extraordinary possibilities – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 77 minutes, War and Peace in ten hours and Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time (all 3 million words) in two days and twelve hours. You might assume that Spritz, as it’s named, would deliver such miracles via watered-down, abridged versions of the classics. But that's not the case. The user still reads every single word — just at a much faster pace than most of us thought was possible. But how? Rather than presenting books in the page-by-page format that we’ve come to accept as gospel, Spritz delivers them one word at a time. The average university student reads at a pace of about 200-400 words per minute, but with the app (and some practice), this can bump up to 500 or even 1,000. Check it: That was 250wpm. Think you can do 350wpm? 500wpm is below. If you're not dealing, look away for a while; you may find your brain adapts scary-fast. Its success depends on the existence of an 'Optimal Recognition Point' (ORP), also known as a 'fixation point', which is found just to the left of the middle of any word. When we read, we unconsciously jump from one of these to another. So Spritz gives us a speed injection by highlighting ORPs in red. This trick differentiates the app from previous speed-reading tools that have utilised the one-word-at-a-time format, such as Velocity and Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP). Spritz is bound for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Gear 2 watch. It's been in development for three years and, now that it’s ready for take-off, its creators are looking for developers, technicians and database experts. If you’ve been looking for a reason to move to Utah, here’s your chance. Via Huffington Post.
Earlier this year, we wrote about how Elon Musk's high-speed vacuum tube transport system could be a reality by 2018. Well, because it's Elon Musk, the whole thing looks like it's actually running on schedule — and potentially coming to Australia. What, here? Where everything comes last? Yep. According to The Australian, Los Angeles-based firm Hyperloop One — who Musk has given the task of bringing this thing to life — are looking for a place to test the technology, and they have the Sydney to Melbourne corridor firmly on their radar. "We're very keen to explore the potential for doing proof of operations in Australia and the reason for that is there's a clear long-term need for ultra-fast transport on the Australian east coast," Hyperloop One's vice president of global business development Alan James told The Australian. "So we would be looking, either in NSW or Victoria, or possibly in ACT, to develop the first section of that route, to prove the operation of Hyperloop, to get regulatory approval." Described by Musk as a "cross between a Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table" the proposed Hyperloop system — which is almost cartoonish in design — would consist of a long route of elevated vacuum-sealed steel tubes, through which pressurised capsules ride cushions of air at speeds of up to 1220 kilometres per hour. Hyperloop One claims it can have you travelling from inner-city Melbourne to inner-city Sydney in only 55 minutes. 55 minutes. (Do you hear that? It's the sound of Tiger and Jetstar quaking in their boots.) To drive between Melbourne and Sydney would set you back about nine hours; currently, to get the train, it takes 11.5 hours. Australia — and particularly the Sydney-Melbourne corridor — is the perfect candidate for high speed rail transport because the track could slip nicely along the Hume Highway. There has, of course, been much talk and debate over a high-speed rail system connecting the two cities, but so far no government has been willing to commit to the project. The Hyperloop One team seem to have made rapid progress since they started testing in LA last year. They recently revealed the first prototype will be up and running in the Nevada desert early in 2017 before (potentially, hopefully) kicking off the large scale trial in Australia in 2018. Can it be the future already? For too long we've been at the mercy of Tiger's delays, expensive terrible airport coffee and the drive down the Hume with only Maccas to break up the monotony. We, for one, welcome Musk and his terrifying pneumatic tubes. Via The Australian.
Food is food and booze is booze, but both of these glorious gifts from the heavens are always made better if the surrounds are designed to punch you in the face with panache, and then gently guide you through your experience in a habitat of nice things. Last night, the Eat Drink Design Awards took place in Melbourne to celebrate the very best of hospitality interiors from Australia and New Zealand. Top gong for Best Café Design went to Higher Ground in Melbourne, with design team DesignOffice being lauded by judges for "considerable restraint in defining the space, creating a host of experiences at different levels" where "each occupant is rewarded with a different voyeuristic perspective on the gathered crowd." The Best Bar Design went to Adelaide this year, with bin-alley turned log cabin booze vendor Pink Moon Saloon taking out the top prize. Judges praised the bar for being completely sustainable, which can be taken down and returned to its former function at any time, and by the fact the design by Sans-Arc Studio "taps into that deep Australian memory of long-forgotten cubby houses and sheds." Heston Blumenthal's first permanent digs in Australia, Dinner by Heston in Melbourne, clinched the award for Best Restaurant Design, with the judges frothing on the feeling that "you are somewhere special, and special things are about to happen." Praise went to designers Bates Smart for "eschewing the brittle formality that can accompany the high-end gastronomic experience," and instead aiming for something that is "equal parts theatrical and delightful." Best Retail Design went to Lune Croissanterie in Fitzroy, crafter by the team from Studio Esteta, and Pink Moon Saloon took out their second gold in the Best Identity Design Category. Sydneysiders featured heavily in the shortlists, but didn't take any top awards this year. Il Bacaro in Melbourne was also inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the team from Chris Connell Design taking their place among the antipodean design legends. Have a squiz at the sexiest places to eat and drink.
The Amazing Type-Writer iOS app from Doormouse Manufacturing gives typing on the iPhone a vintage feel by re-creating the look and sound of typing on an antique typewriter. Keeping true to the old-school aesthetic, users can't backspace and some of the more modern symbols, such as the @ sign, won't function. This might be a little frustrating for some, but now you know how your older relatives felt when they had to send out birthday invitations to all their buddies. You'll just have to type over your mistakes and pray that it's legible. This ability to type over existing writing also means you can make tonnes of different patterns and scribbles. According to Doormouse Mfg, the app has "combined the latest in mobile pneumatic tubes technology with the highest-quality digital micro-swingarms available." This means that you'll be able to shift the carrier all over the screen and mark your letter however you like. After you've finished your masterpiece you can save it to your own camera roll, e-mail it, or post it in a public gallery. Perhaps best of all, you can select other people's pieces from this gallery and re-interpret or ruin their works however you like. This gives you the potential to post your own questions or thoughts, and see how many people will respond to it. This app will be perfect for pensioners who miss the good old days, overly-ambitious hipster poets, or people who want to send creepy letters to their ex-girlfriends. Two dollars won't get you much nowadays, but it will buy you the endless joy of having your own nifty little typewriter in your pocket. A limited amount of these are available through iTunes.
It's the beloved series that's been on the air for more than a decade, and finally made the leap Down Under this year. That'd be RuPaul's Drag Race, which first premiered in the US in 2009, wholeheartedly embraced its mission to unearth the next drag superstars, and debuted its Australian and New Zealand version earlier in 2021. And, in spectacularly great news for fans of local drag talent — and of the show's namesake — RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is coming back for a second Aussie and NZ season in 2022. The original US series aired its thirteenth season this year, so this is a program with proven longevity. It has also spun off international iterations before, including in the UK — where it's also hosted by RuPaul — plus in Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. So, revving up the engines for another spin Down Under shouldn't come as a big surprise. And yes, RuPaul will be back on hosting duties again. After Kita Mean took out this year's first season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, exactly who'll be donning eye-catching outfits, navigating dramas and vying for glory next year hasn't been revealed — because casting is now open until Tuesday, October 5. Obviously, exactly when the second season will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand in 2022 hasn't been announced yet either. Neither has the lineup of celebrity guests, after 2021 saw Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue and Taika Waititi all pop up. Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're still a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch the next batch of Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of Mean and US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Check out RuPaul's announcement video for Drag Race Down Under season two below: RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will return for a second season in 2022 on Stan and TVNZ. Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.
Remember when discovering new music meant listening to mix tapes? Like, actual cassettes? And how you couldn’t even find out the name of the song you liked most because WebFerret didn’t account for the fact that you had misheard the lyrics? A lot of romanticism surrounds the idea of obsolete technology, but you have to admit that the idea of merely pressing a button on your iPhone to figure out what you’re listening to is an attractive proposition. Rdio recently threw parties in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to celebrate the unlimited social music service coming to our shores. Spotify has been a lot slower to sort itself out, despite declaring it would reveal Australian launch plans in late March. In the meantime, here are eight cool music discovery apps you can access right now. 1. RDIO Rdio has been the redeemer, saviour and friend of everyone who can’t access Spotify, Pandora or Grooveshark because of annoying “Not Available in Your Country” screens. If you already know what you’re looking for simply search by name, add it to your collection or add it to a playlist. If the artist isn’t too touchy about the idea of free music you can also sync songs and albums to your iPhone and listen to them even when, God forbid, you’re without Internet. Rdio also lets you “follow” users whose tastes you admire and pick their brains/music collections. Free, also available on Android. 2. TUNEIN RADIO There’s a reason smartphones don’t come with a built-in radio, and that reason is TuneIn. With over 50,000 stations and 120,000 shows for you to choose from, TuneIn allows you to search both local FM and overseas stations as far away as Antarctica (at the moment the South Pole is all about folk music). The app will also scan your music library and make radio station recommendations accordingly, and tracks your data usage so you can monitor your addiction to Radio Kishi Wada closely. Free, also available on Android. 3. SHAZAM ENCORE Simply press a button, hold your iPhone up to a source of music and the 9th most downloaded app of all time tells you what’s playing. iTunes recommends you use it during American Idol to get the song lists, but other options include discovering new music in Shazam Friends & Charts, finding more tracks by tagged artists and using it in conjunction with TuneIn Radio. $6.49, also available on Android. 4. SOUNDHOUND Got an extra dollar and a knack for emitting continuous droning sounds? Upgrade to SoundHound and you can identify songs by humming them. $7.49, also available on Android. 5. SONGKICK Let it scan your music library and reveal the touring dates of all your favourite artists, or plug in your geographical region and scroll through a calendar of all the live shows in your city. There’s nothing like seeing a live gig to get you amped about a new band. Free. 6. DISCOVR MUSIC If you’ve always wanted to be one of those people who discovers cool new bands but just really can’t be bothered, Discovr is for you. Just type in the name of any artist you like and the app will give you a whole bunch of similar ones in the form of a nice-looking web. Double-click to find out more about a particular artist, or keep expanding your web until Neon Indian connects with The Electric Prunes. $1.99, also available on Android. 7. POCKET HIPSTER It’s probably no longer cool since everyone found out about it, but it’s still hilarious. If you’ve ever had a friend who raked through your music collection before mocking it and making suggestions about how to make it cooler, you’ll have some idea of how it works. Bonus points for spot-on animations, snarky quips and the way it lets you pretend their suggestions aren’t cool at all before sneaking over to iTunes to download them. Free. 8. CHOMPIN Browse through genres and listen to suggestions, and “chomp” things you like. Chomping a track saves it to your phone so you can listen to it whenever, and lets you tell your friends when you’ve found something worthy — sort of like Pocket Hipster in reverse. Free, also available on Android.
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter" isn't just a line The Little Mermaid fans have had stuck in their head for the last two decades. Come April 2019, it's also the first thing likely to pop into the minds of anyone heading to one particular Norwegian restaurant. Set to open in the coastal village of Båly in the country's south, Under will plunge hungry patrons into watery surroundings, offering more than just the usual scenic vistas. At this eatery, diners will be tucking into their dishes underwater. To be specific, they'll be feasting on seafood under the sea — if you're going to open a space underneath the ocean, you have to serve up the fish, which is just what head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard will be doing. If that sounds like your idea of a memorable meal, Under is now taking bookings from April 2019 onwards. Visitors will descend down three colour-coded levels to sip sparkling tipples in a champagne bar that boasts views of the shoreline, before enjoying their dinner in the completely submerged dining room. The latter sits five metres below the water's surface, and is surrounded by panoramic acrylic windows for quite the aquatic view. For those wondering about pressure and safety, metre-thick concrete walls will keep everyone nice and dry, in a structure designed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Describing the space as "a sunken periscope", the building is being constructed not only to wow those stepping foot inside, but to fit in with its surroundings. The grey exterior colour scheme is designed to blend in with the rocky coastline, with coarse surfacing that encourages molluscs to cling on. Indeed, over time it's hoped that Under will become an artificial mussel reef. As well as offering quite the place to eat, the project also aims to champion biodiversity, functioning as a research centre for marine life. This will include informational plaques educating visitors about the area, helping to expand not only the list of places you've tucked into a meal, but your knowledge. Start planning your 2019 Scandinavian trip now. Images: Snohetta.
In recent years, there's been an interesting shift in the way Australians approach leisure and travel. There was a time when an ideal weekend involved throwing back espresso martinis, racking up a $200 Uber bill, and waking up with a vague recollection of last night's bad decisions. Now? Our collective vibe (and level of disposable income) has changed. People are drinking less, going out less, and prioritising feeling good on Monday morning over how late they can stay out. In 2024, Forbes reported a study that found Gen Z, in particular, are drinking 12.8 fewer alcoholic drinks a month compared to before COVID-19. This coincides with the increasing popularity of run clubs, bath houses, #GutHealth and holistic wellness both online and IRL. But it's not just about cutting back on booze, it's about chasing something that actually makes you feel good. Enter the rise of micro wellness escapes: short, intentional trips that are designed to leave you recharged instead of wrecked. Instead of saving for one big, long-haul, blowout trip, more and more people are leaning into weekends spent off-grid, ice baths instead of beach clubs, and yoga in the hinterland rather than sunrise shots in Bali. If that sounds like your kind of reset, here are five wellness retreats worth checking out. Eden Health Retreat Currumbin Valley QLD If you've ever wished you could disappear off the grid for a few days, Eden Health Retreat makes that dream a reality. Tucked away in Queensland's Currumbin Valley, it's a place where your phone gets zero reception, the Wi-Fi doesn't exist, and your only connection is with nature, your body, and that book you finally have time to read. This isn't the kind of place you go to lie by the pool with a cocktail. The days here are structured but flexible, with daily classes or workshops ranging from yoga, Pilates and sound healing to rainforest meditations, cold plunges and sauna. You can book in for massages or sweat it out in the state-of-the-art gym, and still have time for long walks through the forest tracks that wrap around the retreat. The food is nutritionally balanced, seasonal, and designed by their team of award-winning chefs and nutritionists. They provide three totally gluten-free meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) served in the beautiful dining room overlooking the valley. They even have a custom-built demonstration kitchen where you can learn how to cook for yourself. You won't go hungry, and you'll leave with a new standard for what healthy eating can taste like. Eden is immersive. It's a chance to disappear from real life, breathe deeply, and actually hear yourself think again. If you're in need of a full system reset, this is your best bet. Book Eden Health Retreat Gaia Retreat & Spa Brooklet NSW Not everyone wants a retreat where they have to ditch their vices entirely. Gaia, set in Byron Bay's lush hinterland, caters to that. Here, you can have your organic, locally sourced meals and grounding meditations, but you can also enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. You can go full wellness mode, or you can simply read a book on the balcony, get a massage, and forget reality. Gaia's experience is built around balance. There are daily yoga classes, as well as opt-in opt-out spa treatments and holistic wellness therapies like art therapy, astrology, kinesiology and energetic healing. But you can pick and choose your own pace, jumping into everything, or doing absolutely nothing and just floating through the weekend. Food here is a highlight. Fresh, organic produce from the onsite gardens and local farmers is served across three daily meals by Gaia's award-winning chefs. Yes, there's a wine list. And no, you don't need to feel bad about indulging. It's part of the wellness equation. Gaia offers you space to relax without rules. Whether you're escaping the city, celebrating something, or just need a reset, this is luxury wellness without the rigidity. Book Gaia Retreat The Brooklet Brooklet NSW Some places make a point of saying, "We're not a retreat," and The Brooklet is one of them. Nestled in Byron Bay's rolling hills, it's set on 125-acres with 6 luxury Villas for those who want a break from life without the structure of a traditional wellness retreat. Instead of a rigid schedule, you get a stunning space where you can take things at your own pace. It's self-guided, self-paced, and all about reconnecting with nature. There's an infinity mineral pool overlooking the hills, a sauna, hot tub, tennis court, private yoga sessions and spaces designed purely for chilling out: think warm timber tones, neutral palettes, and interiors that instantly make you feel calm. It's like staying at a ridiculously aesthetic countryside Airbnb, but one that also happens to be built for wellness. If you choose a retreat package, your stay will include three meals per day and a non-alcoholic beverage package. Or you can head to nearby cafes and farm-to-table eateries. The space also includes a communal kitchen, where guests can make their own pizzas and eat at the huge family-style communal table. The Brooklet is for those who don't want to be told what to do with their downtime. Just beautiful space, plenty of nature, and all the facilities you need to tune back in. Book The Brooklet Elysia Wellness Retreat Pokolbin NSW If you're after a full-body-and-mind transformation, Elysia is the place. Located in the Hunter Valley in NSW, it's a wellness retreat in the most literal sense of the title. Structured, intentional, and designed to help you completely reset your mind and body with long term habits. Elysia offers three to seven day packages. Each stay includes guided fitness, mindfulness and wellness sessions, ranging from group yoga and tai chi to educational seminars, spa therapies, and one-on-one health consultations. There's a schedule to follow, but it's flexible and designed to empower you with tools to take home. The food is designed to detox, nourish and energise, but it's never boring. Clean, wholesome meals are served communally to encourage mindful eating, and you're given a break from red meat, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and saturated fat. It's a retreat that feeds your body and your social spirit. Elysia is perfect if you're looking for a retreat that's equal parts educational and experiential. Book Elysia Wellness Retreat Billabong Retreat Maraylya NSW Only 45 minutes from Sydney, Billabong Retreat is one of the most accessible wellness getaways around, designed for those who want to unplug without going too far. It's less about luxury and more about getting back to basics, with a philosophy around reconnection with nature, mindfulness, and slowing down. Everything here is simple but thoughtful. Treehouse-style cabins overlook a serene billabong and there's a general sense of "let's just breathe for a minute" energy about the place. The daily program centres around yoga, meditation and mindfulness, with classes that suit all levels. You can book extra spa treatments, take a dip in the mineral pool, or simply sit with a cup of tea and look out over the trees. The food is like a warm, plant-based hug. Each stay includes all food, drinks and snacks, which are all locally sourced and served in a communal buffet style that encourages genuine connection. It's healthy, hearty and made with love. Book Billabong Retreat In 2025, wellness retreats are no longer for the ultra-spiritual or ultra-rich. Now, they're for anyone who just wants to feel better. As the world speeds up, the real luxury is being able to check out of the chaos and check in with yourself.
There may or may not be a new mixtape from the Avalanches. This past weekend, the Australian band tweeted this mysterious message to fans, with a link to a mix titled 'A Sleepy Bedtime Mix for Young Ones'. The link is hosted by new mixtape site, Pinchy & Friends, created by Tom Kuntz, who directed the video for the Avalanches' 'Frontier Psychiatrist'. Reps from Modular, the Avalanches' label, claim to have no knowledge of a mixtape. The Avalanches have gonna a little MIA as of late; a "taking a break" message appears on their site, and the band has thanked fans for their patience via Facebook. The mysterious mixtape is posted under the name of Charles Bukowski's character Henry Chinaski, and is currently available for free download here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eS3AZ12xf6s
