If you spend your free time binging on true crime, then you're probably familiar with the Golden State Killer. Between 1974–1986, the serial killer, rapist and burglar terrorised California, committing at least 12 murders, over 50 home-invasion rapes and more than 100 burglaries. Until 2018, however, the culprit hadn't been caught. Accordingly, it's the type of case that has kept more than a few folks wondering over the years and decades — including writer Michelle McNamara. HBO's new true-crime docuseries I'll Be Gone in the Dark chronicles McNamara's obsession with the case, as well as her hunt to find the perpetrator. Her tale is filled with intrigue, too, with her nights spent sleuthing through unsolved crimes and penning the blog True Crime Diaries while her family slept. Fixating on the Golden State Killer led McNamara to an article for Los Angeles Magazine, plus a book deal. But before she could finish her manuscript, McNamara — who was also married to comedian Patton Oswalt — died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in her sleep. Based on McNamara's book I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, which was published two years after her death (and before an arrest was made in the case), the six-part series steps through this whole scenario. When the series hits HBO in the US at the end of June — with dates Down Under yet to be revealed, but Australian airings likely to happen via Foxtel — viewers can obviously expect quite the detective story. On offer, as both the initial teaser and just-dropped full trailer show: archival footage and details from police files; interviews with detectives, survivors and family members of the killer; and McNamara's own words, via original recordings as well as excerpts from her book read by actor Amy Ryan (Late Night, Beautiful Boy, The Office). The series also doubles as an exploration of the handling of sexual crimes in the 70s and 80s by law enforcement, as well as an examination of true-crime obsession and pursuit of justice. Check out the full trailer the below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_EVR1fI68o I'll Be Gone in the Dark starts screening on HBO in the US on June 28. An air date Down Under is yet to be announced — we'll update you when further details come to hand. Top images: Robyn Van Swank/HBO.
Whether you went for work, leisure or something in-between, if you've recently travelled to the Perth metropolitan area and Peel region in Western Australia, you were probably happy to venture further than your own city. But with the WA capital currently experiencing a three-day lockdown in response to a new COVID-19 case, state governments around the country are implementing new conditions on travel and crossing interstate borders. The situation varies state by state; however, it's the type of thing that has been happening after new cases and subsequent lockdowns of late. It last occurred in March, when Brisbane went into its most recent set of stay-at-home conditions. In New South Wales, a COVID-19 concerns notice has been issued by NSW Health, applying to the the Perth metropolitan area and Peel region from 12.01am today, Saturday, April 24. Anyone coming to NSW who has been in an affected area either on or after that time has to fill out a self-declaration form either before or upon entering the state. If you have been in either region since Saturday, April 17 and you're now in NSW, you're asked to look at a list of exposure sites issued by the WA Government. If you visited them within the time frames identified, you'll beed to follow the actions outlined and also contact NSW Health immediately. It's a lengthy list, spanning shopping centres, restaurants and an aquatic centre, all between Saturday, April 17–Friday, April 23 so far. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1385504424487882754 In Victoria, a number of changes are now in effect. With WA's lockdown coming in response to a Victorian man who tested positive upon his return to Melbourne after spending 14 days in hotel quarantine in Perth, the Victorian Government has listed both Qantas flight QF778 from Perth to Melbourne on Wednesday, April 21 and Melbourne Airport's Terminal 1 between 7–7.30pm on Wednesday, April 21 as new exposure sights. Folks who were on the plane must get tested for COVID-19 immediately, then self-isolate for 14 days regardless of their initial test result, while anyone at the terminal during that timeframe must also get tested for COVID-19 immediately and self-isolate until a negative result is received. Plus, anyone who has returned from WA recently is also asked to look at a list of exposure sites issued by the WA Government and, if you visited them within the time frames identified, to contact the Victorian Department of Health immediately. Melburnians can also keep an eye on the local list of exposure sites at the Victorian Government Department of Health website — as it may change if more sites are identified. Regarding the Victorian border, the state has classified the Perth metropolitan area and Peel region in Western Australia as red zones under its traffic light border system, which means that non-Victorian residents can't enter the state without an exception, permit or exemption. Also, anyone currently in Victoria who has been in the metro Perth or Peel region between Saturday, April 17–Friday, April 23, other than to transit through either, is required to isolate, get tested within 72 hours and stay isolated until receiving a negative result. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1385555025590509568 For Queensland, anyone who has been in the Perth or Peel regions on or since Saturday, April 17 and entered the Sunshine State before 11.59pm on Friday, April 23 is required to get tested as soon as possible and self-isolate. They'll also be under the same lockdown conditions that are currently in place in Perth until 2am AEST on Tuesday, April 27. Plus, those coming to Queensland after midnight last night who have been in the same parts of WA since Saturday, April 17 are only allowed to enter under an exemption, unless they're a Queensland resident. Either way, they now have to go into hotel quarantine for up to 14 days. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1385569595784790017 South Australia requires anyone who has been in the Perth or Peel regions on or since Saturday, April 17 to get tested and quarantine until getting a negative result. Only returning SA residents, genuine relocations and domestic violence victims are allowed to SA from the two areas from 12.01am Saturday, April 24, and must now get tested and go into self-quarantine. In the Australian Capital Territory, non-ACT residents wishing to travel over from the Perth or Peel regions — who've been there since Saturday, April 17 — now need an approved exemption from ACT Health. You'll also have to quarantine until 2am AEST on Tuesday, April 27. For residents coming back from the two regions, you'll need to complete an online declaration form before leaving, and then to also stay home until the same time. Tasmania won't allow entry from folks who've been to the Perth or Peel regions within 14 days of their arrival, except for people deemed essential travellers — and then you'll need to quarantine for 14 days. If you've been there, arrived in Tasmania since Saturday, April 17 and attended one of the exposure sites listed by the WA Government, you need to self-isolate and contact Tasmania's Public Health Hotline. The Northern Territory now requires testing for anyone who has been to been to the Perth or Peel regions since Saturday, April 17, but only if they went to one of the exposure sites listed by the WA Government. You'll also need to quarantine until you get a negative result. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
The Athlete's Foot pride themselves on helping you find your fit, and if you haven't found a fun run that suits your exercise style yet, you're in luck — we're coming up to the major running event season for 2013. While nothing like an actual marathon, fun runs range from the absolute crazy to the absolute gruelling. Whether you're in costume, taking a stroll, or crawling through mud, some things remain the same: it's a great way to get fit, socialise, and have some fun. If you're planning to do one or more of these, make sure you've got the right shoes to tackle all the obstacles. The folks at The Athlete's Foot pride themselves on excellent service and really know what shoes you need. Drop into one of their 130 stores nationwide or shop online. They have footwear solutions for muddy runs and colour runs, and they know all about the shoe technologies to keep you ahead of zombies, Spartans, and more. 1. The Zombie Escape Survival Challenge One of the most inventive fun runs around, and in keeping with the current zombie fad, the Zombie Run pits runners against zombies. Runners must brave various obstacles while pursued by 'zombies', who have professional make-up applied before being let loose to go after the runners' brains. The organisers' recommendation for preparation is "Run. Watch zombie movies. Run some more." Spectator tickets are available for those who wish to purely watch the action. When and where: 13 April (Brisbane, Gold Coast), 13 May (Sydney), 13 June (Melbourne, Perth)Length: 5kmCost: TBC, pre-register here. 2. Cupid's Undie Run Purported as putting "the hilarity back into charity", the Cupid's Undie Run tells hopefuls to leave their Sunday best at home and don nothing but their underwear. Participants raise money for the Children's Tumour Foundation of Australia, an organisation dedicated to fighting neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder which can cause deafness, blindness, cancer, and chronic pain. Runners are rewarded for their good deeds with prizes, post-race entertainment, drinks, and awards. Get in the spirit with some cool red, pink, or purple Nike Frees — flexible footwear in great colours for the run. When and where: The weekend before Valentine’s Day at Bungalow 8 and the Barangaroo Foreshore Walk, SydneyLength: 1.5kmCost: $30 3. The Color Run The Color Run certainly puts the fun into the run. Decked out in white shirts, runners are blasted by volunteers, staff, and sponsors with a new colour each kilometre: pink, orange, yellow, blue, then a mishmash of colours for the final stretch. Stick around at the finish line for more colour, food, and activities. Participants are encouraged to raise money for charity; the Color Run has a different charity partner for each city. The run in Sydney supports HeartKids Australia, which provides support to children with heart disease and their families. When and where: 10 February (Sydney) at Sydney Olympic Park, with other capital cities throughout the yearLength: 5kmCost: $55 (solo) or $50 (4+ group) 4. Tough Mudder The Tough Mudder run means taking a cup of tough with a spoonful of humour. Designed by British Special Forces, the run is an obstacle course which tests strength, endurance, and solidarity but is more enjoyable than a marathon. 'Mudders' work in teams, with the option of wearing outrageous team costumes, and are greeted at the end with live music, beer, and good cheer. A season pass is available for entry to all Australian events, including those already sold out. When and where: 13 & 14 April (Sydney), 17 & 18 August (Sunshine Coast), 14 & 15 September (Melbourne), 12 & 13 October (Sydney) or 26 & 27 October (Perth)Length: 18–20kmCost: $80-$180 5. Spartan Race The Spartan Race is no joke. In a bid to transport participants back to ancient times, the race, a little sibling of the Spartan Death Race, is set on harsh terrain with obstacles of fire, water, mud, and barbed wire. The first races in the season are 'Sprints' of 7km, which progress to 'Super' of 14km and 'Beast' of 21km. People can fly solo or register as a team, and the Spartan Kids race allows children to experience some of the challenges. The race is followed by food, drink, and stalls. When and where: 2 March (Melbourne), 16 March (Sydney) and 22 June (Brisbane)Length: 7km (Sydney, Melbourne) or 14km (Brisbane)Cost: $85-$95 6. Mother's Day Classic - Sponsored by The Athlete's Foot Kill two birds with one stone by getting fit and raising money for breast cancer research. People can choose to run or walk the easy Mother's Day Classic course, which has a 4km or an 8km version. If you are one of the fastest, or have the largest school team, corporate team, or friends and family team, you could score a trophy. It's a perfect day out for the family, with entertainment, food vendors, and kids’ activities, such as face painting and jumping castles, on site. Participants can be sponsored for their run or walk by setting up an online fundraising page. The Athlete's Foot is one of the major sponsors of this event, and you should look out for their stand after you complete the race to score awesomely rewarding treats (like their 'I did it!' medals last year). Make sure you get fitted properly for your training in your nearest store, and join them on Facebook — we hear rumours they are giving away lots of tickets for free, plus training tips, training nights, and more very soon. When and where: Mother's Day, 12 May, at The Domain, Sydney (other capital cities and regional areas also hold events)Length: 4km or 8kmCost: $20-$50, with special prices for families 7. True Grit If you’re looking for minefields, 4 metre high cargo nets, rivers of fire, and crisscrossing routes, True Grit is for you. The term 'fun run' is used loosely for True Grit; with over 30 obstacles in each military-style event specially designed by Australian Special Forces, it is not for the faint-hearted. Two training programs assist participants in their preparation, as well as improving fitness and body strength. Their promotional videos will either entice you or scare you away from the challenge. When and where: 11 & 12 May (Adelaide), with other capital cities to be announced soon. Pre-register here.Length: 10–12kmCost: $70-$120 8. Greatest Athlete The Greatest Athlete Challenge is much more than a fun run: participants compete for the chance to appear on the Greatest Athlete TV Series which will appear on the Nine Network from September 2013. The challenge is an obstacle course with 16 obstacle stations, ranging from easy to advanced. The top 50 men and women win a place on the TV series, where they will battle against each other and well-known sporting legends for $200,000 in cash and prizes. TV-shy athletes can take the 'Adventure Challenge', a modified, non-TV version of the course. When and where: 18 May (Gold Coast, Brisbane), 25 May (Sydney), 1 June (Canberra), 8 June (Melbourne), 15 June (Adelaide), 29 June (Perth)Length: 5kmCost: $110 (Adventure), $145 (TV Series) or $350-$500 for a season pass 9. The Warrior Challenge This is an obstacle course for people who don't mind getting dirty. Stretching over forest, bitumen, mountain terrain, mud, and snow, the Warrior Challenge organises tough challenges throughout the year, regardless of the seasons. The Samurai Challenge is coming up in March, with large mud pits, huge walls, cable climbs, commando crawls, a snow pit, and prizes for the winners. Accommodation and food packages are on offer, and there's no need to worry about the kids, who can be left to amuse themselves in a jumping castle. When and where: 2 March at Lake Mountain Alpine Resort, VictoriaLength: 15kmCost: $55 (early early bird), $69 (early bird) or $79 (regular admission) 10. The Great Tribal Chase Working in tribes of two to six, people scour Sydney's streets for 'checkpoints' by solving riddles on their clue sheet. At each checkpoint, there are two activities to be completed, which might be a history question or a puzzle. Tribes raise money for Good Beginnings Australia, a charity that provides support to disadvantaged children and their parents. There are great prizes for those who solve the most puzzles and raise the most money. When and where: 5 May at Sydney CBD and foreshoreLength: 4 hoursCost: $24 (individual), $49 (family) If you need some inspiration to start training, make sure you visit The Athlete’s Foot. We're also loving their latest Brooks Float or Feel range, in stores and online now.
Some folks just know how to rock a moustache. When Kenneth Branagh (Tenet) stepped into super-sleuth Hercule Poirot's shoes in 2017's Murder on the Orient Express, he clearly considered himself to be one of them. The actor and filmmaker didn't simply play Agatha Christie's famously moustachioed Belgian detective, but also directed the movie — and he didn't miss a chance to showcase his own performance, as well as that hair adorning his top lip. You don't need to be a world-renowned investigator to deduce that Branagh was always going to repeat the same tricks with sequel Death on the Nile, or to pick that stressing the character's distinctive look and accompanying bundle of personality quirks would again take centre stage. But giving Poirot's 'stache its own black-and-white origin story to start the new movie truly is the height of indulgence. Branagh has previously covered a superhero's beginnings in the initial Thor flick, and also stepped into his own childhood in Belfast, so explaining why Poirot sports his elaborately styled mo — how it came to be, and what it means to him emotionally, too — is just another example of the director doing something he obviously loves. That early hirsute focus sets the tone for Death on the Nile, though, and not as Branagh and returning screenwriter Michael Green (Jungle Cruise) must've intended. Viewers are supposed to get a glimpse at what lies beneath Poirot's smarts and deductive savvy by literally peering beneath his brush-like under-nostril bristles, but all that emerges is routine and formulaic filler. That's the film from its hairy opening to its entire trip through Egypt. At least the moustache looks more convincing than the sets and CGI that are passed off as the pyramids, Abu Simbel and cruising the titular waterway. It's 1937, three years after the events of Murder on the Orient Express, and Poirot is holidaying in Egypt. While drinking tea with a vantage out over the country's unconvincingly computer-generated towering wonders, he chances across his old pal Bouc (Tom Bateman, Behind Her Eyes) and his mother Euphemia (Annette Bening, Hope Gap), who invite him to join their own trip — which doubles as a honeymoon for just-married heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot, Red Notice) and her new husband Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer, Crisis). Poirot obliges, but he's also surprised by the happy couple. Six weeks earlier, he saw them get introduced by Linnet's now-former friend and Simon's now ex-fiancée Jacqueline de Bellefort (Emma Mackey, Sex Education). That awkward history isn't easily forgotten by the central duo, either, given that Jackie has followed them with a view to winning Simon back. Boating down the Nile is initially an escape plan, whisking the newlyweds away from their obsessive stalker. But even as the group — which includes jazz singer Salome Otterbourne (Sophie Okonedo, Wild Rose), her niece and Linnet's school friend Rosalie (Letitia Wright, Black Panther), the bride's own ex-fiancé Linus Windlesham (Russell Brand, Four Kids and It), her lawyer Andrew Katchadourian (Ali Fazal, Victoria and Abdul), her assistant Louise Bourget (Rose Leslie, Game of Thrones), her godmother Marie Van Schuyler (Jennifer Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie) and the latter's nurse Mrs Bowers (Dawn French, The Vicar of Dibley) — adjust to the change of schedule, two things were always going to happen. The pouty Jacqueline can't be thwarted that easily, of course. Also, the fact that there'll soon be a murder for Poirot to solve is right there in the movie's moniker. Something that doesn't occur: evoking much in the way of interest in any of the film's characters, their fates and — seeing that the killer lurks among them — their motivations. This absence of intrigue springs from the same problem that plagued Murder on the Orient Express, because Branagh is still too enamoured with himself as Poirot to give his co-stars anything substantial to do. Almost anyone could've played the S.S. Karnak's passengers, aka a Christie-standard motley crew, as that's how little a splash this cast makes. Gadot does declare that the steamboat has "enough champagne to fill the Nile" like she's in a camp farce, which definitely stands out, but mostly Death on the Nile is an exercise in squandering talent. Bening is woefully underused, and Saunders and French's on-screen reunion is a wasted comic opportunity. It speaks volumes that an on-autopilot Hammer, aka the one star Branagh might now wish faded into the background, is so prominent. It also helps remind viewers that the flick is stale in multiple ways: shot in 2019, it was originally slated to release that December. Production delays, COVID-19 and just general release-schedule tinkering mean that Death on the Nile now arrives after Belfast, which Branagh made during the pandemic — and the films' close proximity to each other doesn't help this whodunnit. The man behind the two movies has always liked on-screen excess, even if he's not in the centre of the frame, but here all of his visual bombast plays like meaningless gloss. The swooping camerawork doesn't quite sell the extravagant setting as much as it exposes Branagh's style-first approach, and demonstrates a lack of care about whether he's drawing the audience into the story. Cameras circle, the score soars and the feature is fashioned like an epic, but like the cruise's victims, there's no sign of a pulse. The inconsistent pacing, dragging through the setup and then speeding through Poirot's crucial sleuthing like it couldn't be over fast enough, also lands a fatal blow. It doesn't help that the film's also-lacking predecessor already felt like it was stretching its setup, and jumping on a trend that'd seen plenty of other brilliant masterminds reach screens lately (at the time, Sherlock Holmes adaptations were everywhere, or so it seemed). Now, Death on the Nile sails into a world where Knives Out did the eccentric detective bit far smarter and better, that delightful hit is similarly getting a sequel this year, and the likes of Only Murders in the Building and The Afterparty have been unfurling immensely entertaining murder-mystery antics in streaming queues, too. Mostly, though, Branagh's second Poirot outing suffers from being so infatuated with what Murder on the Orient Express did to box-office success — and what the filmmaker himself did as its star — that it's largely happy to merely repeat the feat. There's more moustache here, and an evident effort to spin the plot's threads around love's tangled webs, but neither was ever going to keep this bogged-down slog afloat.
If we were to show a child from Victorian-era England what a burger is, they might pass out from the sheer mental load of processing it. In a few decades of burger popularity, we've taken the simple concept of meat, cheese and some flavoursome vegetables between bread and really amplified it into a culinary art form. That's what the team at Hashtag Burgers and Waffles is aiming for. The team here prides itself on unique takes on this modern classic dish, as well as championing ethical practices and a focus on "being good humans". These good humans currently have stores in Fortitude Valley and Capalaba, with a third store opening in Ashgrove on Saturday, September 2. The opening ceremony will have free burgers available hourly, plus voucher and merch giveaways, some banger vibes and good times aplenty. When it comes to the menu, prepare for hearty burgers like Such a Classic (beef patty, cheese, onions, tomato, lettuce and pickled mayo) or the unique additions like Mack Me Daddy (beef patty, macaroni patty, bacon, pickles, chilli jam and mayo) and Crazy Jane (mac and cheese patty, lettuce, onion, mayo and ketchup). And that's just the fillings, each burger can be made with potato, cheesy toast or waffle buns. And we haven't even mentioned the sides, desserts or drinks, we're already too hungry. The grand opening of Hashtag Burgers and Waffles Ashgrove is on Saturday, September 2. The store will be open seven days a week from then. For more information, visit the website.
UPDATE, Wednesday, May 15, 2024: After two new Olivia Rodrigo shows for October were added at midday today, another two have been announced at 4pm. This article has been updated to reflect all four new gigs — two each in Sydney and Melbourne. Great news if you're a fan of Olivia Rodrigo and the first four tour dates announced for her first-ever Down Under visit didn't suit: four more shows have just been added to the singer and former Disney talent's Australian itinerary. She's still only playing Sydney and Melbourne, adding a third and fourth gig in both cities — and doing so before punters can even buy general tickets, which starts on Thursday, May 16. Big-name acts have a habit of doing this; see also: Taylor Swift, blink-182, Lizzo and The Weeknd, for some recent examples. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise — but it will give you more chances to head along to Rodrigo's huge GUTS world tour Rodrigo has a date with Australia in October, and will now take to the stage at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena from Wednesday, October 9–Thursday, October 10, and also from Sunday, October 13–Monday, October 14. In Sydney, you can catch her at Qudos Bank Arena dates from Thursday, October 17–Friday, October 18, and also from Monday, October 21–Tuesday, October 22. When we say that this tour is big, we mean it. With the Aussie dates alongside gigs in Bangkok, Thailand, Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore, the tour spans more than 80 concerts around the globe. Fans Down Under who aren't in Sydney and Melbourne, however, you'll be needing to travel. In support of her second studio album that's also called GUTS, this marks three-time Grammy-winner Rodrigo's first arena tour. The 'Drivers License', 'Good 4 U' and 'Vampire' singer will have her debut album SOUR to work through as well. The GUTS tour started in Palm Springs in February, saw Rodrigo do four shows at Madison Square Garden in April, and is currently making its way around the UK before heading to Europe, back to the US, then to Asia and Australia. Olivia Rodrigo GUTS World Tour 2024 Australian Dates: Wednesday, October 9–Thursday, October 10 + Sunday, October 13–Monday, October 14 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Thursday, October 17–Friday, October 18 + Monday, October 21–Tuesday, October 22 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Olivia Rodrigo is touring Australia in October 2024. Ticket presales start at 1pm on Wednesday, May 15, and general sales at 1pm on Thursday, May 16 — head to the tour website for further details. Images: Chris Polk, Polk Imaging.
When the Venice International Film Festival anoints the winner of its annual competition each year, movie lovers everywhere get a new entry on their must-see lists. It's the same with Cannes and Berlin as well — and in 2023, the Italian festival gave its Golden Lion to Poor Things. Can't wait to see Emma Stone with Greek Weird Wave director Yorgos Lanthimos after 2018's excellent The Favourite in this spin on Frankenstein? If you're in Brisbane, you can catch it soon thanks to the Brisbane International Film Festival. Fresh from announcing its first six titles for its upcoming fest, BIFF has now revealed that Poor Things is on the lineup as well. Mark Thursday, October 26–Sunday, November 5 in your diary, because that's when you'll be hitting up various Reading, Dendy and Five Star cinemas around Brisbane for this year's BIFF fix. Mark Wednesday, September 20 on your calendar as well, because that's when the rest of the bill will drop, too. As not one but two trailers so far have made plain, Poor Things looks like another unique movie from the director of The Lobster and the star of Cruella, after Stone earned an Oscar nomination (deservedly so) for Lanthimos' The Favourite. This time, the pair has traded regal dramas for a riff on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein — which will never stop being a gothic-horror masterpiece, or inspiring stories across the page, stage and screen. While Poor Things doesn't actually use that f-word, it looks mesmerising, eerie and stunning in its sneak peeks. Also, Stone is clearly playing a version of Frankenstein's monster. Poor Things adapts Alasdair Grey's 1992 award-winning novel, but the parallels with Shelley's mother-of-all horror greats are as obvious as a bolt of lightning. The focus: Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected by an unorthodox scientist, distinctive in her mannerisms afterwards and eager to learn about a world that isn't quite sure how to react. Continuing the movie's top-notch casting — and Lanthimos' in general, as seen in everything from Dogtooth and Alps to The Killing of a Sacred Deer as well — Poor Things features Willem Dafoe (The Northman) as the tinkering Dr Godwin Baxter; Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) as Duncan Wedderburn, a slick lawyer that Bella runs off with; and also Ramy's Ramy Youssef, plus On the Count of Three co-stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. Also on BIFF's 2023 lineup: this year's Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or winner Anatomy of a Fall, a drama about an author (Sandra Hüller, Toni Erdmann) accused of her husband's murder from French director Justine Triet (Sibyl) — and opening-night pick Uproar, with the New Zealand feature coming to Brisbane fresh from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival. Or, film fans can see Hirokazu Kore-eda's Monster, the prolific helmer's latest on a lengthy resume that also includes Shoplifters and Broker; body-horror film Tiger Stripes, which is set in the Malaysian jungle and won the 2023 Cannes Critics' Week Grand Prize; the talk show-set horror Late Night with the Devil ; and The Ending Goes Forever: The Screamfeeder Story, focusing on of Brisbane's 90s indie-music favourites. Check out the full trailer for Poor Things below: The 2023 Brisbane International Film Festival runs between Thursday, October 26–Sunday, November 5 at selected Dendy, Reading and Five Star cinemas around Brisbane. For further information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival website — and check back here on Wednesday, September 20 for the full program. Images: Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
For eight years now, being in the room where it happens has been the only thing that's mattered in musical theatre. Back in February 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton officially opened off-Broadway. By July the same year, it was previewing on Broadway itself. The rest is Tony-, Grammy-, Olivier-, Drama Desk- and Pulitzer Prize-winning history — including a stint in Australia since March 2021, starting in Sydney, then playing Melbourne and now treading the boards in Brisbane. Anyone lucky enough to be in the room where Hamilton has been happening — and everyone who has watched the smash-hit show in its filmed form, too, courtesy of a recording from 2016 that's been streaming on Disney+ since 2020 — has experienced a phenomenon. They've also enjoyed a crash course in American history, no matter where they're from or where the musical is playing. That's always been part of the excitement for Miranda, who made the trip to Australia over the weekend of Saturday, March 4–Sunday, March 5 to be in the room where the Aussie production's Brisbane leg is happening, much to the delight of Sunshine State audiences. "My kind of dirty secret answer is we don't know much about American history in America," Miranda advised at a press conference to discuss the show. "I didn't learn any of this. All I knew about Hamilton when I picked up that book was that the dude was on the $10 bill. I knew his son died in a duel because I wrote a report about him in my junior year. I knew his son died in a duel and that he died in a duel in nearly the same spot three years later." Miranda is talking about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, of course, and about the Ron Chernow-penned 2004 non-fiction book about him that Hamilton is based on. After finally seeing the Australian show, which features Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton — the role Miranda originated — the acclaimed talent chatted through the musical's beginnings, its commitment to diversity, his songwriting process and more at a Brisbane press conference. STEPPING BEYOND WELL-KNOWN US HISTORY — AND CHALLENGING WHOSE STORIES GET TOLD Most folks don't take someone they've vaguely heard of at school and turn their tale into the biggest musical of the 21st century. Miranda isn't most folks, clearly. Armed with exactly that amount of knowledge, Miranda began to adapt Chernow's book, a process that took seven years. At its centre: the Caribbean-born "bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman", with Miranda's musical charting Hamilton's impact upon America from his arrival in New York in the early 1770s. As the show's opening number explains, Hamilton went on to become "the ten-dollar Founding Father without a father" — and also "got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter and by being a self-starter". Bringing that tale to the stage wasn't just about picking a figure from US history and unpacking their tale, though, but also about exploring whose stories get told. "One of the secret ingredients in the recipe is my excitement in the fact that not a lot of people knew this story — at least, this is not a story I learned. We got a few highlights, but we didn't learn this story in our AP history classes. And so, I think that the story is just a compelling one, and I think one of the central themes in it is which stories get told and which don't depending on who survives us," Miranda noted at his Brisbane press conference. "And their reputations rise and they fall because people are complicated. There are no heroes or villains in this piece, there's just really flawed people making a really flawed country." "It's funny, the emails I would get when we first opened were always 3am emails. They weren't like 'thank you, I like your show, thank you for inviting me'. They were like 'what am I doing with my life?'. Because when you have a show that documents several lives over the course of many years, it makes you ask your own questions. And I think that's the secret also — it starts as being this very specific history piece, but it really invites you to think about what kind of legacy you'll leave." CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY Hamilton doesn't just question who gets immortalised in history, who becomes a mere footnote, who is forgotten and why. It also confronts and challenges how representation and diversity have typically been handled in theatre, in the tales told in general and in who's telling them. "It's my prerequisite for being in the room talking to you," said Miranda at the press conference about Hamilton's diverse casting, including in Australia. "I began writing musicals because I didn't see roles for myself in musicals." "I was in love with this art form, and at the same time I knew I don't dance well enough to play Bernardo or one of the Sharks [in West Side Story], and that's kind of all there is for Puerto Rican guys in musical theatre — it's just what there was, what existed," he continued. "So I really began writing the first show, In the Heights, out of this desire to write what was missing, and also represent my neighbourhood in a way that I didn't see it portrayed in mainstream media, to speak nothing of musical theatre." [caption id="attachment_846530" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] "An amazing side effect of that, and with Hamilton, I realised that I'm trying to create opportunities in my shows. The concept of this piece is that we are living 200 somewhat years past when this story was told and the country looks very different than it did then, and so we get to tell this story with all its messiness — we get to tell it, too." "It also just gets us new stories. That's the other exciting part of it — to invite more people into the room means to invite new stories and to invite new narratives." [caption id="attachment_774807" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton filmed version courtesy Disney+.[/caption] FINDING HAMILTON'S SONGS ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE Hamilton's meaningful and essential aims will always remain crucial to its success. As anyone who has had 'My Shot', 'You'll Be Back' or 'The Room Where It Happens' stuck in their head knows, however — so, anyone who has ever seen Hamilton in any form, or even just heard its soundtrack — the show's songs are also pivotal. "I'm really egalitarian," Miranda explained about his songwriting process. "I'll take it whatever way it wants to show up. I do believe they show up, and different songwriters have different theories about it. There's the famous story of Michael Jackson's insomnia, and someone said 'Michael, why don't you get some sleep?'. And he said 'if I go to sleep, god will give the song to Prince'. I love that story." "Hamilton is a fantastic example where every kind of song got written in every kind of way," Miranda continued in Brisbane, giving examples. "'My Shot' took over a year, and it was six months before I even sat at a piano. It was very much a lyrics-first song, because I knew that my thesis was [that] Hamilton's the best writer of that circle, [so] his bars better be good. And I just worked on his bars because I wanted his bars to be good over this beat and this beat before I even put my hands on the keys." "'You'll Be Back' showed up on my honeymoon, without a piano anywhere in sight. The 'ya-da da-da da' got stuck in my head, and I think the reason it's so catchy is because I had to remember it for the two weeks I was in Bora Bora with my wife until I could get back to piano in the real world — because I was in a cabana." FINALLY MAKING THE TRIP DOWN UNDER TO SEE THE AUSTRALIAN CAST When Hamilton wraps up its Brisbane season at QPAC's Lyric Theatre on Sunday, April 23, the show will leave the country for a New Zealand run. Miranda acknowledges that he's left it late in the musical's Australian tour to make a visit — two years to the month it premiered Down Under, in fact — but, given the events of the past few years, there's a good reason for that. "Honestly, the timing was as soon as I could make it work," Miranda told the Brisbane press conference. "I think you guys know there was a moment during the global pandemic when Australia was the only company of Hamilton running in the world. That was a real beacon of hope to our actors and other companies that theatre would come back, and they'd hopefully be able to one day put on the show again." "But it was also harder to visit. You had a 14-day quarantine, and you had to really — that was the kind of time I didn't get to have, because I was writing, making and editing Tick, Tick… Boom!. So this has really been the soonest that I could see it. I made a promise to see the Australian company while it's still in Australia, and they're leaving soon, so I came as soon as I could." As every Aussie fan of Hamilton already knows, getting to see the musical is always worth the wait. "I mean, they're so fantastic," Miranda noted of the local cast, who he helped assemble virtually. "I remember seeing Jason Arrow's audition — it had to have been April or May of 2020, and it was around the time that we were watching and editing Hamilton for [the Disney+] release. So they were really stacking up against the originals in a very tangible way, and so we were really proud of the incredible company that we were able to put together from there locally." "Every original cast is like a four-minute mile," Miranda continued. "They said scientists proved you couldn't run the mile in under four minutes, and then someone did it, and then suddenly everybody's running it — and I feel like original casts are like that. It's impossible to find that first cast, and then it attracts the people who know they can do it." "So it's been wonderful to meet OG cast members last night, and also members who joined it in Melbourne or joined it in Sydney — they're really wonderful. I mean, I saw it last night, they're wonderful." Hamilton's Brisbane season runs until Sunday, April 23 at QPAC's Lyric Theatre, South Bank, with tickets available via the musical's website.
First The Basics, now Tex Perkins — this legend of the Australian music scene best known for his work with The Cruel Sea is making a bid for state parliament. Though The Basics have strong feelings about education and welfare as well as local music restrictions, Perkins has one specific goal in mind. He wants to save the Palais Theatre. Since August this year, major doubts have been cast over the future of this iconic beachside venue. Despite consistently pulling big name acts including the great Bob Dylan, the Palais has been facing irreconcilable infrastructure problems. Once these impending renovations costs were estimated to be between $25-40 million, the Port Philip Council began lobbying the state government for funding. In the past month the Council has pledged $7.5 million for repairs if the state front the remainder. And, frankly, it doesn't look great. To remedy this and potentially save the regal old St Kilda venue, Perkins plans to run as an independent candidate for the seat of Albert Park. "The neglect of such an iconic performance venue, along with all the buck-passing from both sides of politics — it's just not good enough," Perkins said in a statement. "The Palais is a state-owned heritage building and there are policies for how you maintain these buildings." Though the problem of the decaying Palais hasn't made the same headlines or drawn the same amount of protest as the potential demolishment of the Palace Theatre in the CBD, support is growing quickly. I Love My Palais is gaining traction on social media, and even Mick Jagger came out in support of the campaign this week. While playing at Rod Laver Arena, Jagger urged his audience to "give generously". "I'd just like to tell you, we played at the Palais Theatre about 50 years ago," he said. This is good news for both Perkins and the Palais. Government is unlikely to affect change without significant community outrage. "The depth of voter disillusionment presents a frightening possibility," Perkins told The Age. "I might win." Via ABC and The Age. The Victorian state election will take place on November 29.
When Bondi's iconic Icebergs pool shuts for cleaning each Thursday it usually just gets a bit of a scrub. But this week something much more exciting than a high-pressure hose was put into the beachside basin — instead, a giant print of the Amalfi Coast was installed across the entire bottom of the pool. A post shared by Canon Australia (@canonaustralia) on Feb 23, 2017 at 12:46am PST If you're familiar with his work, you have probably already guessed that the print was shot by prolific Bondi ocean photographer Eugene Tan, a.k.a Aquabumps. The umbrella-lined beach print — named Peppermint Fresh and shot on the Amalfi Coast last year — is available to buy on Tan's website, but at a huge 50-metres-wide, this is definitely the most large-scale you'll get to see it. Unfortunately the installation was a one-day-only thing and the pool is back to its normal clear blues today. Nonetheless, it made for a great aerial shot. Top image: Amaury Treguer via Instagram.
Some venues tell you exactly what they're about right there in their name, and Bridge Road Brewers' latest location is one of them. The pop-up watering hole's moniker: 'A Bar Made of Cardboard'. And yes, that label is 100-percent accurate. At this short-term spot at East Brunswick Village in Melbourne, cardboard features everywhere. It has been fashioned into tables and chairs, so patrons will sit on it — and at it. It's been turned into shelves, signs and light fittings as well. In fact, the only things that aren't made of cardboard are the beer taps, fridges and dishwasher, for obvious (and soggy) reasons. The aim: to set up a completely zero-waste bar while Bridge Road Brewers works on opening its second brewery in the same location. Come December this year, it'll be home to a 350-person venue — but, while that's in the works, A Bar Made of Cardboard can welcome in 60 beer lovers inside and out for the next six months. Cardboard designers Boxwars and industrial packaging specialists Kebet Packaging have helped Bridge Road Brewers out with their temporary cardboard digs — and, yes, the whole place has been fashioned to be sturdy, as well as eco-friendly. Thanks to all that cardboard, the venue is entirely constructed from materials that are either recycled themselves — the cardboard is made up of at least 75-percent recycled material, in fact — or can be reused, recycled or composted. "We're opening our first metro brewpub in Brunswick East later this year and we can't wait to be a part of the community, so we decided to give locals a taste of what's to come with a pop-up. However, not just any old pop-up, but a unique one that celebrates the idea of its temporary nature while being mindful of our environmental impact," says Bridge Road Brewers founder Ben Kraus. "A Bar Made of Cardboard will only operate for six months before we open our permanent Melbourne home around the corner, so the space allows us to have a bit of fun and share what we do in Beechworth, all while doing the right thing from a sustainability perspective." If you're keen to head by, the pop-up opens on Friday, April 22, operating from Wednesday–Sunday. Bridge Road Brewers' full range of core and seasonal beers will rotate through the bar's six bar taps, and there's also a wine list that heroes small wine producers from throughout Victoria's High Country. And, an onsite bottle shop will be selling all of the above, plus Victorian spirits as well. In the bar, you can sip the latter as well — aka small-batch spirits and aperitifs which comes courtesy of Barking Owl Gin and Beechworth Bitters Amaro from Provenance's Michael Ryan. And, snacks-wise, Chappy's Chips and Mount Zero Olives feature on the menu, plus there'll be food trucks serving up meals on Friday and Saturday evenings. Find A Bar Made of Cardboard by Bridge Road Brewers at East Brunswick Village, 129 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East from Friday, April 22 — open from 4pm–late Wednesday–Friday and 12pm–late Saturday–Sunday. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen.
Among the many ways to decide which wine next swirls around your glass, then across your tastebuds, Australia's Young Gun of Wine stands out. Since 2007, the awards have thrown some love at up-and-coming wine labels and winemakers across the nation, and not just because they make top-notch vino. These accolades take into account the whole story behind their tipples of choice each year — and 2024 now has its top 50. "Every year, we're seeing new ideas from the emerging talent, and they're shaping the environment that we get to enjoy. It's also not just about the products — it's the learnings that peers can take from their adventurous winemaking. It's also how they're presenting, labelling and talking about their work — how they're connecting with wine professionals and consumers," said Rory Kent, who founded YGOW, about 2024's picks. "That's why, uniquely and since day one, the wines for the Young Gun of Wine Awards are not tasted blind. These awards are as much about vision and leadership as they are about the quality of wine in the glass." 2024's top 50 spans drops from around most of Australia. Victoria is home to more spots on the list than anywhere else with 20, followed by South Australia with 17. New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory account for six wine labels and winemakers, Western Australia for four and Tasmania for three. The range also goes big on new names, which covers half of the finalists. This is the 18th year that YGOW has taken place, with the top 50 just one element. Now that Kent and his fellow 2024 judges — Jeremy Shiell from Winespeake, winemaker Meg Brodtmann, wine critic Nick Stock, Atlas Vinifera's Abby Moret and Orbis Wines' — have shared their favourites, winners of the accolades' six annual trophies will be unveiled on Tuesday, June 18. [caption id="attachment_681000" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Bruzzone, South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] The Young Gun of Wine is the overall prize, while the Winemaker's Choice is a peer-chosen gong, Best New Act goes to a first-time finalist, Danger Zone to a boundary-pushing wine product, and The Vigneron to makers who show love in tending to their land and vines. The People's Choice award is self-explanatory, and currently open for votes until Tuesday, June 18. [caption id="attachment_773167" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Young Gun of Wine 2024 Top 50: New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory: Agitate (Andrew Ling) Aristotelis Ke Anthoula (Tony Zafirakos and Maddison Park-Neilson) Intrepidus Wines (Chrissie Smith) Linear Wines (Nathan Brown) M&J Becker Wines (Meagan and James Becker) Sabi Wabi (Peta Kotz) South Australia: Agricola (Callum Powell) Alpha Box and Dice (Sam Berketa) Cape Jaffa Wines (Giulia Fiorovic and Federico Pezzino) Curator Wine Co (Daniel Zolotarev) Guthrie (Hugh Guthrie) J & S Fielke (Jemma and Steven Fielke) Jean Bouteille Wines (Jean-Baptiste Courdesses) Kenny Wine (Andrew Kenny) Mountadam (Caitlin Brown) Parley Wine (Melissa Woods and Sarah Feehan) Poppelvej (Uffe Deichmann) Saltfleet Wines (Kyle Egel and Jonny Cook) Scanlon Wines (Harry Scanlon) Turon Wines (Turon White) Wangolina (Anita Goode) Worlds Apart Wines (Louis Schofield) XO Wine Co (Greg Clack and Kate Horstmann) Tasmania: Aunt Alice (Alice Davidson) Marco Lubiana (Marco Lubiana) Utzinger Wines (Matthias Utzinger) Victoria: Alessandro Stefani (Alessandro Stefani) Alkimi Wines (Stuart Dudine) Allevare (Lucy Kendall and Alysha Moscatt) ECK Wines (Emily Kinsman) Gum Wine (George McCullough) Honky Chateau (Chris Ryan) Jones Winery & Vineyard — J6 Wines (Benjamin Jones) Juliard Wines (Jules Morey and Bernard Morey) Little Frances (Erin Frances Pooley) Mac Forbes Wines (Hannah Maltby) Meredith Wines (Ben Luker) Mise En Place Wines (Doug Lilburne) Musical Folk (James Becker) Nomads Garden (Ben Dahlenburg) Patch Wines (Matt Talbot) Port Phillip Estate (Tim Perrin) Portsea Estate (Matt Lugg and Will Ross) Scion (Rowly Milhinch) Tillie J Wines (Tillie Johnston) Werkstatt Wine (Bridget Mac) Western Australia: Fervor (Callum Garland) Chalari Wines (Alexi Christidis) Mon Tout (Nic Bowen and Richard Burch) Vallée du Venom (Rhys and Emma Parker) For more information about Young Gun of Wine, head to the awards' website. 2024's winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 18.
Peanut butter and whiskey may not be your first choice of flavour combinations. But once you take that first sip, you'll realise it opens up a whole different way to drink. Skrewball is the first brand to blend American whiskey with peanut butter, which has lead to a nutty sweet creation with just enough salt to keep things balanced. This innovative whiskey has incited a flavour revolution globally and opened up endless possibilities for creative cocktail variations. But unlike most novelty spirits, it doesn't need a full bar setup to be useful. You can drink it straight, mix it with one ingredient or take it a step further. Here are five ways to give it a proper go, starting simple, then building up from there. Let's dive in. The Salty Nuts Shot This one's as simple as it gets: just pour a shot of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey in a salt-rimmed glass. It's probably the best way to taste the whisky on its own and the salt helps bring out the roasted flavour and tone down the sweetness. It's not subtle, but it is fun. And once you try it, it'll probably make more sense why this whisky has taken off. Get the recipe Nutty Cola Whiskey and cola has always been a classic, and Skrewball slides into the combo pretty comfortably. The caramel in the cola blends with the peanut butter flavour to give you something sweet, a little nutty and very easy to drink. Add a squeeze of lime if you like it sharp. This one's good for people who want to try something different without overthinking it. Get the recipe Nutty Transfusion This is where things start to get a bit more interesting. Known as the Nutty Transfusion, this combo pairs Skrewball with grapefruit juice, lime juice and a splash of ginger ale. It's bright and bitter, which cuts through the richness of the whiskey. It's also easy to adjust to your taste. Just add more grapefruit for extra bite, more ginger ale for fizz, or more Skrewball if you're into the sweeter side. Get the recipe Skrewball Ice Cream Less cocktail, more dessert in disguise. To nail this recipe, all you have to do is drop a scoop of coffee ice cream into a glass of Skrewball, add a couple of coffee-infused ice cubes and call it a day. It's cold, creamy and just boozy enough. If you're craving an affogato after dinner, this will do the trick. Get the recipe Try it With… Basically Anything Once you've had a taste of peanut butter whiskey, it's not hard to start experimenting. Skrewball works surprisingly well with ingredients you might already have on hand, like soda water, coconut milk, sour mix, iced coffee, and other flavoured liqueurs. It doesn't always need to be complicated, sometimes it's just about swapping it in where you'd usually use a regular whiskey, and seeing what happens. Get more ideas Whether you're a whiskey fanatic or just want to mix something that tastes good and impresses your guests, now you've got five excuses to try that bottle. Just don't be surprised if it ends up being your new favourite. Explore more Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey recipes on the website.
On the big screen, Marvel largely sat out 2024, only releasing Deadpool & Wolverine in cinemas. That might've left some gaps in the moviegoing market, but it still wasn't a great year for superhero and supervillain films from other studios, at least according to the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards. After both Madame Web and Joker: Folie à Deux notched up a heap of Razzie nominations, they've each collected multiple accolades. Only one could be named the Worst Picture of last year, though — the one that made the line "he was in the Amazon with my mum when she was researching spiders right before she died" famous via its trailer. Dakota Johnson's (Daddio) spin into Sony's Spider-Man Universe collected three Razzies, the most of any film, with its star dubbed Worst Actress and its script chosen as Worst Screenplay. Following his Oscar-win for the first Joker film, Joaquin Phoenix (Napoleon) avoided being named Worst Actor, but picked up the prize for Worst Screen Combo with Lady Gaga (House of Gucci) instead. Joker: Folie à Deux was also selected as the Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel. Only two other titles received multiple prizes at Hollywood's least-coveted accolades: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis and Jerry Seinfeld-directed comedy Unfrosted. For his win for the former, the iconic filmmaker noted on social media that he was "thrilled to accept the Razzie Award in so many important categories for Megalopolis, and for the distinctive honour of being nominated as the worst director, worst screenplay and worst picture at a time when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of contemporary moviemaking". "In this wreck of a world today, where art is given scores as if it were professional wrestling, I chose to not follow the gutless rules laid down by an industry so terrified of risk that, despite the enormous pool of young talent at its disposal, may not create pictures that will be relevant and alive 50 years from now," the director of The Godfather franchise, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now continued. "What an honour to stand alongside a great and courageous filmmaker like Jacques Tati, who impoverished himself completely to make one of cinema's most beloved failures, Playtime! My sincere thanks to all my brilliant colleagues who joined me to make our work of art, Megalopolis, and let us remind ourselves us that box office is only about money, and like war, stupidity and politics has no true place in our future." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Francis Ford Coppola (@francisfordcoppola) Nominated across the categories but going home empty-handed: Borderlands, Reagan, Dear Santa, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Argylle, Atlas, The Crow, Kraven the Hunter, Mufasa: The Lion King and Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver. This year's winners might be tomorrow's Razzie Redeemer Award recipients, however, with the Golden Raspberries selecting someone each year who once graced its list but has gone on to better work. Its 2025 pick: Pamela Anderson, Worst New Star of 1996 for Barb Wire, picking up the Redeemer prize for her excellent performance in The Last Showgirl. Check out the full list of Razzie winners and nominees below: Golden Raspberry Winners and Nominees 2025 Worst Picture: Borderlands Joker: Folie à Deux Madame Web — WINNER Megalopolis Reagan Worst Actor: Jack Black, Dear Santa Zachary Levi, Harold and the Purple Crayon Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux Dennis Quaid, Reagan Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted — WINNER Worst Actress: Cate Blanchett, Borderlands Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux Bryce Dallas Howard, Argylle Dakota Johnson, Madame Web — WINNER Jennifer Lopez, Atlas Worst Supporting Actor: Jack Black, Borderlands Kevin Hart, Borderlands Shia LaBeouf, Megalopolis Tahar Rahim, Madame Web Jon Voight, Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land and Strangers — WINNER Worst Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, Argylle and Kraven the Hunter Leslie Anne Down, Reagan Emma Roberts, Madame Web Amy Schumer, Unfrosted — WINNER FKA Twigs, The Crow Worst Screen Combo: Any two obnoxious characters (but especially Jack Black), Borderlands Any two unfunny "comedic actors", Unfrosted The entire cast of Megalopolis Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux — WINNER Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller, Reagan Worst Director: SJ Clarkson, Madame Web Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis — WINNER Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux Eli Roth, Borderlands Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel: The Crow Joker: Folie à Deux — WINNER Kraven the Hunter Mufasa: The Lion King Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver Worst Screenplay: Joker: Folie à Deux Kraven the Hunter Madame Web — WINNER Megalopolis Reagan Razzie Redeemer: Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl For more information about the Golden Raspberry Awards, head to the accolades' website.
UPDATE, September 27, 2023: Nile Rodgers & Chic have now added a Melbourne headlining show on Sunday, October 29 at the Forum, with tickets on sale at 11am on Thursday, September 28. This article has been updated to reflect that change. Good times are coming to Australia and New Zealand in October, and disco-soul hit 'Good Times', too. After already locking in spots at 2023's Harvest Rock in Adelaide and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Nile Rodgers & Chic have announced their own headline tour. Ah, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle and Auckland, get ready to freak out. The disco greats will hit up all five cities with their own shows, on top of their already-announced festival dates. Fans in Adelaide, you'll need to make a plans to see Rodgers and his band in a fest environment, because they're not doing solo gigs in SA. [caption id="attachment_916215" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Marshall via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] "The pandemic had kept us away from our fans in Australia and New Zealand for too long but now we are coming back to kick off the summer with good times!" said Rodgers, announcing the tour. Not only 'Good Times' but also 'Le Freak' is certain to get a whirl when the one and only Rodgers takes to the stage with the group that he co-founded more than five decades ago. Also on their recent setlists: Chic tracks 'Everybody Dance', 'Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' and 'I Want Your Love'. Mention Chic and Rodgers instantly springs to mind; however, as a guitarist, the latter is in a league of his own. You'll also know his work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. And as a writer and producer, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Accordingly, Nile Rodgers & Chic gigs are known to bust out tracks from across Rodgers' career beyond Chic. Cue 'Get Lucky' and its earworm of a guitar riff, both 'Let's Dance' and the always-delightful 'Modern Love' by Bowie, and also a Madonna double of 'Like a Virgin' and 'Material Girl'. Because Rodgers and late, great fellow Chic member Bernard Edwards were involved in writing, composing and/or producing them, Diana Ross' 'I'm Coming Out' and 'Upside Down' also get a spin, plus Sister Sledge's 'He's the Greatest Dancer' and 'We Are Family'. NILE RODGERS & CHIC AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2023: Wednesday, October 18 — Civic Theatre, Auckland Friday, October 20 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Saturday, October 21 — Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Melbourne Monday, October 23–Wednesday, October 25 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Friday, October 27 — Fremantle Prison, Fremantle Saturday, October 28 — Harvest Rock, Adelaide Sunday, October 29 — Forum, Melbourne Nile Rodgers & Chic are touring Australia and New Zealand in October 2023, with pre-sale tickets to their headline shows on sale from 10am local time on Wednesday, September 6 — and general sales from 11am local time on Thursday, September 7. Head to the tour website for further details.
Rejoice, fans of excellent television, fried food and pop culture-themed pop-ups alike — Los Pollos Hermanos is coming to Sydney. Ever since the TV-viewing world was first introduced to Gus Fring's fast food chain, every fried chicken fiend has been hankering for a piece of their juicy poultry. Yes, we all know that it's a fictional chicken empire in a television show, but Breaking Bad was just that damn addictive. With Los Pollos Hermanos' head honcho once again crossing paths with Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) and Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) in the third season of ace Breaking Bad prequel spin-off Better Call Saul, subscription streaming video provider Stan is making everyone's dreams come true with two days of chicken goodness. The pop-up will take over Potts Point's Thirsty Bird for lunch and dinner on April 11 and 12 — and it that's not that's not exciting enough, good ol' poultry-cooking, drug baron Gustavo himself, aka actor Giancarlo Esposito, will be there. Is everything to your satisfaction? It's the event we've all been waiting for since the idea that Los Pollos Hermanos could actually become a real-life restaurant first came up, and it's timed to coincide with Better Call Saul's season three premiere on April 11. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their very best Better Call Saul-themed outfit, so expect to see plenty of pretend dodgy lawyers around. No word yet if anything blue will be on the menu. Find the Los Pollos Hermanos pop-up at Thirsty Bird, Shop 3, 2-14 Bayswater Road, Potts Point from 11.30am-3.00pm and 5.00pm-8.30pm on April 11 and 12. For more information, check out the event Facebook page. Image: Robert Trachtenberg/AMC/Sony Pictures Television. Copyright: © 2017 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All those jokes you made about jumping into IKEA display beds are about to come to fruition. IKEA is the latest registered accommodation on Airbnb, offering Sydneysiders the opportunity to stay the night instore at the furniture giant's Tempe store. For free. Airbnbing airplanes, igloos and backyards just got old hat. Setting up their room displays as so-called quirky accommodation, IKEA is letting three winning groups of up to four guests snuggle in to their fake homes for one epic slumber party on Sunday, August 31, as reported by SMH. Sydney's the only lucky location for the Airbnb shindig, with the rest of the country's IKEAs just settling for kicking out rotten teenagers trying to hide in the displays after hours. On the night, you won't just be sitting awkwardly in a fake kitchen with fake fruit and fake dogs, or playing frisbee with novelty ice cube trays. You're invited to a big communal dinner feast (probably featuring dem meatballs), there'll be Playstations to take the slumber party vibe next level (as well as something painfully wine-dependent called "circus games" according to SMH) and Airbnb are putting on a whole bunch of sessions with top notch hoster Claire Ferguson on how to make your home better equipped to become an Airbnb hosting. Ahp, there's the branding exercise. But don't get all tipsy on that elderflower syrup; apparently you're in for a "remarkable wake-up call" the next morning, because nothing says the first day of spring like an airhorn to the face in a giant furniture store. But they're giving you free IKEA breakfast and you're probably going to want to bail before all those rotten customers roll in. Because they don't want to be left with your dirty, dirty sheets (because you know everyone's gonna get buckwild in IKEA), you'll nab them as a little gift. You're not allowed to take anything else from your set, so put those fake family photos down. Incredibly, the cost for the night is zero beans (plus $12 Airbnb admin fee). But dude, you're getting free sheets. And you're staying the night at IKEA, who are probably going to pour meatballs down your gullet. To enter, head over here. Families are more likely to nab a spot so don't plan on an instore booze-up just yet. Via SMH and Gizmodo. Image: David/CC.
Brunswick Aces is a new Melbourne-distilled gin with a notable difference: it's 100 percent free from alcohol. Forget tonic water-tasting hangovers, this take on gin is an alternative to sore heads and dehydration that still tastes like a summer garden party. It might be just what you need if you're doing Dry July this year. The gin is made in Brunswick, distilled like alcoholic gin is and made from local ingredients. Alcoholic gins require a careful blending of botanical ingredients, and Brunswick Aces is no different. The company releases small batches of two "gins" — the Spades Blend, which contains lime, pink grapefruit, cardamom, parsley and lemon myrtle, and the Hearts Blend, which is a mix juniper, wattleseed, clove, star anise and ginger. Brunswick Aces' launch follows that of Seedlip, the world's first alcohol-free distilled spirit, which first hit shelves in London in 2015. With its own two variations – Garden and Spice – Seedlip began to bridge the gap between "carefully distilled spirits made with natural ingredients" and "not having a headache on a Sunday for once". Brunswick Aces followed suit, but with local, native Australian ingredients. It can be sipped straight, mixed with tonic, or used as the base for a host of "gin cocktails". Make sure you stock up on limes and cucumbers before Dry July kicks off next week. Brunswick Aces can be purchased through its online store.
There'll be no need to grab snacks before the latest screen-to-stage musical production. As fans of the '90s cult classic well and truly know, Empire Records is certain to give you a sugar high anyway. The beloved flick is heading to Broadway, which means someone is going to be following in Renée Zellweger's footsteps and belting out the Coyote Shivers track 'Sugar High' while standing on a record store rooftop. Expect someone else to sing "oh Rexy, you're so sexy" too, as the tale of a struggling music shop, its motley crew of employees and the washed-up former star making an in-store appearance makes the leap to another format. Rolling Stone is reporting that the movie's original screenwriter, Carol Heikkinen, is adapting her own script, with the show working towards a 2020 premiere date. No word yet who'll be taking on the characters first played by Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Robin Tunney, Rory Cochrane, Ethan Embry and Aussie actor Anthony LaPaglia, rocking out to what's certain to be an ace '90s soundtrack and wearing some top retro fashions. Empire Records joins a long list of films making the jump to the theatre of late, including La La Land, The Devil Wears Prada, Amelie and Moulin Rouge! And, of course, the newest production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is heading to Australia in 2019. Via Rolling Stone.
Stuff. I know I have too much of it. And storage? Far too little. This weekend I just finished reading What's Mine Is Yours, a book by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers advocating collaborative consumption. Basically, it talks about all the avenues through which people swap, share, barter, trade and rent on a massive scale with the help of communication technologies like the interwebs. I was left staggered by the sheer amount of stuff I own which spends most of its time in my possession gathering dust. How exciting, then, to stumble upon a solution to my problem both local and nation-wide in its reach. The Garage Sale Trail will be held on Sunday, April 10 this year in backyards, front yards and garages right across Australia. You can register your garage sale on the website, and on the day people can hop between garage sales in their local area. Pop in your post-code to check out what's near you. The pilot project held in Bondi last year attracted droves of people, emptied ATMs in the area and saw the equivalent of 15 shipping containers of goods exchanging hands. Sounds like a pretty sweet way to get sustainable. https://youtube.com/watch?v=AuOBz7FF7z4
Whenever a new Ghostbusters movie reaches screens — which has been happening pretty frequently of late — we all want a few key things. We want ghosts to be busted, obviously. We want a goofily comedic vibe that suits the premise, of course. And, getting into the spirit of the franchise's theme song, we want this stint of bustin' to make us feel good. These days, with the series almost reaching 40 years old, we must want nostalgia, too. That's what Ghostbusters: Afterlife promises to serve up, at least. In this threequel — which seems to ignore the fact that a great recent Ghostbusters film already exists, thanks to Paul Feig's wrongly maligned all-female version from 2016 — there's something strange in the town of Summerville. So, a group of kids are calling upon themselves to bust it, in a movie that swaps New York for Oklahoma and grown men (and women) for children, and jumps firmly on the Stranger Things-led 80s nostalgia bandwagon in the process. Whether siblings Phoebe (Annabelle Comes Home's McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard) are seeing things runnin' through their heads or they'll catch an invisible man sleepin' in their beds is yet to be gleaned, but both the film's first trailer and its just-dropped new sneak peek lay out the basics of Ghostbusters: Afterlife's plot. The central duo has moved to the isolated locale with their mother (The Nest's Carrie Coon), and into a rundown old house they've inherited from their grandfather. It's filled with ghost traps, containers of spores, mould and fungus, beige jumpsuits emblazoned with the name 'Spengler' and a recognisable car — which is going to come in handy when the ground starts shaking for no reason, a mysterious green light begins to glow, ghosts suddenly walk the earth and tiny marshmallow men scamper around supermarket shelves. Yes, even just from the trailer, there's plenty that's familiar about this latest addition to the Ghostbusters saga — including a few faces making a return from the original flick. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts are all set to reprise their roles; however, Harold Ramis, aka Spengler, passed away in 2014. The new Afterlife trailer is filled with other nods to the first two films, with writer/director Jason Reitman (Tully, The Front Runner) making both obvious and subtle references to the movies originally directed by his dad Ivan Reitman. This time around, Paul Rudd also stars as teacher Mr Grooberson, who schools the kids in Ghostbusters lore — because this is a direct sequel to the original 1984 Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. Check out the trailer below: Ghostbusters: Afterlife will open in Australian cinemas on December 2, 2021.
"Didn't seem fair on the young lad. That suit at the funeral. With the braces on his teeth, the supreme discomfort of the adolescent." That's how what just might be your favourite new novel of 2024 starts. The book in question? Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. The acclaimed Irish author, who previously penned Conversations with Friends, Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You, will release her fourth tome on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. It arrives three years after her last, which also hit three years after Normal People. And if you're already wondering if it will get the TV treatment, as Normal People did first — and made everyone obsessed with Paul Mescal in the process — then Conversations with Friends, it's obviously too early to answer that. Cross your fingers, though. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Faber Books (@faberbooks) Intermezzo will follow two brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek, as they're grieving the loss of their father's death. The former is in his 30s and a successful Dublin lawyer, but turns to medication to sleep to cope with his loss. The latter is 22 and plays chess competitively. Peter also has complicated bonds with two women, his first love Sylvia and college student Naomi — which will sound familiar to Rooney fans — while Ivan meets the older Margaret not long after his dad's passing. "For two grieving brothers and the people they love, this is a new interlude — a period of desire, despair and possibility — a chance to find out how much one life might hold inside itself without breaking," says the official blurb for the book. "Intermezzo is a story of brothers and lovers, of familial and romantic intimacies, of relationships that don't quite fit the conventional structures," explains Alex Bowler, the book's publisher at Faber & Faber in the UK. "After three miraculous books, Sally Rooney's millions of readers will recognise the beauty and insight, the pain and hope that radiates from this new novel. But it marks an exquisite advance, too, in the work of a writer who seems so attuned to our lives, our hearts and our times." [caption id="attachment_842444" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Enda Bowe/Hulu[/caption] Intermezzo will be published on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. For further details, head to publisher Faber & Faber's website. Images: Normal People / Conversations with Friends.
Summer in Australia must've treated Kesha well at the beginning of 2025, because she has just confirmed a return visit in 2026. In January, the pop star ventured Down Under for two gigs, playing a House of Kesha show in Sydney and also the Australian Open's music lineup in Melbourne. Next year, she'll be taking to the stage at a series of headline concerts around the country, with stops in four cities confirmed so far. Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are on the two-time Grammy-nominee's itinerary when she brings The Tits Out tour this way. The gigs are part of the biggest headline run of Kesha's career so far, which kicked off in July 2025 in the US and also has European shows locked in for March 2026. In Australia, Riverstage in the Queensland capital is the singer's first destination, hitting up the venue on Thursday, February 19. She'll also play Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Sunday, February 22; Adelaide's AEC Arena on Tuesday, February 24; and Perth HPC on Thursday, February 26. At the time of writing, there's no Sydney gig on the agenda to date — but if you want to start speculating about a Harbour City stop, it's worth noting that Kesha will be in the country during 2026's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It's taking place from Friday, February 13–Sunday, March 1, with the parade on Saturday, February 28. No lineup details have been announced as yet. [caption id="attachment_975223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendan Walter[/caption] With ten top-ten singles across her career so far, plus six albums under her belt — 2023's Gag Order and 2025's Period among them — Kesha has no shortage of tunes to draw upon live. 'JOYRIDE', 'TiK ToK', 'Only Love Can Save Us Now', 'Your Love Is My Drug', 'Take It Off' and 'We R Who We R' are among the tracks on her current setlist. Kesha is making the trip Down Under in what's already a big month for tours, with February 2026 also welcoming Lorde's Australian shows and seeing G Flip kick off their next national run of gigs. Kesha The Tits Out 2026 Australian Tour Dates Thursday, February 19 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, February 22 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, February 24 — AEC Arena, Adelaide Thursday, February 26 — Perth HPC, Perth Kesha is touring Australia in February 2026, with ticket presales from 10am on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 and general sales from 10am on Friday, August 8, 2025 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Ryan Bakerink/FilmMagic.
The Act of Killing screened last week as part of the official competition at the Sydney Film Festival. And the consensus of nearly everybody who has seen it has been that it's one of the most compelling, original and affecting documentaries they have ever seen. More to the point, in the two and a half hours you sit in company with it in the dark of the cinema, The Act of Killing rips up your idea of what a documentary is supposed to be. Principally, The Act of Killing, directed by American filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer, traces the aftershocks of the coup that brought President Suharto to power in Indonesia. The government was overthrown by the military in 1965 and the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) eradicated, alongside anybody accused of being a communist, including union members, 'leftists', intellectuals and the ethnic Chinese. "I started this project working in a community of survivors," Oppenheimer explains when he sat down with us earlier this week. "Trying to make a film about the horrors that had happened but also about the regime of fear and impunity and corruption under which they're still living. And every time we'd film together we'd be stopped by the military. But living in the same village as the survivors were the perpetrators. And they were boasting to me. I would meet them in the street, they would invite me in for tea, and they would boast about what they had done. That was the crack in the facade of normalcy. And I came to understand very quickly that the big story here is not what happened in 1965. This is about what's happening now." https://youtube.com/watch?v=zJ5_JAgoZ5Q Your friend, the war criminal The film's central focus is Anwar Congo, a self-styled gangster who made his money during the '60s as a ticket scalper at the local cinema in North Sumatra's capital city, Medan. When the coup began, the army used paramilitaries and gangsters like Anwar to carry out the massacre of what is estimated to be around 1 million people. With Anwar and his friends, Oppenheimer saw an "opportunity to document the nature of impunity honestly. It's a situation where the killers have won, they've been celebrated by the whole world, and therefore they're open about it. As opposed to what we normally see: killers either deny what they've done, or apologise for it." To try to understand the function of the men's boasting, he asked them to re-create scenes about the killings in whatever way they wished, and the men — fans of American films and culture — took to screenwriting and acting. "The film is my way of understanding a whole regime of impunity, the imagination of the impunity, the way they, like all of us, use storytelling to create their reality," says Oppenheimer. "And as part of that they use storytelling to escape from their most bitter truths." Turning Documentary On Its Head Documentary has a unique kind of power, if not exactly to reveal the invisible than to speak of things we prefer to ignore. And as media proliferate, diverge and splinter, non-fiction films seem to be finding a fresh voice. It isn't that documentary has ever really inhabited a magical land of objectivity and absolute 'truth'. The difference is that fact and fiction are increasingly hazy in our minds, and just about everything we once thought of as 'non-fiction' — politics, sport, celebrity, advertising — involves a certain amount of wavering between the real and the unreal. And waver between the real and unreal is precisely what The Act of Killing does, unfolding in a space that's both horrifyingly straightforward and technicolour phantasmagoria. The film flits between frank accounts of the men explaining and demonstrating how they killed their victims and surreal images from their re-creations — a line of women dancing in the mouth of a giant fish, Anwar's head decapitated but still speaking, a man in drag smoking a cigarette singing about taking his girlfriend to the movies. Many of the most powerful scenes in the film fit somewhere in between reality and fiction. "There were these moments of pure poetry that weren't scenes," says Oppenheimer. "They're observational scenes in a way — about how we're lost in our fantasies. They're documentary scenes, in a surreal space. So the film obtains a density and a richness because we have a sense that there are all these stories that are untold. There's a plot behind these scenes, but we don't know what it is and it doesn't matter." We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog, who happens to be executive producer of The Act of Killing alongside Errol Morris, declared in 1999 that simply holding up a camera and capturing what's around you isn't sufficient in documentary filmmaking. "There are deeper strata of truth in cinema," he said, "And there is such a thing as poetic, ecstatic truth. It is mysterious and elusive, and can be reached only through fabrication and imagination and stylisation." That is precisely what The Act of Killing does. By asking Anwar and his friends to re-create scenes of the massacres, the filmmakers expose the unacknowledged complexity of the Indonesian genocide. "I think Anwar's trying to escape from his pain," says Oppenheimer, referring to many of the scenes where Anwar and his friends portray themselves as heroes for massacring thousands of people. "Every time he does it he re-avoids the moral meaning of the killing, and reifies his denial. It's a way of escaping the reality of what he's done, or so he thinks. But it also becomes the prism through which he recognises what he's done." What the film uncovers is that the stories told by the perpetrators are a product of something far more profound than simple cruelty. "Yes, those stories are instruments of fear and they keep everybody else afraid, but paradoxically they're not symptoms of the remorselessness of the perpetrators. On the contrary, they're symptoms of their humanity. The celebration of genocide can simply be a symptom of a stridency you adopt because you don't believe your own justification. And if there's a thread defining the film's development, it's Anwar's subtext — it's the look on his face showing he never seems to believe the things he's saying." What The Act of Killing does is take the storytelling process, and instead of using it as the Indonesian elite does — to keep people afraid — the film uses storytelling as an instrument of moral understanding. "Our entire world is made up of second-hand, third-rate stories. And I think we have no choice, since that's what our world is made of, but to recover these stupid stories for something humane. So the film is a kind of recycling, a kind of bricolage of shit, trying to make something beautiful out of the shit." When Art Makes A Difference The Act of Killing has received international acclaim since its premiere last September, but more importantly it has caused an upheaval in Indonesia. "It's screening every day," explains Oppenheimer. "As of March it had screened over 500 times. The Indonesian media is now publishing serious investigative reports about the genocide, whereas for forty-seven years they'd been silent about it. It's caused a sea change in how the country sees its past. It's come to the country like the child in The Emperor's New Clothes pointing to the king and saying "the king is naked". And everyone knew it. Maybe they didn't know the details. But now that it's been said so powerfully — and by the perpetrators themselves — there's no going back. The government has chosen to ignore it for the moment, although some army groups and some paramilitary generals have been threatening people screening the film, and threatening me. But it is making a real difference. "Werner [Herzog] said to me when I was talking about this to him over dinner, 'Josh, art doesn't make a difference.' And he looked at me for a long time and I felt rather deflated. And he smiled and then he said 'until it does'." The Act of Killing will get a limited Australian cinema release through Madman Entertainment on October 3, 2013.
At the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2024 started with Kandinsky and Louise Bourgeois exhibitions, all carrying over from 2023. Now that the middle of the year has hit, the Sydney institution has thrown over its walls to another massive art name: Alphonse Mucha. The Czech-born painter and illustrator is virtually synonymous with Paris in the art nouveau period in no small part thanks to posters for French stage actor Sarah Bernhardt in the late-19th and early-20th centuries — and Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau, AGNSW's big winter showcase, is dedicated to his work. In an exclusive-to-Sydney display that opened on Saturday, June 15 in Naala Badu, the gallery's north building, and runs until Sunday, September 22, Australian audiences can now step through why Mucha's art is so influential. Whether they're devoted to a theme, a movement or a specific artist, every exhibition tells a story, with this one exploring the two parts of its name: a man who gave an era its look and the aesthetic that he helped immortalise. This isn't a small step through all things Mucha, with more than 200 items featured. Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau is the most-comprehensive showcase of the artist's work that the country has ever seen, in fact. And yes, posters for Bernhardt and others are among the pieces on display, alongside illustrations, photographs, sculptures, jewellery and interior decoration. Surveying Mucha's five-decade career, created in collaboration with the Mucha Foundation in Prague and featuring works from the Mucha Family Collection, Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau also includes a digital component, with painting cycle The Slav Epic from 1912–26 — a piece that spans 20 canvases — getting the immersive treatment. AGNSW is also pairing works by Mucha with Japanese prints sourced from its ukiyo-e collection that date to the same period that Mucha was in Paris, plus band posters and record covers from the 60s and 70s, as well as manga from more recently, that demonstrate his ongoing influence. "Alphonse Mucha was one of art's great stylistic innovators, and whilst best known for his iconic posters and decorative designs that contributed to the development of art nouveau, we hope this truly comprehensive exhibition will offer audiences the chance to take a deeper look at the remarkable life of this fascinating artist and his humanistic ideals," said AGNSW Director Michael Brand. "We are grateful to the Mucha Foundation for their generosity in lending these treasures to allow audiences here in Sydney the chance to discover an exhibition not only rich in art but also in history, human achievement and political commitment." Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau displays at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, The Domain, Sydney from Saturday, June 15–Sunday, September 22, 2024. For more information, visit the venue's website. Images: installation view of the 'Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 15 June – 22 September 2024, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.
Great renewal news for fans of Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated) usually means bad news for the folks that the trio know on-screen. Only Murders in the Building viewers get more episodes, but that means more deaths within the hit murder-mystery comedy's narrative. That's exactly the case right now, with the series just wrapping up its Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania)- and Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up)-guest starring third season, then revealing that there's more in store — with the show locked in for season four. More instalments, more killings and more amusing antics are all on the way, then, for the series that first got Gomez, Short and Martin sleuthing in 2021's season one (aka one of the best new shows of that year), then followed it up with 2022's season two (aka one of the best returning shows of that year, too) before arriving for its third go-around in 2023. Details of when the series will return, who else will pop up and the like haven't yet been announced, but expect to spend more time in Only Murders in the Building's world. The show started with three residents of the same New York apartment building crossing paths after a murder in their building — hence the title — then bonding over true-crime podcasts. Next, they did what everyone that's jumped on that bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second season, another death needed investigating. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Indeed, every season, another death has given aspiring artist Mabel, Broadway producer Oliver and actor Charles-Haden another case to dive into. In season three, that involved looking into who caused Ben Glenroy (Rudd) to shuffle off this mortal coil at the opening night of Oliver's latest show. "Is this really happening again?" asked the theatre figure in the first teaser trailer for season three. "Yes, yes it is" was the answer from Only Murders in the Building's audience then — and still now. "The trio's journey is far from over," US streaming platform Hulu, which produces the show, announced on social media. There's no sneak peek at season four as yet, but you can check out the full trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building's streams Down Under via Star on Disney+. Read our full reviews of season one, season two and season three. Images: Hulu.
In 2023, Matt Adnate was an Archibald Prize finalist with his portrait of Daniel Johns, his first-ever entry for the acclaimed award. In 2024, the Northern Rivers–based artist has both repeated the feat and gone one better with his second entry, a new work featuring Baker Boy. Rhythms of heritage is among this year's shortlisted entries for the prestigious award, and also the recipient of 2024's Packing Room Prize. Which artist will tale home the Archie in the gong's 103rd year will be unveiled on Friday, June 7, but Rhythms of heritage status as the Packing Room Prize-winner for 2024 has just been announced. The latter is selected by three members of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' packing room team — Timothy Dale, Monica Rudhar and Alexis Wildman in 2024 — hence the name. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) "I have always been inspired by music as it can help me channel and evoke strong emotion into my work. It gives me the energy to keep painting, from canvases in my studio to large-scale murals. I'm in awe of artists like Baker Boy who have the power to use music to transform people's mood, mind and energy," said Adnate about Rhythms of heritage and his Packing Room Prize win. "It was an honour to paint him again and capture the intensity of his music. It has been incredible to watch Baker Boy evolving into a multi-talented and award-winning artist over the last decade, cementing his legacy as an Australian music icon," Adnate continued. "I learned to paint through doing graffiti letters as a teenager; I switched to portraiture in 2010. This painting was produced mostly with spray paint, a medium that has always allowed me the most control. It's been a challenge to maintain my own technique and resist the pressure to use oils or more traditional mediums. I've always considered the Archibald to be the pinnacle of art prizes, especially for portraiture. To win the Packing Room Prize with a portrait that is so significant to me, and to be the first street artist to do so, it really pushes me further." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adnate (@adnate) If you're wondering how Baker Boy, aka Danzal Baker, feels about being a Packing Room Prize-winning subject, he's also thrilled. "Big congratulations to Matt for taking home the Packing Room Prize with his portrait of me. It's unreal to see how he captures me as I am today, reflecting my love for music and a deep connection to my home of Arnhem Land, seen through the soulful reflection in the eyes," he said. Dale, Rudhar and Wildman had no shortage of praise for Adnate's work. "Matt Adnate is an incredible Australian street artist renowned for his large mural paintings. His portrait of singer-songwriter Baker Boy in his signature style is characterised by grand scale, vivid colours and a gaze that draws you in," advised Rudhar. "Matt and Baker Boy are both highly accomplished in their respective fields and share a mutual recognition of each other's talents. Matt's powerful portrait encapsulates Baker Boy as the inspirational Indigenous storyteller that he is, mirroring the joy and hope that his music brings to the world." [caption id="attachment_959475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Caroline Zilinsky 'A lucid heart – the golden age of Jacob Elordi', oil on linen, 152.5 x 122.4 cm © the artist. Sitter: Jacob Elordi[/caption] Rhythms of heritage is one of 57 finalists in the Archibald, as whittled down from 1005 entries. Other works vying for the accolade include Caroline Zilinsky's portrait of Saltburn and Priscilla's Jacob Elordi, Mia Boe's of Tony Armstrong, Jessie Bourke's of Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Paul de Zubicaray's of Jaguar Jonze and Angus McDonald's likeness of Professor Marcia Langton. Also on the list: Drew Bickford's portrait of Hello Dankness filmmakers Dan and Dominique Angeloro, aka Soda Jerk; Camellia Morris' of Anthony Field from The Wiggles; Tim Owers' of Matildas player Cortnee Vine; and Nick Stathopoulos' of film critic David Stratton. If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2024's finalists, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024. And, they'll have company from works shortlisted for the venue's similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 738 entries, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 628 entries, naming 40 as final contenders. The Wynne also made history by selecting 21 pieces by Aboriginal artists — the first time that there's been more works by Aboriginal artists than non-Aboriginal artists among the finalists. [caption id="attachment_959474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Jessie Bourke 'Different, not less', oil on canvas, 130 x 90.2 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Chloé Hayden[/caption] Speculation about who will be awarded the coveted Archibald Prize — and, more often than not, the Archibald winner itself — usually causes much-heated debate. From 2018's five-time Archibald finalist Yvette Coppersmith's first win to Tony Costa's 2019 victory with his painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee — the first portrait of an Asian Australian to pick up the prize — it's hard a prize to pick. All that's really assured is that it'll be a portrait of a person by an Australian-based artist. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. In 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top, while 2023's accolade went to Julia Gutman for a portrait of Montaigne. Whoever earns the nod for 2024's Archibald, there's still another award up for grabs afterwards. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Thursday, August 8. [caption id="attachment_959477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Angus McDonald 'Professor Marcia Langton AO', oil on canvas, 154.5 x 271.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Marcia Langton[/caption] Archibald Prize 2024 Dates: Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW Friday, September 20–Sunday, November 17, 2024 — Orange Regional Gallery Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, January 26, 2025 — Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery Friday, February 7–Sunday, April 6, 2025 — Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Thursday, April 24–Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Araluen Arts Centre, Northern Territory Friday, July 4–Sunday, August 31, 2025 — Lismore Regional Gallery [caption id="attachment_959478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Drew Bickford 'Direct-to-video', oil on canvas, 152 x 101.7 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Soda Jerk[/caption] The winner of 2024's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes will be announced on Friday, June 7 at 12pm — check back here then. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: Winner Packing Room Prize 2024, Matt Adnate 'Rhythms of heritage', spray paint and synthetic polymer paint on linen, 220 x 188.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter . Sitter: Baker Boy.
UPDATE, May 2, 2021: Little Women is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Google Play, Youtube Movies and iTunes. Greta Gerwig doesn't appear in Little Women, but she's as much an on-screen presence as her stellar cast. Two features into her career as a solo filmmaker, the actor-turned-writer/director has established a clear authorial voice, with both Lady Bird's titular teen and Little Women's Jo March feeling like extensions of Gerwig herself. They're characters she could've and would've played had either movie transpired a few years earlier. Dynamic young women eager to leave their imprint upon the world — and refusing to simply accept the niche that others have earmarked for them, too — they're clear kindred spirits to Frances Ha's eponymous New Yorker. Brought to life by Saoirse Ronan, they're also fiercely determined to do what many of Gerwig's own on-screen characters have: battle for the lives that they want, no matter how difficult that proves. If Lady Bird filtered the above idea through Gerwig's own adolescence in a loosely autobiographical manner, then Little Women locates it in what must be one of her favourite books. Notions of forging one's identity, finding independence and fighting societal conventions already exist in Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel; however Gerwig's adaptation thrusts them to the fore — not just because a modern remake should, but because they're the Civil War-era story's beating heart. Accordingly, this version of Little Women opens with the indefatigable Jo (Ronan) selling one of her tales to a New York publisher (Tracy Letts), and shows her confidently holding her own in negotiations over what's expected of her female characters. She needs to make the sale to send money home to Massachusetts, but she's never willing to compromise just because she's told to. Tinkering with the flow of Alcott's classic, Gerwig's decision to start Little Women here is inspired. It conveys the crux of Jo's journey in a concise, witty, lively back-and-forth — because, both before and after this point in the overall narrative, she keeps experiencing this tussle in various forms. Via flashbacks, viewers piece together the whole story. Her mother Marmee (Laura Dern) doesn't push Jo along any specific path, and her sisters Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh) and Beth (Eliza Scanlen) are accustomed to her headstrong ways, but Aunt March (Meryl Streep) has decisive views. With their father (Bob Odenkirk) away at war, the stern matriarch decrees that Jo must marry into money to secure the family's economic standing. Even given her close friendship with the wealthy, besotted Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) — literally the boy next door — Jo steadfastly rejects the prospect that her future is for sale. Gerwig's structural approach has another pivotal impact: it turns this into a tale of women, not girls. The audience first meets the March sisters as adults with precise personalities, and so the film prioritises who they are, not who they once were. This remains a coming-of-age story, but it's savvily reframed to focus on the women that emerge from games, squabbles, crushes, rivalries and stage shows in the attic, rather than on young ladies working out what they want. That might seem a tiny shift, but it makes a vast difference. From the outset, it accepts and foregrounds Jo's unwavering resolve, Meg's desire for a traditional family life of her own, and Amy's pragmatism about the financial realities of being female, instead of making these traits the punctuation that concludes their arcs. All of the above mightn't work so well if Little Women wasn't so superbly cast — especially Ronan as Gerwig's returning on-screen surrogate and Pugh as the thorniest of the siblings. If Gerwig can't play Jo, then no one else but Ronan could've, tapping into the character's intensity and the fact that she's well aware of the cost of her choices. As Amy, Pugh turns in her third excellent performance of the past year (after Fighting with My Family and Midsommar), giving depth and texture to a character who has often been treated as petulant elsewhere. They're surrounded by a wealth of other talent, of course, with Dern and Chalamet each keeping their internet darling status intact with aplomb. Gerwig works wonders with her script and her actors — tasks that might seem easy, but still bear her fingerprints — however she also directs a visually sumptuous film. Little Women sparkles with warmth and charm, not only when dresses catch alight and catastrophic haircuts inspire laughs, but across tender and heartbreaking moments. Cosiness and melancholy aren't mutually exclusive here, and nor are honeyed hues, imagery that resembles vivid period portraits, and a lived-in look and feel. Her trick to adapting Alcott's text for a new era — adding another version to a pile that already includes seven prior big-screen interpretations, including 1994's well-received take with Winona Ryder — is to eschew the idea that something can't be simultaneously dutiful and radical. Gerwig doesn't just make that plain via Jo's story, but bakes it into every frame of this sharp and soulful film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MCOpNti_pQ
Heading off on holidays should feel like an adventure, right down to the place you choose to rest your head after a fun-filled day. With this in mind, London's Miller Kendrick Architects have come up with what might be one of the most imaginative and impressive hotels possible. Created for Visit Wales's 'Year of Legends 2017' design contest, not only does it celebrate the Welsh landscape, but it is inspired by the legend of King Arthur — and the cave him and his knights allegedly stayed in. As far as unique accommodation goes, the aptly named Arthur's Cave proves a two-for-one affair: soak in the natural surroundings in a cabin that really has been crafted to emulate a cave, and soak in a slice of British legend. It's also a case of blending the old with the new, namely all of the above with building materials and techniques. Inside the timber and glass structure — which uses locally sourced sheep's wool insulation for thermal insulation against the elements — you'll find a cosy sleeping space with a bed, chair and fireplace, aka everything you need for snuggling up and staring out over the landscape around you. Don't spend all of your time looking outside, though; with the cabin made from plywood rib-like shapes that expand and contract, the undulating and sinuous interior is a sight to behold too. Sadly, Arthur's Cave hasn't been built yet; however it is slated for construction early this year. Until then, add this one-of-a-kind pop-up glamping hotel to your must-stay travel bucket list. Via AWOL.
Maybe you're the kind of film lover who wouldn't dream of navigating Oscar season without seeing every movie that you possibly can as the accolades approach. Perhaps you wait to find out who wins big before deciding what to watch that you haven't caught already. Either way, the 2024 Academy Awards have now happened, taking place on Monday, March 11, Down Under — and a new batch of pictures, and the folks behind them, now have Hollywood's most-coveted cinema trophy to their names. We've been along for the ride since these pictures hit the big and small screen. So, if you need the full rundown, we have the list of winners, the nominees before that, our picks for who we predicted would and should win, exactly where you can see 2024's nominees in Australia and a drinking game designed to go with with this year's ceremony. Now, we also have all the details on nine films that have just been anointed Oscar-winners at the 96th Academy Awards that you can check out right now. Watch them. Rewatch them. Either way, you're in for some stellar viewing. And if you're wondering where The Boy and the Heron and Godzilla Minus One are — aka two of the very best recipients of the night — they sadly aren't currently in cinemas or streaming Down Under, but keep an eye out for them when they hit digital. Oppenheimer Cast Cillian Murphy and a filmmaker falls in love. Danny Boyle did with 28 Days Later and Sunshine, then Christopher Nolan followed with Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Dunkirk. There's an arresting, haunting, seeps-under-your-skin soulfulness about the Irish actor, never more so than when he was wandering solo through the empty zombie-ravaged streets in his big-screen big break, then hurtling towards the sun in an underrated sci-fi gem, both for Boyle, and now playing "the father of atomic bomb" in Nolan's epic biopic Oppenheimer. Flirting with the end of the world, or just one person's end, clearly suits Murphy. Here he is in a mind-blower as the destroyer of worlds — almost, perhaps actually — and so much of this can't-look-away three-hour stunner dwells in his expressive eyes. As J Robert Oppenheimer, those peepers see purpose and possibility. They spot quantum mechanics' promise, and the whole universe lurking within that branch of physics. They ultimately spy the consequences, too, of bringing the Manhattan Project successfully to fruition during World War II. Dr Strangelove's full title could never apply to Oppenheimer, nor to its eponymous figure; neither learn to stop worrying and love the bomb. The theoretical physicist responsible for the creation of nuclear weapons did enjoy building it in Nolan's account, Murphy's telltale eyes gleaming as Oppy watches research become reality — but then darkening as he gleans what that reality means. Directing, writing and adapting the 2005 biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, Nolan charts the before and after. He probes the fission and fusion of the situation in intercut parts, the first in colour, the second in black and white. In the former, all paths lead to the history-changing Trinity test on July 16, 1945 in the New Mexico desert. In the latter, a mushroom cloud balloons through Oppenheimer's life as he perceives what the gadget, as it's called in its development stages, has unleashed. Oscars: Won: Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr), Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Emily Blunt), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Sound Where to watch: Streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Poor Things Richly striking feats of cinema by Yorgos Lanthimos aren't scarce. Sublime performances by Emma Stone are hardly infrequent. Screen takes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein couldn't be more constant. For Lanthimos, see: Dogtooth and Alps in the Greek Weird Wave filmmaker's native language, plus The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Favourite since he started helming movies in English. With Stone, examples abound in her Best Actress Oscar for La La Land, supporting nominations before and after for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and Lanthimos' aforementioned regal satire, and twin 2024 Golden Globe nods for their latest collaboration as well as TV's The Curse. And as for the best gothic-horror story there is, not to mention one of the most influential sci-fi stories ever, the evidence is everywhere from traditional adaptations to debts owed as widely as The Rocky Horror Show and M3GAN. Combining the three results in a rarity, however: a jewel of a pastel-, jewel- and bodily fluid-toned feminist Frankenstein-esque fairy tale that's a stunning creation, as zapped to life with Lanthimos' inimitable flair, a mischievous air, Stone at her most extraordinary and empowerment blazing like a lightning bolt. With cascading black hair, an inquisitive stare, incessant frankness and jolting physical mannerisms, Poor Things' star is Bella Baxter in this adaptation of Alasdair Grey's award-winning 1992 novel by Australian screenwriter Tony McNamara (The Great). Among the reasons that the movie and its lead portrayal are so singular: as a character with a woman's body revived with a baby's brain, Stone plays someone from infancy to adulthood, all with the astonishingly exact mindset and mannerisms to match, and while making every move, choice and feeling as organic as birth, living and death. In this fantastical steampunk vision of Victorian-era Europe, London-based Scottish doctor Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe, Asteroid City) is Bella's maker. Even if she didn't call him God, he's been playing it. But curiosity, the quest for agency and independence, horniness and a lust for adventure all beckon his creation on a radical, rebellious, gorgeously rendered, gloriously funny and generously insightful odyssey. So, Godwin tries to marry Bella off to medical student Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef, Ramy), only for her to discover masturbation and sex, and run off to the continent with caddish lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). Oscars: Won: Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Yorgos Lanthimos), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score Where to watch: In Australian cinemas, and streaming via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Anatomy of a Fall A calypso instrumental cover of 50 Cent's 'P.I.M.P.' isn't the only thing that Anatomy of a Fall's audience won't be able to dislodge from their heads after watching 2023's deserving Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner. A film that's thorny, knotty and defiantly unwilling to give any easy answers, this legal, psychological and emotional thriller about a woman on trial for her husband's death is unshakeable in as many ways as someone can have doubts about another person: so, a myriad. The scenario conjured up by writer/director Justine Triet (Sibyl) is haunting, asking not only if her protagonist committed murder, as the on-screen investigation and courtroom proceedings interrogate, but digging into what it means to be forced to choose between whether someone did the worst or is innocent — or if either matters. While the Gallic legal system provides the backdrop for much of the movie, the real person doing the real picking isn't there in a professional capacity, or on a jury. Rather, it's the 11-year-old boy who loved his dad, finds him lying in the snow with a head injury outside their French Alps home on an otherwise ordinary day, then becomes the key witness in his mum's case. Also impossible to forget: the performances that are so crucial in telling this tale of marital and parental bonds, especially from one of German's current best actors and the up-and-coming French talent playing her son. With her similarly astonishing portrayal in The Zone of Interest, Toni Erdmann and I'm Your Man's Sandra Hüller is two for two in movies that initially debuted in 2023; here, she steps into the icy and complicated Sandra Voyter's shoes with the same kind of surgical precision that Triet applies to unpacking the character's home life. As Daniel, who couldn't be more conflicted about the nightmare situation he's been thrust into, Milo Machado Graner (Alex Hugo) is a revelation — frequently via his expressive face and posture alone. If Scenes From a Marriage met Kramer vs Kramer, plus 1959's Anatomy of a Murder that patently influences Anatomy of a Fall's name, this would be the gripping end result — as fittingly written by Triet with her IRL partner Arthur Harari (Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle). Oscars: Won: Best Original Screenplay Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Justine Triet), Best Actress (Sandra Hüller), Best Film Editing Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. The Holdovers Melancholy, cantankerousness, angst, hurt and snow: all five blanket Barton Academy in Alexander Payne's The Holdovers. It's Christmas in the New England-set latest film from the Election, About Schmidt and Nebraska director, but festive cheer is in short supply among the students and staff that give the movie its moniker. The five pupils all want to be anywhere but stuck at their exclusive boarding school over the yuletide break, with going home off the cards for an array of reasons. Then four get their wish, leaving just Angus Tully (debutant Dominic Sessa), who thought he'd be holidaying in Saint Kitts until his mother told him not to come so that she could have more time alone with his new stepdad. His sole company among the faculty: curmudgeonly classics professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti, Billions), who's being punished for failing the son of a wealthy donor, but would be hanging around campus anyway; plus grieving head cook Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Only Murders in the Building), who is weathering her first Christmas after losing her son — a Barton alum — in the Vietnam War. The year is 1970 in Payne's long-awaited return behind the lens after 2017's Downsizing, as the film reinforces from its opening seconds with retro studio credits. The Holdovers continues that period-appropriate look in every frame afterwards — with kudos to cinematographer Eigil Bryld (No Hard Feelings), who perfects not only the hues and grain but the light and softness in his imagery — and matches it with the same mood and air, as if it's a lost feature unearthed from the era. Cat Stevens on the soundtrack, a focus on character and emotional truths, zero ties to franchises, a thoughtful story given room to breathe and build: that's this moving and funny dramedy. Christmas flicks regularly come trimmed with empty, easy nostalgia, but The Holdovers earns its wistfulness from a filmmaker who's no stranger to making movies that feel like throwbacks to the decade when he was a teen. Oscars: Won: Best Supporting Actress (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Paul Giamatti), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing Where to watch: In Australian cinemas, and streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. American Fiction Here's Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison's (Jeffrey Wright, Rustin) predicament when American Fiction begins: on the page, his talents aren't selling books. Praise comes the Los Angeles-based professor's way for his novels, but not sales, nor attendees when he's part of writers' festival panels. And even then, publishers aren't fond of his latest manuscript. Sick of hearing that his work isn't "Black enough", and also incensed over the attention that fellow scribe Sintara Golden (Issa Rae, Barbie) is receiving for her book We's Lives in Da Ghetto, he gets a-typing, pumping out the kind of text that he vehemently hates — but 100-percent fits the stereotype of what the world keeps telling him that Black literature should be. It attracts interest, even more so when Monk takes his agent Arthur's (John Ortiz, Better Things) advice and adopts a new persona to go with it. Soon fugitive convict Stagg R Leigh and his book Fuck are a huge hit that no one can get enough of. Because of the story spun around who wrote the bestseller, too, the FBI even wants to know the author's whereabouts. Deservedly nominated for five 2024 Oscars — including for Best Picture, Best Actor for Wright and Best Supporting Actor for Sterling K Brown (Biosphere) as Monk's brother Clifford — American Fiction itself hails from the page, with filmmaker Cord Jefferson adapting Percival Everett's 2001 novel Erasure. Wright is indeed exceptional in this savvy satire of authenticity, US race relations and class chasms, and earns his awards contention for his reactions alone. Seeing how Monk adjusts himself to a world that keeps proving anything but his dream is an utter acting masterclass, in big and small moments alike. As the film dives into the character's personal chaos, that's where Brown's also-fantastic, often-tender performance comes in, plus Leslie Uggams (Extrapolations) as Monk's mother and Tracee Ellis Ross (Candy Cane Lane) as his sister, and also Erika Alexander (Run the World) as a neighbour who is a fan of his — not just Stagg R Leigh's — work. Don't discount how excellent American Fiction is beyond its literary hoax setup, in fact; as a character study, it's equally astute. Oscars: Won: Best Adapted Screenplay Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright), Best Supporting Actor (Sterling K Brown), Best Original Score Where to watch: Streaming via Prime Video. Read our full review. The Zone of Interest Quotes and observations about evil being mundane, as well as the result when people look the other way, will never stop being relevant. A gripping, unsettling masterpiece, The Zone of Interest is a window into why. The first film by Sexy Beast, Birth and Under the Skin director Jonathan Glazer in more than a decade, the Holocaust-set feature peers on as the unthinkable happens literally just over the fence, but a family goes about its ordinary life. If it seems abhorrent that anything can occur in the shadow of any concentration camp or site of World War II atrocities, that's part of the movie's point. It dwells in the Interessengebiet, the 40-square-kilometre-plus titular area that comprised and surrounded the Auschwitz complex, to interrogate how banal genocide was to those in power; commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel, Babylon Berlin), even gloats that his name will be remembered and celebrated for its connection to mass extermination. Höss was a real person, and the real Nazi SS officer overseeing Auschwitz from 1940–43. His wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall) and five children are similarly drawn from truth. But The Zone of Interest finds its way to the screen via Martin Amis' fiction novel of the same name, then hones its interest down from the book's three narrators to the Höss family; a biopic, it isn't, even as it switches its character monikers back to reflect actuality. This is a work of deep probing and contemplation — a piece that demands that its viewers confront the daily reality witnessed and face how the lives of those in power, and benefiting from it, thrived with death not only as a neighbour but an enabler. Camp prisoners tend the Höss' garden. Ashes are strewn over the soil for horticultural effect. Being turned into the same is a threat used to keep the household's staff in line. All three of these details, as with almost everything in the feature, are presented with as matter-of-fact an air as cinema is capable of. Oscars: Won: Best International Feature, Best Sound Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Glazer), Best Adapted Screenplay Where to watch: In Australian cinemas. Read our full review. 20 Days in Mariupol Incompatible with life. No one should ever want to hear those three devastating words. No one who is told one of the most distressing phrases there is ever has them uttered their way in positive circumstances, either. Accordingly, when they're spoken by a doctor in 20 Days in Mariupol, they're deeply shattering. So is everything in this on-the-ground portrait of the first 20 days in the Ukrainian port city as Russia began its invasion, with the bleak reality of living in a war zone documented in harrowing detail. Located less than 60 kilometres from the border, Mariupol quickly segues from ordinary life to an apocalyptic scene — and this film refuses to look away. Much of its time is spent in and around hospitals, which see an influx of patients injured and killed by the combat, and also become targets as well. Many of in 20 Days in Mariupol's faces are the afflicted, the medics tending to them in horrendous circumstances, and the loves ones that are understandably inconsolable. Too many of the carnage's victims are children and babies, with their parents crushed and heartbroken in the aftermath; sometimes, they're pregnant women. Directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mstyslav Chernov, and narrated by him with the grimness and soberness that can be this movie's only tone, 20 Days in Mariupol even existing is an achievement. What it depicts — what it immerses viewers in with urgency, from shelled hospitals, basements-turned-bomb shelters and more of the city destroyed day after day to families torn apart, looting, struggling to find food and bodies of the dead taken to mass graves — needs to be viewed as widely as possible, and constantly. His footage has also featured in news reports, but it can and must never be forgotten. Doctors mid-surgery demand that Chernov's camera is pointed their way, and that he shows the world the travesties taking place. The Ukrainian reporter, who has also covered Donbas, flight MH17, Syria and the Battle of Mosul for the Associated Press, does exactly that. He's doing more than ensuring that everyone bears witness, though; he makes certain that there's no way to watch 20 Days in Mariupol, which shows the vast civilian impact and casualties, and see anything but ordinary people suffering, or to feel anything other than shock, anger and horror. Oscars: Won: Best Documentary Feature Where to watch: Streaming via DocPlay. Barbie No one plays with a Barbie too hard when the Mattel product is fresh out of the box. As that new doll smell lingers, and the toy's synthetic limbs gleam and locks glisten, so does a child's sense of wonder. The more that the world-famous mass-produced figurine is trotted through DreamHouses, slipped into convertibles and decked out in different outfits, though — then given non-standard makeovers — the more that playing with the plastic fashion model becomes fantastical. Like globally beloved item, like live-action movie bearing its name. Barbie, the film, starts with glowing aesthetic perfection. It's almost instantly a pink-hued paradise for the eyes, and it's also a cleverly funny flick from its 2001: A Space Odyssey-riffing outset. The longer that it continues, however, the harder and wilder that Lady Bird and Little Women director Greta Gerwig goes, as does her Babylon and Amsterdam star lead-slash-producer Margot Robbie as Barbie. In Barbie's Barbie Land, life is utopian. Robbie's Stereotypical Barbie and her fellow dolls (including The Gray Man's Ryan Gosling as Stereotypical Ken) genuinely believe that their rosy beachside suburban excellence is infectious, too. And, they're certain that this female-championing realm — and the Barbies being female champions of all skills, talents and appearances — has changed the real world inhabited by humans. But there's a Weird Barbie living in a misshapen abode. While she isn't Barbie's villain, not for a second, her nonconformist look and attitude says everything about Barbie at its most delightful. Sporting cropped hair, a scribbled-on face and legs akimbo, she's brought to life by Saturday Night Live great Kate McKinnon having a blast, and explained as the outcome of a kid somewhere playing too eagerly. Meet Gerwig's spirit animal; when she lets Weird Barbie's vibe rain down like a shower of glitter, covering everything and everyone in sight both in Barbie Land and in reality, the always-intelligent, amusing and dazzling Barbie is at its brightest and most brilliant. Oscars: Won: Best Original Song ('What Was I Made For?', Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell) Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ryan Gosling), Best Supporting Actress (America Ferrera), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song ('I'm Just Ken', Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt), Best Costume Design, Best Production Design Where to watch: Streaming via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar After stepping into a play as a live production in a TV show in Asteroid City, and also flicking through a magazine's various articles in The French Dispatch before that, Wes Anderson gets an author sharing his writing in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. The 39-minute short film features Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) as Roald Dahl, who did indeed pen the tale that gives this suitably symmetrically shot affair its name — the book it's in, too — with the account that he's spilling one of several in a film that enthusiastically makes Anderson's love of layers known in its playful structure as much as its faux set. So, Dahl chats. The eponymous Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) does as well. And, Dr Chatterjee (Dev Patel, The Green Knight) and his patient Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) also have a natter. The stories within stories within stories (within stories) share the fact that Khan has learned to see without his eyes, Chatterjee couldn't be more fascinated and Sugar wants to learn the trick for himself — to help with his gambling pastime. In his three decades as a filmmaker, Anderson has only ever made both features and shorts with one of two people responsible for their ideas: himself, sometimes with Owen Wilson (Haunted Mansion), Noah Baumbach (White Noise), Jason Schwartzman (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and/or Roman Coppola (Mozart in the Jungle) contributing; and Dahl. With the latter, first came Anderson's magnificent stop-motion Fantastic Mr Fox adaptation — and now The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar sits among a series of four new shorts, all of which released in September 2023, that are based on the author's work. This is still a dream match, with the director's beloved jewel and pastel colours, dollhouse-esque visuals, moving sets, love of centred framing and dialogue rhythm all proving a treat in this account of personal and spiritual growth. The cast is as divine on-screen as it sounds on paper, too, especially Cumberbatch and Patel. The next in the set, the 17-minute The Swan, pushes Rupert Friend (High Desert) to the fore in a darker tale about a bully. With The Ratcatcher and Poison, too, the only quibble is with the decision to release all four shorts separately, rather than package them together as an anthology film. Oscars: Won: Best Live-Action Short Where to watch: Streaming via Netflix. Read our full review. Looking for more Oscar-nominees to watch? You can also check out our full rundown of where almost all of this year's contenders are screening or streaming in Australia.
As the months, weeks and days count down until SXSW Sydney 2025, the reasons to attend keep coming. First, the event confirmed that it is indeed returning this year, locking in its dates. Then, it revealed that there'll be more free programming. Next came an initial look at the speaker lineup, and now the first music acts for this year have been unveiled. With the latest announcement, you've got 14 new pieces of motivation to head along when Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19, 2025 rolls around. The debut wave of talents for 2025's SXSW Sydney Music Festival spans both international and local acts. In the first camp: Jasmine 4.t, Freak Slug and Ristband + Pivots from the UK; Slowwves from Thailand; Japan's Suichu Spica 水中スピカ; New Zealand's Serebii and Tusekah; and Cardinals from Ireland. Flying the flag for Aussie acts to begin with: Jamaica Moana, JJ4K, RICEWINE, Sacred Hearts, Swapmeet and BADASSMUTHA. They'll all soon have plenty of company, given that this year's fest is due to feature more than 300 music performances. And, that's just the live tunes side of the event. Across its 1600-plus sessions, SXSW Sydney 2025 will also boast over 550 conference and professional development sessions, 90-plus movie screenings and over 150 games. In the past, the SXSW Sydney Music Festival alone has welcomed Jorja Smith, XG, Miss Kaninna, Nick Ward, Fcukers, ENNY, Mia Wray and Hockey Dad, to name a mere few acts that've graced its stages. As keynote speakers, the event has also hosted music stars Chance The Rapper and The Kid LAROI in previous years. As for the rest of SXSW Sydney 2025 for now, there aren't usually many events where you can learn about crowdfunding, press freedom, investing, acting, pro surfing, science, the future, robotics, astronaut diets and New Zealand tourism all from the same lineup — and also about neuroscience, cyber intelligence, ethical leadership and sustainable food as well, and more — but this is one of them. So far, its conference sessions also span topics such as quantum physics, the future of work and how the creative industries are evolving. GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan is one of the folks on the roster. So is former foreign correspondent Peter Greste, whose arrest and imprisonment in Egypt fuels new Australian film The Correspondent. Girls That Invest founder Simran Kaur, Crazy Rich Asians actor Remy Hii, former pro surfer and current World Surf League Commissioner Jessi Miley Dyer, Science Vs' Wendy Zukerman, Women's National Basketball League CEO Jennie Sager and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki are also among the names. There's more on the list already — ethical technologist Andi Mastrosavas, Silicon Valley Robotics' Andra Keay, neuroscientist Dr Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston, space nutrition expert Flávia Fayet-Moore, Black Excellence Fund co-founder Kyah Bell, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy, actor Shuang Hu (Future Date), filmmaker Neil Sharma (Heartbreak High), screen producer Julie Eckersley (Erotic Stories) and The Conversation CEO Lisa Watts, for example. SXSW Sydney 2025 Music Festival Lineup Jasmine 4.t Freak Slug Jamaica Moana JJ4K Serebii Slowwves Cardinals Tusekah Suichu Spica 水中スピカ RICEWINE Ristband + Pivots Sacred Hearts Swapmeet BADASSMUTHA SXSW Sydney 2025 runs from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW.
It isn't easy to capture a person on a canvas, or to attempt to convey who someone is in a piece of art beyond recreating their appearance. For more than a century, the Archibald Prize has not only understood this, but also rewarded the very best Australian examples. The prestigious art award turns 104 in 2025, and will again anoint the top instance of Aussie portraiture from an impressive range of contenders. Will a painting of artist Jason Phu by Abdul Abdullah win? Also, how will likenesses of Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, Boy Swallows Universe star Felix Cameron, Miranda Otto, Grace Tame, Vincent Namatjira, filmmaker Warwick Thornton and comedian Aaron Chen fare? These are some of the questions sparked by this year's Archibald Prize shortlist, with 57 finalists in contention. After the Art Gallery of New South Wales revealed the pieces that are down to the last hurdle on Thursday, May 1, it will announced 2025's winner on Friday, May 9. [caption id="attachment_1002023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Packing Room Prize 2025, Abdul Abdullah 'No mountain high enough', oil on linen, 162.4 x 136.7 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] Abdullah has already claimed a gong for his depiction of his friend Phu, with No mountain high enough earning the Archibald's Packing Room Prize for 2025. Decided by gallery staff that unpack and hang the awards' entries each year, the accolade is in its 34th year. With his place among the Archie finalists, Abdullah has now made the shortlist on seven occasions, alongside placing on the Wynne and Sulman prize lists in the past as well. Courtesy of No mountain high enough, Abdullah's latest Archibald achievement is for a work showing another of this year's contenders, too. Phu, who is also a previous finalist for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, is among 2025's Archie competitors for his portrait of Weaving. [caption id="attachment_1002027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abdul Abdullah, image courtesy the artist[/caption] "It is always an honour to be selected as a finalist for the Archibald Prize, and I am especially honoured to be picked for the Packing Room Prize. I see it as a sort of community prize, where the Packing Room team, which is made up of professional art handlers — many of whom are artists themselves — get to pick a painting they like. I am so glad they picked this one. It's kind of like an artists' pick, and I'm extra happy for that," said Abdullah. "Jason is my best friend. We talk on the phone every day, he was the best man at my wedding and we have travelled together. I've painted him as I see him, as a ceaseless adventurer who at any one time is involved in a dozen conversations on a dozen different platforms, bringing his unique perspective to one flummoxed friend or another." [caption id="attachment_1002026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Art Gallery of New South Wales Packing Room team with director Maud Page and the Packing Room Prize 2025 winning work by Abdul Abdullah 'No mountain high enough', photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio[/caption] The Packing Room team selected No mountain high enough after being "instantly drawn to Abdul Abdullah's portrait of Jason Phu. Both are accomplished artists whose works have a distinct style and engage with complex social and cultural themes using wit and cartoonish references. The team holds great respect for the way both Abdul and Jason have progressed in their careers," advised AGNSW's Senior Installation Officer Alexis Wildman. "On a technical level, this portrait is very well painted. It really captures the essence of the subject with the image of a lone ranger, an intrepid jokester or a quiet hero navigating the rocky terrain of today's social climate. This immediately sparked conversation among the Packing Room team." [caption id="attachment_1002028" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Vincent Namatjira 'King Dingo', 8 panels: synthetic polymer paint and oil stick on linen, 152.9 x 204 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] Abdullah's Phu portrait and its 56 fellow finalists were picked from 904 Archibald Prize entries, with the total pool of 2394 submissions across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes marking the second-highest number ever received. Only 2020 had more. For the Wynne, which is all about landscape painting, 52 finalists are in contention. With the Sulman, which rewards genre painting, subject painting and mural projects, 30 are vying for the prize. Across all three, 2025 is the first year that there's more finalist works by women artists in the accolades' history. This year's Archibald Prize recipient will follow 2024 winner Laura Jones for her portrait of author Tim Winton, 2023's Julia Gutman for a depiction of Montaigne, Blak Douglas' 2022 victory for a likeness of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods, Peter Wegner's 2021 portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren and Vincent Namatjira's 2020 piece featuring Adam Goodes among the gongs' picks in the 2020s so far. [caption id="attachment_1002029" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Jason Phu 'older hugo from the future fighting hugo from right now in a swamp and all the frogs and insects and fish and flowers now look on', synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 183.2 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1002030" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Jaq Grantford 'Sisters', oil on canvas, 167.5 x 167.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1002031" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Adrian Jangala Robertson 'Warwick Thornton', synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 61.1 x 61.7 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] Archibald Prize 2025 Exhibition Dates Saturday, May 10–Sunday, August 17, 2025 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW Saturday, August 30–Sunday, November 9, 2025 — Geelong Gallery, Victoria Saturday, November 22, 2025–Sunday, January 11, 2026 — Gosford Regional Gallery, NSW Saturday, January 23–Saturday, March 7, 2026 — Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, NSW Friday, March 20–Saturday, May 3, 2026 — Mudgee Arts Precinct, NSW Saturday, May 16–Sunday, July 19, 2026 — Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, NSW [caption id="attachment_1002032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Jeremy Eden 'Felix Cameron', oil on canvas, 119.6 x 180.1 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] The winner of 2025's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes will be announced on Friday, May 9 at 12pm — check back here then. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: Winner Packing Room Prize 2025, Abdul Abdullah 'No mountain high enough', oil on linen, 162.4 x 136.7 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter
There are many reasons to thank Mike White, creator and writer of The White Lotus, for bringing the hit HBO series to our screens. Firstly, he's responsible for one of the best TV shows of late — a program that's weaponised luxurious settings, helped set travel itineraries, thoroughly eaten the rich, spun twisty murder-mysteries, and kept viewers guessing throughout each and every episode of two spectacular seasons. What else? He's brought cultural darling Jennifer Coolidge to her rightful place at the front of our consciousness — and the winning spot in awards season. The star of the show, she dazzled us in everything from American Pie and Legally Blonde to Promising Young Woman before she brought the cool, loveably clueless millionaire Tanya McQuoid to life. In huge news, on Saturday, June 10, worshipping the White-and-Coolidge pairing in the flesh is a possibility thanks to Vivid Sydney — and Concrete Playground Trips has an exclusive deal for you. First, the event details: the duo is coming to the Harbour City's Aware Super Theatre at the ICC Sydney for an exclusive in-conversation session moderated by Benjamin Law as a part of Vivid Ideas. As well as hearing about their careers and long friendship, you'll hear Coolidge talk about her time on The White Lotus, and White chat about the creation of the series especially for Coolidge: "Jennifer's the reason I did [The] White Lotus in the first place. I just wanted to write something for her, I just adore her," White told The New York Times. The exclusive Trips deal? Two tickets to Vivid Sydney's Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge in Conversation event on Saturday, June 10, plus a night at the lush Kimpton Margot in the CBD. That's one night to luxuriate into your inside look at this Hollywood pair's relationship before soaking up Vivid Sydney's bright lights and creative expression. So, whether you're a superfan of The White Lotus or simply witnessed the culture-altering effects of the show take shape, this Vivid Sydney session will have you immersed in a stellar friendship, creative storytelling, cultural commentary and the power of comedy. Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge in Conversation hits Aware Super Theatre at the ICC Sydney on Saturday, June 10. Take in the full Vivid Sydney experience with Concrete Playground Trips' exclusive event package, which includes two A-reserve or premium tickets to the in-conversation event and a one-night stay at Kimpton Margot (or another hotel handpicked by us). For more information, head to the website.
Melbourne's Cat Cafe is opening this Wednesday, and already they've had more than a few drop-ins looking to get a sneak peak at the feline residents. Since pasting the Cat Cafe logo on the windows — with the words 'COMING SOON' printed clearly beneath — the reception staff have been inundated with locals, visitors from interstate and international travellers asking to see the furry creatures. They've all been turned away, so we feel pretty chuffed to waltz on in. We've already become acquainted with a few of the furry companions via Facebook, but it's more than time to meet them in person and have a chat with the owner Anita Loughran about getting this highly anticipated project off the ground. We make our way upstairs to where the kitties live and when I enter the room, they're all either fast asleep or are in absolutely no rush to greet me. Typical. Three are comfortably reclining on a fluffy white mat, one hiding in a massive climbing frame, another snuggled in a soft tunnel and another settled in its own cushiony bed. I count six, but I'm told there is at least three to five other sneaky felines hiding in here somewhere. I nervously sit on a couch in fear of accidentally squashing one and being forever banned from the establishment. Five of the cats are from the Geelong Animal Welfare Society, seven are from the Lost Dogs Home. Getting a cat from a rescue shelter is ideal for this sort of project. "You actually get to know what their personality is before you take them home," says Anita. "When you get a cat from a pet shop at a very young age, they haven’t yet developed that personality." The venue will be able to hold up to 15 people per hour. Anita recommends booking online for the first little while to guarantee a visit, but walk-ins are possible. "We really want to provide a relaxing environment that people can de-stress, it helps with high anxiety and depression," says Anita. "I think that’s really important to have a space like that, especially in the CBD. It’s also a great social atmosphere, it just gives you a different environment to socialise with your friends." The cats don't flinch when I walk over to pat them, but as tempting as it may be to give one a cuddle, the cats cannot be picked up without permission. If one happens to wander over and plonks itself on your lap that's a bonus, but there’s no hope of that happening today. I do feel unexpectedly calmer than when I first walked in, and I can certainly see this place being packed out with people looking for a little break outside of work deadlines and overdue university assignments. In short, the Cat Cafe is pretty well adorable and we'll most likely be dropping around more often than a nosy neighbour. It is certainly worth a look even if you're a self-professed dog lover, as it really is a concept that stands alone in the notoriously competitive Melbourne cafe scene. If it works for New York City, why not give Aussie cats a chance? Opening Wednesday, July 30, Cat Cafe can be found at 375 Queen Street, Melbourne.
Technology is now a player in how we carry out one of the bare necessities of life: eating and drinking. We've lately been enraptured by the thought of being able to 3D print our food (the 3D chocolate printer is already among us, while the 3D pizza printer is just around the corner). And the excitement isn't just based on our own appetite for novelty foodstuffs; these are technologies with the capacity to help us through the global food shortage. Yet the internet and mobile technology that's ubiquitous right now has already changed the way we eat — in some very positive ways. We take a closer look at the apps and websites that are helping people reduce waste, save time and be better informed. We Can Make Less Waste According to the 2009 study, What a Waste! from the Australia Institute, Australians throw out 4.45 million tonnes of food every year, or in dollar terms, $5 billion. If this makes you wince a little, but not enough to start composting or dumpster diving, the internet may be your saving grace. Websites such as Germany's Foodsharing.de are harnessing the web to connect individuals who would prefer to share their excess food than turf it. Their only rule is that you offer food you would eat yourself. Here in Australia similar sites like Fare Share and Second Bite, aimed at collecting food from supermarkets and farmers to be redistributed to those in need, are reducing this inefficiency. Taking a different tack, Sydney's HelloFresh, a new online service, is making judicious grocery shopping easier. With new menus each week, they deliver only those ingredients required for a particular meal. As Tom Rutledge from HelloFresh put it to us, "By packing precise amounts of ingredients we supply only what is required for the recipes. Gone is the need to buy a big jar of capers when you only need a tablespoon. The customers save money and there are no nasty surprises lurking at the back of the pantry when it comes time for a spring clean." Aussie Farmers Direct makes a good case for the internet's role in reducing waste, as their buying is done after customers' orders are placed online. Internet grocery shopping in general wins over bricks and mortar outlets, because perishable products are not simply displayed on the off chance that a shopper is making leak soup this week. We Pay with No Money Apps such as Beat the Q allow queue-averse customers to pre-pay for their coffee en route. They simply pick it up and go. CLIPP app allows barflies to run a tab from their phone without ever flashing cash or card. While this may be extremely convenient, it will also encourage higher spending — a phenomenon called hyperbolic discounting means people are likely to buy more if they don't have to pay until the end of the night. Apps such as these, along with Paypal's payment processor and Square.com are making a cashless future not only possible but, according to Adam Theobald of Beat the Q, inevitable. "In coming months, consumers will be presented with a large number of e-wallet alternatives," he told us. "Imagine your bank, telco, ISP, Google, Apple, Mastercard, Visa, Amex all offering you a great incentive to use their mobile wallet." Though the payment interaction is being reduced to the touch of a screen, Theobald doesn't think that technology is taking away from the human interaction. "I'm not sure about you, but I am much better to talk to if I haven't waited, and have a coffee in my hand!" he says. He figures the 10,000 customers registered with his app must feel the same way. We Know All the Things And then, of course, technology is giving customers better access to information. The internet is allowing smaller ventures to succeed by connecting with punters to let them know their changing hours and locations. Hungry Mondays is a collection of Sydney restaurants (started by El Capo) who slow cook meat on a Sunday and offer vacuum packed meals the following Monday for pickup from a range of changing venues (the Hollywood Hotel, the Lord Wolseley), which are spruiked on Facebook. The nomadic food trucks of Sydney rely on their online communities to advertise times and locations, as do pop-up venues. While bloggers and review sites such as Urbanspoon and Eatability may strike terror in the hearts of restaurateurs, they give a fuller picture of a venue for diners. As well as advice on where to eat, technology is helping customers with what to eat. The Traffic Light Food Tracker app, released by Cancer Council Victoria, allows consumers to scan the barcode of a product and immediately receive a red, orange or green light from the app according to the product's nutritional value. Prevailing ideas about the future of food culture tend to polarise into either a fast food dystopia of mindless Cheezel consumption or a slow food utopia in which we harvest quinoa each morning from our organic hobby farm in Tasmania. But there is a happier medium, where technology speeds up boring activities like shopping and paying and gives us more time to enjoy food. Top image by Binpress.
When New Zealand comedy Nude Tuesday hits screens Down Under this winter, it'll be business time. Despite what star Jemaine Clement has sung in Flight of the Conchords, however, few folks on-screen will still be wearing their socks. Birthday suits are the preferred attire here, as made plain in the new movie's name. It does follow an unhappy couple who are gifted a trip to a remote couples' retreat to help save their marriage — a spot where getting in the buff often is recommended — after all. Playing that duo: fellow NZ treasure Jackie van Beek, who co-starred with Clement in What We Do in the Shadows, and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman. And no, the latter isn't portraying Charles Manson, as he did in both Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Laura and Bruno, the pair's characters, find scenic sights awaiting at their mountainside getaway — and also Clement as Bjorg Rassmussen. Laughter workshops, tantric dance, sexual liberation and emotional animals all pop up, too, as does baring all to truly work out how they are. See: the just-dropped and very funny trailer. All that flesh, and that cast, is one reason that Nude Tuesday stands out. The other: it's entirely spoken in a made-up language. The cast improvised gibberish as they filmed, and British comedian and writer Julia Davis (Camping) then came up with the subtitles for the movie afterwards. There was a script behind the narrative, though — penned by van Beek, who also co-wrote and co-directed fellow NZ comedy The Breaker Upperers. Here, van Beek came up with the story with filmmaker Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water), who is on helming duties. New Zealanders will be able to see how it all turns out in cinemas on June 16, while Nude Tuesday hits Australian cinemas on June 23 — and will also stream in the latter via Stan from July 7. In Australia, multiple versions of the movie will make their way to streaming, including one subtitled by Aussie comedians Celia Pacquola and Ronny Chieng. Check out the Nude Tuesday trailer below: Nude Tuesday opens in New Zealand cinemas on June 16, in Australian cinemas on June 23, and will stream via Stan in Australia from July 7.
If your resolutions for 2023 involve being your best self in the kitchen, this year keeps bringing folks Australia's way who can definitely help. First, Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi made his way around the country on a speaking tour. In May, Britain's Marco Pierre White will do the same. And, that month as well, the one and only Nigella Lawson will enjoy her latest visit Down Under. Dubbed An Evening with Nigella Lawson, this two-stop tour will see the television and cookbook favourite spend two nights chatting through her culinary secrets — and food in general, her life and career, and more. 2023 is proving an impressive year for famous names hitting Aussie stages to dive into their expertise and experience, in fact, given that everyone from Barack Obama to Mary Trump is also doing it. If you're the kind of person who starts plotting your next meal before you've even finished the last, or loves eating more than anything else, Lawson's visit will help get right to the guts of your food obsession. And, the two events — one in Melbourne, one in Sydney — will also feature a Q&A component so that you can ask Lawson whatever you've always wanted to yourself. Even when she isn't answering audience questions, Lawson will have plenty to cover — she has a hefty pile of cookbooks to her name, starting with 1998's How to Eat: Pleasures and Principles of Good Food and including 2020's Nigella's Cook, Eat, Repeat. When she hasn't been filling our bookshelves with recipes, she's been whipping through them on TV, too, on everything from Nigella Bites, Nigella Feasts, Nigella Kitchen and Nigellissima through to Simply Nigella and Nigella: At My Table. And, she's been popping up on Top Chef, MasterChef Australia and My Kitchen Rules as well. AN EVENING WITH NIGELLA LAWSON 2023: Friday, May 19 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Sunday, May 21 — State Theatre, Sydney Catch An Evening with Nigella Lawson in May 2023, with ticket pre-sales from Tuesday, March 7 and general sales from 12pm AEDT on Thursday, March 9 via the tour website.
The world-renowned violinist, acclaimed author, sassy singer and all-round enthralling performer Emilie Autumn is stepping on to Australian shores this week and is ready to amaze audiences around the country. The show was announced last year following the release of Autumn's third and most successful studio album, Fight Like a Girl, which was inspired by her book The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls and her own intimate personal experiences. Emilie Autumn describes her musical style as 'victoriandustrial', largely because she draws inspiration from poetry, plays, novels and history, particularly from the Victorian era. Think punk meets classical meets burlesque mixed in with a dash of darkwave and synth pop to create a theatrical musical feast like no other — and, of course, we can't forget the avant garde stage constumes which have helped develop Autumn as a fashion icon over recent years. The beats of all-girl backing band the Bloody Crumpets will add to the already dazzling performance, ensuring that the violin fireworks will be a humdrum point in the evening. With a stage presence as bright and extravagant as her hair, Emilie Autumn is a refreshingly unique addition to the 21st-century music scene who has to be seen to be appreciated. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8NGKQ1UUD40
Fancy a dip with a difference? Boutique hotel connoisseurs Mr & Mrs Smith have a bunch of seductive watery wonders. From awe-inspiring views and cater-to-every-whim butler service, these shimmering stretches will have you flapping your water wings in excitement (Speedos optional). Hotel Crillon le Brave, Provence Where: Rue Église, 84410, Crillon-le-Brave, Vaucluse, France What: Stone-built hilltop hideaway Perched high on a peachy-hued Provencal hilltop, Hotel Crillon le Brave is made up of seven houses clustered around a 16th-century church. After a quick bonjour to the hotel’s namesake — a mustachioed statue of the real Crillon le Brave — follow the discreet grey signs on pale stacked-stone exteriors to this hip hostellerie. A maze of footpaths leads down stone steps and over cobbled terraces to the separate maisons: charming sleeping quarters that look out over pale terracotta roof tiles, neatly coiffed vineyards and limestone-topped hills. The Cezanne-worthy panorama continues poolside; swimmers can catch glimpses between strokes as they work off a lion's share of croissants, pastries and crisp local rosé. Perivolas, Santorini Where: Oia Santorini, 847 02, Cyclades Islands, Greece What: Dream lava Plucked straight from the pages of a glossy spread, Perivolas is a supermodel in hotel form. Poised high on the hills of Santorini above the Aegean sea, this is the sort of hideaway that inspires spontaneous marriage proposals. A soundtrack of distant lapping waves fills whitewashed-walled rooms that peer out over the caldera (the proper name for the volcanic crater-cum-bay, if you please), while sunlounger-graced terraces provide the postcard-perfect spot to stare out into the brilliant blue. A resplendent infinity pool is the jewel atop Perivolas’ crown: seamlessly merging with the endless azure horizon and offering a spectacular setting to sup sundowners and watch the sun melt into the sea. Masseria Torre Maizza, Puglia Where : C.da Coccaro, 70015, Savelletri di Fasano Brindisi, Italy What: Spacious and gracious A 16th-century coastal estate set in olive groves with ocean views, Masseria Torre Maizza is sister to Masseria Torre Coccaro — good looks clearly run in the family. There’s no cause to fret about countryside isolation: days here are spent ambling between the spa, cookery school and golf course. Water babies should head straight for the outdoor pool, surrounded by vine-dressed columns, hammocks and more sunbeds than you can poke a crostino at. When a growling stomach interrupts, make for Ristorante delle Palme, where black-lacquered chairs and white-linen-topped tables spill onto the poolside terrace. Rayavadee, Krabi Where :214 Moo 2, Tambon Ao-Nang, Amphoe Maung, Thailand What: Sand-circle garden pavilions Flanked by dramatic limestone cliffs and glittering beaches, Rayavadee is accessible only by boat from Krabi. Picturesque pavilions are tucked between towering tropical palm trees; it's a look befitting a tribal jungle village with a penchant for Jacuzzis, spa treatments and homemade cookies. The sapphire-coloured waters of the sprawling lagoon-style infinity pool offer uninterrupted views of the Andaman Sea and respite for those weary from jungle treks. If you can be coaxed from your plumped sunbed, adventure-junkies can pursue rock-climbing, kayaking and scuba-diving; land-lubbers should seek out the spa for an hour (or more) of towel-cocooned pampering. Raas, Jodphur Where :Tunwar ji ka Jhalra, Makrana Mohalla, Gulab Sagar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India What: Achingly hip haveli Set in the shadow of the majestic Mehrangarh Fort, Raas is a modern-day Maharaja’s mansion. A cluster of four heritage rose-red sandstone buildings make up this refashioned family manor, decorated with sprawling terraced gardens, boutiques, spas and restaurants. Beyond the hotel walls, the city is a frenetic blend of colour and chaos. Inside, your only disruptions are birds trilling and water tinkling. An at-your-service butler-attended infinity pool brings a splash of Ibiza to the Indian desert; expect white-canopied sunloungers, chilled tunes and poolside yoga. Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs Where :701 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California, United States What: Hipster’s canyon commune Seducing the young and young at heart, Ace Hotel & Swim Club marries sleek architecture and low-key luxury with a smattering of vintage design accents. Sun-seekers can brave the heat by renting a candy-coloured Vespa or booking a horseback riding lesson, leaving those attached to air-conditioned comfort to languidly laze in a hammock and work through the hotel bar’s cocktail menu. An eclectic soundtrack of indie rock, '70s and '80s hits, top-40 numbers and spinning DJs provide the poolside playlist. The King’s Highway restaurant (once a roadside Denny’s) dishes up classic American fare with splashes of the unexpected — try the harissa lamb and pan-seared tilapia. Eagles Nest, Bay of Islands Where: 60 Tapeka Road, Russell, New Zealand What: Modern, minimal, magical Prepare to be hypnotised at Eagles Nest, a hotel where pampering means private chefs, peaceful pools and a Porsche at your disposal. From its perch atop a private peninsula, this North Island retreat has sweeping views over the Bay of Islands and 75-acre grounds that are ripe for exploration. Villas are cool and contemporary, tucked away in the middle of lush native bush; all are self-contained with a gourmet kitchen and private deck. Each villa has its own heated infinity-edge lap pool (except the First Light, which has a Jacuzzi), fringed by sleek white day-beds and romantic lanterns for moodily lit evenings. Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali Where: Jl. Belimbing Sari, Banjar Tambiyak, Desa Pecatu, Bali, Indonesia What: Minimalist eco-glam From the lobby at Alila Villas Uluwatu you’ll catch your first glimpse of the hotel’s 50m infinity pool and the Indian Ocean beyond, and we challenge any paddling professional not to be impressed. With each villa replete with its own pool and butler, it’s quite possible that you’ll be the only guests at the hotel’s main watering hole. With a cliff-edge perch and cantilevered cabana, a few languid strokes is enough to have you feeling like you’re floating above the world. When hands and feet become sufficiently wrinkled, retire to Spa Alila, a holistic heaven where local therapists use traditional Asian healing techniques and age-old beauty recipes. Shoreditch Rooms, London Where: 1 Ebor Street, Shoreditch, London, United Kingdom What: Cool crash-pad club Dust off your hipster specs and dig out your coolest ‘resting designer’ attire: it’s time to mention Shoreditch Rooms. An outpost of the media-savvy SoHo House members’ club, glamourpusses and hip creative types have long flocked to this converted warehouse to let off some steam. With breathtaking views across the city, the heated rooftop pool is where it’s at. The bar’s close by, as are gardens complete with open fires, double day-beds and a herb plot. Closer to earth, the ground-floor Cowshed spa has famous facials and massages tailored to your mood. Hotel Habita, Mexico City Where: 201 Avenida Presidente Masaryk, Colonia Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico What: Modern minimalist classic Bang in the middle of posh Polanco, Hotel Habita is a favourite with Mexico City’s fashion-forward and in-the-know elite. Follow in their well-heeled steps by ascending to the rooftop. A glistening pool is overlooked by the hotel’s mezzanine bar, flanked by curvy white loungers, dark wooden decking and complete with a wet bar. Upstairs, the full lounge boasts tables, chairs and a crackling fireplace for cosily cool evenings; films are projected on to the walls of nearby buildings on clear nights. If you prefer dinner a deux to designer-clad crowds, the lobby restaurant offers Mexican bistro cuisine and huge windows prime for people-watching. Feeling hot under the collar? Cool off by taking a dip at other Mr & Mrs Smith pool hotels or browse more hotel collections .
Enjoying a brew on the beach is a tradition Australians understandably savour, but with the joy of knocking back a few cold ones on the sand comes the responsibility of not acting like an idiot. It's simple, really. With adhering to the latter part of the bargain proving too difficult in St Kilda over Christmas, the local city council has responded by contemplating a ban on beachside boozing. Approximately 5000 people gathered at the popular St Kilda foreshore on Christmas day, resulting in unruly behaviour through the afternoon and evening, 29 tonnes of rubbish and a clean-up bill of around $23,000, according to a statement released by the City of Port Phillip. As Mayor Bernadene Voss stated, "the sheer number of intoxicated people milling around in the area also resulted in Council having to close some roads, creating a traffic nightmare for residents returning home from visiting friends and relatives on Christmas Day." A ban planned over the New Year's Eve period had already been extended prior to the incident, running from December 26 to January 4, and was subsequently increased to continue until February 15. The area affected spans from Marina Reserve to West Beach, including the site of the Christmas day party. The council will next meet on February 7 to consider extending the ban further. "We will be looking at factors such as volumes of broken glass and feedback from groups including residents, visitors, traders and police to help us decide whether an alcohol ban is useful in helping us tackle the challenge of managing such a popular destination which attracts all age groups," explained Voss. Until a further decision is reached, visitors will still be able to enjoy a drink on other Port Phillip beaches — although drinking is prohibited in all public places in the council's region over NYE until 9am on January 2, and again from 5 pm on January 26 to 9 am on January 28. Via ABC.
It has been just two months since Queensland launched its Containers for Change refund scheme, and the move is already having an impact. As well as recycling a hefty amount of aluminium, glass, plastic and steel items, the regime has also paid out a sizeable sum to eco-conscious Queenslanders. Focused on empty drink containers, the CRS has received more than 102 million items since launching on November 1. That's 102 million water bottles, beer cans, juice containers and more that aren't sitting in landfill or headed to our waterways. More than 70,000 Queenslanders have done their part, according to the state government, and they've been well compensated for it. So far, the scheme has paid more than $10 million to participants. Money is a great motivator, obviously, even ten cents per eligible vessel. In the first ten months of 2018, nearly three billion beverage containers were used by Queenslanders — so while returning 102 million in November and December represents a mere fraction of the recyclable containers in use across the period, it's definitely a promising start. More collection and refund points are set to be added in 2019, increasing from the 230-plus available when the CRS launched. For more information, visit the Containers for Change website — or check out our how-to guide.
Lorde is back. After five years away from music and touring, the New Zealand pop sensation has returned with the first taste of her next album and dates for a massive tour of Australia and New Zealand. The tour will run from Saturday, February 26 through until Saturday, March 19. Australians are scoring four dates across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, while New Zealanders can choose from six shows. Accompanying the tour news is an announcement that Lorde's third studio album Solar Power will be unveiled to the world on Friday, August 20. The album comes five years after her critically acclaimed sophomore release Melodrama and is "a celebration of the natural world, an attempt at immortalising the deep, transcendent feelings I have when I'm outdoors," Lorde says. The Australian and New Zealand tour will begin at Christchurch's Electric Avenue on Saturday, February 26. From there the 'Royals' singer will make her way around New Zealand throughout late February and early March, and arrive in Australia on Thursday, March 10 for a show at the Brisbane Riverstage. Australia's east coast will be treated to two more shows at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the ICC's Aware Super Theatre in Sydney before the tour wraps up at Perth's Belvoir Amphitheatre on Saturday, March 19. The last time either country was treated to Lorde's live show was her headline set at Splendour in the Grass 2018, a full circle moment for the singer as she returned to the stage of one of her first ever performances as a last-minute replacement for Frank Ocean back in 2013. A year prior, in 2017, Lorde also toured some of Australia's largest and most iconic outdoor venues including the Sydney Opera House Forecourt. Tickets to The Solar Power Tour are sure to be snatched up quickly and there are a few ways to get your hands on them if you're looking to belt out all the words to 'Ribs' or 'Green Light' early next year. Telstra customers will receive first dibs as part of a Telstra Plus pre-sale on Monday, June 28. If you sign up to be a Frontier Member you'll receive pre-sale access on Wednesday, June 30, before general public ticket sales begin on Monday, July 5 at noon. Head to the Frontier website for all the details. Lorde The Solar Power Tour Saturday, February 26 – Electric Avenue, Christchurch Saturday, February 27 – Neudorf Vineyards, Upper Moutere Tuesday, March 1 – Days Bay, Lower Hutt Wednesday, March 2 – Black Barn Vineyards, Havelock North Friday, March 4 – TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth Saturday, March 5 – Outer Fields Western Springs, Auckland Thursday, March 10– Riverstage, Brisbane Saturday, March 12 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Tuesday, March 15 – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney Saturday, March 19 – Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth Lorde's The Solar Power Tour will take place between Saturday, February 26 and Saturday, March 19. Head to the Frontier website for all info on tickets. Top image: The Come Up Show
When Felons Brewing Co set up shop back in 2018, it became Brisbane's first riverside brewery — and the first by the water in the inner city, too. In the two years since, it has proved quite the busy and popular spot, unsurprisingly. So, in the kind of news that hasn't been common in 2020, it's now expanding. Lovers of beer and great views can rest assured that Felons is staying at Howard Smith Wharves, and in its current sprawling space. From today, Friday, October 9, however, you'll also be able to head to the new Felons Barrel Hall. Taking over the existing Howards Hall on the other side of the always-packed patch of grass known as Felons lawn, it's the brewery's version of a German-style beer hall. And, as the name suggests, the new spot beneath the building's eye-catching zig-zag roof focuses on one-of-a-kind barrel-aged beers made in wine barrels. Open from 11am–late from Thursday–Sunday each week, Felons Barrel Hall serves up brews aplenty, obviously, although its first range of barrel-aged beers made onsite — in four 6000-litre tanks that sit beside the main bar — won't be available to drink in 2021. For now, its usual selection of tipples are on offer in half-litre and one-litre steins, alongside a number of limited and special-release sips. And if you'd prefer a wine while surrounded by all those wine barrels — which feature prominently in the decor, with French and American oak barrels lining the walls — you can choose from a list of natural drops from Aussie winemakers, too. Food-wise, the menu includes everything from Moreton Bay bug-loaded fries to coral trout and crayfish — with both seafood and hot chips clearly featuring heavily. Vegetable and salad dishes are also on offer (because sometimes you need more than just fried potatoes), with Felons heroing Aussie produce. Felons Barrel Hall is also upping the brewery's entertainment game, not just spanning live tunes — including up-and-comers and big names — but arthouse film screenings and interactive performances. The stage has a giant disco ball, in case you think Felons isn't serious about making some noise, while there is also a kids' area for families. Come Christmas, Brisbanites will supposedly be able to catch a ferry from HSW to Straddie, too — so consider this your new pre- or post-trip watering hole. Find Felons Barrel Hall at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane from 11am–late Thursday–Sunday.
Imagine Planet of the Apes, but hurtling 65-million years backwards in time rather than forwards. What would a crashed spaceship's survivors find? Jurassic Park's favourite critters, obviously. Now imagine that other hit franchise, but also with a twist. Instead of making a new playground for genetically engineered dinosaur clones, picture people being plonked in the prehistoric creatures' existing realm. Whichever of the above options that you're now thinking about, you're currently on 65's wavelength. There's a bit of the Predator series to the upcoming sci-fi flick's just-dropped first trailer as well. And, there's a touch of Logan and A Quiet Place, too. The latter actually gets a boost thanks to writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who penned the first AQP feature. Here, however, they're also giving the world what it's always wanted, even if it didn't know it yet: Adam Driver fighting dinos. The White Noise, House of Gucci, Annette and Star Wars actor has long had a knack for interesting choices, and 65 fits the bill for that whole Driver-versus-prehistoric animals setup alone. If a movie about Idris Elba fighting lions can exist, aka Beast, so can this . There's more to 65's narrative, of course but it really does sound cobbled together from all that aforementioned science-fiction fare. Driver plays pilot Mills, who is charting a long-range exploratory mission through space when his ship is hit by an undocumented asteroid. Out of the 35 passengers, only young Koa (Ariana Greenblatt, In the Heights) is also left once they realise where and when they've landed — which sparks a fight to survive. Chloe Coleman (Gunpowder Milkshake) is also credited among the cast, but this looks set to largely remain a two-hander — well, two people and however many dinosaurs come rampaging their way. Viewers can see the end result in cinemas in March 2023, after a few release-date delays over the past year. And, among the film's impressive pedigree, The Evil Dead filmmaker Sam Raimi is one of its executive producers, while Wednesday and White Noise composer Danny Elfman is on score duties. Check out the trailer for 65 below: 65 releases in cinemas Down Under on March 9, 2023.
Melbourne's skyline is looking up, with the city gaining another huge tower that's not only the Victorian capital's new tallest building, but also the tallest residential building in the whole Southern Hemisphere. Named Australia 108, the Southbank building features 100 storeys soaring 319 metres high, which is more than 20 metres above the city's previous tallest building, the 88-storey, 297.3-metre-tall Eureka Tower. It comes just under Gold Coast's 332.5-metre-tall Q1, though, which still holds the title of Australia's tallest building. Designed by architects Fender Katsalidis, who also led the design of the Eureka Tower, together with World Class Global, the tower's apartments are currently three-quarters complete. The building also has a two-storey Star Club — within the protruding gold Starburst, inspired by the Commonwealth star on the Australian flag — which is home to two infinity pools, dining rooms, gyms and lounge areas. Apartments are split into the Sky Rise Residences (up to level 67) and the luxury Cloud Residences (from level 72 and above). But, they're going for a pretty penny. According to Realestate.com.au, the main penthouse sold for $25 and a two-storey apartment on level 90-91 was on the market for a bargain $10 million. The building officially took out the title as Melbourne's tallest building when it 'topped out' earlier this week, which means the roof is now complete. Australia 108 is slated for completion at 70 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank by the end of September, 2020. For more information, head to the website.
As the world heard in brief at the 2025 Golden Globes, the path to The Brutalist becoming the acclaimed film it is — it won three awards that evening, for Best Picture — Drama, Best Director and Best Actor — Drama; since, it has earned ten Oscar nominations and nine BAFTA nods — was far from smooth, let alone guaranteed. "Once, a few short months ago, it had the odds very much stacked against it," filmmaker Corbet said in his first speech of the night. "I was told that this film was undistributable. I was told that no one would come out and see it. I was told the film wouldn't work," the actor-turned-director, who previously helmed The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux, added in his second stint at the microphone. "No one was asking for three-and-a-half-hour film about a mid-century designer, on 70-millimetre." When The Brutalist premiered at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, it started lining its trophy cabinet. No shortage of five accolades went its way at the fest, including the Silver Lion for Best Direction. That debut screening was the moment that stars Adrien Brody (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Guy Pearce (The Convert) and Felicity Jones (Dead Shot) realised how a movie that'd always felt epic to them also resonated deeply with audiences, they tell Concrete Playground. "You felt it, you felt it in the room," says Brody, who knows a little about the response from viewers to a feature that grapples with the Second World War's impact. In 2002 at Cannes, he went through a similar experience with The Pianist. In 2003 at the age of 29, he became the youngest-ever Best Actor Academy Award-winner for that picture, a title that he still holds. The Brutalist is epic not just in its emotions — for everyone involved in crafting it and for audiences alike — but also in its ambitions, performances, imagery, and exploration of the harrowing post-war pursuit of the American dream and immigrant experience. The same description applies to its lengthy running time, which includes a 15-minute intermission. It's the monumental feat of a committed filmmaker who worked for years to ensure that the movie came to fruition, and in exactly the way that he wanted it to. While it screens in 70-millimetre, it was shot VistaVision, a format deployed by Alfred Hitchcock on masterpieces such as North by Northwest and Vertigo, and last used in the US for an entire feature with 1961's One-Eyed Jacks. "The shortest answer is really just because it looks better," Corbet shares with Concrete Playground about using VistaVision. "Essentially, what you're doing is you are turning the negative on its side so that you're able to use the length of the celluloid, you're able to use more neg area," he continues. "I actually think it's a great alternative for independent filmmakers that want to shoot on a large format," he notes, while also recognising what every devoted movie lover does: that how a film is made and looks are crucial tools in ensuring that watching pictures on the big screen still thrives. "For me, large formats are the future of cinema. What's funny is that they're both the past and the future. They've been around for almost a century at this point … It gives folks a reason to get off their couch, and I think that's really important in this day and age." Giving the world something to behold is also a key facet of The Brutalist's narrative, with Brody playing Hungarian Jewish architect László Toth. To escape the horrors of the Holocaust, he crosses half the planet to start a new life in America, making Pennsylvania his home while waiting for his wife Erzsébet (Jones) to complete the same journey with their niece (Raffey Cassidy, a Vox Lux alum). Professionally, his past achievements in Europe mean little in the US, however, until being tasked to revamp the personal library of rich and powerful industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Pearce) leads to a stunning commission. For his new patron, László is to design a sprawling hilltop community centre as a memorial to Van Buren's late mother. As grand as The Brutalist is, it's also an intensely intimate movie, as the ways that the Toths are shaped by the traumas of both the Second World War and their efforts to settle in America haunt in every moment. That makes it personal for Brody, whose family made the same trip to the US. "I can relate to the immigrant experience and the hardships and sacrifice and resilience of the many people who have been forced to flee horrific conditions in hopes of finding a new land, and to be welcomed and to find a sense of home. Obviously, you must have heard me speak of my mother and my grandparents' own personal struggles of fleeing war-torn Europe in the 50s and being refugees, and coming to America and starting again, and so I can speak to that. And I can speak to how by reflecting on the horrors of the past we can hopefully gain some perspective and clarity and understanding of how to make the world better in our present. And I think that's what filmmakers are yearning to discover and open a conversation towards," he advises. Brody also sees how personal this film is to Corbet, as the feature's director and co-writer — penning the script with his partner Mona Fastvold (The World to Come) — has never held back from conveying. "If you ask Brady, the creation of this film is very much an exorcism of his experiences in the dynamic of the patronage system as an auteur filmmaker with a sense of being dominated and controlled. I'm merely an actor at this juncture of my life, and I understand that that is a somewhat par for the course. There are things worth fighting for, and the joy and the burden of being a filmmaker is that you are at the helm; however, there are other factors, as you need funding to do great work. I think the key really is just communication and respect. And when that isn't there, it leads to great differences and acrimony." "This is a very emotional work, and deeply committed work. And whenever you're that passionate about anything you have to stand up for what's important and your beliefs. So I relate to it. I also understand nature of the space," continues Brody. We also chatted with him, Corbet, Pearce and Jones about gleaning the magnitude of the film even from the script, how the polarising response to brutalist architecture influenced the movie, unpacking such layered characters, architecture as social commentary, those Venice reactions and more. On Knowing Even Just on the Page That This Was an Epic Project, Yet Also Deeply Intimate — and the Magnitude of What It Was Asking of Brody Adrien: "I think you could just re-interpolate your question into my answer. It's exactly how I feel. It was very much, it was incredibly moving to read for all those reasons. It was quite nuanced and eloquently written and sensitive, intimate and vast in scale, and unique. I mean, there was a built-in intermission and overture, you name it. It was such richly written screenplay. Of course this character has a complexity, and such a range of lived experience that any actor would would kill for this role. I was very, very moved by it. It spoke to me in many ways. It was very ambitious in scale and very challenging, and I was very impressed, and I thought it had great potential." On How the Polarising Response to Brutalist Architecture Influenced the Film — and Also How Corbet Approached the Movie Brady: "Well, two things. I suppose that I really relate to this movement because of the fact that I myself, I make films that are generally somewhat polarising, and they have a very strange construction, and an intentionally jagged one. I deliberately omit second acts and play with structure in ways that I think for some viewers, they find it incredibly frustrating. But I think that that brutalism's radical commitment to both good, clean minimalism, but they take up a lot of space and they're very unapologetic, I think that for me, that's not just what this film is but it's what my films are, and so I relate. And then finally, in terms of how to present it, the difficult thing about architecture is that architecture is inanimate, it doesn't move — and so it is very difficult to make a film on architecture, because even if it it's incredibly glorious, it's nothing like the human face. So I think that for us, we had to find ways of representing architecture, that the film itself had to be a brutalist monument. Because there's only about eight or nine minutes of brutalism in in the entire film's runtime. For me, we are representing our architecture in terms of our forced perspectives and emerging from darkness into the light, in the way that Lloyd Wright would lead people through a space. In a Frank Lloyd Wright residence, you would enter into a small room with very low ceilings and no windows, and this was a place to take off your shoes and hang up your jacket. Then you would ascend a staircase and then boom — it would crack wide open like a cathedral. That's very similar to our opening sequence with Adrien emerging onto the deck of a ship. It's a similar feeling. So we were constantly thinking about ways to represent the architectural experience." On Pearce Making Back-to-Back Films with The Brutalist and Inside Where Complicated and Hierarchical Power Dynamics Between Men Are Pushed to the Fore Guy: "It's just the most-fascinating thing to be interested in, I think. And I find it's not that I'm looking for those roles per se, but just that both the scripts came my way and I was immediately taken by them. Felicity will attest to this one as well, it's just so interesting the way with all the characters, in the way that Brady, who wrote the script with his wife Mona, has a deep interest in the connectivity and the dynamics between people, and the way in which we need each other and the way in which we use each other, and the way in which we sort of rely on each other. All that stuff is is a big part of what this story is, as well as some themes and other great stuff, too. And I think on the film Inside, which is a really emotional, beautiful movie as well — it's a prison movie, these men in prison, very particularly trying to work out who's in charge, where the power sits and shifts, and really it's just fascinating stuff to delve into. Really, as actor, it's sort of the best stuff to delve into, I think." On What Jones Drew Upon for a Film That Examines How Layers of Different Traumas Shape Us Felicity: "I find research incredibly helpful. I like to be quite forensic in terms of understanding the context of the character and the time that they're existing in. And I feel in quite a sort of scholarly way, I like to go from the outside in, so go 'what are the big, themes, ideas, in the script and the character?', and then gradually get more and more detailed as the as time goes on. But when you're actually shooting, you just have to be totally focused on that psychology and intricacy of that person. But what's so great about working with someone like Brady is that he understands the power of cinema to convey ideology. And that's really special to work with someone like that, whether the film has obviously a much bigger socio-political message than its individual components." On the Challenges of the Role, and Making Independent Films, for Brody Adrien: I think the hardest thing about this part is that it went away for a long time. I read this script five years ago and then there was an iteration of it without me and others, and then there was a long period of time and it came around, and I'm very grateful for that. It's very challenging to make independent films. Obviously you have a deficit of resources and a bounty of creative visionary ideas, and you have to make the most complex and eloquent story come to life. And you, as an actor, it really falls on your shoulders quite a bit, because the production being starved of resources pushes you to the limit. So they're constantly forcing calls, meaning there's not much turnaround time, so you're working all the time. And if you have vast amounts of dialogue or heavy emotional scenes day in and day out, it's quite draining. And there isn't sufficient time to really give everything the space that it needs, so you have to make do and be incredibly prepared, especially when you have a very specific dialect to work on and beautiful eloquent dialogue. So there are those issues, but it's not something I'm unfamiliar with. Most films that I've done have been in similar circumstances. And you just do the work. I don't look back at this with — I feel very grateful for it, and I think part of the journey is what you do with those challenges and how you can have them motivate you and, at times, even enhance your own work because of those pressures." On Corbet's Use of Architecture as a Form of Social Commentary, and Also a Metaphor for the Characters Brady: I think that the jumping off point for this film, it came from two books, each from a small press. One was called Marcel Breuer and a Committee of Twelve Plan a Church, which is a memoir that was written by a monk at Saint John's Abbey that observed a lot of the microaggressions that Marcel Breuer was facing, or was up against, when he was building that cathedral. And as a Hungarian Jew in a small American town. Then I also read a book from Jean-Louis Cohen, who's written many, many extraordinary pieces on architecture, and he did the big Corbusier book for Taschen that you see in rich people's living rooms — but he also wrote a book called Architecture in Uniform, which is an extraordinary book about the ways in which post-war psychology and post-war architecture are intrinsically linked. It's also about how buildings were employing materials that were developed for life during wartime, and so a lot of these materials that were developed for the First and Second World War had a big impact even on the construction of these buildings in a more literal way and a less allegorical way. But he also writes about his interpretation of a lot of work from that, and for him, it's a question as well: how cognisant is the artist of what it is that they are expressing, especially with these particularly radical monuments? And so that's what the film for me is ultimately really about. The sort of meaning that his niece imbues the building with at the end of the movie, it may be an interpretation — and he, at that point, he's in a wheelchair and his wife has most likely passed away, and so he's not able to speak for himself. I think that movies and architecture, they are pieces of public art, and people will do with them whatever they will. They paint on them and they will piss on them, and they cherish them and they will tear them down. And at the end of this character's life, you're left with question of 'was it worth it? Why do we do what we do?'. And I don't have the answer to that because I don't know why I continue to make films when it's so frequently an arduous and painful experience. But, you know, I'm already working on the next one." On How Pearce Approached Digging Into Van Buren's Complex Layers Guy: "I never know how to answer the question of how I approach something. I think a lot of it is instinctive. A lot of it is as a response to the script and what I felt was there in the script. There's very clear moments throughout the course of the film where the character almost contradicts himself in behaviour, but in each of those moments, I think he exhibits something that is, to some degree, true to himself — whether he's bombastic and dominating, or whether he's actually sensitive and kind of aware, whether he's being generous or whether he's controlling. All of those things tie in together, and I think that that's what was great about the script for me, was that I felt like I saw all these different elements in this man that Brady and Mona wrote. And so obviously approaching each of those scenes at individual times, it's important to be true to whatever it is that's required in a scene, but also being aware of how he is in the scene previously, and that we want to see contradictions, I think, in characters, but then it needs to feel like a believable leap from from one place to another. Here is somebody who is, I think, deeply sensitive in a way, and kind of aware, but also has a big ego and is driven by his own sense of self-creation. I just felt like I got all of that from the script and obviously in talking to Brady, so it's an internal thing that takes over for me when I'm working, that just hopefully allows me to be authentic with all those different elements." On Jones' Task in Taking Erzsébet From a Woman Who Appears Fragile to a Powerful Presence Standing Up for Her Husband Felicity: This was something that Brady and Mona were really intrigued by, this idea that when Erzsébet arrives, we see how the trauma of being in the concentration camps has manifested itself, and that manifestation is very clearly physical. She's suffering from malnutrition, and in many ways it feels as though Erzsébet has disassociated from herself physically. I think she's been through such trauma that in some ways, she's slightly watching herself in the beginning of the film. And she has such little expectation of other human beings. She decided if you don't have any expectations, then you can't be disappointed. So in that first scene when she meets Van Buren, she has just realises that in quite a Nietzschean way, that this is just a power struggle. Every human interaction to her is a power struggle. So you've just got to work out what someone is potentially, what harm they're going to do to you, and how to mitigate that. But then throughout the film we see her, conversely to Laszlo, we see her health improving. We see her flourishing. And you realise that this woman is a deep pragmatist, and in some ways she's someone who is prepared to embrace the joys of capitalism that America is advertised to offer. And you see her, in some ways, having to deny her own intellectual progression in her work just as a means of getting enough money so that they can make their lives work. By that scene that she has with Van Buren, you see someone who's just refusing for the hierarchy to be financial, that dignity does not come from in any way your perceived financial prowess — it comes from something much deeper." On the Connections That Corbet Sees Between The Childhood of a Leader, Vox Lux and The Brutalist Brady: "They're all virtual histories. The Childhood of a Leader is a post-war film as well, about the six months leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Vox Lux is also about a post-traumatic period of a more-recent world history, about American culture after 9/11 and Columbine, which were such definitive events in the US. So I would say that the films, they all always begin or conclude from — they're all films on the theme of destruction and regeneration. One of my favourite essays is from WG Sebald. I talk about Sebald a lot because I'm really a Sebald fanatic, and I also love VS Naipaul and many, many others, but he wrote this fantastic book called on the Natural History of Destruction, and there are these extraordinary essays about regeneration and trauma, and that just is something that I've always been consumed with." On When Brody, Pearce and Jones First Realised the Impact of The Brutalist with Audiences Adrien: Only in Venice, to be honest. I wish I could say I'm cautiously optimistic. I've realised now that I'm not even very optimistic. I think it's a good defence mechanism. But I love Brady's work, and I knew the great potential of storytelling, and I knew that he had all of the elements to bring this to life. And yet it did exceed my expectations. I think it's a combination of all the creative contributions made on this movie, and how they all lift each other up and hold each other together beautifully. It's quite remarkable. To share that experience in that darkened room in Venice with an audience, and to feel — you felt it, you felt it in the room. Those are really memorable moments in one's career, when all that hard work, and it's not just the hard work of making this film. It is 20 years since I've sat in a room and witnessed that for a film that I was the protagonist in, that spoke to such complexity and touched the people around me to the point where they're weeping and looking at me and in awe of this work. And it's beautiful." Guy: "I think Venice." Felicity: "I think Venice. I think the audience response in Venice was quite a surprise. You expect a nice gentle clap, and it was quite forceful and for quite a long time." Guy: "And it didn't stop. Yeah, it didn't stop." Felicity: "And then we suddenly were going 'oh wow, this'. So yeah, it was in that moment. 'Something has happened here.'" Guy: "I think during the process of filming, of course we'd all read the script and we'd been working with Brady on the phone in conversations beforehand — and it certainly felt like we were part of something special. But I've felt that before on jobs and then the finished film doesn't necessarily live up to it. So I think knowing also Brady's style, he's somebody to be reckoned with as far as filmmaking goes. But yeah, I think Venice really was, I guess, a clear moment to go 'oh, okay'." Felicity: "Yeah, it's amazing how the festival — I mean, it's such an extraordinary festival, Venice, how much they championed this film and the people involved. And I think that gave us the kick off, really." Guy: "It helps that there's a bit of Venice in the end of the movie." Felicity: "Exactly. There's a bit self-interest in it." Guy: "Yeah, pop a bit of Cannes in your film." Felicity: "That was very canny of Brady, in fact, to put a little bit of Venice in it." Guy: "Yes, Cannes-y — Venice-y." The Brutalist opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
One of the most spectacular must-sees on any Tokyo trip will soon be back on every tourist's itinerary: digital-only art gallery teamLab Borderless. When it opened in 2018, the stunning spot instantly became one of Japan's top destinations. Since mid-2022, however, the venue has been closed while it shifted to a new site. Thankfully, wandering through its dazzling array of artworks is about to become a reality again from January 2024. Breathtaking, kaleidoscopic, glorious, delightful, worth a trip to Tokyo all by itself: all of those descriptions apply to teamLab Borderless, which became the most-visited single-artist museum in the world during its first year of operation. Expect all those gushing terms to flow again when it reopens at Azabudai Hills in central Tokyo, relocating from its past Odaiba base. [caption id="attachment_912403" align="alignnone" width="1920"] teamLab, Sea of Clouds © teamLab[/caption] First, the bad news: to get there, you'll no longer be crossing over Tokyo's gorgeous Rainbow Bridge. That's the only negative aspect of move, however. Among the excellent news, the new teamLab Borderless will feature both evolved and brand-new artworks. So, even if you've been before at its old digs, you won't just be seeing the same things — even though they're definitely worth enjoying more than once. [caption id="attachment_912401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] teamLab, Microcosmoses (tentative title) © teamLab[/caption] If you were lucky enough to mosey around the OG spot before the pandemic, you'll know that the Borderless experience involves vibrant, constantly moving, always-changing interactive digital art keeps that keeps glowing and rearranging before your eyes. As the name makes plain, nothing is fixed or static here. Pieces move from one space to the next, and interact with other works. Sometimes, several different projections and installations mingle together. For attendees, peering at the end results isn't merely a passive experience, with the venue encouraging patrons to "wander, explore and discover". While the full list of works that'll feature at teamLab Borderless 2.0 hasn't yet been revealed, the pieces announced so far include the jaw-dropping Light Sculpture series — which cycles through an array of light formations and colours — as well as an eye-catching mirrored infinity room-style space that's tentatively been titled Microcosmoses. teamLab might be best-known for its Tokyo site, but it doesn't only operate in Japan. A second teamLab Borderless has already been open in Shanghai since 2019, and others are slated for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Hamburg in Germany — the former without an exact opening date, the latter slated to launch in 2025. The organisation also operates a different museum in Macao, and has its first teamLab Phenomena on the way for the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, again targeting a 2024 launch. The list goes on, with teamLab's works a drawcard wherever they pop up. [caption id="attachment_868130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM, Azabudai Hills, Tokyo © teamLab[/caption] [caption id="attachment_912400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Birth © teamLab[/caption] [caption id="attachment_912402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] teamLab, Microcosmoses (tentative title) © teamLab[/caption] teamLab Borderless Tokyo: MORI Building Digital Art Museum will reopen at its new location at Azabudai Hills, Garden Plaza B B1F, 1-2-4 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo sometime in January 2024 — for more information, visit the museum's website. Top teamLab, Universe of Water Particles, Transcending Boundaries; teamLab, Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together © teamLab.
This story is the ultimate example of why hoarding is not necessarily a bad thing. Brooklyn-based artist Mac Premo was recently forced to downsize his apartment, and consequently had to throw out many of his belongings. Not wanting to just get rid of everything the normal way by making a trip to a particularly large dumpster, Premo decided to use the aforementioned dumpster as a canvas and turn it into a travelling exhibition. This he named The Dumpster Project, which has become the newest addition to Brooklyn's Dekalb Market, an esoteric collection of artists, chefs and farmers who've set up shop in a collection of salvaged shipping containers. The interior of a 30-cubic yard dumpster has been converted into a shrine to the detritus of his past, and is now open for public perusal. Items on display include a primary school math test with such killer questions as '11+1 = ?' (it's 12, guys), the shoes his eldest daughter first walked in, three waving Mao watches, one lonely floppy disk, somebody else's wisdom teeth, a flyer for a Broadway strip club, and an emotionally significant empty bag of chips - from the night he first professed his love for his wife. In the ultimate act of not being able to let go, he is also photographing the 500 objects included in the dumpster collection and composing a short history of each on The Dumpster Project site. If you have a smart phone you can then access the assorted eulogies while you're walking around the space to get a bit of nostalgic context. Alternatively, if you, like me, are not in New York, you can check out Premo's genuinely fascinating blog of the project. [Via PSFK]
First, one piece of good news: Christmas is almost upon us. Now, another: because the season is getting into full swing, it's time to hit up every festive market you can find. One way to indulge your yuletide yearnings: the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets Christmas Twilight Market. And, while more than a few similar events will be jingling bells and popping up wreaths between now and December 25, this one also happens to be by the beach. Head on down to The Esplanade from 4–9pm on Saturday, December 14 to shop, soak in the scenic setting, listen to festive tunes and be jolly — all underneath twinkling lights. There'll be a heap of stalls selling everything from handmade goods and fashion items to pet accessories and sweet treats, as well as roving entertainment to help spread the Xmas mood as far along the beachside as possible.
With the increase in bike paths and subsequent riders around our cities, cyclers need more options when it comes to storing their bikes. These quirky, colourful bike racks that double as street art in their respective cities around the world will probably taint the way you see traditional, boring bike racks forever. Because who wouldn’t want to chain their bike up to an over-sized steaming coffee mug or hook it on a giant spinning wheel? Just in case anyone was confused. In Roanake, Virginia gigantic combs are used as an effective method of storing bikes. A ferris-wheel inspired construction from Seoul. Only in Portlandia. If you're not getting enough dietary fibre into your diet, here's a sure fire way to kick up your daily intake. A clever marketing stunt outside Filter Coffee in Washington appears as a vibrant and appealing place to let your bicycle stand while you enjoy sipping a coffee and munching on some cake within. We're not entirely sure what this New York structure is supposed to resemble, but it does seem like some sort of contorting alien body. These striking paperclips won't be able to keep budding cyclists away as the bold colours draw in bikes from all around Washington DC. Bullwinkle? Is that you? One of David Byrne's NYC designs. Enough said. This long four-legged glistening red horse from Louisville, Kentucky is a fun way to tie up a bike for a day. [Via Flavorwire]
