Some travellers can't help but plan every aspect of their trip down to the minute. But if you're keen to skip the calendar reminders and document organisers on your next holiday, Intrepid Travel has the ideal itinerary to help you step into the unknown. Just released, the 14-day 'Uncharted Expedition' departs from Harare, Zimbabwe and ends at the Island of Mozambique, but the 2400 kilometres in between remain a complete mystery to travellers. Hosted by one of Intrepid's most experienced leaders, the Uncharted Expedition is designed to help travellers embrace the unknown and feel more immersed in unexpected experiences instead of an overly curated minute-to-minute journey. On this adventure, guests can expect to travel mostly by overland truck, staying overnight in tents and locally owned hotels. By day, you'll swim in waterfalls, hike to mountaintops and forge connections with locals through varied cultural encounters. "We run trips in over 120 countries and know our travellers always look to us to uncover new and exciting places to travel. This itinerary is intrepid in every sense of the word and I am confident that this will be our best mystery trip yet," says Erica Kritikides, General Manager of Experiences at Intrepid Travel. While the itinerary might be mostly a secret to travellers, the crew behind the trip has got you covered. This being the second Uncharted Expedition, the original adventure saw 34 travellers from around the globe navigate from Kazakhstan to Mongolia through Russia's Altai region, home to soaring mountain ranges and scenic river valleys. The concept harkens back to Intrepid's origins, when the company's co-founders placed ads in newspapers searching for adventurous people to join them on trips to less-visited destinations. Ready to let curiosity guide you? The Uncharted Expedition has just opened for bookings, with 2026 departure dates scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, and Wednesday, August 12. Just note that due to the popularity of this adventure, intrigued travellers must first register their interest, with 21 people randomly selected for each trip. The expedition costs $7250, with travellers requiring a solid fitness level. "This mystery trip taps into the nostalgia of our earliest Intrepid trips, where every journey held an element of surprise and the unknown. It appeals to the most intrepid travellers — those with a sense of adventure who are prepared to take a leap of faith and go well beyond the beaten path," says Kritikides. Intrepid's Uncharted Expedition is now open for expressions of interest, with 21 travellers selected at random for each 2026 departure date. Head to the website for more information.
Like everything creative, the pottery scene in Melbourne is huge, and Bisque Studios is right there at the forefront of it. It's all about creativity, exploration and growth here, and considering pottery is one of the oldest human art forms, the potential is limitless. Bisque Studios offers a range of courses that take place in its beautiful, light-filled studio. It offers beginner classes on the wheel where a complete novice can learn the technique of throwing, as well as trimming and glazing. At the end of each term, students will be able to take home some of their pieces after they've been fired in the kiln. There are intermediate classes for the wheel, too, as well as hand-building lessons for those who want to get more creative. [caption id="attachment_920507" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phoebe Powell[/caption] If you're not quite ready to commit to a term, there are drop-in workshops, too. There's stacks on offer here, from bisque and nerokimi layering to marbling and kid's holiday workshops. For those with a foundational knowledge of all things clay, Bisque Studios is available for private use. For a three-month subscription, you'll have full access to its facilities, including the in-house firing service. And if you're more of a homebody, Bisque sells custom-made do-it-at-home kits so you can turn that unused space into a studio all its own. [caption id="attachment_920513" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melissa Cowan[/caption] Top image: Melissa Cowan
Worlds have collided and a few of your favourite chocolate and booze brands have come together in snack-friendly harmony. Renowned chocolate maker Haigh's has rallied three top Aussie gin distilleries to create one of the year's dream collaborations — a series of boozy chocolates. Fusing smooth Haigh's chocolate with artisanal spirits and boasting a careful marriage of botanicals, the limited-edition trio is known simply as The Collaboration. Not just a celebration of local produce and Aussie craftsmanship, it also makes for one pretty swanky gift, packaged in a handmade navy and copper embossed box, and complete with tasting notes. On the lineup, you'll find a dark chocolate creation crafted with Archie Rose's Signature Dry Gin, studded with pieces of macadamia and sandalwood nut, and infused with peppermint gum and mountain pepper leaf. Then, there's a milk chocolate number enveloping a white chocolate ganache centre, which pairs the bitter orange aperitif and 78° classic gin from Adelaide Hills Distillery with real honey and peach. And flying the flag for Victoria is a milk chocolate fudge treat made on Melbourne Gin Company's Melbourne dry gin and finished with an extra sprinkle of juniper. The gift box comes packed with four of each chocolate variety (so 12 in total) and tasting notes for $49.90, or you can buy them by the individual piece. Stay tuned also for details of an exclusive virtual chocolate and gin tasting flight, presented by Haigh's Chocolates Product Manager Ben Kolly, along with guests from each gin distillery. We'll let you know more about that closer to the date. The Collaboration chocolates are available now to buy individually, or as part of a $49.90 gift box. Find them online and in Haigh's stores.
Port Macquarie's Festival of the Sun has been running for nearly two decades, and the boutique summer music festival is still bringing the goods. The lineup for May has just been released and it looks like it'll be another doozy. Hermitude, Skeggs, Middle Kids and San Cisco lead the three-day fest's bill, with Ruby Fields, A Swayze and The Ghosts, The Buoys, Caitlin Harnett and the Pony Boys, Concrete Surfers and First Beige lending their voices too. The list goes on, so get ready for a big couple of days of music. Running between Thursday, May 19—Saturday, May 21, the camping festival is also — excitingly — BYO, so you don't need to spend your hard-earned cash on overpriced UDLs. Alongside the lineup of live music, there will also be a heap of food trucks (serving everything from burgers to vegan fare), silent discos and silent comedy. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday, April 15. FESTIVAL OF THE SUN 2022 LINEUP Hermitude Skeggs San Cisco Ruby Fields Middle Kids A Swayze and The Ghosts The Buoys Caitlin Harnett and the Pony Boys Concrete Surfers First Beige Hayley Mary Jelly Oshen Kim Churchill Lazywax Liyah Knight The Rions Romero Pink Matter The Oogars Saint Lane Radolescent Boycott Fungas Palomino Updated Tuesday, May 3.
The smell of scrumptious street food and the buzz of live music will soon fill the air at Queen Victoria Market as Melbourne's summer Night Market returns for its 25th season. The market will commence on Wednesday, November 19, and run every Wednesday evening until March 11, 2026, with free entry for all visitors. This milestone marks a quarter of a century since the summer Night Market first opened its doors at the turn of the millennium. What began as a small gathering has evolved into one of Melbourne's most beloved summer traditions, drawing locals and tourists alike for an openair celebration of food, music and community. For many vendors, the event has become a staple of their lives as much as the city's. Vijay Sivaraj, owner of Drums Sri Lankan Street Food, has been part of the market since its first season and says the sense of continuity keeps him coming back year after year. "The summer Night Market is flavour, family and community," Sivaraj said. "I've watched generations come through. Kids who used to eat here with their parents now bring their own families. Twenty-five summers prove what this place means to Melbourne." This year's market will feature over 50 food vendors serving cuisines from around the world. Visitors can try everything from Parisian steak baguettes and flame-grilled Brazilian meats to Cypriot souvla, buttery French snails, and fresh Portuguese custard tarts. Gelato Messina will return with its signature summer flavours, while other long-time favourites such as The Black Sheep and St. Gerry's are also back. Drinks will include locally brewed beers from Brick Lane Brewing Co., mojito slushies, and refreshing serves from Isla Vodka and Compa Tequila, offering the perfect pairing for a warm night under the city lights. Beyond the food, the market's artisan section will showcase more than 50 local makers and designers. Visitors can browse minimalist jewellery from Mecino, upcycled fashion from Grandma Funk, handcrafted stationery from The Paper and Wood Co., and textiles sourced from Japan, Nepal and Tibet. It is a space that celebrates creativity as much as cuisine, offering unique finds for anyone seeking a handmade gift or summer keepsake. Live entertainment will again be at the heart of the experience, with weekly performances by local bands, buskers and RMIT music students providing DJ sets. The rhythm of the city will soundtrack each evening, as crowds wander between stalls beneath the market's openair sheds. Visitors can also look forward to seasonal produce pop-ups like Taste of summer, highlighting fruit and vegetables from Queen Victoria Market's own traders.
We were huge fans of W Melbourne's Paired at Culprit midweek deals, which saw city folks down bottomless food and drink combos for an absolute bargain in early 2024. The after-work events sadly ended in March, but they are finally back — just in a slightly different form. Lollo is now hosting the weekly specials, which are running from 5–7pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until summer. Tuesday nights see Lollo's team sling $2 oysters throughout the two-hour period, easily paired with a glass of bubbles or a cheeky cocktail. These days, fresh oysters go for about $6 a pop in restaurants, so seafood fans best not sleep on this Tuesday night aperitivo. Wednesdays are then all about margarita cocktails and margherita pizzas — we're not going to lie, this one is our favourite. For just $35, you'll get your own margherita pizza as well as a big carafe of chilled margarita. And if you rock up to Lollo on a Thursday after work, you can score 13 spicy chicken wings and two beers for a mere $35. But that ain't all. If you wander around to the Melbourne hotel's basement bar Curious, you'll stumble upon its own happy hour special. From 5–6pm, every Tuesday–Thursday, you can down $15 cocktails, gin and tonics, and wines by the glass. We recommend starting with a drink at Curious, and following it up with whatever midweek deal is running at Lollo the day you visit. [caption id="attachment_799205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Curious[/caption]
Being called a ‘couch potato’ may not be so insulting after all. You’d never leave yours if you had such a killer view from your living room. Somewhere on Japan's Mount Rokko, five white sofas sit elevated upon a lovely hillside, with full views of lakes, trees and gorgeous mountain scenery. Visitors can easily spot them and climb their ladders to enjoy the views from the top. The ‘garden sky project’ is artist Hidemi Nishida's contribution to Rokko Meets Art, an annual outdoor art festival in Kobe, Japan. Featuring plenty of playful installations like these sky seats, the celebration encourages visitors to interact with art, nature and each other. Via Spoon & Tamago.
A new series of advertisements by Education First, a language-school network based in over fifty countries, makes the case for learning another language in a wonderfully unique light. Not a single word is spoken in the ads, nor do they pitch the school. Instead, you follow the adventures of four students touching down in Paris, Barcelona, London and Beijing respectively. Without speech, they manage to express perfectly how learning a new language helps you experience it. Specially-designed typography accompanies the film, accompanied by phonetic pronunciation underneath, and while there is no translation, they work perfectly. Niklas Johansson's cinematography envelops you in the adventures of the protagonists as they wander through the cities, while Albin Holmqvist's deftly designed original typography and typefaces beautifully reflect the languages of Paris, Barcelona, Beijing and London, and tell you more about the words than dull verb charts ever could. The films don't belabour the process of learning a language, but the benefits of being able to lose yourself in a different culture - the things you discover, the different things to see and do, and the attractive strangers that may or may not come your way. If these films don't make you want to jump on a plane straight away, I don't know what will. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1_QO8LoGNpc https://youtube.com/watch?v=p9isboDgxMM https://youtube.com/watch?v=Nr3gdVkkWzc https://youtube.com/watch?v=QLluxHOOXSw [Via ModCloth]
UK-born Michael Lambie (ex-Stokehouse, Circa, The Prince and Taxi Kitchen) has been a big player in Melbourne's restaurant scene ever since he landed here back in the late 90s. He's worked at some of the city's top restaurants and even co-founded Lucy Liu — before selling it in 2020 and running off to Queensland for a short break. But now he is back and ready to take on the CBD with a new venture: Juni. Slated to open in late November, Juni will be championing Southeast Asian cuisine, of course, with Lambie's own style of contemporary twists. The menu is built around the concept of 'Fire and Spice', so we can expect all kinds of heat. Most dishes are also made for sharing, like the Chinese roast duck, pot-roasted beef short rib, tuna tataki, crispy fried eggplant and vegan red curry. The full menu will be available across the main dining room, front bar and mezzanine-level events space — although the team expects the bar to have more of a sip-and-snack feel (for after-work or pre-theatre sessions). Carlton-based studio Techne has designed the 140-person venue, which features a bright colour palette that blends bold reds and pinks with soft green and maroon hues. Lambie shared, "I love the clean flavours of Thailand, Vietnam and Japan, and I am loving creating a menu that encompasses all of these factors that appeal to my customer base. The service will be fast-paced with a focus on wine, well-made cocktails and drinks. Again, I'm committed to building a fantastic professional team and an amazing restaurant. I'm very excited!" Juni is set to open in late November, and will be found at 136 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. For more details, you can check out the venue's website. Images: Dylan Kindermann.
Motoi Yamamoto’s sculpture is bringing a new meaning to ‘living in the moment’. The supremely disciplined artist from Hiroshima creates installations out of grains of salt. Using intricate techniques that involve layering, shaking, sweeping and infinite amounts of patience, he has made a labyrinth, a set of steps, a ‘corridor to remembrance’ and a series of complex patterns that imitate biological systems. When the works have run their course, he sends them back to the sea. Yamamoto’s engagement with salt as a form started eighteen years ago, when he lost his sister to brain cancer. She was just 24, and struggling to cope with the loss, Yamamoto sought a way to recall his memories through his art. His very first piece was a bed comprised of bricks and the second, a three-dimensional representation of the human brain. In Japan, salt symbolises the processes of cleansing and mourning. Its use forms an important part of funeral rituals. Restaurateurs and small business owners often place salt at their doors, in the belief that it deters evil spirits and magnetises forces for good. “I can’t tell if my feelings of death have been changed by the passage of time or by the process of creating my work,” Yamamoto told the Daily Serving in June last year. “I don’t have any way to compare to the two alternatives because I’ve only experienced this through my work, not through a more conventional mourning process. I would like to think that it altered my thoughts on loss gradually, but I don’t know.” Yamamoto’s salt installations have been exhibited in galleries all over the world, from the Ierimonti Gallery in Milan to the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in Charleston, USA. Last month, they were on show at the Mint Museum in Charlotte.
2021 marks 23 years since '...Baby One More Time' rocketed up Australia's charts, and made sure that everyone in the country knew who Britney Spears was. In the decades since, the singer has enjoyed a slew of other hits, thanks to everything from 'Sometimes', '(You Drive Me) Crazy' and 'Oops!... I Did It Again' to 'Toxic', 'Everytime' and 'If U Seek Amy'. Yes, you now have at least one of these songs stuck in your head (or, let's be honest, a medley of all them). This year also marks the arrival of a must-see documentary about the pop star, which Aussies have heard plenty about but have been unable to watch for the past month. Part of The New York Times Presents series that streams in the US via Hulu, Framing Britney Spears examines not only the singer's life since she was a child — going back to before her first hit single, and before her time on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club in the early 90s, too — but also the way she has been treated in the press, the fact that she has been under a conservatorship since 2008 and the #FreeBritney movement that's sprung up in response to the latter. Not by her own choice, Spears has been an almost-constant presence in the tabloid media for nearly quarter-century. The paparazzi has covered her every move and career with disturbing intensity, in fact. Everyone knows the details, because they've been plastered all over magazine front pages and internet headlines for years and years, to the point that they've been impossible to avoid. And, as this doco ponders, it's easy to join the dots between the relentless hounding by photographers, the endless mentions in gossip columns, the ridiculous way Americans reacted when she didn't meet their idea of what a 'girl next door'-style pop star should be, how she has been regarded by pop culture in general and how the US legal system has stripped away her right to control her own life for more than a decade. The film makes for important and grim viewing — and, although it premiered in the US in early February, Channel 9 just aired the Hulu doco this past week, and has also made it available on its online service, 9 Now. So, you can now spend 71 minutes stepping through a story that hasn't ended yet and doesn't wrap up happily in the movie, but is rightly sparking a reassessment of how female celebrities — and young women in the spotlight in particular — are treated, Spears included. Check out the Framing Britney Spears trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GEa844LCoI Framing Britney Spears is now available to stream on 9 Now.
In 2007, Dublin-born writer-director John Carney released his low-budget indie musical Once to widespread critical acclaim. Seven years later he returns to the genre with Begin Again, a similarly plotted follow-up, just with a far bigger budget and cast. The additional gloss and star power runs somewhat contrary to the film's subject matter, about two unlikely collaborators making music on the cheap. Still, with leads this charismatic, it's difficult to go wrong. In a role that recalls his likeable loser persona from The Kids Are All Right, Mark Ruffalo plays washed-up New York record executive Dan. Once a successful music producer, he's long become disillusioned with the biz, pissing off everyone who matters and getting fired from the company he helped found. His personal life is in a similar state of disarray — when you need to borrow beer money from your teenage daughter (Hailee Steinfeld), it's a sign that things aren't exactly going great. While drowning his sorrows in a bar in the East Village, Dan hears a melancholy performance from Gretta (Keira Knightley), who we soon learn is the recently ditched girlfriend of up-and-coming British pop-star Dave Kohl (played in a fun, self-deprecating turn by Maroon 5 front-man Adam Levine). Convinced that she's got what it takes, Dan approaches Greta with a record deal. The catch is that neither of them has any money, so they'll have to record it live on the city streets. More than once, there's a sense that Carney wants to have his cake and eat it too. The film is highly critical of the music industry — embodied by Levine's sell-out Kohl — and champions the DIY approach of independent artists for whom music is about a lot more than money. It's a message that felt perfectly suited to the micro-budget Once but seems a little bit at odds with the A-list names and glossy production values found here. Begin Again is also a far perkier film than Carney's previous work, gliding over more serious plot points, such as Dan's apparent alcoholism, with relentless, fairytale positivity. Yet only a cynic would begrudge the film its optimism. Even as you're aware of the script's somewhat hypocritical construction, it's hard not to be won over by its considerable warmth and charm. Ruffalo and Knightley have wonderful chemistry, and the fruits of their partnership are a joy to hear come to life. The songs, like the rest of the film, are cutesy but ultimately enjoyable. And who knew Knightley could sing? https://youtube.com/watch?v=zqRL2dY5-us
When summer holidays seem like a depressingly distant memory, nothing recharges the soul quite like a couple of days spent exploring the very best of a city — especially when that city is considered the world's most liveable city at that. So, we've teamed up with the folks at DoubleTree by Hilton to curate your ultimate Melbourne weekend getaway. Boasting a top-notch Flinders Street location, right in the heart of all the action, the Melbourne hotel is primed for that hard-earned city escape you've been planning — plus, they'll always welcome you back with a nice, warm 'welcome cookie'. Lose yourself down laneways, feast your way through the city's many multicultural offerings and shop till you're ready to drop, knowing you've got a comfortable home away from home to land yourself at the end of the day — with a spot for a nightcap, if you should feel so inclined, at the hotel's Platform 270. Here's our guide to a cracking Melbourne weekend. START THE DAY AT HIGHER GROUND, CBD As much a feast for the eyes as for the belly, CBD cafe Higher Ground makes its home within a gorgeous, lofty space that once housed the Little Bourke Street power station. Here, award-winning designer touches and exposed brick walls create an elegant backdrop for the kitchen's forward-thinking, artfully designed fare. Pop in for breakfast and a specialty coffee to kick-start a big day of exploring, or swing by after dark to road-test the chic dinner menu on offer Thursday through Sunday. GET YOUR ART FIX AT ROSE STREET MARKETS, FITZROY Each weekend, Fitzroy's Rose Street becomes a shopping hot-spot, playing host to two vibrant weekly markets. On Saturdays and Sundays, hit the Rose Street Artists' Market to find a stellar lineup of local makers showcasing an array of art, fashion, homewares, jewellery and photography, plus an onsite cafe primed for caffeine pit-stops and brunch feeds. Just a few metres down the street there's yet more shopping goodness in store for you at Saturday's Fitzroy Mills Market. This one's got a health and wellness focus, sourcing top produce from local makers and growers — expect treats like quality fruit and veg, desserts, artisan bread, vegan eats and even fare for your four-legged friends. GO FULL MELBOURNE AT WHITEHART, CBD Tucked down a laneway, surrounded by lively street art and crafted from a couple of upcycled shipping containers, Whitehart is unmistakably Melbourne. The industrial-inspired bar slings a top-notch booze lineup of clever cocktails, boutique wines and craft brews, while food comes courtesy of a rotation of visiting food trucks. Also impressive is the soundtrack, as the decks play host to a dance-worthy mix of resident DJs and guest artists from across the world. Swing by for a sunny afternoon session, or after dark to soak up those late-night Melbourne vibes. WANDER THE NICHOLAS BUILDING, CBD A veritable treasure trove of fashion and design, art deco stunner The Nicholas Building is home to a diverse mix of studios, boutiques and galleries. Drool over beautiful heritage features like the leadlight dome above the arcade while you get some retail therapy. Highlights include a huge selection of pre-loved threads at Australia's largest vintage store Retrostar, perfume from The Powder Room, Kimono House's Japanese crafts and textiles, jewellery designs from Victoria Mason and women's fashion from the likes of Obus and Kuwaii. DIG INTO SUPERNORMAL, CBD At the sleek Asian-accented Supernormal, acclaimed Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell delivers some very memorable eats, drawing on a range of influences and serving it all with a healthy side of fun. Here, classic flavours from across Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China are reworked into a menu of modern delights and matched with a contemporary drinks offering of sake, local wines and intriguing cocktails. Just remember, McConnell's cult classic lobster roll is a must and, when opting for the banquet menu, it pays to be within rolling distance of where you're staying. [caption id="attachment_659089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Gollings.[/caption] EXPLORE THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, SOUTHBANK Delivering a diverse program of bold exhibitions, performances, talks and events, the Australian Centre For Contemporary Art is a hotbed of creativity and a must for any visiting art aficionado. Boasting an award-winning building set among the arty offerings of Southbank, it features thought-provoking works from big-name artists the world over, in addition to commissioned pieces designed to change the way the world sees contemporary art. Cruise the current exhibitions at your own pace, or jump on one of the free public tours, held each Sunday during exhibition periods. CATCH SOME VIEWS AT ROOFTOP BAR, CBD An astro-turfed, open-air space perched at the very top of Swanston Street's Curtin House, Melbourne's original rooftop bar is a year-round favourite, thanks to its laidback feel and those sprawling city skyline vistas. Venture up for brews with a view and eats from The Rooftop Burger Shack, while getting acquainted with one of Melbourne's most iconic drinking spots. During the warmer months, you can even catch a flick on the outdoor big screen for the legendary Rooftop Cinema. PICNIC IN THE SUN AT ABBOTSFORD CONVENT, ABBOTSFORD Set among picturesque grounds in Melbourne's inner north, multi-arts precinct the Abbotsford Convent has a little something for everyone. Once operating as a convent and one of Australia's largest Catholic complexes, the heritage-listed, 16-acre site now boasts a colourful assortment of galleries, studios and green space — not to mention a stack of architectural gems to marvel at. Lose a day happily exploring the current offerings, from exhibitions and talks to markets and performances. Social history tours are run every Sunday afternoon, and there's a plethora of great onsite eateries to choose from come lunchtime. [caption id="attachment_649405" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jamie Durrant.[/caption] EAT TAPAS AND MONTADITOS AT BAR TINI, CBD Having won hearts across the country with his stable of MoVida restaurants, Frank Camorra's latest project is another Spanish-inspired charmer — this time, a cosy laneway haunt called Bar Tini. With its warm red accents and cheery decor, this one's a nod to the bodegas of Spain, its menu a cracking lineup of imported tinned seafood, flavour-packed tapas and montaditos, and open sandwiches. Snack your way through, while sipping vermouth on tap and revamped classic cocktails. Pop in for a daytime visit and you'll even be able to check out the iconic street art of Hosier Lane outside the front door. [caption id="attachment_658995" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stano Murin.[/caption] LAUGH IT OUT AT THE BUTTERFLY CLUB, CBD If a culture fix is on the cards, you can bank on finding a ripper program of happenings at The Butterfly Club. The laneway theatre hosts a diverse lineup of over 1100 performances each year, from cabaret acts to side-splitting stand-up shows. You'll also find a solid mix of regular events, including Tuesday night's burlesque life drawing sessions and Friday's long-running improv comedy show, The Big Hoo Haa. The Butterfly Club's two bars make for charming pit-stops in themselves, decked out with lots of kitsch touches and slinging an oft-changing lineup of themed cocktails. Spend your weekend exploring some of the very best things around Melbourne, and when you need a place to recoup, find your home away from home at DoubleTree by Hilton on Flinders Street.
Photographs have the ability to allow us to view situations from new angles and provide us with new perspectives, altering our preconceptions. Simply changing the angle of a camera, for example, can create immense and unique beauty that changes the way we see spaces, as well as the colours and patterns within them. In Room Portraits, German photographer Menno Aden does just that, transforming drab, everyday rooms into fascinating works of art that make you want to sprout wings. The Bedroom The Renovator's Dream The Shoe Store The Grocery Store The Double Room The Convenience Store The Bar The Living Room The Dentist's Room The Kitchen The Rehearsal Room The Picnic The Hotel Room The Kitchen II The Classroom
Prepare yourself for a serious dose of girl power: Janelle Monáe and Kimbra are joining forces for an Australian tour. The two pop heavyweights, who bonded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland last July, are coming to Australia for The Golden Electric Tour at the end of May. Scheduled for four shows throughout Australia, the dynamic duo is finishing the tour with serious kaboom at The Plenary on Monday, May 26. The award-winning pop powerhouses will co-headline the tour, combining forces for a portion of the show while also playing individual sets. Kimbra and Monáe first made sweet music together at an impromptu bar gig when they met last year. Their taste for eccentric pop music coupled with fierce vocals proved a heavenly match, thus the idea for a joint tour was born. To (successfully) hype us all up for the endeavour, the pair released an unfathomably adorable video singing a mash-up of Aretha Franklin's 'Rock Steady' and Michael Jackson's 'Wanna Be Startin' Something', both of which are sure to be on the set list. Monáe will feature tracks from her 2013 release The Electric Lady, as well as her celebrated 2010 debut album The ArchAndroid. Kimbra is expected to release the follow-up to her 2011 album Vows later this year, so fans should expect some new gems amongst the singalongs. Tickets go on sale 10am on Thursday, April 17 via Live Nation. Pre-sale is available for My Live Nation members at 10am on Monday, April 14. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyqltX5lRhQ
If your last holiday seems like a distant memory and you're yearning to get away from the bustle of city living, a new arrival to Aotearoa's tourism scene is set to provide some much-needed peace and quiet. Australian startup Unyoked was founded by twins Cam and Chris Grant back in 2016, as an off-the-grid experience bringing you the convenience and comforts of four solid walls, alongside the adventure, spontaneity and closeness-to-nature of camping. Since then, it's been a raging success, with a number of compact cabins located around NSW, Victoria and Queensland catering to burnt out city slickers looking for some R&R in remote — and sometimes pretty rugged — areas. It's all in the name of wellness: Cam and Chris believe spending time in the wild is beneficial to the body, mind and soul. The company's ethos is about total immersion in nature — something New Zealand has a lot of, making it a fairly natural fit as their next country to conquer. Launching next month, the company's first New Zealand cabins will be dotted around some of the country's most stunning and remote spots, including the tropical bush of the Bay of Islands, the rugged west coast of the North Island and around stunning Port Waikato coastline. The exact locations are still under wraps — and you'll be waiting to find out as Unyoked often only reveals the address of where you're headed until it's basically time to depart. It's all part of the adventure. You might choose to take yourself on a working retreat and let the fresh air and beautiful scenery spark inspiration — or leave the laptop at home and instead get around to finally reading that book. How you spend your time off the grid is up to you. And don't worry, it's not total Man Vs Wild vibes. There will be plenty of creature comforts to help elevate your time away. Unyoked promises they're working with some truly excellent local brands to prepare for the launch, including Raglan Roast coffee, McLeod's Brewery, J.M.R & Co, Webster's tea and Sleepyhead beds. That hints that there will at least be a good cuppa, a few brews and a damn comfy spot to lay your head during your getaway. Unyoked joins a host of other small hideaway-type booking accompanies including international juggernaut Airbnb, and local glamping specialists Canopy Camping. But the founders see it less as a site to nab accommodation, and more as a fully immersive experience beneficial to wellbeing. They say they hope users will treat a stay in nature as they do a fitness routine or meditation app. And to be honest, if our search for wellness sees us choosing between waking in New Zealand's breathtaking surroundings or sweating it out in a hot gym — we know which one we're choosing every time. Unyoked will launch its first New Zealand accommodation options in July 2022. For more information, head to the company's social media pages or the official website.
Stay tuned. More info coming soon. Images: Julia Sansone
Now before you say anything, this isn’t another fold-up bike. Let’s be honest, fold-up bikes can often be kind of awkward — even if they're as small as your umbrella. Indian company Lucid Design have created a conceptual 'Bike in a Bag' that would quickly disassemble into separate parts so you could fit it into your bag. The Kit Bike would be made up of 21 parts and assembled by twisting joints together using a rotating mechanism and secured with an Allen key. The diamond-shaped frame would be made up of hollow aluminium tubes and powder-coated white for a minimal, classic look. The bike would even come with its own circular leather bag designed specifically to carry the parts — wheels go on the sides and the extras in the middle compartment. "Conventional bikes are awkward in every way except when you ride them," says creative director of Lucid Design, Amit Mirchandani. "The Kit Bike was designed to make problems of shipping, traveling with and commuting with a bike, a thing of the past." Yes, there would be some challenges if you left home without your Allen key, and we have to admit we’d be a little worried about a detachable bike coming undone on our way to work, but there’s also great benefits to consider if you're travelling and you want to take in the sights on your own two wheels. Think about it. Just to clarify, this bike is not yet in production. It did receive a Red Dot 2014 Design Award earlier this year for the concept, but the comments left on the original Dezeen post show not everyone's as impressed: "Nice looking but I don't see it being sturdy enough." "It's awful, any design student can make a CAD model of a bike. No thought has gone into this design at all. Look how flimsy it is — does the designer even know what a bike is? Do they understand stress and material properties?" "Just look at that ridiculous gear ratio. Good luck pedalling over 10 mph on this thing... although I probably wouldn't feel safe riding it much faster." "People complain if they have to assemble an Ikea chair made of six pieces. Have fun assembling and disassembling your 20 piece bike every day, when commuting to work." "Never seen such bullsh*t." Watch this space, maybe Lucid Design can prove the haters wrong. Via Dezeen.
Getting paid to do what you love is the ultimate employment dream. Finding a job doing something that everyone loves? That's a next-level kind of gig. When Gelatissimo turned taste-testing new gelato flavours into an actual position, it fell into that category. When Domino's wanted someone to eat garlic bread for cold hard cash, it did too. And over at hospitality group Australian Venue Co, there's a similar kind of job on offer. Fancy adding 'secret sipper' to your resume? That's the gig that AVC is currently advertising again, with 100 positions available around the country. You'll get assigned to cover some of the company's bars and pubs in your city, and you'll get paid for dining, drinking and then submitting a review once a month. If you've ever worked in retail and heard about mystery shoppers, then you know the drill. That's how these roles work, but in hospitality. So, you'll be posing as a customer and interacting with the venue's staff to scope out their service — and you'll be so discreet that they'll be unaware that you're on AVC's payroll, like they are. Members of the company's Secret Sipper Club, as the lucky wining-and-dining folks are called, will receive a $30 meal allowance for their monthly visit, plus $200 for each review. For that cash — which will make this a side hustle rather than your only gig — you do need to do more than offer a few words, completing a detailed written report after each meal. You don't need to have any experience in the field. Obviously, we're all veterans at eating and drinking, but you don't need to have done this type of job before. There are some pre-requisites, though, such as being over 18; having your own transport and access to a mobile device; being passionate about the industry; attentiveness and impartiality; and having time to do 12 visits each year. And if you're wondering which venues you might be visiting, it could be any in AVC's stable. In Sydney, that includes everywhere from The Winery, Cargo and Kingsleys through to BrewDog South Eveleigh, The Rook and Little Pearl. For Melburnians, you might be hitting up The Espy, The Duke and Sarah Sands Hotel, or BrewDog Pentridge, State of Grace and Trinket. Brisbane's venues include The Wickham, The Regatta, Crown Hotel and Riverland, plus the likes of Burleigh Town Hotel, The Local Tavern and Wallaby Hotel on the Gold Coast. In Adelaide, The Hope Inn, The Unley and The West End Tavern are on the list, while Perth residents could find themselves at Raffles Hotel, Sweetwater Rooftop Bar, The Globe and Wolf Lane. Find out more about AVC's Secret Sipper Club — and apply — by heading to the company's website.
Windsor watering hole Galah might have flown off on its merry way, but the lofty High Street space it called home is being brought back to life by the mind behind one of the suburb's other beloved bars. For his next project, Neptune Food & Wine's Nic Coulter is reviving the second-floor site with plans to create a place for wining, dining, music and art that's built on ever-rotating offerings. Slated to open in April just a couple of doors up from Neptune, Young Hearts is set to be a multi-faceted venue that promises to deliver something fresh each time you visit. Master of change, it'll serve up an evolving arts program, championing local creatives across its vinyl-led DJ booth, the gallery space that graces its walls and its central circular stage. [caption id="attachment_655181" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Galah[/caption] Meanwhile, the bar will be stocked with a top-quality curation of favourites, the wine list centred on natural drops and locally made creations, and a fuss-free offering of beers and spirits also heroing homegrown tipples. There'll be a lineup of both signature and classic cocktails, too. As for the food side of things, that'll be getting a regular shake-up of its own. Expect a fresh kitchen residency taking the reins every six months, with the rotation set to span chefs both new and emerging, across a slew of different dining genres and cuisines. "I saw an opportunity to re-inject some new energy into the street," explains Coulter, describing Young Hearts as "a venue that lives at the cross-section of great drinks, music, food and culture. A destination for anybody, any time." Find Young Hearts at 216 High Street, Windsor, from April. We'll share more details as they drop.
One name, many faces. That's what you can expect when Italian-leaning newcomer Stella opens her doors next month, showing off four distinct offerings across four stylish levels in the heart of South Yarra. The heritage-listed corner building will soon be home to a contemporary Aussie take on the classic Italian trattoria, with a chic fitout led by Sum Design Studio and Projects of Imagination. It's named after the daughter of owner Ali Mousavi. Stella's basement level will feature an impressively stocked wine cellar and private dining room for ten, leading up to the ground floor restaurant, where a circular pizza bar takes centre stage and a Marana Forni oven is the hero of the kitchen. [caption id="attachment_863590" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Venue Manager Paul Mitchell, owner Ali Mousavi and Executive Chef John Park[/caption] Executive Chef John Park (Vue de Monde, 400 Gradi) is heading up the food offering, with a menu starring pizzas crafted on a signature dough recipe passed down through generations. Plenty more Italian influence shines through the lineup of share plates and classic regionally-inspired mains. Meanwhile, the level above the restaurant is set to play host to a relaxed drinking destination complete with fireplace and velvet seating, where you can cosy up with bevs and bar snacks. And you'd best believe there's a rooftop crowning the whole thing, boasting its own vertical garden and offering a primo spot to kick back with some of the bar's reimagined classic cocktails. Stella is set to open at 427 Chapel Street, South Yarra, in September. We'll share more details as they drop.
The clue is in the name with this one: this High Street site is dedicated to all things knitting. The charming retail space and workshop houses all the colours, types and sizes of yarn your heart could desire, from baby-brushed alpaca and eco-cotton to fine Donegal tweed and silk mohair. You'll also find all the accessories to help get the job done too, such as lace needles, needle sets, crochet hooks, stitch holders, pom-pom makers and rulers. If you're new to the knitting game or want to improve your skills, Woolarium also offers spinning and knitting classes for all skill levels. Images: Julia Sansone
Keen for a sneak-peek at tracks from The Strokes' new album, 'Angles'? Not due for release until March 22, you cynically reply? Think again. Thanks to a glitch in the iTunes UK store, 30-second previews of every track from the album were prematurely uploaded. They've since been taken down, but not before being ripped by fans eager to hear what the band have been up to for the last couple of years. 'Angles' has been five years in the making. Check out snippets of the new songs, compiled conveniently into one YouTube video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hjyIxgiryHo [Via Addict Music]
The initial event announced for RISING 2025, Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf was always going to be one of the Melbourne winter festival's big highlights for this year. Combining mini golf and art, exploring the feminist history of the short game, getting folks tap, tap, tapping across the entire upper level of Flinders Street Station, and boasting talents such as Kajillionaire filmmaker and All Fours writer Miranda July designing courses: what a combination. Accordingly, months after the fest wrapped up its later iteration, it should come as no surprise that its putt-putt experience has not only proven a hit, but is also sticking around even longer than planned. While RISING ran for 12 days from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 for 2025, Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf was locked in until Sunday, August 31 from the beginning. Now, that season has been extended. With a new closing date of Sunday, September 21, you've now got three more weeks to take to the greens. Expect company, as more than 25,000 people have headed by so far, resulting in soldout sessions. What do you get when you create an art exhibition that's also a mini-golf course? Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf answers that question with its playable setup. The piece's greens are designed by female-identifying and gender-diverse artists, resulting in surreal and mindbending creations in a work that also aims to get attendees thinking about the sport's beginnings. July's contribution, for instance, riffs on her latest book's name with an 'all fores' setup. Also helping to shape Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf: Soda Jerk switching from bringing TERROR NULLIUS and Hello Dankness to the big screen, plus Australian artists Kaylene Whiskey and Nabilah Nordin, Japan's Saeborg, the United Kingdom's Delaine Le Bas, Indonesia's Natasha Tontey, Atlanta rapper BKTHERULA and Hobart-based photographer Pat Brassington. "It's been fantastic seeing the diverse groups of people coming through the space, having fun, playing and learning about all of the beautiful, unusual artworks," said RISING's Grace Herbert, who curated the work. "So far, Swingers has hosted many families, friend groups and dates, and we've even had a proposal in the ballroom. I'm so glad that RISING is extending the season so that more people can enjoy this experience." As for the festival itself, it came, it celebrated, and it filled Melbourne with art, music and performances in June — with help from 100-plus events from 610 participating artists, including 16 brand-new commissions. Not only was Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf the first 2025 announcement, but it's the longest part of this year's program. And, while a few other events extended past RISING's official dates, this will also be the last to wrap up. Swingers — The Art of Mini Golf runs until Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Flinders Street Station, Flinders Street, Melbourne — head to the event's website for further information. Images: Remi Chauvin.
After a hefty makeover in 2018, the Bomba space boasts a fresh fit-out, a vermouth-inflected drinks list, and day and night dining menus celebrating the flavours of Spain. The rooftop sports an all-weather retractable roof and a second terrace space with a central copper bar and lots of high tables for a rendezvous with mates once work's done for the day. The drinks list shows lots of love for vermouth, an aperitif that's hitting peak fashionability, with a lineup of drops hailing from Catalonia to the Hunter Valley. A bigger, eight-strong tap list throws its weight behind indie Melbourne breweries, while the wine selection's focused both on organic and small Aussie producers, and lesser-known Spanish gems. Meanwhile, the food situation features a tapas menu of old favourites and new creations, a covetable selection of Spanish cheeses, terrific charcuterie and some stellar mains to pair with all that good Spanish wine. There's a pre-theatre menu if you're pressed for time and a bottomless lunch that features four cocktails and a range of highlights off the snack menu. Images: Peter Tarasiuk, Fiona Hamilton and Visit Victoria.
Everyone has heard about — or tried to eat their way through — KitKat's famed range of weird and wonderful Japanese flavours. A cough drop version once existed, and it really wasn't great. The sake version, a perennial favourite, is absolutely delicious. But if you're vegan, none of these varieties will have tempted your tastebuds. KitKats in general won't have either, actually. Come July, that'll change for Aussies who follow a plant-based, dairy-free and cruelty free diet, and would also like to sink their teeth into a KitKat. The brand is launching KitKat V, a new vegan KitKat. It's made with a rice-based milk alternative, resulting in a smooth vegan milk chocolate — not dark chocolate — which is then layered over the usual crisp wafers. That means that from Monday, July 26, everyone can now have a break — and a KitKat — with KitKat V joining other plant-based alternatives among Nestle's products. So, if you'd like to crack open a few fingers while tucking into a glass of plant-based Milo, you'll be able to. The 41.5-gram bars will cost $2 and, if you're already keen, they can be pre-ordered from the KitKat Chocolatory website ahead of their supermarket debut at Woolworths Metro stores. When your next sugar craving hits, add them to your list alongside vegan Natural Confectionery Co fruit lollies, vegan choc tops, and vegan Magnums, Cornettos and Weis Bars. KitKat V will hit Woolworths Metro supermarkets on Monday, July 26 — or you can pre-order them now from the KitKat Chocolatory website.
Paris — city of light, culture, shoebox apartments and, now, Post-it note art wars. Earlier this year, inspired by either a bout of spring fever or possibly an excess of office supplies, French video gaming company Ubisoft created an image of a space invader — made out of Post-it notes — in their office window. Shortly after, their neighbour, BNP Paribas, responded by creating their own Post-it note art in their office window. Not to be upstaged, Ubisoft responded with a new, slightly bigger and better, Post-it note creation. And that is how the 'la guerre des Post-it' began. Since then, office windows in the west of Paris and around the business district, La Defense, have been covered with colourful Post-it note artwork as new companies enter into the battle attempting to outdo each other's artwork, either in size or ingeniousness. A website has been created to showcase the Post-it creations and to keep score of each companies' contributions. To date, Ubisoft appear to be the victors in the Post-it wars; their latest creation consists of over 3,000 Post-it notes and extends over three floors. While shareholders may not be overly impressed with the level of productivity taking place, it's nice to see that French corporate types unleashing their creative sides.
Oh, what a day. What a lovely day! Why? Because the first trailer for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has just zipped into existence. Get ready for Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) in the title role, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) co-starring and iconic Australian director George Miller steering the show for the fifth instalment in his dystopian Mad Max franchise. When Furiosa hits cinemas in May 2024, it will have been nine years since Mad Max: Fury Road did the same and became the best action movie of this century so far — and the best Australian flick of the same period, too. That delay means nothing given that there was a 30-gap between 1985's not-so-great Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road's triumphant arrival in 2015, however. More Miller extending his passion project is always worth waiting for. Shot in Australia, Furiosa also arrives after Mad Max: Fury Road proved a six-time Oscar-winning hit, but will add a standalone tale to the saga this time. Yes, it's an origin story. Yes, it dives into the background of the character so memorably played in Fury Road by Charlize Theron (Fast X). Yes, enlisting Taylor-Joy is another casting masterstroke. Furiosa's storyline follows the younger Furiosa as she's taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers, ends up with a biker horde led by Warlord Dementus, and then gets caught in the middle of a war being waged with the Citadel's Immortan Joe — all while trying to escape and get back home. And, as the just-dropped first sneak peek shows, the look and feel is all classic Mad Max. Miller not only directs but co-writes with Mad Max: Fury Road co-scribe Nico Lathouris, while Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Tom Burke (Living) are also among the movie's stars. A heap of Miller's other behind-the-scenes collaborators are back, including production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, all Fury Road Oscar-winners. Check out the trailer for Furiosa below: Furiosa releases in cinemas Down Under on May 23, 2024.
Melbourne's cultural tapestry weaves some of its most dynamic colours in South Melbourne where the pulse of the city's south beats with a rhythm that promises something truly stunning for every hour. About 12,000 people call South Melbourne home and lucky them, they get to experience the joys of an Albert Park lake stroll and a South Melbourne dim sim every day. But as for the rest of us, we'll have to settle for just visiting. But what if you only had one day? How would you make the most of your time? Well, let's find out. MORNING If the early bird gets the worm and the second mouse gets the cheese, the South Melbourne visitor needn't worry about any of that, because chances are if you're reading this, you're a human. However, no matter your species, it is recommended to rise just before the sun so you can be at Albert Park Lake as that giant fireball in the sky says good morning to the planet. Yes, waking that early sucks, but if you can do it, the reward will be immense. The lake and its surrounds are stunning at all times of day but with a dynamic pastel backdrop of orange sky and brightening light it is particularly special. Next, we need coffee. A morning is only as good as the coffee that accompanies it — cue The Kettle Black, where baristas craft seriously decent coffee. Stick around for a while and take in the vibe, the airy sun-drenched space is worth lingering over. [caption id="attachment_925199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oven-fresh croissants at Chez Dre[/caption] Next, head to the Austro Bakery and nab yourself a giant pretzel, loaf of sourdough or anything else your heart desires. You really can't go wrong here as the bakery effortlessly blends tradition of centuries-old European baking inspiration with a modern twist. Speaking of baked goods, you might also want to swing by Chez Dre, a French-inspired cafe serving cakes and brunch that will transport you to Paris with every flaky bite of its chocolate croissants. Finally, round off the morning with a visit to See Yup Temple, built originally in 1856 then rebuilt and expanded a decade later. The oldest Chinese temple in Australia is a real historical treat right here in Melbourne and the perfect place to take a quiet moment before things start ramping up for the rest of the day. AFTERNOON By afternoon, South Melbourne Market beckons with the siren call of a South Melbourne dim sim — it would be a crime and an affront to all things good and holy not to. This is a sacred place for dim sim lovers the world over, a place of deep historical and spiritual significance. To taste the South Melbourne dim sim is to experience a little piece of delicious Australian history. So go on, grab one, or grab a few, and let's get going. Next up? Get in loser, we're going shopping. Check out Clarendon, Coventry, Cecil and Park streets for a little bit of retail therapy at some of Melbourne's coolest boutiques. If you're into good design, cute homewares and anything even remotely fashion-related, this is your time to shine as you hunt for a hidden gem in South Melbourne's leafy shopping streets. To keep the artisanal vibe going, pop into the Australian Tapestry Workshop on Park Street. It's been spinning some of Australia's most stunning tapestries since 1976 and is the only one of its kind in Australia, as well as among just a handful around the world. Guests can check out its two galleries, which showcase exhibitions of tapestries and modern art on a rotating basis. It also runs tapestry classes and workshops regularly. And finally, for a laidback interlude, pop into Westside Ale Works — a cosy laneway brewpub hidden on Alfred Street just begging you to stay for a while and enjoy a nice afternoon pint (or several). EVENING As the sun dips and evening colours the sky, a stroll along Port Melbourne Beach offers the perfect canvas for a sunset walk — bonus points if you're with that special someone, this is seriously romantic. And if you don't have that special someone, you'll find someone one day, or maybe you won't! Either way, a sunset stroll on the beach is lovely. Next, follow the scent of a woodfired grill to Half Acre, a once dilapidated mill that's been transformed into a fine spot to enjoy a hearty feast of great, simple food with Middle Eastern and Euro influences amid an instantly warm atmosphere that feels like elevated dining at a friend's place. Afterwards, head to Bellota Wine Bar and enjoy a glass of red, or white, or orange — given it is home to literally thousands of wine bottles. Whether you're sitting at the bar, the tables, or in the courtyard, the vibe is sure to be immaculate. LATE-NIGHT FUN The night is still young; it's only natural we go bar hopping. Head to gorgeous Hatted bistro James for a European wine bar feeling with hints of Japanese inspiration on its fantastic degustation menu. Or for something more casual venture up to The Albion Rooftop to enjoy the spectacular cityscape vista, or pop by The Montague in the leafy backstreets for a nice cocktail in the inviting outdoor seating. Obviously, we suggest all three, as well as any more you might encounter on your journey. South Melbourne is your oyster, and all its bars lead to a good time. And now for the best part of the night. Head to Dessertopia for some of the most visually pleasing desserts you'll ever see. Seriously, they look so good you'll almost feel bad eating them (almost). Don't take our word for it, check out its Insta. Yes, that's right, glow-in-the-dark cupcakes. What a time to be alive. Enjoy and bask in the sweet glow, you had the ultimate day (and night) in South Melbourne. Now go get some rest, you must be exhausted. Looking to make the most of your next city break? Explore more of your city this summer with the City of Port Phillip.
It's called the Museum of Old and New Art. As that name makes plain, it fills its walls and halls with examples of pieces that've been around for some time (and then some more) alongside fresh creations. And yet, Tasmania's must-visit Mona hasn't ever hosted an exhibition that only looks backwards — until September 2023 rolls around, that is. Fresh from unleashing another Dark Mofo upon Hobart, complete with an astonishing array of weird and wild wonders, the arts institution has unveiled its big summer plans to see out 2023 and welcome in 2024. Spanning the bulk of spring this year and autumn next year, too — running from Saturday, September 30, 2023–Monday, April 1, 2024 — are three exhibitions: Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World and Hrafntinna (Obsidian). Heading to Australia after showing in a different iteration at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World is responsible for the venue's debut display of only old art. It'll also be the biggest-ever showcase of jewel-like icons and related treasures that Australia has ever seen. Devotional objects depicting saints, virgins and other Christian holy subjects will be in the spotlight — more than 140 of them — as Mona dives into spiritual and aesthetic traditions covering centuries, what drives human behaviour and our motivations as earthbound beings. "Visitors certainly need not be religious believers to enjoy the sheer beauty and emotional power of these artworks. While painting an icon may begin from an act of piety, the resulting object also lives as a work of art far beyond its original purpose," explains Mona curator Jane Clark. "We can look at the icon as a 'window into heaven', as believers believe, but also as a looking glass, through which we may glimpse the deeper purposes — deeper than awe and transcendence, than culture or a higher power — that are served by human creativity." [caption id="attachment_908036" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Proskynetarion or Pilgrim's Memento of the Holy Sepulchre within the City of Jerusalem. Palestine, c. 1795. Collection Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Hobart.[/caption] With Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Mona will also become a temporary home to French artist Jean-Luc Moulène's debut Australian exhibition. Four newly commissioned sculptural objects will feature, alongside some of Moulène's earlier works. So, get ready for new pieces using wax, metal, Triassic sandstone and timber from Tasmanian underwater forests, plus piles of coloured cans and large-scale video projections. "Jean-Luc Moulène has been described as mercurial, experimental, erudite and poetic. His ideas evolve through a deep and considered engagement with material, form, and process. The resulting objects are at once mysteriously beautiful, and forthright about the means of their making," notes Mona curator Sarah Wallace. [caption id="attachment_908034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo Credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image Courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Completing this trilogy — Mona's second in a row, after opening three showcases simultaneously in 2022, too — is Hrafntinna (Obsidian). Thanks to Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi, attendees will get a volcano experience inspired by Fagradalsfjall in Iceland, which erupted in 2021 after almost eight centuries of being dormant. This immersive and sensory installation is designed to make visitors feel like they're entering a lava-spewing rupture's depths, using music, sound, smell and almost total darkness. Nearly 200 speakers will vibrate, while a hymn-style composition that takes its cues from Icelandic choral music will play. "Jónsi was compelled by the thought of experiencing this incredibly rare event. He wanted to recreate the phenomenon and capture the essence of what it might feel like to be deep inside the volcano, despite the obstacles of distance and logistics," says Wallace. [caption id="attachment_908031" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hrafntinna (Obsidian), 2021, Jónsi. Installation view, Obsidian, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, 2021. Photo by Pierre Le Hors. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles.[/caption] Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World and Hrafntinna (Obsidian) will all display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Hobart, Tasmania, from Saturday, September 30, 2023–Monday, April 1, 2024. Top image: Hrafntinna (Obsidian), 2021, Jónsi. Installation view, Obsidian, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, 2021. Photo by Pierre Le Hors. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The crew at Beyond Cinema are at again, bringing yet another of their immersive, movie-themed experiences to both Sydney and Melbourne. In the same vein as previous hits like that Mad Hatter-esque Botanic Gardens tea party and last year's Moulin Rouge! cabaret-style sing-along, it's set to be an indulgent, multi-sensory affair — this time dedicated to the Hugh Jackman-led smash-hit musical The Greatest Showman. While we know the event's happening this July at a couple of secret Sydney and Melbourne locations, most other details are been kept under wraps for now, in true Beyond Cinema form. But if past events are anything to go by, you can bank on a wildly imaginative evening, that blurs the lines between cinema and reality while giving those vocal chords a serious workout. This one promises to have you singing along to all the films award-winning hits, while witnessing impressive moves from acrobats, aerialists and more — just like PT Barnum would've orchestrated in the late 1800s. Circus-inspired dress-ups are, of course, encouraged, so you'd best start rewatching the flick for some costume ideas and song practice. [caption id="attachment_711479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beyond Cinema's Great Gatsby event.[/caption] Beyond Cinema's The Greatest Showman event will at a yet-to-be-revealed Sydney location on Saturday, July 13 and Melbourne spot on Saturday, July 27. You can sign up for more details at here.
Having recently returned from a spot of European travel-on-a-shoestring, I think I can hyperbolically decree that the Sleepbox may well be one of the greatest things I have ever seen. Sleepbox, designed by the Arch Group, does essentially what it says on the tin: it's a pod wide enough for a bed and a drop-down desk. This means that the days of sleeping on rows of metal chairs while clutching your belongings for dear life or sitting slumped over coffee-flavoured hot water in an airport food court may well be behind us. The first Sleepbox has recently been installed in Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, and can be rented out from half an hour to many hours. Kitted out with an LED reading light, WiFi and electrical outlets for you to charge your phone or get your ironing done or whatever it is you need to do, the pods also come with a mechanism which automatically changes the linen once each guest checks out. Which means there is less chance you will have to come into close contact with the bodily odours of others before you have to sit wedged beside them for fourteen hours in a flying tin can. Arch Group is proposing Sleepbox as a contemporary staple of urban life, with plans to set them up in other airports, railway stations. large shopping spaces, and even on the streets in warm climates. Genius. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3qxnqy37KPc [Via PSFK]
"We all deserve better". "Change never comes easy." "Blessed be the squad." If the latter quote didn't already give it away, they're all lines that are uttered in the first trailer for the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale. And, as usually proves the case with the show's dialogue, they all feel like they could be said today, in reality, in everyday life. Using a deeply dystopian scenario to reflect the modern world has always been one of the acclaimed, award-winning series' strengths. It was true of Margaret Atwood's 1985 book that started it all, too. So, with the TV adaptation of the acclaimed novel now reaching its fourth season, it's no wonder that it's continuing what it has always done best — and that the first glimpse of the new season feels even more timely at present. First, some bad news, though: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Handmaid's Tale won't return to our screens in 2020. Instead, viewers will have to wait until a yet-to-be-revealed date in 2021 to find out what happens next in Gilead (no, not the masterplanned Sydney community with the same name), and what the future has in store for the show's protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss) after season three's cliffhanger ending. The good news, of course, is that this tale of rebellion and revolution isn't anywhere near done yet. Toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality doesn't happen quickly, after all. The first sneak peek of the ten-episode fourth season doesn't reveal too much; however fans should prepare for not just an uprising, but a war — and for the return of Bradley Whitford's Commander Joseph Lawrence and Ann Dowd's Aunt Lydia, too. Check out the teaser trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WLqBUi4r6o The fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit screens sometime in 2021 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced.
Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens are set to score an injection of colour this spring, with the arrival of this year's winning MPavilion design. Announced today, a vibrant canopied structure driven by celebrated architect Rachaporn Choochuey has been chosen as the annual commission's 2022 winner. The design by Bangkok-based architecture and design practice all(zone) marks the ninth MPavilion in the series, which sees a new temporary structure erected in the inner-city garden each November. The MPavilion also plays host to a program of workshops, talks and performances across the following months. Set to be unveiled on Thursday, November 17, this year's vibrant work was designed as a celebration of outdoor living, in response to pandemic lockdowns. "We visualised rays of light flickering through layers of leaves that give a very relaxing ambiance — like being under a big tree," Choochuey explained of the orange design. "We wanted MPavilion to be a place where people could meet, enjoy and live in the moment freely." The innovative design will be constructed with layers of coloured nets and architectural fabrics that feature a waterproof membrane often used in stadiums. Never before used in Australia, this cutting-edge membrane layer has the transparency of glass but is 10 times lighter, creating a weatherproof area with minimal impact on the environment. "In a world where we increasingly encounter a shortage of resources and ever-changing social conditions, the lifespan of architecture in relation to its materiality should be reinvestigated," said Choochuey. MPavilion 2022 will remain at Queen Victoria Gardens to host a season of events, before being relocated to a permanent home elsewhere in Melbourne. Previous MPavilion designs have included works by Glenn Murcutt AO, Spanish architect Carme Pinós, Venice's MAP Studio and more. MPavilion 2022 will be open to the public from November 17 inside Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens. For more info, visit the website.
With Brisbane recording the first local Australian case of the new, more contagious B117 variant of COVID-19, Australia's internal borders have become a hot topic yet again — because that wasn't just a 2020 trend. Since the new case initially came to light on Thursday, January 7, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared the Greater Brisbane region a national hotspot, and a number of states have changed their border arrangements. As of late last night, on Friday, January 8, that includes Victoria, with the state closing its borders to all of Greater Brisbane. Victoria has declared the five local government areas currently under a three-day lockdown in Queensland — the Brisbane, Redland, Ipswich, Moreton and Logan local government areas — as red zones, effective at 11.59pm on Friday, January 8. This means folks from these areas are "cannot travel to Victoria unless an exemption applies", with exemptions "only granted in limited circumstances". The red zone declaration may have only come into effect overnight, but it covers anyone who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since Saturday, January 2. Accordingly, anyone who has visited the region in the past week and since left still won't be allowed entry into Victoria. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1347517728307830789 As previously announced yesterday, Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services also advises that anyone who has already arrived in Victoria from Greater Brisbane since January 2 needs to get tested immediately — even if you don't have any symptoms — and remain at home or wherever you're staying until 6pm on Monday, January 11. You'll be under stay-at-home conditions, as if you were still in Greater Brisbane. A further assessment about the situation in Victoria will be made on January 11. As for how long the border ban on folks from Greater Brisbane will be in place, an end date hasn't been given. Victoria's borders are also closed to New South Wales, in response to the latter state's northern beaches cluster. As at Friday, January 8, Victoria has 39 active cases of COVID-19. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services coronavirus website.
It's not news that LAX is a hell hole to travel through. The long lines, endless delays and insane amount of swarming people can easily do your head in. That is, unless, you have $7500 to spare. As of May 15, VIP travellers at LAX now have access to an exclusive new terminal — The Private Suite makes the flying process laughably easy, offering luxury waiting suites, a dedicated TSA security line and even transport onto the tarmac in a BMW 7-Series sedan. On airport arrival, travellers are assigned a dedicated eight-person team to escort them to their personal suite, which includes a fully stocked bar and food pantry, two-person daybed, flatscreen TV, private bathroom and views of the airport runways. This team includes two personal assistants, one security personnel and one whom you never meet but handles all of your luggage. The entire process is reversed when members arrive into LAX, so you're covered either way. According to The Private Suite, it typically takes 2200 footsteps from car to plane, but, for members, they're cutting that number to a cool 70 steps total. While this service is the first of its kind in the States, similar VIP terminals exist at London's Heathrow, Munich and Dubai airports. It's clear each of these services is catering to dramatically affluent humans and, especially in LAX, the Hollywood 'elite' specifically. According to the website, "Members don't walk down long crowded concourses, or line up at ticket counters and boarding gates. They don't deal with baggage. And they don't deal with paparazzi." All this obviously sounds fantastic, but it comes at a serious price — the cost for The Private Suite during trial period is $3500 for domestic and $4000 for international, on top of your flight. The price does cover an entourage of three passengers, though, and they also offer slightly cheaper shared lounge services for $2000–$2500. On top of these charges, membership to the program costs an additional $7500 per year, but does get you in at a bit of a cheaper price point per flight. Membership will also get you the crème de la crème treatment, including complimentary in-suite massage, hair, make-up and nail services. Importantly, photography, video, and audio recordings are strictly prohibited in The Private Suite. What happens in The Private Suite, stays in The Private Suite. Images: The Private Suite.
If you've ever spent hours falling down the wildlife and nature video rabbit hole online late at night, this one's for you. National Geographic's Symphony For Our World will combine the best of the footage from the organisation's 130-year archives with a live orchestral performance, synchronising the triumphant moments of both music and nature under one spectacle. And, that soundtrack will feature a Hans Zimmer-flavoured score and feature a live choir as well. The natural history footage will be drawn from years of past images, drawing from Nat Geo's shots from all over the world. The accompanying symphony will be created by Bleeding Fingers Music, featuring the work of composers such as the legendary Hans Zimmer, as well as Austin Fray and Andrew Christie. Just like the recent Planet Earth II Live in Concert, Zimmer's score especially will make you feel things you didn't know you could about animals you'll never meet. A five-part composition that'll tour Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, Symphony For Our World will take the audience on a journey from the sea, along the coastlines, across the land, through the mountains and then finally into the sky, with differing orchestral movements for each world environment. It's the story of our planet, but brought to life in a different way — so why not get out of the house and off YouTube and go see some fully immersive nature. SYMPHONY FOR OUR WORLD TOUR DATES Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane – Sunday, August 26 ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney – Friday, August 31 Hamer Hall, Arts Centre, Melbourne – Sunday, September 2 Symphony For Our World will tour Australia from August 26 to September 2. For more information and to buy tickets, visit natgeo-symphony.com.
Society has drilled it into our heads that it's unethical to capitalise on the youthful vitality of small, underprivileged children, but Soccket might make you see things differently. A small company called Unchartered Play has developed a soccer ball that doubles as a portable generator, providing both fun and power to those who play with it. The Soccket uses Unchartered Play's patent-pending technology to capture the kinetic energy generated by a game of soccer, storing it in the ball for later use as an off-grid power source. Powering an LED lamp requires 30 minutes of play. The immediate advantages are threefold: Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, one in five people around the globe are without power, and most kids think soccer is fun — particularly kids who have never heard of Angry Birds and who are often denied the opportunity to be kids due to more pressing issues such as survival. It is hoped to bring particular relief to developing countries reliant on kerosene lamps, which can lead to severe health problems and are responsible for huge amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. The ball is currently produced very labour intensively in North America, but Unchartered Play have launched a Kickstarter campaign to take things to the next level. $75,000 will help Unchartered Play (a team of just eight people) bring on board more employees, purchase more tools and equipment, automate parts of the assembly process, and up their output of Soccket Balls from a few hundred to thousands per week. They've almost reached half of their goal with 24 days to go. $1 is the minimum, but pledging $89 or more will get you one standard Soccket Ball and lamp if the campaign is successful. You've then got the option of keeping it for a sweet-as camping gadget or, you know, giving it up to a child in need. Via Inhabitat.com.
Have you ever had one of those weeks where you haven't really had the time to feed yourself properly? We see you and your 11pm mi goreng and raise you an 8am stale muesli bar from our car stash. Sometimes it's hard to be a fully functioning, cooking, pre-planning adult when you've got a lot on. You'll get to the weekend and find there's nothing in your cupboards and you've got a raging hunger that won't quit — so why not quell the fire with yum cha in Melbourne? Yum cha hits the sweet spot cuisine-wise. You can eat a bunch of different small Chinese dishes — which usually cruise straight up to your table on a trolley – and you can eat a hell of a lot. For those days when you're feeling like your hunger can never be truly sated, it might be a good call for you and your loosest pair of pants to check out the list of where to find the best yum cha in Melbourne. Each haunt puts its own twist on the beloved dining experience — but all serve up top-notch dumplings, pork buns and tea. Recommended reads: Where to Find the Best Dumplings in Melbourne The Best Hot Pot Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Set Menus Under $100 The Best Bottomless Brunches in Melbourne
In 2008, the famous DKNY mural disappeared. For sixteen years, its re-imagining of the New York City skyline towered over the intersection of Broadway and Houston Street, unofficially marking the entrance to SoHo. Now, the concept has undergone an international revival. In ten cities around the world, artists have come up with works inspired by the original. Retaining the DKNY logo as their framework, they have produced 21st century interpretations, involving sculpture, photography, projections and paint. So, not only New York, but also London, Paris, Milan, Dubai, Kuwait, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul, have become host to their own DKNY creations. According to the DKNYARTWORKS site, 'Each original work captures an artistic expression of the New York City skyline within the frame of the DKNY logo, bringing New York to the world.' Twin brothers, How & Nosm, whose iconic black, white and red murals appear in several major cities, have brought their intricate, graffiti-influenced style to an installation for New York. 'If you look at our artwork, you see an iconic face that keeps popping up in our paintings,' they explain in their DKNY interview. 'We've multiplied that face, so that it can represent all the faces of New York City.' Other artists include Amy Gartrell (New York), Roids (London), Maurizio Galimberti (Milan), Christophe Hamaide-Pierson (Paris), Sasan Nasernia (Dubai), Calvin Ho (Hong Kong), Nod Young (Shanghai), junk house (Seoul) and Yamaguchi Soichi (Tokyo). [Via PSFK]
For most Australians, the past few days have been unprecedented: not since 1952 has the country experienced the death of its official head of state. Whether your main relationship to Queen Elizabeth II is watching The Crown or seeing her face on Aussie coins and $5 notes — and whether you follow the royal family's move through the media or not at all — the monarch's passing has unsurprisingly monopolised the news. It's also now the reason for a new one-off public holiday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced today, Sunday, September 11, that Aussies will get a day off to commemorate the Queen. Mark Thursday, September 22, 2022 in your diary — that's being designated as the country's National Day of Mourning. On September 22 there will be a public holiday for the National Day of Mourning for Her Majesty The Queen. — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 10, 2022 "It will be a one-off national public holiday. That's to allow people to pay their respects for the passing of Queen Elizabeth," the Prime Minister said on the ABC's Insiders. "I spoke to all premiers and chief ministers yesterday and I'm writing to them formally this morning, they will have received their letters by now. They have all agreed that it's appropriate that it be a one-off national public holiday," Albanese continued. The Prime Minister has announced Thursday 22 September will be a public holiday for the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 11, 2022 The public holiday will come three days after the Queen's funeral, which will take place on Monday, September 19 Australian time. And, the new day off means that Victorians will get a four-day long weekend, given that Friday, September 23 is already a public holiday for the AFL grand final. Aussies in other states who do the Monday–Friday grind will still have to work on the Friday, however, unless you take annual leave. Thursday, September 22, 2022 is now a public holiday in Australia, for a National Day of Mourning for the Queen. Top image: Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s).
Ask any ski addict where the best resort is in Australia, and you'd best gear up for a fierce defence. "Mine's got the best terrain!" "Mine's got the best powder!" "Mine's got a goddamn day spa!" These spirited answers just go to show that, despite having an international reputation for sun and surf, we don't fare too poorly on the snow front either. In fact, the country just had a stellar start to the ski season and , in the middle of winter, all of the snowy bits of the Aussie Alps are actually bigger in surface area than Switzerland. Take that, Northern Hemisphere. So, now you know that Australia is actually a secret winter wonderland, where should you head for some frosty good times? We take a look at ten of the country's best resorts, helping you choose the one that suits you — whether you're looking for gnarly vertical drops or a massage and a glass of fine wine between runs. THREDBO, NSW If you're into extremes, then get yourself to Thredbo. Here, you'll find the longest run in Australia — the mighty, five-kilometre-long Crackenback Super Trail — as well as the country's highest lifted point, Karel's T-Bar, at 2037 metres. Then, for complete and utter terror, there's the super-steep Balls to the Wall pitch as well. Beginners are catered to, too, thanks to friendly Friday Flat, where many an Aussie has conquered his/her first snow plough. All in all, more than 50 runs weave their way across the resort. In between skiing and snowboarding, try snow-shoeing in back country, tobogganing in the Snow Play Park, eating at Australia's highest restaurant or apres-skiing in Thredbo Village, where you can sip champagne while star gazing in the Alpine Hotel's outdoor jacuzzi. The resort also has a heap of events going on all season, which you can check out here. Thredbo is about 490 kilometres or five-and-a-half hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 530 kilometres or six-and-a-half hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. PERISHER, NSW Reckon size matters? Make tracks to Perisher, the biggest ski destination in the Southern Hemisphere. It became so in 1995 when the four resorts within it — Perisher, Smiggins, Blue Cow and Guthega — joined forces. You get 1245 hectares, 47 lifts, seven mountains and five terrain parks to carve up on. One of the trickiest runs is Olympic, on Back Perisher Mountain, while, for newbies, Smiggins Holes makes falling over not-too-scary. If you're keen to take a break from down hill skiing, there are 100 kilometres of marked cross-country tracks to try. On-snow sleepovers abound, but Perisher also allows the affordability of a stay in Jindabyne (try this cabin). From there, drive to Bullocks Flat and catch the Ski Tube. Perisher is about 490 kilometres or six hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 600 kilometres or seven hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. CHARLOTTE PASS, NSW Charlotte Pass is the fine wine of ski fields. Just 50 hectares in size, with only five lifts, it doesn't attract the crowds and hype of Thredbo or Perisher. But, it does have the magical advantage of being the only snowbound resort in Australia. A car won't get you there; you have to catch an over-snow buggie from the Skitube. Thredbo might have the nation's highest chair lift, but Charlotte Pass isn't far behind — at 1765 metres at its lowest point and 1954 at its highest, it makes for rather reliable snowfall. The limited accessibility is definitely an excellent excuse to stay on-snow in the irresistibly cute Charlotte Pass Village. Charlotte Pass is about 500 kilometres or six hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 620 kilometres or seven-and-a-half hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. SELWYN, NSW For affordability, Selwyn is hard to beat. Here, $599 buys you a pass for the entire season. That said, Selwyn doesn't offer the excitement of Thredbo or the scale of Perisher. Like Charlotte Pass, it's on the compact side, with just ten kilometres of runs in total. However, it's closer to sea level, the lowest point being 1492 metres and the highest 1614 metres, which makes the season shorter. If you're new to skiing or boarding, though, and are looking to develop your skills, Selwyn's a top choice. Overall, the terrain is pretty gentle and you won't have to worry about aggressive types cutting you off while you're bravely snow-ploughing your way along screaming internally with your eyes firmly closed. Selwyn is about 500 kilometres or five-and-a-half-hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 540 kilometres or six hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. MOUNT HOTHAM AND DINNER PLAIN, VIC Another spot that'll have you towering above mere, grass-bound mortals is Hotham, the highest resort in Victoria. Like Thredbo, it comes with spectacular vistas and, on good days, promises bucketloads of powder. If you're keen to take a break from doing all the work yourself, casually join a dog sled ride, which involves a bunch of huskies whooshing you across the snow, or book a snow mobile journey in back country. In between conquering the mountain, you can slip into an on-snow day spa or grab a gluhwein (a traditional Austrian beverage with red wine, cinnamon, oranges and cloves) in your pick of 20 bars and restaurants. There are a bunch of hotels, lodges and chalets on Mount Hotham; alternatively, hob nob at Dinner Plain, a village ten kilometres away that specialises in luxury stays, pretty snow gums and an outdoor onsen. Mount Hotham is about 700 kilometres or eight hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 380 kilometres or four-and-a-half hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_628046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Railton[/caption] MOUNT BULLER, VIC Mount Buller is only three hours from Melbourne, so you can ski it as part of a day trip if you don't mind an early start. It's also got more lifts than any other Victorian resort, with 22 lifts across 300 hectares. Pro skiers should head to the south side of the mountain, where they'll find plenty of black (read: difficult and scary) runs, while intermediates will be happier on the northern side, scooting down blue runs. If you've never even so much looked at a pair of skis before, grab a Discovery Pass, which includes a lesson and access to eight beginner's lifts. You can do husky rides here, too. Off-snow, you can take five in Australia's highest day spa, go rock climbing and hop between 30 bars and restaurants. Not keen to drive back to Melbourne? There are 7000 beds in Mount Buller Village. Mount Buller is about 800 kilometres or eight hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 230 kilometres or three-and-a-half hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. FALLS CREEK, VIC Falls Creek might be a third of the size of Perisher, but it's still the largest ski resort in Victoria. 450 hectares give you 15 lifts and more than 90 runs. The terrain is less dramatic than at other spots, which means that a whopping 80 percent of it suits beginner and intermediate skiers. And, in between downhill escapades, you can investigate 65 kilometres of cross-country trails. If you're around at the end of August, check out the Kangaroo Hoppet, a marathon 42-kilometre-long ski race which happens to be the Southern Hemisphere's biggest snow sport event. Falls Creek is about 670 kilometres or seven hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 380 kilometres or four-and-a-half hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. LAKE MOUNTAIN, VIC If your main objective is to get to snow — any kind of snow — as quickly as possible, then head for Lake Mountain. It's just two hours' drive from Melbourne, so it's an even easier day trip than Mount Buller. However, the terrain is for cross-country skiing only, which means no downhill thrills. The adventure here is more about strapping on a pair of cross-country skis or, if you'd prefer to walk, snow shoes, and having a bit of an explore of the 37 kilometres of trails. There's also a park dedicated to snow people and a flying fox that bears you through the air for 240 metres. Lake Mountain is about 840 kilometres or nine hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 120 kilometres or two hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. MOUNT BAW BAW, VIC Mount Baw Baw is officially the closest downhill ski resort to Melbourne, being just two-and-a-half hours' drive away. It's not as vertical as Mount Buller, but less flat than Lake Mountain. Plus, like Charlotte Pass and Selwyn, it's little, offering just ten kilometres of runs. So, it's another sweet spot for beginners, especially nervy ones. When you're ready to take a break, go careering around back country in a sled led by huskies, experiment with snow shoeing or swing by stunning Red Rock Spa, surrounded by giant-sized granite boulders and snow gums. Mount Baw Baw is about 900 kilometres or ten-and-a-half-hours' drive southwest of Sydney and about 180 kilometres or two-and-a-half hours' drive northeast of Melbourne. BEN LOMOND, TAS Despite being our southernmost and therefore coldest state, Tassie isn't well-known as a skiing destination. There's no shortage of snow though, and the resorts are small, laid back and friendly. Plus, if you go in June, you can combine your skiing with a moment or two at Dark Mofo. The best-known resort is Ben Lomond, on Tassie's second highest peak, and getting there is an adventure in itself: it's at the end of a long, narrow road that twists and turns its way up the mountainside. The scenery is epic, but just don't expect fancy facilities, as at Australia's major resorts — things are kept pretty simple and rustic here. Ben Lamond is about 220 kilometres or three hours' drive north of Hobart.
Winter might be long, but it has its advantages — from beers by the fireside to dog sledding and snowshoeing. Then there are the whales. Between May and October, thousands of the mighty beasts swim north from the Antarctic to warmer waters to have babies. And, if you're anywhere on the Australian East Coast, you're likely to see them. But if you're on Phillip Island, you'll get even better views. To celebrate this fact, the island hosts an annual whale festival. For three happy days from Friday, July 11–Sunday, July 13, you can escape the city to gaze at humpbacks while soaking up films, talks, art and live music. This year, the heart of the event is the Festival Hub, where you can go on a scavenger hunt through interactive installations, explore underwater via virtual reality, hear from whale researchers, and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of a marine world. Beyond the hub, there'll be a pop-up art show at Clay & Co Studio, a creative arts station at Phillip Island Gallery (from where you can set off on an artists' trail), the 2025 Ocean Film Festival at Berninneit Theatre and, of course, plenty of chances to go whale watching — on land and at sea. Images: Island Whales
Been swooning over Ryan Gosling's crooning? Taken a fancy to Emma Stone's fine footsteps? Felt like La La Land's bittersweet, Los Angeles-set antics were shining just for you? Damien Chazelle's big screen musical has been winning over audiences, critics and awards bodies alike, including taking home seven Golden Globes and being tipped to fare quite well at the Oscars — and once it's done with dominating the movie world, it might just be making its way to the stage. Feels fitting, really. So far, the concept is just that; however it's one that Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, the company behind the hit flick, is looking into. Speaking to investors, co-president Erik Feig said that "if we want to do a stage show, we can do a stage show." Lionsgate has certainly been forging ahead with taking its other films to non-cinema realms; a live Step Up stage show is playing in Dubai, while The Hunger Games has spawned a popular touring exhibition, which is currently on display in Sydney. If La La Land does make the leap from the screen to the stage — with live tunes and routines, obviously, but surely without its high-profile movie stars — the musical will be in considerable company. The list of films turned theatre productions just keeps growing, with Amélie, Moulin Rouge!, The Bodyguard, Groundhog Day, Matilda, Singin' in the Rain, Heathers and Carrie all also receiving the singing, dancing theatre treatment in recent years. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
In this very galaxy, probably just a few short months away, lasers will fire up, wars will be waged, and Sydney and Melbourne's biggest Star Wars buffs will show up in force. They'll also try to use the force, obviously, at the latest pop culture-themed party heading our way. A series of wizarding brunches have been making their way around the country, and a Game of Thrones-style medieval banquet is already on Sydney's agenda — and now comes Battle Wars. If getting a new Star Wars movie every year isn't delivering enough intergalactic space opera fun for your liking, then prepare to get a very good feeling about gathering for a real-life lightsaber tournament. Or lightsaber-like weapon, more likely — but arguing about semantics would be a real C-3PO move. At yet-to-be-revealed dates and venues, groups of up to 12 people at a time will unleash their inner jedi (or rebel, or sith), with 32 groups in total competing in a knockout-style contest in each city. While everyone yells lines about being Luke Skywalker's father (we're guessing) and vies for an undisclosed grand prize, Star Wars-inspired music will play, and there'll also be 'immersive entertainment'. That sounds an awful lot like folks dressing up as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kylo Ren, Princess Leia, Rey, Darth Maul and more to us, but let's face it — if you're going along, you'll be doing that anyway. Unsurprisingly, it's a completely unofficial event, so don't expect any actual stars, tie-ins or merchandise. You can probably expect some ironic Star Wars Kid-esque moves, though — or George Michael Bluth-style antics, if you prefer. For more information — and to sign up to hear about Melbourne and Sydney dates and venues — visit thebattlewars.com.
What makes for the perfect T-shirt? Style? Feel? Price? Organic cotton? Ethical manufacturing? Sydney-based label PERSON is promising to deliver on every front, after getting their Kickstarter campaign over the line with two days to go. Having spent 15 years designing, measuring, snipping and stitching as tailors and couture experts, the PERSON team decided that it was time for a tree-change. They wanted to go organic. But scary price tags and scarecrow-ish apparel proved unenticing. So they put their scissors together and came up with the 'perfect Tee'. It's a 100 percent high-quality organic T-shirt that's made to designer standards but will be sold at wholesale prices — from $55 a pop. Planning to set themselves up not only as creators and manufacturers but distributors too, the PERSON crew will supply their products to shoppers directly, eliminating the expenses associated with the middleman. They're using globally certified organic Prima cotton, which is super-soft and is made via environmentally-sustainable methods. Plus, every T-shirt will be produced in Sydney, meaning that a close eye can be kept on quality control. Four designs for men and six for women are currently in the portfolio, offering a range of sleeve-lengths and neck-styles (from V to scoop), and an array of colours. A $10 pledge buys four limited edition PERSON postcards, $30 earns a pair of organic pillow cases and $55 means one perfect Tee.
More so than any other in recent memory, this summer is going to be all about socialising. And, whether you've got a special occasion to celebrate or looking for places to have those overdue catch-ups, you can't beat a private dining room if you want to go all out. We've teamed up with Hennessy to highlight six impressive private rooms in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for your next baller night (or day) out. Round up your crew, get the Henny flowing and your night is set.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures will do that, and so will plenty of people staying home because they aren't well — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Perhaps you've been under the weather. Given the hefty amount of titles now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 13 that you can watch right now at home. Civil War Civil War is not a relaxing film, either for its characters or viewers, but writer/director Alex Garland (Men) does give Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog) a moment to lie down among the flowers. She isn't alone among this stunning movie's stars on her stomach on a property filled with Christmas decorations en route from New York to Washington DC. Also, with shots being fired back and forth, no one is in de-stressing mode. For viewers of Dunst's collaborations with Sofia Coppola, however — a filmmaker that her Civil War co-star Cailee Spaeny just played Priscilla Presley for in Priscilla — the sight of her face beside grass and blooms was always going to recall The Virgin Suicides. Twenty-five years have now passed since that feature, which Garland nods to as a handy piece of intertextual shorthand. As the camera's focus shifts between nature and people, there's not even a tiny instant of bliss among this sorrow, nor will there ever be, as there was the last time that Dunst was framed in a comparable fashion. Instead, Civil War tasks its lead with stepping into the shoes of a seasoned war photographer in the middle of the violent US schism that gives the movie its name (and, with January 6, 2021 so fresh in everyone's memories, into events that could very well be happening in a version of right now). The US President (Nick Offerman, Origin) is into his third term after refusing to leave office, and the fallout is both polarising and immense. Think: bombed cities, suicide attackers, death squads, torture, lynchings, ambushes, snipers, shuttering the FBI, California and Texas inexplicably forming an alliance to fight back, Florida making its own faction, journalists killed on sight, refugee camps, deserted highways, checkpoints, resistance fighters, mass graves and, amid the rampant anarchy, existence as America currently knows it clearly obliterated. (Asking "what kind of American are you?" barely seems a stretch, though.) The front line is in Charlottesville, but Dunst's Lee Smith is destined for the White House with Reuters reporter Joel (Wagner Moura, Mr & Mrs Smith), where they're hoping to evade the lethal anti-media sentiment to secure an interview with the leader who has torn the country apart. Civil War streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Monkey Man Dev Patel means business in Monkey Man, both on- and off-screen. Starring in the ferocious vengeance-dripping action-thriller, he plays Kid, a man on a mission to punish the powers that be in Yatana (a fictional Indian city inspired by Mumbai) for their injustices, and specifically for the death of his mother Neela (Adithi Kalkunte, who Patel worked with on Hotel Mumbai) when he was a boy. As the film's director, producer and co-writer, he isn't holding back either, especially in adding something to his resume that no other project has offered in his almost two decades as an actor since Skins marked his on-camera debut. Dev Patel: action star has an excellent ring to it. So does Dev Patel: action filmmaker. Both labels don't merely sound great with Monkey Man; this is a frenetic and thrilling flick, and also a layered one that marries its expertly choreographed carnage with a statement. In the post-John Wick action-movie realm, it might seem as if every actor is doing features about formidable lone forces taking on their enemies. Patel initially began working on Monkey Man over ten years ago, which is when Keanu Reeves (The Matrix Resurrections) first went avenging, but his film still acknowledges what its viewers will almost-inevitably ponder by giving John Wick a shoutout. Thinking about the Charlize Theron (Fast X)-led Atomic Blonde and Bob Odenkirk (The Bear)-starring Nobody is understandable while watching, too — but it's The Raid and Oldboy, plus the decades of Asian action onslaughts and revenge-filled Korean efforts around them, that should stick firmest in everyone's mind. All directors are product of their influences; however, Patel achieves the rare feat of openly adoring his inspirations while filtering them through his exact vision to fashion a picture that's always 100-percent his own (and 100-percent excellent). Monkey Man streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Dev Patel. Love Lies Bleeding In Love Lies Bleeding, a craggy ravine just outside a dusty New Mexico town beckons, ready to swallow sordid secrets in the dark of the desert's starry night. Tumbling into it, a car explodes in flames partway through the movie, exactly as the person pushing it in wants it to. There's the experience of watching Rose Glass' sophomore film emblazoned across the feature's very frames. After the expertly unsettling Saint Maud, the British writer/director returns with a second psychological horror, this time starring Kristen Stewart in the latest of her exceptionally chosen post-Twilight roles (see: Crimes of the Future, Spencer, Happiest Season, Lizzie, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Clouds of Sils Maria). An 80s-set queer and sensual tale of love, lust, blood and violence, Love Lies Bleeding is as inkily alluring as the gorge that's pivotal to its plot, and as fiery as the inferno that swells from the canyon's depths. This neon-lit, synth-scored neo-noir thriller scorches, too — and burns so brightly that there's no escaping its glow. When the words "you have to see it to believe it" also grace Love Lies Bleeding — diving into gyms and in the bodybuilding world, it's no stranger to motivational statements such as "no pain no gain", "destiny is a decision" and "the body achieves what the mind believes" — they help sum up this wild cinematic ride as well. Glass co-scripts here with Weronika Tofilska (they each previously penned and helmed segments of 2015's A Moment in Horror), but her features feel like the result of specific, singular and searing visions that aren't afraid to swerve and veer boldly and committedly to weave their stories and leave an imprint. Accordingly, Love Lies Bleeding is indeed a romance, a crime flick and a revenge quest. It's about lovers on the run (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Katy O'Brian pairs with Stewart) and intergenerational griminess. It rages against the machine. It's erotic, a road trip and unashamedly pulpy. It also takes the concept of strong female leads to a place that nothing else has, and you do need to witness it to fathom it. Love Lies Bleeding streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Rose Glass. Late Night with the Devil If David Dastmalchian ever tires of acting, which will hopefully never happen, he'd make an entrancing late-night television host. He even has the audition tape for it: Late Night with the Devil. Of course, the star who earned his first movie credit on The Dark Knight, and has stood out in Blade Runner 2049, The Suicide Squad, Dune and the third season of Twin Peaks — plus Boston Strangler, The Boogeyman, Oppenheimer and Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter all in 2023 alone, alongside Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — might be hoping for a less eerie and unsettling gig IRL. Dastmalchian is a fan of horror anchors, writing an article for Fangoria about them. Here, putting in a helluva can't-look-away performance, he plays one. That said, the namesake of Night Owls with Jack Delroy isn't meant to fit the mould so unnervingly, nor is the series that he's on. Delroy is a Johnny Carson rival — and, because Australian filmmakers Cameron and Colin Cairnes (100 Bloody Acres, Scare Campaign) write and direct Late Night with the Devil, he's also a Don Lane-type talent — who isn't afraid of embracing the supernatural on his live talk show. On Halloween in 1977, airing his usual special episode for the occasion, he decides to attempt to arrest the flagging ratings of what was once a smash by booking four attention-grabbing guests. What occurs when Delroy, who is grieving the loss of his actor wife Madeleine Piper (Georgina Haig, NCIS Sydney) a year earlier, shares the stage with not only a famous skeptic and a psychic, but also with a parapsychologist and a girl who is reportedly possessed? That might sound like the setup for a joke, but it's this new Aussie horror gem's captivating premise. Late Night with the Devil streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Colin and Cameron Cairnes. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Godzilla is finally an Oscar-winner. It's about time. But the septuagenarian reptile didn't score Hollywood's top trophy for curling up in the Colosseum for a snooze, rocking electric-pink spikes, thundering into Hollow Earth — the world literally within our world where titans spring from — and teaming up with King Kong to take on a rival giant ape that rides an ice-breathing kaiju and uses a skeletal spine as a rope. Japan's exceptional Godzilla Minus One, which took home 2024's Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, wasn't that kind of monster movie. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which hails from the American-made Monsterverse, definitely is. Arriving shortly after one of its titular figures received such a coveted filmmaking accolade (and also after the US franchise's ace streaming series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters), this sequel to 2021's Godzilla vs Kong is patently from the goofily entertaining rather than deeply meaningful brand of Godzilla flicks. Yes, there's room for both. It might seem a hard job to follow up one of the best-ever takes on the nuclear-powered creature with an action-adventure-fantasy monster mash that also features a Hawaiian shirt-wearing veterinarian (Dan Stevens, Welcome to Chippendale) dropping in via helicopter to do dental work on King Kong, the return of the Monsterverse's resident conspiracy-theorist podcaster (Brian Tyree Henry, Atlanta), a complicated mother-daughter dynamic (via Rebecca Hall, Resurrection, and Kaylee Hottle, Magnum PI) and a mini Kong called Suko — plus, in its very first minutes, several other animals being ripped apart by Godzilla and Kong. When he took on the gig of helming pictures in this franchise, however, You're Next, The Guest, Blair Witch and Death Note filmmaker Adam Wingard chose fun chaos. His two entries so far aren't dreaming of competing for thoughtfulness with the movies coming out of the country that created Godzilla. Rather, they're made with affection for that entire legacy, and also Kong's, which dates back even further to 1933. Getting audiences relishing the spectacle of this saga is the clear aim, then — and Wingard's attempts put exactly that in their sights above all else. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Brian Tyree Henry, Kaylee Hottle and Adam Wingard. Abigail Abigail, aka the tween vampire ballerina film that unveiled that premise in its trailer, is still an entertaining time irrespective of your starting knowledge, thankfully. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's fifth full-length directorial effort — and their first after bringing back Ghostface in 2022's Scream and 2023's Scream VI — begins as a blend of a heist affair, horror mansion movie and whodunnit. It kicks off with a kidnapping skilfully pulled off by a motley crew (is there any other type?), then with holing up in the mastermind's sprawling and eerie safe house with their 12-year-old captive, then with fingers being pointed and their charge toying with them. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are slick with their opening, from breaking into a well-secured estate to avoiding surveillance cameras while speeding through the streets afterwards. They're playful, too, when corralling everyone in their next location — a setup that they've turned into an ace horror watch before in 2019's Ready or Not — and letting suspicions run wild. The six abductors here, as given nicknames Reservoir Dogs-style but with a Rat Pack spin, and told not to divulge their true identities or histories to each other: Joey (Melissa Barrera, Carmen), a recovering addict with medical skills; Frank (Dan Stevens, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire), who has a background in law enforcement; Rickles (William Catlett, Constellation), an ex-marine; Sammy (Kathryn Newton, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), the resident hacker; Peter (Kevin Durand, Pantheon), the dim-witted muscle; and Dean (Angus Cloud, Euphoria), the stoner wheelman. The middleman for their employer: the no-nonsense Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito, The Gentlemen). And the girl: Abigail (Alisha Weir, Wicked Little Letters), of course, who is the daughter of someone obscenely rich and powerful. She's just finished dance rehearsals, is still in her tutu, and proves the picture of scared and unsettled when she's snatched from her bedroom, drugged and blindfolded — until she isn't. Abigail streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Wicked Little Letters Whether it's via a post or tweet or message, in a comment or status update, thanks to a Notes app screenshot or in an email, mean words aren't hard to share two decades into the 21st century. Click a few buttons, slide your finger across a touchscreen, then vitriol can be directed virtually instantaneously worldwide. Countless people — too many, all sticklers for unpleasantness — do just that. Such behaviour has almost become a reflex. A century ago, however, spewing nastiness by text required far more effort. Someone had to put ink to paper, commit their hatred to physical form in their own handwriting, tuck it into an envelope, pay for postage, then await the mail service to deliver their malice. Wicked Little Letters isn't an ode to that dedication, but there's no avoiding that sending offensive missives in its 1920s setting was a concerted, determined act — and also that no one could claim just seconds later that they were hacked. Times change, and technology with it, but people don't: that's another way of looking at this British dramedy, which is indeed based on a true tale. Director Thea Sharrock (The One and Only Ivan) and screenwriter Jonny Sweet (Gap Year) know that there's a quaintness about the chapter of history that they're bringing to the screen, but not to the attitudes behind the incident. In Sussex by the sea on the English Channel, spiteful dispatches scandalised a town, with the situation dubbed "the Littlehampton libels". In Wicked Little Letters' account, Edith (Olivia Colman, Wonka) keeps receiving notes that overuse vulgar terms, and the God-fearing spinster, who lives with her strict father (Timothy Spall, The Heist Before Christmas) and dutiful mother (Gemma Jones, Emily), is certain that she knows the source. Living next door, Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley, Fingernails) is an Irish single mother to Nancy (Alisha Weir, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical), has Bill (Malachi Kirby, My Name Is Leon) as her live-in boyfriend, and is fond of a drink at the pub and of sharing her opinion. The two neighbours are as chalk and cheese as women of the time could get, but were once friendly. When Edith blames Rose, the latter's pleas that she's innocent — and that she'd just tell the former her grievances to her face, not send them anonymously — fall on deaf ears among most of the resident police. Wicked Little Letters streams via YouTube Movies. Read our full review. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person What if a vampire didn't want to feed on humans? When it happens in Interview with the Vampire, rats are the solution. In Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, Sasha (Sara Montpetit, White Dog) gets her sustenance from pouches of blood instead, but her family — father (Steve Laplante, The Nature of Love), mother (Sophie Cadieux, Chouchou), aunt (Marie Brassard, Viking) and cousin Denise (Noémie O'Farrell, District 31') — are increasingly concerned once more than half a century passes and she keeps avoiding biting necks. Sasha still looks like a goth teenager, yet she's 68, so her relatives believe that it's well past time for her to embrace an inescapable aspect of being a bloodsucker. What if she didn't have to, though? The potential solution in the delightful first feature by director Ariane Louis-Seize, who co-writes with Christine Doyon (Germain s'éteint), is right there in this 2023 Venice International Film Festival award-winner's title. With What We Do in the Shadows, both on the big and small screens, the idea that vamps are just like the living when it comes to sharing houses has gushed with laughs. Swap out flatmates for adolescence — including pesky parents trying to cramp a teen's style — and that's Louis-Seize's approach in this French-language Canadian effort. As much as Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person brings fellow undead fare to mind, however, and more beyond, the Québécois picture is an entrancing slurp of vampire and other genres on its own merits. There's an Only Lovers Left Alive-style yearning and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night-esque elegance to the film. Beetlejuice and The Hunger bubble up, too, as do Under the Skin, Ginger Snaps and The Craft as well. But comparable to how drinking from someone doesn't transform you into them — at least according to a century-plus of bloodsucking tales on the page, in cinemas and on TV — nodding at influences doesn't turn this coming-of-age horror-comedy into its predecessors. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person streams via iTunes. Read our full review. You'll Never Find Me When The Rocky Horror Picture Show starts with just-engaged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss knocking on a stranger's door on a dark and rainy night, with the pair hoping to find both shelter from the elements and assistance, no one could predict what awaits inside. There isn't much that connects the stage-to-screen cult musical-comedy hit from nearly 50 years back with expertly tense and atmospheric Australian horror film You'll Never Find Me, but that basic setup gets a spin — and a wild ride is again the end result. Also, if you're the type to take life tips from pop culture, a familiar piece of advice proves true once more. Even the most casual of filmgoers know that little that's good ever comes from an unexpected thump on someone's house, regardless of whether you're doing the banging or hearing it from the other side. Knock at the Cabin, Knock Knock, The Strangers: they all back this idea up, too, and the list goes on. In You'll Never Find Me — which Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen write, direct and produce as their first feature — the weather is indeed violently stormy and the evening is inescapably black when a young woman (Jordan Cowan, Krystal Klairvoyant) taps on the caravan that Patrick (Brendan Rock, The Stranger) calls home. They're both tentative, anxious and unsettled. She asks for help, he obliges, but suspicion lingers in the air as heavily as the sound of thunder and the wail of wind. The thick blanket of distrust doesn't fray as they talk, either, with the new arrival — named only The Visitor in the feature's credits — claiming that she fell asleep on the beach, hence her presence on her host's doorstep at 2am. But Patrick keeps finding holes in her story. She's also doubtful about his claims that he doesn't have a phone that she could use, public facilities are too far away for her to get to without him driving her to it and they'll need to wait until the rain subsides to depart. You'll Never Find Me streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire There's nothing strange in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, even with the spirits of sewer dragons, Slimer and pre-Sumerian demons all lurking about. There's nothing unusual about the movie's neighbourhood, either, with the supernatural comedy franchise revisiting New York after Ghostbusters: Afterlife's detour to Oklahoma. No surprises are found among the characters, mixing OG faces from 1984's Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel Ghostbusters II with cast members from the saga's last flick (and still sadly pretending that 2016's excellent female-led Ghostbusters didn't happen). But something unexpected does occur in this fifth film to ask "who ya gonna call?", this time directed by Gil Kenan (A Boy Called Christmas) with Jason Reitman (The Front Runner), Afterlife's helmer and the son of the first two films' Ivan Reitman (Draft Day), scripting: its love of nostalgia is as strong as in Afterlife; however, Frozen Empire is welcomely absent its immediate predecessor's needy force. That said, simply being better than Afterlife is a low hurdle to clear. It's also what Frozen Empire achieves and little more. Kenan ain't afraid of a by-the-numbers script that stitches together references to the franchise's past and as many characters as can be jam-packed in. Frozen Empire begins with Callie (Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age), her teen kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard, Stranger Things) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace, Crater), and their former science teacher Gary (Paul Rudd, Only Murders in the Building) all in Ecto-1, in hot pursuit of an otherworldly wraith in Manhattan — and the fact that Callie parents, Gary yearns to be seen as a parent and Trevor reminds everyone that he's 18 now sets the scene for their parts moving forward. So does Phoebe taking charge, but Kenan and Reitman only make half an effort to push her to the fore. When Phoebe links up with Dan Aykroyd's (Zombie Town) Ray Stantz, who now runs a store that buys possessed possessions, the Ghostbusters saga gets its best path forward so far with this cast. And yet, possibly scared of the ridiculous backlash to Kate McKinnon (Barbie), Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale), Melissa McCarthy (The Little Mermaid) and Leslie Jones (Our Flag Means Death) in jumpsuits almost a decade back, Frozen Empire largely pads itself out with filler to stop Phoebe always being the main point of focus. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Great Escaper Two British acting icons enjoy their last on-screen hurrah in The Great Escaper, which is reason enough to see the based-on-a-true-story drama about a World War II veteran making a run for it. At the age of 90, Michael Caine announced that playing 89-year-old Bernard Jordan would be his last role in a film career that dates back to 1950. Glenda Jackson only returned to acting in 2015, after decades in politics since the 90s, then passed away after lending her talents to Bernard's wife Irene. The film they're in doesn't always match their efforts, with William Ivory's (Isolation Stories) script happy to hit the obvious notes, and forcefully — and director Oliver Parker just as content to do the same, as he also was on Johnny English Reborn, Dad's Army and Swimming with Men. Still, as it tells a spirited tale, it unsurprisingly does so with far more weight beyond its formula — as real as its events are — with Caine (Best Sellers) and Jackson (Mothering Sunday) in the lead parts. Normally when a movie links to the Second World War and involves fleeing, it's a period-set flick, but not this one. Jordan's stint of absconding came in June 2014, when he took his leave from his East Sussex nursing home without informing anyone to travel to Normandy for the 70th-anniversary D-Day commemorations. That makes The Great Escaper a breaking-out adventure of a unique kind — and Caine and Jackson, the latter as the spouse following her absent husband's antics from afar, are an excellent pair who bring gravitas to their roles whether they're sharing the frame or their characters are in different countries. The flashbacks to their younger years (featuring The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's Will Fletcher and Bad Education's Laura Marcus) are less compelling. There's also little in the way of subtlety to the film's old-fashioned telling. But this story also proves affecting in pondering how war heroes are celebrated, then forgotten as they age, and also the human toll of every conflict long after it has been waged. The Great Escaper streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Baghead Sit in a chair. Embrace the otherworldly. Whether you're ready for it or not — physically and emotionally alike — bear witness to the dead being summoned. Speak to those who are no longer in the land of the living. Perhaps, while you're chatting, get caught in a dialogue with something nefarious as well. Talk to Me used this setup to audience-wowing and award-winning effect. Now comes Baghead, which stems from a short film that pre-dates 2023's big Australian-made horror hit, and was shot before Michael and Danny Philippou's A24-distributed flick played cinemas, but still brings it to mind instantly. Audiences can be haunted by what they've seen before, especially in a busy, ever-growing genre where almost everything is haunted anyway and few pictures feel genuinely new. Here, as first-time feature filmmaker Alberto Corredor adapts his own applauded short (which has nothing to do with the mumblecore effort starring Greta Gerwig before she was directing Lady Bird, Little Women and Barbie), there's no shaking how Talk to Me gnaws at Baghead. The director and screenwriters Christina Pamies (another debutant) and Bryce McGuire (Night Swim) make grief their theme, and with commitment; the pain of loss colours the movie as much as its shadowy imagery. But, despite boasting two dedicated performances, Corredor's Baghead is routine again and again. At The Queen's Head in Berlin, Owen Lark (Peter Mullan, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) oversees a ramshackle four-centuries-old pub where customers aren't there for the drinks. The basement is the big drawcard for those in the know, with the being that resides in it, in a hole in a brick wall, luring punters in the door. Everyone who arrives with cash and a plea for help is in mourning. When Neil (Jeremy Irvine, Benediction) makes an entrance, he knows exactly what he wants. Baghead begins not with Owen letting his latest patron meet the entity that shares the movie's title, though, but with him endeavouring to vanquish it. If he was successful, there'd be no film from there. Because he isn't, his estranged daughter Iris (Freya Allan, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) is summoned to the German city by a solicitor (Ned Dennehy, The Peripheral), becoming the watering hole's next owner. Baghead streams via YouTube Movies. Read our full review, and our interview with Freya Allan. Kung Fu Panda 4 What happens when you've scored your dream job, especially when getting everything that you've ever wanted has meant navigating a lengthy and challenging quest — and when you've always been an underdog (well, an underpanda to be precise)? So asks Kung Fu Panda 4, posing that question to Po (Jack Black, The Super Mario Bros Movie), the black-and-white mammal whose journey to becoming a martial-arts master has sat at the heart of this franchise since 2008. Po loves being the Dragon Warrior, even when 2011's Kung Fu Panda 2 and 2016's Kung Fu Panda 3 have thrown ups and downs his way. In the movie series' fourth big-screen entry, however, Shifu (Dustin Hoffman, Sam & Kate) advises that it's time to start thinking about his successor in the post, as Po should be moving up the ranks to take on the job of the Valley of Peace's Spiritual Leader. One big problem: the panda isn't thrilled. Another: he doesn't love any of the candidates. There's also The Chameleon (Viola Davis, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), a sorceress, to deal with — potentially with the help of thieving fox Zhen (Awkwafina, IF). Black's voice has always done plenty of heavy lifting in the Kung Fu Panda flicks, alongside the general concept — a panda as a kung fu whiz — and the slapstick silliness that comes to the screen with it. None of that changes in Kung Fu Panda 4, and no one involved appears to want it to. Also still a constant: the reliance upon well-known names lending their vocals to the movie's menagerie (Argylle's Bryan Cranston, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai's James Hong, John Wick: Chapter 4's Ian McShane and Dumb Money's Seth Rogen have been here before; Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan and Unfrosted's Ronny Chieng are among the newcomers). The visuals remain vivid, but the story is in a rush to ping pong to the next sight gag or excuse to get the film's cast bantering. As directed Mike Mitchell (The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) and Stephanie Stine (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power), the film bounces, leaps, kicks and rolls along merrily enough, though — just — for younger audiences. Kung Fu Panda 4 streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Looking for more viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February, March and April 2024 (and also January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2023, too). We keep a running list of must-stream TV from across 2024 as well, complete with full reviews. And, we've also rounded up 2023's 15 best films, 15 best straight-to-streaming movies, 15 top flicks hardly anyone saw, 30 other films to catch up with, 15 best new TV series of 2023, another 15 excellent new TV shows that you might've missed and 15 best returning shows.
Australia's theatre scene hasn't had much to smile about in 2020; however, when 2021 rolls around, some venues around the country will kick back into gear with a little help from their friends. Well, with Friends! The Musical Parody to be specific — with the comedic, song-filled satire of everyone's favourite 90s sitcom touring the country next year. Initially, the show was due to hit local theatres in August and September this year. Then, when the pandemic struck, the musical rescheduled to November and December instead. But it seems that 2020 hasn't been anyone's year — or included anyone's favourite day, week or month, for that matter — so the production has now shifted its entire run to 2021. Scheduled to kick off on the Gold Coast before being there for audiences in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, Friends! The Musical Parody will spend time with Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe, of course. Here, they're hanging out at their beloved Central Perk — and sitting on an orange couch, no doubt — when a runaway bride shakes up their day. Call it 'The One with the Loving, Laugh-Filled Lampoon', or 'The One That Both Makes Good-Natured Fun of and Celebrates an Iconic Sitcom'. Yes, no one told you that being obsessed with the Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer-starring show about six New Yorkers would turn out this way — with on-stage skits and gags, recreations of some of the series' best-known moments, and songs with titles such as 'How you Doin?' and 'We'll Always Be There For You'. That said, no one told us that being a Friends aficionado would continue to serve up so many chances to indulge our fandom 16 years after it finished airing, including via an upcoming reunion special that'll gather the TV series' main cast back together. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Friends! The Musical Parody (@friendsthemusicalau) FRIENDS! THE MUSICAL PARODY AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Gold Coast: Thursday, February 11–Saturday, February 13 at The Star Gold Coast Melbourne: Wednesday, June 16–Saturday, June 19 at the Comedy Theatre Brisbane: Thursday, Augustt 19–Saturday, August 21 at the Tivoli Theatre Parramatta: Thursday, September 2–Saturday, September 4 at Riverside Theatre Adelaide: Friday, September 24 at Her Majesty's Theatre Perth: Saturday, October 16 at Regal Theatre Friends! The Musical Parody tours the country from February–October 2021. For further details, and to buy tickets, visit the production's website.
