Alicia Taylor is one of Melbourne's most promising young photographers — you've probably seen her work splashed across your social feeds already. She learned the tricks of her trade at RMIT, where she studied design and photography, and combined her love of both in the career we all dream of: international photographer. Still, she's a Melburnian through and through, and knows the city's art and design scene as few can ever hope to. In partnership with Pullman Hotels and Resorts, we're helping you explore more on your next holiday and make sure you get those experiences that the area's most switched-on residents wouldn't want their visitors to miss. In Melbourne, we've called in Alicia, whose favourite spots range from the city's weirdest commercial art gallery to a restaurant whose impressive interior design is finished off with a four-metre brass compass. A stay in one of Pullman's two locations in Melbourne — Albert Park or On the Park in East Melbourne — will not only put you in the thick of all this action, it will let you contemplate all you've seen in five-star luxury at the end of the day. Read on for Alicia's perspective on Melbourne's art and design hot spots, and check out the rest of our Explore More content series to hone your itinerary for some of Australia's best holiday destinations. SOPHIE GANNON GALLERY The Sophie Gannon Gallery in Richmond is set away in an unassuming, single-level brick enclave, but housed within is the life's work of one of Australia's most ambitious art dealers, Sophie Gannon herself. Sophie came up from managing a handful of artists to handling some of Australia's finest — including my personal favourite, Emily Ferretti. Her gallery is also a showroom, as they so often are, and I love dropping by whenever I'm in the neighbourhood. There's no need to preplan; you can just trust that Sophie will have something beautiful adorning the walls. ACCA The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art is a great interactive contemporary art space located in Southbank. It's one of my favourite architectural spaces in Melbourne. You won't be able to miss it — in a sparse, industrial part of town, the ACCA building really draws attention to itself. It was completed in 1983 by Wood Marsh Architecture. The distinctive rusted steel facade of interpressed metal has since become a beloved architectural icon. The exhibitions presented at ACCA are often thought-provoking, innovative and bold, and the program of talks and symposiums that accompany them are some of Melbourne's finest. [caption id="attachment_644313" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brook Andrew at Tolarno Galleries Melbourne. Photo by Andrew Curtis[/caption] TOLARNO GALLERIES The Tolarno Galleries is one of the Melbourne's weirdest commercial contemporary art galleries, nestled in a spacious and well-appointed venue on Exhibition Street in the CBD. The director, Jan Minchin (formerly a curator at the National Gallery of Victoria), is known for creating the perfect blend of controversial and popular exhibitions with lawless artists (and some of my favourites) like Ben Quilty and Bill Henson. Remember Patricia Piccinini, blowing our minds over and over? Imagine that kind of work given free rein. The clean, white exhibition space is filled with soft, filtered light. I find it acts as a perfect oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city and an introspective atmosphere to take it all in. TARLO & GRAHAM You haven't truly experienced eclectic vintage until you've visited Tarlo and Graham on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy. It's a cornucopia of eccentric pieces, and it's difficult for me to even try to predict what you might find on a visit. It could be anything. You might stumble across a rare lithograph from a beloved Australian artist, a dozen trombones or a family of ceramic clowns. It's all possible at Tarlo and Graham, which is why i love to while away an afternoon here. Goodies are piled high in every corner, but it's not always random. The warmth and humour of the proprietors shines through in their weird and wonderful displays and combinations. CHRISTOPHER BOOTS Lighting stores, with their dramatic and changeable lighting landscapes, are a world of their own, and the Christopher Boots showroom is, in my opinion, one of Melbourne's best. Located on Gore Street in Fitzroy, it's part art installation, part gallery and part lighting retailer. The intimate and artful showroom is ever-changing and also a delight to walk through. The CB team work in their open-plan office next to the displays. They might specialise in lighting, but the team's expertise in all things texture shines through in the beautiful warehouse and workspaces. JARDAN The Jardan store in Richmond (you'll find it nestled in furniture row, on Church Street) is a beautiful venue to spend a morning wandering around. The light-soaked space displays furniture and art pieces that will make you sigh and say 'One day'. Or, today could be your day! Pieces from some of Australia's best contemporary designers are housed here in a range of styled spaces. The store itself is a stroke of design genius, featuring a combination of a stark gold facade, eggshell whites, overflowing greenery and varied natural textures that showcase but don't overpower the pieces they surround. FENTON & FENTON Fenton & Fenton is a colourful cave of wonders in Prahan and a must-do for any design lover or interior decorator (amateur or otherwise). They sell an extensive collection of art and design on the premises, as well as bits and pieces you won't find anywhere else: jewellery, curios, furnishings and a diverse range of homewares and lifestyle products. Fenton & Fenton also have a team of lovely stylists on hand (or a phone call away) to guide you if you get stuck between cushions, and the shop itself is always so beautifully styled, I think it's an inspiration in its own right. HIGHER GROUND Higher Ground, conveniently found in the CBD, is an outstanding example of architectural retrofitting done right (they serve excellent food too — prepare to salivate). Nathan Toleman (the man behind Top Paddock and Kettle Black) and his partners — Sam Slattery, Ben Clark and Diamond Rozakeas — have created another dazzling cafe experience. Higher Ground started its life as an old power station and has been transformed into a spacious and lush eating space with gentle lighting. I've noticed the breakfast menu is earning a bit of a reputation, and I can't go past the colourful ricotta hotcake served with seeds, cream, seasonal fruit and flowers or the butter poached white asparagus, served with comté, tarragon, bronze fennel, poached eggs and rye toast. Their tea menu is also out of the ordinary. ATLAS DINING The design concept at Atlas Dining, located on Commercial Road in South Yarra, is truly exceptional. The contemporary, clean space — designed by Sydney-based architects Belinda Pajkovic and Tamara Frangelli — is defined by leather banquettes, soft lighting and white birch timber, topped off with a four-metre brass compass hanging from the ceiling. It blows my mind every time I visit. And the elegance continues through to the rotating menu, which is completely changed every three months (I never know what I'll get and that's fun). Chef Charlie Carrington's dishes are beautifully plated and balanced. They say Atlas will be a true adventure and they're right — it's a must-do Melbourne experience. ACNE STUDIOS Melbourne's Acne Studios store opened in 2014. It's already an iconic landmark on The Strand and has also raised the bar for retail design in the CBD. The fit-out was designed by Swedish firm Bozarthfornell Architects. They've been responsible for Acne Studios stores all over the world, but the Melbourne iteration is like no other, with stark, industrial dividers slicing up the space. It's both functional and brutal in perfect balance. If you're anything like me, a stroll through Acne Studios will have your senses pinging and your fingers itching to swipe your credit card. Explore more with Pullman. Book your next hotel stay with Pullman and enjoy a great breakfast for just $1.
Spinning origin stories might be one of Hollywood's favourite trends at the moment — and for years, in fact — but few characters have screamed for an entire movie dedicated to their backstory like Furiosa. In Mad Max: Fury Road, Mad Max's moniker was right there in the title; however, it was as much Charlize Theron's (Fast X) film as Furiosa as it was Tom Hardy's (Venom: Let There Be Carnage) as the picture's eponymous figure. Cue Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which will dive into her history from May. As the just-dropped second trailer for the feature shows — following an initial sneak peek in late 2023 — there's no shortage of details to explore. The new footage starts with Furiosa being robbed of her family as a child, then beginning her quest for vengeance. Australian director George Miller knows to name his characters fittingly, clearly. Shaving her head, vehicular chaos in the wasteland, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) looking fierce in the part, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) co-starring: that's all also covered. Shot in Australia, arriving nine years since Mad Max: Fury Road reached cinemas and became the best action movie of this century so far — and the best Australian flick of the same period — Furiosa marks the fifth instalment in Miller's dystopian Mad Max franchise. 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. 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 both glimpses of the movie illustrate so far, 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 second trailer for Furiosa below: Furiosa releases in cinemas Down Under on May 23, 2024.
Rosebery's award-winning distillery Archie Rose is going experimental this month as it launches ArchieMite: a new 'buttered toast spirit' that uses Pepe Saya butter, a house-mix of 'mite' spreads and Sonoma sourdough toast in the distilling process. The umami-packed liqueur will launch at the Archie Rose Bar on Wednesday, May 8 — and we're not sure if we should be excited or not. ArchieMite certainly won't be everyone's favourite, as descriptors like salty, buttery and savoury are not normally attributed to alcohol. But fans of Vegemite (and other umami-rich yeast-extract spreads) will likely appreciate this unusual spirit. Apart from the 'mites', a whopping 25-kilograms of freshly churned Pepe Saya and 15-kilograms of Sonoma's toasted sourdough went into the ArchieMite making. If you want to taste the spirit in its best form, head along to Archie Rose Bar on the weekend for its themed Mitey Brunches — which will run noon–2pm every Saturday and Sunday from May 11–June 2. On the menu will be a list ArchieMite cocktails, so expect to drink the likes of a Mitey Bloody Mary, Espresso Mite-Ini, Mitey Colada and ArchieMite Pickleback. For food, there'll be build-your-own platters on offer, with the obvious options including Sonoma bread, Pepe Saya butter and breakfast spreads aplenty. Next door at Gelato Messina's Rosebery HQ, the team has created ArchieMite-infused gelato sandwiches, too — using Sonoma bread, Pepe Saya butter and breakfast 'mite' spreads, of course. These will be available at the Archie Rose Bar from Wednesday, May 8 until sold out. And the Australia Museum will stay open after-dark to host a ArchieMite makers night in July. The limited-edition run of 3000 bottles will also be available in bars, independent bottle shops and online for $79 per bottle. Come and get it. Archie Rose's ArchieMite is available to purchase online from 10.30am on Wednesday, May 8.
Australia's craft booze scene has come a long way in a few short years. We've broken up (mostly) with mainstream lagers and imported spirits, turning our sights instead to boutique brews and locally crafted tipples. And for inner-city Melbourne, the shift has perhaps never felt so real as right now, with urban breweries and distilleries popping up in force. Local labels are making themselves at home in the big smoke, transforming warehouse spaces into brewpubs and tasting bars right here in our own backyard. For Abbotsford-born brewery Moon Dog, which is set to open the doors to its mammoth new Preston venue next month, opting for an inner-city location was a no-brainer. "Preston has become such a vibrant and exciting area, so when we found the site we couldn't say no," explains co-owner and Managing Director Josh Uljans. And while finding enough space to house an entire brewery set-up can sometimes prove tough in urban areas, it's no issue here – these guys managed to nab a site that's longer than the MCG end-to-end. Fellow northside brewery Bodriggy is also flying the flag for inner-city life, having just this month unveiled its own warehouse set-up on Johnston Street in Abbotsford. "We knew the area had potential – so we went hard for the lease," explains co-owner Pete Walsh. "This was three years ago and already a lot has changed. But Bodriggy is Abbotsford born and bred." As for the competition, you probably won't hear too many breweries complaining. "We're stoked to be joining a microbrewery community," says Walsh. "There's power in numbers and everyone offers up something unique." Uljans agrees. "Hopefully we see more and more independent breweries starting out, alongside established breweries expanding. And people will continue to enjoy delicious Australian independent beers." Keen to see what all the fuss is about? Here's a round-up of Melbourne's newest urban breweries and distilleries and a peek at what's coming next. [caption id="attachment_735956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] BODRIGGY BREWING, ABBOTSFORD Abbotsford has gained a major addition to its beer scene with the opening of Bodriggy Brewing Co. The brewpub and (eventual) bottle shop have made their home in a converted Johnston Street mechanics warehouse, with space for 400, a bar boasting dozens of taps, and a kitchen dishing up Latin American eats by an ex-Vue de Monde chef. The new venue is the work of the owners of Dr Morse (which is located just across the street), Jon Costello, Anthony Daniels and Peter Walsh, who have been brewing under the Bodriggy brand for two years now. Here, a hefty tap list pours Bodriggy hits – from the Speccy Juice session IPA, to the newly hatched New England IPA dubbed Cosmic Microwave – alongside wine and cocktails. The lofty warehouse reno features lots of organic and salvaged materials, while in the kitchen, Chef John Dominguez (Vue de Monde, Dinner by Heston) is serving plates like pulled pork tacos, whole grilled cauliflower with chimichurri and fried jalapeño tacos with smoked fish, pickled onions and cabbage. Expect plenty of tequila and mezcal to match, along with a regular program of DJs and live tunes. Bodriggy Brewing Co is now open at 245 Johnston Street, Abbotsford. FUTURE MOUNTAIN, RESERVOIR Melbourne's northern suburb of Reservoir has scored a brand new craft brewery — and it's doing things a little differently. Future Mountain Brewing and Blending is focused on creating farmhouse-style brews, inspired by the old world taprooms of Europe and a growing trend in the States. Here, you'll find wild fermentation ales and barrel-aged sours on offer in small batches. Co-owners Ian Jones and Shane Ferguson have five years' experience in the field, having met at Boatrocker Brews, with partners Elisa Jones and Kara Rasmanis (respectively) joining them in this new venture. As well as using wild yeast and bacterial strains, the crew has teamed up with local Yarra Valley fruit growers, wineries and coffee roasters to create a range of truly seasonal brews. The venue's 12 taps pour the likes of apricot, cherry and peach sours, German-style pilsners, barrel-aged stouts, saisons and farmhouse ales. To match, you'll find pides, flatbreads and pies available in house, though Uber Eats is also on offer, as well as delivery from neighbouring pizza joint Unique Gourmet Pizza Bar. Future Mountain Brewing and Blending is now open at 703–707 Plenty Road, Reservoir. MOON DOG, PRESTON With Moon Dog set to soon outgrow its current Abbotsford digs, owners Josh and Jake Uljans, and Karl van Buuren have gotten their hands on a huge new Preston site, with plans to open a new multi-faceted brewery and hospitality destination before the year's out. The bulk of Moon Dog's brewery operations will be shifted over here and expanded, upping the output from two million litres per year to over ten million. Space is no issue, with the former fabrics factory clocking in at a huge 12,000 square metres. The boys have grand plans for the sprawling front bar, too. The vision for the giant space includes sections of retractable roof above an indoor beer garden, a waterfall and ornamental lagoon, a big central bar, a stage area for regular live music sessions and a kitchen and eatery. A sunny internal laneway down one side will funnel through to a hefty rear carpark, and a cave-like room out back will likely play host to a separate Belgian-inspired brewery, with open fermentation tanks, hundreds of barrels and an intimate space for brewer events. Expect to be sipping fresh beers beside that waterfall some time this spring, with the brewery hopefully pumping out beer by the time October rolls around. Moon Dog Brewery is slated to open at 32 Chifley Drive, Preston in spring 2019. [caption id="attachment_728572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Long Boy Media[/caption] PATIENT WOLF, SOUTHBANK Southbank is set to gain an exciting new boozy addition when Patient Wolf Distilling Co opens (what is slated to be) the state's largest independent gin distillery come September. Co-founders Matt Argus and Dave Irwin are transforming a red brick industrial warehouse into the brand's new working distillery and public bar. The gin den will offer tastings aplenty, plus distillery tours, masterclasses and bottles for takeaway — including limited-edition and distillery-only releases. Seasonal cocktails and more experimental concoctions will star at the 30-seat bar, each crafted on one of Patient Wolf's three signature gins. There's a dry gin, a thyme number with lemon zest and pine notes and the Blackthorn — a dark gin made from sloe berries handpicked in Tasmania. The production facility will feature a 220-litre copper still by Müller and, come next year, a 1000-litre still from Germany. When it arrives, Patient Wolf's new Southbank spot will become one of Australia's largest urban gin distilleries. The Patient Wolf Distillery is slated to open at 34–36 Market Street, Southbank in early September. [caption id="attachment_724946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Guy Evans Photography[/caption] STOMPING GROUND, MOORABBIN Ever-expanding Collingwood brewery Stomping Ground has announced plans to build a second venue in Moorabbin. The owners have just signed a ten-year lease on a space within the historic Morris Moor development, which they're keen to transform into a brewery, beer hall, event space and roomy beer garden. Designed in conjunction with award-winning architects Genton and lauded architecture and interior design firm Techne, the new venue will be part of a dynamic hospitality precinct, breathing new life into Moorabbin's 60-year-old Phillip Morris manufacturing site. At this stage, details are scarce, though co-founder Steve Jeffares has confirmed there'll be a family-friendly brewpub pouring a hefty range of beers brewed onsite — thanks to a 12-hectolitre facility — and a top-notch food offering. There's also no exact date for the site's opening, but expect it to start pouring brews in early 2020. In the meantime, you'll find plenty of the label's fresh brews at its Collingwood home. Stomping Ground Morris Moor is slated to open at 1 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin in early 2020. [caption id="attachment_736960" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jetty Road Dromana[/caption] JETTY ROAD, SOUTH MELBOURNE Already a firm favourite in the Mornington Peninsula beer scene, one young brewery now has its sights set on the big smoke. Dromana's locally made and locally loved Jetty Road has revealed plans to open a giant brewery and gastropub in the heart of South Melbourne. The team has lodged an application to transform a sizeable Market Street site into a multi-storey beer oasis, boasting a fully operational microbrewery, a 250-seat modern Australian restaurant and a mezzanine dining space. The new venue is set to bring Jetty Road's trademark laid-back coastal vibes to the city, reimagined with an urban edge. More concrete plans will be revealed once the project's officially been given the green light, though word is Head Brewer Blake Bowden will be working on some new experimental beers and launch a barrel-aging program. The team is still waiting on planning approval for the new South Melbourne site — which should come through, hopefully, next month — but hopes to open the doors by late 2020. Jetty Road Brewery is slated to open at 139–145 Market Street, South Melbourne in late 2020. Top image: Bodriggy Brewery by Kate Shanasy
Most people don't imagine themselves making a career out of voicing Disney villains — but, of course, Jemaine Clement isn't most people. So did he see a Disney villain in his destiny? "If I was honest, I'd probably say yes," the comedian, actor and one half of Flight of the Conchords offers. And, lending his distinctive tones to the singing, scurrying character of Tamatoa in Disney's new film Moana, he has well and truly fulfilled that prophecy. Dwelling deep under the sea in the realm of monsters, Tamatoa is a swift-talking 50-foot crab with a fondness for treasure and a David Bowie-esque musical number in which he somewhat joyfully, somewhat menacingly declares: "I'd rather be shiny". He's also one of the formidable forces standing in the way of Moana's titular heroine (newcomer Auli'i Cravalho) as she explores the ocean to save her island-dwelling people, all with a shapeshifting demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) reluctantly by her side. Yes, Clement voicing a cheeky character and singing a glam rock track is the stuff that dreams are made of, and with his frequent collaborator and What We Do in the Shadows co-scribe and co-director Taika Waititi taking a first pass at Moana's screenplay — along with former Flight of the Conchords opening act and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda co-writing the film's original music — it just gets better. With Moana now in Australian cinemas, we spoke with Clement about working on Disney's Polynesian musical, voicing giant characters and channelling his inner Bowie. ON GETTING INVOLVED WITH MOANA Concrete Playground: How did you get involved with Moana? Jemaine Clement: A friend of mine, Taika Waititi, who I work with a lot, was one of the writers. And when he was doing his draft of the film, he told me that Disney, who I've worked with a couple of times before, wanted me to do something in it. It's a Polynesian story and they've gone for a mostly Polynesian cast — and I'm part Maori, so I think it was pretty natural. And I also, I've played a lot of animated villains. So who else would you get? ON PLAYING A LIGHT-FINGERED, SELF-ABSORBED, 50-FOOT CRAB CP: How did you go getting into character for the role of 50-foot crab Tamatoa? JC: Well, I guess I'm not 50 foot — I'm only just approximately six foot, just over. So I had to work on that. It's the second 50-foot character I've played this year. In The BFG, I was also 50-foot. So I guess I must sound pretty big. CP: People are obviously getting that idea from listening to you. JC: "How this big is this guy? He sounds huge." CP: And then they meet you in person, and they realise… JC: "Oh no, he's only about six foot." ON FILLING HIS RESUME WITH ANIMATED VILLAINS CP: You recently played Fleshlumpeater in The BFG — you've got quite the CV when it comes to playing animated villains now. JC: I hope I can get some use out of that. Maybe just telling my son it's bedtime. I'll do the voice. I always was interested in animation, that was the first job I ever wanted to do. When I was five, I remember seeing a thing on The Wonderful World of Disney about the animation process and I wanted to do that as a first job — I aspired to be an animator. And I imagined that I'd do all the parts, you know, like write it, voice it, animate it, — but I haven't gotten to the other two. ON CHANNELLING DAVID BOWIE — AGAIN CP: Between Flight of the Conchords and Moana, your Bowie impression is getting a good workout too. JC: I don't even think my impression's that good. But it stuck with people. In the TV show [Flight of the Conchords]...my comedy partner is having dreams about David Bowie, so I play David Bowie. But I wasn't supposed to play him. It was very last minute that I ended up playing that character, and I've been asked to do it a few times now. CP: You originally tried to get David Bowie to play himself? JC: We did, yeah. But I think that would've been nerve-wracking. I mean, it would've been amazing as well, but, you know. ON REUNITING WITH LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA CP: How was it working with Moana songwriter and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda again? JC: I'd remembered Freestyle Love Supreme [Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip hop comedy troupe], and I'd even seen them again not that long ago — and I hadn't connected him with the guy I had met [previously]. I didn't realise it was the same person until he said, "Oh we met. We met, we were doing that gig in 2004/2005". And yeah, suddenly it came back. Whoa. I've never seen any musical show have the reaction that Hamilton has. He deserves that. He's very clever, bright, and very talented. Moana is in Australian cinemas now. Read our review here.
Once, heading to Nambour was all about gawking at over-sized tropical fruit. Actually, that's still the case. Back in 2013, however, the giant pineapple-owning powers that be added another reason to head to the Sunshine Coast's biggest tourist attraction: an annual music festival with an ace lineup. Well, it's usually annual. The 2020 event has understandably changed its dates a few time in this COVID-19-afflicted year, and now it's moving the whole shebang to 2021. So, you can once again expect some top-notch entertainment across four stages, plus a ferris wheel, food stalls aplenty, arts, crafts and other activities, and camping, all when The Big Pineapple Music Festival returns on Saturday, May 22, 2021. It's enough to make you block out a weekend and start planning a few days spent in the shadow of one of the country's favourite big things. The 2021 lineup hasn't been announced yet, because it isn't as logistically simple as just sticking with 2020's bill — so watch this space regarding who you'll be dancing to. And, ticket-wise, all 2020 purchases are still valid. If you can't attend the new date, you can request a refund between September 9–October 12. If you don't have a ticket yet, fingers crossed that you'll be able to pick one up once the event has processed any returned tickets. [caption id="attachment_760926" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Charlie Hardy[/caption] The Big Pineapple Music Festival will take place on Saturday, May 22, 2021. For further details about the date change, ticketing and refunds, visit the event's website. Images: Charlie Hardie / Claudia Ciapocaa.
As of September, BridgeClimb will be no more. The company released a statement on its website today stating that it would be ceasing all operations as of later this year. The statement says BridgeClimb's application to win a new 20-year contract to operate tours on the Harbour Bridge was unsuccessful. BridgeClimb was first launched on October 1, 1998 by Founder and Chairman Paul Cave, and has seen over four million climbers safely scale the monument since. The Roads and Maritime Services put the Sydney Harbour Bridge Tourist Climb Business, which also includes the Bridge Museum within the South Eastern Pylon, out to tender last year. The company that has won the 20-year tender — out of a total 13 applicants — is another NSW tourism stalwart, Scenic World Blue Mountains. The company is the largest privately owned tourist attraction in Australia and has been operating for 73 years. The family-run owner of Scenic World, Hammons Holdings, also released a statement saying, "returning Sydney Harbour Bridge to the people will be a priority" and that the company will be exploring ways to safely expand access to new areas of the Bridge. And what does these all mean for the common folk? At the moment, we're not sure. But it could see changes made to tours run and (hopefully) pricing. BridgeClimb will run as normal until September 30, 2018. Scenic World Blue Mountain will commence as operators of Sydney Harbour Bridge Tourism Activities from October 1.
From the outset, it's hard not to be impressed by this place. It's a 900-seater, authentically-styled German beerhall just a short walk from the CBD. It has an enormous list of beers on tap, enough schnapps to get your Bavarian grandmother excited, and most things on the menu are in some way related to seasoned pork. Even when we announced its opening earlier in the year, thousands upon thousands of you started drooling over the prospect of hot pretzels and pig-bits. So, the question remains: is it worth the hype? Yes! If you're prepared for what's ahead of you. This isn't a restaurant to just pop into on your way home from work. This is a destination. Whether it's for a birthday, a buck's night or a family reunion where you want everyone's mouth to be constantly full of food, Munich Brauhaus is a place to celebrate. Skip lunch, wear your stretchy pants and cancel work for the next day — you'll definitely be here for the long haul. For the best possible experience, we encourage you to embrace your inner glutton. Choose whatever beer you want — it's a flawless selection — but choose a stein of it (approx. $19). While it would be worrying to order a jug of beer for yourself at any other venue, lifting this 1L glass will be met with cheers from fellow diners. Not to mention the approval of the house oomp-pah band as they serenade you with arm-swaying drinking songs. Proust! When your attention is turned to the menu, don't be alarmed. The beer hasn't already worked its magic on your eyes, the dishes are traditional German fare with appropriately unpronounceable names. Meaty treats to start you off include knochenmark (roasted bone marrow) or gepresstes eisbein (ham hock terrine), and it's pretty much mandatory that everyone order a pretzel. These house-made beauties are honestly the best you'll get in Melbourne. Just do it. We're not even asking. Main course will lead you into an impressive selection of schnitzels, sausages, and various pig-themed delights all served with traditional sides like braised red cabbage and sauerkraut. The suckling pig (either a single serving or half the motherflippin' pig) is a clear standout dish. Sourced locally, seasoned and cooked impeccably, it's the ultimate go-to for any Deutsch die-hard. But if you just can't decide, go for the Tasting Platter. With pork belly, sausages, pork knuckle, schnitzel, and various sides, it has something for everyone. Don't be put off by the price points either. While some meals will set you back around $30, the serving sizes are monumental. Trust us, it would take a tenth-generation Bavarian weightlifter to get through the suckling pig. While we're a huge fan of the singing and the feasting and the general merriment that comes with this German wonderland, there was one thing that rubbed us the wrong way. From day one, it's been clear that this venue places extra emphasis on its female employees. While male workers don regular checked collared shirts, most women wear traditional Oktoberfest garb or similar shirts made in an unsubtle V-neck. It's tradition. It's part of the festivities. We get it. But when the venue asks punters to 'come in for a tall blonde', we can't help but feel a little irked out. The pigs should be on the plate, not on the table next to us ogling the waitresses. It's a shame this detail rubs us the wrong way, because other than that, Munich Brauhaus is a lot of fun.
When you've already announced Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay as one of your keynote speakers, what comes next? At the 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas, the conversation will flow from being a serial dissenter to the smartphone backlash, propaganda and censorship, giving kids the right to vote and taking on the one percent, then also cover tackling inequality, the myths surrounding women's health and humanity's need to find meaning through god-like figures. The full for the Sydney fest, which will take over Carriageworks for two days from Saturday, August 24–Sunday, August 25, is filled with exactly what an event dedicated to crucial and complex topics demands: a wide-ranging lineup of boundary-pushing talks where hopping from one session from the next means jumping between a vast array of subject matter. Under Festival Director Danielle Harvey, FODI has curated its 2024 roster around the theme of 'sanctuary'. Joining Gay among the 16 international guests presenting keynotes are US psychologist Jean Twenge, which is where diving into the impact of handheld devices comes in; journalist and writer Masha Gessen, who'll explore the ways that narratives about conflicts are controlled; and David Runciman to give the Christopher Hitchens Oration on the topic "votes for six-year-olds". Plus, Megan Phelps-Roper of Unfollow fame will team up with Andy Mills from The New York Times' The Daily and Rabbit Hole to dig into the impact of their podcast The Witch Trials of JK Rowling — and Jen Gunter has her sights set on the poor medical care women can be subjected to. Elsewhere, academic Saree Makdis will examine the west's response to the conflict in the Middle East, economists John N Friedman and Richard Holden will chat through ideas for increasing upward social mobility, The Next Frontier academic Todd Fernando will hone in on Indigenous excellence and The End of Race Politics' Coleman Hughes will be a guest on Josh Szeps' Uncomfortable Conversations. Attendees can also hear sustainability professor Jem Bendell step through how civilisation is already collapsing, philosopher David Benatar dive into the ethics of having children and comedian David Baddiel deliver the first John Caldon Provocation on how the need for god to give life substance disproves the deity's existence. The lineup goes on, whether you're keen for a session featuring Jordan van den Berg, aka renter advocate Purple Pingers, on why the one percent should be afraid — or chats about the new breed of world leaders, the price of democracy, public forgiveness, artificial and transplanted wombs, positive masculinity, peer pressure making us sick or individualism. If you can't attend or won't be in Sydney, some sessions will be livestreamed. For those heading along in person, perhaps you'd like to hear from Talk to Me's Danny Philippou about his favourite horror film and why we're all fascinated with fear, then crawl through a tape installation by Austrian and Croatian artists and designers Numen / For Use, then watch a jailbreak experiment by performance collective re:group, too? Yes, across what promises to be a busy weekend, they're all also on the program as well. Images: Jodie Barker, Ken Leanfore and Yaya Stempler.
The cultural renaissance in Canberra continues its unfurling across the dining and arts scenes, bringing more interest from interstate — and international — visitors than ever before. The standard of options for places to stay has also leapt vertically in the past five years, and among the list is the East Hotel. The family-owned boutique hotel is located in the increasingly happening suburb of Kingston. It's stand-out characteristics are warm accommodating service, handsomely-appointed contemporary rooms with all the important details considered (the fluffy white guest robes well and truly pass the comfort test), and the onsite options for drinking and dining. East Hotel's lobby bar, Joe's Bar, has an eclectic, jewel toned fit-out and a generous lineup of creative cocktails (if you have a yen for a good martini try the Tokyo Martini or the signature Joe's Martini). There's also a decent selection of Italian and Australian wines and a showcase of local Canberran beers on tap, bottled and by the tin. Soak up some of those martinis with Italian-inspired bar snacks or pizzas. Calamari fritte and a particularly excellent focaccia served hot and fresh from the enormous clay pizza oven. The clientele of Joe's Bar is a mix of East Hotel guests having a pre-dinner drink but but it's also highly populated with the after-work crowd of Canberra locals, particularly on Thursday and Friday evenings once 5pm has rolled past. The other dining option is Agostini's. It's a relaxed and super-buzzy Italian diner that's focused on creating the atmosphere and dining experience of an authentic Italian family restaurant. As such, you'll find a multi-generational crowd here, from white collar long lunchers to holidaying family tables. The pasta is very good and made fresh daily. The real hero here is the pizza though. The 'Salsiccia' layered with Italian sausage, 'nduja and Fior di Latte mozzarella on a fluffy wood-fired dough with just the right hint of char is excellent. Or if you're feeling a little less traditional, give the 'Granchio' of crab meat, rocket and cherry tomato a whirl. Finish things off with the house tiramisu and an amaro, or sample the negroni selection. Just bring an appetite and a loud voice to cut through the rowdy buzz of an extremely well-attended restaurant.
Fancy a booze bus with boot-scootin' fun? Link up with the craft beer connoisseurs at Moon Dog, as they present a whirlwind tour of all their breweries across town. Presented as part of this year's Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, the day kicks off at Moon Dog World Preston at noon with an in-depth brewery tour complete with beer tasting and a sumptuous lunch pairing. Then, you'll be hitting the road bound for Moon Dog Doglands – that's in Docklands for you pun-lovers. Here, the brewery's founders will regale those on this epic crawl with behind-the-scenes stories as you sip on the brand's tasty selection of barrel-aged beers. Finally, it's onwards to Moon Dog Wild West in Footscray – the newest of the brewery's venues – for an after-dark shindig featuring more drinks, food and rootin'-tootin' rides on the famous mechanical bull, aka Jolene. It's all happening on Saturday, March 22, with tickets available for $99 and including all food, drinks and transport. Images: Kate Shanasy.
Nothing says summer like ice cream and ice cold ciders, and you'll find both — along with a variety of other tasty morsels — at the Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club Summer Pop-Up. Open from Boxing Day to the Australia Day long weekend at the Surf Club House at 52 Ocean Road, Point Lonsdale, the month-long multi-storey pop-up restaurant and bar will feature food and beverages from local vendors perfect for munching under the sun. Savoury snacks will come courtesy of Fodda Food Truck — think summer tacos, BBQ prawn skewers and sweet potato cakes. Dessert, meanwhile, will be provided by The Scandinavian Ice Cream Company, who've created a special chocolate and honeycomb 'bumblebee' flavour just for the occasion. For their part, The Flying Brick Cider Company will keep punters thoroughly hydrated, sponsoring the pop-up's downstairs lawn bar featuring cider as well as beer and a selection of local wines.
What happens when two legendary vegan restaurants from different sides of the Pacific Ocean get together? Find out at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. South Yarra's beloved Mexican restaurant Lona Misa is joining forces with West Hollywood Latin hotspot Gracias Madre for eight excellent nights. You'll have a choice of two tantalising tasting menus; five courses at $85 or seven at $105. Either way, you'll be feasting only on non-GMO, all-organic produce. Look out for madre ceviche with lime and Aleppo pepper, crunchy coconut calamari with salsa roja and hibiscus chilli flautas topped with pumpkin-seed parmesan, and charcoal-grilled lion's mane steak with chimichurri. Either way, on arrival you'll be met with one of Gracias Madre's signature Palomas (a bold, bright concoction of Volcan De Mi Tierra Tequila Blanco, house-made grapefruit soda, butterfly pea flower, lime and salt), before taking your pick of the bespoke, largely-tequila-inspired cocktail list. Or you can opt for a pint (or two!) of the Balter Cerveza, a Mexican-style lager brewed here at home. This epic event is bound to be one of the highlights of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, which means tickets will probably sell out at lightning speed. Do rush in.
Sydney has just scored another stunning boutique hotel, in welcome news for both locals and travellers alike. 202 Elizabeth is the sleek new 38-room accommodation spot that's just joined the likes of The Ace Hotel and Paramount House Hotel in Surry Hills. Each of the guest rooms spread across this refined six-level hotel is uniquely designed, providing an elegant accommodation option in the heart of bustling Surry Hills — and just a few minutes walk from Central Station as well. Hotel owner Diana Ren and designer Lisa Madigan have created a relaxing space filled with organic hues and constructed with sustainability in mind; it's built using cross-laminated timber, a carbon-negative structural material. Each room at 202 Elizabeth is brought to life by playful wallpaper from Kingdom Home Design. On arrival, guests will find a complimentary welcome tea waiting for them in their room. From there, patrons can discover a series of simple pleasures around each room, including robes from Australian designer Piyama, toiletries from Hunter Lab, and a mini bar stocked up with complimentary organic sodas and snacks (both sweet and savoury). Shared spaces around the hotel include a rooftop hangout spot boasting views of the surrounding inner-city streets, a ground-floor courtyard, and a soon-top-open new outpost for Handpicked Wines that will allow you to head in for a wine tasting and take a bottle back to your room or up to the rooftop. The sky-high space will also welcome in locals for morning neighbourhood yoga sessions, ensuring that Surry Hills residents get the opportunity to soak in its panoramic views. Plus, a stay at 202 Elizabeth won't mean leaving Fido or Spot at home. The accommodation is dog friendly, with General Manager Adam Males' french bulldog Sochi appointed the official Director of Pet Relations at the hotel. Puppy turn-down treats will be on hand for any four-legged guests, and Soci has ensured the staff know where all of the best dog-friendly cafes and restaurants are in the area. 202 Elizabeth is now open at 202–210 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills. 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.
It's that glorious time of year again, when cherries are ripe for the pickin'. The Victorian cherry season has arrived, which means your next few months can be spent cruising through picturesque orchards and indulging in a diet of cherry-based everything. It's also the time when CherryHill Orchards hosts its annual cherry picking festival, running from November 27 till early January at its OG Wandin East orchard, and from November 13 till late December at its new Coldstream location. Book in for a cherry picking timeslot, and you'll have two and a half hours to pick and eat your fill of delicious fruit straight from the tree, with any extra take-home haul charged by the kilogram. You can pack your own picnic to enjoy onsite, or let The Posh Palais take care of you with one of its luxe, all-inclusive Posh Picnics set-ups. Also hitting the orchard through the festival will be a rotation of food trucks, a program of live tunes, and CherryHill's famed pink caravan serving up a range of cherry drinks and cherry ice cream. [caption id="attachment_832415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Posh Palais' Posh Picnics[/caption]
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week get some culture — test your film trivia, relax to the dulcet tones of jazz and head to a good ol' fashioned drive-in. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Plenty has happened across Brisbane for Melt Festival, the city's annual LGBTQIA+ celebration, in past years. Getting more than a thousand people singing together to support and champion the LGBTQIA+ community will be a first, however. After already locking in a a Brissie-only show by Broadway icon Bernadette Peters for its 2025 event, and also confirming the return of the River Pride Parade for this year, Melt has now announced 1000 Voices, which will see singers from queer and pride choirs — plus anyone else who wants to join in — get crooning. Set to take place on Sunday, November 9 to close out Melt 2025 — which runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9 — the choral event will feature voices from across both Australia and New Zealand. Already, participation by the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir and Brisbane Pride Choir is confirmed, but that'll be just the beginning. It's expected that folks from Melbourne, Darwin, Adelaide, Northern New South Wales, Perth, Canberra, Auckland and beyond will take part as well. Adam Majsay, Music Director of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, is leading the charge — which will also give the River City a preview the day prior. On Saturday, November 8, a flash mob featuring some of 1000 Voices' talents will hit up a Brisbane bridge (there's plenty to choose from) as a sneak peek before the main event. "There's nothing quite like the sound of hundreds of voices rising as one — it lifts the spirit, opens the heart and reminds us what true family feels like. I've had the privilege of leading large-scale choral projects that centre inclusion and visibility, and I've seen first-hand how music welcomes people in," said Majsay, announcing 1000 Voices. "1000 Voices at Melt Festival will be more than a performance — it will be a powerful moment of connection for LGBTQIA+ singers, allies and anyone who simply loves to sing. Whether you're part of a choir or stepping into something like this for the first time, there's a place for you in this sound. And what a sound it will be — joyful, bold and unapologetically full of pride." "I'm personally so excited to be coming to Brisbane for this extraordinary event, and I can't wait to stand together with voices from all over Australia and New Zealand. Come be part of it — lift your voice and help us share in something unforgettable." If you're keen to join in, whether with your existing choir or lending your solo voice to the event, registrations are now open via the Melt Festival website. Melt takes place in spring, and returns in 2025 after being reborn in 2024 as a fringe-style celebration of queer arts and culture that not only fills Brisbane Powerhouse, but spreads across the city. Last year, more than 120 events popped up in 70-plus venues across southeast Queensland, complete with a Wicked-themed Halloween ball, a pool party and plenty more. 1000 Voices is taking place on Sunday, November 9 in Brisbane, with registrations available via the Melt Festival website. Melt Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. Hit up the festival website for more details.
Ballarat has long been touted as one of the most significant boomtowns of the gold rush era; history oozes from the cracks of the stately heritage buildings, telling stories of yesteryear. Yep, if you're after a glimpse of Australia's past, you'll find it among the tree-lined streets of Ballarat. But if you dig a little deeper, you'll uncover the city's true treasures — not glistening gold, but brilliant food, drink and culture. Given Ballarat is just over an hour out of the buzzing Melbourne metropolis, the picturesque regional city is perfect for a spontaneous day trip or rejuvenating long weekend. And, to make sure you strike lucky, we've partnered with Visit Ballarat to bring you some top-notch things to eat, see and do on a weekend in Ballarat. So, grab your prospector's cap and get ready to see the best of Ballarat. [caption id="attachment_704070" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hop Temple.[/caption] RAISE A GLASS TO THE INDEPENDENT BREWING GODS Ballarat has become somewhat of a craft beer mecca with a host of new bars and breweries exploding onto the scene. To sip at one of the best, make tracks to Hop Temple, a craft beer and food hall tucked away at the back of Hop Lane. Hop Temple boasts one of the largest ranges of craft beer in Victoria, with 19 taps and 220-plus bottles on offer, so get ready to sample but a few. Keen to try some other local brews? Head to The Mallow to sip from Ballarat's largest range of independent beers on tap, Red Duck Brewery to enjoy its all-natural brews paired with local cheese platters or Cubby Haus Brewing to sample its small-batch beers including stouts, saisons, pilsners and pale, brown and steam ales. [caption id="attachment_704073" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Lost Ones Gallery.[/caption] GET YOUR ART FIX AT THE LOST ONES GALLERY AND BAR If you're like us and love it when art and booze combine, The Lost Ones Gallery is a must-see while in town. Housed in a Masonic hall that was built in the 1870s, the gallery has the work of contemporary artists upstairs and a fine spirits collection downstairs. Spend a couple of hours perusing the exhibitions and getting familiar with the emerging and established local artists, then head to the Basement Bar, sink into a plush couch, order a cocktail — a french 75 or pisco sour, perhaps — and play some Cards Against Humanity. The Lost Ones Basement Bar also runs a range of events, from gin blending workshops to nude drawing, check out the full list here. [caption id="attachment_704074" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yellow Espresso.[/caption] ENJOY A MORNING BREW AND A VINTAGE SHOP Kick off your morning with a nice cup of joe from the bright and bustling Yellow Espresso. Located a the lower end of Stuart Street, this uber-stylish cafe features white and yellow furnishings, hanging plants, rustic timber bench tops and, of course, some of the finest coffee in town. Once you've got your caffeine fix, take a short seven-minute stroll to That Vintage Shop. Here, you'll find all kinds of vintage designer treasures like fur coats, Glomesh bags, 1920s-style hats, pearl necklaces and high-waisted skirts to boot. If that's not enough, hit up The Salvos in Bridge Mall to continue your spree. [caption id="attachment_703945" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Forge Pizzeria.[/caption] GRAB A SLICE THEN DANCE ALL NIGHT If you're a Ballarat local or have been to the city before, there's a good chance you've enjoyed a slice (or several) at The Forge Pizzeria. This carb-filled stalwart is a firm favourite and with good reason: it produces incredible pizza. With a warm and inviting atmosphere, the restaurant is all about sharing good regional fare with your nearest and dearest. We suggest treating yourself to the $45 Feed Me menu to sample the pick of the woodfired fare. After you're suitably stuffed, waddle to one of Ballarat's leading live music venues to dance off those slices. Karova Lounge hosts incredible local and international musical acts, as well as DJs on the weekends, and is the perfect place to rock out post-pizza. [caption id="attachment_704071" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitchell Harris Wines.[/caption] SAVOUR A GLASS, OR TWO, OF LOCAL VINO It'd be remiss to visit Ballarat and not sample the excellent cool-climate wine from the neighbouring Pyrenees region. There's an array of local wineries about an hour from the city where you can indulge at the cellar door — Summerfield Wines, Warrenmang Vineyard, Grape Farm Winery and Taltarni, to name but a few — but we suggest starting at Blue Pyrenees. Established in 1962, this winery was one of the first in Australia to experiment with cool-climate varietals and has a pretty excellent shiraz to show for it. Alternatively, if you're keen to stay in town, head to Mitchell Harris Wines where you can order off the award-winning wine list. Sip one of the house's own drops or another vino from Victoria and beyond. [caption id="attachment_704187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mr Jones.[/caption] TREAT YOURSELF TO A HYPER LOCAL FEED When you're ready to take things up a notch and enjoy a sumptuous spread, head to new rustic diner Mr Jones for a fresh feed of local, seasonal fare. This restaurant from partners and chefs Damien and Danielle Jones is run with plenty of Michelin and hatted experience — Damien formerly worked at London's Michelin-starred Bidenbum and the couple's previous restaurant in the same space was a hatted affair. With European influences and seasonal inspiration, the restaurant uses the very best local produce. As the share-plate menu is ever-changing, you won't know what you're going to get, but rest assured, you'll eat very well. Past dishes have featured gougere with creme fraiche, salmon roe and smoked jelly; goat's cheese dumplings with pine nuts, currants and sage; and smoked duck breast with beetroot and blood orange. The menu has also previously listed house-made chorizo served with quince aioli, apple and cider — here's hoping that one makes regular appearances. WATCH A ROYAL JOUST AT KRYAL CASTLE Desperate to live out your Game of Thrones fantasy and see a royal joust in real life? Head to Kryal Castle, a medieval theme park in Leigh Creek, to watch two knights fight tooth and nail for victory. If fighting is not your thing, there are comedic sketches by royal jesters, an expansive concrete maze, archery contests, wizard workshops, potion making schools and even a torture museum where you can learn about the gruesome historic punishments. There's also an Ale House should you need a beverage between battles. Tickets start at $35 and if you're feeling particularly flush, you can even stay the night in a Queen Suite (from $180) and sleep like a Khaleesi. GIVE A DINGO A BELLY RUB AT THE BALLARAT WILDLIFE PARK If you're an animal lover — let's face it, who isn't? — Ballarat Wildlife Park is the place for you. The expansive wildlife park covers more than 16 acres and houses a heap of super-cute native animals, like koalas, snakes, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils and echidnas, as well as some foreign beauties, including six sweet new meercats. It also gives you the chance to get up close and personal with some very good dingoes. The family of five — mum Luna, dad Esky and their three pups — all enjoy belly scratches, pats and are as adorable as they sound. Admission to the park costs $35 for adults and tours run daily. Ready to go? Pack your bags and make a full weekend out of your trip to this historic gold rush town. Top image: Yellow Espresso.
Back in the day, a farmers market wasn't just place to buy your produce before scurrying off home. They were also a place to share food, meet friends or make new ones, and generally relax. In this spirit, Melbourne Farmers Markets has launched Market Brunch. On the first Sunday of every month, around 15 stall holders converge on Younghusband in Kensington to peddle their produce, while market-goers sit together to eat well and chew the fat. On Sunday, June 1, look out for Adam's Pies with their savoury pastries, Better Now Bakes with their vegan treats, and Bill's Bakeshop with its next-level bread. To match your pick, grab a sticky chai from Caravan Chai or an excellent brew from Coffeerider & Co. Meanwhile, Frankly Raw will be showcasing its handcrafted peanut butter, Long Paddock will have its artisanal cheeses up for tasting, and Madeleine will be selling her small-batch cultured butter. And these are just the beginning. At every market, you'll get the chance to hear from a handpicked selection of stallholders at the show-and-tell sessions, where they'll share their craft, techniques and stories.
When it comes to Australia's best food and drink regions, the Sunshine Coast punches well above its weight. It boasts rainforests, farms and the ocean all within extremely close proximity to one another, making for a unique ecosystem — and an interesting culinary landscape. And you can celebrate all of the goodness that this coastal pocket has to offer when The Curated Plate kicks off its inaugural season in August. Across four days, the region's best chefs and producers will be joined by Australian and international heavy-hitters for a series of long lunches, degustations, food markets, tours and much more. Events will take place in venues across the region's hinterlands, rainforests and beaches with a beachside pop-up restaurant acting as the festival hub. The Sunshine Coast's organic and sustainable produce, grown in the hinterland's rich volcanic soil, will be on display. The program includes long lunches and degustations that'll highlight the latest trends in fine dining. Top chefs from around the country, including Peter Gilmore (Quay, Bennelong), Clayton Wells (Automata, A1 Canteen) and Alejandro Cancino (ex-Urbane), will be taking over some of the region's best eateries alongside international heavy-hitters like Japanese chef Zaiyu Hasegawa. Hasegawa runs Den, a two-Michelin starred restaurant in Tokyo that was awarded the number two spot on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2018, and is celebrated for his creative spin on kaiseki (Japanese multi-course haute cuisine). He will be teaming up with head chef of Spicers Tamarind Retreat for Spicers Den — a special five-course degustation dinner on Saturday, August 10. Meanwhile, Black Swan Park in Maroochydore will host a three-day food fair, featuring a bunch of local eateries, stalls and live entertainment, and Caloundra's Moffat Beach will be running a beach cinema, with burgers, beers and limited-edition treats supplied by Gelato Messina. So, if you're looking for an excuse to head up north (besides escaping the inevitable winter blues), this may just be it. The Curated Place will take place across the Sunshine Coast from Thursday, August 8 to Sunday, August 11. You can book a festival accommodation package — including the Regional Evolution four-course dinner, with wine pairings, from Australian chef Clayton Wells and two nights accommodation at Mantra Zanzibar in a two bedroom apartment — here.
There were short-lived rumours that Melbourne's art and hospitality scene had reached peak saturation, but the city quickly put those to bed when its cultural ecosystem grew and flourished once again. It has been a year of innovative new restaurants and bars — bigger and taller than ever before — forward-thinking events and bold spaces, pubs and cafes. And they're not all from the big players — independent ventures are flourishing. Bars continue to offer immersive, imaginative experiences that take you beyond their drinks lists — giant wheels of raclette, Kill Bill-themed drinks lists — and late into the night, with some now serving inventive bar snacks til 3am. At Concrete Playground we encourage exploration and showcase innovation in our city every day, so we thought it fitting to reward those most talented vanguards pushing Melbourne to be a better, braver city. And so, these six new bars, opened in 2017, were nominated for Best New Bar in Concrete Playground's Best of 2017 Awards.
If you're Melbourne's NGV International and you've spent the summer filling your walls and halls with fashion by Coco Chanel, how do you follow up come winter? By dedicating your next blockbuster exhibition to Pablo Picasso and the artists, poets and intellectuals he crossed paths with. The iconic Spanish painter, sculptor and printmaker's pieces will sit alongside works by everyone from Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse to Marie Laurencin and Gertrude Stein at The Picasso Century, which'll take over the St Kilda Road gallery from Friday, June 10. A world-premiere showcase developed exclusively for the NGV by the Centre Pompidou and the Musée national Picasso-Paris, and displaying until Sunday, October 9, The Picasso Century won't skimp on its namesake. From Picasso alone, more than 70 works will be on display. But it'll also surround his pieces with over 100 others from more than 50 of his contemporaries, with the latter sourced from French national collections and the NGV Collection. That means that art lovers will be able to gaze at 170-plus works of art, and chart Picasso's career via his paintings, sculptures, drawings and ceramics in the process — and also see how it developed through his engagement with his peers. And, when it comes to other talents showcased, the hefty list also covers Guillaume Apollinaire, Georges Braque, Alberto Giacometti, Françoise Gilot, Valentine Hugo, Dora Maar, André Masson and Dorothea Tanning. By placing the artist's pieces in context with the works of others around him, The Picasso Century examines the connections that helped make him who he was, and explores how his creations rippled throughout the world. Accordingly, art by Natalia Goncharova, Julio González, Wifredo Lam, Suzanne Valadon and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva will also feature, all talents who've rarely been exhibited in Australia. And, other artists included span André Breton, Georges Bataille, Aimé Césaire and Alberto Giacometti, as well as Kay Sage, Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico — plus Francis Bacon and Willem de Kooning as well. Didier Ottinger, a scholar of 20th century painting and Deputy Director of the Musée national d'art moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris, has curated the exhibition, which obviously steps through Picasso's distinct artistic periods: his blue period, cubism and surrealism, for instance. In total, The Picasso Century will explore 15 thematic sections that chart the course of Picasso's seven-decade-plus career. If you're fond of his surrealist period, however, it'll be particularly packed with works from then. [caption id="attachment_857196" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of 'The Picasso Century', on display 10 June 10–October 9, 2022 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Jeremy Kees.[/caption] Top Images: Installation view of 'The Picasso Century', on display 10 June 10–October 9, 2022 at NGV International, Melbourne. Image 1, photo: Peter Bennetts. Image 2-4, photo: Sean Fennessy.
Before Succession first graced TV screens back in 2018, you mightn't have quite realised exactly how entertaining it is to watch people squabbling. Not just everyday characters, either, but the constantly bickering — and ridiculously wealthy and privileged — family of a global media baron. It's not just the arguing and power plays that make this hit HBO series compulsively watchable, however, but the witty words flung about, the scathing insults shot back and forth, and the pitch-perfect performances that deliver every verbal blow. The result: one of the best shows currently airing on television. Of course, Succession hasn't actually been on our screens for a couple of years now, with the series' last season dropping back in 2019. Now, after a pandemic delay, the show is set to return sometime this spring. Neither HBO nor Foxtel, who airs the series in Australia, has announced an exact date, but they have just dropped a welcome new trailer. Yes, it's time to soak up your latest glimpse of the fictional Roy family, including the always-formidable Brian Cox (Super Troopers 2) as patriarch Logan, and Jeremy Strong (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Kieran Culkin (Infinity Baby), Alan Ruck (Gringo) and Australian actor Sarah Snook (Pieces of a Woman) as his four adult children. If you've seen the past two seasons, you'll know that this brood's tenuous and tempestuous relationship has only gotten thornier as we've all watched. Based on the heated words swapped in this new teaser, that obviously won't change any time soon. For Succession newcomers, the series follows the Roys as Logan's offsprings try to position themselves as next in line to his empire. It's clearly set among the one percent, in lives that most folks will never know — but the idea that depiction doesn't equal endorsement is as rich in Succession as its always-disagreeing characters. Created by Peep Show's Jesse Armstrong — someone who knows more than a thing or two about black comedy — this Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Writers Guild and Directors Guild Award-winner is savagely smart, darkly biting and often laugh-out-loud funny about its chosen milieu. And in the words of cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun, Zola) in this new sneak peek, yes, that sounds kinda dramatic. Check out the Succession season three trailer below: Succession's third season is set to air on Foxtel in Australia sometime this spring — we'll update you with exact details when they're announced.
Grab your guitar and a boot-scootin' babe, and saddle up for the biggest event on the Australian country music calendar. The Tamworth Country Music Festival is now in its 46th year and is back, bigger than ever. There will be over 700 artists performing across 120 venues around the city over the course of the ten-day festival, with both ticketed and free events on offer. Tamworth will be alive with the coos of country music, from street corners to pubs to backyards, and everything in between. Spot the next Troy Cassar-Daley at the Australian Country Music Busking Championships and marvel at the Toyota Cavalcade, which features over 100 floats, bands and magnificent groups of horses marching through town. And let's not forget Australian country music's night of nights, the 46th Country Music Awards of Australia, where the best country artists will be named and get to take home golden guitar statues.
If Victoria has its way, it'll become home to a 900-kilometre hot springs trail, attracting travellers from near and far to hit up its bathing spots. But the state isn't the only place for a soak around Australia, including if you're keen to get off the beaten path. Indeed, come winter 2023, outback Queensland's Cunnamulla is set to join everyone's must-visit list if you're keen to take a dip in its new artesian hot springs. Set to open in June, and in the works since 2018, this new spot for a blissful bathing session will feature seven pools on the banks of the Warrego River. Each will sport different temperatures, so you can get steamy, opt for a stint in the chilled plunge pool or both. As part of a state-of-the-art complex, there'll also be therapeutic activities on offer — and river views and ample natural surroundings. [caption id="attachment_892757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image is an artist render only.[/caption] Cunnamulla Hot Springs' pools will be filled with mineral and vitamin-rich artesian water, which means that the hot spots for a dip will feature H20 naturally warmed from the Artesian Basin. Learning about the latter around your soak is also set to be part of the experience — relaxing your body and feeding your mind at the same time. When it starts welcoming in patrons — with an exact date yet to be announced — Cunnamulla Hot Springs will be a highlight on the just-unveiled Outback Queensland Traveller's Guide, which is filled with things to do inland in the Sunshine State. Queensland isn't just about beaches, rainforests and the tropics, even if that's what it's best known for. So, Cunnamulla Hot Springs joins everything from starlight river cruises in Longreach and Winton's Australia Age of Dinosaurs Museum through to the Southwest Queensland Indigenous Cultural Trail and a heap of national parks. [caption id="attachment_844043" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Gillow (Flickr)[/caption] The Outback Queensland Traveller's Guide also features other outback spas and baths, including in Julia Creek, Bedourie, Quilpie, Mitchell and Yowah. If you're now planning a trip to Cunnamulla, it's around a nine-hour drive west from Brisbane, with flights via Rex, and also boasts an outback river lights festival; the Artesian Time Tunnel, which explores the Artesian Basin's history; and safari-style glamping — among other attractions. [caption id="attachment_841311" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cunnamulla Cultural Walk, Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Cunnamulla Hot Springs will open in Cunnamulla in June 2023. For further information about outback Queensland getaways and attractions, head to the Outback Queensland website. Top image: image is an artist render only. 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.
Under normal circumstances, when a new-release movie starts playing in cinemas, audiences can't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with a worldwide pandemic forcing picture palaces across the globe to shut down temporarily in the interest of public safety, the film industry is being forced to adjust. While no one in Australia can currently head to their local movie theatre, sit in a darkened room with a crowd of fellow film buffs and feast their eyes on the silver screen, that doesn't mean we aren't eager to see the latest flicks. In fact, as these quarantine days turn into isolation-heavy weeks, you can be forgiven for craving something new to watch. So, film distributors have started fast-tracking their recent releases from cinemas to streaming — movies that were playing in theatres when they closed, flicks that had just released and even films that didn't yet get the chance to hit the big screen. Here's a dozen you can watch right now at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY THE INVISIBLE MAN Our critic says: "As written and directed by Australian filmmaker Leigh Whannell, this slow-building version of The Invisible Man isn't an account of a scientist corrupted by his latest discovery, as seen in its predecessors. Rather, it's a portrait of a woman at the mercy of a man who'll do anything and use any means to get what he wants. The end result: psychological horror mixed with futuristic science-fiction and layered with a piercing societal statement, and it's as effective as it sounds. Of course, anyone who saw Whannell's previous feature Upgrade will realise that this is the only interpretation of The Invisible Man that he could've made. The Aussie talent continues his fascination with body modification and tech-enabled surveillance, as well as his fondness for hyper-kinetic action, a pervasive mood of dread and tension, and a sparse, sleek look — plus his interrogation of the kind of society that, with not too many imaginative tweaks needed, we just might be headed for." — Sarah Ward The Invisible Man is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzqL60kvwU BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) Our critic says: "From the moment that Margot Robbie stole the show in Suicide Squad, a Harley Quinn-focused spinoff was always inevitable. So, knowing when they're onto a good thing — and witnessing their now Academy Award-nominated Australian star keep rising in fame via I, Tonya, Mary, Queen of Scots, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Bombshell — the folks behind the DC Extended Universe have gone and done the obvious. Thankfully, the powers-that-be learned a few lessons along the way, leaning into everything that first made the anarchic character attract so much big-screen attention. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is vividly stylised, irreverently upbeat, and both frenetic and fluid. To the benefit of every fight and chase scene, it's also more concerned with eye-popping action choreography than overblown special effects. The movie's riotous mood, lurid colour scheme and kookily comic sensibilities can't smooth out all of its bumps, though, but put it this way: Suicide Squad, this definitely isn't." — Sarah Ward Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmnEHSJx-M COME TO DADDY Our critic says: "Following a map to a remote waterside location, Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) knocks on his father's door, reuniting with the man he hasn't seen for more than 30 years. It's a tense, awkward scene, with more of the same following — and, in a movie that segues from reunion drama to unsettling mystery flick to crime thriller, things only get unhinged and deranged from there. Marking the feature directorial debut of New Zealand producer-turned-filmmaker Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death, Turbo Kid, Deathgasm), Come to Daddy proves an anarchic, unruly and very amusing ride, complete with committed performances not just from Wood, but from Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley and The Breaker Upperers' Madeleine Sami as well. It's also inspired by reality, although to say more would be to reveal too much about a movie that revels in its twists and turns. And in its ample splashes of gore and blood, too." — Sarah Ward Come to Daddy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and Umbrella Entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxKXiQvyG_o ONWARD Our critic says: "Onward tells the tale of brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (Marvel co-stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), two teenage elves who've grown up without their dearly departed dad. Thanks to an unexpected flash of long-dormant magic, they're given the chance to spend one last day with their father — but, in order to do so, they'll have to undertake a perilous quest in Barley's rundown van Guinevere. From this description, you might've noticed that Pixar's usual formula isn't at play here, with the company branching beyond the "what if toys/cars/rats/robots/monsters/feelings had feelings?" setup that's served it so well in everything from the Toy Story franchise to Inside Out. Rest assured, however, that Onward's central elf siblings do indeed experience a whole heap of emotions as they cast spells, try to decipher mysterious maps, endeavour to avoid curses, explore their complicated brotherly relationship and team up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion called The Manticore (Octavia Spencer)." — Sarah Ward Onward is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes, and will hit Disney+ on Friday, April 24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAWKALOCAg THE HUNT Our critic says: "When The Hunger Games pit people against each other in an elaborate battle royale-style fight to the death, it did so in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world. In Craig Zobel's The Hunt, a similar situation applies — but, taking aim at the political divides so prominent between the left and right in America today, this satirical horror-thriller is firmly set our current reality. Here, 14 strangers awaken in a remote woodland area, gagged but with access to a giant crate of weapons. Soon afterwards, the shooting starts. Pitting "deplorables" against "liberal elites" in a film with the kill-or-be-killed chaos of reality TV parody Series 7: The Contenders and action choreography that'd make the John Wick franchise proud, The Hunt is nowhere near as savage, smart or politically astute as it thinks it is. That said, thanks to a steely lead performance by GLOW's Betty Gilpin, a playful sense of humour and a willingness to toy with audiences as much as it does with its characters, it entertains far more often than it provokes." — Sarah Ward The Hunt is available to stream via Google Play and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbHkNiIyl3I THE WAY BACK Our critic says: "Pitched as Ben Affleck's big comeback role after a run of average-at-best flicks — including his short-lived turn as Batman — The Way Back follows a faded man who used to be a big deal. His character was once a high school basketball star; however the years since have been filled with bad choices, tragedy and an overabundance of alcohol. Given the chance to relive his glory days by coaching the school's struggling current team, he embarks on a quest for redemption. As well as boasting Affleck's best performance since Gone Girl, it's to The Way Back's credit that this underdog story on multiple levels doesn't always take the obvious route. Still, it's guilty of leaning on illness-related heartbreak for easy, cliched emotional manipulation, rather than trusting its central performance. Affleck feels like he's trying a little too hard to follow in his brother Casey's footsteps, too, with similarities to the far superior Manchester by the Sea evident." — Sarah Ward The Way Back is available to stream via iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je22_P3Qm7U THE GENTLEMEN Our critic says: "When in doubt, they say to go back to your roots. Given that Guy Ritchie's last two films were Aladdin and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, it's fair to assume that doubt had squarely reared its head. As the director's name alone evokes the sound of cockney rhyming slang and the image of grimy London back alleys, dancing bedazzled elephants were about as off-brand as it gets. So he goes back to his roots with The Gentlemen — and it's a warm and welcome return. Overall, The Gentlemen is fun, to put it in the simplest of terms. It's certainly not without its faults — the patchwork of styles, from action film to hip hop music video and everything in between is constantly jarring — but the general experience is an agreeable one. Like the scotch enthusiastically consumed by the film's unofficial narrator, Fletcher (a delightful turn by Hugh Grant), The Gentlemen is a little rough at first, but smoother with every sip until you're silly drunk and smiling like a fool." — Tom Glasson The Gentlemen is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llt7-EQP6dg EMMA Our critic says: "In the latest big-screen version of Jane Austen's beloved novel, well-heeled chaos ensues — as much chaos that can within stately and sprawling country manors, while compliant, silent servants are always on hand, and amidst polite conversation constantly tinted with gossip (although as Downton Abbey keeps demonstrating, that's plenty). Emma circa 2020 does everything it's supposed to, including using its sumptuous production and costume design to paint a vivid picture of Regency-era England, but it adds little of its own personality. Austen's prose, here shaped into a screenplay by The Luminaries' author Eleanor Catton, still sparkles with wit. Making her feature filmmaking debut, photographer and music video director Autumn de Wilde retains the novel's playful mood, and pairs it with a sweeping sense of visual symmetry that'd do Wes Anderson proud. And yet, this adaptation feels mostly indistinguishable from the many other unchallenging film and TV versions of literary classics that've reached screens over the years. In fact, the end result is fine, but in the passable rather than excellent sense of the word." — Sarah Ward Emma is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78k9Mhgzy74 JUST MERCY Our critic says: "Just Mercy boasts much that other films would envy, such as an emotive true tale, serious subject matter that's sadly still relevant today and a top-notch cast. Eyes blazing, his voice calm yet commanding, and compassion driving his every move, Michael B. Jordan is especially fantastic as real-life lawyer Bryan Stevenson — and he's matched by a restrained but no less resonant Jamie Foxx as a man on death row and resigned to the lie of the land in the deep south. But the feeling that this has all been seen before is used to particularly compelling effect here. It's something that writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton is clearly cognisant of, as he was when he focused on troubled teens living in a group home in the excellent Short Term 12. Layering in other cases, such as that of fellow condemned prisoner Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), the filmmaker draws attention to the unending spate of real-life stories such as these. That's not a new revelation, but it bears heavily on a movie that's already weighty anyway." — Sarah Ward Just Mercy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szby7ZHLnkA SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Our critic says: "Cast-wise, there's a clear standout. Jim Carrey is back in full force, dropping the most endearingly over-the-top performance audiences have seen from him in ages. As villain Dr Robotnik, he's somehow even more cartoonish than the CGI Sonic — and it's spectacular. Like Sonic's running, however, there's far too little of it throughout. Instead, the lion's share of screen time is reserved for Sonic (voiced by Parks and Recreation's Ben Schwartz) and his new pal Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the local sheriff who's helping him avoid capture. Giving credit where credit's due, Marsden delivers the goods, charming his way through scenes that ought to have tanked hard. Schwartz, too, makes the inspired choice of keeping Sonic low-key instead of manic, resulting in a far more likeable hero." — Tom Glasson Sonic the Hedgehog is available to stream via iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpbKh4FqR2g RICHARD JEWELL Our critic says: "All it took was a concert and a backpack for Richard Jewell's (Paul Walter Hauser) life to change forever. That's the real-life story that monopolised news headlines 24 years ago. It's also the tale that Jewell, with his desperate desire to work in law enforcement, was overjoyed to have attached to his name. And, it's the narrative that Richard Jewell tells, although Clint Eastwood's involvement should make it obvious that it doesn't end there. As demonstrated with gusto in the latter years of his five-decade directorial career, Eastwood is drawn to heroes. He's not just fascinated by people acting bravely, but by true tales of fortitude in the face of pressure, scrutiny, admonishment and even contempt by society, authorities and bureaucracy. American Sniper's flag-waving tribute to the deadliest marksman in US military history, Sully's recreation of the Miracle on the Hudson and subsequent investigation, and The Mule's account of an octogenarian forced to become a drug courier to make ends meet — they all fit the profile, as does Jewell's swift slide from saviour to suspect." — Sarah Ward Richard Jewell is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-7ACXBRP-g BLOODSHOT Our critic says: "Vin Diesel as Frankenstein's monster? Vin Diesel reliving the same events over and over again, Edge of Tomorrow-style, to right a past wrong? Vin Diesel filled with tiny robots — including in a Terminator-esque scene where half his face is exposed, revealing the nanotechnology gleaming beneath his flesh? Throw in shades of Universal Soldier and RoboCop as well (and some speedy car chases, because Diesel sure does love getting fast and furious behind the wheel), and that's Bloodshot. Yes, as well as tasking Diesel with playing a US soldier brought back from the dead, Bloodshot attempts to revive a variety of parts itself — all cobbled and spliced together from multiple other science-fiction stories and action flicks. Indeed, the fact that Bloodshot is actually based on a comic book character dating back to 1992 doesn't seem anywhere near as important to first-time feature director David SF Wilson as nodding at a heap of other pop culture titles." — Sarah Ward Bloodshot is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review.
Come 2022, Studio Ghibli's very own theme park will become the most adorable place on earth — but until then, a new Bangkok restaurant is competing for the ultra-cute crown. Called May's Garden House Restaurant, the eatery is not only named after My Neighbour Totoro's protagonist Mei, but also takes its cues from Studio Ghibli's bewitching movie. In fact, it's the first officially licensed restaurant dedicated to the beloved Japanese animation house and its enchanting films. The only other space that comes close is the onsite cafe at the existing Studio Ghibli museum outside of Tokyo; however, the only way to eat at the Japanese site is to nab a ticket to the museum itself, which has to be booked months in advance. [caption id="attachment_677216" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] May's Garden House Restaurant[/caption] In Sukhumvit in Bangkok, Ghibli lovers can enjoy a meal surrounded by Totoros, including a giant, huggable version by the entrance; and tuck into dishes, such as susuwatari-shaped balls in a matcha bath, lattes dusted by Totoro chocolate, mini Totoro steamed buns and a general array of other themed bites. May's Garden House Restaurant also serves up a selection of Thai cuisine, such as crispy chicken wings, soups, curries and fried rice with seafood, should you need something to go with your Catbus cake. Of course, even if you opt for a meal that doesn't immediately reference Ghibli, you'll find an appropriate trinket on your table. [caption id="attachment_677217" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] May's Garden House Restaurant[/caption] While at the Thai spot, you can also wander through the figurine-filled garden, sit beneath gorgeous stained-glass windows, look over the boat pool, peruse the library, walk through two halls and just get spirited away by the restaurant's assorted memorabilia. Or, you can spy two new, exclusive Ghibli-style characters — birds called Colko and Peeko, they were designed by Ghibli producer and co-founder Toshio Suzuki. He helped support the restaurant's creation after reportedly becoming fond of owner May Kanyada's chicken wings. Unsurprisingly, visitors are advised to reserve a table at least two weeks prior to their visit, with tucking into Totoro treats proving rather popular. For more information about May's Garden House Restaurant, visit the eatery's Facebook page or Instagram feed. Via SoraNews24. Images: May's Garden House Restaurant.
Why give Melbourne one massive winter festival when you can stack another within the main event? If that's the question that the team behind RISING asked for 2024, then Day Tripper is the answer. This fest-within-the-fest is a huge block party that's using Melbourne Town Hall as a hub, and spanning to the Capitol Theatre and Max Watt's as well. If it sounds big, that's because it is. Taking place on Saturday, June 8 from 12–8pm, Day Tripper boasts Yasiin Bey, who was formerly known as Mos Def, leading the lineup in the first of his two RISING gigs. While his second show the next day will be devoted to playing his 2009 album The Ecstatic, he'll initially be taking to the stage during this Melbourne visit to pay tribute to MF Doom. [caption id="attachment_959867" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Marsman[/caption] Also on the Day Tripper bill: Bar Italia, Asha Puthli, HTRK, Richard Youngs, Surprise Chef, MEMORIALS, JLIN, Alastair Galbraith, ACID BRASS, The Tubs, Sarah Mary Chadwick, WET KISS, POSSESHOT and Scott & Charlene's Wedding, and that's just at Melbourne Town Hall. Head to Max Watt's for HTRK's 21st birthday and you'll also be treated to Astrid Sonne, CS + Kreme with James Rushford, Emelyne, Pandora's Jukebox, Still House Plants and YL Hooi. You only need one ticket for the lot — and to get priority entry to 24 Hour Rock Show. How many music documentaries can you watch in an entire day, from midday to midday? You'll find out here. [caption id="attachment_959868" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Louise Mason[/caption] Day Tripper 2024 Lineup: Melbourne Town Hall ACID BRASS Alastair Galbraith Amber McCartney Asha Puthli Bar Italia Candela Capitán — The Death at The Club Harrison Ritchie-Jones — Clubble JLIN MEMORIALS Polito POSSESHOT Richard Youngs Sarah Mary Chadwick Scott & Charlene's Wedding Surprise Chef The Tubs WET KISS Yasiin Bey (FKA Mos Def) performs MF DOOM HTRK 21st Birthday at Max Watt's Astrid Sonne CS + Kreme with James Rushford Emelyne HTRK Pandora's Jukebox Still House Plants YL Hooi Top HTRK image: Frankie Casillo.
You might want to be sitting down for this: up in Victoria's High Country, there's a stretch of land entirely devoted to prosecco. For any fans of a post-work glass of extra-dry bubbles, this news may be life changing. And for the mere prosecco-curious, a visit to this pretty part of the world will probably want to make you get better acquainted. You see, the High Country's King Valley is the spitting image of mountainous north-east Italy — at least climactically speaking. It's that observation that led Italian immigrants to introduce the region's famous prosecco vines to King Valley nearly three decades ago. Now there are five key producers who have banded together to create the King Valley Prosecco Road, a cellar-door hop with a little extra sparkle. Autumn is one of the best times to visit, so you can enjoy its full spectrum of wine tastings, dining experiences and outdoor adventures. THE MAKING OF PROSECCO ROAD Prosecco grape varieties hail from the north-eastern regions of Italy. They came to our Australian shores via the many farmers of Italian heritage who moved here in the mid-20th century. The pioneer of prosecco in this region is Otto Dal Zotto, who was determined to see the grapes of his homeland grown in Australia. Recognising the climactic and cultural similarities between his home of Valdobbiadene and the King Valley, he sourced cuttings and planted the country's first prosecco vines in 2000. Now, 180 acres of prime King Valley land is planted with prosecco — that's 64 percent of all prosecco plantings in Australia. To celebrate some of the best prosecco being bottled in this country, five King Valley producers (Brown Brothers, Dal Zotto, Chrismont, Pizzini and Sam Miranda) collaborated to create the prosecco Road, a food and wine trail focused on prosecco in all its styles. As well as wine tastings, the trail is home to dining experiences, cooking and cocktail classes, hot-air ballooning, guided walks and pedal-to-produce cycling routes. PROSECCO ROAD STOP #1: DAL ZOTTO WINES When you drink prosecco in the King Valley, you're drinking history, and to really understand that history your first stop on the road should be Dal Zotto Wines, which released the very first Australian prosecco in 2004. Autumn is mid-harvest in the vineyard and the perfect time to visit the winery and be involved with drying the grapes for Otto Dal Zotto's 'natural' Col Fondo prosecco (just like he used to make as a young boy in Valdobbiadene). You can also get molto Italian by attending one of the winery's Salami Sessions, where you'll learn how to cure meats (with a glass of wine in your hand of course). PROSECCO ROAD STOP #2: BROWN BROTHERS The Dal Zottos aren't the only ones in the region steeped in history, Brown Brothers Milawa vineyard is only a short drive away and the family has over 120 years of experience of making wine in Victoria. Founded in 1889, the company (which now has vineyards all over Australia) has their cellar door in their Milawa vineyard, which has always been considered the birthplace of the Brown Brothers company. Ever wanted to try your hand at blending your own wine? Brown Brothers gives you the opportunity to be a winemaker (for an hour anyway) in their Blending Masterclass. Taste the diverse flavours of each individual grape varietal and experiment with different combinations to create your own unique blend of wine. Consider a wine-matched lunch while you're here — restaurant Patricia's Table has previously held a hat from Fairfax's Good Food Guide. PROSECCO ROAD STOP #3: PIZZINI You may have noticed that the wineries are a bit of a family affair in the King Valley. Pizzini is no exception. Alfred Pizzini and his family all work for the company, in roles ranging from winemaking and viticulture to sales and marketing to hosting classes at the cellar door. Their offering during the autumn months reflects their Italian heritage and family focus. At Katrina Pizzini's cooking school, novices can learn age-old techniques for making gnocchi and pasta, while the Journey with the Maker tour lets guests go behind the scenes and see how a wine goes from grape to bottle. The experience will have you tasting wines straight out of tanks and barrels, learning about the fermentation and maturation process, and getting a guided tasting of the finished wines in bottle. To top it all off, you get to enjoy a two-course picnic hamper in the vineyards, admiring the autumn foliage and the vines mid-harvest. PROSECCO ROAD STOP #4: SAM MIRANDA WINES Right in the heart of the Prosecco Road lies the most architecturally impressive and award-winning cellar door. Entry to Sam Miranda Wines is via a subterranean passage that leads to the cellar door, lit by way of a 40-foot light tower. Sam is a self-confessed cycling addict (who jokingly says he makes wine 'on the side' and seriously organises an annual race through the King Valley), so get into the spirit by hiring a bike to explore this part of the King Valley. You can rent a ride in Milawa and do the Milawa Gourmet Trail, or borrow one from neighbouring Brown Brothers. How else are you going to burn off all the Italian homemade pasta, salami and wine you've ingested over this trip? PROSECCO ROAD STOP #5: CHRISMONT Need a place to rest your head after all this excitement? Well, your last stop along the Prosecco Road is where you want to finish. Chrismont winery features elegant guesthouse accommodation set among the vines, making it an idyllic place to restore, relax and rejuvenate (and each room comes stocked with bottles of their signature prosecco). Those who haven't had their fill of prosecco can take part in their daily Prosecco Masterclass with Chrismont winemaker Warren Proft. Showcasing the full range of prosecco styles, the session includes wines, tasting notes and wine production information. Finish with a classic Italian dinner at the Chrismont Restaurant and Larder — tagliatelle and a tiramisu will set you on the path to a sweet night's sleep. To get prepped for your trip to the King Valley Prosecco Road or to plan further frolics through the autumn leaves of the High Country, visit the Wander Victoria website.
Perhaps you've spent some time this year building a Lego bouquet. Or, if you're a Melburnian, you might've made a trip to a Lego recreation of Jurassic World. Whatever interactions you've had with the plastic building blocks of late — including picking up some Lego and IKEA storage boxes, meditating to the sounds of jumbled bricks or signing up for a subscription service during lockdown — you may not have thought about one inescapable fact: that all that plastic is the stuff of environmental nightmares. Lego itself hasn't been ignoring the obvious. Back in 2018, it committed to using sustainable materials in all its core products and packaging by 2030 — and it started by producing a range of sustainable pieces made from plant-based plastic, called bio-polyethylene. The next step: making its bricks from recycled plastic. And while the company isn't quite ready to start selling sets made from recycled materials in stores, it has just unveiled its first prototype bricks. The new blocks are made with PET plastic from discarded bottles, and mark the first that've been made from a recycled material to meet the brand's quality and safety standards. It took some work to get to this point, though, with materials scientists and engineers spending the past three years testing more than 250 types of PET materials — and hundreds of other plastic formulations. One of the trickiest things to nail (and one of the most important): getting the bricks to clutch together. In a statement, Lego said that "it will be some time before bricks made from a recycled material appear in Lego product boxes". From here, it'll keep testing and developing the PET-made bricks, before deciding whether to move into the pilot production phase — with this process expected to take another year at least. And if you're wondering about the plastic used in the new blocks, it has been sourced from US suppliers, with a one-litre plastic bottle providing enough raw material for ten 2 x 4 Lego bricks. For further information about Lego's sustainability plans, head to the brand's website.
Winter is upon us, the gloves and beanies are out of storage, and it's time to start loading up on sweets and carbs. That's how every June starts — and, this year, Krispy Kreme wants to help with the latter. How? By giving away an extremely excessive number of doughnuts. You're probably now wondering what constitutes an excessive amount of doughnuts. No, polishing off a packet by yourself doesn't count, at least in this instance. Krispy Kreme's giveaway is going big, with the chain slinging 100,000 original glazed doughnuts in conjunction with National Doughnut Day. Whether or not you're a big fan of food 'days', we're guessing you are quite fond of free doughnuts. To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, head to your closest Krispy Kreme store around Australia — other than in the Northern Territory — on Friday, June 3. That gives you 33 places to flock to, with Sydneysiders able to hit up 12 stores stretching from Penrith to the CBD, Victorians needing to visit nine locations from the airport to the city, and Queenslanders given eight different doughnut shops to pick from (with the most central in Albert Street in the CBD). And, in Perth, you can head to one of four Krispy Kreme stores. The National Doughnut Day deal isn't available at BP outlets, 7-Eleven stores, Jesters or Woolworths, or via online orders or third-party deliveries. There's also a limit of one freebie per person, and the giveaway only applies to the original glazed variety. The 100,000 doughnuts will be spread across the participating stores, so you'll want to get in relatively early if you want to kick off your Friday with a free sweet and doughy treat. Obviously, whether you nab one or not is subject to availability. Krispy Kreme's free doughnut giveaway is happening in the chain's stores around the country on Friday, June 3. To find your closest shop and check its opening hours, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
Live music experiences haven't been quite as frequent as we would have liked over the past couple of years, but thankfully, the music industry is set on making a serious comeback. The gig calendar is filling up, festivals are finally getting back into the swing of things and we've even started welcoming brand new music venues. For Melbourne, the latest of these is Reunion Park — a new pop-up concert venue and performing arts precinct from the minds at Untitled (Ability Fest, Beyond the Valley, Pitch Music & Arts) and Velodrome Events. It's making its home at the Burnley Circus Park site from Friday, March 4, delivering a jam-packed month of gigs, performances and day parties. Across its hotly-anticipated launch weeks, the outdoor venue is set to serve a broad-ranging taster of Melbourne's arts scene, with offerings to treat your ears, tickle your funny bone, test your dance moves and more. Already on the program, you'll find a show from metalcore legends and ARIA Award nominees Polaris (March 4), a couple of gigs by Freo-based indie rockers Spacey Jane (March 19), and the inaugural run of rock festival Uncaged (March 12), featuring Wolfmother, Bodyjar and You Am I. Meanwhile, Ministry of Sound Classical drops by for the local leg of its Aussie tour (April 9), Germany's Ben Böhmer takes the stage on March 13, and the postponed Full Tilt festival will finally get its moment (March 26); soundtracked by heavy hitting acts like Northlane, In Hearts Wake and Thy Art Is Murder. Also on the cards is a run of shows held as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, plus a rotation of food and drink pop-ups taking advantage of the park's sprawling al fresco space. Tickets to a selection of shows are already on sale here with more to be released in the coming weeks and further events to be announced. Reunion Park will launch at Burnley Circus Park, Madden Grove, Swan Street, Burnley, from March 4 until April 10. For the full launch program and to grab tickets, see the website. Images: Renders of Reunion Park
Regional holidays aren't back on the cards in Victoria as yet, but if you're looking forward to leaving your house for an evening once that's permitted, you can still treat yourself to a fancy staycation. And, if you're in need of the kind of fun that only singing in public, mashing buttons, hanging out in an igloo and watching movies on a big screen can bring, Element Melbourne Richmond Hotel has just the prescription. From Monday, November 2, the eco-conscious Westin brand hotel will be offering up a new 'ultimate sleepover' experience, which will be available to everyone staying onsite. You'll spend the night in one of the hotel's rooms and, because you probably feel like you've already done everything you can within any four specific walls, you'll be able to make the most of the site's new entertainment options — with everything from karaoke and playing PacMan to catching a flick included in your room rate. Element Richmond isn't skimping on these extras, either. Available until early 2021, operating from 11am–10pm daily and able to be used as guests please — while adhering to social distancing requirements, of course — the roster of activities on offer is hefty. In fact, the entire top floor is set to be transformed, turning guest rooms and a meeting room into places for everyone to hang out. The hotel's public spaces will be taken over, too, including the lobby lounge, restaurant and outdoor laneway. For those eager to belt out a tune, you can book a two-hour slot in a karaoke room. Two additional rooms will be packed with classic arcade games such as Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Galaga and Star Wars. There's also a dedicated Super Mario room, which features a huge TV, Nintendo Switch, and all the relevant gaming accessories accessories so you can play Mario Tennis Aces, Mario Kart, Super Mario Party and more. For those who'd prefer a bit of sport — but indoors — you can also head to the air hockey and foosball rooms, as decked out with the relevant tables. And, if you're visiting the hotel with little ones in tow, there's a kids' room as well. Movie-wise, the pop-up cinema will screen classic flicks on rotation, in gold class-style digs, and serve up freshly made popcorn to go with it. Elsewhere around the hotel, guests will find a 3D car-racing simulator, pool and table tennis tables, and igloos — although you will need to purchase anything you'd like to eat or drink in the latter separately. And wine tastings, cocktail masterclass and cooking demonstration with hotel chef Paulson Xavier are also on the agenda. If you're wondering about that topic that's been at the top of everyone's mind for most of the year — cleaning and hygiene — all areas will be cleaned hourly. Guests will also be asked to sanitise all equipment before and after use with the wipes provided, and room capacity limits will apply. Element Richmond also has a hand sanitiser bar — with sannies from the likes of Mr Black, Archie Rose and Four Pillars — that you can peruse. Currently, the 'ultimate sleepover' experience is timed to kick off when COVID-19 restrictions next ease in the metro Melbourne area, which is presently slated for 11.59pm on Sunday, November 1. That's when the four reasons for leaving home will be scrapped, and the new 25-kilometre rule as well — but if that date moves, so will the start date for Element Richmond's plans. It's important to note that your four-legged friend can come along for this staycation, too, as Element is a pet-friendly hotel. Comfy dog beds are available for any four-legged guests, though there is a maximum of two dogs per room and they can't weigh more than 20 kilograms each — apologies to all those particularly leggy hounds and hefty pooches. If you are bringing along your canine mate, there's an $80 pet cleaning fee per room, per stay. Element Melbourne Richmond Hotel's 'ultimate sleepover' experience will be available from Monday, November 2 until early 2021. To book a room, visit the hotel's website.
Archer's restaurant at Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands has partnered with several independent Victorian distillers to host a monthly whisky tasting and dinner experience in its main dining room. Following a sold-out whisky dinner in May, the team has decided to revive the concept for three more monthly events. The series kicks off on Saturday, September 2 and will be hosted in collaboration with Morris Whisky — a local distiller that's been around since 1859. This will be followed by Timboon Distillery on Saturday, October 7 and Chief's Son Distillery on Saturday, November 4. Each of the three evenings will see guests tuck into a one-time-only menu designed by Archer's Executive Chef Ryan Flaherty (The Fat Duck and Stokehouse), made to be paired with a selection of whiskies curated by the distillers themselves. The four-course meal with matched whiskies comes in at $130 per person and can easily be followed by more good times in the hotel's main bar, Ada's — which boasts its own whisky cart that gets rolled around each evening. If you want to claim a spot at Archer's monthly whisky dinners, head to the restaurant's website.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from August's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW PREY No stranger to voicing iconic lines, Arnold Schwarzenegger uttered one of his best-known phrases yet 35 years ago, in a franchise that's still going today. "If it bleeds, we can kill it" has been quoted frequently ever since — even by champion AFL coaches — and it's no spoiler to mention that it pops up again in the latest Predator film Prey. Trotting out that piece of dialogue won't surprise anyone, but this fine-tuned action-thriller should. It's one of the saga's best entries, serving up a lean, taut and thoughtful kill-or-be-killed battle set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. The Predator series hasn't been big on highlights over the years — Predator 2 is forgettable to put it nicely, 2010's Predators is effective, 2018's The Predator favoured its throwback vibes above all else, and the two terrible Alien vs Predator cross-over films are best left forgotten — however Prey not only breathes new life into it, but paves a welcome path for more. (Bring on a Prey sequel ASAP.) The overall premise remains the same, with the franchise's ruthless, brutal and technologically advanced alien species using earth as its hunting ground as the series has already established — and showing zero concern about leaving a body count. Trained healer Naru (Amber Midthunder, The Ice Road) is the first to notice that something is awry this time, spotting the predator's spaceship in the sky and taking it as a sign to follow her dream to become a hunter herself. Alas, that isn't the done thing. In fact, she's spent her entire life being told that she can't be like her brother Taabe (first-timer Dakota Beavers), and should focus on her assigned role instead. Now, even with an extra-terrestrial foe wreaking havoc, she's still dismissed at every turn. Midthunder plays Naru as a fierce, determined, persistent and resourceful force to be reckoned with, while writer/director Dan Trachtenberg — co-scripting with Jack Ryan's Patrick Aison — gives all things Predator the taut focus, canny shift and fresh feel he also gave the Cloverfield saga with 10 Cloverfield Lane. Prey streams via Disney+. THE BEAR First, an important piece of advice: eating either before or while watching The Bear is highly recommended, and near close to essential. Now, two more crucial slices of wisdom: prepare to feel stressed throughout every second of this riveting, always-tense, and exceptionally written and acted culinary series, and also to want to tuck into The Original Beef of Chicagoland's famous sandwiches immediately. The eatery is purely fictional, but its signature dish looks phenomenal. Most of what's cooked up in Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto's (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless) kitchen does. But he has taken over the family business following his brother's suicide, arriving back home after wowing the world in fine dining's top restaurants, and nothing is easy. Well, coveting The Bear's edible wares is across the show's eight-episode first season — but making them, keeping the shop afloat, coping with grief and ensuring that the diner's staff work harmoniously is a pressure cooker of chaos. That anxious mood is inescapable from the outset; the best way to start any meal is just to bite right in, and The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also directs five episodes, and has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) takes the same approach. He also throws all of his ingredients together with precision — the balance of drama and comedy, the relentlessness that marks every second in The Original Beef's kitchen, and the non-stop mouthing off by Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Dropout), all included. Carmy has bills to pay, debts to settle, eerie dreams and sleepwalking episodes to navigate, new sous chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, Dickinson) mixing up the place and long-standing employees (such as Hap and Leonard's Lionel Boyce, In Treatment's Liza Colón-Zayas and Fargo's Edwin Lee Gibson) to keep happy. Every glimpse at the resulting hustle and bustle is as gripping as it is appetising — and yes, binging is inevitable. The Bear streams via Disney+. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN The year: 1943. The place: America. The sport: baseball. Misty faces: apparently not allowed. Yes, there's no crying in baseball, again — and yes, after proving a hit on the big screen back in 1992, A League of Their Own is back as an eight-part streaming remake with those rules about waterworks still intact. That said, in both versions, there definitely are tears in the sport. Someone proclaims there shouldn't be, although Tom Hanks doesn't do the honours the time around. And, when it arrives in Prime Video's series, that line isn't code for the entire perspective that A League of Their Own is rallying against: that the bat-swinging pastime isn't for women anyway. The new show's characters are still forced to deal with that abhorrent view, though, and the same storyline and same societal journey slides through the show's frames, too. But Broad City's Abbi Jacobson, who leads, co-writes and co-created this A League of Their Own, helps ensure that this fictional look at the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League broadens its playing field. Obviously much is familiar about this movie-to-TV do-over, including following a small-town star catcher (Jacobson's Carson Shaw) chasing her lifelong dream while her husband serves in the Second World War, a ragtag group of other women living their fantasies as well, a world that sees them as a joke and a male manager (Nick Offerman, The Resort) who used to be a major star but is only in this gig to restart his own career. Also included here: the tale of Max Chapman (Chanté Adams, Voyagers), an immensely talented pitcher who isn't allowed to audition, let alone play, due to her race. Another warm-hearted sports comedy results — and in what proves a worthy extra innings, there's never any doubt that the new series is firmly a 2022 creation. A League of Their Own's gorgeous ladies of baseball span an impressive cast, too, with standouts D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Melanie Field (The Alienist) and Roberta Colindrez (Vida) hitting it out of the park. A League of Their Own streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. GLORIOUS During his seven seasons on HBO's slinky supernatural drama True Blood, and in his 223 episodes on Home and Away before that, Ryan Kwanten navigated any actor's fair share of wild scenarios — and soapy and melodramatic, obviously. In Glorious, he's firmly in out-there territory, but as a troubled man conversing about life, love, loss, loyalty, the universe, gods, men, women and plenty more in a dank and grimy rest-stop bathroom. So far, so straightforward. Unexpected connections and cathartic chats can happen in all manner of places with all manner of people, after all. But Wes, Kwanten's character, is conversing with a glory hole. There's a powerful deity behind it, but all that Glorious' protagonist and the audience see is glowing neon light emanating from the circle between cubicles, and a pulsating orb of flesh hanging below the stall walls. Filmmaker Rebekah McKendry (Psycho Granny), plus screenwriters David Ian McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring), Joshua Hull (Chopping Block) and Todd Rigney (Headless), aren't shy about their Lovecraftian nods; not thinking about the sci-fi author's brand of cosmic horror and its focus on unfathomable terrors is impossible. Indeed, this'd make a fine double with Color Out of Space — a sincere compliment given that phantasmagorical delight is adapted from the author's words, while this feels like it should've been. Aided by cinematographer David Matthews (Jakob's Wife), McKendry cements the film's clear tribute via its aesthetic and atmosphere, with vibrant pink hues contrasting with the grotty bathroom, and the claustrophobic setting doing the same with the vastness emanating from Ghat, Wes' talkative new acquaintance. That JK Simmons (Spider-Man: No Way Home) lends his distinctive tones to the movie's pivotal voice does much to set the mood, understandably, but Kwanten's layered performance, a twisty narrative and an inspiredly OTT premise executed with flair also make Glorious memorable. Glorious streams via Shudder. THE SANDMAN Fantasy fans who are also TV fans, rejoice — the Game of Thrones realm is back (see below), The Lord of the Rings is about to hop over to the small screen as well, and Neil Gaiman's The Sandman has also been turned into a streaming series. With all three, one word probably comes to mind: finally. But while lovers of Westerosi power struggles and battles against Sauron have already had something to watch at least, The Sandman first played out in comic books between 1989–1996 and, despite efforts otherwise, that's where it has remained until now. Entertaining things come to those who wait, though, even if the first season of Netflix's adaption does take its time to kick into gear. Perhaps that's apt, especially given how the titular figure, the Robert Smith-esque Dream King (Tom Sturridge, Irma Vep) — who is also known as both Dream and Morpheus — spends much of the first episode. British aristocrat and occultist Roderick Burgess (Charles Dance, The King's Man) attempts to lure in Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Hacks) instead, in an effort to bring his son back to life. Disappointed with obtaining the wrong captive, he imprisons Dream for more than a century. That incarceration has consequences, with Dream's kingdom bearing the brunt, and his powers unsurprisingly suffering (yes, cue the season's main storyline). Again, The Sandman doesn't completely click from its first frame; however, while it's putting its pieces together, it cements its dark, otherworldly and suitably gothic mood — and has quite the cast to play with. Because every TV show has to have multiple links to Game of Thrones, Gwendoline Christie (Flux Gourmet) plays Lucifer, memorably so. Elsewhere, Boyd Holbrook (The Predator) swaggers around as The Corinthian, Vivienne Acheampong (The Witches) is a delight as Dream's offsider Lucienne, Jenna Coleman (The Serpent) makes the most of her gender-swapped Constantine (yes, like the Keanu Reeves-starring film) and the always-reliable David Thewlis (Landscapers) leaves an imprint as Burgess' son. And when The Sandman works, whether at a performance or an episode level or more broadly, it is indeed a fantasy aficionado's dream. The Sandman streams via Netflix. THIRTEEN LIVES Hollywood couldn't have scripted the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue better if it tried. As monopolised the news at the time and keeps fascinating filmmakers since, the situation started when 12 pre-teen and teenage soccer players and their 25-year-old coach went into the cave system in Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand, heavy monsoonal rains caused flooding, and it was widely feared that the stranded team wouldn't be recovered. Thankfully, there was a happy ending — although it took nine days until divers even confirmed they were alive, another nine to both work out the logistics of extracting them safely and follow through, and other lives were lost in the process. The Tham Luang caves can be cavernous, but that just means more room for more water in the wet season. And saying that its tunnels are narrow and difficult to navigate, even for the best of the best below the water, is an understatement. All of the above shines through in the rousing Thirteen Lives, a survivalist and procedural drama starring Colin Farrell (After Yang) and Viggo Mortensen (Crimes of the Future) as cave divers John Volanthen and Richard Stanton, plus Joel Edgerton (Obi-Wan Kenobi) as Australian anaesthetist Richard Harris. For viewers who've seen the two other recent movies about the same situation, stellar documentary The Rescue and subpar docudrama The Cave, the details will be familiar — and how well the film's three biggest names portray their IRL counterparts will stand out as well. Tension drips through this take on the tale, with director Ron Howard (Hillbilly Elegy) enlisting claustrophobic cinematography and sound design to edge-of-your-seat effect. That said, cataloguing an extraordinary extraction job done under dangerous circumstances is Thirteen Lives' main aim. In a film committed to letting the dramatised events themselves set the emotional tone, surveying the contributions beyond the now well-known faces, the context behind their efforts and the impact within the community — for the boys' families, and politically — also gets Howard's attention. Thirteen Lives streams via Prime Video. RETURNING GEMS WITH FULL NEW SEASONS TO BINGE SOLAR OPPOSITES Justin Roiland has one of the most recognisable voices on television right now, especially if you're a Rick and Morty fan. While you're watching Solar Opposites, though, you won't just be thinking about that beloved animated hit and its schwifty dimension-hopping antics — or even counting down the days till it returns, which is soon, while dipping whichever food you like in Szechuan sauce. You'll be too busy laughing, getting drawn into this also-Roiland co-created gem, and trying not to miss anything in its joke-a-second comic onslaught. Solar Opposites and Rick and Morty share more than a little in common, of course, including aliens, strangeness descending upon a suburban family, sci-fi antics, a raucous sense of humour and the fact that literally anything can happen. But while Rick and Morty is basically the new, far-more-anarchic Back to the Future, Solar Opposites has big Third Rock From the Sun vibes — and Futurama, too, if instead of jumping to the year 3000, it followed a ragtag group of extra-terrestrials residing on earth. Roiland voices Korvo Solar-Opposites, the team leader on a mission to terraform this blue marble to replace his exploded Planet Shlorp. But first, his family is trying to make the best of life right here exactly as it is — well, with plenty of science-fiction gadgetry to keep things interesting. Hijinks ensue, involving Korvo, his partner Terry (Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley), and the younger Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone, The Goldbergs) and Jesse (stand-up comedian Mary Mack), as well as their cute alien infant Pupa. There's also Aisha (Tiffany Haddish, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), the artificial intelligence onboard their spaceship, plus a wall filled with shrunk-down people (thanks to those sci-fi toys) who've started their own society in Yumyulack and Jesse's bedroom. Now three seasons in, Solar Opposites has perfected the ideal balance between fish-out-of-water alien shenanigans and those increasingly poignant miniature human interludes (complete with Mad Men's Christina Hendricks and This Is Us' Sterling K Brown helping voice the latter) — and it's just as ace as Roiland's better-known hit. Solar Opposites streams via Disney+. BREEDERS You don't need to have children of your own, plan to soon or ever think you will to keenly relate to Breeders. Now in its third season, the British comedy about a London family understands one inescapable truth about life: that chaos is an unavoidable constant, and much of that chaos springs from people being people. Based on an idea by star Martin Freeman (and partly derived from his own experiences), this series explores that notion in a microcosm, and without the rosy hues that usually tint sitcoms about parenting. Indeed, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Sherlock, The Hobbit, Fargo and The Office actor has been through more than a few ups and downs as a father — and he will have, because everyone who has kids does — due to Breeders' refreshing frankness. His character's frustrations, and his inability to remain calm while facing mayhem, mess, mania and everything in-between, also proves not just welcomely honest and hilarious, but vicariously cathartic. That often-anguished man is Paul Worsley, dad to Luke (Alex Eastwood, Creeped Out) and Ava (Eve Prenelle, To Olivia) — and partner to Ally (Daisy Haggard, Back to Life). No, none of those relationships are perfect. The same applies to his status as a son to the set-in-their-ways Jim (Alun Armstrong, Sherwood) and Jackie (Joanna Bacon, Benediction), with Breeders examining family ties in multiple directions. The chaos deepens each season, with this batch of episodes opening with Paul staying elsewhere because his presence, and his quick-to-anger temper, are exacerbating Luke's anxiety. Rippling consequences spread throughout the characteristically astute, smartly written, well-performed and cannily amusing new season, as Paul makes a new friend (Sally Phillips, How to Please a Woman), but doesn't tell Ally; the latter adjusts to his absence; Ava tussles with faith, friends and her future; and Jim and Jackie show that even lifetime-long relationships still have their secrets and struggles. Breeders streams via Disney+. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK BAD SISTERS Bad Sisters begins on the day of an Irish funeral, farewelling John Paul Williams (Claes Bang, The Northman) — after his widow, Grace (Anne-Marie Duff, Sex Education), makes sure that the corpse's erection won't be noticed first. He's long been nicknamed 'The Prick' anyway, with his four sisters-in-law all thoroughly unimpressed about the toxic way he treated his wife. In flashbacks, they joke about saving her by getting murderous, and exactly why is made plain as well. Bonded by more than blood after their parents died, the Garvey girls are used to sticking together, with the eldest, Eva (Sharon Horgan, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), stepping in as the maternal influence over Grace, Ursula (Eva Birthistle, The Last Kingdom), Bibi (Sarah Greene, Normal People) and Becka (Eve Hewson, Behind Her Eyes). She's fierce about it, too, as characters played by the Catastrophe and This Way Up star tend to be. When a guest offers condolences at John Paul's wake, Eva's response is "I'm just glad the suffering's over" — and when she's then asked if he was ill, she replies with a blunt and loaded "no". If this scenario sounds familiar, that's because Belgian TV's Clan got there first back in 2012, which means that Bad Sisters joins the ever-growing list of series that largely exist to make the leap into English. That isn't a criticism of the end result here, though, which proves itself a winner early. Also part of both shows: two insurance agents, aka half-brothers Thomas (Brian Gleeson, Death of a Ladies' Man) and Matthew Claffin (Daryl McCormack, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) here. Their family-run outfit is meant to pay out on John Paul's life insurance policy, but it's a hefty amount of cash and will bankrupt the firm, which is why Thomas starts asking questions. It seems an obvious setup, but this is a series with both bite and warmth. Brought to the screen by Horgan, Bad Sisters finds both the pitch-black comedy and the drama in its whole 'offing your arsehole brother-in-law' premise, and the tension and banter as well — and the sense of sorority between its quintet of main ladies, too. Bad Sisters streams via Apple TV+. RESERVATION DOGS One of the best new TV shows of 2021 is back for a second season — and it quickly proves one of the best returning shows of 2022, too. That series: the gloriously heartfelt and perceptive Reservation Dogs, which may riff on a Quentin Tarantino movie with its moniker, and also started with a heist when it first hit the screen, but proves dedicated to diving deep into what it's like to be an Indigenous North American teenager today. Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese (debutant Lane Factor) are those restless Oklahoma adolescents, and they've shared a California dream since the show began. But when the first season wrapped up with a tornado, as well as a figurative storm of hard truths and buried feelings, the gang's relocation fantasy didn't play out as expected. The lure of family and culture remained strong, as did holding onto a past that's brought happiness as well as pain (getting a fresh start after losing a friend is a big motivation for their escape plan). That said, Elora still attempts to go anyway. In season two, the more things change, the more they stay the same — until they don't. For Bear, Willie Jack and Cheese, staying on the reservation requires facing life on the reservation. For Elora, being on the road with enemy-turned-travelling companion Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds) gets tumultuous. Made with such an evident commitment to minutiae, and to feeling lived-in at every moments, Reservation Dogs spins both its episodic stories and its long-running coming-of-age arcs, themes and emotions into something wonderful again and again. Co-creator/executive producer/writer Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) deserves all the kudos that can be showered his way, and so does Taika Waititi as one of the series' fellow creators, executive producers and writers. There are many reasons to be thankful for the New Zealand filmmaker as his resume keeps attesting (including fellow recent sitcom Our Flag Means Death); however, using his fame to help bring this insightful gift into the world is one of them. Reservation Dogs streams via Binge. HOUSE OF THE DRAGON In its very first moments, House of the Dragon's opening episode delivers exactly what its name promises: here be dragons indeed. Within ten minutes, the Iron Throne, that sprawling metal seat that all of Westeros loves fighting about, also makes its initial appearance. By the time the 20-minute mark arrives, bloody violence of the appendage-, limb- and head-lopping kind fills the show's frames as well. And, before the debut instalment of this Game of Thrones prequel about House Targaryen's history even hits its halfway mark, a brothel scene with nudity and sex is sighted, too. Between all of the above, the usual GoT family dramas, squabbles over successors and power struggles pop up. Of course they do. House of the Dragon was always going to check all of the above boxes. None of this can constitute spoilers, either, because none of it can come as a surprise. Game of Thrones' fame and influence have become that pervasive, as have its hallmarks and trademarks. Everyone knows what GoT is known for, even if you've somehow never seen this page-to-screen franchise yet or read the George RR Martin-penned books that it's based on. After green-lighting a different prequel to pilot stage, scrapping it, then picking this one to run with instead — and also making plans to bring novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg to TV, working on an animated GoT show, exploring other potential prequels and forging ahead a Jon Snow-focused sequel series — House of the Dragon is the first Game of Thrones successor to arrive in streaming queues, and it doesn't mess with a formula that HBO doesn't consider broken. Its focus: the Targaryen crew 172 years before the birth of Daenerys and her whole dragon-flying, nephew-dating, power-seeking story. Cue silky silver locks aplenty, including cascading from King Viserys I's (Paddy Considine, The Third Day) head as he takes to the Iron Throne over his cousin Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best, Nurse Jackie). She had a better claim to the spiky chair, but gets passed over because she's a woman. Years later, the same scenario springs up over whether the king's dragon-riding daughter Princess Rhaenyra (Upright's Milly Alcock, then Mothering Sunday's Emma D'Arcy) becomes his heir, or the future son he's desperate to have, or his headstrong and shady younger brother Prince Daemon (Matt Smith, Morbius). House of the Dragon streams via Binge. Read our full review. SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW What do 90s lawyer comedies, recent TV sensations, Captain America's sex life and the fact that it isn't easy being green all have in common? The Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest streaming series. What gives Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) a worthy comic showcase, sees Marvel's ever-sprawling franchise make a rare admission that The Incredible Hulk exists, and gifts Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness) a hilarious new buddy dynamic, too? Yes, the MCU's likeable She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which proves savvy, self-aware, silly and satirical all at once. What refuses take itself too seriously, knows it's in busy territory, and winkingly responds to the world that's helped it even come to fruition? This Kat Coiro (Marry Me) and Anu Valia (And Just Like That...)-directed show, too, which just keeps ticking a long list of boxes. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is astute and amusing, skewers popular culture's obsession with superheroes, and unpacks the way society treats women — superpowered and otherwise. And where its immediate small-screen predecessor, Ms Marvel, loved the MCU more than its audience ever will, this playful sitcom about Marvel's emerald-hued lawyer sees plenty about the ever-expanding on-screen saga to parody. Jennifer Walters (Maslany) starts out the show as a Deputy District Attorney — and also a hulk. In flashbacks, head writer Jessica Gao (Rick and Morty) gets the obvious question out of the way, aka "how did Jen end up aping Bruce Banner?". In that jump backwards, Jen heads on a road trip with her cousin (Mark Ruffalo, Dark Waters), ends up in a car accident, gets splashed with his gamma-radiated blood and wakes up sharing his traits. Smart Hulk hops into action, training Jen in the ways of being giant and grass-coloured whenever her emotions bubble up, although that's what being a woman today entails anyway. With new powers comes an upended life, however, as well as a new job juggling cases covering everything from Emil Blonsky/the Abomination's (Tim Roth, Sundown) past misdeeds to Asgardian elves and wily magicians. This series has as much in common with Ally McBeal and Fleabag as it does with its fellow spandex-clad cohort, and it's all the better for it, striking an entertaining, perceptive and well-cast balance between the obligatory caped crusader nods and spinning a lawyer comedy about a caped crusader. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law streams via Disney+. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June and July this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream 2022 shows so far as well — and our best 15 new shows from the first half of this year, top 15 returning shows and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies. Top image: Photo by David Bukach. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Australia is home to some incredible music festivals, with Laneway, Bluesfest, Splendour, Groovin' the Moo and Dark Mofo bringing some of the world's best acts to our shores each year. But live music isn't the only excuse to head out of town. Australia is also home to heaps of out-there festivals set in rural and random locations, celebrating everything from spuds and watermelon to Mary Poppins and the Nutbush. Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary getaway? Here's our pick of the top ten weird and wonderful festivals to track down around the country.
The celebrated sculptor and perpetual made-you-look artist has revealed his latest installation as part of the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India. Set in a gallery floor at the Aspinwall House in Fort Kochi, Anish Kapoor's Descension sees a caged vortex of black water furiously frothing and swirling, slowly receding into an bottomless abyss. Looks like Kapoor hopped out of the bath one day, pulled the plug and got well freaked out. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is India's first biennale for contemporary art held in Kochi — with Kapoor's work one of the major drawcards for both local and international visitors. Created especially for the Kerala capital by the artist who gave Chicago Cloud Gate in Millennium Park, Descension is located in a seaside corner room of the Aspinwall gallery, looking out to the harbour and freaking out gallery visitors looking for a peaceful stroll through Nice Art. I mean, look at this GIF: Terrfiying. Check out Kapoor talking to the Biennale team about the work here. Via Designboom and Colossal.
Sydney-based Eat Art Truck was one of the first food trucks to really take off, with its American barbecue street food infused with fine dining, and bright, colourful trucks that feature the work of local artists. It's quality food, but instead of being artfully plated up on ceramics, the chefs lean down and hand you your meal in a paper tray. Specialities on the menu are the eight-hour smoked pulled pork bun, the slow-roasted beef brisket bun and the crispy fried chicken bun. There are nachos, salads, fancier dishes like the kingfish entrée, and desserts like flourless chocolate cake. Once a month an artist will paint a piece on the side of the truck, and at the end of the month the piece is auctioned off for charity — so you get a serving of culture along with your fries. Brenton Balicki, founding chef of Eat Art Truck, cooked us up a three-course feast last week to celebrate the launch of the KitchenAid Mini in Australia. All three courses were inspired by Brenton's work experience as a chef — he spent his formative chef years working at Tetsuya's and moved to Quay before becoming one of the founding chefs of Eat Art Truck. His professional background instilled in him the importance of good produce, so Brenton rode down to the Sydney Fish Markets and picked up the fresh fish, meat, vegetables he would be using. The first course was a beautifully plated entree of beetroot-cured hiramasa kingfish — a dish that relies on quality produce above anything else. The second course was a classic Eat Art Truck burger. Brenton wouldn't give us the exact ingredients that he needed to make the patty, or the sauce (can't give away all Eat Art Truck's secrets) but there's enough there to make your version of their classic burger. The third course was a flourless, sugarless chocolate cake. He's given us his recipes so you can re-create them at home. Burgers for dinner tonight? BEETROOT-CURED HIRAMASA KING FISH INGREDIENTS 1 fillet of hiramasa kingfish 1 large beetroot 1 lemon 1 bunch baby radish 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 tablespoon of salt 1 poached octopus crème fraîche rice wine vinegar olive oil METHOD Marinate the fish in grated beetroot, lemon zest, sugar and salt overnight. This will begin the curing process Wipe off marinade with paper towel and slice the fish as thinly as possible. Lay it out on the plate and decorate with thinly sliced octopus, baby herbs and thinly sliced radish Create a dressing with the vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Once you're happy with the presentation, dress the fish with plenty of the vinaigrette and finish with some crème fraîche and sea salt EAT ART TRUCK BURGER INGREDIENTS 3 of your favourite cuts of meat (ours are a secret) your favourite sauces (also a secret) your favourite bread — we used brioche tomato caramelised onion lemon thyme chorizo sausage your favourite cheese — we used smoked cheddar METHOD Dice your chosen meat into small cubes ready to be minced Use the KitchenAid Mini meat grinder attachment on the coarse setting so you have a unique texture. Add chopped thyme and mix everything together with hands thoroughly until everything is combined Heavily season the burgers and then begin grilling along with the chorizo and onions. Once you have everything cooked just the way you like it, begin building your custom burger just the way you like it FLOURLESS, SUGARLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS 5 egg whites 3 egg yolks with 2 whole eggs 1 block of your favourite chocolate 200g butter 200g almond meal honey seasonal fruits ice cream dulce De Leche METHOD Melt the butter with the chocolate in bowl A. Use a KitchenAid Mini to whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs with the honey in bowl B. In bowl C, whisk the egg whites until firm Add the almond meal, bowl A and bowl B together and mix until smooth. Finish by folding in the egg whites from bowl C until a nice mixture forms Gently pour this into a non stick baking dish and cook at 160 degrees until firm in the centre Garnish with fruits, chopped nuts, dulce de leche, ice cream and some grated chocolate Images: Samantha Hawker.
Thought bingo was for your nan? Think again. It's also for you — or perhaps, if she's a groovy gran, for the both of you. Hijacking the traditional format of bingo with raves, conga lines and lip sync battles, Bingo Loco is 50 percent one of those strange dreams you get after eating too much cheese and 50 percent just a walloping good time. Comedian Andrew Stanley plays MC, while confetti showers and smoke cannons go off throughout the night (perhaps wear your glasses). Bingo ravers will compete for ultimate glory (and prizes) over the course of three rounds. In between the traditional bingo games, you'll be expected to groove to classic 90s rave bangers, partake in dance-offs, battle others for lip sync queen titles. Basically, be prepared for many high-octane, energetic activities — gone are the days of simply raising your hand when you've got a full sheet of numbers. Doing your stretches and vocal warm-ups first are advised. You'll vie for prizes, which in the past have included Coachella tickets, mobility scooters (nan, listen up), boats and lawnmowers (maybe for your dad), among other goldmines. Bingo Loco has been running across the globe for a few years and now will trumpet its way around Australia once more, with proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Australia. Bingo Loco will hit 170 Russell Street on Thursday, May 23 and then return to The Prince Bandroom in St Kilda on Sunday, June 2. Tickets cost $44 per person and can be purchased here.
Coburg Night Market, the much-loved northside summer pop-up, is back for a 23rd time, taking over Bridges Reserve from Friday, December 15–Sunday, December 17. Whether you're stocking up on prezzies or just want to soak up the start of those long summer nights, the free, dog-friendly market promises three nights and two days jam-packed with good stuff. Not least of which are the live tunes that go well beyond your stock standard neighbourhood p festival lineup. Pull up a picnic rug and treat your ears to sounds from the likes of Pirritu, Hooper Crescent, Muma Ganoush, OUZO!, Fonzie, Sunny Morris, Sunfruits and DJ Jas Moore from Triple R. The Coburg Night Market is also introducing the Mindful Mob Healing Market for the first time. First Nations songwriter and producer Maylene Yinarr has curated a stacked program featuring performances, a children's mindfulness workshop, cultural healing sessions, Elders stories and more. Visitors will be encouraged to enter this cultural space within Coburg Night Market of the broader market to learn more about the local First Nations community and their connection to land and Spirit. Shoppers will also find an impressive curation of 68 market stalls from local creatives and businesses. This will include a heap of food and drink vendors slinging a diverse range of eats throughout the weekend. The market will run from 5–10:30pm on December 15, 12–10:30pm on December 16 and 12–8:30pm on December 17. Images: Nic Cleary and Coburg Night Market
Everyone deserves a break to decompress, but in the bustling environment of the city, a moment of quiet has become increasingly rare. A random call or an overly aggressive car horn can ruin the little time we get to relax. Enter Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, which is now offering a different to relax out in Daylesford. On Friday and Saturday nights (from 6–9pm), the spa is running its new Quiet Sanctuary Bathing at a discounted price of $99 (it will eventually go up to $120 per person). The adult-only experience invites you to soak in the mineral-rich water of pools without technology or chat. This means you won't be disturbed by groups of mates chatting in the steam room or splashing about in the pools — thank the spa gods. If you'd prefer some communal bathing where you can chat and get your phone out, you're encouraged to join the regular bathing sessions at different times. Looking for more than a soak? You can dive deeper into personal healing with guided meditation sessions in the tranquil Salt Pool at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. ELVIS Making a biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, trust Baz Luhrmann to take his subject's words to heart: a little less conversation, a little more action. The Australian filmmaker's Elvis, his first feature since 2013's The Great Gatsby, isn't short on chatter. It's even narrated by Tom Hanks (Finch) as Colonel Tom Parker, the carnival barker who thrust Presley to fame (and, as Luhrmann likes to say, the man who was never a Colonel, never a Tom and never a Parker). But this chronology of an icon's life is at its best when it's showing rather than telling. That's when it sparkles brighter than a rhinestone on all-white attire, and gleams with more shine than all the lights in Las Vegas. That's when Elvis is electrifying, due to its treasure trove of recreated concert scenes — where Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) slides into Presley's blue suede shoes and lifetime's supply of jumpsuits like he's the man himself. Butler is that hypnotic as Presley. Elvis is his biggest role to-date after starting out on Hannah Montana, sliding through other TV shows including Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries, and also featuring in Yoga Hosers and The Dead Don't Die — and he's exceptional. Thanks to his blistering on-stage performance, shaken hips and all, the movie's gig sequences feel like Elvis hasn't ever left the building. Close your eyes and you'll think you were listening to the real thing. (In some cases, you are: the film's songs span Butler's vocals, Presley's and sometimes a mix of both). And yet it's how the concert footage looks, feels, lives, breathes, and places viewers in those excited and seduced crowds that's Elvis' true gem. It's meant to make movie-goers understand what it was like to be there, and why Presley became such a sensation. Aided by dazzling cinematography, editing and just all-round visual choreography, these parts of the picture — of which there's many, understandably — leave audiences as all shook up as a 1950s teenager or 1970s Vegas visitor. Around such glorious centrepieces, Luhrmann constructs exactly the kind of Elvis extravaganza he was bound to. His film is big. It's bold. It's OTT. It's sprawling at two-and-a-half hours in length. It shimmers and swirls. It boasts flawless costume and production design by Catherine Martin, as his work does. It shows again that Luhrmann typically matches his now-instantly recognisable extroverted flair with his chosen subject (Australia aside). Balancing the writer/director's own style with the legend he's surveying can't have been easy, though, and it doesn't completely play out as slickly as Presley's greased-back pompadour. Elvis is never anything but engrossing, and it's a sight to behold. The one key element that doesn't gel as convincingly: using the scheming Parker as a narrator (unreliable, obviously) and framing device. It helps the movie unpack the smiling-but-cunning manager's outré role in Presley's life, but it's often just forceful, although so was Parker's presence in the star's career. In a script by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell (The Get Down), Craig Pearce (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby) and Jeremy Doner (TV's The Killing), the requisite details are covered. That includes the singer's birth in Tupelo, Mississippi, and extends through to his late-career Vegas residency — with plenty in the middle. His discovery by Parker, the impact upon his parents (Rake co-stars Helen Thomson and Richard Roxburgh), his relationship with Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge, The Staircase), Graceland, America's puritanical reaction to his gyrating pelvis, the issues of race baked into the response to him as an artist: they're all featured. Thematically, those last two points thrum throughout the entire movie. Elvis questions why any hint of sex was such a shock, and why it was so easy for a white man who drew his songs, style and dance moves from Black culture, via his upbringing, to be dubbed a scandal. Read our full review. NUDE TUESDAY In Nude Tuesday, you can take the unhappy couple out of their daily routine — and slip them out of their clothes in the process — but escaping to a mountainside commune, ditching the dacks, palling around with a goat and gleaning relationship advice from the author a book called The Toothy Vulva just can't solve all woes. What that list of absurd plot points and experiences can do is fill out a film that's gleefully silly, often side-splittingly funny, and also just as perceptive as it is playful. The basic premise behind this New Zealand sex comedy borrows from plenty of fellow movies and TV shows about stuck-in-a-rut folks seeking bliss and renewal, plus solutions to bland marriages, with a gorgeous change of scenery. But helping make Nude Tuesday such a winner is every offbeat choice that's used to tell that tale. Getting naked is only part of it, given that not a lick of any recognisable language is spoken throughout the entire feature — although plenty of words and sounds are audibly uttered. Nude Tuesday understands one key point, as everyone watching it will: that relationships are all about communication. The film is also well aware that so much about life is, too — and storytelling. Here, though, expressing emotions, connections and narrative details all boils down to gibberish and bodies. This amusing movie from writer/director Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water) and writer/star Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers) does indeed strip down its performers in its last third, living up to its name, but it saddles them with conveying almost everything about their characters via body language before that. Each piece of dialogue spoken echoes in unintelligible nonsense, using completely made-up and wholly improvised terms. Even covers of 'Road to Nowhere' and 'Islands in the Stream' do as well. And while subtitled in English by British comedian Julia Davis (Camping), that text was penned after shooting, in one of the film's other purposefully farcical twists. The result is patently ridiculous, and marvellously so — and hilariously. It's such a clever touch, making a movie about marital disharmony and the communication breakdown baked within that's so reliant upon reading tone and posture, as couples on the prowl for the tiniest of micro-aggressions frequently hone in on. Initially, the feature needs a few scenes to settle into its unfamiliar vernacular, which takes cues from The Muppets' Swedish Chef in its cadence. Via an opening map, which situates the story on the fictional pacific island of Zǿbftąņ, Nude Tuesday's language also resembles an IKEA catalogue. But once Ballantyne, van Beek and the latter's co-stars find their groove — with a literally bloody attempt to make adult nappies sexy, a supermarket tantrum involving tossed cans and a tense anniversary dinner — everything, including the movie's chosen tongue, clicks into place. Van Beek and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman play Nude Tuesday's central pair, Laura and Bruno. In the first but not last example of just how compellingly they use their physicality, the talented lead twosome paints a picture of relatable malaise from their introductory moments together. Laura and Bruno are bogged down in a dull cycle that revolves around working at jobs neither loves — she spruiks those mature-age diapers, he sells bathroom fixtures — then trudging home exhausted and exasperated to deal with their kids, and later crumbling into bed knowing they're going to repeat it all the next day. Sex doesn't factor in, and neither is content with that, but resolving their troubles themselves is out of reach. Then, they're gifted a getaway to ẄØnÐĘULÄ to assist. But this woodland getaway, run by charismatic and lustful sex guru Bjorg Rassmussen (Jemaine Clement, I Used to Go Here), wants its new guests to expose all in multiple ways. Read our full review. LOST ILLUSIONS Stop us when Lost Illusions no longer sounds familiar. You won't; it won't, either. Stop us when its 19th century-set and -penned narrative no longer feels so relevant to life today that you can easily spot parts of it all around you. Again, that won't happen. When the handsome and involving French drama begins, its protagonist knows what he wants to do with his days, and also who he loves. Quickly, however, he learns that taking a big leap doesn't always pan out if you don't hail from wealth. He makes another jump anyway, out of necessity. He gives a new line of work a try, finds new friends and gets immersed in a different world. Alas, appearances just keep meaning everything in his job, and in society in general. Indeed, rare is the person who doesn't get swept up, who dares to swim against the flow, or who realises they might be sinking rather than floating. The person weathering all of the above is Lucien Chardon (Benjamin Voisin, Summer of 85), who'd prefer to be known as Lucien de Rubempré — his mother's aristocratic maiden name. It's 1821, and he's a poet and printer's assistant in the province of Angoulême when the film begins. He's also having an affair with married socialite Louise de Bargeton (Cécile de France, The French Dispatch), following her to Paris, but their bliss is soon shattered. That's why he gives journalism a try after meeting the equally ambitious Etienne Lousteau (Vincent Lacoste, Irma Vep), then taking up the offer of a tabloid gig after failing to get his poetry published. Lucien climbs up the ranks quickly, both in the scathing newspaper business — where literary criticism is literally cash for comment — and in the right Parisian circles. But even when he doesn't realise it, his new life weighs him down heavily. Lost Illusions spins a giddy tale, but not a happy one. It can't do the latter; exactly why is right there in the title. As a film, it unfurls as a ravishing and intoxicating drama that's deeply funny, moving and astute — one that's clearly the product of very particular set of skills. No, Liam Neeson's recent on-screen resume doesn't factor into it, not for a second. Instead, it takes an immensely special talent to spin a story like this, where every moment is so perceptive and each piece of minutiae echoes so resoundingly. The prowess behind this seven-time César Award-winner belongs to three people: acclaimed novelist Honoré de Balzac, who wrote the three-part Illusions perdues almost 200 years ago; filmmaker Xavier Giannoli (Marguerite), who so entrancingly adapts and directs; and Jacques Fieschi (Lovers), who co-scripts with the latter. There's more to Lucien's story — pages upon pages more, where his tale began; 149 minutes in total, as his ups and downs now play out on the screen. When Louise decides that he doesn't fit in, with help from the scheming Marquise d'Espard (Jeanne Balibar, Memoria), spite rains his way. When Etienne introduces him to the realities of the media at the era, and with relish, he's brought into a dizzying whirlwind of corruption, arrogance, fame, power, money and influence. When Lucien starts buying into everything he's sold about the whys and hows of his new profession, and the spoils that come with it, Lost Illusions couldn't be more of a cautionary tale. Everything has a price: the glowing words he gleefully types, the nasty takedowns of other people's rivals and the entire act of spending his days doing such bidding for the highest fee. Read our full review. MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU What's yellow, round, inescapably silly and also just flat-out inescapable? Since 2010, when the first Despicable Me film reached screens, Minions have been the answer. The golden-hued, nonsense-babbling critters were designed as the ultimate sidekicks. They've remained henchman to malevolent figures in all five of their movie outings so far, and in the 15 shorts that've also kept telling their tale. But, as much as super-villain Gru (Steve Carrell, Space Force) would disagree — he'd be immensely insulted at the idea, in fact — Minions have long been the true drawcards. Children haven't been spotted carrying around and obsessing over Gru toys in the same number. The saga's key evil-doer doesn't have people spouting the same gibberish, either. And his likeness hasn't become as ubiquitous as Santa, although Minions aren't considered a gift by everyone. At their best, these lemon-coloured creatures are today's equivalent of slapstick silent film stars. At their worst, they're calculatingly cute vehicles for selling merchandise and movie tickets. In Minions: The Rise of Gru, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, Otto and company (all voiced by Pierre Coffin, also the director of the three Despicable Me features so far, as well as the first Minions) fall somewhere in the middle. Their Minion mayhem is the most entertaining and well-developed part of the flick, but it's also pushed to the side. There's a reason that this isn't just called Minions 2 — and another that it hasn't been badged Despicable Me: The Rise of Gru. The Minion name gets wallets opening and young audiences excited, the Rise of Gru reflects the main focus of the story, and anyone who's older than ten can see the strings being pulled at the corporate level. Gru's offsiders are present and cause plenty of chaos, but whether he gets to live out his nefarious boyhood dreams is director Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3), co-helmers Brad Ableson (Legends of Chamberlain Heights) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets 2), and screenwriter Matthew Fogel's (The Lego Movie 2) chief concern. His ultimate wish: to become one of the Vicious 6, the big supervillain team of 1976, when Gru is 11. That sinister crew happens to have an opening after some infighting and double-crossing among Belle Bottom (Taraji P Henson, Empire), Jean Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme, Haters), Nun-Chuck (Lucy Lawless, My Life Is Murder), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren, Aquaman), Stronghold (Danny Trejo, The Legend of La Llarona) and Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method). Accordingly, when Gru receives an invite to audition, he's as thrilled as a criminal mastermind-in-training can be. The Minions are hired as Gru's assistants and, after his tryout for the big leagues ends in him stealing the Vicious 6's prized possession, quickly spark the usual Minion antics. Of course they lose the pivotal object. Of course the Vicious 6 come looking for it. Of course the Minions do everything from learning kung fu (from Master Chow, voiced by Everything Everywhere All At Once's Michelle Yeoh) to virtually destroying San Francisco. There's more calculation than inspiration behind their havoc, however; rather than Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton-esque heights, their slapstick hijinks feel as structured and obvious as the film's nods to a wealth of genres (martial arts, spy, road trip, blaxploitation and more) and its hefty list of blatant era-appropriate needle drops ('Funkytown', 'Fly Like an Eagle', 'Born to Be Alive' and the like). It also plays like colour and movement around Gru, rather than the central attraction viewers want it to be. Also, something can't be surreal if it's so thoroughly expected, as the bulk of Minions: The Rise of Gru is. It isn't clever enough to be gloriously ridiculous, either. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; and June 2, June 9 and June 16. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear and Men.
Easter and fish have always gone hand in hand. But this year, you can really up the ante thanks to Cappo Sociale and its luxurious lobster offering. The Fitzroy Italian restaurant is ensuring seafood fans have a very, very happy Easter, with not one, but two limited-edition lobster dishes hitting the menu from Friday, April 15–Sunday, April 17. Both are a nod to Head Chef Davide Amato's own Italian family Easter traditions. First up, there's the 'aragosta (lobster) gratin', starring a half WA rock lobster that's been grilled over charcoal and finished with a Sicilian-style crumble and lashings of lemon garlic butter ($45). Or, if you're a diehard pasta fiend, go for a serve of the special fettuccine, pairing half a rock lobster with fresh pasta, confit tomato and gremolata. It clocks in at $60 and is more than generous enough for two. While you're there, you'll be able to get your mitts on the rest of Cappo Sociale's regular menu, too. It's a long weekend — treat yo'self. [caption id="attachment_850468" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arianna Leggiero[/caption] Images: Interiors by Arianna Leggiero
In the densely packed area of Southbank, Blondie Bar provides casual dining with a bit of class for patrons looking for something better than a chain store pre or post theatre. You can choose to sit at the bar for a quick snack and drink or the main dining hall. The menu is an original mix of Asian and French inspired dishes. Some of the favourites include miso eggplant with smoked tofu, bean sprouts radish and herbs ($16), and the pork and potato croquettes with pineapple chutney aioli ($8). Providing a breather from Southbank's standard thoroughfare, there's nothing to complain about Blondie Bar.
Since Australia started easing out of COVID-19 lockdown, the country's internal border restrictions have earned plenty of attention. With tactics to stop the spread of the coronavirus implemented at a state-by-state level, each Aussie state has navigated the situation in its own way when it comes to letting non-residents visit. Queensland's decision to keep closed to date has become a particularly frequent political talking point, for example, although every other state apart from New South Wales and Victoria also shut their borders. Slowly, however, they're beginning to open back up — with South Australia the latest to unveil its reopening plans. In a press conference held today, Friday, June 12, Premier Steven Marshall revealed that SA will allow travellers from interstate back in from Monday, July 20. "South Australia has been doing particularly well," Premier Marshall noted, not only announcing the end of border restrictions, but that the state will move into its third stage of eased COVID-19 measures earlier than expected. That phase will now kick off from Monday, June 29. That means that, when folks from other parts of the country do head to SA for a holiday from the latter half of July, they'll enter a state with some of the most relaxed coronavirus measures in the nation (based on announcements at the time of writing). Premier Marshall also advised that stage three will no longer require a specific 100-person cap on the number of people in public places, but will revert to the overall rule of one person per four square metres. [caption id="attachment_679115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Africola by SATC[/caption] That's a move that has been given the national stamp of approval, as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also revealed today. From July, Australia will allow socially distanced mass gatherings to return and won't require the previously proposed 100-person patron limit — with SA the first state to announce when that will come into effect following the day's national cabinet meeting. While receiving the tick at federal level, all states will need to implement the change separately. Regarding current quarantine requirements in SA, with anyone given permission to enter state at present required to self-isolate for 14 days, Premier Marshall said that further details are still being finalised. "We will be looking at some of the state borders with individual state borders who are doing particularly well," he noted. "We don't want to unnecessarily detain people for two weeks of isolation if they don't pose a health risk for us in South Australia." If you're now eager to start planning an SA getaway, we have suggestions — whether you're eager to hit up Adelaide, or sip and sightsee your way around the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Limestone Coast or the Clare Valley. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in South Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: d'Arenberg Cube
Every year, once gifts have been given, turkey and prawns devoured, drinks sipped and backyard games of cricket played, the festive season delivers another treat. Whatever you spend your Christmas Day doing, Boxing Day is just as exciting if you're a movie buff — or even simply eager to escape the weather, and your house, to relax in air-conditioning and watch the latest big-screen releases. 2020 might've seen cinemas Down Under spend months empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading; however, the country's picture palaces are well and truly back in business. And, they're screening a wide array of Boxing Day fare as always — so at least one thing about this chaotic year is proceeding as normal. If you're wondering not only what's screening, but what's worth your time, we've watched and reviewed the day's slate of new titles. It spans superheroes, sublime dramas, documentaries about spectacular desserts, animated sequels, spy films and more, so don't say you don't have anything to see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFpK34lfv0 NOMADLAND Frances McDormand is a gift of an actor. Point a camera her way, and a performance so rich that it feels not just believable but tangible floats across the screen. That's true whether she's playing overt or understated characters, or balancing those two extremes. In Fargo, the first film that earned her an Oscar, McDormand is distinctive but grounded, spouting midwestern phrases like "you betcha" but inhabiting her part with texture and sincerity. In Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, her next Academy Award-winning role, she's an impassioned mother crusading for justice and vengeance, and she ripples with deep-seated sorrow mixed with anger so fiery that it may as well be burning away her insides. Now, in Nomadland, McDormand feels stripped bare and still a commanding force to be reckoned with. She's tasked with a plucky but struggling part — defiant and determined, too; knocked around by life's ups and downs, noticeably; and, crucially, cognisant that valuing the small pleasures is the hardest but most rewarding feat. It'll earn her another Oscar nomination. It could see her nab a third shiny statuette just three years after her last. Both are highly deserved outcomes because hers is an exceptional performance, and this is 2020's best film. Here, leading a cast that also includes real people experiencing the existence that's fictionalised within the narrative, she plays the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot where she spent her married years turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. A slab of on-screen text explains her predicament, with the film then jumping into the aftermath. Following her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It's both deeply intimate and almost disarmingly empathetic in the process, as every movie made by Chloe Zhao is. This is only the writer/director's third, slotting in after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider but before 2021's Marvel flick Eternals, but it's a feature of contemplative and authentic insights into the concepts of home, identity and community. Meticulously crafted, shot and performed, it truly sees everyone in its frames, be they fictional or real. Nomandland understands their plights, and ensures its audience understands them as well. It's exquisitely layered, because its protagonist, those around her and their lives earn the same term — and Zhao never forgets that, or lets her viewers either. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dINWTUPkLqs WONDER WOMAN 1984 When it hit cinemas three years ago, the first movie about Princess Diana of Themyscira — also known as Diana Prince — stood out. Even though the DC Extended Universe started five years after the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC bested its rival by focusing on a female character in its fourth film (for Marvel, it took 21 movies, only achieving the feat with 2019's Captain Marvel). DC didn't waste its opportunity, either. Wonder Woman isn't a mere cookie-cutter superhero flick, just focusing on a character of a different gender. It champions understanding and emotional intelligence, handles its engaging origin story with sincerity and warmth, and unfurls an adventure where both strength and vulnerability exist in tandem. It also relays a fulfilling tale; a sequel was inevitable, but the initial movie didn't just whet the audience's appetite for the next, plus all the other caped crusader films certain to follow. That second effort is now here but, sadly, it doesn't continue its predecessor's best achievements. No matter how much returning director Patty Jenkins and the powers-that-be behind the DCEU hope that Wonder Woman 1984's viewers sport an expression of wonder — and how much they believe that simply making a sequel to their 2017 blockbuster is enough to cause it — the movie doesn't earn much more than a resigned sigh. In Wonder Woman 1984, Diana (Gal Gadot, Justice League) tells everyone again and again that being truthful is far more important than anything else. That, and taking a more-is-more approach, are the feature's main driving forces. Jumping forward almost seven decades within the Wonder Woman films' timeline, Diana has taken up an anthropologist job at the Smithsonian, and turned swinging through malls on her Lasso of Truth to fight crime into her side hustle. But then insecure archaeologist Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) starts working beside her, gets tasked with assessing a mysterious gem, and lets Donald Trump-esque infomercial salesman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian) take the strange object home with him. It's no ordinary rock, however. It grants wishes, so Maxwell wants to take advantage of that power — and, unknowingly, both Diana and Barbara have already uttered their dreams aloud while holding the stone. These fantasies come at a cost, of course, even before Maxwell uses his to try to take over the world. Wonder Woman 1984 doesn't spin the most complicated story, but it's so repetitive and meandering across its 151-minute running time that it's needlessly bulky, muddled and weighed down. It also pushes Gadot to the side far too often; this sequel certainly knows how to trot out well-worn beats packaged as part-upbeat heroism, part-social satire, but it just doesn't realise where its true strengths reside often enough. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uan6MDxf3wU OTTOLENGHI AND THE CAKES OF VERSAILLES Marie Antoinette didn't actually say "let them eat cake", no matter how often the statement is misattributed to the 18th-century royal before her date with the guillotine. But New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was surely hoping she would've approved of its hedonistic June 2018 food gala, which tied into the venue's Visitors to Versailles exhibition in the same year — and, in line with the place and period under the grill, put decadence on the menu. Overseeing the spread of desserts fit for a queen: renowned Israeli English chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi. He didn't make the Feast of Versailles' lavish cakes himself; instead, he trawled Instagram to source and select five pâtissiers known for delicious, innovative and aesthetically appealing wares. He found them, too, enlisting Dominique Ansel, the NYC-based French pastry chef who invented the cronut; Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, the London food artists known for their striking jellies and unique food events; architecturally trained Ukrainian Dinara Kasko, who approaches her desserts with the same design principles; Ghaya Oliveira, an award-winner and veteran at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Daniel; and Singapore's Janice Wong, who aims to turn chocolate into edible art. The exacting theme that views art and history through an untraditional lens, the melding of varying creative arenas, the roll call of significant names in their field, the theatricality on display, the iconic setting — if it all sounds a bit like a culinary version of The Met Gala, that was undoubtedly the intention, too. This was no ordinary serving of sugar. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that, as the venue's fashion-focused event did before it, Feast of Versailles has also earned the documentary treatment. Where The First Monday in May chronicled the preparations for 2015's Met Gala, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles does the same with the quest to recreate the Palace of Versailles' gardens with chocolate and multi-coloured fondant, whip up a tiered mousse cake that resembles the French castle's sculptured detail, and pair them all with swan-topped pastries, wobbling palace-shaped jellies and a cocktail-filled whirlpool fountain. Viewers of cooking-focused reality television will know what's in store. That may not be the comparison one expects with a doco about a Met event, but it fits, with documentarian Laura Gabbert (City of Gold) taking a superficial and straightforward approach. That seems to be what happens in docos about Met events, and it's always noticeable. Accordingly, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is glossy, gleaming eye candy for those with a sweet tooth. It never feels like a full meal, though. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEUWGWMsMQk HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE After starring in High Life, Who You Think I Am and The Truth, all in just the past two years, Juliette Binoche adds another eclectic role to a resume that has deserved that term for decades. How to Be a Good Wife takes its radiant star back to 1967, to Alsace in Eastern France, and to a school designed to mould bright-eyed teenage girls into dutiful and subservient future housewives. Binoche's casting is a sign, thankfully. The film starts out following her character, the prim and proper Paulette Van der Beck, as she runs Van der Beck's School of Housekeeping and Good Manners for her husband Robert (François Berléand, Someone, Somewhere). She preaches the seven pillars required to ensure all her pupils fit her ideal vision of womanhood, with her single sister-in-law Gilberte (Yolande Moreau, The Summer House) assisting as the facility's cook, and superstitious nun Marie-Thérèse (Noémie Lvovsky, The End of Love) helping keep the girls in check. Of course, with the school part of Robert's family for decades, it isn't actually Paulette's own picture of feminine perfection that she's espousing. She might not have realised that fact, however, if her current cohort of students — the site's smallest for years, arriving with the 60s in full swing and as protests are beginning to sweep the nation — weren't instantly bristling against the notion that their lives should be spent in service to men. An unexpected tragedy also complicates matters, with an uprising soon threatening not just France in general, but one of the places that has upheld and instilled the patriarchal status quo and the conservative stereotypes that go with it. As directed by Martin Provost (The Midwife), and co-written by the filmmaker with Séverine Werba (Spiral), How to Be a Good Wife flits between playfully satirical and earnestly rousing as it charts Paulette, Gilberte and their students' journey — and yes, the fact that two of the main characters have feminised versions of male names as their own is emblematic of the movie's knowing approach. Binoche is the lynchpin, stepping into Paulette's shoes with sincerity as well as winking, nudging spirit; she's well aware of exactly the kind of woman she's playing, and the attitudes she's parodying as well. But, while the talented actor is posed and poised in a purposeful and often amusing way, the film itself doesn't always strike the same balance. It's easy to smile and internally cheer along with How to Be a Good Wife (and to revel in its period costuming and decor, too), but it's also just as easy to see when and where it overplays its comedic hand. One such example: the film's out-of-left-field climax, which is both glorious and clunky all at once. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A49o54i3OGI END OF THE CENTURY Memories and dreams are our brain's version of time travel; escape into either, and you can relive the past and ponder a possible future without the need for a Delorean or a telephone booth. New York-based Argentinian poet Ocho (Juan Barberini, Penelope) experiences that sensation in End of the Century, a queer romance that takes Weekend's lusty meet-up, combines it with Call Me By Your Name and Monsoon's passion abroad, and turns it into an evocative contemplation of love, sex, connection, choices, and roads both taken and forsaken. After more than ten minutes of dialogue-free, naturalistically lensed footage, watching Ocho rove around Barcelona, check into his holiday rental, sun himself at the beach and notice Javi (Ramon Pujol, Gran Nord), the film jumps into a vacation romance. Ocho and Javi strike a chord quickly, both physically and emotionally, and get deep just as swiftly in their post-coital conversation. To Ocho, there's a familiarity about the situation, as there should be. First-time feature writer/director Lucio Castro then leaps back 20 years earlier — before Ocho was fresh into a break from his partner of two decades, and before Javi had a daughter with his husband of four years — with the two men also crossing paths at the prior time. From the outset, one certainty is apparent: End of the Century favours understatement. That's true in how it unfurls the different parts of its narrative, and how they connect together; in the movie's performances, including from the beguiling Barberini when he's alone and surveying Barcelona; and in the feature's choice to peer on at Ocho and Javi's multi-layered story, and find both intimacy and distance depending on whatever the mood and scene calls for. As a result, it's a film that can seem slight, but also heaves with feeling at every moment. Castro knows the difference between unnecessarily complicating a narrative, and mining a situation's inherent complexities. He puts that awareness to excellent use, and draws viewers further into the movie's tale as a result. And, he benefits from his excellent casting choices — because making a feature that's both stripped bare and has its own authentic twists requires much of the folks within its frames. There's a slipperiness to End of the Century, too, as Ocho's experiences play out in various time periods. As this tender movie moves seamlessly back and forward, the audience is so enraptured with Ocho that they take the emotional journey with him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbZgLKjrdnA A CALL TO SPY "I want you in charge of recruiting some ladies," Vera Atkins (Stana Katic, Castle) is told in one of A Call to Spy's early scenes. The film's title makes it plain exactly what her colleague is referring to, and this specific piece of dialogue — and many more like it — demonstrates just how overtly the movie intends to proceed. This isn't a nuanced drama. It's inspired by true stories, but it rarely even flirts with the type of depth and detail that reality serves up. Still, by telling the tales of three women who became British spies in France during World War Two, all as part of Winston Churchill's ongoing effort to use unexpected means within the government's newly created Special Operations Executive to defeat the Nazi regime as it strengthened across Europe, it plunges into an important part of history. This chapter from the not-too-distant past springs from a familiar pile, after all. If you haven't heard of Atkins, Virginia Hall (played by Sarah Megan Thomas, who also penned the screenplay) and Noor Inayat Khan (The Wedding Guest), that's understandable; their lives, like those of many other women who've achieved commendable and crucial feats, haven't received the attention they should. That feeling ripples through A Call to Spy and, while it can't lift this Lydia Dean Pilcher (Radium Girls)-directed movie alone, it definitely leaves an imprint. Initially, Atkins is A Call to Spy's focal point. Charged with enlisting women who are "passionate about stopping Hitler" (another of the movie's needlessly clumsy lines), she finds several. Because she has a Jewish Romanian background, Atkins also receives more scrutiny within her own organisation than she should — an experience shared with Hall, who has a prosthetic leg; and Khan, who is of Indian Muslim heritage; and also heightened because of stereotypical opinions on gender anyway. Pilcher follows her three determined protagonists as they are initiated into their new roles, and into the field, while always viewing the many obstacles in their way. In the process, her film doesn't overcome the usual war-movie tropes that countless others have relied upon over the past 75 years, but it always endeavours to see them through Atkins, Hall and Khan's shared and individual ordeals. Even though it lacks in subtlety, A Call to Spy is nonetheless workmanlike that way, recognising that the stories it's relaying are important and moving enough, and that it can convey plenty by honing in on its characters' professional activities. It helps that Katic, Thomas and Khan all turn in involving performances, although Thomas wrote herself the best role. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V6EXulQHjA THE CROODS: A NEW AGE Cavemen (and women) were people, too, and there was more to their lives than simply dwelling inside rocky crevices. That's an overly simplistic summary of 2013's animated hit The Croods, of course. Intricacy wasn't a big part of this big-screen successor to The Flintstones, though, or its messages of togetherness, seeing past immediate perceptions and rising to face all challenges. The film took a family of neanderthals — including teenage daughter Eep (Emma Stone, Zombieland: Double Tap), her overprotective father Grug (Nicolas Cage, Color Out of Space), far more carefree mother Ugga (Catherine Keener, Kidding), siblings Sandy (debutant Kailey Crawford) and Thunk (Clark Duke, Veronica Mars), and grandmother (Cloris Leachman, Mad About You) — then disrupted their literally sheltered existence. Not only were the titular characters pushed out of their comfort zone, but they were thrust into the orbit of homosapien Guy (Ryan Reynolds, 6 Underground), who Eep quickly fell for with a teen's intensity. Everyone had to adjust, naturally, and an average all-ages friendly comedy ensued. So did big box office numbers, sparking sequel The Croods: A New Age, the return of its predecessor's high-profile voice cast, and a new storyline that stresses the same sentiments. This time around, in a film directed by feature first-timer Joel Crawford, (a storyboard artist on The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Trolls and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part), The Croods are well-acquainted with roaming the big, wide, wild and dangerous prehistoric world. But Eep and Guy start thinking about a different kind of life — one that doesn't involve sleeping on the family pile, for starters — so the still controlling Grug tries to find everyone a new permanent home. And he thinks he has done just that in the vast walled-in gardens inhabited by Phil (Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones) and Hope Betterman (Leslie Mann, Blockers) and their daughter Dawn (Kelly Marie Tran, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker). Alas, this seeming paradise isn't everything that it appears. Once again, this franchise opts for narrative and thematic simplicity and even crudeness, and for a zippy pace and onslaught of colour and movement designed to excite younger viewers. Once more, it's a standard affair all-round, and delivers little other than Cage and Stone's to-type voice work for the adult members of the audience. It's entertaining to hear Cage's voice bellow from Grug, in the same way that it's entertaining to see and/or hear him to anything (like swear in Netflix's upcoming series), but it doesn't help an over-energetic, giddily lively rehash of a past hit exceed its basic template, or do more than merely hit its marks. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been throughout the year — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, and December 17. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle, The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta, Rebecca, Kajillionaire, Baby Done, Corpus Christi, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky and The Furnace.
When Suicide Squad reached cinemas screens back in 2016, it garnered plenty of attention. Critics largely hated it, fans loved it and some folks tried to shut down Rotten Tomatoes because of it. Come awards season, it picked up an Oscar (for best achievement in makeup and hairstyling) as well as two Razzie 'worst' nominations. The divisive reactions just kept coming, although there were two things that almost everyone agreed on. Firstly, most people rightfully loathed Jared Leto's interpretation of the Joker. Secondly, the majority of viewers adored Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. While the DC Extended Universe hasn't gotten a whole lot right in its attempts to emulate the Marvel Cinematic Universe (see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, for example), its powerbrokers did seem to pay attention to the super-sized Suicide Squad debate. In response, they're giving the world what it wants: more Robbie as everyone's favourite ex-psychiatrist turned antihero. In Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Harley Quinn has moved on from the clown prince of crime (much like DC has moved on from Leto, at least for now, with Joaquin Phoenix playing the character in last year's standalone Joker film). In the aftermath of their breakup — an explosive event, as the film's just-dropped new trailer shows — she rounds up a crew filled with other fearsome Gotham ladies. Prepare to spend time with Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) as they try to thwart supervillain Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Directed by Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs), also co-starring Chris Messina and Ali Wong, Birds of Prey marks Quinn's first solo cinematic outing — and as the both the first sneak peek and the new trailer demonstrates, it's going big, bold and over-the-top. Bright, vibrant, fun and frenetic are all terms that apply, too. When it hits theatres next month, expect plenty of colour, chaos and formidable gals wreaking havoc, in what's been rumoured to be the first in a Quinn-focused trilogy. With Suicide Squad getting a sequel in 2021, confusingly titled The Suicide Squad and helmed by Guardians of the Galaxy's James Gunn, the pigtailed prankster definitely isn't leaving screens anytime soon. Check out the new trailer for Birds of Prey below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzqL60kvwU&feature=youtu.be Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) will hit Australian cinemas on February 6, 2020.
With temperatures already stuck in the teens, Melbourne's cooler weather is settling in, which means that outdoor cinema season is long behind the Victorian capital for another year. Looking for a cold climes-appropriate alternative for seeing classic flicks on a big screen, other than the city's wealth of picture palaces? Meet Cozy Cinema Club, which has a feast of flicks headed to Abbotsford Convent for winter. Settling into the site's Magdalen Laundry on Wednesdays–Sundays between Wednesday, June 11–Saturday, August 2, 2025, Cozy Cinema Club is all about getting comfortable and keeping toasty while you watch a film — with everyone sinking into bean bags, and free blankets on offer to borrow and snuggle up in while you're there. Also available to warm you up: cocktails and wine. Movie snacks will be on the menu in the lounge as well, while heartier meals are an option at select sessions. To set the mood, there'll also be fairy lights. The lineup of flicks will equally help. Beloved movies aplenty are on the bill, curated into themed streams such as comforting classics, cult films, horror favourites, rom-coms and romance fare, and all-ages delights. Cozy Cinema Club is showing two pictures per night, one at 6.30pm and the other at 8.30pm. If you notice a nostalgic skew to the program, that's also by design from Arclight Event Co, who are also behind Sunset Cinema, Laneway Cinema and Botanica Festival. You don't call your movie pop-up Cozy Cinema Club if you don't want that vibe to seep through all aspects, including the roster gracing the silver screen. For its opening night, a Wes Anderson double of The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Darjeeling Limited will get the cinema started — and if that's not enough pastels and symmetry for you, The Royal Tenenbaums is on the lineup later in the season. Other highlights span Clueless before it gets a small-screen sequel series; Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Ponyo; Ari Aster's Midsommar; and the 80s likes of Labyrinth, The Breakfast Club, Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride and The Goonies. For its Christmas in July programming, Die Hard, Elf, Home Alone and Love Actually will all score a spin. Prefer a taste of the surreal and bittersweet with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? A Heath Ledger serenade in 10 Things I Hate About You? The walk-and-talk charms of Before Sunrise? Or everything from Donnie Darko, Moonlight, The Fifth Element, the OG Mean Girls and Almost Famous to Lost in Translation, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Brooklyn, The Shining and The Big Lebowski? They're also among your viewing options. Cozy Cinema Club runs Wednesdays–Sundays between Wednesday, June 11–Saturday, August 2, 2025 in Abbotsford Convent's Magdalen Laundry at 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford. Head to the event's website for more details and tickets. Top image: Redtree21 via Wikimedia Commons.
Captaining an eco-friendly boat, sipping biodynamic wines and feasting on farm fresh produce — this is just the very beginning of what a sustainable weekend in Canberra could include. The nation's capital is an ideal location for travellers who want to reduce their environmental footprint while uncovering new sights, tastes and adventures. We've rounded up a list of some of the top eco-friendly eateries and drink purveyors, sustainably powered activities and luxe experiences, plus accommodation options focused on preserving the natural beauty of the territory. Use this as your guide to exploring Canberra's renowned city sights and discovering the region's hidden gems — while staying green. Please stay up to date with the latest ACT Government health advice regarding COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_810977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Capital Brewing, Kara Rosenlund, VisitCanberra[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Canberra's top farm-to-tote-bag source for fridge and pantry staples — plus, early morning sustenance — is the Capital Region Farmers Market. More than 100 local stalls pop up every Saturday from 7–11.30am at Exhibition Park, offering everything from fresh fruit and veg to flowers, honey, bread, smoked meats, eggs and pastries. Explore it all with a coffee in hand, and get to know the local producers' tips for planet-friendly cooking and growing. For a second breakfast, head to vegan cafe and bakery Sweet Bones to enjoy another caffeine fix and sugar rush. Order a plant-based big brekkie or stock up on sweet wonders from the treats cabinet. Next, make a quick trip southeast to Pialligo Estate. It wears many hats, including cafe, restaurant, grocer, vineyard, smokehouse, small farm plot and children's playground. Enjoy the fruits of the estate over an al fresco lunch, before touring the grounds for a real paddock-to-plate experience. [caption id="attachment_810980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lark Hill Biodynamic Winery, VisitCanberra[/caption] Ready for a tipple? Start with sustainable malted magic at Capital Brewing Co. This Canberra craft beer baron is well on its way to becoming a zero-waste brewery, sending spent beer-making ingredients to farmers for cattle feed, composting leftovers, minimising water and energy consumption, eliminating unnecessary packaging, and more. Chip in on the environmental effort and order a banana-forward Belgian blonde ale or exquisitely tart pear and elderflower sour from the warehouse taproom. If you prefer vinous varieties on a drinks list, check out Lark Hill Biodynamic Winery. The drops here get gold stars in the organic and biodynamic wine categories, while also hitting the mark on the delicious scale. Regular sippers of riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir will be well served at this lofty location in the hills above Canberra where shale and clay soils let these hardy grapes thrive. Book a $10-per-person tasting by the open fire at the intimate cellar door and work your way through some zesty whites and dark cherry reds. [caption id="attachment_810979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jindii Eco Spa, VisitCanberra[/caption] DO Reconnect with nature while you enjoy a little self-care luxury at Jindii Eco Spa. This dreamy retreat is hidden within the vibrant Australian National Botanic Gardens, offering spa treatments that utilise wild harvested native ingredients and Indigenous knowledge. Unwind with a massage and mineral bath, allowing botanicals like lemon myrtle, white flannel flower and banksia seed to hydrate your skin while the expert therapists pummel all the stress out of your weary muscles. Add a little retail therapy to the rejuvenation mix and stock up on a few goodies from the spa's signature skincare range after a wander through the gardens. One fun way to explore Canberra is zipping around on an e-scooter. You might have a few childhood memories of tragic scooter tumbles, but these electric beauties are far easier and safer to handle. You can tour Lake Burley Griffin and track down famously transient The Pop Inn, which moves its wine and pizza bar to new locations around the capital most weekends. Hire e-scooters from the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre for an hour at $15 or for two hours for $25, or book the Beam and Neuron scooters via their own apps. [caption id="attachment_810978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] GoBoat, VisitCanberra[/caption] Keen to get out on the lake? GoBoat provides eco-friendly electric vessels that can ferry up to eight inland pirates (and seafaring dogs) around Lake Burley Griffin. You'll be captaining the boat yourself. It's super simple to steer and doesn't require experience or even a driver's license — however, skippers will need to be over 18 years old. Pre-packaged boat picnics and a sensible amount of BYO alcohol for passengers are encouraged, but GoBoat can also supply snacks from local eatery, Bean & Table. If you've got enough steam left for one more activity, make it an epic hike up Mount Gingera, which sits atop the western NSW/ACT border in Namadgi National Park. If you want to conquer the full 15-kilometre return journey from the carpark, expect an intermittently steep but stunning trek with endless mountain views at the summit. There are shorter trails to follow in the area and plenty of opportunities to spot native birds and frogs throughout the carefully preserved park. Keep in mind this peak can be covered by snow in the depths of winter. [caption id="attachment_810983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nil Desperandum, Australian Capital Tourism[/caption] STAY You can get well and truly off-grid staying in Canberra while maintaining accommodation elegance. The bell tents at Naked Cubby Co provide luxe mattresses and linens you can get lost in, as well as breakfast in bed and easy access to the cellar door at Mount Majura Vineyard, all just a 20-minute drive from Canberra's CBD. Choose between the solar-powered glamping tents perched among the vines and the tiny house on wheels near the pine forest. The facilities are similarly minimal but the nature is top-notch at Nil Desperandum, a heritage cottage in the foothills of the Tidbinbilla Range. You'll need a 4WD to make the last leg of the 45-minute journey here from the centre of Canberra, but intrepid explorers with smaller city wheels can hike the last six kilometres along the dirt roads. The charming two-bedroom cottage has solar lighting, a kitchen with a wood stove, a long drop toilet, and a veranda and fenced yard where you can spend the night cooking on the gas barbecue and reclining by the fire pit. Just remember to bring in your own firewood. Also be aware that there's limited phone reception and no power outlets, so you'll need to be pretty self-sufficient to enjoy a night or two in the reserve. [caption id="attachment_810984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ovolo Nishi, VisitCanberra[/caption] Alternatively, you can stay within the city limits for access to all the mod-cons you've come to love at Ovolo Nishi. While this CBD hotel is 'plugged in', it does have a clear commitment to sustainability and nature. The retro furnishings and artworks in each room are made from materials like clay, cork, refurbished eucalyptus timber and natural fibres, and the lofty atrium rooms gaze into an internal courtyard of salvaged Tasmanian tree ferns. The in-house dining at Monster Kitchen and Bar also has a sustainable focus, including a 100-percent vegetarian menu for the next year led by local seasonal produce. Discover more experiences to have in Canberra at VisitCanberra and start planning your next city break. Top Image: Mount Majura Vineyard, VisitCanberra
It may sound like a cliché, describing a filmmaker as courageous. But when it comes to Jafar Panahi, it really is the only word that fits. For years, Panahi's films, including The Circle and Offside, drew the ire of censors in his native Iran for their frank depictions of the hardships felt by people, and particularly women, under the nation's conservative regime. This came to a head in 2010 when he was arrested on propaganda charges and later slapped with a 20 year ban from filmmaking – a ban he has been defying ever since. Tehran Taxi, which won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival back in February, is Panahi's third film to be made under these restrictions, following This Is Not A Film in 2011 and Closed Curtain in 2013. Those films were shot in secret in his apartment and beachside villa, respectively. This time he's a little bolder, shooting surreptitiously from the inside of a cab as he drives it around the city, capturing his conversations with various passengers – including a schoolteacher, a lawyer and a thief – with a small dashboard camera. Whether these characters are real people or actors (or a combination of both) is intentionally left unclear, as Panahi playfully blurs the line between documentary and fiction. It's this playfulness and good humour that is key to the movie's success. In Panahi's previous two films, you can sense his frustration and feelings of helplessness – and given his situation, you can hardly hold that against him. They're fascinating works, and important, but more by virtue of their existence than their content. They feel like therapy, not films. Tehran Taxi, on the other hand, plays like a movie in its own right. Here, Panahi mixes the meta elements of his recent output with the shrewd social commentary of his pre-arrest work, all buoyed by a lightness and a cheekiness that makes it accessible to audiences far beyond the arthouse. Indeed, much of Tehran Taxi plays like a straightforward comedy. In one segment, a friendly vendor of pirated DVDs attempts to partner up with Panahi, reasoning that more people will buy his wares – including copies of Midnight in Paris and The Big Bang Theory – if he's working with a famous filmmaker. In another segment, Panahi must ferry two panicked, superstitious old women across town, so they might return their goldfish to a sacred spring in order to buy themselves another year of life. But the most delightful scenes belong to Panahi's young niece Hana, whose lively repartee with her uncle – after he picks her up an hour late from primary school – will leave you smiling from ear to ear. Of course even beneath the humour, Panahi's rebellious spirit shines through. Hana, we soon learn, wants to make a film herself, but she's baffled by the instructions of her school teacher, who insists that movies mustn't discuss political or economic issues, and that the students should remove anything dark or unpleasant. "There are realities they don't want shown," explains her uncle. In another scene, they give a ride to a friend of Panahi's, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is on her way to visit the family of a woman who has been imprisoned for trying to sneak into a volleyball game. Yet even the film's more more serious moments, or in its abrupt, unsettling ending, Tehran Taxi leaves viewers with a sense of hope. It's a film that throws the hypocrisy of oppressors back in their face, and does so with a wry sense of humour. We'll end this review with a quote from filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who headed the Berlin Festival jury that awarded Panahi top honours. "Instead of allowing his spirit to be crushed and giving up, instead of allowing himself to be filled with anger and frustration, Jafar Panahi created a love letter to cinema. His film is filled with love for his art, his community, his country and his audience." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOAOxsHVTYk
