If you're keen to soak in the Great Barrier Reef's natural underwater delights, 2019 has served up plenty of new ways to do just that. This is the year that Uber launched a submarine, albeit temporarily. A few months back, an underwater art trail also opened in The Whitsundays. And, just this month, Australia's first underwater hotel started sailing through the waters off Airlie Beach. Now, add the Museum of Underwater Art to the list. Created by marine sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the new attraction just just installed its first two artworks. Four pieces are planned in total — located off the shore from Townsville, and at Palm Island and Magnetic Island — with the project aiming to highlight reef conservation, restoration and education. The first artwork, Ocean Siren, can be found 30 metres offshore from The Strand jetty at Townsville — and while it actually towers above the water, it interacts with live water temperature data. Designed to resemble Takoda Johnson, one of the area's Wulgurukaba traditional owners, it receives information from the Davies Reef weather station on the Great Barrier Reef, then changes colour in response to variations as they happen. "She is a visual representation of current conditions underwater and a warning of potential stresses to the marine ecosystem," deCaires Taylor explained in a statement. [caption id="attachment_756032" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Museum of Underwater Art, Jason deCaires Taylor[/caption] As for the second just-unveiled artwork, Coral Greenhouse, it sits well beneath the ocean's surface on the John Brewer Reef off Townsville — 18 metres below the waterline, to be specific. Measuring 12 metres high, weighing around 58 tonnes, and made out of stainless steel, neutral marine grade cement and zinc anodes, it does indeed look like a greenhouse. In fact, it's an underwater building. It's also filled with more than 20 sculptures, many resembling local school children — and has been made to both stand up to wave pressures and cyclones, and remain visible to divers and snorkellers. Most importantly, it isn't just a greenhouse in name, with the piece featuring coral garden beds. With that in mind, Coral Greenhouse is also designed to "offer opportunities for scientists, marine students and tourists to engage in action-based learning and to conduct globally important research on coral reef restoration and new technology," deCaires Taylor noted. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6OoyKooA6D/ Marking the southern hemisphere's first underwater museum — and Australia's — the project has taken more than three years to come to fruition. Once it is fully operational, it is expected to attract 50,000 visitors each year. Palm Island's forthcoming installation will connect the spot's the cultural story to the land and sea, according to the MOUA's website, and is expected to be in place by the end of 2020. And no timeline has been set for Magnetic Island as yet, with funding currently being sought. Find the Museum of Underwater Art off the shore of Townsville, Queensland. For more information, visit the museum's website. Image: Museum of Underwater Art.
By now, you've probably become well-accustomed to being shut up indoors, fantasising about dining out with mates and sipping drinks at buzzy bars. Well, here's another blissful image to add to your daydreaming montage: a summertime sipping session located 24 storeys above ground level, watching the sun set over the city. It's a dream that will soon become a reality — when the 627 Chapel Street building's luxury rooftop opens this summer. The yet-to-be-named bar and restaurant is the work of 627 Chapel Street developer Goldfields, which has also yet to announce an operator for the luxe sky-high space. It has, however, revealed it's considering "three well-known local groups", as well as an international bid out of Los Angeles. While mystery will continue to surround the plan for a little while longer, Goldfields has revealed a few key details about the design of the tower's rooftop bar. Taking cues from some of the world's most high-profile rooftop clubs, the 200-person terrace will look to fuse a modern Mediterranean aesthetic with a touch of sophisticated local flair. Fittingly, in a nod to its address, the site's footprint clocks in at 627 square metres. Across that, there'll be a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, with an open-sided pergola, relaxed lounge areas and lush canopy trees. As you can expect, the developer says the rooftop will be a prime spot to spend those South Yarra sunset sessions, with the site boasting panoramic views across Melbourne. As for exactly which studio or designer will be bringing this luxe vision to life, that'll be up to the operators nominated by Goldfields. The makeover of 627 Chapel Street is set to come in at an eye-watering $300 million and is slated to be ready for occupancy by November this year. The unnamed rooftop bar and restaurant is set to open at 627 Chapel Street, South Yarra in the summer of 2021–2022. For more details, see the precinct's website.
The party never stops for Alison Wonderland. After hosting a slew of warehouse parties earlier this year, as well as playing just about every Australian music festival you can poke a stick at, Wonderland has dropped her Calm Down EP featuring all new original songs. Wonderland's DJ sets are known for their ability to ignite any dance floor, with her special mix of old school hip hop and modern indie dance. We were lucky enough to get Wonderland to sit still just long enough to tell us what we should look forward to with her new EP and her 'Rural Juror Touror' tour. The Calm Down EP Wonderland has previously released a compilation mix called Welcome to Wonderland, but the Calm Down EP is her first release to feature all original material. A more personal side of Wonderland will be coming through this EP, which her vast fan base has been eagerly awaiting. "This EP will be more songs rather than club jams," says Wonderland. "I'm excited and nervous to hear what people think about them." So far two singles from the EP have been released, 'Lies' and 'I Want U', the latter of which has a killer video clip, directed by local Melbourne maverick Prad Senanayake. Wonderland says the concept for the clip, which casually features possessed nuns and an old man being coddled by a younger temptress, was a collaborative effort between her and Senanayake. "It was super nice to work with Prad," says Wonderland. "He gets it, he's super smart." While Wonderland may be most well known for her work as a DJ, spinning tunes is not her first foray into music. Wonderland is a classically trained musician; she was a principal cellist with the Sydney Youth Orchestra and played bass in an indie band for a spell. "I think that the classical education that I received definitely helps me write music," says Wonderland. "I don't try and keep it at the forefront of my mind when I'm writing — I try to do that with feel — but I definitely think in the back of my mind somewhere it's a big reason why I make the music that I do." The Love Of Vinyl Wonderland is clearly excited for the release of her EP, but what's more, it's coming out on vinyl — a medium she has favoured since childhood. "When I was eight my Dad gave me his vinyl collection from when he was a teenager," explains Wonderland. So then, what was her last vinyl purchase? We don't want to be presumptuous, but it might not be what you'd first expect. "My latest vinyl purchase is actually kind of embarrassing!" admits Wonderland. "My favourite film ever is The Princess Bride, which is a 1980s fantasy film. I have the first ever release of the soundtrack on vinyl, played by Mark Knopfler." The Party Starter Before embarking on her Rural Juror Touror, earlier this year Wonderland hosted a series of warehouse parties across Australia. All the shows, held in secret locations, sold out almost immediately and in some cities venues had to be upgraded to keep up with the demand. The Wonderland Warehouse Projects were a huge success, and as per usual with Wonderland's gigs, the crowds were lively, sweaty, and brimming with riotous enthusiasm. "Getting up on stage and seeing the crowd, that was a pretty crazy feeling," explains Wonderland. "There was 2,000 people at each show." Despite being thrilled with the turn out to these events, there was one audience member in particular that Wonderland was especially thrilled about. "My Mum came to one of my shows, which was exciting!" says Wonderland. "She's only seen me play twice before, it was cool for her to see what I did." The Rural Juror Touror Wonderland has already performed the first few shows of her 'Rural Juror Touror', which will send her to all corners of Australia. The desire to take on a national rural tour was sparked after performing at Groovin the Moo last year. "I enjoyed it so much that it was kind of the inspiration for this tour," explains Wonderland. For Wonderland, there is no difference between playing to a crowd in a major city or a smaller rural venue. "I think they draw a certain type of crowd when I play," explains Wonderland. "They're usually quite educated in the type of music I DJ wherever I am." ALISON WONDERLAND'S RURAL JUROR TOUROR: Fri 27 June — Discovery, Darwin NT Sat 28 June — Argyle House, Newcastle NSW Sun 29 June — Flinders Social, Townsville QLD Thurs 3 July — Southern Cross Uni, Lismore NSW Fri 4 July — Fitzgeralds, Bunbury WA Sat 5 July — Toucan, Mandurah WA Fri 1 Aug — Star Bar, Bendigo VIC Sat 2 Aug — Amaroo Hotel, Dubbo NSW Thurs 7 Aug — World Bar, Queenstown NZ Sat 9 Aug — Movitas, Mackay QLD Sat 16 Aug — Karova, Ballarat VIC Fri 22 Aug — Secret Show, Taiwan Sat 23 Aug — Warehouse 82, Bali Fri 29 Aug — Observatory, Hobart TAS Fri 5 Sept — Plantation, Coffs Harbour NSW Sat 13 Sept — Smirnoff Snowdome, Thredbo NSW AW's Calm Down EP is out now. https://youtube.com/watch?v=YLCm9lP-3Uk
In front of the camera, Thomas M Wright's first credit came courtesy of Round the Twist. Two decades later, he has roles on everything from The Secret Life of Us, Top of the Lake and The Bridge through to Van Diemen's Land, Balibo, Everest and Sweet Country to his name. But since hopping behind the lens in 2018, the Australian actor-turned-filmmaker has proven one of the country's most fascinating new directors — first with Acute Misfortune and now with the upcoming The Stranger. That initial helming stint saw Wright take on the story of artist Adam Cullen and journalist Erik Jensen, after the latter was invited to stay with the former in 2008 to turn his life story into a biography. One of the most stunning recent Aussie filmmaking debuts, Acute Misfortune not only explored its subject in a riveting warts-and-all fashion, but also interrogated the nation's fascination with festering masculinity — and yes, it truly was something special. Premiering at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, then set to arrive in Australian cinemas on October 6 before hitting Netflix around the globe on October 19, The Stranger also draws from reality — from the effort to apprehend the person responsible for Daniel Morcombe's abduction and murder. That said, this isn't a recreation or a dramatisation. If you didn't know about the ties to reality going in, or even before pressing play on the just-dropped new trailer, you probably wouldn't pick it — even with lines like "this is the largest missing person's case in the history of our state and is one of the largest in the history of our country". Crucially, The Stranger isn't about the crime, but focuses on the undercover operation to bring the perpetrator to justice. Joel Edgerton (Thirteen Lives) stars as Mark, who goes undercover to befriend drifter Henry (Sean Harris, Spencer) — first striking up a conversation while travelling, with Henry unaware of Mark's true identity and motives. While fictionalised, The Stranger joins Australia's growing list of unsurprisingly tense films unpacking dark chapters in the nation's past, such as Chopper, Snowtown and Nitram. Check out the trailer for The Stranger below: The Stranger will release in Australian cinemas on October 6, and stream Down Under via Netflix from October 19.
When it comes to cute Japanese desserts, you just can't hold us Aussies back. First we went nuts for those golden yellow Hokkaido baked cheese tarts. Then we were queuing for hours to get our mitts on the producer's famed Pafu pastry puffs when they also spawned a series of local stores. Now, the same creators (ST Group) are gifting us with yet another buzz-worthy sweet treat, with the Australian debut of Kurimu. A new Melbourne store will be dedicated entirely to its namesake dessert creation – an éclair-inspired choux pastry, piped full of crème custard and rolled in a nutty crème patisserie topping. Each Kurimu is also filled to order to maximise crispiness and crunch. Set to open its doors in Melbourne Central mid-July, the new Kurimu store will be pumping out scores of fresh choux treats daily, crafted from local ingredients and baked on-site. The colourful space has been designed by Melbourne architect and design studio T-A Square – the same minds behind the Hokkaido Cheese Tart and Pafu stores – with an open kitchen situation allowing punters to watch their desserts being made. The Kurimu will be budget-friendly, too, clocking in at $3.90 each or $14.90 for a four-pack. Following its first Melbourne store, the brand has plans to expand into the rest of the country. Stay tuned for a Kurimu outlet coming your way (hopefully) soon. Find Kurimu's first Australian store at LG19A, 211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne from mid-July.
From the ground level on Swanston Street, you'll see an unassuming black steel door with the words 'Stairway to Meat-Heaven' plastered across it. It's easy to miss, but once you notice it — and the glowing staircase behind it — you'll no doubt feel the allure of the Dexter team's new untraditional meat-focused restaurant, Cheek. To get there, climb the stairs to the dining room, which can comfortably cater up to 70 bums on seats. It's the first floor of what will eventually be a three-level venue — with a bar called Peaches and a rooftop called Cream slated to open in the upcoming weeks. But, for now, it's just Cheek — a narrow restaurant with an industrial aesthetic and strong black and white contrasts with softening pops of light blue. Like Dexter in Preston, it's a bit of a no-rules barbecue joint. The menu here, though, leans heavier on Asian influences, taking inspiration from Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisines. You'll find Japanese dried powders, miso ranch, sweet and sour flavours of plum, yuzu and smoked hoisin throughout the menu. A carefully curated wine list accompanies the food, and more inventive cocktails are added to Dexter's repertoire, such as the Cheek Fizz with gin, pecan, honey, lemon and fizz, and the PB Oldie with peanut butter bourbon and pickle juice. "Essentially our philosophy hasn't changed, we're just taking the concept further," says Sam Peasnell, who co-owns Dexter, Takeaway Pizza and now Cheek along with his brother Tom Peasnell and old friend Adam Goldblatt. "So we're still very much dedicated to finding the best meat we can and serving it in interesting and complementary ways." "We spent most of the money on the massive dry-ageing fridge," says Peasnell. "So we can control our own in-house dry ageing and butchery, but it's also a big visual part of the restaurant and separates the kitchen from the dining area." Some options on the large-plate section of the menu include a half duck with smoked hoisin, a whole baby snapper and smoked short ribs with sesame caramel. Dry aged steak and pork cuts are expected to fly through the specials board, too. Those looking for something smaller will find mapo tofu empanadas, sweet 'n' sour cauliflower and pork cheek with crisp skin and pickled apples. "It's incredibly buttery and benefits from every second it gets during the 40-minute rendering down process," says Peasnell of the latter. While you're deciding what to eat, start off with the house-made meat bread — made by cooking bone marrow damper over charcoal — served with Cheek's own butter. Or, order a round of the barbecue prawn crackers. When complete, the entire (three-storey) venue will accommodate a generous 220 people — so get ready for some frozen margaritas and peaches and cream cocktails this summer. Find Cheek from today at 1/301 Swanston Street, Melbourne. It's open from 5pm till late, Tuesday–Saturday. Images: Kate Shanasy
If you've ever wanted to take a deep dive into some of the most iconic moments of the late 1960s, here's your chance. Kicking off this April, a major exhibition devoted to the huge international impact of these five momentous years is coming to the Melbourne Museum. Dubbed Revolutions: Records and Rebels, the exhibition originated at London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), and it pulls together over 500 objects sourced from the famed art and design museum, as well as international loans and Melbourne Museum's own impressive collection. It's a captivating exploration of 1960s youth culture and how collective action at the time spurred revolutionary shifts all across the Western world, from the tunes to the fashion to the political protests and defining moments and events like Woodstock. You'll revisit these game-changing elements in the context of their lingering impact today, five decades on. To that end, expect to catch a rare glimpse of items like Mick Jagger's signature stage costume, John Lennon's legendary glasses, handwritten lyrics for 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and even a guitar that was smashed on stage by Pete Townsend of The Who. Closer to home, historic items will reference pivotal Australian moments of the time, such as the anti-Vietnam War protests and the recognition of Australia's First Peoples in the 1967 referendum. State-of-the-art audio guide technology will feature a carefully curated musical soundtrack played through Sennheiser headsets, changing according to your position in the gallery. Think, Jimi Hendrix's live Woodstock set, Bob Dylan's 'The Times They Are A-Changin' and a whole lot of The Beatles, interspersed with interviews, videos, film screenings and light shows. Revolutions: Records and Rebels shows at Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton, from April 27 to August 25. Pre-sale tickets are available for purchase now. Images: V&A Museum,
After the turbulent year that has been, summer is finally here and it's time to celebrate. One of the easiest ways to do that is with an epic (socially responsible) house party. House parties are the places where friendships are forged, dancefloors are formed and memories are made, and summer is the primo time to make use of your own house and host your friends for a knees-up. With fun in mind, we've joined forces with Hennessy for this foolproof guide to making sure your party has all the elements needed for success. Stay up to date with the developing COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney's northern beaches and current restrictions at NSW Health. FIRST, ORDER THIS HOUSE PARTY PACK No one likes to socialise when they're hangry, so sorting out food should be your first port of call. That's why Hennessy has partnered with three different restaurants to create a series of collaborative feasts. Each comes with a limited edition bottle of Hennessy, ginger ale and a fun snack pack. In Sydney, fried chicken purveyors Butter will supply you and three friends with chicken wings, corn on the cob, mash and ramen-broth gravy, slaw and rolls for $180. In Melbourne, Japanese hot spot Mr Miyagi will sort you and three mates out with pork belly bao, peking duck nori tacos, fried chicken and spiced tuna tartare crackers for $250. And in Brisbane, party people can get around a feast for ten of spring rolls, chicken karaage bao and spiced chicken wings with gochujang aioli from Mr Mista for $230. Each pack also includes party cups, balloons, a deck of cards and a disposable camera to capture all the good times you'll be having. MAKE SUPER-SIMPLE COCKTAILS FOR WELCOME DRINKS Some of the best cocktails are ones you don't even need a recipe for, and the ginger mule is exactly that. Simply pour 40ml of Hennessy into a highball glass and fill the glass with ice. Top up with around 100ml of ginger ale and garnish with a lime wedge or slices of fresh ginger. Voila! Drinks are sorted. You could also consider batching these cocktails in larger quantities for easy serving. Find this recipe and more on Hennessy's website. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1CzIHMGk079iUL3947oYnr[/embed] OPT FOR A READYMADE PLAYLIST Instead of fussing about with aux cords or searching for artists, leave the party soundtrack responsibilities to Hennessy. Yep, the cognac brand also has a surprisingly good selection of packed-out playlists for four different moods. Head to the aptly titled House Party curated by music maestros Cool Accidents. It's filled with party-starting anthems from Hello, DMX, Missy Elliott and N.W.A. Or, try out the Beach Club, Sunset Sessions and Pre-Party Mix playlists, which will have you sorted with progressive mixes of slinky house, hip hop and R&B. [caption id="attachment_786101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cottonbro[/caption] SET UP SOME PARTY-STARTING GAMES AND ICEBREAKERS Now you've got food, tunes and drinks sorted, it's time to set up some party-starting games and social icebreakers. Putting a little bit of thought into some easy-to-execute games can result in some serious fun. Whip out old-school Twister from the cupboard or try a few rounds of celebrity heads (which you can do with just pieces of paper and pens). Outdoor games are also simple to set-up — borrow a Finska set from a friend or set up some classic backyard cricket. CONSIDER HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR SPACE Now you've got all the essentials sorted, it's time to think through the flow of the space and decorations. You don't have to go all-out, but considering how people will move and groove through your house is a worthwhile exercise. Set up a designated dancefloor (the playlist will help out with this) and hire some disco lights or smoke machines. Make sure there's seating areas, too, and not placed in thoroughfares. Your guests will pick up what you're putting down and they'll move about the space as you've intended. Hennessy's House Party Packs are available takeaway now till stocks last. To order from Butter in Sydney, head here. To order from Mr Miyagi, head here. And to order from Mr Mista, head here. Top image: Inga Seliverstova
Some museums are filled with art. Others are dedicated to interesting pieces of history. The National Communication Museum in Melbourne, Australia's latest, falls into the second category. It's also a museum with a hyper-specific focus, celebrating the technology that's allowed humanity to interact and, in the process, shaped how we engage with each other. Rotary phones, cyber cafes, MSN Messenger: they all get a nod here. Opening to the public on Saturday, September 21, 2024, and marking the first new major museum in Melbourne for more than two decades — since the Melbourne Museum launched — the National Communication Museum lives and breathes nostalgia, then. Phone boxes, burger phones, the speaking clock that you could call to get the time and only shut down in Australia in 2019: they receive some love as well. But this space isn't solely about looking backwards, with peering forwards also part of its remit. Yes, that means grappling with what artificial intelligence might mean for communication in the future. Emily Siddon, NCM's Co-Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director, calls the two-level Hawthorn site "a trip down memory lane", but also notes how it looks at the present and what might come. "The technologies featured in NCM were developed in response to the innate human need to communicate and connect — yesterday, today and tomorrow," she explains. "It also answers the pressing questions about communication technology today. Things like: how far away are we from uploading our consciousness? How am I tracked and where does my data go? And how can I tell real from fake or human from machine?". Across an array of rooms featuring both permanent and temporary exhibitions — located in an old 1930s telephone exchange building, which includes a working historical telephone exchange — visitors can dive into First Nations storytelling, celebrate the speaking clock, explore a 90s-era internet cafe and check out an interactive display that takes its cues from regional Australia's phone booths. There's also a section dedicated to research, spanning both successful and unsuccessful ideas, plus launch exhibitions dedicated to surveillance, the human-made satellites sent into space to circle the earth and the infrastructure underpinning digital communication. Find the National Communication Museum at 375 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, from Saturday, September 21, 2024 — open 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Casey Horsfield.
Checking surf conditions is a thing of the past for Sunshine Coasters, there's a multi-million dollar wave pool on its way. Best part is, you choose the size of the waves and customise how long they roll for. Really. The hugely-anticipated Webber Wave Pool has found a spot to make its own, snapping up a 24 hectare piece of land in Glenview — a colossal corner of fun right near Australia Zoo and the Big Kart Track. Developer Waterplay Pty Ltd is behind it all, the water-happy brains behind Malaysia's Sunway Lagoon and Wadi Adventure Park in the United Arab Emirates. Surrounded by waterslides, a 120-room hotel, canoeing rapids and a holiday village, the epic wave pool is the premier focus of the park. Pumping out consistently perfect and regulated waves, grommets and old hats alike will be able to choose their level of difficulty surfing the waves. Purists might be severely facepalming right now, but honestly, this is some pretty badass technology. Webber's drive system, according to their website, allows control over the hull speed, draft and trim angle of the wave. "These additional controls will transform our ability to change the wave shape during the ride," they say. "As a result, we will be able to make the wave angle and wave size shape change in a similar way as happens in nature." If you're bored of a particular set-up (yeah, if you're bored of your predictable ol' wave), just tweak a few details and you're riding a totally different beast. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZA4PoRBVY-M Webber's shiny new systems also allow the team to create waves of different sizes in the same pool at the same time. The coolest part? Your settings are saved on your wrist. "When linked to the profile of each patron by their RFID wristband, the software driving the new drive system will immediately adjust the ratio of the wave sizes to match with the changes in demand during the day." Rad. The Waterplay team hope to have you carving things up within a few short years, with the wave pool first on the to-do list. "All things going well, our team hopes to begin work next year and have the first Sunshine Park guests splashing, surfing and sliding on what will be Australia's latest waterpark during 2016," Waterplay spokesperson David Baird, told the Courier Mail. Fine, I guess we'll just have to surf in the real beach until then, whatever. Stupid, unruly, natural waves. Via Queensland Blog.
One of the reasons that it's so easy to lose yourself at teamLab Borderless, the acclaimed and hugely popular Tokyo digital art gallery that should be at the top of every visitor to Japan's must-visit list, is the way that its stunning sights keep moving around you. No one just looks at art here — they're truly immersed in it. At RISING 2025, expect that same sensation. When Melbourne's annual winter arts festival returns, expect to step into a field of red beams, too. Whether you're a local or hitting up the Victorian capital just for the fest, expect to never see The Capitol the same way again as well. After first announcing that it'd be getting swinging in 2025 — at mini golf, that is, courtesy of an art exhibition that's also a nine-hole mini-golf course that's taking over Flinders Street Station Ballroom — RISING has unveiled its full program. Hailing from teamLab alum Shohei Fujimoto, intangible #form is a massive highlight. The Japanese artist's free installation will take over The Capitol each evening complete with all of that crimson lighting, which'll respond to your movement. Sparking the feeling losing yourself in its beams and hues is 100-percent the piece's aim. With 65 events featuring 327 artists on RISING's 2025 lineup between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, intangible #form is just one of the fest's standouts this year. Another comes courtesy of Suki Waterhouse playing her first-ever Aussie shows, which you can only see in Melbourne at the fest. After proving a drawcard in 2024, Yasiin Bey is returning to RISING in 2025, this time joined by Talib Kweli. Still on tunes, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Aotearoa favourite Marlon Williams, septuagenarian grime stars Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave, Black Star, RONA, Soccer Mommy and Japanese Breakfast are also on the bill — as is the return of eight-hour music fest-meets-block party Day Tripper, with DIIV, Mount Kimbie, Annie and the Caldwells, Bktherula, Paul St Hilaire and Bad Vacation taking to the stage. [caption id="attachment_994703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mathieu Bitton[/caption] If you haven't seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch before, this is your chance to redress that gap in your theatregoing, with this new Australian production of the rock musical starring Filipino Australian singer Seann Miley Moore. And if you've ever wondered if you could manage to sit still — completely — for 90 minutes, Woopsyang's "do nothing" challenge is part of RISING, and asking festival attendees to participate. Or, catch the Australian premiere of Olivier-winning hip-hop dance work BLKDOG by Botis Seva — and then grab a seat for The Wrong Gods, a new piece by S Shakthidharan, the playwright behind RISING 2024's Counting and Cracking. Celebrating Divinyls legend Chrissy Amphlett via cabaret, hearing sound artist Sara Retallick dive deep into The City Baths as a composition space, dancing again at the return of SHOUSE's Communitas, spotting Melbourne Art Trams' latest iteration rolling around town, embracing a playful stage musing on heartbreak with the appropriate soundtrack: that's all on offer, too. [caption id="attachment_994693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Cara[/caption] Also on the agenda: peering at large-scale projections that champion Yorta Yorta ancestral connections as they flicker across Hamer Hall, all thanks to Moorina Bonini; discovering what happens when time and sound bend in the void beneath Federation Square; watching six performers work through 36 Shakespeare plays using household objects; and another date with the Bard, with Hamlet staged by a neurodiverse cast. BLOCKBUSTER, also at Fed Square, looks set to live up to its name, giving RISING a free ode to South Asian culture. Think: street food, Pakistani R&B, Punjabi rap, art trucks, workshops and more. To similarly feel spoiled for choice while hitting up just one part of the festival's program, head to Night Trade, which is again part of the program, bringing street, karaoke and microbars to a late-night art market between Capitol Arcade and Howey Place. The list goes on — including Soda Jerk switching from bringing TERROR NULLIUS and Hello Dankness to the big screen to designing a mini-golf hole for the aforementioned Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf. [caption id="attachment_994700" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Woopsyang[/caption] "RISING is about breaking conventions — bringing wild, intimate and unexpected creativity into the heart of Melbourne," said the event's Co-Artistic Directors Hannah Fox and Gideon Obarzanek, announcing 2025's lineup. "We are a festival of art music and performance that is proudly challenging and uncompromisingly inclusive. This year, audiences are invited to navigate a storm of lasers in the prismatic fantasy of the Capitol Theatre, swim through a composition of tactile sound in the City Baths, join in an audio-visual experiment deep under the ground of our town square or compete in the defiant act of doing nothing." [caption id="attachment_994704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mandy Wu[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994692" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netti Habel[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994695" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Marr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994702" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Remi Chauvin[/caption] [caption id="attachment_994699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katsuyuki Seki[/caption] RISING 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 across Melbourne. Head to the event's website for further information.
In multiple different web-slinging franchises across multiple decades, everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man has been on quite the on-screen journey. He's been played by different actors, faced a whole heap of different foes, and spun his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, too — and in Spider-Man: No Way Home, all this chaos is set to converge. The third Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland (Chaos Walking) in the role, Spider-Man: No Way Home already teased plenty of multiverse madness in its first teaser trailer. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog) plays a pivotal part this time around, too, ahead of the character's own dedicated next flick — Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — which is set to arrive in 2022. But the just-dropped new Spidey sneak peek shows just how far the movie is willing to go when it comes to all those other Spider-Man films that've reached screens over the years. No, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield don't show up, but some of the villains they fought make an appearance. Get ready to get reacquainted with Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin from 2002's Spider-Man, as well as Alfred Molina's Otto Octavius from 2004's Spider-Man 2 and Thomas Haden Church's Sandman from 2007's Spider-Man 3. Also re-emerging: Rhys Ifans' the Lizard from 2012' The Amazing Spider-Man and Jamie Foxx's Electro from 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. If you're wondering how this all works, it stems from the big reveal at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Peter Parker's secret identity was unveiled to the world. No Way Home picks up with Parker struggling to deal with the fact that everyone now knows who he is, and that he can't now just be an ordinary high schooler when he's not acting the hero. So, he asks Doctor Strange to spin a time- and space-twisting spell, which tears a whole in the world and sparks all of this multiverse mayhem. So far, there's still no sight of Maguire or Garfield — but that could be the kind of surprise that's being saved for cinemas. And, whether the film gets playful as the phenomenal animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is obviously still yet to be seen. No Way Home will feature a heap of other familiar faces, including Zendaya (Space Jam: A New Legacy), Marisa Tomei (The King of Staten Island) and Jacob Batalon (Let It Snow). Behind the lens, Jon Watts returns after previously helming both Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home as well. In a nice piece of symmetry, when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does hit cinemas next year, it'll be directed by Sam Raimi — who also directed the Maguire-starring Spider-Man movies in 2002, 2003 and 2007. Check out the full No Way Home trailer below: Spider-Man: No Way Home opens in Australian cinemas on December 16. Images: ©2021 CTMG. All Rights Reserved. MARVEL and all related character names: © & ™ 2021 MARVEL.
Gracing a Swan Street space once home to a hire vehicle company's car park, you'll now find this vibrant openair oasis decked out with eye-catching murals, Astroturf and fairy-lit palms. Over the course of a couple of lockdowns, owners Darren Legg and Brad Hicks pulled inspiration from their own favourite outdoor spaces and pastimes, commissioning local street artist and illustrator Juzpop to beautify the site with large-scale art in vivid pinks, purples and aquas. The space boasts an assortment of outdoor tables, shipping containers fitted out with timber booths and dry bars crafted from barrels. More converted shipping containers house the Pink Lemonade bar — slinging spritzes, tap brews, boozy slushies and Grey Goose cocktails — and resident kitchen, Hells Bellz BBQ Smokehouse. It's dishing up US-style barbecue fare like pork ribs, smoked wings, kransky snags and house-made slaw, alongside plant-based options including grilled portobello mushrooms and mac 'n' cheese. Other food trucks are also on rotation. As with all good outdoor drinking spots, Pink Lemonade has events and happenings aplenty. Resident DJs spin tunes through the weekend, themed cinema nights are in the works, and there'll be lots of dance parties and other music events to look forward to. Plus, bottomless brunch sessions feature every Saturday, coming in at $59 per person. Meanwhile, onsite cafe Black Drum is slinging coffee, smoothies and toasties by day, conveniently located just a few steps from Richmond station. Black Drum Cafe is open 6am–3pm Monday to Friday, and 7am–3pm on weekends.
Pubs, clubs, gyms, indoor sporting venues, cinemas, casinos and places of worship will be forced to close from midday today, Monday, March 23, with the Australian Government introducing a stricter crackdown on mass gatherings in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement last night, after the national cabinet meeting, saying "social distancing is our biggest weapon in fighting this virus". The Prime Minister also slammed those who disregarded social distancing practices over the weekend — including those who crowded Sydney's Bondi Beach — telling Australians to "do better". [caption id="attachment_640478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bondi Beach is now closed. Maxim 75 via Wikimedia[/caption] The stage one closures, as the above have been called, will be reviewed after one month and will likely remain in place for six months. In Victoria, Premier Dan Andrews has announced the closures will remain in place to at least midnight on April 13. At the moment, schools are not impacted by the closures — except for in Victoria, where school holidays have been brought forward to Tuesday, March 24 — and bottle shops, attached to pubs and clubs, will be allowed to stay open. Restaurants and cafes will also be allowed to continue running as takeaway and delivery only. Even more local closures are likely to be announced this morning in NSW, Victoria and ACT, where statewide shutdowns of non-essential services are being rolled out over 48 hours. While restaurants, cafes and bottle shops are allowed to continue offering takeaway and delivery, you can continue supporting them. We've rounded up some of the spots offering at-home eats in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 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: Julia Sansone
It's happening again: in response to a new community case of COVID-19 in Brisbane, other states are changing their health advice and border requirements. So, if you're a Brisbanite planning to head south soon, you're located elsewhere and you'll soon be travelling to the Sunshine State, or you've recently journeyed from the latter to another state, you might have some new rules to adhere to. New South Wales has issued two pieces of health advice. The first from NSW Health says that anyone who is in the state and has been in Brisbane or the Moreton Bay area since Saturday, March 20 should abide by the requirements outlined by Queensland Health regarding venues visited. It also advises that anyone who falls into that category and went to Mamma's Italian Restaurant in Redcliffe from 12.30–3.10pm on Sunday, March 21 must get tested immediately and go into isolation for 14 days. As noted in the second alert, NSW Health now requires anyone who has been in Brisbane City Council or Moreton Bay Regional Council areas in the past fortnight and enters NSW from 12.01 am today, Saturday, March 27, to fill out a passenger declaration form — which includes confirmation of whether you've visited any venues of high concern. And if you have been in a venue of high concern as listed by Queensland Health, you should not enter NSW at all. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1375392223844429825 Victoria has mandated that anyone who has entered the state from Brisbane and Moreton Bay since Friday, March 12 needs to immediately self-isolate, get tested within 72 hours and stay isolated until they receive a negative result. It's imposing this rule strictly, with Brisbanites who'd travelled to Geelong for the Brisbane Lions versus Geelong AFL match on Friday, March 26 asked to leave the ground when the new requirement came into effect. Brisbane and Moreton Bay have also been designated an orange zone under Victoria's traffic light travel permit system. That means that if you're entering Victoria from the area, you have to apply for the appropriate permit. And you won't be given one if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Upon arrival in Victoria, you'll also have to self-isolate immediately, get a coronavirus test within 72 hours of arriving and stay in isolation until you return a negative result. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1375358820634013696 How long these new border requirements will apply hasn't been revealed. Other states have similar rules in place, with Western Australia mandating that anyone who has arrived in WA from Queensland since Saturday, March 20 and visited any of the affected locations during the relevant times must get tested immediately for COVID-19 and self-quarantine. The ACT requires 14-days of quarantine for arrivals from Greater Brisbane since Saturday, March 20 who visited any of the close contact exposure sites, and testing and self-isolating until receiving a negative result if you've arrived in the same period but haven't been to any of the places listed. Tasmania won't allow entry from folks who've been to sites in Brisbane now deemed high risk, and everyone else who has arrived from Brisbane and Moreton Bay since Monday, March 8 is asked to monitor for symptoms. The Northern Territory requires anyone who has been to a high-risk venue to get tested within 72 hours and isolate until receiving a negative result, while South Australia is yet to update its travel advice. 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.
With a slew of brewers on the beer manufacturing scene, nowadays, those crafting the hoppy delights have to work particularly hard to differentiate their beers and draw drinkers in. But you may not know that, long before craft brewers made seasonal releases hugely popular, Coopers was creating zeitgeist-capturing beers that reflected what beer fans wanted — and the Australian brewery has continued this tradition into 2018 with the release of this year's Coopers Vintage Ale. To celebrate the release of the 2018 vintage — which has, for the first time, been made using the malt from Coopers' own malting facility — we're looking into five current beer trends that brewers around the country, and the world, are embracing. [caption id="attachment_678613" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr.[/caption] AGED BREWS Generally, beer should be consumed as fresh as possible — but there are some notable exceptions that prove wine isn't the only alcoholic beverage worth cellaring. Breaking with tradition, the Coopers Vintage Ale is brewed to be cellared — so, instead of popping it straight in the fridge, you're best to save it for a later date. Alongside this, local breweries have been ageing a number of small-batch brews in barrels. Oak barrels — previously used for chardonnay, shiraz and bourbon — impart subtle flavours of vanilla and light spice which can add new depths of flavour to already outstanding beers. PADDOCK-TO-PINT BREWING Ownership matters, as does knowing where your product has come from. Off the back of the paddock-to-plate movement in the culinary world, brewers and drinkers alike are embracing the paddock-to-pint mentality. Just this year, Coopers brought its malt production in-house — and, as such, the 2018 Vintage Ale will be the first vintage made using Coopers' own malt. Not only does this save Coopers the carbon impact of importing the malt from interstate and overseas, it also makes for a more consistent end brew. SEASONAL RELEASES Seasonal brews are limited release beers designed to be enjoyed at various points throughout the year. They are often based on what ingredients are most readily available at the time of brewing. The general trend among today's brewers is to do a dark ale, stout or porter in winter, and a light session beer for the warmer months. Coopers has been pumping out seasonal releases for 20 years now with its Coopers Vintage Ale. It favours the style of an English strong ale yet varies year-to-year based on the seasonal hops available. This year's offering is the first to use a house malt variety which will likely encourage rich honey, toffee and caramel malts — complemented by seasonal hop varieties that provide a balanced bitterness. Due to its strength, Coopers Vintage Ale is a great beer to age — the flavours develop and change over time, much like a fine wine. SESSIONABLE ALES There's no denying that Aussies like to congregate around a few cold ones, but a recent trend is leaning towards beers designed specifically for a drinking session. These beers are comparatively lower in strength than what many would be used to, often sitting around four percent. There was a time when less alcohol meant compromising on flavour — but, with the correct hopping regime and malt balance, we're seeing refreshing yet complex flavours finding their way into sessionables. The Coopers Session Ale, for example, is a 4.2-percent beer with plenty of fresh citrus notes. COLLABORATIVE BREWING Brewing brings people together — and we're seeing more and more breweries teaming up to create unique beers that reflect a union between the brewers and their idiosyncratic styles. For example, Batch Brewing Company recently recreated Scottish brewing powerhouse BrewDog's iconic Punk IPA for Australian shores. Collaborative brewing efforts are also seen in large-scale brewing companies like Coopers, which brews both New York City's Brooklyn Lager and Carlsberg under licence for Australian distribution. Collab brews are also popular with bars — a venue can create a brew with a brewer which speaks to its brand. SOUR BEERS Sours are the new IPAs — or that's what most beer geeks would have you believe. But sour beers are not exactly new, with recipes dating back to medieval times. Sour or wild ales can be soured with bacteria and yeast strains: lactobacillus gives sharp and acidic flavours, whereas brettanomyces gives tart and funky flavours. Sours are akin to fine wines in the depth and range of flavours they offer, hence they have found resonance with seasoned drinkers who enjoy high-quality beer. The flavour can be a bit intense at first — it's a bit of an acquired taste, but one that's definitely worth acquiring. Well, get with it — get your hands on some of the limited release Coopers Vintage Ale 2018 and try it yourself.
Jenny Lewis, former lead singer of indie rock group Rilo Kiley, is about to release her first solo album in six years, so why not come back with a bang (and a viral video)? Her social media freakout-inducing clip for first single, the Beck-produced 'One of The Guys' has a few of Hollywood's leading ladies taking the piss out of gender roles by tracksuiting up and acting like real tough dudes. Unlikely accomplices Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart and Brie Larson casually make up Lewis's backing band, eventually winding up in drag, fly kicking, breakdancing and giving each other those perplexing man-hug-hand-shake things. Snaps to Lewis for fusing taking Taylor Swift-style famous friend collab cues. There are so many high-fivable things going on here, it's hard to know where to start. Lewis's rainbow pantsuit, Hathaway's rat-tail and keytar, and Stewart actually looking like she's having fun for once in her life — all good places to start. Despite all this nonchalant splendour, Larson takes the cake. The Short Term 12 star is completely hysterical in this clip as a boy, and is probably the most convincing lip syncher of the band next to Lewis. Despite the silliness, the single is actually quite a poignant note on being comfortable with yourself both in your womanhood and in your age. Just goes to show, dealing with heavy stuff doesn't mean taking yourself seriously all the time. 'Just One of the Guys' is the first single from Lewis' new record Voyager, which will be out by the end of the month. Watch 'Just One of the Guys' right here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Irvcf6dCk-k Via Rolling Stone.
Since winding up the breakfast show at Triple J last year, comedian Tom Ballard has not slowed down in the slightest. Sure, he might not have to get up so early every weekday morning, but in between nationally touring his stand-up comedy shows, writing op-eds and returning to radio for a six-week Chatback stint, Ballard is one busy lad. Now he's set to launch and host his own show on ABC TV called Reality Check, which will look exclusively at the bizarre world of reality TV. Before that all happens, we were lucky enough to pull him over for a quick chat about his stand-up comedy career, Dry July, Thorpie and RuPaul's Drag Race. Congrats on the new show. What made you want to explore the world of reality TV? Ahhh, the money? Since I left Triple J breakfast I'm destitute and living on the street, so having a regular paycheck is pretty good! But it's also a bonus that it's a really fascinating topic that we don't talk about enough, and I get to do it with CJZ [the merger of Cordell Jigsaw Productions and Zapruder's Other Films, independently responsible for shows such as The Gruen Transfer and Go Back to Where You Came From] and ABC who make pretty awesome TV together. There is a wealth of material that hasn't been mined yet, there's a shitload of really important, moving stuff, but there's obviously a ton of jokes as well. It's the perfect sweet spot for me. You'll be joined by previous reality TV 'stars' — I use that term very loosely! Who are you most excited to have on the panel? (Slyly giggles to himself) Well, I have to be a bit boring and tell you we're keeping that one close to our chest at the moment. We've had a bunch of producers whose names you may not know, but they're actually responsible for huge reality TV hits, as well as previous judges and contestants. We've spoken to some people who have been the voice of Big Brother, some people who have won a major series, and people who have worked in the UK and America who have batshit crazy shows so it's really fascinating talking to them. Every week there will be names who are very familiar to reality TV addicts but also people who only follow it on the periphery. We worked really hard on getting some good names who can give us a lot of insight on the shows and the issues we want to talk about. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RmfHMNkhtn8 What reality TV shows did you watch growing up? Or are there still some that you watch now? Australian Idol was huge for me. I watched the first series. I was a big MasterChef head as well. I love RuPaul's Drag Race as well, and that is a really funny show. Come Dine With Me, and just stupid shit like the Kardashians. For this show we've watched a shit-ton of stuff and looking at the crazy moments that have happened in other countries like Nigeria's Got Talent and China's Got Talent, Big Brother Houses in other countries, one which was full of short-statured people. There's a UK show called Tourettes: Let Me Entertain You, which was basically a talent search for young people with Tourettes, just insane shit like that. I'm really excited about bringing that to the fore and laughing and celebrating all that stuff we get to see. You have just wound up your return to Triple J with Chatback: What was it like being back? It was great. It was really lovely, I was starting to miss everyone quite a lot so I got to go in on Thursdays and say hello to everyone. It reminded me how much I love radio and all the cool and crazy stuff that station does. There were also a few of your famous friends calling in under aliases, did any of them give you a heads up about their characters, or did they just let you have it? Yeah, we workshopped them all, a lot of that stuff was pre-recorded. We went back and forth with a few ideas, and then characters that people really liked, like Rebecca or Dr Jangles, came back in later weeks. It was really fun to have a character on twice because people were really keen to hear more from them and find out how their lives are going. I just think radio like this is underutilised. At the BBC in the UK the amount of comedy radio out there is amazing and I'd love to see more of that in Australia, because there's just so much fun you can have on a very low budget. It's just messing with peoples minds. That's what Chatback was — it was funny how worked up people got who thought they were real people. You also wrote a great op-ed recently about Thorpie coming out and why that was so important. It's no secret you're an opinionated young man, but what has to happen for you to decide, right, I'm going to write an op-ed about this? Well, to be honest a friend of mine who works at Fairfax called me and they wanted a young gay person's perspective on the issue. But honestly I did think about it, because there were a million think pieces and even for the next two days everyone and his dog had an opinion on the whole situation. I felt like I had something to say that I hadn't seen in many other media outlets so I thought that was a good chance. I want to be a comedian, that's what I want people to think of me as so I don't want to get on my high horse too often, but it is something that's really important to me. I'm really passionate about the mental health of young queer kids, and I wanted to remind people that when someone comes out, we should be happy. Yes we can have our criticisms about it, but ultimately it's a good news story. Have you enjoyed having more time to focus on your stand-up comedy this year? Although to be fair, it looks like you've had a million other side projects going. The first six months of the year had a lot of touring, so I wasn't being very visible on other media. It was all about getting out there and doing a whole bunch of stand up which was really fun. The truth of the matter is if you want to make a living from being a stand-up comic in this country you do need to push your media profile to make sure people are aware of you from other areas. It's kind of a balancing act. I am really excited about this show, I think it's going to be super fun, but I'm also excited about the fact that hopefully more people will come see me live and laugh at my jokes in front of me. Finally, how did your Dry July go? [Tom was on a team called 'Alco-Hellllll No!' with Megan Washington, and Triple J staff including Zan Rowe and Kyran Wheatly] Hahaha! Ummm…. Bad? I've raised money and it's been great not drinking, I feel a bit healthier and it's for an awesome cause, but it's much tougher than I thought it would be! Reality Check premieres on ABC TV on Wednesday, August 13, at 9pm.
Write a Brisbane-set book. Score a hit on the page. Then, see your words take to the stage, then the screen. That's how life went for Trent Dalton with Boy Swallows Universe. Next, going as far as treading the boards for now, that's also his path with Love Stories. Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Brisbane Festival have just announced that another of Dalton's books is getting a stage adaptation. As the play version of Boy Swallows Universe did, Love Stories will premiere at Brisbane Festival, with Tim McGarry penning the script and Dalton contributing additional writing. Fiona Franzmann will also contribute, while Sam Strong is directing. If much of this combination sounds familiar, Strong and McGarry also brought Eli Bell's antics to the theatre when it hit QPAC first. Their stage adaptation of Boy Swallows Universe wasn't just a smash — it's still the venue's bestselling drama ever. [caption id="attachment_944825" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Dalton, Fiona Franzmann, Sam Strong and Tim McGarry. Image: Lyndon Mechielsen.[/caption] Fans won't have to wait long to see the end result for Love Stories, with the production set to have its world premiere in spring 2024, playing QPAC's Playhouse from Tuesday, September 10–Sunday, September 29. As for who'll be bringing it to life onstage, Jason Klarwein plays a writer and husband, while Michala Banas is his wife. They're both based on married couple Dalton and Franzmann. Also in the cast: Rashidi Edwards as Jean-Benoit, a Belgian busker who is also the show's narrator. Kimie Tsukakoshi, Jeanette Cronin, Mathew Cooper, Bryan Probets and Harry Tseng round out the acting talent from there, as joined by dancers Jacob Watton and Hsin-Ju Ely. The production will set its scene from the corner of Brisbane's Adelaide and Albert streets — and if you've read the book, you'll know why. Dalton wrote the 2022 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year-winner by heading to a corner in Brisbane's CBD, Olivetti typewriter in hand, and asking folks walking by for their tales. His question: "can you please tell me a love story?". Accordingly, this is another love letter to Brisbane, as Boy Swallows Universe is. This time, however, it tells true tales about romance and life. The aim is for it to be joyous but poignant, humorous but dramatic, and to be sentimental about Brisbane while telling a range of diverse love stories. [caption id="attachment_944824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Dalton and Franzmann. Image: Lyndon Mechielsen.[/caption] "It's a rare and wondrous thrill to see one's words brought to life in the boundless universe of Australian theatre. It's an even greater thrill to see the love stories of so many not-so-ordinary real-life Queenslanders given such reverence and weight," said Dalton. "I've already had the great honour of informing many of the storytellers who so kindly told their stories to me on that corner that their words will now be retold in the most thrilling theatrical way by the most gifted team of creatives. These beautiful people who come from every corner of Queensland are just as excited as I am." [caption id="attachment_935699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Dalton, Simon Baker, Phoebe Tonkin, Felix Cameron, Lee Tiger Halley, Bryan Brown and Travis Fimmel at the premiere of Boy Swallows Universe. Image: Jono Searle/Getty Images for Netflix.[/caption] "Love Stories the show will be filled with everything that people adore about the book (and Trent's work) — beautifully specific Brisbane stories that speak universal truths, undeniably unforgettable people, and stories that sometimes break our hearts but always fill them," added Strong. "In translating Love Stories into the theatre, we're also building on the original. Trent and Fiona's own love story, which interweaves through the book, has been expanded by them for the stage show. In addition, we're including some of the incredible love stories that have been shared since the book was published." There's no sneak peek available for Love Stories yet — images, trailer or otherwise — but check out the trailers for both the stage and versions of Boy Swallows Universe in the interim: Love Stories will play the QPAC Playhouse, South Brisbane, from Tuesday, September 10–Sunday, September 29, 2024 as part of Brisbane Festival. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further details. Images: Netflix / Lyndon Mechielsen.
As a country girt by sea, it's easy to take Australia's sandy waterside for granted. But just like our ever-rising temperatures, ever-lingering drought conditions and increasingly widespread bushfires, our coastline isn't immune to climate change. Nor, with oceans both warming and rising, are our beaches guaranteed to withstand it. In Stockton Beach, in Newcastle's north on the NSW coast, this grim reality has been making its presence known for decades, all due to continuing coastal erosion. Since huge storms back in 2015, which cost the beach millions of tonnes of sand, it has been a particularly prominent issue; however, in the past few weeks, the spot has completely lost its coveted patch of sand. It happened quickly, too — the Newcastle Herald reports that "a section of the beach lost 2.5 metres in sand height" in just five hours. The paper estimates that around 500,000 cubic metres of sand (50,000 truck loads) would be required to replace what's been lost so far. So instead of somewhere to sit and sunbathe, beachgoers are now met with rocks, sand cliffs and a waterline much closer than it has ever been before. At the south end of the beach, the sand in front of the nearly 112-year-old Stockton Surf Life Saving Club, the adjacent car park and Lexie's Cafe have been particularly hard hit and, unsurprisingly, the City of Newcastle has closed all access points to the beach — except for the one at the Mitchell Street breakwall — until further notice. This aerial footage from The Guardian shows pretty clearly how severely the beach has been affected. [caption id="attachment_744112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Save Stockton Beach[/caption] As Newcastle's Lord Mayor explained at a council meeting last week, the catastrophic current situation has been caused by large swells in the recent weeks. The council is now undertaking emergency works, such as sandbagging, in the hope it can get Stockton Beach to condition that's useable for the public. The "preferred option" is to bring sand back in to the beach — an option that relies on the NSW Government's Coastal Zone Management Program. In good news, according to the ABC, the State Government has just approved $250,000 in funding for the council and has declared the beach a Significant Open Coast Location, meaning that the council can apply for emergency funding at any time. Shelley Hancock, the Minister for Local Government, says that the council's applications for funding are "currently undergoing a rapid assessment so that works can be undertaken as a matter of priority". Fast-tracking a mooted gas terminal at Kooragang Island, which could see sand dredged and relocated to Stockton, has also been floated as a solution — but it would require a statewide ban on offshore dredging to be lifted. Back in June, the council discussed offshore sand extraction, noting that it was "one of the only viable methods for large-scale beach nourishment along the open coast". At the time of writing, a GoFundMe campaign to save the beach has raised over $18,000, and a the Save Stockton Beach Facebook page is trying to raise awareness around the issue. Losing a beach is a bleak prospect, but the effects far span beyond just losing somewhere to lay out a towel. As the landscape changes, the sand shifts, threatening nearby buildings. The local daycare centre has been forced to shut due to the erosion, with the structure set to be demolished. Cabins at the nearby holiday park were also vacated last week, as a precautionary measure, although they've since been re-opened. Coastal erosion is by no means limited to Stockton Beach, of course. Due to rising temperatures and wild weather, sea levels are rising and eating into coastlines around the world, from England to Tunisia. And with similarly bleak scenarios happening across Australia — from Sydney to Melbourne to Perth to Adelaide — stories like these are sadly likely to increase in frequency. If you live near, or are travelling to, Stockton Beach, check the City of Newcastle website for updates on the beach accessibility. To help, you can get in touch with the Save Stockton Beach group — or keep striking for the government to take action on climate change to prevent this happening to more of our country's epic beaches. Images: Save Stockton Beach Facebook.
At two of the world's most-prestigious film festivals, prizes are awarded to the best queer movies on the lineup. Not all cinephiles can attend Cannes and Berlinale, so Australia's Mardi Gras Film Festival is bringing LGBTQIA+ flicks from both 2024 fests Down Under in 2025. Romania's Three Kilometres to the End of the World won the Queer Palm. The Istanbul-set Crossing took home the Teddy Jury Prize in Berlin. They're both highlights of the just-announced MGFF program, which has a date with Sydney cinemas in February — and boasts a roster of almost 150 flicks. The movie-loving component of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, MGFF wants audiences to enjoy its feast of LGBTQIA+ films on the big screen if they can. The bulk of the lineup will hit picture palaces across Thursday, February 13–Thursday, February 27, at venues including Event Cinemas George Street and Hurstville, Dendy Newtown, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, the State Library of NSW and The Rocks Laneway Cinema. For those who can't make it in-person, there's also a small-screen component, streaming a selection of titles on-demand nationwide from Friday, February 28–Monday, March 10. If you're hitting up movie theatres, award-winners aren't Mardi Gras Film Festival's only drawcards. On opening night, coming-of-age tale Young Hearts will start the proceedings with a story of romance in rural Belgium, while French standout Somewhere in Love is doing the honours to close out the physical event. In-between, viewers have 72 sessions to choose from, complete with the world premiere of In Ashes from Denmark-based filmmaker Ludvig C Poulsen; South Korea's Love in the Big City; the Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!)-starring Drive Back Home; and Ponyboi, which features Australian actor and The White Lotus favourite Murray Bartlett (The Last of Us). Or, catch Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, which tells of its namesake's tale from her 50s Nashville success through to disappearing from the public for four decades; Aussie effort Heart of a Man, about a closeted Indigenous boxer; period drama Lilies Not for Me with Fionn O'Shea (Masters of the Air) and Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; Duino, a semi-autobiographical effort about an Argentinian filmmaker working on a movie about his first love; and the Venus Xtravaganza-focused I'm Your Venus, which is a must for fans of Paris Is Burning. That's just a taste of the program, which spans Aussie festive slasher Carnage for Christmas, Nina Hoss (Tár) in Foreign Language, a documentary about Ani De Franco, Brazilian drama Streets of Gloria and more, too. Blasts from the past come courtesy of a free screening of The Birdcage, plus a 20th-anniversary session of Imagine Me & You (featuring Lena Headey long before Game of Thrones), with both showing under the stars. If you'd like to don a habit, croon tunes in a cinema or both, Sister Act is getting the sing-along treatment. And from the 70s, Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers — which is one of the first-ever trans-led feature films — is making its Sydney premiere. Cabaret is also on the bill, a fitting choice given that documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is on the lineup as well — gifting Liza Minnelli obsessives a double feature. Movie buffs eager to check out the online program from their couch can look forward to the aforementioned Drive Back Home and Heart of the Man; a doco about activist Sally Gearhart; Unusually Normal's factual portrait of a family that includes two lesbian grandmothers, four lesbian mothers and one lesbian granddaughter; and a blend of fiction and reality with 2024 Sundance Special Jury Award-winner Desire Lines, among other titles. A number of shorts programs will be available to stream, too, with packages devoted to Asia Pacific, transgender and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, sapphic and more. Black Doves' Ben Whishaw pops up in one of the gay shorts, while Hacks' Megan Stalter appears in one of the films in the comedy lineup. 2025's MGFF marks Festival Director Lisa Rose's last at the helm. "The film industry has changed dramatically throughout my time with Queer Screen. The volume of LGBTQIA+ content we see, as well as how and where we see it, continues to evolve," she notes. "Yet the sense of belonging that comes when the lights dim and a room full of queer people experience a queer story together remains a constant. Even when a film has the audience divided, the feeling of community that envelops us is unifying." Queer Screen's 32nd Mardi Gras Film Festival 2025 runs from Thursday, February 13–Thursday, February 27 at venues around Sydney — and online nationally from Friday, February 28–Monday, March 10. For more information, visit the festival's website.
Diehard fans of The Simpsons will remember season three, episode ten — the one in which bartender Moe steals Homer's secret, cough medicine-filled cocktail recipe and starts selling it at his bar as the 'Flaming Moe'. If a cough syrup-induced haze has always sounded like your kind of fun (or you're just a huge Simpsons fan) you're in luck. This classic episode will come to life this April when the Flaming Moe's Pop-up Bar opens its doors in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. It'll be an immersive experience with 'Moe' behind the bar slinging bottomless cocktails and all of the show's best characters in attendance, too. We doubt the bar's namesake cocktail will actually contain the grape-flavoured, children's cough medicine depicted in the show, but no information on the recipe has been revealed just yet. If its purist Simpsons, the drink will at least include some unholy combination of tequila, peppermint schnapps and creme de menthe — all lit on fire for good measure. For beer drinkers, Duff-inspired brew will be on tap as well. And, to round out the night, there will also be Simpsons trivia, with themed prizes up for grabs. Dates are not yet announced and details are slim, but we do know that the pop-up will open for just one day in each city. You can sign up for pre-release tickets here, which you best do because space will surely be limited.
After a year mostly void of dancing and nightclubs, some Melbourne party favourites are making their much-anticipated returns. The latest: electro music hub Xe54, which is making its comeback in a big way. Following 12 months in hibernation, the club night is moving into a new multi-storey venue on Little Collins Street with — wait for it — a 24-hour licence. You'll probably already know the space as The Bottom End. Kicking off this new iteration with a bang on Saturday, March 6, Xe54 is set to fire up the new digs every Saturday night, spinning electronic tunes until the wee hours each week. You can expect the same signature neon strip lighting as that of the night's former Southbank home, though this time around, it's backed by an upgraded sound system and re-energised music programming. First launched back in 2017, Xe54 has become a staple of Melbourne's underground house and techno scene, teaming up with a swag of leading promoters, and pulling an impressive mix of local and international talent to its decks. Solomun, Carl Craig and Gerd Janson are just some of the reputable names to have drawn crowds to its dance floor in recent years, though there's also been a strong focus on supporting local emerging acts. Organisers are plotting a huge night to kick-start the new series on Saturday, March 6, with the musical lineup to be revealed in the coming days. Stay tuned for all the details. Find XE54 at The Bottom End, 579 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, every Saturday from March 6. For more information and music program updates, visit its Facebook page.
Sure, Melbourne's inner-city cafe scene is littered with gems, but sometimes the weekend calls for a little more adventure. So, jump in the car and venture down to the Mornington Peninsula and you'll discover that it's got much more to offer than idyllic wineries and beautiful beaches. This coastal pocket is also dishing up some great cafe finds, from vibrant vegan haunts, to buzzy waterfront spots where you'd be more than happy to laze away an afternoon. The weekend is calling — here are our picks for Mornington Peninsula cafes well worth the road-trip from town. Recommended reads: Six of the Best Natural Hot Springs and Spas in Victoria The Best Cafes in Melbourne A Weekender's Guide to the Mornington Peninsula Ten of the Most Luxurious Stays You Can Book on the Mornington Peninsula
If you commute to work by train, you're looking at having a frustrating winter. Well, at least a frustrating July. The Victorian Government has announced that sections of eight Melbourne train lines will be closed from July 5–28 to complete more work on the Metro Tunnel — most significantly, building its entrance — and remove some dangerous level crossings on other lines. What does that mean? Replacement buses. If you travel on any of the lines that service the southeast suburbs, you'll most likely have to switch from the train to a bus at some point on your commute. Plus, in the north, part of the Mernda line will be closed at the same time for a level crossing removal. If you were impacted by the train closures back in January and April, it's likely that'll you'll probably have your commute stuffed around again this autumn. https://twitter.com/ptv_official/status/1136120715286126593 The lines that'll be impacted across the month — and the winter school holidays — are Frankston, Stony Point, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Sandringham and Mernda, as well as the Gippsland and Ballarat V/Lines. Here's what we know so far about what's happening on each of the affected lines. Frankston: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations between July 6–12, between Flinders Street and Moorabbin stations from July 13–14, and between Mordialloc and Frankston stations from July 19–28. Carrum Station will also be closed from July 5 until early 2020. Stony Point: Buses will replace trains between Frankston and Stony Point stations from July 6–14 and between Mordialloc and Stony Point stations from July 19–28. Cranbourne and Pakenham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Caulfield stations from July 6–12, and between Flinders Street and Westall stations from July 13–14. Sandringham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Sandringham stations from July 6–7 and July 13–14 Mernda: Buses will replace trains between Thornbury and Epping stations from July 19–25, July 29–30 and August 2–4, and between Thornbury and Mernda stations from July 26–28. Reservoir Station will also be closed from July 19–August 4. Plus, V/Line services will be affected as well. Coaches will replace trains on the Ballarat line until July 7. Something to keep in mind if you're travelling home or heading out to the Ballarat Winter Festival this weekend. The Gippsland line is also expected to be affected until July 14, but passengers will, once again, receive free travel. You can find the full details on line closures here. The State Government is advising commuters to leave an extra travel time in the case of delays, so it's advisable that you plan your trip carefully. For up-to-date info, your best bet is to check the disruptions map on the government's Big Build website.
Some shows should always be on TV, and The X-Files is one of them. Across nine initial seasons between 1993–2002, an additional two seasons that aired in 2016 and 2018, and two big-screen movies as well, this sci-fi favourite investigated all manner of weird and wonderful cases — usually with FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny, You People) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson, Sex Education) doing the sleuthing. Anything could happen in The X-Files. Almost everything did, in fact. If it involved the paranormal, supernatural and conspiracies, spanning aliens, psychic abilities, sewer-dwelling man-worm creatures, teenagers who could channel lightning and more, it helped make the series a smash while it was airing, and also a science-fiction classic ever since — as well as a show that might just be making another comeback. Fittingly, there's almost always a rumour about The X-Files popping up again. A few years back, an animated series was floated, going the comedic route to cover investigations considered too ridiculous for Mulder and Scully. Now, the word is that a new live-action TV show could be on its way from filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who has Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on his resume. The Hollywood Reporter and Variety report that the aim is to reboot the series with a diverse cast. The news came from The X-Files' creator Chris Carter during a radio interview to celebrate 30 years since the show launched, made Duchovny and Anderson into huge stars, and had plenty of folks wanting to be FBI Agents just like Mulder and Scully, There's no word on when The X-Files latest go-around will reach screens, who'll star, if Anderson nor Duchovny will be involved in any way, or any other specifics. If the truth is out there on this, all hasn't been revealed as yet. The X-Files does like to keep on keeping on, though, including the OG show itself's hefty run, its big-screen adventures, the revival, and two spinoffs: 1996–9's Lance Henriksen-starring Millennium, which was set in the same universe; and 2001's The Lone Gunmen, about the three conspiracy-obsessed characters initially seen helping Mulder and Scully. The X-Files' existing 11 seasons are currently available to stream via Disney+ and SBS On Demand. We'll update you with news regarding the reboot if and when more details are announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety.
Ever since Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness hit Netflix in mid-March, the docuseries has become a true-crime phenomenon. Given the story it tells, that's understandable. Focusing on former Oklahoma private zookeeper Joe Exotic, the show spins a 100-percent true tale filled with eccentric characters, wild animals, assassination plots, polygamy and bad mullets. By now, you've probably not only binged your way through the series, but also watched the Joel McHale-hosted special and spent too much time checking out Exotic's music videos. If you're like everyone else with a social media account, you've likely also devoted a few hours to picking who should play Exotic, his pals and his enemies in a dramatised version of the story — because, unsurprisingly, that's in the works. Actually, more than one take on the tale is heading to the small screen, and one of them has pulled off one helluva casting feat, enlisting none other than Nicolas Cage to play the blonde-haired tiger aficionado, one-time US presidential candidate and current incarcerated felon. As reported by Variety, Cage will step into Exotic's tight pants and flamboyant shirts, all in a scripted drama series that'll chart the latter's efforts "to keep his park even at the risk of losing his sanity". Think of it as the Joe Exotic origin story, chronicling how he took on that moniker, became a larger-than-life version of himself and found himself on his present path. While Exotic has received plenty of media attention in his time, particularly recently, this series will be based on Leif Reigstad's 2019 Texas Monthly article 'Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild'. American Vandal showrunner Dan Lagana will hold the same role on this yet-to-be-named Joe Exotic drama, as well as writing and executive producing — but the big news is obviously Cage's involvement. After making more than 100 on-screen projects across four decades, this is the first time he'll be starring in a TV show on a regular basis. Plus, the Vampire's Kiss, Face/Off, Con Air, Mandy and Color Out of Space actor isn't known for his subtlety, which makes him a perfect fit to play Exotic. Cage also has some recent experience with jungle animals, at least of the terrible CGI kind, thanks to 2019 action-drama Primal. It casts him as a big-game hunter chasing a rare white jaguar, which then gets loose on a ship alongside a notorious murderer — and yes, it's the type of over-the-top Cage film that has to be seen to be believed. Just who'll be co-starring with Cage — who'll no doubt be at his overacting best — is yet to be announced. While Kate McKinnon is set to play Carole Baskin, the rival animal park owner that Exotic is in prison for trying to have killed, that's happening in a different series about the whole saga. And, according to Rob Lowe's Instagram, there's another project in the works that'll feature him in a mullet, as produced by Glee, American Horror Story and Pose's Ryan Murphy. If you need a reminder as to why everyone's rushing to turn Exotic's story into a drama series, check out the Tiger King trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acTdxsoa428 The Nicolas Cage-starring, yet-to-be-named Joe Exotic series doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when further details are announced. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is available to stream on Netflix. Via Variety. Top image: Netflix.
Like the scent of jasmine in the air or the overwhelming urge to Marie Kondo your home, the promise of Arbory Afloat reopening is a signifier that spring is well and truly approaching. The Yarra River's floating bar and restaurant has become a Melbourne summer staple, and as of September it will return for its eighth iteration, this time sporting a whole new persona as the newly minted 'Afloat Viva Mexico'. After having drawn inspiration from the Balearic Islands last year and Turkey's Turquoise Coast in 2021, the Arbory team has now spun the compass in the direction of Mexico, with nods to Oaxaca, Tulum, and Mexico City that will bloom to life across the interiors, the food and drinks menus, and music and entertainment throughout the warmer seasons. While the full program for Afloat Viva Mexico is still under wraps, Executive Chef James Gibson promises a menu that "will be fun, fresh and spice centric, curated with bold and complex flavours from across Mexico." Meanwhile, the drinks list promises an extensive selection of cocktails highlighting mezcal and tequila, all designed to match with the menu or simply refresh your parched throat in the summer sun. An exact opening date is yet to be announced but will be revealed in the coming weeks. Find Arbory Afloat at 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne. Keep an eye on upcoming activities via Instagram.
Across the last few months of 2021, and spilling into 2022, there'll be something strange happening in Australian cinemas. This'll be the case in places where big screens have still been showing new movies over the past few months, and also in Sydney and Melbourne when they're permitted to reopen following the two cities' respective (and long, and ongoing) lockdowns. The flicks that'll be playing? Many will be films we've been hearing about for a few years now because they were meant to release in 2020, and were then pushed back a few times due to the pandemic. But, there'll be something different going on Down Under, because a heap of these already-delayed movies have just been postponed again — only for Aussie viewers. Been waiting for No Time to Die, Dune, The French Dispatch, Halloween Kills and Ghostbusters: Afterlife? You'll now be waiting a bit longer. They're just some of the movies that've delayed their Aussie releases because cinemas in our two biggest cities have been closed due to lockdowns. Instead of hitting the silver screen in places around the country that are open, then perhaps being fast-tracked to digital — as In the Heights, The Suicide Squad and a range of other titles have lately — these movies have been pushed back nationwide to wait for projectors in Sydney and Melbourne to start whirring. So, if you like your spy movies shaken, not stirred, you'll now be holding out until November 11 to see the latest Bond flick. Fancy sand worms and seeing Timothée Chalamet follow in Kyle MacLachlan's footsteps? Mark December 2 in your diary for your date with Dune. Wes Anderson's suitably star-studded latest movie, The French Dispatch, will now arrive on December 11, while Michael Myers will get slashing again in Halloween Kills on October 28 (because this horror sequel was always going to stay in October, at least). And, wondering when there really will be something strange in your neighbourhood again? That'll come with Ghostbusters: Afterlife on January 1, 2022. Venom: Let There Be Carnage will also releasing later than expected, hitting on November 25 this year — and, like all of the above movies, it'll arrive locally after it releases in the US. So, you might see your social media feeds filled with chatter about flicks that you've been looking forward to, are out overseas, but haven't yet opened in Australia. Aussies will also be waiting longer to see a few films that haven't been pushed around for a year or so — movies that've only dropped their first trailers in past months — such as Malignant (October 21), The Many Saints of Newark (November 4), Last Night in Soho (November 18), The Last Duel (November 18), Dear Evan Hansen (December 9), House of Gucci (December 26), The Matrix Resurrections (January 1) and King Richard (January 18). There's also Zola, which'll now hit on November 18 after being delayed everywhere until 2021, releasing in the US midyear, then having its Australian debut pushed back. And, some long-delayed flicks have kept postponing their releases worldwide, too, such as the Spider-Man-related Morbius, featuring Jared Leto (January 20); The King's Man, the next instalment in the Kingsman franchise; and Top Gun: Maverick (May 26), because it doesn't feel the need for speed just yet. If you're living somewhere where picture palaces have been shut for months, you're probably just keen to see whatever you can whenever you're allowed — understandably. In Sydney, that's due to happen when New South Wales reaches the 70-percent fully vaxxed mark, which is expected in mid-October. In Melbourne, no timeframe has been given for reopening cinemas just yet, or easing out of lockdown in general; however the travel radius will expand to ten kilometres and outdoor exercise will be allowed for three hours once 70 percent of Victorians have had their first jabs. Of course, moving release dates around was a regular part of movie-going life before the pandemic, too. More often than not, big blockbuster titles had been hitting Aussie cinemas at the same time as overseas, though. New films are still releasing in cinemas Down Under each week at the moment, where they're open, and will continue to do so; however, you'll just be waiting longer for some movies, including a number of big-name flicks, in some instances. To check out the new releases screening in Australian cinemas each week, check out our weekly rundown, complete with reviews. Image: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved
If your ideal autumn weekender involves escaping the city for top-notch regional eats and lots of wine, we know exactly where you need to be on Sunday, April 30. And that's around two hours north of Melbourne, at Bendigo's renowned Balgownie Estate. The award-winning winery is celebrating the season of changing colours and crunchy leaves with another edition of its Maiden Gully Autumn Festival. Head along from 10am and spend the day wining, dining, patting cute animals and soaking up a live entertainment program. Popping up here at Bendigo's oldest working vineyard, you'll find a stack of local food trucks, including Not Just Pizza, Bullwinkle Burgers, Bloom Espresso and Maiden Gully Marong Lions Club. The winery restaurant will also be open for brekkie, lunch and coffee, while the cellar door is your go-to if you fancy sampling some of the estate's hand-harvested wines — and stocking up on a few bottles for home, discounted by up to 50-percent off. Elsewhere, there'll be an animal farm filled with cute critters, a lineup of live, local tunes, and a market brimming with everything from fashion and foliage, to fresh produce and crafts. Entry to the day's festivities is by gold coin donation. And of course, if you're keen for a sleepover, you can spend the night under the stars with a stay in the winery's glamping retreat.
Fashion runways usually feature models of the leggy variety, but don't expect to see any of those at the NGV's Kids Summer Festival fashion parade, which instead will star a drove of tiny-legged dapperly dressed dachshunds. Taking over the NGV's Great Hall on Australia Day, this pup parade will conclude the annual, 11-day festival of kid-friendly fun. Although 'technically' for 'kids', anyone can head along to see the four-legged fashionistas show off their threads for free. Take a little one along and let them run wild in the gallery afterwards — they can unleash their own creativity by crafting dog-inspired 3D paper designs under the guidance of illustrator Alice Oehr and artist group Soft Stories. The whole dog thing is a homage to three dog-lovers being celebrated in NGV's hottest summer exhibitions — David Hockney (Current), and design duo Viktor & Rolf (Fashion Artists). The rest of the Kids Summer Festival program is chock-full of legitimately awesome free events — think magic performances, kids yoga, dance classes and a swag of creative workshops hosted by local artists. The dachshund fashion parade will take place in the NGV's International Great Hall from midday on Thursday, January 26. For more information, visit the NGV's website.
Music lovers and festival fans, get excited: Spilt Milk is back for 2023, hitting up Ballarat's Victoria Park on Saturday, December 2. Post Malone leads the lineup, with Dom Dolla and Latto also topping the bill. So, expect to hear everything from 'Sunflower' and 'I Like You' to 'Rhyme Dust' and 'Big Energy'. Tkay Maidza and Aitch also rank among Spilt Milk's impressive 2023 names, with Chris Lake, Dermot Kennedy, Budjerah, Cub Sport, Lastlings, Partiboi69, Ocean Alley, Peach PRC, Royel Otis similarly set to hit the stage. Also, because this fest is also about food, there'll be bites to eat from Chebbo's Burgers, 400 Gradi, Chicken Treat, and the BBQ and Beer Roadshow. Originally only held in Canberra, then expanding to Ballarat, then the Gold Coast and now also Perth in 2023, the multi-city one-dayer has cemented its spot as a must-attend event for a heap of reasons — with this year's lineup clearly one of them. While Ballarat's general-release tickets have sold out, pre-loved and VIP tickets are available. [caption id="attachment_851187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] SPILT MILK 2023 LINEUP: Post Malone Dom Dolla Aitch Budjerah Chris Lake Cub Sport Dermot Kennedy Djanaba Grentperez Jessie Murph Lastlings Latto Lime Cordiale May-A Mincy Ocean Alley Pacific Avenue Partiboi69 Peach PRC Poolclvb Redhook Royel Otis The Buoys The Dreggs Tia Gostelow Tkay Maidza Ango Ben Gerrans Blue Vedder Reefrats Sami Srirachi Yorke Top image: Billy Zammit.
If we had kept going with the stone age, bronze age, iron age system, we would be probably be somewhere in the plastic one, so it is little wonder that so many artists are passing over paintbrushes and kilns to experiment with the possibilities of inflation. In a case of perfect irony, plastic might just be the most digestible of contemporary art ingredients. At home and abroad artists are taking full advantage of your inner child that knows all good parties need a jumping castle and dreams of seeing Woody Woodpecker at the Thanksgiving Parade in NYC (remember Mr Pitt?). Or, if you were a serious eight-year-old, the arguments for making art with a human-made material that is choking the planet practically write themselves. Inspired by the current Mobile M+: Inflation! exhibition in Hong Kong, here is a mini-retrospective of our favourite inflatables. Inflatable Guantanamo Bay prison cell, 2008 Starting at the serious end of the scale, let's go back to 2008 when Bush and Cheney were still kicking around the White House and Phillip Toledano released his online installation, America the Giftstop. "We buy souvenirs at the end of a trip, to remind ourselves of the experience. What do we have to remind ourselves of the events of the last eight years?" Toledano said. An artist and photographer, Toledano's satirical selection of souvenirs from the War on Terror included this life-sized inflatable Guantanamo bay bouncy prison cell. You can imagine his satisfaction in creating a hard-hitting piece of art that is ostensibly a bouncing castle, but then again, that is probably the point. Complex Pile, 2007 Statement on art? A screw-you to exhibition organisers? Paul McCarthy's idea of a gag? Or, a case of beauty where you least expect it? The house-sized inflatable dog turd that caught everyone's attention in Hong Kong is testament to the permission new materials give the artist. This work is currently showing as 'Complex Pile', but certain corners of the internet remember when it had a four letter name. This is not a one-off for McCarthy, whose other inflatable works include a disembodied head of George W. Bush and pigs mid-coitus. Jumping Castle War Memorial, 2010 Aussie artists have also been dragging out the old air-pump. Remember Brook Andrews' Biennale offering a few years ago? Paying tribute to the humble jumping castle, this highly politicised artwork broke the hearts of Sydney’s children by reversing the age restriction to 16+ and popping in a sneaky nod to the old habits of the British Museum — Aboriginal heads — in the turrets. Jumping Castle War Memorial poses some harrowing questions: who would jump on a war memorial? Who can resist a jumping castle? And, where should the memorial end? Baby Ruth, 1966 Forget your definition of art, or decent human beings; Andy Warhol had a knack for picking trends. So, here is our nod to the father of Pop Art and his inflatable Baby Ruth bars. These bad boys also served as his wedding present to the bride and groom of Mod Wedding, part of his 1966 multimedia event Exploding Plastic Inevitable. Subway Sea Monster (The Lochness), 2008 Gorilla art and inflatables seem like a natural match, but the logistics must be alluding some of the smaller-scale art makers out there. NYC street artist Joshua Allen Harris has come up with his own solution: building sculptures with everyday plastics, like garbage bags, and then taping them to subway vents. Like Marilyn before them, Harris's pieces blow up as trains pass below them. Cool, huh? In an added bonus Harris also has a conscience and has used the attention payed to his Polar Bear piece to raise support for the fight against global warming. Rubber Duck, 2007 This international bath time adventurer had its first outing in 2007 and shows no signs of stopping, unless you count this pancake performance in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. Artist Florentijn Hofman describes his Rubber Duck as an exercise in ice breaking, a destroyer of barriers that knows no discrimination. He could be right: it is extremely accessible, and how much hate mongering could you do with a six-storey, bright yellow duck bobbing behind you? Hofman's Rubber Duck in happier times.
It might've taken three years, but Netflix has finally produced its first original Aussie series. Shot entirely in Queensland, and providing fuel for your summer binge-watch sessions, Tidelands is a supernatural crime drama series about a fictional fishing village, dubbed Orphelin Bay, with strange inhabitants: a group of dangerous half-Sirens, half-humans called 'Tidelanders'. Cal McTeer (Charlotte Best), a young women who returns to the small village after a stint in jail, discovers the body of a local fisherman and must navigate the town's drug smuggling history while also investigating the Tidelanders, who are led by Adrielle Cuthburt (Elsa Pataky). Eight episodes, each running for 50 minutes, have been made by Brisbane's Emmy Award-Winning production company Hoodlum Entertainment. Available on Netflix since Friday, December 14, Tidelands doesn't just gift Australian users with a new favourite series, with the show landing in all 190 countries that the streaming platform is available in. Thinking you've seen plenty of Aussie stuff on Netflix already? You're not wrong; however there's a difference between throwing old sitcoms and standup specials into a range inexplicably overflowing with new Adam Sandler movies, and actually funding brand new Australian material. Last year, it was announced that they'd join forces with the ABC to co-produce a second season of Glitch, which showed them dipping a toe in the water — but now they're completely diving in. Before watching the entire series, check out the full trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhsjoQLKaiY Tidelands is now available on Netflix.
When a hit show comes to an end, the network behind it often tries to fill the gap with something similar. It's the situation that HBO found itself in last year when Game of Thrones wrapped up, with the US cable channel quickly launching new fantasy series His Dark Materials and committing to making a GoT spinoff called House of the Dragon. And, with Big Little Lies looking like it's also all done and dusted, the station seems to be in the same predicament in the star-studded murder mystery genre as well. Enter The Undoing. Starring Nicole Kidman, and written and produced by Big Little Lies' David E. Kelley, it's definitely a case of HBO sticking with what they know. Kidman plays a successful therapist who appears to have the perfect life, with a loving husband (Hugh Grant), a son (Honey Boy's Noah Jupe) attending an elite school and her first book about to be published. Then a violent death sparks a chain of revelations that shatters her life as she knows it. Also part of the plot, as seen in the show's first teaser, its second teaser as well and now its just-dropped new full trailer: a missing spouse, plenty of public attention, a heap of interrogations and a plethora of tough choices for Kidman's Grace Fraser. It'll all play out as a once-off limited series — although that was originally the case with Big Little Lies before it came back for a second season. Based on the novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz, The Undoing also features The Burnt Orange Heresy's Donald Sutherland and American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace's Edgar Ramirez — with Bird Box director Susanne Bier behind the camera on every episode, just as she was on excellent Emmy-winning mini-series The Night Manager. As for when you'll be able to watch it, it was originally set to premiere sometime in May; however now it'll launch on Monday, October 26. In Australia, it'll screen via Foxtel, Foxtel Now and Binge. Check out the latest teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWoiNlLqLR8&feature=emb_logo The Undoing will screen in Australia via Foxtel and Binge, with episodes airing weekly from Monday, October 26. Top image: Niko Tavernise/HBO.
When Paul Kelly has taken his Making Gravy tours across Australia around Christmas in past years, the gigs have proven a hot ticket. That shouldn't come as a surprise given how beloved 'How to Make Gravy' is, so much so that there's a movie inspired by it heading to streaming this festive season. But only the songwriting legend's 2025 tour will see him reach a huge milestone, playing his biggest-ever live shows not only at home but in New Zealand as well. The August and September tour will also feature Kelly's only gigs for the year, so consider them a chance to get excited about Gravy Day 2025 — which falls on December 21 — early. He's heading to nine cities, starting in Perth before hitting Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, Adelaide and Melbourne in Australia, and then crossing the ditch to play Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. The Aussie icon will be celebrating his new album Fever Longing Still, which releases on Friday, November 1, 2024, but he'll also be busting out beloved tracks from his 40-year-plus career. Accordingly, expect to hear everything from 'Dumb Things', 'To Her Door', 'Before Too Long' and 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' through to 'Leaps and Bounds', 'From St Kilda to King's Cross' and 'When I First Met Your Ma'. It was back in 1981 that Kelly's first studio album Talk hit record stores — and the ARIA- and APRA-winner has been a mainstay of the Australian music scene ever since, whether unpacking the nation in his tunes, giving everyone a Christmas tradition, singing about well-known figures or anything in-between. Kelly is hitting the road with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on his Australian shows, as well as Fanny Lumsden as the opening act on home soil and Reb Fountain doing the same in Aotearoa. And, of course, Kelly's band will be performing with him, with Peter Luscombe on drums, Bill McDonald on bass, Dan Kelly and Ash Naylor on guitar, Cameron Bruce on the keys and Jess Hitchcock contributing vocals. Paul Kelly Australia and New Zealand Tour 2025 Tuesday, August 26 — RAC Arena, Perth Friday, August 29 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, August 30 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tuesday, September 2 — MyState Bank Arena, Hobart Thursday, September 4 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Saturday, September 6 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, September 9 — Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch Wednesday, September 10 — Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Friday, September 12 — Auckland Town Hall, Auckland Paul Kelly is touring Australia and New Zealand in August and September 2025. Ticket presales start from 3pm local time on Monday, October 28, 2024, with general sales from 3pm local time on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Mona Foma, Moshcam.
Netflix might've stopped adding new Mindhunter episodes to our streaming queues, sadly, but the platform isn't done exploring true crimes or serial killers yet — not by far. From The Serpent to the Conversations with a Killer series, and including everything from The Ripper to The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea as well, there's no shortage of options if you type 'serial killer' into the service's search function, including whether you're looking for dramas or documentaries. Soon, DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story will join that hefty and growing list. Very soon, in fact: from Wednesday, September 21, with the ten-part miniseries featuring WandaVision, Mare of Easttown and American Horror Story actor Evan Peters as the titular IRL murderer. In doing so, the inherently unsettling show sees its star reunite with the latter's creator and prolific TV producer Ryan Murphy, this time getting creepy in a different way. When the Monster drops its full run in one go, ready for nightmarish midweek binging, expect to be perturbed. Unsurprisingly, the just-dropped first trailer is chilling. It's meant to be, both given the tale it's telling and the tone. In a sneak peek heavy on mood, evoking that reaction and giving viewers a look at Peters in the part are the clear aim — consider both well and truly achieved. Dahmer's story is particularly gruesome; between 1978–1991, he murdered and dismembered 17 boys and men. There's more to his crimes, including cannibalism — and accepting a meal from Dahmer isn't something that anyone takes lightly, or willingly, in Monster's trailer. Alongside Peters, Netflix's dramatised step back into Dahmer's murders features Richard Jenkins (Nightmare Alley) as the serial killer's father Lionel and Penelope Ann Miller as his mother Joyce — and the full cast includes Niecy Nash (Never Have I Ever) and Molly Ringwald (Riverdale) as well. And yes, getting well-known faces to play horrific killers is also part of Netflix's true-crime trend — which, if you watched Zac Efron play Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile a few years back, you'll already know. Check out the trailer for DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story below: DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story will be available to stream via Netflix on Wednesday, September 21.
Turn it back up to 11: 41 years after the members of Spinal Tap were first immortalised on film, David St Hubbins (Michael McKean, The Diplomat), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer, The Simpsons) and Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest, Mascots) are scoring their second big-screen moment. As announced in 2022, iconic 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap is getting the sequel treatment. And if this felt like one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" follow-ups, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues has just dropped its first trailer ahead of hitting cinemas Down Under this spring. Filmmaker Marty DiBergi is also back to chronicle the group's latest antics — which means that IRL director Rob Reiner (The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men) is as well, both playing the fictional part on-camera and helming Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. As the sneak peek shows, he's pointing the camera at a reunion concert and its preparations, including efforts to find a new drummer, merchandising ideas and waxing lyrical about Spinal Tap's journey so far. Elton John, Questlove and Paul McCartney are also sighted in the first glimpse at the new film, as Spinal Tap's estranged bandmates reform, grapple with their past and contemplate their mortality — and ponder how the latter might help bring in fans. Viewers will be able to watch along with their efforts from Thursday, September 25, 2025. If you're new to all things Spinal Tap, the fictional English heavy metal band initially debuted on American TV in 1979; however, it was This Is Spinal Tap that made them legends. With this trio, there is indeed a fine line between stupid and clever. The group behind 'Lick My Love Pump', 'Sex Farm' and 'Hell Hole' have reformed in reality a number of times, too, and released albums. This Is Spinal Tap isn't just an 80s comedy gem that everyone needs to see at least once, and actually several times more than that. Every music documentary since for the past four decades has followed in its footsteps, straightforward and satirical alike. Also, Spinal Tap's name has become shorthand for OTT bands who take themselves too seriously. The OG film is also hitting picture palaces in 2025, re-releasing in 4K from Thursday, August 7. Check out the trailer for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues below: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues releases Down Under on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Images:Bleecker Street & Authorized Spinal Tap LLC.
If keeping your eyes glued to a screen comes as naturally to you as breathing, then awards season brings plenty of news that you already know. You watched the best movies and TV shows of the past year, and now they're winning awards. Sometimes there's surprises. Sometimes everything that everyone expects to nab a shiny trophy does. Sometimes something deserving misses out, or wasn't even nominated. That comes with the territory, including at the Golden Globes, which usually kicks off the year in gleaming pop-culture accolades — and did again in 2024. Hearing everything that you already know in the opening monologue, though? That's something that no one wants. Were you aware that Oppenheimer is long? That Saltburn includes nudity? That Robert De Niro is an icon? So went the first few jokes from this year's host Jo Koy, amid mentioning that he "got the gig ten days ago" — which isn't too far off the mark. Thankfully, while the ceremony's hosting fell flat, as did Jared Leto's gags about himself while co-presenting the first awards with Angela Bassett, the gongs weren't short on highlights. You just had to look to the award recipients and presenters for the gold. So, let's remember the 2024 Golden Globes for Australia's Margot Robbie, Sarah Snook and Elizabeth Debicki all emerging victorious; Lily Gladstone's historic win and unforgettable speech; and Anatomy of a Fall winning Best Screenplay, a category that rarely goes to films in languages other than English. Succession's Matthew Macfadyen dubbing Tom Wambsgans a "human grease stain", then Kieran Culkin winning over Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong; Ayo Edibiri's excitement, including while thanking her managers' and agents' assistants for answering her emails, when she won for The Bear; Kevin Costner reciting America Ferrara's Barbie monologue; The Boy and the Heron getting the nod for Best Animation: they're all standout moments as well. Also worth sitting through this year's first night of nights for all things film and television: Emma Stone ribbing Australia's Poor Things screenwriter Tony McNamara about her attempts to do an Aussie accent, Christopher Nolan calling Cillian Murphy his partner-in-crime for 20 years and Murphy's just-as-touching acceptance speech. Your questions from here? What'll happen when Oppenheimer and Barbie face off at the Oscars, which doesn't separate dramas from musicals and comedies? Will the TV winners be mirrored when the delayed 2023 Emmys hand out its trophies later in January? How many more shades of pink can Margot Robbie don? And if your biggest query now is "who else won?", here's the full list of winners and nominations — and you can also check out our picks for the eight best winners you can watch right now. GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES AND WINNERS: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Anatomy of a Fall Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer — WINNER Past Lives The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon — WINNER Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Greta Lee, Past Lives Carey Mulligan, Maestro Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Bradley Cooper, Maestro Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon Colman Domingo, Rustin Barry Keoghan, Saltburn Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer — WINNER Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Air American Fiction Barbie The Holdovers May December Poor Things — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings Natalie Portman, May December Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves Margot Robbie, Barbie Emma Stone, Poor Things — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid Matt Damon, Air Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers — WINNER Timothée Chalamet, Wonka BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED The Boy and the Heron — WINNER Elemental Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros Movie Suzume Wish BEST MOTION PICTURE — NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE Anatomy of a Fall — WINNER Fallen Leaves Io Capitano Past Lives Society of the Snow The Zone of Interest BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers — WINNER Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Jodie Foster, Nyad Julianne Moore, May December Rosamund Pike, Saltburn BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Charles Melton, May December Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer — WINNER Ryan Gosling, Barbie Willem Dafoe, Poor Things BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Bradley Cooper, Maestro Greta Gerwig, Barbie Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer — WINNER Martin Scorsese, Killers of The Flower Moon Celine Song, Past Lives BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Anatomy of a Fall — WINNER Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE The Boy and the Heron Killers of the Flower Moon Oppenheimer —WINNER Poor Things Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Zone of Interest BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE Bruce Springsteen, 'Addicted to Romance', She Came to Me Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin, 'Dance the Night', Barbie Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, 'I'm Just Ken', Barbie Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond and John Spiker, 'Peaches', The Super Mario Bros Movie Lenny Kravitz, 'Road to Freedom', Rustin Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, 'What Was I Made For?', Barbie — WINNER CINEMATIC AND BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT Barbie — WINNER Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 John Wick: Chapter 4 Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse The Super Mario Bros. Movie Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA 1923 The Crown The Diplomat The Last of Us The Morning Show Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us Emma Stone, The Curse Helen Mirren, 1923 Imelda Staunton, The Crown Keri Russell, The Diplomat Sarah Snook, Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Kieran Culkin, Succession — WINNER Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us Jeremy Strong, Succession Dominic West, The Crown BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Ted Lasso Abbott Elementary The Bear — WINNER Barry Only Murders in the Building Jury Duty BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear — WINNER Elle Fanning, The Great Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso Jeremy Allen White, The Bear — WINNER BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION All the Light We Cannot See Beef — WINNER Daisy Jones & The Six Fargo Fellow Travellers Lessons in Chemistry BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Ali Wong, Beef — WINNER Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death Juno Temple, Fargo Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves Jon Hamm, Fargo Matt Bomer, Fellow Travellers Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & the Six Steven Yeun, Beef — WINNER Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Abby Elliott, The Bear Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown — WINNER Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso J. Smith-Cameron, Succession Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION Alan Ruck, Succession Alexander Skarsgård, Succession Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear James Marsden, Jury Duty Matthew Macfadyen, Succession — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE IN STANDUP COMEDY ON TELEVISION Ricky Gervais: Armageddon — WINNER Trevor Noah: Where Was I Chris Rock: Selective Outrage Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer The 2024 Golden Globes were announced on Monday, January 8, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
Close out the summer with a wild and wacky bang at Mona's annual festival of boundary-defying culture, music and art. The iconoclastic Hobart gallery, performance space, and purveyor of beer and wine, is known for subverting expectations so you can expect an eccentric and unforgettable few days down south at Mona Foma. Now in its 16th year, the 2024 incarnation of the festival runs from Thursday, February 15 to Sunday, February 25 in nipaluna/Hobart and from Thursday, February 29 to Saturday, March 2 in Launceston. There are morning meditations with cross-cultural musical collaborations and captivating art exhibits for those after a more reflective experience. On the flip side of fun, there are gigs galore and late-night bashes for those keen for a boogie. The program features everything from Taiwanese artist Yahon Chang painting with a human-sized brush and Emeka Ogboh's gin-centred exhibit to musical headliners Queens of the Stone Age, Courtney Barnett, Paul Kelly and cult favourites TISM in a rare live show. Check out our picks of the program below to kick-start your festival planning or get you inspired to book your Tassie getaway. Mona Sessions If you can only make it to one event, the quintessential Mona Foma experience can be found at the Mona Sessions. On the evenings of Friday, February 23 to Sunday, February 25, you can enjoy live music from international artists on the sprawling museum lawns. Suitable for all ages, Mona Sessions features performances by Scottish space-rock stalwarts Mogwai; Kutcha Edwards and The Australian Art Orchestra; Japanese punk-pop band Shonen Knife; Canadian quartet Holy Fuck; French-Korean siblings (both under the age of 15) Isaac et Nora; and Lonnie Holley with Moor Mother and Irreversible Entanglements. [caption id="attachment_939340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amniote Editions[/caption] Faux Mo Keep the grooves flowing after the Mona Sessions at Faux Mo. The Granada Tavern opposite Mona will become abuzz with late-night beats and boogies from 10.30pm until 2am on Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24, with a more chill afternoon sesh on Sunday, February 25. Catch sets from POOKIE, Soju Gang and m8riarchy, along with melodic beats by Mama Snake from Denmark, Afrobeats by Nigerian-born Emeka Ogboh, and mellow house by Kiwi brothers Chaos in the CBD. [caption id="attachment_939338" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amber Haines[/caption] Wayfinder Queensland dance collective Dancenorth is known for compelling performances which weave together contemporary dance and powerful storytelling. Wayfinder is no exception. Viewers will be immersed in Dancenorth's spellbinding choreography, set to a score by Grammy award-nominated Hiatus Kaiyote with a stage and costumes designed by visual artist Hiromi Tango. The performance will only run for three nights from Thursday, February 22 to Saturday, February 24, so be sure to book in quick. [caption id="attachment_829589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MONA and Jesse Hunniford[/caption] Boats (a gin and art experiment) Multifaceted artist Emeka Ogboh will not only be spinning a DJ set at Faux Mo, but has also developed an immersive exhibit. Boats explores themes of migration and belonging through a bespoke gin blended by the Nigerian-born creative. Festival-goers can sample the gin and snacks accompanied by a sound installation at Detached. If that's not enough, Ogboh is collaborating with Mona's executive chef to incorporate the gin and West African flavours at various Mona restaurants during the festival. [caption id="attachment_939336" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Filastine & Nova[/caption] Arka Kinari It wouldn't be Mona Foma without show-stopping, thought-provoking works — and what's a bigger statement than a 70-tonne sailing ship moored at the waterfront to spread awareness about climate change? The boat, named Arka Kinari, is musical duo and married couple Filastine and Nova's home, creative work, transport and travelling stage. The pair are inviting visitors aboard to learn about the ship's sustainable resources — which include water desalination, solar power, wind travel and waste management — and will also be performing their music against a backdrop of cinematic visuals on the deck of the ship. Don't miss it. [caption id="attachment_939339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gabriel Comerford[/caption] Dekoor In Launceston, gym and rave bros collide at the adults-only Dekoor. Local Tasmanian artists ROOKE will put on an exciting dance, theatre and circus performance in a working gym, where audience members can wander through the space throughout the show. For some added fun, consent tokens will be available if you're open to being touched, carried or led away by performers. These tokens can of course be removed or passed on if you change your mind during the event. After the show, stick around for a party with DJs and performances across three levels of the gym until 1am. The Shruti Sessions Journey across musical borders at The Shruti Sessions, where musicians from Hindustani and Rajasthani backgrounds collaborate and experiment with Australian instrumentalists. Experience something new at each performance, whether you drop in for a Morning Meditation or catch the action at the Mona Sessions. Performers include notable tabla player Bobby Singh, percussionist Benjamin Walsh, OAM recipient and saxophonist Sandy Evans, sarangi player Asin Khan Langa and renowned slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya. [caption id="attachment_831323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill via Tourism Tasmania[/caption] The Gorge How about a lazy day of lounging and swims followed by an evening concert at the spectacular Cataract Gorge? And what's more, this live show — featuring the elusive TISM, Mulga Bore Hard Rock, FFLORA x Grace Chia and Cash Savage and The Last Drinks — is completely free. If you'd like to level up your experience, you can opt for the Peacock Pass which grants you access to the Peacock Bar, a private entrance and a viewing area with seating. Find out more and book your tickets at the Mona Foma website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning 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, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TG-Mxzl88Q LOCKED DOWN Sparked by the pandemic, lockdown films aren't just an exercise in adapting to stay-at-home conditions — or a way to keep actors, directors and other industry professionals busy and working at a challenging time. The genre also provides a window into how the creatives behind its flicks view everyday life and ordinary people. Arising from a global event that's placed many of the planet's inhabitants in similar circumstances, these features tell us which stories filmmakers deem worth telling, which visions of normality they choose to focus on and who they think is living an average life. With Malcolm & Marie, a hotshot young director and an ex-addict were the only options offered. In Language Lessons, which premiered at this year's virtual Berlin Film Festival, a wealthy widower and a Spanish teacher were the movie's two choices. Now Locked Down directs its attention towards a CEO and a courier, the latter of which stresses that he's only in the gig because his criminal record has robbed him of other opportunities. Yes, these films and their characters speak volumes about how Hollywood perceives its paying customers. That's not the only thing that Locked Down says. Directed by Doug Liman (Chaos Walking) and scripted by Steven Knight (Locke), this romantic comedy-meets-heist flick is verbose to a farcical degree — awkwardly rather than purposefully. The repetitive and grating misfire is primarily comprised of monologues, Zoom calls and bickering between its central couple. Well-off Londoners Linda (Anne Hathaway, The Witches) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor, The Old Guard) are weeks into 2020's first lockdown, and their ten-year relationship has become a casualty. Whether chatting to each other or virtually with others, both commit a torrent of words to the subject. Linda has decided they're done, which Paxton has trouble accepting. She's also unhappy with her high-flying job, especially after she's forced to fire an entire team online, but gets scolded by her boss (Ben Stiller, Brad's Status) for not telling her now-sacked colleagues they're still like family. Tired of driving a van, Paxton is willing to do whatever his employer (Ben Kingsley, Life) needs to climb his way up the ladder. That said, he's still tied to the road, with the ex-rebel's decision to sell his beloved motorbike — a symbol of his wilder youth, and its fun, freedom and risks — hitting hard. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GC--RZ3jOo THE PERFECT CANDIDATE With 2012's Wadjda, Haifaa al-Mansour became the first female filmmaker from Saudi Arabia to make a full-length movie. Fittingly, she achieved the feat via a powerful tale about a girl breaking boundaries — by fighting to ride a bicycle in the street, an activity that's by no means routine in the Middle Eastern country. A hopeful yet truthful film that depicts the present-day reality for Saudi women, while also remaining committed to dreaming of a different future, al-Mansour's directorial debut marked the first-ever feature shot entirely in her homeland, too. Accordingly, she smashed barriers in multiple ways, including both on- and off-screen. Nine years later, she demonstrates the same spirit again with The Perfect Candidate. After exploring another female trailblazer in 2017 biopic Mary Shelley, then pondering the beauty standards imposed upon women in 2018 rom-com Nappily Ever After, al-Mansour delivers the ideal companion piece to her applauded first picture — this time focusing on a young Saudi doctor who tackles her town's misogynistic and patronising attitudes by running for local council. No matter the day or situation, the ambitious Maryam (debutant Mila al-Zahrani) is repeatedly reminded that women aren't considered equal in her community. In one of The Perfect Candidate's early scenes, an elderly male patient writhes in agony, but is more upset about the fact that she'll be treating him — until Maryam's condescending boss proclaims that male nurses can easily step in and do the job for her. When her recently widowed musician father Abdulaziz (Khalid Abdulraheem) goes away on tour, she attempts to fly to Dubai for a medical conference and subsequent job interview that would see her move to Riyadh. Alas, she's stopped from departing because her dad hasn't updated her travel permit, and she can't leave unless he rectifies the paperwork. A male cousin (Ahmad Alsulaimy) in a role of authority within the government might be able to assist, but even the bonds of blood aren't enough to get her through the door to his office. He's interviewing and approving candidates for the municipal election, so Maryam puts her name forward just to progress past his secretary. That still doesn't help her make her flight, but it does send her in a different direction. While already struggling to convince her employers to pave the road to the town's emergency medical clinic, she decides to run to fix that specific problem — and the more backlash she receives for putting herself in contention, the more determined she is to campaign for change. The Perfect Candidate is currently screening at Sydney's Randwick Ritz cinema, and will play at ACMI in Melbourne from May 13–25. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv72JDeSaXY DE GAULLE Paris' international airport is named after him, so even if you know nothing else about Charles de Gaulle, you know that his chapter in French history turns out well enough to be immortalised in one of the country's most pivotal sites. The new biopic that also shares his name endeavours to help explain why by focusing on a specific period during the Second World War — the few weeks in June 1940 when France's powers-that-be were contemplating kowtowing to Germany rather than continuing to lose men in their battles against the Nazis. As Prime Minister Paul Reynaud (Olivier Gourmet, The Midwife) attempts to decide how to proceed, de Gaulle (Lambert Wilson, The Translators) ranks among the government's key voices. But support for capitulating to their enemy keeps growing stronger, including via Philippe Pétain (Philippe Laudenbach, Ad Vitam), who would become the Chief of State of Vichy France shortly afterwards. Trying to thwart his nation's submission to and collaboration with the Germans, the movie's eponymous figure heads to London to meet with Winston Churchill (Tim Hudson, A Very English Scandal). Swiftly, and while causing ire at home, he becomes a driving force behind the Free France movement — which would lead the resistance against occupation during the remainder of the war. De Gaulle's audience doesn't need to have an intimate awareness of France's involvement in WWII before they start watching this sombre drama, with writer/director Gabriel Le Bomin (Our Patriots) and his co-scribe Valérie Ranson-Enguiale (who also co-wrote his 2008 short film L'occupant) routinely demonstrating their fondness for using dialogue to deliver exposition. Indeed, much of the feature is dedicated to talk describing the situation — as intertwined with glimpses of de Gaulle's home life, and of the efforts of his wife Yvonne (Isabelle Carré, Moving On), elder children Elisabeth (Lucie Rouxel, Rascal) and Philippe (Félix Back, Black Tide), and younger daughter Anne (debutant Clémence Hitten), who has Down Syndrome, to flee France as the Nazis invade. The end result, while never short on intrigue, always seems more interested in explaining history than depicting it. The ceaselessly worshipping tone doesn't help flesh out the movie's subject as a person, either; again, viewers already know that he's worthy of celebration going in. And, while De Gaulle's urgent efforts to save his country and his family's quest to escape should be tense and suspenseful, much of the feature feels like a by-the-numbers mashup of Second World War film tropes. Wilson's performance is solid, and the period detail catches the eye, but De Gaulle is never more than standard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXn0ryXxfak JUNE AGAIN The third film about dementia to reach Australian cinemas in little over a month, June Again starts as The Father did: with its elderly protagonist losing time, and her sense of her place within it, as moments, days and life in general all seem to rush by. The titular June (Noni Hazlehurst, Long Story Short) barely greets her daughter Ginny (Claudia Karvan, Bump) or grandson Piers (Otis Dhanji, Aquaman) when they visit the aged care centre she has lived in for five years, rarely passes her doctor's (Wayne Blair, Rams) cognitive tests and constantly feels disoriented due to vascular dementia that's been caused by a series of strokes. But, one otherwise ordinary morning, she wakes up lucid, annoyed, and wondering where she is and why. So, as Supernova did, this Aussie feature then follows June's quest to make the most of the time she has left as herself. Here, however, that involves trying to set right the many wrong choices she thinks her adult children have made, and also attempting to snatch a last grasp at happiness. Dramas ensue, with Ginny thrilled to have her mum back as she once was, but frustrated with her meddling — and her sibling Devon (Stephen Curry, Mr Love) mainly falling into the latter category. But June's window of clarity doesn't simply allow her to be herself again; it lets her address her mistakes, follow paths not taken, and try to become the woman that life and raising a family never her let her be. For 23 years on Play School, Hazlehurst helped guide young minds and teach pre-schoolers about the world that they were only just beginning to explore. Accordingly, there's a feeling of synergy about her role in June Again. Playing a woman slipping out of a world that she's navigated for a lifetime, she tackles a condition unlikely to have been directly experienced by many of the viewers who grew up peering through square, diamond, round and arched windows with her — and looking at rocket and flower clocks, too — but might now be touching those that watched with them. And, alongside fellow familiar faces Karvan and Curry, Hazlehurst is one of the best things about June Again. First-time feature writer/director JJ Winlove keeps things comfortable and predictable in his warm-hearted narrative and warm-hued stylistic choices, but every scene, emotional moment, and insight into life, love, loss, ageing, forgetting and farewelling those dearest to us is improved by his all-star cast. That's never more accurate than when Hazlehurst is cherishing June's renewed lease on life, reminding viewers how delightful she always is on-screen, and selling the film's sentimental but heartfelt message about the importance of chasing what you love in the time you're given. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=civOp5c5GM0 FATALE Only 14 women have ever won more than one Academy Award for Best Actress, and Hilary Swank is one of them. When she earned the Oscars double for 1999's Boys Don't Cry and 2004's Million Dollar Baby, she beat both Meryl Streep and now three-time recipient Frances McDormand to the feat — but her career hasn't brought the coveted accolade her way again since. Fatale isn't going to change that recent trend. It hasn't earned Swank a Razzie either, but she could've easily been in the running. Playing a Los Angeles cop who has a one-night stand in Las Vegas with an ex-college basketball star turned high-profile player manager, then starts stalking her way through his life while also trying to intimidate her politician ex-husband into giving her back access to her young daughter, she has one mode here: stern-faced yet unbalanced. Even when her character, Detective Valerie Quinlan, is first seen flirting, Swank plays her as if something isn't quite right. That's accurate, plot-wise, but it robs Fatale of any semblance of tension it might've possessed. The film is meant to be an adultery-focused thriller in the Fatal Attraction mould — with even its title blatantly nodding that way — but it just ends up recycling tired, simplistic, overused cliches about unhinged women into a monotonous and unnecessarily convoluted package. Valerie and Derrick (Michael Ealy, Westworld) hit it off at a Vegas bar, then get physical; however, the next morning, he heads home to his wife Tracie (Damaris Lewis, BlacKkKlansman), who he actually suspects of being unfaithful herself. Before Derrick can meaningfully process either his infidelity or his fears about his crumbling marriage, his swanky home is broken into one night — and, because director Deon Taylor (Black and Blue) and screenwriter David Loughery (The Intruder) are content to hit every expected beat there is (and because they've seen every 80s and 90s erotic thriller ever made, too), Valerie is the investigating officer. Despite being woefully predictable from the outset, Fatale doesn't dare have fun with its cookie-cutter narrative. It doesn't evoke thrills, bring anything more than surface style or prove particularly sexy, and it never gets its audience invested in its obvious twists, one-note characters or rote dialogue. And, although having its badge-toting stalker use excessive force and exploit her power to target a person of colour could've been a choice that said something about America's current reckoning with law enforcement, race and police brutality, Fatale doesn't even contemplate anything other than clunky formula. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow and Wrath of Man.
As a nation girt by sea, as our anthem tells us, Australia boasts plenty of water. We're surrounded by it thanks to our scenic shorelines, picturesque harbours and cosy coastal inlets. And courtesy of the gobsmackingly gorgeous pools, curvy rivers and splash-tacular waterfalls found inland as well. Indeed, it's particularly easy to take a dip if you're in Melbourne, whether you're roaming around close to home or roving further afield when the weather's warm. Sea spray, refreshing swimming holes and even crystal-clear public pools are usually only a stone's throw away. Here's where you'll find them — and cool down.
Along with Glastonbury, Coachella is one of the biggest, most famous and highly coveted music festivals in the world — the type of fest that everyone wishes they could nab a ticket to at least once. While this year's festival has been postponed — from April till October — come next week, you'll be able to relive highlights from its 20 year history. Hitting YouTube at 5am AEST on Saturday, April 11 (12pm PT Friday, April 10 — when the 2020 festival was scheduled to start), Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert will feature behind-the-scenes stories, never-before-seen footage, interviews and performances from some of the world's most famous musicians. While Coachella hasn't announced exactly what performances will make it into the doco, its website does tease some highlights from every year. Jane's Addiction 2001 reunion show, MIA asking fans to storm the stage; Daft Punk debuting their pyramid stage; Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg performing with a hologram of 2Pac; Beyoncé famous 2018 show; and Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z , Björk, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar and so many more big-names hitting the stage. With music festivals across the world — and Australia — cancelled and postponed, and people self-isolating and social-distancing, the doco will be a great way to escape — virtually. And, if you've ever wanted to head to the Cali festival, but haven't been able to snag tickets or afford to go, it's free way to experience it. While you wait for Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert to drop, you can watch Netflix's Homecoming — a doco about that Beyoncé set — and eyeball the trailer below: https://youtu.be/pflR5xxx0bQ Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert hits YouTube at 5am on Saturday, April 11 AEST.
The Italian Dolomite region of the European Alps is dotted with mountain huts called rifugi, simple lodgings that serve hearty food and drink after a long day on the slopes. The Alps — Commercial Road's cosy neighbourhood wine bar — channels that same spirit, offering Melburnians an inviting rifugio of their own, whether on a lazy afternoon or a chilly evening. Run by the team behind hatted Richmond wine bar Clover, The Alps recently unveiled a thoughtful revamp, complete with an expanded food menu and a new-look courtyard. The once snack-heavy offer has made way for a heartier — yet no less shareable — menu by new Head Chef Miller Cowie (ex-Freddy's and Zita's) and Charley Snadden-Wilson (Co-owner and Executive Chef of Clover) that's now anchored by thin-based Roman-style pizzas with sauce that reaches right to the edges. The menu will feature a mix of permanent signature pies and seasonally rotating specials. Wine remains a core part of the experience — and on the 400-strong list, you'll find a cleverly curated selection spanning alpine producers, natural trailblazers and old-world icons. There's also a smart selection of local beers, Alpine-inspired cocktails and a strong showing of amari behind the bar, for those after something different. Out the back, an updated courtyard is now an all-weather affair thanks to a retractable awning and heaters, making it primed for year-round catch-ups. Inside, a newly integrated open kitchen brings the action to the bar, while the venue's warmth remains intact thanks to the open fire in The Cabin, which continues to host The Alps' signature Cabin Conversations — a fortnightly dinner and conversation series led by winemakers, importers and wine journalists. Plus, Thursday nights host complimentary wine tastings, with a different producer spotlighted each week. Images: Jack Carlin.
Regina George would salute a rumour-fuelled US high school, with news of a gossip app running amok in classrooms in Connecticut. Creating havoc in the small town of Westport, the Yik Yak app functions like a Mean Girls meets Gossip Girl trolls-only Twitter: a stream of anonymously posted insults about the students of Staples High School. Developed under the tagline "spread the word, grow the herd," the Yik Yak app has been described by the unrelated developers as "acting like a local bulletin board for your area by showing the most recent posts from other users around you. It allows anyone to connect and share information with others without having to know them. News, funny experiences, shout outs, and jokes spread faster than ever through Yik Yak's tight-knit community". Nice idea, but in the hands of high school students, things have turned predictably nasty. Individuals can post 'yaks' anonymously and read horrible things about themselves in turn, as if high schools weren't already great stages for bullying and rumour mongering. In a candid, first-person account from current student Will Haskell, published in New York Magazine, he explains the cinematic reaction of the student body. "When you watch stupid movies about teenagers in high school, you roll your eyes at the classic fallout scene in which the hallways are filled with whispering students all gossiping about the same thing. This was exactly what Thursday afternoon looked like at Staples," he says. "In the course of a few periods, the most private, deplorable thoughts of the Staples student body had been put into writing. And the worst part was that no one knew who was writing this stuff — maybe the asshole you’d expect it from, or maybe the quiet girl in the back of Spanish class." Scrolling through the Yik Yak news feed, students could read and post anonymous comments about their classmates — inevitably resulting in a sea of racist, sexist and homophobic hogwash. "L. M. is affiliated with Al Qaeda." "The cheer team couldn’t get uglier." "Nobody is taking H. to prom because nobody has a forklift." Even the principal was targeted. Haskell hadn't taken his school for a gossip hive, although Snapchat sexting and Facebook cyber bullying had done a good job of making students uneasy about school-based online shenanigans. "It's a good, medium-sized public school in Westport, Connecticut. We don’t walk through metal detectors on our way to class, and the main job of our school "security force" is to hand out tickets when students' Jeeps and Audis park in staff parking spaces," he says. "I've found Staples to be a happy, functional, though complexly hierarchical place. The three most popular senior girl groups are the Bots, the Bedfords, and Acrimonious. There are Albone and the Rowdies, both popular senior boy groups. There are the Amigos (popular junior girls), the Cool Asians (none of whom are actually Asian), the Fairies (the soccer team, not the theater kids), the Players (the theater kids, not the soccer team), and many others." Haskell explains the Yik Yak app found its way to Staples from the neighbouring town of Fairfield, after students from both schools had come across the app on a trip to the Dominican Republic. Fairfield had already been hit hard by the app, now it was Staples' turn. "Yik Yak gave everyone a chance to take down enemies, reveal secrets, or make shit up in order to obliterate reputations," says Haskell. "You didn’t need internet popularity in order for your post to be seen; you just needed to be within a 1.5-mile radius of your target and your audience." Yik Yak has been available for download since November and has only now been blocked on Staples grounds after students began avoiding school to dodge the physical and online bullying barrage. But the app has also raised $1.5 million in funding and remains anonymous. For now, the Yik Yakkers on campus can take some advice: Via New York Magazine.
Overnight, the Victorian Government's latest public health directive came into effect, making face masks mandatory for those living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. While the two regions have been in Stage 3 lockdown since July 7, residents are now required to don a protective face covering whenever they leave home for one of the four government-approved reasons: for work or school (if you can't do this from home), for care or care giving, for daily exercise or for food and other essentials. As of 11.59pm yesterday, Wednesday, July 22, anyone over the age of 12 must follow the new face covering rule, or risk being hit with a $200 fine. The change was announced three days earlier at Premier Daniel Andrews' press conference, to give people some time to stock up on masks or alternatives. But it's also thrown up a bunch of questions for locals who now have to worry about a brand-new accessory whenever they venture out their front door. Are there any exemptions? What actually counts as a face covering? What the heck is the point? We've broken it down. What exactly is a face mask and why do I need to wear one? The Department of Health and Human Services has published a handy info sheet online that leads by saying: "A face covering needs to cover both your nose and mouth. It could be a face mask or shield." It doesn't need to be medical grade and you can make your own — from paper, scarves and old clothes — but we'll get to that in detail shortly. According to the Department, face coverings add an extra physical barrier between people, by limiting the spread of water droplets released by coughing, sneezing and talking. You should continue to follow social distancing guidelines and hygiene measures, too. Who has to wear one? And when? Everyone that lives in metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire must wear a face covering when leaving their home. Under the current stay-at-home orders, which are set to be in place until Wednesday, August 19, you can only leave home for one of the four aforementioned reasons. When you do leave home, you must stay as local as you can — and visit your closest park, cafe, bottle shop, for example — and not travel across town. So, when you do leave home for allowed activities like buying groceries at the supermarket, going for a walk and grabbing a takeaway coffee you must wear a mask at all times, and the people working at those places should be masked-up, too. Phone, keys, wallet, mask — that's your new mantra. In what situations do I not need to wear one? Exemptions to the face mask rule apply to those with a relevant medical condition, those communicating with someone who is hearing impaired, kids under 12 and people whose job requires them to have clear enunciation or a visible mouth, such as teachers and live broadcasters. People are also exempt in instances when wearing a mask could cause OH&S issues. As for everyone else, there might be certain circumstances where you can go mask-free, though you'll still need to carry one with you at all times, ready for use, or risk copping a fine. For example, you're allowed to remove your face covering while eating or drinking, but you'll need to reapply it straight after. The same deal goes for people smoking or vaping. You can ditch the mask when driving in a car alone or with other members of your household, though you'll likely need to pop it on when you reach your destination. Those working from home can also do so without a face covering, unless caring for someone in their house that has COVID-19. Even when I'm exercising? If you're getting in a jog, or any exercise that leaves you out of breath or puffing, you can do so without a mask on your face. However, you'll need to have one on you to wear before and after the strenuous bit. According to the DHHS, walking doesn't fit the above category and requires a face covering to be worn at all times, even if you're social distancing. What should I do if I don't have a mask? If you don't have a legit face mask, you can use something like a bandana or scarf as an alternative. Or, get crafty and make your own version — the DHHS has handy instructions for whipping up a DIY mask here. There are also a stack of retailers and online stores selling both disposable and reusable options, many of which will deliver to your door. You can check out some we found here. Need some guidance on wearing the mask? The WHO has released a series of videos and infographics showing how to properly wear a mask, and covering the dos and don'ts. What happens if I go outside without a mask? If you don't have a valid reason for not wearing one, you could be slapped with a $200 fine. For more information about wearing face masks, and the Victorian Government's advice for metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire residents, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
Flinders Lane seems to be the place for happening restaurants in Melbourne at the moment, and the Meatball and Wine Bar is no different. A dedicated artisan meatball venue, they know a thing or two about simplicity done just right. It's a small yet warm space where exposed brick, communal tables and quiet booths make it inviting for day and night. The menu starts with a range of cured meats, including capocollo (14.50 for 40gm) and truffle salami (14.50 for 40gm) as well as a selection of mozzarella from fior de latte ($12.50) to mozzerella de bufala ($14.50). But let's be honest: the real draw card here is the balls. You can stay simple with your choice of balls (pork, beef, chicken, fish and vegetable) with either red, white or green sauce ($15) or add any side including Italian beans, creamy polenta, handmade pasta or a market special vegetable ($18) for something a little heartier. It has to be said here, the meatball sliders are a little bit special ($16 for three). Local and fresh produce are important to these guys and they are using Lilydale chicken, Black Berkshire pork and beef from O'Connor in Victoria. The dessert menu keeps in theme with the 'whoopie mac', where a ball of ice cream — flavour of your choice, of course — is sandwiched between two cookies. No meatball and wine bar would be complete without a wine list. With a heavy Italian focus sip on Prosecco Farra de Soligo, Veneto ($10 a glass), or a 2010 sangiovese from Tuscany ($10). 250ml and 500ml sizes are served up, in true Italian spirit. The Meatball and Wine Bar now do breakfast. While we were expecting some wordplay and innuendo around balls in the morning, what we weren't expecting was their new and innovative way of slow cooking their scrambled eggs. They then shape the eggs into a ball, serving up three perfectly round morsels of breakfast-appropriate balls. The balls, either creamy egg, egg with charred corn and aged cheddar or green eggs are paired with red, white or green sauce ($9) and a range of sides from smoked salmon ($4.50) to something green ($4). Sliders ($12 for three), avocado and caprese salad on quinoa bread ($9.50) and muesli with milk, yogurt and honey ($8) round out the breakfast menu. There is nothing wrong with good tucker served up with an innuendo or two. It's fun, give it a go.
