Thirty films, four weeks and more famous faces than you can dream of — that's what to expect from this year's MINI British Film Festival. Reading through the fest's lineup is like scrolling through a who's who of English talent, with Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Kristin Scott Thomas, Bill Nighy, Keira Knightley, Timothy Spall, Peter Capaldi, Gwendoline Christie, Kate Beckinsale, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones and even Liam Gallagher all set to grace Australian cinema screens between October 29–November 24. While Kristin Scott Thomas will lead the way in war-set opening night drama Military Wives, legends Mirren and McKellen will help close out the festival in thriller The Good Liar. Meanwhile, outspoken Oasis frontman gets the documentary treatment in Liam Gallagher: As It Was, and The Theory of Everything's Redmayne and Jones reunite for a high-flying adventure in The Aeronauts. The list goes on — and if you're already feeling spoiled for choice, we're here to help by picking out our five must-see highlights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHG7FnBDY0Q THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD It opened this year's prestigious London Film Festival, it's the latest film from The Thick of It and Veep's Armando Iannucci, and it stars Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Gwendoline Christie and Ben Whishaw. Add in the fact that it's an adaptation of one of Charles Dickens' best-known classics, and The Personal History of David Copperfield is easily one of the year's most anticipated movies. For newcomers to the tale, it mirrors the beats of Dickens' own experience, with the eponymous character journeying through a difficult upbringing to become a lawyer and then a writer. While the story naturally takes place in 19th-century England, you can expect Iannucci to find plenty of modern-day parallels in this version — if he can do it with Russian history in The Death of Stalin, he can do it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysjwg-MnZao SORRY WE MISSED YOU When Ken Loach won the Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or for 2016's I, Daniel Blake, he did so with a moving social-realist drama that exposed the cruelty underpinning a standard facet of British life. That's the veteran director's speciality, so it should come as no surprise that his latest film follows in the same footsteps — or that it's just as astute and stirring. Swapping government benefits for the gig economy, Sorry We Missed You follows ex-construction worker Ricky (Kris Hitchen) as he leaps into the courier business, thinking that'll provide security for his family's future. Instead, he discovers the gruelling reality of impossible targets, zero benefits, uncaring corporations, spiralling debts and working around the clock. Shot with Loach's usual naturalistic eye, this timely and topical movie proves as impassioned and infuriating as its stellar predecessor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbhAt1vLxXA A GUIDE TO SECOND DATE SEX George MacKay is one of Britain's rising acting talents, with standout roles in For Those In Peril, Pride, Captain Fantastic, and 11.22.63 to prove it. Soon, he'll be seen in the upcoming Australian drama True History of the Kelly Gang — playing Ned Kelly, no less — but before that, he's jumping into the romantic comedy realm. In A Guide to Second Date Sex, MacKay plays Ryan. On his second date with Laura (Alexandra Roach), he knows that they have plenty in common; however, they're both still feeling more than a little awkward. First-time director Rachel Hirons adapted this screenplay from her own hit Edinburgh Fringe Festival play. Embracing, unpacking and subverting all the usual dating and rom-com tropes, this is classic British comedy territory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVwbeA4Ff9Y CITIZEN K From the collapse of enormous corporations to huge political sex scandals and CIA-sanctioned torture, Alex Gibney has chronicled the big stories of the past two decades. Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Julian Assange's Wikileaks, Lance Armstrong's doping ban and the Church of Scientology have all fallen into his purview as well, with the American documentarian amassing quite the hard-hitting resume. With Citizen K, he dives into a topic he was bound to cover: Vladimir Putin's Russia, the country's murky political realm and the fate awaiting anyone who speaks out against the powerful president. Focusing on Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Citizen K tracks the Russian businessman's journey from wealthy oligarch to prisoner to "the Kremlin's leading critic-in-exile". As the most fascinating tales are, it's the kind of story that has to be seen to be believed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm17B-nOgZ8 FARMING How does a Briton with Nigerian ancestry end up in a white supremacist gang? That's the tale that Farming tells. The title refers to a practice common in the 60s, 70s and 80s when babies were fostered out to white parents in the hopes that they'd receive a better upbringing. In Enitan's (Damson Idris) case, growing up in Tilbury leaves him questioning his identity, feeling like an outcast with both his foster family and his natural family, and seeking approval from the hateful skinheads who openly taunt, bully, beat and condemn him. It's a confronting and compelling story, especially given that it's based on the life of actor-turned-writer and director Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje — who has featured in everything from Oz, Lost and Game of Thrones to The Bourne Identity, Thor: The Dark World and Suicide Squad over the past two decades. The MINI British Film Festival tours Australia from October 29, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Palace Chauvel cinemas from October 29–November 24; Melbourne's Palace Balwyn, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from October 30–November 24; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from October 30–November 24; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso, Luna on SX and The Windsor Cinema from October 30–November 24. For more information, visit the festival website.
Add three more names to the hefty list of big music stars heading Australia's way in 2023: Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game. In what's basically a 90s and 00s hip hop and rap fan's dream come true, the trio are teaming up on the same bill for an Aussie arena tour, hitting stages Down Under in autumn. This isn't just any old nostalgia-dripping tour, either. It'll also mark the 30th anniversary of two influential albums: Ice Cube's Lethal Injection and Cypress Hill's Black Sunday. The former was the N.W.A member's fourth solo release, and included singles 'Really Doe', 'You Know How We Do It' and 'Bop Gun (One Nation)', while the latter gave the world 'Insane in the Brain', 'Hits from the Bong', 'When the Shit Goes Down' and 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That'. Expect to hear plenty of those songs get a whirl in late March — and plenty more — starting at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena, then jumping to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. For Ice Cube, the tour marks his first visit to Australia since 2018, when he became the first-ever rap artist to headline at the Sydney Opera House. "I love performing in Australia. It's been four long years since my last visit and I can't wait to return for a couple of history-making shows in 2023," said the rapper, aka O'Shea Jackson Sr (and yes, his son O'Shea Jackson Jr did play him in N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton). Ice Cube and Cypress Hill will be joined by The Game, who came to fame in the 00s in the West Coast scene. The US talents will also feature Aussie talent in support, with exactly who else will take to the stage yet to be announced. ICE CUBE, CYPRESS HILL AND THE GAME 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Thursday, March 23 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday, March 25 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre Sunday, March 26 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tuesday, March 28 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game will tour Australia in March 2023. Ticket pre-sales start at 2pm local time on Tuesday, November 22, with general sales from 2pm on Wednesday, November 23. Head to the tour website for further details.
I'm of the firm belief that travelling somewhere new is best enjoyed with some local intel. As the resident writer hailing from Tropical North Queensland at Concrete Playground, I feel it is my duty to share my go-to ways to enjoy a balmy (and palmy) break in the tropics. And, if you feel like you missed out on some of your summer fun this year, this is your sign to book a holiday in the tropical north where summer lives on. Full disclosure: I'm based in Sydney now, however, I did spend the first 18 years of my life in this part of the world and head back to the truly idyllic region as often as I can to visit friends and family. So, if you're looking for a holiday that's brimming with immersive nature experiences, scenic drives and spectacular views, I've got you.
It's only been a few years since these legendary burgers have been on the scene, but Melbourne is well and truly in love. Such brioche. Many pickles. A quick bite at the delectable Huxtaburger will leave you feeling as full and gluttonous as if you've just binged on a large Big Mac meal, while leaving you quietly satisfied that it was a touch more gourmet. Now you can pair this tasty offering with your next favourite activity — a beer and a band at the Curtin. After expanding their flagship Smith Street store to the CBD and Prahran, the dudes behind Huxtaburger are now popping up at The John Curtin Hotel on Lygon Street from Wednesday, October 1. The legendary pub will be surrendering its kitchen to a rotating selection of local vendors, and the burgers will be available during lunch and dinner in the bandroom for at least the next six months. In a similar set up to their restaurants, there won't be any table service. It'll just be you milling around in the moshpit with a fistful of brioche and beef. Better yet, the owners have told Good Food that there's the option of this becoming a long-term thing. Plans to open a new Huxtaburger restaurant on Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn have hit delays, and the burger crew are open to new possibilities. If enough of you hit up the Curtin, there's the possibility of this magical thing lasting all summer. To celebrate this latest venture, the team are also introducing a new item to the menu. The Clair Burger — named after the sassy, smart mother of the Huxtable family, of course — will be filled with Southern-style fried chicken, slaw and jalapeno mayonnaise. We're not sure that the '80s sitcom mum would necessarily approve of such indulgence, but we're happy to eat it up in her honour regardless. The John Curtin Hotel is located at 29 Lygon Street, Carlton (near the corner of Victoria Street). Get along from Wednesday, October 1 to scoff some fried chicken on the dancefloor. Images: Huxtaburger.
Once, dance and classical weren't music genres that you'd usually find swirling around in the same basket, unless you have a particular bent for the orchestral 'Sandstorm' covers found in the depths of YouTube. Since 2019 in Australia, however, Synthony has been here to prove that the disciplines go hand in hand — and it's returning for another tour in 2024. Initially founded in New Zealand, and now an annual highlight on Australia's gig calendar, the event gets a live orchestra joining forces with a selection of DJs and onstage performers to play the biggest dance tracks of the last 30 years. Think: tunes by Swedish House Mafia, Basement Jaxx, Fatboy Slim, Avicii, Fisher, Faithless, Disclosure, Eric Prydz, Flume, Calvin Harris, Wilkinson and the like, and as you've never heard them before. Wherever Synthony pops up, the venues that it temporarily call home take a few cues from the nightclub scene, with lights, lasers and mapped video all featured in the experience. And, as the orchestra busts out a selection of dance floor bangers note for note, vocalists also do their part — because this isn't just about instrumental versions of your favourite club tunes. The 2024 run first has a date with Sydney, playing Carriageworks for two nights during Vivid — complete with a 29-piece orchestra — before heading to Brisbane's Fortitude Music Hall, the Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne in September. After that, RAC Arena in Perth awaits in October. The lineup of talent for Sydney spans the Metropolitan Orchestra conducted by Sarah-Grace Williams, as joined by Ilan Kidron from The Potbelleez, Emily Williams, Cassie McIvor, Greg Gould, Matty O and Mobin Master. Elsewhere, Queensland Symphony Orchestra will play Brisbane, Southern Cross Symphony will pick up instruments in Adelaide, Australian Pops Orchestra is doing the honours in Melbourne and Perth Symphony Orchestra has its hometown covered. Sarah-Grace Williams is still conducting, and will have company from Ilan Kidron from The Potbelleez, Masha Mnjoyan, Emily Williams, Greg Gould, Matty O, Nate Dousand and Mobin Master — plus Example in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, then Set Mo in Brisbane. Synthony 2024 Australia Tour Dates Friday, June 7–Saturday, June 8 — Carriageworks, Sydney Friday, September 6 — The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Friday, September 13 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Friday, September 20 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Saturday, October 12 — RAC Arena, Perth Synthony is touring Australia across 2024 — head to the Carriageworks website for tickets and further information for its Sydney gigs; and to the Synthony website for Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide, with presales from Tuesday, May 28 and general sales from Thursday, May 30.
Being an Airbnb Host is hard work, but also a truly rewarding experience — and Carla Dawes, who has just been named Australia's Airbnb Host of the Year, can certainly vouch for that. Having joined the accommodation platform as a Host five years ago, Dawes transformed the downstairs of her residence in Alstonville, NSW into a welcoming destination for travellers from around the world to call home during their time in the Northern Rivers. Dawes goes above and beyond to make her guests feel as welcome as possible — from providing fresh flowers, herbs and eggs from her property for guests to enjoy during their stay, to stocking local produce that showcases the best of the region. We sat down with the official host with the most to chat about her hosting journey, what she loves about it and her tips and tricks for beginners. What do you do to ensure an outstanding experience for your guests? Hosting for me is about putting everything into a stay that I would want to experience on my travels. For me it's all in the detail — greeting your guests is always a nice way to welcome them and answer any questions they might have before they settle in. I think wanting to give your guests the very best experience you can, in every way, is the making of a good Host. I supply a book full of my local recommendations for cafes, restaurants and places of interest — such as galleries, shops, walks and beaches. I think this is a valuable resource, especially if your guest isn't familiar with the area. Hopefully this directs them to a wonderful experience. To ensure an outstanding experience I think it's most important to have your place sparkling clean from top to bottom. Added extras like spare pillows, blankets and towels — things that make your guests stay that little bit more comfortable — also help. I supply local products to showcase our region's wonderful offerings, such as a fresh loaf of sourdough from Harvest in Newrybar, Brookfarm muesli and Byron Bay Cookies. I also like to place fresh flowers and herbs from my garden and fresh eggs from my hens as a special touch. Guests are also welcome to collect eggs and harvest their own vegetables, herbs or fruits from my garden to use during their stay. What inspired you to offer local ingredients for breakfast? When I'm travelling, it's about escaping my daily routine. Sitting on a deck and having breakfast with coffee is one of my favourite ways to start the day before exploring the local area. This is what I want my guests to experience. I take pride in using fresh eggs from my hens and homegrown seasonal produce from my garden. What's something you wish you knew when you started hosting? When I started hosting, I didn't have many people to talk to about tips and tricks for Hosts until I found the Airbnb Community online forum where a large range of subjects are covered. Now it's my go-to if I ever need advice from other Hosts and the Airbnb team. What do you find rewarding about hosting? I love that I get to meet all sorts of people from different countries, backgrounds and professions, and to hear their stories and help them in any way I can to make them feel welcomed, relaxed and taken care of. Creating magical moments with my guests for their loved ones is pretty special, even with such a small part I play in setting up the flowers, food or secret surprises is always a joy. What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a Host? What are some good ways to get started? I think when you start out as a Host, creating a routine around preparations and having an area to store equipment for your listing is helpful. Respond to guests' enquiries as quickly as possible. Also, provide clear instructions on check-in times, directions to your place and a contact number. What are some of the benefits of hosting? What has hosting allowed you to do? I run a 14-acre property with vegetable gardens, an orchard and chooks among some of the day-to-day jobs. Becoming a Host has not only allowed me to earn an income from my property, but it has also given me the freedom and flexibility to continue my work on the land without being committed to a 9-to-5 job elsewhere. Want to begin your own hosting journey with Airbnb? If you're feeling inspired, head to the website to find out how to get started. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
When you're brainstorming places around the world to visit on a budget, the UK is probably not the first place that springs to mind. What it may lack in affordability department, it makes up for in pretty much every other aspect of an epic holiday — from poking around charming country villages and discovering the diverse cultures of the major cities to stumbling across a historical landmark at pretty much every turn of a corner. Oh, and it has a killer music scene. You can experience all of these UK wonders on a Contiki Sounds trip. With seven- or ten-day options, these whistlestop tours will take you to some of England's top spots, culminating with an unforgettable weekend of dancing, camping and partying at Reading Festival — one of the country's biggest annual music festivals. To get you ready for traipsing around the UK's south, we've put together a guide of some of the best things to do and see while you're there. And, to prove that you can still have a good time without blowing big bucks, we've also thrown in a few penny-pinching tips. Who said you couldn't have your bangers and mash and eat them too? [caption id="attachment_719139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Hudson via Flickr.[/caption] BIKE BETWEEN LONDON'S MARKETS Hire a set of wheels from the city's bike sharing service (nicknamed 'Boris bikes') for the weekend and visit some of London's best markets. Spend Friday near London Bridge at Borough Market, one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, and turn all of the free cheese and fudge tastings into a makeshift meal. Next up, on Saturday, is a stroll through Broadway Market, which runs from London Fields to the Regent's Canal in old Hackney. Then, on Sunday, cycle over to Columbia Road Flower Market. The street air is intense with the scent of flowers and the barrow boys will be hawking "everthin' for a fiiiver". [caption id="attachment_719140" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Towning via Flickr.[/caption] JUMP AROUND THE JURASSIC COAST Supposedly, the lady who 'sold seashells by the seashore' came from the Jurassic Coast. Too early for her time to be recognised as a palaeontologist by her peers, she was forced to sell her excess dino bones to tourists. The picturesque coast isn't just home to prehistoric beasts and tongue-twisting characters — it also boasts Durdle Door, an iconic limestone arch near Dorset. For the adventurous, try coasteering — a physically challenging activity which involves scaling cave networks, dodging tidal surges and completing ocean jumps. Broadchurch fans may recognise the Jurassic Coast's cliff faces from the hit British crime drama. [caption id="attachment_719154" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ed Webster via Flickr.[/caption] STROLL BRISTOL'S STOKES CROFT STREET ART AND ART GALLERIES Wander around the city and feast your eyes upon some of street artist Banksy's earliest works, then head over to Stokes Croft to ogle the local, ever-changing licks, sprays and splatters of paint. Then, counter your street-traipsing with some gallery time. Spike Island lies south of the river and features contemporary art, design and audio installations. An enormous old tea warehouse has been converted into three floors of contemporary art in all forms to make Arnolfini, Bristol's Centre for Contemporary Arts. Meanwhile, the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery has a huge collection, including Alfred — a stuffed silverback gorilla who was kidnapped in the 1950s by a jovial bunch and returned a whopping 54 years later. VISIT A HAUNTED PUB IN SALISBURY A pleasant 15-kilometre drive from Stonehenge will take you to Salisbury. The city is known for having some of England's finest historic houses, the Russian spy poisoning incident and, most recently, being named the best place to live in the UK. Satiate your inner historian (and thirst) with a visit to The Haunch of Venison. The haunted pub features oak beams that predate the building by several hundred years and are thought to come from early sailing vessels. Under the pub's fireplace, inside a former bread oven, lies a smoke-preserved mummified hand believed to be from an 18th-century demented whist player who lost it in a card game. The cheat's hand has been stolen a few times but is now securely locked away. [caption id="attachment_719156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alison Day via Flickr.[/caption] JUMP THE FENCE INTO CORFE CASTLE Things are impressive when they are mighty old and still standing. One such thing is Corfe Castle, a 1000-year-old royal abode that was built as an attempt to defend the area from marauding armies. This ruined castle dates back to the 11th century and rests within a heathland landscape that is undeniably picturesque. The area also inspired a number of Thomas Hardy's poems, novels and short stories. Skip the city for a beat, give yourself a history lesson and create your own tale of treachery and treason as you jump the fence into Corfe Castle. CATCH A PORTAL TO ANOTHER DIMENSION AT STONEHENGE Baffling burial mounds and rock formations surely must point to some kind of portal into parallel universes, right? Historians may very well be appalled by our lack of appreciation for their hard work that informs us the Badbury Rings are defences of a hillfort and Avebury Stone Circle is Europe's largest Neolithic stone circle. And let's not forget Stonehenge — arguably the world's most famous prehistoric monument. But alas, the mystery of their power still remains. We're told by locals that entering clockwise affords the best luck. Cut a lap around Stonehenge's circle that was built 5000 years ago — or take a peep through the fence, which works just as well for those on a budget or fearful of transporting too far. [caption id="attachment_719158" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gerrit Burrow via Flickr.[/caption] WALK THE SOUTHWEST FOOTPATHS The southwest of England is home to a variety of stunning trails. Venture to any beach along the area, turn left or right and you'll be on the 1000-kilometre South West Coast Path and on the edge of an eye-stretching experience. The paths were originally created by coastguards patrolling the southwest peninsula looking for smugglers. They legitimately had to check in every inlet, so the cliff top walks are well-worn. The sheer variety of scenery along the gorge-sliced cliff peaks and beach walks along with the unique history of the area make this an unforgettable experience. Remember to fill your playlist with all of your favourite bands from Reading and hit the tracks. Travel around the best spots in the UK with Contiki at Reading Festival. Unearth the UK's musical heritage, then experience an unforgettable party at one of the world's best and biggest music festivals. Contiki wants to take you there — all you have to do is choose from the 7- or 10-day trip. Plus, if you bring a mate, it'll give you both $200 off. Find out more here.
If you're a Melburnian looking for a new staycation destination, you'll soon be able to add the first Victorian venue from luxe hotel chain W Hotel to your must-stay list. And, if you're looking for a new spot to have a few drinks, the hotel will offer that too. When the site throws open its doors in February 2021, it'll feature flashy rooms and suites, a heated indoor pool with a gold-adorned roof, and four in-house venues — including a new bar called Curious. If the latter has piqued your interest, then we hope you like cocktails. We hope you like moseying through a secret laneway entrance to get to them as well. Both will be on offer here, as will curated music programming, and a menu heavy on small bites and share plates. On the drinks side of things, Proof & Co is overseeing the cocktails — and taking inspiration from Melbourne's fashion, art and coffee in the process. While the full list of exactly what you'll be sipping hasn't yet been revealed, the latter will come into play via W Hotel's version of an espresso martini. Called 'A Curious Ristretto', it comes sealed with beeswax and will emit a nutmeg smoke when you take your first sip. Patrons will also be able to choose from boutique craft spirits, with Australian and Melbourne brands featuring prominently. And, you'll be able to pair your drinks with bites to eat from the venue's executive chef Jihun Kim — and listen to tunes from emerging talent in the process. As for actually getting to the place, you'll need to head to Market Street, then step down a spiral staircase. There, you'll find a cocoon-esque design made from timber beams that'll welcome you in. Once you're inside, you'll be surrounded by a rich, dark, earthy aesthetic — with the bar hoping to become one of the city's next late-night hangouts. When both Curious and W Melbourne open — on Collins Street in the middle of Melbourne's shopping heartland — they'll join the already-operating W Brisbane in 2018. The chain is also slated to launch in Sydney as well. Following Brisbane's ten-gallon baths and Sydney's lavish pool deck overlooking the harbour, the Melbourne digs look to be no less OTT. W Melbourne will encompass 294 rooms and 29 suites, including an 'Extreme Wow Suite', which has its own 40-square-metre balcony with views of the Yarra, a jukebox and cocktail bar. Designed by local architect and interior design firm Hachem, W Melbourne will also house a 14th-floor spa, gym and that aforementioned indoor pool, plus a poolside bar and DJ decks. And, for those needing function space, W will have more of it than you can physically fill (under current COVID-19 restrictions, at least) — a 830-square metre space for conferences, meetings or holding lush balls. On the food and drinks front, in addition to Curious, you'll have three other choices. The 30-seat Warabi will be your go-to for Japanese fine dining, while Lollo will be run by a "renowned local chef" — we'll let you know exactly who that is when it's announced — and Culprit will flip from a cafe during the day to a wine bar at night. Functioning, too, as the bottom 15 storeys of a towering new precinct called Collins Arch, W Melbourne will sit on Flinders Lane. The $1.3 billion new precinct will be comprised of two towers of commercial, residential and retail spaces, joined at the top by a dramatic sky bridge. W Melbourne is slated to open on Flinders Lane in February 2020.
UPDATE, October 17, 2022: Ticket pre-sales for Beauty and the Beast: The Musical's Australian-premiere season at Sydney's Capitol Theatre will start at 9am AEDT on Monday, October 31, for folks who sign up to the production's waitlist by 12pm AEDT on Thursday, October 27. General ticket sales will start at 9am AEDT on Thursday, November 3. When June 2023 arrives at Sydney's Capitol Theatre, expect three words to echo with enthusiasm: "be our guest". The Harbour City venue will be home to quite the coup, courtesy of the Australian premiere season of Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical, which is heading Down Under as a newly reimagined and redesigned production. Exact dates haven't yet been announced, but the huge show will bring a tale as old as time to Australia to liven up winter — and marks the latest in a growing line of Disney hits to come our way. Frozen the Musical has done the rounds over the past few years, while the musical version of Mary Poppins has also started floating around the nation. This new Beauty and the Beast first made its way to the stage in the UK in 2021, and reworks the original show that premiered in the US in the 90s — adapting Disney's hit 1991 animated movie musical, of course. Fans can expect the same Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated score courtesy of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice, including all the beloved tunes such as 'Be Our Guest' and 'Beauty and the Beast'. It also comes with new dance arrangements by David Chase, and with original choreographer Matt West revisiting his work. When the British return was announced, Menken said that "Beauty and the Beast is a testament to the genius of my late friend and collaborator Howard Ashman, but the show's richness comes from the combination of Howard's style and that of the brilliant Tim Rice, with whom I expanded the score to give voice to the Beast." "It's clear that audiences the world over want to return to the world of Beauty, which continues to amaze and humble those of us who created it." Who'll star in the local version and whether it'll tour to other Aussie cities hasn't yet been revealed either — but if you're now planning a trip to Sydney's Capitol Theatre next June, whether or not you live in the city, that's understandable. So is crossing your fingers for Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide seasons afterwards. Another completely relatable reaction: rewatching the OG animated movie, including via a new sing-along version that'll drop via Disney+ on Friday, August 19, and/or revisiting the 2017 live-action movie, which is also getting the at-home karaoke treatment. Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical will enjoy its Australian premiere at Sydney's Capitol Theatre in June 2023. We'll update you with exact dates when they're announced. For more information, or to sign up for the ticket waitlist — with pre-sales from 9am AEDT on Monday, October 31 and general sales from 9am AEDT on Thursday, November 3 — head to the musical's website. Images: Johan Persson.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've been under the weather. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 13 that you can watch right now at home. AIR Bouncing across the screen with charm, energy and an 80s sheen, Air says one name often: Michael Jordan. This supremely crowd-pleasing and engaging film spins an origin story so closely linked to the NBA all-timer that the true tale simply wouldn't and couldn't have happened without him; however, it isn't actually the six-time championship-winning former Chicago Bulls player's own. Instead, Ben Affleck turns director again for the first time since 2016's Live By Night to recount how Jordan also became an icon in the footwear game. Think shoes, and everyone knows the word that usually follows this flick's title. Think Air Jordans, and Nike also springs to mind. Those sneakers are still being made almost four decades after first hitting stories — in fact, the brand is now notching up $5 billion in annual revenue, $150 million of which is going to its namesake — so Air answers the question no one knew they had until now: how did it initially happen? Affleck's feature heads back to the 80s, to 1984, when Jordan was a 21-year-old college standout newly in the NBA and facing a life-changing decision. Damian Young (Prom Night Flex) plays the basketball GOAT, but this is a movie about the making of a legend — so the pivotal character gets all the flick's admiration and praise while bounding into the boardroom wheeling and dealing. Crucially, Air doesn't block out Jordan. Rather, it pays tribute to his talent even without staging on-court scenes, and to the shrewd wrangling and negotiating that his no-nonsense mother Deloris (Viola Davis, The Woman King) did on his behalf with Nike's in-house basketball expert Sonny Vaccaro (Damon, The Last Duel) under CEO Phil Knight's (Affleck, Deep Water) watch. The ultimate outcome is clearly well-known, because if there was no agreement, there'd be no Air Jordans and therefore no movie (and the Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike would still be best known for jogging shoes). But the slam dunk this endorsement proved for giving athletes their financial dues when their talents make bank for sponsoring companies is no minor matter, and nor is it treated as such. Air is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. AFTERSUN The simplest things in life can be the most revealing, whether it's a question asked of a father by a child, an exercise routine obeyed almost mindlessly or a man stopping to smoke someone else's old cigarette while wandering through a holiday town alone at night. The astonishing feature debut by Scottish writer/director Charlotte Wells, Aftersun is about the simple things. Following the about-to-turn-31 Calum (Paul Mescal, The Lost Daughter) and his daughter Sophie (debutant Frankie Corio) on vacation in Turkey in the late 90s, it includes all of the above simple things, plus more. It tracks, then, that this coming-of-age story on three levels — of an 11-year-old flirting with adolescence, a dad struggling with his place in the world, and an adult woman with her own wife and family grappling with a life-changing experience from her childhood — is always a movie of deep, devastating and revealing complexity. Earning the internet's Normal People-starring boyfriend a Best Actor Oscar nomination, and deservedly so, Aftersun is a reflective, ruminative portrait of heartbreak. It's a quest to find meaning in sorrow and pain, too, and in processing the past. Wells has crafted a chronicle of interrogating, contextualising, reframing and dwelling in memories; an examination of leaving and belonging; and an unpacking of the complicated truths that a kid can't see about a parent until they're old enough to be that parent. Breaking up Calum and Sophie's sun-dappled coastal holiday with the older Sophie (Celia Rowlson-Hall, Vox Lux) watching camcorder footage from the trip, sifting through her recollections and dancing it out under a nightclub's strobing lights in her imagination, this is also a stunning realisation that we'll always read everything we can into a loved one's actions with the benefit of hindsight, but all we ever truly have is the sensation that lingers in our hearts and heads. Aftersun is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WOMEN TALKING Get Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand and more exceptional women in a room, point a camera their way, let the talk flow: Sarah Polley's Women Talking does just that, and this year's Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar-winner is phenomenal. The actor-turned-filmmaker's fourth effort behind the lens after 2006's Away From Her, 2011's Take This Waltz and 2012's Stories We Tell does plenty more, but its basic setup is as straightforward as its title states. Adapted from Miriam Toews' 2018 novel of the same name, this isn't a simple or easy film, however. That book and this feature draw on events in a Bolivian Mennonite colony from 2005–9, where a spate of mass druggings and rapes of women and girls were reported at the hands of some of the group's men. In a patriarchal faith and society, women talking about their experiences is a rebellious, revolutionary act anyway — and talking about what comes next is just as charged. "The elders told us that it was the work of ghosts, or Satan, or that we were lying to get attention, or that it was an act of wild female imagination." That's teenage narrator Autje's (debutant Kate Hallett) explanation for how such assaults could occur and continue, as offered in Women Talking's sombre opening voiceover. Writing and helming, Polley declares her feature "an act of female imagination" as well, as Toews did on the page, but the truth in the movie's words is both lingering and haunting. While the film anchors its dramas in a specific year, 2010, it's purposefully vague on any details that could ground it in one place. Set within a community where modern technology is banned and horse-drawn buggies are the only form of transport, it's a work of fiction inspired by reality, rather than a recreation. Whether you're aware of the true tale behind the book going in or not, this deeply powerful and affecting picture speaks to how women have long been treated in a male-dominated world at large — and what's so often left unsaid, too. Women Talking is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SCREAM VI Going into Scream VI, viewers know who the killer definitely isn't: the horror franchise's OG final girl Sidney Prescott. Neve Campbell's (The Lincoln Lawyer) character has been a pivotal part of every Ghostface-stalked flick from 1996's initial Scream through to 2022's fifth entry Scream, but famously isn't in the stab-happy saga's latest chapter due to a pay dispute. That's one big change for returning filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett to grapple with in their second slice of the blood-splattering, scary movie-loving action. À la Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan — which gets an early nod, naturally — they also move said action to New York. But even if you take Ghostface and the murderer's targets out of Woodsboro, and shake up who the masked maniac swings a knife at, Scream is going to Scream in a screamingly familiar fashion. It has before in Ohio in Scream 2 and Hollywood in Scream 3, and the series knows it. New movie, new city, same setup, same gravelly Roger L Jackson voice, same 'Red Right Hand' needle drop, same overall formula: throw in the same winking, nodding, self-referential attitude, plus the same penchant for mentioning horror movies, their tropes and cliches, and general film theory, and that's Scream VI's easy cut. Once again, someone dons Ghostface's ghost face, of course, and uses whichever blade happens to be in the vicinity (and a shotgun) to terrorise teens and long-victimised targets. Murder Mystery's James Vanderbilt and Ready or Not's Guy Busick haven't taxed themselves with the screenplay — their second Scream effort, after the previous flick — but the franchise's pattern keeps making a comeback for a reason. While intrepid reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, Shining Vale) notes the world's current "true-crime limited series" obsession, whodunnits and murder-mysteries date back further, and that's where every Scream instalment has also carved a niche since the late, great Wes Craven and Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson started things off. Scream VI is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. 65 If there's one thing that a film about Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs shouldn't be, it's average. Only ridiculously entertaining or ridiculously terrible will do, and those two outcomes needn't be mutually exclusive. The appeal of 65 is right there in that four-word premise, as it was always going to be, because getting the intense White Noise, House of Gucci, Annette and Star Wars actor (and BlacKkKlansman and Marriage Story Oscar-nominee) battling prehistoric creatures is that roaringly ace an idea. He should brood, and his dino foes should stalk, snap and snarl. That is indeed what happens thanks to writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who penned the first A Quiet Place, plus have horror movies Nightlight and Haunt on their past helming resumes. But for a flick that isn't required to offer anything else and knows it — well, other than laser guns to shoot at said dinosaurs, because not even the man who plays Kylo Ren can confront a Tyrannosaurus rex or pack of raptors barehanded — 65 doesn't possess enough B-movie energy. Beck and Woods have taken the very B-movie path story-wise, though. As 65's trailer made plain, this is a Frankenstein's monster of a film mashup, stitching together limbs from a stacked pile of other sources to fuel its narrative. The Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchise, the Predator series, the Alien and Prometheus saga, Logan, The Last of Us, The Man Who Fell to Earth and, yes, A Quiet Place: they each earn more than a few nods, and never with subtlety. So too does Planet of the Apes, but the fact that 65 is set on earth all along isn't a late-picture twist. What else would the title refer to? That said, Beck and Woods begin their movie elsewhere, taking time-travel 65 million years backward out of the equation. Instead, Driver's pilot Mills ends up on our pale blue dot from a civilisation out there in space, and one more advanced during earth's Cretaceous period than humankind is today. 65 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. LIVING Turning in an Oscar-nominated performance, Bill Nighy (The Man Who Fell to Earth) comes to this sensitive portrayal of a dutiful company man facing life-changing news with a wealth of history; so too does the feature itself. Set in London in 1953, it's an adaptation several times over — of iconic Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's 1952 film Ikiru, and of Leo Tolstoy's 1886 novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich, which the former also takes inspiration from. That's quite the lineage for Living to live up to, but Nighy and director Oliver Hermanus (Moffie) are up to the task. The movie's second Oscar-nominee, Nobel Prize-winning screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro, unsurprisingly is as well. Also the author of The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, he's at home penning layered stories with a deep focus on complicated characters not being completely true to themselves. When those two novels were turned into impressive pictures, Ishiguro didn't script their screenplays, but he writes his way through Living's literary and cinematic pedigree like he was born to. A man of no more words than he has to utter — of no more of anything, including life's pleasures, frivolities, distractions and detours, in fact — Williams (Nighy, Emma.) is a born bureaucrat. Or, that's how he has always appeared to his staff in the Public Works Department in London County Hall, where he's been doing the same job day, week, month and year in and out. He's quiet and stoic as he pushes paper daily, overseeing a department that's newly welcoming in Peter Wakeling (Alex Sharp, The Trial of the Chicago 7). It's through this fresh face's eyes that Living's audience first spies its central figure, adopting his and the wider team's perspective of Williams as a compliant and wooden functionary: a view that the film and its sudden diagnosis then challenges, as Williams does of himself. Living is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MISSING Screenlife films such as Missing should be the last thing that moviegoers want. When we're hitting a cinema or escaping into our streaming queues, we're seeking a reprieve from the texts, chats, pics, reels, searches, and work- and study-related tasks that we all stare at on our phones and computers seemingly 24/7. (Well, we should be, unless we're monsters who can't turn off our devices while we watch.) There's a nifty dose of empathy behind thrillers like this, its excellent predecessor Searching, and the similar likes of Unfriended and Profile, however, that relies upon the very fact that everyone spends far too much time living through technology. When an on-screen character such as Missing's June (Storm Reid, The Last of Us) is glued to the gadget on their desk or lap, or in their hand — when they're using the devices that've virtually become our new limbs non-stop to try to solve their problems and fix their messy existence, too — it couldn't be more relatable. As Missing fills its frames with window upon window of June's digital activities, cycling and cascading through FaceTime calls, Gmail messages, WhatsApp downloads, Google Maps tracking, TikTok videos, TaskRabbit bookings, plain-old websites and more, it witnesses its protagonist do plenty that we've all done. And, everything she's undertaking feels exactly that familiar — like the film could be staring back at each member of its audience rather than at an 18-year-old who starts the movie unhappy that her mother Grace (Nia Long, You People) is jetting off to Colombia with her new boyfriend Kevin (Ken Leung, Old). That sensation remains true even though Missing's viewers have likely never had their mum disappear in another country, and their life forever turned upside down as a result. We've all experienced the mechanics behind what writer/directors Will Merrick and Nick Johnson (who make their feature debut in both roles after editing Searching) are depicting in our own ways, with only the vast power of the internet able to help. Missing is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. TO LESLIE A character drama about a West Texas woman who wins the lottery, but six years later has nothing to show for it except pain, alcoholism and burned bridges, To Leslie is all about English talent Andrea Riseborough's remarkable performance — famously so thanks to her Best Actress Oscar nomination for an indie film widely underseen until that nod of approval. Nothing can take away the power of the Mandy, Possessor and Amsterdam star's stunning portrayal. A spectacular performance is a spectacular performance regardless of what surrounds it. So, Riseborough's work in the debut feature from seasoned TV director Michael Morris (Better Call Saul, 13 Reasons Why, Brothers & Sisters) remains a gut-punch no matter the controversy around the campaign by high-profile names to help get her the Academy's recognition, with Kate Winslet, Edward Norton and Jennifer Aniston among those advocating for accolades. To Leslie remains Riseborough's movie despite comedian and actor Mark Maron uttering the words that sum it up best, too. In his latest compassionate performance — with a less-gruff edge than he sports in GLOW — he plays Sweeney, the co-proprietor of a roadside motel in Leslie's hometown. That's where she ends up again after the money runs out, plus her luck and everyone she knows' patience with it. As scripted by Ryan Binaco (3022), Sweeney is another of To Leslie's flawed characters. The movie teems with such folks because everyone of us is flawed, and it sees that truth with the clearest of eyes. In a sincere but awkward chat, Sweeney explains how his now ex-wife's drinking helped end his marriage; however, he catches himself afterwards, making a point to say that just because his story turned out like that, that doesn't mean Leslie's will as well, or that he thinks it that'll occur. To Leslie is available to stream via iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOUR AMONG THIEVES More than most games, Dungeons & Dragons thrives or dies based on the people rolling the dice, creating their own characters and casting spells. Whether Stranger Things' demogorgon-slaying teens are hunched over a table imagining up their fantasy dreams, or flesh-and-blood folks who aren't just part of a TV series find themselves pretending that they're fighters and clerics, an adventure or campaign is only as good as the party at its core. Writer/directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley understand this. The latter definitely should: the one-season TV great Freaks and Geeks, which gave him his start as an actor when he was just a kid, threw D&D some love, too. As filmmakers, Goldstein and Daley jump from Game Night to Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves with a clear mission: making the swords-and-sorcery flick's cast its biggest strength. This game-to-screen flick sports a stacked roster, starting with Chris Pine (Don't Worry Darling) as Edgin Darvis, a bard and former member of the Harpers who turned petty thief — complete with a Robin Hood-esque attitude — after his wife passed away. Since his daughter Kira (Chloe Coleman, Avatar: The Way of Water) was a baby, he's been co-parenting with his gruff best friend Holga Kilgore, a stoic exiled barbarian, who is played with exactly the stern look that Michelle Rodriguez (Fast & Furious 9) was always going to bring to the part. They start the film in a dungeon, but Edgin and Holga are soon trying to reunite with Kira after rogue and con artist Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), their former pal, turned nefarious while they were in prison. Cue help from Simon Aumar (Justice Smith, Sharper), a sorcerer with hefty confidence issues; tiefling druid Doric (Sophie Lillis, IT and IT: Chapter Two); and paladin Xenk Yendar (Regé-Jean Page, The Gray Man). Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. TILL There's no shortage of heartbreak in Till, a shattering drama about the abduction, torture and lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi in 1955. Clemency writer/director Chinonye Chukwu tells of a boy's tragic death, a mother's pain and anger, and a country's shame and trauma — and how all three pushed along America's 20th-century civil rights movement. Heartache lingers in the needless loss of life. Fury swells at the abhorrent racism on display, including in the justifications offered by the unrepentant perpetrators. Despair buzzes in the grief, personal and national alike, that hangs heavy from the second that Emmett is dragged away in the night. Fury seethes, too, because an atrocious murder like this demands justice and change, neither of which was ever going to be easy to secure given the time and place. Indeed, the US-wide Emmett Till Antilynching Act making lynching a federal hate crime only became law in March 2022. Heartbreak builds in and bursts through Till from the outset — and in sadly everyday situations. Emmett, nicknamed Bo by his family, is played as a lively and joyful teen by the impressive Jalyn Hall (Space Jam: A New Legacy). He's confident and cheery, as his mother Mamie Till-Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler, Station Eleven) has lovingly raised him to be in Chicago. But even department-store shopping for a trip to the Deep South is coloured by the threat of discrimination. So, as his departure to see relatives gets nearer, Mamie utters a few words of advice. She's stern and urgent, trying to impart to him the importance of adhering to Mississippi's unspoken rules. She implores him not to do anything that could be construed as looking at white people the wrong way, to apologise profusely and instantly whenever he has to, and to heed the different set of norms. "Be small down there," she says — and it's one of the movie's many crushing moments. Till is available to stream via iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. EMPIRE OF LIGHT They don't call it movie magic for nothing, as plenty of Hollywood's leading lights have made it their mission to stress. A filmmaker's work should ideally make that statement anyway — seeing any picture and taking any trip to the pictures should, not that either always occurs — but overt odes to cinema still flicker with frequency. Across little more than 12 months, Kenneth Branagh's Belfast has featured a scene where his on-screen childhood alter ego basks in the silver screen's glow, and Damien Chazelle's Babylon made celebrating Hollywood and everything behind it one of its main functions. With The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg revisited his formative years, following the makings of a movie-obsessed kid who'd become a movie-making titan. Now 1917, Skyfall, Spectre and American Beauty director Sam Mendes adds his own take with Empire of Light, as also steeped in his own youth. A teenager in the 70s and 80s, Mendes now jumps back to 1980 and 1981. His physical destination: the coastal town of Margate in Kent, where the Dreamland Cinema has stood for exactly 100 years in 2023. In Empire of Light, the gorgeous art deco structure has been rechristened The Empire. It's a place where celluloid dreams such as The Blues Brothers, Stir Crazy, Raging Bull and Being There entertain the masses, and where a small staff under the overbearing Donald Ellis (Colin Firth, Operation Mincemeat) all have different relationships with their own hopes and wishes. As projectionist Norman, Toby Jones (The Wonder) is Mendes' mouthpiece, waxing lyrical about the transporting effect of images running at 24 frames per second and treasuring his work sharing that experience. Empire of Light is that heavy handed, and in a multitude of ways. But duty manager Hilary (Olivia Colman, Heartstopper) and new employee Stephen's (Micheal Ward, Small Axe) stories are thankfully far more complicated than simply adoring cinema. Empire of Light is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA In the 31st Marvel Cinematic Universe film's opening beats — and the third Ant-Man movie, after directed OG flick and 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp — the titular shrinking hero (Paul Rudd, The Shrink Next Door) is indeed Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's star. As returning filmmaker Peyton Reed initially revels in, he's a celebrity basking in the fame of being among the Avengers and dealing with Thanos, and he's written a memoir about it — a book, Look Out for the Little Guy, that'll genuinely exist IRL come September. But the bliss of Scott's success gets cut down when he learns that his now 18-year-old daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton, Freaky) has been secretly tinkering with Hope and her ant-obsessed physicist father Hank Pym (Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method). The trio's project: sending signals down to the quantum realm. Hank's wife and Hope's mother Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit) is also unimpressed, given that rescuing her from that microscopic place, where she spent 30 years, was no minor part of the plot of the last Ant-Man entry. Viewers should savour the precious time outside the quantum realm in Quantumania; there isn't much of it. No sooner are the Lang/van Dyne/Pym swarm talking about Cassie, Hope and Hank's experiments than they're all transported to said subatomic space, with working out how to get home far from their only worry. Janet had led the others to believe that all she found when she was gone was nothing upon nothing, but entire civilisations and species, akin to Star Wars' different planets, people and critters with a dash of Dune's and Mad Max: Fury Road's landscapes and themes, lurk below. So does the banished, trapped and genocidal Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors, The Harder They Fall), the time-hopping, world-destroying new adversary who likes annihilating things just because he can — and he desperately and nefariously wants out as well. Audiences will, too, thanks to a rote threequel that has a key series-building task — kicking off the MCU's phase five — first, foremost and at a giant cost. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WINNIE-THE-POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY Never meet your heroes. Kill your darlings. A murderous rampage through the Hundred Acre Wood — a slasher take on a childhood favourite, too — Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey sticks its paws in both pots. Based on AA Milne's famed creation, which initially appeared in kids' poetry book When We Were Very Young in 1924, this schlockfest is exactly what a headline-courting low-budget horror flick about a homicidal Pooh and Piglet seemed sight unseen, and in its trailer. Blood and Honey is all about that high-concept idea, and splashing around as many instances of bloody bother as possible, to the point of repetition. It slathers on well-executed gore, but isn't anything approaching good or so-bad-it's-good. That said, it's also a reminder that everything changes, even a cute, cuddly stuffed animal revered by generations — and that carving away cosy notions about comforting things is a fact of life. Commenting on ditching one's safety blankets and inevitably being disappointed by one's idols is an unexpected — and perhaps unintended — bonus here. With so little plot and character development to writer/director/producer Rhys Frake-Waterfield's (The Killing Tree) script, making a statement is hardly Blood and Honey's main meal. This is a film of opportunity. Milne's loveable bear of very little brain entered the public domain at the beginning of 2022, which is what gave rise to this gruesome spin on figures seen on the page, in plenty of cartoons, and also examined in recent movies such as Goodbye Christopher Robin and Christopher Robin. As sure as the titular teddy's historical love for ditching pants and palling around with Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Owl, Kanga and Roo, this Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style Pooh twist primarily exists because the premise was too irresistible thanks to copyright laws. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February, March and April, too. You can also peruse our best new films, new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies, plus movies you might've missed and television standouts of 2022 you mightn't have gotten to.
Planning a Japanese getaway, or dreaming about eventually planning one? You can take one thing off of your to-do list: packing. Instead of carefully researching all possible weather conditions, obsessively trying to predict what you'll want to wear and then trying to jam it all into your suitcase, you can now simply rent whatever you need when you arrive at your destination. Luggage-free travelling comes courtesy of a new service called Locarry, which lets you hire everything from clothes to costumes to cameras — and sporting equipment, strollers and more — from residents on the ground, rather than taking your own. Prices are set by those leasing out the goods, with no fees charged by the sharing platform itself. The service can be used by friends to arrange to lend items to other friends as well. There are a few restrictions, understandably. While users can rent things out individually or as a collection (that is, a pack of objects that you might need if you're going sight-seeing in Tokyo or wandering through cherry blossoms in Kyoto, for example), they can't hire out food, drinks, booze, medicines, animals or a number of other items. And — as you'd completely expect — underwear is off the table as well. Of course, the idea of hopping on a plane without your own outfits won't appeal to everyone. Still, packing lighter than usual, being able to nab a raincoat if the weather turns or pick up a camera to use while you're away just might. For more information, visit Locarry's website.
From 8pm tonight, Thursday, August 5, Victoria will go into another seven-day snap lockdown until at least 8pm on Thursday, August 12 in a bid to contain the latest COVID-19 cases. The new rules include a ban on exercising or shopping for essentials more than five kilometres from your home, which will once again send locals scrambling to find quick ways to map out their own five-kilometre zones — yes, for a fifth time. While you're probably quite familiar with the patch of land surrounding your house thanks to last year's six-week lockdown, this year's February lockdown, the May and June lockdown that ended just over a month ago, and the July lockdown that ended nine days ago, there are a few easy ways to check out your household's government-approved travel radius. But, none have proved quite as popular as KM From Home — a website that originally launched in Ireland back in March, when that country introduced its own travel restrictions — and was first jumped on by Melburnians back in August 2020. The online map is free and easy to use — simply centre it to your address, select a five-kilometre radius and you'll see a big red or blue bubble encompassing the zone you're free to travel in under the Victorian Government's new rules. You'll find other radius apps out there as well, including the likes of Map Developers and The Age's tool. Alternatively, if you've got a Garmin watch, you can download this range warning and it'll alert you when you're closing in on a certain distance from your run's starting point. Want to check a specific cafe or shopping centre to see if it falls in your five-kilometre zone? There's a function on the Google Maps app that allows you to measure a distance as the crow flies. On desktop, simply right click on a location on the map, select 'measure distance' and then click anywhere else on the map and it'll show you exactly how far the address is from your starting point. Under the new rules, you can only exercise once a day for a maximum of two hours with your household members, your intimate partner, or one other person who is not from your household or your partner. And this must all be done within five kilometres of your home, of course. You can leave your bubble for permitted work, or if you're shopping for essentials and there are no shops in your radius. All of Victoria will revert back to lockdown restrictions from 8pm on Thursday, August 5 until the same time on Thursday, August 12. For more information about the rules, head to the Victorian Department of Health website. Top image: Km From Home.
Bottle shops. You know the drill; hovering wistfully in front of an arsenal of bottles, hand stroking chin, staring at the labels and hoping the one with the nice font is a surefire winner. But as soon as your cluelessly-picked vino makes its way to the glass, that shit's way too woody man. Too dry. Too fruity. High damn acidity. It's all wrong. You know what you like, when you get it, but you can never quite pick it. Luckily, a brand new app is about to hook you up with your perfect match — using science. Next Glass is a brand new app which acts as a 'matchmaker' between humans, wine and beer, hoping to Cupid you straight to your favourite new drop according to your tastes. Ditch the wine diary, these guys are using science. The Next Glass team have analysed ingredients from microbreweries and vineyards across the globe — and even taste-tested them, in what sounds like the most applauseworthy 'research' excuse for throwing back bucketloads of drank we've heard yet. App developers George Taylor and Stephen Pond have been analysing up to 200 bottles of beer a day through a project called The Beer Census, attempting to hoard every beer in America and rate their chemical makeup in the lead-up to Next Glass's release. Party at George and Stephen's lab y'all. So how do you use it? To start with, users build a profile by finding wines and beers they already like through the app and give them a rating out of four. Kind of like Spotify for booze, the app gives better recommendations the longer you use it and the more flags you raise on what you like and don't. Then, when you find a shiny new Pinot Noir to try, all you have to do is scan the bottle and the wine's profile will be matched to your preferences. You'll be given a percentage rate of how the wine fits in with your tastes and if the score's over 90 you've got a pretty great match. Like all apps nowadays, users can share their findings and connect with other Next Glassers (as well as giving vital stats to beer and wine distributors, always). Plus, if you and your buds all scan the same bottle you can get a few more scores to see how you all compare — Max might be a Savvy-B type of guy, while Lisa might get all up in Riesling, but this cheeky wine might suit them both. And if trying out an app is excuse enough to 'scan' multiple bottles of wine among friends, we're in. While the app's only available in the US so far, fingers crossed for an Australian taste-testing team call-out. Next Glass is available for free on the App Store and Google Play — but only works in the US so far. Via Springwise and Grub Street. Image credit: djwtwo via photopin cc.
You will feel incredibly safe with award-winning industry expert Charlene Fernandez looking after your locks. If Fernandez can be trusted with Gigi Hadid's golden tresses at New York Fashion Week, there's a high chance she can be trusted with your luscious locks, too. Just last year Ferdandez took home the 'Independent Stylist of the Year' award at the Australian Hairdressing Industry Awards. And, you can access some of that award-winning hair styling right in the heart of Armadale. Need help deciding what to do with your hair? Charlene will start your service with a thorough consultation to ensure you leave with gorgeous hair and practical stying tips to maintain that good-hair-day feeling everyday.
UPDATE, JANUARY 6, 2023: New year, new Moonlight Cinema program, with the outdoor venue's January lineup also filled with highlights. Catch sneak peeks of the Margot Robbie-starring Babylon and British rom-com What's Love Got To Do With It — or check out new Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Tom Hanks getting cantankerous in A Man Called Otto and the wild true tale that is The Lost King. Plus, January's retro programming includes Twilight, The Princess Diaries, Con Air, Clueless, Magic Mike and the OG Top Gun. So, that's sparkly vampires, 90s greats, royal hijinks, Nicolas Cage, barely clad men and a need for speed taken care of. If nothing says Christmas to you like catching a festive film under the stars, ideally while kicking back on bean beds and eating a picnic, then Moonlight Cinema's November and December 2022 program has you firmly in its sights. The beloved Australian outdoor movie-viewing setup is back for another summer, and it's kicking off with a heap of recent big-name flicks — plus a couple of weeks of the merriest pictures that it can find. Fresh from revealing its dates for the summer 2022–23, Moonlight Cinema has now locked in its first titles, with the openair picture palace heading to Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens from Thursday, December 1–Sunday, March 26. The lineup kicks off with Billy Eichner's gay rom-com Bros, and also includes Top Gun: Maverick, Smile and Ticket to Paradise — plus Don't Worry Darling, Elvis and Minions: The Rise of Gru. Yes, there's a throwback session of Grease in the first part of the program as well – because retro flicks are always a big part of this event — and then the festive fun begins. Yes, Elf, Home Alone, The Holiday and How the Grinch Stole Christmas are on the lineup. So is Die Hard twice and Love Actually a whopping three times. To wrap up December, there's also a preview session of Steven Spielberg's new release The Fabelmans, culinary thrills with The Menu and a preview of Australian drama Blueback — plus the family-friendly Lyle, Lyle Crocodile and Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The rest of the Moonlight lineup will drop month by month. Nosh-wise, Moonlight Cinema will again let you BYO movie snacks and drinks, but the unorganised can also enjoy a plethora of bites to eat from food trucks — perfect, messy treats made for reclining on bean beds. There'll be a VIP section for an extra-luxe openair movie experience, a beauty cart handing out samples, and dogs are welcome at — there's even special doggo bean beds, and a snack menu for pooches.
Melbourne's northern suburb of Reservoir is now home to a brand new craft brewery — and it's doing things a little differently. Future Mountain Brewing and Blending is focused on creating farmhouse-style brews, inspired by the old world taprooms of Europe and a growing trend in the States. Expect wild fermentation ales and barrel-aged sours on offer in small batches here. Co-owners Ian Jones and Shane Ferguson have five years' experience in the field, having met at Boatrocker Brews — which is also known for its wild and sour ales. Their partners Elisa Jones and Kara Rasmanis (respectively) have joined them in this new venture, too. Apart from using wild yeast and bacterial strains, the team has also partnered with local Yarra Valley fruit growers, wineries and coffee roasters to create truly seasonal brews. At the moment, the venue's 12 taps are pouring apricot, cherry and peach sour beers, along with a white ale, a golden sour blend, two German-style pilsners and two farmhouse ales. Upcoming beers include a hoppy saison, raspberry barrel-aged sour and a bourbon barrel-aged oatmeal stout for the winter months. The taproom is set amid stainless steal tanks and oak barrels. For food, there are pides, flatbreads and pies available in house, along with delivery from neighbouring pizza joint Unique Gourmet Pizza Bar and all the Uber Eats you fancy. Wild ales and European-style farmhouse brews are becoming increasingly popular in Australia, with Sydney also home to Wildflower Brewing and Blending and plenty of breweries starting up barrel-aged programs around the country. Future Mountain Brewing and Blending is now open at 703–707 Plenty Road, Reservoir. Opening hours are Friday 4–11pm, Saturday noon–11pm and Sunday noon–8pm.
Few dining favourites go hand in hand quite like izakaya and saké. So when Tamura Saké took off, the clock started ticking before an izakaya offering would expand beyond what Tamura could initially handle. Izakaya by Tamura was what was on the other end of that timer. Some may be surprised to learn that the venue is split across two levels, with Tamura's original saké-focused digs in the middle. Downstairs is the lively little sibling, with Japanese pub vibes complemented by regular live music. The edible offering is concentrated around ramen and daily specials like two-for-one yakitori on Mondays and $1 JFC when purchasing a drink. Upstairs is the distinguished older sibling — the kind that sets the bar of parental approval way too high — which boasts a relaxing blue stone interior. Food-wise you have your pick of four set menus, with izakaya classic, sushi and sashimi set, yakitori set and tamura deluxe on offer. Drinks are flexible, with a generous happy hour on offer daily in the downstairs space from 4-6pm, with the likes of saké, rosé and whisky highballs bringing refreshment to wash down those scrumptious snacks. The best part? You've got two venues to explore inside the same building, no matter where you start.
If you've ever watched a David Attenborough documentary about the planet and wished it was sillier and stupider, to the point of being entertainingly ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining alike, then Netflix comes bearing wonderful news. Actually, the BBC got there first, airing history-of-the-world mockumentary Cunk on Earth back in September 2022. Glorious things come to waiting viewers Down Under now, however — and this gleefully, delightfully absurd take on human civilisation from its earliest days till now, spanning cave paintings, Roman empires, Star Wars' empire, 1989 Belgian techno anthem 'Pump Up the Jam' and more, is one of the best shows to join Netflix in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 so far. This sometimes Technotronic-soundtracked five-part series' beat? Surveying how humanity came to its present state, stretching back through species' origins and evolution, and pondering everything from whether the Egyptian pyramids were built from the top down to the Cold War bringing about the "Soviet onion". The audience's guide across this condensed and comic history is the tweed-wearing Philomena Cunk, who has the steady voice of seasoned doco presenter down pat, plus the solemn gaze, but is firmly a fictional — and satirical — character. Comedian Diane Morgan first started playing the misinformed interviewer in 2013, in Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, with Black Mirror creator Brooker behind Cunk on Earth as well. Over the past decade, Cunk has brought her odd questions to 2016's one-off Cunk on Shakespeare and Cunk on Christmas, and 2018's also five-instalment Cunk on Britain. Then, in Brooker's Death to 2020 and Death to 2021, two annual looks back at life during the pandemic, Morgan played Cunk-like everywoman Gemma Nerrick — aka the spoof specials' average person among its comic experts. That's Cunk's remit as well. She poses enquiries and makes observations that academics on various branches of history, plus archaeologists, biologists, engineers and others, wouldn't expect to be asked by their peers or serious interviewers. In fact, they wouldn't anticipate being asked Cunk's questions by anyone, really, except perhaps very young children. "If you want to talk about Russian Soviet vegetables, we can," is one response that Cunk's incorrect queries garner, this one after accusations of mansplaining when she's told she likely means the Soviet Union. When she isn't uttering outlandish questions, she's often simply demanding OTT statements that'll help the show go viral, such as an exchange with another boffin where she requests a pithy soundbite stating that Jesus Christ was "the first celebrity victim of cancel culture". Or, in classic history doco style, Cunk is walking and talking, her eyes trained on the camera and scenic and/or important locales stretching out behind her — and, elsewhere, narrating while remaining unseen over the same type of images. Much of Cunk on Earth's hilarity comes from its take on the past, and on humanity, as well as the series' love of the ludicrous — as delivered with Cunk's dry, droll and unflappable demeanour (unless she's learning that Laika, the first dog in space, didn't make it home). She posits with the straightest of faces that the human brain is made of pipes, and that Beethoven's 'Symphony No 5' has lyrics that just repeat the word "dumb" over and over. She has thoughts on the worst Romans, in ancient times and now; connects hieroglyphics to emojis and likens mummification to Gwyneth Paltrow's spa treatments; and asks "was early man made out of the same sort of meat as us?" while then wondering if human flesh ever had a pork- or beef-like moniker. Morgan's performance is a marvel, and a perceptive portrait of couldn't-care-less arrogance, ignorance and certainty that plays as an easy-but-still-smart caricature of a growing attitude prevalent online today. With one character, she's as much of a canny and cutting comedic force as Sacha Baron Cohen has proven with Ali G, Borat, Bruno and the various figures in 2018 mockumentary series Who Is America?. Cunk, in all of her on-screen appearances, adopts the same basic format as Baron Cohen's alter egos — proposing the absurd to both parody and interrogate. Her throwaway comment about the pyramids being designed the way they are to "stop homeless people from sleeping on them" says plenty about society's treatment of folks doing it tough, and she skewers the overuse and misattribution of quotes by stating that Aristotle said "dance like no one is watching". As brilliant as Morgan's deadpan turn is, and as committed as the Inside No 9, Motherland and Mandy actor is, Cunk on Earth is equally reliant upon its interviewees. They each take their task seriously — the real-life experts aren't here to court laughs — but they're also willing to use Cunk's silly queries and comments as a jumping-off point. The question about the brain's pipes inspires a considered and accessible explanation of two different schools of philosophical thought, for instance. Often, Cunk's naive musings spark tidbits and corrections that do exactly what an Attenborough-style show like this sincerely and earnestly would: inform. Of course, for every enlightening answer offered — whether recounting something that's common knowledge anyway or diving deeper — Cunk on Earth has Cunk being Cunk. She asks about ancient Greeks before declaring she couldn't give a shit, segues off on tangents about her ex-boyfriend Paul to counter her panel of experts, and pronounces words incorrectly to humorous effect (even if nothing beats her butchering of Camelot in Cunk on Britain, which begets questions about King Arthur's semen production). A series like this is a masterclass in juggling, with everything from a Black Mirror-leaning skit about Beethoven resurrected inside a smart speaker to a recreation of a Dark Ages fray purely through sound also thrown in. Here, this very series is flat-out masterful — and tremendously funny. Check out the trailer for Cunk on Earth below: Cunk on Earth streams via Netflix. Images: Jonathan Browning.
From the ruthless world of magazine publishing to the blood and guts of an Aussie hens weekend gone supremely wrong: that's been Aisha Dee's journey of late. There's far more to the Gold Coast-born actor's career so far, of course, including coming to fame as a teenager back in 2008 courtesy of The Saddle Club, subsequent parts on Dead Gorgeous and Sweet/Vicious, and showing up in St Vincent-starring satire The Nowhere Inn. Still, on screens big and small alike, she's been garnering attention for navigating pressure-filled situations — and revelling in them. In Sissy, her latest role and her return to Australia after years working in the US, Dee is in positively savage territory. She plays the titular character, better known as @SincerelyCecilia on Instagram to the tune of 200,000-plus followers. Liking and subscribing is what her devotees do all day, responding to her calming and inspiring missives about being yourself and finding your bliss, and Cecilia's whole sense of self is built on that online adoration. Sissy is a comedy, too, with writer/director duo Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes having ample fun parodying the wellness and influencer industries. That said, when the movie's namesake attends a bachelorette shindig for her long-lost childhood BFF, old torments resurface and this proves firmly a horror flick as well. Dee wasn't initially approached to play Cecilia. When the script came her way, she was earmarked for Fran, fiancée to Emma, Cecilia's primary school bestie. But Dee felt an instant bond with Sissy's eponymous figure. She felt protective of her. "Honestly, I read the script and immediately I felt like I had to defend Cecilia," she tells Concrete Playground. "I cared so deeply for her. I really felt really connected to her and had a lot of empathy for what she was experiencing in the moment, and how easy it would be under those circumstances to kind of just slip and fall." Once you've seen Sissy, Dee's words obviously come with a caveat: clearly, she hasn't found herself in the exact same situation, behaving in the exact same way. But in a film that happily, smartly and entertainingly rips into a whole heap of targets — with humour and as a slasher flick alike — she makes Cecilia a compelling protagonist amid all the chaos. It's a bold performance, because The Bold Type isn't just an entry on Dee's resume. The international film festival circuit heartily agrees, with Sissy premiering at SXSW 2022, enjoying its Australian premiere in June at the Sydney Film Festival, and doing the rounds everywhere from Melbourne and Perth to South Korea and Scotland since. Dee hit the Harbour City midyear with the movie, which is now in cinemas across Australia — and chatted to us about social media, knowing that she had to play Cecilia, preparing for the part in hotel quarantine, making a different kind of Aussie movie and getting an opportunity she didn't think would happen. ON SOCIAL MEDIA'S PREVALENCE — AND SILLINESS "The film doesn't offer solutions, but I do think it poses questions and forces us, in a way that feels quite uncomfortable, to question our own relationship with social media and how we interact with it. I think it's hard to be a human in the world right now and not have some kind of relationship with social media, because it is such a prevalent part of our society now. Personally, I don't use social media in the same way [as Cecilia] — I wish I was better at it, it's not something that comes super naturally to me, to be posting on Instagram all the time. My relationship with social media has always been really about creating boundaries, because I find it a very triggering environment in terms of even just having the confidence to post something. I second-guess myself a lot, and I get very existential. Every time I post something, I'm like, 'well, what's the point? What is Instagram? What is a telephone?'. It's all pretty silly." ON NEEDING TO PLAY CECILIA "It was towards the end of 2020 — and, you know, we were all there for 2020. I had been in LA for most of that year, really only seeing a select few people and kind of feeling quite isolated socially, a bit awkward, and reexamining a lot of my relationships. And my manager sent me this script. Initially they wanted me for the role of Fran, and I could see that, because Fran felt really similar to a couple of characters I had played before. But literally, I couldn't shake the feeling that I felt like Cecilia was my little sister or my best friend, or just someone that I loved so deeply and cared so deeply for. It wasn't something that I planned or knew was going to happen when I read the script, but I felt like I had to honour it. I called my manager and I said 'please tell them that I really love the script, but I just don't feel connected to Fran as a character — but I feel really connected to Sissy, tell them that I love Sissy'. I said that knowing it was kind of presumptuous but not expecting them to ask to meet me at all, but they were really into the idea. I think they had had someone very different in mind — she was described as having blonde hair and being very petite and pale, and I am none of those things — but I just felt like something felt right. ON DRAWING ON 2020'S CHAOS FOR THE PART — HOTEL QUARANTINE AND ALL "There's the year of 2020 as a whole. But then, in order to get back home to Australia, I had to do two weeks of quarantine in hotel quarantine where you literally see no one. It is the most extreme version of isolation. I was on a really low floor in this big tall building, and every day at like 12pm, I would lose the sun. I would be out my window — like I needed the sun and I needed the fresh air, and I felt like I was going absolutely insane. So while I was in quarantine, I was actually sending Hannah and Kane, the writers and directors of the film, I was sending them videos as Cecilia. Just every morning I would wake up and do a different kind of like sermon or meditation or something, just because I did't really have anything to do. Getting out of quarantine, I definitely felt like Bambi on ice a little. I felt very awkward. I'm an awkward person to begin with, but having those two weeks alone in a room — it wasn't intentional but I do think it kind of leant itself to getting into some kind of headspace." ON RETURNING HOME TO MAKE A DIFFERENT KIND OF AUSSIE MOVIE "Something that jumped out to me when I was reading it was the way that there was this really heavy female gaze on the movie — which I think is rare for genre films to have such a strong female gaze. And beyond just Cecilia the character, you had a very small cast that consisted of an interracial lesbian couple, a gay man with disability and an Asian woman. And the only man that you really saw was a queer man." I loved this this. I just loved the world that I could see imagining it and reading it. It didn't feel like any other Aussie movie that I had seen. It really reflected the colourful, diverse, beautiful Australia that I know. I think unfortunately, up until kind of recently, Australian film and television really hasn't reflected that same colourful melting pot that like we all know actually exists here — so that was another big reason why I wanted to be a part of it." ON GETTING AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY "I definitely had hoped that I would be able to play a character like this. But, being realistic, opportunities like this don't come up every day for someone who looks like me, especially in the Australian film space. So I had always hoped that maybe I would be able to play a role like this, but the fact that the opportunity was actually presented to me is really, really, really cool. I guess it kind of was on my bucket list. But when I think about it, I don't know that I ever could've anticipated that this would be an opportunity that I would've had. And to me, it really meant nothing whether people were going to see it or they weren't, it didn't matter to me — because with independent film, you really are rolling the dice, chances are nobody's going to see it. The fact that like it's doing such big things is really cool. I think that honestly it's a testament to what can happen if the Australian film industry embraces diversity the way they should." Sissy released in Australian cinemas on November 3. Read our full review.
Whether you're staycationing, vacationing or travelling for work, there are many reasons to pick a particular hotel over others — and how your temporary home away from home looks is right up there. Do you covet open, airy and minimalistic spaces? Sleek lines aplenty? The kind of modern elegance that catches your eye, but still looks functional? That's the remit of design-driven Marriott brand AC Hotels, which has just made its way to Australia. Despite launching in 1999 — first in Spain under hotelier Antonio Catalan, then teaming up with Marriott in 2011 — the chain hadn't yet set up shop Down Under. Now, its sleek-looking first Aussie site is open for business at Southbank in Melbourne. Featuring 205 rooms within a sculptural tower that's marked by its geometric glass façade (and, by night, its shining LED lights), the new spot joins the brand's 195-plus hotels in more than 27 countries and territories worldwide. Popping up against the Fishermans Bend skyline, the towering exterior hails from DKO Architecture in collaboration with Capital Alliance — and views, both over the Melbourne CBD and the Yarra, are a big drawcard for guests. As for where patrons will be slumbering, accommodation options span both rooms and suites, all decked out in neutral tones and boasting streamlined (but not restrained) design. Think: greys, whites and natural hues, stone tiling, textured timber floors, metal detailing, open closets and integrated bathrooms. The inspiration: the brand's Spanish heritage, and also South Melbourne's industrial warehousing. Also, some rooms are pet-friendly — as long as your pooch is under 20 kilograms. Part of the just-launched spot as well: co-working space AC Lounge, which'll also serve tapas at night; restaurant Sorolla, with an open kitchen for chef-watching while you eat; and Triana Bar, which goes heavy on soaking in the scenery. Drinks-wise, there's also a gin and tonic experience — a speciality cocktail that is served in a custom glass by sculptural glass artist Adam Walmon, and has "been scientifically developed to heighten the taste, aroma and palate experience for the drinker" — which is available in all of the hotel's dining and bar spaces. For sips by the infinity pool — which runs the width of the building — head to Bar de Buceo. As well as drinks, it does al fresco dining. And, the usual range of hotel amenities are covered, too, including a 24-hour fitness centre, plus a meeting and event space. Find AC Hotel Melbourne Southbank at 201 Normanby Road, Southbank. For more information, or to make a booking, head to the hotel's website.
We don't know what you have to do to be considered a 'beach expert', but after Australia's best beaches were revealed over the weekend, we're sure we need to become one. The 2017 list details 101 of the country's most stunning beaches, but the beach that's come out as number one isn't Bondi or Jervis Bay — it's Cossies Beach. Where the bloody hell is Cossies Beach, you say? It's located on Direction Island, which is part of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands about a four and a half hour flight from Perth. It's closer to Jakarta than Perth, which makes the logistics of your escape to the exquisite blue water paradise extremely difficult — but perhaps that's why it's so coveted. Now, the 'best' beach is obviously a hard one to quantify, but Brad Farmer has done a pretty thorough research job. He's the aforementioned beach expert, and for the release of the first edition of 101 Best Beaches he visited, documented and rated a whole heap of beaches alongside coastal geomorphologist Professor Andy Short, who has personally visited every single beach in Oz (there's 11,761 of them, by the way). Eventually the pair landed on the remote Cossies Beach as number one. It's so remote in fact that it didn't even have a name — while conducting his research, Farmer named it after after Australia's 26th Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, after seeking permission from locals. It's obviously insanely beautiful, and the pair have noted it as the best beach of them all due to its shallow water creating a brilliant blue colour, its 300-metre white sand strip, great snorkelling and shade from coconut palms. Other top beaches are ones you probably haven't heard too much about either — Moonee Beach on the Coffs Coast, Turquoise Bay in WA and Dolly Beach on Christmas Island all make the list. Tourist spots Burleigh Heads and Apollo Bay get a look in as well. Have a look at the top ten below. BRAD FARMER'S BEST BEACHES IN AUSTRALIA 2017 1. Cossies Beach, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean 2. Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island, Far North Queensland 3. Moonee Beach, Coffs Coast, NSW 4. Turquoise Bay, Coral Coast, WA 5. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland 6. Maslin Beach, Adelaide, SA 7. Dolly Beach, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean 8. Shelly Beach, Nambucca Coast, NSW 9. Boat Harbour Beach, North West Coast, Tasmania 10. Apollo Bay, Great Ocean Road, Victoria Images: Rik Soderlund via 101 Best Beaches.
Icon alert: in a year that's already bringing everyone from Kraftwerk, Devo and Paul McCartney to Sparks, Ms Lauryn Hill and Christina Aguilera Australia's way, Chaka Khan is also heading Down Under. The American singer and ten-time Grammy-winner will headline the 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, putting on a one-night-only Aussie-exclusive show at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. And joining her onstage? Nile Rodgers & Chic while they're in the country for Harvest Rock. That evening of tunes will be all about icons teaming up with icons, clearly. Khan — aka the Queen of Funk — will celebrate five decades in the music industry with talents that've been around just as long. Among the Chicago-born singer's hits: 'I'm Every Woman', which was later covered by Whitney Houston; the Prince-penned 'I Feel for You'; and 'Ain't Nobody' with her funk band Rufus. Rodgers and Chic will bust out 'Le Freak' and 'Good Times', and also revel in their own hefty history. And, there's also the former's prowess as a guitarist to relish — which has seen him pop up on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. As a writer and producer, too, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Khan, Rodgers and Chic will be supported by Kaiit and Horns of Leroy at their six-hour opening-weekend show, which will help launch MIFJ's 26th festival. Running from Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 29 at venues around Melbourne, the rest of the fest's lineup spans more than 100 events, with 11 world premieres and ten Australian-exclusive performances on that list. Lisa Simone, daughter of Nina Simone, will take to Hamer Hall's stage to sing her mother's songs, while the Hot 8 Brass Band will host and lead the Second Line Street Party, a New Orleans jazz parade along the Yarra, Southbank and into Fed Square. The fest's international contingent is bringing Cécile McLorin Salvant, Makaya McCraven, GoGo Penguin and SFJAZZCollective to Melbourne as well, alongside trumpeters Marquis Hill and Ingrid Jensen. Also on offer: Raw Denshi, with the Australian Art Orchestra teaming up with Japanese hip hop's Kojoe and Hikaru Tanaka — and a collaboration featuring William Barton's didgeridoo sounds and Nduduzo Makhathini's jazz stylings. Or, jazz fans can hit up Federation Square to see Bumpy Thndo and Rita Satch play for free, then get their toes tapping to Afrobeat at Beasts of No Nation, where 87-year-old Ghanaian guitarist Ebo Taylor will make his Australian debut. Throw in Australian names such as Elixir and Paul Grabowsky AO, Chapel Off Chapel hosting five days of jazz, JazzLab in Brunswick welcoming late-night jams, and outdoor dining and tunes at Grazeland, and this hefty program keeps throwing up more and more reasons to attend. The 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 29 at venues around Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets from 8am on Tuesday, August 29.
Theatrical masterpiece This Is Our Youth will undergo another celebrity makeover when the play hits the Sydney Opera House this March. Michael Cera will lead the cast in an unconventional departure from his high-profile role in television series Arrested Development and films such as Juno and Superbad. He will be joined by Golden Globe nominee Kieran Culkin and AFI Award winning actress Emily Barclay. Having directed the world premiere of This Is Our Youth in 1996 and sophomore season in 1998, Mark Brokaw returns to the director role in his debut Australian showcase. The script was written by Kenneth Lonergan, who went on to pen Gangs of New York. This Is Our Youth follows a tumultuous day in the lives of three New Yorkers in 1982, and explores their contemplations and sense of confinement in the Big Apple. Painting a bittersweet image of a discontent generation lost in a society undergoing rapid change, the play takes Australian audiences to a time and place that may not be so different from our everyday lives. Although it explores American society in the Reagan-era, the play's sheer bluntness and honesty has garnered worldwide appeal and acclaim. Its popularity with theatre enthusiasts has been reflected in stars such as Matt Damon, Colin Hanks and Jake Gyllenhaal all playing roles in previous seasons. The Australian performance is set to uphold the play's celebrated status. This Is Our Youth will run from March 14-25, 2012 at the Sydney Opera House. Tickets are available from February 10.
This cheery new Brunswick East brunch destination has proved a hit with humans and pooches alike, winning over fans with its all-day bagel menu, house-roasted coffee and one of the most dog-friendly outdoor dining spaces around. Against a dapper backdrop of white tile and navy blue accents, Bellboy is plating up an offering of contemporary cafe gems, running from the scrambled eggs cacio e pepe ($17), to a prawn and crab brioche roll laced with spicy mayo ($20). Meanwhile, a dedicated bagel lineup features crafty fillings like wood-smoked pastrami with cheese and sauerkraut ($15), vegan salad with cashew cream cheese ($13), and a classic muffuletta ($15), all served with house-cut chips. Former Golden Bean winner and coffee legend Mark Leo is roasting two signature coffee blends on site, for espresso and filter options, or you can try your caffeine married with soda water and a hit of orange in the cold brew spritzer ($8). There's also free-flowing sparkling water ($1.50), house-pressed juices ($6.50) and signature cocktails like the apple-infused elderflower gin blossom ($13). As for four-legged guests, they'll be pretty chuffed with the dedicated menu of Bender& Friends doggy treats, the custom Frank & Friends Design 'check-in' kennel and the oh-so-chic ceramic bowls by Houndsome Dog. Images: Julian Lallo
Vivid is one of the best times of the year to be in Sydney — and also one of the most crowded. The festival of light, music and ideas has returned for 23 days from May 25 to June 16, and its tenth-anniversary program is sure to draw the biggest crowds yet. Want to see all of those glorious Sydney CBD light shows without packing into the streets like sardines? We know the best spots where you can get in on all the Vivid action — drink in one hand, phone in the other snapping shots from a unique vantage point. We've also partnered with our mates at Samsung to ensure we've selected bars with the primest of views, so you can use that new Galaxy S9 and S9+ with its specially developed low light camera to snap the best evening shots. So whether you're into DJ sets with a front row seat to the new Luna Park installations or glowing gin cocktails with rooftop panoramas of those illuminated Opera House sails, we've picked out five of the best spots to hit for epic Vivid sights. MCA ROOFTOP BAR The MCA Cafe's rooftop boasts quite possibly the best Vivid vantage point the city has to offer — sans the heaving crowds. Panoramic sights of nearly all the festival highlights are visible from here (apart from the MCA itself, of course), so it's an ideal spot for snapping wide-angle pics. This year, Bombay Sapphire will be running the pop-up bar, which is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 5–9pm during the festival. Here, you can sip on glowing gin cocktails while taking in unobstructed views of the Opera House light show. The MCA has also extended its Lights on Later program to coincide with the Vivid hours; so in between drinks up at the bar, you can catch the last days of its 21st Biennale exhibition, running until Monday, June 11. THE GLENMORE Since being refurbished back in 2012, The Glenmore terrace has become one of our go-to spots all year 'round — especially during Vivid. The heritage-listed pub's rooftop offers 180-degree views over Sydney Harbour, featuring up-close sights of the Harbour Bridge light show. Tuck into some pub grub favourites and raise a glass to snagging one of Sydney's very best views of the festival. Our tip? Get in early (pre-sunset) so you can get a front row seat to all the glowing action come sundown. SMOKE No matter what you decide to snack on, this is really food with a view, as Smoke at Barangaroo House was designed to lead the eye out over the harbour. Thanks to Vivid Sydney, it's a prime location for a little light spotting. Barangaroo becomes a magical bushland of lights with The Liminal Hour, featuring the fiery six-metre high Marri Dyin, Eora for 'great woman'. You'll also surely catch a glimpse of the Australian National Maritime Museum rooftop, which will be projecting the underwater delights of BBC Earth and David Attenborough's Blue Planet II. Between sips of an Autumn Spritz — which blends Martini Riserva Abrato with pink grapefruit, St Germain elderflower liqueur, juniper and prosecco — you'll also be able to aim your lens at floating light boats and the beams of Skylark, an interactive custom-built laser, controlled out of nearby Pier 8. GOLDIE'S MUSIC HALL AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Along with the Sydney Opera House's massive Vivid lineup comes its annual pop-up bar. This year, Goldie's Music Hall has taken over the northern foyer — brought to you by the team from Newtown's The Midnight Special. Themed 60s and 70s, the bar features a black and gold fit-out complete with beaded lampshades, plush furnishings and peacock chairs. DJs including Gonz, Mama Disquo and Rusty and Boonge will be spinning playlists of funk, soul and R&B, while you relax with signature cocktails like the Golden Years (a boozy concoction of cognac, rye whiskey and amaretto with whisky barrel bitters and orange zest), plus craft beers from The Grifter and Young Henrys, liquor from Poor Toms and Archie Rose and decadent small bites. Of course, you also get prime viewing of the Harbour and can snap all the waterside shots you want from the comfort of the bar. Goldie's is open daily from 6pm–late and runs until Monday, June 4. BLU BAR AT SHANGRI-LA Set on the 36th floor and fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, the Shangri-La Hotel's Blu Bar boasts sky-high panoramas of the Harbour. So, if you want some sprawling overhead shots of Vivid, this is the place to be. From here, the technicolour lights dance below while you enjoy the late-night menu with an extensive cocktail list, featuring both classics and inventive signatures (like the chamomile sour or a yuzu-thyme vodka concoction), plus refined bar snacks that you can nibble on while watching the show below. Escape the crowds, opt for exclusive sights from some of the best bars with Vivid views and snap some seriously professional-looking shots on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light. Images: Cole Bennetts.
Surrounded by water on three shores, The Entrance is nearly an island. It's an ideal place to spend a winter weekender staring into endless blue, especially when you've been desperately longing to forget all about work, traffic and the general chaos of life. And it's just a 90 minutes' drive north of Sydney. On one side lies tranquil Tuggerah Lake, and on the other, the mighty Tasman Sea. Further north are the tiny settlements of Magenta and Norah Head, where you'll come across friendly cafes, rugged lookouts and white-sand beaches backdropped by national park. Set up home base at the Pullman Magenta Shores Resort and follow our guide to fending off the winter blues with a sneaky getaway. EAT All great weekenders start with ace coffee. Get yours at the Burrow Coffee House. This cosy spot offers nice brews and beautifully composed brekkies, including a bacon and egg roll with avocado, haloumi and balsamic. When you're ready for your next brew, head a couple of kilometres south to Long Jetty. Here you'll find The Glass Onion Society, a fun, art and music-loving cafe that does Sonoma baked goods, vegan doughnuts and 'Soul Soup', among other eats sure to warm up even the frostiest morn. When lunchtime arrives, explore a bit of history in the best way possible: while eating cake. Do so by booking high tea at The Entrance Lake House, an airy, elegant cafe that's been licensed since 1905 but underwent a reno in 2012. If you happen to be around Norah Head when hunger hits, then swing by The Ark Cafe, which serves Campos coffee and gourmet bites, such as a poppyseed bagel loaded with heirloom tomatoes, haloumi, spinach, avo and pine nut pesto. This place isn't just an eatery but a social enterprise, too. A percentage of profits goes to The Welcome to Paradise Foundation, which supports aid workers in South Sudan and a food program in Nepal, among other worthy causes. There's also a quirky retail space, where you can invest in a hand-shaped surfboard created by local Christian M. Laing and peruse a bunch of ethically produced clothing and homewares. Been saving up your pennies for a posh feast or looking to impress your date? Reserve a table for dinner at Ocean, a fancy restaurant whose floor-to-ceiling windows let you gaze straight out over the Tasman. You'll get premium seafood transformed into cracking dishes, such as ocean trout with lemon mayonnaise, beetroot, asparagus, peas and potato, or mussel and shellfish chowder. A more affordable option is The Shallows Bar where you can build your own charcuterie board or grab a few wood-fired pizzas. Or head to Bistro Jinja to sample dishes from all over Asia. Tuck into Shanghai braised pork belly, Chiang Mai chicken curry and dark chocolate tart with honeycomb and sticky fig ice cream, while seeing the sunset over Lake Tuggerah. DO One of the best things about visiting The Entrance during winter is that you get all the beaches but none of the crowds. Soldiers Beach, just south of Norah Head, has the whitest sand on the Central Coast and backs onto the lush greenery of Wyrrabong National Park. While you're there, keep an eye out for whales, which pass by from May until August. An even better vantage point is Pelican Beach Road Lookout, from where you can walk the 3.4-kilometre Red Gum Trail through towering red gum forest and the 3.5-kilometre Lillypilly Loop through rainforest, cabbage palms and burrawangs. Whales aren't the only creatures worth watching around here, either. The Entrance is famous for its pelicans. It's been named the 'Pelican capital of Australia', in fact. These kooky and characterful birds make great subject matter for photos, particularly if you stop by the waterfront at 3.30pm, their daily feeding time. It's not purely about feeding either — it's a chance for volunteers to make sure none of the little guys are tangled up in hooks, lines or other debris. Make your next stop spectacular Norah Head, whose lighthouse has been operating since 1903. In fact, this became the very last lighthouse in New South Wales to lose its lighthouse keeper when it became fully automated in 1995. Half-hour tours, which take you up the building's 96 stairs for epic 360-degree views are available every day for just $6 per person. Keen to travel further? Continue another 15 kilometres north to reach Munmorah State Conservation Area, a coastal wonderland of empty beaches, lookouts and walking trails. SLEEP To sleep with still water on one side and roaring surf on the other, check into Pullman Magenta Shores Resort. This beautifully designed luxe five-star resort is ten minutes' drive north of The Entrance, on the southern edge of Wyrrabalong National Park. The resort offers apartment-style accommodation options, complete with views overlooking the landscaped gardens. Recreation is the name of the game here, so don't even think about complaining of boredom. You've got the exclusive Magenta Shores Golf Course and Country Club, a day spa, tennis courts and three swimming areas: a 2o metre indoor heated lap pool, rock pools and the Lagoon with a swim-up pool bar, all at your fingertips. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in The Entrance, and to discover more of regional NSW, check out Visit NSW.
When Kendrick Lamar was announced as Spilt Milk's 2025 headliner, festivalgoers had all the right words to say courtesy of the man himself. "DAMN" and "LOVE" also apply to his other Australian gigs this summer. Not content with taking to the stage Down Under in Ballarat, Perth, Canberra and on the Gold Coast, the acclaimed hip hop artist has also locked in solo stadium shows on his next Australian trip, as part of his Grand National tour. After making its way around North America and Europe, Lamar's latest string of live dates is heading to Melbourne and Sydney. In the former, he's playing AAMI Park on Wednesday, December 3–Thursday, December 4, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1008775" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Shamus/Getty Images[/caption] December clearly suits Lamar for a jaunt Down Under — that's when the Pulitzer Music Prize-winning musician also made the trip in 2022. Lamar is one of the most-critically acclaimed and successful hip hop artists of our generation. He currently has 22 Grammys to his name, plus an Academy Award nomination for one of his contributions to the Black Panther soundtrack. He won the 2017 Triple J Hottest 100 and, when he nabbed his Pulitzer in 2018, he also became the first ever artist to take out the prestigious award for contemporary music. GNX, his most-recent studio album, dropped in November 2024 — with his extensive catalogue also spanning 2011's Section.80, 2012's good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2015's To Pimp A Butterfly, 2017's DAMN and 2022's Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Updated Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
In this age of seemingly endless streaming platforms — with newcomers vying for your eyeballs every week, or so it seems — there's never a shortage of things to watch. New movies hit the likes of Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and DocPlay all the time, as well as the plethora of other online viewing services, all ready to be watched and enjoyed by your ravenous eyeballs. With such an ongoing onslaught of content fighting for everyone's attention, it's easy to miss the highlights. Or, to put a new film in your queue, then keep watching Tiger King and completely forget all about it. To help, we round up the best streaming highlights each and every month. But, in case you've missed any of our movie picks, we've also compiled a list of the standout flicks we've recommended over the past year that are still available for you to stream — and are well worth your attention — this very moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8 UNCUT GEMS The best film of 2020, based on Australian release dates, might only screen on Netflix on our shores. That might seem a big call, but the anxiety-dripping, riveting Uncut Gems is a stone-cold masterpiece, complete with one of the greatest performances of Adam Sandler's career (alongside Punch-Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)). Far, far removed from his Netflix comedies of late, the actor is all hustle and bustle as Jewish American diamond-district jeweller Howard Ratner. A compulsive gambler who is deeply in debt, about to get divorced and being shaken down by a loan shark (Eric Bogosian) he's related to by marriage, he's always trying to lure in high-profile clientele. When he comes into possession of a rare black opal — the uncut gem of the title — basketballer Kevin Garnett becomes interested, sparking a wild chain of events. Writer/directors Josh and Benny Safdie last worked their gritty, vivid and relentlessly tense magic with the Robert Pattinson-starring Good Time to exhilarating and mesmerising effect, and this uncompromisingly chaotic thriller and all-round exceptional character study is even better. Uncut Gems is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul5GFfMAvtg THE REPORT One of 2019's late highlights is based on a US Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture. No, that's not a sentence that comes up very often. Directed by Contagion, Side Effects and The Laundromat screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, The Report recreates the experiences of real-life Senate staffer Daniel Jones, who, from 2009–2015, delved into the scandalous treatment of terrorist suspects by America's key intelligence agency. It mightn't sound riveting on the page, but as Jones dives deeper into a dark part of recent American history, weathers hefty opposition and dedicates himself to ascertaining the truth, The Report makes for gripping viewing. Adam Driver serves up his latest stellar performance as the committed investigator and, while the film belongs to its star and its subject matter, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Michael C. Hall and Corey Stoll also leave an imprint. The Report is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9YEKRJ4TA4 I LOST MY BODY Forget the latest version of The Addams Family — the best movie to feature a detached hand scrambling around on its own five fingers is French animation I Lost My Body. A deserved winner of the Critics' Week Grand Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Jérémy Clapin's rich and textured picture adapts a novel by Amelie screenwriter Guillaume Laurant's and intertwines two narrative threads. Imbued with a bittersweet mood, the film charts the efforts of pizza delivery pizza Naofel (Hakim Faris) to earn the attention of young librarian Gabrielle (Victoire Du Bois), while also following the exploits of the aforementioned autonomous appendage as it roams around town. The imagery, including visuals framed from the hand's perspective, is sumptuous. The emotional journey, complete with thrills, spills and ample melancholy, finds the balance between whimsical and weighty. Poetic, ruminative and entertaining, this is the best animated movie of the year. I Lost My Body is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td0oBCWO_I4 THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE Talk about perfect casting. If you're going to make a movie about a meek, mild-mannered accountant who spends the bulk of his time alone, doesn't fit in with his frat boy co-workers and is struggling to cope with being violently attacked — and you're making a black comedy that firmly and sharply skewers toxic masculinity, too — then you want Jesse Eisenberg as your lead. Drawing upon experience in the likes of The Social Network and the Zombieland films, he's pitch-perfect as the aforementioned Casey, including when he seems to find solace in the teachings and classes of a local karate dojo. Also starring Imogen Poots (Eisenberg's co-star in Vivarium), and written and directed by filmmaker Riley Stearns (Faults), this smart blend of satire, statement and thrills never makes the obvious choice; however it does drum up plenty of laughs. The Art of Self-Defense is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JLUn2DFW4w EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE Six years after he was last seen driving off into the night, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) finally made a comeback. That's how long it was for Breaking Bad fans; however, for the character, absolutely no time passed. Picking up where the show's grim finale left off, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie explores what comes next for Walter White (Bryan Cranston)'s former meth-cooking partner. The cops are on his trail, but Skinny Pete (Charles Barker) and Badger (Matt Jones) are on hand to help. As Jesse tries to find a way forward, plenty of flashbacks also flesh out and reshape his story. While El Camino might be superfluous — Jesse didn't really need this lap of honour, and viewers didn't really need such a definitive conclusion — it's still an immense pleasure to return to the Breaking Bad realm, especially with series creator Vince Gilligan at the helm. Of course, Better Call Saul has been letting audiences do that since 2015, but every BB aficionado has a soft spot for Jesse, his love of saying "yo", and his fondness for science and magnets. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHBcWHY9lN4 ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE It's a little unfair to say that Always Be My Maybe is worth watching for Keanu Reeves. He's not the film's star, with those honours going to writers and comedians Ali Wong and Randall Park; however, he's an unmissable force of nature not only playing the man who could thwart the movie's central romance, but also playing a heightened, exaggerated, ultra sensual version of himself. Yes, it's as glorious as it sounds. Always Be My Maybe is never as entertainingly chaotic when Reeves isn't around, but it's a charming, topical rom-com from start to finish, albeit one that hits familiar genre beats. A little charisma goes a long way, however, and Wong and Park (and Reeves, obviously) have it in spades in a movie that also marks the film directorial debut of Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23's Nahnatchka Khan. Always Be My Maybe is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMfyueM-ZBQ TOGO As moving a dog-focused movie as you're ever likely to see, Togo tells an extraordinary true tale. You might've already heard of Balto, the sled dog who came to fame for running 53 miles in a snow storm to help fetch diphtheria anti-toxin for a small Alaskan town back in 1925. That canine is clearly a hero — but another Siberian Husky named Togo actually led the pack that ran the bulk of the distance, covering a huge 260 miles over ice and snow. So, this heartfelt and action-packed movie tells the latter's story. Starring Willem Dafoe as his owner Leonhard Seppala, it's endearing from start to finish. In earnest mode, Dafoe is typically excellent, while the cute pooch acting is first-rate as well. And while director Ericson Core did a terrible job of 2015's needless Point Break remake, he does exactly what he needs to here. Togo is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q57D6kF5B1k THE PERFECTION With Get Out and now The Perfection, Allison Williams appears to have an on-screen type, playing ambitious women who'll do whatever it takes to get what they want, including getting their hands dirty. But this Netflix horror film doesn't just throw the Girls star into familiar territory and ask her to follow in her own footsteps, even if that's how it initially seems. Williams plays cello prodigy Charlotte Willmore, who, after her career is cut short, befriends her replacement Lizzie (Logan Browning) during a trip to China. Where the narrative twists and turns from there is best discovered by watching, but filmmaker Richard Shepard has made a feistily immersive genre piece with thrills, body horror and a timely statement. The Perfection is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Vm_Awe3bw MINDING THE GAP When Free Solo took out this year's Academy Award for Best Documentary, it was a thoroughly deserving winner, as anyone who's sweated through the true rock-climbing tale can attest. If the trophy had been handed to Minding the Gap instead, however, the Oscars wouldn't have made a mistake. Directed by Bing Liu and also featuring the filmmaker on-screen, this intimate doco steps into the lives of three Illinois residents as they cope with life's stresses, endeavour to find solace in skateboarding, and wrestle with society's expectations of them as young men. While every kickflip and ollie looks and feels equally raw and astonishing, the action footage has nothing on the film's real rollercoaster ride: the film's three subjects and their stories of domestic and substance abuse, living on the margins, and trying to navigate both economic and racial oppression. Minding the Gap is available to stream via DocPlay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEoJuTRZDjk EARTHQUAKE BIRD After exploring the life of writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette in last year's Keira Knightley-starring biopic Colette, British writer/director Wash Westmoreland jumps from late 19th- and early 20th-century France to Tokyo circa 1989. That's where Swedish expat Lucy Fly (Alicia Vikander) lives, works and starts to date Japanese photographer Teiji (Naoki Kobayashi). And, with the film framed through a police interrogation, that's where she also becomes a suspect in a missing persons case that could also be a murder. Based on Susanna Jones' 2001 novel of the same name, Earthquake Bird charts the fallout after American Lily Bridges (Riley Keough) arrives in town, befriends Lucy and then disappears — after getting close to Teiji. The film takes its time to solve its central mystery, but that patient approach comes packaged with sumptuous visuals, appropriately contrasting portrayals by its female stars (Vikander is icy and restrained, Keough is lively and vibrant), and a considerable command over its slow-burn thrills and tension. Earthquake Bird is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDQm70Q9hKI GUAVA ISLAND Last year, when Coachella hit, Donald Glover delivered audiences everywhere a treat — whether you were at the Californian festival or not. The artist also known as Childish Gambino teamed up with his Atlanta director Hiro Murai, his screenwriter brother Stephen Glover, Black Panther's Letitia Wright, Game of Thrones' Nonso Anozie and, oh, none other than Rihanna, for a new film called Guava Island. Filled with Glover's music (naturally), it premiered at a specially built theatre at the fest to tie in with Glover's headlining set, and it's also available to stream via Amazon's streaming platform. The thoughtful and delightful film follows Deni Maroon (Glover), a Cuban musician trying to put on a festival on the titular island, all while battling his tyrannical employer. Guava Island is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT4bnfULz2s THE KING Since he came to widespread fame in Call Me By Your Name, Timothée Chalamet has become cinematic royalty. In The King, he embraces that status. Stepping into both historical and Shakespearean territory, he plays Hal, aka King Henry V, in a slow-building but astute drama based on the Bard's Henriad plays. Perfectly content never to take 15th-century England's top job, Hal nonetheless finds himself donning the crown — and, thanks to a war with France, following in his father's (Ben Mendelsohn) footsteps in more ways than one. Directed by Australian filmmaker David Michod and co-written with his Animal Kingdom star Joel Edgerton, The King plays up the internal and external conflict, tones down the language and, when it comes to political manoeuvring, finds much to muse on. Michod and cinematographer Adam Arkapaw particularly revel in the film's battle scenes, while, cast-wise, the sight of Chalamet facing off against a long-haired, French-accented, almost-comedic Robert Pattinson is the stuff that the internet's dreams are made of. Edgerton, Sean Harris (Mission: Impossible – Fallout ), Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace) and Lily-Rose Depp all also make an impact. The King is available to stream via Netflix.
If you're a fan of basketball, talented Aussies shooting hoops and one of the biggest local names in the game in the 21st century, then this one's a slam dunk: Patty Mills is coming home to chat about his career. The Brooklyn Nets point guard returns to Australia for the first time since helping score the Boomers their first-ever Olympic medal — and shooting 42 points himself in the crucial bronze-winning match — to tour the nation throughout September. Whether you're keen to hear the man himself discuss his success, life, learnings and everything in-between in the flesh, or you know some budding basketballers who are eager to follow in the Indigenous Aussie's footsteps, you have options. There are two parts to the tour: basketball camps for young up-and-comers and in-conversation gigs. Yes, the four-time Olympian will be present at both. [caption id="attachment_867421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Drost via Flickr[/caption] The camps will hit up the Gold Coast, Logan, Sydney, Thursday Island, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne in one-day stints, starting on Wednesday, September 7 — but players do need to be aged between 12–17 to head along. If that's someone you know, they'll get time with the some of the top basketball coaches and volunteers in each area, and also nab an up-close-and-personal experience with Patty Mills himself. Plus, basketball clinician DJ Sackmann will be leading the fun. The onstage component of Mills' tour will make four stops, kicking off on Monday, September 5 at The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, then heading to ARA Darling Quarter Theatre in Sydney, Astor Theatre in Perth and the Palais Theatre in Melbourne. That's where the star player will speak from the heart about his journey — which has taken the Kokatha, Naghiralgal, Duaureb-Meriam man from growing up in Canberra to rising through the basketball ranks, and also becoming Australia's first Indigenous Olympics flag bearer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patty Mills (@balapat) "The Patty Mills Unearthed Tour is the realisation of a dream that I have had for some time now. Home really is where the heart is, and this homecoming trip fulfils a desire in me to connect with the communities and supporters who have been by my side, no matter where my career has taken me," said Mills. "It's been a huge couple of years and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to go back to my roots to deliver an immersive experience to be felt and enjoyed both on and off the court. It was also important that this tour allowed me to share parts of me that I've never been able to share before. Getting up close and personal with my own hopes, challenges and achievements has allowed me to embrace opportunity to the fullest and by sharing my own journey, I hope to inspire others out there, especially our youth, who are on their own path of self-discovery." PATTY MILLS UNEARTHED AUSTRALIA 2022 TOUR DATES: SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE — PATTY MILLS IN HIS OWN WORDS Monday, September 5 — The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Sunday, September 11 — ARA Darling Quarter Theatre, Sydney Friday, September 16 — Astor Theatre, Perth Tuesday, September 20 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne PATTY MILLS BASKETBALL CAMPS WITH DJ SACKMAN Wednesday, September 7 — Gold Coast Thursday, September 9 — Logan Saturday, September 10 — Sydney Tuesday, September 13 — Thursday Island Saturday, September 17 — Perth Monday, September 19 — Adelaide Wednesday, September 21 — Melbourne The Patty Mills Unearthed Tour heads around Australia throughout September 2022, with tickets to both the on-court and speaking events on sale now.
Four years after Carl's Jr first hit Aussie shores, the cult-favourite American burger joint is at last landing in Melbourne, opening the doors to its first Victorian store in the eastern suburbs. It all kicks off on Friday, October 26, as the fast food chain — renowned for its monstrous stacked buns — sets out to prove it can stack up against our own famously good burger scene. Setting up shop within Knox Westfield's dining precinct, beside Village Cinemas, this new local edition of Carl's Jr will be dishing up its signature menu of 'American classics' that's earned it a heap of fans overseas. We're talking the aptly named Thickburger, teaming an angus beef patty with extras like portobello mushroom, or bacon and guacamole, alongside hefty chargrilled numbers such as the Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger. The Big Carl's rocks a double patty and oozy American cheese, and chook-lovers are sorted with seven different chicken dishes. Then, there are breakfast options for the early birds, salads for the virtuous and some pretty solid sundaes and shakes for dessert. The chain has also mentioned it's planning to open two more Victorian stores by the end of the year. Find the new Carl's Jr store at Westfield Knox, 425 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South. Updated: December 5, 2018.
A dinner party filled with AI versions of famous figures? Or a meal enhanced by virtual reality? Restrictive diets that focus on fasting over feasting? Eating dishes purely because they'll help you sleep? Over the next 12 months, all of the above might come to fruition. Also on the 2018 hit list: African cuisines, creative genetic modification in food and beer, and getting paid to have strangers over for dinner. At least, they're the trends that culinary artists Bompas & Parr are predicting for the year ahead, with Sam Bompas and Harry Parr releasing their first-ever foodie forecast. After ten years in the business, evolving from making jelly to catering to a food-focused experience design agency, their report draws upon their own experience, as well as the psychology behind human behaviour. If technologically enhancements pique your interest, Bompas & Barr expect bots based on celebrities to become the next dinning partners, and mixed reality dining to adorn diners with wearable technology to create a more immersive eating experience — including "embedded microelectronics in crockery and glassware, projection technologies, responsive sound environments and more broadly digital content that's coupled to the taste and aroma of the food and drink on the table". For those keen on making a buck from making dinner for folks you don't know, think Airbnb and Uber, but for the simple act of hosting a meal. That's how you share food in 2018's sharing economy. Elsewhere, watching what you eat might be taken to a fasting extreme, though its hardly new — and it comes with health repercussions. African cooking styles are expected to rise in popularity, exploring the cuisines of the continent's 54 countries. So is food that'll help you get a good night's rest (and no, a nightcap doesn't count), plus biological tinkering with edible substances. You can peruse the full report for further details, and if you're wondering why you should, Bompas & Parr's past culinary exploits should provide all the convincing you need. They've made bespoke cocktails catered to each drinker's DNA, hosted anatomical whisky tastings where spirits were sipped from actual people, served a beating pig's heart as a starter and made London diners kill their next meal. In addition, they've made edible fireworks, a molten lava barbecue and held a 200-course dinner party. Expect them to play with their seven outlined trends next, as part of their continued and creative interrogation of our eating and drinking habits. Via Dezeen. Image: Bompas & Parr.
Six months after first breaking the news, and nearly three months after closing and reopening in its original digs, Melbourne's legendary live music hot-spot Cherry Bar is finally shutting its famed AC/DC Lane doors. While the beloved venue will be permanently farewelling its home of almost two decades, it'll also be moving to a yet-to-be-disclosed new location — so the rock 'n' roll-infused revelry will go on, just elsewhere. Sunday, July 28 will mark Cherry Bar's last big hurrah at its initial site, as the venue announced on Facebook. Afterwards, it'll relocate to different CBD digs, although it's still keeping the details of its new spot under wraps. https://www.facebook.com/cherryacdclane/photos/a.160708780691739/2291277907634805/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCbzQ4w2-e6MohKlFw6TYBWxveWFqjffHgjQVJzJfVLSPcobSK0CU6vK7pL58FTDQNBF1JWFi-uvtYkMHubhkY79SnCIXFPCEn8M3r4Y_I0gF5QgI6o2BsD5TwmsaPwlt4eHbZxFD54q3blNQglQ1nw8NKD-aJ2XkqbHbb0NnejcFrPJnb87YDDKtZZCXdwC3nS0V-p1lfwyjSQhgRtYig5_xKH7mZ61F5BEuAk3hvLzi9zPtJ7kX78bLwojJ9Nc5KWzbfPiPNXtWdHtZRuBEMBm9J2mpYXDYRsLHX1zK1LJ4-yt8LHFMwB3sFZ1r02WC5-0dfsMqOeadKXrsDI-p4tOg&__tn__=-R Until the AC/DC Lane closure, Melburnians can head by on Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm–5am, as well as Sundays from 2pm–3am. A slew of gigs are planned for the venue's final few weeks, before it says goodbye to its original haunt yet again. As revealed in January, thankfully this is a case of pulling up roots in an effort to ensure the Cherry Bar legacy lives on strong. "It is my intention to take the name, the staff and the sticky carpet to a new Melbourne address with a long lease and a safe and secure future for live local music and late night rock n roll revelry," co-owner and booker James Young stated in the earlier Facebook post. Stay tuned for details on its next home, coming soon. The Cherry Bar story has been as colourful as it is long, the space playing host to everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Lady Gaga, and amassing an army of die-hard fans over its lifetime. Back in 2014, the venue took just three days to crowdfund $90,000 for necessary soundproofing works, following the threat of mass noise complaints from a new residential building erected next door. Find Cherry Bar at AC/DC Lane, Melbourne, open from 5pm–5am Fridays and Saturdays and 2pm–3am Sundays until July 28. Images: Cherry Bar/Visit Victoria/Jake Roden.
We can't yet zipline around the entire world, though it does sound like something Elon Musk might dream up. We can, however, come up with an increasingly impressive holiday itinerary by touring the globe's scenic zipline spots. From this week, the Grand Canyon joins the list. Zooming along tightly stretched cables is already a reality at the world's longest zipline opening at Jebel Jais in the United Arab Emirates and across Dubai's skyline. London recently had one, currently letting locals and visitors fly across the city, as did Sydney did, stretching between two skyscrapers 75 metres above Circular Quay. Seeing the Grand Canyon from such lofty heights is now on offer at Grand Canyon West, at the Hualapai Ranch in Arizona, reaching 300 metres above the floor of the rock formation. Capable of accommodating 350,000 visitors each year, two ziplines have been strung across the natural wonder, one measuring 335 metres and the other spanning 640 metres while traversing a steeper run. Each consists of four steel cables running side-by-side, which means that groups can enjoy the experience together. Riders will reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour. For those planning a high-adrenaline sight-seeing stint as part of their next US trip, tickets cost AU$115, with the zipline operating from Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. The ziplines join the resort's helicopter tours and 1.2-kilometre-high skywalk among its sky-high attractions. Via PR Newswire.
With 15 months and a massive 300,000 rounds of mini golf under its belt, Melbourne's putt putt club-cocktail bar hybrid Holey Moley has scored an ambitious revamp. The Little Bourke Street space will reopen its doors today, sporting nine brand new themed holes, on top of the current 18-hole course that's been enjoyed by around 5,000 punters each week since it first launched. The supercharged offering includes fun additions like Zappy Go Larry, referencing the board game Operation, a curly situation dubbed These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirstee, and film-inspired hole, Ferris Wheeler's Day Off. The 18 holes on the venue's second level have remained the same. Holey Moley's ground-floor cocktail bar has also been given a hefty face lift, unveiling a new look and a new pun-filled lineup of libations to match. That post-putting drinks session now include sips like the Cherry Ripe for the Picking — featuring chocolate and cherry liqueurs, coconut rum, milk, whipped cream and a Cherry Ripe garnish — and the Austin Sours, crafted on Aperol and vanilla vodka. The Holey Moley stable currently includes ten venues across four states, with the next set to open in Wollongong, NSW, next month. Images: Eugene Hyland
What do Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal and Ted Lasso all have in common? They're all stellar examples of kind-hearted TV comedies that are an utter delight to watch, especially in chaotic times. Like a balm for frazzled nerves, these types of sitcoms focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things, even while their characters navigate all manner of ups and downs. Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine also fits the category, because it too celebrates people who support each other, are always there for each other and form heartwarming bonds as a result. That's what these instantly likeable programs perfect again and again — and do so to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. By now, three of the aforementioned shows have already established a legion of fans, and deservedly so. Ted Lasso, the fourth series named above — and a 2020 newcomer — definitely belongs in the same company even just based on its ten-episode first season, plus the first two instalments of its second season so far. Starring a gloriously optimistic, already Golden Globe-winning Jason Sudeikis, the comedy first introduces its titular character during a period of transition. A college-level American football coach, Ted is hired by struggling English soccer team AFC Richmond, despite having zero knowledge of the sport. Ted is recruited for the role by the club's new owner, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Game of Thrones), who received the organisation in her divorce settlement and is determined to tank it to spite her slimy ex (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head). And, she knows that her new hire will face more than a few issues in his unlikely job. The ravenous British media write Ted off instantly, the club is in a spot on on-field bother, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) just can't get along. And yet, this American in London's upbeat attitude does wonders — as aided by his laconic offsider and long-time friend Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), and the team's kit man-turned-assistant coach Nathan Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence). For much of his career, Sudeikis has excelled at playing thorny, jerkish characters (see: the terrific Colossal) who initially appear otherwise. He's exceptional at showing how arrogance can lurk behind a nice-guy demeanour, and he's proven that multiple times. Ted Lasso is never mean-spirited, however — and that applies to both the series and its main figure. Sudeikis is fantastic here as the genuinely caring coach just trying to do his best, and attempting to bring out the best in others. Yes, the series he's in is just as spot-on, as are his impressive cast members. In Ted Lasso's second season, which has just started streaming on Apple TV+, Ted faces a new challenge. The team has just added psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) to its ranks and, while Ted may be all positivity, all the time, he's not fond of Dr Fieldstone's profession — and finds her an unsettling presence. This is a series about working through those kind of roadblocks, though. It's one where Rebecca has moved on from just trying to use the club to annoy her ex, and is now thoroughly invested in its fortunes — and where her friendship with model, media darling, Jamie's ex-girlfriend and Roy's current partner Keeley Jones (Juno Temple, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) is never framed as competitive, as would likely be the case elsewhere. Consequently, exploring this storyline in a meaningful and positive way just adds to Ted Lasso's strengths. Viewers definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships. Those traits keep building episode by episode, as does fondness for its underdog team both on and off the pitch, and its ability to make Roy's love of swearing constantly both smart and hilarious. It's no wonder that Ted Lasso picked up a whopping 20 Emmy nominations this year, for its first season alone, including acting nods for pretty much every main actor involved in the show. In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. Check out the trailer for Ted Lasso's second season below: The first two episodes of Ted Lasso's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly — and all of the show's first season is also available via the streaming service.
Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) is a superfan. Joel and Ethan Coen's Fargo is the object of her excessive attention, and she doesn't just fixate over it, she believes it. In particular, she believes there's a briefcase filled with money buried in the Minnesota snow. To understand why she's so intent on thinking the movie is more than fiction is to understand her largely solitary existence in Tokyo. Kumiko is 29 years old and still working as an office lady, a position her boss thinks she should've well and truly outgrown. Her mother only calls to scold her about her dismal personal life, and her only friend is her pet rabbit, Bunzo. So when she happens across a VHS copy of Fargo, embracing its tall tale as truth adds purpose to her days, and trekking across America to find the stack of cash it tells of becomes her destiny. Filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner delve into an urban legend that sprang up around the death of a Japanese woman in the US, first chronicled in 2003 documentary This Is a True Story. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter makes its own fable out of diving into the strangeness that can stem from both truth and fiction, as well as the tenuous relationship between the two. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is in select cinemas on April 29, and thanks to Palace Films, we have 15 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Read our full Kumiko review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
These dream-like pictures look as though they could be from the set of Inception, but they're actually screenshots from Google Earth. Artist Clement Valla zooms into Google Earth at certain angles to reveal a surrealist vision of our world, capturing the images he finds. The only editing effects applied by the artist are basic color adjustments and cropping. A particular penchant for bridges and roads has resulted in an extraordinary collection of screenshots. “I am collecting these new typologies as a means of conservation – as Google Earth improves its 3D models, its terrain, and its satellite imagery, these strange, surrealist depictions of our built environment and its relation to the natural landscape will disappear in favor of better illusionistic imagery. However, I think these strange mappings of the 2-dimensional and the 3-dimensional provide us with fabulous forms that are purely the result of algorithmic processes and not of human aesthetic decision making. They are artifacts worth preserving.” [Via PSFK]
Holidaymakers love staying in them. TV shows sing their praises. Everyone has wondered what their days would be like if they lived the tiny house life. Expect to explore that train of thought at the National Gallery of Victoria until April 2025, all thanks to the latest temporary addition outside the NGV International on St Kilda Road in Melbourne: Home Truth, the NGV's Architecture Commission for 2024. How big does the average Australian home need to be? How many tiny houses could fit in the space that a standard Aussie abode takes up? These mightn't be the normal questions that anyone tends to ponder when they visit an art gallery, but it's the query that Home Truth wants everyone to contemplate right now. First, you'll see and enter a standard-sized Aussie house. Inside, you'll then find an abode of much smaller size — and you'll notice the difference between the two. Each year, the NGV unveils a site-specific pop-up construction that experiments with design concepts while musing on subjects of public importance. This year's pick is a tiny house — which wouldn't sound out of the ordinary if it wasn't a pint-sized abode within the frame of the average Australian home, and if drawing attention to the contrast wasn't its aim. Created by Melbourne-based architecture and design studio Breathe, Home Truth continues the firm's focus on sustainable architecture that'll endure and has a purpose — and, since Wednesday, November 13, it's getting NGV visitors walking through a house-within-a-house labyrinth. The larger building represents the average 236-square-metre Australian residence. Nestled within it, the smaller-scale home is designed to spark conversations about alternative modes of housing. To get from one to the other, visitors enter via the larger house's garage door, then wander through rooms and hallways. When you reach the tinier home, you'll feel like you've hit the centre of a maze. Attendees will notice two different materials distinguishing each abode, too, with the bigger spot constructed from framing pine and the smaller house from the waste-made and silver-hued saveboard — offering up a comment on how homes are currently built in Australia as well. "Through its clever play on scale and materials, this thought-provoking work of architecture sparks a fascinating conversation about housing and sustainability in this country," explained NGV Director Tony Ellwood when he announced the 2024 Architecture Commission back in September . "Home Truth speculates that overconsumption of space and materials translates into ecological and social consequences — for both us and the planet. But importantly, it offers a provocative vision of a new way of thinking about building — seeing the value of living in spaces that are of smaller scale — a vision that prioritises people and planet," added Ewan McEoin, NGV's Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture. Home Truth follows 2023's stunning pick (This is) Air, a giant inflatable sphere that breathed, as created by Australian architect Nic Brunsdon with Sky Castle, Airship Orchestra, Cupid's Koi Garden and Lost Dogs' Disco' ENESS. The 14-metre-high piece did indeed expand with air, then release it — so, yes, it inhaled and exhaled all day — to get everyone thinking about humanity's need for and relationship to air, how essential it is, how dependent we all are upon the element, how finite it is and how its quality is being impacted. In the past, NGV's Architecture Commission has also seen a colourful mini Parthenon, a bright pink pool to wade through, a bamboo garden with its own deck and an unforgettable pink carwash pop up, all as part of an initiative that started in 2015. 'Home Truth' by Breathe is on display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne until Sunday, April 27, 2025 — head to the NGV website for further details. Images: installation view of the 2024 NGV Architecture Commission: Home Truth by Breathe. on display from 13 November 2024 until April 2025 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Derek Swalwell.
Last year, we scored a musical adaptation of Aussie flick Muriel's Wedding. Now, another classic 90s flick is getting the stage musical treatment and heading on down to Melbourne: Adam Sandler's smash-hit film The Wedding Singer. Hitting the Athenaeum Theatre from Friday, June 19, The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy is an all-singing, all-dancing stage show based on its hilarious namesake 90s flick. And it's from the same crew that propelled it to sell-out success on Broadway and across the UK, including the writer of the original movie, Tim Herlihy. This one promises to yank you right into The Wedding Singer's 1980s world of big hair and classic wedding bangers, thanks to a toe-tapping score that's sure to prompt a few hearty crowd singalongs. It retells the story of party-loving wedding singer and wannabe rock star Robbie Hart, who's left stranded at the altar at his own nuptials. Heartbroken, he sets out to destroy every other wedding he's a part of, until a chance encounter with a waitress: Drew Barrymore's character Julia. Now, he just has to win over the girl... and somehow put a stop to her own upcoming marriage along the way. The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy hasn't announced runs in any other Aussie cities just yet, but we're crossing our fingers and warming up the vocal cords in readiness. We'll keep you posted as soon as any news drops. In the meantime, you can watch the OG nostalgic film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yjOXMTa6vA The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy shows from Friday, June 19, at the Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins Street, Melbourne. Join the ticket wait-list over at the website.
The New Look, Apple TV+'s ten-part series about Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, hasn't chosen its points of focus because they were frequently in each other's company; as depicted here, at least, they weren't. Instead, it's a portrait of rivals, but it isn't that concerned with why the two Parisians might be adversaries beyond their shared field. That said, they're tied by more than both being French fashion figures who were working at the same time, made pioneering haute couture choices and started labels that retain household recognition today. And, when the show opens in 1954, it does so with Chanel (Juliette Binoche, The Staircase) offering harsh words about Dior (Ben Mendelsohn, Secret Invasion) to the press as she's about to unveil her first post-war collection. Her chatter is crosscut with his at the Sorbonne, where he's being honoured — and asked by students why he kept working during the Second World War while Chanel closed her atelier. Dior's answer: that such a description of the two designers' actions during WWII is the truth, but that there's also more truth behind it. Unpicking the reality — and stitching together Dior and Chanel's plights at the same time — is the series' mission from Wednesday, February 14. The garments that its two couturiers make might be pristine in their stylishness, but neither's history can earn the same term. Creator Todd A Kessler (Damages, Bloodline) makes a drama about choices, then. Again, it isn't fuelled by the pair being in close physical proximity, which only happens twice in the show — or even acrimony between them — but by comparing and contrasting the moves that Dior and Chanel each made during Nazi-occupied Paris and immediately afterwards. Kessler takes the series' title from words uttered by Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow (Glenn Close, Heart of Stone) upon seeing Dior's debut collection in 1947. The New Look also takes its overarching perspective from the notion that haute couture's impact in assisting to revive French culture following the war was revolutionary and "helped humanity find beauty and the desire to live again" (to quote how Dior is introduced as he's being feted at his big retrospective). With Dior and Chanel's prowess treated as a given, the bulk of its frames, handsomely shot as they are — and filled intermittently with gorgeous gowns designed by Dior and his previous employer Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich, Billions) — hone in on the personal. (Atelier antics are weaved in and out, but never at the level of detail delivered by 2014 documentary Dior and I, about Raf Simons' first collection for the House of Christian Dior 65 years later.) The 1950s are pure framing for The New Look. The majority of its narrative charts Dior and Chanel from 1943–47, with the fact that he'll be so successful that he's celebrated mere years later and she'll eventually return to fashion instantly already established. Indeed, while the series charts their professional journeys over the period, work is rarely the source of its tension. Rather, Dior's difficult decision to leave Lelong to start his own fashion house, and the also tricky choices in getting established, help flesh out his character. For Chanel, so does her angling over the perfume side of her business, legal battles included. Everyone watching already knows the names Dior and Chanel, after all, and that both labels endure today, even if they've never donned clothing or scents bearing either's monikers. Dior keeps his needle in hand in Vichy France — for Lelong, as a nobody with no fame of his own, and under spirited protest if he ever gets wind of who'll be wearing his dresses. His justification, as he tells fellow designers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga (Nuno Lopes, Les derniers hommes) and Pierre Balmain (Thomas Poitevin, Encore vous?): that his paycheque helps support his younger sister Catherine (Maisie Williams, Pistol). She's fighting the occupation as part of the French Resistance. When Catherine is captured by the gestapo, tortured and sent to a work camp, Christian becomes a picture of guilt as he desperately endeavours to find her, or even just discover if she's still alive. The New Look's Dior is a man haunted, always, in a softer part for Mendelsohn and it suits him. The already-renowned Chanel has downed tools, but relies upon Nazi links to first secure the release of her captured nephew André (Joseph Olivennes, Deep Fear), a French soldier, and then help herself. The Hotel Ritz, where she lives, is a German base. Spy Hans Günther von Dincklage (Claes Bang, Bad Sisters) is soon in her bed. A dinner with Heinrich Himmler (Thure Lindhardt, Hammarskjöld), using antisemitic laws to her advantage and a stint of active collaboration — roping in her old friend Elsa Lombardi (Emily Mortimer, The Pursuit of Love) as well — all follow. Lombardi has been fictionalised, but the ins and outs of Chanel's choices haven't. The New Look doesn't even dream of sewing in a defence of Chanel. Where Mendelsohn plays vulnerable with potency and depth, Binoche's part is all calculated and self-serving opportunism. If their characters were dresses, his would sport elaborate lace and hers flashy sequins. Their performances are equally impressive, though. In what might be the least typically Mendo role of his recent career, the Australian Animal Kingdom, Starred Up, The Outsider and Cyrano actor is quietly masterful. In ensuring that Chanel's complications are on full display but also never excused, Binoche threads the needle expertly. Similarly superb: Game of Thrones' Williams, including in making the case that Catherine deserves to be more than a supporting player; Bang, again excelling at villainy; and Mortimer, who makes the show's most erratic character feel as real and lived-in as its protagonists. With Kessler himself, Station Eleven alums Jeremy Podeswa and Helen Shaver, and 2021 Palme d'Or-winner Julia Ducournau (Titane) in the director's chairs, there's no faulting The New Look's technical handiwork as it spins its fascinating, complex story. Opulence abounds visually, intricacy thematically. Learning more about the craft of haute couture isn't the show's remit, however — as glaringly apparently whether you're a fashion diehard or only know Dior and Chanel's names — but contemplating the decisions behind some of fashion's biggest labels, and the choices made when life is anything but cut to a pattern, is ready to wear. Check out the trailer for The New Look below: The New Look streams via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
If you're someone who loves indulging in a few G&Ts on a summer evening but doesn't love waking up to dehydrated, hungover skin, Four Pillars Gin and Go-To Skincare have you covered. The beloved Aussie brands are bringing back their extremely limited-edition Go-To Gin — a spirit that sent fans of Go-To founder ZFB (that's Zoë Foster-Blake for the uninitiated) into a frenzy upon its initial release in 2021, and again in 2022. When we say frenzy we mean it. The first two batches of My New Go-To Gin sold out in mere hours. So, it's time to start preparing your gin-buying fingers for 2023, with the second release dropping on Wednesday, November 22. Ready for cocktail mixing and shaking, the flavours in this coveted drop include quandong, aka native Aussie peach, plus yuzu, lime, coriander seeds and lemon myrtle. We hope you like particularly peachy sips, because this year's gin goes heavier on the quandong. And yes, the familiar peach-pink Go-To label means that you could probably add a bottle to your bathroom counter's lineup and nobody would notice anything out of the ordinary. Four Pillars co-founder and distiller Cam Mackenzie said in a statement he was aware gin and skin are an "unlikely duo". "But we knew we were onto a good thing with Go-To when we sold out faster than Taylor Swift tickets (almost). This year we've amped up quandong, freshness and a bit of peachiness to to add an extra layer of complexity," Mackenzie continued. To celebrate the launch, the skincare brand is also expanding where My New Go-To Gin will be available. For folks in Melbourne, you can hit up the Four Pillars pop-up store inside the Bourke Street Myer, and also to Lotte Duty-Free at Melbourne Airport for the first time. For everyone else, you're still headed to the Four Pillars' Sydney Laboratory and Healesville Distillery, and online. If you pick up some My New Go-To Gin from Bourke Street or Melbourne Airport, then sip a few too many drinks the night before another event (hello, festive season) you're in luck: every bottle from those two locations comes with a Go-To 'Transformazing' sheet mask to soak your skin in much-needed moisture. If last year is anything to go by, we imagine this gin is going to sell out pretty quickly, so signing up for the 2023 waitlist is highly recommended. While you're there, you'll also find a few cocktail recipes. And if you miss out, or peach isn't really your gin infusion of choice, you've got options however you choose to imbibe — Four Pillars has brought back its annual cult-favourites Bloody Shiraz Gin and Christmas gin for your festive cocktail needs. The 2023 Four Pillars Go-To Gin will go on sale online and in-store on Wednesday, November 22. Head to the Four Pillars website to sign up to the waitlist.
UPDATE, October 8, 2021: Supernova is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth aren't lazy, bad or bland actors. The former has an Oscar nomination for The Lovely Bones, the latter won for The King's Speech, and neither can be accused of merely playing the same character again and again. And yet, whenever either pops up on-screen, they bring a set of expectations with them — or, perhaps more accurately, they each instantly remind viewers of the traits that have served them so well over their respective four-decade careers. In features as diverse as The Devil Wears Prada and the Hunger Games films, Tucci has given a distinctive sense of flair and presence to his many parts, as well as his innate ability to appear bemused and sarcastic about life in general. Whether as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice or as Mark Darcy in the Bridget Jones movies, Firth has enjoyed immense success playing reserved, introverted, dry-witted men who are more likely to ruminate stoically than to outwardly show much emotion. Teaming up in Supernova, both talents draw upon these characteristics once more, as writer/director Harry Macqueen (Hinterland) wants them to. But here's the thing about this pair of stars, who shine particularly bright in this affecting drama: far from ever settling into their own comfortable niches, they're frequently delving deeper, twisting in different directions and offering up untold surprises. A famed novelist less interested in putting pen to paper than in peering up at the stars, Tucci's Tusker knows how to defuse any scenario with his charm in Supernova, but it's apparent that he often uses that canny ability to avoid facing a number of difficulties. An acclaimed musician with an eagerly anticipated concert in the works, Firth's Sam often says little; however, the fact that he's grappling internally with feelings he can't quite do justice to in words always remains evident. Travelling around England's Lakes District, they're not just on an ordinary campervan holiday. Neither man has simply been whiling away their time before their long-awaited returns to performing and writing, either. With stops to see Sam's sister (Pippa Haywood, Four Kids and It) and her family, and to reunite with old friends, the couple are making the most of what time they have left together. Tusker is unwell, with early-onset dementia increasingly having an impact on not only his everyday life, but upon the shared existence they've treasured for decades. Tucci and Firth serve up big performances in Supernova, but never overt ones. Actors can command the screen and the audience's attention while delivering disarmingly intimate, delicate and intricately drawn portrayals, which is what this stellar pair manage here repeatedly. Indeed, viewers can feel the force behind their heartbreaking efforts — as is to be expected in a film about life, love, loss, mortality, ageing and illness — but these aren't forceful turns. Rather, they're so detailed, textured and lived-in that they fill every frame and scene, and every room and wide-open space that Tusker and Sam find themselves in. Both Tucci and Firth are in career-best form here, and continually referring to them together comes naturally. Their rapport is as lively, thorough and authentic as anything in the movie, with Tusker and Sam's relationship always in Macqueen's view. This isn't just a feature about one man's experiences as his mind starts to fail him, he faces the end that awaits as all and he tries to claim what control he can over a situation that keeps stripping any sense of agency away; it's a devastating portrait of a couple confronting the waning of their life together far sooner than either had ever wanted or imagined. From its early scenes of Tusker and Sam beneath the sheets to the tough moments and conversations that arrive later, when dementia proves a topic that can no longer be ignored on their otherwise cosy road trip, Supernova is a thoughtful and tender love story through and through. Given the subject matter, that really isn't a standard feat. Unlike some films about sickness — too many, in fact — Supernova doesn't render its unwell figure a supporting player in his healthy partner's story. Similarly and welcomely, it doesn't posit that Sam's ordeal at Tusker's side is the true tragedy. In his warm, intuitive and compassionate screenplay and in his graceful direction as well, Macqueen has time for both men, their circumstances and their expectedly complicated emotions. But, in repeatedly showing how Tusker feels when he can't remember words and starts to forget where he is, conveying how his uncertain future is already taking a heavy toll upon his lucid moments and expressing the weight he feels in being acutely aware that he's losing his sense of self, the film never even dreams of sidelining its ailing point of focus. Awards and nominations typically follow dramas that wade through comparable terrain; for Michael Haneke's shattering Amour, Julianne Moore's superb performance in Still Alice and this year's Anthony Hopkins-starring standout The Father, they have in the past decade alone, for example. A plethora of shiny trophies and nods haven't yet come Supernova 's way, though — it is sometimes a little too neat and literal in its story, and in its stylistic choices as well — however, this is always a beautifully conceived, observed, performed, shot and executed film. Its leading men make the last flourishes of Tusker and Sam's romance, and of Tusker's mind, feel as explosive as the astronomical event that gives the movie its name. Cinematographer Dick Pope (Peterloo, Mr Turner) ensures that starry skies, green fields and cramped caravans alike all hover between the commonplace and the otherworldly. That contrast of the everyday and the ethereal sums up Supernova perfectly, and encapsulates every grand romance, too. Falling in love and spending your life with someone feels like entering into another universe, after all — and when that threatens to turn to stardust, it does so with a bang. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SEoi8r1Z4Y
Wherever you are in Australia, you're never far from nature. But, when you really need to unwind, your best bet is to find somewhere remote — preferably, a place where emails, phone calls and bosses can't reach you. Plus, you should find some serious natural beauty on which to feast your weary eyes. To that end, we've taken a good look around the nation at some of the most spectacular spots — from the coral-filled waters of Queensland's Heron Island to the empty beaches of NSW's Mimosa Rocks National Park to the granite boulders of Tasmania's Bay of Fires. And just like us, Stoneleigh Wild Valley is all about celebrating the wondrous work of nature. The New Zealand winery follows a wild fermentation process for its wines resulting in flavours that are rich in complexity. So, together, we've scoped out five spots around the country where you can unwind — perhaps even with a glass of vino in hand. Next time you're planning a weekend getaway, make tracks to one of these beauties. Your overworked body and fatigued brain will thank you. [caption id="attachment_728904" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland.[/caption] HERON ISLAND, QLD 72 kilometres off Gladstone lies Heron Island, one of the Great Barrier Reef's most unspoilt islands. Just 800 metres long and 400 metres wide, it's mostly national park — fringed with white sands and, beyond that, coral reef. Between November and March every year, green turtles and loggerhead turtles (both threatened) nest here and you're welcome to watch them, as long as you stick to turtle watching guidelines. Any time of year, expect to meet seabirds a-plenty, plus many a sea critter if you go on a snorkelling or scuba diving excursion. There's just one place to stay: the eco-friendly Heron Island Resort, where you can choose from private rooms surrounded by pisonia forest, suites with incredible sunset views and a beach house with room for up to four guests. [caption id="attachment_728989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aragunnu Walking Track via Destination NSW.[/caption] MIMOSA ROCKS NATIONAL PARK, NSW Found on the NSW South Coast, around five-and-a-half hours' drive south of Sydney, Mimosa Rocks National Park is a land of empty beaches, rocky headlands and forests filled with wildlife. If you're keen to immerse yourself in nature, pitch your tent at a beachside campground, such as Aragunnu or Picnic Point. Prefer the comfort of four walls? Book the heritage Myer House. Either way, be sure to take a dip at Moon Bay, go for a stroll along Middle Lagoon Walking Track and check out the surf at Nelson Beach. [caption id="attachment_728931" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Kuilenburg.[/caption] BAY OF FIRES, TAS Bay of Fires takes its name from its flaming colours. Granite boulders covered with bright orange lichen frame the coastline and, in contrast with the deep blue of the sea, create an extraordinary effect. The bay stretches for 50 kilometres along Tasmania's northeast coast, from Binalong Bay in the south to Ansons Bay in the north. Get back to nature in a tent at a free campground, sleepover at a luxe glamping site or sink into comfort at a B&B. Wherever you sleep, make sure you spend some time exploring on foot — whether you conquer the four-day Bay of Fires Walk or stick to day hikes. [caption id="attachment_688566" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trevor King via Destination NSW.[/caption] LORD HOWE ISLAND, NSW Take some time off the mainland at Lord Howe Island, a rugged paradise that's a two hours' flight east of Sydney with a population of just 382. To spend your entire break wrapped up in nature, embark on the Seven Peaks Walk, a five-day, 45-kilometre hike that takes in banyan forests, coastal cliff faces and magical beaches. If that sounds too long, there's a bunch of day walks to try, too. Alternatively, go snorkelling in clear waters, laze about on beaches or paddle board around. And forget all about crowds: no more than 400 visitors are allowed on the island at once. [caption id="attachment_719735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria.[/caption] THE GRAMPIANS, VIC Clear your head with some invigorating mountain air in The Grampians, a mountain range three hours' northwest of Melbourne dotted with waterfalls, wildflower meadows and dizzying peaks. Begin your adventures at MacKenzie Falls, one of Victoria's biggest waterfalls, before heading to mystical Silverband Falls, surrounded by lush ferns and flowers. For views that go on forever, drive to Boroka Lookout, Reeds Lookout or Mount William, which, at 1167 metres, is the highest peak in the range. Or, if you're keen to get moving, take a hike. A good place to start is The Pinnacle, accessible by a variety of walking tracks, which range from 2.1 to nine kilometres. Enhance your adventure through nature with Stoneleigh Wild Valley, whose 2017 sauvignon blanc recently won gold at the New York International Wine Competition 2019. Top image: Lord Howe Island.
Living up to its splendid first date with audiences has never been a problem for Starstruck. When the Rose Matafeo (Baby Done)-starring BBC and HBO series first strode into streaming queues in 2021, its initial episode was an all-timer in the charming stakes, as was the show's entire six-instalment debut season. When Starstruck returned for a second run in 2022, its next go-around instantly proved as much of a smart, savvy and charismatic delight. Streaming via ABC iView from 9.30pm on Wednesday, September 6 and in New Zealand via TVNZ+ since 8.30pm on Saturday, September 2, season three continues the trend — and keeps demonstrating that no romantic rendezvous, no matter how idyllic, can just keep repeating itself. Plot-wise, Starstruck has always had one couple at its centre: New Zealander-in-London Jessie (Matafeo) and British actor Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral). Frequently, however, they're not actually together, with the show charting the ins and outs of a complicated relationship that started with a New Year's Eve meet-cute and one-night stand. The hook from the get-go: that Tom is an A-list star, which Jessie doesn't know until after they've hooked up. So, Starstruck asks what it's like to live the Notting Hill life. In season three, more accurately, it ponders what comes after that's been and gone. Season two might've finished with a scene right out of The Notebook, and with echoes of Bridget Jones' Diary as well, but its follow-up quickly establishes that Jessie and Tom didn't get their happy-ever-after ending — they're no longer together, and haven't been for some time. Starstruck season three starts with a bold move, spending a few minutes zipping through Jessie and Tom's romance since season two via a heartbreaking montage. That choice is also deeply fitting for a show that's exceptional at endings. One of the best newcomers of its debut year and best returning series of its second, Starstruck's excellence is like a perfect bouquet, with vibrancy blooming everywhere — in Matafeo's lead performance, the show's ability to unpack a genre it clearly loves, its glorious nods to rom-coms past, and its astute insights into 2020s-era dating and life, to name a mere few. How its star, creator and co-writer wrapped up both season one and two was equally as sublime, though. So, season three goes all in on something cherished and blissful approaching its conclusion. If that train of thought has you wondering if this is it for Starstruck itself, a fourth season hasn't yet been locked in. The green light for season three came four months after season two dropped, so not having a future confirmed so far isn't an ominous sign for fans. Matafeo and co-scribes Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson have always treated their series as something to treasure there and then, too; it's the epitome of revelling in the here and now, as anyone in love should. No one knows where life will take them, including Starstruck's guiding hands. So, every season could put a bow on the tale and say farewell — but unboxing more after each finale, whether it involves a The Graduate-style stint on a bus or frolicking in a pond, wouldn't destroy the storytelling, either. Thanks its rush through Jessie and Tom's attempts to make their relationship work, then its huge leap forward afterwards, as much time has passed in Starstruck's world as it has for viewers. Two weddings now loom over the narrative: Jessie's now-pregnant best friend Kate's (Emma Sidi, Black Ops) to Ian (Al Roberts, What We Do in the Shadows), and Tom's to his fellow-actor fiancée Clem (Constance Labbé, Balthazar). It's at the first set of nuptials that Jessie and Tom cross paths again, sparking a torrent of emotions that neither has worked past (some knowingly, some not). While awkwardly trying to avoid her ex and endeavouring to make it appear that she has powered on happily without him, Jessie also connects with kindly Scottish electrician Liam (Lorne MacFadyen, Operation Mincemeat). Chronicling Jessie's blossoming bond with someone other than Tom might seem like another of Starstruck's bold season-three moves, but it's a vintage choice for a series that's obsessed with tearing into rom-com tropes. The idea that there's only one big, sweeping, heart-aflutter, existence-defining affair in anyone's life is foundational in the romantic-comedy genre, and yet that's rarely a guaranteed outcome. In a six-episode batch that's as bingeable as ever, Starstruck grapples with grappling with that fact. Jessie and Tom keep tumbling back into each other's orbits, finding themselves caught between yearning for yesterday, wishing today was different and forging a fresh tomorrow — and tossing and turning over which outcome they want. Deepening their dilemma is Starstruck's focus on reaching that late-20s, early-30s stage where committing and picking a way forward is the norm. Indeed, instead of the tension between the celebrity realm and everyday existence, this season's main clash arises from the contrast between getting settled and still feeling like you'll never have it together. There Starstruck goes, interrogating rom-com conventions again, including the notion that falling in love immediately solves or smooths life's other messes. It's no wonder that the sitcom has become one of the most-relatable romantic comedies there is — and best all round. In the show's writing, performances and directing alike, Matafeo and company understand why their chosen genre spins the fantasies it does. They're well-aware why audiences swoon over such tales as well. And, they're eager to face the reality, but with warmth, humour and empathy. Starstruck's version of laying the truth bare: a sidesplittingly frank chat directed Jessie's way, where she's told that her life mightn't be living up to her wildest dreams but, given that she has a house and a job — and she's "not even that bad of a person" — it's actually not awful. There goes Starstruck's main season-three takeaway again, as given voice: "just appreciate what you have while you have it". Being grateful for this wonderful sitcom as a whole, and for Matafeo's luminous turn at its centre, isn't just easy — it's automatic. Season after season, Starstruck keeps painting a portrait of love, life, friendship and chaos that's both clear-eyed and rosily affectionate, complete with fleshed-out and lived-in performances that embrace the fact that every person and every romance has flaws and joys in tandem. This far in, Jessie, Tom, Kate, their pals and partners are as rich and resonant as any group of long-term friends and acquaintances on-screen and -off. Matafeo, Patel, Sidi and their co-stars' efforts are also that emotionally honest. Everything about Starstruck keeps evolving, too, other than how stellar it has always been. Check out the trailer for Starstruck season three below: Starstruck season three streams in Australia via ABC iView from 9.30pm on Wednesday, September 6, and in New Zealand via TVNZ+ from 8.30pm on Saturday, September 2. Starstruck's first and second seasons are also available to stream in Australia via ABC iView and in New Zealand via TVNZ+. Read our full review of Starstruck's first season — and our full review of its second season, too. Images: Mark Johnson/HBO Max.
When Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the latest stage of eased restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne, he gave the city's residents a particularly welcome piece of news, revealing that pubs, bars and restaurants can reopen for dine-in patrons from 11.59pm on Tuesday, October 27. Yes, that means that it's time to get on the beers again — and some of the city's watering holes aren't wasting a second. If you're eager to have a drink somewhere other than your own house after months of lockdown, you can venture out tonight just before the stroke of midnight, which is when some Melbourne venues are throwing open their doors. Crucially, the next set of eased restrictions also scraps the four reasons that Melburnians previously needed to leave home, so going out for a few beverages is well and truly on the cards. The 25-kilometre rule is still in effect, though, so you'll need to ensure that your pub, bar or restaurant of choice is within that exact distance of your house. At laneway cocktail bar Gin Palace in Russell Place, you can start sipping martinis as Tuesday night ticks over to Wednesday morning — although, in-line with reopening conditions applicable to all indoor dining at all venues, the bar can welcome only 20 folks at one time. It's doing two 90-minute sessions, with the first running until 1.30am and the second spanning 1.30–3am. [caption id="attachment_710647" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gin Palace[/caption] Over at The Wolf Windsor, it's not only serving up drinks but also treating customers to a midnight parmigiana meal. You'll pay $100, and you'll get to knock back beers for an hour as part of the price. It's only taking bookings for tables of two and four. At steakhouse Angus & Bon, there'll be a midnight countdown, champagne corks and confetti flying about the place when the clock strikes 12, and even the cutting of a red ribbon. But, in far from astonishing news, the Prahran spot's celebrations are already booked out. That's the case at Nick & Nora's, too, which is a newcomer to Melbourne this year. The 30s-style cocktail and champagne bar first welcomed in patrons in July, but had to close after three days when new restrictions came into effect. It's holding a now-sold-out ticketed hour-long end-of-lockdown party. Indeed, given that 20-person caps are in place for all indoor dining (and 50-person caps for outdoors), seats for a late-night tipple tonight might be hard to come by. Unsurprisingly, plenty of people are super keen to say cheers to heading out of the house at the very first moment they can. Top image: Angus & Bon.
For many Australian restaurants, February 14 represents the most pressurised nights of the year — when dining rooms are taken over by loved-up tables of two trying to impress. But next Valentine's Day, A Table to End Hunger will let food-loving couples skip at least one stressful part of the planning the evening, allowing them to skip the queue and score a VIP table at some of the country's most in-demand restaurants where bookings are usually snapped up days (or weeks) in advance. And they'll be donating to charity at the same time. Returning for its second year in 2017, the initiative is the work of The Hunger Project, an Aussie non-profit on a mission to end world hunger by the year 2030. The event offers punters the chance to bid on often hard to get Valentine's Day reservations, each with a meal for two and a bottle of wine. Participating restaurants include culinary hotspots like Ester, The Apollo and Cho Cho San in Sydney, Urbane and Ecco Bistro in Brisbane and Minimishima and Toko in Melbourne. A coveted dinner reservation and the chance to help fight poverty? Now that's what we call a V-Day win. As all proceeds generated through the A Table to End Hunger eBay bidding site go towards supporting The Hunger Project's global work, you can expect the bookings to go for a little more cash than usual — last year, someone bid $5k for one. The funds raised will help to empower people in Africa, India and Bangladesh to end their own hunger, helping to break the cycle of poverty and nudge communities towards self-reliance. Bidding for 'A Table To End Hunger' kicks off on January 23 here.
Hyrule is heading to the big screen, and Link and Princess Zelda along with it. After almost four decades of mashing buttons to save the magical land, fans of The Legend of Zelda will be able to see the game franchise make the leap to cinemas. Coming off a huge year for film adaptations of its titles thanks to box-office smash that is The Super Mario Bros Movie, Nintendo has announced that it's turning its beloved Ganondorf-battling action-adventure series into a feature. The Legend of Zelda will have something else in common with Nintendo's favourite plumbers: it's getting the live-action silver-screen treatment first. While animation worked well for Mario's latest date with picture palaces in 2023, Link, Zelda and the like will be flesh and blood. Just imagine how Hyrule's stunning landscapes will look. The Legend of Zelda's move into movies will boast Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director and Fellow of Nintendo, as one of its producers — alongside Avi Arad, whose resume includes all the Spider-Man flicks (live-action and animated), some X-Men films, early Marvel titles like Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and also Ghost in the Shell and Uncharted. While it's too early for any news on stars, The Maze Runner filmmaker Wes Ball will be directing. And the film will indeed hit cinemas, with Sony distributing — and co-financing the movie with Nintendo. No details about the feature's storyline have been unveiled so far, either. Accordingly, if you're wondering which game or games it might follow — and if your favourite, be it the OG 1986 The Legend of Zelda, 1991 masterpiece A Link to the Past, 1998's Ocarina of Time or 2013's A Link Between Worlds, for instance, might get a nod — there's no answers as yet. "By producing visual contents of Nintendo IP by itself, Nintendo is creating new opportunities to have people from around the world to access the world of entertainment which Nintendo has built, through different means apart from its dedicated game consoles," said the company in a statement announcing the film version of The Legend of Zelda. "By getting deeply involved in the movie production with the aim to put smiles on everyone's faces through entertainment, Nintendo will continue its efforts to produce unique entertainment and deliver it to as many people as possible." Given that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hit Nintendo Switch back in May, 2023 is clearly a big Zelda year, even if the film obviously won't release before 2024 hits. Exactly when it will start showing in cinemas is also among the details that haven't yet been revealed. The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Images: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Music festivals can happen almost anywhere — or so contends the crew behind Wine Machine, Snow Machine and Dream Machine. Tunes amid the vineyards? Yes please. Dancing in alpine climes between skiing and snowboarding? That's a winter treat in both New Zealand and Japan. Hitting a scenic resort for a huge party soundtracked by big music names? That's on the agenda as well — including in 2024. Dream Machine started in 2022 at a secluded beachside resort in The Whitsundays, after initially planning to go ahead in 2021 but getting waylaid by the pandemic. Then, in 2023, it moved to Nusa Dua in Bali. That's where it's returning next year, complete with a packed roster of talent. The dates: Thursday, May 30–Monday, June 3, 2024. The lineup: it starts with Genesis Owusu, Snakehips and Hayden James leading the charge. They'll be joined by everyone from The Jungle Giants and Kimbra to Poolside and Cosmo's Midnight, plus Cub Sport, Miami Horror, Lazywax and more. So, if you've been longing to hear your favourite tunes while surrounded by your friends and also taking a trip to a beachside resort in Indonesia, this fest has you covered — again. 2024's Dream Machine will take place over a five-day, four-night once more, too, for a party-forward good time. Other activities promised, apart from the music, include a 500-person long-table lunch on the sand and a poolside conga line. If the simple activity of grooving to tunes in tropical surroundings, including by the pool and ocean, isn't enough motivation for you, festivalgoers have ten resorts to choose from among the fest's ticketing packages — at The Grand Hyatt and other spots to slumber that are connected to the main site via a beachside path, such as The Laguna, Kayumanis Villas, Mercure Nusa Dua, Novotel Nusa Dua and The Grand Bali. Keen to treat yo'self to a waterfront stay? You can add that to your itinerary. Enjoying kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and waterside cocktails is usually available as well. Unsurprisingly, this isn't a cheap festival to attend, starting at $799 per person. Accommodation, transfers and festival tickets are all included in the fest packages; however, you do still need to buy flights on top. Folks feeling particularly flush can also upgrade their tickets to gain VIP access, which includes a welcome party, plus VIP areas to catch the tunes that come complete with table service and access to private toilets — and start at $299 per person on top of your ticket. DREAM MACHINE 2024 LINEUP: Argonaut Cosmo's Midnight Cub Sport Dice Genesis Owusu Hayden James Jimi the Kween The Jungle Giants Kimbra Lazywax (DJ set) Leisure Mell Hall Miami Horror (DJ set) Old Mervs Poof Doof Poolside Shouse Snakehips Y.O.G.A Dream Machine 2024 takes place from Thursday, May 30–Monday, June 3, 2024 at Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, with pre-sales from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 31 and general sales from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 1 via the festival's website. Dream Machine images: Danny Clayton / Khan Ong. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Nestled into a leafy pocket of Brisbane's western suburbs, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary already boasts the honour of being the world's first and largest koala sanctuary. It's a tourist destination and a favourite with locals, as well as a great place to cuddle a koala — including on Christmas Day if you're looking to for something other than the usual festive celebrations. From November, it'll become a new spot to see animals by night, too, with the Fig Tree Pocket venue announcing the addition of an nocturnal precinct. Opening on Wednesday, November 1, Lone Pine's latest reason to drop by will hero Australia's nocturnal wildlife and offer night-time experiences. The animal haven is gaining seven exhibit spaces, which will become home to ten species. On the list: tree kangaroos, potoroos and pademelons, plus bandicoots, bettongs and more. Half of the residents of the nocturnal precinct will be new species to Lone Pine, with patrons able to peer their way using portable thermal imaging cameras. The experience is designed around not disrupting the critters — so, no torches beamed their way. If you're keen, you'll be able to sign up for a tour that'll run for 90 minutes three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Each group will welcome 20 visitors. As well as the nocturnal precinct, Lone Pine is also gaining a new kilometre-long accessible boardwalk. Part of a $3.2-million project, the new additions further expand a venue where getting up close and personal with wildlife — not just by cuddling a koala, but also by holding an owl, touching snakes, and watching everything from kangaroos, wombats and echidnas to birds of prey, turtles and even Tasmanian devils — is on offer. "Australia has some of the world's most unique wildlife and being able to discover their natural behaviours after dark will be an experience like no other — it's a secret world some of our staff haven't even seen!" said Lone Pine General Manager Lyndon Discombe. "In addition to the night experience, we're very excited to offer our animals beautiful new exhibit spaces, perfectly reflecting their natural habitat. The new precinct is situated among our working eucalyptus plantation, so although you are only 12 kilometres from the CBD, it feels like you're in the middle of the Australian bush," Discombe continued. "Opened almost 100 years ago as a koala refuge, Lone Pine Sanctuary has an enduring reputation among overseas and Australian visitors as a Brisbane bucket list destination," added Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, with the state government contributing $1.2 million to the new additions. "Lone Pine's night-time precinct opens up an entirely new dimension in marsupial experiences for visitors to discover in one of Queensland's great tourism destinations." Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary's nocturnal precinct opens on Wednesday, November 1 at 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket, Brisbane. Head to the venue's website for more information and bookings.
Across one big weekend, Werribee Park's Victoria State Rose Garden is set to bloom bright for the annual State Rose & Garden Show. But this is a whole lot more than just a festival of flowers. From Saturday, November 9–Sunday, November 10, the six sprawling acres of rose gardens will come alive with a riot of colour and more than 5000 roses, alongside pop-up nursery stalls selling a wide range of plants, pots and homewares. You can even hone your green thumb with a program of guided tours, expert talks and plant care demonstrations, led by names like Vasili Kanidiadis, Chloe Thomson, Charlotte Harrison, Ivan Blacket and Kat Lavers. Elsewhere, try a free workshop like creating your own insect hotel, making miniature garden ornaments and learning how to make Middle Eastern pickles. In between exploring the blooms, you'll be treated to live tunes, eats and drinks — including sparkling treats from the Prosecco Van. The Country Women's Association will also be on-site, serving their famous scones with jam and cream, rose-flavoured cupcakes, rose-coloured lamingtons and Persian love biscuits made with rose petals. Entry is free to the rose show, though if you'd like to drop a gold coin donation, it'll go to supporting the garden's hard-working volunteers. State Rose & Garden Show is open from 10am–4pm both days.
