Our society has a love affair with retro. From vintage clothing to a quirky antique find, we cannot seem to get enough. Yet no retrospective romance seems to be as durable or resonate as emphatically as our relationship with vinyl records. No matter what market you go to on the weekend, the lure of a full crate of musical treasures is irresistible, causing fingers to curiously flick through the collection before finding that gem to take home and play on your record player (that you probably bought at the same market immediately afterwards). At First Sight understands this fascination and is taking over Carriageworks on Saturday, July 20, with an enormous record fair and live music event. So whether you are an audiophile or you just have an intangible sensory relationship with those black discs, you are sure to find something at this brand new utopia for vinyl fans. To better understand this connection with vinyl, Concrete Playground asked some of the musicians performing at the event just why these musical mementos retain their aura. Amy Franz, SUPER WILD HORSES What is your favourite memory involving vinyl? I must have been about 14 and there was a boy on whom I had a debilitating crush — the kind of crush that is crushing, as happens when you're a teenager. He gave me a 7" of the Stone Roses, 'She Bangs the Drums', and at the time I felt like he was trying to tell me that I should be a drummer. We'd had a jam at my house with a whole lot of music gear I took home on loan from the school music department and I think I'd bashed something out on the half a drum kit I had. It was probably the biggest musical encouragement of my life. It took me another 12 years to get around to playing the drums. Antonia Sellbach, BEACHES Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? Music sounds better on vinyl. There's also the whole sense of tradition and ritual to vinyl. By having to turn over a record at the halfway point you're more connected to the whole album experience. It's the ultimate surviving format, partly because it provides a much needed counter to the digital era. Vinyl is an object, a thing. It takes up space, it's a commitment. If you truly love an album, you'll probably buy it on vinyl. And album artwork always looks better in 12"x 12". Kate Wilson, THE LAURELS What was the first vinyl you ever purchased and why? I think my first was Frenzal Rhomb's 'Sorry about the Ruse' 7" single. I still have it, although I've lost the insert. The insert was a letter from Depeche Mode's record label, (unfairly) denying Frenzal Rhomb permission to release a song based on 1981 smash hit 'Just Can't Get Enough', entitled '(How can I) Fuck the System (If I just can't get it up)' — it was included as the B-side anyway. You could get it with a blue or a green cover — I got the green one, and my friend the blue. I remember we fabricated some loose and spurious pretence to bring them not only to school, but also into the classroom, where I recall we just kind of lovingly gazed at them. Being a severe teenage dork who carried a record like a teddy bear meant incredible parties and first dates were not on the agenda for me at that time. Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? Trends can often be retaliatory in nature. I think vinyl is the counterpoint to the impermanence, and inability to tangibly "own" digital media. There's a healthy element of childhood nostalgia, courtesy of parent's record collections. There is also the wildly addictive sport of crate digging. Additionally the length of the LP's reign as the dominant medium, coupled with the fact that people discarded whole collections when digital took over, mean there is a hell of a lot of music out there. The abundance keeps the price low and the variety high. Record collecting is one of the greatest and most rewarding strategy games on earth! You have to be quite knowledgeable about music to derive pleasure from flicking through dusty LPs for hours on end, so I think there is a carry over to the more casual music buyer that vinyl is the format of choice for people who are seriously into music, an idea abetted by the fact it's seen by most audiophiles as the superior sound format. Ben James, SONGS What is your favourite memory involving vinyl? Buying my own record player. Listening on my brother's before that was a no go, and annoying — I could only listen at half volume so that I could still listen out for him coming home and avoid a good thrashing. Emma Ramsay, HOLY BALM Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? VHS has not disappeared. The technology may have been surpassed but there will always be people interested in hacking old technology in creative ways or wanting to 'experience' older technology. VHS is still in people's lounge rooms, attics, garage sales. Vinyl retains popularity in the digital era, because the analog era still exists, it has not ended per se. They co-exist. And so one informs the other, giving an extended network and experience of how we find new music, and dig up old favourites. MARTY DOYLE, At First Sight Curator and FBi Presenter What was the first vinyl you ever purchased and why? I was born in the '80s. The ideals of the time were all about the race for the latest technology, so that meant cassettes and Walkmans with Dolby Noise Reduction for me. My dad had a lot of records, but i just thought they were things he rolled 'cigarettes' on. It wasn't until i was about 12 and started listening to hip hop that I paid attention to vinyl. When i saw footage of Grandmaster Flash DJing at a Block Party, i thought it was the coolest thing ever. 2 turntables and scratching? I went straight to my dad's record collection and started digging through it and I was amazed to find all this stuff in there I had heard from hip hop samples. I think the first record I found and recognised was Boz Scaggs 'Low Down' which was sampled by Sparky D. That was really the start of my vinyl obsession. I still bump that Boz Scaggs record, it's the definition of sophisticated easy listening. Owen Penglis, STRAIGHT ARROWS What was the first vinyl you ever purchased and why? I first started buying records because they were heaps cheaper than CDs — as a 14 year old you've got plenty of time to burn digging through the $2 bin, and you'd usually come out with something you'd heard of before. I pulled out The Eagles The Long Run because I'd heard they were supposed to be good. Let me tell you, they are fucking terrible: boring cocaine country rock shit. I threw the album in the oven and learnt that not only do LPs make for unusable bowls, but there's no time for shitty music. Why do you think vinyl retains its popularity in the digital era? It smells better than CDs. At First Sight is on at Carriageworks on Saturday, July 20. The record fair is free and entry to the live music is $35.
Come early 2021, the Gold Coast will boast yet another attraction, and it doesn't involve sun, surf, sand or theme park rides. Southeast Queensland's popular tourist destination will become home to a $60.5 million, six-level art gallery — the country's largest art gallery outside of a capital city. Currently under construction at Surfers Paradise's HOTA, Home of the Arts, the gallery will include a 1000-square-metre main exhibition space that'll be used for touring exhibitions, plus 900 square metres of permanent collection space across three levels, a children's gallery, and another 1000 square metres for storing works that aren't on display. Simply called the HOTA gallery, it's being built at the top of the site's new concert lawn, and will overlook HOTA's outdoor stage. View-wise, for those keen to gaze at something other than the pieces gracing the walls, the building's rooftop will also be open to the public — and, with a bar part of the plans, it'll serve up plenty of drinks to go with the 270-degree vantage over both the city skyline and natural vistas. Going in the opposite direction, a ground-floor restaurant will also feature. With linking with HOTA's outdoor grounds a key component of the site — with the gallery both spilling out onto the landscape and incorporating the garden into its internal spaces — the structure's design and construction is being overseen by Hansen Yuncken, who managed the same process for Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). From late 2019, HOTA will also boast a brand new 130-metre green bridge over the Nerang River, connecting it with the rest of Surfer's Paradise via Chevron Island, and making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get to the arts centre. HOTA Gallery is set to open at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise from early 2021. For more information, visit the HOTA website. Image: HOTA, Home of the Arts.
After a not-so-funny, lockdown-filled 2021, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is once again bringing the laughs, returning for its huge 36th edition from Wednesday, March 30–Sunday, April 24. As always, it's dishing up a bumper program of stand-up shows, comedy showcases and other hilarious events — all featuring a top-shelf lineup of both local and international acts. Among the more than 500 shows in this year's lineup, you can catch global stars like Arj Barker, David O'Doherty, Fern Brady, Stephen K Amos and Ross Noble working their magic in solo performances, or do a little globe-trotting at the International Comedy Showcase. The 32nd Annual Great Debate will see some of your favourite funny folk duel it out in a battle of comedic critical thinking; while Ali McGregor's Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night shows will showcase a handpicked curation of MICF's top comedy, cabaret, burlesque and circus acts, set to a glittering soundtrack. There's also the Neighbourhood Sessions, which'll venture out of the city for a series of suburban showcases starring the likes of Kirsty Webeck, Carl Donnelly, Luke Heggie and more. The Festival Club will transform Max Watt's into an almost nightly haven of chuckles, hosting cheeky late-night performances, improv throwdowns, lip syncing battles and everything in between. And of course, venues across the city are firing up each night for a smorgasbord of gigs and events, including Storyville, the Carlton Club, Kewpie and the Toff in Town. Top image: Jim Lee.
New year, new list of huge events to look forward to — but only one will make LGBTQIA+ history. That'd be the first-ever WorldPride held in the Southern Hemisphere, which'll hit Sydney from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5. And, although Sydney WorldPride announced its massive 2023 lineup late in 2022, it's still adding big-name additions. Joining the program alongside everyone from Kylie Minogue and Charli XCX to Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger: German pop star Kim Petras. Fresh from nabbing a Grammy nomination for 'Unholy' with Sam Smith, the 'If Jesus Was a Rockstar', 'Heart to Break', 'Future Starts Now', 'Coconut' and 'Malibu' singer will headline Sydney WorldPride closing gig Rainbow Republic alongside the already-announced MUNA and G Flip. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sydney Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras) "I'm so happy to be back in Sydney supporting WorldPride! Headlining Mardi Gras was a really inspiring moment back in 2019 and it was one of my favourite Pride events ever, so I'm really excited to see my Australian fans again and take everything to a whole new level," said Petras, announcing the news. She'll take to the stage in The Domain, where WorldPride is hosting both its opening and closing events, as part of a a seven-hour show filled with live music, DJs and dancing — a queer megamix, if you like. On hosting duties: Keiynan Lonsdale (Love, Simon, The Flash, Eden), who'll also perform. Peach PRC, Alter Boy, BVT and Vetta Borne have also been named on the bill. Sydney WorldPride has been announcing parts of its lineup since June last year, including the return of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to Oxford Street after the 2021 and 2022 events were held at the Sydney Cricket Ground due to the pandemic. Among the other highlights: pride villages set up in sections of Crown Street and Riley Street, rainbows all around Greater Sydney, a Bondi beach party that'll turn the iconic sandy stretch into a club for 12,000 people, and a Blak & Deadly First Nations gala concert. RAINBOW REPUBLIC SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE CLOSING CONCERT LINEUP: Kim Petras MUNA G Flip Keiynan Lonsdale Peach PRC Alter Boy BVT Vetta Borne Sydney WorldPride will run from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, 2023, with closing concert Rainbow Republic taking place at The Domain on Sunday, March 5. Tickets for Rainbow Republic are on sale now. For more information about Sydney WorldPride, or for general ticket sales, head to the event's website.
Whether he's co-writing and starring in sketch comedies, directing two of the best horror films of the past few years, producing an Oscar-nominee or reviving a science-fiction classic, Jordan Peele has amassed an impressive resume. So, whenever he adds a new project to the lengthy list, it's worth paying attention. After Key & Peele, Get Out, Us and The Twilight Zone — and producing BlacKkKlansman, too — he's now lending executive producing skills to upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Hunters. It stars Al Pacino, it's about hunting down Nazis in the 70s, and it has just dropped its first impressive teaser trailer. Pacino plays Meyer Offerman, the leader of a group of Nazi hunters who are intent on stopping a Fourth Reich taking hold in America. They've discovered that hundreds of escaped Nazis are not only living in the US, but have genocidal plans — and Offerman and his vigilante pals plan to thwart this conspiracy by any means necessary. Expect violence, tensions, action, thrills, and a fight between good and evil that's inspired by real events. Not just calling out oppression, injustice and hatred, but tackling it through film and television is firmly in Peele's wheelhouse, as his filmography shows. Accordingly, Hunters slots in nicely, with a ten-episode first season due to drop at a yet-to-be-announced date in 2020. Fresh from his excellent turn in The Irishman — his first collaboration with Martin Scorsese, somehow — Pacino is in less theatrical, more nuanced mode here. He's also joined by a well-known roster of co-stars, which includes Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Lena Olin (Vinyl) and Australian actress Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God) as a kick-ass nun. Check out the first teaser trailer for Hunters below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYxTHcoRpNo Hunters will hit Amazon Prime Video in 2020 — we'll update you when an exact release date has been announced.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. SISSY Scroll, swipe, like, subscribe: this is the rhythm of social media. We look, watch and trawl; we try to find a sense of self in the online world; and when something strikes a chord, we smudge our fingers onto our phones to show our appreciation. If wellness influencers are to be believed, we should feel seen by this now-everyday process. We should feel better, too. We're meant to glean helpful tips about how to live our best lives, aspire to be like the immaculately styled folks dispensing the advice and be struck by how relatable it all is. "You saved my life!", we're supposed to comment, and we're meant to be genuine about it. The one catch, and one that we shouldn't think about, though: when it comes to seeking validation via social media, this setup really does go both ways. As savvy new Australian horror film Sissy shows, the beaming faces spruiking easy wisdom and products alike to hundreds, thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands of followers — 200,000-plus for this flick's namesake — are also basking in the glory of all that digital attention, and getting a self-esteem boost back in the process. Sissy starts with @SincerelyCecilia, an Instagram hit, doing what she does best. As played by Gold Coast-born Australian actor Aisha Dee of The Bold Type in an astute and knowing stroke of casting, she's a natural in front of the camera. Indeed, thanks to everything from The Saddle Club and I Hate My Teenage Daughter to Sweet/Vicious and The Nowhere Inn as well, the film's star knows what it's like to live life through screens out of character. She's been acting since she was a teenager, and she's charted the highs of her chosen profession, all in front of a lens. So, it's no wonder that Dee conveys Cecilia's comfort recording her videos with ease. The actor hops into the spotlight not only once but twice here, but she's just as perceptive at showing how the world crumbles, shakes and shrinks whenever there's no ring light glowing, smile stretched a mile wide and Pinterest-board background framing her guru-like guidance. "I am loved. I am special. I am enough," is Cecilia's kind of mantra. Through her carefully poised and curated videos, such words have sparked a soaring follower count, a non-stop flow of likes and adoring comments. But she's so tied to all that virtual worship that her off-camera existence — when she's not plugging an 'Elon mask', for instance — is perhaps even more mundane than everyone else's. It's also isolated, so when she reconnects with her childhood best friend Emma (co-director/co-writer Hannah Barlow) during a chance run-in at a pharmacy, it's a rare IRL link to the tangible world. Cecilia is awkward about it, though, including when Emma invites her to her out-of-town bachelorette party that very weekend. Buoyed by memories of pledging to be BFFs forever, singing Aussie pop track 'Sister' by Sister2Sister and obsessing over movie stars, she still agrees to go. Sissy's first act is a Rorschach test: if you're already cynical about the wellness industry and social media, unsurprisingly so, then you'll know that nothing dreamy is bound to follow; if you're not, perhaps the blood and guts to come will feel like a twist. Either way, there will be blood thanks to Barlow and fellow co-helmer/co-scribe Kane Senes' game efforts, reteaming for their second feature after 2017's For Now. There will be chaos as well, and bad signs aplenty, and a rousing body count. Hitting a kangaroo en route to their remote destination clearly doesn't bode well, and also kicks off casualty tally. Then the old schoolyard dynamics bubble up, especially when Cecilia's playground tormentor Alex (Emily De Margheriti, Ladies in Black) is among the fellow guests. Pre-teen taunts resurface — "Sissy's a sissy" was the juvenile and obvious jeer spat her way back in the day, and repeated now — and the @SincerelyCecilia facade starts to shatter. Read our full review. ARMAGEDDON TIME What's more difficult a feat: to ponder everything that the universe might hold, as writer/director James Gray did in 2019's sublime Ad Astra, or to peer back at your own childhood, as he now does with Armageddon Time? Both films focus on their own worlds, just of different sizes and scales. Both feature realms that loom over everyone, but we all experience in their own ways. In the two movies, the bonds and echoes between parents and children also earn the filmmaker's attention. Soaring into the sky and reaching beyond your assigned patch is a focus in one fashion or another, too. In both cases, thoughtful, complex and affecting movies result. And, as shared with everything he's made over the past three decades — such as The Yards, The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z as well — fantastic performances glide across the screen in unwaveringly emotionally honest pictures. In Armageddon Time, Gray returns to a favourite subject: the experience of immigrants to New York. With a surname barely removed from his own, the Graff family share his own Jewish American heritage — and anchor a portrait of a pre-teen's growing awareness of his privilege, the world's prejudices, the devastating history of his ancestors, and how tentative a place people can hold due to race, religion, money, politics and more. The year is 1980, and the end of times isn't genuinely upon anyone. Even the sixth-grader at its centre knows that. Still, that doesn't stop former Californian governor-turned-US presidential candidate Ronald Reagan from talking up existential threats using inflammatory language, as the Graffs spot on TV. Armageddon Time also takes its moniker from a 1977 The Clash B-side and cover; despite the film's stately approach, the punk feeling of wanting to tear apart the status quo — Gray's own adolescent status quo — dwells in its frames. Banks Repeta (The Black Phone) plays Paul Graff, Gray's on-screen surrogate, and Armageddon Time's curious and confident protagonist. At his public school in Queens, he's happy standing out alongside his new friend Johnny (Jaylin Webb, The Wonder Years), and disrupting class however and whenever he can — much to the dismay of his mother Esther (Anne Hathaway, Locked Down), a home economics teacher and school board member. He dreams of being an artist, despite his plumber dad Irving's (Jeremy Strong, Succession) stern disapproval, because the elder Graff would prefer the boy use computing as a path to a life better than his own. In his spare time, Paul is happiest with his doting, advice-dispensing, gift-bearing grandfather Aaron (Anthony Hopkins, The Father), who's considered the only person on the pre-teen's wavelength. Gray fleshes out Paul's personality and the Graffs' dynamic with candour as well as affection, as seen at an early home dinner. There, Paul criticises Esther's cooking, orders dumplings even after expressly being forbidden and incites Irving's explosive anger — and the establishing scene also starts laying bare attitudes that keep being probed and unpacked throughout Armageddon Time. Indeed, Paul will begin to glean the place he navigates in the world. Even while hearing about the past atrocities that brought his grandfather's mother to America, and the discrimination that still lingers, he'll learn that he's fortunate to hail from a middle-class Jewish family. Even if his own comfort is tenuous, Paul will see how different his life is to his black, bused-in friend, with Johnny living with his ailing grandmother, always skirting social services and constantly having condemning fingers waggling his way. And, Paul will keep spying how Johnny is at a disadvantage in every manner possible, including from their instantly scornful teacher and via Paul's own parents' quick judgement. Read our full review. THE WONDER "We are nothing without stories, so we invite you to believe in this one." So goes The Wonder's opening narration, as voiced by Niamh Algar (Wrath of Man) and aimed by filmmaker Sebastián Lelio in two directions. For the Chilean writer/director's latest rich and resonant feature about his favourite topic, aka formidable women — see also: Gloria, its English-language remake Gloria Bell, Oscar-winner A Fantastic Woman and Disobedience — he asks his audience to buy into a tale that genuinely is a tale. In bringing Emma Donoghue's (Room) book to the screen, he even shows the thoroughly modern-day studio and its sets where the movie was shot. But trusting in a story is also a task that's given The Wonder's protagonist, Florence Pugh's nurse Lib Wright, who is en route via ship to an Irish Midlands village when this magnetic, haunting and captivating 19th century-set picture initially sees her. For the second time in as many movies — and in as many months Down Under as well — Pugh's gotta have faith. Playing George Michael would be anachronistic in The Wonder, just as it would've been in Don't Worry Darling's gleaming 1950s-esque supposed suburban dream, but that sentiment is what keeps being asked of the British actor, including in what's also her second fearless performance in consecutive flicks. Here, it's 1862, and 11-year-old Anna O'Donnell (Kíla Lord Cassidy, Viewpoint) has seemingly subsisted for four months now without eating. Ireland's 1840s famine still casts shadows across the land and its survivors, but this beatific child says she's simply feeding on manna from heaven. Lib's well-paid job is to watch the healthy-seeming girl in her family home, where her mother (A Discovery of Witches' Elaine Cassidy, Kila's actual mum) and father (Caolan Byrne, Nowhere Special) dote, to confirm that she isn't secretly sneaking bites to eat. Lib is to keep look on in shifts, sharing the gig with a nun (Josie Walker, This Is Going to Hurt). She's also expected to verify a perspective that's already beaming around town, including among the men who hired her, such as the village doctor (Toby Jones, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) and resident priest (Ciarán Hinds, Belfast). The prevailing notion: that Anna is a miracle, with religious tourism already starting to swell around that idea, and anyone doubting the claim — or pointing out that it could threaten the girl's life and end in tragedy — deemed blasphemous. But arriving with experience with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War behind her, the level-leaded, no-nonsense and also in-mourning Lib isn't one for automatic piety. A local-turned-London journalist (Tom Burke, The Souvenir) keeps asking her for inside information, sharing her determination to eschew unthinking devotion and discover the truth, but the nurse's duty is to Anna's wellbeing no matter the personal cost. Lelio's opening gambit, the filmmaking version of showing how the sausage is made, isn't merely a piece of gimmickry. It stresses the power of storytelling and the bargain anyone strikes, The Wonder's viewers alike, when we agree to let tales sweep us away — and it couldn't better set the mood for a movie that ruminates thoughtfully and with complexity on the subject. Is life cheapened, threatened or diminished by losing yourself to fiction over fact? In an age of fake news, as Lelio's movie screens in, clearly it can be. Is there far too much at stake when faith and opinion is allowed to trump science, as the world has seen in these pandemic-affected, climate change-ravaged times? The answer there is yes again. Can spinning a narrative be a coping mechanism, a mask for dark woes, and a way to make trauma more bearable and existence itself more hopeful, though? That's another query at the heart of Alice Birch's (Mothering Sunday) script. And, is there a place for genuine make-believe to entertain, sooth and make our days brighter, as literature and cinema endeavours? Naturally, there is. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on August 4, August 11, August 18 and August 25; September 1, September 8, September 15, September 22 and September 29; and October 6, October 13, October 20 and October 27. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Bullet Train, Nope, The Princess, 6 Festivals, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Crimes of the Future, Bosch & Rockit, Fire of Love, Beast, Blaze, Hit the Road, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Orphan: First Kill, The Quiet Girl, Flux Gourmet, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Moonage Daydream, Ticket to Paradise, Clean, You Won't Be Alone, See How They Run, Smile, On the Count of Three, The Humans, Don't Worry Darling, Amsterdam, The Stranger, Halloween Ends, The Night of the 12th, Muru, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, Black Adam, Barbarian, Decision to Leave, The Good Nurse, Bros and The Woman King.
Talk about a big hook: while shark movies and serial-killer films comprise their own unnerving genres, each swimming with ample must-see viewing, Dangerous Animals combines the pair into an entertaining thriller mashup. The Gold Coast-made and -set picture boasts marine predators aplenty. The real monster in the hierarchy, however, lives on land and is very much human. Indeed, in a post-Jaws world — June 2025 marks five decades since Steven Spielberg's blockbuster sparked many a permanent case of galeophobia — one of The Loved Ones and The Devil's Candy filmmaker Sean Byrne's aims with his third feature, and first in ten years, is to do justice to rather than villainise the feared toothy fish. His new antagonist: Tucker, Dangerous Animals' shark-obsessed murderer. The victim of an attack in his younger days, he's now in the cage-diving business. As viewers learn early on, tourists frequenting his boat to swim with the ocean's creatures get more than they bargained for. From Jai Courtney (American Primeval) in the part, the movie receives exactly what it needs, though: an unforgettably terrifying performance, bringing to life a figure that's charismatic from the outset, while equally unsettling from the get-go as well. Tucker charms his customers, but there's aways an edge to him. He's menacing and obsessive, and also believable and fleshed out — and a little vulnerable, too. When Dangerous Animals introduces American-in-Australia Zephyr (Hassie Harrison, Yellowstone), everyone watching knows that the dedicated surfer is bound to paddle into Tucker's orbit, even as the solo traveller is making a rare connection with local real-estate agent Moses (Josh Heuston, Heartbreak High). The screenplay by first-timer Nick Lepard obliges — but this isn't the type of film where foreseeing such a turn of events kills the tension and suspense. Although Tucker abducts Zephyr to indulge his sadistic shark-feeding ritual, she knows the true threat and isn't afraid to sink her own teeth into fighting back. An engaging big-screen experience results, as does a movie that earned a rare endorsement on its way to cinemas Down Under. At 2025's Cannes Film Festival, Dangerous Animals became the first shark film to ever grace the event's program. "To be the first shark film to be officially selected for Cannes was kind of mindblowing," Byrne tells Concrete Playground. "And to be in Directors' Fortnight as well, which traditionally is a very film-literate sidebar — but it was a great vote of confidence that, I think, the selection committee saw this as a subversion of the traditional shark film." [caption id="attachment_1009141" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Belinda Rolland © 2025.[/caption] "What I loved the most was, the Cannes experience, that was the first time that an audience had seen the finished film," Byrne continues. "So I was terrified. And because it is a very film-literate audience over there, I was thinking 'how are they going to perceive this?'. But they absolutely understood that this is just a fun, unhinged night at the movies, and really responded to that, and laughed and gasped. And we got a ten-minute standing ovation. So, yeah, it was incredibly gratifying. But to begin with I was petrified, because it was the first time that an audience had seen the finished film and on quite a big stage, so the stakes felt high." Playing Tucker, the stakes are raised for Courtney, too. It's a complex role — and one that Byrne has likened to Kathy Bates in Misery, Jack Nicholson in The Shining and Christian Bale in American Psycho. The Australian actor, making his second homegrown flick in succession after the immensely different, family-friendly Runt, hasn't shied away from playing the bad guy across his career so far. Here, the IRL true-crime fan was excited about the many layers to his Dangerous Animals part, as he adds to an on-screen resume that began two decades back in short Boys Grammar — and has spanned the likes of Jack Reacher, A Good Day to Die Hard, Terminator Genisys, the Divergent movies and two Suicide Squad entries in Hollywood. Is a willingness to get dark behind the range of antagonistic parts to Courtney's name? "I think it's just something that's started to happen. You find things that are in your wheelhouse," he advises. "And I'm not afraid of that or necessarily in search of it, either. It's just that, I guess, things that tend to be the stuff that come my way, that meet up with where my interests are, happen to be that way. But the goal for me is just to try and shake it up whenever I can. And fortunately films like Runt come along and I get to play a loving father of two, and completely depart from this world whatsoever. As long as I pepper a few of those in here and there, hopefully I'm not pigeonholed too heavily." A premise like Dangerous Animals' is a rarity, no matter how common both shark and serial-killer fare are separately. Yes, for both Byrne and Courtney, that's a drawcard. Respecting the film's sea-dwelling creatures, complete with using real animal footage as much as possible, was another key element for its director. So was the fact that this is as much a movie about the importance of love, and the power that someone believing in you can give. For its star, Tucker's dance sequence to Steve Wright's 'Evie' wasn't a motivating factor — but it's one of the film's most-memorable moments in a flick filled with them. We also chatted with Byrne and Courtney about the above, unpacking Australian larrikins and ideas around Aussie masculinity, how starring in a shark picture leaves you feeling about them and their career journeys as well, among other subjects. On the First Reaction When a Horror Movie About a Shark-Obsessed Serial Killer Stalking the Gold Coast — and About Man Being the Real Monster, Too — Comes Your Way Jai: "I think I read something that felt really original. It was a great story and had really strong characters at the centre of it, which is a sort of immediate way in — because I think with something like this, you get a loose logline before you're about to crack it open and it's like 'okay, it could go either way'. But Nick Lepard, who wrote our script, had really done a lot of work in giving these characters maybe a bit more depth than you'd come to expect from a film of this nature. And I think that's what made it a bit of a unique experience, and certainly made it appealing to me to want to get involved with. I think Tucker, he's so much more than the shark-obsessed serial killer. And we don't get to explore tons of his backstory, but there is a lot of colour to him, and I think seeing a chance to bring all that to life with this undertone of his morally ambiguous intentions was what really attracted me to it. And then, just speaking to Sean and kind of getting on common ground as far as what we thought was necessary for him. I didn't want this character to feel like a broad-strokes-washed-over-evil-intentions guy. If that was the movie he was trying to make, I don't think I would have been there. But I think we both wanted him to feel like there was a sort of deception there. And it had to feel fun. I wanted it to feel familiar and uniquely Australian, but also the genre speaks to the world, and we play into all the classic tropes that you might expect. It also does a good job of not taking yourself too seriously. There's a few winks to the audience in this film, where I think if you get onboard — it's why it's so important to see it with an audience, too, I really believe, because there's an energy to it that when you're sharing the space with others who are on the same ride, it becomes really palpable." Sean: "I tend to write my own scripts, much to the frustration of my agent and manager. And then this crossed my desk, and immediately I was just struck by the high-concept of serial killer film meets shark film. And I thought 'why hasn't anyone done this?', especially when you had the fact that this is the first shark film where the sharks aren't really the antagonist — man is. So I felt like Nick Lepard had actually kind of cracked the code. Because, Jaws masterpiece though it is, has done such a disservice to the sharks, where the same formula has been followed over and over again to the point that sharks are beginning to become an endangered species — because it was so culturally seismic. And so to get this shark film that was unlike any other shark film, but also had a conservation angle — but on top of that, was just a wild, fun night at the movies — it was just irresistible.' On Exploring Tucker's Layers — Including His Childhood Shark Attack and the Physical Scars It Left, Plus the Trauma, Vulnerability and Emotional Damage — All While He Remains a Shark-Obsessed Serial Killer Jai: "You just have to find the quiet moments and allow them to be there without trying to sell it too hard. The camera is an interesting thing, because it sees things that are saved for the audience for later. It's not like on set — you can't kind of like sell it all for the people that are in the room. And I think Tucker, there's an opportunity with him sometimes — where even just his response to certain comments made by Zephyr, or questions he's asked by Heather [Ella Newton, Girl at the Window] in the start of the film, there's things that can be quite potent. I just wanted to find opportunities with him to reveal a bit of his tenderness. And I think that's the thing that, for me, was like the gateway into figuring out who he was — is like this wound. We don't get to hear a lot about it in the film. There's one moment that sort of touches on it. But there's a bit of arrested development. He's stuck in a place where he was abandoned as a kid, and this somewhat otherworldly encounter touched him, and that's by way of being victim of an attack. But it almost made him feel chosen in a way. And so a lot of that is really just figuring out the path for yourself, where you're going 'alright, here's this bloke who's got this gaping wound in him, this trauma, but feels this immense connection to the animal'. All of that is just sort of say that he's found a crusade for himself that feels real. And it might be misguided, but he has a true belief in it. And so there you have the building blocks of who he might be, and then the fun part is stacking on the colourful bits on top. Even just costume and makeup and finding his look, finding the shape of his body — I mean, that for me, it's all part of building who Tucker is, and I wanted him to feel like a real salty, kind of born-out-of-the-marina, familiar Australian figure." On Courtney's Chance to Turn in a Horror Performance That Aims to Be as Memorable as Kathy Bates in Misery and Jack Nicholson in The Shining Jai: "Oh no, I didn't really approach it with any of that in mind. I just approached it with a goal to just do something that was dynamic and big, and get to explore all the corners of this human, really. And I think Sean and I were onboard with each other, and there was an immediate trust. And I think he let me — I was kind of like 'you help me with the temperature, and the volume of where we're pulling moments up and down and in and out, and I'll take care of sending it as hard as I think it needs to'. I mean, the material is there. But that stuff is a blueprint, it's not prescriptive. Every actor is going to come and do that with their own instincts. I saw a version of it in my head when I first read it, and I felt like that was the version that would work for the film. And fortunately I was given the chance to do it, and I'm proud with what we came up with." Sean: "I think any kind of horror film that stands the test of time, the antagonist haunts the audience's nightmares well after they've left the cinema. But I wanted it to be a great time as well. You think of Hannibal Lecter, and as disturbing as he is, he's fun. And Kathy Bates in particular, that character is just so wonderfully goofy, and she doesn't swear. And there's a certain theatricality to antagonists in commercial horror films, and we really wanted to aim for that and keep it fun. But also, the great thing about Jai is he's such a great character actor. I knew he would bring emotional nuance to the character where it was required — and capture the broken child inside the man, and point to this shark attack that he'd had as a child and capture all that. But also, he was also Captain Boomerang. He's got this wild charisma that reminded me of kind of Eric Bana in Chopper. And that's how the spider catches the fly, with charisma and letting tourists, they let their guard down. And finally, he's physically really intimidating and genuine — he could kill you with one punch. So I just thought combining the charisma with the kind of character actor that he is and the physical intimidation would be a really electric mix, to the point that I thought that this was the role that he was born to play. And so I was so thankful that we got him." On What Goes Into a Good Dance Sequence for Courtney, Given That He's in Quite the Unforgettable One in Dangerous Animals Jai: "God, I couldn't even tell you. I was daunted by that whole thing, because I'm by no means a dancer and it should never be filmed when I'm dancing. But we knew what it wanted to feel like. It's completely unchoreographed and just improvised. Tucker's kind of having this wrap party for his own little film that he's made, and it's a private look at this person in a light that we don't really get to spend a lot of time with them outside of that moment in the film. That needle drop of 'Evie' was written into the script. I know that song very well. I could already see it and hear and feel it. And I didn't plan any of it. I just had to go in, get in that mindset that he's in that night and just go for it. I think we did it in two takes. We did one, and we just ran it again from a different angle, and it was just me and Shelly [Farthing-Dawe, In Vitro], our cinematographer, with a handheld camera in the space. It was kind of like 'what we get is what we get'. And fortunately it turned out to be something really fun." On Unpacking Australian Larrikins and Ideas Around Aussie Masculinity Through Tucker Sean: "I think we've all had that kind of tour-guide experience. It doesn't necessarily need to be a shark-diving boat, but we're always in the hands of the tour guide. So yeah, there was that, but also he's almost an outdated representation of the kind of masculinity or toxic masculinity that I think the film works as a Trojan horse to say that this is something that needs to be kind of defeated. And Moses, in many ways, is the anti-Tucker. But I think it's inherent in the title. It's called Dangerous Animals. He is definitely more dangerous than what's in the water. But ultimately, I think Zephyr is the most-dangerous animal — and the allegory is she needs to defeat this. This is something that needs to be defeated. His philosophy needs to be destroyed." On Whether Being a True-Crime Fan Helps When You're Portraying a Serial Killer Jai: "I think so. I think I leant on my curiosity for people that are capable of things that we can't quite understand. And yeah, I do just have a fascination with it. It's one of those things where I think it's easy to judge that and feel like for some reason you're excusing these behaviours, or we're glorifying it or whatever — but I don't know, I've just always been fascinated by how close we might get to people that are capable of these crazy things without even knowing it. And that's interesting to me. You know, you don't really know who you're sitting next to on the bus or in a pub or whatever, and for some reason that doesn't terrify me — it intrigues me. There's not a story you could tell me that's too dark. I'm kind of here for it in a strange way. So yeah, I guess it led me in a little bit. But even with Tucker, the experience of shooting it, there were moments that hit a limit. There's a night we had where Ella Newton, who plays Heather, is strung up in the harness over the open water in the middle of the night, screaming for her life — and everyone was squirming, honestly, after a few minutes. We were all kind of, the whole crew, myself included, we're just like 'can we make this stop? This is too much'. And it's a testament to her performance and what she was giving it. But yeah, when your disbelief is suspended somewhat, even as a performer, you know you're stepping into wild territory." On the Importance of This Being Not Just a Killer Shark Flick and a Serial-Killer Movie, But Also a Survivalist Thriller, Plus a Film About Love and Finding Someone Who Helps You Believe in Yourself Sean: "Oh absolutely. I'm so glad you said that, because I think that's almost a central theme — that it's about love, or the difference that love can make in a life, and what an absence of love can do to a person as well. And I think it's this collision course between these two broken people that have had to learn to survive on their own, which actually sharks do. They're birthed in the shallows, and then they're left on their own to survive. So in many ways, Zephyr and Tucker know each other better than anyone else on the planet does — in a similar way to De Niro and Pacino doing Heat. Even though they're opposites and they're trying to kill each other, it's like, well, they actually understand each other as well. I think ultimately, Zephyr uses the ocean to ease her loneliness, and she uses it in a way that's about solace — whereas Tucker takes advantage of the ocean, ultimately, and it comes back to bite him." On How Making a Film About Sharks — Even When They're Not the Villain of the Movie — Leaves You Feeling About Them Afterwards Jai: "Sharks are scary. Let's get one thing straight, right: I don't think anyone's not scared of sharks. Maybe there are people out there that have a completely different affinity with them, but I don't need to come closer than anyone should. I would love to cage dive with whites. I've been in a tank, in a cage with some sharks, but they weren't exactly maneaters, so, you know, I wasn't in fear of my life. But there's something so incredible and mythical about giant beasts that could consume humans, that I think it's rare — that's sort of a rare quality on this earth. You think of big cats and maybe bears, and other than that, there's things that will kind of poison you. But sharks are a very unique threat, and they live in a world that we really can't get too close to or understand. So I think there's always going to be this quality to that that keeps people in fear. But they're beautiful. And nature is beautiful. And it's just the nature things. There's a line in the movie about it not being the shark's fault, Tucker references his own, being the victim of his own attack, and yeah, that is the case — it isn't." On How Crucial It Was to Use Real Shark Footage, Including to Dispel the Notion That They're Villainous Creatures Sean: "I feel like shark films recently have become so reliant on CGI, just because you can have lots of them in the shot. And they tend to be super sleek and more like a video game. But since Jaws, there's been so much overfishing of sharks. And they carry scars the same way that we do. And so I wanted to present them in a kind of documentary, real light — because our scars as humans are a big part of our personality. So I wanted to depict that with the sharks and show them as the majestic creatures that they truly are. And the only way to do that is treat them with the respect and show them for real. So 80 percent of the sharks that you see are real. Everything underwater is real. It's all taken from 4K footage that our shark researcher sourced to match storyboards and photographic references. The only CG is the fins above the water, because it's pretty much impossible to cover the intricate shark blocking with real shark fins. And all the shark photography really happens underwater because no one ever captures fins. So that was a necessity. But yeah, it just felt like I hadn't seen that in a shark film for such a long time, just real sharks in their element and appreciating them in all their beauty." [caption id="attachment_804997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Suicide Squad[/caption] On How Courtney's Franchise Experience in Everything From Die Hard and Terminator Flicks to the Divergent Series, Jack Reacher and Suicide Squad Helps on a Film Like Dangerous Animals Jai: "Filmmaking is weirdly all the same. Your experience of it might change because the budget is different, but that's really not — you're just telling different stories. It doesn't really get better or worse. Maybe some people wouldn't like to work on a film of this size and give up a few basic luxuries, but that doesn't really — having more money to spend on screen doesn't make something more fulfilling to make. Sometimes it's just the bare-bones stuff where the story is as good as it gets and the character's really well rounded out and you're working with a phenomenal director, and it can be a really contained drama, but it's just as alive to shoot because of what we do as storytellers, as people that play dress ups. And it's all make believe. It's nice to put a big costume on sometimes and jump around on huge stunt rigs, and get to be involved with epic crash sequences or whatever. It's a lot of fun. But I enjoy the intimate, small stuff just as much. I guess I'm fortunate to be able to shake it up and operate in many different spaces." On What It Means to Courtney to Be Able to Come Home and Make Films That Are as Diverse as Runt and Dangerous Animals Jai: "It's everything. I hope that never ever ends. Australia's such a great place to work. I love the crews there. I've been fortunate to be part of some really special films — and I don't think it'll ever change. As long as we keep telling stories, I'll keep wanting to be involved." On Byrne's Journey From The Loved Ones Through The Devil's Candy to Dangerous Animals Sean: "I think it's probably a perception out there that if you do something that a lot of people end up seeing and gets some kind of cult status, that there's going to be money on tap. And the unfortunate reality is if you write original films about humans hunting other humans, they're not that easy to get off the ground. That's why there's more supernatural films than there are serial-killer films, because it's easier to blame the devil. In fact, I kind of had to do that in The Devil's Candy to get the money. So I've written constantly in the years between The Loved Ones and The Devil's Candy, and The Devil's Candy and Dangerous Animals, and optioned all of my scripts. But then Hollywood is so risk-averse, that that's why they want something that can mitigate the risk and justify their decision. Hence it's got to be either IP-driven or a sequel, or kind of supernatural — and that's why I was so thrilled when this crossed my desk. I had another film that was a lower budget that actually got the money at the same time as Dangerous Animals. So after all that time, it was like an embarrassment of riches. But Dangerous Animals felt the most-commercial choice, just because it's a shark film that has a very loyal following, plus it's a serial- killer film. And I was really happy to have that safety net that I could explore the extreme nature of man, but have the loyal shark fans to hold it up." On How Courtney Sees His Path From His First Screen Acting Role Two Decades Back, Through Huge Hollywood Franchises, Comedies, Local Fare and Much In-Between Jai: "I don't know. I'm still figuring it out, I think. Just trying to stay engaged with the material that I'm choosing nowadays. I'm a big believer in it all being part of the story, and there's some elements of that that you can control and a lot you have none over. So, I don't know, man. It gets tough out there. I'm just really grateful to get to do this for a living. There's nothing else I would be doing or ever will. [caption id="attachment_884171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaleidoscope. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.[/caption] And I really am in touch with that gratitude when I'm working. It's a real pleasure to get to do this. So I'm just trucking along, trying to keep growing as an artist — and try to hopefully do stuff that I'm thrilled to roll out of bed and get to involve myself in." Dangerous Animals opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
More than once in Heartstopper, a question drifts from the lips of the Netflix series' British teens, asking something that every adolescent has contemplated. That query: "why are we like this?", pondering why hitting puberty always brings an utter lack of elegance with emotions, identity, relationships and expressing yourself. It can't be answered in any satisfactory way, but in this delightful streaming newcomer — with an eight-part first season that's become a must-see within a week of hitting the platform — what that question isn't referencing is also crucial. The LGBTQIA+-championing show doesn't ever have its gay, trans and bisexual characters pointlessly wonder why they love who they love or feel how they feel, welcomely, refreshingly and heartwarmingly so. That's enough to earn the series its title; for viewers, plenty about this webcomic-to-page-to-screen charmer will cause entranced tickers to miss a beat. Within the story, though, it takes mere minutes for Heartstopper to warrant its name — showing rather than telling, as all great art should. A year ten student at Truham Grammar School for Boys, Charlie Spring (first-timer Joe Locke) finds himself seated in his form class next to year 11 rugby player Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Little Joe) at the start of a new term. Sparks fly on the former's part, swiftly and overwhelmingly, as a crush and then a life-changing love story is born. It's not the only moment that'll make Charlie pause, his heart all a-flutter and his cheeks a-glow — or any of the show's figures for that matter — but it leaves an imprint that sets Heartstopper's astutely endearing tone. Nodding to the series' graphic-novel origins, Charlie and Nick's first meetings inspire a flurry of hand-drawn animated hearts on-screen, illustrating how we all know that such an experience feels. The cute twinkling imagery is such a small but pivotal touch, used to illuminate small yet essential moments, and couldn't be more perfect. Others that follow, all also flawless: lightning bolts, flowers, stars and rainbows, all whizzing around when the sweetest of emotions run high. Everything isn't all rainbows for Charlie and Nick, narrative-wise, though — although the colour scheme favoured by director Euros Lyn (Dream Horse) goes heavy on pink lighting, blue and yellow school walls, the green grass of sports fields, and violet-hued clothing. In Heartstopper's opening episode, Charlie has a secret boyfriend, Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft, Doom Patrol). Their clandestine rendezvous in empty classrooms aren't his choice, but Ben won't even acknowledge Charlie in public. He's also cruel, rude and demanding without ever caring about Charlie's feelings, and filled with loathing about his sexuality — and fear that he might be found out. Thankfully, Charlie realises that he deserves much, much better, including with Nick's help. Also an issue: Charlie hardly thinks of himself as sporty, even after Nick asks him to join the school rugby team because he's super-fast at running. That train of thought speaks to a lifetime of self-doubt, with Nick telling Charlie to stop apologising for, well, everything — and Charlie's high-drama best friend Tao (fellow debutant William Gao) describing him as having "a tendency to believe him just existing is annoying for other people". Accordingly, while a friendship quickly solidifies between Heartstopper's central duo, Charlie is initially unsure whether anything more can happen. And, after spending a year being bullied by homophobic classmates after coming out — often hiding in the art room at lunch with a kindly teacher (Fisayo Akinade, Atlanta) to escape — he's anxiety-riddled in general. The nervy Charlie and calm-and-collected Nick — a self-described "gay nerd" among "borderline outcasts" and Truham's rugby king — don't simply cycle through an opposites-attract scenario, thankfully. This is an upbeat, soaring and joyful tale, too; yet another take on Romeo and Juliet, it definitely isn't. Heartstopper's focus: all those things that Charlie, Nick, Tao, recently out trans pal Elle (Yasmin Finney), her lesbian school friends Tara (Corinna Brown, Daphne) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), and the quietly happy-go-lucky Isaac (Tobie Donovan) navigate as they grapple with their feelings, working out what they want, self-acceptance, and relationships both romantic and platonic. The series isn't afraid of teen tropes or rom-com cliches, such as grand gestures in the pouring rain, blissful montages and the stress of text messages, but it also isn't willing to deliver anything other than a thoughtful and tender account of high schoolers being and finding themselves, even amid unavoidable teen angst and taunting. As well as writing Heartstopper's source material, Alice Oseman pens every episode of this perceptive gem, which bubbles with warmth, care and honey-coated emotions from the outset. Its coming-of-age story and central love story alike prove wholly relatable, aptly awkward but also wonderfully sweet and sensitive; Skins, Euphoria or either version of Gossip Girl it isn't, either. In short, it's a series that plunges so convincingly and inclusively into its characters' experiences that it feels like its heart is constantly bursting with affection for everything they do, want, hope for, dream of, pine over and go through. First crushes, young love, the swirling swell of feelings that comes with both and also figuring out who you are: all of this dances through Heartstopper's frames, and marvellously. Also, when Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter) pops up, she's glorious as always — although her teen colleagues are truly the stars of the show. The first season of Heartstopper is available to stream via Netflix. Images: Rob Youngson/Netflix.
Calling all Parks and Recreation, Succession, Pulp and Exit West fans of Melbourne — you now have an exciting September date with Melbourne Writers Festival. The city's annual literary fest won't reveal its full program until late July, ahead of its spring arrival; however, it has just announced quite the impressive first batch of international guests. On the bill: Parks and Recreation, Obvious Child, I Want You Back and Everything Everywhere All At Once star, and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On author Jenny Slate; Logan Roy himself, aka Succession actor Brian Cox; Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker; and bestselling Moth Smoke, The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Exit West writer Mohsin Hamid. They'll each take part in sessions that survey their work and careers — which means they'll all have plenty to talk about. Slate, Cox and Hamid are all physically heading to Melbourne, too, now that that's a possibility again. As for Cocker, he'll livestream in from the UK. [caption id="attachment_756726" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HBO[/caption] From Slate, expect to hear about her on-screen work, her bestselling book Little Weirds, and also the process of bring Marcel the Shell with Shoes On to the big screen. Cox recently released a memoir called Putting the Rabbit in the Hat, so that's what his chat will cover — including deconstructing his phenomenal work on one of the best shows currently on TV. Via live link, Cocker won't be singing Pulp's hits — but he will be discussing his music, as well as his book Good Pop, Bad Pop. It's a guide to the objects that mean the most to him, and the experiences as well, so expect plenty of behind-the-tunes insights. [caption id="attachment_859193" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jillian Edelstein.[/caption] Hamid's session will focus on his latest work, The Last White Man, which has been attracting acclaim — as the Booker-shortlisted Exit West and The Reluctant Fundamentalist also did. His new tome is taken from his own experiences after September 11, as a "brown-skinned man with a Muslim surname". If all of this sounds familiar, the same quartet have just been announced on Sydney Opera House's Antidote lineup, which is livestreaming its sessions — but Melburnians can now attend MWF's counterparts in-person. Melbourne Writers Festival will run from Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11 at a variety of venues around Melbourne, with the full program announced on Wednesday, July 27. Tickets for the fest's first headline events are on sale from Tuesday, June 28. Top image: Katie McCurdy.
Huge news, food lovers — especially if you've ever had a steak at Rockpool Bar & Grill, a pink blossom cocktail at Saké, some meat and bread at the Burger Project, a parma pizza at Fratelli Fresh or a stein at Munich Brauhaus. Until this week, some of those eateries were owned by Urban Purveyor Group, and some by Rockpool Group. Now, they've joined forces, pulled them all under one umbrella, and created the epic hospitality venture that is Rockpool Dining Group. Yep, all of your favourite restaurants are now part of the same company, including Spice Temple, The Cut Steakhouse, Rosetta, Bavarian Bier Cafe, El Camino Cantina, Fratelli Famous, Café Ananas and Saké Jr as well. The group's portfolio spans 47 places and 15 restaurant brands across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Perth, and features Tex-Mex and Asian-fusion venues, plus everything in between. Sounds pretty epic — and if you're a fan of Rockpool's Neil Perry, don't worry' he's the head of culinary for the combined outfit. His most recent venture, the more casual Eleven Bridge in Sydney, isn't part of the merger. Creating a tasty Frankenstein's monster of the culinary and dining world comes with added resources, obviously, which all us hungry folks will enjoy in the form of new must-eat destinations. Rockpool Dining Group expects their portfolio to grow to more than 80 eateries over the next 12 months. And, if that's not enough, they plan to expand to more than 200 over the next few years. We already knew that Brisbane is going to get on the Munich Brauhaus train; however other new projects such as a second Rosetta at Grosvenor Place in Sydney, a smaller-format Spice Temple and a Rockpool Bar Series are also slated. And they're looking abroad as well, with the group in early discussions to open first venues in both London and Los Angeles.
If you live with your significant other, it's likely you've already reached the stage where you dine together in PJs with unwashed locks and something distracting playing in the background. And while there's no shame in being comfortable, perhaps you'd like to bring a sense of occasion back to your date nights? And, if you're visiting your date for dinner, maybe you'd like to take the pressure off your partner by ordering takeaway for one night during lockdown. While ordering-in share dishes like tacos, curries and decadent desserts will bring you both back to the dining table for some all-important eye contact time and fresh conversation (we bet your chat game is starting to dry up), you might want to spice things up a little more. If you usually reach for a white wine to pair with your takeaway pizza, or a beer to wash down those dumplings, we've got some more unexpected drinks to match with your meals. We've teamed up with Pernod Ricard to bring you four at-home dining suggestions that you can order (booze included) to your door, so you can pop that well-worn cookbook back on the shelf and try your hand at boozy iced tea or whisky highballs next time date night rolls around. [caption id="attachment_744418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Baja[/caption] SHARE CITRUSY-SWEET TACOS AND BOOZY ICED TEA You may not be able to plan a casual weeknight date at one of your favourite Mexican restaurants right now, but you can recreate the experience at home. Instead of cracking into a tropical lager to knock back with your fiesta-worthy feast, try making a jug of spiked iced tea that you can share along with a selection of meaty or vegetarian tacos. Include a squeeze of lime or a side like pineapple salsa, as the citrus pairs particularly well with the zesty fruit flavours of a single malt whisky in that iced tea. What to order: In Melbourne, you can get Mamasita's DIY taco packs via Mr Yum with prawn, jackfruit and barbacoa beef options, or El Sabor's nachos and burritos via Deliveroo. In Sydney, order the chargrilled chicken or beef brisket tacos from Mejico via Deliveroo, or takeaway vegan and gluten free cauliflower or stir fried oyster mushroom corn tortillas from Bad Hombres. Brisbane's The Burrito Bar has pulled pork, steak and crispy fish tacos, which you can order in from Deliveroo, or swing by Baja, which has takeaway set up for its Mexican-inspired menu. Pair with: The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve and T2 Iced Tea. Order a packet of Packs a Peach loose leaves as it creates a fruity cocktail that's naturally sweet, so there's no need to add sugar. [caption id="attachment_745926" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mary's Burgers by Nikki To[/caption] PAIR A JUICY BURGER WITH WHISKEY DRY AND LIME Just because it's date night, doesn't mean you have to use cutlery. If you're feeling the call of comfort food, and want to move onto that episode of Unorthodox without having to stack the dishwasher, make your date night feed a handheld treat. Order a couple of new-to-you burgers and go splitsies, that way you can taste-test beyond your go-to patty and (as no one else is around to judge you) go large on the sides. A simple whiskey cocktail, such as a classic ginger and lime mixer, helps cut through the fat with a refreshing aftertaste. What to order: In Brisbane, you can order a wagyu or soft shell crab burger from Yuzu Burger and Co in Milton, or a vegan and gluten free Biggie from Lord of the Fries, both on Deliveroo. In Melbourne, you can get Huxtaburger's Andrew (grilled or fried chicken, bacon, cheese, jalapeños) for $14, or Royal Stacks has its Prince Harry, Queen Bey or Regina George patties — both available on Deliveroo. In Sydney, Ume Burger is slinging its karaage, fish katsu and cheeseburgers to your door, as is Mary's with its signature beef patties, plus mushroom and chicken options. Pair with: a highball glass of Jameson Irish Whiskey, dry ginger ale and a wedge of lime. [caption id="attachment_728897" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Colonel Tso's cauliflower at Daughter in Law by Peter Tarasiuk[/caption] COSY UP WITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND A CURRY Feeling that wintery chill? Warm yourself from the inside out with an elegant Indian takeaway. Though a cold beer or creamy lassi is a more traditional pairing for a spicy subcontinental feed, you might want to try matching a fruity, full-bodied red wine with a mild lamb-based curry, such as rogan josh. The backbone of tannins and subtle oakiness makes for a wine you can take from the dining table to the couch after your belly-warming banquet. What to order: In Sydney, Indu delivers a Kashmiri-style lamb shoulder curry, and Darlinghurst's Malabar has lamb shank rogan josh as well as a creamy lamb khurumah made with cashew nuts and a touch of mint. In Brisbane, Halims Indian Taj Restaurant has madras, vindaloo, nariyal and korma, which can all be made with lamb as the hero ingredient. All three of which can be ordered to you door via Deliveroo. And, in Melbourne, you can get Daughter in Law's Kashmiri-style lamb rogan josh (or its famed Colonel Tso's cauliflower dish, pictured), or lamb biryani from Mukka in Fitzroy. Pair with: a bottle of St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon — expect mint and blackcurrant aromas with a silky mouthfeel. [caption id="attachment_716965" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lukumades[/caption] INDULGE IN PLAYFUL CHOCOLATE DESSERTS AND GROWN-UP HIGHBALLS If you're snatching meals between Zoom calls, or bickering over whose turn it is to do the supermarket run, it's possible that you've lost some childlike joy in your day-to-day life with your partner. We get it — there's a lot to juggle right now. To bring back some of that fun and frivolity, make your date night especially decadent with a chocolatey dessert (or, forget the mains altogether). If a boozy nightcap is in order, match your malty or dark, bitter chocolate snacks — such as a warm chocolate brownie — with a whisky highball. The spirit's nutty and vanilla flavours are a grown-up complementary tipple to your otherwise nostalgic sugary snack. What to order: In Melbourne, go all out with handmade Greek doughnuts from Lukumades, including oreo, twix and tella classics. In Brisbane, Cakes & Sh!t has oreo cheesecake and double choc brownies with toasted marshmallows. Sydneysiders and Melburnians can stock up on Koko Black choccies, and diners in every city can have Gelato Messina's tiramisu tarts delivered to your door. Pair with: a classic highball made with Chivas Regal Extra, which has a toffee and milk chocolate flavour. Right now, Pernod Ricard is offering a $10 Deliveroo voucher for every $50 spent on a select range of its wine and spirits — bought online or in-store at its partner liquor stores. Find out more, here. Top image: Bad Hombres.
In a characteristically M.I.A. move, the iconoclastic 'Bad Girls' singer has ingeniously tapped Versace knock-offs in Power Up, a new design collaboration with Versace itself, launching online on October 16. It's admirable just how consistent M.I.A.'s self-branding moves are. She's been wearing Versace around for a while now, and after the likes of her 'XXXO' music video, the trashy glitz of the label seems perfectly tailored to her. The 19-piece Versace Versus X MIA collection has all the trappings you'd expect from both M.I.A. and the prestigious design house, with a decidedly ghetto-bling set of gold medallions and classic Medusa heads emblazoning leggings and tops alike. The shapes channel sportswear while the colour palette is dominated by black and white and kooky shades of green, gold and pink. Sanskrit-inspired script mingles with blocky geometrics, lotus blossoms and the trademark angular Greek border, all combining in prints so bold it's pretty much guaranteed that the rest of your outfit will fade into obscurity. But it's the source of the designs — Versace rip-offs touted for cheap on the grimy streets of East London — that take this particular collab to the next level. M.I.A. told WWD: "Versace's designs have always been copied, now it's Versace that copies the copies, so those that copy must copy the copies. So this will continue." Indeed, M.I.A., what a house of mirrors you allow us to inhabit. Any passerby in the know is forced to acknowledge the Power Up wearer's subversive, high-low culture, pro-yet-anti-yet-pro-capitalist fashion statement as he or she steps out in authentic, expensive imitations of imitations. Fully aware of MIA's game, photographer Jaime Martinez shot the collection's campaign on the mean streets and in front of cheapo clothing stalls. The final lookbook is, appropriately a series of souped-up, lo-fi gifs. We doff our hats to the collection. Via PSFK.
It has been three months since Queensland closed its borders to Greater Sydney, making the Sunshine State off limits to residents of specific local government areas in the New South Wales capital. Over that period, the status of Queensland's borders has changed multiple times — as it has throughout much of 2020 — including shutting out all of NSW, then reopening to all of NSW except Greater Sydney. But, finally, Sydneysiders will be able to make the journey north from Tuesday, December 1. Today, Tuesday, November 24, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that Queensland will reopen its border to all of NSW, including Sydney, from the first of next month — which is just seven days away. The Premier said Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young was now "satisfied" that NSW was safe as it had reached more than 28 days of no unlinked community transmission. The state is also set to open its border to Victoria from December 1, as long as the southern state does not record a new case tomorrow. Victoria has had 25 consecutive days with zero new cases and has today hit the milestone of zero active COVID-19 cases for the first time since February. "I hope this is welcome news," the Queensland Premier said at the announcement. "I think it's great news in the lead-up to Christmas, but, once again, that timely reminder for everybody — we need to make sure that we continue to keep up our social distancing." https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1331015192155541507 This is also good news if you're a Queenslander now keen on a southern getaway, as you'll be able to head to Sydney or Melbourne (if all goes well in the next 24 hours) and not have to worry about quarantining on return. The Sunshine State will continue to keep its borders closed to 20 South Australian LGAs for the foreseeable future. Whichever way you're heading, though, you will still need a border pass. It isn't required to leave the state, but you'll need one to enter, regardless of whether you're a tourist or returning resident. To obtain a pass, you'll need to apply online, with each one valid for seven days. For more information about Queensland's border policies, head to the Queensland Government website.
iPhone photography apps like Instagram and Hipstamatic recreate a Polaroid-feel in our piccies. We can Lomo-fi and Poprocket our way to nostalgia-town, but still, there's something not quite right. According to the creators of Instaprint, a location-based photography booth launched last Monday, "deep down we all still miss the uniqueness of those square little photos you'd hold comfortably in your hand." Created by Breakfast, a New York interactive agency, Instaprint is the modern day equivalent of a photo booth, but with all the digital mobile perks modern technology has to offer. The device automatically detects and prints photos marked with a particular location or hashtag using old-school inkless printing techniques developed by Zink. Two Instaprint machines will be showcased at the SxSW conference in Austin this week, where tech enthusiasts can road-test the device. It's still in beta-stage, but will be officially available by March 18. That's not the only way to get your Instagrams in ink. StickyGram turns your miniature masterpieces into delightful magnets, perfect for jazzing up shopping lists, menus and notes living on the door of your fridge. The service is currently limited to select UK and US users, but as the website assures us, StickyGram will be open to the public soon.
Earth Hour is a symbolic action. Although there is carbon saved by turning things off, the point is the unmissable demonstration that a huge chunk of the world's population caring about the same thing at the same time. If we can manage this for Earth Hour, why not for grander environmental things? The Hour started in Sydney in 2007, and has become an international event in the years since. There are Earth Hour events in Kenya, India and Ireland these days, but you don't need to travel so far afield to find a way to join in this time around. At its simplest, all you need to do is stay home and turn off the lights. But if you'd like to have a more social darkened moment, you can head to a candlelit restaurant or one of a raft of other lights-off events. Image of Earth Hour Switch Off 2010 by Sewell / WWF.
Icy poles and booze — they're the two staples of a long, hot Aussie summer. And now they've come together as one, in the form of Calippo-style Champagne icy poles. They're the genius creation of POPS, a UK brand that has been keeping folks stylishly cool since 2014, when it launched its first frozen Champagne treat — apparently supermodels like Kate Moss and Bella Hadid are on board, if that's something to sway you. The Champagne pop (called The Classic) contains half a glass of Champers (wahee!), and the range has since expanded to include another grown-ups-only creation: the Bellini, which blends hibiscus flowers, blood orange juice, peach Schnapps, and half a glass of Prosecco. Plus, there are a couple of all-ages products too, which see the alcohol swapped out for real fruit. The frozen delights are arriving in our eskies just in time to be eaten in front of the fan (or, y'know, in the sun) this summer. They'll launch in Melbourne first, with a series of pop-up events, and festival appearances aplenty. No word yet if you'll be able to buy a box for the freezer, but let's hope. POPS will launch in Melbourne soon. For more info, visit wearepops.com.
In January this year, Internet freedom activist Aaron Swartz committed suicide while awaiting trial. Having downloaded millions of papers from digital academic journal archive JSTOR, he had been accused of computer fraud. His death caused outrage among those passionate about public access to information and inspired Internet inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee to write, 'Aaron dead. World wanderers, we have lost a wise elder. Hackers for right, we are one down. Parents all, we have lost a child. Let us weep.' Now, in order to honour Swartz's memory, poet Kenneth Goldsmith is planning on printing out as much of the Internet as possible. Between July 26th and August 30th, he will occupy 500 square metres of space in Mexico City, where the piles of pages will be on display. Members of the public are invited to send in as many Internet print outs as they can. Length is not an issue. 'There are many ways to go about this,' the project's Tumblr pages read. 'You can act alone (print out your own blog, Gmail inbox or spam folder) or you could organise a group of friends to print out a particular corner of the internet, say, all of Wikipedia, the entire New York Times archive, every dossier leaked by Wikileaks for starters. The more the better.' Some argue that the concept promises to make a vital statement about our right to know; others are concerned about the potential environmental costs. A petition against the project has been started at Change.org. [Via PSFK]
Six decades after first dancing its way across the big screen — and singing, too — a certain New York neighbourhood rivalry is returning to cinemas. It was back in 1961 that West Side Story first made the leap from theatre to film, and now it's repeating the feat this December. Yes, the Jets and the Sharks will be facing off again. This time around, Steven Spielberg is in the director's chair. Obviously, West Side Story's narrative will remain the same, though. In the Big Apple in 1957, a Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story will play out, as Tony (Ansel Elgort, The Goldfinch) and María (film debutant Rachel Zegler) fall head over heels despite their backgrounds — because Tony's best friend Riff (Mike Faist, Panic) leads the Jets, and María is the younger sister of Sharks head honcho Bernardo (David Alvarez). Also popping up among the cast: Ariana DeBose (The Prom), Josh Andrés Rivera, Ana Isabelle (Imprisoned), Corey Stoll (Ratched) and Brian d'Arcy James (Devs), plus the great Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time) — who also played the role of Anita, Bernardo's girlfriend, in the original movie. The film's long list of talent continues off-screen, too, with West Side Story circa 2021's screenplay penned by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Tony Kushner (Lincoln), and the choreography coming courtesy of fellow Tony-recipient Justin Peck. Spielberg and company are taking the original 1957 Broadway show rather than the 1961 movie adaptation as their basis and, as the just-dropped first teaser trailer shows, the results look vibrant and lively, but still with a classic old-school musical sheen. Thankfully — and unsurprisingly — it also looks worlds away from the filmmaker's last feature, Ready Player One. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6xoDxf676w&feature=youtu.be West Side Story opens in Australian cinemas on December 9. Top image: Niko Tavernise, 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Haute couture. Murder. Disco tunes and Studio 54. Throw in one of the biggest names in fashion — and a tale that's filled with both glam and grim strands, too — and that's House of Gucci. Ranking highly among the most anticipated movies set to hit the big screen across the rest of 2021, this Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World)-directed drama steps inside the Gucci family fashion dynasty, charting its successes and shocking moments over the course of three tumultuous decades. If you've read the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, which this new film is based on, then you'll know the details. If you've seen news coverage about or can remember the events that rocked the Italian family back in 1995, you will as well. The focus: Maurizio Gucci, grandson of company founder Guccio Gucci, and the head of the fashion house throughout the 80s and early 90s — until he was assassinated by a hitman in 1995. Adam Driver steps into also Maurizio's unsurprisingly stylish shoes, in what's proving a big year for him in cinemas. He'll also grace the big screen in Scott's next film The Last Duel, which is due to release in October — a month before House of Gucci arrives in November. In the latter flick, he's joined by Lady Gaga in her first big-screen role since A Star Is Born, this time playing Maurizio's wife Patrizia. Obviously, there's quite the tale to tell — and, as the just-dropped first trailer for House of Gucci shows, Scott is going big on striking threads, 70s and 80s tunes and vibes, indulgence and luxury dripping through in every frame, and also an unavoidable air of melodrama. To help, the star-studded cast also includes Jared Leto (The Little Things) sporting plenty of prosthetics and makeup, as well as Al Pacino (The Irishman), Jeremy Irons (Love, Weddings and Other Disasters) and Salma Hayek (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard). As the trailer reminds us, that's a whole lot of Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated talent in one flick. Check out the trailer below: House of Gucci will release in Australian cinemas on November 25.
After confirming the plans last year, and introducing the legislation to parliament back in June, the Victorian Government has followed through with its promised statewide ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, with the ban finally coming into effect on Friday, November 1, 2019. Considering supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths began enforcing their own nationwide plastic bag bans over a year ago — and local shopping spots including the Queen Victoria Market and South Melbourne Market both scrapped plastic over the last couple of years — you've probably already got a solid collection of reusable bags ready to go. If not, we suggest you invest, tout de suite. Victorian retailers — including supermarkets, corner stores and your favourite vintage shop — can now be fined for supplying customers with any single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags (with a thickness of 35 microns or less), including those made from biodegradable or compostable plastic. Under the new law, even individuals who run a small business online or as a market stall could be fined a maximum of $6000. [caption id="attachment_663522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Queen Victoria Market banned plastic bags earlier this year.[/caption] Plastic bags that aren't included in the ban include garbage bags, bin liners, animal waste bags and those thin 'barrier bags' you get with your fruit and veggies. Although if want to do your extra bit for the environment, you can get reusable cotton or mesh produce bags from homewares stores, supermarkets and online retailers — the same spots where you'll find reusable takeaway containers, drink bottles, straws and cutlery. When disposing of that stockpile of old plastic bags, remember that these, and other soft plastics, must be kept out of your kerbside recycling bin — instead, you can recycle them (and things like glad wrap, zip lock bags and plastic food packaging) at most supermarkets through REDcycle. So get in the habit of always carrying around a reusable bag whenever you leave the house — keep a stash in your car, or there are plenty of options that fold up nice and small and won't take up much space in your handbag or backpack for those spontaneous purchases. As well as being a big win for the environment, the ban brings Victoria into line with South Australia, the ACT, the NT, Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, who have all banned single-use plastic bags. NSW is now the only state that hasn't committed to a ban, after a bill proposed by NSW Labor failed to make it through the lower house last week. Victoria's single-use plastic bag ban kicks in on Friday, November 1. To find out more, head to the Victorian Government website.
Mud, moss and murky waters mightn't sound like dream Airbnb features, but they couldn't be more exciting if you're a fan of pop culture's favourite solitude-loving ogre. To celebrate Halloween with a fairy tale theme, the accommodation booking platform has added a unique Scottish Highlands stay that'll turn you green with envy if you don't score the reservation — and have you spending the weekend at Shrek's Swamp IRL if you do. Hey now, this is the nostalgic all-star of Airbnb listings, aka a recreation of a spot straight out of the Shrek movies. And the host? Donkey, although it's unlikely that that means that either Eddie Murphy or a domesticated equine will be there to greet you. Here's what is definitely included: two nights for up to three guests in a stumpy structure that goes rustic inside and out, all for free. You'll enjoy a parfait, fireside stories, waffles in the morning, "earwax candlelight" to set the mood (the listing's words, not ours), and having the whole place to yourselves behind the "danger" and "stay out" signs. Oh, and absolutely no torches and pitchforks. Whether onions are included hasn't been revealed. "Shrek's Swamp is lovely. Just beautiful. The perfect place to entertain guests," said Donkey, announcing the stay (well, said Airbnb giving the statement the appropriate themed spin). "You know what I like about it? Everything. The overgrown landscaping, the modest interiors, the nice boulders, all of it. I can't wait for guests to experience this muddy slice of paradise for themselves." If you're keen, you'll need to try to nab the booking at 4am AEDT / 3am AEST / 6am NZDT on Saturday, October 14 — and, if your wish comes true, you'll be off for a stay across the weekend of Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29. As always, whoever gets the reservation is responsible for their own travel, including if they have to get to and from Scotland. This listing is also helping a good cause, with Airbnb making a one-off donation to the HopScotch Children's Charity, which helps vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Scotland, as part of the Shrek's Swamp promotion. Somebody once told us that the platform loves offering up once-in-a-lifetime spots to slumber, as its recent history shows. In the past, it has had nights at Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill, Gwyneth Paltrow's Montecito abode, Hobbiton, the Bluey house, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera and the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine up for grabs. Also on the list: The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop, Japan's World Heritage-listed Suganuma Village and the House of Sunny studio. Last Halloween, it similarly went with a movie theme, listing the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage. For more information about the Shrek's Swamp stay on Airbnb, or to book at 4am AEDT / 3am AEST / 6am NZDT on Saturday, October 14 for a stay across Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29, head to the Airbnb website. Images: Alix McIntosh. 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.
Just like their killer villains, some horror franchises never seem to die. In 2021, two big recent sagas have released their latest instalments, with Spiral: From the Book of Saw and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It keeping their respective spook-filled realms going. Alas, neither movie was anywhere near either series' best, but the fact that both Saw and Conjuring flicks are still reaching screens is a great testament to James Wan. The Australian filmmaker has been a key figure behind both franchises, directing their early instalments and still earning executive producer credits now — as he's followed the tried-and-tested path from horror movies to Hollywood blockbusters. Wan mightn't have been behind the lens of Spiral and The Devil Made Me Do It, but he is returning to his favourite genre this year — after detouring into action with Fast & Furious 7, Aquaman and the upcoming Aquaman 2. His latest flick Malignant will hit cinemas in September, marking his first horror film that isn't attached to an existing franchise since the initial Conjuring movie released back in 2013. This time around, he's playing with nightmares — but of the daylight variety. Malignant's protagonist Madison (Annabelle Wallis, Boss Level) keeps having visions of disturbing murders, only to find out that they aren't just figments of her imagination. Also complicating matters, as seen in the just-dropped trailer: the fact that, as a kid, she told people that she was speaking to the devil. The suitably moody and dark-hued trailer teases out this exact scenario, throws in a few bumps and jumps, but obviously leaves the key details for horror fans to discover when the film hits the big screen. Wan co-wrote the story behind the movie, with screenwriter Akela Cooper (upcoming Conjuring Universe sequel The Nun 2) penning the script. And, cast-wise, Maddie Hasson (Mr Mercedes), George Young (Containment), Michole Briana White (Songbird), Jacqueline McKenzie (Palm Beach), Jake Abel (Son of the South) and Ingrid Bisu (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) all co-star. Check out the trailer for Malignant below: Malignant opens in Australian cinemas on September 7.
New Zealanders wanting to enter Australia without quarantining will have to hold off a little longer on their travel plans, after the Australian Government extended the existing pause on the current one-way trans-Tasman travel bubble. New Zealand's previous quarantine-free border arrangements were halted on Monday, January 25 after a NZ resident tested positive to the new, more transmissible B1351 variant of COVID-19. The bubble was scheduled to resume today, Thursday, January 26, after a 72-hour pause; however, the suspension will now continue for another three days. As announced in a statement by Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt, the pause will now run through until 2pm, Sunday, January 31, in line with the recommendation from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and the Australian Government Chief Medical Officer. The latest suspension comes after two more New Zealanders tested positive to COVID-19 in recent days, with both linked to the same Auckland hotel as the initial case. The bubble suspension will give health authorities a chance to do further digging and gather test results for all the close contacts linked to the outbreak. In a press conference, Australia's Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, also advised that there are concerns that a small group of people who had stayed at the Auckland hotel at the same time as the other cases have since travelled to Australia under the previous quarantine-free arrangement. They flew into the country before the bubble was paused on Monday, and are now being contacted by local health authorities. https://twitter.com/healthgovau/status/1354640405485248514 Anyone who has entered Australia from NZ since January 9 is also encouraged to get a COVID-19 test immediately, and go into self-isolation until results are received. The one-way travel bubble from NZ to Australia was introduced in mid-October last year, initially allowing New Zealanders to travel into certain Australian states without quarantine, before being expanded to include access to most of the country. It was also hoped that a reciprocal arrangement wouldn't be far off, after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced in December that the NZ Cabinet had agreed to establishing a two-way bubble from early 2021. It's unknown what impact the recent outbreak will have on those plans. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
The future is officially here, and the subject of many-a sci-fi novel and the dream of every comic book geek is set to become a mass-produceable reality. Google have been the brains and big bucks behind this astounding innovation, with the company's founder Sergey Brin stating that "you can count on one hand the number of years until ordinary people can experience this." This story has been doing the rounds on social media in the recent weeks following California governor Jerry Brown's signing of SB1298, a law which makes driverless cars legal in the state of California. While the project is still in the prototype stage, Google's driverless cars have now done more than 300,000 miles of travel without incident, which at this stage makes them statistically safer than normal automobiles. According to Brin, driverless cars will revolutionise the way we travel and commute. Anyone, and they mean anyone, can "drive" Google's driverless cars, with the elderly, the young, the blind and perhaps most significantly the intoxicated all capable of operating the self-driving car. Similarly, traffic could become a thing of the past if we are to believe Brin's analysis. "Why does the congestion happen to begin with? The fact is that on a normally operating highway, cars take up a very small fraction of the space. Mostly it's just air between you the the car in front of you, to the sides of you, and so forth. Self-driving cars can actually 'chain together' and use the highways more efficiently, potentially eradicating congestion" he said. While the image of thousands of cars roaring down the highway "chained together" does really like sound something out of a Ridley Scott film, Google are confident this image could become a reality in the coming years. The big question for most people in the advent of self-driving cars has been one of safety. Can we trust these things or are we looking at some sort of Matrix-style revolution where artificial intelligence takes over the world? In terms of accidents, so far so good. The only significant accident involving a self-driving car occurred when a driver was operating the car in manual mode. Google as well has stated that self-driving cars will never run a red light and so we are close to reaching a point where driverless cars may not only be the most ultra-modern driving experience but also the safest. While there are a long list of "what ifs" Google are still trying to iron out and overcome, if you are hoping to turn your Prius into something worthy of a James Bond film, have a look at this video to see what the ever-closer future will look like.
Every year, when red carpets are rolled out, Hollywood's who's who get dressed to the nines and movie lovers around the world indulge in their favourite sport — awards season — it's easy to forget two undying truths. Firstly, receiving a shiny trophy doesn't instantly mean that a film is better than everything else. Secondly, missing out on a statuette doesn't mean that a flick is terrible, either. Amazing, astonishing and exceptional movies can earn coveted awards (see: 2020 and 2021 Oscar Best Picture-winners Parasite and Nomadland, for instance), and so can barely even average-at-best features as well (aka 2019's Green Book). Also, the list of masterpieces that haven't ever been nominated for an Academy Award is staggering. Still, when the contenders are revealed for another year, picking who should, could and will win is all part of the fun. In fact, it's up there with taking a shot of whatever you're sipping (tea, water, the hard stuff) if Jack Nicholson is seen wearing sunnies in the Oscars audience, a speech gets drowned out by music after going overtime, the host makes a gag that doesn't land or someone announces the wrong winner. From 2022's batch of Academy Awards nominees, there are plenty of worthy recipients — most of which you can watch right now in Australia and New Zealand, too. Hopefully NZ filmmaker Jane Campion will make history by becoming just the third woman to win Best Director. Fingers crossed that Aussie The Power of Dog cinematographer Ari Wegner becomes the first woman ever to win Best Cinematography as well. In those fields and a heap of others, we've done some prognosticating, all before the 94th Academy Awards take place on Monday, March 28, Australian and New Zealand time. Here are our predictions: BEST MOTION PICTURE The nominees: The Power of the Dog West Side Story Belfast Dune Licorice Pizza King Richard CODA Don't Look Up Drive My Car Nightmare Alley Should win: The Power of the Dog Could win: CODA Will win: The Power of the Dog Sometimes, the best film of the past year truly and deservingly does pick up the biggest Oscar of them all, Best Picture — as Parasite and Nomadland both did. And, that should prove true in 2022, too, with Jane Campion's exquisite revisionist western last year's best movie, and this ceremony's worthiest winner. That said, with its feel-good story about a teenager in a family that's otherwise deaf, CODA has been nabbing key awards in the lead up to the Oscars. And, if voters can't decide between the two, perhaps West Side Story will swoop in and beat 'em both — it is a glorious film and a technical marvel, and Steven Spielberg has also just announced that it's his first and last musical. [caption id="attachment_847708" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kirsty Griffin/Netflix[/caption] BEST DIRECTOR The nominees: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car Should win: Jane Campion Could win: Steven Spielberg Will win: Jane Campion History is Campion's to be made — although she's already broken barriers at this year's Oscars just by being nominated for Best Director. She's now the first female filmmaker to ever score two nods in this field (after also being nominated for The Piano back in 1993) and, if she ends up clutching a statuette, she'll become just the third woman to ever win. Again, don't discount Spielberg, though. It's been more than two decades since he last won for Saving Private Ryan, and West Side Story's visual wonders have been picking up more attention since it hit streaming earlier this month. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE The nominees: Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Kristen Stewart, Spencer Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers Should win: Penélope Cruz Could win: Kristen Stewart Will win: Jessica Chastain If anyone wins this category other than Nicole Kidman, that'll be perfectly acceptable (Being the Ricardos isn't great, and neither are its performances, although the Academy clearly disagrees). But Jessica Chastain looks likely to come out on top not just because she's excellent in The Eyes of Tammy Faye — the best thing about it, in fact — but because she's reached that point in her career (and should've already won for Zero Dark Thirty). Penélope Cruz's has an Oscar for Vicky Christina Barcelona, but her performance in Parallel Mothers is something else. It's sublime in every second, and lingers long after the film has stopped rolling. Alas, the same proved true of fellow Pedro Almodóvar regular Antonio Banderas in 2020, but didn't amount to an Academy Award. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE The nominees: Will Smith, King Richard Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... Boom! Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos Should win: Benedict Cumberbatch Could win: Benedict Cumberbatch Will win: Will Smith If there was an award for most forceful performance while playing a real-life figure, Will Smith, Andrew Garfield and Javier Bardem would be in a dead heat. Given they're all nominated for Best Actor this year, this category has basically taken that skew anyway. And Smith is impressive in King Richard, but it always feels like a performance — although, that's what'll likely get him a trophy. If Benedict Cumberbatch manages to lasso the win, it'd be glorious — as his complicated work in The Power of the Dog is, too. And this field did throw up a huge surprise in 2021, even after the Academy changed the traditional order of ceremony to put Best Actor last in what looked like an expected chance to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE The nominees: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Judi Dench, Belfast Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter Should win: Ariana DeBose Could win: NA — because Ariana DeBose will win. Will win: Ariana DeBose Whoever wins whatever awards, and for which films, Ariana DeBose getting the nod for West Side Story will be one of the stories of the night. We all know that it's going to happen. Shock-wise, it'd be up there with the whole Moonlight/La La Land debacle if it didn't. And, when she does, it'll see her win for the same role that Rita Moreno nabbed her Oscar for six decades ago. They'll be the first women of colour to ever achieve the feat — winning for the same role, that is — and only the third pair of performers ever, following Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, plus Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker in The Dark Knight and Joker. You'd best start humming 'America' now, because you're going to hear it during the Oscars. PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE The nominees: Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog JK Simmons, Being the Ricardos Should win: Kodi Smit-McPhee Could win: Kodi Smit-McPhee Will win: Troy Kotsur A remake of French film La Famille Bélier, CODA improves upon its source material in a number of ways. The most of important: casting actors who are deaf to play characters who are deaf. Their portrayals are naturalistic and lived-in as a result, and the movie around them is as well, even while still being such an obvious crowd-pleaser — and, alongside past Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur is a delight. Kodi Smit-McPhee's performance in The Power of the Dog couldn't be more different — including in tone — but it's a powerhouse, and one of the best projected onto a screen anywhere (or a streaming queue) in the past year. If he loses to the equally deserving Kotsur, it's safe to expect the Aussie actor to earn more shots in the future; he's only 25, after all, although he's been turning in attention-grabbing performances for almost a decade and a half. BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY The nominees: Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson Belfast, Kenneth Branagh King Richard, Zach Baylin Don't Look Up, Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota) The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt Should win: Licorice Pizza Could win: Belfast Will win: Licorice Pizza The Oscars always adore movies about real-life people, as well as the performances that bring those figures to life. They're also fond of tales that are personal to their directors in some way — Roma a few years back, and Belfast and Licorice Pizza now. The latter, set in the San Fernando Valley where Paul Thomas Anderson grew up, is the better film and script, and not just because it tasks Alana Haim with yelling "fuck off, teenagers!" like she was born to do it. So smartly and devastatingly exploring the reality of being in your twenties, The Worst Person in the World would be a fantastic winner in this field, too. BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY The nominees: The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal CODA, Sian Heder Dune, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe Should win: The Power of the Dog Could win: The Lost Daughter Will win: The Power of the Dog Every adapted screenplay contender this year also earned other nominations. Every script in both screenplay categories did, in fact. But these fields often reward films that don't end up picking up many or any other trophies — which is why Maggie Gyllenhaal's masterful script for The Lost Daughter, her directorial debut as well, could emerge victorious. It'd be an excellent choice. Just as phenomenal is The Power of the Dog, of course. Indeed, the work that Jane Campion has done to translate her western tale from the page to the screen, and to flesh out its subtext, is the stuff that adapted screenplay dreams are made of. BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM The nominees: Drive My Car (Japan) The Worst Person in the World (Norway) Flee (Denmark) The Hand of God (Italy) Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) Should win: Drive My Car Could win: The Worst Person in the World Will win: Drive My Car The first-ever Japanese film to be nominated for Best Picture, Drive My Car won't win that category — but it will become the first Japanese movie since 2008 to win the Academy's field for features in languages other than English. Its three hours roll by, thoughtfully and movingly so, in a feature that couldn't be more layered or affecting. Its biggest likely challenger: The Worst Person in the World, which deserves just as much praise. And while Flee would be a perfect winner, it might be fated to become the history-making movie — for getting nods for International Feature, Documentary Feature and Animated Feature, a feat never achieved before — that goes home empty-handed. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE The nominees: Encanto Luca The Mitchells vs the Machines Flee Raya and the Last Dragon Should win: Flee Could win: The Mitchells vs the Machines Will win: Encanto More on Flee: as an animated documentary about an Afghan refugee's quest to find a new place to belong after being forced to leave his homeland as a boy, it couldn't be more different to its fellow Best Animated Feature nominees. Family-friendly fare always wins here, however, but this'd be a wonderful year to break that trend. Expected winner Encanto is an all-ages gem a, of course — and don't discount the lively and clever The Mitchells vs the Machines — but Flee takes animated filmmaking to another level. BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE The nominees: Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Flee Ascension Attica Writing with Fire Should win: Flee Could win: Flee Will win: Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Even more on Flee: again, it deserves to win every field that it's in. That said, if it loses Best Documentary, it'll be to a film as similarly astonishing — because Questlove's Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, is a tremendous piece of filmmaking. Music documentaries hit screens almost every week, or so it seems, but there's never been one like this before. And, about vastly dissimilar topics — modern-day China and a prison riot — Ascension and Attica would be easy winners in a less-competitive year, too. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE The nominees: The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood Dune, Hans Zimmer Don't Look Up, Nicholas Britell Encanto, Germaine Franco Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias Should win: Dune Could win: The Power of the Dog Will win: Dune Hans Zimmer, have another Oscar! Jonny Greenwood, have your first! Alas, the Academy isn't like Oprah, giving gongs to everyone — but, as different as they are, it's difficult to split Zimmer and Greenwood's two immensely powerful scores. Sand as far as the eye can see is great, but Zimmer's thrumming sounds set Dune's mood from start to finish, all while constantly surprising (especially if you're a fan of his work). And there's a jaunty yet needling, determined yet melancholy twang to Greenwood's compositions for The Power of the Dog that make just as much of an impact. BEST ORIGINAL SONG The nominees: 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell) 'Dos Oruguitas', Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda) 'Be Alive', King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson) 'Down to Joy' Belfast (Van Morrison) 'Somehow You Do', Four Good Days (Diane Warren) Should win: 'No Time to Die' Could win: 'Dos Oruguitas' Will win: 'No Time to Die' We shouldn't talk about Encanto's 'We Don't Talk About Bruno', because it wasn't submitted to even be selected to be nominated for an Oscar. Regretful move, that — and one that magic can't fix. The song will still be performed live at the awards, though, because trying to escape that earworm is impossible. Also getting a spin live on the night: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell's 'No Time to Die'. It's the Bond song that came out almost two years before the movie it's from, and a lingering 007 anthem (and a fine winner, most likely). [caption id="attachment_847709" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kirsty Griffin/Netflix[/caption] BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY The nominees: Dune, Greig Fraser The Power of the Dog, Ari Wegner The Tragedy of Macbeth, Bruno Delbonnel Nightmare Alley, Dan Laustsen West Side Story, Janusz Kaminski Should win: The Power of the Dog Could win: Dune Will win: The Power of the Dog All five films nominated in this category look gorgeous and glorious on-screen. Each one boasts cinematography so magnificent that it's breathtaking — whether roving over all that sand, making New Zealand look like Montana a decade ago, stripping Shakespeare down to its shadows and fury, lapping up carnival noir, or dancing through a famed and fated love story. That said, this award is a battle of the Aussies: Dune's Greig Fraser and The Power of the Dog's Ari Wegner. Whoever wins, Australia wins — but Wegner is the only one who'd make history as the first female recipient in this field. Also, her work on Jane Campion's film is hauntingly lush and captivating. BEST FILM EDITING The nominees: Dune, Joe Walker The Power of the Dog, Peter Sciberras Don't Look Up, Hank Corwin King Richard, Pamela Martin Tick, Tick... Boom!, Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum Should win: Dune Could win: The Power of the Dog Will win: Dune If you pay attention to all of the awards given out before the Oscars — accolades ahoy!; it really is that time of year — then Best Editing looks wide open. A heap of different movies have won different gongs all over the place, including King Richard and Tick, Tick... Boom!. Dune feels like this year's Mad Max: Fury Road, though — the film that picked up a heap of nominations, wins big in the technical categories but misses the big prize (and misses Best Director as well, given that Denis Villeneuve isn't even one of the five contenders). Top image: Netflix.
Biannual art and design market The Finders Keepers is returning to the Royal Exhibition Building for its winter iteration, bringing shoppers the latest and greatest from its stellar lineup of Australia's most creative makers. From Friday, July 12–Sunday, July 14, the 270+ stalls, including 50 debut sellers, will be joined by a tasty range of food and beverage offerings as well as DJs playing throughout — all the makings of a prime opportunity to get out, chat with local artisans and support the creative industry. At the core of the conscious shopping space is a focus on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans — specifically, local designers. So, you can expect to find everything from jewellery, fashion and ceramics to leather goods and body products. This seasons's Indigenous Program recipient is Bangerang Country-based Ochre Dough, which will be showcasing its natural playdough made from native bush tucker. Six other First Nations creative small businesses — including Narrm-based social enterprise Clothing The Gaps and contemporary artists Luruk-In and Alejandro Lauren — will also be showcasing their wares. Consider this a reminder that the market is completely cashless, so check (then check again) that you've got your digital (or plastic) payment methods at the ready — it would be a travesty to leave empty-handed.
There's nothing like a big, warm welcome to make you feel instantly at home, whether you're wining and dining out or enjoying a hard-earned weekend escape. At some places, it might be a traditional greeting, called cheerfully when you walk through a restaurant's front door, for others, a thoughtful gesture that's steeped in culture. Then, there are the greeting rituals that'll please your taste buds as well as give you the warm and fuzzies — like DoubleTree by Hilton's signature 'cookie welcome', which sees all of its guests gifted with a freshly baked, warm chocolate chip cookie on arrival. Keen to feel at home away from home? We've scouted out some of Melbourne's best global eateries dishing up warm welcomes of their own. BHANG, BRUNSWICK At contemporary Brunswick spot Bhang, Indian street food gets a freshen-up with classic flavours married to modern techniques and served up in a funky, new-school setting. Here, a lot of thought goes into making visitors feel welcome, with gestures both traditional and not. If you're digging the vibe, it could be because the figure of Hindu deity Ganesha is given fresh flowers at the start of each service, as a way of increasing the positive energies and inviting health and prosperity. You'll also catch welcoming wafts of incense throughout the restaurant and enjoy complimentary house-made pappadums to kick-start your meal. 1/2A Mitchell Street, Brunswick. DOC, CARLTON Enter through the doors of Carlton's legendary DOC and you'll be welcomed with the scent of baking pizza dough, as well as a cheery chorus of ciao, Italy's well-known greeting. Here, crisp-based traditional pizzas are the stars of the show, but to start things off right, let the friendly staff invite you aboard the aperitivo train. An alcoholic sip designed to help fire up the appetite, consider this the proper Italian welcome to any hearty meal. At DOC, fuel up with a glass of prosecco or a spritz, and you'll know you've been invited to enjoy some serious feasting. 295 Drummond Street, Carlton. AKACHOCHIN, SOUTH WHARF For fresh, honest Japanese fare served with a side of warm hospitality, you'll find it hard to beat a visit to South Wharf's Akachochin. Named after the red paper lanterns you'll often spy strung up outside a Japanese izakaya, this waterfront spot plays to tradition — from the serious knife skills on display in the open kitchen to the menu of sushi, sashimi and tried-and-true classics. Of course, you'll find it hard not to get swept up in tradition yourself, when you're greeted with a cheerful staff chorus of irasshaimase — Japan's customary call of 'welcome' or 'come on in'. 33 S Wharf Promenade, South Wharf. MOVIDA, CBD Spain's renowned tapas culture is about much more than just chowing down on tasty small food — it's about sharing a meal and wine with friends and celebrating social interactions. And when you partake in the tradition, it's hard not to feel like you're part of some big Spanish eating club. Here in Melbourne, Frank Camorra's famed MoVida is one of the best spots to get your authentic tapas fix — all funky tunes, moody lighting and a menu filled with top-notch small bites, like mini beef tartares and pressed pork tostadas. 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne. PASTUSO, CBD Dining at ACDC Lane restaurant Pastuso is a bit like embarking on a journey through the many flavours of Peru, from the lively seafood dishes of the dedicated ceviche bar to the charry, meaty offerings coming hot off the traditional grill. And of course, the proper welcome to any authentic Peruvian adventure comes in the form of a fresh, tangy pisco sour — Peru's widely celebrated national cocktail, made from a grape-based spirit. To have you dining like a true Peruvian, the staff here are always eager to steer you towards an expertly crafted concoction from the pisco bar. 19 ACDC Lane, Melbourne. BON AP', FITZROY This cosy Fitzroy gem is like a little slice of provincial France, with fare as charming and authentic as the staff's French accents. The aim here is to replicate the familiarity of a quaint village bistro from back home, so expect a hearty bonjour upon entering, a warm bon appétit and an easygoing energy for as long as you stay. It's an inviting spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner — settle in with some charcuterie, a serve of mussels and a few glasses of great French wine and you'll find it pretty hard to say goodbye. 193 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. LOS HERMANOS, BRUNSWICK At cosy Brunswick haunt Los Hermanos, bank on being greeted by authentic Mexican eats, a festive vibe and a serious collection of Mexico's national drink, tequila. But for all the choice, you won't be left daunted, with staff always keen to help hook you up with your ultimate agave match — their way of welcoming you into the fray. For full effect, pair your chosen drop with a few of the kitchen's drool-worthy tacos, featuring fillings like beer-battered fish, slow-cooked lamb leg and bold chipotle chicken. 339 Victoria Street, Brunswick. SON IN LAW, COLLINGWOOD Rooted in tradition, yet unafraid to unleash its creativity, Collingwood's Son In Law is one of Melbourne's best-loved Thai joints. Named after the dish of deep fried eggs that's said to be served up to misbehaving Thai sons-in-law, it's a colourful spot that's guaranteed to charm. Owner Piyawut Tony Rungpradit says his aim is to welcome diners to an authentically Thai dining experience by offering this namesake dish, as well as traditional share plates like the rich green curry and pad see ew noodles. Expect a sunny Aussie welcome to make you feel at home while you tuck into a proper Thai feast. 56 Johnston Street, Collingwood. DIN TAI FUNG, CBD Famed for its signature dumplings and boasting venues across the globe, Din Tai Fung sure knows how to pull the crowds. But no matter how busy the Melbourne Emporium restaurant might get, you'll always be met with a friendly call of ni hao — a Mandarin version of 'hi' or 'how are you' that's commonly used in China and Taiwan. It's just a kind little reminder of the Taiwanese deliciousness that awaits — drunken chicken, fragrant wonton soup and, of course, a parade of juicy, perfectly-crafted dumplings. Emporium, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. HOFBRAUHAUS, CBD In Germany, one of the world's largest consumers of beer, the heartiest welcome you'll find comes in the form of a nice, cold stein. For centuries it's been part of the social fabric, bringing people together and creating homes away from homes. And you'll experience exactly this with a visit to Market Lane's historic German restaurant, Hofbrauhaus. Here, staff sport classic Bavarian outfits, live German tunes set a cheerful tone and generous serves of pork knuckle are primed for feasting sessions. A range of traditionally brewed biers rounds out the whole lively experience. 18–28 Market Lane, Melbourne. Discover the many ways to feel welcome in Melbourne — from an authentic aperitivo hour to a chorus of 'irasshaimase' to the warm, freshly baked cookies waiting to welcome you to your home away from home at DoubleTree by Hilton on Flinders Street.
Usually, when someone returns from a trip to Africa, they just come back with a new outlook on life, pictures of cute/terrifying animals and maybe a different hairstyle. Well, unless you're Dean and Jeanelle Mariani — then, you come back with a desire to open a bar about it. Inspired by the couple's travels through East Africa, Polepole is a sweet homage to the country's eastern coastline in the form of a slick city cocktail bar one level above Little Collins Street (with some killer bar snacks, to boot). It's important to establish that Polepole isn’t a themed bar — simply a bar with flecks of African influence scattered about. You'll find it in the drinks, on the menu (biltong features, and it's really quite good) and the Lion King-esque Tree of Life painted onto one wall. If you're looking for novelty, you won't find it here. The cocktail list does feature a few culturally-relevant concoctions, with drinks like the Dr. Livingstone — Tromba tequila, Heering Cherry liqueur, red vermouth and blood orange — and the Mzungu Martini: their take on the espresso martini, with spiced rum to really kick things off. Apart from that, they keep it simple with beers imported from Kenya, Ethiopia and Mauritius ($8-10) and a less exotic, but quality nonetheless, selection of Australian wines. At cocktail bar, the snacks usually come as an afterthought. But Polepole's bar food is almost worth a visit in itself. Among the most memorable, the eggplant chips — crisply coated, skin on, in something similar to panko crumbs and gooey on the inside ($12) — and the sweet-and-nutty pork, almond and cinnamon cigars ($14 for three). Then, you have the ribs; four different types (chicken, beef, pork and lamb), all sticky, dark and rich. No cutlery needed. Only napkins. If being in an East African bar means that we have license to eat with our hands while sipping an espresso martini, we're happy to oblige with custom. Although, maybe that's just Polepole.
"Texting is tacky," proclaims filmmaker/artist/writer Miranda July. "Calling is awkward. Email is old." So she's come up with a brand new way to communicate in the 21st century: an app called Somebody. Here's how it works. You send your friend a message, but rather than going directly to their phone, it goes to the Somebody user in closest proximity. This individual delivers the message, in person. Hence, the app facilitates all the instantaneity of modern digital communication, as well as a dose of good, old-fashioned face-to-face contact. As the Somebody site quips, it's 'half-app/half-human'. It's also a public art project. July first came up with the concept in March 2014 and developed it with the help of designer Thea Lorentzen and a team from StinkDigital, along with support from Miu Miu. The app and an accompanying film — the eighth commission in Miu Miu's Women's Tales series — premiered on August 28. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iz13HMsvb6o "Somebody is a far-reaching public art project that incites performance and twists our love of avatars and outsourcing — every relationship becomes a three-way," states the official site. "The antithesis of the utilitarian efficiency that tech promises, here, finally, is an app that makes us nervous, giddy and alert to the people around us." Your messages don't have to be restricted to words — your messenger can also follow actions and directions (i.e. dance, hug, cry and so on) — as long as they're game. If the timing isn't right, the recipient can decline involvement. Plus, the sender can select from a variety of potential messengers by previewing photos and performance ratings. When there's a lack of users in the vicinity, the message can be floated until someone turns up. July will speak publicly about Somebody at New York City's New Museum on October 9, and the app will be progressively launched throughout the Northern Hemisphere over Spring. Right now, hotspots are in action at the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco; the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and Museo Jumex, Mexico City. It's in these places that you're likely to find a high concentration of Somebody users. If you want get the trend happening here in Australia, get the ball rolling and download the app for free from the Apple store. Image: Miranda July and Miu Miu.
Today, Eric Bana is a world-renowned film and TV star with a resume that spans Australian and Hollywood fare. Black Hawk Down, Hulk, Troy, Munich, Star Trek, Hanna, Aaron Falk movies The Dry and Force of Nature: The Dry 2, US television shows Dirty John and Untamed: they're all on the Aussie actor's resume. At the beginning of 2000, however, he had a part in The Castle as his sole big-screen appearance, alongside his small-screen sketch comedy work in the likes Full Frontal, plus a few episodes of medical drama All Saints. Then came Chopper. Ever since Bana portrayed Mark 'Chopper' Read in the exceptional Andrew Dominik (Blonde)-directed flick, it's been one of the first roles that springs to mind whenever anyone thinks about the Australian talent. Well-deserved accolades came his way, including Best Actor at the Australian Film Institute Awards (which have since become the AACTAs). If you need a reminder of why his performance demanded such praise — and the film, too — catching a 25th-anniversary cinema screening of the iconic feature will do the job. To celebrate a quarter of a century since Chopper first hit Aussie picture palaces, the film is returning to local big screens for a limited season from Thursday, August 21, 2025. As well as the movie itself — one of the finest Australian entries in the true-crime genre, and a stunning feature debut from Dominik — audiences will also see 13 minutes of bonus behind-the-scenes footage, chats with Bana, Dominik and Read among them. How does Bana look back on the role that made him an international movie star, and tells one of the most-infamous crime tales in Aussie history? "Chopper was an incredibly unique and distinctive character. Getting the chance to play someone like him is rare. It's always a treat if a film holds up over time, and I'm proud of its space in the Australian film landscape," he advises. This isn't Chopper's first return to the big screen — it also enjoyed 20th-anniversary sessions, pops up on retrospective programs and received the Hear My Eyes treatment at MIFF 2022 — but it's always worth watching in cinemas. Marking the leap from making music videos to features, the movie also helped catapult Dominik's career, too, with The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Killing Them Softly and Blonde all following, plus episodes of Mindhunter, and Nick Cave-focused documentaries One More Time with Feeling and This Much I Know to Be True. Check out the 25th-anniversary trailer for Chopper below: Chopper is returning to Australian cinemas from Thursday, August 21, 2025.
In an Australian first, Queenslanders heading for a night out and to music festivals will be able to check their illicit substances for dangerous ingredients on an ongoing basis. The Sunshine State's government has announced that it is introducing pill testing for the first time — and not simply allowing it for one specific event, but permitting fixed and mobile sites in general. The move comes after trials in Canberra, which has included Groovin' the Moo in 2018 and 2019. The Australian Capital Territory also launched the country's first fixed testing site as part of a six-month trial. [caption id="attachment_760714" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Groovin the Moo, Mackenzie Sweetnam[/caption] While protocols for pill testing in Queensland are still being developed, and a provider to oversee the service is still being sought, sites will be established as a harm reduction strategy — aiming to minimise overdoses and other adverse effects resulting from party drugs. "Pill testing is all about harm minimisation; we don't want people ending up in our emergency departments or worse losing their life," said Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D'Ath, announcing the news. [caption id="attachment_809941" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Byrne[/caption] "It is important to note that pill-testing services do not promote that drugs are safe; however, they are among a suite of options that can positively affect outcomes regarding illicit drug use. Pill-testing services will inform people what chemical substances are in their drugs. We know people make better decisions when they are equipped with unbiased information," the Minister continued. "Drug testers can also influence a drug taker's behaviour, making them more likely to dispose of substances, decrease the amount they take, tell their peers and be more likely to seek help if they or others are experiencing adverse effects. The other benefit to pill testing is it provides critical information to law enforcement and health services about high-risk substances in the community or drug trends." A timeline for rolling out pill testing in Queensland hasn't yet been announced either, and neither has where folks will be able to head to beyond music festivals. But the Sunshine State has been reforming its drugs policies in general, including also newly expanding the Queensland's Police Drug Diversion program — which takes a tiered approach to minor drug-possession offences — to all types of illicit substances. The first instance now receives a warning and police referral to a support service, while the second and third involve mandatory participation in a Drug Diversion Assessment Program, with the fourth bringing a notice to appear in court. Drug checking has been used overseas since the 90s, but remains a controversial topic in Australia. Indeed, when Groovin the Moo conducted its first trial in 2018, calls to offer pill testing had been circulating for the prior two years, after a 15-year-old collapsed from an overdose at the fest's Maitland event in 2016. For more information about pill testing in Queensland, head to the Queensland Government website.
Everybody loves food. The glorious stuff keeps us alive, after all. But our relationship with it is so much more than just one of sustenance. It's a deep love based on bold flavours and gastro-satisfaction — and it's a love so strong that we're willing to cross seas, hop on rickety buses and pay big money to travel far-flung countries just to get our hands on what could be the world's best sandwich, or the perfect cup of coffee. Culinary tourism is one of the top reasons people travel, and travelling for a food festival is one of the most hectic, informative and fun ways to immerse yourself in the city's food culture. So take a coffee break and scroll through some of the world's most delicious food festivals. They're events we reckon are worth dusting off the passport and busting out your custom chilli spoon for. And even if you can't make it to the actual event, it might at least give you an inspired idea of what to eat for dinner tonight. AUSTIN FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL, TEXAS, USA Austin has long been the culinary darling of the United States, and the glorious April feast that is the Austin Food + Wine Festival is the best way to find out why. As well as artisanal food and booze from a slew of local vendors, there's usually a fire pit, a taco showdown, interactive demonstrations, live music and meet and greets with America's top chefs. There's so much on you won't even be thinking about the exchange rate — just about how much you can fit in your tummy. When? Late April. COPENHAGEN COOKING, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK So we all know about Noma (especially after Rene Redzepi brought the restaurant to Sydney earlier this year), but do you know anything else about Danish cuisine? Probably not. But your one-way ticket to finding out is attending the Copenhagen Cooking food festival. This lovely little festival (which was in fact modelled in part on Melbourne Food and Wine Festival) will have you biking all over the small city to eat all the smørrebrød and skagen you possibly can. They also have a heap of good coffee and natural wine to try. The festival itself includes a wide range of events, from slow food dinners held in barns on the outskirts of town to cupping sessions and a long table outdoor feast that takes over a street in the city's Frederiksberg area. When? Late August. [caption id="attachment_594133" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Seth Lui via Singapore Food Festival[/caption] SINGAPORE FOOD FESTIVAL, SINGAPORE The entirely unique blend of cultural flavours (and price points) that is Singapore's cuisine jumps out at you like nobody's business at this annual celebration of eating as much as you deem safe. At the Singapore Food Fest, top chefs (many Michelin-starred) re-imagine classics in market stalls, and street vendors around town dish out every delicious colour of the foodie rainbow. This year they were even serving up something called laksagne — that's laksa-flavoured lasagne. Yep. When? Mid July. FOOD AND FUN FESTIVAL, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND With Iceland's relative proximity to the well-known food scene of Copenhagen (thanks to Noma) and the fact that it's on just about every traveller's bucket list, it's no surprise to see the culinary delights of Reykjavik becoming more and more popular. The most popular food event in the nation's capital, the Food and Fun Festival, sees restaurants across the city gather together to showcase Iceland's best home-grown produce over a few days in March. When? Early March. [caption id="attachment_594107" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Binder.donedat via Flickr.[/caption] PHUKET VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL, PHUKET, THAILAND Although it's already passed us by this year, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is definitely worth marking down on your travel calendar. The festival is actually a religious one, and celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstaining from meat and other stimulants during the ninth lunar month and praying to the Nine Emperor Gods for good health and peace of mind. It packs in ten days of intricate ceremonies — from fire walking to others too gruesome to mention — all while following a strict vego diet. Their mock meat game is strong and the food is stellar, with nature's produce being cooked with such skill that it'll probably never taste better. Remember this is a religious festival though, and if you attend you'll have to follow the festival's ten rules (no alcohol is one of them). When? Early October (but changes with the lunar calendar). L'APLEC DEL CARAGOL, LLEIDA, SPAIN Deep in the heart of Catalonia lies the city of Lleida — and every year in May, it plays host to up to 200,000 visitors for the annual gathering of snails. Essentially, it's a huge snail feast. The festival, named l'Aplec del Caragol, lays it on with parades, bands and whole mess of snails to consume. Last year, twelve tonnes were demolished across the weekend. When? Late May. WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL, CANCUN, MEXICO Legging it to a destination for food doesn't necessarily mean sticking with the local offerings, so why not treat yourself to a festival of pure world class gastronomy? Cancun's Wine & Food Festival is regularly hosted by some of the best chefs in the world, and it comes with the jaw dropping scenery of Caribbean in the background. Plus, you can snack on street tacos in-between events if you're still hungry. When? Early October. LE SALON DU CHOCOLAT, PARIS, FRANCE This one's pretty straight up and simple: a four-day chocolate festival in Paris. Le Salon du Chocolat sees hundreds of pastry chefs, chocolatiers and confectioners from all around the world descend on Paris for a whole long weekend's worth of take my money now. That's a bender to really get behind. When? Late October. Top image: Copenhagen Cooking.
UPDATE, May 14, 2021: American Utopia is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. There may be no catchier lyric in music history than "same as it ever was", the five words repeated in Talking Heads' 1981 single 'Once in a Lifetime'. As uttered again and again by the band's inimitable frontman David Byrne, it's a looping phrase that burrows into your skull and never leaves. It's a line that, apropos of nothing, starts echoing through your brain at random moments as well. It's also the type of lyric that, when the above situation happens, no one protests. So when American Utopia opens with the musician sat at a table holding a brain and talking about what its various parts do, it feels as if Byrne is acknowledging what everyone already knows in the deepest recesses of their consciousness: that Byrne long ago got cosy in our craniums and has been nattering away to us ever since. As he stares at grey matter while wearing a grey suit — a perfectly fitting one, unlike the famed big number he wore in iconic 1984 Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense — Byrne has something else on his mind, though. American Utopia starts with the part of our bodies where we all mentally reside, but slowly and smartly evolves from the cerebral to the communal. It segues from one man alone on a stage lost in his own thoughts to 12 people singing, dancing, playing instruments and connecting, and also pondering the state of the world and how to better it in the process. And it takes its titular concept seriously along the way, confronting America's political and social divisions in Byrne's witty, wise and impassioned between-song chats, but never satirising the idea that the US could be improved to the benefit of everyone. American Utopia is a concert film like its predecessor; however, as that masterpiece proved, the whole notion means more to Byrne than merely standing in front of a camera and busting out well-known hits. From the sublimely soothing 'This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)' to the punchier 'Burning Down the House', plenty of Byrne's best-known songs do grace American Utopia. 'Once in a Lifetime' is among them, of course, as are 'Road to Nowhere' and 'Everybody's Coming to My House', with the film's playlist spanning his career with Talking Heads and solo. Across a range of styles and tempos, each track is a wonder, and not just in the way that fans already know. As should be obvious from the fastidious fashion in which Byrne has conceptualised this stage performance — which he toured in 2018, then adapted for Broadway in 2019, and has now turned into this standout movie directed by Spike Lee — this is a meticulously crafted work. Basking in the glory of Byrne and his band is inevitable and would happen regardless, but soaking in everything that American Utopia does is another marvel entirely. It shouldn't be so striking to notice that Byrne and his colleagues are doing their thing completely untethered, for instance. The stage they stand on is bare except for a shimmering grey chainmail curtain that wraps around three sides, and their instruments and microphones are powered by packs so there are no pesky cords all over the place. Even percussion instruments are strapped to the folks playing them, with absolutely nothing touching the floor other than dancing (and in Byrne's case, bare) feet. It's freeing, not just for Byrne and his band, but to watch. Every move made is immaculately choreographed, but without all the wires and big equipment that's usually part of every concert experience, the performers can simply interact. And as they do, the audience engages on a deeper lever as well. Stop Making Sense devotees, which should include everyone given that it's the best concert movie ever made, will spot that Byrne has reversed his strategy from that earlier film. There, he walked onto the stage with a tape deck, pressed play, grabbed the microphone and kicked off by singing 'Psycho Killer'. When it came time for the next song, another bandmate joined him with their instrument of choice. The cycle repeated with the next track, and the next as well. It was a playful and also probing approach to the genre that made viewers confront its literally staged nature, which American Utopia achieves in the opposite manner and with broader aims — because, other than Byrne's presence, nothing is the same as it ever was here. Before Byrne forces you to do so, you probably won't have realised how enlivening, wondrous and cathartic it is to see the act of connecting so firmly thrust to the fore. It takes an incredible amount of work to make something so tightly constructed seem so loose and natural, and that's just one of the reasons that American Utopia is yet another of the star's masterpieces. The other sizeable factor: Lee, who is on quite the hot streak via BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods and now this. Like Byrne, he doesn't just want to plonk the performers in front of a lens, with his energetic directorial choices designed to complement the show and make the audience feel as if they're in the room. American Utopia, the stage production, already celebrates intimacy. At its core, it features a dozen people turning a semi-enclosed cube into an inviting space for collaboration and togetherness. Sometimes peering down on the action from above, sometimes weaving between band members, Lee and his 11 camera operators find the exact right shot for the exact right moment in every instance — and prove inventive and creative as they're doing so, too. Although it comes early in the film, when Byrne sings "home is where I want to be", another of his earworm lyrics, everything about what's easily the most joyous cinematic experience of the year instantly makes you feel that he's talking about exactly where he's standing at that very second. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97nnV0fNd30&feature=youtu.be
Modern Vietnamese has found a sprawling new home in Elsternwick, with the opening of the latest edition of Hanoi Hannah. Sitting just up the road from the original restaurant, which has shut its doors for good, the roomier digs mark a big expansion for the well-loved Asian eatery. Double the size and boasting room for 100, Hanoi Hannah Vol. II comes complete with an all-weather al fresco space, a hefty bar dotted with ringside seating and an impressive open kitchen that takes pride of place. Fans can get also excited for a fresh haul of contemporary Vietnamese dishes, across an all-new menu offering. Share-friendly snacks include the likes of grilled chicken ribs with lime salt and pickled chilli, red oil wontons matched with a Szechuan chilli vinegar, and a salmon tartare starring pineapple and betel leaf. Heartier appetites will find plenty to love about creations like the lemongrass-spiked claypot mussels served with crusty banh mi for dipping, a dry-aged roast duck with five spice and crunchy noodles, and the aromatic masterstock-braised crispy chicken. Lively salads and a hefty lineup of rice paper rolls keep things fresh. The fun-loving streak remains and the bar's happy to comply, offering a range of easy-drinking tinnies, a tidy list of wine and punchy cocktails for all occasions. Keep the chill at bay this winter with sips like the Spicy + Stormy, crafted with lime, ginger beer and chilli-infused rum, and a rich Maple Old Fashioned. Hanoi Hannah Vol.II is open now at 306 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick. Head in from noon–11pm Sunday through Thursday, and from noon till late Friday and Saturday.
Stray Neighbour melds bar, restaurant and gastropub seamlessly — a feat that should not be taken for granted. Where a lounge area with pool table could have brought the warm industrial vibe of the dining area down towards 'grunge', it doesn't. Where a vast timber-clad bar area and casual booth-style seating with bare wooden tables could have made you doubt the focus on and delicacy of the food, it doesn't. A wonderfully chameleonic beast, it's a destination for bar hoppers, foodies and all sorts of happy locals in between. The menu proper heroes seasonality and simplicity, with eats for snacking sessions right through to those long, friendly feasts. Fly by for crisp barbecue chicken ribs ($12.90) and truffled cheese arancini ($12), or settle in with the likes of a herb-crumbed chicken schnitzel ($24.90) and one of the top-notch steak dishes. A share-style 'feed me' menu clocks in at an easy $55, or $60 with dessert. Meanwhile, a new weekend breakfast offering holds its own against the neighbourhood's ever-buzzing cafe set — head in early to kick-start your morning (or battle your hangover) with the likes of honeyed ricotta doughnuts ($16), an oozy croque madame ($16), or guindilla-laced scrambled eggs($18.50). Matched with coffee by Supreme, it's a sure-fire weekend winner. Images: Brook James
Surfers Paradise is known for many things — sun, surf, sand, Schoolies and tourists, mainly — but there's one thing that the Gold Coast strip hasn't had for more than 20 years. That's a cinema, after Hoyts shut up shop back in 1995. Local cinephiles and holidaying movie buffs can rejoice, however, with Palace announcing plans to open a 12-screen complex later this year. Coming to the corner of Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Elkhorn Avenue as part of the X Galaxy Centre redevelopment, the cinema will feature multiple lounge and bar areas, plus views over the city, all a mere block away from the beach. It'll form part of an extensive retail and dining precinct, and will be serviced by the light rail system. Patrons can expect the usual array of Palace bar offerings when the cinema opens — with an exact date yet to be announced — plus the chain's mix of art house and mainstream titles. Other than the Home of the Arts cinema (formerly known as the Arts Centre Gold Coast), the area is underserved when it comes to anything other than blockbuster and multiplex fare, making Palace a welcome addition. The Surfers site will bring the company's Queensland locations to three, with Palace operating 22 in total across Australia. They're certainly busy — as well as opening a 13-screen, pink-hued cinema in Sydney's Chippendale last year, new sites in Double Bay and Melbourne's Old Pentridge Prison and Moonee Ponds are also in the works.
Getting stuck in the Upside Down mustn't be fun. Fighting demogorgons really wouldn't be either. And, neither would being imprisoned in a Russian jail, fighting secret government agents and seeing your home town rocked by a satanic panic-style witch-hunt. They're all among the grim things that Stranger Things has thrown its characters' ways over the years, including in the just-dropped first half of its long-awaited fourth season — and now waiting for the final two episodes in the season isn't that much fun as well. Obviously, spending the entire month of June listening to Kate Bush is on most Netflix viewers' agendas. But if you're after a bit more than that, the streaming platform has just released its first teaser trailer for the second volume of Stranger Things season four. Due to arrive on Friday, July 1, it'll dive back into the current tussle with Vecna — although, as this clip shows, he's decided that no one can stop his chaos now. The new sneak peek is brief, and it won't make any sense if you haven't already seen what the residents of Hawkins, Indiana have been up to lately. It still keeps the hefty slasher and horror vibes going, though, and teases another showdown between Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, Godzilla vs Kong) and the series' new big bad. Need a refresher on where things are up to? Season four is set six months after the season three's battle of Starcourt, and sees Eleven living in Lenora Hills, California, with Will Byers (Noah Schnapp, Waiting for Anya), his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton, The Souvenir Part II) and their mother Joyce (Winona Ryder, The Plot Against America). But, despite her claims that things are sunny — in letters to her boyfriend Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard, Ghostbusters: Afterlife), of course — they really aren't. The same proves true back in Hawkins, too. There, teens are turning up dead, and metal-loving outcast Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn, Small Axe) — who also runs the high school Dungeons & Dragons club — is the prime suspect. Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo, The Angry Birds Movie 2), Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink, Fear Street) and Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin, Concrete Cowboy) all know better, though, and enlist help from Steve Harrington (Joe Keery, Free Guy), Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke, Fear Street) and Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer, Things Seen & Heard) to work out what's going on. That's the basic overview — with season four so far also spanning nods to 80s flicks aplenty, a wonderful horror cameo, explorations of Eleven's past and powers, road trips, and Jim Hopper's (David Harbour, Black Widow) whole situation in a Soviet gulag. As for what'll happen next, things look as eerie, tense and chilling as ever. And no, the new trailer isn't set to 'Running Up That Hill'. Check out the first sneak peek at Stranger Things season four volume two below: The first seven episodes of Stranger Things season four are available to stream now via Netflix, with the remaining two set to follow on Friday, July 1. Read our full review of Stranger Things season four volume one.
Australia's oldest public library is one of the many venues that has had to close again in a bid to contain COVID-19. So, you can't check out its new $88.1 million transformation, but you can still access its 4.1 million digital items, including books, music, photos, magazines and more. Part of that collection are the State Library of Victoria's 19,000 ebooks. The likes of Maxine Beneba Clarke's Growing Up African in Australia and Stranger Country by Monica Tan are available to read online or download for seven days for free — all you need to do is sign up for a free library membership over here. Once you've done this, you can also take part in the library's Instagram bookclub #SLVBookClub, where you'll find staff tips and book recommendations. Those interested in Victoria's history will find hours and hours of entertainment in the library's digital image pool. It's home to 170,000 historical pics, including some serious (such as Ned Kelly and architecture), some adorable (good dogs) and some hilarious (moustaches). Elsewhere on the library's website, you'll find online galleries, archival videos, family history research tools, music and magazines. Sign up to become a State Library of Victoria member over here and explore its digital collection. Top image: State Library Victoria Ian Potter Queens Hall by Patrick Rodriguez Updated July 9, 2020.
After filming two of his last four movies in Australia (Lion and Hotel Mumbai), and also stepping into a Dickens classic set in Victorian England (The Personal History of David Copperfield), Dev Patel is heading somewhere completely different. Jumping back to medieval times, he's delving into the fantasy genre, messing with Arthurian legend, and swinging around a mighty sword and a giant axe, all thanks to the dark and ominous The Green Knight. Based on the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the film casts Patel as Sir Gawain. Nephew to King Arthur (Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible — Fallout), he's a knight of the Round Table and fearsome warrior. The character has popped up in plenty of tales, but here, he's forced to confront the giant green-skinned titular figure in an eerie showdown. As the poem explains, the Green Knight dares any other knight to strike him with an axe, but only if they'll then receive a return blow exactly one year and one day later. Based on the new, just-dropped trailer, this film adaptation looks to be sticking to that story rather closely — and the end result also looks more than a little moody, brooding and creepy. Patel is in great company, too, with The Green Knight also starring Alicia Vikander (Earthquake Bird), Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased) and Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses). Games of Thrones' Kate Dickie pops up as Guinevere, while her co-star Ralph Ineson — who is also known from the Harry Potter flicks, The Witch and the UK version of The Office — plays the Green Knight. Originally set to release in 2020 until the pandemic hit, The Green Knight is the latest movie by impressive and always eclectic writer/director David Lowery. His filmography spans everything from Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Pete's Dragon to A Ghost Story and The Old Man and the Gun — and, based on both the initial teaser and the new sneak peek, The Green Knight won't be like anything on his resume so far. Check out the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS6ksY8xWCY The Green Knight will release in the US on July 30, but it doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when it does.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures will do that, and so will plenty of people staying home because they aren't well — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Perhaps you've been under the weather. Given the hefty amount of titles now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are seven that you can watch right now at home. Dune: Part Two Revenge is a dish best served sandy in Dune: Part Two. On the desert planet of Arrakis, where golden hills as far as the eye can see are shaped from the most-coveted and -psychedelic substance in author Frank Herbert's estimation, there's no other way. Vengeance is just one course on Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet, Wonka) menu, however. Pop culture's supreme spice boy, heir to the stewardship of his adopted realm, has a prophecy to fulfil whether he likes it or not; propaganda to navigate, especially about him being the messiah; and an Indigenous population, the Fremen, to prove himself to. So mines Denis Villeneuve's soaring sequel to 2021's Dune, which continues exploring the costs and consequences of relentless quests for power — plus the justifications, compromises, tragedies and narratives that are inescapable in such pursuits. The filmmaker crafts his fourth contemplative and breathtaking sci-fi movie in a row, then, after Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 as well. The vast arid expanse that constantly pervades the frames in Dune: Part Two isn't solely a stunning sight. It looks spectacular, as the entire feature does, with Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser (The Creator) back after winning an Oscar for the first Dune; but as Paul, his widowed mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo), and Fremen Stilgar (Javier Bardem, The Little Mermaid) and Chani (Zendaya, Euphoria) traverse it, it helps carve in some of this page-to-screen saga's fundamental ideas. So does the stark monochrome when the film jumps to Giedi Prime, home world to House Harkonnen, House Atreides' enemy, plus Arrakis' ruler both before and after Paul's dad Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) got the gig in Villeneuve's initial Dune. People here are dwarfed not only by their mammoth surroundings, but by the bigger, broader, non-stop push for supremacy. While there's no shortage of detail in both Part One and Part Two — emotional, thematic and visual alike — there's also no avoiding that battling against being mere pawns in an intergalactic game of chess is another of its characters' complicated fights. Dune: Part Two streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Greig Fraser. Immaculate Add screaming to the ever-growing list of things that Sydney Sweeney can do spectacularly well. Indeed, thanks to Immaculate, which gets the Euphoria and The White Lotus star putting her pipes to stellar bellowing use, the horror genre has a brand-new queen; long may she reign if this is what audiences have to look forward to. This film about a nun who moves to a convent in the Italian countryside, then mysteriously becomes pregnant without having had sex, isn't just a job for Sweeney. She auditioned for the movie a decade back, it didn't come to fruition, but she strove to make it happen now. She stars. She produces. She enlisted Michael Mohan, who she worked with on Everything Sucks! and The Voyeurs, as its director. The passion that drove her quest to bring Immaculate to viewers is just as apparent in her formidable performance, too, including echoing with feeling — and blistering intensity— when she's shrieking. No one should just be realising now how versatile an actor that Sweeney is. Her portrayal of Sister Cecilia, who found her way to becoming a bride of Christ after a traumatic near-death incident in her younger years, is exactly what the film's title suggests: immaculate. It's also a showcase of a role that requires her to be sweet, dutiful, faithful, ferocious, indefatigable, vengeful and desperate to survive all in the same flick — and she kills it — but adaptability, resourcefulness and displaying a multitude of skills has been her on-screen wheelhouse beyond just one movie. Take Sweeney's last four cinema releases, for instance, all of which hail from 2023–24. Reality, Anyone But You, Madame Web and Immaculate couldn't be more dissimilar to each other, and neither could the actor's parts in them. Throw in her Saturday Night Live hosting stint, and she's firmly at the "is there anything that she isn't capable of?" stage of her career. Immaculate streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Michael Mohan. The Zone of Interest Quotes and observations about evil being mundane, as well as the result when people look the other way, will never stop being relevant. A gripping, unsettling masterpiece, The Zone of Interest is a window into why. The first film by Sexy Beast, Birth and Under the Skin director Jonathan Glazer in more than a decade, the Holocaust-set feature peers on as the unthinkable happens literally just over the fence, but a family goes about its ordinary life. If it seems abhorrent that anything can occur in the shadow of any concentration camp or site of World War II atrocities, that's part of the movie's point. It dwells in the Interessengebiet, the 40-square-kilometre-plus titular area that comprised and surrounded the Auschwitz complex, to interrogate how banal genocide was to those in power; commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel, Babylon Berlin), even gloats that his name will be remembered and celebrated for its connection to mass extermination. Höss was a real person, and the real Nazi SS officer overseeing Auschwitz from 1940–43. His wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall) and five children are similarly drawn from truth. But The Zone of Interest finds its way to the screen via Martin Amis' fiction novel of the same name, then hones its interest down from the book's three narrators to the Höss family; a biopic, it isn't, even as it switches its character monikers back to reflect actuality. This is a work of deep probing and contemplation — a piece that demands that its viewers confront the daily reality witnessed and face how the lives of those in power, and benefiting from it, thrived with death not only as a neighbour but an enabler. Camp prisoners tend the Höss' garden. Ashes are strewn over the soil for horticultural effect. Being turned into the same is a threat used to keep the household's staff in line. All three of these details, as with almost everything in the feature, are presented with as matter-of-fact an air as cinema is capable of. The Zone of Interest streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. How to Have Sex Movies don't have pores, but How to Have Sex might as well. Following a trip to Greece with three 16-year-old best friends who want nothing more than to party their way into womanhood — and to get laid, too — this unforgettable British drama is frequently slick with sweat. Perspiration can dampen someone when they're giddily excited about a wild getaway, finishing school and leaving adolescence behind. It can get a person glistening when they're rushing and drinking, and flitting from pools and beaches to balconies and clubs. Being flushed from being sozzled, the stickiness that comes with expending energy, the cold chill of stress and horror, the fluster of a fluttering heart upon making a connection: they're all sources of wet skin as well. Filmmaker Molly Manning Walker catalogues them all. Viewers can see the sweat in How to Have Sex, with its intimate, spirited, like-you're-there cinematography. More importantly, audiences can feel why protagonist Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce, Vampire Academy) is perspiring, and the differences scene to scene, even when she's not quite sure herself. How to Have Sex also gets those watching sweating — because spying how you've been Tara, or her pals Em (debutant Enva Lewis) and Skye (Lara Peake, Halo), or lads Badger (Shaun Thomas, Ali & Ava) and Paddy (Samuel Bottomley, The Last Rifleman) in the neighbouring resort unit, is inescapable. Walker has been there herself, with parts of her debut feature as a writer and director drawn from her own time as a Tara, Em or Skye while also making the spring break and Schoolies-like pilgrimage from England to the Mediterranean. When the movie doesn't lift details directly from her own experience, it shares them with comparable moments that are virtually ripped from western teendom. One of the feature's strokes of genius is how lived-in it proves, whether Tara and her mates are as loud and exuberant as girls are when their whole lives are ahead of them, its main character is attempting to skip her troubles in a sea of strobing lights and dancing bodies, or slipping between the sheets — but not talking about it — is changing who Tara is forever. How to Have Sex streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Molly Manning Walker. Bob Marley: One Love There's no doubting who Bob Marley: One Love is about, but the Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard)-directed biopic also brings two other big-screen portraits of music superstars to mind. There's always a dance through a legend's history flickering somewhere, or close to it, with the initial dramatised look at the reggae icon arriving after Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis both proved major hits in recent years. Where the first, which focused on Freddie Mercury, had Live Aid, Bob Marley: One Love has the One Love Peace Concert. Both are gigs to build a movie around, and both features have done just that. Baz Luhrmann's portrait of the king of rock 'n' roll wanted its audience to understand what it was like to watch its namesake, be in his presence and feel entranced by every hip thrust — and, obviously without the gyrating pelvis, Bob Marley: One Love also opts for that approach. Enter Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley, in a vital piece of casting. Although it may not earn him an Oscar as Bohemian Rhapsody did Rami Malek (Oppenheimer), or even a nomination as Elvis scored for Austin Butler (Masters of the Air), the British actor turns in a phenomenal performance. He's worlds away from being a Ken in Barbie. He isn't in wholly new territory seeing that he played Malcolm X in One Night in Miami and Barack Obama in TV series The Comey Rule. He's also magnetic and mesmerising — and, in the process, expresses how and why Marley was magnetic and mesmerising. Ben-Adir's vocals are blended with Marley's. Accordingly, you're largely listening to the singer himself. But there's a presence about Ben-Adir in the part, perfecting Jamaican patois, getting kinetic and uninhibited in his movement while he's behind the microphone, radiating charisma, but also conveying purpose and self-possession. It's a portrayal that's as entrancing and alive as the music that's always echoing alongside it; with Marley's discography, that's saying something. Bob Marley: One Love streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton and Reinaldo Marcus Green. Riceboy Sleeps When Riceboy Sleeps charts the passage of time from 1990 to 1999 partway into the movie, the Canadian film does so with Dong-hyun at its centre. As a six-year-old (played by debutant Dohyun Noel Hwang) navigating his initial taste of school from behind his large round glasses, he's shy, sensitive, and constantly reminded that he's different by teachers and classmates. As a 15-year-old (Ethan Hwang, The Umbrella Academy) with bleached-blonde hair and faux blue eyes, he's adopted a coping mechanism: trying to blend in. Riceboy Sleeps isn't just about Dong-hyun, who takes the anglicised name David in his attempts to assimilate. It's as much about his mother So-young (fellow feature first-timer Choi Seung-yoon), who relocates him from South Korea to North America after his soldier father's suicide. Writer/director Anthony Shim's sophomore release after 2019's Daughter hones in on the act of seeing, too — gleaning what's around you, who, why, the past that lingers, the stories that echo — as Dong-hyun and So-young survey where they are, where they've been, and how their history keeps dictating their present and future. In that aforementioned time jump, Shim — who helms, pens, edits and acts — and cinematographer Christopher Lew (Quickening) make eyes the focus. When Riceboy Sleeps dwells in the first year of the 90s, Dong-hyun's spectacles are frames within the frame, giving the boy his own windows to the world that he fidgets with, seems burdened by and, in an act of bullying by his peers, has dinged up and taken away. When the movie hits the end of the decade, Dong-hyun is putting in his contacts, therefore making the lens with which he perceives his existence invisible. Semi-inspired by his own childhood as a South Korean arrival to Vancouver Island in the 90s, including attending a school where he was the only Asian student, Riceboy Sleeps is this thoughtful at every level. The movement, and later lack thereof, of Lew's camerawork is just as loaded with meaning: in Canada, it's restless in long wide shots, careening around gracefully but noticeably and finding points to fixate on; back across the Pacific Ocean in the picture's bookending segments, it's still but just as observational. Riceboy Sleeps streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. The Boys in the Boat The Social Network isn't a rowing film, but the Henley Royal Regatta sequence in David Fincher's (The Killer) 2010 triumph quickly became one of cinema's most-famous oar-sweeping moments. Prestige, money, tradition, opulence, power, competition, determination: they all wash through the tightly shot segment, which gleams with the water of the River Thames, the sweat on the crew's faces and, just as importantly, with status. Definitely a rowing film, The Boys in the Boat paddles into the same world; however, a commentator's line mid-movie sums up the focus and angle of this old-fashioned underdog sports flick. "Old money versus no money at all" is how the usual big and rich names in the field and the University of Washington's junior varsity team are compared. George Clooney's (The Tender Bar) ninth feature as a director doesn't just spot the class-clash difference there — his entire picture wades into that gulf. Drawn from 2013 non-fiction novel The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown, reuniting Clooney with his The Midnight Sky screenwriter Mark L Smith in the process, The Boys in the Boat is about the UW's rowing efforts, rower Joe Rantz and coach Al Ulbrickson, too — plus an against-the-odds quest, bold choices, the struggles of the Great Depression, the reality of an Olympics held under the Nazi regime and the looming shadow of war. But thrumming at its heart like a coxswain is setting the pace is the mission to keep afloat one stroke at a time, and not merely in the pursuit of glory and medals. What rowing means to Rantz (Callum Turner, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), the character at its centre, as well as to the classmates-turned-crewmates catching and extracting with him under the guidance of the stoic Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton, I'm a Virgo), is pure survival first and foremost. The Boys in the Boat streams via Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Joel Edgerton. Looking for more viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February and March 2024 (and also January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2023, too). We keep a running list of must-stream TV from across 2024 as well, complete with full reviews. And, we've also rounded up 2023's 15 best films, 15 best straight-to-streaming movies, 15 top flicks hardly anyone saw, 30 other films to catch up with, 15 best new TV series of 2023, another 15 excellent new TV shows that you might've missed and 15 best returning shows.
If the impending winter chill has you dreaming of cosy nights spent quaffing drams of whisky, there's a new Melbourne-made creation that deserves a spot in your spirits collection. The team at the city's own Starward Whisky has just unveiled the latest edition of its Ginger Beer Cask series — and this spicy little number promises to keep those winter blues at bay. The sixth annual iteration of Starward's ginger-based program is its most experimental yet — French and American oak barrels were used to brew a citrus-filled ginger beer, which was then left to soak up maximum flavour. Next, the casks were emptied and then refilled with a blend of apera (a fortified wine) and single-malt whisky that had been previously aged in red wine barrels. The result is a boldly-flavoured ginger-forward drop with aromas of orange and dark chocolate, and a juicy taste full of vanilla and pineapple accents. Starward's experts say you can try the whisky any way you please, but they particularly recommend sipping it straight, perhaps alongside some good-quality dark chocolate. Either way, it's safe to say you can expect a very good drop — the last Ginger Beer Cask edition took out a gold medal at the World Whisky Masters, as well as a bronze at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition. The special-edition spirit is always quick to sell out, and this year's release is pegged to be no different. In fact, after five increasingly popular runs, Starward is this year using a ballot system to determine who gets first dibs on buying the limited number of bottles available. To be in with a shot, register online before Sunday, May 9. Any remaining bottles will then be available to the general public for purchase on World Whisky Day on Saturday, May 15. And if you'd like to try before you buy, it'll be on the tasting roster at Starward's Port Melbourne distillery bar for a limited time. To get first access to Starward's Ginger Beer Cask #6, register for the ballot online by Sunday, May 9. Ballot holders will then get a few days to purchase a bottle, before any remaining stock goes on sale to the general public on Saturday, May 15. A 500-millilitre bottle will set you back $119, and will be available via the distillery's online store or at its Port Melbourne distillery shop.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Rekorderlig. If there’s one good way to rest your over-worked ski muscles, it’s hanging out in a hot pool. The good news is that Rekordelig is bringing theirs back to Thredbo this year. And, once again, it’s not just an apres swim that’ll be on the cards, but a complete music, food and beverage indulgence. All you’ll need are your swimmers. The famous Swedish cider brand will provide everything else — from towels and umbrellas to blankets and illuminated trees. Even if you’re not too keen on taking the plunge, you’ll be welcome to while away the time poolside. Think kicking back in deckchairs and beanbags, losing yourself in alpine sunsets and contemplating which black runs you’re going to conquer in the morning. On the drinks menu are a couple of special, piping hot drops — warm winter cider and warm orange-ginger cider — as well as Rekorderlig staples passionfruit, pear and strawberry-lime. Both sampler platters and regular bottles will be served up. For tasty, energy-packed invigorating treats, there’ll be meatballs with Rekorderlig Winter Cider sauce and apple cinnamon donuts. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night during the 12-week-long ski season, live entertainment will soundtrack the hot pool experience. The Rekorderlig Hot Pool is at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel, every weekend until September.
More than most video games, Until Dawn always felt destined for the big screen from the moment that it first had players pressing buttons. The premise of the 2015 hit is straight out of a horror movie, with a group of eight friends attempting to make it through a trip to Blackwood Mountain — the place where one character's two sisters disappeared a year prior, and where everyone is now looking for answers — alive. The cast boasted star power, including a pre-Oscar Rami Malek (The Amateur), plus Hayden Panettiere (Scream VI) and Peter Stormare (So Long, Marianne). Visually, there's also its pivotal third-person perspective. Something that Until Dawn featured as a game, however, that was unlikely to make the leap to cinemas: the choose-your-adventure approach to play. Interactive films exist, but the two best-known recent examples are each streaming releases: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend, both on Netflix. In adapting Until Dawn into a movie destined for the silver screen, so lurked the dilemma — aka how to nod to the butterfly effect-style element, where player decisions dictate the storyline. The answer came by still focusing on choice, and also nodding to the fact hundreds of endings are possible in the game, making selecting an option a move that requires careful consideration about where any path might lead. Enter the mechanism that's fuelled everything from Groundhog Day and the Happy Death Day films to Edge of Tomorrow and so much more: time loops. In the movie directed by David F Sandberg (Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods), and penned by Gary Dauberman (Salem's Lot) and Blair Butler (The Invitation), there's still a group of friends, a missing sibling and a remote setting. That said, neither its helmer nor one of its writers, both of whom first collaborated on Annabelle: Creation, set out to make a direct adaptation of the game, Sandberg and Dauberman tell Concrete Playground. "It's more like a new chapter of Until Dawn," advises Sandberg, who first made the leap to full-length flicks in horror courtesy of the short-to-feature Lights Out. "The game is so cinematic, we just didn't want to try to replicate that experience," notes Dauberman, a mainstay behind the scenes on The Conjuring Universe films, including Annabelle and its sequels — he directed as well as penned Annabelle Comes Home — and The Nun, alongside scripting IT and IT: Chapter Two. [caption id="attachment_1000992" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images[/caption] Here, then, the characters are different, and the absent sister as well. The cast fighting to survive has changed, too. As a film, Until Dawn steps into a new scenario also, although Stormare remains the link among the actors to its gaming beginnings. This time, it's Clover (Ella Rubin, Anora) who is in search of Melanie (Maia Mitchell, The Artful Dodger) a year since she was last seen. The rest of her travelling group — Max (Michael Cimino, Never Have I Ever), Megan (Ji-young Yoo, Expats), Abe (Belmont Cameli, The Alto Knights) and Nina (Odessa A'zion, Am I OK?) — have helping Clover as their main aim rather than finding Melanie, though. She's determined to look for her sister. They're eager to assist her with facing her trauma and moving on. Of course, no one expects that following Melanie's path to an abandoned visitor centre in a secluded valley will lead them to being stuck battling an array of killers in a time loop, and dreading an hourglass flipping again and again. When they all die, Until Dawn's latest figures just find themselves in the same place, yet caught in another scenario. Sometimes that plunges the movie into slasher-film territory. Sometimes it skews more supernatural. Sometimes, Clover and her friends are caught in a creature feature — and the list goes on. The only way for them to be free of the nightmare, and from an experience that hops between horror subgenres, is right there in the feature's title. Make it until dawn and the hellish ordeal ends. What excited Sandberg and Dauberman, other than being gamers themselves, about taking on the task of bringing Until Dawn to cinemas? That's where our chat with the pair started. From there, we dug into selecting the different subgenres, basically making multiple horror flicks in one, Stormare's return, and how you enlist a cast when their gig is to get murdered over and over — plus interrogating choice via time loops, calling out other films using temporal repeats, the current wave of successful video game-to-screen adaptations (think: The Last of Us, Fallout, The Super Mario Bros Movie and A Minecraft Movie) and more. On What Excited Sandberg and Dauberman About Adapting Until Dawn Into a Movie Gary: "I think the thing that excited us the most — I'll speak for me — but was really being able to do a couple different subgenres of horror within one movie. The game is really this cinematic experience that's a true love letter to the genre. We wanted to make sure that was captured in the movie, and do that ourselves with the movie. And so that was really exciting. So then it just became about, 'well, how are we going to do that?'. Because it's not going to be a direct adaptation of the game — because, as I said, the game is so cinematic, we just didn't want to try to replicate that experience. So it was really about, 'okay, how can we stay true to the game, the world and all that, but also be able to do our own thing as well within the genre?'." David: "And what excited me was that Gary and Blair, they didn't try to just recreate the game — which was already so much like a movie and already cinematic. It's more like a new chapter of Until Dawn. And the fact that we have all these different horror genres in one movie. So I got to try out all these different things, including genres I'd never done before — like slasher or found footage. It was just a dream come true." On Deciding Which Horror Subgenres to Jump Between in the Film Gary: "It's interesting — Blair and I always had slasher first, and I think a large part of that's just because, I mean I know that's because of the game itself and the psycho mask and all that. And then I think it was just what could be different from slasher? We leaned into supernatural because that felt so different and a stark contrast to just the visceral kills of the slasher. So you just try to think of what's going to give that sharp contrast to whatever came before. Then you go supernatural, then you go right into body horror — which is super real and gross, whereas supernatural generally isn't that. That's the thought behind how it's laid out in sequential order, I guess." On Feeling Like This Movie Meant Making Not Just One Horror Film, But Multiple Horror Films David: "For sure, because it also, like schedule-wise and time wise, felt like we were trying to do six or seven movies in one. It was a challenge. It's a very ambitious movie for the time we had, so we had to do a lot of planning — and sometimes adapting on the day, where it's like 'okay, we're not going to have time to do all of these things, so we'll focus on what's most important to get'. So it was a challenge, but it was also the reason why I signed up for the movie — to get to do all of this. So I happily did it." On Making Dr Hill (and Peter Stormare in the Role) One of the Key Connections Between the Game and the Movie Gary: "Dr Hill, to me, was always the character I was most curious about in the game, and felt like he could be a great link, connective tissue, between the game and the movie. And he could really be the steward of the franchise, of these stories. He always felt like he's got more going on. And I think talking with the game developers and what they had intended with Dr Hill as well, it was a constant dialogue and conversation, so he just made the most sense organically to what they had in mind and what we had in mind to use. And plus, it's Peter Stormare. If you've got Peter Stormare, you want to use him every chance you get. So that was also a part of the decision. But from a storytelling aspect, I saw him as a great face of the franchise." On How You Build a Cast When the Gig Is to Get Killed Over and Over Again David: "We did a lot of auditions to try to find the right people. Michael, who plays Max, came recommended — he's worked with Gary before. But otherwise, it's just doing a lot of auditions and finding the right people who are not just good actors, but who are willing to go there, to these places. Because I had to warn the cast that this is going to be a challenging movie, like physically challenging and mentally challenging, because you're going to have to be wet and bloody and dirty and crawl through mud, and all of these things. And work nights and work in uncomfortable locations and all these things. But they were really up for it. And once we'd done all this extensive casting, they just worked as a team right away, just became instant friends and were just a pleasure to work with. And I know they really appreciated getting to do — like Maia was saying that in most movies and TV shows, she has to look pretty and perfect, and all these things. In this movie, you don't need to look perfect. You need to look like you've gone through hell. And you get to scream and let it all out. So they were more than up for it." On Calling Out How Popular Time-Loop Flicks Are in the Film — and Knowing How This Addition to the Genre Needed to Stand Out Gary: "We knew we didn't want to do the Groundhog Day-esque time loop. Happy Death Day does that so, so well and effectively. If we were going to do it, we needed to own it for us and make it different. So in a way, the knowledge of those made us just work against that — like going 'okay, we know that's out there, so we've got to do something different'. So that's kind of how we went. And then in terms of the subgenres themselves, it really was about the tropes within the subgenres that we were using as elements to each sequence — but not any specific movie per se." David: "Yeah, you don't want to shy away from some of these tropes, because you want people to feel like 'okay, now we're in this kind of film'." Gary: "Yeah, exactly." David: "But you try to subvert it so you don't know exactly what's coming, but you just need to feel familiar enough." Gary: "That's right." On Still Interrogating Choice, Even If the Film Can't Mirror the Game's Player-Shaped Storylines and Hundreds of Endings, in a Movie That's Also About Trauma Gary: "It was a really important element from the character standpoint of like, 'okay, the terror is new, but we're still here, we're still a part of this group'. And as the group starts to fracture a bit because they have different ways of how they want to go about solving this puzzle of how they're going to survive until dawn, I think it's about, one of the things is sticking together and surviving through trauma and leaning on each other to get through something — as opposed to just being off in a corner by yourself, because that's not going to get you through it, much like Clover was at the start of the movie. For Clover, for instance, she's someone who had to die over and over again in order to know how to live again. So that's kind of how we saw the character choices affecting the character arcs in the movie." David: "Yeah. And I thought it was so brilliant to have this restarting in the movie, because it does make it feel so much like the game — where you can play it several times and make different choices and see different deaths and different kills and stuff. And this was a way to get that in movie form." On the Film's Commitment to Practical, In-Camera Effects as Much as Possible David: "It's something I've always wanted to do. Since I was a little kid watching horror movies, reading all these books about effects done with latex and silicone — and makeup effects and all these things, something I've wanted to do forever, and this was a chance to do that. And I like when horror movies, in particular, do that. I'm not opposed to visual effects in any way, and there's visual effects in this movie, too, but we wanted to try to take practical as far as we could — and have things there for our actors to see and feel and react to, because it just makes it more fun for us. But I think the audience can feel that coming through as well." On How Sandberg and Dauberman's Working Relationship Has Evolved in the Eight Years Since Annabelle: Creation David: "Gary produced this movie as well. It all started with him, the project. So I guess you were more involved now. I mean, you were involved in all of Annabelle: Creation as well. So it's very similar." Gary: "I think it was similar, but I think we just got more comfortable with each other." David: "Yeah." Gary: "So I think it's evolved from that standpoint. But I think I just have a confidence in him that I don't have in a lot of people, so he's like a safe place for me. I just know that he's going to elevate whatever material I hand over to him. And so, yeah, I think it's just the familiarity and the comfortability that you oftentimes don't get in this business, because it's so transactional and it's new faces every time you go somewhere. So it's nice to have somebody who's consistent and constant." On Why Adaptations of Video Games Are Such a Focus at the Moment — and Striking Such a Chord with Audiences David: "I think it's because people who grew up with video games are now in positions to make to make and write these types of movies. And I think that really helps — because I think back in the 80s, making that Super Mario Bros movie, I don't think those people were gamers. Maybe they were, I don't know. So I think it's just like, for this generation or for us now, it's like 'well, of course video games are just as important as comic books or other movies or whatever'. So it's gotten to the respect that it deserves." [caption id="attachment_1000993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images[/caption] Gary: "Yeah, and I think from a business standpoint, it's such an IP-driven business that comic books feels a little probably picked over. And so it feels like now the attention has turned to video games — and that IP, it's just been kind of sitting there. But as gamers, we've always known it's been — it's right there. You go do this stuff, give it the money and the time it deserves, and the talent. So I'm happy and excited to see that that's coming to fruition." David: "And games, of course, have become more and more cinematic, closer to movies as well." Gary: "Yeah, yeah, which becomes part of a challenge." Until Dawn released in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
Throwing a lavish dinner party? Trying to up your bartending game? Or just tired of dropping $20 per cocktail at the bar? Enter Cocktail Porter — it has you covered on all three counts. Australia's new online subscription service for at-home cocktail making is now delivering to door's across the country. While it's not the first of its kind in the country — with The Mixery delivery all the non-booze cocktail ingredients you'll need — it's the first delivering the spirits, too. It's founded by Sydney-based Cameron Northway, who also co-owns Rocker in Bondi with Three Blue Duck's Darren Robertson. He's joined by a team of renowned Australian hospo vets, including former Bartender of the Year Tim Phillips (owner of Bulletin Place and Dead Ringer). The subscription works similarly to most DIY food delivery services, except with booze. Fixings for a different drink will be delivered each month, along with a recipe card and pre-measured ingredients and premium spirits. This element of convenience will cost you $135 per month, which can be a lot to fork up at once — though it'll make 14–18 cocktails (about a tenner each), so it's a big saving for regular spenders at the bar. Each month will feature a different cocktail, curated by world-class bartenders and based on global drinking trends. At the moment, there's the Treacle Old Fashioned with sweet Italian vermouth, burnt orange-vanilla syrup and cacao-macadamia bitters; a classic gin martini with your choice of flavoured vermouth; and a bloody mary with turmeric vinegar. Coming up, November's two-in-one Spring Cup Spritz offers the options to make both Tanqueray and Ciroc spritzes in one box, along with sparkling wine, elderflower cordial and lemongrass and ginger sparkling water accompaniments. December will see a classic espresso martini box complete with Ketel One, coffee liqueur, cold drip coffee and grated dark chocolate. The fresh ingredients, garnishes and glassware are not included in the box, though the recipe card will tell you exactly what else you'll need, along with some at-home hacks if you want to avoid buying expensive tumblers, jiggers and shakers. If a month subscription is just too much, there are one-off orders and gift options, too, which are delivered within three-to-five working days — so not too much planning is needed if you want to amp up your next soiree. Cocktail Porter is now delivering across Australia.
There are under two months left in the year (???) and before we finally leave 2020 behind us, we've still got the holiday season to look forward to. You might be starting to stress about what to get your relatives, friends or partner this holiday season, but stress no more. Marimekko has organised all of its best homewares, furnishings and clothes into a handy gift guide designed to make purchasing your holiday gifts as easy as possible. The gift guide is organised into six simple categories: under $50, under $150, under $300, clothing, home and bags and accessories. For under $50, you can pick up a variety of mugs, bowls, tea towels and other kitchenware. For under $150, you'll be able to gift a sleek serving plate featuring a leather handle or some of Marimekko's distinct glassware, and, if you're looking to splurge on someone special, the under $300 category features a range of designer clothes including a couple of immensely stylish yet comfortable bathrobes. One highlight of the online gift guide (and Marimekko's new 2020 home collection) is Swedish designer Carina Seth Andersson's new mouth-blown glass candleholders and beloved minimalist vases. The new line of candleholders come in subtle tones of powder pink, green and warm amber. While you're perusing the gift guide, you might find a self-gift and something to spruce up your own household before the end of the year. To check out Marimekko's gift guide and its new 2020 home collection, head to the website. 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.
After more than a year of teasing — including initial hints in 2019, official confirmation in 2020, a first teaser a week ago and a full trailer a couple of days back — Friends: The Reunion will finally hit screens this month. HBO's US streaming platform HBO Max has gotten the gang back together, reuniting Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow to chat about orange couches, smelly cats and whether a couple is on a break. And, in just-announced news, Australian viewers will be able to get their own hefty dose of 90s sitcom nostalgia at the same time as folks in America. Local streaming platform Binge has just announced that Friends: The Reunion will hit the platform at 5.02pm on Thursday, May 27. Aussie fans were always going to be able to watch the special somewhere, and Binge was always the likely destination, but that has only been confirmed less than a week out from the show's airdate. Dubbed 'The One Where They Get Back Together' in the special's teasers, the reunion comes 27 years since the TV sitcom about six New Yorkers made audiences a promise: that it'd be there for us. And, as well as making stars out of Aniston, Cox, Perry, LeBlanc, Schwimmer and Kudrow, Friends has done just that. Sure, the hit series wrapped up its ten-season run in 2004, but the show has lived on — on streaming platforms, by sending an orange couch around Australia, by screening anniversary marathons in cinemas and in boozy brunch parties, for example. Friends: The Reunion promises to take pop culture's lingering affection for the show to another level, though. During the unscripted special, the actors behind Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Ross and Phoebe will chat about their experiences on and memories of the show — all on the same soundstage where Friends was originally shot, so expect to see some familiar faces and some recognisable decor. Aniston, Cox and the gang also have a few other famous pals for company, with the hefty guest lineup spanning folks with connections to the show and others that must just love it. On the list: David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin and Mindy Kaling, as well as Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. Check out the Friends: The Reunion trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYB1HvwHnkg Friends: The Reunion will be available to stream in Australia via Binge, hitting the platform at 5.02pm on Thursday, May 27.
As its name suggests, Melbourne's newest Japanese-accented restaurant leans right into the contemporary. The Future Future has officially arrived — in Richmond, at least — and it's already wowing with its incredibly considered offering. Design-wise, the Swan Street eatery wholeheartedly embraces that Japanese concept of wabi-sabi — that is, exploring the beauty in imperfection — as well as the philosophy of omotenashi, which is the concept of offering primo service without expectation of a reward. Out of the kitchen comes a technique-driven menu that's high on creativity and filled with revamps of classic Japanese dishes, that are fun, yet innovative. Unsurprising, given head chef Atsushi Kawakami's resume includes stints at some of Melbourne's hottest Japanese eateries, including Kappo, Izakaya Den and Hihou. You're in for plates like raw wagyu teamed with puffed wild rice and a wasabi-infused creme fraiche, meatball katsu-sandos, and donburi rice bowls filled with combinations like sweet-soy salmon, crisp tofu skins and green tea dashi broth. The hibachi grill also gets a solid workout, turning out skewers threaded with panko-crumbed barramundi, kewpie and tobiko, or maybe Japanese chicken meatballs, matched with sweet soy and an onsen egg. The drinks offering champions quality over quantity, running to an interesting lineup of whisky, sake, wine and beer from both Australia and Japan. Right now, you'll find the likes of a friulano and a pinot noir, both on tap, from the Mornington Peninsula's legendary Quealy Winemakers, alongside selections from one of the world's only female-owned and -led sake breweries, Japan's Imada. Crafty cocktails include the likes of the Tokyo Express-o, blending vodka, cold drip coffee, umeshu and maple syrup, and the Harajuku Highball, featuring strawberry whisky and vermouth. Meanwhile, a custom line of dapper tea cups, sake sets and candle holders round out the slew of thoughtful touches, courtesy of Copenhagen's Studio Arhoj. Images: Josh Robenstone.
Ora has been a hotspot for coffee and brunch lovers in Kew for quite some years now. Most days, locals fight over the few seats inside and out in the garden to score some of the best brekkie in the area — often waiting quite a while to get a spot. It's clear that Ora outgrew its small site a while ago. But instead of having to relocate, the team was given the opportunity to knock down a wall and take over the space next door. Thankfully, they took the leap and expanded the cafe, so it now holds up to 40 people inside and out. While they were at it, they also redesigned the whole cafe to have a more contemporary and high-end feel, and chose to extend the opening hours from Wednesday to Saturday. It's all change at Ora. Now instead of being kicked out after lunch service, locals can stick around for some wines and share plates late into the night. Head Chef Adam Hutchings (ex-Soho House) has dreamt up the new evening menu, cooking up a broad-reaching selection of dishes that include crispy whitebait with yuzu mayo, pea and preserved lemon arancini, 12-hour barbecue beef brisket and king prawn skewers paired with chimichurri. Manager Alex Damoulakis has curated a list of wines from local and international makers and picked a few classic Med-inspired cocktails to serve at night — or during a boozy brunch. The area's food and drink scene is truly booming right now. Recently, Studley Park Boathouse, Mister Bianco, Skinny Dog and The Clifton Hotel have all had makeovers and expansions. Ora is but the latest to join the club. You'll find the newly renovated Ora at 156 Pakington Street, Kew, operating from 7am–2pm on Tuesdays, 7am–late Wednesday–Friday, 8am–late on Saturdays and 8am–2pm on Sundays. You can find more details at the venue's website.
Believe it or not, it's been 17 years since Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance saga first hit the big screen — and since tweens across the globe collectively fell in love with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, too. The pair's careers have rocketed since, with KStew hopping between everything from Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Charlie's Angels and Happiest Season to Spencer, Crimes of the Future and Love Lies Bleeding, and RPatz going from The Rover, The Lost City of Z and Good Time to High Life, Tenet, The Batman and Mickey 17. They'll always have that undead franchise on their resumes, though. Forgotten what the five vamp films are like? Love them and want to see them on a big screen again? Just adore movie marathons in general? Whatever reason you have, the Twilight Saga Overnight Marathon wants you to sink your fans in. Stewart, Pattinson, Taylor Lautner (Home Team) and all-star supporting cast that spans Dakota Fanning (The Watchers), Anna Kendrick (Woman of the Hour), Michael Sheen (A Very Royal Scandal) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Argylle) will all feature at Cinema Nova as the five blockbusters hit the silver screen once more. The lengthy journey of glorious supernatural light-erotica will kick off at 8pm on Saturday, April 26, 2025 — with sessions also at 9pm and 9.45pm — all as Bella lands in Forks, Washington in the original Twilight film. From there, it's all love triangles, revengeful vampires and half-human babies as New Moon, Eclipse and the two-part Breaking Dawn features run back-to-back. Tickets cost $45, and expect company — these sessions always prove popular. Also, you'll score breakfast via the complimentary cereal bar in-between the two-part finale.
UPDATE, Wednesday, October 9: Cheri's opening has been delayed and is now set to open its doors on Wednesday, October 30. Darling Group is best known for opening and acquiring some of Melbourne's top cafes (Higher Ground, Top Paddock, The Terrace, Kettle Black), while recently branching out into the restaurant scene (Token and Stringers). Like many of the larger hospitality groups in Melbourne, the Darling Group continues to expand (even if the industry is struggling right now), preparing to open Cheri — a new all-day eatery located right across from South Melbourne Market — on Wednesday, October 9. Cheri has taken over neighbouring sites Bibelot and Chez Dre, transforming them into one huge 150-seat venue that will be open from 7am–5pm every day of the week. Darling Group's Executive Pastry Chef Michael Germanos is making sure Cheri will be home to incredible pastries, cakes and bread, made on-site every morning to be exclusively sold here and across all of Darling Group's other venues. Expect an expansive collection of sweet and savoury croissants, classic eclairs, small and large tarts and cakes, sourdough loaves, baguettes, piadinas and focaccia sandwiches. It's giving full bakery energy throughout the morning, while also serving up an all-day dining menu that covers most of your breakfast and lunch bases. Brekkie bites will include polenta porridge with confit spiced dates, mandarin, creme fraiche, cinnamon and pistachios; croissant loaf french toast with maple syrup and cultured butter; eggs benedict served on a croissant wheel; and a lamb merguez fry-up with poached eggs, za'atar yogurt, preserved lemon, mint and pita bread. This is a stacked morning menu that reads like those at Melbourne's best breakfast spots. For lunch, you've got ricotta gnocchi with pancetta, broad bean leaf verde, spring peas, stracciatella and green onion oil; chicken cotoletta with sprouting broccoli leaves, asparagus and cafe de Paris sauce; and seven different pizzas made with 72-hour fermented dough. Pair this all with some signature cocktails — you can never go wrong with a cheeky bloody mary — teas, shakes, sodas, and a decadent Cheri hot chocolate that's made with milk chocolate, whipped cream and crema di pistachio. You can drop by this spot for a quick takeaway pastry and coffee, or choose to sit in the main dining room or 50-person courtyard — when the sun is shining. We have high expectations for Cheri, not only because Darling Group has proven it knows how to cafe, but because this food menu sounds like an absolute banger. [caption id="attachment_974006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darling Group Director Nick Seoud, Executive Chef Ashley Hicks and Creative Director Chris Seoud.[/caption] Cheri — located at 285-287 Coventry Street, South Melbourne — is slated to open on Wednesday, October 9, and will be open from 7am–5pm daily. For more information, check out the venue's website. Images: Julian Lallo.
