His video collection is filled with 80s and 90s educational films. When we chat, he's staring at a Teddy Ruxpin doll. If anyone was destined to make Brigsby Bear, a delightful, insightful comedy about a fictional television show and its number one fan, it's Saturday Night Live star Kyle Mooney. With Mooney in the lead, his childhood pal Kevin Costello with him on co-screenwriting duties, and another of their friends, Dave McCary, in the directors chair, Brigsby Bear feels like it has been ripped not just from Mooney's mind, but from his heart. It's the most earnest and genuine film you could imagine about an adult discovering that his favourite show isn't quite what he thinks — one that isn't afraid to give nostalgia a hearty embrace while wading through dark terrain. It's also a perfect addition to a career that started with web sketches with his friends in comedy troupe Good Neighbour and segued into the most famous late night comedy show there is. Along the way, he's also racked up parts on Parks and Recreation, the US version of Wilfred and Hello Ladies. With Brigbsy Bear currently screening in Australian cinemas, we spoke with Mooney about turning his VHS obsession into a movie, getting the confidence to make the leap to film, and doing so with his best friends. ON FINDING INSPIRATION IN GREEK CINEMA AND 80s VHS TAPES "I don't know how it came to me — if I was just hanging around the house or in some sort of dream state or what, but I became really obsessed with this idea of a guy who watches a TV show that's being produced just for him," explains Mooney. "And I kept on thinking about that concept until eventually the story became not just that, but more about the world he explores after that, and outside of that." "There was a movie that came out a few years ago called Dogtooth. It has some similar qualities, with a family being raised in seclusion, so maybe that played a part. But generally I couldn't tell you where it came from, except from me being that obsessive myself, and watching these shows — I have a big VHS collection of kids shows, and I watch them over and over again." "It's mostly stuff that's made for kids, and mostly stuff from the 80s and 90s. I especially really like stuff that was released straight-to-video, and was produced regionally. And where there's maybe only 200 copies made. Educational films, religious videos, stuff like that. What I really like is when it has a low budget, and low production values, but you can tell that whoever's in charge of this thing is trying to do their best impression of Jim Henson or Walt Disney — and it's totally not working." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgs81IOU0m4 ON MAKING THE LEAP FROM SHORTS, TO SNL, TO HIS FIRST FEATURE FILM "I started working on videos with Dave, our director, in my early 20s — right out of college. And with every video you learn something. And then, after a few of them you start trying new things, and you add people to the crew, or maybe start to put a little more money into the production. So it was kind of a gradual build where the stakes rise a little more each time." "By the time we got SNL — I went there with Dave and with Beck Bennett, who's a cast member who is also in our movie — again, there is a little more pressure at it, but you get used to it. And now you're working with a huge celebrity host each week! And you do that for a few years, and it has been building so that, by the time we were on set last summer shooting the movie, I felt pretty prepared." ON MAKING A MOVIE WITH HIS CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS "We had all of these shared experiences. With Dave and I, like, there was this very specific kid who went to middle school with us. And I can just be like, 'Jim said this in science class in 1998', or whatever it is, and we can get a laugh out of it. And there's just a level of trust that's there, I think, when Dave is directing me. He knows what I'm capable of. We have the same sensibilities, pretty much." "So it's easy for me, and I think it relieves a lot of the pressure of working on something and not knowing how it is going to turn out. We're also all in it together — and we fail together and we succeed together. But yeah, certainly like having so much history and sharing a sensibility helped." "And I had enough fun on that set that I felt like, 'if this is all we get out of it, I feel pretty good'. Even if the movie didn't turn out well, I would've just considered it a rad summer where we got to work on something together. When we weren't shooting, we would hang out in our hotel rooms or get beers or sing karaoke. It was truly a wonderful crew and cast, and it's nice that what comes through on screen is true to what the experience was like." ON THE FILM'S EARNESTNESS AND OPTIMISM "We have so much genuine love for the things we were trying to recreate. The Brigsby show that's in the movie — I love children's entertainment, and we never wanted to poke fun. I think we always really wanted to pay tribute to it." "And also, the film's underlying theme of creativity, or storytelling, or finding something that you love — we never felt like we wanted to make fun of that. We just wanted to embrace it. We just really liked the idea of playing everything earnest and honest, and hoped the laughs would come along naturally along the way." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MdrGM27yQ8 Read our Brigbsy Bear review.
This article is part of our series profiling the perfect Brisbane weekends of the city’s creative personalities. Brisbane is home to some amazingly talented folks. Whether it’s home by adoption or birth, the creatives that make their mark in Brisbane are inevitably drawn to the natural wonders of the south-east corner — the sun, surf and greenery. This week we continue the series with Mel Stringer, the artist extraordinaire. You probably know Mel from her prolific art Instagram, her on-point Etsy store Girlie Pains or through her cute and cutting zines. Or maybe you’ve seen her famous pug Grover zipping around a ball pit and being the most fashionable pug to ever live. Mel is a character illustrator, drawing pastel portraits inspired by life and real women. You might have already been papped by Mel and not even know it yet. And though she is originally from the Northern Territory, Mel calls Brissie home for the same reasons many others do. "Sometimes I've felt really isolated living somewhere too large," she says. "I think Brisbane is just right. It's not as intimidating as Sydney or Melbourne, and its subtropical climate appeals to me as well”. Aside from her life as an artist and crafter, Mel has her finger on the pulse and is one to listen to for the best tips on kawaii cafes and unfished vintage havens. It’s all part and parcel of her distinct aesthetic and all inspired by the streets and people of Brisbane. “Everything here inspires my art in one way or another," she says. "Though subtle, the lifestyle and kinds of people inspire me. I can't really pinpoint one specific thing, but I love going to the city, the beach or the countryside — there's always something that sparks inspiration in me”. Here are Mel's five steps to the perfect Brisbane weekend. To experience them for yourself, head to the Visit Brisbane website and get booking. BREAKFAST AT THE LOW ROAD “Wake up early and drag your best mate to go and chew on a yum breakfast and sip on some coffee from The Low Road in Windsor,” Mel says. “The kitsch paradise has a front garden adorned with hot pink flamingoes and palm trees, so you can't miss it. Their breakfast salad with lemony haloumi has also made many a friend.” The Low Road is worth a visit not only for the sumptuous food and drinks menu but for the quality chalk board messages like “Oh my god Becky, look at their café” and (inexplicably) “Hail Ants”. TREASURE HUNTING AT THE WOOLLOONGABBA ANTIQUE CENTRE “Check out any treasures that may be hidden at Woolloongabba Antique Centre. There are so many dealers here pedalling furniture, crockery and knick-knacks from yesteryear,” Mel says “If you pop in on a Saturday afternoon, you might catch their in-house jazz band.” The Antique Centre also brags of an in-house '50s style cafe that offers a mean milkshake and will transport you back to the American sitcoms we all know and love. OP SHOPPING IN WEST END West End is the hub for all vintage rummaging in Brisbane and has recently been injected with fresh blood in the form of SWOP and the Boundary Street night markets. Mel agrees. “Explore a few op shops in West End,” she says. “There are some good ones on and around Vulture Street. St Veronica on Hardgrave Road is wonderfully cluttered and full of rewards for those prepared to go rummaging.” But remember: rummaging is the key. Image via Swop. HAVE A KADOYA BENTO BOX LUNCH After a strenuous morning of shopping, you’ll need a decent lunch eaten from a beautifully crafted bento box (you’re worth it). “Next up: go and cry over how beautiful a bento box meal at Kadoya in the CBD is, then eat it,” Mel says “Each comes with a vegetable croquette, spring roll, Japanese pickles and rice — sometimes salad and deep-fried tofu too. The casual and pocket-sized restaurant feels like it really could be in Japan.” Image via Forever Craving. SIP A LYCHEE BOBA FROM LITTLE SINGAPORE AND GO FOR A WANDER A boba, for the uninitiated, is another term for a bubble tea — a pastel, picturesque milk tea with tapioca pearls that is almost too cute to drink. Mel recommends the boba from Little Singapore on Charlotte Street in the CBD. “Ask for the watermelon iced drink with lychee boba,” she says. “They offer a pretty extensive menu of bubble teas in plastic-topped takeaway cups. Head home while sipping it, go through all the treasures you found that day and have a nap.” Book your own Queensland weekender at the Visit Brisbane website or follow them through the Visit Brisbane Facebook page or Twitter at @VisitBrisbane and hashtag #brisbaneanyday.
No longer just the realms of year three excursions where your mum came as chaperone, Melbourne Zoo Twilights — the after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps one of the best summer nights out, as well as lots of adorable animals — has proven it's got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. After all, the event has hosted headliners such as Kurt Vile, Cat Power and Ben Folds over the last few years. And this summer the event will return with a series of live sets every weekend from Friday, January 24 through Saturday, March 7. Last month, Zoo Twilights announced famed LA composer and singer Randy Newman — who has won two Academy awards and seven Grammys, and is behind songs in nine Disney and Pixar films — as one of its headline acts. And, now, it's just dropped the full 2020 lineup. Aussie pop royalty Missy Higgins, Twilight regulars The Cat Empire, seminal Jamaican reggae group Toots and The Maytals, Perth noir-pop band Methyl Ethel and dance floor starters Confidence Man will all taking the stage this season. A few big throwbacks are also on this year's program, including the pub-rock legends behind 'Great Southern Land' and 'Electric Blue' Icehouse, 70s English band 10cc — if you don't know the name, you'll definitely know their hit 'I'm Not in Love' — and US gospel queen and 99 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples. UK-French avant-pop band Stereolab has also reunited after a ten-year break and will be treating to the crowd to its first live performance in a decade. Bringing your own picnic is encouraged, but there'll also be handy gourmet hampers available on-site, as well as a slew of food trucks to choose nosh from. Either way, it's one of the best dates in Melbourne. Plus, all proceeds from Zoo Twilights go back into Zoo Victoria's ongoing conservation work to help fight the extinction of the Mountain Pygmy possum. MELBOURNE ZOO TWILIGHTS 2020 PROGRAM Friday, January 24 — Confidence Man, supported by Wax'o Paradiso Saturday, January 25 — Icehouse, with special guests Friday, January 31 — Toots and The Maytals, supported by Systa BB Saturday, February 1 — An Evening with Randy Newman Friday, February 7 — Missy Higgins, supported by William Crighton Friday, February 14 — The Cat Empire, supported by Emily Wurramara Friday, February 21 — 10cc, supported by Russell Morris Saturday, February 22 — Methyl Ethel, supported by Hatchie Friday, February 28 — Julia Jacklin, supported by Weyes Blood Saturday, February 29 — Meg Mac, supported by Fergus James Friday, March 6 — Stereolab, supported by Mildlife Saturday, March 7 — Mavis Staples, supported by Emma Donovan and The Putbacks Tickets go on sale at 8am on Tuesday, October 22 at zootwilights.org.au. Updated October 16, 2019. Images: Ian Laidlaw
“You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge”. So begins both the film and the song ‘Straight Outta Compton’, and it’s equal parts preview and warning. The ‘street knowledge’ of NWA’s leading trio — Dr Dre (played by Corey Hawkins), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson Jr, playing his real-life father) and Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) — was an affront to the establishment, a threat, even, but also helped facilitate the group's rapid rise from neighbourhood group to musical ascendancy. Acquired over two decades of daily exposure to gang violence, racial vilification and police persecution, it instilled in them a bravado, passion and unyielding determination that permitted neither retreat nor weakness. It also came at a price, however, because not all streets are the same, and when Crenshaw Boulevard became Rodeo Drive, the blinders and shortcomings of that knowledge became all too apparent. Straight Outta Compton, then, is not just an NWA biopic but a cautionary tale about loyalty, friendship and the corrosive effects of celebrity. Directed by F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job), this is a slick, provocative and timely film that absolutely warrants your viewing. Straight Outta Compton (© 2015 Universal Studios) is in cinemas nationally from September 3, and thanks to Universal Pictures Australia, we have 10 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Read our full Straight Outta Compton review here. Follow the movie via its website or Facebook page. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Since opening late last year, all-day venue Citizen has been serving up cold beers and Japanese-influenced bar snacks to South Wharf dwellers. If you haven't been past yet, the fact that the cafe-bar is offering $1 coffees all February might be enough to get you there. Yep, one-buck coffee — all month. All you have to do is bring in your reusable coffee cup. Misplaced yours? Citizen will have HuskeeCups for sale if you need a newbie — they're made from old coffee husks, which help to close the loop on coffee production. Best part is that the cafe is open from 7am (and 8am on weekends) until late, so you can get your gold coin cup before, during or even after work. It does breakfast and lunch and, if you're there for happy hour (4–8pm weekdays), you can even get a rice or noodle bowl and a beer for a tight $20.
The 'art world' is a concept just as tricky to define as 'art' itself. Opinions on what distinguishes 'good' from 'poor', 'high-brow' from 'low-brow', 'contemporary' from plain bizarre are essentially endless. No one seems quite sure what qualifies an 'artist' to be labeled as such. And what is this 'world', this community, they belong in? One thing all artists and art enthusiasts cannot dispute, however, is a cold, hard fact. The Art Newspaper serves up an annual batch of exhibit attendance figures to reveal which exhibitions were best attended. No matter what your taste or opinions, 2011 brought an eclectic jumble to the forefront; here are 10 of the most attended exhibits. 1. The Magical World of Escher Where: The Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Visitors per day: 9,677 This exhibition brought together the best-known trippy drawings and prints by the Dutch artist. 2. Kukai’s World: the Arts of Esoteric Buddhism Where: The Tokyo National Museum Visitors per day: 9,108 Featuring 99 items - some certified national treasures - related to Kukai, the famous Japanese Buddhist priest, this exhibit celebrates 'Esoteric Buddhism'. Kukai brought the practice with him from China during the early 9th century. 3. Landscape Reunited Where: The National Palace Museum Visitors per day: 8,828 Reuniting the two halves of Huang Gongwang's Chinese scroll painting Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, this exhibit pieced together the 660-year-old work from the sections formerly split between China and Taiwan. The piece, considered one of the most important in Chinese painting, has not been exhibited in its entirety since 1940. 4. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Where: Metropolitan Museum of Art Visitors per day: 8,025 The Costume Institute's posthumous tribute to Alexander McQueen featured his groundbreaking works of fashion. 5. Claude Monet (1840-1926) Where: The Grand Palais Visitors per day: 7,609 The likes of this exhibit had been MIA in Paris for years, making this collection of over 200 impressionist Monet works even more of a must-see. 6. Photoquai Where: Musée Quai Branly Visitors per day: 7,304 A free, outdoor celebration of non-Western photography, Photoquai held its third edition in 2011. 7. Mariko Mori: Oneness Where: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Visitors per day: 6,991 Toyko-born, New York-raised Mariko Mori designed this contemporary exhibit to be interactive, with some pieces visually interpreting attendees brainwaves, and others lighting up when touched. 8. Monumenta: Anish Kapoor Where: The Grand Palais Visitors per day: 6,967 Kapoor's temporary, site-specific installation challenged the confines of the Grand Palais belle epoque exhibition hall. 9. Laurie Anderson Where: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Visitors per day: 6,934 For her first solo show in Brazil, Anderson chose to feature 31 works that "told stories". 10. The Prado Museum Where: The Hermitage Visitors per day: 6,649 Madrid's Prado Museum created its own little 66-piece museum inside of St. Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum as the first of a two-part exhibition exchange. The Hermitage Museum will be featured at the Prado through March 2012. [via Flavorwire]
Struggling to pay the electricity bill this month? What would you say to jumping rope instead? Innovative technology-with-a-conscience company Uncharted Play has come up with PULSE, a skipping rope that harvests energy with every single jump. That’s energy that can later be used to power electronic devices — including smartphones — and lights. Made of strong, resilient plastic, the device features 3D-printed handles which store the kinetic energy created by each spin. It’s converted to electricity via an adaptor. One hundred PULSEs, priced at US$129 each, comprise the first run. But Uncharted Play’s higher goal is to make the invention accessible to individuals and communities in the developing world, where electricity can be insanely expensive and resorting to high-risk alternatives such as kerosene is often the only option. If the initial distribution takes off, the company will start looking at ways to bring the price down. Previous Uncharted Play successes include the SOCCKET — an energy-harvesting soccer ball connected to an LED lamp — and a foldable, sustainable, recyclable, eco-friendly water bottle. All sales proceeds go towards providing SOCCKETs to disadvantaged children and lifting educational standards in remote areas. Via Springwise.
Live theatre, concerts and sport have been beaming their way into cinemas for some time now. Live television recreations of iconic films have been gracing TV screens for a few years as well. And yet, live movies themselves aren't something anyone has toyed with — until now. Lost in London Live is being called "an unprecedented live feature film event", and when you hear the details, you just might agree. The approximately two-hour-long effort will be shot in one take in real time as actors roam around the British capital, and it'll be broadcast directly to cinemas as it's being made. If the idea of watching a film come together before your very eyes sounds surprising — not to mention a logistical nightmare — that's understandable. If the fact that it'll also mark the directorial debut of Woody Harrelson, who'll star alongside Owen Wilson and Willie Nelson, does too, that is as well. The True Detective and Now You See Me actor will play himself as he tries to get back to his family over the course of one hectic night. "Run-ins with royalty, old friends and the law all seem to conspire to keep Harrelson from succeeding," the film's website explains. Yep, move over Birdman, Victoria and the raft of single-take (but not live) movies that have come before — there's a new ambitious film project in the works. Just how it will turn out is anyone's guess, but it's certain to be unlike anything you've ever seen before. With Lost in London Live sounding a little like performance art, perhaps Harrelson is taking a leaf out of Shia LaBeouf's book? "No one has ever shot a movie and live broadcast it into cinemas at the same time. No one's ever been that stupid," the actor offered in the film's video announcement. Whatever the end result, it'll come to fruition on January 19, 2017, and be broadcast to at least 550 locations. No word yet as to whether any Australian cinemas will jump on board, but keep an eye on the Lost in London Live site for more information.
The eternal fox in the hen house, Ai Weiwei, is stirring things up again. The controversial Chinese artist has thrown leftover paint all over his willing friends — all wearing one-off outfits from Comme des Garçons. The whole project developed after V magazine invited Weiwei to create a do-what-you-want editorial spread for the magazine, dubbed Children of the Comme. All they sent the artist was a box of garments from 14 different designers — and they were all one-offs. Treating the painstakingly-crafted pieces as destructively as his famed painted vase series, Weiwei stood his dressed-up friends on a custom-made pedestal and threw paint over the garments — the same paint used in his 2006/2008 Coloured Vases work. "Pouring a colour on an outfit creates a new condition for the design. It creates a midpoint between two conflicting ideas." Weiwei says in V. "Gravity and the shape of the clothes combine to create a unique moment. Using these cultural products as ready-mades celebrates and reinterprets the intention of creativity. I think this act shows my respect toward their creativity." This isn't the first time Weiwei has collaborated with Commes des Garcons; the artist has previously worked with the label's Joffe and Rei Kawakubo on their Tokyo store design, but most notably created an installation of backpacks inspired by the children lost to 2008's Sichuan earthquake. "It has always been an interesting and exciting experience. Rei Kawakubo is a person who has always supported and fostered unique ideas," Weiwei told V from Beijing (the artist cannot leave the country, with his passport confiscated and the focus of constant government surveillance). "For the last ten years, these 14 colours have existed in our studio colour chart for the production of Coloured Vases. It’s a complete coincidence that we had these 14 colours for exactly 14 outfits.” Via Hyperallergic and V. Images: Ai Weiwei.
Trust a mockumentary about the undead to keep coming back in new guises. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's What We Do in the Shadows first came to light as a short film in 2005, then made its way to cinemas in rib-tickling feature-length form in 2014, and already has a werewolf-focused sequel in the works. Now, it's getting a TV spinoff. Slated to air on New Zealand television in 2017, Paranormal Event Response Unit won't spend more time with everyone's favourite Wellington-dwelling bloodsuckers, even though Waititi and Clement conceived the six-part series. Instead, it'll follow police officers Karen and Mike, who WWDITS fans might remember came knocking at the vampire share house's door. The cop duo will keep trying to keep the city safe from supernatural happenings — and we're sure viewers will keep watching. On Twitter, Waititi described the show as "Mulder & Scully but in a country where nothing happens", should you need any more reason to get excited. And we know he likes buddy flicks with mismatched characters, so expect that kind of vibe to come through too. As for the ingeniously titled We're Wolves, aka the Rhys Darby-starring, wolfpack-oriented big-screen continuation we mentioned above, it's still in development; however Waititi has been more than a bit busy of late. His last movie, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, proved a runaway hit when it opened in cinemas earlier this year. And over the last few months, the filmmaker has been hanging out on Gold Coast and in Brisbane directing a little flick called Thor: Ragnarok. Via Radio NZ.
Is this just another clever advertising trick (which has succeeded in attracting plenty of social media attention)? Or a genuine demonstration of corporate interest in improving public spaces? However you judge it, this is one product of IBM's People for Smarter Cities campaign. Designed by French creative studio Ogilvy & Mather, the billboards, which can be found in both Paris and London, provide shelter, ramps and benches, all the while sporting the IBM logo. The advertising world is certainly impressed. In June this year, at the Cannes Lions Festival, the billboards saw Ogilvy win the Grand Prix in the Outdoor category. This award came on the heels of the studio's Brazilian branch's win of the Promo and Activations Lions category for its 'Immortal fans' campaign encouraging organ donation. IBM is 'calling all doers, thinkers, problem solvers, creators and dreamers' to upload their ideas and projects to the Smarter Cities site. Some of the popular concepts so far contributed include enormous fish sculptures made of plastic bottles, motor vehicles powered by both electricity and wind and 'smart airports'. [via Coolhunter]
After promising a return to Australian shores earlier this year, Coldplay have announced the details of their November tour. The band will be playing four stadium shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane plus Auckland in New Zealand from November 10-21. Australian talent The Temper Trap and US-based sister act, The Pierces, will be supporting. Coldplay are currently touring the world to celebrate the release of their fifth studio album Mylo Xyloto. In March, the band cancelled two corporate shows in Sydney due to personal reasons. Their last visit down under was in 2011 to headline Splendour in the Grass. “We can’t wait to get back to Australia and New Zealand this November. They’re such special places for us. These venues are pretty huge, the Aussie and New Zealand crowds are always incredible and we’ll be bringing everything we’ve got. It’s going to be big,” lead singer Chris Martin said on the band’s official website. Pre-sale tickets for Visa Credit, Debit and Prepaid cardholders will be released this Thursday, May 17. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, May 25.
In these tumultuous modern times — these times of Pottermore, Fantastic Beasts spinoffs and The Cursed Child — it's comforting to be able to take it back to basics. Basics, here, meaning the score of the first two Harry Potter films played live by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. That's right — just like their counterparts in Sydney and Brisbane, the MSO are taking us back to 2001 and 2002 when the first two of the eight Harry Potter films came out. It made us cringe (the acting — so bad but so good), marvel at how not hot Neville Longbottom was (boy, would we learn) and — most importantly — float away on a magical adventure thanks to the incredible score by John Williams. In four sessions taking place in November 2017 (yes, practically a whole year from now), you'll be able relive the magic of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets all over again when the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre screens the films scored by a real, live orchestra. Maybe they'll release live owls! Maybe not because that would be chaos. Maybe they'll release live rats? Actually, absolutely not — we all know rats are secretly fat old criminals hiding from magical law enforcement and waiting for the Dark Lord to rise again (lookin' at you, Pettigrew). As you might imagine, tickets are set to sell like pumpkin pasties; in Sydney the first concert was more popular than butterbeer, they even added extra sessions. So, you'd best get in quick or spend eternity griping about it like some Moaning Myrtle-type character. The Harry Potter performances are part of the MSO at the Movies series, and will screen at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre at from November 16-18, 2017. Grab tickets here.
Beaches, pools, rooftop bars, outdoor cinemas: nowhere in Australia can have too many when summer hits. For movie lovers, Sunset Cinema is one such spot to see a film under the stars — and it's back for its 2023–24 season with stops new and old, plus flicks that fit both categories. Over the the next few sunny months, then heading into autumn as well, this excuse to hit the pictures in the open air has seven stops on its itinerary: its new venue in Bondi, which is on now; a return to Canberra, which is also taking place at the moment; and comebacks at North Sydney, Mt Martha, Wollongong, St Kilda and Brisbane all to come. The dates vary, as does exactly how long that Sunset Cinema is getting its projector whirring in each place, but cosy date nights and easy group hangs outdoors all await. Bondi's season runs until Saturday, December 23 at Dolphin Court, with Jaws, Saltburn, The Marvels, and Christmas titles such as Elf, Love Actually, Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas on its roster for its final days. In Canberra, you have until Saturday, February 24 to head to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, where highlights include festive fare — of course — as well as Barbie, an advance screening of the Mean Girls musical, Wonka, Priscilla and Poor Things. North Sydney will enjoy a three-month stint from Friday, December 8—Saturday, March 9 at North Sydney Oval. In addition to Christmas movies — a staple at every Sunset Cinema that's running in December — the lineup includes many of the above titles, as well as other standouts such as Past Lives, The Boy and the Heron, Ferrari, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 and perennial favourite 10 Things I Hate About You. From Wednesday, December 20—Friday, January 20 at The Briars at Mt Martha gets in on the action. Then, the Wollongong Botanic Garden joins in from Thursday, January 11–Saturday, March 24. In St Kilda, you'll be able to head along from February 2024, with exact dates and a venue to be announced. And Brisbane gets its turn from sometime in March 2024 at Maritime Green at Northshore, where Sunset Cinema set up shop in 2023. At all stops around the country, BYO picnics are encouraged, but the event is fully licensed, so alcohol can only be purchased onsite. Didn't pack enough snacks? There's hot food options, plus plenty of the requisite movie treats like chips, chocolates, lollies and popcorn. SUNSET CINEMA 2023–24 DATES: Bondi, NSW: until Saturday, December 23 at Dolphin Court Canberra, ACT: until Saturday, February 24 at Australian National Botanic Gardens North Sydney, NSW: Friday, December 8—Saturday, March 9 at North Sydney Oval Mt Martha, VIC: Wednesday, December 20—Friday, January 20 at The Briars, Mt Martha Wollongong, NSW: Thursday, January 11–Saturday, March 24 at Wollongong Botanic Garden St Kilda, VIC: from February 2024, exact dates and venue TBC Brisbane, QLD: from March 2024, exact dates TBC, at Maritime Green at Northshore Sunset Cinema's 2023–24 season runs at various venues around the country on various dates. Head to the Sunset Cinema website for further details.
We all have at least one mate whose avocado obsession is off the charts. After all, we've collectively chosen the tasty green fruit over the joys of home ownership, right? Well ironically, the two things have now – sort of – become one, as the world's first Avo-Condo lands at Sydney's Circular Quay. The latest edition of Things You Never Knew You Needed, this avocado-shaped tiny home has popped up in celebration of 'National Avocado Day' on July 31. The quirky, custom-built accommodation will set up shop at Campbell's Cove Lookout for just two nights, offering avo-crazed punters the chance to book a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover on Wednesday, July 31, and Thursday, August 1. Perched right on the footpath within its own white picket fence, the Avo-Condo boasts some primo real estate and top-notch views. Though the realistic avocado-styled exterior and avo-themed furnishings inside might be a little harder to ignore. Avo-Condo will be available to book exclusively through Booking.com, from 9am on Monday, July 29. Surprisingly, it's only a little more expensive than an actual serve of smashed avo, clocking in at $100 per night. Avo-Condo will reside at Campbell's Cove Lookout, 4 Circular Quay Way, The Rocks, on July 31 and August 1. Bookings will open at 9am on Monday, July 29 at booking.com.
Has every famous actor ever popped up in a Marvel movie at one point or another? With Captain America: Brave New World marking the saga's 35th film — and with entry 36 on its way via Thunderbolts*, then flick 37 courtesy of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, all before July 2025 is out — it can feel that way. So when the comic-book company-turned-cinema powerhouse announces the cast for one of its Avengers movies, there's plenty of talent to call upon. The ensemble for Avengers: Doomsday has just been revealed, and it's a stacked bunch. Set to be the 38th Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Avengers: Doomsday will hit the big screen in autumn 2026 — Thursday, April 30 Down Under — which means that it's still over a year away. But expect Robert Downey Jr (The Sympathizer) rejoining the franchise, a few folks who've been in past Avengers films, recent additions to the fold and familiar X-Men faces, and more. [caption id="attachment_866265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel advised Downey Jr's return, fresh from him becoming an Oscar-winner thanks to Oppenheimer. Although the last time that he was in an Avengers picture, he played Tony Stark aka Iron Man — a role he portrayed in ten MCU movies — this time he's stepping into Victor von Doom's shoes. That, fans already knew before the rest of the Avengers: Doomsday cast was unveiled. It's a big list from there, starting with Chris Hemsworth (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki), alongside Anthony Mackie (Twisted Metal), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), Paul Rudd (Only Murders in the Building), Letitia Wright (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and Winston Duke (The Fall Guy) among those with Avengers experience. [caption id="attachment_877485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.[/caption] Get ready to see a number of faces a couple of times over the next year, given that Wyatt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters), Florence Pugh (We Live in Time), David Harbour (A Working Man), Hannah John-Kamen (Breaking Point) and Lewis Pullman (Salem's Lot) will hop from Thunderbolts* to Doomsday. Pedro Pascal (Gladiator II), Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), Joseph Quinn (A Quiet Place: Day One) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) will do the same from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Simu Liu (Last Breath) returns from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Danny Ramirez from Captain America: Brave New World and Tenoch Huerta Mejia from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Channing Tatum (Blink Twice) was in Deadpool and Wolverine, and will keep adding to his MCU resume. As Beast from the X-Men movies, Kelsey Grammer (Paper Empire) joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Marvels, while Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: Picard) brought Professor Charles Xavier to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — and they're back again now. [caption id="attachment_973924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVEL.[/caption] Ian McKellen (The Critic), Alan Cumming (Drive Back Home), Rebecca Romijn (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), James Marsden (Paradise): they're on the list of X-Men stars — actors bring Marvel comics to the screen before the MCU even existed, but in films that were their own franchise until now — that are also part of Doomsday. Now that Disney owns Fox, which previously was behind the Deadpool, X-Men and Fantastic Four flicks, it's bringing characters from all of the above into its ever-sprawling screen saga. So, that's Thor, Loki, Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Ant-Man, Shuri, M'Baku, John Walker, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, Robert Reynolds, Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm, Shang-Chi, Joaquin Torres, Namor, Gambit, Beast, Professor X, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Mystique and Cyclops covered. After helming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo (The Electric State) are back as well, directing not just Avengers: Doomsday but also 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. Check out the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement video below: Avengers: Doomsday releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Top images: photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney // Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © 2025 MARVEL. // Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
Australia, we're now one step closer to the potential music collaboration of the year: Lil Nas X and The Wiggles, that is. After the rapper tweeted about his wish to tour with the Aussie national treasures mere weeks ago, Falls Festival is now making that dream a reality — for one of its big headliners, and for audiences. At the beginning of 2022, plenty of people tipped that The Wiggles would win the Hottest 100. That's been just the start of the skivvy-loving group's huge year, though. Embracing their love of rainbows, they also played Mardi Gras. And, because folks who definitely aren't toddlers love the band, too, they've been touring a string of adults-only shows, too. So, taking to the stage at all three Falls Festival events over the summer of 2022–23 is clearly the next logical step. We're ready to wiggle with you! 💛💜💙❤️ — The Wiggles (@TheWiggles) April 27, 2022 Whether you're heading to Falls at Pennyroyal Plains, Colac in Victoria from Thursday, December 29–Saturday, December 31; North Byron Parklands, Yelgun in New South Wales from Saturday, December 31–Monday, January 2; or Fremantle Park, Fremantle in Western Australia from Saturday, January 7–Sunday, January 8, The Wiggles will be on the bill. The fest will host the group's OG lineup, too — aka Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt and Greg Page. Naturally, they'll be playing all the usual songs — and Falls attendees can expect cameos from characters such as Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog and Henry the Octopus as well. The words you're looking for: yummy yummy. Whether The OG Wiggles and Lil Nas X will share the stage at the same time is yet to be seen, but we're betting that punters will hear the words "wake up Lil Nas X" at some point. When Lil Nas X' tweeted about wanting to tour with The Wiggles back at the end of April, the group responded that they were keen — and now they're taking their big red car on the road. The news comes just as Falls tickets go on sale — at 9am today, Thursday, May 12. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Wiggles (@thewiggles) And if you're keen for the full Falls Festival lineup, here's the rundown as it currently stands: FALLS FESTIVAL 2022 LINEUP: Arctic Monkeys Lil Nas X Peggy Gou Chvrches Jamie xx Aminé Ocean Alley Camelphat Spacey Jane DMA's G Flip Pinkpantheress Rico Nasty Amyl and the Sniffers Mall Grab Ben Böhmer DJ Seinfeld Genesis Owusu TSHA CC:DISCO! Young Franco Anna Lunoe Luude Lastlings MAY-A Choomba The Vanns King Stingray Peach PRC Beddy Rays Jean Dawson Telenovela Biscits Barry Can't Swim Elkka Floodlights Wongo Yng Martyr 1300 Moktar Magdalena Bay Dameeeela Ebony Boadu Rona. Elsy Wamayo Juno Mamba The OG Wiggles and more FALLS FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: Pennyroyal Plains, Colac, VIC — Thursday, December 29–Saturday, December 31 North Byron Parklands, Yelgun, NSW — Saturday, December 31–Monday, January 2 Fremantle Park, Fremantle, WA — Saturday, January 7–Sunday, January 8 Falls Festival 2022 will take place in December 2022 and January 2023 in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. General ticket sales kick off at 9am on Thursday, May 12. For more info and to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.
2020. It's a year so difficult to summarise that even the Oxford Dictionary couldn't decide on a single word of the year. Another brand is looking forward with similar indecisiveness, with Pantone's colour experts this week, on Friday, December 11, announcing not one but two hues as the 2021 Colour of the Year. Ultimate Gray (Pantone 17-5104) and the vibrant yellow Illuminating (13-0647) are the two colours that Pantone has chosen for the new year, describing them as "practical and rock solid" and conveying "strength and positivity". When paired together, they're designed to convey "a message of happiness supported by fortitude" — and to be "aspirational and give us hope". Yes, they're meant to get everyone looking up in 2021— something that hasn't been much of a factor in 2020. Pantone noted that optimism was a driving force behind the choices. "We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter — this is essential to the human spirit." Expect to see these hues popping up around the place when the new year hits, with Pantone suggesting how they can be used in fashion and accessories, home decor, design and beauty. Folks with greying hair are clearly ahead of the trend. If you suddenly have beachy images in your head, too, that's actually by design. Pantone notes that Ultimate Gray is emblematic of "the colours of pebbles on the beach, and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time". As for Illuminating, it's described as "a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power". This year's colour of the year, Classic Blue, also evoked a beach theme. The year before, Pantone went with Living Coral, while 2018's colour was Ultra Violet and 2017's was Greenery. To find out more about Ultimate Gray and Illuminating — and to check out all the previous Colours of the Year — head to the Pantone website.
If you endured Morbius in 2022, finding joy only in the 'it's morbin' time' meme, you weren't alone: the annual Golden Raspberry Awards also deemed it one of the past year's worst movies. Famously designed to recognise that all films can't be great, good or even watchable, the accolades always drop its winners for the year just before the Oscars — and as the current awards season comes to an end, it's that time again. Morbius took home Worst Actor for Jared Leto and Worst Supporting Actress for Adria Arjona, with the supervillain flick tying with Blonde and Elvis for the most amount of wins: two apiece. Blonde, starring Ana de Armas in her Oscar-nominated role as Marilyn Monroe, was anointed 2022's Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay, while Baz Luhrmann's king of rock 'n' roll biopic Elvis notched up a pair of awards for Tom Hanks. Firstly, the beloved actor nabbed the Worst Supporting Actor prize for playing Colonel Tom Parker. Secondly, he took out the Worst Screen Combo Award for his partnership with his latex-laden face (and, in the words of the Razzies, "that ludicrous accent"). Elsewhere, Disney's live-action Pinocchio — which isn't the same as Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, as the Razzies also point out — won Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel. And, Machine Gun Kelly's stoner comedy Good Mourning collected the Worst Director accolade for Machine Gun Kelly and Mod Sun. The Razzies also gave itself a gong: the Worst Actress Award. Back when its 44th nominations were announced, child actor Ryan Kiera Armstrong was among the Worst Actress contenders for Firestarter, which unsurprisingly sparked a backlash. So, the Razzies removed her from the nominees and took the prize itself instead. "The Razzies, for the first time in their history, took a Razzie themselves. After their blunder of nominating someone who should not have been considered, the organisation was put through the cyberworld blender," the awards said in its winners announcement. "They publicly apologised to the actress, changed the rules for anyone under 18, rescinded the nomination and put themselves in her place on the ballot — which won by a landslide," the Razzies continued. These accolades aren't just about calling out terrible movies, or terrible aspects of them — a task that, like handing out all awards, is subjective. The Razzies also give a prize to someone it decides has redeemed themselves from their past Razzie-level work. This year's recipient: Colin Farrell, awarded for going from 2004 Worst Actor nominee to 2022 Best Actor Oscar frontrunner (for The Banshees of Inisherin). Check out the full list of 44th Annual Razzie Award nominees and winners below: GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES 2022: WORST PICTURE Blonde — WINNER Disney's Pinocchio Good Mourning The King's Daughter Morbius WORST ACTOR Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly), Good Mourning Pete Davidson (voice only), Marmaduke Tom Hanks (as Gepetto), Disney's Pinocchio Jared Leto, Morbius — WINNER Sylvester Stallone, Samaritan WORST ACTRESS The Razzies for their 43rd worst actress nominations blunder — WINNER Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic Park Dominion Diane Keaton, Mack & Rita Kaya Scodelario, The King's Daughter Alicia Silverstone, The Requin WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR Pete Davidson (cameo role), Good Mourning Tom Hanks, Elvis — WINNER Xavier Samuel, Blonde Mod Sun, Good Mourning Evan Williams, Blonde WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Adria Arjona, Morbius — WINNER Lorraine Bracco (voice only), Disney's Pinocchio Penelope Cruz, The 355 Bingbing Fan, The 355 and The King's Daughter Mira Sorvino, Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend WORST SCREEN COMBO Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) and Mod Sun, Good Mourning Both real life characters in the fallacious White House bedroom scene, Blonde Tom Hanks and his latex-laden face (and ludicrous Aaccent), Elvis — WINNER Andrew Dominik and his issues with women, Blonde The two 365 Days sequels (both released in 2022) WORST DIRECTOR Judd Apatow, The Bubble Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) and Mod Sun, Good Mourning — WINNER Andrew Dominik, Blonde Daniel Espinosa, Morbius Robert Zemeckis, Disney's Pinocchio WORST REMAKE, RIPOFF or SEQUEL Blonde Both 365 Days sequels: 365 Days: This Day and The Next 365 Days Disney's Pinocchio — WINNER Firestarter Jurassic World Dominion WORST SCREENPLAY Blonde — WINNER Disney's Pinocchio Good Mourning Jurassic World Dominion Morbius RAZZIE REDEEMER Colin Farrell for going from 2004 Worst Actor nominee to 2022 Best Actor Oscar frontrunner.
Instead of renting an apartment for their vacation, rich European holiday-goers are now renting or buying entire villages. Villages like Engelberg, Deidesheim, Goldegg and Mariazell are also being hired by companies for business retreats and meeting, while others are allowing buyers to name street corners, use restaurants and bars as a local meeting place or even a hideout for the night. In Italy, the small medieval village of Valle Piola was for recently on the market for US$782,040, roughly the same price as a 2 or 3-bedroom flat in Sydney. Further north, Liechtenstein put itself up for rent with a $70,000/night price tag, which also includes its 30,000 residents. Snoop Dogg reportedly tried to rent the country for a music video but was turned away. [Via Born Rich]
Do you adore greenery, wish your house could be filled with blossoming petals and gorgeous leaves, but don't have the greenest of thumbs? That's a hugely relatable predicament. Now, a second question: do you firmly think that you never grow out of Lego, and also find building with the plastic bricks peaceful? The toy brand's latest range has answers to both queries. At the beginning of 2021, Lego unleashed its new Botanical Collection — part of its growing range for adults, because we're all well past pretending that Lego is just for kids. Back then, it boasted a flower bouquet and a bonsai, letting you add both to your home without worry about care, water, wilting or the expiry date that always comes with cut florals. Or, they made great gifts to your nearest and dearest for all of the same reasons. The two latest items in the range also tick those boxes. If you're terrible with keeping greenery alive, they're ideal for you, too. And no, even you can't kill these succulents or orchids — from under- or overwatering, not enough sun or too much, or the usual long list of things that can go wrong when you become a plant parent. The 771-piece succulent kit features nine different Lego cacti and the like in different shapes, sizes and hues, all in their own separate containers. Connect them together for one striking piece, or keep them apart and place them in different spots — the choice is obviously yours. As for the 608-piece orchid set, it'll see you build a towering bloom with six large flowers and two newly opened flowers, all in a blue fluted vase. And it really isn't small, measuring 39 centimetres in height. Available now in Australia and New Zealand, both kits are customisable, and also based on actual plants — so they look as lifelike as Lego succulents and orchids can. Sure, fake flowers exist, but they're nowhere near as engaging to put together as this build-your-own low-maintenance option. As well as catching the eye and adding some splashes of green to your decor, Lego's newest products are designed to help you destress and get mindful — something that the brand has been promoting for adults for a few years now. Both kits cost $89.99 each in Australia and $99.99 each in New Zealand. And if you're keen on more, the original two sets are still available, as is a bird of paradise in a pot, plus small sunflower, rose and tulip kits. For more information about Lego's new Botanical Collection, including the flower bouquet and bonsai tree kits, head to the company's website.
Film festival envy: it's a real thing. If you've spent the past week or so wishing that you were sitting in a darkened room in Austin, Texas, then you know what we're talking about. South by Southwest is fast becoming that other American film fest worth paying attention to at this time of year — if a potential indie hit or buzzy title isn't ready for Sundance, it'll likely turn up here. Indeed, the 2017 program featured more than 125 films on 13 screens over 9 days. Now that's some epic viewing. When you consider some of the movies that made the cut, you might agree. Edgar Wright's Ansel Elgort, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey-starring Baby Driver made its debut at SXSW, as did the John Wick-meets-Lucy sounding Atomic Blonde with Charlize Theron. They're among the flicks we know we'll see in Australian cinemas, although we'll have to wait until August to do so. With the festival also highlighting a wealth of potential future cinematic classics, here's ten others we're hoping make it to Aussie screens too. SONG TO SONG Featuring an all-star cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett and Val Kilmer, put Song to Song in the safe bet category. Terrence Malick's movies usually find their way to Australia, even if they only make it to a handful of screens in a handful of capital cities like his last two features, To the Wonder and Knight of Cups. Here, the always divisive, suddenly prolific filmmaker behind Badlands and The Tree of Life tells a tale of two couples set against the Austin music scene, complete with appearances by Florence Welch, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, The Black Lips, Tegan and Sara and more. As for whether he's balanced his usually gorgeous visuals with a meatier narrative, all signs point to no — but, love him or hate him, that's one of the things that has made his recent work absolutely unmissable. THE DISASTER ARTIST Oh hi, The Room fans. Now, before anyone starts throwing a football back and forth, add The Disaster Artist to your list of must-see movies in 2017. It's another movie certain to hurtle towards an Australian cinema soon, and to have spoons hurtled at it as a result. James Franco (who else?) not only stars as Tommy Wiseau in this behind-the-scenes look at the film everyone loves to not really love, but also directs a cast that features Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Sharon Stone, Jacki Weaver, Zac Efron, Bryan Cranston… the list goes on. If you lapped up Wiseau's so-bad-it's-still-bad flick, there's a very big chance that you'll do the same with this as well. MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND First things first: Most Beautiful Island won SXSW's narrative feature competition, an honour that the likes of Short Term 12 and Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture previously achieved. The first feature from Spanish actress turned writer/director Ana Asensio, it follows one day in the life of Luciana — played by Asensio — as the immigrant to the US tries to make ends meet. Sounds timely, doesn't it? How could it not. With a game afoot, and the chasm between the privileged and the struggling part of the story, it also sounds like an intriguing thriller INFLAME Critic turned filmmaker Ceylan Ozgün Ozçelik makes her feature debut with a partly crowdfunded thriller that's both immersed in modern-day Turkey in its story and universal in its themes. Screening at SXSW after its Berlinale premiere, Inflame explores a subject the world has had to hear too much about of late, and often in all caps tweets. No prizes for guessing that we're talking about fake news. Here, a television news video editor is forced to tow the line when the powers-that-be decide that the station should no longer comment on politicians. To say that paranoia starts to set in is quite the understatement. SMALL TOWN CRIME If there's one thing that Small Town Crime boasts in spades, sight unseen, it's an interesting cast. Deadwood and Winter's Bone star John Hawkes plays an ex-cop turned unlikely detective when he comes across the body of a dead young woman, and he's joined by two-time Oscar nominee Octavia Spencer, plus Anthony Anderson, Robert Forster, Clifton Collins, Jr. and Michael Vartan. More Hawkes on screen is always a good thing. More Hawkes in the lead, even better. Writer/director siblings Eshom and Ian Nelms clearly agree, and you can bet their pulpy effort is all the better for it. [caption id="attachment_614358" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Noël Wells/Twitter.[/caption] MR ROOSEVELT Watched Saturday Night Live in recent years, or Netflix's Master of None? If so, you should recognise Noël Wells. As well as doing great things on screen, she's made the leap behind the camera, writing and directing the feature Mr Roosevelt. Actually, she stars too, playing a struggling comedian who returns to Austin after a loved one falls ill, and does what everyone does when they're forced to head back home: runs into an ex. Yes, films set in Austin are a trend at SXSW. And yes, the premise sounds familiar; however expect Wells to give everything some extra spark. FITS AND STARTS In 2015, Laura Terruso co-wrote the script for the endearing Hello, My Name Is Doris, which was actually based on her short film. With Fits and Starts, she takes on helming duties on her first feature — and, if you haven't already guessed it, providing ace up-and-comers with a platform for their debut efforts is something else that SXSW excels at. Story-wise, the movie follows a struggling writer and his much more successful wife as they attend a gathering at her publisher's home, with hijinks ensuing. It has been compared to Martin Scorsese's '80s comedy After Hours, which is great news indeed. GEMINI Sorry, Girls fans — Lola Kirke is fast becoming the family's standout screen talent, with Gemini the latest piece of evidence to support that inevitably controversial opinion. This neo-noir casts the Mozart in the Jungle star as a personal assistant to Zoe Kravitz's Hollywood celebrity, then plunges the two into the middle of a crime mystery, complete with John Cho as a detective. Sure, Los Angeles and seedy happenings seem to go hand-in-hand in film, but the combination seems to work. And, in this case, it seems primed to showcase Kirke's talents, with folks at SXSW well and truly singing her praises. DAVID LYNCH: THE ART LIFE With season three of Twin Peaks less than two months away from hitting our TV screens (yes, of course we're counting), there's never been a better time to delve into all things David Lynch. Let's grab some cherry pie, a cup of coffee and call it a damn fine time, actually, although this documentary isn't about his recent efforts. Instead, watch and listen as the filmmaker takes you on a tour of his upbringing, efforts to make Eraserhead 40 years ago, and artistic and musical output. Don't expect any answers — Lynch famously likes to let his work speak for itself, rather than speak about it — but do expect to spend an enjoyable time in the inimitable master auteur's company. I AM ANOTHER YOU After making this year's Academy Award shortlist for Best Documentary for her debut Hooligan Sparrow, Chinese filmmaker Nanfu Wang returns with I Am Another You. Meeting 22-year-old homeless man Dylan is just the beginning of her second effort, with the charming drifter taking her on a journey — not only through his life in Florida or his rejection of society's norms, but through that much-sought-after idyll known as the American dream. If it takes an outsider's eye to tell this tale then Wang has it, with her own experience as a newcomer to the US forming part of the package. Airing in SXSW's doco competition, the end result received special jury recognition for excellence in documentary storytelling.
If you think of famous artists, you may recall the likes of Picasso, Dalí, Monet, Michelangelo, Rothko and Warhol. One thing these artists have in common is none of them are Australian. Another is that they're all men. They are, undoubtedly, some of the greats. But this year the National Gallery of Australia is turning its focus to the Aussie women who have greatly contributed to the arts with an upcoming exhibition. Dubbed Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now, the free exhibition kicks off on Friday, November 13 and will run till Sunday, July 4— so you'll have plenty of time to catch it. The blockbuster exhibition is part of the gallery's ongoing initiative to increase the representation of female artists. As the name suggests, it'll showcase works by artists from the early 1900s to the present day, including some brand-spanking-new commissions. By bringing together artists of different times, as well as cultures, practices and places, the exhibition challenges the assumption of Australian art being male-dominated. There'll be more than 350 works on display, featuring everything from paintings to performance art and a floor-to-ceiling presentation of the artists' portraits. Highlights include a commission by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers; performance art by Bonita Ely and Jill Orr; Tracey Moffatt's key series of photographs, Something more; a huge painting by the Ken Family Collaborative; and an installation by Justene Williams. You can also expect works by KuKu and Erub/Mer artist Destiny Deacon, leading modernist painter Grace Cossington Smith, famed printmaker Margaret Preston, photographer Rosemary Laing, Anmatyerr artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye and contemporary painter Anne Wallace. [caption id="attachment_775540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anne Wallace, 'She Is' 2001 , oil on canvas, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Purchased 2002, © Anne Wallace[/caption] Coinciding with the exhibition's launch will be a three-day conference, which will bring together established and emerging artists, curators and academics to discuss everything from creative practice to women and gender equity in the arts. The conference will run from November 11–13. Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now is showing at the NGA from November 13 through July 4, 2021. The gallery is open from 10am–5pm daily and entry is free. Top images: Yvette Coppersmith, 'Nude selfportrait, after Rah Fizelle' 2016, oil on linen, Private collection, ©Yvette Coppersmith; Roma Butler and Yangi Yangi Fox, from Irrunytju in Western Australia, with their sculptures, 2017, photo: Rhett Hammerton; and Grace Cossington Smith, 'The Bridge in building' 1929, oil on pulboard, National Gallery of Australia,Canberra, Gift of Ellen Waugh 2005. For the latest info on ACT border restrictions, head here.
Bars March is a month-long charity campaign letting you drink for a good cause. And that cause? Animals. Yep, you can spend March hopping around to different bars and smashing a tasty cocktail to help raise money for the Animal Welfare League. What's possibly even more exciting, is that the most of the bars involved are dog-friendly — so your pooch can come along, too. It's a win, win. Running for almost a decade in Sydney, the charity month has this year expanded interstate — which means animal-loving Melburnians can get on board, too. To get involved, you just need to show up to one of participating bars and purchase a Bars March charity cocktail, and a portion of the profits will go to the aforementioned charity. Some of the bars involved in Melbourne include dog-friendly whisky bar the Tipsy Cow and CBD bars Loch and Key, Golden Monkey and Captain Melville. Up in Sydney, award-winning drinking holes Lobo Plantation and Kittyhawk will be taking part, as will Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel and the East Village in Darlinghurst. [caption id="attachment_663076" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Tipsy Cow[/caption] A heap of venues will be hosting events, too, with Crown Street's new Italian restaurant Caffe Bartolo selling $10 charity brunch cocktails from March 1–3 and the Erko is throwing a dog-friendly Pints 4 Paws party on Saturday, March 2. Over the nine years that Bars March has been running, it has raised over $80,000 for the Animal Welfare League, which cares for and re-homes surrendered, neglected and abandoned animals across NSW. Bars March is a boozy charity initiative raising money for the Animal Welfare League. It runs from March 1–31 and you can check out the full list of participating venues and events at barsmarch.com and the Bars March Facebook page. Top image: Caffe Bartolo by Kitti Gould.
It's never too cold to party. At least, that's what the guys behind Snowtunes say. And for its third year, this Snowy Mountains music festival is coming back even bigger — twice the size actually. With the addition of a second night of festivities, the party people have also added a second stage so punters can enjoy live music at one and dance it out at the other, dedicated to EDM. And with our Snowy Mountains giveaway, you could be right there listening, dancing and partying with the snowy revellers. Who's expected to take to the stage at the festival? Plenty of Aussie-born talent, including L D R U, Gang of Youths, Nina Las Vegas, Mashd N Kutcher and Tigerlily, plus New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Mitch James and French DJ Klingande with some tunes from abroad. Mark your calendars and find some snow gear, because you could win a double pass to both days of Snowtunes on September 1 and 2, plus two nights accommodation in your own studio apartment. Enter your details below. [competition]631762[/competition] Image: Perisher Ski Resl.
"History has a way of repeating itself. The dangers we've seen foretell an even more menacing future." After growling about understanding real fear for the first time in the initial trailer for The Witcher season three, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill, Zack Snyder's Justice League) is still painting a dark and brooding picture for the Netflix fantasy hit's big return, which also sees Princess Ciri (Freya Allan, The Third Day) with ghost cavalry on her tail — plus more sinister forces. Yennefer (Anya Chalotra, The ABC Murders) also has her own scares to deal with, and things are looking chaotic in general — not just in that debut sneak peek from a few months back, but in the just-dropped new trailer for The Witcher's third season. When this next batch of episodes tosses a coin to its namesake, it will take its cues from Time of Contempt, the second book in writer Andrzej Sapkowski's series. Season three hits streaming queues this winter Down Under, featuring eight instalments split into two parts. Volume 1 arrives on Thursday, June 29, with Volume 2 following on Thursday, July 27. Need a refresher on the story so far? Haven't watched the first two seasons yet? If The Witcher's name sounds familiar, that's because it's based on Sapkowski's short stories and novels — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. In the Netflix series, Cavill plays the witcher of the title. Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone in a realm called The Continent. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer and young princess Ciri. One of Netflix's hefty successes, The Witcher has been renewed for a fourth season, too, which happened back in 2022 long before its third had any trailers — something that also occurred with season three before season two dropped as well, and with season two before season one debuted before that. But instead of Cavill as Geralt, The Hunger Games, The Dressmaker and Independence Day: Resurgence's Liam Hemsworth will replace him, as also announced in 2022. The Witcher franchise doesn't just include the show itself, but also animated flick The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which hit Netflix in 2021. And, there's 2022 prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, which takes place 1200 years before Geralt's time, spans four episodes and stars Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh. Check out the full trailer for The Witcher's third season below: The Witcher's third season will hit Netflix in winter 2023 Down Under, releasing in two parts — with Volume 1 arriving on Thursday, June 29 and Volume 2 on Thursday, July 27.
If you're in the market for a blisteringly good weekend tipple, why not make it a premium concoction from the 2018 winner of Diageo's World Class Bartender of the Year? Melburnians can enjoy that very enviable situation this week, when internationally renowned mixologist Orlando Marzo launches his new line of bottled cocktails, dubbed Loro. Marzo is taking up residency at Gertrude Street venue At The Above, to showcase and celebrate his four new unconventional sips; including the deep, fruity Cherry & Cacao Manhattan and a fragrant Bergamot Negroni. On Saturday, February 26, head along to catch a festive launch party, where you'll have the chance to sample all Loro cocktails and a few other drinks at some very special prices. $25 gets you entry to the shindig and your first cocktail, plus an evening of DJ tunes, art installations and snacks — by Napier Quarter's Eileen Horsnell — to enjoy alongside the libations. Backing it up on Sunday, February 27, the pop-up bar will be open for casual walk-ins from 1–9pm, serving the full cocktail range for you to taste-test at your leisure. [caption id="attachment_844057" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 2018 Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year Orlando Marzo[/caption]
If you're a Game of Thrones fan still mourning the show's end back in 2019, you now know something: Jon Snow looks set to return. The hit drama is already getting a prequel series, with House of the Dragon start airing this winter — when else? — Down Under. But that clearly isn't enough GoT action for US network HBO. The Hollywood Reporter and Variety have gotten wind of news about a potential Jon Snow-focused sequel series, which'd continue the beloved character's story after the events of Game of Thrones' eighth and final season. You might recall that that last batch of episodes were rather eventful for Jon, even more than normal. He found out that he was born Aegon Targaryen, and that he has a claim to the Iron Throne. He also ditched Westeros — after being exiled — to head North of the Wall. Exactly what story this as-yet-unnamed possible new show would chart — and which other well-known GoT figures would pop up — hasn't been revealed, with the series only in very early development. But Kit Harington (Eternals) is set to reprise his role as Jon if the show does eventuate. And, given the character's strong links within Westeros, including as part of the Stark family, it's safe to expect that his sisters or other folks who survived the original series could show up. Again, everything is vague and tentative for now — but if HBO wants to make this happen, it'll happen. The network has spent years telling the world that the end of Game of Thrones wouldn't actually be the end, after all. Firstly, it announced that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later picked a contender to run with: the upcoming House of the Dragon. It also opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration. Throughout all of this, GoT fans have been told one thing over and over, even without it being explicitly said. Our days of watching fiery fights between famous Westerosi names — and games over who gets tot sit on the Iron Throne — are far from over, clearly, and won't be for quite some time. And, now that House of the Dragon is getting nearer, it's highly unlikely that HBO would want to pass up the opportunity to add another Game of Thrones series with such a well-known character at its centre to its programming. To bide you over until more Jon Snow news arrives, you can check out the latest House of the Dragon trailer below — before it starts its dance with dragons on Monday, August 22: House of the Dragon will start airing on Monday, August 22 Down Under via Foxtel and Binge, in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Via: The Hollywood Reporter / Variety. Images: Helen Sloan/HBO.
Melbourne's NGV International will celebrate the unique designs and lasting legacy of fashion icon Christian Dior, in a world premiere exhibition launching in August next year. Running from August 27 to November 7, The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture will be one of three major surveys of Dior's groundbreaking work, alongside exhibitions in Paris and New York. The Melbourne show will include more than 140 show-stopping garments, stretching the length and breadth of the label's extraordinary history. "Highlights of the NGV's House of Dior exhibition will include one of the few surviving examples of Christian Dior's New Look collection, which revitalised women's fashion in the post-war era," said gallery director Tony Ellwood while announcing the exhibition at a launch event earlier today. "And of course it wouldn't be a Dior exhibition without their sculptural tailoring, their signature ball gowns and their glamorous evening dresses which have become synonymous with the fashion house." "Audiences will discover the nuances of Dior's fashion design, and observe the ways in which these have evolved through the decades. The exhibition will also celebrate the milestones of Dior's six successive designers," he added. A key element of the exhibition will be an exploration of Dior's historic 1948 spring fashion parade at David Jones in Sydney, considered to be the first complete Dior collection to be shown outside of Paris. The exhibition will also tie in with the gallery's first ever Gala Ball. "Think Met Gala, but with a Melbourne sense of style," said Ellwood. Speaking at the launch, Victoria's Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley called the exhibition "a major milestone for the gallery, for Dior and for our city." "The creativity and imagination of Christian Dior, the depth of his vision, and the range of his skills, could find no better city, and no better partner gallery, for a retrospective display, than Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria," said Mr. Foley. The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture will run August 27 to November 7 at NGV International. Image: National Gallery of Victoria and House of Dior announce House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture at NGV International, August 2017. Shot by Wayne Taylor.
Groovin' the Moo has announced its 2013 line-up a day early after a Music Feeds source discovered a leak via Moshtix. And after reading through the list of acts appearing at this year’s festival, it's little wonder those involved got so prematurely excited. International acts hit double digits this year, with USA heavyweights The Bronx and The Amity Affliction, the UK's Frightened Rabbit and The Kooks and Canadian twins Tegan and Sara all set to strap on their gumboots and distribute their fresh sonic goods across five regional locations. Local heavyweights on the bill include Tama Impala, Flume, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Blue Mountains beatmaker Urthboy, Melbourne sextet Alpine, electronic trio Midnight Juggernauts and the awesomely named Yolanda Be Cool. Even dubstep gets a repping courtesy of Shockone. Besides music, the festival will provide local food stalls with fresh produce of the culinary variety, markets filled with knickknacks, licensed bar facilities, slingshot rides, and plenty of spacious chill-out areas. Presale tickets go on sale Thursday, January 31, at 9am via Moshtix with the presale ticket code Haystack #GTM2013 (also revealed today). Groovin' the Moo 2013 Line-up: Alison Wonderland Alpine The Amity Affliction The Bronx (USA) DZ Deathrays (DJ Set) Example (UK) Flume Frightened Rabbit (UK) Hungry Kids Of Hungary The Kooks (UK) Last Dinosaurs Matt And Kim (USA) Midnight Juggernauts Pez Regurgitator Seth Sentry Shockone Tame Impala Tegan And Sara (Canada) The Temper Trap They Might Be Giants (USA) Tuka with Ellesquire Urthboy DJ Woody’s Big Phat 90?S Mixtape (UK) Yacht (USA) Yolanda Be Cool Groovin' the Moo 2013 Dates: Saturday, April 27 Maitland Showground Blomfield St, Maitland NSW 2320 Sunday, April 28 University of Canberra Kirinari St Bruce ACT 2617 Saturday, May 4 Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showground 42 – 72 Holmes Rd, Bendigo VIC 3550 Sunday, May 5 Murray Sports Complex – Townsville Cricket Grounds Mervyn Crossman Dr & Murray Lyons Cres, Idalia QLD 4811 Saturday, May 11 Hay Park (off) Parade Rd Bunbury WA 6230
Four years after rock 'n' roll den Heartbreaker joined the family, acclaimed Fitzroy cocktail haven The Everleigh is set to score another younger sibling, as Michael and Zara Madrusan's Made In The Shade group (MITS) gears up to launch its latest venue. Dubbed Bar Margaux, the Lonsdale Street basement bar brings to life one of Michael's long-held dreams, opening his own riff on the Parisian-style brasseries he frequented during his years as a bartender in New York during the early 2000s. While The Everleigh is elegant and poised, and Heartbreaker boasts a more rebellious, dive bar attitude, this newcomer will capture a little of both. As Zara explains, "she'll be sophisticated and feminine, but lively and late." The space itself will be a big nod to those Big Apple brasseries, complete with chequered floors, banquettes in deep red and an impressive zinc-topped bar. Working to MITS's signature focus on top-quality drinks, food and service, the new 80-seater will be a spot for cocktail and snack sessions, dining room feasts and everything in between. And it's dishing up the goods delightfully late, with French-inspired classics on offer until midnight and a supper menu doing the rounds right up until 5am on Fridays and Saturdays. [caption id="attachment_636584" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Everleigh, James Morgan.[/caption] As for the drinks offering, it's another cracking collaboration between Michael and Marty McCaig (MITS Group Manager and co-owner of South Yarra wine bar South Press). Expect lots of familiar French varieties, natural wines aplenty and what is expected to be one of Melbourne's most enviable Champagne collections. Meanwhile, the cocktail list will star a good spread of wine-based cocktails, with half-sized martinis and manhattans available, too. Bar Margaux is slated to open in May at 111 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
Prepare your handlebar moustaches and jokes about rich mahogany; Ron Burgundy is returning in a sequel to 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Appearing on the Conan O'Brien show on Wednesday night, Will Ferrell, in full Burgundy costume accompanied by his jazz flute, announced that a deal had been struck between Paramount and the character who launched a cult following eight years ago. Ferrell had previously written off the idea of an Anchorman sequel, saying it would be too expensive to get the cast back together, and while there's no confirmation as yet that Christina Applegate and Steve Carrell will return as Veronica Corningstone and Brick Tamland, respectively, it's expected the majority of the original cast will make an appearance in the sequel. After a couple of minutes of banter with Conan, Ferrell proclaimed, "I actually have an announcement. I want to announce this here to everyone in the Americas. To our friends in Spain, Turkey and the UK, including England, that as of 0900 mountain time, Paramount Pictures and myself, Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgundy have come to terms on a sequel to anchorman. It is official: there will be a sequel to Anchorman." And then he sauntered off backstage playing the jazz flute. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MrNA7RjU91I
Despite brighter-than-summer colours and clearer-than-Crater Lake sound, virtual reality is still bigger on virtuality than it is on reality. That's largely because the acceptance of digital life demands the denial of touch, smell and taste. Researchers at the National University of Singapore, however, are hoping to change this. They're one step closer to adding at least one sensory dimension to cyberspace. An electrodes-driven simulator has been developed that stimulates the tastebuds to recreate four of the sensations essential to the gustatory experience: sweet, salt, sour and bitter. A digital interface enables micro-alterations in temperature. Engineer Dr Nimesha Ranasinghe told the UK Telegraph, "It uses two methods — electrical stimulation and thermal stimulation to stimulate the tip of the human tongue non-invasively ... By manipulating the magnitude of current, frequency and temperature — both heating and cooling — thus far salty, sour, sweet and bitter sensations have been successfully generated ... Simulating food is one of the future directions of this technology." It's intended that users will be able to share meals virtually and taste the results of popular cooking shows. However, there's still work to be done. The simulator is yet to prove successful at stimulating at the fifth basic flavour, umami. Plus, researchers have acknowledged that our experience of taste is shaped by a variety of complex factors, including texture, colours and smell. In a side-project, the team is simultaneously developing a digital lollipop. The plan is to provide consumers with a sweet hit without the usual risks: weight gain and tooth decay. Previous attempts at facilitating digital taste have been rendered unsuccessful by their dependence on chemicals. Requiring constant mixing and frequent renewing, they're messy, costly and impractical. Via PSFK.
What gets a new face every couple of years, and a different tone, too — and stalks stealthily through the dark but loves being projected big upon a glistening silver screen? Fans of Gotham City's famous purveyor of justice know the answer to that riddle, of course. Actually, after oh-so-many different iterations of the Dark Knight over the decades, the world in general does as well. In 2022, The Batman gave us a new version, with Robert Pattinson following in the footsteps of everyone from Adam West, Michael Keaton and Val Kilmer to George Clooney, Christian Bale and Ben Affleck. In fantastic news, the moody, brooding and gloomy end result is one of the best Batman flicks yet — and, although it only hit Australian cinemas just over a month ago, RPatz's turn in the cape and cowl has now been fast-tracked to digital. So, here's another conundrum: catch the Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes)-directed, 70s crime thriller-style superhero movie on the big screen, or settle in to watch it without leaving the house? There's no right answer, because you now have options. That said, nothing beats the cinema experience — especially for a film that makes all things Batman feel new again, as this excellent effort does. Still, if that's your couch time for tonight sorted, you'll find The Batman available to rent digitally from all the usual places. In the process, you'll also find a bruised and battered take on the vigilante, a pitch-perfect turn from Tenet star Pattinson — including far more reluctance as the titular character's alter-ego Bruce Wayne than usual, and welcomely so — and a top-notch supporting cast. Also featured: Zoe Kravitz (Kimi) as Catwoman, Paul Dano (Escape at Dannemora) as the Riddler, Colin Farrell (he North Water) as the Penguin, Jeffrey Wright (The French Dispatch) as Commissioner Gordon and Andy Serkis (Long Shot) as Alfred Pennyworth. No one really needs a plot synopsis for Batman films by now, but when The Batman begins (not to be confused with Batman Begins), it's with the slaying of a powerful Gotham figure. A shocking crime that scandalises the city, it leaves a traumatised boy behind, and couldn't be more influential in the detective-style tale of blood and vengeance that follows. But viewers haven't seen this story before, despite appearances. It isn't the start of pop culture's lonesome billionaire orphan's usual plight, although he's there, all dressed in black, and has an instant affinity for the sorrowful kid. Behold the first standout feat achieved by this excellent latest take on the Dark Knight (not to be confused with The Dark Knight): realising that no one needs to see Bruce Wayne's parents meet their end for what'd feel like the millionth time. From there, The Batman follows its namesake's efforts to get to the bottom of the crime — a tricky task in Gotham, unsurprisingly. And yes, this film meant to stand completely apart from the most recent Affleck-starring DC Extended Universe version of the character. So, basically, what DC Films and Warner Bros Pictures did with Joker in 2019 — serving up a grimmer, grittier iteration of the infamous figure that has absolutely nothing to do with the rightfully hated Jared Leto version — they've done again for Batman now. Check out the trailer for The Batman below: The Batman is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream online via video on demand — including via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review.
Sure, the animal heads adorning the walls of Shady Pines are pretty cool. And I like the faux Andy Warhol studio decor of the Oxford Art Factory as much as the next person. But when it comes to mind-boggling designs, wacky themes and unique going-out experiences then these ten bars are a cut above the rest. For many bar-owners, the humble "pub" is not simply a local watering hole or after work hideaway but a sanctuary for unreal creative expression and a place where your most bizarre and bewildering fantasies can become a reality. Here we present ten of the weirdest and most wonderful bars from across the globe with themes ranging from a mental asylum to under the sea and unbelievable locations such as inside a 6,000 year-old tree to a giant coffin. Check out the photos below to see what a little bit of imagination, an incredible locality and a whole lot of money can do to transform your average bar into something straight out of a Stanley-Kubrick-on-LSD dream. HR Giger Bar Where: Chur, Switzerland Designed by the manic genius that is Swiss artist H.R. Giger, Switzerland's two Giger bars are modeled on the artist's most famous creation: the nightmarish, intergalactic creatures in Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece Alien. With its giant skeletal arches and torture device chairs, a trip to the Giger bars is an eerie and unnerving experience and provides customers with the distinct feeling that they have been transported into the belly of one of Giger's grotesque alien creatures. Alux Lounge Where: Playa del Carmen, Mexico If descending into the belly of the beast is not your idea of a good time then perhaps descending into a bar carved into an underground cave is more tempting. The bar is not one but a whole system of interlocking caves, with each cave playing host to a different form of nocturnal entertainment, and every room filled with an arresting array of stalactites and stalagmites that surround you on all sides. The Clinic Bar Where: Singapore As the name suggests, the Clinic Bar is a hospital-themed pub that pushes the boundaries of the imagination almost as much as it pushes the boundaries of taste. Some of the medical-themed highlights of this strange establishment include gilded wheelchair seats, hospital bed booths, operating room light fixtures and most peculiarly, drinks served in IV bags and test tubes. Red Sea Star Bar Where: Eliat, Israel While oceanic themed bars and restaurants can be found in just about every seaside town, the Red Sea Star Bar not only resembles an underwater palace but it is in fact located six metres under the Red Sea. Although it may sound camp and kitsch, the combined effect of the sand and sea urchin decor along with the panoramic views of the Red Sea's beautiful coral and sealife provides for an enchanting and fantastical experience unlike any other bar in the world. The Sunland Pub Where: Limpopo Province, South Africa The pub itself is really not much to look at. Consisting of a dusty old dart board, a collection of rusted knick-knacks and the tiniest of bar tables, the Sunland Pub resembles nothing more than a derelict family bar. Yet travelers and locals alike have been known to line up for hours at a time to get a peak of The Sunland Pub thanks to the fact that this remarkable pub is located in a giant Baobab tree. The tree is estimated at being more than 6,000 years old making it one of the world's oldest living trees. Sky Bar Where: Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok has become globally renowned for its beautiful collection of rooftop bars scattered across its sprawling metropolis. None of these bars however bare any comparison to the most famous of them all: the super-ritzy and unbelievably spectacular Sky Bar. Suspended above the city at a staggering 63 floors, the Sky Bar provides visitors with 360 degree views of the city and the majestic Chao Phraya River. Alcatraz ER Where: Tokyo, Japan The weird and wacky tastes of Japanese party-goers has meant that Tokyo has become a hotbed for some truly bizarre themed bars. One of the city's oldest and undoubtedly one of its most deranged is Alcatraz ER, which provides visitors with an experience somewhere between a One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest style mental asylum and a medieval dungeon (no, actually). Customers are locked and chained up in prison cells, while waitresses dressed as nurses serve cocktails with names like "Acute Mental Stabilizer" and men with giant syringes terrorise the unsuspecting visitors. A class act through and through. Eternity, The Coffin Bar Where: Truskavets, Ukraine On the theme of politically incorrect bars is the Ukraine's disturbing and aptly named "Eternity", which was designed to resemble a giant coffin. If the thought of drinking away your sorrows in the world's largest coffin doesn't scare you off then perhaps its equally chilling interior might, with the bar decked out with a highly tasteful collection of small coffin tables, novelty sized wreaths and cathedral-like lighting. Ice Bar Where: Stockholm, Sweden The thought of an ice cold drink in an ice cold bar has taken the world by storm with ice bars popping up in major cities all over the world (including Sydney's very own Ice Bar and Minus5). The original, however, was Stockholm's Ice Bar, in which everything from the bar stools to the glasses you drink from are made from ice harvested from Sweden's Torne River. With the bar set at a frosty -5 degrees celsius and surrounded in Stockholm's stunning winter wonderland, this bar is the perfect place to chill out and grab a couple of cold ones. NASA Pub Where: Bangalore, India With waiters and bartenders that wear spacesuits, spectacular laser shows and all exits and entries shaped like space shuttle doors it is hard not to love Bangalore's most famous novelty pub. While most of us will unfortunately never get to experience what it is like to live aboard a NASA spaceship, this remarkable bar will take you on a celestial and otherworldly experience faster than you can say "open the pod bay doors, HAL".
The Kook is a short film made on a small budget that's taking the US independent film festivals by storm (and walking away with all the awards too). Already given the Official Selection title at a number of festivals, including Austin, New Orleans, Riverrun and Slamdance, the film is set to screen at several others in the US and Europe too. The film's story follows Fa, a gentle and unassuming member of an eccentric religious sect, as she inadvertently discovers an unsettling truth about the cult's leader. It's a dark comedy that plays with the realisation that everything Fa has ever believed in is fake, but it's not just The Kook's universal themes of truth and deception that has won audiences over. Although the cult's yellow jogging suits and dark bowl-cut hairdos probably make a lasting impression for many of the film's audiences, it's an 18-minute film that feels like nod to '80s soft-focus cinematography and the creation of a kooky world that's, worryingly, not too unlike our own. Actress T. Sahara Meer, who plays the naive Fa, recently received an award for best actress at a comedy festival in LA and, just a few days ago, the film's directors - New Yorkers Gregory Mitnick and Nat Livingston Johnson - took home the Audience Award at LES Film Festival in Manhattan. It looks like it'll be a big year for this little film. Now we just need to convince them to show it off down under. https://youtube.com/watch?v=t8u284szuk4
Urban beekeepers in Australia are on the increase, with more and more people besotted by an unusual new love affair with backyard native beekeeping. According to Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, the new trend has brought an element of nature back to the city, where residents and native bees alike are reaping its benefits. The Asylum Seekers Centre community garden in Surry Hills is currently home to several hundred sugarbag bees. Volunteer Jess Perini says that asylum seekers are “hooked” on the beauty of the tiny bees, which produce roughly one kilo of sugarbag honey – an expensive, nutritious variety – a year. Not only do the creatures add to the splendour and biodiversity of the garden, they have also helped to break down language barriers for asylum seekers. Sydneysiders can expect the backyard beekeeping craze to stay with the instalment of native beehives in several community gardens later this year. In Brisbane, a code of practice for urban beekeeping has already been established. And in Melbourne, an organisation called Rooftop Honey offers people the chance to sponsor their own hives. Australia is home to ten different species of stingless bees which grow to only a few millimetres. Tiny and harmless, they quite literally take the sting out of a mutually beneficial relationship. Backyard beekeepers are able to harvest their own sources of honey, while the bees find sanctuary from the destruction of their habitats from land clearing. Native bees also play an important role in balancing the natural ecosystem by pollinating native plant species and crops. With so many environmental and community benefits, it’s not hard to see why urban beekeeping has generated such a buzz. And it’s not limited to Australia – since a ban on beekeeping in New York was overturned in 2010, the popular pastime has hit the roof on NYC's rooftops.
Pond want to give you a giant tortoise, Pitchfork have the hots for Jagwar Ma, and Cheyenne Tozzi has the voice of a chain-smoking angel. Here are five new tracks to put on high rotation this weekend. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qE9Dz0pl5mk 1. 'GIANT TORTOISE' — POND Pond just dropped this thrasher at lunchtime today, meaning that if you go here and download it for free you'll be one of the first (thousand) people in the world to get a taste of Hobo Rocket, the follow-up album to last year's wildly successful Beard, Wives, Denim. Crank up your speakers first. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qFLIU0Km3So 2. 'REACH YOU' — VAN HOORN When she's not doing Vogue covers or cavorting around Los Angeles with Paris Hilton, the Sutherland Shire's Cheyenne Tozzi sings in a band called Van Hoorn. And Van Hoorn is a pretty good band too, with plenty of dirty vocals and bluesy down-home guitars. They celebrated the launch of their EP last night at Bondi's Canteen. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1vU6a7Haw78 3. 'THE THROW' — JAGWAR MA The newest members of the Future Classic family, Jagwar Ma, have their Pitchfork-approved psychedelic dance track 'The Throw' visualised in this buoyant, neon-lit video. You can purchase the song and its 6:54 extended edition here. 4. 'CRANK' — JAYSWAYS When I was 16 I was still pretending not to like Good Charlotte, and here is this kid from Sydney making some of the best electronic music around right now. It would probably make you angry at him if he wasn't giving it away for free. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LRBCoXw4RDQ 5. 'IN A DREAM' — HIGH HIGHS Brooklyn-via-Sydney boys High Highs finally released their debut album Open Season last Friday, and celebrated with their first proper Australian show at the Oxford Art Factory last night. Here is the latest single from that record, a folksy and lyrical yet grounded combination of honeyed harmonies and subtly arranged synths.
Fashion zombies of the '90s, your favourite mood readers have had a big ol' 2014 update. Mood rings have become the latest focus of a new startup out of Finland, who've taken your shitty piece of faux emotion-reading tin and turned it into a piece of wearable tech that can actually tell you how you're feeling. Finnish techheads Moodmetric unveiled a brand new smart ring at the Slush startup conference in Helsinki, Finland last week, one that can apparently actually use a biometric sensor to report on those pesky feelings of yours — rather than waiting for your $2 Reject Shop toy to turn blue. Always blue. Proposed to launch commercially in 2015 after an upcoming crowdfunding campaign, Moodmetric's ring is the smallest wearable technology in the world for measuring emotions. Apparently the device works using a biometric sensor to measure the small changes in your skin generated by your nervous system, which can measure your "emotional voltage". Then, your little wearable buddy sends the data to your smartphone app and diarises your moods for the day. International Business Times compared the Moodmetric ring to current developments like the Smarty Ring, Ringly or MOTA, but noted this new ring isn't just a notification extension of your smartphone inbox — it reads you. "It's possible for people to analyse their emotional levels throughout the day and learn when they're the most stressed, what makes them calm down and what times of the day are significant in terms if emotional intensity," Moodmetric COO Niina Venho told the IBT. "By naming those feelings Moodmetric allows people to get to know themselves better." One step further than the ol' teenage jewellery box edition, the Moodmetric ring has teamed up with your 'Dear Diary' time to help you track your emotional ups and downs and to calm your mind at certain "emotional load peaks" of the day. A ring that helps us de-stress? Proposal accepted. Via IBT and Dazed.
If you listen carefully, you might just hear the sound of a light- to medium-bodied red wine sloshing around a glass. That's because the world's favourite celebration of pinot noir is returning again in 2023, with Pinot Palooza also settling back into its pre-pandemic spring timeslot. In its decade of life to-date, the Melbourne-born wine tasting festival has become a global affair, with an estimated 65,000 tickets sold globally before its 2022 events. But once COVID-19 hit in 2020, the popular event was shelved for two-and-a-half years, before making a comeback last year. This year — in the wine-swilling fest's 11th year — it has October dates locked in for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, all for a two-day stint. So far, venues are yet to be announced. Also, tickets will go on sale in May. The vino-sipping fun will play out similarly to before, although exactly who'll be doing the pouring is also yet to be revealed. Whoever it is, Pinot Palooza's lineup always spans drops from Australia, New Zealand and further afield. Last year, more than 70 winemakers came to the party. As always, attendees will spend their session swirling and sampling that huge array of pinot noir, and hitting up pop-up bars and food stalls between drinks. And, while Pinot Palooza as a standalone fest only has east coast dates for 2023, in Perth it's part of an already-announced collaboration with cheese festival Mould. PINOT PALOOZA 2023 DATES: Friday, October 6–Saturday, October 7: Sydney, venue TBC Friday, October 13–Saturday, October 14: Brisbane, venue TBC Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28: Melbourne, venue TBC Pinot Palooza will tour Australia's east coast in October 2023. For more information, and for tickets from May, head to the event's website.
Whether you're a particularly nervous flyer or usually keep it calm and cruisy, no one like turbulence when they're high in the sky. Tell-tale beeps telling you to buckle up your seatbelt and a few bumps and jumps are one thing; feeling like you're on a particularly adventurous rollercoaster is another. Thankfully, Boeing is hoping to solve the latter. The aircraft company can't control the weather, but they can create and implement a laser system that detects oncoming rough patches at a greater range. Called Light Detection and Ranging or LIDAR, the system is expected to "to spot clear-air turbulence more than 60 seconds ahead of the aircraft, or about 17.5 kilometres," Boeing's Stefan Bieniawski, the program's lead investigator, told WIRED. Specifically, it focuses on clear-air turbulence, which is the type that doesn't usually come with any warning signs — that is, it happens in clear not cloudy skies, as its name indicates. For those eager to know just how it works, LIDAR emits pulses of laser light from the nose of the plane, not that anyone watching will be able to see it. The beams then scatter off of small dust and other particulates, reflecting into segments and measuring wind speed along the entire direction of the laser. Software collates the results, with pilots given more time to steer around hazards. Boeing has been working on the system with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency since 2010, and plan to test the remote-sensing technology in 2018. If it works, knocked elbows and spilled in-flight drinks could become a thing of the past — and, if you're one of the lucky folks who can fall sleep during flights, rude awakenings to your slumber as well. Via Boeing / WIRED.
Alex Chinneck carved up the road today, and not in a Top Gear way. Literally ripped it up. The Hackney-based installation artist, who recently made a section of Covent Garden 'levitate', has today unveiled his latest work at London's Southbank Centre, Pick Yourself Up and Pull Yourself Together. Sitting in the Hungerford Car Park of the Southbank Centre, the work sees a sizeable bit of tarmac pulled up in a wave, casually suspending a Vauxhall Corsa 4.5 metres above the ground. Using cars in installation art is no mean feat; if you caught Cai Guo Qiang's Inopportune at the 2010 Biennale of Sydney you'll know what we're saying. Commissioned by Vauxhall as a made-you-look type of spectacle activation, Chinneck's installation uses hidden steel to keep the car in place — the work involved a whole bunch of metal workers, carpenters, tarmac layers, structural engineers, steel benders and road painters. Best bit? The team installed the artwork overnight. Crafty devils. Via Dezeen.
In yet another major carbon-reduction move, London has just seen the completion of the world’s biggest solar bridge. The development follows plans to heat homes with the Underground and recycle sewer waste via a ‘fat plant’. Blackfriars Bridge has been covered with 4,400 photovoltaic panels, comprising 6,000 square metres. These will harness energy to power 50 percent of Blackfriars Station's needs, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 511 tonnes annually. That's equal to about 89,000 average trips in a car. In addition, the entire station has been revamped, acquiring four extra platforms and two new entrances, one providing access to South Bank and the other to New Bridge Street on the river's north side. The development is part of the US$10.7 billion Thameslink Programme, the goal of which is to increase the frequency and capacity of London's north-south railway line. "Our work at Blackfriars demonstrates two key benefits of solar," said Frans van den Heuvel, CEO of Solarcentury, the company that delivered the project. "First, it can be integrated into the architecture to create a stunning addition to London's skyline. Second, it can be integrated into the most complex of engineering projects; in this case being built above a construction site, over a rail track over a river. We are confident that future major infrastructure projects can and will benefit from solar.” The bridge was officially launched on January 22, 2014, with a massive hot beverage giveaway featuring Britain's biggest tea cup. Via gizmag.
A conglomerate of sights, sounds and savouries, the Auckland cityscape of things to do is vast. From Waitemata Harbour in the north, to Manukau Harbour in the south, there's a bounty of things to eat, drink and discover, not to mention see, with stellar views in pretty much any direction you look. But for the time-poor among us (see everyone), taking time to explore the City of Sails may have been bumped down the to do list, whether you're Auckland dwellers in need of a staycation, Wellingtonians looking for a weekend escape, or even you Aussies hoping to up the ante on a short getaway*. That's where we come in. In partnership with Adina Apartment Hotels, we're giving away two days of accommodation, plus some spending money so you can hit up a few of our favourites spots in town. We've planned a pretty indulgent experience. Think two nights accommodation at Adina Apartment Hotel in Britomart, a massage for two, dinner at Amano where you can fill up on some of New Zealand's freshest pasta around, and $250 to spend at Ponsonby's Mea Culpa to top off the night with a few of their carefully crafted cocktails. Plus, we've slipped in some extra cash so you can splash out at all the shops around Britomart. With some of Auckland's creme de la creme right at the doorstep of your Adina Apartment Hotel abode, you'll be perfectly positioned to continue your exploration of the city. But if you're not sure where to head after massages and before dinner, you can use our local's guide to get some hot tips and start planning the rest of your stay. Enter your details below, say yes to the terms and conditions and you're in the running. Entries close on Wednesday, July 5 at 11.59pm. [competition]626226[/competition] *Prize doesn't include travel costs.
In great news for your wanderlust, flight sales aren't rare. Still, a round of discounted flights that starts at $26 isn't an everyday occurrence. The reason for the super-cheap fares: Jetstar is hosting its latest member-only sale. If you're a Club Jetstar member — already or if you now sign up — you've got two days to nab a bargain. Pack your suitcases for getaways to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Tasmania, Byron Bay and more, with flights to and from all of the above from some Australian cities coming in at the $26 price. That cost will get you from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne to the Gold Coast, Brisbane to Hobart, Melbourne to Launceston, Melbourne to Ballina/Byron Bay, Melbourne to Adelaide and Sydney to Brisbane, or vice versa, all one-way and without checked baggage. [caption id="attachment_976496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darren Tierney[/caption] Other fares include Sydney to Hervey Bay from $39, Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $49 and Melbourne to Uluru from $79. Or, there's flights from Perth to Adelaide from $119, Sydney to Margaret River from $129 and Darwin to Sydney from $149. The sale kicks off at 9am AEDT on Monday, October 21, running through until 11.59pm AEST on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 — or until sold out, if snapped up earlier. Accordingly, if you're keen for a holiday at reduced prices, you'll want to get in quick. In total, 26,000 discounted flights are on offer. Travel periods vary, with late-July–early-September 2025 among them. Again, you'll pay extra for checked baggage if you need it, or you'll want to travel super light. Club Jetstar membership costs $65 a year, which you can join online while making a flight booking, and also gives you 20-percent off checked bags and seat selection. [caption id="attachment_928567" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania, Luke Tscharke[/caption] The Club Jetstar member-only sale runs from 9am AEDT on Monday, October 21–11.59pm AEST on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 — or until sold out, if snapped up earlier. Top image: Jesse Shaw Photography. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The Archibald Prize isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of artistic gadgetry. This coveted national portrait prize is often full of celebrities, sure, but they're usually rendered in expressionistic swathes of paint or meticulous photorealism. It's rare that we get treated to something on the vanguard — and even rarer to have someone deem Wil Anderson's familiar one-liners worthy of a place in one of the nation's best galleries. The portrait, which has been submitted for consideration of the Archibald Prize this week, is the work of Canberra artist Luke Cornish (aka E.L.K.). Predominantly known for his stencil work, Cornish has stepped out into unfamiliar territory creating an interactive artwork of the much-loved comedian that comes to life with the help of a video app. While the piece that hangs on the wall appears as a regular stencilled portrait, when you point a tablet of smartphone at the artwork, the image turns into a real-time video within the frame. A creepy virtual reality version of Wil Anderson leaps forth from your device and starts riffing on religion and Steve Jobs. It's as excellent as it is terrifying. The result of a collaboration with augmented reality specialist — aka the person with the coolest job ever — Amber Standley, this work looks like the start of something very exciting not only for the Archibald itself, but for art in general. "My plan is to start doing some large-scale mural portraits," the artist told The Herald Sun. "You can imagine walking down Elizabeth Street and holding your phone up to a mural and it just comes to life." A far cry from the unsightly QR codes that we still don't quite know how to figure out, this is some gadgetry we can definitely get behind. Instead of walking down the street flipping mindlessly through Instagram and Facebook we could now be interacting with the street art around us — while still firmly affixed to our phones, of course. As far as Cornish's portrait goes, we won't know if it's a finalist for the prize until July 10, and we won't be able to see it until the exhibition opens in Sydney on July 19. But, suffice to say, we have a good feeling it'll get through. Get your smartphones at the ready — this is definitely one to check out (even if you can't stand Wil Anderson). Via Herald Sun and Citynews.
Rohan Anderson is a man of his word. Though the terms “sustainability”, “ethics” and “green living” are slung about a lot these days, they are values that few people fully live by. But just a month ago, Anderson threw himself out of the cannon and into the unthinkable: he quit his job and started living off the land. “I was working part-time as a graphic designer,” he says. “I would go to an office under the fluorescent light and stare at the computer screen and do the work and put up with all the internal politics of the workplace. And none of it....none of it felt real. None of it made any sense at all. It was so unnatural and so unhuman.” He also, this month, launched a cook book called Whole Larder Love, based on his blog which chronicles his quest for semi-self-sufficiency in rural Victoria. Four years ago Anderson was feeding his kids frozen chicken nuggets. He now purchases “only really basic stuff: flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, deodorant, toothpaste. What we’ve eliminated from our shopping trolley is the cardboard packaged food, frozen food, fresh food that’s out of season and meat from supermarkets.” Anderson’s grimy-nailed, bloody-shirted, sweaty-palmed account of hunting, gathering and harvesting is miles away from the sanitised green consumerism spruiked by celebrity chefs from the safety of their stainless steel kitchens. Though the book contains epicurean delights like Rabbit with Mustard Sauce, he flatly rejects the term “foodie”. “My grandfather is from Barcelona. Imagine if you went up to him and said, ‘because you eat beautiful Spanish tapas, you’re a gourmet, you’re artisan because you love good food’. No, that’s just food. That’s just normal food. I definitely want to distance myself from being the wanker foodie that loves a bit of foam on the plate. I don’t eat out at restaurants. It’s not the reality of what food should be. Food shouldn’t be overcomplicated. Otherwise, you distance the notion of accessibility and being clever with basic ingredients.” Food for Anderson is not just a source of fuel or even gastronomical enjoyment, but a political and an environmental concern. “I hate calling Whole Larder Love a cookbook,” he says. “It obviously is a cookbook, but there’s more of a subversive intention there. I really do want to promote the idea of people going back to the old ways of growing their own food. It will dramatically reduce our reliance on supermarkets. Most people know that there are big lorries that drive all this food around and food is actually air- and ship-freighted from other countries. That takes a lot of finite resources. I don’t think that system can last much longer. We’re now in a system of food production where we’re relying on a pretty massive machine that one day could fall over. I have gone back to embracing my animalness, which means taking care of all my food with my hands as all other animals do in the natural world. I’m going back to the good life, and I grow my food and I hunt.” “The real philosophy behind it is that I want to show people that it is possible in 2012 and to marry old techniques and state of the art communication technology. Today I’ve just shovelled a trailer load of manure from Ballarat to go on the pumpkin patch. And the pumpkins will grow all summer, they'll be cured, and we'll have about forty pumpkins for winter for the six of us. Then this afternoon I’m going to go out and chuck two trailer loads of timber for firewood for preparation for next winter. Then I will sit there on my MacBook Air and write up a blogpost.” It’s a mindset loaded with idealism and a book that motivates people to pick up alternative ways of thinking, and more importantly, doing. “My lifestyle is not for everybody. But I will continue to communicate it. The best thing is when people send me photos of what they’ve harvested on the weekend, how they’ve been inspired, how they’ve bought some chooks and built a chook-house. I love that the blog has had an effect on some people.” As a result of his interactions with readers, Anderson reckons more people are bulking at the artificial delineations between the built and natural worlds. “I was in Chippendale a couple of weeks ago - they have worm farms and vegie gardens on the nature strips.” Along with growing your own produce, he says engaging with these kinds of community gardens and farmers’ markets are pragmatic ways to break down what he sees as “the boxed-in areas of nature” that typify unhealthy, unsustainable city life. And he insists that his hunting and gathering lifestyle doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing: city-dwellers can do it too. “People who even just have a balcony, a rooftop, a backyard - where-ever you are in the Western world - can grow food. In the big cities in Italy - Rome, Florence and Milan - the nonnas that live there have so many vegies growing on their verandahs. It’s like an oasis on your verandah, as opposed to your typical Aussie gas barbeque, a couple of dead ornamental plants and maybe somebody’s bike. These gardens in Italy were just full. It was so inspirational to see what could be done in very tight spaces. Someone had pumpkins on a verandah - they were massive and this person had trained these pumpkins to go vertical, diagonal, anyway in any space possible. That was a beautiful thing to see, that even in the cities, they want to grow and smell and feel fresh food. That’s such a beautiful thing.” Photos courtesy of Rohan Anderson.
South By Southwest's annual SXSW Festival offers technology and music enthusiasts the chance to convene and discuss the next big bands, apps, social networks and start-ups. Previous festivals have featured not-yet popular Twitter and Facebook, but one of the initiatives at this year's festivities, held in Austin, Texas, has sparked an ethical controversy. The instigator is Homeless Hotspots, a newly introduced initiative by ad agency BBH Labs,which has employed 13 local homeless people as 'Hotspot Managers'. Equipped with a wireless router, and clad in a "I'm a 4G Hotspot" t-shirt, each manager was paid to remain in a strategic place throughout SXSW, which is known for its mobile coverage black spots and lack of wireless internet, offering festival-goers wireless internet access for a small charge. Melvin Hughes (pictured above), a Homeless Hotspots employee, reports earning US$20 for each of the four 6-hour shifts he completed last weekend. Hughes keeps all of his earnings in full, and also has the opportunity to collect donations from generous festival-goers. Saneel Radia, the program's organiser, sought to clarify the program's payment methods on the company's blog, stating: "These volunteers were guaranteed [to] make at least $50/day, for a maximum of 6 hours work. This amount equates to more than the Texas state minimum wage of $7.25/hr for the same number hours....BBH provides a $20 cash ”stipend” to the volunteers each day regardless of their own sales." Still, accusations of commodifying and exploiting Austin's homeless contributed to the backlash against Homeless Hotspots. In response to the controversy surrounding the ethics behind the initiative, Radia said, "The worry is that these people are suddenly just hardware, but frankly, I wouldn't have done this if I didn't believe otherwise." Homeless Hotspots is reportedly modelled off the corner sale of newspapers by homeless people, incorporating the same goals of increasing the self-confidence and self-worth of the vendors. The company's ultimate goal for the initiative, however, is to provide homeless participants with a 'digital writing platform'.
That delightful period of multiple public holidays that we had in April is already starting to feel like a distant memory. Well, on to the next. The Queen's Birthday long weekend will be here before we know it and we've already found a top-notch fun and furry activity to mark down in your calendar. From Saturday, June 8—Monday, June 10, Healesville Sanctuary will be hosting its Wine & Wildlife event. From 11am–4pm each day, the Sanctuary will showcase local wineries and breweries in its secluded bushland setting, becoming one of the best gourmet destinations in the Yarra Valley (mainly due to its proximity to many, many cute creatures). Chow down on dumplings, loaded potatoes and barbecued meats from pop-up stalls by Sanctuary Harvest. To celebrate this special event, we are giving away a VIP experience at Wine & Wildlife. Your prize will include entry to Wine & Wildlife (including general admission entry to Healesville Sanctuary) for you and three mates. You'll also score four passes to a kangaroo close-up encounter, giving you the chance to personally meet some of Australia's finest native animals. Enter your details below for a chance to win. [competition]719984[/competition]
Computing technology has long been praised for its potential paper-saving powers. Now, it's taking on air pollution. We know that the capacity for air purification is probably not the first thing that most laptop shoppers take into consideration. But, when you think about, why not? Why work in a cloud of cigarette smoke, city smog, dust or unpleasant aromas, when your brain (and nasal passages) could be benefitting from clean air? Well, that's the opinion of the designers of the new Fujitsu Lifebook AH78, anyway. Their creation is the world's first laptop to contain an air purification unit. Called a 'nanoe', it's produced by Panasonic. According to Fujitsu, company testing indicates that the nanoe reduces odours and allergens (including fungi, pollen, mold, viruses and mites) by 99% in an area of one square metre around the Lifebook. The technology is already available on Fujitsu's desktop PCs, so it's had a bit of a run in homes around the world. Its introduction to laptops means that those liable to allergic reactions and/or intolerant of nasty smells can work in public spaces in greater comfort. Fujitsu America's Vice-President of Mobile Management and Marketing, Paul Moore, is also excited about the Lifebook AH78's sleek 15.6 inch design. 'Design considerations for the future - delivering a device that fits the decor and can accomplish multiple tasks,' he said. 'Design is critical. Gone are the days when a PC looked like a piece of office equipment.' [via PSFK]
