Last night, the best chefs in the world descended on Spain's Bilbao for the annual World's 50 Best celebrations. Among them, was Australia's Ben Shewry. Shewry is no stranger to the awards, his Ripponlea restaurant Attica has appeared on the list every year since 2013, but this is the first year he's cracked the top 20. Attica was the only Australian restaurant in the top 50 — which jumped 12 spots from No. 32 to No. 20 this year — with Victoria's Brae falling to No. 58, compared to a ranking of No. 44 last year. Attica also took out the coveted Best Restaurant in Australasia award. The top five restaurant for 2018 aren't dramatically different from past years, with Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana rising from second place to once again take out the top gong. Spain's El Celler de Can Roca rose from No.3 to No.2, while Southern France's Mirazur rose from No. 4 to No.3, and New York's Eleven Madison Park dropped from No.1 to No. 4 — it was closed for renovations for a portion of last year. Rounding out the top five was Bangkok's Gaggan, a restaurant known, among other things, for its emoji-only menu. It was a bittersweet awards for Australia, which has oft had up to four restaurants on the list — the award's debut year, in 2002, saw Melbourne's Flower Drum, Sydney's Tetsuya's and Neil Perry's Rockpool (which has now closed) all in the top 50. This year, only one made the cut. The award's often-criticised gender imbalance was once again evident, with only five women making the list (an increase from last year's three). You can check out the full list at the World's 50 Best website.
Leonardo DiCaprio making his first movie in four years, a swaggering Brad Pitt spitting out wry dialogue, 60s showbiz laid bare, and Australians Margot Robbie and Damon Herriman playing Sharon Tate and Charles Manson — it must be Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. One of 2019's most anticipated titles, the acclaimed filmmaker's ninth stint behind the camera travels back five decades to tell the tale of fading TV star Rick Dalton (DiCaprio), his trusty stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt), his neighbour Tate (Robbie) and an industry that's changing fast. Set in Los Angeles in 1969, it's a story that charts the end of Hollywood's golden age, the Manson Family murders and everything going on around Tinseltown at the time. Tarantino loves jumping into the past — thanks to Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, this is his fourth consecutive period piece — but he might've found his ideal niche. For this journey back to fame, fortune and crime gone by, he's also amassed a who's who of the film's titular town. Get ready — it's a long list. Tarantino regulars Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Bruce Dern, Zoe Bell and Michael Madsen all feature, as well as Dakota Fanning, Lena Dunham, Al Pacino, Timothy Olyphant, James Marsden and the late Luke Perry. Nodding not only to Hollywood's past and present, but to its future, up-and-comers Maya Hawke and Rumer Willis also pop up (they're the daughters of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, and Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, respectively). Basically, Tinseltown today delves into Los Angeles' darker days, a behind-the-scenes Hollywood caper meets US crime history, and Tarantino might've taken some inspiration from the Coen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! — at least if the ace and amusing initial teaser for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is any indication. The film is set to be premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, before releasing worldwide from late July. Check out the first sneak peek below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsL_spv4yEw&feature=youtu.be Once Upon a Time in Hollywood releases in Australian cinemas on August 15. Image: © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In April, Australia scored a promise of international hotel luxury, when global chain Waldorf Astoria announced plans to open its first Aussie outpost in Sydney in 2025. Then, we learned famed Marriott-owned hotel brand the Ritz-Carlton is set to open a sprawling property on the Gold Coast by 2026. But before that all comes to pass, it's Melbourne's turn for a slice of the action, with the Ritz-Carlton also gearing up to launch in the Victorian capital in March 2023. Perhaps best known for its iconic Manhattan hotel that overlooks Central Park and has starred numerous times on the big screen, the Ritz-Carlton will now be making its home on Lonsdale Street. And it's on track to be Australia's tallest hotel, soaring high at an ear-popping 80 storeys, with 257 guest rooms and suites. [caption id="attachment_881631" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Gabriel Saunders[/caption] The hotel itself will have all the high-end trimmings you could imagine, including marble bathrooms, custom-made leather and velvet furniture, and a heated indoor infinity pool with views across the city. The glam lobby is perched all the way up on that 80th floor, too. It's also set to deliver some primo food and drink offerings, if the newly-appointed culinary team is anything to go by. Taking the reins as Executive Chef is the renowned Michael Greenlaw, who counts stints at London's Bibendum, Gilt in New York and Vue de Monde on his star-studded resume. Backing him in the role of Culinary Advisor is Aussie food legend, and the celebrated chef behind classics like Peninsula Bistro and Marque, Mark Best. The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne's upscale dining offering will include a restaurant perched high up on the 80th floor, open to both hotel guests and visitors. [caption id="attachment_881634" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Best and Greenlaw[/caption] Find the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne at 650 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, from March 2023. We'll share more details as they drop.
Vegetables are the undisputed heroes at the southside's newest casual eatery, which is located right on the edge of South Melbourne Market. Opening its doors this week, Marko is kicking it slow, embracing an old-school food philosophy and dishing up a vibrant offering that's entirely plant-based. The brainchild of food industry veteran Dehne Bingham (former CEO of Belles Hot Chicken and 100 Burgers Group), the restaurant is set on getting back to basics, focusing on serving food that's better for the community, the planet and the people eating it. In the kitchen, Head Chef Nabin Shrestha (Rumi, Vegie Bar) is plating a daytime menu of vegan and vegetarian dishes, curated by long-time champion of plant-based dining, chef Charley Snadden-Wilson (Ramblr, Etta, Embla). There's a strong emphasis on sourcing ingredients as locally as possible, working with the seasons and, of course, snubbing any preservatives or other nasties. But Marko isn't afraid to have some fun, too, with a colourful lineup of eats that shows plenty of creativity. Diners can choose from a range of meals in buns, all available with gluten-free alternatives — from the signature Marko cheeseburger layered with coconut cheese and a plant-based patty to the spicy cauliflower number with jalapenos and chipotle mayo. Fluffy pitas from Brunswick's Alasya Bakery are also on the menu, and come stuffed with the likes of green pea falafel or roasted mushrooms with quinoa tabbouleh and tahini sauce. Marko also serves up a range of vibrant veggie bowls, along with sides like chilli-topped corn ribs and crispy eggplant chips finished with your choice of house seasoning. And, you can make a meal of it with one of three 'feed me' options, matching a burger or pita with chips, dip and a Capi soda. To drink, expect to find a rotation of craft brews, natural wines, and cocktails both boozy and non-alcoholic, along with caffeinated options shuttled down from nearby coffee window Clement. As a bonus feel-good factor, there's also an environmental conscience that extends beyond the meat-free menu. Marko is using all recyclable packaging, has implemented a special system for recycling food waste and powers its kitchen partly by renewables. Find Marko at Site 99, South Melbourne Market, Cecil Street, South Melbourne — open 11.30am–3pm Wednesday–Friday and 11am–4pm Saturday–Sunday.
It might just be Australia's brightest festival, and it's returning to light up Alice Springs once again. That'd be Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which will deliver its sixth annual program between Friday, April 9–Sunday, April 18 — returning to the autumn time slot it established in 2019. After a chaotic 2020, which saw the event postponed to September due to lockdowns and restrictions — and offer a virtual tour, too — the fest has big plans for 2021. First revealing last month that it'd be back this April, the event has now unveiled its full lineup. Dazzling light installations feature heavily across the Alice Springs CBD's Alice Springs Todd Mall, as well as at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct just out of town, anchoring the festival's free ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture, music and storytelling. This time around, the event is corralling its program around the theme 'future kultcha', with a particular focus on "intergenerational wisdom told through light, interactive workshops, art, music, films, performance and the spoken word". Taking care of the light side of things are 'Landing Kultcha', which'll use light tubes of different lengths, span 20 metres in length and provide quite the entranceway — plus 'Grounded Kultcha', which will project an animated sequence of curated artworks onto the sands of Alice Springs Desert Park. [caption id="attachment_799418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist's impression of 'Merging Kutcha'[/caption] There's also 'Merging Kultcha', which features a train of five illuminated camels; 'Tailoring Kultcha', with light and textiles used to transform Todd Mall; and 'Harvesting Kultcha', an interactive game for all ages that's inspired by the constant movement in a honey-ant nest. Or, thanks to 'Revolving Kutcha', there'll be shields, coolamons and skateboards, including one large central piece that'll range between six to eight metres high, plus eight other two-metre-tall sculptures. As it always does, the festival's main attraction will glow far and wide. Once again, a huge artwork will transform a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic, 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival. The installation is being called 'Spirit Kultcha' this year, and it'll include a soundscape by Electric Fields. [caption id="attachment_799417" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Artist's impression of 'Landing Kutcha'[/caption] More than 55 artists are involved with the full Parrtjima program, which spans live music from Electric Fields and Casey Donovan, as well as Miiesha, MusicNT's Divas, Jimblah, Bow and Arrow, Dobby, OKA, Ziggy Ramo and Shellie Morris. If you're keen to listen to a few talks as well, the speaker list includes writer Bruce Pascoe, artists Jungala Kriss and Raymond Walters Japanangka, and Professor Marcia Langton AM — and films such as 50s classic Jedda and musical comedy Bran Nue Dae are on the movie lineup. Attendees can also dine under the stars at the Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct, thanks to a dinner that's a first for the fest. Of course, Parrtjima is just one of Northern Territory's two glowing attractions in 2021, with Australia's Red Centre lighting up in multiple ways. The festival is a nice supplement to Bruce Munro's Field of Light installation, which — after multiple extensions — is now on display indefinitely. If you're keen to start making Parrtjima plans, remember to check out the Northern Territory's COVID-19 border restrictions first. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from April 9–18, 2021 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Top images: Rachel Wallace, Greg McAdam, Lachlan Dodds Watson.
Ending the year as you mean to go on is the ultimate New Year's Eve mantra, and it seems that Australia's weather has taken the sentiment to heart. After the country clocked up its third-warmest year on record in 2018, it kicked off 2019 with toasty spells in both Sydney and Melbourne — and another country-wide spate of hot, hot heat is on its way. It is summer, of course; however the next run of warm weather will see the nation affected by a heatwave from Monday, January 14. According to AAP and The Guardian, every state and territory will feel the heat. The mercury will hit the 30s in every capital city, although the impact will differ around the country. And again, while sunny, sweaty days are part and parcel of this time of year, each capital will experience temps above its average maximum for January. The Bureau of Meteorology predicts that Sydneysiders can expect at least a five-day stretch of 30-plus temperatures from Tuesday, while Brisbanites will swelter through the same temps for the whole week. In Melbourne, a maximum of 37 degrees is forecast on Monday, followed by 35 on Tuesday, before easing off down to 21 on Saturday. https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1084218154782478337 In what's proving to be a particularly hot start to 2019 in South Australia, Adelaide will reach 41 degrees on Tuesday and 40 on Wednesday — part of a southern spike that'll also see Hobart make it to 30 degrees on Tuesday and Canberra endure a four-day span of temperatures between 38–40 degrees. Perth will bake on Saturday, when a 37-degree day is expected, while Darwin will stay above 30 all week. Wherever you're spending the next seven days, air-conditioning, pools and the beach are your friends.
Satellite Boy is a truly great Aussie film. It's not just a great film that happens to be shot in Australia; this touching and evocative little fable from first-time film director Catriona McKenzie is a great film that was both born and bred in Australia and whose primary protagonist is Australia herself. And what a protagonist she is! If Tourism Australia had any sense, they would put Satellite Boy on every cinema screen in the world, as it may be the most dazzling advertisement for Australia's natural beauty that has ever been committed to celluloid. The celestial night sky, the pink sunsets and the dry lake beds of the Kimberley region are so gorgeously photographed by cinematographer Geoffrey Simpson that they come to take on an almost otherworldly quality, perfectly befitting the film's fascination with the spiritual wonder of the Australian outback. Much like Terrence Malick's legendary cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, Simpson seems acutely aware that setting always equals character. The film tells the story of two Aboriginal boys, Pete and Kalmain (newcomers Cameron Wallaby and Joseph Pedley). After hearing that a major mining company are planning to tear down Pete's home in order to make way for a massive industrial development, the two boys head cross country to give the company's executives a piece of their mind. Inevitably this path is one of enormous self-discovery, with both boys coming to understand what living in and of the land truly means. Basically, what McKenzie gives us is the Indigenous equivalent of a road trip/coming-of-age film, or perhaps more accurately, a walkabout film. To the film's discredit, the story is at times as hackneyed and overwrought as its premise suggests. Many of the characters' revelations, particularly towards the film's conclusion, are stiflingly conventional and detract from the more subtle and gradual developments of the first two acts. Yet Roger Ebert often wrote that "it's not what a movie is about, it's how it is about it", and in this case Satellite Boy manages to transcend its inherent simplicities due to the visual and lyrical flair with which the filmmakers imbue each and every shot. The story itself never pretends to be anything more than a grand allegory for what is essentially the central Aboriginal struggle of the last 200 years: displacement from spiritual home. The beauty of the Australian landscape is contrasted with the rotted and ruined nature of technology. Disused tractors have become heaps of rusted iron, telephones fail to connect Pete with his estranged mother and a single handgun threatens to tear the boys' friendship apart. Ultimately, this story belongs to the two newcomers, Wallaby and Pedley. Their genuine chemistry and naturalistic performances gives the characters an infectious warmth and youthful exuberance that is as compelling as it is endearing. Satellite Boy may well have passed as another Australian "also-ran" if it weren't for these phenomenally mature performances.
We know there's nothing sweeter than the sound the brown paper bag makes as you whip it off your bottle(s) of grog at a table, and nothing better than the taste of your favourite beer accompanying a delicious meal. But it's not at every restaurant you can do this — and drinking sneakily out of your handbag at non-BYO joints is both illegal and a surefire way to ruin your bag. Let us guide you to the places that allow you to BYO beer in your city to avoid any of that, with the added bonus of being A+ places to eat more than heartily. Winter is for nothing if not overindulging on dumplings or Greek feasts and then waddling home, right? Grab your six-pack and put on your eating pants. SYDNEY: CHINATOWN NOODLE RESTAURANT Before you head to Chinatown Noodle Restaurant in Haymarket, beware: if you're coming for dinner, be prepared to queue for a while and wait for a table — or you can check out the neighbouring Chinese Noodle Restaurant and see if you can grab a seat. Otherwise, set up camp in the line, send a scout out to get beers from a bottle shop (there's one in Market City next door) and wait it out. Once you're in, service is quick, dumplings are countless and spring onion pancakes are hot. Crack open a beer or two to wash down the too-many dumplings that you'll no doubt eat. Haven't you had yourself a night? SYDNEY: THE SULTAN'S TABLE The Sultan's Table in Enmore is the sort of place you want to head to if your feet and nose are numb and you're craving some hot meat. If your hunger has never been greater than consider the banquet option for $38 per head. A very reasonable price delivers plate after plate of dips, pita, kebab, pides, veg stuffed with rice and grilled meats, followed by sweets, tea or coffee. If you're not quite up for such an intense fill, the chargrilled kebabs are obviously where it's at (unless you're a vegetarian and then the ample vego menu is more your vibe). Whether you're in it to win it with the banquet or just grabbing a pide, Sultan's Table serving sizes are good value for money and great fare for cold nights. Sit a while, finish your beers, and don't forget to nab a baklava at the end. MELBOURNE: MAMAK One word: roti. Another three words: get the roti. Mamak is famous for a good reason, and that reason is flaky, buttery, delicious and dipped in curry. The Melbourne branch of the Malaysian restaurant sits in the middle of the CBD on Lonsdale Street, with branches also in Sydney and now, Seminyak in Bali. Obviously, you'll hit up the roti menu (try the roti canai at a breezy $7.50) but don't bypass the satay options — they're just as good. There's also dessert roti FYI, so make sure to try and exercise a minute amount of self-control and leave space. And on top of all that greatness, Mamak is BYO at $2 per person. [caption id="attachment_637824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Leah Hulst.[/caption] MELBOURNE: JIM'S GREEK TAVERN It's not a proper Greek feast unless you're calling an Uber home because you've eaten too much to be able to exist in a public place such as a tram. Wear your loosest pants (a large poncho might be best) and partake in the delicious roulette that is dining at Jim's; there's no menu as such. The staff will ask you what you feel like eating and then bring out dishes for you. Trust them, they've been doing it for years — just shut up and eat the saganaki (as if you really need your arm twisted for that though). Generally, you'll get whatever is fresh and good on the day you go — fish, lamb and calamari will all probably make an appearance, as well as the homemade galaktoboureko (custard cake). The food is traditional, the vibe is bustling, and your stomach will be happy. Best washed down with a lager or two — corkage is cheap, too. BRISBANE: CHOP CHOP CHANG'S Chop Chop Chang's in Brisbane's West End serves up pan-Asian street food fare, reminiscent of what you'd be eating if you were strolling through the markets and street stalls of Asia. With a focus on fresh and locally sourced produce, Chop Chop Chang's do brunch, lunch and dinner, but also four banquet menus with options increasing in decadence and starting at only $38 a head. If you're just picking from the menu, best give the curry section a good look, and don't go past the green curry chicken dumplings ($10). On the subject of dumplings, the dessert menu is hawking spiced apple dumplings ($14), so there are lots to think about while you leisurely sip your beer and mull things over. BRISBANE: VERVE Verve in the CBD is many things: it's a bar, a restaurant, a cider house, is situated in some cool basement digs and has you sorted for your winter pasta needs. Need even more than that? You can bring your own beer in. Check out the venue, originally Brisbane's first basement bar, below ground level at the Metro Arts building. With more pasta options than you can count on all your fingers and toes, you'll be happily carbing it up here — try the homemade gnocchi for a solid feed that'll probably keep you going until dinner the next night. Verve offers ample gluten-free and vegan options too, so you coeliac carb-fiends need not miss out. There's also something called brandy tortellini ($22.90) which, well, yes, please. Gather some mates and head to one of these top-notch eateries with an appetite and a six-pack of Hahn, too.
With metropolitan Melbourne currently subject to strict stay-at-home orders until at least mid-August, the city's cinemas have all gone dark — again. But, as it usually does at this time of year, the Melbourne International Film Festival will still be serving up an 18-day feast of movies for Melburnians to enjoy, this time from the comfort of their homes. Cinephiles around the rest of the country will be able to check out MIFF's 2020 program, too, with the festival going both virtual and national with a lineup it's calling MIFF 68 1/2. After cancelling the fest's physical event months ago, back when the first COVID-19 lockdowns were going into effect, the annual showcase of cinema will deliver a sizeable and impressive online program between Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23, which is when the festival would've run if it had forged ahead in-person. Mirroring the fest's physical structure as much as is possible in a digital format, that includes exciting opening night, centrepiece and closing night screenings — as well as other program spotlight titles, a selection of world premieres, and movies that have had film buffs talking at prestigious international festivals. In total, 113 features and shorts are on offer, spanning flicks from 56 countries. So, if you were wondering why you might need almost three weeks to work your way through the program, now you understand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRUWVT87mt8 It all kicks off with Kelly Reichardt's First Cow, one of the very best movies of the past year — and a hit everywhere from Telluride to Berlinale. Stepping back to 19th-century America, the Certain Women director spins the story of a cook (John Magaro) and a Chinese entrepreneur (Orion Lee) who start an illicit but highly profitable business making delicious biscuits using milk stolen direct from the titular animal (the first in their region, hence the name) in the dark of night. It's also one of the 49 percent of MIFF 68 1/2's films that's made by at least one female director. MIFF viewers can also look forward to Peter Pan reimagining Wendy, the long-awaited next film from Beasts of the Southern Wild's Benh Zeitlin, which sits in the fest's centrepiece spot. Wrapping things up is closing night's Ema, from Jackie director Pablo Larrain — with his frequent star Gael García Bernal featuring alongside newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo, and the narrative set in Chile's dance world. Also in the high-profile camp: the Aubrey Plaza-starring psychodrama Black Bear, about a filmmaker who gets involved with another couple's squabbles; the Tilda Swinton-narrated, visually stunning Last and First Men, as directed by late film composer Jóhann Jóhannsson; Mogul Mowgli, with Riz Ahmed playing an aspiring British-Pakistani rapper forced to grapple with a sudden illness; and Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), a queer Aussie rom-com with a ghostly component. From the documentary selection, there's also this year's Sundance US Grand Jury Prize-winner Boys State, which experiments with democracy from the perspective of teenage boys; On the Record, detailing and exploring the allegations against Def Jam mogul Russell Simmons; and 9to5: The Story of a Movement, which sees this year's American Factory Oscar-winners Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar chronicle the fight to end gender discrimination in the workplace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFFvje2A2vE As always with the consistently super-sized MIFF, the list goes on — with Polish drama Corpus Christi, US black comedy Shiva Baby and the distinctively animated Kill It and Leave this Town on the bill as well. So is award-winning documentary Welcome to Chechnya, about the persecution of queer Chechens, and Maddy the Model's insight into the life of Madeline Stuart, a Brisbane-born model with Down syndrome. Staying local, Aussie film fans can reassess Captain Cook's arrival through the eyes of the country's First Nations population via Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, and watch the Karrabing Film Collective latest work, Day in the Life. If you really feel like settling in for the long haul, Mark Cousins' Women Make Film: A New Road Trip Through Cinema spends 14 hours diving deep into female-directed cinema (and 183 female filmmakers, in fact), while the four-part City So Real surveys Chicago's 2019 mayoral elections. And, if that's not enough, a program of 44 short films will screen for free — and, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aussie comedy Death in Brunswick, MIFF 68 1/2 is hosting a virtual table read of the movie's script. MIFF 68 1/2 runs from Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23. For further details and to buy online tickets from 9am on Friday, July 17, visit the festival's website.
Ask writer/director Sally Aitken about more than a year spent celebrating her documentary about Los Angeles' hummingbirds — a movie that premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, also screened at SXSW in Austin and Hot Docs in Toronto, then made its way Sydney and Adelaide's film fests as well, and was nominated for an AACTA Award across that journey — and she answers with a sense of humour. "I was about to make a little joke about 'it's like a little hummingbird migrating everywhere'," she tells Concrete Playground. That's a parallel drawn with the utmost of affection, however, as anyone that has seen Every Little Thing and witnessed the immense care that it has for the gorgeous tiny birds in front of its cameras will instantly recognise. "It's amazing," the Australian documentarian also notes about the film's global tour, flitting to Greece, Poland, New Zealand, the UK, the Netherlands, Estonia and Sweden, too, before it opened in Australian cinemas to kick off March 2025. When Aitken turned her lens towards beloved Australian film critic David Stratton in 2017 doco David Stratton: A Cinematic Life, the end result played at Cannes. 2023's Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles, the movie immediately prior to Every Little Thing on her resume, screened at the first-ever SXSW Sydney. The last time that the filmmaker peered at nature on the big screen, in 2021's Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, she also scored a Sundance premiere. Together, those four titles paint a picture not just of an Aussie director's success and recognition around the world, or of her versatility, but of her desire to dig into an array of different stories of our humanity. "I like to make films that look at this incredible world through a new lens or through the other end of the telescope," she advises about a recent resume that's spanned appreciating cinema, reappraising ocean predators, the origins of iconic childhood entertainers and now a hotline for hummingbirds. Every Little Thing is indeed about hummingbirds in LA, but it's also about a person who has dedicated decades to tending to the birds' injuries. It was Terry Masear's book Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood — a review of it, to begin with — about her Los Angeles Hummingbird Rescue that sparked Aitken's second film of the 2020s about women and their connection with animals. That text was a memoir of its author's endeavours since 2004, but Every Little Thing's personal aspects, stepping through Masear's experiences beyond rehabilitating the smallest mature birds there are as well, is exclusive to the documentary. In interweaving the two, Aitken has crafted a pivotal chronicle of resilience among winged critters and humans alike. Wildlife rescue is a field of highs, hopes, healing and heartbreaks, as the film captures in detail. Existence is for all creatures anyway, great and small, as the documentary also examines. A phone call for Masear, a retired UCLA professor, usually means that a hummingbird in the City of Angels is in trouble. The reality of human life in the Californian city isn't always kind to the American-native species, but Masear unceasingly is. Every Little Thing flutters through her efforts as birds after birds are brought to her door — and as she attends to them in their various stages of need, aiming to get each one back flying over LA in the wild. Cactus, Jimmy, Wasabi, Alexa, Mikhail: they're just some of the hummingbirds that flap in and out, and that Masear treats with the sincerest of compassion. [caption id="attachment_995806" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacquie Manning[/caption] Every Little Thing surveys the ins and outs of the rehab process, including syringe-feeding fruit flies to babies as dawn breaks, taking birds through workouts to test their flying capacity, and transitioning them from incubators to aviaries and ideally back into the sunny skies. It explores the characters, feathered and human — and among the former, it is also well-aware that some under Masear's supervision won't make it. This deeply empathetic film sees the hummingbirds in all of their glory, using cameras capable of capturing their super-fast speed, and also peers at Hollywood as they do thanks to bird's-eye view imagery. Crucially, it's as much about what it means to devote your time to another creature, to commit to riding the rollercoaster of their wins and setbacks, and to truly care. After watching Every Little Thing, no one should look at feathered friends above, or at any animal life, in the same way again — and while viewing it, everyone should enjoy witnessing its critters in detail that they've likely never seen before. This is a touching movie, for audiences, those in it and the folks behind it. We also chatted with Aitken about the kindness at the picture's core, the inspiration to bring Masear's work to the screen, the film's personal turns, the extensive editing process thanks to hundreds of hours of footage, its often-breathtaking visual approach, and weathering the act that bird rehab involves both soaring joy and aching sorrow. On Every Little Thing's Year-Plus-Long Journey From Premiering at Sundance to Releasing in Australian Cinemas, Via Playing at Other Film Festivals Around the World — and the Reaction to It "It's so incredible as a filmmaker when you can see, very visibly in these kinds of scenarios like film festivals and in front of cinema audiences, how people are affected by the film. And I don't mean you perversely sitting there waiting for people to clap, or to cry or whatever, but the fact that the film is an emotional film for people. I think that's the affirming part of it, because we set out to make something that would be an invitation and something that would be a work that wasn't necessarily literal — that invited people to these ideas of compassion and kindness in a very beautiful way, with the sunny cinematography and the delicate hummingbirds — and that was supposed to also be about us as much as the birds. To have a film that premieres at Sundance is a thrill. To then be consecutively invited to all of these incredibly prestigious marquee film festivals, and then now to be in a cinema run, that's extraordinary — especially, especially right now, in the marketplace right now, where most of the offer is murdered bodies and people in office doing pretty crazy things. So, yeah, it's lovely." On What It Means as an Australian Filmmaker to Have Your Work Repeatedly Embraced by Festivals Across the Globe, as Aitken's David Stratton, Valerie Taylor, The Wiggles and Now Terry Masear Docos Have Enjoyed "It's funny because all those films are really quite different, but maybe they're also helmed by something that you're not even conscious that you're necessarily reaching for when you're making the film. I am very interested in our humanity. I like to make films that look at this incredible world through a new lens or through the other end of the telescope. So it's a thrill when that work gets invited to any of those festivals that you're mentioning. These are extraordinary environments to see work from all around the world. And I think it just speaks to the fact that we have an industry in Australia that is pretty challenged right now, and we are making work that that is as good, on par, right up there with everybody else — and that feels really good to be part of this global independent filmmaking sector." On Why Aitken Was Inspired to Bring Masear's Work with Hummingbirds to the Screen "Initially, I was sent the review of Terry's memoir and I genuinely thought 'what the heck? A hotline for hummingbirds?'. 'That is really very particular' was my initial thought. The curiosity of that was amazing to me. Not that I'm unaware that wildlife rescue happens, but I just never conceived that somebody would have such a singular focus — that hummingbirds would have this 24/7 helpline. And what on earth did that look like? So it was very much initially a curiosity, and when I read Terry's book, I realised it was so much more than that. The way she writes about the birds, it's very metaphorical. I realised in that moment there was an incredible opportunity to see these birds not just in their cinematic beauty — obviously the visual appeal of this film was always there — but that they could be this carrier of these much bigger philosophical ideas, these universal truths about our humanity. They were like a mirror to us. So I thought 'that is a really interesting film', that possibility, that invitation. It felt to me like this was much more than the story of someone just rehabilitating the hummingbirds that may be in that rehabilitation. It was actually a rehabilitation for ourselves. That was the starting point." On Making Two Films in the Past Four Years About Women and Their Work with Animals, and Their Place Among Aitken's Diverse Filmography Otherwise "It's certainly no secret that I am a huge champion of women's stories — women who are brilliant, women who are badass, women who are dastardly, women who are heroic. I think we can't scream those stories enough. But actually, what was quite funny, especially at Sundance — because Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks played at Sundance, and then this just played three years later — so many of the moderators, exactly like you, observed, they say 'oh, Sally was here three years ago with this film about this woman and the natural world, and what draws you to these stories of women?'. And the truth is that I make films about all kinds of things. I do true crime. I do music. I do all sorts of stories. So what I would say was 'well, fun fact, between Playing with Sharks and Every Little Thing, I made a small film about a small group called The Wiggles'. And actually the crowd, who are American by and large, they all cracked up laughing because it's so incongruous, right? This story about this childhood band in the midst of these films about ourselves and the interconnectedness with the natural, amazing, wonderful, miraculous world that we live in. But I think it's the same thing as what we were talking about before: it's finding a story that you think you know and telling this totally different story about that thing. So whether that's about sharks and the demonisation of sharks, and actually seeing them through the eyes of a woman who's quite literally been playing with them since the 1950s; or whether that's seeing the most well-known yellow-, purple-, red-, blue-clad characters that we see every day or every week on our breakfast television, and suddenly seeing them not in those colours, but seeing them as an incredible, incredible story of chasing your dreams, and this audacious idea of school teachers making it to Madison Square Garden; or whether it's hummingbirds, which in America are ubiquitous, they're just in everybody's backyard, and actually seeing them as these kind of magical fairy creatures — it's that same idea. It's just taking these things and putting a whole new lens on them, and telling a really hopefully cinematic, emotional story in the process." On How Every Little Thing Also Became About Masear's Personal Story "So it is really an act of faith, making a documentary. She says in the film she doesn't trust easily. That is true. What is also true is that when I read her book, her book doesn't talk about her personal story at all. Her book very much deals with the hummingbirds that she has looked after in the last 20-odd years, and it takes a few of those very memorable hummingbirds and explores the stories of how she came to care for those birds and what happened to those birds through rehab. That's essentially what the book is talking about. So the book is very much about her and the work with the rehabilitation. But it's this funny thing when you're making a film, especially a film that is observational — and documentaries on that kind of film, you're a very small crew. You're very, very tight. You're very intimate. And you're all signed up to this unknown adventure, because it's not like a drama. I always joke, I always think this is so much harder because we don't have a script, you don't have paid actors, you're not able to write your way out of the scene. You're actually filming real life. But she became increasingly comfortable. I'm very transparent in the way that I work. I like to tell people what my intention is, and also share my own vulnerabilities. I don't know how it's going to work out. Certainly that's not a statement that's not confident, but it's saying 'we're all in this together' — and I think that's very disarming for people, and certainly for Terry. She felt like she was among people who really valued her work, and so of course she started to trust us. And then so what actually happened is that she started opening up about her personal life — and of course, as soon as she did that, that was amazing, because so much fell into place in relation to some of the motivations for why she does the work that she does, or what might inspire her to do this work in the first place. So while that all happened, I also then, when I got into the edit with my brilliant, brilliant editor Tania Nehme [Monolith], I didn't want to make a film that was completely didactic. And so, like I said before, it was really an invitation. I wanted to draw this idea of Terry's biography, but to do it still in this lyrical, poetic way that just revealed the layers of her biography as we moved through the rehab process." On the Challenges of Editing, Including the Difficulties of Whittling Down the Footage and Deciding Which Hummingbird Stories to Tell "You are not wrong: the edit is absolutely the challenge, the moment that you go 'oh my god, I think I need to go and open a florist shop. Can I do it? It's really hard. How can these tiny birds be so goddamn heavy?'. You definitely have these moments where you think 'what?', and the volume of the footage was a big part of that. Terry takes so many calls through the season, and of course we captured as much as we could, but it's really a process, an iterative process. And so we got into the edit suite, and the one clear thing that I remember discussing with Tania was that our task in the edit was really to make the smallest things feel giant, to feel epic, to feel the stuff of grand cinema. So with that aspiration in mind, it was really just a process of working and working our way through the volume of footage. And then some of the characters, they reveal themselves to you. Jimmy is hilarious. Cactus is vulnerable. Alexa and Mikhail are thwarted love. In the mix of things, we wanted these characters to — in a way — be this mirror to the human experience as much as they were their own individual heroes, or are their own individual heroes, in the film." On Capturing Stunning Footage of Birds Known for Their Super-Fast Speed, and Pairing It with a Bird's-Eye View of Los Angeles "Right from the beginning, it felt like a film that had all of this visual potential. So if you've seen a hummingbird in real life, you know that they are incredibly fast — and magical. They look like fairies. They just whip in, they kind of come up and look at you, and then they whip off again. But the way that Terry wrote about them was very metaphoric, like I was saying. So I wanted to reach for a visual style and a visual treatment that was really replicating the way that Terry sees the birds — and the way that she sees them is otherworldly. So in the same way that a hotline for hummingbirds is quite specific, there is also a cinematographer whose specialty is hummingbirds. That's also pretty specific. So her name is Ann Johnson Prum [Terra Mater] and she lives in America. She is American. And she's an expert cinematographer with a camera called the Phantom Flex. The Phantom Flex is a camera that shoots at an incredibly high frame rate — it goes up to 1000 frames a second. And what that means is that when you film footage at a high frame rate, you can then really slow it down. So from the beginning, we wanted to lean into this idea of being able to enter into the hummingbirds' realm and not just be in our human limited sensory experience of them. And the other thing is that we have also two other cinematographers in the camera team, two Australian DPs, Dan Freene [Skategoat] and Nathan Barlow [a Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks alum]. And so we leant into cinematic time lenses, and that gave us macro lenses. So that gave us an ability to be really close to the birds — so close, in fact, that at times you can see their eyelashes. I mean, who knew that hummingbirds have eyelashes? So it was a huge challenge, but we really wanted to meet that challenge in order to make the birds feel worthy of this big-screen treatment, because they are worthy of a big-screen treatment. And it's really quite trippy, actually, when you know that a hummingbird is quite literally the size of your little finger, and then you're looking at it on a giant cinema screen — it's quite trippy, the experience for the viewers. So I was quite interested in playing with all of those ideas." On Every Little Thing's Crew Coping with the Casualties in Masear's Line of Work — as Newcomers to Facing It — But Ensuring That This Is a Film of Hope "That's a really perceptive question. And we were talking before about that intimate relationship — absolutely, of course, every time you make a film about whatever subject, it changes you or it affects you, not only because you're learning new things, but because you're working with, encountering, engaging with, being trusted with other people's experiences and their stories. So I found the whole experience incredibly moving. I think that, at the same time that I was in the edit — and Tania and I worked incredibly closely together. The shoot is very intense, you have the whole team, but when you're in the edit, it's really just the two of you. And the algorithms didn't make this film. It's a film that really, really does come from the heart, and it's exploring things that aren't always talked about or aren't always obvious. So to circle back to your first question, which is about the reaction, it's hugely affirming when people respond to that because it tells you that that need is there in all of us to have these stories about what is good in our humanity, what is kind, what is empathetic in a world that's actually constantly cynical — and constantly telling you that people are bad and politics is awful, and the world is existentially threatened with climate change. When you are in this news cycle, which is a horror show, when there's a story that comes along that reminds you that humans are resilient, imaginative, kind and empathetic, that's a good news story. And it's not like a Pollyanna good news — as you say, birds die. Life is tragic. Life is unfair. Life is awful. But the message, I suppose, in the film is that what matters is how you respond to that and the compassion that you put in when you're engaged in life. And I just thought that was such an extraordinary idea, along with the idea that if you take the time to get on bended knee for something that is so small, that's a giant act of your own humanity. I just thought that was such a strong, compelling call to arms for all of us, for how we can be — we can just be better." Every Little Thing opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
What's better than one queer-focused film festival each year? Two, of course. That's always been the motto of the the Sydney-based Queer Screen, which puts together the Mardi Gras Film Festival during the first half of every year and then gives cinephiles the Queer Screen Film Fest to close out the annual calendar. Two fests are still on the agenda in 2021 — but, after MGFF paired in-cinema sessions with an online program, QSFF will only be screening online. Running from Thursday, September 16–Sunday, September 26, the latter is popping up while Sydney is in lockdown, so you'll have plenty of viewing options from your couch. And, it'll be playing virtually nationally, letting fans of LGBTIQA+ flicks tune in Australia-wide. More than 40 films are on the bill, spanning new highlights and a few favourites that've graced Queer Screen's two fests in previous years. Among movies from 17 countries and in 18 languages, new standouts include François Ozon's 80s-set Summer of 85, about a two teens and their summer fling; Taiwanese drama Dear Tenant, which explores the experience of being a gay man in the country today; Lola, an award-winner that focuses on a trans girl and her estranged father on a trip to the Belgian coast; and A Sexplanation, which ponders the stigma that still surrounds talking about sexuality. And, from the past standouts, lesbian rom-com Signature Move, Germany's acclaimed Free Fall and Wild Nights with Emily, about poet Emily Dickson, all feature.
With plenty of IKEA furniture ending up deep in the Gumtree 'For Sale' ads or left on the side of the road, the Swedish retailer came up with a pretty clever plan to give those unwanted flat-pack ensembles a second lease on life: a buy-back service. In good news for those moving house or faced with an accumulative collection of Malm blond wood pieces, the chain allows Australians to return their retired IKEA pieces to their nearest store, ready to be sold on to a new home — and score a voucher for their efforts. For ten days between Tuesday, November 24–Thursday, December 3, IKEA is going a step further — because Black Friday falls within that period, and because it's keen to make the annual buying frenzy more sustainable. Return an unwanted IKEA piece between those two dates, and the retailer will double your refund. So yes, you'll receive twice as much as you would if you brought in a few bookshelves either now or once the special is over. And, you'll be able to use that refund for a year after its issued. So how does it work? If you've got some furniture you want to get out of your life, you'll need to get an estimated quote online. Between the aforementioned dates, that web calculator will automatically double the value of your returned item, compared to normal. Then, you'll need to take the quote and your furniture — still fully assembled, mind you — to your closest IKEA location. Once there, your furniture will be assessed by an IKEA staff member, and they'll confirm the a value and give you a buy-back refund card to use in-store. The one big caveat: to score double the refund, you'll need to be an IKEA Family member (otherwise, you'll just receive the normal amount). It's free to join, though, and you can sign up online. Even with twice as much credit on offer, the buy-back scheme still works in the same general way. So, it's only for IKEA furniture, and not for other products like lighting, mattresses, textiles, kitchen components or appliances. That's because the bought-back pieces need to be in good enough condition to be sold on to other customers in the As-Is store. It does, however, have separate recycling schemes for mattresses, batteries and light bulbs. The by-back program was rolled out nationally in 2019 after a year-long trial at Sydney's Tempe store, which saw 1600 pieces bought back from customers. Initially, the initiative was spurred by findings from the company's latest People & Planet Positive Report, which suggested Aussies threw away up to 13.5 million pieces of furniture that could have been recycled, reused or repaired. If your Malm bed frame or chest of drawers isn't in quite good enough condition for the As-Is store, you might need to consider donating it to charity or finding another way to recycle it. And if you are buying new furniture, consider buying something secondhand from the As-Is store, or at least investing in something that you plan to keep long-term. As part of the Black Friday promotion, items returned and sold at the As-Is store will be renamed after their previous owners. If your name is already Billy and you're bringing back bookcases of the same name, though, obviously nothing will change. For more information about IKEA's buy-back scheme — and its Black Friday deal — head to the retailer's website. Between Tuesday, November 24–Thursday, December 3, IKEA Family members will get double the refund amount on returned IKEA furniture, as calculated via an online quote, and then confirmed when you take your goods to the brand's stores to collect and redeem the voucher.
If you live in Victoria and you're craving a doughnut right about now, there's a very good reason for those hunger pangs. Just weeks after Melbourne's latest COVID-19 cluster — the one that saw the city go into lockdown for a fortnight — the entire state has recorded zero new locally acquired cases for a whole seven days. Yes, it's been a week of doughnut days for Victorians, all while outbreaks have been popping up in much of the rest of the country — including in Sydney, which is currently in lockdown, and in Brisbane, which spent four days in lockdown last week. Twelve months or so ago, if you uttered that term, you were probably using it in the literal sense between mouthfuls. Thanks to the chaos of the past year, however, the phrase now refers to this welcome COVID-19 milestone. As reported today, Wednesday, July 7, the past 24-hour reporting period actually saw doughnuts on three fronts — with no locally acquired cases, no cases from interstate and none from overseas, either. Those numbers cover up until midnight last night, which is when Victoria's reporting cuts off each day. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1412539944560730119 At the time of writing, Victoria does still have 24 active cases; however, so soon after lockdown, notching up an entire week without any local spread is definitely excellent news. Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over in the state, or around Australia, especially while the country's vaccination campaign is rolling out so slowly. Just yesterday, Melbourne's Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix was cancelled for 2021 — after also being scrapped in 2020 — because the pandemic isn't done impacting our daily lives just yet. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria, head over to the Department of Health website.
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]
At the moment, you can't go visit your local bar for a round of after-work negronis on a Friday afternoon. But that doesn't mean you need to forego your usual end-of-week drinks with your colleagues. A heap of bars, wineries and distilleries are bringing the happy hour to you — virtually. Whether you'd like to learn how to whip up a Bond-worthy martini, show off your beer knowledge at a boozy trivia session or taste your way through some top drops (and learn a thing or two) at an online cellar door event, there are plenty of digital happy hours to get around while you work from home. Here are some of our favourites.
It started with everyday awkwardness. It plunged straight into a memorable meet-cute, too. And, it pondered what might happen if a medical student and a microbrewery owner crossed paths in Sydney, ended up with an injured dog between them, then went from strangers to pet co-owners almost instantly. Also, it's the latest collaboration between real-life couple and No Activity stars Harriet Dyer (The Invisible Man) and Patrick Brammall (Evil). From the moment that Colin From Accounts hit screens late in 2022, it clearly wasn't short on highlights. Among last year's best new TV shows, this Aussie gem stood out for its charm, relatability, smarts and fleshed-out characters — plus its ace two- and four-legged cast. Thankfully, there'll be more where all of the above came from, with Australian streaming service Binge confirming that a second season of Colin From Accounts is officially on the way. "We're thrilled that Binge is finally giving in and letting us do another one. Turns out the border terrier community is extremely powerful," said Dyer and Brammall in a statement announcing the homegrown hit's impending return. "Thank you to everybody around the world who has enjoyed the show — we can't wait to bring you all a second season. Stay tuned for more shenanigans." So far, there's no exact timing set for a second date with Dyer as Ashley and Brammall as Gordon; however, the renewal news comes after Colin From Accounts nabbed itself a trio of 2023 Logies. The series picked up Most Outstanding Comedy Program, Most Outstanding Actor and Most Outstanding Actress — all industry voted, rather than by audiences. Story-wise, the first season of Colin From Accounts followed Ashley and Gordon after the latter was distracted by the former one otherwise ordinary morning, then accidentally hit a stray dog with his car. The pair took the pooch to receive veterinary treatment, then committed to look after him — and, yes, named him Colin From Accounts — causing their already-chaotic lives to intertwine. "The funniest couple on TV (and their dog) are coming back. Binge is thrilled to confirm a second season of the award-winning Colin from Accounts," Alison Hurbert-Burns, the streaming service's Executive Director. "We left season one unsure if Ashley and Gordon could get Colin back, so of course we need to see what's next for these loveable characters that audiences in Australia, and the world, have fallen in love with." Check out the trailer for season one of Colin From Accounts below: Colin From Accounts season two doesn't yet have a release date, but will stream via Binge. Read our review of season one. Images: Lisa Tomasetti / Tony Mott.
Rock legend Patti Smith will soon see her most iconic pageturner made into your newest binge watch. The 68-year-old's immortal Just Kids memoir is being made into a Showtime miniseries. The best bit? Smith is producing and co-writing the series — alongside Penny Dreadful showrunner John Logan. Announced at this year's Television Critics Association press tour, Showtime’s new series will follow Smith's National Book Award-winning memoir detailing her years spent living in New York City with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. No cast or release date has been announced, but uppity predictions will inevitably flow over the next few months. Costumes though: It goes without saying, the series already has one hell of a script. Smith, whose sequel memoir M Train is set to hit shelves on October 6, is keen to delve further into her own NYC youth with the series. “A limited series on Showtime will allow us to explore the characters more deeply, enabling us to develop stories beyond the book and allow a measure of unorthodox presentation,” said Smith in her media statement. “The medium of a television limited series offers narrative freedom and a chance to expand upon the themes of the book.” Via Flavorwire.
There's never been a better excuse to indulge in a hair of the dog. 4 Pines Beer, in collaboration with Surry Hills' Single Origin Roasters, have conjured up the equivalent of Up & Go for beer enthusiasts by adding banana bread and espresso butter to the brewing process. It follows in the footsteps of such notable food/beer crossovers as spreadable beer and avocado beer. They'll be launching the ultimate breakfast beer, along with their new Porky Fig creation (a beer that tastes like East Village Hotel's famous pig and fig pizza), on Thursday October 24, at 7pm, as part of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Two free public 'Beer Mimics Food' events will run simultaneously, catering to beer connoisseurs on either side of the bridge — one at the 4 Pines Brew Pub, Manly, and the other at the East Village Hotel, Balmain. So how did two such unlikely taste breakthroughs come about? In the first case, 4 Pines head brewer Andrew Tweddell, along with Single Origin's head barista, Sean McManus, and coffee buyer, Wendy de Jong, spent a day dressed in banana suits, figuring out how to blend their specialities into one flavoursome, alcoholic powerhouse. Adopting a wheat-style brewing method, they diverted from the usual grain-driven strategy by adding 16 kilograms of banana bread and a batch of carefully selected Brazilian coffee beans to the mix. In the second, it was a matter of recognising that one of Balmain's most popular dishes could translate into drinkable goodness. The Porky Fig is reputed to smell as good as it tastes. Both beers are limited edition, and following the launch events, will be stocked at the 4 Pines Brew Pub and the East Village — only until they run out.
UPDATE, June 10, 2022: Hustlers is available to stream via Stan, Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, Prime Video and iTunes. Kudos to the bright minds behind Hustlers' many needle drops. When the film's trailer hit, it used Cardi B's 'Money' as its soundtrack — not only nodding to the rapper's co-starring status, but capturing the movie's materialistic vibe with its sultry lyrics about diamonds, jets and oh-so-much cash. In the picture itself, Janet Jackson's 'Control' initially does a similar job, opening the feature with a statement that really couldn't sum up its characters better. While they're literally rolling around in moolah until the global financial crisis hits, Hustlers' resourceful strippers are always at the mercy of their banker clientele. Forced to get creative when times get tough, they turn the tables on the guys usually throwing notes their way, hatching quite the entrepreneurial scheme to reclaim their bodies, lives and independence. The pesky little fact that, by drugging well-off men, running up huge charges on their credit cards and pocketing the profits, these gals are as shady as their Wall Street marks — well, Hustlers has a music cue for that also. It might seem obvious to introduce Jennifer Lopez's Ramona, the mastermind of the group, to the sounds of Fiona Apple's 'Criminal'; however, her eye-catching entrance shows that her allure is as seductive as the song's beat. Elsewhere, the film lets its characters scream in delight to Britney's 'Gimme More' and serenade Usher (as himself) to his own 'Love in the Club'. It uses Lorde's 'Royals' to telling effect, too. These are knowing, savvy music choices in a picture that's always coolly calculating. To truly unpack this real-life tale of bling-coveting erotic dancers scamming the financiers who just fleeced a nation, it needs to be. Experienced at disrobing on the job, but nervous when she moves to a new New York strip joint in 2007, Dorothy (Crazy Rich Asians' Constance Wu) hardly follows the film's lead — at first. Known as Destiny on stage, she's barely getting by until she becomes as bewitched by Ramona as all the guys around her. Standing out among the other dancers (including not just Cardi B, but Lizzo), their double-act lights plenty of clients' fires and keeps the duo flush with cash. Then, post-GFC, the dollar bills stop raining from the sky. Fast forward to 2014, and Dorothy is relaying the details to Elizabeth (Julia Stiles), who's writing about the strippers' escapades. More than just a framing device, the pair's chats have a basis in actual events, with writer/director Lorene Scafaria (The Meddler) adapting Hustlers from a 2015 New York magazine article. It's not the heady, dancing heyday that Elizabeth is most interested in, however, and nor is the piece that Hustlers is inspired by. Rather, it's the hijinks that follow when Ramona concocts her pilfering plan. Aided by two other pals (Keke Palmer and Lili Reinhart), Dorothy and Ramona start living their wildest dreams — enjoying a level of wealth, excess, comfort, security and, yes, control that they've never experienced before. "I kept thinking there was some magic number," Dorothy notes as she tries to explain what the women got up to, how and why, although the film does a perceptive job of making that plain beyond her words. Playing out like a gender-flipped Magic Mike meets The Wolf of Wall Street, the movie doesn't turn its characters into heroes by any means. But, it saves its deepest savagery for another target: the money-hungry American dream that today's brand of corporation-favouring capitalism gleefully encourages and endorses. It's a delicate balancing act, thoughtfully interrogating Dorothy and company's story without glorifying their actions — and it's one that Hustlers nails. Like many a great heist and gangster flick before it, this upbeat crime drama eschews the simplicity of black-and-white morality. Aptly, given that it's constantly bathed in neon-lit hues, it avoids mere shades of grey, too. Here, all that glitters seems gold and silver, but it's really laden with chrome and encrusted with diamantes. Scafaria styles her whole picture in the same fashion, with its shining frames welcoming viewers in, then exposing the stark, seedy reality. The twist that makes Hustlers exceptionally astute as well as engaging and entertaining? While Dorothy and Ramona desperately want to gain control, they're still firmly steeped in a flimsy, male-defined world. Accordingly, their rise to the top was always going to prove fleeting and superficial — so the bonds they make and break along the way shape their story more than the cash, jewels and designer clothes. Hustlers never shies away from this fundamental truth, or from a warts-and-all depiction of its wily protagonists as well. It can't, and it's all the better for it. Of course, if Wu and the especially fantastic Lopez didn't ground this larger-than-life true story in fleshed-out characters, it'd all mean next to nothing. Thankfully, from its spicy narrative to its potent themes to its stellar performances, Hustlers both works the pole and packs an almighty punch.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. A QUIET PLACE PART II When every noise you make could send savage aliens stalking, slashing and slaughtering your way, it's the waiting that gets you. When you're watching a nerve-rattling horror film about that exact scenario, the same sentiment remains relevant. In A Quiet Place, the Abbott family went into survival mode after vicious creatures invaded, hunted down every sound and dispensed with anyone that crossed their path. For the characters in and viewers of the 2018 hit alike, the experience couldn't have screamed louder with anxiety and anticipation. Evelyn and Lee (Wild Mountain Thyme's Emily Blunt and Detroit's John Krasinski) and their children Regan (Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck), Marcus (Noah Jupe, The Undoing) and Beau (Cade Woodward, Avengers: Endgame) all silently bided their time simply trying to stay safe and alive, but their continued existence lingered under a gut-wrenching shadow. The critters were still out there, listening for even a whisper. It was a matter of when, not if, they'd discern the slightest of noises and strike again. That type of waiting drips with tension and suspense, and also with the kind of inevitability that hovers over everyone alive. A certain bleak end awaits us all, a truth we routinely attempt to ignore; however, neither the Abbotts nor A Quiet Place's audience were allowed to forget that grim fact for even a moment. Initially slated to arrive in cinemas two years later, then delayed by the pandemic for 14 months, sequel A Quiet Place Part II isn't done with waiting. Written and directed once again by Krasinski, the film doesn't shy away from the stress and existential distress that marking time can bring, but it also tasks its characters with actively confronting life's inevitabilities. After an intense and impressive tone-setting opening flashback to the first day of the alien attack, when the Abbotts' sleepy hometown learns of humanity's new threat in the cruellest fashion, the storyline picks up where its predecessor left off. It's day 474 — the earlier film spent most of its duration around day 472 — and Evelyn, Regan, Marcus and the family's newborn are grappling with their losses. That said, they're also keenly aware that they can't stay in their Appalachian farmhouse any longer. After spotting smoke on the horizon and setting off in that direction, they reconnect with Emmett (Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders), an old friend who has been through his own traumas. Evelyn sees safety in numbers, but he's reluctant to help. Then Regan hears a looping radio transmission playing 'Beyond the Sea' and decides to track down its source — and a film that's less thrilling, potent and unsettling than its predecessor eventuates. Read our full review. CRUELLA A killer dress, a statement jacket, a devastating head-to-toe ensemble: if they truly match their descriptions, they stand the test of time. Set in 70s London as punk takes over the aesthetic, live-action 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella is full of such outfits — plus a white-and-black fur coat that's suspected of being made from slaughtered dogs. If the film itself was a fashion item, though, it'd be a knockoff. It'd be a piece that appears fabulous from afar, but can't hide its seams. That's hardly surprising given this origin tale stitches together pieces from The Devil Wears Prada, The Favourite, Superman, Star Wars and Dickens, and doesn't give two yaps if anyone notices. The Emmas — Stone, playing the dalmatian-hating future villain; Thompson, doing her best Miranda Priestly impression as a ruthless designer — have a ball. Oscar-winning Mad Max: Fury Road costume designer Jenny Beavan is chief among the movie's MVPs. But for a film placed amid the punk-rock revolution, it's happy to merely look the part, not live and breathe it. And, in aiming to explain away its anti-heroine's wicked ways, it's really not sure what it wants to say about her. Before she becomes the puppy-skinning fashionista that remains among Glenn Close's best-known roles, and before she's both a wannabe designer and the revenge-seeking talk of the town played by Stone (Zombieland: Double Tap), Cruella is actually 12-year-old girl Estella (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, Game of Thrones). In this intellectual property-extending exercise from I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie, she sports two-toned hair and a cruel that streak her mother (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) tries to tame with kindness — and she's also a target for bullies, but has the gumption to handle them. Then tragedy strikes, an orphan is born, loss haunts her every move and, after falling in with a couple of likeable London thieves, those black-and-white locks get a scarlet dye job. By the time that Estella is in her twenties, she's well-versed in pulling quick heists with Jasper (Joel Fry, Yesterday) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser, Songbird). She loves sewing the costumes required more than anything else, however. After years spent dreaming of knockout gowns, upmarket department stores and threads made by the Baroness (Thompson, Last Christmas), she eventually gets her chance — for fashion domination, as well as vengeance. Read our full review. MY NAME IS GULPILIL Lengthy is the list of Australian actors who've started their careers on home soil, then boosted their fame, acclaim and fortunes by heading abroad. Some have won Oscars. Others are global household names. One plays a pigtailed comic book villain in a big film franchise, while another dons a cape and wields a hammer in a competing blockbuster saga. David Gulpilil doesn't earn any of the above descriptions, and he isn't destined to. It wouldn't interest him, anyway. His is the face of Australian cinema, though, and has been for half a century. Since first gracing the silver screen in Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout, the Yolŋu man has gifted his infectious smile and the irrepressible glint in his eye to many of the nation's most important movies. Indeed, to peruse his filmography is to revel in Aussie cinema history. On his resume, 70s classics such as Mad Dog Morgan and The Last Wave sit alongside everything from Crocodile Dundee and Rabbit-Proof Fence to Australia, Goldstone and Cargo — as well as parts in both the first 1976 film adaptation of Storm Boy and its 2019 remake. The latest film to benefit from the Indigenous talent's presence: My Name Is Gulpilil. It might just be the last do to so, however. That sad truth has been baked into the documentary ever since its subject asked director Molly Reynolds and producer Rolf de Heer — two filmmakers that Gulpilil has collaborated with before, including on Another Country, Charlie's Country, Ten Canoes and The Tracker — to make something with him after he was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. That was back in 2017, when he was given just six months to live. Gulpilil has been proving that diagnosis wrong ever since. Cue this heartfelt portrait of an Australian icon like no other, which celebrates a star who'll never be matched, reminds viewers exactly why that's the case, but is never a mere easy, glossy tribute. Anyone could've combined snippets of Gulpilil's movies with talking heads singing his praises. In the future, someone probably will. But Reynolds is interested in truly spending time with Gulpilil, hearing his tale in his own words, and painting as complete a portrait of his life, work, dreams, regrets, spirit, culture and impact as possible. Read our full review. FIRST LOVE When a filmmaker has more than 100 movies to their name and shows no signs of stopping, do they constantly branch out in new and untested directions — or do they keep doing what they already know and clearly love? If you're Takashi Miike, you tick both boxes depending on how the mood strikes you, although First Love plays to the prolific Audition, Ichi the Killer and Yakuza Apocalypse director's established strengths. Pulp violence, a twisty crime tale and the Japanese auteur's gonzo energy all combine in this Tokyo-set noir-thriller. A decapitated head makes an appearance within minutes, and gangsters blasting, slashing and fumbling their way around the city are a key part of the story. Late in the piece, when the frenetic action kicks into another gear, a vibrant animated sequence is also threaded into the film. At this point, why not? Miike's features can't be confused for anyone else's, and First Love is no different; however, even with its hyperactive mood, hectic score, and steep swerves into romance, comedy and slapstick, this is also one of his most straightforward works of late. It's no less fun, inventive, dynamic, enjoyable or brilliant, though, and Miike can never be accused of painting by numbers. Perhaps it's just that everything here fits and works as it should, and that the inimitable filmmaker has found and embraced his wavelength. When boxer Leo (Masataka Kubota, Diner) receives news that no one wants to hear — he has a brain tumour, it's inoperable and he doesn't have much time left — he takes it as gloomily as anyone would. But when he subsequently crosses paths with sex worker Monica (Sakurako Konishi, Colorless), his evening takes another unexpected turn. She's fleeing the yakuza gangsters who forced her into prostitution, including one particularly scheming underling (Sometani, Detective Chinatown 3) who plans to use her in a ploy with a crooked cop (Seiyô Uchino, 13 Assassins) to eradicate a Chinese triad gang. They start off as strangers, but Leo swiftly becomes Monica's only friend amidst the bloody mayhem. Working with a script from Masa Nakamura, who co-penned Sukiyaki Western Django with him back in 2007, Miike knows that he's playing with a raft of familiar elements. As well as the swathe of touches he rolls out from his own wheelhouse, his protagonist is decked out like James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, for instance. But there's a distinctive brand of Miike magic in the movie's blending of gleefully cartoonish mania with a poignant outsiders-against-the-world narrative, and in everything from its jazz-rock score to its immaculately executed hardware store showdown as well. FINAL ACCOUNT How did something so heartbreakingly, gut-wrenchingly, soul-crushingly abhorrent happen? Why did an entire nation accept what was happening in its name? Wouldn't decent people have spoken out in protest, especially when they saw others being rounded up and taken to their deaths? They're some of the trains of thought that the Second World War has inspired for decades, because humanity so desperately wants to believe that the Holocaust and its atrocities are aberrations in our history. But during the past decade — and the past four years in American politics, particularly — it has been impossible to keep simply wondering how rotten leaders command unquestioning allegiance while they're committing horrendous acts. That recent reality, complete with the rise of hatred-fuelled ideologies and violent deeds carried out as a result, only makes Final Account more grim and potent. Over the course of more than a decade, making what would become his last film, director Luke Holland (I Was a Slave Labourer) set himself a task: to interview the last generation of surviving Germans and Austrians who lived through World War II. Their memories and recollections are chilling, including when they're claiming ignorance, or contending that opposing the Third Reich was impossible, or shrugging off their collaboration with a murderous regime. For most of the film's octogenarian and nonagenarian interviewees, living with what happened is no longer something they struggle with. That truth is unnerving, and it's on display again and again. Some, but only a few, veer in opposing directions — uttering their disgust, admitting that everyone knew and describing how the smell of burning bodies would linger for kilometres around concentration camps; or calling the Waffen SS heroes, polishing their medals and other Nazi insignia, and voicing their agreement with Hitler. Each admission either way, and the multitude of opinions in-between, remains haunting. Some come from soldiers and camp guards, others from Hitler Youth members, and others still from bystanders. The quality, both of the discussions and the footage capturing it, wavers from clip to clip, but nothing can temper the overall impact. Also distressing: the journey that Final Account takes through the sites of former concentration camps such as Sachsenhausen, Mauthausen and Auschwitz. Even merely via the screen, each location seethes with pain and torment. Holland could've made a far larger work, perhaps on par with Shoah. He could've fine-tuned his focus here, too. Still, the end result delivers an equally unsettling and essential testament not just about one specific chapter of history, but about the kinds of people who let it happen. KING OTTO With a title like King Otto, this documentary about soccer player-turned-coach Otto Rehhagel wears its celebratory spirit on kit sleeves. That doesn't dull its impact, however, because director Christopher André Marks (Tiger Hood) understands that an against-the-odds underdog story told well is one of the most engaging narratives there is. For the unacquainted, the German-born Rehhagel was a star footballer in his homeland from the late 40s until the early 70s. Then, a managerial career beckoned, also on home turf. In 2001, he was appointed to lead the Greek national team — a squad that had never won a tournament match and were considered one of the weakest in Europe. The fact that this film even exists instantly signals that there's a tale worth relaying here. Rehhagel's time at the helm started with a big loss, then a period of rebuilding, but when the team qualified for the 2004 Euro Championships, they weren't expected to do well. That assumption only grew when they were drawn to play powerhouse host nation Portugal first up, and yet the surprises kept arriving from there. Even if you know how it all turned out, King Otto is alway rousing. Even if you've seen every similar sports story there is — and there are plenty, both fictional and true — that remains the case. And even if you're rarely moved by such antics, this film is still bound ot strike a chord. Marks doesn't do anything revolutionary in terms of his style and approach. Talking heads feature prominently; interviewing the forthright Rehhagel in a space that looks like a palace is one of the documentary's flashiest touches. The film surveys players such as Giorgos Karagounis, Traianos Dellas and Antonios Nikopolidis, plus other officials like administrator Vassilis Gagatsis and assistant coach Ioannis Topalidis, too, hearing their thoughts and recollections about the roller coaster period — and makes heavy use of archival footage of the Greek national team's matches, including at their best and their worst. Savvy editing maximises the anticipation and suspense, though, as well as the excitement and eagerness. After hearing about how poorly the squad was regarded, spanning negative comments from opponents such as France's Thierry Henry in advance of their game and the soccer-covering media regarding Rehhagel's defensive-first tactics afterwards, even the most sports-ambivalent viewers will be hoping for and investing in their wins. And as the feel-good trajectory inches closer and closer, so does the film's warmth, sense of catharsis, and respect for its subject and his achievements alike. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; and May 6, May 13 and May 20. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw and Ema.
When life gets stressful and you live in a big, bustling city, it can be hard to cut through the noise and forge personal connections when you're one in a million — and not in a good way. We get the feeling this is why our love of cafes is as consistent as death and taxes. Cafes, replete with friendly faces and coffee, function as calm oases in a busy city. The warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from reaching 'regular' status at your local, where they not only know your name but your order, is also why everything No. 19 cafe owners Domenic and Diana Caruso touch turns to gold. A little kindness can take you quite far. With two thriving venues under their collective belt, there's not much they can't achieve. We've teamed up with Squarespace to chat with these forward-thinking design gurus about how much effort actually goes into that minimalist look and homely cafe feel we love and crave. PUT YOURSELF FIRST It might sound counter-intuitive for a fledgling business to be built for selfish means, but hear us out. If you design a space that you'd like to inhabit, the chances are people like you will like it too. While that sounds like pretty obvious advice, it's also something that gets easily overlooked. For Domenic and Diana, those needs were simple. "We had a young family and just wanted to have somewhere nice to eat that could cater for children," says Domenic. "Ultimately, [we needed] something that was cool, homely and had killer food and coffee." For the young family, this was the ethos that started it all, the desire to create their own urban oasis where their kids could play. And from that seed grew St Rose in Essendon. "Our business started as a dream, as corny as that sounds. We always believed that someday we would open an establishment that best suited us". See? Business doesn't really have to be that complicated. KINDNESS (AND COFFEE) GOES A LONG WAY "[In hospitality] kindness and coffee go along way," Domenic observed. In 2013, they put that theory to the test and opened St Rose in Essendon, a suburb that, at the time, suffered from a serious lack of specialty coffee. Armed with only kindness and coffee (and an excellent design team at Viola Architects), St Rose took Essendon by storm and marked the beginning of the suburb's cafe boom. "The concept was simple but it had intention," says Dominic — which is a perfect summary of the St Rose vibe: simple and purposeful. St Rose very much positions itself as an elusive urban oasis. White internal brick walls lit up by soft lighting create a calm atmosphere while rich hardwood furniture and lush greenery warm it right up. But at the end of the day, it was the warmth of the team that became the cafe's strongest point of difference. "[St Rose] was the beginning of a very strong team that has become part of our family," Domenic says. BE BRAVE AND BE SMART Opening a cafe can be likened to having a child: it's difficult, tiring, challenging but ultimately, incredibly rewarding. With St Rose passed its terrible twos, and their own family chugging along, the Carusos decided to do it all over again. And this time, they took a risk. "When we knew we were confident enough in the team at St Rose in Essendon, we were ready to create another milestone and open up the second venture," Domenic says. "No. 19 was always a concept we had on the back burner. It ultimately felt like it was time to have another baby…we were ready to learn, grow and conquer." This time, instead of designing for themselves, they started No. 19 with a different (slightly more abstract) inspiration: concrete. "We were fascinated with the idea that something so raw could look so refined when paired with the correct hues and textures," Domenic says. They would soon discover that a huge amount of thought and planning goes into the perfect minimalistic aesthetic, from perfectly match concretes to choosing the perfect Squarespace template and getting their name out there with a slick website. For the Carusos, chasing that aesthetic was a calculated risk. "[When we started the designs] there weren't a lot of cafes that looked anything like this…a minimal concrete playground of food and coffee," says Domenic. (Sounds perfect to us…) With the help of Biasol Design Studio, they found their premises in Ascot Vale, built out the concept of No. 19, and opened the doors just over a year ago. FOOD AND COFFEE IS STILL KING The outcome is stunning. No. 19 is an Instagram darling, a pageant girl of the cafe scene, with a minimal but somehow warm and eye-catching interior schematic. "There was a lot of detail [that went into] No. 19, but we knew ultimately it was going to be all about the simple elements that would give a minimalistic raw charm," Domenic says. They did what they set out to do — create a new addition to the family that managed to have its own unique flavour. At the end of the day, though, the food and coffee needed to be on point and maintain the standard set by St Rose — this is hospitality, after all. And while aesthetics are important, food and coffee is still king. Diana bore the responsibility for working with their chefs to create an exciting but simple menu. "We chose what we believe is the most fitting for the cafe and true to our motto: simple done extremely well. We try to please a wide range of people from vegan to meat lovers," she says. So, what shouldn't you miss when you pay a visit? "I love the vegan rainbow bowl. It's like eating a bowl of goodness and it tastes so darn good. And the peanut butter pancake sandwich, I can only describe as f****** yum!" Domenic says. Diana says, "The business is still a baby to us. We just celebrated one year…and we've a lot more exciting new things to introduce." Keep an eye on their flourishing little enterprise as they go from strength to strength (hint: the next big addition is a cocktail menu). Keep tabs via their (equally minimalist and aesthetically pleasing) Squarespace site. Looking to start your own business? Whether it's a creative project or new culinary venture, you'll need to let people know about it. That's where Squarespace comes in. Kickstart your new biz with a website, and use the code CP for 10% off your first Squarespace purchase. Images: Chris Middleton.
If you're a fan of 90s horror getting a new lease on life, we know what you're doing this winter Down Under: watching the latest instalment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. Although a TV series ran for one season in 2021, it's been almost 20 years since the last film in the series hit screens — and, as both the initial trailer and the just-dropped fresh look at the newest movie shows, familiar faces are back, and spouting familiar lines of dialogue as well. A slasher premise. A script by Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. A cast member of Party of Five being terrorised. That setup worked well twice three decades back, first with Scream and then with I Know What You Did Last Summer. Indeed, when they each initially released, sequels followed in both instances. Here's the latest part of the trend: both franchises have made or are making 2020s-era returns after jumps to the small screen, in flicks sharing the same name as the original movies in each saga and featuring OG cast members. First came 2022's Scream. Next arrives 2025's I Know What You Did Last Summer. Once again, Jennifer Love Hewitt (9-1-1) follows in Neve Campbell's (The Lincoln Lawyer) footsteps — and as Scream did, I Know What You Did Last Summer picks up with a mix of recognisable and new talents. As the sneak peeks for cinema's return to Southport illustrate, Freddie Prinze Jr (The Girl in the Pool) is also present again. Being stalked for their past misdeeds this time: Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio), Jonah Hauer-King (The Tattooist of Auschwitz), Tyriq Withers (Me) and Sarah Pidgeon (The Friend). On the big screen on Thursday, July 17, 2025 Down Under, the results will play out — aka a group of friends getting involved in a car accident where someone dies, they cover it up and vow not to tell anyone, but that secret and a vengeance-seeking killer haunts them a year later. The new film layers in the fact that this has all happened in the past, with the quintet in focus needing help from two survivors of the Southport Massacre of 1997. Enter Hewitt and Prinze Jr, as part of a cast that also includes Billy Campbell (Mr & Mrs Smith), Gabbriette Bechtel (Idiotka) and Austin Nichols (The Six Triple Eight). Starting as a 1973 novel, which Williamson adapted into the first 1997 film, I Know What You Did Last Summer initially spawned two sequels: 1998's I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and 2006's I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer. Then came that shortlived television effort. On the franchise's return to the big screen, Do Revenge filmmaker Jennifer Kaytin Robinson directs — and continues her connection with the OG I Know What You Did Last Summer cast, given that Sarah Michelle Gellar (Dexter: Original Sin) featured in that 2022 movie. Check out the trailer for I Know What You Did Last Summer below: I Know What You Did Last Summer releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
It takes a lot to make great wine. It also takes a lot to successfully run a business and a happy family. So, what about when all three things are put together? We chat to three wineries in Victoria's north east that are managing to nail all three. Here are a few stories from their journey through wine, family, tradition and hard work. Brown Brothers Winery – Stories and Shiraz An old lady is fussing about in her kitchen, many moons ago. She takes four teacups and places them in the oven, just until they are too hot to touch. She takes them carefully out of the oven and places them on the table, next to a steaming hot pot of tea. In walk four of her sons. They take a chair at the kitchen table as their mother pours them a cup of tea in the scorching cups. The cups are too hot to touch. They stay that way for a while. The boys linger, telling storing, sharing tales of the family business — tales of the winery. The woman is happy. Her plan to keep them there long enough for their tea to be drinkable is working. The hotter it is, the longer they stayed. A brilliant plan. She is the mother of the Brown brothers and grandmother to Katherine and Caroline — the fourth generation of Browns and the next to take over the reigns of the well-known Brown Brothers family winery. Now picture this: three young, beautiful and driven Brown daughters are sent off into the big bad world. They must complete the non-negotiable task of working outside the family business for four years before being allowed to work within the winery. A beautiful clause, it encourages hard work and avoids entitlement. And it's worked. The daughters ooze with appreciation of the business and a keenness to continue the legacy. Brown Brothers have just relabeled their 18 Eighty Nine range, each fit with a different chair from their family table and a different tale of the family. This dry range includes a fruity Chardonnay, a Shiraz made in Heathcote and a savoury Cabernet Sauvignon. 239 Milawa Bobinawarrah Road, Milawa VIC 3678, brownbrothers.com.au Dal Zotto Wines – Practice and Prosecco Otto, Eleanor, Christian and Michael Dal Zotto are sitting around the large table in their trattoria in King Valley. While Italian voices are coming from one end and Australian accents from the other, there is no denying they are related. Mother, father and two sons. As the kitchen serves up divine, simple, sharing style Italian cooking, the wine begins to pour. A Prosecco to begin, of course. The two wine glasses in front of each person are instantly filled. Then the gentle bickering begins. Where are the rest of the wine glasses? After all, it is only right that each guest have the opportunity to taste all the wines on the table at once. After lunch, stuffed to the brim, they take their guests outside for a throw of the bocce ball, a run with the two dogs in the kitchen garden and to play with the many grandchildren that live just next door. What began as Otto and Eleanor's business — pioneering Prosecco in Australia — is now strongly ingrained in the lives of their children. Michael takes the reigns as the winemaker while Christian looks after the marketing. Spend an afternoon in their trattoria with them if you get the opportunity. The passion is tangible. 4861 Wangaratta-Whitfield Road, Whitfield VIC 3733, dalzotto.com.au Pizzini – Community and Chardonnay Roberto and Rose Pizzini, along with their three children migrated from the Northern Italian Alps to Australia back in 1955. Lost for what to do, digging potatoes became their bread and butter. This later turned into tobacco growing. None of these felt quite right to the Pizzinis. It was only when Brown Brothers planted their first grapes in the King Valley in 1978 that the Pizzini family began farming grapes. A collection of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Shiraz were farmed by Alfred and Katrina and sold to different winemaking companies around Australia. Over the next twenty years Alfred Pizzini began trying his hand at two relatively unknown Northern Italian red grape varieties — Nebbiolo and Sangiovese — and later the white Italian varietals Verduzzo, Picolit and Arneis. It was only in 1994 that Alfred and Katrina Pizzini began the Pizzini label with their signature chardonnay. As they began to build their business they realised they needed to help build up the local area as well. After a cellar door was created from tobacco drying kilns, the Pizzini's invested in three local hospitality venues around town. A little restaurant in Oxley, the Mountain View Hotel in Whitfield and finally they renovated a cottage on the property and turned it into a self-contained B&B. Fast forward to today, Katrina Pizzini running a thriving cooking school, the winery is one of the biggest in the area and the King Valley is never short of wine enthusiasts. The winemaking is now in the capable hands of their son Joel. 175 King Valley Rd, Whitfield VIC 3733, pizzini.com.au
"Weird", "inscrutable" and "alienating". These are just a few of the words you'll find when googling Biophilia, the eighth studio album of Icelandic singer Björk. And those are just the positive reviews. It's hardly surprisingly then that her newly released concert film is every bit as bizarre as her music. Part live performance, part abstract nature doco and part Space Odyssey-style psychedelic mindfuck, Biophilia Live isn't exactly the sort of movie you'd want to watch on any regular sort of basis — not without the assistance of mind-altering chemicals, anyway. Still, as a one-off big-screen experience, it's definitely a trip. The film begins with a narrated introduction by the voice of science himself, Britain's national treasure David Attenborough. With perfect enunciation, he welcomes us to Biophilia, describing it as the intersection of nature and technology. It's all a bit grandiose, particularly given that the film consists primarily of Björk lurching around a stage in a frizzy orange afro and bulbous rubber dress. Is the outfit meant as a critique of the unrealistic expectations of female beauty? Perhaps. Or maybe she just really likes clowns. In front of a sold-out London crowd, the singer squeaks her way through the tracks on her latest album. She's joined on stage by a gaggle of collaborators including percussionists, audio engineers and an Icelandic women's choir, as well as a Tesla coil, a gigantic pendulum "that creates musical patterns by harnessing the Earth’s gravitational pull," and several other bizarre instruments, musical and otherwise, whose exact function is never quite clear. Cut over the footage is what could best be described as the B-roll recordings from an episode of Planet Earth. Volcanoes spew lava into the air, mushrooms spring from the earth, and starfish shimmy across rock pools in 100x speed. The mind-bending images, combined with the strange noises emanating from the stage, leave you feeling like you've stumbled into some impossible alternate world, one where the masses all worship at the temple of Björk. Certainly, co-director Peter Strickland is no stranger to intoxicating his audience with exotic sights and sounds. His previous film was Berberian Sound Studio, a luscious homage to '70s Italian horror movies. His newest work, the BDSM-themed lesbian love story The Duke of Burgundy, will hopefully screen in Australia at some point next year. Trust me when I tell you, it's every bit as good as it sounds. But regardless of Strickland's pedigree, the success of a concert film lies less with the filmmaker than it does with the musician. Those who love this movie will be the ones who love Björk already, while anyone who hates her will have an equally predictable reaction. For the rest of us, the appeal of Biophilia Live is its unapologetic strangeness. It's the sort of film that's worth seeing just to say that you have.
The musical everyone has been talking about, the most diverse acting lineup ever, and a huge haul for Australian movies: yes, the 89th Oscar nominations have been revealed. It's the time of year when film almost becomes a sport. Who will win? Who'll miss out? What do historical stats indicate? Does Meryl Streep get nominated just for waking up in the morning? What does Amy Adams have to do to get some attention? The questions go on. Surprising absolutely no one — particularly after its hefty Golden Globes showing — La La Land is the big favourite with a record-equalling 14 nominations, including for Best Picture, Best Director (Damien Chazelle), Best Actress (Emma Stone) and Best Actor (Ryan Gosling). The last time a movie managed that, it was that little romantic boat tragedy known as Titanic, with 1950 drama All About Eve the only other effort to achieve the feat. Like terrible Celine Dion songs, the film industry's love of watching two very attractive and talented actors sing and dance will (deservedly, in our opinion) go on. The hit musical will compete for the Academy Awards' top prize against a host of other multiple nominees. Also showered in recognition: Arrival and Moonlight (eight nods each), Manchester by the Sea (six nods, including Best Actor frontrunner Casey Affleck), Fences and Hell or High Water (four nods each), and Hidden Figures (three nods). Thinking local, only a year after Mad Max: Fury Road won big, Aussies have come out in force once again. For the first time ever, two Australian films are in the running for Best Picture, with Mel Gibson's war flick Hacksaw Ridge and heartwrenching true tale Lion also scoring six nominations apiece. The former also picked up recognition for Best Director (Gibson) and Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), while the latter gave Nicole Kidman her fourth nomination (for Best Supporting Actress), and anointed Dev Patel for best Aussie accent (okay, Best Supporting Actor, but seriously, his Australian twang is spot-on). And then there's Tanna which, released here in 2015, was shot entirely in Vanuatu, and earned Australia its first-ever Best Foreign-Language Film nomination. The other big story is an departure of #OscarsSoWhite, with the acting field making history. After previous year's awards have been called out for a lack of diversity amongst nominees, for the first time, every single acting category features a person of colour, including Fences' Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, Loving's Ruth Negga, Moonlight's Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris, Hidden Figures' Octavia Spencer, and Lion's aforementioned Patel. Elsewhere, Barry Jenkins is up for Best Director for Moonlight, while the film's editor, Joi McMillon, became the first black woman nominated in that category. About time. The 89th Academy Awards will take place on February 27 Australian time, and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Here's the full list of nominations. OSCAR NOMINEES 2017 BEST MOTION PICTURE Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell Or High Water Hidden Figures Lion La La Land Manchester By The Sea Moonlight BEST DIRECTOR Damien Chazelle, La La Land Barry Jenkins, Moonlight Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By The Sea Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Casey Affleck, Manchester By The Sea Denzel Washington, Fences Ryan Gosling, La La Land Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Viola Davis, Fences Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea Naomie Harris, Moonlight Nicole Kidman, Lion Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Jeff Bridges, Hell Or High Water Dev Patel, Lion Lucas Hedges, Manchester By The Sea Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR Kubo and the Two Strings, Travis Knight and Arianne Sutner Moana, John Musker, Ron Clements and Osnat Shurer My Life as a Zucchini, Claude Barras and Max Karli The Red Turtle, Michael Dudok de Wit and Toshio Suzuki Zootopia, Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY Arrival, Bradford Young La La Land, Linus Sandgren Lion, Greig Fraser Moonlight, James Laxton Silence, Rodrigo Prieto ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN Allied, Joanna Johnston Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Colleen Atwood Florence Foster Jenkins, Consolata Boyle Jackie, Madeline Fontaine La La Land, Mary Zophres BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Fire at Sea, Gianfranco Rosi and Donatella Palermo I Am Not Your Negro, Raoul Peck, Rémi Grellety and Hébert Peck Life, Animated, Roger Ross Williams and Julie Goldman J.: Made in America, Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow 13th Ava, DuVernay, Spencer Averick and Howard Barish BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Extremis, Dan Krauss 1 Miles, Daphne Matziaraki Joe's Violin, Kahane Cooperman and Raphaela Neihausen Watani: My Homeland, Marcel Mettelsiefen and Stephen Ellis The White Helmets, Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING Arrival, Joe Walker Hacksaw Ridge, John Gilbert Hell or High Water, Jake Roberts La La Land, Tom Cross Moonlight, Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR Land of Mine, Denmark A Man Called Ove, Sweden The Salesman, Iran Tanna, Australia Toni Erdmann, Germany ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING A Man Called Ove, Eva von Bahr and Love Larson Star Trek Beyond, Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo Suicide Squad, Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE) Jackie, Mica Levi La La Land, Justin Hurwitz Lion, Dustin O'Halloran and Hauschka Moonlight, Nicholas Britell Passengers, Thomas Newman ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG) 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)' from La La Land ; Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul 'Can't Stop The Feeling' from Trolls; Music and Lyric by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster 'City Of Stars' from La La Land; Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul 'The Empty Chair' from Jim: The James Foley Story; Music and Lyric by J. Ralph and Sting 'How Far I'll Go' from Moana; Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN Arrival; Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Paul Hotte Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them; Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock Hail, Caesar!; Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh La La Land; Production Design: David Wasco; Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco Passengers; Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Gene Serdena BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Blind Vaysha, Theodore Ushev Borrowed Time, Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj Pear Cider and Cigarettes, Robert Valley and Cara Speller Pearl, Patrick Osborne Piper, Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Ennemis Intérieurs, Sélim Azzazi La Femme et le TGV, Timo von Gunten and Giacun Caduff Silent Nights, Aske Bang and Kim Magnusson Sing, Kristof Deák and Anna Udvardy Timecode, Juanjo Giménez ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING Arrival, Sylvain Bellemare Deepwater Horizon, Wylie Stateman and Renée Tondelli Hacksaw Ridge, Robert Mackenzie and Andy Wright La La Land, Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan Sully, Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING Arrival, Bernard Gariépy Strobl and Claude La Haye Hacksaw Ridge, Kevin O'Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace La La Land, Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee and Steve A. Morrow Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, David Parker, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Mac Ruth ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS Deepwater Horizon, Craig Hammack, Jason Snell, Jason Billington and Burt Dalton Doctor Strange, Stephane Ceretti, Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli and Paul Corbould The Jungle Book, Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon Kubo and the Two Strings, Steve Emerson, Oliver Jones, Brian McLean and Brad Schiff Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel and Neil Corbould ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer Fences, Screenplay by August Wilson Hidden Figures, Screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi Lion, Screenplay by Luke Davies Moonlight, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins; Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Hell or High Water, Written by Taylor Sheridan La La Land, Written by Damien Chazelle The Lobster, Written by Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou Manchester by the Sea, Written by Kenneth Lonergan 20th Century Women, Written by Mike Mills
Every summer evening at 8.30pm, 9pm, 9.30pm and 10pm something magical happens at the MPavilion. Settle in after work to enjoy a specially recorded composition of Philip Brophy's Stadium: A Neo-Tokyo Terrasound Cosmophony, as part of this year's Twilight Ritual. What do all those words mean? Well, it's a reimagined score based on themes from the classic 1998 anime Akira. To film buffs, it'll be familiar and new at the same time, and for everyone else, it'll just be damn cool. The score is accompanied by a light show, created by designers bluebottle and is completely free. We recommend watching Akira beforehand to get the most out of it, and also because, honestly, you can never watch that film too many times.
When it first hit the small screen between 2007–12, Gossip Girl didn't just introduce the world to Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley, and make everyone want to sit on the steps of The Met. Across its initial run, the series spun a lavish, soapy, usually OTT but always watchable teen-focused drama filled with secrets and scandals — and gossip, obviously. When its titular figure said "you know you love me", as she did often, everyone watching knew she was right. Because we live in a world where a big Friends reunion just hit streaming, Sex and the City is getting a television sequel and Saved by the Bell has returned to the screen as ell, Gossip Girl was always going to make a comeback in some shape or form. So, come Thursday, July 8, you'll be saying XOXO to the series once again. HBO's streaming platform HBO Max is reviving the series, and Binge will screen it in Australia. If you're wondering what you're in for, it has been billed as both a reimagining and an extension. So, that means that Gossip Girl circa 2021 will take place in the same world as its predecessor, but it'll focus on different characters. An early sneak peek back in May teased what that'll look like, and now a just-dropped new trailer offers fans a bigger glimpse of all the dramas to come. Set nine years after the eponymous and anonymous blog went dark, the new series sees its namesake return, too — otherwise the show wouldn't have a premise. This time, a new bunch of New York private school-attending teenagers are at the ever-present, seemingly all-knowing gossip blogger's mercy, with their Upper East Side lives captured and dissected via an Instagram account. Whether any familiar faces will pop up is yet to be revealed; however, in the most important news there is regarding this revival, Kristen Bell is returning to voice the titular figure. She'll narrate the comings and goings of a group played Jordan Alexander (Sacred Lies), Eli Brown (Wrath of Man), Thomas Doherty (High Fidelity), Tavi Gevinson (Halston), Emily Alyn Lind (Every Breath You Take), Evan Mock, Zion Moreno (Control Z), Whitney Peak (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Savannah Lee Smith. The cast has changed, but the social-climbing chaos is bound to be familiar. If you were a particular fan of the threads worn by Lively, Meester and company back in the day, you'll be pleased to know that costume designer Eric Daman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) is back for a second go-around. The creators of the initial show, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The OC), have nabbed executive producer credits on the revival as well — so they'll have a hand in yet another adaptation of Cecily von Ziegesar's books. And the new series' showrunner Josh Safran (Smash) was a writer and executive producer on the original series. Check out the latest Gossip Girl trailer below: Gossip Girl will start streaming via Binge from Thursday, July 8. Top image: Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max.
Incorporating green habits into our day-to-day lives is more important now than ever. Avoiding fast fashion, recycling our kitchen waste and reducing our car mileage all work towards a happier and healthier planet. But, what happens when we go on holiday? It's easy to get overwhelmed when organising a travel itinerary and forget to prioritise eco-friendly choices. Luckily, sustainable living doesn't have to stop when your holiday starts. Tropical North Queensland is brimming with low-impact ways to explore the natural environment and tour operators that are passionate about marine and rainforest conservation. Five-star hotels are proud to detail their eco-friendly touches, with 'responsible luxury' being much more than just a buzz term. Plus, hyper-local ingredients are sourced from a network of dedicated farmers to supply a thriving food scene with the freshest produce. [caption id="attachment_845844" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cape York, Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] IT'S A NATURE LOVER'S THEME PARK If you love the outdoors, then Tropical North Queensland will have you spoiled for choice. This spectacular region is the only place in the world with two natural UNESCO World Heritage Areas side by side — namely, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. You'll also find the sweeping Gulf Savannah and the unspoiled wilderness of Cape York. In Tropical North Queensland — which boasts the highest concentration of Ecotourism Australia-accredited experiences in the country — you'll have a near-endless list of ecotourism activities to choose from, including snorkelling, scuba diving and hiking tours. Impressively, more than 15 operators in Tropical North Queensland have been inducted into Ecotourism Australia's Hall of Fame. This honour is awarded to tour operators who have maintained their eco-certification for over 20 consecutive years. [caption id="attachment_829660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ochre, Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] YOU CAN ENJOY A TROPICAL SPIN ON PADDOCK TO PLATE Choosing ingredients that are local and in season goes a long way in reducing our food mileage. The popularity of 'paddock to plate' eating is more than just a passing trend, and sourcing from local producers supports the wider agricultural industry. Best of all, the food requires little handling and is naturally bursting with flavour. Our favourite sustainable dining spots include Ochre Restaurant and Catering in Cairns, and Nautilus Restaurant in Port Douglas. Or, take it one step further, and try catching your own. Indigenous-owned tour companies such as Strait Experience and Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours offer guests the opportunity to learn traditional methods for catching fish, prawns and crabs. [caption id="attachment_827693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] THE HOTELS TAKE SUSTAINABILITY AS SERIOUSLY AS YOU DO Accomodation costs often take up the majority of your holiday budget, so it's important to direct those dollars towards a company that prioritises the environment. The Crystalbrook Collection opened its first hotel in 2018 in the region and has since saved millions of plastic bottles from ending up in landfill across its three Cairns-based properties. Its bathroom amenities are proudly 100-percent waste-free, including toothbrushes made from sugarcane and shampoo bottles that are fully biodegradable. This sustainable mindset extends throughout the rest of the resort, with recycled key cards and coat hangers, plus paperless technology practices. [caption id="attachment_844234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] YOUR JOURNEY THERE COULD EARN YOU (LITERAL) GREEN POINTS Qantas flies direct to Cairns from most Australian capital cities, with Cairns Airport also servicing international routes. Qantas recently added a new Green tier to its Frequent Flyer program. Sitting alongside the existing levels, this Green tier membership rewards Qantas frequent flyers who make sustainable decisions both at home and on holidays. By making sustainable choices such as installing solar panels, offsetting flight emissions, or walking to work, members will be rewarded by the Green tier program. You can also score points towards Green tier status by completing sustainable activities while on holiday, including staying at eco-accredited hotels. For more information on the Green tier program, head over here. Ready to check it out for yourself? For more information and to start planning your trip, visit the website. Top image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
UPDATE, December 9, 2020: McQueen is available to stream via Stan, Doc Play, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Glamour meets the grotesque in the couture of designer Alexander McQueen. Indeed, it's not by accident that a recent hit museum retrospective showcasing his work took the moniker Savage Beauty. For two decades as the enfant terrible of British fashion, he crafted clothing that didn't just make a statement, but screamed it down the catwalk, splashed it across glossy magazine pages and shouted it at the world at large. "I don't want to do a show that you walk out feeling like you've just had Sunday lunch," he once said. "I want you to walk out feeling repulsed or exhilarated — as long as it's an emotion." That telling soundbite joins many others in McQueen, the film that ostensibly unpacks the life, career and death of its titular working-class lad turned tailoring apprentice turned provocative toast of the town. But, making their first full-length documentary, directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui do much more than that. Theirs is a movie made in McQueen's image, keen to show more than tell even though it doesn't shy away from talking heads. The filmmakers are well aware that everyone already knows its rise-and-fall story, with the man called Lee by his friends ultimately committing suicide in 2010. Instead of pretending that it's telling viewers something new, the movie focuses on how it approaches its subject as much as it does the specific details of McQueen's story. Cue chapters that take their names from his famous runway shows, in a segmented yet still cohesive film that takes its concept from another of McQueen's own comments. (In one of his trademark displays of cheek, he dubs his own candid home videos 'The McQueen Tapes'.) Each part stitches together a narrative about his fashions — from both his own label and his time at Givenchy — and the context surrounding each highlighted collection. The end result isn't as obvious as it might sound, of course. McQueen refuses to simply state that one particular aspect of McQueen's experiences gave rise to a specific element in his work. Rather, it explores the fabric of his life while demonstrating how he wrangled fabric in bold ways in his designs. The documentary doesn't need to blatantly connect the dots, as each sartorial series makes its own statement. With names such as Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims and Highland Rape, and challenging pieces within each collection to match, how could they not? Throughout it all, McQueen remains a constant presence thanks to archival footage, while his family members, friends and colleagues offer their intimate recollections and reflections. Even for those unfamiliar with the minutiae, there's much that's recognisable. Never seeming the typical fashionista, McQueen parlayed his talent, artistic eye and hard work into a thriving career from the early 90s onwards. But with success, attention and notoriety came drugs, depression and despair, matters that the movie perhaps doesn't touch on in as much depth as it could've. Still, even when it somewhat skirts over a few areas, the documentary proves revelatory in how it captures McQueen's complicated essence. The designer's clothing pieces were always going to feature prominently, but with its incredible detail, intricate construction and willingness to get dark, the film they're in feels like it was cut from the same cloth. If one scene in McQueen particularly stands out, it's one that's all McQueen's doing. More than that, it's one that he staged with as much theatricality, spectacle and flair as he ever displayed: his 1999 spring show. In a stunning sight to behold, model Shalom Harlow wears a white strapless dress made voluminous with layers of tulle, spins on a rotating platform like a jewellery box ballerina, and is sprayed with paint by two adjacent robots. As a depiction of life splattering and changing something luminous, it's vivid, almost violent and certainly intoxicating, all as its creator intended. McQueen was clearly relaying a message and, in both featuring the runway moment within the film and adopting its attitude, Bonhôte and Ettedgui ensure that McQueen sports the same force and power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKwCd6WLPdE
The Perserverance Hotel’s menu might not be a shining example of local innovation, but on the second Sunday of every month you can complement your pub grub with some of the craftiest wares this side of the city. Blackbird Market sees the Brunswick Street establishment get more fittingly Fitzroy with stalls peddling jewellery, bicycle accessories, PJs, zines and vintage clothing. Slide your pins into some reflective legwarmers from Melbourne’s most sartorially discerning cycle store CycleStyle, get an inky hit of culture from the latest copy of Spook Magazine and pick up the requisite nick nacks from grandmas florals, then dump them all into a plush leather satchel by Sarah van Oosterom. Since it’s still technically a bar there will be DJ tunes plus plenty of tasty liquids on tap to encourage financial nonchalance. But at least you’ll still feel good about your purchases later on in the afternoon.
Don't know how to tackle Sydney all in one go? If you're just in town for FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™, there's a lot to see and not much time. You've to got be smart, pick the highlights and plan ahead. Luckily, we've got it all sorted — the best spots to eat, drink and be merry, the walks, even the shopping breaks. It's an itinerary jam-packed with all the greatest hits and up-and-coming spots, new discoveries, cultural adventures. There's even an incredible day trip into the mountains. Game on, let's go. [caption id="attachment_773326" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton Lund[/caption] DAY ONE — QUINTESSENTIALLY SYDNEY BREAKFAST AT THE GROUNDS Kick it off with a trip to The Grounds. The CBD venue beckons with a beautiful vintage-style front, neon signage and warm timber interior features. They serve up every brekkie you could want, from buttermilk pancakes with roast banana, poached pear and ricotta to brown rice porridge with ginger chicken and shiitake. Perhaps you prefer the King Crab omelette with caviar, Turkish eggs or a simple bakery basket of fresh baked goods, preserves and mascarpone. For sipping, there's coffee, house-made sodas, wholesome smoothies and breakfast cocktails. The Alexandria location has a similar vibe, plus a garden and laneway to explore, with regular installation pieces. EXPLORE THE CBD Start at Hyde Park, meandering along pleasant paths, avenues of Hill's Figs and towering palms, and past the Anzac Memorial and Archibald Fountain. At the Art Gallery of NSW, wind down to the Botanic Gardens for a waterside wander surrounded by native and exotic plants. Walk to the Opera House and Circular Quay for stunning views to the Harbour Bridge and Lunar Park. Watch the ferries as you make your way towards The Rocks, a historic area with some of the oldest European settlement remains and an open-air archaeological site. Explore winding streets of characterful pubs, cafes and markets. Do you still have some energy to burn? Walk up and over to Darling Harbour and Chinatown, and duck back into the city for the Queen Victoria Building. DINNER AND DRINKS AT ICONIC LOCALES Bennelong is Sydney Opera House's grand dining experience, in a soaring, cathedral-like space overlooking Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge. It's a theatre of the senses, each dish a feast for the eyes. Legendary executive chef Peter Gilmore is inspired by modern European culinary tradition and the flavours of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the finest, exclusively sourced heirloom produce. Gilmore's menu at this award-winning restaurant changes seasonally. Winter highlights include a mud crab congee and poached yabbies with finger lime. For mains, it's hard to go past the Kurobuta aged pork rack with pink radicchio, pear, pickled onion and prune. Desserts are delightful spins on Aussie classics: Cherry Jam Lamington, The Chocolate Crackle and pav. Oh, and the wine list is an award-winner, too. For a tipple, head downstairs to the Opera Bar. Their specialty? Cocktails: spritzes, canned, house-made signatures and zero alc. Enjoy free live entertainment and the Euro-chic menu of executive chef Fernando Sanchez, overseen by Matt Moran. Think, pumpkin feta arancini, pizzas, oysters – everything you want for the harbourside high life. For elevated views, head to The Glenmore. It has over a century of history, but the old bones have been spruced up to present a trendy all-day drinking hole and rooftop bar. Snack on share plates of grilled baby octopus and cheesy polenta chips, or finish the night with a chocolate tortilla with banana, peanuts and caramel. With a wine list of Australian and international bangers and the harbour view, you'll be here until the small hours. [caption id="attachment_557477" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bondi to Coogee Walk.[/caption] DAY TWO — BEACHES AND BOUTIQUES BONDI TO COOGEE WALK This popular coastal trail can get busy in high summer, so winter is perfect to take it at your own pace. You can walk the whole 6 kilometres to get a real sense of the coastline's scenery or stop off at any of the beaches along the way – including Tamarama and Bronte. Starting at Bondi, walk along the promenade of this iconic beach and follow the path up to the clifftop trail. Stop at lookouts to take in the view, wander past Bondi Icebergs swimming club and Mackenzie's Point, and gaze down at rocky shorelines and crashing waves. Continue on past Tamarama Beach to Bronte's pale sands, blue water and green parkland. You'll find loads of cafes for a quick juice or coffee before you push on to Coogee. Stay for a celebratory drink or head back to Bondi. BRUNCH AT SPEEDOS Is this "The World's Most Instagrammable Cafe"? Visit and see. The all-day menu at Speedos has picture-perfect plating bursting with colour, seasonal produce and mouthwatering brunch options. From creamy coconut porridge, chilli scrambled eggs and caramelised banana pancakes to power bowls, crispy chicken burgers and refreshing acai, it's all photo-ready for your gooey egg-shot or eye-catching organic veg dish. Wash it all down with their bold fresh juices or hot bevs stencilled with messages of positivity. With sweeping beach views, cool sea breezes and the scent of delicious food, everything here is geared to make you look and feel good. SHOPPING AT THE INTERSECTION Time to hit the shops. Skip the standard Pitt Street stores and instead explore the iconic and historic Intersection at Paddington. Here, you can browse all the best high-end Australian fashion labels and brands in one easy location at the intersection of Glenmore Road and Oxford Street. These charming tree-lined streets are dotted with cosy cafes and hole-in-the-wall art galleries. And just down the road is another massive shopping centre – Broadway Sydney. It's perfect if you need to pick up non-designer fare. By the coast, you can splurge at Westfield at Bondi Junction, a mecca for retail therapy including, well, Mecca! It's also home to M.A.C. and Sephora. Browse the boutiques of Australian designers like R.M. Williams and Peter Alexander, and international luxury brands including Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada and Tiffany & Co. Whether you're all about a Swarovski splurge, prefer a sportswear spend at Lorna Jane or opt for tabletop competition at Good Games, it's here. And if you need to take a break from reality, book in for Freak VR. DINNER IN INNER EAST You're spoiled for choice with amazing dining in these trendy neighbourhoods. In Surry Hills, there's the internationally acclaimed Firedoor. Chef Lennox Hastie is renowned for his mastery of flame and smoke, using no gas or electricity but celebrating ingredients and techniques. For something more casual, the newly opened B.S. Pasta Palace (formerly Bar Suze) offers fun, New York Italian dining, while Gogyo slings authentic ramen and The Rover serves up oysters, cocktails and British-inspired bistro food. The current stars of Potts Point are innovative yakitori spot Chaco Bar and Dear Sainte Éloise, with its Euro bistro classics and cracking wine list. [caption id="attachment_864075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] DAY THREE — MULTICULTURAL MAGIC FUN IN THE OUTER SUBURBS Sydney's more than beaches and the CBD. There are cultural clusters to explore. Head to Harris Park, aka, Little India. Along the main streets, you'll find a cluster of restaurants and cafes, shops for saris, fabric, jewellery and groceries from India and Pakistan. Get a taste of Mumbai at Chatkazz Restaurant and south Indian cuisine at Billu's Indian Eatery to mention just a couple. Bankstown is one of Sydney's most ethnically diverse areas, a centre of Lebanese culture with other influences including Egyptian, Palestinian, Vietnamese and Turkish. It's home to Sydney's first baklava shop and numerous specialty stores, including Valley View Continental Groceries and Spices. Grab something fresh from one of the Lebanese bakeries and restaurants, such as Khalil's Lebanese Pizza for za'atar-covered manoush and Afandi Cafe for nabulsi knafeh. Cabramatta, or Cabra to the locals, is a renowned centre for Vietnamese culture and home to food that Australia's best chefs will travel for. Take a food crawl with cuisine from all over Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and China. There's so much pho and banh mi to choose from, and everyone has their go-to spot. Tan Viet noodle house is renowned for its crispy skin chicken, Vinata's Hot Bread for its beloved banh mi, and Phu Quoc for DIY rice paper rolls. Check out the market and Pai Lau gate, and immerse yourself in a little slice of Vietnam. DAY FOUR — BEYOND THE BORDERS DAY TRIP TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS Sydney is a stone's throw from breathtaking natural wonders, with the Blue Mountains just an hour and a half's drive away. Stop at the Hydro Majestic, built as a health retreat in the early 20th century, and enjoy refreshments at the Boiler House Cafe overlooking spectacular mountains and valleys. Then head back down the mountain to Leura, with its Bygone Beautys Teapot Museum, walks to Leura Cascades and beyond, and numerous spots to eat, including the award-winning Leura Garage. Don't go past Katoomba, famed for Scenic World and its views of the World Heritage Listed Blue Mountains National Park. If visiting Sydney for the FIFA Women's World Cup, be sure to check out the FIFA Fan Festival™ Sydney, taking place from Thursday, July 20 till Sunday, August 20 at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour. Check out the website for the full schedule of events. Top Images [in order]: Destination NSW, Jacques Bopp, Unsplash, NEO Photo. Images [in order]: Hamilton Lund, Dollar Photo Club, Nikki To, Destination NSW
Summer is well and truly upon us and that means one thing: it's boat party season. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a nautical novice, packing for a boat trip can be a surprisingly tricky task. As space on board is limited, you'll want to make sure you pack the perfect mix of practical and pleasurable items to elevate your time on the high seas. To make things a little easier, we've teamed up with our friends at Jim Beam to bring you three essential items that'll upgrade your day, from covetable coverage to an impressive drink to make for the whole crew. UPGRADE YOUR SPF TO THIS CHIC THREE-IN-ONE Since the 80s, Sid the Seagull has been encouraging us to slip, slop and slap, and you best believe that includes during boat trips. With the sun's rays reflected off the water, your chance of getting sunburn increases — so you'll want to bring a seriously good sunscreen to protect you from those harmful UV rays. Level up your sun protection with Aussie brand Ultra Violette and its Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen ($45). It's a moisturiser, sunscreen and primer all in one. This lightweight all-rounder is the perfect size to slip into your beach bag and it has super-cute packaging sure to make you appear sun-smart and chic all at once. BRING THE PARTY VIBES WITH FUN INFLATABLES The best thing about a boat trip is being able to oscillate between the wet and the dry so freely. And, for the party-starters among us, you can have the best of both worlds with inflatables. Thankfully, the team at Sunnylife has your back with Rosie, a rose gold inflatable flamingo ($79.95), that gives you a vibrant, show-stopping seat on which to soak up the summertime gladness and look the part for all those boat party snaps. It's perfect if you want to stay mostly dry while still getting your feet wet, so long as your mates don't dunk you into the drink. SWAP BEERS FOR A ROUND OF HIGHBALLS Speaking of drink, a day on the water is thirsty work. If you want to impress your mates with something other than beer or wine on your next outing, pack a bottle of Jim Beam and some cordials to make this no-fuss highball for everyone aboard. To make the drink, simply pour 15ml of lemon cordial (like this one by Bickford's), 5ml of lime cordial and 30ml of Jim Beam into a cup. Add ice and top with soda water. Easy! It's a refreshing beverage that is guaranteed to go down a treat among your friends this summer. Top image: Angelo Pantazis via Unsplash
If you missed Gelato Messina's degustation bar the last two times, you're in luck because they're coming back to Melbourne for two weeks this August — and this time it will be all about truffles. In conjunction with Madame Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is returning to the secret room behind their Windsor store, this time with a seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with? There's a pine and eucalyptus gelato that's a mix of 67 percent chocolate and black truffle cremeux, salted caramel, Jerusalem artichoke crisp and caramelised honey served with a ginger and lemon myrtle infusion. Using ingredients from the Dominican Republic, Japan, Tonga and NSW, Messina will take your tastebuds on a sweet and savoury journey. There are also two kinds of sorbet on the special Truffle Week menu: apple and nasturtium sorbet, and black truffle oil and vanilla oil sorbet. Sorbets are paired with a finger lime tonic and a spiced chai latte. Tickets are $130 per person and, with just eight seats available at each of the three sittings each night, you can book for groups of two, four, six or eight of your gelato-loving mates. And based off of previous events, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP before Melburnians book out the event (most probably in record time again). Head to the Messina Creative Department page to nab a seat. The Messina Creative Department will pop-up from August 2-12 at their Windsor store, 171 Chapel Street, Windsor. For more info, visit their website.
Melbourne, Sydney's favourite providore is coming your way — armed with dry-aged T-bone Florentina, Venetian doughnuts and house-churned gelato. Yep, we're talking Fratelli Fresh, the original gurus of fresh produce and authentic Italian goodness from up north. With five restaurants currently operating in Sydney, the Fratelli folks haven't settled for just any old place for their Melbourne debut. They're arriving with a bang, having taken over the stunning, two-storey, heritage-listed building in Alfred Place that was most recently inhabited by Stokehouse City. The expansion down south comes just a few months after the Fratelli Fresh chain was bought by the Urban Purveyor Group. On the ground floor, you'll find Fratelli Fresh's famous red and white décor. Nab yourself a seat at the marble-topped pizza counter and wait for your 48-hour, naturally-fermented, hand-stretched, thin-crust pizza to emerge from the wood-fired oven. Alternatively, hang out in the laneway with a friend and order the signature abbacchio alla Romana, which is Roman-style lamb on the bone with parmesan crust. Or you can always go with some antipasti or pasta, the wood-grilled fish or the aforementioned t-bone. Dessert will include Fratelli's famed tiramisu, and that's really all you need to know. The menu is wallet-friendly too, with more than 25 dishes for under 20 smackaroos and a six-course banquet for $55. Swing by during aperitivo hour between 3pm and 6pm, for $5 wine, beer and spirits, and $10 spritzers and Negronis. A photo posted by Fratelli Fresh (@fratellifresh) on Oct 12, 2015 at 4:46pm PDT But that's not all. Up the spectacular staircase, on the first floor, you'll find another Sydney export: The Cut Steakhouse. Sink into an ocean-green leather banquette and take your pick of ten beef cuts from five fancy, fancy farms. Extra posh cuts include Cape Grim's 36-month grass-fed beef, Black Market's 270-day grain-fed beef from the Rangers Valley, John Dee's 150-day grain-fed scotch fillet and a full-blood wagyu from Robbins Island. Match 'em with one of eight sauces and your pick of ten sides, including buttermilk onion rings and slow-roasted leeks. Meanwhile, in The Cut's bar, The Library, you'll be exploring a 300-strong, international wine list, more than 80 whiskies, a slew of craft beers and a bunch of signature cocktails. To celebrate this mammoth double opening, the two restaurants will also be running a giveaway in the funnest way possible — by dropping teeny-tiny prize-bearing parachutes from the building's rooftop. Fifty parachutes — containing prizes from free coffee for a week and pizzas for year, to dinners, lunches and bar tabs — will be dropped from 7 Alfred Place from 4.30pm this Friday, July 15. Start practicing your catching skills. Fratelli Fresh and The Cut Steakhouse will open this Friday, July 15. For more info, visit fratellifresh.com.au/the-alfred and thecutbarandgrill.com/melbourne.
As if IKEA wasn't already self sufficient enough — what with infinite clothing storage, affordable kitchenware and ready-to-eat meatballs — they've decided they don't just want you to enjoy your home like sleek, contemporary Swedish royalty, they want you to grow your own garden in it too. So they've added a new item to their expansive inventory: hydroponic indoor gardens. Hydroponics is a plant growing method that lets you grown your own greens without soil. It isn't exactly a new thing — the method has been used for years to grow plants in basically any conditions — but IKEA's introduction of their Krydda/Växer indoor gardening kits looks set to bring hydroponics out of the niche and into the mainstream. And, going by the number of people who own those Billy bookcases, it will probably do just that. The kits, which will launch in the UK later this year, are designed to sit on your benchtop so you can grow herbs and lettuce right in the middle of the kitchen, pick them, and pop them straight into your salad bowl like some fancy chef. It comes all ready to use, but you'll have to plant the seeds in absorbent plugs to get them going. Then, when the seedlings have sprouted, you'll need to replant them into tiny adorable planters with pumice stones, give them water, turn on the light (which acts as the sun) and watch them grow. Once they're big enough, you can go right ahead and pick them to eat. Like so: The indoor gardening range will go on sale in the UK in May, with the US set to follow next year. No word on an Australian launch yet, but we'll cross all our not-so green thumbs it won't be far behind. Via Fast Company.
Every March, Adelaide — the only UNESCO City of Music in Australia — gears up for festival season. Its centrepiece is the Adelaide Festival, a 17-day extravaganza of music, theatre, art, talks and unusual happenings, which encompasses world music festival WOMADelaide as well as Adelaide Writers' Week. In 2019, more than 70 events will take place, including 17 Australian premieres and ten worldwide premieres, all put together by artistic directors Rachel Healy and Neil Armfield. Taking place between March 1–17 at a variety of venues around Adelaide, here are some of the most epic, creative and left-of-field. THEATRE Travelling from South Africa is theatre company Isango Ensemble, to perform the Australian premiere of A Man Of Good Hope. This musical tells the true story of Asad Abdullah, who, at eight, witnessed his mother's murder in Somalia, then travelled across six African nations alone. Also exploring the experiences of refugees is Manus by the all-Iranian Verbatim Theatre Group, which tells stories from Manus Island and Nauru. For a more experimental adventure, immerse yourself in Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. Melbourne's La Mama Theatre will perform the play in real time — over two days — at The Cedars, Sir Hans Heysen's former 60-acre property in Hahndorf, Adelaide Hills. Alternatively, let Portuguese theatre-maker Tiago Rodrigues teach you to memorise a poem, all while he recounts the life of his grandmother, in By Heart. MUSIC Join 90,000 other people at WOMADadelaide, a four-day world music festival that takes over Adelaide's beautiful Botanic Park every year. On 2019's program you'll find Angelique Kidjo, the Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir, Julia Jacklin and the John Butler Trio, among scores of other local and international acts. Making its Australian premiere is Grand Finale by Israeli-born, London-based choreographer Hofesh Shechter, a momentous work that combines dance, live music and theatre in its exploration of demagoguery, groupthink and ecological disaster. Meanwhile, Aboriginal soul singer Emma Donovan will be teaming up with The Putbacks to perform a tribute to the late Ruby Hunter, the first indigenous Australian woman to record an album — and Tim Minchin will also be delivering the world premiere of his solo show Back. ART Headlining the art program are two major surveys. One is of Australian artist Ben Quilty, known for his work as an official war artist in Afghanistan, as well as his campaign to save Bali Nine members Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. The other is of New York-born photographer Roger Ballen, who now lives in South Africa, where he shoots squatter camps and mine dumps, and, most famously, collaborated on Die Antwoord's 'I Fink U Freeky' video. Also capturing little-told stories will be the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography's group exhibition Another Life: Human Flows / Unknown Odysseys, which depicts various moments in refugees' journeys — from portraits of personal anguish to heartbreaking images of piles of life jackets. TALKS The core of the talks program is Adelaide Writers' Week. Inspired by the theme 'telling truths', this year's event features an international collection of wordsmiths, from Sohaila Abdulali, the Mumbai-born US author of What We Talk About When We Talk About Rape, to Kassem Eid, Syrian refugee, activist and author of My Country. Nigerian author and Man Booker Prize Winner Ben Okri will deliver the opening address, 'Imagination Redeems'. Start each festival day with brekkie and papers at The Palais, settle into a long lunch with a writer — be it Annabel Crabb or Maggie Beer — and finish up with a Twilight Talk in the Pioneer Women's Memorial Garden. PLUS On any great festival program, there are always events that defy categorisation. Take Dutch artist Julian Hetzel's Schuldfabrik, for example — it's an installation that immerses you in a mini-factory and retail outlet where human fat is turned into soap and sold, with all proceeds going to aid programs in the developing world. Then there's Legs On The Walls' Man With The Iron Neck, which combines aerial circus, video and text to explore suicide in a small, tightly-knit, AFL-loving community. And, finally, Dutch company Schweigman&'s Blaas invites you step inside a gigantic white blob and expect the unexpected. Adelaide Festival takes place between March 1–17, 2019 at a variety of venues around Adelaide. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website. Top image: Ben and Martin Photography.
You're successful in your career, but your personal life suddenly takes an unwanted turn. Then, your childhood best friend-slash-crush and Keanu Reeves both turn up. That's the premise of Netflix new rom-com Always Be My Maybe, which follows celebrity chef Sasha (Ali Wong), who reluctantly reconnects with her dependable old buddy Marcus (Randall Park) after falling out with him 15 years earlier — only for a slick newcomer (Reeves) to threaten their reunion. If that sounds like your idea of a good night in, that's what the streaming platform is counting on. As well as serving up highly binge-able TV shows and plenty of viewing options with a strong female lead, Netflix loves flicks of the romantic and comedic persuasion, especially among its original content. Clearly audiences love a rom-com too, which is why the service keeps making them. Always Be My Maybe arrives with an impressive pedigree, with director Nahnatchka Khan known for Fresh Off the Boat and Don't Trust the B____ in Apt. 23, and stars Wong and Park co-writing (with Grimm's Michael Golamco) and co-producing as well. Cast-wise, the stacked lineup also includes Lost's Daniel Dae Kim, Broad City's Michelle Buteau, Miracle Workers' Karan Soni and Paper Heart's Charlyne Yi, plus Lyrics Born and Keanu, of course. Check out the trailer below and then watch the film on Netflix immediately. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHBcWHY9lN4&feature=youtu.be You can now stream Always Be My Maybe on Netflix. Updated: June 28, 2019. Image: Ed Araquel / Netflix.
If you haven't done it before, flying solo can be a little daunting — especially to something like the opera. But, hey, you shouldn't have to miss out on indulging your operatic passions just because your mates aren't huge Puccini fans. That's presumably why Opera Australia has come up with a nifty solution for its solo guests. The new initiative, named Opera for One, offers a a special package for those going it alone at select Sydney and Melbourne shows. No more standing awkwardly in the foyer before the performance or during interval, wishing you had someone to dissect the show with. Under the new scheme, solo punters will get access to a discounted B Reserve ticket (at a tidy 10 percent off), then kick off their evening at a complimentary pre-show drinks and nibbles session. An expert from Opera Australia's creative team will give a casual talk about the show and you'll have the chance to mingle with other solo opera fans, before heading in to take your seats together. To help take some of the edge off, guests will also score a handy guide before the show, packed with conversation starters, information about your chosen opera and insights into what you can expect on the night. If you're keen to give it a whirl, Opera for One is currently taking bookings for a handful of Sydney and Melbourne shows. NSW fans can see the likes of the compelling Salome or Puccini's Turandot, while Melburnians can access Il Viaggio a Reims, Mozart's Così fan tutte, and beloved classic Rigoletto.
Some like it hot. Other milder folk prefer not to flirt with such danger. But whichever category you fall into, your tastebuds will find plenty to love when the Yarra Valley's Herb and Chilli Festival returns to spice up your weekend. Descending on founders Clive and Di Larkman's Wandin herb farm from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, March 16, the flavour fest is set to once again deliver a fiery mix of food, entertainment and more. A hefty lineup of stallholders will be slinging everything from chilli plants and fresh herbs to flavour-packed pantry goods. Visit the international food court for a ready-to-eat spice hit from the likes of The Smoke Pit, Tornado Spuds and Wun Hung Lo Dumpling Company, and sample feisty booze products like hot chilli wine and Logan's signature Thai Venom Vodka. Easier-drinking sips will be on offer from labels including Hop Hen Brewery, Burnley Brewing, and Morgan's Winery and Distillery. As you can imagine, you'll find a tastebud-tingling array of hot sauce varieties to try and buy on Hot Sauce Alley, while the live cooking stage will play host to both chef demos and a stack of fiery eating competitions. Are you game to try the Stinger Wing Challenge? Reckon you could reign supreme in the famed chilli-scoffing contest? Luckily, you can keep your cool between chillies with a program of live tunes — with the six-piece band Harmaniax taking centre place. There'll even be a Chilli Express bus service carting people to and from Lilydale Station — helping folks drink the day away without worrying about driving or having to get expensive cabs.
"We are the smartest men in America. We literally have the resources to take over the world." When four tech billionaires on a snowy getaway in a sprawling mansion start talking that way, as the characters in Mountainhead do in the new film's just-dropped full trailer, no one else is likely to benefit. Other than audiences, that is, because this is the latest project from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong — and it marks his return to the screen after that huge HBO hit wrapped up in 2023. Here, the world is in chaos. Violent confrontations, atrocities, nations teetering both politically and economically: that's the situation. On a luxe weekend in icy climes, four titans of tech watch on. What could the US President have to say when he calls, then? "That your platform's inflamed a volatile situation, circulating unfalsifiable deepfakes, massive fraud, market instability" is one prediction that Mountainhead's sneak peeks have been teasing. Armstrong both writes and directs — and is still clearly in eat-the-rich mode as the ultra-wealthy quartet at the centre of his new movie respond, or don't, to an international crisis perhaps of their making. Steve Carell (Despicable Me 4), Jason Schwartzman (The Last Showgirl), Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night) and Ramy Youssef (Poor Things) play the cashed-up crew, aka Randall, Souper, Venis and Jeff, who aren't above shouting about their supposed greatness from mountaintops and writing their net-worth figures on their bare chests. Mountainhead might be Armstrong's first feature as a director, but it's a straight-to-streaming flick, hitting HBO Max in Australia on Sunday, 1 June, 2025. Co-starring alongside Carell, Schwartzman, Smith and Youssef: Hadley Robinson (Anyone But You), Andy Daly (Night Court), Ali Kinkade (Lessons in Chemistry), Daniel Oreskes (A Real Pain), David Thompson (It's What's Inside), Ami MacKenzie (Pulse) and Ava Kostia (Love Across Time). Although Armstrong is best-known for Succession — understandably so given that it has earned him seven Emmys — he's an Oscar-nominee for In the Loop's screenplay, also co-created Peep Show, was a writer on The Thick of It and Veep, co-penned Four Lions and wrote a season-one episode of Black Mirror, among other credits. Check out the full trailer for Mountainhead below: Mountainhead streams via HBO Max from Sunday, June 1, 2025. Images: Macall Polay/HBO.
UPDATE: APRIL 4, 2019 — Unfortunately all tickets to Rone's Empire sold out extremely fast so, unless you are one of the ticketholders, you won't be able to see it IRL. But you can still look at the pictures here. Melbourne's acclaimed street artist Rone has launched his latest beauty-meets-decay installation — and this time, it's taken over a deserted art deco mansion in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges. Empire has transformed the 1930s estate into an exhibition combining art, vision, sound, light and VR (as well as scent and botanical design) to take visitors on an immersive multi-sensory experience. Empire is set in the 'decaying glory' of the Burnham Beeches mansion, which is now owned by the Vue Group but has been vacant for over 20 years. The exhibition spans 12 (previously empty) rooms over multiple storeys and centres around a series of the artist's signature 'Jane Doe' monochrome portraits — the muse for which is actress Lily Sullivan (Mental, Picnic at Hanging Rock). Apart from the murals, the art deco-era furnishings are courtesy of interior stylist Carly Spooner (Fitzroy's The Establishment Studios), who also worked on Rone's The Omega Project. The rooms have been furnished with over 500 antique pieces, including a moss-covered grand piano — which was left exposed in the open garden for several weeks to attain an aged effect. The four seasons play a major role in Empire, and this varying atmosphere was accomplished by a team of specialists. These include seasonal botanical installations by design studio Loose Leaf, scent design by Kat Snowden and lighting design by John McKissock. These go alongside a multi-channel sound work by composer Nick Batterham, who recorded ambient audio in the estate's gardens across different seasons. Expect a hauntingly beautiful vibe of an era gone by, as Rone seeks to create an ambiguous storyline that can be felt by each guest individually. Rone takes personal inspiration for the space from the Mark Romanek-directed music video for the Johnny Cash cover of Hurt (originally by Nine Inch Nails) — which should give a sense of what you're in for. The mansion began as the family home to wealthy industrialist Alfred Nicholas, before becoming a research facility, then a children's hospital, luxury hotel and finally falling into disrepair in the late 1990s. It was bought, along with the estate, by Shannon Bennett's Vue Group in 2010 — while the mansion has remained deserted, the group has opened a cafe and bakery on the property. The project took one year to complete and is Rone's largest yet. It's a follow up of sorts to the artist's 2017 installation The Omega Project, in which he similarly created an exhibition in a condemned family home in the inner north just before it was demolished. Empire by Rone will be on display from March 6 until April 22 at Burnham Beeches, 1 Sherbrooke Road, Sherbrooke. All tickets are unfortunately sold out.
South Melbourne Market has long been an integral part of the fabric of Melbourne's food culture, having been churning out fresh produce, top-notch seafood and much-needed flat whites for nigh on 150 years now. So the time is ripe for a big ol' party to say well done, you old thing. To celebrate the market's milestone, Saturday, May 6 will see a barbecue-heavy street party take over Cecil Street. From 10am until 10pm, pop-up stalls, live music and games will ensue — if you've got kids with you, you'll be able to drop them at the jumping castle while you head off in search of serious adult entertainment like the giant Connect Four and Jenga games on offer. Celebrate and eat yourself silly with barbecued Spanish chicken, Polish deli foodstuffs, spanakopita, haloumi souvlakis and barbecued pork belly tacos. But just leave room for some cake — there'll be a huge one on display made by the market's traders (150 years is a lot of candles, so it's bound to be big). The street party is just one of the events being put on by the South Melbourne Market to celebrate their 150th anniversary, others of which include an exhibition, tours and three new mural commissions. You can view the whole calendar of birthday events here.
If you're going to sit yourself down in someone's restaurant, eat their specially cooked food from their own personal dishes, drink their juices and leave them to clean up your mess, you'd feel like paying right? You'd think most Australians would, but Melbourne-founded 'pay-what-you-feel' restaurant Lentil as Anything is watching customer by customer happily walk out without paying much (or anything) at all. Reported by Good Food, the popular chain is losing money — a lot of money. Apparently people aren't as generous as they thought when the not-for-profit organisation first set up the bill honour system — mainly as a means to get much needed, good vegetarian food to people of a lower socioeconomic status. But it looks like people are genuinely stingy bastards and treating the joint as a free feed. LAA is operating at a major loss — GF reports the Abbotsford restaurant lost $4000 in one night, despite serving 1500 people (who'd just returned from Rainbow Serpent festival). This averaged out to about $2.75 a head. Well done, y'jerks. Lentil as Anything has no prices on their menu. The Melbourne and Sydney restaurants are entirely funded by donations with the kind and probably naive motto "everyone deserves a place at the table". GF reports roughly one million meals are served by LAA across the four restaurants each year, with running costs getting up to $24,000 per venue per week. To help this even out, you're advised to leave around $12 to cover the meal and the general running of the joint. But if you don't pay them properly, they pay for your dinner themselves. They pay for you to eat their deliciously healthy food in their dining room from their plates. If you can't pay, you're encouraged volunteer in the kitchen or come back later and pay the difference. Amazingly, Lentil as Anything intend to keep running their business with their philosophy intact. So, if you're the giant stingebucket robbing this goodhearted chain of their livelihood, or you've seen 'friends' leave a couple of bucks for a giant LAA meal, check yourself. Don't be a tightass and leave Lentil as Anything what they're due. Via Good Food.
Tired of treadmills? Wearied by weights? So-so on sports or swimming laps? If your go-to exercise has lost its appeal, thankfully, there are loads of other ways to work up a sweat. If you were put off by PE class, you'll be glad to know there's a ton of fun to be had with daringly different activities all over the city (and beyond). Whether you want to have a skill-building dance session, take your workout to new heights or simply get your heart pumping in the comfort of your own home, there's something for every fitness level. All you need to do is think outside the box squats and burpees. TURN YOUR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN IN A CIRCUS CLASS Remember going to the circus as a kid? The trapeze and tricks, aerials and acrobats — all of it looking like a damn good time. Well, the National Institute of Circus Arts is helping you join in the fun via its adult term classes. Choose from a lineup of workshops — there's aerial skills, tumbling, core strength or trampoline — that are led by circus professionals and are suitable for all ages and levels. Not very coordinated? No problem. Jump into a prep or beginner class with circus enthusiasts who are just starting out, too. The class sizes are small, which fosters a supportive learning experience and allows for one-on-one time with the trainer where necessary. Once you've mastered the basics, gear up for more advanced levels next term. SHAKE IT OFF AT RETROSWEAT Depending on your age, you might not be old enough to remember the VHS home workout revolution, but that's no reason for not dialling in to the nostalgia at Retrosweat. These online videos (and weekly live classes for Sydneysiders) feature gorgeous vintage 'fits and charismatic hosts to boot. Dolling yourself up in your 80s or 90s best isn't a must, but you absolutely should if it helps you get in the groove. There's classic aerobics, choose-your-own-adventure workouts and even Retroflow yoga, all set to retro bangers. Can't choose between Kylie K-Hole, The Whitney Workout or a mixtape session? No stress, all will have you move your muscles to stand-out blasts from the past. PRACTICE YOUR PRECISION Regular resistance training just not cutting it anymore? Time to up the intensity and unleash your inner warrior. Maniax, Australia's first urban axe-throwing company, hurled onto the scene in 2014, changing both group fitness and date nights forever. Gather your mates and get comfortable handling a literal weapon, then challenge each other in a tournament to determine the ultimate axe-throwing champion. You can also book a one-person Quick Chuck, where you get one lane and one hour of throwing your heart out. BEND LIKE A BALLERINA It's never too late to fall in love with ballet. At the Primrose Potter Ballet Centre in Southbank, would-be ballerinas at all levels can join professionally led 75-minute lessons to get their dance abilities en pointe. Beginners can familiarise themselves with the barre — working on posture, coordination and strength — in casual lessons or by joining a six-week class series. Intermediate classes focus on alignment and technique, while advanced lessons aim to develop your musicality and centre work. Worried about your two left feet? There's an absolute beginner level, too. [caption id="attachment_843815" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Garry Zhuang (Unsplash)[/caption] GO WILD AT GO KARTING Racing is a sport. Sure, it might be less sweaty than the others, but you'll be bracing your core the whole time you speed around Ace Karts' 700-metre outdoor track — especially on that 105-metre straight. With an average of 18 laps in a single session, you'll have plenty of time to perfect your skills on each of the seven corners. Once you've mastered every turn and know the course like the back of your hand, reverse it and challenge yourself again. Group or solo, this adrenaline rush is a far cry from days spent playing Mario Kart. PAINT YOUR MATES Head out of the CBD and straight into battle. A colourful, paintball battle. Whether you want to play out combat stories at Hot Shots, explore the three hectares of experiences at Sniper's Den, or pop into the ultra convenient World Series Paintball in Oakleigh, right near Chadstone. Some venues offer immersive sets and full storylines (including a Star Wars-themed adventure), and others have family-friendly sessions and lower impact pellets. Do you need to be a sharp shooter to enjoy it? Not at all. But with a bit of practice on your mates, you'll work up to nailing the perfect shot in no time. [caption id="attachment_693299" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stephanie Cook[/caption] SCALE THE WALLS Working your upper and lower body, improving flexibility, problem solving, grip and balance — rock climbing is a full body and mind workout. Luckily, there are many climbing and bouldering venues scattered throughout Melbourne for you to choose from. From Gravity Worx in Pascoe Vale to Bayside Rock in Carrum Downs and Hardrock in the CBD, each climbing gym has its own niche. Walls measure from 4.5 metres to 12 metres tall, and range from teetering angles to sky-high vertical ascents. Visit as a group or try and beat your personal best in speed or bouldering. This one is ideal if you like a bit more adventure in your fitness exploits. GET INTO POLE POSITION A workout that makes you feel powerful, skilled and maybe even a little bit sexy? Yes please. Pole is skill-based, meaning it's not about smashing out reps or beating best times. It's about learning new tricks and red-hot routines — and how to dance in heels. Build strength and flexibility while you explore pole, aerial hoop or silk skills at one of the four Melbourne Pole Room locations. The eight-week courses are progression-based, so you'll be supported as you gradually increase your abilities. Start with grips, spins and poses and advance to full routines from there. It's time to see what all the fuss is about. Are you keen to give circus training a go? For more information on NICA and to find a class that suits your schedule, visit the website.
Annie Leibovitz once famously stated that "there are still so many places on our planet that remain unexplored. I'd love to one day peel back the mystery and understand them". It is in this spirit that National Geographic presents its Photo of the Year winners. In an effort to uncover the "unexplored" and clandestine wonders of the world, National Geographic's annual competition provides a fascinating glimpse into the incredible beauty and complexity of the natural world, the places that define it, and the people that inhabit it. In 2012 a whopping 22,000 photographs from over 150 countries were submitted, with an expert panel of judges whittling this number down to a winner in each of the three categories (people, places, and nature) and the $10,000 Grand Prize Winner. Based on its remarkable creativity and visual flair, this year's "nature" winner and overall champion was Ashley Vincent's image of Busaba, the Indochinese tigress from Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo (above). Have a look below to see the rest of the winners along with the National Geographic readers' favourites and some other honorable mentions. Winner - Places The Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland. By Nenad Saljic. Winner - People Workers in Kenya's Dandora Municipal Dump Site, the only dumping site for waste in Nairobi, East Africa's most populous city. By Micah Albert. Viewers Choice - Nature Female cheetah Malaika and her cub in Masai mara National Reserve, Kenya. By Sanjeev Bhor. Viewers Choice - Places An iceberg frozen in place in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada. By Adam Coish. Viewers' Choice - People Explorers follow a race route over 100km of the Hardangervidda Mountainplateu, Norway to cross Greenland. By Kai-Otto Melau. Honorable Mention - Nature Thousands of fish moving in synchrony in Komodo, Indonesia. By Fransisca Harlijanto. Honorable Mention - People The traditional Chinese entertainment Dragon boating is a water sport, in Yanbu Town, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China. By ? ??. Honorable Mention - Places The Eiffel tower in Paris on a grey day. By Indra Swari Wonowidjojo. Honorable Mention - Nature A red fox goes after a mouse hidden under 2 feet of snow in Squaw Creek, Park Country, Wyoming. By Micheal Eastman. Honorable Mention - People Stilt fishing in Midigama, Sri Lanka. By Ulrich Lambert.
What has Jedi, Wookiees, a spate of deaths, and a new villain swinging around a red lightsaber and wearing a zipper-faced black mask? According to the first trailer from back in March and the new sneak peek that's just dropped for May the fourth, The Acolyte does. Star Wars, but make it a murder-mystery thriller? If that's your dream for a galaxy far, far away, it's looks like it's coming true in the sixth live-action series in the George Lucas-started sprawling saga to hit Disney+. This eight-episode effort will plunge into a grim spree — someone is killing Jedi — when it joins your streaming queue this winter, debuting its first two instalments on Tuesday, June 4. The Acolyte follows a Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game) who is forced to face a mysterious warrior (Amandla Stenberg, Bodies Bodies Bodies) from his past when bodies start piling up. Also in the stacked cast: Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Jodie Turner-Smith (Sex Education) and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix Resurrections). Rebecca Henderson (You Hurt My Feelings), Dean-Charles Chapman (Game of Thrones) and Joonas Suotamo (who played Chewbacca in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker) also co-star. It was true in the first trailer and it remains that way now: the vibe in these two first glimpses is deeply moody, leaning into the dark side and filled with confrontation. Visually, there's a gloomier look to much of the trailers as well, with creator Leslye Headland (Russian Doll) adding something distinctive to the ever-expanding space-opera franchise. Also different is the fact that The Acolyte takes place during High Republic era, which means that its events precede Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace by a century. Don't go expecting a heap of familiar faces popping up, then, whether Stenberg's assassin is attempting to slay Moss' Jedi, lightsabers are being swung, or a Wookiee or a never-bef0re-seen Sith are making an appearance. On the small screen, The Acolyte slips into the Star Wars realm after The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor and Ahsoka, all of which have arrived since 2019. Both Andor and Ahsoka also have second seasons on the way. Only one film in the saga has been released in that period, with The Rise of Skywalker closing out the third big-screen trilogy in the franchise just a month after The Mandalorian premiered. The next movie expected: The Mandalorian spinoff The Mandalorian & Grogu. Check out the new trailer for The Acolyte below: The Acolyte will stream via Disney+ from Tuesday, June 4, 2o24. Images: ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
After a hefty two-year hiatus, one of the bright sparks of Melbourne's frosty winter has made its way back onto the social calendar. You'd best clear your hump day schedule for the foreseeable future, because Queen Victoria Market's beloved Winter Night Market is set to return next month, running from June 1 to August 31. From 5pm every Wednesday, the QVM will be transformed into the kind of winter wonderland worth getting excited about, tempting you off the couch with a cosy program of street food, pop-up bars, live entertainment and artisan market stalls. What's more, come the middle of the season, the Night Market will be sating all your Euro winter holiday cravings with a special run of Christmas in July-themed nights, complete with festive decorations and gently-falling snow. As always, the Winter Night Market is set to serve up a tantalising assortment of street eats each week, with a huge array of food vendors repping dishes from all corners of the world. You can get excited for bowls of cheesy pasta, piping-hot dumplings, barbecued meat dishes and things grilled on sticks, perfectly paired with warming sips like mulled wine, hot gin toddies and spiced cider. The full culinary lineup will be dropping soon, so stay tuned. Meanwhile, as you're filling your belly with tasty winter fare, you'll be kept entertained with a rotation of live gigs and roving performers. After all, what better way to warm your cockles and work off a big serve of caccio e pepe, than a cheeky dance floor session? If you're a longtime fan, you'll know market stalls are also a big part of the offering here. This year, expect as vast a lineup as ever, with vendors slinging everything from jewellery and art, to skincare, homewares and books. The Winter Night Market will return to the Queen Victoria Market, corner of Queen and Therry Streets, Melbourne, running Wednesday nights from June 1–August 31. We'll share the full lineup of entertainment and food vendors as it drops.
It's been three years since beloved Brunswick East cafe Pope Joan was forced to shut up shop and move, in order to make way for a new apartment building development. Now, former sibling and next-door neighbour The Pie Shop is also bidding farewell to its Nicholson Street address, with the team announcing that the venue is set to close later this month. Owner–chef Matt Wilkinson broke the news via Instagram earlier this week: "Due to unforeseen circumstances we've been ushered on from what has been our home for the last 5 years as the Pie Shop!!!" The post went on to thank regulars and the pie-loving community for its support over the years and announced a rather fitting end date for the venue's current iteration. "It's with sadness that we will be closing up @thepieshopmelb on Grand Final Day at 2pm September 25th," the social media post said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Pie Shop (@thepieshopmelb) "It has been a great innings and a great time to bow out just after the finals," Wilkinson told Concrete Playground separately, confirming the closure had come down to an issue related to lease negotiations. "It was all pretty sudden," he explained. But in good news, it's not goodbye forever. The chef hinted at plans to revisit The Pie Shop at some stage in the future. In the meantime, Wilkinson assures us he'll be kept busy with his many other projects, including his role as Culinary Director at the Mornington Peninsula's Montalto and as Creative Director of Made From Gin — the chef's product line done in collaboration with Four Pillars. Pie-lovers have just under two more weeks to get their Pie Shop fix, with the store fully stocked up on crowd favourites like The Allen (slow-cooked beef, tomato and veg), The Shazza (cauliflower, leek and cheddar) and The Brian (mushroom and gruyere). The kitchen's well known for its excellent homemade riffs on the classic Aussie pie, featuring flaky pastry loaded with top-notch fillings. It's currently cooking up a storm every Friday and Saturday, and you can pre-order here for pick up. Find The Pie Shop at 75 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East, until September 25. We'll share news of any future plans as and when it's revealed. The Pie Shop recently made it into our top picks for Melbourne's best pies — you can check out the full list here. Top Images: Annika Kafcaloudis
