Just because you're flying solo or you're sans family this festive season, doesn't mean you can't have a Christmas cracker of a good time. Especially since the folks at The B.East are welcoming one and all to their bumper LGBTQIA+ Christmas party on Saturday, December 17. The theme is Homo Alono and, as you might have guessed, that's a nod to everyone's favourite Macaulay Culkin-starring festive film franchise. Kicking off from 8pm, there's a whole swag of fun in store, from Christmas cocktails to karaoke. [caption id="attachment_882531" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Duncographic[/caption] Dance-floor fiends can get down to tunes from the likes of Tiny Text and Dirty Versachi, who'll be spinning until the wee hours. Meanwhile, self-professed foodie queen and drag sensation Aysha Buffet will play hostess with the mostest for both karaoke and an ugly Christmas sweater catwalk competition. Be sure to don your most outrageous festive 'fit so you can join the fun and be in with a shot at first prize. Best of all, entry is free, leaving you a little more dosh to spend on those last-minute Christmas presents next week. Images: Duncographic
Coffee can do many things. It can bring you back to life when you've had a big one and need to drag your ol' bag of bones to the office. And it can keep those tired eyes open after hours of staring at the same screen. Yep, coffee can get you raring, but it won't be what keeps you going. That's food. The wonders of a square meal in your stomach via a very good feed are many so, together with our friends at American Express, we've compiled a list of six places to head to when you need to refuel your empty tank. Haircuts, groceries, taxes: you can power through them all, thanks to food (and your American Express Card). It turns out eating isn't cheating when it comes to getting things done.
It's true in Baz Luhrmann's beloved movie musical Moulin Rouge!, and it's true about the Tony-winning stage version that's wowed Broadway and first hit Melbourne in 2021: the show must go on. Didn't get a chance to see this film-to-theatre spectacular during its initial Victorian run? Been regretting it ever since? Thankfully, this gorgeous production heads back to the Regent Theatre from Sunday, August 20. Yes, it's spectacular (spectacular) news. It's so exciting, you're allowed to stomp and cheer, too. Once more, Melbourne will stand in for the Montmartre Quarter of Paris — the backdrop for a heady romance between lovestruck young bohemian Christian and performer Satine, star of the legendary titular cabaret. As Luhrmann's award-winning, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring movie did before it, the stage musical spins their tale, ups, downs, joys, heartbreaks, wins, tragedies and all. Moulin Rouge! The Musical isn't just heavy on star-crossed romance, however. Also like the film it's based on, it comes with a loaded soundtrack that celebrates iconic tunes from across the past five decades. Indeed, Moulin Rouge! The Musical backs up those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered. It has now been seven years since, back in 2016 it was first announced that Moulin Rouge! was being turned into a stage musical — and this delight was always going to prove popular. Since then, the lavish production premiered in the US in 2018, then hit Broadway in 2019, and finally made its way Down Under — and also became the first-ever Aussie-produced show to win the Tony for Best Musical. Images: Michelle Grace Hunder.
Life is one long list of shindigs. We pop a cork on New Year’s Eve, don a tinsel wig for Mardi Gras, throw confetti all over our houses to warm them properly; each a shining story to embellish and revel in down the track. Immortalising these chapters of celebration in the visual equivalent of being blasted in the face with a confetti cannon, Sydney designers Romance Was Born have launched their very first exhibition, Reflected Glory, teaming up with kinetic sculptor and installation artist Rebecca Baumann. Launching in time for Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week Australia, Reflected Glory sees designers Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales veer off the runway and make a temporary, kaleidoscopic home within the industrial walls of Carriageworks. Rather than staring out the window and sobbing all over the past, RWB and Baumann seize the party blowers and celebrate the milestones that make our lives that extra bit spesh. Life, Death, It’s One Big RSVP Each piece in the collection represents a unique celebration, rite of passage or circled calendar date, from Mardi Gras to white weddings to that unavoidable final soiree, the wake. A sherbet-paletted, butterfly-beaded sweet sixteenth descends Baumann’s candy-coloured staircase, a Picnic at Hanging Rock-meets-Christina Ricci in Casper wedding dress hovers in a fairy floss pink haze, while a slowly revolving, truly magnificent mirrorball of a silver jacket triggers hazy New Year’s Eve memories. There's a metaphoric reflectiveness to the garments, as well as literal. “[I] really like the idea of reflecting back on the past,” says Sales. “The way we celebrate different milestones and the memory that can bring back.” Sales likened the process to a big night out, forgotten the morning after but slowly and (for the most part) fondly pieced back together over time. Sales points to one of the most striking pieces in the collection, an ode to Mardi Gras, a reflective hootenanny of a party dress. Shingled with the same multicoloured plastic making up Baumann’s kaleidoscopic disco floor nearby, the piece is fringed by a shaggy, shiny rainbow skirt that looks suspiciously like… wigs? “Yeah, tinsel wigs,” he triumphantly confirms. “And that’s New Year’s Eve, so it’s meant to be like a mirror ball. This is a house party, with the curtains and that t-shirt I was wearing the first time I met Anna at a house party.” The pair met at said house party in 2005 while students at East Sydney Technical College. Plunkett and Sales have since gained an international reputation for their unmistakable RWB swag. The T-shirt in question sports a nautical Madonna, a sentimental relic found in the back of Sales’ wardrobe now emblazoned with the pair’s thematic, tightly packed sequins. Plunkett sees the garment as a perfect representation of the pair’s fused ideology, “We embellished the garment in clear sequins and now this piece embodies the creative spirit between the both of us,” she says. Fashion, Meet Art. Art, Fashion. Regularly blurring distinctions between fashion and art, Sales and Plunkett are no strangers to the spoils of influence and collaboration. Before paying tribute to legendary Marvel Comics artist Jack Kirby in their hugely popular Summer 2012 collection, Berserkergang, Plunkett and Sales celebrated the treasured memories of a small-town Australian childhood with Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton, employing her exclusive digital ‘eye’ and ‘magic’ prints for their Spring/Summer ‘06/07 collection Regional Australia. It was in their Summer 2014 collection, Mushroom Magic, that the pair used a print from Rebecca Baumann’s work ‘Improvised Smoke Devise’. Scales and Plunkett met up with Baumann after the show and checked out some snaps of her installation works. Carriageworks had already commissioned RWB to create a work for their 2014 artistic program, timing the launch for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, thus the perfect opportunity to let their palettes blend. Reflected Glory is a fusion of Baumann’s celebratory installation style and RWB’s whimsical experimentation with detail. Where an RWB embellished T-shirt starts, Baumann’s signature gold tinsel ends, her 2010 work ‘Untitled Cascade’, playfully making a cameo in an epic train to the ‘House Party’ piece. Baumann’s popping candy-like projections set a prom-night stage for RWB’s sparkling moments of nostalgia, a fusion RWB embraced within their designs. “It’s very collaborative, like, super organic. Elements just kind of fell into place and we went with it,” says Plunkett. “[It’s fun] to use an artist’s influence, like, directly influencing our prints. We’ve reinterpreted her artwork too, so it’s a lot more interactive.” Every print in the exhibition comes from the Reflected Glory ready to wear collection, to be unleashed down the track. If there weren’t enough actual sequins sewed meticulously into each sleeve and bodice, the prints are magnified, saturated fields of photographic sequins. Each print was shot in direct sunlight for “maximum reflection” as Sales puts it. Leave The Models Out Of This Models have been left at the Carriageworks door for this exhibition. Working with mannequins instead of models, you’re working with a few advantages — the pieces aren’t bound by human restrictions like walking ability, plus mannequins don’t have homes to go to. In Reflected Glory viewers aren’t bound by their runwayside seats; instead, they are able to wander through the space and let the mirrorball motors unveil every last garment inch. Plunkett says working in an exhibition space as opposed to sending pieces down a runway can be a welcome change. “It’s kind of refreshing. It’s fun to be able to explore clothing but spatially, with light and through texture and kinetics.” But Sales and Plunkett insist the design process would be the same, models or not. “In the beginning I thought we wouldn’t design dresses so much — it would be more like objects with bigger shapes, more sculptural. But I feel like that’s not really who we are,” says Sales. “We’re designers not artists, we’re not trying to make sculpture.” A kinetic sculptor by trade, Baumann was a perfect partner in the duo’s quest to keep things moving. Baumann’s kaleidoscopic projections, bold geometric installations and carefully aimed lighting give each handsewn sequin, elaborate ruffled collar and tinsel-woven bodice its own glinting moment. “We didn’t just want to put mannequins in amongst some art and call that the exhibition,” says Sales, backed up by Plunkett. “We’re really interested in it not being a static thing,” she says. “The whole idea of suspending the garments with mannequins … We really wanted to be able to interact with the space, light and the eye.” Don't Design For The Industry With mirrorball outfits, oversized white sequins and embellished Madonna T-shirts supported by '80s love songs and candy store lighting, RWB definitely don’t create to please the fashion crowd. Both Sales and Plunkett see the shortcomings of an industry that can often suck the fun out of an essentially playful medium. “I guess we kind of have a bit of a sense of humour with what we do,” says Sales. “We don’t try and get too serious with fashion and I think, for me, fashion’s not about that. Fashion’s about expressing yourself and being fun and having fun with who you are and trying to communicate who you are to people.” “In a way, it feels like we’ve kind of gone back to our roots a bit more, working together, hand-sewing the garments together, draping it on the dummy and stitching it together,” he says. “It’s a bit more organic.” “I hope that people do take away that it is as uplifting as our usual runway show,” says Plunkett, pausing for a moment to consider the crowd attending. “Hopefully, but the fashion crowd can be very critical… Actually, bring it on.” Reflected Glory runs April 9 to May 11 at Carriageworks. Images by Zan Wembley and Lindsay Smith.
UPDATE MONDAY, MARCH 15: For the Love Melbourne has been postponed due to current gathering restrictions. It will now take place on Saturday, September 18. The below article has been updated to reflect this. By this stage, there's every chance you've forgotten what a dance floor even looks like. But the folks at Untitled Group — the same minds behind Beyond the Valley, Pitch Music & Arts and Ability Fest — are here to get you reacquainted. They've just revealed a huge all-Aussie lineup for the 2021 edition of their live music series For The Love, which is headed to Perth, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. Across three dates, legendary acts including electronic duo Flight Facilities, dance floor darlings Cosmo's Midnight and Brisbane alt-pop sensation Mallrat will help you dust off the cobwebs and rediscover that groove. The party kicks off at Doug Jennings Park on the Gold Coast on Saturday, August 7 before continuing on to Perth's McCallum Park on Saturday, September 4 and Birrarung Marr in Melbourne on Saturday, September 18. These three waterfront venues are set to be transformed into blissful dance destinations, heaving to live sounds from favourites like singer-songwriter Running Touch and brother-sister duo Lastlings, along with London Topaz, Boo Seeka, George Maple and Elizabeth Cambage. Punters will also have the opportunity to kick back in style in one of For The Love's VIP lounges, presented by Aussie streetwear label Nana Judy. If an evening spent cutting shapes by the water sounds like a much-needed addition to your calendar, you can purchase tickets online for the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth editions of the festival.
Last year's lockdowns left little opportunity for scouting out fresh, exciting local booze. But there's a new campaign that promises to help rekindle your appreciation for homegrown tipples, and get your 2022 drinking habits off to a much more adventurous start. Brainchild of the Victorian Drinks Alliance (VDA), Drink Victorian launched last month as a six-month pilot program, aimed at celebrating — and improving access to — the state's finest booze creations. Supported by the Victorian Government, the initiative has seen the VDA team up with 100 leading Melbourne restaurants, bars and pubs, shaking up their drinks lists to showcase even more great Victorian wine, beer, cider and spirits. And in the process, to give customers more opportunity to get acquainted with top-notch local drinks talent. Drink Victorian's aim is to remind drinkers of the diversity of world-class drops being made here in our own backyard, and to encourage the city's drinks lists to champion locality as much as its food menus currently do. [caption id="attachment_839210" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blackhearts & Sparrows' Smith Street store[/caption] To that end, prepare to see a wealth of fresh local talent heroed on the menu next time you visit any of the participating venues — whether it's for memorable cocktails at Byrdi, Ugly Duckling or Capitano; some tasty brews at Beer Deluxe or Hopscotch; or a wine-sipping session at the likes of The Moon, Marion or Congress. Also onboard is Melbourne-born indie drinks retailer Blackhearts & Sparrows, which is leading its own push to encourage customers to buy local when it comes to wine, beer, cider and spirits. Drink Victorian will also run a series of industry events and tastings aimed at growing the relationships between local drinks producers and the venues pouring them. The program will run on a trial basis until May this year, when it'll wrap up with a huge two-day drinks showcase held as part of the 2022 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. More on that to come. Drink Victorian started in December 2021 and runs until May 2022, involving 100 participating venues across the city. For more details and to see which venues are taking part, head to the initiative's website. Top image: Carmen Zammit.
After five months of deliberation, Nestlé has announced the new names for two of its classic lollies. Those chewy red lollies FKA Redskins are now Red Ripper and the brand's chocolate-flavoured, people-shaped Chicos are now called Cheekies. The names may not seem dramatically different at first glance, but they no longer have the racist overtones the company says are "out of step" with its values. "Nestle has an unwavering commitment to upholding respect for our friends, neighbours and colleagues," General Manager Confectionery Chris O'Donnell said in a statement about the name changes. Redskins is an antiquated and derogatory term for Native Americans, while Chicos means 'children' in Spanish and is considered offensive to people of Latin American descent. The lolly monolith first announced the decision to change the Allen's brand lollies' names back in June, when discussions around race and discrimination were thrust to the fore due to the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, and protests over the death of American George Floyd at the hands of a police officer — as well as, at the local level, the ongoing fight to end the systemic mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori by law enforcement. Calls for Nestlé to change the names of its two products aren't new, however — with the debate raging when they were featured in a 2013 episode of MasterChef Australia — and they're not the only controversially named product on Australia supermarket shelves, either. Cheese brand Coon also recently announced it will change its name. A similar long-running debate about the offensiveness of the Washington Redskins NFL ramped up in the US this year, too, and led to the team removing its logo and temporarily changing its name to Washington Football Team for at least the 2020 season, before deciding on a new permanent name. While the Nestlé lollies will have different names when the new packaging lands on supermarket shelves in 2021, the company promises the lollies themselves "remain unchanged". Red Ripper and Cheekies will hit supermarket shelves in early 2021.
Melbourne's South Wharf has an all-day Japanese bar serving up freezing cold brews, creative cocktails, share plates and even breakfast seven days a week. Citizen's major draw here is its cocktail menu ($18-20), which offers Japanese sake, umeshu, gin and whisky concoctions. Fans of sours will be happy to find a matcha version — mixed with Nikka gin, ginger syrup and egg white — or the Jasmine Yuzu, combining yuzu gin, jasmine tea, honey and egg white. There's also the Canteen Spritz (Nikka whisky, prosecco and elderflower syrup) and the Bubble T (souchong tea, amaro, Cointreau, lime and milk) to choose from, among others. The bar has also partnered with Asahi to bring Melburnians sub-zero beers, which have been chilled to -2.2 degrees. A succinct wine menu is also on offer. As to be expected, Japanese-inspired snacks are available alongside the drinks menu. There are miso eggplant chips ($12), prawn and chicken chilli dumplings ($16) and crispy barramundi wings with seaweed mayo ($16). For more substantial eats, go for the pork tonkatsu sando ($17) or one of three brown rice bowls, including a beef short rib number with kimchi and miso barbecue sauce ($26) and the grilled koji tofu with asparagus and yuzu ($21). For dessert, there's a matcha ice cream sandwich ($11) and a miso chocolate brownie ($11). Open from 7am weekdays and 8am on weekends, diners can also nab coffees and typical Aussie brekkies here — think Dr Marty's crumpets with miso honey ($10), along with ham and cheese croissants ($9), baked eggs ($14) and BLTs ($12). But this daytime vibe quickly disappears come evening, when the neon-lit bar comes alive to transport punters to Tokyo for a night.
It's the home stretch. Winter is almost over, which is a good thing depending on who you ask — but whether you love the cold or loathe it, there's no denying a hearty soup makes cold Melbourne nights so much more enjoyable (and bearable). So it's wonderful news that Hanoi Hannah's Winter Soup Series has kicked off for another year. Running until Tuesday, 12 September, diners will be able to enjoy a rotating selection of six mouthwatering soups. Highlights include Banh Canh Cua — crab and tomato broth, banh canh noodles, soft shell crab and quail egg ($28), Hu Tieu Noodles — pork loin broth, tapioca noodles, prawns and fried shallots ($28), and Crispy Chicken With Dry Egg Noodles — master stock crispy chicken, sweet soy egg noodle, garlic chives and choi sum ($26). That's not where the good times end though. If you fancy yourself something of a soup whisperer, Hanoi Hannah is inviting diners to jump onto its website to submit their very own soup recipe. But you won't be sharing your genius for free, as the winning entry will appear on the official menu — not a bad addition to any resume. It's not just bragging rights on offer either, with the winner also scoring a $1000 voucher to use at any Commune venue. Images: supplied.
If it feels like you've been seeing a lot of Benedict Cumberbatch lately, there's a reason for that. On screens big and small, the British actor has featured in no fewer than five movies in 2021. Thanks to The Power of the Dog, he even looks poised to collect an Oscar for the best of them — and, with Spider-Man: No Way Home, he's also a significant part of the flick that's certain to be crowned the biggest box office hit of the entire year. Cumberbatch popped his Doctor Strange cloak back on in the hit web-slinging movie and, as anyone with an interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will know — anyone who watched No Way Home, too — he's set to reprise the role next May. That's when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will reach cinemas, in what's both a sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange and the 28th movie in the MCU. As the just-dropped first trailer shows, this new dive into the mystic arts promises to live up to its name. In No Way Home, Doctor Strange was asked to cast a spell to make the world forget it knew Spider-Man's true identity — and that had big repercussions in that film, exposing the MCU to the multiverse. Those consequences will flow over to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as will trippy Inception-style imagery, Strange's brooding demeanour and Marvel's usual world-in-peril shenanigans. Few MCU movies ever just feature one of the franchise's superheroes, so a post-WandaVision Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) also pops up — alongside Benedict Wong (Nine Days) as Wong, Rachel McAdams (Game Night) as Strange's ex Dr Christine Palmer and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Locked Down) as fellow Master of the Mystic Arts Mordo. In one of Marvel's nice pieces of symmetry, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness marks the MCU filmmaking debut of acclaimed Evil Dead franchise director Sam Raimi — the man who helmed the original three Spider-Man movies in the 00s, way back before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was even a glimmer in the comic book company's eye, and obviously long before Doctor Strange and Tom Holland's Spider-Man became pals. Check out the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer below: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in cinemas Down Under on May 5, 2022. Images: Photos courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Having enough clean drinking water may not be an issue that plagues you day-to-day. But it is an issue that plagues billions of people around the world and has been at the forefront of news with Cape Town, South Africa, reaching its final 90 days of water. In a scientific breakthrough, Australian scientists have just discovered a way to easily purify water using an ingredient found in vegetable oil — and they tested it using the iconic Sydney Harbour. CSIRO scientists created a small filtration device, a tiny membrane dubbed Graphair, that can quickly purify water in a single step. As it's made from soybean oil, it's also cheap to make. To test the effectiveness of the device, the group of scientists purified water from the Sydney Harbour (which, while known for its beauty, certainly isn't known for its cleanliness). And it worked so well, the resulting water was safe to drink. The scientists published their results overnight in Nature Communications, an open-access journal, and plan to take the product overseas to developing countries next year. Source and image: CSIRO
OVERVIEW Are you an authority on pop culture, music, food, drink, events and city life? Are you adept at putting your thoughts on those things into words that people can’t help but read? Are you a total pro at all things digital? Concrete Playground is currently seeking a skilled, experienced journalist/editor to join its Sydney team as deputy editor, and if you answered in the affirmative to all of the above, you may just be the person we’re looking for. RESPONSIBILITIES Working closely with the editor-in-chief from our Redfern, Sydney office, you'll come up with story ideas, write articles and commission work from a team of freelancers. Fastidious subediting will be a pillar of your day, as will making images, text, video and links work together as a happy whole. Your primary responsibilities will include: Leading Concrete Playground's news and features content across Australia and New Zealand.Management and growth of Concrete Playground’s various social media channels.Assisting with the planning and execution of Concrete Playground’s editorial strategy.Creation of varied written and multimedia content.Management of freelance news contributors across five cities. REQUIREMENTS A university degreeAt least one year's experience in the online media environment.A demonstrated ability to write smart, funny, popular articles quickly, and to come up with even more ideas than you can write.Solid subediting skills and ability to work with a style guide.Experience with social media management and strategy.Knowledge of SEO and basic HTML.Experience working with a content management system (preferably Wordpress).A good eye for images and skills with image production (preferably Photoshop).Expertise on the topics of music and pop culture, though you might also be strong in: technology, design, sustainability, current affairs, fashion, lifestyle, travel, food & drink, film, the arts and local cultural life.Some photography or videography skills. HOW TO APPLY Please send your cover letter, CV and links to 3-4 relevant online writing samples to Concrete Playground’s editor-in-chief, Rima Sabina Aouf, at contribute@concreteplayground.com.au WHO WE ARE Concrete Playground is an online weather vane pointing readers to the cultural tornadoes that are just about to hit. Our writers, editors and contributors have a constant ear to the under and above (but never middle) ground of the creative worlds of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland and Wellington. Ideally, applicants will be pretty familiar with us and what we're about.
As we've all been told for centuries on the page, then on the stage, and also on the screen since the birth of film, vampires can live forever. Here's another undead fact: stories about the horror favourites definitely seem to. And, as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows have shown, such tales are mighty skilled at prolonging their lives. In both of the above instances, movies became TV shows — and fantastic ones at that. On the big screen, What We Do in the Shadows was delightful and hilarious. A New Zealand-shot and -set vampire sharehouse mockumentary made by and starring Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi was always going to be. On the small screen since 2019, the American TV version of What We Do in the Shadows has also proven the same. In fact, with fellow spinoff Wellington Paranormal — the NZ television show that stuck with the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural — it's part of the best on-screen universe there is. Thankfully, the small-screen take on What We Do in the Shadows shows no signs of slowing down. Come mid-July, its fourth season will hit Australia via Binge and New Zealand via Neon, in fact. Even better: based on the two trailers so far — one dropping in early June, and the other to round out the month — fans are set for another wonderfully amusing bloodsuckers gem. For the uninitiated, this iteration of What We Do in the Shadows is set in Staten Island. No, Pete Davidson doesn't show up. Instead, the series focuses on a household where vamps Nandor (Kayvan Novak, Cruella), Laszlo (Matt Berry, Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) all live. Energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch, The Office) and Nandor's familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen, Werewolves Within), slayers have also staked a claim in the story. There's much, much more to the Shadows television spinoff than that — and plenty to laugh at as well. This time around, there'll also be a vampire nightclub, undead dance-offs, a vamp freestyle rap, a genie's lamp, polyamory, multiple dead wives returning at the same time, and a baby version of Colin. Given that two 'Rasputin'-soundtracked trailers can't tell the full story, as wonderful as both sneak peeks are, expect plenty more where all of that came from. Check out the latest trailer for What We Do in the Shadows season four below: What We Do in the Shadows' fourth season starts streaming in the Australia via Binge on Wednesday, July 13 and New Zealand via Neon on Thursday, July 14.
You probably already know about New York's reputation for top-quality digs, so you'll be pleased to learn these high standards extend well beyond the city limits. If you're considering venturing upstate — which you absolutely should be — idyllic retreats abound. Not only will the New York holiday of your dreams have the fabulous accommodation to match, but you'll also have direct access to some of the state's underrated gems: its charming small-town communities and boundless outdoor and cultural adventures. We've teamed up with New York State to present some of the most stellar accommodation throughout the state. From scenic summer camps to beachfront escapes, here are our picks to make your next New York adventure even more special. [caption id="attachment_851092" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brooke O'Neil - Courtesy of Franklin County[/caption] WHITE PINE CAMP, PAUL SMITHS If it's good enough for a president then it's good enough for you. Set in Paul Smiths, in the heart of the Adirondacks region, White Pine Camp is the former holiday home of President Calvin Coolidge. Nowadays, it's a year-round getaway that places you right in nature's beauty. You'll have 13 stately cabins and cottages to choose from, each featuring handcrafted furnishings, stone fireplaces and stunning views. This provincial wonderland is one of the region's 'Great Camps' — a label reserved for the remarkable lakeside homes built by wealthy 19th-century families. There are endless activities to experience during your stay. You can enjoy boating, hiking, fishing and bowling. Then, when you're ready to unwind, head to the camp's Japanese tea house for a cocktail. [caption id="attachment_851090" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Buffalo Niagara, Kim Smith,[/caption] THE MANSION ON DELAWARE AVENUE, BUFFALO Buffalo is one of the most captivating cities in the United States. From the recently restored 19th- and early 20th-century architectural gems and picturesque gardens to the thriving entertainment and nightlife scenes, there are many things that make the city well worth a visit. Located in the heart of the city, The Mansion on Delaware offers an up-close glimpse of the aforementioned 19th-century grandeur. The elegance of the property is undeniable from the moment you step inside, with 15-foot ceilings and handcrafted details that ooze class. You can live out all your upper-class fantasies here, too. To complement the venue's grand allure, a team of "new-fashioned butlers" are waiting at your beck and call, whether you need the ideal restaurant reservation, day-trip suggestions or even a personal driver to whisk you to a nearby landmark. [caption id="attachment_844998" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phillip Ennis, Courtesy of Oheka Castle[/caption] OHEKA CASTLE, HUNTINGTON Oheka Castle is believed to have inspired The Great Gatsby, so booking a stay in this sprawling mansion ensures you get the chance to live out your Roaring Twenties fantasies. Here, at the highest point of Long Island, luxury is the name of the game, with a selection of sophisticated suites offering opulent decor alongside views stretching across the pristine grounds. Downstairs, the OHK Bar and Restaurant is open for brunch, lunch and dinner, and has a distinctly European atmosphere. You're also welcome to explore the gardens, order an in-room massage, hit the gym or even attend a daily tour of this storied mansion. [caption id="attachment_851095" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Dutchess Tourism[/caption] THE ROUNDHOUSE, BEACON The charming town of Beacon makes for the ideal artsy escape, as this former industrial hub has evolved into a cultural destination over the last 20 years. The Roundhouse embodies this rejuvenation perfectly. The historic mill was transformed into a boutique hotel and restaurant in 2010, but many of the property's refined architectural details were preserved. The Roundhouse is perched on the edge of the fast-flowing Fishkill Creek, offering views of the adjacent Beacon Falls. This easy-on-the-eye spot has 51 guestrooms decked out with mid-century decor. Meanwhile, the acclaimed restaurant showcases goods from local farms, wineries and distilleries. [caption id="attachment_844992" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE, NEW PALTZ Mohonk Mountain House is another majestic stay that'll see you surrounded by the Hudson Valley's incredible scenery. This early 20th-century estate is based on the edge of Lake Mohonk and is surrounded by 40,000 acres of forest. You won't be left looking for ways to fill your time either. First of all, there are some 85 miles of hiking trails to explore. You can also go kayaking and fly fishing on the lake that sits next to the estate, or make the most of the estate's award-winning spa and top-notch recreational facilities, including tennis courts, an indoor pool, a golf course and more. Mohonk Mountain House is also known for its farm-to-table cuisine, which is served throughout its many venues. [caption id="attachment_851104" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Greene County Tourism & Film Office[/caption] EASTWIND HOTEL AND BAR, WINDHAM When your main priority is reconnecting with nature, eco-conscious glamping in the rugged countryside is bound to fit the bill. Eastwind Hotel and Bar, overlooking the Catskill Mountains, is a fantastic choice. The property's A-frame glamping tents and cabins will level up your outdoor encounters with their Scandinavian-style architecture and amenities. Here, you don't need to forgo the creature comforts during your stay — even the basic offering comes with wifi, lush robes and private bathrooms. Opting for an upgraded hut, meanwhile, will score you a cosy lounge area, writing nook, outdoor fire pit and shower, and a private deck to appreciate the views. Throw in a visit to the hotel's trendy cocktail bar and a sweat sesh in the wood-barrelled sauna, and this out-of-town haunt won't disappoint. THE LAKE HOUSE ON CANANDAIGUA, CANANDAIGUA The Finger Lakes is one of upstate New York's top destinations, known for its picturesque lakes, wineries and top-class recreational facilities. Sound like your sort of place? The Lake House on Canandaigua is where you should stay. Modern yet flourished with old-world charm, this peaceful location is the perfect place to base yourself when exploring the surrounding landscapes. Alongside the 125 picture-perfect rooms, dining is a clear focus at the hotel. The Sand Bar offers a laidback atmosphere and colourful cocktails overlooking the water, while Rose Tavern levels up the class with rustic decor and hearth-cooked cuisine. For activities, there's a fully kitted day spa, ice skating in winter, morning meditation sessions and much more. STARLITE MOTEL, KERHONKSON The Starlite Motel is a 1960s motor lodge that has been lovingly restored to its former glory through modern updates and fashionable touches, ranging from a kitschy pink exterior and retro tiling to vintage appliances that instantly transport you to a bygone age. When you're not exploring the many nearby hiking, biking and climbing locations, you're invited to make the most of an outdoor pool and communal firepits. There's also a lo-fi canteen serving local drinks and snacks, while a selection of barbecue grills means you can whip up your own feast beneath the stars. [caption id="attachment_851100" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Ulster County Tourism/Film[/caption] WOODSTOCK WAY HOTEL, WOODSTOCK Inspired by the music and counterculture that made its namesake community so famous, Woodstock Way Hotel invites guests to experience this history through rustic-chic architecture and enchanting gardens. The rooms, suites and cottages are adorned with vintage decor and artwork, so expect to feel immersed in the lush outdoors through balconies and private gardens. Although there's no on-site restaurant, the communal area offers snacks and drinks. You're also just a quick walk from the centre of town, meaning you can experience Woodstock's wealth of stylish restaurants, bars and fashion boutiques with ease. To start planning your trip to New York State, head to iloveny.com. Also, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best food and drink stops, cultural experiences, outdoor adventures and day trips from NYC. Top image: Courtesy of Oheka Castle
The multicultural food paradise that is Preston Market is launching into the Year of the Rabbit with a jam-packed day of traditional Chinese festivities. Head along from 10am on Sunday, January 29, to immerse yourself in the dazzling Lunar New Year celebrations, featuring dancers, art and crafts, and of course, a whole lot of feasting. It'll all kick off with a store blessing and lion dance by the CMS Lion Dance Team, followed by a bunch of themed, family-friendly creative workshops and pop-ups. Meanwhile, Jinli Wushu-Tai Chi will be taking punters through guided 20-minute tai chi classes, and there'll be stacks of entertainment thanks to the likes of Melbourne Chinese Performing Arts, magician Johnson Hsu and songstress Sabrina Chou. From 11am, you can level up your dinner game at a dumpling workshop led by MasterChef alum Chris Tran. Get in quick for free fortune cookies and complimentary tastings, too. You'll also be able to sink your teeth into a slew of other classic Asian dishes visiting resident stalls like 888 Street Food, T's Vietnamese Classics and South Melbourne Dim Sims. With more than 30 Asian food traders on Preston Market's roster, there's absolutely no shortage of LNY options here.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to the Manly Pacific on Sydney's Northern Beaches. We partnered with this lush hotel to give CP readers a special deal — a luxurious one-night stay — that can only be found on Concrete Playground Trips. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This boutique hotel serves up top luxury features alongside uninterrupted beach views, creating a relaxing city escape just 20 minutes from Sydney's CBD. THE ROOMS There are stacks of room and suite options at Manly Pacific. Some look out over the town and are minimal on inclusions — but still have that luxe calm feel thanks to the soft and neutral colour pallette used throughout. Then you have the ocean view rooms and suites that scream 'treat yourself'. The Sun Lounger rooms (where you'll stay when booking our luxury one-night stay) comes with a huge 100-square-metre sun terrace looking over the beach. The Coastal Suites come with a large living area, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and sliding doors that lead out onto a private balcony. And then there's The Infinity Residence. The 177-square-metre suite has one bedroom, large bathroom, living area, kitchen and a 100-square-metre terrace. Renowned Sydney design firm Coco Republic also gave this suite some extra love, featuring opulent marble surfaces throughout — elegantly complementing the striking black and white beach palette. FOOD AND DRINK Manly Pacific has three main drinking and dining spots. First, there's Bistro Manly. The French-inspired menu focuses on local seafood, bistro classics and seasonal produce — of course, paired with Australian and French wines. Tokyo Joe is Manly's latest Japanese restaurant helmed by ex-Nobu Sydney Chef, Marcelino Elamparo Papio Jr. It focuses on sushi, delicately cut sashimi, steamed buns and more traditional mains. You've also got to grab some cocktails from 55 North during your stay. Bartenders serve up all the classics as well as some of their own creations throughout the day and night. [caption id="attachment_892193" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fabio Santo (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA There are heaps of things to see and do in Sydney's beachside burb of Manly. You can either follow our extensive guide or just hit up some of the top spots. Walking along the Manly Scenic Walkway should be at the top of your agenda, heading in the direction of North Head to sneak in a swim at Shelly Beach. We also recommend grabbing some brekkie from Belgrave Cartel, downing afternoon drinks at Manly Wharf Hotel, having a spa and sauna sesh at Rimba Sweat and treating yourself to a few cocktails at The Steyne's hidden whisky bar. THE EXTRAS When you book The Infinity Residence, you'll get one totally unnecessary — but brilliantly extravagant — addition. A personal Beach Butler will be all yours for the entire duration of your stay. They'll do all the heavy lifting to and from the beach, even setting up umbrellas and towels before packing them up when you're done. Feeling hungry? The butler will set up the outdoor dining table on your massive balcony for a glam dinner or organise a luxurious picnic on one of the nearby beaches. It's over the top. But we are all for it. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
For everyone who has ever had a cringeworthy boss, annoying co-worker or soul-crushing office job, one sitcom franchise has understood for more than two decades now. It was back in 2001 that the original UK version of The Office arrived, introducing the world to the literally paper-pushing David Brent. And, in 2005, an American series featuring the also-awkward Michael Scott hit the small screen as well. More international takes on the show have followed, including an in-the-works Australian series that'll mark the 13th iteration beyond Britain to-date. Next, so might a big return, with the US version reportedly set to score a reboot. Might, could, apparently, rumoured, possibly, hopefully: they all fit this news, which Puck dropped in the wake of Hollywood's current writers' strike looking like it is nearing its end. "Greg Daniels is set to do a reboot of The Office," the publication noted in its wrap-up of where things stand now that the Writers Guild of America has reached a provisional deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. That sentence, naming the US version of The Office's creator (who has also been behind Space Force and Upload), is all there is to go on for now; however, it hails from an outlet that's all about insider conversation in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Wall Street and Washington. As for how a restocked take on the Dunder Mifflin-set The Office might work, who'd star, if any of the OG cast will return, if it'll still feature Scranton in Pennsylvania, how many desk supplies might get put in jelly and all the other burning questions that everyone has right now, there's no answers as yet. On its first go-around, the American The Office proved one of the rare instances where a TV remake is better than the original. It was also immensely easy to just keep rewatching, as fans have known since the 2005–13 show finished its run. Of course, that's what you get when you round up Steve Carell (Asteroid City), John Krasinski (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan), Jenna Fischer (Splitting Up Together), Rainn Wilson (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), Mindy Kaling (Velma), Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls), Ellie Kemper (Happiness for Beginners), Craig Robinson (Killing It) and more in the same show, and let all of them break out their comedic best. As for The Office Australia — which comes after everywhere from Canada, France and Germany to Israel, India and Poland have similarly given the idea a go — it's on its way in 2024 thanks to Prime Video. In the Aussie series, it will be Hannah Howard's turn to become the manager that no one wants but everyone has worked for. Played by actor and comedian Felicity Ward (Wakefield), she'll oversee a packaging company called Flinley Craddick. And, when she receives news that head office is shutting down her branch — with everyone working from home instead — she's determined to keep her team together. Obviously that won't go smoothly, or there'd be no sitcom antics to be had in The Office Australia. Joining Ward is a hefty cast spanning Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess), Shari Sebbens (Preppers), Josh Thomson (Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows), Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), Susan Ling Young (Barons), Raj Labade (Back of the Net), Lucy Schmit and Firass Dirani (House Husbands). There's no sneak peek yet at whatever the US reboot of The Office pans out to be, and no trailer yet for The Office Australia, either. But, in the interim, you can check out a couple clips from the US version below: The rumoured reboot of the US version of The Office doesn't have a release date yet — we'll update you with more information when it is announced. The Office Australia will stream via Prime Video sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced.
Wander down a Melbourne laneway and you'll find a shortcut to Spain in the form of Crossley St Cantina, a late-night tapas restaurant and cocktail bar. The brainchild of Geoff Machirus (Bodega Underground), Crossley St Cantina merges the bustling vibes of Spanish culture with the finest local Australian produce. The kitchen crafts a fully gluten-free sharing menu that features delectable tapas like chicken skin crackling with whipped goat cheese, truffle honey, pomegranate and saltbush, baked scallops with garlic mornay, finger lime and karkalla, and fan favourite crispy brussels sprouts with chilli-maple dressing. If you are after a larger plate, the Basque-style grilled 400g porterhouse steak with roasted bone marrow and pepperberry veal jus is a must. Round out the menu with the classic Basque burnt cheesecake with dulce de leche, housemade honeycomb and berry coulis. The drinks list is equally impressive, with a designated gin tonica menu, vermouth spritzes and an extensive wine list that includes plenty of Spanish varietals (and local drops), including sherry wines — Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez make appearances. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 12–5pm, the cantina hosts a Bottomless Brunch. For $79 per person, guests can enjoy 90 minutes of free-flowing G&Ts, sangria, cocktails, beer, and wine, all paired with a curated five-plate selection of the chef's favourite dishes. A vegan-friendly menu is also available, ensuring there's something for everyone.
Was it invented in Belgium or France? Can you eat it and still call yourself left-wing? Which potatoes should you use? The steak frites might have inspired many debates over the years. But one thing is clear: we can't get enough of it. The folks at Dolly in Le Meridien Melbourne are well aware of this fact. And that's why they've launched Wednesday steak frites nights. That's right, you can now end hump day with a hearty plate of meat and potatoes, cooked French-style. Executive Chef Hervé Borghini has taken a refined approach to the classic dish. His steak is a 250-gram, MB2-grade porterhouse sourced from Victorian grass-fed cattle, topped with a disc of traditional Cafe de Paris butter. On the side comes a generous pile of golden, double-cooked frites. Usually $44, Borghini's steak frites is $32 on Wednesday nights. Plus, you can order matching wines at just $10 a glass. Bon appetit!
If you're on the hunt for the perfect activity for a cold, grim day, we have five right here — and they'll make you forget all about the fact that it's winter. That's because all of these art experiences are designed to take you out of your every day and into another reality of bright colours, lights and falling water. You can see the city transformed under projections (in both the north and the west), walk through a rain installation without getting wet, or sit down to an immersive dinner in a bunker underneath Fed Square.
Niche eateries are the culinary trend no one seems to be able to get enough of, just like the food items they're devoted to. Add New York's upcoming cream cheese cafe to a list that already includes cereal, avocados, mayonnaise, cookie dough, peanut butter on toast and marshmallows. Sugary treats and spreadables — when it comes to dedicated restaurants, they seem to hit the sweet spot. Indeed, when it sets up shop in NYC's East Village over the American summer, Becky's Bites will offer both. Given that cream cheese is quite the versatile — and delicious — substance, the new venture will serve desserts and savoury snacks. Start off with a bagel filled with the good stuff, then move on to cream cheese parfaits, cream cheese tarts, cream cheese cookie sandwiches and even cream cheese-filled chocolates. A cream cheese-topped hot chocolate might also make an appearance. https://www.instagram.com/p/BVncD3cHEDo/?taken-by=beckysbitesnyc The store, which will be the bricks-and-mortar digs for the existing catering company of the same name, will also offer up cream cheese in more flavours than you might expect. Vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter and cookies n' cream might all sound standard, but apple pie, cappuccino and bacon and egg definitely aren't. For other creative concoctions, there'll also be a cream cheese flavour of the month. Via Gothamist.
Slurp your way into the weekend at the Ugly Duckling, with its new Oyster Hour. Every Friday in March — starting from March 8 — from 5–7pm, the Richmond wine bar is serving up free salty molluscs. Yes: free oysters. To dig into as many of these babies as you can handle — yep, it's bottomless — all you need to do is buy a drink. So, pair the freshly shucked Pacific oysters with a Summer Spritz ($16), perhaps, or a tipple from the martini bar ($21–25), or, even, a glass of Victorian sparkling ($10). If you need anymore convincing, the oysters, which are coming from neighbouring restaurant Noir, are ethically farmed down in SA's Coffin Bay, so you won't be destroying any bays or harbours by digging into many (many) of these bad boys. Eat yours natural, with a squeeze of lemon, or topped with a dash of Champagne granita if you're feeling a little fancy. As with most things this great, it's around for a good time, not a long time — so head along to one of the four Fridays before the bivalves disappear.
In just a few weeks, the days will be getting chillier and you'll be, once again, unpacking beanies and mitts — and cosy weekend getaways are likely already on your mind. Happily, this year sees the return of a popular pop-up accommodation option to regional Victorian, with the Wine Down Pop-Up Hotel heading back to three wineries this autumn. The two beautifully upcycled and solar-powered shipping container hotels are the work of Contained — known for crafting bars, restaurants, offices and hotels out of shipping containers — and are all at once comfy, luxuriously appointed and sustainably crafted. And they'll soon be well-travelled, moving across three of the state's best-loved wine regions between February and June. Designed to inspire some weekend adventures in your own backyard, the pop-up eco hotels will be making their home at Yarra Valley's Seville Estate (February 28–March 28), before a stint at Montalto in the Mornington Peninsula (April 3–May 2), which has restaurants and even its own sculpture trail. It'll wrap things up at historic Rutherglen's All Saints Estate (May 8–June 7). Nestled among the vines, the self-contained Wine Down retreats come kitted out with a swag of high-end trimmings, boasting a plush queen-size bed with primo Cultiver linen, full bathroom stocked with Leif toiletries, a minibar with a bottle of the property's finest vino, a breakfast hamper of local produce, floor-to-ceiling windows leading onto a deck and — wait for it — your own private hot tub. An electric BMW will also be available to use to explore the surrounding areas and neighbouring wineries if you please. As well as the two pop-up hotels, this year, for the first time, there'll also be a third shipping container. Though, instead of beds and a bathroom, this one will be filled with wine. It's promising an "entirely new way" of engaging with wine via a virtual reality trip showcasing regional Victorian produce — as well as actual wine and food samples to eat and drink from across the Pinot Coast, Shiraz Central, King Valley Prosecco Road, Muscat of Rutherglen and Yarra Valley. It's open to all hotel guests and can be booked for $35 a pop over here. The Wine Down Pop-Up Hotel is heading to Yarra Valley from February 28–March 28, Mornington Peninsula from April 3–May 2, and Rutherglen from May 8–June 7. Prices start at $275 per night from Sundays through Thursdays and $375 per night on weekends and booking are now open via contained.com.au/hotel.
If you, like us, are a big fan of cheese, you'll know the tasty hobby can get a bit pricey. From stocking up on wheels of brie to splashing out on truffled gouda, going out for a night of oozy raclette and buying legit Parmigiano-Reggiano, things start to add up. Luckily, the dairy-loving folks at Meredith Dairy want to help. They're bringing back their super-popular Bucket Bonanza Sale just in time for the holidays — so your Christmas, and New Year, can be cheesier than ever. At the sale, two-kilogram buckets of the brand's award-winning goat's cheese will be going for only $50 a pop. The smooth, salty, spreadable cubes come marinated in a blend of olive oil, garlic and herbs. To put that price into perspective, the 550-gram jars at Woolies go for a whopping $20 each. The only catch is that the sale is located a little out of the city, at Meredith's distribution centre in Truganina (about a 40-minute drive from the city). But we think it's worth it — this is one tasty sale you won't want to miss. Meredith Dairy's Bucket Bonanza Sale will run from 10am–4pm.
Visiting Europe sadly isn't on Australians' agendas in the near future. Heading to New York to wander through The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't at the moment either. But, for four months in 2021, a heap of European art masterpieces from The Met will be making the journey to our shores — so you'll be able to feast your eyes on some of the greatest paintings ever committed to canvas at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. From June 12–October 17, 2021, 65 works that almost never leave The Met's galleries will grace GOMA's walls, in what'll be the Brissie venue's biggest ever survey of the history of European art. And if you're wondering why these paintings are so treasured, well, that's because they're by everyone from Monet, van Gogh and Vermeer to Renoir, Rembrandt and Degas. The list of artists featuring in the exhibition, which covers a whopping 500 years of European art and is fittingly called European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, just keeps going — with Rubens, Poussin, Gauguin, Raphael, Boucher and Velazquez all included as well. Also impressive: the different types of artworks that'll be on display, spanning everything from portraits and still-life pieces to landscape paintings and figure studies. From the full lineup, the earliest work will date back to 1445, courtesy of an altarpiece panel depicting the Crucifixion of Christ by the Florentine artist Fra Angelico. Also among the centuries-old highlights are Titian's Venus and Adonis from the 1550s, Caravaggio's The Musicians from 1597, Rembrandt's Flora from around 1654, and Vermeer's Allegory of the Catholic Faith. And, for works from the 19th-century impressionist and post-impressionist period, the likes of Monet, Renoir and van Gogh have things wrapped up — complete with Monet's 1919 piece Water Lilies. [caption id="attachment_781830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The Flowering Orchard' (1888) by Vincent van Gogh. The Mr and Mrs Henry Ittleson jr Purchase Fund 1956/56.13. Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.[/caption] GOMA's program will also feature hands-on digital and analogue activities to accompany the masterworks, plus — as is always the case with its major exhibitions — a lineup of yet-to-be-announced Up Late events that'll let you check out these art wonders after dark and over a few drinks. European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York is a Brisbane exclusive, too. So, if you're an art lover in New South Wales or Victoria, cross your fingers that Queensland's borders have well and truly reopened to your states by June 2021. European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York will display at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art from June 12–October 17, 2021. For more information — or to buy tickets — visit the GOMA website. Top images: Water Lilies (1916-19) by Claude Monet. Gift of Louise Reinhardt Smith 1983/1983.532.; Still Life with Apples and Pears (1891-92) Bequest of Stephen C Clark 1960/61.101.3. Both collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
There are markets, and then there's the Makers and Shakers Market. It's back, and, this time, there'll be more stalls than ever – each and every one peddling exclusively Australian-made products. Drop by Made590 for fashion featuring bright colours, jazzy patterns and inclusive sizing; RCK Candles for stunning handcrafted candles made with sandstone from a family-owned quarry; and Melbourne Cocoa for locally made Easter treats. These are just some of more than 175 stalls you'll be able to explore. You'll find them all in the beautiful Royal Exhibition Building on the first weekend in April. In between browsing, refuel with a snack or two. Tuck into a hot Italian sandwich from Rocco's Bologna Discoteca or a fresh Mexican bite with Taco Truck, before moving onto one of Sebby's cracking cinnamon scrolls or a made-from-scratch scoop from Gigi's Gelato. Also promising to keep you busy are a bunch of creative workshops, including watercolour painting, junk journalling and jewellery making, as well as vinyl-spinning DJs. Plus, for any little ones tagging along, there's a Mini Makers and Shakers Market play space.
Stripping back the Big Macs, McDonalds is set to reveal its latest campaign in Paris — with no staged food styling in sight. Developed by TBWA Paris as a 'Pictogram' campaign, McDonalds' new billboards see paired down classics like chicken nuggets, fries and Big Macs (which all look undeniably stylin'). One of the world's most easily identifiable brands, McDonalds' minimalist campaign exposes how ingrained their products are in consumer consciousness. Creative director Jean-François Goize, copywriter Frank Marinus, and art director/illustrator Michael Mikiels are capitalising on your nomming muscle memory to fill in the gaps. TBWA London paved the way with this type of advertising campaign with their No Logo strategy for FCUK, with Lego picking up the logo-less brand identification technique for their 2012 ads. Imagination is the key. Business Insider pointed out that "most men, women, and children in the world know the Mickey D's staples like they know their own names." ABC found that kids were learning to identify logos before their alphabet. Check out the campaign below, alongside TBWA's Azealia Banks-fuelled ad, full of highly attractive, youthful 'street artists'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OFu4cN7Df-8 Via Business Insider.
Melbourne, it's time to get on the spritzes. The Yarra Kitchen & Bar, Southbank's garden pop-up set on the banks of the Yarra, is the ideal setting to soak up the sun with a drink in hand, with incredible city views to boot. The dog-friendly spot has got you sorted every weekend until they close on Sunday, April 25. Head over on a Saturday from 12–2pm for the bottomless brunch. For $45, you'll be sipping unlimited spritzes, beer or prosecco on tap, paired with a meal of your choice. There are four spritzes to choose from, including an elderflower version, blood orange one and the classic Aperol. Food-wise, expect dishes like kingfish flatbread with smoked chilli and passionfruit dressing and lemon myrtle mayo, or a ramen-fried chicken sando with bacon, blue cheese mayo, pickles and a zesty slaw. On Sundays, it's all about the spritz. From 3–5pm, enjoy two hours of all-you can-drink spritz, with a choice of three snack items, for $45. You'll also have some pretty impressive city views from right on the Yarra, perfect for soaking up the last of the sun before the venue closes at the end of April. Booking for both sessions are essential. To reserve your spot, head here for the bottomless brunch and here for the Sunday spritz session.
Step out of the darkness and into the light of The Gaso's courtyard and its retractable roof for a New Year's Day shindig of glitter and mayhem. Closet NYD 2020 comes off the back of last year's sell-out soiree and is sure to be another big one. The openair party promises "Fitzroy's finest homosexuals for DJs" and plenty of dancing and debauchery for the LGBTIQ+ community. Kicking off at 2pm, you can soak up all that sunshine and stay smart in the heat with fresh fruit, sprinklers to shimmy in and a spritz to sip while the sun goes down. From sunshine to starlight, party into the night — if you can handle it after the big celebration the day before — with festivities continuing until 1am. Only final release tickets are left, so grab one before 2019 ends. Image: Closet Facebook/Evan Fowler.
A Month of Sundays tells a familiar tale of middle-aged unhappiness. Think family struggles, work troubles, regrets and attempts at redemption. Yet there's an undercurrent of dry Australian comedy apparent in the latest feature from writer-director Matthew Saville (Noise, Felony). In the same way that other recent local releases The Dressmaker and Looking for Grace traversed darker territory with a wry smile, A Month of Sundays doesn't quite try to look on the bright side of life, but it does understand the way laughter can disarm bleak, tense and even routine situations. Here, amusement lurks quietly, always present in Anthony LaPaglia's lead performance. As Adelaide real estate agent Frank Mollard, the actor is rarely without a look of bemused resignation on his face or a droll tone in his voice. Frank is surrounded by the misery of a fresh separation from his actress wife (Justine Clarke), a strained relationship with his teenage son (Indiana Crowther) and a strong feeling of professional dissatisfaction. Perhaps that's why Frank believes he's talking to his deceased mother when a stranger dials a wrong number, and why he then forges a bond with the woman, retired librarian Sarah (Julia Blake), on the other end of the phone. It's the kind of situation that could only occur in a movie, though courtesy of the film's blend of empathy and comedy, it's never as far-fetched as it sounds. That's the film all over: slightly too convenient in its story, but still realistic in its emotions. More often than not, Saville finds the balance between the two, courtesy of a lighthearted touch and warm sense of humour. Indeed, as thoughtful as the movie's treatment of its gloomier themes proves, A Month of Sundays is at its best when it's cultivating chuckles. In fact, the entire film could've easily been set around Frank, his boss Phillip Lang (John Clarke), and their shared scenes. Their one-liners, about selling houses and installing Flash to view the company website, not only raise a few giggles, but also reveal plenty about their characters. The old adage, that every joke contains a grain of truth, clearly hasn't been lost on Saville. Neither has the need for a slow and patient approach in letting both the amusing and moving sides of every exchange play out. That it all builds slowly and subtly might feel a tad anticlimactic, but that's the point. Just as life creeps up on Frank Mollard, so to does this modest Aussie film creep up on all who watch it.
At the ungodly hour of 7am this morning, Vivid LIVE announced the rest of the 2014 lineup. We’re already excited about seeing The Pixies in rare intimate mode in the Opera House, the ACO and The Presets in collaboration, Giorgio Moroder and The Pet Shop Boys. And now (drum roll, please), here’s the rest of what’s in store. Ladies and gentleman, introducing the first lady of hip hop, Ms. Lauryn Hill. Known not only for her groundbreaking 1998 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill but also for her subsequent ‘disappearance’ from the music scene, she’s back. With plenty to say. Two Opera House shows are scheduled for May 27 and 28. And next, art rock hero St. Vincent, hot on the heels of the release of her new, self-titled album. We’re expecting big harmonies, orchestral adventures and choreographed magic — at the Opera House for the first time ever. We’re just not quite sure how the stage dives will go in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. There’ll be one performance only on May 25. Two other international artists will also make their SOH debut: James Vincent McMorrow will be bringing his masterful songwriting, ethereal electronics, killer falsetto and full band over from Ireland, while English-Italian songstress Anna Calvi will be making the trip armed with tunes of cinematic proportions. Brian Eno has described her as "the biggest thing since Patti Smith". German pianist-producer Nils Frahm, who released his seventh LP, Spaces, last year, will be delivering his Einaudi-reminiscent melodies and dynamic jazz-influenced electronics, and Kate Miller-Heidke is set to present new album O Vertigo! Finally, Goodgod will be hosting an intercontinental revue with cult South African musician Penny Penny and his seven-piece band at the helm, Jonti & The Astral Kids will play a tribute to The Avalanches with a performance of Since I Left You and Studio Parties will make a return, led by Astral People, R.I.P. Society, Siberian Nights and Future Classic.
When the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television anoints its picks for the best movies and TV shows of 2023, it'll do so in February 2024 on the Gold Coast. The country's night of nights is on the move to southeast Queensland, making its Sunshine State debut; however, a change of location isn't the only big offering. For the first time ever, the organisation is also hosting the AACTA Festival, a celebration of everything that the country puts on screens both silver and small. AACTA's gongs will be given out on two dates, starting with its Industry Awards on Thursday, February 8 and then hosting its usual glittering ceremony on Saturday, February 10. Around those occasions, running from Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 11 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, AACTA Festival will be filled with talks, screenings and more featuring a swag of impressive names. If Talk to Me creeped its way onto your list of favourite Australian horror movies, directors Michael and Danny Philippou will be at AACTA Festival to dive into it. Warwick Thornton is also on the lineup to discuss The New Boy as part of the fest's 'meet the creators' events, as are the teams behind Limbo, Sweet As, Shayda and The Newsreader. Can't wait to see the Boy Swallows Universe TV series? It'll be out by February, so you'll have it fresh in your mind author Trent Dalton gets talking about it. And if you were a fan of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart either on the page or screen, Holly Ringland will also be chatting. Indeed, writers are a big focus, including Nick Earls, Lystra Rose, Mathew Condon, Richard Jameson, Tristan Michael Savage and Ben Hobson. Giving the event one of its international highlights, Lessons in Chemistry's Bonnie Garmus is on the bill as well. Also each massive highlights: behind-the-scenes explorations of The Matrix, the stunts of Mad Max: Fury Road and, for some more overseas flavour, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's animation. Or, enjoy a chat with Wellmania and The Way We Wore's Celeste Barber about her career, then find out more about the upcoming series High Country starting Leah Purcell (Wentworth), Aussie-made Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and the sequel to Mortal Kombat at their own dedicated talks. Before they get their own immersive experience in Brisbane, Bluey and Bingo will be doing a meet and greet — and, including a live-watch party for the AACTAs, a screening of 1906's The Story of the Kelly Gang, trivia, a Play School live event and a chat about music Baz Luhrmann's movies, there's plenty more joining them. In total, over 70 sessions form AACTA Festival, with most free to attend. AACTA nominees will also be taking part, although the details there can't be revealed until after exactly who is vying for a gong is announced on Saturday, December 9. "AACTA Festival is a must-attend event for anyone who lovesAustralian film, television, music, gaming, art and pop culture," said AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella, announcing the lineup. "We are excited to present more than 70 events over four days celebrating the excellence of our industry. From red carpet glamour to workshops and a special kids' lineup, it's an invitation for everyone to step into the magic of storytelling and creativity." AACTA Festival will run from Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 11 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast. For further details, head to the fest's website. Boy Swallows Universe and Wellmania images courtesy of Netflix.
Imagine the movie Groundhog Day, except that instead of augmenting his knowledge and skill base with each nightly reset, Bill Murray's memory simply resets with it and he spends every day like it was the first: scared, confused and trying to figure out what's going on. Not as interesting, right? Well, therein lies the critical flaw in Before I Go To Sleep, a new 'thriller' starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong. Kidman plays Christine, an amnesiac whose memory wipes itself clear every 24 hours, meaning with each new morning she must relearn who she is, what's happened to her and who that man lying next to her is — aka her husband, Ben (Firth). Helping her attempt to break the cycle is neuropsychiatrist Dr Nash (Strong), who compels Christine to leave a video message to herself each night so that she can slowly build upon her own memories the following day. Slowly, the memories begin to linger beyond the nightly reset and with them come growing suspicions that neither man in her life is being completely honest about the source of her condition. The film is based upon S.J. Watson's 2011 bestseller, but its slow-burn plot and predictable twists are far less forgiving on screen, where no amount of Kidman's trademark harrowed stares can engender the kind of tension it purports to have. The closest you come to frights in this film are courtesy of tactless incidental surprises like the sudden horn of a passing truck, and the lack of characters (with a suspects list of two) means the ultimate revelation is far from the scale a true climax deserves. Between the cast and the conceit, Before I Go To Sleep had the potential to explore some genuinely compelling ideas and offer a fresh spin on the Groundhog / Memento / Edge of Tomorrow premise, but instead it flounders in tawdry melodrama and leaves you largely unsatisfied. https://youtube.com/watch?v=L6ckwpaFbBM
There are several truths to the Michael Bay Universe: 1. Magic Hour (i.e. the brief period just after sunrise or before sunset) lasts for approximately 22 hours in any given day. 2. Everything is explosive. Even Water. Especially water. 3. All explosions go predominantly 'up' and emit firework-like flares. 4. A shot should never go for more than three seconds, because, what is this, a Steve McQueen film? 5. There's nothing funnier than people who aren't Cool-Arse Playaz from Da Street speaking like they're Cool-Arse Playaz from Da Street (see: grandparents and/or cars). 6. Pretty girls wear heels. Even if they're ice-skating. Even if they're mountaineering. Even if they're spelunking. Even if they're blowing stuff 'up' or being blown up. 7. The higher the heel, the shorter the skirt. 8. The shorter the skirt, the lower the cut of the top. 9. Physics is bullshit, and should apply to neither action sequences nor breasts. 10. Blow something else up. Make sure it goes 'up'. The thing about the Bay Universe, though, is that it's so much fun. Big, dumb and fun. You know what you're going to get when you buy your ticket, and you get total value for money when you do. On that front, Transformers: Age of Extinction doesn't fail to deliver. Just on length alone, you're getting almost three hours of film, which is an hour too long from a critical standpoint, but from a Bay Movie perspective, it's the promise of several hundred more explosions, car chases and outrageous racial stereotypes. As for plot (and yes, there is one…just...), Transformers: Edge of Extinction picks up the story several years down the track from where the initial Shia Labeouf trilogy left off. Our new hero is Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), a Texan inventor whose ranch is in receivership and whose predictably hot teenage daughter (Nicola Peltz) is on the cusp of graduation. Around the world, all the Transformers — Decepticon and Autobot — are being hunted down by the CIA (led by Kelsey Grammer), and a mysterious third-party Transformer/bounty hunter named Lockdown. It's an uncomfortable alliance through which each party furthers its own sinister agenda, and which threatens to end all life on earth. As the inexplicably overweight truck that even more inexplicably smokes cigars would say, "bummer, dude" (refer to Truth No.5). There's nothing especially new here, save for the 3D, which is, admittedly, extensive and impressive, as well as the introduction of Dinobots, which fans of the comics/cartoons will doubtless appreciate. The performances are solid despite a laughably bad script, most notably from Stanley Tucci as the unscrupulous tech billionaire. The film's highlights centre almost exclusively around Lockdown, who makes for an outstanding villain, not in the least because his character actually has one. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to blow something up. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ubGpDoyJvmI
When Massachusetts teenager Conrad Roy was found dead in his truck in 2014, in a Kmart parking lot, it was ruled a suicide. But then the police investigating his passing discovered text messages sent to Roy by his 17-year-old girlfriend Michelle Carter, and noted the onslaught of words encouraging him to take his own life. That's the case that I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs Michelle Carter delves into, splitting the details across two parts — with the first charting the prosecution's side of the story, and the second focusing on the defence. It's a tragic and complicated case, and it's also one that inspires a plethora of questions, all of which filmmaker Erin Lee Carr handles with sensitivity. That shouldn't come as a surprise, as she did the same with 2017's Mommy Dead and Dearest as well, which stepped through the now well-known murder of Dee Dee Blanchard and its links to Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
There's a knowing bit of casting at the heart of Yellowjackets for viewers who've been following Melanie Lynskey throughout her career. In the hit TV series — one of the best shows of 2021 when it first debuted, and equally as excellent in its just-arrived second season — the New Zealand actor plays Shauna, a New Jersey housewife and mother. Enlisting Lynskey in anything is always welcome, as everything from But I'm a Cheerleader and Up in the Air to I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore and Candy has proven. It's one of Yellowjackets' many strokes of genius with its stacked on-screen talent, which also includes Juliette Lewis (Welcome to Chippendales) and Christina Ricci (Wednesday). But it's a particularly savvy move to cast Lynskey as a woman who was once a teen stranded in the Canadian wilderness for 19 months, forced to do whatever it took to remain alive after her high-school soccer team's plane crashed, and has since spent a quarter-century since grappling with what came next. Lynskey herself was once a movie-starring teenager, debuting in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures opposite Kate Winslet. There, she was a murderous teen, too, and kicked off her penchant for playing immensely complicated women (so much so that she earned a New Zealand Film and TV Award for her efforts). The glorious symmetry with Lynskey's role in Yellowjackets doesn't end there, however. As the adult Shauna — Monsieur Lazhar and The Book Thief's Sophie Nélisse plays the younger version — she's commanding and compelling in every scene as someone who survived having her life turned upside down, as Lynskey clearly did when she was thrust to fame at a young age. Of course, there's a vast difference between becoming a film star before you're old enough to drink and endeavouring to endure in spooky woods, through freezing winters, and with food in scarce supply — and, as Yellowjackets keeps hinting at, perhaps turning to cannibalism. Still, Lynskey couldn't be a better fit for the Emmy-nominated show's present-day timeline. There's not just complexity but persistence, strength and vulnerability in her portrayal. They've long been hallmarks of her work. Shauna has trekked over life's peaks and valleys, and knows that her journey onwards will never just be simple. Yellowjackets doesn't lack in phenomenal performances — with its packed team of talent playing both its teens and its adults, how could it? — but Lynskey is downright magnetic. With Yellowjackets' eagerly-anticipated return, its NZ star is also two for two on small screens in 2023. This year's big new hit also featured Lynskey in a pivotal part, and also in a survivalist thriller. She isn't the lead of The Last of Us' first season, but she left a firm mark as resistance leader Kathleen. She also hasn't been diving into this genre repeatedly on purpose. Ahead of Yellowjackets' season two debut on Friday, March 24 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, we chatted with Lynskey about that, being hooked on Yellowjackets since reading the very first script, having an instinct for killer roles and more. ON HER CURRENT SPATE OF SURVIVALIST STORIES When you've been a working actor for almost three decades, as Lynskey has since 1994's Heavenly Creatures, you're a survivor of sorts. Actively embracing on-screen stories about trying to endure through extreme events wasn't a concerted choice, however. You could throw in her part in Don't Look Up, too — but having two strong survivalist stories in Yellowjackets and The Last of Us is just a result of great roles coming her way, Lynskey notes. "I think it's just coincidence. I mean, for the character obviously in Yellowjackets, the survivalist part has already happened — so that's an interesting thing, and I think now I'm sort of grappling with the trauma of the aftermath." "And in The Last of Us, the character is in the middle of this crazy, apocalyptic scenario, so it feels like different kind of experiences of a similar thing." "But, it's interesting. It's fun to play kind of an ordinary person who is put into an extraordinary circumstance — and wonder how does that shape and change them." ON HER FIRST REACTION TO YELLOWJACKETS Survivalist thrillers might be having a moment on Lynskey's resume, but she was drawn to Yellowjackets based purely on the strength of its script. "Well, the main thing I think is that I finished reading it and I wished I had episode two, which is a good sign," she explains — having the same reaction to the show's debut episode that viewers everywhere did. "I wanted to know what was going to happen next. And I was like 'oh that was well-written'. It was really well-written!" "And as far as my character goes, there was something about her — you know, you see her in her domestic life, and then the scene with Taissa (Tawny Cypress, Billions) in the diner, you realise she has a huge amount of power somehow. And people are quite afraid of her." "And I was like 'oh that's interesting, like how did that happen and when did that end — or did it end?'. I just had so many questions. And it was a little bit of a leap of faith, but I'm very happy that I chose to do it." ON WHAT SHE LOOKS FOR IN A ROLE Lynskey's career isn't short on highlights between Heavenly Creatures and Yellowjackets. She's just as exceptional in two-season 2015–16 HBO dramedy Togetherness, and in parts big and small in Shattered Glass, Happy Christmas, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, Easy and Mrs America, too — just to name a few standouts on her resume. She puts her stellar choices down to going with her gut. "It's honestly an instinct. I just have to, when I'm reading it, if I start to read it out loud and a personality comes out of me. Or if there's like a voice — if there's some shape to what I'm reading where I feel like organically it can be created from me, then I'm interested." "If I'm just reading something and reading it as a script, and I start to think about how I could make it work or how I would play that part, then I know it's not a good fit for me." "It has to be something that comes — even Two and a Half Men, the first time I read the pilot for that, I just started to read it aloud, like the person just came off the page to me. So it's just an instinct, really." ON YELLOWJACKETS' COMPLICATED AND FULLY FLESHED-OUT WOMEN Yellowjackets has been likened to Lord of the Flies since day one thanks to its 90s-era woodland savagery between school students. One big difference: seeing girls, not boys, stuck in the woods and falling prey to their worst impulses to get by. That feels revolutionary in the series. It shouldn't, but it does. And, asked if the show's strong and complex female focus was part of the appeal, Lynskey is adamant: "very much — it was very much a draw." "I think the main thing about it was, in reading the script all the women were so fully realised. Even the smaller parts, the characters who didn't have that much to do in the pilot, or the younger cast — I understood them as human beings. I understood them as complex creations. And there were no sort of stereotypes." "There was no like 'here is the pretty one, here is the bitchy one, here is the whatever', you know. Everyone was very, very complicated and I felt like I had an understanding of who all of them were after the first episode — which is kind of a feat of writing wizardry, honestly." "So I was really, really intrigued to see writers [series creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, who've previously written for Narcos, Narcos: Mexico and Dispatches From Elsewhere] who were that talented, who could give so much depth within one episode, to see where they would take all these different characters." "Because it's a lot to juggle with so many different characters — and they've done an amazing job, I think, of managing all the different storylines." Season two of Yellowjackets streams weekly from Friday, March 24 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of season two — and our review of season one. Images: Colin Bentley, Kailey Schwerman and Lorenzo Agius/Showtime.
Monash Uni swings open its theatrical doors for this two-and-a-half week festival. With shipping containers scattered around campus, a pop-up bar and lounge and bucketloads of affordable entertainment from Melbourne's brightest up-and-coming performers, it's worth the trip to Clayton. There's cabaret, clowning, 10-minute dance parties, visual art, theatre and much more in this 35-page program. Particularly intriguing is award-winning performance troupe The Dig Collective Does Cabaret, described as "Monty Python and Rocky Horror's illegitimate child". Their mash of cabaret/physical theatre/clowning/poetry/comedy/drama is as visceral as it is funny. There's also Danception, a combination of dance, fashion, professional lip-syncing (who knew) and visual art that explores ideas of pop culture, social media and trends. How can we find our own voice in a world forcing expectations on us? At the very least, surely this is worth it for the lip-syncing. And where else but uni can you spend a few hours contemplating a question that has plagued Shakespeare students for years: Is It Okay to Tame a Shrew Today? Can The Taming of the Shrew be performed in a way that extracts the push for patriarchy? Or is it just a sexist play about women submitting to their husbands? Go on a journey to potentially find an answer.
It's been two weeks since the George Calombaris-led Made Establishment Group went into voluntary administration and announced the closure of twelve of its Melbourne restaurants and eateries. And while the future still looks uncertain for most of those venues, five have already been snapped up by new owners, including the former Kew and Brighton Hellenic Republic outposts and the short-lived, vegetable-forward Crofter Dining in Brunswick East (previously the site of the OG Hellenic Republic). In a statement last week, the group's newly appointed administrators KordaMentha confirmed they had "agreed terms for the sale of assets and the assignment of leases" of these three venues. Few details have been given for the Brighton and Kew properties, other than that the new owners had "experience in the hospitality industry" and were planning to "contact former employees of the two restaurants to discuss new job opportunities". As for chef Matt Wilkinson's former Crofter site, it's set to be the new home of The Que Club — a barbecue-focused eatery, cooking school and retail store currently located in Fitzroy North. The Que Club owners Andrew and Pam Kavanagh told Concrete Playground that the move is planned for sometime in the next three months, and that the new venue will have an expanded food focus, while also "paying homage to Matt Wilkinson and Crofter as much as we can". As well as continuing with his work at The Pie Shop and Four Pillars, Wilkinson, already a good mate of Andrew, confirmed he'll have some involvement at The Que Club. "I love what he (Andrew) does and he has a great ethos," Wilkinson said. "My role will be to help him make the front part of 434 Lygon Street into more of a barbecue bar and eatery, and adding some vegetables to the menu." What's more, it sounds like fans of Crofter can also get excited for the return of a favourite, as Wilkinson hands over the recipe to his much-hyped devilled chook dish. Wilkinson took to Instagram to thank Crofter's suppliers and supporters in the wake of its sudden closure, saying he was "angry and sad about this whole scenario". https://www.instagram.com/p/B8mlX4VhKj1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Meanwhile, according to The Age, two of Made Establishment's former Jimmy Grants souvlaki eateries have been snapped up by the owners of 24-hour Greek institution Stalactites. As well as its legendary Lonsdale Street eatery, that company also owns takeaway joint Hella Good, which it plans to replicate at its newly purchased Jimmy Grants sites in Fitzroy and Melbourne CBD. Five other Jimmy Grants, as well as Elektra Dining in the CBD and Hotel Argentina in Williamstown remain unsold. The Made Establishment closures come after wage scandals shook many of its restaurants, with the group admitting to staff underpayments of up to $7.8 million. KordaMentha also highlighted the resulting huge dip in patronage, as well as a dive in consumer spending, rising food prices and competition with food delivery services as reasons for the group's financial woes. We'll keep you updated with the opening of The Que Club, the two Hella Goods and the new Kew and Brighton venues. Top image: the OG Hellenic Republic in Brunswick East (before it was Crofter).
With costumes like these, this dance work from Dewey Dell is sure to be anything but dull. Well known for their bizarre antics on stage, this Italian company has teamed up with Japanese artists Kuro Tanino and Yuichi Yukoyama to utilise a manga aesthetic. In neon power suits and Daft Punk helmets these dancers are going to war, exploring love and hate in a surreal futuristic plane of existence. This is the closest thing you're ever going to see to Yoshimi battling the pink robots in real life. Do not pass it up. This event was chosen as one of our top ten things to see at the Melbourne Festival 2014. See the full list here.
If you've been talking about cutting out plastics and minimising your waste impact for years, but buying a keep cup and saying no to straws is about as far as you've gotten, this local health food shop will take your crusade to the next level. Led by naturopath Catie Gett, The Staple Store is overflowing with healthy, organic and locally sourced bulk foods — nuts, grains, honey, lentils, mueslis and more — plus beauty products, all-natural cleaning supplies and a sustainably conscious collection of homewares. Find brands such as Ecostore, Lavanila, Orchard St, Shokuiku and Ochre by Staple. It goes without saying that this is a plastic bag-free zone, so don't forget your tupperware, jars and cloth bags.
Squid Game is finally returning for season two, and Heartbreak High as well. A new take on Tom Ripley is also on the way. They aren't the only things that you'll be watching on Netflix in 2024. As it does to begin every year, the streaming platform has unveiled a teaser video for the TV shows — returning and new — and movies that'll be added to its catalogue over the coming 11 months, while also dropping a heap of details. Get ready for plenty of time spent glued to the small screen. The sheer number of series and films that the service releases each year is always massive (see: 2022's and 2023's lists of features). 2024 is set to be no different. Starting with episodic fare, more Bridgerton will arrive in May, season three of hilarious girl group comedy Girls5eva is due in March and That '90s Show will be back by midyear. Also among the returning shows: Mo, Heartstopper, The Diplomat, Emily in Paris, Monsters, The Night Agent, Outer Banks, Sweet Tooth, Cobra Kai, Drive to Survive, Unstable and The Umbrella Academy. [caption id="attachment_938940" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emily V Aragones/Netflix © 2023[/caption] More than a few of Netflix's new series additions in 2024 have been announced previously, but that doesn't make them any less exciting. Sci-fi thriller 3 Body Problem brings the book of the same name to the screen; Avatar: The Last Airbender turns the beloved animated effort into live-action; and The Gentlemen takes its cues from the Guy Ritchie movie of the same name — with Theo James (The White Lotus), Kaya Scodelario (The King's Daughter), Vinnie Jones (Bullet Proof) and Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul) among the cast, and Ritchie producing. That said, you mightn't have already heard about Black Doves, starring Keira Knightley (Boston Strangler) as the spy wife of a UK politician; Eric, with Benedict Cumberbatch (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) as a father searching for his missing nine-year-old son; or No Good Deed, about two families trying to buy the same house, and with Lisa Kudrow (Space Force), Ray Romano (Bupkis), Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me), Luke Wilson (Fingernails), Teyonah Parris (The Marvels) and Abbi Jacobson (A League of Their Own) starring. The Perfect Couple is Nicole Kidman's (Expats) next small-screen stint and Terminator: The Anime Series battles Skynet in animation. The Good Place's Ted Danson and Mike Schur are also reteaming on a new comedy series that's based on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Mole Agent, Gabriel García Márquez's iconic novel One Hundred Years of Solitude is scoring an adaptation, and Senna dramatises Ayrton Senna's life. Movie fans, there's no shortage of highlights for you, too — including Spaceman, Damsel, Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story and Hit Man. The first sees filmmaker Johan Renck (Chernobyl) take Adam Sandler (Leo) to space, while the second riffs on fairy tale and fantasy stories with Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) in the lead. As for the third, it marks Jerry Seinfeld's film directorial debut, and tells exactly the tale that its title makes plain. And the fourth is Richard Linklater's (Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) latest, with Glen Powell (Anyone But You) co-writing and starring. From there, on a roster that goes on — as its television counterpart also does — His Three Daughters boasts spectacular casting thanks to Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Elizabeth Olsen (Love & Death) and Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face); Japanese animation The Imaginary hails from Studio Ponoc (Mary and the Witch's Flower); Irish Wish and Our Little Secret both feature Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls); and the Thomasin McKenzie (Totally Completely Fine)-, James Norton (Happy Valley)- and Bill Nighy (Role Play)-starring Joy is about the world's first test-tube baby. [caption id="attachment_938943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John P. Johnson / Netflix © 2024.[/caption] The Beverley Hills Cop franchise returns in the new Eddie Murphy (Candy Cane Lane)-starring instalment that's aptly subtitled Axel F; Atlas pits Jennifer Lopez (The Mother) against AI, and Back in Action sees Jamie Foxx (The Burial) and Cameron Diaz (in her first film since 2014's Annie) as married spies brought back into the espionage fold. A Family Affair has Joey King (Bullet Train) playing a woman who works for a movie star (Zac Efron, The Iron Claw), Laura Dern (The Son) is a novelist who has an affair with a younger man (Liam Hemsworth, Land of Bad) in Lonely Planet, and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie joins the SpongeBob SquarePants world. Or, there's Scoop, which goes behind the scenes on Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview, and features Gillian Anderson (Sex Education), Keeley Hawes (Orphan Black: Echo), Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie) and Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat); Shirley, the Regina King (The Harder They Fall)-led flick about the first Black congresswoman; That Christmas, a family-friendly festive effort based on the books by Love Actually filmmaker Richard Curtis; and Thelma the Unicorn, by directors Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Lynn Wang (Unikitty!). Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) helms and leads Woman of the Hour, about an aspiring actor and a serial killer; French fare Family Hour werewolves battles werewolves; Spanish horror hit The Platform gets a sequel; and South Korea's Uprising is produced and co-written by Decision to Leave's Park Chan-wook. We hope your couch is comfy — because you're going to be spending quite a bit of time on it. Check out Netflix's trailer for its 2024 slate below: New movies and TV shows will hit Netflix throughout 2024 — head to the streaming platform for its current catalogue. Top image:
UPDATE, May 21, 2021: Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is available to stream via Docplay, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Marie Antoinette didn't actually say "let them eat cake", no matter how often the statement is misattributed to the 18th-century royal before her date with the guillotine. But New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was surely hoping she would've approved of its hedonistic June 2018 food gala, which tied into the venue's Visitors to Versailles exhibition in the same year — and, in line with the place and period under the grill, put decadence on the menu. Overseeing the spread of desserts fit for a queen: renowned Israeli English chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi. He didn't make the Feast of Versailles' lavish cakes himself; instead, he trawled Instagram to source and select five pâtissiers known for delicious, innovative and aesthetically appealing wares. He found them, too, enlisting Dominique Ansel, the NYC-based French pastry chef who invented the cronut; Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, the London food artists known for their striking jellies and unique food events; architecturally trained Ukrainian Dinara Kasko, who approaches her desserts with the same design principles; Ghaya Oliveira, an award-winner and veteran at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Daniel; and Singapore's Janice Wong, who aims to turn chocolate into edible art. The exacting theme that approaches art and history through an untraditional lens, the melding of varying creative arenas, the roll call of significant names in their field, the theatricality on display, the iconic setting — if it all sounds a bit like a culinary version of The Met Gala, that was undoubtedly the intention, too. Celebrities didn't attend, paparazzi weren't on hand to snap photos, fundraising wasn't the name of the game and no one broke the internet, but this was no ordinary serving of sugar. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that, as the venue's fashion-focused event did before it, Feast of Versailles has also earned the documentary treatment. Where The First Monday in May chronicled the preparations for 2015's Met Gala, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles does the same with the quest to recreate the Palace of Versailles' gardens with chocolate and multi-coloured fondant, whip up a tiered mousse cake that resembles the French castle's sculptured detail, and pair them all with swan-topped pastries, wobbling palace-shaped jellies and a cocktail-filled whirlpool fountain. Viewers of cooking-focused reality television will know what's in store. That may not be the comparison one expects with a doco about a Met event, but it fits. Documentarian Laura Gabbert (City of Gold) deploys the personable Ottolenghi as her guide, and gets him to chat through the task at opportune moments. Her film also spends time first introducing Ansel, Bombas and Parr, Kasko, Oliveira and Wong, then watching them work towards the big gala evenings. Periodically, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles has Ottolenghi chat with Met staff about logistics as well, and to historical experts. The former reveal their horror at having liquid anywhere near the gallery's exhibits, and the awareness that events with a live component are so much trickier to control than inanimate displays; the latter discusses 18th-century Versailles in general, the culinary excesses of the royal courts, the fact that chocolate was used for drinking long before it was eaten and, only briefly, the fate that befell Versailles' most famous figures in the French Revolution. Combine all of the above ingredients in a 75-minute documentary, and it's as formulaic as it sounds — even if the gala itself, the chefs behind it and their dazzling desserts could never earn that description. The First Monday in May was helmed by a different director to Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles; however, both films struggle to bring their concepts to life. As a mere record of occasions that happened, they do a fine job of showing what goes into staging these types of extravagant events. They also capture the tension and drama beforehand, and the indulgence and luxury when everything comes to fruition. But it seems that docos about Met galas are fated to take a superficial and straightforward approach, despite striving for more, and attempting to mimic the layers and textures of the venue's exhibitions and festivities. In Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles' case, the NYC institution clearly didn't hold a lavish Versailles-themed feast without intending to get everyone involved and in attendance thinking about the vast disparities between the haves and have nots — aka the whole reason that the "let them eat cake" misquote exists. Alas, Gabbert's film is mostly content to depict rather than interrogate this idea. A few very late shots, including of Trump Tower's garish gold interior, endeavour to stress modern-day parallels between Versailles and today's one-percent, but hardly delve deep. Accordingly, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles is glossy, gleaming eye candy for those with a sweet tooth. It never feels like a full meal, though. That may be apt given that it's about dessert, but there's more substance in the tables piled high with cake and confection seen within the movie's frames than in the documentary's examination of its subject — and of the topic driving Feast of Versailles, and therefore sparking the film in the first place. While interesting tidbits pop up frequently, relating to food and history alike, they're akin to an entree. Viewers keep expecting something heartier, only to be left intellectually hungry. The audience is left physically ravenous, of course, because roving over all those spectacular dishes is a sure-fire way to whip up an appetite for a treat. This pleasant, palatable but slight movie obviously can't leave stomachs satisfied either, but it will make mouths water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uan6MDxf3wU
Established in 1907, Barwon Heads Golf Club is consistently named as one of the finest courses in Australia. The links-style course is situated on the south coast of the Bellarine Peninsula overlooking the Bass Strait and features an undulating terrain that conforms with the natural land it's on. The 19th hole is pretty impressive, too — the stately clubhouse, opened in 1924, offers sweeping views of the course itself, as well as a dining room, event space and accommodation. You can make a night of it with the stay and play package, which includes breakfast and a round of golf for two.
Dreaming about a different life is a staple of coming-of-age films, with many a movie focusing on uncertain children or unhappy teenagers wishing for an existence far removed from their own. It's also a part of Australian documentary In My Blood It Runs; however, ten-year-old Arrernte/Garrwa boy Dujuan Hoosan and his friends aren't yearning to step into someone else's shoes. Instead, even at their tender age, they can simply see how they're being treated by Australian society at large. In one early scene, Dujuan and a group of other kids stand on a hill outside the Hidden Valley Aboriginal Town Camp, in Alice Springs. "That's where all the rich men come from," one comments, peering down at the city. "How come this mob get clean houses and not us?" asks Dujuan. "I wish I was living on that side," voices another kid. The chatter goes on, especially about the golf course in clear view. As Dujuan and his friends talk, they all note how much nicer the area looks compared to their own. A healer who's skilled in administering bush medicine, hunts proficiently and speaks three languages, Dujuan is deeply tied to his heritage and culture. "I was born a little Aboriginal kid. That means I had a memory, a memory about Aboriginals. I just felt something, a memory, history — in my blood it runs," he explains. He doesn't want to leave that behind, but rather for all Indigenous Australians to be treated fairly and equally. Whether he's sitting through school lessons about the First Fleet or speaking about his great-grandmother's upbringing as part of the stolen generation, he's acutely aware of Australia's historical attitudes towards the country's Indigenous population, as well the enduring effects on First Nations peoples today. With insight, wisdom and determination beyond his years, Dujuan is just as cognisant of what all of the above can mean for himself and other Indigenous children, too. The fact that this bright, charming, passionate, socially engaged kid is considered a poor student, and earns the attention of both welfare services and the police, speaks volumes. In late 2019, after the film initially started screening at festivals both in Australia and worldwide, Dujuan spoke to the United Nations about Australia's approach to youth incarceration, particularly in the Northern Territory — but, before he can get to that point, In My Blood It Runs chronicles his everyday struggles, including balancing western and traditional education, and meeting white society's expectations of a young Indigenous boy. At one point, he's told by his aunt that being sent to juvenile prison means "you're only going to end up in two places: a jail cell or a coffin". As shot over nearly four years — and interwoven with reflections from Dujuan, his mother Megan, grandmothers Carol and Margaret, and father James, as well as informative archival materials — the result is a compellingly candid and expressive window into Dujuan's mindset, desires and experiences, as told by a skilled filmmaker committed to doing his story justice. It has been five years since Maya Newell gave Australia one of its most engaging and diverse slices of childhood life in the form of the applauded Gayby Baby, and this follow-up continues to ponder the country's next generation, their hopes, dreams and everyday existence, as well as the way that today's attitudes and policies may impact their future. Now available to watch via ABC iView, In My Blood It Runs is also an observational documentary not only featuring Dujuan as its subject, but made in collaboration with him, his family and his community. It doesn't just feel empathetic as a result, but intimate and authentic, too. Dujuan himself shoots some of its footage, Newell made films alongside Arrernte Elders and families for a decade before starting this project, and the Arrernte and Garrwa families depicted were all consulted during every stage of production. The end product is a must-see movie dedicated not only to painting an accurate portrait of Dujuan's experiences, but to showing how it epitomises Indigenous childhood in Australia. Check out the trailer below: https://vimeo.com/358942768#at=1 In My Blood It Runs is available to stream via ABC iView until August 4. Top image: Maya Newell.
Imagine an informercial, but instead of steak knives and stain-proof trousers, this one's selling nothing less than The Great Society itself. You've got your host, Michael Moore, waddling his way from one set piece to the next and reacting with staged incredulity to every deal and reveal ("you get HOW MUCH annual leave in Italy!?") Then there are the interviews, not strictly scripted, but painstakingly selected to ensure they provide every piece of tantalising information without any of the fine print or shortcomings. And, finally, the offer: "Act NOW to adopt the Norwegian penitentiary system and we'll throw in Finnish tertiary studies ABSOLUTELY FREE!" The thing is, unlike so many of those late night absurdities, this one's genuinely enticing. The premise of Moore's latest documentary is a simple one: America hasn't won a war since WWII, so he's giving the US Armed Forces a well-earned stand down order and is instead single-handedly invading countries to steal the things America's most desperately in need of, including France's healthy school lunches, Germany's recognition of past national atrocities, and Italy's fair workplace conditions. Yes, Moore is selective in his 'spoils of war', only showing us the instances where such programs work, but as a model for better government, better business…better living, it's a forgivable choice. Unlike many of Moore's previous films such as Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 and Capitalism: A Love Story, there's a refreshing absence of cynicism in Where To Invade Next. Even with the overarching message, which basically boils down to "look how much better than us the world does these things", the film ends by reminding us how so many of those initiatives were born in America and, with just a little legislative courage, could easily be reintroduced to sudden and sweeping effect. Greed, unsurprisingly, is identified by Moore as the chief source of America's ills, and it's no grand revelation that the privatisation of prisons, schools and healthcare invariably precipitates a clash between value and values. However, as Moore seeks to prove, a healthy and educated society where welfare is considered a strength rather than an embarrassment is, in the long run, both a cheaper and a more productive one. Moore's trademark one-liners, musical gags and, for want of a better term, 'clowning', repeatedly threaten to distract (or even detract) from his message. Thankfully he demonstrates enough reserve throughout to let the compelling facts speak largely for themselves. And they are compelling, speaking directly to many of the same shortcomings here in Australia that few would deny are in need of significant redress. Most notable of these are Norway's humane treatment of incarcerated criminals to combat recidivism, and Iceland's massively increased female representation at the executive level across both business and politics. This is a film that shows you how things can be done better, then compels you to ask why it's not already the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KeAZho8TKo
Dwayne Johnson (aka 'The Rock') is an absolute Hollywood powerhouse. Just physically the guy's so strong he looks like he could bench press someone while they were bench-pressing. Yet there's so much more than brute force to this wrestler-turned-box office behemoth. In recent times he's had years (such as 2013) where his films have grossed more than US $1 billion combined. With more instalments of the unstoppable Fast and Furious franchise on the horizon, he's fast becoming the most bankable man in the business. No wonder, then, he's recently been hailed as the official heir-apparent to the king of action – Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then there's Kevin Hart, fast-becoming a movie-making powerhouse in his own right. Since just 2014 he's already churned out thirteen films, prompting Chris Rock to joke at the Oscars that not even porn stars make them as quickly as he does. Hart is increasingly being likened to Eddie Murphy for his style of comedy, his likability and his growing credentials as an action-comedy star. With all that said, the only thing surprising about Central Intelligence is how long it took to actually put Hart and Johnson together. And if you're wondering, yes, the film immediately went to no.1 on the US Box Office. Plot wise, there's very little to speak of. Johnson plays Bob Stone, an unflappable CIA operative who may or may not have gone rogue from the Agency, and who twenty years prior was the enormously fat kid subjected to relentless bullying by just about everyone other than Hart in his high school. On the eve of their school reunion, Stone reaches out to Hart's character, Calvin Joyner – the former class president and guy voted 'most likely to succeed'. Joyner is now a mid-level accountant in the throws of a mid-life crisis. Together, the pair quickly find themselves pursued by the CIA as they chase down some secret classified information. It's a classic odd-couple, buddy action comedy in the vein of the Schwarzenegger/DeVito movie Twins, only with far less class and only the most threadbare of storylines. Both Hart and Johnson throw themselves completely into their roles, without which the film would be a proper stinker. They're both terrifically funny actors, and Johnson's deadpan delivery of ridiculous lines is when the movie is at its strongest. It's just frustrating to see the current kings of action and comedy let down by a movie in which the action is entirely dull and derivative, and the comedy is so absent that the only real laughs come from the outtakes playing over the final credits. It all has a feeling of 'she'll be right, mate', relying far too heavily on the celebrity and charisma of its leading men instead of giving them a clever, considered script through which to showcase all that they're capable of. The film does also boast a handful of 'surprise cameos' that briefly recapture your attention, but they're not enough to cover up the gaping holes in plot or direction. Full of potential yet thin on substance, Central Intelligence is best seen as a challenge to the next writer-director to put this pair together. Imagine how brightly these two stars could shine if only they had a decent script. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxEw3elSJ8M
It's only February but already it might be possible to name both the worst film and least funny comedy of the year. Fist Fight, starring Charlie Day and Ice Cube, is a monument to stupidity. Its characters are amongst the thinnest and most derivative ever constructed, its plot is simultaneously ludicrous and entirely dull, and its capacity for comedy exists almost solely as outtakes in the final credits. The film's first-time screenwriters rely exclusively on a three-tiered approach of dick jokes, incessant swearing, and a female teacher's desire to have sex with a minor, forever backed by Day's high-pitched stammering whine. Story wise, Fist Fight takes place on muck up day in a US public school, where the students run riot, the teachers are powerless (or apathetic, or both), and the school board is laying off staff to meet budgetary requirements. When Day and Cube's characters clash over an incident in which Cube takes to a student's desk with a fire axe, Cube challenges the diminutive Day to a fist fight in the school yard after class to settle things once and for all. That none of the faculty, campus security or police department demonstrate any interest in properly addressing either the axe-on-student incident OR the imminent crimes of: assault and battery, disturbing the peace, affray or disorderly conduct, somehow represents the least implausible part of this entire abysmal experience. Alongside Day and Cube are various actors of note in roles that are completely beneath them. Tracy Morgan plays an incompetent sports coach, Christine Hendricks plays a butterfly-knife wielding French teacher, and Jillian Bell plays a meth-addicted guidance counsellor determined to get herself some 'teenis' (teenage penis). The whole conceit is so laughably unlaughable that it's astounding the script ever caught a studio's attention. That actors willingly signed on, well...let's just hope the money was worth it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aIzXYo6VCE
In June 2024, The Boys will return for its fourth season. For a sneak peek, the chaotic caped-crusader series has already dropped not one but two trailers. But fans don't just have those eight new episodes to look forward to — you can also start getting excited about season five, too, because Prime Video has already renewed the show. "The Boys could be the best job I'll ever have. What other show allows me to write about politics, capitalism, family and exploding genitalia, though not in that order," said Eric Kripke, the series' showrunner. "My only problem is that since this year promises to be free of any conflict or misinformation, we're not sure what to write about." Since first making the jump from the page to the screen in 2019, The Boys has never been afraid to splash OTT violence — gory carnage, too — across its frames, or to parody reality within its superhero tale. The same proved true in 2020's second season and 2022's third, and also in college-set spinoff Gen V, which arrived in 2023 and has been renewed for a second season as well. Season four will start streaming Down Under from Thursday, June 13, while season five doesn't yet have a release date. But both will keep telling a tale of a version of earth where caped crusaders are real, as are superpowers, and a group called The Seven are placed above all superheroes — but, digging into the dark side of the scenario, not everyone thinks that should be the status quo. The Boys has always stood out as an antidote to narratives about powerful folks who are supposedly better than most, by both satirising and questioning that very idea. Here, superheroes work for Vought. They're still the main form of entertainment, but they're real, the most famous celebrities there are and inescapable in daily life. While The Seven are the absolute top talent, most are hardly role models when the public isn't looking. That has made quite the change from the usual cinematic universes as the Prime Video show has kept notching up the seasons, all coming to the small screen from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comics series of the same name. In the cast: Karl Urban (Thor: Ragnarok), Jack Quaid (Oppenheimer), Antony Starr (Guy Ritchie's The Covenant), Erin Moriarty (Captain Fantastic), Claudia Doumit (Where'd You Go, Bernadette), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Jessie T Usher (Smile), Laz Alonso (Wrath of Man), Tomer Capone (One on One), Karen Fukuhara (Bullet Train), Colby Minifie (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) and Cameron Crovetti (Boy Kills World) — with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead), Susan Heyward (Hello Tomorrow!) and Valorie Curry (The Lost Symbol) joining for season four. There's obviously no trailer for season five yet, but check out the full trailer for The Boys season four below: The fourth season of The Boys will start streaming via Prime Video from Thursday, June 13, 2024. Read our reviews of The Boys season three and Gen V. Season five doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced.
"When was the last truly fucking nasty, nasty, bad pop girl?" the latest teaser trailer for The Idol asks. Whatever the answer to that question IRL, it seems that HBO viewers — and subscribers to Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand — are about to meet someone who earns that description on-screen come June. After dropping sneak peeks since July 2022, the US cable channel's new music industry-set series finally has a release date. And, of course, another glimpse at what's to come. That celebrity is Jocelyn, as played by Voyagers' Lily-Rose Depp. She's quite the big deal, but a nervous breakdown got in the way of her last tour. Now she's back — and she wants be known as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America again. As the new trailer shows, nightclub impresario Tedros (Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd) just might be a part of that big return. There's a whole lot of parties, drugs, attractive actors and drama in The Idol's teasers so far, which hardly comes as a surprise given that Sam Levinson is one of its creators alongside The Weeknd. By now, audiences know that when something on HBO proves a huge hit, the network goes all in. One case in point: all things Game of Thrones, including House of the Dragon, plus the hefty list of other spinoffs also in the works. Another example: Euphoria, which Levinson is best known for, and appears to share its vibe with The Idol. Here, there's complicated relationships, too. Jocelyn and Tedros' time together is complicated by his sordid past, for instance, but also might gift her with a romantic awakening. Where the show goes from there will start to be revealed from Monday, June 5 Down Under, after it premieres at 2023's Cannes Film Festival. The Idol's stacked cast also includes Red Rocket's Suzanna Son, Boy Erased's Troye Sivan, Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy, singer-songwriter Moses Sumney, BLACKPINK's Jennie Kim, Only Murders in the Building's Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Hacks' Jane Adams, Bodies Bodies Bodies' Rachel Sennott and Inglourious Basterds' Eli Roth. Also set to pop up in the series: Hank Azaria (Hello Tomorrow!), Hari Nef (The Marvellous Mrs Maisel), Steve Zissis (Happy Death Day 2U), Melanie Liburd (This Is Us), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (Saved By the Bell) and Nico Hiraga (Booksmart), plus Anne Heche (All Rise) in what'll be one of her last performances. When it was originally announced in November 2021, The Idol was set to span six episodes, all filmed in Los Angeles — with She Dies Tomorrow's Amy Seimetz directing every single one. But back in April 2022, it was revealed that Seimetz had left the project and reshoots were underway as a result. How that'll impact the end product is obviously yet to be seen, but the teasers so far should have you intrigued anyway. And, so should the fact that A24 are also behind it, after 2023's already-stellar Beef. Check out the latest teaser trailer for The Idol below: The Idol will premiere on Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand on Monday, June 5.. Images: Eddy Chen/HBO.
After eight seasons, a huge body count and an enormous wait for winter, Game of Thrones is coming to an end in 2019. But that doesn't mean saying goodbye to the world first created by author George R.R. Martin — not only thanks to the author's books, whenever The Winds of Winter eventually hits shelves, or even simply due to the planned prequel series. In addition, fans will soon be able to visit a heap of new GoT tourist attractions. After filming much of the show in Northern Ireland for the past decade, HBO has announced that it's teaming up with Tourism NI to open a number of sets and sites to the public for the first time. If you've ever dreamed about walking around Westeros, this will be your chance. Winterfell, Castle Black and King's Landing are among the iconic spots that'll feature in what's being called Game of Thrones Legacy. Visitors won't just see the ancestral home of House Stark, the headquarters of the Night's Watch or the capital of the seven kingdoms, but also view exhibitions complete with costumes, props, weapons and set decorations, plus art files, models and other production materials. There'll also be accompanying digital content and interactive materials, highlighting GoT's digital effects. Given that the show includes both dragons and wights, aka Martin's version of zombies, there's plenty to showcase. The project is still in an exploratory process, with full details still to be revealed, but a 2019 opening date has been slated. Seeing as though the show's final season will air next year, that timing is hardly surprising — you'll probably be able to find out whether Jon Snow really knows nothing, and then head to Northern Ireland to visit many of his haunts.
