Over the past decade, perhaps the greatest collective strength of the 18 (yes, 18) movies in the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe has been their relative independence. From the very first Iron Man through to the most recent Black Panther, each film has (mostly) achieved an impressive balance of telling its own, distinct story while also servicing the ultimate end-game. Each new entry had enough in-jokes and easter eggs to satisfy the super-fans, but never so many that a newcomer couldn't enjoy the experience from an entirely cold start. The same cannot be said for Avengers: Infinity War, but then again, for directors Anthony and Joe Russo, that was never the intention. This isn't just the 19th film in the MCU, it's the culmination of the entire franchise; a sprawling, non-stop action movie purpose built, this time, for the fans. It's relentless, entertaining and more than a touch surprising. Unfortunately it's also starved of substance and likely to leave many feeling shortchanged. Ultimately, it all comes down to scale. Perhaps for the first time, this cinematic universe is truly universal in its scope. It moves from one galaxy to the next with bewildering speed, including planets so ancient and remote many of the characters have either never heard of them or dismissed their existence as the stuff of legend. And of those characters, where to even begin? In January of this year Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor, casually dropped mention of an extraordinary 76 separate Marvel characters set to appear in Infinity War. Even if he was being slightly hyperbolic (one quickly loses count, so the number might actually be bang on), his comments nonetheless captures the magnitude of this gargantuan blockbuster. But like the pop culture references in the recent Ready Player One, many of these inclusions offer little substance beyond an excitable Pavlovian response triggered by recognition ("Heeey, it's Black Widow! Ooo it's…whatshisface!"). Even with the film's indulgent 156-minute run time, the decision to pack so many characters into a single film inherently means Infinity War must choose between cameo and character, with the former largely winning out. That means that many of the incredible cast members are saddled with just a handful of lines each, with perhaps the fewest coming from Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther (despite the fact that a significant section of the film taking place in his kingdom of Wakanda). Again though, the Russos have knowingly committed to the 'as read' nature of this film, opting instead to devote the lion's share of screen time and dialogue to the only real newcomer: the villain, Thanos (Josh Brolin). Thanos first appeared during the end credits of the original Avengers movie back in 2012. Since then he's been a constant (if fleeting) reference point for the coming storm that is Infinity War. He is nothing if not formidable – a softly-spoken juggernaut whose vision for a harmonious universe involves the mass genocide of precisely half its inhabitants. To achieve that he requires the fabled 'infinity stones', several of which are unfortunately located on earth in the hands (or foreheads) of various Avengers. He is a worthy antagonist for such an enormous project, and what really separates him from all the other Marvel villains is his capability; an indomitable strength that renders void the efforts of every other hero he encounters. Teamwork has always been the name of the game in the MCU, but even the combined efforts of the entire super-powered lineup seems destined to fall short. Of course Infinity War is actually just part one of two films, with the second instalment scheduled to drop in May 2019. Its ending, hence, leaves a lot to be resolved, and it's difficult not to assume much of that will centre upon some extensive Dr. Strange time reversal. There's a serious chance the series could be veering toward shark-jumping territory, so fingers crossed the Marvel boffins have something far grander and more unexpected planned. Until then, brush up on your backstories and strap in for one helluva ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwievZ1Tx-8
Any design led by Norman Foster paired with the resources that Apple can muster is guaranteed to impress. And judging by renderings of Apple's new eco-friendly headquarters in Cupertino, CA, the design team heading the project have not disappointed. The development proposal for the so-called 'Apple Campus 2' was released this week on Cupertino.org. According to Slashgear, the 60.7 hectares site surpasses the U.S Pentagon in size. CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, has described the design as a "spaceship". And rightly so. The centre-piece of the entire construction is a circular structure that is to house research and development facilities, an auditorium with a 1000-person capacity and a fitness centre amongst many things. Perhaps the most impressive (and ambitious) feature of the Apple Campus 2 will be the underground parking lot which will allow 80 percent of the 60.7 hectare property to be landscaped under the guidance of an arborist. Interestingly, Mercury News points out that while Apple plans to "generate its own electricity from natural gas" at the new HQ, the plans don't consider the use of renewable energy resources. The design team behind the project includes Foster & Partners, ARUP and Kier & Wright. [via Inhabitat]
There are thousands upon thousands of street signs all over New York City, but have they ever had rap lyrics on them? They have now. Street artist and graphic designer Jason Shelowitz, better known as Jay Shells, has combined his love of hip hop music and his brilliant sign-making skills to create the ongoing project titled 'Rap Quotes'. Shells creates "official-looking" red street signs with famous rap lyrics and puts them all over the streets of New York. From a distance the signs might look quite normal, but don't be mistaken by their official look; there are definitely rap lyrics printed on them. Shells has strategically placed the 30-plus signs at specific locations and street corners throughout the city, in the exact places by which the lyrics were inspired. For example, the lyrics "'Cause I want to be on 106 and Park pushing a Benz" by Kanye West were affixed onto a street pole on 106 and Park. According to Hip Hop Wired, Shells' first sign was inspired by the late rapper Big L. Now Shells' signs feature lyrics from Kanye West, Jeru the Damaja, Jay-Z, KRS-One, Heavy D, Big Daddy Kane, Nas, Jim Jones and others. https://youtube.com/watch?v=54yahfgbqQE Website ANIMAL posted a video of one of their team members following Shells around virtually every street corner in the city as he carried out his very site-specific project. In the video, Shells says he values people's inevitable interaction with the project. "The [signs] we put up this morning might already be gone. It depends what happy-go-lucky hip hop fan walks by one and scratches their head," he says. "I don't care if people take them. I would take them. I'm sure they're going to get taken. That's the good part about documenting it. They can live on that way." Via PSFK.
Maltesers Moonlight Cinema is back for its 18th season of open-air cinema. The summer staple has put together another cracking program to tickle the cinematic tastebuds of old and young alike — from advance screenings of the hottest blockbusters to cult classics, blood-rushing action flicks to heart warming rom-coms. This year's venue is the Royal Botanic Gardens. Embrace the serenity of the gardens at day's end — look, not a personal trainer in sight! Hire yourself a beanbag or simply sprawl out on the grass under the stars with a loved one. Movies aren't the same without a few delicious snacks and perhaps a few beverages to complete your cinematic experience. It's the perfect way to unwind after a hard day and usher in those balmy summer nights. There's also the option of 'Gold Grass' tickets, which gets you a bean-bed in the front rows and designated waitstaff. New releases include the much-anticipated return of Ron Burgundy in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues as well as sneak previews of big Boxing Day releases The Railway Man and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Sometimes it's the classics that can be most fun, however. Embrace your inner dag and negotiate how much a set of jousting sticks should cost with the much-loved and highly quote-able Aussie comedy The Castle. Or roll out the picnic rug and share a meal fit for Jehovah over Monty Python's 1979 gut-buster, The Life of Brian. If there's one thing Moonlight Cinema has proven itself more than capable of, it's cherry-picking the most enjoyable moments in cinema and creating a relaxed and sociable atmosphere to boot. Maltesers Moonlight Cinema runs from December 5, 2013, to March 30, 2014, and Concrete Playground has five double passes to give away (valid for a screening of your choice). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address at win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au.
This American Life no longer requires any introduction. You and your youngish, globalised, culture-hungry friends are probably all over this podcasted hour of digestible journalism and storytelling. What's slightly less well known is the producers' experiments in translating the show's trademark style to visual media, including through a Showtime TV show and stage show The Invisible Made Visible. They're playful, inventive forays for our cross-platform age. Now comes phase (approx.) four: the movie. Co-written and produced by Ira Glass, Sleepwalk with Me is the feature-length adaptation of Mike Birbiglia's very memorable extreme-sleepwalking/relationship-breakdown stand-up routine, which was included in the TAL episode 'Fear of Sleep'. He has to preface this story with an assurance that it's true, because as he goes from fighting an imaginary jackal to falling off a shelving unit he's climbed in the belief it's a winner's podium to waking up bloodied on a hotel lawn, it increasingly doesn't sound like the cute, ha-ha version of sleepwalking we know. As Mike (or 'Matt Pandamiglio' as he's known in the movie) tells it, his sleepwalking gets worse as his girlfriend of eight years, Abby (Lauren Ambrose), starts to hint at marriage, babies and other grown-up things he's not ready for. He starts using the relationship concerns he can't vocalise to her in his stand-up, getting laughs for the first time. If you've heard the comedy routine that underlies Sleepwalk with Me on TAL, you'll know its engrossing, winningly self-deprecating and very funny. But it's as if the creative team felt that to make it worthy of a feature film they had to emphasise the relationship element, and that's just not the story's strong point. The idea of the man-boy who can't commit is rather '90s, and neither the narrative nor style brings it forward two decades, to where it should be. Sleepwalk with Me is still funny, but nothing in its bones suggests the creativity, forward-thinking or immediacy that This American Life has cultivated as its brand. And that dulls the experience of watching it. Birbiglia certainly makes some adorable, true-ringing observations about life and love. Just be prepared that the laughter-to-irritation ratio may not be one you find favourable. https://youtube.com/watch?v=u9tRN7bok4o
After a stack of time spent cooped up in your house this year, there are likely few creative outlets you're yet to have a crack at. At-home ceramics? Paint-by-numbers? Banana bread? Done, done and done. But the dessert slingers over at Doughnut Time might just have a new one for you, involving some crafty flair and a much-needed sugar rush. Roll up those sleeves and get ready, because it's time to try your hand at doughnut decorating. Having made a comeback under new owners, relaunching stores in Queensland and Victoria, the doughnut company has just unveiled its latest creation — a series of DIY doughnut kits. Each comes with four plain doughnuts and all the trappings needed to whip up some mini edible masterpieces, allowing you to recreate Doughnut Time signatures with the help of colourful glazes, sprinkles and other toppings. You can have a go at making your own version of the Caramilk Baskin, or perhaps attempt the chocolate-caramel fusion that is Life On Mars. There is even a vegan kit, if you prefer your doughnuts and decorations cruelty-free. Each DIY kit clocks in at $34, with shipping currently available to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne. Folks in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra, stay tuned — you'll be able to order kits to your cities in the coming days.
The Speechmaker is billed as one of the highlights of the Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2014 season, and it's easy to see why. It has a cast of marquee players, a script by Working Dog — the Australian comedy legends behind The Castle and Frontline — and the action all takes place aboard Air Force One. Rapidly escalating revelations of a terrorist plot threaten to overshadow the festive mood of Christmas Eve and the play promises madcap gags and high stakes from the get-go. At times some fine performances threaten to elevate The Speechmaker from vaudeville into effective political satire – Erik Thomson is especially good as the President, the character made real by the choice to play an unironic belief in his own empty rhetoric. But where the imperfections of debut playwright Eddie Perfect’s script brought vital, unpredictable colour to The Beast in 2013, Working Dog’s first outing onstage shows an unfamiliarity with the form that is more vice than virtue. Nowhere is this more apparent than the endless, numbing transitions between multiple locations aboard the plane, each making heavy use of the revolving stage and repetitive sound design. Director Sam Strong manages to find many moments within these transitions for physical comedy, especially from actors like Brent Hill and Sheridan Harbridge, but weirdly, this only draws all the more focus to every tension-puncturing ride on the carousel. The device also invites an unfortunate comparison with the same company’s West Wing-flavoured Richard III in 2010, directed by Simon Phillips. With a tone that’s unerringly upbeat throughout we’re left wanting more light and shade. For instance, Lachy Hulme’s character — an Under Secretary of Defence — is loaded with suitably European, finger-steepled menace but left with little else, like a lukewarm Dr Strangelove. One of the many strengths of Working Dog’s writing for television has been their commitment to truly dark humour, especially in Frontline. In every episode it festered inside the characters’ listless interior lives, and often bubbled to the surface of the world they inhabited; look no further than the brutal ending of the episode 'The Siege'. After a show like The Speechmaker it would be easy to see the MTC as locked in an ouroboros-like relationship with its massive subscriber base, forced to program crowd-pleasers just to maintain its size. In fairness, it's commercial successes like these that allow the company to support initiatives like the NEON Festival of Independent Theatre. But even then, as Literary Manager Chris Mead writes in the program for The Speechmaker: "People turn to the plays of the moment to know the truth and the lies of the times." If the tens of thousands of punters who’ve bought tickets to this play — at the moment the entire season is sold out — are expecting entertainment, they’ll be in for pleasant farce. But anyone looking for a glimpse into the "truth and the lies" will be left wanting. Photo credit: Jeff Busby.
South Yarra's retro dive bar Leonard's House of Love is gearing up for a venue takeover this weekend when Sydney's famed burger joint Mary's comes to town for a greasy Sunday session. The House of Hell party starts at 2pm on Sunday, November 18 and goes until the wee hours, with the Mary's team taking over both the kitchen and bar. Leonard's usual ski trip-party atmosphere will be met with the rock 'n' roll vibes from the Mary's crew, and the tunes will likely follow suit. While most menu details are scarce, we do know there will be a list of funky specialty cocktails that includes the Unicorn Coola — a concoction of pet nat wine and watermelon juice, topped with a heaping portion of fairy floss and 100s and 1000s. In the kitchen, expect Mary's signature Maccas-style burgers (including the vego-friendly mushroom burger) on the menu. Its beloved fried chicken might even make an appearance, too. Whatever the menu, it's all in limited quantities, so get in early to avoid missing out on the best bits. Image: Mary's, Sydney.
Renovating a house is stressful, as no shortage of television shows keep stressing. Trying to flip a house when you've been hexed for snatching back a $100 bill from a child? That sounds disquieting, and it also looks eerie and sinister in the just-dropped full trailer for The Curse. Forget the usual series about household makeovers, buying real estate, blitzing backyards and building dream houses — even though it's about a couple who hosts their own home reno program, this isn't that kind of show. Indeed, no one has watched an entry in bricks-and-mortar genre quite like this spoof, which gets Emma Stone (Cruella) and Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal) playing a focusing on home improvement on-screen — and having some bad luck. An initial teaser arrived in September, and now a full trailer has hit for the A24 effort, which looks like far from your average series on this topic. Unsurprisingly, Fielder doesn't just star but also co-created, co-writes and co-directs. In the first sneak peek, the Safdie brothers' collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never set the unsettling mood — and yes, not just the talent that made Good Time and Uncut Gems sound so unnerving but the sibling filmmakers behind both flicks are also involved in The Curse. Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer) co-stars, co-created, co-writes and co-directs, with Josh Safdie an executive producer. Fielder and Stone play Asher and Whitney Siegel, who host a show on HGTV — American pay TV network Home & Garden Television — called Fliplanthropy. Newly married, they're trying to have a baby, but find their plans disrupted after that incident with a kid in a carpark. Cue The Curse's title, obviously. Benny Safdie plays their producer, with Barkhad Abdi (Little America), Corbin Bernsen (White House Plumbers) and Constance Shulman (Search Party) also featuring. Like everything almost everything of late, it seems — Close, Beau Is Afraid, You Hurt My Feelings, Past Lives, smash-hit Australian horror movie Talk to Me, fellow TV series Beef, the return of iconic Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense to cinemas, the Nicolas Cage-starring Dream Scenario, Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, wrestling drama The Iron Claw — The Curse hails from A24. In Australia, it'll stream from Saturday, November 11 via Paramount+. Check out the trailer for The Curse below: The Curse will stream from Saturday, November 11 via Paramount+. Images: Beth Garrabrant and John Paul Lopez/A24/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X7KkP68RZE THE DRY In The Dry, a man heads back to the drought-stricken town he grew up in for the first time in two decades, returning in the aftermath of a new tragedy and unearthing the still-blistering remnants of an old one in the process. An Australian Federal Police officer who left the regional farming community of Kiewarra under terse circumstances, Aaron Falk has the look of someone who long ago let the ability to display his feelings dry up — and while that isn't what the film's title refers to, Eric Bana plays the movie's protagonist as if it was. He's dogged and no-nonsense. He can shoot a glare at someone that's as severe as his profile, and often does. Twenty years after Chopper made Bana's name as a dramatic actor, rather than a sketch comedy star whose movie career began with The Castle, he's a canny pick for The Dry's lead role. As he stalks through his first Australian movie since 2007's Romulus, My Father, he silently simmers with intensity in every gaze; however, viewers already know that Bana never just plays the hard man — or, in his comic days, just one type of funny guy either. And so, in this big-screen adaptation of Jane Harper's award-winning novel of the same name, the audience can also spot that his unrelenting exterior holds back a storm of Aaron's pain and loss, all lurking behind an expression as parched as the yellowed fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. Conveying that balance of steely focus and buried heartache isn't a new task; tales on the page and screen are filled with characters, typically men and often those with a badge, who fit the type. But one of the reasons that Bana is so right for The Dry is that, in his hands, Aaron isn't merely the sum of his well-worn traits. Similarly, he isn't just a cookie-cutter conflicted cop in yet another small-town murder-mystery about a community torn apart by a young woman's death, never recovering, then rehashing their woes when another trauma arises. Directed by Robert Connolly (Paper Planes) and co-written with Harry Cripps (the forthcoming Penguin Bloom), The Dry is a whodunnit multiple times over. It boasts a vast lineup of characters and a stellar array of talent behind them (including Glitch's Genevieve O'Reilly, 1%'s Matt Nable and filmmaker John Polson, acting for the first time since Mission: Impossible II), but it's Aaron's journey that always demands attention. Indeed, one of the most intriguing aspects of this solid, engaging but rarely surprising Australian crime movie is how it's clearly stitched together from familiar elements — not just regarding its central character, but throughout the entire narrative — but, through Aaron, this tale of grief, guilt, secrets, stark truths, dusty fields and emotional desolation finds a way to resonate. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zLKbMAZNGI PIECES OF A WOMAN Everyone has heard the claim that women forget the pain of childbirth, with hormones and maternal stirrings washing away the agony of labour once a mother meets their bundle of joy. But in Pieces of a Woman, Boston-based expectant mother Martha (Vanessa Kirby, Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw) won't forget what occurred when her water broke, her husband Sean (Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy) remained by her side and midwife Eva (Molly Parker, Words on Bathroom Walls) delivered her baby. Neither will viewers of this daringly intimate drama from White God and Jupiter's Moon director-writer duo Kornél Mundruczó and Kata Wéber, thanks to a tense and harrowing 23-minute home birthing scene that plays out in one continuous take. The shot isn't the movie's first, but it does precede its title card — with the filmmakers making it plain that, after getting a front-row seat to Martha's trauma, the audience will now witness her attempts to stitch herself back together. That's Pieces of a Woman's storyline. Shattered instead of feeling ecstatic and complete, as she had anticipated, the feature's protagonist tries to work out how to go on. But her marriage has lost its lustre, her overbearing mother Elizabeth (Ellen Burstyn, House of Cards) won't stop giving her two cents and, at Sean and Elizabeth's urging, there's also a court case to deal with. Pieces of a Woman doesn't lack narrative developments, involving both Martha and those in her bereaved orbit. However, after stepping through her life-changing moment in realistic detail, the movie makes the bold choice to explore its protagonist's emotional and mental state. The ravenous monster that is grief is just one factor. Pieces of a Woman is heartbreakingly unrestrained in showing how it feels to navigate loss, specifically the kind that isn't often addressed in society let alone in cinema. Just as effectively, though, the film also unpacks how women are constantly expected to stick to set roles, even when tackling what might be the most distressing thing that'll ever happen to a mother. No matter what's going on, Martha is always supposed to fit a type dictated by long-held ideas about being a woman, and her husband, mum and anyone else with an opinion can't quite accept her refusal to adhere to convention. Accordingly, in a career-best performance, Kirby weathers an ordeal rarely laid bare with such candour, does so via a dynamic and lived-in portrayal, and remains resolute about Martha's right to fracture and fray however she needs to. She's compelling to watch, in a feature that plunges viewers headfirst into Martha's experience. Nothing has been sanitised here, either by the filmmakers or by their unforgettably real and raw central character. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovIfo0Saht0&list=UUQ2zp9FmJzOG_JzUJ0A-FlQ MONSTER HUNTER It has been nearly two decades since writer/director Paul WS Anderson turned a video game hit into an action-horror franchise starring Milla Jovovich, so it must be time to try to achieve the same feat again. In good news, the married couple seem to have farewelled all things Resident Evil after 2016's abysmal Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (a reboot is in the works for a 2021 release, but neither are involved). In bad news, the dull and derivative Monster Hunter is on par with the worst that its zombie-fuelled predecessor served up — and, other than 2002's original instalment, the bulk of the undead saga is flat-out terrible. A filmmaker who also has 1995's Mortal Kombat on his resume, Anderson has a knack for bringing elaborate new worlds to the screen in detail, as video games always strive to. The ability to translate that task to the cinematic realm can't be underestimated. Anderson clearly agrees, because Monster Hunter even begins with text waxing lyrical about new worlds; however, once you create an intricate visual space, you need to do something with it. Monster Hunter's sandy deserts and craggy rocks aren't just a backdrop here, linking into the action and the movie's imagery in clever ways. But, they really shouldn't be the most interesting and inventive thing about the film. Given the storyline — also penned by Anderson, as based on the Capcom game series that dates back to 2004 — that outcome hardly comes as a surprise. Jovovich plays US Army Ranger Captain Artemis, but she really could be playing Resident Evil's Alice in a military uniform. Even with oversized critters roaming around and wreaking havoc, that's how generic Monster Hunter always feels, Jovovich's routine performance as another nondescript hero included. During a mission in the desert, Artemis is inexplicably sucked through a portal to a different dimension, watches giant monsters attack her team, and is then forced to befriend a warrior known only as The Hunter (Tony Jaa, Jiu Jitsu) in order to survive. The reluctant new pals don't speak the same language, which is where most of Monster Hunter's non-creature feature tension (and misplaced comedy) is supposed to spring from. When the titular beasties become involved, which is often, an onslaught of CGI monopolises the movie — and it really isn't as unnerving or engaging as Anderson hopes. At its most basic level, Monster Hunter delivers exactly what its moniker promises. There are monsters, there are hunters, and the two cross paths. A bewigged Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) also pops up, as does a human-sized cat cook called Meowscular Chef, but they're rare over-the-top highlights in a film that is too bland to be entertaining in a mindless, ridiculous way, and just meandering and monotonous in general. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been throughout the year — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17 and December 26. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle, The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta, Rebecca, Kajillionaire, Baby Done, Corpus Christi, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles and Nomadland. Images: Pieces of a Woman, Benjamin Loeb/Netflix.
Afternoon drinking can bring out animal instincts in the best of us, but The Zoo at Trunk isn't a reference to the bar on a Saturday night — it's a new series of Sunday afternoon sessions that bring together live street art, music, cocktails and that beautiful beer garden. Running for eight weeks, Trunk will give you the chance to get up close and personal to street artists in their natural habitat. You'll see them paint live in one of Melbourne's most inviting inner-city urban settings, whilst enjoying food, drink and music from local DJ's. The Zoo kicks off on Sunday, February 2 with international street artist Makatron, whose art can be found everywhere from New York to Brazil and Japan. After that you'll see the likes of Conrad Bizjak, Hancock, LucyLucy & Deams and Kaffiene creating art right before your eyes (and your wine glass). As always, Trunk's famous cocktail jugs will be readily available into the evening, along with burgers and their Diner Dogs.
Say goodbye to your faithful cheap Fitzroy dinner — Naked for Satan is changing things up, and canning its ever-popular pintxos menu. But before you start to mourn the blue cheese and quince, take note: the death of this bite-sized menu isn't necessarily a sad death. Rather, things are being reborn over at Naked for Satan, and perhaps – after eight years – it's time. Taking over from the pintxos downstairs will be what they're calling "Naked Bar Food". Kevin Middleton, co-head chef, is waving goodbye to the tasty bites you've come to know so well and saying hello to honest and slightly indulgent fare. Now, the downstairs bar will be serving up mussels ($13–15), cooked with a choice of five different sauces — including one with ale, garlic and thyme — and served with shoestring fries (moules frites). Continue along the sea train with fresh oysters ($2.2), served with either lemon, cava jelly & finger lime or kimchi vinaigrette. If meat of the land is more your thing, the slider menu will sort you out. It features ones stuffed with beef cheek and chimichurri ($6 each), southern fried chicken ($6) and grilled mushroom and halloumi ($5.5). Add to that corn and manchego empanadas ($5.5), chargrilled lettuce with blue cheese sauce ($8.5), and burrata with pickled eggplant ($14.8) and you've got a fine little menu that will have you forgetting all about your past pintxos. If you're more worried about bargains, the Naked for Satan's rooftop specials are still going strong, which include $11 weekday lunches and dinners on Sundays. The new menu kicks off this week, so head along to start a new Fitzroy tradition for yourself. Change is good, we promise.
It was Britney Spears who said it best. There are only two types of people in the world: the ones that entertain, and the ones that observe. Whichever category you fall into, there's no denying that, when done right, a dinner party is one of life's great pleasures. And, don't be fooled, there is definitely a right way to go about it. It's not rocket science, though — and that's where we come in. We've teamed up with Tempus Two to create your ultimate dinner party checklist. CURATE YOUR GUEST LIST (AND SEND OUT A PROPER INVITATION) So, you want to host a dinner party? First things first — who's around the table? Perhaps even more so than the food, the guest list is the most important element for a host to consider. It's all about striking the right balance between people who will keep the conversation both interesting (and, more pertinently, actually going), and a bringing together group of people who will get along. The guest list also hinges on the reason you're hosting in the first place — do you just feel like getting your people together? Looking to make an introduction? In this case, the 'why' will determine the 'who'. Guest list finalised, the next thing is to send out an invitation. This will set the tone from the outset — a casual text has a different vibe to a well structured e-invite or even a paper invitation. We love the touch of a proper invitation (be it paper or virtual) as it automatically makes your dinner feel like an event worth attending. SET THE MOOD Music is an often overlooked element of a dinner party. Ideally you want to soundtrack the evening with tunes that will both blend into the background while being interesting enough to cover any potential gaps in conversation. Low-tempo jazz and electronica are always winners — but a good DJ always knows how to read the room, so you shouldn't be afraid to mix it up if you feel the night going in a different direction. Although, we'd suggest that a dinner party probably isn't the right occasion to show off your latest Scandinavian scream metal find — it's probably better to keep the tunes a little more neutral. If the music provides the soundtrack for the night, how you prepare the room is akin to setting the stage. Lighting is key here — too bright and it might feel like you're in the office, too low and it might look like you forgot to pay your bills. Soft lights — think floor lamps and candles — are your friends here. Another nice touch is to bring in something from outside. Nice artwork is always a lovely touch, but flowers and the like really make a room come to life. PREP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN ADVANCE — OR EVEN GET IT CATERED As a host, it's all too easy to forget to actually enjoy yourself. And it makes sense — you're probably too worried about everyone else having a good time and making sure glasses stay full. But ideally, a dinner party is an opportunity to enjoy yourself and the company of the people you've invited. Do yourself a favour and do as much prep as you can before your guests arrive, so you have more time to have a good time rather than having to run back and forth from the kitchen. Want to really sit back and enjoy yourself? Go to the next level and get it catered — sure it's a little extra, but after all, it's hard to know these days just when you might be able to host your next dinner party. SERVE A LOW-ALCOHOL WINE TO KEEP THE GOOD TIMES GOING LONGER While you probably don't want to host a dry dinner party, you probably also don't want the night to potentially get out of hand. Plan ahead with an easy compromise: serve low-alcohol vino and keep the good times rolling. Tempus Two has just dropped an excellent range of low-ABV wines — they've got 30 percent less booze and calories than a standard bottle. The Lighten Up range includes top-shelf, low-alcohol pinot noir, prosecco and rosé, with each bottle clocking in at just four standard drinks. BEGIN WITH A SIGNATURE COCKTAIL This slick move is a surefire way to class up even the most casual of dinner parties. Yes, it's probably easier to pop a bottle of something, but a cocktail on arrival works better for two reasons. Not only can you serve these up to order, meaning latecomers can still enjoy a fresh drink when they arrive, but shaking or stirring in front of your guests adds a touch of theatre to the evening. And what's a dinner party without a bit of theatre? You could even go low-alcohol here, too — make a bubbles-based bevvie with a generous splash of Tempus Two Lighten Up Prosecco to start the night on the right note. For more information about the low-alcohol Tempus Two Lighten Up range, head to the website. Top image: Supplied
With Brisbane recording the first local Australian case of the new, more contagious B117 variant of COVID-19, Australia's internal borders have become a hot topic yet again — because that wasn't just a 2020 trend. Since the new case initially came to light on Thursday, January 7, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared the Greater Brisbane region a national hotspot, and a number of states have changed their border arrangements. As of late last night, on Friday, January 8, that includes Victoria, with the state closing its borders to all of Greater Brisbane. Victoria has declared the five local government areas currently under a three-day lockdown in Queensland — the Brisbane, Redland, Ipswich, Moreton and Logan local government areas — as red zones, effective at 11.59pm on Friday, January 8. This means folks from these areas are "cannot travel to Victoria unless an exemption applies", with exemptions "only granted in limited circumstances". The red zone declaration may have only come into effect overnight, but it covers anyone who has been in the Greater Brisbane area since Saturday, January 2. Accordingly, anyone who has visited the region in the past week and since left still won't be allowed entry into Victoria. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1347517728307830789 As previously announced yesterday, Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services also advises that anyone who has already arrived in Victoria from Greater Brisbane since January 2 needs to get tested immediately — even if you don't have any symptoms — and remain at home or wherever you're staying until 6pm on Monday, January 11. You'll be under stay-at-home conditions, as if you were still in Greater Brisbane. A further assessment about the situation in Victoria will be made on January 11. As for how long the border ban on folks from Greater Brisbane will be in place, an end date hasn't been given. Victoria's borders are also closed to New South Wales, in response to the latter state's northern beaches cluster. As at Friday, January 8, Victoria has 39 active cases of COVID-19. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services coronavirus website.
As the creator and host of This American Life, one of modern radio's truly great story hours, Ira Glass needs little introduction. But now Ira is trying his hand as a film producer. Marcus Costello caught up with him ahead of the Australian release of Sleepwalk with Me, a comedy based on the life of, directed by and starring Ira's longtime friend and collaborator Mike Birbiglia. There's a sequence in Sleepwalk when Matt (Birbiglia) stays overnight in a hotel. For a guy who moonlights in a bar to support himself, this is the sign of making it — so he orders room service and dances on the bed. You also had a day job when you first started making radio: temping as a secretary. Was there a jump-on-the-bed-moment when it dawned on you that radio was going to work out? There were a few moments, but they were not early in my career! I took longer to figure out how to make a living making radio than anyone I've ever met. I was always a very good editor but all the other parts of making a radio story — being a solid interviewer, writer, knowing how to write something that could be read out loud — I was just so bad at these things. And I don't say that with false modesty. If you poke around you can find examples of my early stuff. I have. And, yeah, well, you only got better and better. [laughs] All through my twenties my parents kept telling me "you've got to get out of radio, you've got to get out of radio!" and I always thought they were being so unsupportive. But when I go back and listen to what I was producing, I completely understand where they were coming from. Did you ever turn to them and say, "look at me now"? Yes. Well, not in so many words. When they saw me on The David Letterman Show they stopped telling me I should go to medical school. Nice. Staying with the hotel experience, I have you as saying, "Just when did I get to the point when staying at a hotel wasn't fun?" I have a cousin who's a composer, Philip Glass, and when he was starting out his mother said to him, "You're just going to be travelling around staying in hotels", and he said, "Yeah, exactly!" But, you know, the novelty comes and goes. These days, I've come back around to embracing the escapism of hotels. In that scene, Matt looks around the hotel room sort of awestruck and I remember seeing it in the script and thinking "Well, that's going to look stupid" but it worked! It's a perfect example of something that's utterly convincing on film but if you think about it, 100 percent BS. And that was one of the key things I've learnt about filmmaking. And what about bumping into famous people at fancy hotels and thinking "I'm famous too, I can talk to them!" Is there still novelty in that? I mean, This American Life is a show about ordinary people's stories. Tell me, who's the most memorable person you've met? I can definitely answer this question but it's hard because if an interview is going well I fall in love with that person a little bit... Are you falling in love me with, Ira? Exactly. And after this interview, where are you taking me, Marcus? [laughs] I guess, be it with a man, woman or child, any age, I know an interview's going well, that we're both feeling good about it, when I start talking honestly about myself with them. Okay, here's something that really stands out in my memory. We did a show about babysitting and I interviewed a guy called Myron Jones. It was one of those stories that starts out light-hearted and funny but gets darker and sours. The deeper into it we went, I realised the story wasn't about what we thought it was about but actually about his mum; she was kind of crazy. At one point she actually followed through with her threats to send him away to an orphanage, like, who does that? It was the kind of complicated, emotional story that is so hard to come by. I mean, he was from another generation, another part of the world, there's no other way I would have had access to a story like his. And he really opened up to me. But the thing that touched me most was how graceful he was about his past. I mean, his mum did some terrible things, some really terrible things, and yet he had no bitterness about it. He was beyond bitterness and almost onside with his mum. I remember thinking to myself after that interview, when I get old I want to be like Myron. It's so touching and telling that people open up to you. I wonder, if you're asking someone who you've just met to talk about a traumatic period of their life, have you ever felt you've pushed too hard, gone too far? Hmm. Well, there have certainly been times when people have told me too much without having to push for it. I remember when I was a producer for the daily news back in the '80s when AIDS first hit, I was interviewing this couple and I asked them, "Do people still have sex when they have HIV?" And then they gave the most graphic, like, graphic, account of how they do it. I thought, wow, you are just so much less inhibited than I am. Well, journalists are compelled to get the truth out there in all its graphic detail. On the other hand, artists are compelled to create truths. As a sort of hybrid of these two, what compels you? Truthfully, I feel that my interests are really basic. I'm looking for something that is exciting or amusing. I like to be entertained. Balancing funny moments with emotional moments in the one story is always powerful. I like being told stories about people I don't know or places I haven't been but told in a way that I can relate to. I certainly relate to This American Life, and I'm an Australian. Have you ever thought about selling the concept to other countries? Say, This Russian Life? [laughs] The name of the show goes to show just how shortsighted we were! Back in the early '90s when we started out, we honestly never thought anyone outside of America would ever hear us. I don't know how we'd go in Russia, but we're on in Canada and they're such chauvinists up there we actually thought about inserting a little snippet into the intro so it's like, 'This North American Life'. I often reflect on what you have to say about starting out, "For the first couple of years you make stuff and it's just not that good. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. You gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work." (Read the full quote here.) I loved This American Life the TV series, but it was abandoned so early on! Yeah. Basically, for things to work in the This American Life format things have to unfold, somebody has to learn something, somebody to change. On radio, we get people to tell us what happened to them but on TV you want the cameras to be there rolling as the events transpire. So it becomes a really tall order to find something worth filming before it's happened. Look, I'm proud of what we produced and we even won some awards for it, but it was just so hard, like, really hard, and we had trouble meeting our deadlines. And it's so much more expensive to experiment with stories in TV than it is to run with something in radio then let it go if it's not working out. We asked to be taken off television and very graciously Showtime let us out of our contract. You seem to have a love-hate relationship with hard work. Speaking about your first time producing a film, you said, "It was a shocking amount of work — the despair-making sort of work where you aren't really sure if it's ever going to work." And yet your team is ploughing ahead with six more films. Something tells me it's all going to work out just fine. [laughs] Thank you. Ira's Sleepwalk with Me collaborator Mike Birbiglia is currently in Australia with his show My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, on at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival until April 4 and at the Sydney Opera House on April 6. He'll also be appearing at a special Q&A session and Sleepwalk with Me screening at the Dendy Newtown on April 5. Read our review of Sleepwalk with Me here.
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.
Whether you're trying to find your way around your a far-flung holiday destination, a part of your own city you're not so familiar with or your own neighbourhood, Google Maps has probably helped you out of a bind more than once. Over the years, you've been able to play everything from Pac-Man and Mario Kart to Where's Waldo and Snake via the online service, too — so using it for a global Easter egg hunt really isn't too far out of the ordinary. Because it's almost that time of year, and because Cadbury wants to remind us all to eat chocolate, the brand has teamed up with Google Maps to create a virtual way for you to hide and search for Easter eggs. It's all digital, though, so it does mean that you won't actually be eating any choccies. If you want to dive into your own stash while you're clicking and scrolling away, though, absolutely no one is going to stop you. Here's how it works: you head to the worldwide Easter egg hunt website, sign up and then get hiding. Once you've picked your spot — somewhere of significance to you and the person you're hiding it for — you'll write a clue, which'll then get sent to your chosen person. For those on the receiving end, it's up to you to decipher the details and find the virtual egg. If it's too hard, that's all down to whoever enlisted you in the hunt — so, if you can't find your digital egg, you might want to ask them for more hints. You can only hide one egg at a time, and only send the corresponding clue to one person. But, you can repeat the process as many times as you like. While there is a physical component, it sadly doesn't involve racing around the world, the city or even the house actually trying to get your hands on chocolate. Instead, you can arrange to send one of three Cadbury products to someone in Australia, starting at $50. Staying virtual doesn't cost a thing, however, if that better suits your budget. To take part in the worldwide Easter egg hunt, head to the Cadbury website.
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.
While much of the country is slowly starting to creep back to normality — and Melbourne has a roadmap to get there — there are some basic activities that'll be looking very different post-COVID. That includes the humble music gig and festival. With large crowds seen as a potential risk for virus transmission, all Australian states and territories still have density limits in place for gatherings and events, meaning that this year's festival season is set to be in stark contrast to all those before it. While it's hard to tell exactly what the future of music shows looks like locally, plans for an upcoming Western Australian event could help shed some light. Hitting the Busselton Foreshore on Saturday, October 31, the inaugural Good Day Sunshine festival is set to debut a new COVID-safe festival format, featuring a revolving stage and four separate crowd areas. The design will allow event promoters Macro Music to safely host 5000 punters. In the plans, the aptly named Turntable Stage sits at the centre of the site, rotating between four separated audience zones, each with a reduced 1250-person capacity. The lower numbers and crowd split will allow the festival to meet the state's current density restrictions of two-square-metres per person, while improving ease of contract tracing. Each of the four areas will operate as a separate event, complete with its own entry and exit point, and own amenities including bars, toilets and food outlets. A static sound system will service the entire site, while on-stage LED screens will provide all punters with concert visuals at each point of the stage's revolution. After purchasing tickets, Good Day Sunshine patrons were required to nominate one of the four quadrants, which is where they'll remain for the entirety of the festival. Each of the zones will have its own COVID safety officer, leading dedicated teams of staff that will continuously clean shared facilities and top up hand sanitiser stations. The event is set to be closely monitored and, if it proves successful, could pave the way for future Aussie festivals. "I would be flattered if this format was to be used by other events in Australia and across the world," said Macro Music CEO and festival designer Ross Macpherson. "The sooner we can get large-scale live events back up and running, the better for everyone." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeYsTUQ9D34&feature=youtu.be The Good Day Sunshine lineup has met some issues thanks to Western Australia's hard border lockdowns and difficulties securing approval for artists to enter the state. At this stage, acts including Eskimo Joe, John Butler Trio and Xavier Rudd are set to headline the October 31 debut. Good Day Sunshine will debut at Barnard Park, Busselton, on October 31. Learn more about its new format at the festival's website.
We could probably all do with some more phone-free time, what with today's always-connected society, not to mention the cancer scares. But sometimes it's handy to have a functional phone even when you're trying to get away from it all. Music festivals are a prime example: you're out in a paddock enjoying music all day and when the speakers fall silent you need to call your friends to find your tent. So, UK phone company Orange teamed up with renewable energy experts gotwind to develop some new ideas for Glastonbury this year: wellies with thermocouples that harness the funky heat of your feet after throwing shapes all day, and a shirt that charges your phone by converting soundwaves into electricity. And if you're getting back to nature by going camping, you might just need that phone to make a call if something goes wrong... or to post a photo of what a great time you're having away from all your facebook friends. Japan's TES New Energy have come up with what is basically a cooking pot with a power cord, so that you can harness the extra heat from boiling the billy to charge your smart phone. [via PSFK]
Thelma and Louise. Chocolate and peanut butter. Romeo and Juliet — all iconic pairings. Now, rosé wine and gin creators Maison Mirabeau might have introduced a new contender to the mix in the form of its signature drop: the Mirabeau Dry Rosé Gin. As you might have guessed, it's created via the power pairing of Provençal pink wine and gin. The low down? It's a fresh drop that you will want to enjoy in an appropriately refreshing environment. So, fantastically, a great introduction to the drop is on offer at the Maison Mirabeau x Four Seasons Sydney poolside pop-up this summer. From Monday, December 5 to Monday, January 23, you'll have the chance to channel a South of France sojourn by heading to Four Seasons Sydney and sipping a selection of delicious rosé- and gin-based cocktails from the comfort of your sun lounger. Whether you like a traditional dry gin (tinted pink), or are a purist and opt for a glass of Pure Rosé, you can expect subtle, stylish drops. There's Mirabeau's Riviera Gin & Tonic served with Mediterranean tonic water, fragrant rosemary and zesty lemon peel; and a chilled Rosé Negroni served with Lillet Rosé, Campari and orange peel — a particularly decadent indulgence when coupled with a stay at one of Sydney's most fabulous five-star hotels. Alternately, if you can't quite find the time to stop and smell the rosé, then Maison Mirabeau is making it easy to create a piece of Provence at home with bottles of Mirabeau Dry Rosé Gin now stocked at Dan Murphy's. For more on the Maison Mirabeau x Four Seasons Poolside Summer pop-up, head to the website.
When Pharrell Williams first made contact with Morgan Neville, the Oscar-winning documentarian behind 20 Feet From Stardom, their conversation could've started like this: "it might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say". The famed producer, N.E.R.D. co-founder, 'Happy' singer, and Daft Punk and Snoop Dogg collaborator's proposal to the filmmaker also behind the Mr Rogers-focused Won't You Be My Neighbour?, then Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain and STEVE! (martin): a Documentary in 2 Pieces, was for Neville to tell Williams' life story — a request that doesn't seem out of the ordinary. But Pharrell wanted this journey through his upbringing in Virginia Beach in Virginia, his music dreams as a kid and a teenager, and then the ups and downs of his career to solely be relayed using Lego animation. How do you explore anyone's existence, let alone someone so influential in music for decades, while rendering them, other interviewees and everything else that's seen on-screen only in the style of The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part? Just as importantly, why would you? Piece by Piece, the film that results, sits alongside Brett Morgen's David Bowie-adoring Moonage Daydream as recent music docos that know how to expertly takes their cues for their approach, aesthetic and vibe from their subject. In both cases, it's instantly apparent that any other method wouldn't have done the folks at their centre justice. Piece by Piece boasts the childhood details, the stories shared by loved ones and colleagues, the glimpses into the studio and the examples of Pharrell's work, his music and the videos that go with them alike. As the movie's title states so clearly, however, they have all been built piece by piece in Lego animation. This effectively meant making the film twice, first featuring the raw materials, including chats with Williams, his N.E.R.D. bandmates Shae Haley and Chad Hugo, his distant cousin Timbaland, fellow Virginia Beach residents Pusha T and Missy Elliott, and then everyone from Daft Punk and Snoop to Gwen Stefani and Kendrick Lamar — and secondly with that initial cut, which Neville dubs the "radio edit", animated frame by frame in the Lego fashion. Spliced into the initial version were storyboards for scenes that simply wouldn't have been possible to realise without Piece by Piece's unconventional biodoc technique, many of which bring Pharrell's synesthesia to the screen. Music appears to him as colours, and shapes as well. The film not only recreates that sensation for the audience, but does so with exacting detail: when the beats that Pharrell creates appear as pulsating bricks, be it for N.E.R.D's 'Rock Star' or No Doubt's 'Hella Good', or for Snoop Dogg's 'Drop It Like It's Hot' or Williams' own mega hit from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack — and much more — the forms and hues depicted are exactly what Pharrell sees. In every piece, frame and moment, this is a documentary that's intimately in tune with its subject, then. It celebrates a dreamer by crafting those dreams out of bricks. Yes, it all clicks. It's an ode to creativity and imagination, too, right down to deploying one of the first formats that almost every child uses to make new worlds, because that's what Lego lets us do. While there are tie-in kits available for sale, as happens with Lego-based movies, the medium matches the man perfectly. Indeed, that's so accurate that the feature wouldn't have happened otherwise, including if Lego hadn't be on board with the idea, Neville told Concrete Playground. "We'd thought about it, whether there were other ways of doing it if Lego said no. And I think we all agreed if Lego said no, there was going to be no film," the director shares. "It just felt like Lego itself was actually an important piece, as it were, of what the film was — that it wasn't just a gimmick, that it actually felt part of who Pharrell is in his story and how he sees the world." We also chatted with Neville about how you respond when Pharrell asks you to make a movie about him using Lego — a version of which is seen in the film — plus creating a type of music documentary that hasn't been made before, the added possibilities that come with examining someone's life and career in Lego, heroing creativity, his starting point whether he's making docos about Williams or Bourdain or Martin, and more. On How You React When Pharrell Suggests That Lego Would Be the Perfect Medium to Tell His Story "What happens in the film is a version of what happened in real life. But that was the one moment that I didn't actually record, because the first time I met Pharrell, he pitched me on this idea where he said 'I want you to make a movie about me, and then I want you to throw away all the visuals and do it again in Lego'. And honestly, when he said that I was totally hooked. So that's the difference. I think in the movie I'm a little unsure, but I think in real life I jumped right into it. That was the thing that got me incredibly excited, because I didn't know what it was going to mean. It was a crazy idea, but I love crazy ideas." On Making a Type a Music Documentary That Hasn't Been Made Before — and Whether It Feels Daunting, Freeing or a Bit of Both "I feel like being a film director, there's a kind of wilful amnesia that you have, where you intentionally forget how difficult it is to make films. Because if you remembered, you wouldn't make them. So I vaguely knew that this was going to be climbing a mountain, but I really just looked at this path in front of me and said 'well, this is interesting. What if I do this, and what if I think about this? And, well, let's talk to Lego. They could kill it. It might go away'. We talked to Lego and they said 'we love it'. And then we just kept trying things. And so step by step it came together, but it was five years of work to get there." On How Using Lego Allowed the Film to Explore and Expand Areas and Details That Wouldn't Have Been Possible Otherwise — or in Such an Evocative Way "That was the amazing realisation I came to early on, was that because of the Lego, we could do things you can't normally do — you certainly couldn't do in a documentary and you couldn't do in a lot of films — which is visualise imagination, or visualise things in somebody's head. And so the synesthesia was an important thing because Pharrell sees colour when he hears sound. We wanted to get that right. We actually brought in Michel Gagné, who's a famous animator, who had done the synesthesia in Ratatouille, to work on this — to think 'how do you do synesthesia, but in Lego?'. But then also the idea that we can visualise beats — the beats that Pharrell has made are physical Lego objects. And every beat in the film is actually reflective of how Pharrell sees that song. So the colours and the shapes of the beats in the film are accurate to what Pharrell sees in his head, even though nobody else knows what that is. Every song, we're like 'Pharrell, okay what are the colours? How does this look?'. Because it's interesting, he has a library in his head of every song you mention, he'll tell you what the colours are of that. So things like that you could do in Lego, which I don't know how else you would do that." On the Importance of Connecting Celebrating Creativity and Imagination with One of the First Gateways to Unlocking Both for Children "I think many people, most people, probably grew up with some connection to Lego toys. I did. I was of the era where when I bought a set of Lego, you would just get a big box of pieces. There were no instructions, it was just 'okay, make whatever you want'. I always ended up with a big tub of random pieces and you would just make stuff. I think Pharrell, also Lego he said was a really important toy his parents would give him when he was young. And it's interesting how much it comes up in the creative community. I've talked to architects and artists and designers, and Lego actually is kind of a building block of creativity. It's this thing that I think is just pure imagination in that way. And so imagination is a huge theme of the film. I love making films about creative people and how they think, and Lego just felt like this perfect way of exploring that. And the idea that it was Pharrell's conceit makes it even more organic to why it works in this film." On Neville's Starting Point When He's Making a Documentary, No Matter Who or What His Subject Is "My starting point on every project, I do a couple of things. I start a playlist of music. So for every film, I have a playlist of music, even if it's not about music. I'm a musician and I've made a lot of films about music, and it helps me get a feel for the tone of what a film could be. In this case I had like ten playlists, because Pharrell had done so much music. So I had solo work and produced by, and with the bands he had done and influenced music. And I spent months listening to all of it, waiting for songs to pop out and for me to hear them and say 'oh, I could see this, it feels like this song belongs in a scene' or 'this song has a theme that could work to the story'. So that's a big part of it. Then I gather visuals and references, and all that kind of stuff. So all that just goes into a pod as I start to conceive of what this film might be. But I think all that other stuff, tone and aesthetic, are all things I'm thinking about in the beginning. And then I just talk as much as I can to the subject or other people. I just am trying to take in as much input as I can get. Then it starts to form in my head and little things start coming together." On the Difficult Task of Knowing What to Include and Leave Out When You're Making a Film About Someone with Such a Wide-Ranging Career "It always is. This was difficult because Pharrell has done so much, but I always think about it more like 'what are the things that influenced his life?'. I mean, a big part of this movie is his childhood, which was a huge part of what made him who he is. But it's not his career. So in that way, the career stuff, he had so many more hits that aren't even in the film. He's done so much. But to me it's about the moments where things turn. It's where maybe a failure — failures are as interesting as successes when it comes to looking at a narrative of a person's life, because that's where we learn. So I think it was really identifying the moments where something felt different, or where he learned something, or where something clicked or didn't click. I always try to avoid what I think of as 'the Wikipedia version' of a person's life, because it's not that interesting to just go through everything they accomplished. But to hit the moments that actually meant something to them, that were part of their personal growth or their creative growth, that's what I try to zero in on, and so that helps me cut stuff out unfortunately." Piece by Piece opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Images: courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.
With Splendour in the Grass and other winter festivals approaching, you're going to need a little more than a tent - even if it is one of the adorable Fieldcandy tents that we found the other week. There's still campfire eating to think about, as well as that necessary cup of caffeine after a night spent in the great outdoors. Thanks to the creative and over-the-top genius of these 10 'glamping' products, this list will have you covered. 1. Bell Tent Recall the circus of yesteryear in a retro striped bell tent. All that is missing is the bedecked elephants. 2. Faux-Fur Throw What better than a faux-fur blanket to keep the winter chill out? Your inner diva needs it. 3. Wine Glass Clamp You've reclined into the comfy canvas recesses of your camping chair. But where to place your glass of pinot? An age old dilemma solved with a simple clamp that can attach to just about any camping chair. 4. Star Solar Lights Keep the stars with you on a cloudy camping night, or even inside your tent. This outdoor string of star-shaped is powered by a separate solar panel and will light automatically when the sun goes down, lending your campsite a magical feel. 5. Heart-Shaped Marshmallow Toasting Fork As if s'mores could get any better, you can now toast your marshmallows on a heart-shaped stick. 6. Cafe Latte Set There is no need to compromise on the quality of your coffee just because you are outdoors. This set contains a French press and a milk foamer to satisfy even the most hardened coffee snob. 7. Portable BBQ Grill This retro and portable grill is too cute. Perfect for roasting burgers and hotdogs! 8. Phone-Charging Gumboots Even the most avid campers miss their mobiles when roughing it. Keep yours charged with these functional and fashionable wellies. After a day full of running around at a festival, simply slide your phone into the charger at the top of the boot, where it will receive a charge from heat energy you have generated all day.
Takeaway or dine in? It's the question that everyone who can't be bothered cooking dinner has faced, and it is more complicated than it sounds. Perhaps you'll be flying solo with your containers of food, but feel like some company? Or, maybe you and your pals all want meals delivered from different places, but know that's a bit impractical. A Helsinki pop-up has the answer, whether you're looking for an alternative to eating alone or trying to keep your gang of fellow diners happy. Called Take In, the kitchen-less venue is all about pulling up a chair, picking from around 20 restaurants, and enjoying the space as your dining room away from home — plus, making sure you have someone to share it with, even if your mates are all already busy. There's also a bar on-site, so that's the drinking side of the equation taken care of (or some liquid courage if chatting to folks you don't know makes you a little nervous). Customers can drop in just for a tipple, too; however eating out alone, but not alone is the main aim of the game. For anyone finding themselves in Finland in in the near future, the pop-up runs until April. Via Eater.
Architecture aficionados and self-confessed sticky-beaks, listen up. The historic city of Bendigo, located an easy two-hour drive from Melbourne, will throw the doors open on some of its top buildings again this year, for one weekend this month. Across October 26–27, locals and visitors will get the chance to see inside spaces that are generally closed to the public. A boom town during the gold rush period, Bendigo is home to a rich architectural heritage that has been met with rapid development in recent years. Hop on one of the vintage trams and explore the city from the inside. The Open House weekend is a chance to engage with city planners and discuss Bendigo's design future. Visitors are welcome to explore the most notable designs of the city, from private homes and heritage buildings to commercial and civic developments. Over 20 buildings will be on display — highlights include Kooroork House II, a 160 square metre family home created by e+ architecture; the Eaglehawk Heritage Precinct including the Mechanics Institute; former Eaglehawk Town Hall (now operating as the Star Cinema Boutique); and the Eaglehawk Courthouse. Plus, be the first to enter the newly renovated historic Beehive Building at the Bendigo Mining Exchange, which has been restored to its former glory. Alongside the program will be a series of talks and public workshops. For more information or to pre-book tours, head to the Open House Bendigo website.
Spender understands the adaptability of a chair, Jeremy Neale and Go Violets team up and Bonobo are ready to help you relax on a Sunday. Here are five tracks to soundtrack your weekend. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HgU3rROkeIE 1. 'Bed & Chair' - Spender Spender dropped this pop tune densely wrapped in deep synth only yesterday, meaning you could be one of the first to own it, and then when your friends catch up and start talking about him in a month, you can be that person who says "I knew him before he was big". Be quick though; this window will only be open a short time, with Spender set to soar into stardom off the back of this dance-inducing smash. Also, we don't recommend trying his chair positions at home. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JyqemIbjcfg 2. 'Recover' - CHVRCHES CHVRCHES announced this week their plans to tour Australia in early August (with Splendour in the Grass rumours swiftly following), and their tickets will be in hot demand. Their debut EP Recover was released only two months ago and has since gained worldwide acclaim, and the title-track here is a fine example of just why everyone wants a piece of the Scottish trio. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bpm8VV8O93E 3. 'Antenna' - Bonobo Bonobo are the masters of making music that suits every occasion, and their newly released album, The North Borders, showcases this to perfection. Play this track at that house party on Friday night, whilst nursing that hangover on Saturday morning or whilst having the in-laws over for supper on Sunday, and nobody will be disappointed, especially not you. 4. 'In Stranger Times' - Jeremy Neale & Go Violets Jeremy Neale is the garage guru of Brisbane. Not only does he front the voracious Velociraptor, but he also creates his own catchy tracks in his spare time. Now he has teamed up with the guru-esses Go Violets to create a delectable harmony that transports you back to the '60s. So open all the windows and doors and blare 'In Stranger Times' to all of your neighbours — they deserve to hear it. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tBsRvthVhdw 5. 'Entertainment' - Phoenix Phoenix's new album Bankrupt is finally released in only 11 short days. The French rockers have been teasing us ever since the release of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix with hints about when they would release new music and what it would sound like. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it sounds incredible. 'Entertainment', the first track off the soon-to-be-released album, is a ballistic blend of pop, orient-inspired synth and bass guitar that will populate every party playlist you hear this weekend.
If you want a trip to remember full of endless sunshine, tuk tuk rides and temples (but you don't fancy the idea of going within sniffing distance of Denpasar) then Cambodia might be the place for you. The Kingdom of Cambodia is home to a generous and open people, incredible and fragrant food, staggering temples, and a truly incredibly history. When you combine all of this with 24-hour action, scooters piled high with chooks and kids, and a country still in recovery from recent turmoil, you get a formidable destination for the fearless. Cambodia has been steadily building a reputation as both a place to immerse yourself in history and culture — and, more recently, as a place to party. It's a place of highs and lows. Your first glimpse of the formidable Angkor Wat will leave you in no doubt as to its status as one of the most incredible feats of ancient architecture on the face of the Earth; your last glimpse of the party beaches of Koh Rong Island will remind you of why your liver is hurting. But when you've had your fill of temples and you're sick of the endless party scene in Sihanoukville, you should make for the peaceful riverside town of Kampot. Steeped in French Colonial history — but without the big-names of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh — this beautiful and fascinating spot in southwest Cambodia is well worth a stay, especially when some R&R from constant travel is required. Need some help on how to fill your days? Here's ten things to do while kicking it in Kampot. [caption id="attachment_578323" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Aram Visser via Flickr.[/caption] VISIT AN ABANDONED LUXURY RESORT This remote and once-grandiose luxury resort was dreamed up by colonial French settlers in 1922. Now abandoned, Bokor Hill Station's buildings are still standing (no mean feat, given that this spot was one of the last strongholds of the Khmer Rouge in the 1990s) and make for an eerie day trip. The best way to get out there is to jump on a scooter and ride out yourself — but if you're not confident on a bike, there will be a tour or ten being spruiked in town. Cap your visit off with a drink in the creepy and almost completely patronless, brand spanking new casino which has been curiously constructed on a very out-of-the-way hilltop. Not weirded out enough? Check out the abandoned Catholic church, which is complete with a still-standing altar. WATCH A FILM AT A ROOM SERVICE BED CINEMA So we know you can do this anywhere in the world, but sometimes you just want to take five and watch a film in a foreign country. Watching a film on your laptop will suffice — but watching one in a private bed cinema is approximately one million times better. At Ecran Movie House, you get to splay out over a massive bed in your own private viewing room with air-conditioning, room service drinks and on-demand dumplings from the adjoining noodle joint. Can Hoyts take cues from this? EAT VEGO NOSH BY THE RIVER AT BANTEAY SREY SPA Travelling around Cambodia is tough. Reward yourself with a soothing oil massage or a facial. Banteay Srey Spa is women-only — with the exception of yoga in the morning — and is a great place to enjoy a spa treatment, as well as a swim in the river and some vegetarian and vegan food afterwards. Didn't bring your swimmers? No problem. The spa provides traditional Khmer wraps, which perfect for taking a dip. [caption id="attachment_578321" align="alignnone" width="1280"] James Antrobus via Flickr.[/caption] VISIT THE GIANT DURIAN Surely this one needs no more explanation. The giant fruit sits in the middle of a roundabout in the centre of town and is something of a spiky statue sister to our own Big Pineapple. Plus, there's no smell. [caption id="attachment_578349" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Blake Wheeler.[/caption] ROPE SWING INTO THE RIVER Like swinging off ropes into the river? Great. Get thee to Arcadia Backpackers for the highest of rope swings, the best tower jumps and one of the busiest backpackers in Kampot. If you're looking for a travel buddy as well as a bit of adrenalin, you'll find one here. [caption id="attachment_578333" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Oliver Townend via Flickr.[/caption] EAT PEPPER CRAB AT KEP Unless you're on a secluded romantic vacation (or don't mind everything being a bit of a drive away), don't bother staying in Kep. Head there on a day trip instead. You'll be able to feast on the famous pepper crab, which is local Kep crab served with Kampot green pepper. It's only forty-five minutes away by tuk tuk, so you can be back at your riverside bungalow in Kampot by sundown. EXPLORE KAMPOT'S CAVES Craving caving? Visit the guys at Climbodia. They'll lead you into a dark abyss of limestone caves, and then lead you back out again into the light. No experience needed — just a willingness to explore Kampot and enter dark spaces. [caption id="attachment_578337" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Marie via Flickr.[/caption] TASTE THE BEST PEPPER IN THE WORLD Fun fact: Kampot is the pepper capital of the world. Khmer people have been cultivating the spice in the area from as early as the 13th century — and up until the Khmer Rouge occupation from 1975, there wasn't a hatted restaurant in Paris worth their salt that wasn't using this piquant spice. If you want to try the best pepper in the world, straight from the source, head to one of Kampot's pepper farms for an insight into the industry. [caption id="attachment_578339" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Marie via Flickr.[/caption] WATCH THE FISHING BOATS ON KAMPOT RIVER This massive gulf of water is home to an abundance of fish, and is basically life for the Khmer people in Kampot. Sit by the river at sunset and watch the stream of green fishing boats puttering out to sea for the night. [caption id="attachment_578340" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ruben I via Flickr.[/caption] HAGGLE AT THE NIGHT MARKETS These markets start from about 4pm down near the durian roundabout and are worth a look — although, be warned, they're super dense and truly packed. Haggle hard, people. Top image: P W via Flickr.
Early 2000s, Apple-powered minimalism. It's a thing. At least one this designer is running with. German designer Klaus Geiger has resurrected the now-retired Apple Power Mac G5, the once proud must-have of the post-millennium hoo-ha, in a stunning new furniture line we're chomping at the bit to have in the office. If it's not too painful, cast your mind back to 2003. Botttles full o' bub were being swilled by Fiddy Cent. Ol' Delta Goodrem gave the finger to Neighbours. The US launched a slight little you know, invasion of Iraq. Things were on the move. Apparently the still slick-looking Mac was the fastest in the Apple family when it hit shelves in the same golden year of 2003, now it lies dormant, superseded by Airs and Pros. But old models don't just vanish into the ether. Geiger's elegant-as-blazes project BENCHMA(®)C rounded up the old towers and transformed them into sleek desks, shelving units, drawers that make you remember the Macs of the millenium not as this: but as sleek marvels of minimalist design. Like this: We're signing up now. Via The Verge. All images Klaus Geiger
If you've been needing to restock your bookshelf at home, and you find looking at lines of orange-and-white Penguin classics soothing to the soul, then time to strike while the iron is hot — as well as doing some good for charity. The annual Penguin Random House charity book sale will take place at Collins Square on Tuesday, July 31, with books starting from a mere $4. Entry costs a gold coin, and the proceeds will go towards The Indigenous Literacy Foundation, one of Penguin Random House's charity partners. Last year, the book sale raised more than $18,000. This year, the aim is to outdo that, so toss your old collection of the Twilight series and stock up on some classics. The sale runs from 8am-3pm or until sold out — head to West Pod at Collins Square to find it.
There's no way that Dream Scenario could've been a horror movie, even if it does hail from A24 and boast Hereditary, Midsommar and Beau Is Afraid filmmaker Ari Aster as a producer. Constantly having one particular person pop up in your head as you slumber is indeed eerie; however, when that person is the one and only Nicolas Cage, who'd be scared? Cage doesn't play himself in Dream Scenario — so, it isn't going down The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent's path — but the characters played by actors other than the Renfield, Pig, Willy's Wonderland, Face/Off, Con Air, Wild at Heart, Vampire's Kiss and Raising Arizona star do indeed keep dreaming of his likeness. And, when it won't stop happening, it earns plenty of attention in this new sci-fi comedy from Sick of Myself writer/director Kristoffer Borgli. Paul Matthews is just an average family man and college professor when Dream Scenario kicks off, as the movie's trailer shows. And, if the Cage-inhabited figure didn't start haunting everyone's sleep, that would've remained the case. When we say everyone, we mean it, with millions of folks getting acquainted with Paul when their eyes are closed — his daughter, his students, old loves and then basically the entire globe. "It was one of the best scripts I've read, quite frankly, and I think it's my best performance and probably the best movie I've ever made," said Cage about the end result. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, will release in the US in November, but doesn't yet have a big-screen date Down Under. Borgli's English-language debut, Dream Scenario also stars Julianne Nicholson (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), Michael Cera (Barbie), Tim Meadows (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson), Dylan Gelula (Loot) and Dylan Baker (Hunters). And, it's another glorious chapter in the best Hollywood guessing game there is as long as Cage keeps hopping in front of the camera, aka where will the inimitable actor show up next? Check out the trailer for Dream Scenario below: Dream Scenario releases in US cinemas on November 10, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced. Images: courtesy of A24.
A Twitter-famous writer with a bestseller to her name and plenty of online fame, Arabella (Michaela Coel) has a deadline. Overnight, she needs to finish the first draft of her second book or her publishers won't be happy. But when her mates suggest that she comes out for a couple of drinks, the London-based scribe quickly acquiesces. The next morning, though, she doesn't feel okay — and it isn't just a hangover, with Arabella slowly realising that she has been the victim of sexual assault. It's best to take I May Destroy You's title literally from the get-go — in reference to how this show will make you feel, that is. Turning a traumatic experience into blistering television, the 12-part series is easily 2020's best, and it is definitely a phenomenal effort from creator/writer/co-director/star Coel. Watching Arabella come to terms with what's happened to her, and to regain her sense of self, isn't easy viewing — but it's absolutely must-see TV.
Spooktober claims to be Melbourne's spookiest Halloween festival, so you know it has considerable things up its sleeves when it comes to giving you a fright. And this year, it's going big — not only extending the scares across eight nights (and four days) between Friday, October 25 and Sunday, November 3, but doing so at Luna Park for the first time. The new setup will feature roving zombies, two custom haunted house experiences called Extreme Phobia and Haunted Fairytales, and a Haunted Spirits Bar so you can get some liquid courage into you, stat. There'll be Luna Park's rides and carnival games, too, but given a themed twist. Also on the lineup is a ghastly glamour parlour where you can get made up to look the part, costume competitions, spooky entertainment and a trick or treat trail for the littlies. Yes, some of the festival is family-friendly, but if you're an adult and you're still scared that's okay. Spooktober @ Luna Dark is open on Friday, October 25 from 6–11pm; Saturday, October 26 from 11am–5pm and 6pm–12am; Sunday, October 27 from 11am–5pm and 6–11pm; Wednesday, October 30 from 6–11pm; Thursday, October 31 from 6pm–12am; Friday, November 1 from 6–11pm; Saturday, November 2 from 11am–5pm and 6pm–12am; and Sunday, November 3 from 11am–5pm and 6–11pm.
The country's largest celebration of short form filmmaking is back for another year. Following on from its 30th birthday celebrations in 2013, the St Kilda Film Festival will light up the esplanade once more, serving bite-sized movie morsels from all around Australia and the world. Opening night at the Palais Theatre will showcase standouts from the 10 day line-up, before the festival jumps across town to The Astor. As always, the backbone of the program consists of the Top 100 Australian Shorts, stretched strategically across 14 separate sessions. From Cannes competitors to Tropfest finalists, there's no shortage of local talent on display. Outside of the main program, a partnership with the Palms Spring Film Festival in the US ensures a selection of international shorts, while the returning Under the Radar contest highlights films by directors under 21. There's also a music video competition, a zombie shorts marathon and costume party, plus forums with filmmakers and a variety of other industry pros. For the full St Kilda Film Festival Program, visit their website. Photo credit: Jim Lee.
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter" isn't just a line that The Little Mermaid fans have had stuck in their head for the last two decades. It's also the first thing likely to pop into the minds of anyone heading to one particular Norwegian restaurant. Now open in the coastal village of Båly in the country's south, Under plunges hungry patrons into watery surroundings, offering more than just the usual scenic vistas. At this eatery, diners tuck into their dishes underwater. As first announced in 2017, patrons feast on seafood under the sea. If you're going to open a space underneath the ocean, you have to serve up the fish, which is just what head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard is doing. There's just one food option, with a seasonal set menu serving up 18 courses and taking around four hours to get through — with optional wine or juice pairings. Here, however, the surroundings are as much of a drawcard as the cuisine. Visitors descend down three colour-coded levels to sip sparkling tipples in a champagne bar that boasts views of the shoreline, then enjoy dinner in the completely submerged dining room. The latter sits five metres below the water's surface, and is surrounded by panoramic acrylic windows for quite the aquatic view. For those wondering about pressure and safety, metre-thick concrete walls will keep everyone nice and dry, in a structure designed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Describing the space as "a sunken periscope", the building was constructed not only to wow those stepping foot inside, but to fit in with its surroundings. The grey exterior colour scheme is designed to blend in with the rocky coastline, with coarse surfacing that encourages molluscs to cling on. Indeed, over time it's hoped that Under will become an artificial mussel reef. As well as offering quite the place to eat, the project also aims to champion biodiversity, functioning as a research centre for marine life. This includes informational plaques educating visitors about the area, helping to expand not only the list of places you've tucked into a meal, but your knowledge. Bookings are open — start planning your next Scandinavian trip now. Images: Snohetta.
Real life has enough drama, as we all well and truly know at the moment. When it comes to getting cosy on your couch, you can be forgiven for wanting to forget the world's troubles — and your own, and this year's — and get caught up in a side-splitting comedy instead. Our tip: pick a top-notch TV series of the rib-tickling kind and stream (or re-stream) your way through it. Some you can knock out fairly quickly, filling your weekend with laughter. Others will take weeks and months, and will constantly brighten up your days in the process. From acerbic delights and absurd wonders to heartwarming gems and instant classics, streaming platform Binge isn't lacking in the comedy department. Because being able to lose yourself in a hilarious TV series is one of life's simple but much-needed pleasures, we've teamed up with the Australian service to highlight five shows that are guaranteed to have you giggling and guffawing — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
Lorde, that dynamo 17-year-old with the Grammys and the dance moves and the best friend named David Bowie, has been hit by illness after a gargantuan string of performances including Coachella, forcing her to postpone her Australian tour dates. Set to hit our shores in just a couple of days, Lorde was set to perform at eight shows across the country including Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane. The Pure Heroine issued a statement via press release today: "It breaks my heart to have to postpone these shows as the band and I absolutely love playing to Australian crowds, and it was not a decision we made lightly," she said. "I know I need to focus on getting better in order to perform at my best. We'll be with you as soon as we can, Aussies." After a heartbreaking cancellation earlier in the year, this will (hopefully) eventually be Lorde's first Australian stadium tour since playing smaller club venues and the Laneway circuit. And while we were sure to get the full royal treatment from her 2013 breakthrough album Pure Heroine, this 2014 tour was said to have some surprises in store. It's been announced there will be a huge light show component, but we're keeping our fingers crossed for a cameo from Ziggy Stardust. Management have yet to release further information or rescheduled tour dates as yet, or whether refunds will be issued. Stay tuned for more details, for now give your neighbours a little singalong concert. Here's where the postponed tour dates currently sit: Thu 24 Apr — Festival Hall, Melbourne (All Ages) POSTPONED Sat 26 Apr — Festival Hall, Melbourne POSTPONED Sun 27 Apr — EC Theatre, Adelaide (All Ages) POSTPONED Tue 29 Apr — Challenge Stadium, Perth (All Ages) POSTPONED Fri 2 May — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (All Ages) POSTPONED Sat 3 May — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (All Ages) POSTPONED Sun 4 May — Entertainment Centre, Newcastle (All Ages) POSTPONED Tue 6 May — Riverstage, Brisbane (All Ages) POSTPONED
Titles matter. A film with a good one can intrigue, inspire and entice audiences from far and wide, just as a bad one can turn you off faster than a date swearing at a waiter. The grey area is when things get literal. Everything's okay so long as it's just a case of 'does what it says on the can' — your Ghostbusters, your Ferris Bueller's Day Off, your The Pianist — but what about when it gives something away? That poor choice of words can destroy all semblance of mystery for a movie. It's why studios ultimately didn't go with: 'Bruce Willis Is a Ghost', 'Don't Trust the Gimp with the Limp' or 'It's...His...Sled'. With that in mind, the decision to title Peter Berg's new film Lone Survivor would seem a miscalculation. "Four Navy SEALs go into Afghanistan to target a Taliban leader, but how many make it out ali- oh, wait, it's one. Just one. A 'lone survivor'. Says so right there on the poster. And yet, despite having directed Battleship, Peter Berg's no idiot. Mindful that the details of this true (and widely publicised) military mission were already known to many, he realised the most compelling question was not 'how many would survive?' but rather 'how did ANY of them survive?' That disastrous mission was Operation Red Wings, and the reason for its failure was essentially the SEAL team's decision to not kill three unarmed farmers who'd stumbled across their position. For the (moral) armchair general, it's a no-brainer. Rules of engagement and all that. But in the moment, knowing that to let the civilians go was to guarantee an attack by the Taliban and fail the mission… the ethics of combat became a lot murkier. Mark Wahlberg, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster and Taylor Kitsch play those four imperilled SEALs, and from the moment they elect to abort the mission, Lone Survivor becomes a heart-in-mouth, hug-yourself-for-two-hours, ball-breaker of a film. Pursued through inhospitable mountains by several hundred Taliban and cut off from their support, the feats of those four soldiers quite simply defy belief. That's where the film's opening titles come into play: a montage of real-life footage from the SEALs' infamous 'Hell Week' training program that effectively acts as a 'proof of concept' for what you're about to see (if you're interested: youtu.be/sg2vF4UQMmQ). This is a war movie at its most confronting; it terrifyingly captures the confusion, brutality, chaos and intensity of combat in a way not seen since 1998's Saving Private Ryan. It's a suffocating sort of tension, and whilst there's no question the movie suffers from some clumsy jingoism, the experience is so tactile and overwhelming, you frequently find yourself ducking in your own seat. The author and journalist Sebastian Junger observed after his embedment in Afghanistan that "War is a lot of things and it's useless to pretend that exciting isn't one of them." From an adrenaline standpoint that might well be the case, but in every other respect, from every other possible viewpoint, it's an inescapable waking nightmare that you'd never wish upon anyone. If that doesn't ring true for you, go see Lone Survivor. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yoLFk4JK_RM
If you needed more evidence that teenagers are becoming even smarter at a younger age, look no further. A new trend has emerged in Midwest America, where teenagers are reportedly soaking candy in alcohol in order to get drunk. Long gone are the days when young hooligans would wait outside the bottle shop and desperately beg the first bloke with facial hair to buy them a case of Bacardi Breezers. Instead, candy is being soaked in spirits before being consumed in a seemingly harmless practice. These teenagers were even able to pick the cutest and most innocent candy as their method of intoxication: the gummy bear. Darcy Jensen from Prairie View Prevention Services works in South Dakota to stop underage drinking. She notes that whilst the problem has not yet become widespread, she has already sent out warnings to schools across the state about the dangerous new practice. "Maybe someone has offered the candy and they didn't even know. So telling the kids ahead of time this could be something to be aware of is important," she said. Darcy raises a valid point. Teenagers might think twice about accepting a drink from a stranger, but a gummy bear? Never. She notes that this new trend will provide parents with a good opportunity to talk to their children about the hazards of underage drinking, and describes the gummy bears as "a good conversation starter." Maybe confectionery giants should start selling candy in brown paper bags from now on. [via Keloland]
There are a few certified methods for keeping the winter blues at bay and one of them involves holing up in a cosy restaurant with some good company, some great eating and a few whisky cocktails to wash it all down. Handily enough, that's the very situation that will soon await you at Victoria by Farmer's Daughters each Saturday. Running from May 13–July 29, the Winter Saturday Sessions promise to warm your cockles with an enticing blend of booze and produce-driven fare. Choose one of two weekly sittings (11.30am–1.30pm, 2.30pm–4.30pm) and you'll sit down to a seasonal brunch feast guided by the kitchen's passion for celebrating top-notch Victorian ingredients. Expect bites like a flaky roasted root vegetable pie, barbecued pork belly skewers, farmhouse-style cheeses and chips made using Spud Sisters' famed potatoes. Meanwhile, a bar takeover by the legends at Starward will sort you out with bottomless sips to match, including reworked classics like a whisky-infused dark and stormy, and the cherry lemon old fashioned. A range of local beers and vino is also on offer. Victoria's Winter Saturday Sessions clock in at $99 per person, which'll get you a hearty spread of food teamed with two hours of free-flowing drinks. Images: Arianna Leggiero
Jeez Frozen was a terrific film. Catchy tunes, loveable sidekicks, a woodsman hero and – at its heart – two sisterly princesses thrown into turmoil after one of them discovers her power to manipulate ice and flees to establish an unforgiving frozen kingdom in the north. Jeez The Huntsman: Winter War isn't a terrific film. No tunes, stilted sidekicks, a woodsman hero with a comically bad Scottish(?) accent and – at its heart – two sisterly princesses thrown into turmoil after one of them discovers her power to manipulate ice and flees to establish an unforgiving frozen kingdom in the north. Perhaps you could forgive the makers of The Huntsman for trying to leverage some of the success of the former. After all, it is the ninth highest grossing film of all time. But 'beautiful girl doing cool shit with chilly water' isn't enough to constitute an entire story. You still need, well, 'a story', and it's on that front where The Huntsman: Winter War really falls apart. It begins with Liam Neeson's voice telling us we're about to see a prequel to 2012's Snow White & The Huntsman. And Neeson – like the proverbial mirror on the wall – does not lie. But then, about half an hour in, The Huntsman: Winter War suddenly turns into a sequel, making this about as close as a film will ever come to possessing a literal 'plot twist'. Eventually deciding it's set after Snow White has vanquished the evil Ravenna (Charlize Theron), we find our Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) moping about the South and mourning the loss of his wife (Jessica Chastain), before committing to foil the evil ice queen Freya (Emily Blunt) in her attempt to secure the famous mirror. The rest of the movie is little more than a collection of special effects, shaky fight scenes and a few funny lines from dwarf sidekicks Nick Frost and Rob Brydon. Theron, it must be said, lights up every scene she's in, reminding us that she is still absolutely the fairest and most interesting in the land. Alas, her screen time is also the most restricted, reducing her menacing smile and genuinely engaging relationship with her sister to mere bookends around an otherwise entirely dull affair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W65ndip7MM
One device to brew them all? Blending slow cold drip coffee with cold/hot pourovers in one genius brewing device, two Queensland coffee companies are teaming up to crowdfund the Brewover. Green coffee supplier Bean Grean and roaster Manna Beans are trying to raise $65,000 toward this new controllable flow hot/cold brewer, which would prick the ears of many an Australian cafe needing to save on space (or straight-up coffee nerds in general). The Kickstarter campaign, which prices the Brewover at around $60 a pop, has currently raised $13,300 with 29 days to go. So how does it work? Coffee purists might turn their nose up, but the team truly know what's up when it comes to coffee brewing methods. The Brewover all hinges on what's called the flow control valve, allowing to switch between three different brewing methods: hot/cold pourovers and cold drip. Pourovers are easy stuff; just pop a Chemex filter in the glass cone and brew hot/cold as usual. Cold drip? Just use the same glass cone as a water reservoir and attach an Aeropress filter under the brew chamber. Pure, well-brewed genius. Via Daily Coffee News.
A dystopian favourite reaching its end, one of the best TV shows of the past few years, the greatest small-screen effort in this very galaxy, more chestbursting horror, Glen Powell: they're all coming to your streaming queue in 2025. As the new year approaches, the networks and platforms responsible for your television viewing are dropping sneak peeks at what's in store. Following HBO's teaser trailer, now arrives Disney+'s version. Add season six of The Handmaid's Tale, season four of The Bear, season two of Andor, new Alien TV series Alien: Earth and the Powell-starring Chad Powers to your must-see list, as they're all on the way. So are Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart, both from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Andor isn't the only Star Wars series highlighted, thanks to the Jude Law (Peter Pan & Wendy)-led Skeleton Crew. Elsewhere, season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians gets a look in as well — and there's more where it and all of the above shows came from. As is always the case with trailers that are about a channel or streaming service's entire upcoming slate rather than one specific show, nothing receives the indepth treatment in the just-dropped trailer — but The Handmaid's Tale still gets plenty of attention. Season six is the last season of the Elisabeth Moss (The Veil)-led series based on Margaret Atwood's book, but the author's The Testaments is next set to make the leap from the page to the screen. The Bear also features prominently. Disney+ and Hulu said "yes chef!" to the fourth season before season three even aired, and gives Jamie Lee Curtis (Borderlands) one of the key lines of the clip: "sometimes your work family is closer to you than your family family," she tells Ayo Edebiri's (Inside Out 2) Sydney. With Chad Powers, audiences get a glimpse at a series that enlists Powell as a quarterback who takes on a new persona — the titular character — to play for a struggling team. And in Alien: Earth, the sci-fi/horror saga started in 1979 by Ridley Scott's (Gladiator II) iconic film heads to our own pale blue dot, with Noah Hawley leading the charge behind the scenes after also doing the same on the Fargo TV series. Andor has debut new footage ahead of its return in April 2025, while release dates for everything else — release windows, even — are yet to be revealed. Also featured in the trailer: clips from season two of Goosebumps: The Vanishing, as well as the new Paradise and Good American Family. The first stars Sterling K Brown (American Fiction) and James Marsden (Unfrosted), while the second is led by Ellen Pompeo (Grey's Anatomy). Check out Disney+'s 2025 trailer below: The shows highlighted in Disney+ and Hulu's new trailer will arrive in 2025. We'll update you with more details when they're announced.
As we learn to live our lives of social distancing and self-isolation (for the near future, at least), it's easy to feel overcome with boredom. Even worse is our tendency to go looking for the latest news update, fuelling our fears in the midst of a global pandemic. But there are better ways of entertaining ourselves than being trapped in a today's news cycle. Right now, podcasts are your friends. Whether you listen to one in bed after waking up, on the balcony while you get a breath of fresh air, or in the kitchen while you cook that fun new recipe, podcasts can help you escape from today's hectic environment — without being glued to a screen all day. Whether you're a podcast veteran or a skeptic, this list has something for you. Being stuck at home can feel a little less restrictive when you can dive into brilliantly written fictional narratives, are consumed by true crime and mystery, or even learn a new language. Here are a five podcasts that will have you hooked in no time. DISGRACELAND True crime, excess and rock 'n' roll. Host Jake Brennan insists, when it comes to rock stars, we like them as bad as can be. This podcast tells stories of murder, drugs and sex, protagonised by your favourite music legends — and how they got away with it all. Disgraceland unveils the darkest side of old-school stardom, with a laidback, no nonsense narrative style. Dive into the Rolling Stones' wild lifestyles, Frank Sinatra's mobster adventures and Whitney Houston's hidden descent into drugs. If you manage to go through all 69 episodes, check out 27 Club. A new project by the same creators, this podcast takes a closer look at the unsettling truths behind rock 'n' roll, this time focusing on the members of the 27 club. The first season tells the story of iconic guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who died of an overdose at age 27. What? 69 30-minute episodes. THE WAY I HEARD IT Mike Rowe's soothing voice takes you on a guessing frenzy in every single episode, as he narrates a story about a famous historical figure, without telling you who he's talking about until the very end. He'll be talking about a prominent academic and you'll be picturing a rockstar. He'll tell you the story of a prize cow and you will be convinced he's talking about a femme fatale. With unexpected twists and so many random interesting facts, you can expect to chuckle when an episode's protagonist you've been so invested in is revealed to be someone totally unexpected. What? More than 150 20-minute episodes. ROOM 20 This LA Times investigative reporting podcast will keep you on the edge of your seat. Journalist Joanne Faryon tells the story of her search for a man's identity. A man only known as Sixty-Six Garage who has spent more than 15 years on life support in a San Diego nursing home. As a teenager, he suffered from severe brain damage after he was thrown out of a truck in a car accident. An undocumented Mexican immigrant in the United States, his identity remained unknown, and there were no paper trails to help track down his family — until Faryon launched her own investigation. What? Six 30-minute episodes. MOTHERHACKER A divorced PTA mom gets scammed out of her savings. She has no choice, but to join the team of scammers who took everything from her. Surprisingly, she's amazing at it. Told as an old-time radio drama, Motherhacker is a fictional podcast that explores the lengths someone might go to in order to stay afloat in a dire situation. Think Black Mirror meets suburban mom. Motherhacker's perfect mix of suspenseful and quirky will leave you wanting more every time you finish an episode. With only nine episodes lasting around ten minutes each, this podcast could easily become a one sit-down binge. Open a bottle of red, enjoy a few snacks and make a night of it. What? Nine ten-minute episodes. COFFEE BREAK LANGUAGES Are you a more practical listener? If so, why not take advantage of your free time to learn Italian, or fine tune that rusty Spanish you haven't worked on since uni? Coffee Break offers podcasts in seven languages, with content ranging from beginner level, where you can learn phrases and grammar, to more advanced, where you can expand your vocabulary. These podcasts use stories situated in your language's country of origin to teach you how to speak it, engaging you beyond a typical grammar-based language program. It's said that listening to native speakers hold conversations is one of the most effective methods of learning it. By doing so, you can also keep your brain busy through self-isolation and social-distancing times and gain a valuable new skill that will definitely come in handy in the future. What? Podcasts in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin and Swedish. Need more? Check out our favourite true crime podcasts.
What does a perfect Sydney summer afternoon look like to you? An icy bottle of sauv blanc at the Opera Bar? A picnic table abundant with the kale and quinoa spoils of Maloneys? Or maybe a wild sunset boat party on the harbour with three of the world's most amazing DJs pumping inimitable summer beats into the earholes of you, a special +1 and 700 fellow revellers? There are approximately 90 days each year when the nights are warmish and superfoods actually taste good, but only one evening where you can party on a boat with Rudimental, Flight Facilities and producer/tastemaker/international party icon Steve Aoki. Riding the floating festival wave scheduled to hit the northern hemisphere later this year, You+1 marks an exciting first for the local dance scene, mixing the buzz of big-name international acts with homegrown talent and a quintessentially Sydney harbour setting. The line-up is also pretty diverse sonically, with the three headliners all falling under one sweepingly broad genre. Aoki climbs aboard having just been named the highest grossing dance artist in North America, renowned for delivering a cornucopia of electro house hits via an insane live performance. Investing the festival with a dash of feelgood Hackney soul are youth workers-turned-electro quartet Rudimental, who have already made waves in their native UK with this addictive track, while our own Flight Facilities put a halcyon spin on the genre as they return to their home city. An extremely limited number of tickets will be up for grabs via Durex's Facebook page from 3 September, so mark that date in your iCal to get 'em while they're not only hot but free. Date: Sunday 14 October, 2012 Time: 5pm – 9pm (boarding from 4.45pm) Location: The Starship, Wharf 4, King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour (adjacent to Cargo Bar) Tickets: facebook.com/Durex.Australia https://youtube.com/watch?v=JI6fDb6IBmU
This article is sponsored by our partners, Rekorderlig. Foraging through the snow in search of electronic music just got significantly easier; Rekorderlig (ever keen to demonstrate that Aussies should be tackling winter with a tad more brio than a pack of grizzlies) has revealed the 'mystery location' for free upcoming music event Sounds in the Snow. On September 13, just as the flakes start to melt and smack bang in the middle of the Toyota One Hit Wonder Mountain Festival, Sounds in the Snow will take place by the Rekorderlig Hot Pools at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel. Sydney synth pop boys Panama will appear in Thredbo to deliver their so-called hopeful house music live. Fronted by Perth-born songwriter and classically-trained pianist Jarrah McCleary, the trio are currently touring Europe and the United States on the back of sophomore EP Always. Sounds in the Snow is just one of the many excuses that Rekorderlig's giving you to head to the snow this season. Afternoon sessions are happening at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel every Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 3pm and 6pm; fire pits are burning; the Rekorderlig Hot Pool is providing serious apres-ski relaxation; and their tasty cinnamon and vanilla-fused Winter Cider is at the top of the drinks menu. Sounds in the Snow is a free gig happening from 4-5pm on Saturday, September 13 by the Rekorderlig Hot Pools at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel. For the latest updates, join the Rekorderlig Facebook page. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UylPrMcurB8
It's impossible to be stressed when there's cute puppies around, which is as good a motto as any to live by. Are you the kind of person who gets tense rushing around airports, even if you've checked in early and you're heading off on your dream holiday — or you've just landed for a relaxing getaway? Here's something that'll help: for one day only at Sydney Airport, you can add spending time with tiny guide dogs to your trip. Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has dubbed its pop-up a puppy cafe, and sipping a cuppa while patting labrador puppies Aero, Pax, Kingsford, Syd and Amelia is on the agenda. You'll need to make a date with Café Veloce at airport's Domestic Terminal 2 on Thursday, January 18, however, and be around between 10–11.30am and 12.30–2pm. If anything is worth dropping your bags off well in advance of your flight or hanging around after disembarking, it's this. Tickets cost $15 for adults, and are only available at the door. Expect to have company — who wouldn't want to add some adorable Guide Dogs pups, which've been named the 'airport litter', to their airport visit? Attendees will also be surrounded by Therapy Dogs as well as the five Guide Dogs pups, and get a free coffee as part of the entry fee For Sydneysiders who aren't jetting anywhere anytime soon, you can still drop by, but you will need to go through airport security to get to the cafe. "For one day only, we are thrilled to open up our Guide Dog cafe in Sydney Airport where ticket holders can meet the gorgeous airport litter and learn about the wonderful work of Guide Dogs," said Guide Dogs NSW/ACT Puppy Development Advisor Sabrina Gabrielle "This day is all about highlighting the brilliant work that Guide Dogs does, raising awareness for our community and celebrating our wonderful Christmas appeal partnership with Sydney Airport." "It takes over two years and costs $50,000 to breed, raise and train each life-changing Guide Dog, including the pups we'll have at our cafe. Through this event we want to recognise the crucial role all of our dogs play in helping Australians living with low vision and blindness lead a life without limits." The Guide Dogs pop-up puppy cafe will be at Café Veloce in Sydney Airport's Domestic Terminal 2, Keith Smith Ave, Mascot, on Thursday, January 18 — with sessions from 10–11.30am and 12.30–2pm. You can buy tickets from $15 on the door. For more information about Guide Dogs Australia, head to the organisation's website.
Already an enormous success on Broadway, in London's West End and in Melbourne, Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away is touring its remarkable true tale around Australia's east coast. Based on real post-September 11 events, the acclaimed production will actually return to Melbourne in January 2021 for an encore season of kind-hearted charm, before heading to Brisbane in March and Sydney in June — visiting the Queensland and New South Wales capitals for the first time. If you aren't familiar with the musical's plot or the actual events that inspired it, it's quite the exceptional story. In the week after the September 11 attacks in 2001, 38 planes were unexpectedly ordered to land in the small Canadian town of Gander, in the province of Newfoundland. Part of Operation Yellow Ribbon — which diverted civilian air traffic to Canada en masse following the attacks — the move saw around 7000 air travellers grounded in the tiny spot, almost doubling its population. Usually, the town is home to just under 12,000 residents. To create Come From Away, writers and composers Irene Sankoff and David Hein spent hundreds of hours interviewing thousands of locals and passengers, using their experiences to drive the narrative — and, in many cases, using their real names in the show as well. The result is a musical not just about people coming from away (the term that Newfoundlanders use to refer to folks not born on the island), but coming together, all at a time when tensions were running high worldwide. Since being workshopped in 2012, having a run in Ontario in 2013, then officially premiering in San Diego in 2015, Come From Away has become a global smash hit. After opening on Broadway in 2017, it was still running before the theatre district closed due to COVID-19. The musical wowed crowds in the West End, too — and, when it first opened in Melbourne in July 2019, it became the Comedy Theatre's most successful musical in the venue's 91-year history. Along the way, the show has picked up a Tony Award for best direction of a musical, six other nominations, and four Olivier Awards out of nine nominations. Come From Away was actually initially due to head from Melbourne to Sydney in 2020, but that's one of the many things that didn't happen this year. COME FROM AWAY 2021 AUSTRALIAN TOUR Melbourne: January 19–March 21, Comedy Theatre Brisbane: March 26–April 18, QPAC Lyric Theatre Sydney: June 3–July 21, Capitol Theatre https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zmvy1p2FOE&feature=emb_title Come From Away will return to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from January 19–March 21, then hit Brisbane's QPAC Lyric Theatre from March 26–April 18 and Sydney's Capitol Theatre from June 3–July 21. For further information — or to buy tickets — visit the musical's website. Images: Jeff Busby.
Come Friday night, the Coburg Night Market is undoubtedly the place to be. The market in Melbourne's north, which starts this Friday, boasts crafty gifts from local artisans, tastes from food truckers, and music of all kinds to vibe to. The market is also the perfect place to embrace your inner child (if you can't at least take one with you) and receive a lick of paint to the face, before you jump on a castle and slip down an inflatable slide. For the more tranquil reveller, wander over to the key stage where music will be floating to your ears from a multitude sounds. It would be unhealthy to miss Public Opinion Six, who are delivering funk medicine directly to your soul with their West African afro-beats — a consciousness melding messages of political justice and positivity with fiery beats and rhythm. One-man blues band Juzzie Smith will be there with his eight-strap harmonica belt as well as the honeyed-harmonies from Little Rabbit who mix bluegrass and old timey sounds with their real fancy finger-work on the strings. Also making an appearance on stage will be Perch Creek, The Everymen and Tracey McNeil & the GoodLife. After you've finishing rocking along to these sick beats, get a little sicker by rolling over to see some fierce divas dance. The Brunswick BeyDance broads will show you how to twerk, in one helluva flawless fashion. Then be prepared to swing and jive along to Anna’s GoGo Academy, who have been known to play everything from Elvis' Jailhouse Rock to ACDC's Jailbreak. There will also be food on hand from Mr Burger, Lil Nomnoms, White Guy Cooks Thai, Billy Van Creamery and Burn City Smokers. The Coburg Night Market will run every Friday for four weeks, starting November 27, 5.30 - 10pm. For more information, visit coburgnightmarket.com
Since setting up in Rotterdam in 1997, Superuse Studios have been leading the way when it comes to sustainable architecture and design - both interior and exterior. Their portfolio includes a children's playground made out of old windmills, a contemporary art space that was once a shipping yard and a residence constructed entirely of recycled materials. Superuse are currently showcasing their latest designs at London's Architecture Foundation, where they'll be hanging about until July 31st. Some of their most recent developments have arisen from collaboration with students at the Royal Academy of Art at the Hague. Founder Jan Jogert has told The Guardian, the aim is to 'identify and connect available flows in the urban ecosystem.' One success story is that of GRO Holland, a project that involves recycling the 98.8% of produce wasted in the coffee-making process. Left-over grounds are gathered from cafes and blended with spores from oyster mushrooms, then cultivated in a dark, warm place. The resulting fungi are sold back to the cafes, while the waste produced goes to local tulip farmers. Superuse are also about to embark on the construction of a visitors' centre, which will again feature mushrooms and coffee grounds, this time as insulation. 'It is only through transparency that things will change,' Jongert says. 'The idea of connecting these disparate flows will become a big part of the economy. It will have to happen – we have no other choice.' [Via PSFK]
That most wonderful of foodstuffs is getting one day to call its own when Queen Vic Market dedicates a whole ten hours to the dumplings of the world. The market is celebrating tasty things in parcels from Italy, Nepal, India, Poland and Japan when it hosts the Melbourne International Dumpling Festival. Wander through the market's stalls anytime from midday to 10pm on Monday, November 4, and you'll find xiao long bao, pierogies, momos, matzah balls, gyoza and more to gorge. If you need a short break from stuffing your face with dumplings, you'll be able to pause and enjoy roaming performers, face painting and DJs. If you want to eat even more, we suggest joining the all-important dumpling eating competition. While entry is free, you will need to register online to get in — so hop to it over here. Melbourne International Dumpling Festival runs from midday–10pm.
