This week Art/Work has a chat with Jai Pyne, frontman of local Sydney band, The Paper Scissors. I won't bother with the talk up because I am sure you already know them, and if you don't - you should! - they have already reached Mecca in guest programming Rage, so there. Come with us as Jai takes us for a wander through his day and round his 'hood. Most days you'll find me in my kitchen. I cook as much as I can, it gets me away from the computer. There are so many virtual things in life that it's nice to get real things and combine them and eat them, for real. When I am not there I am behind my computer doing work on stuff for the band. In my day job I teach people how to make coffee, I'm a Barista trainer. I work for The Golden Cobra, which sounds like a martial arts school, but is actually a coffee roaster. I spent a long time working as a barista, but starting work at 7am very much conflicts with playing music. I'm also working at a restaurant in Surry Hills a few days a week, it's called El Capo. It's all Latin American style street food. At the moment I am working on some new songs with The Paper Scissors. In Loving Memory was made over the course of 18 months, so after purging that we have started working on new music. If money wasn't an issue I'd make more music, I'd have a better kitchen and I'd buy more clothes. Being a musician in Sydney is fun. I was tempted to say it was hard, which it is, but it's also pretty amazing. I've met lots of great people in the last 6 or so years through music, some of them I now count as my best friends, I've seen some of them succeed wildly, I've seen some of them have babies, buy houses, I play basketball with some of them, I have man dates with them, I have played music with them. Plus just being fortunate enough to be a musician is a very amazing thing, I've been able to travel, play to people that are having the time of their life because of your music, I've heard my music being blasted out of speakers, on the radio… all good things. I wish that there were more people with heaps of money that would open venues in Sydney, but hey, money is an issue. My neighbourhood is great. I live of the South end of King Street in Newtown. I've been here for 4 years. I think Newtown has its crap bits, lots of shit Thai restaurants, shit cafes, but I still love this end of town. There are heaps of cool little shops and random oddities, I love the Fiji Market - spices, coconuts, any random ingredient you need, and Pete's Musicians Market is always good for a browse. It's hard to find a good coffee but Addison Road and thus Alchemy is nearby which is some of the best coffee in Sydney. I like the fact that Newtown is at the edge of the inner city, so you can go to Marrickville, or Dulwich Hill or other spots that are a bit more removed from the upwardly-mobile-elite in the inner city and you get to see real people that have lived there for ever and will sell you olives or Portuguese custard tarts, or charcoal chicken or obscure Spanish beers. My favourite spot in Sydney is by the water. I grew up in Sydney and have lived everywhere from here to Bondi to Balmain, my parents and I moved almost yearly when I was a kid. I really like the cliffs at Coogee, the south end, I just like feeling like you are at the end of the earth although you are in a massive city. https://youtube.com/watch?v=H5EqYCBq0E4
Wearable technology has been around for a few years now, but hasn't really taken off. Google Glass tried to get everyone to stick a computer on their face, while the Apple Watch attempted to move smartphones onto everyone's wrists; however, as cool and suitably futuristic as both are, they're hardly must-have gadgets. Enter Snapchat, their first foray into the hardware realm, and the pair of sunnies everyone's going to want. We'll let you ponder that concept for a few moments, because sunglasses that record 10-second bursts of video sound both amazing and familiar, and not just because there's been a rumour that Snapchat has been working on something like this floating around for a while now. Called Spectacles and revealed by The Wall Street Journal in an interview with Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, they're basically a cheaper version of Google's eyewear with one specific function; but hey, letting everyone do something they already could in a slightly different way has worked out pretty well for them so far, hasn't it? As well as turning the act of taking photos into a mostly hands-free task (unless you can press buttons with your mind, you're still going to have to lift a finger to the frames to start each clip, sadly), Spectacles boast two major drawcards. Firstly, they look like regular glasses, rather than Robocop-like attire, complete with black, teal and coral styles. And even better, they're going to be affordable, at US$130 a pair. Other features include a 115-degree lens designed to mimic the human field of vision, as well as the ability to capture circular images to approximate our natural perspective. And yes, everything you record with your new toy will then upload to your Snapchat account, after connecting to your phone via wifi. No word as yet regarding an Aussie release date, but a limited number are due out in the US sometime over the next couple of months. Via The Wall Street Journal. Image: Business Insider.
Fancy yourself a heist film? Well, take a load of this one. Think Ocean's Eleven, but without the tuxedos and flashy casinos. Logan Lucky takes you down to the American south, the home of NASCAR in North Carolina. Steven Soderbergh, of the Ocean's movies and Magic Mike, pairs Channing Tatum and Adam Driver as two brothers eager to break a 90-year family curse in the soon-to-be-released heist-comedy. The film follows Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver) as they plot to steal from NASCAR's Charlotte Motor Speedway. With help from their friends, the so-called 'Redneck Robbers', the Logan brothers set out to pinch themselves $14million from the race. The film has already garnered positive reviews from critics, especially with a stellar cast also including Riley Keough, Seth MacFarlane, Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes and Daniel Craig, taking on a very different role to his iconic James Bond as an escaped inmate. Logan Lucky releases on August 17, and we have double passes to giveaway in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eqC27nxHJ4[/embed] [competition]630960[/competition]
One of the world's top chefs is opening a new restaurant in Sydney later this year. But unlike the many (many) upscale restaurants coming and going in our city, this latest project by Massimo Bottura — the culinary powerhouse and chef behind the world's best restaurant, Osteria Francescana — is not for those with big budgets, but rather for the less affluent. The restaurant, which will be run in collaboration with Australian food rescue charity OzHarvest, was announced at an on-stage conversation Bottura held at the State Theatre last night. The event was largely a platform to promote the chef's charitable Food for Soul project which, akin to Sydney-based not-for-profit OzHarvest, seeks to promote awareness about food wastage and hunger. And it won't be the first time Bottura has worked with OzHarvest and its Founder Ronni Kahn, either. The pair partnered up for a one-off charitable dinner back in 2017, raising money for both OzHarvest and Food for Soul. Kahn says the restaurant — or refettorio, a communal kitchens for socially vulnerable groups — came as a natural progression of this. "I first met Massimo in 2016 — it was like meeting a kindred spirit that I had known all my life," said Kahn in a statement. "We share the same passion, values and vision to create a better world…I'm excited and privileged to be able to bring his refettorio to life in Australia." [caption id="attachment_715651" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Massimo Bottura, Ronni Kahn and the team behind 2017's Cooking with a Conscience dinner. Image: Nikki To[/caption] The restaurant will be Bottura's fifth refettorio with the other venues located in Milan, Rio de Janeiro, London and Paris. At all of his kitchens, Bottura uses rescued food to create the meals — and often teams up with the city's best chefs to do so — for homeless communities and those living in poverty. Currently scoping out potential locations, Kahn and Bottura are hopeful the restaurant will open sometime this year. It will be run by both chefs and volunteers — expect to see some of the faces above in the kitchen — and might expand beyond the current refettorio model of serving vulnerable people to offer meals for the whole community. So, by the end of the year, you might be eating Bottura's food right here in Sydney. The Sydney refettorio is slated to open by the end of the year. We'll update you as soon as we know more.
When Taika Waititi directed both Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, he brought a touch of New Zealand's sense of humour to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now Marvel is bringing an exhibition showcasing its hefty history to Aotearoa. Making its public debut, the brand-new Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition will world-premiere in Wellington in December. MCU fans of NZ and Australia: if you're keen, you'll need to head to Te Whanganui-a-Tara this summer and autumn. On offer across a huge five-month stint is a big celebration of Marvel's 85-year run so far, from its days on the page only to its current big- and small-screen domination. Running from Thursday, December 14, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024, this is the type of showcase that's bound to be filled with costumes — on the walls and on attendees. If you live and breathe all things superhero, a visit is a must. If this sounds familiar, Australia hosted its a massive Marvel exhibition, Brisbane's Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, back in 2017 — but Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition is its own new thing. It'll display at Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre for its first-ever unveiling, and as an exclusive. If there'll be any future stops down the line hasn't been announced. MCU aficionados can look forward to a hefty array of original comic art, props from the films and rare artifacts. Designs, memorabilia, those costumes: they're all included as well. So are behind-the-scenes glimpses that'll span space, New York City and everywhere in-between, plus chances to get up close to Marvel's characters — although exactly what the latter means also hasn't been revealed. Whatever you're looking at while wandering through Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition, you'll be surveying more than eight decades of caped crusaders — and, because the exhibition arrives after The Marvels will hit cinemas, the MCU's 33-movies-and-counting run to-date, too. "We are very excited to welcome comic fans and film buffs to the capital," said Warrick Dent, tourism body WellingtonNZ's General Manager for Events and Experiences. "Our small but mighty city is home to a thriving film industry that's behind some of the biggest-ever movie blockbusters; the countdown is on until the world's newest Marvel exhibition opens its doors." Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition will run from Thursday, December 14, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024 at Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, 50 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand — head to the venue's website for further details and tickets.
Continuing the trend of ingenious bike accessories, the MAMA bike rack allows your two-wheeler to literally stand above the rest. A collaboration between furniture designer Matt Elton and graphic designer Matteo Baldarelli, this neat device has two smooth hooks for you to hang your bike on. The rack also has three holes where locks and cables can be looped through and secured. The powder coated finish means that this rack can be secured to walls both inside and outside. Impressively, the rack's simple and compact design also provides a small shelf above the two hooks. This leaves an ideal platform for you to place your morning flat white. The MAMA bike rack will ensure that your bicycle stands in style, and are available for purchase from designer Matt Elton.
A long time ago, in this very galaxy, brass instruments sounded, a text crawl started and the first Star Wars film burst onto the screen. Thanks to director George Lucas and composer John Williams, it's one of the most iconic movie openings in history — and, in all of its force-wielding, Death Star-destroying, orchestra-scored glory, the sci-fi classic is making a kriffing special return. With Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens getting the concert treatment in 2017, every jedi, wookiee, droid and even sith around the rest of the country has been crossing their fingers and toes for a similar blend of Star Wars movies and music. Those hopes and dreams are being answered with three screenings of Star Wars: Episode VI — A New Hope at Hamer Hall in February 2018. The film will roll, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will perform Williams' Oscar-winning compositions, and you'll burst with a Millennium Falcon's worth of happiness. Whether you're a huge Star Wars buff eager to ride a wave of excitement past Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi's December release, just have a casual interest, or have no idea what the term R2-D2 means, mark February 2 and 3 in your diary and prepare to experience history — it's the first time that a live performance has accompanied A New Hope in Melbourne. The MSO's associate conductor Benjamin Northey will once again lead the charge, as the city's finest provide the soundtrack to Luke Skywalker meeting Obi-Wan Kenobi, Princess Leia sending a message for help, Han Solo oozing his usual attitude and Darth Vader just being a power-hungry jerk.
Brisvegas is living up to its (much-loved) nickname and will play host to not one, but three music festivals in September. The annual Brisbane Festival will run alongside industry pioneer BIGSOUND and newcomer Sweet Relief! to form the Brisbane Music Trail. For those further down south who aren't blessed enough to live in perpetual sunshine, there's never been a better time to visit Queensland's capital as international music icons Groove Armada will be joined by Aussie stars The Avalanches, Paul Kelly and Cut Copy, along with up-and-comers from across the country. The first Sweet Relief! will take place on Saturday, September 16 at outdoor entertainment venue Maritime Green. Groove Armada and The Avalanches will headline, with performances from Ladyhawke, Cut Copy and DJs Nina Las Vegas, Latifa Tee and YO! MAFIA. Festival-goers can also register to participate in a dress-up contest judged by media personality Osher Günsberg and drag diva Jimi The Kween, which could see them win over $10,000 in prizes, including a four-day getaway to Far North Queensland. From Tuesday, September 5 to Friday, September 8, all eyes will be on BIGSOUND: one of the country's biggest music industry gatherings. For over 20 years, BIGSOUND has launched music careers and brought together a community of tastemakers and industry leaders. Past artists who have been discovered there include Flume, Gang of Youths, Tash Sultana, Ball Park Music and Thelma Plum. This year is no exception, with a lineup that includes rising stars 1tbsp, Izy, POOKIE, FELIVAND, KUZCO and Khi'leb, and attendees from Roc Nation, SXSW, Paramount, CAA and Interscope Records. Brisbane Festival will run from Friday, September 1 to Sunday, September 23 with a packed program of free events, family-friendly experiences, art installations, theatre shows and cultural performances. Musical acts include Paul Kelly, the Soweto Gospel Choir and Gretta Ray. Don't miss the kick-off on Saturday, September 2, as the fireworks spectacular, Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust, sets the sky alight above Brisbane River. Get your tickets and find out more at the Queensland Music Trails website.
Now in his tenth year of making music, Nicolas Jaar was previously known for his 'blue-wave' minimal techno. But at a young 24 years, Jaar has already progressed in style. Darkside moves away from anything he's created on his lonesome. Collaborator Dave Harrington, a multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, might have previously said he prefers making music that's sad. But speaking from his hotel room in icy Oxford, Jaar concedes that Darkside isn't dark at all; it has an electro-psyche-jazz sound all of its own. Right now, Darkside are in the UK as part of the Psychic world tour alongside their recently released debut album of the same name. Receiving rave reviews from both critics, and, well, ravers, Psychic scored two 'Best New Track' slots with Pitchfork after the 11-minute opener 'Golden Arrow' was released as a free download in August. But Jaar refuses to get carried away by critics and their reviews. Because, as he says, there'll always be those who love your music and others who hate it. For Jaar, it's about taking fans to a new place. "The only hope for musicians is that we're communicating something," says Jaar, coming over all Alice in Wonderland. "I just hope that people are able to fall into the small worlds that we try to create." Harrington originally played with Jaar as part of his touring live band. But after jamming together between gigs, the duo quickly morphed into Darkside back in 2011. Now they're back to where it all began — on tour — and Sydney and Melbourne are next on their list of places to wow. Darkside are at their best when heard live. but there's no use in predicting how their sets will pan out. Though their drawn-out electronica is likely to have us fall down the rabbit hole, each of their performances are different. "We try to improvise every night because we're doing this so much, and we're playing so many shows," says Jaar of their live performances. "We feel like, if we change it up here and there every night we'll slowly get to a better understanding of what we're trying to say. And as musicians we're getting better and better." Darkside's Psychic world tour has sold out shows across Europe. And since Jaar sold out his solo gigs at 2013's Sydney Festival, their Hi-Fi and Palace Theatre gigs are expected to go the same way. After all, in the year that's passed, the duo's evolving sounds have only garnered more fame. And don't expect that to slow down any time soon. It appears we can expect even more from Darkside over the coming year. "We're hoping to write a new record," says Jaar. Sadly, they've not as yet begun writing: "We're thinking about it." For now we'll have to settle with Psychic and their upcoming live shows. But who are we kidding; we couldn't ask for more. Darkside play Sydney's Hi-Fi on Wednesday, April 2, and Melbourne's Palace Theatre on Friday, April 4 (tickets for both via Oztix). Thanks to Modular, we have one double pass to give away in each city. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=d8NaWT0WvEE
If you're a fictional movie or TV character facing a towering kaiju, any amount of Godzilla is usually too much Godzilla. If you're a creature-feature fan, however, there's no such thing as too much Godzilla. And, with Japanese film Godzilla Minus One and American streaming series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters both on their way, screens big and small are embracing that idea right now. There's no such thing as too many Godzilla-related trailers at the moment, too, with the first Japanese Godzilla feature in seven years dropping its sneak peek and now Monsterverse series following in its giant footsteps. The latter ties in with 2014's Godzilla, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong, plus 2024's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, a sequel to the latter. Expect Monarch: Legacy of Monsters to stampede onto Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17. Yes, everything is a pop-culture universe these days. Yes, spreading from cinemas to television is all part of the process (see: Star Wars and Marvel, and also upcoming The Conjuring and Harry Potter shows). In this case, the Monsterverse is going the episodic route via a story set across generations and 50 years, and also with Kurt Russell (Fast and Furious 9) and Wyatt Russell (Under the Banner of Heaven) playing older and younger versions of the same figure. The father-son pair take on the role of army officer Lee Shaw, who is drawn into the series by a couple of siblings attempting to keep up their dad's work after events between Godzilla and the Titans in San Francisco in the aforementioned 2014 film. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also involves unpacking family links to clandestine outfit Monarch, events back in the 50s and how what Shaw knows threatens the organisation. So, there'll be monsters and rampages, and also secrets, lies and revelations. Giving audiences two Russells in one series is dream casting, as the just-dropped first teaser shows. Also appearing on-screen: Anna Sawai (Pachinko), Kiersey Clemons (The Flash), Ren Watabe (461 Days of Bento), Mari Yamamoto (also Pachinko), Anders Holm (Inventing Anna), Joe Tippett (The Morning Show), Elisa Lasowski (Hill of Vision) and John Goodman (The Righteous Gemstones). Behind the scenes, Chris Black (Severance) and Matt Fraction (Da Vinci's Demons) have co-developed Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, while Matt Shakman (The Consultant, Welcome to Chippendales) helms the opening pair of episodes — and all three are among the series' executive producers. Check out the first trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters below: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will start streaming via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, 2023.
2017 is proving to be a huge year for fans of horror master Stephen King. It has been creeping out coulrophobics and creeping its way to box office glory, The Dark Tower finally made it to the screen (even if it didn't come anywhere near close to doing the source material justice), and new TV series based on The Mist, Castle Rock and Mr. Mercedes have either premiered in the US, or are slated to later this year. There's even yet another Children of the Corn sequel — the tenth film in the series — headed straight to DVD. Add to that Netflix's new flick, 1922. It's the first movie adaptation of King's novella of the same name from his 2010 collection Full Dark, No Stars. Starring King veteran Thomas Jane, who also featured in the film version of The Mist as well as the terrible Dreamcatcher, it tells the tale of a Nebraska farmer unhappy with his wife's (Molly Parker) desire to move to the city. Things get gruesome and then also spooky, in a movie scripted and directed by Australian These Final Hours filmmaker Zak Hilditch. 1922 premiered at Fantastic Fest in the US overnight, and will pop up on Netflix on October 20. In the interim, the streaming platform has dropped a trailer for the suitably moody effort. Check it out below — and if you need something else to scratch your King-loving itch while you wait for the complete movie, they're also releasing the psychological horror effort Gerald's Game, based on the author's 1992 novel, on September 29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E_fT0aTsjI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twbGU2CqqQU
It has finally happened, Melburnians. After two prolonged periods spent empty this year, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Melbourne picture palaces are back in business. 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 over the past three months, 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 from this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSfX-nrg-lI MANK In 2010's The Social Network, David Fincher surveyed the story of an outsider and upstart who would become a business magnate, wield significant influence and have an immense impact upon the world. The applauded and astute film tells the tale of Mark Zuckerberg and of Facebook's development — but it's also the perfect precursor to Fincher's latest movie, Mank. This time around, the filmmaker focuses on a man who once spun a similar narrative. A drama critic turned screenwriter, Herman J Mankiewicz scored the gig of his lifetime when he was hired to pen Orson Welles' first feature, and he drew upon someone from his own life to do so. Citizen Kane is famous for many things, but its central character of Charles Foster Kane is also famously partially based on US media mogul William Randolph Hearst, who Mankiewicz knew personally. Accordingly, Mank sees Fincher step behind the scenes of an iconic movie that his own work has already paralleled — to ponder how fact influences fiction, how stories that blaze across screens silver and small respond to the world around them, and how one man's best-known achievement speaks volumes about both in a plethora of ways. Mank is a slice-of-life biopic about Mankiewicz's (Gary Oldman) time writing Citizen Kane's screenplay, as well as his career around it. It's catnip for the iconic feature's multitudes of fans, in fact. But it also peers at a bigger picture, because that's classic Fincher. When the film introduces its eponymous scribe, it's 1940, and he's recovering from a car accident. In a cast and confined to bed due to a broken leg, he has been dispatched to a Mojave Desert ranch by Welles (Tom Burke, The Souvenir) and his colleague John Houseman (Sam Troughton, Chernobyl), all so he can work his word-slinging mastery. As Mankiewicz toils, the movie wanders back to times, places and people that inspire his prose, especially from the decade prior. Dictating his text to British secretary Rita Alexander (Lily Collins), he draws upon his friendships with Hearst (Charles Dance, Game of Thrones) and the news baron's starlet mistress Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried) in particular. And yes, as anyone who has seen Citizen Kane will spot, Mank's nonlinear structure apes the script that Mankiewicz pens. Many of the latter film's glimmering black-and-white shots do as well, although you won't spot a sled called Rosebud here. In a script by Jack Fincher — father of David, who wrote the screenplay in the 90s before passing away in 2003 — Mank suggests other factors that made Mankiewicz the person he was, and that shaped Citizen Kane's script as well. Combine all of the above, and a dense and detailed movie results. That's Fincher's wheelhouse, after all. Mank is also visually ravishing and textured, and tonally cutting and icy — which, along with weighty performances, are all Fincher hallmarks. But there's both depth and distance to Mank. It peers in and pokes about, but it never wholly lures the audience in. Watching Oldman and Seyfried's rich scenes together, viewers will wish it did, though. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETK0fOKwJNQ MONSOON Home may mean different things to different people but, in Monsoon, Vietnam doesn't mean home to Kit (Henry Golding). He was born there, in the aftermath of the war. He spent his earliest years in the Asian nation, with his parents caught up in the aftermath of the conflict. But when he was still a child, his family left for a refugee camp in Hong Kong and then moved permanently to London. Now, as an adult who has lived the bulk of his existence far away, he returns for the first time to bring back his mother's and father's ashes. He's instantly thrown off balance upon his arrival, whether he's driving through moped-filled streets or walking around crowded markets. Little of what he remembers is the same — his old house and his neighbourhood stomping grounds, particularly — and he doesn't recall as much as his childhood best friend Lee (David Tran), who stayed behind, would clearly like. Of what he does recollect, some crucial details clash with Lee's versions, too. Consequently, as Kit roves around Saigon and then Hanoi (his place of birth and his parents' original home, respectively), he's searching for a connection. He'll make one, but not in the way he expects. Monsoon tells a noticeably slight tale, but Cambodian-born Chinese British writer/director Hong Khaou (Lilting) is keenly and overwhelmingly aware that a sense of belonging doesn't simply come with one's birth certificate. He's also a minimalistic filmmaker, in a sense. He delves into straightforward scenarios, and knows that he needn't layer them with too many external complicating factors. In other words, he's cognisant that merely examining how a person copes — even in a very commonplace situation — can deliver several lifetimes worth of complexity without a wealth of other narrative roadblocks or setbacks. As a result, both Khaou and Monsoon ask a significant amount of Golding; they demand more than his previous charisma-driven roles in Crazy Rich Asians, A Simple Favour and Last Christmas have combined, actually. Viewers of those three films already know that he can radiate charm like few other actors currently appearing on-screen, but Monsoon requires Golding's soulful best. At every moment, he's tasked with conveying the potent thoughts and jumbled emotions swelling inside Kit, and with doing so largely without dialogue. It's a quietly powerful performance, and it's one that the movie steadfastly needs. It's one that Monsoon depends upon, kin fact. Thanks in no small part to his efforts, Monsoon feels comfortable and intimate and eye-opening and new all at once — and proves immensely affecting viewing. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq1F1opr_FE&t=2s ELLIE AND ABBIE (AND ELLIE'S DEAD AUNT) As a teen rom-com about two high schoolers working through their attraction for each other as they're also trying to work out what to do with their lives and how to simply be themselves, there's a strong sense of familiarity about Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt). That isn't a sign of laziness, however, because first-time feature writer/director Monica Zanetti wants you to register how much her film resembles other entries in its genre — and to notice what it's doing differently. There's a purposeful sense of clumsiness about the Sydney-set movie, too. Again, that's by design. Studious school captain Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw, Love Child) has a simmering crush on the far cooler, calmer and more collected Abbie (Zoe Terakes, Janet King), but is struggling to stump up the courage to ask her to the school formal. When the pair do slowly start becoming closer, Ellie doesn't know exactly what to do, or what's expected, or how to be the person she wants to be in her first relationship. Complicating matters is the distance she feels from her mother, Erica (Marta Dusseldorp, Stateless), as she navigates such new emotional terrain — oh, and the fact that, as the title gives away, Ellie's dead aunt Tara (Julia Billington) suddenly starts hovering around and dispensing advice about following her feelings. So far, so sweet. Of course, unfurling a queer romance within such well-worn confines shouldn't be such a remarkable act (and an Australian teen queer romance at that), but it still currently is. Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt) isn't just entertaining and understanding, cute and creative with its teen romance, and proudly celebratory of LGBTQIA+ perspectives, though. It's all those things, but Zanetti's decision to open the door to a deeper contemplation of Australia's historical treatment of the queer community gives considerable depth and weight to a movie that mightn't have earned those terms otherwise. The brightly shot feature has a strong sense of place, but without including all of the usual landmark shots that make many features feel like tourism campaigns. More importantly, it has a clear understanding of what LGBTQIA+ Sydneysiders have weathered in past decades. That activism is layered throughout the film in an overt subplot and, while it's hardly treated with nuance (an observation that applies to much of the picture), it's a powerful inclusion. Simply by reaching local cinema screens, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt) makes a statement, but it also pays tribute to all the statements made in big and bold ways — and with tragic and painful outcomes, too — to get to this point in Australian queer history. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rIcXgMx7hU PINOCCHIO It has been 80 years since Disney's Pinocchio unleashed a wooden puppet and the woodcarver who made him upon animation-loving audiences, adapting Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio in the process. And, over that period, that film has remained the version of record. Indeed, it's the reason that generations of viewers are familiar with the story. Matteo Garrone's (Gomorrah) new live-action movie of the same name earns a place alongside it, however. It's one of three new and upcoming features tackling the narrative, ahead of a stop-motion flick co-directed by The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro that's due to hit Netflix next year and Disney's own flesh-and-blood iteration that's slated to be helmed by The Witches' Robert Zemeckis — and it serves up a tender and sumptuous take on the fairytale. In relaying how the kindly Geppetto (Life Is Beautiful Oscar-winner Roberto Benigni) shaped a lively log into a boy-sized puppet (Federico Ielapi), who then decides to see the world and strive to become a real child, it also hews far closer to the source material than its animated predecessor. This is a movie clearly made with an abundance of affection for its inspiration, too, and that love and devotion shines through in every frame. In fact, the feature's visuals prove its strongest element, including in bringing Pinocchio to life. He's a detailed marvel who appears oh-so realistic and yet also looks uncanny as well, as intended, and the decision to use a child actor wearing prosthetics rather than relying heavily upon CGI works a charm. The world that Garrone spins around the eponymous puppet is similarly rich and fantastical — and whimsical, although the latter is overdone. Pinocchio is far more resonant when it's letting its central figure discover that being human involves weathering all the cruelties that the earth's population has in store for each other, and watching him learn that Geppetto's unconditional fondness and acceptance is sadly rare. It's much less involving when it's leaning overtly into quirkiness, although that should probably be expected with Benigni involved. Where eccentricity is concerned, this tale already has plenty baked in, as the Fox (Massimo Ceccherini), the Cat (Rocco Papaleo) and the Fairy with Turquoise Hair (Marine Vacth, If You Saw His Heart) all make plain. But even if the whole movie is a little overstated, Garrone has still made a beautiful movie — and one that feels like the natural next step after 2015's Tale of Tales and even 2018's Dogman. https://vimeo.com/469681168 LOVE OPERA Australia's performing arts scene has been shuttered for much of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But documentary Love Opera lets viewers peer behind the scenes of a production that hit the stage long before anyone had ever heard of the novel coronavirus that changed life as we know it this year — and to spend time with the talented folks who toiled to make the show in question happen, too. The opera: Carmen. The bodies responsible: the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program (LGNOP) and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. The year: 2017. Established by internationally renowned Australian soprano Lisa Gasteen, the intensive program trains Australian and New Zealand opera singers, and has put on a semi-staged production at the end of each year since 2017. Accordingly, Love Opera follows LGNOP's first attempt to do just that, from the casting through until the final product. Gasteen features prominently, understandably, chatting not just about the show at hand and the process of bringing it to fruition, but also running through her career, its ups and downs, the reality of getting to the top of the industry and her decisions for embarking upon her current path. Also lending the film their thoughts, feelings and observations are the program's cofounder Nancy Underhill, plus conductors Alondra de la Parra and Simone Young, as well as singers such as Rachel Pines and Morgan England-Jones. There's much to cover, as filmmaker Liselle Mei recognises, with the film quickly flitting through a wealth of material — and touching upon a plethora of topics in the process. The physicality required to be an opera singer, the passion that drives it, the difficulty of being a younger talent when many roles are written for older characters, the way the art form has been changing over the years, the treatment of queer creatives: all of this earns the documentary's attention, and each could've received more screen time if there wasn't so much to cover. But Love Opera never feels slight on any area of interest. It doesn't break the behind-the-scenes doco mould, either, but it delivers a broad rather than shallow snapshot of everything required to make the LGNOP's version of Carmen happen. Brisbanites will notice all of the drone shots of the movie's setting, which can border on intrusive; however, both opera lovers and newcomers alike receive an insightful glimpse at the ins and outs of the medium, its homegrown stars both established and emerging, and the hard work behind crooning its tunes in such a resonant fashion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK3eDfkXBzg SAVAGE Tattoos covering his cheeks, nose and forehead, a scowl affixed almost as permanently, but raw sorrow lurking in his eyes, Jake Ryan cuts a striking sight in Savage. He's a walking, drinking, growling, hammer-swinging advertisement for toxic masculinity — how it looks at its most stereotypical extreme, and how it often masks pain and struggle — and the performance is the clear highlight of the Home and Away, Wolf Creek and Underbelly actor's resume to-date. Playing a character named Danny but also known as Damage, Ryan's efforts also perfectly epitomise the New Zealand gang drama he's in, which similarly wraps in-your-face packaging around a softer, richer core. Savage's protagonist and plot have had plenty of predecessors over the years in various ways, from Once Were Warriors' exploration of violence, to Mean Streets' chronicle of crime-driven youth, plus the bikie warfare of Sons of Anarchy and even Aussie film 1%, but there's a weightiness on display here that can't just be wrung from a formula. That said, although written and directed by feature debutant Sam Kelly based on true tales from NZ's real-life gangs spanning three decades, Savage does noticeably follow a predictable narrative path. Viewers first meet Danny in 1989, when he's the second-in-charge of the Savages, which is overseen by his lifelong best friend Moses (John Tui, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, Solo: A Star Wars Story). The film also jumps back to two prior periods in his life, in 1965 and 1972, to explain why Danny is in his current situation physically, mentally and emotionally. Aided by suitably gritty and restless camerawork that mirrors its protagonist's inner turmoil, Savage packs a punch when it lets that unease fester in quiet moments. It's also particularly astute when honing in on Danny and Moses's complicated friendship, and how pivotal it is throughout their constantly marginalised lives. There's never any doubting that Savage is a movie about family, including the traumas they can inflict, the hurt that comes with being torn away from loved ones at a young age, the kinship found in understanding pals and the concept of brotherhood in gangs, and the feature is at its most affecting when it lets these truths emanate naturally. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Vm7cpQX80 HOPE GAP If you're going to watch a couple navigate the waning days of their decades-long marriage, and watch as their adult son tries to cope with the fallout, too, then you might as well be directing your eyeballs at Annette Bening, Bill Nighy, and God's Own Country and The Crown star Josh O'Connor. They play Grace, Edward and Jamie, respectively, with their family rocked by the revelation that mild-mannered, history-obsessed teacher Edward is leaving after 29 years because he's fallen in love with another woman. Usually the shining light and driving force in their modest house in a seaside town, Grace doesn't take the news well. Jamie, who lives in the city and doesn't generally come home as often as anyone would like, swiftly becomes his mother's main source of a support and a go-between with his father. As written and directed by second-time filmmaker William Nicholson (1997 feature Firelight) based on his 1999 play The Retreat from Moscow, little in Hope Gap's narrative offers surprises — especially if you've seen other movies about marital breakdowns, such as 2019's far meatier Marriage Story — but the British drama benefits considerably from its central trio of talent and their performances. While the plot plays out as anticipated, one aspect of Hope Gap does veer from the expected formula — and that'd be O'Connor. That he's an exceptional actor isn't new news, but he's firmly the heart of this wordy drama about the yearning and breaking hearts of his character's parents. He's also the most soulful part of the film; however, that isn't a criticism of Bening and Nighy. In spiky but still vulnerable mode, Bening may struggle with an unconvincing English accent, but she cuts to the core of Grace's bravado and pain. Nighy plays his part in a far softer, gentler, more nervous register, and helps make it plain just how Grace and Edward's marriage has gotten to this fracturing point. In a handsomely shot movie that intertwines picturesque glimpses of the coast with tense domestic scenes — and uses poetry verses to help convey emotion as well — they all demand the viewers' attention. But without the especially tender and thoughtful O'Connor, Hope Gap would've felt like just another average portrait of a longstanding relationship imploding, even with Bening and Nigh's impressive work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS9AYlUfp0A FATMAN When a film or TV show fills one of its roles in a gimmicky way that's obviously designed to garner publicity, it's called stunt casting. The term wholeheartedly applies to Fatman, a flimsy action-comedy that features Mel Gibson as Santa (and delivers his second big-screen release of 2020 after the abysmal Force of Nature). Even just reading about the premise, you can probably see the light bulbs going off in casting executives and other filmmaking powers-that-be's heads when they came up with the idea — because enlisting the American-born, Australian-raised actor as the symbol of all things wholesome and jolly sits in stark contrast to the far-from-jovial string of controversies that have popped up in his personal life, especially over the past decade. But a movie needs more than a blatant stunt to actually serve up something worth watching. And as far as shameless attempts to grab attention go, getting Gibson to play the red-suited figure just proves ill-advised and uncomfortable rather than provocative. Writer/directors Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms (Small Town Crime) must feel otherwise, though, because there's very little else to this festive-themed movie. 'Tis the season for dull and muddled movies that aren't anywhere near as edgy as its makers think, and aren't funny or entertaining at all, it seems. Three male characters drive Fatman's narrative, starting with Chris Cringle (Gibson), who oversees a Canadian workshop that's forced to take a military contract to get by. Kids just aren't behaving themselves enough these days, so he's delivering more lumps of coal than presents — and the stipend he receives from the US government to cover the elf-made gifts has decreased as a result. One of those bratty children, 12-year-old rich kid Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield, Good Boys), decides he isn't happy with his haul one Christmas. His solution: enlisting an assassin to bump off Santa as payback. Said hitman, who is just called Skinny Man (Walton Goggins), has been harbouring a lifelong grudge against the titular character anyway and doesn't take much convincing. Ant-Man and the Wasp and Them That Follow star Goggins is the best thing about a movie that has very little going for it, which speaks volumes about the one-note plot points. But given the distinct lack of jokes, the clumsy attempts to satirise today's supposedly uncaring times and the routine feel that infuses even its frenzied scenes of violence, he can't turn the film into a gift for anyone. Fatman wants to be an action-packed take on a Bad Santa-esque comedy, but ends up faring even worse than that beloved movie's awful sequel Bad Santa 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdce40rfRbk ALL MY LIFE No one with cancer would wish for their experience with the horrific disease to be turned into a schmaltzy movie about how hard their illness was for their partner. Based on the true story of digital marketer-turned-chef Solomon Chau and his psychology masters student girlfriend and later wife Jennifer Carter, that's what All My Life serves up — and while it feigns to focus on both of them, this overt attempt at tugging on viewers' heartstrings makes it clear that it's really about the latter. The title refers to Jenn (Jessica Rothe, Happy Death Day) and the 'make every moment count' wisdom she discovers watching Sol (Harry Shum Jr, Crazy Rich Asians) battle liver cancer. Over and over again, especially in tough and devastating situations, the film's visuals focus on her rather than him, too. It cuts away from him when he's explaining how difficult it all is, to follow her anger about their changed wedding plans instead. It literally foregrounds her in a shot when he's just received a big blow, and is understandably failing to cope. And it gives her time to scream in anguish in her car after yet more unpleasant news comes his way, in case viewers weren't certain who the movie thinks is the real victim. All My Life may be shot in the soft and sunny hues of a trite Nicholas Sparks-penned romance — and clearly aspire to sit in their company — but it's insidious in the way it uses one real-life person's sickness to make its preferred protagonist seem more interesting. It's a gender-flipped, illness-driven variation on the dead wife trope, as seen in the likes of Inception and Shutter Island, where the male lead is given a sob story to make his tale more dramatic. It's firmly in line with the way that cinema routinely sidelines those dealing with cancer over those standing by their sides, as seen far too often (when a movie about cancer or featuring a cancer-stricken character doesn't stick to the template, such as Babyteeth earlier this year, it stands out). The narrative details that All My Life chronicles may stem from reality, but they're ground down to a formula: girl meets boy, sparks fly, their future sprawls out before them, then cancer gets in the way and she can't have her dream nuptials. There's also never any doubt that this movie wouldn't exist if the GoFundMe campaign set up for Sol and Jenn's initially postponed wedding didn't garner significant media attention, as if some level of fame makes one cancer story more important than the rest. But it's the choice of focus that transforms this film from an expectedly cliched addition to the weepie genre and into overt slush. Director Marc Meyers' My Friend Dahmer also struggled with a similar approach, also choosing to spin a story around someone other than the obvious point of interest — and the fact that Shum puts in All My Life's best performance makes the tactic all the more galling and grating here. If you're wondering what else is currently screening around Melbourne, we've also picked the 12 best flicks that started gracing the city's silver screens when indoor cinemas were given the green light to reopen. When outdoor cinemas relaunched before that, we outlined the films showing under the stars, too. And, we've run through all the pictures that opened in the city on November 12 as well. You can also read our full reviews of The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Les Misérables, Bill & Ted Face the Music, An American Pickle, On the Rocks, Antebellum, Kajillionaire, The Craft: Legacy, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies and Freaky, all of which are presently showing in Melbourne. And, you can check out our rundowns of the new films that released in other cities over the past few months — 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 — as a number of those movies are now showing in Melbourne as well. Top image: Mank, Nikolai Loveikis/Netflix; Monsoon, Dat Vu.
It's a classic cycle: we say we want to discover somewhere new, then we end up at the same holiday spots. We're creatures of comfort, after all. But, with such fantastically varied landscapes at our Australian fingertips, it's the year to switch things up. Let's start with your coastal weekender. Instead of another (delightful) beachside vacay, why not opt for some riverside charm? The serenity of the Murray Region is overlooked by city-slickers, but it's an area enlivened by passionate locals, immense natural beauty and deep history and culture. The riverside towns here are jam-packed with rich First Nations history, a thriving contemporary arts scene and some seriously niche slices of Australia's past. So, if you're ready to hit the road, the banks of the Murray will take you on a journey through time — think ancient lakebeds, a giant shed dedicated to Aussie beers from decades gone by and an insanely intricate display of replica paddlesteamers. Together with Destination NSW, we've got you covered with this extensive list of ways to enjoy the region. [caption id="attachment_894057" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MURRAY ART MUSEUM ALBURY Opened in 2015, Albury's contemporary art museum is a cultural hub for Australian artists, both established and emerging. With a backdrop of quaint, small-town charm, the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) brings vivid modern creations to this regional centre. From now until mid-July, the museum is hosting No Easy Answers. The exhibition invited artists — such as Ella Barclay and Tracey Moffatt — to use their creativity as a medium to tackle the issues of today. If regional charm meeting arty creations sounds good to you, opt for two nights at the Mercure Albury, just around the corner from MAMA. [caption id="attachment_894595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wentworth Victoria[/caption] BARKINDJI WIMPATYA MURRA CENTRE Right on the banks of the river, the Dareton region is thriving with stunning natural wonders, culinary delights and rich cultural history. A trip to this country locale would not be complete without a visit to The Barkindji Wimpatya Murra Centre (Bmeet), a spot where you will be sure to learn about the area's unique Indigenous history. This Aboriginal art gallery showcases an array of local art ranging from traditional to more contemporary work and artefacts. Expect a warm welcome at Bmeet, with local artists often in the workshop and happy to answer any of your curiosities. YARRAWONGA-MULWALA PIONEER MUSEUM Located in the fishing town of Mulwala, The Yarrawonga-Mulwala Pioneer Museum is a treasure trove of local history. This complex, established by the Historical Society, contains a range of exhibits to fascinate any visitor. From aviation to agriculture, vintage vehicles to photography, the curated collection delivers a snapshot of time in this riverside locale. THE GREAT AUSSIE BEER SHED & HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM We all know that beer is a big part of Aussie culture. That's why, in 2003, Neil Thomas opened The Great Aussie Beer Shed. Displaying an unbelievable array of Australian paraphernalia — including over 20,000 beer cans — this museum really is a must-see, located in northern Victoria just three kilometres from Echuca. Proudly showing off a collection that's taken him over 45 years to build, Neil himself will guide you through his treasures. And, it doesn't stop at beer. This 5000-square-foot shed is filled with iconic Aussie products, machinery and more. Afterwards, check out Neil's Farm Museum and its extensive display of equipment dating back to the late 1800s. [caption id="attachment_894059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] OLD WENTWORTH GAOL The historic Old Wentworth Gaol gives a fascinating peek into our regional history. The lock-up is the oldest Australian-designed gaol in the country, built between 1879 and 1881. Until 1927, it operated with harsh conditions, though now is a popular tourist attraction and an important historical landmark. The structure has been well maintained, meaning you can get a pretty good idea of what it was like to be a resident back in the day. There's plenty of information on display, including an Indigenous history collection, so you're set to school-up on your visit. [caption id="attachment_894058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] RIVERBOAT ROD'S MODEL PADDLESTEAMER DISPLAY Not only does Wentworth contain the country's oldest Australian-designed gaol, this charming NSW town was also once our country's busiest inland river port. If you want a better idea of what the turn-of-the-century paddle steamers looked like — or simply appreciate some dedicated craftsmanship — look no further than Riverboat Rod's. The charming space is home to a pretty incredible display of over 30 handmade paddlesteamer replicas. This collection is possibly the largest and only of its kind in the world and showcases a lifetime of attention to tiny, intricate details. Whether you are interested in aquatic history or not, these models are impressive just as they are. [caption id="attachment_894055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] HOLBROOK SUBMARINE MUSEUM Holbrook is a great stopover town when exploring the Murray. Where else could you uncover a life-size submarine hanging out in the middle of rural NSW? This, and the accompanying fascinating history, can be discovered at the Holbrook Submarine Museum. After you've seen the HMAS Otway out front, head to the museum and stroll through its impressive display of submarine memorabilia from the depths, while you busy yourself learning some WWI history. [caption id="attachment_894763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MUNGO NATIONAL PARK Mungo National Park is a remarkable destination that cannot be missed when exploring the Murray. It's home to ancient lakebeds and plenty of incredible relics of early Aboriginal culture. This national park is truly an experience to remember. But to make the most of it, make the Mungo Visitor Centre your first stop. Here, you can view amazing displays and learn of the area's First Nations heritage and the archaeological evidence that revealed the once-full Lake Mungo. [caption id="attachment_895130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] EXPLORE DENILIQUIN Deniliquin is a locale found on the Edward River — a tributary of the Murray — making it a primo spot for any riverside activities. Whether you're into water skiing, fishing, bushwalking or just soaking up beautiful surrounds, you're covered here. Stay at Centrepoint Motel, where you'll be just a five-minute walk to the centre of town. What's nearby? The Long Paddock Touring Route, the stock route that's still used today and dishes up a slice of history with a side of tranquillity and art. Along the track, which starts in Echuca Moama and heads out to the Outback, there's both local history on sporadic info boards and public artworks — plus plenty of country pubs. This area is also home to the flattest, most open natural plains on the planet, which deliver spectacular expansive vistas into the horizon (pictured above). Here, you'll also find a cycle loop, The Depot and its incredible collection of automobiles and memorabilia, a vibrant towering mural splashed across a water tower and plenty more. Looking to visit later in the year? The Deni Ute Muster takes over the town in September, and is a celebration of the region's 'ute culture' and unique landscape. For more ways to enjoy the Murray region, check out our foodies guide or guide to a rejuvenating trip. Or, to start planning your history and culture trip to the Murray region, head to the website. Top images: Destination NSW (Walls of China; Barmah National Park; Mungo National Park).
Ahead of Abbott and Putin's showdown at the G20 summit in Brisbane, get your fix of Russian entertainment at the 2014 Russian Resurrection Film Festival. Although not exactly the most popular of global citizens right now, Russia is still a superpower when it comes to the world of movie-making, as the lineup at this year's festival can attest. The program begins with Vasilia, a sweeping historical drama set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic invasion circa early 1800s. In a similarly epic vein comes the WWII movie Stalingrad, about the bloody urban battle between Germany and Russia that marked a major turning point in the war. Dialogue-free arthouse film Test depicts the country's first successful atom bomb detonation, and was a big winner at the Sochi Open Film Festival earlier in the year. Perhaps a little more accessible, not to mention family friendly, is the animated kids film Space Dogs 2. Of course, it's entirely possible that without having seen the original Space Dogs you won't be able to make heads nor tails of the story... although somehow, we suspect you'll be okay.
The usually sparse, concrete surrounds of Port Melbourne's Fisherman's Wharf precinct have been given a dramatic facelift, jazzed up with the help of a huge, record-breaking artwork. Gracing the ground of the waterfront stretch, you'll now find a sprawling mural by Melbourne-based large-scale artist Kitt Bennett. And, not only is the 9000-square-metre design the largest mural in the southern hemisphere, but it's also nabbed the title of the world's largest independently produced work of animated 'gif-iti' — a term referring to gif-style graffiti or street art which is viewed online, as coined by UK artist ISNA. Called Revolution, the giant artwork was crafted using satellite technology and over 700 litres of paint, taking Bennett a whole 30 days to complete. Designed to be viewed from above, it features a row of ten individual 30-metre-long figures each in different poses which, when seen together, form separate frames in an animated sequence. A team of animators and designers have also optimised it for audiences, creating a fluid, gif-style animation that audiences will be able to view online. This new piece was born of a collaboration with local street art collective and street art collective and creative agency Juddy Roller, who you might know from teeing up Adnate's Collingwood public housing block mural last year, as well as regional Victoria's famed art silo trail. The Port Melbourne work has stolen the ultimate bragging rights from Perth's new Adnate hotel, which was previously home to the southern hemisphere's largest (and still its tallest) mural. That mural reaches 27 storeys in height, while Revolution covers the equivalent of 90 floors worth of ground space. A short film documenting the whole Port Melbourne mural process has also been created, and will be on show at an exhibition at Juddy Roller next month. It's designed to be seen from an aerial perspective, but Revolution is now gracing the ground at Port Melbourne's Fisherman's Wharf. For further information about Juddy Roller, visit its website. Top image: Nicole Reed.
With Soohun Jung’s new invention, cyclists can communicate with drivers in ways that were never possible before. The Korean designer has come up with an ‘i Backpack’, which functions as a rear view mirror, as well as providing break signals, turn signals and a message board. A tablet is placed in the backpack, and connected with a smartphone, which rests on the handlebars. The two are integrated through a Bluetooth-enabling app. The smartphone works as a rearview mirror, and at the same time, sends messages to the tablet, which displays them for the benefit of drivers and pedestrians. So, a bright yellow arrow on a blue screen communicates the intention to turn, while block letters reading ‘SLOW DOWN’ indicate the cyclist is hitting the brakes. The app responds to the bicycle’s movements through sensors. Riders can also opt to send friendly messages, such as ‘Have a nice day’, ‘Ride with me’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Sorry’. It’ll be interesting to explore the i Backpack’s potential to improve motorist-cyclist relations, particularly in cities that aren't especially well-designed for the incorporation of two-wheelers. Soohun Jung is currently studying product design at the Samsung Art and Design Institute. He has received a number of awards, including two Red Dot Design Winners in 2012 and a Bronze at the D2B Design Fair 2012. The i Backpack was shortlisted in IF 2013. [via PSFK]
Suzanne Collins is entering the arena again. She's also stepping back into Panem and The Hunger Games' past, and into the tale of a well-known character from her initial three books in the dystopian franchise. After first going down the prequel route with 2020's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the author has announced that Sunrise on the Reaping is on its way. The fifth novel in the series will arrive in 2025. This news isn't just about a fresh opportunity to explore all things The Hunger Games on the page, however. It took three years for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to become a movie, but Sunrise on the Reaping will hit the big screen just a year after the book makes its way shelves. So, also mark 2026 in your diary — because the odds of spending more time in The Hunger Games' world are definitely in your favour thanks to the saga's sixth flick. As a novel, Sunrise on the Reaping has a Tuesday, March 18, 2025 release date, including Down Under. As a film, it'll get flickering in picture palaces on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 in Australia and New Zealand. Both versions will tell a tale set around the Second Quarter Quell, presumably pushing Haymitch Abernathy to the fore as he won those games — the 50th, which took place 24 years before Abernathy met Katniss Everdeen in the first The Hunger Games book. Sunrise on the Reaping's narrative will start on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. "With Sunrise on the Reaping, I was inspired by David Hume's idea of implicit submission and, in his words, 'the easiness with which the many are governed by the few'," said Collins in a statement announcing the new novel in the franchise that she started with the initial 2008–10 trilogy. "The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question 'real or not real?' seems more pressing to me every day." In 2012–15 movies The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II, Woody Harrelson (Suncoast) played Haymitch. There's no word yet who'll slip into the character's shoes in his younger years in the Sunrise on the Reaping film, which has been named The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. It's also far too early for any other casting details, or news on who'll be directing the flick that's following The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to the screen. That movie gave Coriolanus Snow an origin story, charting his life before he became President of Panem and kept having encounters with Katniss, when he was an 18-year-old Capitol resident tasked with mentoring District 12's female tribute. Set 64 years prior to the first The Hunger Games, it enlisted Tom Blyth (Billy the Kid) to do his best to become a young Donald Sutherland (Lawmen: Bass Reeves), with Rachel Zegler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods), Peter Dinklage (Unfrosted), Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Viola Davis (Air) and Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) co-starring. There's obviously no trailer yet for trailer for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but you can check out the trailer for all of the past Hunger Games movies below: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit bookstores on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will reach cinemas on Friday, November 20, 2026 in the US — which will likely mean Thursday, November 19, 2026 Down Under. We'll update you with more details when they're announced. Images: Murray Close.
The National Gallery of Victoria are hitting all the right notes this month with the introduction of their musical programs. Last week the much-loved Friday Nights series kicked off for another year, now there's this: a series of thoughtful discussions examining the boundaries of art with some of the country's top musicians. Led by Jae Laffer of The Panics, these weekly laid back wrap sessions will see the likes of Bob Evans, Adalita and Paul Dempsey tackle the themes and meanings of art in the NGV Australia collection as well as some related songs. "I want to show that a great song and a great painting are equal and come from a similar place in the heart of an artist," Laffer says. With all sessions being followed by an intimate live performance, this a great chance to see some amazing Aussie talent on the cheap. And by cheap, we mean entirely free. Unplugged Live: Portrait of an Artist will be held on Level 2 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. Check out the full program here.
Australian specialty coffee brand Toby's Estate has just dropped a new line of single-serve instant coffee bags, aiming to improve the quality of instant coffee — and provide a product for both coffee aficionados and casual drinkers. To get you on board, a pop-up is happening at Southern Cross Station this weekend, where you can get yourself a free sample and enter into the draw to win a year's supply of coffee. The single-serve coffees come in two flavour profiles: 'The Next Frontier', with hints of dark chocolate and toffee; and 'Forbidden Planet', for the more fruity taste of strawberries and milk chocolate. You can give them a try from 9am–1pm — or until Melbourne's coffee lovers drink them all — on Saturday, February 22. In a time when "single use" is a hot topic, it'll be interesting to see how people take to the concept of individually packaged, one-use-only coffees, — even though the bags are 100-percent biodegradable and the outer packaging is made from renewable and compostable materials. Of course, it can't be denied that a cheap and quick coffee option that actually tastes good wouldn't go astray in most office kitchens.
Once a year the creative crew behind Dumbo Feather loosen their ties and play Santa by inviting a smorgasbord of local designers and boutique crafts folk to a special fete. Held in Dumbo Feather's headquarters in St Kilda, they promise this event will be your one-stop shop for Christmas shopping, with 40 stalls of beautiful jewellery, diaries, art, pottery, flowers, chocolate, tea and other wares. With such a selection, you're sure to find something for that pesky office KK. Stand-out stalls include Fig + Salt (basically all the yums from tarts to pastries), Leonard St (fun fashion clothing and prints), Le Petit Moineau (very French, very cute cards), Nicolson (hand-crafted toy creations for the bambino) and those philosophy dudes from The School of Life — no doubt dishing out wisdom in the form of products and self-help guides. Food trucks will also be available to keep your bellies full and energy levels high. Entry is by gold donation, with all proceeds going to charity.
Australian movie lovers, prepare to be spoiled for choice when it comes to getting your next big-screen fix. With Sydney out of lockdown and Melbourne likely to do the same this month, cinemas across the country are about to be inundated with high-profile features — and, with film festivals showing them. One such event getting the projectors whirring is the annual British Film Festival, which'll tour its 31-movie lineup of Brit flicks around the country between Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1. Gracing the fest's titles is a who's who of UK acting talent, so if you're a fan of The Crown's Olivia Colman, Claire Foy and Josh O'Connor — or of everyone from Jamie Dornan, Colin Firth, Judi Dench and Benedict Cumberbatch to Helen Mirren, Michael Caine, Joanna Lumley and Peter Capaldi — you'll be spying plenty of familiar faces. The festival will open with true tale The Duke, starring Mirren and Jim Broadbent, with the latter playing a 60-year-old taxi driver who stole a portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. From there, highlights include the Kenneth Branagh-directed Belfast, about growing up in 1960s Northern Ireland; Last Night in Soho, Edgar Wright's new thriller featuring Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie; romantic period drama Mothering Sunday, with Colman, Firth and O'Connor; and Best Sellers, a literary comedy with Michael Caine and Aubrey Plaza. Or, there's also Stardust, a biopic about the one and only David Bowie — and The Electrical Life of Louis Wan, about the eponymous artist, with Cumberbatch and Foy leading the cast. Opera singing in the Scottish highlands drives the Lumley-starring Falling for Figaro, which also features Australian Patti Cake$ actor Danielle Macdonald; Benediction marks the return of filmmaker Terence Davies (Sunset Song), this time focusing on English poet and soldier Siegfried Sassoon; and Firth pops up again in World War II-set drama Operation Mincemeat with Succession's Matthew Macfadyen. Plus, To Olivia dramatises Roald Dahl's marriage to Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal, Stephen Fry explores bubbly booze in documentary Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, and novelist Jackie Collins also gets the doco treatment. And, as part of the British Film Festival's retrospective lineup, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon will grace the big screen — the former in a 4K restoration to celebrate its 50th anniversary. BRITISH FILM FESTIVAL 2021 DATES: Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace Norton, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace Electric, Canberra Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace James Street and Palace Centro, Brisbane Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1— Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1— Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema, Perth Wednesday, November 3–Sunday, November 21 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Friday, November 5–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema and The Astor, Melbourne The 2021 British Film Festival tours Australia between Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
It's never too cold to party. At least, that's what the guys behind Snowtunes say. And for its third year, this Snowy Mountains music festival is coming back even bigger — twice the size actually. With the addition of a second night of festivities, the party people have also added a second stage so punters can enjoy live music at one and dance it out at the other, dedicated to EDM. And with our Snowy Mountains giveaway, you could be right there listening, dancing and partying with the snowy revellers. Who's expected to take to the stage at the festival? Plenty of Aussie-born talent, including L D R U, Gang of Youths, Nina Las Vegas, Mashd N Kutcher and Tigerlily, plus New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Mitch James and French DJ Klingande with some tunes from abroad. Mark your calendars and find some snow gear, because you could win a double pass to both days of Snowtunes on September 1 and 2, plus two nights accommodation in your own studio apartment. Enter your details below. [competition]631762[/competition] Image: Perisher Ski Resl.
If you've spent any part of the past two decades dreaming about being a fabulously dressed New York writer who seems to do very little work but can still afford a fantasy wardrobe — or if you've just spent it drinking a lot of cosmos — then Christmas is coming early for you in 2022. Seventeen years after Sex and the City wrapped up its HBO run, the hit series is getting a spinoff, which'll start airing in mid-December. As an early present, it's just dropped a full trailer. That show is And Just Like That..., which was first announced back at the beginning of 2021, and is set to start streaming Down Under next week. The ten-part series reunites Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon more than a decade since they last shared a screen in the terrible 2008 and 2010 Sex and the City movies. And, if you're wondering what's in store, the new trailer expands upon the first glimpses seen when the show's release window was announced, and in the first teaser trailer a few weeks back. Once again, Parker's Carrie Bradshaw narrates the sneak peek. And yes, she's still waxing lyrical about life, love, friends, family, sex, New York and all her favourite topics. The famed fictional New Yorker also spends time looking at her shoes, because, as Manolo Blahnik devotees know, it really wouldn't be a Sex and the City-related series otherwise. Also featuring: glimpses of Carrie, Miranda (Nixon) and Charlotte (Davis) going about their lives — and of plenty of other familiar Sex and the City faces as well. The series' main trio don't have Kim Cattrall's Samantha for company this time, but Chris Noth, Mario Cantone, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler and the late Willie Garson all return. Yes, that's Big, Anthony, Steve, Harry and Stanford all accounted for. If you're already planning what you'll be wearing while you watch — we know what you'll be drinking — you'll be able to stream the first two episodes on Thursday, December 9 via Binge in Australia, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays afterwards. In New Zealand, it'll air on Neon and Sky Go from Friday, December 10, with new episodes dropping at 1pm each week. It'll also head to SoHo from 9.30pm on Mondays from December 20. Due to Cattrall's absence, And Just Like That... is being badged as a "new chapter' in the Sex and the City story, rather than an additional season of the existing 1998–2004 program. Parker, Davis and Nixon are also named as producers on And Just Like That..., alongside Michael Patrick King, who worked as a writer, director and executive producer on the original (and on the two movies). Check out the full trailer below: And Just Like That... will start streaming in Australia via Binge from Thursday, December 9. In New Zealand, it'll air via Neon and Sky Go in New Zealand from Friday, December 10, and also on SoHo from 9.30pm on Mondays from December 20.
This is not a drill, people. Ice-cream and doughnuts are finally coming together at a new pop-up in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, thanks to local blog The City Lane. The ice cream doughnut sandwich goodies will be available in three flavours: Turkish delight cheesecake, peanut butter with crispy dark chocolate, and orange and cardamom. If that wasn’t awesome enough, The City Lane have also paired up with Temple Brewing Company and have matched three beers to each doughnut, including their New World Order American Stout, the Bicycle Summer Ale, and the Rye Hard IPA. And here we were thinking the CBD would be the last place we would want to be during December. Well, turns out we can be swayed. The pop-up is around for one sneaky weekend only, so if you need some sugary sustenance (or just a cold beer) while completing some last minute Christmas shopping, we couldn't recommend a better option. The pop-up will be open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 10.30pm.
Little has changed since the 2016 leak of the Nauru Files, which detail 2116 incident reports of assault, sexual and child abuse, self-harm and horrible living conditions suffered by asylum seekers on Nauru, one of Australia's offshore refugee detention centres. With the centre continuing to operate regardless, 32 award-winning artists have teamed up to create All We Can't See: Illustrating the Nauru Files, which will show at Fortyfivedownstairs Gallery from Tuesday, July 31 through Saturday, August 10. The exhibition illustrates the suffering of detainees through creative expression, with each artist having chosen a specific Nauru file to interpret. The exhibition's renowned Australian artists include painter Ben Quilty, 2017 Bvlgari Art Award recipient Tomislav Nikolic, Tim Maguire, Sulman Prize winner Aida Tomescu, and multi-discipline artist Belinda Fox. Since the show first debuted in Sydney earlier this year, many more leading artists — including Julian Meagher, Khaled Sabsabi, and Stanislava Pinchuk — have joined. Members of the public, including school children, have also illustrated files, which can be viewed on the All We Can't See website. Three free events will also run alongside the event, including free panel discussion on Thursday, August 2. The first will be moderated by Daniel Webb from Human Rights Law Centre and include discussions with Gillian Triggs, the former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission. On Friday, August 3, there will also be free screening of Watan, a documentary that explores the human cost of the Syrian refugee crisis. Finally, on Tuesday, August 7, there'll be a conversation between artist Hoda Afshar, who visited to Manus Island earlier this year, and poet Behrouz Boochani, a current detainee who will join via Skype. With a complete lack of media access to the island, the artists hopes to raise greater awareness through their art in this sure to be powerful exhibition. Artworks at the exhibition will also be for sale, with all proceeds going to the Human Rights Law Centre. Image: Work by Pia Johnson and Janet Laurence
Get ready to embrace the icy weather at Madame Brussels Lane, which will once again transform itself into a bustling European-style night market across four Fridays in July. Inspired by the picturesque Christmas markets of places like Germany, Austria and the UK, it's set to feature an array of local food vendors, serving wintry Euro-accented goodies to warm your insides and satisfy your sweet tooth. Kicking off from 5pm on July 8, 15, 22 and 29, the crowd-favourite event will see you indulging in the best kind of comfort food — hot raclette from Frencheese, German-style sausages and pretzels courtesy of Bavarian Bangers, Pierogi Pierogi's traditional Polish dumplings, White Wheels' crème brûlée, and both sweet and savoury crepes by Les Crepes de Marion. The cheese experts at That's Amore will even be on board serving spaghetti straight out of a 40-kilogram wheel of Grana Padano. In between decadent bites, you'll be sinking your teeth into a Euro-inspired program of live entertainment, ranging from mimes, to French accordionists, to can-can dancers. Throw in a few mugs of piping hot mulled wine, mulled cider, and gin-infused things from Little Lon Distilling, and you've found yourself a solid way to wrap up a frosty working week.
Back in March, Victoria implemented a State of Emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move it has extended monthly since. So, while originally due to expire at midnight on Monday, April 13, the State of Emergency has been prolonged until May 11, June 20, July 19, August 16, September 13, October 11 and November 8 — and now until December 6. With the state slowly working through its roadmap to ease out of lockdowns — including confirming today, Sunday, November 8, that the next stage of eased restrictions will come into effect this evening — this is hardly surprising news. The State of Emergency declaration allows the state's authorised officers to "act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health" as directed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. That means restricting movement, preventing entry to premises and venues, and detaining people — measures that have been in place over the past eight months as the state responds to the coronavirus. Victoria has also been in a declared State of Disaster since the beginning of August, which gives police additional powers to ensure that Victorians are complying with public health directions — but that has not been prolonged this time. "While the virus is still with us, we are in a place where we do not need to have that legislative instrument in place any longer — and that's good news," said Premier Andrews. "That's a clear sign that things have turned, and that we are moving steadily and significantly towards COVID-normal. Fines continue to be handed out to folks who breach the restrictions — with the state's on-the-spot financial penalties spanning up to $4659 for individuals if you test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms and are awaiting test results, but fail to isolate at home. People who repeatedly break the rules can also be sent to the Magistrates Court and fined up to $20,000. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and how to protect yourself, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
Returning for its third iteration, The Fork Festival sees top restaurants across the country offering sit-down meals for half the usual price. Yep, 50 percent off your total food bill, folks — think of it as the proverbial carrot luring you out of the house. Kicking off on Monday, February 15, the offer is a blessing for those feeling a little light-pocketed after Christmas, NYE and Valentine's Day. To snag a half-price meal, you just need to make a reservation through The Fork website or app at one of the participating eateries for any service (breakfast, lunch or dinner) during the six weeks. There are some great venues coming to the party, too. In Sydney, you'll find cheap eats at the likes of Tayim in The Rocks, Marrickville's Poor Toms Gin Hall, No 1 William in Darlinghurst, Cottage Point Inn, Dulwich Hill's Bambino Torino Pizza and Lone Star Rib House in Blacktown. [caption id="attachment_701766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tayim by Guy Davies[/caption] Brisbane's lineup includes the CBD's Pool Terrace and Bar, Baos Pop Bistro in South Brisbane and Albion's Nutmeg Indian Cuisine, while Melbourne's Giro d'Italia, Undercover Roasters, Don Taco, Temple Brewing Co and Tulum Restaurant will all serve up discounted eats — as soon as they're allowed to reopen, of course. All of Victoria is currently under a snap five-day lockdown until 11.59pm on Wednesday, February 17, and restaurants can only serve up takeaway until then. You might want to revisit an old favourite or you could get a little adventurous and road-test somewhere new. Either way, there's ample time to squeeze in a fair few discount feasts before the festival wraps up on Sunday, March 28. The Fork Festival runs from Monday, February 15–Sunday, March 28 at select restaurants nationwide, excluding the NT and Tasmania. Victoria's Fork Festival will begin when restaurants reopen. Top image: Giro d'Italia by Parker Blain
This May, the banks of the Yarra will come alive for Melbourne's biggest food truck festival yet, thanks to the minds behind The Food Truck Park. Set to eclipse the collective's regular events in Preston and at Village Cinemas Coburg Drive-In, the Food Truck Festival will see the city's best four-wheeled food vendors descend on Birrarung Marr across five huge days. Running from May 2–6, the culinary lineup will be divided into east, south, north and west, representing the most popular food trucks from each corner of Melbourne. And you can expect to be totally spoilt for choice, with over 40 vendors slinging everything from fried chicken and Asian-inspired eats, to vegan fare and craft beers. What's more, sweet tooths will find their ultimate oasis in Sweet Lane — a festival precinct dedicated entirely to desserts. Rounding out the edible goodness will be a program of art, family-friendly entertainment and other fun, with entry free across the entire festival. It will be open from 4–10pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and 11am–10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
With every innovative project, we're discovering more about crowdfunding's potential to change the world. Large-scale malaria prevention, ultra-accessible tech and ethically manufactured clothing have all inspired generous donations from the pockets of the people. Rather than waiting for cashed-up corporate giants to give us what we want when it comes to socially conscious products and services, we've been taking matters into our own hands. Now, not-for-profit organisation Immunity Project has turned to Crowdhoster for help in the development of a HIV/AIDS vaccine. Partnered with the Until There's a Cure Foundation and supported by Y Combinator, the venture has some heavyweight backing in its favour. Here's how the vaccine works: A team of Stanford, Harvard and MIT scientists has been studying 'controllers' — the 1 out of every 300 people who can catch HIV yet never develop full-blown AIDS. The virus stays in their system in an inactive state. To cut a long (and complex) story short, controllers are the way they are because the 'rifles' in their immune systems are able to accurately attack HIV's biological markers, rendering the virus dormant. Non-controllers have the 'rifles' but their targeting skills are amiss. Through advanced machine learning, the scientists have managed to reverse engineer the controller's biological processes. Over the past few years, a vaccine prototype has been developed and successfully tested in laboratories. The next step is to prove that it can immunise human blood. Enter crowdfunding. Once that's taken care of, Phase I clinical trials will begin with the FDA. First dosing is scheduled to happen in Africa in June 2015. And the even more excellent part? The vaccine will be distributed for free. In fact, the Immunity Project team is committed to saving lives in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to retroviral drugs just isn't financially viable. More than 35 million individuals worldwide live with HIV. Every single day, another 7,000 are infected and more than 4,000 die. Since 1983, almost 30 million people have been killed by AIDS. https://youtube.com/watch?v=V231hDemqeo Via PSFK.
As if your morning CBD coffee run wasn't sweet enough already, Ngoc Le — baker extraordinaire and founder of Dessert Parlour — is set to make it that bit sweeter. Le is setting up shop in Queen Street's Workshop Brothers Specialty Coffee each Sunday for the next month to sell her sweet creations. And yes, there will be macaronuts. The pop-up will start on Sunday, July 31 and continue each week until Sunday, August 21, operating from 10am till 3pm each day. Although the offering is set to change throughout the month, you can expect to be eating (and Instagramming) their gold-dusted baked doughnuts and matcha choux pastry puffs. But what we're most looking forward to is the macaronuts. Initially a collaboration between Dessert Parlour and the Macaron Sisters, the creation is a macaron-doughnut hybrid has been a runaway success. They'll have matcha coconut, chocolate raspberry and Oreo on-hand at the pop-up. Just look at them. A photo posted by Dessert Parlour | Melbourne (@dessertparlour) on Jul 31, 2016 at 5:02pm PDT Images: Michelle Froidevaux and Ngoc Le.
For an art gallery that has garnered recognition by showing the remnants of a suicide bomber made from dark chocolate and X-rays of people having sex, it seems unsurprising that the first art and music festival from Hobart's Museum of New and Old Art would be entirely unconventional and a bit of an enigma. Dark MOFO is an 11-day celebration of art in its many splendid forms. You could describe it as a world-class music festival featuring such local and international superstars as The Presets, Martha Wainwright, You Am I and The Drones. But Dark MOFO is much, much more than your garden-variety music festival; MONA is offering a full-on assault of the senses with a smorgasbord of concerts and performances, interactive artworks and giant installations popping-up all over Hobart. There is Canyons and visual artist Daniel Boyd's audiovisual extravaganza 100 Million Nights, a curated film festival at the State Cinema, the new MONA exhibition Red Queen and even a massed nude swim on the night of the Winter Solstice. According to creative director Leigh Carmichael, these performances and artworks will celebrate the very thing Hobart is most reviled for: the cold and dark. Oh and did we mention that MONA is offering $100,000 worth of free flights? In order to attract interstate visitors, MONA have promised to pay for roughly 600 return flights to Hobart, ensuring that this groundbreaking new festival can be enjoyed by art enthusiasts across the country. Dark MOFO will run from June 13-23, with new exhibitions, performances, locations and general mayhem being announced almost weekly from the Dark MOFO website. Check it out to find out more about the festival and apply for your own free return flight to Hobart.
Why send all your unwanted wrapping paper to landfill, when you could use it to start a vegie garden? That’s what the forward thinkers at UK innovation company BEAF want to know. Last Christmas, in the UK alone, enough wrapping paper was discarded to reach around the world nine times. The statistic inspired the BEAF team to come up with a solution: a 100 percent plantable alternative called Eden’s Paper. They’re hoping to raise enough money on Kickstarter to be able to print and distribute the first run by Christmas this year. Five different types of paper are on the menu at the moment: carrots, tomato, broccoli, chilli and onion. BEAF is hoping that, in the long run, this will expand significantly, to include more edibles, as well as flowers and herbs. Eden’s paper is made from 100 percent recyclable materials and is totally environmentally friendly. Each sheet includes 700 seeds, embedded in biodegradable tissue paper — seven layers of it, in fact, interlocked by an embossing process that avoids the use of nasty glues. Plus, the ink used for printing is vegetable-based. In developing the product, BEAF worked in close collaboration with a seed supplier and a printing company. Over the past 12 months of testing, assessing and refining, they’ve planted enough wrapping papers to feed 5000 people. If you want to get behind Eden’s Paper in time to see your seeds sprout in January, then you’d better be quick. The Kickstarter campaign finishes up on Monday, 16 December. A five pound pledge will buy you one sheet, 14 pounds will buy three and 20 pounds will buy five. Shipping is available anywhere in the world.
For cheese fiends, there's only one suitable way to tuck into the beloved dairy product: all the time, or at least as much as possible. That's an idea that Australian cheese festival Mould not only understands but encourages, and has since 2017. In 2023, from May through to August, those cheese dreams will be continuing as well. Because you can never have too many occasions to eat cheddar, brie, camembert, raclette or whatever other cheese takes your fancy, Mould is back for another year, letting dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. The event hails from Bruny Island Cheese Co cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, and will hit up not just Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney but also Perth for its latest run. Running for either two or three days in each city, Mould will kick off in Brisbane in May, then head to Melbourne in early June, plus Sydney at the end of June and beginning of July. As for Perth, it's getting a Mould x Pinot Palooza combo — because cheese and wine are that fine a pairing. There won't just be a few cheeses on the menu at each stop. Usually, more than 75 artisan cheeses from around the country are ready and waiting for you to devour, spanning dairy from around 30 producers. In past years, that lineup has included Bruny Island Cheese Co, naturally, plus Grandvewe, Milawa Cheese, Yarra Valley Dairy and Stone & Crow, as well as Section 28, Red Cow Organics, Nimbin Valley Cheese, Dreaming Goat, Long Paddock Cheese and Second Mouse Cheese. Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses — snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you — the fest features cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, vodka, gin, beer, cider, cocktails and sake, all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. Unsurprisingly, Mould is mighty popular. In 2021, attendees tucked into a one million samples across the fest's three cities, and also took home over 3.5 tonnes of Aussie dairy products. So, if this the kind of event that your cheese dreams are made of, you'll want to nab an early-bird ticket ASAP for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — with the Perth event not yet on sale. MOULD — A CHEESE FESTIVAL 2023 DATES: Friday, May 12–Sunday, May 14 — John Reed Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills Friday, June 2–Sunday, June 4 — The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne Friday, June 30–Saturday, July 1— Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, Sydney Friday, August 25–Sunday, August 27 — Centenary Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth Mould — A Cheese Festival tours Australia from May. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
Melbourne's critically acclaimed dance company Chunky Move are back with the world premiere of an explosive new double bill. A dual commission as part of their annual Next Move development program, which provides financial and creative support to local choreographers, Melanie Lane's REMAKE and Jo Lloyd and Nicola Gunn's Mermermer share a mutual fascination with "the histories embedded in another's body". The former work sees Lane collaborate with ex-Australian Ballet soloist Juliet Burnett in a performance that navigates the space between classical and contemporary forms. The latter, meanwhile, sees a pair of dancers combine physical and verbal conversations in order to ask "if you were one of the last two humans on earth, what would you talk about?" Next Move 2016 kicks off on Thursday, September 8 at Chunky Move Studios.
Renowned food writer and chef Michele Curtis is reinventing the concept of corner store with her newly opened St Kilda West operation, Frankie's Top Shop. Making its home in a former kiosk site on leafy Cowderoy Street, it's a charming neighbourhood gem, complete with a verdant colour palette, shelves filled with Curtis' favourite pantry staples, and a cabinet heaving with the day's gourmet take-home creations. A rotation of lively salads, ready-to-heat dishes and sweet treats is set to be a life-saver for those trekking past after a long slog at the office. By day and at the weekends, Frankie's is just as well-loved for its cafe offering, with the open kitchen serving up a vibrant menu that swings from apple cinnamon porridge and fig-topped buttermilk pancakes, to a signature eggs Benedict and daily-changing lunch tart. A host of creative specials ensures there's always something new to get stuck into, and an extensive kids' menu speaks to Frankie's all-welcoming, family-friendly nature. Backing it up the fare, you'll find organic coffee by Dukes, an on-trend array of turmeric, matcha, and chai lattes and nostalgia-inducing milkshakes.
He has serenaded Laura Dern with an Elvis song, swooned over Cher, swapped faces with John Travolta, voiced a version of Spider-Man and won an Oscar for playing an alcoholic. He's appeared on-screen as brothers, professed his love for milking alpacas and fought ninjas from outer space, too. We're talking about Nicolas Cage, of course, and the list of amazing inclusions on his resume just goes on. Indeed, he's about to step into Joe Exotic's shoes — and, via a new Netflix series, teach the world about the history of swear words as well. Nicolas Cage's History of Swear Words is a very real series that definitely exists, and will hit the streaming platform on Tuesday, January 5. So yes, if you were hoping that 2021 would be better than 2020, we can think of one very good reason why that's likely to prove the case. The concept behind the show is extremely self-explanatory, so Netflix hasn't released too many details — but Cage will definitely be having fun with the concept, as the just-released trailer for the series makes clear. Paintbrush in hand, he's at his OTT best as he waxes lyrical about one particular word. You don't get the actor to take on this particular task and then ask him to dial it back, of course. In fact, the whole program looks set to have fun with Cage, with a painting of a peach appearing behind him in the first moments of the trailer — something Face/Off fans will particularly appreciate. As for whatever else is in store, consider that 2021's first big gift. Happy new year indeed. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4argVWl8AAE Nicolas Cage's History of Swear Words hits Netflix on Tuesday, January 5.
If you've been enjoying someone else's Netflix subscription to get your Stranger Things, Squid Game and Wednesday fix, or work your way through its hefty slate of movies, the streaming platform has been promising bad news for a few years now: ending password sharing, so users can no longer login by borrowing a pal or family member's login details. The feature is being trialled in Chile, Peru and Costa Rica, and is officially on its way to the rest of the world by the end of March. And, if you're wondering how it might work, the service has revealed the details. At present, Netflix's help centre outlines its current rules around sharing the platform with someone who doesn't live with you, noting that "people who do not live in your household will need to use their own account to watch Netflix". Right now, in most places in the world, if a device outside of your home signs in, you might be asked to verify it — but you won't be charged if the service thinks that you are sharing your password. In a change to the help centre that went up temporarily — and, reportedly accidentally — details of Netflix's procedures when the password-sharing crackdown comes into effect were listed. Still archived via The WayBack Machine, the changes first state that users will need to log into Netflix via the app or website on your device when it's connected to the wifi at your primary location, and to do so for at least once every 31 days. That'll make Netflix see whatever you're watching the service on as a "trusted device", so you can use it even when you're away from home. The help centre also noted that "devices that are not part of your primary location may be blocked from watching Netflix", but still says that Netflix won't automatically charge you for share your account with someone who doesn't live with you. That said, the new password-sharing block is being called "paid sharing" by Netflix in a letter to shareholders, so that's in the works. The platform has also recently unveiled an ad-supported subscription package, too. "Today's widespread account sharing (to 100 million-plus households) undermines our long-term ability to invest in and improve Netflix, as well as build our business," the company states in that shareholder letter, which is dated January 19, 2023. "While our terms of use limit use of Netflix to a household, we recognise this is a change for members who share their account more broadly. So we've worked hard to build additional new features that improve the Netflix experience, including the ability for members to review which devices are using their account and to transfer a profile to a new account. As we roll out paid sharing, members in many countries will also have the option to pay extra if they want to share Netflix with people they don't live with." Of course, logging into your Netflix account from a network outside of your wifi doesn't automatically mean you're sharing your password. You might be travelling and still want to get your streaming fix. "If you are away from your primary location for an extended period of time, your device may be blocked from watching Netflix," the Help Centre says. The workaround for this will frustratingly require requesting a temporary access code — one that also annoyingly also only works for seven days. Given that Netflix has taken down these rule changes from its help centre in most markets, these processes might be tinkered with before they are rolled out to the rest of the world. As per The Guardian, the service advised that "for a brief time yesterday, a help centre article containing information that is only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, went live in other countries. We have since updated it". Netflix's password-sharing block is set to come into effect worldwide sometime before the end of March — we'll update you when more details are announced.
Vegans tired of being excluded from affordable mainstream menus or, at best, treated as an after-thought, here's some cheerful news — for both you and the rest of the animal kingdom. Domino's Pizza has today — Monday, January 8 — added vegan cheese to its list of ingredients. Yep, your pizza eating habits no longer need be restricted to vego-only (or exxy sit down) joints — they can now extend to cheap on-the-way-home snacks and in-bed feasts. To celebrate, three vegan pizzas will be hitting the menu for a limited time. These are the vegan avocado veg, the vegan spicy trio and the vegan margherita. Most importantly, though, you'll be able to turn any pizza on the menu into an animal-free one by asking for vegan mozzarella and parting with an extra $2.95 (which is quite reasonable, really). Plus, all Domino's bases and sauces are plant-based. The decision to introduce vegan cheese came about as a result of a survey that Domino's conducted via its Facebook page in late 2017. "We were blown away by the response," said Nick Knight, CEO of Domino's Australia and New Zealand. "The popularity of, and demand for, vegan products has increased considerably over the years, so it's great we are now able to offer this high-quality, non-GMO, plant-based and preservative-free vegan cheese." Domino's created the cheese — which is also free of gluten, soy and cholesterol — in its LuvLab, aiming to mimic the taste, texture and melting power of dairy-based cheese. But we'll believe it when we try it. Obviously our fair city has plenty of pizza options that we'd recommend over Domino's, but, nonetheless, this can only be a sign that more readily-available vegan options will hit mainstream food outlets in the near future. To begin, the cheese will be available for a limited time, and, if it proves popular with customers, it'll be instated permanently.
If beers and burritos are what you're craving this summer, Thornbury's temple to craft brews Carwyn Cellars is answering the call. The bar, bottle shop and beer garden has welcomed the folks from nearby Mexican eatery Little Tienda for a summertime pop-up full of all your favourite things. Open Friday to Sunday through the balmy months (with some adjustments over Christmas and New Year's), Burrito Heaven is slinging a tight menu of Mexican street eats to enjoy alongside those cold crafties. Pull up a seat in the sunny, dog-friendly courtyard and down on a range of street tacos, cheesy quesadillas, corn chips with guacamole and house-made chipotle sauce, and traditional elote — corn on the cob finished with cream cheese, Valentina hot sauce and a kaffir lime chilli dusting. Little Tienda's signature pork and vegan burritos are making an appearance, too, alongside a new jerk chicken option exclusive to the pop-up. And if you're lucky, there'll also be tamales on the specials lineup, stuffed with either jerk chicken, pulled pork or spiced mushrooms. Burrito Heaven is open from 4–9.30pm Friday, 2–9.30pm Saturday and 1–8pm Sunday.
When the final season of Game of Thrones aired, it earned its fair share of detractors. So, around a million people hopped online and signed a petition asking for the show's last batch of episodes to be remade. That might seem like a silly and implausible reaction but, when it happened in 2019, that kind of fan outcry wasn't new. Just a couple of years earlier, DC Comics aficionados had tried to get Rotten Tomatoes shut down when the reviews for Suicide Squad weren't as positive as the'd like — or positive at all. They're just two examples of fan responses to either beloved properties going awry in their eyes, or not getting the treatment they think they deserve — and of entitlement-driven campaigns asking for those supposed misdeeds to be corrected or punished. Another big instance over the past few years involves fellow DC Extended Universe flick Justice League, which wasn't well-received when it first hit cinemas back in 2017, and deservedly so. The superhero team-up movie definitely isn't the best entry in its franchise. It was also plagued by struggles before it reached the screen, including the replacement of director Zack Snyder with Joss Whedon during post-production. Accordingly, there's been an online push for Snyder's version of the movie to be released — and, because that's the kind of world we live in, it's actually happening. The director also filmed new footage for what's now being called Zack Snyder's Justice League, and the four-hour end product is dropping in March. In the US, HBO Max will be streaming the film; however, given that the service isn't available Down Under, just how Australian viewers would get their chance to see the flick hadn't yet been revealed. Until now, that is, with Aussie streaming platform Binge announcing that it'll add Zack Snyder's Justice League to its catalogue at the same time that it drops in America. Whether you actually liked the original and are keen to see what's changed, you completely hated it and you've been eager for a new version, or you're just bemused and/or bewildered by the fact that the Snyder Cut — as it has long been called online — has actually come to fruition after years of internet pleading, you can head to Binge from 6pm AEDT on Thursday, March 18 to check it out. Following on from the events of 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — including how that film ended for Superman (Henry Cavill, ) — Zack Snyder's Justice League sees Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) join forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to band together DC Comics' superheroes to stop a potentially world-ending threat. As well as Batman and Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) all make an appearance, teaming up to try to save the planet from a trio of villains. And, as the trailer shows, Jared Leto's version of the Joker also pops up. Check out the trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r_EQ_8JPyU&feature=youtu.be Zack Snyder's Justice League will be available to stream via Binge from 6pm AEDT on Thursday, March 18.
At this time of year, it's mighty tempting to rid your after-work agenda of anything that involves leaving your blanket fort. We can't blame you — the days are shorter and it's colder than most would like. But rather than disappearing when the sun does, we want you to make the most of these bonus nighttime hours. So we've teamed up with Samsung to celebrate the Galaxy S9 and S9+ (with a Super Low Light camera to capture all your nighttime antics) to bring you a guide to the best things to do around Melbourne after dark. You can see a gig, learn a new skill and eat delicious comfort food. To celebrate the Galaxy S9 and S9+ and our after dark guide, we're throwing an epic winter party, and we want you to come along. From 6.30pm on Thursday, June 28, we'll be taking over Ferdydurke for an intimate after-dark soiree. A local DJ will provide the soundtrack to the evening, as you indulge in a decadent (and picture-perfect) grazing table from Plentiful Catering and flaming cocktails from the Ferdydurke's bar team. Your winter blues will well and truly be banished. There will be Samsung Galaxy S9's positioned around the venue for you to play around with on the night, so get snap-happy and you'll go in the running to win your very own Samsung Galaxy S9, plus a voucher to one of our featured restaurants (because you'll want to take photos of every future meal with your flashy new tech). Also, photographer Cole Bennetts will be on-hand to provide tips and tricks to capturing those winning low light moments. Regardless of whether you nab the new phone, our party will leave you with the tools to up your Insta-game and with a newfound appreciation for getting out and about in winter. To enter, see details below. [competition]673602[/competition]
Stop what you're doing (particularly if what you're doing is re-watching old Seinfeld episodes for the 33rd time), because Jerry Seinfeld, the man himself, is finally coming to Australia. Announced just this morning, the comedian will be gracing our shores with a five-date national stand-up tour of our capital cities — his first visit Down Under in almost 20 years. Yowsa. The Seinfeld Live tour — which will visit Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney's soon-to-open International Conference Centre — is booked in for August of next year. So you'll have ample time to rewatch seasons one through nine at least twice. It's Seinfeld's first visit to Australia since 1998, when he toured the country just after the show wrapped. On that visit he called Melbourne the "anus" of the world — we'll see what he has to say about it this time round. SEINFELD LIVE 2017 TOUR DATES PERTH: Friday, August 4 – Perth Arena ADELAIDE: Saturday, August 5 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre MELBOURNE: Sunday, August 6 – Hisense Arena BRISBANE: Wednesday, August 9 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre SYDNEY: Friday, August 11 – ICC Sydney Theatre, Darling Harbour Seinfeld Live will tour Australia in August 2017. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday, November 14 via Ticketek.
There's nothing unusual about ordering cocktail at London's One Aldwych hotel. Knocking back one of their beverages, however, is completely different. Before you sip on a blend of Dalmore 12-year-old whisky, Merlet cherry liqueur, grapefruit juice, chocolate bitters and Lallier Champagne, you'll get whisked away to the Scottish Highlands — without leaving your seat. The boozy concoction is called The Origin, and it might just provide a glimpse of drinking in the future. Strapping on a VR headset, taking a jaunt through barley fields and the Dalmore distillery, and then following the ingredients on their trek to theCovent Garden bar is all part of the fun. Yes, the tasting, sipping and just generally enjoying the drink part is real — it's the preamble that toys with virtual reality. "We take our guests behind the scenes to show them how the drink is made," One Aldwych head bartender Pedro Paulo explained to MUNCHIES. "Two minutes before the drink is ready, we say, 'We'd like to take you to the origin of the drink.' Then, we give them VR goggles and headphones to take them on the journey." If you find yourself in London anytime soon, The Origin will set you back £18; however, that's a cheap price to pay for a top tipple and a detour to Scotland. And it you're worried that the combination of virtual reality and alcohol mightn't go down smoothly, don't worry. "It's really quite more of a swooping, gentle experience," says Paulo. Via MUNCHIES. Image: One Aldwych.
Brush up on your spells, Potterheads. Specifically, get ready to shout "accio iPhone". As first announced back in 2017, the wizarding world of Harry Potter is coming to your mobile — and the powers-that-be have revealed when as part of a new teaser trailer. Some time in 2019, Potter fans be joining the Ministry of Magic, wielding their wands and trying to contain traces of wizardry throughout the muggle world, all within Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. What else it involves is being kept in a chamber of secrets, although the game website does explain that players will enlist in the new Statute of Secrecy Task Force, where they'll be required to "hone lightning fast wand reflexes", "sniff out the faintest whiff of magical disorder from afar" and be proficient in the "advanced casting of multiple spells". Basically, it's a Pokemon Go-style step into the Harry Potter universe, giving everyone another augmented reality mobile game to get addicted to. And, it's from Niantic, the developers behind said game, who have teamed up here with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. When Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was first announced, Niantic noted that "players will learn spells, explore their real world neighbourhoods and cities to discover and fight legendary beasts and team up with others to take down powerful enemies" — in case you were wondering how it might emulate Pokemon Go. It also said the game "will leverage the full stack of the Niantic Platform while also providing an opportunity to pioneer all new technology and gameplay mechanics". That's about all we know for now — although you can check out the teaser below: It's up to you to protect the wizarding world. Enlist immediately for the Statute of Secrecy Task Force: https://t.co/b9UtoUA3gS #WizardsUnite pic.twitter.com/2NSlOpgj3W — Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (@HPWizardsUnite) November 14, 2018 For more information about the game, you can sign up for updates via www.harrypotterwizardsunite.com.
Still basking in movie-filled memories from this year's Sydney Film Festival or Melbourne International Film Festival? Counting down the days until this year's Brisbane International Film Festival? Either way, take comfort in this nugget of cinephile wisdom: there's always another film festival around the corner. The next fest hitting screens is the Italian Film Festival, which returns from September 11 and October 24. 2018 marks the event's whopping 19th year, and to celebrate, it's taking a lineup of 37 features and two short films — including 33 Australian premieres — around the country. Like the hearty Italian food you're going to be craving after each session, the festival serves up quite the feast — think political dramas and time-bending fables, detective thrillers and madcap comedies, and new award-winners and old classics as well. From all of that and more, we've picked six flicks that you shouldn't miss, including movies with adorable dogs, mother-and-daughter dramas and unhinged horror, just for starters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bj8voOPacE LORO With political scandals oh-so-frequently splashed across news headlines, the Italian Film Festival's opening night pick couldn't feel more relevant. In fact, it's drawn from the real-life political scandals surrounding former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Acting legend Toni Servillo steps into Berlusconi's shoes at a time when the infamous figure was experiencing woes in both his personal and professional realms. Exploring the impact of power both on those who have it and those who want it, it's a weighty recounting of a true tale — and with so much to cover, it's hardly surprising that it runs for two-and-a-half hours. Still, with The Great Beauty and The Young Pope's Paolo Sorrentino in the director's chair, not a moment will be wasted. The filmmaker isn't known for wasting any one of his gorgeous images, either. DOGMAN Thanks to Dogman, Gomorrah's Matteo Garrone gets back into the crime game — but with dogs. The writer/director's newest feature follows a dog groomer who gets caught up in the antics of one of his customers, a petty criminal, and is forced to react to his new situation. Star Marcello Fonte won this year's best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his leading performance, while, unsurprisingly, the entire canine cast won the fest's coveted (and cute) Palme Dog award. Italian crime dramas are no stranger to our screens, but this one certainly doesn't follow in the usual two-legged or four-legged footsteps. Amazingly, it's also based on a true story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPs2ExUL_bc SUSPIRIA Not only one of the best Italian giallo horror films of all time, but one of the best horror films full stop, Suspiria dances with death within a prestigious German academy, just as an American ballet student arrives for a stay. It's the type of movie that, if you haven't already seen it, you'll want to discover the full wonders of its plot for yourself — but let's just say that Dario Argento's colour-saturated classic doesn't follow the expected fancy footwork. Closing out this year's Italian Film Festival with a gorgeous new restoration, this screening of the 41-year-old flick also couldn't come at a better time. In November, a remake by Call Me By Your Name's Luca Guadagnino hits cinemas, starring Tilda Swinton and Dakota Johnson. Even if the new version sits at the top of your most-anticipated list, you owe it to yourself to watch (or re-watch) the original first. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mycCKj_IvNM LOVE AND BULLETS Love and Bullets does the one thing that every other mob effort doesn't. As great as Goodfellas, The Sopranos, Gomorrah and the like all are, none of them combine their crime chaos with song. It's more than just an intriguing concept, with the mafia musical picking up five David di Donatello awards — aka Italy's version of the Oscars — including best film. Story-wise, filmmaking brothers Marco and Antonio Manetti take their cast through the aftermath of a big mob boss' death. Yes, as you can no doubt imagine, it's a comedy. The movie also nabbed gongs for best music, song and costume design, so expect it to look and sound a treat as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVw6wlYJPo DAUGHTER OF MINE In 2015, Italian filmmaker Laura Bispuri and actress Alba Rohrwacher teamed up for Sworn Virgin, a compelling, moving film about an Albanian woman who vows to live life in the mountains, without sex and as a man rather than adhere to traditional views about female subservience. Their second collaboration, Daughter of Mine, also explores ideas of femininity, but in a vastly different way. It's also excellent, and exceptionally acted. As the title suggests, motherhood is in the spotlight as Rohrwacher's strong-willed Angelica and Valeria Golino's more traditionally maternal Tina grapple not only with each other, but over what's best for ten-year-old Vittoria (Sara Casu). As a Sardinian summer rolls by, the secret that connects the trio is thrust out into the open, as is a tussle between nature and nurture that shapes a young girl's journey of discovery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk_NHWgJopc EUPHORIA As well as starring in Daughter of Mine, Valeria Golino steps behind the camera with Euphoria, her second feature as a filmmaker. In the process, she directs one of Italy's undeniable stars, Riccardo Scamarcio — who has credits in everything from John Wick: Chapter 2 to Master of None, and also appears in Loro. Scamarcio plays entrepreneur Matteo. He couldn't be more different from his brother Ettore (Valerio Mastandrea), but when they're forced to reunite, it isn't just a case of sibling rivalry. With the usually naturalistic and vibrant Golino helming, the end result shouldn't just serve up the usual family drama either. The 2018 Italian Film Festival tours Australia between September 11 and October 24, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinemas from September 11 to October 7; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from September 13 to October 7; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from September 19 to October 14; and Perth's Cinema Paradiso and Luna on SX from September 27 to October 17. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
It only takes one perfect record to make a musician a legend. For Ms Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was that album. The American singer and rapper fronted The Fugees before dropping her only solo release. She starred in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as well. But come 1998, when the record that bears her name hit, it ensured that she'd always be an icon. 2023 marks 25 years since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill first arrived — and to celebrate, Hill is touring. Down Under, she has locked in three stops, including a stadium show on Tuesday, October 3 at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena. Home to singles 'Doo Wop (That Thing)', 'Ex-Factor', 'Everything Is Everything', 'Lost Ones' and 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You', The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was a smash on the charts, with critics and at the Grammys. It peaked at number two in Australia; has been named in oh-so-many lists of 90s, hip hop and rap records, as well as albums of all time and releases by women; and earned five Grammys from ten nominations. During her tour, Hill will play tracks from her time with The Fugees, too — killing audiences softly with the iconic cover that the band is best known for, plus 'Ready or Not', 'Fu-Gee-La' and more. Top image: Città di Parma via Wikimedia Commons.
It's the main reason most of Melbourne has made their way to Good Food Month over the last couple of years, and in 2017, the ever-popular Night Noodle Markets are back — and they're bigger than ever. But this year it will be sans Good Food Month — the four-week food showcase will scoot over to June 2018. As a standalone event, the market will see 30 different stalls converge on Birrarung Marr for a whopping 18 nights this October. Among the spoils will be all manner of noodles, dumplings and other delights from Hochi Mama, Mr Miyagi, Hoy Pinoy and Wonderbao. For dessert, Gelato Messina returns (predictably) with a menu of pure wonder (including a deep-fried gelato katsu sandwich) and a green tea and pistachio gelato version of the popular Japenese snack, onigiri. There will be live music and entertainment, a pop-up cellar door, a garden bar and many interactive displays to check out on a bellyful of bao. The Night Noodle Markets are once again at Birrarung Marr and will run from Thursday, November 9 until Sunday, November 26. They'll be open Monday and Tuesday 5-9pm, Wednesday and Thursday 5–10pm, Friday 5–11pm, Saturday 4–10pm, and Sunday 4–9pm. Entry is free but the place — if other years are anything to go by — will be packed. Image: Bec Taylor
Think Apple gives the most visionary tech demos? The man whose 1968 'Mother of All Demos' showed us computer technology we'd still be using today passed away this week at the age of 88. Douglas Carl Engelbart was an inventor and engineer best known for creating the mouse. But he and his team at the Stanford Research Institute (now known as SRI International) actually showcased an eerie amount of still-familiar technology at their oN-Line System presentation in 1968. Video still exists of the entire 1 hour, 40-minute of it, but perhaps the coolest moment is this, in which he demonstrates the basics of word processing, copy-and-pasting, hypertext and something of a graphical user interface. In the next video, you can see the mouse in action. ("I don't know why we call it a mouse, I apologise. I started that way and we never did change it.") Theirs is a boxy thing with two wheels. In patent terms, an "X-Y position indicator control for movement of the hand to move a cursor over the display on a cathode-ray tube." Later, he demonstrates video conferencing. Seriously. It's like he made up the future, and then it all went ahead and happened. Engelbart's inventions never made him particularly rich — SRI didn't really realise the value of the mouse when they patented it — but he's regarded as a visionary in the industry.
Perhaps you're keen to check out Studio Ghibli's upcoming theme park. Maybe you're desperate to hit up a Super Nintendo theme park, too. You could've always wanted to walk across Shibuya's famous scramble crossing — or you might be eager to sing karaoke in a ferris wheel. Fancy simply eating and drinking your way around all the ramen joints and izakayas possible? That's perfectly understandable as well. Whichever reason (or reasons) are motivating your dream Japanese holiday, they're all achievable again — including hitting up that Studio Ghibli park when it starts spiriting fans away at the beginning of November. Today, Tuesday, October 11, for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan has reopened its borders to individual international tourists. And no, you no longer need to book a package through a travel agency, or abide by the country's pandemic-era visa restrictions, to enjoy your getaway. Suitcases at the ready, eager travellers. The move comes after two-and-a-half years of border restrictions, and came into effect at 12am on Tuesday, October 11 Japanese time. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news back in September, advising that the country has previously "flourished through the free flow of people, goods and capital," as per Reuters. "COVID-19, of course, interrupted all of these benefits, but from October 11 Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel," he continued. That means that visitors to Japan can now make their own travel arrangements — a huge change to the most recent rules. Until May, the country was closed to international tourists. Then, the Japanese government started trialling in letting strictly controlled package tours, including with Australian tourists. Next, in early June, it broadened those entry requirements to allow in visitors from a heap of nations under the same rules. And, from early September until now, it permitted travellers, including from Down Under, to make the journey even when they aren't on guided tours, as long as they have organised their flights and accommodation through a travel agency. Also now in effect: dropping the visa requirement, which applies to visitors from nations that weren't required to obtain tourist visas before the pandemic — including from Australia and New Zealand. So, in several ways, heading to Japan has returned to the pre-COVID-19 status quo. Japan has also ditched its daily cap on international arrivals, which was most recently set at 50,000. There are a few caveats, though. You do need to provide one of two forms of proof regarding the pandemic to enter. You'll either need you will need to have a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate with at least three doses noted, or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure (and that test has to be a PCR, not a rapid antigen test). And, there's also a COVID-19 questionnaire to fill out. Wondering what to do in Japan? Check out this Concrete Playground Trips package, which'll take you on a cultural tour from Kyoto to Tokyo. Japan's new border rules came into effect on Tuesday, October 11. For further details about visiting Japan and its border restrictions, head to the Government of Japan website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
