UPDATE: June 5, 2020: Judy & Punch is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Sometimes, a film lives and thrives thanks to its casting, benefiting from stellar actors who melt into their roles. That's the case with Judy & Punch, with Mia Wasikowska and Damon Herriman breathing life, depth and a roguish attitude into characters best known as wood, string and fabric. As the title makes plain, they're playing Punch and Judy, the puppet-show figures that date back more than three centuries. Still, while writer/director Mirrah Foulkes tasks her stars with fleshing out the marionettes' wholly fictional origin story, she doesn't rely on the duo to do all of the movie's heavy lifting. Her interpretation of the tale — the bold, subversive directions she takes it in, and the feisty, cheeky vibe the film adopts in the process — makes as much of an impact. Jumping behind the camera after acting in Animal Kingdom, Top of the Lake, The Crown and Harrow, Foulkes ensures that her filmmaking debut isn't the kind of feature that lights up screens often. The movie starts with two versions of Punch and his other half: one cavorting on stage, the other pulling the strings behind the curtain. The crowd roars as the perpetually drunken Punch (Herriman) and the long-suffering Judy (Wasikowska) manoeuvre and manipulate their inanimate counterparts, with the pair packing in shows in Judy's insular (and curiously inland) hometown of Seaside. Judy is actually the more dexterous and talented of the two, but Punch gets all the fame and acclaim — partly, reflecting his brutish personality, by making their puppet show literally "punchier". He makes their daily life punchier as well, and thinks nothing of treating Judy and their infant daughter with contempt, whether he's seeing another woman, complaining whenever Judy says a word or showing that he's the world's worst father. With the real-life Punch and Judy famously based on the former's slapstick violence towards the latter, you can be forgiven for feeling cautious about how a live-action version will play out. It sounds strange and inappropriate, but Foulkes is keenly aware of the material she's working with. In her hands, Judy & Punch takes puppet-show savagery and lets it loose in live-action, then rightfully questions why it's considered entertainment. And to really hammer home her point, she needs to unleash a flurry of physical and metaphorical blows. The filmmaker isn't subtle, but neither is a guy bashing his wife and child, which has happened in P&J since the 1600s. So, when Judy is the only person in the town to speak out against the communal stoning of women deemed witches — and, later, when a tragic turn of fate sees her seek solace among the local female outcasts, then plot her revenge — it's thoroughly designed to make a statement. Kudos to Foulkes for not only reclaiming P&J's problematic narrative for Judy, calling out Punch's boorishness and asking why women have so often been treated so poorly — by their partners, by complicit communities and by mobbish societies as a whole — but for clearly having fun while she's doing so. Where this year's thematically comparable and similarly excellent fellow Australian film, The Nightingale, leaned into bleakness and pain, Judy & Punch veers the other way. The movie is styled like a gothic fairytale, with its crumbling castle, sprawling woods and Elizabethan-era costuming, and it takes that look and feel to heart. Dark, fanciful, perceptive, often comic — this mix of elements mightn't sound like a natural fit on paper, but it works. Judy & Punch's tone definitely wavers, although that's on purpose too. And when François Tétaz's percussion-heavy score keeps echoing, it constantly reminds viewers of the thuds, shoves and worse that have long been baked into Judy and Punch's abusive romance, while also proving audibly playful. Given all of the above, you can excuse Judy & Punch for including a big speech at its climax; again, Foulkes isn't doing anything by halves. Nor is her cast, including the likes of Benedict Hardie (Upgrade), Tom Budge (Bloom) and Gillian Jones (Mad Max: Fury Road), who all help populate Seaside's chaotic masses. Wasikowska and Herriman are dream leads, though. She draws upon an ever-growing resume filled with fascinating and formidable women (Jane Eyre, Stoker, Tracks, Madame Bovary, Piercing… the list goes on), while he's having quite the malevolence-dripping year after stepping into Charles Manson's shoes in both Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Judy & Punch firmly tells Judy's story, so this is Wasikowska's film, but it highlights both of its main characters for a good reason. This thoroughly feminist hero doesn't just give a historic narrative a much-needed update and champion a timely cause — with their dynamic back-and-forth, she endeavours to cut Herriman's misogynistic weasel down to size, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63NAagrKOcc
If action-packed yet artful heist films are your thing — and why wouldn't they be? — Julius Avery's debut feature, Son of a Gun, is bound to tickle your armchair thrill-seeking side. Newcomer Brenton Thwaites is JR, a 19-year-old locked up for a minor offence. While inside, he is taken under the calculating wing of crime boss Brendan Lynch (Ewan McGregor). In an inevitably no-don't-you've-got-so-much-going-for-you! move, JR helps Lynch's crew orchestrate a daring prison escape — and is then invited to join in on the high-stakes heist they're planning next. Things, of course, turn progressively more dangerous. The film is all Aussie — written and directed by Avery (whose short film Jerrycan was a Jury Prize winner at Cannes), and shot in the disparate and desolate landscapes of Melbourne, Perth and Kalgoorlie. It's a nail-biting, chill-inducing thriller you'll need to psychologically prepare for. We warned you. We're offering competition winners the chance to see Son of a Gun with a friend at an exclusive preview screening on Monday, October 13, 8.30pm at Palace Como (Cnr Toorak Road and Chapel Street, South Yarra). To enter, click here. Son of a Gun officially releases in cinemas from October 16. See the film in style at Palace Cinemas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eTOBcelRo9M
Time flies when you're watching films and pretending you're on the other side of the world, which is exactly the kind of fun that Palace Cinemas' annual Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival serves up. It has been six years since the arthouse chain started giving winter-loving movie buffs a smorgasbord of films from frosty Nordic climes — timed for the Australian winter, naturally — and the cinema showcase is still going strong. Touring the country from July 9 to August 7, this year's event doesn't hold back when it comes to its strengths. If you're a fan of twisty mysteries and thrillers, brooding dramas set against a stunning snowy backdrop, and smart leaps in genres, you're in luck. Spanning the latest and greatest titles from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland, plus old favourites that you'll want to revisit on a big screen, this year's Scandinavian Film Festival is lineup is stellar. Here are our five must-see picks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MIlE9R00ik ANIARA The savviest sci-fi films don't simply ponder a future that may not come, they follow today's big troubles to their possible end. If environmental issues are big on your radar, add Aniara to the watch list. In this Swedish imagining of the apocalypse, earth is uninhabitable, humanity is in the process of fleeing for Mars and there's no way to repair the damage of the past. When a spaceship headed to our nearest celestial neighbour is pushed off course, there's no way to return either. It should come as little surprise that this ambitious movie contemplates our ability to ignore what we're doing to the planet, as well as our need to soothe our existential ills with nostalgia and materialism. Directors Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja found inspiration for the film in a poem by Swedish Nobel Prize winner Harry Martinson, and the end result is quite the trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8bzar3Nrjk THE PURITY OF VENGEANCE Across the Department Q movie series to date, crime buffs have watched eccentric homicide detective Morck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) reluctantly team up with fellow cop Assad (Fares Fares). From there, fans have followed the duo's efforts to solve difficult and dead-end cases, including a political death that was initially ruled a suicide, a scandal at an elite boarding school, and a series of child disappearances, too. To wrap up the page-to-screen series, The Purity of Vengeance tasks the intrepid investigators with a particularly murky case and a ticking clock, after they discover three mummified bodies — plus space for a fourth. When this franchise is at its best, it offers up a compelling odd couple, gripping mysteries and plenty of twists and turns, which this huge last chapter promises to continue. At home, it absolutely smashed the local box office, achieving the biggest opening ever for a Danish movie. A WHITE, WHITE DAY One of the big hits of this year's jam-packed Cannes Film Festival — where it took out the best actor prize in the event's Critics' Week sidebar — A White, White Day marks the second Scandinavian Film Festival title in two years for Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason. After the writer/director's stellar Winter Brothers last year, his sophomore feature is immediately worth a look. Given the remote location, striking icy scenery and exquisite cinematography on offer, there's clearly plenty to literally peer at, with Pálmason proving an accomplished visual storyteller. And, narrative-wise, this acclaimed drama charts a suitably thorny tale, following a grief-stricken ex-top cop (Ingvar E. Sigurdsson) who is trying to get over the loss of his wife, only to discover that their marriage might not have been as blissful as he thought it was. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue91wuHsLIY AURORA In one of Finland's standout contributions to the program, the hard-partying Aurora (Mimosa Willamo) meets Iranian refugee Darian (Amir Escandari). Equally outcast in their Lapland surroundings, they're both at their lowest points; however, Aurora is a romantic comedy, so (naturally) their chance encounter changes both of their lives. That said, writer/director Miia Tervo doesn't stick to the usual script from there, making a movie that's passionate, lively, topical and subversive — and not only examining the plight of immigrants across Europe but unpacking the expectations placed upon Finnish women. This charming debut also proved a hit at this year's SXSW Film Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlF-hk3IJQE THE MILLENNIUM TRILOGY Before Rooney Mara and Claire Foy stepped into Lisbeth Salander's shoes, Noomi Rapace got there first. She'll always be the original and best incarnation of everyone's favourite tattooed computer hacker. A decade after the Swedish adaptations of Stieg Larsson's best-selling novels first hit screens, it's easy to forget just how fantastic Rapace is in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. While the trio of Millennium movies follows the same trajectory as the books they're based on (starting off with quite a bang, then losing their impact a little as they go along), it's also easy to forget just how involving the entire series is as a whole. As directed by Daniel Alfredson and Niels Arden Oplev, and also starring the late Michael Nyqvist (John Wick) as a journalist who makes Lisbeth's acquaintance, this franchise kicked off the world's obsession with Nordic noir for a reason. Plus, if you can't get enough of Larsson's twisted fictional world, the festival will also be screening a documentary on the late author's life. The Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival tours Australia from July 9, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from July 9 to July 31; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay and Palace Balwyn from July 11 to July 31; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from July 18 to August 7; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso from July 17 to August 7. For more information, visit the festival website.
Luxury restaurant and food store Calia is bidding farewell to its original Melbourne Emporium digs, though it's not venturing too far. The brand is swapping its Level 3 space for the grand 800-square-metre Lonsdale Street site most recently home to Top Shop. Three years on from its debut and following the success of its younger Chadstone Shopping Centre sibling, Calia is set to take things up a few notches. Not only is its new home giant, spanning over two and a half storeys, it'll be dishing up an extended fancy food offering from breakfast till dinner. Opening in May, it'll have room for over 100 diners, a bigger retail area slinging homewares and gourmet food, an on-site coffee bar and a cafe, all within a sleek space by hospitality design firm Architect Eats. The shopfront will feature a huge retractable glowing curtain that closes at sunset and opens during sunrise, while the rest of the store will be decked out with stacks of lush hanging foliage, a Japanese garden and a soaring six-metre-tall tree in the foyer. Even more special is the addition of an urban cellar door, perfect for when all that shopping gets a bit much. It sees Calia team up with the Yarra Valley's Levantine Hill Estate to offer a similar experience to what you'll find at the winery itself, complete with tastings and an expansive retail selection. Keep an eye out for some exclusive wines not available anywhere else, too. Meanwhile, the kitchen will be delivering a menu filled with Calia signatures, starring ingredients like Japanese sea urchin, A5 Japanese and Robbins Island wagyu, foie gras from southern France and tuna belly flown from Toyosu Fish Market in Japan, alongside sustainably sourced local seafood. And you can get excited to try new dishes including a dry truffle ramen. It's all set to be a pretty high-tech affair, too, with customers able to order and pay for their food via smartphone. Calia Emporium is slated to open at 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne in May 2020. Stay tuned for more details.
For almost four decades, Hans Zimmer has given cinema a distinctive sound. The German composer helped put the bounce in The Lion King's score and the droning in Inception's memorable tunes, and has loaned his talents to everything from Thelma & Louise to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy to Blade Runner 2049. It's an impressive list that just keeps going — and it'll sound even more impressive played live and accompanied by an orchestra. As well as working his music magic on a wealth of movies — Hidden Figures, The Boss Baby, Dunkirk, Widows, X-Men: Dark Phoenix and the upcoming Lion King remake are just some of his recent credits — Zimmer has been taking his show on the road over the past few years. After touring his Hans Zimmer Revealed concert series in 2017, including to Australia, he's returning to our shores with Hans Zimmer Live, which'll echo through arenas in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne this October. While the Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy and Tony-winner obviously isn't going to play every single one of his iconic film scores, expect to hear plenty of your favourites from a lineup that also includes Wonder Woman, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, 12 Years a Slave, Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible II and Pearl Harbour — plus the small screen's The Crown and Blue Planet II as well. Zimmer will be joined not only by a massive orchestra, but a full band and a huge stage production, complete with a luminous light show and other eye-catching visuals. [caption id="attachment_724806" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hans Zimmer, Los Angeles, LA, Tour, Concert, Performance, April 14 2017, EVI[/caption] Hans Zimmer Live will hit the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Thursday, October 3, Sydney's Qudos Arena on Saturday, October 5 and Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on Monday, October 7. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday, June 17 — for further details, visit the promoter's website. Top image: The World of Hans Zimmer Berlin by Frank Embacher Photography.
Itching to take a break from working from home by plunging yourself into the great outdoors? Love the idea of turning on your OOO message and hitting a six-day nature hike, getting a rush of adrenaline as you speed down a mountain on a bike, or gliding over expansive desert sands at exhilarating heights? Then it might be time to put Central Australia on your travel map. Home to some of the most epic activities the country has to offer, taking the plunge and visiting the Red Centre might be the little pick-me-up you need. So, we've partnered with Tourism Central Australia to bring you some of Central Australia's most thrilling activities.
What’s better than one schlocky late night cult movies? Two schlocky late night cult movies. That’s what the folks at Cinema Nova think anyway, doubling down on their Friday night cultastrophe stream with a kick-ass new program of double features tailored to hot Melbourne evenings. The summer selection begins this Friday, December 6, with a Whovian double bill of Dr. Who & The Daleks and Dalek’s Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. That’ll be washed down the following week with a Christmas themed screening of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. How festive. Things take a break for the New Year before returning in full force on January 17, with the blood-soaked pairing of Cannibal Apocalypse and Evil Dead 2. Continuing through January all the way until the end of summer, other highlights of the program include a Queen-scored '80s throwback that combines Flash Gordon with Highlander, and a John Carpenter double feature of Prince of Darkness and Escape from New York. For more information, visit the Cinema Nova website. Tickets for the January - February program will be on sale soon.
The streets of Sydney are about to transform into a kaleidoscope of colour, charisma and character for the 46th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and we've got two exclusive packages to make sure you're in the thick of it. Whether you're a Mardi Gras veteran or a first-timer, these deals will set you up to have the ultimate Mardi Gras experience. First up, for those looking to add a touch of luxe to their Mardi Gras, we present the Diamond Club Viewing & Boutique City Stay. Priced at AU$1,599 for two people, this deal not only puts you in a premium viewing area for the Parade on Saturday, March 2, but also gives you access to exclusive bars, gourmet food and amenities at Diamond Club — one of the hottest tickets on the festival calendar. And when the day is done, you'll retreat to your luxury room at the Ovolo Woolloomooloo for two nights (March 1–3). This isn't just a place to crash — it's a five-star retreat complete with daily breakfast, unlimited Wi-Fi, self-laundry (because glitter gets everywhere), daily afternoon cocktails, free minibar, gym, pool and in-room Alexa and Apple TV. Alternatively, the Sideshow Viewing & Boutique City Stay starts from AU$1,299 for two people and offers front-row seats to the parade from the Sideshow area. Your accommodation? Take your pick between The Woolstore 1888 by Ovolo or the Kimpton Margot Sydney. Both options are an easy stroll to the parade route and come with all the perks you'd expect from top-tier hotels. So go on, treat yourself. You're not just booking a room; you're securing a front-row seat to one of the most vibrant events on the Sydney calendar. See you there.
Before Taco Bell used Brisbane as a testing ground, another overseas fast food giant got there first. That'd be Japan's MOS Burger, who've been slinging its wagyu, teriyaki chicken and crispy fish burgers in Queensland since 2011. And, just like its US counterpart, it is now planning to expand across the rest of the country. The brand is set to make its Australian presence known in a big way, with 100 stores slated around Australia in the next five years, according to The Courier-Mail. Presently, it has just six outlets in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, after initially launching in Sunnybank eight years ago. For those new to MOS Burger — which stands for "mountain, ocean and sun" — the chain started in 1972, and is littered not only across Japan, but in much of Asia. It currently boasts 1335 stores in its homeland, 258 in Taiwan, 33 in Singapore, 20 in Hong Kong, 16 on South Korea, 14 in China, eight in Thailand and two in Indonesia, with its Australian eateries the company's first venture out of the region. Menu-wise, MOS Burger serves up a style of burg that's familiar, but with Japanese flavours. Think gourmet cheeseburgers with wasabi and patties of wagyu doused in horseradish — plus more standard fare with regular American-style ketchup and mustard. They also do sushi burgers, which involve seafood tempura, smoked salmon or barbecue beef stuffed between a steamed quinoa rice bun with seaweed. Or there's the low-carb 'tomami', featuring the usual burger ingredients inside (you guessed it) a tomato. Via The Courier-Mail. Image: Hunter Nield via Flickr.
UPDATE, July 26, 2020: Sing Street is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Who amongst us hasn't used music to process their thoughts and feelings? The right song can convey things that words alone cannot, as writer-director John Carney understands. In his films, moving ballads and catchy melodies intertwine with life and love, providing a killer soundtrack to memorable moments and an effective method of expressing emotions. When his characters pen lyrics, strum instruments and grab the mic, they're not just creating tunes and chasing dreams — they're helping make sense of everything around them. Indeed, while he put his foot in his mouth earlier this year, when it comes to making beautiful music — in movies like Once and Begin Again — the Irish filmmaker excels. You'd be right to say that Carney has a formula, but that's by no means a criticism. Although his movies can feel as though they're repeating the same narrative, they're earnest and vibrant in their own ways all the same. Carney sets his latest toe-tapping tale in Dublin in the financially struggling '80s — a period when Duran Duran's glossy 'Rio' clip played on TV, and everyone watching just wanted to make ends meet. For 15-year-old Conor Lalor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), money troubles means changing schools, with his bickering parents (Maria Doyle Kennedy and Aiden Gillen) sending him to the local Christian-run academy. He's bullied by teachers and classmates, but he also crosses paths with aspiring model Raphina (Lucy Boynton), who lives across the road. Eager to get her phone number, he asks her to star in a video for his band...despite the fact that he doesn't actually have one. Conor's quest involves rounding up new friends, including the rabbit-obsessed Eamon (Mark McKenna) and enterprising wannabe manager Darren (Ben Carolan). With the assistance of his college dropout brother Brendan (Jack Reynor), it also means listening to the likes of The Cure, Spandau Ballet and Hall & Oates, and aping their sounds and style. Cue some of the film's best outfits and standout original tunes, including the futurist-leaning 'The Riddle of the Model', the heartfelt 'A Beautiful Sea', and the upbeat 'Drive It Like You Stole It'. The pop tracks do more than entertain; whether amusing or tender, each one is infectious, endearing, exuberant, and anchored in authentic sentiments and experiences. The same descriptions apply to Carney's cast, particularly newcomer Walsh-Peelo and Transformers: Age of Extinction star Reynor, who convincingly capture both the uncertainties and the yearnings of youth. Accordingly, while the film initially seems like a straightforward musical romance, its coming-of-age journey also provides a touching testament to brotherly bonds courtesy of their respective performances. That's just one of a handful of surprises in a story that appears to follow a clear path, yet still finds new ways to offer depth and charm. Carney's colourful imagery and snappy pacing, meanwhile, ensures the movie always feels like the joyous blend of music, emotion and escapism that it is — complete with an inspired riff on Back to the Future that couldn't be more fitting.
Biggie Smalls is going the way of foodie faves Belles Hot Chicken and Messina — it's crossing the river to open a second store southside. It's been just over a year since Shane Delia arrived to take Smith Street's kebab-scape by storm, slinging modern Middle Eastern eats out of a lively, hip hop-infused diner. Now, as reported by Good Food and confirmed by the Biggie Smalls team, Delia's modern kebab shop is heading to Windsor, with the Maha chef set to open a new 40-seat store opposite Windsor Station next year. You can expect the same vibes, hip hop soundtrack and cult kebab offerings of the original store, though here they'll be sided with tap beers, Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails, and a beefed-up contingent of bar snacks. With Belles, Messina, Fonda, and Chris Lucas soon to open another Kong in Collingwood, it looks like Smith Street and the Windsor-end of Chapel are only going to get more and more similar. Via Good Food.
Three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone has done it again with his 2012 film Savages. Based on Don Winslow's bestselling crime novel, it is a brutal, ferocious and sexy look into the lives of two marijuana growers. Taking place in glamorous Laguna Beach California, this crime thriller film follows two best friends' successful and homegrown marijuana business, where they produce some of the best marijuana ever developed. When the powerful Mexican Baja Cartel finds out about their business, a war breaks out. The two best friends, played by Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson, must take part in a savage battle against the cartel to save the girl (Ophelia, played by Blake Lively) that they both love and, oddly enough, share. Savages has elements of just about every film genre, including crime, drama, mystery, suspense, thriller and romance. The star cast includes Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, Demian Bichir, Benicio del Toro, Salma Hayek, John Travolta and Emile Hirsch. Thanks to Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we have five DVD copies of Savages to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au.
It was true of the first Dune film from Denis Villeneuve. It's been accurate of the Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival filmmaker's sci-fi spectacles in general. And it definitely applies to Dune: Part Two. That fact: that these movies look best on the big screen. But if you haven't had time to visit the cinema since Villeneuve's second trip to Arrakis arrived in February 2024, or you're keen to see it again on your couch, this Timothée Chalamet (Wonka)- and Zendaya (Euphoria)-starring sequel has now hit digital. Dune: Part Two is still showing in picture palaces. You just have options now when it comes to checking it out, such as streaming via YouTube Movies and Prime Video at home. Either way, you're in for oh-so-much sand, plus a continuation of Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) adapting Frank Herbert's work, following in David Lynch's footsteps and managing what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune). Villeneuve's debut Dune flick scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins (including an Academy Award for Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser); however, it only told part of Dune's story. So, Dune: Part Two keeps the tale going. War has arrived on the franchise's spice-laden planet, and Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and the Fremen are ready to fight. The former doesn't just want to face off against the folks who destroyed his family, but for the sandy celestial body, with Chani (Zendaya) at his side. In the prior flick, Paul had to head to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the planet and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then got caught up in a bitter feud with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Chani, plus Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo) are with in Dune: Part Two. Expansive desert landscape, golden and orange hues (again, Villeneuve helmed Blade Runner 2049), sandworms, the director's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) latest likely Oscar-winning score: they're all accounted for again. So are fellow returning actors Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta). Among the new cast members, Austin Butler ditches his Elvis locks as Feyd Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Stellan Skarsgard's (Andor) Baron Harkonnen. Christopher Walken (Severance) and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) also join the saga as Emperor Shaddam IV and his daughter Princess Irulen — and Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) is another newcomer. More Dune is on the way after this, too, with a third film locked in, even if it doesn't yet have a release date. Check out trailer for Dune: Part Two below: Dune: Part Two is still screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our review and our interview with cinematographer Greig Fraser.
Anything humans can eat, dogs think that they can munch on as well. But as every responsible pet parent knows, that isn't actually the case. So, we've all weathered those adorable, yearning, pleading looks from our beloved pooches as we've tucked into something that they'd like to taste as well. And, we've all felt the heartbreak at letting our cute critters down — even though it's for their health. Does your doggo get a twinkle in their eye whenever there's a doughnut around? It wouldn't be the first — and, until Monday, September 18, it's in luck. For International Dog Day on Saturday, August 26, Krispy Kreme has announced the return of its limited-edition range of "doggie doughnuts". They're doughnut-inspired dog biscuits, actually, but they sure do look like the real thing. First introduced in 2021, the eye-catching bikkies are a collaboration with Sunshine Coast-based pet treats business Huds and Toke, and they come in six different varieties. If you love Krispy Kreme's original glazed doughnuts, perhaps your pupper will adore the dog biscuit version as well. Or, you could let then go barking mad over choc iced, choc cookie, choc cheesecake, choc sprinkles and strawberry sprinkles varieties. The biscuits aren't made from doughnuts or from chocolate, of course; instead, they use a hard-baked cookie base, as well as frosting made from ingredients like carob that's been designed specifically for dog jaws. The bikkies are also meant to be good for chewing and for dental cleaning — and they're designed to last longer than your usual dog treat. If these round delights will get your four-legged friend's tail wagging, you can buy them in six-packs (for $14.90) while stocks last at Krispy Kreme stores — including via drive-thru. And, they are just for pets. So, just like how Fido or Rover can't have your doughnut, you can't have their version either. Grab some on the weekend of Saturday, August 26–Sunday, August 27 and you'll also score a complimentary pup cup. Krispy Kreme's doggie doughnuts are now available from the chain's stores in Australia and New Zealand until Monday, September 18. Images: Michael Leckie / PinPep.
Icy poles and booze — they're the two staples of a long, hot Aussie summer. Back in October, we told you that the two had finally come together as one. Now, those Calippo-style Champagne icy poles we've all been hankering for since are finally on sale in Australia. The genius creation from POPS, a UK brand that has been keeping folks stylishly cool since 2014, have started popping up around Melbourne. Head to online alcohol delivery service tipple.com.au to order one of four flavours: the Champagne pop (called The Classic) contains half a glass of Champers (wahee!), while the Bellini blends hibiscus flowers, blood orange juice, peach Schnapps, and half a glass of Prosecco. Plus, there are a couple of all-ages products too, which see the alcohol swapped out for real fruit combinations (apple and elderflower, plus strawberry and mint). The timing couldn't be better, with the frozen delights arriving in our eskies just in time to be eaten in front of the fan (or, y'know, in the sun) this summer. As part of the Melbourne-first launch, they'll also be available at Arbory Bar and Eatery — and showering festival attendees with lickable icy alcohol goodness, including at The Pleasure Garden, Let Them Eat Cake and the Inverloch Sound of Summer. The POPS website also teases POPScycle bikes, so keep your eyes peeled. When POPS launched its first frozen Champagne treat, supermodels like Kate Moss and Bella Hadid were apparently quick to jump on board, if that's something to sway you. No word yet if you'll be able to buy a box for the freezer, but let's hope. For more information about POPS in Australia, visit wearepops.com. By Libby Curran and Sarah Ward. Via Food Mag.
Japanese and Peruvian cultures have intertwined for over 100 years, leading to the creation of a fascinating fusion cuisine known as Nikkei. It combines both cultures' produce and cooking techniques to craft new dishes and traditions that are bursting with colour and flavour. And while Melbourne has hosted plenty of Nikkei pop-ups, and a few restaurants have presented limited-time Nikkei menus, our city hasn't had a permanent restaurant dedicated to this cuisine — as far as we know. Until now, that is, thanks to Chapel Street's new Inca at Morris Jones, which opened on Saturday, July 6. Chef Carlos Moreira is running the kitchen here, pumping out classic Nikkei dishes like ceviche and tiradito — but with his own contemporary twists that go well beyond the usual varieties you're used to. Sure, you'll find the obligatory kingfish ceviche which graces every other menu in Melbourne, but there are also playful tuna, salmon and vegan versions. We're also eager to sample the wagyu beef tiradito served with crispy capers, cornichons and mustard tartufo nero. Beyond these, you'll also find the likes of Sydney rock oysters with pisco sour granita; tostada de carmarones with aji verde; spanner crab taquitos; a whole dry-aged duck with burned orange and aji amarillo crema; and a 300-gram black angus picanha with sweet potato and anticuchera sauce. Moreira is originally from Brazil, but has spent vast amounts of time in Peru researching the origins of Nikkei cuisine. He's also worked in his fair share of Michelin-starred and hatted kitchens, so we are expecting big things at Inca. The drinks list is also inspired by Nikkei flavours, boasting plenty of Peruvian pisco sours, Japanese whiskies and light lagers. All of this is being served within the recently renovated Morris Jones, which is also home to a luxe bar with a dance floor and DJs, and a newly designed courtyard that takes it cues from West Hollywood in the 60s and 70s. While you're hitting up Inca for Nikkei eats, be sure to nose around the rest of Morris Jones. You'll find Inca at 163 Chapel Street, Windsor, open 4pm–1am on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 12pm–1am from Friday to Sunday. For more details and to book a table, visit the venue's website.
It's been three years since Docklands last lit up brightly for the flame-filled winter arts celebration that is the City of Melbourne's Firelight Festival. But inner-city precinct set to bask in that glow once more, as the free festival returns from its pandemic-enforced hiatus to deliver a huge 2022 edition next month. From Friday, July 1–Sunday, July 3, Firelight will see Docklands come alive with a family-friendly, after-dark program of performance, entertainment, culinary delights and fire-inspired art. This year's lineup promises plenty of reasons to yank yourself off the couch and into the night, headlined by Skunk Control's Adrift — an enchanting light installation set to transform Buluk Park into a luminous forest of light stems and giant petals. [caption id="attachment_671115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Petrou[/caption] Other works set to dazzle crowds nightly include a ten-metre-long glowing lion made of thousands of LEDs that moves to its own soundscape; and a bold laser and light show, which will light up Victoria Harbour every hour with its water jets and giant fiery phoenix. More than 100 performers will descend on the precinct across the three-day festival, ranging from musicians and fire-twirlers to circus acts and flaming trumpeters. And with a collection of fire sculptures, flame jets and fire pits, things are sure to be super toasty as you're exploring the festival's offerings. Of course, appetites are sorted, too, with festival vendors slinging a menu packed with wintry delights. Think, smoked meats, woodfired pizza and roasted marshmallows, washed down with hot chocolate and mulled wine. Firelight Festival will take over Docklands nightly from Friday, July 1–Sunday, July 3. For the full program, head to the festival's website.
If Jailbreak, Escape From Alcatraz or The Shawshank Redemption are among your favourite flicks, you're going to want to lock yourself into a date at Palace Cinemas' latest venture. Australia's much-loved movie house has just announced it's opening a brand new 15-screen cinema Coburg's former Pentridge Prison . Yep 15 screens — and they'll all be fitted with big, comfy seats, when the site opens in mid-2019. And like Northcote's solar-powered Palace Westgarth, the new cinema, which is temporarily named Champ Street, has been designed with environmental sustainability in mind. "My family's vision for Palace Champ Street is to create a warm, vibrant, film, arts, and hospitality hub, which will unite cinema lovers of all ages and cultural backgrounds," said Palace's CEO Benjamin Zeccola. The cinema will occupy the second floor of the brand new two-level Pentridge development, which will house residential, retail and commercial structures. When finished, the ex-prison site will feature a hotel and a bunch of restaurants, bars and cafes. As usual, you'll be able to count on Palace's quality programming of both mainstream and indie films, in addition to regular festivals that feature contemporary films from all over the world. Palace has had quite the year so far. They've just announced plans for two new cinema complexes in Sydney — a 14-screen cinema in Chippendale and 10-screen venue Double Bay — as well as one in Byron Bay. Palace Champ Street is set to open at the Pentridge site mid-2019. Stay tuned for more developments.
The Back to the Future franchise has pinned this decade all too well. In the next development of unbelievably futuristic sounding technology, Google-backed company Kitty Hawk released the first video footage of its flying car prototype yesterday, April 24. Yeah, Doc Brown's Delorean just got real. The company is financially backed by Google co-founder Larry Page and its chief executive Sebastian Thrun, is the founder of Google's 'semi-secret' X lab and a pioneer of the self-driving car. The 'Kitty Hawk Flyer' is described as an "all-electric aircraft" designed to operate over water. The open-seated, 220-pound single seater is powered by eight battery-powered propellers — it essentially resembles a mix between a jetski and a hoverboard, seemingly powered by what looks like a bunch of mini-drones. It will not require a pilot's license to fly, as it is considered an "ultralight aircraft" by FAA regulations, and Kitty Hawk claims drivers will be able to learn how to operate the vehicle "in minutes". Here's the just-dropped intro video, with requisite cheesy inspirational music and somewhat shitty acting: The company is trying to attract enthusiasts to test-drive the vehicle by offering a $100 three-year membership that includes waiting list priority, company-branded gear, flight simulator access and invites to company events and demonstrations. Members will also get a $2000 discount once the car does go to retail. Kitty Hawk is not the first company to attempt the flying car feat, with the Slovakian company AeroMobil making their flying vehicle available for pre-order by the end of 2017 and the aerospace firm Airbus releasing plans for its ground-air hybrid car at the Geneva International Motor Show last month. The government of Dubai, in partnership with a Chinese firm, EHang has also released plans to begin operating flying taxis by July 2017 and Uber is holding a conference in Texas on Tuesday to discuss details of their own "urban-air transportation" vehicle. Though the car is said to be in consumer production by the end of the year, no retail price has been given yet. As of now, the vehicle will only be shipped within the US, so Australians will have to wait a bit longer for a ride. Via The New York Times.
Your winter art itinerary just got a little fuller, with regional Victoria's famed Silo Art Trail unveiling its latest creative addition — a large-scale work titled Yangga Dyata ('Walking on Country'), by photo realism artist Smug AKA Sam Bates. Gracing a silo and flour mill in Horsham, the newcomer marks the 13th mural for the cultural attraction, which winds over 200 kilometres through the state's northwest to form Australia's largest outdoor gallery. Commissioned by Horsham Rural City Council via international street art agency Juddy Roller, Smug's new work is a two-part celebration of historic Wotjobaluk warrior Yanggendyinanyuk. The tracker, cricketer and cultural icon is depicted in a colourful realist portrait wrapped across the silo, while the adjacent flour mill bears the likeness of Yanggendyinanyuk's totem, the black cockatoo. The new addition is actually Smug's third work to feature in the Silo Art Trail — you'll spy the artist's painting of a flannel-clad farmer and his work dog on a concrete silo in Nullawil, and in Arkona, his tennis-themed tribute to local legend Roley Klinge. First dreamt up back in 2016, evolving from a small community art project, the now famed Silo Art Trail features a growing lineup of mural portraits, painted by a collective of artists in conjunction with Juddy Roller. They aim to capture the spirit and history of this unique corner of the world, with each work offering a snapshot of its host town and residents. If you're visiting the art trail from Melbourne, the first silo mural you'll hit is Julia Volchkova's artwork in Rupanyup, around 3.5 hours' drive from the CBD. Yangga Dyata sits about 30 minutes west of this. Find 'Yangga Dyata' at 35 Wawunna Road, Horsham. For more details on the Silo Art Trail and to plan your visit, see the website.
Looks like Australians aren't the aggressive booze-hounds we've all been told we are. New research from government report Australia’s Changing Drinking Habits, shows we're actually drinking less alcohol than we did 40 years ago — a whopping 25 percent less. Plus, alcohol related violence has decreased by 30 percent in New South Wales over the last six years. Thirty percent. Hmmm, so we're apparently drinking less, and drunkenly hitting people less. #lockouts If you're rolling your eyes and searching for our credible sources right now, take a little gander at the ACDH report, generated by the Australian Liquor Stores Association (ALSA) —an advocacy organisation affiliated with Drinkwise, representing all off-licence retail liquor stores across Australia (so yes, they've got a pretty vested interest in changing certain legislation). In results published by FoodProcessing.com.au this week, the report uses existing Australian Government data to disprove leg-to-stand-on beliefs that alcohol consumption and alcohol-related violence are on the rise. Between 1974-75, Australians consumed an average of 13.1 litres of alcohol per person. This has severely declined since the early '80s, to 9.9 litres in 2012-13. If you think this is just down to adults drinking less and those pesky good-for-nothing teenagers drinking more, you're way off. According to the report, almost three-quarters of all Australian minors drink no alcohol at all. The amount of young people abstaining from drinking has increased from 56 percent in 2007 to a huge 72 percent in 2013. Smirnoff Blacks and UDLs, you're almost out of a job. So we're all apparently drinking less in Australia, young and older. But now to the biggie: alcohol-related violence. The ACDH report shows that alcohol-related violence has decreased 30 percent in NSW over the last six years. Decreased. The report also shows that "consumption is falling at a time of significantly greater footprint of liquor store outlets in Australia," — the number of liquor licences has gone up by 16 percent, even though Australians are apparently drinking less. Looks like we're going to have to look elsewhere to entirely blame alcohol for violence — more licences and less assaults means there is a lack of evidence to connect violence to alcohol availability, according to Terry Mott, CEO of ALSA (the representative body who generated the report). Mott's positive about Australians and their drinking behaviour, telling FP he thinks we're making better choices than ever when it comes to the drink. "Australia's drinking habits have changed significantly over the course of the four decades; we are more educated about alcohol and we are making much better choices than we ever have before," he said. "The majority of Australians consume alcohol responsibly and enjoy the social benefits it brings. It is important to distinguish between the moderate consumption of alcohol by the overwhelming majority of Australians and the misuse of it by a small minority." With this in mind, most Australians are all for cleaning up the mess that comes with alcohol-related problems. While the report shows 85 percent of people polled could get behind greater enforcement of penalties for drunk drivers and 82 percent support enforcement for violation of the ol' RSA (bartenders serving intoxicated customers), only 28 percent support raising the price of alcohol. Big things to think about, for you and the government alike. Check out the report Australia’s Changing Drinking Habits, available from the Australian Liquor Stores Association's website. Via FoodProcessing.com.au.
Anyone with a couple of Melbourne winters up their sleeve will tell you the key to coping is to have some big, bold, sensory experiences to sweep you off the couch and out of hibernation mode. And you'll find no shortage of those littered among the program of arts festival WinterWild, which is headed back to Apollo Bay for a bumper 2022 instalment this August. Launched in 2017, the Great Ocean Road festival is a fiery celebration of art, music, performance and food, with a touch of darkness to its attitude. The festival has a deep respect for the elements at its core. This time around, it'll unfold across two weekends, running Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 14, and from Friday, August 26–Sunday, August 28. And it's got one heck of a musical lineup in tow, with Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Amyl and The Sniffers, and Emma Donovan and the Putbacks just some of the legendary acts who'll be hitting the Otway Coast for the occasion. Gigs from celebrated songstress Kee'ahn, Melbourne-based pop rockers Floodlights, Geelong rock trio ORB and folk artist Leah Senior are also on the agenda. Meanwhile, WinterWild's jam-packed program of performance art is set to showcase treats from the likes of Aphids Theatre and Long Prawn, kicking off with the ever-popular bonfire production they call The Dogwatch. Also on the eclectic bill: cemetery tours led by local historians, cold water immersion sessions held at sunrise, and a flame-driven communal seafood feast that sees the Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-Op cooking their fresh haul over flames beneath the stars. You can join in a group somatic sound walk, do yoga to live tunes by the beach, reenergise with a guided qigong class and get those toes tapping at a variety show-meets-dance party. Plus, don't miss seeing a bunch of gutsy locals brave the ocean at night for a lively match of ocean polo, complete with glow-in-the-dark ball and likely a few sea creature spectators. WinterWild takes over various locations around Apollo Bay from August 12–August 14, and from August 26–August 28. For the full program and to grab tickets, see the website. Top Images: Fabi and WinterWild
Melbourne's Crown complex is working hard to reinvent itself right now. It's removed some of its old drinking and dining hotspots, and is replacing them with more contemporary venues intended to attract a younger and more diverse crowd. Basically, Crown is trying to be cool. And one damn good way to achieve this is by enlisting the help of the hugely popular Mischa Tropp (Toddy Shop) to create a huge new venue. And it looks like Tropp is delivering that much-needed cool factor — in spades — with his new venue Kolkata Cricket Club, which is slated to open on Saturday, December 7. The new 150-seat venue is inspired by Bengali cricket clubs and members' bars, which the Indian community reclaimed following independence. You can either drop by The Sports Bar — pairing beers with snacks and thalis while watching a cricket match — or settle in for a long feed at the adjoining KCC Dining Room. Food throughout the Kolkata Cricket Club has strong pan-Indian and Bengali influences but is executed with Tropp's signature contemporary twists. Highlights have got to be Tropp's famed butter chicken, anything from the tandoor oven, and the long list of bar snacks — look no further than the samosas, beer-battered fries with curry sauce and kulchas (bread stuffed with either saffron-braised duck, or peas and stracciatella). Tropp shared, "This year has been a fantastic year for Indian cuisine and cooking and I'm thrilled to be sharing my take on these flavours to a larger audience into 2025. "Some might think you need to be an expert at Indian cuisine to really enjoy it but with Kolkata Cricket Club, I've created a variety of dishes and flavours that will cater to every tastebud". Crown's Kolkata Cricket Club is set to open on Saturday, December 7, and will operate from 5pm–late, Wednesday–Sunday. For more details, you can check out the venue's website. Images: Chege Mbuthi.
For most of the past two years, Australians haven't had many chances to attend a music festival or escape the mainland. We all know how the festival landscape has fared during the pandemic, and the travel situation as well. But if you've been longing to hear your favourite tunes while surrounded by your friends and to take a trip to a secluded beachside resort in The Whitsundays, Dream Machine has you covered. The brand-new festival was first announced in 2021, and was meant to take place last year as well — but the past 12 months didn't turn out as anyone planned, either. In great news, however, it's been locked in to go ahead this month, and will now occur between Wednesday, January 26–Sunday, January 30. Handily, that news comes just after Queensland revealed that it's ditching its domestic border restrictions from Saturday, January 15. A new venture from the team behind Wine Machine and Snow Machine, the fest will see music lovers travel to The Whitsundays for a stacked lineup of local electronic talent. On up the party-forward lineup: Hayden James, former Triple J House Party presenter KLP, Touch Sensitive, CC:Disco!, Set Mo and Yolanda Be Cool, as well as The Jungle Giants, and Confidence Man hitting the decks for DJ sets. Yes, the list goes on. If the simple activity of grooving to tunes on a tropical island isn't enough motivation for you, festival-goers will also be treated to an island-hopping adventure between Daydream Island, Paradise Cove and a surprise location. Your itinerary can also include kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and waterside cocktails, and, if you stay at Daydream Island Resort, you'll have four restaurants, three bars, a pool and a spa to enjoy as well. Dream Machine will run for three days within its five-day, four-night period. Unsurprisingly, it isn't cheap, starting at $1999 per person — and also to the astonishment of no one, plenty of packages have already sold out, so you'll need to get in quick if you're keen. The extravagant price tag will get you accommodation, breakfast each morning, ferry transport to and from the airport, and tickets to the festival (of course). DREAM MACHINE 2022 LINEUP: Belta Variant CC:DISCO! Confidence Man (DJ set) Client Liason (DJ set) Dena Amy Generik Happiness Is Wealth Harvey Sutherland (DJ set) Hayden James Jimi the Kween The Jungle Giants (DJ set) Juz KLP Kristina Jaman Late Nite Tuff Guy Made in Paris Mell Hall Mira Mira Owl Eyes Pat Stevenson Poof Doof DJs Robbie Set Mo Squeef Stace Cadet Shouse (DJ set) Sneaky Sound System Touch Sensitive Wax'o Paradiso Yolanda Be Cool Dream Machine takes place from Wednesday, January 26–Sunday, January 30 in The Whitsundays, with final tickets available via the festival's website.
Now, more than ever, bees need friends too. Like Frankenstein’s monster, they might seem scary and potentially aggressive from the outside. But the truth is, wild bees are more concerned with keeping out of your way than with launching a mega sting attack. Plus, as you probably know by now, bee populations are on the down and down, which for us may well lead to diminished food supplies. So, Netherlands-based artist AnneMarie van Splunter has conjured up a public sculpture that’s all about helping humans and bees to get to know one another better. Dubbed the Buzzbench, the gorgeous artwork is a park bench, but not of your usual rectangular variety. Made of cane and bamboo stalks, placed between curved boards, it takes the shape of an enormous flower. For humans, the Buzzbench provides a dreamy place to sit, which looks like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland. For bees, it offers teeny-tiny, cosy crevices, where they can rest while taking a break from their busy pollinating activities. "Wild bees spend a large part of their lifespan looking for a suitable place to lay their eggs — providing a nesting opportunity really helps them," van Splunter explained to Co.EXIST. "We tend to keep our distance from bees because we are afraid to get stung. But actually, the chances you get attacked by wild bees are nil." The sculptor hopes to install the Buzzbench in a park in Amsterdam and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise funds and build awareness. Van Splunter says that once it’s in place, she’ll be able to maintain it for at least a decade, by replacing the cane and bamboo whenever necessary. "It's important to maintain it to make it work," she says. "I would like it to be a place that many people feel involved with, for example as an educational tool, or as a place of research for experts, or just as a place for park visitors to rest." Via Fast Company.
Whilst Splendour may not be an option like last weekend, you can still enjoy the ear candy on offer this week from the likes of HAIM, Dive In and Horroshow. 1. 'The Wire' - HAIM HAIM have perfected the art of teasing. The L.A. sisters have been one of the most deservedly hyped bands of 2013, having delivered last year's treats including 'Falling' and 'Forever'. Everyone is waiting for the (hopefully) imminent announcement of their first full album, and whilst on our shores for Splendour in the Grass last weekend they released 'The Wire', suggesting the time is nigh and that it will be everything we hoped for and more. 'The Wire' begins slowly as all the band's songs generally do, but it builds into a layer of harmonies and strong beats that will have you putting this on repeat for weeks. 2. 'Let Go' - Dive In This UK foursome from Glastonbury are relatively unknown, not even cracking 500 likes on Facebook yet. However, if they keep serving up audio meals like 'Let Go' then they could soon be playing their hometown festival sooner rather than later. With pop hooks plucked straight from the '80s, this is a song for all seasons and occasions. 3. 'Hearts Like Ours' - The Naked & Famous The New Zealand electro-pop band is back. After touring their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, globally for two years, they sat down and recorded their much-anticipated follow-up In Rolling Waves, due for release September 13. Luckily they have given us 'Hearts Like Ours' to tide us over until then, a sprightly single with a mammoth chorus, a formula now synonymous with the band. Expect to hear this track on every summer-related television commercial later this year. 4. 'All Night' - Icona Pop The emerging Swedish queens of pop anthems are at it again. After their smash hit 'I Love It' received worldwide acclaim, they have now treated all of us to their next production set to take over party playlists, 'All Night'. This song will literally keep anyone and everyone dancing all night long with its simple beat carrying the infectious melody all the way through to the morning where you can look forward to their new album This Is...Icona Pop dropping on September 24. 5. 'Unfair Lottery' - Horrorshow Aussie hip hop heroes Horrorshow have been hard at work the past few years. The boys from Sydney's inner west have been busy touring the country, sometimes by themselves and sometimes alongside their musical brothers in Spit Syndicate and Jackie Onassis, and all of this has meant fans have had to wait almost four years for a new album. However, today saw Kings Amongst Many hit stands and 'Unfair Lottery' is the leading track, giving a lesson in lyricism to all ready to listen.
Under normal circumstances, a cup of coffee (or several) is an essential part of a busy, bustling day for most folks. It's the caffeinated elixir that kickstarts your engine, puts a spring in your step and gets your brain functioning — and working and waking hours just wouldn't be the same without it. In these COVID-19 times, everyone's routine has clearly changed; however that hankering for a cuppa is probably still going strong. And if you like your coffee in cold-brew form from one of Melbourne's favourite roasters, you can now get your fix by stashing a huge cask of the good stuff in your pantry. South Melbourne's St Ali is already selling — and delivering — beans, house blends, Nespresso-compatible capsules, six-packs and slabs of iced lattes and filter coffee, and even its own 75-percent alcohol hand sanitiser. New to its list are goon sacks of cold-brew concentrate, as made from the roastery's Orthodox blend. Called St Ali Cold Brew 2.0 Concentrate, they come in four-litre packages and will set you back $55 — and deliver Australia-wide. Each cask is designed to last, too, with St Ali recommending that you pour it in 30–50 millilitre serves. That'll give you around 100 caffeinated beverages — as mixed with milk, water and/or ice. If it's cocktail hour, you can always add in booze as well. [caption id="attachment_755831" align="alignnone" width="1920"] St Ali[/caption] For further information about St Ali's cold brew 2.0 concentrate, or to place an order, visit the roastery's online store.
Summer is that excellent time of year when there's plenty to do but there doesn't seem to be as much pressure as the other months. With Christmas out of the way and the stress of work not piling on too strong just yet (hopefully), now is the perfect time to try to get a little more arts and culture into your daily life. We've teamed up with Patrón to put together a handy guide to some unexpected ways you can get in touch with your artsy side in your city. Read on for some hot tips on adding some arts and culture to your after-work agenda — and how to snag a few deals along the way, too. HEAD TO A GALLERY OR MUSEUM AFTER HOURS Galleries and museums are an obvious port of call, but it can be a little tricky to get to one when you work nine to five (and don't want to schlep it back into the city on the weekend). Luckily, plenty of our favourites keep their doors open into the night. In Melbourne, be sure to check out Melbourne Museums monthly after-hours series Nocturnal, and the National Gallery of Victoria's Friday Nights program. Meanwhile, Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art stays open until 9pm on Wednesdays so you can pop in after work and explore the Cornelia Parker retrospective exhibition. Plus, the museum is hosting a pop-up bar with Patrón, which is celebrating the craftsmanship of its tequilas, over the summer. It's open until 10pm on weekdays (plus 9pm on Saturdays and 8pm on Sundays) until February 16. After you wander around the space, you can head to the bar to witness more expressions of art — think interactive performances and VR experiences — and enjoy a Parker-inspired cocktail and some Mexican snacks. Plus, Patrón has teamed up with other bars around Circular Quay, including Bar Patrón, Quay Bar and The Argyle, to create The Art of Patrón precinct, so you can transition your night out into a summery bar crawl very easily. [caption id="attachment_719550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Murphy[/caption] SNAG A LAST-MINUTE TICKET TO A THEATRE SHOW These days, all the big theatre companies and venues are slinging cheap tickets to make it easier than ever to dive into the potentially unknown theatrical world — you've just got to know how to get your hands on them. Across both Sydney and Melbourne, Opera Australia runs an access program for $20 tickets through a ballot. Also in Sydney, every Monday at midday Griffin Theatre releases $20 tickets for that evening's performance, and Sydney Theatre Company's Thirties releases a selection of $30 tickets for all its shows every Thursday at 9am. Meanwhile, the Arts Centre Melbourne's Tix at Six sells $30 tickets from the box office at 6pm every day, and The Friday Forty is a lottery to score $40 tickets to the blockbuster play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Melbourne's Princess Theatre. Also, keep an eye out on LastTix, TodayTix and HalfTix for more deals. [caption id="attachment_652785" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY AT A SHORT COURSE Taking in all that art can leave you feeling pretty inspired, or like you really need to learn a new skill to feel better about yourself. Whatever the motivation, our cities are crawling with talented creatives willing to share their skills for a small fee. In Melbourne, creative art, craft and design hub The Windsor Workshop runs a bunch of different classes, including haute couture beading, watercolour painting, acrylic palette knife art and ceramics workshops. And in Sydney, Redfern's Work-Shop offers a similarly broad range of classes, like Japanese bookbinding, paper making and jewellery art, while The Pottery Shed will have you throwing clay in its Surry Hills warehouse. CATCH SOME ARTSY FILMS Next up, you can be inspired by films on the big screen and remember that there's more to life than blockbuster franchises. Get yourself a membership to your local cinema to make the most of the available deals. Palace Cinemas has venues all over Australia and movie club members get great discounts and exclusive events — and keep your eye out for cheap tickets there, too, usually on Mondays or Tuesdays. Sydneysiders have plenty of options, with free weekly screenings at the Art Gallery of NSW, $7.50 tickets all the time at Dumaresq Street Cinema in Campbelltown, and $6 tickets for students on Mondays at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace. [caption id="attachment_653436" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jackson Grant[/caption] MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON'S CULTURAL FESTIVALS Of course, festival season is upon us, and that doesn't just mean the big camping and music extravaganzas. Every event at the MPavilion in Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens is free, so you can enjoy live music, a life drawing class, morning yoga sessions, Indigenous design forums and dance performances right up until March 22. You can also check out Melbourne's leading LGBTQI+ arts and culture event Midsumma Festival from January 19 until February 9, while those in NSW should be sure to make the most of Sydney Festival's stacked 2020 program, running from January 8–26. The Patrón Pop-up will run from Thursday, October 31 through February 16 (excluding public holidays). It is open every Wednesday through Sunday from 4–10pm. Visit Patron's website for more details.
In the darkness of space in Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, no one could hear a stranded astronaut scream. In the writer-director's follow-up, Roma, no one would hear a maid's cries even if they shared the same room. Domestic worker Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) attends to the everyday needs of her middle-class employers and their four loving but unruly children, treating them like family. But she's the first to rise in their well-appointed household in Mexico City's Colonia Roma neighbourhood, and the last to sleep. She's the person who both tucks the kids into their beds and scrapes dog excrement from the driveway each day. Cleo is part of the fabric of their lives, but the minutiae of her life is never part of theirs. That's a domestic servant's plight — indispensable but always an outsider — which Cuarón details with both a loving gaze and a clear-eyed stare. Inspired by his own upbringing in the early 1970s when the film is set, Roma is a tribute to women who often go unseen, as well as an acknowledgement of the realities of their existence. The contrasts keep coming, juxtaposing the privilege of Cleo's employers with her own modest reality, while recognising the comfort of Cleo's position compared to the puddles and shacks of village life. With the era's student protests also weaved into the movie, Roma similarly sees the chasm between widespread societal unrest and those clinging to their own patch of calm. Most of all, the movie sees Cleo. It spies the Mixtec housekeeper while doctor Antonio (Fernando Grediaga) complains to his wife Sofia (Marina de Tavira) about the state of the house, spotless except for the dog droppings that keep on coming. It observes when the kids call for Cleo's cuddles and snuggle up to her every chance they get. It spots the quick jokes she shares with her best friend Adela (Nancy Garcia), the family's cook, as well as the tiny apartment they share above their employer's sprawling home. And it watches on as she shares a date with Fermín (Jorge Antonio Guerrero), the cousin of Adela's boyfriend — then shares more, and then faces the aftermath. There's an episodic feel to Roma, which pieces together slices of Cleo's life more than it charts a clear dramatic arc — although the consequences of her tryst with Fermin provide a strong narrative thread. The increasing absence of Antonio, the impact upon Sofia and the ripples that flow through the house all provide another. Cuarón isn't simply paying attention to whatever takes his fancy, of course, but building a portrait: of the city at the time, of complicated lives, and of a woman that, to many eyes, would simply blend in. He's done so before in various fashions, championing the overlooked in Children of Men's dystopian future, in Y Tu Mamá También's coming-of-age road trip, and in his Harry Potter gig, The Prisoner of Azkaban. In focusing on a female medical engineer sent into space, he did the same with Gravity as well. For all of the highlights on Cuarón's resume, however, Roma sees the director enter another realm. Acting as his own cinematographer, he peers so attentively at his hometown, the era of his upbringing, and at Cleo, that he could be conjuring memories onto the screen. He's not, completely, but his visuals have that feel — and, in each crisp black-and-white frame, they have that look as well. In alternating between luxurious panoramic shots and intimate close-ups, and between slow pans and excited movement, he switches between the broad and the deep, mimicking the way that we think back about our lives. Both types of image overflow with detail, whether showing violence on the streets, wandering through a chaotic but merry party, venturing to the seaside for a holiday, or offering a window into Cleo's soul one tender glance at a time. Enter Aparicio, a first-time actor who is everywhere in Roma. She's firmly at the story's centre, in a role that recognises an important truth: Cleo, and Indigenous house staff like her, are rarely the centre of anyone's story, a fact that the untrained talent's naturalistic performance only underscores. Indeed, hers is a performance about quiet presence more than overt effort — or, more accurately, about the impact that someone has even when they're usually on the periphery. In the graceful way that Cleo soldiers on through her own crisis, as well as the family's and Mexico's circa 1971, it's a performance that makes you wish that she was always in the spotlight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp_i7cnOgbQ
Captain Sustainability and brains behind Silo Joost Bakker has relaunched his cafe as a soup kitchen. Of course, it's no ordinary cooking-with-groceries soup kitchen; the stocks for the soups are made from bones that go unused by high-end eateries such as Rockpool, Attica and the European. It's called Brothl, the kind of pun that might have been best made and forgotten but is now the legitimate name of a place we'll be spending plenty of time in. Bakker, originally a florist and a designer, had been doing the flowers at Rockpool for years when he finally asked Neil Perry if he could take the discarded bones for soup stock. Perry did not hesitate to give them away. The result is four nutritious broths packed full of flavor: A Cape Grim beef stock simmered for 48 hours, a 24-hour chicken stock, 12-hour seafood stock made from marron and crab, and a vegetarian stock made using kelp foraged from the Bellarine Peninsula. On top of that, all of the broths are made with rainwater from Monbulk. If that’s not some thrifty practice, we’re not sure what is. For those who are both sustainability- and health-conscious, the menu includes details of which nutrients, vitamins and minerals each broth will bring you. Getting involved with this Brothl is going to be good for you in more ways than one, it seems. It will cost you a tenner for a hearty bowl of broth, and once you’ve got the base down you can add extras, such as sea bounty muscles, poached chicken, house-made soba or spelt noodles and seasonal vegetables. They even have chicken feet if you’re craving it. If you want to know more on this no-waste venture, just make sure you type Brothl exactly like that into your Google search; it will save you from seeing all the things you can’t unsee.
Folks can't stop talking about Christy Tania. Not only did the renowned dessert chef bend minds with her 'Floating Ice Cream' creation on MasterChef earlier this year, but she has also launched her own permanent dessert shop. Opening its doors on Windsor's Peel Street, Tania's new sweet wonderland offers artisanal frozen treats for eating in and taking away. Fancy ice cream stores mightn't be a rare occurrence these days; however, as Tania's first permanent solo venture, Glacé is every bit as impressive as the rest of her artisan treats. The contemporary space offers a hefty range of frozen desserts and innovative flavours, crafted with local ingredients — such as her trademark ice cream push pops, with their layers of cake sponge and ice cream. Diners will find ice cream eclairs and ice cream macarons on the menu, because every dessert is better in ice cream form. When it comes to flavoursome scoops themselves, think creative concoctions such as boozy date (sticky date pudding soaked in rum with vanilla ice cream and salted butterscotch), coffee caramel (caramel milk chocolate ice cream with Kahlua and orange cinnamon crumble), and lamington (coconut ice cream and chocolate brownie with a swirl of raspberry sorbet), plus the zig-a-zig-ah-inducing ginger spice (vanilla ice cream with salted butterscotch and gingerbread crumble). Those keen on something more traditional can try the likes of 72% dark chocolate ice cream, strawberry passionfruit sorbet and coconut ice cream with pure coconut droplets. By Libby Curran and Sarah Ward
It’s true, Melbourne has a lot of festivals. Big festivals, piccolo festivals, and “why in hell is there a festival for that?” festivals. Well, we like to celebrate, alright? Just like Kimmy K, we'd go to the opening of an envelope if there was a chance of our face making it into the society pages. White Night Melbourne is another festival, but with a nocturnal twist — it all takes place over 12 hours, from 7pm until 7am (it's after my bedtime, too, but you know, YOLO). Since its establishment in Europe in the early '90s, White Night has expanded all over the world, with Melbourne the latest city to join the line-up. The program is teeming with activities, spread out across eight themed areas, mostly within the CBD grid but extending to Birrarung Marr and the Melbourne Museum. Expect projection art, performance, film, lights, and live music — a bombardment of colour, noise, and merriment that will display Melbourne's thriving cultural scene, or a concentrated, hyperactive, crack-fuelled version of it, anyway. Before you break out in a stress rash because it's all a little 'whelming, regain control in this crazy world of chaos by reading on to find out how to make the most of Melbourne's funnest night watch. Music Flinders Street Station will be transformed into a Theatre of Dreams, which to the weekday commuter might seem like a bit of a stretch, but they needn't be so cynical. The usual scowling youth who take up residence on the steps under the clocks will be replaced by a line-up of local acts including Eagle and the Worm, Hiatus Kaiyote, The Cat Empire, and World's End Press. Eargasms shall abound from LaTrobe street to St Kilda road, with cabaret, opera, classical, electronic, jazz, experimental, and world music scattered throughout the city. The facade of the Forum Theatre will be made over, with 3D projection and electronic music program Particle Picnic running all night long. Literature Down below Flinders Street in Campbell Arcade, zine workshop and distributor Sticky Institute will host a 12-hour zine-making marathon. If you want to soak up some more of the atmosphere, bang out that zine quick smart and head over to Fed Square, where there's an all-night dance party under a canopy of hundreds of mirror balls. There's also an Emerging Writer's Festival workshop at The Wheeler Centre, where young writers will endeavour to keep the crowd entertained with overnight readings of their work and there will always be time for one more bedtime story. Film ACMI will be showcasing a weird and wonderful bunch of films, including 101 Zombie Kills, Warhol's screen tests, and Mother Courage, a film installation that explores Australia's Indigenous communities. There'll also be films showing in the Fed Square Loading Bay Cinema. Art & Performance You'll be able to peruse all the current exhibitions at the NGV, Arts Centre, and State Library as the night wears on, with performances of the Melbourne Theatre Company's Constellations and The Other Place taking place at the civilised time of 8:30pm. Plenty of time afterwards to be as uncivilised as you wish. Surprise! While the usual culprits will be treating us to some impressive entertainment, it's the spaces in between where the city will surprise. An immersive storytelling game, The Whispering Society, will be heard in the alleyways and corridors off Flinders Street, there'll be fountains and lasers erupting from the Yarra, and a dawn procession will ask folks to sing along to a specifically written White Night Melbourne anthem (maybe trying to push the moment a little too hard but we'll see how it pans out?) It's pretty darn exciting to see an event of this calibre being held in Melbourne — the only problem being that there's no way you'll be able to see it all in one night. We can't come close to writing about all of it without developing repetitive motion syndrome, so head to the White Night Melbourne website for more information, including a full program of events. All images via whitenight.com.au
It's always a bit trippy when a blast from your past comes slinking back into your present. And we suspect there'll be plenty of those feelings emerging with the news that the one-time home of The Saint has scored a hefty makeover and entered a new chapter. It's been reborn as multi-level wining and dining hot spot, Saint Hotel. An icon of St Kilda's Fitzroy Street that for many conjures memories of late nights and sweaty dance floors, the building is being steered in a completely fresh direction by its new owners — a small crew of local hospitality veterans led by General Manager Mrinal Beekarry (The Atlantic). Also among those at the helm are father-and-son duo James D and James M Field (construction company Field Group), who've joined forces with architects Telha Clarke to overhaul the grand space. Not only has it been refreshed from top to toe, but also smartly sectioned into a collection of signature venues promising something for all kinds of punters. [caption id="attachment_894969" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sharyn Cairns[/caption] On the Ground Floor, Saint Bar has made its home in that prominent corner spot, delivering a light-filled front bar and restaurant with a smart-casual edge. It's all lofty ceilings and chic heritage touches; a place where you can kick back with tap brews and cocktails while tucking into prawn katsu sandos, wagyu burgers and grilled flatbread with whipped flathead roe. Next to this, beneath the famed atrium, you'll find Saint Dining — a modern Australian fine diner helmed by Executive Chef Gary Lai (The Atlantic, Amber Hong Kong), with a menu fuelled by the kitchen's Josper charcoal grill. Here, steak fiends particularly are in for a treat, with a slew of premium cuts on offer alongside seafood options like Apollo Bay crayfish and fish done with a nori beurre blanc. Skewers might come laden with harissa octopus, or chicken oysters finished with an egg yolk emulsion and crispy skin. [caption id="attachment_894956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm[/caption] Snacks run to the likes of smoked duck leg croquettes and wagyu tartare sided with mustard creme fraiche, while larger plates include a crayfish mafaldine pasta, grilled quail with radicchio and peach, and a broad bean tart. Venture upstairs and into the sophisticated drinking destination that is Bar 54, where light beams in from a central atrium, a terrace overlooks the iconic St Kilda palm trees, and marble tabletops and mustard-hued banquettes set the scene. This one's your day-to-night go-to for cocktails and produce-led drinking snacks. [caption id="attachment_894955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm[/caption] There's lots more to come, too. Slated to open on the first floor by mid-April is listening lounge and cocktail haunt Stella's, where you'll find inventive specialty sips by Bouvardia's Roy Das Neves, a custom Pitt & Giblin sound system, and DJs soundtracking the vibes every Thursday and Friday. Incoming later in the year is ground-floor wine cellar and bottle shop, The Vault. Here, you'll be able to select from a vast array of vino to take away, or to enjoy there at the stone tasting table, perhaps paired with snacks from next door. [caption id="attachment_894968" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sharyn Cairns[/caption] [caption id="attachment_894958" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm[/caption] [caption id="attachment_894963" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm[/caption] Find Saint Hotel at 54 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Saint Bar and Dining is open Wednesday–Sunday, from 12pm until late, while Bar 54 is open Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late. Top images: Sharyn Cairns and Griffin Simm
If catching a real-life talk by Barack Obama is on your intellectual bucket list, then you're about to get your chance to tick it off — the former United States president is coming Down Under for a speaking event next month. The New Zealand United States Council yesterday revealed that it'll host Mr Obama for two exclusive talks next month, with the first to be held at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre on March 22. He will then fly into Sydney for a second talk at the on March 23 which, according to News Corp, will be held at the Art Gallery of NSW. "President Obama's presidency had an extraordinary impact on the world and during his service, New Zealand's deep friendship with the United States was strengthened politically, culturally, in trade and investment, innovation and security," said NZUS Council Chairman Leon Grice in a Facebook post. Mr Obama visited Australia twice during his eight-year presidency. This will be his first post-presidency trip to the country. The finer details are yet to be announced and it's not yet known if the event will be open to the general public. We'll let you know when more details are confirmed.
Love a good dinner party? Well, this March, you can put on a feast that does a whole lot more than just impress your mates and sate your need to play host with the most. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre's (ASRC) annual Feast for Freedom is back for its 2022 edition, giving Aussies the chance to put on a sumptuous banquet for an excellent cause. Now in its fourth year, the fundraising event invites locals to host their own dinner parties across one dedicated weekend, cooking to home-style recipes supplied by folks seeking asylum. By hosting a Feast for Freedom, you'll not only be celebrating Australia's cultural diversity but also helping to raise important funds for the not-for-profit ASRC, to assist with its work supporting and empowering refugees. The ASRC is Australia's largest human rights organisation providing support to people seeking asylum. You'll also get some cracking new recipes to add to your repertoire, each with a story behind it. And this year's lineup is a very tasty one, featuring dishes like Persian jewelled rice, parvardeh (olive dip), green chilli chicken, gheymeh bademjan (a lamb and eggplant stew) and sago pudding. Cooks who've shared their cuisines and recipes for this year's Feast include Iranian culinary instructor Mahshid and Malaysian-Indian chef Manel. A couple of familiar names will be joining the ASRC's efforts, too, with Darren Purchese (Burch and Purchese) and 2021 Masterchef alumni Kishwar Choudry in the role of ambassadors. Anyone who's keen to get involved can register to host a Feast for Freedom by signing up online. Participants will be sent a hosting kit complete with recipes and all the nitty-gritty fundraising details, before the official Feast for Freedom weekend sees dinner parties happening across the country from Friday, March 25 to Sunday, March 27. Feast for Freedom's 2022 fundraising will go towards supporting the ASRC's Foodbank and its many other services which assist people in the community seeking asylum. The ASRC's Feast for Freedom 2022 is open now for registrations — sign up at the website. The official dinner party weekend will then run from March 25–27, with donations open until April 30.
Zulya Kamalova’s contemporary Russian folk music has earned her both an ARIA in Australia and the title of Honoured Artist of the Republic in her birth country, Tatarstan. Evolution, Revolution and the Mail Order Bride is her first foray into theatre, and the show, featuring Kamalova with support from a four-piece band, is a song of praise to the toil of Russian women, past and present. During the show, Kamalova hops back and forth between two chief characters: Eva, the titular mail order bride who lives an affluent but dissatisfied life in modern day Toorak, and Inessa, an activist campaigning for the Bolshevik revolution in the early 1900s. The latter is based on real life revolutionary Inessa Armand, a close friend and purported lover of Lenin. This is not really a historical drama though. The characters’ lives are revealed only in snippets — mere brief vignettes between songs. The piece as a whole is largely atmospheric, eschewing detail on the characters in favour of generating broad emotional ambiences. Much of the show is genuinely stunning. Kamalova is a performer of undeniable force and charisma, with a voice that can change moods like Melbourne weather. There are times when she sounds almost unearthly. The music has a charming gypsy swagger to it and the set is remarkable, a fantastical junkyard of artefacts, both modern and antique. There are times though when I wonder if Kamalova could have done with some more support onstage. While she has no trouble commanding the audience’s attention with her singing voice, she seems less at ease acting, especially when managing transitions between scenes and characters. She also seem sometimes overshadowed by the ornate set which doesn’t always offer the best eye lines to its audience. As a result, there is a whole third character, a crone, who I almost never see because her scenes happen in a blocked part of the stage. There are also a number of gimmicks which don’t really add anything, like some sideline business with the band members or a sequence where Kamalova plays out the Adam and Eve story with dolls. While the intent of the piece has clearly been to give Kamalova’s music the theatrical treatment, it’s maybe gone a little overboard about being theatrical. Given that the show’s main drawcard is the singing, I wonder if it would have worked better as a more stripped back production. There’s no denying the heart of the piece though, which is an impassioned statement on the broken dreams and thwarted aspirations of Russian women. There is a palpable sense of struggle, fatigue and frustration at the false promises of social change, and the stirring songs and passionate Slavic soul music only work to enhance this.
The status of Queensland's borders has changed multiple times in 2020, and whether they're open to other states or not has attracted ample public and political attention over the past few months. At present, the Sunshine State has closed off access to anyone who has been in Victoria, New South Wales or the Australian Capital Territory in the past 14 days — and, as revealed today, Monday, August 17, that is unlikely to change anytime soon. When the last border restrictions were announced on August 5, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk noted that they'd be reviewed at the end of the month. In her latest press conference, however, she said that the state's borders won't reopen until New South Wales and Victoria no longer have any COVID-19 cases that were acquired by community transmission. "We do not have any intentions of opening any borders whilst there is community transmission active in Victoria and in New South Wales," the Premier advised. "I think we're going to continue to see restrictions in Victoria up until around Christmas time. That's very unfortunate for people living down there, but it's a serious situation. You only have to look at what's happening around the world — and we don't want to see that happen here." The Premier also explained that, in good news for Queenslanders, "there has been no evidence of community transmission in Queensland now for 28 days". That's particularly significant given that the past month has seen several health alerts issued regarding areas of Brisbane that have been visited by a number of people with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. https://www.facebook.com/annastaciamp/videos/690694074852757/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBbc0v17o2dQyWT_ig-HRbWPgWa0drYvvm9Dmb83aVr9h1jP8-dKx6gLMWWNwhn8fUDjnAs8_3Cr4nVZCu27aKMq-po6yPw26D4I8gZIeqztFg_HdgrXPsOk7RhLS9g-Mcd-62BTfbD2E6BprnJVCSnhHuIjr0vXP1T2VSdxu-OyqXxBogearGuoOvC16jxpt8eZIhD6yC32KaE3NqZUjxBtA1RnVUO91dizZ80dW8wQkPK5cgBQqrt3aazyXYBm5A5HxKn0KcxgwHTiSqbb0dVpkYAhCy85GNRFZHDWe1acp-ovxYj_fDhGo268LAT_v2xQ_86-8AXXOK6mEtCEXBk0qqpnjW6iDI&__tn__=-R In case you're not 100-percent up-to-date with Queensland's border situation — or you need a refresher — the state is completely shut to folks in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, which have been declared hotspots by Queensland's Chief Health Officer. That means that all visitors from all three states and territories will be denied entry to Queensland, except for rare exemptions and returning Queenslanders. If you fall into those categories, you'll have to fork out for a 14-day stretch of mandatory hotel quarantine. As the Premier has previously advised, exemptions are limited, including for compassionate reasons. During the shutdown, the aim is to only allow folks who live in border communities and essential workers such as truck drivers to cross. Anyone who fits that description will need to obtain a pass, with those who reside in the area requiring proof of address and photo identification to do so. Queensland's borders are currently closed to everyone in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, unless they are a returning resident or are entering for one a few essential reasons. For more information, head to the Queensland Government website.
The sun is shining, your out of office is on and you've already spent a good amount of time curled up streaming TV shows. Now's the chance to catch up on your reading — so, find a shady spot on a beach, next to a pool or by a waterfall and start making your way through our favourite ten books of 2019. It's a mixed bag this year — we've been turning the pages of a novel about a debaucherous secret society, the latest Booker Prize winner (no, not The Testaments), devastating nonfiction works about Australian bushfires and a heartwarming page-turner combining politics, royalty and queer history. Some of them are immersive, some of them knotty and uncomfortable, which makes them perfect for mulling over during the holidays, and provide flavourful fodder for dinner conversations. Take your pick. LANNY BY MAX PORTER In 2016, Max Porter won the Dylan Thomas Prize for his debut novel Grief Is the Thing With Feathers — a story in which a trickster-babysitter crow visits two grieving children. This year, Porter delivered another poetic and daring tale, this time centring on a creative and mysterious boy called Lanny. There's a rhythm to Porter's writing; he illustrates one of his most exciting characters through a scrawling, italicised font that seems to slip and slide off the page. Dead Papa Toothwort is a shapeshifting spirit that feeds on the life and grime of Lanny's village in the English countryside — one with gossip at the school gates, nosy but well-meaning neighbours, and a woodland where children like to build treehouses. Reliable old Pete is Lanny's good friend. He's an older man, an artist, and one of the more likeable characters. What starts as an eerie, but largely quiet, tale of village life gathers speed towards the end, when Lanny is missing and the village mob starts pointing fingers. SUPPER CLUB BY LARA WILLIAMS Lara Williams' novel about a secret society of women who meet after dark to feast is superb. At the centre of the novel is Roberta, and the novel jumps back and forth between her days at university, where she teaches herself to cook and dates a lecturer, and the present day, where her and her wild, intense friend Stevie start the supper club. Over bowls of pasta, slabs of meatloaf, messy bouillabaisse and gallons of wine, the women gorge themselves and behave in an incredibly 'unladylike' manner in rebellion of their oppression by men. They throw food at each other, vomit, dance topless and go wild with debauchery. Intelligent and boldly written, Williams' story is less about food and more about the characters' appetites to acquit themselves of their everyday lives. Easy to read, you'll smash it quicket than your avocado on toast. RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE BY CASEY MCQUISTON It might be questionable of us to include a book that would certainly not be considered literary, and falls firmly in the romance and new adult categories. But Casey McQuiston's debut novel Red, White & Royal Blue is so joyous and hopeful that it makes you want to throw away any pretence of trying to appear cool. Incorporating, and elevating, all the best cheesy rom-com tropes — enemies to friends to lovers, fake friendships, a secret relationship and an email scandal — McQuiston's writing is heartwarming, funny and intelligent as she blends politics, royalty and queer history into a big ball of happiness. I challenge you not to fall in love with this book's diverse cast of characters: Alex, the obliviously bisexual Mexican-American son of the first woman president of the United States; Henry, the compassionate, quietly homosexual prince of England with a scholarly interest in queer history; Pez, the prince's dastardly attractive Nigerian best friend; Zahra, the president's fierce and frightening chief of staff; Amy, a transwoman and former marine-turned-secret service agent who likes embroidery. Would recommend to anyone looking for a book so firmly placed in the now — but a better one than the one we've got. If it were possible, it would make your heart smile. ON EARTH WE'RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS BY OCEAN VUONG Ocean Vuong's debut novel found itself on a host of nominee lists for literary prizes his year, earning reviews describing it as shattering, tender, haunting and stunning. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother, tracking a family history back to its roots in war-torn Vietnam and forward to the son's experiences as a queer, biracial American, and telling a story trapped between the worlds of trauma and compassion. Vuong's poetry background makes for prose that is fluid, raw and earnest, in an intimate exploration of race, class, grief and masculinity. SALT BY BRUCE PASCOE Likely already on the radar of fans of his work, Salt offers an insight into the range and depth of influential Indigenous Australian historian Bruce Pascoe. This collection of stories and essays from the award-winning author of Dark Emu includes some of his most revered work and previously unpublished pieces of fiction — tender stories exploring country, nature and identity — just waiting to be discovered. For those with a short attention span or looking for an introduction to Pascoe's works, this is an ideal read for afternoons on the beach, and a poignant reminder of our nation's history. BEAUTY BY BRI LEE Beauty marks the second book by Bri Lee in as many years to make it onto our Summer Reading List, so she must be doing something right. Once again imbuing her words with a brutal candour, Lee explores our obsession with thinness and beauty, in a world that has made huge strides against the patriarchy, yet still finds us holding ourselves to an impossible and unattainable standard of physical 'perfection'. Readers are invited into Lee's world in a 150-page essay on her battle with eating disorders and her final rejection of society's punishing ideals. For anyone that loved Eggshell Skull — and pretty much everyone else, too. THE ARSONIST: A MIND ON FIRE BY CHLOE HOOPER Published in October 2018, this novel isn't a 2019 book. But, with catastrophic bushfires currently burning across Australia, its content couldn't be timelier. Following the trial of the man charged with lighting the Latrobe Valley fires, part of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires that killed 173 people in regional Victoria and burnt over 450,000 hectares, Chloe Hooper's The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire is devastating and haunting. It includes harrowing accounts from those injured in the fires and fascinating details from the investigation, all delivered with captivating and lyrical prose. And, while it's a work of nonfiction, it reads like a thriller — and it's impossible to put down. GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER BY BERNARDINE EVARISTO Two books won this year's Booker Prize: Margaret Atwood's 34-year follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, called The Testaments; and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. We're recommending you read the latter. Following the interconnected lives of 12 characters, mostly Black British women, from different generations, religions and social classes, it's a joyous, poetic read. You'll meet lesbian playwrights, investment bankers and farmers, all battling everyday problems and larger social issues, such as race and sexuality. As well as being a collection of 12 separate, intimate portraits, the book successfully paints a polyphonic picture of modern-day Britain. FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE BY TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNER A renowned celebrity profiler — if you haven't already, we suggest you read her New York Times Magazine piece on Gwyneth Paltrow ASAP — Taffy Brodesser-Akner first dipped her toe into fiction this year with the release of her debut novel Fleishman Is in Trouble. And Fleishman, a recently divorced, now-single dad navigating the world of dating apps, sexts and raising two children, really is in trouble. As is our narrator: stay-at-home mum Libby. And Fleishman's ex-wife, Rachel. While the bulk of the novel is dedicated to Fleishman and his struggles, it also cleverly explores how women's stories are often over-looked and sidelined. Its ending more-than rewards readers for pushing through some of the less-gripping sections, too BELOVED BY TONI MORRISON The first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Toni Morrison passed away in August at the age of 88. Her novel Beloved wasn't published this year — in fact, it was published way back in 1987 — but we think this summer is the perfect time to revisit it, or pick it up for the first time. Arguably Morrison's best-known novel, Beloved follows an escaped enslaved woman who is haunted by decisions and trauma from her past. It's not an easy read, nor should it be. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has had far-reaching cultural influence since its publication, including on Jordan Peele's 2019 horror flick Us. If you'd like to explore this connection further, we suggest listening to this episode from The New York Times podcast Still Processing. Words by Aimee Sics, Emma Joyce, Leisha Kapor and Samantha Teague.
Alongside the front line conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the attacks of September 11 set in motion a third, different kind of battle. Fought on the home front, a quiet, uncomfortable and unspoken war of words and sidelong glances directed towards anyone who suddenly came to look 'different', 'foreign' or 'un-American' ensued. While the inadequacies of American security were undeniable, the indignity of the racial profiling that became rampant in their wake remains to this day an irredeemable blight on the history of the United States. It's within this framework that author Mohsin Hamid set his bestselling 2007 novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, now a film by director Mira Nair. It tells the story of Changez (Riz Ahmed), a prodigious Pakistani-born Princeton graduate who's headhunted by Jim (Kiefer Sutherland) to work in New York's top consultancy firm. With the company placing him on the fast-track to partnership and the chairman's daughter (Kate Hudson) quickly besotted, Changez's pursuit of the American dream seems assured. When the Twin Towers come crashing down, so too does his perceived security. Colleagues view him differently, arrests and random searches become commonplace and despicable bigotry bubbles to the surface. At first Changez ignores, then endures, the prejudice, but eventually the feeling of victimisation and the loss of his identity become untenable and he returns to Pakistan. The film flicks back and forth between Changez's time in America and his present-day life as a radical academic suspected of kidnapping an American colleague and it's those latter scenes that engage most directly. Played out as an interview with US journalist Bobby (Liev Schreiber), they hold a distinctly Cold War-era feel that's in the vein of the recent Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. While Schreiber puts in a sound performance as the journo with his own secrets and Sutherland shines as a Gordon Gecko-esque corporate cutthroat, it's Ahmed who steals the show. At times the rhetoric is handled a touch clumsily and the fundamentals of business/fundamentals of Islam motif is, as is the case in the book, not especially subtle, but The Reluctant Fundamentalist remains a compelling and confronting examination of one of the war on terror's less publicised dimensions.
Harry Styles is having a huge 2022 already, after headlining Coachella, dropping a new album and announcing a big Australian and New Zealand tour. And, before the year is out, he'll also give his acting skills another workout in not one but two new films: Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman. Yes, this year seems to be going in one direction for the former boy band star. That'd be up, obviously. Actually, it also appears to be sending Styles back in time, to the 1950s to be exact, with both of his upcoming flicks set seven decades ago The first of those two movies is directed by Booksmart's Olivia Wilde, led by Black Widow's Florence Pugh and looks set to unfurl a 1950s-set nightmare when it releases in cinemas in October. Due to hit Prime Video Down Under on November 4, the second of the pair also jumps back to the same decade, but this time as part of a Carol-esque romance. In My Policeman's just-dropped first teaser trailer, Styles plays Tom, the young cop of the movie's title. In sweeping, emotionally resonant period-drama style, the film sees him get caught in a love triangle with teacher Marion (Emma Corrin, The Crown) and museum curator Patrick (David Dawson, All the Old Knives). It'll also flit forward to the 1990s, where the older Tom (Linus Roache, Homeland), Marion (Gina McKee, Phantom Thread) and Patrick (Rupert Everett, The Happy Prince) are still haunted by how things played out when they were younger. If the storyline sounds familiar, that's because My Policeman comes to the screen from Bethan Roberts' 2012 novel of the same name. For the film version, director Michael Grandage (Red) is doing the honours, with Ron Nyswaner (Freeheld, Philadelphia) on screenplay duties. Based on the handsome trailer, which features a hefty mood of yearning, viewers can expect an exploration of love, social expectations, and the heartbreak that springs when the latter dictates the former. And, obviously, for Styles' latest on-screen stint after Dunkirk and Eternals. Check out the trailer for My Policeman below: My Policeman will be available to stream via Prime Video in Australia and New Zealand on November 4. Images: courtesy of Prime Video © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC.
If you've seen and loved the show Girls, then you know what a character Lena Dunham is. Her work on the big screen is equally amusing. The one-woman-wonder wrote, directed and starred in Tiny Furniture, a clever and amusing coming-of-age dramedy about a bright but lost young woman coming to terms with her stagnant life. In Tiny Furniture, 22-year-old Aura (Dunham) moves back into her artist mother's Tribeca loft after graduating from university. With a useless film degree, a boyfriend who's left her for Burning Man, a dying hamster and no job, Aura is a desperate for someone to tell her what to do. Luckily, her imprudent childhood friend (Jemima Kirke from Girls) and some feckless love interests (including Alex Karpovsky, also from Girls) are thrown in the mix for plenty of roguish escapades. Through gritted teeth and a forced smile, Aura puts her self out there, lands a job at a crummy restaurant and tries to make something of her life like any other twenty-something in New York City. With a witty cast of characters — including her real-life mother, sister and best friend — Dunham's story hits close to home (and was actually filmed in her parents'). Winning Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest and Best Screenplay at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards, this indie darling has all the salty, satirical and sardonic humour that captivated us even before Girls. Tiny Furniture is available on DVD and digital download on October 23. Thanks to Transmission Home Entertainment, we've got five DVD copies to give away. 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 Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=GuD6wF_GPOY
Red Stitch are bringing out the big guns with their upcoming double bill, directed by Julian Meyrick. The performances feature the world premier of Dead Centre, by Aussie playwright Tom Holloway, and the Australian premiere of Sea Wall, by Simon Stephens. Both plays are one-actor performances that explore the fragility of life and seem to promise a pretty full on night at the theatre. Dead Centre follows the story of Helen (Rosie Lockhart), who makes the spontaneous decision to move from the UK to Australia to do the whole "turning over a new leaf" thing. However, the decision only provides temporary relief before her past catches up with her and she is forced to confront what she left behind... In Sea Wall, Alex (Ben Prendergast) seemingly has it all: the wife, the daughter, and a life he speaks of fondly. But this cherished existence is not (as we all know, because, theatre) one to last. As everything falls apart, Alex is left with the difficult task of forming a new perspective on life. With theatre this devastating, who needs Netflix?
The Victorian Government has announced a $143-million support package designed to help businesses impacted by the state's recent five-day circuit breaker lockdown. Businesses and sole traders that took a financial loss during the lockdown — including restaurants, hairdressers, accommodation providers and musicians — will all be eligible for support. Florists and confectioners who took a financial hit due to the lockdown coming over Valentine's Day will also be able to apply for financial aid. Included in the multimillion-dollar package is four separate initiatives. $92 million will be invested in the Business Cost Assistance Program that will offer grants of $2000 for eligible businesses with a payroll of up to $3 million. $24.9 million will be put back into the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund, an initiative that has been providing financial support to licensed venues impacted by COVID-19 restriction since late 2020. The fund has already provided more than 7500 businesses with over $165 million of financial support. Accommodation providers who experienced cancelations due to the lockdown are entitled to payments through the Victorian Accommodation Support Program, which is split into two tiers. Those who experienced ten or fewer cancellations over the course of the lockdown are eligible for $2250 per accommodation premise, while that amount will increase to $4500 for businesses that experienced more than ten cancellations. The state's Regional Travel Voucher Scheme is also returning, with 50,000 new vouchers being issued — this time spanning both Greater Melbourne and regional Victoria. 40,000 of the $200 vouchers will be issued for travel within Greater Melbourne, while 10,000 new vouchers will be available for travel to regional Victoria. Registration for the next allocation of vouchers will open at 10am on Tuesday, March 30, and apply for travel between April 6–May 31. Those who successfully apply for a voucher will be able to receive a $200 reimbursement when they spend over $400 on accommodation, experiences, tour and attractions. [caption id="attachment_790890" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peninsular Hot Springs Glamping[/caption] The Victorian Government has announced a $143 million support package designed to assist businesses impacted by the state's recent circuit breaker lockdown. To find out more, head to the Business Victoria website.
White Night Reimagined truly is an event for all the senses, dishing up an array of artistic, musical and culinary experiences. And it all kicks off with a bang on Thursday, August 22, as the Royal Exhibition Building is transformed into a winter wonderland feasting hall. The White Night Feast promises an indulgent evening with three courses created by Melbourne chef royalty: Vue de Monde's Hugh Allen, Annie Smithers of Trentham's acclaimed Du Fermier and dessert queen Philippa Sibley. The decadent three-course affair features creations like a cider-braised duck, pork and pistachio terrine and an oozy golden syrup cobbler with spiced quince. This will be paired with iced schnapps and mulled wine, as well as Victorian wines and beer. Expect, also, to roast chestnuts and dip things into hot fondue throughout the night. The wintry feast is expected to sell out, so be sure to book in advance for this one. White Night Feast runs from 6.30–10.30pm.
A few people are saying the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost/Edgar Wright partnership is getting tired. There might be some truth to that, but it isn't tired yet. The World's End — the third film in their 'Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy', a series of comic genre mash-ups that also happen to feature a random Cornetto ice-cream in each one — is a whirlwind of exuberant humour it's easy to get swept up in. Sure, some of the surprise of the mash-up twist has faded since 2004's breakthrough Shaun of the Dead, but the team has also matured as actors, filmmakers and observers of the human condition. The particular human condition they're concerned with this time around is the sad state of being stuck in one's halcyon days, particularly when they're situated in high school, particularly when you're now nearing 40. Pegg plays the thusly afflicted man-child, and it's far from the loveable, self-effacing type of loser character we're used to seeing him be. As Gary King, he is a real loser, still sporting his teenage sludgy black hair and greatcoat, still driving 'The Beast' registered in someone else's name, still embarrassingly overconfident and still sleazing onto women in the loos. He's so close to being unlikeable, yet there's just enough good in him — and just a smidge of relatability — that we want him to win on his ridiculous quest to unite his high school buddies and claim the victory that should have been theirs 20 years earlier: completion of a 12-stop pub crawl known as the Golden Mile. Gary's more capably adult friends — Andrew (Frost), Steven (Paddy Considine), Oliver (Martin Freeman) and Peter (Eddie Marsan) — want out of the caper not long after arriving back in their insular home town, Newton Haven. But then they discover the place has gone Invasion of the Body Snatchers in their absence, and fighting off invading alien robot hordes takes precedence over fighting each other. All the while, following some spectacular drunk-person reasoning, they continue the course of their pub crawl to the mythic World's End bar. In some ways, The World's End doesn't feel like the final movie of the trilogy; it has the anarchic, careening, appropriately drunken energy of an early oeuvre picture, but one suspects that mood is actually harder to control than it looks. The movie is also unexpectedly mature in its human drama, teasing out the fraught relationship we have with our histories and ultimately encouraging us to go a little less hard on our past selves. There's great joy in watching The World's End, and plenty of rewards in the team's signature brand of comedy. Maybe it is time to move on from the genre mash-up, but this is a thundering way to go out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7ibQvQUpMTg
Leave your Hunters and your oversized sunhat behind to spontaneously frolic and make out with strangers. Pepa Knight, Jinja Safari's co-frontman, is launching his solo career with the announcement of a 2015 album release. But fans won't have to wait until next year to take off their shoes and enjoy that unmistakably JS-popularised brand of atmospheric, drum-thumping pop. On Friday, November 28, the first collection of Knight's solo recordings, Hypnotized Vol. 1, will be released — following on from his two critically-acclaimed singles 'Rahh!' and 'Clams'. Throughout November, Knight will be performing a series of headline shows to celebrate this first half of his highly-anticipated double album. Presented by Artists Voice and Rare Finds, the confirmed dates include appearances in Melbourne, Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and Brisbane. In the coming weeks, Knight will also be releasing another single in support of the tour, giving fans a further insight into the infectious, whimsical sounds of his debut solo effort. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ysx8lssBeIE
Set back behind the iconic Young Husband Limited stock building, and at the unglamorous end of an industrial suburban backstreet, the Henry St Brewhouse isn't much larger than your inner city apartment. Born in a backyard just a few blocks away on actual Henry Street, owners Paul Quayle and Zach Skerritt had never planned to open a brewery — so if their 100-litre DIY all-grain brewing system looks a bit like an upscaled homebrew setup, then that's because it is. Neither Quayle nor Skerritt had a background in brewing or hospitality. The two engineers grew tired of homebrewing from canned kits and partial mashes and looked to all-grain as a better way to brew. Skerritt began to research how the pair might one day open a brewery, but it wasn't until the 2013 edition of Good Beer Week that the question of how became a matter of when. Without a large cash backing the pair, with the help of their families and friends, largely pieced the brewery together themselves. "The planning permit itself took six months and during that time you're paying rent on the place. I was living in the corner for seven months, over winter and stuff, because I couldn't afford to pay rent at my house and the brewery," says Skerritt. They began opening the bar in January 2016 and Skerritt quit his job to work on the brewery full-time in April. Now, with a rotating selection of ten taps including a co-op porter with near neighbours Rumble Coffee Roasters, and with their brews popping up in restaurants, offices and bars around Melbourne, Henry St is growing. At the moment the bar is only open on Friday nights (and on Saturday occasionally), but the pair is hoping to extend their opening hours and upgrade to a larger brewing system soon. Amongst the glut of gentrification and hipster noir bar offerings that saturates Melbourne's food and drink scene, Henry St's brand of 'brewed next door' is refreshing. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own prams, dogs and food (so that the pair can focus on the brewing). Henry St will appeal to those who yearn for the days of Mountain Goat before anyone knew what a Mountain Goat was, and certainly before anyone was drinking it. Their DIY philosophy and isolation may make them humble, but in this comes the appeal of this pint-sized nano-brewery and bar in Kensington. The beer is pretty damn good too.
If you're a kidult at heart and remember the hours and hours spent jumping on the backyard trampoline doing sweet flips and tricks, this one is for you. Bounce is here to help you remember your anti-gravity days of youth and bounce away the sad reality of your nine to five. With over 100 springy trampolines, you can recreate aerial manoeuvres with some expansive new options like slam dunking, wall-running, jumping into a foam pit and static-electricity zapping your colleagues into submission (take that, Helen). You can get your bounce back at Bounce in Blackburn North, Glen Iris and Essendon Fields.
