2020 might just be a mere one month old; however it has already been an eventful year for the British royal family. But if you've been scanning recent tabloid headlines, seeing the chaos surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step back from being senior royals, and thinking "that'll make a great season of The Crown one day", Netflix has some news for you. While The Crown was originally envisaged as a six-season show — which would've presumably followed Queen Elizabeth II's story up until the present day — creator Peter Morgan has now decided to end the series after its fifth season. As reported by Deadline, the screenwriter said it has become obvious "that this is the perfect time and place to stop". Just how much more of Lizzie's life the show will detail hasn't been revealed. This news doesn't mean that The Crown is ending just yet, though. With the series' third season only hitting Netflix last November, there are still two more seasons to come. The fourth season is in the works at the moment, and will take place during Margaret Thatcher's time as Britain's prime minister — and undoubtedly feature Princess Diana quite heavily. The fifth season is then likely to follow the Queen into the 21st century. One other big change has been announced, too, although it's hardly a surprising one. With the series changing its cast as its story progresses and characters age, Netflix has revealed that Imelda Staunton will play the Queen in The Crown's fifth season. She'll take over from Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, who dons the titular headwear in seasons three and four. Of course, Colman herself took over from season one and two star Claire Foy. Staunton will only spend one season in the top job, but she'll add it to a hefty resume that includes last year's Downton Abbey movie, the Maleficent and Paddington films, her Oscar-nominated work in Vera Drake and the Harry Potter franchise's Dolores Umbridge — to name just a few titles on her resume. Just who'll be joining her in The Crown — aka who'll be playing the older versions of Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Princes Charles and the rest of the family — hasn't yet been revealed. In case you haven't watched The Crown's third season yet, check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLXYfgpqb8A Via Deadline. Image: Sophie Mutevelian / Netflix
Australia's festival scene keeps delivering heartbreak, with Mona Foma the latest major event to announce that it's no longer going ahead. 2024's fest has already taken place, running back in February, but it will now go down in history as the last-ever Mona Foma. Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, aka Mona, has called time on its summer festival after a 16-year run of showcasing music and art — and giving Dark Mofo a sunny counterpart — during the Apple Isle's warmer months. Mona owner and founder David Walsh revealed the end of Mona Foma in a statement, bidding farewell to the event because "it's been magical, but the spell has worn off". [caption id="attachment_784488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia[/caption] "At Mona Foma — Mofo — at the Peacock Theatre, we joined the Zen Circus, and Italian punk came to live, rent free, in my head," starts Walsh's missive, which begins by running through past festival highlights. "In 2023 Peaches turned us all on with her sexy songs, but the thing that turned me on the most was the sign language interpreter signing 'peg'," he continues. "Guy Ben-Ary in 2017, wiring living neurons to speakers and cajoling them to scream. Gotye playing the ondioline. Robin Fox's beacons. David Byrne and Philip Glass. Wire and Cale. The Saints and St Vincent. Dresden Dolls and Dan Deacon. Sun Ra and Neneh Cherry. Kate Miller-Heidke and Vieux Farka Touré." "And the finches playing guitar. From Here to Ear. That was the first one, in 2009. We bought that work, but we've never shown it again. It was too much the first time." [caption id="attachment_880158" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mona/Rémi Chauvin. Image Courtesy Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "Mona Foma took us around the world. But it ends here. Maybe the end started at COVID. Maybe it's because the last festival was a poorly attended artistic triumph. But those aren't the reasons I killed it," Walsh notes. "I know that we live for experience but, more and more, I seek permanence, a symbolic immortality. At Mona, I'm building this big thing, hopefully it'll be a good thing, but it's a costly thing. I'm addicted to building, and my addiction got out of hand. Some things have to go before I'm too far gone." "Mona Foma is one of those things. It's been magical, but the spell has worn off. Only these words, from Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, remain: 'live by the Foma that makes you brave and kind and healthy and happy.'" [caption id="attachment_832077" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford, Mona[/caption] Ending Mona Foma is the latest big change for Mona's festivals. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo is taking a breather in 2024. A number of the latter's regular events, such as Winter Feast, the Nude Solstice Swim, Night Shift and the Mona Gala are still happening this year, however. With Dark Mofo, the plan is to press pause for 12 months to take stock and come back even better. "The fallow year will enable us to secure the future of Dark Mofo and its return at full force in 2025," said Dark Mofo Artistic Director Chris Twite in 2023. The Mona Foma news comes after both Splendour in the Grass and Groovin the Moo cancelled their 2024 festivals mere weeks after announcing their lineups. Falls Festival took summer 2023–24 off, Summergrounds Music Festival at Sydney Festival was cancelled and This That hasn't gone ahead for a couple of years now. [caption id="attachment_926552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amy Brown, image courtesy of Street Eats @ Franko Hobart and Mona Foma.[/caption] 2024's Mona Foma featured Queens of the Stone Age, Courtney Barnett, TISM, Paul Kelly, Mogwai, Shonen Knife, and Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, for starters — and Holy Fuck, Wednesday, Michael Rother and Friends (playing Neu! songs), and Lonnie Holley with Moor Mother and Irreversible Entanglements. The lineup goes on from there. "Gratitude to all of you that came. And to those who didn't, a silver lining: you'll no longer suffer from FOMO for FOMA. And anyway, repetition is regimentation. And regimentation is ridiculous," said Walsh in his announcement. "Greatest gratitude to those who helped put it together. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me." [caption id="attachment_830704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Remi Chauvin, Mona.[/caption] Mona Foma's last festival took place in February 2024. Head to the MONA website for further details. Top image: Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
What started with one of the best sci-fi films ever made, delivered two underwhelming sequels, also includes an excellent animated anthology and rightly claims that Keanu Reeves is the one? For the past two decades, we've all known the answer: The Matrix franchise. The science-fiction epic smartly recognises that it's Keanu's world and we're all just living in it — but what if that isn't the case in The Matrix Resurrections? Come Boxing Day Down Under, the series' long-awaited fourth live-action flick — and fifth film overall — will reach screens. Yes, Keanu is back, as is Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones) as Trinity. But as the new movie's first trailer showed, and the latest sneak peek keeps teasing, things aren't the same for his on-screen alter-ego Neo. After working with sibling Lilly on the first three live-action films, filmmaker Lana Wachowski was never likely to bring back The Matrix without throwing in more than a few trippy twists, of course. "Maybe this isn't the story we think it is," the new trailer tells viewers — all while reminding us both verbally and visually about the deja vu glitch in the matrix theory. Things get trippy, and quickly. And as well as changes for Neo, it looks as if Trinity has a new role. From the clips so far, audiences can also expect Keanu's John Wick-era look; a version of Neo who can't remember anything about blue and red pills, bending spoons, bullet time and living in a simulated reality in a dystopian future where artificially intelligent machines harvest human bodies for power; an advice-spouting character (played by Mindhunter's Jonathan Groff) who just might be the new Agent Smith; some martial arts moves in a recognisable dojo; and a familiar figure in a new guise. Arriving 18 years after The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions hit cinemas in 2003, this follow-up obviously dives back down the rabbit hole as Neo once again grapples with the Matrix and everything it means for humanity — and also sees Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip) return alongside Reeves and Moss. They're joined by Matrix newcomers Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin), Jessica Henwick (On the Rocks), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The White Tiger), Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman). Forget Christmas — Boxing Day can't come soon enough. Check out the latest trailer for The Matrix Resurrections below: The Matrix Resurrections opens in cinemas Down Under on December 26, 2021.
Winemakers Marcus Satchell and Lisa Sartori are passionate about patches of dirt, and more specifically the dirt in their three vineyards — Berrys Creek, Tilson and Holgates Road. That's where they grow pinot noir grapes which they use to create bottles of All the Dirts Pinot Noir, as well as their single-dirt pinots. The vineyard is located in Inverloch, Gippsland, and the husband-and-wife team focuses on (if you haven't guessed) making really good pinot noir, but you can also buy rosé, riesling and chardonnay, made from grapes also planted in 'all the dirts'. In the centre of town is the urban Tasting Room (D3HQ), where you can sample Dirty Three's wines alongside local cheeses or charcuterie. If you're travelling in a group, it's recommended to book head for tastings, and you can also arrange catering for special events. In the summer months, the urban cellar door is open daily. Images: Visit Victoria.
It isn't always easy to satisfy fans of pastels and symmetry, brand-new Australian cinema, one of Japan's greatest filmmakers, a buzzy Euphoria and The White Lotus star, Succession, the internet's boyfriend and heartfelt animation all in one go. Or devotees of acclaimed Iranian directors, kaiju flicks, NBA superstar Stephen Curry, John Wick-style revenge tales, and wild commentaries on America's recent political landscape using clips from Wayne's World and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, either. But, when you're a cinema celebration hitting 70 years old as Sydney Film Festival is in 2023, ticking all those boxes is just another annual program. Of course, there's no such thing as an ordinary or routine SFF lineup. Whether you're a diehard cinephile or a more casual moviegoer, this festival has always spoiled viewers for choice, making sure there's truly something among its selection each year for everyone. In 2023, Festival Director Nashen Moodley's carefully curated bill kicks off with one of the most exciting Aussie films of the year arriving straight from Cannes, then includes Wes Anderson's latest doing the same — and throws in new work from Hirokazu Kore-eda, Sydney Sweeney, Sarah Snook, Paul Mescal and Pixar, plus much, much more. When SFF's milestone 70th fest officially opens on Wednesday, June 7, launching a program that'll screen 239 films from 67 countries until Sunday, June 18 — with 90 narrative feature films and 54 documentaries, and also notching up 37 world premieres and 123 Australian premieres — it'll do so with Warwick Thornton's The New Boy. The Cannes-selected title is his first film since 2017's stunning Sweet Country, and sees him team up with none other than Cate Blanchett. 2023's Tár Oscar-nominee plays Sister Eileen, who runs a monastery and home to orphaned boys in the 1940s, which is where the titular nine-year-old (newcomer Aswan Reid) is sent. Also among the cast: Deborah Mailman (Total Control) and Wayne Blair (Seriously Red). The New Boy is also vying for the festival's annual prize alongside 11 others, in what marks the official competition's 15th year. Other contenders span Aussie documentary The Dark Emu, about Bruce Pascoe's book; Bad Behaviour, the feature directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Alice Englert (You Won't Be Alone) starring Jennifer Connelly (Top Gun: Maverick); Kore-eda's Monster, the prolific helmer's latest after fellow recent SFF titles Shoplifters and Broker; and Celine Song's first effort Past Lives, telling a bittersweet romance about two childhood friends (Russian Doll's Greta Lee and Decision to Leave's Teo Yoo) who briefly reunite after decades apart. From the competition highlights, there's also Cobweb from South Korean A Tale of Two Sisters talent Kim Jee-woon; the animated Art College 1994 from Have a Nice Day's Liu Jian; Finnish great Aki Kaurismäki's (The Other Side of Hope) Fallen Leaves; and Afire, a Berlinale Silver Bear for Undine and Transit's Christian Petzold, which was part of the fest's first lineup announcement for 2023. Yes, Anderson's Asteroid City is on the 2023 SFF program, too, bringing the filmmaker's now-trademark sensibilities and aliens together at last — and a characteristically massive cast filled with every famous actor ever or thereabouts. Also set to flicker across Sydney's screens is the Sweeney-starring whistleblower docudrama Reality, Snook in Sundance-bowing Australian psychological thriller Run Rabbit Run, the Mescal-led (and Aussie-shot and opera-inspired) Carmen and Pixar's what-if-elements-had-feelings newbie Elemental. Jafar Panahi's (Tehran Taxi) Venice Special Jury Prize-winner No Bears was announced earlier as well, but remains a SFF must-see — and the kaijus come via Shin Ultraman, which springs from the creators of Shin Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion. NBA fans will want to see Stephen Curry: Underrated, and the vengeance arrives via SXSW hit The Wrath of Becky (well, one of SFF's 2023 flicks about vengeance). And Soda Jerk return to the fest after Terror Nullius screened in 2018, this time with Hello Dankness and its chaotic yet cutting survey of US politics from 2016 onwards. Movie lovers should already be eagerly anticipating SFF's already-revealed Jane Campion retrospective, with the filmmaker herself in attendance — and Indian screen icon Amitabh Bachchan also earns his own program strand. But the new features keep coming, too, including in the fest's returning strands. Seasoned attendees should already be well-acquainted with SFF's ten-film focus on female directors from Europe, selection of movies about music, weird and wonderful horror and genre flicks, family-friendly fare, celebration of filmmaking talent with disability and titles from First Nations creatives, all back in 2023. Other specific standouts range from comedy Biosphere, about the last two men on earth; to Passages, from Love Is Strange's Ira Sachs; and also German filmmaker Wim Wenders (Submergence) heading to Japan with Perfect Days. Plus, there's assassin thriller Kennedy by Gangs of Wasseypur's Anurag Kashyap; literary thriller The Lesson, which stars Richard E Grant (Persuasion), Julie Delpy (On the Verge) and Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters); and historical drama Chevalier, with Kevin Harrison Jr (Cyrano) playing 18th-century Black composer Joseph Bologne. Cinemagoers can similarly look forward to Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winner A Thousand and One, the obviously film-loving I Like Movies, environmentalist tale How to Blow Up a Pipeline, talk show-set horror Late Night with the Devil and the self-explanatory tribute Cannes Uncut. Also, SFF has added a new Independent in Spirit section that's all about indie films by up-and-coming Australian directors, which is where The Big Dog will get comedic about a stockbroker with a financial domination fetish, Sunflower will spin a Melbourne-set queer coming-of-age tale, Birdeater will follow a bride-to-be attending her fiancé's buck's party — and more. As for where you'll be heading to get your festival fix this year, SFF is back at The State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Newtown, Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Australian Museum and Art Gallery of NSW. Sydney Film Festival 2023 runs from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18 at various Sydney cinemas — head to the festival website for further information and tickets.
Picture this: you're eating something delicious and your adorable doggo wants some, but it's just not good for them. Everyone who shares their life with a barking four-legged best friend has experienced this scenario — sadly, while cute pooches love the sight and smell of plenty of human treats, they just can't stomach some foodstuffs. Chocolate is a culprit, as everyone remembers come Easter. Thanks to its milk and sugar content, ice cream is another. If your pet pooch goes yapping mad over heaped ice cream cones, here's the good news: Gelatissimo is releasing a new limited-edition flavour that's both human and dog-friendly. We're not saying that you and your fluffball should share the same cone of the frosty dessert, but you definitely could. Made fresh in-store, the new scoop is called Pawesome Peanut Butter. As the name suggests, it's a peanut butter gelato — and to make it suitable for dogs, it's made from soy, so it's also vegan. Obviously, if you're a human or canine that's allergic to nuts or soy, this isn't for you. Puppers with a history of pancreatitis also need to steer clear. Those who can tuck into a tub will find it at Gelatissimo outlets around the country from Friday, May 3. And if you're in Sydney on Saturday, May 18, you can also to Cook & Philip Park between 9.30–11.30am. The gelato chain is hosting a dog brunch with vegan yum cha, vegan dog treats and Pawesome Peanut Butter gelato to finish, with tickets costing $60 (which includes food for one human and one dog). Pawesome Peanut Butter gelato is available at all 46 Australian Gelatissimo stores for a limited time from Friday, May 3. For more information and to find your nearest store, visit Gelatissimo's website.
Pizza. Pasta. Salumi. Gelato. And don't even get us started on the booze. The Italians have gifted the world with some pretty spectacular food and drink. And the good news is you'll find all that and more at the Italian Wine + Food Festival. Taking over the Royal Exhibition Building on Sunday, June 25, this day-and-night gastronomic bonanza will welcome the proprietors and chefs from some of the most beloved Italian eateries in town. We're talking 400 Gradi and Rosa's Kitchen, to name but a few. There'll be cooking demonstrations and wine-tasting workshops. Those looking to put what they learn into practice can swing by the festival food market and find all the ingredients they need to cook an Italian feast at home. And once you're done shopping you can kick back with a glass of vino, or perhaps a Negroni from the Negroni Bar.
If you’re a vegetarian, stop reading. You'll have more fun over here. If, however, you're a caring carnivore with a penchant for environmental protection, stay with us. A pop-up shop in New York City is helping to make your meaty inclinations more sustainable, by turning byproducts into fashion items. You'll find the Marlow Goods temporary store next door to the Reynard Restaurant, within the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It's the creation of husband and wife team Andrew Tarlow and Kate Huling — Tarlow takes care of Reynard’s culinary offerings, while Huling turns the restaurant’s waste into clothing, bags and accessories. 'Waste' refers to the parts of an animal left at the abattoir once the meat’s been extracted – leather and wool, mainly. Even though this is the duo's first pop-up, they've been doing the farm-to-table-to-fashion thing under the Marlow Goods label since 2008. Tarlow heads up several other popular Brooklyn eateries, including Diner, Roman's, cocktail bar Achilles and She Wolf Bakery. "When we thought of it, I don’t think we saw anyone else who was connecting restaurants and grass-fed meat and fashion," Huling told Vogue. "That was kind of a eureka moment." Huling also explained that her unique designs and Tarlow's restaurant aesthetics are mutually complementary. "I'm always driven to find styles that are as simple and as useful as possible," she says. "In many ways, my aesthetic is the same as that of Andrew's restaurants. We're very nostalgic for the way things used to be — the classic look of old fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Hermès, or the feeling of living in a village and selling your goods and wares." The Marlow Goods shop is popping up until December 31, 2014. Via Springwise.
During the pandemic, we all sorely missed the experience of catching live tunes in heaving venues. To get musicians back onstage, the New South Wales government and ARIA launched Great Southern Nights. Following two blockbuster years that saw thousands of gigs pop up across the state, the series is returning in 2024 with a massive 300-plus shows over 17 nights. Live music will ring out throughout NSW between Friday, March 8–Sunday, March 24, with some of the country's biggest musicians and the hottest emerging talent performing in Sydney live music institutions as well as regional hubs including Newcastle, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong, Tamworth and the Northern Rivers. With such a huge lineup, it's hard to know where to start — but let's break it down. ROCK LUMINARIES If you love the classics and have a penchant for the singular sound that is Australian rock, you'll be able to catch sets from Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos, The Church, You Am I, Yothu Yindi, The Whitlams, Black Stump Band, Hoodoo Gurus and Kate Ceberano. BEATS AND BOPS Local hip hop heads can hit up gigs from Barkaa, 360, JK-47, Bliss n Eso, L-Fresh the Lion, Illy, Drapht, YNG Martyr and Jesswar. And if your prerogative is to dance, The Presets, Havana Brown, Tigerlily, Sneaky Sound System, Hermitude and Anna Lunoe are all performing. INDIE FAVES If you're an indie-rock aficionado, Ball Park Music, Sarah Blasko, King Stingray, The Buoys, Ruby Fields, Budjerah, Alex Lahey, Gordi, Gretta Ray, The Vanns, and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers will be coming to a stage near you. AND A WHOLE LOT MORE Plus, there will be shows from Becca Hatch, Cub Sport, Dune Rats, Vika and Linda, A.Girl, Xavier Rudd, David Campbell, Fanny Lumsden, Kasey Chambers, Kate Miller-Heidke, Redhook and Northlane — and also a special tribute to Rowland S Howard. Check where your faves are playing and what shows are happening near you via the full gig guide, then start planning an epic 17 nights of music stat. Great Southern Nights 2024 will run from Friday, March 8, to Sunday, March 24, throughout New South Wales. Tickets are on sale now via the festival's website. Images: Enmore Theatre, Destination NSW
As it stands, Mornington Peninsula's Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is already epic — home to over 30 geothermal pools scattered across its 15-hectare property. But one of Melbourne's best spas and natural hot springs destinations is about to get a whole lot better, having just announced plans to build five new luxury villas and two studio rooms on the dunes overlooking the estate. Slated to open in early 2025, these new accommodations — collectively known as The Sanctuary — will have their interiors designed by Kate Walker of KWD in Mt Martha, and feature a heap of top-tier amenities. Get around Aesop products, a pillow menu, and a complimentary mini-bar stocked with wines from Ten Minutes by Tractor, specialty brews from St Andrew's Beach Brewery and Illy coffee. Those wanting breakfast onsite can head to the spa's Thyme or have it delivered to their room — eating in bed (or on the balcony) while looking out over the property and surrounding dunes. A night's stay in one of the private villas starts at $950, and a night in one of the rooms starts at $650. You can then add on spa treatments and hot springs access to make it a truly indulgent night or weekend away. The Sanctuary at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is slated to open in early 2025, and can be found at 282 Browns Road, Fingal. For more information, you can check out the venue's website.
It happened with Cabaret, Chicago, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Grease. With far less enjoyable results, Cats and The Prom did the same, too. West Side Story has already made the leap, and will do so again later this year. In the Heights also belongs on the list but, so far, Hamilton doesn't. We're talking about stage-to-screen musical adaptations, of course. Obviously, the list goes on, and will continue to do so. If something is an song-fuelled hit in the theatre, it's highly likely to get the big-screen treatment at some point. The latest example: six-time Tony-winning smash Dear Evan Hansen. Due to hit cinemas in September, and just dropping its first trailer, Dear Evan Hansen follows the titular anxious teen. He's advised by his therapist to pen letters to himself to highlight the good aspects of his day; however, when one of his notes ends up in a similarly lonely classmate's hands, it sparks a complex chain reaction. Created for the stage by songwriting and composing duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — who nabbed an Oscar for La La Land's 'City of Stars' — with playwright Steven Levenson (Fosse/Verdon), the musical spins a story about high school struggles and suicide. If you don't know the full details, the film's trailer outlines the gist. Platt, who definitely isn't a teenager, nonetheless reprises his Tony-winning stage role as the eponymous character in the big-screen version, with Levenson also returning to write the script. Also involved: a cast that spans Amy Adams (The Woman in the Window), Julianne Moore (Lisey's Story), Kaitlyn Dever (Unbelievable) and Amandla Stenberg (The Eddy), plus The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Wonder filmmaker Stephen Chbosky. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeIJG8bZHFo Dear Evan Hansen is set to release in Australian cinemas on September 23.
Christian Thompson is one of the most celebrated contemporary Indigenous artists working today, and Ritual Intimacy represents the first major survey of the artist's extensive and diverse works. Through photography, video, sculpture, performance and sound, he explores notions of identity, race and history, often placing these themes against the backdrop of the Australian environment. Thompson's prodigious talents were recognised from an early age with his early career spent at the side of world-renowned artist Marina Abramovic, who became his mentor. Later, Thompson was accepted into Oxford University, making him one of the first Indigenous Australians to study at the institution in its 900-year history. Taking place at Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA), Ritual Intimacy features a never-before-seen major commission, while also highlighting Thompson's continued exploration of musical works centred around Indigenous language. The exhibition will be on display until July 8. Image: Christian Thompson: Ritual Intimacy installation at Monash University Museum of Art, shot by Andrew Curtis.
Your daily tram commute just got a whole lot more environmentally friendly, thanks to some good ol' sunshine. The state's largest solar farm is now up and running and, together with Victoria's other solar facilities, it's powering Melbourne's entire tram network. Officially opened last week, Neoen's Numurkah Solar Farm is one of two facilities of its kind in Victoria supplying 100 percent renewable energy to offset the city's huge tram network. Alone, it's set to generate 255,000 megawatt hours of electricity into the national power grid each each year, having scored funding under the Labor Government's Solar Trams Initiative. So now, you can enjoy cleaner tram rides and a cleaner conscience. https://www.facebook.com/DanielAndrewsMP/photos/a.149185875145957/2438775249520330/?type=3&theater The emission reductions the new solar farm is set to deliver will be equivalent to taking 75,000 cars off the road or planting around 390,000 extra trees. The solar project is part of the Government's push to boost Victoria's Renewable Energy Target to 40 percent by 2025 and up to 50 per cent by 2030. Along with the Renewable Certificate Purchasing Initiative, this Solar Trams Initiative has helped bring forward construction of around 350 megawatts of new solar and wind energy capacity. Image: Josie Withers for Visit Victoria
Back Alley Sally's is the latest in Jerome Borazio's ever expanding Get Notorious group's portfolio. If you've been to old favourites 1000 £ Bend or Ponyfish Island, you probably know what they're all about — grungy and dirty (without being literally dirty), and walls that come prefabricated with a powerpoint at every table for those who do their best work in the wild rather than the office. Split the difference between the recently upgraded train station and the Footscray Community Arts Centre, and Back Alley Sally's sits somewhere in the middle, closest to the river end of Yewers Street. It's a literal back alley, complete with a basketball hoop and a friendly stray cat. It's an easy one to miss as the converted warehouse has no real neighbours — but with that seclusion comes appeal. Downstairs, a gyrating red light looks like the entrance to a Dutch worker's window, but before long the colour changes, and changes again. Slice Girls West occupies the lower half of the venue. The casual, cosy pizza bar is a westside iteration of their small Little Lonsdale Street eatery, and contains a small counter — with an espresso machine serving Will & Co coffee — and a few high tables for sitting room. Space here is largely dominated by the kitchen out back, who are doing all the heavy lifting serving both upstairs and down. It's a familiar menu but with a few westside specials; their pizzas start at $12. From four onwards, Wednesday to Saturday, you can head upstairs. Being a warehouse, it's a vast space, but there's an array of both casual and more intimate seating options. The soundtrack is old-school cool, and the brews flow freely. There's no shortage of choice either. The large bar takes centre stage at the heart of the room, with a substantial range of tap beers, wine and spirits. It's the perfect meeting place for that cheeky drink (read: jug) and cheap eats in the form of toasties, nachos burgers and the aforementioned pizzas. The west is one of Melbourne's fastest growing areas and has even become a real destination for burger aficionados — but this type of bar is a first for Footscray. In many ways, Back Alley Sally's is the inner west's version of what makes Little Lonsdale Street famous. It's a winning formula that locals will likely grab and kiss with both hands. As Jim Morrison (sort of) says: The west is the best. Get here and they'll do the rest. Slice Girls West downstairs is open Monday to Saturday 10am till late, and Sunday 10am till 9pm. Images: Lewis Fischer.
"Writing, at its best, is a lonely life," mused Ernest Hemingway. A Nobel Prize winner who hobnobbed with Picasso, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce and Ezra Pound, the prodigal author and journalist had obviously never heard of the Emerging Writers' Festival. If Hemingway were around today, perhaps he would step away from his tattered manuscripts long enough to stop being so downright ungrateful and partake in 10 days of exciting workshops, conferences, performances, panels and collaborative events, designed to remind writers that they're all in this together…alone. The bookworm's answer to Woodstock turns 10 this year and to celebrate is hosting a real fiesta from May 23 to June 10, starting with the word party to end them all. From then it's a programme full of unexpected twists, outlandish characters and choose-your-own-adventure chapters — a real page-turner. Festival director Sam Twyford-Moore has enlisted the aid of five festival ambassadors — poet Khairani 'Okka' Barokka, literary critic Melinda Harvey, travel writer Walter Mason, fiction writer Jennifer Mills and screenwriter John Safran — to host a series of panels and Q&A's in which they will bestow their pearls of bookish wisdom on the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed next generation of upstarts. Reasons to step away from the comfortable glow of the laptop screen include the travelling independent pop-up market Page Parlour, Thousand Pound Bend's Festival Hub (go for black coffee, best accessorised with tattered paperback in hand), abook club with intimidatingly qualified members and workshops on everything from how learning to twerk might cure your writer's block to the relevance of poetry beyond Shakespeare's sonnets. See it all with the festival's equivalent to Charlie's golden ticket, see a lot at the weekend-long Writers' Conference or see a little by choosing your own individually ticketed (and free) standalone events. To quote another of the 21st century's great poets, no man is an island, not even a modern-day Hemingway.
Transport Hotel has likely already caught your eye — it's the bar with the yellow accents in Federation Square. In an ideal central location, it serves up everything you might need: a stellar drinks list, great food and lots of space. Depending on what you're feeling, you can hit the Transport Bar for drinks, or go large and sit down for a proper fancy meal at Taxi Kitchen. Whatever you decide, you're guaranteed to have a good time. Images: Giulia Morlando.
You just can't keep Denmark's Noma in one spot, much to the delight of hungry diners around the planet. Next stop in their global roaming: Mexico. Chef René Redzepi calls the country his adopted home in a letter on the restaurant's website. After popping up in London, Tokyo and Australia's very own Sydney, Tulum is 2017's must-flock-to destination for gastronomic-minded travellers and Noma fans in general. Need more convincing to jump on a plane between April 12 to May 28? Well, the latest short-term residency from one of the world's best eating establishments — a place that has earned the top spot on the World's Best Restaurants list no less than four times, in fact — will be an outdoor, open-air venture nestled between the jungle and the Caribbean Sea. "Exposed to the climate, it will be hot, steaming and unpredictable. Billowing smoke and the orange glow of flames will define us as all cooking will take place over the fire. It will be wild like the Mexican landscape as we share our interpretation of the tastes from one of the most beautiful countries we've come to know," wrote Redzepi in his online statement. And, if that plus Noma's usual blending of their own contemporary Nordic fare with the local cuisine doesn't sound amazing enough, Redzepi will work with his former sous chef Rosio Sanchez to craft a special series of dishes. To whet your appetite, chilli, seafood and mole were all specifically mentioned in Redzepi's post. Of course, eating at Noma Mexico won't come cheap, with the menu set to cost US$600 per person. Registrations open on December 6 for what's certain to be just one of the Copenhagen-based eatery's exciting new developments in 2017. Don't forget, they're also shutting down their existing digs, moving out of the city and re-emerging with a green-focused menu, an urban farm, a greenhouse, a farming team and a field that floats on a raft.
Benedict Cumberbatch talking directly to the camera. Symmetrical shots after symmetrical shots. Dazzlingly gorgeous patterns as far as the eye can see. Thanks to the trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, you can tick all three off on your Wes Anderson bingo card. The beloved filmmaker has teamed up with the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star on the new 39-minute short film, which heads to the screen from Roald Dahl's page — and, unsurprisingly, the just-dropped trailer is classic Wes Anderson through and through (and through again). Netflix is bringing The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar to streaming on Wednesday, September 27, following its recent world-premiere slot out of competition at the Venice International Film Festival. In the interim, the platform has released a sneak peek at what's in store. The film tells of a wealthy man who is so fond of wagering that he comes up with a crafty plan — after discovering a guru who can see without using his eyes, he decides to learn to the same to cheat while having a bet. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar comes from one of the seven tales in Dahl's 1977 book The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More — and, for Netflix, it'll have three other brand-new shorts for company. The day after it arrives, The Swan will also drop on the streaming service on Thursday, September 28. Next comes The Ratcatcher on Friday, September 29. And, Poison will wrap up this Anderson-meets-Dahl frenzy on Saturday, September 30. All four shorts not only stem from Dahl's pen originally, but cycle through a few core cast members, all of which play multiple roles. Stepping in front of the camera for Anderson: Cumberbatch, Dev Patel (The Green Knight), Ben Kingsley (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Richard Ayoade (The Souvenir: Part II) and Rupert Friend (Asteroid City). In glorious news for The Grand Budapest Hotel fans, Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) also reteams with the director. Fingers crossed for more line readings that are so completely perfect that they're unforgettable. Only The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar has scored a trailer so far — and it's the longest of the quartet. Running for 17 minutes, The Swan also takes inspiration from a tale from the same book, this time about a small and smart boy being bullied. Clocking in at 17 minutes as well, The Ratcatcher adapts a lesser-known story of the same name — not from the same text this time — which is unsurprisingly about a rodent exterminator. And, running for the same duration, Poison dates back to 1950, focusing on a man finding a venomous snake. In 1958, the same tale was adapted for TV by none other than Alfred Hitchcock, in an episode of anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. [caption id="attachment_918106" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Do Minh/Netflix ©2023.[/caption] All up, that's 90 minutes of new Anderson work that'll be ready to stream by the time that September is out. If you watch them all together rather than day by day, it's basically an anthology feature. Two months, five new Wes Anderson films: that's the glorious maths Down Under in 2023, after Asteroid City reached cinemas in August. Check out the trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar below: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar will be available to stream via Netflix from Wednesday, September 27. The Swan arrives on Thursday, September 28, then The Ratcatcher on Friday, September 29 and Poison on Saturday, September 30. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
UPDATE: APRIL 28, 2020 — Mix and match stinky, blue and hard cheeses with boutique wines, boozy gelato and crackers from this Fitzroy Street fromagerie, which is offering free same-day delivery seven days a week. You can order over here. Stocking more than 180 different varieties of cheese from around the globe, Milk the Cow is a haven for those who know what a turophile is. That's a fancy word for a lover of cheese, if you were wondering — and here, each one is chosen by a resident cheesemonger. While you can get cheese to take away, it's best to have a bit to dine-in, as well. That way you can enjoy stellar fromage over a wine, beer, cider or a cocktail. Or even as part of one of the bar's tasty (and affordable) cheese and drink flights that change month-to-month. There is another Milk the Cow in Carlton, but this is the original — it's been on Fitzroy Street since 2012.
If a swag of stars made up to look like cats hasn't already scared you today, then a good ol' dose of creepy clown horror just might. Bringing the second part of Stephen King's bestselling book to the screen, IT: Chapter Two returns to the exploits of maniacal clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), as well as the gang of kids he's rather fond of terrorising. This time, however, all those teens have grown up. We've already seen the adult Losers Club in the first trailer for the unnerving sequel, which dropped back in May. Now, with San Diego Comic-Con currently in full swing, it's time for a second glimpse. While the initial IT's Sophia Lillis, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard and company all make an appearance as the younger versions of the characters, circa 1988-89, the likes of Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and Bill Hader step into their shoes 27 years later. Yes, they're still being forced to put up with Pennywise's chaotic antics, including his love of sewers, his obsession with balloons and his usual white-faced, flame-haired get-up. Of course, the frightening villain has a few fresh tricks up his sleeve, as this sneak peek at a few of IT: Chapter Two's set pieces shows. It seems like every film features a hall-of-mirrors scene these days, including John Wick: Chapter Two and Us, but the concept is decidedly more terrifying when Pennywise is involved. And, while Stranger Things' third season just spent a fair amount of time at a carnival, again, IT: Chapter Two ups the ante by trotting out its unhinged clown. All of the jumps, bumps and bloody carnage takes place in King's usual setting of Derry, Maine once again, with the Losers Club all heading home to face the nightmare they thought they'd escaped. And, behind-the-scenes, original director Andy Muschietti (Mama) is back — so if you liked what he did the first time around, get ready for a second nerve-rattling serving. Watch the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhJ5P7Up3jA IT: Chapter Two releases in Australian cinemas on September 5, 2019.
The Prahran Hotel has been around for a while. It's one of those places where a pot of Carlton and a chicken parma is the order of the day. Recently the boys over at Sand Hill Road have made a few changes — dramatic to say the least — and turned the interior into something quite special. At the end of the day, it's still a public bar with a pub food menu, but your surroundings are a little different than before. Sand Hill Road, the team behind the renovations at The Bridge Hotel and The Richmond Club Hotel are known for taking something good and making it great. With the Prahran Hotel, they took some of the original design elements and ran with them. Circular motifs and the porthole were behind the inspiration for the wall of concrete pipes, which now act as booths for people to sit and drink in. Indoor plants, green and white tables and natural light make for an interesting indoor setting and the public bar — where AFL matches are played on the big screen and Carlton Draught is on everyone's lips — is still going strong. Once you've experienced the makeover, you'll find that the food and drink offering stay true to a good pub. You might share a few nibbles with friends like the duo of dips with warm Turkish pide ($12), the spicy lamb fetta meatballs with grilled bread ($15) or the tempura soft shell crab with nam jim ($18). For something on the larger side, pub classics see the beef burger with egg, bacon, tomato, onion, cheese, lettuce and tomato relish served with beer battered chips ($19), the steak sandwich with bacon, cheese and caramelised onion ($20) and the chicken parmagiana with beer battered chips ($21). There are fish and chips ($26) and linguini with prawns, scallops, olives, basil and chilli ($26) for the seafood lovers amongst us, and an eggplant parma with roasted capsicum, beer battered chips and salad ($19) for the vegetarians. When it comes to a good pub, the beer is important. On tap, Carlton Draught, Bohemian Pilsner and Stone & Wood Pacific Ale are pouring, as well as Bulmers for cider drinkers. Bottled beers include Peroni ($8.50), Brooklyn Lager ($9.50) and Mountain Goat IPA ($8.50). Those drinking wine can sip a Louis Perdrier Brut ($9), a Pizzini Pinot Grigio from King Valley ($8.50) or, for something red, try the Paringa Estate''PE' Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula ($65 a bottle). Go for the renovations, stay for the food and drink and make sure you come back for Karma Kegs — a Friday tradition that sees punters pay what they want for a donated keg of Carlton Draught. All proceeds go towards a charity of the Sand Hill boy's choice. Cheers to that.
If you've been making plans to revamp your style, but haven't been able to rustle up the coin or are sick of online shopping, here's your chance. Hugo Boss is hosting a mega sale at its outlet stores. You'll be able to score a further 50 percent off menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories. Whether you're after a suit for a special occasion or looking to level up your work wardrobe, Hugo Boss's mid-year outlet sale will have you sorted for a fraction of the fashion label's usual prices. You'll have to get in quick to score a bargain though, with the sale running from Wednesday, July 7 until Sunday, July 11 (or until stocks last). To get stylish new threads, Melbourne mates can head to the Preston Boss outlet (Friday–Sunday only) or Essendon DFO, Perth pals to Perth DFO and Gold Coast friends to Harbour Town. The Hugo Boss mid-year outlet sale will run from Wednesday, July 7 till Sunday, July 11, or until stocks last. To find your closest outlet, visit the website.
If you're keen to match a pub meal with a crafty brew or three, South Melbourne's Palace Hotel deserves a firm fixture in your after-work and weekend lunchtime. An impressive craft beer selection and a menu packed with pub classics are this gem's star attractions, and the Sunday roast proves the quintessential winter weekend warm-up. Head in from noon each week, nab a spot by the open fire and tuck into the day's good old-fashioned roast plate, loaded with sides and drizzled with lush house-made gravy. Throw in a few pats for resident pooch Billy and you've got yourself a seriously good winter situation.
At the end of 2023, Hotel Sorrento reopened following a luxurious transformation — constructing 13 new hotel suites, and refurbing the existing rooms, 30-metre lap pool and day spa. And now, almost exactly a year later, it's finally opening its sun-soaked rooftop restaurant and bar with sweeping views across the bay. On Friday, December 13, Hotel Sorrento's Rooftop will officially open its doors to the public, beckoning them into the space, which is inspired by the work of Italian photographer and furniture designer Willy Rizzo. Rizzo's work showcases Saint-Tropez at a time when its rooftops would come alive with summertime parties full of good Mediterranean food and drinks, plus plenty of dancing. The team here has worked closely with Six Degrees Architects and Jack Merlo Landscape Architecture to bring some of this energy to the Mornington Peninsula. Expect muted green and white striped umbrellas, plush couches, tiled high-top tables and a heap of natural finishes throughout the 320-person space — keeping it beachy and elegantly understated. Food-wise, Hotel Sorrento's Executive Chef Beth Candy has designed a menu full of shareable dishes that champion local produce — serving up a range of small snacks and larger sharing dishes. The sip and snack crowd is catered for as well as those who have a hankering for a long boozy lunch out in the sun. Expect bites like fresh oysters, spiced kingfish crudo on cassava crackers and a lobster brioche roll with pickled cucumber and watercress as well as a selection of pizzas and fresh Mediterranean salads. Local wines, draught beers, summery cocktails and a rolling music program full of DJs help amp up the party vibes, whether you're looking to hang around for a short stay or well into the night. In addition to the rooftop launch, Hotel Sorrento has also given its late-night bar Salt a cheeky little makeover. It now has its own entrance and floor-to-ceiling windows that open to a north-facing terrace. It has a relaxing cocktail lounge feel during the day and then transitions into more of a nightclub as the sun sets. It looks like Hotel Sorrento is going to go off this summer — for those spending the night in one of its luxury suites, and folks simply heading skywards for long sun-drenched lunches and parties under the stars during balmy nights. Hotel Sorrento's Rooftop and Salt are set to open on Friday, December 13 at 5/15 Hotham Road, Sorrento. For more details, you can check out the venue's website.
Crip Rave Theory is a Melbourne club night that draws on knowledge from members of the disabled community to create a wildly fun and safe space for everyone to party — focusing on intersectional access, self-expression, pleasure and community solidarity. While open to all, Crip Rave Theory centres around and celebrates all those who've traditionally been marginalised and de-prioritised in commercial nightlife spaces. Allies are more than welcome, but they aren't at the core of these parties. And for its RISING rendition on Saturday, June 15, the team is taking over Newport's The Substation with live performances and DJ sets late into the night. UK-Based Aisha Mirza, the creator of MISERY — a mental health-focused club night for queer, trans, intersex and non-binary Black people and people of colour — will have their own DJ set during the night. As will BAE BAE, who also runs a club night in Los Angeles called Hood Rave, which celebrates Black femmes and queer people. They're bringing their unique own unique blend of R&B, house, jungle, garage and dancehall beats to the Crip Rave Theory. There'll also be sets from Tinika, Enter and Aquenta (the founder of Crip Rave Theory), plus a heap of live performers and hosts that have yet to be announced. [caption id="attachment_624133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Substation in Newport[/caption] It's important to note that tickets differ depending on your intersectional background. First Nations and/ or disabled people can get tickets for $19, queer and trans people for $25, and allies for $49. Those keen to speak to the team running the club night while learning the basics of DJing can also attend Crip Rave Theory's RISING workshop on Friday, June 14.
Visiting Europe sadly isn't on Australians' agendas in the near future. Heading to New York to wander through The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't at the moment either. But, for four months this year, a heap of European art masterpieces from The Met are making the journey to our shores — so you'll be able to feast your eyes on some of the greatest paintings ever committed to canvas at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. From Friday, June 12–Sunday, October 17, 65 works that almost never leave The Met's galleries will grace GOMA's walls, in what'll be the venue's biggest-ever survey of the history of European art — and, it's a Brissie exclusive, too. If you're wondering why these paintings are so treasured, well, that's because they're by everyone from Monet, van Gogh and Vermeer to Renoir, Rembrandt and Degas. The list of artists featuring in the exhibition, which covers a whopping 500 years of European art and is fittingly called European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, just keeps going — with Rubens, Poussin, Gauguin, Raphael, Boucher and Velazquez all included as well. Also impressive: the different types of artworks that'll be on display, spanning everything from portraits and still-life pieces to landscape paintings and figure studies. From the full lineup, the earliest work will date back to 1445, courtesy of an altarpiece panel depicting the Crucifixion of Christ by the Florentine artist Fra Angelico. Also among the centuries-old highlights are Titian's Venus and Adonis from the 1550s, Caravaggio's The Musicians from 1597, Rembrandt's Flora from around 1654, and Vermeer's Allegory of the Catholic Faith. And, for works from the 19th-century impressionist and post-impressionist period, the likes of Monet, Renoir and van Gogh have things wrapped up — complete with Monet's 1919 piece Water Lilies. GOMA's program will also feature hands-on digital and analogue activities to accompany the masterworks, plus — as is always the case with its major exhibitions — a lineup of yet-to-be-announced Up Late events that'll let you check out these art wonders after dark and over a few drinks. [caption id="attachment_781830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The Flowering Orchard' (1888) by Vincent van Gogh. The Mr and Mrs Henry Ittleson jr Purchase Fund 1956/56.13. Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.[/caption] Top images: Water Lilies (1916-19) by Claude Monet. Gift of Louise Reinhardt Smith 1983/1983.532.; Still Life with Apples and Pears (1891-92) Bequest of Stephen C Clark 1960/61.101.3. Both collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Right now, the culinary name on everyone's lips in Melbourne is Rosheen Kaul. The chef made a name for herself when turning Brunswick East's Etta into one of the city's best restaurants and publishing her hugely successful cookbook Chinese-ish: Home cooking, not quite authentic, 100% delicious. Kaul has made it to the big leagues, but still doesn't feel like she's fully cooked — "I will not say I've reached my final form as yet," she shares with Concrete Playground. To get closer to that final form, Kaul decided to leave Etta and throw herself back into the wild. She's now writing a new cookbook, collaborating with chefs all over Australia and judging the upcoming S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition — alongside the likes of Josh Niland, Jake Kellie, Brigitte Hafner and Brent Savage. Kaul has already played a great part in helping develop what contemporary Australian cuisine is and can be, but she has plenty more to give. We also spoke with her about her future plans — both for herself and the country's culinary landscape — as well as the best advice that she has ever received and how it helped her become so successful. On Joining the Big Leagues in Melbourne's Food Scene "There is an incredible responsibility that comes with being a more-prominent face in the Melbourne food scene. I am acutely aware that I represent a demographic that is only now seeing representation in food media, and I am both honoured and empowered to have a platform to share my experiences as a female chef and as an Asian Australian." On What Kaul Has Been Up to Since Leaving Etta "I had planned to take a break when I left Etta, but I definitely underestimated how bored I'd be without the high energy and stimulation of kitchen life. I'm nearly at the finish line with the manuscript for my next cookbook, and I'm spending the rest of the year travelling around Australia cooking with some of my amazing friends and peers in their venues interstate. It's a brilliant way to keep myself in the kitchen, and frequently put myself well out of my comfort zone. Cooking my food in different spaces and running different types of services is really helping me zone in on the core of my style of cooking. Beyond the woodfire, beyond a specific style of service, I've had to figure out precisely what makes my food 'me' — that can be applied to say a breakfast pop-up, a charcuterie pop-up, a rural pub takeover or a completely lo-fi open fire in the bush. I'm excited to see all of the different forms my food takes around Australia." [caption id="attachment_962874" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Annika Kafcaloudis[/caption] On Kaul's Upcoming Cookbook "I'm incredibly excited about this next book. I can't reveal the title as yet, and it will be published with the same publisher as Chinese-ish — so it will be fantastic. After the international success of Chinese-ish, I didn't think I would write another one as I felt like I couldn't possibly top the first, but inspiration comes from all sorts of places, and I was hit with an absolute bullet train of inspiration one day and I knew I had to get it all out in a book. See, the thing is I wrote Chinese-ish before Etta, and still didn't quite know who I was as a chef, nor had I really zoned in on my style of cooking as yet. Writing Chinese-ish gave me an incredible insight to my own identity as a person straddling multiple worlds and cultures, and my time at Etta gave me the platform to put that on a plate and the time to refine my ideas. I will not say I've reached my final form as yet, but I am miles away from the chef I was when I wrote my first book. There was no need for me to reach into my past for recipes this time — rather, each of the 160-odd recipes are Rosheen originals born from the confidence and self-awareness I've gained over the past few years. Vibrant, colourful, delicious and bold — it's a book of sauces, condiments and dressings as wildly cross-cultural as I am. I can't wait to share it with you all next year." On Judging at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year Academy Competition with Some Huge Names in Food "Big names indeed, and I'm honoured to be counted among them. Josh Niland, particularly, is a chef whose work I've followed for many years, and learned so many techniques from that I've applied in my own kitchens and taught my own chefs. Brigitte curates one of the most incredible, immersive dining experiences in the country with such a generous style of cooking and I've had the privilege of dining at Tedesca Osteria twice. Brent Savage's restaurants are legendary, and some of the most pitch-perfect dining experiences I've had in Sydney were at Bentley and Cirrus. And Jake Kellie, I've admired for many years during his time at Burnt Ends, and I'm thrilled to be cooking with him at Arkhe in August." On the Importance of Celebrating and Supporting Young Chefs "Australia doesn't share the same long history of haute cuisine as other countries, and it is only now that we are beginning to articulate what 'Australian cuisine' is, was and can be — encompassing native and traditional ingredients and influence from waves of immigration, and reflective of where we are as a nation. It's hugely important to support our young chefs in Australia on that journey to define who we are, and to have more chefs that thrive on the world stage. For Australia, we're at the precipice of our culinary journey, and we have to see the ideas of the current industry taken to the next level by the next generation of chefs." [caption id="attachment_962876" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Etta by Annika Kafcaloudis.[/caption] On How Melbourne's Food Scene Stacks Up Against Other World-Leading Culinary Cities "I'm originally from Singapore, and I can say with certainty that the dining scene in Melbourne is well up there with cities like London and Paris. Not as saturated, sure, but the fresh ideas, breadth of styles and respect for ingredients coupled with incredibly strong skills puts this city firmly in the same calibre. Melbourne did host the World's 50 Best a few years ago for a reason, so I certainly am not biased in this opinion. What I do love about cooking in Melbourne is the freedom. We have sensational produce, young farmers serious about healing our topsoil — growing truly delicious ingredients — and such a wealth of cultures and histories to be inspired by. It's an incredible time to be a chef in Melbourne." On the Best Advice That Kaul Has Ever Received "I've been told a few things in my life that have focused and sharpened my trajectory, the major one being to be a sponge: learn anything and everything from the people around you. Everyone is good at something, and whether it be a Demi-Chef or a Head Chef training you, there is always something to learn, whether you agree with them or not. The more talking you're doing, the less you're learning. When I was working at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Chef Ashley Palmer-Watts once said 'the moment you lose your temper, you've lost control of the situation'. I held that statement close when I started running my first kitchen. If you stay calm, calculated, and ready for any and all possibilities, you'll never be taken by surprise. Three steps ahead, always." And Some Advice for Young Chefs Looking to Succeed in the Industry "Leave your ego at the door. You also have to continually challenge yourself — don't ever be the smartest person in the room — because complacency is akin to failure, and there were times when I was feeling a little too comfortable at Etta. The best thing I could do for myself as a 31-year-old chef was to throw myself out into the world again and seek new challenges. It's a scary thing, defending your credibility, but I know I can be more, and it is worth every bit of fear and discomfort." Top image: Kristoffer Paulsen.
April 14, 2018, will forever go down in history as the day Beyoncé took to the Coachella stage and made it her own. If you were lucky enough to be there, you'll no doubt remember it forever. If you watched the live stream — and it became the most-watched live-streamed performance of all time, so you probably did — then you'll never forget it either. Whichever category you fell into, you likely wish you were closer to the action — to the stage for the 137-minute performance, to the 100-plus dancers, to its powerful homage to America's historically black colleges and universities, and to the backstage antics as well. Enter Netflix's Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé, the concert documentary you definitely knew you needed, but didn't know existed until now. Yesterday, Wednesday, April 17, the streaming platform released the in-depth look at Bey's epic show, revealing "the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement". Like the real-life performance, the film clocks in at 137 minutes, so expect a lengthy and intimate tour through the festival set everyone has been talking about for a year, including behind-the-scenes footage and candid chats that delve into the preparation process and Bey's stunning vision. You know what else is lengthy? The 40-track live album Bey just dropped on Spotify. Yep, the Queen has blessed us on two platforms this week. We are not worthy. As well as live renditions of 'Sorry', 'Crazy in Love' and 'Soldier' — the latter which was performed with former Destiny's Child group mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams — from Coachella, the album, also called Homecoming, features a song by Blue Ivy (Bey's daughter) and two bonus tracks. It's also doubly exciting that the album is available on the easier-to-access Spotify, as Bey dropped her most-recent album Lemonade exclusively on Tidal, her husband Jay-Z's streaming service. The long weekend is here. You have four hours of Beyoncé content to consume. Happy listening and viewing, friends. Head to Netflix to watch Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé and listen to the album below:
Located just off Collins St in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, Curry Vault offers modern Indian dishes with a special attention to its wine list. It's the perfect place to kick back for a long lunch (Monday-Friday) or a special dinner (Monday-Saturday). Inside, expect a mix of casual art gallery, classic Indian diner and local bar. This is somewhat formal dining but not at the price of fun. There's a casual and relaxed atmosphere where you can easily spend a few hours like they were minutes. The menu kicks off with a handful of hot appetisers, including traditional Nepalese momo made with minced chicken or seasonal vegetables and served with chutney, and govi pakora – deep-fried cauliflower in a chickpea flour batter. Inside the tandoor, king prawns, chicken, lamb cutlets and fish are cooking. Opt for the mixed platter if you can't decide which you'd prefer. The selection of vegetarian dishes runs from the spicy paneer chilli through to the mild and creamy malai kofta. Or if meat is more your thing, there are seafood, chicken, beef and lamb specials to suit everyone. The prawn malawari stands out, a generous serving of king prawns in a coconut cream sauce. As well as being an Indian restaurant, Curry Vault is also something of a wine bar, specialising in pairing your order with a glass of wine. Their list includes a large selection by the glass or bottle and there is something to complement every dish. Top drops include Castelforte Soave from Veneto in Italy and the Argyle Heathcote shiraz. While they offer up serious food and wine to match, Curry Vault is the kind of place to come in and relax. There's no hurrying you out the door here, and there is always another wine to sample.
Avocados: everyone loves them, not just Aussies accused of spending all their cash on smashed avo for brunch. In Amsterdam, one person loves them so much that he opened up a restaurant dedicated to serving the green creamy fruit up in as many ways as possible. Now, he's thinking about taking the show on the road, including to Australia. The Avocado Show, that is — because that's what the eatery is called. It launched in February in Amsterdam's De Pijp district, and calls itself "Europe's first and finest avocado bar". Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, late at night, any time in between: if you've got a hankering for avo on bread, avo between two pieces of bread (aka avocado sandwiches), burgers made with avocado buns and more, you'll find it here. https://www.instagram.com/p/BZdMi__FQxc/?taken-by=theavocadoshow With the likes of avo roses on toast, avo poke bowls, avo ice cream and avo daiquiris on offer, the venture has been quite a success — unsurprisingly — which is what has prompted thoughts of expansion. MUNCHIES reports that there'll be new sites in Europe, as well as restaurants in North America, Asia and own our shores. Owner Ron Simpson told the publication he had received franchise requests before the first store even opened, so it's little wonder that 15 additional spots are planned over the next year. As you've probably noticed, avocado isn't literally the only thing on the menu, although every item does include it in some shape or form. If that makes you hungry, feasting your eyes on The Avocado Show's Instagram pics will only make it worse. Keep your eyes peeled for more info about their Aussie ventures while your stomach grumbles, though, with just where and when they'll arrive yet to be revealed. Via MUNCHIES
In recent years, Frankston has levelled up its offering for residents and visitors alike with a bigger focus on art and events, becoming a hub of activity for street artists, beach lovers and everyday folk looking for a break from the city. Coming up in 2025 are events for all interests, giving you all the more reason to come down and check out the offerings of culture, cocktails, and coastal vibes. Read on to find out what's happening in Frankston in the coming months. South Side Festival — Thursday, May 8 to Sunday, May 18 The fun seemingly never stops in Frankston, since the community favourite South Side Festival will return in 2025, marking its fourth year of showcasing and celebrating the colourful, cultural core of the Frankston area. The ten-day celebration is set to include playful circus shows from Circus Trick Tease, neon-lit art installations in Beauty Park, a dance performance by the Sydney Dance Company at Frankston Art Centre, a chilly ocean swim, artist residences, film screenings, community workshops and more. Australian Sand Sculpting Championships — Saturday, April 5 to Sunday, April 27 If you're of the opinion that sand is course, rough, irritating and that it gets everywhere, then you need to check out this autumn event. For the month of April, artists from across Australia will make a return to the championships home on the Frankston waterfront and transform it into a landscape of sculptures, recreating iconic villains from throughout literature. Attend the opening weekend to see the designs come to life and see the winner announced, or visit before the 27th to see the designs in full. You'll also get the chance to vote on a winner for the People's Choice Awards or partake in some sand-centric activities — including sand sculpting workshops, sand easter egg hunts, a sand museum and more. Frankston Street Art Festival and Block Party — Monday, March 17 to Sunday, March 23 - CONCLUDED Another popular entry on the Frankston events calendar, these annual festivals showcase the vibrant street art of the area in over a week of celebration. Celebrating the local artistic scene, the Frankston Street Art Festival attracts local, national and international artists to do their thing on the walls and laneways throughout Frankston City. In 2025, the artist lineup includes Aussie creatives like Damien Arena, Jasmine Crisp and Trent Downie, alongside international talents Simon Beuve, Manuel Guiro and Candela Colors. Celebrations kick off with the Festival Launch Party on Tuesday, March 18, with drinks, music and meet-and-greets with the artists at the Cube gallery, plus the chance to get your say in next year's lineup with the People's Choice Award. For the rest of the festival, you can take things as you please from the program. Get hands-on with workshops and speaking sessions, or take advantage of Frankston's street art tours becoming free for the week to see the new murals and maybe meet the artists before it all culminates with Block Party. This free street celebration finale will feature music from DJs Pixleton and CuznMatt, roaming entertainment from the Snuff Puppets and street art workshops popping up in White Street Mall on Saturday, March 22. The Carlsberg Beach Club — Friday, January 31 to Sunday, March 30 - CONCLUDED If you can't justify the cost of a Euro summer adventure in 2025, get a sip of the experience at Frankston Pier instead. The Carlsberg Beach Club will bring a European beach club-inspired experience to the waterfront, inviting guests to sit and take in the coastal scenery with cocktails and summer snacks between 12pm and sunset every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from January 31 to March 30. Access is free but space is limited so you'd best pre-register. Once you've secured a spot, enjoy live music from the likes of Darley, So Frency So Chic, Oil Busta, Alice Ivy, Madame Reve and more, grab a Carlsberg beer or cocktail and wash down a steak sandwich or any of the other tasty treats on the menu. Enjoy the sunset and go for a dip while you're there, too. For more information on any of the above events and to see what else is coming to Frankston in 2025, visit the website.
A film about memories, Aftersun is impossible to forget. Floating across the screen like it's sweeping in from a dream, it's too raw, too personal, too deeply felt and too tactile. Within its frames, 11-year-old Sophie (debutant Frankie Corio) enjoys a sunny late-90s getaway to Turkey with her father Calum (Paul Mescal, The Lost Daughter), cementing recollections that'll linger decades afterwards. In telling this "emotionally autobiographical" tale, as she's called it, Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells crafts a movie that's rich, resonant and haunting from its very first moments to its equally stunning and beautiful finale. Since the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Aftersun certainly hasn't been forgotten by the film world. Nearing a year later, it's still the talk of the industry — deservedly so. The list of accolades and nominations to its name keeps growing almost daily. A Cannes Critics' Week Jury Prize, five Independent Spirit nods, a Gotham Award, seven British Independent Film Awards and nine more nominations, the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: they're among the movie's ever-expanding list of gongs. So too is the Directors Guild of America's coveted prize for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film. And, of course, there's Mescal's Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor, a feat that the Normal People star achieved in just his third big-screen role. Making her feature directorial debut after shorts Tuesday, Laps and Blue Christmas, Wells didn't contemplate anything that'd follow simply making Aftersun. "With shorts, it most often ends at its premiere. You're so fortunate to have gotten to the point where you're showing the film with an audience at a festival that that is the end of the road, really," she tells Concrete Playground. "I had naively not thought about what came after making the film. I thought about the response only really in the narrative sense, about how legible the film was in its themes and its characters, and its intentions," she advises. "It's been really special. I don't think you set out to make films to get that type of award recognition, but it's been really nice to see the work recognised, and the work of my collaborators recognised." Special truly is the word for Aftersun, and for everything that it brings to the screen. It applies to the so-intimate-you-could-be-there look and feel, the heartwrenching use of a coming-of-age tale to ponder loss and depression, the meticulously specific yet also timeless use of 90s minutiae — songs like 'Macarena', 'Losing My Religion' and 'Tubthumping', plus Catatonia's 'Road Rage', All Saints' 'Never Ever' and Blur's 'Tender' as well — and Corio and Mescal's sublime performances. With the film now in cinemas Down Under, and still buzzing around the international awards circuit, too, we spoke to Wells about her journey with Aftersun — including what it's like to direct Paul Mescal to an Oscar nomination, and finding her perfect cast to begin with. ON CASTING PAUL MESCAL — AND WATCHING EVERYTHING HE WAS IN FIRST "We focused our attention first on casting Sophie, because we knew she would very likely be a discovery, somebody who'd never acted before, and that it would take time — which it did, it took about six months. And towards the end of that process, we started to consider Calum in earnest, and Paul's name came up. Obviously, I'd seen him in Normal People. It was about a year after that had premiered during the early days of the pandemic, and I watched everything that I could get my hands on. I was drawn, I think, just to his warmth and capacity for vulnerability, and his openness and playfulness and charm. You know, I was watching interviews, really anything and everything. There was like an Instagram video of him singing Sia, and reading a children's book — everything. I don't think I've said that to him. Then we had the opportunity to meet and to talk. There was a period where he wasn't available, so we had to dispel the idea, but it came back around because our dates had moved. Then we had the chance to meet, and we just had a really great conversation and connected. He was so thoughtful in the way that he spoke about the script and the character. It's always a leap of faith at every step of the process, from the second the script leaves your inbox, to bring on collaborators, particularly for a project like this. It was so long in the making, in the writing, and so personal in so many ways, and casting is a really big leap of faith — it's when things start to become concrete in a certain way. It was a leap of faith really well taken, and I feel really proud to stand beside those two when we present the film to people, when we're at awards together. It was a really good experience, and they connected in such a profound and unexpected way. I don't think anybody foresaw the relationship that they would build to be as real in some way as it was." ON HEARING THE OSCARS NEWS AFTER SUCH A COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE "I can tell you what it felt in the moment that it happened, because I was on the phone with a couple of my producers. Paul rang the moment that it happened, and we both just jumped up and down around our respective apartments, yelling and swearing — and then took this moment just to appreciate the absurdity of the moment, and also the experience that we had together, which really was like a creative partnership and collaboration." There was a lot of trust that we placed in each other, I think. It really worked both ways. He put a lot of trust in me that I was creating meaning out of sequences of images, and things that may not be shot the way he'd imagined they'd shot — great stretches of dialogue shot while he was 50 feet away, sitting on a float out at sea for pivotal scenes in the film. He really trusted that I knew what I was doing in crafting this and building it, and allowing the feeling to shine through. I trusted him to just bring so much empathy to that character and to find meanings in unexpected places, and warmth in unexpected places. It was just a really special collaboration, and it feels like an amazing accomplishment on everyone's part in the film. And his performance being recognised, you know, it's such a small team. There weren't a lot of us. It was a really intimate film, and it's just very exciting and really, really nice." ON FINDING FRANKIE CORIO TO PLAY SOPHIE "We worked with [casting director] Lucy Pardee, who has worked with [Fish Tank and American Honey director] Andrea Arnold and [Birth and Under the Skin filmmaker] Jonathan Glazer, and has this amazing reputation for discovering new talent. She was my guide through that process, really. We had almost 800 submissions. These kids would submit various videos, and ideally we allowed them the space to grow with the process and become more comfortable in front of their camera at home. So, when we got into the casting room in-person — we met 16 of them — it felt like a natural step, a natural point of evolution in the process, even though that was still a new experience for them and for me too, really. That's where Frankie really stood out. That's where she was able to sit in front of the camera and become somebody different, and respond to direction, I suppose. And conjure emotional states that weren't what she was feeling in the moment, and then just shake them off when the exercise was over and cartwheel out the room. She was really, really, special and funny and never let me off easy in the best possible way. She's amazing to be around. She has so much energy." ON BRINGING 90S SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES TO THE SCREEN "It was all about specificity in detail. The colours were just right. The length of the sleeves were just right, and that was down to our costume designer. The size of the tiles were just right or, if they weren't, we knew and we made a choice. There was just so much attention to detail in every department, and yet Greg [Gregory Oke, Aftersun's cinematographer] and I spoke about this, because we didn't want to excessively draw attention to detail. I think music is the most significant signifier of the period in the film. I played into a little bit, and enjoyed playing into a little bit. At the same time, I didn't want to always choose mega hits, because if I did I couldn't pay attention to the scene at hand. I wanted to choose things that were pop, and that felt real to the location, and also draw from slightly older tracks, too, because it's not only songs from 1997–8 that you would be hearing in 1997–8. We wanted it to feel really present and rich, and vibrant. 'Present' was our overriding adjective for the feel of the film, even though it was set in the past. We used our own holiday photographs as the basis of the look, the turquoise blues and the magenta skins and the rich blacks, quite saturated. We literally just handed holiday photographs to my colourist. I had been on one holiday to Turkey as a kid, and the photographs for that were the basis for the look for the film, and the types of tones that we went for. The Souvenir, Joanna Hogg's film, the first one had come out when we made the film. The second came out devastatingly in post. That was definitely a cue for how to portray a period that just felt very lived in and authentic, and never drawing attention to itself where it didn't need to, but just serving the story and the feel of the film." Aftersun is now screening in Australia and New Zealand cinemas. Read our full review. Images: Sarah Makharine.
In early 2016, Little Creatures opened a large-scale brewing operation — its second in Australia — in Geelong, occupying the structure that was once home to the Old Valley Worsted Wool Mill. Keeping the rustic character of the mill and adding its own creative touches, the team — which has since acquired White Rabbit Brewery and launched Furphy — has adapted the property into three distinct sections: The Canteen, White Rabbit Barrel Hall and Furphy Hall, all with unique menus and — most importantly — a range of in-house brew options. The Canteen sits at the end of an old laneway which has been brightened up with colourful stools and flags, while old wooden crates have been repurposed as seats and bar tables to complete the thrown-together space. The kitchen does a classic brunch from 8am on the weekends and otherwise serves pizza and plates to share — think mac 'n' cheese, kangaroo skewers and beef sliders. Just around the corner from The Canteen you'll find White Rabbit Barrel Hall. Stacked wooden barrels and towering brewing tanks invite the visitor down a long hall to explore the internal workings of the nationwide operation. It's also is home to a fully stocked pantry and a menu featuring refined treats like open sandwiches and cheese and salumi options. Both spaces can be booked for events, but the site's premier and newest event venue is the Furphy Hall. Opening its doors in January of this year, Furphy Hall was created in sorts to give back to the Geelong community and celebrate the Furphy Ale: a brew made with 100 percent Victorian hops and malt. If you've made it this far you now know how much there is to explore in Little Creatures' Geelong location. There are brewery tours every day of the week at select times (for $15) and each space offers the option to double as an event venue.
The next time you watch two of Disney's best-loved animated hits, you won't be belting out "it's the circle of life" and "let it go" (or trying to resist the urge to sing along while sitting in a crowded cinema). When The Lion King Reo Maori and Frozen Reo Maori hit theatres in Australia and New Zealand in 2022, they'll still include everything that's made audiences adore both movies over the years — and both films will be dubbed in te reo Māori as well. The Mouse House has announced that it's creating and releasing new Māori-language versions of The Lion King and Frozen in conjunction with NZ company Matewa Media, after Moana Reo Māori proved a big hit. Producers Chelsea Winstanley (Jojo Rabbit) and Tweedie Waititi (Moana Reo Māori, Rūrangi) are behind the new releases, and have started work on giving the two Oscar-winning flicks a new voice. "It was always our dream to dub more Disney films that our tāmariki love into te reo Māori. We are extremely thrilled to continue this journey with The Walt Disney Company — it clearly demonstrates their commitment as a company to diversity and inclusion," said Winstanley. It might seem like a straightforward change, but the importance of giving audiences access to beloved tales in different languages — and, for New Zealanders, in the country's Indigenous language — really can't be underestimated. And, it's hardly common practice, but Moana and now The Lion King and Frozen are leading the charge. Viewers will be able to check out the results in June and September 2022, with The Lion King Reo Maori releasing first to commemorate Matariki (Māori New Year) and Frozen Reo Maori hitting cinemas around Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Māori Language Week. Presumably, the films will also then head to Disney+ — which is where you can stream Moana Reo Māori right now. Trailers for The Lion King Reo Maori and Frozen Reo Maori don't yet exist, understandably, but you can check out a video for Moana Reo Māori below instead: The Lion King Reo Maori will hit cinemas in June 2022, and Frozen Reo Maori will follow in September 2022 — we'll update you with exact dates when they're announced.
Not once but twice each year, the online-only First Nations Film Festival from streaming service FanForce TV delivers a feast of Indigenous filmmaking for your next couch session. The virtual viewing event initially pops up for National Reconciliation Week. Then, it returns for NAIDOC Week. In 2025, there's a few twists, however — welcome ones. Firstly, the online fest's NAIDOC Week collection is sticking around for an entire month, from Sunday, July 6–Wednesday, August 8 — even though the celebration that it's timed to runs for just one week. Also, if you haven't yet caught this year's National Reconciliation Week films, its season has also been extended until the same date. With the NAIDOC Week package, your choices start with Warwick Thornton's We Don't Need a Map, the acclaimed filmmaker's exploration of the Southern Cross as a symbol. Or, catch Here I Am, the feature debut of writer/director Beck Cole (Deadloch) and star Shai Pittman (Around the Block), which follows a woman seeking redemption upon her release from prison. Other viewing options span Over the Edge, Mother's Day and a range of shorts. You can get access to the entire season for $38.
Is heading back in time as easy as entering venues across Australia when Ministry of Sound hits town? In April 2025, it will be. Another blast from the past is on its way — and another excuse to spend a couple of nights journeying back a few decades just by stepping onto the dance floor — thanks to MoS's returning (and massive) Testament parties. Whether you lived through the 90s rave scene, spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s or just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes, Ministry of Sound will take you there in 2025 — again. The Testament events toured Australia in both 2023 and 2024, and keep proving a smash. On 2025's run, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth are scoring both the 90s and 00s events, while the parties are also making one-day-only stops on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Ministry of Sound itself was around through both eras, so you couldn't be in better hands to get retro via old-school 90s and 00s bangers. Each evening is devoted to one of two decades, so you'll need to attend both if you want to make shapes to tunes from 1990 through to 2009. It's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, however, so fans of late 20th-century beats can attend the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks if that's all that you're keen on — and lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. The DJ lineup is headlined by international acts such as Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, Felix Da Housecat, Graeme Park, Krafty Kuts, Plump DJs, Smokin Jo and Utah Saints. Australia's own John Course, Sgt Slick, Minx and Mark Dynamix are also on the bill, alongside over 60 other names across the tour. Australian tour dates range from Friday, April 4–Sunday April 13, with the gigs taking over White Bay Power Station in Sydney, The Timber Yard in Melbourne, Brisbane's Superordinary, Perth's The Court, Miami Marketta on the Gold Coast and The Station on the Sunshine Coast. Ministry of Sound: Testament 2025 Dates and Venues Sydney: Friday, April 4 — 90s — White Bay Power Station Saturday, April 5 —00s — White Bay Power Station Melbourne: Saturday, April 5 — 90s — The Timber Yard Saturday, April 12 — 00s — The Timber Yard Brisbane: Friday, April 4 — 00s — Superordinary Friday, April 11 — 90s — Superordinary Gold Coast: Sunday, April 6 — 90s — Miami Marketta Sunshine Coast: Sunday, April 13 — 00s — The Station Perth: Sunday, April 6 — 00s — The Court Sunday April 13 — 90s — The Court Ministry of Sound: Testament 2025 Lineup Paul Oakenfold Roger Sanchez Felix Da Housecat Graeme Park Krafty Kut Plump DJs Smokin Jo Utah Saints John Course Sgt Slick Minx Mark Dynamix Adam O Agent 86 A-Tonez Alan Thompson Andy Murphy Andy Van Annabelle Gasper Alex Taylor Barking Boy Biz-E Beaver Brewster Bee Boogs Chantal Chris Fraser Craig Obey Chris Wilson Daniel Farley De Saint Elroy Ember Funky Col Goodwill Groove Terminator Graham Mandroules Grant Smillie Greg Sara Greg Churchill Gus Da Hoodrat Jace Disgrace Jade Jaime Doom Jason Digby Jayse Knipe Jen E Johnny Gleeson Kate Monroe Kid Kenobi Ken Cloud Lorna Clarkson Matt Kitshon Matt Nugnet B2B Jason Morley Mike Callendar Ming D Miss Doodes Nick Field Nick Law Phil Simmonds Phil Smart Randomplay Robin Knight Rousey Sam Hill Simon Caldwell Simon Digby Soren Steven Alkins Steve Lind Sudeep Sugar Ray Sunshine The Impossibles U-Go-B Young Jase Ministry of Sound: Testament 2025 will tour Australia in April. For further details, and to buy tickets from 10am AEST on Thursday, November 7, head to the event's website. Images: Rachel Rachel / Ashlea Caygill.
As Victorian wine regions go, nothing beats a trip to the Yarra Valley. Be it a weekend or a midweek adventure (because wine and time off go hand in hand), the countryside scenery and world-class food and drink offerings make it one of Victoria's top spots for a getaway. If you're craving a romp in vino country, there's an opportunity here for you to book just that. That's thanks to this offering by Visit Yarra Valley and a group of local wineries: Oakridge Wines, Chandon, Punt Road Wines, Giant Steps and St Hubert's. Plus, a local boutique hotel, Chateau Yering. It's a grand prize, to be sure. One lucky winner (and their even luckier plus one) will get a two-night stay in a Melba Suite at Chateau Yering with welcome drinks, a charcuterie board, and daily breakfast. On top of that, there's a three-course dinner with matching wines at Eleonore's Restaurant and a $400 voucher to be used at the winner's choice of the participating wineries. For terms and conditions and to submit your entry, see below, and good luck. [competition]979585[/competition]
What's set to feature synth-heavy tunes, a big blender, plus Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act chatting Australian audiences through one of the huge music events of every year? In 2025, that's how the Eurovision Song Contest will play out. Another May is in full swing, which means that another round of acts are taking to the stage to compete for Europop glory. Flying the flag for Australia at the 69th Eurovision: Go-Jo with the song 'Milkshake Man'. The place: Basel in Switzerland, thanks to Nemo winning Eurovision 2024 with 'The Code'. And the dates for your diary: Wednesday, May 14–Sunday, May 18 Down Under. The event's 2025 semi finals take place at 5am Australian time on Wednesday, May 14 and Friday, May 16, with Go-Jo featuring in the second. Then, this year's winner will be crowned on Sunday, May 18. To watch along from home, you'll be heading to SBS and SBS on Demand — which is where Armstrong and Act come in. As announced back in April, the pair are fronting the Aussie commentary team this year, with the ex-AFL footballer-turned-TV presenter (Eat the Invaders) teaming up with the Australian Idol and RuPaul's Drag Race alum to guide audiences through the full 2025 Eurovision experience. Act was part of the 2024 coverage, too, as SBS's backstage Eurovision correspondent. Go-Jo, aka Marty Zambotto, was named in February as Australia's latest entrant. While you might've been among the folks helping his single 'Mrs. Hollywood' notch up 60-million digital streams and one-billion views, he's performing 'Milkshake Man' at Eurovision. Enter that big blender for the Manjimup-raised, now Sydney-based performer, another former footballer (in the West Australian Football League), who was the ninth most-streamed Australian artist in the world in 2023. "The Milkshake Man's purpose is to inspire people to embrace the loudest and proudest version of themselves, and I can't think of a better place to share that message than the Eurovision stage. It's an absolute dream come true to represent such a beautiful and diverse nation, and I've never been more excited to share my art and vision with the incredible Eurovision fans around the world," said Go-Jo when he was announced at 2025's Aussie competitor. And that blender? It's part of Go-Jo's staging, and measures four metres in height — with Australia going big, literally, to mark ten years since first competing in Eurovision when Guy Sebastian entered the 2015 contest with 'Tonight Again'. [caption id="attachment_1003691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Henley[/caption] For newcomers, Eurovision started back in 1956 as a competition between a mere seven nations. Now, nearing seven decades later, it's a glitter-strewn and spandex-fuelled global musical phenomenon. Thirty-seven countries not only in Europe but from elsewhere are competing in 2025 — hello Australia — and viewers tune in en masse to watch, sing along and add new pop tunes to their queues. When Go-Jo performs his track in the semi final, he'll be up against performers from Ireland, Austria, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Montenegro, Latvia, Armenia, Lithuania, Malta, Georgia, Czechia, Luxembourg, Israel and Serbia. If he then makes his way through to the grand final, he'll be one of only 21 acts making the cut,. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Switzerland are automatically guaranteed spots. You have choices if you're keen to watch — depending on whether you want tear yourself out of bed before it's light. If you want to view the proceedings live, you can from 5am on the relevant days. Streaming replays will also be available mid-morning. Or, if you can somehow manage to avoid the internet and social media, both semis and the grand final will also screen in primetime across Friday–Sunday. Can't decide whether to beat the sun or wait and host a party at sensible hour? It's worth remembering that Australians can indeed vote for Eurovision, but only until around 18 minutes after the last song is performed in each live semi-final broadcast and about 40 minutes after the last track ends in the grand final. Voting is open to everyone in all finals — whether you're from a country participating in that final or not — and the artists who get through from the two semi finals to the grand final will be solely chosen by the audience at home. Still remaining the same: the rule that says Australians can't actually vote for Go-Jo, because no one can vote for the country they represent. [caption id="attachment_1003694" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Wilson[/caption] "I'm so excited to jump into the world of Eurovision with the one and only Courtney Act, who has already taken me under her wing. I'm definitely not envious of her brilliance and my jealousy won't make it on screen I promise. Eurovision holds such a special place in so many hearts around the world. I look forward to being a part of the spectacle along with Courtney," said Armstrong when his Eurovision hosting gig for SBS in 2025 was announced. "I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy Eurovision last year — and this year I'm back, now with everyone's favourite IT man Tony Armstrong (who I can confirm is just as delightful and dashing in real life as you'd expect). I'll be offering my commentary expertise on every costume reveal, key change, wind machine and pyro moment I know Switzerland will deliver. Tony's already taught me a thing or two about team sport energy, and I'll be returning the favour with a crash course in camp," added Act. Eurovision 2025 Broadcasts Live broadcasts: Semi final one: 5am AEST on Wednesday, May 14 on SBS and SBS on Demand Semi final two: 5am AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS and SBS on Demand — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: 5am AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS and SBS on Demand Streaming replays: Semi final one: from 8.30am AEST on Wednesday, May 14 on SBS on Demand Semi final two: from 8.30am AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS on Demand — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: from 10.30am AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS on Demand Prime-time TV 'access all areas' broadcasts: Semi final one: 7.30pm AEST on Friday, May 16 on SBS Semi final two: 7.30pm AEST on Saturday, May 17 on SBS — featuring Go-Jo Grand final: 7.30pm AEST on Sunday, May 18 on SBS SBS' Eurovision 2025 coverage runs from Wednesday, May 14–Sunday, May 18. For more information, head to the broadcaster's website — and for more information about Eurovision, head to the event's website. Eurovision rehearsal images: Alma Bengtsson / Sarah Louise Bennett / Corinne Cumming.
Scott Connolly has a knack for refurbing pubs — most notably The Orrong Hotel and Healesville Hotel, which are now absolute stunners. He's achieved the perfect transformation at these sites, breathing plenty of contemporary cool into these spaces without losing any of their old-boozer charm. And now, the next lucky pub to get a Connolly makeover is South Melbourne's The George. The two-storey pub that sits on the corner of Cecil Street and Coventry Street has been kicking around for 150 years, in one form or another, and its next chapter is set to be a big one. Once the work is done in early 2025, punters can return to the watering hole to find a revamped public bar, bistro-style dining room, leafy courtyard, upstairs function space and a smattering of outdoor seating. It going to have all the essential contemporary pub trimmings. Steve Svensen (ex-Lenny and Moby) has also been brought on to run the food side of things at The George, crafting modern interpretations of classic pub dishes. And when it comes to bevs, you can expect your usual draught beers on tap as well as a wine list featuring plenty of local producers — no surprises here. Connolly shared, "We're thrilled to be part of this community and hope that The George will continue to hold a firm place in the hearts of South Melbourne locals while also welcoming a new generation of pub-goers. "Homely hospitality and classic pub fare is at the heart of our new offering at The George and we look forward to bringing back that warm pub atmosphere and celebrating the building's welcoming historical character with restored interiors." The George — found at 139 Cecil Street, South Melbourne — is slated to reopen in early 2025. For more details, you can check out the venue's Instagram page.
After months of research, experimentation and taste testing (not to mention the Instagram updates that have left us all salivating), Shortstop Coffee and Donuts finally opened yesterday. Partners Anthony Ivey and Sinye Ooi chose a small space down a side street off Little Lonsdale for their new venture, where the sleek glass and blonde wood fitout lets the simple menu do the talking. They do donuts and they do coffee — promising to revolutionise our perceptions of both. Inspired by the simplicity of the American approach to coffee, and using a Market Lane blend, Shortstop has paired back their coffee menu to two options: white (with organic milk) or black (filter or espresso). In contrast, their donut menu offers up innovative and, at times, totally unexpected flavour combinations. Choose between the honey and sea salt, the rhubarb and ginger, the red velvet with beetroot and dark chocolate or the Earl Grey tea and lemon myrtle with rose water icing (both pictured), or go all out with the Bourbon spiked creme brulee. Though ridiculously Instagrammable, these confections aren't just pretty on the outside; Shortstop has perfected their dough-making technique so not only will you find a faultless 'raised' doughnut with its classic fluffy centre, but more unusual varieties as well. Think cake donuts and French cruller donuts, made from handpiped choux pastry. The word is already spreading about Shortstop. To avoid the queues, take advantage of their clever preorder service online the day before you drop in. Find Shortstop Coffee and Donuts at 12 Sutherland Street Melbourne, 3000. Open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:30pm.
As school kids, we're taught to think of art and science as two very different beasts. But neuroscience now shows this dichotomy to be false — when performing most complex tasks, we use both the logical and creative sides of our brain. And this July, at Carriageworks, Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda will smash this division to smithereens by transforming science into art with two epic installations entitled micro | macro. The work — which Ikeda developed during a residency at the renowned science institution CERN in Switzerland — is divided into two sections. The first, the planck universe [micro], reveals atoms by blowing them up into visible proportions. This mind-bending installation will cover a whopping 172.8 square metres of space inside the Redfern multi-arts institution. The second, the planck universe [macro], is a ten-metre-high projection capturing the natural world in various scales — from the human perspective all the way to the cosmic one. "My work is created by reducing sound, light and the world into sine waves, pixels and data… so that the world can be viewed once more at a different resolution," said Ikeda of his new installations. As you wander through both installations, expect to feel very, very small, while finding yourself asking some big, big questions. What do we know? What can we know? Is what we see really all that it seems? This is Ikeda's third show at Carriageworks, previously presenting Superposition in 2015 and Test Pattern [No 5] in 2013, and it'll be as cutting-edge and immersive as ever. Images: Martin Wagenhan & Zan Wimberley
Beers with ramen. Beers with music. Beers with burgers and board games and bowls. Yes, Good Beer Week is upon us, and, as always, our stein runneth over. Bookended by free parties on opening and closing night, this year's boozy brouhaha features more 270 events at venues all over town. Hope your boss doesn't mind you coming into work with a hangover. Foodies will be enamoured with an array of gastronomic options, including dinners and degustations at such culinary institutions as Le Bon Ton, Fancy Hanks, Babu Ji and Milk the Cow. As it turns out, there isn't much that doesn't go well with an ice-cold beer. Or, preferably, several ice-cold beers. You'll also find plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained, from trivia nights to block parties to a circus show at Hawkers Brewery. We just hope the acrobats stay off the piss. Image: Simon Shiff.
Poirot goes horror in A Haunting in Venice. As unsettling as it was in its pointlessness and indulgence, Death on the Nile's moustache origin story doesn't quite count as doing the same. With Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) back directing, producing and starring as the hirsute Belgian sleuth for the third time — 2017's Murder on the Orient Express came first — Agatha Christie's famous detective now gets steeped in gothic touches and also scores the best outing yet under his guidance. The source material: the acclaimed mystery writer's 1969 novel Hallowe'en Party. Returning screenwriter Michael Green (Jungle Cruise) has given the book more than a few twists, the canal-lined Italian setting being one. Venice makes an atmospheric locale, especially on October 31, in the post-World War II era and amid a dark storm. But perhaps the most important move that A Haunting in Venice makes is Branagh reining in the showboating that became so grating in his first two Poirot movies. Even if you've never read Christie's work or seen Poirot on the screen before, three details have become as widely known as the figure's existence: he's a detective, he's eccentric and, to the benefit of solving cases upon cases, he's obsessive. Thankfully, three also seems to be the magic number in letting the investigator's quirks feel lived in during his current cinema run, rather than constantly overemphasising every idiosyncrasy. Both A Haunting in Venice and Branagh's performance are all the better for that choice. When not just puzzling but also spooking is on offer, such a shift is essential, allowing bumps, jumps and eeriness to set the mood and style over an overdone central portrayal. Branagh is helming a haunted-house story this time around, after all — and while ghost tales need people to torment, overblown identities shouldn't be the most disquieting thing about them. He's also made a picture about grief and trauma, two experiences that change personalities. In relocating to the sinking island city and withdrawing from the whodunnit game, his new status quo when the film begins, A Haunting in Venice's Poirot has already done his own toning down. It's 1947, a decade after the events seen in A Death on the Nile, and bodyguard Vitale Portfoglio (Riccardo Scamarcio, The Translators) helps keep life quiet by sending away everyone who seeks the sleuth's help. The exception: Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey, Only Murders in the Building), a Christie surrogate who is not only also a celebrated author, but writes crime fiction based on Poirot (with Fey slipping into her shoes, she's a playful source of humour, too). When the scribe comes a-knocking, it's with an invite to a séance, where she's hoping that her pal will help her to discredit the medium, Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once), who has the town talking. The supernatural isn't Poirot's thing, unsurprisingly. Usually, that applies to the stories that he's in and his perspective. But Ariadne herself is starting to be convinced that Joyce might be the real deal, as she explains while persuading her friend into assisting. In A Haunting in Venice, belief isn't much Poirot's thing either — although unnerving visions do begin lingering in his view. As much as Branagh, cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (another veteran of the first two pictures), composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (an Oscar-winner for Joker) and editor Lucy Donaldson (The Midnight Club) have fun diving into horror, and they do, embracing the occult was never going to be on the cards for movie's main character. Instead, getting his mystery-solving mojo back is part of the predictable plot; more than in Branagh's past two Poirot flicks, A Haunting in Venice feels comfortable rather than inert in its formula. From that setup, the film unfurls over one night and in a sole spot: a grand yet crumbling palazzo. The building was previously an orphanage where many kids met their death and has seen other folks follow them since, with local legend chalking up the abode's misfortunes to "the children's vendetta". Ex-opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly, Yellowstone) now owns the structure — and it's her daughter Alicia's (feature debutant Rowan Robinson) passing that's inspired her to enlist Reynolds' services. Count her among the suspects when a body shows up, alongside Leslie Ferrier (Jamie Dornan, The Tourist), Drake's family doctor; Leopold (Jude Hill, Branagh's Belfast breakout), his precocious son; Olga Seminoff (Camille Cottin, Call My Agent!), the mansion's housemaid; Desdemona and Nicholas Holland (The Crowded Room's Emma Laird and Everyone Else Burns' Ali Khan), brother-and-sister war refugees; and Maxime Gerard (Kyle Allen, West Side Story), Alicia's American former fiancé. The expected Poirot template still dictates A Haunting in Venice's basics; few deductive skills are needed to see why Hallowe'en Party's name and city were changed to fit the franchise's mould, for instance. So, murders occur, fingers are pointed, everyone has a motive and the movie's main man gives his brain a workout. Also, getting the pool of accused jostling — and the actors playing them, of course — remains as baked into the feature as in its predecessors. This rogues' gallery makes a finer job of it than the past talents in the same position with Branagh. They're more cohesive as a group, and even as well. Fey sparkles with acerbic wit, Yeoh is confidently serene, Cottin frays nervily, Laird is a picture of unease, and having Dornan and Hill play father and son again after Belfast is a nice touch. With Branagh bringing more nuance to his role than ever, his co-stars never feel like they're being thrust into the shadows by their director and lead. There's zero subtlety in the filmmaking, though, nor should there be in a gleeful gothic-horror spin on Poirot. Cue a wealth of visual flourishes that convey a murder-mystery with purposefully disorientating excess — and shine. Thanks to Venice, the horror genre's fans will already be thinking about 70s great Don't Look Now, which arrived in cinemas before that decade's Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Spotting odes to Italian giallo master Dario Argento are easy to find, too. Close ups, tilted angles, wide-angle shots, leaping from high to low perspectives, tight focus, making the utmost of the Venetian architecture: they all add to the macabre-and-loving-it air. They also boost a much-needed point of difference in these whodunnit-heavy times. Branagh's flicks have been outshone comically by everything from Knives Out and its sequel to the small screen's Only Murders in the Building and The Afterparty, so getting creepy proves a successful way of fending off their spirits; fittingly, it's a canny trick and enough of a treat.
Tear into warm injera and mouth-watering stews at Northcote's new home of Ethiopian cuisine. Now open on High Street, MESOB takes its name from the traditional straw-woven containers that serve as both bread basket and communal dining table. And if you've ever eaten Ethiopian before, you'll know that the communal element is half the fun. Forgoing cutlery, diners at MESOB instead use the injera (a traditional Ethiopian gluten-free flatbread made with teff flour) to shovel their food directly from share plate to mouth. It's perfect for messy eaters, or anyone who enjoys licking their fingers clean at the end of a meal. Start with dips and sambosa (pastry stuffed with spiced beef or fish) before moving onto a selection of stews made with chicken, beef or lentils. One main in particular that grabs our attention is the doro wot, described on the menu at the national dish of Ethiopia: mildly spiced chicken simmered with onions, ginger and spices, topped with a whole hard-boiled egg. They also offer a number of colourful chef's platters, for customers who can't make up their minds (or just want to try a bit of everything). Ethiopian cuisine doesn't typically feature dessert, but keep your eyes on MESOB's specials board for the occasional sweet treat. Of course MESOB isn't the northside's only new Ethiopian joint, with Saba's Ethiopian Restaurant opening in Fitzroy late last year. We're already on record as being big fans of their work, so here's hoping their Northcote compatriot is up to scratch. Image: avry via Flickr.
Touring to Australia for the first time in more than five years for your first Aussie festival headlining slot since 2011 is one way to celebrate 35 years as a band. The group: Tool. The fest: Good Things. For 2025, Maynard James Keenan and company lead the fest's big names. Also on the bill: Weezer and Garbage. Get ready to hear 'Sober', 'Forty Six & 2', 'Buddy Holly', 'Island in the Sun', 'Vow' and 'Only Happy When It Rains' like it's the 90s and early-00s again — all on Friday, December 5 at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. The rest of the bill includes All Time Low, Machine Head and The All-American Rejects, as well as Knocked Loose, Lorna Shore, Refused, New Found Glory and Make Them Suffer. And, you can catch Dayseeker, James Reyne, Kublai Khan TX, Cobra Starship, Goldfinger, Tonight Alive and more. Good Things 2025 Lineup Tool Weezer Garbage All Time Low Machine Head The All-American Rejects Knocked Loose Lorna Shore Refused New Found Glory Make Them Suffer Dayseeker James Reyne Kublai Khan TX Cobra Starship Goldfinger Tonight Alive Bad Nerves Civic Dead Poet Society Fever 333 Gwar High Vis Inertia Palaye Royale Scene Queen South Arcade Wargasm Windwaker Yours Truly Top Tool image: Scott Moran. Good Things images: Kane Hibberd.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ivHf4ODMi4 JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH The last time that Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield appeared in the same film, Get Out was the end result. Their shared scene in Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning horror movie isn't easily forgotten (if you've seen the feature, it will have instantly popped into your head while you're reading this), and neither is Judas and the Black Messiah, their next exceptional collaboration. With Kaluuya starring as the Black Panther Party's Illinois Chairman Fred Hampton and Stanfield playing William O'Neal, the man who infiltrated his inner circle as an informant for the FBI, the pair is still tackling race relations. Here, though, the duo does so in a ferocious historical drama set in the late 60s. The fact that O'Neal betrays Hampton isn't a spoiler; it's a matter of fact, and the lens through which writer/director Shaka King (Newlyweeds) and his co-scribes Kenneth Lucas, Keith Lucas (actors on Lady Dynamite) and Will Berson (Scrubs) view the last period of Hampton's life. The magnetic Kaluuya has already won a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his performance, and is bound to be nominated for and likely win an Oscar as well — and if he wants to keep acting opposite Stanfield in movies this invigorating, ardent, resonant and essential, audiences won't complain. It's 1966 when O'Neal falls afoul of the law for trying to impersonate an FBI agent to steal a vehicle. With J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen, Grace and Frankie) directing his employees to "prevent the rise of a 'messiah' who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement" — his real-life words — the car thief is offered a deal by actual FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons, I'm Thinking of Ending Things). If O'Neal cosies up to Hampton, then reports back on his comings, goings, political moves and general plans, he'll avoid jail. Initially apprehensive, he acquiesces to keep his freedom. With Hampton's raging speeches earning him a firm following, and his charisma and canny strategies broadening the crowds hanging on his words, O'Neal's task isn't minor. And the further he ingratiates himself into Hampton's confidence, becoming his head of security, the more he's torn about keeping tabs and doing the government's increasingly nefarious bidding. This isn't just a story about one young Black man coerced into bringing down a rising leader and revolutionary, however. It's also a tale about the figure who mobilised the masses as Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X had, until he was shot while he slept at the age of just 21. And, it's an account of the powers-that-be's abject fear of progress, equality, and the crusaders willing to put their lives on the line to fight for justice and a better world. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjcbZla2cA GIRLS CAN'T SURF Exploring the gender imbalance in professional surfing, especially during the 80s and 90s as women in the sport were starting to attract the world's attention, Girls Can't Surf feels like a floodgates-bursting documentary. Watching female stars of the era talk about their experiences, including the vast disparity in prize money between men and women and how that affected their efforts to make a living, it's easy to see this candid and detailed film setting a template for a wealth of other movies. As fans of any type of women's sport well and truly know, differing treatment, pay, sponsorship and levels of respect aren't restricted to hitting the waves. Indeed, as the doco's high-profile parade of talking heads offer their thoughts and recollections — such as former world champions Frieda Zamba, Wendy Botha, Pam Burridge, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen and Layne Beachley — many of their words could be uttered by any number of female athletes in a wide range of fields. That truth doesn't undercut the doco's power, or downplay what women surfers have been through. Rather, it underscores the importance of continually shining a light on the way the sporting arena has routinely sidelined, undermined and devalued anyone who isn't male. "If you can't see it, you can't be it" is one of Girls Can't Surf's resonant and universal sound bites, and it's easily applicable far beyond the film's specific stories and the sport in focus. Indeed, when Beachley talks about how she used to mill around surfing contests as a teen starting out in the field, and annoy the ladies she'd soon be competing against, you can see those words in action; if earlier generations of women hadn't already been hanging ten, Australia's seven-time champ wouldn't have had any footsteps to follow in. The film is filled with astute insights and telling connections such as these. It all leads to the well-publicised recent development, only back in 2018, of equal winnings for men and women being mandated by the World Surf League from 2019 onwards. That happy ending benefits today's stars, such as Stephanie Gilmore, Tyler Wright and Carissa Moore, but it came too late for Girls Can't Surf's interviewees. Once again, knowing that significant change has finally come to the sport doesn't diminish the potency of hearing about the horrors, struggles and rampant sexism that female surfers endured for decades — with two-time feature surf documentarian Christopher Nelius (Storm Surfers 3D) smartly bringing those tales to the fore, and the people sharing them as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb9PBr7Qhec MAX RICHTER'S SLEEP Since first opening its doors back in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has played host to a wealth of performances, spanning far further in genre than just the art form that gives the venue its name. But it was only during Vivid Live 2016 that the iconic locale serenaded visitors into an evening-long slumber, all as part of Max Richter's live recital of his eight-and-a-half hour work Sleep. Across 31 tracks comprised of 204 movements, the German-born British composer's concept album unfurls music based on the neuroscience of getting some shuteye. In its intonation, the ambitious yet soothing piece favours the range that can be heard in the womb for much of its duration. When performed for an audience, it is played overnight, with beds set up — and doing as the work's title suggests is highly encouraged. Attendees recline, listen and let Richter's blend of strings, synthesisers and soprano vocals lull them into the land of nod. If they'd prefer to stay awake, that's fine as well, but soaking in Sleep's ambient sounds while you're snatching 40 winks is all very much part of the experience. In its live version, Sleep has echoed through spaces in London, Berlin and Paris, too; however, it's the first openair performance in Los Angeles' Grand Park in 2018 that takes pride of place in the documentary Max Richter's Sleep. A filmmaker was always bound to be so fascinated with the concept that they'd turn their lens Richter's way, and that director is Natalie Johns (an Emmy nominee for Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert), who endeavours to capture the experience for those who haven't had the pleasure themselves. The resulting film doesn't run for more than eight hours, or anywhere close — but those watching and listening will quickly wish that it did. As a feature, Max Richter's Sleep isn't designed to advertise its namesake. Rather, it documents, explores and tries to understand it. Still, the movie so easily draws viewers into the music, and so deeply, that making its audience want to snooze in public while Richter and his band plays is a guaranteed side effect. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZSLvFo0eus COSMIC SIN Reminding viewers of far better movies while they're watching yours isn't a smart or recommended filmmaking tactic, but it's what writer/director Edward Drake (Broil) does best with Cosmic Sin. By casting Bruce Willis in this science fiction slog, it immediately brings The Fifth Element to mind. That influential 1997 movie just keeps inspiring flicks that don't feature Willis of late — see also: Chaos Walking — but it leaves a particularly heavy imprint here. Indeed, it's impossible not to think of the rosier era in the actor's career that The Fifth Element represents as Willis is grimacing his way through scene after scene in Cosmic Sin, and visibly putting in zero effort. It's difficult not to think of 1998's Armageddon, too, a movie that isn't at all great but is certainly better than this new space war-fuelled picture. Drake clearly wants audiences to make these connections, which is why his feature spends far more time than it should watching Willis meander around looking unimpressed and wearing plastic armour, all while playing a disgraced military head honcho on the comeback trail. And, it must be why the film squanders Frank Grillo, who also hasn't had a great run of late (as seen in Jiu Jitsu and Boss Level), but has been screaming for years for a movie that makes the most of his presence. The year is 2524. Earth is now an old hand at attempting to colonise other planets. And when one such celestial body tried to break away five years earlier, Willis' James Ford handled it by committing mass murder. Now, a group of aliens from a just-discovered civilisation is attempting to give humans a taste of their own medicine. Ford is brought back as part of a ragtag team tasked with defending life as everyone 500 years in the future knows it, which also includes General Eron Ryle (Grillo), his nephew Braxton (Brandon Thomas Lee, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser), quantum tech Fiona Ardene (Adelaide Kane, Once Upon a Time) and fellow veteran Marcus Bleck (Costas Mandylor, In Like Flynn). Cue a movie that's never as over-the-top as it needs to be to keep viewers even remotely interested, and a bland affair all-round. The film's fondness for tech jargon-heavy nonsense dialogue doesn't help. Cosmic Sin's vision of the future — including its laughable robot bartenders — also looks as awkward as its narrative and performances feel. And while Drake and his co-writer Corey Large (Breach, and also a co-star here) endeavour to ponder deeper themes, including humanity's historical penchant for exploring the world and conquering everything in sight, that too proves flimsy. It isn't intentional, but Willis' bored look says everything it needs to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVOH9540Sbg THEN CAME YOU With film distributors playing it coy and cautious when it comes to releasing their hopeful box office hits during the pandemic, movies that mightn't have otherwise made their way into cinemas are currently getting a shot at the big screen. In some cases, that's excellent news for small but exceptional features that would've likely been dwarfed by blockbusters. In others, flicks that no one should have to pay to endure are also reaching theatres. Then Came You falls into the latter category. A vanity project for American talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, who stars in and wrote the not-at-all romantic or comedic rom-com, it'd test patience even if it was watched with just one eye half-open and after several drinks in the middle of a long-haul flight. As well as lazily using culture-clash tropes to throw obstacles in the way of its chalk-and-cheese central duo — a newly widowed American hardware shop owner (Gifford, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming) and the Scottish Lord (Craig Ferguson, Hot in Cleveland) whose crumbling mansion she books for the first stop on a globe-hopping getaway — this trite affair hasn't met a clunky double entendre it didn't love, or a predictable plot development that can be seen from Nantucket to Scotland. First, Annabelle Wilson and Howard Awd converse via email, which Then Came You has the pair read aloud in its opening moments. Then, she announces to her empty house that she has to make new memories or the old ones will kill her, heads to the UK, is shocked that Scotland has working trains, and alternates between flirting and arguing with her host. He has a sob story, too, and he's also struggling to retain his sprawling, stereotypical-looking estate. He has a high-powered London-based bride-to-be (Elizabeth Hurley, Runaways) as well — but there's never any doubting how Then Came You will end. Rom-coms frequently stick to a template; however, it is possible to liven up a creaky formula with snappy dialogue and warm, charismatic performances. As directed with the forceful gloss of a TV commercial by second-time feature helmer Adriana Trigiani (Big Stone Gap) and often set to the same repeated song (also co-written by Gifford), this film sadly struggles with both its core rapport and its leading lady's overacting. He's worlds away from his own former TV hosting gig on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and from his sitcom tole on The Drew Carey Show, but the fact that the reliably charming Ferguson fares best here, even with the grating material, hardly comes as a surprise. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17, December 26; and January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; and March 4. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking and Raya and the Last Dragon.
Burger lovers of Melbourne, rejoice — yet another (yes, another) place selling your favourite food is posed to join the culinary lineup. If you've ever been on holiday in Queensland and grabbed a burg on the Gold or Sunshine Coasts, then you might be familiar with our newest resident from up north: Betty's Burgers. After announcing they'd be opening new stores in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane last month, their shiny new burger joint is now open at 97 Elizabeth Street — their first outside of Queensland. So what's Betty's all about? Well they do a range of burgs that have been pretty well received up north. You can except their classic, crispy chicken, pork belly and mushroom signature burgers to make their way to Melbourne, as well as their insane Shake Shack-esque frozen custard concoctions. These are called 'concretes', and you can choose to get things like peanut brittle, pecan pudding, doughnuts and lemon cheesecake mixed through them. A photo posted by Betty's Burgers & Concrete Co. (@bettys_burgers) on Dec 2, 2016 at 12:22am PST The concept sounds similar to Melbourne burger joint Royal Stacks, which also does burgers and frozen custard desserts, although it must be noted that Betty's was first opened in Noosa by David Hales in 2014 (before Royal Stacks' time). He has since opened two stores on the Gold Coast — one at Surfers Paradise and one at Robina. Betty's Burgers is now open from 10am till late seven days a week at 97 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. For more info, visit bettysburgers.com.au. Interior images: Carmen Zammit. Words by Lauren Vadnjal and Sarah Ward.
While we think record hunting with your crush makes for a particularly adorable date, it can also be pretty thirsty work. Thankfully, Kensington has the answer in the form of White Rabbit Record Bar, where you can either grab a coffee or an Alice in Wonderland-themed cocktail. As you can imagine, vinyl spins day and night, and food is available if you need sustenance between searching sessions.
Alexandros Kouris speaks a lot about alchemy. As the owner and founder of the Nissos Brewery on the island of Tinos, he’s not just talking about the rich golden colour of his beer; he’s talking about what makes a craft beer great. “I can’t explain it chemically to you, but there’s an alchemy,” Kouris laughs. “Happy people make good beer.” Nissos Pilsner has made it to the Australian craft beer market all the way from the sunshine and aquamarine seas of the Greek island of Tinos, 6 nautical miles from Mykonos. It’s a beer craft drinkers will be drawn to not just for its unique taste (a citrusy, refreshing and full-bodied pilsner) but as a winsome example of the craft beer ethos. Nissos beer is brewed and bottled in small quantities by 15 local Tinos islanders, using purely natural, traditional and slow brewing processes, as well as Greek ingredients. For Kouris, this local authenticity is very much the appeal, and why he believes the resurgence of craft beers is well deserved. “I’m a great believer that food and drink should be — it’s not the product, it’s not the commercial product — it’s part of our culture,” says Kouris. “So if I take from your hands the production of food and drink I take part of your identity ... I come here with my beers and taste yours and I take back yours, this is beautiful, this is human. And this is human skill and it keeps the world alive.” Kouris entered the world of craft beer following the Global Financial Crisis, when he decided to sell off what companies he had. He says that while everyone in Greece was afraid and taking money out of the country, he wanted to do the opposite. “I loved beer. I followed the craft beer movement all around the world," he says. "I love the Cycladic island of Tinos and I said, putting the two together that could create a very good business, one that will make me happy and one that will, I hope, inspire people in Greece.” It seems his gamble has paid off. Last year the small brewery came away with silver in the Pilsner category at the European Beer Competition (which Kouris describes as the “Oscars” of beer competitions) against 1613 other international beers. Impressive, given the brewery was only 17 months old and produces only one beer, but hardly surprising for a pilsner whose herbal and citrus aroma and crispness tastes like a liquid advertising campaign for life on a Greek isle. This year, the taste and story of the beer has been discovered by Nick Manettas (of Nick’s Seafood Restaurant), who has embarked on a successful campaign to bring Nissos to the Australian market and into your craft beer-ready glass. “It’s very distinct, it’s very full-bodied as a pilsner and apparently it’s very good, people love it,” smiles Kouris. “And you know, this is alchemy.” You can find Nissos on exclusive release to all of the Nick’s Restaurant and Bar Group venues before it begins wider distribution to a pub near you over the next year. So keep your eyes on your craft beers and a Greek island shanty in your heart.
When Michael Crichton put pen to paper and conjured up a modern-day dinosaur-filled amusement park, he couldn't have known exactly what he'd done. The author easily imagined the story making its way to the big screen, because the Jurassic Park novel started out as a screenplay. He could've also perceived that a whole film franchise could follow, and that folks would be quoting the movies for decades. And yet, we're guessing that he didn't predict the latest development: a recreation of Jurassic World, the fourth movie in the series, out of Lego. Australians will soon be able to wander through and peer at more than 50 dinosaurs, props and scenes from the 2015 movie that have all been recreated with the popular plastic bricks. They'll be on display at Jurassic World by Brickman, an exhibition that'll hit the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday, April 1–Monday, May 31, then tour the rest of the country. Exactly which other cities Jurassic World by Brickman will head to, and when, hasn't been revealed as yet — but there is plenty for Melburnians and Aussies elsewhere to look forward to. More than six million Lego blocks have been used in the exhibition, to create the four-metre-tall park gates, the lab where the dinosaurs are genetically engineered, those instantly recognisable jeeps, a petting zoo, a heap of creatures and more. Lego dinosaurs are obviously the main attraction, and this event is going big. There'll be a life-sized brachiosaurus that weighs more than two tonnes, a huge tyrannosaurus rex, two life-sized velociraptors (Blue and Delta), and everything from a stegosaurus to a triceratops, too. You'll see some in a baby dinosaur enclosure, encounter some on the loose, and learn how to track them over the exhibition's recreation of Isla Nublar (while using your imagination a whole heap, obviously). If it all sounds rather sizeable, Jurassic World by Brickman will be the largest Lego experience in Australia. And if getting a closer look at Jurassic World sounds a little familiar, you might remember the non-Lego exhibition that hit Melbourne back in 2016. Lego aficionados will also be able to get building while they're there, with 2.5 million bricks to play with. Obviously, this'll be a family-friendly affair, so expect to have plenty of small dinosaur fans for socially distanced company. Jurassic World by Brickman makes its world premiere in Melbourne and, after hitting up the rest of Australia, will also tour globally. And if you're wondering when you'll next see a Jurassic World flick on the big screen, Jurassic World: Dominion — the followup to 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom — is due to release in June 2022. Jurassic World by Brickman will display at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday, April 1–Monday, May 31, before touring the rest of the country — with other stops around Australia yet to be announced. Tickets for the Melbourne run go on sale at 10am AEDT on Thursday, March 11.
