Founded as a way to promote happiness and health, this five-kilometre-long run involves splashes of colour to distract you from the fact that you're, you know, exercising. All participants are asked to wear as much white as they can, and then embrace the colour pigment that's blasted at them at various points during the race. This is sweaty exercise disguised as straight-up fun. With plenty of excitement at the beginning, a party at the end, and four colour zones to dance your way through — plus a bubble zone, a foam zone and a DJ zone — the fun never stops, and neither do your legs. The Color Run now takes place in more than 35 countries worldwide, attracting six million runners across the globe. This year it'll run its Melbourne race on Sunday, November 25 at Flemington Racecourse, kicking off at 7am. If you need more motivation, there'll also be free slurpees, a giant swing and a ball pit. Plus, if you'd like to do something for others with your run, you can raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — at present, spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in 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. LITTLE JOE Pipes blow gently. The camera swirls. Rows of plants fill the screen. Some are leafy and flowery as they reach for the sky; others are mere stems topped with closed buds. Both types of vegetation are lined up in boxes in an austere-looking laboratory greenhouse — and soon another shoot of green appears among them. Plant breeder Alice (Cruella's Emily Beecham, who won the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actress award for her work here) is cloaked in a lab coat far paler than any plant, but the symbolism is immediately evident. Audiences don't know it yet, but her shock of cropped red hair resembles the crimson flowers that'll blossom in her genetically engineered new type of flora, too. "The aim has been to create a plant with a scent that makes its owner happy," she tells a small audience. She explains that most research in her field, and in this lab, has revolved around cultivating greenery that requires less human interaction; however, her new breed does the opposite. This species needs more watering and more protection from the elements, and responds to touch and talk. In return, it emits a scent that kickstarts the human hormone oxytocin when inhaled. Linked to parenting and bonding, that response will make everyone "love this plant like your own child," beams Alice like a proud parent. So starts Little Joe, which shares its name with the vegetation in question — a "mood-lifting, anti-depressant, happy plant," Alice's boss (David Wilmot, Calm with Horses) boasts. She's borrowed her own teenage son's (Kit Connor, Rocketman) moniker for her new baby, although she gives it more attention than her flesh-and-blood offspring, especially with the push to get it to market speeding up. The clinical gaze favoured by Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner (Amour fou) is telling, though. The eerie tone to the feature's Japanese-style, flute- and percussion-heavy score sets an uneasy mood as well. And, there's something not quite right in the overt eagerness of Alice's lab colleague Chris (Ben Whishaw, Fargo), and in the way that Planthouse Biotechnologies' other employees all instantly dismiss the concerns of the one naysayer, Bella (Kerry Fox, Top End Wedding), who has just returned to work after a mental health-induced sabbatical. Making her first English-language feature, Hausner helms a disquieting and anxious sci-fi/horror masterwork. Like many movies in the genre, this is a film about possibilities and consequences, creation and its costs, and happiness and its sacrifices — and about both daring to challenge and dutifully abiding by conformity — and yet it's always its own beast. There are aspects of Frankenstein at play, and The Day of the Triffids, and even Side Effects also. But as anyone familiar with Mary Shelley's iconic work knows, combining familiar elements can result in an intriguing new entity that's much more than just the sum of its parts. Read our full review. HERSELF Survivalist films typically pit humans against the elements, nature or space, testing a character's endurance when they're cast adrift in the ocean (as in Kon-Tiki and All Is Lost), enduring unwelcoming expanses (Into the Wild, Arctic), faced with animal predators (The Grey, Crawl) or navigating the heavens (Gravity, The Martian). Herself doesn't tick any of those boxes, but it still fits the genre — because what else is a movie about a woman trying to escape an abusive marriage, care for her two young daughters alone and build a safe future if not a story of survival? In Dublin, Sandra (Spider-Man: Far From Home's Claire Dunne, who also co-wrote the feature's screenplay) is unhappily married to Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson, Vikings), and has the bruises to prove it. When he finds money hidden in her car, a badly fractured hand becomes the latest marker of their domestic horror. She leaves, children Molly (Molly McCann, Vivarium) and Emma (debutant Ruby Rose O'Hara) in tow, but forging a path forward proves complicated at every turn. Social services can only put the trio up in a hotel far away from the girls' school, juggling two jobs to barely scrape by becomes even trickier and, by court order, Gary still gets weekend visits with the kids. Then, thanks to a spark of unexpected inspiration, Sandra decides to try to build her own house — a €35,000 self-build that'll require an overwhelmingly thoughtful gift from one of her bosses (Harriet Walter, Killing Eve), the kindness of a construction industry veteran (Conleth Hill, Game of Thrones) and all the help she can muster. As a writer (with What Richard Did's Malcolm Campbell), Dunne doesn't make easy choices. Her narrative doesn't follow a straightforward path, either. Herself's script highlights the devastating complexities that surround Sandra at every turn, but avoids plotting the obvious course — because more hopeful and more grim moments are always in everyone's futures, even when it seems that worse surely can't come. Stress, resilience, tender gestures and uncaring powers-that-be are all a part of this story. So is interrogating a system that's quick to push back at victims in the name of family, and the impact upon children who grow up in a household blighted by domestic violence. Herself fleshes out this reality, but always hurtles forward, because that's all that Sandra can do. Worlds away from the two other features on her resume — Mamma Mia! and The Iron Lady — director Phyllida Lloyd helms an intense , compassionate but still clear-eyed drama. It's as bleak as French standout Custody, which also plunges into an abusive marriage. It's also as brutal in its unflinching depiction of navigating bureaucracy as fellow Irish film Rosie, which also tells of a mother trying to find housing for her kids. And yet, without any cloying sentiment, there's hope and tenacity here as well, including in Dunne's phenomenally rich and vulnerable performance. Read our full review. WEREWOLVES WITHIN The last time that filmmaker Josh Ruben trekked to a snowy mountainous locale and tracked the characters stranded in its midst, Scare Me was the end result, with the entertaining horror-comedy combining cabin fever chaos with creepy tales. Accordingly, it's easy to see how he's jumped from that Sundance hit to Werewolves Within, which shares the same kind of setting and setup — but with lycanthropes and a whodunnit twist. Forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson, Promising Young Woman) has just arrived in the remote town of Beaverfield as the weather turns and the strange attacks start. He's barely been given a tour by fellow outsider Cecily (Milana Vayntrub, This Is Us), the local mail carrier, when the village's generators are found destroyed and the bodies start piling up. Finn has already established that he's surrounded by eccentric characters, including an oilman (Wayne Duvall, The Trial of the Chicago 7) trying to build a pipeline through the foliage, a store owner (Michaela Watkins, Search Party) obsessed with her dog, a constantly arguing couple (No Activity's George Basil and Barry's Sarah Burns) with a fondness for skirting the law, and a pair of ex-city slickers (What We Do in the Shadows' Harvey Guillén and Saved by the Bell's Cheyenne Jackson); however, he's soon forced into close quarters with his new neighbours as they all try to work out who's transforming into a ravenous creature and indulging their hunger. If it all sounds a bit like Cluedo but with werewolves, there's a reason for that; the 2016 virtual reality game that Werewolves Within is based on also matches that description. Adapted into a movie, the narrative aims for Knives Out with claws — but, while overflowing with one-liners, sight gags and a healthy sense of humour to a not just jam-packed but overstuffed degree, the end result is never as funny as it should be. It's never quite as fun, either, even though the concept is a winner on paper. Comedian-turned-screenwriter Mishna Wolff spends far too much time trading in the glaringly apparent, not to mention the predictable. Hell is other people here, and the fact that a seemingly quaint and friendly small town can be filled with deceit, duplicity and disaster is hardly a new observation (and neither is the musing that the sniping within the community just might be worse than the supernatural threat they're now facing). That almost every character remains purely one-note doesn't help, and nor do the over-amped performances given by all of the film's supporting players. Richardson is a delight, though, as he has been in everything from Detroiters to Veep. Indeed, he makes the case not just for more work, but for more leading roles. Vayntrub sinks her teeth into her part, too, and her rapport with Richardson is one of the movie's highlights. Also engaging: the off-kilter tone that Ruben adopts throughout, again aping his previous — and better — feature. PERFUMES Add Perfumes to the lengthy list of odd-couple comedies that bring folks with opposing personalities together, and suddenly, all so that they can learn life lessons, face much-needed realisations and ultimately live better futures. This French feature also hinges upon an only-in-the-movies setup, after a professional "nose" — someone with enhanced olfactory receptors who plies their talents in the fragrance trade — strikes up an unlikely connection with the struggling father that starts working as her chauffeur so that he can eventually win shared custody of his tween daughter. The key here: sincerity. There's sweetness in writer/director Grégory Magne's (L'air de rien) film, and whimsy, too, but this tale about two lost souls unexpectedly finding commonalities in each other never plays up its quirks. Instead, as penned with heart, helmed with patience, and performed with soul by stars Grégory Montel (Call My Agent!) and Emmanuelle Devos (Violette) as well, Perfumes is like smelling a familiar yet still enticing, comforting and surprising scent. Just as fragrance designer Anne Walberg (Devos) builds aromas out of recognisable ingredients while striving to create something that stands out, this charming movie blends its array of easy-to-spot elements into a pleasingly distinctive cinematic treat. In the latest French-made or -adjacent feature to include a custody battle of late (see also: Custody and My Zoe), all that Guillaume Favre (Montel) wants is to convince a judge that he can spend every other week with his daughter Léa (Zélie Rixhon, The Ideal Palace). To do so, he needs to radiate stability, something that he starts seeking through his driving job. When he's assigned to ferry Anne between assignments, he's far from impressed by her aloof demeanour or unusual demands. Helping her change the sheets at her hotel isn't in his job description, he notes. But he's also intrigued by her work, which currently involves recreating the specific odour of a cave, masking an unpleasant smell that's infected a leather brand's handbags, and trying to counteract the stench being pumped out by a rural factory — new gigs she's pushed into by her money-motivated agent (Pauline Moulène, Boomerang) after starting out concocting designer perfumes. Magne's film isn't about narrative surprises, but about emotions. It's also about spending time with two nicely fleshed-out characters who find friendship blossoming despite their initial misapprehensions, and bring out the best in each other as a result. Perfumes wouldn't work if it didn't unfurl with gentle but genuine warmth, if it didn't value attention to detail so highly, and if it didn't have both Devos and Montel as its anchors; however, thankfully they're all a part of this elegant Gallic effort. ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS More than once in Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, a supporting performance stands out — and not for the right reasons. Overdone and obvious, these portrayals leave audiences with no doubt that the corresponding characters are part of the game that this franchise has been playing for two movies now. The overall premise of this series sees ordinary folks receive invites that lead them into a maze of escape rooms. These are literal life-and-death spaces, and the body count grows room by room. This time around, Zoey (Taylor Russell, Words on Bathroom Walls) and Ben (Logan Miller, Love, Simon), the sole survivors of 2019's series starter, are trying to track down the villains responsible for the death traps. Of course, they're soon stuck in another one, alongside four fellow winners (In Like Flynn's Thomas Cocquerel, Follow Me's Holland Roden, Queen & Slim's Indya Moore and Step Up: High Water's Carlito Olivero) from other games. There's supposed to be a sense of anxiousness about where the escape rooms begin and the outside world ends, and vice versa, but that's completely stripped out of this second effort. Throughly unsubtle bit-part performances, even for a movie this blatant at every turn, will do that. Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is still tense when Zoe, Ben and their fellow pawns are trying to sleuth their way to safety, thankfully, but that's largely a result of giving them twisty puzzles to solve at an urgent pace. Watching people trying to problem-solve quickly comes with innate tension. Will they succeed? Won't they? The seesawing between those two extremes is inherently suspenseful. That, and the rooms themselves, are two of Escape Room: Tournament of Champions' three highlights. The third: Russell, who is capable of so much more — as seen in Waves, for example — and gives her part here more depth than is written on the page. But, as much as returning director Adam Robitel (Insidious: The Last Key) tries to spin something memorable out of the nervous tone, elaborate spaces and Russell's presence, the repetition and overtness gets tiring fast. While individual scenes may be tense, the overall film never is. It's always apparent where the narrative is headed, even when the six credited writers (Mortal Kombat's Oren Uziel, Hand of God's Daniel Tuch, Counterpart's Maria Melnik, The Hive's Will Honley, Invincible's Christine Lavaf and Wildling's Fritz Böhm) think they're serving up surprises; thought has clearly gone into the minutiae of each escape room, and yet little seems to have been afforded the bigger picture. Visually, and in its soundtrack, every stylistic touch paints by the numbers, too. Also much too predictable: that the film is a setup for yet more to follow. The Final Destination franchise has ratcheted up five instalments so far, so the Escape Room series, the closest thing it has to a successor, can obviously keep milking its setup for several more formulaic movies to come. 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 January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27; and June 3, June 10, June 17 and June 24. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Ema, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, My Name Is Gulpilil, Lapsis, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Fast and Furious 9, Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks and In the Heights.
Yass, a small NSW town near Canberra received the signature Queer Eye makeover when the Fab Five descended on the town this week. Well, the whole town didn't, but George — a cattle farmer and former rodeo cowboy — did. As did the local pub. A rundown of the show, for the uninitiated, the original Queer Eye for the Straight Guy show hit screens a whopping 15 years ago — running from 2003 to 2007 — and the reboot Queer Eye returned to Netflix this year. The general premise is that the Fab Five give less-fashion-savvy men (and it seems, establishments) much-needed makeovers. In Yass, while three of the Fab Five, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France and Karamo Brown, were looking after George the cattle farmer, the remaining two — Antoni Porowsi and Bobby Berk — renovated the local pub's bistro and introduced a new signature dish to the menu. Fittingly, the five were also crowned — by Yass Mayor Rowena Abbey — Yass Queens. Yas, queen. If this reference is lost on you, it's a term said to have originated in the 80s ballroom community, but recently surged to popularity thanks to this YouTube video. The Australian mini-episode of Queer Eye will hit social channels on June 22, a week after Season Two premieres on Netflix on June 15.
When the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television anoints its picks for the best movies and TV shows of 2023, it'll do so in February 2024 on the Gold Coast. The country's night of nights is on the move to southeast Queensland, making its Sunshine State debut; however, a change of location isn't the only big offering. For the first time ever, the organisation is also hosting the AACTA Festival, a celebration of everything that the country puts on screens both silver and small. AACTA's gongs will be given out on two dates, starting with its Industry Awards on Thursday, February 8 and then hosting its usual glittering ceremony on Saturday, February 10. Around those occasions, running from Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 11 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, AACTA Festival will be filled with talks, screenings and more featuring a swag of impressive names. If Talk to Me creeped its way onto your list of favourite Australian horror movies, directors Michael and Danny Philippou will be at AACTA Festival to dive into it. Warwick Thornton is also on the lineup to discuss The New Boy as part of the fest's 'meet the creators' events, as are the teams behind Limbo, Sweet As, Shayda and The Newsreader. Can't wait to see the Boy Swallows Universe TV series? It'll be out by February, so you'll have it fresh in your mind author Trent Dalton gets talking about it. And if you were a fan of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart either on the page or screen, Holly Ringland will also be chatting. Indeed, writers are a big focus, including Nick Earls, Lystra Rose, Mathew Condon, Richard Jameson, Tristan Michael Savage and Ben Hobson. Giving the event one of its international highlights, Lessons in Chemistry's Bonnie Garmus is on the bill as well. Also each massive highlights: behind-the-scenes explorations of The Matrix, the stunts of Mad Max: Fury Road and, for some more overseas flavour, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's animation. Or, enjoy a chat with Wellmania and The Way We Wore's Celeste Barber about her career, then find out more about the upcoming series High Country starting Leah Purcell (Wentworth), Aussie-made Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and the sequel to Mortal Kombat at their own dedicated talks. Before they get their own immersive experience in Brisbane, Bluey and Bingo will be doing a meet and greet — and, including a live-watch party for the AACTAs, a screening of 1906's The Story of the Kelly Gang, trivia, a Play School live event and a chat about music Baz Luhrmann's movies, there's plenty more joining them. In total, over 70 sessions form AACTA Festival, with most free to attend. AACTA nominees will also be taking part, although the details there can't be revealed until after exactly who is vying for a gong is announced on Saturday, December 9. "AACTA Festival is a must-attend event for anyone who lovesAustralian film, television, music, gaming, art and pop culture," said AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella, announcing the lineup. "We are excited to present more than 70 events over four days celebrating the excellence of our industry. From red carpet glamour to workshops and a special kids' lineup, it's an invitation for everyone to step into the magic of storytelling and creativity." AACTA Festival will run from Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 11 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast. For further details, head to the fest's website. Boy Swallows Universe and Wellmania images courtesy of Netflix.
Carnegie might be a bit of a hike away, at 12km from the CBD, but think of it as a pilgrimage, or another couple of steps along the path you're taking on the necessary journey that is your ramen life. Shyun Ramen Bar — named for the word "shyun" which means "season" in Japanese — follows its own instructions carefully and uses only fresh and seasonal ingredients in its bowls. The broth is simmered for the hours necessary to refine really good soup and the umami score is off the charts — we suggest you try the chef's pick pork ramen with your choice of shoyu or miso. It's also an incredibly reasonable $12.40 — another reason for you to make the ramen trek.
Mildura has been a magnet for artists for more than sixty years. So, even though international touring artists don't always make it to Australia's outback towns, it's no surprise that Lenny Kravitz is doing the honours. On 28 November, he'll take over the Mildura Sporting Precinct with his Blue Electric Light Tour, hot from London, Paris and Berlin. Skip the massive crowds in Sydney and Melbourne, and catch the legend with just a few thousand avid fans. You can expect classic hits like 'Are You Gonna Go My Way?', 'Fly Away' and 'It Ain't Over Till it's Over', as well as tunes from Kravitz's new album, Blue Electric Light. As he has for decades, Kravitz is still winning crowds with his catchy hooks, high energy and undeniable charisma. While you're in Mildura, go exploring with our weekender's guide. There's a lot to see and do – from Bruce Munro's dreamy, contemplative Trail of Lights to cruising on a 19th century paddle steamer to wine tasting on the banks of the Murray River.
Whether you watched along from 2009–15 when it was in production or you discovered its joys via an obsessive binge-watching marathon afterwards, Parks and Recreation is one of the 21st century's TV gifts — and the beloved sitcom cemented its stars, from its lead roles through to its supporting parts, as audience favourites. Plenty of those talents also share something else in common: a fondness for touring Down Under. Nick Offerman has done it, taking to Australia's stages. Amy Poehler has made multiple promotional Aussie trips for Inside Out and Inside Out 2. Henry Winkler even headed this way to chat through his lengthy career. Now, add the latter's on-screen son to the list. Ben Schwartz, aka Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio Saperstein, has a date with Melbourne in 2025. Don't be suspicious: Schwartz will be performing his Ben Schwartz & Friends live improv show, which begins with just a couple of chairs onstage. Where it goes from there, you'll only discover at Hamer Hall on Sunday, May 4, because that's the joy of improv. Schwartz isn't just known for Parks and Recreation, although that's the first thing on his resume that'll always come to mind for Parks fans. Since his time in Pawnee wrapped up — since he stopped being one of the woooooooorst people in the fictional Indiana town, that is — he's also starred in murder-mystery comedy The Afterparty, voiced a certain spiny blue mammal in Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, loaned his vocal tones to Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Invincible, and featured in Space Force and Renfield. Top image: Disney/Image Group LA.
It was first announced back in 2017 and originally slated to open its doors this March. Now, the three-year wait is over. Society, the much-anticipated venture from Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Kisume), and Sepia's Martin Benn and Vicki Wild, will make its debut next Thursday, July 22. The long-awaited newcomer has made its home within the 80 Collins dining precinct, sporting a timeless aesthetic courtesy of renowned local architects Russell & George. The interior fuses elements of art deco, mid-century, art nouveau and brutalist sensibilities, with numerous works by Victorian artist David Noonan gracing the walls. Society Dining Room and Society Lounge will be the venue's first spaces to launch, with the second restaurant Lillian Terrace following suit in August. The food offering, by celebrated chef Benn, is a choose-your-own-adventure scenario with a multi-faceted menu of dishes that work as both shared and solo dining plates. The menu is considered, and the food boasts a level of precision inspired by ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging. A strong team of head chefs helps to bring it all to life, including Rhys Connell (ex-Sepia), Luke Headon (ex-The Fat Duck) and Thomas Wooks (ex-Woodland House). At Society Dining Room, you're in for refined creations like albacore tuna matched with shiso and rhubarb, bonito with ume yuzu and roast chicken jellies, and a wagyu beef rib cap starring a Japanese pickle and wasabi butter. Meanwhile, the Lillian Terrace menu nods to the Euro influences of Benn's earlier career, running to plates like a spiced crown of chicken cooked over coals with charred lime and tomato, and a playful riff on the Napoleon mille feuille for dessert. [caption id="attachment_819105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Kristoffer Paulsen[/caption] To match, expect a sharp drinks offering, with the headline act an impressive wine curation assembled by Loic Avril (ex-Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston). Think, two pouring lists, cellar displays you can browse before you order and Dom Perignon available by the glass. Even more top-notch drinking can be found at Society Lounge, where a cocktail list by World Class Bartender of the Year Orlando Marzo stars with delights like the caviar-infused martini. Find Society at 80 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD, from July 22. Society Dining Room and Lounge will initially open from 5.30pm nightly, with expanded opening hours to follow come August. Reservations are now open for the Dining Room, while the Lounge will take walk-ins only. Lillian Terrace will launch from August 5. Images: Food by Adrian Lander, interiors by Tom Blachford
By the beard of Zeus, everyone's favourite TV newsman is back — in podcast form. Not content with his regular job at KVWN Channel 4, or with being the star of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Ron Burgundy is giving another medium a whirl. Co-produced by Funny or Die, The Ron Burgundy Podcast is headed to the iHeartRadio platform in 2019, with two 12-episode seasons on their way. The first batch will hit your ears in the first quarter of the year, with Burgundy telling everyone why it's kind of a big deal, we expect. If you want to stay classy with the second season — and likely hear the anchorman chat while sipping scotchy scotch scotch and talking over his beloved dog Baxter — it's due mid-year. Fans can reasonably expect that Will Ferrell will reprise his role as the fictional San Diego newscaster, although that's not actually mentioned in iHeartRadio's announcement. As well as playing the character in two films, Ferrell is one of Funny or Die's co-founders, so it's a safe assumption that the actor will be involved. In true Ron Burgundy style, he had some words about the news. "Listen, I don't know what a podcast is, but I currently have a lot of time on my hands and a lot to talk about. I am also broke. Therefore, I am very excited to do this podcast. It is literally saving my life." If you're now in a glass class of emotion, a trailer for the show will drop in the coming months. The Ron Burgundy Podcast will be released on iHeartRadio in 2019.
UPDATE, February 1, 2021: Beauty and the Beast is available to stream via Disney+,Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. It's a tale as old as time, or so the song tells us. But just what is that ageless story at the heart of Beauty and the Beast? Opposites attracting, sure, but a fair maiden warming to an arrogant prince who's been cursed with a monstrous appearance isn't really an everyday experience. On the other hand, with gender equality still an ongoing problem in our society, a narrative about a young woman being undermined by an egocentric male, belittled for her intelligence, and robbed of her agency by an imposing force all very much fits the bill. While breathing new life into Disney's popular animated effort is the movie's main aim — just as they've done with Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella and The Jungle Book — the Mouse House hasn't missed the opportunity to bolster this live-action offering in certain distinctive ways. You don't cast Emma Watson as Belle without ensuring that the titular beauty isn't just kind but determined, confident, courageous and willing to fight for her place in the world. In fact, with the film also boasting Disney's first interracial kiss and first exclusively gay moment, the studio is clearly trying to bring the narrative in line with the times. The plot is much the same as it was in 1991, or the mid-18th century for that matter. The prince (Dan Stevens) is transformed due to his uncaring behaviour, with love the key to breaking the spell. Meanwhile, a young girl named Belle yearns for life beyond her quiet village, where she is frowned upon for her studious ways and persistently wooed/harassed by vain town hunk Gaston (Luke Evans). Beauty meets beast when she goes looking for her missing inventor father (Kevin Kline), who has been imprisoned in the man-turned-creature's enchanted castle. With singing household objects such as Lumière the candlestick (Ewan McGregor), Cogsworth the clock (Ian McKellen), Mrs Potts the teapot (Emma Thompson) and Plumette the feather duster (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) all on hand to dispense advice, what follows is a tale about longing and romance, as well as a spirited fable that champions a woman's right to choose her own destiny. The film's modern attitude feels especially refreshing, without ever seeming too on the nose. This is a production that's eager to weave its progressive positions into the fabric of the narrative rather than shout its from the castle turrets. Director Bill Condon (Mr Holmes) takes a classical approach to the movie's look and feel. Lavishly staged, costumed and choreographed, stepping into the world of Beauty and the Beast is like stepping into a storybook. All of the old tunes hit the spot (McGregor and company crooning 'Be Our Guest' is a highlight), although a couple of new inclusions prove little more than melodic padding. As for the cast, the expectedly impassioned Watson, suitably brooding Stevens and gloriously pompous Evans all help make this timeless tale seem equally nostalgic and new.
If hundreds of dollars seems a bit excessive for one night of antics or you've already blown that Christmas money on Boxing Day sales then check out 1000 £ Bend's converted warehouse party. Teaming up with techno party promoters Unfold, this marathon 13-hour 'multi-sensory' event will see you partying well into 2017. Some of Australia's top techno and house DJs will perform across two stages with audio-visual artists throughout the event. There is even a designated chill-out area if you just want to sit back, appreciate the beats with some good friends, have a bite to eat and a sip your glass of Champagne.
Fitzroy's Grub is teaming up with some of the sweetest folks in town for a series of extravagant weekly high teas. After a sold-out run last year, Sweet Set will again treat punters to an eight-course menu in Grub's upstairs space every Sunday afternoon from July 14–September 1. Each week will include four savoury creations from the Grub kitchen paired with with four sweet numbers from a rotating lineup of Melbourne's best pastry chefs. Expect native ingredient-spiked hot chocolates and rich cakes from Mörk, pastries and doughnuts aplenty from Penny for Pound and some next-level baked goods from All Are Welcome's Boris Portnoy, who used to be the head pastry chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Meadowood in the Napa Valley. The whole thing costs $69 per person, and includes a glass of Puncheon prosecco and either a pot of tea or Market Lane coffee. Sessions will run at 11.30am, 2pm and 4.15pm each week, and we suggest getting your friends on board now — these pastry parties sold out last year. We promise not to tell your dentist if you promise not to tell ours. SWEET SET 2019 LINEUP July 14 — Bethany Claire Cakes, Candied Bakery, Cherry Cakes, Miss Ladybird Cakes July 21 — Don't Lose Your Temper, Tivoli Road July 28 — LuxBite, Penny for Pound August 4 — Bibelot, Emelia Jackson August 11 — Geoffrey Michael Patissier, Cobb Lane August 18 — Fig & Salt, Alice Wright August 25 — All Are Welcome, Lisa Van Zanten September 1 — Mörk Images: Ewen Bell.
It was an incredibly sad day when iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse burned down in 2014. Now, after a two and a half year hiatus, it's finally coming back, renovated and designated into a 'precinct' of multiple bars and restaurants, set to dominate that seaside like only Stokehouse can. On the ground beachside floor will be Pontoon, a casual bar and eatery, set to open at the end of October. This chic new 350-capacity beach-inspired establishment will be the second venue to open in the new multi-million dollar Stokehouse site, after a fancy new fish and chip kiosk, Paper Fish. The two will open head of the highly anticipated relaunch of Stokehouse St Kilda restaurant in December. The Pontoon menu will be casual and over the counter (think of the kind of food you can eat while standing with a drink in the other hand), and will put their four-metre grill to good use. You can expect a lot of seafood and shared plates, a strong wine list, 18 beer taps and of course, cocktails. In the most southside move ever, they'll also be serving up globally trending anomaly 'frosé' — that's frozen rosé — straight from the tap. Peppered with the furniture and trimmings of local Melbourne designers, the interior has been designed by George Livissianis (the design dynamo behind recent Sydney renos of The Dolphin Hotel, The Apollo and Cho Cho San). Expect a casual layout and a mixture of warm, natural materials (think wood, leather and cane) offset by concrete and brick. "Looking out onto St Kilda beach was a great starting point in considering colours and materials that would compliment the concrete and blackened timber building," said Livissianis. Stokehouse has announced they'll officially reopen on December 6, with Pontoon opening at the end of October. Find Pontoon on the ground floor of the rebuilt Stokehouse building, 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda. From October 2016, Pontoon will be open 12pm till late every day, all year-round (except Christmas Day).
There's a moment in Netflix documentary Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened that no one will ever forget. While much of the film falls into that category — cataloguing an utter trainwreck of a festival will do that — one scene particularly stands out. When event producer Andy King reveals what he was asked to do to secure bottled water for the fest's stars and patrons (and the fact that he'd resigned himself to doing it), it instantly underlines the scope and shamelessness of Fyre's catastrophic mismanagement. Given that the doco not only became an instant must-watch, but that the similar, Hulu-funded film Fyre Fraud did too, it's safe to say that everyone wants to know more about this story. Australians will be able to get the full details at this year's BIGSOUND, with King himself joining the lineup as a late addition. He'll be heading to Brisbane as one of the four-day conference's keynote speakers, appearing an event called Fyreside Chat with Andy King on Wednesday, September 4. King will likely be offering his advice on what not to do in the music festival industry, and why being willing to go the extra mile for a gig isn't always a good thing. As Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened demonstrates, he isn't shy when it comes to taking about his experiences — and he has a sense of humour about it. He also has a considerable resume that ranges well above and beyond Fyre Festival, spanning more than 25 years in the event business. Expect to hear about that, too, which ranges from hosting the launch of the world's tallest ferris wheel in Las Vegas to running the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation's annual gala. Amusingly, King also oversees a zero-waste event company that focuses on environmental and social impacts, including when plastic bottles of water are involved. Until he makes his way Down Under, revisit King's must-see doco moment via the Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened trailer below. The film itself is available on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ0KNVU2fV0 BIGSOUND 2019 runs from September 3–6 at various venues around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For further details or to buy tickets, visit bigsound.org.au. To discover what to do, see, eat and drink while visiting Brissie for the annual event, check out our weekender's guide to Brisbane during BIGSOUND.
UPDATE: June 11, 2020: The Hate U Give is available to stream via Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. It doesn't take long for The Hate U Give to serve up an unflinching slice of reality. "I was nine years old when I first got the talk," Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) notes, and she's not referring to the birds and the bees. In a flashback, her family sits at their dining table. The topic of conversation: how to behave if they're stopped by the police. Starr's father Maverick (Russell Hornsby) is firm with his instructions, telling his three kids to do exactly what they're asked and to always keep their hands in plain sight. With his wife (Regina Hall) by his side, he specifically stresses the importance of remaining calm and polite, even if they're being harassed for no apparent cause. The reason for his stern warning is obvious — by virtue of their skin colour and nothing more, they could find themselves looking down the barrel of a weapon, praying that a cop doesn't pull the trigger. You've heard of Chekhov's gun, which explains that every element in a story must be strictly necessary. If a writer introduces a loaded firearm, for example, then bullets need to fly before the tale is over. The Hate U Give follows this principle, not only starting with a conversation about police shooting unarmed African-Americans, but using that exact turn of events to kick its narrative into gear. In this case, perhaps the concept should be called Tupac's tattoo, with the rapper's words giving the movie its title, philosophy and dramatic arc. The slain star's 'THUG LIFE' chest ink is almost as famous as his music, and its full meaning dictates and shapes this riveting picture: "the hate u give little infants fucks everybody". Hailing from a poor black neighbourhood but attending a well-off private school, 16-year-old Starr knows how difficult American life can be. She can't act like herself around her white classmates, who all sling ghetto slang to appear cool. And she can't bring her school persona home, or tell her ex-con dad about her white boyfriend (KJ Apa). Already caught in a constant juggling act, she's forced into a trickier predicament while driving back from a local party with her childhood crush Khalil (Algee Smith). A cop pulls them over, a single gunshot is fired, and Starr is suddenly the lone witness to her friend's tragic death. Adapted from Angie Thomas' best-selling 2017 novel and inspired by the real-life killings of several black men by US police, The Hate U Give could've approached its story from several positions. It could've kept things personal, following Starr's attempt to balance her conflicting worlds. It could've remained grim, emotional and focused solely on the central fatal shooting. Or, it could've teemed with fury by jumping headfirst into the legal aftermath. Combining all three and more, director George Tillman Jr (The Longest Ride) and screenwriter Audrey Wells (A Dog's Purpose) craft a textured and intelligent movie, which might seem surprising given their last filmmaking credits. Cutting both deeply and sharply, The Hate U Give fleshes out its thorny narrative by embracing the complications of its subject matter. It's never constrained by its YA origins and, if anything, feels more honest, earnest and overt with its statement precisely because it's aimed at teenagers. Succeeding where other message movies have struggled, the end product offers an engaging, impassioned and detailed insight into America today. Here, nothing is simple. In fact, there's nothing straightforward about any aspect of Starr's existence. How could there be when a victim's criminal past attracts more scrutiny than a murderer's actions, when the #BlackLivesMatter movement sparks violent protests among some and becomes a trendy cause for others, and when gang activity fools the desperate into believing they've scored a better life? Examining a society happy to oppress part of the population, and dissecting the punishing cycle that springs when hostility thrives, The Hate U Give's shades of grey extend to the people in Starr's orbit, too. Her best friend (Sabrina Carpenter) can't see her white privilege, but her black cop uncle (Common) knows how the job can go awry. An activist lawyer (Issa Rae) urges Starr to speak up regardless of the cost, while a local drug dealer (Anthony Mackie) violently tries to reinforce the status quo. In a perceptive and powerful film comprised of layered components — difficult topics, diverging viewpoints, different angles and diverse tones — the most multifaceted element of all comes courtesy of its star. She might have just seven movies on her resume to date, including The Hunger Games and The Darkest Minds, however Stenberg shines as brightly and fiercely as her character's moniker. Demanding the camera's gaze and rightly adored by the movie's clear-eyed frames, her performance couldn't better capture the everyday toll of these racially divided times. When generation after generation only knows distrust, anger and prejudice, the world proves devastatingly vulnerable, overwhelmingly fractured and unwaveringly determined all at once. Stenberg makes this plain as much as any twist in The Hate U Give, and does so with both heartbreak and hope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTKo2SVDwxw
As a major player on Melbourne's street art scene for the past few years, odds are you're already familiar with some of Kaff-eine's work. Best known for her vibrant yet sinister illustrations often featuring both animals and children, this local girl has been slathering paint all over the inner suburbs since 2010. Now taking to fortyfivedownstairs, her solo exhibition Kalabaw gives you a rare indoor encounter with her work. Though Kaff-eine loves to explore surreal subject matter, it's clear that this latest collection of works is heavily influenced by some of her real-life experiences. After spending much of 2013 visiting and painting in Manila, the artist found herself inspired by much of the local community. Despite living in inner-city slums in relative poverty, the people she interacted with remained largely upbeat. Kalabaw — named after a type of water buffalo native to the Philippenes — retains much of the imagery from this trip featuring uncharacteristically realistic portraits of local children and expressive representations of animals and urban scenery. Despite the exhibition being free of charge for audiences, all proceeds the artist makes from the show will be put towards two related projects entitled Phoenix and Happyland. Looks like we have a whole lot to look forward to in 2015.
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. Melburnians can now 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're on display at Jurassic World by Brickman, an exhibition displaying at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre until Monday, May 31 before touring the rest of the country. 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. You'll see 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. And, you'll spy some in a baby dinosaur enclosure, encounter others 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.
It's time you set your sights on the east coast because Aperol is coming to town in style with its Kombi Tour. The vintage, retrofitted 1976 Volkswagen van is back, chasing the sun with a road trip through some of Queensland's idyllic coastal towns — from Cairns to the perpetually stunning Whitsundays. The Kombi has been cruising around the southeastern corner of the state for the last month but is heading north for the rest of its tour, racing the winter chill and bringing the red-hot vibes along, too. There are five more stops on its journey before Aperol has to hang up its spritzes for winter. If you're in the area, chase the summer feeling and grab a delectable spritz while you still can. NORTHERLIES, AIRLIE BEACH The Kombi's next stop is Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, just outside Airlie Beach. Aperol is stopping in for four weekends at the mellow beachside resort. Enjoy ice-cold Aperol Spritzes and exclusive specials — like the rosemary-infused Rosy Cheeks spritz — while taking in the gorgeous views of the salty waves crashing into the white sandy beaches. June 16–July 11, Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, Airlie Beach. More information here. SALT HOUSE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Get a taste of the tropics at Salt House in Cairns when the Kombi rolls in this winter. The iconic waterfront venue is also hosting a Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, August 5, which will see winemakers, distillers, brewers and producers descend on the locale and share their wares with attendees. Enjoy local produce while sipping on a refreshing Aperol Spritz — direct from the Kombi. Not able to make it on the festival weekend? Well, you're in luck because it will be at Salt House for four weekends. July 28–August 7, Salt House Food & Wine Festival, Cairns. Book tickets here. CAIRNS ITALIAN FESTIVAL The inaugural ten-day Cairns Italian Festival is the next stop for the brightly-hued vehicle — although it won't actually be moving from Salt House. The waterfront spot is one of the many venues taking part in the festival, so the Kombi will sit tight at the venue for the festival's weekend in July. You'll be snacking on traditional Italian plates, woodfired pizzas, gelato and more — all while sipping deliciously bitter Aperol Spritzes. Saturday, July 29, Salt House, Cairns. More information here. TASTE PORT DOUGLAS The next stop on the 2023 Aperol Kombi Tour is the Taste Port Douglas Food and Wine Festival, held at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. Experience (and then taste) the rich food culture of Tropical North Queensland as top chefs arrive to dazzle you with their inspiring creations. You know the drill: wash it all down with a perfectly chilled spritz from the Kombi. August 10–13, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas. More information here. SHERATON, PORT DOUGLAS If five-star luxury eco-certified stays are on your to-go-to list in 2023, take yourself to the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. This August and September, you'll be on the doorstep of two staggeringly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest), plus you'll be perfectly placed for the freshest of spritzes when the Kombi hits the digs from Tuesday, August 8 till Monday, September 11. It'll be the ideal way to toast the end of winter and celebrate the coming of spring. August 14–September 5, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas. More information here. For more information on the Aperol Kombi Tour, and to plan your road trip to one of its pit stops, head to the website.
Set amongst the rolling hills of Wahgunyah in the Rutherglen region, family-owned, heritage-listed winery All Saints Estate is now home to this stellar flagship restaurant. It's named KIN in a nod to the relationship tying All Saints co-owners, siblings Eliza, Nick and Angela Brown. Part of the winery's multimillion-dollar redevelopment, the 120-seat restaurant is housed within a 159-year-old heritage-listed castle, its indoor-outdoor space transformed into a light-filled dining oasis courtesy of acclaimed firm Technē. With stints at the likes of Jackalope and Bistro Guillaume under his belt, KIN's Executive Chef Jack Cassidy is plating up a menu that heroes regional produce and the estate's own wines, drawing inspiration from long-held Brown family recipes. It's also brimming with produce grown onsite. You'll experience it all via a two- or three-course set spread ($75/95) of modern Australian flavours. Perhaps you'll tuck into a kangaroo tartare elevated with black garlic and rye, rainbow trout paired with dill and smoked chilli, or an assembly of roast eggplant, bush tomato and kale. Bone marrow might be served alongside a top-quality piece of striploin with a marble score of four, while pumpkin is teamed with caramelised whey and ricotta salata. And dessert fiends can look forward to creations like the compressed strawberry matched with sorbet made on the All Saints Estate Durif. Wines come courtesy of All Saints' renowned catalogue, as well as fellow Brown family winery St Leonards Vineyard. A crop of local beers and booze-free drops rounds out the fun. Images: Kate Shanasy
UPDATE, March 4, 2021: Moonlight is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. "At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you're going to be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you," Miami drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali) tells nine-year-old Little (Alex Hibbert). They're warm words of wisdom offered by someone who wouldn't be seen as a substitute father figure in most movies — and given to a shy, bullied boy desperately in need of a guiding hand. Their connection, defying expectations and complicated by Little's crack-addicted mother Paula (Naomie Harris), forms much of Moonlight's first chapter, but their interactions will influence the entire film. As the story progresses, Little grows into awkward teenager Chiron (played by Ashton Sanders), a young man who still struggles with who he is and how he feels. Then, finally, he transforms into the hardened, Atlanta-based Black (Trevante Rhodes), styling himself in Juan's image. He'll keep trying to forge his identity, while grappling with the different visions of masculinity around him, as well as his own sexuality. As he comes of age, he'll also be shaped by his mother's troubles, the nurturing presence of Juan's girlfriend Teresa (Janelle Monáe), and his friendship with his classmate Kevin (played by Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome and André Holland over the years). Written and directed by Barry Jenkins from an unstaged play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight is a film of moments and mindsets, one that values sensations and textures more than any other storytelling tool. Jenkins constructs the emotions and experiences of his protagonist from the people, places, dreams and encounters that define him at any given point, plus his ongoing quest to find a persona, a companion, and a space that provides comfort and solace. Narrative-wise, it might sound slight. Thematically, visually and in its performances, Moonlight is a powerhouse. Stressing how things left unseen and unsaid are as crucial as sights glimpsed and words uttered, every frame, look and line of dialogue proves a piece of the puzzle that is Chiron in his various guises. Often, Jenkins and his college roommate turned cinematographer James Laxton make the audience stare into the eyes of their leads, conveying a pain and a yearning that borders on contagious. More frequently, the filmmaking team adopts their character's perspective, gazing into a world teeming with uncertainty. Subjectivity reigns, such as when the dialogue and imagery fall out of synch during moments of distress, or when a painful memory is cast in heightened, almost neon hues. Even when the film peers in from the outside, the little things still matter, be it green blades of grass spied up close, a hand grasping at sand during an intimate exchange, or a man removing the armour-like grill from his teeth. Jenkins seamlessly brings all of the above together, creating a cinematic symphony of the patterns and rhythms that come with deciding who you're going to be. However, he also crafts a sensitive stage for his three lead actors to infuse their protagonist with heart and soul, as a poor, black, queer boy becomes a man. Though matched in every scene by exceptional co-stars — including the charismatic, stereotype-defying work of Ali, as well as the quiet tenderness of Holland — the main trio are never anything less than devastating.
You Won't Be Alone isn't just the name of Macedonian Australian writer/director Goran Stolevski's debut feature, which hit cinemas in 2022. It's also a phrase that applies now that his second film is here. Of an Age initially premiered in the same year as well, bowing in Melbourne International Film Festival's opening-night slot — and, while it tells of growing up queer in 90s Melbourne, falling in love for the first time, then sifting through the aftermath a decade later, it's a glorious companion piece to its predecessor. No one is chosen by a sorceress here. The place isn't Macedonia, the period isn't the 19th century and supernatural shapeshifting isn't part of the narrative. But even just a mere duo of movies into his helming career, Stolevski makes pictures that profoundly ruminate upon two of life's purest truths: that absolutely everything changes and, consequently, nothing completely lasts forever. Neither You Won't Be Alone nor Of an Age fly solo in their moods of yearning, either, or in piecing themselves together from familiar elements that still feel fresh — more than that, that feel immediate and hauntingly immersive — in Stolevski's hands. Where his last flick played like a sibling to Robert Eggers' The Witch by way of The Tree of Life and A Hidden Life's Terrence Malick, his latest rich and poetic effort earns the same sensation with 2011's Weekend and 2017's Call Me By Your Name. This too is a tender love story, as both of those recent greats of LGBTQIA+ cinema are. A clock ticks inescapably, this time a single day rather than the respite at the end of the working week or a whole summer. And, in a keenly felt romance that swells and swirls with lingering emotions, two men find their lives eternally altered, while also facing the unshakeable fact that their bliss will be fleeting. 1999 is inching towards becoming Y2K when Of an Age begins, and 17-year-old Nikola aka Kol (Elias Anton, Australia Day) is only hours from taking to the floor at a Melbourne dance championship. That's how his day is meant to pan out, at least, and what he's preparing for when the film meets him practising his smooth ballroom moves in his suburban garage — conjuring up visions of John Travolta in a flick made famous two decades prior, in fact. Kol's ordinary morning fever breaks, however, thanks to friend and dance partner Ebony (Hattie Hook, Savage River) and her bender of an evening. She's awoken on the beach in Altona with no idea where she is, scrounging up change for the payphone call to say she thinks she'll miss the recital unless Kol can pick her up. Stolevski hones in on Ebony early, not because this is primarily her story — it isn't — but to commence his coming-of-age and coming-out tale with compulsive urgency. Anything can happen in the whirlwind from adolescence to maturity when your entire adult future is ahead of you. Anything can occur when you've just finished high school, as Kol and Ebony have, and the days, months and years to come seem endless and brimming with possibility. Any day can be a shock and a surprise as well, as the jittery young woman conveys while scrambling to work out what's going on, where her belongings are, what happened last night and how she'll get home. With cinematographer Matthew Chuang (another You Won't Be Alone alum), and while editing himself, Stolevski's infuses the scene with a freneticism and nerviness that could've barrelled straight out of Good Time or Uncut Gems, adding the Safdies to the picture's influences. That frenzied energy thrums when Kol dons his dance attire, rushes through the streets and looks like a Serbian Elvis all shook up as the Victorian capital wakes up. To attempt to make his big performance, he has to convince Ebony's older brother Adam (Thom Green, Eden) to play taxi — and he's still all aflutter with anxiety, and just the inertia of being so keyed up from endeavouring to sort things out, when he slides into the twentysomething's brown car. They remain in that race against time, although the reality of missing the contest slowly sinks in. Cue the aforementioned other battle with the clock, as what starts as a panicked drive between virtual strangers becomes a leisurely on-the-road chat between kindred spirits warming up. When Ebony hops in the backseat, Adam and Kol only have eyes for each other (plus mentions of music, books and movies traded as tentatively flirtatious currency, all while listening to the soundtrack to Wong Kar-wai's 1997 queer romance Happy Together). An awakening is at the centre of Of an Age, which Stolevski brings to the screen with electrifying specificity and universality in tandem. He achieves an always-sought-after but never-assured feat, making Kol's discovery that he's attracted to Adam and their blossoming bond from there feel so sincere and lived in that it could've only happened for these two characters — as thoughtfully and compellingly performed by the charismatically matched Anton and Green, too — and yet ensuring that it also feels as if it has been ripped from everyone's formative experiences, or near enough. 90s teens of Australia, prepare for a time capsule in the movie's sounds, sights and slang, plus its costuming and vibe, across the feature's first section. This isn't quite a picture of two halves but, after Kol and Adam spend an intense 24 hours in each other's orbit (including at a 21st-birthday party that leads to the moment they've been building towards), it comes with a coda in 2010. Embracing its debt to Weekend and Call Me By Your Name, Of an Age could've stayed in 1999 for its entire duration and still proven a gorgeous, heartfelt and affecting film. It cuts deeper and hits harder courtesy of its final chapter, though — and the dreamy visual sheen of its sequences in 1999, which have the intimacy and glow of fond recollections even when they're at their most fraught (with help from boxed-in Academy framing, and reminiscent of Chuang's work on Blue Bayou), is all the more powerful due to what comes next. When Kol and Adam cross paths again, both returning to Melbourne from abroad, much has shifted and transformed. That spark between them still burns bright, but confronting what it now means and how it too has evolved is another stop in Kol's coming-of-age journey. How moving and entrancing it is to tag along for the ride, and for a Melbourne-set, distinctively Aussie tour through following your heart, trying not to be alone, and understanding that perfect memories and existence-shaping delights quiver and sway just like everything else.
Owning a pair of Habbot shoes has become the dream of many a fashion-forward Melburnian. Designer Annie Abbott launched the brand from her St Kilda backyard and shed in 2010 — and in less than a decade has managed to turn her shoe label into a national sensation. Habbot Shoes' pop-up shops are always a scramble but, luckily for any Melbourne-based shoe lovers, Habbot Shoes' head office in Collingwood also doubles as a studio store. Pop in on a Friday or Saturday — or book an appointment during the week — to try on a pair (or two) in the flesh.
There's toying with horror film tropes, and then there's It Follows. Fans of the genre have undoubtedly seen all the scary movies where the characters get it on, only to be nastily dispensed with not too long after. Even those not so fond of big-screen frights have probably watched the flicks that call attention to and make fun of the cliche, such as Scream. Well, here, that convention isn't just a routine inclusion — it's the film. When hormone-fuelled teens have done the deed, something evil comes calling. That, folks, would be the titular 'it', a presence that can take the guise of a parent, friend or stranger. It follows its victim with a focus and perseverance most movie killers could only dream of. Once it sets its sights on the latest sexually active person to catch its attention, it won't stop walking and stalking until it strikes them down — or until the unlucky soul in question passes it on by sleeping with someone else. After getting intimate with her boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, that's the situation 19-year-old Jay (Maika Monroe) finds herself in. It takes some time to convince her sister Kelly (Lili Sepe), friends Yara (Olivia Luccardi) and Paul (Keir Gilchrist), and neighbour Greg (Daniel Zovatto) of such a strange predicament, but they're soon helping her try to outrun her sinister, unceasing, supernatural pursuer. There might be more than a hint of picking off the promiscuous at play here, even if getting physical is a clear substitute for fears of growing up in general, but thankfully that outdated attitude doesn't dampen the film. Instead, It Follows flies by thanks to its genuine chills, using its style to unsettling effect. If ever there was a movie that stacked up familiar horror elements and made them its own in the canniest fashion possible, it's this one. Think you've seen that fondness for symmetry before? And heard something similar to that electro score? Well, if you're familiar with the work of Stanley Kubrick and John Carpenter, that's not at all surprising. This isn't a case of blatant copying of parts of movies like The Shining and Halloween, but of affectionate nods to obvious influences. Writer/director David Robert Mitchell takes his cues from the master filmmakers he loves, his enthusiasm ensuring It Follows is never anything less than hauntingly atmospheric and spine-tinglingly creepy. So, there's sex and death, a gimmick that might get you watching. Plus, there's an unshakeable air of unease, which will probably keep you glued to your seat. It's actually the performances that will get you really engrossed in the film, however, refreshingly showing teens acting their age. Monroe is a certain star in the making, and the rest of the cast are just as great at getting to the heart of what it must be like to be scared out of your wits while still awkward, vulnerable and uncertain. As It Follows follows them coping the best they can, it also follows in the footsteps of horror greats gone by, proving a striking and sincerely scary addition to the genre. Read our feature on the history of sex in horror movies.
Don't buy a ticket to see Hotel Coolgardie if you're feeling emotionally vulnerable. It's a difficult film to stomach, for many reasons, and just as tricky to critique. Directed by Pete Gleeson, the documentary follows the story of Steph and Lina, two young Finnish travellers set down in Perth to make some money after having their bank accounts drained in Bali. It's there that they're groomed by a recruiter to do some country pub work in the little town that gives the movie its name. "It's quite a big mining area, so a lot of the clientele of the pub[s] are going to be gentlemen," the recruiter says, ominously. "You have to be the kind of girls that are okay to have male attention and not really sweat it." Shortly after, when they arrive at the Denver City Hotel pub where they'll live and work for the next three months, the pair are greeted by a welcome sign that reads "New Girls Tonight". Lina and Steph meet the previous barmaids Becky and Clio. They've done their stint and seem almost sad to be leaving, partying with the locals at a final send off. They're bubbly and flirt with the clientele; they lean in and act like perfect barmaids. Steph and Lina do not. They're reluctant to play nice, can sometimes barely understand the thick local accents, and don't win a lot of sympathy from the men who have them trapped. Pouring drinks, they soon learn, is not the only task barmaids are expected to perform at the pub. The message is clear: be complicit in maintaining a structural framework that oppresses you, or GTFO. What follows is a deeply uncomfortable look at toxic masculinity, male domination of public spaces through microaggressions, and the binge drinking culture that rots small mining towns. The ensemble of local blokes bring a playful Aussie cadence to their misogyny, one that strikes a light-hearted note against the darkness. Admittedly, Coolgardie isn't entirely bereft of kind folk. But if this documentary doesn't make you feel physically sick, you may be part of the problem. Director Gleeson has been criticised in some corners for not taking a firmer stance against the mistreatment of Steph and Lina. The doco self-identifies as a "sometimes amusing, sometimes appalling, surprisingly moving portrait of small-town insularity, fragile masculinity and the plight of the outsider forced to adapt or face the consequences". The line between observation and interference can be hard to find, for documentarians and photographers alike. Once found, it can be similarly tough for the audience to stomach. Regardless, prospective viewers should not be deceived: the mild description belies a dark documentary that exposes the reality of life for marginalised folk (in this case, women and tourists) in patriarchal, racist outback Australia. If you've ever felt othered, Hotel Coolgardie will resonate with you like nails on a chalkboard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nop_Jq9M_R8
Embrace the icy weather at Madame Brussels Lane, which, for the sixth year running, will transform itself into a bustling European-style night market from 5–10pm each Friday in July. Inspired by the picturesque Christmas markets in places like Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK, the market will feature some of Melbourne's most decadent food vendors, serving tasty European goodies to warm your insides and satisfy your sweet tooth. Kicking off on July 5, there'll be more European eats than ever before as the market expands to encompass the old Oddfellows Hotel for the first time. You can expect everything cheesy — from French raclette scraped on top of potato and charcuterie to Swiss malakoffs (read: fried cheese balls) — as well as Polish pierogi, Puglia-style vegan panzerotti and Bavarian snacks like pretzels and sausages. There will even be gluten-free cannoli for dessert. That's in addition to the live music and entertainment, and, of course, many, many mugs of piping hot mulled wine and hot toddies. Short of actually taking a holiday to Europe, this is a pretty great way to finish a frosty working week.
Almost every Aussie state has its wine region, with the Hunter Valley in NSW and the Barossa in SA being some of the most popular destinations for wine weekenders on this side of the equator. But the star of the show is down in Victoria, with the Yarra Valley being one of Australia's finest options for a quick getaway. It's less than an hour's drive from Melbourne, and these verdant fields couldn't be a better break from the hustle and bustle of the big smoke. That's why we've teamed up with Visit Yarra Valley to show you how to swap the office desk for a midweek vineyard escape, and to recommend some local wineries for you to hit along the way. Chandon The first entry on our list might not be immediately what you're expecting. Chandon might be a global sparkling wine brand spread across four continents and five countries, but it does indeed have a branch in our very own Yarra Valley. It was during the 1980s when then Chandon bosses visited Victoria to inspect it as an area for a potential expansion into Australia; the cool climate and varied terroir of the Yarra led it to become the winner, a moment that really put the region on the global wine stage. Sparkling wine works best in a cool climate, so Victoria was well-suited for sparkling wine specialists like Chandon. Today, visitors to the property can enjoy guided and à la carte tastings, hands-on winemaking experiences, tipples in the lounge bar, multi-course meals in the restaurant, sparkling brunches, outdoor picnics and more. [caption id="attachment_982897" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anitra Wells[/caption] Oakridge Wines Oakridge set up shop in its current Coldstream property in 1998, but has been growing in the Yarra Valley since the late 70s. Oakridge's attention to detail has taken it to the forefront of Australia's cool-climate wine scene and made it a must-visit location in the Yarra Valley, highlighting everything that makes the area a great destination: city-level luxury with countryside scenery and world class cuisine. The winery looks as good as its wines taste with its panoramic windows and vineyard-to-mountain scenery, and visitors to the cellar door can take part in five tasting experiences, ranging from a tasting of its most awarded wines to luxurious barrel tastings, tours and helicopter flights. Oakridge also boasts two dining experiences: the fine-dining restaurant and, for more casual bites, the Terrace. Both of which use produce sourced from their own kitchen garden or a network of small, ethical producers, all served with a side of vineyard to mountain views. [caption id="attachment_982898" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lauren Bertaccini Photography[/caption] Punt Road Wines Nestled in Coldstream, Punt Road Wines is all about offering good times and great drops with everyone — from seasoned sippers to wine-curious beginners. With 160 years of growing grapes under its belt, the 58-acre vineyard estate produces crowd-favourites like pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon alongside rarer finds like gamay and the experimental Airlie Bank range of wines. Visitors to the cellar door can enjoy all of them in tasting flights with or without matching charcuterie and cheeses. Either way, you can browse through a mix of local and international nibbles in the Picnic Pantry before you take a seat to enjoy them in the Marquee Bar or — if the weather is cooperating, pick out a grassy slice of the garden grounds for a proper picnic. [caption id="attachment_983538" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sharyn Cairns[/caption] Giant Steps What happens when a massive jazz fan trades the Margaret River for the Yarra Valley in search of his perfect winery? Giant Steps, that's what. The jazz fan in question was Phil Sexton, and his bold new venture was fittingly named after his favourite John Coltrane album. From the first plantings in 1997 to being named the Halliday Winery of the Year for 2025, Giant Steps has garnered a reputation for its standout pinot noir and chardonnay, grown across single sites throughout the valley. The use of single sites ensures that the wine never stays the same, aside from the fact that it stays excellent. Fret not; you don't need to hit multiple wineries to try it all; just head to Healesville and the Giant Steps tasting room. There are four tasting experiences on offer, from a seasonal selection to a deep dive into the single-vineyard wines they do best. As always, walk-ins are welcome, but bookings are best. St Huberts St Huberts is another Yarra Valley mainstay, having been established way back in 1862, but a 162-year-old winery has never looked so damn good. Led by acclaimed winemaker Greg Jarratt since 2006, St Huberts specialises in cabernet sauvignon but takes advantage of the Yarra environment that drew winemakers here all those years ago. Beyond cab sav is a whole host of cold-climate wines that find their way to shelves, cellars and glasses across Australia. St Huberts also boasts a gorgeous cellar door, launched with a contemporary makeover in 2022. Think smooth stone, dark wood panels, leather couches and stags aplenty (in keeping with its seventh century namesake, St Hubert: the patron saint of the hunt). All that makes for a luxe and comfortable environment for tastings and charcuterie. Otherwise, a full dining experience can be found at onsite restaurant Quarters, which serves seasonally selected modern Aussie favourites and European-inspired dishes. Chateau Yering All this drinking wine is bound to really take it out of you, it's a hard life sipping chardonnay and eating cheese in the sun, after all. If you're to do the Yarra justice, you need to make it an overnight adventure. Our advice? Go all out. Go to Chateau Yering. This five-star Victorian-style (era, not state) mansion sits on a spacious 250-hectare property. 32 Luxurious and uniquely appointed suites? Check. Yarra Valley views? Heritage garden? Check. Whether you fancy a leisurely stroll by the flowerbeds, a cup of tea as you watch the sunset on your private balcony, or just collapsing into a plush bed, you can do it here. Get dinner at the lavish Eleonore's Restaurant and breakfast at the conservatory-style Sweetwater Cafe before you head out for another day of tastings and adventures among the rolling green hills of the Yarra Valley. Is your interest piqued? Do you fancy wetting your whistle the Yarra Valley way? We've also teamed up with Visit Yarra Valley to give one lucky reader and a guest the chance to score a two-night stay at Chateau Yering with all sorts of extras — including a $400 voucher to spend at any of the above wineries. To find out more and put your name in the running to win, check out the competition here. For more information on the Yarra Valley and to start planning the rest of your adventure, head to the Visit Yarra Valley website.
Casual face-melter Courtney Barnett is finally about to have a debut album under her already trophy-laden belt. So naturally, the Melbourne-based shredder has announced her Australian debut album tour for May 2015. This one's going to sell fast. Marking the release of her first ever LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit (out Friday, March 20 via Barnett's own Milk! Records and Remote Control), this tour follows Barnett's epic performances at Laneway festival around the country over the last few weeks. Having already proved herself one of Australia's brightest sparks over the last few years with her 2013 EP release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, Barnett's spins one hell of a live show — having nailed sets at Lollapalooza, South by Southwest and New York City's CMJ. Supported by Teeth & Tongue, Barnett will cruise from Adelaide's The Gov on Friday, May 1 to Perth's Bakery on Saturday, May 2. Then it's over to Sydney's The Metro on Friday, May 8 and Brisbane's Hi-Fi on Saturday, May 9. In classic Australian artist form, Barnett will wrap things up in her hometown of Melbourne on Friday, May 15 at The Forum. COURTNEY BARNETT AUSTRALIAN ALBUM TOUR 2015 SUPPORTED BY TEETH & TONGUE FRIDAY MAY 1 The Gov, Adelaide, SA TICKETS SATURDAY MAY 2 The Bakery, Perth, WA TICKETS FRIDAY MAY 8 The Metro, Sydney, NSW TICKETS SATURDAY MAY 9 The Hifi, Brisbane, QLD TICKETS FRIDAY MAY 15 The Forum, Melbourne, VIC TICKETS
Indie rocker and singer/songwriter Neko Case (of The New Pornographers) has announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand for the release of her newest solo album, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I fight, The More I Love You. Released this past September, this is Case's first album since 2009's extremely popular Middle Cyclone. The Worse Things Get... is full of tracks with the same vigour and bluntness that audiences appreciated in past hits such as 'People Got a Lotta Nerve' and 'I'm an Animal'. Her lyrical candour is particularly riotous in 'Man', where she declares, "And if I'm dipshit drunk on the pink perfume / I am the man in the fucking moon / 'Cause you didn't know what a man was / Until I showed you." Indubitably, Case is a force to be reckoned with. Neko Case will be performing at the Melbourne Zoo Twilights on Saturday March 1 and The Corner Hotel on Sunday March 2.
There is no shortage of beautiful furniture and homeware stores in Melbourne, but not all of them actively champion sustainability in the way that Southwood does. Don't get us wrong, although Southwood is all about natural products, it's also about incredible design. Owners and interior designers Val and Maria have always shared a passion for creating engaging spaces that reflect the personalities that live within them, so it's no surprise that their own showroom is the ultimate representation of their design sensibilities — think, Italian woven-style dining chairs, smooth Australian timber tables and minimal couches with wool covers.
Each year, the esteemed World's 50 Best Restaurants awards do exactly what's on the box: names the top eateries around the world. Actually, the accolades go a step further, doubling that number thanks to a 51–100 longlist. That's 100 top-notch restaurants singled out every year, giving diners globally plenty of places for their culinary bucket lists. For 2023, the results are now in, as announced on Tuesday, June 20 in Valencia in Spain. In number one spot: Central, with chefs Virgilio Martinez and Pía León taking the honours for their restaurant in Lima, Peru. It earned the prestigious top ranking from 2022's winner Geranium, after coming in second to the Copenhagen venue last year. Perhaps helping its fortunes: the fact that Geranium isn't named in this year's list at all because it's been elevated to the Best of the Best hall of fame, which means that it's no longer in the running for the regular rankings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants (@theworlds50best) This who's who of worldwide restaurants does lack one big thing in 2023, however, and on both its 1–50 and 51–100 rankings. In 2022, only Andrew McConnell's Melbourne diner Gimlet at Cavendish House earned a place on either list from Australia, coming in at 84 for its World's 50 Best debut. This year, neither it nor any other Aussie venues got the nod. Australia's hospitality scene hasn't ever dominated the World's 50 Best Restaurants gongs, but not placing at all for 2023 hasn't escaped attention. Just two Aussie restaurants claimed spots in 2021's awards, both of them Victorian, with Dan Hunter's Brae placing 57th and Ben Shewry's Ripponlea fine diner Attica coming in at number 97. There were no awards in 2020, but Brae and Attica also placed in the longlist in 2019. In 2018, Attica came in 20th and Brae 58th. Australia has had up to four restaurants in the top 50 before, including three when the awards debuted in 2002. [caption id="attachment_860199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gimlet, Earl Carter[/caption] The World's 50 Best awards are chosen by a panel of over 1000 culinary experts, guided by a strict voting procedure. They're now hosted by a different country each year, with Melbourne playing host city back in 2017. Alongside Central, 2023's picks included Disfrutar in Barcelona in second, Diverxo in Madrid in third, Atxondo's Asador Etxebarri in fourth and Copenhagen's Alchemist in fifth. Next came Maido in Lima, Lido 84 in the Gardone Riviera, Atomix in New York, Quintonil in Mexico City and Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris to round out the top ten. [caption id="attachment_906576" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Central, Winedirector via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Geranium joins El Bulli, The French Laundry, The Fat Duck, Noma's original and current location, El Celler de Can Roca, Osteria Francescana, Eleven Madison Park and Mirazur in the Best of the Best hall of fame, so you won't see any of them on the main lists. Wondering about the best places to eat Down Under, even if Australia has been snubbed by the World's 50 Best Restaurants? Check out our picks for the best Sydney and best Melbourne restaurants. [caption id="attachment_884417" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Noma[/caption] To check out the full World's 50 Best Restaurants Top 50 and 100 lists, head to the awards' website. Top image: Alchemist, City Foodsters via Wikimedia Commons.
Turn off the main drag of Toorak Road and onto Avoca Street — it's here that you'll find another small offering of designer boutiques and cafes. One local favourite is Home and Abroad, which showcases a specially curated collection ranging from clothing and ceramics to baby goods and basketware. As the name suggests, many of these fashionable creations are imported from overseas, with owner Sara Lees having a particularly good taste in products from Portugal, India and France. Perfect for finding a unique gift or something to add a touch of class to any space, Home and Abroad is a South Yarra gem. Image: Parker Blain.
They first toured Australia in 1982. They've returned plenty of times since, including on the Big Day Out and Vivid lineups. When they were last here in 2020, the pandemic got in the way, causing them to cut short their plans — and now New Order are making their latest visit Down Under five years later. 'Blue Monday', 'Temptation', 'Bizarre Love Triangle' — more than four decades after forming, the group are playing them all on a four-city Australian tour, including at Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner started New Order out of Joy Division, following the tragic death of the latter's lead singer Ian Curtis, and helped pioneer the synth-pop sound that not only helped define the 80s but has been influential ever since. If you've seen the films Control and 24 Hour Party People, you've seen part of New Order's story on-screen. And if you've caught them live before, you'll know that they're always a must-see. Top images: Erin Mc via Flickr, RL GNZLZ via Flickr.
Following in the footsteps of renowned ramen joint Ippudo and Manila's popular TuanTuan Chinese Brasserie, another big-name Asian restaurant chain has landed in Melbourne. This time, it's Malaysian favourite GO Noodle House tempting local tastebuds, opening its first Australian store in the heart of Melbourne's CBD. With more than 30 outlets across Southeast Asia and the original Malaysian store that pumps out up to 2000 bowls of noodle soup over a weekend, it's safe to say the brand has its fair share of fans. It's made a name for its clear seafood bisque-style 'Superior Soup' and dry mi xian noodles, the bowls are usually finished with a splash of rice wine — a trend apparently started by Emperor Kangxi back in the Qing Dynasty of the 17th century. The Melbourne restaurant's menu will carry through those classic GO Noodle House flavours, though with local ingredients. Head in for customisable bowls of that hearty, seafood-based noodle soup, or a hot and sour variation, loaded with additions like meat balls, stuffed chillies, cooked prawns or mixed mushrooms. Other dishes include the likes of homemade fish dumplings, Hakka-style pan mee noodles, slow-cooked slices of pork belly and a street snack dubbed Nine Dragon Balls. If you're feeling game (and extra hungry), there's the GNH Challenge dish — a $49 mega bowl of noodles, soup, pork and beef that's free if you can polish it all off in 30 minutes.
What happens when New Zealand's own Rose Matafeo (Baby Done) takes on British romantic comedies? In 2021, the answer was Starstruck. It's the rom-com sitcom that doesn't just fit the genre, but also loves it, unpacks it, and knows how to adapt its tropes in a smart and hilarious way. In fact, it was a delight in its first season, and then again in its second run in 2022. Here's hoping that when September rolls around, it'll prove the same once more in season three. One of the best of new shows of its debut year and best returning series of its second year, Starstruck was renewed for a third shot of love in London last year — and now the latest season arrives when romance is usually in the air, aka spring Down Under. This time, Matafeo's Jessie is single after breaking up with famous actor Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), and now navigating what that all means. No matter who's starring in them, when and where they're set, and whether they're showing on the big or small screen, romantic comedies do adore telling tales about trying to hold onto a good thing. Two people meet, fall for each other — whether immediately or eventually — and work through whatever it takes to enjoy their romantic bliss: that's it, that's the genre's familiar formula. It's a setup that TV series Starstruck has been both adhering to and interrogating over its run so far, too, but the show is branching out narrative-wise when it returns in Australia via ABC iView from 9.30pm on Wednesday, September 6 and in New Zealand via TVNZ+ from 8.30pm on Saturday, September 2. If you're new to the series, New Zealander Jessie didn't realise that Tom was so well-known when they met. Once she was aware, that fact was inescapable as they tried to make their fairy tale relationship work. And yes, before the show entered its post-Tom era (although he still pops up) as its just-dropped season-three trailer notes, Matafeo — who stars, writes and created the series — well and truly knew that Notting Hill got there first. To-date, the series has proven a wonderful showcase for Matafeo, and also a savvily smart exploration of rom-com tropes as well, embracing and subverting them as needed. Nodding to romantic comedies such as The Graduate, Love Actually and Bridget Jones' Diary has also come with the territory, amusingly, affectionately and astutely so. Matafeo co-writes Starstruck with fellow comedians Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, with Matafeo and Snedden also directing the third season. Check out the trailer for Starstruck season three below: Starstruck season three will stream in Australia via ABC iView from 9.30pm on Wednesday, September 6 and in New Zealand via TVNZ+ from 8.30pm on Saturday, September 2. Starstruck's first and second seasons are available to stream in Australia via ABC iView and in New Zealand via TVNZ+. Read our full review of Starstruck's first season — and our full review of its second season, too. Images: Mark Johnson/HBO Max.
The duo behind Melbourne's sake brand Toji Sake, Shar and Yuta Kobayashi, brought a new taste of Japan to Richmond in 2019. The 100-seat restaurant on Swan Street is dishing up food inspired by both Australia and Japan, as well as sake cocktails. Kobayashi's Australian-Japanese roots and Chan's experience cooking Japanese fare have both influenced the menu, which focuses on izakaya-style snacks, such as yakitori, and dishes cooked on a hibachi (a Japanese charcoal grill). For yakitori, expect all the chicken parts — thigh, oyster, heart, breast — as well as leek, baby onions covered in miso and okra. Other snacks include the likes of duck gyoza with shiso and salted plum, kingfish sashimi with smoked daikon, smoked beef tartare and short ribs with chimichurri. Bigger items at Eazy Peazy might include okonomiyaki, porterhouse with wasabi, aged dashi eggplant and chicken karaage. Behind the restaurant's long concrete bar, you'll, of course, find a few Toji Sake concoctions. The brand's crisp junmai ginjo and high-grade junmai daiginjo sakes feature in a selection of cocktails, such as Aloe Peaches — with aloe vera juice, peach liqueur and cranberry — and the Shiso Crazy with shiso leaves, rum and soda. A mostly Australian wine list and a lineup of Japanese and local beers in tins, bottles and on tap round out the drinks offering. The Eazy Peazy fit-out, by award-winning Melbourne firm Carr Design, is meant to fuse traditional Japanese elements with modern touches. Think interior walls representing the rice fields of the Niigata Prefecture, a snow-like ceiling reminiscent of the Asahi mountain ranges and doors that look like raked sand in a zen garden. These elements are juxtaposed with projections of Tokyo's famed Shibuya Crossing and Japanese cartoon figurines used as handbag hooks. Images: Carly Ravenhall and Hortenzia.
Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are just one week into their second lockdown, after the Victorian Government introduced a new round of Stay at Home Directions for the regions, coming into effect from 11.59pm on Wednesday, July 8. The move came in response to the state's recent spike in COVID-19 cases — it recorded its highest ever new case totals for two consecutive days on July 6 (127) and 7 (191), with daily totals now regularly passing the 200 mark. But, despite the high numbers and the threat of even tougher restrictions if they're not contained, plenty of locals have been flouting the lockdown directives. In a press conference today, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Rick Nugent revealed Victoria Police has issued a whopping 546 fines since these most recent Stage 3 restrictions were introduced last week. Sixty-three of these were handed out in the past 24 hours, as over 5000 spot checks were conducted across the state. Individuals caught breaking the rules restrictions face on-the-spot fines of $1652, while businesses could be fined $9913. Most of the rule-breakers, according to Nugent, are those ignoring lockdown directives to go see family or hang out with mates. A few choice examples of the infringements being handed out including two friends who where driving around playing Pokemon Go, a house party at a short-term rental property in the CBD where 34 fines were issued, and one man who refused to leave a KFC restaurant. Of course, there's also last week's infamous KFC party incident, where an extra large order of fried chicken tipped off police to a birthday gathering at a home in Dandenong. Sixteen guests were caught and $26,000 worth of fines were dished out. "A particular concern for us is the ongoing parties and gatherings, people playing poker, people holding parties," said Nugent. "We're finding people in cupboards, we're finding people in garages — please stop." Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has urged people to adhere to the restrictions, citing the very real possibility of even tougher lockdown measures. "If, however, people do not do the right thing then we will have to move to additional restrictions being put in place and potentially prolong the period where those restrictions are in place," he warned. "Nobody wants that … because of the choices of a few." Stay-at-home orders are currently in place for all of metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. For more information, head to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
Here's something that you oughta know: Alanis Morissette is heading Down Under. The famed 90s singer was actually set to hit our shores back in 2020 as part of her world tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of her chart-topping 95 album Jagged Little Pill. But the pandemic forced those plans to change, so now she'll perform in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in 2022. Get ready to sing along to 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know' and 'All I Really Want' at Perth's RAC Arena on November 5, Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on November 8 and 9, and Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on November 11. Morissette was also part of the cancelled 2020 Bluesfest bill, but if the festival returns to its usual Easter timeslot next year — after the 2021 fest was scrapped, then moved to October — that obviously won't happen again. At her four stadium shows, the 90s icon will be supported by Australia's own Julia Stone. Stone has released three solo albums and four together with her brother Angus, including Down the Way, which won Album of the Year at the 2010 ARIA Awards. Morissette's own collection of music awards is hefty, and includes seven Grammys and 12 Juno Awards. While her 95 album Jagged Little Pill is the most critically acclaimed, the Canadian singer has released nine albums, including her latest, Such Pretty Forks in the Road, in 2020. It's clearly a great time to be an Australian Morissette fan, with Broadway's Jagged Little Pill musical, which was inspired by her album and features a heap of the musician's songs, also headed our way. It'll reopen the Theatre Royal Sydney this September. In the meantime, though, hype yourself up for the Aussie tour by belting out the following banger: ALANIS MORISSETTE 2022 AUSTRALIAN DATES Saturday, November 5 — RAC Arena, Perth Tuesday, November 8 and Wednesday, November 9 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Friday, November 11 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tickets for Alanis Morissette's rescheduled tour are on sale now.
Melbourne native Fractures has been pretty busy in the last few months. He debuted at Splendour in the Grass, his October tour schedule was totally sold out, he just announced he's heading overseas next year, and now he's spending this month holed up in Sydney and Melbourne for two very intimate evenings. As part of his Hallowed Ground tour, Fractures will be hitting up the Shadow Electric bandroom in the conspicuous nunnery turned arts space that is the Abbotsford Convent and the Paddington Uniting Church in Sydney. Up until only a few years ago this space was reserved strictly for church and community related events. Now it's a hot spot for those looking to bliss out to ambient electronic pop. Perfect if you're looking to worship at a new kind of altar.
Since launching around the country back in 2013, the British Film Festival keeps standing out for three reasons. Yes, it ranks among Australia's most obvious cultural film fests; however, it's also a star-studded affair, and a popular one. If you're keen not only for a slice of Old Blighty, but to watch well-known talents do what they do best, then prepare to spend a few weeks staring at the big screen. 2018's lineup keeps hitting those same marks. Why mess with a good thing? Running in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra until November 14, this year's program includes Kiera Knightley's latest star turn, a four-film tribute to Michael Caine that'll blow the bloody doors off, and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley in a playful take on Hamlet — plus these, our five must-see picks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfWIfwKJ7vA ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE Anna and the Apocalypse is a zombie movie. It's a high-school comedy. It's a Christmas flick. And, it's also a musical. Just when you thought you'd seen every take on the undead available, this all-singing genre mash-up pops up to prove you wrong. A crowd-pleaser at overseas festivals, it's based on the BAFTA-winning short Zombie Musical — and, story-wise, follows the eponymous Anna (Ella Hunt) as she reacts to the rather inconvenient fact that her Scottish hometown of Little Haven is now filled with the shuffling masses hankering for brains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItW6evHbE8 YARDIE After coming to fame with to The Wire, Idris Elba is no stranger to sprawling crime dramas that chart the next generation's involvement in the drug trade. With Yardie, however, he's stepping behind the camera rather than appearing in front of it. The actor's feature directorial debut hops between Jamaica and London, and between the 70s and 80s, at it charts the path of Denis. As a boy (Antwayne Eccleston), he watches his brother get gunned down on the streets of Kingston. As a young man (Aml Ameen), he finds himself selling cocaine in the UK and seeking revenge. The result is a film with vibrant style, that knows what it wants to be and knows when it's hitting familiar beats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj5h1kKjVYc PETERLOO Whenever Mike Leigh has a new film, it's reason enough to rush to the cinema. The great director has seven Oscar nominations to his name for the likes of Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky and Another Year, and tends to alternate between character-based and historical-leaning dramas. With his latest, Peterloo, he's operating in the latter camp, examining a momentous event in Britain's past. The feature is named after and explores a massacre in Manchester in 1819, when 700 working folks were injured — and 15 killed — during a peaceful pro-democracy gathering. Yes, it sounds more than a little relevant today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE5xbDTkzQQ STAN & OLLIE To the world, they were Laurel and Hardy — one lean and English, the other rotund and American, and both funnier and more famous when they were hitting the stage and screen together. Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie delves into the story behind the fame, when the comedians were approaching the end of their career. The film arrives in Australia fresh from premiering at the London Film Festival, and closes out BFF with the promise of laughs, love and excellent performances. Indeed, when it comes to spot-on casting, it's already a winner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8YiltlZGB0 THE HAPPY PRINCE Another blast from the past in the BFF program, another look at a well-known figure past their heyday, and another well-known actor making their filmmaking debut, too. With the dreamily tragic The Happy Prince, Rupert Everett steps into Oscar Wilde's shoes — and it's a role that he was born to bring to the screen. Writing and directing as well, Everett approaches Wilde's dying days in a rundown Parisian hotel room with both passion and sorrow, two traits that the poet and write knew well. It's a hardly a happy portrait, despite the name, which riffs on one of Wilde's works. That said, interweaving flashbacks to fonder times and co-starring Colin Firth, it does Wilde justice. The 2018 British Film Festival tours Australia until November 14, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinemas from October 23 to November 14; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay and The Astor Theatre from October 25 to November 14; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from October 24 to November 14; and Perth's Cinema Paradiso, Raine Square Cinemas, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema from October 25 to November 14. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures will do that, and so will plenty of people staying home because they aren't well — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Perhaps you've been under the weather. Given the hefty amount of titles now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 12 that you can watch right now at home. Anatomy of a Fall A calypso instrumental cover of 50 Cent's 'P.I.M.P.' isn't the only thing that Anatomy of a Fall's audience won't be able to dislodge from their heads after watching 2023's deserving Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner. A film that's thorny, knotty and defiantly unwilling to give any easy answers, this legal, psychological and emotional thriller about a woman on trial for her husband's death is unshakeable in as many ways as someone can have doubts about another person: so, a myriad. The scenario conjured up by writer/director Justine Triet (Sibyl) is haunting, asking not only if her protagonist committed murder, as the on-screen investigation and courtroom proceedings interrogate, but digging into what it means to be forced to choose between whether someone did the worst or is innocent — or if either matters. While the Gallic legal system provides the backdrop for much of the movie, the real person doing the real picking isn't there in a professional capacity, or on a jury. Rather, it's the 11-year-old boy who loved his dad, finds him lying in the snow with a head injury outside their French Alps home on an otherwise ordinary day, then becomes the key witness in his mum's case. Also impossible to forget: the performances that are so crucial in telling this tale of marital and parental bonds, especially from one of German's current best actors and the up-and-coming French talent playing her son. With her similarly astonishing portrayal in The Zone of Interest, Toni Erdmann and I'm Your Man's Sandra Hüller is two for two in movies that initially debuted in 2023; here, she steps into the icy and complicated Sandra Voyter's shoes with the same kind of surgical precision that Triet applies to unpacking the character's home life. As Daniel, who couldn't be more conflicted about the nightmare situation he's been thrust into, Milo Machado Graner (Alex Hugo) is a revelation — frequently via his expressive face and posture alone. If Scenes From a Marriage met Kramer vs Kramer, plus 1959's Anatomy of a Murder that patently influences Anatomy of a Fall's name, this would be the gripping end result — as fittingly written by Triet with her IRL partner Arthur Harari (Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle). Anatomy of a Fall streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Poor Things Richly striking feats of cinema by Yorgos Lanthimos aren't scarce. Sublime performances by Emma Stone are hardly infrequent. Screen takes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein couldn't be more constant. For Lanthimos, see: Dogtooth and Alps in the Greek Weird Wave filmmaker's native language, plus The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Favourite since he started helming movies in English. With Stone, examples abound in her Best Actress Oscar for La La Land, supporting nominations before and after for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and Lanthimos' aforementioned regal satire, and twin 2024 Golden Globe nods for their latest collaboration as well as TV's The Curse. And as for the best gothic-horror story there is, not to mention one of the most influential sci-fi stories ever, the evidence is everywhere from traditional adaptations to debts owed as widely as The Rocky Horror Show and M3GAN. Combining the three results in a rarity, however: a jewel of a pastel-, jewel- and bodily fluid-toned feminist Frankenstein-esque fairy tale that's a stunning creation, as zapped to life with Lanthimos' inimitable flair, a mischievous air, Stone at her most extraordinary and empowerment blazing like a lightning bolt. With cascading black hair, an inquisitive stare, incessant frankness and jolting physical mannerisms, Poor Things' star is Bella Baxter in this adaptation of Alasdair Grey's award-winning 1992 novel by Australian screenwriter Tony McNamara (The Great). Among the reasons that the movie and its lead portrayal are so singular: as a character with a woman's body revived with a baby's brain, Stone plays someone from infancy to adulthood, all with the astonishingly exact mindset and mannerisms to match, and while making every move, choice and feeling as organic as birth, living and death. In this fantastical steampunk vision of Victorian-era Europe, London-based Scottish doctor Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe, Asteroid City) is Bella's maker. Even if she didn't call him God, he's been playing it. But curiosity, the quest for agency and independence, horniness and a lust for adventure all beckon his creation on a radical, rebellious, gorgeously rendered, gloriously funny and generously insightful odyssey. So, Godwin tries to marry Bella off to medical student Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef, Ramy), only for her to discover masturbation and sex, and run off to the continent with caddish lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). Poor Things streams via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Priscilla Yearning to be one of the women in Sofia Coppola's films is futile, but for a single reason only: whether she's telling of teenage sisters, a wife left to her own devices in Tokyo, France's most-famous queen, the daughter of a Hollywood actor, Los Angeles high schoolers who want to rob, the staff and students at a girls school in the American Civil War, a Manhattanite worried that her husband is being unfaithful or Priscilla Presley, as the writer/director has across eight movies to-date, no one better plunges viewers into her female characters' hearts and heads. To watch the filmmaker's span of features from The Virgin Suicides to Priscilla is to feel as its figures do, and deeply. The second-generation helmer is an impressionistic great, colouring her flicks as much with emotions and mood as actual hues — not that there's any shortage of lush and dreamy shades, as intricately tied to her on-screen women's inner states, swirling through her meticulous frames. Call it the "can't help falling" effect, then: as a quarter-century of Coppola's films have graced screens, audiences can't help falling into them like they're in the middle of each themselves. That's still accurate with Priscilla, which arrives so soon after Elvis that no one could've forgotten that the lives of the king of rock 'n' roll and his bride have flickered through cinemas recently. Baz Luhrmann made his Presley movie in Australia with an American (Austin Butler, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Elvis and an Aussie (Olivia DeJonge, The Staircase) as Priscilla. Coppola crafted hers in North America with a Brisbanite (Jacob Elordi, Saltburn) in blue-suede shoes and a Tennessee-born talent (Cailee Spaeny, Mare of Easttown) adopting the Presley surname. The two features are mirror images in a hunk of burning ways, including their his-and-hers titles; whose viewpoint they align with; and conveying what it was like to adore Elvis among the masses, plus why he sparked that fervour, compared to expressing the experience of being the girl that he fell for, married, sincerely loved but kept in a gilded cage into she strove to fly free. Priscilla streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Cailee Spaeny. All of Us Strangers As Fleabag knew, and also Sherlock as well, Andrew Scott has the type of empathetic face that makes people want to keep talking to him. Playing the hot priest in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) acclaimed comedy, he was the ultimate listener. Even as the Moriarty to Benedict Cumberbatch's (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) Holmes, and with a game always afoot, conversation flowed. All of Us Strangers puts this innate air — this sensation that to be in Scott's company is to want to unburden yourself to his welcoming ears — at its tender and feverishly beating heart, this time with Paul Mescal (Foe) as one of his discussion partners. Dreamy and contemplative, haunting and heartfelt, and also delicate and devastating, the fifth film by Weekend and 45 Years writer/director Andrew Haigh, which is his first since 2017's Lean on Pete, is stunningly cast with Scott in seeing-is-feeling mode as its isolated screenwriter protagonist alone. That Scott is joined by Mescal, Claire Foy (Women Talking) and Jamie Bell (Shining Girls) gives All of Us Strangers one of the finest four-hander casts in recent memory. Awards bodies clearly agree, with nods going around for everyone (alongside wins for Best Film and Best Director, the British Independent Film Awards gave all four of the feature's core cast members nominations, with Mescal scoring the Best Supporting Performance trophy, for instance). Haigh isn't merely preternaturally talented at picking the exact right actors to play his on-screen figures, but it's one of his most-crucial skills, as every performance in his latest shattering picture demonstrates. It comes as no surprise that Scott, Mescal, Foy and Bell are all excellent. It's similarly hardly unexpected that Haigh has made another movie that cuts so emotionally deep that viewers will feel as if they've been within its frames. Combine these stars with this filmmaker, though, and a feature that was always likely to combine its exceptional parts into a perfect sum is somehow even more affecting and astonishing. All of Us Strangers streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Drive-Away Dolls No one might've thought of Joel and Ethan Coen as yin and yang if they hadn't started making movies separately. Since 2018's The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, their latest feature together as sibling filmmakers, the elder of the Coen brothers went with Shakespearean intensity by directing 2021's The Tragedy of Macbeth on his lonesome — while Ethan now opts for goofy, loose and hilariously sidesplitting silliness with Drive-Away Dolls. The pair aren't done collaborating, with a horror flick reportedly in the works next. But their break from being an Oscar-winning team has gifted audiences two treats in completely different fashions. For the younger brother, he's swapped in his wife Tricia Cooke, editor of The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Man Who Wasn't There, on a picture that couldn't slide more smoothly onto his resume alongside the madcap antics that the Coens combined are known for. Indeed, spying shades of the first of those two features that Cooke spliced in Drive-Away Dolls, plus Raising Arizona, Fargo and Burn After Reading as well, is both easy and delightful. As a duo, the Coen brothers haven't ever followed two women through lesbian bars, makeout parties and plenty of horniness between the sheets, though, amid wall dildos and other nods to intimate appendages, even if plenty about the Ethan-directed, Cooke-edited Drive-Away Dolls — which both Ethan and Cooke co-wrote — is classic Coens. There's the road-trip angle, conspiracy mayhem, blundering criminals in hot pursuit of Jamie (Margaret Qualley, Poor Things) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan, Cat Person), dumb men (those crooks again) in cars and just quirky characters all round. There's the anarchic chases, witty yet philosophical banter and highly sought-after briefcase at the centre of the plot, too. And, there's the fact that this is a comedic caper, its love of slapstick and that a wealth of well-known faces pop up as the zany antics snowball. The Joel-and-Ethan team hasn't made a film as sapphic as this, either, however, or one that's a 90s-set nod to, riff on, and parody of 60s- and 70s-era sexploitation raucousness. Drive-Away Dolls streams via Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke. May December A line about not having enough hot dogs might be one of its first, but the Julianne Moore (Sharper)-, Natalie Portman (Thor: Love and Thunder)- and Charles Melton (Riverdale)-starring May December is a movie of mirrors and butterflies. In the literal sense, director Todd Haynes wastes few chances to put either in his frames. The Velvet Goldmine, Carol and Dark Waters filmmaker doesn't shy away from symbolism, knowing two truths that stare back at his audience from his latest masterpiece: that what we see when we peer at ourselves in a looking glass isn't what the rest of the world observes, and that life's journey is always one of transformation. Inspired by the real-life Mary Kay Letourneau scandal, May December probes both of these facts as intently as anyone scrutinising their own reflection. Haynes asks viewers to do the same. Unpacking appearance and perception, and also their construction and performance, gazes from this potently thorny — and downright potent — film. That not all metamorphoses end with a beautiful flutter flickers through just as strongly. May December's basis springs from events that received ample press attention in the 90s: schoolteacher Letourneau's sexual relationship with her sixth-grade student Vili Fualaau. She was 34, he was 12. First-time screenwriter Samy Burch changes names and details in her Oscar-nominated script — for Best Original Screenplay, which is somehow the film's only nod by the Academy — but there's no doubting that it takes its cues from this case of grooming, which saw Letourneau arrested, give birth to the couple's two daughters in prison, then the pair eventually marry. 2000 TV movie All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story used the recreation route; however, that was never going to be a Haynes-helmed feature's approach. The comic mention of hot dogs isn't indicative of May December's overall vibe, either: this a savvily piercing film that sees the agonising impact upon the situation's victim, the story its perpetrator has spun around herself, and the relentless, ravenous way that people's lives and tragedies are consumed by the media and public. May December streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Mean Girls On years ending in four in even-numbered decades, we watch new Mean Girls films. So goes the 21st century so far, as the hit 2004 teen comedy about high-school hierarchies returns to the big screen in 2024 as a musical, after breaking out the singing and dancing onstage first. Just like donning pink every Wednesday because Regina George (Reneé Rapp, The Sex Lives of College Girls) demands it, there's a dutifulness about the repeat Mean Girls. Tina Fey, writing the script for the third time — basing her first on Rosalind Wiseman's 2002 non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes — seems to fear the consequences for breaking the rules, too. Cue a Mean Girls movie musical that truly plays out as those four words lead viewers to expect: largely the same down to most lines and jokes, just with songs. Anyone looking at the longer running time in advance and chalking up the jump from 97 to 112 minutes to the tunes is 100-percent spot on. The latest Mean Girls also resembles protagonist Cady Heron (Angourie Rice, The Last Thing He Told Me): eager to fit into its new surroundings after being perfectly happy and comfortable elsewhere. That causes some awkwardness, sometimes trying to break the mould, but largely assimilating. Penning her first film script since the OG Mean Girls was her very first, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mr Mayor creator Fey revises details and gags that were always going to need revising. Social media, the internet and mobile phones are all worked in, necessarily so, as is sex positivity. Mean Girls 2024 is primarily dedicated to making Mean Girls 2024 happen, though; here as well, it's exactly as those three words have audiences anticipating. Scrap the songs and choreography (other than the Winter Talent Show performances, of course), and directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez (Quarter Life Poetry: Poems for the Young, Broke & Hangry) would've just remade the first film two decades later. Mean Girls streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Angourie Rice. Force of Nature: The Dry 2 "Nature holds us all to account" is one of Force of Nature: The Dry 2's trailer-friendly lines. Even for those who didn't see the film's sneak peeks in the months between its arrival and the feature's release — a period stretched by Hollywood's 2023 strikes, pushing the picture's date with cinemas from August to February 2024 — it sounds primed for promo snippets when it's uttered in the movie itself. But this Australian detective franchise has earned the right to occasionally be that blunt and loaded with telling importance in its dialogue. And, it makes it work. In 2021's The Dry and here, in a flick that could've been called The Wet thanks to its drenched forest setting, the Aaron Falk saga uses its surroundings to mirror its emotional landscape. Nature holds its characters to account not just in a narrative sense, but by reflecting what they're feeling with astute specificity — so much so that the parched Victorian wheatbelt in the initial movie and the saturated greenery in Force of Nature are as much extensions of the series' on-screen figures as they are stunning backdrops. Chief among this page-to-film realm's players is Falk, the federal police officer that Eric Bana and his Blueback director Robert Connolly treat like terrain to trek through and traverse. His stare has its own cliffs and gorges. His life upholding the law and beyond has its peaks and valleys as well. In The Dry, it was evident that the yellowed, drought-stricken fields that monopolised the frame said plenty about how much Falk and everyone around him was holding back. In Force of Nature, all the damp of the fictional Giralang mountains — Victoria's Otways, Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley IRL — speaks volumes about what's streaming through the movie's characters inside. Cinematography is one of this franchise's strengths, and that Andrew Commis (Nude Tuesday) lenses the second picture's location just as evocatively and meticulously as Stefan Duscio (Shantaram) did the first is crucial: these features make their audience see every detail that envelops Falk and company, and therefore constantly spy the parallels between their environs and their inner turmoil. Force of Nature: The Dry 2 streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Eric Bana and Robert Connolly. Argylle For the past decade, spy films have been Matthew Vaughn's caper, thanks to Kingsman: The Secret Service, Kingsman: The Golden Circle and The King's Man until now. With Argylle, he's still being playful with a genre that he clearly loves but isn't precious about, and he's also approaching espionage antics from another angle. 80s action-adventure comedy Romancing the Stone, which isn't about secret intelligence operatives, is one of this page-to-screen effort's blatant inspirations. Something that both do have at their centres: writers caught up in scenarios that would usually only happen on paper. 2022's The Lost City took the same route — but Argylle throws in a touch of North by Northwest, and also gets meta about its own origins. And no, Taylor Swift didn't write the source material. For his eighth feature, which hits 20 years after he made his directorial debut with the Daniel Craig (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)-starring Layer Cake, Vaughn adapts the novel that gives Argylle its name; however, the specifics aren't quite that simple. The IRL title was only published as the flick hits cinemas, starting a franchise on the shelf. That said, the film — which is similarly aiming to begin a series — jumps to a later as-yet-unreleased book. Those tomes are credited to Elly Conway, which is the name of the movie version of Argylle's protagonist. In the feature, Elly (Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World Dominion) is also an author who has written a saga about spies. Back in reality, who she really is has sparked a frenzy, hence the theories that she could be one of the world's biggest pop stars amid a massive world tour and a huge concert film. Again, despite Swifties' dreams, that speculation needs to be shaken off. Argylle streams via YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Matthew Vaughn. The Color Purple For most, there isn't much in Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel The Color Purple that screams for the musical spin. Broadway still came calling. On the page, this tale always featured a jazz and blues singer as a key character. When it initially reached the screen in 1985 with Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans) directing, it also worked in an anthem that earned an Oscar nomination and has been much-covered since; Quincy Jones composed the film's score and produced the movie. But if the idea of lavish song-and-dance numbers peppered throughout such a bleak account of incest, rape, domestic abuse, racism, injustice, violence and poverty feels like hitting a wrong note, claims otherwise keep springing. First arrived 2005's Tony-winning stage adaptation, then 2015's also-awarded revival. Now, joining the ranks of books that became movies, then musicals, then musical movies just like the new Mean Girls, a second feature brings Walker's story to cinemas — this time with belted-out ballads and toe-tapping tunes. With each take, The Color Purple's narrative has predominantly remained the same as when it first hit bookshelves, crushing woe, infuriating prejudice and rampant inequity included. Musicals don't have to be cheery, but how does so much brutality give rise to anything but mournful songs? The answer here: by leaning into the rural Georgia-set tale's embrace of hope, resilience and self-discovery. Ghanaian director Blitz Bazawule follows up co-helming Beyoncé's Black Is King by heroing empowerment and emancipation in his version of The Color Purple — and while the film that results can't completely avoid an awkward tonal balance, it's easy to see the meaning behind its striving for a brighter outlook. When what its characters go through as Black women in America's south in the early 20th century is so unsparing, welcoming wherever light can pierce the gloom is a human reaction, and how Celie (American Idol-winner Fantasia Barrino in her feature film debut) copes. The Color Purple streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Madame Web When a spider spins a web, the strands are designed to trap prey for the eight-legged arachnid to consume. Madame Web tries to do something similar. The fourth live-action film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, it attempts to create a movie meal by capturing bits and pieces from anywhere and everywhere. There's Spidey nods, of course, variations on the "with great power comes great responsibility" line and more than one Spidey-like figure included. Introducing a new superhero to the screen, it's an origin story, complete with a tragic past to unfurl. Set in 2003 but with ample 90s tunes in the soundtrack, it endeavours to get retro as well. In its best touch, Madame Web winks at star Dakota Johnson's (Cha Cha Real Smooth) Hollywood family history, with a pigeon bringing The Birds, as led by her grandmother Tippi Hedren (The Ghost and the Whale), to mind. And, catching inspiration just like flies, the film also strives to be a serial-killer thriller. Look out, though. Here's hoping that spiders have more luck snaring a feast than Sony has in swinging Madame Web into its not-MCU franchise. They're not officially counted as part of the saga, and they're both exceptional unlike this, but the studio's animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse also help explain Madame Web's existence and approach. In trying to carve out a Spidey space around the Peter Parker version of the webslinger, who is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony has been throwing everything it can at the screen. In the Spider-Verse flicks, that means a kaleidoscope of spider-folk, plus dazzling visuals and creative storytelling to match, demonstrating that people in suits isn't the best way to tell caped-crusader tales in cinema. In the SSU, focusing on a heap of peripheral Spidey figures is instead the tactic — and it's as piecemeal as it sounds. Madame Web streams via YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. Next Goal Wins American Samoa's 31–0 loss to Australia in 2001 wasn't the biggest-ever defeat in football history, but it set the world record for the largest trouncing in an international match. It's also the scoreline behind an impassioned quest to achieve something that the US territory in the South Pacific Ocean had never done before in soccer: kick a goal. And, it's the starting point for a documentary and a comedy both called Next Goal Wins, with the first arriving in 2014 and the second now Taika Waititi's eighth feature. Each charts the squad's attempt to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and each tells an underdog tale. One strikes charmingly and winningly, the other keeps deserving red cards — and it's Waititi's long-delayed flick, which was initially filmed before the pandemic, underwent reshoots in 2021, then finally premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, that shouldn't be on the pitch. Since leaping from New Zealand indies Eagle vs Shark, Boy, What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Waititi might've won an Oscar for Jojo Rabbit; however, his best post-Thor: Ragnarok work has been on the small screen. Neither Jojo Rabbit nor Thor: Love and Thunder reached the filmmaker's past heights, but the hilarious US TV spinoff of What We Do in the Shadows, sublime Indigenous American dramedy Reservation Dogs and heartwarming pirate rom-com Our Flag Means Death have all proven gems. The current underwhelming cinema streak continues with the Michael Fassbender (The Killer)-led Next Goal Wins, which is as forceful as his last non-MCU picture in wanting to be a quirky, silly and sweet crowd-pleaser, and as clumsy, awkward and thinly sketched. While new takes on already-covered stories never mean that the originals are binned, sending viewers sprinting towards Mike Brett and Steve Jamison's (On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World)) iteration of Next Goal Wins can't have been Waititi's intention. Next Goal Wins streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January and February 2024 (and also January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2023, too). We keep a running list of must-stream TV from across 2024 as well, complete with full reviews. And, we've also rounded up 2023's 15 best films, 15 best straight-to-streaming movies, 15 top flicks hardly anyone saw, 30 other films to catch up with, 15 best new TV series of 2023, another 15 excellent new TV shows that you might've missed and 15 best returning shows.
If you're looking to blow off some steam post-lockdown, you'll soon have a brand-new outlet for unleashing that pent-up frustration. Popular axe-throwing venue Maniax is opening the doors to its second Melbourne outpost, this time in the CBD. Launching on Friday, November 19, the new site marks the group's sixth Aussie venue, spread across a 700-square-metre subterranean space on Elizabeth Street. Boasting room for 300 punters at full capacity, it's got a series of single and double axe-hurling lanes, as well as extra space for kicking back with a drink in between throws. An on-site kitchen will be serving a menu of pizza and grazing platters, though you'll also be able to order in takeaway from nearby restaurants. And, since launching axes at targets can be thirsty work, the Maniax bar will be pouring a range of Viking-themed cocktails and craft brews to match. [caption id="attachment_830783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] One of Maniax's existing locations.[/caption] As with its siblings, the venue's designed to be enjoyed by axe-throwing junkies and total novices alike, manned by highly trained staff who'll happily coach you in the art of hurling weapons. Throwing is open to anyone over the age of 13. There are various sessions to choose from, depending on your skill level — ranging from the speedy one-hour Quick Chuck through to a date-night package featuring coaching for two. Annual memberships are also available. And once you've got a few throws under your belt, who knows? You might even be tempted to flex your newfound skills by joining the Maniax Axe-Throwing League. Find Maniax at 121 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, from November 19. Bookings are available over at the website.
ACMI is unveiling a spooky new virtual reality experience just in time for Halloween. Premiering on Saturday, October 29 as part of Melbourne International Games Week, Ghosts, Toast and the Things Unsaid forgoes the traditional VR headset in favour of a ghost costume, as viewers peer into the corporeal world from beyond the grave. A partnership between Google's Creative Lab, Sandpit and Grumpy Sailor, the 16-minute piece puts you inside a haunted house…one that you yourself are haunting. There you'll learn the deepest darkest secrets of Steve and Maude, a couple whose relationship is slowly falling apart as a result of the desires they can't bring themselves to share. Deep and spooky stuff. Entry into Ghosts, Toast and the Things Unsaid is free, however bookings are highly recommended.
Whenever a beloved sitcom comes to an end — as Brooklyn Nine-Nine will when it finishes up this year — it leaves a hole in your viewing schedule, and in your TV-loving heart. You can keep binging your favourites all over again, of course, and as many times as you like. But, although one-off specials, starry reunions and movie spinoffs keep happening more and more, you'll always be sad that you can't just look forward to a big batch of new episodes. The one silver lining: when the likes of Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock finished up their runs, the creatives behind them stayed in the sitcom game. Indeed, that's why B99 exists, and how The Good Place and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt came to our screens, too. And, over the past month or so, new shows from the key folks behind all of these series have just reached Stan. When it comes to Girls5eva, a word of warning: the hit song that brought titular fictional late 90s/early 00s girl group to fame is such an earworm, you'll be singing it to yourself for weeks after you binge through the sitcom that bears their name. That's to be expected given that Jeff Richmond, the composer behind 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's equally catchy and comedic tunes, is one of the talents behind it. Tina Fey and Robert Carlock produce the series, too, so you what type of humour you're in for. Starring Sara Bareilles (Broadway's Waitress), Busy Philipps (I Feel Pretty), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton) and the great Paula Pell (AP Bio), Girls5eva follows four of the band's members two decades after their heyday. Their initial success didn't last, and life has left the now-fortysomething women at different junctures. Then a rapper samples their hit, they're asked to reunite for a one-night backing spot on The Tonight Show — and they then contemplate getting back together to give music another shot. As well as being exceptionally well-cast and immensely funny, the series is also bitingly perceptive about stardom, the entertainment industry and the way that women beyond their twenties are treated. Also, when Fey inevitably pops up, she does so as a dream version of Dolly Parton — and it's as glorious as it sounds. Check out the Girls5eva trailer below: Also now streaming its first season in full on Stan: Rutherford Falls. Michael Schur co-wrote and produced The Office, then did the same on Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, both of which he co-created as well. And, he gave the world The Good Place — which makes him one of the best in the business when it comes to kind-hearted, smart and savvy small-screen laughs. His new show continues the streak. Co-created with star Ed Helms and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas (Superstore), it boasts his usual charm and intelligence, too. And, as with every program he's had a hand in, it also boasts a top-notch lineup of on-screen talent. Plus, Rutherford Falls is immensely easy to binge in just one sitting, because each one of its ten first-season episodes leave you wanting more. The setup: in the place that gives the sitcom its name, Nathan Rutherford (Helms, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun) runs the local history museum. One of his descendants founded the town, and he couldn't be more proud of that fact. He's also very protective of the towering statue of said ancestor, even though it sits in the middle of a road and causes accidents. So, when the mayor (Dana L.Wilson, Perry Mason) decides to move the traffic hazard, Nathan and his overzealous intern Bobbie (Jesse Leigh, Heathers) spring into action. Nathan's best friend Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding, Blast) helps; however, the Minishonka Nation woman begins to realise just how her pal's family have shaped the fate of her Native American community. Also featuring a scene-stealing Michael Greyeyes (I Know This Much Is True) as the enterprising head of the Minishonka Nation casino, Rutherford Falls pairs witty laughs with warmth and sincerity, especially when it comes to exploring the treatment of First Nations peoples in America today. Check out the Rutherford Falls trailer below: The first seasons of Girls5eva and Rutherford Falls are available to stream via Stan.
When John Safran was making his comedy/doco program John Safran vs God for SBS in 2004, his segment on Catholicism included a guest spot from South Melbourne Catholic Priest Father Bob Maguire. It was one of the show’s standout moments: the sardonic Father Bob playing off Safran’s nebbish persona like they’d just come off a 30-week Neil Simon run on Broadway. The relationship continued in television and radio, and Father Bob’s increasing media profile led to him to become every non-Catholic’s favourite Catholic: an outspoken priest who seemed unafraid of offending the Church with his opinions. Because of Bob's notoriety, it's not unreasonable to approach this documentary with trepidation. Would the film simply be repeating what we already knew about Bob? Would it be more suitable for a crowd who’d never heard of him? The film does play to an audience unfamiliar with Bob’s extraordinary personality, but even those who are fans of the man will find much to learn here. And it’s actually Safran who goes unexplained throughout the film. He appears sporadically — most satisfactorily as 'Death' in a beachside callback to Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal — without much comment. This is not necessarily a bad thing; enigmatic figures are an underrated tool for fostering audience intrigue. But it's Father Bob who is the star of the show. Filmed over the period during which the Catholic Church was trying to forcibly eject him (deeming him "too old" at age 75), In Bob We Trust documents the opinions and work of a man who seems to understand the fundamental message of Christ better than many of his counterparts. Not only that, but he puts it into practice. His well-fostered grumpy persona is the perfect conduit for what seems to be a genuine frustration at the Catholic Church's attitude towards women, gays, refugees, the poor, etc. He nearly explodes at the idea of having to explain to his superiors why he keeps spending money on the less fortunate. Lynn-Maree Milburn again proves herself a masterful director, following her superb documentary Autoluminescent: Rowland S Howard in 2011. She confidently steps back when the scene demands it but isn’t afraid to ramp up the production values (jump cuts, non-diegetic music and anything that dares to threaten the film’s verisimilitude with artifice) when needed. Father Bob continuously insists that he himself should not be the message, and the film’s central thesis largely bears this out: Bob is presenting to us the reason and the ideal of Catholicism, what it should be and what it could be. He does not particularly wish to be venerated, and the film respects that whilst slyly paying tribute to a man of extraordinary grace, intelligence, wit and compassion.
Subscriptions aren't just for magazines, wine, cheese, cars, ramen, booze and streaming platforms. Thanks to Botanic Box, they're also for plants. Created by Brisbanite Rhiannon Campbell, and launching up north last year, the service brings a new bundle of greenery to your door each and every month — and it's now delivering in Sydney and Melbourne as well. It's the type of service that seems tailor-made for folks with green thumbs but lazy feet — that is, anyone who'd love to get a heap of new plants, but can never make it to a market or nursery to buy one themselves. More than that, Botanic Box doesn't just feature the kinds of greenery that you could just pick up on your travels. Rather, your plants — maybe a fiddle leaf fig, a succulent or a eucalyptus — will arrive with handmade pots, art cards, key rings and more accompanying each delivery. As well as teaming up with a range of local growers, Botanic Box highlights a different artist and maker each month, with previous partnerships including Lush Succulents, studio Nikulinsky, Kojo Kokedamas, Lazer Unicorn and McKenzie House. This is all about one-off collaborations that showcase local talent and add a nice dash of nature to your home. If you're eager to start welcoming new green babies on the regular, here's how it works. Customers sign up on ongoing basis, with Botanic Box packages ranging from three to six to twelve months. For the duration of your subscription, you'll receive a different plant and a handmade item around the 15th of each of every month, all for $49.95 per month. You can join Botanic Box yourself, or sign someone else up as a gift — and if you're feeling less than financial, you can drop hints to everyone you know. One to keep in mind when shopping for birthday or Christmas presents. For more details, visit botanicbox.com.au. Top image: Botanic Box / McKenzie House / Alle Grace Photography.
Earlier this year, Scoopy Milk Bar popped up at Melbourne's hawker-style market, HWKR. It left — as is the case with all venues at the always-rotating market — but now the frozen dessert palace is back. It's setting up shop inside Guildford Lane's Brick Lane for two months. While the cafe and bakery will remain business as usual during the day, come 4.30pm, it'll transform into a dessert bar dedicated to bingsu: a colourful Korean shaved ice dessert. To celebrate its return, Scoopy Milk Bar is giving away free bingsu to the first 50 customers through its doors today, Thursday, September 19, at 4.30pm. Knock off work a little early and get ready to dig into one of six shaved ice flavours: Royal Taro, Mai Thai Times, Matcha Bonsai, Milky Brew, Berry Peak and Dusky Dream. They come topped with the likes of fresh fruit, tapioca pearls, biscuits and shaved coconut, too. If you miss out on the giveaway, don't stress too much. The pop-up will be serving up bingsu till 9.30pm — and all the way through till Sunday, November 3, when the it ends. Scoopy Milk Bar giveaway runs from 4.30–9.30pm or until sold out.
If ice cream is a gift from the gods, then free ice cream is pure divinity. And that would make the Ben & Jerry's team martyrs, because this Sunday, July 16 they're giving out tubs of their ice cream, gratis. Think of it as a donation to your enjoyment on Earth. If you want to get in on this higher experience, Ben & Jerry's will be stationed at holy sites in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This is where they'll be: Sydney: Queen's Victoria Building forecourt (next to the statue) from 11am – 1pm, then Manly Wharf from 3–6pm. Melbourne: The entry to Luna Park, St Kilda from 12–4pm. Brisbane: 168 Grey Street, South Brisbane from 1–3pm. All up, they've got 20,000 tubs to give away, including cult favourites like salted caramel, the caramel core Karamel Sutra and Chubby Hubby, which has fudge-covered pretzels and peanut butter swirls. The giveaway will celebrate International Ice Cream Day and the brand's new partnership with food delivery service Foodora. It's a great week for cheapskates, as Lord of the Fries is also giving out no-charge chips on Thursday in Sydney and Melbourne, and Brisbane's new Lucky Egg West End is doing free fried chicken burgers on Saturday and Sunday. The Ben & Jerry's Big Tub Giveaway will take place on Sunday, July 16 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For more info, visit their Facebook page.
With COVID-19 testing ramping up in Victoria over the past few weeks — and 161,000 administered in the last fortnight — the state is preparing to relax some coronavirus-related restrictions. At the moment, Victoria has some of the most stringent rules in Australia, but come 11.59pm tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 12, a number of limitations will be lifted. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealed the state's next stage of eased COVID-19 restrictions today, Monday, May 11, following a similar announcement at the federal level on Friday. While Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled the nation's three-step plan to lift lockdown limitations between now and July before the weekend, that country-wide framework needs to be implemented at the state level individually by each state. Victoria's announcement coincides with the end of its second four-week state of emergency, which expires at midnight tonight. Victoria's first stage of relaxed restrictions, will be introduced at 11.59pm on Tuesday, May 12, and remain in place with a renewed State of Emergency until 11.59pm on Sunday, May 31. A selection of normal, everyday activities that have been off the cards since March will be permissible once again, with the following allowed: Up to five visitors in your home Outdoor gatherings of up to ten people, including leaving the house for recreational activities such as hiking, jogging, fishing and golf Weddings will be allowed to have a maximum of ten guests Funerals with up to 20 mourners indoors and 30 outdoors Religious gatherings and ceremonies will be permitted with up to 10 people Previously, Victorians were only allowed to leave their homes for one of four reasons — to obtain food and supplies, to receive medical care or provide care yourself, for exercise and to attend work or education if you cannot do so from home — but from 11.59pm tomorrow night, there'll be a fifth reason: to visit friends and family. The Premier has said that there's no limit on how far you can travel to visit friends and family or to exercise, but overnight stays are not allowed and camping, AirBnBs and hotels are still off-limits. He also said that the new rule is not an excuse to have "a rotating roster of acquaintances and associates – or your third best friend from primary school – over for a visit. This is about seeing those you need to – if you need to." The Premier also said that "while the numbers are stable, there is a real need to be cautious", and Melburnians should work at home if they can until the end of May. "If you can stay at home — you must stay at home," the Premier said. Unlike in NSW and Queensland, Victoria's cafes and restaurants are not yet allowed to reopen to dine-in customers, but the Premier is hopeful this will be allowed to in June, when they next step of eased restrictions is likely to be introduced. "As we go through this month, we'll keep reviewing the situation and our case numbers – and hopefully, we'll be able to make further announcements then," the Premier said. For more information about NSW's eased restrictions, read the Premier's press release. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
If there's been a cheap pizza-shaped hole in your heart since that day a fire forced Fitzroy institution Bimbo Deluxe to close its doors in May last year, you can finally breathe easy. The home of $4 pizzas and late-night dance floor sessions is ready and raring for a comeback, with Bimbo 2.0 set to open next Wednesday, May 22. After a year-long hiatus, the reborn Brunswick Street venue is dropping Deluxe from its name and, from here on in, will simply be known as Bimbo. And, before you ask — yes, those wallet-friendly $4 pizza deals will be sticking around, though you'll find the wider menu has been revamped alongside a brand new program of music, drinks and after-hours shenanigans. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BIMBO (@bimbomelbourne) on Apr 6, 2018 at 1:55am PDT A makeover from designer Rabindra Naidoo — including new booth seating — will no doubt make the place feel refreshed, as will a swag of new large-scale artworks featured throughout. Pieces from the likes of Elliot Routledge and L.A's Kristen Liu Wong feature on the walls, as well as a big mural from Celeste Mountjoy (aka Filthy Ratbag), whose work graced the walls of the OG Bimbo. Colonial Leisure Group – which owns the venue along with sister venue Lucky Coq, Brunswick's Penny Black and Half Moon in Brighton — has also hit refresh on the weekly events calendar, with a new offering that includes a bunch of drink specials (details TBC), acoustic sessions each Tuesday, Wednesday night trivia and an all-local gig lineup on Fridays. Legendary queer club Poof Doof is also coming to play, with weekly collaboration Queer Deluxe happening from June onwards. This one will feature a colourful program of DJ sets and performances from some of the city's top queer talent. The new-look Bimbo will open on Wednesday, May 22 at 376 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
With its first season, Yellowjackets instantly became one of 2021's best new series. Its second season is due in March, which already makes it one of the most-anticipated shows of 2023. Expect that excitement to continue in 2024 or beyond as well, with the hit thriller about the fallout from plane crash just locked in for a third season. While it couldn't be a more perfect theme tune to play over the show's opening credits, Craig Wedren and Anna Waronker's 90s-esque track 'No Return' doesn't apply to Yellowjackets' fate on our screens, clearly. US cable network Showtime has already renewed the series ahead of its season-two premiere — three months ahead, in fact, with the show's second batch of episodes due late March (streaming from Friday, March 24, 2023 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand). The woods have a way of calling you back. #Yellowjackets is renewed for Season 3. pic.twitter.com/7e3LPzlBle — Yellowjackets on SHOWTIME (@yellowjackets96) December 15, 2022 If you're new to Yellowjackets, it's filled with eeriness, chills, 90s threads and survival skills, as a series about a New Jersey high school's girls soccer team after they crash in the forest and possibly turn to cannibalism should be. The show deepens its mysteries across two timelines: that tragedy and its immediate aftermath, and the ripples still being felt 25 years later. Not everyone seen in the former makes it to the latter, as the first season made plain. In their high-school prime, Shauna (Don't Look Up's Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (Welcome to Chippendales' Juliette Lewis, plus The Book of Boba Fett's Sophie Thatcher) and Taissa (Billions' Tawny Cypress, and also Scream's Jasmin Savoy Brown) were key players on the titular high-achieving squad, while Misty (Wednesday's Christina Ricci, as well as Shameless' Samantha Hanratty) was the squad's frequently bullied student manager. Then, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private plane in 1996, they entered Lost territory. That accident saw everyone who walked away from the accident stranded in the wilderness — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. Season two will pick up after plenty of chaos in both timeframes, and with new faces among the cast. Introducing more of the team in their adult guise is very much on the agenda, including Simone Kessell (Muru) playing the older Lottie and Lauren Ambrose (Servant) as the older Van. In their younger years, both characters are played by Australian actors, with Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Lottie and and Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet) as Van. Also joining the show: Elijah Wood, who is no stranger to leafy surroundings thanks to his time in the Lord of the Rings franchise. He'll play Walter, a citizen detective who is set to challenge Misty — the adult version, presumably. It's obviously too early for a sneak peek at season three, but you can check out Yellowjackets' first teaser for season two below: Season three of Yellowjackets doesn't yet have a release date. Season two will start streaming from Friday, March 24, 2023 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of season one.
