It's been three years since Australia's cinema scene welcomed the American Essentials Film Festival — and while a fest dedicated to US flicks might seem obvious, this event sets its sights much further than Hollywood's usual suspects. Given that mainstream, megaplex-friendly movies reach our shores every week, the Palace-run showcase instead curates a lineup of other American titles, delving into films from the US indie realm. Touring Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra from May 8 to 20, the 2018 fest has a particular fondness for emerging practitioners, with artistic director Richard Sowada noting "the obvious talent from some of the filmmakers in the early stages of their feature film careers," as well as "the deep and obvious respect even some of these newer filmmakers have for the traditions of storytelling in American cinema." With that in mind, this year's event kicks off with The Boy Downstairs, a Zosia Mamet-starring effort from debut feature writer-director Sophie Brooks, which proved a hit at the 2017 TriBeCa Film Festival. The opening night pick also highlights one of the festival's other trends — thanks to its focus on American cinema, it boasts plenty of familiar faces on screen. Standouts include Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair battling a murderous rage in horror-comedy Mom and Dad, Helena Bonham Carter and Hilary Swank recreating a landmark '80s case for patients' rights in 55 Steps, and war effort The Yellow Birds, featuring Solo: A Star Wars Story's Alden Ehrenreich, Ready Player One's Tye Sheridan, plus Toni Collette and Jennifer Aniston. There's also two star-studded flicks about sons and their fathers: Humour Me, which pairs up Jemaine Clement and Elliott Gould in a deadpan comedy, and Kodachrome, which takes Jason Sudeikis and Ed Harris on a road trip to a photo processing laboratory. Other notable titles range from Stuck, which brings the train-set off-Broadway musical of the same name to the cinema; to Outside In, director Lynn Shelter's latest featuring Edie Falco as an ex-high school teacher; to mob drama Gotti, starring John Travolta as the mob boss and screening in Australia just hours after its Cannes Film Festival premiere. On the documentary front, How They Got Over takes a far-reaching documentary into African-American gospel quartets in the '30s and '40s, while RBG examines the life and career of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. For the fest's retrospective section, Los Angeles is in the spotlight courtesy of classics Chinatown, Heat and Shampoo, as well as '70s masterpieces Killer of Sheep and Wattstax. The American Essentials Film Festival tours Australia from May 8, screening at Sydney's Palace Central from May 8 to 20, Brisbane's Palace Centro from May 9 to 20 and Melbourne's Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from May 10 to 20. For more information, visit the festival website.
It's been 14 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Thankfully, Laneway Festival has just confirmed it will be heading back to its collection of unconventional venues for another year, revealing its jam-packed 2019 lineup. Returning to Melbourne next February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a lineup. This year's eclectic program is headlined by two huge Aussie names: indie rock group Gang of Youths and acclaimed singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. A few big artists are heading Down Under for the first time, too, including English R&B superstar Jorja Smith, neo-soul singer Rex Orange County and American rapper Denzel Curry. You'll also be able to get down to Camp Cope, Middle Kids and Mitski and sway along to Mansionair, What So Not and Skeggs. If you want to catch Jorja Smith and NYC rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, you'll have to head along to Laneway — they'll both be playing exclusively at the festival, with no sideshows. This year, the Melbourne leg of the festival will be heading to its new location for the first time: Footscray Park. Its a bigger space, but, supposedly, won't have an increased capacity — so, hopefully that'll mean less lines and more room for dancing. But, enough chit-chat — here's the full 2019 lineup. LANEWAY 2019 LINEUP Gang of Youths Courtney Barnett A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (exclusive) Baker Boy Camp Cope Charlie Collins* Clairo Cosmo's Midnight Crooked Colours* Denzel Curry* DJDS G Flip Jon Hopkins Jorja Smith (exclusive) KIAN Mansionair Masego Methyl Ethel Middle Kids Mitski* Parquet Courts Ravyn Lenae Rex Orange County Ruby Fields Skeggs Smino What So Not Yellow Days *East Coast only Laneway Image: Anthony Smith.
Some gins taste best on their own, without anything else — even tonic — changing the flavour. Others, like Original Spirit Co's Ginfusion range, benefit from a mixer. In fact, this Aussie line is specifically made to go down smoothly with soda. Original Spirit Co started in 2007 with a German-style digestive made from a family recipe; however the family-run distillery has clearly expanded its remit in the years since. The blood orange and Japanese yuzu Ginfusion definitely stands out, though. Made with real fruit and the brand's dry gin, it's both citrusy and tangy, and is an easy go-to to make the simplest cocktail you've ever whipped up.Original Spirit Co's products, including its Ginfusion range, are available via its online store.
It has been 64 years since Godzilla first rampaged across through Tokyo, and the super-sized creature isn't done wreaking havoc. Like comic book characters and Star Wars, the king of the monsters is a cinema mainstay — and it's asserting its place atop the kaiju food chain in the trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters. If you haven't kept track of the Japanese figure's many, many screen appearances, this is its 35th. It's also the sequel to the last American-made Godzilla film, which hit screens back in 2014. Featuring an all-star cast of Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Thomas Middleditch, Charles Dance and O'Shea Jackson Jr, the movie explores humanity's efforts not only against Godzilla, but against the huge critter's own beastly enemies: Mothra, Rodan and the three-headed King Ghidorah. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is due in cinemas on May 30, 2019 — and it'll be followed by another monster mashup in 2020's Godzilla vs. Kong. If the title didn't make it obvious, the latter also acts as a sequel to 2017's Kong: Skull Island. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Julian Dennison, Kyle Chandler and Demián Bichir, and filming now, it's partly being shot in Queensland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LzbZMCJiLo&feature=youtu.be Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
Apple might be praised for clever design when it comes to its phones, but that sure hasn't been the case for its proposed Federation Square flagship store. In fact, the design for the controversial concept store has been pretty much ripped to shreds, with the ABC reporting that Melbourne City Council has received around 800 community submissions rejecting the proposal. Contention surrounding Apple's plans fired up in December, when the Victorian Government approved the demolition of Federation Square's Yarra Building to make way for the new flagship store. This plan to sell off the public space to a commercial retailer was not widely well met, especially as it would displace the Koorie Heritage Trust. Now, at a city council meeting last night, Greens Councillor Rohan Leppert has moved to lobby the Government to scrap Apple's design and start again, this time in close consultation with the public. The motion was unanimously backed by all of his fellow Melbourne City councillors, with one confirming what we were all thinking and likening the building to something along the lines of "a Pizza Hut" store. And they're not backing down, with plans to take the matter further if the Victorian Government rejects the calls for a redesign. "This is one of the strongest positions we have taken," Councillor Leppert said. "I'm quite sure that if the Government doesn't deal with this that there will be a motion in the Upper House." The proposed two-level flagship store will be much bigger than Apple's other Melbourne stores like Chadstone and Highpoint. The Victorian Government is no doubt keen to secure a space for the store as Apple has been extremely selective about the locations of its global flagships and there are only four others in the world, including Fifth Avenue in NYC and Regent Street in London. The Government will now respond to the Council's proposal — we'll update you when they do. Via ABC.
It's that glorious time of year again, when cherries are ripe for the pickin'. The Victorian cherry season has arrived, which means your next few months can be spent cruising through picturesque orchards and indulging in a diet of cherry-based everything. It's also the time when CherryHill Orchards hosts its annual cherry picking festival, running from November 27 till early January at its OG Wandin East orchard, and from November 13 till late December at its new Coldstream location. Book in for a cherry picking timeslot, and you'll have two and a half hours to pick and eat your fill of delicious fruit straight from the tree, with any extra take-home haul charged by the kilogram. You can pack your own picnic to enjoy onsite, or let The Posh Palais take care of you with one of its luxe, all-inclusive Posh Picnics set-ups. Also hitting the orchard through the festival will be a rotation of food trucks, a program of live tunes, and CherryHill's famed pink caravan serving up a range of cherry drinks and cherry ice cream. [caption id="attachment_832415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Posh Palais' Posh Picnics[/caption]
Each autumn, Australian movie lovers score a super-sized French treat: a feast of flicks hitting the big screen in cinemas around the country, all thanks to the Alliance Française French Film Festival. In 2025, the fest marks its 36th year. On the lineup: 42 pictures that span the breadth and depth of Gallic filmmaking. So, when you're not enjoying the latest version of the The Count of Monte Cristo, you'll be diving into France's newest black comedies, then plunging into French drama and seeing a restored masterpiece. AFFFF revealed eight of 2025's films late in 2024; now, however, arrives the full 42-title program. To venture to Paris and beyond from your cinema seat, you'll be heading along in March and April around Australia. Kicking off the fest: opening night's Tahar Rahim (Madame Web)-starring Monsieur Aznavour, about singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour — which has been doing big business in France, selling 1.8-million-plus tickets. If you're in Sydney, the fun starts on Tuesday, March 4. Melbourne's season launches the following day, then Brisbane and Canberra the day after that — and Byron Bay the day following. Perth's stint arrives the next week, while Adelaide gets into the action the week afterwards and the Gold Coast joins in another week later. There's more locations on the roster, too. Already the largest celebration of French cinema outside of France itself, AFFFF is even bigger in 2025, hitting up 18 cities — and adding five new locations, in Darwin, Ballina, Ballarat, Warriewood and Warrawong, to its slate. Across its full run, the festival is set to host 5500-plus screenings. After Monsieur Aznavour gets the 2025 event started, the highlights keep coming, right through to closing night's rom-com In the Sub for Love. The aforementioned The Count of Monte Cristo features Pierre Niney (The Book of Solutions) in the lead and takes AFFFF's centrepiece slot, while Jean-Pierre Melville's 1969 great Army of Shadows arrives in 4K Down Under after premiering its restored version at Cannes 2024. Or, catch a 50-years-later remake of Emmanuelle, this time starring Noémie Merlant (Lee) and Naomi Watts (Feud), with Audrey Diwan (Happening) directing — or see Mélanie Laurent (Freedom) and Guillaume Canet (All-Time High) portraying Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI in their final days in The Deluge. Plus, Meet the Leroys is a road-trip dramedy that marks Charlotte Gainsbourg's (Alphonse) latest film, while Prodigies delivers a tale of sibling rivalry with Emily in Paris' Camille Razat. Viewers can also look forward to The Divine Sarah Bernhardt, with Sandrine Kiberlain (Meet the Barbarians) as the eponymous actor; All Stirred Up, a comedy focusing on a customs officer on the border between Quebec and the United States, plus her daughter's attempts to win a cooking contest; and Riviera Revenge, where an affair almost four decade prior sparks a quest for vengeance in the French Riviera. Elsewhere, How to Make a Killing features regular AFFFF face and Call My Agent favourite Laure Calamy (The Origin of Evil), as does My Everything; Louis Garrel and Vincent Cassel (co-stars in the 2024 festival's The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan and The Three Musketeers: Milady) team up in Saint-Ex, about Argentinian pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; When Fall Is Coming is the latest from acclaimed director François Ozon (The Crime Is Mine); and nonagenarian filmmaker Costa-Gavras (Adults in the Room) delivers the personal Before What Comes After. Or, get excited Beating Hearts, which is helmed by Gilles Lellouche (Sink or Swim), stars Adèle Exarchopoulos (Inside Out 2) and François Civil (The Three Musketeers), and played at Cannes International Film Festival 2024 — as did the music-loving My Brother's Band from The Big Hit writer/director Emmanuel Courcol. Also in the Cannes contingent are a range of movies exploring the stories of a courier facing a interview to obtain residency, plus artist Niki de Saint-Phalle, a midlife crisis, pastoral France and being a teenager amid Corsican gang politics, aka The Story of Souleymane, Niki, This Life of Mine, Holy Cow and The Kingdom. The lineup goes on — and so do your reasons to lock in more than a few French movie dates. Alliance Française French Film Festival 2025 Dates Tuesday, March 4–Wednesday, April 9 — Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Moore Park, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, Roseville Cinemas, Warriewood, Sydney Wednesday, March 5–Wednesday, April 9 — Palace Cinema Como, The Kino, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema,The Astor Theatre, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Regent Ballarat, Melbourne Thursday, March 6–Tuesday, April 8 — Palace Cinema James Street, Palace Cinema Barracks, Brisbane Thursday, March 6–Wednesday, April 9 — Palace Electric Cinemas, Canberra Friday, March 7–Wednesday, April 2 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Thursday, March 13–Wednesday, April 16 — Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Luna Leedeerville, Windsor Cinema, Perth Wednesday, March 19–Wednesday, April 23 — Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Adelaide Tuesday, March 25–Tuesday, April 15 — Dendy Southport, Gold Coast The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia in March and April 2025. For more information and tickets, visit the AFFFF website.
No matter where you are in Australia, you've probably spent the majority of the year in your own state (if not the majority of the year in your own bedroom), with many states and territories keeping their borders firmly closed. But, the last of the interstate restrictions are starting to ease. With the exceptions of WA (which has flagged easing its hard border restrictions from tomorrow), Sydneysiders not being able to visit Queensland and Victorians being restricted to intrastate travel for the moment (but interstate travel to NSW and Tasmania is set to be allowed later this month), Australians can pretty much visit anywhere in the country without quarantining. To celebrate, Virgin Australia is selling over half-a-million fares to destinations around the country, starting from just $75 a pop. Hang on, Virgin? Yes. The same airline that, just months ago, entered voluntary administration. It has since been sold to US private investment firm Bain Capital, launched a comeback sale in early July and its voluntary administration is set to officially end on Tuesday, November 17. The domestic flight sale kicks off at 8.30am today and runs until midnight on Friday, November 20, or sold out. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on more than 52 routes to destinations across the country, with travel dates between December 1 and June 23, 2021. If you've been waiting to book Christmas flights home — or a summer getaway — now might be the time. Discounted flights are economy and include seat selection and a 23-kilogram baggage allowance. Some of the routes on offer include Sydney to Ballina from $75, Melbourne to Launceston from $79, Brisbane to Hobart from $139, Adelaide to Sydney from $119, and Melbourne to Perth from $169. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitsunday Beach by Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The discounted flights are part of Virgin's new travel campaign, 'You Can't Keep a Good Thing Down' celebrating both the company's return and the country's reopening. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers (but wearing them is not mandatory). Virgin is also waiving change fees and allowed unlimited booking changes between now and January 31, 2020. You can read more about its new flexible options over here. Virgin's 'Go You Good Thing' domestic sale runs from Friday, November 13 until 11.59pm AEDT Friday, November 20, or until sold out. Find out more about current interstate border restrictions over here.
Last year, an unlikely duo gave Sydneysiders a sarnie worthy of their finest hangover. Now, it's coming back — and it'll be available Australia-wide. Two indulgent favourites, PappaRich and Belles Hot Chicken, are pooling their resources to create a Malaysian-style fried chicken sandwich of your dreams. On offer for both lunch and dinner, this spiced-up sandwich features Belles' signature fried chicken, plus Malaysian slaw with coconut vinegar and secret sauce, all between PappaRich's toasted Hainan-style sweet bread. Belles Hot Chicken chef Morgan McGlone is the man behind this creation, so you know it'll be damn tasty. It will be available from Monday, March 25 at all 30 PappaRich restaurants around the country. If you're in Sydney, that means you can grab one in Bankstown or on your lunch break at the express outlet inside Westfield in the city; in Melbourne, pop by Chadstone, Southern Cross or QV; and PappaRich in Wintergarden and Coorparoo Square will be selling them in Brisbane. There are a heap more locations though, so check the website if you're looking for one closer to you. The sandwich will be available for lunch and dinner from March 25 until May 15 at PappaRich locations across the country. Find more details on the Facebook event.
May the force be with your streaming queue over the next few months, with not one but two new Star Wars series heading to Disney+. Both follow the same format, too, taking a character from the films, then spinning a whole show around parts of their backstories — and slotting in either before or between the tales that viewers have already seen. The first such program, Obi-Wan Kenobi, starts streaming today, Friday, May 27. The second, Andor, just dropped its first trailer today as well. On the agenda for the latter: not only a prequel to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but bringing espionage thrills to a galaxy far, far away. As its name makes plain, Andor focuses on its namesake — Cassian Andor, again played by Diego Luna (If Beale Street Could Talk). Star Wars fans have already seen him as a Rebel captain and intelligence agent, and also watched how his story ends, hence the show's need to jump backwards. The focus: following Andor as he discovers how he can play a part in fighting the Empire. Indeed, charting the rebellion, and how people and planets joined in, is the series' whole remit. The moody and shadowy just-dropped first sneak peek ends with telling words, after all: "that's what a reckoning sounds like". In fact, it's filled with statements like that, setting the tone for an intrigue-filled first season — which'll start streaming on Wednesday, August 31. Alongside Luna, Andor sees filmmaker Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy) — who co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One — return to the Star Wars franchise as the series' creator and showrunner. And, on-screen, Luna is joined by the Genevieve O'Reilly (The Dry) — who is also back as Mon Mothma — as well as Stellan Skarsgård (Dune), Adria Arjona (Morbius), Denise Gough (Monday) and Kyle Soller (Poldark). Oh, and a cute-looking new robot that's seen scurrying around in the trailer, although how big a part it'll play is yet to be revealed. Andor is set to span two seasons, both running for 12 episodes each and adding to Disney+'s ever-expanding array of Star Wars programming. Also on its way: the third season of The Mandalorian, which'll arrive in February 2023; and the just-announced Skeleton Crew, which'll star Jude Law and hit streaming queues sometime next year as well. Check out the first trailer for Andor below: Andor will start streaming via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 31.
Flicking through channels seems sort of passé, seeing as, y'know, not as many people use an actual TV for watching TV anymore. It's more probable that we're scanning through ABC iView, SBS On Demand, 9Now, tenplay and/or 7 Live, which doesn't necessarily have the same effect (plus, what if you forget to check Channel Ten and don't realise Survivor is on?). Well, to save you from multiple tab hell, Freeview has announced that it will be launching a new mobile streaming app later this year, where you can stream all Australia's free-to-air networks from the one place. Dubbed Freeview FV, this new all-encompassing app will bring 15 or so free-to-air channels together in a beautiful harmony of many, many hours of television. As well as live streaming the networks' broadcasts, they'll also offer catch-up functionality, a guide which will show you everything that's on and reccommendations (much like Netflix) when it launches in November. They're also putting a big focus on watching TV "on the go", so the app sounds like it will be pretty sophisticated on mobile. It's the first time globally that the free-to-air industry has come together to create one unified TV experience, says Freeview CEO Liz Ross. "Freeview FV will deliver fantastic choice and convenience in one place, it is simple and-easy to-use, and it will meet the needs of audiences wherever they may be," she says. "From live streaming news and current affairs during the morning commute to catching-up on a favourite TV program on the way home, Freeview FV will completely revolutionise access to the free-to-air TV offering in Australia." This is pretty huge news for the Australian free-to-air industry, especially after Foxtel just bought out streaming subscription service Presto from Seven West Media and will proceed to kill it at the end of the year. Freeview FV is set to launch in November, with more details to be released shortly.
With a new superhero movie hitting cinemas every month, or near enough, you can be forgiven for feeling a bit fatigued with the general premise. With box office domination comes more of the same; however the genre's popularity is also inspiring creative takes on the concept — and in the case of Brightburn, something dark and creepy. You mightn't recognise the movie's moniker, given that it stems from an original script rather than an existing comic book property, but Guardians of the Galaxy writer/director James Gunn is the producer's chair. The first release with his name on it after he was fired from the Marvel franchise earlier this year, it was written by his brother Brian and cousin Mark. Brightburn also features a cast led by Elizabeth Banks, who starred in Gunn's pre-Guardians horror flick Slither. Directed by David Yarovesky (who also has a Guardians credit, appearing on-screen as a goth ravager), the premise starts in familiar territory. A child from another world crashes to earth, and is taken in by a caring couple (Banks and The Office's David Denman). But before you start thinking about Superman, this is a horror movie — and it definitely doesn't feature the man of steel. Brightburn opens in Australian cinemas on May 23, 2019 — check out the trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lCimwXO0-U&feature=youtu.be
For the past two decades, flying between Sydney and Melbourne — or any major Australian cities — has meant picking between Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and, for a period, Tiger Airways. After a particularly rough year for the airline industry, however, 2021 will see Aussies get another flight option. Regional carrier Rex is expanding its routes, and will start covering the country's capitals from March. First up, it'll travel between Sydney and Melbourne, kicking off on March 1, 2021. Three of the airline's Boeing 737-800s will fly back and forth from the two cities, doing nine services a day. And, while Rex's expansion was actually already flagged earlier this year, the airline has just launched tickets between the New South Wales and Victorian capitals today, Wednesday, December 2. Those keen to book a trip with the airline can now nab tickets for $79 each way as part of Rex's launch sale. There are 100,000 tickets currently available — although, given how popular flight sales have proven in 2020, getting in quickly is recommended. Rex, which has been hitting the skies for almost seven decades, is selling fares that include checked baggage, food, pre-assigned seating and online check-in. Economy passengers can also pay extra to access onboard wi-fi — or, if you opt for one of each plane's eight business class seats, you'll get internet access thrown in for free. The Sydney–Melbourne route is just the beginning, too. Flights to and from Brisbane are due to start taking off by Easter 2021 — and to other capitals as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rex Airlines (@rex.airlines) Rex will start flying between Sydney and Melbourne from March 1, 2021. For further information, or to book a flight as part of its $79 sale, head to the airline's website. Top image: Rex.
Beach umbrellas aren't new, but they're making a comeback in a big way this spring thanks to the popularity of social-distanced picnics. So, you can enjoy these sun-filled bliss outdoor sessions without worrying about sunburn, we suggest investing in a great shady beach umbrella. It'll be useful now and when summer hits, too. There are enough patterns, prints and fringes to satisfy even your wildest 70s design cravings, as well as clever bamboo and and biodegradable PVC eco designs, laser-prints to create dappled shade where you sit, understated parasols, and many, many, many eye-catching prints. With so much choice, there's really no excuse to be sporting a sunburn this summer. KEN DONE BEACH UMBRELLA, BASIL BANGS It was a hard choice between the many bangin' prints this company has on offer (check out their other options for extra inspiration). But this print by famed Australian artist Ken Done won our hearts. Inspired by tropical reefs with plenty of pinks, oranges and blues, it's a suitably bold park (and beach) accessory. Started by surfer and industrial designer Mike Durante, Basil Bangs has made it its mission to reimagine the vintage beach umbrellas Aussies love. That means the latest fabrics, pop art prints, and hard-wearing fixtures. Oh, and and matching, red-wine-proof picnic rugs. TAKE YOUR PICK FROM SUNDAY SUPPLY CO We couldn't choose between the lush designs at Sunday Supply Co. Each comes with cotton tassels, an extendable timber pole and a sturdy, custom-designed aluminium alloy hinge and hardwares. The premium fabric canopies are UPF 50+ and, with a diameter of two metres, will cast shade aplenty. But apart from all that, they look so damn pretty it's hard not to pick up more than one. BLOCK PARTY UMBRELLA, SUNNY LIFE Sunny Life has a whole range of umbrellas splashed with bold, playful prints. But who could resist this vibrant geometric number to shade their summer beach playground? Like many of the modern beach brollies popping out about the place, this one comes with a carry bag and sturdy, adjustable pole. But it's also waterproof, with a UPF 30 sun protection coating and a nifty 360-degree tilt function. Plus, that bold print is mighty hard to miss, even on a crowded beach. DAYTRIPPER BEACH UMBRELLA, BEACHKIT Here's one for the practical picnickers and beachgoers. While this classic blue-and-white striped number doesn't have quite the same look-at-me factor as some of its bolder counterparts, it does have some great design features that will make your beach trip a whole lot more comfortable. Like the two-piece vented top, designed to stop any gusty winds from flipping it inside out. The Daytripper's also got an extra wide 210-centimetre canopy for full coverage, and a self-anchoring sand lock that should help avoid any fly-away mishaps. WELLEN AND TIER SUN UMBRELLA, LIFE! Available in two hand-drawn prints, these sun umbrellas from lifestyle brand Life! are destined to get a solid workout over the coming balmy months. Each comes with a colour-coordinated carry bag for easy transport and a sand anchor to keep things nice and secure down at the beach. The design also features a UPF 50 canopy coating, a rust-resistant pole and a nifty tilt function to help you stay shaded all day long. Right now, you can even nab one on sale for $80. WHITE COAST, SUNBELLA There's something about the sheer simplicity of this umbrella that we really, really like. A cool white hue reminiscent of those Greek island houses we dream about, a summery cotton-blend canopy, a wooden sand-spiral handle and a UPF rating of 50+. With an 80-centimetre diameter and lightweight frame, this one easily doubles as a personal parasol to shade you while you're strolling around. And shipping to most Aussie locations will only cost around $10. Need more sun shade than this? How about a whole beach tent? Top image: Sunday Supply Co.
For a country that's girt by sea, as our national anthem reminds us, Australia has become rather obsessed with waves of the artificial kind in the past few years. Melbourne has its own Urbnsurf surf park, Sydney is set to score one this year, and the brand is looking to set up shop in Brisbane and Perth as well — while Melbourne also boasts a theme park with a wave pool, and other different man-made spots have also been earmarked for Sydney's north and the Gold Coast. Oh, and Kelly Slater is meant to be opening a surf ranch on the Sunshine Coast, too. Indeed, "who needs real beaches?" seems to be the current line of thinking — and it's also behind Surf Lakes, a regional Queensland surf park that's been up and running for a few years, but only for testing. Now the operation has been given the go-ahead to develop its Yeppoon site by both the Queensland Government and the Livingston Shire Council, which puts it on-track to add facilities for the public. Yes, that means that within 12–18 months, it'll ideally be welcoming in anyone and everyone to live out their Point Break dreams beyond the ocean. The Capricorn Coast venue was built as a prototype facility designed to give a new kind of technology a whirl, and uses a central mechanism that sends waves from the middle of its 200-metre by 150-metre lake towards the edge. With the water lapping over eight distinctive breaks, it produces more than 2000 surfable waves per hour, including some measuring more than two metres in height. When it launched in Yeppoon, Surf Lakes also had some high-profile support, with Aussie surfers Mark Occhilupo and Barton Lynch the park's two ambassadors. But opening to the public was always floated as part of the venue's overall mission — and, depending on timing when it does open its doors to everyone, it might make it the first operational surf lake in the world. Wannabe Johnny Utahs (because we all want to be Keanu, admit it) can expect a spot that'll cater for beginners and pros alike, covering folks who've never hopped on a board before — including via learn-to-surf lessons — plus those well-experienced at hanging ten. The site is also set to include shops, places to nab food and drinks, and other outdoor and fitness activities around the lake. And, for those making the trip north for a holiday, there'll be glamping-style accommodation as well. Announcing the news, Surf Lakes International Chief Executive Officer Aaron Trevis said "our long-term aim has always been to take our wave-making technology to the world, allowing people from all walks of life to be able to experience the joys of a surfing life in a safe environment. We hope the Yeppoon site can be one of, if not the first Surf Lake open to the public." Surf Lakes is aiming to open its Yeppoon site at 662 Yeppoon Road, Mulara to the public within 12–18 months — we'll update you with further details when they're announced, and you can head to the company's website for more information in the interim.
Directed by Joe Carnahan (The A Team) and produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, The Grey tells the story of a group of oil-rig workers who find themselves stranded on the freezing Alaskan tundra after their plane home crashes. John Ottoway (Liam Neeson) is forced to lead a group of roughneck men in their fight for survival when the men come under attack by a pack of vicious, aggressive wolves. The wolves are on the hunt for these stranded humans as they see them as intruders in their territory who must be killed. The Grey is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat in the fight between man versus nature. The film is based on the short story Ghost Walker by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers. To win one of five double passes to see The Grey, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
You've watched the original movie to death, surely had some of that sweet 80s merch, and probably watched the all-female reboot flick when it hit cinemas in 2016. Now, you can take your Ghostbusters obsession to the next level, as a spooky new escape room inspired by the cult film lands in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne just in time for Halloween. Dubbed GhostMaze, the immersive pop-up will take over a secret location in each city, where you can live out your wildest ghostbusting fantasies and soak up some old-school gaming nostalgia. Details are scarce, but we do know that this movie-inspired adventure will take the form of a full-sized maze, with dark corners to navigate, prizes to hunt down and ghosts to avoid... unless you fancy being slimed. GhostMaze will be held across various sessions, with each one will featuring DJ tunes, a pop-up bar pouring Ghostbusters-themed cocktails and, of course, more prizes for the punters with the best costumes. Better start rounding out some mates to join in the fun — who you gonna call? In the meantime, you can rewatch the trailer for outfit inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntAEVjPBzQ To find out more details as they drop and to register for pre-release GhostMaze tickets, sign up now at the website.
If your wardrobe is filled with pop culture-themed attire, odds are that you're a fan of Brisbane's BlackMilk Clothing. Star Wars outfits, Harry Potter activewear, Avatar threads, Squid Game tracksuits, The Witcher dresses — the company has released them all. Next on its list: a new range of Stranger Things-inspired pieces. This isn't the first time that BlackMilk has teamed up with Netflix to pay homage to the 80s-set sci-fi hit; however, given that the series finally returned for season four this year — and that Halloween is almost upon us, too — the brand has whipped up another collection. Need something to run up that hill in? Not sure what to wear while battling Vecna? Just keen on a new trick-or-treating outfit? Consider all of those boxes ticked. Whether you've spent the last few years wishing you went to Hawkins High or you just want to wear clothing decked out with demorgogons, there's something here for you, too. The new 17-piece line spans includes Hawkins Demogorgons varsity jackets, Upside Down-themed dresses and leggings that look like Vecna's lair. A hoodie features the gang riding their bikes the right way up and all that evil lurking below, while a few particularly ace-looking items include Stranger Things movie posters. Another standout: a shirt paying tribute to Eddie Munson, name-checking his band Corroded Coffin. And, because the range really is timed for the spookiest period of the year, cartoon pumpkins also feature. The past few months haven't been short on ways to indulge your Stranger Things love, ranging from Spotify playlists to themed burgers — and, of course, that giant rift that arrived temporarily on Bondi Beach. A full preview of BlackMilk's new Stranger Things collection is available on its website — and if you're as keen to pick up a few pieces as Eleven is about Eggos, they go on sale at 7am AEST on Thursday, September 8. Getting in quickly, like a demon is chasing you, is recommended; items are available until sold out, and, yes, that often happens quickly. BlackMilk Clothing's new Stranger Things collection goes on sale at 7am AEST on Thursday, September 8. For more information about, head to the brand's website.
Most Melburnians have walked past the Nicholas Building dozens if not hundreds of times. The 90-year-old edifice is a Swanston Street institution, home to artists, makers, designers and local businesses from all around town. For one night only, you can take in everything it has to offer, from its art deco arcade on up. From 5–9pm on Thursday, June 20, A Night at the Nicholas invites punters to explore the historic building (with a drink in hand) and get to know its eclectic tenants. Stop by the band room for three house of uninterrupted improv, join a sing-along (and get some free singing tips) at a voice training company, try out an exciting new VR system and explore a large-scale audiovisual installation. There will also be lots of creative work from local jewellers, milliners, artists, fashion designers and architects on display. Entry will be by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to the Nicholas Building Association. You'll also be able to purchase cocktails on the night. A Night at the Nicholas will run from 5–9pm. Image: Visit Victoria.
If you make a trip down to Hobart next year, don't expect to find plastic straws, cups or takeaway containers at its many cafes and markets. The City of Hobart last night voted to pass a by-law banning the sale of all single-use plastics. The by-law targets straws, cutlery, cups and containers that are less than a litre in size, and sold directly to customers. Buying a plastic bottle of Coca Cola, for example, will still be OK. Businesses will be given six months-to-one-year to phase out single-use plastics, and, after that, will be fined. Tasmania implemented a statewide single-use plastic bag ban in 2013 and, according to the Council's research, a third of local businesses already use some form of compostable packaging. The city is also aiming to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030. https://www.facebook.com/CityofHobartOfficial/photos/a.1046261538728203/2315932898427721/?type=3&theater While the law has been passed by the Council, its exact start date depends on the outcome of a public consultation period to be led by the state government. Then, likely in late 2019 or early 2020, Hobart will become the first Australian state to ban single-use plastics. South Australia is considering a statewide ban, but this has not yet passed through state government. Overseas, Europe has pledged to stop using such items by 2021, building upon similar decisions in the UK and France, while Australia is working towards banning all non-recyclable packaging by 2025. Locally, Victoria is currently phasing out plastic bags, and Queensland enacted a plastic bag ban in 2018. NSW is the only state yet to commit to a statewide plastic bag ban. But, after the City of Hobart's decision, maybe the City of Sydney will consider taking matters into its own hands. The City of Hobart's single-use plastic ban will
Initially, even getting just one COVID-19 vaccination was a struggle, after Australia's inoculation rollout took its time in its early months. Then, we all started focusing on those crucial second jabs, especially with roadmaps out of lockdowns and towards international travel highlighting double-dose thresholds. Now, with vax rates climbing quickly — as of Friday, October 8, 60.2 percent of Australians are fully vaccinated — third COVID-19 jabs have started gaining attention. Also called booster shots, they're designed to prolong the effectiveness of the coronavirus vax. And, they've just been given the go-ahead for Australians with severely compromised immune systems. For most Aussies, that means that third jabs aren't on the cards at the moment; however, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has now recommended booster shots for severely immunocompromised folks. Also, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has advised that they'll start being rolled out from Monday, October 11. "This is for the severely immunocompromised — a group of up to 500,000," said Hunt. "It's about providing additional protection." We're expecting to receive advice on booster doses for the general population in the coming weeks. With over 151 million Pfizer, Novavax & Moderna vaccines secured for supply into the future, Australia is prepared to provide booster doses if recommended by the medical experts. — Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) October 8, 2021 ATAGI has outlined exactly who falls into the severely immunocompromised category, and why it's making this recommendation. The group spans people with cancer, or who've had stem cell transplants or organ transplants; folks undertaking immunosuppressive therapies for cancer such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy; others taking immunosuppressive therapies and some certain steroids; and those born with immunodeficiencies. If you're an Aussie who fits any of these descriptions, you might not be as protected by the regular two jabs. It's also recommended that an mRNA vaccine (so either Pfizer or Moderna) is used instead of AstraZeneca's jab (which is now called Vaxzevria) for the third dose. That said, the latter can be used if you had the AZ vax for your first two shots and you didn't have a reaction, or you've had a reaction to either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations. Timing-wise, ATAGI recommends waiting between two and six months after you've had your second dose, although a four-week minimum interval will be considered if it's likely your immunosuppression is about to get worse or there's a big COVID-19 outbreak. Severely immunocompromised Aussies can talk to their doctors about getting the third jab, with ATAGI's recommendations and guidelines now being sent to GP surgeries, pharmacies and aged care disability care settings. For all other Aussies who aren't eligible for booster shots yet, Hunt said that news is on the way. "The next stage, the general population stage, of the booster program, we're expecting advice from ATAGI before the end of October," he advised. For more information about booster COVID-19 vaccinations for severely immunocompromised Australians, visit the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation website.
That's right, it's already November. And after the year we've had, mental health amongst men, both young and old, definitely needs some attention. Whether it's an ironic 70s pornstar moustache or a cracking handlebar, sporting a bit of luscious lip hair for Movember is not just a fun way to be involved but it's also a great way to raise money and awareness for men's health. But if your ability to grow a mo is a little, well, lacking, there are plenty of other ways to get involved — from pledging to walk 60 kilometres to hosting a get-together with your mates. If you opt for the latter, you're going to want to brainstorm some creative ways to get your mates to cough up some cash, so we've put together some suggestions to get you started. HOST A NOSTALGIC KIDS' BIRTHDAY PARTY So what if you or your friends don't have kids? Eating fairy bread, getting your face painted as Spiderman, whacking a piñata and play a few rounds of good ol' pass the parcel never gets old. And after the year we've had, switching off and pretending we're little kids just playing with our friends sounds pretty good to us. Something else we loved doing when we were younger? Playing dress-ups. So combine your kids' party with Movember's Shit Shirt Saturday on November 28. Rally the troops, ask everyone for a donation to the cause, then hit the op shops and find a shit shirt to party in. [caption id="attachment_783596" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Shvets[/caption] HOST A (VIRTUAL) TRIVIA NIGHT Everyone loves a good pub trivia night. And it's much easier to be the host because you have all the answers written down. Invite a couple of mates round, divide them up into teams, grab a slab and put your thinking hats on. If iso has afforded you plenty of time to research a particular subject or subjects, now could be your time to shine. Be it film, music, history, general knowledge or sport, everyone is bound to have a good time flexing their brains and either showing off or learning new facts. Movember even has a six-round, mo-themed trivia guide ready to go. Recreate the pub atmosphere at home, or, like we did many a time in lockdown, host your trivia night online, so you can involve your mates from across the country (or globe). And, get creative. Award extra points for the best (or worst) mo of the evening — or get your mates to donate a certain amount of money for every wrong answer. HOST A BEACH GAME TOURNAMENT Summer is (almost) upon us, and after what feels like an eternity of being cooped up inside, we're finally allowed out to see each other. So why not take advantage of the countless beautiful beaches Australia has to offer and plan an oceanside hang? Recently-free Melburnians could make a trip to Brighton (don't worry, we're pretty sure Karen has moved) or St Kilda Beach. Sydneysiders are blessed with Manly, Redleaf or the quaint harbourside Balmoral. And Brisbanites could venture to Suttons, Margate or Pandanus for a day of beachside fun. And to get your mates donating cash, plan some beach games with a buy-in. Beach cricket, beersbie, and Finska in the sand are just a few games to while away a day in the sun and surf — or even a sandcastle building competition. If you're not near the beach or don't fancy braving the hordes of people flocking to them, host a barbecue. Most of these games can be easily adapted to suit a backyard or local park, too. HOST A PAINT AND SIP CLASS If you're after a great socially distanced event idea, grab a few friends to a smash few wines while flexing your artistic side to raise contributions for Movember. If the gang is feeling particularly confident and comfortable, try life or figure drawing. For something a bit more accessible you could do the classic bowl of fruit, or think outside the box and capture the fine detail and intricate angles of a case of your favourite beer. Or, of course, paint your mates' kooky Movember moustaches. The list goes on. If you can assemble some really talented friends, try a low-key art auction with the proceeds going to Movember. Even if you think you can't paint, you can still get involved, particularly on the 'sip' side of things. There's still time to sign up to Host a Moment for Movember, and change the face of men's health. To learn more or register as a host, visit the website.
After the first cases were announced on Monday, May 24, Melbourne's latest COVID-19 outbreak has been moving rapidly. On Tuesday, the Victorian Government implemented gathering restrictions and an indoor mask mandate and, today, Thursday, May 27, it's taking the thoroughly expected next step. From 11.59pm tonight, the state will go into a snap seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown, which will see all of Victoria revert back to stage four restrictions from tonight until 11.59pm on Thursday, June 3. Victorians will be familiar with the rules and restrictions from previous lockdowns — including the last one back in February — but this time you'll be able to leave you home for those five reasons, not just four. The first four are familiar: shopping for what you need, when you need it; caregiving and compassionate reasons; essential work or permitted eduction that can't be done from home; and exercise. As for the last one, you can also now leave to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Exercise must be limited to two hours a day with your household members, your intimate partner or one other person who is not from your household or your partner. Once again, though, Victorians must stay within five kilometres of their homes, unless you're leaving for permitted work or you're shopping for essentials if there are no shops in your radius. Masks are also mandatory everywhere outside of your home — and private gatherings are banned, as are public gatherings. But, while you can't have any visitors enter your home, there will be single bubbles. So, if you live alone, you can form a bubble with another person. https://twitter.com/JamesMerlinoMP/status/1397728720291463169 Weddings are not permitted, unless on compassionate grounds, while funerals are limited to ten. Hairdressing and beauty services, indoor physical recreation and sport venues, swimming pools, community facilities including libraries, entertainment venues and non-essential retail venues will all close during the seven-day period — and hospitality venues will once again revert back to takeaway-only. Supermarkets, bottle shops and pharmacies will remain open — and professional sports can proceed, but without crowds. And, regarding vaccinations, the state is also rolling out the vaccine to everyone over the age of 40 from Friday, May 28. Victorians aged between 40–49 years will be able to access to the Pfizer vaccine via the state's vaccination sites. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1397686292297793543 The announcement comes as Victoria now has 34 active COVID-19 cases, including 12 new cases identified in the 24 hours to midnight last night. Genomic sequencing indicates that current outbreak is linked to a positive case out of hotel quarantine in South Australia from earlier in May. At the time of writing, since the first new cases in this cluster were reported on Monday, 79 locations are currently listed as exposure sites by Victoria's Department of Health — a list that has been growing quickly. When Melbourne reentered stay-at-home orders in February, the lockdown came to an end after the allocated five-day period. Last August, though, the same restrictions remained in place for six weeks, before slowly easing from mid-September. That said, during the August lockdown, Victoria was recording in the realm of 671 new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period. Acting Premier James Merlino advised the current situation has been complicated by the fact that the state is "dealing with a highly infectious strain of the virus, a variant of concern, which is running faster than we have ever recorded". He continued: "from first thing this morning, we have identified in excess of 10,000 primary and secondary contacts who will need to either quarantine, or test and isolate, and that number will continue to grow and change. Our public health experts' primary concern is how fast this variant is moving. We've seen overseas how difficult that movement can be to control." All of Victoria will revert back to stage four restrictions from 11.59pm on Thursday, May 27 until the same time on Thursday, June 3. For more information about the rules, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
The Sydney Opera House invited Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard to sing inside the structure of its iconic sails and the result is stunning. Standing on a metal platform and surrounded by the strikingly brutal concrete ribs of the sails, Hansard sings a beautifully raw version of his acoustic song 'Stay the Road'. Written just across the harbour in the Rocks, 'Stay the Road' is the last track on Hansard's 2015 album Didn't He Ramble, which he's in Sydney at the moment to tour. He's playing – this time inside, rather than above, the Concert Hall – on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 October. The video is part of a series called Nooks and Crannies produced with Intel Australia to showcase the inside of the Opera House. Image: Teresa Tan.
John Sugar adores cinema. It makes sense, then, that the Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)-led Apple TV+ series about the Los Angeles-based detective loves movies just as devotedly. Sugar is styled like a classic film noir. It splices in clips from the genre's pictures, other Hollywood-set fare and fellow retro titles, swinging from The Big Heat, Kiss Me Deadly, Sunset Boulevard and Double Indemnity to Sherlock Jr and The Thing. It watches Sugar watch flicks. It listens to him drop references to and wax lyrical about them in his evocative narration. It pays tribute to its influences eagerly — and it gives its audience a helluva post-viewing watchlist. Sugar is also set in Tinseltown, going all in on LA noir like many of the movies that it references — and also The Big Sleep, Chinatown, LA Confidential and Under the Silver Lake as well — with its tale of a PI looking for a missing woman. The show's namesake might be introduced in Tokyo, where he has the case of a yakuza gangster's kidnapped grandson to solve, but he spends the bulk of the series in the City of Angels on a gig that his handler Ruby (Kirby, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) advises against. He can't say no for the ultimate cinephile reason: one of his film idols is doing the hiring. But from the moment that iconic movie producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell, Succession) puts him on the books and in search of his granddaughter Olivia (Sydney Chandler, Don't Worry Darling), Sugar may as well be in a twisty flick himself. A cinema-heavy pedigree behind the lens brings Sugar to streaming queues, too. Creator Mark Protosevich made his debut with the script for sci-fi thriller The Cell back in 2000. Director Fernando Meirelles came to prominence, complete with an Oscar nomination, for co-helming City of God. Executive producer Simon Kinberg wrote Mr & Mrs Smith back when it was a Brad Pitt (Babylon)- and Angelina Jolie (Eternals)-starring movie, not a 2024 TV show, and has a wealth of X-Men titles on his resume. A mystery fan himself, he also produced recent Agatha Christie adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and A Haunting in Venice, executive producing Death on the Nile in-between. Speaking with Concrete Playground, Kinberg notes that this detective series that's also a genre-bender and a love letter to LA noir equally has character study in its list, crucially. "I'm hoping that the audiences fall in love with John Sugar. Definitely feel intrigued, and tense in all the right ways about the suspense and the mystery and the danger of the show — the things that we love about detective stories — but I think ultimately, I hope that they fall in love with how complicated and nuanced and ultimately surprising John Sugar is as a character," he says. "When I think about my favourite television shows — and often my favourite movies, but definitely my favourite shows — it always comes back to character. And I believe that the construction of John Sugar with the portrayal by Colin is something that will grip audiences and make them love the show." Sugar might be at the heart of the series, naturally, but there'd be no Sugar without Ruby. In the show's second-billed part, Kirby adds to a killer resume that's also no stranger to detective tales thanks to 2019's fourth season of Veronica Mars. The Good Place, Why Women Kill, Love, Killing Eve, Hacks and Barry all sit among her past credits — but none had her basically playing a take on a legendary page and screen character. "I was really excited by Ruby. I was excited for Ruby before I even read about Ruby. Ruby was pitched to me as 'Ruby is to Sugar what M is to James Bond', and I felt like I loved that description of that relationship, because I knew that it would be a relationship that was layered and that had shifting power dynamics, but also was strong," she tells us. We chatted with Kirby and Kinberg about the eight-part first season of Sugar, which is available to stream in full now. On the agenda: their initial responses to its premise, which isn't afraid of twists, surprises and veering into science fiction — and also Farrell leading the show, what keeps drawing people to mysteries, the research that goes into playing the righthand woman to a PI, what gets them each excited about a new project and more. On Kinberg and Kirby's First Response to Sugar's Genre-Bending Angle on Detective Stories Simon: "Mark Protosevich, the creator of the show, had written the first script. And so I read that first script and was just so drawn to a lot of things, but primarily Sugar himself as a character. I loved the combination of this chivalrous, strong, capable leading man side with this vulnerable, human, innocent, kind side, too. I just thought that mashup between different elements was really interesting. Then I liked a similar mashup within the tone between classic Hollywood storytelling, like very film noir, obviously detective storytelling, with something fresh and new and different and bold. So I fell in love with the pilot script, and we got involved at that point, and then brought in Colin and then brought in Fernando, and then built the whole show. But yeah, it was just reading a script where I felt like 'this is a voice and tone and character I haven't seen before'." Kirby: "I actually read the script after I had been cast in the role, so I came into this project with blind faith, which is daunting. But I think that knowing the creatives involved, it felt like a calculated risk. I knew that Colin was attached to it. He was attached to it as an EP and as an actor before I before I became part of the process. And knowing his body of work — I've watched Colin for a very long time, and I think that he is an actor that does incredible work. There's incredible quality and passion there. But at the same time, there is such diversity in the roles he's taken. So I knew that this would be a project that, if he put his name on it, it would be something that would be really exciting and really new. And then knowing that this would be a neo-noir, that piques your interest, because it's not every day that you tackle that, that there are people that can tackle such a huge concept. It's very high-concept to be able to do a noir, but then to make it feel contemporary, to make it contemporary, to have it tackle contemporary issues and have a contemporary cast. And then on top of that you layer in a brilliant director like Fernando Meirelles, and I think that you have a winning formula. So whether or not you've read the script, I think that it's a project that you can get behind very early on." On Casting Colin Farrell as Sugar — and Finding a Rhythm with Him On-Screen Simon: "He was one of the first people we thought of for it because he does have that duality in in himself as a man and in his work as an actor — which is, he is very leading man and gorgeous and charismatic and witty and strong, and yet he's also vulnerable and human and flawed and fragile and sweet and innocent. That is who Colin is as a person, and it is what he brings to the character of Sugar. And he read the script and and flipped out for it as well. We met with him and immediately could see that he not only could do it as an actor, but had a natural affinity for it as a person." Kirby: "Colin is very personable, he's amiable, he's incredibly generous as a human and that really translates when you start working with someone — because the easier your chemistry is off screen, the better it will be on screen, I have found. And so for me, I think just having a really good rapport with him —we spent a lot of time there, and the majority of my scenes are either alone or with Colin — just spending long days together, in your down time you're chatting and things like that, and I think that lends itself to what you see on screen." On Working Through the Layers to Ruby's Relationship with Sugar Kirby: "I think that they have a really beautiful relationship. They have a deep connection. They've known each other for a very long time. There is a lot of trust and care and love there. But at the same time, it's a relationship that is complicated, which it is always is complicated when you are in a relationship that is both professional and personal. You find that that adds an additional layer to a friendship that not everyone has experienced, and doesn't always understand how complex that can make certain decisions." On Kinberg Being a Detective and Mystery Fan, and What Appeals to Him About the Genre Simon: "I grew up reading detective fiction. Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christies were huge for me when I was a kid. And then ultimately more hard-boiled writing like Jim Thompson, James Ellroy, that whole generation of crime writers. I think there's a few things. One is I am someone who genuinely struggles with OCD, and there is an OCD element to detectives where they are really good at, and sometimes overwhelmed by, seeing clues in everything. So they're very attuned to the details of our world, which is something I live through. So there's that element. But the other part of it is, even when I was a kid, I looked at the world — and the world was even more this now — but I looked at a world that was chaotic, that had a lot of disorder in it. And I loved the idea that there was this sort of angel of restoring order. That detectives were there — and where, out of the chaos and muddle and mystery of life, they found order and they found truth. So that for me was always part of what was compelling about detective stories: that at the very end, there was going to be an answer, and it was going to be objective. And if you were clever and you paid attention, you could arrive there with the detective." On Thinking About Why People Are So Drawn to Mysteries While You're Making a Mystery Kirby: "I am guilty of it myself. I am very drawn to a mystery and to a documentary and a thriller, and things like that. But I think part of that is because there is so much that is unknown in our world, both on a huge, cosmic level, but also on a personal level. And I think that uncovering a mystery and figuring things out gives you a sense of control in a world that I think can feel often quite chaotic and quite out of your control. So I think that why people gravitate towards these stories is it feels very satisfying to ask a question and get a definitive answer. And these shows present something, there's a question, there is a mystery afoot, and when you figure that out you find the answer — and there is absolutely something that is completely gratifying for audiences in that." On the Affection for LA Noir and Classic Cinema That Sugar Splashes Through Its Frames Simon: "It's a huge part of the DNA of the show, this love letter to classic American cinema, specifically film noir stories. It was in the script — not the clips, the clips in the show were something that Fernando Meirelles and his editor Fernando Stutz [The Sympathizer, which Meirelles also directed episodes of] discovered in post. In the edit, they actually just started inserting these clips into it and it brought even more life into the show and made what was implicit in its homage very explicit. So yeah, it's a huge part of the show. It's a show that's for cinema lovers, but it's also for people that maybe don't know this genre of film and can discover it and learn about it by watching the show, and maybe it'll have them delve back into those classic movies. It was something that excited all of us because you were cutting to these old clips from old movies while juxtaposing them with something really modern and really new. And that juxtaposition, that dance between the old and the new, is very much at the core of the show." On the Research That Goes Into Playing the Righthand Person to a Private Detective Kirby: "For me, a lot of the research was researching the genre, because I am familiar with film noir but I don't have this film school encyclopaedic knowledge of the genre. So it was really helpful for me to take suggestions from Mark, and go in and watch Chinatown — and I had a book that was given to me at the beginning about the history of noirs and some of the biggest touchstones within that genre. That was really helpful, because I think once you start to know the tropes and the archetypes in that world, you can also start to subvert those characters and make them contemporary." On What Gets Kinberg and Kirby Excited About a New Project Simon: "A great character. It's always a great character. Sometimes people ask me this and I'll be like 'what would get you excited if you were at a party and you met somebody, a new friend, a new partner, whatever it is? You met somebody that you wanted to see again, they got you excited, and you went told your friends the next day — I just met this great woman/man/person last night'. It's the same thing for me when I read something or I hear about something, I'm like 'oh, that's an exciting person I just met and I want to spend more time with that person'. Because it's a lot of time that you're investing. Whether it's a feature or or a show, it's years of your life. So it always starts from character for me." Kirby: "Good storytelling gets me excited about a role. Creative people, creative collaborators get me really excited. So coming into a project where I know the way people work and I've seen their work, like this — I don't have to have seen this type of thing from the creators, I just have to have seen something that gets me excited. In this, knowing Fernando was attached, and being such a huge fan of City of God and his previous work, got me so excited. I think that sometimes we are in dire need of just good simple stories that that show genuine human connection — and then you can add all the other layers on top of it and that just serves to heighten the experience." Sugar streams via Apple TV+. Read our review.
Edge of Tomorrow tells the story of a cocky, unlikeable man trapped in an inescapable temporal loop where he must relive the same day over and over again. From the trailer alone it was clear this new film by director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) had borrowed heavily from 1993's outstanding live-die-repeat karmic comedy Groundhog Day. The only questions were: how much, and how well? Over the past 20 years, a number of attempts have been made to match the Groundhog Day formula, with Source Code and Deja Vu perhaps the most on point, while Looper — though not specifically a 'repetition' film — offered the most refreshing perspective on what it called "that time travel crap [that] just fries your brain like an egg". In Edge of Tomorrow, the allusions to Ramis' film are at their most pronounced, yet — thankfully — they are also perhaps at their best. Tom Cruise, putting in his best performance in years, plays the spineless advertising exec turned military spin-doctor Will Cage, who's railroaded by his commander (Brendan Gleeson) and dispatched to the western front as a regular grunt on the eve of a major military offensive. The enemy is an alien species whose arrival, objective and anatomy most closely resemble those of the bugs in Starship Troopers. As the waves of troop carriers, aircraft and boats swarm across the English Channel towards France, it's hard not to think the timing of this film's release wasn't just a little bit strategic given this week's 70th anniversary of D-Day, yet it neither grates nor bears any significance to the wider implications of the compelling plot once Cruise dies and begins his seemingly endless loop. Edge of Tomorrow was written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, whose background in IT and video games unmistakably impacted on both the visuals and narrative. For one thing, the soldiers resemble something between human Mech-Warriors and Titan Convertibles, yet it's in the nature of the temporal loop that the gaming analogy is most apposite. Every time Cage dies, he immediately restarts from the same time and place. It is, in effect, his 'save point', and — just as in gaming — he uses both the pain and knowledge from his previous deaths to extend the time before his next one in order to beat the eventual 'Boss'. In Groundhog Day, the main character taught himself piano. In Edge of Tomorrow, it's martial arts and weaponry. In Groundhog Day, he got to know a woman in order to sleep with her. Here, it's to keep her alive. That woman is Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a war hero and propaganda darling whose nickname is either 'The Hero of Verdun' or 'Full Metal Bitch' depending on whether she's there to hear it or not. Blunt is spectacular in the role, playing an entirely plausible warrior without having to resort to hackneyed tough-talking or turning her body into a giant muscle in a sports bra. She's less a love interest than she is a trainer, motivator and ally, and the partnership is a delight to watch. Funny, suspenseful and terrifically imaginative, Edge of Tomorrow is a thinking-person's action film that will surely stand as one of 2014's best blockbusters. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vw61gCe2oqI
Raise a glass to your next four must-visit vino spots: the winners of the 2022 Wineslinger Awards. Every year since 2018, these hospitality gongs have singled out the best places to get sipping, including via a Top 50 list and handing out four trophies. And for this year, ready to help shape your bar choices for 2023, all of the above is now here. Wineslinger isn't actually about vino itself, or bars in general. As the name makes plain, it's focused on watering holes that specialise in wine. Only four awards are handed out each year, covering the best Wineslinger, Best New Haunt, the Maverick prize for venues that push the limits and the People's Choice gong. While the first three awards are voted on by more than 100 industry experts, the latter stems from vino aficionados at home. [caption id="attachment_623526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] Nabbing the big prize this year: Sydney's Dear Sainte Éloise, which was recognised for its focus "on organic and biodynamic producers who work with as little winemaking intervention as possible", as well as its hefty 550-plus wine list. "Over the last five years, owners Matt Swieboda and Nate Hatwell have firmly cemented a new institution to pair with their legendary wine bar, Love, Tilly Devine," said the Young Gun of Wine team, which runs Wineslinger, announcing the win. "There's a by-the-glass list of about 25 – plus saké and fortifieds – with new or featured wines chalked up daily. There's also a low-waste, sustainable undercurrent to the venue that extends to the menu where whole beasts are sourced to utilise every last piece of the animal. And the produce, like the wine, is organic or biodynamic, except for the rare exception." [caption id="attachment_623522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] The Potts Point spot took out the gong after Melbourne's Embla nabbed it in 2021, and the Carlton Wine Room in 2020. In 2022, Victoria's wine spots made a showing courtesy of the Best New Haunt prize, a rather self-explanatory field, which went to Bar Merenda in Daylesford. In the Maverick category, Perth's Tetsun emerged victorious, marking the second year in a row that the award has gone to a venue in the Western Australia capital. It got the nod for being "a wine bar that steps away from rigid formality to add a splash of fun," the awards advised. "Styling itself as a neo-Italian neighbourhood osteria, the room has a lively, loud and rambunctious atmosphere, which made an immediate impact since opening in the heart of inner-Perth nightlife hub Mount Lawley in mid-2022." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Young Gun of Wine (@younggunofwine) And, the People's Choice went to an Adelaide venue, also for the second year running. The winner: bottle shop and tasting room Bowden Cellars. Just like in 2021, all four winners hailed from different cities. The Wineslinger Awards were created by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards. Where the latter prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, the former is all about excellent and innovative places where vino lovers can enjoy an ace drop. Wineslinger also releases a list of top places to drink wine across the country each year, with 2022's rundown revealed back in November. The 50 spots span everywhere from Sydney's 10 William Street, Monopole and Poly to Melbourne's Bar Liberty, Old Palm Liquor and Public Wine Shop — plus Brisbane's La Lune Wine Co, Maeve and Wineism as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Young Gun of Wine (@younggunofwine) For further details about the 2022 Wineslinger Award winners, visit the awards' website. Top image: Dear Sainte Eloise, Nikki To.
While it's necessary, you'd be hard-pressed to find too many Melburnians excited about the latest pandemic-induced restrictions, which have sent metropolitan Melbourne into stage four lockdowns and a state of disaster declared from Sunday, August 2. But, there's one thing that should make those stay-at-home orders a little easier, and that's the absolutely stinking weather headed our way for the rest of this week. Yep, if the Bureau of Meteorology's forecast is anything to go by, you'll barely want to leave your front porch, let alone venture the five kilometres from home you're currently allowed to travel for grocery shopping and exercise. According to the BOM, Victoria is in for some serious couch weather, kicking things off with 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms forecast for today, Tuesday, August 4. In metropolitan Melbourne, temperatures aren't set to climb above 12 degrees until Saturday, when it's forecast to max out at a slightly balmier 13 degrees. Much like our moods, the whole week is looking very soggy, too, with a strong chance of showers most days and possible hail for Tuesday and Wednesday. Indoors weather, for sure. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1289823421510164482 However, ski bunnies might be left feeling a little wistful at news of some decent snowfall expected for parts of Victoria. Metropolitan Melbourne could see snow falling as low as 400–600 metres over the coming days, and regions like Ballarat and the Dandenongs look set to score some flurries of their own. In fact, flurries have already hit Colac this morning, with dairy farmer Lachie Sutherland Tweeting this video of his snow-dusted cows. https://twitter.com/LachSuth/status/1290389831701282817 To keep an eye on Melbourne's weather, head over to the BOM website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria, head to the DHHS website. Image: Paula R Lively via Flickr
If your vino collection is looking a little sad and you're in need of some fresh inspiration, Northside Wines has gone and done all the hard work for you. On Sunday, May 2, the Northcote wine bar is serving up a smorgasbord of vinous choice, all thanks to the next edition of its popular wine market. Pick a session (1–3.30pm or 4–6.30pm), grab yourself a $15 ticket and get ready for some serious wine shopping. On the day, you'll have the chance to sample and purchase over 100 different drops, and to chat to the producers about their latest and greatest. Local winemakers including Trofeo Estate, Mount Avoca, Soumah and Giammarino Wines will be in attendance, along with top Melbourne-based distributors like Vigorous Brothers and Eurocentric. You'll score a glass for all those tastings, plus there'll be snacks and nibbles to enjoy in between sips. And we probably don't have to remind you that this is all happening the week before Mother's Day — presents and brownie points, sorted.
They're two of Melbourne's go-to Japanese-inspired spots, each known for a different specialty treat. Now, the minds at Tokyo Lamington and Hareruya Pantry are coming together for the collaboration of your dreams. Fusing the former's flair for creating innovative lamingtons with the latter's famously good handmade gelato, this is a sweet-tooth mash-up you won't want to miss. The pair has created a customisable line of gelato-filled lamingtons, which they'll be whipping up to order across a range of dates and locations over the next few weeks. It's a choose-your-own-adventure situation where you'll get to select a style of sponge (roasted green tea or classic), pick a gelato flavour to be sandwiched inside (genmaicha, houjicha chocolate or white sesame) and then decide which glaze or topping you'd like to finish it all off. The treats come in at $9 a pop, and will be making an appearance at QVM's Hawker 88 night market on Wednesday, April 26 and Wednesday, May 10, as well as at Prahran Market on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30.
The same team behind Frankie Magazine is about to launch a new publication entitled Smith Journal, a kind of guy-friendly take on the concept that has worked so brilliantly for the ladies. Over the years Frankie has created its own niche in the world of magazines. its creators saw a dearth of publications lacking warmth, impeccable design and solid content, so they filled the gap and they’ve done spectacularly well off it. In the past two years Frankie has had astounding jumps in circulation, making it the fastest growing magazine in the country. And the reasons for that are many, including their clean, environmentally-friendly design, support for underground acts and emerging creatives, and their emphasis on strong content, publishing distinctive writers like Benjamin Law and Marieke Hardy. Now they’re applying the same logic to the world of gentlemen’s magazines. The idea behind the name – Smith – is that of blokes doing stuff with their hands – blacksmiths and wordsmiths and the like. Their positioning is both old fashioned and down to earth, but never attempting to be cool or exclusive. And just like Frankie doesn’t bar the boys from the clubhouse, Smith also welcomes lady readers. The difference between Smith and Frankie is that it’s going to be a wee bit bigger and a little less regular. It’ll be printed out at a not-entirely-bus-friendly edition of 140+ pages, with only two issues a year in limited release. The first issue is out September 5.
This time back in 2020, no one even dreamed of the possibility of a new Borat movie. No one expected that they'd be watching it before the year was out, either. Also among the things that not a single soul could've guessed: that it'd be one of the most unflinching political movies of the year, that it'd win two Golden Globes (including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy), and that it would score actor Maria Bakalova an Oscar nomination. Clearly, a lot has happened over the past year that zero folks among us anticipated. Here's something new for this year, too: a Borat special. Due to hit Amazon Prime Video on Tuesday, May 25, Borat Supplemental Reportings Retrieved From Floor of Stable Containing Editing Machine basically takes a heap of unused footage from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan and turns it into a couple of a couple of different parts. It's the type of thing that might've once been relegated to DVD extras, and it's another chance to dive into Borat Sagdiyev's latest escapades. Once again, you'll find out what Sacha Baron Cohen's fictional Kazakh journalist makes of both COVID-19 and the 2020 US election, as last year's 14-years-later sequel to 2006 mockumentary Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan also covered. One part of the special, called Borat: VHS Cassette of Material Deemed "Sub-acceptable" By Kazakhstan Ministry of Censorship and Circumcision, will include unseen footage from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, while the 40-minute Borat's American Lockdown will chart the character's five days spent living with conspiracy theorists. And then there's six Debunking Borat shorts, which get experts to dive into — and debunk, obviously — the ideas spouted by Borat's new roommates. If you haven't yet watched Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, it follows Borat as he travels to America again. Once more, he traverses the country, interviewing everyday people and exposing the abhorrent views that have become engrained in US society. Where its 2006 predecessor had everyone laughing along with it, though, there's also an uneasy and even angry undercurrent to this sequel that's reflective of these especially polarised times. Also a big part of the story: Borat's attempt to gift his 15-year-old daughter (instant scene-stealer Bakalova) to then-Vice President Mike Pence and ex-New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to help get Kazakhstan's own leader into then-President Donald Trump's good graces. Check out the trailer for Borat Supplemental Reportings below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctHMZ-MC4y4&feature=youtu.be Borat Supplemental Reportings Retrieved From Floor of Stable Containing Editing Machine will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Tuesday, May 25.
It's safe to assume there are many questionable things hidden in the Yarra's murky depths. But something you might be happy to unearth about our city's famed river is this little morsel of history: the river was actually once home to gushing falls, located where Queens Bridge sits today. Why the impromptu history lesson? Well, it's this landmark — a significant meeting place for First Peoples and a big part of the reason why Melbourne is located where it is — that was the inspiration for new 25-seat CBD watering hole, Yarra Falls. Located not too far from that spot, the bar sits within Flinders Lane's historic Tavistock House — a 172-year-old building with a heritage-listed facade that remains one of the few pre-Gold Rush structures in the metro area. Owner Brendan Keown (The Baxter Inn, Restaurant Hubert) was captured by the tale of the rocky river barrier that once stood nearby, separating the freshwater from the bay and providing a crossing point at low tide. In a nod to the historic site, Yarra Falls embraces the concept of place and wholeheartedly champions this pocket of the world; from its booze and produce, to its musicians. "The focus of the venue is the land along the river in this part of the country," Keown tells Concrete Playground. "And you can interpret that in a few different ways." Here, it means you can expect to find Indigenous place names used throughout the menu, but also a strong commitment to working with Indigenous-owned or -supporting suppliers. 'Local' and 'seasonal' are far more than mere buzzwords, too. Ingredients and products are carefully chosen for their origins and the stories behind them, while a deep respect for the seasons — our region actually has six of them, as observed by First Peoples — ensures they're only ever showcased at their best. "Everything in the bar supports everything else," the owner explains. "It starts to build up a real sense of place, that's uniquely of this part of the country." In keeping with the venue's own small stature, both the drinks list and food menu are concise, though they're expertly considered and rotate on the regular. The potato bread is a staple — a nod to Keown's Irish roots — plus you'll usually find a house soup and freshly-shucked oysters. A 'snack of the season' makes the most of nature's gifts; maybe pairing finger lime with smoked eel and creme fraiche on lavosh. The ever-evolving drinks list is well thought out and generous with its tasting notes. The two beer taps might be pouring drops like Westside Aleworks' full-bodied Electric Socks APA (Melbourne/Boonwurrung Country), while the spirits list heroes creations from labels like 78 Degrees and Melbourne Gin Company. In the wine (and wine-adjacent) corner, expect goodies like a floral moscato giallo orange by Little Brunswick Wine Co (Heathcote/DjaDjaWurrung Country) and the Stanton + Killeen muscat (Rutherglen/ Bangerang Country). And a tidy crop of mixed drinks stars ingredients like lemon myrtle, wattleseed and teas by Indigenous cafe Mabu Mabu. Try the apricot brandy-infused Emu Juice, or the Mornington — a funky blend of silver rum, macadamia, golden wattle and grape. The backbar is necessarily tiny, but Keown has managed to make it quite the statement piece, despite "MacGyver-ing it together", in his words. It's a painted diorama-style replica of the Yarra Falls themselves, complete with a working water feature and earthy green terraces working as a backdrop for the small-but-mighty spirits selection. "It's great, especially at night time," the owner enthuses, detailing the bespoke ceiling lights, which mirror the Pleiades or Seven Sisters constellation — also significant in Aboriginal cosmology. "It's like you're camping out, you're hanging out there at the falls." Find Yarra Falls at 381 Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD. It's open 5pm–1am Wednesday to Saturday.
You have to hear Noisy Jelly to believe it. This science project-esque game, imagined by Raphaël Pluvinage and Marianne Cauvard, allows you to create your own musical instrument out of jelly. Using water, agar agar powder and a set series of molds (contained in Noisy Jelly's mini chemistry lab) players can create their own set of jellies. The jellies are then placed on the included game board, where they may be touched and manipulated to create sound. If you don't quite get the jelly-to-music correlation either, Noisy Jelly includes a scientific diagram to explain what is actually happening. The game board functions as a capacitative sensor, and the final sound it produces all depends upon the shape and salt concentration of the jelly. The distance and strength of the finger-to-jelly contact can create different sounds, as well.
There's no such thing as an ordinary dish to chef Nelly Robinson, namesake of and driving force behind Sydney restaurant NEL, as his degustation menus keep demonstrating. KFC? Lamingtons? French onion soup? Pots of honey? They can all be given a fine-dining twist, and have. Paddington Bear's marmalade sandwiches? They're next. For the Harbour City restaurant's latest 11-course feast, it's going all in on dishes inspired by England. The theme: great British memories. So, of course everyone's favourite talking bear and his sandos get a nod. So do beef wellingtons, scampi and beer, Sunday roasts and chocolate orange. This limited-time special hits NEL from Wednesday, August 16–Saturday, September 30 — and, like all of the eatery's degustations, is a bucket list-worthy meal for Sydneysiders and visitors alike. That nod to Paddington Bear? It's made with Davidson plum marmalade, and dished up in a suitcase. And those NEL-style beef wellingtons? They're whipped up from slow-cooked stout beef cheeks, which come wrapped in cime di rapa, then topped with carrot puree and English peppercorn sauce. The pub grub-esque scampi and beer is a prawn-filled tart mayonnaise seasoned with and tajin, also featuring avruga caviar, and paired with a sarsaparilla-flavoured drink. As well as the chocolate orange — which doesn't resemble the Terry's supermarket-sold version — and the riff on a roast, spins on gammon and eggs, cheese and onion, fish and chips, korma scallops, and rhubarb and custard feature. Robinson is drawing upon his own formative years. "The team knew exactly where I was coming from when crafting of this menu began. It was really special to create a whole new menu honouring my childhood and roots," the chef advises. "As always, we have paired it with some sensational wines, too." Patrons can tuck in for $185 per person, with matched beverages starting at $85 each on top. NEL's great British memories degustation is on offer on from Wednesday, August 16–Saturday, September 30 at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. For more information or to book, head to the NEL website.
Tasmania may sit forgotten and ridiculed on the outskirts of our borders, but every January it truly shines. Attracting tens of thousands of visitors from all over the country, MONA's annual Festival of Music and Art is a cultural icon. Now, in its seventh year, it's still bringing in the goods. The just-released 2015 lineup will include legendary post-punk outfit Swans, Dan Deacon, Amanda Palmer, Paul Kelly and — because why not — author Neil Gaiman. And that's not even mentioning the art. Curated by Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes, the musical program is incredibly eclectic — a tasting plate of genres for those not quite so fascinated with predictable summer festivals like Laneway or Future. In 2015 you can relax whileNeil Gaiman reads you a story accompanied by the ambient sounds of Jherek Bischoff, go local with Paul Kelly's Soul Sessions featuring Dan Sultan and Kira Puru, or melt your brain with some Dan Deacon goodness. MOFO caters to all. The art on display will be just as strange. UK group Architects of Air will be bringing their giant inflatable sculpture — read: artsy bouncy castle — EXXOPOLIS down south from the Brisbane Festival. Melbourne artist Atticus J. Bastow is acting as maestro to an orchestra of iPhones. Johannes S. Sistermanns will be wrapping thing (and possible people) in cling wrap to create terrifying sound art. Then, Alvin Curran will combine both art and music while mobilising rafts and dinghies to make music on the Derwent River. "We are thrilled that the audience for MOFO has developed to the point where we can present this dazzling array of creativity and know the people are ready, willing and able to come along for the ride," said Ritchie. "It’s a party with brains, heart and soul." For a little look at what you're missing, check out our write-up from last year's Dark Mofo. January's festivities are bound to be about the same with 100 per cent more sunshine. What's not to love? MONA FOMA will run from January 15-18, 2015 in Hobart. Tickets are on sale now via the festival website. Full lineup: Alvin Curran Allan Halyk And Adam Wojcinski Amanda Palmer & The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Amir Farid Anna Von Hausswolff Architects Of Air Ava Mendoza Atticus J. Bastow Ben Frost Brendan Walls Chordwainers Dan Deacon David Francey Trio Debashish Bhattacharya Emma Dean And The Hungry Truth Faux Mo Francesca De Valence Gabriella Smart Genevieve Lacey Jim Moginie Johannes S. Sistermanns Li Binyuan Marduk Martine Corompt And Philip Brophy Melisandre Michael Kieran Harvey MOFI Eastern Sho MOMA (mona Market) Neil Gaiman Omar Souleyman Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions – Featuring Dan Sultan, Clairy Browne, Kira Puru & Vika And Linda Bull Phillip Johnston Rektango Robyn Hitchcock Ruth Roshan And Tango Noir Senyawa & Lucas Abela Shonen Knife Speak Percussion Swans The Clean Tim Hecker Xylouris White Young Wagilak Group & Australian Art Orchestra Zammuto
He's the horror and thriller author responsible for bloody proms, haunted hotels, possessed cars, sewer-dwelling clowns and spooky animal resting grounds, not to mention literary stalkers, depression-era death row prisoners, a town plagued by unexplained fogginess and another trapped under a dome. Indeed, since coming to fame with Carrie back in the 70s, Stephen King has never proven unpopular — but the world sure loves the writer's work right now. The viewing world in particular seems to adore King at the moment, with page-to-screen adaptations of his books popping up thick and fast. In 2019 alone, a new version of Pet Sematary hit cinemas, as did IT: Chapter Two and The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep — while In the Tall Grass recently arrived on Netflix. On the small screen, Mr Mercedes is up to its third season, Castle Rock unfurled its second and Creepshow's first recently landed. Next year will see three more TV shows join them, too, all based on King's books — and if you like the author in murder-mystery mode, you might want to add The Outsider to your viewing list. HBO's addition to the fold is a ten-part mini-series taking inspiration from King's 2018 novel of the same name, which focuses on the gruesome death of an 11-year-boy. Little League coach Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) is suspected of the shocking murder, with his fingerprints all over the scene; however, video footage places him 60 miles across town at the time the crime went down. Unravelling just what happened is a task for police detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn), who's also mourning the death of his own son. When nothing seems to add up, he brings in unconventional private investigator Holly Gibney (Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale's Cynthia Erivo) to help, despite him professing to have "no tolerance for the unexplainable". In case you're thinking that this all sounds like one of King's more straightforward tales, "an insidious supernatural force" is also involved according to the official HBO synopsis — it is called The Outsider, after all. And, while the show's first teaser focused on the murder case, its just-dropped full trailer plays up the creepiness, coincidences and the fact that something beyond the bounds of normal logic just might be going on. Mendo, Australia's favourite current acting export, also produces the show, as well as seemingly getting a rare chance to play something other than a blockbuster baddie of late (see Rogue One, Ready Player One and Robin Hood, for example). As for recent Emmy directing winner Bateman, he executive produces and jumps behind the lens on the series' first two episodes. Check out the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNDKWr3Xmjk The Outsider starts airing on Sunday, January 12 in America — we'll update you once viewing details for Down Under have been announced.
A quarter of a century ago, M Night Shyamalan started coaching audiences to associate his surname with on-screen twists. Now that The Sixth Sense writer/director's daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan is following in his footsteps by making her first feature, decades of that viewer training across Unbreakable, Signs, The Visit, Split, Glass and more laps at The Watchers' feet. The question going in for those watching is obvious: will the second-generation filmmaker, who first worked as a second-unit director on her dad's Old and Knock at the Cabin — and also penned and helmed episodes of exceptionally eerie horror TV series Servant, on which her father was the showrunner — turn M Night's well-known and -established penchant for surprise reveals that completely recontextualise his narratives into a family trademark? Viewing a Shyamalan movie from The Sixth Sense onwards has always been an exercise in piecing together a puzzle, sleuthing along as clues are dropped about how the story might swiftly shift. It's no different with The Watchers, which Ishana adapts from AM Shine's novel and M Night produces. The younger filmmaking Shyamalan leans into the expectations that come with being her dad's offspring and picking up a camera, making a supernatural mystery-thriller horror flick and living with his brand of screen stories for her entire life. That said, while it's easy to initially think of The Village when The Watchers sets its narrative in isolated surroundings where the woods are filled with threats, and also of Knock at the Cabin given that its four main characters are basically holed up in one, Ishana demonstrates her own prowess, including by heartily embracing her source material's gothic air. This is a tale with a Mina at its centre, after all, because Shyamalan isn't the only name attached to The Watchers that means something in horror. As gothic stories in the genre long have told, it's also a tale of being haunted — here, by the monsters that lurk among the trees in a mysterious patch of western Ireland, and also by the kind of loss and sorrow that reshapes entire lives. As Ishana dials up the foreboding while dancing with fantasy, too, The Watchers proves a reckoning with identity as well. Yearning for the ability to define your own sense of self is another familiar gothic notion (Mary Shelley's Frankenstein puts it among the ideas at its centre), and also a fitting theme and statement for a person who's leaping into a field where they're immediately standing in someone else's shadow. Hours from Galway, shade also looms as The Watchers kicks off. As captured with a moody gaze by cinematographer Eli Arenson — and an eye for the claustrophobia that can simmer in expansive natural spaces, as he also splashed around in 2021's Lamb — warm rays barely filter through the forest even when the sun is high in the sky. In a state of near-perpetual twilight, the woodland possesses an otherworldly and ominous feel. A man (Alistair Brammer, Ancient Empires) is spied trying to flee its sprawling cover; however, the signs about not being able to turn back keep proving accurate. Birds flutter in a swooping and circling flock, the thicket buzzes with its own noise — both with unease as dense as the canopy above — and the picture advises that this location is absent from maps and a beacon for lost souls. A command of atmosphere bubbles through the movie from the outset, then, even before Mina (Dakota Fanning, Ripley) wanders through the same grove. She's entering rather than trying to leave — at first. An American artist working in a pet shop in a biding-her-time fashion, the 28-year-old is tasked with a normal albeit time-consuming delivery, but then her car breaks down and her phone dies shortly after driving into the greenery. Prior to Mina hitting the road, The Watchers dapples her everyday existence with a disquieting vibe. In her life in the Irish city, she's plastering literal wigs and metaphorical masks over her unhappiness while avoiding calls from her sister Lucy and grappling with the death of their mother 15 years earlier. En route to being stranded in a bunker called The Coop, which is sat in a tract where no one should go down to the woods by dark, she's also already feeling as caged as the parrot that she's about to try to ferry to a Belfast zoo. The Coop is no ordinary cabin in the woods, not that many on-screen are, with kudos deserved by The Watchers' production designers. Mirrored glass lines one of its walls, letting interested eyes peer in unseen (their audible reactions provide a soundtrack as well) as the motley crew that is Madeline (Olwen Fouéré, The Tourist), Ciara (Georgina Campbell, Barbarian), Daniel (Oliver Finnegan, We Are Lady Parts) and now Mina navigate their new routine. Each strangers going in and each trapped, they're all endeavouring to survive the creatures that demand to observe them eating, watching an old dating-style reality TV series and sleeping every evening — and, without their captors realising, to ascertain how to escape a place that appears impossible to exit. There are rules to enduring. There are grim consequences for not abiding by them. No one has made it out to seek help and returned, the stern Madeline cautions. When a reflective surface plays such a pivotal part, it's hardly astonishing when a film trades in parallels, including with an IRL world that's frequently becoming one giant online performance (to stress the point, one of The Watchers' most-striking shots shows how Mina and company inhabit a stage for their keepers). As well as absorbing her father's fondness for spinning unsettling tales, Ishana has inherited his ambition, clearly, as she also works in Celtic lore and the impact of colonialism. While it's one thing to aim big and another to thoroughly wrestle everything that you're eager to explore and touch upon into one movie, her directorial debut sports an instantly intriguing premise that draws viewers in effectively, a flair for imagery and tension, and an excellent lead. When Fanning is playing the feature's protagonist as someone who can't see anything but her own pain — who can't see the forest for the trees, aptly — she wears Mina's fragility and vulnerability like a second skin. When her character is forced to confront being put on display, she's just as mesmerisingly relatable.
Raclette is nothing new, but the deliciously gooey snack has become incredibly popular in recent years and Juliet is the latest venue to jump on the cheesy bandwagon. Located in a semi-hidden basement beneath Punch Lane, Juliet is Melbourne's newest raclette and wine hotspot, with a Thursday evening devoted entirely to the provision of the cheese plus wine and jazz. The ambient wine bar is signed with a single pink neon sign, which lures diners down the staircase. As you enter the welcoming space, grab a seat at a Danish chair under the dim light of a hand blown chandelier. The bar's signature raclette, sourced from Heidi Farm in Tasmania, is the star. Slowly heated until the top layer is oozing, the cheese is then scraped onto your plate and paired with fingerling potatoes, 30-month aged prosciutto, cornichons and picked onions (for $28). With live jazz from 7pm until late, we're hard-pressed to think of a better way to spend a Thursday evening.
Before the pandemic, heading overseas for your end-of-year break — for Christmas, New Year's Eve, or just because you've got some time off — might've been part of your summer plans. That wasn't possible over the summer of 2020–21; however, it looks set to be back on the cards from this December, with Australia's Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan announcing that the country's international border will open back up "at this rate, by Christmas at the latest." The Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister discussed international borders on Wednesday, September 22 as part of his National Press Club address, noting that "it's another reason why everyone should get vaccinated, and we have to stick to the national plan." Back in July, the Federal Government unveiled Australia's roadmap for dealing with the pandemic moving forward, which has been dubbed the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response — and it includes allowing Aussies to travel overseas again without restrictions when 80 percent of the nation's eligible population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. "We continue to do all that preparatory work to make sure that when those international borders open, hopefully at the latest by Christmas," Tehan continued. "Australians will be able to travel with a QR code linked to their passport, which will be able to show a proof of vaccination." Providing documentation to show you've been vaxxed is set to become a standard part of Australian life moving forward, and is also highlighted in New South Wales and Victoria's roadmap out of their respective lockdowns. Under both plans, looser restrictions will apply to people who've been fully vaccinated in both states, who'll need to prove they've been double jabbed. Also on Wednesday, September 22, NSW announced that it's about to conduct a trial of a vaccine passport that'll link COVID-19 vax certificates to the existing Service NSW app. Exactly how reopening Australia's international borders will work is yet to be explained, including where the nation will open up to — and if it'll reopen to all of the globe at once, or in stages, or via bubble arrangements. Earlier in 2021, Australia and New Zealand implemented the trans-Tasman travel bubble, allowing quarantine-free travel between the two countries; however, it has been suspended due to COVID-19 outbreaks since July, and isn't set to resume until at least mid-November. The Australian Government has also floated the possibility of opening a similar arrangement with Singapore — and extending travel bubbles to some countries, such as Singapore and places in the Pacific, is specifically mentioned in the nation's roadmap. Unsurprising, just when Australia will reopen its international borders has been the subject of much discussion over the 18 months since the Federal Government implemented an indefinite ban on international travel, only allowing Aussies to leave the country in very limited circumstances. Last year's prediction that opening up to the rest of the world wouldn't happen in 2020 proved accurate — and, earlier this year, Australia's ex-Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy (now the Secretary of the Department of Health) said that we might not be going anywhere until 2022. Back in May, the Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister and Prime Minister Scott Morrison both advised that mid-2022 was the likeliest time for reopening. With Australia's vax campaign gathering speed, Qantas and Jetstar have begun selling tickets for overseas flights for trips scheduled from December, demonstrating hope that the country's international travel rules could ease by then. That said, the airlines did start selling the same types of tickets earlier in 2021, working towards a planned October date that was subsequently postponed. At the time of writing, 48.5 percent of Australians over the age of 16 have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. 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.
With borders closed and overseas family reunions still on hold, many of us are craving the taste of home. That's largely what spawned the arrival of Barry Susanto and Erwin Chandra's new Indo-inspired sandwich joint Warkop, which opened its doors in Richmond last month. The two Indonesian mates met working together at Duke's Coffee Roasters in Windsor, sparking initial plans to open their own establishment. Fuelled by a touch of homesickness, some lockdown experimentation and a desire to offer locals a broader, more authentic taste of the duo's homeland — that plan is now a reality. Named after the classic streetside coffee stalls you'll find dotted throughout Indonesia, the 15-seat venue embraces the 'casual, but done well' mentality. The sandwich menu is short and sweet, but has already earned some big ticks of approval — Susanto first road-tested many of his creations on some very discerning fellow staff during his time as sous chef at Julian Hills' Navi. In line with the overall theme of the venue, the $15 sandos are simple but well-executed, with plenty of subtle nods to Susanto's fine dining experience. "It's a bit radical to put our (Indo) food into sandwiches," he explains. "I tried to do things that haven't been done before." Bread styles have been carefully chosen to best complement the flavours sandwiched within — beef pastrami comes teamed with cheese, pickled cucumber and a rich rendang sauce on light rye; while sourdough's been used to house the chicken sandwich, its meat marinated in classic Taliwang spices. Another option reworks the familiar flavours of gado gado into a turkish roll, marrying tofu, tempeh, bean sprouts, lettuce and a peanut sauce, and there's a daily rotating salad to match. The sandwich lineup has been selling out most days, so don't put that lunchbreak on hold for too long. Given Chandra's background working with the likes of Duke's and Market Lane, coffee here is also set to impress — expect a Duke's blend on the roster, with both espresso and filter options available. There's a selection of pastries and cakes from Ned's Bakery in South Yarra (all $5.50), but for a true taste of the guys' homeland, you'll want to try their version of kaya toast ($6) — a much-loved sweet breakfast starring a rich coconut jam. Warkop's kaya uses a long-held family recipe from Chandra's own mother, who taught the pair to make it via video chat from Indonesia. Susanto's jazzed it up a little using puffed rice and plump, buttery brioche rolls, though the dish still heartily embraces its roots. "I'm doing this because I always miss home and I always miss home food," explains Susanto. "When I first moved here, I couldn't speak English and the Indo food I ate here really helped me, to heal me from missing home. So I've always wanted to do this."
In 2022, scam culture was here to stay, as drawn-from-reality hits such as Inventing Anna and The Dropout repeatedly promised. In 2023, playing fast and loose with the truth sits at the heart of Apple TV+'s new Hello Tomorrow!, too, which tells a fictional tale about the deceptions people spin to chase their dreams. The show's beaming face: travelling salesman Jack Billings (Billy Crudup, The Morning Show), the regional manager for BrightSide Lunar Residences, and a passionate pusher of timeshares on the moon. He's this intriguing dramedy's version of Don Draper, but with Mad Men's 60s surroundings swapped for The Jetsons-style robot help and hovering vehicles. Streaming from Friday, February 17, the look of Hello Tomorrow! is retro-futuristic, steeped in 50s-era visions of what might come. The time and place is an alternative version of that decade, in a suburban enclave called Vistaville, where one of Jack's biggest fibs has its origins. He's summoned back with his crew of hawkers — the gambling-addicted Eddie (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons), promotion-coveting Herb (Dewshane Williams, In the Dark) and resident righthand-woman Shirley (Haneefah Wood, Truth Be Told) — by his mother Barbara (Jacki Weaver, Penguin Bloom) after his wife Marie (Annie McNamara, Severance) is injured by a self-driving delivery van. His son Joey (Nicholas Podany, Archive 81) is struggling to cope, a task made all the more difficult by Jack's absence from his family's lives for decades. He's skilled at sharing stories about his domestic bliss on the moon to customers, but being a happy head of a lunar household is merely one of his go-to falsehoods. One such spiel opens Hello Tomorrow's ten-part first season — an attention-grabber of a launchpad with a universe's worth of details about Jack, BrightSide, how both operate and what each trades in from the get-go. In a diner that's the picture of nostalgic Americana except for the android server behind the counter, Jack gets comfortable beside a fellow patron, then gets selling, selling, selling. In his line of work, Jack can pinpoint people's wishes. There's no preternatural talent involved — this isn't Poker Face, another 2023 newcomer — but he knows how to lock in what his potential customers yearn for. So, he packages up an underdome home on the earth's only natural satellite as a way of repairing a fractured father-daughter relationship. Throwing in faux tidbits about his own wife and kids to close the deal, a sale swiftly follows. When Jack is seen spruiking back in Vistaville, after decamping with his team to the Vista Motor Lodge, his inspirational rhetoric wavers. Rather, amid a mass presentation that features celebrity spokesman Buck Manzell (Frankie Faison, Till), TV's Space Sheriff, calling in from up above, his talk turns dark and the room's excitement plateaus. Joey is in the audience, however, and the earnest twenty-something is quickly sold. He also can't remember anything about his father, so doesn't spot the connection. Jack's solution: stopping his boy's purchase and giving him a job instead, still without revealing the bonds of blood. Of course, Joey joins the BrightSide fold just as aggrieved customer Myrtle Mayburn (Alison Pill, Star Trek: Picard) starts kicking up a fuss, her complaints falling on rule-touting bureaucrat Lester Costopoulos' (Matthew Maher, Our Flag Means Death) listening ears. There's a The Twilight Zone-meets-Leave It to Beaver feel to Hello Tomorrow! as its characters seek the same thing we all do: a better life. Creators Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen (both Bloodline alumni), also co-writers and showrunners with You're the Worst's Stephen Falk, zoom in further, focusing on the reasons anyone holds onto to hope their lot will improve. Jack hit the road to discover something more when he farewelled Marie and Joey all those years ago, but it's clear amid the poise, polish and patter that he hasn't found it. Still, he hasn't stopped striving, either. Eddie needs a big payday because he's bought into the BrightSide promise, aiming to turn his romance with the married Shirley into a new lunar existence — and escape his mounting gambling debts. And Herb's wife Betty (Susan Heyward, Orange Is the New Black) is expecting twins, hence his persistent push for advancement. Amid constantly whirling dialogue and a playful score by Mark Mothersbaugh (What We Do in the Shadows), selling the American dream — and buying into it — literally means shooting for the moon. As Hello Tomorrow! speedily establishes, both are frequently out of reach. Questing after something that never eventuates is one of the oldest stories under the sun, after all, and imagining a brighter future to make today's doldrums go down smoother is an ancient fact of life on this very earth. None of these notions are revelations in Hello Tomorrow!, but they are thoughtfully and stylishly unpacked. Take the show's pitch-perfect aesthetics, for instance; they're as shiny as can be, for the series' characters to interact with and its viewers to watch, but that gloss is never the be all and end all. Hello Tomorrow!'s colourful, curved, tailfin-heavy production design (by Maya Sigel, I Am Not Okay with This), art direction (Katie Citti, The Peripheral), costume design (Anna Terrazas, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths) and set decoration (George DeTitta Jr, Succession) are equally sublime and stunning — instantly transporting as well — but they wouldn't gleam as blazingly if its story and themes didn't hit home. The lies keep building, then being exposed, as Jack is forced to confront the fallout of vowing to deliver everyone their best lives. Crudup won an Emmy for his last Apple TV+ role and is in stellar form again, all intuition, optimism and persuasion on the outside, and regrets and loneliness within. "What's life without a dream to make it go down easy?" Jack opines, with Crudup saying it like every character in Hello Tomorrow! believes it. That sentiment also oozes from the fantastic Azaria as Eddie, the most forceful of the show's figures personality-wise and its most devoted to lusting after the BrightSide life. He makes an excellent duo with Wood as the canny Shirley, who puts her faith in people over easy promises — and both help sell a dramedy that's glorious in its world-building, with mobile phones absent but residing in the Sea of Serenity a normal possibility. Apple TV+ knows this high-concept, highly stylised, deeply engaging and resonant space, of course. With 2022's Severance, it traversed similar terrain in a wholly different way. Here's another dream that Hello Tomorrow! peddles, plus embodies: that our idylls borrow from everything we've seen and experienced, but we always make them our own. Check out the trailer for Hello Tomorrow! below: Hello Tomorrow! streams via Apple TV+.
If you've got a soft spot for cakes made of cream cheese, then your lockdown is about to get a whole lot brighter. The dessert maestros at Burch & Purchese sweet studio have just kicked off an eight-day celebration of the humble cheesecake, in all its creamy, decadent glory. Running from Sunday, August 8–Sunday, August 15, Cheesecake Week will see the venue's online store stocked with a limited-edition lineup of signature cheesecake creations, which you can order for in-store pick-up or have dropped to your door. We're talking a layered white forest number starring cherry jelly and a crunchy chocolate base; lime and vanilla cheesecake pots with strawberry jelly and mango cream; and even an ultra indulgent chocolate-infused riff on the classic Basque cheesecake. To name just a few, that is. If you'd like to have a go yourself, you can also shop Darren Purchese's own cheesecake recipe e-book for $15. Plus, the man himself will be hosting a special virtual cheesecake demonstration on Sunday, August 15 — grab tickets to that for $25 (with the e-book included) right here. [caption id="attachment_822472" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darren Purchese, by Parker Blain[/caption] Images: Cath Claringbold and Parker Blain
Drinking a few brews and accidentally getting beer splashed on your shoes is a problem we've all experienced, particularly if you've indulged in a few steins at Oktoberfest. When people amass for a big, boozy shindig, steins start dripping and so does your footwear — and, as often happens when folks enjoy a few too many cold beverages, a stray drop of beer or several isn't the only unpleasantness threatening your kicks. Enter Adidas' new Originals München 'Oktoberfest' sneakers, aka the brand's solution to errant alcohol, its after-effects and its potential for stained shoes during the annual celebration. Made in Germany and available for a limited time from retailer 43einhalb, they're designed to withstand brews and vomit thanks to "durable puke and beer repellent" coating over their leather surface. Just how that works hasn't been revealed, but we're guessing you still shouldn't try pouring a whole pint over them. Selling for almost AU$300 (€199.95), the shoes also cater for the less messy parts of Oktoberfest, because the yearly booze fest is all in the name of fun. Accordingly, they're decked out with embroidery designed to match your lederhosen, have "prost" (aka cheers in German) stitched into the side, and come with a custom beer mug. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkMQyAEpyuk Via Munchies. Images:43einhalb/Adidas.
Cities are living beasts. Swelling and humming and brimming with life, these places we live are subject to change at any moment. These changes can be slow, like that giant apartment complex they've been building forever by your house. Or they can be fast, like the way the skyline comes to life with lights after 8pm. New York photographer Richard Silver has taken it upon himself to explore the latter changes, and the results are pretty beautiful. With his camera pointed towards iconic skylines and landmarks from around the world, Silver has catalogued an entire day in each image. Different from regular timelapse photography that creates a fluid sense of movement, Silver's images are staccato and ornate. Like a collage, each photograph is composed of shots from 36 different times throughout the day. Looking from left to right, you get a glimpse into a full day, from dawn to dusk. Enamoured with the nature of time, Silver appropriately named the series Time Slice. "[It] started in New York when I would go out at sunset to photograph iconic NY buildings," the artist told The Huffington Post. "I can take a photograph a mere few seconds apart and the change in of blue in the sky at sunset just fascinates me." It seems that people around the world are fascinated by this idea as well. In the last week alone, hits to his website have increased from roughly 1,000 per day to upwards of 190,000. Digital sightseers have descended upon the series to view his take on Easter Island, Shanghai, Venice, Milan, London and the Colosseum among others. No longer do tourists have to bicker about whether it's better to see a landmark during the day or at night! Just stay at home and drink in the whole thing. See more of Richard Silver's work at his website. Via Huffington Post. Photos via Richard Silver.
It might just be Australia's brightest festival, and it's currently lighting up Alice Springs once again. That'd be Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which has just kicked off the event's fourth and most expansive annual program. Running until Sunday, April 14, it's a shift from the fest previous timeslot, moving from spring to autumn. The nation's first indigenous festival of its kind, Parrtjima may have moved its dates, but it is still filled with dazzling light installations. As part of, the free ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling, seven luminous displays are gracing both the Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct and the Alice Springs Todd Mall. [caption id="attachment_715716" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Language of Kin, Parrtjima festival, Alice Springs, Australia. 5/4/2019. Image courtesy Parrtjima / NTMEC.[/caption] While Alice Spring's CBD is being lit up with new installations and events, just out of town, tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park has come alive with the festival's main attraction. Once again, a huge artwork has transformed a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light from 6.30–10.30pm each night of the festival — and featuring an audio track voiced by Aussie acting legend Aaron Pedersen. Visitors can also immerse themselves in art and storytelling as part of the returning Ahelhe Itethe – Living Sands (Grounded), where installations are projected onto the earth accompanied by a striking soundscape. While Parrtjima's returning slate is strong, new additions to this year's lineup include an illuminated tunnel that greets attendees as they enter the festival space, called Angkentye Anpernirrentye-kerte – The Language of Kin; an array of over-sized sculptures that relay the social history of First Nations station workers and their language of the land, dubbed Angkentye Stockmen Mape-kenhe – The Language of Stockmen; and a series of sculptured large-scale moths, badged The Language of Moths, which are brightening up Todd Mall. There's also a huge maze for kids and a set-up of three bush taxis displaying works by First Nations artists. [caption id="attachment_715717" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Parrtjima festival, Alice Springs, Australia. 6/4/2019. Image courtesy Parrtjima / NTMEC[/caption] As 2019 is the UN's Year of Indigenous Languages, the festival also has a linguistic edge — as many of the light installations' names make plain. With a theme of 'Language Expressions', the full program features talks and workshops focused on Central Australia's many Indigenous languages. Also on the bill is jam-packed program of dance, music, workshops and talks, sharing stories and celebrating First Nations' culture. It's a nice supplement to the area's Field of Light installation, which has been extended until 2020. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs until April 14, 2019 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
One, two, three, four: Sex Bob-Omb! are back, and everything Scott Pilgrim with them, thanks to upcoming Netflix animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. First announced earlier in 2023, the new take on a bass player fighting the object of his affection's seven evil exes is hitting the small screen as a streaming series, with the entire Scott Pilgrim vs the World cast returning to their roles. And if you're wondering what that all looks like, the show has just dropped its first teaser trailer. Obviously, a lot can happen in 13 years — and for the cast of 2010's page-to-screen favourite Scott Pilgrim vs the World, much has before Scott Pilgrim Takes Off reaches screens. Michael Cera kept returning to Arrested Development's George Michael, made a stunning appearance in the Twin Peaks revival and featured in Barbie. Mary Elizabeth Winstead added everything from Fargo and 10 Cloverfield Lane to Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) to her resume. Chris Evans became Captain America, Kieran Culkin killed it with insults in Succession and Anna Kendrick had the whole Pitch Perfect franchise. Brie Larson slipping into Captain Marvel's shoes, Aubrey Plaza's The White Lotus stint, Jason Schwartzman still showing up in Wes Anderson films aplenty — that's all occurred as well. Now, more Scott Pilgrim has come all of the above actors' way, too. The movie that started off as a series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley, and also hit video games, will live on again from Friday, November 17. And, once more, Scott (Cera) will fall for Ramona Flowers (Winstead), and face off against her past loves. When a film becomes a streaming series, that doesn't always mean that the OG stars return with it — but it does in this case. As well as Cera and Winstead, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off boasts Culkin as Wallace Wells, Kendrick as Stacey Pilgrim, Larson as Envy Adams and Plaza as Julie Powers. And, yes, Evans, Schwartzman, Satya Bhabha (Sense8), Brandon Routh (The Flash) and Mae Whitman (Good Girls) are all back as Ramona's evil exes. The list doesn't stop there. Alison Pill (Hello Tomorrow!) as Kim Pine, Johnny Simmons (Girlboss) as young Neil, Mark Webber (SMILF) as Stephen Stills, Ellen Wong (Best Sellers) as Knives Chau are reprising their roles as well. While Scott Pilgrim Takes Off still sees its namesake swoon over Ramona, then tussle with her former paramours, this is more than just a do-over. "I knew that a live action sequel was unlikely, but I would usually defer by suggesting that perhaps an anime adaptation was an interesting way to go," the original film's director Edgar Wright told Netflix back when the series was first announced. "And then, lo and behold, one day Netflix got in touch to ask about this exact idea. But even better, our brilliant creator Bryan Lee O'Malley had an idea that was way more adventurous than just a straight adaptation of the original books," Wright continued — and he's back as an executive producer. Check out the first teaser trailer for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off below: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off will be available to stream via Neflix on Friday, November 17.
There'll be bottles poppin' and bubbles flowing at Northcote Town Hall come Saturday, February 23, as the space plays host to Melbourne's second edition of The Prosecco Festival. Held across two sessions — between 11am–3pm and 4–8pm — this bubbly oasis is being brought to life by a deadset expert, Melissa Brauer. She's organised a celebration to entice hardcore fans and novices alike, with a lineup of exhibitors that includes both Australian and Italian producers. Your $50 ticket will score you a goodie bag, a real crystal Plumm teardrop tasting glass and four solid hours of prosecco heaven. Sample some of the world's best-loved prosecco, chat to winemakers and importers from across the globe, and learn all about the wine's best food matches, while nibbling oysters, pizza, cannoli, gelato, cheese and arancini. Of course, there'll also be plenty of opportunity to grab a few bottles for your home collection.
Do you live in a dog-friendly house? Do you have some spare time on your hands? Do you fantasise about hanging around at dog parks with an actual dog? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then the good folks at Vision Australia's Seeing Eye Dogs need you — again. As part of the organisation's ongoing dog-training program, it has puppies running around the place quite often, and it's in need of volunteers to raise them. That includes right now, with more adorable pooches arriving over Easter. In other words, Vision Australia is giving away puppies — although you will need to give them back. If you put up your hand to become a puppy carer, you'll get a puppy for about a year, from around its eight-week birthday to when it turns turns between 12–15 months old. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a seeing eye dog (and giving your new friend heaps of cuddles). Of course, it's not all just fun, games and cuteness. You'll have to be responsible enough to take care of regular grooming, house training and exercise, and be available for regular visits. A fenced-in backyard is mandatory, too. In return, the organisation provides a strong support network, and all food, training equipment and vet care. You'll also need to be home or with the puppy most of the time — so you won't be leaving the dog alone for more than three hours a day, sat in front of Dog TV — and to be able to put effort into training and socialising the pup. [caption id="attachment_853581" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicola Cotton[/caption] Seeing Eye Dogs Australia is looking for people across the majority of local government areas across greater Melbourne, as well as Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Mornington Peninsula, Macedon Ranges and their surrounding areas. In New South Wales, you'll need to be on the Central Coast. And in Queensland, Brisbane's north and Sunshine Coast areas are the current priorities. Once the pups reach 12-15 months old, they'll return to Vision Australia — and complete their journey to become four-legged companions for people who are blind or have low vision. Keen to help? You can register for an information session or apply online right now. If you're eager but can't commit to the full year, there's also a six-month caring option. For more information about Seeing Eye Dogs Australia's puppy carers, and to apply for the volunteer roles, head to the organisation's website.
When the end credits rolled Dune: Part Two when it reached cinemas in February, it clearly wasn't the end of Paul Atreides' story. On the page, in the book franchise started by Frank Herbert in 1965, the tale of sci-fi's spiciest man — and of the planet Arrakis, and the fight to control it — goes on. It will continue on the big screen, too, with a third Dune movie from Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) now officially in development. As Variety reports, Villeneuve will work on the futuristic saga's next flick, which will follow 2021 standout Dune: Part One and this year's first sequel. That's all that's locked in right now, though — but here's hoping that it has a smoother path to picture palaces, after Part One was delayed from 2020 due to the pandemic's early days, then Part Two was pushed back from 2023 during Hollywood's strikes. When the next Dune movie will release, if it'll be called Dune Messiah like the second of Herbert's novels, whether Timothée Chalamet (Wonka) will be back as Paul, if he'll be co-starring with Zendaya (Euphoria) again: none of this has been confirmed at the moment. There might be a wait for more Dune, however, with Villeneuve also potentially adapting non-fiction text Nuclear War: A Scenario into a feature (and maybe making his own Oppenheimer as a result). Dune: Part One picked up a heap of 2022 Oscars, including for Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser. Although 2025's Academy Awards are still almost a year away, expect Dune: Part Two to at least notch up nominations again. Also featuring Rebecca Ferguson (Silo), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), Stellan Skarsgård (Andor), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Christopher Walken (Severance), Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer), Austin Butler (Elvis), Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta), Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future), Josh Brolin (Outer Range) and Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) across the two flicks so far, Villeneuve's Dune films to-date follow in David Lynch's footsteps. They also manage what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) in the process. Dune Messiah has only made it to the small screen before now, in 2003 miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune that included James McAvoy (His Dark Materials) and Susan Sarandon (Blue Beetle) among its cast — plus Alec Newman (The Boys in the Boat) as Paul. There's obviously no sneak peek at the third Dune film yet, but check out the trailers for Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two below: The third Dune film doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Read our reviews of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, and our interview with cinematographer Greig Fraser.
