From the adventurous team responsible for Cookie, Boney, The Toff in Town and Revolver Upstairs comes yet another street-transforming venue: The Magic Mountain Saloon, set to open on Wednesday 14 January. Owner Camillo Ippoliti, chef Karen Batson and architect Phillip Schemnitz have rejuvenated a 19th century warehouse on Little Collins Street and magicked it into a one-of-a-kind, saloon-inspired eatery and bar. Drawing on materials salvaged from the renovations, as well as timber, stone and steel, they've reimagined the space, infusing it with a historic yet ethereal feel. The bottom floor maintains a laidback Melbourne warehouse vibe, while a pop-top-style extension on the first floor creates a 1940s, loft-style atmosphere. Archways and balconies afford unusual perspectives on the city — at both street and skyline level. And fashion/art designer Misha Hollenbach (Perks and Mini, PAM) has filled two walls with beautiful murals. Batson brings twelve years of experience to the menu. Combining Thai and Australian sensibilities and flavour profiles, she encourages a casual, fun, tasty approach to eating. Breakfast goodies include freshly squeezed soya bean milk, coconut pikelets and papaya; heart-warming congee and rice soups; steamed eggs and roasted pork belly; and Thai staple Kanom Jeen. Then at lunch and dinner, the woodfired grill is ignited for the turning of classics into Thai-inspired specials and the creation of hearty surprises. Promising morsels include potted duck, spiced pineapple and onion roll; veal scallopini with apple eggplant and turmeric; stir fried kale and crispy pork; pork scratchings, sticky pork and beer batter mussels; and green prawns, cured kingfish and bitter melon, with lemongrass, mint and green chilli. Just as much care is going into the soundtrack as every other element, with Phil Ransom, who's been involved with the team's aforementioned venues, programming both recorded music and a rotating schedule of DJs. "We have always aimed to produce warm, vibrant and convivial spaces," says Schemnitz. "I hope that Magic Mountain Saloon will be a place that people look forward to coming to, whether it be to pause between home and office, to meet friends or lovers, to steal some quiet time from an increasingly hectic world or to go looking for late-night stimulation and excitement. I hope that it will be a place in which people walk through the door and feel better. Our cities need such places. They define us in a way that natural beauty might define other cities." Magic Mountain Saloon, found at 62 Little Collins St, Melbourne, opens on Wednesday, January 14. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday, 7am-3am (kitchen open till midnight), Friday 7am-3am (kitchen till 1am), Saturday 8am-3am (kitchen till 1am) and Sunday 8am-3am (kitchen till midnight). Image: Michelle Tran.
Some stories just can't stay away from the screen, and Cinderella is one of them. Filmmakers have been drawn to the fairy tale since the silent era, resulting in beloved animated flicks, playful takes on the tale such as Ever After and Ella Enchanted, and Disney's 2015 live-action adaptation. Arriving next: a new musical that combines glass slippers and pining for a better life with singing, dancing and a fairy godparent named Fab G — with the latter played by Pose's Billy Porter. This version of Cinderella stars singer Camila Cabello as the titular character, while The Craft: Legacy's Nicholas Galitzine plays Prince Robert. Also popping up: Idina Menzel (Frozen II) as Cinders' stepmother, Minnie Driver (Starstruck) and Pierce Brosnan (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) as the king and queen, and Romesh Ranganathan (Staged) and James Corden (The Prom) as both footmen and mice. The latter is a producer, too, and came up with the idea for the film, while Pitch Perfect writer and Blockers helmer Kay Cannon sits in the director's chair. Clearly, if a new version of Cinderella doesn't hit the screen every few years, Hollywood must turn into a pumpkin. While musical takes on the tale aren't new — see also: the stage version that's about to hit Australia — this one is set to feature pop songs. So, you'll be seeing Cabello, Menzel and company singing tracks you know, as well as crooning their own new original tunes. Just how that'll turn out will be revealed on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, September 3, with the film originally slated for a cinema release, but then snapped up by the streaming platform instead. In the just-dropped first trailer, there's plenty of songs, colour and also humour. "Do you want to go to that ball?" asks Fab G at the end of the clip, to which Cinders replies: "yes, I was just crying and singing about it like two minutes ago". Check out the Cinderella trailer below: Cinderella will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, September 3. Top image: Christopher Raphael
The fine fictional detectives of Brooklyn's 99th precinct have long held a soft spot in sitcom viewers' hearts, but that hasn't always proven the case for TV's powers that be. After airing on America's Fox network for five seasons between 2013–2018, the show was cancelled in May last year — only to be picked up for a sixth season by rival US channel NBC just 31 hours later. That 18-episode sixth season is currently on the air, screening on SBS Viceland in Australia. Yes, fans of comedic cops, Die Hard gags and 'title of your sex tape' jokes can't utter "noice" fast or often enough. But in even better news, NBC has just renewed Brooklyn Nine-Nine for a seventh season, which'll likely run across late 2019 and early 2020. That means there's no need to worry about the show's fate for a whole year. As Jake Peralta would say: cool cool cool. Breaking out a celebratory yoghurt, Terry Jeffords-style, is definitely in order. If you're more like Captain Raymond Holt, perhaps you'd like to treat yourself to a trip to a barrel museum. Or you could channel your inner Gina Linetti and dance about your happy feelings. However you choose to mark the news, it's worth it — while the series has a devoted following, its future has rarely been secure, with the possibility of cancellation usually hanging over its previous seasons. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast — including Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Andre Braugher, Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller — were all suitably thrilled, as the video below shows. In fact, the renewal even prompted Braugher to tweet for only the second time, which sounds like a classic Captain Holt move. https://twitter.com/nbcbrooklyn99/status/1100902305858117637 And if you're particularly fond of sitcoms created by Mike Schur, who also gave the world Parks & Recreation, then prepare to go to your good place. Fellow NBC show The Good Place, which screens on Netflix in Australia, was already renewed at the end of 2018. Its fourth season is due later this year. Via Variety.
If you happen to be in Thailand in February and you spy Harry Potter's Jason Isaacs, Mission: Impossible's Michelle Monaghan, The League's Leslie Bibb and all-round icon Parker Posey, congrats: you will have spotted some of the cast of The White Lotus season three in the country to film the hit HBO show's next batch of episodes. The best new series on TV in 2021, and one of the best returning series of 2022 as well, The White Lotus is heading to the Asian nation after spending season one unleashing ultra-lavish hell in Hawaii and season two getting scathing in Sicily. Season three's location isn't new news, but the fact that Isaacs (The Crowded Room), Monaghan (The Family Plan), Bibb (God's Favourite Idiot), Posey (Beau Is Afraid), Dom Hetrakul (The Family) and Tayme Thapthimthong (Thai Cave Rescue) will be experiencing a chaotic getaway — or somehow involved with a White Lotus hotel — is a fresh development. [caption id="attachment_934932" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Crowded Room[/caption] The Mike White (Brad's Status)-created, -written and -directed series will also bring back a familiar face from its first season, as it did in season two. As fans of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama know, sadly Jennifer Coolidge (We Have a Ghost) won't be returning, unless the anthology series tells a prequel in the future, gets the undead involved or makes heavy use of flashbacks. Someone she spent a heap of screen time with in The White Lotus' debut season is popping up again, however: Natasha Rothwell (Wonka) as Belinda Lindsey, the spa manager who had been hoping to get Coolidge's Tanya McQuoid to invest in her dream business. Rothwell, Isaacs and company will obviously have more company, but that's the full list of cast members that've been revealed for now. No storyline details have been unveiled, and neither has a premiere date — but you'll be waiting till 2025 to see what happens in The White Lotus realm next. [caption id="attachment_934934" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beau Is Afraid[/caption] The show will shoot its third season in Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok, with HBO partnering with the Tourism Authority of Thailand "to support the filming and promotion of the third installment", the US network advised. Yes, expect everyone you know to want to vacation in Thailand as a result. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the country's Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, certainly does. "Thailand has long been considered one of the world's favourite filming locations. The White Lotus project will certainly strengthen the kingdom's status as a preferred filming destination and a beacon of experience-based tourism, inspiring even more visitors to amazing Thailand," Kiatphaibool said in a statement. Based on past seasons, the nation will backdrop a searing — and supremely entertaining — takedown of one percent, their lavish getaways, their deep-seated problems, and the gross inequality between the haves and have nots. And, it'll spark sleuthing, given that someone winding up dead has been part of all prior seasons as well. HBO announced that it was bringing The White Lotus back for a third go-around mere episodes into season two. Originally, the show was meant to be a one-and-done miniseries, but it was that excellent (and that popular) that it's now running with the anthology setup. White has hinted at focusing on "death and Eastern religion and spirituality" in season three. "It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus," he said in a clip at the end of season two's finale. There's obviously no trailer yet for The White Lotus' third season, but you can check out the trailers for seasons one and two below: The White Lotus' third season will arrive sometime in 2025, but doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The first and second seasons of The White Lotus are available to stream via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full reviews of season one and two. The White Lotus images: Fabio Lovino and Mario Perez / HBO.
Life's way too short for boring food. In the culinary world, you might as well go big or go home, right? Thankfully, Melbourne's dining scene isn't afraid to get a little weird, wild and wonderful, with plenty of eateries whipping up supercharged, over-the-top creations on the daily. Perhaps you're partial to a monster cheese toastie, loaded with extras, or maybe you prefer to sink your sweet tooth into a creamy Italian pastry decked out with mounds of icing sugar — whatever you're craving, there's sure to be a spot that serves it and it's probably bigger, better and more decadent than you had imagined. Whatever your jam, we're here to help. We've rounded up a list of of the city's most indulgent takeaway eats that are guaranteed to lend a bit of drama and dazzle to your diet. Chuck the sad sandwich, break out the stretchy pants and check out a few of these bold choices.
Descend down the grand staircase found in the lobby of Flinders Street's Rendezvous Hotel, and you'll find recently opened Mr Tompkins. Positioned one level below bustling Flinders Street, Mr Tompkins' is a nod to the building's original architect, Harry Tompkins, who designed the space back in 1913. Ex-Coda chef Eric Kwek has taken the reins at Mr Tompkins, delivering a modern Euro-accented menu which champions native ingredients in a moody 60-seat space. Start with a heirloom tomato salad paired with native basil, sourced from Yarra Valley's Wandin Yallock farm. Shark Bay half-scallops are dressed with locally-sourced wakame and tossed in butter sauce. [caption id="attachment_914186" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Chef Erik Kwek[/caption] "At Mr Tompkins, we've introduced Australian native ingredients and techniques to classic European dishes, thus creating an instant connection between the food and the space it calls home," Kwek says. "This menu also allows me to blend my passions — my classically-trained French cookery and love for foraging bush foods and using great local suppliers." Larger plates run to the likes of grilled Victorian pork cheeks basted in a quandong glaze, or an excellent stinging nettle risotto accented with whipped goats curd and spiced almonds. The chef's smokey murray cod is a highlight, served on burning paperbark and paired with native sorrel and crab apples. The hyper-local focus continues through Mr Tompkins' wine selection, featuring drops from Victorian favourites including Mornington Peninsula's Montalto Estate and Yarra Valley's Oakridge Estate. Meanwhile, the bar is mixing up a small selection of curated cocktails, including a Bloody Gin Sour with Four Pillars' Bloody Shriaz Gin, lemon and sugar syrup. "Given the references of European and Australian design throughout the building — especially in the Grand Vestibule where you'll find complex gum leaf designs within the plasterwork — our menu, and the overall ambiance, has been carefully curated to complement the space," Kwek says. Mr Tompkins is open at 318 Flinders Street Melbourne. It's open from 6–10pm Wednesday–Saturday.
Fervent fans of The Roots, listen up! Don't worry if you don't have the cash for Falls or you can't make Southbound Festival — they’ve just announced they'll be playing two sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne with Australian MC Urthboy as a special guest. So that's two more chances to see The Roots jam out their first Australian gig since 2007. You will no longer have to resort to watching episodes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to get your fill of Questlove's magic. Expect to hear a lot from their most recent album, Undun (2011), whose reverse narrative arc followed the short life of Redford Stephens and featured play-it-compulsively songs like 'Kool On', 'Make My' and 'The OtherSide'. Even if you don't know much about The Roots, if you’re remotely fond of hip hop or neo-soul then this is a rare opportunity to see one of the most influential, visionary, long-loved groups to ever emerge from Philly (in 1987 and still kicking!) up close and personal. Tickets go on sale soon. Tour dates: Sydney: Friday, December 27 – Hordern Pavilion (tickets on sale Tuesay, 8 October, at 2pm) Melbourne: Saturday, December 28 – Festival Hall (tickets on sale Thursday, 10 October, 9am)
The human brain has been studied inside and out, and its complexities never cease to amaze us. We can make a fist, take a step or turn the wheel all because our thoughts are connected to our actions, but perhaps the new EPOC Neuroheadset will do away with the need for actions altogether. The neuroheadset is a brain-scanning device that allows you to control your computer with your mind. The headset detects brain signals to determine users' emotions and also contains gyroscope technology that reads your position, body movements and facial expressions to accurately communicate commands. Combined with the EmoLens application, the device can detect the emotions you feel as you browse through photos on Flickr and tag the photos accordingly - you don't even touch your mouse or keyboard. If you're bored of that trick, the headset can also use concentration, number of eye blinks or head shakes to determine how you're feeling. Among other applications that can be purchased include Mind Mouse, which allows the user to perform standard computer commands like clicking or double clicking a mouse or even sending an email, and Master Mind, with which users can play their favourite computer games with their minds. The applications and uses are quite limited at this stage, but along with other superhero-inspired technology coming to market, perhaps it won't be long before we can control things with our minds alone. Like a car.
Bagels remind Jeremy Marmur of his Polish grandfather, and the time he spent binging on bagels as a boy. Now, years later, he's paying tribute to both his granddad and his love of the Jewish bread with Schmucks Bagels: a new bagel joint set to open in the CBD later this month. Even if you don't have your own Polish bagel-loving grandfather, Marmur's bagels might conjure up childhood memories of a different kind. Anyone who ever had a Cheesymite Scroll stuffed in their lunchbox will get nostalgic over the Vegemite bagel: a bagel that doesn’t just come with a schmear of Vegemite, but with the stuff swirled right into the batter. Melted cheese on top is a must. Obviously. As you can see, Schmucks aren't mucking around with their product. Their traditional Polski bagels are steamed rather than boiled, which, according to Marmur, creates a lighter, fuller-flavoured bagel. "Although our concept is playful, the preparation, research and ingredient sourcing that has gone into creating Schmucks Bagels is far from that," he says. If, for some reason, you weren't indoctrinated to the cult of Vegemite as a child and it isn't your thing, it looks like there'll be plenty of other options — no matter what you can and can't eat. There will be a gluten free bagel alongside the usual sesame, seed and rye. And as well as smoked chicken, miso salmon and beef brisket, there's an impressive veggie option of grilled cauliflower, carrot, cumin, hummus and pickles. Allpress coffee will also be on offer, as will some salads and sweet things. Along with chef Simon Winfield, Marmur has teamed up with Tommy McIntosh and Ben Avramides of boutique caterer Tommy Collins to bring his bagels to the bottom end of the city, and beyond. Schmucks Bagels is due to open behind The William at Shop 9, Guests Lane on Monday, 16 November.
Here in Australia, we're just about to enter what will no doubt be a gruelling winter. Well, our version of gruelling (socks and thongs weather). What makes it worse is that the Northern Hemisphere is enjoying summer, taunting us with pictures of beaches, lilos and rooftop cocktails while we huddle around an on-fire garbage bin and feel our seasonal affective disorder turn up a notch. The smartest of us, the ones not shackled to our desks and chairs, will defect to the north and torture us even more with Instagram stories from the Amalfi Coast, photos that could be compiled into an overpriced coffee-table book and sold in a snooty art shop. But you know what they say: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. And if you don't have enough annual leave to join 'em, eat so much pizza that your cheese dreams transport you to warmer places. And then start referring to your tummy as Little Italy. And then despondently look for flights for Euro-summer next year. To help you achieve this goal, we've teamed up with American Express to find the best Italian-style pizza to counteract Euro-summer FOMO. So, grab your American Express® Card and let's head out for some of the city's best cheesy rounds, slices and rectangles. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
When Stephen King's Doctor Sleep released in 2013, it didn't just return readers to the world of his 1977 hit The Shining — it also meant that a film adaptation became inevitable. Hollywood loves a sequel after all, so it should come as no surprise that the book is indeed headed to the big screen, with the movie's director just announced. Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil) will helm the follow-up, which explores the adult life of Danny Torrance, aka the tricycle-riding tyke at the centre of the first story. And while it might seem like the filmmaker has pretty big shoes to fill — particularly given Stanley Kubrick directed the 1980 classic that became one of the greatest horror movies of all time — Flanagan is no stranger to King's work. In fact, the last credit on his resume is last year's Gerald's Game, as based on the famous author's 1992 novel. A bestseller when it was released in print, Doctor Sleep checks back in on Danny — now going by Dan — who is unsurprisingly bearing emotional and psychological scars from his experiences at the Overlook Hotel. Variety reports that Flanagan will also rewrite the script, which was originally adapted by A Beautiful Mind Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman was also among the writers of last year's awful King-based effort The Dark Tower, as well as Transformers: The Last Knight and Rings. Via Variety.
If you didn't end April or start May binging Heartstopper, then you probably weren't anywhere near your streaming queue or social media. As charming as romantic comedies, LGBTQIA+-championing tales, British series and coming-of-age stories can get, this webcomic-to-page-to-screen delight dropped all eight of its first-season episodes at once, became an instant Netflix hit and started many an obsession — regardless of whether you currently are or ever have been a queer teen trying to be true to yourself, navigating high school and riding the emotional rollercoaster that is falling in love. The great news: if you haven't seen it already, season one is obviously still there and waiting. The even better news: Netflix has just renewed the series for two more seasons. So, sometime in the future — with no dates given as yet — Heartstopper will be making tickers miss a beat again, and twice, with the graphic novel's author and illustrator Alice Oseman also returning as the show's writer (and creator, obviously). It's easy to see why more Heartstopper is on its way — and not just because its narrative has continued past where season one stopped on both the web and in print. The series hit the Netflix top-ten list in 54 countries, wowed audiences and earned the social-media attention to prove it, and has already made stars out of its delightful cast. ✌️ more seasons of Heartstopper! 🍂🍂https://t.co/u65kBHzJ9p pic.twitter.com/s6NKkU9Hl3 — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) May 20, 2022 Story-wise, Heartstopper heads to Truham Grammar School, where Charlie Spring (first-timer Joe Locke) is in year ten. He finds himself seated in his form class next to year 11 rugby player Nick Nelson (Kit Connor, Little Joe) at the start of a new term, and sparks fly swiftly and overwhelmingly — at least on Charlie's part — with a crush and then a life-changing love story both blossoming. While director Euros Lyn (Dream Horse) gives Heartstopper's first season a dreamy look and feel — with emotionally astute showers of colour, too — teen romance is always complicated. Actually, teen life in general is. Also popping up here, with their own ups and downs: Charlie's self-hating secret boyfriend Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft, Doom Patrol); his disapproving, high-drama best friend Tao (fellow debutant William Gao); their recently out trans pal Elle (Yasmin Finney); her lesbian school friends Tara (Corinna Brown, Daphne) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell); and the quietly happy-go-lucky Isaac (Tobie Donovan). Oh, and Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter) as Nick's mum. The end result isn't afraid of teen tropes or rom-com cliches, such as grand gestures in the pouring rain, blissful montages and the stress of text messages — but it also isn't willing to deliver anything other than a thoughtful and tender account of high schoolers being and finding themselves, even amid unavoidable teen angst and taunting. There's currently four volumes, spanning five chapters, of Heartstopper on the page — and a fifth volume set to arrive in February 2023 — so fingers crossed there'll be even more seasons of the Netflix series in our futures. Check out the trailer for Heartstopper season one below: Exactly when Heartstopper will return for season two and three hasn't yet been revealed — we'll update you when dates are announced. The first season of Heartstopper is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. Images: Rob Youngson/Netflix.
Here we go again, folks. In a move which feels uncomfortably similar to what we saw happen to The Palace earlier this year, St Kilda's Prince of Wales Hotel has just been put up for sale. The entire four-storey building — including the pub, bandroom, restaurants, hotel, spa, and carpark — is currently open to expressions of interest online and estate agents are hinting at its potential for imminent residential development. "[The site has] immediate development potential with approved plans and permits for four (4) additional levels of premium residential accommodation," the listing reads. Of course, at this point nothing is set in stone. Either way, both the pub and bandroom will remain tenants of the building until the end of their lease, and there's still a good chance the building's new owner will want the businesses to stay on. After all, the site in all its current form takes in a whopping $2.3 million per year. Unfortunately, none of this can be determined by the venue operator. Until a buyer is confirmed we're all in an uneasy state of limbo. More than 60 years since its opening, Prince Bandroom is still regarded as one of the city's best mid-size venues. With a capacity of just 900, it's been a stalwart of the south side's live music scene regularly hosting big name acts including Coldplay, Bright Eyes, Goldfrapp, Lenny Kravitz, The Scissor Sisters, and just this year, Solange and Kelis. This is quite the legacy to hold onto, and if we've learnt one thing from being a music-loving Melburnian it's that you should never say die. Though we saw The Palace close their doors forever, there are now whispers of a white knight developer looking into restoring the site to its former glory. Anything can happen. Either way, there's a good chance we could have another fight on our hands. Via Tone Deaf.
Sydney's rambunctious leotard-loving lads, Bluejuice, are calling it a day. The beloved pop/rock/dance/errrthang ratbags Jake Stone, Stavros Yiannoukas, Jamie Cibej and James Hauptmann have announced their final national tour and an upcoming greatest hits tour to wrap everything up by the end of 2014. "After 13 years of broken bones, broken hearts, sore heads, passive aggression, regular aggression, several arrests, questionable skin infections, and a busload of infuriated tour managers, Bluejuice are announcing they are calling it quits at the end of 2014," says today's press release. Abercrombie-going Purple Sneakers alumni are shedding many a tear today. Since 2001, the beloved Sydney outfit have had one heck of a ride, keeping the chin of Australian music up with three celebrated albums (Problems, Head of the Hawk and Company) on the shelf and still holding the position of most played track on triple j ever ('Vitriol'). https://youtube.com/watch?v=ldBhDmvWFXE Bluejuice have decided to part ways to test the waters in other projects, with the sad intention of giving those leotards a rest. Before they take their final bows, the team will release a big ol' greatest hits album — a retrospective ride dubbed Retrospectable, with all your favourite mid-2000s sticky-floored party go-tos, best bits from their three albums, extra rare content and new single 'I'll Go Crazy', produced by Dann Hume (Sticky Fingers/Alpine). Bluejuice will kick it on their final national tour this September/October. Starting at Adelaide's Uni Bar, the pair will meander through the capitals and rural centres before finishing up where it all started — Sydney (at the Metro Theatre, where many a drunken Bluejuice escapade has roamed before). In one of the most emotionally-charged press releases we've ever seen, Bluejuice's legacy is laid down. "They shall leave behind a body of work of which they are all very proud, and they look to the future with a mix of hope and fear of starvation, not unlike the chick at the end of Children Of Men." Top notch. Bluejuice — Retrospectable: The Farewell Tour (with special guests to be announced) Tickets on sale August 9 THU 25 SEPT — Uni Bar, Adelaide. Tickets via Oztix. FRI 26 SEPT — Capitol, Perth. Tickets via Oztix. SAT 27 SEPT — Red Earth Arts Festival, Karratha. Tickets via REAF. THU 02 OCT — Hi-Fi, Brisbane. Tickets via Oztix. FRI O3 OCT — Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta. Tickets via Oztix. SAT 04 OCT — Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay. Tickets via Oztix. FRI 10 OCT — Hi-Fi, Melbourne. Tickets via Oztix. SAT 11 OCT — Hi-Fi, Melbourne. (Under 18's only Matinee show 12-3pm) Tickets via Oztix. SAT 11 OCT — Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave. Tickets via Ticketmaster and Village Green Hotel. SUN 12 OCT — Barwon Club, Geelong. Tickets via Oztix. FRI 17 OCT — Waves, Wollongong. Tickets via Moshtix. SAT 18 OCT — ANU Bar, Canberra. Tickets via Ticketek. THU 23 OCT — Bar on the Hill, Newcastle. Tickets via BigTix. FRI 24 OCT — Metro Theatre, Sydney. (LIC/ALL AGES)? Tickets via Ticketek.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures will do that, and so will plenty of people staying home because they aren't well — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Perhaps you've been under the weather. Given the hefty amount of titles now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are nine that you can watch right now at home. THE KILLER A methodical opening credits sequence that's all about the finer points, as seen in slivers and snippets, set to industrial strains that can only stem from Trent Reznor, with David Fincher and Andrew Kevin Walker's names adorning the frame, for a film about a murderer being chased. In 1995, Se7en began with that carefully and commandingly spliced-together mix — and magnificently. Fincher and Walker now reteam for the first time since for The Killer, another instantly gripping thriller that starts in the same fashion. It also unfurls as a cat-and-mouse game with a body count, while sporting an exceptional cast and splashing around (exactingly, of course) the full scope of Fincher's filmmaking mastery. This movie's protagonist is detail-obsessive to a calculating degree, and the director bringing him to cinematic life from Matz's graphic novels of the same name also keeps earning that description. The Fight Club, The Social Network and Mank helmer couldn't be more of a perfectionist about assembling The Killer just so, and the feature couldn't be more of a testament to his meticulousness. Fincher's love of crime and mysteries between Se7en and The Killer has gifted audiences The Game, Panic Room, Zodiac, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl and Mindhunter, which have always felt like different books from a series rather than a director flipping through the same tome over and over. So it is with Michael Fassbender's long-awaited return to the screen after a four-year absence — X-Men: Dark Phoenix was has his last credit before this — which sees Fincher and his star aping each other in an array of ways. As well as being oh-so-drawn to minutiae, as the eponymous character reinforces in his wry narration, this duo of filmmaker and fictional assassin-for-hire are precise and compulsive about refashioning something new with favourite tools. For The Killer, it's fresh avenues to fulfill his deadly occupation until everything goes awry. For the man who kicked off his feature career with Alien³ and now collaborates with a Prometheus and Alien: Covenant alum, it's plying his own trade, too. The Killer is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. PAST LIVES Call it fate, call it destiny, call it deeply feeling like you were always meant to cross paths with someone: in Korean, that sensation is in-yeon. Partway through Past Lives, aspiring writer Nora (Greta Lee, Russian Doll) explains the concept to fellow scribe Arthur (John Magaro, The Many Saints of Newark) like she knows it deep in her bones, because both she and the audience are well-aware that she does. That's what writer/director Celine Song's sublime feature debut is about from its first frames to its last. With Arthur, Nora jokes that in-yeon is something that Koreans talk about when they're trying to seduce someone. There's truth to her words, because she'll end up married to him. But with her childhood crush Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, Decision to Leave), who she last saw at the age of 12 because her family then moved from Seoul to Toronto, in-yeon explains everything. It sums up their firm connection as kids, the instant spark that ignites when they reunite in their 20s via emails and Skype calls, and the complicated emotions that swell when they're finally in the same place together again after decades — even with Arthur in the picture as well. Song also emigrated to Canada with her parents as a pre-teen, but achieves that always-sought-after feat: making a movie that feels so intimately specific to its characters, and yet resonates so heartily and universally. Each time that Nora and Hae Sung slide back into each other's lives, it feels like no time has passed, but that doesn't smooth their way forward. Crafted to resemble slipping into a memory, complete with lingering looks and a transportingly evocative score, this feature knows every emotion that springs when you need someone and vice versa, but life has other plans. It feels the weight of the roads not taken, even when you're happy with the route you're on. It's a film about details — spying them everywhere, in Nora and Hae Sung's lives and their faces, while recognising how the best people in anyone's orbits spot them as well. Lee, Yoo and Magaro are each magnetic and magnificent, as is everything about this sensitive, blisteringly honest and intimately complex masterpiece. Past Lives is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE CREATOR Science fiction has never been afraid of unfurling its futuristic visions on the third rock from the sun, but the resulting films have rarely been as earthy as The Creator. Set from 2065 onwards, after the fiery destruction of Los Angeles that could've come straight out of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, this tale of humanity battling artificial intelligence is visibly awash with technology that doesn't currently exist — and yet the latest movie from Monsters, Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards couldn't look or feel more authentic and grounded. That isn't a minor feat. And, it doesn't simply stem from making a sci-fi flick with heart, which isn't a new move. Don't underestimate the epic yet intimate impact of seeing bold imaginings of what may come that have been lovingly and stunningly integrated with the planet's inherent splendour, engrained in everyday lives, and meticulously ensure that the line between what the camera can capture and special effects can create can't be spotted; The Creator hasn't. So, as undercover military operative Joshua (John David Washington, Amsterdam) is tasked with saving the world — that go-to science-fiction setup — robots walk and talk, spaceships hover, and everything from cars to guns are patently dissimilar to the planet's present state. Flesh-and-blood people aren't the only characters with emotional journeys and stakes, either, with AI everywhere. Even if The Creator didn't tell its viewers so, there's zero doubting that its events aren't taking place in the here and now. Edwards and cinematographers Greig Fraser (The Batman) and Oren Soffer (Fixation) know how to make this flight of fancy both appear and seem tangible, though. Indeed, The Creator earns a term that doesn't often come sci-fi's way when it comes to aesthetics: naturalistic. Also don't underestimate how gloriously and immersively that the film's striking and sprawling southeast Asian shooting locations not only gleam, but anchor the story. The Creator is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FINGERNAILS In the world of Fingernails, 'Only You' isn't just a 1982 pop song that was made famous by Yazoo, is easy to get stuck in your head, and is now heard in this film in both French and English. It's also the philosophy that the first English-language feature by Apples filmmaker Christos Nikou has subscribed its characters to as it cooks up a sci-fi take on romance. In a setup somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth Holmes' claims to have revolutionised blood testing (see: The Dropout), Fingernails proposes an alternative present where love can be scientifically diagnosed. All that's needed: an extracted plate of keratin, aka the titular digit-protecting covering. At organisations such as The Love Institute, couples willingly have their nails pulled out — one apiece — then popped into what resembles a toaster oven to receive their all-important score. Only three results are possible, with 100 percent the ultimate in swooning, 50 percent meaning that only one of the pair is head over heels and the unwanted zero a harbinger of heartbreak. When Fingernails begins, it's been three years since teacher Anna (Jessie Buckley, Women Talking) and her partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White, The Bear) underwent the exam, with the long-term duo earning the best possible outcome — a score that's coveted but rare. Around them, negative results have led to breakups and divorces as society's faith is placed not in hearts and souls, but in a number, a gimmick and some tech gadgetry (one of the sales pitches, though, is that finding out before getting hitched will stop failed marriages). As their friends go the retesting route — satirising the need for certainty in affairs of the heart pumps firmly through this movie's veins — Anna hasn't been able to convince Ryan to attend The Love Institute as a client. She's soon spending her days there, however, feeding her intrigue with the whole scenario as an employee. When she takes a job counselling other pairs towards hopeful ever-after happiness, she keeps the career shift from her own significant other. Quickly, she has something else she can't tell Ryan: a blossoming bond with her colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal). Fingernails is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. FAIR PLAY Getting engaged isn't meant to be bloody, but that's how Fair Play starts: with joy, love, passion and bodily fluids. What is and isn't supposed to happen is a frequent theme in writer/director Chloe Domont's feature debut, an erotic thriller set both within the heady relationship between Emily (Phoebe Dynevor, Bridgerton) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich, Oppenheimer), and also in the slick, fast-paced, high-stakes world of New York finance — familiar territory for its Billions alum filmmaker, who also has Suits and Ballers on her resume. The blood arrives via a bathroom tryst at Luke's brother's (Buck Braithwaite, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin) wedding. He pops under her dress, she has her period, he drops the ring that he was going to propose with, she says yes, and next they're betrothed and fleeing out the window to go home. Staged to feel woozily, authentically romantic, the occasion seems perfect to this head-over-heels pair anyway, even if it leaves their clothes stained. Yes, Domont is playing with symbolism from the outset. Lust isn't a problem for Emily and Luke, clearly, but they've become experts at keeping everything about being together away from work out of necessity. The duo each chases big dreams at the same hedge fund, which has a firm no-dating policy for its employees. So, when they wake up, dress and step out the door the next day, they go their separate ways to end up at the one place — and Emily's finger is glaringly bare. Then something that they've both been hoping would happen does: a portfolio manager sitting above their analyst positions is fired. Next comes a development that they've each felt was meant to occur, too, with the word spreading around the office that's led by the icy Campbell (Eddie Marsan, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) and his yes-man flunkey Paul (Rich Sommer, Minx) that Luke is in line for a promotion to fill the new vacancy. But when it turns out that it's Emily that's getting promoted instead, everything changes. Fair Play is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. PAIN HUSTLERS Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer) is Pain Hustlers best star. Chris Evans (Ghosted), Catherine O'Hara (Elemental), Andy Garcia (Expend4bles), Brian d'Arcy James (Love & Death) and Chloe Coleman (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) all leave an imprint as well in this pharma drama, but Blunt is the movie's knockout. She steps into the shoes of Liza Drake. Relentlessly adapting is the Floridian's normality; she's a single mother to teenager Phoebe (Coleman), who has epilepsy that requires surgical treatment that Liza can't afford, and also lives in her sister's garage while stringing together cash from whichever jobs she can find. It's at one such gig as an exotic dancer, where her talent for sizing up a scenario and making the most of it is rather handy, that Pete Brenner (Evans) crosses her path. He wants more than her barside banter, proposing that she comes to work for him. If he didn't want her to genuinely take it up, catapult his employer to success and have them in murky territory, he shouldn't have made the offer. Also apparent in Pain Hustlers: the latest on-screen takedown of the pharmaceutical industry and corresponding interrogation of the opioid crisis, aka one of pop culture's current topics du jour. Indeed, in only his second non-Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film since 2007 (the other: The Legend of Tarzan), director David Yates happily relies upon the fact that this realm is common ire-inducing knowledge no matter whether you've read journalist Evan Hughes' coverage of Insys Therapeutics — including 'The Pain Hustlers', a New York Times Magazine article, then The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup, the non-fiction book that followed. First-time screenwriter Wells Tower draws upon both, but similarly knows that his fictionalisation rattles around a heavily populated domain. Stunning documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed earned an Oscar nomination, miniseries Dopesick picked up an Emmy, and both Painkiller and The Fall of the House of Usher have hit Netflix in 2023 — as will Pain Hustlers — while diving into the same subject. Pain Hustlers is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. IT LIVES INSIDE What's more terrifying than standing out at high school? It Lives Inside scares up an answer. Here, fitting in with the popular kids has haunting costs — literally — as Indian American teen Samidha (Megan Suri, Never Have I Ever) discovers. Her story starts as all memorable movies should: with a sight that's rarely seen on-screen. While beauty routines are familiar-enough film fodder, watching Sam shave her arms, then use skin tone-lightening filters on her photos, instantly demonstrates the lengths that she's going to for schoolyard approval. Among the white girls that she now calls friends, she also prefers to go by Sam. At home, she's increasingly hesitant to speak Hindi with her parents Inesh (Vik Sahay, Lodge 49) and Poorna (Neeru Bajwa, Criminal). And when it comes to preparing for and celebrating the Hindu ritual of puja, Sam would rather be elsewhere with Russ (Gage Marsh, Big Sky), the boy that she's keen on. It Lives Inside's frights don't spring from razors and social media, or from shortened names and superficial classmates; however, each one underscores how far that Sam is moving away from her heritage. Worse: they indicate how eagerly she's willing to leave her culture behind, too, a decision that's affected her childhood bond with Tamira (Mohana Krishnan, The Summer I Turned Pretty). As their school's only students with Indian backgrounds, they were once happily inseparable. Now Sam considers Tamira a walking reminder of everything that she's trying to scrub from her American identity. Keeping to herself — skulking around clutching a jar filled with a strange black substance, and virtually hiding behind her unbrushed hair — the latter has become the class outcast. So, when she asks Sam for help, of course no is the answer, a response that sparks consequences in this unease-dripping feature debut from writer/director Bishal Dutta. It Lives Inside is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM Before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Seth Rogen and his regular behind-the-camera collaborator Evan Goldberg had more than a few hands in Sausage Party. Lewd and crude isn't their approach with pop culture's pizza-eating, sewer-dwelling, bandana-wearing heroes in a half shell, however. Instead, the pair is in adoring throwback mode. They co-write and co-produce. Platonic's Rogen also lends his vocals — but to warthog Bebop, not to any of TMNT: MM's fab four. That casting move is telling; this isn't a raunched-up, star voice-driven take on family-friendly fare like Strays and Ted, even when it's gleefully irreverent. Rather, it's a loving reboot spearheaded by a couple of patent fans who were the exact right age when turtle power was the schoolyard's biggest late-80s and early-90s force, and want to do Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo justice. Affection seeps through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem as pivotally as ooze, the reason that there's even any adolescent marine reptiles that aren't at all like most of their species, and are also skilled in Japanese martial arts, within the franchise's narrative. Slime might visibly glow in this new animated TMNT movie, but the love with which the film has been made is equally as luminous. Indeed, the Spider-Verse-esque artwork makes that plain, openly following in the big-screen cartoon Spidey saga's footsteps. As it visually resembles lively high school notebook sketches under director Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs the Machines) and Kyler Spears' (Amphibia) guidance, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem feels exactly like the result of Rogen and Goldberg seeing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, wondering how Leo and company would fare in a picture that aimed for the same visual flair, then making it happen. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. A HAUNTING IN VENICE Poirot goes horror in A Haunting in Venice. As unsettling as it was in its pointlessness and indulgence, Death on the Nile's moustache origin story doesn't quite count as doing the same. With Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) back directing, producing and starring as the hirsute Belgian sleuth for the third time — 2017's Murder on the Orient Express came first — Agatha Christie's famous detective now gets steeped in gothic touches and also scores the best outing yet under his guidance. The source material: the acclaimed mystery writer's 1969 novel Hallowe'en Party. Returning screenwriter Michael Green (Jungle Cruise) has given the book more than a few twists, the canal-lined Italian setting being one. Venice makes an atmospheric locale, especially on October 31, in the post-World War II era and amid a dark storm. But perhaps the most important move that A Haunting in Venice makes is Branagh reining in the showboating that became so grating in his first two Poirot movies. In relocating to the sinking island city and withdrawing from the whodunnit game, his new status quo when the film begins, A Haunting in Venice's Poirot has already done his own toning down. It's 1947, a decade after the events seen in A Death on the Nile, and bodyguard Vitale Portfoglio (Riccardo Scamarcio, The Translators) helps keep life quiet by sending away everyone who seeks the sleuth's help. The exception: Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey, Only Murders in the Building), a Christie surrogate who is not only also a celebrated author, but writes crime fiction based on Poirot (with Fey slipping into her shoes, she's a playful source of humour, too). When the scribe comes a-knocking, it's with an invite to a séance, where she's hoping that her pal will help her to discredit the medium, Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once), who has the town talking. Then there's a death, pointed fingers and a need for Poirot's skills. A Haunting in Venice is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October, too. You can also peruse our best new films, new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies of 2023 so far
As the NSW bushfire tragedy continues, a number of articles have appeared discussing the various ways a home may be fireproofed. There are miraculous treatments such as this fire-retardant gel, but how do you build for the bush? It's certainly possible. Incredibly, in the 1970s Sydney architect Glenn Murcutt designed a house so safe that its owner moved many actual drums of petrol from the garage into it before a bushfire surrounded the property. In the States an extremely old, fire-safe construction method is currently trending: the rural Japanese tradition of shou-sugi-ban. Roughly translated as 'burnt cedar board', shou-sugi-ban supposedly dates back to the 1700s, when it was used primarily to safeguard against fire and to preserve the wood against rot. So how does shou-sugi-ban work? The reasoning goes, if wood has already been charcoaled, it's unlikely to catch fire a second time. Similar in principle to the weathering of steel, where oxidisation creates a protective barrier, wood is first scorched with a controlled method of burning then brushed with a stiff broom to remove excess soot. Next it's washed and dried, and finally treated with an oil like Penofin Verde. It just happens to look fantastic, with many shades and finishes achievable, depending on how long the wood is burned. Usually a paint or a stain is required to darken wood to an attractive chocolate hue with rustic texture, and both methods are subject to fading and degradation. But not shou-sugi-ban. Apart from providing resistance to flames, the charred wood also repels insects and rot. This makes it durable and long-lasting. A standard cedar might decay after five years, whereas the owner of a low-maintenance shou-sugi-ban wall or fence could expect 30 years without decay, which is a pretty dramatic difference. For this reason, as well as its visual attractiveness, lately it's appearing in many restaurants around the Bay Area in California. Companies like Shou-Sugi-Ban in the UK and Delta Millworks in Austin, Texas (a land where it is said that cowboys mingle with punks) have mastered how to artfully scorch reclaimed wood for beautiful and practical built spaces. We hope to see more of it popping up on our shores. Via PSFK
Perhaps you've made 2023 the year of prioritising self care, or maybe you're looking to recharge and recentre as we ease out of summer and into a fresh season. Either way, you'll have the chance to kick some serious weekend wellness goals at the Mornington Peninsula's newest festival, Awaken. As Peninsula Hot Springs' latest offering, it'll take over the Fingal bathing precinct on Sunday, March 26 for a day devoted to wellness, music, culture and art. Designed to reawaken body and mind, the gathering is set to deliver a hollistic program of workshops, bathing, guided experiences and performances. You can fill your day with soothing dips in the precinct's many geothermal pools, stress-relieving treatments in the dedicated massage zone and a whole host of yoga-focused activities. Plus, enjoy live tunes from artists like Kyle Lionheart, Mama Kin Spender (backed by the Macapella Choir), Garrett Kato and Edo Khan. Those looking to stretch their mind can sit in on a whole range of talks and workshops led by experts like celebrated US yoga teacher Shiva Rea, stem-cell biologist Dr Bruce Lipton, Dr Marc Cohen, Wayapa Wellness' Jem Stone and trainer Simone Callahan. William Wong, Uma Spender, Sonja Kyra-Bleau and Maggie Carr are just some of the others who'll be offering expert guidance and inspiration on the day. [caption id="attachment_845455" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peninsula Hot Springs, Visit Victoria[/caption] What's more, the Peninsula Hot Springs amphitheatre and sprawling new 'food bowl' will play host to a good portion of Awaken's program — the pools here offer an indulgent front-row seat to whatever's happening on stage, allowing you to literally soak while you soak it all in. There are multiple saunas, icy plunge pools and even an ice cave to hit in between the performances and workshops. And if you fancy making a weekend of it, don't forget about the onsite glamping retreat where you can spend the night in luxury just metres from all the action. [caption id="attachment_790886" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glamping at Peninsula Hot Springs.[/caption] Awaken will take place at Peninsula Hot Springs, 140 Springs Lane, Finga,l on Sunday, March 26. General tickets are $110 (or $180 with bathing access), available online.
With a warm glass of Pinot in hand, sit enjoying soft blues fill the room and listen as the wood fire occasionally pops from the corner. There isn't really a better spot northside to spend a winter's evening than at the Tramway in Fitzroy North. Soft lighting and the now seemingly requisite filament light bulbs glow, echoing the embers of the flames. With a section round the back reservable for events, the dining room and bar are kept separate, and therefore pleasantly civilised. Tramway has furnished the pub simply with warm woods and soft furnishings, creating a delightful atmosphere. The food here is delicious — think slow roasted pulled pork, adorned hot dogs and a crazily cheesy mac 'n' cheese. If you fancy a cosy escape from the buzz of Fitzroy proper, this is your best bet. Image credit: Lia Steele
The retro vibes are high at Leonard's House of Love, a log cabin-themed dive bar off Chapel Street in South Yarra. One part Twin Peaks and one part ski trip-party, Leonard's is run by the same team behind Ramblr: Guy Bentley, Mark Catsburg, Nick Stanton and Jon Harper. And the four are about to add another notch to their belts, opening a new pizza joint north of the river in Carlton. Leonardo's Pizza Palace will make its home in a very old building at 29 Grattan Street. The owners plan to keep the bones of the original structure intact, which include some pretty "epic" stained glass windows. They want the restaurant to feel like it's been there for a very long — Italian-mobster-length of — time. Despite its historic location, the venue will continue the casual party-bar vibe that's well-known to the team's other establishments. In terms of food, obviously pizza is the name of the game. Though they're still deciding on an exact menu, it'll be about classic Italian-American style pizza — and we'd bet our bottom dollar this means there'll be pepperoni somewhere. Considering where they've chosen to take up residence – in the midst of Melbourne's competitive Italian dining precinct around Lygon Street – we bet it'll also be pretty good. Leonardo's Pizza Palace is slated to open at 29 Gratten Street, Carlton in the summer of 2018. For further updates, check the Leonard's House of Love Instagram.
The internationally acclaimed Flickerfest is back and celebrating its 33rd year running in 2024, ready to amaze audiences nationwide with an A-class lineup of cinematic delights. The annual event is Australia's leading Oscar and BAFTA qualifying short film fest with a meticulously curated selection of shorts screened, handpicked from over 3400 entries, it's one of the best springboards for burgeoning filmmaking talent in the country. On Wednesday, April 10, the festival hits town with the Best of Melbourne Shorts, bringing a curated 120-minute screening of award-winning short films that premiered at Flickerfest's Bondi home in January. The festival celebrates emerging and thriving Victorian filmmakers and gives local audiences a first look at some of the cinematic talent from their own backyard The one-night-only event kicks off at 6.30pm at The Kino Palace Cinema, with a complimentary drink on arrival before the programme starts at 7pm with filmmaker introductions and then the films themselves. [caption id="attachment_946906" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] What's In a Name[/caption] To give you an idea of what to expect, there's the compelling Best Direction recipient for 2024 What's In a Name?; about a couple whose reflections on their shared past cause fractures in the present, a comedy with the life of a man and his short film idea on the line in Room For One More; winner of Best Screenplay, St Kilda-set true story Cold Water; and the story of a comedian desperate to sign with an agent, Lean In, awarded Best Comedy. Flickerfest 2024 is coming to Kino Palace Melbourne on Wednesday, April 10 from 7pm. To see the full program and grab tickets head to the website. Top Images: Room For One More, Lean In
If your adventures have taken you to Melbourne's Westgate Park in the past couple of days, then you might've noticed something a little unusual. The lake has turned a pretty shade of pink. And, before you ask, no, it wasn't Valentine's Day thing. Nor is it fairies. In fact, the change in colour is due to a bunch of factors all happening at once, namely: lots of salt, lots of sunlight, hot temperatures and a lack of rain. The lake bed is covered in salt crust and, when matters get extra salty, the algae growing there creates beta carotene during photosynthesis. Beta carotene is a red-orange pigment, contained in carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mangoes and papayas, among other fruits and veggies. https://www.facebook.com/ParksVictoria/photos/a.148227085237259/2150798331646781/?type=3&theater In the case of Westgate Park Lake, the beta carotene has seeped into the water, giving it a somewhat magical look. This is not the first time the phenomenon has happened — you've probably seen it pop up on Instagram before — and it won't likely be the last. Given that the pinkness is a natural event, neither Parks Victoria nor we can tell you how long it's going to last, but it will probably start to fade as winter hits. If you're keen to take a peek, then find it on the eastern banks of Yarra River at Fishermans Bend. It's closest to Port Melbourne on one side and Yarraville on the other, and is most easily accessed by car or bus (take the 235 from the city or 606 from Elsternwick/St Kilda). Just note that Parks Victoria asks that visitors stick to official paths and avoid poking around the lake's edge. Although it might look tempting in these images, definitely do not swim in the water. Unlike the water, it will not be pretty.
If December to you means luminous festive decorations — November as well, or basically the second that Halloween is over — then simply driving through your neighbourhood can be a jolly good time. Wherever you look, there just might be a glowing set of Christmas lights sharing its seasonal merriment and brightening up the suburban streets. Of course, these lit-up displays really shouldn't cause such a fuss. They pop up everywhere every year, after all, and we're all well and truly aware of how electricity works. But twinkling bulbs are just so hard to resist when it's the happiest portion of the calendar. Perhaps you're a casual Christmas lights fan, and you're completely fine just checking out whichever blazing displays you happen to pass in your travels. Maybe you have a few tried-and-tested favourite spots, and you return to them every year. Or, you could want to scope out the best and brightest seasonal-themed houses and yards. Whichever category you fall into, an Australian website called Christmas Lights Search is likely to pique your interest, especially given that it has been updated for 2023. Christmas Lights Search is as nifty and handy as its name suggests, covering festive displays all around the country. To locate all the spots that you should head to, it's as easy as entering your postcode or suburb — or those of places nearby — and letting the site deliver the relevant options. Plus, it also rates the lights displays, if you want to either go big or stay home. It's also constantly being updated, so, like the best combos of glowing trees, sparkling bulbs and oversized Santas, you might want to check it out more than once. When you pick an individual address listed on the site, you'll be greeted with some key information, too. The level of detail varies per listing, but expect to potentially peruse photos, the ideal hours to swing by, a date range and a description of what's on offer. All that's left is to get searching, plot out where you'll be heading every night between now and Christmas Eve, and get ready to see oh-so-many reindeer, candy canes and snowmen. Putting up your own Christmas lights for the neighbourhood to see? Spotted something in your travels that you think everyone else would like to check out? You can add both to Christmas Lights Search as well. [caption id="attachment_882325" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] To find festive displays near you, head to the Christmas Lights Search website. Top image: Donaldytong via Wikimedia Commons.
On the Rocks is a 3D art exhibition bringing together photography, design, music, food and drinks within a virtual rendering of a home. The exhibition has been designed to bring together artists and creatives from Concrete Playground photographer Kate Shanasy's area who might have lost a source of income or exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each piece of the exhibition has been designed around the theme of 'on the rocks', a fitting reflection on the turbulent year many of us have had. Some of the artworks include photography of natural rock sites from around the world, unique flower and plant arrangements, and coloured glassware, with music from Liam Alexander of Colour nightclub soundtracking your virtual walkthrough. Food has been supplied by Mia Coady-Plumb, head chef at Oh, Loretta and drinks by Campari, however, they are virtual so for the full experience, you may have to supply your own. Thankfully, Coady-Plumb has provided recipes, so it's easy to whip up exactly what you see. The exhibition is free to attend, which you can do so directly on Kate Shanasy's website, where you can also buy prints of her artwork or book her as a wedding photographer. On the Rocks will run online until Friday, December 18. Images: Kate Shanasy
The humble meat pie is synonymous with all things Straya, whether you’re at the footy or visiting some middle-of-nowhere country town’s bakery. But your pie experiences do not have to be limited to these scenarios, dear reader. Many of Melbourne’s gastro-pubs, cosy corners and boutique bakeries are serving up a darn good pastry, filled with quality meat and lashings of tomato sauce. Whether you’re a purist beef pie aficionado or you appreciate more adventurous fillings, we’ve managed to find Melbourne’s best pies, served best with a crisp craft brew. THE BUILDERS ARMS For something a little outside your bulk standard beef pie, try the fish pie at The Builders Arms in Fitzroy. The filling is a seafood feast and includes smoked trout, prawns, rockling and sorrel. At $33 a pop, it is perhaps one of the more expensive pies you’re likely to find around the city, but it is one of those meals that every Melburnian should try at least once in their lives. 211 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy CANDIED BAKERY While the name may suggest this Spotswood joint specialises in the sweet stuff (and trust us, they do a darn good job in that department), they are also incredibly gifted when it comes to the savoury goods. You can’t overlook a classic, and the classic beef is just that. The Cherry Tree Organics beef is beautifully cooked, and the secret ingredient doesn’t get any more Australian — it’s Vegemite. Take one of these bad boys home for lunch, crack open a James Squire The Constable copper ale and watch your favourite footy team from the comfort of your own couch. 81A Hudsons Road, Spotswood TIVOLI ROAD Pastry chef Michael James is one seriously well-qualified pie maker, having worked at Sydney’s well-renowned Bourke St Bakery, as well as Baker D Chirico and MoVida Aqui before purchasing Tivoli Road as his own. Their best pie has come down to a tie between their hugely popular beef and mushroom and their slightly more adventurous chicken, pumpkin and sage. They’ve also created a kangaroo pie with native pepperberry pine mushrooms that we’re itching to try, but we’ll take whatever we can get our greedy little mitts on. 3 Tivoli Road, South Yarra BABKA Brunswick Street's supreme bakery hits home runs with their pies every time. Our pick would have to be the lamb and apricot, but other intriguing options include veal goulash, beef with mushroom, and spinach and feta for vegetarians. While you’re certainly welcome to take these gorgeous pastry creations home with you, if you can spare the time, it’s well worth having it in store. The pies are served with a homemade kasoundi which is sensational, and your tomato sauce at home just isn’t going to compare. 358 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy FATTO A MANO The organic, gluten-free and vegan-friendly folk at Fatto a Mano are the best option if you or your friends have dietary requirements but still love a good hot pie. Their organic beef and their mushroom, haloumi and spinach pies are available in traditional and gluten-free options, so everyone can get involved. They also do some excellent pasties, sausage rolls and a heck of a lot of sweet treats to take home if you’re feeling that extra bit indulgent. 228 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
For the third time in the 2020s, Fatboy Slim is heading to Australia to break out 'Right Here, Right Now', 'The Rockafeller Skank', 'Praise You' and plenty more dance-floor fillers. After touring the country in 2020 and 2023, the dance music legend is returning in March 2025 on a five-stop trip, four of which will get him spinning tunes in wineries. "Like the crazy drunk uncle who turns up every Christmas, I'm coming back to my Aussie fam once again. Expect the usual inappropriate behaviour and interpretational dancing," said Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, announcing his latest Down Under visit. [caption id="attachment_975623" align="alignnone" width="1920"] neal whitehouse piper via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Trying to dance like Christopher Walken, pretending you're in Cruel Intentions, being transported back to the late 90s and early 00s: that's all on the agenda again. So is making shapes to DJ Seinfeld, CC:DISCO! and Jennifer Loveless, who'll be supporting the British legend at all five gigs. The tour is kicking off in Perth, at the only show that isn't at a vineyard, on Friday, March 14. From there, Fatboy Slim has a date with Centennial Vineyards in Bowral, Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa Valley, Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong and Sirromet Wines in Mount Cotton. [caption id="attachment_878696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carlos Luna / Secretaría de Cultura CDMX via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Cook has been making music since the 80s, but took on the name Fatboy Slim in the mid-90s, starting with 1996 record Better Living Through Chemistry. His 1998 album You've Come a Long Way, Baby was the club soundtrack to end the 20th century — a staple of every 90s teen's CD collection, too. As for 2000's Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, it gave the world 'Weapon of Choice' and its iconic Walken-starring (and Spike Jonze-directed) video. Fatboy Slim's discography also spans 2004 album Palookaville and 2013 single 'Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat'. [caption id="attachment_878697" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] You might not be able to dance along the walls when Cook hits the decks — but you'll want to thanks to his big beat sound. Indeed, alongside the Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, The Propellerheads and Crystal Method, he helped bring the style to mainstream fame. If you've seen Cook live before — or the epic live video from his 2020 Melbourne gig at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl that's notched up more than 3.2-million views — then you'll know that any Fatboy Slim tour is always news to get excited about right about now. Fatboy Slim 2025 Australian Tour Friday, March 14 — Langley Park, Perth Saturday, March 15 — Centennial Vineyards, Bowral Friday, March 21 — Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley Saturday, March 22 — Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong Sunday, March 23 — Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton Fatboy Slim is touring Australia in March 2025. Early-bird tickets start from 1pm local time on Friday, October 11, 2024, then presales from 2pm on Tuesday, October 15, then general sales from 10am on Friday, October 18. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Selbymay via Wikimedia Commons.
He's had his heart broken during a lusty Italian summer, romanced Saoirse Ronan in a Greta Gerwig film not once but twice, spiced up his life in a sci-fi saga and sported a taste for human flesh. The next addition to Timothée Chalamet's resume: a sweet time worshipping chocolate. Get ready for a big Timmy end of 2023, with Dune: Part Two hitting cinemas Down Under in November, then Wonka giving Roald Dahl's famous factory owner and candy man a Chalamet-starring origin story. First gracing the page almost six decades back, in 1964 when Charlie and the Chocolate Factory initially hit print, Willy Wonka has made the leap to cinemas with Gene Wilder playing the part in 1971, then Johnny Depp in 2005. The difference this time: not just Chalamet plunging into a world of pure imagination, but a film that swirls in the details of Wonka's life before the events that've already been laid out in books and filled two movies. As the just-dropped first trailer for Wonka shows, the picture's main man has a dream — and, after spending the past seven years travelling the world perfect his craft, he's willing to get inventive to make it come true. Starting a chocolate business isn't easy, especially when the chocolate cartel doesn't take kindly to newcomers. "You can't get a shop without selling chocolate, and you can't sell chocolate without a shop," the bright-eyed Willy is told early in the debut sneak peek. From there, brainwaves, optimism, determination and life-changing choices all spring, plus big vats of chocolate, chocolate that makes you fly — "nothing to see here, just a small group of people defying the laws of gravity," comments a police officer — and Willy's dedication to making "the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen". Also accounted for: a mood of wonder, and not just due to the umbrella-twirling dream sequences and cane-whirling dance scenes, or the leaps through fairy floss and chats with Hugh Grant (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) as an Ooompa-Loompa. Indeed, the magical tone doesn't just fit the tale; it's exactly what writer/director Paul King and his co-scribe Simon Farnaby have become known for on the Paddington films. King helmed and penned both, while Farnaby also did the latter on the second (and acted in each). The duo also worked together on wonderful and underseen 2009 film Bunny and the Bull, and on The Mighty Boosh, of which King directed 20 episodes. On-screen, Wonka's cast is as jam-packed as a lolly bag, with Chalamet and Grant joined by Farnaby (The Phantom of the Open), as well as Olivia Colman (Secret Invasion), Sally Hawkins (The Lost King), Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros Movie), Rowan Atkinson (Man vs Bee), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey: A New Era) and Natasha Rothwell (Sonic the Hedgehog 2). Yes, you'll want a golden ticket to this. Check out the first trailer for Wonka below: Wonka releases in cinemas Down Under on December 14, 2023.
You know a show is a big deal when you have to Google whether the musician is still alive or not. Thankfully for us, the legendary tambourine man is still very much alive and kicking. And, to celebrate his 73rd birthday yesterday, Bob Dylan has announced a month-long run of Australian and New Zealand tour dates to kick off in August. Though this birthday would signify the age of retirement for many, this world-renowned singer-songwriter is showing no signs of slowing down. Having last toured the country with his 2012 album Tempest, Dylan has recently been leaking new content on his website. After releasing a cover of Frank Sinatra's 'Full Moon and Empty Arms', some have suggested the prolific musician's next album — number 36 — could be a compilation of covers. Either way, it'll be a treat to see this living legend perform live. But be sure to get in early! With an iconic sound that has spanned generations, these all ages shows are bound to sell out quick. Tour dates: Saturday, August 9 - Claudelands Arena, Hamilton. Wednesday, August 13 - Riverside Theatre, Perth. Thursday, August 14 - Riverside Theatre, Perth. Monday, August 18 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne. Tuesday, August 19 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne. Monday, August 25 - Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane. Friday, August 28 - Royal Theatre, Canberra. Sunday, August 31 - Entertainment Centre, Adelaide. Wednesday, August 3 - State Theatre, Sydney. Thursday, September 4 - State Theatre, Sydney. Wednesday, September 10 - CBS Canterbury Arena, Christchurch. Tickets for the Australian shows go on sale Tuesday, June 3 at 9am via Ticketek and Ticketmaster.
Life might be a bittersweet symphony, as The Verve told us all back in 1997, but right now is a pretty great time to be a fan of a hugely influential late-90s teen flick that helped immortalise that very track. The movie in question is Cruel Intentions, of course, and it's about to hit the stage in Australia. And yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the era, including 'Bittersweet Symphony', obviously. Indeed, if that song and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me' get you thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair, then you're clearly a fan of the film. And if you were a 90s or 00s teen who watched and rewatched the 1999 classic over and over again — soaking in all those dangerous liaisons, the scheming that went with them, Joshua Jackson's blonde locks and Gellar in a decidedly non-Buffy role — then you'll probably be first in line to see Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The movie-to-theatre production has been unleashing its teen tumult and throwback soundtrack in America since 2015, and now it's finally heading to our shores. That was first announced back in 2021; however, now the local leg of the production has confirmed its full Aussie dates. Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical's Melbourne stint was already locked in to start on Wednesday, May 25 at the Athenaeum Theatre, and its Sydney run will now kick off on Thursday, June 30 at the State Theatre as well. Then, it'll head to Brisbane's Fortitude Music Hall from Wednesday, July 27, before hopping over to Adelaide's Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, September 8. Because it's a jukebox musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is also filled with a heap other tunes from that late 90s, early 00s era; think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know the story. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school. On-screen, Phillippe played Sebastian, Gellar vamped up the film as Kathryn and Witherspoon stepped into Annette's shoes. Exactly who'll be following in their footsteps when Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical tours Australia hasn't yet been revealed, with auditions underway now. Cruel Intentions' writer/director Roger Kumble co-created the musical, so it comes with quite the screen-to-stage pedigree. Also, it's arriving in Australia via David Venn Enterprises, who also brought The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy and Bring It On: The Musical our way. CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90S MUSICAL 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Melbourne, at the Athenaeum Theatre: Wednesday, May 25–Sunday, June 12 Sydney, at the State Theatre: from Thursday, June 30–Sunday, July 10 Brisbane, at Fortitude Music Hall: from Wednesday, July 27–Sunday, August 7 Adelaide, at Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, September 8 Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical will tour Australia between May–September. For more information, and to buy tickets now for the Melbourne and Sydney seasons — and to join the waitlist for Brisbane and Adelaide tickets, which'll go on sale from Tuesday, March 29 — head to the musical's website.
The anticipation is building for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™. Seeing as we are hosting the iconic occasion Down Under, Sydney is set to witness some exhilarating matches. Meaning the city will be bursting with football fever and a plethora of vibrant events and experiences to enjoy. So, if you're planning a trip to the city, be sure to witness the best of what Sydney has to offer. From art and culture to music and culinary delights, Sydney is poised to showcase its dynamic spirit during the month-long World Cup celebration. Luckily for you, we've rounded up some top picks that you should not miss during your stay.
Earlier this morning we reported that the NSW government was set to announce some pretty big reforms to the taxi industry, namely ones that would see Uber legalised throughout the state. Originally reported by The Daily Telegraph late last night, the news that the NSW government was stepping up to meet the ride sharing service halfway so soon after the New South Wales Road and Maritime Services effectively put the company on notice was surprising — and, it seems, not entirely accurate. As brought to our attention by ABC News, NSW Premier Mike Baird was quick to shoot down any claims that a final decision on Uber's legal-ness has been made. Speaking to Sydney radio station 2UE this morning, Baird said that the claims — which were picked up by The Guardian, 9 News and us — jumped the gun a little. "What we've agreed to do is to have this issue looked at, and Gary Sturgess, who's obviously well respected in public policy, has looked at this issue for us and prepared a report and made some recommendations," Baird told 2UE. "That report will be considered as part of the due process of government and it will go to Cabinet in good time, and when that is done we’ll have much more to say about it." Until then, Uber. Via ABC News.
After a jam-packed summer, MPavilion is launching into the final month of its hefty five-month season. And to celebrate, it's throwing a good ol' party in the park, complete with live tunes and free vino. Don your dancing shoes and head along from 5pm to catch sounds and performances from the likes of DJ Brontesaurus Sex, hip hop act Roya the Destroya, hula-hooping troupe Marawa and The Majorettes, and master of illusions Kozo Kaos. Then, kicking you on into the evening will be the supremely danceable tunes of Imperial Leather and DJ JNETT. Along the way, expect plenty of dazzling costumes, roving performers and interactive hula hooping sessions. What's more, to help you limber up those hips, the folks from Shadowfax Wines will be pouring a selection of their local drops on the house. [caption id="attachment_835351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Gollings[/caption]
Jenny Lewis, former lead singer of indie rock group Rilo Kiley, is about to release her first solo album in six years, so why not come back with a bang (and a viral video)? Her social media freakout-inducing clip for first single, the Beck-produced 'One of The Guys' has a few of Hollywood's leading ladies taking the piss out of gender roles by tracksuiting up and acting like real tough dudes. Unlikely accomplices Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart and Brie Larson casually make up Lewis's backing band, eventually winding up in drag, fly kicking, breakdancing and giving each other those perplexing man-hug-hand-shake things. Snaps to Lewis for fusing taking Taylor Swift-style famous friend collab cues. There are so many high-fivable things going on here, it's hard to know where to start. Lewis's rainbow pantsuit, Hathaway's rat-tail and keytar, and Stewart actually looking like she's having fun for once in her life — all good places to start. Despite all this nonchalant splendour, Larson takes the cake. The Short Term 12 star is completely hysterical in this clip as a boy, and is probably the most convincing lip syncher of the band next to Lewis. Despite the silliness, the single is actually quite a poignant note on being comfortable with yourself both in your womanhood and in your age. Just goes to show, dealing with heavy stuff doesn't mean taking yourself seriously all the time. 'Just One of the Guys' is the first single from Lewis' new record Voyager, which will be out by the end of the month. Watch 'Just One of the Guys' right here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Irvcf6dCk-k Via Rolling Stone.
The winter solstice is on our doorstep and Melbourne's about to stumble through the darkest weekend of the year. But one South Yarra bar will be lighting things up, with a two-day celebration of life's best things: mates, booze and music. Leonard's House of Love is teaming up with Tell Your Friends You Love Them (TYFYLT) — a not-for-profit organisation raising awareness for mental illness — to host a weekend-long 'love in' friend fest, on June 22 and 23. Across both days, the bar will be slinging a range of crisp brews from Sydney's Young Henrys, with 100 percent of those beer profits going to support TYFYLT's work. None of your mates free this weekend? No worries. On Saturday, June 22, you'll have the chance to meet some new besties, at a live tune-backed Speed Metal Speed Friending session. Think speed dating, only for mates instead of dates (if you went to Boogie this year, you might have seen it in action). The following day, Leonard's will offer up max Sunday vibes, brunch cocktails and a banging Black Sabbath soundtrack. A specialty bloody mary bar will be stocked with loads of garnishes and extras to really pimp out your Sunday session, with all profits from the spicy cocktails going to TYFYLT. There'll also be 80s metal tunes spinning throughout the afternoon, a stack of drink specials and a fundraising raffle that'll see one lucky punter walk away with a loaded pub hamper.
Write a Brisbane-set book. Score a hit on the page. Then, see your words take to the stage, then the screen. That's how life went for Trent Dalton with Boy Swallows Universe. Next, going as far as treading the boards for now, that's also his path with Love Stories. Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Brisbane Festival have just announced that another of Dalton's books is getting a stage adaptation. As the play version of Boy Swallows Universe did, Love Stories will premiere at Brisbane Festival, with Tim McGarry penning the script and Dalton contributing additional writing. Fiona Franzmann will also contribute, while Sam Strong is directing. If much of this combination sounds familiar, Strong and McGarry also brought Eli Bell's antics to the theatre when it hit QPAC first. Their stage adaptation of Boy Swallows Universe wasn't just a smash — it's still the venue's bestselling drama ever. [caption id="attachment_944825" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Dalton, Fiona Franzmann, Sam Strong and Tim McGarry. Image: Lyndon Mechielsen.[/caption] Fans won't have to wait long to see the end result for Love Stories, with the production set to have its world premiere in spring 2024, playing QPAC's Playhouse from Tuesday, September 10–Sunday, September 29. As for who'll be bringing it to life onstage, Jason Klarwein plays a writer and husband, while Michala Banas is his wife. They're both based on married couple Dalton and Franzmann. Also in the cast: Rashidi Edwards as Jean-Benoit, a Belgian busker who is also the show's narrator. Kimie Tsukakoshi, Jeanette Cronin, Mathew Cooper, Bryan Probets and Harry Tseng round out the acting talent from there, as joined by dancers Jacob Watton and Hsin-Ju Ely. The production will set its scene from the corner of Brisbane's Adelaide and Albert streets — and if you've read the book, you'll know why. Dalton wrote the 2022 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year-winner by heading to a corner in Brisbane's CBD, Olivetti typewriter in hand, and asking folks walking by for their tales. His question: "can you please tell me a love story?". Accordingly, this is another love letter to Brisbane, as Boy Swallows Universe is. This time, however, it tells true tales about romance and life. The aim is for it to be joyous but poignant, humorous but dramatic, and to be sentimental about Brisbane while telling a range of diverse love stories. [caption id="attachment_944824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Dalton and Franzmann. Image: Lyndon Mechielsen.[/caption] "It's a rare and wondrous thrill to see one's words brought to life in the boundless universe of Australian theatre. It's an even greater thrill to see the love stories of so many not-so-ordinary real-life Queenslanders given such reverence and weight," said Dalton. "I've already had the great honour of informing many of the storytellers who so kindly told their stories to me on that corner that their words will now be retold in the most thrilling theatrical way by the most gifted team of creatives. These beautiful people who come from every corner of Queensland are just as excited as I am." [caption id="attachment_935699" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Dalton, Simon Baker, Phoebe Tonkin, Felix Cameron, Lee Tiger Halley, Bryan Brown and Travis Fimmel at the premiere of Boy Swallows Universe. Image: Jono Searle/Getty Images for Netflix.[/caption] "Love Stories the show will be filled with everything that people adore about the book (and Trent's work) — beautifully specific Brisbane stories that speak universal truths, undeniably unforgettable people, and stories that sometimes break our hearts but always fill them," added Strong. "In translating Love Stories into the theatre, we're also building on the original. Trent and Fiona's own love story, which interweaves through the book, has been expanded by them for the stage show. In addition, we're including some of the incredible love stories that have been shared since the book was published." There's no sneak peek available for Love Stories yet — images, trailer or otherwise — but check out the trailers for both the stage and versions of Boy Swallows Universe in the interim: Love Stories will play the QPAC Playhouse, South Brisbane, from Tuesday, September 10–Sunday, September 29, 2024 as part of Brisbane Festival. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further details. Images: Netflix / Lyndon Mechielsen.
There's more than beaches and beautiful weather to draw you to Queensland. The Sunshine State's art scene has become one of the most vibrant in Australia, and 2023 is shaping up to be a non-stop calendar of festivals, exhibitions and cultural events that you'll want to lock in ASAP. And it's not just Brisbane: the quintessentially Queensland beachside towns and rural cities come alive all year long as well. You'll find everything from boundary-pushing urban installations that merge art and science to world-first exhibitions of iconic artworks, celebrations of First Nations creators, new interpretations of classic performance pieces and international music acts satisfying all your boot-scootin' and blues-rockin' needs. Together with Queensland, we've rounded up nine stand-out arts and culture events that warrant a trip to the tropics all on their own. Book your flights and pack your sense of artistic appreciation, culture vultures — the north awaits. [caption id="attachment_876729" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aerocene 2 and Aerocene 1.2, Studio Tomás Saraceno[/caption] 'AIR' AT GOMA, BRISBANE Until Sunday, April 23, 2023, the entire ground floor of GOMA will be given over to a sprawling exhibition exploring the ethereal element we breathe — aptly titled Air. Through the themes of atmosphere, burn, shared, invisible and change, diverse artworks will explore this vital, intimate and at times dangerous element that is core to our existence. The exhibition features Australian and international artists, including collection pieces from Ron Mueck and Jonathan Jone, plus commissions from Jemima Wyman and Tomás Saraceno. The artworks address weighty issues like climate change and the pandemic, as well as evocations and meditations on the place of wind and breath in the natural world. Encounter Air through a broad range of artistic mediums, from solid light installations to moving sculptures, the release of scents and art made from breath and pigment. 'Air' at GOMA, Saturday, November 26 till Sunday, April 23, 2023 [caption id="attachment_880980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lizzie Himmel, Jean-Michel Basquiat 1985. Artwork ©️ Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.[/caption] 'POP MASTERS: ART FROM THE MUGRABI COLLECTION, NEW YORK' AT HOTA, GOLD COAST For 15 weeks, the Gold Coast's Home of the Arts (HOTA) will play host to an exclusive, world-first exhibition of pop art. Pop Masters will take over the Sunshine State from Saturday, February 18 till Sunday, June 4, 2023. What's on show? Renowned works from the icons of the artistic movement that emerged during the late 50s — the likes of Andy Warhol will get cosy alongside the great Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Characterised by playful, incisive creative conversation with popular culture, these pieces have been selected from the private New York collection of Jose Mugrabi. More than 40 works will span the 60 year history of pop art — there will be legacy pieces from the original artists of the 70s and 80s, and those they inspired up until now. Don't miss the rare chance to see these works in person on Australian shores. 'Pop Masters: Art from the Mugrabi Collection, New York' at HOTA, Saturday, February 18 till Sunday, June 4, 2023 [caption id="attachment_853020" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL ft. CURIOCITY BRISBANE, BRISBANE Open your minds and feed your desire for new knowledge, insights and thought-provoking art at the World Science Festival. Presented by the Queensland Museum Network, the program offers a stellar lineup of live events across STEM, education and art, with activities for all ages and curiosities. From Wednesday, March 22 till Sunday, March 26, 2023, the festival will hit locations through the Queensland Museum precinct, South Bank and the city, before it takes a tour of locations in regional Queensland. Curiocity Brisbane is back too. From Wednesday, March 22 till Sunday, April 2, 2023, the city will transform into a landscape of wonder, strange encounters and eye-opening experiences, where an intersection of science, technology and art come to life in installations throughout the urban playground. World Science Festival ft. Curiocity Brisbane, Wednesday, March 22 till Sunday, April 2, 2023 [caption id="attachment_878012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Kan[/caption] CMC ROCKS QLD, IPSWICH Pull out the cowboy boots and grab your Stetson, Australia's biggest international country music festival is boot-scootin' its way back to Ipswich. Over three days (March 17–19, 2023), Rebel and Stampede — the two main stages — will keep up a non-stop musical program of epic shows. Past years have brought big name talents — think The Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Troy Cassar-Daley — and 2023 is no different. Next year's fest is hosting the finest country acts from here and abroad. Morgan Wallen and Kip Moore will be joined by the exclusive chance to witness the Zac Brown Band perform Down Under. Expect yeehaws of all kinds: old-school classic country, alt and pop-country. Camp onsite and come join the good country people for a hoedown and/or hootenanny. CMC Rocks QLD, Friday, March 17 till Sunday, March 19, 2023 BLUES ON BROADBEACH, GOLD COAST Now in its 22nd year, Blues on Broadbeach always draws a lineup of big-name artists and the best local talent in blues, rock and soul to its sunny locale. Ever-popular and packed with fans of good tunes, good grooves and good times, this free fest will run from Thursday, May 18 till Sunday, May 21, 2023. Those that've been know the fun they're in for. First time? It's massive: gigs take place throughout Broadbeach, from the seaside parklands to favourite venues, with around 20 different spots for you to catch a performance. Make a holiday of it — stay a few nights, explore the area, eat and drink delicious local things. You're free to get up and dance the trip away, or simply sit on the grass with a brew while soaking in the beachy energy of this seaside blues party. Blues on Broadbeach, Thursday, May 18 till Sunday, May 21, 2023 [caption id="attachment_879295" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blue Click Photography[/caption] CAIRNS INDIGENOUS ART FAIR, CAIRNS AND GREAT BARRIER REEF The annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is both a leading ethical art market place and a true celebration of First Nations culture. From Thursday, July 13 till Sunday, July 16, 2023, the event provides an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to exhibit, collaborate and connect with each other and wider Australian audiences. Next year's theme, 'Weaving Our Future: Claiming Our Sovereignty', highlights the crucial point of time we're in, on the edge of wide-scale change, bringing the narratives and lived experiences of Queensland's First Peoples into national discourse and uplifting their voices. The festival is comprised of both free and ticketed events, with stages at the Cairns Convention Centre precinct and other venues throughout Gimuy (Cairns) featuring art, music, fashion, comedy, food, crafts, conversations and more. It's an optimal time to book a trip to the tropical north — sun, sea and a showcase of stand-out Australian art. Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Thursday, July 13 till Sunday, July 16, 2023 TOOWOOMBA CARNIVAL OF FLOWERS, SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND COUNTRY Toowoomba will burst into bloom again for the much-loved, endlessly photographable, month-long Carnival of Flowers from Friday, September 1 till Saturday, September 30, 2023. Expect citywide floral displays, tours and activities, from a glorious swathe of natural colour taking over 25 hectares of Queens Park, to the floral floats and street performers of the Grand Central Floral Parade and the private gardens of proud Toowoomba residents in the Chronicle Garden Competition. By night, take a twilight tour through the magical grounds of Laurel Bank Park or explore the illuminated Botanic Gardens. It's not all buds and petals: there are foodie experiences, pub tours, and a food and wine mini-fest of Southern Queensland Country producers — plus music, local markets and a ferris wheel. Explore Toowoomba at its most lush with a trip next September. Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, Friday, September 1 till Saturday, September 30, 2023 BRISBANE FESTIVAL, BRISBANE Brisbane Festival is the vibrant celebration that hits the city annually, bringing bold art, boundary-pushing performances and installations throughout the city. With a focus on challenging, disruptive and bold art, the popular fest spotlights international, local and First Nations creators and collaborators. Although official dates are yet to be released, it's set to run through September 2023. Expect to be able to head to free events, live concerts and interactive hands-on activities — in past years, there's been Naughty Nights Out, magic shows straight from the streets of Tokyo, all-out block parties, blow-out burlesque performances — even rollerskating. The starter? The famous Riverfire display over the waters of the Brisbane River. Brisbane Festival, September 2023 THE RING CYCLE, BRISBANE There's no opera quite like Wagner's Ring Cycle. Totalling 15 hours, you're in for four nights of powerful, operatic wonder. But even if you've seen it before, we're sure you've not seen anything like the upcoming rendition by Opera Australia. Hitting QPAC from Friday, December 1 till Saturday, December 23, 2023, the production comes from Chinese director Chen Shi-Zheng, and brings together performers from here and abroad. The version places Wagner's classic interpretation of Germanic mythology into a futuristic, parallel-universe setting, using digital art to create virtual landscapes. Breathtakingly original, the music is led by French conductor Philippe Auguin, who has headed up The Ring Cycle on numerous occasions. If you're an opera buff or just a fan of fantasy, futurism, timeless tales and truly epic theatre, this is an unmissable cultural event. The Ring Cycle, Friday, December 1 till Saturday, December 23, 2023 To explore more arts and culture events taking over Queensland in 2023, head to the website.
For brunch or an afternoon date, artisan chocolate and coffee at Xocolatl is bound to make your day special. With stores in Kew East, Toorak and Canterbury, the latter's location on Maling Road goes perfectly alongside the elegantly presented food and drinks available. Unsurprisingly, chocolate is the headline product at Xocolatl, with the family-run business celebrated for its delicious assortment of decadent creations that'll undoubtedly impress even the most discerning of sweet-tooths. Grab yourself a piece of cake and one of the cafe's prized hot chocolates, you won't regret it. Images: Tracey Ahkee.
Everyone has a New York bucket list, filled with must-visit places throughout the busy city. And, we're betting that The Metropolitan Museum of Art features on most of them. Founded in 1870, presenting over 5,000 years of art from around the world and considered one of the top museums in the world, it's a iconic site for many reasons, including the pieces within its walls, its exhibitions and its annual gala. Another reason The Met is a favourite for visitors? For the past 50 years, a pay-as-you-wish scheme operates regarding the entry price. The suggested admission for adults is $25, but walking through the door for free is perfectly acceptable. That'll change on March 1, but it'll only impact folks who aren't New York State residents or students from New Jersey and Connecticut. In short, if you're from anywhere else in the world and you're keen to wander through The Met, you'll now pay the $25 fee. The mandatory full-priced admission tickets will be honoured for three days at the museum's three locations, however, so out-of-towners can make the most of their money. The news comes after The Met welcomed over seven million visitors in 2017, and put on 60 exhibitions. In a statement on the museum's website, Met president Daniel Weiss said the change was needed "in order to sustain its mission for future generations and to remain an accessible source of inspiration to all." It's expected that mandatory admissions will affect around 31 percent of their annual visitors. Image: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
There's a time for coffee and there's a time for cocktails — and, sometimes, there's a time in the day when you want both. Australia's caffeinated booze expert Mr Black ticks both boxes with the release of its new bottled beverage: a pre-batched coffee negroni. The company's first bottled cocktail, the coffee negroni is made with Mr Black coffee liqueur, Campari, sweet vermouth and Moore's dry gin, which is produced at the same distillery as Mr Black, Distillery Botanica. Each bottle is going for $49 and can be used to make five cocktails (yes, that's a very reasonably $9.80 a drink). To make said cocktail, you just need to pour 100 millilitres of the sweet stuff into a glass over ice and garnish with a citrus twist — if you want to get a little fancy. No stirring (or shaking) required. It's the second new product the Mr Black team has released during lockdown, with the company launching a hand sanitiser in late March. As well as selling thousands (and thousands) of bottles to the public, the team donated hundreds to front-line medical workers, not-for-profits, testing clinics and medical centres. It's not the only distillery to launch its own hand sanitiser during COVID-19, either, with Queensland icon Bundaberg and Sydney rum distillery Brix, among others, also jumping on the trend. To get your hands on a bottle of coffee negroni, which, knowing Mr Black's track record, will sell out fast, head over to the Mr Black website. It's currently offering free shopping on all orders over $80. Mr Black's coffee negroni is on sale now for $49.
UPDATE: JULY 17, 2020 — All of the Hella Mega Tour dates for Australia and New Zealand have been cancelled due to COVID set backs. Tickets will be refunded but no new dates will be released. For more information, head to the event Instagram. We hope you'll have the time of your life with the latest retro tour announcement. We hope it makes you feel just like Buddy Holly, too. Bands who were big a couple of decades back just keep teaming up and heading to our shores for nostalgia-dripping gigs — and, in music to our greedy ears, Green Day, Weezer and and Fall Out Boy have revealed that they're all doing just that come November 2020. Hot on the heels of a similar announcement by The Offspring and Sum 41 just last week, the bands who gave us 'American Idiot', 'Undone — The Sweater Song' and 'This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race' will be hitting up Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, before heading over to NZ for shows in Auckland and Dunedin. It's the latest leg of the trio's Hella Mega Tour, which they first announced in September last year, and which sees them play across Europe, North America, and now Australia and New Zealand. Green Day, Weezer and and Fall Out Boy have all actually released new music lately, with Green Day's 13th album dropping today, February 7, and Weezer's 14th album expected in May. That means they'll all have new tunes to bust out as well. But, admit it — if you're excited about seeing this trio of American rock bands share a stage, then you're excited about hearing their respective back catalogues live. Given they've been doing their punk-styled thing since the late 80s, Green Day certainly have plenty of iconic tracks — whether you prefer early 90s hits 'Welcome to Paradise' and 'When I Come Around', the late 90s-era likes of 'Good Riddance' and 'Nice Guys Finish Last', or mid-00s songs like 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams'. Weezer's discography is just as hefty — and if they don't play 'Island in the Sun' while they're touring these islands in the sun, you're allowed to be upset. As for Fall Out Boy, the tour comes just after they dropped their second best-of album last November, so you know they'll treating audiences to everything from 'Dance, Dance' to 'Uma Thurman'. Local support for all shows comes from New Zealand power-rock four-piece The Beths. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erG5rgNYSdk THE HELLA MEGA 2020 AUSTRALIAN and NZ TOUR DATES Perth — Sunday, November 8, HBF Park Melbourne — Wednesday, November 11, Marvel Stadium Sydney — Saturday, November 14, Bankwest Stadium Brisbane — Tuesday, November 17, Suncorp Stadium Dunedin — Friday, November 20, Forsyth Barr Stadium Auckland — Sunday, November 22, Mt Smart Stadium Fan pre-sale tickets for The Hella Mega Tour go on sale at 10am local time on Monday, February 10. Then, there will be a Live Nation pre-sale — that starts at 10am local time on Tuesday, February 11 in Australia, and 10am local time on Thursday, February 13 in New Zealand. Finally, general tickets on sale at 11am local time on Friday, February 14. Visit the tour website to sign up for pre-sale and for further details.
June is here, so is the cold weather — and usually the Sydney Film Festival also would be in full swing right about now. But in 2021, SFF is unleashing its cinematic wonders a little later than normal. That doesn't mean that you can't spend its traditional time slot thinking about all the things that you're going to watch between Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29, though. Also a bit later than usual, SFF has just announced its first program sneak peek for 2021, ahead of the full lineup drop in July. The short version: even based on the list revealed already, your eyeballs are going to be busy at this year's 12-day fest. So far, the event has named 22 movies that'll help it make its proper return to cinemas after a two-year gap. The 2020 event moved online due to the pandemic — and when a summer season brought cinephiles back to the glorious State Theatre in January, it only screened a handful of movies. If these first 2021 titles are anything to go by, film buffs are in for quite the treat come August. Leading the charge: New Zealand's The Justice of Bunny King, which stars Essie Davis (Babyteeth) and Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit); Riders of Justice, a revenge-fuelled Danish comedy led by the inimitable Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round); 2020 Sundance hit Zola, which is based on a lengthy 148-tweet Twitter thread; 2020 Berlinale Golden Bear winner There Is No Evil, a searing Iranian drama about the death penalty; and Undine, the alluring and beguiling latest film from German auteur Christian Petzold. Festival director Nashen Moodley has also programmed documentary The Kids, which sees Australian filmmaker Eddie Martin (All This Mayhem) explore Larry Clark's 1995 film Kids; climate change doco The Magnitude of All Things, which includes Greta Thunberg chatting about the topic; Shoplifters of the World, a drama about a fan of The Smiths trying to cope with the band's breakup; and three-time Sundance 2021 winner Hive, the first film to ever win the fest's Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award and Directing Award. Or there's also the tense and engaging Night of the Kings, which takes place in a rough Côte d'Ivoire prison; The Beta Test, a Hollywood-set horror flick that's been getting comparisons to The Twilight Zone; and the Taika Waititi-executive produced sci-fi film Night Raiders. And, on the local front, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow hones its focus on Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, following the couple as they prepare for 2004's Kura Tungar — Songs from the River — a collaboration between the First Nation artists, Paul Grabowsky and the Australian Art Orchestra. Plus, Step into Paradise explores the collaboration and friendship between Aussie fashion designers Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson. The 2021 Sydney Film Festival will run between Wednesday, August 18–Sunday, August 29. Check out the event's just-announced titles by heading to the festival website. The full program will be released on Wednesday, July 22. Top image: Zola. Anna Kooris / A24 Films.
When Bad Moms became one of the big hits of last year, it was the film's great cast and refreshing approach to female friendship that really struck a chord. Indeed, it was those two factors that made an otherwise routine comedy about mothers behaving badly both amusing and empowering. Alas, it seems no one explained that to writer-director duo Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Or, perhaps they simply don't care. With their inevitable sequel, the pair proves happy to take the easiest route — upping the raucousness, adding even more mums to the mix, and eschewing nuance, depth or any real comic commentary about the expectations placed upon women. This approach — taking aspects of the original and just ramping them up — is not uncommon in sequels. Unfortunately, Bad Moms 2 picks the wrong elements to highlight, at the expense of the thoughtful core that made its predecessor such a surprise. Stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn are as qualified as ever, while franchise newcomers Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines and Susan Sarandon all impress as well. The material, though? To borrow a scenario that occurs in the movie, it's like stealing a cheap department store Christmas tree rather than finding a real one. Also called A Bad Moms Christmas in other parts of the world, the film's first attempt to heighten these overstressed mums' worries arrives via the festive season. If the holidays weren't anxiety-inducing enough, their own mothers decide to drop by out of the blue, each displaying familiar family traits. Prim and proper Ruth (Baranski) is even more of a perfectionist than Amy (Kunis); stalker-like Sandy (Hines) takes the idea adoring motherhood too far even by Kiki's (Bell) standards; and wild-at-heart Isis (Sarandon) has a looser grasp on responsible parenting even than the free-spirited Carla (Hahn). The end result pits mothers against their mothers in the kind of multi-generational hijinks that's becoming a bit too common of late, with the conceptually similar Daddy's Home 2 hitting cinemas in just a few weeks. It also comes with a heap of problematic messages. Sure, Bad Moms 2 nods to the initial flick's championing of women being themselves and refusing to conform to society's demands. But that means next to nothing when the film's female characters are now depicted as little more than caricatures. That they only bond over parenting, fighting with their mums, or chasing men does not go down well. Nor does the suggestion that they are both the cause of their own mothers' craziness and are doomed to follow in their footsteps. Perhaps the film's standout scene demonstrates the fortunes of Bad Moms 2 best, turning a male stripper's intimate waxing session into a romantic meet-cute. In a feature filled with cartoonish depictions of women with children (and women in general), of course the most relatable and resonant moment takes place between Hahn's lusty, lonely beautician and her attractive client. Lucas and Moore, who clearly aren't doing their own mums proud here, don't even think of extending the same blend of genuine humour and earnest emotions to the movie's ladies when they're together. Instead they saddle the gals with making penis gingerbread and twerking on Santa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGDOdlBlV08
Current world events don't make the prospect of international travel seem particularly appealing at the moment. The truth is though, cinema has been taunting travellers for decades. Whatever holiday you might have planned, there's a horror movie just waiting to convince you otherwise. Heading to a cabin for a quiet weekend? The Evil Dead and The Cabin in the Woods have news for you. Venturing across the Australian outback? That's where Wolf Creek comes in. Seeking out a gorgeous beach? Whatever you do, don't watch The Shallows. Stopping at a roadside hotel? Didn't turn out so well in Psycho. Bound for Europe? Hostel made a whole trilogy about what you can expect. With a name that combines Germany's largest city with the connection that can arise between hostages and their captors, Berlin Syndrome initially appears to traverse similar terrain as the movies mentioned above. Indeed, the film starts with Brisbanite Clare (Teresa Palmer) arriving abroad, chatting to fellow backpackers and wandering the streets. An aspiring photographer, she snaps everything from famous buildings to everyday folks along the way. Then she meets Andi (Max Riemelt), a German schoolteacher who opens with a line about strawberries, takes her for a scenic walk, and intrigues Claire enough that she changes her plans to jump to her next destination. They have a fun night out together, go back to his apartment, and...things go south from there. It should all sound familiar, of course. That's Berlin Syndrome's aim, for two reasons. Based on the book of the same name, directed by Australian filmmaker Cate Shortland (Somersault), and adapted by screenwriter Shaun Grant (Jasper Jones, Snowtown), the film's entire premise relies on several elements that many movies have already covered — a dream vacation gone bad, and a romantic spark that turns sinister. But the movie also takes scenarios that have been done to death and thrusts them into unexpected territory. It's not a spoiler to say that Clare awakes the next morning to find that she's locked in Andi's flat, and that he's removed the SIM card from her phone. Nor does it give the game away to reveal that he has trapped her on purpose. After spending its setup revelling in the excitement and openness of travel, Berlin Syndrome dedicates most of its running time to the opposite extreme with an expert command of tension. At the same time, the film unpacks Clare's complicated response, as she seesaws between fighting back and slowly settling into a twisted version of domesticity. Behind the camera, Shortland crafts a film of juxtapositions, both in terms of tone, and in the sites of Andi's apartment versus the city outside. But there's no one better at getting to the heart of the film's internal conflict than Palmer. The Aussie actress has had a huge year or so, popping up in everything from the bad Point Break remake to the locally made war flick Hacksaw Ridge. But she's in career-best form here as she conveys Clare's inner turmoil. Likewise, it takes considerable skill for Riemelt to make Andi more than a straightforward villain. Welcome to Berlin Syndrome, a murky, confronting trip. Deep dive into Berlin Syndrome's core themes and read our feature examining how modern filmmakers like Cate Shortland are tackling complex issues of psychological manipulation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceVBDJNHL0k
Thailand is undoubtedly one of Australia's favourite holiday destinations, and Bangkok is one of the world's most visited cities by international tourists. The sprawling metropolis makes room for the old and the new — one minute you're cruising down the Chao Phraya river, the next you're travelling through the city at breakneck speed on the BTS skytrain. We've going to bet that a few of you have been to Bangkok before. Maybe you've even trekked up to Chiang Mai and Pai, or soaked up some sun scuba diving off one of Thailand's many islands. That's why we've left some of the obvious Bangkok destinations out of this article, like the mind-boggling Chatuchak markets, the opulent Grand Palace and the silk-lovers heaven that is Jim Thompson House. If you're in the country's capital and looking for a fun way to spend a few days, we recommend giving a few of these a visit. Drink at high altitudes Bangkok has quite a nifty reputation for its rooftop bar scene, so we decided to check out the highest one we could find — it was the Sky Bar at the Lebua State Tower (also known as the rooftop bar from The Hangover 2). Come alone or come in a wolf pack to the 65th floor — the service is friendly and the cocktails are outstanding. We could drink their blueberry sour G&T's all damn day, but there's also a Hangovertini for those looking to stay in theme. Sunset is generally the best time to arrive but, then again, we're yet to find a bad time to drink at high altitudes. We also climbed to the top of Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree Bangkok, located on the 61st floor. It's extremely easy to pass the hours when you're seated against the glass wall overlooking the city — with free bar snacks that were constantly replenished, no less. There was a smart casual dress code at both of these rooftop bars, so it's worth checking ahead to make sure drinking in the clouds stays firmly on your conquered list. Yes, both of these places were a bit pricier than your average 60 Baht bottle of Chang beer, but if you're after a nice night out, this is it. What can we say? Bangkok has us now. Work Your Way Out Of Escape Hunt Escape rooms are becoming a bit of a thing in Australia, but we tried out the Bangkok version at Escape Hunt anyway. For the uninitiated, escape rooms are like playing real-life Cluedo: you get 'locked' in a room, left to solve a murder mystery before your time is up. In our case, we had an hour to figure out who had killed a female painter — one of her three boyfriends, or the groundskeeper? This was totally awesome. And if Bangkok hasn't already tested your relationship with your travel partner, this certainly will. You're allowed to get clues from your host, but each clue deducts one minute off your time, so we recommend only using them when you're desperately seeking some Sherlock intuition. Thankfully, we made it out with just under two minutes to spare, and we were given the cutest tweed detective gear to put on and take photos in. Check Out Cat, Dog and Bunny Cafes Cat cafes did originate in Asia, so it's no surprise there are a few here in Thailand's capital. We're not sure exactly how many cat cafes Bangkok has, but we know there are at least three. Purr Cat Cafe Club is one of the more prominent ones in Sukhumvit, and in a city filled with apartment buildings and high rises, it's no wonder Bangkok locals are looking to spend some quality time with a furry friend. Purr is run by a Thai sitcom actress and houses 14 fluffy Persians cats. At the cafe you can have cat-shaped brownies and whiskers drawn on your hot chocolate. There is also Kitty Cat Cafe and Makura Cat Cafe in Bangkok if you can't get enough of your feline friends. Cats not your thing? Don't even worry about it. Bangkok also has a cafe that specifically houses Siberian huskies called True Love Cafe. There are 17 of these adorable pups running around, all of different colours and sizes. One final animal establishment we'd like to throw out there is the Lucky Bunny Cafe & Restaurant, which houses happy, healthy rabbits. All of the cute, all at once. Food and (Safe) Sex Together At Last With a tagline like 'Our food is guaranteed not to cause pregnancy', how could you possibly refuse a meal here? There are mannequins covered in elaborate condom costumes which are hilarious and honestly quite impressive, but Cabbages and Condoms is not the money-grabbing, photo-opportunity establishment you might first think. Cabbages and Condoms was initially created to promote a better understanding of sexual health and family planning, as a portion of the profits go towards the Population and Community Development Association (PDA). It's all in the name of an excellent cause, so you might as well get amongst. The menu is strictly Thai cuisine, and there's plenty to choose from. There are a few Cabbages and Condoms located all over Thailand, so if you're heading over to Thailand but not staying in Bangkok, there's still a chance to check this out. Grab a handful of free dingers on the way out and have yourself a safe and merry day. Choose Your Own Adventure: Thai Street Food Let's be honest, this section could be a whole article to itself. Thai street food is the best kind of street food — cheap, unpredictable (in a good way), and, above all, delicious. The rules are simple: eat anything that looks interesting, ask questions later and try something new every time. On a personal note, I spent two years of my childhood living in Thailand, so I had a slight advantage of knowing that (1) My chances of death were slim if I chose wisely, and (2) I could identify some of the strangest looking toppings on Thai snow cones. Boat noodles (kuay tiew rua) are a Bangkok street food staple, and there is a whole alley dedicated to this delicacy located near Victory Monument. For other noodles on the run, a safe bet is the readily available stir-fried wide rice noodles (pad see ew) or Pad Thai. Our favourite savoury snacks were easily the bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms, as well as the ever-present and super cheap grilled pork sticks (moo ping). For sweets you can't go passed mango and sticky rice (kao niao mumuang) — it's traditional and delicious. For some who are keen for a little lucky dip, give the Thai snow cone (nam kang sai) a go. You fill the bottom of the bowl with anything from black jelly, chestnuts, sweetened taro to red beans, then place a mound of shaved ice on top of that and cover with flavoured syrups and condensed, evaporated or coconut milk, depending on how sweet you want it. Top image thanks to Scalino, Lubua photo taken by Vicky Chung via Flickr, cat image thanks to ironypoisoning, Cabbages and Condoms image thanks to micamonkey, street food image thanks to jaaron.
The Environmental Film Festival returns this October to celebrate its 15th birthday with a week-long program spanning 23 titles — including 14 premieres — alongside cine-art talks under the theme "Environment is Everywhere." From Thursday, October 16 to Thursday, October 23, cinemas across Melbourne will host feature films, shorts, documentaries and discussions celebrating the intersection of art, activism and the environment. Leading the program is Documerica, Self-Portrait of a Nation on the Brink, a recollection of an American natural photo survey undertaken in the 1970s, The People's Tree, a story of the impacts of environmental legislation on tree trimmers in India and These Sacred Hills, an insight into the culture and history of the Rock Creek Band of the Yakama Nation, who's sacred sites are threatened by a proposed green energy project. [caption id="attachment_1028468" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The World According To My Dad, directed by Marta Kovářová[/caption] Let's not forget The World According To My Dad, a heartwarming documentary about director Marta Kovářová's physicist father, who dreams of putting a stop to climate change with bold ideas — or No More History Without Us, a manifesto documentary by two Amazonian filmmakers on the falsehoods invented by European colonisers about the Amazon rainforest and its many peoples. This is just the tip of the program's iceberg, and you can find the full offering on the website. Beyond the screen, there'll be some in-person events, including the festival's 15th birthday soiree serving plant-based bites, and a community beach clean on Elwood Beach. Freyja Gillard, Co-Director of Environmental Films Australia, said: "This year's program is really unique for us, focusing on the idea that the environment is indeed everywhere; it's not an 'other', separate from us, only available in the 'wild'. The vast majority of humans live in urban spaces and cities and this year's selection really showcases what that looks like in an environmental-sense, exploring the interconnection between people and place, what our environments mean to us, and what we mean to our environments." The Environmental Film Festival will run at cinemas and venues around Melbourne from Thursday, October 16 to Thursday, October 23. For tickets or more information, visit the website. Header: 'No More History Without Us', directed by Priscilla Brasil. Images courtesy of Environmental Film Festival
Dust of your black-hued and gothic-looking outfits: what else do you wear to Wednesday Island, a fan festival dedicated to the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky Netflix series, that'll have Jenna Ortega (Death of a Unicorn), Emma Myers (A Minecraft Movie) and Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) in attendance? On Saturday, August 16, 2025, one Australian spot — Cockatoo Island / Wareamah in Sydney Harbour — will embrace the macabre with the Wednesday crew themselves. Netflix has been teasing Wednesday Island for a few weeks now, including officially announcing the event when the platform dropped the full trailer for Wednesday's second season, then opening entries for VIP attendance to feel like you're at Nevermore Academy. Now, the streamer has confirmed that Ortega, Myers and Burton will be there, and also Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who created the show in the spotlight (and wrote the screenplay to 2024's Burton-helmed, Ortega-starring Beetlejuice Beetlejuice). All five key Wednesday folks will make appearances at Wednesday Island as part of their global Doom tour to promote the series. Peach PRC and ŪLA are also on the lineup at Cockatoo Island's temporary makeover, providing the tunes. Netflix is calling the pop-up takeover a "Nevermore playground" and promising a "most grave surprise", too — and there'll be a walk-in doll's house and a cocktail spot as well. If you've always had a fondness for anything Addams Family-related, this probably sounds like a dream. Whether you first discovered pop culture's eeriest family via the 90s films, through old episodes of the 60s TV show, in various animated guises over the years — including on the big screen — or thanks to Wednesday, that fantasy can now become an IRL reality if you score admission to Wednesday Island. Applications for VIP double passes have closed, but you'll be able to enter for regular passes between Wednesday, July 23–Sunday, August 3 via the pop-up's website. To do so, you'll need to provide your details, and give an original and creative answer to this question: "in 25 words or less, confess your most delightfully deviant Outcast trait — the kind that would make Wednesday smirk with approval". You'll find out if you've scored a ticket on Monday, August 4. Only those aged over 16 can go in the running, and you'll then need to dress in attire to suit the Wednesday celebration. Boat transport to the island, plus one food and one beverage token, will be included if you're selected. As for watching the series when it returns for its second season, you'll be doing that in two batches. Part one arrives on Wednesday, August 6, then part two on Wednesday, September 3. Check out the full trailer for Wednesday season two below: Wednesday Island is taking over Cockatoo Island in Sydney on Saturday, August 16. Head to the pop-up's website to enter for general admission tickets between Wednesday, July 23–Sunday, August 3, 2025 — or just for further information. Wednesday season two arrives in two parts, with part one dropping on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 and part two on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, both via Netflix. Read our full review of Wednesday season one. Images: Bernard Walsh, Helen Sloan and Jonathan Hession/Netflix © 2025.
After seven years of bringing food to Australians' doors — and alcohol, kitchen and household products, and pop culture-themed board games in some places, too — Deliveroo has delivered a significant piece of news: it now no longer operates in the country. Via a series of messages to customers, on social media and on its local website on Wednesday, November 16, the company announced that it was shutting its Aussie service effective immediately. "Deliveroo no longer operates in Australia," the organisation's website now reads. "Deliveroo has taken the difficult decision to leave Australia. We have been proud to bring so many people amazing meals from Australia's great restaurants over the years," it continues. The company is now in administration, with KordaMentha appointed to oversee the process. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Deliveroo (@deliveroo_au) In its statements on social media, Deliveroo called the news a "sad announcement" and reiterated that it "has been a very difficult decision to make". It also called out Australia's "amazing food" and "thousands of brilliant restaurants and riders". Obviously, the sudden shuttering will impact both considerably. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Deliveroo staff will receive compensation, and drivers who made a delivery in the past three months. As a result of the closure, Deliveroo's app is now no longer accepting orders, leaving customers to use competing food-delivery services such as UberEats, Menulog and DoorDash. Since opening in Australia in 2015, in efforts to stand out in a crowded market, Deliveroo has done everything from giving away burgers and Tim Tams, offering free delivery during lockdowns and slinging free fries based on vaccination levels through to even dropping off free Gelato Messina choc tops by boat. For more information about Deliveroo ceasing operations in Australia, head to the service's website.
After a year mostly void of dancing and nightclubs, some Melbourne party favourites are making their much-anticipated returns. The latest: electro music hub Xe54, which is making its comeback in a big way. Following 12 months in hibernation, the club night is moving into a new multi-storey venue on Little Collins Street with — wait for it — a 24-hour licence. You'll probably already know the space as The Bottom End. Kicking off this new iteration with a bang on Saturday, March 6, Xe54 is set to fire up the new digs every Saturday night, spinning electronic tunes until the wee hours each week. You can expect the same signature neon strip lighting as that of the night's former Southbank home, though this time around, it's backed by an upgraded sound system and re-energised music programming. First launched back in 2017, Xe54 has become a staple of Melbourne's underground house and techno scene, teaming up with a swag of leading promoters, and pulling an impressive mix of local and international talent to its decks. Solomun, Carl Craig and Gerd Janson are just some of the reputable names to have drawn crowds to its dance floor in recent years, though there's also been a strong focus on supporting local emerging acts. Organisers are plotting a huge night to kick-start the new series on Saturday, March 6, with the musical lineup to be revealed in the coming days. Stay tuned for all the details. Find XE54 at The Bottom End, 579 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, every Saturday from March 6. For more information and music program updates, visit its Facebook page.
Over the past decade Hofesh Shechter has carved out a career as one of Britain’s most sought-after choreographers, delivering critical hits that showcase his prior talents as both a dancer and musician. Sun is the fourth show he’s brought to the Melbourne Festival, where it receives its world premiere. Before this, we spoke with Shechter from his adopted home of England. “Sun started with trying to find something a bit lighter, more positive. I was looking at my work thinking, 'It’s very dark, everything that comes out', which has a lot to do with my circumstances in life,” he said. Shechter was brought up in Israel, where he was called up for a period of national service. Form this, he somehow managed to continue his dance training but the experience forced him to question the realities of freedom. For Sun, he brought his initial ideas to the dancers and found they were transformed into something far more complex, with a sometimes awkward conflict between light and shade beginning to emerge. “In a way, this piece is dealing with a search for happiness," Shechter said. "Something very basic we all have — looking for a happy place under the sun. But there’s an undercurrent of danger and emotions that are much more difficult moving underneath.” This complexity is familiar to Shechter's work, as he draws from his talents across multiple art forms. Watching footage of his work, it’s clear that his musical background in particular informs the nature of his choreography — he creates movement born inside the music. In Sun he is combining prerecorded sound with original composition. “Having that strong connection between the music and the choreography allows for a fuller, more powerful experience,” he says. “In a way it just makes my life more difficult, because making a soundscape is extremely detailed and time consuming, and with the choreography as well it becomes a bit of a monster. But very rewarding.” He has an obvious passion for the connection between music and dance; not just because of the possibilities that stem from combining the two, but from the qualities they share closely beneath the surface. “It’s funny – when you’re making music you’re doing the job of arranging elements in time – it’s all about the relationship between one note to the other. So the two forms are very close friends and family.” Having worked constantly for the past ten years on pure dance as well as choreography for theatre and television, Shechter has been well-placed to observe the continuing evolution of his art form. But he’s reluctant to describe the ways in which that dance has changed. “As much as I want to think that dance is a unique department in an office that we’re working together, it is in effect made out of so many events – choreographers that appear and disappear. That makes it very hard to tell whether there is real progress or whether it’s just individual people. Contemporary dance is searching for itself. It’s still not clear what it is, and that puts the art form in a very interesting place.” Sun will be performed at the Melbourne Festival from October 11-16. Top image by Heather Judge.
When it comes to art exhibitions, second chances aren't common. A big-name showcase may display at several places around the world, but it doesn't often hit the same venue twice. French Impressionism is an exception, then, returning to the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne in 2025 after initially gracing the institution's walls in 2021. When it was first announced for that debut Australian run, French Impressionism was set to be a blockbuster exhibition — and with 100-plus works featuring, including by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt and more, it's easy to understand why. But 2021 wasn't an ordinary year, like 2020 before it. Accordingly, when this showcase of masterpieces on loan from Boston's renowned Museum of Fine Arts opened Down Under, it was forced to close shortly afterwards due to the pandemic. Cue another season in this part of the world four years later, thankfully, with French Impressionism back at NGV International from Friday, June 6–Sunday, October 5, 2025. This is one of the largest collections of the eponymous art movement to ever make its way to Australia, complete with works that've never been seen here before. [caption id="attachment_977042" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Water lilies, 1905, oil on canvas, 89.5 x 100.3 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of Edward Jackson Holmes Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Again part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition series, French Impressionism isn't short on gems, especially given the array of artists with pieces on display, which also includes Camille Pissarro and Berthe Morisot. But one certain must-see is the presentation of 16 Monet pieces in one gallery, all in a curved display to close out the showcase — and focusing of his scenes of nature in Argenteuil, the Normandy coast and the Mediterranean coast, as well as his Giverny garden. In total, there's 19 Monet works in French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts' collection (Water Lilies among them), and that still leaves the US gallery almost as many to display in Boston. Another section digs into early works by Monet and his predecessors, such as Eugène Boudin — and Renoir and Pissarro's careers also get the in-depth treatment. As the exhibition charts French impressionism's path across the late-19th century, visitors will enjoy three never-before-seen-in-Australia pieces, with Victorine Meurent's Self-portrait one of them. Ten-plus Degas works, as well as two pieces that were part of the very first exhibition of French Impressionism that took place in 1874, also feature. If you made it along to the showcase's first trip Down Under, you will notice changes, with the exhibition design reimagined for its latest presentation. [caption id="attachment_977038" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Camille Pissarro, French (born in the Danish West Indies), 1830–1903, Spring pasture, 1889, oil on canvas, 60 x 73.7 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Deposited by the Trustees of the White Fund, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Top image: excerpt of Camille Pissarro, French (born in the Danish West Indies), 1830–1903, Spring pasture, 1889, oil on canvas, 60 x 73.7 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Deposited by the Trustees of the White Fund, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.
Move aside turmeric, matcha and beetroot — the next controversial coffee trend to look out for involves an unassuming little veggie called broccoli. Yep, the green stuff could soon star on coffee menus across the country, thanks to an innovative broccoli powder created by teams at Hort Innovation and the CSIRO. The product is crafted from those imperfect-looking vegetables that would otherwise be binned, and is designed to help everyday Aussies infuse more nutrients into their diets. Packed full of fibre, protein and phytochemicals, the 100 percent broccoli powder also sounds like a pretty nifty way to sneak some greens onto your kids plates. As well as being used as a key ingredient for a range of packaged snacks unveiled during last year's National Science Week, the powder also looks set to elbow its way onto the Australian coffee scene. It was recently trialled at Mornington's Commonfolk — a sustainability focused coffee roaster and cafe that's aiming towards a zero-waste existence — though, with mixed response from customers. Image credit: CSIRO
