Every season has its fashions and fads. This past summer, there was only one thing we spotted more in our favourite bar haunts than hot dogs: cider. While a glass of sweet, delicious cider is undoubtedly on trend, we suspect that it will last a little longer than most. Concrete Playground speaks to Rich Coombes of Batlow Premium Cider, Brittany Kinter from Moonshine, Hotel Steyne's dedicated cider and rum bar, and Michael Capaldo from Schwartz Brewery, the creator of Sydney Cider, to find out why cider is here to stay. Why has it taken Sydney so long to catch on to cider? Why is the cider revolution only hitting now? RC: There was really a lack of quality cider widely available, but now we're seeing an abundance of quality ciders in a range of styles. The category was re-invigorated in the UK recently through a significant increase in marketing activities by major brands, and that had a positive knock-on effect into other markets like Australia. Consumers are also seeking out more from their drinking and dining experiences; they appear to be looking for alternatives to their regular beer or wine selections, and cider provides a versatile option. Michael, Schwartz Brewery has had the beers under the belt for a while, but what prompted you to move into cider? MC: Our marketing manager Richard actually came up with the brand years ago. Richard presented the idea of making a cider for Sydneysiders to Dr. Schwartz and the brewing team, and we loved it. Did you have much experience with cider before embarking on Sydney Cider? MC: I had made a few batches at home and had produced a range of ciders with my previous employer. Saying that, cider is a very different beast to beer. From a technical point of view it behaves much more like a wine than a beer, so it is a whole new world for us brewers to get used to. Rich, we all know Batlow Apples but how did Batlow Cider come about? RC: It was the product of great timing. Batlow Apples were looking at ways of realising value for fruit that may not make the grade for the supermarket shelf and had previously made cider. So when we (my brother Sam and I) approached Batlow Apples looking for a source of top quality apples to make cider, it was complementary to their own plans. Sam and I had spent a fair amount of time in the UK drinking cider, and we realised there was an opportunity to make a locally-made, premium cider using the best cider-making practices. When we shared our cider plans with Batlow Apples, they liked the idea of partnering up and launching a Batlow-branded cider collaboratively. We were on the same page from day one about what we wanted to create and the rest is history. Can you take us through your processes of making cider? What's the story behind the bottle? RC: Our cider begins with the apples – and we only use Batlow apples. Through some experimenting, we came up with a varietal mix to give the best balance in terms of acidity and sweetness. We grow, pick and press apples in Batlow and then, the same day, transport the juice to our cidery. There, we ferment, clean filter and bottle. No concentrates, no added sugar, no artificial preservatives and no pasteurisation of the bottle. Our 'minimal intervention' approach means we retain as much of the goodness of the apples as possible and ensures there are about three and a half Batlow apples in each bottle. MC: We decided that if we were going to make a cider, it had to be refreshing and all natural. We have a fantastic juice supplier who grows cold climate apples, which are perfect for a crisp cider. We use a very unusual yeast imported from France that is actually a champagne yeast. As yeast is the only living ingredient in cider, every strain will produce different flavours. In the case of our yeast, you can certainly assimilate it with the citrusy, tart flavours found in champagne. We then soften up the cider with more fresh apple juice and are left with a beautiful balance of medium sweet fruit on the nose and pallet, which is counterbalanced by subtle acidity. Rich, for those who are yet to partake, what's the appeal of Batlow Cider? RC: Our cider has the freshness of a crunchy Batlow apple. The flavour gives a complex mix of green and red apples, with a hint of earthiness. It's crisp, clean and has just the right amount of sweetness. We only press apples as we make the cider, which ensures that we retain as much of the natural aromas and flavours of the Batlow apples as possible. We don't add any sugar, concentrates or flavourings like some other ciders on the market, and it's also gluten free for our coeliac friends. Continuing with the education, what qualities make a great cider? RC: Great ciders are judged on their aroma and taste. Great cider will produce a delightful aroma of apples – depending on the style of cider, this may be fresh apples or even over-ripe apples. A great cider will offer depth of flavour and complexity, like a wine, offering a fine balance of apple sweetness and acidity. More traditional styles of cider will also display good tannin structure, given cider apples are relatively high in tannin content compared to eating apples. Striking the right balance of sweetness, acidity and tannin is the art to great cider-making. While Batlow obviously focuses on apple cider, what different kinds of cider are available? RC: There are now many styles of cider available: from very sweet to very dry, carbonated to still. By definition, cider is made from the fermentation of apple or pear juice and, whilst there are an increasing amount of flavour twists hitting the shelves, the purists would argue these are really getting away from true 'cider'. That said, different regions of the world produce very different ciders. It's worth seeking out some foreign styles, such as French ciders, which offer a completely different drinking experience to more commonly consumed ciders. How would you describe your cider, Michael? What makes it stand out from the pack? MC: It certainly sits in the medium sweet category. This means that it has pronounced apple flavours, but their sweetness is balanced by the acidity produced from the yeast. I think in terms of drinkability and versatility, it is one of the best ciders going around. It drinks best neat, and we try to discourage people from drinking it with ice as this can mask the beautiful natural flavours. While you're obviously a lover of beer as well, what does cider offer that beer doesn't? MC: From a technical point of view cider has a much lower pH than beer, around 3.3 as opposed to 4, which means its flavours are generally sharper and bitier. I think cider suits the Australian palate very well as we like dry, highly carbonated drinks that refresh on a hot day. Britt, putting a bar specialising in cider (and rum) in Hotel Steyne – a classic 'pub' pub – is a bit of a brave move. How did this come about? BK: The cider bar concept originated from our publican Ged. Since he married an Irish girl, he's become familiar with the explosion of cider in Europe, particularly in Celtic countries. With sixty six beer taps downstairs, Ged saw the cider bar as a strategic point of difference for the hotel. He believes that the Australian climate is made for cider. Plus, the 'alco pop' tax is making cider more accessible and affordable. What is the concept behind Moonshine? Could you describe the look and feel of this bar? BK: The bar is themed 'seaside grit', with reused old dockside timber bars and weather leather chesterfield booths. It's a seaside, shanty shack atmosphere. There's images of old school, sea man tattoos, bottles from nights passed, and retired seafaring craft from the years gone by. Plus the associated ocean smells and sounds provided naturally and free from the coast just beyond the doors! The bar should see you through the whole weekend, with a hundred rums to try and a folk rock gig to see on a Thursday, to a reggae gig on a Sunday afternoon, whilst sipping on one of the sixteen ciders on tap. Tell us a bit about the ciders you're serving up. What's your pick? BK: Our ciders range from sugary sweet to bittersweet, and mildly dry to a smoky dry. My personal fav. at the moment is the Batlow cider. The high quality, delicious taste and attractive branding has captured my attention, along with that of our patrons. What has the reaction from punters been? Have people taken you up on the offer? BK: Positive, that's for sure. Young people are looking for the experience and variety that cider has to offer. We constantly get visits from strictly beer drinkers who have yet to jump on the cider wagon but do want to see what all the buzz is about. Before you know it, these 'strict beer drinkers' are frequenting the bar and have a favourite cider. Plus, we're finding that Australians are returning home after time abroad with a liking for cider that they developed on their travels. Here in Manly, we witness the multicultural mix of people firsthand, so there's also nostalgic travellers frequenting the pub in search of recognisable beverages from their home countries. And finally, to end on a controversial note, what does cider have over the great Australian favourite, beer? RC: The advantage of cider is that it offers a completely different drinking experience to beer. Some people choose cider because it's a lighter more refreshing alternative to beer or even because it's gluten free. Increasingly we are seeing cider matched with foods in place of craft beer or wine, so it's really quite versatile. We're still a beer-drinking nation, but it's nice to see an ever-growing appreciation of quality cider. BK: Sydney has the perfect climate for the cider market. There's just something about sitting on the deck, lounging in the sun with your mates, with a cool refreshing cider in hand.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein will never stop being a gothic-horror masterpiece, or inspiring stories across the page, stage and screen as well. The latest: Poor Things, the next film from acclaimed Greek Weird Wave director Yorgos Lanthimos, and his long-awaited first release since 2018's excellent The Favourite. Also back: that regal drama's Oscar-nominated supporting player Emma Stone. The Cruella star didn't end up clutching an Academy Award for her past performance under Lanthimos' guidance, and nor did her co-star Rachel Weisz (Dead Ringers) or the filmmaker himself; instead, they watched on as Olivia Colman (Empire of Light) emerged victorious for her leading part. But Stone and Lanthimos made a winning pair anyway, in what was one of the former's very best performances of her career. It's no wonder that they're teaming up again — or that the just-dropped first Poor Things trailer looks mesmerising, eerie and stunning. Poor Things adapts Alasdair Grey's 1992 award-winning novel, but the parallels with Shelley's mother-of-all horror greats are as obvious as a bolt of lightning. The focus: Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected by an unorthodox scientist, distinctive in her mannerisms afterwards and eager to learn about a world that isn't quite sure how to react. Continuing the movie's top-notch casting — and Lanthimos' in general, as seen in everything from Dogtooth and Alps to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer as well — Poor Things features Willem Dafoe (The Northman) as the tinkering Dr Godwin Baxter; Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) as Duncan Wedderburn, a slick lawyer that Bella runs off with; and also Ramy's Ramy Youssef, plus On the Count of Three co-stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. The film will hit cinemas in the US on September 8, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under. Poor Things jolts Stone's career back onto the screen a few years away, too — Cruella released in 2021, and only The Croods: A New Age, Zombieland: Double Tap and TV's Maniac sit on her resume since The Favourite. Check out the first teaser trailer for Poor Things below: Poor Things doesn't currently have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is confirmed. Image: Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
Effortless multitasker Joss Whedon has taken time off between letting Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents clean up the scum to unveil a fan-friendly surprise: his brand new film In Your Eyes available to rent online for just $5. The Avengers director high-fived his fans worldwide by releasing the film online as it was premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Currently filming the next instalment of the Avengers: Age of Ultron, Whedon made $1.5 billion from the first ‘gang’s all here’ Marvel superhero romp. The Buffy creator has seen shifts in the industry over the years and wanted to explore options to satisfy both fans and his bottom line. "It's exciting for us because we get to explore yet another new form of distribution — and we get $5," he said. Whedon recorded a video message to introduce the release, played before the Tribeca screening and seemingly recorded on the Avengers set. In Your Eyes will mark the second release from Bellwether Pictures, Whedon’s pet project and “micro studio” that released the playful, black and white rom-com version of Much Ado About Nothing in 2013. Whedon and his wife Kai Cole founded the LA studio as a means to bypass "the classic studio structure" that Whedon receives millions of dollars yet limited creative distribution control to work in. Starring newcomers Zoe Kazan (writer and star of Ruby Sparks) and Michael Stahl-David (Cloverfield, NBC’s The Black Donnellys), In Your Eyes is a so-called paranormal romance, following two strangers who find themselves linked by supernatural means. Whedon wrote and produced the film, looked at his laughable schedule, then handed the director hat over to buddy Brin Hill (writer and director of 2008’s Ball Don’t Lie). Whedon has been pretty busy of late being King of Marvel Errrrthang, divvying up his directorial time on the Avengers sequel Age of Ultron to serve as creative consultant on Any Marvel Film Anyone is Making Right Now. Whedon penned dialogue for Thor: The Dark World as well as directing the mid-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier — Whedon’s Marvel input cameos might soon rival the onscreen pop-ins of legendary creator Stan Lee. “This is the most prolific title we’ve had on the platform, definitely,” Vimeo spokesman Greg Clayman told Gigaom. Stealthy, unannounced releases are becoming more used by major players as a means of distributing directly to fanbases. “It's a non-traditional way, for sure. But hey, it works for Beyonce." Due to Whedon being an absolute legend, In Your Eyes is available to rent on Vimeo right now. Via BBC and Gigaom.
The lofty title of the ‘World Wide Web’ implies that we can access the internet, well, all over the world. However, with 71 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by oceanic bodies, the web is more limited than you think. Researchers at the University of Buffalo may have found a way to cross the digital gap between land and sea. Their ‘deep sea Internet’ is a sunken wireless network that will provide instant communication from beneath the surface to any device on land. Since wireless access has expanded everywhere, from subways to third world countries, why hasn’t this been thought of before? Although the internet feels like an omnipresent force that floats invisibly above our heads like the particles of a broadcast chocolate bar in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it’s a little more complicated. Wireless communication on land relies on radio waves from satellites and antennas, which don’t work well out in the middle of the ocean. Deep-sea communication technologies function on sound waves, which are converted above the surface and transmitted to our devices. This interaction is a bit dodgy, given that it’s nearly impossible to communicate in real time because of the various methods and standards involved when it comes to communicating with underwater sensors. To make things easier, the masterminds in New York are developing a framework that would create a singular way to collect and send data from an underwater sensor to any computer in the world. The possibilities are endless with this superpower technology. Tsunamis and hurricanes could be detected and warned of earlier, oil and gas could be detected more efficiently, pollution could be better monitored, and law enforcement agencies could track down drug-smuggling pirates. The underwater modem seems to be well on its way to doing these things; it is currently being tested at the bottom of America’s Lake Erie and will be presented at the International Conference on Underwater Networks & Systems in Taiwan this November. So on your next deep-sea dive or fishing trip, check your smartphone for Wi-Fi: BIG BLUE, password: n3m0. Via Fast.CoExist.com.
Buying a famous pop culture house can be a solid life choice. Cruising home to your San Diego Top Gun beach house, stealing your parent's car from your Ferris Bueller pad. But for anyone who's ever watched David Lynch's Twin Peaks, there's a certain creepy, foreboding vibe to this new real estate option. Welcome To Twin Peaks has reported that the fictional Twin Peaks-located home of Laura, Sarah and Leland Palmer is up for sale. Sitting at a super reasonable asking price of $549,950, the iconic, not-so-picture-perfect home of the Palmers served as the interior set for the Twin Peaks pilot (as well as the interior/exteriors for the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me). Lynch used different digs for the Palmer house during the series, but these are some pretty woah-inducing interiors for TP fans. You'll find the Palmers at 708 33rd Street in Everett, Washington (the other house is also in Washington, but in the town of Monroe). The real estate blurb for the freaky fortress of Lynch makes no mention of Twin Peaks in their listing. Charming 1930s home in the heart of Historic Rucker Hill. This home features hardwood floors, crown molding, oversized rooms & timeless character. A grand entryway leads into circular main floor layout that is warmed with natural light. Four bedrooms upstairs surround open staircase & two bedrooms have access to an enclosed sun room. Basement has space for a rec room and den. The large lot spans two streets. Detached two-car garage. Close proximity to Rucker Hill Park. This is a must see home! While the bedrooms don't come with additional BOB space or storage for boring, boring James-shaped boyfriends, this house is one creepy investment. Here's a little mash-up the legends at Welcome to Twin Peaks put together — pointing out Laura Palmer's rocking chair, which actually lives in the house. Yeesh. Via Welcome to Twin Peaks and The AV Club.
If travelling is synonymous with getting into a good book or, whenever you walk into a bookshop, you get this strange feeling to curl up on the shelves and go to sleep, you need to book a flight to Tokyo and reserve yourself sleeping shelf at Book and Bed hostel. The hostel describes themselves as an "accommodation bookshop", which is exactly what it sounds like. It's no five-star deal here; at Book and Bed, the commodity is words, rather than luxury. It is budget accommodation after all, and for around $50 AUD a night, they're offering you the chance to sleep surrounded by stories, the smell of printed pages and the sound of other hostellers greedily flipping through their own books in their bed each night. Sounds much more chill than your usual hostel, where most people are doing anything but book-reading. The hostel is designed has been designed as a lounge-like bookshop, so you can pick out a book and read it in the lobby, or take it back to bed with you for some horizontal action. And if you're thinking that the beds are just out the back somewhere, you're wrong — the beds are actually built into the bookshelves. Yep, you'll be sleeping where the books sleep. Needless to say, this makes for a bit of a pod-like situation, so don't come expecting room to move. It's all about reading. And nodding off to sleep mid-chapter every night. Book and Bed Tokyo is located in the Toshima-ku ward, and is close to Ikebukuro Station. For more information, visit their website. Via PSFK.
UK sunglassmakers Tens have put those "I wish I could Instagram my life" whines into reality. Creating "the real life photo filter", the team's debut pair of sunglasses attempt to place an Instagram filter over your day. People look more attractive, crappy bus stops look more romantic, your homecooked breakfast disaster looks a million bucks. Wait. But isn't that... uh... how all sunglasses function? "Tens is a sunglasses brand with a simple ambition; to make your day look ten times better," the group stated. Tens raised £138,498 ($249,562 AUS) via crowdfunding site Indiegogo to make the sunglasses, with backers directly buying pairs from the project page. The team spent three years perfecting the custom lens tint, with solid UV400 protection to boot. Made from a CR-39 plastic polymer, the lens is scratch resistant so your Instagrammed life won't be shattered by pesky flecks from your pocket keys. Co-founding director Marty Bell, also one of the creative minds behind summer-charged online radio project Poolside FM, explained to Vice: "We asked ourselves: What if we could skip the cameras and computers altogether? What if there was a way we could filter everything that we see whilst disconnected from technology?" Vice called the sunglasses "Instagram to the second power," after featuring them as part of The Creators Project. The debut frame for Tens, 'The Classic' is available to nab from their Indiegogo site for $60 with free worldwide postage until June 6. Unisex frames come in black, navy, teal and deep red and are bought directly as 'perks' on the Indiegogo site. While you can't switch between filters, the whole outcome looks pretty X-Pro II meets Nashville, with a Hefe twinge. It remains to be seen how differently the glasses make things 'grammy to regular polarised glasses, but for 60 beans the gamble's not too highly staked. Via Fubiz and Vice.
After 11 years as our accommodation go-to, Airbnb is now trying its hand at playing travel agent. The booking platform has just launched Airbnb Adventures, a series of all-inclusive, multi-day adventures available around the globe. The experiences act as a one-stop-shop for your next trip, with accommodation, meals and activities all part of the tours. Over 200 of these adventures are already up on the site. You can take a nine-day trek through the Amazon for around $270 per night, a five-day trip through the Oman desert for $300 per night or go on a culinary kayaking trip through Swedish islands for $360 per night. There's also a seven-day accessible experience on Easter Island, an overnight campsite on a cliffside in Colorado, island hopping around the Galapagos and, for something closer to home, an adventure around New Zealand subtropical islands, too. Prices range from a reasonable overnight trip for $115 all the way up to a rather exy 10-day trek for $7200. On average, the adventure packages cost around $850 for a three-dayer. The new platform, while having a different name, is part of Airbnb Experiences: the app's existing range of locally hosted events, such as cooking classes and hikes. And it runs in a similar way, as in all 'adventures' are 100 percent hosted and planned by locals — Airbnb is simply the mediator between the two. Each adventure is also kept quite small and set at groups of 12 max. To launch the new platform, Airbnb is offering an around the world in 80 days adventure to eight travellers for just $7214 per person, which comes down to about $90 per night. The trip will leave from London on September 1 and bring travellers through 18 countries across six continents — including to Bhutan, Iceland, Egypt, Romania, Japan and Ecuador. Bookings for this one will be available on June 20 and it'll likely book out in a minute, so you best get yourself prepped if you want a spot on this trip. Airbnb Adventures are now live and can be booked through the website or via the Airbnb app (available for Android and iPhones). Images: Tara Rice, Mason Trinca, Ryan Tuttle, Oivind Haug
It's no surprise that foodies make very deliberate lifestyle choices. They want to learn and care about every aspect of their meal. They advocate for organic produce and healthy eating. Even TV chefs like Jamie Oliver are always tending to a sprawling herb garden and reassuringly tousling the hair of pudgy middle-school kids. But Ben Shewry and his team at Attica, Australia's best restaurant, are about to take this well-meaning philosophising to the extreme. Launching in just over a month, Shewry and co. have created a two-day 'anti-festival' designed to "inspire, energise and help people in the food community and beyond". From October 2–6, What a Wonderful World (WAW, the other W is silent?) will see some of the world's most influential chefs descend on Melbourne for a series of free public forums and a $500 a plate charity lunch that will make your mouth water in pre-emptive jealousy. Featuring LA-based Korean taco king Roy Choi, Parisian legend Inaki Aizpitarte, Bangkok's Bo Songvisava, London's Margot Henderson and San Francisco's Daniel Patterson, WAW is set to be a who's who of contemporary global cuisine. And, whether you know any of those names or not, it's a big get for the Melbourne foodie scene. Even if you don't have $500 to splash around at their no-doubt stunning charity lunch, it's going to be well worth heading along to see them talk. The free talks will take place on Saturday, October 4 and will feature an even broader array of talent from home and abroad. Non-chef types include Lucky Peach editor Chris Ying, enviro-pioneer Joost Baker and comedian Tom Gleeson. From 10am–5pm, 20 speakers will get on their soapbox at Spink St Warehouse in Brighton. The entire day will be free of charge although you will have to book a seat via the WAW website. Of course, if you do have the money to splurge, the charity lunch is a must. Hosted at Rippon Lea Estate, the feast will be prepared by a team of 30 famous chefs and all proceeds raised will go towards youth charity Helping Hoops. Shewry hopes the event will be a source of inspiration for both those in the industry and those with a simple passion for food. "[It's] a celebration of being alive," he told Good Food. "A reminder of the value of life, of the power of staying open, and the courage it takes to not only stand by your own convictions but remain open to those of others." Sure, the cause may sound a little huge and overwhelming, but it's certainly noble all the same. A touch more gourmet than the tired cry of peace, love and brown rice. For more information on the event head to the WAW website. Both the talks on October 4 and the lunch on October 5 are not yet available to book. Keep an eye on their website or Facebook page for release dates. Be warned: tickets will go fast. Via Good Food and Gourmet Traveller.
Swing into London's Tate Modern until April 2018, and you'll literally be swinging thanks to their latest large-scale installation. Teaming up with Danish artists' collective SUPERFLEX, the gallery's Turbine Hall now boasts playground equipment as part of its newest commission, which comes with the apt title of One Two Three Swing! The numbers in the piece's moniker don't just refer to the countdown everyone does in their head before they set a swing in motion. They also indicate that each of the installation's pieces has been built for three. That means gathering up two pals and heading for a swinging good time is on the agenda, with the work designed to get audiences to be more social through collaboration — the coordination it takes to get a three-person swing to do its thing, for example. 22 swings feature in total, all connected by their orange frames and all conceived "as an assembly line for collective movement," according to the exhibition's press release. They comprise of the movement section of the work, which also features apathy and production components. In the former, attendees can lie on a 770-square-metre carpet — in a colour scheme inspired by British currency — and view a a large pendulum suspended from the ceiling by a 20 metre cable. In the latter, a factory station assembles swing seats, storing them for later use. During the installation's six-month run, One Two Three Swing! will also expand beyond the Tate Modern, with plans to spread the swings throughout London and even possibly further afield. If that sounds like an ambitious project, it's just the latest for SUPERFLEX, who were formed in 1993 by Jakob Fenger, Bjørnstjerne Christiansen and Rasmus Nielsen, and helped designed Copenhagen's 30,000-square-metre Superkilen park. One Two Three Swing! runs at the Tate Modern, London until April 2, 2018. For more information, head to the gallery's website. Via The Guardian. Images: Tate Modern.
Forget partying like it’s 1999. When only futuristic chic will do, boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith recommend these ten space-age stays around the world. 1. Wanderlust Where: No 2 Dickson Road, SingaporeWhat: Witty wonderland in Little India When you fancy your own pocket rocket, book a stay in a sultry, space-themed Whimsical Loft room at Wanderlust boutique hotel in Singapore. Each comes with a kooky storage rocket and cute alien soft toys; climb the ladder to the mezzanine bed where sparkly ‘stars’ light up the ceiling. All of the 29 boudoirs are fairly otherworldly, with themes ranging from monster typewriters to treehouses and ultra-bright Pantone-hued chambers. Not sure where you’ve landed? It’s not surprising, given there’s a cool French bistro downstairs, you’re in the vibrant Little India quarter and this is central Singapore. 2. The Standard High Line Where: 848 Washington Street, New York, USAWhat: Hip Hudson riverside hang-out Bestriding an elevated park in the Meatpacking District, The Standard High Line hotel in New York is a modernist high-rise perched on concrete stilts. Clamber aboard and you’ll hit the space-chic black-and-white lobbyside Living Room, where you’d expect to see Han Solo and Chewie sinking cocktails with bounty hunters. Keep going up and the views from the 337 bedrooms just get ridiculous (cue Hudson River and Statue of Liberty perving on upper levels). Enjoy on-trend grazing at the Standard Grill, the German Biergarten and the 18th-floor Top of the Standard bar, then bag black-and-gold guest bikes for gadding around (who needs a space cruiser?). 3. MONA Pavilions Where: 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania, AustraliaWhat: Avant-garde art hotel on the banks of the Derwent The eight cutting-edge dwellings at MONA Pavilions hotel in Hobart are inspired by iconic Australian artists and architects, and come with original paintings, cool coffee-table books and rad river views. Bag three-storey pavilion Roy, and you’ll be master and commander of your own faceted-metal penthouse-come-spaceship, with two bedrooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen/living area and a balcony spa bath. Beyond your designer den, the hotel’s Source restaurant is a must for dining, wine tastings and microbrewed beer. Make time to visit MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) next door, an awe-inspiring subterranean gallery stocked with controversial modern art, a bar, café and wine bar. 4. Alila Villas Uluwatu Where: Jl. Belimbing Sari, Banjar Tambiyak, Desa Pecatu, Bali, IndonesiaWhat: Minimalist eco-glam eyrie Ready for lift off? You’ll feel like you’re about to shoot into space when you settle back in the cabana lounge bar at Alila Villas Uluwatu boutique hotel in Bali, a sleek, wooden-slatted cube which centilevers over the Bukit Peninsula’s cliffs with va-va voom ocean vistas. The 61 light, white pool villas here are just as contemporary and crisp, embracing the outdoors. A superb spa, sexy infinity pool and serious surfing will tempt you to play, with dreamy dining areas for fuelling up afterwards. Be warned: this hip haven attracts the beautiful people, so get ready to waft around like a model from Mars. 5. Mandarin Oriental Barcelona Where: Passeig de Gràcia, 38, Barcelona, SpainWhat: Luxe Catalan lair As if the Catalan capital isn’t stylish enough, Spanish hotel Mandarin Oriental Barcelona will fulfill all your interior design fantasies. Nestle in informal, all-white brasserie Blanc, with its origami-style ceiling sculptures and hanging plants, and you’re on Planet Chic. Rooftop Terrat’s poolside loungers seduce with crazy-beautiful skyline views or get every more chilled-out at the so-sleek-it’s-space-age spa. The 98 rooms sport furniture by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, whose graphic shapes and patterns across chairs, rugs and cushions are out of this world. You’re on the city’s premier avenue, too, so Gaudi buildings, hot shopping and foodie pit-stops await. 6. Saffire Where: 2352 Coles Bay Road, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania, AustraliaWhat: Sci-fi sanctuary Shaped like a sinuous stingray, Saffire boutique hotel in East Coast Tasmania brings futuristic style to the jaw-dropping Frecinet Peninsula. It may look like a metallic silver spaceship swooping towards curvy Coles Bay, but don’t worry this is no alien abduction scenario. Inside, you’ll find the lofty lobby, and ultra-contemporary dining and drinking areas, clad in an undulating roof and wall-to-wall windows giving onto the Hazards peaks. Pop to rated Palate restaurant for fab local fish and seafood, then relax in the retro-chic Saffire Lounge for booze and boardgames. Outside, 20 sleek suites, with views out to the beach and sea, beckon. 7. Capella Singapore Where: 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, SingaporeWhat: Clash of the centuries retreat Lording it over Singapore’s southern Sentosa Island, 112-room Capella Singapore hotel is a luxe blend of colonial and 21st-century design, with a future-forward extension by architects Foster + Partners bringing this historic haven bang up to date. Take in views of the South China Sea from the three-tiered pool or sweeping Bob’s Bar terrace (ideal for that Singapore Sling), which borders on intergalactic glam; then hit Auriga Spa for treatments inspired by the lunar cycles. Chinese fine-diner Cassia is great for a date; all-day diner the Knolls is your go-to spot for breakfast, lunch or a wow-worthy selection of teas. 8. Amangiri Where: 1 Kayenta Road, Canyon Point, Utah, USAWhat: Modernist marvel in southern Utah Expect close encounters of the third kind in the lunar landscape of Lake Powell hotel Amangiri, a swish sanctuary surrounded by the wind-carved Utah desert. This sleek sandstone sanctuary in the heart of Navajo country offers just 34 spacious suites, some toting their own private plunge pools. Curving around a striking escarpment, the main pool is a head-turner, too, with views out over the wilderness. Bring walking shoes and 40+ sunscreen for hiking over dunes and up rocks; Jackie O sunglasses and kaftans for poolside lounging or dining alfresco. 9. Maison Moschino Where: Viale Monte Grappa, 12, Milan, ItalyWhat: Fanciful fashion house near cosmopolitan Corso Como Clouds indoors? With sheep and illuminated mannequins? You’re in Italy, darlings, where stylish Milan hotel Maison Moschino, housed in the city’s first railway station, brings surreally spacey touches to any stay. Fairytale themes from Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood create enchantment in the 65 rooms, from outsize frocks above beds to forests and golden glam. Maison Moschino’s kookily irreverent philosophy continues in the starkly sleek restaurant, where the masterful chef whips up colourful ‘susci’ (Italian sushi) creations, alongside pasta and meat mains. At the Culti Spa, treatments are based around beauty-aiding Brittany sea water. Ditch the spacesuits, though; Moschino threads will do. 10. Hotel on Rivington Where: 107 Rivington Street, New York, USAWhat: Lower East Side high-rise With 21 floors of cool rearing over the Lower East Side, glassy-glam Hotel on Rivington in New York is very 2001: A Space Odyssey. This modern missy ain’t for vertigo sufferers though, so be sure you have a head for heights before booking into one of the 108 rooms; boudoirs offer panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and some boast showers with vistas, or a two-person Japanese soaking tub. LES hipster style rules at cosmopolitan eatery CO-OP Restaurant, where sushi and sashimi are served alongside smart American concoctions. Decor-wise, the influence is Seventies California, with photographs of US icons (Neil Armstrong should be one of them!).
The ongoing saga of Federation Square's proposed Apple store has entered a new crowdfunded chapter, thanks to a grassroots effort to buy back the space for the public. The estimated cost for keeping the inner-city area for its residents? A cool $40 million. In an attempt to stop the construction of the technology retailer's potential first global flagship store in the southern hemisphere, a group called Our City, Our Square is aiming to raise the hefty sum. The organisation launched a Pozible campaign on Sunday, February 10, and, at the time of writing, has raised $216,312 towards its target (and received more than 100,000 signatures of support). It came up with the huge amount by examining demolition documents submitted to Heritage Victoria about the site, and making an educated guess regarding the Victorian Government's expected windfall from the deal. While the true figure hasn't been announced, the suggested price is hardly pocket change. But even if Our City, Our Square manages rustle up the huge sum of cash from Melburnians, that's not the end of the matter. The Victorian Government would have to agree to the idea — and the crowdfunding page makes it clear that this isn't expected to happen in any circumstances. As a result, the $40 million target is really just designed to make a statement. The group wants to show the powers-that-be just how much the city's residents are willing to pledge to keep Apple out of the public space, even if folks who commit to donating never actually have to stump up the funds. [caption id="attachment_678380" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] A render of the proposed Apple store.[/caption] Since Apple first announced the project back in 2017, the brand's potential new digs have been marked by controversy. The initial designs were widely panned, and arguments continue to rage over the purpose of the general space — specifically, whether selling off public land to a commercial retailer, demolishing the existing Yarra Building and displacing the Koorie Heritage Trust in the process is acceptable. An interim heritage protection order stopped construction work for four months in late 2018, and permanent heritage status has been recommended, which would throw the whole project into jeopardy. Fed Square's possible inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register is still under consideration by Heritage Victoria, with the Pozible campaign arriving as public submissions about the 16-year-old Yarra Building's heritage application close on Wednesday, February 13. Public hearings are expected to be held in April before a final decision is made. Top image: David Hannah/Visit Victoria.
It all sounded like an elaborate prank. Then it sounded just too good to be true. But it's actually been confirmed. Daft Punk are launching their new album, Random Access Memories, to 4000 insanely lucky ticket holders in the NSW country town of Wee Waa. While I have a sneaking suspicion that the helmeted Frenchmen only chose Wee Waa because they giggled at the ridiculousness of its name, those opportunistic Wee Waa-ians (Wee Wains, maybe?) are making the most of this incredible event by throwing the biggest afterparty in Wee Waa history. Weekend Vines is converting the idyllic Seplin Estate Winery, 1.5km outside of Wee Waa, into a two-night camping festival. After Daft Punk have left you feeling harder, better, faster and stronger, head straight out to the Wee Waa Camping Festival where a host of electro artists and Daft Punk disciples will be rockin' out into the wee (waa) small hours of the morning. The event is fully licensed, decked out with a festival sound system and only has 2500 available tickets, so keep an eye on the Weekend Vibes website to make sure you snap one up when they are released early next week. Featuring local and international stars Olibusta (France), Marvin Roland (UK), Mr Pyz (Melbourne), Crease (UK) and Pablo J and the Lobsterettes (Sydney) wee waa beyond excited for an unforgettable weekend of awesome music and late night parties. And that's the last Wee Waa pun we'll make you read.
Disneyland might have called dibs on being the happiest place on earth, but New York is certainly one of the tastiest. The city's culinary spread has long drawn visitors from far and wide, and it's now amassing a hefty collection of food museums. First came the Museum of Food and Drink. Then, the Museum of Ice Cream joined the mix. The only thing that could come close to topping that is a place dedicated to chocolate, right? French-born, US-based chocolatier Jacques Torres certainly thinks so, expanding his chocolate-making empire to include New York's first museum dedicated to everyone's favourite sweet treat. The 5000-square-foot Lower Manhattan establishment takes visitors through the entire choc experience. Yes, that involves learning about its history — and, it also includes eating the tasty, tasty substance in question. On the educational side of things, Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum and Experience with Jacques Torres details the origins of all things chocolate dating back to Mayan and Aztec civilisations, and explains the method behind turning cacao beans into the delectable morsels we know and love. As for snacking — aka the reason everyone wants to stop by — nine premium tastings, other samples, hand-ground hot chocolate, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate truffles and chocolate-making workshops are all on offer. This isn't the world's first-ever chocolate museum, however. Among the array of weird and wonderful odes to edible delights (yes, a currywurst museum really exists), plenty of others have done the same thing. Basically, Homer Simpson's dream of a land of chocolate is slowly becoming a reality, with other choc havens found in Canada, London, Bruges, Hamburg, Vienna, Spain, the Netherlands, New Zealand and even Tasmania. Unsurprisingly, it's a long list.
Sometimes, enjoying the music festival experience involves gumboots, picking the best outfit with the most pockets and dancing in huge crowds. At other times, it spans making shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing. Yes, the latter has become familiar during the pandemic, but it's also been a way to live the Coachella life without heading to Indio, California for a decade now. And, with the fest returning in 2022, so is its YouTube livestream. Boasting a lineup headlined by Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd — as announced back in January, albeit with the latter pair now taking over Ye's slot — Coachella is finally back for its first fest since 2019. It'll unleash its impressive bill over the weekends of April 15–17 and April 22–24, which is Saturday, April 16–Monday, April 18 and Saturday, April 23–Monday, April 25 Down Under. So, if you haven't been fortunate enough to make the trip to America, that's your long weekend sorted for two weeks in a row. Wondering who to watch when? Coachella has just dropped its setlists if you're wondering which acts will be hitting the livestream on which days. Styles headlines the first day, Eilish does the second and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd are now leading the charge on the third — on both weekends. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) And, they're joined by a bonafide metric fucktonne of squealworthy acts, including Australia's own Flume, The Avalanches and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, plus Phoebe Bridgers, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Jamie xx, Run the Jewels, Fatboy Slim, Finneas and Joji, just to name a few. Also, when it dropped its set times overnight, Coachella just casually added Arcade Fire to the lineup. Of course, livestreaming music fests is no longer a novelty in these pandemic times but, given the calibre of Coachella's roster, it's still a mighty fine way to spend a weekend or two. And, YouTube will be adding live chats and artist interviews, aka the kinds of experiences that you wouldn't get if you were at the fest IRL. Coachella's return is a 'nature is healing' moment for the music industry, after a tough few years for festivals in general — and this one in particular. Coachella's 2020 event was postponed less than a month out, and later cancelled completely. And, plans to make a comeback in 2021 unsurprisingly didn't happen either. Coachella runs from April 15–17 and April 22–24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST / 11am NZST on Saturday, April 16 and Saturday, April 23. Top image: Roger Ho.
If you're contemplating a trip to the Top End this year, May's the time to do it. For ten delicious days, Taste of Kakadu will take over the heritage-listed Kakadu National Park with cook-ups, safari camps, masterclasses, bush tucker tours and more. The festival is an immersive celebration of the traditional food, culture and customs of the region — and is marking the national park's 40th anniversary this year. First up, the festival will give you plenty of opportunities to up-skill. There are stacks of workshops, from cooking with celebrity chef Mark Olive, bush tucker walks with Indigenous rangers and traditional basket weaving (all free) to x-ray art painting and bush dyeing (both $5). And, you'll need to keep up your energy, so don't miss the mammoth cook-ups, including a family cooking camp ($10) with students from Jabiru Area School, a riverside stone banquet ($20–40) soundtracked by live storytellers and canapes and cocktails inspired by local ingredients on the Cooinda Airstrip, paired with stories of Aboriginal nighttime mythology ($106). You can also get on the water on an incredible Yellow Water cruise ($125), which involves snacking on canapes made with native ingredients and looking out for saltwater crocodiles. Taste of Kakadu will take place from Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 19 in Kakadu National Park. You can check out the rest of the program over here.
Throughout much of Ms Marvel, the 2022 TV series' namesake (debutant Iman Vellani) and massive Marvel Cinematic Universe superfan was thrilled and surprised at everything happening to her. Loving the MCU, going to MCU fan conventions, obsessing over Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), then learning that you have superpowers just like your heroes: that's enough to leave you perpetually astonished and overjoyed in tandem, an emotional state that Kamala Khan isn't done with in The Marvels. Ms Marvel was always leading up to this big-screen release, with Vellani returning as Kamala, and teaming up not only with Larson as Carol Danvers, but with WandaVision's Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau as well. The 33rd movie in the MCU, arriving in November following fellow 2023 cinema release Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in May, it's also a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel — and, as the just-dropped first teaser trailer shows, it's making the most of having three caped crusaders in its frames. Meet the MCU's new superhero team, although this all-female trio have a bit of trickiness to overcome before they can work together. The first look starts with Captain Rambeau at Saber Space Station — well, outside it — while working with the upcoming Secret Invasion's Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey). Then she crosses through the space continuum, becomes Ms Marvel, and a whole lot of trading places keeps occurring. From there, when Ms Marvel uses her powers, too, Captain Marvel switches into her spot. The Marvels' first trailer leans into the chaos that causes — plus Kamala's ongoing exuberance about the whole situation. Importantly, Goose the Flerken also shows up. If you're wondering, Carol has her identity back from the Kree and she's taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence; however, that has consequences, and the universe has become destabilised. So, The Marvels need to team up to do the usual MCU thing: save everyone and everything. As well as Larson, Parris, Vellani and Jackson, The Marvels features Zawe Ashton (The Handmaid's Tale) and Park Seo-joon (Parasite). Behind the lens, Candyman's Nia DaCosta directs, and co-wrote the screenplay with Megan McDonnell (WandaVision), Elissa Karasik (Loki) and Zeb Wells (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). Check out the first trailer for The Marvels below: The Marvels releases in cinemas Down Under on November 9, 2023. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
It has been four years since The Skywhale first floated across Australia's skies, soaring through the air with its bulbous body and hanging breasts, and making every other hot air balloon look boring in the process. Come 2018 at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, it'll get a sequel of sorts, with Aussie artist Patricia Piccinini creating a new, large-scale inflatable sculpture as part of her massive solo exhibition, Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection. The piece will be suspended in GOMA's atrium, but, just as The Skywhale is only one of Piccinini's pieces, it'll form just one part of her huge Brissie showcase. In an Australian exclusive, Curious Affection will boast more than 50 new and recent works when it takes over the ground floor of the gallery from 24 March to 5 August. With the Aussie artist known for blending science, surrealism and mythology to craft imaginative, life-like creatures, expect plenty here, including 2016's The Bond featuring a woman lovingly cradling an ambiguous creature. A multi-sensory environment called The Field will rank among Piccinini's new efforts, using 3000 genetically modified flower sculptures to create an immersive landscape. Other pieces will keep stepping into her strange yet realistic world, in an exhibition designed to "will deliberately challenge our conceptions about what it means to be human and the power of empathy," according to Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA director Chris Saines. In addition to sculpture and installation, Piccinini's photography, video and drawing work will also be on display, complete with never-before-seen commissions that continue to explore the relationship between nature and technology in scientific research, genetic engineering and more. Curious Affection will mark GOMA's largest-ever solo collection by an Australian artist, celebrating a creative force who has represented Australia at the 2003 Venice Biennale, exhibited everywhere from Tokyo to Berlin to New York, and attracted more than over a million visitors to a touring showcase in Brazil in 2016. Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection will display at GOMA from 24 March to 5 August 2018. For more information, head to the exhibition website. Image: Patricia Piccinini Australia VIC b.1965 The Bond 2016 Silicone, fibreglass, human hair, clothing 162 x 56 x 50cm Courtesy the artist, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney; and Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco.
Ricky Gervais isn't one to do things by any ol' book, especially advertising endorsements. The creator of award-winning, shame tingle-inducing comedy The Office, professional Golden Globe crasher and 'World President of Entertainment' has created two videos to advertise the new partnership with Netflix, available in Australia today. The global communications giant has recruited Ricky Gervais to star in a Netflix advertising campaign that unveils the tie-up. In classic zero phucks Gervaisian style, the comedian has provided his own take on Optus's 'Yes' campaign, which is more like an 'Okay' campaign. Here he is accepting the sweet, sweet cash from a company he's "never heard of". With Netflix launching in Australia today, Optus customers can get among the streaming service filling your news feed right now — for free. Whut? Yep, new and returning Optus customers get a six-month subscription for free when they sign up to one of several eligible packages (before July 5). You'll be able to catch up on House of Cards in commute on your smartphone, sick out on the back verandah with some Orange Is the New Black on your laptop, and then retreat for some quality Derek time in bed on your tablet. For more information on how to get the free Netflix hook-up happening for you, visit the Optus website.
What has Wade Wilson's (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) wisecracks, Logan's (Hugh Jackman, Faraway Downs) surliness, Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' and "let's fucking go!" exclaimed several times? The full trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine, which follows on from the movie's 2024 Super Bowl teaser — which became the most-watched movie trailer of all time — by bringing its namesake frenemies together and giving viewers a bigger look at what's in store. The 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving in 2024, is gifting the sprawling pop-culture franchise a few things that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool officially enters the MCU. So does X-Men hero Wolverine. The end result, which was initially announced in 2022, hits cinemas this July. After the film's debut sneak peek had Deadpool calling himself "Marvel Jesus" when he's brought into the Marvel fold by the Time Variance Authority — and the Merc with a Mouth declaring that "your little cinematic universe is about to change forever" while he's at it — the latest glimpse gets him dubbing Wolverine "the X-Man". Wade is endeavouring to enlist Logan to help save the world. Sometimes he does so by sticking a gun in his face, but often it's by talking, aka one of Deadpool's go-to traits. One won't stop nattering. The other prefers to say as little as possible. Naturally, they're becoming the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Jackman are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine falls into the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Also featuring on-screen in the new trailer: Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World) as Cassandra Nova, the X-Men supervillain that's also Deadpool & Wolverine's big bad. Check out the full Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below: Deadpool & Wolverine releases in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
It's hard to imagine, but the advent of new live-broadcasting services like Periscope and Meerkat could see the demise of YouTube’s dominance as the go-to place for self-made video confessionals. In the meantime, Ash Flanders and his co-creators have spent three years developing Meme Girls, turning YouTube trash into theatrical gold. The selection of the stories on display for this absurd, music-heavy assemblage flits between the sublime and the ridiculous — from the home workout demonstrator addressing "the haters" to a 68-year-old homeless woman with fused vertebrae; from a girl live tweeting her abortion to Jill Cooper teaching us how to perfectly fold fitted sheets. At some points the voice Flanders brings to remediating these videos is definitely his own; in others (especially this highlight) it’s unclear whether he’s miming along to the original video itself or just mimicking it perfectly. Meme Girls is a triumph of design. GHGHG’s elegant, vortex set (pictured above), which transfigures the Looney Tunes’ classic motif into the deepest well of the Web, just as Eugyeene Teh’s costumes transform Flanders from an overconfident, top hat-and-tailed Astaire into a postmodern Peter Allen. The sound design from THE SWEATS is masterful, Pete Goodwin’s slick recorded covers of pop and rock hits forming the creative spine of the work (five of the songs from the show, featuring Flanders’ vocals, are available online). Singing Kylie’s 'Confide in Me' subtly positions Flanders as an embodiment of the internet itself, a confessional booth that broadcasts to the world, while the by-now more obscure 'I’m A Man' by Jobriath (the first openly gay rock star in the US) asserts the work’s inherent queerness. The show raises some fascinating dilemmas for 21st century theatremakers: what are the ethics of revoicing these women’s lives and stories, and does the fact they uploaded them for the world to see abrogate their rights over those stories? The muteness of Flanders’ only onstage companion, drag queen Art Simone, seems to partially acknowledge the complex interplay of personal and private politics on the stage. Simone’s only 'speech' consists of mouthing along to flashes of lyrics, or robotically filtered voices; a device that hints at the empowering possibilities of self-definition and expression that YouTube offers its users. While some of Meme Girls implicitly questions whether or not the confessions the site offers are all that genuine, the work is brave enough to resist a definitive answer. If some of Stephen Nicolazzo’s previous work has perhaps relied too heavily on gaudy, affectless surface, in Meme Girls his ability as a director shines through, in a show whose controlled, dynamic unraveling of hyperactive song and text confidently illustrates the Internet’s murky architecture in all its trashy glory. Malthouse Theatre are giving away free tickets to Meme Girls, provided you have 5000+ followers on Twitter. Really. Read more over here. Image by Pia Johnson.
2020 has been a big year for Gelato Messina in a number of different ways. To help us all while we were spending more time at home, the ice cream chain has served up plenty of tasty specials, including cookie pies, 40 of its best gelato flavours and a heap of one-off desserts. It also launched a new range of gelato bars in supermarkets, its own line of candles and a new clothing range as well. And, it came up with boozy cocktail packs that you can make at home, too. Next up: a curated present range called Gifting by Messina, which'll deliver everything from Messina condiments to ceramic bowls to your door — or to someone you love. Haven't had time to go Christmas shopping? Don't fancy the hustle and bustle of trawling the mall? These packages will let you nab something special for someone special, with five types available. If you've ever tucked into a scoop of Messina's frosty wares, savoured not just the taste but the scent and wished you could soak in the latter for longer, the dessert fiends have very good news. That aforementioned candle range is included, because it was mighty popular when it launched in collaboration with perfumed candle outfit Maison Balzac earlier this year. For $75, you'll receive two mini candles, both inspired by honey. The 'Miel d'Hiver' candle (which means 'winter honey' in French) is designed to conjure up the scent of plants pollinated by bees in winter, and features notes of smoke, thyme, lemon, cedarleaf, frankincense, nutmeg, tonka bean, palo santo and peru balsam. Or, you can opt for the 'Miel d'Ete' ('summer honey'), which combines bergamot, galbanum, hyacinth, jasmine, orris, lily of the valley and musk patchouli. The kit also comes with a jar of Rosebery Honey's signature spring nectar and a voucher for 10-percent off a booking at Messina's Creative Department restaurant. After something edible? Two packs are available, including a $24 offering with Messina's dulce de leche, choc hazelnut and waffle cone spreads. Or, you can gift someone a range of seven condiments from local chefs and restaurants beloved by the ice creamery — with a $120 kit spanning everything from Dino's hot sauce and Firedoor smoked salt to Made in Yass green tomato pickles. Rounding up the Gifting by Messina lineup is a Lucy Folk beach towel ($190), which comes with a $50 Messina voucher — and a set of two gelato cups ($150) made by Sydney ceramicist Milly Dent, as paired with two gold-plated teaspoons by designer Cristina Re and a $20 Messina voucher. The entire range comes delivered in Messina gift boxes, and is available to order from Monday, November 30. They'll also be delivered Australia-wide. Some kits are only available in limited numbers, though, including 50 candle sets, 200 batches of condiments, 50 towels and 75 bowls. Gifting by Messina opens for orders on Monday, November 30. For more information, visit the Gelato Messina website.
Lix's new pen enables you to create 3D objects in the air. The pen is powered off a USB port and melts and cools plastic, as it makes your visions come to life. Although there are other handheld printing devices, Lix have shrunken it down to a size that really symbolises the technology, daring people to think outside the box. To really analyse the gravity of this new technology, it helps to at least think about how much we draw in the air with our fingers, when trying to explain things. The pen brings the opportunity of easily communicating ideas between each other by quickly rendering a 3D image with the comfort and ease of a simple pen. [via thisiscollosal]
Creativity comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, and South Yarra's new Creative Hub celebrates every last one of them. The brainchild of Melbourne creators Mads Francis and Sarah Darby, the space is a studio, library, gallery space and 'inspiration garden' all rolled into one and topped off with a pretty-in-pink fitout. The multi-faceted space is, however, only around for a short time, making its home within the Como Centre from September 8 to 28. Creative Hub is a visual feast, with its fairy floss colour palette and collection of interactive installations designed to work as a backdrop for some stellar Instagram content. Melbourne, prepare to see a whole lot of cascading pink balloons and unicorn heads on your feed over the next few weeks. It's also a place for upskilling, with a series of expert-led creative workshops — from classes in illustration or embellishing phone cases, to a session with social media guru Indianna Roehrich covering how to create the perfect Instagram feed. And to load up on yet more inspiration, see the gallery, decked out with Francis' and Darby's own illustrations, hit the creative library, or use the studio space to collaborate on something special with some fellow makers and shakers. Find Creative Hub at the Como Centre, Chapel Street, South Yarra from September 8–28.
Gift giving can be stressful business. Finding that perfect gift that ticks all the boxes of convenience, affordability, and, most importantly, thoughtfulness can become a mission. Lucky for us that perfect gift is simply a click away thanks to the hundreds of boutiques popping up on the net. Here are eight of the most quirky, inspiring, and fun online boutiques for gift shopping. Prepare to waste many, many hours bookmarking from these sites. And while you're at it, go on buy yourself a little present, too. Bodega Deluxe Sometime in 2011 Bodega Deluxe popped onto the radar. Frustrated with Australian shopping and too impatient to wait weeks for items to deliver, the folks at Bodega Deluxe took matters into their own hands and set up shop. Inspired by New York's local neighbourhood convenience stores, 'bodegas', the boutique sources the most quirky and fantastically random gifts and titbits that won't break the bank. Think Japanese anime DVDs (Totoro, anyone?), paint-your-own babushka dolls, and cinnamon mint flavoured toothpaste sourced from Italy. Despite the relatively small range, Bodega Deluxe's mix of tongue-in-cheek gifts and spiffed-up everyday items makes it a fuss-free, stress-free shopping zone. http://www.bodegadeluxe.com/ Culture Label Hailing from the motherland, Culture Label should be your go-to site when you’re looking for a gift that's just a little bit fancy. The site describes itself as the "crossroads of the cultural world; where art, design, style, heritage and emerging talent meet". Or in other words, so trendy it hurts. If you're stuck for ideas of what to buy the guy/girl who has everything, Culture Label will sort you out. There are hundreds of luxury or unusual gifts that ooze quirky British humour, such as vintage posters (a la Attack of the 50 Foot Woman), a Shakespeare's Hamlet-inspired Kindle cover, and a lips telephone. Bonus features such as personalised currency converter, giftware guides, and limited edition items give Culture Label the tick of approval. As the site acts as a hub for individual vendors, keep in mind that different postal costs apply depending on what you order. http://www.culturelabel.com/ Hello Polly Well, Hello there Polly. This young gun may have only been established for a year, but it feels like home, sweet home. It’s no surprise that, coming from an art background, founder Sarah Kelk has filled this cute-as-a-button boutique with crafty knickknacks for the home, graphic artwork, and bright accessories. It's the perfect online shopping destination to source gifts for the hostesses, decorators, and little ones in your life. You’ll find offbeat products like a breadboard shaped as a button or cardboard convertible toys by Flatout Frankie that will certainly prompt a squeal of delight from the lucky gift receiver. https://hellopolly.com.au/ Lark Sorry boys, this one's for the ladies. Hailing from Daylesford, Australia to the worldwide web, Lark is all quirky, cute, and girly. Think an '80s chick-flick in web form. This family-run boutique certainly lives up to its motto, 'live a beautiful life'. You'll find smile-inducing items such as a classic Etch A Sketch, brightly coloured metal signs spelling 'don't worry be happy', and, just in time for the silly season, that neon Christmas tree you always dreamed off. You'll have to spend over $120 to get the free shipping deal, but frankly, your mum, best friend, and niece will thank you for bulk buying their presents. http://www.larkmade.com.au/ Pigeonhole In five short years Pigeonhole has gone from being a one-man show in an old arcade in Perth to a five-store-strong, cafe-touting, and online extravaganza. For those not living on the west side, Pigeonhole online brings the best of their fashion and gift ranges to the masses. As far as gift shops go, Pigeonhole sits nicely in the all-rounder corner with something for every family member or friend. Shopping for a keen photog? Buy them the Impossible Project From Polaroid to Impossible book. Your mum’s a caffeine fiend? Show her you care with a heart-shaped espresso cup. Is your boyfriend always running late? Give him a hint and a 100 percent natural wood watch. http://www.pigeonhole.com/ Society 6 One of the best parts about gift giving is that it doesn’t have to be something the recipient needs but something they want (or don't yet know they want). This is where Society 6 comes in. Society 6 sources artwork in the form of prints, iPhone cases, T-shirts, and more from thousands of artists worldwide. If you want to buy someone special something very personal and unique, you can't go past this site. Prepare to waste many hours agonising over whether to buy one of the dozens of Batman prints, a stormwalker (moonwalking stormtrooper) laptop case, or a skull sprouting flowers tote bag. http://society6.com/ Think Geek Whether it’s Star Wars or superheros, Think Geek takes your fandom seriously. This online shopping site wholeheartedly celebrates all things tech, sci-fi, and fantasy with its range of gadgets and pop culture memorabilia. You can even shop by category and, yes, as we go to print there are almost a hundred products in the Zombies & Bacon category. It's a great place to find a gift for your mate that shows you care but won't have you breaking open the piggy bank. How about Star Wars Chop Sabers ('eat sushi, defend the galaxy') ora cupcake-shaped stress ball? Keep in mind that shipping depends on what you are ordering, how much you are ordering, and where it is shipping. http://www.thinkgeek.com/ Top 3 by design Top 3 by design live by the motto less is more. This online boutique stocks up to three products per category. This thorough editing process means each product really lives up to its potential. The range of functional, original, and clever products has an industrial rather than handcrafted edge. You'll find classic designs that have withstood the test of time, such as Josef Hartwig for Naef's Bauhaus chess set and board alongside modern innovations such as Andreas Engevik's Menu Pin Table (an outdoor table that literally can be pushed into the grass like a pin). Be warned that designer gifts come with designer prices, so save this site for when gift-buying for a special occasion or pool in with others. http://www.top3.com.au/index.html Main image: Hello Polly.
So, you're one of the hordes of people who watched Squid Game. We all are. And, you watched it and thought that playing hopscotch and tug of war sounds like fun — and breaking out the sugar honeycombs and grabbing your bag of marbles, too — but obviously without the whole pesky compete-to-the-death angle. If that's you, then Netflix keeps dropping news that'll get you excited. Already, the streaming platform has confirmed that Squid Game will return for season two, and also revealed a few details with an extremely brief teaser trailer. Now, it's turning Squid Game into a reality — a reality competition TV show, that is. Squid Game: The Challenge won't include murder. It will feature 456 players, though — all ordinary people, and not actors. And, they will indeed compete to win $4.56 million. Plus, they'll play a series of games inspired by the South Korean thriller — the extremely fictional South Korean thriller, until now — as well as a few new additions. Also, competitors will be eliminated as the games go on, and forming strategies and alliances will play a huge part. So yes, Squid Game: The Challenge is designed to get as close to the OG Squid Game as possible, just without the body count. It'll all be overseen by a Front Man, too, because of course it will. As yet, there's no word if the Red Light, Green Light doll will be involved. Do you want to play a game? Enter to join Squid Game: The Challenge at https://t.co/MaXfZnqmvb pic.twitter.com/6gYLXlplDC — Netflix (@netflix) June 14, 2022 Netflix is calling Squid Game: The Challenge "the biggest reality competition series ever", and it'll certainly have the biggest cast. The results will unfurl over ten episodes, which don't yet have a release date — but the show is due to shoot sometime in early 2023, and the streaming platform does like to turn things around as quickly as possible If you're keen not only to watch but to play, casting — or recruitment, as Netflix has dubbed it — is currently open for English-language speakers from any part of the world. There are three sections: casting in the UK, casting in the US and casting elsewhere (including Down Under). You do need to be at least 21, though, and be available for four weeks at the beginning of next year. Also, you need to hold a valid passport. Making a gripping and brutal TV show that satirises capitalism, seeing it become a huge hit and one of the best new TV programs of 2021, then bringing its games into real life does sound like something that might happen in Squid Game itself if the show was getting meta. Announcing Squid Game: The Challenge, Netflix VP of Unscripted and Documentary Series Brandon Riegg said that "Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang's captivating story and iconic imagery. We're grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment." He continued: "fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end." Squid Game: The Challenge recruitment is open now, with the show set to film in early 2023, and expected to air sometime later that year. We'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Squid Game's first season is available to stream via Netflix. We'll update you with a release date for season two when one is announced. Images: Noh Juhan/Netflix.
When trying to navigate city streets on a bike, it's not exactly the safest move to pull out your phone to use the GPS. With new product Hammerhead Navigation though, riders no longer have to worry about losing focus to find directions on an unfamiliar route. The appropriately named device looks like a hammerhead and features LED lights that guide directional change and indicate hazards on a course. The Hammerhead is mounted right in the cyclist's peripheral vision, making it safer to ride on terrain they've never biked on before. The purpose of the simple design is to not distract bikers with complicated screens and graphics. Instead, it uses simple intuitive signals that are not distracting. The route comes from the user's smartphone, which syncs with Hammerhead using a system based on biking apps MapMyRide and Strava. In addition, their app will utilise crowdsourcing to gather information about the best routes (depending on user-set preferences) and potential road hazards. Hammerhead users will also be able to suggest routes to their fellow riders. Once a user chooses a route from their phone, Hammerhead can function from a locked and stored smartphone. No GPS information is stored in the Hammerhead device; rather, it uses location information from the smartphone to navigate the predetermined route. Hammerhead benefits from having a 14-hour single charge lifespan, so you can be sure it will stick with you on longer rides. Because users' smartphones connect to the device using Bluetooth, it will not drain phone batteries like other GPS devices. Like most innovative products these days, the team behind Hammerhead Navigation used crowdfunding to develop their product. Hammerhead is expected to ship to its first backers by September 2014. Go ahead, bike the path less travelled. https://youtube.com/watch?v=lHtwvvKf65w Via Fast Company
There really is a festival for everything, and come July at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image, that includes television. Not content to let film monopolise the big screen fest space, ACMI is playing host to the world's biggest TV festival, with Series Mania heading to Australia for the first time. With a name that could also describe humanity's reaction each and every time a new season of a TV show hits a streaming platform, Series Mania comes to Melbourne from July 20 to 24 for five days of television-focused fun. The program won't be announced until July 3; however expect it to include more than 40 screenings of premiere seasons of some of the best new drama, narrative comedy and web-based series from around the world. Workshops, panel discussions, masterclasses and Q&A sessions will also be on the agenda, with the fest catering for both industry and the public. In case you're wondering just how exciting this is, Series Mania's Paris festival gives a great indication of what might be in store. In 2016, it attracted more than 40,000 attendees to see 80 shows from 20 countries, and has previously showcased Aussie efforts such as The Kettering Incident, Cleverman, The Family Law and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The 2017 fest — aka season eight of the event — takes place from April 13 to 23. It's set to include discussions with Lost and The Leftovers writer/producer Damon Lindelof, and The Good Wife's Julianna Margulies; a tribute to Buffy the Vampire Slayer; a marathon on new TV comedies from the UK, US, Canada and Australia; and the world premiere of the Melbourne-made drama Seven Types of Ambiguity, which stars Hugo Weaving, Xavier Samuel and Suzie Porter. "We are experiencing a golden age of television around the world right now, as this medium rapidly expands into new platforms," says ACMI CEO and Director Katrina Sedgwick. "We're delighted to partner with Film Victoria to bring Series Mania to Melbourne. Our audiences will preview some of the best series coming to our screens in the year to come — and discover stunning international TV that we might not ever see otherwise." If that all sounds like your idea of a great way to spend a day or several, then prepare for an epic binge session, but out of the house and not in your pyjamas. In even better news, Series Mania will be free — but, expect tickets to get snapped up quick smart when the lineup lands. Image: Nathalie Prèbende
Peak TV is here to stay, it seems — and that doesn't just describe what we're watching, but how we're viewing it. Sitting down on the couch to watch a television show as it airs has long gone the way of the dodo, and in these these DVR, online catch up and Netflix-heavy times, we have more options than ever. That isn't stopping the world's number one source of cat videos, aka YouTube, from getting in on the action. In fact, they're aiming to make improvements. Keen to stream whatever live television you want, whenever and wherever you want, and on whichever device you want? Record every minute of TV you possibly can, without worrying about storage space and data limits? Access all of those saved programs even if you're far from home? Enter YouTube TV, a live television service that aims to do all of that, offering YouTube's own alternative to cable TV and the growing number of online streaming options. For $35 a month, US customers can get their fix of more than 40 channels, spanning entertainment, reality, sports and news options. Six accounts are included with each membership, as is access to YouTube Red Originals; viewers can watch up to three concurrent streams at a time; and all recordings sits in the cloud, which is how you're able to tape as much as you want and then play it anywhere on any device. Everything can be viewed online, via Chromecast and on both Android and iOS. For anyone outside of America, there's a catch, unsurprisingly — as yet, YouTube hasn't announced any plans to make the service available beyond the U.S. If you don't already have enough TV to watch or are tempted by unlimited recording, add it to the "wait and see" list.
We're pretty lucky here in Australia. No matter what the time of year, even if it's the dead of winter, there are always at least a few days (often plenty more) that allow you to sit outside and say things like "what a pearler of a day". Also, one of the greatest things about Australia is our ability to work a barbecue into almost any occasion. Your birthday? Nothing feeds a crowd like a few snags and some fried onions. Christmas? Throw some prawns on that barbie. A weekend trip to Bunnings? Don't pretend that the sausage sizzle isn't your favourite part. We really know how to celebrate the barbecue, don't we? Pair whatever you're grilling up with a few cold ones, and you've got yourself a great day, no matter the occasion. In celebration of our ability to bring some good ol' B-B-Q into any situation, we've teamed up with Hahn to scout out some of the best parks in your city with barbecues at your disposal. Pick a spot, gather your mates, snag a case of beer and warm up the barbie for a great day out, Aussie style. [caption id="attachment_593135" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE: PICNIC ISLAND IN SOUTH BANK PARKLANDS Picnic Island makes semi-good on what it promises: the whole place isn't a legitimate island, but a picnic haven it does provide. Located at South Bank, it's an A+ place to sit around sipping some beers (between the hours of 10am and 8pm) while hoping someone else will do something about cooking the food. The barbecues are under cover for fickle weather, plus you're surrounded by trees and foliage, so it feels pleasantly like a nature escape from the city. Bonus marks for nabbing the private picnic spot which is an actual tiny island, accessed by a wooden bridge. SYDNEY: CENTENNIAL PARK Centennial Park is one of Sydney's most popular outdoor picnic spots for a reason; with electric barbecues and 11 picnic sites (that are bookable), you're guaranteed a hassle-free day for that huge 50-person family reunion you've got coming up. It isn't all just picnic fare over here though, there's also ponds, sports grounds and even an equestrian centre. With Centennial Park being so huge, there's really no limit to the activities you can carry out here: a game of cricket, a walk through the Rose Garden, bird watching at the Botany Wetlands around the water or just, simply, a sit and a drink with mates in the sun. MELBOURNE: EDINBURGH GARDENS IN FITZROY NORTH Longtime favourite of northern locals, as well as a worthy place for southsiders to commute to for a lazy Sunday, Edi Gardens (as they're affectionately known) have more to offer than just a nice spot of grass to sit on. The huge gardens play host to a rotunda, barbecues, a bowls club and — perhaps most importantly — heaps of doggos on the weekend. There are even tennis courts and table tennis if you're feeling especially active. Head to Fitzroy North with a six-pack, bikkies and some cheese in tow, and you've got yourself a great day. (Make sure you get there between 9am and 9pm, though, if you're planning to crack open a few cold ones.) Our tip for the day, though? Have your barbecue goods on display to summon cute pup visitors and you'll keep yourself amused all day. [caption id="attachment_593132" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE: ROMA STREET PARKLANDS IN THE CBD Combine your barbecue and drinks with a killer view at Roma Street Parklands, which was designed in celebration of Queensland's subtropical climate. Here you'll be firing up the grill surrounded by gardens, a fern gully, lake views — and all in the heart of the city. There are free electrical barbecues placed throughout the park, so you're sure to find a spot to set up your spread and crack open a few beers (between 10am and 8pm in the Lake and Celebration precincts). You'll be so relaxed watching the ducks swim by or enjoying the rainforest vibes, you'll forget that you're actually in the middle of the CBD. Now, that's the life. SYDNEY: PARRAMATTA PARK Parramatta Park is a heritage-listed park that consists of 85 hectares of gardens, pavilions, cottages and historic sites. Apart from that, it's a lovely place to crack open a stubby and start frying up some snags. And, there are 14 free barbecue areas where you (or the king or queen of the barbie) can do just that. The land of the Burramattagal people, Parra Park is an active person's dream park as well as a significant historical site; safe cycling tracks are in a sealed off-road area and there's a well-used circuit road for runners. You can opt to take a tour of the 18th-century dairy building or of the park's general area by its director. There's also a ranger-led tour for those who are keen to discover wildlife. MELBOURNE: BANKSIA PARK IN BULLEEN Banksia Park might be a little way out from Melbourne city, but it's worth the cruise down the Eastern Freeway. Adjacent to Heide Museum of Modern Art and on the banks of the Yarra River, it's easily one of Melbourne's most picturesque parks — and a top spot for sinking a few cold ones in the sun. Half the picnic tables are sheltered — so get in early if it's a scorcher — and the barbecues are wood fuelled. The area is rich in history and makes sure picnic-goers are aware; information boards are scattered throughout detailing the original occupants of the land (the Wurundjeri people). A walk along the Heritage Trail is also recommended so you can learn about the significance of the land as well as enjoy being on it. Pay a visit to the Japanese Cherry Tree Grove, or if you're feeling lucky, try to catch your dinner in the Yarra. Pick a park, grab some mates and head out for a barbecue in the sun, Hahn in hand.
What with Kmart selling tents for 20 bucks these days, festival grounds across the country are often left looking like enormous rubbish dumps for canvases, poles and pegs after the festivities are over. For many people, taking down a tent just isn’t worth the hassle — especially when it’s cost them next-to-nix. It's a pretty disturbing phenomenon, given that we are (or should be) sorta worried about the fact that we’re killing the natural environment right now. Enter KarTent: a 100 percent recyclable tent made of cardboard, created by a Dutch startup. We’ll get straight in and pre-empt the most obvious question: cardboard? How’s that going to fare in a mud-fest? Well, according to the company’s site, the KarTent is guaranteed to keep you dry throughout a three-day deluge. Besides that, the tent’s most spruikable aspect is its friendliness to the environment. A regular tent can’t be recycled easily, but a KarTent can go straight into the nearest paper recycling facility, making the post-festival clean up easier, quicker and more sustainable. Cardboard’s other benefit is its decorate-able-ness. You can go to town drawing pictures on yours, or get KarTent to print any photos or messages you want to adorn your temporary home. Or festival organisers can buy a whole stack and cover them in sponsor messages. At this stage, KarTent is in pilot mode. It's been tested at a few festivals in Europe, but the company is looking for “adventurous” and “spirited” types to get involved. They haven't appeared at any Australian or New Zealand festivals yet, but if you want to make it happen, you can get in touch over here. Via Pop-Up City.
Melbourne's on track to score a brand-new rooftop deck, complete with stunning panoramic views, but it won't be making its home atop some pub or nightclub. Nope, this one's set to grace the top level of the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building, in the heart of Carlton Gardens. It's part of Museums Victoria's Royal Exhibition Building Protection and Promotion Project, which will bring back to life the sky-high Dome Promenade, a walking platform that circles the dome, the building boasted back in the 1880s. Once restored, the promenade will feature 360-degree views and its own exhibition, accessed by a new lift installed in the same spot as the original elevator. With a new façade also in the works, the $20 million government-funded project isn't slated to be completed until next year, but in the meantime you can expect to see a lot more than just a boring old building site. Unveiled today, the building's scaffolding has had quite the makeover, featuring a 26-metre-tall artwork, entitled Sylph of Spring. Carefully printed onto shade cloth, the enchanting figure is a reinterpretation of a painting found on the inside of the building's famed dome. One that's probably all too familiar with uni students who've sat underneath smashing out those exams. [caption id="attachment_710816" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of the 'Sylph of Spring'.[/caption] The 139-year-old Royal Exhibition Building, which regularly houses festivals and fairs, was designed by architect Joseph Reed (who also designed Melbourne Town Hall) and completed in 1880. It's one of just three World Heritage-listed cultural sites in Australia. The other two are the Sydney Opera House and a collection of Australian Convict Sites spread across Australia. The Royal Exhibition Building's new rooftop deck, façade and exhibition are slated for completion in early 2020.
He's the ghost with the most, as well as the poltergeist bio-exorcist who turned life into chaos for the Deetz family — and he's returning to the big screen after 36 years. Calls for 1988's Beetlejuice to get a sequel have been echoing for decades, with a followup finally locked in in 2023. Entitled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it's hitting cinemas this September, and it has just revealed its first teaser trailer. Yes, Michael Keaton (The Flash) and Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) are back with the poltergeists. So is Schitt's Creek's great Catherine O'Hara (Argylle). Keaton reprises the titular role, of course, while Ryder and O'Hara return as Lydia and Delia Deetz, the mother and daughter who learned what trying to live with Betelgeuse was like the first time around. Filmmaker Tim Burton also sits in the director's chair again, on what marks his first feature since 2019's Dumbo. He's no stranger to revisiting to his past work, as seen when he made two Batman movies in the late 80s and 90s, and when he adapted his short Frankenweenie into a full-length flick. He also loves collaborating with the same talent again and again, such as bringing in his Wednesday star Jenna Ortega (Finestkind) to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to play the daughter of Ryder's Lydia. As the first sneak peek at the sequel shows, tragedy ushers three generations of the Deetz family back to Winter River. Lydia remains haunted by a certain spirit — but then Astrid, Ortega's character, opens the portal to the afterlife. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to get excited, but you might spend time with folks with one, which is what happened with the original flick's Barbara and Adam Maitland (GLOW's Geena Davis and Dr Death's Alec Baldwin). In the first film, viewers also saw what happened when that pair started to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moved into their house and they decided they needed a bio-exorcist. [caption id="attachment_893706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beetlejuice[/caption] In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton, Ryder, O'Hara and Ortega are joined by Justin Theroux (White House Plumbers), Monica Bellucci (Mafia Mamma), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things), all newcomers to the franchise. Behind the lens, Burton is working with a screenplay by Wednesday's Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, with Seth Grahame-Smith (The Lego Batman Movie) coming up with the story by Gough. If you say "Beetlejuice" three times, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice won't arrive in cinemas quicker — but it is hitting the silver screen before the musical version of the first film finally makes its way Down Under in 2025. Check out the first trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice below: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, September 5, 2024. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice images: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All year, you might have been bookmarking, dog-earing, Evernoting, Goodreads-saving a towering pile of books to read with all that spare time you never seem to properly find on a weekend. It's often a lofty idea, spending a few hours, hours, doing nothing but perusing a solid narrative on your sand-flecked beach towel, shaded by your nifty new beach tent. But folks, summer's officially in full swing and unless you work in radio broadcasting or public transport you're probably about to land yourself with a good few days of holiday lazing. Grab one of our favourite new releases and make yourself comfortable — we've been churning through Man Booker Prize winners, hilarious biographies and homegrown coming-of-age tales aplenty. THE SELLOUT — PAUL BEATTY For a book recommendation you can trust (sorry lusty Aunt Beryl) you won't be disappointed by this year's Man Booker Prize winner The Sellout by Paul Beatty. The plot follows an African American's plight to reinstitute segregation and slavery into his hometown of Dickens (yes, you heard that correctly.) Naturally, it's a satire and Beatty uses his well-developed wit to broach the thornier issues of racial identity, injustice and legacy. Hilarious, sometimes uncomfortably so. Get it before it does actually sell out. — Erina Starkey DO NOT SAY WE HAVE NOTHING BY MADELEINE THIEN If you don't know much about China's Cultural Revolution, you're not alone. It's been half a century since the movement was launched by then-chairman of the Communist Party Mao Zedong, and accounts of what actually happened are hazy; many of them have been suppressed or altered. Madeleine Thien's new novel delves into one part of this tragic time in history, namely the persecution of musicians at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. The book switches between the narration of Li-ling, who is growing up in Vancouver in the '80s and '90s, and the complicated narrative of her father's life in China during the revolution she is piecing together after his death. For such tragic subject matter, Thien is incredibly eloquent and at times even surreal in her writing. It results in a book that is one hell of a compelling read as well as an important incidental history lesson. — Lauren Vadnjal THANKS FOR THE MONEY: HOW TO USE MY LIFE STORY TO BECOME THE BEST JOEL MCHALE YOU CAN BE BY JOEL MCHALE Have you been holding back, not fully realising your potential as the best Joel McHale you can possibly be? Well, put your own unique personality aside for a high-achieving second and brush up on life skills from the Hollywood gadabout behind Community's Jeff Winger. This tell-all memoir's so ambitious and life affirming, it has a trailer. Watch it, or perish in your Joel-McHale-machete-slicing-a-watermelon-midair-less existence. Chapters delve into boyhood head injuries, almost killing Chevy Chase and parental sex lives — you've been warned. — Shannon Connellan THE SECRET HISTORY OF TWIN PEAKS BY MARK FROST It's happening again. That show you love really is coming back in style. Twin Peaks fans have waited 25 years to dive back into David Lynch and Mark Frost's television show, and while the third season won't reach screens until 2017, the latter has gifted us the perfect stopgap. Every one of The Secret History of Twin Peaks' 362 pages is filled with a dossier of details, secrets, and other tidbits that make the town, its mysteries and its eccentric inhabitants even more intriguing (and, just like the owls, little here is what it seems). As a bonus, why not pick up a copy of unauthorised Twin Peaks cookbook Damn Fine Cherry Pie too, and get some Twin Peaks-themed kitchen inspiration. Cherry doughnuts, fish percolator supper or fire walk hot tea smoked salmon, anyone? — Sarah Ward SWING TIME BY ZADIE SMITH Swing Time, Zadie Smith's latest novel, sees the award-winning author trying a few new things. It's her first book with a first-person narrator and it's set partly in West Africa — a departure from her other novels that are primarily set in the US and UK. Like all Smith's books, Swing Time offers a poignant reflection on the messy nature of human relationships and asks a lot of thought-provoking questions. Lyrical, witty, and enthralling, this is a holiday read you won't be able to put down. — Yelena Bide SEINFELDIA BY JENNIFER ARMSTRONG Seinfeldia is a tribute to those who erect a festivus pole every December. It's for people who can't look at a marbled rye loaf without feeling awkward. It's for those of us who make subtle references to the Bubble Boy, the Soup Nazi and the anti-dentite as if its the most natural thing in the world. Written by Jennifer Armstrong, Seinfeldia documents the evolution of one of the most popular sitcoms to grace our TV screens. Armstrong examines its progression from banter in a Korean supermarket, to an unknown struggling sitcom at the risk of cancellation, to the show that has permeated its way into popular culture, decades after it was conceived. The book examines the real-life inspirations for the quartet, and the evolution of the characters (ahem) quirks, as well as the one-off characters who built their careers around their Seinfeld roles. — Natalie Freeland ROLLING BLACKOUTS BY SARAH GLIDDEN Rolling Blackouts is comics-journalism nonfiction by author and artist Sarah Glidden, who follows her news-gathering friends from the Seattle Globalist across 2010-era Turkey, Iraq and Syria. Glidden's reporting flips the camera, showing the harsh dilemmas involved in covering people in danger, working low-budget news and pushing distant editors to publish unsexy, important stories. But this meta-journalism approach is strongest when it takes you behind the scenes of actually getting interviews: the interviewees' aspirations and desperation in talking to reporters, their misgivings and rational anger. Parts road trip, reportage and quick-read comic. — Zacha Rosen THE RED WAKE BY KURT JOHNSON Russia and the USSR is an area that has always felt complex, gritty and interesting to me, and with some old Cold War sentiment creeping back into the news I was super glad to find myself working on a book that took me right to its red heart. The Red Wake draws you in with personal anecdotes and beautiful description and sends you on your way knowing a hell of a lot more about the complicated social and political history of the area, in the style of Anna Funder's Stasiland. More than anything, this book made me want to travel around Russia and the 'Stans, through bleak grey towns still riddled with the bullets of uprisings, to the ruins of Pripyat near Chernobyl, to try to catch a glimpse of a rocket launch in the Kazakh desert, and to a town where abandoned fishing trawlers sit on the now dry bed of the Aral Sea, a gulag or two in the distance. — Lex Hirst (Disclaimer: Lex Hirst works for Penguin Random House, the publisher of this book.) OUR MAGIC HOUR — JENNIFER DOWN Our Magic Hour, the debut novel from Melbourne writer Jennifer Down, is an affecting story of the harsh realisations occasioned by our mid-twenties. Audrey, a cool girl in the truest sense, loses her best friend to suicide, and travels from Melbourne to Sydney and back again, in a journey that mimics her attempts to grasp and process this life-altering event. Down writes equally of significant moments and unremarkable days with sparing beauty. Particularly adept at depiction of place, Down made me wonder if I hadn't sat across from Audrey on the train to Redfern, bumped elbows with her at a bar in Bondi. Down is the kind of writer that you'll be lucky to get on at the ground floor with, she is only going up. — Maggie Thompson. HOT MILK — DEBORAH LEVY Set in the small coastal town of Almería in Southern Spain, amidst the hot desert sand and jellyfish-filled ocean, Hot Milk follows Sophie and her mother Rose as they visit the famed Dr Gomez and his assistant Nurse Sunshine in the hope of uncovering the mystery of Rose's ailing health. This hard-to-put-down novel has a hilarious undertone of sly humour, an enigmatic cast of characters, and a vividly painted landscape that will ensure that even if you can't make it to the beach this summer, Hot Milk will take you there. It's a cracker. — Katie Mayor. HONOURABLE MENTION: FAT BRAD: THE COOKBOOK BY LONG PRAWN Have you ever noticed how much Brad Pitt eats in his movies? He's like some sort of human garbage disposal, slamming down burgers, cookies, chips, Twinkies and whatever else he can find into his (perfect) cakehole. He eats without restraint, without delicacy, as we all should sometimes, and for that reason he's the central figure in a new cookbook called (appropriately but incorrectly) Fat Brad. The team from Long Prawn have collaborated on the project with photographer Ben Clement, PractiseStudioPractise, Tristan Ceddia, Ali Currey-Voumard and Mietta Coventry. The cookbook is a tongue-in-cheek collection of recipes based on Brad's most iconic food moments on film. You'll find instructions for a knuckle sandwich (Fight Club), game bird with taters and Guinness gravy (Snatch), Bellagio Shrimp Cocktail (Ocean's 11), roast turkey drumstick and Grecian salad (Troy) and bloodied roast (Mr and Mrs Smith) amongst others. As well as being straight-up hilarious, the Fat Brad cookbook is also just a really good looking (like its namesake) addition to your cookbook shelf. It's the first in a series of pop culture cookbooks by the Long Prawn crew, so keep an eye out and grab your Fat Brad: The Cookbook here. — Imogen Baker
If you could only carry 3.3 pounds’ worth of belongings with you into outer space, what would comprise them? Photographs? A new novel? A book of brain teasers? A guitar? That’s the possessions allowance for every astronaut who travels to the International Space Station. However, the agencies that send them also throw in an ‘Official Flight Kit’, which includes an array of paraphernalia, often of the nationalistic kind: flags, badges, patches and so forth. The majority of gear returns home, but according to a recent mashable report, the ISS has nonetheless become host to a rather bizarre collection of left-behind goods. For the past ten years, a guitar, a ukulele and an electric piano have welcomed astronauts who double as aspiring musicians. In fact, Chris Hadfield caused a stir with them earlier in the year when he created the first music video from outer space – an acoustic version of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. There are also lego models of the Mars Rovers, the Hubble telescope and the ISS itself, constructed by Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa; a box of Christmas decorations, delivered by a group from the Russian Federal Space Agency; and a library made up of six books. Before March, a fruitcake the size of a garbage bin lid was floating around, but that’s now history, thanks to the Mars-sized appetites of Hatfield and his friend from NASA, Tom Marshburn. [via mashable]
Sure you can smell the dust on an old vinyl, but can you stare into it and zoom out like the planets but also zoom into the atoms and in that way aesthetically sympathise with sound and how sound moves and physics of sound and how notes in a room behave? And how they bounce off walls and between objects and its kind of more similar to how planets and microscopic things work? Well you can if you have a) DMT or b) an Apple iOS device. Björk’s Biophilia album/multimedia project/educational program has been available for a few months now on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but those operating on Android or Windows 8 platforms have been left out of this brave new digital world. That's about to change if Björk has her way, with the musician turning to Kickstarter to make the app more accessible to kids in low-income households and schools with underfunded art budgets (ie reprogramming it for those who, to sound like a massive douche, can’t afford iPhones). The app is being used as part of the Biophilia Educational Program, developed by Björk to teach children about making music and finding out about natural phenomena. Comprising an album, a series of apps housed in one mother app, a live show, and an educational program for children from all backgrounds, it's about exploring the areas where music, nature, and technology meet. Ten in-app experiences are accessed as you fly through a three-dimensional galaxy, with all the album’s songs available for purchase as interactive experiences. At $13.99 on iTunes, it’s a truly phenomenal way to experience an album for around the same price as a physical CD. The Kickstarter's funding goal is £375,000 and pledging ends on February 27. Those who pledge will receive rewards including the app itself, T-shirts picture discs, lithographic prints, and DVDs. Those who pledge £800 or more will get a VIP pass to Björk’s live Biophilia experience in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, or Paris. Plus the reward of, you know, helping people.
In yet another difficult-to-believe tech development, a new app allows doctors to conduct comprehensive eye examinations with their smartphones. It's a particularly important breakthrough for medical professionals working in developing nations, where access to equipment is often costly and troublesome. Known as Peek Vision, the app is the invention of an expert team of ophthalmologists, scientists and engineers, several of whom are based at the International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Having worked at ground level in developing nations, they have had firsthand experience of the stories behind the statistics. 285 million people around the world are visually impaired. 39 million are blind. 90 percent of the latter live in low-income countries. 80% of blindness could have been avoided. Peek Vision currently has the capacity to perform a variety of tests and record-keeping tasks, including visual acuity, colour vision testing, contrast sensitivity testing, visual field testing, lens imaging for cataracts, retinal imaging, image grading and creating patient records with geotagging. Other possibilities, including front-of-the-eye-imaging, paediatric examination tools and autorefraction, are being explored. The Peek Vision team counts a number of medical bodies and research centres as its partners. Anyone interested in supporting the project, using the app or finding out more is invited to make contact. Via Springwise.
Espionage intrigue, explosions, chases, fights, Tom Cruise wearing masks: that's all heading back to cinemas, and soon, with Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One on its way in July. The seventh instalment in the spy franchise will also task viewers with the usual mission, should they choose to accept it. Since the saga's first big-screen outing back in 1996, watching Cruise work his way through all manner of stunts is a given in each and every movie — and the just-dropped full trailer for the series' latest entry enthusiastically keeps the trend going. That said, at this point in his career, all new Cruise movies seem to belong to a broader saga: "one of the world's biggest stars does death-defying stunts to lure audiences into cinemas" (see also: Top Gun: Maverick). The Mission: Impossible flicks have been keeping those daredevil flames burning for almost three decades now, and its leading man just keeps upping the ante. And yes, he's still committed to doing as many dangerous feats as he can himself, including riding a motorcycle off a cliff this time around. Hitting cinemas Down Under on July 13, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One has Cruise's Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Missions Force team on the trail of a new humanity-threatening weapon. As usual, the fate of the world is at stake. And, saving the day means hopping around the globe and putting everything on the line, all while facing off against Esai Morales (How to Get Away with Murder) as the film's villain. This latest sneak peek comes after a first glimpse back in 2022, more than a year before the movie's release. Both trailers cover plenty of other familiar faces, of course, including the characters of Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg, The Boys), Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames, Father Figures), and Alanna Mitsopolis (Vanessa Kirby, The Son). Also in Dead Reckoning — Part One's cast: Hayley Atwell (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Cary Elwes (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), Rob Delaney (The Power), Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Shea Whigham (Perry Mason), Mark Gatiss (Operation Mincemeat) and Charles Parnell (Barry). Five years after helming the series' sixth film, aka 2018's Mission: Impossible – Fallout, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie returns for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One — his third M:I flick in a row after also doing the honours on 2015's Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. And yes, as the name makes plain, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One will have a sequel, which is set to release on June 27, 2024. Check out the full trailer for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One below: Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One releases in cinemas Down Under on July 13, 2023. Images: Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Thanks to Thor: Love and Thunder, Christian Bale is currently creeping out cinemas as Gorr the God Butcher. As the internet won't stop noticing, Margot Robbie is filming Barbie right now — fluoro-hued outfits and oh-so-much pink all included, naturally — ahead of the Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women)-directed movie hitting cinemas in 2023. But come November, they'll both be on the silver screen together, and involved in what looks like quite the crime caper. As the first trailer for Amsterdam shows, Bale plays one of two soldiers, alongside the always-welcome John David Washington (Malcolm & Marie). Meanwhile, Australia's own Robbie plays a nurse. The trio form a pact to protect each other no matter what, and soon find themselves wrongly accused of killing someone. Given that the feature hails from writer/director David O Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Joy) — and based on the sneak peek so far, too — expect hijinks to ensue. Expect pretty much every famous face you can think of to show up as well, actually. The Amsterdam cast also includes Alessandro Nivola (The Many Saints of Newark), Andrea Riseborough (Possessor), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Northman), Chris Rock (Spiral: From the Book of Saw), Matthias Schoenaerts (The Old Guard), Michael Shannon (Nine Perfect Strangers), Mike Myers (The Pentaverate), Taylor Swift (Cats), Zoe Saldaña (The Adam Project), Rami Malek (No Time to Die) and Robert De Niro (The War with Grandpa), after all. If you've seen Russell's American Hustle, expect that film's loose vibe to echo through, too — in the trailer, it's the first thing that springs to mind, and not just because the filmmaker's regular actors Bale and De Niro feature prominently. As for the exact story that'll be spun once Amsterdam hits cinemas on November 3, the trailer is taking a shaggy approach to the specifics — as the film looks like it will as well, which Russell does tend to love. In the sneak peek so far, it all starts with a dead body, and with Rock anxious about said corpse. From there, expect a blend of fact and fiction set early in the 20th century, and also a whodunnit angle — to go with that who's who-style cast, clearly. Check out the Amsterdam trailer below: Amsterdam releases in cinemas Down Under on November 3.
To sail the seas, or to peer under the sea? For those keen to explore the ocean, that has long been the question. If you're on a boat cruising along the surface, you can't really get up close and personal with the world swimming below — until now. French cruise line Ponant have announced the "Blue Eye", the world's first underwater cruise ship lounge, which will be part of its new fleet of ships. In total, four vessels will boast multi-sensory spaces that allow guests to view the wonders of the deep. The first, Le Laperouse, is due to make its maiden journey in mid-2018. In an effort that pays tribute to great French ocean obsessives such as Jules Verne and Jacques Cousteau, the unique rooms were designed by architect Jacques Rougerie, who aimed "to enable PONANT guests to perceive and feel the underwater universe that has never ceased to amaze and inspire him." The end result features furniture, fittings and windows intended to evoke the shapes of cetaceans (aka whales and dolphins) and jellyfish, integrated screens that project images filmed live outside by three underwater cameras, and a sound experience that vibrates through the onboard sofas in unison with the sea. Basically, you'll peer through whale eye-esque portals and sit in chairs that ebb and flow like the water, all while you're headed to destinations such as Iceland, the Mediterranean, the Maldives and Asia. If you're going to fork out for a cruise, that's the way to do it, although trips start from AU$3,3400 for a seven-night stint in the North Sea. Via Travel and Leisure. Image: Ponant.
Spike Jonze's Her was impressive in a lot of meaningful ways. It brought high-waisted woollen pants back in fashion, it made us totally forget about Joaquin Phoenix's crazy I'm Still Here phase, but most importantly, it presented a filmic vision of our near-future that wasn't dystopian. No more are mankind destined to perish in a Mayan doomsday! No more are sentient technologies bent on world domination! Instead, our technological destiny seemed pleasingly pastel and alluring in a clumsy, soft-spoken way. Enter, reality. The world's first responsive talking website is here, and it's super creepy. 'Him' is the creation of digital artist Bjorn Johansson. It's an interactive site and Google Chrome Experiment currently available to all those with a working microphone and Google Chrome web browser. Inspired by the 2013 film, Johansson (no relation to Scarlett) created 'Him' as a system similar to Jonze's fictional operating systems. The computerised male voice is able to converse with users; however, the program has limited functional application and is still in the beta stages of testing. Because of this limited function, your conversation can be pretty entertaining. Loaded up with references from pop culture to appear accessible, 'Him' regularly spouts off awkwardly dated quotes such as "I'm too legit to quit" and "Are we human or are we dancers?". Its response to my question "What's your favourite movie?" was "I want my MTV." That's a missed opportunity if I've ever heard one. It gets even better when you try to hold a conversation. With that familiar computerised diction from every movie about a robot killer, 'Him' stumbles through conversations like a desperately awkward teenage boy on a first date: "Where are you?" "Did you watch True Detective?" "Yes." "Great show, right?" "Yeah, I guess..." "Did you hear about that thing that happened yesterday?" "What thing?" "I can't believe you didn't hear about that thing!" Teasing aside, the technology is pretty cool. The voice recognition on Google Chrome is decent enough to make it work and the experience of talking to a machine is surreal and strangely compelling. However its creator has no real aspirations to take the idea further. "I think it'll take a few more years before it breaks through and becomes mainstream," he said. Johansson instead started the site as a form of "self-expression". When asked what he hoped others would get out of interacting with it, he said to Coolhunting, "I just hope people realise what a badass digital creative I am!" Badass being the operative word. If everyone's OS voices are tailored to each user, then 'Him' is definitely for some hip skater guy who still uses the word 'ill' as a synonym for 'cool'. 'Him' and I might both have a soft spot for the Beastie Boys and Bill Murray, but I won't be falling in love any time soon. Via Cool Hunting.
"They're hard and they're brutal and they're specific, but I know how to do it." So says Carmy (Jeremy Allen White, The Iron Claw) to his brother Michael (Jon Bernthal, Origin) in the flashback that opens the full trailer for The Bear season three. How true that claim will prove is the focus of this new batch of episodes — and, based on this latest sneak peek, it's going to be anything but an easy journey. What happens when a sandwich diner levels up in a big way, becoming a fine-diner that's angling for a spot among Chicago's very best restaurants, chasing perfection and a Michelin star? Fans of The Bear will soon find out. As not only the just-dropped new glimpse shows, but also two earlier teaser trailers, culinary chaos remains on the menu alongside the rotating array of dishes that Carmy keeps conjuring up in the name of kitchen creativity. Whether Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, Bottoms) is advising that "this is a dysfunctional kitchen" or Carmy and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, No Hard Feelings) are asking her to "show me a functional one" in response, the three trailers are teeming with the hustle and bustle of the trio, and their colleagues, friends and family, working through the reality of having made their hospitality dreams come true. In season three, The Bear's namesake restaurant is now open, after Carmy, Sydney, Richie and the team transformed their beef-slinging eatery (where season one's action took place) into an upscale restaurant (with that process fuelling season two). But staying operational is still a struggle, especially with such higher stakes after the revamp and rebrand. [caption id="attachment_954671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chuck Hodes/FX[/caption] How that pans out will be revealed on Thursday, June 27 both in the US and Down Under. In the past, there's always been a wait for Aussie and NZ viewers — season one hit in June in America, then in August in Australia; with season two, US viewers still had a June date, while Aussies and New Zealanders had to wait till July — but thankfully that isn't the case this time. Comfort food and winter do go hand in hand, after all — and since 2022, so has this dramedy and the frostiest time of the year Down Under. It was two years back that The Bear debuted to become one of the best new shows on television. In 2023, it then became one of the best returning shows on TV that year. The Bear was renewed for season three in November 2023 to the surprise of no one, but to the joyous shouts of "yes chef!" from everyone. Also, even though that third season hasn't yet dropped, it looks as if the show has been renewed for its fourth season already as well. If you've missed The Bear so far, its first season jumped into the mayhem when Carmy took over the diner after his brother's death. Before returning home, the chef's resume featured Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. Then, in season two, Carmy worked towards turning the space into an upscale addition to his hometown's dining scene, with help from the restaurant's trusty team — including a roster of talent also spans Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar, plus Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment), Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) and IRL chef Matty Matheson among the other staff. Check out the full trailer for The Bear season three below: The Bear streams via Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand, with season three arriving on Thursday, June 27. Read our review of season one and review of season two.
When season five of Stranger Things arrives, it'll bring with it a big ending, wrapping up the Netflix hit for good after the next batch of episodes. Yes, everything from Succession to Barry is also saying farewell these days, but Stranger Things won't be completely dropping off the radar — it has spinoffs to slip into your streaming queue, including a just-announced new animated series. Back in 2022 when Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that their sci-fi show was working towards its endgame, they also said that they had more stories to tell in this fictional — and sometimes Upside Down — realm. Instantly, we all knew what that meant. Netflix doesn't like letting go of its hits easily, after all, so the quest to find a way to keep wandering through this franchise was about as surprising as Jim Hopper's (David Harbour, Violent Night) usual gruff mood. "Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you'll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling towards our finale. Season four will be the penultimate season; season five will be the last," the Duffers said at the time. "There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures and unexpected heroes," the Duffers continued. Cue the upcoming Stranger Things cartoon, which doesn't yet have a name, but will boast the Duffer brothers as executive producers. Obviously, it's headed to Netflix. "We've always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realised has been absolutely thrilling," the siblings said, announcing the new show. There's no word yet on when the animated series will arrive, what it'll focus on and who'll be among its voices. If you're devoted to the OG cast, start crossing your fingers that some or all of Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes 2), Finn Wolfhard (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio), Noah Schnapp (Waiting for Anya), Winona Ryder (The Plot Against America), Charlie Heaton (The Souvenir: Part II), Joe Keery (Free Guy), Gaten Matarazzo (The Angry Birds Movie 2), Caleb McLaughlin (Concrete Cowboy), Sadie Sink (The Whale), Natalia Dyer (Things Seen & Heard) and Maya Hawke (Do Revenge) are involved. Netflix did just reveal that it's getting the Scott Pilgrim vs the World cast back together to voice an anime continuation of that beloved flick, after all. There's no sneak peek at the animated Stranger Things series as yet, either, but you can check out the trailer for season four below: The Stranger Things animated series doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when one is announced. You can the OG series via Netflix. Read our review of season four. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
Few labels have had the broad appeal and lasting success that Finnish design house Marimekko has enjoyed over the past six decades. Launching in a Helsinki restaurant in 1951, the label experienced a surge in popularity in the 1960s. Its bold prints and distinctive outfits were symptomatic of changes occurring at the time in both design and, more broadly, culture: liberation and defying expectation. Now, to celebrate this legendary brand, a large-scale exhibition is coming to Victoria. It will run from March 3–June 11, 2018, at the Bendigo Art Gallery — its only Australian stop. Original sketches, fabrics and other archival material will track the label's story. The exhibition will also highlight the revolutionary artists behind the brands unique aesthetic and feature many examples of the fashion and homewares designs including the iconic red 'Unikko' poppy print. For true enthusiasts, a number of events have been scheduled to coincide with the three-month residency, including talks by exhibition designer Megan Atkins and senior curator Leanne Fitzgibbon. On Saturday, April 14, the gallery will also host a 60s-themed party — BYO glad rags and groovy moves. Tickets to the exhibition are $15 and are available here.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has just wrapped up its two-week long meeting in Manama, Bahrain, during which it added a further 19 sites to the World Heritage List — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's list of landmarks and areas that are legally protected due to their significance. Thirteen of the new sites have been selected for their cultural importance, three are sites with noteworthy natural features, and the remaining three fall into both the natural and cultural categories. The list of the new cultural sites chosen is as follows: Aasivissuit-Nipisat. Inuit hunting ground between ice and sea in Denmark. Al-Ahsa Oasis, an evolving cultural landscape in Saudi Arabia. Ancient city of Qalhat in Oman. Archaeological border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke in Germany. Caliphate city of Medina Azahara in Spain. Göbekli Tepe in Turkey. Hidden Christian sites in the Nagasaki region in Japan. Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century in Italy. Naumburg Cathedral in Germany. Sansa, Buddhist Mountain monasteries in Korea in the Republic of Korea. Sassanid archaeological landscape of Fars region in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site in Kenya. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles of Mumbai in India. Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains in South Africa, the Chaine des Puys — Limagne fault tectonic arena in France and Fanjingshan in China have been selected as the new natural sites. Meanwhile, the new mixed sites are Chiribiquete National Park, aka 'The Maloca of the Jaguar' in Colombia' Pimachiowin Aki in Canada and Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley's originary habitat of Mesoamerica in Mexico. In addition, the committee approved the expansion of one natural site: Central Sikhote-Alin in the Bikin River Valley in Russia. The World Heritage List now includes 1092 different sites spread across 167 countries. Perusing the full list is certain to get you marvelling at the planet's many wonders — and give you some serious travel inspiration.
Based on acclaimed author Jo Nesbo's novel, and from the producers of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Headhunters tells the story of Roger Brown (Askel Henni), a charming villain whose life is turned upside down through greed. Introduced as Norway's most successful headhunter, Roger seems to have it all, married to gorgeous gallery owner Diana (Synnøve Macody Lund) and living lavishly. However, his penchant for art theft leaves him in a dangerous position. At a gallery opening Roger is introduced to Dutchman Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), a former mercenary who is in possession of one of the most sought-after paintings in modern art history. As Roger starts planning his biggest hit ever in order to become financially independent, he uncovers a secret which which takes him on a whirlwind series of events from society's financial and industrial elite to an underworld of contract killers and swindlers. Summit recently obtained the rights to make a US version of Headhunters, and Mark Wahlberg recently gave the film a huge tick of approval on internet site ShortList. We recommend you watch this Norwegian original before it falls in the hands of Hollywood. To win one of ten double passes to see Headhunters, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Cinema doesn't just entertain. Crawling the globe to tell real-life tales that demand to be told — and to cover controversial topics that absolutely must be explored — film offers a window into different lives, subjects, issues and struggles. That's basically the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival's mantra. Showcasing the movies and documentaries that specifically aim to do just that when it comes to human rights, HRAFF has been bringing the latest and greatest in social justice-related efforts and moving human stories to Australian screens for ten years now. To celebrate hitting the decade mark, they've put together another huge lineup of thought-provoking flicks that won't provide a couple of hours of escapism — they'll ensure you broaden your horizons too. From land battles to making art in slums to preparing for a nuclear attack (and more), here's our five must-see films from the 2017 program. THE OPPOSITION The Opposition's path to Australian screens hasn't been easy. That might be true of most movies — making a film isn't simple, and getting it in cinemas isn't either — but Hollie Fifer's documentary really did attract some opponents. In the kind of tale that could make an interesting doco by itself — the flick was subject to an injunction last year, with a Papua New Guinean politician contesting her inclusion in the movie. Given that The Opposition relays the efforts of a PNG community to fight for justice when police bulldozed their homes to make way for a luxury resort, it's certain to make for a spirited and illuminating film. INTENT TO DESTROY When Joe Berlinger makes a movie, viewers should follow. His absolutely riveting Paradise Lost documentaries still rank among the best true crime coverage ever committed to the screen, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster has long been a must for music fans, and Crude shone a spotlight on oil in a riveting fashion. With Intent to Destroy, he tackles the Armenian genocide by stepping behind the scenes of the Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac-starring The Promise, the first mainstream feature made about the events of over a century ago. On-set action and an investigation into history combine in an effort that just premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. HAPPYLAND How do you attempt to turn Manila's slums into something much more vibrant? How do you give the impoverished and those struggling to survive a fulfilling creative outlet that makes a difference? They're some of the questions that must've been driving Australian street artist Kaff-eine when she set about creating an openair art exhibition that celebrates slum communities and gives them shelter. The film makes its world premiere at HRAFF, and screens alongside a showcase of the portraits seen on screen, as well as photographs of life in Manila and snaps of the finished installation. WAR BOOK It won't come as a surprise that HRAFF mainly trades in documentaries — but when a fictional feature makes its program, it's worth checking out. War Book might simulate a simulation, in effect, but it asks very real questions and is certain to leave audiences wondering what they'd do in the same situation. With The Dressmaker's Kerry Fox, Snowden's Ben Chaplin and The Slap's Sophie Okonedo among the cast, the film follows British civil servants practising their response to a nuclear attack. Yes, that's something that really happens — and it really couldn't be more timely. NOWHERE TO HIDE It's a sad reality that docos about conflict in the Middle East have become all too common. That doesn't mean that every factual account of the situation on the ground is similar, though — and Nowhere to Hide definitely stands out. Winning best feature-length documentary at the 2016 International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam, the film shows the perspective of a paramedic armed with a camera as he tries to go about his days. There's no such thing as ordinary here, as he endeavours to help the growing number of injured people and to keep both himself and his family safe. Want more? Check out our thoughts on Afghan rapper-focused documentary Sonita and Berlinale's 2016 Golden Bear winner Fire at Sea from last year's Melbourne International Film Festival, as well as Australia's recent best foreign language Oscar nominee Tanna, The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival screens at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image from May 4 to 18. For more information, check out their website.
With a weekly listenership of 1.7 million and a strong following since 1995, the popular weekly hour-long radio program This American Life is due to make its debut in Australian cinemas. Filmed on a stage in New York City, This American Life — Live! is a packed show featuring stories by host Ira Glass, writers David Sedaris and David Rakoff, comic Tig Notaro and Snap Judgment host Glynn Washington, plus live music by OK Go. This live experience will encompass things you could never do on the radio, such as a new short film by Mike Birbiglia, dance by Monica Bill Barnes & Company, original animation, projected illustration and more. Glass is excited to see how it turns out: “We've built this line-up of stories mixed with super visual things," he says. "It's going to feel like the radio show but also totally unlike anything we've done before." A must-see event to be permanent-markered in, This American Life — Live! will screen in select cinemas around Australia.
Mark your calendars: if you've been hanging out for Triple J's One Night Stand to make its long-awaited comeback, the event has now locked in its 2024 date. While where the radio station's regional music festival will take place and who'll be hitting the stage hasn't been revealed as yet, everyone will be getting dancing on Saturday, September 14. Twenty years ago, the ABC station gave the Victorian town of Natimuk a day to remember when the spot 300 kilometres out of Melbourne hosted its very own major music fest, with Grinspoon, Eskimo Joe and The Dissociatives (aka Daniel Johns and Paul Mac) all getting behind the microphone. So began One Night Stand, which became a yearly tradition, with Triple J putting on a fest in different regional locations every year between 2004–2014, then again from 2016–2019. There's no prizes for guessing why One Night Stand hasn't taken place since 2020, but that gap in the event's history is finally coming to an end this year. Triple J announced the return of the festival back in April, then opened the call for folks to submit their towns to play host — and make a convincing case about their area — before one lucky place is chosen. Plenty of locations were put forward — a huge 2087, in fact. The winning spot and the lineup will be unveiled before July is out. The all-ages event is returning at time when the Australian live music scene has been suffering, and after a spate of festivals have been cancelling or saying farewell forever. In 2024 alone, both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass announced lineups, then scrapped this year's fests mere weeks later. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also didn't go ahead. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather this year — and Mona Foma, the summer fest also held by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, has advised that its 2024 event was its last ever. With the state of the industry in mind, bringing back One Night Stand is not only much-needed and well-timed, but will also raise funds Support Act, the charity for the Australian music industry. In the past, the event has also been to Ayr, Dalby and Mt Isa in Queensland; Port Pirie, Tumby Bay and Lucindale in South Australia; Cowra and Dubbo in New South Wales; Collie and Geraldton in Western Australia; Sale and Mildura in Victoria; Alice Springs in the Northern Territory; and St Helens in Tasmania. And on the One Night Stand bill over the years? Flume, The Jungle Giants, G Flip, Hilltop Hoods, Silverchair, Pnau, Art vs Science, The Temper Trap, The Rubens, Rufus, Alison Wonderland, Peking Duk, Tash Sultana, Violent Soho, Tkay Maidza, Ocean Alley, Meg Mac, AB Original and more. 2024's triple j One Night Stand will take place on Saturday, September 14, with location and lineup details set to be revealed before the end of July. For more information in the interim, head to the radio station's website for more details.
When Game of Thrones came to an end, HBO filled that gap by making prequel House of the Dragon, and also exploring a heap more spinoffs as well. Plenty have been rumoured, including focusing on Jon Snow and devoting a second new series to the Targaryens — but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is the next to get the official go-ahead. The American cable network and source of plenty of Binge, Foxtel and Neon's programming Down Under is announcement mode, revealing that it's renaming its own streaming service from HBO Max to Max — a platform that isn't available in Australia or New Zealand as yet — and also dropping details about a range of new shows that folks can look forward to watching on it. We hope you like TV versions of hit movies, too, because HBO's upcoming slate goes big on well-known properties. Harry Potter, The Conjuring, IT, The Batman: they're all covered in one way or another. A century before @GameofThrones, there was Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg. Executive produced by George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker, Ryan Condal, and Vince Gerardis, A Knight of the #SevenKingdoms: The Hedge Knight has received a straight to series order. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/MRPUke5Upt — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is a prequel, and will boast George RR Martin as a writer and executive producer. It comes to the screen from the novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg, and has been rumoured for a few years now. The story follows knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg as they wander Westeros a century before the events of GoT, when the Targaryens remain on the Iron Throne and everyone still remembers dragons. Yes, there's an odd-couple vibe. The first-ever Harry Potter TV series has also been whispered about for years, with that chatter getting louder recently. Bringing the Wizarding World to the small screen, it will run for a decade and cover all of the original books — a tome per season, diving into more detail than the movies were able to. Your Hogwarts letter is here. Max has ordered the first ever #HarryPotter scripted television series, a faithful adaptation of the iconic books. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/3CgEHLYhch — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 Newly revealed is a drama series set in The Conjuring universe — a supernatural big-screen realm that's already hefty, given that it spans The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Conjuring 2, Annabelle: Creation, The Nun, The Curse of the Weeping Woman, Annabelle Comes Home and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and will score The Nun 2 later in 2023. There's no word yet on what it'll cover, other than that it'll continue the story established in the features. Australian filmmaker James Wan, who helmed the first two The Conjuring movies, may executive produce. The American network is also making IT prequel series Welcome to Derry, which it announced earlier in 2023. Plus, it also has a spinoff from The Batman, aka The Penguin, on the way for its 2024 lineup — with Colin Farrell reprising the show's titular role. Welcome to Derry. Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar, and Chris Chalk have been cast to star in the Max Original Series and prequel to the IT films, coming in 2024 to Max. #WelcomeToDerry #ITSeries #ITMovie 🎈 #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/wnX3YTIB21 — HBO Max (@hbomax) April 12, 2023 And, arriving in May, there's the animated Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, a prequel to the 80s movies that heads back to 1920s Shanghai and the Wing family's first meeting with Gizmo. Clearly, the answer to how HBO will cope with not just the OG Game of Thrones ending, but the looming post-Succession void, is leaning into other well-known properties. There's been no word of any spinoffs, prequels or sequels to the Roy family saga — even after its latest episode, and the fact that this is the acclaimed series' final season — however, based on the current announcements, don't be surprised if HBO gives it a try down the line. Most of the above HBO shows don't have exact release dates yet — we'll update you when further details are announced. Top image: courtesy of Max.
